A well-dressed man came into a famous jeweler shop. He explained that he wished to buy a pearl (珍珠) for his wife's birthday and that the price didn't matter since business had been very good for him that year. After examining a number of beautiful and valuable pearls, he chose a nice black one that cost $ 5,000. He paid for the pearl, shook hands with the jeweler and left.
A few days later the man returned and said his wife had liked the pearl so much that she wanted another one just like it. It had to be exactly the same size and quality(质地) as she wanted a pair of earrings (耳环) made. "Can you give me any advice on how to get such a pearl?" said the man. The jeweler replied, "I would say it's nearly impossible to find an exact one like that pearl.”
The rich man asked the jeweler to advertise(登广告) in the newspapers, and offered $25,000 for the matching pearl. Many people answered the ad(广告), but nobody had a pearl that was just right. Just when the jeweler had given up hope, a little old lady came in. To his surprise, she pulled the wonderful pearl from her handbag. "I don't like to sell it," she said sadly. "I inherited(继承) it from my mother, and my mother inherited from hers. But now I really need the money. "
The jeweler was quick to pay her before she changed her mind. Then he called the rich man’s hotel to tell him the good news. The rich man, however, was nowhere to be found.
44. From the first paragraph we can guess that the jeweler considered the well-dressed man as_____________.
A. an honest jeweler to make friends with B. a clever cheat (骗子) with a 1ol
C. a rich businessman and good husband D. a poor gentleman who spent mc
45. He paid$ 5,000 for the pearl without bargaining(讨价还价)______________.
A. because he loved his wife very much
B. in order to get it as quickly as possible
C. since his business had been successful
D. so as to make the jeweler believe him
46. Which of the following is true?
A. The people who answered the ad wanted to sell their pearls at a high price.
B. The woman was the well-dressed man's wife.
C. The jeweler was lucky enough to buy the little old lady's pearl.
D. The rich man didn't know the little old lady.
47. The jeweler could not find the rich man anywhere because he__________.
A. had moved to another hotel B. was busy doing business with others
C. had escaped with $ 20,000 D. had told the wrong telephone number
The Mayan Indians lived in Mexico for thousands of years. The Maya were so bright that they achieved a lot. They had farms, temples and cities with many buildings. They knew much about nature and the world around them. This knowledge helped them to live a better life than most people of that time.
In ancient Mexico there were many small clearings in the forest. In each clearing was a village with fields of crops around it. The Maya planted seeds after they cleared the land. A farmer was able to grow crops that produced for several people. But not every Maya had to be a farmer. Some were builders or priests (祭司).
The Maya believed in many gods. They built large temples to honor them. Skillful workers built cities around these temples. It was difficult because they had to carry all of the building materials themselves. Today, many of these ancient Mayan cities and temples are still standing.
Although the Maya worked hard to build the beautiful cities, very few of them lived in them. Usually, only the priests lived in the cities. The other people lived in small villages in the forests. Their houses were much simpler. Most Maya lived a simple life close to nature.
Measuring time correctly was important to the Maya, so Mayan priests made a system to keep track of time. They wrote numbers as dots ( … ) and bars ( — ). They also made a calendar (日历). The year was divided into 18 months of 20 days each with five days left over.
Around the year 800, the Maya left their villages and beautiful cities, never to return. No one knows why this happened. They may have died from a deadly disease. They may have left because the soil could no longer grow crops. The lost secrets of the Maya are still beyond the reach of modern people. They are still one of our greatest mysteries (神秘).The Maya lived better than most people of their times because _____.
| A．they had skillful workers |
| B．they believed in many gods |
| C．they knew better about nature |
| D．they could measure time correctly |
It can be inferred from the passage that _____.
| A．the calendar was first invented by the ancient Maya |
| B．the ancient Mayan cities and temples were well built |
| C．the ancient Mayan people led a happy life in the cities |
| D．the priests were not highly respected by the ancient Maya |
The underlined word “they” in the passage refers to _____.
| A．the Mayan people | B．the Mayan villages |
| C．the Mayan cities | D．the lost secrets of the Maya |
Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
| A．The Life of the Maya | B．The Cities of the Maya |
| C．The Mystery of the Maya | D．The Belief of the Maya |
Are you a team person? Are you at your best as part of a small, tightly united group of dedicated workers? If so, the future may hold more for you than you think.
