Carolyn Stradley is the founder of C&S Paving Ine.(铺路公司)in Atlanta,USA.In the following account,she recalls the job that challenged her 36 and skill but left her flying high.
“When the Atlanta Airport was under 37 in 1979,we were a new company struggling to make it.National Car Rental wanted to have 2500 square meters of dirt paved 38 the cars could be on site 39 the airport opened,and the official opening was only ten days away! 40 other local paving company wanted to do the job, 41 it couldn’t be done in such a short time.”
“Because we were new and really needed the work,we were 42 to try harder.We gave National Car Rental our offer and 43 our best effort to get the job finished within ten days.We also 44 them that if we failed,they would be no worse off, 45 they had plenty to gain if we succeeded.”
“We got the job and immediately went into 46 .Working at night needed lights,so I rented a machine to produce electricity for the site.Our 47 challenge was to keep the rock mixture 48 enough.All the available water wagons(洒水车)were rented out for the airport construction,and we certainly couldn’t afford to buy a new one. 49 ,I got a special 50 to rent fire engine hoses(消防水龙带)and connect them to nearby hydrants(消防);then I 51 held one of those hoses to 52 down the rock.”
“Those ten days were filled with challenges that 53 one creative idea after another.Nine days later,the night before the airport opened,National Car Rental was the 54 company that had cars on the parking lot.”
“The key to our success was having the 55 to take on any job and then being creative in our approach to getting it done.”
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| A．while | B．since | C．where | D．when |
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When I was young,my parents ran a snack bar in our small town.
One evening in early April,my mother told me to fill in at the snack bar 36 a worker who had the flu.I told her I would mess it up, 37 I had never worked at the bar before.I 38
that instead of making money,I would end up owing it.
“You can do it,”said my mother.“ 39 ,you won’t get much business until lunch.”
“But I’ll never remember the orders,and I’m no good___40_money.Please,Mom,don’t
41 me.”
“Then I’ll help you,”she said.
I shrugged my shoulders.I thought my mother’s 42 was a bad one,but I 43 .
When I got to the bar the next day,I found my mother was 44 .Because the weather that day was rainy and cold,people wanted hot snacks and drinks. 45 ,I was really slow at taking the orders and making change.The line of people grew,and everybody seemed 46 .I was so nervous that my hands shook,and I 47 a cup into pieces.What a mess!Then my mother came to 48 me,and she also showed me how to make 49 .If someone gave me $5 for something that cost $3.25,I handed over 50 quarters and a dollar and said,“75 cents makes four dollars,plus one dollar makes five.”Things went more 51 after that.
By the end of the day,I could remember orders, 52 the bill,and make change quickly with a smile.I was even a little 53 when the sun came out and dried up business.My mother said she was proud of me,and when she 54 that I work at the snack bar again next year,I did not even shrug.I was too busy 55 the restaurant I would open one day.
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Many years ago,I owned a service station and roadhouse on the main road between Melbourne and Adelaide.
One very cold,wet night at about 3:30 a.m.,there was a 41 on the front door of our house.A young man,wet from 42 to toe,explained that he had 43 out of petrol about 30 km up the road.He had left his pregnant(怀孕的) wife and his two children 44 at the car and said that he would hitchhike(搭便车) back.
Once I had 45 a can with petrol,I took him back to his car where his two-year-old and four-year-old children were both 46 ,saying that they were cold.Once the car had started,I suggested that he 47 me back.
Before leaving,I had turned the heater 48 in the roadhouse,so that when we went in,it was nice and 49 .While the little ones played and ran 50 ,I prepared bread and butter for the children,and hot chocolate for the 51 .
It was about 5 a.m. before they 52 .The young fellow asked me how much he 53
me and I told him that the petrol pump(加油泵) had 54 $15.He offered to pay “call-out fee”,but I wouldn’t accept it.
About a month later,I received a 55 from Interstate,a large bus company that we bad been trying to 56 to stop off at our roadhouse for a long time.It 57 out that the young fellow I had helped was its general manager,the most 58 person in the company.
In his letter,he thanked me again and 59 me that,from then on,all their buses would stop at my service station.In this 60 ,a little bit of kindness was rewarded with a huge amount of benefits.
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Roberta appeared on the stage.She took a deep breath and began to 16 .Now she was Portia,a strong-willed 17 in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice.The theater was filled with people.She was speaking with a power she had never before experienced,the words flowing
18 from her.
19 .Roberta had never acted in her life before the audition(选拔试演).She 20 being in front of other people.She was very 21 at school.She had never thought she was good enough at anything to 22 much attention.She stayed mostly to herself,making 23 friends.She had excellent grades, 24 she always thought that something was missing.
