Several years ago, I read a book Your Money or Your Life, written by Joe Domingguez and Vicki Robin. The major theme of the book is the idea that if you want to cut your spending, you’ll have to begin by stopping trying to impress other people.
The authors divide people into two groups : people whose opinions you care about, and people whose opinions you don’t care about one way or another. It’s easy to stop caring about people whose opinions you don’t care about. Who cares what they think ? As long as you’re not doing something truly immoral —— something that might potentially create a negative reputation for you —— it doesn’t matter what they think.
But shouldn’t you impress other people whose opinions you do care about ? Anyway, they are people you want to meet : customers, friends and family.
The answer is that you don’t need to impress those people with expensive, shiny things. The relationship you’ve built with them —— or you’re going to build with them —— is based on you, not on the material items. They’ll either like you for you or they won’t.
To put it simply, take care of the basics. Keep yourself clean. Keep your weight under control. Wear reasonable clothing. Work on your communication skills. If you have them covered, you don’t need to invest time and money in impressing other people.
Coming to this realization is incredibly valuable. It drops your clothing budget. It drops your automobile budget. It drops your electronics budget. It drops your housing budget. You don’t need a shiny car, an iPhone, or a ＄50 haircut.
Yes , you may actually still want one or two of these things, but the impetus(动力) comes from what your personal values are, not what other people around you seem to value or what marketing messages you receive.
For some people, it seems impossible. Their social cues come from advertising-laden media and from friends who also get their cues from advertising-laden media.They believe they need a slick cellphone and ＄100 casual clothes. Their self-worth revolves around that little burst they get from impressing others.
People should learn to break through that situation. In short, don’t play socially by the tiring old rules that revolve around needing to impress people. Instead, spend your time on things that bring real value to you and give real value to others.
66. Which of the following behaviours is “immoral”according to the second paragraph ?
A. Caring about other people’s opinion. B. Dropping your clothing budget.
C. Copying existing works. D. Obeying the traffic rule.
67. To build relationship with others, you should pay attention to the following EXEPT _______.
A. dressing casually B. learning about weight control
C. improving communication skills D. being a tidy person
68. As for people we care about, what does the author advise us to do ?
A. To impress them in a proper way. B. To buy them special gifts.
C. To spare more time to be with them. D. To impress them with shiny things.
69. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage ?
A. An iPhone is totally unnecessary in our life.
B. Your family members’opinions are always worth caring about.
C. Learning how to impress others helps people save money.
D. You should always be aware of what other people around you seem to value.
70. What is the best title for the passage ?
A. Whose opinions do you care about ? B. Two different groups of people.
C. My favorite book : Your Money or Your Life D. Stop trying to impress other people.
A
Everywhere I go, people are speaking on their cell telephones regardless of their surroundings (环境) . This happens when people are walking around a lake or through town, or even driving. I have even seen a person attempting to speak on her cell phone while ordering ice cream at Dairy Queen, thus speaking to two people at once.
As the over-spending of technology increases, people begin to take less joy in the simple pleasures of life—joys that don’t cost money—from observing clouds, playing with children to thinking or reading. And it is not just telephones that take the responsibility; too much value is placed on items (物品) from computers to cars. Many things are purchased (购买) merely(仅仅) to show off. Do you really need a cell phone that plays games, shows movies and takes pictures? No, cell phones should be purchased to use in urgent situations.You do not need to use your telephone when you are at someone else’s house or in a restaurant.
Technology and possessions (财产) do not bring joy. While some technology is necessary, it can get ridiculous(可笑的). Each possession just makes us want more, while simple pleasures can be enjoyed now and then.
