Hercule Poirot looked over the small gate which gave admission to Pine Crest. It was a modern nicely-built house. It was on a hill top, and the hill top was planted with a few sparse pines. It had a small neat garden and a large elderly man was watering with a big tin.
Spence’s hair was now grey all over. He had not shrunk much in girth（围长）, though. He stopped watering and looked at the visitor at the gate. Hercule Poirot stood there without moving.
“God bless my soul,” said Spence. “It must be. It can’t be but it is. Yes, it must be Hercule Poirot!”
“Aha,” said Poirot, “you remember me. I’m grateful.”
Spence abandoned the watering can and came down to the gate.
“What brings you down here?”
“What has brought me to many places in my time,” said Poirot, “and what once a good many years ago brought you to see me. Murder, Spence.”
“I’m done with murder since I retired,” said Spence, “except in the case of weeds. Killing weeds is never easy as you think, something’s always wrong. How did you know where to find me?” he asked as he opened the gate and Poirot passed through.
“You sent me a Christmas card. It had your new address on it.”
“Ah yes, so I did. I’m old-fashioned, you know, I like to send round cards at Christmas time to a few old friends. I’m an old man now.”
“We both are.”
“Not much grey in your hair,” said Spence.
“I take care of my hair with a bottle,” said Poirot. “There is no need to appear in public with grey hair unless you wish to do so. By the way, why have you come to live in Woodleigh Common?”
“As a matter of fact, I came here to join forces with a sister of mine. She lost her husband, her children are married and living abroad. So I moved in here. Pensions（退休金）don’t go far nowadays, but we do comfortably living together.”From their dialogue, we can learn about _______.
| A．their common friends | B．Spence’s sister’s characters |
| C．their relationship | D．Poirot’s recent life |
Which statement is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Spence used to deal with murder. |
| B．Poirot didn’t care about his appearance. |
| C．Spence moved to join his sister for lack of money. |
| D．Poirot came specially to reunite with his old friend. |
From the passage we can infer that they might _______ next.
| A．meet Spence’s family | B．discuss about a murder |
| C．visit Spence’s new home | D．water the garden together |
Did you know that there are gifts that will multiply your happiness when you give them away? Here are five of those gifts． Giving these gifts will allow you to share with others your most unique treasure: your real self． Each gift will return to you many times．
1． Share appreciation
Tell someone how much you appreciate the faith they've shown in you． Thank them sincerely for being part of your life． Tell them how much they are needed．
Feeling appreciated is one of the most important needs that people have． When you share with someone your appreciation and gratitude, they will not forget you． Appreciation will return to you many times．
2． Share time
Balance your time expenditures （耗费）so you can spend time with the people that you love． Support local organizations by sharing your special talents． Volunteer time for projects that benefit others in your community, country, and world．
When we slow down and observe our thoughts closely, we will sometimes uncover gifts and talents we didn't know we had． Sharing time and talents can result in discoveries that bring happiness beyond measure．
3． Share knowledge and ideas
Tell someone about a great book that you read so they can benefit from it too． Teach a new concept or idea that you've learned．
One of the best ways to strengthen new concepts in your mind is to share them with others． The more often you share what you've learned, the stronger that information will become in your memory． Sharing knowledge also provides solutions to problems． The more knowledge we share, the more knowledge we receive in return．
4． Share friendship
Acknowledge someone's strengths． Let them know that you are willing to be there when they need you． Visit someone you haven't seen for a long time． Telephone friends or relatives who live far away． Introduce two friends who don't know each other．
Bringing one individual into another's life can result in tremendous changes for both people, and for you． We succeed with the help of others． People grow by growing together． If you'd like to have many friends, then share friendship with others generously．
5． Share kindness
Perform a random act of kindness for someone: a smile, compliment, or a favor just for fun． These will multiply and spread very rapidly．
There is a powerful quote by Stephen Jay Gould who said, “The center of human nature is rooted in ten thousand ordinary acts of kindness that define our days．” Kindness is priceless． The love, kindnesses, and value we have given authentically to others will be our remaining treasures at the end of life．
Think about this statement by Norman MacEwan: “Happiness is not so much in having as sharing． We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give．” What is the best title of this passage？
| A．We want to share． | B．Give your presents away． |
| C．We make a life by giving． | D．Don’t be mean to give． |
What can we learn from Stephen Jay Gould’s words？
| A．We all come from a world which is in a harmonious atmosphere． |
| B．Everybody’s deep heart is filled with kindness at first, which decides our present life． |
| C．Kindness is the most important thing in our daily life． |
| D．We need kindness all the time． |
For
those who are living a life on the go, what suggestion will the writer probably give to them?
