高二年级英语限时训练（6）
第一部分阅读理解
A
Chinese movie theaters are never running short on youth films. Youth(芳华)，directed by Feng Xiaogang, was released in December, 2017 and hit the screen. But this one is different: It is dedicated to the youth of our parents’ generat ion.
Set in the 1970s, the story begins in a military art troupe(部队文工团)，in which the soldiers’duties are to sing, dance and promote culture. He Xiaoping, a newcomer, is a talented dancer. With a painful childhood, she wants to make a fresh start in the troupe, yet her family background makes her the laughing stock(笑柄) among the other girls. The only person who is nice to her is Liu Feng, a kind and unselfish man.
In most youth films, the characters’ life paths are only influenced by their own choices. However, the young people in Youth are also a part of “the whirlwind(旋风) of historical changes”, as film critic Justin Chang wrote in the Los Angeles Times. In a period of more than 30 years, they have to experience the Cultural Revolution and the Sino-Vietnamese Conflict, during which Liu Feng loses one arm and He Xiaoping suffers from a mental illness. The disbandment(解散) of the troupe also tears them away from the life and people they are so familiar with, throwing them into a new life they know nothing about.
They all have to learn “to make peace with the past and make the most of the present”, wrote reporter Giovanna on the website https://www.doczj.com/doc/ea5931589.html,.
But there’s still something that never changes about youth. No matter what time of history it is, people share the same longing for love and beauty. Sunshine, laughter and swimming pools—these typical images of youth are all well kept in Mr. Feng’s new films.
According to ifeng News, the movie Youth is actually a nostalgic(怀旧的) and personal work that Mr. Feng dedicat es to his own experiences of working in a troupe. “When I look back in time, everything in my life seems to be black and white,” he said, “The days in the troupe are the only part of my memory that always remains colorful.”
1. What influenced He Xiaoping’s and Liu Feng’s lives most?
A. Historical changes
B. Their own personalities
C. Their family backgrounds
D. Their longing for love and beauty
2. Why did Feng Xiaogang direct the film Youth?
A. To show the cruelty of the war.
B. To urge people to value their youth.
C. To recall the days when he worked in the troupe.
D. To describe the life during the Cultural Revolution.
3. What do we know about the youth in different generations according to the text?
A. They all treat sunshine and laughter as the typical images of themselves.
B. In our parents’ generation, they don’t love beauty due to political reasons.
C. They long for totally different things varying from generation to generation.
D. Though they live in different times, they still have something in common.
B
Eight years before his death in 1986, Alfred Nobel was surprised to read an obituary(讣告) in the local newspaper. This was a strange obituary, for it told Alfred Nobel, the man who was reading it, that he was dead. The newspaper had confused Alfred with his brother, Ludwig, who had recently died.
Nobel was shocked to read that he had passed away, and he was even more annoyed by the title of the obituary: The Merchant of Death Is Dead. Alfred was a very rich and successful armaments manufacturer.(武器制造商)。
This incident got him thinking about his reputation. What would people think of him after his real death? Would they really say “That was a man who profited from killing”? It was this thought that led him to leave his money---a huge amount of it--- for the founding of the famous Nobel prizes. His aim was for his money to be used to support the ongoing quest(追求) for excellence in the sciences and literature, and the ideal of peace. Thousands of men and women have been honored since the first awards were given out in 1901. The awards let the world know about the developments that may have a huge effect on our lives.
However, the prizes are controversial sometimes. There is often protest(抗议) at the award of the peace prize when not everyone thinks that the award-winners deserve the award. Even the award for literature has sometimes been criticized because the award committee often neglects important writers. The highly influential novelists James Joyce and Marcel Proust, for example, were never honored by the Swedish Academy.
Still, for the most part of the awards don’t cause many complaints. Alfred Nobel founded the prizes to recognize those who have had “the greatest benefit to mankind” and few would disagree that most of the prizewinners---among them. Albert Einstein and Martin Luther King--- have made contribution that deserve to be honored and remembered.
