Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who wrote the story of the detective(侦探) Sherlock Holmes, was having a trip in Europe. One day he got out of the railway station and climbed into a taxi. Before he could say a word, the driver turned to him and asked, “Where can I take you, Mr. Doyle?”
Doyle was rather surprised. He asked the driver if he had ever seen him before. “No, sir,” the driver replied, “I have never seen you before.” Then he explained, “This morning’s newspaper had a story about your being on vacation in Marseilles. This is the taxi stop where people who return from Marseilles always come. Your skin color tells me you have been on vacation. The ink spot on your right fingers suggests to me that you are a writer. Your clothes are very English, not French. Adding up all those pieces of information, I conclude that you are Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.”
“This is truly surprising!” the writer cried out. “You are a real-life copy to my fictional(虚构的) story, Sherlock Holmes!”
“And there is one other thing,” the driver added, with a smile on his face.
“What’s that?”
“Your name is on the front of your suitcase.”The conversation between the two people took place________.
| A．at a bus stop | B．in a taxi |
| C．in Marseilles | D．in a railway station |
Doyle was rather surprised because ________.
| A．the driver had seen him before |
| B．the driver could call him by his name |
| C．the driver was waiting for him |
| D．the driver answered no questions from him |
After he heard the driver’s analysis, Doyle concluded that ______.
| A．the driver was Sherlock Holmes |
| B．the once wrote a story about the driver |
| C．he had met the driver long before |
| D．the driver was a real life-copy to his story |
From what the driver said, we could know ________.
| A．Doyle was from England |
| B．Doyle could not speak French |
| C．Doyle liked English very much |
| D．Doyle was writing a French story |
The driver knew the writer’s name because _______.
| A．Doyle told the driver himself |
| B．it was on the front of his suitcase |
| C．the morning’s newspaper had said that |
| D．the detective let out the information |
You could feel sorry for Alberto Torres, who is blind. The last thing he remembers seeing was his daughter being born 13 years ago. Then the world went blank; he can only imagine what his only child looks like now, as a teenaged honor student. Bad luck is no stranger to this warm and thoughtful 37-year-old man. His mother died of cancer when he was 4, and his father, who was often ill, had to give him up to the care of the state when he was 11. He later worked for 19 years in a workshop making household goods, deathly boring work. Earlier this month, Alberto Torres’s wife, who had just been laid off from her job, had to have a breast removed due to cancer and now faces a year of radiation treatments. Things seemed always to go from almost incredibly bad to worse. Even Mr. Torres’s good luck has a dark side: Five years ago, his lovely guide dog pulled him out of the path of a truck. Mr. Torres was not hurt. The dog was killed.
But Mr. Torres does not feel sorry for himself. “These are just little bumps you have to go over in your life,” he said. At 5 a.m. on a recent morning, we caught up with Mr. Torres at a subway stop in Brooklyn, New York, near where he lives in a third-floor apartment (with no elevator). He had been up since 3 a.m., feeding his new dog, making coffee, getting ready. “When you’re blind, it takes a little longer to do things,” he said.
Mr. Torres was beginning his two-hour trip to his job developing film in the X-ray department of the emergency room of the Bronx hospital. He would take the G train to Queens Plaza station to the R train, heading towards Manhattan. He would then ride the R train to 59th Street where he would walk upstairs to switch to the Number 6 train. At one point along the journey, he might chat with a stranger. At another, someone would pat his dog, calling him by name. People offered assistance, even seats. At 125th Street, Mr. Torres would transfer to the Number 4 train by crossing the platform. At 149th Street, he would go down to the Number 2. He would take that to East 180th Street where he nearly always has a long wait for his final train, to Pelham Parkway. Then he and his dog would walk 20 minutes to the hospital.
It was a hard job to come by. Before he got the job, Mr. Torres was determined to escape the workshop run by an organization dedicated to help people who can’t see. He wanted a job developing X-ray film, something that everyone must do in the dark. He had to handle the long trip, as well as the work. “Our philosophy here is that blind people can do just about anything except drive buses,” it was the thinking about disabled people at the Bronx hospital. “We find what a person can do rather than what he can’t do,” said the hospital’s director.
One day a while ago marked the first anniversary of Mr. Torres’s hiring. He developed 150 or so X-rays, his usual output, to celebrate. Mr. Torres works by himself in a small, dark room that smells of chemicals. He cannot wear gloves, because he needs to feel. It is hard work, related to emergency of lives. His immediate supervisor says he trusts him 100%. Mr. Torres makes $20,000 a year. But his motivation goes beyond money. “If I start feeling like a victim, that makes me bitter. And why be bitter? That makes you go into a hole and stay there.” he said. “I’m not doing anything out of the ordinary,” insisted Mr. Torres as he quickly completed the task.Mr. Torres became blind when________.
| A．his daughter was just born |
| B．he was thirteen years old |
| C．his mother died of cancer |
| D．his wife was out of work |
Mr. Torres does not feel sorry for himselfbecause he ________.
| A．was once saved by his lovely guide dog |
| B．is taken good care of by the government |
| C．thinks it’s natural to have setbacks in life |
| D．believes it takes a little longer to do things |
The description of Mr. Torres’s long trip to work shows ________.
