The thing is，my luck’s always been ruined. Just look at my name: Jean.Not Jean Marie，or Jeanine，or Jeanette，or even Jeanne.Just Jean.Did you know in France，they name boys Jean? It’s French for John.And okay，I don’t live in France.But still，I’m basically a girl named John.If I lived in France，anyway.
This is the kind of luck I’ve had since before Mom even filled out my birth certificate.So it wasn’t any big surprise to me when the cab driver didn’t help me with my suitcase.I’d already had to tolerate arriving at the airport to find no one there to greet me，and then got no answer to my many phone calls，asking where my aunt and uncle were.Did they not want me after all? Had they changed their minds? Had they heard about my bad luck—all the way from Iowa—and decided they didn’t want any of it to rub off on them?
So when the cab driver，instead of getting out and helping me with my bags，just pushed a little button so that the trunk (汽车后备箱) popped open a few inches，it wasn’t the worst thing that had ever happened to me.It wasn’t even the worst thing that had happened to me that day.
According to my mom，most brownstones in New York City were originally single-family homes when they were built way back in the 1800s.But now they’ve been divided up into apartments，so that there’s one—or sometimes even two or more families—per floor.
Not Mom’s sister Evelyn’s brownstone，though.Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Ted Gardiner own all four floors of their brownstone.That’s practically one floor per person，since Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Ted only have three kids，my cousins Tory，Teddy，and Alice.
Back home，we just have two floors，but there are seven people living on them.And only one bathroom.Not that I’m complaining.Still，ever since my sister Courtney discovered blow-outs，it’s been pretty frightful at home.
But as tall as my aunt and uncle’s house was，it was really narrow—just three windows across.Still，it was a very pretty townhouse，painted gray.The door was a bright，cheerful yellow.There were yellow flower boxes along the base of each window，flower boxes from which bright red—and obviously newly planted，since it was only the middle of April，and not quite warm enough for them.
It was nice to know that，even in a sophisticated (世故的) city like New York，people still realized how homey and welcoming a box of flowers could be.The sight of those flowers cheered me up a little.
Like maybe Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Ted just forgot I was arriving today，and hadn’t deliberately failed to meet me at the airport because they’d changed their minds about letting me come to stay.
Like everything was going to be all right，after all.
Yeah.With my luck，probably not.
I started up the steps to the front door of 326 East Sixty-Ninth Street，then realized I couldn’t make it with both bags and my violin.Leaving one bag on the sidewalk，I dragged the other up the steps with me.Maybe I took the steps a little too fast，since I nearly tripped and fell flat on my face on the sidewalk.I managed to catch myself at the last moment by grabbing some of the fence the gardeners had put up…Why did the author go to New York?
| A．She intended to go sightseeing there. |
| B．She meant to stay with her aunt’s family. |
| C．She was homeless and adopted by her aunt. |
| D．She wanted to try her luck and find a job there. |
According to the author，some facts account for her bad luck EXCEPT that ________.
| A．she was given a boy’s name in French |
| B．the cab driver didn’t help her with her bags |
| C．her sister Courtney discovered blow-outs |
| D．nobody had come to meet her at the airport |
The underlined phrase “rub off on” in Paragraph 3 probably means _________.
| A．have an effect on |
| B．play tricks on |
| C．put pressure on |
| D．throw doubt on |
From the passage，we can know that _________.
| A．the author left home without informing her mother |
| B．the author arrived in New York in a very warm season |
| C．her aunt’s family lived a much better life than her own |
| D．her aunt and uncle were likely to forget about her arrival |
Jenny went to visit her friends in New York last weekend. Her friends met her at the airport on Friday afternoon and drove her to the hotel. They had dinner at a Chinese restaurant and went to see a film after that.
Jenny and her friends set out early on Saturday morning for a farm and stayed there until Sunday morning. During their stay, they went fishing and swimming in the small river on the farm. They played football in the field and enjoyed a big meal around a camp fire（篝火）, singing and dancing till late into the night．
Nobody could get up early on Sunday morning． So when they got back to New York City, it was about three o’clock in the afternoon. They drove right to the airport because Jenny didn’t want to miss her plane back home. Jenny only stayed in New York for two nights but she had a great time with her friends．Jenny went to New York ____________ .
| A．to do some shopping | B．to see her friends |
| C．to spend her summer holiday | D．to find a job |
How did Jenny get to New York?
| A．By train. | B．By bus. | C．By plane. | D．On foot. |
Where did Jenny and her friends go on Saturday?
| A．To the farm. | B．To the Chinese restaurant. |
| C．To the airport. | D．To the railway station. |
When did Jenny go back home?
| A．On Saturday afternoon. | B．On Sunday morning. |
| C．On Saturday evening. | D．On Sunday afternoon. |
How long did Jenny stay in New York?
| A．One night. | B．Two nights. | C．Three nights. | D．Four nights. |
A few months ago, Dr. Ken Duckworth, a psychiatrist（心理医生） in Massachusetts, was swimming in his community's pool, chatting with other swimmers. When he mentioned his career, one man wanted Duckworth’s opinion on his struggles with depression; another asked for advice on a family member's mental illness.