4. How did Alfred Nobel feel when he read the obituary in the newspaper?
A. Sad and worried
B. Shocked and upset.
C. Surprised and confused
D. Amused and puzzled.
25. What did Alfred Nobel decide to do after reading the obituary?
A. Seek excellence in the sciences.
B. Donate all his money to the charity.
C. Stop producing any killing weapons.
D. Set up the Nobel prizes with his money.
6. Why does the author mention James Joyce and Marcel Proust?
A. To show the controversy of some Nobel prizes.
B. To give examples of influential Nobel prizes.
C. To explain the standard of giving out the Nobel prizes.
D. To prove the influence of the Nobel prizes on literature.
7. What does the author think of the Nobel prizes?
A. There should be more female winners.
B. There are too many controversial winners.
C. They have honored many worthy winners.
D. The committee should be more selective.
第二部分完形填空
One autumn morning, I spotted a pair of wild geese on our pond. The beautiful sight caught me by 1 because I’d never seen geese there before. Thinking they would soon leave, I 2 the chance to get close to them. I wondered where they came from and why they had chosen our pond.
The next morning, the geese were still my 3 . I walked round to the mailbox, showing them I meant to no harm. 4 , I couldn't resist getting a 5 look. I hid behind some trees and 6 the handsome pair quietly through the branches. I was surprised to see they were staring at me, too!
As days passed, I started 7 to them on my trips to the mailbox. They craned (伸长) their necks and raised their heads 8 , but seemed to realize I was their friend. By then, my curiosity about 9 they were staying so long at the pond changed to 10 . As they were feeding in the grass the other day, I discovered the reason for their 11 : the male had a broken left wing. He cou ldn’t12 , and his faithful mate wouldn’t leave him behind.
I asked a biologist what to do. He explained that sometimes a 13 wing will heal by itself and suggested letting nature take its course.
On the first day of November, I was working in the neighborhood of the geese with my tractor. As I bent to fasten a chain from the tractor, I 14 some movement from the corner of my eye. Both geese were running towards the pond. Their wings were 15 like crazy, struggling for takeoff. Gradually, they flew over the pond. They 16 enough altitude to fly past a neighbor’s house, and then circled back towards me, flying no more than 50 feet over my head as if to say goodbye. Then they were out of my 17 .
The season’s first snowflakes fell the very nex t day. The birds must have 18 that winter was coming, and it was time to go. I became fond of them during their 19 visit to our pond, and now I miss them. I’ll never forget their 20 to each other.
1. A. accident B. surprise C. nature D. fortune
2. A. increased B. created C. deserved D. valued
3. A. guests B. puzzles C. fellows D. friends
4. A. Instead B. Therefore C. Still D. Anyhow
5. A. closer B. quicker C. quieter D. broader
6. A. approached B. calmed C. observed D. protected
7. A. turning B. attending C. driving D. talking
8. A. firmly B. cautiously C. warmly D. proudly
9. A. why B. when C. how D. whether
10. A. sympathy B. rescue C. pleasure D. concern
11. A. companion B. visit C. settlement D. care
12. A. recover B. survive C. fly D. return
13. A. weak B. folded C. broken D. flightless
14. A. held B. caught C. directed D. made
15. A. spreading B. sweeping C. trembling D. beating
16. A. gained B. set C. discovered D. lost
17. A. reach B. sight C. control D. help
18. A. concluded B. indicated C. sensed D. confirmed
19. A. unexpected B. casual C. regular D. short 10. A. contribution B. promise C. treat D. devotion
答案：
<完型> BDACA CDBAD BCCBD ABCAD
