Homework and stress are rarely reduced inside the classroom. Meanwhile, outside the classroom, the pressure is on to find scholarships for college.
According to Braintrack, a higher education database with worldwide reach, more than 3 billion US dollars (18 billion yuan) in private scholarships are awarded to college students annually. Average awards range from $2,000 to $3,000.
The scholarship application process is similar to the college application process: forms to be completed, test scores and transcripts to be sent, essays to be written and often interviews to be prepared for.
A few great places to start looking for scholarships are: www.fastweb.com, www.finaid.org and www.collegexpress.com.Check out the annual scholarship guidebooks Scholarships, Grants & Prizes by Peterson’s and the Ultimate Scholarship Book: Billions of Dollars in Scholarships, Grants and Prizes by Gen Tanabe and Kelly Tanabe.
Be selective. Thoroughly research the qualifications required by each of the scholarships. Don’t waste your time applying for those that are need-based if you can’t produce the appropriate documents.
Research past recipients (接受者). Check out the websites of the organizations sponsoring the scholarships. Many post the biographies of past recipients. You don’t need to have cured cancer, but if you don’t think your résumé (履历) measures up to the past winners’, you might be better served by moving onto the next scholarship on your list. Prepare for the interview.
You’ll want to dazzle them with your personality, but above all you’ll want to be prepared. Find someone you trust to conduct a similar interview with you – someone who will be honest with you and provide valuable suggestions.
Let your personality shine through in your essays. The essays are the best way for students to share who they are, where they’ve come from, what they’ve overcome and so on. Tell your story in an interesting and persuasive way. And if you do have an interview, send a thank-you note afterward.
By Lee Bierer
The underlined word “dazzle” in Paragraph 7 is closest in meaning to ___.
| A．influence | B．impress | C．guide | D．present |
Jerry was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.
Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, “I don’t get it! You can’t be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?” Jerry replied, “Each morning I wake up and say to myself, ‘Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.’ I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life. The bottom line: It’s your choice how you live life.” I reflected on what Jerry said. Later, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life.
Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business: he left the back door open one morning and was held up at gun point by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, he forgot the password, nervous. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local hospital. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments（碎片） of the bullets still in his body.
I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, “The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door,” Jerry replied. “Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose to die. I chose to live.” “Weren’t you scared? Did you lose consciousness?” I asked. Jerry continued, “The doctors and nurses were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the emergency room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. I knew I needed to take action.”
“What did you do?” I asked. “Well, there was a big, strong nurse shouting questions at me,” said Jerry. “She asked if I was allergic (过敏的)to anything. “Yes,” I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, “Bullets!” Over their laughter, I told them. “I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.”
Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. The author left Jerry’s restaurant because he___________.
| A．wanted to start business on his own |
| B．was afraid of another robbery later |
| C．was not equal to the job any longer |
| D．didn’t get along well with others |
Why was Jerry shot?
| A．Because he left the back door open. |
| B．Because he opened the safe too slowly. |
| C．Because he pretended to forget the password. |
| D．Because he didn’t open the safe in time. |
What was Jerry really afraid in the emergency room?
| A．The doctors and nurses gave him up. |
| B．He decided to take action to live again. |
| C．He saw the expressions of the doctors and nurses. |
| D．He might not be saved by doctors and nurses. |
From the passage we can learn that Jerry was _________.
| A．no longer positive to his life after the operation |
| B．optimistic even when things were at their worst |
| C．Jerry influenced all his colleges in many ways |
| D．badly injured and stayed in hospital for six months |
Which of the following is conveyed in this article?
| A．Where there is life, there is hope. |
| B．Everything comes to him who waits. |
| C．Humor is the best medicine that creates miracle. |
| D．Attitude determines everything. |
Animals are considered to be endangered if the species is close to extinction throughout all or most of its environment. Animals become endangered for a variety of reasons.
Some animals become endangered when their habitats contain resources for humans. For example, commercial forest cutting in the Amazon Rainforest has seriously reduced the population of many animal species and lead to the extinction of other groups. Land itself is an important resource to humans since it provides us with living space, and when people replace animal habitats with human habitats, it can lead to larger loss of natural species.
Commercial and industrial operations may reduce land or water for animals and pollute their environment. Due to water pollution, the baiji, a fresh water dolphin native to China, was declared extinct, meaning it’s unlikely the population can recover. Even noise pollution from human activities can lead to the disorder of animal behavior.
Another cause that makes animals become endangered is over-fishing or over-hunting. Over-hunting whales led to near extinction of many species of whales.
The introduction of a non-native species to a habitat may make animals become endangered. The native species may not defend against a new one, and the effects can be dangerous. In Australia, the introduction of the common house cat led to the extinction of the red-fronted parakeet and has seriously damaged the populations of several small animals.
Introduced species can also bring new diseases with them. As a result, animals become endangered. Native animals may not have the power to fight against non-native diseases, and population levels can suffer. Another cause of disease is human-introduced chemicals. The use of DDT is believed to be one of the leading causes in driving the California Condor to near extinction.
