高中英语日常生活类阅读试题

On Sunday, August 24th, comic book lovers across the world held their breath to watch how much crazy collectors would pay for a rare Superman comic book. Though bids (出价) above the initial asking price of 1 million dollars had been coming in gradually since the copy was placed on the auction site (拍卖网站) eBay on July 14th, things really started to heat up during the final minutes when the price jumped from $2.5 to $2.6 and then $2.7 million, before shooting up to unbelievable 3,207,852 dollars!
This of course was no ordinary Superman comic book, but an edition of the extremely sought-after (很吃香地) No. 1 of Action Comics series — the first publication of the superhero that was born from the creative minds of teenagers Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel. Though Action Comics No. 1, which depicted a diaper-clad baby Superman lifting furniture, had a print run of 200,000 copies, only about 100 are known to exist today.
While the rarity is certainly a reason for the high price, Stephen Fisher, CEO of ComicConnect.com, thinks it also has a lot to do with the fact that Superman was the world’s first superhero! Even so, none of the copies have been able to fetch (售得) as much as the most recent one, simply because they have not been as well-preserved. Graded a rare 9 out of 10 by CGC, a third party grading service for comic books, the book is the highest rated copy of Action Comics No. 1 so far. According to CGC officials, the 76-year-old comic book looks and feels as though it has just come off the newsstand (报摊).
That is not surprising given that the original owner, a Virginian man who bought the book for only 10 cents in 1938, had carefully tucked it away (藏起来) in a wooden box for four decades. Fortunately, when he passed away, the book was bought by a string of collectors who all realized it was a rare treasure that needed to be looked after.
Before this, the highest price paid for an Action Comics No. 1 had been $2 million for a copy sold by Hollywood actor Nicholas Cage in 2011. Ironically, the two teenagers responsible for creating Superman received just 130 dollars when they sold the rights to the superhero to comic book publisher Detective Comics in 1938.
the Superman comic book was placed on eBay on July 14th,    .

A．it attracted no attention at all

B．things started to heat up immediately

C．the bid price didn’t go up very quickly at first

D．people thought it was worth millions of dollars

What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．Why the comic book is well-preserved.

B．Why the comic book is well worth reading.

C．Why the comic book is worth so much money.

D．Why the comic book has drawn so much attention.

When the other collectors got the comic book after the Virginian man, they    .

A．all took very good care of it

B．all liked reading it very much

C．didn’t believe it was worth a fortune

D．all kept it in the same way as that man

What do we know about the creators of Superman?

A．They didn’t want to sell the rights to a comic book publisher.

B．They knew all along Superman would be the most successful comic book.

C．They were professional comic book writers when they created Superman.

D．They didn’t make much money from creating Superman.

During my elementary school years, I used to compare my mom with my best friend Tiffany's mom.
Tiffany's mom always gave her lots of money to buy the most fashionable clothes and favorite food. Her mom allowed her to do anything she liked. I really admired Tiffany. My mom didn't give me much pocket money and she always told me that I should behave myself. I was annoyed with her.
Whenever I didn't get what I wanted, I would complain to my mom, Tiffany's mom would give her that! I wish she were my mom. Every time, my mom would calmly say "Poor Tiffany". I couldn't understand her. "She shouldn't be feeling sorry for Tiffany!" I thought. "She should be feeling sorry for me."
One day, I couldn't help saying to Mom, "Poor Tiffany? Lucky Tiffany! She gets everything she wants! Why do you feel sorry for her?" I burst into tears. My mom sat down next to me and said softly. "Yes, I do feel sorry for her. I have been teaching you a lesson that she will never be taught."
I looked up at her. "What are you talking about?"
Mom said with care, "One day she will really want something. Maybe she'll find out that she can't have it. Her mother won't always be around to give her money, and what's more, money can't buy everything."
She continued, "I have taught you valuable lessons by not giving you everything you want. You'll know how to look for bargains and save money, but she won't. You'll understand that you need to work hard to get the things that you want but she won't. When Tiffany is a grown woman, she'll wake up one day and she will be wishing that she had a mom like the one you've got. Life lessons are more important than modern clothes and delicious food."
It took some time, but I eventually understood my mom's words. Now I am a happy and successful woman.
During the author's elementary school years, she __________.