高三英语限时训练二（30分钟，满分100分） 一．（共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分）(2018全国III卷) 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。 I’m not sure 1 is more frightened, me or the female gorilla (大猩猩) that suddenly appears out of nowhere. I’m walking on a path in the forest in the Central African Republic. Unexpectedly, I’m face-to-face with the gorilla, who begins screaming at 2 top of her lungs. That makes her baby scream, and then a 400-pound male appears. He screams the 3 (loud) of all. The noise shakes the trees as the male beats his chest and charges toward me. I quickly lower myself, ducking my head to avoid 4 (look) directly into his eyes so he doesn’t feel 5 (challenge). My name is Mireya Mayor. I’m a 6 (science) who studies animals such as apes and monkeys. I was searching 7 these three western lowland gorillas I’d been observing. No one had seen them for hours, and my colleagues and I were worried. When the gorillas and I frightened each other, I was just glad to find 8 (they) alive. True to a gorilla’s unaggressive nature, the huge animal 9 (mean) me no real harm. He was just saying: “I’m king of this forest, and here is your reminder!” Once his message was delivered, he allowed me 10 (stay) and watch. 1.____________ 2.____________ 3.____________ 4.____________ 5.____________ 6.____________ 7.____________ 8.____________ 9.____________ 10.____________ 二．（共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分）(2018年6月浙江卷) Few people I know seem to have much desire or time to cook. Making Chinese 1 (dish) is seen as especially troublesome. Many westerners 2 come to China cook much less than in their own countries once they realize how cheap 3 can be to eat out. I still remember 4 (visit) a friend who’d lived here for five years and I 5 (shock) when I learnt she hadn’t cooked once in all that time. While regularly eating out seems to 6 (become) common for many young people in recent years, it’s not without a cost. The obvious one is money; eating out once or twice a week may be 7 (afford) but doing this most days adds up. There could be an even 8 (high) cost on your health. Researchers have found that there is a direct link between the increase in food eaten outside the home and the rise in 9 (weigh) problems. If you are not going to suffer this problem, then I suggest that the next time you go to your mum’s home 10 dinner, get a few cooking tips from her. Cooking food can be fun. You might also begin to notice the effects not only on your health but in your pocket. 1.____________ 2.____________ 3.____________ 4.____________ 5.____________ 6.____________ 7.____________ 8.____________ 9.____________ 10.____________
（英语）高三英语阅读理解专项训练及答案 一、高中英语阅读理解 1．阅读理解 The setting was a packed gymnasium just before the start of a game against another school. There were five girls who were members of the Danville High School basketball team—all of them starters. They were not in uniform to play that night and would not be on the team for the rest of this season. They were there to admit their breaking of team rules. They were there to support their coach's decision to take them off the team. They were there to let the town know there was a problem in their little community that needed to be addressed. And they did it with sincere regret rather than defensiveness. While the school had been out for the New Year's holiday, the five girls had gone to the party with several of their friends. There was alcohol there. And they all drank some. Coach Rainville has a zero tolerance rule on drugs and alcohol for her members though it was a hard decision to make. When classes resumed and accounts of holiday parties were shared, rumors about the five girls began closing in on them. The coach said she couldn't back down on her rules. And the players—two junior students and three senior students—agreed. That night in the gym was part of their public support of the coach's decision. “We hope you will understand that we are not bad kids. What we did was definitely not worth it. We hope this event will make everyone realize that there is a big drug and alcohol problem in our community,” one of the senior students said, “And if you work with us to try to solve this problem, you will help us feel that we have not been thrown off our basketball team for nothing.” The five left the floor to deafening applause. The team may not win another game this year. But they've learnt something about personal responsibility, the effect of one's action on others, and honesty that will serve them well throughout life. （1）It can be inferred from the passage that the five girls who were kicked off the team were ________. A. very good players on the team B. addicted to alcohol and drugs C. three junior students and two senior students D. scolded by their parents for drinking alcohol （2）What did the girls do to support their coach's decision? A. They didn't fight for Danville High School any more. B. They all gave speeches to apologize in the local press. C. They admitted their mistake in public in the gymnasium. D. They would never drink any alcohol throughout their life. （3）Which word best describes the coach Rainville? A. Indifferent. B. Strict. C. Stubborn. D. Cruel. （4）Which would be the best title for the passage? A. Growing up with pain B. A bad mistake C. Team rules are everything D. Basketball girls in high school 【答案】（1）A
