For a while, my neighborhood was taken ever by an army of joggers. They were there all the time: early morning, noon, and evening. There were little old ladies in gray sweats, young couples in Adidas shoes, middle-aged men with red faces. “Come on!” My friend Alex encouraged me to join him as he jogged by my house every evening. “You’ll feel great.”
Well, I had nothing against feeling great and if Alex could jog every day, anyone could. So I took up jogging seriously and gave it a good two months of my life, and not a day more. Based on my experience, jogging is the most overvalued form of exercise around, and judging from the number of the people who left our neighborhood jogging army, I’m not alone in my opinion.
First of all, jogging is very hard on the body. Your legs and feet need a real pounding（追击）running down a road for two or three miles. I developed foot, leg, and back problems. Then I read about a nationally famous jogger who died of a heart attack while jogging, and I had something else to worry about. Jogging doesn’t kill hundreds of people, but if you have any physical weaknesses, jogging will surely bring them out, as they did with me.
Secondly, I got no enjoyment out of jogging. Putting one foot in front of the other for forty-five minutes isn’t my idea of fun. Jogging is also a lonely pastime. Some joggers say, “I love being out there with just my thoughts” Well, my thoughts began to bore me, and most of them were on how much my legs hurt.
And how could I enjoy something that brought me pain? And that wasn’t just the first week: it was practically every day for two months. I never got past the pain level, and pain isn’t fun. What a cruel way to do it! So many other exercises, including walking, lead to almost the same results painlessly, so why jog?
I don’t jog any more, and I don’t think I ever will. I’m walking two miles three times a week at a fast pace, and that feels good. I bicycle to work when the weather is good. I’m getting exercise, and I’m enjoying it at the same time. I could never say the same for jogging, and I’ve found a lot of better ways to stay in shape.From the first paragraph, we learn that in the writer’s neighborhood ______.
| A．jogging became very popular |
| B．people jogged only during the daytime |
| C．Alex organized an army of joggers |
| D．jogging provided a chance to get together |
The underlined word “them”(Paragraph 3) most probably refers to _____.
| A．heart attacks | B．Back problems |
| C．famous joggers | D．physical weaknesses |
What was the writer’s attitude towards jogging in the beginning?
| A．He felt it was worth a try. |
| B．He was very fond of it. |
| C．He was strongly against it. |
| D．He thought it must be painful. |
Why did the writer give up jogging two months later?
| A．He disliked doing exercise outside. |
| B．He found it neither healthy nor interesting. |
| C．He was afraid of having a heart attack. |
| D．He was worried about being left alone. |
From the writer’s experience, we can conclude that______.
| A．not everyone enjoys jogging |
| B．he is the only person who hates jogging |
| C．nothing other than jogging can help people keep fit |
| D．jogging makes people feel greater than any other sport. |
At the beginning of the World Series of 1947, I experienced a completely new emotion, when the National Anthem was played．This time, I thought, it is being played for me, as much as for anyone else．This is organized major league baseball, and I am standing here with all the others; and everything that takes place includes me.
About a year later, I went to Atlanta, Georgia, to play in an exhibition game．On the field, for the first time in Atlanta, there were Negroes and whites．Other Negroes besides me．And I thought: What I have always believed has come to be.
And what is it that I have always believed? First, that imperfections are human．But that wherever human beings were given room to breathe and time to think, those imperfections would disappear, no matter how slowly．I do not believe that we have found or even approached perfection．That is not necessarily in the scheme of human events．Handicaps, stumbling blocks, prejudices — all of these are imperfect．Yet, they have to be dealt with because they are in the scheme of human events.
Whatever obstacles I found made me fight all the harder．But it would have been impossible for me to fight at all, except that I was sustained by the personal and deep-rooted belief that my fight had a chance．It had a chance because it took place in a free society．Not once was I forced to face and fight an immovable object．Not once was the situation so cast-iron rigid that I had no chance at all．Free minds and human hearts were at work all around me; and so there was the probability of improvement．I look at my children now, and know that I must still prepare them to meet obstacles and prejudices.
