The Worst Part
Mom is usually home on Sunday but this week she was going to a big golf game and I was all alone in the house. I was mad at Mom for divorcing Dad.
I kept looking at the telephone until I couldn’t stand it any longer. I picked up the receiver and dialed Dad’s number over in Bakersfield. I even remembered to dial 1 first because it was long distance. “You promised to phone me this week but you didn’t,” I said, feeling I had to talk to him.
“Take it easy, kid,” he said. “I just didn’t get around to it. I was goi
ng to call this evening. The week isn’t over yet.”
I thought about that.
“Something on your mind?” he asked.
“I hoped you would call, so I waited and waited.” Then I was sorry I said it.
“There was heavy snow in the morning,” he said, “I had to chain up on highway 80 and lost time.”
I know putting chains on eight big wheels in the snow is no fun. I felt a little better, as long as we were talking. “How is Bandit?” I asked.
There was a funny silence. For a minute I thought the line was dead. Then I knew something must have happened to my dog.
“Well, kid—”, he began. “My name is Leigh!” I almost yelled. “I’m not just some kid you met on the street!”
“Keep your shirt on, Leigh,” he said. “When I had to stop along with some other truck drivers to put on chains, I left Bandit out of the cab, I thought he would get back … I have sent out a call to CB radio, but I didn’t get an answer yet.” I was about to say I understood when there came the bad part, the really bad part. I heard a boy’s voice say, “Hey, Bill, Mom wants to know when we’re going out to get the pizza?”We can conclude from the passage that .
| A．Leigh’s mother often went to golf games | B．Leigh was a deserted boy |
| C．Leigh’s dad never had a rest on Sundays | D．Leigh’s father lived in another city |
Which is true about Bandit?
| A．It was killed by a truck | B．It was let out of the cab and got lost |
| C．It was frozen to death. | D．It ran off Highway 80 and into the mountain. |
The underlined sentence “Keep your shirt on”（last para） probably means “ ”.
| A．Cool down | B．Stop talking | C．Be quiet | D．Keep warm |
The worst part in Leigh’s eyes may be that .
| A．he forgot to go to get the pizza | B．his parents got divorced |
| C．his dad got remarried | D．his dad didn’t love him |
The King received news one day that a group outlaws were committing some wrong and cruel acts on a distant border of the kingdom.
The news angered the King. He quickly gathered his army and started off for the distant border, leaving his kingdom unguarded and without a ruler.
On their long march, the King and his army made camp for the night wherever they could. One rainy day they stopped in a forest, seeking shelter under the trees. They unsaddled（卸鞍） their horses and steamed some peas, which they fed to their steeds in long narrow containers.
A monkey in a tree nearby saw the horses being fed, and he came racing down, filled both paws with peas, then climbed quickly up to a branch and settled down to eat. But as he opened one paw, a single pea fell to the ground. Without hesitation, the monkey jumped from his branch to hunt for the lost pea, and in doing so，he dropped all the other peas in his paws.
The King observed this foolish monkey and was greatly amused. He timed to his minister and asked: "Friend, what do you think of this monkey who would give up so much to retrieve so little?"
"That is the way of the foolish," replied the minister, "they will give up much that is certain for a little that is uncertain."
Then he added, "And we, Great King, are we not like the monkey in the trees. To gain so little we neglect so much exactly like the monkey with its pea."
The King understood the blame and realized how very foolish he had been himself to leave his kingdom unguarded. He gave out orders to his men, and he and his army returned at once to their country.What did the King do after he knew a group of bad guys were doing something illegal?
| A．He asked the minister for advice. |
| B．He led his army to defeat them. |
| C．He found some monkeys to feed. |
| D．He looked for shelters in the forest. |
The minister persuaded the King to give up his original plan by ________.
| A．steaming some peas to feed the horses |
| B．amusing the King with the monkey’s trick |
| C．blaming the king gently using the monkey’s example. |
| D．going back and guarding the country |
What does the underlined word “retrieve” in the fifth paragraph mean?
| A．Bring up. | B．Get back. | C．Give away. | D．Come up. |
Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
| A．An Angry King | B．A Battle against the Outlaws |
| C．A Simple-minded Monkey | D．An Unguarded Kingdom |
September 30, 2014
Greetings shareholders(股东) ,
GLA Electronics of America Inc. is placed to show a summary of its yearly income report for the year 2014. Thanks to our recently-enlarged international markets, the total earnings reached US$160 million in 2014, with a net profit of US$ 40 million
CarPhone Quarterly Sales
GLA Electronics sold l.6 million CarPhones the whole year, with half of these being sold during the fourth quarter, which ended September 24, 2014. In addition, the first quarter saw sales of 400,000 units, with the remaining units sales divided equally between the second and third quarters.
