I was very disappointed not to be able to go to the jazz concert last Friday. The announcement in the paper said that you could buy tickets at the theater box office in Richland Hills any day between 10:00 and 4:00. Since I work from 9 o’clock to 5:30, the only time I could go to the theater was during my 45-minute lunch break. Unfortunately, the theater is on the other side of the town, and the bus service between my office and Richland Hills is not very good. But if you are lucky, you can make the round trip in 45 minutes. Last Monday, I stood at the bus stop for fifteen minutes waiting for a bus. By the time I saw one come around the corner, there was not enough time left to make the trip—so I gave up and went back to the office. The same thing happened on Tuesday, and again on Wednesday. On Thursday, my luck changed, I got on a bus right away and arrived at the theatre in exactly twenty minutes. When I got there, however, I found a long line of people at the box office. I heard one man say he had been waiting in line for over an hour. Realizing I would not have enough time to wait in line, I caught the next bus and headed back across the town. By Friday I realized my only hope was to make the trip by taxi. It was expensive, but I felt it would be worth hearing the concert. The trip by taxi only took 10 minutes, but it felt like an hour to me. When I got to the theatre, I was relieved to see that nobody was waiting in line. The reason, I quickly discovered, was that they had already sold all the tickets.The writer is probably ______.
| A．worker | B．a college teacher |
| C．manager of a company | D．a clerk |
He learned ______ that there would be a concert last Friday.
| A．from his friends |
| B．from one of his colleagues |
| C．over the radio |
| D．from the newspaper |
He could go and buy the ticket ______.
| A．any day before work hours |
| B．both before and after work hours |
| C．only during lunch time |
| D．on Saturday and Sunday |
The word “relieved” in the last two sentences may best be replaced by “______”.
| A．surprised | B．pleased | C．puzzled | D．sorry |
The story is about ______.
| A．a good concert |
| B．someone enjoying a good concert |
| C．someone trying to buy concert tickets for his friends |
| D．someone’s disappointment at not being able to go to the concert |
Back in September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cochran, a social studies school teacher at Robinson High School, did something unforgettable. On the first day of school, with permission of the school headmaster, she took all of the desks out of the classroom.
The kids came into the first period. They walked in, and there were no desks. They looked around and said, "Ms Cochran, where are our desks?" And she said, “You can't have a desk until you tell me how you earn them.”
They thought, "Well, maybe it's our grades.”
"No," she said.
"Maybe it's our behavior."
And she told them, "No, it's not even your behavior."
Second period, the same thing. Third period... By early afternoon television news reporters had gathered in Ms. Cochran’s class to find out about this crazy teacher.
The last period of the day, Martha Cochran gathered her class. They were at this time sitting on the ground floor around the sides of the room. "Throughout the day no one has really understood how you earn the ordinary desks in this classroom." she said, "Now I'm going to tell you."
Martha Cochran went to the door of the classroom and opened it, and as she did, twenty-seven adults, who were fathers or mothers of the kids, walked into that classroom, each one having a school desk. And they placed those school desks in rows. And when they finished placing those desks, those kids for the first time in their lives understood how they earned those desks.
Martha said, "You don't have to earn those desks. They did it for you. They put them out there for you, but it's up to you to sit here responsibly to learn, to be good students and good citizens, because they paid a price for you to have that desk, and don't ever forget it!"Why did Cochran take all the desks out of the classroom?
| A．Because she wanted to punish the kids. |
| B．Because she wanted to let kids know how they earned the desks. |
| C．Because kids didn't need any desks at her classes. |
| D．Because the desks were all broken. |
Who get kids to have a chance to get education?
| A．Teachers. | B．The headmaster. |
| C．Kids themselves. | D．Kids’ parents. |
Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the text?
| A．Kids finally understood what their teacher meant by themselves. |
| B．The headmaster supported Ms. Cochran’s idea. |
| C．Kids studied without desks on the first day. |
| D．Kids' parents earned the desks for them. |
When English as a foreign language is taught to children at the primary and early secondary levels of education, it is generally taught with a general education aim in mind--that is, it is regarded as a “good thing” for them to learn a foreign language as a part of a broad education. There is usually, however, no immediate and specific requirement for such children to make use of the language in any communicative situation. The purpose of learning the language is essentially a “deferred” (延缓的) purpose, deferred till the tertiary (第三的) level of education, normally at university, where, it is agreed, a knowledge of English would be helpful in their academic studies. Immediate aims of learning English are defined by the requirements of examinations. Inevitably what is taught to primary and secondary level children is not a communicative knowledge of English language use, but a knowledge of how the rules of English operate.
The language system is taught by means of systematic audio-lingual (听说的) drill and exercise techniques based on habit formation theory of learning and a structural description of English. This may be an effective manner of teaching English usage, but it is less certain that an understanding of how these rules are related to language in use for communicative purpose is an automatic result of this instruction.
