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Have you ever wondered what a Degree might be worth to you in your job or career? It means a lot—Americans with an Association Degree average nearly $10,000 more in yearly earnings than those with just a High School Diploma.
Harcourt Learning Direct offers you a way to get a Specialized Associate Degree in 11 of today’s growing fields—without having to go to college full time. With Harcourt, you study at home, in your spare time—so you don’t have to give up your present job while you train for a better one. Choose from exciting majors like Business Management, Accounting, Dressmaking &Design, Bookkeeping, Photography, Computer Science, Engineering and more!
Your training includes everything you need!
Books, lessons, learning aids—even professional-quality tools and equipment—everything you need to master your training and move ahead to a new career is included in the low tuition price you pay.
Your education is nationally recognized!
Nearly 2,000 American companies—including General Electric, IBM, Mobil, General Motors, Ford, and many others—have used our training for their employees. If companies like these recognize the value of our training, you can be sure that employers in your area will, too!
Earn your degree in as little as two years! Get a career diploma in just six months!
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e-mail: harcourt@learning.comWhat kind of people will probably answer this advertisement?
| A．College students preparing to work in some big companies. |
| B．college students preparing to study for a degree. |
| C．High school graduates preparing to have at-home training. |
| D．High school graduates preparing for college entrance examinations. |
People can get a Specialized Associate Degree by_______.
| A．doing full-time learning at school |
| B．working in some big famous companies |
| C．studying in their spare time |
| D．studying abroad for two years |
How can you contact Harcourt Learning Direct?
| A．By sending an E-mail. |
| B．By visiting the office on weekdays. |
| C．By making a call on weekdays only. |
| D．By sending a letter not later than today. |
A study by St.. Louis University has found that a lovable dog named Sparky and a robotic dog, AIBO, were about equally effective at reducing the loneliness of nursing home residents. The study confirmed previous findings that dogs have a good effect on nursing home residents.
Dr. Andrew Smith led the Stanford University team that built a home-assistance robot. “If humans can feel an emotional tie with robots, some day they could be not just our assistants, but also our companions,” he said.
To test whether residents responded better to Sparky, a trained dog, or the Sony-made robotic dog, researchers divided 38 nursing home residents into three groups at three long-term care centers in St. Louis.
One group had weekly 30-minute one-on-one visits with Sparky; another group had similar visits with AIBO; a control group had no contact with either dog. The groups’ respective levels of loneliness were tested by having them answer a number of questions at the beginning and near the end of the visits.
After two months, both groups that had contact with the dogs were less lonely and more attached. Most of the elderly regarded Sparky, a 9-year-old dog, as an audience for their life stories, said investigator Marian Banks.
“He listened attentively, wagged his tail, and allowed them to pet him,” said Banks, who adopted and trained Sparky after finding him in a street behind her home seven years ago.
Those who were together with AIBO took a little longer to warm to the robotic creature. Over time, however, they grew comfortable with him, and petted and talked to him. He would respond by wagging his tail, vocalizing, and blinking his lights..
“AIBO is charming once you start to interact with him,” said the study’s author, Dr. William Banks, “He’s an attractive sort of guy. He gives a feeling of being personal, not just a robot.”Before the new study, it was known that ____.
| A．robots were effective at reducing people’s loneliness |
| B．robots could build close connection with humans |
| C．dogs could help get rid of old people’s loneliness |
| D．dogs and robots were equally effective at reducing loneliness |
Those who had contact with the robotic dog found that ___.
| A．they didn’t feel comfortable with it |
| B．it was hard for them to interact with it |
| C．they weren’t comfortable with it at first |
| D．the robot’s vocalizing and blinking confused them |
The findings of the researchers tell us that___.
| A．robots are better at caring for old people than nurses |
| B．robots can to some degree replace dogs as companions for old people |
| C．it’s easy for people to become close with robots |
| D．every home will have a robot assistant one day |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Robots Serve People Better Than Thought |
| B．No More Lonely Old Age with Emotional Robots |
| C．Advanced Technology Used to cheer up the Elderly |
| D．Robots and Dogs Can Equally Cheer up the Elderly |
Skinner Creek ESL Guest Ranch offers a unique outdoor adventure camp for international students.
