People need to relax and enjoy themse1ves.One way they can have a good time is to watch a baseball game or another sports event.Even thousands of years ago,groups of people gathered to watch skilled athletes(运动员).
Over 2000 years ago in Greece,certain days in the year were festival days.These were holidays when people stopped work and enjoyed themselves.They liked to watch athletes take part in races and other games of skill.
The most important festival was held every four years at the town of Olympia.It was held in honor of the Greek God Zeus(Zus).For five days,athletes from all parts of the Greek world took part in the Olympic Games.At the Olympic Games,people could watch them box(拳击),run,jump and so on.There was a relay race between two teams of men in which a lighted torch(火矩)was passed from runner to runner.The Olympic Games were thought to be so important that cities which were at war with one another had to stop fighting.Just then people were allowed to travel to the games safely.Thousands of people came to Olympia from cities in Greece and from her colonies(殖民地)in Africa,Asia and Italy.They met as friends to cheer their favorite athletes and to enjoy themselves.
What happened in Greece over 2000 years ago?
A.People needn’t to work. |
B.There were often against one another in cities. |
C.People watched baseball games. |
D.People didn’t go to any games at all. |
What were those countries in Africa?
A.Friends. | B.Enemies. | C.Colonies. | D.Relatives. |
What did people do at the games?
A.They fought. | B.They just talked to friends. |
C.They cheered for their favorite athletes. | D.They tried to find friends. |
Greek cities then were fighting so they_____.
A.were weak | B.were safe |
C.couldn’t go to other cities freely | D.could see each other |
The best title for the story is“_____”.
A.Greece at War | B.To gather for the Games |
C.Stop Fighting | D.Sport |
Surfing the Internet for fun will make you a better employee, according to an Australian study.
The University of Melbourne study shows that people who use the Internet for their own reasons at work are about 9 percent more productive than those who do not. Study author Brent Coker said, “Surfing the Internet at times helps increase an employee’s attention.”
“People need to relax for a bit to get back their attention,” Coker said on the university’s website. “Having a short break, such as a quick surfing of the Internet, helps the mind to rest itself, leading to a higher total Internet attention for a day’s work, and as a result, increases productivity(生产效率),”he said.
According to the study of 300 workers, 70 percent of people who use the Internet at work surf the Internet for their own reasons during office hours. Among the most popular surfing activities are searching for information about products, reading online news, playing online games and watching videos. “Firms spend a lot of money on software to block their employees from watching video, using social networking sites or shopping online,” said Coker. “That’s not always a good idea.”
However, Coker said the study looked at people who surfed the Internet in moderation (适度), or were on the Internet for less than 20 percent of their total time in the office. “Those who spend too much time surfing the Internet will have a lower productivity than those without,” he said.
What does the University of Melbourne study mainly show?
A.People who surf the Internet are good employees. |
B.Not everyone surfs the Internet for fun during office hours. |
C.Surfing the Internet for fun during office hours increases productivity. |
D.The Internet is becoming more and more important in people’s life. |
According to Paragraph 3, Brent Coker would most probably agree that______.
A.the longer a person’s mind rests ,the better attention he will have |
B.surfing the Internet is the best way to increase productivity |
C.workers should have a long break during office hours |
D.Workers should let their minds rest now and then |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage as one of the most popular surfing activities?
A.Watching videos. | B.Reading online news. |
C.Reading online novels | D.Playing online games. |
The underlined word “block” in Paragrap4 means “_____”.
A.prevent | B.cycle | C.burst | D.breathe |
What can we infer form the last paragraph?
A.Spending too much time surfing the Internet reduces productivity. |
B.Those who never surf the Internet have the lowest productivity. |
C.Most people don’t surf the Internet in moderation during office hours. |
D.People should spend as little time as possible surfing the Internet. |
If you’re planning on traveling, there are a few simple rules about how to make life easier both before and after your journey.
First of all, always check and double-check departure (起程) time. It is amazing how few people really do this carefully. Once I arrived at the airport a few minutes after ten. My secretary had got the ticket for me and I thought she had said that the plane left at 10:50. When I arrived at the airport, the clerk at the departure desk told me that my flight was closed. Therefore, I had to wait three hours for the next one and missed an important meeting.
