What I Want for You and Every Child in America

　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　 by President-Elect Barack Obama

Dear Malia and Sasha,

I know that you’ve both had a lot of 　1 these last two years during the campaign, going to picnics and parades and state fairs, eating all sorts of junk food your mother and I probably shouldn’t have let you have. But I also know that it hasn’t always been easy for you and Mom, and that although you are both excited about that new puppy(幼犬), it doesn’t 2 for all the time we’ve been apart. I know 3 I’ve missed these past two years, and today I want to tell you a little more about why I decided to take our family on this journey.

When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me--about how I’d 4 my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want. But then the two of you came into my 5 　with all your curiosity and mischief （捣乱） and those smiles that never 6 to fill my heart and light up my day. I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. That’s why I ran for President: because of what I want for you and for every child in this nation.

I want all our children to go to schools 7 of their potential---schools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill （灌输） in them a sense of 8 about the world around them. I want them to have the chance to go to college 9 their parents aren’t rich. And I want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give them benefits like health care, jobs that let them have time to spend time with their own 10 .

I want us to 11 back the boundaries(界限) of discovery so that you’ll live to see new technologies and inventions that improve our lives and make our planet cleaner and safer. And I want us to push our own human boundaries to reach 12 the divides(分水岭) of race and region, gender and religion that 13 us from seeing the best in each other.

That was the 14 your grandmother tried to teach me when I was your age, reading me the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence and telling me about the men and women who marched for 15 because they believed those words put to paper two centuries ago should mean 16 .

She helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfect but because it can always be made better and that the 17 work of perfecting our union falls to each of us. It’s a duty we pass on to our children.

These are the things I want for you--- to 18 in a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach. And I want every child to have the same 19 to learn and dream and grow that you girls have. That’s why I’ve taken our family on this great adventure.

I am so proud of both of you. I love you 20 you can ever know. And I am grateful every day for your patience, confidence, grace, and humor as we prepare to start our new life together in the White House.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Love, Dad

1. A. play　　　　　　 B. fun　　　　　　 C. pain　　　　　　 D. gain

2. A. take up　　　　　 B. pick up　　　　 C. make up　　　　　 D. put up

3. A. how much　　　 B. how many　　　 C. how soon　　　　 D. how long

4. A. lose　　　　　　 B. make　　　　　 C. take　　　　　　　 D. walk

5. A. world 　　　　　 B. family　　　　 C. position　　　　　 D. place

6. A. succeed　　　　 B. come　　　　　 C. tend　　　　　　　 D. fail

7. A. worth　　　　　 B. worthless　　　　 C. worthwhile　　　　 D. worthy

8. A. humor　　　　　 B. hatred　　　　　 C. wonder　　　　　 D. sadness

9. A. even if　　　　 B. as if　　　　　　 C. as long as　　　　 D. if

10. A. friends　　　　 B. kids　　　　　　 C. boys　　　　　　 D. girls

11. A. rush　　　　　 B. catch　　　　　 C. push　　　　　　 D. pull

12. A. to　 　　　　 B. in　　　　　　 C. into　　　　　　　 D. beyond

13. A. keep　　　　　 B. let　　　　　　 C. make　　　　　　 D. warn

14. A. way　　　　　 B. method　　　　　 C. means　　　　　 D. lesson

15. A. quantity　　　 B. quality　　　　　 C. equality　　　　　 D. quarter

16. A. everything　　 B. something　　　 C. anything　　　　　 D. nothing

17. A. unfinished　　 B. finished　　　　 C. unfinishing　　　　 D. finishing

18. A. wake up　　　 B. grow up　　　　 C. come up　　　　　 D. get up

19. A. difficulty　　　 B. barriers　　　　 C. anxiety　　　　　 D. chances

20. A. rather than　　 B. other than　　　　 C. less than　　　　 D. more than

LEEDS， England ─ A Leeds University psychology professor is teaching a course to help dozens of Britons forgive their enemies.

“The hatred we hold within us is a cancer，” Professor Ken Hart said， adding that holding in anger can lead to problems such as high blood pressure and heart disease.

