It is no use ______ your past mistakes.
| A．regretting | B．regret | C．to regret | D．regretted |
Destiny and Personal Responsibility
One important variable affecting communication across cultures is destiny（命运）and personal responsibility. This refers to the degree to which we feel ourselves the masters of our lives, contrary to the degree to which we see ourselves as subject to things outside our control. Another way to look at this is to ask how much we see ourselves able to change and act, to choose the course of our lives and relationships. Some have drawn a parallel between the personal responsibility in North American settings and the view itself. The North American view is vast, with large spaces of unpopulated land. The frontier attitude of “King” of the wilderness, and the expansiveness of the land reaching huge distances, may relate to generally high levels of confidence in the ability to shape and choose our destinies.
In this expansive land, many children grow up with a heroic sense of life, where ideas are big, and hope springs forever. When they experience temporary failures, they encouraged to redouble their efforts, to “try, try again.” Action, efficiency（效率）, and achievement are valued and expected. Free will is respected in laws and enforced by courts.
Now consider places in the world with much smaller land, whose history re
flects wars and tough struggles: Northern Ireland, Mexico, Israel, Palestine. In these places, destiny’s role is more important in human life. In Mexico, there is a history of hard life, fighting over land, and loss of homes. Mexicans are more likely to see struggles as part of their life and unavoidable. Their passive attitude is expr4essed in their way of responding to failure or accident by saying “no mode” (“no way” or “tough lick”), meaning that the failure was destined.
This variable is important t
o understanding cultural conflict. If someone believing in free will crosses paths with someone more passive, miscommunication is likely. The first person may expect action and accountability. Failing to see it, he may conclude that the second is lazy, not cooperative, or dishonest. The second person will expect respect for the natural order of thins. Failing to see it, he may conclude that the first is forcible, rude, or big headed in his ideas of what can be accomplished or changed..
The author thinks that one’s character is partly determined by .
| A．physical senses | B．general attitude |
| C．financial background | D．geographic characteristics |
.
According to the passage, Mexicans would think that Americans are .
| A．impractical | B．dishonest | C．ambitious | D．hesitant |
.
The underlined word “subject” in Paragraph 1 probably means .
| A．a topic of a discussion | B．a branch of knowledge |
| C．a person being experimented on | D．a person under the power of others. |
.
The author would probably agree that .
| A．vast land may lead to a more controllable desire |
| B．heroic sense of life roots deeply in a small country |
| C．living in limited space contributes to an accepting attitude |
| D．fighting over land may help people gain high levels of confidence |
On Christmas morning, I went to the Cockhedge Mall. People there were all busy buying their last minute requirements. I needed to buy a birthday card for my son-in-law whose birthday is the 29th of December. Picking up a few more things as well as my cared I went to join the line for the express checkout which was for people who only had a few items in a basket and not a trolley load. This line was next to the Customer Service desk.
Seemingly waiting quite a long time, I was jogged out of my thoughts by a voice behind me making comments on the things I bought.
It was so funny when I realized that she was describing the contents of my basket. The owner of the voice was a very pretty young lady. I said to her that I was going to buy a box of Christmas cookies but the only ones left were not to my liking. The lady told me that just opposite Cockhedge in Superdrug they had lots of cookies. I said, “I’m not going to bother now. I had enough of shops and I’m going home.”
The assistant from the Customer Service came across at this time saying “If there is anyone in the line with a few items in their basket, none of which needed to be weighed, I will check out their groceries at the desk.” Because I had the sprouts which needed to be weighted, the young lady accepted the offer and walked away waving goodbye.
Eventually my turn came at the checkout. I was walking away when I met my new friend once again who handed me a beautiful box of Christmas cookies. With a big hug she said “Hope you have a lovely Christmas.” She had been into Superdrug to buy me the cookies while I was still queuing in Cockhedge.
What a generosity to a stranger! I was so surprised you could have knocked me down with a feather. My Good Samaritan would never know what a joyful Christmas day I had with my family. Telling them this story, as we ate around the table, kept everyone spellbound..
The underlined word “spellbound” in the last paragraph probably means .
| A．interested | B．disappointed | C．astonished | D．frightened |
.
Which of the following could be the best title of the story?
| A．A Piece of Lucky Feather | B．A Surprise Christmas Gift |
| C．The Boring Shopping Experience | D．The Unforgettable Big Hug |
.
How does the writer feel about the pretty young lady?
| A．Worried. | B．Satisfied. | C．Grateful | D．Proud. |
.
What can we learn from the story?
| A．Nobody is sure what will happen the next moment. |
| B．A simple action can bring other people happiness. |
| C．Being patient will decrease the waiting time. |
| D．Life without hope and faith is a full thing. |
In this age of Internet chat, videogames and reality television, there is no shortage of mindless activities to keep a child occupied．Yet, despite the competition, my 8-year-old daughter Rebecca wants to spend her leisure time writing short stories．She wants to enter one of her stories into a writing contest, a competition she won la
st year．
As a writer I know about winning contests, and about losing them．I know what it is like to work hard on a story only to receive a rejection slip form the publishers. I also know the pressures of trying to live up to a reputation created by previous victories．What if she doesn't 
win the contest again? That's the strange thing about being a parent．So many of our own past scars and dashed hopes can surface．
A revelation （启示） came last week when I asked her, "Don't you want to win again?" "No," she replied, "I just want to tell the story of an angel （天使） going to first grade.”