The second rule is to remember that even in this age of credit cards, it is still important to have at least a little of the local currency(货币) with you when you arrive in a country. This can be necessary if you are flying to a place few tourists normally visit. A few years ago I was sent to Tulsa, Oklahoma. I flew there from London via(经由)Dallas, with very little time to change planes in between. I arrived there at midnight and the bank at the airport was closed. The only way to get to my hotel was by taxi and because I had no dollars, I offered to pay in pounds instead.
“Listen! I only take real money!” the driver said angrily. Luckily I was able to borrow a few dollars from a clerk at the hotel, but it was embarrassing (令人难堪的).
The third and last rule is to find out as much as you can about the weather at your destination before you leave. I feel sorry for some of my workmates who travel in heavy suit and raincoats in May, when it is still fairly cool in London or Manchester, to places like Athens, Rome or Madrid, where it is already beginning to get quite warm during the day.
According to the passage, it’s obvious that______
A.The author learns some rules of traveling from his own experience. |
B.The author doesn’t plan his trips or journeys carefully. |
C.Englishmen like to wear heavy suits wherever they travel |
D.The America taxi driver never travels to England. |
What should you make sure first before setting off?
A.When you will leave. | B.Where you will go. |
C.How you will travel | D.Whom you will go with. |
According to the passage, the driver was angry because_______
A.the author gave him false money |
B.the author did not give him the local currency |
C.the author did not give him money |
D.the author had no enough change |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.The author tells people to choose warm places as their travel destinations. |
B.You don’t have to take credit cards when traveling. |
C.You should know more about the weather of the place you’ll visit. |
D.You should take enough change when you travel to other countries. |
What is the main idea of the passage?
A.A few simple rules about how to make life easier both before and after your journey. |
B.Always check and double-check departure time. |
C.It is important to have the local currency with you when you arrive in a country. |
D.To find out as much as you can about the weather at your destination before you leave. |
Everyone needs friends. We all like to feel close to someone. It is nice to have a friend to talk, laugh and do things with. Sure, there are times when we need to be alone. We don’t always want people around. But we would feel lonely if we never had a friend.
No two people are the same. Sometimes friends don’t get along well. That doesn’t mean they no longer like each other. Most of the time they will go on being friends. Sometimes friends move away. Then we feel very sad. We miss them very much. But we can call them and write to them. Maybe we wound never see them again. And we can make new friends. It is surprising to find out how much we like new people when we get to know them. Families sometimes name their children after a close friend. Many places are named after men and women, if they are friendly to people in a town. Some libraries are named in this way. So are some schools. We think of these people when we go to these places.
There is more good news for people, if they have friends. These people live longer than those people who don’t have friends. Why? It could be that they are happier. Being happy helps you stay well. Or it could be just knowing that someone cares. If someone cares about you, you take better care of yourself.
The first paragraph tells us_______
A.what is the feeling of having no friends |
B.how to communicate with friends |
C.making friends is a need in people’s life |
D.we need to be alone in our life |
According to the author, why sometimes friends don’t get along well? Because________
A.friends move away |
B.we don’t call them and write to them |
C.we have made new friends |
D.no two people are the same |
Which of the following places people name after their friendly people is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A.A town | B.A room | C.A school | D.A library |
Why do people who have friends live longer?
A.They feel happier and healthier. |
B.They know more about friendship. |
C.They take less care of themselves. |
D.They care more about their friends. |
This passage mainly tells us ______
A.that people are all friends | B.that people need friends |
C.how to get to know friends | D.how to name a place |
Students and Technology in the Classroom
I love my blackberry — it’s my little connection to the larger world that can go anywhere with me. I also love my laptop computer,as it holds all of my writing and thoughts. Despite this love of technology, I know that there are times when I need to move away from these devices(设备)and truly communicate with others.
On occasion, I teach a course called History Matters for a group of higher education managers. My goals for the class include a full discussion of historical themes and ideas. Because I want students to thoroughly study the material and exchange their ideas with each other in the classroom, I have a rule — no laptop, iPads, phones ,etc .When students were told my rule in advance of the class, some of them were not happy.
