Some people are lucky enough to be born with a good sense of direction and even if they have only visited a place once, they will be able to find it again years later.
I am one of those unfortunate people who have poor sense of direction and I may have visited a place time after time but I still get lost on my way there. When I was young I was so shy that I never dared ask complete strangers the way and so I used to wander round in circles and hope that by some chance I would get to the spot I was heading for.
I am no longer too shy to ask people for direction, but I often receive replies that puzzle me. Often people do not like to admit that they didn’t know their hometown and will insist on telling you the way, even if they do not know it; others, who are anxious to prove that they know their hometown very well, will give you a long list of directions which you can not possibly hope to remember, and still others do not seem to be able to tell between their left and their right and you find in the end that you are going in the opposite direction to that in which you should be going.
If anyone ever asks me the way to somewhere, I always tell them I am a stranger to the town in order to avoid giving them wrong direction but even this can have embarrassing results.
Once I was on my way to work when I was stopped by a man who asked me if I would direct him the way to the Sunlight Building. I gave my usual reply, but I had not walked on a few steps when I realized that he had asked for directions to my office building. However, at this point, I decide it was too late to turn back and search for him out of the crowd behind me as I was going to meet with someone at the office and I did not want to keep him waiting.
Imagine my embarrassment when my secretary showed in the very man who had asked for directions of my office and his astonishment when he recognized me as the person he had asked.
What is the writer going to do when someone asks him for direction?
A.He will direct the right way to the person willingly. |
B.He will reply to it by the means of being a stranger to the town. |
C.He will give the very person long list of direction. |
D.He is going to show the man an opposite direction. |
Why did the writer consider himself to be an unlucky dog?
A.Because of his poor sense of direction. |
B.Because he always forget the way to home. |
C.Because he did not have any friend. |
D.Because he used to be shy and dared not ask others the way. |
How did the visitor feel when he was showed into the very room?
A.He felt strange. | B.He felt embarrassed. |
C.He felt very sad. | D.He felt astonished. |
Who showed the right way to the interviewee according to the passage?
A.Someone we don’t know. | B.The writer did it for himself. |
C.The secretary did so. | D.A warm-hearted old lady did such a thing. |
This is a time of year when we think about giving and receiving presents. Can you find a little extra to give? On this page we suggest a few organizations you might like to help.
Littleton Children’s Home
We DON’T want your money, but children’s toys, books and clothes IN GOOD CONDITION would be very welcome.
Also, we are looking for friendly families who would take our children into their homes for a few hours or days as guests. You have so much ─will you share it?
Phone Sister Thomas on 55671
Children’s Hospice
We look after a small number of very sick children. This important work needs skill and love. We cannot continue without gifts or money to pay for more nursing staff. We also need storybooks and toys suitable for quiet games.
Please contact the Secretary, Little Children’s Hospice, Newby Road.
Street Food
In the winter weather, it’s no fun being homeless. It’s even worse if you’re hungry. We give hot food to at least fifty people every night. It’s hard work, but necessary. Can you come and help? If not, can you offer a little money? We use a very old kitchen, and we need some new saucepans(平底锅). Money for new ones would be most welcome indeed.
Contact Street Food, c/o Mary’s House, Elming Way. Littleton Phone 27713
Littleton Youth Club
Have you got an unwanted chair? ─a record-player?─a pot of paint ? Because we can use them!
We want to get to work on our meeting room!
Please phone 66231 and we’ll be happy to collect anything you can give us.
Thank you!
The Night Shelter
We offer a warm bed for the night to anyone who has nowhere to go. We rent the former Commercial Hotel on Green Street. Although it is not expensive, we never seem to have quite enough money. Can you let us have a few pounds? Any amount, however small, will be such a help.
Send it to us at 15, Green St, Littleton. Please make check payable to Night Shelter.
What kind of people are these organizations designed for?
A.Homeless and sick children |
B.Less fortunate members of our society |
C.Hungry people who have no beds to sleep in |
D.Friendly members of our society to help others |
If you like children and you could offer a happy family to a homeless child, you may contact _____.
A.Street Food | B.The Night Shelter |
C.Littleton Children’s Home | D.Children’s Hospice |
What can be concluded from the passage?
