We have two daughters: Kristen is seven years old and Kelly is four. Last Sunday evening, we invited some people home for dinner. I dressed them nicely for the party, and told them that their job was to join Mommy in answering the door when the bell rang. Mommy would introduce them to the guests, and then they would take the guests’ coats upstairs and put them on the bed in the second bedroom.
The guests arrived. I introduced my two da
ughters to each of them. The adults were nice and kind and said how lucky we were to have such good kids.
Each of the guests made a particular fuss over (对…关爱倍至)Kelly, the younger one, admiring her dress, her hair and her smiles. They said she was an unusual girl to be carrying coats upstairs at her age.
I thought to myself that we adults usually make a big “to do” over the younger one because she’s the one who seems more easily hurt. We do it with the best of intentions (意图).
But we seldom think of how it might affect (影响) the other child. I was a little worried that Kristen would feel she was ignored. I was about to serve dinner when I realized that she had been missing for twenty minutes. I ran upstairs and found her in the bedroom, crying.
I said, “What are you doing, my dear?”
She turned to me with a sad expression and said, “Mommy, why don’t people like me the way they like my sister? Is it because I’m not pretty? Is that why they don’t say nice things about me as much?”
I tried to explain to her, kissing her to make her feel better.
Now, whenever I visit a friend’s home, I make it a point to speak to the elder child first.
1．The underlined expression “make a big ‘to do’ over” (in paragraph 4) means _______.
A．show much concern about B．have a special effect on
C．list jobs to be done for D．do good things for
2．The guests praised Kelly for carrying coats upstairs for her _______.
A．pretty clothes B．lovely smile C. young age D．beautiful hair
3．Kristen felt sad and cried because ______.
A．the guests gave her more coats to carry
B．the guests praised her sister more than her
C．her mother didn’t introduce her to the guests
D．she didn’t look as pretty as Kelly
4．We can conclude from the passage that _______.
A．parents should pay more attention to the elder children
B．the younger children are usually more easily hurt
C．people usually like the younger children more
D．adults should treat children equally
According to sociologists, every modern industrial society has some form of social stratification（阶层）. Class, power and status are important in deciding people’s rank in society.
Class means a person’s economic position in society. A commonly used classification is lower class, middle class and upper class. While sociologists disagree on how these terms should be exactly defined, they do describe societies like the United States quite well. One study shows that 53% of Americans belong to the lower class, 46% the middle class, and 1% the upper class. Interestingly, a surgeon earning ＄500,000 a year and a bus driver earning ＄50,000 a year both regard themselves as the middle class!
Power refers to the amount of control a person has over other people. Obviously, people in positions of great power (such as governors) exercise（行使）big power, but people who take orders from others have less power. Power and class do not always go hand in hand, however. For example, the governor of a state has great power, but he or she may not belong to a corresponding （相应的）economic class. Generally, however, there is a relationship between power and class.
To our knowledge, there aren’t too many people who aren’t millionaires in the U.S. Senate!
Status is the honor or respect attached to a person’s position in society. It can also be affected by power and class, but not necessarily so. For example, a university professor may have a high status but not belong to a high social class or have a lot of power over others.What can we learn about “the middle class” from Paragraph 2?
| A．People earning ＄50,000 a year belong to the middle class. |
| B．Nearly half Americans belong to the middle class. |
| C．People generally consider bus drivers as the middle class. |
| D．Sociologists have a clear definition of the middle class. |
According to the text, we know that _____.
| A．power and class do not always correspond with each other |
| B．status refers to a person’s economic position in society |
| C．people with high status have a lot of control over others |
| D．class is less important in deciding a person’s social rank |
Which of the following shows the structure of the whole text?
China is a land of bicycles. At least it was back in 1992 when I traveled the country. Back then everyone seemed to be riding a bicycle. Millions of them, all black. Cars were rare. Yet since my arrival in Beijing last year, I’ve found the opposite is true. There are millions of cars. However, people still use their bicycles to get around. For many, it’s the easiest and cheapest way to travel today. Bicycles also come in different colors---silver, green, red, blue, yellow, whatever you want.
It’s fun watching people biking. They rush quickly through crossroads, move skillfully through traffic, and ride even on sidewalks(人行道). Bicycles allow people the freedom to move about that cars just can’t provide.
