The world is filled with smart, talented, educated and gifted people．We meet them every day. A few days ago, my car was not running well．I pulled it into a garage and the young mechanic had it fixed in just a few minutes．He knew what was wrong by simply listening to the engine．I was amazed．The sad truth is that great talent is not enough．
I am constantly shocked at how little talented people earn. I heard the other day that less than 5 percent of Americans earn more than $100,000 a year. A business consultant who specializes in the medical trade was telling me how many doctors and dentists struggle financially. It was this business consultant who gave me the phrase, “They are one skill away from great wealth．”
There is an old saying that goes, "Job means 'just over broke（破产）"．And unfortunately, I would say that the saying applies to millions of people．Because schools do not think financial intelligence is intelligence, most workers "live within their means"．They work and they pay the bills．Instead I recommend to young people to seek work for what they will learn, more than what they will earn．
When I ask the classes I teach, “How many of you can cook a better hamburger than McDonald's?” almost all the students raise their hands. I then ask, “So if most of you can cook a better hamburger, how come McDonald's makes more money than you?” The answer is obvious: McDonald's is excellent at business systems. The world is filled with talented poor people. They focus on perfecting their skills at building a better hamburger rather than the skills of selling and delivering the hamburger.The author mentions the mechanic in the first paragraph to show that ．
| A．he is just one of the talented people |
| B．he is ready to help others |
| C．he has a sharp sense of hearing |
| D．he knows little about car repairing |
The underlined part in the third paragraph can be best replaced by____ ．
| A．spend more than they can afford |
| B．1ive within what they earn |
| C．1ive in their own circle |
| D．do in their own way |
Why do talented people earn so little according to the author?
| A．They don’t work hard enough． |
| B．They have no specialized skills． |
| C．They don't make full use of their talents． |
| D．They lack financial intelligence． |
The main purpose of the author is to tell us____ ．
| A．how young people can find a satisfactory job |
| B．What schools should teach about finance |
| C．why so many talented people are poor |
| D．how McDonald's makes much money |
Read the following directions on a bottle of medicine：
“Take two tablets(药片)with water, followed by one tablet every eight hours, as required, For maximum night-time and early morning relief, take two tablets at bed - time, Do not take more than six tablets in twenty-four hours.
For children six to twelve years old, give half the amount for a grownup. For children under six years old, ask for your doctor’s advice.
Reduce the amount if nervousness, restlessness, or sleeplessness occurs,”The directions on this medicine bottle clearly warn the patient not to take more than .
| A．twenty-four tablets a day. | B．eight tablets a day. |
| C．six tablets a day. | D．three tablets a day. |
We can infer from the directions that _______.
| A．the medicine could cause some people to feel nervous. |
| B．children may take the same amount that grown-ups take. |
| C．one may not take this medicine before going to bed. |
| D．the medicine is a liquid. |
If one cannot sleep, it is suggested that he _________ .
| A．take two tablets before going to bed. |
| B．take less than two tablets before going to bed. |
| C．stop taking the medicine. |
| D．ask advice of a doctor. |
Obviously the medicine _________ .
| A．may be dangerous to small children. |
| B．cannot be taken by children under twelve years old. |
| C．may be taken by children but not by grown-ups. |
| D．may be taken by grown-ups but not by children. |
What does the underlined word “ restlessness” in the last paragraph mean?
| A．失眠 | B．过敏 | C．心悸 | D．坐立不安 |
[1] Many good reasons for parents to send their children to camps.
[2]When children go to camp, they are on their own, sometimes for the very first time in their lives. They have to decide what to wear, what to eat and which activities to participate in. As a result they develop confidence and independence.
[3]As self-respect develops from learning to be on their own, children continue to try new activities. Also it is possible that they will engage in what they are unfamiliar with. In school, children do not experience success in the same way. Camp can be a school without failure because just having fun makes them a success.
[4]One of the greatest benefits of a camp experience is that children develop social skills. In a camp setting, a good counselor will make sure that every camper is included in the activity and that each child interacts with the others in a positive way. They learn to give and take, and they learn how to work and cooperate. Something as simple as clean-up, is not only there to get the cabin clean, but to promote a team atmosphere of working together which in turn results in friendship.
