B
My old digital camera broke down, so I wanted to buy a new one．Being the cautious type, I fancied a reliable brand．So I went on the Net, spent 15 minutes reading product reviews on good websites, wrote down the names of three top recommendations and headed for my nearest big friendly camera store．There in the cupboard was one of the cameras on my list．And it was on special offer．Oh joy．I pointed at it and asked an assistant, "Can I have one of those? " He looked perturbed（ 不安）．"Do you want to try it first? "he said．It didn' t quite sound like a question．"Do I need to?" I replied, "There's nothing wrong with it．" This made him look a bit offended and I started to feel bad．"No, no．But you should try it," he said encouragingly, "Compare it with the others．
I looked across at the others: shelves of similar cameras placed along the wall, offering a wide range of slightly different prices and discounts, with each company selling a range of models based around the same basic box．With so many models to choose from, it seemed that I would have to spend hours weighing X against Y, always trying to take Z and possibly H into account at the same time．But when I had finished, I would still have only the same two certainties that I had entered the store with: first, soon after I carried my new camera out of the shop, it would be worth half what I paid for it; and second, my wonderful camera would very quickly be replaced by a new model．
But something in the human soul whispers that you can beat these traps by making the right choice, the clever choice, the wise choice．In the end, I agreed to try the model I had chosen．The assistant seemed a sincere man．So I let him take out my chosen camera from the cupboard, show how it took excellent pictures of my fellow shoppers．．．and when he started to introduce the special features, I interrupted to ask whether I needed to buy a carry-case and a memory card as well．Why do we think that new options still offer us anything new? Perhaps it is because they offer an opportunity to avoid facing the fact that our real choices in this culture are far more limited than we would like to imagine．
The shop assistant insisted that the writer should ____．
| A．trust him and stop asking questions |
| B．try the camera to see if there was anything wrong with it |
| C．get more information about different companies |
| D．compare the camera he had chosen with the others |
What does the writer mean by "it would be worth half what I paid for it"（ Paragraph 2）?
| A．He should get a 50% discount． |
| B．The price of the camera would soon fall． |
| C．The quality of the camera was not good． |
| D．The price of the camera was unreasonably high． |
The writer decided to try the model he had chosen because he ____．
| A．knew very little about it |
| B．wanted to make sure the one he chose would be the best |
| C．didn' t trust the shop assistant |
| D．had a special interest in taking pictures of his fellow shoppers |
It can be inferred from the passage that in the writer's opinion, __．
| A．we waste too much money on cameras |
| B．cameras have become an important part of our daily life |
| C．we don' t actually need so many choices when buying a product |
| D．famous companies care more about profit than quality |
A Full-Time School Called Life
You are enrolled in a full-time school called "life". Each day in this school you will have the opportunity to learn lessons. You may like the lessons or hate them, but you have designed them as part of your curriculum.
Why are you here? What is your purpose? Humans have sought to discover the meaning of life for a very long time. What we and our ancestors overlooked, however, is there is no one answer. The meaning of life is different for every individual.
Each person has his or her own purpose and distinct path, unique and separate from anyone else's. As you travel your life path, you will be presented with numerous lessons that you will need to learn in order to fulfill that purpose. The lessons you are presented with are specific to you; learning these lessons is a key to discovering and fulfilling the meaning and connection of your own life.
As you travel through your lifetime, you may encounter challenging lessons that others don't have to face, while others spend years struggling with challenges that you don't need to deal with. You may never know why you are blessed with a wonderful marriage, while your friends suffer through bitter arguments and painful divorces, just as you cannot be sure why you struggle financially while your peers enjoy abundance. The only thing you can count on for certain is that you specifically need to learn; whether we choose to learn them or not is entirely up to you.
The challenge here, therefore, is to align (与……保持一致) yourself with your own unique path by learning individual lessons. This is one of the most difficult challenges you will be faced with in your lifetime, as sometimes your path will be completely different from others. But, remember, don't compare your path to the people around you and focus on the difference between their lessons and yours. You need to remember that you will only be faced with lessons that you are capable of learning and are specific to your own growth.
