Robert Louis Stevenson was born in Edinburgh in Scotland in 1850. He had to end his college studies because his health was poor. He began to travel, looking for a place that was good for his health. And he wrote about his travels. Inland Voyage(1878) was about journeys by canoe(独木舟) on the rivers and canals of Belgium and France. Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes followed it in next year.
People loved his travel books, and they also found his poems beautiful. In 1879 he travelled to California in a very uncomfortable ship and then by train across the United States to San Francisco. He married in California, but his poor health made him and his wife travel again.
Readers of his travel books and poetry were surprised when Treasure Island came out in 1883. It was not at all like his earlier writing, but both children and grown-ups loved it.
Treasure Island was finished in Switzerland. Stevenson then continued to travel. He loved the islands of the southern Pacific Ocean, and he found that his health was better there. In the end, he and his wife made their home in Samoa. It was there that he wrote Kidnapped(1886), the story of David Balfour and Alan Breck. It was followed (but not immediately) by Catriona, which continues the story of David Belfour and tells of other exciting adventures of David and Alan, and of David’s love for Catriona Drummond. In between the two stories about David Belfour came another surprising book, the “thriller” called The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
Stevenson died in Samoa in 1894, and he is buried there.Which of the following about Stevenson is true?
| A．He lived to be 50. |
| B．He was also a popular poet. |
| C．He was buried in his homeland. |
| D．He quit college because he was poor. |
Stevenson settled in Samoa because ______.
| A．it was very beautiful |
| B．he finished his book Kidnapped there |
| C．he was too old to travel on |
| D．it was good for his health |
In which order did the following books come out?
a. Travels with a Donkey
b. Treasure Island
c. Kidnapped
d. Catriona
e. The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
| A．a, b, c, d, e | B．a, b, c, e, d |
| C．b, c, a, e, d | D．c, a, b, d, e |
The passage is probably taken from ______.
| A．a newspaper |
| B．an advertisement |
| C．a book introduction |
| D．a public speech |
Across Britain, burnt toast will be served to mothers in bed this morning as older sons and daughters rush to deliver their supermarket bunches of flowers. But, according to a new study, we should be placing a higher value on motherhood all year.
Mothers have long known that their home workload was just as heavy as paid work. Now, the new study has shown that if they were paid for their parental labors, they would earn as much as￡172,000 a year.
The study looked at the range of jobs mothers do, as well as the hours they are working, to determine the figure. This would make their yearly income ￡30,000 more than the Prime Minister earns.
By analyzing the numbers, it found the average mother works 119 hours a week, 40 of which would usually be paid at a standard rate and 79 hours as overtime. After questioning 1,000 mothers with children under 18, it found that, on most days, mums started their routine work at 7 am and finished at around 11 pm.
To calculate just how much mothers would earn from that labor, it suggested some of the roles that mums could take on, including housekeeper, part-time lawyer, personal trainer and entertainer. Being a part-time lawyer, at ￡48.98 an hour, would prove to be the most profitable of the “mum jibs”, with psychologist(心理学家) a close second.
It also asked mothers about the challenges they face, with 80 percent making emotional(情感的) demand as the hardest thing about motherhood.
Over a third of mums felt they needed more training and around half said they missed going out with friends.
The study shows mothers matter all year long and not just on Mother’s Day. The emotional, physical and mental energy mothers devote to their children can be never-ending, but children are also sources of great joy and happiness. Investing(投入) in time for parenting and raising relationships is money well spent.
How much would a mother earn a year if working as the Prime Minister?
| A．￡30,000. | B．￡142,000. |
| C．￡172,000. | D．￡202,000. |
The biggest challenge for most mothers is from .
| A．emotional demand | B．low pay for work |
| C．heavy workload | D．lack of training |
What is stressed in the last paragraph?
| A．Mothers’ importance shows in family all year long. |
| B．The sacrifices mothers make are huge but worthwhile. |
| C．Mothers’ devotion to children can hardly be calculated. |
| D．Investing time in parenting would bring a financial return. |
What can we conclude from the study?
| A．Mothers’ working hours should be largely reduced. |
| B．Mothers should balance their time for work and rest. |
| C．Mothers’ labor is of a higher value than it is realized. |
| D．Mothers should be freed from housework for social life. |
In ancient Egypt, a shopkeeper discovered that he could attract customers to his shop simply by making changes to its environment. Modern businesses have been following his lead, with more tactics(策略).