| A．the effective traffic system |
| B．the kindness of New Yorkers |
| C．the loyalty of his guide dog |
| D．his will to overcome difficulty |
What is the principle of the hospital in employing a worker?
| A．Sympathy counts most. |
| B．Ability comes first. |
| C．Preference for the blind. |
| D．Easy job for the weak. |
Mr. Torres works very hard in order to ________.
| A．make plenty of money |
| B．win his supervisor’s trust |
| C．live like a normal person |
| D．complete his daily task |
In the eyes of the writer, Alberto Torres is a man of _______.
| A．deep thinking | B．weak motivation |
| C．special talents | D．great independence |
Surfing the net when you should be finishing a work report, changing clothes when you have a train to catch, or perhaps even lying in bed when you’ve promised yourself you’ll work out. Sound familiar? You aren’t alone. We all procrastinate (拖延) sometimes, especially when it comes to things we aren’t really fond of. And while the number of activities we delay doing in any given week varies from person to person, it’s fair to say that none of us is super-efficient 100 percent of the time.
A study revealed that we spend about 218 minutes procrastinating every day, which amounts to 55 days of lost time each year. We might not think these figures particularly worthy of worry, but when we look at the overall impact of procrastination on our lives, it’s a different story. Not only does this cost financial loss, it also affects peace of mind. And procrastination isn’t just a money thief —— it steals time too. In general, people who continually put things off are unhappier, as well as being less wealthy and healthy.
So why do we do it? “When we avoid taking action, we’re really avoiding pain,” explains psychiatrist (精神病学家) Phil Stutz. For most of us, pain avoidance isn’t limited to one situation. It applies to almost anything that’s painful. Most of us try our best never to leave a comfort zone. That’s why we sacrifice something much more valuable: time. “Our time on earth is limited,” Stutz adds. “Every moment is an opportunity we’ll never have again. Procrastinators act as if they have all the time in the world. But deep down, they know they’re wasting parts of their life. The trouble is, most of them don’t know how to free themselves.”
One way he says we can reach this level of freedom is by overcoming the pain of avoidance using daily visualization (想象). “Picture the pain you’re avoiding as a black cloud in front of you,” Stutz says. “Notice how you’re fed up with the ways this pain has held you back in life, and tell yourself that you’re determined to conquer it. Then it’s time to get through the cloud and to the other side — where you’re free.” It is obvious that this tool works when we want to procrastinate. We then get into the habit of moving “towards” pain instead of away from it.
In addition to the fact that procrastinators suffer more health problems, procrastination also destroysteamwork and personal relationships because it shifts the burden of responsibilities onto others. So next time you think about putting something off, remember the impact it will have. Experts insist: procrastinators can change their behavior, it takes a lot of self-work but in the end, it’s worth the effort. And start today, not tomorrow.The writer begins the passage by ________.
| A．presenting abnormal things |
| B．asking related questions |
| C．mentioning habitual activities |
| D．comparing different opinions |
By saying “it’s a different story”, the writer thinks procrastination _______.
| A．leads to different results for different persons |
| B．is likely to have bad effects on people’s life |
| C．may not be particularly worthy of concern |
| D．tends to cause unhappiness among people |
According to the passage, people procrastinate because they_______.
| A．get accustomed to taking action |
| B．prefer to stay in the comfort zone |
| C．don’t know how to free themselves |
| D．are not aware of the limited time |
One possible way to stop procrastination is to ________.
| A．overcome it mentally |
| B．avoid the pain |
| C．take some self-work |
| D．reach the freedom |
What’s the writing purpose of the passage?
| A．To analyze the trouble procrastination causes. |
| B．To show what contributes to procrastination. |
| C．To solve the problems caused by procrastination. |
| D．To encourage people to defeat procrastination. |
It was a weeknight. We were a half dozen guys in our late teens, hanging around “the flat” — as usual. The flat was poorly furnished, which, after some time, grew tiresome. We wanted action.
We got in a car, big enough for all of us to crowd into — and off we went, in search of adventure. We soon found ourselves at Blue Gum Corner, a place named after the huge old blue gum tree that stood by there, a well-known local landmark. It stands at a minor crossroad leading to our town. The trunk is tall and smooth with no handholds for climbing. About six metres from the ground the first branch sticks out over the road. We parked beneath the huge old tree and discussed what we might do. All of a sudden we hit upon an idea — a hanging! I was chosen as “hangee”.
The plan was quite simple. As I stood upon the roof of the car, the rope(绳子) was threaded down my jacket through my collar and down one leg of my jeans. I put my foot through the loop at the bottom. There I hung, still. The boys rolled about laughing until, a car, I hear a car! Before they ran to hide in the nearby field, they gave me a good push so that “the body” would swing as the car drove by.
To our disappointment, the car simply turned off for town without even slowing. The boys came out of their hiding places and we discussed the situation. Surely they had seen me, hadn’t they? Then we heard another car. The act was repeated, but still without any obvious reaction. We played the game about five or six times, but as no one seemed to notice, we abandoned the trick.
