When Joan gave birth to the first boy in her family in three generations, she and her husband were overjoyed. So were her parents. Joan expected her elder sister, Sally, to be just as delighted as them. Joan had always admired Sally--the beauty and the star of the family--and felt happy about her achievements.
But since the baby's arrival, the sisters have become distant. Joan feels hurt for Sally seems completely uninterested in her baby. Sally, who has no children, claims that her younger sister "acts as if no one ever had a baby before."
Neither Sally nor Joan understands that the real cause of the current coldness is that their family roles have suddenly changed to the opposite. Finally Joan seems to be better than her elder sister--and Sally doesn't like it! Their distance may be temporary, but it shows that childhood competition don't fade easily as ages grow. It can remain powerful in relationships throughout life.
In a study of the University of Cincinnati, 65 men and women between ages 25 and 93 were asked how they felt about their brothers and sisters. Nearly 75 percent admitted having hidden competitive feelings. In a few cases, these emotions were so strong as to have affected their entire lives.
Many adult brothers and sisters are close, supportive--yet still tend to compete. Two brothers I know turn into killers when on opposite sides of a tennis net. Off the court, they are the best of friends. My own younger sister can't wait to tell me when I've put on weight. However, she's a terrible cook and that pleases me; I tease her when she comes to dinner. Happily, despite these small failings, we have been an important resource for each other.
In between the very competitive and the generally supportive children lie those who say that no friendship should survive. Some brothers and sisters stay at arm's length, hut never give upcompetition completely. Why do these puzzling, unproductive, often painful relationships continue to exist?When Joan's son was born, Sally .
| A．felt very happy | B．felt not delighted |
| C．moved away | D．admired her a lot |
What happens to children's desire to compete with their brothers and sisters?
| A．It sometimes will disappear when they grow up. |
| B．It will never disappear throughout life. |
| C．It will improve their relationships when they grow up. |
| D．It will never harm their relationships when they grow up. |
Why does the author's sister often tell her when she's put on weight?
| A．Because she wants the author to go on a diet. |
| B．Because she wants the author to stop calling her a bad cook. |
| C．Because she wants to make fun of the author's weight. |
| D．Because she wants to be honest with the author. |
The underlined sentence means that although some brothers and sisters .
| A．live near each other, they still have competitions |
| B．live away from each other, they stop their competitions |
| C．live together, they often think of ending their competitions |
| D．live within a big family, they often try to end their competitions |
A father sat at his desk poring over his monthly bills when his young son rushed in and announced, "Dad, because this is your birthday and you’re 40 years old, I’m going to give you 40 kisses, one for each year!" When the boy started making good on his word, the father cried out suddenly, "Oh, Andrew, don’t do it now; I’m too busy!"
The youngster immediately fell silent as tears welled up in his big blue eyes．Apologicaliy the father said, "You can finish later．"
The boy said nothing but quietly walked away, disappointment written over his face．That evening the father said, "Come and finish the kisses now, Andrew!" But the boy didn’t respond．
Unfortunately, a few days later after this incident, the boy had an accident and was drowned．His heartbroken father wrote．．．
"If only I could tell him how much I regret my thoughtless words, and could be sure that he knows how much my heart is aching．"
Love is not only giving．Any loving act must be warmly accepted or it will be taken as rejection and can leave a scar．If we are too busy to give and receive love, we are too busy! Nothing is more important than responding with love to the cry for love from those who are near and precious to us, because there may be no chance at all as in the case of the little boy．What does the underlined phrase "poring over" mean?
| A．looking in on | B．looking out for |
| C．looking through | D．looking around |
The boy is going to give his father 40 kisses because ______．
| A．his father is very busy |
| B．this is the boy’ birthday |
| C．the boy wants to play with his father |
| D．this is his father’ birthday and he’s 40 years old |
What happened to the youngster later?
| A．His heart was broken． | B．He died unexpectedly． |
| C．He ran away from home． | D．He fell silent all the time． |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
| A．A Love Story | B．Love Your Son |
| C．A Father and a Son | D．Love is a Two-way Street |
Bringing art into hospitals
The medical world is gradually realizing that the quality of the environment in hospitals may play a significant role in helping patients to get better.
As part of a nationwide effort in Britain to bring art out of the museums and into public places, some of the country's best artists have been called in to change older hospitals and to soften the hard edges of modern buildings. Of the 2,500 national health service hospitals in Britain, almost 100 now have very valuable collections of present art in passages, waiting areas and treatment rooms.
