As an engineering student, I had a degree and three good job offers. I couldn’t help trembling when I heard about studies which showed that women are at a (n) 　1 when it comes to math. However, I discovered: just because a subject is 　2 to learn, it does not show you are not good at it. You just have to grit your teeth and work harder to get good at it. 　3 you do, there’s a (an) 　4 chance you will enjoy it more than anything else.

In eighth grade I took algebra (代数). On one test I got only 1 percent of the 　5 answers. I failed the next one, too. I started to 　6 maybe I’m just not good at this. I was lucky enough to have a teacher who didn’t take my bad grades as a judgment of my 　7 , but 　8 as an indication that I should study more. He 　9 me aside and told me he knew I could do better. Success grows out of struggles to overcome difficulties. I 　10 the following tests, and pulled my grade up to an A.

I studied a lot in college, too. I had moments of fear while sitting below the fluorescent lights in the 　11 library on Saturday afternoons, when I 　12 that the estrogen (雌性激素) in my body was 　13 me from understanding thermodynamics (热动力学). But the 　14 in my class had to work just as hard, and I knew that I couldn’t 　15 to lose confidence in myself. I didn’t want to choose between my femininity (女人气) and a good career. 16 I reminded myself that those 　17 , the ones that say math comes more naturally to men, are faulty.

Here’s a secret: math and science don’t go 　18 to most people. No one was 　19 born knowing calculus (微积分). But as a famous saying goes: Y nothing is difficult if you put your heart into it. A woman can learn anything a man can, but first she needs to know that she can do it, and then takes a leap of 　20 .

1．A．advantage　 B．disadvantage　　 C．trouble　　 D．discomfort

2．A．enjoyable　 B．humorous C．simple　　 D．difficult

3．A．Once　 B．Where　　 C．Although　 D．Until

4．A．strong B．poor C．impossible D．few

5．A．wrong B．complete　 C．correct　　 D．missing

6．A．think　 B．astonish　 C．know　　　 D．decide

7．A．marks B．standards C．characteristics D．abilities

8．A．extremely　 B．simply　　 C．slightly　　 D．especially

9．A．pulled B．led　　 C．put　 D．pushed

10．A．designed　 B．attended　 C．got　 D．took

11．A．chemistry B．engineering　　　 C．biology 　 D．geography

12．A．worried　 B．agreed　　 C．knew D．realized

13．A．protecting B．awaking　 C．preventing D．attempting

14．A．girls B．boys C．students　 D．classmates

15．A．afford　　　 B．try　　 C．help　 D．manage

16．A．Also B．But　 C．Though　 D．So

17．A．studies　　 B．grades　　 C．students　 D．experiments

18．A．actively　　 B．easily C．difficultly D．gradually

19．A．never B．ever　 C．even D．often

20．A．honesty　 B．knowledge　　　 C．reality　　　 D．faith

As an engineering student, I had a degree and three good job offers. I couldn’t help trembling when I heard about studies which showed that women are at a (n) 　1 when it comes to math. However, I discovered: just because a subject is 　2 to learn, it does not show you are not good at it. You just have to grit your teeth and work harder to get good at it. 　3 you do, there’s a (an) 　4 chance you will enjoy it more than anything else.

In eighth grade I took algebra (代数). On one test I got only 1 percent of the 　5 answers. I failed the next one, too. I started to 　6 maybe I’m just not good at this. I was lucky enough to have a teacher who didn’t take my bad grades as a judgment of my 　7 , but 　8 as an indication that I should study more. He 　9 me aside and told me he knew I could do better. Success grows out of struggles to overcome difficulties. I 　10 the following tests, and pulled my grade up to an A.

I studied a lot in college, too. I had moments of fear while sitting below the fluorescent lights in the 　11 library on Saturday afternoons, when I 　12 that the estrogen (雌性激素) in my body was 　13 me from understanding thermodynamics (热动力学). But the 　14 in my class had to work just as hard, and I knew that I couldn’t 　15 to lose confidence in myself. I didn’t want to choose between my femininity (女人气) and a good career. 16 I reminded myself that those 　17 , the ones that say math comes more naturally to men, are faulty.

Here’s a secret: math and science don’t go 　18 to most people. No one was 　19 born knowing calculus (微积分). But as a famous saying goes: Y nothing is difficult if you put your heart into it. A woman can learn anything a man can, but first she needs to know that she can do it, and then takes a leap of 　20 .

1．A．advantage　 B．disadvantage　　 C．trouble　　 D．discomfort

2．A．enjoyable　 B．humorous C．simple　　 D．difficult

3．A．Once　 B．Where　　 C．Although　 D．Until

4．A．strong B．poor C．impossible D．few

5．A．wrong B．complete　 C．correct　　 D．missing

6．A．think　 B．astonish　 C．know　　　 D．decide

7．A．marks B．standards C．characteristics D．abilities

8．A．extremely　 B．simply　　 C．slightly　　 D．especially

9．A．pulled B．led　　 C．put　 D．pushed

10．A．designed　 B．attended　 C．got　 D．took

11．A．chemistry B．engineering　　　 C．biology 　 D．geography

12．A．worried　 B．agreed　　 C．knew D．realized

13．A．protecting B．awaking　 C．preventing D．attempting

14．A．girls B．boys C．students　 D．classmates

15．A．afford　　　 B．try　　 C．help　 D．manage

16．A．Also B．But　 C．Though　 D．So

17．A．studies　　 B．grades　　 C．students　 D．experiments

18．A．actively　　 B．easily C．difficultly D．gradually

19．A．never B．ever　 C．even D．often

20．A．honesty　 B．knowledge　　　 C．reality　　　 D．faith

A few minutes ago, walking back from lunch I started to cross the street when I heard the sound of a coin dropping. It wasn’t much but, as I turned, my eyes caught the heads of several other people turning too. A woman had dropped what appeared to be a dime.