High technology, some predicted, would make team work a thing of the past. That’s happening in those areas of business and data processing where one person and a computer can replace a team of workers.
But, elsewhere, teamwork is very much alive. High technology has led to a new type of teamwork in a number of fields, including advertising, scientific research, engineering design, architecture and ocean exploration. Through computer networking, scientists, engineers and technicians at different locations---often thousands of miles apart---can work on the same project at once. They can exchange ideas, try out different designs and test their results.
Examples? An engineering team can now design and try out a robot system, a new manufacturing process, or an entire factory before it is built. An architectural team can do the same with a building or a bridge. A medical team can simulate (模拟) a dangerous operation before performing it on a patient.
Of course, computer–assisted team effort doesn’t end with investigation and simulation. It now usually continues into actual design, manufacturing and testing. “Computer–aided design (CAD) and computer–aided manufacture (CAM) are breaking down barriers between traditional design and manufacturing functions,” explains Dr. Prakash Rao, an engineering manager at General Electric. “Interdisciplinary teams and engineers follow a product from concept to production. Everything is interconnected like a network.”
Sometimes a computer–aided effort can extend beyond production. A team that produces robots may use them to explore space and ocean depth. For high–technology team work, the future seems limitless.The underlined part “hold more” most probably means to .
| A．maintain more chances | B．give more rights |
| C．make more regulations | D．store more information |
According to the passage, the writer believes that .
| A．teamwork requires more use of computers than that of human beings |
| B．teamwork will be completely replaced by computers |
| C．the concept of teamwork is still alive and no longer the same as the past |
| D．high technology would make teamwork a thing of the past |
The examples given by the writer in Paragraph 4 serve .
| A．to prove high technology has a promising future |
| B．to explain his idea of new type of teamwork is reasonable |
| C．to show that it tends to be an end to teamwork soon |
| D．to indicate the computer—assisted team effort just means investigation and simulation. |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Many fields of science and technology are now using computers effectively. |
| B．No details are given in the passage about barriers between traditional design and manufacturing functions. |
| C．Experts from different fields have to cooperate to develop a product from concept to production. |
| D．High technology is nothing but a new type of teamwork plus CAD and CAM. |
The author’s attitude to towards the introduction of the computer to teamwork is of .
| A．objection | B．indifference | C．support | D．doubt |
Breathe, wave and smile. Along with more than 300 other seniors, I marched into the stadium on the afternoon of May 10. The audience burst into deafening cheers. The huge stadium shook with all the whistling and clapping.
It was as if a Hollywood superstar had walked on stage. And indeed, every single senior that day was a star of the moment. Each deserved it. The seniors had been preparing for four years for this once-in-a-lifetime moment—the commencement.
Seated, I waited anxiously for the opening address. As a foreign exchange student, I was not able to receive a diploma. However, I still had the wonderful feeling of being part of things. Like the other graduates, I was dressed in purple cap and gown.
Our principal, Mr. Glover, delivered a short, warm greeting. The US national anthem followed and then, hands on chests, a solemn Pledge of Allegiance(效忠宣誓).
Students who had excelled academically gave farewell speeches. The tears in some eyes convinced me that many had deep feelings about the occasion. It was as the class motto says, “Life brings us tears, smiles and memories. The tears dry; the smiles fade; but the memories last forever.”
Then came the core (核心) of the commencement. Hundreds of names were announced. Each graduate walked across the stage to receive his or her diploma from the principal. From the different cheers each graduate got, we had the funny sense that it was a kind of competition of who could cheer the loudest.
To be honest, the presentation of diplomas got boring. A girl sitting next to me even started yawning. But it wasn’t boring for those receiving the diploma: they would treasure the moment the principal placed the sacred brown document in their hands for the rest of their lives.
A new page in the book of that person’s life had turned. They were glimpsing their futures: futures of challenge, hardship, perhaps loneliness too, which would take all of their courage.What’s the article mainly about?
| A．An American graduation ceremony. |
| B．The opening ceremony of a sports meeting. |
| C．A presentation of college diplomas. |
| D．A US college’s farewell party. |
According to the text, which of the following statements about the author is TRUE?
| A．Hollywood superstars went to attend the ceremony. |
| B．Every single senior became a superstar at the ceremony. |
| C．When each graduate got his or her diploma, there were cheers. |
| D．All graduates would treasure the diploma for the rest of their lives. |
The right order of the following events is________.
a. Diplomas were presented to graduates.
b. Students gave farewell speeches.
c. The US national anthem was played.
d. The principal gave a short, warm speech.
e. Seniors went into the stadium.
| A．b-c-a-d-e | B．b-d-c-e-a | C．e-d-b-a-c | D．e-d-c-b-a |
From the text, we can infer that_______.
| A．foreign exchange students could get a diploma |
| B．a diploma guarantees a bright future |
| C．the ceremony symbolizes the beginning of a new stage in life |
| D．everyone felt excited at the presentation of the diploma |
Read this article and find out which one is a must-read for your children for Thanksgiving.