One tactic involves where to display the goods. For example, stores place fruits and vegetables in the first section. They know that customers who buy the healthy food first will feel happy so that they will buy more junk food(垃圾食品) later in their trip. In department stores, the women’s shoe section is generally next to the women’s cosmetics(化妆品) section: while the shop assistant is going back to find the right size shoe, bored customers are likely to wander over and find some cosmetics they might want to try later.
Besides, businesses seek to appeal to customers’ senses. Stores notice that the smell of baked goods encourages shopping, so they make their own bread each morning and then fan the bread smell into the store throughout the day. Music sells goods, too. Researchers in Britain found that when French music was played, sales of French wines went up.
When it comes to the selling of houses, businesses also use highly rewarding tactics. They find that customers make decisions in the first few seconds upon walking in the door, and turn it into a business opportunity. A California builder designed the structure of its houses smartly. When entering the house, the customer would see the Pacific Ocean through the windows, and then the pool through an open stairway leading to the lower level. The instant view of water on both levels helped sell these $10 million houses.Why do stores usually display fruits and vegetables in the first section?
| A．To save customers times. |
| B．To show they are high quality foods. |
| C．To help sell junk food. |
| D．To sell them at discount prices. |
According to Paragraph 3, which of the following encourages customers to buy?
| A．Opening the store early in the morning. |
| B．Displaying British wines next to French ones. |
| C．Inviting customers to play music. |
| D．Filling the store with the smell of fresh bread. |
What is the California builder’s story intended to prove?
| A．The house structure is a key factor customers consider. |
| B．The more costly the house is, the better it sells. |
| C．An ocean view is much to the customers’ taste. |
| D．A good first impression increases sales. |
What is the main purpose of the passage?
| A．To explain how businesses turn people into their customers. |
| B．To introduce how businesses have grown from the past. |
| C．To report researches on customer behavior. |
| D．To show dishonest business practices. |
Metro Pocket Guide
Metrorail(地铁)
Each passenger needs a farecard to enter and go out. Up to two children under ago five may travel free with a paying customer.
Farecard machine are in every station, Bring small bills because there are no change machines in the station and farecard machine only provide up to $ 5 in change.
Get one of unlimited Metrorail rides with a One Day Pass. Buy it from a farecard machine in Metro stations. Use it after 9:30 a. m. until closing on weekdays, and all day on weekends and holidays.
Hours of Service
Open: 5 a. m Mon-Fri 7a. m. Sat—Sun .
Close: midnight Sun—Thurs 3 a.m. Fri.---Sat. nights.
Last train times vary. To avoid missing the last train, please check the last train times posted in the station.
Metrobus
When paying with exact change, the fare is $ 1. 35 . when paying with a smarTrip card, the fare is $1. 25
Fares for the Senior /disabled customers
Senior citizens 65 and older and disabled customers may ride for half the regular fare. On Metrorail and Metrobus, use a senior/disabled farecard or SmarTrip card. For more information about buying senior/disabled farecards, farecard or SmarTrip cards and passes, please visit MetroOpenDoors. com or call 202-637-7000 and 202-637-8000.
Senior citizens and disabled customers can get free guide on how to use proper Metrobus and Metrorail services by calling 202-962-1100
Travel tips （提示）
. Avoid riding during weekday rush periods –before 9:30 a. m. and between 4 and 6 p. m.
. If you lose something on a bus or train or in a station, please call Lost & Found at 202-962-1195.
what should you know about farecard machine?
| A．They start selling tickets at 9:30 a. m. |
| B．They are connected to change machines. |
| C．They offer special service to the elderly. |
| D．They make change for no more than $5. |
At what time does Metrorail stop service on Saturday?
| A．At midnight | B．at 3 a. m. |
| C．at 5 am | D．at 7 p. m. |
What is good about a SmarTrip card?
| A．It is convenient for old people |
| B．It saves money for its users |
| C．it can be bought at any time |
| D．it is sold on the Internet. |
Which number should you call if you lose something on the Metro?
| A．202-962-1195 | B．202-962-1100 |
| C．202-673-7000 | D．202-673-8000 |
“In only six days I lost seven pounds of weight.”
“Two full inches in the first three days!”
