As we drove along, my spirits went up again, and I turned, with pleasure, to the thought of the new life which I was entering. But though it was not far past the middle of September, the heavy clouds and strong north-easterly wind combined to make the day extremely cold; and the journey seemed a very long one, so that it was nearly one o’clock before we reached the place of our destination. Yet when we entered the gateway, my heart failed me, and I wished it were a mile or two farther off. For the first time in my life I must stand alone: there was no retreating now. I must enter that house, and introduce myself among its strange people. But how was it to be done? True, I was near nineteen; but, thanks to the protecting care of my mother and sister, I well knew that many a girl of fifteen, or under, was gifted with a more womanly address, and greater ease and self-possession, than I was. Yet, anyway. I would do very well, after all; and the children, of course, I should soon be at ease with them.
"Be calm, be calm, whatever happens," I said within myself; and truly I was so fully occupied in steadying my nerves and keeping down the rebellious beat of my heart that when I was admitted into the hall and into the presence of Mrs. Bloomfield, I almost forgot to answer her polite greeting; and it afterwards struck me that the little I did say was spoken in the tone of one half-dead or half-asleep.
With due politeness, however, she showed me my bedroom, and left me there to take a little refreshment for a little while and led me into the dining-room. Some beefsteaks and potatoes were set before me; and while I dined upon these, she sat opposite, watching me (as I thought) and trying to keep something like a conversation— consisting chiefly of commonplace remarks. In fact, my attention was almost wholly absorbed in my dinner: not from appetite, but from the toughness of the beefsteaks, and the numbness of my hands.
“I have had so little time to attend to their education myself, but I think they are clever children, and very willing to learn, especially the little boy; he is, I think, the flower of the flock— a generous, noble-spirited boy, one to be led, but not driven, and remarkable for always speaking the truth.” “His sister Mary Ann will require watching,” continued she, “but she is a very good girl on the whole, though I wish her to be kept out of the nursery as much as possible, as she is now almost six years old, and might acquire bad habits from the nurses. I have ordered her bed to be placed in your room, and if you will be so kind as to look after her washing and dressing, and take charge of her clothes, she needs to have nothing further to do with the nursery maid.”
I replied I was quite willing to do so; and at that moment the children entered the room. Tom Bloomfield was a well-grown boy of seven. Mary was a tall girl, for her age of six, somewhat dark like her mother. The second sister was Fanny, a very pretty little girl, looking little younger than Mary. The remaining one was Harriet, a little broad, fat, merry, playful thing of scarcely two, whom I had more desire for than all the rest — but with her I had nothing to do.Which of the following statements best describes how the writer felt when she entered Mrs. Bloomfield's home?
| A．She was nervous, dissatisfied with her manners but still confident. |
| B．She was cold, hungry but eager to see all the children in the family. |
| C．She was frightened, nervous and regretful about her decision. |
| D．She was calm, confident and very happy with all the family. |
What job would the writer take in Mrs Bloomfield's home?
| A．A nursery maid. | B．A house cleaner. | C．A home cook. | D．A family teacher. |
Which of the following was TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The writer had some difficulty with her lunch because of the tough food and the cold. |
| B．The delicious food took the writer's attention away from Mrs. Bloomfield’s words. |
| C．All the children were well educated before the writer came to the family. |
| D．All the children in the family were looked after by Mrs Bloomfield herself. |
From the passage, we can infer that ___________.
