A few years ago I asked my children’s governess, Julia Vassilyevna, to come into my study.
“ Sit down, Julia Vassilyevna,” I said.“Let’s settle our accounts. Although you most likely need some money, you stand on ceremony and won’t ask for it yourself. Now then, we agree on thirty rubles a month…”
“ Forty.”
“ No, thirty. I made a note of it. I always pay the governess thirty. Now then, you’ve been here two months, so…”
“ Two months and five days.”
“ Exactly two months. I made a specific note of it. That means you have sixty rubles coming to you. Subtract nine Sundays… you know you didn’t work with Kolya on Sundays, you only took walks. And three holidays…”
Julia Vassilyevna flushed a deep red and picked at the flounce of her dress, but--- not a word.
“ Three holidays, therefore take off twelve rubles. Four days Kolya was sick and there were no lessons, as you were occupied only with Vanya. Three days you had a toothache and my wife gave you permission not to work after lunch. Twelve and seven---nineteen. Subtract…that leaves…hmm…forty-one rubles. Correct?”
Julia Vassilyena’s left eye reddened and filled with moisture. Her chin trembled; she coughed nervously and blew her nose, but---not a word.
“ Around New Year’s you broke a teacup and saucer: take off two rubles. The cup cost more, it was an heirloom, but---let it go. When didn’t I take a loss? Then, due to your neglect, Kolya climbed a tree and tore his jacket: take off ten. Also due to your heedlessness the maid stole Vanya’s shoes. You ought to watch everything! You get paid for it. So, that means five more rubles off. The tenth of January I gave you ten rubles…”
“ You didn’t ” whispered Julia Vassilyevna.
“ But I made a note of it.”
“ Well…all right.”
“ Take twenty-seven from forty-one ---that leaves fourteen.”
Both eyes filled with tears. Perspiration appeared on the thin, pretty little nose. Poor girl!
“ Only once was I given any money,” she said in a trembling voice, “ and that was by your wife. Three rubles, nothing more.”
“ Really? You see now, and I didn’t make a note of it! Take three from fourteen… leaves eleven. Here’s your money, my dear. Three , three, three, one and one. Here it is!”
I handed her eleven rubles. She took them and with trembling fingers stuffed them into her pocket.
“ Merci,” she whispered.
I jumped up and started pacing the room. I was overcome with anger.
“ For what, this ---‘merci’?” I asked.
“ For the money.”
“ But you know I’ve cheated you, God’s sake---robbed you! I have actually stolen from you! Why this ‘merci’?”
“ In my other places they didn’t give me anything at all.”
“ They didn’t give you anything? No wonder! I played a little joke on you, a cruel lesson, just to teach you … I’m going to give you the entire eighty rubles! Here they are in an envelope all ready for you… Is it really possible to be so spineless? Why don’t you protest? Why be silent? Is it possible in this world to be without teeth and claws--- to be such a nincompoop?”
She smiled crookedly and I read in her expression: “ It is possible.”
I asked her pardon for the cruel lesson and , to her great surprise, gave her the eighty rubles. She murmured her litter “merci” several times and went out. I looked after her and thought: “How easy it is to crush the weak in this world!”When the employer called Julia Vassilyevna in to talk with him, what he really wanted to do was _______
A.to settle their accounts |
B.to criticize her for neglecting her duties as a governess. |
C.to play a joke on her so as to amuse himself. |
D.to teach her not to be so spineless. |
The employer made all those criticisms about Julia Vassiliyevna’s work because __________
A.she had neglected her duties. |
B.he wanted to pay her as little money as possible. |
C.he wanted to make her realize that she was being cheated and protest against it. |
D.he wanted to make her feel miserable. |
Julia Vassilyevna accepted everything her employer said because ________
A.she had in fact neglected her duties. |
B.she was a very dumb girl. |
C.she thought it was of no use to protest to her employer. |
D.she loved the children she taught. |
The employer became very angry when Julia Vassilyevna said “ Merci” because ________
A.she didn’t say “Merci” loudly. |
B.she didn’t protest to him. |
C.he thought that by simply saying “ Merci” she wasn’t polite enough. |
D.he didn’t like the way in which she stuffed the money into per pocket and expressed her thanks. |
The text is about _______
A.how a governess was cheated by her employer. |
B.how an employer tried to teach the governess a cruel lesson. |
C.how a governess was fired by her employer for being a nincompoop. |
D.how an employer punished the governess for not having done a good job. |
After my dad died on Aug.30, 2001, my mother made sure we marked each anniversary. At first, my brothers and sister and I would travel hours to get home, but eventually we got to the point where just one or two of us would make it back to go to Mass with her and spend the day together.
