The death of Steve Jobs provides a chance to take some lessons from his amazing life. Steve Jobs had a passion (激情) for education. He may be gone, but we still have a chance to learn from his courage and innovation (革新).

Making Mistakes

I think that the main reason why we can’t find proper ways to improve the education system that no longer serves us well is simply fear. Fear of failure. Fear of getting it wrong. Teachers fear that innovation could endanger their jobs. Steve had the attitude we need in education right now. “Sometimes when you create something, you make mistakes. It is best to admit (承认) them and get on with improving your other innovations.” That’s the kind of spirit that we need to have. 

Motivation (动机) Matters

We’ve concentrated (专注于) so much on results that we don’t always reward good motivations. But these things are very important. In our schools, we’ve cared so much about test results that we’ve lost creativity. We don’t reward students for their hard work, and we punish failure. As a result, we lost imagination and found no motivation to try something that has a chance of ending in failure. 

What Defines (定义) Failure?

The company that Steve Jobs started in 1985 after being forced out of Apple shows us how technology could influence educational innovation. In 1985 he started NeXT. The company was providing computers for educational purposes. NeXT wasn’t really financially (经济上) successful. But it may have been ahead of its time. Today, we see what the technology brings into the classroom.  

Changing Our Model

The company sold around 50,000 computers. But that would be missing the point. It was a NeXTcube workstation that encouraged the first web server. It helped in the development of early Internet technology. Truly, Steve Jobs has taught us that results are not the most important things in life.

54. The article tells us making mistakes       .

A. is always something very bad

B. will help us become better people

C. is a part of making something new

D. will keep us from reaching our dreams

55. We may lose our creativity and imagination if we       .

A. make a lot of mistakes

B. fail to have a right model

C. can’t be financially successful

D. concentrate too much on results

56. Steve Jobs might agree that       .

A. a good motivation can lead to a successful result

B. we shouldn’t be afraid of failure and it can lead to success

C. making money is the only way to judge success

D. having a passion is the most important thing for success

57. According to the article, which word can best describe Steve Jobs’ spirit?

A. Passion.                 B. Motivation.             C. Innovation.          D. Creativity.

On a Friday night, a young violinist was playing his violin at the entrance (通道口)of the subway station. The music was so wonderful   31   people slowed down to listen and put some money into his hat.

The next day, the violinist came to the entrance again. He   32   his hat as usual. Beside the hat there was a piece of paper. It said,“George Sang has put an important thing   33    my hat by mistake. Welcome to claim(认领) it.” Soon the people went to see the words and they   34   guessed what it could be. After a while, a man came up and said,“I know you would certainly come here.” The violinist asked,“ Did you lose something?”“A lottery ticket(彩票).” The violinist took out a lottery ticket with George’s name on it. George took it and danced   35  .

George was   36   office worker. He bought the lottery and won a prize of $500,000. But when he gave $50 to the violinist for his wonderful music, the lottery ticket was thrown into his hat, too. The   37   was a poor college student. That morning, he was going to fly to Vienna for his education. However, when he   38   the lottery ticket, he didn’t go as he had planned. Instead, he went to the entrance again to wait for the owner of the lottery ticket.

Later someone asked the violinist   39   he didn’t take the lottery ticket to pay for his high education. He said,“Although I don’t have much money, I live happily. If I take the money, I will lose honesty, and I   40   be happy forever.”

(    ) 31. A. but                   B. that                 C. because           

(    ) 32. A. put down              B. put up               C. put on           

(    ) 33. A. above                 B. under                C. into           

(    ) 34. A. both                  B. all                  C. whole          

(    ) 35. A. slowly                B. happily              C. sadly    

(    ) 36. A. a                     B. an                   C. the           

(    ) 37. A. office worker         B. crowd            C. violinist

(    ) 38. A. looked                B. looked for           C. found         

(    ) 39. A. why                   B. how                  C. that        

(    ) 40. A. will                  B. won’t               C. would  

Driving a car at a high speed along a highway seems to be fun. You only need to follow the
bright traffic signs beside the highway and it will take you where you wish to go.
But to a London taxi driver, driving is not an easy job. A taxi driver needs to have not only good driving skills but also a good knowledge of the city of London, from the loneliest street to the popular restaurant around. He has to be at the service of all kinds of passengers (乘客) at all times.
A London taxi driver said the following about his job.
During the night it is usual for him to stop two or three times for some food. He said, “I never drink when I’m working, otherwise I’d lose my license (驾驶执照).”
He normally goes home between two and three o’clock in the morning. There are times he has to stay longer and try to make more runs. He said, “That’s the worst thing about working for yourself. If you don’t make money, no one is going to give it to you. ”
London taxi drivers not only “take” but also “give”. Every summer hundreds of poor children from London go for a day at the sea ― by taxi! There rides are paid by the taxi drivers. At the sea, they are met by the mayor (市长) , and a lunch party is also held for the taxi drivers and the children. After a happy day’s running around the beaches and visiting the market there, the children go home again by taxi, free of charge of course!
【小题1】London taxi drivers try to make more runs sometimes mainly because __________.

A．they make a living by driving

B．they prefer to work for themselves

C．they want to help more passengers

D．they are used to working deep into the night

【小题2】 How do London taxi drivers “give”?

A．They give the poor children a lunch party at he sea each summer.

B．They give poor children the chance to meet the maor.

C．They pay for some poor children’s rides for a day’s tour each summer.

D．They play with some poor children at the sea for a day each summer.

【小题3】Which of the following words can be used to describe London taxi drivers?

A．Brave and careful.	B．Rich and generous
C．Modest and easy-going	D．Hard-working and kind.

【小题4】 The passage is most likely to be found from __________.

A．an advertisement of a taxi company

B．an online travel guide

C．a website about the taxi drivers in London

D．a report about living conditions in London

Driving a car at a high speed along a highway seems to be fun. You only need to follow the bright traffic signs beside the highway and it will take you where you wish to go. But to a London taxi driver, driving is not an easy job. A taxi driver needs to have not only good driving skills but also a good knowledge of the city of London, from the loneliest street to the popular restaurant around. He has to be at the service of all kinds of passengers (乘客) at all times.
A London taxi driver said the following about his job.
During the night it is usual for him to stop two or three times for some food. He said, “I never drink when I’m working, otherwise I’d lose my license (驾驶执照).”
He normally goes home between two and three o’clock in the morning. There are times he has to stay longer and try to make more runs. He said, “That’s the worst thing about working for yourself. If you don’t make money, no one is going to give it to you. ”
London taxi drivers not only “take” but also “give”. Every summer hundreds of poor children from London go for a day at the sea ― by taxi! There rides are paid by the taxi drivers. At the sea, they are met by the mayor (市长) , and a lunch party is also held for the taxi drivers and the children. After a happy day’s running around the beaches and visiting the market there, the children go home again by taxi, free of charge of course!
【小题1】London taxi drivers try to make more runs sometimes mainly because __________.

A．they make a living by driving

B．they prefer to work for themselves

C．they want to help more passengers

D．they are used to working deep into the night

【小题2】How do London taxi drivers “give”?

A．They give the poor children a lunch party at the sea each summer.

B．They give poor children the chance to meet the maor.

C．They pay for some poor children’s rides for a day’s tour each summer.

D．They play with some poor children at the sea for a day each summer.

【小题3】Which of the following words can be used to describe London taxi drivers?

A．Brave and careful

B．Rich and generous

C．Modest and easy-going

D．Hard-working and kind

【小题4】The passage is most likely to be found from __________.

A．an advertisement of a taxi company

B．an online travel guide

C．a website about the taxi drivers in London

D．a report about living conditions in London