高中英语日常生活类阅读阅读理解

I needed to get some money so, after Christmas, I took a job in the clothes department at Graham's for the first fortnight of the January sale．I can't say that I enjoyed it, but it was an experience I'll never forget．
I could never understand why there were so many things in the sales, where did they all come from? Now I know the secret! Firstly, there is the special winter stock （货物） and the stock that people buy all the year round;  some of these things are slightly reduced．Secondly, there are the summer clothes they couldn't sell last year; these are heavily reduced to clear them．Thirdly, there are cheap clothes bought in specially for the sales; these are put out at high prices ten days before the sale begins and then are reduced by 60% in the sale．Clever! Lastly, they buy in “seconds”（clothes not in perfect condition） for the sale and they are sold very cheaply．
When I arrived half an hour before opening on the first day of the sale, there was already a queue around three sides of the building．This made me very nervous．
When the big moment arrived to open the doors, the security guards looking less confident than usual, came up to them, keys in hand．The moment they had unlocked the doors, they hid behind the doors for protection as the noisy crowd charged in．I couldn't believe my eyes; this wasn't shopping, it was a battlefield! One poor lady couldn't keep her feet and was knocked over by people pushing from behind．
Clothes were flying in all directions as people searched for the sizes, colours and styles they wanted．Quarrels broke out．Mothers were using their small children to crawl through people's legs and get hold of things they couldn't get near themselves．
Within minutes I had half a dozen people pushing clothes under my nose; each wanting to be the first served．Where had the famous English queue gone? The whole day continued like that, but I kept my temper81 was taking money hand over fist and began to realize why twice a year, Graham's were happy to turn their expensive store into a battlefield like this．
In the sale fever; people were spending money like water without thinking whether they needed what they were buying．As long as it was a bargain it was OK．You won't believe this．But as soon as I got home I crashed out for four hours．Then I had dinner and went back to bed, fearing the sound of the alarm which would tell me to get ready for the second day of the sale.
What kind of clothes is likely to be s0ld 5% cheaper?

A．Last summer's clothes,

B．Clothes not in perfect condition．

C．Clothes bought in specially for the sales．

D．Clothes for winter．

Which of the following statements is true?

A．The customers gave up the queuing, for which the English are famous．

B．The customers kept their temper while looking for clothes they wanted．

C．Small children enjoyed crawling though people's legs．

D．The security guards were fearless of the crowd．

In the author's opinion, why were Gradhani's happy to make, their expensive store into a "battlefield"?                

A．There were too many clothes and they wanted to clear them in the sales．

B．They were eager to show that they were clever at doing business．

C．They could take the chance to raise the prices of all their clothes．

D．They wanted to make more money by having sales．

The expression "crashed out" means _____．

A．chatted with her friends	B．slept soundly
C．broke down	D．dined out

What would be the best title for the passage?

A．The Best Bargain．	B．Hunting for a Job．
C．Sale Fever．	D．A Pleasant Fortnight．

This brief book is aimed at high school students, but speaks to anyone learning at any stage of life.
Its formal, serious style closely matches its content, a school-masterly book on schooling. The author, W. H. Armstrong, starts with the basics: reading and writing. In his opinion, reading doesn’t just mean recognizing each word on the page; it means taking in the information, digesting it and incorporating it into oneself just as one digests a sandwich and makes it a part of himself. The goal is to bring the information back to life, not just to treat it as dead facts on paper from dead trees. Reading and writing cannot be completely separated from each other; in fact, the aim of reading is to express the information you have got from the text. I’ve seen it again and again: someone who can’t express an idea after reading a text is just as ineffective as someone who hasn’t read it at all.
Only a third of the book remains after that discussion, which Armstrong devotes to specific tips for studying languages, math, science and history. He generally handles these topics thoroughly  and equally, except for some weakness in the science and math sections and a bit too much passion regarding history. Well, he was a history teacher —if conveyed only a tenth of his passion to his students, that was a hundred times more than my history teachers ever got across.
To my disappointment, in this part of the book he ignores the arts．As a matter of fact, they demand all the concentration, and study that math arid science do, though the study differs slightly in kind．Although it's commonly believed that the arts can only be naturally acquired, actually, learning the arts is no more natural than learning French or mathematics．
My other comment is that tke text aged．The first edition apparently dates to the 1960s—none of the references （参考文献） seem newer than the late 1950s．As a result, the discussion misses the entire computer age．
These are small points, though, and don't affect the main discussion．I recommend it to any student and any teacher, including the self-taught student．
According to Armstrong, the goal of reading is to ____       .

