The associates I hired in my bicycle and lawn mower shop like myself were never perfect; however, they were excellent. Working with them as they improved taught me new ways to show forgiveness, understanding, and patience.
One day the placement officer asked me to interview a young man who was having trouble finding a job. He told me that David was a little shy, did not talk much and was afraid to go on with interviews. He requested that I give David an interview just for practice. He plainly told David that I had no positions open at the time and the interview was just for practice.
When David came in for the interview, he hardly said a word. I told him what we did at the bicycle shop and showed him around. I told David to keep showing up because the number one thing an employer wanted in an associate was dependability.
David was very quiet (he was evaluated as a slow learner in school). Every ten days or so, for weeks after the interview, David walked into the bicycle shop and stood by the front door. He never said a word, just stood by the door.
One day, shortly before Christmas, a large truck came to the shop, packed with 250 new bicycles. It had to be unloaded right away or the driver would leave.
It was raining. Some of my workers (without physical limitations) chose not to brave the weather to get into work, so I was short-handed. It seemed everything was going wrong and on top of it, David came in the front door and just stood there. I looked at him and shouted, “Well, all right! Fill out a time card and help me unload this truck!”
David worked for my bicycle shop for eighteen years. He came to work every day thirty minutes early. He could talk; however, he rarely chose to. He drove my truck and made deliveries. The customers would praise David, saying, “He doesn’t talk, but he really shows you how to operate a lawn mower!”The author finally hired David because________.
| A．there were no other workers in the shop then |
| B．he needed someone who was willing to work then |
| C．David kept showing up |
| D．he realized David was dependable |
We can infer from the last paragraph that_______.
| A．the author feels lucky to hire David |
| B．David has had his character changed through work |
| C．the author prefers David to be more outgoing |
| D．some customers just play jokes on David |
The author gave David an interview to _______.
| A．find a person who is reliable |
| B．find a part-time worker in need |
| C．give him some practice |
| D．show sympathy for him |
The author’s tone in describing David is full of ______.
| A．pity | B．wonder |
| C．disappointment | D．appreciation |
Most people want to be happy, but few know how to find happiness. Money and success alone do not bring lasting happiness. Aristotle, a Greek thinker, said, “Happiness depends upon ourselves.” In other words, we make our own happiness. Here are a few suggestions to help you be happier.
The first secret of happiness is to enjoy the simple things in life. Too often, we spend so much time thinking about the future, for example, getting into the college or getting a good job, which we fail to enjoy the present. You should enjoy life’s simple pleasures, such as reading a good book, listening to your favorite music, or spending time with close friends. People who have several close friends often live happier and healthier lives.
Another secret to living a happy life is to be active, and have hobbies where you forget your problems and time. Many people experience this dancing, or playing a sport, such as swimming. You can forget about your problems and only think about the activity.
Finally, many people find happiness in helping others. Studies show that people feel good when they spend their time helping others. If you want to feel happier, do good things for someone. You can help a friend with his or her studies, go shopping to buy food for an elderly person, or simply help out around the house by washing the dishes.The best title of this passage is _________ .
| A．Money makes you happy |
| B．The Secret of Happiness |
| C．Ideas for Helping Other People to Be Happy |
| D．Good Friends Make You Happy |
The second paragraph mainly tells us that __________.
| A．happiness is to enjoy the simple things in life. |
| B．we shouldn’t think about our future. |
| C．the more friends you have, the happier you will feel. |
| D．some people fail to live a happy life. |
The passage gives us _______ pieces of advice on happiness.
| A．one | B．two |
| C．three | D．four |
The writer believes that________ .
| A．everyone knows how to live a happy life. |
| B．it’s wrong to spend time on work. |
| C．hobbies take up too much time. |
| D．doing good things for someone can make you happier |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．Reading a good book. |
| B．Travelling to a foreign country. |
| C．Playing a sport. |
| D．Spending time with close friends. |
It was Mother’s Day. A man stopped his car at a flower shop to order some flowers. He wanted the shopkeeper to send the flowers to his mother, who lived two hundred miles away.
