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11Iboughtajasmineplantformyoffice.WhenIboughtit,Iwastolditwouldbloom(开花)andthesweetsmellwouldfillmyoffice.Ihadtheplantfortwomonths,andeverydayIlookedatit,butthereweren’tanyflowersorpleasantsmell.Iwasnothappy,soIgavetheplanttomyfriendLinda.Oneday,anotherfriendMarycalledandinvitedmetoheroffice.WhenIwalkedin,herjasmineflowerssurprisedme.Ireachedouttotouchtheflowers.Marycutsomeandgavethemtome.Icouldn’thelpsmellingthem.Surroundedbythesweetsmellofonlyahandfuloftheseflowers,Isuddenlyunderstoodsomething.MaryboughtherplantthesametimeIdid.Ittookayearforherjasminetobloom.Iwassoimpatientforminetobloom;regretfully,Igaveitaway.Inawaymylifeislikethejasmineplant.Ineedtobepatientandletthingshappen.LastSundayLindatoldmethatshewasgoingabroadthenextweek.Beforesheleft,shereturnedtheplanttome.ThistimeIamgoingtowait.Ihavelearnedthatwhenwewantsomethinginourlife,wehavetobepatient.Iamslowlylearningtohavethatpatiencetowaitformyjasminetobloom.1.Beforeshegavethejasmineaway,thewriterhaditfor.A.onedayB.oneyearC.twoweeksD.twomonths2.WhenthewritersawMary?sjasmine,shefelt____________.A.unhappyB.peacefulC.hopefulD.surprised3.Whathasthewriterlearnedfromherexperience?A.Patienceisneededinlife.B.Flowerscanmakelifebetter.C.Friendshipisnecessaryforus.D.Jasminecanbeawonderfulplant.2YouwanttoknowaboutmystayinginAmerica,right?Well,totellyouthetruth,itisreallyaneye-openingexperiencestudyhere.InChina,IhadEnglishclassesfivetimesaweeksincefifthgrade.However,Ididn’tknowhowdifferenttextbookEnglishcouldbefromeverydayEnglishuntilIcametoHotchkissSchool,Conmecticut.WhenIfirststudiedEnglish,Iwastoldtosay,“Iamfine.”whenpeoplesay“Howareyou?”ButintheUS,Ifoundthatpeoplesay,“Iamgood.”or“Iamtired.”Oneday,someonegreetedmewith“What’sup?”It,mademeconfused.IthoughtforamomentandthensmiledbecauseIdidn’tknowwhattosay.Sincethen,IhavediscoveredmoreandmoredifferencesbetweenChineseandUScultures.Tomysurprise,USgirlsspendalotoftimeintheburningsuntogetatan.However,inChina,girlstryeverypossiblewaytogettheirskinpaler,or“whiter.”Ialsosurprisedbyhowhard-working.USstudentsare.InChina,schoolworkisalmosteverything,sowestudyhardandthat’it.Buthere,a“good”studentgetsgoodgrades,doesalotforthepublicandplayssportsormusic.Thekidsherearesotalented,IamstartingtobesorrythatIgaveupplayingthepianoatanearlyageandthatIhaveneverthoughtaboutsports.1.Accordingtothewriter,textbookEnglishis_________everydayEnglish.A.quitedifferentfromB.thesameasC.moredifficultthan2.Whatdoestheword“tan”inthesixthparagraphmeaninChinese?A.晒黑B.晒白C.能量3.AgoodUSstudentspendshis/hertime________.2A.onlyindoinghomeworkB.onlyonsportsormusicC.onstudies,sportsormusicandpublicwork4.WhichofthefollowingisNOTtrue?A.ThewriterisnowinUS.B.Americangirlslovetohavewhiteskin.C.USstudentsaretalentedandhard-working.5.Whichisthebesttitleforthepassage?A.MyOwnTravelintheUSB.MyStudyingintheUSC.MyOpinionabouttheUS3Thinkbacktoatimeinyourlifewhenyoutriedsomethingnew.WhenIwasateenagerIvolunteeredtopassoutwateratalocalrace.Iwassoexcitedtoseeallthedifferentrunnerswhopassedbyandquicklytookacupofwater.Someranpast，somewalkedpastandafewwheeledpast.Isawsomanytypesofpeopledoingit.IthoughtmaybeIcoulddoittoo!ThenextyearIdecidedtorunfortherace，butIhadlittlerunningpractice.Ijustwantedtofinish.Onthedayoftherace，itwasterriblyhot.Afterrunningforabout5miles.Iwasthinking，“Imustbecrazy.WhydidIdothis?WhatwasIthinking?”Andatonemoment，Isaidtomyself，“Iamneverdoingthisagain!”Thatfirst10kmracewasquiteanexperience.Ijogged(慢跑)，Iwalked，Ijoggedandwalked.Attimes，Ididn’tknowifIcouldfinish.Neartheend，a70-year-oldmanranpastme，veryfast，andIfeltalittleembarrassed(尴尬的)thatIwasmorethan50yearsyoungerthanheandIcouldn’tevenkeepupwithhim.ButthenIrealizedsomething.HewasrunninghisraceandIwasrunningmine.Howofteninlifedowecompare(比较)ourselvestootherswhenwereallyshouldn’t?IdecidedthatIwouldnotgiveuponrunningraces，andthatonedayIwouldbeoneofthose70-year-oldmenwhowerestillrunning.AsIcrossedthefinishingline，Iwasproudofmyself.Ididn’tregret(后悔)havingsuchanexperience.1.Whatdidthewriterdoatalocalraceasavolunteer?A.Hehelpedoldrunners.B.Hecheereduptherunners.C.Hepassedoutwatertotherunners.D.Hetookbackthecupsfromtherunners.2.Whydidthewriterjointherace?A.Hejustwantedtoexperience.B.Hewascrazyaboutrunning.C.Hehadpracticedrunningveryhard.D.Hewantedverymuchtowinaprize.3.Howdidthewriter’sfeelingchangeafterrunningabout5miles?①Heregretted.②Heencouragedhimself.③Hefeltalittleembarrassed.A.①-②-③B.②-①-③C.①-③-②D.②-③-①4.Whatisthebesttitle(标题)ofthepassage?A.TobeNo.1.B.Let’scompare.C.Avolunteeringjob.D.Runningyourownrace.43WhenIwasagirlof10，Ijoinedtheschoolcross-countryteamandpracticedtwiceaweek，onthe1，8-kmcourseI‘dneverreallyrunbeforeandIthoughtthecoursewouldbeeasy.ItwasarealshockIranoutofbreathe(喘气)withinthefirstfewminutes.IneverrealizedhowtiringrunningcouldbebutIdidn’ttthinkaboutgiveup.Overtime，Ididgetalittlebitfaster.However，Iwasreallyslow.Inraces，Iwouldfinishclosetolast.I‘dalwayshavetostopmorethanonce，especiallyinthelongerraces，whichwere2.5to2.8km.Aftereveryrace，I‘dgohomeandcry.But1stilldidn‘tstoprunning，holdingontothatpi