We all remember seeing hitchhikers（搭便车的人）, standing by the side of the road, thumb sticking out, waiting for a lift. But it is getting rare nowadays. What killed hitchhiking? Safety is often mentioned as a reason. Movies about murderous hitchhikers and real-life crime have put many drivers off picking up hitchhikers. That no single women picked me up on my journey to Manchester no doubt reflects the safety fear: a large, strangely dressed man is seen as dangerous.
But the reason may be more complex: hitchhiking happens where people don’t have cars and transport services are poor. Plenty of people still hitchhike in Poland and Romania. Perhaps the rising level of car ownership in the UK means the few people lift hitchhiking are usually considered strange. Why can’t they afford cars? Why can’t they take the coach or the train?
Three-quarters of the UK population have access to a car; many of the remainder will be quite old. The potential hitchhiking population is therefore small. Yet my trip proves it’s still possible to hitchhike. The people who picked me up were very interesting-lawyer, retired surgeon, tank commander, carpenter, man who live in an isolated farmhouse and a couple living up in the mountains. My conclusion is that only really interesting people are mad enough to pick up fat blokes in red,
spotted scarves. Most just wanted to do someone a good turn; a few said they were so surprised to see a hitchhiker that they couldn’t help stopping.
The future of hitchhiking most likely lies with car-sharing organized over the Internet, via sites such as hitchhikers. org. But for now, you can still stick your thumb out(actually, I didn’t do much of that, preferring just to hold up my destination sign) and people-wonderful, caring, sharing, unafraid people-will stop.
In the UK, with its cheap coaches and reasonable rail service, I don’t think I’ll make a habit of it. But having enjoyed it so much, I’m ready now to do a big trip across Europe and beyond. In the 1970s a female friend of my wife’s hitchhiked to India. How wonderful it would be to have another go, though Afghanistan might be a challenge. I wish I’d got that tank commander’s mobile number.The author tried to hitchhike but was rejected by single women drivers because_____________ .
| A．they were not heading towards Manchester |
| B．they thought most hitchhikers were dangerous |
| C．hitchhiking had been forbidden and they didn’t want to break the law |
| D．he was a strong man in strange clothes who seemed dangerous |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．That some people refuse hitchhikers may reflect the safety fear. |
| B．Car ownership levels are lower in Romania than in the UK. |
| C．40% of UK people don’t have access to cars. |
| D．Increased car ownership has reduced the need for hitchhiking. |
The “fat blokes in red, spotted scarves” in Paragraph 3 most likely means .
| A．murderous hitchhikers |
| B．friendly and talkative hitchhikers |
| C．typical hitchhikers |
| D．strange hitchhikers like the author |
According to the author, future hitchhikers are more likely to .
| A．visit websites and find people to share cars with |
| B．stand by roads with their thumbs sticking out |
| C．stick out signs with their destinations written on |
| D．wait for some kind people to pick them up |
From the last paragraph, we know that the author .
| A．frequently hitchhikes in Britain |
| B．plans to hitchhike across Europe |
| C．thinks public transport is safer for travel |
| D．is going to contact the tank commander |
My l4-year-old son, John, and I spotted the coat at the same time in a second-hand clothing store. It stood out among big and old coats. It had beautiful tailoring and an unbelievable price: $28. I looked at my son and we both said nothing, but John’s eyes shone. Dark, woolen topcoats were popular with teenage boys, but they could cost several hundred dollars new. This coat was even better. John tried it on and turned from side to side, eyeing himself in the mirror. The fit was perfect.
John wore the coat to school the next day and came home with a big grin. “Did the kids like your coat?” I asked. “They loved it,” he said.
Over the next few weeks, John changed. He was polite, less argumentative, more thoughtful, and on the whole much happier. “Good dinner, mom,” he would say every evening. Without a word of objection he would carry in wood for the stove. One day when I suggested that he might start on his homework before dinner, John, who always put things off, said: “You’re right. I guess I will.” When I mentioned this incident to one of his teachers, she joked that the coat must have changed him.