Students who come to Skinner Creek have the opportunity to learn English in an environment entirely different from a regular school setting. English classes are designed to meet the academic and spoken levels of each student. All English classes will be taught by instructors qualified in teaching English as a second language. All levels of English are available.
After class, students can enjoy many outdoor activities in a controlled and safe environment. Experienced managers and camp teachers will prepare each activity to the level appropriate for each student.
Students’ safety is a priority for the staff of Skinner Creek ESL Guest Ranch. Students are monitored at all times and supervisors are in the cabins with the students at night. Staff members have St. John’s First Aid and Transportation and Wilderness First Aid. An emergency clinic is nearby and accessible 24 hours.
English Classes:
Class hours are from Monday to Friday, 9:00 am—2:00 pm with a one-hour break for lunch.
Students are challenged in reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary building and conversational English.
Fun After-class Activities:
Great after-class activities include: horseback riding lessons, hiking, baseball, volleyball, badminton, mountain hiking, bonfires and much more.
Time to watch videos and TV and play games.
Experience Canadian family life.
Weekends:
Special all-day and overnight weekend activities include: camping, days at the lake (fishing, swimming and boating) and more.
Travel Information:
Students will be picked up at Vancouver airport and dropped off again for their individual flights. Transportation to and from the ranch will be provided as well as overnight stays in Vancouver.
Please contact the ranch directly for prices: skinnercreek@telus. net.If you attend Skinner Creek Summer Camp, you will___.
| A．sometimes have English Classes outdoors. |
| B．learn how to deal with dangers in the wild. |
| C．enjoy different sports activities after class |
| D．experience the traditional farmer lifestyle. |
How many hours of English classes do students have every week in Skinner Creek?
| A．35 hours | B．28 hours |
| C． 25 hours | D．20 hours |
How will most students travel to Skinner Creek if they want to attend the camp?
| A．By air | B．By car |
| C．By boat | D．By train |
At the age of sixteen, I joined a volunteer group with my dad. I went on my first volunteer project in West Virginia. On the night we arrived, we discovered that “our family” was living in a trailer(拖车) that was in poor condition. A crew had been working on it for two weeks, but every time they finished one problem, another surfaced.
We decided the only reasonable solution was to build a new house – something unusual but necessary under these circumstances. The family was overjoyed with their new house that was twenty by thirty feet with three bedrooms, a bath and a kitchen.
On Tuesday of that week, while we ate lunch together, I asked the family’s three boys, Josh, Eric and Ryan, "What do you want for your new room?" Expecting toys and other gadgets that children usually ask for, we were surprised when Josh responded, "I just want a bed."
The boys had never slept in a bed! They were accustomed to plastic mats. That night we had a meeting and decided that beds would be the perfect gift. On Thursday night, a few adults in our group drove to the nearest city and bought beds and new bedding.
When we saw the delivery truck coming, we told the family about the surprise. We could hardly contain ourselves. It was like watching excited children on Christmas morning.
That afternoon, as we fitted the frames of the beds together, Eric ran into the house to watch us. Too dirty to enter his room, he observed with wide-eyed enthusiasm from the doorway.
As my father slipped a pillowcase onto one of the pillows, Eric asked, "What is that?"
"A pillow," she replied.
"What do you do with it?" Eric continued to ask.
"When you go to sleep, you put your head on it,” I answered softly. Tears came to our eyes as she handed Eric the pillow.
"Oh . . . that's soft," he said, hugging it tightly.
Now, when my sister or I start to ask for something that seems urgent, my Dad gently asks, "Do you have a pillow?"
We know exactly what he means.The writer’s first volunteer project was .
| A．working on a poor trailer |
| B．helping a poor family |
| C．donating beds and bedding |
| D．dealing with a housing problem |
On hearing Josh’s answer, the writer was shocked because .
| A．the family lived in a trailer |
| B．he expected to get some toys |
| C．he didn’t know what a bed was |
| D．the boys had no bed to sleep in |
From the passage, we can learn that Eric had never seen before.
| A．a trailer | B．a truck | C．a pillow | D．a house |
By saying “Do you have a pillow?”, the writer’s father means that .
| A．what they want to get may be unnecessary |
| B．they should not waste money on small things |
| C．they should do more volunteer work for the poor |
| D．what he will buy is not what they want but a pillow |
There are many ways to find a job. It can be as easy as walking into a neighborhood store to look at the announcement board. Local stores often have areas where people can put small signs telling what kind of service they need or can provide. Such services include caring for children or cleaning houses.