As he got out of his car, he found a young girl sitting on the road crying. He asked her what was wrong and she replied, “I want to buy a red rose for my mother, but I only have seventy-five cents. A rose costs two dollars.” The man smiled and said, “Come into the shop with me, and I will buy you a rose.”
He bought the little girl her rose and ordered his own mother’s flowers. As they were leaving, he offered to dive the girl home. She said, “Yes, please! You can take me to my mother.” She brought him to a cemetery (墓地), where she placed the rose on the grave.
The man was moved. He returned to the flower shop, picked up the flowers he had ordered, and drove two hundred miles to his mother’s house.The man went to shop to ______________ .
| A．have a rest | B．help the little girl |
| C．buy some food | D．order some flowers |
The man’s mother lived _______ away from him.
| A．2 kilometers | B．75 miles |
| C．200 miles | D．200 kilometers |
The girl was crying on the road because________________ .
| A．she was hungry |
| B．she got injured |
| C．she couldn’t afford (买得起) a rose |
| D．she couldn’t find her way home |
After the man bought the girl a rose, they went to_______ together.
| A．a cemetery |
| B．his shop |
| C．the girl’s home |
| D．his mother’s house |
We can learn from the passage that __________.
| A．the girl loved flowers very much |
| B．the girl loved her mother very much |
| C．the shopkeeper sent the flowers to the man’s mother |
| D．the man drove to his mother’s house to look after her |
Most cellphone companies design models especially for kids. But parents are usually the ones buying the phones. According to a July 2012 study, 56% of parents of children aged 8 to 12 have given their children a cellphone. The number goes up with age. The study just proves what many people already guessed: many kids, if not most, have their own cellphones.
According to a recent survey, 12 is the magic number. It is the most common age for kids to get their first cellphone. But 13% of children aged 6 to 10 already have one.
People who are for kids’ using cellphones, including many parents, notice that cellphones help kids keep in touch with their friends and families. They believe that cellphones are an important tool in a dangerous situation. Kids can reach their parents at all times. And some people say having a cellphone helps teach kids to be responsible. Some cellphones designed for kids can be set to only work when parents approve (同意). What’s the harm in that?
But other people are worried about the health and safety effects of kids’ cellphones. They believe that kids with cellphones will spend less time playing outside with friends, and that sending text messages or making phone calls while doing homework makes it difficult for kids to concentrate. They say that kids are spending too much time texting instead of talking to each other. “Our brains developed to communicate face to face,” says Gary Small, a teacher at the UCLA School of Medicine, in California. “A lot of this is lost with texting.”
Another worry is cyber bullying (网络欺凌), which is on the rise as more kids use e-mail and text messages to communicate. And some experts are worried about possible health risks. They worry that energy waves produced by cellphones could be harmful to young people. To be safe, parents should not let them talk long on the phone.By mentioning the results of a recent study, the author wants to show that _____.
| A．not all cellphones meet kids’ needs |
| B．not all parents buy their kids cellphones |
| C．kids who are old enough should have cellphones |
| D．many kids have their own cellphones |
Paragraph 3 mainly talks about _____.
| A．how to make kids become responsible |
| B．supporters’ opinions on kids’ using cellphones |
| C．the popularity of cellphones among kids |
| D．how kids can reach their friends and families |
Cellphones can be bad for kids because _____.
| A．kids spend too much time playing games |
| B．kids reduce personal communication |
| C．kids don’t want to do their homework at home |
| D．cellphones have a bad influence on kids’ brains |
What’s Gary Small’s attitude towards texting?
A. He is uncertain about it.
B. He is against it.
C He knows little about it
D. He is fond of it.We can learn from the text that _____.
| A．there’re cellphones specially designed for kids on the market |
| B．kids aged 6 to 10 have more cellphones than kids at other ages |
| C．kids who have cellphones have fewer friends than those who don’t |
| D．cellphones help kids improve their relationships with friends and families |
Your schooldays should be some of the best and happiest days of your life. How can you gain the most from them, and ensure you do not waste this wonderful opportunity to learn?