| A．Mrs Bloomfield would treat the writer kindly and help her a lot |
| B．The youngest girl Harriet would be the writer’s favorite student |
| C．the writer would take on more responsibilities than she should |
| D．Tom Bloomfield would be the cleverest of all the children |
The strong fear of high school math is lost here among the blue light of computer screens and the sounds of typing keyboard．
A fanfare （喇叭声） plays from a speaker as a student passes a chapter test．Nearby another student is watching a video lecture．Another works out a math problem in her notebook 
before clicking on a multiple-choice answer on her screen．
Their teacher at Agoura High School, US, Russell Stephans, sits at the back of the room, watching as scores pop up in real time on his computer grade sheet．One student has passed a level, the data shows; another is retaking a quiz．
"Whoever thought this up makes life so much easier," Stephans says．
This textbook-free classroom is by no means the norm（常态）, but it may be someday．Slowly, but in increasing numbers, schools across the US are replacing the heavy and expensive textbook with its lighter and cheaper cousin: the digital textbook．
A digital textbook can be downloaded, projected and printed, and can range from simple text to a course filled with multimedia and links to Internet content．Some versions （版本） must be purchased; others are "open source" —free and available online to anyone．
Some praise the technology as a way to save schools' money, replace outdated books and better engage students．Others say most schools don't have the resources to join in, or they question the quality of open-source content．
Paper books still hold the highest percentage of the US textbook market, with digital textbooks making up less than 5 percent, according to analyst Kathy Mickey of Simba Information, a market research group．
But that is changing, as grade schools follow the lead of US universities and schools in other countries, including South Korea and Turkey．
California made the largest embrace （拥抱） of digital textbooks this summer when it approved 10 free high school math and science titles developed by college professors．The state left the choice to use them up to individual schools．
"The textbooks are outdated, as far as I'm concerned, and there's no reason why our schools should have our students pull around these old-fashioned and heavy and expensive books," Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said this summer．
But some disagree with the idea that digital textbooks will improve education quality．
"Keep in mind that with open-source materials, you have to ask: 'Where are they coming from?'" said Jay Diskey, executive director of the Association of American Publishers' school division．"Is it a trusted source? Is it based on real research?"
Diskey said traditional textbooks offer a comprehensive course, while some open-source texts provide only bits and pieces．"There can be quite a difference of content and accuracy," he said．"In many cases, you get what you pay for．"The writer's purpose in writing the passage is to ____ .
| A．explain how to use digital textbooks |
| B．predict the future of paper textbooks |
| C．describe the current use of digital textbooks and present arguments about it |
| D．explain the difference between paper textbooks and digital ones |
What is Schwarzenegger's opinion of traditional textbooks?
| A．He is against getting rid of them． |
| B．He wants to have them replaced with digital ones． |
| C．Soon they will no longer be used． |
| D．He believes that they are to blame for the poor quality of education in California |
Diskey holds the view that .
| A．the government shouldn't strengthen the use of open-source digital texts |
| B．digital textbooks make up for the shortcomings of traditional textbooks． |
| C．paper textbooks and digital ones both have advantages |
| D．traditional textbooks have more reliable content |
According to the text, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．Math is easier with the use of computers． |
| B．It is believed that digital books will replace traditional ones． |
| C．Textbook-free classes are the main form of teaching in the US schools． |
| D．Not all people are in favor of replacing paper textbooks with digital ones． |
Would you like to be a king or queen? To have people waiting on you hand and foot? Many Americans experience this royal treatment every day. How? By being customers. The American idea of customer service is to make each customer the center of attention. Need proof? Just listen to the commercials. Most of them sound like the McDonald’s ad: “We do it all for you.” Actually, not all stores in America roll out the red carpet for their customers. But wherever you go, good customer service means making customers feel special.
People going shopping in America can expect to be treated with respect from the very beginning. Most places don’t have a “furniture street” or a “computer road” which allow yo
u to compare prices easily. Instead, people often “let their fingers do the walking” through the store hot lines. From the first “hello”, customers receive a satisfying response to their questions. This initial contact can help them decide where to shop.
When customers get to the store, they are treated as honored guests. Customers don’t usually find store clerks sitting around watching TV or playing cards. Instead, the clerks greet them warmly and offer to help them find what they want. In most stores, the clear signs that label each department make shopping a breeze. Customers usually don’t have to ask how much items cost, since prices are clearly marked. And unless they’re at a flea market or a yard sale, they don’t bother trying to
bargain.
