Being the head of a high school for many years, I grew tired of budget meetings, funding cuts, and many other administrative chores (杂务). I started to dream of retirement. Sitting in traffic on a weekday morning, I would find my mind wandering, I would imagine spending time with my grandchildren, quiet evenings with my wife, traveling, or rediscovering some great books. I told myself that I wouldn’t sign myself up for any committees, any classes, or anything requiring a schedule.
My first day of retirement came at last! I cooked a great breakfast for my wife and me, leisurely read the paper, cleaned a bit of the house, and wrote a few letters to friends. On the second day, I cooked breakfast, read the paper … On the third day, … This is retirement? I tried to tell myself that it was just the transition（过渡）, that those golden moments were right round the corner, and that I would enjoy them soon enough. But something was missing. 
A former colleague asked a favor. A group of students were going to Jamaica to work with children in the poorest neighborhoods. Would I interrupt my new found “happiness” and return to the students, just this once? One trip. That’s all. My bags were packed and by the door.
The trip was very inspiring. I was moved not only by the poverty I saw but also by the sense of responsibility of the young people on the trip. When I returned home, I offered to work one day a week with a local youth organization. The experience was so positive that I was soon volunteering nearly full-time, working with students across North America to assist them in their voluntary work.
Now, it seems, the tables have turned. Some days I am the teacher, other days I am the student. These young people have reawakened my commitment (责任感) to social justice issues by challenging me to learn more about the situation in the world today, where people are still poor and suffer because of greed, corruption and war. Most importantly, they have given me the opportunity to continue to participate in helping to find solutions. In return, I help them do their charitable projects overseas. I’ve gone from running one school to helping oversee the construction of schools in twenty-one countries!What did the writer expect to do after he retired?
| A．To stay away from busy schedules. | B．To write some great books. |
| C．To do some voluntary work. | D．To plan for his future. |
Why did the writer decide to go to Jamaica?
| A．He missed his students in that country. | B．He couldn’t refuse his colleague’s favor. |
| C．He was concerned about the people there. | D．He was not satisfied with his retired life. |
Which of the following could be the best title for the passage?
| A．My Retired Life. | B．Being the Head of a High School. |
| C．My Attitudes towards Life. | D．An Experience of Being a Volunteer. |
What does the writer think of his retired life now?
| A．Disappointing. | B．Troublesome. | C．Promising. | D．Meaningful. |
Being successful in high school comes with a lotof patience as well as motivation. Unfortunately thereare so many distractions coming your way, andsometimes it becomes hard to say no. However,if youwant to become a successful student, then you have tostart learning how to say no to these distractions.
It may be hard during the school year, and alsotiring,but the hard work always pays off at the end.When you graduate, you want to graduate withhonors,and you want to also be remembered as adiligent school worker. So remember, become asuccessful student, for that will determine your successin the future.
Getting involved in a romantic relationship is purely optional. You should never feel a need to hookup with someone just because everyone else does. Youstill have so many years ahead of you, so why notmake good use of your high school years to focus on schoolwork and then get into a good college?However,don't be afraid of dating either — a steadyboyfriend or girlfriend can be one of the best antidepressants there is!
Stay away from the drama and gossip. You havefar too much more important stuff to worry aboutthat.
Learn to befriend your teachers. This willdefinitely make things easier for you in the future,when you are applying to colleges and needrecommendations.
If you're struggling to keep up with yourhomework load, tell your teachers. Don't be afraid toask for an extension or extra help before/afterschool, or during lunch or a free period. They arethere to help you. Besides, the worst they can do issay no.
Even if you are a shy person,try to make at leasta couple of friends, so you have someone to talk toand someone who will have your back in a toughsituation. It helps to join clubs that interest you andyou can demonstrate those hobbies that make youshine. You will be surprised at how you will attractpeople like a magnet.What will decide our future success?
| A．A lot of patience and motivation. |
| B．Saying no to the distractions. |
| C．Becoming a successful student. |
| D．Working harder than others. |
The author holds the idea that_________.
| A．it is necessary to associate with someone just because everyone else does |
| B．the students should focus their attention and time on dating with a boyfriend or girlfriend |
| C．we mustn't date with a boyfriend or girlfriend because it wastes too much time |
| D．a steady boyfriend or girlfriend can help the students fight with the depression |
We can learn from the passage that_________.
| A．the students should keep their teachers at a distance and look up to them |
| B．the students should inform their teachers of their struggle in finishing the homework |
| C．them teachers will say no to their students' any request |
| D．the shy persons won't be able to make any friends even if they try their best |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．How to Be a Successful Student |
| B．Ideas on How to Gain Higher Grades |
| C．Ways to Be a Success in the Future |
| D．How to Communicate with Others |
Now it's time for college students to enjoy theirthree months of freedom. But students shouldn'tcompletely ignore their college responsibilities if theywant to stay on track for next year. To make asmooth transition back to campus in the fall, here areseveral things every college student should do this summer.