But I can tell them, too, that they will never face some of these prejudices because other people have gone before them．And to myself I can say that, because progress is unalterable, many of today's dogmas （教条）will have vanished by the time they grow into adults．I can say to my children: There is a chance for you．No guarantee, but a chance．And this chance has come to be, because there is nothing static with free people．There is no Middle Ages logic so strong that it can stop the human tide from flowing forward．I do not believe that every person, in every walk of life, can succeed in spite of any handicap．That would be perfection．But I do believe — and with every fiber in me — that what I was able to attain came to be because we put behind us （no matter how slowly） the dogmas of the past: to discover the truth of today; and perhaps find the greatness of tomorrow.
I believe in the human race．I believe in the warm heart．I believe in man's honesty．I believe in the goodness of a free society．And I believe that the society can remain good only as long as we are willing to fight for it — and to fight against whatever imperfections may exist．My fight was against the barriers that kept Negroes out of baseball．This was the area where I found imperfection, and where I was best able to fight．And I fought because I knew it was not doomed to be a losing fight．It couldn't be a losing fight-not when it took place in a free society．And in the largest sense, I believe that what I did was done for me — that it was my faith in God that sustained me in my fight．And that what was done for me must and will be done for others.Why did the author say he had experienced a completely new emotion?
| A．Because he won game. |
| B．Because he was an American. |
| C．Because he could compete in the game and won the game. |
| D．Because the National Game was played for him. |
From the passage, we know that the author is ___________．
| A．an African． | B．a Chinese |
| C．a white man | D．a black man |
The author firmly believed that____________.
| A．humans are imperfect if they all unite together to overcome the difficulties. |
| B．humans needn’t approach perfect even if they can. |
| C．humans should face the obstacles and fight for it bravely. |
| D．humans are becoming kind and honest if they have freedom. |
We can infer from the passage that_________.
| A．the fight between Negroes and Whites never ends |
| B．the civil war broke out because the Negroes fought for their freedom |
| C．In the past Negroes were kept out of baseball. |
| D．the fight ended up with a game. |
The underlined word ‘vanished’ most probably means __________
| A．disappear | B．increase |
| C．appear | D．happen |
The best title of this passage may be_________.
| A．Nothing matters except fighting |
| B．Success lies in hard work |
| C．freedom is everything |
| D．Free Minds and Hearts makes a difference |
The question of whether our government should promote science and technology or the liberal arts（文科） in higher education isn’t an either/or proposition（命题），although the current emphasis on preparing young Americans for STEM（science, technology, engineering, maths）-related fields can make it seem that way．
The latest congressional report acknowledges the critical importance of technical training, but also states firmly that the study of the humanities and social sciences must remain central components of America’s educational system at all levels．Both are critical to producing citizens who can participate effectively in our democratic society, become creative leaders, and benefit from the spiritual enrichment that the reflection on the great ideas of mankind over time provides．
Parents and students who have invested heavily in higher education worry about graduates’ job prospects as technological advances and changes in domestic and global markets transform professions in ways that reduce wages and cut jobs．Under these circumstances, it’s natural to look for what may appear to be the most “practical” way out of the problem “Major in a subject designed to get you a job” seems the obvious answer to some, though this ignores the fact that many disciplines in the humanities characterized as “soft” often, in fact, lead to employment and success in the long run．Indeed, according to surveys, employers have expressed a preference for students who have received a broadly-based education that has taught them to write well, think critically, research creatively, and communicate easily．
Moreover, students should be prepared not just for their first job, but for their 4th and 5th jobs, as there’s little reason to doubt that people entering the workforce today will be called upon to play many different roles over the course of their careers．The ones who will do the best in this new environment will be those whose educations have prepared them to be flexible．The ability to draw upon every available tool and insight—picked up from science, arts, and technology—to solve the problems of the future, and take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves, will be helpful to them and the United States．What does the latest congressional report suggest?