Two weeks before the audition,Roberta’s mother had heard about it and 25 her to join in.
“I can’t think of anyone else better suited to 26 the part.Remember all the plays you used to act out for us?”
Roberta looked down.“I’m not interested.”
Her mother wouldn’t let the 27 drop.“You’re just a little scared(害怕).Everyone gets scared.You know you 28 do it.The trick is to look past the 29 to find the love of what you’re doing.”
So Roberta had made an appointment(预约)with the head of the Drama Club.She had read the play and found herself excited by the 30 of speaking such rich words.In secret she practiced Portia’s part, 31 the lines by repeating them over and over.It wasn’t hard;she 32 every minute of it.Every time she spoke the words,she had a new 33 of the lines,as if Shakespeare had written Portia on many levels.
On the day of the audition,she 34 two of Portia’s famous speeches for the auditors.When she had finished,the head of the Drama Club announced the 35 was hers.
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Ban the Band(乐队)？
Every year,our school has a dance for all the students.It’s a little funny seeing friends in clean shoes and trousers or colorful 36 ,instead of the usual school uniform.
Most of us think the dance is great 37 —even the teachers enjoy being there. 38 ,two weeks ago someone said that there would be no 39 band this year—only CDs.
“I don’t 40 it!”Amy cried out during the lunch break.
“Someone said the school couldn’t 41 a band,and they think it’s too noisy anyway,”added Daniel.
“Well,I don’t think it’s 42 enough without a band!”declared Angela,“and I’m going to see what can be done.”
Angela was as good as her 43 .In the afternoon she went to see the school headmaster who agreed to give the 44 some more thought.And he suggested that one 45 for having a band was to increase the price of each ticket from $5 to $10.Angela had to 46 out whether the students would like to do that.
“I need all of you to help me,”she 47 to our group before school the next day.“Mr.Berry gave me a list of all the names,and suggested we ask each one their 48 about the band and the extra cost.”
49 the day we asked around as Angela suggested,and wrote down people’s feelings about the band and the cost.We were amazed how much 50 there was for the band and everyone agreed to pay the extra $5.
“I’m surprised,”smiled Mr. Berry,when we gave him the 51 .“I really thought that only a few people 52 their band and that the cost would be too high.OK,Angela,your next 53 is to find a good band and line them up for the dance.”
Angela was all smiles and 54 the news to Amy and Daniel.“You’re 55 ,”smiled Daniel to Angela as he thought how close they came to having a less than perfect dance.
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We arrived in Spain for the first time a few weeks ago.I decided to 21 a car because we had sold the one we had in England before 22 home.Yesterday the sales office rang us to say the car was 23 .I had tried out a model like it before,but as I was not yet 24 driving in this city,my wife did not want me to collect it 25 so we went together to 26 it.We paid for the car and 27 the papers.They told us that there was 28 petrol(汽油) to take us to a garage,where we could fill up.The 29 garage to the office was about 100 yards away and we got there 30 .But when I turned into the main road I suddenly saw a lot of cars racing 31 me.I got out of 32 as fast as I could by backing into the garage 33 and the man behind 34 me.
“It’s such a problem to 35 to drive on the right side,isn’t it?”my wife said.“Yes,if only I had had a few lessons for 36 ,”I replied.“You had better go 37 on the way home,”my wife said.“You’d be sorry if you had 38 on the first day,wouldn’t you?”While we were talking,the man behind got out of his car and said in good English,“Would you mind telling me 39 you are thinking of leaving? 40 are you going to sit in your car all day?”
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A woman id her sixties lived alone in her little cottage with a pear tree at her door. She spent all her time taking care of the tree. But the children nearby drover her 21 by making fun of her. They would climb her tree and then run away with pears, 22 “Aunty Misery” at her.
One evening, a passer by asked to 23 for the night. Seeing that he had an 24 Face, she let him in and gave him a nice 25 . The next morning the stranger, actually a sorcerer (巫师), thanked her by granting (允准) her 26 that anyone who climbed up her tree 27 not be able to come back down until she 28 it.
When the children came back to steal her 29 , she had them stuck on the tree. They had to beg her
long 30 she gave the tree permission to let 31 go. Aunty Misery was free from the 32 at last.
One day another man 33 her door. This one did not look trustworthy to her, 34 she asked who he was . “I am Death, I’ve come to take you 35 me.” said he.