The great love of her life, the man who broke up with her right before her college graduation, only to return two years later claiming he’d traveled the world and hadn’t found anyone to compare with her, remained a daily presence in her life. She spoke about him so often and kept his memory so alive that people were sometimes surprised to learn that he was gone. She took over the garden where he’d planted and made it her own.
When the 10th anniversary of his death approached, my mom began talking about it and planning for it weeks in advance. The date on her kitchen calendar was circled and marked R.I.P. (Rest in Peace). Of course she wanted all of us there and settled the dates for our coming back.
On Monday — the day before the anniversary — she went to morning Mass and walked downtown for lunch with friends, and later told my sister on the phone that she felt Dad still so close that as she was walking back home, she heard someone yell and thought, “Oh, there’s Dick.”
That evening she went out to water flowers, just as my father, 10 years before, had gone out to the garden to pick vegetables before he died. A neighbor heard the tin watering can strike the ground as she fell and hit her head. My mother died within hours, on Aug.30, 2011, the 10thanniversary. She needed to mark that anniversary, she wanted us all home and my dad had waited long enough.From the second paragraph we know that the author’s father______.
A.traveled around the world and left her mother |
B.left her mother first but returned two years later |
C.had a quarrel with her before her graduation |
D.was not the right man her mother wanted at that time |
We can infer from the passage that the author’s mother _____.
A.knew her last day was coming on Aug.30 |
B.kept everything of her father’s home |
C.missed Father though he had passed away |
D.remained a daily presence in his life |
Which of the following statements is true EXCEPT that _____.
A.Mother died the day before the anniversary of Father’s death |
B.Mother died in the garden as Father did ten years ago |
C.Mother died because she fell to the ground accidentally |
D.Mother died on the same date when Father did ten years ago |
What does the writer imply in the underlined part of the last sentence?
A.She wanted us to stay at home. | B.Mother missed us very much. |
C.Mother expected us to get back. | D.That day was her last day. |
Ellen Parker was worried about her health. She could not walk very quickly and it was difficult for her to climb stairs. She was soon out of breath.
“I suppose I had better go to the doctor.” she thought.
She went to the doctor and told him her problem.
“I’m not at all surprised.” he said, “I know what your problem is.”
He examined her and then gave her some advice.
“If you don’t do what I say, Mrs Parker,” he said, “You will have a heart attack (心脏病发作). It could kill you.”
Ellen was very worried as she left the doctor’s. She knew that she had to take his advice but that it would not be easy and it would take time.
The next day she went shopping. The first shop she went into was a butcher shop (肉铺).
“I’d like ten pounds of steak (牛排), please.” she said.
“Certainly, madam.” the butcher replied and went into the cold room and found a large piece of steak. He brought the huge piece of meat back into the shop and placed it on the scale (称).
“That’s just ten pounds.” he said.
“That’s big enough.” Mrs Parker said.
The butcher worked out the price.
“At S|4.99 a pound that will be S|49.90, please. Would you like me to cut it up into smaller pieces for you?”
“Oh, I don’t want to buy the meat.” Mrs Parker said.
“If you don’t want to buy it,” the butcher replied angrily, “Why did you ask me to get it for you?”
“My doctor told me that I am too heavy and have to lose ten pounds. I wanted to see what ten pounds of meat looked like.”Why did Ellen Parker visit the doctor?
A.She had a heart attack. | B.She had a problem with her health. |
C.She was unhappy about her weight. | D.She could not sleep well. |
Why did Ellen Parker ask for ten pounds of steak?
A.She wanted to buy some for dinner. |
B.She wanted to lose weight. |
C.Her doctor had told her to eat steak. |
D.She wanted to see what ten pounds of meat looked like. |
What was Ellen Parker’s real problem?