专题限时集训(二十四) 语法填空(Ⅲ) (对应学生用书第137页) A (2017·武汉市调研测试)Sending gifts varies greatly from country to country.In Australia, Canada, the United States 1. European countries，sending gifts is rarely expected. While seen as a nice gesture，it is more important to avoid 2. (give) highly personal gifts such as clothing.When visiting the home of a colleague from one of these 3. ( country)，it is normally appropriate to bring a gift to the hostess. In America, 4. (expense)gifts are definitely out.A good 5. (choose) is to take the deserving person to dinner，or to 6. entertainment or a sporting event. 7. the contrary，gift giving is a traditional custom in Japan.In Japan the proper gift is thought 8. (express)the giver's true friendship，gratitude and respect far 9. (well) than words can.So if you plan to visit Japan or to have any Japanese visit you here，be prepared. Australia is known for its friendliness and informality.So modest gifts，such as a diary，a paperweight，or a coffee cup might 10. (present)to a friend.At a trade show，T-shirts，ties，baseball caps，or a pin may be appropriate souvenirs.Anything more than these types of gifts could cause embarrassment. 【语篇解读】 本文是一篇说明文。介绍了美国、日本、澳大利亚等国不同的送礼物习惯。 1．and [考查连词。根据空前的“Australia，Canada，the United States”和空后的“European countries”可知，空处前后为并列关系，故用并列连词and。] 2．giving [考查动名词。avoid doing sth.为固定搭配，意为“避免做某事”，故填giving。] 3．countries [考查名词的数。根据空前的these可知，可数名词country应当
初一英语阅读训练 阅读理解 1 I am Tony Smith. I am twelve. I am in No.101 Middle School. I in Class 2, Grade 7. My good friend is Jim Green. He is an English boy. He is twelve, too. He is in my class. He can speak Chinese well. Jane is in Class 2, too. I think she is a good girl. My Chinese teacher is Mr. Wang. His students like him. He is very cool. 根据短文填空，每空一词。 1.Tony ______ is _______ years old. His first name is ________ .His ________ name is Smith. 2.Tony and Jim are ____ the same _______. Jane is _____ Class Two, too. 3.Tony and Jim _____ good ________. 4.Jim ’ s ______ is very good. 5.Mr. Wang is their ________ teacher. He is ________. His students him very much. 阅读理解 2 Linda ： Hello, Paul, is this your pencil? Paul ： Yes, it is. Thank you. Linda ： Is this your book? Paul ： No, it isn’ t. Maybe（也许）it’ s Mary’ s. Linda ： Mary, is this your book? Mary ： No, it isn’ t. My book is here. AskBill. Maybe it’ s his. Linda ： Bill, is this your book? Bill ：Yes, it is. Linda ： Here you are. Bill ：Thank you very much. But where is my bag? 根据对话判断正（ T）误（ F）。 () 1.This is Linda’ s pencil. () 2. Bill is a student. () 3.The book is Bill’ s.第 1页共 9 页 ()4. Mary can ’ t find（找到） her book. (’)5. Paul knows （认识） Linda and Mary. m 阅读理解 3 Look at these things. This is Mr. Wang’ s ID card. AndisJimthis ’ s watch, that ’ s Mary ’ s key. Gina’ s notebook is over there. Look! What that on the floor? Oh, it a gold’rings. It’ s Jenny ’ s ring. It’ s very n 根据短文选择最佳答案。 1.This is Mr. Wang’ s _____. A. notebook B. key C. ID card D. watch 2._____ notebook is over there. A. Jim ’ s B. Gina ’ s C. Jenny ’ s D. Mary ’s 3.Is this Jim’ s watch? ____ A. Yes, it is. B. No, it isn’Ct. Yes, he is. D. No, he isn’ t. 4.Is Jenny ’ s ring very nice? ______ A. Yes, she is. B. No, she isn’ t. C. Yes, it is. D. No, it isn’ t. 5.Mr. Wang ’ s name is on his______. A. ring B. watch C. key D. ID card 阅读理解 4 This is my friend John Wilson and his family. This is his grandfather. His name is Fritz. This is his grandmother. Her name is Evenly. This is his mother. Her name is Anna. This is his father. His name is Earl. These are his sisters, Christie and Carina. 根据短文，判断正（ T）误 (F) 。 () 1.Fritz is John’ s grandfather. () 2.Anna is his grandmother. () 3.John has two sisters. () 4.Earl is his father. () 5.Christie is Anna’ s daughter.
