The professor stood before his class of 30 senior biology students, about to pass out the final exam. “I have been honored to be your instructor this term, and I know how hard you have all worked to prepare for this test. I also know most of you are off to medical school or graduate school next fall,” he said to them.
“I can well understand how much pressure you are under to keep your grades up, and because I know you are able to understand this material, I am prepared to offer an automatic(自动的) “B” to anyone who would prefer not to take the final.”
In relief a number of students jumped up to thank the professor and left the class. The professor looked at the students who remained, and offered again, “Any other takers? This is your last chance.” One more student decided to go.
There were seven students left. The professor closed the door. Then he handed out the final exam. There were only two sentences typed on the paper: “Congratulations, you have just received an “A” in this class. Keep believing in yourself.”
I never had a professor who gave a test like that. It may seem like the easy way out of grading (评分) a lot of exams, but it’s a test that any teacher in any subject could and should give. Students who don’t have confidence in what they’ve learned are “B” students at best.
The same is true for students of real life. The “A” students are those who believe in what they’re doing because they’ve learned from both successes and failures. They have learned life’s lessons, whether from formal education or the school of hard knocks, and become better people.
Take your cue(榜样) from Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to reach the top of Mount Qomolangma: “It’s not the mountain we conquer (征服), but ourselves.” Don’t let the biggest limit be yourself.
The professor offered an automatic “B” to those who would prefer not to take the final exam because _________.
| A．he liked the students who wanted to get a “B” |
| B．he believed they were able to pass the exam |
| C．he thought any teacher should give them a “B” |
| D．he thought it was the easy way of grading exams |
According to the text, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．22 students got a “B” in the final test without doing the paper. |
| B．Most of the students would go to medical school shortly after the exam. |
| C．There were actually no problems on the test papers for the students to work out. |
| D．The way the professor tested his students would not be suitable for other subjects. |
According to the writer, the test given by the professor was ________.
|
The point of the story is to advise readers _________.
| A．to pay attention to what they can do |
| B．not to miss any final exam at school |
| C．not to let themselves limit their growth |
| D．to surround themselves with confident people |
Three Boys and a Dad
Brad closed the door slowly as Sue left home to visit her mother. Expecting a whole day to relax, he was thinking whether to read the newspaper or watch his favourite TV talk show on his first day off in months. “This will be like a walk in the park,” he’d told his wife. “I’ll look after the kids, and you can go visit your mom.”
Things started well, but just after eight o’clock, his three little “good kids”—Mike, Randy, and Alex—came down the stairs in their night clothes and shouted “breakfast, daddy.” When food had not appeared within thirty seconds, Randy began using his spoon on Alex’s head as if it were a drum. Alex started to shout loudly in time to the beat（节拍）. Mike chanted “Where’s my toast, where’s my toast” in the background. Brad realized his newspaper would have to wait for a few seconds.
Life became worse after breakfast. Mike wore Randy’s underwear on his head. Randy locked himself in the bathroom, while Alex shouted again because he was going to wet his pants. Nobody could find clean socks, although they were before their very eyes. Someone named “Not Me” had spilled a whole glass of orange juice into the basket of clean clothes. Brad knew the talk show had already started.
By ten o’clock, things were out of control. Alex was wondering why the fish in the jar refused his bread and butter. Mike was trying to show off his talent by decorating the kitchen wall with his colour pencils. Randy, thankfully, appeared to be reading quietly in the family room，but closer examination showed that he was eating apple jam straight from the bottle with his hands. Brad realised that the talk show was over and reading would be impossible.
At exactly 11:17, Brad called the daycare centre (日托所）.“I suddenly have to go into work and my wife’s away. Can I bring the boys over in a few minutes?” The answer was obviously “yes” because Brad was smiling.