[5]The obvious benefit of camp is that campers make long lasting friendships. These friendships can often be unique and special because campers are living with each other and see the true personalities. Children learn to see others from a different viewpoint. Children tend to be accepted for who they are and do not have to be concerned about what they wear, what they are good at and how they look. This is because in a camp setting, respect and caring finally win out over materialistic objectives.
[6]In a word, camp does give children fun, friends and fulfillment.What do you think may be the best title for this passage? (No more than 10 words)
____________________________________________________________________________The underlined phrase “on their own” in Paragraph 2 can be replaced by ________.
(No more than one word)
____________________________________________________________________________According to Paragraph 3, what makes camping different from a school?
(No more than 10 words)
____________________________________________________________________________What is the main idea of Paragraph 4? (No more than 10 words)
____________________________________________________________________________According to Paragraph 5, why can camping improve friendship? (No more than 10 words)
____________________________________________________________________________
The slogan “a dog is for life, not just for Christmas” has been going strong for 27 years now. Dogs and cats have been popular Christmas gifts in the gifts in the UK and Europe for many years. But some people still haven’t quite got the message.
The slogan still holds good. Some 105,000 dogs were rounded up by local government last year because they had been abandoned, many of them shortly after the festival season.
The main reason given by owners for handing their dogs over to the Dogs Trust is that the dogs need more attention than they can give; behavioral problems and moving home are also reasons given.
But Eleanor Silk, the Trust’s communications director, says, “It’s often four or five months after Christmas, in early summer, when owners find that the dog has got too big and too active, or it hasn’t been trained properly and has caused damage around the home.”
In any case, some organizations that help pets are quick to point out that if you are serious about getting a puppy(小狗) as a pet, Christmas is not the time to do it. Puppies need to get used to their new surroundings, to be introduced to a routine, and to be looked after like small children. It’s hard to meet any of these needs at Christmas. What’s more, pulling a puppy out of a Christmas stocking in itself sends the wrong message to children. It encourages children to think of the puppy as a toy, rather than a responsibility.
Appreciating what you’re taking on with a dog can be a sobering (清醒的) realization. “For life” means thinking about the effect they’ll have on your life. It also infers you will need to care for the dog for its whole life.What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Dogs and Cats—the Most Popular Christmas Gifts. |
| B．A pet is for Life, Not just for Christmas. |
| C．How to Take Care of Your Pets over Christmas. |
| D．Let’s Help Those Abandoned Pets |
According to the passage, which of the following is NOT a reason for pets to be abandoned?
| A．Pets spread some diseases. |
| B．Pets damage some things in the house. |
| C．The owners can’t take good care of the pets. |
| D．The owners have to move to other places. |
The underlined words “rounded up” in Paragraph 2 mean “________”.
| A．given out as gifts |
| B．thrown away |
| C．gathered into one place |
| D．raised to make money |
The fifth paragraph mainly tells us________.
| A．how to take best care of Christmas pets |
| B．the right time to have a puppy as a pet |
| C．the reasons why Christmas is not the time to get a pet |
| D．the worries about Christmas pets from organizations that help pets |
Why is the author against the idea of putting a dog in the Christmas stocking as a Christmas gift?
| A．Because these dogs can still cause damage. |
| B．Because children will not take dogs seriously. |
| C．Because children don’t like to have dogs as Christmas gifts. |
| D．Because a Christmas stocking is not big enough to put a dog in. |
A 70-year study of personality suggests that pessimism is a risk factor for early death, especially among men.
The study results also indicate that pessimism can be linked to increased risk for sudden death from accidents or violence, according to the report published in the March issue of Psychological Science.
Christopher Peterson of the University of Michigan and his colleagues analyzed data from the Terman Life-Cycle Study, which began by studying California public-school children with high IQs in 1921 and followed them through their life. Most of the 1,528 children were teenagers when the study began. Those still living are now in their 80s. In 1936 and 1940, participants were asked to complete a questionnaire designed to obtain information about difficult life events and their effect on overall outlook. One such question was, “What do you regard as your most serious fault of personality or character?”
Pessimists were defined as fatalistic(宿命论的)people who tend to blame themselves when things go wrong and who believe that one bad event can ruin the rest of their life. They also tend to expect bad things to happen to them and feel that they have little or no ability to change their situation.
Males were more likely than females to be classified as pessimistic. Compared with individuals with a more cheerful and optimistic outlook, pessimists were more likely to die from accidents and violence (including suicide).