A．wished that her mom were as good as Tiffany's

B．went to school with Tiffany every day

C．usually compared her lesson with Tiffany's

D．sometimes gave lots of money to Tiffany

Why did the author's mom always say "Poor Tiffany"?

A．She felt sorry for Tiffany because Tiffany was poor.

B．She wanted to tell a lie to comfort the author.

C．She thought that Tiffany was spoiled by her mother.

D．She told the author this and wanted her to help Tiffany.

What do we learn about the author's mother?

A．She was strict and taught the author to be independent.

B．She cared for other people's children more than her own.

C．She thought that life lessons were as important as money.

D．She was so poor that she couldn't give the author much money.

What can we infer from the passage?

A．The author was quite annoyed with her mother in the past.

B．The author's mother felt sorry for Tiffany.

C．Tiffany's mother took the author's mother's advice.

D．The author is thankful to her mother now.

I took the bus to work for many years. No one knew each other; the passengers all sat there sleepily in the morning. The bus was cheerless and silent.
One of the passengers was a small gray-haired man who took the bus to the center for senior citizens every morning. No one ever paid very much attention to him.
One July morning he said good morning to the driver and smiled. The driver nodded guardedly(戒备地). The rest of us were silent.
The next day, the old man boarded with a big smile and said in a loud voice: “A very good morning to you all!” Some of us looked up, amazed, and murmured “Good Morning” in reply.
The following weeks, our friend was dressed in a nice old suit and tie. His thin hair had been carefully combed. He said good morning to us every day and we gradually began to nod and talk to each other.
One morning he even had a bunch of wild flowers in his hand. The driver turned around smiling and asked: “Have you got yourself a girlfriend, Charlie?” We never got to know if his name really was “Charlie”, but he nodded shyly and said yes. The other passengers whistled and clapped at him. Charlie waved the flowers before he sat down on his seat.
Every morning after that Charlie always brought flowers. Some passengers also brought flowers for him. The bus became a happy place.
Then, one morning, as autumn was closing in, Charlie wasn’t waiting at his usual stop. When he wasn’t there the next day and the day after that, we started wondering if he was sick or—hopefully – on holiday somewhere.
When we came nearer to the center for senior citizens, one of the passengers asked the driver to wait. We all held our breaths when he went to the door.
The old gentle man was fine, but one of his close friends had died over the weekend. How silent we were the rest of the way to work.
The next Monday Charlie was waiting at the stop, stooping (弯腰) a bit more, a little bit more gray, and without a tie. Inside the bus was silent. Even though no one had talked about it, all of us sat there silently, our eyes filled with tears and a bunch of wild flowers in our hands.
From the passage, we can infer that             .

A．people always cared about each other on the bus

B．people were unhappy and sleepy on the bus because they were tired

C．smiles can shorten the distance between people

D．people are not good at communicating in the country

What are we sure about the old man?

A．His name was Charlie.

B．He worked at the center for senior citizens.

C．He got sick over the weekend.

D．He was in great sorrow when we saw him the next Monday.

Which of the following is not true?

A．The atmosphere on the bus was cheerful and lively at first.

B．People were surprised at the old man’s first greeting.

C．People were worried about the old man’s absence.

D．People on the bus at last shared happiness and sorrow together.

Which would be the best title for the passage？

A．How to Shorten the Distance between People

B．Smiles Make a Bus Feel Like Home

C．Charlie, A Smiling Gentle Man

D．The Key to Friendship — Communication

Most people buy a lot of gifts just before Christmas. But some people think we buy too much. They have started a special day called Buy Nothing Day. They don’t want anyone to go shopping that day.
Buy Nothing Day is November 29. It’s 25 days before Christmas. It’s after Thanksgiving and often the first day of Christmas shopping. At this time, we see ads in newspapers and on TV telling us to “buy, buy, buy!”
The idea for Buy Nothing Day started in Vancouver, British Columbia. Now people all over the world celebrate Buy Nothing Day. In California, parents and children get together to read stories, sing songs, and paint pictures. The children talk about why they don’t need a lot of toys. This year, in Manchester, England, people dressed up to tell people that we buy too much.
In Albuquerque, New Mexico, high school students wanted to tell other students about Buy Nothing Day. They organized a spaghetti dinner to give people information about Buy Nothing Day. They asked restaurants in the neighborhood to donate the food. They made posters and talked to other students about it. The dinner was a big success, and many students agreed not to buy anything on November 29. The students at high school liked the idea of this new tradition. Next year, they want to have another dinner to tell more people about Buy Nothing Day!
Which of the following is NOT the day for people to celebrate Buy Nothing Day?