A.She ate too much steak. | B.She weighed too much. |
C.She was often out of breath. | D.She could not walk very quickly. |
When I was little, my mother sold flowers at Camden Market in London, She couldn't leave me at home on my own, so I had to go to the market with her. As I grew older, I began to give my mom a hand and I really enjoyed it.
Things changed when I was 14. My grandma gave me a book for Christmas, which was all about making candles . I loved it so much that I spent all my free time making candles of all shapes and sizes. I made hundreds of them.
One day, my mother was ill so I had to go to the market on my own. I decided to take some candles with me and see if I could sell them. To my surprise, they were sold out in 20 minutes! The next week, my mom gave me some money to buy some wax (蜡) to make more candles. They sold out really quickly, too.
Nine months later, we decided to stop selling flowers. My mom and I couldn't make enough candles during the week, so some of my school friends started to help us. I paid them one pound for every candle, and we used to sell them for three or four times that. It was fun. and my friends worked with me in the market.
When I was 22, my uncle lent me some money and I opened my first shop on Portobello Road. Since then, I've never looked back, even in difficult times. At the first store, we only sold candles, but now we sell everything from designing furniture to paintings.
The sentence "I began to give my mom a hand" means" ".
A.I began to give my mom some gifts B.I began to help my mom sell flowers C.I began to wash my hands before working D.I began to get along better with my morn
A.She talked with her mother at the market. B.She played with her school friends at home. C.She read all kinds of books about Christmas D.She made candles of different shapes and sizes.
A.bdeac B.bedac C.adbec D.dbeac
A.buying her a shop B.teaching her basic skills C.lending her some money D.working together with her
A.spend all your free time on developing your interests B.have your own idea and work hard to make it succeed C.get as much support as you can from your family D.hold on to your dreams and never give up
I was in a terrible mood. Two of my friends had gone to the movies the night before and hadn’t invited me. I was in my room thinking of ways to make them sorry when my father came in. “Want to go for a ride, today, Beck? It’s a beautiful day.”
“No! Leave me alone!” Those were the last words I said to him that morning.
My friends called and invited me to go to the mall with them a few hours later. I forgot to be mad at them and when I came home to find a note on the table. My mother put it where I would be sure to see it. “Dad has had an accident. Please meet us at Highland Park Hospital”.
When I reached the hosp
ital, my mother came out and told me my father’s injuries were extensive. “Your father told the driver to leave him alone and just call 911, thank God! If he had moved Daddy, there’s no telling what might have happened. A broken rib(肋骨)might have pierced(穿透)a lung...”
My mother may have said more, but I didn’t hear. I didn’t hear anything except those terrible words: Leave me alone. My dad said them to save himself from being hurt more. How much had I hurt him when I hurled those words at him earlier in the day?
It was several days later that he was finally able to have a conversation. I held his hand gently, afraid of hurting him.
“Daddy… I am so sorry…”
“It’s okay, sweetheart. I’ll be okay. ”
“No,” I said, “I mean about what I said to you that day. You know, that morning?”
My father could no more tell a lie than he could fly. He looked at me and said. “Sweetheart, I don’t remember anything about that day, not before, during or after the accident. I remember kissing you goodnight the night before, though. ”He managed a weak smile.
My English teacher once told me that words have immeasurable power. They can hurt or they can heal. And we all have the power to choose our words. I intend to do that very carefully from now on.The author was in a bad mood that morning because _______.
A.his father had a terrible accident |
B.his friends hadn’t invited him to the cinema |
C.his father didn’t allow him to go out with his friends |
D.he couldn’t drive to the mall with his friends |
Why did the author say sorry to his father in the hospital?
A.Because he didn’t go along with his father. |
B.Because he failed to com![]() |
C.Because he was rude to his father that morning. |
D.Because he couldn’t look after his father in the hospital. |
The reason why the author’s father said he forgot everything about that day is that _______.
A.he just wanted to comfort his son | B.he didn’t hear what his son said |
C.he had a poor memory | D.he lost his memory after the accident |
What lesson did Beck learn from the matter?