A.There are too many social problems in this society. |
B.People are very poor during the time of giving. |
C.To offer help is just an excuse for these organizations to collect money. |
D.There are many organizations trying to solve social problems. |
Dear Betty,
My roommate’s family wants me to celebrate Thanksgiving Day with them in their home. I accepted the invitation, and I’m excited about going, but I’m a little nervous about it, too. The social customs in my country are different from those here, so I’m a little worried about making mistakes.
Should I bring a gift, such as candy or flowers? Should I arrive on time or a little late? At the dinner table, how can I know which fork or knife to use? How can I let the family know that I’m thankful for their kindness?
Yours,
Knowing Nothing
Dear Knowing Nothing,
It’s a good idea to bring a gift when you go to a dinner party. Flowers are always welcome, or you can bring a bottle of wine if you know the family drink it.
You should arrive on time or five to ten minutes late. Don’t get there early. If you are going to be more than fifteen minutes late, you should call and tell them.
Try to relax at the dinner table. If you don’t know how to use the right fork, knife or spoon, just watch the other guests, and follow them. If you still have no idea of what to do, don’t be shy about asking the person next to you; it’s better to ask them than to be silently uncomfortable and nervous.
If you like the food, say so. Of course, you’ll thank the host and hostess for the meal and for their kindness. It’s also a good idea to send a card to thank them the day after.
Yours,
Betty
Knowing Nothing wrote a letter to Betty to _____.
A.tell Betty some good news | B.ask for some advice |
C.answer some questions | D.invite her to dinner |
According to Betty, Knowing Nothing ______ when going to a dinner party.
A.can only bring some flowers |
B.can’t bring wine |
C.should arrive on time or five to ten minutes late |
D.should arrive twenty minutes late |
Betty does NOT advise Knowing Nothing to _____.
A.relax at the dinner table | B.watch the other guests |
C.ask the person beside him | D.keep silent at table |
Ifhas anyone noticed how, with the passage of time, one’s relationship with one’s grown-up daughters and sons becomes changed? I’ve been aware of this for some time but I’m not quite sure how to deal with it.
Take the kitchen sink for example.
Following a family get-together at my place, I walked into the kitchen to find Kate, my daughter, carefully cleaning the sink.
“Don’t do that; what are you doing that for?” I said, unhappy about the hidden criticism.
“Mum,” she said, “you really ought to put your glasses on when you clean the sink. Behind the tap here was black!”
But it’s not just things like kitchen sinks. Another time Kate arrived to pick me up to lunch. She looked at me and then asked, “Mum, why do you use brown eyebrow pencil when your hair is grey?”
A sudden memory of her, aged 14, going to her first mixed party flooded back. She had come in to say goodbye. For a moment I thought she’d been an accident. Both eyes were black. I remember suggesting that perhaps a little less eye make-up might be more effective.
Now I told her, “My hair used to be brown.”
“It looks absurd.(荒唐)”
“Mrs. Menzies had dark eyebrows with grey hair.”
“Yes, but you’re not Mrs. Menzies, are you?” she said triumphantly, as if that proved her point.
But a recent event made me realize that something really must be done.
She had returned home for a few weeks before getting married. One evening I went out on a dinner date. By the time my companion left me at the front door, it was about 2am. As I stepped in, an angry figure in a white nightgown(睡衣)stopped me.
“Well, what time of night is this to be coming home?” she shouted. “Where have you been? I’ve been worried sick!”
Shades of the past come back to disturb me. But what should I do about all this? Nothing, probably. Maybe, after all, it’s only a stage young people are going through.
The daughter thought her mother didn’t clean the kitchen sink well because of her .
A.laziness | B.carelessness | C.unhappiness | D.poor-quality glasses |
From the passage we know the daughter .
A.didn’t want to help with the sink |
B.didn’t like brown eyebrow pencils |
C.had an accident when she went to her first party |
D.shouted at her mum because she came home late |
How does the mother feel after all these have happened?
A.Shocked. | B.Proud. | C.Envious.(嫉妒) | D.Confused. |
The author writes the stories to prove that ________.