Clifford’s Thanksgiving Visit
Clifford has to stay home with his neighbors, as Emily Elizabeth’s family goes visiting her grandmother. At first, Clifford feels lonely, thinking of his own family, but then he decides to visit his mother too. He travels many miles, crosses bridges, and he even gets into the subway! Follow Clifford’s trip to the big city! At http://www.powells.com. it is $3.99. The author is Norman Bridwell. It is for children aged 4-8.
The Magic Tree House
The Magic Tree House describes how Jack and Annie return back to the eve of the first Thanksgiving. There they meet the pilgrims(移民) as well as Squanto, a native American who helped them. The story offers an age-appropriate, in-depth picture of what life was really like for early settlers, as well as their adventures and excitements. It is for ages 4-8. The book costs
$2.50 at http://www.powells.com. The author is Sal Murdocca.
Franklin’s Thanksgiving
Franklin thinks that there will be an over-abundance of food for Thanksgiving dinner. So he invites his teacher and friends for Thanksgiving dinner. It costs $2.50 at www.Powells.com. The book is for children aged 4-8. The author is Paulette Bourgeois.
The First Thanksgiving
The First Thanksgiving is for ages 4-8 and it tells about the story of the pilgrims’ learning languages. It is beautifully illustrated with plenty of beautiful watercolors(水彩画). The author is James Waiting and the price of the book is $2.50. You can find it on http://www.powells.com.Clifford travels to the big city probably because ________.
| A．he is eager to visit his grandmother | B．he is not happy at home |
| C．he misses his neighbors very much | D．he likes traveling very much |
If you are interested in the pilgrims’ life you can read ________.
| A．Clifford’s Thanksgiving Visit | B．The Magic Tree House |
| C．Franklin’s Thanksgiving | D．The First Thanksgiving |
Kids can understand The First Thanksgiving better with the help of ________.
| A．teachers | B．other readers | C．pictures | D．computers |
Mr. Patrick was new to the school and to us. Even though he was a great teacher, he seemed rather like a character out of a horror movie. He didn’t look that bad, but somehow, he looked extremely scary to me.
Some kids began to believe that he was a murderer or a ghost; some believed he was mad and a few believed that he might have suffered a lot in his life. I was one of those ‘few’.
One day I gathered up my courage and headed towards the school garden. He was, as usual, sitting on a bench alone. I breathed heavily a few times and then walked towards him.
“How are you?” I asked with my voice crackling.
He managed to say, “Fine.”
“Well, good to know,” I tried to be happy.
“Hmmm…” was all I heard.
“What’s up with you?” then seeing a puzzled look on his face, I tried to be more formal and respectful. “I mean, why aren’t you like all other people in the school? Why are you always so quiet and sad? Why…”
“No dear, some things are better left unsaid,” he said gloomily.
“Oh no sir, nothing is better left unsaid. If you want to share your feelings with me and reduce the pain of your heart, you are free to do so. I promise I will never ever tell anyone.”
“With you? You are just a little girl; what will you understand?”
I was somehow offended but still I managed to persuade him, “So what, Sir? You see, if you tell me your problem, you will have a light heart and you will have the feeling that someone somewhere cares about you.”
“Oh okay, that was a very nice belief indeed; let’s take a walk and I will let you know everything.”
Soon after our little talk, there was a visible change on his face. Later that day in the class, there was a smile on his face.From the text, we can know about Mr. Patrick that he .
| A．once acted a character in a horror movie |
| B．scared his students with his looks |
| C．often punished the students for bad marks |
| D．did better in teaching than others in the school |
Mr. Patrick was thought by the author to .
| A．be a murderer or a ghost | B．be mad |
| C．have suffered a lot | D．have a special personality |
While walking towards Mr. Patrick in the school garden, the author felt .
| A．excited | B．nervous | C．worried | D．happy |
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