“I was sort of amazed. They were talking openly about their mental disabilities with a stranger in a swimming locker room, ” said Duckworth, “That wouldn't have happened 15 years ago. ”
New research shows that these swimmers aren't the only ones opening up. According to a new study, more American adults than ever are reporting being disabled by the symptoms of depression, anxiety or other emotional problems.
The report, published Thursday in the American Journal of Public Health, found that people who said they couldn’t perform everyday tasks or engage in social and leisure activities because of a mental illness increased from 2 percent in 1999 to 2.7 percent in 2009. That increase amounts to nearly 2 million more people disabled by mental distress (痛苦) in the past decade, the report said.
Although people did not say they felt more mental distressed compared to past years, they reported that their mental health problems had a greater impact on their daily lives.
Dr. Ramin Mojtabai, the study's author, said it's unclear whether the findings tell a sad story of greater mental distress in recent times or point to a victory for public education about the importance of acknowledging and evaluating mental illness.
“It is possible that people are realizing the effects of mental illness more acutely now than before," he said. "People could be becoming more aware. ”
Mojtabai said it's also possible that a number of factors could be taking a toll on the population's mental well-being. High unemployment, economic hardships and a growing sense of isolation could be putting greater stress on Americans.
But Duckworth said there could be a more positive explanation -- like his fellow swimmers, people may be getting more comfortable with talking about their mental distress.
“I wonder if this tells us that American culture is becoming more open and is giving people the ability to speak about it,” he said. “If people have this problem and are willing to acknowledge it, then we're getting closer to dealing with it.”Why was Dr. Ken Duckworth surprised when other swimmers talked about the depression with him?
| A．He hadn’t expected those swimmers had so many questions. |
| B．He didn’t know there would be so many people suffering mental disabilities. |
| C．People wouldn’t talk about their mental disabilities with a stranger in the past. |
| D．It amazed him that people were becoming more and more open-hearted. |
Which of the statements may Dr. Ramin Mojtabai agree?
| A．More and more people are suffering mental distress nowadays. |
| B．People may be more willing to acknowledge their mental illness. |
| C．People are becoming more and more aware of the effects of mental illness. |
| D．The public education about the importance of acknowledging mental illness is successful. |
What does the underline phrase “taking a toll on” in para.8 mean?
| A．making a contribution to |
| B．taking part in |
| C．playing a part in |
| D．doing harm to |
What’s the best title of the text?
| A．How mental illness come about? |
| B．Swimmers with mental illness puzzled psychiatrist. |
| C．Study shows more mental illness. |
| D．You should have an accurate attitude towards mental illness. |
Thailand is a country with a long and rich history. It is also one of those countries which have many traditions which modern times fortunately have not affected. Thailand is famous for its unique culture. It is well worth noting that Thai culture handed down from one generation to the next.
Thai Classical Dance
The inspiring culture includes local music and wonderful Thai dances. The dances of course have something to do with its deep rooted Buddhist religion, fighting arts and beautiful clothing. Thai classical dance performances are generally performed by gracious(高雅的) Thai ladies wearing beautiful Thai local costumes. Most resort(旅游胜地) areas and many hotels frequently offer these Thai culture dance shows for foreign visitors.
Thai Greeting
The Thai unique gesture of greeting another person, the wai, is especially one of the great aspects of Thai culture. The wai is when a person joins both hands to either head or chest level while bending their head slightly towards their hands. This way of greeting is especially done when a younger person greets an older person and it indicates a sign of respect to their elders. Employees would also wai their managers even if the manager would be younger than themselves.
Bangkok
Bangkok is the culture center of Thailand and has been the Thai capital since the end of the eighteenth century. Observing Thai culture in Bangkok can be great experience as the combination of modern times and traditions have created a kind of unique atmosphere. Bangkok offers a package of Thai culture which is shown by numerous beautiful Buddhist temples and many examples of modern Thai architecture.
Bangkok National Museum
Another location in Bangkok where one can enjoy and see Thai culture is at the famed Bangkok national museum, which offers tourists an opportunity to view national treasures and unique Thai art pieces with its culture feature dating back as early as the late sixteenth century.Thai classical dance is related to __________.
| A．living level and education | B．ages and pretty clothing |
| C．the Thai’s customs | D．the Thai’s belief |
If you want to watch Thai culture dance shows you can go to_______.
| A．anywhere in Thailand | B．Thai resort areas or big hotels |
| C．Thai museums or big streets | D．Thai theaters or restaurants |
In Thailand a worker uses the gesture the wai to greet _______.
| A．his young boss | B．a younger stranger |
| C．his younger colleagues | D．his close friend |
What make Thai culture in Bangkok so unique?