A.their relationship became stronger |
B.their roles changed as time passed |
C.her daughter very much cared about her |
D.her daughter got upset as she grew up |
“Everybody loves a bargain.” One person’s useless, ugly, or broken object can be another person’s bargain. That is why so many Americans do not throw things away. They put them outside their houses. They put on a “For Sale” sign. And, as simple as that, they have a yard sale.
The sellers put a paid announcement(付费通告)in a local newspaper. It tells when and where the yard sale will take place. These sales are very popular during weekends in spring, summer, and autumn. Early in the morning, all the things to be sold are carried out of the house. Then they sit all day in the sunlight---like tired guests at a party---waiting for someone to take them home.
Just about anything can be sold at a yard sale. Sometimes, there are more clothes than anything else. Cooking equipment is also popular. So are old toys, tools, books, tables and chairs. Then there are objects called “white elephants”. A white elephant is something you think is extremely ugly or useless. It may be an electric light shaped like a fish. You feel a sharp pain whenever you look at it. To someone else, however, it might be a thing of beauty and joy.
Some people go to yard sales to find a special thing that they collect. It may be old toy trains, for example, or painting of dogs. Experts say more Americans are collecting old things now than ever before. Most people who go to yard sales, however, are not looking for anything special. They might buy an object simply because it costs so little. They enjoy negotiating(谈判) over prices, even if they really do not need the object. Later, they may hold their own yard to sell all the things they have bought.
What kind of things will go to a yard sale?
A.Cheap and ugly things. | B.Things people no longer use. |
C.Things out of season. | D.Things of great value. |
A white elephant refers to _________.
A.something that can cause a feeling of pain |
B.something disliked by the owners while appreciated by others |
C.something sold at the lowest prices |
D.a toy shaped like a fish |
Most people go to yard sales to________.
A.find valuable paintings | B.look for something special |
C.find a bargain | D.kill their time |
Which of the following is NOT true about a yard sale?
A.It may not be held when the weather is very cold. |
B.It can last for a whole day. |
C.It is usually held with a party. |
D.It is held outdoors. |
We can infer from the last paragraph that__________.
A.people may find something of great value on a yard sale |
B.yard sales only attract those who have a low income |
C.things on a yard sale can cost people a lot |
D.most people don’t want to go to yard sales. |
Our school library offers learning services, books and other things that help all members of the school to become good thinkers and clever users of information. It is linked (连接) to the larger library in the city and the World Wide Web. All these services are given according to the requirements of the Public Library Manifesto (声明).
School library services must be given to all members of the school. Students of any age, class and grade can enjoy them. Different services must be given to those who are unable to use the main library services.
Users of the library must follow the rules made by the library workers to keep it clean and tidy. The main rules are as follows:
1. Opening and closing times:
Monday —Friday: 9 a.m. —9 p.m. during term time.
Saturday: 9 a.m. —1p.m. throughout the year.
2. Admission (允许进入) and borrowing:
Only people holding a library card shall be allowed in.
Members can borrow 5 books at a time.
3. Behavior in the library:
Silence shall be kept as much as possible in the library. No other books can be taken into the library. Library workers can help members use the books and other things in the library.
When the library workers and teachers work together, students will get better reading, writing, and problem-solving skills.
What can students do in the school library?
A.Get information from the Internet. | B.Read the Public Library Manifesto. |
C.Clean the library with workers. | D.Work together with the teachers. |
When can students read in the library?
A.8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday. | B.10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. |
C.9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. | D.9 a. m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesday. |
What is the main aim of the school library services?
A.To help readers communicate with each other. |
B.To help teachers work with the library workers. |
C.To help students develop good behaviors in the library. |
D.To help the users get more knowledge and skills. |
How many books can you borrow at a time ?
A.one | B.two | C.four | D.five |
Americans are proud of their variety and individuality,yet they love and respect few things more than a uniform,whether it is the uniform of an elevator operator or the uniform of a fivestar general. Why are uniforms so popular in the United States?
Among the arguments for uniforms,one of the first is that in the eyes of most people they look more professional than civilian(百姓的)clothes. People have become conditioned to expect superior quality from a man who wears a uniform. The television repairman who wears a uniform tends to inspire more trust than one who appears in civilian clothes. Faith in the skill of a garage mechanic(技工) is increased by a uniform. What easier way is there for a nurse,a policeman,a barber,or a waiter to lose professional identity(身份)than to step out of uniform?
