The other day, my friend Jane was invited to a 40th birthday party. The time printed on the invitation was 7.30pm. Jane went off with her husband, expecting a merry evening of wine, food, and song.
By 9.45, everybody was having great fun, but no food had appeared. Jane and David were restless. Other guests began whispering that they, too, were starving. But no one wanted to leave, just in case some food was about to appear. By 11.00, there was still no food, and everyone was completely off their heads. Jane and David left hungry and angry.
Their experience suggests that the words on the printed invitations need to be made clearer. Everyone reads and understands the invitations differently. Most of us would agree that 6.30-8.30pm means drinks only, go out to dinner afterwards; 8.00pm or 8.30pm means possible dinner, but 9.30pm and any time thereafter means no food, eat beforehand, roll up late.
But this is not always the case. If asked to a students' party at 6.30pm, it is normal for guests not to appear before midnight, if at all, and no one cares. Being the first to arrive-looking eager-is social death. When my mother is asked to a party for 6.30, she likes to be there, if not on time, then no later than seven. My age group（late thirties） falls somewhere between the two, but because we still think we're young, we're probably closer to student-time than grown-up time.
The accepted custom at present is confusing(混乱的), sometimes annoying, and it often means you may go home hungry, but it does lend every party that precious element(成分) of surprise.The underlined words "off their heads" probably mean______.
| A．tired | B．crazy |
| C．curious | D．hopeless |
Jane and David' s story is used to show that______ .
| A．petty-goer8 usually get hungry at parties |
| B．party invitations can be confusing |
| C．people should ask for food at parties |
| D．birthday parties for middle-aged people are dull |
For some young people, arriving on time for a students' party will probably be considered_______.
| A．very difficult |
| B．particularly thoughtful |
| C．friendly and polite |
| D．socially unacceptable |
According to the writer, people in their late thirties_______.
| A．are likely to arrive late for a party |
| B．care little about the party time |
| C．haven' t really grown up yet |
| D．like surprises at parties |
What is the general idea of the text?
| A．It' s safe to arrive late just when food is served. |
| B．It' s wise to eat something before going to a party. |
| C．It' s important to follow social rules of party-going. |
| D．It' s necessary to read invitations carefully. |
Sitting on the peaceful coast of Galapagos Islands. Ecuador, watching the sun move quietly into the sea, you shouldn't forget that Charles Darwin (1809-1882) arrived here in 1835. He stayed on the islands for five weeks, observing various animals. This finally inspired his famous work, On the Origin of Species. You can certainly follow Darwin's footsteps and enjoy a trip from four to seven days to the islands.
The islands are certainly a paradise (天堂) for wildlife, as there are no natural killers on the islands and the number of boats and visitors is under government control. Though you cannot walk freely as Darwin did about 200 years ago, each day is as impressive as it could be.
The most well-known animal of the Galapagos is the giant tortoise (巨型海龟), which can be seen moving slowly around the highlands of Santa Cruz, the second largest island in the archipelago (群岛). Some of these creatures are so old that they might have been seen in their youth by Darwin himself.
Despite strict control over activities and timing, your stay on the Galapagos will be remembered as a chain of incomparable pictures: diving with sea lions that swim and play within inches of you; feeling small sharks touch your feet as you swim; and, most magically, seeing a whale and her baby surface with a great breath of air.
Travelling between the islands and observing the wildlife that so inspired Darwin, you will feel as though you are getting a special view of an untouched world. At night you will sleep on board the ship, leaving the wildlife in complete occupation of the islands, which are as undisturbed now as they have been since the beginning of time.What do we know about Darwin's visit to the islands?
| A．He completed his famous book on the islands |
| B．He was touched by the geography of the islands |
| C．He studied different creatures on the islands |
| D．He was attracted by well-known animals of the islands |
Which of the following plays a role in making the islands "a paradise for wildlife"?
| A．People cannot visit the islands as they wish. |
| B．Animals on the islands feed on grass. |
| C．Local government forbids killing wildlife. |
| D．Tourists are not allowed to touch the animals. |
Your stay on the islands will be most impressive mainly because of _____.
| A．Darwin's inspiring trip |
| B．The beautiful sea views |
| C．a closer view of animals |
| D．various daring activities |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Galapagos as a Paradise for Adventures |
| B．Charles Darwin as a Symbol of Galapagos |
| C．A successful Example of Wildlife Protection |
| D．A Unique Attraction for Wildlife Lovers |
Parties and social gatherings no longer excite us the same way they once did. This is not due to a lack of desire to socialize, but the smartphone.