What we did not know was that every car that had passed had unquestionably seen “the body” and each one, too scared to stop, had driven directly to the local Police Station. Now at that time of the night, the local policeman was sound asleep in his bed, so the first person sent to the scene was the traffic officer that happened to be on duty that particular night. He had been informed that some person had been killed, by hanging, at Blue Gum Corner. When he arrived, the body was gone! And he was hearing “unnatural sounds” from the surrounding area. As far as he knew, some fierce animal was hiding in the field before him, possibly dragging a body behind him — and we thought we were scared!
He went to his radio and made a call that really began to worry us. I lay so close that I could hear every word. He called for the “armed police” and a “dog team, better make it two” and he had a “serious situation” at Blue Gum Corner. Then the police officer arrived. After a briefing from the traffic officer he decided not to go into the field until armed police and dog teams arrived. Now two spotlights were on the field and none of us could move.
As luck would have it, police cars cannot leave their spotlights on all night without charging their batteries. So, after a time, the two officers began lightening the field by turns, allowing us the opportunity to move on our fours for freedom. One by one, we all managed to steal away and make our way home. Behind us we left what must have looked like a small city of lights, police cars, roadblocks, barking dogs, armed officers and an old rope hanging from a tree.
When I think back to that night, to that tree, to what the drivers of the cars think happened, to what police believe happened, and to what I know happened, I am reminded of a simple truth — our eyes see darkness and light, color and movement, our ears hear only vibrations(振动) in the air. It is how we explain these vivid pictures that shapes our “reality”.The boys made the “hanging” plan in order to ______.
| A．make a fool of the police | B．draw public attention |
| C．seek fun and excitement | D．practise acting skills |
Seeing that no car passing by stopped, the boys must have felt ______.
| A．discouraged | B．proud | C．annoyed | D．confident |
Why was the traffic officer sent to the scene of “hanging”?
| A．Because a fierce animal kept the traffic in disorder. |
| B．Because the local policeman was not available at that time. |
| C．Because some naughty kids ware playing a terrifying game. |
| D．Because many scared drivers turned directly to him for help. |
The boys managed to escape from the field when ______.
| A．the two police cars were being charged |
| B．the police officer was taking over the duty |
| C．the traffic officer was making a call for help |
| D．the two spotlights were not working together |
What is conveyed in the passage?
| A．Actions speak louder than words. |
| B．The truth lies beneath the surface. |
| C．Experience is the best teacher. |
| D．To see is to believe. |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Blue Gum Tree |
| B．A Body Found Hanging |
| C．Escape to Freedom |
| D．A Disappointing Experience |
To honor the best books for young adults and children, TIME has created this list of classics: Best Young-Adult and Children’s Books.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Sherman Alexie’s coming-of-age novel shows family and traditions through young Arnold Spirit, torn between his life in an Indian community and his largely white high school. The specifics are sharply drawn, but this novel, with its themes of self-discovery, speaks to young readers everywhere.
Harry Potter
What more can be said about J. K. Rowling’s unique series? How about this: seven years after the final book was published, readers young and old still go crazy at the slightest rumor of a new Potter story.
The Book Thief
For many young readers, Markus Zusak’s novel provides their first in-depth reflection of the Holocaust(大屠杀). Although terror surrounds Liesel, a young German girl, so too does evidence of friendship, love and charity — recovering lights in the darkness.
A Wrinkle in Time
Madeleine L’Engle’s super-realist adventure has provided generations of children with their first-ever exciting experiences, as Meg travels across the fifth dimension(维度) in search of her father. But the science fiction also has a message: Meg learns independence and bravery in the process.
Charlotte’s Web
Readers are still drawn to the simplicity and beauty of spider Charlotte’s devotion to her pig friend Wilbur. Though family farms may be less common than they were in 1952, E. B. White’s novel remains timeless for its lasting reflection on the power of friendship and of good writing.
Holes
Louis Sachar’s story of a family curse(诅咒), fancy sports shoes and poisonous lizards moves forward and backward through time, telling of how Stanley Yelnats IV ended up in a prison camp. It’s an introduction to a complex story, filled with fun, warmth and a truly memorable criminal.
Matilda
With apologies to the lovable Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, this may be Roald Dahl’s most inspiring book for young people. Poor Matilda feels troubled and ignored by her family — a sense that many preteens share. They don’t share her supernatural powers, but that’s the lasting appeal of this escapist fun.
The Outsiders
Published when author S. E. Hinton was just 18, this coming-of-age novel offers evidence that even the youngest writer can provide valuable wisdom. Her striking look at Ponyboy and gang life in the 1960s has continued to have a powerful effect for decades on readers of all kinds, whether they identify more with the Greasers or the Socs.
The Phantom Tollbooth
In a humorous, sharp fairy tale(童话故事) that shows language and mathematics through a story of adventure in the Kingdom of Wisdom, Jules Feiffer’s unusual drawings do as much as Norton Juster’s plain language combined with complex ideas to carry readers through Digitopolis and the Mountains of Ignorance.
