When I was eight, I saw a movie about an island that had an erupting volcano and jungles filled with wild animals. The island was ruled by a beautiful woman called Tondalaya, the Fire Goddess of the Volcano. It was a low budget movie, but to me, it represented the perfect life. But through the years, Tondalaya was forgotten.
The week I turned 50, my marriage came to a sudden end. My house, furniture and everything I’d owned was sold to pay debts that I didn’t even know existed. In a week I had lost my husband, my home and my parents who had refused to accept a divorce in the family. I’d lost everything except my four teenage children. I used every penny I had to buy five plane tickets from Missouri to Hawaii. Everyone said I was crazy to think I could just run off to an island and survive. I was afraid they were right.
I worked 18 hours a day and lost 30 pounds because I lived on one meal a day. One night as I walked alone on the beach, I saw the red orange lava（火山岩）pouring out of Kilauea Volcano in the distance. It was time to live my imagination!
The next day, I quit my job, bought some art supplies and began doing what I loved. I hadn't painted a picture in 15 years. I wondered if I could still paint. My hands trembled the first time I picked up a brush. But before an hour had passed, I was lost in the colors spreading across the canvas（画布）in front of me. And as soon as I started believing in myself, other people started believing in me, too. The first painting sold for $ 1500.
The past six years have been filled with adventures. My children and I have gone swimming with dolphins, watched whales and hiked around the crater rim（火山口边缘）of the volcano. We wake up every morning with the ocean in front of us and the volcano behind us. The dream I had more than 40 years ago is now reality. I’m living freely and happily ever after. Why did the writer go to Hawaii?
| A．To free herself from trouble. |
| B．To make a living. |
| C．To spend her holiday. |
| D．To realize her childhood dream. |
Which of the following is the writer’s dream?
| A．Become a successful painter. |
| B．Live in nature with animals. |
| C．Get close to wildlife. |
| D．Live a free and happy life. |
We can infer from the passage that __________.
| A．the writer wasn’t sure whether she could survive in Hawaii at first |
| B．the writer’s parents encouraged her to divorce |
| C．the writer’s husband took away most of her money |
| D．the writer had never done painting before |
The structure and workings of the university are ever changing. The university of the past is not like the university of the present and the university of the present will not be like the university of the future. This “adaptation” to the times is what can make some universities great or make some universities among the worst in the nation.
In the past the university was very set in their ways. They did things the way they wanted them done. They paid no attention to the rest of the society and the way the ones paying the bills wanted them done. In the past the professors would lecture endlessly to the students, which often left the students bored and with no idea what was really said to them in the lecture. This is no way to try and teach students; students need interaction with the professors that are paid to teach them. As Paulo Freire believed there needs to be communication between the students and the professors and the class should not be totally memorization. This is the way that things were done in the past.
In the present many universities have either changed or are changing the way that they run their universities. The universities now are taking on many of the modern educational beliefs in order to make changes in the teaching methods. Universities are breaking down many of the divides between majors that they offer. By breaking these barriers the universities are becoming less specialized and more diverse. This goes along with the ideas of Berry who believes that the schools are over-specialized and that the universities are now just machines that are merely meant to produce workers. In the past few years the colleges have been lowering the standards of admission, which in turn lowers the standards of all the schools below the college level. The universities are now on the right track by increasing the standards of admission into their colleges. In the author’s view, what can decide a university’s quality?
| A．What its structure is like. | B．How its workings are run. |
| C．What times it belongs to. | D．Whether it’ll adjust itself. |
Which of the following is NOT a feature of universities in the past?
| A．They were run in a fixed way. |
| B．They ignored the needs of society. |
| C．They had lower standards of admission. |
| D．Professors lacked interaction with students. |
What is the author’s main attitude towards universities in the present?
| A．Positive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Passive. | D．Uncertain. |
What would the author most probably focus on in the following part of this passage?
| A．Universities in the future. |
| B．The standards of schools. |
| C．The admission into some colleges. |
| D．Other changes of teaching methods. |
U.S. Bottled Water Sales Are Booming Again Despite Opposition
Despite organized anti-bottled-water campaigns across the country and a noisy debate about bottled water’s environmental impact, Americans are buying more bottled water than ever.