These are the kinds of statements used in magazine, newspaper, radio and television ads, promising good shapes and new looks to those who buy the medicine or the device. The promoters of products say they can shape the legs, slim the face, smooth wrinkles, or in some other way add to beauty or desirability.
Often such products are nothing more than money-making things for their promoters. The results they produce are questionable, and some are dangerous to health.
To understand how these products can be legally promoted to the public, it is necessary to understand something of the laws covering their regulation. If the product is a drug, FDA (Food Drug Administration) can require proof under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act that it is safe and effective before it is put on the market. But if the product is a device, FDA has no authority to require premarketing proof of safety or effectiveness. If a product already on the market is a danger to health, FDA can request the producer or distributor to remove it from the market voluntarily, or it can take legal action, including seizure (查封) of the product.
One notable case a few years ago involved an electrical device called the Relaxacisor, which had been sold for reducing the waistline. The Relaxacisor produced electrical shocks to the body through contact pads. FDA took legal action against the distributor to stop the sale of the device on the grounds that was dangerous to health and life.
Obviously, most of the devices on the market have never been the subject of court proceedings (法律诉讼), and new devices appear continually, Before buying, it is up to the consumer to judge the safety or effectiveness of such items.It can be inferred that ads mentioned in the text are_____.
| A．objective | B．costly |
| C．unbelievable | D．illegal |
The Relaxacisor is mentioned as______.
| A．a product which was designed to produce electricity |
| B．a successful advertisement of a beauty product |
| C．an example of a quality beauty product |
| D．a product whose distributor was involved in a legal case |
The author intends to______.
| A．make consumers aware of the promoters’ false promise |
| B．show the weakness of the law on product safety |
| C．give advice on how to keep young and beautiful |
| D．introduce the organization of FDA |
Which of the following is true according to the text?
A. The court is in charge of removing dangerous products.
B. The promoters usually just care about profits.
c. New products are more likely to be questionable.
D. The production of a device must be approved by FDA.
From the first use of the rocket to carry satellites into space to the setting up of space stations, human beings have been putting great effort into space research. And so far, we have achieved many successes. But there are still numerous tasks in front of us and we should not stop trying to progress.
The international space station (ISS) is an important step we should take in space exploration. It is not only helpful but also essential. It provides a proper space environment for many experiments that we have wanted to do for a long time. It is also a base for the observations of the earth and the universe. It could also be an important base for later travel to the moon and Mars. In a word, if we want to explore space more, the first thing we should do is to set up a space station.
As the space station costs a lot of money, it is hard for one country alone to establish one. The USA seems to be the only country that has the ability to build a space station alone，and it has tried to do so, but not very successful. So it aggregated many other countries to work on it together. Though it is still extremely expensive, it is much cheaper than doing it alone. It is really a job that needs everyone’s effort and will benefit everyone.
Led by the U.S. and Russia, the ISS is a joint project between six space agencies involving 16 countries. Called the greatest achievement in human cooperation, the ISS has come to the end of a ten-year’s hard work in construction. China has applied for participation in (taking part in) the project many times. Unfortunately all the applications were rejected, which drove China onto the path of independent development. As the Long March Ⅱ-F/T1 carrier rocket blasted off (leave the ground) and successfully carried the Tiangong-1 into space on September 29, 2011, China takes a big step toward its Space Station Era.
Some West media suggested that the successful launch of Tiangong-1 would disturb the balance of global space power, raising concerns (关注) about “China threat”. China’s space project is not designed for military (军事的) purpose but for developing space technology to explore space resources and make use of them for mankind’s well-being.From Paragraph 2 we learn that ________.
| A．the necessity of building the international space station is not realized now |
| B．many experiments have been done in the international space station |
| C．the international space station is necessary for people to explore space more |
| D．people have traveled to Mars from the international space station |
Which of the following is NOT a reason for countries’ cooperation in building the international space station?
| A．That it is too far away from the earth. |
| B．That it requires a lot of money. |
| C．That it needs everyone’s effort. |
| D．That it will benefit every participating country. |
The underlined word “aggregated” in Paragraph 3 can be replaced by “________”．
| A．united | B．scolded |
| C．allowed | D．forbade |
China wants to build its space station in order to __________.
| A．show that China can build space station alone |
| B．raise international concerns about “China threat” |
| C．make use of space peacefully for mankind’s well-being |
| D．break the balance of global space power |
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