More than 70 people have become members in Hart’s first 20-week workshop in  London ─a course he says is the first of its kind in the world.

These are people who are sick and tired of living with a memory. They realize their bitterness is a poison they think they can pour out， but they end up drinking it themselves， said Canadian-born Hart.

The students meet in groups of eight to ten for a two-hour workshop with an adviser every fortnight.

The course， ending in July， is expected to get rid of the cancer of hatred in these people. “People have lots of negative attitudes towards forgiveness，” he said， “People confuse forgiveness with  forgetting. Forgiveness means changing from a negative attitude to a positive one.”

Hart and his team have created instructions to provide the training needed.

“The main idea is to give you guidelines on how to look at various kinds of angers and how they affect you， and how to change your attitudes towards the person you are angry with，” said Norman Claringbull， a senior expert on the forgiveness project.

Hart said he believes forgiveness is a skill that can be taught， as these people “want to get free of the past”.

From this passage we know that 　　　　.

A. high blood pressure and heart disease are caused by hatred

B. high blood pressure can only be cured by psychology professors

C. without hatred， people will have less trouble connected with blood pressure and heart disease

D .people who suffer from high blood pressure and heart disease must have many enemies

People going to Hart’s first 20-week workshop 　　　　.

A. enjoy the professor’s speech

B .learn how to quarrel with others 

C .are aware that their hatred is a poison that could finally end up harming themselves

D .meet in groups of eight to ten for a two-hour workshop every night and learn how to relax 

. According to Professor Ken Hart， 　　　　.

A. most people are living with hatred

B. people should attend his courses to forget the past

C. forgiveness means forgetting the bitterness

D. people with a bitter memory can learn to have a positive attitude towards the past

Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage？

A. Hatred means living a positive life.

B. People will be taught how to look at various kinds of angers in the workshop.

C. Hart and his team enjoys high popularity among Londoners these days.

D. People who are sick of living with a bitter memory have to pay a lot to Hart’s course.

. Which could be the best title for the passage？

A. Britons learn to forgive  B. Hart and his team

C .Forgive and forget  D. Hatred， a poison to you

The way people hold to the belief that a fun-filled, pain free life equals happiness actually reduces their chances of ever attaining real happiness. If fun and pleasure are equal to happiness then pain must be equal to unhappiness. But in fact, the opposite is true: more often than not things that lead to happiness involve some pain.
　　As a result, many people avoid the very attempts that are the source of true happiness. They fear the pain inevitably brought by such things as marriage, raising children, professional achievement, religious commitment（承担的义务）, self - improvement.
　　Ask a bachelor（单身汉） why he resists marriage even though he finds dating to be less and less satisfying. If he is honest he will tell you that he is afraid of making a commitment. For commitment is in fact quite painful. The single life is filled with fun, adventure, excitement. Marriage has such moments, but they are not its most distinguishing features.
　　Couples with infant children are lucky to get a whole night’s sleep or a three - day vacation. I don’t know any parent who would choose the word fun to describe raising children. But couples who decide not to have children never know the joys of watching a child grow up or of playing with a grandchild.
　　Understanding and accepting that true happiness has nothing to do with fun is one of the most liberating realizations. It liberates time: now we can devote more hours to activities that can genuinely increase our happiness. It liberates money: buying that new car or those fancy clothes that will do nothing to increase our happiness now seems pointless. And it liberates us from envy: we now understand that all those who are always having so much fun actually may not be happy at all.
【小题1】According to the author, a bachelor resists marriage chiefly because ____________ .

Some of the best-known names in the entertainment industry have taken part in an unprecedented telethon to help victims of the terrorist attacks in the United States.

The benefit(义演), called “America: a Tribute to Heroes,” was sponsored by all four major U.S television networks, ABC, CBS, FOIX and NBC. It was broadcast by three-dozen television, cable and radio networks across the country and aired live to more than a hundred countries around the world.

Hollywood stars joined music entertainers in asking listeners and viewers to pledge cash donations to charities helping the victims of the September 11^th attacks.

Actors, including Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise and Clint Eastwood, told stories of heroic acts by people who tried to save others from the burning World trade Center and the Pentagon. Former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali made a rare public appearance in show of support.