Why do so many people seem to think they should have any input on what other American’s choose to buy or do?
If they want to buy bottled water, let them.
If they want to eat fast food, let them.
If they want to smoke pot, let them.
— Barackalypse
People just get tired of paying for others’ bad behavior. If many people eat excessive fast food, you pay higher insurance premiums. If many people frequently buy bottled water, your trash bills go up and landfills fill up quickly.
It’s about personal responsibility, which really should be a cornerstone of libertarianism.
— Bdbr
So? This is the price you pay to live in a free society. You want to control the life of another just so you can save a few bucks? What would you say when someone do the same to you?
— Norman619
Defend selfish pricks all you like; I’m just glad there are still people who still believe personal responsibility is a good and decent thing. We make your life cheaper and less bothersome.
— Yoyo
What a waste of money! It’s fine when you’re on the road and you need a cold drink, but people who buy cases of bottled water for home are completely crazy.
— Agmlauncher
I wish we all can find a way to improve things and benefit from this. The environment needs a lot of help but businesses will always work on what people would need and demand. Is this part of the balance? Hope we can find better ways.
— SkipweisWhat can we know about bottled water in America?
| A．Americans are consuming more bottled water than tap. |
| B．US bottled water sales have increased for the first time. |
| C．Activists in several regions have been fighting against it. |
| D．Some people worry about its bad effect on the environment. |
Who would agree with Barackalypse on this matter?
| A．Bdbr. | B．Norman619. | C．Yoyo. | D．Agmlauncher. |
According to the text, Agmlauncher is _____ bottled water.
| A．partly supportive of | B．extremely against |
| C．strongly in favor of | D．not concerned about |
Which of the following statements goes with Skipweis’ opinion?
| A．The environment is emphasized too much. |
| B．It’s impossible for people to find a better way. |
| C．Business is not totally responsible for the problem. |
| D．At present we can’t benefit from bottled water at all. |
Not many people can say that they have lived in two totally different environments, and technically neither can I. I have lived in the same house in the same Connecticut town my whole life, but a lot of my childhood and teenage years have been spent visiting my family in New York City.
Wethersfield is a typical New England town, a small close community (社区) where almost everyone knows your name. My friends all go to the same high school and my parents are friendly with my friends’ parents. Most of my friends don’t realize what life is like outside this little town. Maybe every so often a few take a day trip to Manhattan or Boston, but none really knows what it’s like to live in an urban environment.
My parents are both from New York City and since they have siblings and friends who still live there, we visit a lot. From an early age I have been exposed to urban life. Jeff, one of my cousins, lives with his mother in a one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn. He has never had his own room and has always been very much on his own. I don’t think any of my friends could understand how someone could live like that.
When I go to the city I see things I would never see in my hometown. I see poverty and people struggling to make a living. I observe a whole different pace; there, you’re just one guy living with millions of others who will never know your name.
I feel blessed to have experienced the lifestyles of two completely different places. I am grateful for the opportunities I have had. I feel that living in Wethersfield has given me a solid base in forming my character and the ability to deal in a close-knit society. On the other hand, my time spent in New York has exposed me to diverse cultural experiences. I feel that I would be comfortable in any environment and could make the best of any situation.According to the author, most of his friends in the town _____.
| A．have never experienced city life |
| B．can only understand the rural life |
| C．prefer the small close community |
| D．know little about the real city life |
The underlined word “siblings” in paragraph 3 means _____.
| A．schoolmates | B．colleagues | C．relatives | D．parents |
The author’s life in New York has brought him _____.
| A．his present character | B．the social ability |
| C．the comfort of city life | D．diverse cultural experiences |
What could be the best title for the passage?
| A．A Small Town and a Big City |
| B．A Man of Two Different Worlds |
| C．Experience Various Environments |
| D．Make the Best of Diverse Cultures |
Travel can be a lifesaver. But in today’s economy (经济) with airlines adding new fees almost daily and ticket prices sharply on the rise, many have written off travel as too expensive. However, with a few saving tricks and a little research, there are still lots of great deals to be had on airline tickets and more.