A.Don’t treat your parents badly. |
B.Don’t be angry with friends at small things. |
C.Don’t move the injured in an accident. |
D.Don’t hurt others with rude words. |
I get off the bus and walk a few blocks. I stop when I get to a garage-like place and walk to the metal door with brown paint. I turn the knob(把手)and walk in. A thousand eyes look at me as I take my place at the end of the long line. When I finally get up to the window, I hand the officer my ID. “I’m here to visit Mr C. Yes, I’m his daughter.”
I learn that line by heart. The officer hands me a piece of paper with my name as the visitor and my father’s as the prisoner. It tells me which floor to go to. As I get on the elevator, a rush of excitement runs through me. Then I go to the eighth floor, look around and see the faces I see here every Sunday and Thursday.
There he is. I stand on tiptoe(脚尖)to get a better view since I can hardly see him. He doesn’t look like my father. He’s got a beard now and he looks a lot weaker. He’s the dad that I see through a window. My dad who is separated from the world. The only place he now knows is his room in the prison. When I look deep into his eyes, I see emptiness and pain.
It’s difficult to hear him through the thick glass and over everyone else who is trying to talk. We try to carry on a normal conversation about simple things including my day and what I’m doing in school, but we mostly talk about how we can’t wait until he gets out. After an hour my time is up. We say our good-byes and love-yous.
I get on the bus to go home. My favorite place is where my father is—prison. I know, how can prison be anyone’s favorite place? But it is because my father is there. It’ll no longer be my favorite place once he gets out, though—home will be.The author goes to the prison_________.
A.to talk with the officer | B.to visit her father |
C.to get a piece of paper from the officer | D.to pay a visit to her favorite place |
It can be inferred from the passage that the author’s father is ____________.
A.working there for a long time | B.just in prison for a short while |
C.still healthy and strong in prison | D.seldom keeping in touch with people outside |
What does the author mainly talk of with her father?
A.Her behavior in school. | B.Simple things in everyday life. |
C.Difficulty and trouble in her life. | D.The feeling of expecting him home. |
What can we know from the passage?
A.The author’s father will never go home. | B.The author meets her father once a week. |
C.The author’s favorite place will change. | D.The author hates her father. |
Paula Radcliffe, chasing a third London marathon title, says she has became a stronger person after her terrible experience at the 2004 Athens Games.
Radcliffe, who failed to complete the Olympic marathon and the 10,000m last August, said: "Athens made me a stronger person and it made me care less about criticism"
"In the past I wanted to please everyone, but now I am going to listen even more to the people around me."
She didn't care about criticism made at the weekend by Liz McColgan, who felt Radcliffe should have rested and let her body recover after her failure in Athens.
"Liz is someone I look up to but she hasn't spoken to me since last year and if she really cared for me, I'm sure she would have contacted me."
Instead Radcliffe won the New York City marathon just 11 weeks after Athens.
"In New York I wasn't in my best state but I did know I was good enough to win the race."
Radcliffe insisted her only goal in Sunday's race would be winning a third title and not chasing world records.
However, Radcliffe has not ruled out in the future chasing her "final" world record time and questioned sayings that marathon runners have the ability in their career to produce only four or five world-class times.
"I don't think that ——although I can't put a number on it," said. Radcliffe. "That changes from person to person."
Radcliffe is sure she can better her winning London 2003 performance at some point in the future. Following a successful three-month training period in the United States, the 31-year-old will chase a third title on Sunday after her first victory in 2002 and again 12 months later.
Radcliffe clocked a time of 2:18:56 in her first 42.2-kilometre race three years ago.
Afterwards she set a "mixed course" mark of 2:17:18 five months later in Chicago before lowering that to a time of 2:15:25 in the 2003 London event.
Radcliffe’s failure in Athens made her___________.
A.develop respect for Liz | B.love people around her more |
C.rest for five months | D.face criticism calmly |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A.Radcliffe broke the world record in the New York City marathon. |
B.Radcliffe didn’t fully recover before the New York City marathon. |
C.Radcliffe won her first marathon title in the New York City marathon. |
D.Radcliffe had a 3-month training before the New York City marathon. |
By saying “I can’t put a number on it,” Radcliffe means she’s not sure ___________.