When animals become endangered, the entire food chain can be affected. For example, in 2008 disease seriously harmed the honeybee, which is largely responsible for pollinating(授花粉) plants, including many fruits and vegetables. Without their pollination, a very large part of the human diet could be reduced. In fact, if the honeybee should become extinct, our life would be affected and billions of dollars would be lost. Therefore, many people argue that when animals become endangered it is in man’s own self-interest to protect them.The passage is mainly about ______.
| A．ways of protecting animals’ habitats |
| B．effects caused by species endangerment |
| C．dangers of bringing in non-native species |
| D．reasons why animals become endangered |
Which of the following examples shows that environmental pollution may cause species endangerment?
| A．The extinction of the whales. |
| B．The extinction of the red-fronted parakeet. |
| C．The decreasing population of the dolphin. |
| D．The effect of the honeybee on the human diet. |
Why is it dangerous to introduce a non-native species to a habitat?
| A．Native species are likely to die from the new diseases. |
| B．It’s hard for non-native species to survive. |
| C．Non-native species will take up more space. |
| D．Native species are so powerful for non-native species. |
The California Condor is in danger of dying out because of ______.
| A．loss of habitat | B．harmful chemicals |
| C．forest cutting | D．unfamiliar diseases |
We can infer from the last paragraph that ______.
| A．humans are to blame for species extinction |
| B．small animals mean little to the whole food chain |
| C．protection of the honeybee has cost billions of dollars |
| D．humans protect animals for the benefit of themselves |
Most likely, you aren’t the family breadwinner. But doing a small job or getting a weekly allowance (零花钱) would put some money in your pocket. For kids and grown-ups alike, money is easy to spend. If you aren’t careful, it can be going in no time.
Being responsible with your money is an important skill to learn — and the sooner you start the better. Whether you are tracking your spending or saving for something special, creating a budget can help you deal with your expenses and plan for the future. All you need are paper and a pencil — and some self-control.
First, take a look at our sample monthly budget. Then, use a separate sheet of paper to plan your own. In the first two columns (栏), list your sources (来源) of income and how much you expect to earn from them. In the third and fourth columns, list what you expect to spend your money on and the amount.
The left-hand total should be more than or equal to the right-hand total. If it is, you have an effective budget. Budgets are not complex, but sticking to them can be tough. When planning your budget, be realistic about your expenses. If you know that you drop $18 at a movie, don’t write $12 in that space simply because you wish you were spending less.
If you are eyeing a big purchase, such as a $150 skateboard, spend less and save more until you have the total amount. No matter how attractive it may be, avoid spending your savings. One day, you will thank yourself!
| Monthly Income |
Amount |
Monthly Expense |
Amount |
| Allowance |
$20.00 |
Snacks |
$20.00 |
| Money earned selling drinks |
$25.00 |
Music downloads |
$12.00 |
| Money earned babysitting |
$12.50 |
Movies |
$18.00 |
| Money earned delivering newspapers |
$30.00 |
Video rental |
$10.00 |
| Total |
$87.50 |
Total |
$66.00 |
Who is the passage written for?
| A．Children. | B．Parents. | C．Breadwinners. | D．Bank managers. |
The purpose of making a budget is to help people _________.
| A．learn to be realistic | B．increase their saving |
| C．manage their money well | D．test their power-control |
What should people do when planning a budget?
| A．Fill in the expenses as they really are. |
| B．Avoid spending money on expensive things. |
| C．Set aside a fixed amount of money as savings. |
| D．List income and expenses on two pieces of paper. |
Which of the following budgets is effective?
A
| Monthly Income |
Amount |
Monthly Expense |
Amount |
| Allowance |
$20.00 |
Money earned walking dogs |
$20.00 |
| Bus fares |
$40.00 |
Movies |
$28.00 |
| Total |
$60.00 |
Total |
$48.00 |
B
| Monthly Income |
Amount |
Monthly Expense |
Amount |
| Allowance |
$20.00 |
Movies |
$30.00 |
| Money earned washing cars |
$10.00 |
Bus fares |
$10.00 |
| Total |
$30.00 |
Total |
$40.00 |
C
| Monthly Income |
Amount |
Monthly Expense |
Amount |
| Allowance |
$27.50 |
Money earned brushing shoes |
$22.00 |
| Money earned washing dishes |
$22.50 |
Birthday gifts |
$28.00 |
| Total |
$50.00 |
Total |
$50.00 |
D
| Monthly Income |
Amount |
Monthly Expense |
Amount |
| Allowance |
$26.00 |
Video rental |
$22.00 |
| Money earned doing yard work |
$24.00 |
Birthday gifts |
$28.00 |
| Total |
$50.00 |
Total |
$50.00 |
The passage mainly tells us ________.
| A．the importance of making a budget | B．how to make a budget |
| C．how to form good habits | D．how to spend money |
阅读下面短文，从各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳答案。
As summer comes near, many children are really happy to forget about school for a few months. However, they might be taking that goal too seriously. Studies have found that children often forget between one and three months’ worth of school learning during the summer months. Spelling and math abilities drop off the most, while reading is not really influenced by the time off. The main reason for this is because most children sometimes read outside of the classroom, whether newspapers, magazines, books, or video game guides. However, their math and spelling skills only get exercised in the school setting.