限时完形+阅读套题训练 第二节完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，共30分） 阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。 One Bite at a Time Stephen was on campus（校园）to register when I first met him. One summer day 36 I was headed over to the administration building, I heard someone call my name. I 37 around and saw Philip, one of my colleagues standing with another young man. As Philip introduced me to the young man, named Stephen, he reminded him that he would be taking one of my 38 , Introduction to Literature. With a somewhat 39 expression, Stephen asked if my class was going to be “hard”. Would he be able to pass? I 40 he was concerned about failing before the 41 day of classes. We talked about what the class would 42 and I saw Stephen’s eyes getting b ig with 43 . Then I remembered a bit of classical dialog: Question: “How do you eat an elephant?” Answer: “One bite at a time.” I told him to 44 his work that way. To do his assignment（作业）, all of them, and to get them in on time. I added that most 45 students I knew made a timetable of all the assignment so they could 46 their workload. As time went on, I learned more of Stephen’s story. He had 47 in middle school. It had taken him longer to finish than most young people. Family members, including his mother, kept reminding him that he was a 48 . Now, in the face of their negative-saying he had been admitted into college. He told me that before coming to our campus no one had believed he had much 49 . S tephen didn’t become an “A”student. He didn’t make any honor rolls. Still, he managed to 50 most of his courses by being in class every day, turning in all of his assignment on time and breaking down his studying into 51 digestible parts. By passing course after course he began to gain a measure of self-respect. He was a great singer and he was 52 the school’s cross-country team. Every time I saw him on campus, he would brighten up and say, “O ne bite at a time.”Whenever he introduced me to his friends, he would tell them that he was 53 when he was supposed to be failing. His 54 , he said, was that he was 55 what I taught him before classes ever started: “Take it one bite at a time.” 36. A. after B. when C. until D. once 37. A. turned B. sat C. moved D. went 38. A. jobs B. tests C. classes D. projects
阅读理解训练 I. Where is Love? How can we find Love? Once a little boy wanted to meet Love. He knew it was a long trip to where Love lived, so he got his things ready with some pizzas and drinks and started off. When he passed three streets, he saw an old woman sitting in the park and watching some birds. She looked very hungry. The boy gave her a pizza. She took it and smiled at him. The smile was so beautiful that he wanted to see it again, so he gave her a Coke. She smiled once again. The boy was very happy. They sat there all the afternoon, eating and smiling, but they said nothing. When it grew dark, the boy decided to leave. But before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old woman and gave her a hug. The woman gave him her biggest smile ever. When the boy opened the door of his house, his mother was surprised by the look of joy(快乐)on his face and asked what had made him so happy. “I had lunch with Love. She has got the ,s son was also surprised at his At the same time, the old womanmost beautiful smile in the world.”,s pleasure and asked why. mother“I ate a pizza in the park with Love,”she said, “and he is much younger than I expected.” If the world is full of love, we can enjoy a better life. 1.When the little boy saw the old woman, she was . A. looking for a seat in the park B. passing the street C. looking at some birds D. having a pizza 2.The little boy gave the old woman a Coke because . A. the old woman still felt hungry B. he wanted to see the smile again ,t like the drink C. he didnD. the old woman paid him for it 3.The old woman gave the little boy the biggest smile . A. after the little boy went home B. before it grew dark C. when she was drinking Coke D. after the little boy hugged her ,s mother was surprised to see her son was very 4.The boywhen the door opened. A. pleased B. sad C. unhappy D. angry 5.Which of the following is TRUE? A. The little boy failed to find Love. B. Both the little boy and the old woman found what they wanted at last. C. The little boy decided never to go home. D. The old woman gave the little boy a hug to thank him. II. Dick was born in a poor family. His father had a small boat and went fishing in the morning