Or, job searchers can look in the newspaper. Local newspapers have employment announcements placed by companies seeking workers.
Another popular tool for finding jobs is the Internet. For example, people in four hundred and fifty cities around the world can use the Craigslist Web site to buy objects, meet people or find a job. Craigslist says that it receives two million new job listings each month.
Another useful way to find a job is through a college or a university. For example, students at the University of Texas in Austin can go to the Career Exploration Centre to get help in finding a job. Of course, looking for a job requires knowing what kind of work you want to do. For example, there is a book called “What Color is Your Parachute(降落伞)？”by Richard Bolles. This book has been helping people choose a career since it was published in nineteen seventy.
Some experts also help people find jobs. Susan W. Miller owns a company called California Career Services in Los Angeles. She says her company helps people find jobs by first helping them understand their strengths, goals and interests. Then she provides them with methods and resources to help them find the right job.What is the passage mainly about? __________
| A．Finding a job | B．College students’ part-time jobs |
| C．Craigslist Web site | D．The relation between study and work |
By logging on the Craigslist Web site, you can _________ .
| A．sell your old things | B．do some shopping online |
| C．create your own announcement board | D．get useful information about 450 cities |
“What Color is Your Parachute(降落伞)？”is a book giving tips to those who want to ________ .
| A．work on the plane | B．buy a parachute | C．publish a book | D．find a suitable job |
It can be learned from the passage that _______ .
A. companies often put job information in local shops.
B. the Internet is the most popular tool for job hunters in the USA.
C. Susan W. Miller’s company is helping people choose careers
D. California Career Services mainly serves university students.How many ways of finding jobs are mentioned in the passage?
| A．Three | B．Four | C．Five | D．Six |
The other day I heard a few local musicians talking:
“ I hate all the terrible pianos in this town. I hate that rubbish they play on the radio. They can’t even understand a bit of music.”
“ I’m never playing in that club again. Too many drunks and nobody listens to us.”
But a younger musician said, “There are a few clubs that book my band a few nights a month, and I’m trying to find other places to play. I’m also looking to book a few summer festivals this year.”
I’ve heard that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with, or to put it another way, you are who your friends are.
Attitudes are important. Whether they are positive(积极的) or negative (消极的)，they are rubbing off on you. If you are around people who complain about lack of work and about other musicians, or blame others, and you play the role of victim(受害者) , chances are you will start as well. So it’s time to take a look at the people you call “friends”.
This is an easy exercise: make a list of the people who you hand out with, and simply stop spending time with the negative people on your list. Set a new standard for yourself and don’t become friends with people who fall below that standard.
Keep successful people around you and your own chances for success will be much better. Ask them how they do it. Ask if they will help you get the work you’re looking for, or maybe give you some advice to help you on your career(职业) path.”Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
| A．A friend in need is a friend indeed |
| B．How to make friendship last for ever |
| C．You are who your friends are |
| D．Friends are the most important in one’s success |
The underlined sentence “ rubbing off on you” means ________ .
| A．They’ll push you ahead | B．They will influence(影响) you |
| C．They’ll cover your shortcomings | D．They will help you achieve your goal |
The musicians’ words at the beginning are written mainly to show _______ .
| A．the musician’s living conditions are quite poor |
| B．People have poor taste in music |
| C．People have different attitudes towards the same thing. |
| D．Young people have greater chances of succeeding |
By taking the exercise mentioned in Paragraph 7 , you can _______ .
| A．improve a lot in making more friends |
| B．come to the right way of making friends |
| C．develop a better friendship with your friends |
| D．arrange the time with your friends properly |
The passage is mainly written for ________ .
| A．musicians | B．managers | C．negative people | D．people wanting to succeed |
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