Most students assume that my reasons for this rule include unpleasant experiences in the past with students misusing technology. There’s a bit of truth to that. Some students assume that I am anti-technology. There’s no truth in that at all. I love technology and try to keep up with it so I can relate to my students.
The real reason why I ask students to leave technology at the door is that I think there are very few places in which we can have deep conversions and truly engage complex ideas. Interruptions by technology often break concentration and allow for too much dependence on outside information for ideas. I want students to dig deep within themselves for inspiration and ideas. I want them to push each other to think differently and make connections between the course the material and the class discussion.
I’ve been teaching my history class in this way for many years and the evaluations reflect student satisfaction with the environment that I create. Students realize that with deep conversation and challenge, they learn at a level that helps them keep the course material beyond the classroom.
I’m not saying that I won’t ever change my mind about technology use in my history class, but until I hear a really good reason for the change, I’m sticking to my plan. A few hours of technology-free dialogue is just too sweet to give up.
Some of the students in the history class were unhappy with _______.
A.the course material | B.others’ misuse of technology |
C.discussion topics | D.the author’s class regulations |
The underlined word “engage ”in paragraph 4 probably means _______.
A.explore | B.accept | C.change | D.reject |
According to the author, the use of technology in the classroom may _______.
A.keep students from doing independent thinking |
B.encourage students to have in-depth conversations |
C.help students to better understand complex themes |
D.affect students’ concentration on course evaluation |
It can be inferred from the last paragraph that the author _______.
A.is quite stubborn |
B.will give up teaching history |
C.will change his teaching plan soon |
D.values technology-free dialogues in his class |
We would probably all be amazed if we watched a videotape of ourselves performing basically unconscious acts as we go about the business of the day. These unconscious acts consist of all the little personal habits that we don’t even think about, but definitely should. These are some of the things that present an image of who we are to others, and if we are careless in performing them, this image may well be other than we would like it to be.
Parents who insist that their children practice good manners and habits at home are doing them a great service, for these habits then become lifelong and the natural way they do things. It proves true that their unconscious actions will reflect a well-mannered person.
People who, for example, eat with both arms on the table at home will likely do so when out. Those who are lazy and slow in private will certainly be so in public. Children who are permitted to be disrespectful to their parents will follow suit with other adults, and will, most likely, become adults who are disrespectful of others. This is an area where the saying “practice makes perfect” may be applied.
There is an article about the actress, Audrey Hepburn, known for her beautiful carriage and posture. According to her biographer, her grandmother tied her neck to the back of her chair, at table, so that she would not drop down suddenly over her food, but rather would learn to put only small amounts of food on her spoon or fork and bring them to her mouth. This is a rather extreme “at home” method for the development of erect (直立的) posture, but it does illustrate the effectiveness of practicing good habits so that, when in public, they are instinctive.
Which of the following expresses the main idea of the passage?
A.Parents should be responsible for their children’s good habits. |
B.The actress is well known for her beautiful posture. |
C.We should always be aware of our manners. |
D.Without good manners, one can never be perfect. |
Those who eat with both arms on the table at home ______.
A.will probably change the habit when eating out with their relatives |
B.will probably have the same habit when they have meals in the restaurant |
C.will feel embarrassed when having meals with so many strangers in public |
D.will always put their arms on the table no matter where they eat |
The meaning of “practice makes perfect” in the third paragraph is ______.
A.the more practice one has, the better job he will do |
B.the more perfect one is, the more practice he needs |
C.if one has enough practice, he will become perfect |
D.perfect makes a person practice more |
Which of the following are NOT true?
A.If we are not careful about our unconscious acts, the images of ourselves presented to others will be quite undesirable. |
B.The good habits formed in one’s childhood will benefit him throughout his life. |
C.If parents do not care about the disrespectful attitude adopted by their children towards themselves, their children might be disrespectful to others. |
D.It is unlikely that a well-mannered person will not embarrass himself in public. |
Dear Friend,
The recent success of children's books has made the general public aware that there's a huge market out there.
