How should one invest a sum of money in inflation (通货膨胀)? Left in a bank it will hardly keep its value, however high the interest rate. Only a brave man, or a very rich one, dares to buy and sell on the Stock Market. Today it seems that one of the best ways to protect your savings, and even increase your wealth is to buy beautiful objects from the past. Here I am going to offer some advice on collecting antique clocks, which I personally consider are among the most interesting of antiques.
I sometimes wonder what a being from another planet might report back about our way of life. "The planet Earth is ruled by a mysterious creature that sits or stands in a room and makes a strange ticking sound. It has a face with twelve black marks and two hands. Men can do nothing without its permission, and it fastens its young round people's wrists so that everywhere men go they are still under its control. This creature is the real master of Earth and men are its slaves."
Whether or not we are slaves of time today depends on our culture and personality, but it is believed that many years ago kings kept special slaves to tell the time. Certain men were very clever at measuring the time according to the beating of their own hearts. They were made to stand in a fixed place and every hour or so would shout time. So it seems that the first clocks were human beings.
However, men quickly found more convenient and reliable ways of telling the time. They learned to use the shadows cast by the sun. They marked the hours on candles, used sand in hour- glasses, and invented water-clocks. Indeed, any serious student of antique should spend as much time as possible visiting palaces, stately homes and museums to see some of the finest examples of clocks from the past.
Antique clocks could be very expensive, but one of the joys of collecting clocks is that it is still possible to find quite cheap ones for your own home. After all, if you are going to be ruled by time, why not invest in an antique clock and perhaps make a future profit?According to the passage, collecting antique clocks ________.
| A．can hardly keep the value of your savings |
| B．will cost much of your savings |
| C．may increase your wealth |
| D．needs your bravery |
By quoting (引用) the remark of a being from another planet, the author intends to ________.
| A．suggest human beings are controlled by a clock |
| B．describe why clocks can rule the planet Earth |
| C．tell readers what clocks look like |
| D．compare clocks to human beings |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a way to measure the time?
| A．Counting the beating of one's own heart. |
| B．Making use of candles, sand and water. |
| C．Observing shadows cast by the sun. |
| D．Keeping slaves busy day and night. |
The purpose of the passage is ________.
| A．to introduce the culture of antique clocks |
| B．to offer some advice on collecting antique clocks |
| C．to compare different ways to make a future profit |
| D．to explain convenient and reliable ways of telling time |
“Write All About It”
Centerville High School Essay（论文）Contest
Rules
1. Students are asked to hand in essays of 500 to 700 words of their own work. Any essay containing material copied from another source will be disqualified.
2. Manuscripts should be typed double-spaced, with the student’s name, address, and grade level on a separate sheet of paper.
3. Essays must be turned in by 4:00 P.M. on November 30. They can be brought to Mrs. Elton in Room 104 or to Mr. Markham in the school library.
Essay-Writing Tips
1. Catch your reader’s interest—Your opening should immediately pull your reader into your essay. Asking a question or starting with a story, or surprising statement is some good ways to do this.
2. Create a picture—Use active words that show your reader what is happening. Instead of telling your reader that “the room was disordered,” paint a picture using active verbs and lively adjectives.
3. Have a purpose—Well-written essays do more than just describe an event or express a viewpoint; they also communicate a message.
4. Check for mistakes—Read your paper over to check for mistakes. Ask another student to read your paper. Another pair of eyes will often spot a mistake you have missed.
5. Format your essay—Neatly type your essay on white paper Choose an attractive cover for handing in. The computer lab will be open after school from 3:15 to 4:45P.M. each day this month so that students can use the computers.
Prizes
Winning essays will be published in the Centervile Times. Everyone who takes part in it will also receive a free pass to enter one school activity this year.
First Prize: $50 savings bond
Second Prize: Dictionary and reference book
Third Prize: Pen set and journalWhich of the following rules is set for the essay contest?
| A．Students can write something exactly as it is written in other books. |
| B．Students’ personal information should be listed on another piece of paper. |
| C．Essays must be brought to Mr. Markham in the computer lab on November 30. |
| D．The students winning the second prize will be awarded a dictionary and a book. |
Which of the following writing tips is given in the passage?
| A．Drawing a picture to go with the essay. |
| B．Trying to communicate an important idea to readers. |
| C．Asking a teacher to find the mistakes you haven’t found. |
| D．Making the essay short enough to hold the readers’ interest. |
The article is written to .
| A．convince the students of the prizes available |
| B．explain how to write a good essay |
| C．inform the students of the essay contest |
| D．show how to organize an essay contest |
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
Ali is from a Middle Eastern country. He now stays in the USA. He smokes a lot of cigarettes every day. He has smoked for nine years. Ali says, “I tried to quit smoking in my hometown, but it was impossible. My parents smoke. My brothers smoke. All my friends smoke. At parties and at meetings, almost all the men smoke. Here in the United States, not as many people smoke. ”
Many smokers are like Ali: they want to stop smoking. They know it can cause cancer and heart disease. But it is difficult for them to give up smoking because cigarettes have a drug in them. The drug is nicotine. People who smoke a lot need nicotine.
The nicotine makes him sick. In a few days, the smoker's body is used to the nicotine, and he feels fine. Later, the smoker needs nicotine to keep feeling fine. Without nicotine, he feels bad.
Many people who quit will soon smoke again. At a party or at work they will decide to smoke "just one" cigarette. Then they will smoke another cigarette, and another. Soon they become smokers again.
| A．It is very hard to quit smoking. |
| B．It will be easier to change the smoking habit here. |
| C．Thus nicotine makes smokers addicted to cigarettes. |
| D．The smokers know that smoking is bad for their health. |
E. When a person first begins to smoke, he usually feels terrible.
F. Maybe there is only one easy way to quit smoking: never start.
G. But it is said that medicine is needed to stop them from smoking.
Have you ever been sad because of failure? Please remember, for often, achieving what you set out to do is not the most important thing.