| A．Tell the people around you how much you love them． |
| B．No one is an isolated island． We succeed with the help of others |
| C．The more knowledge we share, the more knowledge we receive in return． |
| D．Slow down and enjoy the life, which may bring you a brand new world with happiness． |
Where can you probably find this passage?
| A．Magazines | B．Newspapers | C．Guide books | D．Scientific reports |
The old couple who lived in a cottage on the edge of the village were envied for the happiness of their marriage． They never quarreled and were always affectionate to one another． Sadly, after thirty-four years of this happiness, the husband became ill and died．
The wife was overcome with grief． Her children tried to comfort her, but to no avail． Her neighbors tried to comfort her, but with similar lack of success． Weeks and months went by, and still the woman was grieving; tears fell down her cheeks from morning till night．
Then a holy man came to the village． People told him about the woman, and asked him to try to help her． The holy man went to the woman’s house． Dressed in his rough woolen robe, he sat down with the grieving widow and listened, carefully, to her story． When she had spilled out all her sorrow, he reached into one of the deep pockets in his robe, and drew out a tiny, little mustard（芥末） seed． “I think I may have a cure for your grief,” he said． “I want you to go round the people in this region, and look for a family that has no sorrows． When you find this family, give them this little mustard seed, and then come back to me．
The woman set off in search of such a family． She visited every home in the district, and talked to the people． She listened to their stories, just as the holy man had listened to hers． In time, she almost forgot about the mustard seed, because every single family she met was carrying some kind of sorrow．
One day, she happened to meet the holy man again, and he stopped to ask how she was feeling． She was surprised at first, at his question, and then she suddenly remembered the mustard seed, still safely in her purse． “I’m sorry, I haven’t found a family without sorrows yet,” she told him． “But you yourself are cured of your grief,” he smiled． “The mustard seed is a great healer!”What does the underlined word “grieving” mean?
| A．amused | B．sad | C．angry | D．astonished |
What did the holy man ask her to do to end her sorrow?
| A．to go to church for help． |
| B．to live with the family that has no sorrows with the mustard seed． |
| C．to help others so that she can feel the happiness from the bottom of her heart． |
| D．to find a family that is always happy and give them the mustard seed before returning to him． |
How did the woman treat the families she visited?
| A．She was a good listener． |
| B．She helped them to solve the problems they met． |
| C．She gave every family a mustard seed．． |
| D．She told them her unfortunate story． |
Who on the earth heals the woman’s grief?
| A．The mustard seed | B．Her children |
| C．The families in the district | D．She herself |
Beauty has always been regarded as something praiseworthy. Almost everyone thinks attractive people are happier and healthier, have better marriages and have more respectable jobs. Personal advisors give them better advice for finding jobs. Even judges are softer on attractive defendants (被告). But in the executive（主管的）circle, beauty can become a disadvantage.
While attractiveness is a positive factor for a man on his way up the executive ladder, it is harmful to a woman. Handsome male executives were considered having more honesty than plainer men; effort and ability were thought to lead to their success. Attractive female executives were considered to have less honesty than unattractive ones; their success was attributed not to ability but to factors such as luck.
All unattractive women executives were thought to have more honesty and to be more capable than the attractive female executives. Interestingly, though, the rise of the unattractive overnight successes was connected more to personal relationships and less to ability than was that of attractive overnight successes.
Why are attractive women not thought to be able? An attractive woman considered to be more feminine (女性的) has an advantage in traditionally female jobs, but an attractive woman in a traditionally manly position appears to lack the “manly” qualities required.
This is true even in politics. “When the only clue is how he or she looks, people treat men and women differently,” says Anne Bowman, who recently published a study on the effects of attractiveness on political candidates. She asked 125 undergraduates to rank two groups of photographs, one of men and one of women, in order of attractiveness. Then the students were told the photographs were of candidates for political offices. They were asked to rank them again, in the order they would vote for them.
The results showed that attractive males completely defeated unattractive men, but the women who had been ranked most attractive invariably (无例外地) received the fewest votes.In traditioally female jobs, attractiveness ______.
| A．adds to thne female qualities required |
| B．makes women look more honest and capable |
| C．is of primary importance to women |
| D．often enables women to succeed quickly |
Bowman’s experiment shows that when it comes to politics, attractiveness ______.
| A．turns out to be a disadvantage to men |
| B．is more of a disadvantage than an advantage to women |
| C．has as little effect on men as on women |
| D．affects men and women alike |
The author writes this passage to ______.
| A．emphasize the importance of appearance |
| B．give advice to job-seekers who are attractive |
| C．demand equal rights for women |
| D．discuss the negative aspects of being attractive |
A Beautiful Mind
A mathematician who goes mad is not a subject most directors consider commercially attractive, but then Ran Howard isn’t among most directors. Despite an impressive list of credits, A Beautiful Mind is his most successful work to date, combining a psychological drama with a moving love story to produce a film that is as interesting as it is entertaining.
