“The only thing holding you back is yourself. Never say never”, said a rising 17-year-old singer, Justin Bieber, who was just an ordinary boy in Canada a few years ago.
After the accident of falling from the 18^th floor and lying in the snow for three hours, my hands were frozen and my spinal cord (脊髓)was seriously injured. All the doctors and professors in the famous hospitals in Beijing told me that there was little chance for my hands and my body to recover (康復(fù)).
After half a year of medical treatments and recovering exercises, I could not make any more progress for over a year. What was worse , I suffered a lot from depression (絕望). On top of this, I suffered from insomnia, making every minute of the night seem to last forever. Hopelessly, mom and I came back to my hometown, which is small town in Guangdong.
At that time, I thought that I would never be able to walk again. I would never love and be loved. I would never be able to earn even a penny. I would never be able to repay the kindness I got from my parents and many nice people. Life was meaningless.
Now two years has passed. My hands are 80% recovered. I can even type faster than a healthy person! Up to now, I have worked for a law firm as an interpreter for half a year already. Although I don’t earn as much as before, I am able to pay for the food and clothes I need. What’s more, I even have extra money to buy thanksgiving presents for my parents and my boyfriend. Through my blogs (博客) , many people get to know me and like me. I can bring happiness to them. I can help those who are still suffering from depression and the pain of illnesses by chatting with them….You see, I am living a meaningful life and I am happier than ever I could have dreamed.
So, my friends, never say never. As long as you are alive, there is always hope and possibilities. It is never too late to take action to realize your dreams.     (382 words)

1. 1.

   What’s the writer’s present job?

   1. A.
      A singer
   2. B.
      A typist
   3. C.
      A professor
   4. D.
      An interpreter
2. 2.

   What does the underlined word “insomnia” in the third paragraph mean in Chinese?

   1. A.
      失眠
   2. B.
      失憶
   3. C.
      麻木
   4. D.
      低燒
3. 3.

   All of the following words can be used to describe the writer’s present life EXCEPT___________

   1. A.
      helpful
   2. B.
      meaningful
   3. C.
      painful
   4. D.
      hopeful
4. 4.

   According to the passage, which of the following statements about the writer is TRUE?

   1. A.
      She gets a lot of help through her blogs
   2. B.
      She is in love with a young man at present
   3. C.
      She got medical treatment soon after the accident
   4. D.
      She had no job and earned little before the accident

Living in a foreign culture can be exciting, but it can also be confusing (令人迷惑的). A group of Americans who taught English in other countries recently discussed their experiences. They decided that miscommunications were always possible, even over something as simple as "yes" and "no".

On her first day in Micronesia, an island in the Pacific, Lisa thought people weren’t paying any attention to her. The day was hot. She went into a store and asked, “Do you have cold drinks. The woman there didn’t say anything. Lisa repeated the question. Still the Woman said nothing. She later learned that the woman had answered her:  She had raised her eyebrows (眉毛), which in Micronesia means "yes".
Jan remembered an experience she had in Bulgaria, a country in Europe. She went to a restaurant that was known for its cabbage. She asked the waiter, "Do, you have cabbage today?" He nodded his head. Jan waited, but the cabbage never came. In that country, a nod means no.
Tom had a similar problem when he arrived in India. After explaining something in class, he asked his students if they understood. They answered with many different nods and shakes of the head. He thought some people had not understood, so he explained again. When he asked again, they did the same thing~ He soon found out that his students did understand. In India, people nod and shake their heads in different ways depending on where they come from. You have to know where a person is from to understand whether they mean "yes" or "no".
【小題1】These Americans teaching English in other countries found that they ______.