A, The long history and fine weather of Bangkok.
B. The mixture of the modern culture and traditions.
C. A number of beautiful Thai Buddhist temples
D. Many examples of modern Thai architecture.
Motherhood Is a Career to Respect
A woman renewing her driver’s license at the Country Clerk’s office was asked to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.
“What I mean is,” explained the recorder, “do you have a job, or are you just a …”
“Of course I have a job,” said Emily, “I ’m a mother.”
“We don’t list ‘mother’ as an occupation…‘housewife’ covers it,” said the recorder.
One day I found myself in the same situation. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, confident and possessed of a high sounding title. “What is your occupation?” she asked.
The words simply popped out. “I’m a Research Associate(研究员) in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.”
The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozen in mid-air.
I repeated the title slowly, then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement(声明) was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
“Might I ask,” said the clerk with interest, “just what you do in your field?”
Coolly, without any trace of panic in my voice, I heard myself reply, “I have a continuing program of research (what mother doesn’t), in the laboratory and in the field (normally I would have said indoors and out). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities (any mother care to disagree?), and I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.”
There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk’s voice as she completed the form, stood up, and showed me out.
As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up(激励) by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants—ages 13,7, and 3.
Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model (a 6-month-old baby), in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.
I felt proud! I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable(不可缺少的) to mankind than “just another mother”.
Motherhood… What a glorious career! Especially when there’s a title on the door.How did the female clerk feel at first when the writer told her occupation?
| A．Cold-hearted. | B．Open-minded. |
| C．Puzzled. | D．Interested. |
How many children does the writer have?
| A．3 | B．4 | C．7 | D．13 |
Why did the woman clerk show more respect to the writer?
| A．Because she thought the writer did admirable work. |
| B．Because the writer cared little about rewards. |
| C．Because the writer did something that she had little knowledge of. |
| D．Because she admired the writer’s research work. |
What is the point of the article?
| A．To show that how you describe your job affects your feelings toward it. |
| B．To show that the writer had a grander job than Emily. |
| C．To argue that motherhood is a worthy career. |
| D．To show that being a mother is hard and boring work. |
For some students, especially those from poor families, taking a job is not a matter of choice, but necessity. They need to work to save for college, or even to supplement family income. Counselors should help students who have a real need to work improve time management skills and seek employment that helps their educational goals.
“College costs are high, and young adults also want the amenities (便利设施) that extra money brings,” according to John B. Boshoven, counselor for continuing education at Community High School in Michigan. However, he warns, “School is my students’ full-time job.”
Studies show that students who work are more confident and possess better time management skills than students who are not employed. In addition to offering a paycheck, some independence, and satisfaction, a part-time job can provide teenagers with both training and experience. Working teaches students about responsibility and can also reinforce (充实) what they are learning in school. “Colleges want to find candidates who demonstrate maturity, responsibility, independence, and initiative, and good workers certainly demonstrate those important character traits,” Boshoven says. “Employers can write excellent recommendation letters for the students who have worked for them.”
On the other hand, experts agree that students who work more than 15 to 20 hours per week often experience lessened school success, which can lead to dropping out entirely. Working long hours can also limit opportunities to build friendships and explore interests that enhance a teenager’s intellectual and emotional development.
The major point that students should keep in mind is the importance of balance. Dan Crabtree, college and career counselor at Wheaton Academy in Illinois, explains, “We want our students to establish a healthy balance in life and work to maintain it throughout their lives.” If working will interfere with completing school work, participating in extracurricular activities, spending time with family and friends, or getting enough rest, it may not be a wise decision.What’s the purpose of the passage?
| A．To show how students can find a part-time job. |
| B．To discuss the issue of students’ part-time work. |
| C．To stress the importance of students’ part-time work. |
| D．To explain what is a part-time job. |
In Boshoven’s opinion, students _____.
a. should take their studies as the first priority
b. can benefit from part-time work
c. can form healthy habits in their lives
d. shouldn’t depend on their families financially
| A．bc | B．bd | C．ab | D．ac |
According to the passage, we know that _____.
| A．without counselors' help, few students can get employed |
| B．teenagers show strong interest in part-time work |
| C．experts encourage students do more part-time work |
| D．too much part-time work can lead to bad academic performance |
What can be concluded from the passage?
| A．Students should balance part-time work well with other things. |
| B．Part-time work is important for most students at college. |
| C．Experts’ advice is the key to finding a good part-time job. |
| D．All in all, students had better not spend time on part-time work |
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