Uniforms also have many practical benefits. They save on other clothes. They save on laundry(洗衣店)bills. They are taxdeductible(可减税的).They are often more comfortable and more durable than civilian clothes.
Primary(主要的) among the arguments against uniforms is their lack of variety and the consequent loss of individuality experienced by people who must wear them. Though there are many types of uniforms,the wearer of any particular type is generally stuck with it,without change,until retirement. When people look alike,they tend to think,speak,and act similarly,on the job at least.
Uniforms also give rise to some practical problems. Though they are longlasting,often their initial(最初的)expense is greater than the cost of civilian clothes. Some uniforms are also expensive to maintain(维持,维护),requiring professional dry cleaning rather than the home laundering(洗涤) possible with many types of civilian clothes.
It is surprising that Americans who worship variety and individuality______.
A.still judge a man by his clothes |
B.hold the uniform in such high regard |
C.enjoy having a professional identity |
D.will respect an elevator operator as much as a general in uniform |
People are accustomed to think that a man in uniform ____.
A.suggests quality work | B.discards(丢弃)his social identity |
C.appears to be more practical | D.looks superior to a person in civilian clothes |
The chief function of a uniform is to ____.
A.provide practical benefits to the wearer | B.make the wearer catch the public eye |
C.inspire the wearer ' s confidence in himself | D.provide the wearer with a professional identity |
According to the passage, people wearing uniforms ____.
A.are usually helpful | B.have little or no individual freedom |
C.tend to lose their individuality | D.enjoy greater popularity |
The best title for this passage would be ____.
A.Uniforms and Society | B.The Importance of Wearing a Uniform |
C.Practical Benefits of Wearing a Uniform | D.Advantages and Disadvantages of Uniforms |
It is six o’clock in the morning. You are asleep in my left arm and I am learning the art of one-handed typing. Your mother, more tired yet more happy than I’ve ever known her, is sound asleep in the room next door.
When you’re older we’ll tell you that you were born in Hong Kong in the lunar year of the pig. “It's a boy, so lucky,” our neighbours told us. They said you were the first baby to be born in the block this year. This, they told us, was good Feng Shui, in other words, a positive sign. Naturally your mother and I were only too happy to believe that.
Your coming has turned me upside down and inside out. I am pained by the memory of each suffering child I have come across on my journeys as a journalist. To tell you the truth, it’s nearly too much for me to even think of the children being hurt and abused and killed.
Last October, in Afghanistan, when you were growing inside your mother, I met Sharja, aged twelve, motherless, fatherless, guiding me through the grey ruins of her home. Everything was gone, she told me.
There is another memory of Rwanda, and the churchyard where I found a mother and her three young children huddled(蜷缩) together where they’d been beaten to death. The children had died holding on to their mother.
Daniel, these memories explain some of the protectiveness I feel for you, and the occasional moments of blind terror when I imagine anything bad happening to you.
We can see that this text is written to ________.
A.the author’s wife | B.the author’s neighbour |
C.Daniel | D.a suffering child |
The author mentions some of his painful memories because ________.
A.he wants his son to care for others |
B.he feels more pain thinking about them as a father |
C.he hopes to forget the tragedies he witnessed |
D.his experience has affected his mental health |
The underlined word “blind” in the last paragraph means ________.
A.unable to see | B.meaningful |
C.not clear | D.not based on reason |
Which of the following words best describes the author’s feeling when typing this text?
A.Relieved. | B.Regretful. | C.Loving. | D.Calm. |
The aims of the Illustrators’(插图画家的)Exhibition, staged as part of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, organized by BolognaFiere and held from 23to 26 December 2011,are to bring illustrators and publishers together and to promote illustrators and their works among publishers.
QUALIFICATIONS
·Individual illustrators or groups of illustrators of any nationality, if they were born before 31st December 1992, whose artwork is intended foe use in children’s books, are qualified to enter the Exhibition, either directly or through publishing houses or schools.
·Please state in the application form whether you are entering work for the Fiction or Nonfiction Category. Illustrators may only enter one category.
