In the fall of 1985, I was a bright-eyed girl heading off to Howard University, aiming at a legal career and dreaming of sitting on a Supreme Court bench somewhere. Twenty-one years later I am still a bright-eyed dreamer and one with quite a different tale to tell.
My grandma, an amazing woman, graduated from college at the age of 65. She was the first in our family to reach that goal. But one year after I started college, she developed cancer. I made the choice to withdraw from college to care for her. It meant that school and my personal dream would have to wait.
Then I got married with another dream: building my family with a combination of adopted and biological children. In 1999, we adopted our first son. To lay eyes on him was fantastic---and very emotional. A year later came our second adopted boy. Then followed son No. 3. In 2003, I gave birth to another boy.
You can imagine how fully occupied I became, raising four boys under the age of 8. Our home was a complete zoo---a joyous zoo. Not surprising, I never did make it back to college full-time. But I never gave up on the dream either. I had only one choice: to find a way. That meant taking as few as one class each semester.
The hardest part was feeling guilty about the time I spent away from the boys. They often wanted me to stay home with them. There certainly were times I wanted to quit, but I knew I should set an example for them to follow through the rest of their lives.
In 2007, I graduated from the University of North Carolina. It took me over 21 years to get my college degree！
I am not special, just single-minded. It always struck me that when you’re looking at a big challenge from the outside it looks huge, but when you’re in the midst of it, it just seems normal. Everything you want won’t arrive in your life on one day. It’s a process. Remember: little steps add up to big dreams.When the author went to Howard University, her dream was to be __________.
| A．a writer | B．a teacher |
| C．a judge | D．a doctor |
Why did the author quit school in her second year of college?
| A．She wanted to study by herself. |
| B．She fell in love and got married. |
| C．She suffered from a serious illness. |
| D．She decided to look after her grandma. |
What can we learn about the author from Paragraphs 4 and 5?
| A．She was busy yet happy with her family life. |
| B．She ignored her guilty feeling for her sons. |
| C．She wanted to remain a full-time housewife. |
| D．She was too confused to make a correct choice. |
What does the author mostly want to tell us in the last paragraph?
| A．Failure is the mother of success. |
| B．Little by little, one goes far. |
| C．Every coin has two sides. |
| D．Well begun, half done. |
Which of the following can best describe the author?
| A．Caring and determined. |
| B．Honest and responsible. |
| C．Ambitious and sensitive. |
| D．Innocent and single-minded. |
C
For high school leavers starting out in the working world, it is very important to learn particular skills and practice how to behave in an interview or how to find an internship (实习). In some countries, schools have programs to help students onto the path to work. In the United States, however, such programs are still few and far behind.
Research shows that if high schools provide career-related courses, students are likely to get higherearnings in later years. The students are more likely to stay in school, graduate and go on to higher education.
In Germany, students as young as 13 and 14 are expected to do internships. German companies work with schools to make sure that young people get the education they need for future employment. But in America, education reform programs focus on how well students do in exams instead of bringing them into contact with the working world. Harvard Education school professor Robert Schwartz has criticized education reformers for trying to place all graduates directly on the four-year college track. Schwartz argued that this approach leaves the country’s most vulnerable(易受影响的)kids with no jobs and no skills.
Schwartz believed that the best career programs encourage kids to go for higher education while also teach them valuable practical skills at high school. James Madison High School in New York, for example ,encourages students to choose classes on career-based courses. The school then helps them gain on-the-job experience in those fields while they’re still at high school.
However, even for teens whose schools encourage them to connect with work, the job market is daunting. In the US, unemployment rates for 16-to-19-year-olds are above 20 percent for the third summer in a row.
“The risk is that if teenagers miss out on the summer job experience, they will become part of this generation of teens who had trouble in landing a job,” said Michael, a researcher in the US.
