To many Americans，Labor Day(劳动节) marks the end of the summer，a day off from work and school，and one last chance to relax．But Labor Day is much more than just a day off . It represents a very important victory for laborers everywhere．The holiday is a celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers．
More than a century ago workers were forced to deal with harsh conditions．They were paid very little and they often worked 10-to l2-hour days．Men, women and even small children were forced to work even when they were sick．Tired of long hours and dangerous conditions，workers began organizing themselves into labor unions．On top of fighting for higher pay and shorter workdays，they also fought for the rights of children．The workers wanted employers to place limits on the age of their workers so that small children were not overworked or hurt in factories．
A New York City carpenter named Peter McGuire is credited(获得赞誉) for coming up with the idea for Labor Day．In 1872，after working many hours under poor conditions, McGuire rallied 100,000 workers to go on strike．The workers marched through the streets of New York City，demanding a better work environment．McGuire spent a decade fighting for workers’ rights．In 1882，he proposed（提议）the idea to create a special holiday for workers．On Tuesday，September 5，1882, more than 10,000 workers hit the streets of New York City for the first ever Labor Day parade．Two years later the celebration was moved to the first Monday in September．And in 1894，Congress passed a law making Labor Day a national holiday．Americans celebrated the first Labor Day holiday with a parade，picnics and fireworks．
Today，many people hit the road to enjoy the last of their summer vacation．Others enjoy the long weekend with picnics，backyard barbecues or just rest and relaxation．However you spend Labor Day，remember that the holiday is a time to pay tribute (致敬)to the workers who have made America what it is today．What do we know from Paragraph 1?
| A．Americans have more than a day off on Labor Day． |
| B．Many countries in the world celebrate Labor Day． |
| C．Labor Day has a deep meaning for American laborers． |
| D．Labor Day shows the social and economic power of America． |
The underlined word “rallied” in Paragraph 3 can be replaced by“___________”．
| A．persuaded | B．supported | C．warned | D．gathered |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．There were about 100,000 workers in New York City in 1872． |
| B．Labor Day became a national holiday in 1884． |
| C．The idea for Labor Day was first put forward by McGuire in 1872． |
| D．The first ever Labor Day parade was held in 1882． |
According to the author，while spending Labor Day，Americans should feel ___ ．
| A．surprised | B．thankful | C．dissatisfied | D．terrified |
When it comes to President Obama, most of his personal business is already known by the public. Personal information about his children, Malia and Sasha, however, has been kept a little more under wraps.
The New York Times recently released a list of rules that Michelle Obama has mentioned over the years that Malia and Sasha must follow during their time in the White House, as well as in general. See how the first family educates their children:
The girls must write reports about what they’ve seen on their trips, even if it’s not required by their school.
Malia may use her cell phone only on the weekends, and she and her sister cannot watch television or use a computer for anything but homework during the week.
Malia and Sasha have to play two sports: one they choose and one selected by their mother.
Malia must learn to do laundry(洗衣服) before she leaves for college.
The girls have to eat their vegetables, and if they say they are not hungry, they cannot ask for cookies or chips later.
While these might be shocking to some, Michelle said, “They’re not little princess. It’s just basic rules, boundaries, and expectations that we would have normally.”
Michelle also mentions another set of rules:
The girls must do their chores(家务), though the White House has a large staff. Malia and Sasha have chores of their own.
They must play a team sport, because it’s about learning how to play on a team, how to lose and how to win gracefully.
…
It sounds like Michelle and Barack want the best for their kids and to make them as well-rounded as possible. What are your thoughts on the Obama family rules? What’s the passage mainly about?
| A．The first family daily life. | B．The first family rules. |
| C．How to be good parents. | D．How to be good students. |
What do the underlined words “under wraps” probably mean?
| A．Attractive. | B．Calm. | C．Secret. | D．Public |
What has to be followed after the girls’ every trip?
| A．Emails. | B．Photos. | C．Homework. | D．Reports. |
Which of the following is the exception for the girls?
| A．To use cell phone freely. | B．To play two sports. |
| C．To learn to do laundry. | D．To eat their vegetables. |
Which of the following is NOT True according to the passage?
| A．The girls have to obey the rules only when they live in the White House. |
| B．The girls must do their chores though there might be lots of help around. |
| C．The girls must play a team sport to gain team spirit by working together. |
| D．The parents want to make the girls grow healthily as common children. |
根据短文内容,从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项.选项中有两项为多余选项.
