We all have our ways of marking time. As a photographer, my life is measured from one story to the next. My oldest son was born in the middle of a long story about the Endangered Species Act. My daughter came along with a pack of gray wolves.
Twenty stories later, though, it’s the story in Alaska that I’ll remember best. It was the story about the loss of wilderness — and the story during which my wife Kathy got cancer. That’s the one that made time stand still. I stopped taking pictures on the day when she found that tumor (肿瘤). Cruelly, it was Thanksgiving. By Christmas, she had become very weak. Some days she was so sick she couldn’t watch TV.
Early examination saves time. But ours was not early. By the time you can feel it yourself, it’s often bigger than the doctor want it to be.
Cancer is a thief. It steals time. Our days are already short with worry. Then comes this terrible disease, unfair as storm at harvest time. But cancer also has the power to change us, for good. We learn to simplify, enjoying what we have instead of feeling sorry for what we don’t. Cancer even made me a better father. My work had made me a stranger to my three kids. But now I pay attention to what really matters. This is not a race. This is a new way of life and new way of seeing, all from the cancer.
In the end each of us has so little time. We have less of it than we can possibly imagine. And even though it turns out that Kathy’s cancer has not spread, and her prognosis (诊断) is good, we try to make it all count now, enjoying every part of every day.
I’ve picked up my camera again. I watch the sky, searching for beautiful light. When winter storms come, Kathy and I gather our children and take the time to catch snowflakes (雪花) on our tongues. After all, this is good. This is what we’re living for.As a photographer, the author used to ______.
| A．leave his daughter with a pack of gray wolves |
| B．express his love for his family in a special way |
| C．miss a great many important historical moments |
| D．devote much more to his career than his family |
Why did the author decide to stop taking pictures?
| A．To cure his own disease. |
| B．To spend more time with his wife. |
| C．To seek a better position. |
| D．To leave the wilderness alone. |
What is the biggest change the cancer has brought to the author?
| A．He treasured every bit of time with his family. |
| B．He has become a stranger to his children. |
| C．He takes his work more seriously. |
| D．He focuses more on medical care. |
The author and his family catch snowflakes on their tongues probably because ______.
| A．the snowflakes taste very good |
| B．snowflakes are what they feed on |
| C．they regard that as a way to enjoy life |
| D．there is beautiful light in the snowflakes |
My grandfather came from Hungary and was the only one in his family who settled down in the United States. The rest of his family remained in Europe. When World War I broke out, he seemed to have become another man, downhearted. Such obvious change was not born out of concern for his welfare, but out of fear: if his only son, my uncle, had to go to war, it would be cousin fighting against cousin.
One day in 1918, my Uncle Milton received his draft notice. My grandparents were very upset. But my mother, at the age of 10, felt on top of the world about her soldier brother going off to war. Realizing how he was regarded by his little sister and all of her friends, my 
uncle bought them all service pins, which meant that they had a loved one in the service. All the little girls were delighted.
The moment came when my uncle and the other soldiers, without any training but all in uniforms, boarded the train. The band played and the crowd cheered. Although no one noticed, I’m sure my grandmother had a tear in her eye for the only son. The train slowly pulled out, but not about a thousand yards when it suddenly paused. Everyone stared in wonder as the train slowly returned to the station. There was a dead silence before the doors opened and the men started to step out. Someone shouted, “The war is over!” For a moment, nobody moved, but then the people heard someone bark orders at the soldiers. The men lined up in two lines, walked down the steps, and with the band playing, marched down the street, as returning heroes, to be welcomed home. My mother said it was a great day, but she was just a little disappointed that it didn’t last a tiny bit longer.What the grandfather was most worried about was .
| A．the spread of the world war | B．the safety of his two cousins |
| C．a drop in his living standards | D．his relatives killing each other |
The underlined phrase “draft notice” means “ “
| A．order for army service | B．train ticket for Europe |
| C．letter of rejection | D．note of warning |
What did the “service pins” (in Para.2) stand for in the eyes of the little girls?
| A．Strength. | B．Courage. | C．Victory. | D．Honor. |
Which of the following words can best describe the ending of th
e story?
| A．Disappointing. | B．Unexpected. | C．Uncertain. | D．Inspiring. |
Remembering names is an important social skill．Here are some ways to master it．
Recite and repeat in conversation．
When you hear a person’s name，repeat it．Immediately say it
to yourself several times without moving your lips．You could also repeat the name in a way that does not sound forced or artificial．
Ask the other person to recite and repeat．
You can let other people help you remember their names．After you’ve been introduced to someone，ask that person to spell the name and pronounce it correctly for you．Most people will be pleased by the effort you’re making to learn their names．
Admit you don’t know．
Admitting that you can’t remember someone’s name can actually make people relaxed．Most of them will feel sympathy if you say．“I’m working to remember names better．Yours is right on the tip of my tongue．What is it again?”