In the author’s opinion, German high school leavers ______.
| A．enjoy more career-related courses than that of US |
| B．need more career advice from their schools |
| C．perform better in exams than American students |
| D．are less brought into contact with the working world |
According to Robert Schwartz, high school students should _________.
| A．directly carry on higher education |
| B．get contact with the working world |
| C．focus on their performance in exams |
| D．not miss out on the summer job experience |
The underlined word “daunting” in Paragraph 6 most probably mean “______”.
| A．incredible | B．motivating |
| C．impressive | D．discouraging |
What’s the main idea of the text?
| A．Remarks on recent US high school education reform |
| B．Tips on finding jobs for high school leavers in US. |
| C．The lack of career-based education in US high schools. |
| D．The severe situation of unemployment in US. |
Imagine a world in which there were suddenly no emotion — a world in which human beings could feel no love or happiness, no terror or hate. Try to imagine the consequences of such a transformation. People might not be able to stay alive: knowing neither joy nor pleasure, anxiety nor fear, they would be as likely to repeat acts that hurt them as acts that were beneficial. They could not learn: they could not benefit from experience because this emotionless world would lack rewards and punishments. Society would soon disappear: people would be as likely to harm one another as to provide help and support. Human relationships would not exist: in a world without friends or enemies, there could be no marriage, affection among companions, or bonds among members of groups. Society's economic underpinnings (支柱) would be destroyed: since earning $10 million would be no more pleasant than earning $10, there would be no incentive (动力) to work. In fact, there would be no incentives of any kind, for as we will see, incentives mean a capacity to enjoy them.
In such a world, the chances that the human species would survive are next to zero, because emotions are the basic instruments of our survival and adaptation. Emotions structure the world for us in important ways. As individuals, we categorize objects on the basis of our emotions. True, we consider the length, shape, size or texture, but an object's physical aspects are less important than what it has done or can do to us — hurt us, surprise us, anger us or make us joyful. We also use categorizations colored by emotions in our families, communities, and overall society. Out of our emotional experience with objects and events comes a social feeling of agreement that certain things and actions are "good" and others are "bad", and we apply these categories to every aspect of our social life — from what foods we eat and what clothes we wear to how we keep promises and which people our group will accept. In fact, society uses our emotional reactions and attitudes, such as loyalty, morality, pride, shame, guilt, fear and greed, in order to maintain itself. It gives high rewards to individuals who perform important tasks such as surgery, makes heroes out of individuals for unusual or dangerous achievements such as flying fighter planes in a war, and uses the legal penal (刑法的) system to make people afraid to engage in antisocial acts. Which of the following is TRUE according to the first paragraph?
| A．people would not be able to tell the physical aspects of objects. |
| B．People would not know what was beneficial and what was harmful to them. |
| C．$ 10 million is equal to $ 10 in a world without emotions. |
| D．There would be full of lies, arguments and violence. |
In can be inferred from the passage that the economic foundation of society is dependent on ________.
| A．the ability to make money |
| B．the capacity to work |
| C．the motivation to work |
| D．our emotional experiences |
Why are the emotional aspects of an object more important than its physical aspects?
| A．They help society use its members for more profit. |
| B．They encourage us to perform important tasks in the war. |
| C．They help to perfect the legal and penal system to make people afraid. |
| D．They help us adapt our behaviors to the world surrounding us. |
What is the text mainly about?
| A．People could only live in a world with emotions. |
| B．People would always do bad things in the emotionless world. |
| C．Emotions are very important in the world. |
| D．Emotions structure the world for us in important ways. |
Revenge is one of those things that everyone enjoys. People don’t like to talk about it, though. Just the same, there is nothing more satisfying or more rewarding than revenge. The purpose is not to harm your victims but to let them know that you are upset about something that they are doing to you. Careful planning can provide you with relief from annoying coworkers, gossiping friends or talkative family members.
Coworkers who make comments about the fact that you are always fifteen minutes late for work can be taken care of very simply. All you have to do is get up extra one day. Before the sun comes up, drive to each coworker’s house. Reach under the cover of your coworker’s car and disconnect the center wire that leads to the distributor（配电盘）cap, the car will be unharmed, but it will not start, and your friends at work will all be late for work on the same day. If you’re lucky, your boss might notice that you are the only one there and will give you a raise.
Gossiping friends at school are also perfect targets for a simple act of revenge. A way to trap either male or female friends is to leave false messages on their lockers(柜子). If the friend that you want to get is male, leave a message that a certain girl would like him to stop by her house later that day. With any luck，her boyfriend will be there. The girl won’t know what’s going on, and the victim will be so embarrassed that he probably won’t leave his home for a month.
