How to improve my life? Many people think that they have to accept whatever life throws at them. They'll say, "This is my fate, my destiny. I cannot change it." Of course not! You don't have to suffer needlessly. Your destiny depends on you, not on any other external factors. I know someone who says she just accepts what life gives her because she has done everything she can to improve it. Guess what her lifestyle is? She wakes up in the morning, goes to work, comes back home, relaxes, chats with people, watches TV, then goes to sleep. Next day, the same routine cycle follows. Huh! Is this what she calls "doing her best"? She believes she has tried her best and just accepts it in her heart that this is the life that God has intended for her to live; that her luck can only change if God wills it. Of course God wants us to be happy and live our life to the fullest, but we have to do our share of exerting the effort to live the life of our dreams. Remember that you reap what you sow. You just don't sit around and wait for a million dollars to fall from the sky. You have to get off the couch, get your eyes off the TV screen, get your hands off the phone. Don't expect your luck to change unless you do something about it. If something goes wrong, don't just regard it as a temporary setback; but use it as feedback. Learn your lesson, make the most of the situation, and do something to solve the problem. It's not enough to think positively; you also have to act positively. If someone's life is in the trouble, do you just hope and pray that things will turn out fine? Of course not! You get to do anything you can to save the person. So it is with your own life. It is not enough to hope for the best, but you have to do your best. In other words, don't just stand (or sit ) there, do something to improve your life. The text is mainly written to advise you to _ . A) understand yourself B) improve your life C) believe in yourself D) change your normal way
B
(Question)
What's on TV? 6: 00 3 Let's Talk! Guest: Animal expert Jim Porter 5 Cartoons 9News 7:00 3 Cooking with Cathy Tonight: Chicken with mushrooms 5 Movie "A Laugh a Minute"(1955) James Rayburn 8 Spin for Dollars! 9 Farm Report 7:30 3 Double Trouble(comedy) The twins disrupt the high school dance. 9 Wall Street Today: Stock Market Report 8:00 3 NBA Basketball. Teams to be announced 8 Movie "At Day's End" (1981) Michael Collier, Juie Romer Drama set in World War II 9 News Special "Saving Our Waterways: Pollution in the prefix = st1 /Mississippi" If you'd like to watch a game show, you could turn on the TV to A) Channel 5 at 6: 00 B) Channel 8 at 7 : 00 C) Channel 3 at 7 : 30 D) Channel 3 at 8 : 00
(Answer)
D
Ques: Vans, Keds, Dollies--they sound like the names of rock bands, but if you have teenagers, you'll know they're actually the latest in teenage footwear. But experts are now warning that the current shoe fashions will be causing teenagers discomfort in the short term and storing up years of foot, knee and back pain in the future. Here, the experts identify the problems caused by teenagers' shoe choice. KEDS/VANS Slip-on shoes with elastic sides are particularly popular among teenage boys-with Keds and Vans the most sought-after brands. The main problem is that they are just too flat--so flat that the heel, which strikes the ground first, also becomes damaged and painful. BALLET PUMPS The worst shoes of all are such light and thin dolly shoes. The problem is partly their flatness, as with Keds and Vans. However ballet pumps, which have no string or heel, have other specific problems. "As the shoe has no fastening device, it relies on the toes to keep the shoe on, causing an awkward gait ,this leads to short-and long-term problems such as calluses ,heel and knee pain." WEDGES AND STILETTOS These shoes can also cause problems with gait, They may look good, but the heels on these are so high they can force the wearer's body weight forward, making them very unstable. Teens who wear these shoes regularly are also in danger of joining those millions of women with constant back pain. SCHOOL SHOES So what do podiatrists have on their wish list, especially for everyday wear? Something in a natural, breathable fabric, with a string to hold it on, with a small heel and a deep toe-box that does not press the toes, such as Clark's, Marks & Spencer or Rhino. If your teen insists on wearing 'bad' shoes, get them some simple foot orthotics in the shoes. These support and correct the movement of the foot and, properly fitted by a podiatrist, can often transform their walk and halt the damage. Of all the shoes mentioned in the passage, which can cause the worst problems? A) Marks & Spencer. B) Wedges & Stilettos. C) Keds and Vans. D) Ballet Pumps.
Ans: D
Liz had been bleeding for a long time! She was my closest professional colleague and good friend at the time when we worked in an IT company. It was her first day back at work after an operation and I thought she should have taken a few more days to recover. Realizing that we couldn't stop the bleeding, we headed to the emergency room and spent hours there waiting to be seen. After the treatment, I drove her to my apartment. I had to leave her in my apartment while I dashed off to take a final exam for a very important course I was taking. Upon my return, we decided Liz was in a good enough condition to sustain a trip back from my Northern Virginia apartment to her home in Maryland. Although it was nearly midnight and we were both exhausted, we still decided to set off. Unfortunately, in a not particularly safe part of town, we heard my car make a strange noise, and then ti was shaking violently as we drove along. Quickly, I stopped the car in the road and found a tire had blown out. Not knowing how to change a tire and feeling scared, I was trying out to figure out what to do next. Liz, weak from losing all that blood all day and weighing only about eighty pounds to begin with, came out and tried to help me. I had to scream at her to get back in the car and relax. Within seconds, a taxi pulled up behind us. A huge man appeared and began walking toward us. I felt that the blood drained out of my face and I nearly fainted in fear. "Got a flat tire, girls?" he asked. "Yes," I answered in a trembling voice. In no time at all, the man changed the tire for us and rushed off back to his taxi. He refused any payment and did not even tell me his name. He would never know how badly we needed his services that particular evening. And I, with a grateful heart, will never forget his kindness. Seeing the man coming out of the taxi, the author felt _ . A) frightened B) delighted C) annoyed D) Excited
A