A boy decided to dig a deep hole behind his house. As he was working, a couple of older boys stopped by to watch. “What are you doing?” asked one of the visitors. “I want to dig a hole all the way through the earth!” the boy answered excitedly. The older boys began to laugh, telling him that digging a hole all the way through the earth was impossible. After a while, the boy picked up a jar. He showed it to the visitors. It was full of all kinds of stones and insects. Then he said calmly and confidently, “Maybe I can’t finish digging all the way through the earth, but look at what I’ve found during this period!”
The boy’s goal was far too difficult, but it did cause him to go on. And that is what a goal is for — to cause us to move in the direction we have chosen, in other words, to cause us to keep working!
Not every goal will be fully achieved. Not every job will end up with a success. Not every dream will come true. But when you fall short of your aim, maybe you can say, “Yes, but look what I’ve found along the way! There are so many wonderful things having come into my life because I tried to do something!” It is in the digging that life is lived. It is the unexpected joy on the journey that really makes sense.The older boys laughed at the boy because he was thought to be .
| A．brave | B．impolite | C．foolish | D．warm-hearted |
Why did the boy show the jar to the older boys?
| A．To drive them away. |
| B．To show what he had found in digging. |
| C．To show how beautiful the jar was. |
| D．To attract them to join him in the work. |
What can be learnt from the fourth paragraph of the text?
| A．Not dream can come true. | B．All work will end successfully. |
| C．Goals shouldn't be set too high | D．Goals will make us work harder. |
The best title for the text should be .
| A．Joy in the Journey | B．A Boy Dug a Hole |
| C．No Pains, No Gains | D．Failure Is the Mother of Success |
Calculus Book for sale!
Thomas’ Calculus — Weir, Hass, & Giordano 11th edition(版本)
Brand new, never been used but I will let it go for used price. Bookstore sold at $150. Call me and let me hear your offer.
Tel: 773-885-6604
READING IS GOOD FOR YOU, PEOPLE!
Why don’t more people read today? I have so many great books for sale. If you are interested in any of these GOOD BOOK DEALS, email me or call me at 650-759-7174 to pick them up.
·All the Days Of My Life(So Far), by Alison Sweeney $5
·All Our Yesterdays, by Robert B.Parker $1
·The Meaning of Everything, by Simon Winchester $5
·Exploring Language, by Gary Goshgarian $5
·The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupery $1
·Jack at Sea, by Philippe Dupasquier $1
“The Children’s Classics” Book Set —$200
This is a book set that I’d love to keep, but just don’t have any extra room on my already crowded bookshelf. It is an old, traditional set. The set is in excellent condition. There are nine titles in the set (see list below). I honestly have no idea what this set is worth, but I’ve been told I should sell the set for well over $200, so make me an offer and we’ll see what we can do. Please contact me by email if you are interested: lucia1134@yahoo.com
Book Titles
·Black Beauty (276 pgs) ·Tom Sawyer (272 pgs)
·Treasure Island (270 pgs) · Heidi (278 pgs)
·Alice in Wonderland (276 pgs) · Andersen’s Fairy Tales (278 pgs)
· Arabian Nights (276 pgs) ·Robin Hood (278 pgs)
·King Arthur (274 pgs)The purpose of the text is to .
| A．introduce some new books on sale |
| B．advertise some books to the readers |
| C．explain the benefits of reading books |
| D．persuade the readers to read more interesting books. |
Why does the owner sell “The Children’s Classics” Book Set?
| A．The owner thinks it too old |
| B．The owner has bought a new set. |
| C．The owner has read it for many times. |
| D．The owner’s bookshelf has no more room. |
If you are interested in Tom Sawyer, you can .
| A．email lucia1134@yahoo.com | B．visit the owner in person |
| C．call 773-885-6604 | D．call 650-759-7174 |
In 1971 a young man who grew up very poor was traveling across the country, trying to make a new start for himself. Along the way he had completely run out of money and was forced to spend the night in his car. This continued until one morning, after a week of sleeping in his car, he walked nervously into a restaurant and ordered a big breakfast.
After eating his first good meal in weeks, he found himself lying to the waiter, telling him he had lost his wallet. The waiter, who was also the owner, walked behind the chair where the young man had been sitting. He bent down, and came up with a $20 bill that looked as if it had fallen on the floor and said, “Son, you must have dropped this,” the owner said. The young man couldn’t believe his luck! He quickly paid for the breakfast, left a tip, bought gas with the change, and headed West.
On the way out of town, he began to understand what that fellow did. Maybe nobody dropped the money at all. “Maybe that fellow just knew I was in trouble and he helped me in a way that didn’t embarrass(使困窘) me. So I just made a promise to help other people if I can.”
Later, he worked very hard and became a rich man. Now he lives near Kansas City. Each year he gives away thousands of dollars. He is known as the “Secret Santa” because at Christmas time each year, he personally hands money out to those on the street and at restaurants. Last year, he gave more than $50,000 away in Kansas City.The underlined word “this” in the second paragraph refers to .
| A．a wallet | B．his luck | C．the $20 bill | D．his tip |
On the way out of town, the young man got to know that .
| A．it was very honest of the owner to return his money |
| B．another man who had breakfast in the restaurant lost the money |
| C．he could probably find himself a job in the restaurant |
| D．the owner helped him in a way that didn’t hurt his feelings. |
The best title for this text may be .
| A．Secret Santa of Kansas City | B．The key to Success |
| C．A Kind Waiter in the Restaurant | D．Never Give Up |
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