We are all called upon to make a speech at some point in life, but most of us don’t do a very good job. 1
So, you have to give a speech and you are terrified. You get nervous, you forget what you want to say, you stumble over words, you talk too long, and you bore your audience. Later you think, “Thank Goodness, it’s over. I’m just not good at public speaking. I hope I never have to do that again.”
Cheer up! 2 Here are some simple steps to take the pain out of speech making. Ask yourself the purpose of your speech. What is the occasion? Why are you speaking? Then, gather as many facts as you can on your subject. Spend plenty of your time doing your research. Then spend plenty of your time organizing your material so that your speech is clear and easy to follow. Use as many examples as possible, and use pictures, charts, and graphs if they help you make your points more clearly. 3 Don’t talk over their heads, and don’t talk down to them. Treat your audience with respect. They will appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Just remember: Be prepared. Know your subject, your audience, and the occasion. Be brief. 4 And be yourself. Let your personality come through so that you make person-to-person contact with your audience.
If you follow these simple steps, you will see that you don’t have to be afraid of public speaking. In fact, you may find the experience so enjoyable that you volunteer to make more speeches! You’re not convinced yet? 5
| A．It doesn’t to be that bad. |
| B．Take several deep breaths before your speech. |
| C．This article gives some advice on how to give good speech. |
| D．Say what you have to say and then stop. |
E. Don’t say what you aren’t familiar with.
F. Never forget your audience.
G. Give it a try and see what happens.
Freda Bright says, "Only in opera do people die of love." It's true. You really can't love somebody to death. I've known people to die from no love, but I've never known anyone to be loved to death. We just can't love one another enough.
A heart-warming story tells of a woman who finally decided to ask her boss for a raise in salary. All day she felt nervous and late in the afternoon she summoned the courage to approach her employer. To her delight, the boss agreed to a raise.
The woman arrived home that evening to a beautiful table set with their best dishes. Candles were softly glowing. Her husband had come home early and prepared a festive meal. She wondered if someone from the office had tipped him off, or... did he just somehow know that she would not get turned down?
She found him in the kitchen and told him the good news. They embraced and kissed, then sat down to the wonderful meal. Next to her plate the woman found a beautifully lettered note. It read: "Congratulations, darling! I knew you'd get the raise! These things will tell you how much I love you."
Following the supper, her husband went into the kitchen to clean up. She noticed that a second card had fallen from his pocket. Picking it off the floor, she read: "Don't worry about not getting the raise! You deserve it anyway! These things will tell you how much I love you."
Someone has said that the measure of love is when you love without measure. What this man feels for his wife is total acceptance and love, whether she succeeds or fails. His love celebrates her victories and soothes her wounds. He stands with her, no matter what life throws in their direction.
Upon receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, Mother Teresa said: "What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family." And love your friends. Love them without measure.The sentence in the first paragraph “Only in opera do people die of love.” means _______.
| A．no love in the world is believable |
| B．love is one thing, and life is another |
| C．love in operas is truly touching |
| D．love can survive forever, though people die at different ages |
That the husband prepared her a second letter about her raise suggests that______.
| A．he loves her because he believes that she is sure to receive a raise |
| B．he has a great way to promote his wife’s love towards him |
| C．he had a false love for people even if the person is his wife |
| D．he loves his family members truly, whether they are in good conditions or not |
From the text, we might say the author_____.
| A．refuses any spiritual emotions as embraced and kissed |
| B．criticize the attitude of suspicion (怀疑) of the love |
| C．doesn’t believe there is true love in the world |
| D．thinks the true love does not expect repayment |
Most of us fear getting up and speaking in public. Many people don’t like to go gathering where they don’t know anyone, but while most of us soldier on (迎难而上), those with social anxiety disorder are often stopped by the terror and worry.