Be positive about school. Don’t say things are difficult or boring. Be interested in school-life and your school subjects. Join lots of activities. Be quick to put your hand up. Go round the school with a big smile.
Expect to work. School is not a holiday camp. If you are not working, you are not learning, and you are wasting your time at school. Teachers cannot make everything enjoyable.
Keep fit. If you do not eat a good breakfast, you will be thinking about food in class. If you go to bed late and do not have enough sleep, you will be sleepy in class. Play some sports to keep your body strong.
Do today’s work today. Do not say you will do things tomorrow. If you get behind the class, it is very difficult to get back in front. You cannot finish a race if you rest all the time.
Don’t be too disappointed if things sometimes go badly. Everyone fails some tests, loses some matches and has bad days. Friends are not always perfect, and they sometimes say and do unpleasant things. Don’t let small problems seem very big and important.
Talk about problems. Sometimes they are only the result of misunderstanding. Don’t be too embarrasssed to ask for help. You are young. No one thinks you can do everything.
Plan your time. Don’t waste life lying in bed on Saturday morning. Go and play a sport, learn the piano, work on a project, read a book, practise English, or help someone with problems. There are always a lot of things to do.
Set targets. If your last grade was a D, work for a C. try to make progress bit by bit. Think of small targets: “I will speak in class four times this week”, “I will finish my project on Wednesday” or “I will get two more marks this week”.
Follow our advice, and have a happy school-life!If Johnny wants to read comic(漫画) books, not textbooks, he needs to read ________.
| A．Expect to work. |
| B．Do today’s work today. |
| C．Plan your time. |
| D．Don’t be too disappointed if things sometimes go badly. |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is Not true?
| A．If you are not interested in things at school, you are likely to feel bored. |
| B．It’s not a shame to have problems and need help sometimes. |
| C．You won’t make good progress unless you set big targets |
| D．Having enough food and sleep will help us study better. |
Why do you think the writer thinks it is good to put up your hand in class?
| A．Because you will impress your teacher most this way. |
| B．Because other students will admire you. |
| C．Because it means that you will enjoy school and learn more. |
| D．Because your parents will feel happy if you do so. |
After a while, Tommy’s parents, who had recently separated, would arrive for a meeting on his failing schoolwork and bad behavior. Neither parent knew that I had called the other.
Tommy, an only child, had always been a happy, cooperative and top student. How could I make his father and mother believe that his recent failing grades meant a broken-hearted child’s reaction to his parents’ separation and divorce (离婚)?
Tommy’s mother entered and took one of the chairs. Soon the father arrived. Good! At least they were enough to be here in time. They ignored each other.
As I gave a detailed introduction of Tommy’s behavior and schoolwork, I waited for the right words to bring these two together to help them see what they were doing to their son. But somehow the words wouldn’t come. Perhaps if they saw one of his dirty, carelessly done papers?
I found a sheet in the back of his desk. Writing covered both sides: not the exercises, but a single sentence scribbled (胡写乱画) over and over.
Silently I gave it to Tommy’s mother. She read it and then handed it to her husband. Then his face softened.
At last he folded (折叠) the paper carefully, placed it in his pocket, and reached for his wife’s hand. She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled up at him. He helped with her coat and they left together.
In his own way God had given me the words to reunite that family. He had guided me to the sheet of yellow copy paper covered with the pain outpouring of a small boy’s troubled heart.
The words are “Dear Mom… Dear Daddy… I love…”How did Tommy’s parents feel after seeing the words?
| A．Glad. | B．Worried. |
| C．Moved. | D．Happy. |
The author called Tommy’s parents in order to _______.
| A．blame Tommy for his failing grades |
| B．ask them the reason for their divorce |
| C．help them realize their influence on Tommy |
| D．solve the couple’s problem of separation |
Why did Tommy fail his recent grades?
| A．Because he was greatly influenced by his parents. |
| B．Because he was punished by his teacher. |
| C．Because he wrote to his parents very often. |
| D．Because he did one of his dirty, careless papers. |
This passage is most probably written by _______.
| A．a reporter | B．a teacher |
| C．a lawyer | D．a doctor |
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