Like a lot of young people. Joanna Rakoff too...

Like a lot of young people. Joanna Rakoff took the first job she was offered. She decided to work at one of New York’s oldest literary agencies. Yet she had no idea that it would be the first stepping stone on the way to becoming a writer, and later, the novelist she is today.

In the face of the ups and downs, she gave it her all. She can still remember that her boss was very challenging. “The thing that worked when my boss was being difficult was remembering it wasn’t personal. Usually, it’s not about you, it’s them,” she advises anyone in a similar situation.

Being a manager and editor herself later in her career also helped to make sense of what happened years before. “It’s really hard managing a lot of people. I had a lot more sympathy for my former boss after that. You don’t know everything that’s going on with them, and remember: they’re a person, too,” she says.

After only a year, Rakoff realized she was not “an agency person” as her manager had believed, but the seed had been planted. She left with dreams of becoming a writer and a real understanding of the world of glossy (亮丽光鲜的) magazines.

Rakoff rose from writing magazine articles to features editor, and later editor-in-chief. Dreams of one day writing fiction remained. “Writing pieces for magazines really helped me to become an author. It helped make writing less scary. When you write regularly and have deadlines, it really teaches you that sometimes you have to sit down and just do it,” she says.

With all the pressure on young people these days, it is important to remember you don’t have to be in the perfect job right away. What’s more, you don’t need to know what you want to be or do for a career as soon as you finish high school or college. Rakoff explains how many of her very successful friends found different paths toward becoming fiction writers. There is nothing wrong with having a job to keep you busy and pay the bills while you figure out your passions, she says.

1.When Joanna Rakoff was offered the first job. she 　　　　 .

A. gave it up to seek for some better opportunities

B. left it at once because the boss was too demanding

C. agreed to work for the old literacy agency in New York

D. accepted it believing it would lead to her future success

2.How could Rakoff understand her boss in the literary agency?

A. She thought her boss was under great pressure.

B. She believed her boss expected her to work better.

C. She knew her colleagues were doing well enough.

D. She became a manager and editor herself later on.

3.Rakoff left the literary agency with the ambition of 　　　　 .

A. working as a manager

B. writing for magazines

C. becoming a fiction writer

D. being an agency person

4.What can we learn from Rakoff’s experience?

A. The grass is always greener on the other side.

B. Keep on what you are doing until you succeed.

C. Land the best job as soon as you graduate from college.

D. A seemingly imperfect job may as well lead to success.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Like many young people, I dreamed of growing up and becoming a successful writer one day. My first part-time job came when I was 18 years old. I was working in a paint factory. Because of the terrible smell of paint, it became normal for me to temporarily pass out during my lunch hour.

All of my spare time was spent writing and sending stories to any publisher that would read them, dreaming that one day losing consciousness while eating my ham sandwiches would no longer be a part of my daily routine.

I discovered content mills, where a writer could devote his time to writing soul-destroying online copy. It provided a little pay, but I wouldn’t faint(昏厥). So, I quit my day job. But it is difficult to work from home. At times, I would lose all passion for writing 500 words about an advertisement for a bed for a few pounds, but the terrible smell of paint reminded me to get back to writing.

Several months later, the money got better. I was given a job writing for one of the largest entertainment websites in the world. The job was simple: I complained about everything that was wrong with society and they paid me ₤50 for each article. A guy from the website asked if I’d be interested in leaving my small town life to move to the big city of Manchester to become a professional writer for them. I accepted.

After a pretty successful year, I was offered a promotion. Just 18 months earlier, I was suffering from the smell of paint on a daily basis and now I was managing a team of nine writers.

1.What does the underlined part mean in the passage?

A. Losing heart.　　 B. Losing one’s memory.

C. Feeling sleepy.　　 D. Becoming unconscious.

2.What once weakened the author’s love for writing?

A. The unpleasant smell in the factory.

B. Being given consistent writing work.

C. Something’s being wrong with society.

D. Writing advertisements at a low price.

3.What message does the author deliver in the passage?

A. Never give up nor stop trying.

B. A good beginning is half done.

C. Behind bad luck comes good luck.

D. A man can do no more than he can.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

(2013·安徽省名校联盟模拟)West of the city　　, which provides a lot of job opportunities for the local people.

