My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister’s bureau（衣橱）and picked out a wonderful skirt. “Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least 8 or 9 years ago .She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion.” Well, I guess this is the occasion.
He took the skirt from me and put it on the bed. His hands touched the soft material for a moment, then he shut the drawer and turned to me, “Don’t ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you’re alive is a special occasion.”
I’m still thinking about his words, and they’ve changed my attitude to life. I’m spending more time with my family and friends and less time in committee meetings. Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experience to enjoy, not suffer. I’m trying to recognize these moments now and treasure them.
“Someday” and “one of these days” are being lost from my vocabulary. If it’s worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now . I’m not sure what my sister would have done if she had known she wouldn’t have tomorrow.
I think she would have called family members and a few close friends. She might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend her fences for past things. I like to think she would have gone out for a Chinese dinner, her favorite food.
If I knew that my hours were limited, those little things left undone would make me angry. Angry because I put off seeing good friends whom I was going to get in touch with someday. Angry and sorry because I didn’t tell my husband and daughter often enough how much I truly love them.
I’m trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter to our lives. And every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that every day, every minute, and every breath truly, is…a gift from God.What’s the best title for the passage?
| A．Every day is a gift |
| B．My poor sister |
| C．Value friendship every day |
| D．Every day is an important occasion |
Jan bought the wonderful skirt but didn’t wear it, because( )
| A．She wanted to wear it on special occasions |
| B．She kept it as a special gift for someone else |
| C．She saved it until she grew older |
| D．She wanted to keep it as a sweet memory |
Which of the following is not the writer’s attitude to life?
| A．Spending more time staying with family every day. |
| B．Attending social activities as often as possible |
| C．Enjoying life and valuing every day. |
| D．Trying to get along well with friends |
Statistically, air travel is by far the safest way to travel, and you can make flying even safer, just by following these simple rules. As your chances of being involved in an air accident are practically nil (零), many of these tips concern what you should and shouldn't do to make your journey safer when you are airborne (升空的).
Fly on non-stop routes
Most accidents occur during the takeoff, climb, descent and landing phases of a flight, so flying non-stop reduces your exposure to these complex procedures.
Choose larger aircraft.
Although small aircraft have very good safety records, those with more than 30 passenger seats are designed to comply (遵守) with much stricter regulations and are tested more regularly to make sure they still comply. Also, in the unlikely event of a serious accident, larger aircraft provide a better opportunity for passenger survival.
Pay attention to the pre-flight safety briefing
The information may seem repetitious , but it's worth listening to the flight attendants. And even if you've flown before, it doesn't mean you know everything about the aircraft you're on, such as the location of the closest emergency exit.
Store things safely
Never put very heavy articles in the overhead storage bins. They may fall out when someone opens the bin and cause injury. Also, the bin may not be able to hold heavier objects during turbulence (气流).
Keep our seat belt fastened while you are seated
Cabin crew always tell you this, but it's important. You would be seriously injured if the plane hits unexpected turbulence. Always fasten your seat belt if you are told to. The general rule of flying is this: If you are told to do something, do it first and ask questions later.
Let the flight attendant pour your hot drinks
Flight attendants are trained to handle hot drinks like coffee or tea in a crowded aisle on a moving aircraft, so allow them to pour the drink and hand it to you. Never ask to take a coffee pot from one of them.What is the overall reason for these air safety tips?
| A．What to do in the event of a crash. |
| B．How to avoid turbulence. |
| C．How to improve safety while you are flying. |
| D．How to avoid injury. |
The underlined word "those" in the second tip refers to _______.
| A．smaller planes | B．passengers | C．larger aircraft | D．safety records |
The underlined phrase "The general rule" in the fifth tip refers to _______.
| A．anything the flight staff tell you to do |
| B．general safety advice |
| C．walking around the plane |
| D．pouring hot drinks |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Larger planes have more safety checks and are safe in an accident. |
| B．Take-offs are safer on non-stop flights than landings. |
| C．Every aircraft is different, so the safety procedures may be different. |
| D．Seat belts should be worn to protect against turbulence. |
The best title of the passage should be _______.
| A．The Safest Way to Travel | B．Air Safety Tips |
| C．Non-stop Routes | D．How to Fly a Plane |
A few days ago I asked my sons’ governess（女家庭教师）Julia to come into my study. “Be seated, Julia, ” I said, “Let’s settle our accounts. I guess you most likely need some money, but maybe you’re too polite to mention it. Now then, we agreed on thirty dollars a month...”
“Forty.”
“No, thirty. I made a note of it. I always pay our governess thirty. Well, um, you’ve been here two months, so...”
“Two months and five days.”
“Exactly two months. I made a special note of it. That means you have sixty dollars coming to you. Take off nine Sundays... you know you didn’t work with Tom on Sundays, you only took walks. And three holidays... ”Julia was biting her finger nail nervously, her face red, but - not a word.
