Dogs Don't Tell Jokes - By Louis Sachar Twelve-year-old Gary Boone knows he was born to be a comedian. He never stops joking, regardless of the fact that nobody laughs much and his classmates think he is stupid. Therefore he had no real friends at school. Due to being laughed at by his classmates, Gary Boone thought winning the school talent show would be his dream of proving himself to be a real comedian, but on the big night his dream went wrong with funny results. |
Winners Never Quit - By Mia Hamm Mia Hamm, American soccer champion, tells a true-to-life inspiring story of learning that winning and losing aren't as important as being part of a team. More than anyone, soccer superstar Mia Hamm knows the value of teamwork. She shares this lesson, paired with energetic pictures by Carol Thompson, and this story is perfect for soccer kids and their soccer moms. |
Shack let on s Incredible Voyage - By Alfred Lansing The astonishing adventure of polar explorer Ernest Shackleton's survival for over a year on the ice-bound Antarctic seas, as Time t magazine put it, "defined heroism". To write the authoritative story, Lansing consulted with ten of the surviving members and gained access to diaries and personal accounts by eight others. The book has a first-hand account, expanded with maps and illustrations especially for this edition. |
The Alchemist - By Paulo Coelho The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho, continues to change the lives of its readers forever. It tells the magical story of Santiago, an Andulusian shepherd-boy (牧童) who desires to travel in search of treasure. The story of the treasures Santiago finds along the way teaches us about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts and above all, following our dreams. |
From Shackletoris Incredible Voyage, we know the main character ______.
| A．is a writer for Time magazine |
| B．is a survival of one polar exploration |
| C．has left a lot of diaries and accounts |
| D．has formed a close friendship with Alfred Lansing |
If you want to know more about teamwork, you can read ______.
| A．Dogs Don't Tell Jokes | B．Shackletoris Incredible Voyage |
| C．Winners Never Quit | D．The Alchemist |
What do we know about The Alchemist?
| A．It has an everlasting influence on its readers. |
| B．It gives people magical power over their dreams. |
| C．It tells a story of how to find treasures. |
| D．It is mainly about the wisdom of listening to others. |
History is rich with 'eureka' moments: scientists from Archimedes to Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein are said to have had flashes of inspiration while thinking about other things. But the mechanisms(机理) behind this psychological phenomenon have remained unclear. A study now suggests that simply taking a break does not bring on inspiration — rather, creativity is fostered by tasks that allow the mind to wander.
The discovery was made by a team led by Benjamin Baird and Jonathan Schooler, psychologists at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The researchers presented 145 undergraduate students with two 'unusual uses' tasks that gave them two minutes to list as many uses as possible for everyday objects such as toothpicks, clothes hangers and bricks.
After the two minutes were over, participants were given a 12-minute break, during which they rested, undertook a demanding memory activity that required their full attention or engaged in an undemanding reaction-time activity known to elicit mind-wandering. A fourth group of students had no break. All participants were then given four unusual-uses tasks, including the two that they had completed earlier.
Those students who had done the undemanding activity performed an average of 41% better at the repeated tasks the second time they tried them. By contrast, students in the other three groups showed no improvement.
“We’ve traditionally found that rapid-eye-movement sleep grants creative insight. That allowing the mind to wander does the same is absolutely fascinating. I think they are on to something really interesting here, ” says Sara Mednick, a psychologist at the University of California, Riverside.
Participants who engaged in the undemanding task did not do any better than others on unusual-uses tasks that they encountered for the first time in the second round. “The implication (暗示) is that mind-wandering was only helpful for problems that were already being mentally chewed on. It didn’t seem to lead to a general increase in creative problem-solving ability, ” says Baird.
As well as revealing that breaks on their own do not encourage creative thinking, Baird’s work suggests an explanation for one of psychology’s great mysteries: why we zone out.