The Giver
Lois Lowry’s tale of self-discovery in society has a memorable central character, Jonas, and an unforgettable message — that pain and harm have an important place in individual lives and in society, and to forget them is to lose what makes us human.Which of the following shares the same theme with The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian?
| A．A Wrinkle in Time | B．The Giver |
| C．The Book Thief | D．Harry Potter |
According to the passage, The Phantom Tollbooth ______.
| A．contains a lot of fancy pictures |
| B．talks only about maths problems |
| C．describes a journey in complex language |
| D．sets its background in the Kingdom of Freedom |
It can be learned from the passage that ______.
| A．Charlotte fell in love with Wilbur |
| B．Matilda was well cared for in her family |
| C．Stanley Yelnats IV got punished |
| D．S. E. Hinton was best at telling fairy tales |
What is the main purpose of the passage?
| A．To advertise for some booksellers. |
| B．To introduce some famous writers. |
| C．To admire some classics for kids and young adults. |
| D．To recommend some great works of TIME magazine. |
Marjorie Baer used to joke about her retirement plans．She wasn't married and had no kids, but she didn't intend to be alone—she and all her single friends would move into a fictional home she called Casa de Biddies．Instead, Baer developed terminal brain cancer when she was 52．But just as she'd hoped, her friends and family provided her with love and care to the end．
Ballance was only the first of Baer's friends who became her unofficial caregivers．With her brother Phil Baer from Los Angeles, they worked out a system to watch over their friend and allow her to keep some of the privacy and independence she cherished.
Baer's good friend Ruth Henrich took Baer to doctors' appointments and helped her deal with all the aspects of life —answering machines, TV controls, and even phone numbers．After Henrich sent out an e-mail request, a group of volunteers signed up to ferry Baer back and forth to radiation therapy（放疗）．Others in Baer's circle offered up particular talents: A nurse friend helped Baer figure out how to get what she was due from Social Security and her disability insurance; a lawyer pal helped Baer with her will; a partner who was an accountant took over her bills when she could no longer manage them．"There was this odd sense that the right person always showed up," says Ballance．Their arrangement worked remarkably well．
Unmarried women are one of the fastest-growing groups in America; experts are concerned about how care-giving will be managed for them as they age．If the experience of Baer's friends is a guide, the Internet will play a role．It's already making it possible to create communities of caregivers who may have only one thing in common: the person who needs their help．On personal "care pages" set up through services such as Lotsa Helping Hands, friends and family members can post a list of tasks that need to be done, volunteer to do them, and keep updated on the person's condition．As Baer's cancer progressed, for example, her friends set up a page on Yahoo! where people could sign up to deliver meals or do errands（差事）.
Catherine Fox, one of the friends who were present when Baer died, was deeply affected．"It was so comforting to know that if you're willing to ask for help, the generosity of family and friends can be phenomenal（显著的）．It makes me feel secure and hopeful to know that help is there when you need it．"The most appropriate title of this passage should be ______．
| A．On her own, but not alone |
| B．A friend in need is a friend indeed |
| C．A new practice of American government |
| D．A phenomenal advantage of the Internet |
Who helped Marjorie Baer get her disability insurance?
| A．Ruth Henrich. | B．Her brother. |
| C．A nurse friend. | D．Ballance. |
The underlined part in paragraph four suggests that the Internet will ______.
| A．play a role in American future pension system |
| B．provide online medical care for aged unmarried women |
| C．help manage care-giving for unmarried women as they age |
| D．help those aged unmarried women to kill their spare time |
The writer tells us the story of Marjorie Baer for the purpose of ______．
| A．reminding us to be kind and make as many friends as we can |
| B．informing that there will be a new trend of care-giving for the single elderly |
| C．persuading us that we can enjoy our retirement even if we don’t have a child |
| D．introducing the convenience that will be brought by the Internet after we retire |
These days, it seems that almost all of us are too serious．My older daughter often says to me, “Daddy, you’ve got that serious look again．” Even those of us who are committed to non-seriousness are probably too serious．People are frustrated and anxious about almost everything -- being five minutes late, witnessing someone look at us wrong or say the wrong thing, paying bills, waiting in line, overcooking a meal, making an honest mistake -- you name it, and we all lose perspective（理性判断） over it．
The root of being anxious is our unwillingness to accept life as being different, in any way, from our expectation．Very simply, we want things to be a certain way but they’re not a certain way．Life is simply as it is．Perhaps Benjamin Franklin said it best: “Our limited perspective, our hopes and fears become our measure of life, and when circumstances don’t fit our ideas, they become our difficulties．” We spend our lives wanting things, people, and events to be just as we want them to be -- and when they’re not, we fight and we suffer．
The first step in recovering from over-seriousness is to admit that you have a problem．You have to want to change, to become more easygoing．You have to see that your own anxiety is largely of your own creation -- it’s made up of the way you have set up your life and the way you react to it．
The next step is to understand the link between your expectations and your frustration level．Whenever you expect something to be a certain way and it isn’t, you’re upset and you suffer．On the other hand, when you let go of your expectations, when you accept life as it is, you’re free．
A good exercise is to try to approach a single day without expectation．Don’t expect people to be friendly．When they’re not, you won’t be surprised or bothered; if they are, you’ll be delighted．Don’t expect your day to be problem-free．Instead, as problems come up, say to yourself, “Ah, another barrier to overcome．” As you approach your day in this manner you’ll notice how elegant life can be．Rather than fighting against life, you’ll be dancing with it．Pretty soon, with practice, you’ll lighten up your entire life．And when you lighten up, life is a lot more fun．Why are people easily frustrated and anxious these days?