When Mom and Dad and your sisters and brothers really begin to annoy you, harmless revenge may be just the way it makes them quiet down for a while. The dinner table is a likely place. Just before the meal begins, throw a handful of raisins (葡萄干) into the food. Wait about five minutes and, after everyone has begun to eat, cover your mouth with your hand and begin to make strange noises. When they ask you what the matter is, point to a raisin and yell. “Bugs!” They’ll throw their food in the dustbin, jump into the car, and head for McDonald’s. That night you’ll have your first quiet, peaceful meal in a long time.
A well-planned revenge does not have it hurt anyone. The object is simply to let other people know that they are beginning to bother you. According to the passage, a harmless revenge is ________.
| A．to amuse the victim |
| B．to hurt nobody emotionally |
| C．to react to those who bother you |
| D．to prevent one from disturbing others |
As a harmless revenge, you might come first and get a raise by ________.
| A．pleasing your boss |
| B．destroying your colleagues’ cars |
| C．making your colleagues come late |
| D．getting up earlier than your colleagues |
The family members threw their food in the dustbin because ________.
| A．they wanted to eat out |
| B．they didn’t like the food with raisins |
| C．they wanted to have a peaceful meal |
| D．they thought their food had been ruined |
The topic of the passage is how to ________.
| A．make a harmless revenge |
| B．silence gossiping friends |
| C．avoid talkative family members |
| D．deal with annoying coworkers |
“Selfie” (自拍) joins ranks of dictionary words.
In 2002, an Australian man went to his friend’s 21st birthday party. He got drunk, tripped on some steps and cut his lip. He took a picture of his injuries and shared it with his friends on an online forum. “And sorry about the focus,” he wrote, “it was a selfie.” That was the first recorded use of the word “selfie”, according to linguistic experts at Oxford Dictionaries.
On Nov 19, Oxford Dictionaries declared “selfie” Word of the Year for 2013, in honor of the term having taken over the world thanks to millions of smart phone self-portraits and the resulting shares on social media.
So what does the choice of the word say about our culture? Mary Elizabeth Williams, writing in Salon magazine, says the word reminds us that contemporary culture is defined by our narcissism(自恋).Megan Jackson from a local newspaper points out a selfie may only focus on appearance.
Selfies invite judgment based on appearance alone. What kind of cultural influence does this have on women? Erin Gloria Ryan on Jezebel says selfies teach young woman to obsess over their appearance and judge themselves on the basis of beauty rather than accomplishments. “They’re a reflection of the warped way we teach girls to see themselves as decorative,” said Ryan.
In Slate magazine, Rachel Simmons has the opposite view. She argues that selfies are an example of young women promoting themselves and taking control of their own self-presentation. Think of each one, she says, as “a tiny pulse of girl pride —a shout-out to the self”.Which of the following is true about the first use of “selfie”?
| A．The Australian man created it to celebrate his friend’s 21st birthday. |
| B．The Australian man created by chance when he got drunk and shared his photo online. |
| C．The Oxford Dictionary used it to thank the creation of smart phone. |
| D．The social media were so advanced that they made the word transmitted. |
The underlined word “tripped” in the first paragraph probably means “________”.
| A．traveled | B．stepped lightly |
| C．fell down | D．made mistakes |
Who holds a positive opinion towards selfie in the life of women?
| A．Mary Elizabeth. | B．Megan Jackson. |
| C．Erin Gloria Ryan. | D．Rachel Simmons. |
The text is mainly concerned with ________.
| A．the introduction of the word “selfie” |
| B．the choice of the word “selfie” |
| C．the history of the word “selfie” |
| D．the characteristics of the word “selfie” |
Sports are all about change. A team gets better. A kid practices more and swims a personal best or learns a new move on the basketball court. In 2006, two things happened that got me thinking about change—in sports and in life.
One of them is tennis champion Andre Agassi, who retired in 2006. Agassi was a terrific player who won 60 titles, including eight major championships(冠军称号). But his greatest accomplishment（成就）might have been how much he changed during his career.
When he was young, Agassi was a show off who seemed to care only about himself. He didn't train very hard, but he won matches because of his tremendous（极大的） talent.
Eventually, though, injuries and his bad attitude caught up with him. He fell from No.1 in the world ranking to No.141.
So Agassi changed. He trained harder and became a world-class player again. More importantly, he changed as a person. He was nicer to fans and opponents（对手）. He stopped thinking just about himself and started thinking about others. Through his Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation, he raised more than $60 million to help disadvantaged kids around his hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada. He even started a school, the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, for at-risk kids.