·Artwork previously presented to the Exhibition may not be re-entered.
·The confirmation(确认) form must be filled in and a photograph attached, then presented together with illustrations no later than 15 October 2011.
SHIPMENT
Entries may be delivered by post, express delivery service or by hand. From abroad, please use the following forms: Form “A” for registered mail or post by air; Form “B” if using an international forwarding agent or airline.
To avoid delays, material should not be sent by normal post. Material should be sent “carriage (运费) paid”, including any customs and delivery costs.
BolognaFiere may not be held responsible for the non-arrival or late arrival of artwork. all published works must be accompanied by a declaration bearing the ISBN number, publisher’s name and address.
REQUIREMENTS
The illustrations(i.e. the size of the sheet)must not exceed(超过) the following dimensions:
Fiction:
32×42 cm( or 42 × 32 cm)
Non-fiction:
50 ×70 cm ( 70 × 50cm)
Illustrations in larger formats will not be considered, nor will they be returned by BolognaFiere. The illustrations must be on paper or flexible board, maximum thickness 2mm( for scanner separation purposes).
SELECTION PROCESS
All artwork received by the stated deadline and meeting the specified requirements will be examined and selected by an international group ( whose decision is final ), including five members ( from publishing house and art schools ) appointed each year by BolognaFiere.
EXHIBITIONS ABROAD
After the Bologna event, the Illustrators Exhibition will travel to Japan under the supervision of JBBY. The Illustrators Exhibition may afterwards be transferred to other venues in other countries. The exhibitions of illustrations held abroad follow the same rules and regulations as the Illustrators Exhibition, and the provisions (条款) of the regulations are extended to the organizers of the exhibitions held abroad.
RETURN OF ARTWORK
All the works will be returned to their owners by BolognaFiere or directly by the organizers of the exhibitions and held abroad by the end of July 2012.
Which of the following of the Illustrators’ Exhibition is true?
A.It will last five days in all in July every other year. |
B.is intended for college students who are good at painting. |
C.is held by the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in BolognaFiere. |
D. can strengthen the relationship between illustrators and publishers. |
The illustrators of the Illustrators Exhibition __________.
A.should be at least 16 and no more than 25 |
B.may re-enter their artwork after it is returned |
C.should state the category of their artwork clearly |
D.may choose to attach a photo to the application form |
Which of the following is unacceptable for delivering entries?
A.Normal post | B.Airline post | C.Registered mail | D.Express delivery |
What is BolognaFiere responsible for?
A.Paying for the delivery costs | B.Late arrival of artwork |
C.Confirmation of ISBN number | D.Returning the illustrators’works. |
The illustrators’works will not be considered if they ________.
A.are received after the day of 15 October 2011 |
B.are smaller than the required size |
C.have already been published abroad before. |
D.don’t meet the demands of the internationals experts. |
I needed to buy a digital camera, one that was simply good at taking good snaps (快照), maybe occasionally for magazines. Being the cautious type, I fancied a reliable brand. So I went on the net, spent 15 minutes reading product reviews on good websites, wrote down the names of three top recommendations and headed for my nearest big friendly camera store. There in the cupboard was one of the cameras on my list. And it was on special offer. Oh joy. I pointed at it and asked an assistant, “Can I have one of those?”? He looked perturbed (不安). “Do you want to try it first?” he said. It didn’t quite sound like a question. “Do I need to?” I replied ,“There is nothing wrong with it?” This made him look a bit insulted and I started to feel bad. “No, no. But you should try it,” he said encouragingly. “Compare it with the others. ”
I looked across at the others: shelves of similar cameras placed along the wall, offering a wide range of slightly different prices and discounts, with each company selling a range of models based around the same basic box. With so many models to choose from, it seemed that I would have to spend hours weighing X against Y, always trying to take Z and possibly H into account at the same time. But when I had finished, I would still have only the same two certainties that I had entered the store with: first, soon after I carried my new camera out of the shop, it would be worth half what I paid for it; and second, my wonderful camera would very quickly be replaced by a new model.