These recent movements first started by one artist, Peter Senior, who set up his studio at a Manchester hospital in northeastern England during the early 1970s. He felt the artist had lost his place in modern society, and that art should be enjoyed by a wider audience(观众).
A common hospital waiting room might have as many as 500 visitors each week. What a better place to hold regular exhibitions of art? Senior held the first exhibition of his own paintings in the out-patients waiting area of the Manchester Royal Hospital in 1975. Believed to be Britain's first hospital artist, Senior was so much in demand that he was soon joined by a team of six young art school graduates.
The effect is striking. Now in the corridors and waiting rooms the visitor experiences a full view of fresh colors, playful images(形象) and restful courtyards.
The quality of the environment may reduce the need for expensive drugs when a patient is recovering from an illness. A study has shown that patients who had a view onto gardens needed half the number of strong pain killers compared with patients who had no view at all or only a brick wall to look at.Some best artists of Britain have been called in to ________
| A．set up new hospitals |
| B．make the corners of the hospital collect paintings |
| C．Bring art into hospitals |
| D．help patients recover form serious illnesses |
After the improvement of the hospital environment, _________
| A．patients no longer take drugs to kill their pains |
| B．patients don’t have to stay long in hospital |
| C．patients need fewer pain killers when they suffer from an illness |
| D．patients feel happy in hospital |
It can be inferred from the passage that _________
| A．the role of hospital environment is important |
| B．hospital artists have done more than doctors |
| C．exhibitions attract more audience in hospitals |
| D．the hospital is a better place for people |
I have two sons．They are as different as night and day．My youngest is sweet, loveable, easy-going, and finds joy in everything．My oldest we’ve nicknamed the “Evil Genius” is ambitious, self-confident, and suffers no fools．
Whenever we mentioned Santa my husband and I were rewarded with major eye rolling and deep sighs from my oldest．At first we both tried to ignore it．
We both knew that our eldest had figured out the big secret．But I’d be damned(指责) if he was going to ruin it for his six-year-old brother who had plenty of Santa-loving years ahead of him．I looked at my husband in the eye and said, “I’ll handle this．” to which he responded “Okay just be careful because I’m not sure he knows - he might just be acting like it．” But I knew．And I had it in my mind that he was about to break his younger brothers spirit and break the news to him．I was afraid he was going to take the Christmas spirit away from my sweet innocent youngest and stamp all over it．I had to protect him．I needed to control this now before it got out of control．I rushed into the play room where my oldest was playing alone．I looked him dead in the eyes and said: “Well you know Santa isn’t real, right?” And as I stared at my eight-year-old son for what seemed like a long time of silence, his eyes started to fill with tears． And a tear dropped down his cheek when he screamed out, “He’s not?”
“Um well it’s not that he’s not real (shut up you idiot- stop saying he’s not real), but he doesn’t really make and deliver all the toys．Dad and I get some of them for you．So he’s real．He’s just got a little help from us．”
The Evil Genius wasn’t buying it．He just sat there looking at me with an expression of doubt．
You know when you make a terrible mistake but you can’t stop yourself from making it worse? That was me because I just had to know．I had to know why he had seemed to be over Santa． So I asked him why he rolled his eyes and sighed every time his father and I mentioned Santa, to which he replied that kids at school had been saying Santa wasn't real but that he still thought he was．What’s the best title for the passage?
| A．Two different sons |
| B．Santa secret given away |
| C．Protecting one, ruining the other |
| D．Making a mistake worse |
What did the writer conclude when “Evil Genius” rolled his eyes and sighed?
| A．“Evil Genius” had discovered Santa was not real． |
| B．“Evil Genius” had broken the secret to his younger brother． |
| C．“Evil Genius” had passed his Santa-loving years． |
| D．“Evil Genius” had been influenced by his classmates． |
What does the underlined sentence mean in the passage?
| A．“Evil Genius” refused to buy toys． |
| B．“Evil Genius” didn’t believe his mother’s words． |
| C．“Evil Genius” wanted to keep silent． |
| D．“Evil Genius” would not give away the secret． |
What lesson can we learn from the story?