What the thousands of children succeed in learning in this way is what is necessary in order to pass examinations. Whether such examinations accurately reflect the uses to which English will be put at the tertiary level is another matter altogether. Adults, on the other hand, unless they are learning a foreign language for “pleasure” at evening institutes, as a “cultural” and social experience, are generally highly conscious of the use to which they intend to put it. That use is frequently associated with an academic or professional requirement; without a knowledge of the foreign language, their development in their chosen sphere of work could be restricted or at least adversely affected.According to the author, the current examination system ________.
| A．reflects the students’ future needs |
| B．does not offer students opportunities to show their knowledge of English |
| C．does not enable students to use English for communication |
| D．prepares students for their future academic requirements |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．English teaching should prepare children for the passing of examination. |
| B．English should be taught to children at primary and secondary levels. |
| C．English teaching should help students with their future academic studies. |
| D．English teaching at primary and secondary levels should focus only on grammar. |
We know from the passage that ________.
| A．audio-lingual techniques are the best way to teach English for communication |
| B．language usage is the focus of foreign language teaching at primary and secondary levels |
| C．foreign languages are usually taught to children as the key of a broad education |
| D．adults usually don’t know why they learn foreign languages |
What’s the relationship of English learning at different levels?
| A．English learning at primary and secondary levels is more important than that at the college stage. |
| B．English learning at the tertiary level is more important than that at the first two levels. |
| C．Successful English learning at the first two levels does not necessarily mean success in English learning at college. |
| D．English learning should not be divided into different levels. |
What is the main topic of this passage?
| A．The importance of English learning. |
| B．English learning as a part of a general education. |
| C．English learning and examination. |
| D．Aims and purposes of foreign language learning. |
If you’re a male and you’re reading this, congratulations: you’re a survivor. According to statistics, you are more than twice as likely to die of skin cancer as a woman, and nine times more likely to die of AIDS. Assuming you make it to the end of your natural term, about 78 years for men in Australia, you’ll die on average five years before a woman.
There are many reasons for this--typically, men take more risks than women and are more likely to drink and smoke--but perhaps more importantly, men don’t go to the doctor.
“Men aren’t seeing doctors as often as they should,” says Dr. Gullotta. “This is particularly so for the over-40s, when diseases tend to strike.”
Gullotta says a healthy man should visit the doctor every year or two. For those over 45, it should be at least once a year.
Two months ago Gullotta saw a 50-year-old man who had delayed doing anything about his smoker’s cough for a year.
“When I finally saw him it had already spread and he has since died from lung cancer,” he says. “Earlier detection and treatment may not have cured him, but it would have prolonged his life.”
According to a recent survey, 95% of women aged between 15 and early 40s see a doctor once a year, compared to 70% of men in the same age group.
“A lot of men think they’re undefeatable,” Gullota says. “They only come in when a friend drops dead on the golf course and they think, ‘Geez, if it could happen to him, …’”
Then there’s the ostrich approach. “Some men are scared of what might be there and would rather not know,” says Dr. Ross Cartmill.
“Most men get their cars serviced more regularly than they service their bodies,” Cartmill says. He believes most diseases that commonly affect men could be addressed by preventive check-ups.
Regular check-ups for men would inevitably place strain on the public purse, Cartmill says. “But prevention is cheaper in the long run than having to treat the diseases. Besides, the ultimate cost is far greater: it is called premature death.”Why does the author congratulate his male readers at the beginning of the passage?
| A．They are more likely to survive serious diseases today. |
| B．Their average life span has been considerably extended. |
| C．They have lived long enough to read this article. |
| D．They are sure to enjoy a longer and happier life. |
What does the author state is the most important reason men die five years earlier on average than women?
| A．Men drink and smoke much more than women. |
| B．Men don’t seek medical care as often as women. |
| C．Men aren’t as cautious as women in face of danger. |
| D．Men are more likely to suffer from fatal diseases. |
Which of the following best completes the sentence ‘Geez, if it could happen to him, …’ (Line 2, Para.8)?
| A．it could happen to me, too |
| B．I should avoid playing golf |
| C．I should consider myself lucky |
| D．it would be a big misfortune |
What does Dr. Ross Cartmill mean by “the ostrich approach” (Line 1, Para.9)?
| A．A casual attitude towards one’s health conditions. |
| B．A new therapy for certain psychological problems. |
| C．Refusal to get medical treatment for fear of the pain involved. |
| D．Unwillingness to find out about one’s disease because of fear. |
What does Cartmill say about regular check-ups for men?
| A．They may increase public expenses. |
| B．They will save money in the long run. |
| C．They may cause psychological strains on men. |
| D．They will enable men to live as long as women. |
What is the first thing you notice when you walk into a shop? The products displayed at the entrance? Or the soft background music?
But have you ever noticed the smell? Unless it is bad, the answer is likely to be no. But while a shop’s scent may not be outstanding compared with sights and sounds, it is certainly there. And it is proving to be an increasingly powerful tool in encouraging people to purchase.