From an evolutionary perspective, mind-wandering seems totally counterproductive and has been viewed as dysfunctional because it compromises people’s performance in physical activities. However, Baird’s work shows that allowing the brain to enter this state when it is considering complex problems can have real benefits. Zoning out may have aided humans when survival depended on creative solutions.The “eureka” moments in history actually refer to some_________.
| A．sudden inspirations | B．necessary discoveries |
| C．great achievements | D．unexpected results |
Inspiration or creativity, according to this passage, comes about when _________.
| A．your mind is in an “unusual uses” task |
| B．your mind loses itself and hangs about |
| C．you’ve had a break after hard mind work |
| D．you’ve thought about something for long |
The word “zone out”in italics is the nearest in meaning to _________.
| A．dream while sleeping | B．die away in a secret way |
| C．get the solution suddenly | D．be unable to think clearly |
What do the fifth and sixth paragraphs want to state?
| A．Rapid-eye-movement sleep is a high-quality sleep with a creative mind. |
| B．Regular mind-wandering will lead to creative problem-solving ability. |
| C．People who engage in undemanding tasks cannot do unusual-uses tasks well. |
| D．Only those who’ve been thinking about a thing can come across the solution. |
It is the women who have only themselves to blame though they are mercilessly exploited (剥削) year after year. Because they tremble at the thought of being seem in public in clothes that are out of fashion, they are always taken advantage of by the designers and the big stores. Clothes which have been worn only a few times have to be put aside because of the change of fashion. When you come to think of it, only a woman is capable of standing in front of a wardrobe packed full of clothes and announcing sadly that she has nothing to wear.
Changing fashions are nothing more than the intentional creation of waste. Many women spend vast sums of money each year to replace clothes that have hardly been worn. Women who cannot afford to throw away clothing in this way, waste hours of their time altering the dresses they have. Skirts are lengthened or shortened; neck-lines are lowered or raised, and so on.
No one can claim that the fashion industry contributes anything really important to society. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with vital things like warmth, comfort and durability (耐用). They are only interested in outward appearance and they take advantage of the fact that women will put up with any amount of discomfort, as long as they look right. There can hardly be a man who hasn't at some time in his life smiled at the sight of a woman shaking in a thin dress on a winter day, or delicately picking her way through deep snow in high-heeled shoes.
When comparing men and women in the matter of fashion, the conclusions to be drawn are obvious. Do the constantly changing fashions of women's clothes, one wonders, reflect basic qualities of inconstancy and instability? Men are too clever to let themselves be cheated by fashion designers. Do their unchanging styles of dress reflect basic qualities of stability and reliability? That is for you to decide.Designers and big stores always make money _____.
A. by mercilessly exploiting women workers in the clothing industry
B . by constantly changing the fashions in women's clothing
C . because they are capable of predicting new fashions
D . because they attach great importance to quality in women's clothingThe writer would be less critical if fashion designers placed more stress on the ______ of clothing.
| A．cost | B．appearance | C．suitability | D．comfort |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE? ______________
A . The constant changes in women's clothing reflect their strength of character.
B . New fashions in clothing are created for the commercial exploitation of women.
C . The fashion industry makes an important contribution to society.
D . Fashion designs should not be encouraged since they are only welcomed by women.By saying "the conclusion to be drawn are obvious" (Para 4, Line 1-2), the writer means that ____________.
A. men are more stable and reliable in character
B. men are also exploited greatly by fashion designers
C .women's inconstancy in their choice of clothing is often laughed at
D .women are better able to put up with discomfort
Have you ever noticed the colour of the water in a river or stream after a heavy rainfall? What do you think caused this change in colour? It is soil that has been washed into the river from the riverbank or from the nearby fields.
Components of Soil
Soil is made up of a number of layers, each having its own distinctive colour and texture. The upper layer is known as the litter. It acts like a blanket，limiting temperature changes and reducing water loss. The topsoil layer is made up of small particles of rock mixed with rotten plant and animal matter called humus (腐殖质), which is black and gives the topsoil its dark colour. This layer is usually rich in nutrients, oxygen, and water. Below the topsoil is the subsoil, a layer that contains more stones mixed with only small amounts of organic matter. This layer is lighter in colour because of the lack of humus. Beneath the soil lies a layer of bedrock.