Eager to be part of this aspect of Chinese culture, I decided to buy a bicycle. Great weather accompanied my great buy. I immediately jumped up on my bicycle seat and started home.
My first ride home was orderly (守秩序的). To be safe, I stayed with a “pack” of bikers while cars on the streets came running swiftly out of nowhere at times. I didn’t want to get hit. So I took the ride carefully.
Crossing the streets was the biggest problem. It was a lot like crossing a major highway back in the United States. The streets here were wide, so crossing took time, skill and a little bit of luck.
I finally made it home. The feeling on the bicycle was amazing. The air hitting my face and going through my hair was wonderful. I was sitting on top of the world as I passed by places and people. Biking made me feel alive.According to the author, why are bicycles still popular in China today?
| A．Because they are traditional and safe. |
| B．Because they are convenient and inexpensive. |
| C．Because they are colorful and available. |
| D．Because they are fast and environment friendly. |
The author decided to buy a bicycle because he intended __________.
| A．to ride it for fun | B．to use it for transport |
| C．to experience local skills | D．to improve his riding skills |
How did the author feel about his street crossing?
| A．It was boring. | B．It was difficult. |
| C．It was lively. | D．It was wonderful. |
Which of the following best describes the author’s biking experience?
| A．The author enjoyed showing off his biking skills. |
| B．The author was annoyed by the air while riding. |
| C．The author was praised by the other bikers. |
| D．The author took great pleasure in biking. |
Sometime early in the next century, human beings will move to Mars. They will live there for about a year, and then will be replaced with another group of pioneers. Building the base on Mars will advance our knowledge of the solar system and aid in our understanding of the earth.
We already know that Mars resembles the earth in many aspects: general size, presence of water, length of day, range of temperatures. These resemblances have caused many people to consider a centuries-long project: to terraform Mars. Terraforming means altering a planet’s surface so that Earth’s life forms can survive there. This concept, previously found only in science fiction is now being seriously considered by scientists.
Terraforming Mars is theoretically simple: add nitrogen and oxygen to the atmosphere; pump water to the surface; and add the earth’s plants and animals in the order in which they developed on Earth. But it will take at least 300 years.
Some people think that such a project is too huge for humans to undertake, but there are very good reasons to make the attempt. The earth now contains some 6 billion people, and no one has any idea of how many humans the earth can support. Our very existence and numbers are threatening many other species. We also have had some experience with terraforming our own planet: altering the landscape, the atmosphere and the climate. Currently terraforming earth has become a wiser activity as we try to control global warming, air and water pollution, and preserve some natural living places.
While the possibility of such a project is small, it is not impossible .Even if earth –bound societies come and go in the next 300 years, the project can continue through the work of the Mars settlers without the need for constant backing from the earth.
The future existence of all the people in our world may very well depend upon our ability to terraform Mars.What would be the best title for this passage?
| A．Terraforming Mars. | B．Saving the Earth |
| C．Travelling to Mars. | D．A Newly-found Place |
What does the underlined word “altering” mean in the second paragraph?
| A．Warming. | B．Changing. | C．Planting. | D．Building |
According to the passage the main purpose of terraforming Mars is to ________.
| A．do some scientific research work |
| B．find out its similarity to earth |
| C．avoid the dying away of many other species |
| D．find on Mars living place for the increasing human beings |
The main reason for causing many people to consider terraforming Mars is that _______.
| A．there are some resemblances between Earth and Mars. |
| B．terraforming Mars is theoretically simple |
| C．we have had some experience with terraforming our own planet: Earth |
| D．the development of science and technology is very rapid |
What’s the author’s attitude towards the project?
| A．Optimistic. | B．Negative |
| C．Sceptical（怀疑的） | D．Objective. |
Education has an important effect on the mind or physical ability of an individual. It is the process by which society passes its accumulated knowledge, skills, and values from one generation to another.
Various non-traditional education options are now available and continue to flourish（繁荣）. One of the most important uses in education is the use of technology. Teachers are encouraged to use new technological devices in order to strengthen learning among students and meet the needs of various types of learners.
The right to education has been created and recognized by jurisdiction（司法）. Education is the most important concern of the government of India. Recently India has gained world recognition because many students from foreign countries come here to gain higher qualifications.