But something in the human soul whispers that you can beat these traps by making the right choice, the clever choice, the wise choice. In the end, I agreed to try the model I had chosen. The assistant seemed a sincere man. So I let him take out of my chosen camera from cupboard, show how it took excellent pictures of my fellow shoppers… and when he started to introduce the special features, I interrupted to ask whether I needed to buy a carry-case and a memory card as well.
Why do we think that new options still offer us anything new? Perhaps it is because they offer an opportunity to avoid facing the fact that our real choices in this culture are far more limited than we would like to imagine.
The shop assistant insisted that the writer should________.
A.try the camera to see if there was anything wrong with it. |
B.compare the camera he had chosen with the others. |
C.get more information about different companies. |
D.trust him and stop asking questions. |
What does the writer mean by “it would be worth half what I paid for it ”(paragraph 2)
A.He should get a 50% discount. |
B.The price of the camera was unreasonably high. |
C.The quality of the camera was not good. |
D.The camera would soon fall in value. |
The writer decided to try the model he had chosen because he________.
A.knew very little about it. |
B.didn’t trust the shop assistant |
C.wanted to make sure the one he chose would be the best. |
D.had a special interest in taking pictures of his fellow shoppers. |
It can be inferred from the passage that in the writer’s opinion__________.
A.people waste too much money on cameras |
B.cameras have become an important part of our daily life |
C.we don’t actually need so many choices when buying a product |
D.famous companies care more about profit than quality |
When I met him, I had a lot of anger inside of me. I’ve lived my whole life in Spanish Harlem, but in my neighborhood, there are shoot-ups all the time. I know kids who have been shot or beaten up. I have friends who ended up in prison. I could have ended up that way, too, but Mr. Clark wouldn’t let that happen.
Mr. Clark worked long hours, making sure I did my work. My grades rose. In fact, the scores of our whole class rose. One day, he took our class to see The Phantom of the Opera, and it was the first time some kids had ever been out of Harlem. Before the show, he treated us to dinner at a restaurant and taught us not to talk with our mouths full. We did not want to let him down.
Mr. Clark was selected as Disney’s 2000 Teacher of the Year. He said he would draw three names out of a hat; those students would go with him to Los Angeles to get the award. But when the time came to draw names, Mr. Clark said, “You’re all going.”
On graduation day, there were a lot of tears. We didn’t want his class to end. In 2001, he moved to Atlanta, but he always kept in touch. He started giving lectures about education, and wrote a bestselling book based on his classroom rules, The Essential 55. In 2003,
Mr. Clark took some of us on a trip to South Africa to deliver school supplies and visit the orphanages (孤儿院). It was the most amazing experience of my life. It’s now my dream to one day start a group of women’s clubs, helping people from all backgrounds.
Without Mr. Clark, the writer .
A.might have been put into prison | B.might not have won the prize |
C.might have joined a women’s club | D.might not have moved to Atlanta |
The Essential 55 is .
A.a show | B.a speech | C.a classroom rule | D.a book |
How many students’ names were finally drawn out of a hat by Mr. Clark?
A.None | B.Three | C.Fifty-five. | D.All. |
What can we learn in the short reading?
A.It was in Harlem that we saw The Phantom of the Opera for the first time. |
B.Mr. Clark taught us not to talk with our mouths full, and we did. |
C.Mr. Clark was selected as Disney’s 2000 Teacher of the Year in Los Angeles. |
D.In 2003, Mr. Clark moved to Atlanta, and he always kept in touch with us. |
In the passage, the writer intends to tell us that .
A.Mr. Clark went to South Africa because he liked traveling |
B.Mr. Clark helped to set up a group of women’s clubs |
C.a good teacher can help raise his or her students’ scores |
D.a good teacher has a good influence on his or her students |
Last August, Joe and Mary Mahoney began looking at colleges for their 17-year-old daughter, Maureen. With a checklist of criteria (衡量标准)in hand, the Dallas family looked around the country visiting half a dozen schools. They sought a university that offered the teenager’s intended major, one located near a large city, and a campus where their daughter would be safe.
“The safety issue is a big one,” says Joe Mahoney, who quickly discovered he wasn’t alone in his worries. On campus tours other parents voiced similar concerns, and the same question was always asked: what about crime? But when college officials always gave the same answer -----“That’s not a problem here,”-----Mahoney began to feel uneasy.