I had just spent weeks correcting her stories as she naturally told them．Telling myself that I was merely an experienced writer guiding the young writer across the hall, I offered suggestions for characters, conflicts （冲突） and endings for her tales．The story about a fearful angel starting first grade was quickly "guided” by me into the tale of a little girl with a wild imagination taking her first music lesson．I had turned her contest into my contest without even realizing it．
Staying back and giving kids space to grow is not as easy as it looks．Because I know very little about farm animals who use tools or angels who go to first grade, I had to accept the fact that I was co-opting （借用） my daughter's experience．
While stepping back was difficult for me, it was certainly a good first step that I will quickly follow with more steps, putting myself far enough away to give her room but close enough to help when asked．All the while I will be reminding myself that children need room to experiment, grow and find their own voices．.
What do we learn from the first paragraph?
| A．Children do find lots of fun in many mindless activities． |
| B．Rebecca is much too busy to enjoy her leisure time． |
| C．Rebecca draws on a lot of online materials for her writing． |
| D．A lot of recreations compete for children's time nowadays． |
.
What did the author say about her own writing experience?
| A．She didn't quite live up to her reputation as a writer． |
| B．Her way to success was full of pains and frustrations． |
| C．She was constantly under the pressures of writing more． |
| D．Most her stories had been rejected by publishers． |
.
．The author took great efforts to correct her daughter's stories because ________．
| A．She believed she had the knowledge and experience to offer guidance |
| B．she didn't want to disappoint her daughter who needed her help so much |
| C．she wanted to help her daughter realize her dream of becoming a writer |
| D．she was afraid her daughter's imagination might run wild while writing |
.
What's the author's advice for parents?
A．A writing career, though attractive, is not for every child to pursue． |
| B．Children should be allowed freedom to grow through experience． |
| C．Parents should keep an eye on the activities their kids engage in． |
| D．Children should be given every chance to voice their opinions |
Another food 
which is closely associated with Americans is apple pie．Apple pie is often served hot with a spoon of ice cream or a slice of cheese at the end of the biggest meal of the day—dinner, and it is a favorite dessert throughout the nation.If a person is typical of Americans, we can say, "He is as American as apple pie．"
It is true that the apple and apple pie do not originate in America, but the expression "as American as apple pie" is not the product of a pure imagination．As early as 1625, the English colonists, having brought orchards （果园） on this new land and in most of the colonial times, the apple was a main material of both plain and fancy cooking．The first Massachusetts gove
rnor, William Endicott, was one of many keen apple planters who helped to lay the foundations for today' s apple-growing industry in America．
A major attraction of the apple for the colonists was that it could be made into cider （苹果酒）. Like most Europeans, English colonists held a strong suspicion （怀疑） of drinking water, and since grape growing was hindered by plant peats, cider became an alternative to wine．Cheap and easy to produce, it w
as the American drink of first choice well into the nineteenth century． Whether it was dried, raw or cooked, the apple also found its way into
numerous colonial dishes, including apple sauces, pudding, stuffing and many desserts．Therefore, the conclusion to be drawn here is obvious．The apple pie became known as American, not because it was invented on this land （since it was proved that Europeans had b
een eating apple pies for centuries）, but because, thanks to the huge orchards in the states of Washington and New York, America became the world's largest apple-producing nation．.
If a person is said to be as American as apple pie, it means that _______．
| A．he always prefers apple pie as a dessert |
| B．his favourite pie is apple pie |
| C．he behaves and thinks in the American way |
| D．he is good at making American apple pie |
.
The apple can be used to make into all of the following except _______．
| A．wine | B．sauces | C．pudding | D．cider |
.
The underlined word hindered in Paragraph 3 means．________．
| A．promoted | B．prevented | C．improved | D．enlarged |
.
It can be concluded from the passage that_______．
| A．the apple pie was first served in America |
| B．the English colonists developed a taste for the apple only after they, arrived at the New World |
| C．the expression "as American as apple pie" is a pure imagination |
| D．the apple pie is traditionally associated with Americans due to their large apple production |
Rules for the University Entrance Examination
●You must be at the examination center ten minutes before the examination starts. If you are more than ten minutes late, you may not enter the examination center. The examination takes place at the same time in different states.
●You must have proof of your name and grade as well as official examination number. Show these when you come to the examination center.
●Depending on which examination you are taking, you may bring certain items into the examination center. Mathematics examinations may allow you to use electronic calculators (计算器). Other subjects may allow you to use dictionaries and other reference material. Please read the notes sent with your timetable carefully.
●You must bring your own pencils. None will be provided for you. The following items are not allowed in the examination center: walkmans and radios, head sets, any food or drink, schoolbags, electronic equipment (unless specifically permitted for various subjects), and mobile phones.
●Once in the center, you must sit at the desk with your examination number on it. When you sit down, place your examination number at the top corner of your desk.
●You must remain silent during the examination. You must not disturb other people who are taking the test.
●If you need a drink or toilet break, you should raise your hand and wait for the supervisor (监督者) to speak to you. You will be given water or the supervisor will take you to the bathroom. You are not allowed to talk with anyone during the break.
●You must write your answers in the official answer sheet. Your supervisor will provide extra paper if you wish to make notes.
●You may leave the examination room at any time if you do not plan to return. If you finish early and want to leave, please move well away from the examination center.
●The supervisor will warn you fifteen minutes, five minutes and one minute bef
ore the end of the examination. When the supervisor says that the time is up, you must put down your pencil and wait at your desk until your paper is collected..
What kind of examination are these rules probably for?
| A．A local exam. | B．A final exam. |
| C．A college exam. | D．A national exam. |
.
What are you allowed to have with you when you take mathematics examination?
A．Related material. |
B．Proof of yourself. |
| C．A cell phone. | D．A dictionary. |
.
What should you do if you finish the test early and want to get a better result?
| A．Take some notes carefully. |
| B．Leave the room immediately. |
| C．Remain in your seat and check again. |
| D．Raise your hand to inform your teacher. |
.
What can be provided for you during the exam?
| A．Pencils. | B．Food and drink. |
| C．Extra paper. | D．Calculator |
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