These days we are all conditioned to accept newness, whatever it costs. Very soon, there is no doubt that Apple's tablet (平板电脑) will seem as a vital tool of modern living to us as sewing machine did to our grandparents. At least, it will until someone produces an even smarter, thinner and more essential tablet, which, if recent history is any guide, will be in approximately six months' time. Turn your back for a moment and you find that every electronic item in your possession is as old as a tombstone. Why should you care if people laugh just because you use an old mobile phone? But try getting the thing repaired when it goes wrong. It's like walking into a pub and asking for an orange juice. You will be made to feel like some sort of time-traveler from the 1970s. "Why not buy a new one?" you will get asked.
And so the mountain of electrical rubbish grows. An average British person was believed to get rid of quite a number of electronic goods in a lifetime. They weighed three tons, stood 7 feet high, and included five fridges, six microwaves, seven PCs, six TVs, 12 kettles, 35 mobile phones and so on. Even then, the calculation seemed to be conservative. Only 35 mobiles in a lifetime? The huge number of electronic items now regularly thrown away by British families is clearly one big problem. But this has other consequences. It contributes greatly to the uneasy feeling that modem technology is going by faster than we can keep up. By the time I've learnt how to use a tool it's already broken or lost. I've lost count of the number of TV remote-controls that I've bought, mislaid and replaced without working out what most of the buttons did.
And the technology changes so unbelievably fast. It was less than years ago that I spotted an energetic businessman friend pulling what seemed to be either a large container or a small nuclear bomb on wheels through a railway station. I asked. "What have you got in there? Your money or your wife?" "Neither," he replied, with the satisfied look of a man who knew he was keeping pace with the latest technology, no matter how ridiculous he looked. "This is what everyone will have soon—even you. It's called a mobile telephone."
I don't feel sorry for the pace of change. On the contrary, I'm amazed by those high-tech designers who can somehow fit a camera, music-player, computer and phone into a plastic box no bigger than a packet of cigarette. If those geniuses could also find a way to keep the underground trains running on the first snowy day of winter, they would be making real progress for human beings. What I do regret, however, is that so many household items fall behind so soon. My parents bought a wooden wireless radio in 1947, the year they were married. In 1973, the year I went to university, it was still working. It sat in the kitchen like an old friend—which, in a way, it was. It certainly spoke to us more than we spoke to each other on some mornings. When my mum replaced it with a new-style radio that could also play cassette-tapes, I felt a real sense of loss.
Such is the over-excited change of 21st-century technology that there's no time to satisfy our emotional needs. Even if Apple's new products turn out to be the most significant tablets I very much doubt if they will resist this trend. When you try getting an old mobile phone repaired, ____.
| A．you are travelling through time | B．you are thought to be out of date |
| C．you will find everything wrong | D．you have got to buy a new one |
Throwing away so much electronic rubbish makes the writer feel quite _____.
| A．lost and upset | B．unbelievably fast |
| C．broken or lost | D．regularly wasteful |
The example of the businessman implies that____.
| A．the businessman mastered the latest technology |
| B．mobile phones used to be quite big just years ago |
| C．the businessman was a very ridiculous person |
| D．the writer failed to follow modern technology |
The passage is organized in the pattern of ____.
| A．time and events | B．comparison and contrast |
| C．cause and effect | D．examples and analysis |
Which of the following is conveyed in the passage?
| A．The fast pace of change brings us no good. |
| B．We have to keep up with new technology. |
| C．Household items should be upgraded quickly. |
| D．We should hold on for new technology to last. |
Old Bear
Kevin Henkes(2008), under 40 pages
Target Audience: Preschoolers
Price: $3.8
Content: It is snowing really hard and Old Bear is getting ready for his long nap. As he sleeps, he dreams of being a cub again and enjoying the wonders of nature. He dreams about summer, fall, winter and spring and how each season brings him so much joy! The illustrations(插图) show the beauty of the seasons that Old Bear dreams about. Great book!
Half-Minute Horrors
Susan Rich(2009), 120~160 pages
Target Audience: Intermediates (4th~6th grade)
Price: $9.6
Content: Looking for a scary book that is also quick to read? How about a one-paragraph tale of terror or a simple drawing that will make your skin crawl? This book is a collection of very short stories, pictures and cartoons from an impressive group of authors and illustrators.
Leaves
David Ezra Stein(2007), under 40 pages
Illustrated by David Ezra Stein
Target Audience: Toddlers, Preschoolers
Price: $3.4
Content: It’s Little Bear’s first year. Fall has come to his island. When the leaves begin to fall, he wonders what to do. However, after following his instinct and sleeping through the winter, he awakens in spring to find everything blooming once again.
Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’
Eileen Spinelli (2003) , under 40 pages
Illustrated by Megan Lloyd
Target Audience: Preschoolers
Price: $3.5
Content: The Tappletons (bears) are gathered together for their big Thanksgiving feast. However, all is not going well during the preparations. The turkey slides out of the house, down a hill and into a pond. There are no pies at the bakery and the lettuce for the salad has been given to the rabbits. As they sit down for the feast, Grandmother Tappleton reminds them that although they have nothing to eat, they can still be thankful that they have each other.Which book has the most pages?
| A．Old Bear | B．Half-Minute Horrors |
| C．Leaves | D．Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’. |
What can we learn from the book Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’?
| A．We should always keep things in order. |
| B．We should try to make more delicious food on Thanksgiving. |
| C．If we don’t work hard, there will be no food. |
| D．Family love is the most important thing. |
If you like reading horror stories, which book would you like?
| A．Old Bear | B．Half-Minute Horrors |
| C．Leaves | D．Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’. |
Who are the main readers of these books?
| A．Adults. | B．Old people |
| C．Little children | D．Middle school students. |
Where can you probably find this passage?
| A．In a travel guide. | B．In an advertisement. |
| C．In a science textbook. | D．In an official report |
I wish there would be a way to describe China in simple terms but that’s impossible. For the most part Chinese people are friendly, easy-going and optimistic. They are curious and unusually patient and they are also the hardest-working people I have ever met.
In China, family is everything. In my English classes when the students were asked what they would do if they only had a few hours to live, most students told me how they would spend their last few hours with their families and parents. Many times the subjects in the classes center on families and friends. I teach many students a year, talking to them freely.
The cost of living here is very low compared with that of the US. The city of Xiang Fan I live in isn’t large and I live better. Non-imported(非出口的) foods are very cheap, so are clothing and articles of everyday use. The cost of public transportation is very low, too. Chinese value education. However, it is reported that many children can’t afford the expenses of schooling and are forced to leave school in some poor area in China. But they organized Project Hope many years age. It creates conditions for the poor children to go back to school. In my opinion, Project Hope is of great importance to the development of the rural education.
When we read news of China in the west, rarely, if ever, will we see anything mentioned of the positive changes China has gone through. While it is true that economic miracles have not reached many areas of China, but we also have the same problems.
When I am asked which country I consider better. China or the US, my answer has always been the same, “We are not worse or better than each other, we are only different.”What does the author think of Chinese people?
| A．He thinks most Chinese people hardly work. |
| B．He thinks most Chinese people are proud. |
| C．He praises most Chinese people a lot. |
| D．He dislikes most Chinese people. |
What is the author doing in China?
| A．He is visiting the places of interest. |
| B．He is teaching English in a school. |
| C．He is studying in a college. |
| D．He is on business. |
What are not cheap in China in the author’s opinion?
| A．Clothes and shoes made in China. | B．Local foods |
| C．Public transportation tickets. | D．Imported foods |
We can infer from the passage that the author thinks________.
| A．the westerners have got to know China well |
| B．China’s economic miracles have appeared everywhere |
| C．the progress of China is seldom reported in the US |
| D．the education in rural areas is never cared about in China |
In the author’s eyes,________.
| A．China is different from the US |
| B．China is better than the US |
| C．Americans are richer than Chinese |
| D．China bears great similarities to the US |
A friend of mine named Paul received an expensive car from his brother as a Christmas present．On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office，a street urchin (顽童)was walking around the shining car. “Is this your car，Paul？”he asked．
Paul answered，“Yes，my brother gave it to me for Christmas．”The boy was surprised．“You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn’t cost you nothing？Boy，I wish…”He hesitated(犹豫)．
Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for．He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the boy said surprised Paul greatly.
“I wish，”the boy went on，“that I could be a brother like that．”Paul looked at the boy in surprise， then he said again， "Would you like to take a ride in my car？”
“Oh yes，I’d love that．”
After a short ride，the boy turned and with his eyes shining，said，“Paul，would you mind driving in front of my house？”
Paul smiled a little．He thought he knew what the boy wanted．He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big car. But Paul was wrong again. "Will you stop where those two steps are？ the boy asked．
He ran up to the steps. Then in a short while Paul heard him coming back， but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled (残疾的)brother. He sat him down on the step and pointed to the car.
“There she is，Buddy，just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn’t cost him a cent. And some day I’m going to give you one just like it…then you can see for yourself all the nice things in the Christmas windows that I’ve been trying to tell you about.”