Use associations．
Link each person yon meet with one thing you find interesting or unusual．For example，you could make a mental note: "Vicki Cheng -- tall, black hair.” To reinforce (加强) your associations, write them on a small card as soon as possible.
Limit the number of new names you learn at one time.
When meeting a group of people, concentrate on remembering just two or three names. Free yourself from remembering every one. Few of the people in mass introductions expect you to 
remember their names. Another way is to limit yourself to learning just first names. Last names can come later.
Go early.
Consider going early to conferences, parties and classes. Sometimes just a few people show up on time. That's fewer names for you to remember. And as more people arrive, you can hear them being introduced to others -- an automatic rev
iew for you.How will most people feel when you try hard to remember their names?
| A．They will be moved. | B．They will be annoyed. |
| C．They will be delighted. | D．They will be discouraged. |
If you can't remember someone's name, you may __
| A．tell him the truth | B．tell him a white lie |
| C．ask him for pity | D．ask others to help you |
When you meet a group of people, it is better to remember __
| A．all their names | B．a couple of names first |
| C．just their last names | D．as many names as possible |
What does the text mainly tell us?
| A．Tips on an important social skill. | B．Importance of attending parties. |
| C．How to make use of associations. | D．How to recite and repeat names. |
A newly-published study has shown that loneliness can spread from one person to another, like a disease. Researchers used information from the Framingham Study, which began in 1948. The Framingham Study gathers
information about physical and mental health, personal behavior and diet. At first, the study involved about 5,000 people in the American state of Massachusetts. Now, more than 12,000 individuals are taking part.
Information from the Framingham Study showed earlier that happiness can spread from person to person. So can behaviors like littering and the ability to stop smoking.
University of Chicago psychologist John Cacioppo led the recent study. He and other researchers attempted to show how often people felt lonely. They found that the feeling of loneliness spread through social groups.
Having a so
cial connection with a lonely person increased the chances that another individual would feel lonely. In fact, a friend of a lonely person was 52% more likely to develop feelings of loneliness. A friend of that person was 25% more likely. The researchers say this shows that a person could indirectly be affected by someone’s loneliness.
The effect was strongest among friends. Neighbors were the second most affected group. The effect was weaker on husbands and wives, and brothers and sisters. The researchers also found that loneliness spread more easily among women than men.
The New York Times newspaper reports that, on average, people experience feelings of loneliness about 48 days a year. It also found that every additional friend can decrease loneliness by about five percent, or two and a half fewer lonely days.
Loneliness has been linked to health problems like depression and sleeping difficulties. The researchers believe that knowing the causes of loneliness could help in reducing it.
The study suggests that people can take steps to stop the spread of loneliness. They
can do this by helping individuals they know who may be experiencing loneliness. The result can be helpful to the whole social group.What is TRUE about the Framingham Study?
| A．It was only conducted in 1948. |
| B．It involves more than 12,000 participants. |
| C．It was led by John Cacioppo. |
| D．It showed that any behavior could spread. |
Which statement about the spread of loneliness is true?
| A．The spreading effect was the second strongest among friends. |
| B．No spreading effect was found on husbands and wives. |
| C．Women are more likely to be affected than men. |
| D．Brothers are more easily affected than neighbors. |
What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．Actions should be taken to help lonely people. |
| B．People feel lonely for many reasons. |
| C．Ways to fight against loneliness. |
| D．Lonely people can affect others. |
Coming from the Bronx, Jennifer Lopez knew from an early age it would be tough to achieve her dream. In an interview in 2002 she remembered, “I had such a will in me. I had such a passion in me. I could overcome my situation. But a lot of people will get beaten down and be held back by that.” Lopez was not beaten by her situation. She worked hard dancing, singing, and acting in theaters and her hard work paid off with small roles in television and films.
Lopez’s big breakthrough came in 1996 when she played the main role in the movie Selena. For this movie, Lopez got paid $1 million and became the highest paid Latin actress of all time. Since then, she has had starring roles in several successful movies, including Out of Slight(1998) with George Clooney.
Then, Lopez turned her attention toward music. In 1999, she released first album, On the 6. Two songs from the album, “If You Had My Love” and “Waiting for Tonight,” both reached number one on the Billboard music cha
rts. The album sold more than three million copies around the world.
After starring in The Cell (2000), Lopez released her 
second album, J. Lo, in 2001. The album went straight to the top of the Billboard chart. At the same time that her album came out, Lopez’s new movie, The Wedding Planner, opened in theaters. It became the number one movie at the box office. This meant that Lopez was the first entertainer to ever have a number one album and a number one movie at the same time! Like her first album, J. Lo went tripe-platinum.