A．The first day after Christmas.

B．25 days before Christmas.

C．After Thanksgiving.

D．November 29

When do people usually do shopping?

A．Before Thanksgiving.	B．On Christmas.
C．Anytime.	D．Before Christmas.

How do people celebrate Buy Nothing Day?

A．In California, parents and children get together to play games.

B．In England, people celebrated by performing plays.

C．They bought nothing and made the others decide not to.

D．In Mexico, high school students dressed up.

I had recently arrived in London and I wanted to see some of the famous places. Should I go to the seaside? Or maybe one of the famous parks? I walked along the street, past a kindergarten playground, and suddenly saw an underground railway station. I was surprised because it was not on my map. I went to buy a ticket. The ticket-seller looked very old. He gave me a ticket, said "Remember it's a return", laughed and walked away without taking my money. Was it special for tourists?
A train arrived. I could not see any other passengers. I got on and the doors closed. I suddenly felt I should not have got onto the train. It started to go faster and faster, shooting along the tracks. As it entered the tunnel, everything became as dark as midnight and I do not remember the next few minutes. The train came to a station and I got out. I could see light shining in the distance so I walked towards it and came to a door. Beyond it there was a busy street.
There were lots of English people walking about, and I could see some of the famous buildings of London, but there was something wrong. The people's clothes were strange. There were no cars, no motorbikes—but there were horses everywhere. Was someone making a film?
“Excuse me,” I said to a man. “Would you mind telling me where I am and what is happening?”
“What do you mean? Who are you? Where do you come from? Are you from China? This is London and everyone's going to work. Can't you see that?” he asked.
“Thank you, sir. I'm sorry, but could I look at your newspaper?” I asked.
“You can have it,” he said as he walked off.
I looked at it; I saw “New Bicycle Law” and above that “July 5, 1880”.
Maybe I should have walked around, but I ran back to the door. I waited a long time. I was very afraid. A train came. I got on. It took me back to the first station. As I left, a woman asked, “What were you doing in that abandoned station?” I had no answer, but I still had the newspaper in my hand.
Why was the author surprised at the beginning of the story?

A．Because he suddenly saw an underground railway station.

B．Because he walked past a kindergarten playground.

C．Because the ticket-seller looked very old.

D．Because he couldn’t find the station on his map.

What does the underlined “it” in the second paragraph most probably mean?

A．The train.	B．The light.
C．The distance.	D．The door

Why did the author think he had arrived in a film-making scene?

A．Because he could see some of the famous buildings of London.

B．Because he had done something wrong in the street of London.

C．Because he could only see horses rather than cars in the streets.

D．Because the people in the streets were all neatly dressed.

According to the passage, New Bicycle Law might be _______.

A．The name for a London street.

B．The name for a film made in London.

C．The name for a newspaper article

D．The name for a underground station.

Where can this passage most probably be taken from?

A．In a storybook.

B．In a math textbook.

C．In a travel guidebook.

D．In a scientific experiment report.

If you were to walk up to Arthur Bonner and say, “Hey, Butterfly Man,” his face would break into a smile. The title suits him.，and he loves it.
Arthur Bonner works with the Palos Verdes blue butterfly, once thought to have died out. Today the butterfly is coming back — thanks to him. But years ago if you’d told him this was what he’d be doing someday, he would have laughed, “You’re crazy.” As a boy, he used to be “a little tough guy on the streets”. At age thirteen, he was caught by police stealing. At eighteen, he landed in prison for shooting a man.
“I knew it had worried my mom,” Bonner said after he got out of prison. “So I told myself I would not put my mom through that pain again.”
One day he met Professor Mattoni, who was working to rebuild the habitat(栖息地) for an endangered butterfly called El Segundo blue.
“I saw the sign ‘Butterfly Habitat’ and asked, ‘How can you have a habitat when the butterflies can just fly away?’” Bonner recalls. “Dr. Mattoni laughed and handed me a magnifying glass (放大镜), ‘Look at the leaves.’ I could see all these caterpillars(蝴蝶的幼虫) on the plant. Dr Mattoni explained, ‘Without the plant, there are no butterflies.’”
Weeks later, Bonner received a call from Dr. Mattoni, who told him there was a butterfly that needed help. That was how he met the Palos Verdes blue. Since then he’s been working for four years to help bring the butterfly back. He grows astragalus, the only plant the butterfly eats. He collects butterflies and brings them into a lab to lay eggs. Then he puts new butterflies into the habitat.
The butterfly’s population, once almost zero, is now up to 900. For their work, Bonner and Dr. Mattoni received lots of awards. But for Bonner, he earned something more: he turned his life around.
For six years now Bonner has kept his promise to stay out of prison. While he’s bringing back the Palos Verdes blue, the butterfly has helped bring him back, too.
When he was young, Arthur Bonner _______.