And there's a growing need for new writers trained to create the $3 billion worth of children's books bought each year ... plus stories and articles needed by over 650 publishers of magazines for children and teenagers.
Who are these needed writers? They're ordinary folks like you and me.
But am I good enough?
I was once where you might be now. My thoughts of writing had been pushed down by self-doubt, and I didn't know where to turn for help.
Then, I accepted a free offer from the Institute to test my writing aptitude(潜能), and it turned out to be the inspiration I needed.
The promise that paid off.
The Institute made the same promise to me that they will make to you, if you show basic writing ability:
You will complete at least one manuscript(手稿) suitable to hand in to a publisher by the time you finish our course.
I really didn't expect any publication before I finished the course, but that happened. I sold three stories. And I soon discovered that was not unusual at the Institute.
Since graduation, I have authored 34 nationally published children's books and over 300 stories and articles.
Free test and brochure
We offer a free aptitude test and will send you a copy of our brochure describing our recognized home-study courses on the basis of one-on-one training.
Realize your writing dream today. There's nothing sadder than a dream delayed until it fades forever.
Sincerely,
Kristi Holl, Instructor
Institute of Children's Literature
From the first three paragraphs, we learn that_____.
A.children's books are usually bestsellers. |
B.publishers are making $3 billion each year. |
C.magazines for teenagers have drawn public attention. |
D.there is a growing need for writers of children's books. |
When finishing the course, you are promised to_____.
A.be a successful publisher |
B.become a confident editor |
C.finish one work for publication |
D.get one story or article published |
Kristi Holl mentions her experience mainly to_____.
A.prove she is a good instructor |
B.promote the writing program |
C.give her advice on course preparation |
D.show she sold more stories than article |
“Mum, what does it mean when someone tells you that they have a skeleton (骨骼) in the closet (衣橱)?” Jessica asked. “A skeleton in the closet?” her mother paused thoughtfully. “Well, it's something that you would rather not have anyone else know about. For example, if in the past, someone in Dad's family had been arrested for stealing a horse, it would be 'a skeleton in his family's closet'. He really wouldn't want any neighbor to know about it.”
“Why pick on my family?” Jessica's father said with anger. “Your family history isn't so good, you know. Wasn't your great-great-grandfather a prisoner who was transported to Australia for his crimes?”“Yes, but people these days say that you are not a real Australian unless your ancestors arrived as prisoners.”“Gosh, sorry I asked. I think I understand now,” Jessica cut in before things grew worse.
After dinner, the house was very quiet. Jessica's parents were still quite angry with each other. Her mother was ironing clothes and every now and then she glared at her husband, who hid behind his newspaper pretending to read. When she finished, she gathered the freshly pressed clothes in her arms and walked to Jessica's closet. Just as she opened the door and reached in to hang a skirt, a bony arm stuck out from the dark depths and a bundle of white bones fell to the floor. Jessica's mother sank in a faint (晕倒), waking only when Jessica put a cold, wet cloth on her forehead. She looked up to see the worried faces of her husband and daughter.
“What happened? Where am I?” she asked. “You just destroyed the school's skeleton, Mum,” explained Jessica. “I brought it home to help me with my health project. I meant to tell you, but it seemed that as soon as I mentioned skeletons and closets, it caused a problem between you and Dad.” Jessica looked in amazement as her parents began to laugh madly. “They're both crazy,” she thought.
According to Jessica's mother, “a skeleton in the close” means ________.
A.a family honor | B.a family secret | C.a family story | D.a family treasure |
What can we learn about some Australians' ancestors from Paragraph 2?
A.They were brought to Australia as prisoners. |
B.They were the earliest people living in Australia. |
C.They were involved in some crimes in Australia. |
D.They were not regarded as criminals in their days. |
Why did Jessica bring a skeleton home?
A.She was curious about it. | B.She planned to keep it for fun. |
C.She needed it for her school task. | D.She intended to scare her parents. |
Jessica's parents laughed madly at the end of the story probably because ________.
