For most people, graduation is an exciting day – the culmination (顶点) of years of hard work. My graduation day... was not.
I remember that weekend two years ago, Family and friends had traveled far to watch our class walk across the stage. But like everyone else in my graduating class, I had watched the economy go from bad to worse during my senior year. We graduates had degrees, but very limited prospects (前景). I hadn’t secured a job, and I knew that the next day, when my lease (租约) ended, I would no longer have a place to call home.
The weeks ahead weren’t easy. I gathered up everything I couldn’t carry and put it into storage. Then, because I had no opportunities in my small university town, I packed up my car and drove to California to find work. But what I thought would take a week dragged into two, then four, and 100 job applications later, I found myself still jobless. The due date to begin paying back my student loans was creeping even closer.
Have you ever felt utter dread? That feeling became a constant in my life. The most frustrating part was no matter how much I tried, I just couldn’t seem to make any progress.
So what did I do to maintain my sanity? I wrote. Something about putting my words on a page made everything clearer. Something about writing gave me hope.
I channeled my frustration into a children’s book. Beyond the river was the story of an unlikely hero, a little fish who refused to give up.
And then one day, with no writing degree or contacts in the writing world – just hard work and perseverance – I was offered a publishing contract for my first book. After that, things were in place, I was offered a second book deal. Then, a few months later, I got an interview with the Walt Disney Company and was hired shortly after.
The moral of this story is… don’t give up, even if things look bleak now. Two years ago I was drinking cold soup right out the can. Things change. All we need is the courage to push beyond the river.
小题1:When it was time to graduate, the author felt _____.
A．Bored
B．Relieved
C．depressed
D．hopeful小题2:After the author’s graduation, _____.
A．he went on a short trip with his family to California
B．things turned even worse than he had expected
C．he focused on writing instead of applying for jobs
D．he found his salary was hardly enough to pay back his student loans小题3:When did the author’s career life begin to run smoothly according to the article?
A．After he got his first publishing contract.
B．After he began to write his book Beyond the river.
C．After he finished his book Beyond the river.
D．After he got hired by the Walt Disney Company.小题4:What is the main message the story intends to convey?
A．Opportunity lies everywhere.
B．Perseverance is essential to success.
C．It’s important to adapt yourself to society.
D．We should devote ourselves to whatever we do.