Instead of spending our time buying a third television or looking into the newest cell phone models, we should be acting more productively to improve the world by volunteering, for example. Or, we should reconsider playing computer games or taking pictures on our cell phones and read a book or imagine what shapes the clouds are in the sky instead.The author mentions cell phones at the beginning just to show _________.
| A．they can be used on any occasion. |
| B．people manage to speak to two at a time. |
| C．they can put drivers in great danger. |
| D．people are fond of personal items. |
People have less joy of simple life nowadays mainly because they _________.
| A．focus on technology and their belongings. |
| B．use cell phones in less urgent situations. |
| C．buy private cars just to show off. |
| D．place too much value on computers. |
We can infer that ________.
| A．people have no time to play with their children. |
| B．we can take pleasure in using cell phones at any time. |
| C．people always desire more possessions. |
| D．we depend on volunteers to develop the world. |
D
Wilma was born on June 23, 1940 in St Bethlehem, Tennesse. By the time she was 6, Wilma Rudolph was given metal braces (支架) to aid her in walking. She started receiving treatment with help from her family. A few years later, she walked without any assistance into the church.
When she was in junior high, she joined the basketball team. She finally made an appeal to compete in games again and when her wish was finally permitted, she amazed everyone by leading the team to an undefeated season and the state championships. Though they lost the championship title in the end, Wilma Rudolph earned the attention of the women’s track coach，Ed Template at Tennessee State University and was invited to join the "Tigerbelles"．Her efforts paid off as she turned out to be so good that the Tigerbelles invited her to join them in the national Olympic team trails. Not only did she make it into the team, but she won a bronze medal in the 4×100 m relay at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. Four years later, Rudolph set a world 200 m record (22.9 seconds) at the 1960 US Championships. At the Rome Olympics in 1960, she competed in the 100 m, 200 m and 4×100 m relay, and equaled the world record of 11.3 seconds in the semifinals (半决赛) of the 100 m. She won the final by three metres in 11.0 seconds, but it was not accepted as a world record.
Wilma Rudolph’s extraordinary achievements in Rome made her a darling of the European press who gave her the nickname "The Black Gazelle (羚羊)" and "The Black Pearl". She also became the first woman in American history to win 3 gold medals in the Olympics and was crowned "the Fastest Woman in the World", Wilma Rudolph’s spirit inspired people such as Jackie Joyner Kersee and Florence Griffith Joyner who became the next woman to win 3 gold medals.What problem did Wilma face according to Paragraph 1?
| A．Not being able to speak. | B．Not being able to walk. |
| C．Losing her sight. | D．Losing her hearing. |
We learn that Wilma broke the world record in________.
| A．the 4×100m relay at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics |
| B．the semifinals of the 100m at the Rome Olympics |
| C．the 200m at the 1960 US Championships |
| D．the final of the 100m at the Rome Olympics |
How many people that at least won 3 Olympics gold medals in American history are
mentioned in the passage?
| A．One. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
C
Starting college can be a difficult experience. You have to deal with new responsibilities and growing independence, a challenging course load and, of course, the social scene. When a roommate is thrown into the mix, it may feel like you’re struggling with all that stuff while living in a small box with a stranger.
But having a roommate doesn’t need to be one more thing to worry about. When students go into their living situations with realistic expectations and a willingness to compromise, things can work out just fine.
When you first meet your roommate, chances are you’ll be on your best behaviour. You want to get along, since this is the person who’s going to be sharing your living space for the next year. But try to think ahead to potential (可能的) worst cases, too.
For example, imagine it’s 2 a.m. and you’re working on a paper that should be finished in 8 hours. Your roommate comes in from a party and wants to continue the party in your room.
At times like these, you won’t be feeling good. That’s why talking about problems that might come up ahead of time -- and respecting each other’s wishes when the time comes -- is so important.
Talk about the things that are really important to you, and make sure your roommate understands. Then encourage him or her to do the same.
For example, does it make you angry when people take things without asking first? Let your roommate know your feelings about these types of things from the start, so that both of you have a feel for each other’s likes, dislikes, and habits. The underlined word “compromise” in the second paragraph means “ ”.
| A．make a decision | B．lend a hand | C．come to terms | D．have a try |
You should try to be polite to your roommate because .
| A．you are glad to share the room with him or her |
| B．you will live with him or her in the same room for some time |
| C．you will ask him or her for help in the future |
| D．strangers are very difficult to deal with |
Which of the following is the best way to get along well with your roommate?
| A．To stay silent when there are disagreements. |
| B．To spend more time doing things together with your roommate. |
| C．To have the same hobbies and living habits with your roommate. |
| D．To talk with your roommate in advance about possible future problems. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to this passage?
| A．It is really a worrying thing to have a roommate. |
| B．It is difficult to get along well with a roommate. |
| C．It is your duty to help your roommate in his or her daily life. |
| D．It is very important for you and your roommate to understand each other. |
B
People come in all shapes and sizes，colors and races (种族). Some speak differently while others act differently.