A．broke the law and ended up in prison

B．was fond of shooting and hurt his mom

C．often laughed at people on the streets

D．often caught butterflies and took them home

Bonner came to know the Palos Verdes blue after he _______.

A．found the butterfly had died out

B．won many prizes from his professor

C．met Dr. Mattoni, a professor of biology

D．collected butterflies and put them into a lab

From the last sentence of the text, we learn that raising butterflies has _______.

A．made Bonner famous	B．changed Bonner’s life
C．brought Bonner wealth	D．enriched Bonner’s knowledge

While Lee Kuan Yew is known throughout the world, few people outside the Chinese-language communities know the true meaning of Kuan Yew. In Chinese language, "kuan" means light, and "yew" means glory. So, Lee Kuan Yew means Lee the "light and glory".
Singapore's glory since its rebirth in 1965 has been a miracle, largely because of the light of Lee. By 1978, the transformation of Singapore into a modern city-state had become an inspiration for Deng Xiaoping, who having just emerged as the paramount leader of China was looking for a way to lead the country out of isolation and poverty. Drawing inspiration from Lee and the success story of Singapore, Deng visited the city-state in 1978 and met with Lee for the first time. Lee said that if Singaporeans can do it, China can also do it.
Soon after returning from Singapore, Deng launched a series of reforms in China. Over the subsequent decades, China has continued the reform and opening-up and it is now the second-largest economy in the world. Perhaps it could be said that part of the plan for China's great reform and transformation took shape in Singapore in 1978 during Deng's meetings with Lee. Ever since that fateful visit, China has learned from Singapore the finer points of governance, management and economic growth. No wonder, over the years China has sent many Party, government and corporate officials to receive training in Singapore.
In 1994, the Singapore Industrial Park in Suzhou, Jiangsu province (now renamed the Suzhou Industrial Park) was set up. Over the years, the industrial park has become a testing ground for many new reform programs in China, including those for social security, venture capital and private equity.
More recently, President Xi Jinping emphasized that China can still learn many things from Singapore.
Today, many people talk about the 21st century being the "Asian century" or the "Asia-Pacific century", while others have started talking of the "Asian dream". But Lee was one of the first Asians who truly stood out and demonstrated to the world that Asians can make a difference in terms of global growth and development. Lee's legacy is based on a solid and healthy dosage of pragmatism, realism, innovation, and commitment to making a better tomorrow.
After 50 years of constant innovation and ceaseless efforts, Singapore is the most developed country among the 10 ASEAN member states, one of the most developed countries in Asia and one of the most successful economies in the world. Rather than being caught up in the day-to-day travails, Lee always chose to stand on the top of the mountain and look beyond the horizon to see deep into the future, which made him a leader of wisdom, courage and vision.
According to the passage, we can know ___________.

A．Few people know the true meaning of “ Kuan Yew” in the world

B．The transformation of Singapore started in 1978

C．Deng xiaoping paid a visit to Singapore in 1978 because of the good relationship

D．Deng Xiaoping had never met with Lee Kuan Yew before 1978

The following statements are true EXCEPT_____.