Our sense of fairness is the expectation of equity-the assumption that all things are equal and that justice will always prevail. Life is not, in fact, fair, and you may indeed have a more difficult lift path than others around you, deserved or not. Everyone's circumstances are unique, and everyone needs to handle his or her own circumstances differently. If you want to move toward calm, you will be required to move out the comparing phrase of "it's not fair". Focusing on the unfairness of circumstances keeps you comparing yourself with others rather than appreciating your own special uniqueness. You miss out on learning your
individual lessons by distracting yourself with feeling of bitterness and anger. According to the passage, how can the meaning of your life be realized?
| A．Having the same opinions as others. |
| B．Taking the distinct path from others. |
| C．Learning the lessons presented to you. |
| D．Doing the different things from others. |
From the passage we can conclude _____.
| A．everyone has his own track to follow |
| B．the same thing usually happen to the peers |
| C．a painful divorce must lie in financial problems |
| D．a wealthy man must have a wonderful marriage |
In your lifetimes, the lessons you are faced with _____.
| A．are beyond your power |
| B．keep you from growth |
| C．limit your development |
| D．help you with your success |
Which of the following is TRUE?
| A．All things are equal and justice will always prevail. |
| B．You should learn to appreciate your specific uniqueness. |
| C．One has to fix his mind on unfairness of circumstances. |
| D．The teachers have designed the lessons as part of your curriculum in the life school. |
Life is called a full-time school, because _____.
| A．it is full of all lessons to learn |
| B．you have plenty of time to learn lessons |
| C．you meet with specific lessons every day |
| D．there are so many subjects for you to choose |
Finding your first job after leaving school，college or university is probably the hardest job hunting exercise you’ll ever face. However, there are some simple methods that can give you advantages over other first time job seekers.
First time job seekers have the hardest time in finding their first job. In the case of graduates, many universities will have dedicated placement personnel who will assist students in finding their first job. Specialist tutors are also likely to have a network of individuals in the commercial world who might occasionally take on recent graduates, so never underestimate the help that you can get from this area. It’s always worth asking your fellow students where they spent any job placement years and you can see if it’s worth approaching any of those companies. People generally like to help others, so don’t be afraid to ask for any assistance that you can get freely like this.
Similarly, if school and college leavers have an interest in a particular subject, they should talk to their teacher or lecturer in that subject and discuss career options. It could be that they could point you in the right direction by at least identifying companies that could use your particular skills.
The problem that many younger people have is that they simply don’t know what they want to do once they have finished their education. Therefore, it’s important for anyone leaving education to understand their own strengths and to determine what their particular skills are. The student job seekers should put a CV (履历) together based on what they’d like the employer to consider. Highlight your education, but instead of focusing on the actual qualifications and talk about the amount of learning that was involved. If you have completed any kind of work during your student work, be certain to mention it and what you gained from it.
Although a CV isn’t the only factor in helping you find your first job, it’s still a potential door-opener, so you should make it a document that is a compelling sales tool for you. From the passage we learn that _______.
| A．graduates often underestimate the help from specialist tutors |
| B．it is definite that first time job seekers will fail several times |
| C．a first time job seeker needn’t emphasize his education while looking for jobs |
| D．it is important for first time job seekers to learn some simple methods |
While looking for their first job, graduates are advised to refer to _______.
| A．specialist tutors and their parents |
| B．managers of different companies |
| C．specialist tutors and their fellow students |
| D．placement personnel and employers |
Why is it important for school and college leavers to determine their particular skills?
| A．Because it can help them find a job suitable for them. |
| B．Because their teachers will ask them to talk about the skills. |
| C．Because their lecturers will give them a lecture about the skills. |
| D．Because most of them don’t know about their particular skills. |
What do we know about a CV of first time job seekers?
| A．A CV should focus on actual qualifications. |
| B．The amount of learning needn’t be mentioned in a CV. |
| C．It is necessary to mention the work they have completed at school in a CV. |
| D．People needn’t care about a CV because it isn’t important. |
What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．Overcome difficulties in finding jobs |
| B．Find your first job |
| C．Meet your first employer |
| D．Make a successful job interview |
A black and white kitten with a broken back lay on animal doctor Betsy Knenon's examination table. A regular customer had rushed him to her office after his pet dog brought the cat home in his mouth. The dog's owner was horrified, believing that his pet had caused the cat's injuries. But Kennon found no teeth marks or bite wounds, which showed that the dog had probably saved, not harmed, the kitten.