One has to be educated in order to speed up the growth process in order to influence the economy. Education is indeed a powerful weapon to stop the cut- throat competition that man faces at every period of life. The importance of education in India is progressing with time. Although India has been a great foundation of learning for many years, it still needs to improve not just on the quality of education but also on the number of people being educated.
Education is not just for academic success but also to make a person become a better human being and a better performer in life. Education makes the students able enough, so that they can compete nationally and internationally. To make a student a successful survivor in life, the responsibility lies equally with the schools and the parents too. Selecting a good school is as important as choosing a suitable career option for a child. The goal of education is the advancement of knowledge and the dissemination of truth, it is education that gives us all the power and necessities of making a difference in any field.
People who are not educated have few opportunities to do what they want to do. Educated people become more responsible and informed citizens, and have a voice in politics and society. It allows people to be more productive by encouraging them to play responsible roles in terms of contributing to society.Nowadays teachers are encouraged to ______.
| A．study modern science and technology |
| B．pass all knowledge to their students |
| C．use non-traditional devices in class |
| D．meet the needs of intelligent student first |
The author uses the example of Indian education to show that____.
| A．Indian education is among the best in the world now |
| B．Indian is becoming more and more powerful now |
| C．the right to education should be valued all over the world |
| D．a lot of students in India are from other countries |
The underlined word “dissemination” in Paragraph 5 probably means “______”.
| A．spread | B．ignorance | C．argument | D．question |
What do we know about education from the passage?
| A．It has nothing to do with society |
| B．It helps people to achieve what they want |
| C．It has little effect on people’s physical ability |
| D．It makes a poor man become rich |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．The importance of education | B．The responsibility of education |
| C．The development of education | D．The purpose of education |
You are given many opportunities in life to choose to be a victim or a creator. When you choose to be a victim, the world is a cold and difficult place. “They” did things to you which caused all of your pain and suffering. “They” are wrong and bad, and life is terrible as long as “they” are around. Or you may blame yourself for all your problems, thus internalizing(内化) your victimization. The truth is, your life is likely to stay that way as long as you feel a need to blame yourself or others.
Those who choose to be creators look at life quite differently. They know there are individuals who might like to control their lives, but they don’t let this get in the way. They know they have their weaknesses, yet they don’t blame themselves when they fail. Whatever happens, they have choice in the matter. They believe their dance with each sacred(神圣的) moment of life is a gift and that storms are a natural part of life which can bring the rain needed for emotional and spiritual growth.
Victims and creators live in the same physical world and deal with many of the same physical realities, yet their experience of life is worlds apart. Victims relish (沉溺) in anger, guilt, and other emotions that cause others—and even themselves—to feel like victims, too. Creators consciously choose love, inspiration, and other qualities which inspire not only themselves, but all around them. Both victims and creators always have choice to determine the direction of their lives.
In reality, all of us play the victim or the creator at various points in our lives. One person, on losing a job or a special relationship, may feel as if it is the end of the world and sink into terrible suffering for months, years, or even a lifetime. Another with the same experience may choose to first experience the grief, then accept the loss and soon move on to be a powerful creative force in his life. In every moment and every circumstance, you can choose to have a fuller, richer life by setting a clear intention to transform the victim within, and by inviting into your life the powerful creator that you are. What does the word “they” in Paragraph 1 probably refer to?
| A．People and things around you. |
| B．Opportunities and problems. |
| C．Creators and their choices. |
| D．Victims and their sufferings. |
According to Paragraph 2, creators __________.
| A．seem willing to experience failures in life |
| B．possess the ability to predict future life |
| C．handle ups and downs of life wisely |
| D．have potential to create something new |
What can we learn from Paragraph 3?
| A．Creators and victims face quite different things in life. |
| B．Creators and victims are masters of their lives. |
| C．Victims can influence more people than creators. |
| D．Compared with victims, creators are more emotional. |
The examples mentioned in Paragraph 4 show that __________.
| A．strong attachment to (沉浸在）sufferings in life pulls people into victims |
| B．people need family support to deal with challengers in life |
| C．it takes creators quite a long time to get rid of their pains |
| D．one’s experiences determine his attitude toward life |
What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?
| A．To define victims and creators. |
| B．To evaluate victims against creators. |
| C．To explain the relationship between victims and creators. |
| D．To suggest the transformation from victims to creators. |
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