When customers are ready to check out, they find the nearest and shortest checkout lane. But as Murphy’s Law would have it, whichever lane they get in, all the other lanes will move faster. Good stores open new checkout lanes when the lanes get too long. Some even offer express lan
es for customers with 10 items or less. After they pay for their purchases, customers receive a smile and a warm “thank you” from the clerk. Many stores even allow customers to take their shopping carts out to the parking lot. That way, they don’t have to carry heavy bags out to the car. By quoting (引用) the McDonald’s ad: “We do it all for you”, the author intends to_______.
| A．suggest that customers believe what commercials say deeply |
| B．show readers the American idea on good customer service |
| C．express all the stores pay much attention to the customers |
| D．persuade readers to choose the stores with ads correctly |
In the USA, what may you do at first if you want to do some shopping?
| A．To visit a professional street with lots of similar stores. |
| B．To compare prices in many shops in the same street. |
| C．To make phone calls and get better shopping choices. |
| D．To receive other customers’ answers to the questions. |
The Underlined words “a breeze” in Para.3 most probably means _________.
| A．an easy job | B．a trouble | C．a funny thing | D．a boring task |
Which of the followings shows American stores offer convenience to customers in this passage?
| A．The store clerks don’t usually sit around watching TV or playing cards. |
| B．Some stores offer price bargain to the customers like a yard sale. |
| C．The clerks give customers a smile and a warm “thank you” after paying. |
| D．Some stores open new checkout lanes when the lanes are crowded. |
| Madame Tussauds—London Welcome to Madame Tussauds—a 125-year-old museum loved by visitors for its life-like waxworks of famous folk from the past and present, plus interactive exhibits. The following are three ticket options we'd like to recommend to you. Option 1: All Inclusive Open Dated Ticket Why not treat your friends and family to our All Inclusive Tickets? Ticket is valid for one visit with all of the following fantastic features: ● Valid for one year from date of purchase—perfect for a gift! ● Priority Access admission in true celebrity style ● Your very own hand made of wax(蜡). With your ticket you can enjoy the heroic new experience in three floors of multisensory fun featuring a mix of interactive themed areas, realistic wax figures and an ALL NEW Marvel Super Heroes 4D film adventure.
Option 2: Late Saver 50% off
Option 3: Top 3 London Attractions
Please note: Child ages are 4—15. Under 4s are free. A family ticket consists of 2 adults and 2 children, or 1 adult and 3 children. |
If you buy an All Inclusive Open Dated Ticket, you can use it anytime within _________.
| A．one year | B．half a year | C．four months | D．two months |
With an All Inclusive ticket, you can do all of the following EXCEPT that_______.
| A．you will have priority access to Madame Tussauds |
| B．you will have a chance of having your hand made in wax |
| C．you can visit Madame Tussauds as many times as you like |
| D．you can see a 4D film in the cinema of Madame Tussauds |
Mr. and Mrs. Johnson want to join in the Top 3 Attractions trip with their children, one is 15 and the other 3. How much should they pay if they book the tickets in advance online?
| A．£ 129.5. | B．£ 146. | C．£ 164. | D．£ 97.82. |
If you book a ticket for Top 3 London Attractions, _________.
| A．you can always enjoy a price 33% off |
| B．a visit to the World famous London Eye will be free |
| C．you will be given priority to enter at least three attractions |
| D．Madame Tussauds will be included in priority admission |
Walking around the corner and into the hall at three in the morning, lost in thought and dragging a mop bucket, I raised my eyes to the front counter in indifference. A man, looking to be in his mid 40’s, stood in a pink dress. A wide-edged hat stuck out over his massive frame resembling an umbrella that was a little too shabby and worn-out, making him look like a woman. The shock at seeing such a strong proud man in a cheap disgusting dress broke my heart, as well as frightened me.
Dropping my mop on the floor in surprise and picking up my face that had temporarily fallen off, I 
confidently walked over to the desk.
“I’m sorry,” I began to say but was confused on whether sir or madam was appropriate. “Can I help you?”
“I need a room,” he said in a gruff (粗哑的) powerful voice.
“Sure thing,” I said bringing up the registry. “Can I get your last name?”
“Hurgan,” he said briefly.
“And your first name?”
“Amanda.”
Suddenly I had to direct all of my concentration on holding back a smile. A ten second pause of silence passed while I tried to stay calm.
“Okay,” I said getting back to the job, “can I get your phone number, Amanda?”
All of the information was acquired and stored and Amanda received her room key for the night. All was well as I returned to the neglected mop bucket. Suddenly a low throaty cough drew me out of my temporary mental disorder. Looking over at the desk where Amanda stood touching her thick biceps (二头肌) I once again dropped the mop in shock.