At parties, more people are on their smartphones than on their drinks. According to a recent International Data Corporation study, well over half of all Americans have a smartphone and reach for it the moment they wake up, keeping it in hand all day. In addition, too much of society is using smartphones while driving and as a result getting into car crashes. 34 percent of teens admit to text while driving, and they confirm that text messaging is their number one driving interruption. People's attachment to their smartphones is unbelievably becoming more important than the lives of themselves and others.
Just as drivers dismiss the importance of focusing while on the road, many people also fail to recognize the significance of human interaction. When with their friends, some people pointlessly check or send text messages in the presence of a friend, which sends a message to that friend: the person I am texting is more important than you. In addition, relying on our smartphone to make friends does not give us the same advantage as being able to make new friendships in the real world. Face-to-face conversations will give us much stronger communication skills in the long run.
As many people risk their lives and the lives of people around them just to send a text or mindlessly check their massages, smartphones are in many ways more dangerous to people. The quality of this technology is de-advancing societal achievements and weakening the value of communication. Not only is the smartphone affecting our desire to interact (交流) face-to-face but it is also lowering society's ability to communicate.The purpose of this text is to ______.
| A．call for an end to use the smartphone while driving |
| B．express concern about the overuse of the smartphone |
| C．appeal to us to pay attention to communication skills |
| D．advise us to be cautious about the addiction to the smartphone |
The second paragraph is developed by ______.
| A．comparing facts |
| B．listing figures |
| C．giving examples |
| D．analyzing the effects |
The author advice us to make new friends ______.
A. by using smartphones
B. in different ways
D. under a free circumstance
D. in a face-to-face wayOver dependence on the smartphone leads to the fact that ______.
| A．parties and gatherings limit their social circle |
| B．people's communication skills are weakened |
| C．people are more and more narrow-minded |
| D．face-to-face communication becomes less important |
There are some very good things about open education. This way of teaching allows the students to grow as people, and to develop their own interests in many subjects. Open education allows students to be responsible for their own education, as they are responsible for what they do in life. Some students do badly in a traditional classroom. The open classroom may allow them to enjoy learning. Some students will be happier in an open education school. They will not have to worry about grades or rules. For students who worry about these things a lot, it is a good idea to be in an open classroom.
But many students will not do well in an open classroom. For some students, there are too few rules. These students will do little in school. They will not make good use of open education. Because open education is so different from traditional education, these students may have a problem getting used to making so many choices. For many students it is important to have some rules in the classroom. They worry about the rules even when there are no rules. Even a few rules will help this kind of students. The last point about open education is that some traditional teachers do not like it. Many teachers do not believe in open education. Teachers who want to have an open classroom may have many problems at their schools.
You now know what open education is. Some of its good points and bad points have been explained. You may have your own opinion about open education. The writer thinks that open education is a good idea, but only in theory. In actual fact, it may not work very well in a real class or school. The writer believes that most students, but of course not all students, want some structure in their classes. They want and need to have rules. In some cases, they must be made to study some subjects. Many students are pleased to find subjects they have to study interesting. They would not study those subjects if they did not have to.Open education allows the students to _______.
| A．develop their own interest |
| B．grow as the educated |
| C．be responsible for their future |
| D．discover subjects outside class |
Which of the following is not mentioned in the text?
| A．Teachers may have problems in open classrooms. |
| B．Many teachers don’t believe in open education. |
| C．The teacher’s feelings and attitude are of importance to the students. |
| D．Some traditional teachers don’t like it. |
Open education may be a good idea for the students who _____.
| A．do well in a traditional classroom |
| B．worry about grades |
| C．enjoy learning |
| D．are responsible for what they do in life. |
Which of the following best summarizes the passage?
| A．The writer thinks that open education is a good idea in practice. |
| B．Open education is better than traditional education. |
| C．Open education is a really complex idea. |
| D．Teachers dislike open education. |
Choose Drinks
On a hot summer day, a soft drink can really take away your thirst. At home, at school, in the park or at the movies--you can find one almost anywhere.