John and I both know we should never mistake a person’s clothes for the real person within them. But there is something to be said for wearing a standard of excellence for the world to see, for practicing standards of excellence in thought, speech, and behavior, and for matching what is on the inside to what is on the outside. What does the author try to express in the first paragraph?
| A．The coat looked like a magical coat. |
| B．They were good at shopping. |
| C．The coat was a real bargain. |
| D．They had the same taste in clothes. |
What does the underlined word “grin” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
| A．A wide smile. | B．A worried look. |
| C．A jealous spirit. | D．A joking tone. |
After John wore the new coat, the author found he _______.
a. was happier and better-behaved
b. received more praise from his teachers
c. was willing to follow suggestions
d. made rapid progress in study
e. would say sweet words to please her
| A．a, b, c | B．a, c, e | C．b, d, e | D．c, d, e |
What message does the author intend to deliver in the article?
| A．We should not judge people by their appearance. |
| B．Life is full of possibilities when we are young. |
| C．It’s beneficial to try different things in our lives. |
| D．What we wear could help shape who we are inside. |
Exhausted and unhappy, you still have to squeeze a smile to your friends, or teachers. That’s just life, you may think. But new research suggests that putting on a fake smile can worsen people’s mood and even lower work efficiency.
Lead researcher Brent Scott with other researchers studied a group of bus drivers for two weeks. They tried to find out what happened when the drivers were involved in “surface acting” or fake smiling, and the opposite, “deep acting” which means people put on real smiles by recalling pleasant memories or thinking about their current situation more positively.
The results showed that on days when drivers were forced to smile, they felt depressed and didn’t want to work. On days when they smiled due to positive thoughts, their mood improved a lot as well as their work efficiency.
The research goes against the popular belief among companies that employees should be cheerful to customers at all times. They include employees of shops, banks, call center workers and others who have face-to-face contact with members of the public. “Smiling for the sake of(为了) smiling can lead to emotional exhaustion and coldness, and that’s bad for the organization,” Scott told the Daily Mail.
The study also showed that women were harmed more by fake smiling than men. Their mood and work performance both worsened more. But they were helped more by deep acting — their mood became better and they worked more efficiently.
However, while deep acting seemed to improve mood in the short term, Scott says it’s not a long-term solution for unhappiness.
“There have been some suggestions that if you do this over a long period that you start to feel inauthentic(不真实的),” Scott said. “You may be trying to cultivate positive emotions, but at the end of the day you may not feel like yourself anymore.”Brent Scott and others’ experiments on bus drivers suggest that ______.
| A．depression among bus drivers is common |
| B．thinking in a positive way helps with work efficiency |
| C．bus drivers with pleasant memories tend to be less efficient |
| D．the bus drivers’ work efficiency is determined by their mood |
According to the article, which of the following statements about “fake smiling” is TRUE?
| A．It is good for the business but bad for the employees. |
| B．It doesn’t work on people who are emotionally expressive. |
| C．It is a widely accepted cultural practice in the US. |
| D．It causes more harm to women than men. |
We can conclude from the article that the researchers think that ______.
| A．people should be true to their feelings |
| B．smiling helps to put people in a good mood and become more efficient |
| C．it is unnecessary to cultivate positive emotions |
| D．deep acting can improve mood in the long run |
The article is mainly about ______.
| A．the importance of smiling during face-to-face contact |
| B．a new study on fake smiling and its influence on people |
| C．suggestions on improving work efficiency |
| D．how to cheer up when you are exhausted |
There are plenty of beauty schools throughout the country that can help you to start a career in cosmetology(美容业). Nowadays, young people may not be able to afford a four-year college. Students can look forward to attending a beauty school program which will only take a few months to complete and start their career right away to earn money.
There can be many benefits of going to beauty school. The expense is much less than attending a four-year university. Besides, attending beauty school is mostly a hands-on(动手的) experience which appeals to many people. Some students don’t like sitting all day listening to lectures and then having to study at night. What’s more, most beauty school programs keep up with the changing trends and fashion. So you will always be working on different hair types which can be fun and will give you a lot of experience throughout the years of your career.
If you are worried about finding a job after graduation, many beauty schools will offer assistance for immediate job placement and give you peace of mind that you will not be stranded looking for a job. Most colleges and universities are not equipped to do that because of the large number of graduates each year.
Cosmetologists will also make a good salary. The average salary will depend on your location, but you may earn a salary around $3,000 — $3,500 a month. This is not including tips which could be $600 or more a month.
Not only can young people go to cosmetology school, but people of all ages can start this career. As you can see, there are many benefits of beauty schools that can be the perfect opportunity for anyone to become a great cosmetologist.How many advantages of going to beauty school are mentioned in Paragraph 2?
| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
The underlined word “stranded” in Paragraph 3 can be replaced by ______.
| A．focused on | B．given up | C．stuck in | D．turned to |
What can be learnt from the passage?
| A．A cosmetologist gets paid at least $3,600 a month. |
| B．Beauty schools are not popular with young people. |
| C．Graduates can easily be offered jobs by universities. |
| D．It isn’t suitable for the old to start a career in cosmetology. |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
| A．The development of cosmetology |
| B．How to become a cosmetologist |
| C．The benefits of beauty schools |
| D．Going to college or beauty school |
Group Tours of the Area of the 2012 Sites
These are recommended tours for groups. Individual visitors wishing to join please click here.