A brand store has become famous for its distinctive scent which floats through the fairly dark hall and out to the entrance, via scent machines. A smell may be attractive but it may not just be used for freshening air. One sports goods company once reported that when it first introduced scent into stores, customers’ intention to purchase increased by 80 percent.
When it comes to the best shopping streets in Paris, scent is just as important to a brand’s success as the quality of its window displays and goods on sale. This is mainly because shopping is a very different experience to what it used to be.
Some years ago, the focus for brand name shopping was on a few people with sales assistants’ disproving attitude and don’t-touch-what-you-can’t-afford displays. Now the rise of electronic commerce (e-commerce) has opened up famous brands to a wider audience. But while e-shops can use sights and sounds, only bricks-and-mortar shops (实体店) can offer a full experience from the minute customers step through the door to the moment they leave. Another brand store seeks to be much more than a shop, but rather a destination. And scent is just one way to achieve this.
Now, a famous store uses complex man-made smell to make sure that the soft scent of baby powder floats through the kid department, and coconut scent in the swimsuit section. A department store has even opened a new lab, inviting customers on a journey into the store’s windows to smell books, pots and drawers, in search of their perfect scent.According to the passage, what is an increasingly powerful tool in the success of some brand stores?
| A．Friendly assistance. |
| B．Unique scent. |
| C．Soft background music . |
| D．Attractive window display. |
E-shops are mentioned in the passage to ________.
| A．show the advantages of brick-and-mortar stores |
| B．urge shop assistants to change their attitude |
| C．push stores to use sights and sounds |
| D．introduce the rise of e-commerce |
What does the underlined word “destination” in Paragraph 5 mean?
| A．A platform that exhibits goods. |
| B．A spot where travelers like to stay. |
| C．A place where customers love to go. |
| D．A target that a store expects to meet. |
Which statement would the writer agree with?
| A．Put different scents on the products on display. |
| B．Ask every shop assistant to wear light perfume. |
| C．Place fragrant flowers in the shop. |
| D．Expose some coffee bean to air inside a coffee shop. |
The main purpose of the passage is to ________.
| A．compare and evaluate | B．examine and assess |
| C．inform and explain | D．argue and discuss |
Every one of the gymnasts who went to National Qualifiers (国家冠军赛资格赛) showed up with that goal in mind. Everyone gave it their all.
And I hate admitting it, but I was an exception. I did not do my best. Not for the ribbon exercise, nor for the club exercise. Knowing that I could have reached a little further to catch my ribbon, focused a little more so the stick wouldn’t slip through my fingers, tried a little harder to clean up those errors, but I didn’t, still bothers me.
After my disappointing competition, I tried my best to keep my eyes dry. But soon tears burned the edges of my eyes, and as I blinked, the first tear rolled down my cheek. Even though I angrily wiped my tears away before she looked at me, the evidence of my self-pity session presented itself clearly in the form of dirty makeup and reddened eyes.
My mom hated to see me cry, especially because I had no right or reason to. I had messed up--that wasn’t anyone’s fault but mine--and crying wouldn’t help at all. “Why are you crying, Amanda?” she asked, perhaps more pointedly (尖刻地) than intended, but I heard the concern in her voice. Unable to form all the emotions into words, I just looked away and avoided her questions.
“Tell me now why you’re crying.” Her voice this time wasn’t as gentle as it was before; it was filled with frustration and impatience. “Why are you crying?” she whispered again, but this time her voice was shaky and flooded with pain. This was the first time I’d ever seen my mom cry; my mom, who was always so strong and was there to encourage me through the roughest times, was now crying, and I was the reason for it. Finding my voice, I tentatively asked, “Why are you crying?”
She looked at me and answered exactly what I was afraid to hear, “I hate to see you hurting yourself.” So it was my fault. I had put those tears in her eyes. I had filled her with pain, with helplessness and with sadness.
I’ll never forget her pained expression. It forced me to realize how shortsighted and close-minded I’d been. I decided that no matter what happens in the future, I will never lose myself to regret.Why did Amanda feel regretful after the competition?
| A．Because she wasn’t admitted to the club. |
| B．Because she dropped her ribbon suddenly. |
| C．Because she broke the rule of the competition. |
| D．Because she didn’t try her best to compete. |
What did Amanda try to hide on the way back?
| A．Her silent tears. |
| B．The disappointing scores. |
| C．Her dirty makeup. |
| D．The evidence of failure. |
Which words reflect the change of the mother’s emotions?
| A．Painful--impatient—concerned |
| B．Concerned--frustrated--painful |
| C．Satisfied--painful—frustrated |
| D．Frustrated--angry--painful |
What did Amanda determine to do?
| A．Never cry in face of her mom. |
| B．Never compete as a gymnast. |
| C．Never involve herself in self-pity. |
| D．Never make up before games. |
The best title of the passage is probably _________.
| A．My painful experience as a gymnast |
| B．The tears I wiped away for my mother |
| C．The fiercest competition I lost |
| D．The worst thing I ever felt: regret |
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