In Kennon’s opinion, however, the cat was a hopeless case. Many doctors would have put down such a badly hurt animal. But she couldn’t be so cruel. The kitten’s bright eyes and sad face had won her over. There was no way of finding his owner, so Kennon, a single woman aged 56, decided to keep him.
She gave him a round of shots and fed him food mixed with medicines. He couldn’t move his back legs but soon started pulling himself forward with his front legs. The doctor named him Scooter and contacted a company that makes carts for disabled animals. Scooter took to his new wheels like a natural. In no time he was able to move freely, if somewhat awkwardly, around Kennon’s office, home and even her backyard. The sight of the determined Scooter was uplifting and amusing in equal measure and Kennon had to smile each time the cat entered the room.
Kennon was convinced that her kitten could share his high spirits with others. So she took Scooter to the local hospital to see if he could help the patients. His first patient was an elderly woman who’d had a stroke and hadn’t spoken to anyone for two days. Scooter jumped out of Kennon’s arms and onto the bed, rolled over to the patient, and lay gently near her cheek, purring softly. The woman looked at Scooter. “Kitty,” she murmured as she began to talk to him. Amazed, Kennon turned to the doctor--- and saw that she was in tears. The cat had engineered a small miracle.
Today Scooter spends about ten hours a month working with patients who are recovering from strokes and injuries. Again and again, Kennon watches as her cat provides hope and comfort. As one patient who’d lost her leg in a car accident said, “If he can do it, so can I.” From Paragraph 1, we know that ___________.
| A．the dog’s owner was a stranger to Kennon |
| B．the cat had several bite marks on its body |
| C．the dog was extremely cruel to the cat |
| D．who actually injured the cat was unknown |
The underlined phrase “put down” in Paragraph 2 most probably means___________.
| A．hurt |
| B．killed |
| C．refused |
| D．replaced |
Why did Kennon decide to keep the cat?
| A．She wanted a companion. |
| B．The cat’s owner abandoned him. |
| C．She liked the cat. |
| D．The cat was hopeless. |
How did Kennon help the cat move around?
| A．By curing his broken back. |
| B．By getting him a special cart. |
| C．By feeding him medicines. |
| D．By exercising him in her backyard. |
According to the passage, what is the main reason that the cat works miracle?
| A．He is able to inspire others. |
| B．Patients feel sympathy for him. |
| C．People are amused by his appearance. |
| D．He has the ability to cure the ill. |
The UK has a well-respected higher education system and some of the top universities and research institutions in the world．But to those who are new to it all, sometimes it can be confusing．
October is usually the busiest month in the college calendar．Universities have something called Freshers' Week for their newcomers．It's a great opportunity to make new friends, join lots of clubs and settle into university life．
However, having just left the comfort of home and all your friends behind, the outlook of meeting lots of strangers in big halls can be nerve-wracking （令人头痛的）．Where do you start? Who should you make friends with? Which clubs should you join?
Luckily, there will be thousands of others in the same boat as you worrying about starting their university social life on the right foot．So just take it all in slowly．Don't rush into anything that you'll regret for the next three years．
Here are some top advice from past students on how to survive Freshers' Week:
·Learn rules．Make sure you know British social manners．Have a few wine glasses and snacks handy for your housemates and friends．
·Be kind．Sometimes cups of tea or even slices of toast can give you a head start in making friends．
·Be sociable．The more active you are, the more likely you'll be to meet new people than if you're someone who never leaves their room．
·Bring a doorstop．Keep your door open when you're in and that sends positive messages to your neighbors that you're friendly．
So with a bit of clever planning and effort, Frsshers' Week can give you a great start to your university life and soon you'll be passing on your experience to next year's new recruits． Which of the following statements is FALSE according to the passage?