Thinking fast Aunty Misery said, “Fine, but I’d like to 36 some pears from my dear tree to remember the 37
it brought to me in this life. But I am too 38 to climb high to get the best fruit. Will you be so 39 as to do it for me?” With a deep sigh, Mr. Death climbed up the tree 40 and was immediately stuck to it. No matter how much he warned or begged, Aunty Misery would not allow the tree to let Death go.
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I was on a bus one March evening. The driver didn’t 36 to start the bus soon because it was not yet 37 . A middle-aged woman got on. Tired and sad, she told her story 38 , not to anyone in particular. On her way to the station, half of her 39 was stolen. The other half was hidden under her blouse, so she 40 still had some left. A few minutes later, she stopped crying, but still looked 41 .
When all the seats were taken, the driver started the engine. The conductor began to collect fares(车费). When she came to an old man in worn-out clothes, he 42 that he had spent all his money when he had accidentally got on a wrong bus and now he was trying to go home. On hearing this, she ordered the old man to 43 the bus. The old man was almost in tears as he 44 her to let him take the bus home. The driver took the conductor’s side and repeated the conductor’s 45 .
The woman was watching the incident. 46 the driver and the conductor raised their voices at the old man, she interfered(干预).
“Stop 47 him! Can’t you see he’s only trying to get home?”
“He doesn’t have any money! ” the driver 48 .
“Well, that’s no 49 to throw him off the bus,” she insisted.
Then she reached inside her blouse, took out her 50 money, and handed it to the conductor. “Here’s his fare and mine. Just stop giving him a 51 time.”
All heads turned to the woman. “It’s only money,” she shrugged.
She rode the rest of the way home 52 a happy smile, with the money she’d lost earlier 53 .
On the road of life, the help of strangers can 54 our loads and lift our spirits. How much sweeter the 55 will be when we make it a little smoother for others!
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After the birth of my second child, I got a job at a restaurant. Having worked with an experienced 36 for a few days. I was 37 to wait tables on my own. All went 38 that first week. When Saturday night came, I was luckily 39 the tables not far from the kitchen. 40 , I still felt it a little hard to carry the heavy trays(托盘).
Before I knew it, the 41 was full of people. I moved slowly, 42 every step. I remember how 43 I was when I saw the tray stand near the tables; it looked different from the one I was 44 on. It had nice handles, which made it 45 to move around. I was pleased with everything and began to 46 I was a natural at this job.
Then, an old man came to me and said, “Excuse me, dear, my wife and I loved 47 you work. It seems your tray stand has been very 48 to you, but we are getting ready to 49 now, and my wife needs her 50 back.”
At first his 51 did not get across. “What was he talking about!” Then, I got it. I had set my trays on his wife’s orthopedic walker(助步器). I stood frozen as ice, but my face was 52 . I wanted to get into a hole and 53 .
Since then, I have learned from many mistakes such as the one I just 54 . I have learned to be more 55 and not to be too sure of myself.
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When I entered Berkeley, I hoped to earn a scholarship. Having been a Straight-A student, I believed I could __1__ tough subjects and really learn something. One such course was World Literature given by Professor Jayne. I was extremely interested in the ideas he 2 in class.
When I took the first exam, I was 3 to find a 77, C-plus, on my test paper, 4 English was my best subject. I went to Professor Jayne, who listened to my arguments but remained_ 5 .
I decided to try harder, although I didn’t know what that 6 because school had always been easy for me. I read the books more carefully, but got another 77. Again, I 7 with Professor Jayne. Again, he listened patiently but wouldn’t change his 8 .
One more test before the final exam. One more 8 to improve my grade. So I redoubled my efforts and, for the first time. 10 The meaning of the word “thorough”. But my 11_ did no good and everything 12 as before.
The last hurdle(障碍) was the final. No matter what 13 I got, it wouldn’t cancel three C-pluses. I might as well kiss the 14 goodbye.
I stopped working head. I felt I knew the course material as well as I ever would. The night before the final, I even 15 myself to a movie. The next day I decided for once I’d have 16__with a test.
A week later, I was surprised to find I got an A. I hurried into professor Jayne’s office. He 17__ to be expecting me. “If I gave you the As you 18 , you wouldn’t continue to work as hard.”
I stared at him. 19 That his analysis and strategy(策略) were correct. I had worked my head 20 , as I had never done before.
I was speechless when my course grade arrived: A-plus. It was the only A-plus given. The next year I received my scholarship. I’ve always remembered Professor Jayne’s lesson: you alone must set your own standard of excellence.