A．gain knowledge and expand one's view

B．understand the meaning between the lines

C．express ideas based on what one has read

D．get information and keep it alive in memory

The author of the passage insists that learning the arts___       .

A．requires great efforts	B．demands real passion
C．is less natural than learning maths	D．is as natural as learning a language

What is a shortcoming of Armstrong's work．according to- the author?

A．Some ideas are slightly contradictory．

B．There is too much discussion on studying science．

C．The style is too serious．

D．It lacks new information．

This passage can be classified as ___．

A．an advertisement	B．a book review
C．a feature story	D．a news report

Too much TV-watching can harm children’s ability to learn and even reduce their chances of getting a college degree, new studies suggest in the latest effort to examine the effects of television on children.
One of the studies looked at nearly 400northern California third-graders. Those with TVs in their bedrooms scored about eight points lower on math and language arts tests than children without bedroom TVs.
A second study ,looking at nearly 1000 grown-ups in New Zealand, found lower education levels among 26-year –olds who had watched lots of TV during childhood .But the results don’t prove that TV is the cause and don't ride out that already poorly motivated youngsters（年轻人）may wash lots of TV.
Their study measured the TV habits of 26-year-olds between ages5 and 15. These with college degrees had watched拍average of tess than two hours of TV per weeknight during childhood, compared with an average of me than 2 ¹/₂ hours for those who had no education beyond high school
In the California study, children with TVs in their rooms but no computer at home scored the lowest while those with no bedroom TV but who had home computers scored the highest
While this study does not prove that bedroom TV sets caused the lower scores , it adds to accumulating findings that children shouldn’t have TVs in their bedrooms
According to the Califomia study, the low-scoring group might           。

A．have watched a lot of TV

B．not be interested ted in math

C．be unable to go to college

D．have had computers in their bedrooms

What is the researchers' understanding of tbe New Zealand study results?

A．Poorly motivated 26-year-olds watch more TV.

B．Habits of TV watching reduce learning interest[来

C．TV watching leads to lower education levels of the 15-year-olds.

D．The connection between TV and education levels is difficult to explain

What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?
A．More time should be spent on computers.
B．Children should be forbidden from watching TV.
B．TV sets shouldn't be allowed in children's bedrooms
D．Further studies on high-achieving students should be done
What would be the best title for this text?

A．Computers or Television

B．Effects of Television on Children

C．Studies on TV and College Education

D．Television and Children's Learning Habits

I used to work in an office, which had a Iocust tree growing outside the window. It had grown into a tall tree and must have been there for a long time. The tree blocked the view and made the office seem dull. Unfortunately, this happened to be the room assigned to me, and l was depressed by it for quite some time.
When the first spring came, everything was green except the locust tree.I felt very happy because I had thought it had died!
One morning, when I opened the window for some fresh air, I unexpectedly smelt a familiar sweet scent floating into my office which I could not name. Suddenly,I realized it was the locust tree!The tree that I thought dead was in full bloom!
From then on, I usually came to the office very early to see dew forming on the locust tree blossoms, and was eager to see spring again every year.
During summer, the green leaves provided shade protecting me from the harsh sunlight, but allowing enough light in to make it pleasant. In autumn, the leaves turned many different colors. Its beauty touched my soul. Many times, I thought to take photos but never did. Then, I had to leave in a hurry. Later in life, it became a great regret that I had not done so.
Actually, many times in our lives we think we own something and thus do not value it. We don't feel regretful until we lose it one day! Moreover, sometimes, we have to accept the things we don't want and need to discover the hidden beauty to find unexpected joy!
The locust tree first attracted the author most by____.

A．the way it blocked the view	B．its height
C．the smell of its flowers	D．its green leaves

In which season do you think the author paid the least attention to the locust tree?

A．Spring.

B．Summer

C．Autumn.

D．Winter.

Which of the following statements is true of the author according to the passage?

A．He would have regretted if the locust tree had died as he had thought it had.

B．The locust tree turned out to be a lovely memory for him.

C．He felt unhappy as he had forgotten to take the photos with him.

D．His work in the office changed with the seasons every year.

It can be inferred from the passage that _______.