Soil forms from the bottom up. Over time bedrock is attacked by rain, wind, frost, and snow. It is gradually broken down into smaller particles in a process called weathering. Plants begin to grow，and rotten materials enrich the topsoil. Most of the soil in Eastern Canada ，for example ，was formed from weathered rock that was exposed when the ice disappeared 12,000 years ago.
Water Beneath the Soil
Surface water collects and flows above the ground in lakes ，ponds, and rivers. Once in the soil or rock, it is called groundwater. Gravity pulls groundwater through the soil in a process called percolation(渗透). Eventually the water reaches a layer called the water table. Under this is bedrock through which water cannot percolate.
As water percolates downward, it dissolves organic matter and minerals from the soil and carries them to deeper layers.This causes a serious problem because plants require these nutrients for growth.
Soil pH
Soil can be acidic, neutral, or basic. The pH of the soil is determined by the nature of the rock from which it was formed，and by the nature of the plants that grow and rot in it.
The acidity of rain and snow can lower the pH of the groundwater that enters the soil. By burning fossil fuels such as coal ，oil and gasoline，humans have been contributing to higher levels of acidity in many soils. When fossil fuels are burned，gases are released into the air and then fall back to earth as acid rain. Acid soil increases the problem of carrying nutrients to lower soil levels. As nutrients are removed，soil is less fertile. Plants grow more slowly in acidic soil，and also become easily attacked by diseases.The layer of soil that provides necessary nutrients for plant growth is called________.
| A．litter | B．subsoil | C．humus | D．topsoil |
The underlined word “dissolve” is used to express the idea that organic matter and minerals from soil are________.
| A．rushed away into the river |
| B．mixed with water and become part of it |
| C．destroyed and carried away by water |
| D．cleaned and purified by water |
According to the text, which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Soil forms from weathered rock on the earth surface. |
| B．Air pollution is partially responsible for acid soil. |
| C．The deeper layer of soil is darker in colour than the surface soil. |
| D．Groundwater tends to carry away nutrients for plant growth. |
We can infer from the passage that the water table lies________.
| A．between the subsoil layer and bedrock |
| B．in the subsoil layer above bedrock |
| C．between the topsoil layer and the subsoil layer |
| D．in the bedrock layer beneath the subsoil |
Chaplin was one of the famous clown-style actors of the silent time. It was through Charlie Chaplin that the Hollywood comedy movies became famous.
Then in the 1920s came another trend of animated cartoons. They were the most popular Hollywood comedy movies of the time. The several popular characters of that era were Felix the cat, Krazy Kat and Betty Boop. However, the popularity of these movies was blocked out due to lack of sound and color. The end of 1920s, the Hollywood comedy industry marked a change brought about by the introduction of sound into the movies. This has allowed the industry to create dramatic new film styles and use verbal humor. These films were soon replacing silent movies. These films used dialogue of comedians such as the W.C Fields and the Marx Brothers. Charlie Chaplin was the last comedian to have acted in the silent films.
When the United States entered into World War II, Hollywood movies changed its course to themes related to the conflicts, and Hollywood comedy movies described more on military themes. The war time experienced a boom, where restrictions on the traveling made nearly a quarter of the money spent on attending movies.
In the 1950s, the interest shifted where the TV became popular. During this time the release of Hollywood comedy films declined (衰落). The 1960s saw an increasing number of broad, star-packed comedies. In 1970 Hollywood comedy movies reflected the anti-war sentiment, which was popular then.
In the 1980s the gag (笑料) based comedy Airplane was released, and Hollywood comedy movies paved its way for more of the same. The popular comedians of this time included Dudley Moore, Tom Hanks, etc. Jim Carrey, the Canadian actor and a comedian, came into Hollywood comedy movies in the late 1980s where he won the role in such a comedy, Copper Mountain.