Early Bird Gets the Deal.
Travel experts say that there are certain times of day when more deals are available. Airfares can change three times a day as airlines adjust their prices to fill up flights. Early morning is when the fares tend to be lowest.
What Wouldn’t a Business Traveler do?
Flying when business travelers don’t can save you big money. Most business travelers fly on Mondays and Fridays, so Tuesday and Wednesday are the best days. Airlines will usually lower their prices on these days to aggressively try and fill empty seats.
Fly to popular places at unpopular times. The slowest time of the year for travel is in the Fall between Labor Day and Thanksgiving. Again, to try and fill more empty seats, the airlines will lower prices and offer better deals to get people to fly during this time of the year.
Package Deals
Many times the best deals on airfare can be found as part of a package rate. Most travel sites have package rates available. Often, the entire package (hotel, airfare, rental car) is cheaper than just the plane ticket on another site. Even if you don’t need the rental car, with the money you’ve saved on the flight, you can afford to take a taxi. These deals are especially good on last minute bookings.
With a little inside knowledge and some good timing, you can get yourself a steal on a ticket to the vacation you thought was out of reach.Which would be the best title for the text?
| A．Tips on Vocation Travelling |
| B．Advice for Business Travelers |
| C．The Effect of Economy on Airlines |
| D．Tricks of Finding the Cheapest Flights |
Many people have to cancel their travel plan because they _____.
| A．have no saving tricks | B．consider economic reasons |
| C．seldom do research | D．can’t have great deals |
Which of the following can be filled in the blank in the text?
| A．Fly to popular places. |
| B．Don’t Miss the Holydays. |
| C．Better Avoid the Crowds. |
| D．Lose No Chance for Travelling. |
What can we learn from the last paragraph?
| A．Saving tricks can make the seemingly impossible vacation possible. |
| B．Inside knowledge and good timing help you to steal tickets from airlines. |
| C．Vacation will be out of reach without inside knowledge and good timing. |
| D．Who thinks the vacation is out of reach never grasps the tricks of saving. |
I will be the first to say that I am not materialistic. My friends regard me as a goody-goody; my parents say I am conservative and modest when it comes to clothes. None of my skirts or shorts end above my knees.
So why, why did I feel so invited? My family and I were in Target, and there it was, waiting. A skirt, specifically designed not to cover anything. It looked like something that one of those modern schoolgirls would wear.
I checked my purse. The skirt cost $10. I had the money. I could buy it. I imagined walking into school and my friends’ jaws (下巴) dropping. Guys would ask me out, and I would be happy. I could buy it, no, — I should buy it.
I showed my mother. She was surprised but said it was my decision. My sister looked on enviously.
I went into the dressing room to try it on. So sure was I that this skirt would change me, somehow make me not what I am but what I wished to be. I slid my jeans off and put it on. I looked in the mirror. There I was — a terrible girl in a Superman T-shirt and sneakers. My glasses fogged up as I started to cry.
The skirt did not change me. Though it fit well and might make me look good in the eyes of today’s world, it was not me. I am not a girl who wears cool clothes to fit in.
I took the thing off and slid back into the comfort of modesty. My mom knocked on the door. “Emily, are you okay?”
I wiped away my tears. “I’m fine.” I looked in the mirror again and saw a slim girl with funny glasses. I saw myself.In the author’s eyes the skirt that interested her was ______.
| A．not modern | B．very short |
| C．too expensive | D．poorly designed |
The author thought if she went to school in this skirt her schoolmates would be ______.
| A．shocked | B．hurt | C．confused | D．happier |
The underlined sentence in the 3rd paragraph indicates the author ______.
| A．hesitated about buying the skirt |
| B．made up her mind to buy the skirt |
| C．was able to afford to buy the skirt |
| D．worried about others’ opinion on the skirt |
The author cried because ______.
| A．she found that she looked ugly in the skirt |
| B．she was aware the skirt didn’t fit her well |
| C．she realized it’s a wrong decision to make a change |
| D．she was disappointed the skirt failed to change her |
粤公网安备 44130202000953号