A．the locust tree died soon after the author left the office

B．the author worked in the office for at least a few years

C．it was summer when the author took his job in the office

D．the weather was dry when the author first saw the tree

What advice does the author intend to give us?

A．Treasure what we've owned.	B．Look before you leap.
C．Treat everything calmly.	D．Never forget the past.

When I was born, my parents immediately noticed something wrong. My feet were deformed (畸形的), pointing inward and curling under. I wore casts (石膏) and foot braces (支架) in my first two years to correct the problem. Yet I learned to balance and walk in casts. Soon after the last set of casts came off，Mom enrolled me in dance classes as therapy for my feet. I, however，quickly decided to try something else. Not far from my house was an ice rink (溜冰场) in the mall. There，local skaters would perform ice shows. I wanted to try skating.
I started taking group skating lessons. Performing on ice came naturally. For me，skating has never been about beating others. It’s been about being my personal best. I progressed through various levels rapidly and gave my first ice performance at age seven. Soon I started winning local and regional competitions. That’s because being on the ice has always been the one place I can truly express my emotions. The ice is like home.
I began seriously training when I was nine years old. After graduating from girls’ high school，I moved to Canada. Saying goodbye to my family and friends made me homesick，but I knew deep down that I had to leave and train full－time to give my dreams a chance at reality.
I went to compete in the Olympic Games in 1992.I was the first of the final six skaters on the ice. My long performance started well，but I slipped while landing one of my easiest triple jumps，and my hand touched the ice. I didn’t want to make two mistakes in a row，so next I did a jump with just two spins to play it safe. As I neared the end，I had one more jump. I landed it perfectly.
When medals were awarded，I found myself on the top step，the gold hanging around my neck and America’s national anthem playing. Words can’t describe the overwhelming mixture of emotions I felt.
The author was enrolled in dance classes to________.

A．meet her interest

B．improve her dancing skills

C．help treat her feet

D．prepare her for skating

When the author says “The ice is like home”，she really means she________.

A．can express herself through her performance on ice

B．can beat others in local and regional competitions

C．can overcome her difficulty in walking

D．has realized her dream to perform on ice

The author moved to Canada after graduating from girls’ high school because________.

A．she could get better treatment of her feet there

B．she would do full－time training there

C．that was where the Olympics would hold

D．she wanted to have further study there

What do we learn about the author’s performance in the 1992 Olympic Games?

A．She completed it without any mistake.

B．She made one mistake on the final landing.

C．She did it quite well except for one mistake.

D．She made more than one mistake.

By her own experience，the author intends to tell us________.

A．we can realize our dream if we have the courage to pursue it

B．even the disabled can take part in the Olympic Games

C．sports can help people heal both body and mind

D．sports events are not about winning only

A car that runs on coffee is unveiled（shown to the public for the first time）today but at between 25 and 50 times the cost of running a car on petrol, the invention won’t please any motor industry accountants．
Nicknamed the Car-puccino, it has been created using a 1988 Volkswagen Scirocco bought for £400 and it was chosen because it looked like the time-traveling DeLorean in the movie Back To The Future．The car will be driven the 210 miles between Manchester and London powered only by roasted coffee granules （颗粒）．It has been built by a team from the BBC1 science programme Bang Goes The Theory and will go on display at the Big Bang science fair in Manchester to show how fuels other than traditional petrol can power vehicles．
The team calculates the Car-puccino will do three miles per kilo of ground coffee （咖啡粉） — about 56 cups of espressos （浓咖啡） per mile．The journey will use about 70 kilos of ground coffee which, at supermarket prices of between £13 and £26 a kilo depending on brand and quality, will cost between £910 and £1,820, or between 25 and 50 times the £36 cost of petrol for the journey．In total, the trip will cost 11,760 espressos, and the team will have to take ‘coffee breaks’ roughly every 30 to 45 miles to pour in more granules．They will also have to stop about every 60 miles to clean out the ‘coffee filters’ to rid them of the soot and tar which is also generated by the process．So despite a top speed of 60mph, the many stops mean the going will be slow, with the journey taking around ten hours．
Sadly, the inventors will still have to pay duty on their coffee fuel---even though tax collectors at Her Majesty’s Revenue and Custom haven’t yet worked out how much．
Nick Watson, producer of Bang Goes The Theory, said, “Coffee, like wood or coal, has some carbon content so you can use it as a fuel．The coffee needs to be very dry and in granules to allow the air to move through the pile of coffee as it burns．The brand doesn’t matter．” He said the same technology could be used to power a car on other unusual fuels, such as woodchips or nut shells, construction or agricultural waste．
Which is the right way to choose the coffee used as fuels to run the Car-puccino?

