One morning a few years ago, Harvard President Neil Rudenstine overslept. For this busy man, it was a sort of alarm: after years of non-stop hard work, he might wear himself out and die an early death.
Only after a week’s leave—— during which he read novels, listened to music and walked with his wife on a beach—— was Rudenstine able to return to work.
In our modern life, we have lost the rhythm between action and rest. Amazingly, within this world there is a universal but silly saying: “I am so busy.”
We say this to one another as if our tireless efforts were a talent by nature and an ability to successfully deal with stress. The busier we are, the more important we seem to ourselves and, we imagine, to others. To be unavailable to our friends and family, and to be unable to find time to relax—— this has become the model of a successful life.
Because we do not rest, we lose our way. We miss the guide telling us where to go, the food providing us with strength, the quiet giving us wisdom.
How have we allowed this to happen? I believe it is this: we have forgotten the Sabbath, the day of the week—— for followers of some religions—— for rest and praying. It is a day when we are not supposed to work, a time when we devote ourselves to enjoying and celebrating what is beautiful. It is a good time to bless our children and loved ones, give thanks, share meals, walk and sleep. It is a time for us to take a rest, to put our work aside, trusting that there are larger forces at work taking care of the world.
Rest is a spiritual and biological need; however, in our strong ambition to be successful and care for our many responsibilities, we may feel terribly guilty when we take time to rest. The Sabbath gives us permission to stop work. In fact, “Remember the Sabbath” is more than simply permission to rest; it is a rule to obey and a principle to follow.The “alarm” in the first paragraph refers to “_______”.
| A．a signal of stress | B．a warning of danger |
| C．a sign of age | D．a spread of disease |
According to Paragraph 4, a successful person is one who is believed to _______.
| A．be able to work without stress |
| B．be more talented than other people |
| C．be more important than anyone else |
| D．be busying working without time to rest |
Some people feel guilty when taking time to rest because they _______.
| A．think that taking a rest means lacking ambitions |
| B．fail to realize that rest is an essential part of life |
| C．fail to realize that religions force them to rest |
| D．think that taking a rest means being lazy. |
What is the main idea of this passage?
| A．We should balance work with rest. |
| B．The Sabbath gives us permission to rest. |
| C．It is silly for anyone to say “I am busy.” |
| D．We should be available to our family and friends. |
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You read the headlines.You know that troubled economic times have put global currency on a rollercoaster(过山车) ride.But millions have found a smarter way to build longterm value with highgrade collectable silver.And right now, those people are lining up to secure some of the last 2012 U．S.Mint Silver Eagles, America's Newest Silver Eagle Dollars. Today, you can graduate to the front of that line.Buy now and you can own these brilliant uncirculated Silver Dollars for only $38.95!
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Our advice? Keep this to yourself.Because the more people who know about this offer, the worse it is for you.Demand for Silver Eagles in 2011 broke records.Experts predict that 2012 Silver Eagles may break them all over again.Due to rapid changes in the price of silver, prices may be higher or lower and are subject to(受……影响) change without notice.Supplies are limited.Call immediately to add these Silver Eagles to your holdings before it's too late.
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14101 Southcross Drive W．， Dept.ASE17704
Burnsville, Minnesota 55337
www.NewYorkMint.comWhat is stressed in the ad?
| A．The coin is of high quality and worth collecting. |
| B．The coin can be circulated as a currency. |
| C．Limited supplies guarantee a stable price of the coin. |
| D．Demand for the coin is bound to break records. |
If you buy six 2012 U．S.Mint Silver Eagles by post, you should pay at least ________.
| A．$230.7 | B．$233.7 | C．$240.7 | D．$243.7 |
The ad strongly encourages people to purchase the silver coins by ________.
| A．shopping online |
| B．making a phone call |
| C．lining up in front of the stores |
| D．writing to the company |
Tattoos and body piercings(穿孔) have moved up on the trend list in recent years.Around Western schools lots of teens are sporting new holes and “flesh ink”(纹身)．As with all other subjects, the Chinese will surely have to deal with this situation with respect to their children.To get a better view of what has happened in the West, let's sit down and hear what they say.
Tiara from Indiana：
I personally think body piercing is sickening.If there were supposed to be holes in your body, you would have been born with them.I do, however, think that ear piercing is not wrong.There is a difference between ear piercing and belly button piercing.Ear piercing is not nearly as dangerous.I would be sick if someone stuck a needle in my belly button.