The appeals alternated with performances by such popular entertainers as Bruce Springsteen, Mariah Carey, Steve Wonder, Paul Simon and the rock band U—2.

They appeared on stages in New York, Los Angeles and London, decorated with hundreds of burning candles.

Singer Billy Joel sang “ New York State of Mind” with a New York City firefighter’s hat on his piano. Sting dedicated his song “ Gragile” to a friend who died in the World Trade Center. Stevie Wonder condemned(指责) hatred in the name of religion before singing his song “ Love’s in Need of Love today”. Pledge phones were manned by dozens of other celebrities, including Jack Nicholson, Meg Ryan, Whoopic Goldberg, Cindy Crawford, Al Pacino and Sylvester Stallone.

Organizers say the two-hour telethon raised millions of dollars. All participants, from stars to stagehands, worked without pay.

Those who appeared on stages were ______.

　      A. some best-known names in the USA

　      B. some famous singer, film stars and other music entertainers

　      C. People who tried to save others from the burning World trade Center and the Pentagon.

　      D. Former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali and Hollywood stars

The underlined word “ telethon” most probably means ______.

　      A. a performance to raise money

　      B. a concert held by some television networks

　      C. a television program which lasts a long time

　      D. a television program for entertainment

Which of the following statements is True?

A. Four major U.S. television networks broadcast the benefit

B. The former heavy weight champion Muhammad Ali sang a song to show his support

C. Billy Joel, wearing a firefighter’s hat, played the piano for the listeners and viewers

D. The organizers, stars and people who worked for the benefit didn’t get any money for themselves.

The best title for the news report is ______.

A. U.S Telethon Raises Money for Attack Victims

B. Best-known names Pledge Donations

C. Seeking More Support 

D. A Tribute to Heroes   

The way people hold to the belief that a fun - filled, pain free life equals happiness actually reduces their chances of ever attaining real happiness. If fun and pleasure are equal to happiness then pain must be equal to unhappiness. But in fact, the opposite is true: more often than not things that lead to happiness involve some pain.
As a result, many people avoid the very attempts that are the source of true happiness. They fear the pain inevitably(不可避免的)brought by such things as marriage, raising children, professional achievement, religious commitment (义务), self - improvement.
Ask a bachelor(单身汉)why he resists marriage even though he finds dating to be less and less satisfying. If he is honest he will tell you that he is afraid of making a commitment. For commitment is in fact quite painful. The single life is filled with fun, adventure, excitement. Marriage has such moments, but they are not its most distinguishing features.
Couples with infant children are lucky to get a whole night’s sleep or a three - day vacation. I don’t know any parent who would choose the word fun to describe raising children. But couples who decide not to have children never know the joys of watching a child grow up or of playing with a grandchild.
Understanding and accepting that true happiness has nothing to do with fun is one of the most liberating realizations. It liberates（解放） time: now we can devote more hours to activities that can genuinely increase our happiness. It liberates money: buying that new car or those fancy clothes that will do nothing to increase our happiness now seems pointless. And it liberates us from envy: we now understand that all those who are always having so much fun actually may not be happy at all.
1. According to the author, a bachelor resists marriage chiefly because _______ .
A. he finds more fun in dating than in marriage
B. he believes that life will be more cheerful if he remains single
C. he is reluctant to take on family responsibilities
D. he fears it will put an end to all his fun adventure and excitement
2. Raising children, in the author’s opinion is ________ .
A. a rewarding task                  B. a thankless job
C. a moral duty                     D. a source of inevitable pain
3. From the last paragraph, we learn that envy sometimes stems from(由…造成)________ .
A. hatred　　 B. ignorance      C. prejudice(偏见)　　　D. misunderstanding
4. To understand what true happiness is one must ________ .
A. have as much fun as possible during one’s lifetime
B. be able to distinguish happiness from fun
C. put up with pain under all circumstances
D. make every effort to liberate oneself from pain
5. What is the author trying to tell us?
A. It is important to make commitments     B. One must know how to attain happiness.
C. Happiness often goes hand in hand with pain.   D. It is pain that leads to happiness.