专题限时集训(十六) 阅读理解 细节理解 题(Ⅰ) (对应学生用书第147页) 加★的为细节理解题 A 【导学号：25874072】(2017·南通、泰州高三一模) Maximize your holiday budget When it comes to planning a summer getaway，don't leave money matters to the last minute.It's wise to get the money matters in the bag first. Travel insurance Leaving your travel insurance to the last moment is potentially the costliest holiday mistake you can make.Travel insurance doesn't just protect you from illness and theft when you're away—it starts as soon as you buy it.This comes into use if you find you need to cancel your trip due to things such as illness or the death of a travelling companion.So it makes sense to get this sorted as soon as you make your first booking. Travel money The worst place to switch your cash into foreign currency is at the airport or ferry port.You'll find the poorest exchange rates here as they know you've no other options.Buy your money at least a week before you go.The best rates can usually be found from specialist brokers，which are often also better than high-street banks.There are exchange-rate comparison websites such as Travel Money Max，which will let you know what you'll get at the different locations. A budget It might not be the most fun thing to think about，but it's arguably the most important of them all.Work out how much you can afford to spend when you're away to avoid any nasty surprises when you get home.It's helpful to have a daily budget that you adjust up and down if you spend more or less. 【语篇解读】 本文是一篇应用文。主要介绍了如何充分利用你的假期预算。
八年级上册语篇阅读综合训练 一、完形填空：阅读下面短文，然后根据短文内容从短文后各题所给的选项中选择能填入相应空白处的最佳选项。 Yesterday was Father's Day. Many things happening between my father and me crowded my mind. But one thing made a deep impression on me. It was a Sunday morning, and I was in a 1 mood(情绪).Two of my friends had gone to the movies the night before and hadn't invited me. I was in my room 2 ways to make them sorry when my father came in. “Want to go for a rid today, Beck? It's a beautiful day.” “No! Leave me alone!” Those were 3 words I said to him that morning. My friends called and 4 me to go to the mall with them a few hours later. I forgot to be 5 with them and then went with them. When I came home, I found a 6 on the table. My mother put it where I would be sure to see it. “Dad has had an 7 .Please meet us at Highland Park Hosp ital.” When I reached the hospital, my mother came out and told me a car hit my father and his injuries were extensive(大面积的). “Your father told the driver to leave8 alone and just call 911, thank God! If he had moved Daddy, ...” My mother may have said but I didn't hear. I didn't hear anything 9 those terrible words: Leave me alone. My dad said them in order to 10 himself. He didn't want to be hurt more. How much had I hurt him 11 I shouted out those words at him earlier in the day? It was several days later that he was 12 able to have a talk. I held his hand gently，afraid of hurting him. "Daddy...I am so sorry...” “It's okay，sweetheart. I'll be okay.” “No，”I said，"I mean about 13 I said to you that day. You know, that morning?" He looked at me and said, “Sweetheart, I remember14 about that day, not before, during or after the accident. I remember telling you goodnight the night before, though.” He managed a weak smile. My English teacher once told me that words have great power. They can hurt or they can heal(治愈). And we all have the power to 15 our words. I am going to do that very carefully from now on. 1. A. good B. terrible C. peaceful 2.A thinking up B. giving up C. looking up
A Famous centenarians (百岁老人) still active in arts, science are in no mood to retire. "Those who stand still, die," is one of Oliveira's favorite phrases. He knows from experience what it means, as the Portuguese film director has reached the age of 102 and is still active in his profession. Every year, Oliveira shoots a film and is currently working on his next project. "You have to work, work, work in order to forget that death is not far away," he said. When asked about his age, Oliveira said with some humility: "It's down to mother nature. It gave to me what it took from others." Being both mentally and physically fit in old age is partly a matter of luck, but it also has something to do with character. Not every white-haired person is wise and social skills, openness and the ability to train the brain are essential for senior citizens. Along with the architect Oscar Niemeyer (103), Nobel laureate Montalcini (101) and director Kurt Maetzig (100), Oliveira is one of those people of whom it would be very wrong to think as members of a listless elderly generation. Another master in his profession is the architect Oscar Niemeyer. The 103-year-old Brazilian is best known for his futuristic-looking（未来派的）buildings in Brasilia, but he also speaks out on behalf of the poor. "The role of the architect is to struggle for a better world where we can develop a form of architecture that serves everyone and not just a privileged few," said Niemeyer recently. He spends almost every day working in his office in Copacabana, and even when he falls ill he keeps working on ideas: After a gallbladder (胆囊) operation he composed a samba tune (桑巴舞曲) in the clinic. Another man who could sing a song about age is 107-year-old Heesters. The Dutch-born opera singer spent most of his life performing in Germany, where he still works. Recently Heesters said: "I want to be at least 108-years-old." He also plans to keep performing. "Should I just sit at home and wait until they come and pick me up?" Heesters has not given up trying to add to his tally of awards and is looking for a "good stage role". Italian scientist Rita Levi-Montalcini, who is 101-year-old and is still active in medical science, has described the force that keeps driving her on: "Progress is created through imperfection." In 1986 she and her lab colleague were awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine for their work on nerve growth factor. She's convinced that humans grow on challenges.