A．It should be very dry．	B．The stronger, the better．
C．The smaller the granules are, the better．	D．It should be of a certain brand．

What can be inferred from the passage?

A．All kinds of materials can be used as fuels．

B．The Car-puccino will be put into the market soon．

C．Nick Watson is the designer of the Car-puccino

D．Much remains to be improved for the Car-puccino．

The Car-puccino has its disadvantages EXCEPT that ________．

A．it makes a lot of noise

B．it runs at a very high cost

C．it has to stop to be refueled very often

D．it’s not good enough for long-distance journey

How much ground coffee will be used to cover a distance of 126 miles in this car?

A．About 70 kilos

B．About 42 kilos．

C．About 32 kilos

D．About 30 kilos

Why can coffee be used as a fuel?

A．It looks like wood or coal.	B．It contains some carbon content.
C．It is very cheap.	D．It is much better than woodchips or nut shells.

It was a beautiful day at the beach—blue sky, gentle wind, calm sea．I knew these things because a man sitting five feet from me was shouting them into his mobile phone, like a play-by-play announcer （实况解说员）.
“IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY,” he shouted．“THE SKY IS BLUE, AND THERE’S A GENTLE WIND, AND THE WATER IS CALM, AND…”
Behind me, a woman, her mobile phone pressed to her ear was walking back and forth.
“She DIDN’T,” she was saying．“No．She DIDN’T．She DID? Really? Are you SERIOUS? She did NOT．She DID? No she…”
And so on．This woman had two children, who were playing in the sea．I found myself watching them, because the woman surely was not．A huge squid could have caught and snatched the children, and this woman would not have noticed．Or, if she had noticed, she’d have said, “Listen．I have to go, because a huge squid just……No! She didn’t ! She DID? No! She……”
And next to me, the play-by-play man would have said: “…AND A HUGE SQUID JUST ATE TWO CHILDREN, AND I’M GETTING A LITTLE SUNBURNED, AND …”
It used to be that the major trouble at the beach was the fellow who brought a boom box （便携式录音机） and turned it up so loud that the bass notes caused seagulls to explode．But at least you knew where these fellows were; you never know which beachgoers have mobile phones．You’ll settle next to what appears to be a sleeping sunbather, or even （you hope） a corpse , and you’ll lie happily on your towel, and you’ll get all the way to the second sentence of your 467-page book before you fall asleep to the hypnotic surge of the surf （催人入梦的潮声）, and …
BREEP! BREEP! The corpse sits up, feels urgently for its mobile phone, and shouts “Hello! I’m at the beach! Yes! It’s nice! Very peaceful! What? She did? No, she didn’t! She DID? No, she…”
Loud mobile-phoners never seem to get urgent calls．Just once, I’d like to hear one of them say, “Hello? Yes, this is Dr．Johnson．Oh, Dr．Smith．You’ve opened the abdominal cavity （腹腔）? Good! Now the appendix should be right under the … What? No, that’s the liver．Don’t take THAT out, ha ha! Oh, you did? My God! OK, now listen carefully…”
From the passage we can know that the writer of the passage _____.

A．had a wonderful holiday at the beach

B．must have suffered a lot because of the terrible weather

C．is only interested in talks by doctors about operation

D．experienced an unhappy holiday at the beach

According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

A．The writer often spends his holidays at the beach.

B．A huge squid ate two children while their mother was not watching.

C．Some people used to play boom box while spending their holidays at the beach.

D．Some people often make loud mobile phone calls without caring for others.

The underlined word“ corpse”in this passage has the closest meaning to________.

A．a dead body	B．a loud mobile phone
C．a sound sleeper	D．a sleep lover

In the past the fellow who brought a boom box_________.

A．turned it up to make the seagulls happy

B．turned it up to cause the seagulls to explode

C．might cause less trouble than the beachgoers with mobile phones

D．might cause more trouble than the beachgoers with mobile phones

We can infer from the passage that _______.

A．the writer is interested in mobile phone.

B．the writer hates people using mobile phone

C．the writer hates to be disturbed while enjoying holidays on the beach.