| A．Lies can never change facts． |
| B．Honesty is the best policy． |
| C．No one is perfect． |
| D．We should think twice before we act． |
The child of today owes much of its pleasant school life to the work of Maria Montessori and others who felt as she did．
Maria Montessori was born in 1870 in northern Italy． Both her parents were well educated．
While Maria was a student, she took great interest in the study of the particular nature of the child's mind． It came to her that small children should have freedom to learn．
Maria became a doctor and a professor at Rome University．In 1907, after working with backward students, she was given a chance to try out her ideas on children．There were sixty children, aged three to six, in the Children's House．The rooms were bright and colorful．Maria let the children make their own choice of what they wanted to do and work with their own speed． They became busy, peaceful and happy．
Maria Montessori was one of the world's great teachers．She traveled in Europe, America and Far East．She thought that true education, providing(提供) for the real needs of the child, would produce wise and happy grown-ups and therefore a peaceful world． Her original way of education has changed our whole idea of what childhood is．
Maria Montessori died in Holland at the age of eighty-two．
The short passage is mainly about_________．
| A．the education of backward students |
| B．a new idea of education |
| C．the importance of proper education |
| D．the life of Maria Montessori |
Maria traveled a lot in the world to ________．．
| A．teach the backward students |
| B．enjoy her life in real nature |
| C．spread her ideas of teaching |
| D．study the situation of education |
In what way did Maria teach the children in the Children's House?
| A．She taught them the best way of learning well． |
| B．She let them learn in a very pleasant way． |
| C．She taught them by showing them how to do things． |
| D．She just let them choose the most interesting subjects． |
We learn from the passage that ________．
| A．Maria left her homeland in order to study abroad |
| B．Maria didn't get married |
| C．Maria's own parents were her teachers |
| D．Maria fully understood the child's mind |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Camp All-Star
One of a Kind Summer Camps for Kids
Welcome to Camp All-Star, your No．1 summer sports camp for kids! Located on the famous Kents Hill School campus by the beautiful lake, Camp All-Star hosts kids from around the world． When thinking about your next overnight summer camp, consider the best—Camp All-Star!
Great Sports Summer Camps for Kids
Camp All-Star stands out among the successful camps in the U.S．We have the best sports fields and courts to make your child’s sports camp experience a successful one．Your child can enjoy playing for hours in any of our more than 30 sports and activities each day．Our camper to staff rate is three to one, which makes it possible for children to receive more careful instruction．
We have a wide variety of activities and sports to choose from: fishing, dance, basketball, soccer, baseball, and tennis．Boys and girls, aged 8-16, can customize their own schedules in our 2, 3, 4 or 6 week summer camp session for kids.
The aim of Camp All-Star is to develop athletic skills, encourage abilities in leadership, fair play and team work, and provide a fun, rewarding and memorable summer sports camp experience．Our staff have the experience and qualified training necessary to ensure that your child has a successful, memorable and enjoyable time at our summer camp.
Call Today About Our Overnight Summer Camps for Kids
Don’t let your kids waste another summer playing video games and sitting around． Let them enjoy their time and get some exercise at our exciting and friendly summer sports camp．Information for our upcoming camps can be found on our website．For additional information or questions, contact us today．We hope your kids can join us at Camp All-Star!Camp All-Star stands out among the others because it ______.
| A．is surrounded by a beautiful lake |
| B．provides various activities and sports |
| C．offers timely information on its websit |
| D．allows children to play outside all day long |
One of the goals of Camp All-star is to ______.
| A．fire kids’ imagination |
| B．build up kids’ confidence |
| C．develop kids’ leadership skills |
| D．promote kids’ self-control |
This advertisement is intended for ______.
| A．parents |
| B．coaches |
| C．staff |
| D．campers |
If you're tired of the Mediterranean and don't want to head to Disney again，perhaps it's time for a summer holiday in space．Russia has declared plans for its first floating hotel，217 miles above earth，and it is something of an offering with good service．
Hosting just seven guests in a four cabins，the accommodation will boast huge windows with views back to earth and tasty microwave meals will be served instead of the ones often used by astronauts．
Just getting there will be an adventure in itself—it will take two days aboard a Soyuz rocket—and it won't exactly be a budget holiday: A five-day stay will cost you￡100，000 to￡500，000 for your journey．The hotel is due to open by 2016 and，according to those behind it，will be far more comfortable than the International Space Station (ISS) used by astronauts and cosmonauts．
In the weightlessness of space，visitors can choose to have beds that are either vertical or horizontal．Tourists，who will be accompanied by experienced crew，will dine on food prepared on Earth and sent up on the rocket，to be reheated in microwave ovens．Many kinds of delicacies will be available．
Iced tea，mineral water and fruit juices will be available，but alcohol will be strictly prohibited．Toilets will use flowing air instead of water to move waste through the system．Waste water will be recycled．
Sergei Kostenko，chief executive of Orbital Technologies which will construct the hotel，said: “Our planned module inside will not remind you of the International Space Station．A hotel should be comfortable inside，and it will be possible to look at the Earth．The hotel will be aimed at wealthy individuals and people working for private companies who want to do research in space．” The hotel can also be used as an emergency bolthole (避难处) for astronauts aboard the International Space Station if there is a crisis．
Which can be the best title of the passage?