| A．October is generally the busiest month for universities. |
| B．It's a good idea to put a doorstop in your door. |
| C．A bit of planning can make Freshers' Week easier. |
| D．The first week of your every year at university is called Freshers'Week. |
The underlined word "recruits．" in the last paragraph refers to____．
| A．courses |
| B．freshers |
| C．neighbors |
| D．challenges |
We can infer from the 4th paragraph that ______.
| A．the newcomers usually miss the days living at home |
| B．most of the students in the UK spend three years in universities |
| C．many freshers are worried about how to fit university life |
| D．all the new students will make new friends and join certain clubs |
Why does the author suggest having wine glasses and snacks handy?
| A．To pass the busy university life. |
| B．To help make friends with other freshers. |
| C．To show yourself a drinker as others. |
| D．To pass the time in a happy way. |
The main purpose of writing this passage is to ______.
| A．tell the newcomers how to make a new start in universities |
| B．introduce something about higher education system of the UK |
| C．discuss something about the Freshers' Week in the UK |
| D．advise the freshmen how to behave well in the beginning |
The Harrington School is an old one-room schoolhouse in Georgia. The building has not been used in years. Community leaders and even the local historical society thought it wasn’t worth saving. “Just look at it and you could tell it was going to fall any minute, so let’s tear it down, ” they said.
The Harrington School was built in nineteen twenty-five for black children on St. Simons Island. Amy Roberts well remembers she attended first grade there in nineteen fifty-three. That was a year before the United States Supreme Court ruled that schools had to be racially integrated. A number of states kept blacks from attending school with whites. After the ruling, the children joined white students at St. Simons' other elementary school.
The old schoolhouse continued to be used for social activities and a day care center. By 1970, however, it was empty. Amy Roberts worried that developers might tear it down. So she started the African-American Heritage Coalition to try to save it.
“If it's not saved, then eventually you would not know that we existed here on St. Simons. Everything of African-American heritage has been torn down，” she said.
In 2009 the Harrington School was weeks away from destruction. Then a local historian named Patty Deveau took a closer look. She remembered a movement called the Rosenwald Fund.Georgia historian Jeanne Cyriaque explains, “At the very core of that movement was the involvement of the community, sympathetic whites and philanthropy, merging together to do what today we'd call partnerships.”
Julius Rosenwald was a businessman. In 1915 he donated money to black communities to build their own schools. By the late 20s, the Rosenwald Fund had donated to more than 5,000 educational buildings in 15 states across the South. One-third of rural black children were attending a Rosenwald school.
“This particular school kind of embodies to me what was going on with the communities at the time, because in many African-American communities, it was African-American families that gave land for these schools to be built.” Jeanne Cyriaque said.
Now, preservation architects are developing plans to restore the Harrington School. Amy Roberts and others were surprised by what the experts found about the structure. “They went through it and they talked about how sound it was and how, you know, I mean, they'd never seen anything like this. I mean, it was, like, in great shape!”
What do you learn about the Harrington School?
It only has one room and is going to fall down.
It was built in 1925 and is poor condition now.
It has not been used since 1954.
Though it was built over 85 years ago, it is still in good condition.According to the second paragraph, we learn that _______.
| A．the Harrington School was ruled by the United States Supreme Court |
| B．the Harrington School used to be a white school mixed with blacks |
| C．black children went to separate school before the ruling |
| D．the Harrington School was forbidden to be used for racial reasons |
The meaning of the underlined word “integrated” is similar to _______.
| A．mixed |
| B．completed |
| C．seperated |
| D．destroyed |
Amy Roberts is anything but _______.
| A．a black woman |
| B．an African-American |
| C．a clerk who used to work in the African-American Heritage Coalition |
| D．a woman in her sixties |
Which of the following titles do you think would attract the readers most?
| A．A school with a Long History |
| B．Saving a School, and Its History |
| C．Saving the African-American Heritage |
| D．The Harrington School, an African-American Heritage |
粤公网安备 44130202000953号