A.they were crazy. |
B.they were over excited. |
C.they realized their misunderstanding. |
D.they both thought they had won the quarrel. |
In Western countries people have been using the installment (分期付款) plan since the first half of the twentieth century. Today, a large number of families in Great Britain buy furniture, household goods and cars by installments. In the U.S.A.,the figure is much higher than in Great Britain, and people there spend over 10 percent of their income on the installment plan.
The price of an article bought on installments is always higher than the price that would be paid by cash. There is a charge for interest. The buyer pays one quarter or one third of the price as a down payment (预付定金) when the goods are delivered to him. He then makes regular payments, weekly or monthly, until the full price is paid up. The legal ownership of the goods remains with the seller until the final payment has been made.
Installment buying has advantages and disadvantages. It can help couples with small incomes to furnish their homes and start housekeeping. It increases the demand for goods, and in this way helps business and employment,There is,
however, the danger that when business is bad, installment buying may end suddenly, making business much worse. This may result in a great increase in unemployment.
If the people on the installment plan lose their jobs, they will probably not be able to make their payments. If great numbers of people are not able to pay their installment debts, there is a possibility that businessmen cannot collect their debts and will therefore lose money. If businessmen lose money or fail to make a satisfactory profit,it becomes more likely to have a depression (萧条). This is why, in some countries,the government controls the installment plan by fixing the amount of the down payment and installments to discourage people from buying more than they can pay for on the installment plan.
Which of the following is NOT TRUE about the installment plan?
A.A lot of British families use the installment plan. " |
B.More than 10 percent of American families buy things on installments. |
C.Americans depend more on installment than British people do. |
D.Americans spend one tenth of their income on installment buying. |
Goods bought on installments are more expensive than goods bought by cash because_______.
A.the buyer has to pay extra money as interest |
B.the delivery of the goods charges extra money |
C.the buyer has to pay adown payment |
D.the service offered by installment plan charged extra money |
What will happen to a buyer if he fails to make the full payment for an item bought on installments?
A.He might lose his job. |
B.He will stop owning the item he has bought. |
C.He will have to setl what he has bought. |
D.He will go into debt. |
The advantage of installment buying might include all the following EXCEPT that________.
A.purchasing power is strengthened |
B.employment might be increased |
C.people develop a good habit of saving money |
D.young couples are able to furnish their homes |
In some countries, the governments control the installment plan to_______.
A.increase employment |
B.avoid depressions |
C.ensure that businesses make good profits |
D.ensure that people can pay for what they buy |
Growing up in Philadelphia, Lieberman started cooking with his stay-at-home dad when he was seven. His food-loving family had two kitchens, and he quickly learned what was the best way to bake his cakes. Lieberman improved his kitchen skills during a year abroad beforo college, learning from a cook in Italy and study local specialties in Gerrnany, Spain and France. At Yale,he was known for throwing dinner parties, single-handedly frying and baking while mixing drinks for dozens offriends. Just for fun, he and some friends decided to tape a show named Campus Cuisine about his cooking. Lieberman was a real college student showing his classmate how to do things like making drinks out of dining-hall fruit. That helped the show become very popular among the students. They would stop Lieberman after classes to ask for his advice on cooking. Tapes of the show were passed around,with which his name went beyond the school and finally to the Food Network.
Food Network producer Flay hopes the young cook will find a place on the
network television. He says Lieberman’s charisma is key."Food T-V isn’t about
food anymore." says Flay, " It’s about your personality and finding a way to keep
people’s eyeballs on your show."
But Lieberman isn’t putting all his eggs in one basket. After taping the first season of the new show, Lieberman was back in his own small kitchen preparing
sandwiches. An airline company was looking for someone to come up with a tasteful,
inexpensive and easy-to-make menu to serve on its flight. Lieberman got the job.
We can learn from the text that Lieberman’s family______.
A.have relatives in Europe | B.love cooking at home |
C.often hold parties | D.own a restaurant |
The Food Network got to know Lieberman________.
A.at one of his parties | B.from his teacher |
C.through his taped show | D.on a television program |
What does the word"charisma" underline in the text refer to ?