“I’m sorry about that,” I said coming around to the desk. Amanda stared with unease twisting her sleeve with her right index finger.
“I have a cat,” she said in a low voice.
“I’m sorry you what?” I asked leaning in closer. She drew back a bit as if I was some kind of threat.
“I have a cat.”
Looking up into her tall frame, I replied, “That’s fine. We just need to add an extra $10 fee.” She handed me her credit card once again. I swiped it, returned it, and grabbed the printing receipt.
“You just need to sign here,” I said handing over the pen. She hesitantly grabbed it from my hand and signed. As she began to return it, my hand came a bit too close to connecting with hers. Scared and possibly a little disgusted she dropped the pen, causing it to bounce off the counter and onto the floor.
“Sorry,” she said, looking down. “I have to go get my cat.”
While Amanda was getting her cat, an unpleasant thought was circling around my head. Here I was just doing my job a
nd this, this WO-MAN was acting as if I was the monster! He was wearing a pink dress! And I was the monster? Was he even still a man? The sliding doors opened and in came Amanda passing the front desk without even giving me a polite nod. The story most probably happened at a ________.
| A．pub | B．hotel | C．hospital | D．shop |
We can conclude that the author’s attitude towards the man is _______.
| A．objective | B．indifferent | C．critical | D．considerate |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．The author was on the edge of smiling when he heard the man’s first name. |
| B．When the man checked in, he tipped the author $10. |
| C．After signing, the man grasped the author’s hand and thanked him. |
| D．The man gave the author a friendly nod while going toward his room. |
What might be the best title of this passage?
| A．A disgusting cat | B．A considerate waiter |
| C．A fierce monster | D．A strange-looking WO-MAN |
Recently,university students around the world were asked to volunteer in a global experiment called Unplugged.It was designed to see how young people would react if they were asked to observe a total media ban by unplugging all forms of media devices for 24 hours.
Unplugged is being run by Dr Roman Gerodimos，a lecturer in Communication and Journalism at Bournemouth University.During the experiment，Dr Gerodimos said there were already signs of how much the exercise affected volunteers.He said：“They’re reporting withdrawal symptoms，overeating，feeling nervous，isolated and disconnected.”
During their 24-hour test，three of the experiment’s participants were followed around by a BBC reporter plus cameraman.They were asked to write down 100 lines about their day offline，but of course，they all waited until the next day when they had access to their laptops.
Elliot Day wrote：“Today,my whole morning routine was thrown up into the air.Despite being aware of the social importance of the media,I was surprised by how empty my life felt without the radio or newspapers.”
From Caroline Scott，we read：“I didn’t expect it，but being deprived of the media for 24 hours resulted in my day-to-day activities becoming so much harder to carry out than usual…I didn’t break out in a cold sweat like our lecturer expected us all to，but It’s not something l would like to do again！”
And Charlotte Gay wrote：“I have to say the most difficult item for me to be without has been my mobile；not only is it a social device，it’s my main access point of communication.”
Earlier in the year,a UK government study found that in the UK we spend about half our waking hours using the media,often plugged into several things at once.So,with technology continuing to develop at an alarming rate,how much time will you set aside for sleep in the future?What can we learn about the volunteers?
| A．Volunteers didn’t write down about their day offline. |
| B．Volunteers weren’t allowed to use any media for 24 hours. |
| C．Volunteers were followed around by Dr Roman Gerodimos. |
| D．Only volunteers in the UK took part in Unplugged experiment. |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned about the participants’feelings？
| A．Anxious. | B．Lonely | C．Bored. | D．Despaired. |
Which of the following is true of Caroline Scott？
| A．The media ban affected his temperature. |
| B．His work went on smoothly without the media. |
| C．His work was carried on hard without the media. |
| D．His life was empty without the radio or newspapers. |
What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
| A．People should use the media devices reasonably. |
| B．People can easily survive the media devices addict. |
| C．People can spend more time sleeping in the future. |
| D．People spend about half the time using the media devices. |
The text is most probably a .
| A．newspaper ad | B．book review |
| C．news report | D．science fiction story |
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