A．the successful experience of Singapore has greatly influenced china’s reform and transformation

B．the Suzhou Industrial Park has tried many new reform programs in China

C．the Asians made few contributions to the global growth and development

D．constant innovation and ceaseless efforts make Singapore one of the most developed countries in Asia

what adjectives can be used to describe Lee Kuan Yew according to the passage?
①Distinguished
②wise
③easy-going
④brave
⑤creative
⑥visionary

A．①②④⑥	B．②③⑤⑥
C．①③⑤⑥	D．②③④⑤

which of the following is the best title of the passage ?

A．the contributions of Lee Kuan Yew made to china

B．the story of a great leader--- Lee Kuan Yew

C．the relationship between Lee Kuan Yew and Chinese leaders

D．Light and glory' of Asia example to world

A drunken burglar in the Orrell Park area of Liverpool, ended up leaping out of a window after a 10-year-old girl asked him to prove he was a superhero.
The drunken thief who pretended he was Superman to stop a child raising the alarm has been caught after he leapt from the apartment building in his pants to make the girl convinced.
Theif Ethan Adamson, 25, told police that he had broken into a fifth-floor flat after a drinking session, believing it was empty.
But he was horrified when the owner’s 10-year-old daughter woke up while he was there.
From his hospital bed, the thief told reporters, “To keep her quiet, I told her I was really Superman and I’d soon be flying off back to my secret headquarters.”
“She called my bluff (向…摊牌) and told me, ‘If you’re Superman, show me you can fly or I’ll scream’.
“I had no choice so I stripped to my pants to look more like a superhero and went to the window. I saw another roof below and I thought I could make it but it turned out to be a lot further down than thought. I know it doesn’t make sense but it did to me when I was drunk.”
Police later found him on the roof in just his yellow pants, covered in cuts and bruises after a baffled neighbor heard his cries of pain.
He now faces seven years behind bars for burglary.
Police spokesman Frank Armado said, “ He was in quite a serious state and couldn’t move until we got up there using ladders. He was treated for his injuries and we got him some fresh clothes, before taking him to hospital where he is being kept under guard until he is well enough to be arrested.”
What does the underlined part in the passage mean?

A．I could land safely on the roof.

B．I could make the girl trust me.

C．I could prove I was a superhero.

D．I could make a successful escape.

What’s the right order of the event?
a. Ethan Adamson told reporters of the burglary.
b. The 10-year-old girl called Ethan Adamson’s bluff.
c. Ethan Adamson attended a drinking session.
d. Ethan Adamson leapt out of a window.

A．cabd

B．dbca

C．cbda

D．dcab

What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?

A．To report on a joking burglary

B．To call our attention to the burglary.

C．To explain how the burglar was caught.

D．To look back on an adventure story.

For years, I thought that my mother would become a centenarian（百岁老人）, but after 98 years and eight months, she recently died of old age. As it was with my father, her funeral took place in the most peaceful setting of the countryside of rural Washington County. Even after my father died, we continued to think of our parents as one. They were a team in the traditional sense. Church and family were their lifeline. They worked hard, never complaining. They expected to earn their daily bread by the sweat of their forehead.
Once during a conversation with Tom Brokaw, who wrote the bestselling book The Greatest Generation, I told him, “You left out my parents.” They didn’t go off to war, but they belonged to the Greatest Generation. They, too, were part of the foundation that made American truly great. They kept the home fires burning.
Our mother gloried in  being a housewife and mother. Having been a teacher in her early adult years, when education was more than important than anything else, she gave up her job to raise a family. She was an excellent cook, but she had to cook on a wood stove（火炉）. There was no refrigerator, nothing electric. But nobody was ever better at making do（凑合着用）. In addition to all the housework, she went to the fields every day to help produce a crop to pay the rent to provide for the family. She and my dad worked hard to save every penny possible.
They saved every penny to buy a farm late in life. They also saved enough money to live out their respective lives with home care without taking up residency in a nursing home. They were very independent. If you had suggested they accept a government transfer payment, they would have spit in your eye.
Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A．Mother played a great part in the family.

B．Mother died at the age of 98 years old.

C．Mother was buried by the side of father.

D．Mother survived father by many years.

The underlined word “one” in the passage means ________.

A．parent

B．Centenarian

C．hero

D．entirety

What do we know about Tom Brokaw?

A．He is one of the author’s parents’ friends.

B．He likes talking with the author’s parents.

C．He takes up a position as a writer.

D．He is good at managing a home.

How does the author find his parents?