D．the writer seldom finishes reading a book before going to sleep.

When traveling abroad, it is wise to carry your money in traveler's checks because checks are protected against loss or theft. If your checks are lost or stolen, the issuing authority will refund(赔偿) your money.
Not only are they safe, they are also convenient. They are available in different currencies and they can be cashed at most banks throughout the world. Most shops, hotels and restaurants also accept them.
Traveler's checks are very easy to use. When you collect them, you sign each check once. The cashier enters the amount in your passport. When you cash, you sign each check again. The cashier will usually ask to see your passport again too.
To get traveler's checks you usually go to your bank. They can be paid in cash or in other ways. Large amounts, however, must be ordered in advance.
For the safety and convenience of traveler's checks, you are charged two commissions(佣金，酬劳): an insurance commission when you buy them and an encashment commission when you cash them.
It is suitable to make a note of the serial numbers of your checks. Keep this separate from your traveler's checks.（词数191）
People like to carry their money in traveler’s checks when traveling abroad, because______

A．they cannot be lost or stolen	B．they can be used anywhere
C．they are safe and handy	D．they can save travelers plenty of money

If your traveler's checks are lost or stolen, who will refund you?

A．The authority that issues you the passport.	B．The insurance company.
C．The bank where you buy your checks.
D．The travel agency that arranges your travel.

You sign your traveler’s check for the second time in order to ________.

A．get your passport	B．cash it
C．claim insurance	D．pay for commission

Which of the following statement is TRUE?

A．You need not pay a commission for the safety of your traveler’s checks.

B．People usually get traveler’s checks from foreign banks.

C．Traveler’s checks can be exchanged for the money of the country you visit.

D．You cannot get your passport until you get your traveler’s checks.

We all enjoy the colors of autumn leaves. Did you ever wonder how and why a fall leaf changes color? Where do the yellows and oranges come from? To answer those questions, we first have to understand what leaves are and what they do.
Leaves are nature's food factories. Plants take water from the ground through their roots. They take a gas called carbon dioxide from the air. Plants use sunlight to turn water and carbon dioxide into glucose, which is a kind of sugar. Plants use glucose as food for energy and as a building block for growing. The way plants turn water and carbon dioxide into sugar is called photosynthesis, which means " putting together with light. " A chemical called chlorophyll helps make photosynthesis happen. Chlorophyll is what gives plants their green color.
As summer ends and autumn comes, the days get shorter and shorter. This is how the trees "know" to begin getting ready for winter.
During winter, there is not enough light or water for photosynthesis. The trees will rest, and live off the food they stored during summer. They begin to shut down their food-making factories. The green chlorophyll disappears from the leaves. As the bright green fades away, we begin to see yellow and orange colors. Small a-mounts of these colors have been in the leaves all along. Covered up by the green chlorophyll, we just can't see them in summer.
The bright reds and purples we see in leaves are made mostly in the fall. In some trees, like maples, glucose is trapped in the leaves after photosynthesis stops. Sunlight and the cool nights of autumn cause the leaves turn this glucose into a red color. The brown color of trees like oaks is made from wastes left in the leaves.
It is the combination of all these things that make the beautiful colors we enjoy in the fall.
The writer asked two questions in the beginning in order to        .

A．persuade readers to believe something

B．introduce the topic of the passage

C．get the readers excited

D．offer something to think over

Which of the following is True according to the passage?

A．Trees don't change colours with seasons.

B．Trees can still perform photosynthesis well in winter.

C．Trees have colours like yellow and orange even in summer.

D．Trees don't need food in winter.

Photosynthesis is a way that ___________________________.

A．plants change water and carbon dioxide into sugar

B．plants turn water and carbon dioxide into sugar with the help of sunlight

C．plants use glucose as food for energy and growing

D．chlorophyll is a great help

Which is the best title for this passage?

