We spent a day in the country, picking wild flowers. With the car full of flowers we were going home. On our way back my wife noticed a cupboard (柜厨) outside a furniture shop. It was tall and narrow. “Buy it,” my wife said at once. “We’ll carry it home on the roof rack (车顶行李架). I’ve always wanted one like that.”
What could I do? Ten minutes later I was ￡20 poorer; and the cupboard was tied on the roof rack. It was six feet long and eighteen inches square, quite heavy too.
In the gathering darkness I drove slowly. Other drivers seemed unusually polite that evening. The police even stopped traffic to let us through. Carrying furniture was a good idea.
After a time my wife said, “There’s a long line of cars behind. Why don’t they overtake, I wonder?” In fact a police car did overtake. The two officers inside looked at us seriously as they passed. But then, with great kindness, they led us through the rush-hour traffic. The police car stopped at our village church. One of the officers came to me.
“Right, sir,” he said.“Do you need any more help?”
I was a bit puzzled. “Thanks, officer,” I said. “You have been very kind. I live just on the road.”
He was staring at our car, first at the flowers, then at the cupboard. “Well, well,” he said, laughing. “It’s a cupboard you’ve got there! We thought it was something else.”
My wife began to laugh. The truth hit me like a stone between the eyes. I smiled at the officer. “ Yes, it’s a cupboard, but thanks again.”I drove home as fast as I could. In fact the husband _______ the cupboard.
| A．would like very much to buy | B．badly wanted |
| C．would rather not buy | D．was glad to have bought |
Other drivers thought they were _______.
| A．carrying a cupboard to the church |
| B．sending flowers to the church |
| C．carrying nothing but a piece of furniture |
| D．going to attend a funeral(葬礼) at the church |
The police will be more polite to those who are _______.
| A．in great sadness | B．driving in gathering darkness |
| C．driving with wild flowers in the car | D．carrying furniture |
What did the husband think of this matter?
| A．It was very strange. | B．He felt ashamed of it. |
| C．He took great pride in it. | D．He was puzzled at it. |
To win an Oscar is an achievement at any age．To do so at 22，as Jennifer Lawrence has，is just amazing．Recently，the American star won Best Actress at this year’s Academy Awards for her role in the film The Silver Linings Playbook．According to Time magazine’s Richard Corliss，Lawrence is that rare young actress who“lends a mature intelligence to any ro1e”．Though Lawrence has found great success through her big screen work，Lawrence wasn't sure what she really liked doing before the ageof l4．She thought she’d go to college and may be find a career as a doctor or a travel agent．
Lawrence’s two brothers were star athletes and one of them was a straight-A student．Unlike them，she suffered through school，never quite finding where she belonged．However，during a trip to New York，Lawrence suddenly realized that she wanted to be an actress．When she was enjoying the beautiful city，a model seeker asked if he could take her picture，and the next day he called her in for an audition(试镜)．
“I read the script(剧本)and it was the first time I had that feeling like I understand this，”Lawrence said．“Within 20 minutes，in the cab ride from the hotel room，I decided I didn’t want to be a model．In fact， I wanted to be an actress．”Having appreciated this young lady’s performance，the agency was so impressed with her reading that they signed her on the spot．But she insisted on finishing high school so she could give her full attention to her acting career．
Lawrence burst onto the Hollywood scene last year with The Hunger Games，which established her as the highest-grossing(票房最高的)female action hero of all time．Rolling Stone called her “the most talented young actress in America”．
What can we know about Jennifer Lawrence from Paragraph 3？
| A．Her parents were really strict with her． |
| B．She seemed not to fit in with her school days well． |
| C．Her school performance made her today's fame． |
| D．Her two brothers were doing well in all school subjects． |
Lawrence made up her mind to be all actress because of
| A．a model interview |
| B．her brothers’examples |
| C．the taxi-ride to her hotel room |
| D．the beautiful scenery of New York |
From the text we can know that Lawrence is an actress of great ____________．
| A．confidence | B．ambition |
| C．independence | D．talent |
What is the best title of the text?
| A．Choosing Early | B．Acting Wisely |
| C．Winning Young | D．Following Dreams |
There is no denying that for more than a generation college education has been accepted without the slightest doubt. All high school graduates ought to go, says conventional wisdom and statistical evidence, because college will help them earn more money, become “better” people, and learn to be more responsible citizens than those who don’t go.
But college has never been able to work its magic for everyone. And now that close to half our high school graduates are attending, those who don’t fit the pattern are becoming more numerous, and more obvious. College graduates are selling shoes and driving taxis; college students interfere with each other’s experiments and write false letters of recommendation in the fierce competition so as to get admitted into graduate schools. Others find no stimulation (激励) in their studies, and consequently have to drop out, which is often encouraged by college administrators.