The first purpose of summer holidays was to let farm children have time off to help work in the fields during the growing season, but this reason is no longer a good one since fewer kids actually work on farms today. Some cities in the United States, such as Los Angeles, have moved to a year-round school timetable, which may help reduce the loss of school skills that happens during the long summer holiday. To improve skills and to keep a good level of preparation, headmasters suggest trips to museums, summer camps, holidays with educational value, and visits to libraries to keep kids interested throughout the summer.
There are other educational systems that provide holidays while still keeping students’ skills up to date. For example, in Japan, students attend class for seven weeks in a row, followed by two weeks of holiday. This continues the whole year. In Italy, students attend class six days per week, but finish at 1: 30 pm each day, so that school does not run their life the way that it does in America, where students attend high school from 7: 45 am until 3: 00 pm each weekday. In areas where there are not enough classrooms—in Afghanistan or Somalia, for example—older students attend classes in the morning while the younger kids go to school in the afternoon.
Headmasters fear that the three-month summer holiday stops the flow of learning. Just as students become used to new math problems or new ideas in reading, writing, or thinking skills, they “shut down” during the summer holiday. When they go back to school after the long summer holiday, they take up to two months to return to their previous (先前的) level of skill. So the debate continues: whether to continue holidays or to make changes based on the Los Angeles or the Japanese models.Which skills suffer the most over the summer holidays?
| A．Math and reading. | B．Math and spelling. |
| C．Reading and writing. | D．Reading and thinking. |
What can we learn about the first purpose of summer holidays?
| A．It is still widely acceptable now. | B．It was popular in some cities. |
| C．It is not a good reason for city kids. | D．It was more for teachers than for students. |
The underlined phrase “shut down” in the last paragraph probably means __________.
| A．stop learning | B．get sick |
| C．go on reading | D．focus on studies |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Parents always read to their kids to keep reading skills. |
| B．Summer holidays lead to the loss of all the school skills. |
| C．Students love holidays and get their mind off learning in holidays. |
| D．In Italy students attend classes in the late afternoon six days a week. |
Bottled water has become the choice for people who are healthy and thirsty. Bottled water is all over the world. But some say the planet’s health, and people’s health may be suffering from it.
The idea that bottled water is safer for humans may not be true. The Natural Resources Defense Council of America said, “There is no promise that because water comes out of a bottle, it is cleaner or safer than water from the tap.” Another New York City-based action group added that some bottled water is “really just tap water in a bottle—sometimes more clean, sometimes not.”
It is not proven that bottled water is better than tap water. Nick Reeves from the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management said, “The high mineral content (含量) of some bottled water makes them not good for feeding babies and young children.” Also, most bottled water doesn’t have fluoride (氟化物), which can make teeth stronger. Kids are drinking more bottled water and less fluoridated tap water, and some say that’s behind the recent rise in bad teeth.
Storing is another problem. Placed near heat, the plastic bottles can produce bad chemicals (化学物质) into the water.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, some 2.7 million tons of plastic are used worldwide to bottle water each year. The plastic can take between 400 and 1,000 years to break down.
In terms of energy use, plastic bottles are also not cheap. One report said that if water and soft drink bottlers had used 10 percent recycled materials in their plastic bottles, they would have saved about 72 million gallons of gas.
So, if you are worried about the effect of bottled water on the Earth, you can take the following steps.
● Drink from your tap. Unless your government warns against this, it should be fine.
● Get a container (容器). Carry your tap water in a steel or a lined drinking container, and clean it between uses.
● Keep it cool. Don’t drink from a bottle that has been sitting in the sun, don’t store it near chemicals, and don’t reuse plastic bottles.
● Choose glass containers over plastic if possible. When finished, recycle!What is the main idea of the article?
| A．Drinking tap water is the only choice for people. |
| B．Glass containers are better than plastic bottles. |
| C．Plastic bottles are harmful to the environment. |
| D．Bottled water may not be as good as we think. |
What can we learn about plastic bottles from the article?
| A．They break down in less than 300 years. | B．They can be used for many other things. |
| C．They are a risk to the environment. | D．They are cheap to make. |
According to the article, we can know that bottled water is __________.
| A．no problem for the environment | B．more expensive than tap water |
| C．always safer than tap water | D．better for babies |
Which of the following about tap water is NOT mentioned in the article?
| A．There are a lot of problems storing tap water. |
| B．Bottled water can be just tap water in a bottle. |
| C．It may be better for your teeth. |
| D．It may contain fluoride. |
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