Life is difficult.

 It is a great truth because once we truly understand and accept it, then life is no longer difficult.

Most do not fully see this truth. Instead they complain about their problems and difficulties as if life should be easy. It seems to them that difficulties represent(代表) a special kind of suffering especially forced upon them or else upon their families, their class, or even their nation.

What makes life difficult is that the process of facing and solving problems is a painful one. Problems, depending on their nature, cause in us sadness or loneliness or regret or anger or fear. These are uncomfortable feelings, often as painful as any kind of physical pain. And since life causes an endless series of problems, life is always difficult and is full of pain as well as joy.

Yet, it is in this whole process of solving problems that life has its meaning.

Problems are the serious test that tells us success from failure. When we desire to encourage the growth of the human spirit, we encourage the human ability(能力) to solve problems, just as in school we set problems for our children to solve. It is through the pain of meeting and working out problems that we learn. As Benjamin Franklin said, “Those things that hurt, instruct.” It is for this reason that wise people learn not to fear but to welcome the pain of problems.

56. From the passage, it can be inferred that ______.

A. everybody has problems          

B. we become stronger by facing and solving the problems of life

C. life is difficult because our problems bring us pain

D. people like to complain about their problems

57.The writer probably used just one short sentence in the first paragraph to ______.

A. save space                B. persuade readers 

C. make readers laugh         D. get reader's attention

58. The main idea of paragraph 3 is that ______.

A. most people feel life is easy     

B. the writer feels life is easy

C. the writer likes to complain about his problems

D. most people complain about how hard their lives are

59. According to the passage, we give school children difficult problems to solve in order to ______.

A. encourage them to learn  

B. teach them to fear the pain of solving problems

C. help them learn to deal with pain

D. teach them how to respect for problems

I love it at night. It’s peaceful. And when it cools down I sometimes do some ironing. I don’t really care for it. I work full-time and am too busy for most housework. I remember the old woman who taught me to iron(熨烫). I was about 15 and somehow got a live-in job taking care of a woman who had been an able-bodied, healthy woman until the accident that caused her to be paralyzed.
The woman had an electric wheelchair. She could move her head and arms but not her hands or fingers. She had this clamp（夹子）attached to her arm and I’d have to open it and put a cup or a pencil in it and then she could move it. She would tell me how to do things. She would instruct me in great detail on the correct way to do things. Her home was perfect and beautiful. She would follow me around in her electric wheelchair to make sure I did everything exactly right. I’m sure she had been a perfect homemaker. She would have me fold everything, including socks and pillow cases. I would complain silently and wish terrible things on her. She taught me the right way to make the bed and tuck the corners. I know sometimes she’d get frustrated and impatient with me. I knew she wanted to grab it and do it herself. But she never yelled or scolded. Only she insisted I do it right. I didn’t like it much, but I did it.
Today I can iron pretty well. I know where to start on a shirt, the right way to do the collar and sleeves. Now that I think about it, I don’t think she is an old lady. I think she might have been about my age now. Anyway, when I iron, I think of her and silently thank her for all the things I learned.
【小题1】From the passage we can infer that the writer of the passage now is ________.

Dogs are social animals and without proper training, they will behave like wild animals. They will soil your house, destroy your belongings, bark excessively, fight other dogs and even bite you. Nearly all behavior problems are perfectly normal dog activities that occur at the wrong time or place or are directed at the wrong thing. The key to preventing or treating behavior problems is learning to teach the dog to redirect its normal behavior to outlets that are acceptable in the domestic setting.
　　One of the best things you can do for your dog and yourself is to train its obedience. Obedience training doesn’t solve all behavior problems, but it is the foundation for solving just about any problem. Training opens up a line of communication between you and your dog. Effective communication is necessary to instruct your dog about what you want it to do.
Training is also an easy way to establish the social rank order. When your dog obeys a simple request of “come here, sit,” it is showing obedience and respect for you. It is not necessary to establish yourself as top dog or leader of the pack（群）by using extreme measure. You can teach your dog its subordinate（从属的）role by teaching it to show submission to you. Most dogs love performing tricks for you to
pleasantly accept that you are in charge.
　　Training should be fun and rewarding for you and your dog. It can enrich your relationship and make living together more enjoyable. A well-trained dog is more confident and can more safely be allowed a greater amount of freedom than an untrained animal.
51. Behavior problems of dogs are believed to _______.
A. be just part of their nature
　 B. worsen in modern society
　 C. occur when they go wild
　 D. present a threat to the community
52. The primary purpose of obedience training is to _______.
　 A. teach the dog to perform clever tricks
　 B. make the dog aware of its owner’s authority
　 C. provide the dog with outlets for its wild behavior
　 D. enable the dog to regain its normal behavior
53. Effective communication between a dog and its owner is _______.
　 A. essential to solving the dog’s behavior problems
　 B. the foundation for dogs to perform tasks
　 C. a good way to teach the dog new tricks
　 D. an extreme measure in obedience training
54. Why do pet dogs love performing tricks for their masters?
　 A. To avoid being punished.
　 B. To show their affection for their masters.
　 C. To win leadership of the dog pack.
　 D. To show their willingness to obey.
55. When a dog has received effective obedience training, its owner _______.
　 A. can give the dog more rewards
　 B. will enjoy a better family life
　 C. can give the dog more freedom
　 D. will have more confidence in himself