1. A. take B. discuss C. cover D. get
2. A. sought B. presented C. exchanged D. obtained
3. A. shocked B. worried C. scared D. anxious
4. A. but B. so C. for D. or
5. A. unchanged B. unpleasant C. unfriendly D. unmoved
6. A. reflected B. meant C. improved D. affected
7. A. quarreled B. reasoned C. bargained D. chatted
8. A. attitude B. mind C. plan D. view
9. A. choice B. step C. chance D. measure
10. A. memorized B. considered C. accepted D. learned
11. A. ambition B. confidence C. effort D. method
12. A. stayed B. went C. worked D. changed
13. A. grade B. answer C. lesson D. comment
14. A. scholarship B. course C. degree D. subject
15. A. helped B. favored C. treated D. relaxed
16. A. fun B. luck C. problems D. tricks.
17. A. happened B. proved C. pretended D. seemed
18. A. valued B. imagined C. expected D. welcomed
19. A. remembering B. guessing C. supposing D. realizing
20. A. out B. over C. on D. of
One topic is rarely mentioned in all the talk of improving standards in our schools: the almost complete failure of foreign-language teaching. As a French graduate who has taught for more than twenty-five years, I believe I have some idea of why the failure is so total. 21 the faults already found out in the education system as a whole — such as child-centred learning, the “discovery” method, and the low expectations by teachers of pupils — there have been several serious 22 which have a direct effect on language teaching.
The first is the removal from the curriculum (课程) of the thorough teaching of English 23 . Pupils now do not know a verb from a noun, the subject of a sentence from its object, or the difference between the past, present, or future.
Another important error is mixed-ability teaching, or teaching in ability groups so 24 that the most able groups are 25 and are bored while the least able are lost and 26 bored. Strangely enough, few head teachers seem to be in favour of mixed-ability school football teams.
Progress depends on memory, and pupils start to forget immediately they stop having 27 lessons. This is why many people who attended French lessons at school, even those who got good grades, have 28 it a few years later. Because they never need it, they do not practice it.
Most American schools have accepted what is inevitable and 29 modern languages, even Spanish, from the curriculum. Perhaps it is time for Britain to do the same, and stop 30 resources on a subject which few pupils want or need.
21. A. Due to B. In addition to C. Instead of D. In spite of
22. A. errors B. situations C. systems D. methods
23. A. vocabulary B. culture C. grammar D. literature
24. A. wide B. similar C. separate D. unique
25. A. kept out B. turned down C. held back D. left behind
26. A. surprisingly B. individually C. equally D. hardly
27. A. extra B. traditional C. basic D. regular
28. A. needed B. forgotten C. practised D. left
29. A. restored B. absorbed C. prohibited D. withdrawn
30. A. wasting B. focusing C. exploiting D. sharing
Being alone in outer space can be frightening. That is one reason why astronauts on solo (单独的) space flights were given plenty of work to keep them 21 . They were also constant communication with people on the earth. 22 , being with people from whom you cannot get away might be even harder than being alone. This is what happens on long submarine (潜水艇) voyages. It will also happen on 23 space flights in the future. Will there be special problem of adjustment under such conditions?
Scientists have studied the reactions of men to one another during long submarine voyages. They have found that the longer the voyage lasts, the more serious the problem of 24 is. When men are 25 together for a long period, they begin to feel uneasy. Everyone has little habits of speaking and behaving that are ordinarily acceptable. In the limited space over a long period of time, however, these little habits may become very 26 .
Apparently, although no one wants to be 27 all the time, everyone needs some degree of privacy. When people are enclosed together, they are in what is called a stress situation. That means that they are under an unusual amount of 28 or stress.
People who are well-adjusted are able to 29 stress situations better than others. That is one reason why so much care is taken in 30 our astronauts. These men undergo a long period of testing and training. One of the things tested is their behavior under stress.
21. A. tired B. asleep C. conscious D. busy
22. A. So far B. After all C. However D. Therefore
23. A. long B. fast C. dangerous D. direct
24. A. fuel B. entertainment C. adjustment D. health
25. A. shut up B. held up C. brought up D. picked up
26. A. pleasing B. annoying C. common D. valuable
27. A. noisy B. alone C. personal D. sociable
28. A. emphasis B. conflict C. power D. pressure
29. A. handle B. create C. affect D. investigate
30. A. becoming B. choosing C. ordering D. promoting
“When a customer enters my store, forget me. He is King, ’’said John Wanamaker, who in l876 turned an abandoned railway station in Philadelphia into one of me world’s first department stores. This revolutionary concept __21__ the face of retailing (零售业) and led to the development of advertising and marketing as we know it today.
