Watson entered Mr. Smith’s office. The Boss was a hard man. He fired people who didn’t do well without giving them a second chance.
“Watson,” said Mr. Smith, “this past year your department hasn’t earned money. We’re going to drop that department. It’s finished. I’ m sorry, —but you’ll have to go.” “But, sir—if I just had a little more time. For the moment I need the job to keep my son at Riverside School.”
“What’s that!” said the Boss. “Riverside! I didn’t know you had a boy there. That’s an expensive school for a man with your salary.”
“I know, sir. But he likes it there so much! He’s a star trackman（田径运动员） and the best boxer in the school. The boys call him Champ（冠军） there.”
The Boss sat perfectly still for a long time—a faraway （恍惚的） look in his eyes. Then, suddenly, he said, “We’ve got to close your department, Watson. But you’ll take over a new job in another department. It means longer hours—maybe more pay. Now get out. You’re here for life.”
Watson got out, with surprise in his face. Then the Boss took a letter from the top drawer of his desk. It was Herbie’s last letter from Riverside School —written a few days before he died. He had read it over and over again with sick pain. The letter read: I can’t say the boys here are any nicer to me than the others were. I guess it’s the same everywhere when you’re a cripple (跛脚的人). But don’t worry about me, Dad. They’ve got a good chemistry department here. And there’s one boy here who is really great. He’s a track star and boxing champ and just tops in chemistry. The boys call him Champ. He made them stop throwing my books around. And he knocked a boy down who hit me. He is the best friend I ever had. Dad, when I grow up, I want to do something for Champ. Something big—that he won’t even know about.
Your son, HerbieThe underlined word “drop” in paragraph 2 could best be replaced by ________.
| A．fall | B．close | C．punish | D．sell |
It can be inferred from the text that Champ is_______.
| A．Watson’ s son | B．Mr Smith’ s son |
| C．a teacher of Mr Smith’s son | D．the son of Mr Smith’s friend |
From the text we know that Herbie_______.
| A．was a college student | B．didn’t live to grow up |
| C．made friends with many boys | D．died from a car accident |
Watson was given a second chance because_______.
| A．Mr Smith wanted to help Watson’s son |
| B．a man was needed in another department |
| C．Herbie told Mr Smith to do so in his letter |
| D．Mr Smith wanted to realize his son’s dream |
Maybe ten-year-old Elizabeth put it best when she said to her father,“But,Dad,you can’t be healthy if you’re dead?”
Dad,in a hurry to get home before dark so he could go for a run,had forgotten to wear his safety belt——a mistake 75% of the US population make every day.The big question is why.
There have been many myths about safety belts ever since their first appearance in cars some forty years ago.The following are three of the most common.
Myth Number One:It’s best to be“thrown clear”of a serious accident.
Truth:Sorry,but any accident serious enough to “throw you clear”is also going to be serious enough to give you a very bad landing.And chances are you’ll have traveled through a windshield(挡风玻璃)or door to do it.Studies show that chances of dying after a car accident are twenty-five times greater in cases where people are“thrown clear.”
Myth Number Two:Safety belts“trap”people in cars that are burning or sinking in water.
Truth:Sorry again,but studies show that people knocked unconscious(昏迷)due to not wearing safety belts have a greater chance of dying in these accidents,People wearing safety belts are usually protected to the point of having a clear head to free themselves from such dangerous situations,not to be trapped in them.
Myth Number Three:Safety belts aren’t needed at speeds of less than 30 miles per hour(mph).
Truth:When two cars traveling at 30 mph hit each other,an unbelted driver would meet the windshield with a force equal to diving headfirst into the ground from a height of 10 meters.Why did Elizabeth say to her father,“But Dad,you can’t be healthy if you’re dead”?
| A．He didn’t have his safety belt on. |
| B．He was running across the street. |
| C．He was driving at great speed |
| D．He didn’t take his medicine on time. |
The reason Father was in a hurry to get home was that he____.
| A．wasn’t feeling very well |
| B．wanted to take some exereise |
| C．hated to drive in the dark |
| D．didn’t want to be caught by the police |
According to the text,to be “thrown clear”of a serious accident is very dangerous
because you_____.
| A．may be knocked down by other cars |
| B．may get caught in the car door |
| C．may find it impossible to get away from the seat |
| D．may get seriously hurt being thrown out of the car |
Some people prefer to drive without wearing a safety belt because they believe__.
| A．they will be unable to think clearly in an accident |
| B．the belt prevents them from escaping in an accident |
| C．they will be caught when help comes |
| D．cars catch fire easily |
What is the advice given in the text?
| A．Never drive faster than 30 miles an hour. |
| B．Never forget to wear the safety belt while driving. |
| C．Try your best to save yourself in a car accident. |
| D．Drive slowly while you’re not wearing a safety belt. |
Suppose you work in a big firm and find English very important for your job because you often deal with foreign businessmen.Now you are looking for a place where you can improve your English,espeually your spoken English.