“Three holidays, therefore take off twelve dollars. Four days Tom was sick and there were no lessons, as you were occupied only with Dick. Three days you had a toothache and my wife gave you permission not to work after lunch. Twelve and seven - nineteen. Take nineteen off ... that leaves. hmm.... forty one dollars. Correct?”
Julia’s left eye reddened with tears welling up. Her chin trembled; she coughed nervously and blew her nose, but-still not a word.
“Around New Year’s Day you broke a teacup and a saucer; take off two dollars. The cup cost more, it was a treasure of the family, but- forget it. When didn’t I take a loss! Then, due to your neglect（疏忽）, Tom climbed a tree and tore his jacket; take away ten. Also due to your carelessness the maid stole Dick’s shoes. You ought to watch everything! You get paid for it. So, that means five more dollars off. The tenth of January I gave ten dollars.”
“You didn’t. ”sobbed Julia.
“But I made a note of it.”
“Well... if you say so.”
“Take twenty seven from forty one -that leaves fourteen.”
Both her eyes were filled with tears. Beads of sweat stood on the thin pretty little nose. Poor girl!
“Only once was I given any money,” she whispered, her voice trembling, “and that was by your wife. Three dollars, nothing more.”
“Really? You see now, and I didn’t know that! Take three from fourteen.. leaves eleven. Here’s your money, my dear. Three, three, three, one and one. Here it is!”
I handed her eleven dollars. She took them and pocketed them.
“Merci（法语: 谢谢）,” she whispered.
I jumped to my feet and started pacing the room. I was overcome with anger. “For what, this - ‘merci’?” I asked.
“For the money.”
“But you know I’ve cheated you - robbed you! I have actually stolen from you! Why this‘merci’?”
“In my other places they didn’t give me anything at all.”
“They didn’t give you anything? No wonder! I played a little joke on you, a cruel lesson, just to teach you... I m going to give you all the eighty dollars! Here they are in the envelope all ready for you... Is it really possible to be so spineless（懦弱）? Why didn’t you protest? Why were you silent? Is it possible in this world to be without teeth and claws（爪）-to be such a fool?”
Embarrassed, she smiled. And I could read her expression,“It is possible.”
I asked her pardon for the cruel lesson and, to her great surprise, gave her the eighty dollars. She murmured her little“merci”several times and went out. I looked after her and thought,“How easy it is to crush the weak in this world!”While talking to Julia, the writer expected from her________.
| A．a protest | B．gratitude | C．obedience | D．an explanation |
What shocked the writer was Julia’s ________.
| A．nervousness in front of her boss |
| B．acceptance of injustice |
| C．shyness when talking about money |
| D．unwillingness to express herself |
The writer said, “Is it possible in this world to be without teeth and claws?” He was actually telling the governess ________.
| A．to be more aggressive | B．to be more careful in her work |
| C．to protect her right | D．to live independently |
At the end of the story, the writer said,“ How easy it is to crush the weak in this world!” to show ________.
| A．his understanding of Julia’s anxiety |
| B．his worry about Julia’s future |
| C．his concern on the living condition of working-class people |
| D．his sympathy for the mental state of those exploited |
From the story, we can tell that Julia’s employer was________.
| A．greedy but honest | B．ill-tempered but warm-hearted |
| C．strict but forgiving | D．none of the above |
techniques , but he admitted there would be difficulties in meeting his goal .
“ For example , if you run out of ink while printing on paper , you will throw that paper away . But you cannot throw half-completed buildings away if your material gets stuck , ” he said . Although the printed house is not available to visit , there is a chance for people in Shanghai to see items printed in 3D.
The Belgium-based company Materialise NV held a 3D printing exhibition in Shanghai that started in late 2012 and ended in the middle of 2013 . The company is eager to show Asia what is possible with 3D printing .
“ All the pieces shown here are what cannot be made through traditional techniques . A good example of this customization is hearing aids . More than 10 million people already use 3D printed hearing aids, all made according to the size of their ears , ” said Wim Michiels , executive vice-president at Materialise NV .
“ You can produce anything whenever and wherever you like . You don’t need to set up production lines for pieces that only need a limited amount of products . Setting up a production line is a lot of work . It takes a long time and is very expensive for a limited number of pieces , ” said Michiels .
Kim Francois , managing director of Materialise China , said their European and American clients have already taken the next step toward additive manufacturing with small series production such as hearing aids .What is mainly talked about in the text ?
A. The development of 3D printing .
B. A 3D printing show in Shanghai .
C. Varieties of items printed in 3D .
D. The company Materialise NV .According to Behrokh Khoshnevis , what is the main difficulty in printing buildings ?
| A．Time . | B．Technique . | C．Space . | D．Material . |
The example of 3D printed hearing aids was mentioned to show that ______________ .
| A．these items used to be impossible to make |
| B．3D printing has a large market share |
| C．3D hearing aids help people hear better |
| D．people need different sized hearing aids |
According to the text , 3D printing is suitable for ___________ .
| A．mass production |
| B．making small items |
| C．small series production |
| D．reducing production costs |
I feel it enormous responsibility, as a mother of two little girls, to lead you down a path that is relatively healthy when it comes to beauty and self-image.