A．Colorful trees in autumn	B．Mysteries of tree colors
C．Do you enjoy tree colors?	D．Wonderful colors in autumn

When many of us take a vacation, more than anything, we seek to relax. We spend long, lazy days on a beach chair or in a hammock(吊床). But too often, we return home, tired.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
In fact active vacations are often the most relaxing of all. We don’t expect you to take up jogging(慢跑), or climbing. Rather, we ask the sedentary(久坐的) vacations among you to spend two to four hours a day doing things, such as walking in the city street, going to a zoo or biking along the ocean.
These kinds of activities aren’t just good for your physical health. They improve your mental health, even your spiritual health. Here are some fresh ideas to make your vacations as pleasurable as they are active and healthy.
A walk at dawn or dusk helps keep you young. Try to make this a daily habit of life when you’re away from home, and you will guarantee yourself both physical and spiritual refreshment.
Don’t allow yourself to spend all your time sitting in front of water. Whether it is the ocean, a swimming pool, or a tree-lined lake, make sure you get into the water for swimming or games, or even walking. Merely standing in waist-high water is a good workout, thanks to the action of the water. And you’ll feel so much more active!
Many of us spend a large chunk of our vacation on the road, either getting to and from our destinations, or using the car for sightseeing. But no matter how beautiful the scenery is, great, memorable vacations don’t happen in a car seat. Frequently get out and stretch, walk, picnic, shop, visit, and have fun. It’s important for your health and energy, and it makes traveling a lot more active and interesting
The idea in the text is mainly to _______.

A．suggest ways to make vacations relaxing

B．suggest places for relaxing vacations

C．explain the reasons for having vacations

D．explain the relationship between vacations and health

Which of the following can be considered as a form of exercise?

A．Sitting by a lake.	B．Standing in water.
C．Staying in a car.	D．Enjoying beautiful scenery.

In the last paragraph, the author seems to advise us to _______.

A．have vacations frequently	B．get out of the car frequently
C．go on vacations on foot	D．stay in a car seat

Henry found work in a bookstore after he finished middle school. He wouldn’t do anything but wanted to get rich. Mr King thought he was too lazy and was going to send him away. Henry was afraid and had to work hard.
It was a cold morning. It was snowing and there was thin ice on the streets. Few people went to buy the books and the young man had nothing to do. He hated to read, so he watched the traffic. Suddenly he saw a bag fall off a truck and it landed by the other side of the street.
“It must be full of expensive things, ”Henry said to himself. “I have to get it, or others will take it away. ”
He went out of the shop and ran across the street. A driver saw him and began to whistle (鸣笛), but he didn’t hear it and went on running. The man drove aside, hit a big tree and was hurt in the accident. Two weeks later Henry was taken to court (法庭). A judge asked if he heard the whistle when he was running across the street. He said that something was wrong with his ears and he could hear nothing.
“But you’ve heard me this time.”said the judge.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Now I can hear with one ear.”
“Cover the ear with your hand and listen to me with your deaf (聋的)one. Well, can you hear me? ”
“No, I can’t. sir.”
What was Mr. King? (   )

A．a driver

B．a doctor

C．a policeman

D．a shopkeeper

Why did Mr. King want to send Henry away? (   )

A．Because Henry was too lazy.	B．Because Henry hoped to be rich.
C．Because Henry finished middle school.	D．Because Henry sold few books.

Why did Henry say that he was deaf? (   )

A．He wanted to have a joke with the judge.	B．He wanted to get the judge’s help
C．He wanted to find another piece of work	D．He didn’t want to pay for the accident.

This brief book is aimed at high school students, but speaks to anyone learning at any stage of life．
Its formal, serious style closely matches its content, a school-masterly book on schooling．The author, W．H．Armstrong, starts with the basics: reading and writing．In his opinion, reading doesn’t just mean recognizing each word on the page; it means taking in the information, digesting it and incorporating it into oneself just as digests a sandwich and makes it a part of himself．The goal is to bring the information back to life, not just to treat it as dead facts on paper from dead trees．Reading and writing cannot be completely separated from each other; in fact, the aim of reading is to express the information you have got from the text．I’ve seen it again and again: someone who can’t express an idea after reading a text is just as ineffective as someone who hasn’t read it at all．
Only a third of the book remains after that discussion, which Armstrong devotes to specific tips for studying languages, math, science and history．He generally handles these topics thoroughly(透彻地) and equally, except for some weakness in the science and math sections and a bit too much passion(激情) regarding history．Well, he was a history teacher — if conveyed only a tenth of his passion to his students, that was a hundred times more than my history teachers ever got across．To my disappointment, in this part of the book he ignores the arts．As a matter of fact, they demand all the concentration and study that math and science do, though the study differs slightly in kind．Although it’s commonly believed that the arts can only be naturally acquired, actually, learning the arts is no more natural than learning French or mathematics．
My other comment is that the text aged．The first edition apparently dates to the 1960s — none of the references(参考文献)seem newer than the late 1950s．As a result, the discussion misses the entire computer age．
These are small points, though, and don’t affect the main discussion．I recommend it to any student and any teacher, including the self-taught student．
According to Armstrong, the goal of reading is to________．

A．gain knowledge and expand one’s view

B．understand the meaning between the lines

C．express ideas based on what one has read

D．get information and keep it alive in memory

The author of the passage insists that learning the arts_________．

A．requires great efforts	B．demands real passion
C．is less natural than learning maths	D．is as natural as learning a language

What is a shortcoming of Armstrong’s work according to the author?