| A．Russia declares the design for its first space hotel |
| B．The first space hotel is under construction now |
| C．The astronauts will have a second home in space |
| D．Russia has the advanced technology in exploring space |
What does the underlined word “budget” in the 3rd paragraph mean?
| A．expensive |
| B．worthwhile |
| C．economic |
| D．uncomfortable |
What kind of accommodation will the guests have in the space hotel?
| A．They will have the same food as the astronauts have． |
| B．Many kinds of drinks are available including alcohol． |
| C．Guests can have beds that are either vertical or horizontal． |
| D．Tourists are accompanied by the astronauts from the ISS． |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The space hotel is built to remind you of the International Space Station． |
| B．The hotel is constructed with big windows so that tourists can see the earth． |
| C．The company，Orbital Technologies，has already begun to build the space hotel． |
| D．In the near future，a space trip for most of the people can be realized． |
Kids Wall Art
Large wall posters for kids. Your kids will love these cool posters by artist Carla Daly. Your kids will enjoy decorating their bedroom walls with these posters and their friends will think they are the coolest!
| Name: ABC Wall Art Size: 44×72cm (17.5″×28″) Time: 9:00 am every day Prices: $ 6.8/piece Colorful ABC art for your kids’ bedroom and playroom. A fun, educational art piece that all kids will enjoy. Kids and babies will love learning their animals and the ABC at the same time! |
| Name: Kids World Map Size: 45×75cm (17.5″×29.5″) Time: 2:00 pm on Wednesday Prices: $ 7.2/piece A colorful, large print by artist Carla Daly. Your kids will love this world map showing the lands, oceans and the fun animals that live in them. An educational map that will keep your kids happy for hours! |
| Name: Skateboard Park Size: 44×60cm (17.5″×23.5″) Time: 9:00 am on weekends Prices: $ 8.8/piece Fun zebra children’s wall art! Children and kids will love these fun animals enjoying this popular kids’ sport. Boys and girls will enjoy decorating their bedroom walls with this colorful bedroom wall art. |
| Name: City Slickers(城市佬) Size: 44×55cm(17.5″×23.5″) Time: 2:00 pm every day except Friday Prices: $ 6.5/piece Cute kids wall art of two cool giraffes taking a drive through the city, unusual, fun style for kids’ walls! Your kids will love this fun giraffe wall art. Boys and girls will have fun decorating their bedroom walls with this colorful bedroom wall art. |
Jane, who would like to buy a poster with the size of 45×75cm, will probably buy ________.
| A．ABC Wall Art | B．Kids World Map |
| C．Skateboard Park | D．City Slickers |
David plans to buy two posters. He should at least take ________ with him.
| A．$ 15.3. | B．$ 14. | C．$ 12. | D．$ 13.3. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Kids can find two cool giraffes on Skateboard Park. |
| B．Kids can just learn some English letters on ABC Wall Art. |
| C．Kids can enjoy fun zebra children’s wall art on City Slickers. |
| D．Kids can get some geography knowledge on Kids World Map. |
The evidence for harmony may not be obvious in some families. But it seems that four out of five young people now get on well with their parents, which is the opposite of the popularly held image of unhappy teenagers locked in their room after endless family quarrels.
An important new study into teenage attitudes surprisingly shows that their family life is happier than it has ever been in the past. “We were surprised by just how positive today’s young people seem to be about their families,” said one member of the research team. “They’re expected to be rebellious（叛逆的）and selfish but actually they have other things on their minds; they want a car and material goods, and they worry about whether school is serving them well. There’s discussion between parents and children, and children expect to take part in the family decision-making process. They don’t want to rock the boat.”
