The students were not exactly overjoyed that Steve Jobs was going to be the speaker. Everyone wanted Bill Clinton. After all, his daughter Chelsea had gone to school at Stanford. So every year that Clinton was not named speaker was a disappointment no matter who it was. Graduation is not in order. It wasn't until we started walking into the stadium that I even realized that I'm actually graduating right now. Stanford has this tradition, the wacky walk, where everyone dresses up in different clothes or throws Frisbees or beach balls. I'm from the South so I had a seersucker suit shipped in from back home in Georgia. Some other guys dressed up as iPods. It was good fun. That was an interesting contrast to Job's speech. He started talking about being fired from Apple and then having cancer, how doctors told him he was going to die and how he was adopted as a baby into a family with parents who never went to college --- an unusual experience that played out over his life. His speech was very raw and very open. He told us that he gets up every morning and looks in the mirror and asks "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" "If the answer is not for too many days in a row", he said, "it's time to make a change. That has really driven a lot of my decisions since then. When I've reached certain points in my job where I'm not very excited to get to work early or stay late or work on something over the weekend or all night. When I lose that excitement then it's probably not the right thing for me anymore". He said, "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life." Exactly. Death is a great motivator. You have to get out there and do something because some day you won't be there. Of all the advice I've received I rely on that the most. The students went into the stadium to _ . A) dress up in different clothes B) listen to the speech C) have the wacky walk D) throw Frisbees or beach balls
B
(Question)
Half a year before graduation from college, my son David began to seek a job. Due to the financial crisis, the competition was ever-fierce. My son targeted a company that was located in a coastal city. It was intended to employ only one person among more than twenty candidates, I said to David, "You should not harbor too much hope for fear that you would feel terribly disappointed when you fail." He said to me, "I am not afraid of disappointment. As long as I try, there will always be hope!" Three young men could enter the final round, which would later decide one person to be employed. Everything seemed to go quite well and David entered the final round in a week. Unexpectedly, the interview was unbelievably simple, during which the interviewer only chatted with them for a while. The interview strategies my son prepared were not useful at all. The interviewer said the company would inform them of the result in 3 days. On the morning of the third day, David received the text from the company that he was not employed. David felt disappointed. In nightfall that day, David suddenly told me excitedly on phone that he had been employed. Greatly surprised, I asked him, "What's the whole matter?" David told me that he received another text saying that he was employed. David felt very confused about it. Later he found out the first text sent to him was also part of the test in the interview. Three men received the same text this morning and only David's reply was satisfying to the company. I asked my son, "How did all of you reply?" My son said, "One did not reply. The other said "goodbye" and I said "thank you"." Only then did I know that my son's "hope" came in that way. That is, when you feel disappointed, do not forget to say "Thank you" to the one who disappoints you. Actually, it is a piece of cake to say "Thank you". Saying "Thank you" shows respect for others' work and demonstrates your grand generosity. Therefore, while under the same condition, you will get the upper hand in terms of opportunities compared... Which of the following is True about David's final round interview? A) David was nervous because the competition was really fierce. B) David's preparations for the interview were not used. C) The three young men performed equally well. D) The result was announced on the spot.
(Answer)
B
No one gets through life without experiencing many disappointments. Strangely, though, most people seem unprepared for disappointment and react to it in negative ways. They feel depressed or try to escape from their troubles instead of using disappointment as an opportunity for growth. One negative reaction to disappointment is depression. A woman trying to win a promotion, for example, works hard for over a year in her department. Helen is so sure she will get the promotion. However, the boss names one of Helen's co-workers for the spot. Deeply depressed, Helen loses her enthusiasm for her job and can barely force herself to show up every day. Helen tells herself that she is a failure and that doing a good job just isn't worth the work. Another negative reaction to disappointment is the desire to escape. Kevin fails to get into the college his brother is attending, the college that was the focus of all his dreams, and decides to escape his disappointment. Why worry about college at all? Instead, he covers up his real feelings by giving up on his school-work and getting completely involved with friends, parties, and "good times". The positive way to react to disappointment is to use it as a chance for growth. This isn't easy, but it's the only useful way to deal with an inevitable part of life. Helen, the woman who was not promoted, could have handled her disappointment by looking at other options. If her boss did not recognize her talent and hard work, perhaps she could transfer to another department. Or she could ask the boss how to improve her performance so that she could prepare for the next promotion. Kevin, the boy who didn't get into the college of his choice, should look into other schools. Going to another college may encourage him to be his own person, step out of his brother's shadow, and realize that being turned down by one college isn't a final judgment on his abilities or potential. Disappointments are unwelcome, but regular visitors to everyone's life. We can feel depressed about them or we... In the author's opinion, Helen should _ instead of feeling depressed. A) work even harder to get better than her promoted co-worker B) stand the pressure and competition C) win a good opinion from the boss by seeking his advice D) move into another department to have her talent and hard work appreciated
D