A.if she has the ability to set a new world record |
B.if she can win another race though she has won many times |
C.how many times a marathon runner can set the world record |
D.if she has the ability to produce four or five world-class times |
According to the text, Radcliffe has won ___________ London marathon title(s).
A.one | B.two | C.three | D.four |
What can we learn from Radcliffe’s story?
A.Practice makes perfect. | B.Well begun is half done. |
C.Where there is a will, there is a way. | D.A friend in nee![]() |
It was Molly’s job to hand her father his brown paper lunch bag each morning before he headed off to work.
One morning, in addition to his usual lunch bag, Molly handed him a second paper bag.This one was worn and held together with staples(订书钉) 。
“Why two bags?” her father asked.“The other is something else,” Molly answered.“What’s in it?” “Just some stuff.Take it with you.”
Not wanting to discuss the matter, he put both bags into his briefcase, kissed Molly and rushed off.At midday he opened Molly’s bag and took out the contents: two hair ribbons(丝带), three small stones, a plastic dinosaur, a tiny sea shell, a small doll, and 13 pennies… The busy father smiled, finished eating, and swept the desk clean into the wastebasket, Molly’s stuff included.
That evening, Molly ran up behind him as he read the paper.“Where’s my bag?” “What bag?” “The one I gave you this morning.” “I left it at the office.Why?” “I forgot to put this note in it,” she said.“And, besides, Daddy, the things in the sack are the things I really like — I thought you might like to play with them.You didn’t lose the bag, did you, Daddy?” “Oh, no,” he said, lying.“I just forgot to bring it home.I’ll bring it tomorrow.” While Molly hugged her father’s neck, he unfolded the note that read: “I love you, Daddy.” Molly had given him her treasures — all that a 7-year-old held dear.
Love in a paper bag, and he missed it — not only missed it, but had thrown it in the wastebasket.So back he went to the office.Just ahead of the night janitor(看门人), he picked up the wastebasket.He put the treasures inside and carried it home carefully.The bag didn’t look so good, but the stuff was all there and that’s what counted.
After dinner, he asked Molly to tell him about the stuff in the sack.It took a long time to tell.Everything had a story or a memory.
“Sometimes I think of all the great times in this sweet life,” he thought.
We should all remember that it’s not the destination that counts in life, but the journey.That journey with the people we love is all that really matters.It is such a simple truth but it is so easily forgotten.Why did Molly give her father a second bag?
A.She didn’t want to keep the things in the bag. |
B.She hoped those things would bring happiness to her father. |
C.She wanted to remind her father of the stories behind the things. |
D.She enjoyed playing with her father. |
How did father deal with the bag after he opened it?
A.He kept it in the drawer. |
B.He took it back home. |
C.He threw it into the wastebasket. |
D.He put it on his table. |
After father heard what his daughter said, he felt_____.
A.regretful | B.surprised | C.sad | D.satisfied |
Which of the following is the most suitable title of the passage?
A.An important journey | B.Two bags |
C.Father and daughter | D.Love in a paper bag |
Gabby Logan was a gymnast when she was young. She is now the 39-year-old mother of seven-year-old twins, Reuben and Lois. The other day on TV she was dressed in a new swimsuit, which was designed to show off her nice figure, which was admired by a great number of television viewers.
Gabby, who won high praise for her television show of the Olympics, has asked the woman of the whole nation to go to the swimming pool, saying the secret of her figure is regular swimming. She is also making advertisements for the new Sculpture Swimwear of Speedo, an international swimsuit company, to help women find the perfect swimsuit.
Gabby said, "We all felt uneasy about getting into our swimwear at first. But we should be excited by the sporting achievements we have seen at the Olympics this summer. To get ourselves a little healthier, have a try and go to the swimming pool. " Then she said," Swimming is the perfect exercise if you want to feel healthy or simply relax. I find that going for a swim always clears my mind and also gives me some valuable 6 my time'. I like the calm of swimming which I can't experience when I am not in the pool. "
A study by Speedo, an International company, which sells swimsuits, reported the biggest reason why women were put off going to the pool was the way they looked in swimwear. More than half of the l,000 women surveyed have been reduced to tears when trying on swimwear. And 48 percent said they felt too self-conscious to go swimming with their children. Sally Polak, from Speedo, said, " We're hoping to give women the courage and confidence to get back into the water. "
What can we learn about Gabby Logan?