| A．STEM-related subjects help students find jobs in the information society. |
| B．Higher education should be adjusted to the practical needs of society. |
| C．The liberal arts in higher education help enrich students’ spiritual life. |
| D．The humanities and STEM subjects should be given equal importance． |
What kind of job applicants do employers look for?
| A．Those who have a strong sense of responsibility. |
| B．Those who are good at solving practical problems. |
| C．Those who are likely to become innovative leaders. |
| D．Those who have received an all-round education. |
What advice does the author give to college students?
| A．Seize opportunities to explore their potential． |
| B．Try to take a variety of practical courses． |
| C．Adopt a flexible approach to solving problems． |
| D．catch as many chances as possible to change their jobs. |
Energy independence has a nice ring to it．Doesn’t it? If you think so, you’re not alone, because energy independence has been the dream of American president for decades, and never more so than in the past few years, when the most recent oil price shock has been partly responsible for kicking off the great recession.
“Energy independence” and its rhetorical （修辞的） companion “energy security” are, however, slippery concepts that are rarely though through．What is it we want independence from, exactly?
Most people would probably say that they want to be independent from imported oil．But there are reasons that we buy all that old from elsewhere.
The first reason is that we need it to keep our economy running．Yes, there is a trickle（涓涓细流）of biofuel（生物燃料）available, and more may become available, but most biofuels cause economic waste and environmental destruction.
Second, Americans have basically decided that they don’t really want to produce all their own oil．They value the environmental quality they preserve over their oil imports from abroad．Vast areas of the United States are off-limits to oil exploration and production in the name of environmental protection．To what extent are Americans really willing to endure the environmental impacts of domestic energy production in order to cut back imports?
Third, there are benefits to trade．It allows for economic efficiency, and when we buy things from places that have lower production costs than we do, we benefit．And although you don’t read about this much, the United States is also a large exporter of oil products, selling about 2 million barrels of petroleum products per day to about 90 countries.
There is no question that the United States imports a great deal of energy and, in fact, relies on that steady flow to maintain its economy．When that flow is interrupted, we feel the pain in short supplies and higher prices．At the same time, we obtain massive economic benefits when we buy the most affordable energy on the world market and when we engage in energy trade around the world.What does the author say about energy independence for America?
| A．It sounds very attractive． |
| B．It ensures national security． |
| C．It will bring oil prices down |
| D．It has long been everyone’s dream. |
Why does America rely heavily on oil imports?
| A．It wants to expand its storage of crude oil（原油）. |
| B．Its own oil reserves are quickly running out. |
| C．It wants to keep its own environment undamaged. |
| D．Its own oil production falls short of demand． |
What does the author say about oil trade?
| A．It proves profitable to both sides． |
| B．It improves economic efficiency． |
| C．It makes for economic prosperity． |
| D．It saves the cost of oil exploration． |
Chimpanzees, long considered reluctant to share, apparently can display selfless tendencies, revealing one more key way our closest living relatives are like humans, scientists find．These findings could shed light on the evolution of altruism in humans．
Previously, a belief was widely held that human altruism evolved only after humans split from their ape cousins about 6 million years ago．In recent years, however, research has revealed just how much chimpanzees have in common with us．They can hunt with spears, play with dolls and mourn their partners’ death.
"Most of the earlier studies had presented the apes with a complex implement that helped them deliver food to themselves or others, often so complicated that the experiments tested tool skills rather than social tendencies," De Waal told Live Science．"Ours is the first study that uses no such implement at all."
In addition to using complex food-delivery systems, past experiments often placed the chimpanzees so far apart that they might not have realized how their actions benefited others．In these new, simplified experiments, two apes were housed next to each other with a screen through which they could see each other．Then, one chimpanzee had to choose between two differently colored tokens （币） from a bin, one of which represented a pro-social （亲社会的） option, the other a selfish option．The pro-social option would cause both chimpanzees to receive a piece of banana wrapped in paper．The selfish option only rewarded the ape who made the choice.