Stay on top of deadlines. Professors and studentsmay have the summer off, but it's still business asusual for the university. Faust, a rising senior, advisesstudents to stay on top of all time-sensitive financial oradministrative obligations necessary for next semester.
"In summer time, there are often severaldeadlines regarding financial aid, housing, tuition andclass registration," says Faust." If you don't keepcollege on your radar, you could miss out on some seriously important stuff."
Gain industry experience. Students fortunateenough to land an expected internship, should takethe opportunity to build professional contacts, andexperience working in an industry and an officesetting. Interns should be eager to help out and helpwith projects that will translate onto a resume.
Save for upcoming semester. Travel and goingout with friends are big money drainers, and ifstudents don't carefully budget and save, they mayfind themselves strapped during the school year.
Suzanna de Baca, vice president of wealthstrategies at Ameriprise Financial advises studentswith federal loans to create a post-graduation savingsaccount to help make payments or even start payingdown loans while still in school.
Take a week off. It's also important for studentsto take time this summer to relax and recharge.Experts say students will be more productive if theytake the time for themselves.
"I am ending my summer internship a weekbefore school starts so that I have a whole week toget my ducks in a row before the semester begins,"says Faust. "In that time I will be finalizing myschedules, organizing my planner, buying any necessarysupplies, reorganizing my hard drive and so on."The college students are to pay attention to the college duties so that ______.
| A．they can hunt a satisfactory job |
| B．they can be on the right track next year |
| C．they can get high marks in the next year |
| D．they won't be rejected by the campus |
In order not to miss some vital information, the college students should _______.
| A．realize the deadline of financial aid and tuition |
| B．keep them informed of the time-sensitive obligations |
| C．have the summer off as other students or professors |
| D．keep their summer holiday and college life on the radar |
The underlined word probably means _________.
| A．being lacking in money |
| B．being trapped in difficulty |
| C．dropping out of college |
| D．meeting with trouble |
What's the main idea of the passage?
| A．How to adapt to the college life for the students. |
| B．Some ideas on how to spend the summer holiday. |
| C．Several things college students should do this summer. |
| D．Ways for the college students to enjoy themselvesin summer. |
For hundreds of years printing was difficult andvery slow. As more people learned to read, peoplewanted to find a quicker, better, and less expensiveway to print books. One of these people was Johann
Gutenberg, who was born in Mainz, Germany, around 1400.
Gutenberg was an intelligent man, and he wasgood at working with metal. His idea was to make ametal stamp for each letter of the alphabet（字母表）and use the letters over and over. He could put the
stamps together to make words and arrange(排列)thewords to make pages. With ink on the stamps, hecould press paper on them to make a page. This kindof printing press (印刷机) could make hundreds of copies of a single page quickly. After one page wasfinished, he could rearrange the same letters to makeother words and print other pages.
It took Gutenberg many years to make stampsfor each letter of the alphabet. When he finished thestamps, he didn't have enough money to make theprinting press. He borrowed money from a mannamed Johann Fust. They became business partners.After many years, Gutenberg's printing press was ready. Gutenberg printed his first book, the Bible,around 1455.
Johann Fust was a clever businessman. Heunderstood the value of Gutenberg's invention. Hetook Gutenberg to court (法院) because Gutenbergcouldn't pay back the money. Gutenberg had nomoney, so Fust took his printing press and started hisown business. He printed and sold more Bibles andkept all the money. Gutenberg was sad and diedin1468,a poor man.
Today people still remember Johann Gutenberg.The city of Mainz has a statue（雕像） of him and hisoriginal printing press is kept in a museum. Paragraph 2 mainly tells us ____________.
| A．the disadvantages of the old printing press |
| B．how Gutenberg's printing press worked |
| C．why Gutenberg decided to invent a printing press |
| D．how to arrange the words to make pages |
According to the passage, Gutenberg ________.
| A．had a hobby of collecting stamps |
| B．Learned printing from Johann Fust |
| C．printed only one copy of the Bible |
| D．spent many years inventing his printing press |
It can be learned from the passage that _________.
| A．Gutenberg lost his invention because he couldn't pay back the money |
| B．Gutenberg was a successful businessman and made a lot of money |
| C．Fust and Gutenberg always trusted each other |
| D．Fust thought Gutenberg's invention was useless |
Which of the following is TRUE?
| A．Fust lent money to Gutenberg because Gutenberg's printing press was ready. |
| B．The Bible is the first book that Gutenberg printed. |
| C．Gutenberg died in his eighties, sad and poor. |
| D．In order to remember Fust, his statue was built in Mainz, Germany. |
The final event in the Olympics is the marathon. It is also usually the most exciting. As the leader comes into the stadium to run the last few meters ofthe 42-kilo-metre race, the crowd rises to its feet toshout and cheer. The name of the race comes from abattle in Ancient Greece. According to the story, asoldier ran from the scene of the battle,Marathon, toAthens, to bring the news of a Greek victory againstthe Persians. He died just after arriving.
