What I’ve noticed about some very successful business owners is that they are always learning and growing.

For your business to be better you need to be better and, you don’t get better by doing nothing!

You are the average of the five PEOPLE you hang around with most. Surround yourself with people whom you want to be like.

To do this you may have to get right out of your comfort zone and join in a coaching program, go along to seminars(专题讨论会) where you can meet other like-minded people or those playing at a higher level of business than you.

There’s no excuse not to get off your butt and learn your way to success. Regardless of where you are located events are taking place all around the country regularly as well as online. Saying you have “no money” or “no time” is not a good enough excuse.

For many business owners they spend their whole lives using these excuses and going nowhere. Don’t focus on where you are now, but where you want to be. You’ll find the money and the time if you seriously want to change.

You ongoing learning can take you from struggling along to soaring high in all areas of your life.

It’s been nearly six months since you made those New Year decisions to make changes in your business and your life.

Are you getting the results you wanted?

Is your business more profitable?

Do you have more free time?

Is the quality of your life improving?

Is your answer “yes”, then take a look at why that is. What have you been doing to get these results? And if you’re not moving ahead, seriously look at why that is. When’s the last time you read a book, listened to a CD, got coached or attended a seminar to learn how to do things better?

The people I know who are getting great results in their business and personal lives are always learning and growing.

You are the Secret to Your Success, so do everything within your power to invest in yourself.

66. All the following ways can contribute to your business EXCEPT ___________.

A.      getting in touch with successful people

B.      not dreaming of living a comfortable life

C.      avoiding finding unnecessary excuses

D.     deciding to change your present life

67. The underlined phrase “get off your butt” in Paragraph 5 probably means _________.

A.      stop being lazy and start doing something useful

B.      leave for a place where you want to go

C.      do something as you like

D.     shoot an object

68.   According to the passage, the most important thing to success is __________.

A.        making a plan ahead of time

B.        attending important meetings often

C.        making changes when necessary

D.       keeping learning all the time

69.   Why does the writer write the word “people” in capital letters in Paragraph Three?

A.        People are supposed to set higher goals.

B.        It’s sometimes difficult to change a person.

C.        Average people are easy to get along with.

D.       You don’t get better by doing something.

70.   What would be the best title for this passage?

A.        Failure is the Mother of Success

B.        Successful Business Owners

C.        Learn Your Way to Success

D.       No More any Excuses

Dear Michelle,

My mother is not a good example for me and my sister. She smokes, stays out late, and she curses. I love her but I am ashamed of her. I do not want to bring home my friends because she does not act like any of the other mothers. She says I am a loser because I sit at home and I study. I wish I could live in another family that is normal, but that will not be for another 5 years when I am 18 and legal. What am I supposed to do until then?

                                                    Prisoner of a Crazy House

Dear 7^th Grade,

   I am glad that you love your mother because the rest of your feelings about her may change as you mature and get older.

   While it is true that your mother’s smoking, partying and cursing bring you shame, the fact that you want to stay separate from her doing is notable and very smart. It shows that you are a winner, not a loser.

   I am guessing, therefore, that you do not bring shame to yourself, and that is a good thing. So, keep it that way and keep away from your mother’s habits.

   In the meantime, get the best grades as possible and join clubs and after-school activities. Offer social service on weekends and visit with your friends at their homes.

   Unfortunately, you are not alone. Many teens live in homes with immature, misguided, selfish parents. Those kids often feel lonely and separate from the rest of their friends because of their parents’ terrible deeds.

   Yet, despite this, some of these very teens grow up to be just fine. They develop good friendships with nice kids, do well in school, and often find a teacher of guidance advisor who makes all the difference!

   Do it, Miss Winning 13-year-old, and keep looking forward to your own fine future. Maybe by then your mother may even see the light and realize how surprising you really are.

   Best luck!

                                                             Michelle

The kids asks for advice on how to _________.

A. make her mother change          B. grow up in her present situation

C. get along well with her mother     D. start a new family with her sister

Michelle doesn’t call her letter receiver a “Prisoner of a Crazy House” possibly because she ________.

A. tries to be polite                 B. doesn’t write to that kid alone

C. knows that’s a girl in Grade 7       D. wants to cheer up the kid

Michelle advises the girl to ___________.

A. try talking to her mother                 B. get used to the habits of her mother

C. stick to her attitude towards her mother     D. improve her relationship with her mother

What does Michelle express by the paragraphs beginning with “Unfortunately” and “Yet”?

A. Many parents act terribly                B. You’re not speaking for yourself

C. Parents’ manners make little difference     D. Don’t worry too much about your problem

Dear Michelle,

My mother is not a good example for me and my sister. She smokes, stays out late, and she curses. I love her but I am ashamed of her. I do not want to bring home my friends because she does not act like any of the other mothers. She says I am a loser because I sit at home and I study. I wish I could live in another family that is normal, but that will not be for another 5 years when I am 18 and legal. What am I supposed to do until then?

Prisoner of a Crazy House

Dear 7^th Grade,

I am glad that you love your mother because the rest of your feelings about her may change as you mature and get older.

While it is true that your mother’s smoking, partying and cursing bring you shame, the fact that you want to stay separate from her doing is notable and very smart. It shows that you are a winner, not a loser.

I am guessing, therefore, that you do not bring shame to yourself, and that is a good thing. So, keep it that way and keep away from your mother’s habits.

In the meantime, get the best grades as possible and join clubs and after-school activities. Offer social service on weekends and visit with your friends at their homes.