But convincing as that slogan was, __22__ the shopper was cheated out of the crown. Although manufacturing efficiency increased the variety of goods and lowered prices, people still relied on __23__ to get most information about products. Through much of the past century, ads spoke to an audience restricted to just a few radio or television channels or a __24__ number of publications. Now media choice, has __25__ too, and consumers select what they want from a far greater variety of sources—especially with a few clicks of a computer mouse. _26__ the internet, the consumer is finally seizing power.
As our survey shows, __27__ has great implications for companies, because it is changing the way the world shops. Many firms already claim to be “customer-driven” or “consumer-centered”. Now their _28__ will be tested as never before. Taking advantage of shoppers’ __29__ will no longer be possible: people will know—and soon tell others, even those without the internet—that prices in the next town are cheaper or that certain goods are inferior. The internet is working wonders in __30__ standards. Good and honest firms should benefit most.
21. A. changed B. maintained C. restored D. rescued
22. A. in time B. in truth C. in case D. in theory
23. A. radio B. TV C. firms D. advertisements
24. A. 1imited B. minimum C. sufficient D. great
25. A. disappeared B. existed C. exploded D. survived
26. A. According to B. Thanks to C. But for D. Apart from
27. A. consumer power B. product quality
C. purchasing habit D. manufacturing efficiency
28. A. information B. investment C. claims D. shops
29. A. generosity B. knowledge C. curiosity D. ignorance
30. A. raising B. lowering C. abandoning D. carrying
Adults are often surprised by how well they remember something they learned as children but have never practised in the meantime. A man who has not had an opportunity to go swimming for years can ___21___ swim as well as ever when he gets back in the water. He can get on a bicycle after several decades and still 22 away. A mother who has not 23 the words for years can teach her daughter the poem that begins "Twinkle, twinkle, little star" or recite the story of Cinderella or Snow White.
One explanation is the 24 of over learning, which can be stated as following: Once we have learned something, additional learning increases the 25 of time we will remember it.
In childhood, we usually continue to practise such skills as swimming, bicycle riding long after we have learned them. We continue to listen to and 26 ourselves of poems such as "Twinkle, twinkle, little star" and childhood tales such as Cinderella or Snow White. We not only learn but __27 .
The law of over learning explains why cramming (突击学习) for an examination, though it may result in a(an) 28 grade, is not a 29 way to learn a school course. By cramming, a student may learn the subject well enough to get by on the examination, but he is likely soon to forget almost everything he learned. A little over learning, 30 , is usually a good investment toward the future.
21. A. only B. hardly C. still D. even
22. A. move B. drive C. travel D. ride
23. A. thought about B. cared for C. showed up D. brought up
24. A. result B. law C. rule D. cause
25. A. accuracy B. unit C. limit D. length
26. A. remind B. inform C. warm D. recall
27. A. recite B. overlearn C. research D. improve
28. A. passing B. average C. excellent D. discouraging
29. A. convenient B. demanding C. satisfactory D. swift
30. A. at most B. by the way C. on the other hand D. in the end
Ero Carrera is watching the computer screen in a lab in California as he tracks a new computer virus slowly circling the globe, targeting cell phones. Working from the US office of the Finnish computer 21 firm, Carrera knows this virus could be the start of something big and 22 . He’s one of a couple of hundred “virus hunters” worldwide who guard computers and cell phones from 23 . That’s the job for these unlikely action heroes of the Internet age, where quick and curious minds are more important than strong 24 .
Carrera works with Tzvetan Chaliavski to form the two-man team in California. Like that of other employees in the anti-virus companies in the world, their work is at the battle front of providing 25 from the damaging of computer virus, worms and Trojans. They break down software to discover a new virus and crack its code. Then they 26 and ship out a software update to customers. Roughly 300 new samples of viruses await the pair on a(n) 27 day.
Carrera has created a mathematical formula(公式), to 28 easily the software structure of viruses. With it, he is better able to compare the many variants(变种) and families of malware(恶意软件). To his 29 , Chaliavski, it doesn’t even matter why someone would create a virus. All that 30 is the hunt.
21. A. advertising B. commercial C. printing D. security
22. A. admiring B. exciting C. inviting D. threatening
23. A. attack B. bombing C. competition D. struggle
24. A. heads B. feelings C. muscles D. spirits
25. A. access B. contact C. measures D. protection
26. A. copy B. create C. delete D. download
27. A. average B. original C. previous D. special
28. A. get off B. make out C. pick up D. take in
29. A. assistant B. manager C. partner D. secretary
30. A. ignores B. matters C. overlooks D. rejects
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