| A．Because their children are disappointing． |
| B．Because they have to look serious in public． |
| C．Because life is becoming a greater burden． |
| D．Because people have lost sensible judgment． |
According to Benjamin Franklin, what was the cause of over-seriousness?
| A．The fact that people’s perspective, hopes and fears are limited． |
| B．The fact that people can’t change life itself． |
| C．The fact that things fail to meet people’s expectations． |
| D．The fact that circumstances turn out to be difficult． |
In what pattern is this article developed?
| A．Phenomenon, causes and solutions． |
| B．Problems, explanation and conclusion． |
| C．Examples, causes and arguments． |
| D．Phenomenon, analysis and conclusion． |
What might be the best title for the passage?
| A．People seem to be too serious |
| B．Life is simply as it is |
| C．Hopes can turn into difficulties |
| D．A good exercise removes over-seriousness |
Dear Reader,
I receive many letters from children and can’t answer them all—there wouldn’t be time enough in a day．That is why I am sending you this printed reply to your letter．I’ll try to answer some of the questions that are commonly asked.
Where did I get the idea for Stuart Little and for Charlotte’s Web? Well, many years ago I went to bed one night in a railway sleeping car, and during the night I dreamed about a tiny boy who acted rather like a mouse．That’s how the story of Stuart Little got started.
As for Charlotte’s Web, I like animals and my barn（谷仓）is a very pleasant place to be, at all hours．One day when I was on my way to feed the pig, I began feeling sorry for the pig because, like most pigs, he was doomed to die．This made me sad．So I started thinking of ways to save a pig’s life．I had been watching a big grey spider at her work and was impressed by how clever she was at weaving．Gradually I worked the spider into the story that you know, a story of friendship and salvation（拯救）on a farm．Three years after I started writing it, it was published．（I am not a fast worker, as you can see.）
Sometimes I’m asked how old I was when I started to write, and what made me want to write．I started early—as soon as I could spell．In fact, I can’t remember any time in my life when I wasn’t busy writing．I don’t know what caused me to do it, or why I enjoyed it, but I think children often find pleasure and satisfaction in trying to set their thoughts down on paper, either in words or in pictures．I was no good at drawing, so I used words instead．As I grew older, I found that writing can be a way of earning a living.
Some of my readers want me to visit their school．Some want me to send a picture, or an autograph, or a book．And some ask questions about my family and my animals and my pets．Much as I’d like to, I can’t go visiting．I can’t send books, either—you can find them in a bookstore or a library．Many children assume that a writer owns （or even makes） his own books．This is not true—books are made by the publisher．If a writer wants a copy, he must buy it．That’s why I can’t send books．And I do not send signatures—I leave that to the movie stars．I live most of the year in the country, in New England．From our windows we can look out at the sea and the mountains．I live near my married son and three grandchildren.
Are my stories true, you ask? No, they are imaginary tales, containing fantastic characters and events．In real life, a family doesn’t have a child who looks like a mouse; in real life, a spider doesn’t spin words in her web．In real life, a swan doesn’t blow a trumpet．But real life is only one kind of life—there is also the life of the imagination．And although my stories are imaginary, I like to think that there is some truth in them, too—truth about the way people and animals feel and think and act.
Yours sincerely：E.B．WhiteThe author wrote the letter because _________.
| A．he is not a fast worker |
| B．he was invited to answer the questions |
| C．he didn’t have enough time to answer all the letters |
| D．he felt sorry for not being able to send books to his readers |
What probably caused the writer to get interested in writing children’s book?
| A．Writing can be a way to earn his living． |
| B．The fact that he was not good at drawing． |
| C．His mother influence on his childhood. |
| D．The instinct of children. |
From Para.5, we can learn that ＿＿＿＿.
| A．many famous people like to visit schools |
| B．movie stars will send autographs to readers |
| C．many people think authors have copies of their own books |
| D．the author lives with his married son and three grandchildren |
In the last paragraph, the author is trying to tell us ____ .
| A．we only have one kind of life |
| B．there is no truth in imaginary tales |
| C．imaginary tales are based on our true life |
| D．fantastic characters and events only exist in imaginary tales |
From the health point of view we are living in an amazing age. We are free from many of the most dangerous diseases. A large number of once deadly illnesses can now be cured by modern medicine. It is almost certain that one day medicines will be found for the most stubborn remaining diseases. The expectation of life has increased greatly. But though the possibility of living a long and happy life is greater than ever before, every day we witness the unbelievable killing of men, women and children on the roads. Man VS the motor car! It is a never-ending battle which man is losing. Thousands of people the world over are killed or horribly killed each year and we are quietly sitting back and letting it happen.
