When I was ten my dad helped me buy my first ten-speed bicycle from Allen．I put up $60 of my grass cutting and snow shoveling （铲） money and my dad put up the other half I would pay him back over the next six months．Although it was not in the latest style, it was my ticket to the adult world．
I spent that summer and autumn riding happily．My sister Liz, a prisoner（囚犯，俘虏） of her five-speed bicycle, never had a chance to keep up．Just before the Christmas deadline to pay my dad back, we were hit with several snowstorms．This allowed me to shovel enough driveways （车道） to pay off my debt．I was now officially a bike owner; it was a feeling unlike any other．
On that Christmas morning, my dad gave me a used portable （便携式的） record player．I was excited．However, my joy was short-lived after my dad called my sister to the kitchen．“We have one more gift for you．” he said as he opened the door that led to the garage．There, on the steps, stood a new ten-speed bicycle．
“It’s not fair,” I complained．“I worked so hard for my bike．and it’s not even new．Then Liz gets a new bike．She didn’t have to do anything for it．” My dad smiled．“She didn’t have to do anything for it because it’s not really for her,” he said．What did that mean? I didn’t want her bike．
By spring Liz and I were riding all over town together now that she could keep up．As we grew, Liz and I became true friends．
Still I wasn’t smart enough to figure out what my dad meant until years later．That new bike was not a gift for Liz — it was a gift for me．He’d given me the gift of my sister’s company, the ability to stay together rather than drift apart （逐渐疏远） in the face of my ability to travel．He gave me my best friend．
What do we know about the author’s bike?
| A．It was worth $120． |
| B．Allen bought it for him． |
| C．It was very fashionable． |
| D．He didn’t like it actually． |
Why did the author think he was officially a bike owner?
| A．He had paid off his debt． |
| B．He had learned to ride a bike． |
| C．He could also own Liz’s bike． |
| D．He could sell his bike to Liz． |
Why was the author’s Christmas joy short-lived?
| A．His sister got a new record player． |
| B．His father didn’t care about him． |
| C．The record player wasn’t new． |
| D．His sister got a better gift． |
Hearing his father say “it’s not really for her （Paragraph 4）”, the author probably felt___．
| A．moved | B．satisfied |
| C．puzzled | D．disappointed |
The author finally realized that ________．
| A．the new bike actually belonged to him |
| B．the new bike wasn’t bought by his father |
| C．his father actually gave him a more valuable gift |
| D．his father loved his sister more as a matter of fact |
Last week, President Barack Obama gave a back- to-school speech to students at the Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Students in schools across the country also tuned in to watch the President's speech on TV. He stressed the importance of trying new things, working hard and believing in yourself.
While admitting that times are tough for families across the country, Obama reminded students that hard work now can mean big success later. “Nobody gets to write your destiny(命运）but you,” he said. “Your future is in your hands. Your life is what you make of it. And nothing—absolutely nothing—is beyond your reach."
Obama spoke about his own life, and lessons he learned from his mother, who had to remind him to stay focused on his studies. He told students the recipe (诀窍) for success: “Showing up to school on time. Paying attention in class. Doing your homework. Studying for exams. Staying out of trouble. ”
Obama encouraged students to embrace(欣然接受)what makes them different. “We shouldn't be embarrassed by the things that make us different,” he said. “We should be proud of them.”
He also suggested taking advantage of all of the opportunities at your school, and always being open to trying new things. “Just because you’re not the best at something today doesn't mean you can't be tomorrow,” he said. “Even if you don't think of yourself as a math person or as a science person—you can still excel in those subjects if you're willing to make the effort. And you may find out you have talents you’d never dreamed of.”What does Obama mainly want to tell the students in Paragraph 2?
| A．Some families are experiencing a hard time. |
| B．Different people have different destinies. |
| C．They can create their own future. |
| D．Those who don't study hard will achieve nothing. |
In Paragraph 3, Obama tried to encourage the students by _______.
| A．telling an interesting story |
| B．sharing the secret to success |
| C．telling his own life experience |
| D．referring to some famous people |
Obama suggested the students should _________ .
| A．not study hard for high marks |
| B．accept things that make them different |
| C．do what they are really interested in |
| D．not do things which are difficult for them |
The underlined phrase “excel in” in the last paragraph means “_________”.
| A．be careful with | B．be attracted to |
| C．be interested in | D．be good at |
1. Need a room close to the US
Embassy for a week in early January
I need a room close to the US embassy for a week in early January. My parents are going to the US embassy for visa interview on January 7th. I am looking for a place for them to stay around this date. Hotels are too expensive for them since they have been retired long ago. They speak Chinese only. Rent can be made through Paypal in USD or cash in CNY, if the price is right.
Reply to: house-510574487@craigslist.org
2. House wanted May 17-24
Looking for 5 bedrooms from May 17-24. Can be one large apartment or 2 smaller ones, but they must be close to each other. Please email me at jcshap@sina.com if you have a nice place with air conditioning, high speed Internet.
3. Home swap or share
I have a beautiful 3-bedroom home with pool and spa (桑拿浴池) in Las Vegas, the USA, 10 minutes from the strip (商业街). I am willing to share or swap (交换) my house for yours (home or apartment) during the holiday. I need a place for 2 or 3 people in Shanghai from May 19-25. in exchange, you can have my house for any week either during the holiday, or any other time as long as I have a one-month advance notice to set up for you so you can have my house all to yourselves. If interested, please email me at sdiem@cox.net and I will send photos for my home.
4. Apartment or house wanted May 8-28, 2013
My daughter is working in Shanghai and my family wants to be there to stay with her for some time. We are looking for a 2-3 room apartment or house to rent from May 28 in the Pudong District. Need air conditioning.