So it seems that these parents are much more likely than parents of 30 years ago to treat their children as friends. “My parents are happy to discuss things with me and willing to listen to me,” says 17-year-old Daniel LaSalle. “I always tell them when I'm going out clubbing. When they know what I'm doing, they’re fine with it.” Susan Cromer, who is now 21, agrees. “Looking back on the last 10 years, there was a lot of what you could call talk or discussion. For example, when I’d done all my homework, I could go out on a Saturday night. But I think my grandparents were a lot stricter with my parents than that.”
Maybe this positive view of family life should not be unexpected. It is possible that the idea of teenage rebellion is not based on real facts. A researcher explains, “Teenagers were thought to be different from others in a part of time in our social history. But to our surprise, they say they are getting on well with their parents. But that idea of rebelling and breaking away from their parents really only happened during that one time in the 1960s when everyone rebelled.”The study shows that teenagers don't want to ______________________.
| A．share family duties |
| B．cause trouble in their families |
| C．go boating with their family |
| D．make family decisions |
Compared with parents of 30 years ago, today’s parents ___________________.
| A．go to clubs more often with their children |
| B．are much stricter with their children |
| C．care less about their children’s life |
| D．give their children more freedom |
According to the writer, teenage rebellion ____________________.
| A．may be a wrong opinion |
| B．is common at present |
| C．always happened in the 1960s |
| D．was caused by changes in families |
Which title best gives the main idea of the passage?
| A．Discussion in family |
| B．Teenage education in family |
| C．Teenage trouble in family |
| D．Harmony in family |
Children have their own rules in playing games．They seldom need a referee (裁判) and rarely take trouble to keep scores．They don’t care much about who wins or loses，and it doesn’t seem to worry them if the game is not finished．Yet，they like games that depend a lot on luck，so that their personal abilities cannot be directly compared．They also enjoy games that move in stages，in which each stage，the choosing of leaders，the picking-up of sides，or the determining of which side shall start，is almost a game in itself．
Grown-ups can hardly find children’s game exciting，and they often feel puzzled at why their kids play such simple game again and again．However，it is found that a child plays games for very important reasons．He can be a good player without having to think whether he is a popular person，and he can find himself being a useful partner to someone of whom he is ordinary afraid．He becomes a leader when it comes to his turn．He can be confident，too，in particular games，that it is his place to give orders，to pretend to be dead，to throw a ball actually at someone，or to kiss someone he has caught．
It appears to us that when children play a game they imagine a situation under their control．Everyone knows the rules，and more importantly，everyone plays according to the rules．Those rules may be childish，but they make sure that every child has a chance to win．
What is true about children when they play games?
| A．They can stop playing any time they like． |
| B．They can test their personal abilities． |
| C．They want to pick a better team． |
| D．They don’t need rules． |
To become a leader in a game，the child has to _________．
| A．be a useful partner |
| B．wait for his turn |
| C．be confident in himself |
| D．be popular among his playmates |
Why does a child like playing games?
| A．Because he can be someone other than himself． |
| B．Because he can become popular among friends． |
| C．Because he finds he is always lucky in games． |
| D．Because he likes the place where he plays a game． |
Which is the best title for this passage?
| A．Rules in Children’s Games |
| B．Advantages of Playing Games for Children |
| C．Reasons for Children’s Games |
| D．How to Be a Popular Game Player |
My family moved around a lot when I was growing up．In 2nd grade，I lived here in Washington D．C，where I made an amazing group of friends．I was upset when my parents told me we were moving again and I would have to leave all my best friends behind．
In 7th grade．we moved back to Washington D．C．And I could not have been more excited and I felt like I was finally home again．But things had changed．There were two new girls，who decided that they didn’t like me，which meant no one else could，not even all my former best friends．
And then one day during school，I opened my locker，only to find a note lying on the floor．The note said：Die．Nobody likes you．
My heart started beating faster and I felt the blood rushing to my face．I had no idea what to do．The note wasn’t signed and I had no idea who had written it，but I figured the new girls were behind it．I had to sit in class all day with my head down，wondering who else knew about this shame．I felt horrible and sure that nothing would ever be good again．
I decided that the perfect way to end all of this was with another note，left on the bathroom mirror at school．
It’s sad for someone to bully(欺负)other classmates to make themselves feel better or look cool．Bullying others is a way to impress others．It’s common，but that doesn’t mean it's okay．Looking cool is not worth making others feel bad．Obviously I’m very happy now，but it doesn’t mean I’11 ever forget about that note or how it made me feel．And to those of you that are current victims(目前的受害者) of bullying—know that you are NOT alone．It will get better．I promise．
Why was the author unhappy when she left Washington D．C．?