“No crime whatever?” comments Mahoney today. “I just don’t buy it.” Nor should he: in 1999 the U.S. Department of education had reports of nearly 400,000 serious crimes on or around our campuses. “Parents need to understand that times have changed since they went to college,” says David Nichols, author of Creating a Safe Campus. “Campus crime mirrors the rest of the nation.”
But getting accurate information isn’t easy. Colleges must report crime statistics(统计数字) by law, but some hold back for fear of bad publicity(关注), leaving the honest ones looking dangerous. “The truth may not always be serious,” warns S. Daniel Carter of Security on Campus, Inc., the nation’s leading campus safety watchdog group.
To help concerned parents, Carter promised to visit campuses and talk to experts around the country to find out major crime issues and effective solutions.
It is often difficult to get correct information on campus crime because some colleges ____.
A.receive too many visitors | B.mirror the rest of the nation |
C.hide the truth of campus crime | D.have too many watchdog groups |
The underlined word “buy” in the third paragraph means _____.
A.mind | B.admit | C.believe | D.expect |
We learn from the text that “the honest ones” in the fourth paragraph most probably refers to colleges _____.
A.that are protected by campus security | B.that report campus crimes by law |
C.that are free from campus crime | D.that enjoy very good publicity |
What is the text mainly about?
A.Exact campus crime statistics. | B.Crimes on or around campuses. |
C.Effective solutions to campus crime. | D.Concerns about kids’ campus safety. |
"I've changed my mind.I wanted to have a telescope, but now I want my daddy back." Lucien Lawrence's letter to Father Christmas, written after his schoolteacher father had been knifed to death outside his school gale, must have touched every heart.Lucien went on to say that without his father he couldn't see the stars in the sky.When those whom we love depart from us, we cannot see the stare for a while.
But Lucien, the stars are still there, and one day, when you are older and your tears have gone, you will see them again.And, in a strange way, I expect that you will find your father is there too, in your mind and in your heart.I find that my parents, long dead now, still figure in many of my dreams and that I think of them perhaps more than 1 ever did when they were alive.I still live to please them and I'm still surprised by their reactions.I remember that when I became a professor,! was so proud, or rather so pleased with myself, that I couldn't wait to call my parents.The reply was a long time in coming, but when it did, all Mother said was "I hope this means that now you will have more time for the children!" I haven't forgotten.The values of my parents still live on.
It makes me pause and think about how I will live on in the hearts and minds of my children and of those for whom I care.Would I have been as ready as Philip Lawrence have been to face the aggressors (挑衅者), and to lay down my life for those in my care? How many people would want me back for Christmas'' It's a serious thought, one to give me pause.
I pray silently, sometimes, in the dead of night, that ancient cry of a poet " Deliver my soul from the sword(剑), and my darling from the power of the dog." Yet I know the death comes to us all,
and sometimes comes suddenly.We must therefore plan to live forever, but live as if we will die
tomorrow.We live on, I'm sure, in the lives of those we loved.and therefore we ought to have a care
for what they will remember and what they will treasure.If more parents knew this in their hearts to
be true, there might be fewer knives on our streets today.
According to the whole text we can see that the first paragraph ______.
A.puts forward the subject of the text |
B.shows the author's pity on the kid |
C.acts as an introduction to the discussion |
D.makes a clear statement of the author's views |
In the second paragraph the author mainly wants to explain to us ______.
A.how much he misses his parents now |
B.why his parents often appear in his dream |
C.when Lucien will get over all his sadness |
D.how proud he was when he succeeded in life |
What feeling did the author's mother express in her reply?
A.Proud. | B.Happy. | C.Disappointed. | D.Worried |
In the author's opinion, the value of a person's life is ______.
A.to leave behind a precious memory to the people related |
B.to have a high sense of duty to the whole society |
C.to care what others will remember and treasure |
D.to share happiness and sadness with his family |
What does the writer mean by the sentence taken from an old poem?
A.Call on criminals and murderers to lay down their guns. |
B.Advise parents stay with their children safely at home. |
C.Spend every day meaningfully in memory of the death. |
D.Try to keep violence and murder far away from society. |
It is winter in many parts of the world. For some areas, that means snow. Maybe even lots of snow. If you don’t have to drive in it or remove it, snow can be very beautiful. When snow covers everything around you, the world looks like a “winter wonderland”. That is the name of a very popular song about winter. Richard Smith and Felix Bernard wrote the song back in 1934. There are hundreds of recordings of this happy song.