A．Some ideas are slightly contradictory．

B．There is too much discussion on studying science．

C．The style is too serious．

D．It lacks new information．

This passage can be classified as________．

A．an advertisement	B．a book review
C．a feature story	D．a news report

My House
My mother moved a lot when she was growing up on account of Grandpa being in the army. She hated having to adjust to new schools and make new friends. That’s why I thought she was joking when she put forward the idea of moving. But she was completely serious. “For just the two of us,” my mother said, “an apartment in the city will suit our needs much better.” Personally, I think she’s lost her mind. I guess I can understand why she would want to move, but what about me and what this house means to me?
I suppose if you looked at my house, you might think it was just another country house. But to me it is anything but standard. I moved into this house with my parents ten years ago. I can still remember that first day like it was yesterday. The first thing I noticed was the big front yard. To me it seemed like an ocean of grass—I couldn’t wait to dive in. The backyard was full of gnarled (扭曲的, 粗糙的) and scary trees that talk on windy nights. But I grew to like them and the shadows they cast in my room. My father and I even built a small tree house, where I often go to remember all the wonderful times we had before Father’s death.
This house is special—maybe only to me—but special nevertheless. It’s the little seemingly insignificant things that make this house so special to me: the ice-cold tile floors that make me tremble on midnight snack runs; the smell of my father’s pipe that still exists; the towering bookcases of my mother; the view outside my bedroom window.
This house holds too many memories, memories which would be lost if we gave it up.
Why did the author’s mother decide to move?

A．Because she hated the countryside.

B．Because Grandpa was on constant move.

C．Because Dad’s death made her lose her mind.

D．Because she thought a city flat more fit for them.

What impressed the author when she first moved into the house?

A．The tree house.

B．The big trees.

C．The cold floors.

D．The green grass.

How did the author let us feel that the house was special to her?

A．By arguing whether the house was standard.

B．By explaining why the house suited their needs. k.&s~5*u

C．By describing the small things related to her house.

D．By comparing the differences between country and city life.

My mother moved a lot when she was growing up because of   ________.

A．Grandpa being in the army.	B．their family’s liking moving
C．the life’s need	D．Mother’s work

Psychiatrists(精神病专家)，who work with older parents say that maturity can be an asset(资产) in child raising----older parents are more thoughtful, use less physical discipline and spend more time with children. But raising kids takes money and energy, many older parents find themselves balancing their limited financial resources, declining energy and failing health against the growing demands of an active child. Dying and leaving young children is probably the older parents’ biggest and often unspoken fear. Having late-life children, says an economics professor, often means parents, particularly fathers, “end up retiring much later.” For many, retirement becomes an unobtainable dream.
Henry Metcalf, a 54-year-old journalist, knows it takes money to raise kids. But he’s  also worried that his energy will give out first. Sure, he can still ride bikes with his athletic fifth grader, but he’s learned that, young at heart doesn’t mean young. Lately he’s been taking afternoon naps to keep up his energy.” My body is aging,” says Metcalf, “You can’t get away from that.”
Often, older parents hear the ticking of another kind of biological clock. Therapists who work with middle-aged and older parents say fears about aging are nothing to laugh at. “They worry they’ll be mistaken for grandparents, or that they’ll need help getting up out of those little chairs in nursery school.” Says Joann Galst, a New York psychologist .But at the core of those little fears there is often a much bigger one. “that they will not be alive long enough to support and protect their child, ” she says .
Many late-life parents, though, say their children came at just the right time. After marrying late and undergoing years of fertility(受孕) treatment, Marilyn Nolen and her husband, Randy, had twins. “We both wanted children,” says Marilyn, who was 55 when she gave birth. The twins have given the couple what they desired for years, “a sense of family.”
Kids of older dads are often smarter, happier and more sociable because their fathers are more involved in their lives. “The dads are older, more mature,” says Dr. Silber, “and more ready to focus on parenting.”
Why do psychiatrists regard maturity as an asset in child raising?
A Older parents can better balance their resources against children’s demands.
B Older parents are usually more experienced in bringing up their children.
C Older parents are often better prepared financially.
D Older parents can take better care of their children.
What does the author mean by saying “For many, retirement becomes an unobtainable dream”
A They have to go on working beyond their retirement age.
B They can’t get full pension unless they work some extra years.
C They can’t obtain the retirement benefits they have dreamed of.
D They are unwilling to retire when they reach their retirement age
The author gives the examples of Henry Metcalf to show that______.
A many people are young in spirit despite their advanced age
B taking afternoon naps is a good way to maintain energy
C older parents tend to be concerned about their aging bodies
D older parents should exercise more to keep up with their athletic children
What’s the biggest fear of older parents according to New York psychologist Joann Galst?
A Being laughed at by other people           B Slowing down of their pace of life
C Being mistaken for grandparents           D Approaching of death
What do we learn about Marilyn and Randy Nolen?
A They thought they were an example of successful fertility treatment
B Not until they had the twins did they feel had formed a family
C They believe that children born of older parents would be smarter.
D Not until they reached middle age did they think of having children.