A．Brave and hardworking

B．Modest and warmhearted

C．Economical and independent

D．Respective and satisfied

Death is natural, but do you have any idea of the process of dying? Modern scientists divide the process of dying into two phases --- clinical or temporary death and biological death. Clinical death occurs when the vital organs, such as the heart or lungs, have ceased to function, but have not suffered permanent damage. The organism can still be revived(复活). Biological death occurs when changes in the organism lead to the “breaking up” of vital cells and tissues. Death is then unchangeable and final.
Scientists have been seeking a way to prolong the period of clinical death so that the organism can remain alive before biological death occurs. The best method developed so far involves cooling of the organism, combined with narcotic sleep. By slowing down the body’s metabolism(新陈代谢), cooling delays the processes leading to biological death.
To illustrate how this works, scientists performed an experiment on a six-year-old female monkey called Keta. The scientist put Keta to sleep with a narcotic. Then they surrounded her body with ice-bags and began checking her body temperature. When it had dropped to 28 degrees the scientists began draining blood from an artery. The monkey’s blood pressure decreased and an hour later both the heart and breathing stopped: clinical death set in. For twenty minutes Keta remained in this state. Her temperature dropped to 22 degrees. At this point the scientists pumped blood into an artery in the direction of the heart and started artificial breathing. After two minutes Keta’s heart became active once more. After fifteen minutes, spontaneous(自发的)breathing began, and after four hours Keta opened her eyes and lifted her head. After six hours, when the scientists tried to give her a penicillin injection, Keta seized the syringe and ran with it around the room. Her behavior differed little from that of a healthy animal.
For a person who suffers from the clinical death, _________.

A．his most important organs are damaged.

B．he still has the possibility of getting back to life.

C．he cannot avoid final death.

D．he is still very much alive

Scientists try to make the time of clinical death longer in order to __________.

A．slow down the body’s metabolism.

B．bring vital cells and tissues back to active life.

C．cool the organism.

D．delay the coming of biological death.

How did the scientists put Keta into clinical death?

A．By putting her to sleep, lowering her temperature and draining her blood.

B．By surrounding her body with ice-bags and draining her blood.

C．By lowing her blood pressure and stopping her heart from beating.

D．By draining her blood, lowering her blood pressure and stopping her breathing.

All of the following indicate that the monkey has almost restored to her original physical state except the fact that__________.

A．her heart beat again.

B．she regained her normal breath.

C．she rejected a penicillin injection.

D．she acted as lively as a healthy monkey.

In my thirty years as a time management speaker, I have observed (观察) a lot of what we can not and should not do to increase our daily results. Time management is not necessarily working harder, but rather smarter.
A lot of our time management has to do more with what we are not doing rather than what we are doing. Sometimes our mistakes will keep us from running at a full pace. Here are some time management mistakes we should all avoid to help us increase our daily efficiency:
Start your day without a plan of action. Without a plan, you will have worked hard but may not have done enough right things. Time management is not doing the wrong things more rapidly. That just gets us nowhere faster. Time management is doing the right things.
Work with a messy (凌乱不堪) desk or work area. Studies have shown that the person who works with a messy desk spends, on average, one and a half hours per day in looking for things. That’s seven and a half hours per week. If you have ever visited the office of a top manager, you can easily find that he or she is working with a clean desk environment.
Don’t take a lunch break. Many people do not take a lunch break. They work through that time period in the hope that it will give them more time to finish the task. Studies have shown that it may work just the opposite. After doing what we do for several hours, our mind will become boring. A lunch break, even a fifteen-minute break, gives us a chance to get our batteries all charged up again.
With a plan of action, you can ______.

A．work harder

B．do the wrong things more rapidly

C．avoid doing wrong things

D．get nowhere faster

Working with a messy desk or work area, you will ______.

A．waste a lot of time

B．find the things you need easily

C．become a top manager

D．save seven and a half hours per week

The text mainly tells us ______.