A pessimistic personality may lead to poor problem-solving ability, social difficulties and risky decision-making. Taken together, these variables put the pessimist at higher risk of untimely(不适时的) death, say the researchers. Such a person is less likely to avoid or escape potentially dangerous situations, the researchers concluded. “A pessimistic way of thinking in which people worry too much about bad events, predicts untimely death decades later,” according to Peterson.According to the passage, you may be a pessimistic person, if one failure makes you feel________.
| A．other people have been unfair to you. |
| B．other people will help you. |
| C．you cannot change a bad situation. |
| D．you can do better next time. |
According to the passage, pessimists may feel all of the following EXCEPT________
| A．helpless when faced with difficulties. |
| B．cheerful when faced with troubles. |
| C．hopeless when one bad event occurs. |
| D．guilty when things go wrong. |
Which of the following statements is true, according to the passage?
| A．Pessimists believe that everything in life depends on fate. |
| B．There are more pessimists among women than among men. |
| C．Most pessimists will end up committing suicide. |
| D．All pessimists will eventually die from accidents. |
The Terman Life-Cycle Study is a research program that studies________.
| A．people over 70 years old. |
| B．people since their childhood. |
| C．pessimistic people over 80 years old. |
| D．only younger people. |
The analysis made by Christopher Peterson and his colleagues shows that pessimistic people________
| A．will die from violence if they learn to be optimistic. |
| B．will more likely die from violence than optimistic people. |
| C．will die from violence because their IQs are low. |
| D．will die untimely if they are not able to learn to be cheerful and optimistic. |
When I was 13, my bedroom walls were covered with posters of the Monkees and Beatles. I wrote fan letters and daydreamed about meeting the objects of my affections. I begged my parents to attend every rock concert and watch every TV show featuring my favorite celebrities; my friends and I discussed for hours all the things we would say and do when we met our favourite movie stars and pop singers. I drove my mother crazy ! But after a few years, my obsession stars faded as I matured and gained the confidence to socialize with “real” boys.
In the 35 years since I was a teenager, celebrity worship (崇拜) has increased among teens due to the explosion of television celebrity gossip shows, and instant access to celebrity news on the Internet. It’s no wonder that many teens are obsessed with stars when news programs are often filled with entertainment stories and the lives of celebrities.
Celebrity worship syndrome (综合征) is now considered a personality disorder. While it is normal for teenagers to follow the lives of their favorite stars, parents should try to monitor everything their child finds interesting. Parents should take action if they suspect a teen is too obsessed with celebrities and showing little interest in school or withdrawing from the family. When teens talk a lot about celebrities and view them as just means of entertainment, this is considered normal celebrity worship. However, when a teenager is obsessed with a star and often expresses a desire to have a close personal relationship with a celebrity or feels they have a special connection to a star, this may be the time for concern. Recent studies have shown that teens who develop an unhealthy obsession with celebrities often suffer from low self confidence and depression. Teens who are overly obsessed with stars often have damaged relationships with their parents. The first paragraph is intended to tell us________.
| A．parents needn’t worry about celebrity worship |
| B．celebrity worship can cause serious problems |
| C．it’s normal for a teen to have celebrity worship |
| D．celebrity worship only exists among teens |
We can learn from the second paragraph that________.
| A．the media greatly contributes to celebrity worship today |
| B．the author is surprised at celebrity worship |
| C．teens today are not so obsessed with celebrities |
| D．celebrities expose their lives too much |
Parents should become concerned when their children________.
| A．talk a lot about celebrities with others |
| B．put up celebrity posters in their bedrooms |
| C．ask to go to their favourite star’s concert |
| D．desire a close personal relationship with their favorite star |
The last paragraph implies that________.
| A．parents should not care too much about a child’s celebrity worship |
| B．celebrity worship syndrome can be a serious problem if left overlooked |
| C．children can normally get out of celebrity worship when they are older |
| D．children with celebrity worship usually have high opinion of themselves |
What is most likely to be talked about in the paragraph following the passage?
| A．The harm of celebrity worship syndrome. |
| B．More signs of celebrity worship syndrome. |
| C．What to do with children’s celebrity worship syndrome. |
| D．Who will suffer most from celebrity worship syndrome. |
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