A．She couldn’t adapt herself
B．She had to leave best friends．
C．She was growing up there．
D．She hated traveling a lot．
When the author opened the locker，she felt .
| A．satisfied | B．cheerful | C．amused | D．ashamed |
In the end，the author turned things around ．
| A．under her teacher’s guide |
| B．by compromising to others |
| C．with her best friends’ help |
| D．through her own efforts |
What suggestion does the author give to the teenagers?
| A．Meet friends whenever possible． |
| B．Make efforts to fight back hard． |
| C．Be optimistic and let a thing slide． |
| D．Go on well with others． |
“Don't worry if you have problems!” It is easy to say until you are in the midst of a really big one．The only people who don't have troubles are gathered in little neighborhoods．Most communities have at least one．We call them cemeteries．If you're breathing, you have difficulties．It's the way of life．And believe it or not, most of your problems may actually be good for you! Let me explain．
Maybe you have heard the Great Barrier Reef, stretching some 1,800 miles from New Guinea to Australia．Tour guides regularly take visitors to view the reef．
On one tour, a traveler asked the guide an interesting question．"I notice that the lagoon （泻湖） side of the reef looks pale and lifeless, while the ocean side is vibrant and colorful," the traveler observed．Why is this?
The guide gave an interesting answer, "The coral around the lagoon side is in still water, with no challenge for its survival．It dies early．The coral on the ocean side is constantly being tested by wind, waves and storms．It has to fight for its survival every day．As it is challenged and tested, it changes and adapts．It grows healthy．It grows strong．And it reproduces．"
Then he added, “That's the way it is with every living organism．”
That's how it is with people．Challenged and tested, we come alive! Like coral pounded by the sea, we grow．Physical demands can cause us to grow stronger．Mental and emotional stress can produce tough-mindedness and resiliency．Spiritual testing can produce strength of character and faithfulness．So, you have problems? No problem! Just tell yourself, "There I grow again!"
Remember: A smooth sea never made a skilled mariner．Who has no problems according to the passage?
| A．The persons who are very famous． |
| B．The persons who have much money． |
| C．The persons who have been born． |
| D．The persons who are living in the cemeteries． |
In the writer's opinion, ________．
| A．problems bring us much trouble |
| B．problems have two sides, good or bad |
| C．we should try to stay away from any trouble |
| D．the fewer things we do, the less trouble we'll meet |
The reason why lagoon side of the reef has no life is _______．
| A．it hasn't got any sunlight |
| B．it has less energy than others |
| C．it never faces any challenge and tests |
| D．it has no work to do every day |
After reading this passage, we should ________．
| A．regard any problem as challenge |
| B．learn from the lagoon side |
| C．worry your problem |
| D．enter into cemeteries |
About ten years ago, a young and very successful businessman named Josh was traveling down a Chicago neighborhood street. He was going a bit too fast in his shiny, black car, which was only two months old.
He was watching for kids rushing out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no child came out, but a brick sailed out and-WHUMP!-it hit the shiny black side door of his car! SCREECH...!!!! Immediately Josh stopped the car, jumped out, caught the kid and pushed him up against a parked car. He shouted at the kid, “What was that all about and who are you? Just what on earth are you doing?!” Building up a head of steam, he went on. “That’s my new car, and that brick you threw is gonna cost you a lot of money. Why did you throw it?”
“Please, mister, please... I’m sorry! I didn’t know what else to do!” begged the young man. “I threw the brick because no one else would stop!” tears were streaming down the boy’s face as he pointed around the parked car. “It’s my brother, mister,” he said. “He rolled of the curb （路沿）and fell out of his wheelchair and I can’t lift him up.” Weeping, the boy asked the businessman, “Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He’s hurt and he’s too heavy for me.”
Moved beyond words, the young businessman tried hard to swallow the rapidly swelling lump (肿块) in his throat. Trying hard, he lifted the young man’s brother back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapers and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be OK. He then watched the younger brother push him down the sidewalk toward their home.
