B

I believe you can do your best. Not being the best but toughing the limits of what you’re capable of. I gained this belief from my third grade teacher, the most special, honored, trustworthy, and loved person in my life.

Mr. Myrus was always perfectly dressed and spoke with the belief that talking to eight-year-olds didn’t mean he had to sacrifice proper statements or grammars. And he was demanding but he wasn’t unreasonable or cruel. He simply felt that no matter what your best was, you should achieve it.

As luck would have it, I met him again as my eighth grade math teacher. I was not, nor ever will be, gifted in math. I remember my struggles in class. “I don’t know the answer,” I would say, “I can’t do it!” “Perhaps you don’t know the answer,” he would say quietly. “Do you think we might figure it out together? How do you know what you can do until you try?”

Mr. Myrus lived around the corner, and I would often stop by to talk while he worked in his garden. I knew there was someone who let me know that if I had really tried, that was enough.

 “Don’t be so hard on yourself,” he’d say. “Stop blaming yourself. Did you try your best? Well, then you’re not a failure,” he often told me these words.

Mr. Myrus died in 1978. I had never thought about his death. He was too young. I felt sorry. But when I think about him now, I don’t feel so sorry. He taught me to be kind, not only to others, but to myself. He taught me my own value. He taught me about honor, about truth, and about doing my best—and that all feelings and beliefs have dignity and deserve respect. And of all the things I know, this I believe: We can’t all be “the best”, but we can, each of us, be our best, and I know that’s true because Mr. Myrus told me that.

24. What can we know about Mr. Myrus according to the passage?

A. He usually treats his students in a hard way. 

B. He is responsible for his teaching and students.

C. He is a person who isn’t particular about what he wears.

D. He sometimes is cruel and unreasonable to his students.

25. The author thought he was a lucky dog because ______.

A. he had got a great belief from his teacher

B. Mr. Myrus had taught him for eight years

C. Mr. Myrus became his teacher a second time

D. he developed a good relationship with Mr. Myrus

 

 

26. It can be concluded from the third paragraph that ______.

A. the author preferred other subjects to math

B. Mr. Myrus thought it was very easy to learn math

C. the author was ashamed to admit his math was poor

D. Mr. Myrus helped the author build up his confidence

27. What can we learn by reading the passage?

A. The author hoped to live a positive life.

B. The author may have become a teacher.

C. The author liked to recall his childhood.

D. The author ended up being a man of self-confidence.

C

    In today's world of smart phones and laptops, most people have at least one time-telling thing with them. Since these digital products are so common, is time running out for the 500-year-old watch? According to some consumers, the answer is yes. New Jersey teenager Charlie Wollman says a watch is “an extra piece of equipment with no necessary function.” Many young adults think so and use their smart phones to tell time. It is said that fewer young people wear watches today than ten years ago. As a result, some people say that the watch industry is at a crossroads.

    However, watchmakers optimistically say that watches redeem popularity when consumers reach their 20s and 30s. By then, they are willing to spend money on a quality watch that doesn’t just keep good time. Fifty years ago, watchmakers took pride in their products’ accuracy. But in recent years, the watch industry has changed itself into an accessory(配饰) business. And today, the image a watch conveys has become more important than the time it tells.

“Complications” — features that go beyond simple timekeeping — are an important part of a watch’s image. Today’s watches offer lots of features that meet almost any personality. These features include compasses, USB drivers, and even other functions that measure the effectiveness of golf swings!

    Creativity also plays a key role in designing today’s watches. For example, Japanese watchmaker Tokyoflash makes watches that don’t even look like watches. The company’s popular Shinshoku model uses different color lights to tell time. It looks more like a fashionable bracelet than a watch.

    Whether a watch conveys fashion sense, creative talent or a love of sports, consumers want their watches to stand out. Nowadays, everyone has the same kind of gadget（小玩意） in their bags, so people want to make a statement with what’s on their wrists. Will this interest in wrist fashion last? Only time will tell!

28. What can we know from the first paragraph?

A. As most people see, watches are out of fashion.         

B. Some people feel that watches have been of no use.

C. The watch industry will close down sooner or later.

D. There are so many choices of watches for teenagers today.

29. According to the passage, what image does a watch convey nowadays?

A. It simply tells time.

B. It appeals to many teenagers. 

C. It has many complex functions.

D. It has an impact on creativity and imagination.

30. Japanese watchmaker Tokyoflash is mentioned in Paragraph 4 to _________.

A. show why Shinshoku watches are popular       

B. advertise Shinshoku watches made by Tokyoflash     

C. tell that today’s watches need more imagination 

D. make a comparison between watches and bracelets

31. What may be the best title for the passage?

A. Watches Tell More Than Time 

B. Japanese Watches Stand Out

C. Watch Industry Is in a Bad Situation