D
A curriculum vitae (CV) provides an overview of a person's life and qualifications. You know that you're a star but without a knock-out CV, no-one else will believe you. Here's how to impress and write yourself into a better job.
First, be concise (简洁的). "It's not War and Peace." says Steven Kirkpatrick, the managing director of Adecco Staffing. Recruiters (考官) who have to plough through hundreds of CVs don't enjoy flowery long articles. Use active verbs and ensure that every sentence counts.
Second, tell the truth. "The most important thing is not to lie," Kirkpatrick says. "People decorate their CV by adding things to make themselves more attractive," he says, only to embarrass themselves later. "If your first impression is a lie, it's not a great basis for moving forward."
Then, focus on your skills. A CV is a selling tool and how you break down what you have learnt and what you can do is me most important. "It's OK to simplify job titles to make them clearer," Sharman says. "Just outline your achievements and experience to back that up, and say more about your recent roles."
Also, personalize it. "There's nothing as bad as getting an automatically created CV from a website," Kirkpatrick says. "What they are buying is you, so sell them you. It's always nice to have personal information that makes you a human being," Sharman says. But do try to stand out from the crowd.
Finished? So you've written the perfect CV. That's the job half done. Last but not least, check out how to write the perfect covering letter.
68. For what purpose does the author write this passage?
A. To teach readers how to behave in job interviews.                                B. To tell readers how to improve their writing skills.                                            C. To instruct readers on how to apply for a job.                                                 D. To advise readers on how to write a CV.
69. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
A. It doesn't have to be too long.              B. It should be true.                    C. It needs to be fun to read.                     D. It ought to be polite.
70. Which of the following would the author recommend?
A. Tell lies about your education and experience.                                   B. Focus on what work you are able to do.                                             C. Download sample CVs from websites.                                                    D. Provide a nice photo of yourself.
71. How many tips are given in this passage?
A. Five.      B. Four.       C. Three.       D. Two.

After successfully serving their term for 4 years, military service men and women are given the choice to stay in the military or return to civilian（平民）life.
For some, having to readjust to civilian life is one of the most challenging assignments our returning soldiers and marines（水兵）will ever have to undertake. While people may think readjusting should be simple, they must take into consideration all the physical and mental stress our servicemen went through.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder（创伤后应急障碍）,　or PTSD, is a mental disorder that can occur following the experience or witnessing of life-threatening events such as military combat（打仗）.
Most survivors of trauma return to normal given a little time. In the military, the marines are given a two-week course on how to return to civilian life.
Unfortunately, some will have stress reactions that do not go away on their own, or may even get worse over time. These individuals may develop PTSD.
People who suffer from PTSD have difficulty sleeping because they are often reliving the experience through nightmares（梦魇）and flashbacks, and feel deserted or often stand off, and these symptoms can be severe enough and last long enough to significantly damage the person’s daily life.
Fullerton College, like most colleges, has its own Veteran’s（老兵）Office. Ray Bustos has been running the office for 3 years. Bustos acts as a liaison（联络） for the school and the veteran students. He makes sure the veterans returning to school get the right benefits. There are various types of financial aid for soldiers and marines. He strongly encourages the use of the Veterans Affairs website.
The website is very informative and extremely helpful for veterans as well as for friends and relatives of veterans who want to learn more.
【小题1】One purpose of the writer in writing the passage is ________________.