East London and the Olympic Park Tour
From Central London, travel through London’s East End — recently fashionable, multicultural residential areas, and once famous for market gardens, fine churches, and shipping-related industries. Hear a little of the dark side with stories of Jack-the-Ripper and street gangs.
Now into the 21st century, you arrive at the Olympic Park, already under construction. Imagine the 80,000-seat Main Stadium, the Multi-Sports Arena, Aquatics Centre, Velodrome, Olympic Village, Broadcasting & Media Centre and Stratford City.
For those who have a whole day in which to see East London we recommend a morning East London and Olympic Park tour combined with an afternoon Olympic Greenwich tour.
2012 Sites Tour
The tour starts in Stratford where you view the work in progress on the Olympic Park.
Hear the history of London’s Royal Docks, as you travel to the Boxing, Judo, Weightlifting, Wrestling, Table Tennis and Taekwondo venue. View the O2 Arena. See the new London City Airport, Thames Barrier Park, University of East London, new waterside apartments and smart hotels.
For those who have a whole day in which to see 2012 Olympic London we recommend a morning 2012 Olympic Sites tour combined with an afternoon 2012 Olympic Greenwich tour.
2012 Greenwich Tour
Greenwich will host 6 Olympic events.Your tour of Greenwich will include the Greenwich Park, where the equestrian events will take place.
Cross the Meridian Line to see the large buildings at Woolwich. Finally, we can show you the exciting developments taking place on the Greenwich Peninsular, which will be hosting a number of Olympic events. What can be learnt from the passage?
| A．London’s Olympic Park is being built. |
| B．London’s East End hasn’t changed much. |
| C．More than 6 Olympic events will take place in Greenwich. |
| D．No events will be hosted on the Greenwich Peninsular. |
Which of the following is not included in 2012 Sites Tour?
| A．Hear the history of London’s Royal Docks. |
| B．View the O2 Arena. |
| C．See the new London City Airport. |
| D．Cross the Meridian Line. |
If you want to visit the place where the equestrian events will take place, which tour will you choose?
| A．East London and the Olympic Park Tour |
| B．2012 Sites Tour |
| C．2012 Greenwich Tour |
| D．Olympic Park Tour |
More than half of parents in the United States are helping , or have helped their adult children who have been hit by high unemployment and stagnant（无变化的）wages, according to a new survey. It showed that present economic conditions are discouraging young adults from leaving home and forcing those who have already gone, so - called boomerang children, to return.
“Parents are continuing their financial involvement longer than we expected,” said Ted Beck, the president and CEO of National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE).
About 60 percent of parents questioned in the survey said they are helping their adult children who are no longer in school financially, providing housing and living expenses.
For an increasing number of adult children, the situation is bad. Two - thirds of adult children, aged 18 to 39, who are not in school said they faced tougher financial pressures than previous generations, according to the survey. And nearly one - third of parents agreed that it was easier for them to earn money than for their children.
Parents are helping their children out of genuine concern, and because they do not want to see them struggle. But Beck said that parents who make sacrifices to help their adult children should be cautious about their own finances.
“If you are taking on extra debt or delaying retirement to help your adult child, you could be making a mistake and putting your own financial future in danger.” Beck warned.
Boomerang children can also cause other problems for their parents. Thirty percent of parents said they had given up privacy since their adult children moved back home, while more than a quarter have taken on added debt, and ten percent have delayed retirement. But the survey also showed that 42 percent of adult children living at home are helping with the cooking and cleaning.The underlined words “boomerang children” in the first paragraph likely means ________.
| A．adult children visiting parents often |
| B．married adult children |
| C．adult children depending on parents for financial support |
| D．adult children independent and successful in life |
What is Ted Beck’s suggestion to the parents?
| A．Asking their children to help with the housework. |
| B．Leaving their children to struggle to live. |
| C．Being careful when helping their children financially. |
| D．Putting off their time of retirement. |
According to the survey, we can know that ________.
| A．about 50% of parents give money to their adult children to cover the daily cost |
| B．two - thirds of adult children are faced with financial problems in school |
| C．one - third of adult children earn money more easily than their parents |
| D．one in ten parents has delayed retirement |
What is the main idea of the whole text?
| A．Adult children are less independent. |
| B．Parents help support adult children. |
| C．Bad conditions affect children a lot. |
| D．Adult children like living with parents. |
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