A．how to avoid wasting time

B．we should get our batteries all charged up

C．how important time management is

D．some time management mistakes

阅读理解
阅读下列四篇短文，从每小题后所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该选项涂黑。
“Have you ever been out on a boat and felt it lifted up by a wave? Or have you jumped in the water and felt the rush of energy as waves came over you?” asked Jamie Taylor of the Wave Energy Group at the University of Edinburgh. “There is certainly a lot of energy in waves,” he said. Scientists are working to use that energy to make electricity. Most waves are created when winds blow across the ocean. “The wind starts out by making little ripples(涟漪), but if they keep on blowing, those ripples get bigger and bigger and turn into waves,” Taylor said. “Waves are one of nature’s ways of picking up energy and then sending it off on a journey.” When waves come toward the shore, people can set up dams to block the water and send it through a large wheel called a turbine (涡轮机). The turbine can then power an electrical generator to produce electricity.
“The resource is huge,” said Janet Swain of the World Watch Institute. “We will never run out of wave power.” Besides, wave energy does not create the same pollution as other energy sources, such as oil or coal. Oceans cover three quarters of the Earth’s surface—that would make wave power seem ideal for creating energy throughout the world, though there are some weak points yet to overcome.
Swain said that wave power still costs too much money. She also said that its effects on sea animals are still unknown. What is more, wave power could affect fishing and boat traffic. Traditional sources of energy like oil and gas may someday run out. “Demand for energy to power our TVs and computers, drive our cars, and heat and cool our homes is rising rapidly throughout the world,” Swain said. In the future when you turn on a light, an ocean wave could be providing the electricity!
The writer uses the two questions at the beginning of the passage to         .

A．test the readers’ knowledge about waves

B．draw the readers’ attention to the topic

C．show Jamie Taylor’s importance

D．invite the readers to answer them

The underlined phrase “picking up” is closest in meaning to          .

A．starting again	B．speeding up
C．improving	D．gathering

We can make better use of wave energy if we          .

A．shorten its journey to thousands of homes

B．build more small power stations on the oceans

C．reduce the cost of turning it into electric power

D．quicken the steps of producing electricity

It can be inferred that someday we might not worry about         .

A．our power supply

B．our boat traffic

C．air pollution

D．our supply of sea fish

As you grow older, you’ll be faced with some challenging decisions—like whether to cut class or try cigarettes. Making decisions on your own is hard enough, but when other people get involved and try to pressure you one way or another it can be even harder. People who are your age, like your classmates, are called peers. When they try to influence how you act, to get you to do something, it’s called peer pressure.
Peers can have a positive influence on each other. Maybe another student in your science class taught you an easy way to remember the planets in the solar system. Maybe you got others excited about your new favorite book, and now everyone’s reading it. These are examples of how peers positively influence each other.
Sometimes peers influence each other in negative ways. For example, a few kids in school might try to get you to cut class with them; your soccer friend might try to convince you to be mean to another player and never pass him the ball.
It is tough to be the only one who says “no” to peer pressure, but you can do it. Paying attention to your own feelings and beliefs about what is right and wrong can help you know the right thing to do.
You’ve probably had a parent or teacher advising you to “choose your friends wisely.” Peer pressure is a big reason why they say this. If you choose friends who don’t cut class, smoke cigarettes, or lie to their parents, then you probably won’t do these things either, even if other kids do.
If you continue to face peer pressure and you’re finding it difficult to handle, talk to someone you trust. Don’t feel guilty if you’ve made a mistake or two.
For whom is the passage most probably written?

A．Parents.	B．Teachers.
C．Students.	D．Doctors.

In the last three paragraphs, the author mainly_____.

A．explains why friendship is so important

B．shows how to make more good friends

C．discusses how peers influence us

D．gives advice on how to deal with peer pressure

Which of following may help handle peer pressure?

A．Spending more time with classmates.

B．Taking up more relaxing hobbies.

C．Choosing friends with no bad habits.

D．Helping others who are in trouble.

What is the topic of the passage?