Carbonated
You can see bubbles (泡沫) in these! Of all soft drinks sold, about 75 percent are carbonated(碳酸的). But be careful, carbonated soft drinks have lots of sugar and caffeine(咖啡因). Caffeine is not very good for you in the summer because it takes water out of your body. And the sugar can make you overweight if you drink too much.
Fruit juice
There are different kinds of juice. One kind is made only from fresh fruit. This kind of fruit juice may not taste sweet enough for some people, but it is nutritious(有营养的). Another kind of fruit juice tastes good but has lots of sugar in it. Many young people buy this kind because the advertisements are good. It is bad for your teeth and bones to drink lots of this.
Energy drinks
These kinds of drinks have caffeine and things that make people get excited in them. They are sometimes called “party drinks”. Doctors say that if you drink too much of this kind, you may have a heart attack.
Bottled water
We have lots of different kinds of bottled water, such as mineral water, purified water and distilled water(蒸馏水). They are clean and easy to drink. But it is best not to drink very cold water. It may make your stomach feel bad.
Sports drinks
Most of these have funny names like “Scream(尖叫)” and “G-Vital(激活)”. They have lots of vitamins and minerals in them. After you play sports, you may want to drink one of these.
But if you just spend your summer holiday sitting around watching TV, you won’t need them at all!Which two types of drinks may make you overweight?
| A．Fruit juice and bottled water. |
| B．Energy drinks and sports drinks. |
| C．Carbonated and energy drinks. |
| D．Carbonated and fruit juice. |
Which one may lead to your heart disease?
| A．Carbonated. | B．Energy drinks. |
| C．Fruit juice. | D．Sports drinks |
After sports, you have sports drinks because______.
| A．they can take away your thirst |
| B．they can put back minerals you’ve lost in sweat |
| C．they have funny names that sound very exciting |
| D．they have no sugar |
The writer wrote this passage to______.
| A．make the advertisements for soft drinks |
| B．warn us to keep away from soft drinks |
| C．tell us how to choose a good one from all kinds of drinks |
| D．teach us some useful ways of keeping healthy |
A mother had two daughters. She loved them very much, but two girls would fight with each other from their earliest years. As they grew older, they became total strangers. They had no contact with each other when they were adults.
This caused the mother great pain. Then, later, she had an idea. She decided to write a letter to them. In this letter, she told them how much she loved them, and how she wanted them to love each other in this way. She also gave them news of herself and some guidance on how to live happier lives.
When the letter was ready, she wrote out one copy for each daughter, but these copies were special. Each copy contained only every second sentence of the original letter: the copy for one daughter had only the even (双数的) sentences, and the other daughter’s copy contained only the odd sentences. Neither contained the fullness of the mother’s message.
When the two daughters received their letters, they were puzzled. To understand the half-letter, they would have to put the two letters together and read them as one, which meant they must approach one another again in love and respect. But they each blamed the other for not helping them when trying to read the half-letter.
For a long time, the mother waited in vain. Then one day, when the mother had almost given up hope, there was a knock at the door. There they stood, together. “We’ve come home,” they said at the same time. “We’ve finally put our letters together, and we’ve come to say how much we love you, Mum.” Then she hugged them both, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks, and welcomed them back home.The mother gave her daughters incomplete letters mainly to ______.
| A．mend their relations |
| B．offer them advice |
| C．tell them her news |
| D．win their hearts |
Upon receiving their letters, the two daughters ______.
| A．put the letters together and read them |
| B．blamed her mother for the half-letter |
| C．complained about each other as usual |
| D．understood the mother’s purpose at once |
Why did the two daughters visit their mother at last?
| A．They wanted to apologize. |
| B．They felt grateful for the mother. |
| C．They had put the letters together. |
| D．They missed home very much. |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．A Sincere Apology to Mother |
| B．A Mother’s Endless Love |
| C．Two Special Daughters |
| D．An Unusual Letter |
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