At the start of a new year, lots of people promise themselves they will change. They might vow to get in good physical shape, do better in school or be nicer to others.
Changes such as those can be difficult. But they do happen. Just remember Andre Agassi: It wasn't easy, but he changed, and changed for the better.According to the writer, which of the following may be the greatest achievement for Agassi?
| A．He once ranked No.1 in the world rankings. |
| B．He won 60 titles. |
| C．He changed much during his career. |
| D．He won 8 major championships. |
What does the underlined work “vow” in the 6th paragraph probably mean?
| A．promise. | B．agree. | C．wish. | D．prove. |
What do you know about Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation?
| A．It is intended to help at-risk kids. |
| B．It is a charity school set up by Agassi. |
| C．Some disadvantaged kids can get help from it. |
| D．Agassi runs it with his prize money. |
What might be talked about in the paragraphs following this passage?
| A．What achievements Agassi has made after he changed for the better. |
| B．How we can change for the better. |
| C．Another thing happened in life that got the writer thinking about change. |
| D．Some assessments(评价) about Agassi from different people. |
The insanely popular song ‘Gangnam Style’ from South Korean recording artist PSY has just become the most watched video on YouTube ever, garnering more than 808 million views on the popular media site.
The distinction was previously held by another pop heavyweight, Justin Bieber, whose song ‘Baby’ had a little more than 804 million views at press time. PSY made the announcement on his Twitter page earlier today.
Since its release, the song has defeated such other popular videos as Jennifer Lopez’s ‘On the Floor,’ Eminem's ‘Love the Way You Lie’ and LMFAO’s ‘Party Rock Anthem.’ And in September, 'Gangnam Style' also became the most liked video on YouTube, now with nearly 5.4 million thumbs up.
At the time of the announcement, the Guinness Book of World Records released a statement saying: “In years past it was unthinkable that something would be viewed a hundred million times, and now Gangnam Style has achieved more than twice this figure in just three months on YouTube. PSY, your certificate is waiting here at our office, come pick it up any time!”
Despite its massive popularity, the video shows no signs of slowing down, and it even has a shot at becoming the first video to get more than one billion views.
If it maintains its current rate of around six million new views per day, ‘Gangnam Style’ would be in line to break that record by the end of the year.
The YouTube honors are just the latest in a long list that shows just how popular the song has become. Since it was released in July, the song has seen a meteoric rise through the music industry.
It has found its way to the tops of music charts in more than 30 countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain and Canada, while providing material for thousands of parody（恶搞）videos.
It became a staple (主要部份) in the 2012 presidential elections with the now famous ‘Mitt Romney Style’ video and was even used by the North Korean government in propaganda films promoting their supreme leader.
Meanwhile, such influential figures as President Obama, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt have all made mention of the hit song.This passage mainly talks about a world famous________.
| A．music | B．music video |
| C．video website | D．Korean pop singer |
Which of the following about “Gangnam Style” is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．“Gangnam Style” has defeated Justin Bieber’s “Baby” on You Tube’s views. |
| B．“Gangnam Style” has been the favorite to at least 5.4 million people. |
| C．“Gangnam Style” has been the first to get more than 1 billion views. |
| D．“Gangnam Style” has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records. |
What can we infer from this passage?
| A．PSY will become one of the greatest musicians due to the popularity of “Gangnam Style”. |
| B．Obama won the presidential election partly because of the ‘Mitt Romney Style’ video. |
| C．Despite its massive popularity, the fever of “Gangnam Style” has decreased. |
| D．The influence of “Gangnam Style” has spread far and wide. |
Sitting on the peaceful coast of Galapagos Islands. Ecuador, watching the sun move quietly into the sea, you shouldn't forget that Charles Darwin (1809-1882) arrived here in 1835. He stayed on the islands for five weeks, observing various animals. This finally inspired his famous work, On the Origin of Species. You can certainly follow Darwin's footsteps and enjoy a trip from four to seven days to the islands. The islands are certainly a paradise (天堂) for wildlife, as there are no natural killers on the islands and the number of boats and visitors is under government control. Though you cannot walk freely as Darwin did about 200 years ago, each day is as impressive as it could be. The most well-known animal of the Galapagos is the giant tortoise(巨型海龟), which can be seen moving slowly around the highlands of Sanra Cruz, the second largest island in the archipelago(群岛). Some of these creatures are so old that they might have been seen in their youth by Darwin himself. Despite strict control over activities and timing, your stay on the Galapagos will be remembered as a chain of incomparable pictures diving with sea lions that swim and play within inches of you; feeling small sharks touch your feet as you swim; and, most magically, seeing a whale and her baby surface with a great breath of air.