Lee from Illinois：
Hi! I live in Illinois.I am 23.I have 12 tattoos and three piercings.I love my tattoos and consider myself an art collector.You would be surprised at who has given me the thumbs up on my art work.People on the street stop me to look at the tattoo on my leg.Most of them don't know what it is.They just think the work itself is great.
Subotai from California：
I'm not forbidden of selfexpression, but when I see high school students getting these piercings, I really wonder.In some cases, the drive is deeper and darker than mere fashion.A friend of mine tried piercing her own tongue with a safety pin.It got infected and she had a tongue the size of a cow's.
Jackson from Ohio：
I don't think it is wrong, but when people do it all over the place like their face and everything—I think that's ridiculous.People who get the big “dragons that cover the whole body—I don't think that's necessary.” When I see naked chicks on guys, I think, “You have no respect for women.”Who doesn't think tattoos and piercings except ear piercing are beautiful?
| A．Jackson. | B．Lee. | C．Tiara. | D．Subotai. |
We can conclude that ________.
| A．tattoos and piercings are a new kind of elegant art |
| B．all the teachers in the West are in favour of tattoos and piercings |
| C．everything is changeable as time goes on |
| D．it is necessary to live with different views of beauty |
The best title for this passage is probably ________.
| A．Body Art or Causing Damage |
| B．Doing Damage to the Young People's Bodies |
| C．Young People's Different Curiosities |
| D．The Latest Fashion |
What's going to happen in the future? Will robots take over our planet? Will computers become smarter than us? Not likely. But here are some things that scientists say are most likely to happen 10 to 30 years later from now, according to the BBC.
1．Digital money
We used to pay with cash for everything we bought. Now when we swipe(刷) our bus pass or use a credit card to shop online, money is spent without us even seeing it. In fact, we are already using one type of digital money.
You have to admit that using a card is much easier than searching your pockets for change. It is also safer than carrying a lot of cash.
When ATM cards were first introduced, they were not accepted everywhere. But now it's hard to live without them. People in Sweden completely stopped using cash last year, according to the Associated Press, and the US might be next.
2．Bionic(能力超人的)eye
It's no longer something only in a scifi movie. People who are blind may have a chance to get their sight back—by wearing bionic eyes.
A blind eye can no longer sense light, but a bionic eye can use a camera to “see” the environment and send data directly to the brain.
Although the bionic eye that's out now only allows patients to see lights and unclear shapes, a highresolution(高清晰度的) version could be just a few years away.
3．Selfdriving cars
Everything is going automatic these days—washing machines, ticket selling machines and even cars. Unlike a human driver, a selfdriving car won't get distracted by a phone call, the radio or something outside the window. Sensors and cameras on the car would allow it to stick strictly to the rules of the road and keep a safe distance from other cars. This would greatly reduce the number of road accidents. You could even take a nap while the car drives itself.
Many vehicle companies are now planning selfdriving cars. “By 2040, driverless vehicles will be widely accepted and possibly be the dominant vehicles on the road，” said Jeffrey Miller, professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage, US, in Wired magazine.The underlined word “distracted” in the article is closest in meaning to “________”．
| A．directed | B．discouraged |
| C．attacked | D．disturbed |
Jeffrey Miller's attitude towards selfdriving cars is ________.
| A．optimistic | B．pessimistic |
| C．doubtful | D．cautious |
Which section is the article most likely to be found in the newspaper?
| A．Learning Kit | B．Campus Trends |
| C．Entertainment | D．Technology |
“When your mother scolds you, you can look elsewhere and think about other things. Just ignore her words. But remember: such a tough attitude cannot be used often.”
These words are from a series of cartoons which outline skills for children to fight against their mothers. The images have created heated debate among Chinese netizens.
Regarded as “a book for children aged 6 to 12 who are always scolded by their parents”， the cartoons, drawn by two 10yearold Beijing girls, list over 20 skills which children can use to deal with their mothers' anger such as crying, pretending to be ashamed, fleeing into the toilet and pleasing her afterwards.
Each skill is described with vivid pictures and humorous notes. The creativity of the young girls has amazed netizens, the Yangtse Evening Post reported on Thursday.