Some observers say the fault is with the young people themselves--they are spoiled and they are expecting too much. But that’s a condemnation（谴责）of the students as a whole, and doesn’t explain all campus unhappiness. Others blame the state of the world, and they are partly right. We have been told that young people have to go to college because our economy can’t absorb an army of untrained eighteen-year-olds. But disappointed graduates are learning that it can no longer absorb an army of trained twenty-two-year-olds, either.
Some campus watchers have openly begun to suggest that college may not be the best, the proper, the only place for every young person after the completion of high school. We may have been looking at all those surveys and statistics upside down, it seems, and through the rosy(玫瑰般的) glow of our own remembered college experiences. Perhaps college doesn’t make people intelligent,ambitious, happy,liberal, or quick to learn things—maybe it is just the other way around, and intelligent, ambitious, happy, liberal, quick-learning people are merely the ones who have been attracted to college in the first place. And perhaps all those successful college graduates would have been successful whether they had gone to college or not. This is heresy (异端邪说) to those of us who have been brought up to believe that if a little schooling is good, more has to be much better. But contrary evidence is beginning to come up.According to the first paragraph, ___________________.
| A．people now no longer challenge college education. |
| B．people still have a low opinion of college education. |
| C．the author thinks youngsters should all go to college. |
| D．people have great expectations for college education. |
More young people drop out of college because _________.
| A．they are no longer motivated in their studies. |
| B．they can start selling shoes and driving taxis. |
| C．they compete for admission to graduate schools. |
| D．college administrators encourage them to do so. |
Who does the author think is to blame for campus unhappiness?
| A．young students who are all spoiled and expecting too much. |
| B．our society that can’t offer enough jobs to college graduates. |
| C．our society that has not enough jobs for high school graduates. |
| D．young people as well as our society are to blame for all this. |
Which of the following sentences is TRUE about those surveys and statistics?
| A．They proved wrong as being contradictory to our college experiences. |
| B．They are so convincing that we think of our rosy college experiences. |
| C．They may have been misread because of our rosy college experiences. |
| D．They prove high school graduates are smarter than college gratuates. |
What is the meaning of the underlined sentence in Paragragh 4?
| A．It is a different way | B．It is just the opposite. |
| C．It is the wrong way. | D．There’s no other way. |
What’s the main purpose of this passage?
| A．To inform young people college education is no longer important now. |
| B．To prove college education doesn’t make young people more intelligent. |
| C．To argue against the idea that college is the first choice for all youngsters. |
| D．To tell young people that there’s something wrong with college education. |
From good reading we can get pleasure, companionship, experience, and instruction. A good book may absorb our attention so completely that for the time being we forget our surroundings and even our identity. Reading good books is one of the greatest pleasures in life. It increases our contentment when we are cheerful, and lessens our troubles when we are sad. Whatever may be our main purpose in reading, our contact with good books should never fail to give us enjoyment and satisfaction.
With a good book in our hands we need never be lonely. Whether the characters in it are taken from real life or are purely imaginary, they may become our companions and friends. In the pages of books we can walk with the wise and the good of all lands and all times. The people we meet in books may delight us either because they resemble (相像) human friends whom we hold dear or because they present unfamiliar types whom we are glad to welcome as new acquaintances(熟人). Our human friends sometimes may bore us, but the friends we make in books need never weary us with their company. By turning the page we can dismiss them without any fear of hurting their feelings. While human friends desert us, good books are always ready to give us friendship, sympathy, and encouragement.
Of all the gifts from reading books, the most valuable one is experience. Few of us can travel far from home or have a wide range of experiences, but all of us can lead varied lives through the pages of books. Whether we wish to escape from the seemingly dull realities of daily routines or whether we long to visit some far-off place, a book will help us when nothing else can. To travel by book we need no bank account to pay our way; no airship or ocean liner or stream-lined train to transport us; no passport to enter the land of our heart's desire. Through books we may get the thrill of hazardous adventure without danger. We can climb high mountains, brave the perils (危险) of an Antarctic winter, or cross the scorching sands of the desert, all without hardship. In books we may visit the studios of Hollywood; we may mix with the merry crowds of the Paris boulevards; we may join the picturesque peasants in an Alpine village or the kindly natives on a South Sea island. Indeed, through books the whole world is ours for the asking. The possibilities of our literary experiences are almost unlimited. The beauties of nature, the enjoyment of music, the treasures of art, the triumphs of architecture, the marvels of engineering, are all open to the wonder and enjoyment of those who read.Why do we sometimes forget our surroundings and even our identity while reading?
| A．No one is trying to disturb you there. |
| B．All is so quiet and calm around you. |
| C．The book you read is so fascinating. |
| D．Our life is just far from satisfactory. |
What makes people like their acquaintances in books even more?
| A．They are just like our human friends. |
| B．They are unfamiliar types we like. |
| C．They will never ever abandon us. |
| D．They will never hurt our feelings. |
The word “hazardous” means ______.
| A．“unexpected” | B．“dangerous” |
| C．“imaginary” | D．“unusual” |
“... the whole world is ours for the asking” means that we can____________.
| A．experience the whole world just by reading |
| B．get anywhere in the world only by asking |
| C．make a trip around the world free of charge |
| D．actually possess everything in this world |
What is the most suitable title for this passage?
| A．Reading and traveling | B．Experiencing the world |
| C．Traveling with books | D．Gifts from reading |
With their weakening bodies, advanced age or increasing pressure of work or study, people have been advised and usually persuaded to have health care products. Do you remember your first time to take a nutritional supplement(营养补充品)? What was your first impression?
