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Many of the world's most well-known people were once successful failures. Here are the stories of a few of them.

Abraham Lincoln(1809-1865)

Abraham Lincoln was one of America's greatest leaders, taking the country through the Civil War(from 1860 to 1865). However, his life was never easy. He started numerous businesses that failed. He went bankrupt twice, and was defeated in 26 campaigns for public office. He later said, “My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure. ”

Vincent Van Gogh(1853-1890)

Van Gogh is one of the most famous and influential painters in the history of Western Art. He's renowned for paintings such as TheStarryNight, ThePotatoEaters and Sunflowers. However, during his lifetime, Van Gogh sold only one painting for a very small amount of money. Despite this, he carried on painting, sometimes even going without food so he could complete his collection of over 800 known works.

Albert Einstein(1879-1955)

Albert Einstein won the Noble Prize in Physics in 1921. However, he wasn't always considered as a “genius”. He didn't speak until he was four, and couldn't read until he was seven. His teachers and parents thought he was slow, so he was expelled from school and couldn't get into the Zurich Polytechnic School. He later famously said, “Success is failure in progress. ”

Stephen King(born 1947)

Stephen King is one of the best-selling authors of all time, but his first book,  Carrie, was rejected by about 30 publishers. Eventually, Stephen threw it in the bin,  but his wife fished it out and encouraged him to resubmit it, which he did successfully this time!

21. Which statement is true about Abraham Lincoln?           

A. He led the American War of Independence.
B. He never succeeded in his business.
C. He was full of courage and perseverance.
D. He is the greatest president of the United States.

22. Who became famous all over the world after his death?           

A. Abraham Lincoln.
B. Vincent Van Gogh.
C. Albert Einstein.
D. Stephen King.

23. What was the most likely reason for Albert Einstein's dropping out of school?           

A. He was too slow to learn.
B. He couldn't speak or read.
C. His teacher thought he was stupid.
D. He didn't obey the school rules.

24. What do the people in the passage have in common?           

A. They are all Americans.
B. They are known for their writings.
C. They were born in the same century.
D. They all suffered failure before they succeeded.