Travelling between the islands and observing the wildlife that so inspired Darwin, you will feel as though you are getting a special view of an untouched world. At night you will sleep on board the ship, leaving the wildlife in complete occupation of the islands, which are as undisturbed now as they have been since the beginning of time.What do we know about Darwin's visit to the islands?
| A．He completed his famous book on the islands |
| B．He studied different creatures on the islands |
| C．He was touched by the geography of the islands |
| D．He was attracted by well-known animals of the islands |
Which of the following plays a role in making the islands "a paradise for wildlife"?
| A．Animals on the islands feed on grass. |
| B．Local government forbids killing wildlife. |
| C．Tourists are not allowed to touch the animals. |
| D．People cannot visit the islands as they wish. |
Your stay on the islands will be most impressive mainly because of_________.
| A．a closer view of animals |
| B．Darwin's inspiring trip |
| C．The beautiful sea views |
| D．various daring activities |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
| A．A Unique Attraction for Wildlife Lovers |
| B．Calapagos as a Paradise for Adventures |
| C．Charles Darwin as a Symbol of Galapagos |
| D．A Successful Example of Wildlife Protection |
The groundhog(土拨鼠) has been considered a weather prophet(预言家) for many years in north America. According to legend, all winter long the furry brown groundhog sleeps in his comfortable underground home, or hole. On February 2, he wakes up. The groundhog is very hungry and comes out to search for food. If the sun is shinning, the groundhog will see his own shadow. The sight of his shadow gives him such a fright that he quickly returns to his hole. This event means that spring will not come for six more weeks. If the sun is not shining, there will be no shadow. The groundhog will not be scared and he will stay outside his hole. Spring will come very soon.
The idea that animals could foretell the weather probably began in ancient Europe. At the time, most of the people were farmers and the weather was very important to them. If spring came early they could begin the planting season early and have an early harvest. They found some animals were good weather prophets. On February 2, when they celebrated Candlemas Day, a religious holiday around the time winter ends, all the people watched for an animal leaving its hole. In Germany, farmers watched for a badge. In England farmers looked for a hedgehog（刺猬）. They believed the animals could foretell the weather for the next six weeks.
When the early settlers came to North America there no badgers or hedgehogs near their homes. The farmers did not know when to plant their crops. In time they discovered an animal that left its hole at the end of winter. That animal was the groundhog, also called a woodchuck or a marmot. Every February 2 they watched for a groundhog. Finally, the day came to be called “Groundhog Day”. Many groundhog-watching clubs were formed. The members sometimes dressed in nightshirts and top hats made of silk. They would go to the hills in the dark morning and wait near a groundhog hole. Sometimes the groundhog-watching clubs would have other types of celebrations Which of the following will frighten a groundhog according to Paragraph 1?
| A．His own shadow | B．The shining sun |
| C．The coming spring | D．His underground home |
According to legend, if it is cloudy on February 2, _____ .
| A．spring will come in March |
| B．winter will end in a short time |
| C．the groundhog will go on sleeping |
| D．the groundhog will refuse to go out |
Why did ancient Europeans watch for animals on Candlemas Day?
| A．To amuse themselves. |
| B．To protect their harvest. |
| C．To say goodbye to winter. |
| D．To know when to plant crops. |
The early North American settlers ____ .
| A．wore formal clothes on Groundhog Day |
| B．tried to catch groundhogs near their homes |
| C．regarded the groundhog as a weather prophet |
| D．mistook groundhogs for badgers or hedgehogs |
Last week I visited my friend Pete in the new home where he lives with his wife and daughter. Pete used to spend his holidays travelling the world, visiting the pyramids in Egypt or scuba diving(潜水) in the Caribbean. Nowadays he prefers to spend his holidays and weekends making his house look more beautiful. Like hundreds of thousands of other British people, he has discovered the joy of DIY (Do It Yourself), which means if there are any things that need fixing around the house, he will try to do the job himself.
As he showed me the new kitchen he put together by himself and the newly painted walls, I asked Pete where he got his inspiration (灵感) from. He told me that his favorite source of ideas was a DIY program on TV.