       The tinkling sound of a coin dropping on sidewalk is an attention-getter. It can be nothing more than a penny. Whatever the coin is, no one ignores the sound of it. It got me thinking about sounds again.

       We are surrounded y so many sounds that attract the most attention. People in New York City seldom turn to look when a fire engine, a police car or an ambulance comes screaming along the street.

       When I’m in New York, I’m a New Yorker. I don’t turn either. Like the natives. I hardly hear a siren (警笛) there .

       At home in my little town in Connecticut, it’s different. The distant loud noise of a police car , an emergency vehicle or a fire siren brings me to my feet if I’m seated and brings me to the window if I’m in bed .

       It’s the quietest sounds that have most effect on us, not the loudest. In the middle of the night, I can hear a dripping tap a hundred yards away through three closed doors. I’ve been hearing little creaking noises and sounds which my imagination turns into footsteps in the middle of the night for twenty-five years in our house. How come I never hear those sounds in the daytime?

       I’m quite clear in my mind what the good sounds are and what he bad sounds are

       I’ve turned against whistling, for instance. I used to think of it as the mark of a happy worker but lately I’ve been connecting the whistler with a nervous person making noises.

       The tapping, tapping, tapping of my typewriter as the keys hit the paper is a lovely sound to me. I often like the sound of what I write better than the looks of it.

1．The sound of a coin dropping makes people _________

       A．think of money                                          B．look at each other          

C．pay attention to it                                D．stop crossing the street

2．How does the author relate to sounds at night?

       A．He imagines sounds that do not exist.

B．He thinks taps should be turned off

C．He believes it’s rather quiet at night

D．He overstates quiet sounds

3．He dislikes whistling because __________.

       A．he is tired of it                                           B．he used to be happier

C．it reminds him of tense people               D．he doesn’t like workers

4．What kind of sound does he find pleasant?

       A．Tapping of his typewriter                            B．Clinking sound of keys

C．Tinkling sound  of a coin dropping              D．Creaking sounds

5．How does the writer feel about sounds in general?

       A．They make him feel at home                

B．He thinks they should be ignored

C．He believes they are part of our lives    

D．He prefers silence to loud noises

As an engineering student, I had a degree and three good job offers. I couldn’t help trembling when I heard about studies which showed that women are at a (n) 　1 when it comes to math. However, I discovered: just because a subject is 　2 to learn, it does not show you are not good at it. You just have to grit your teeth and work harder to get good at it. 　3 you do, there’s a (an) 　4 chance you will enjoy it more than anything else.

In eighth grade I took algebra (代数). On one test I got only 1 percent of the 　5 answers. I failed the next one, too. I started to 　6 maybe I’m just not good at this. I was lucky enough to have a teacher who didn’t take my bad grades as a judgment of my 　7 , but 　8 as an indication that I should study more. He 　9 me aside and told me he knew I could do better. Success grows out of struggles to overcome difficulties. I 　10 the following tests, and pulled my grade up to an A.

I studied a lot in college, too. I had moments of fear while sitting below the fluorescent lights in the 　11 library on Saturday afternoons, when I 　12 that the estrogen (雌性激素) in my body was 　13 me from understanding thermodynamics (热动力学). But the 　14 in my class had to work just as hard, and I knew that I couldn’t 　15 to lose confidence in myself. I didn’t want to choose between my femininity (女人气) and a good career. 16 I reminded myself that those 　17 , the ones that say math comes more naturally to men, are faulty.

Here’s a secret: math and science don’t go 　18 to most people. No one was 　19 born knowing calculus (微积分). But as a famous saying goes: Y nothing is difficult if you put your heart into it. A woman can learn anything a man can, but first she needs to know that she can do it, and then takes a leap of 　20 .

1．A．advantage　 B．disadvantage　　 C．trouble　　 D．discomfort

2．A．enjoyable　 B．humorous C．simple　　 D．difficult

3．A．Once　 B．Where　　 C．Although　 D．Until

4．A．strong B．poor C．impossible D．few

5．A．wrong B．complete　 C．correct　　 D．missing

6．A．think　 B．astonish　 C．know　　　 D．decide

7．A．marks B．standards C．characteristics D．abilities

8．A．extremely　 B．simply　　 C．slightly　　 D．especially

9．A．pulled B．led　　 C．put　 D．pushed

10．A．designed　 B．attended　 C．got　 D．took

11．A．chemistry B．engineering　　　 C．biology 　 D．geography

12．A．worried　 B．agreed　　 C．knew D．realized

13．A．protecting B．awaking　 C．preventing D．attempting

14．A．girls B．boys C．students　 D．classmates

15．A．afford　　　 B．try　　 C．help　 D．manage

16．A．Also B．But　 C．Though　 D．So

17．A．studies　　 B．grades　　 C．students　 D．experiments

18．A．actively　　 B．easily C．difficultly D．gradually

19．A．never B．ever　 C．even D．often

20．A．honesty　 B．knowledge　　　 C．reality　　　 D．faith