A．Friendship.	B．Making decisions
C．Self-confidence	D．Peer pressure

Some people will do just about anything to save money．And I am one of them．Take my family’s last vacation．It was my sixyearold son’s winter break from school, and we were heading home from Fort Lauderdale after a week long trip．The flight was overbooked, and Delta, the airline, offered us $400 per person in credits to give up our seats and leave the next day．I had meetings in New York, so I had to get back．But that didn’t mean my husband and my son couldn’t stay．I took my ninemonthold and took off for home．
The next day, my husband and son were offered more credits to take an even later flight．Yes, I encouraged — okay, ordered — them to wait it out at the airport, to “earn” more Delta Dollars．Our total take: $1,600．Not bad, huh?
Now some people may think I’m a bad mother and not such a great wife either．But as a bigtime bargain hunter, I know the value of a dollar．And these days, a good deal is something few of us can afford to pass up．
I’ve made a living looking for the best deals and exposing（揭露）the worst tricks．I have been the consumer reporter of NBC’s Today show for over a decade．I have written a couple of books including one titled Tricks of the Trade: A Consumer Survival Guide．And I really do what I believe in．
I tell you this because there is no shame in getting your money’s worth．I’m also tightfisted when it comes to shoes, clothes for my children, and expensive restaurants．But I wouldn’t hesitate to spend on a good haircut．It keeps its shape longer, and it’s the first thing people notice．And I will also spend on a classic piece of furniture．Quality lasts．
Why did Delta give the author’s family credits?

A．They took a later flight．

B．They had early bookings．

C．Their flight had been delayed．

D．Their flight had been cancelled．

What can we learn about the author?

A．She rarely misses a good deal．

B．She seldom makes a compromise．

C．She is very strict with her children．

D．She is interested in cheap products．

What does the author do?

A．She’s a teacher．

B．She’s a housewife．

C．She’s a media person．

D．She’s a businesswoman．

What does the author want to tell us?

A．How to expose bad tricks．

B．How to reserve airline seats．

C．How to spend money wisely．

D．How to make a business deal．

IKEA is the world’s largest furniture retailer, and the man behind it is Ingvar Kamprad, one of the world’s most successful enterprisers. Born in Sweden in 1926, Kamprad was a natural businessman. As a child, he enjoyed selling things and made small profits from selling matches, seeds, and pencils in his community. When Kamprad was 17, his father gave him some money as a reward for his good grades. Naturally he used it to start up a business—IKEA.
IKEA’s name comes from Kamprad’s initials (I.K.) and the place where he grew up (‘E’ and ‘A’). Today IKEA is known for its modern, minimalist furniture, but it was not a furniture company in the beginning. Rather, IKEA sold all kinds of miscellaneous goods.
Kamprad’s goods included anything that he could sell for profits at discounted prices, including watches, pens and stockings.
IKEA first began to sell furniture through a mail-order catalogue in 1947. The furniture was all designed and made by manufacturers near Kamprad’s home. Initial sales were very encouraging, so Kamprad expanded the product line．Furniture was such a successful aspect of the business that IKEA became solely a furniture company in 1951.
In 1953 IKEA opened its first showroom in Almhult, Sweden. IKEA is known today for its large stores with furniture in attractive settings, but in the early1950s, people ordered from catalogues. Thus response to the first showroom was overwhelming: people loved being able to see and try the furniture before buying it. This led to increased sales and the company continued to develop. By 1955, IKEA was designing all its own furniture.
In 1956 Kamprad saw a man disassembling(拆卸) a table to make it easier to transport. Kamprad was inspired. The man had given him a great idea: flat packaging. Flat packaging would mean lower shipping costs for IKEA and lower prices for customers. IKEA tried it and sales went up. The problem was that people had to assemble furniture themselves, but over time, even this grew into an advantage for IKEA. Nowadays, IKEA is often seen as having connotations(内涵) of self-sufficiency. This image has done wonders for the company, leading to better sales and continued expansion．
Today there are over 200 stores in 32 countries. Amazingly, Ingvar Kamprad has managed to keep IKEA a privately-held company. In 2004 he was named the world’s richest man. He currently lives in Switzerland and is retired from the day-to-day operations of IKEA. IKEA itself, though, just keeps on growing.
The author states in Paragraph 6 that flat packaging___________.

A．needs large space to assembly furniture

B．is a business concept inspired by Kamprad

C．helps reduce transportation costs

D．makes the company self-sufficient

What is the main idea of the passage?

A．Ingvar Kamprad is the richest man in the world.

B．IKEA is the world’s largest furniture retailer.

C．The advantage of IKEA’s furniture is dissembling.

D．Ingvar Kamprad established IKEA and led it to great success.

What is the author’s attitude towards IKEA’s future according to the last paragraph?

A．Indifferent	B．Optimistic
C．Doubtful	D．Pessimistic