CarPhone Sales Have Improved Greatly since 2011.
We are excited to announce that we sold more CarPhones in 2014 than in the year of 2011 to 2013 combined. In 2011, only 150,000 units were sold. Thanks to strong advertising afterwards, sales increased by 50% in 2012, and then double in 2013.
Distribution of CarPhone Sales by Region
Sales onside of North America made up nearly 50% of the total sales volume in 2014. Half of the units sold internationally were in Asian markers, with 300,000 units sold in Europe. The remaining units were sold in South America.
A Vision of the Future
GLA Electronics will continue to invest(投资) in the growth of our company. In 2015, we expect sales to increase by up to 300% , partly due to the upcoming opening of three large factories in China, Taiwan, and Malaysia. In addition, the demand for CarPhones continues to increase worldwide and shows no sign of slowing down. We are grateful for the success of 2014. Hopefully, the coming year will see continued growth.
Sincerely,
Brian Fisher
CEO
GLA Electronics of America Inc.Based on the report, which of the following is true about GLA Electronics' earnings in 2014?
| A．The first half of山e year saw the most earnings. |
| B．All four quarters showed similar earnings. |
| C．The least successful quarter was the first. |
| D．The most successful quarter was the fourth. |
Which of these best describes CLA Electronics' sales since it started?
| A．Sales growth has continued year after year. |
| B．Sales growth slowed down in 2013. |
| C．All the units were sold in North America. |
| D．Sales will increase thanks to strong advertising in China. |
What does the underlined word "units" refer to?
| A．Quarters. | B．CarPhones. | C．Dollar amounts. | D．Store locations. |
The last paragraph suggests that the writer is ________about the future of the company.
| A．cautious | B．modest | C．confident | D．worried |
The World Health Organization reports a number of people have died of the Ebola virus in central Africa during the last few months. Ebola, also known as Ebola hemorrhagic (出血) fever or Ebola viral disease, is a rare and deadly illness with high death rates in humans and primates. The natural source of Ebola virus remains unknown, although bats seem to be the most likely source.
The Ebola virus began spreading after victims were discovered in northeastern Gabon. So far, it is the third time Ebola has spread through Gabon since 1994. Health officials believe people moving across the border spread the disease from Gabon to Congo. Ebola is highly infectious and kills up to 80% of its victims. Researchers do not know the method with which the virus first appears in humans, but they believe it is through infected animals. The disease then spreads from person to person through blood and other body liquids.
Ebola victims treated early have the base chance of survival. Signs of Ebola include a high temperature, diarrhea, muscle pains and bleeding inside the body, in severe cases, victims experience chest pains and death. There is no known cure for the disease and no way yet to prevent it.
Scientists at the American National institutes of Health are working to develop a vaccine(疫苗) to prevent Ebola. Doctor Cary Nobel is leading the research effort at N-l-H testing center in the eastern state of Maryland. He says that during the past two years, the vaccine has been tested on small animals and monkeys for safety and effectiveness.
In the most recent study, four monkeys who had been given the vaccine were completely protected from a deadly injection of the Ebola virus. The study was described in November in Nature magazine. Doctor Nobel says the tests appear to have moved scientists one step closer to a vaccine for humans.Where does the Ebola virus come from?
| A．Bats. | B．Monkeys. | C．Infected humans. | D．Something unknown. |
When infected with Ebola virus, people may experience the following except ____.
A. heart attack B. a rise in temperature
C. chest pains D bleeding inside the bodyWhat can we learn from the passage?
| A．Once infected with the Ebola virus, people can never survive. |
| B．Half of the Ebola victims will lose their lives. |
| C．No cure has been found for the disease. |
| D．Scientists have succeeded in preventing Ebola. |
What is Doctor Nobel's attitude towards the tests?
| A．Discouraged. | B．Positive. | C．Doubtful. | D．Not mentioned. |
The modern world is full of useful objects that were invented by someone, from spoons and chopsticks in our kitchens to the Ipads in our handbags. Each invention is an example of the creative power of the human mind. Where do inventors get their inspirations(灵感)? The inspiration behind each of these inventions varies.
