Why are so many people so afraid to fail? Quite simply because no one tells us how to fail so that failure (失败) becomes an experience that means growth. We forget that failure is part of the human condition and that every person has the right to fail.
Most parents work hard at preventing failure or protecting their children from the knowledge that they have failed. One way is to lower standards(标准). When a child finishes making a table, the mother describes it as “perfect” even though it doesn’t stand still. Another way is to blame (责怪) others. If John fails in science, his teacher is unfair or stupid.
There’s a problem with the two ways. It makes a child unprepared for life in the real world. The young need to learn that no one can be best at everything, no one can win all the time, and that it’s possible to enjoy a game even when you don’t win. A child who’s not invited to a birthday party, who doesn’t make the honour list on the baseball team, feels terrible, of course. But parents should not offer a quick consolations (安慰), prize or say, “It doesn’t matter.” Because it does. The young should be allowed to experience failure and be helped to come out of it.
Failure never gives people pleasure. It hurts both grown-ups and children. But it can be really good to your life when you learn to use it. You must learn to ask “Why did I fail?” Don’t blame anyone else. Ask yourself what you did wrong and how you can improve. If someone else can help, don’t be shy about asking them.
【小题1】How do most parents prevent their children from failure?

A．They give them some presents.

B．They don’t tell them that they have failed.

C．They don’t blame others.

D．They help them to come out of failure.

【小题2】Which of the following can a person learn when he fails?

A．It’s impossible to enjoy a game if he misses it.

B．He is the worst of all.

C．It’s natural not to win a game and no one can win all the time.

D．His teammates are not good enough.

【小题3】The writer of this article thinks that if a child fails, parents should __________________.

A．give him a small prize

B．advise him to repeat failure

C．blame others

D．encourage him to learn from failure

【小题4】4. Which would be the best title (标题) for the passage?

A．Learning from Failure

B．Ways of Preventing Failure

C．Reasons of Failure

D．Getting Pleasure from Failure

What do you want to be when you grow up? A teacher? A doctor? How about an ice-cream taster?
Yes, there really is a job where you can get paid to taste ice cream. Just ask John Harrison, an “Official Taste Tester” for the past 2l years. Harrison’s job has been responsible for approving（批准）large numbers of the sweet ice cream – as well as for developing over 15 flavors（味道）.
Some people think that it would be easy to do this job; after all, you just have to like ice cream, right? No – there’s more to the job than that, says Harrison, who has a degree in chemistry. He points out that a dairy or food-science degree would be very useful to someone wanting a job in this “cool field”.
In a typical morning on the job, Harrison tastes and grades 60 ice-cream samples. He lets the ice cream warm up to about 12^oF. Harrison explains, “You get more flavor from warmer ice cream, which is why some kids like to stir it, creating ice-cream soup.”
While the ice cream warms up, Harrison looks over the samples and grades each one on its appearance. “Tasting begins with the eyes,” he explains. He checks to see if the ice cream is attractive and asks himself, “Does the product have the colour expected from that flavor?” Next it’s time to taste!
Continuing to think up new ideas, try out new flavors and test samples from so many kinds of ice cream each day keeps Harrison busy but happy – working at one cool job.
【小题1】What is John Harrison’s job?

A．An officer.	B．An ice-cream taster.
C．A chemist.	D．An ice-cream producer.

【小题2】According to John Harrison, what is useful to get a job in “cool field”?

A．To just like ice cream.

B．To find out new flavors each day.

C．To have new ideas every day.

D．To have a degree in food-science.

【小题3】What does Harrison do first when testing ice cream?

A．He smells it.	B．He lets it warm up.
C．He tastes its flavor.	D．He examines its colour.

When I was 16 years old, a boy gave me an important gift. It was a smile.
It was the early autumn of my first year at a junior high school, and my old school was far away. As a result, no one knew who I was. I was very lonely, and afraid to make friends with anyone.
Every time I heard the other students talking and laughing, I felt my heart break. I couldn't talk about anyone with my problems. And I didn't want my parents to worry about me.
Then one day, my classmates talked happily with their friends, but I sat at my desk unhappily as usual. At that moment, a boy came into the classroom. I didn't know who he was. He passed me and then turned back. He looked at me, without a word, only a smile.
Suddenly, I felt the touch of something bright and friendly. It made me feel happy, lively and warm.
That smile changed my life. I started to talk with other students and made friends. Day by day, I became closer to everyone in my class. The boy with the lucky smile has become my best friend now.
One day I asked him why he smiled, but he couldn't remember smiling at me!
It doesn't matter because all the dark days have gone. I believe that the world is what you think it is. If you think it lonely, you might always be alone. So smile at the world and it will smile back.
11. Why was the smile an important gift?
A. Because the writer's old school was far away.
B. Because the writer didn't know who the boy was.
C. Because the smile didn't mean anything to the boy.
D. Because it made the writer feel happy, lively and warm.
12.The writer didn't talk to anyone in her new school about her problem because  .
A. she was always unhappy
B. she didn't have any friends there
C. she was in the first year at the junior high school
D. she didn't want her parents to worry about her
13. How did the smile change her life?
A. She started to make friends.
B. She became the best friend with the boy.
C. Her parents didn't worry about her any more.
D. She realized that she was lonely.
14. Where does she now think her feeling of unhappiness came from?
A. From her old school     B. From her parents.
C.. From herself.          D. From her classmates at the new school.
15. Who has become the writer’s best friend now?
A. The writer herself            B. The writer’s parents
C. The writer’s classmates     D. The boy with the smile