A.A natural ability to attract others. | B.A way to show one’s achievement. |
C.Lieberman’s after-class interest | D.Lieberman’s fine cooking skill |
Why did the airline company give Lieberman the job?
A.He could prepare meals in a small kitchen. |
B.He was famous for his shows on Food TV. |
C.He was good at using eggs to make sandwiches. |
D.He could cook cheap, delicious and simple meals. |
What can we learn about Lieberman from the text?
A.He is clever but lonely. | B.He is friendly and active. |
C.He enioys traveling around. | D.He often changes his menus. |
I have been using the Internet since I was five years old, when my dad first sat me down in front of a computer and connected me the World Wide Web.
I’ve always felt like a master of the Internet world. AOL Instant Messaging, MSN, Gmail, Facebook, Myspace -- I’ve got it all under control. I thought there was nothing more to it besides checking my e-mail and wasting my time, until I was introduced to electronic commerce(e-commerce): business on the Internet.
Some online businesses are run from one-room home offices. Others have hundreds of employees (雇员) across the world. Have you ever heard of Amazon.com, Yahoo.com?
My friends often said they got cheap textbooks off Amazon.com, or had a good deal (交易) on Steve Madden shoes that were on sale at SteveMaden.com. Unfortunately for me, I continued my “e-commerceless” Web-surfing, not knowing about all the deals I was missing out on.
That is, of course, until my sister finally sold the idea to me.
“Why are all these packages arriving in the mail for you, Katy?” I asked her one day. Strange envelopes (信封) had been put on our doorstep for weeks now, each one always addressed to my sister; and we all know little sisters should never be getting more mail than their elders!
“Oh, it’s the things I ordered online!” she answered. I watched speechlessly as she opened them. There was no way our parents were letting her spend that much money- online or off!
“How much did all of this coat?”
“Oh, only about $15 in all!” She said excitedly. “Everything on eBay is on sale! It’s a way better than going to the mall.”
I felt as if there had been a store right in my backyard that I had never walked into! That week, I ordered a used Spanish textbook for my summer course online for 10 percent of the publishing price. A few days later, I bought an iPod protector and a book or two via the wonderful eBay.com.
From the first two paragraph we can conclude that the author
A.had no experience using computers |
B.had no idea of what e-commerce is |
C.only used the Internet to check e-mail |
D.thought surfing the Internet was a waste of time |
The writer didn’t find out about e-commerce until
A.he stopped web-surfing |
B.he visited a store in his backyard |
C.his sister explained the packages she got by mail |
D.his friends told him about the online deals they made |
We can infer from the last paragraph that the author .
A.never enjoyed shopping that much |
B.loves the big store in her backyard |
C.feels she is a true master of the Internet |
D.has begun to enjoy online shopping |
What’s the purpose of the article?
A.To tell the readers how he begins online shopping. |
B.To do business on the Internet. |
C.To make an online shopping ad. |
D.To advise people not to do online shopping |
When women sit together to watch a movie on TV, they usually talk simultaneously(同时的)about a variety of subjects, including children, men, careers and what’ s happening in their lives. When groups of men and women watch a movie together, the men usually end up telling the women to shut up. Men can either talk or watch the screen -- they can’ t do both -- and they don’ t understand that women can. Besides, women consider that the point of all getting together is to have a good time and develop relationships -- not just to sit there like couch potatoes staring at the screen.
During the ad breaks, a man often asks a woman to explain the plot and tell him where the relationship between the characters is going. He is unable, unlike women, to read the subtle body language signals that reveal how the characters are feeling emotionally. Since women originally spent their days with the other women and children in the group, they developed the ability to communicate successfully in order to maintain relationships. For a woman, speech continues to have such a clear purpose: to build relationships and make friends. For men, to talk is to relate the facts.
Men see the telephone as a communication tool for sending facts and information to other people, but a woman sees it as a means of bonding. A woman can spend two weeks on vacation with her girlfriend and, when she returns home, telephone the same girlfriend and talk for another two hours.