But her entertainment career was not the only thing Lopez focused on that year. 2001 was also the year Lopez started her own line of clothing, called J.Lo, and she married Cris Judd, a dancer who performed in her videos. The marriage did not last long, and Lopez and Judd divorced nine months later.
In 2002, Lopez starred in the films Enough and Maid in Manhattan. Maid in Manhattan became Lopez’s biggest movie yet, earning $19 million during its first weekend in theaters. Lopez also put her third album, This Is Me… Then, and the single “Jenny from the Block” hit number one for a week. To go with her line of clothing, Lopez introduced her own perfume.
In an interview, Lopez was asked if she planned to do more acting, singing, designing, or something new. She answered, “Yes, yes, yes, and yes! All of those things. I love making music, I love doing movies and all the other things. I think that everyone should do everything that they have a passion for.”What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．Lopez is better at singing than acting. |
| B．Lopez has done many things in her career. |
| C．Lopez grew up in a poor family. |
| D．Lopez has had many problems in her personal life. |
Which of the following was most important in helping her career take off?
| A．acting in the movie Selena | B．getting married to a dancer |
| C．releasing a second album | D．starring with George  Clooney |
Which is NOT true about Lopez?
| A．She has had several number one songs. |
| B．She was a famous singer before she started acting. |
| C．She wants to do other things besides acting and singing. |
| D．She wanted to be an entertainer when she was young. |
“… J. Lo went triple-platinum.” What does this mean about the album?
| A．It was made by an actor or actress. |
| B．It sold more than three million copies. |
| C．It had songs from a movie on it. |
| D．It sold most of its copies outside the United States. |
| Enjoy the sumptuous Easter lunch buffet and children will be given the lovely Easter chocolate eggs. Time：Mar, 28-Mar 30, 1998 11:00 am—3:00 pm Place：lucky corner coffee shop（hotel first floor） Price：150 + 15% service charge half price for children under 12 years old. Reservations：Scitech hotel 65123388-2114 or 2164 |
| Bring your family and friends along to The Palace Hotel this Easter and enjoy the traditional treats of the season. Forget about the calories and enjoy favourite goodies such as Easter eggs, chocolate bunnies and hot cross buns, which will be sold outside.Palm Court Coffee House every day from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm. PALM COURT COFFEE HOUSE Friday, March 28-- lavish fish buffet for lunch and dinner priced at RMB 180 for adults, half price for children. Sunday, March 30--Roast carving buffet priced at RMB 160 for adults, half price for children. ROMA RISTORANTE ITALLANO Sunday, March 30 --Delicious seafood lunch priced at RMB 198 for adults, children under 10 years half price. Youngsters can work off their extra energy in a special supervised play area next to the restaurant. Prices are subject to a 15% surcharge Reservations on 65128899, ext. 7492 for Roma Ristorante: ext. 7561 for Palm Court. |
| March 30th brings a fun-filled Easter entertainment program to the Crazy Sunday Brunch at the Patio Coffee Shop from 11:00 am-3:00 pm! Children under 10 years old accompanying their parents will enjoy this special meal for free and can even win lots of treat prices in the Egg Painting Competition! WE GUARANTEE You A Fun Easter Sunday Please register your children for the contest no later than the March 29th as space is limited. For further information and reservations, please call 64376688 ext, 2873/2865 Lido Holiday Inn Beijing RMB 150.00 + 15% Surcharge |
| Happy Easter March 30 11:00—14:30 Hilton Hotel The Easter Bunny is coming to town! Join him for a special Easter Brunch at the Atrium cafe and enjoy traditional Easter favourites. RMB 195 + 15% surcharge Children under 12 years old free of charge. Surprise gift for the children at the Kid’s Corner. |
The main purpose of the advertisements is to give
information about .
| A．weekend activities | B．a holiday celebrations |
| C．the price for the meals in big hotels | D．Egg Painting Competition |
It can be learned from the advertisements that the children can enjoy themselves most in .
| A．Lido Holiday Inn | B．Palace Hotel | C．Scitech Hotel | D．Hilton Hotel |
If you want to have an Easter meal on March 28, which hotel can you go to?
| A．Scitech Hotel and Lido Holiday Inn | B．The Palace Hotel and Hilton Hotel |
| C．Hilton Hotel and Lido Holiday Inn | D．Scitech Hotel and the Palace Hotel |
If you have Easter Brunch in Hiton Hotel you will pay RMB _________for it.
| A．195 | B．224.25 | C．165.75 | D．97.5 |
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