It was a party. I was 18 and it was fresher(大一新生) week. I was at the beginning of a course in English Literature and full of enthusiasm for my subject. She was also 18 and enrolled in a course in physics.
“Your major is of no use to society. What will you do with it when you graduate, other than teach? Plus, you’re going to be poor your whole life,” she said. “You have no soul and your degree is boring. I don’t care how much money you’re going to earn. I’d rather be poor and don’t mind being a teacher. If I love my work I’ll have something far more meaningful than a big bank account!” came the reply.
And so it went, back and forth, neither of us giving the other an inch, each of us stubbornly committed to our prejudice. We were both ignorant, but our ignorance was also society’s ignorance. It had always been that way. Scientists mocked(嘲笑) humanists; humanists laughed at scientists. Back in the 1960s, the physicist-turned novelist C. P. Snow labeled the sciences-humanities divide “a problem of ‘the two cultures’” . He said it was bad for society. The modern world needed well-rounded people.
I think I know better now, but it would have helped if we had been encouraged to think a little more outside our science and arts “boxes”.
That’s why I believe it is healthy that China is beginning a debate on whether it’s wise for young people to have to choose which direction their careers – and lives – will take at such an early age. At the moment, in their second year of high school, students must choose either the sciences or the humanities. After making the choice, they focus their energies on passing the appropriate college entrance exam.
But now, people in China are asking: Is this forced, early decision good for young people or society? Young people need time to explore, to discover where their real talents and interests lie. There are more than just a few middle-aged people out there, stuck in jobs they hate because they made the wrong choice at the wrong time.
And from the point of view of society, isn’t it better for students to delay a while before they decide what to study? Scientists can benefit from learning to develop the critical skills associated with the humanities; students in the humanities, surely, only stand to gain by finding out a little more about science and technology, which are so important to the future of a developing country like China.
With any luck, in the future young people fresh to college will be better informed about the possibilities of education than people of my generation.
The author describes what happened at a fresher party to ________.

A．show that he was ready to defend the subject he enjoyed

B．lead up his argument that the sciences-humanities divide is harmful

C．prove that doing something meaningful is better than having a lot of money

D．describe how fierce students of different majors can be when arguing with each other

What was C. P. Snow’s attitude towards the sciences-humanities divide?
A. Indifferent.         B. Uncertain.        C. Positive.          D. Negative.
In the sixth paragraph, an example mentioning middle-aged people is used to show that ________.

A．students should not make decisions too early

B．not all people have a talent for or are interested in the sciences

C．these people did not have the chance to make a choice earlier in life

D．the earlier young people make a decision, the better it will be for them

According to the text, it is safe to say that ________.
A. sciences are more practical in the modern world
B. C. P. Snow was a novelist who became a physicist
C. future generations will be able to get more out of education
D. a command of both the sciences and humanities is important to society
What’s the best title for the article?

A．The sciences or the humanities, which to choose?

B．High school education in China

C．Isn’t it better to delay the choice of the career direction?

D．A better time to decide what to study