The Oscar winning Russell Crowe has put himself in line for further honors with his acting John Nash, the Nobel Prize winning mathematician troubled by schizophrenia (精神分裂症). A Beautiful Mind pictures Nash as an unusual hero，not just because of his academic achievements but also because of the courage he displays while battling his illness．
In 1947, Nash was one of many great young minds at Princeton. “To find a truly original idea is the only way to distinguish myself,” the proud and determined student declared. His exploration of such an idea afforded him little time for the normal socializing. His shyness and straight forward approach brought him few friends.
After finally hitting on a revolutionary new idea, Nash’s career took off and his reputation as secured. He balanced research work with teaching, which is where he met the bright and beautiful student Alicia (played by Jennifer Connelly). Things in his life were going well when his talent for code breaking brought him to the attention of the military that employed him during the early stage of the cold war with Russia. However, the stress of his work made Nash’s illness develop．
Crowe’s performance is perfect. He and Connelly ignite (make something exciting) the film’s passionate love story and Connelly’s wonderful performance makes the audience moved by Alicia, whose courage, strength and faith in her husband are the primary reasons for his recovery.This passage is most probably ________．
| A．a book review | B．a movie review | C．a movie poster | D．an advertisement |
Which can replace the underlined phrase “hitting on” in the fourth paragraph?
| A．coming up with | B．coming on | C．putting on | D．putting up with |
The following statements are true EXCEPT that _______．
| A．John Nash did not go mad totally |
| B．Ran Howard is an outstanding director |
| C．the stress of the academic work caused Nash’s illness |
| D．Nash’s concentration on his work and his shyness brought him few friends |
We can infer from the text that _______．
| A．John Nash volunteered to serve in the army in spite of his illness |
| B．John Nash gave up his career when troubled by schizophrenia |
| C．Russell Crowe won another Oscar Award after this movie |
| D．without Alicia, John Nash wouldn’t have recovered from his illness |
Reading poems is not exactly an everyday activity for most people. In fact, many people never read a poem once they get out of high school.
It is worth reminding ourselves that this has not always been the case in America. In the nineteenth century, a usual American activity was to sit around the fireplace in the evening and read poems aloud. It is true that there was no television at the time, nor movie theatres, nor World Wide Web, to provide diversion. However, poems were a source of pleasure, of self-education, of connection to other people or to the world beyond one’s own community. Reading them was a social act as well as an individual one, and perhaps even more social than individual. Writing poems to share with friends and relations was, like reading poems by the fireside, another way in which poetry had a place in everyday life.
How did things change? Why are most Americans no longer comfortable with poetry, and why do most people today think that a poem has nothing to tell them and they can do well without poems?
There are, I believe, three culprits (肇事者): poets, teachers and we ourselves. Of these, the least important is the third: the world surrounding the poem has betrayed (背叛) us more than we have betrayed the poem. Early in the twentieth century, poetry in English headed into directions hostile (不利的) to the reading of poetry. Readers decided that poems were not for the fireside or the easy chair at night, that they belonged where other difficult-to-read things belonged.
Poets failed the readers, so did the teachers. They want their students to know something about the craft (技巧) of a poem, and they want their students to see that poems mean something. Yet what usually occurs when teachers push these concerns on their high school students is that young people decide poems are unpleasant crossword puzzles. Reading poems is thought to be a social act in the nineteenth century because _______.
| A．it built a link among people | B．it helped unite a community |
| C．it was a source of self-education | D．it was a source of pleasure |
The underlined word “diversion” in Paragraph 2 most probably means _______.
| A．diversity | B．change | C．amusements | D．happiness |
In the last paragraph, the writer questions _______.
| A．the difficulty in studying poems |
| B．the way poems are taught in school |
| C．students’ wrong ideas about poetry |
| D．the techniques used in writing poems |
According to the passage, what is the main cause of the great gap between readers and poetry?
| A．Poems have become difficult to understand. |
| B．Students are poorly educated in high school. |
| C．TV and the Internet are more attractive than poetry. |
| D．Students are becoming less interested in poetry. |
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