Think back to a time in your life when you tried something new.

When I was a teenager I volunteered to pass out water at a local race. I was so excited to see all the different runners who passed by and quickly took a cup of water. Some ran past，some walked past and a few wheeled past.

I saw so many types of people doing it. I thought maybe I could do it too! The next year I decided to run for the race，but I had little running practice. I just wanted to finish.

On the day of the race，it was terribly hot. After running for about 5 miles，I was thinking，“I must be crazy. Why did I do this? What was I thinking？” And at one moment，I said to myself，“I am never doing this again！”

That first 10 km race was quite an experience. I jogged (慢跑)，I walked，I jogged and walked. At times，I didn’t know if I could finish.

Near the end，a 70­year­old man ran past me，very fast，and I felt a little embarrassed (尴尬的) that I was more than 50 years younger than he and I couldn’t even keep up with him. But then I realized something. He was running his race and I was running mine. How often in life do we compare(比较) ourselves to others when we really shouldn’t? I decided that I would not give up on running races，and that one day I would be one of those 70­year­olds who were still running.

As I crossed the finishing line，I was proud of myself. I didn’t regret (后悔) having such an experience.

1.What did the writer do at a local race as a volunteer?

A. He helped old runners.            

B. He cheered up the runners.

C. He passed out water to the runners.  

D. He took back the cups from the runners.

2.Why did the writer join the race?

A. He just wanted to experience.        B. He was crazy about running.

C. He had practiced running very hard.   D. He wanted very much to win a prize.

3.How did the writer’s feeling change after running about 5 miles?

①He regretted.

②He encouraged himself.

③He felt a little embarrassed.

A. ①—②—③       B. ②—①—③       C. ①—③—②     D. ②—③—①

4. What is the best title (标题) of the passage?

A. To be No.1.                         B. Let’s compare.

C. A volunteering job.                 D. Running your own race.

I have a friend named Monty Roberts who owns a horse ranch(牧马场).He has let me use his       36     to raise money for youth at risk programs.

The last time I was there he told me his story.when he was young, his family is too    37    to have a house to live in.As a     38    , when he was in high school, he was asked to write a paper about     39     he wanted to be and do when he grew up.That night he wrote a seven-page paper describing his goal of     40     a horse ranch.He also drew a picture to show a 4,000-square-foot house that would sit on a beautiful farm.The next day he handed it in to his    41   .Two days later he received his paper back.On the front page was a large red F.Roberts asked, “Why did I receive an F?” He teacher said, “This is a(an)   42    dream for a young boy like you.Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money.” Then the teacher added, “If you will rewrite this paper with a more realistic goal, I will reconsider your    43   .”

The boy went home and thought about it for a    44    and hard time.He asked his father what he should do.His father said, “Look, son, you have to    45   your own mind on this.Finally, after sitting with it for a week, the boy turned in the same paper, making no    46   at all.He told his teacher “you could keep the F and I    47   keep my dream.

Monty tell me this   48    because I am sitting in his 4,000-square-foot house in the middle of my 200-acre horse ranch.He said a lot of kids’s    49   can be stole.Don't let anyone steal your dreams.Follow your heart, no matter what.   50   he had enough gumption(毅力) not to give up my dream.

1.A.name                    B.company                           C.ranch                                 D.school

2.A.small                     B.busy                                   C.poor                                   D.lazy

3.A.present                          B.return                                C.punishment                      D.result

4.A.what                      B.which                                 C.whom                                D.who

5.A.renting                           B.donating                            C.owning                     D.kitchen

6.A.teacher                          B.father                                C.friend                                D.wife

7.A.surprised             B.great                                  C.terrible                    D.unrealistic 

8.A.work                     B.grade                                 C.family                                 D.ability

9.A.easy                      B.long                                    C.short                                  D.hurry

10.A.change                        B.rewrite                              C.have                                   D.give up

11.A.decision             B.reason                               C.excuse                               D.changes

12.A.never                           B.still                                     C.sometimes                        D.even

13.A.square                         B.story                                  C.house                                D.teacher

14.A.money                         B.house                                C.dream                                D.hobbies

15.A.Quickly                        B.Suddenly                           C.Unluckily                           D.Fortunately

Monty Robert’s father was a horse trainer. As a child, Monty often went from one farm to  21  with his father. Sometimes they didn’t have enough money to   22  food, but Monty still kept hoping to own a   23  farm.
When he was in school, his teacher asked him to write a paper   24  what he wanted to be and do when he grew up. He wrote a seven-page paper   25  his dream of having a horse farm one day. He   26  drew a picture of a horse farm in the paper.
The next day he handed   27  in to his teacher. Two days later, he got his paper back. On the front page was a large red “F” with some words “See me after class.”   28  the boy did and asked his teacher, “Why did I get an F?” The teacher said, “This dream will not   29   for a young boy like you.   30  a horse farm needs a lot of money. You have to buy the land. You have to pay for a lot of things. There is no way you could ever do it.” Then the teacher added, “If you write this paper again with a   31  dream, I will give you a good grade.”
After school he thought about it   32 . At last, he decided to hand in the same paper, making   33  changes at all. He wrote, “You can keep the F and I’ll keep my   34 .”
Many years later, Monty had his own 200 acres horse farm. His dream came true.
So don’t let   35  take away your dreams. Follow your dreams, no matter what they are.

Why are so many people so afraid to fail? Quite simply because no one tells us how to fail so that failure (失败) becomes an experience that means growth. We forget that failure is part of the human condition and that every person has the right to fail.
Most parents work hard at preventing failure or protecting their children from the knowledge that they have failed. One way is to lower standards(标准). When a child finishes making a table, the mother describes it as “perfect” even though it doesn’t stand still. Another way is to blame (责怪) others. If John fails in science, his teacher is unfair or stupid.
There’s a problem with the two ways. It makes a child unprepared for life in the real world. The young need to learn that no one can be best at everything, no one can win all the time, and that it’s possible to enjoy a game even when you don’t win. A child who’s not invited to a birthday party, who doesn’t make the honour list on the baseball team, feels terrible, of course. But parents should not offer a quick consolations (安慰), prize or say, “It doesn’t matter.” Because it does. The young should be allowed to experience failure and be helped to come out of it.
Failure never gives people pleasure. It hurts both grown-ups and children. But it can be really good to your life when you learn to use it. You must learn to ask “Why did I fail?” Don’t blame anyone else. Ask yourself what you did wrong and how you can improve. If someone else can help, don’t be shy about asking them.
【小题1】How do most parents prevent their children from failure?