There is no convincing evidence that social conditioning, the fact that girls’ mothers talked them more, is the reason why girls talk more than boys. Psychiatrist Dr Michael Lewis, author Social Behaviour and Language Acquisition, conducted experiments that found mothers talked to and looked at, baby girls more often than baby boys. Scientific evidence shows parents respond the brain bias of their children. Since a girl’ s brain is better organized to send and receive speech, we therefore talk to them more. Consequently, mothers who try to talk to their sons are usually pointed to receive only short grunts in reply.
While watching TV with others, women usually talk a lot because they
A.are afraid of awkward silence with their families and friends |
B.can both talk and watch the screen at the same time |
C.think they can have a good time and develop relationships |
D.have to explain the plot and body language to their husbands |
After a vacation with her girlfriend, a woman would talk to her again on the phone for hours in order to .
A.experience the happy time again | B.keep a close tie with her |
C.recommend her a new scenic spot | D.remind her of something forgotten |
What does the author want to tell us most?
A.Women’ s brains are better organized for language and communication |
B.Women love to talk because they are more sociable than men. |
C.Men do not like talking because they rely more on facts. |
D.Social conditioning is not the reason why women love talking. |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A.Women Are Socially Trained to Talk |
B.Talking Maintains Relationships |
C.Women Love to Talk |
D.Men Talk Differently from Women. |
When you do some minor image editing (修正) on your computer screen, you may make some mistakes, so from time to time you’d click undo (撤消).
There are things in life we cannot undo as easily and completely as we would with our computer files. A wrong turn, a hurtful word said to a loved one, a bad move — these we all commit as we walk our life’s journeys, no matter how careful we are in our steps. Once committed, we can no longer undo many of these mistakes, especially because unlike with our computer documents, each thing we do and say has vast impact as they involve not just us — the file that we are working on — but also others, the unopened files and computer programs in our system.
So I guess our life’s mistakes are not like our pencil scrawls (潦草书写) that can be effectively corrected with an eraser, or errors on our computer works that can be undone with an undo button. But there are effective and reliable tools we can use—APOLOGY and FORGIVENESS. Simply click the APOLOGY button when you have committed a mistake that has hurt a loved one and the words “I’m Sorry” will flash on the other person’s screen. But, you have to be truly sorry and you must be prepared not to commit the same mistake again for your APOLOGY to work. Sincerity is definitely a necessary part.
When someone clicks the APOLOGY button and the words “I’m sorry” flash on your screen, all you have to do is click back the FORGIVENESS (原谅) button. It means that you have wholeheartedly accepted the other person’s APOLOGY. But not only that. You also have to click it when someone has sent you back the message “It’s okay. Forget about it.”. It means that you are also forgiving yourself for your mistake; that you won’t keep feeling so bad having committed it.
And lastly, don’t forget to keep clicking the SAVE button. Going through the whole process of editing—of doing and undoing, of apologizing and forgiving — is useless if you fail to save the LESSON for future use. Let the saved file be a reminder of the healing process you once went through to make yourself better; for you not to forget the lesson; and for others to access and learn from.
Which of the following is TRUE?
A.However careful we are, we still make mistakes in life. |
B.Things we do and say can affect computer programs in our system. |
C.We can undo life’s mistakes if we are careful enough. |
D.An eraser is an effective tool for our computer works. |
The APOLOGY button should be clicked when ________.
A.one wants to make the computer work perfectly |
B.one’s mistakes won’t influence others any more |
C.one is actually saying “I’m sorry” |
D.one won’t make the same mistake again |
What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 4 refer to?
A.The UNDO button. | B.The APOLOGY button. |
C.The SAVE button. | D.The FORGIVENESS button. |
We need to click the SAVE button in life because ________.
A.we want to go through the whole process of editing |
B.we need to learn a lesson from the past mistakes |
C.we want to make the healing process faster |
D.we need to use the computer properly |
A sunflower is a sunflower. A mobile phone is a mobile phone. But can you combine the two to do something for your local environment? As early as next year it may well be possible. When you have finished with your mobile phone you will be able to bury it in the garden or a plant pot and wait for it to flower.