When his wife left home. Brad expected to .
| A．enjoy his first day off work |
| B．watch TV talk show with his children |
| C．go out for a walk in the park |
| D．read the newspaper to his children |
Which of the following did Randy do?
| A．Drawing on the wall | B．Reading in a room |
| C．Feeding the fish. | D．Eating apple jam |
Why did Brad ask the daycare centre for help?
| A．Because he wanted to clean up his house. |
| B．Because he suddenly had to go to his office |
| C．Because he had to take his wife back |
| D．Because he found it hard to manage his boys at home. |
This text is developed _____________.
| A．by space | B．by time |
| C．by process | D．by comparison |
At first, Brad thought he would be __________ on his first day off .
| A．relaxed | B．embarrassed |
| C．bored | D．unhappy |
How I Turned to Be Optimistic
I began to grow up that winter night when my parents and I were returning from my aunt's house, and my mother said that we might soon be leaving for America. We were on the bus then. I was crying, and some people on the bus were turning around to look at me. I remember that I could not bear the thought of never hearing again the radio program for school children to which I listened every morning.
I do not remember myself crying for this reason again. In fact, I think I cried very little when I was saying goodbye to my friends and relatives. When we were leaving I thought about all the places I was going to see-—the strange and magical places I had known only from books and pictures. The country I was leaving never to come back was hardly in my head then.
The four years that followed taught me the importance of optimism, but the idea did not come to me at once. For the first two years in New York I was really lost—having to study in three schools as a result of family moves. I did not quite know what I was or what I should be. Mother remarried, and things became even more complex for me. Some time passed before my stepfather and I got used to each other. I was often sad, and saw no end to "the hard times."
My responsibilities in the family increased a lot since I knew English better than everyone else at home. I wrote letters, filled out forms, translated at interviews with Immigration officers, took my grandparents to the doctor and translated there, and even discussed telephone bills with company representatives.
From my experiences I have learned one important rule: almost all common troubles eventually go away! Something good is certain to happen in the end when you do not give up, and just wait a little! I believe that my life will turn out all right, even though it will not be that easy.How did the author get to know America?
| A． From her relatives. | B． From books and pictures. |
| C． From her mother. | D． From radio programs. |
Upon leaving for America the author felt_______.
| A．confused | B．worried |
| C．excited | D．amazed |
For the first two years in New York, the author _________.
| A．studied in three different schools |
| B．did not think about her future |
| C．often lost her way |
| D．got on well with her stepfather |
What can we learn about the author from Paragraph 4?
| A．She helped her family with her English. |
| B．She attended a lot of job interviews. |
| C．She paid telephone bills for her family. |
| D．She worked as a translator. |
The author believes that______.
| A．her future will be free from troubles |
| B．good things will happen if one keeps trying |
| C．there are more good things than bad things |
| D．it is difficult to learn to become patient |
In 1978, I was 18 and was working as a nurse in a small town about 270 km away from Sydney, Australia. I was looking forward to having five fays off from duty. Unfortunately, the only one train a day back to my home in Sydney had already left. So I thought I’d hitch a ride (搭便车).
I waited by the side of the highway for three hours but no one stopped for me. Finally, a man walked over and introduced himself as Gordon. He said that although he couldn’t give me a lift, I should come back to his house for lunch. He noticed me standing for hours in the November heat and thought I must be hungry. I was doubtful as a young girl but he assured (使……放心)me I was safe, and he also offered to help me find a lift home afterwards. When we arrived at his house, he made us sandwiches. After lunch, he helped me find a lift home.
Twenty-five years later, in 2003, while I was driving to a nearby town one day, I saw an elderly man standing in the glaring heat, trying to hitch a ride. I thought it was another chance to repay someone for the favour I’d been given decades earlier. I pulled over and picked him up. I made him comfortable on the back seat and offered him some water.
After a few moments of small talk, the man said to me, “You haven’t changed a bit, even your red hair is still the same.” I couldn’t remember where I’d met him. He then told me he was the man who had given me lunch and helped me find a lift all those years ago. It was Gordon.