In a study with seven adult female chimps placed into various pairs, the scientists found all the apes showed a definite preference for the pro-social option．"For me, the most important finding is that like us, chimpanzees take into account the needs and wishes of others," researcher Victoria Horner, said.
The chimpanzees behaved especially altruistically toward partners who either patiently waited or gently reminded them that they were there by drawing attention to themselves．They were less likely to reward partners who pressured through making a fuss, begging persistently or spitting water at them．This is opposite to a long-standing view that the chimpanzees only share food under pressure.The word " altruism " （paragraph 1） is closest in meaning to ______.
| A．selfishness | B．selflessness |
| C．willingness | D．reluctance |
Recent researches are performed with less complicated implements mainly to ______.
| A．show that chimps are only good at using implements |
| B．see whether chimps are willing to share food with others |
| C．find out if chimps are likely to reward partners |
| D．test chimps’ social tendencies instead of tool skills |
Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?
| A．Evolution History of Altruism in Humans |
| B．Similarities between Chimps and Mankind |
| C．Chimps Do Show Selfless Behavior |
| D．Chimps Only Share Food under Pressure |
People in the United states honor their parents with two special days: Mother’s Day, on the second Sunday in May, and Father’s Day, on the third Sunday in June.
Mother’s Day was proclaimed （宣告） a day for national observance by President Woodrow Wilson in 1915. Ann Jarvis from Grafton, West Virginia, had started the idea to have a day to honor mothers. She was the one who chose the second Sunday in May and also began the custom of wearing a carnation （康乃馨）.
In 1909, Mrs. Dodd from Spokane, Washington, thought of the idea of a day to honor fathers. She wanted to honor her own father, William Smart. After her mother died, he had the responsibility of raising a family of five sons and a daughter. In 1910, the first Father’s Day was observed in Spokane. Senator Margaret Chase Smith helped to establish Father’s day as a national commemorative day, in 1972.
These days are set aside to show love and respect for parents. They raise their children and educate them to be responsible citizens. They give love and care.
These two special days are celebrated in many different ways. On Mother’s Day people wear carnations. A red one symbolizes (象征) a living mother. A white one shows that the mother is dead. Many people attend religious services to honor parents. It is also a day when people whose parents are dead visit the cemetery (墓地). On these days families get together at home, as well as in restaurants. They often have outdoor barbecues( 烧烤) for Father’s Day. These are days of fun and good feelings and memories.According to the passage, which of the following about the second Sunday in May is NOT true?
| A．It is a day to show love to mothers. |
| B．It is a day to wea carnations. |
| C．It is a day for people to visit the cemetery. |
| D．It is a day for many people to attend religious services. |
Choose the right time order of the following events.
a. The first Father’s Day was observed.
b. Mother’s Day was proclaimed a day for national observance.
c. Father’s Day was proclaimed a day for national observance.
d. The idea of honoring fathers was 1909.
| A．a,b,c,d | B．d,a,b,c |
| C．b,a,c,d | D．d,a,c,b |
Who plays the most important role in Father’s Day becoming a national commemorative day?
| A．Mrs. Dodd. | B．Margaret Chase Smith. |
| C．Ann Jarvis. | D．Woodrow Wilson. |
From the passage, we know in the US .
| A．one should wear a red carnation if one’s mother pass away |
| B．on Mother’s Day, families often go out to have barbecues |
| C．on Father’s Day, people often stay at home to celebrate the special day |
| D．the purpose to have these two special days is to show love to parents. |
The author’s purpose of writing this passage is to .
| A．call on people to love and respect their parents |
| B．introduce Mother’s Day and Fathers’ Day |
| C．tell the difference between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day |
| D．show how important fathers and mothers are |
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