Thanks
Reply to: wcondon7@msn.comWhich advertisement pays special attention to housing location and price?
| A．Advertisement One. | B．Advertisement Two. |
| C．Advertisement Three. | D．Advertisement Four. |
The four advertisements all need a place _________.
| A．with access to the Internet | B．for at least seven days |
| C．for at least three people | D．with air conditioning |
If your family leave Shanghai for America for a seven-day trip next month, you will probably contact __________.
| A．house-510574487@craigslist.org | B．jcshap@sina.com |
| C．sdiem@cox.net | D．wcondon7@msn.com |
Which advertisement is looking for a place in a way different from the other three?
| A．Advertisement One. | B．Advertisement Two. |
| C．Advertisement Three. | D．Advertisement Four. |
Most animals have little connection with animals of a different kind, unless they hunt them for food. Sometimes, however, two kinds of animals come together in a partnership(伙伴关系) which does good to both of them. You may have noticed some birds sitting on the back of sheep. This is not because they want a ride, but because they find easy food in the parasites(寄生虫）on sheep. The sheep allow the birds to do so because they remove the cause of discomfort. So although they can manage without each other, they do better together.
Sometimes an animal has a plant partner. The relationship develops until the two partners cannot do without each other. This is so in the corals(珊瑚）of the sea. In their skins they have tiny plants which act as “dustman”, taking some of the waste products from the coral and giving in return oxygen which the animal needs to breathe. If the plants are killed, or are even prevented from light so that they cannot live normally, the corals will die.Some birds like to sit on a sheep because _________.
| A．they can eat its parasites |
| B．they consider the sheep as their shelter |
| C．they enjoy traveling with the sheep |
| D．they find the position most comfortable |
The underlined word “they” in the first paragraph refers to _______.
| A．birds and parasites | B．sheep, birds and parasites |
| C．parasites and sheep | D．birds and sheep |
It can be learnt from the text that the coral depends on the plants for ________.
| A．comfort | B．light | C．oxygen | D．food |
What does the second paragraph mainly discuss?
| A．Some plants depend on each other for food. |
| B．Some animals and plants develop their relationship easily. |
| C．Some animals and plants depend on each other for existence. |
| D．Some animals live better together. |
What’s in name? Well, apparently, our general happiness. Psychologists say that what we are called has a direct connection with our happiness.
Those called Judy and Joshua are the happiest, while Lynn or Ben is likely to be the unhappiest, according to research. Psychologist Dr David Holmes found that this can cause the association(联想) that others make with the name. Hearing the name Judy may make them think of actress Judi Dench or TV presenter Judy Finnigan, and people who are considered good-natured and happy. On the other hand, people think Paulines are unhappy because of the character Pauline Fowler from the TV programme East Enders. The research claims that this association influences the person with the name and so their personality is shaped to fit in. Dr David Holmes said, “This also has some relation with the original meaning of the name, for example, the original meaning of Judy is ‘praised’.”
Certain names also work well in certain aspects of life. In the workplace Richard and Judy are the happiest, while those called Ruth and Carly are the happiest in relationships. At the other end of the scale the unhappiest workers are Stuart and Liz, with the unhappiest in relationships being Frank and Harriet.
Dr Holmes said, “The relation we have with certain names, particularly important namesakes (同名者), also shapes how we see ourselves and so may have an effect on our confidence. Names are like product brands in having a powerful effect on attitudes and should therefore be chosen with care.”
“Other names are connected with being brave, outgoing or serious. Therefore, many celebrities change their names to ones which reflect these characteristic. This, in turn, influences parents when they choose names for their babies,” said Dr Holmes, “while names connected with ordinary people are rarely chosen for their babies.”What’s the main idea of this passage?
| A．How to choose a good name for babies. |
| B．The relation between names and happiness. |
| C．How to have a name connected with celebrities. |
| D．The relation between names and success. |
According to the passage, which of the following names are better?
| A．Joshua and Ben. | B．Pauline and Frank. |
| C．Richard and Stuart. | D．Ruth and Joshua. |
The author may continue the passage with _________.
| A．names and product brands |
| B．famous people’s names |
| C．names and personality |
| D．parents’ choices of baby names |
Which of the following is connected with names according to the passage?
| A．Personality and self-confidence. | B．Self-confidence and position. |
| C．Position and characteristic. | D．Personality and appearance. |
In every school there is a “top” crowd that sets the pace, while the others follow their lead. Let’s say the top crowd decides that it is smart to wear bright red sweaters. Pretty soon everybody is wearing a bright red sweater.
There is nothing wrong with that, except the fact that on some people bright red sweater is extremely unbecoming. The situation can even become dangerous, if the top crowd decides that it is smart to drink or to drive cars at seventy miles an hour. Then the people who follow the lead are endangering their lives. They are like the sheep being led to the butcher.
Now, chances are that you have come across situations like these more than once in your life; chances are that one time or another you probably did something you knew to be wrong. You may have excused yourself by saying, “Gee, the crowd does it.” Well, let the crowd do it, but don’t do it yourself. Learn to say, “No.”
Develop your own standards and your own judgment. If you know the crowd is planning something you disagree to, have the courage to bow out mannerly. You’ll have the satisfaction of standing on your own two feet. Which is the best title for this passage?
| A．Follow the Lead. | B．Top Crowd. |
| C．Being Yourself. | D．Bright Red. |
The author doesn’t think it good wearing red sweaters if ________.
| A．the crowd does it | B．you can’t afford them |
| C．you don’t look good in red | D．the situation isn’t safe |
According to the passage, people who follow the crowd _______.
| A．sometimes do things against their better judgment |
| B．make mistakes blindly |
| C．are willing to put their lives in danger |
| D．will in the end become pace-setters |
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