Here are some information you need about English Language training.
Global English Centre
| *General English in all four skills listening,speaking,reading and writing *3-month(700 yuan),6-month(1,200 yuan)and one-year(2,000 yuan) courses *Choice of morning or evening classes,3 hours per day,Mon-Fri *Experienced college English teachers. *Close to city centre and bus stops. Tel:67605272 Add:105 Zhongshan Road,100082 |
| Modern Language School *Special courses in English for business,travel,banking,hotel management and office skills. *Small classes(12-16 students)on Sat,& Sun,from 2:00-5:00pm. *Native English teachers from Canada and USA. *Language lab and computers supplied. *3-month course:1,050 yuan;6-month course:1,850 yuan. Write or phone:Modern Language School,675 Park Road 100056 Tel:67353019 |
| The 2lst Century English Training Centre *We specialize in effective teaching at all levels. *We offer morning or afternoon classes,both of which last three months and a half at a cost of 800 yuan. *We also have a six-week TOEFL preparation class during winter and summer holidays. *Entrance exams:June 1 and Dec 1 *Only 15-minute walk from city centre. Call 67801642 for more information |
| The International House of English *Three/Six-month English courses for students of all levels at very cost:60 yuan for 12 hours per week;convenient class hours:9:00-12:00am and 2:00-5:00pm. *A four-month evening programme for developing speaking skills(same cost as day classes) *Well-trained Chinese and foreign teachers experienced in teaching English as a second/foreign language. *Free sightseeing and social activities(活动) *Very close to the Central Park. For further information call 67432308 |
You work from 9:00am to 4:30pm every day which schools will you choose?
| A．Global English Centred and the International House. |
| B．Global English Centre and Modern Language School. |
| C．Modern Language School and the 21st Century. |
| D．The 21st Century and the International House |
The 21st Century is different from the other three schools in that____.
| A．its teaching quality is better |
| B．it is nearest to the city centre |
| C．it requires an entrance examination |
| D．its courses are more advanced |
You will probably prefer to go to the International House because it____.
| A．offers free sightseeing and social activities |
| B．costs less than the other schools |
| C．has a special course in spoken English |
| D．has native English teachers |
If you take the evening programme at the International House,you will pay about___
| A．60 yuan | B．240 yuan | C．730 yuan | D．1000 yuan |
The passage is most probably taken from_____.
| A．travel book | B．a library guide |
| C．advertisements from newspapers | D．a project handbook |
An idea that started in Seattle’s public library has spread throughout America and beyond.The concept is simple:help to build a sense of community in a city by getting everyone to read the same book at the same time.
In addition to encouraging reading as a pursuit(追求) to be enjoyed by all,the program allows strangers to communicate by discussing the book on the bus,as well as promoting reading as an experience to be shared in families and schools.The idea came from Seattle librarian Nancy Pearl who launched the “If All of Seattle Read the Same Book” project in 1998.Her original program used author visits,study guides and book discussion groups to bring people together with a book,but the idea has since expanded to many other American cities,and even to Hong Kong.
In Chicago,the mayor appeared on television to announce the choice of To Kill a Mockingbird as the first book in the “One Book,One Chicago”program.As a result,reading clubs and neighborhood groups sprang up around the city.Across the US,stories emerged of parents and children reading to each other at night and strangers chatting away on the bus about plot and character.
The only problem came up in New York,where local readers could not decide on one book to represent the huge and diverse population.This may show that the idea works best in medium-sized cities or large towns,where a greater sense of unity can be achieved.Or it may show that New Yorkers missed the point,putting all their energy and passion into the choice of the book rather than discussion about a book itself.
Ultimately,as Nancy points out,the level of success is not measured by how many people read a book ,but by how many people are enriched by the process,or have enjoyed speaking to someone with whom they would not otherwise have shared a word.What is the purpose of the project launched by Nancy?
| A．To invite authors to guide readers. |
| B．To encourage people to read and share. |
| C．To involve people in community service. |
| D．To promote the friendship between cities. |
Why was it difficult for New Yorkers to carry out the project?
| A．They were too busy to read a book. |
| B．They came from many different backgrounds. |
| C．They had little interest in reading. |
| D．They lacked support from the local government. |
According to the passage,where would the project be more easily carried out?
| A．In large communities with little sense of unity. |
| B．In large cities where libraries are far from home. |
| C．In large towns where agreement can be quickly reached. |
| D．In medium-sized cities with a diverse population. |
The underlined words “shared a word”in Paragraph 5 probably mean______.
| A．discussed the meaning of a word |
| B．exchanged ideas with each other |
| C．gained life experience |
| D．used the same language |
According to Nancy,the degree of success of the project is judged by____.
| A．the number of people who benefit from reading |
| B．the careful selection of a proper book |
| C．the growing popularity of the writers |
| D．the number of books that each person reads |
Betty and Harold have been married for years.But one thing still puzzles old Harold.How is it that he can leave Betty and her friend Joan sitting on the sofa,talking,go out to a ballgame,come back three and a half hours later,and they’re still sitting on the sofa?Talking?