According to one of the girls' mothers, her daughter once received a poor mark in an exam, and the mother blamed her and compared her performance with another classmate. The daughter's feelings led to her creating the cartoons.
The girl's father, who first posted the pictures on his Sohu Microblog on Monday, said he hopes parents pay close attention to the pictures, allow children to feel free to develop their own characteristics and try not to criticize them so often.
The father said the cartoons aren't finished yet; his daughter will continue with them when she has time.
“The cartoons, although an individual case, reflect a modern phenomenon and some of the problems within Chinese family education，” said Yu Qinfang, an expert on family education.
According to a survey of 104 children and their parents, Yu discovered that as many as 51.9 percent of primary school students hate being urged to do things by their mothers.
“Not giving children enough time and hurrying them to do things seems to be a very tiny detail within family life, but it is potentially a huge problem which can easily be ignored by parents. A mother's blame may lead to negative feelings within her child's heart，” Yu said. “Parents should learn to blame less and be more patient.”What amazed Chinese netizens according to the text?
| A．The girls' poor marks. |
| B．The girls' skills against their mothers. |
| C．The girls' creativity. |
| D．The girls' tough attitude to their mothers. |
What do we know about the book?
| A．It tells us how to control mothers' feelings. |
| B．It includes a number of vivid pictures and humorous notes. |
| C．It is intended for primary school teachers. |
| D．It is finished by children aged 6 to 12. |
By posting the cartoons on his microblog, the father wanted to ________.
| A．show off his daughter's cleverness |
| B．blame his daughter for drawing these cartoons |
| C．encourage his daughter to make greater progress |
| D．get other parents to draw a lesson from the cartoons |
According to a survey, Yu Qinfang found that primary school pupils ________.
| A．dislike being forced to do things |
| B．like drawing cartoons in class |
| C．seldom do well in exams |
| D．enjoy being compared with others |
We can conclude from the text that ________.
| A．parents often ignore their children's hobbies |
| B．parents often speak highly of their children |
| C．how to develop children's gifts puzzles parents |
| D．how to blame children needs parents' wisdom |
STARBUCKS China yesterday renamed a newlyopened outlet near one of Buddhism's most famous temples after a wave of controversy over what critics called a “cultural invasion”．
The coffee shop in Hangzhou had opened as the Lingyin Temple Starbucks, leading some people to believe it was located inside the renowned temple.
However, the company said in a statement yesterday that the coffee shop was actually in the Lingyin scenic area, about 20 minutes' walk from the temple's entrance.It was said the outlet would now be known as the Lingyin Starbucks.
Wang Shan, deputy director of the Lingyin office of the West Lake Administration in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province, said, “Actually, the coffee house is a long distance from the temple.It is located in the tourist service area on Lingyin Road outside of the temple, as part of the supporting facilities.”
The temple's administration urged the cafe to change its name to make it clear that it was not located inside the temple.
In a heated online debate, critics said the U．S.chain's commercial style would spoil the serenity that an oriental Buddhism temple should embrace.
Supporters, however, said that the talk of an “invasion” was misplaced as the outlet was not inside the temple but on a nearby commercial street where a KFC restaurant and a shopping mall had been open for more than six months.
The incident follows calls in 2009 to stop an earlier “cultural invasion” when the Seattlebased coffee chain had to move its outlet out of Beijing's Forbidden City seven years after it opened.
Critics urged closure of the outlet, which they said was a “humiliation” for a culture exemplified by the ancient buildings.Why did the temple's administration urge the cafe to change its name?
| A．To attract the tourists. |
| B．To tell the public the coffee outlet doesn't lie inside the temple. |
| C．To obey the government. |
| D．To do something to protect the temple. |
Why did the Seattlebased coffee chain have to move its outlet out of Beijing's Forbidden City?
| A．Because the Seattlebased coffee chain was thought as an earlier “cultural invasion”． |
| B．Because it changed Chinese culture. |
| C．Because the Seattlebased coffee chain earned much more money than the temples. |
| D．Because the Seattlebased coffee chain closed the shops by itself. |
What's the best title of this passage?
| A．Coffee shop's new outlet deletes the word “temple”． |
| B．Cultural invasion. |
| C．Starbucks chain invasion. |
| D．Seattlebased coffee chain's invasion. |
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