In a lot of women’s eyes I’ve probably already failed in that respect due to the amount of pink princess Barbie (芭比娃娃) mess cluttering up (堆满) Vera’s room. But I will say something about Barbie: I played with that stuff for a solid decade when I was growing up and here I am now at a healthy weight with a healthy outlook on my body and image. I have a successful career. If Barbie was really so damaging to my femininity (女性气质) and self-image I highly doubt I could list all of the accomplishments.
But I get it too. It’s hard for women to maintain a healthy self-image. I have girlfriends around whom I have to brace myself to see, because just being around them makes me self-conscious. I look at old pictures of my mother and wonder why I’ve never been able to be as skinny as she was. And then I have friends who are thinner than their mothers ever were. We women go round and round in circles, holding hands and trying to be one another sometimes. Men like to think we dress and style ourselves for them, but why would we when they hardly notice? I’ve never tried so hard to look good when I know I’m about to meet up with a stylish girlfriend. It’s she who will notice my slimmed-down waist or the thinnest, little bracelet on my arm.
And I have no doubt that the two of you, Veronica and Juliette, will endlessly compare yourselves to each other. You will wonder why one of you got longer legs or shinier hair. The thing I’ll tell you is this: not even the prettiest of us feel settled. The girl you think looks the most perfect in the world is probably the girl who wants to change herself more than anyone else.
Don’t take these on. You are not worthless. You are so full of love and light and you should let it shine through your every second. If someone pushes you down for standing tall then just push yourself back up and stand even taller. And know that the reason they push you down in the first place is just because they’re scared.From the second paragraph, we can infer that the author _____.
| A．regrets buying so much Barbie stuff for her daughters |
| B．thinks loving Barbie makes her not confident about her self-image |
| C．owes her beauty and success to playing with Barbie |
| D．thinks playing with Barbie caused no damage to her beauty and success |
In the third paragraph, the author intends to show that _____.
| A．women tend to be proud of their beautiful friends |
| B．she cares much about her appearance |
| C．she feels proud of her mother’s beauty |
| D．women tend to admire others and compare with each other |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．The author is disappointed that few men take notice of her slim figure. |
| B．The author cares more about looking good before her girlfriends. |
| C．Girls should constantly compare themselves with others to improve their beauty. |
| D．Only the prettiest girl can feel confident about her beauty. |
The author advises her daughters that _____.
| A．they should be cautious not to be pushed down by others |
| B．they should care much about their strong points instead of appearances |
| C．they should try to grow taller than others |
| D．they should care more about others’ opinions |
A month went by in this manner , but a month was all I could bear .
The memory of Marguerite accompanied me wherever I went . I had loved that woman --- still loved her --- too much for her suddenly to mean nothing to me . Whatever feelings I might have for her now , I had to see her again . At once .
…
I knew Marguerite . Meeting me so unexpectedly must have thrown her into a state of great confusion . Probably , she had heard of my departure which had set her mind at rest as to the consequences of our sudden parting . But , seeing me back and coming face to face with me , pale as I was , she had sensed that my return had a purpose , and must have wondered what was going to happen .
If , when I saw her again , Marguerite had been unhappy ; if , in taking my revenge （复仇）, there had also been some way of helping her , then I might well have forgiven her , and would certainly never have dreamed of doing her any harm . But when I saw her again , she was happy , at least on the surface . Another man had ensured her the luxury （奢侈）in which I had been unable to keep her . She brought shame both to my pride and my love ; she was going to have to pay for what I had suffered .
I could not remain indifferent （冷漠）to what she did now . It followed that the thing that would hurt her most would be exactly for me to show indifference . Indifference , therefore , was the feeling which I now needed to pretend , not only in her presence but in the eyes of others .
I tried to put a smile on my face , and I went to call on Prudence with whom Marguerite was staying .
Prudence saw me to the door , and I returned to my apartment with tears of anger in my eyes and thirst for revenge in my heart and thought only of finding a way to make the poor creature suffer .This passage is most probably _______________ of a love story .
| A．the beginning | B．the introduction | C．a summary | D．a chapter |
According to the passage , the hero（男主角）wanted to _____________ .
| A．forgive Marguerite because he found her unhappy |
| B．stop the relationship with Marguerite because he couldn’t keep her in the luxury |
| C．make up the relationship with Marguerite because he still loved her |
| D．give Marguerite sufferings because his pride and his love were hurt |
What kind of feelings did the hero most probably have ?
| A．Indifference and love . |
| B．Indifference and hate . |
| C．Love and hate . |
| D．Hate and sadness . |
What would the author most probably write about next ?
| A．Why he changed his mind suddenly . |
| B．How he made up his relationship with Marguerite . |
| C．How he made Marguerite suffer. |
| D．Why he wanted Marguerite to pay for what he had suffered . |
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