Take the shopping cart as an example. Sylvan Goldman was a grocery store owner. Like most businessmen, he wished that his customers would buy more so that he could make more money. He knew what if they could carry more goods easily as they were shopping, when his sales would go up. While thinking about the problem one night, he had an idea. Working with a local handyman named Fred Young, he designed the first shopping cart. Today, retailers who use shopping carts sell more goods and make more profits.
Nature has also inspired inventors throughout history. This is what happened to George de Mestral one day. While hunting with his dog in the Swiss Alps, he noticed how the burs(剌球) of certain plants stuck to his clothing and to his dog' s fur. After examining them under a microscope,
he found they had tiny hooks that could easily stick to the fibers of clothing or animal hide. For the next ten years, George de Mestral searched for the hest way to produce his idea. The result of his original inspiration was Velcro, which is used in many modem objects, including sportswear, shoes, automobiles, and even space suits.
These examples show us that there are at least two possible inspirations for human creativity in the world of inventions — profit and nature. No doubt, the future will continue to breathe new life into the economies of the world with fresh ideas and inventions. How many of their creations will be inspired by natural phenomena? The world's problems require creativity and we can expect best solutions from future generations.Why did sales go up in Sylvan Goldman's grocery store after he began providing shopping carts?
| A．Because grocery stores without shopping carts made less money. |
| B．Because he lowered the prices of his goods. |
| C．Because customers liked the shopping cart’s creative design. |
| D．Because customers were able to carry more items when shopping. |
According to the article, which invention shows how nature inspires us?
| A．The bur. | B．The shopping cart. | C．Velcro. | D．Spoon. |
Which of the following statements would the author most likely disagree with?
| A．The future does not promise many useful inventions. |
| B．There are many interesting inventions in the world today. |
| C．Companies often invent things out of profit. |
| D．Nature inspires creativity. |
阅读下列短文，从每小题后所给的四个选项（A.B.C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并将答案填写在答卷上。
Many pets got separated from their families almost two years ago, when Superstorm Sandy hit the East Coast. A New Jersey family was one of them. They lost their dog. He got away from their backyard during the storm.
Chuck James said that his family searched for the brown-and-white dog named Reckless for months after the October 2012 storm. Reckless was a cute dog which brought much pleasure to the whole family, and the youngest daughter Tiffany loved him most. They played together, watched TV together, ate popcorn together and Reckless even saw Tiffany off when she headed for the kindergarten every morning. Chuck James kept searching for the lovely dog in every possible way, but no luck
"We reported him missing and called the shelters from time to time, just hoping they had him," James said. "We always kept our hopes up, but finally it was time to move on.”
James said the family had planned to get a new dog. The dog was to be a tenth birthday surprise for their eldest daughter, Ally. The family of five went to the Monmouth County SPCA( Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) to adopt a new animal. When James and his wife walked close to the first cage, they saw a familiar face inside.
“He was a little bigger than I remembered because they had fed him well," James joked. "But then he was lying on my wife's feet and I knew it was him. It was unbelievable. I know this dog is meant to be with our family.”
When SPCA officials asked if they could prove the animal was their dog, a friend sent a selfie showing the family, with their dog before Sandy hit the East Coast.
“We’re all so happy to have him back." James said. The family is living in hotel while their home is being repaired. This weekend, the James went on camping trip with Reckless to celebrate the dog’s returnWhat happened to the James when Super Storm Sandy hit the East Coast?
| A．Their house lay in ruins after the storm. |
| B．Their pet dog Reckless went missing. |
| C．Their pet dog Reckless was adopted by another family. |
| D．They found their pet dog Reckless badly injured. |
Having searched for Reckless for months , the James found him in ____.
| A．an animal hospital | B．one of their friends' houses |
| C．the Monmouth County SPCA | D．the backyard which was under repair |
The meaning of the underlined word "selfie" is closest to "______ "
| A．document | B．credit card | C．text message | D．picture |
What is the text mainly about?
| A．A dog got separated from his family in a storm. |
| B．A lost dog found his way home with difficulty. |
| C．A family looked for a new dog but found the old one instead. |
| D．Dogs are always devoted friends of human beings. |
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