The most popular Hollywood comedy movies were of John Hughes, which includes Ferris Buellers Day Off and Home Alone series of 1990s. The later films focused more on family audience. This was a revival (复兴) in comedy movies. Comedy movies remain popular till date. Why did Hollywood movies grow rapidly during World War II?
| A．People had more money at that time. |
| B．People couldn’t travel freely. |
| C．The government spent a lot of money on films. |
| D．People were made to see movies by the government. |
The theme of the 1970s Hollywood comedies is _______.
| A．domestic violence | B．desire for freedom |
| C．protests against wars | D．oversea military activities |
What does this passage mainly talk about?
| A．Development of Hollywood comedy movies. |
| B．Famous comedians in Hollywood history. |
| C．Outstanding comedies made in Hollywood. |
| D．Chaplin’s contribution to comedies. |
Which of the following shows the correct order of what happened to the Hollywood comedy movies?
a. Hollywood comedy movies focused on family audience.
b. Fewer and fewer Hollywood comedy films were released.
c. Animated cartoons of Hollywood comedy movies were popular.
d. Hollywood comedy movies once developed quickly during the war time.
e. The Hollywood comedy industry made a reform of applying sound to the movies.
| A．ecbda | B．dabec | C．cedba | D．decab |
Sometimes you may have a strong desire to do something strange or terrible． However, chances are that you don't act on your impulse （冲动 ）, but let it pass instead． You know that to take the action is wrong in some way and that other people will not accept your behavior．
Perhaps the most interesting thing about the phenomenon of taboo behavior is how it can change over the years, how certain behavior and attitudes once considered taboo can become perfectly acceptable and natural at another point in time． Topics such as death, for example, were once considered so upsetting that it was a taboo to even talk about them． Now with the publication of important books such as On Death and Dying and Learning to Say Goodbye, people have become more aware of the importance of expressing feelings about death and, as a result, are more willing to talk about this taboo subject．
One of the newest taboos is the topic of fat． Unlike many other taboos, fat is a topic that people talk about constantly． It's not taboo to talk about fat; it's taboo to be fat． The "in" look is thin, not fat． In the work world, most companies prefer youthful-looking, slim manager to sell their image as well as their products to the public． The thin look is associated with youth, vigor, and success． The fat person, on the other hand, is thought of as lazy and lacking in energy, self-discipline and self-respect． After all, how can people permit themselves to become fat? In an image-consciOU6 society, thin is "in", fat is "out"．
It's not surprising that millions of people have become obsessed（着迷） with staying slim and "in shape"．The pursuit of a youthful physical appearance is not, however, the only reason for people's obsession with diet and exercise． Recent research has shown the importance of diet and exercise for personal health ． As in most technologically developed nations, the life-style of people has changed since last century． Modern machines do all the physical labor． Cars and buses transport us quickly from point to point．As a result of inactivity and disuse, people's bodies can easily become weak． In an effort to avoid such a fate, millions of people are spending more of their time exercising．Parks are filled with joggers and bicyclists, and many companies are providing special exercise equipment for their employees to use during the work day．What does the word "taboo" refer to in the passage'?
| A．A crime committed on impulse ． |
| B．An unfavorable impression left on other people． |
| C．A strong desire to do something strange or terrible． |
| D．A behavior considered unacceptable to the society． |
What does the underlined phrase "in" look in paragraph 3 probably mean?
| A．The fashionable look． | B．The hidden look． |
| C．The usual look． | D．The inside look． |
According to the passage, the common belief is that ．
| A．fat people are full of energy | B．thin people are more successful |
| C．fat people prefer to have fat bosses | D．thin people are less image-conscious |
People pay more attention to diet and exercise because of ,
| A．their need to kill time | B．their love for sports |
| C．their concern for health | D．their belief in hard work |
What's the main purpose of this passage?
| A．To advertise． | B．To inform |
| C．To educate． | D．To compare |
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