A.She has two children of the same age. |
B.She appeared on TV to show off her nice figure. |
C.She was a swimmer when she was young. |
D.She took part in the Olympic Games when she was young. |
What is the main reason why Gabby has a nice figure?
A.She is a gymnast. |
B.She often swims. |
C.She has a peaceful mind |
D.She wears Sculpture Swimwear. |
The biggest reason why most women were stopped from swimming is _ .
A.their shy mind of wearing the swimsuit |
B.their being too busy with their housework |
C.their not being comfortable in the swimsuit |
D.their being afraid of their child seeing them wear less |
What is the author's purpose of writing the text?
A.To introduce a famous woman. |
B.To discuss a TV show of the Olympics. |
C.To report a way of keeping a good figure. |
D.To encourage women to go swimming. |
At the age of ten I could not figure out what this Elvis Presley guy had that the rest of us boys did not have.I mean,he had a head,two arms and two legs,just like the rest of us.About nine o’clock on Saturday morning I decided to ask Eugene Correthers,one of the older boys,what it was that made this Elvis guy so special.He told me that it was Elvis’ wavy hair and the way he moved his body.
About half an hour later all the boys in the orphanage(孤儿院)were called to the main dining-room and told we were all going to downtown Jacksonville,Florida to get a new pair of Buster Brown shoes and a haircut.That is when I got this big idea,which hit me like a ton of bricks. If the Elvis hair cut was the big secret,then that’s what I was going to get.
A11 the way to town I told everybody, including the matron(女管家)from the orphanage who was taking us to town,that I was going to look just like Elvis Presley and that I would learn to move around just like he did and that I would be rich and famous one day, just like him.
When I got my new Buster Brown shoes, I could hardly wait for my new hair cut and now that I had my new Busier Brown shoes I would be very happy to go back to the orphanage and practice being like Elvis.
We finally arrived at the big barber shop,where they cut our hair for free because we were orphans(孤儿).I looked at the barber and said,“I want an Elvis hair cut. Can you make my hair like Elvis?”I asked him,with a big smile on my face.“Let's just see what we can do for you,little man,”he said.I was so happy when he started to cut my hair.Just as he started to cut my hair, the matron signed for him to come over to where she was standing.She whispered something into his ear and then he shook his head,like he was telling her “No”.Then he told me they were not allowed to give us Elvis hair cuts.Then I saw my hair falling onto the floor.In the author’s eyes,Elvis Presley was_________.
A.disgusting | B.admirable |
C.ambitious | D.dynamic |
From the passage,we can know that______________.
A.Buster Brown was more appealing than Elvis Presley |
B.An Elvis hair cut cost the orphans a lot of money |
C.The matron did not want the boy to have an Elvis hair cut |
D.The barber was unwilling to give the boy an Elvis hair cut |
We can learn from the underlined sentence that the boy was______.
A.excited to have an Elvis hair cut |
B.worried to think about the secret |
C.anxious to remove the ton of bricks |
D.careful to seize the chance |
How would the boy probably feel when he walked out of the barber shop?
A.Delighted. | B.Guilty. |
C.Self-satisfied. | D.Depressed. |
I was in a shopping mall recently, and I decided to go and get a cup of tea. As I was making my way to the coffee shop, I noticed an old gentleman rather poorly dressed sitting on a bench nearby. I knew from the first sight that he was in need of some kind of help. He had a little lunch in front of him and was wholeheartedly enjoying it.
There was a young man in front of me in the line also waiting to be served. The young man handed the servant a twenty-dollar bill and asked for an orange juice as well as a favor. The servant looked at the young man with a little surprise, not fully understanding him. The young man asked her to give the juice to the old gentleman eating his lunch outside on the bench. The young man also told her that he would be watching every second so that she would be completely safe at all times. Later, there was a wonderful exchange between the waitress and the old man. I only wished I had taken a photo of the smiles on both of their faces.
As I was thinking about this event later on, I wondered why the young man didn’t just perform this act of kindness himself. I thought he was hoping that this act of kindness might inspire others to do something for the old man as well. Thinking of the happy smiles on the old man’s face, I felt how worthwhile it is to help others.The underlined word “favor” in Para. 2 refers to________.