Research shows that around fifteen million Americans suffer from social anxiety disorder. People in this condition feel that they are always being watched. Even though they know these fears are unreasonable, they cannot overcome their fears on their own.
Social anxiety disorder sufferers are often misdiagnosed with conditions such as schizophrenia (精神分裂症) and personality disorder. Many feel lonely, and are unsure whether anyone else can understand their thoughts and emotions. This can lead to withdrawal from most social situations, even to being unable to hold employment.
Those who suffer from social anxiety disorder are often dismissed(辞退)as being shy. This is simply not the case; shyness is not even a symptom of social anxiety disorder. The majority of sufferers find their symptoms linked to specific situations, rather than all types of social interactions.
An important step in overcoming social anxiety disorder is seeking out a therapist who specializes in training this type of disorder. Group treatment has been shown to be especially effective. Medication also help reduce the symptoms, but it should not be used as a replacement for psychotherapy (心理疗法).
On your own, you can help reduce the symptoms by taking deep breaths and practising medication or prayer. Alcohol and nicotine should be avoided, as both can cause panic attacks. Exercises can relieve the symptoms, because it burns up the chemicals in your body that cause stress.
Patients with social anxiety disorder______.
| A．are shy in all situations |
| B．feel they don’t understand themselves |
| C．are anxious and terrified while speaking in public |
| D．feel it is unreasonable to be watched by others |
We know from the passage that_____.
| A．most people will try to fight against social anxiety disorder |
| B．shyness is the main symptom of social anxiety disorder |
| C．people who feel lonely are often misdiagnosed with social anxiety disorder |
| D．psychotherapy is very important in treating social anxiety disorder |
According to the passage, if Jack suffers from social anxiety disorder, he should_____.
| A．burn up some unsafe chemicals |
| B．ask for help from a doctor |
| C．practise speaking in public |
| D．resign from his present job |
We are most likely to find this passage in_______.
| A．American Culture | B．Cross Country |
C．Family Doctor | D．English Nature |
My bookshelves are full of dust — and with good reason. When it comes to cleaning that part of my home, I suffer from the most serious case of avoidance (回避反应症).
The thing is this: when I do set out to clean and re-organize my books, which seldom happens, I place myself into a really bad situation. No sooner do I take a title from the shelf, blow off the dust, and wipe down the cover than I find myself sitting on the floor with legs crossed and my back against the wall. Pretty soon books get piled up on my legs as I am reunited with old friends.
It is as if these books have voices, and each wants to say its piece. “Remember me? I was given to you when you went into the Navy, so that you would never lack for companionship,” one whispers. Another says, “I was your first book of poems, given to you before you learned to love poetry.” And a third, “I was the book that made history so attractive to you.”
Perhaps the greatest pleasure of re-organizing my books are the surprises — or better said, reunions — that occur. During my latest book-cleaning adventure, I found one that had fallen behind the shelf: “Tales of Edgar Allan Poe.” Not an unusual title, but the words written on the first page made it very special: “With Love from Mom and Dad, Christmas 1965.” What’s this? A book on the physics of lasers（激光）. It is filled with mathematical statements, and I had bought it at a library sale when I was 12, not long after the laser had been invented. I couldn’t understand a bit of it, but I did learn what “laser” meant.
What I end up with when I empty my bookshelves is a cross-section (横剖面) of my personal history. It’s like a road cut where one sees all the layers of rock going back through time to the beginning of the simplest life forms. The books I’ve read — and kept — are not just old friends. They are my résumé.What could be said about the author?
| A．He is too busy to tidy up his bookshelves. |
| B．He considers his books treasured possessions. |
| C．He has made a lot of notes in his books. |
| D．He is a lover of science books. |
By saying that his books have voices, the author means ________ .
| A．they bring back happy memories |
| B．they are recorded in human voice |
| C．they say a lot about human history |
| D．they offer good topics for discussion |
What does the author enjoy most from re-organizing his books?
| A．Finding some missing books. |
| B．Putting books in good order. |
| C．Learning something new from the books. |
| D．Rediscovering interesting stories behind some books. |
The underlined word “résumé” in the last paragraph probably means ______.
| A．personal history | B．precious notes | C．good companion | D．simple life forms |
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