Posted by Amy, Dec.23, 2010 8∶05 P．M.
Madeline on Dec.24, 2010 7∶25 P．M.
Years ago, as a young mom with two small children, I struggled to keep up with the demands of a busy life. One day, I woke up feeling so tired that I knew something had to change! A friend gave me some Royal Jelly—an amazing substance(物质)from the beehive(蜂房).I was doubtful, but desperate...so I tried it! In time, I began to experience renewed energy like never before! Now, over two decades later, I travel all round the country, sharing my lifechanging experience. I’m grateful for the energy to keep up and love to share this wonderful discovery with others.
Blanca on Dec.25, 2010 7∶02 P．M.
Ten years ago, when I was 73, my mind wanted to be busy and useful, but my body didn’t. I became very tired. That’s when my daughter Madeline tried to persuade me to try her special Royal Jelly. It made great difference in her life, so she was sure it could help me too! Hesitating for 2 days, I gave in. She was right! I no longer felt worn out. I had a new, youthful eagerness for life and I’ve been OK—thanks to Royal Jelly!
Lori on Dec.25, 2010 10∶27 P．M.
When my mom Madeline was introduced to Royal Jelly, it affected my life, too! Mom gave me some of her fantastic Royal Jelly. Boy, things did turn around! I had more energy and vitality and was finally able to keep up with high school and, eventually, college activities. Today, I’m a busy mom in my mid thirties with two active boys and a new business! I have enough energy to do it all! I’m glad I took my Mom’s advice.From the text, we learn that ____________.
| A．Madeline was more than willing to take Royal Jelly at the very beginning |
| B．Royal Jelly is a product that can help renew a person’s energy and vitality |
| C．Amy has benefited from Royal Jelly so she posted a topic about the product |
| D．Lori was grateful because Royal Jelly helped him improve his schoolwork |
Which of the following is TRUE of Blanca?
| A．She replied to the topic on Christmas Eve. |
| B．She tried Royal Jelly without hesitation. |
| C．She was the second one to reply to the topic. |
| D．She’s now supposed to be in her seventies. |
The underlined word “vitality” probably refers to the state of feeling ___.
| A．impressive | B．energetic |
| C．relaxed | D．exhausted |
What’s the relationship between the Royal Jelly takers?
| A．Lori and Blanca are Madeline’s grandchildren. |
| B．Blanca is Lori and Madeline’s great grandmother. |
| C．They have no blood relationship but friendship. |
| D．Madeline is Blanca’s daughter and Lori’s mother. |
Where can we most probably read this text?
| A．In a health club. | B．On an Internet page. |
| C．In a book review. | D．In a health report. |
(NEW YORK) A French tourist highly praised for rescuing a two-year-old girl in Manhattan said he didn’t think twice before diving into the freezing East River.
Tuesday’s Daily News said 29-year who left the spot quickly after the rescue last Saturday.
He lifted the little girl out of the water after she fell off the bank at the South Street Scaport museum. He handed the girl to her father, David Anderson, who had dive in after him.
“I didn’t think at all,” Duret told the Daily News. “It happened very fast. I reacted very fast.”
Duret, an engineer on vacation ,was walking with his girlfriend along the pier(码头)when he saw something falling into the water .He thought it was a doll, but realized it was a child when he approached the river. In an instant, he took off his coat and jumped into the water.
When he reached the girl, she appeared lifeless, he said. Fortunately, when she was out of the water, she opened her eyes.
Anderson said his daughter slipped off the bank when he was adjusting his camera. An ambulance came later for her, said Duret, who was handed dry clothes from cookers. Duret caught a train with his girlfriend shortly after.
The rescue happened on the day before he left for France. Duret said he didn’t realize his tale of heroism he was leaving the next morning.
“I don’t really think I’m a hero,” said Duret. “Anyone would do the same thing.”Why was Duret in New York?
| A．To meet his girlfriend. | B．To work as an engineer. |
| C．To spend his holiday. | D．To visit the Andersons. |
What did Duret do shortly after the ambulance came?
| A．He was interviewed by a newspaper. |
| B．He asked his girlfriend for his dry clothes. |
| C．He went to the hospital in the ambulance. |
| D．He disappeared from the spot quickly. |
Who dived after Duret into the river to save the little girl?
| A．David Anderson | B．A passer-by |
| C．His girlfriend | D．A taxi driver |
When was Duret most probably found to be the very hero?
| A．The day when he was leaving for home. |
| B．Several days after the girl was rescued. |
| C．The first day when he was in New York. |
| D．The same day when he was interviewed. |
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