A. a factory lies                B. does a factory lie

C. is lying a factory            D. lies a factory

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

With the world economy growing weaker, for many young people, the dream of landing a good job is becoming harder and harder ________.

A． realized          B．realizing           C．to realize          D．to be realized

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

West of the city ________, which provides a lot of job opportunities for the local people.

A.a factory lies                                       B. does a factory lie

C. is lying a factory                                    D. lies a factory

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Young people who have got jobs may realize college lessons can’t be the only preparations for all of the situation _______ appears in the working world.

A. where               B. when                      C. that                      D. what

高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

In Glasgow, , a young lady, like a lot of teens today, got tired of home. The daughter objected to her family’s　　　　　　 lifestyle and said, “I don’t want your God. I am leaving !”

She left home. Before long, she was disappointed and unable to find a job, so she took to the streets to do everything she could to　　　　 money. Many years passed by, her father died , her mother grew　　　　 , and the daughter became more and more entrenched (固执) in her way of life.

No contact was made between mother and daughter during these years. The mother, having　　　　　　 her daughter’s whereabouts, went to the poor part of the city in　　　　 of her daughter . She stopped at each of the rescue missions with a simple　　　　　　 . “Would you allow me to　　　　　 this picture?” It was a picture of the smiling, gray-haired mother with a handwritten　　　　　　 at the bottom : “I love you still…come home!”

One day the daughter wandered into a rescue mission for a hot meal. She sat　　　　　 listening to the service, all the while letting her　　　　　 wander over to the bulletin board. There she saw the picture and thought, could that be my mother?

She couldn’t　　　　 until the service was over. She stood and went to look .It was her mother , and there were those words, “I love you still…come home !” 　　　　 she stood in front of the picture, she wept. It was too　　　　　　 to be true.

It was night, but she was so　　　　　 by the message that she started walking home. 　　　　　 the time she arrived it was early in the morning. She was afraid and　　　　　 her way timidly. As she knocked, the door　　　　　　 open on its own. She thought someone must have broken into the house. Concerned for her mother’s 　　　　　 , the young woman ran to the bedroom and shook her mother awake and said, “It’s me ! It’s me ! I’m home!”

The mother couldn’t believe her eyes. They fell into each other’s arms. The daughter said , “I was so worried and　　　　　　 someone had broken in.” The mother replied gently, “No, dear . From the day you left, that door has never been　　　　　 .”

1.A.shabby　 B. religious　　 C. awful　　 D. simple

2.A.earn　 B. win　　　　 C. offer　　 D. approach

3.A. lonelier　　　 B. slower　　 C. elder　　 D. older

4.A. told about　　 B. heard of　 C. learned from D. informed of

5.A. sight　　　 B. charge　　 C. search　　 D.want

6.A .request　　 B. remark　　 C. question　 D. speech

7.A. bring up　　 B. lay off　 C. drop out　 D.put up

8.A.record　　　　 B.　　　　 C. message　　　 D. notice

9.A. constantly　　 B. absent-mindedly C. frequently D. carefully

10.A.eyes　　　 B. hands　　 C. thoughts　 D. imaginations

11.A. help　　 B. evaluate　 C. wait　　　 D. consult

12.A. After　　 B. Since　　 C. Until　　 D. As

13.A.lucky　　 B. good　　 C. skeptical　 D. coincidence

14.A. astonished　 B. touched　 C. blamed　　 D. ashamed

15.A. By　　 B. At　　 C .During　　　 D. Before

16.A. walked　　 B. led　　　 C. made　　 D. held

17.A. seemed　　 B.blew　　　 C. proved　 D. flew

18.A.　　　　　 B. anxiety C.danger　　 D.relief

19.A. observed　　 B. realized C. found　 D. thought

20.A. adopted　　 B. opened　 C. locked　　 D.Fixed

高三英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

At the age when many people ______ their first job, the youngsters of The Sunday Times Rich List are buying country estates or jetting off to their homes overseas.

高三英语单项填空困难题查看答案及解析

The famous scientist was going out _____ he found himself surrounded by lots of young people.

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

I think it unwise to live ______ one’s income, as is the case with a lot of young people today, who often turn to their parents for help.

A. beyond                   B. within             C. outside          D. over

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析