This got me thinking about the great popularity of DIY programs in the UK. Each major channel has at least one home or garden improving show and there’s even a satellite channel completely about the subject.
I guess it is not really surprising that DIY programs are so popular. Two common sayings in Britain－ ‘an Englishman’s home is his castle’ and ‘there’s no place like home’－show how important our houses are to us. With the present economic downturn, many people can’t afford to buy a bigger house so they are looking at how they can make their house better without spending a lot of money. DIY is the perfect choice.
But be careful! I read a report that said over 230,000 people were injured while doing home improvements in the UK in just one year, including 41,000 who fell off ladders(梯子) and 5,800 who were seriously hurt by hammers. So I won’t be going down to the hardware store.How did Pete spend his holiday in the past?
| A．Visiting his friends. |
| B．Diving. |
| C．Travelling around the world. |
| D．Making his house beautiful. |
Which might NOT be shown in a DIY program on TV?
| A．Scuba diving |
| B．A garden improving feature. |
| C．Home improvements. |
| D．Fixing things in kitchens |
Which is NOT the reason why DIY is popular among British people?
| A．They enjoy DIY. |
| B．They want to make their houses better themselves. |
| C．They can improve their houses without spending much money. |
| D．They want to be on TV. |
At the end of the article the writer wants us to remember _____.
| A．not to go to the hardware store |
| B．to be careful not to get hurt while doing DIY |
| C．to keep watching DIY on TV while drinking a nice cup of tea |
| D．not to climb ladders or use hammers |
A new survey finds that more than eighty percent of Internet users in the United States search for health information online．The survey found that searching online is one of the leading ways that people look for a second opinion though doctors are still the main source of health information．
Forty-four percent of people are actually looking for doctors or other providers when they search for health information online．Another finding of the survey: Two-thirds of Internet users look online for information about a specific disease or medical condition．
The Internet has also become an important source of e
motional support for people with health problems．Susannah Fox says one in five Internet users has gone online to find other people who have the same condition．It was more popular among people with more serious health issues—one in four people living with chronic diseases （慢性病）．And it was basically off the charts with pe
ople living with rare disease．They are so eager to find other people online who share their health concerns．
A disease is considered rare if it affects fewer than two hundred thousand people worldwide．The rise of social networking has made it easier for people with rare diseases to connect with each other and feel less alone．Social networking is also changing the way some doctors and patients communicate with each other．Dr．Jeff Livingston operates a medical center for women in Irving, Texas．His office uses password-protected software to share information with patients．
“We provide the patient full access to their medical care．Anything I can see, the patient can see．All of their notes, all of their doctor visits are right there．All 
of their lab work is right there．” Dr．Livingston says the software has increased efficiency, reduced costs and improved relations with patients．From the first paragraph, we can know _________．
| A．most online health information is reliable |
| B．more people now turn to the Internet for medical advice |
| C．people shouldn’t rely on the Internet for medical advice |
| D．doctors are no longer the patients’ first choice |
The underlined words “off the charts” in Paragraph 3 mean _________．
A．very popular |
| B．not accessible |
| C．far away from |
| D．not attractive |
By using social networking, patients with rare diseases can _________．
| A．find effective cures |
B．get emotion al comfort |
| C．ask for financial support |
| D．consult doctors anytime |
Which of the following is NOT true for Dr．Livingston’s software?
| A．It cuts down medical expenses． |
| B．It decreases the time spent on medical care． |
| C．It takes doctors closer to their patients． |
| D．It gives patients a medical test online． |
As you are probably aware, the latest job markets news isn’t good: Unemployment is still more than 9 percent, and new job growth has fallen close to zero. That’s bad for the economy, of course. And it may be especially discouraging if you happen to be looking for a job or hoping to change careers right now. But it actually shouldn’t matter to you nearly as much as you think. That’s because job growth numbers don’t matter to job hunters as much as job staff-turnover(人员流动)data. After all, existing jobs open up every day due to promotions, resignations(辞职), and retirements. (Yes, people are retiring even in this economy.)In both good times and bad, staff-turnover creates more openings than economic growth does. Even in June of 2014, when the economy was still booming along, job growth was only 132，000, while staff-turn over was 4.7 million!
And as it turns out, even today—with job growth near zero—over 4 million job hunters are being hired every month.