It has been rightly said that when a man is sitting behind a steering wheel (方向盘), his car becomes the extension of his personality. There is no doubt that the motor-car often brings out a man’s very worst qualities. People who are normally quiet and pleasant may become unrecognizable when they are behind a steering-wheel. They say, they are ill-mannered and aggressive, willful as two-year-olds and completely selfish. All their hidden angers and disappointments seem to be brought to the surface by the act of driving.
The surprising thing is that society smiles so gently on the motorist and seems to forgive his behavior. Everything is done for his convenience. Cities are allowed to become almost uninhabitable because of heavy traffic; towns are made ugly by huge car parks; the countryside is ruined by road networks; and the deaths become nothing more than a number every year, to be easily forgotten.
It is high time a world rule was created to reduce this senseless waste of human life. With regard to driving, the laws of some countries are unbelievably lax (不严格) and even the strictest are not strict enough. A rule which was universally accepted could only have an obviously beneficial effect on the accident rate. Here are a few examples of some of the things that might be done. The driving test should be standardized and made far more difficult than it is; all the drivers should be made to take a test every three years or so; the age at which young people are allowed to drive any vehicle should be raised to at least 21; all vehicles should be put through strict tests for safety each year. Even the smallest amount of alcohol in the blood can damage a person’s driving ability. Present drinking and driving laws ( where they exist) should be made much stricter. Speed limits should be required on all roads. Governments should lay down safety specifications for car factories, as has been done in the USA. All advertising stressing power and performance should be banned. These measures may not sound good enough. But surely nothing should be considered as too severe if it results in reducing the number of deaths. After all, the world is for human beings, not motor-cars.What is the main idea of this passage?
| A．Traffic accidents are mainly caused by motorists. |
| B．Thousands of people the world over are killed each year. |
| C．The laws of some countries about driving are not lax. |
| D．Only stricter traffic laws can prevent accidents. |
What does the author think of society toward motorists?
| A．Society laughs at the motorists. |
| B．Huge car parks are built in the cities and towns. |
| C．Victims of accidents are nothing. |
| D．Society forgives their rude driving. |
What does the author mean by saying “ his car becomes the extension of his personality” in Paragraph 2?
| A．Driving can show his hidden qualities. |
| B．Driving can show the other part of his personality. |
| C．Driving can bring out his characters. |
| D．Driving can represent his manners. |
Which of the followings is NOT mentioned as a way against traffic accidents?
| A．Build more highways. |
| B．Stricter drivin tests. |
| C．Test drivers every three years. |
| D．Raise age limit and lay down safety specifications. |
It was shortly before midnight, and Dr Patricia was getting ready for bed. The phone rang on the end of the line was a woman about to break a promise.
The woman was her mother’s neighbour. Flora Harris had made the neighbour swear she wouldn’t tell her daughter she’d a heart attack and was in the hospital, for fear her daughter would worry. The neighbour wisely decided to disobey orders.
Harris desperately wanted to get to the hospital immediately, but she couldn’t. She lives in Washington, D.C, and her mother lives in California.
For the past year a half, Harris has gone to Los Angeles every other month to take care of her mother. Flora Harris takes care of her husband, James, who’s 91 and has Alzheimer’s disease. They live in their own home, and a caregiver comes to help them a few hours a day.
Harris is one of many Americans facing the heartache of how to take care of aging parents from afar. She’s often worried, not to mention extremely busy with a demanding job, two teenage daughters and the frequent trips to California.
In some ways, Harris is lucky. She has the resources to make the trips to Los Angeles. Plus, Harris is a doctor who treats the elderly.
“ But it’s still tough,” she said. “ I can foresee what the next few years are going to look like, and it’s not a pretty picture. My father’s going to need diapers (尿布). There will come a time when he won’ t recognize me and he’s easily excited. I worry he’s going to be violent and hurt my mother.”
So what do you do when you live a continent away for your aging, sick parents? There are no magic answers. You can hire someone to help, but you can’t outsource it completely.Why was the woman thought to have broken a promise?
| A．She failed to take care of Flora. |
| B．She was not supposed to call Harris at midnight. |
| C．She couldn’t go to hospital on time. |
| D．She told Harris about her mother’s illness. |
What can we learn about Patricia Harris from the passage?
| A．She thinks it harder to look after her parents the next few years. |
| B．He parents cannot take themselves at all. |
| C．She cannot do a demanding job. |
| D．She cannot afford to go to California often. |
What does the underlined word “ outsource” in the last paragraph mean?
| A．Arrange somebody outside to do a job. |
| B．Work something out by oneself. |
| C．Speak something out for help. |
| D．Understand something. |
What’s the main idea of this passage?
| A．Aging people in the USA are increasing. |
| B．The rate of heart disease is high in America. |
| C．It is difficult to tend aging parents from afar. |
| D．Harris advises on tending aging parents from afar. |
China’s Jade Rabbit moon rover (月球车）has “ woken up” since it entered the lunar night two weeks ago. The moon rover, known as Yutu in Mandarin Chinese, and the Chang’e-3 lander were restarted by the Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC), China’s Xinhua news agency said.