The marathon has been an Olympic event sincethe modern Games started in 1896. At first the distance was 40 kilometres — the distance betweenMarathon and Athens. In 1908, however, at theLondon Olympics, it was changed. The King ofEngland wanted the runners to leave from his castlein Windsor and arrive m a new stadium in central
London. The distance was 26 miles — about 42kilometres. In fact, the 1908 marathon endeddramatically(戏剧性地). When the leader, an Italian,
entered the stadium he turned the wrong way and fellonto the ground. Officials picked him up and helpedhim to the finishing line,just as the second runner, anAmerican, entered the stadium. The Americans
protested （抗议） and in the end the American runnerwas declared(宣布)the winner. Since then, there havebeen many more exciting marathons.
In fact, you don't have to wait for the OlympicGames to run or watch a marathon, as there aremarathons in over sixty countries and hundreds ofcities around the world today. One of the mostfamous marathons is in New York, and is watched bytwo million people around the streets and across thebridges of the city's five boroughs(纽约市的行政区),and past New York's famous landmarks. But perhapsone of the most beautiful and extraordinary(最特别的) marathons ever is the Great Wall Marathon,which most competitors find is the toughest course torun.
The marathon is the final Olympic event becauseit is thought to be the hardest. But experts believe that most people — even people who are notparticularly good at sport — can run a marathon, ifthey train for it. When the leader came into the stadium, the crowd ______.
| A．ran to his feet happily |
| B．shouted with excitement |
| C．carried him to the line |
| D．sang and dance |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The name of the race comes from a game in Greece. |
| B．The soldier who ran from Marathon to Athens won a gold medal. |
| C．The marathon events in the Games have the same length all the time. |
| D．From 1908, the marathon events are of the same length. |
Which is the most special of the marathon events in the world?
| A．The Marathon in New York. |
| B．The Marathon in the Beijing Olympic Games. |
| C．The Great Wall Marathon. |
| D．The Marathon in London in 2012. |
Which of the following is TRUE about the marathon?
| A．Marathon is the most important event. |
| B．Marathon is the most popular event. |
| C．Marathon is the easiest event. |
| D．Marathon is the final Olympic event. |
The first ancient Olympic Games for which westill have written records was held in 776 BC.Coroebus won the only event at the Olympics. Thismade him the very first Olympic champion inhistory. Then they grew and continued to be playedevery four years. In 393 AD, the Roman emperorTheodosius I, a Christian, announced to end theGames because of their pagan (异教的)influences.
About l, 500 years later, a young Frenchmannamed Pierre de Coubertin began their revival (恢复) . In 1892 Coubertin first brought forward his idea to revive the Olympic Games but failed.
Two years later, Coubertin organized a meetingwith 79 delegates(代表) who represented ninecountries. At this meeting he got what he wanted. Allthe delegates at the conference voted for the OlympicGames. They also decided to have Coubertin set up aninternational committee to organize the Games. Thiscommittee became the International Olympic
Committee (IOC) and Demetrious Vikelas fromGreece was selected to be its first president. Athenswas chosen for the revival of the Olympic Games.
The very first modern Olympic Games opened inthe first week of April, 1896. Since the Greekgovernment .had been unable to afford a stadium, arich Greek architect, Georgios Averoff, donated onemillion drachmas (over $100, 000) to repair the Panathenaic Stadium, originally built in 330 BC.
Since the Games were not well publicizedinternationally, contestants(选手) were not nationally chosen but rather came individually and at their own expense. Some contestants were tourists who happened to be in the area during the Games. What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．The History of the Olympics |
| B．How Coubertin Set Up IOC |
| C．The First Modern Olympic Games |
| D．Great Changes in the Olympic Games |
At the first modern Olympic Games, ___________.
| A．winners were given money as prize |
| B．IOC invited contestants to tour Greece |
| C．there were no strict rules for being a contestant |
| D．many countries chose some athletes. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. In 393 AD, the Games were cancelled because of the religious reason.
B. Coubertin was voted to be the first president of the IOC.
C. The Greek government didn't support building a stadium.
D. The first ancient Olympic Games had several events.
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