I don’t mean to imply that overall job growth doesn’t have an impact on one’s ability to land a job. It’s true that if total employment were higher. It would mean more jobs for all of us to choose from(and compete for). And it's true that there are currently more people applying for each available job opening, regardless of whether it’s a new one or not.
But what often distinguishes those who land jobs from those who don’t is their ability to stay motivated. They’re willing to do the hard work of identifying their valuable skills; be creative about where and how to look；learn how to present themselves to potential employers; and keep going, even after repeated rejections. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that 2.7 million people who wanted and were available for work hadn’t hunted for it within the last four weeks and were no longer even classified as unemployed.
So don’t let the headlines fool you into giving up．Four million people get hired every month in the U.S. You can be one of them.The author tends to believe that high unemployment rate____.
| A．takes job opportunities from people |
| B．prevents many people from changing careers |
| C．does not mean the U.S. economy is worsening |
| D．should not stop people from looking for a job |
What does the author say about overall job growth?
| A．It increases people’s confidence in the economy. |
| B．It doesn’t have much effect on individual job seekers. |
| C．It gives a ray of hope to the unemployed. |
| D．It doesn’t mean greater job security for the employed. |
What is the key to finding a job according to the author?
| A．Education | B．Intelligence |
| C．Experience | D．Persistence |
What do we learn about The Bureau of Labor Statistics unemployment data?
| A．They clearly indicate how healthy the economy is. |
| B．They don’t include those who have stopped looking for a job. |
| C．They provide the public with the latest information. |
| D．They warn of the structural problems in the economy. |
Road politeness is not only good manners, but good sense too. It takes the most cool-headed and good-tempered drivers to resist the temptation to take revenge (报复) on uncivilized behavior. On the other hand, a little politeness goes a long way towards reducing the tensions of driving. A friendly nod or a wave of appreciation in response to an act of politeness helps to create an atmosphere of goodwill and tolerance so necessary in modern traffic conditions. But such appreciation of politeness is too rare today. Many drivers nowadays don’t even seem able to recognize politeness when they see it.
However, misplaced politeness can be dangerous. Typical example are the drivers who brakes violently to allow a car to came out of a side street at some danger to following traffic; or the man who wave a child across a zebra crossing into the path of oncoming vehicles that may be unable to stop in time. The same goes for encouraging old ladies to cross the road wherever and whenever they like to.
An experienced driver, whose manners are faultless, told me it would help if motorists learnt to move correctly into traffic streams one at a time without causing the total blockages that give rise to bad temper. Unfortunately, modern motorists can’t even learn to drive, let alone master the less obvious points of driving perfectly. Years ago the experts warned us that an explosion in car-ownership would demand a lot more give and take from all road users. It’s high time for all of us to take this message to heart. According to the passage, the role of politeness can _______.
| A．help us learn about traffic rules |
| B．reduce the pleasure of driving |
| C．make our life happier than others’ |
| D．resist the temptation to take revenge on uncivilized behavior |
By “good sense” in the first paragraph, the writer means ________.
| A．the driver’s ability to understand politeness and react reasonably |
| B．the driver’s immediate response to terrible road conditions |
| C．the driver’s skill of controlling his or her car in extreme situations |
| D．the driver’s ability of driving safely in traffic jams |
Which of the following is NOT misplaced politeness?
| A．The driver lets old ladies cross the road when they want to. |
| B．The driver responses to an act of politeness in a friendly way. |
| C．The driver suddenly stops to permit a car to come from a side street. |
| D．The driver waves a child across a zebra crossing into the path of dangerous |
oncoming vehicles.In the writer’s opinion, ___________.
| A．strict traffic regulations are badly needed |
| B．drivers should apply road politeness properly |
| C．rude drivers should be punished |
| D．drivers should avoid traffic jams |
Your glasses may someday replace your smartphone, and some New Yorkers are ready for the switch. Some in the city can't wait to try them on and use the maps and GPS that the futuristic eyewear is likely to include.
" I'd use it if I were hanging out with friends at 3 a. m. and going to the bar and wanted to see what was open," said Walter Choo, 40, of Fort Greene.
The smartphone-like glasses will likely come out this year and cost between $250 and $600, the Times said, possibly including a variation of augmented(增强的) reality, a technology already available on smartphones and tablets (平板电脑) that overlays information onto the screen about one's surroundings. So, for example, if you were walking down a street, indicators would pop up showing you the nearest coffee shop or directions could be plotted out and come into view right on the sidewalk in front of you.