A biodegradable (生物可降解的) mobile phone was, this month, introduced by scientists. It is hoped that the new type of phone will encourage consumers to recycle (再利用). Scientists have come up with a new material over the last five years. It looks like any other plastic, but overtime it can break down into the soil without giving out any poisonous chemicals. British researchers used the new material to develop a phone cover that contains a sunflower seed. When this cover turns into waste, it forms nitrates (硝酸盐). These feed the seed and help the flower grow. “We’ve only put sunflower seeds into the cover so far. But we are working with plant experts to find out which flowers will perform best. Maybe we could put roses in next time.” said one scientist.
As phone technology is developing so quickly people are constantly throwing their mobiles away. This means producers are under pressure to find ways of recycling them. Some 650 million mobile phones have been sold this year. Most of them will be thrown away within two years, adding plastic, heavy metal and chemical waste to the environment. A biodegradable cover can offer some relief for nature, according to the scientists. “The seed is released and the flower grows in the pot so you don’t have to concern yourself with the phone when you have finished using it,” said Kerry Kirwan, the leader of the research team.
After you have finished using the new type of mobile phone, _______.
A.the sunflower seed will come out and flower in the pot |
B.the phone cover will break down very soon in the soil |
C.it will be recycled by the producers |
D.it can charge itself with electricity in a green way |
This type of research is done because ________.
A.the technology of making phones is changing rapidly |
B.too many waste mobile phones may lead to environmental problems |
C.nobody has ever thought of recycling mobile phones |
D.producing mobile phones uses a lot of energy |
We can infer from the story ________.
A.the new type of mobile phones is already on the market |
B.the new type of mobile phones will sell extremely well |
C.the material of the new type of phones is harmful |
D.other flowers may be used in the new type of mobile phones |
For years I wanted a flower garden. I spent hours and days thinking of different things I could plant that would look nice together.
But then we had Matthew. And Marvin. And the twins, Alisa and Alan. And then Helen. Five children. I was too busy raising them to grow a garden.
Money was tight, as well as time. Often when my children were little, one of them would want something that cost too much, and I’d have to say, “Do you see a money tree outside? Money doesn’t grow on trees, you know.”
Finally, all five children got through high school and college and were off on their own. I started thinking again about having a garden.
I wasn’t sure, though. I mean, gardens do cost money, and after all these years I was used to living on a pretty poor, no-frills budget (预算).
Then, one spring morning, on Mother’s day, I was working in my kitchen. Suddenly, I realized that cars were tooting their horns as they drove by. I looked out of the window and there was a new tree, planted right in my yard. I thought it must be a weeping willow, because I saw things blowing around on all its branches. Then I put my glasses on—and I couldn’t believe what I saw. There was a money tree in my yard!
I went outside to look. It was true! There were dollar bills, one hundred of them, tied all over the tree. Think of all the garden flowers I could buy with one hundred dollars! There was also a note attached: “IOU eight hours of digging time. Love, Marvin.”
Marvin kept his promise, too. He dug up a nice ten-by-fifteen foot bed for me. And my other children bought me tools, a trellis (绷架), a sunflower stepping stone and gardening books.
That was three years ago. My garden’s now very pretty, just like what I wanted. When I go out to weed or tend my flowers, I don’t seem to miss my children as much as I once did. It feels like they are right there with me.
I live up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where winters are long and cold, and summers are too short. But every year now, when winter sets in, I look out of my window and think of the flowers I’ll see next spring in my little garden. I think about what my children did for me, and I get tears in my eyes---every time.
I’m still not sure that money grows on trees. But I know love does.
By saying “Do you see a money tree outside?”, the mother actually means _____.
A.Observation is the best teacher | B.Seeing is believing |
C.The outsider sees the most of the game | D.It is not easy to gain money |
The underlined word “no-frills” in the fifth paragraph is similar in meaning to _____.
A.wasteful | B.tight | C.deserted | D.helpful |
From the last two paragraphs we can infer that the mother is _____.
A.divorced when she was young | B.not caring for her kids any longer |
C.alone but not at all lonely | D.prouder with her garden than with her kids |
The best title for the passage would probably be _____.
A.My flower garden | B.Marvin helps to realize my dream |
C.Love in Michigan | D.Money grows on trees |