What in the world,Harold wonders,do they have to talk about?
Betty shrugs.Talk?We’re friends.
Researching this matter called friendship,psychologist Lilian Rubin spent two years interviewing more than two hundred women and men.No matter what their age,their job,their sex,the results were completely clear:women have more friendships than men,and the difference in the content and the quality of those friendships is “marked and unmistakable.”
More than two-thirds of the single men Rubin interviewed could not name a best friend.Those who could were likely to name a woman.Yet three-quarters of the single women had no problem naming a best friend,and almost always it was a woman.More married men than women named their wife/husband as a best friend,most trusted person,or the one they would turn to in time of emotional distress(感情危机).“Most women,”says Rubin,“identified at least one,usually more,trusted friends to whom they could turn in a troubled moment,and they spoke openly about the importance of these relationships in their lives.”
“In general,”writes Rubin in her new book,“women’s friendships with each other rest on shared emotions and support,but men’s relationships are marked by shared activities.”For the most part,Rubin says,interactions(交往)between men are emotionally controlled-a good fit with the social requirements of “manly behavior.”
“Even when a man is said to be a best friend,”Robin writes,“the two share little about their innermost feelings.Whereas a woman’s closest female friend might be the first to tell her to leave a failing marriage, it wasn’t unusual to hear a man say he didn’t know his friend’s marriage was in serious trouble until he appeared one night asking if he could sleep on the sofa.”What old Harold cannot understand or explain is the fact that_____.
| A．he is treated as an outsider rather than a husband |
| B．women show little interest in ballgames |
| C．women have so much to share |
| D．he finds his wife difficult to talk to |
Rubin’s study shows that for emotional support a married woman is more likely to turn to _____.
| A．a male friend | B．her parents | C．a female friend | D．her husband |
According to the text,which type of behavior is NOT expected of a man by society?
| A．Ending his marriage without good reason. |
| B．Complaining about his marriage trouble. |
| C．Spending too much time with his friends. |
| D．Going out to ballgames too often. |
Which of the following statements is best supported by the last paragraph?
| A．Women are more serious than men about marriage. |
| B．Men keep their innermost feelings to themselves. |
| C．Men often take sudden action to end their marriage. |
| D．Women depend on others in making decisions. |
The research done by psychologist Rubin centers around_____.
| A．friendships of men and women |
| B．happy and successful marriages |
| C．emotional problems in marriage |
| D．interactions between men and women |
The Apple iPhone’s impact was widely evident (明显的) at the Consumer Electronics Show, as new touch－screen devices could be found everywhere.
The consumer electronics industry came unbuttoned in Las Vegas this week. At the annual Consumer Electronics Show, companies from around the world unveiled many devices boasting (以拥有…而自豪) touch – sensitive technology, rather than traditional push-button controls.
Motorola, Sony, and LG Electronics all showed off touch-screen phones this week. Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates praised and offered a touch-screen computer, the Surface, related to a flat panel TV for a tabletop. Even camera makers, such as Kodak，included touch-screen LCDs in their devices. Touch-screen tech has been in use for years，but the push to develop and weave it into consumer electronics gathered steam with the June introduction of Apple’s iPhone. “The touch-screen industry is really getting hot,” says Jennifer Colegrove, a senior analyst at iSuppli. “Since the iPhone came out, there are a lot of companies that did not have a relationship with touch screens before that decided, ‘OK, I want to make a touch screen, too.’”
The touch－screen tech ecosystem now includes more than 100 companies specializing in everything from smudge-proof (防污的) screens to sensors (传感器) able to detect fingers before they even contact the screen. Sales of leading touch-screen technologies，such as those used in mobile phones and navigation (航行) devices，are expected to rise to $ 4.4 billion in 2012, up from $ 2.4 billion in 2006，according to iSuppli estimates.What did the writer think about the Apple iPhone？
| A．The Apple iPhone was beautiful. |
| B．The Apple iPhone was popular. |
| C．The Apple iPhone was expensive. |
| D．The Apple iPhone was attractive. |
What is the meaning of the underlined word “unveiled” in the second paragraph？
| A．Invented. | B．Unlocked. |
| C．Discovered. | D．Showed. |
The touch-screen tech was used in consumer electronics mainly because of _______.
| A．traditional push-button controls |
| B．Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates |
| C．the introduction of Apple’s iPhone |
| D．the touch-screen tech ecosystem |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．The touch-screen technology will disappear. |
| B．The touch-screen technology will be replaced by traditional push-button controls. |
| C．The touch-screen technology will be as important as traditional push-button controls. |
| D．The touch-screen technology will be more widely used in electronics devices. |
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