It was a long walk back to the black, shining car — a long and slow walk. Josh never did fix the side door of his car. He kept the dent (凹痕) to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at him to get his attention. Feel for the bricks of life coming at you. The boy threw a brick at the businessman’s car because ________.
| A．the businessman drove at a high speed |
| B．he envied the brand-new car very much |
| C．he wanted to ask for some money |
| D．he wanted to get help from the driver |
Which of the following is the right order of the story?
a. The younger brother threw a brick at Josh’s car
b. The elder brother fell out of his wheelchair
c. The younger brother begged Josh for help
d. Josh lifted the elder brother back into his wheelchair
e. Josh shouted at the younger brother.
| A．b, a, e, c, d | B．a, c, d, b, e |
| C．b, a, c, e, d | D．a, c, b, e, d |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Josh would accept the money from the kids |
| B．The two kids were Josh’s neighbors |
| C．Josh was a kind-hearted man |
| D．Josh’s new car broke down easily |
According to the passage, the last sentence means ________.
| A．trying to get ready for the trouble in your future life |
| B．driving fast in a neighborhood street is dangerous |
| C．trying to be more understanding seeing others in trouble |
| D．protecting oneself from being hurt |
One day a teacher was giving her young students a lesson on how the government works . She was trying to explain the principle of income tax (收入税).
“You see ,” she began , speaking slowly and carefully , “each person who works must pay part of his or her salary (薪水) to the government . If you make a high salary , your taxes are high . If you don’t make much money , your taxes are low .”
“Is that clear ?” she asked . “Does everyone understand the meaning of income tax ?” The students nodded. “Are there any questions ?” she asked . The students shook their heads .
“Very good !” she said . “Now ,I would like you to take a piece of paper and write a short paragraph on the subject of income tax .”
Little Joey was a slow learner . He had lots of problems with spelling and grammar , but this time he at least seemed to understand the task . He took his pen and after a few minutes , he handed the teacher the following composition :
Once I had a dog . His name was Tax .
I opened the door and in come Tax .The teacher was trying to explain one day .
| A．the basic principles of the income tax |
| B．how the government works |
| C．everyone should pay income tax |
| D．how much tax one should pay for his income |
After the teacher’s explanation , .
| A．all the students shook their heads |
| B．many of the students were still puzzled |
| C．not all the students understood the meaning of income tax |
| D．a few students disagreed with their teacher |
The students were asked .
| A．to say something about income tax |
| B．to answer some questions on income tax |
| C．to write a composition on “income tax” |
| D．to explain the principle of income tax |
Little Joey .
| A．was clever |
| B．understood what the teacher said |
| C．was not clever enough |
| D．did as what he was told to do |
The fact that blind people can see things using parts of their bodies apart from their eyes may help us to understand our feelings about color．If they can sense color differences, then perhaps we, too, are affected by color without knowing it．Salesmen have discovered by experience over a long period of time that sugar sells badly in green wrappings, that blue foods are considered not agreeable to the taste, and that cosmetics（化妆品） should never be packed in brown．These discoveries have grown into a whole subject of color psychology．
Some of our preferences are clearly psychological．Dark blue is the color of the night sky and therefore connected with calm, while yellow is a day color connected with energy and encouragement．Experiments have shown that colors, partly because they are connected with psychology, also have a direct effect on people's mind．People in bright red surroundings show an increase in breathing speed, heartbeat and blood pressure．Red is exciting．Pure blue has exactly the opposite effect; it is a calming color．Being exciting, red was chosen as the signal for danger, but a closer study shows that a bright yellow can produce a more basic state of alarm, so fire engines in some advanced areas are now rushing around in bright yellow colors that stop buses, trucks and cars．The passage tells us that salesmen have____ ．
| A．tried colors on blind people |
| B．found out that colors affect sales |
| C．developed a special subject of color psychology |
| D．discovered the relationship between color and psychology |
It can be inferred from the passage that__ _．
| A．blind people cannot sense color differences |
| B．foods sell well in green or blue wrappings |
| C．w hat color we prefer depends on our state of mind |
| D．a bright color has exactly the opposite effect to red |
The most effective color in the passage for warning people is____．
| A．red | B．dark blue | C．green | D．bright yellow |
If someone is in an angry mood, which color is better for him to become quiet?
| A．Red． | B．Dark blue． | C．Brown． | D．Bright yellow |
Which of the following do you think is the best title for the passage?
| A．Colors and Feelings |
| B．Colors and Sales |
| C．The Blind and Colors |
| D．Preferences for Colors |
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