The author had to hitch a ride one day in 1978 because .
| A．her work delayed her trip to Sydney |
| B．she missed the only train back home |
| C．the town was far away from Sydney |
| D．she was going home for her holidays |
Which of the following did Gordon do according to Paragraph 2?
| A．He watched the girl for three hours. |
| B．He gave the girl a ride back home. |
| C．He bought sandwiches for the girl. |
| D．He helped the girl find a ride. |
The reason why the author offered a lift to the elderly man was that .
| A．she realized he was Gordon |
| B．she had known him for decades |
| C．she wanted to repay the favour she once got |
| D．she was going to the nearby town |
What does the author want to tell the readers through the story?
| A．Good manners bring about happiness. |
| B．Those who give rides will be repaid. |
| C．Giving sometimes produces nice results. |
| D．People should offer free rides to others. |
The underlined word “favour “in paragraph 3 is closed in meaning to “ ______ “.
| A．interest | B．money | C．wallet | D．help |
Students usually have two long holidays a year, but have you heard elephants have holidays?
The Indian elephants from a temple are sent on a north-long holiday with massages(按摩) and baths to relax. The 64 elephants will be fed with a lot of food, enough for them to put on 700~800 pounds.
A temple veterinarian said that those Indian elephants would be treated after spending a month walking on roads, living on leaves and bananas and giving shows during lots of temple festivals. Their daily diet includes special rice and other special food, which are very nutritious and can make them healthy and strong. All of these are made by professional people.
This treatment will also calm them down ahead of a busy work schedule in upcoming events later in the year where they are the main attractions. The special holiday has cost the temple about￡12,500, but extra money is ready for being used to treat the animals.
Indians believe that doing something good to elephants can help them get wisdom and power. Having elephants is a traditional symbol of honor for temples across southern India. All temples, however, never buy their elephants. The elephants were donated by people. The Indian elephants can have a __________ holiday.
| A．day’s | B．week’s | C．month’s | D．year’s |
The elephants can do the following during their holiday EXCEPT_____.
| A．eating delicious food |
| B．giving performances |
| C．taking a shower |
| D．having a massage |
What does the underlined word “nutritious” in Paragraph 3 mean?
| A．大量的 | B．有营养的 | C．昂贵的 | D．美味的 |
People give these elephants a special holiday in order to ______.
| A．save a lot of money |
| B．make friends with them |
| C．make their temples famous |
| D．make them get ready for the coming work. |
Ambassador Hotel
Welcome to the Ambassador Hotel. To make your stay as enjoyable as possible, we hope you will use our facilities to the full.
Dining Room
Breakfast is served in the dining room from 8 a.m. to 9 a. m. Alternatively, the room staff will bring a breakfast tray to your room at any time after 7 a.m. In this case, please fill out a card and hang it outside your door when you go to bed.
Lunch: 12:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Dinner: 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Room Service
This operate 24 hours a day; phone the Reception Desk(接待处), and your message will be passed to the room staff.
Telephones
To make a phone call, dial 0 for Reception and ask to be connected. We apologize for delays in putting calls through when the staff are very busy. There are also pubic telephone booths(电话亭) near the Reception Desk. Early calls should be booked with Reception.
Laundry
We have a laundry in the hotel, and will wash, iron and return your clothes within 24 hours. Ask the room staff to collect them.
Bar
The hotel bar is open from 12 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.
You would most probably see this notice_______.
| A．in a hotel bar |
| B．in a bedroom of a large hotel |
| C．in a hotel dining room. |
| D．at the entrance of a small hotel. |
What should you do if you arrive at the hotel at 2 p.m. and want something to eat?
| A．go to the hotel shop. |
| B．go to the hotel bar. |
| C．hang a message outside your door. |
| D．phone the Reception Desk. |
What should you do if you want to make an important call but the staffs around the Reception Desk are very busy?
| A．wait at the Reception Desk. |
| B．go to your room and phone from there. |
| C．go out and look for a public box. |
| D．use one of the phones in the entrance hall. |
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