It had been set to sleep for two weeks to ride out extreme climatic conditions and will finally undertake its scientific mission. The Jade Rabbit was “ put to sleep” on 26 December at the onset of the first lunar night of the mission. One night on the moon lasts for around two weeks on Earth and during this time, temperatures fall to -180℃ ---conditions too cold for the equipment to function in. There is also no sunlight to power the Jade Rabbit’s solar panels.
Zhou Jianliang, chief engineer with the BACC, explained: “ During the lunar night, the lander and the rover were in a power-off condition and the communication with Earth was cut off.
“ When the night ends, they will be started up with the power provided by sunlight and resume operation and communication according to preset programmes. He added that the Jade Rabbit surviving the lunar night showed Chinese technology had proved successful.
The Jade Rabbit and the lander compose Chang’e-3 landed on the moon on 14 December. With the landing, China became one of only three nations to soft-land on the moon, and the first to do so in more than three decades.
Scientists said the mission was designed to test new technologies and build the country’s expertise of space exploration. The Jade Rabbit will gather scientific data and capture images from the Moon. China was planning further missions planned to collect lunar soil samples and it is thought officials are looking to conduct manned lunar landings if they prove successful.Jade Rabbit fell into sleep because ________.
| A．there was something wrong in the machine |
| B．the Chang’e-3 lander struck it by accident |
| C．it was designed to avoid the bad weather |
| D．it had completed the scientific mission |
According to Zhou Jianliang we can know that ________.
| A．on the moon the rover can’t communicate with the lander |
| B．sunlight is the necessary power for the rover and the lander |
| C．Chinese technology has been regarded the most successful |
| D．the lunar night can destroy the equipment on the moon |
It can inferred from the passage that ________.
| A．China had made great achievements in 10 years |
| B．no country can be equal to China in exploring space |
| C．scientists can get more proof to research the moon |
| D．the soil from the moon has been taken to China |
What does the author intend to tell in the passage?
| A．Jade Rabbit wakes up to begin moon mission. |
| B．Jade Rabbit was put to sleep on the moon. |
| C．Jade Rabbit lost contact with the earth. |
| D．Jade Rabbit is to undertake new mission. |
Tang Zhou and his wife are planning to have their second child，a test—tube baby．His wife had a natural delivery when she was 34 and their first child，a boy, is now 7．The couple are now hoping to have a daughter through a surrogate mother(代孕)in the US．“My wife couldn’t bear another delivery because of her heart condition and her age．Surrogacy helps avoid the risks to older mothers，”Tang said，“Moreover, our second child will be born in the US and become a citizen there．That is not a bad choice．”
The couple spent weeks researching their move，looking for a reliable agency that provides surrogacy services overseas．Surrogacy is still illegal in many countries，including China．“We will be taking much higher risks by relying on a surrogate mother in China because we are not protected by any regulation or law．You pay a lot of money but may meet with many problems，”Tang said．“You might not even get your baby back．’’
Tang and his wife are part of an increasing number of Chinese couples who are turning to surrogacy services．Tang also considered surrogacy in Thailand but dropped the idea after recent reports about a baby with Down Syndrome(唐氏综合症)who was delivered through surrogacy and said to have been deserted in Thailand by the biological parents from Australia．Instead，Tang chose the California Surrogacy Center agency as his first option after reading the detailed introduction on its website．Compared with many other agencies that he could contact only via e．mail．the center has a consulting office in Beijing，Tang said．
The center is in San Diego，California，and has satellite offices in Los Angeles and Beijing．According to Liu，the center has been operating for more than eight years，and about 100 surrogate mothers live in California．Which of the following is True according to the passage?
| A．Chinese couples prefer t0 have a test—tube baby． |
| B．Couples face no risks in surrogacy services． |
| C．Unhealthy test—tube babies can be legally abandoned． |
| D．A sick test—tube baby was deserted in Thailand． |
Tang and his wife turned to overseas surrogacy services because ．
| A．it is more convenient to contact them by email |
| B．they call for less money |
| C．surrogacy remains illegal in China |
| D．most of them are experienced |
The passage mainly tells US that ．
| A．Chinese couples are turning to surrogacy |
| B．an old woman can take a risk of delivering a baby more |
| C．it’s not a bad choice to have a baby born overseas |
| D．biological couples may fail to get their babies back |
Many years ago，my dad was facing a serious heart condition．He was unable to do a steady job．He fell suddenly ill and had to be admitted to the hospital
He wanted to do something to keep himself busy, so he decided to volunteer at the local children’s hospital．My dad loved kids．It was the perfect job for him．He ended up working with the seriously ill children．He would talk，play, and do arts with them．
One of his kids was a girl with a rare disease that paralyzed(瘫痪)her from the neck down．She couldn’t do anything，and she was very depressed．My dad decided to try to help her．He started visiting her in her room，bringing paints，brushes and paper．He stood the paper up，put the paintbrush in his mouth and began to paint．He didn’t use his hands at a11．All the while he would tell her, “See，you can do anything you set your mind to．’’
At the end of the day, she began to paint using her mouth，and she and my dad became friends．Soon after, the little girl was sent home because the doctors felt there was nothing else they could do for her．My dad also left the children’s hospital for a little while because he became i11．Some time later after my dad had recovered and returned to work，in came the little girl who had been paralyzed and only this time she was walking．She ran straight over to my dad and hugged him really tight．She gave him a picture she had done using her hands．At the bottom it read：“Thank you for helping me walk．’’
My dad would cry every time he told US this story and SO would we．He would say sometimes love is more powerful than doctor, and my dad—who died just a few months after the little girl gave the picture--loved every single child in that hospital．The author’s father worked at the local hospital to .