My mother is in a wheelchair. I would like to say something about this special woman I call "Mommy".
My mom does what a mom needs to do every day. She picks me up from school，drives me to meetings，cooks dinner，and helps me with my homework. This is just part of what makes her great，though.
She is my best friend and can immediately notice when I am unhappy. She helps me solve problems that my friends do not understand. Mommy makes me laugh when times are tough. I look forward to coming home because I know there is someone there who cares about what I have done.
Mommy has always tried to be like a "normal" mom. But I think my mother is a wonderful woman and she doesn’t need to change. She teaches me life lessons that no teacher or friend can. She shows me how to accept everyone for what is inside，rather than what is on the outside.
You may have realized that all the qualities (品质) I admire have nothing to do with what she looks like. Everyone could be the way she is，but most are not.
I want everyone to look beyond the surface and see what is inside others. You may fail to notice someone who is very special like my mom because you cannot accept their outside features. What’s the function of Paragraph 1？
| A．To tell us that people are born to be different. |
| B．To show the main idea of the passage. |
| C．To suggest we enjoy what we have. |
| D．To lead to the topic of the passage. |
Which of the following words can best describe the writer’s mother？
| A．Ugly. | B．Normal. | C．Useless. | D．Wonderful. |
We can know from Paragraph 5 that
| A．the writer’s mother has tried to be like a normal mom |
| B．the writer expects his mother to change |
| C．the writer has no teachers or friends |
| D．the writer accept everyone for what is inside |
What can we learn from the passage？
| A．Most people accept who they are. |
| B．People admire the writer’s mother very much. |
| C．The writer doesn’t mind her mother’s disability. |
| D．The writer’s mother is a normal person in fact. |
The writer writes the passage to
| A．encourage his mother to be happy |
| B．tell us that everyone acts differently |
| C．tell us to respect the disabled around us |
| D．tell us to look beyond the surface and see what is inside people |
A
Before I started school, people felt that I was not going to be successful. At the age of four I started speech lessons because basically I could not speak well enough for anyone to understand me. The story goes downhill from here.
The first grade was a struggle. I not only had difficulty speaking, but also felt nervous about the fact that I was expected to learn to read and I just couldn’t do it. The second grade was not much better. I still struggled with the inability to read. It was in the third grade that the school district built a new school close to my home. I remember going there with my parents and helping to get the school ready so that we could move to the new one. However, things were still not much better as far as my schooling was concerned and did not get better for the next two years.
It was in the fifth grade. Mrs. Wakefield was my teacher, and if ever there was a teacher that deserved a gold star, it was her. She did not make me feel defeated. On the contrary, she did her best to let me know that I could be whatever I wanted to be. And that is just what I did.
For the past 22 years, I have been a fifth grade teacher. Because of Mrs. Wakefield’s influence on my life, I am now encouraging students who have had difficulties in their lives to believe that they can overcome any difficulty and become someone. I have won numerous awards up to now, such as Teacher of the Year. I owe it all to one fifth grade teacher who believed in me and challenged me to be all that I could be.The writer ______ when he was in the third grade.
| A．did better in reading | B．began speech lessons |
| C．went to a new school | D．received a high award |
We can learn from the passage that the writer ______.
| A．is a very successful teacher now |
| B．thinks teaching is a challenging job |
| C．has solved problems with his own effort |
| D．works in the same school with Mrs. Wakefield |
What is the writer’s purpose in writing the passage?
| A．To express his devotion to his work. |
| B．To show his respect to a special teacher. |
| C．To share his teaching experience with us. |
| D．To tell us his story of overcoming difficulties. |
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