Paul got out and lifted the boy to the front seat of his car. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began an unforgettable holiday ride. The street urchin was very surprised when ________．
| A．Paul received an expensive car |
| B．Paul told him about the car |
| C．he saw the shining car |
| D．he was walking around the car |
From the story we can see the urchin ________．
| A．wished to give his brother a car |
| B．wanted Paul’s brother to give him a car |
| C．wished he could have a brother like Paul’s |
| D．wished Paul could be a brother like that |
The urchin asked Paul to stop his car in front of his house ________．
| A．to show his neighbors the big car |
| B．to show he had a rich friend |
| C．to let his brother ride in the car |
| D．to tell his brother about his wish |
We can infer（推断）from the story that ________．
| A．Paul couldn’t understand the urchin |
| B．the urchin had a deep love for his brother |
| C．the urchin wished to have a rich brother |
| D．the urchin’s wish came true in the end |
The best name of the name story is _________．
| A．A Christmas Present |
| B．A Street Urchin |
| C．A Brother Like That |
| D．An Unforgettable Holiday Ride |
E
| THE BEST SHOPPING IN SYDNEY Sydney is one of the world’s biggest cities and has something for everyone when it comes to shopping．You will find excellent Australian products alongside the best that the world has to offer．At the bottom of Sydney Tower, you can shop in 160 of Sydney’s favorite stores including 16 jewelry stores and many gift and fashion shops．It’s all at Westfield Centerpoint． Tel: 9231 9300． |
SOVEREIGN HILL This prize-winning living museum is where Australia’s history comes alive! Visit daily or stay for the night and experience life of the Gold Rush days．A wonderful nightly sound and light show, “Blood on the Southern Cross” tells the story of the famous Eureka Uprising．Enjoy shopping along with real life character and entertainment．4-star hotel and breakfast． Tel: 5331 1944 |
| ANCHORAGE RESTAURANT Come and enjoy our delicious Cantonese seafood right on the water’s edge in the historic fishing port of Williamstown with views of the city centre across Port Phillip Bay． Open 7 days a week Lunch: Sunday to Friday 11:00 am—2:00 pm Dinner: Monday to Saturday 5:00 pm—10: 30 pm Tel: 9397 6270 or 9397 7799 |
COOK’S COTTAGE Built by James and Grace Cook, parents of Captain James Cook, Cook’s Cottage stands proud in the Fitzroy Gardens as a reminder of life in the eighteenth century, and as a celebration and commemoration of the life and travels of Captain James Cook． Open 9:00 am—5:00 pm daily, and until 5:30 pm during the summer． Information: 9419 4677 |
Where can you spend the night in a tour?
| A．Cook’s Cottage | B．Westfield Centerpoint． |
| C．Sydney Tower | D．Sovereign Hill． |
What is the time that Cook’s Cottage is open on Saturday in the summer?
| A．11:00 am—2:00 pm． | B．5:00 pm—10:30 pm． |
| C．9:00 am—5:30 pm． | D．9:00 am—5:00 pm． |
The Anchorage Restaurant is __________．
| A．in Williamstown | B．in the centre of the city |
| C．in Anchorage | D．in a Cantonese fishing port |
If you want to buy the best products in Australia, you may call __________．
| A．9231 9300 | B．9397 6270 | C．5331 1944 | D．9419 4677 |
When I was small and my grandmother died, I couldn’t understand why I had no tears. But that night when my dad tried to cheer (使…快活) me up, my laugh turned into crying.
So it came as no surprise to learn that researchers believe crying and laughing come from the same part of the brain. Just as laughing has many health advantages, scientists are discovering that so does crying.
Whatever it takes for us to reduce pressure is important to our emotional (情感的) health, and crying seems to work well. One study found that 85 percent of women and 73 percent of men report feeling better after crying.
Besides, tears attract help from other people. Researchers agree that when we cry, people around us become kinder and more friendly and they are more ready to offer support and comfort. Tears also enable us to understand our emotions better; sometimes we don't even know we're very sad until we cry. We learn about our emotions through crying, and then we can deal with them.
Just as crying can be healthy, not crying — holding back tears of anger, pain or suffering — can be bad for physical health. Studies have shown that too much control of emotions can lead to high blood pressure, heart problems and some other illnesses. If you have a health problem, doctors will certainly not ask you to cry. But when you feel like crying, don't fight it. It's a natural — and healthy — emotional response.Why didn't the author cry when her grandmother died?
| A．Because her father did not want her to feel too sad. |
| B．Because she did not love her grandmother. |
| C．Because she was too shy to cry at that time. |
| D．The author doesn’t give the explanation. |
It can be inferred (推断) from the text that ______.
| A．there are two ways to keep healthy |
| B．laughing does more good to health than crying |
| C．crying and laughing play the same roles |
| D．emotional health has a close relationship to physical health |
According to the author, which of the following statements is true?
| A．Crying is the best way to get help from others. |
| B．Holding back tears may cause some health problems. |
| C．We will know our deep feelings if we cry. |
| D．We must cry if we want to reduce pressure. |
What might be the best title for the text?
| A．Power of Tears | B．How to Keep Healthy |
| C．Why We Cry | D．A New Scientific Discovery |
What might the underlined word “fight” in the last paragraph mean?
| A．come back | B．pay back | C．hold back | D．give back |
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