| A．realize his childhood dream |
| B．ease his serious heart condition |
| C．earn money to pay for treatment |
| D．keep himself occupied and happy |
How did the author’s father help the paralyzed little girl?
| A．He helped her practice walking． |
| B．He visited her and made a toy for her． |
| C．He showed her she could still do things． |
| D．He painted special pictures for her． |
According to paragraph 4．the paralyzed girl
| A．gradually recovered and walked |
| B．eventually became a unique painter |
| C．was sent home and never seen again |
| D．sent him a picture painted with her mouth |
What message does the passage mainly convey?
| A．It’s better to give than to receive． |
| B．Love can sometimes bring great results． |
| C．Volunteering is a worthwhile thing to do． |
| D．A sick person should not focus on his disease． |
Have you ever noticed that the more you have the more you want? Let’s face it. Thinking our life is good enough doesn’t come naturally to many people. When we have high expectations of everything in life we will run into disappointment. Only when we are aware that needs are different from desires can we live with satisfaction. Here are a few ideas to help you be happier with what you have and who you are.
Focus on what you are thankful for. Most people want things to be better than they are, or when things are going well, we forget to appreciate what we have. Learn to reflect on how much better things are than they could be. Focus on what you are thankful for. Write down 5 things you are grateful for right now.
When we hold onto regrets from decisions we have made, it can really poison our well-being. Many people regret something they can no longer change, which ends up holding them back from moving forward in a more positive manner. What happened in the past is done and gone, so work to stay present and be mindful of the current moment to find more joy and fulfillment.
When we use other people as the measuring stick for our personal success and quality of life we are likely to be less satisfied. Social comparisons can provide useful information when we try to learn from others, but they also hold our perspective in a discontented position. Compare yourself less with others so you can be satisfied more.
When you are focused on your big ambitions and future goals you might elide the daily pleasures that surround you. Learn to slow down and absorb the wonder and beauty around you. Stay present and focus on the task you’re undertaking at the moment. Don’t let the life pass you by because you’re always on the go and distracted by ambition.
Practice looking at life through the lens of contentment and it will become more natural.How can we live with contentment?
| A．To change our lifestyle. |
| B．To have a motivation in life. |
| C．To give less attention to what we are grateful for. |
| D．To realize the difference between needs and desires. |
What’s the main idea of Paragraph 3?
| A．Make wise decisions. |
| B．Know the present situation |
| C．Let go of regrets. |
| D．Remember the past. |
The underlined word “elide”(in Paragraph 5) probably means “__”.
| A．enjoy | B．change | C．create | D．neglect |
What should you do to put yourself in a good mood?
| A．Make time for simple pleasures. |
| B．Learn from successful people. |
| C．Focus on your future goals. |
| D．Create chance to learn more. |
Homestay UK/Great Britain
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Chika and Tara from London, the United Kingdom
Information about the homestay host
Chika is 28 years old. She is away from home most of the time. Tara is 18 years old. She is at home every day. They both speak English.
Chika and Tara’s guests can stay for at least 5 nights and up to a maximum of 365 nights. Chika and Tara have no children living at home. It is a non-smoking residence(住宅). No pets live in this household.
Information about the homestay accommodation
The accommodation is in London. The name of the neighborhood is Greenwich. The distance to the city center is 1.6km. The next access point to public transport is at 15 m distance.
Three guests can stay in Tara and Chika’s house at the same time. The following accommodation is generally available:
Single room with shared use of the family bathroom
*Size: 12.0 ㎡
*Facilities: desk, Internet access, mirror, hairdryer and wardrobe(衣橱)
*Price per night per person: ￡20.00 per night(one single)
Twin room with shared use of the family bathroom
*Size: 15.0 ㎡
*Facilities: TV, desk, Internet access, mirror, hairdryer and wordrobe
*Price per night per person:
￡20.00 per night(one guest)
￡17.00 per night(two guests)
The room charge includes the following services: Internet access, regular room cleaning, breakfast, free use of the washing machine.
Additional available service at an extra charge: Pick-up service(￡60.00 one-way); Lunch(￡6.00 per person per day); Dinner(￡6.00 per person per night)
Vegetarian(素食的) meals are available.Chika and Tara’s house would be a good choice for _______.
| A．a pet lover |
| B．a heavy smoker |
| C．a person who eats no meat |
| D．one who needs a one-night stay |
What do we know about Chika and Tara’s house?
| A．It lies in the center of the city. |
| B．It is not far away from Greenwich. |
| C．Public transport is convenient there. |
| D．The distance from the house to London is 1.6 km. |
If Mary chooses a twin room and pick-up service(two-way), how much should she pay per day?
| A．￡140. | B．￡137. | C．￡80. | D．￡77 |
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