But winter is not always such a beautiful and happy time. It’s cold outside. You try hard to keep warm. The days are darker and shorter. The sun rarely shines. The leaves on the trees are brown. It isn’t surprising that some people are sad in winter. And some people dream about being somewhere else where it’s warm and pretty—like the state of California. The Mamas and the Papas recorded this famous song “California Dreaming”.
During the 1960s, many other famous rock groups released songs about winter. Here is a poetic song by Simon and Garfunkel called “A Hazy Shade of Winter”. They sing about life and hope and possibilities.
In 1968, the group Blood, Sweat and Tears recorded this gentle, sad song about winter. They sing about a lost love and forgotten memories in “Sometimes in Winter”.
In the early 1990s, Tori Amos wrote and recorded the beautiful song called “Winter”. She enjoyed singing about winter when she was a child.
Finally, on a happier note comes this song written and recorded by Fountains of Wayne in 2003. They sing about a snowstorm in a New England town. Nothing unusual there. But instead of being sad or tense about the snow, they write a song about it.
The underlined sentence “For some areas, that means snow.” probably means
_____ .
A.In some areas, when it’s winter, it must snow |
B.In some areas, it often snows in winter |
C.In some areas, it’s important to snow |
D.In some areas, people like snow in winter |
According to the second paragraph, winter is _____ .
A.beautiful and happy | B.happy and warm |
C.lovely and hopeful | D.cold and sad |
Which of the songs can bring us hope of life?
A.Winter Wonderland. | B.California Dreaming. |
C.A Hazy Shade of Winter. | D.Sometimes in Winter. |
What does the passage mainly talk about?
A.Winter in different areas. | B.Different ideas about winter. |
C.Songs about winter. | D.Winter is cold but happy. |
“Hurry, Mommy! Let’s go trick-or-treating!” My daughter waited by the door in her pink princess skirt while I prayed in the living room. Usually I liked taking her out on Halloween, but this year I was sad. I was worried about my mother, who was in China on vacation. I got a call that afternoon that she had slipped and fallen on the hard floor of her hotel and broken her leg. She was taken to a hospital in Beijing. Mom was nervous because she couldn’t understand any of the doctors. If only I could do something to help her!
I knew I couldn’t let my worries spoil my daughter’s fun. There was nothing I could do for Mom except pray, I thought. We left the house and went down the block. I was so upset that I hardly took notice of the kids around me. There came the man to whose son I’d once given piano lessons. “Hello there,” I said, greeting him and the boy at his side.
“Hello,” the father answered. “Having fun?”“I’m trying,” I said. “Why, what’s wrong?” he asked. I told him the whole story. “My mother, in China, broke her leg and didn’t understand any of the doctors. And I’m too far away to do anything!” I said.
He raised his eyebrows. “Beijing, you said?” he asked. I nodded. He smiled. “Believe it or not, my sister is a doctor at an English-speaking hospital there. If you want, I’ll make a call right away and we’ll try and get your mom transferred (转移).”
A few days later I sat in the living room with my daughter as she finished the last of the candy. “Mommy, how far away is China?” she asked. “Not as far as I thought,” I said.
What did the author’s daughter want to do?
A.Pray with the author. | B.Enjoy herself outside. |
C.Play a trick on her mom. | D.Go to the theatre to see a play. |
What was the author’s mother worried about most?
A.She couldn’t get used to the life in Beijing. |
B.She was hurt in the leg badly while travelling. |
C.She was too old and weak to pray for her daughter. |
D.She couldn’t make herself understood by the doctor. |
The author hardly took notice of the kids around because _____ .
A.she was calling her mother | B.she felt very sad at that time |
C.she was about to give a lesson | D.she couldn’t find her daughter |
We can infer from the text that _____ .
A.the man’s sister would help the author’s mother |
B.the author would come to China to see her mother |
C.the author was a famous music teacher in the town |
D.the author’s daughter wanted to travel in China |