" As far as a mainstream consumer product, this just isn't something anybody needs," said Sam Biddle, who writes for Gizmodo.com. " We're accustomed to having one thing in our pocket to do all these things," he added, "and the average consumer isn't gonna be able to afford another device (装置) that's hundreds and hundreds of dollars. "
9to5Google publisher Seth Weintraub, who has been reporting on the smartphone-like glasses since late last year, said he is confident that this type of wearable device will eventually be as common as smartphones.
"It's just like smartphones 10 years ago," Weintraub said. "A few people started getting emails on their phones, and people thought that was crazy. Same kind of thing. We see people bending their heads to look at their smartphones, and it's unnatural," he said. " There's gonna be improvements to that, and this a step there. "One of the possible functions of the smartphone-like glasses is to ____.
| A．program the opening hours of a bar |
| B．supply you with a picture of the future |
| C．provide information about your surroundings |
| D．update the maps and GPS in your smartphones |
The underlined phrase "pop up" in the third paragraph probably means " ____".
| A．develop rapidly | B．get round quickly |
| C．appear immediately | D．go over automatically |
According to Sam Biddle, the smartphone-like glasses are ____.
| A．necessary for teenagers |
| B．attractive to New Yorkers |
| C．available to people worldwide |
| D．expensive for average consumers |
We can learn from the last two paragraphs that the smartphone-like glasses ____.
| A．may have a potential market |
| B．are as common as smartphones |
| C．are popular among young adults |
| D．will be improved by a new technology |
| Take Action for a Better World: Volunteers Needed Six months' preparation in Denmark: Africa studies, team work combined with social work with risk group teenagers. Six months' community work in Malawi in People to People Projects: Child Aid, HIV / AIDS Fights and Teacher Training. Qualifications: 18 years, hard working and social engagement. Please contact us by e-mail: takeaction@betterworld.com. |
| Part-time work with Exchange Students YOUTH International is a non-profit high school foreign exchange student organization.We welcome teenagers from over 80 countries worldwide and provide host families.The Community Representative is a part-time position designed for people with a strong desire to do something rewarding in the community and earn some extra money. Applicants best suited for this work should enjoy teenagers, have a strong interest in cross-cultural communication and feel comfortable networking.Full training and support will be provided through branch offices throughout the US.Positions available in most states. If interested, please email staff@youth.org or call 888-123-9872. |
| International Summer Job Hi, I'm an ESL student in China.I'm 20, quiet and polite, and I speak reasonable English.I'm looking for a summer job in an English-speaking country.I can teach Chinese or do house and garden work and cook Chinese dishes.Can anybody offer me a job? I don't need to earn much, just enough in two months (July-August) to pay for my return ticket to China.My goal is to improve my English and see a bit more of the world. My email is: ram3462@hotmail.com. |
| Call for Native Speaker of English I am looking for native speakers of English to join in an experiment.This experiment is carried out over the Internet.You don't need any specific knowledge other than understanding and speaking English at a native level.The first task will take you around 15 minutes.After this task, you can decide whether you want to continue the experiment.The tasks involve reading texts and designing questions and answers. If you are willing to help me, then please email us: club3864@hotmail.com |
Who is suitable to work as a Community Representative in YOUTH International?
| A．One who has a strong desire to improve his or her English. |
| B．One who hopes to take action in fighting against diseases. |
| C．One who enjoys working with teenagers from different countries. |
| D．One who wants to earn some pocket money in the program. |
Where will Jack, a volunteer, receive the training before he is sent to work in Malawi?
| A．In some local offices in the U.S. |
| B．In a preparation program in Denmark. |
| C．In an ESL organization in China. |
| D．In an exchange student enter in Africa. |
If Mrs.Black in the U.S.hopes to learn more Chinese at home, she may contact _____.
| A．takeaction@betterword.com |
| B．staff@youth.org |
| C．club3864@hotmail.com |
| D．ram3462@hotmail.com |
What are volunteers for an experiment over the Internet supposed to do?
| A．To provide language exercises. |
| B．To do some housework. |
| C．To offer advice on Child Aid. |
| D．To interview people online. |
In which section of the newspaper can you find these?
| A．News | B．Classified ads. | C．Culture | D．Business |
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