Unfortunately, you are not alone. Many teens live in homes with immature, misguided, selfish parents. Those kids often feel lonely and separate from the rest of their friends because of their parents’ terrible deeds.

Yet, despite this, some of these very teens grow up to be just fine. They develop good friendships with nice kids, do well in school, and often find a teacher of guidance advisor who makes all the difference!

Do it, Miss Winning 13-year-old, and keep looking forward to your own fine future. Maybe by then your mother may even see the light and realize how surprising you really are.

Best luck!

Michelle

1.The kids asks for advice on how to _________.

2. Michelle doesn’t call her letter receiver a “Prisoner of a Crazy House” possibly because she ________.

3. Michelle advises the girl to ___________.

4.What does Michelle express by the paragraphs beginning with “Unfortunately” and “Yet”?

We all like to think that we are perfect to a fault .And whose fault is that? Not mine.

       Recently, my husband and I got up at the    1   of 4 am to catch an early    2 to New York .We were extremely   3  ,perhaps because we were sleep-walking . And we were all ready when the taxi came to   4  us 45 minutes later.

       It was a quiet   5  to the airport .We didn’t even chat ,because he was enjoying his new iPod .At the airport ,the taxi   6  to let us get off ,at which point the iPod guy   7  me and said , “We don’t have our   8 .”

       “You are   9  ,right?” I replied ,for he   10   lied like that.

       “No. I mean it .Did you bring it down?” I didn’t”

       “What do you mean ,you didn’t ?” I shouted. “All our things are there.”

       “How  11  !” I was thinking, “You’re always  12  to do things like bringing down luggage .This is your fault , 13  now ,we may   14  our flight.” I didn’t say that out loud,  15  .He already knew how I felt.

       The experience showed I had a hard time accepting  16  . But what do you think of me? Psychologists think that the best way to assess ourselves is  17  the eyes of others. We often don’t recognize that we’ve done wrong.

       Oh ,and that missing suitcase? We went home  18 in the taxi ,picked it up ,returned to the airport and made it through with minutes to  19  .

       Later ,while walking along Broadway, I noted how  20 I was. I hadn’t said a thing about his forgetting our suitcase at home.

1．A．point                     B．hour                    C．strike                  D．period

2．A．bus                       B．train                    C．flight                   D．taxi

3．A．still                       B．excited                C．calm                   D．disappointment

4．A．collect                  B．pick                    C．fetch                   D．draw

5．A．drive                     B．experience           C．travel                  D．ride

6．A．pulled in                B．pushed in             C．hurried in            D．dragged in

7．A．turned to               B．turned up             C．turned against      D．turned away

8．A．briefcase               B．suitcase               C．clothes bag          D．food bag

9．A．running                 B．laughing              C．joking                 D．cheating

10．A．rarely                  B．always                C．hardly                 D．never

11．A．clever                  B．stupid                  C．terrible                D．unlucky

12．A．expected             B．asked                  C．requested            D．supposed

13．A．and                     B．if                        C．while                  D．but

14．A．catch                  B．quit                     C．change                D．miss

15．A．either                  B．as well                C．though                D．besides

16．A．punishment          B．advice                 C．responsibility       D．belief

17．A．in                       B．through               C．over                    D．on

19．A．spare                  B．use                     C．leave                   D．share

20．A．stupid             B．sorry             C．wise            D．funny

When my grandmother was raising me in Stamps，Arkansas，she had a particular routine when people who were known to be whiners entered her store.My grandmother would ask the customer，“How are you doing today，Thomas？”

The person would reply，“Not so good today, Henderson.You see，it's this summer heat.I just hate it.It just makes me tired.It's almost killing me.”Then my grandmother would stand calmly，her arms folded，and say，“Uh－huh，uh huh.”

As soon as the complainer was out of the store，my grandmother would call me to stand in front of her.Then she would say the same thing she had said at least a thousand times，it seemed to me.“Jane，did you hear what so－and－so complained about？”And I would nod.Grandmother would continue，“Jane，there are people who went to sleep all over the world last night，poor and rich and black and white，but they will never wake again.Those dead people would give anything，anything at all for just five minutes of this weather that person was complaining about.So you watch yourself about complaining，Jane.What you're supposed to do when you don't like a thing is change it.If you can't change it，change the way you think about it.Don't complain.”

I have learned a lot from my grandmother.Her opinions always hit the nail on the head.Whining is not only impolite，but can be dangerous.

6. The underlined word “whiners” in Paragraph 1 refers to those people who ________.

A. complain often         B. enter a store regularly

C. are afraid of hot weather  D. think little of themselves

7. From what the author's grandmother said we can infer  that________.

A. she tried to comfort the whiners

B. she was impolite to the whiners

C. she was against whining

D. she shared the whiners' opinions

8. The author's grandmother told her to________.

A. be sympathetic to the dead

B. treasure every moment of her life

C. keep away from the whiners

D. get used to things she disliked

9. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A. Grandmother once owned a store in Stamps，Arkansas.

B. The author was told different things after different whiners left Grandmother's store.

C. The author was told that she could change her way of thinking about things.

D. Grandmother's opinion that people shouldn't complain was reasonable.

10. What is the purpose of the author in writing the passage?

A. To show that complaining is not only rude but harmful.

B. To tell us a story about her grandmother.

C. To show how to live one's life to the fullest.

D. To tell us people's different attitudes towards complaining.