A.passing the young man a cup of orange juice |
B.buying lunch for the old man |
C.exchanging meals with the old man |
D.giving the juice to the old man |
Which of the following can be used to describe the young man?
A.Kind and considerate | B.Generous and proud. |
C.Rich and friendly. | D.Humorous and helpful. |
In the author’s opinion, the young man asked the servant to take the juice to the old man so that____________.
A.the old man could probably accept it |
B.he would become famous for his good deed |
C.more people would be inspired to do good deeds |
D.he would become a friend of the servant |
The world’s richest man might seem to have it all, but Bill Gates has one regret. The self-made billionaire said he felt stupid for not knowing any foreign languages.
Speaking in his third Ask Me Anything question-and-answer session for online forum Reddit(红迪网), the Microsoft founder said that he wished he spoke French, Arabic or Chinese.
He said: “I took Latin and Greek in high school and got A’s and I guess it helps my vocabulary. I keep hoping to get time to study one of these—probably French because it is the easiest. I did Duolingo for a while but didn’t keep it up.”
Gates, who is worth $79.3 billion, praised Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg for surprising an audience in Beijing when he spoke fluent Chinese. “Mark Zuckerberg amazingly leamed Chinese and did a Q&A with Chinese students—unbelievable, isn’t it?” he said.
This isn’t the first time for Gates to admit his regret over language. He also showed his habits at home and personal insights.
Last February, Gates said he likes to do the dishes himself—to his own special standards every night and also told the interviewer that his wife, Melinda, would likely want Samuel L. Jackson to play her husband in a biopic(传记片).
He also admitted that he would pick up a $100 bill if he found it on the street.
As he took the top spot on Forbes(福布斯)28th Annual Billionaires list last year for the fourth time, he said he is pretty basic when it comes to so ending on clothes and food, but that he enjoys investing in shoes and racquets(球拍)when he plays tennis.
When asked a life lesson he had to learn the hard way, the billionaire said staying up too late is a habit he is still trying to break. “Don’t stay up too late even if the book is really exciting. You will regret it in the morning. Pam still working on this problem,” he said. Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?
A.An Interview with Bill Gates |
B.How Bill Gates Succeeded |
C.Bill Gates’ Regret |
D.The Richest Billionaire |
The underlined part in Paragraph 8 may actually mean that_____.
A.it is important to lay a good foundation of life |
B.food and clothing are basic needs for people’s life |
C.he doesn’t spend much money on food and clothes |
D.he never cares about buying food and clothing |
What advice did Bill Gates give?
A.Avoid staying up too late. |
B.Be a good language learner. |
C.Do the dishes yourself at home. |
D.Pick up the $100 bills in the streets. |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A.Bill Gates is also the founder of Facebook |
B.Bill Gates topped the list of Forbes 28 times. |
C.Bill Gates was good at learning languages in high schoo1. |
D.Bill Gates’ wife wants Samuel to play a game with Gates. |
Ben and his wife Susan were on their way to have dinner with their friends. It was a dark,windy night, and they did not know the way very well. They drove through a town until they found what they thought was the road to Dorling,where their friends lived. But it soon became clear that they were not on the road to Dorling at all. The road that they were on was getting narrower,and there were no other cars on it. The wind was blowing harder with every minute that passed.
They came to a small village .They drove past a church and then two houses without lights on. There was nobody about to tell them where they were,or where the road went. Just then,Ben saw a telephone box,twenty meters or so further on. While he walked back along the road to see if there was a name outside the church,Susan telephoned their friends and told them that they were still on their way.
Their friends were just saying that the dinner was already getting rather cold,when Ben came back to the telephone box,his head down against the wind. He said that there was a tree lying across the road,and that the telephone lines were down. Susan heard nothing more from their friends about the dinner.Some time later Ben and Susan found they took a wrong road because ________.
A.their friends lived nearer than they drove |
B.the road was getting narrower and their car alone was on it |
C.the hard wind made them get lost |
D.the road was not the same as before |
Ben went to the church to see if there was a name outside because ________.
A.he was sure to find some people who knew Dorling |
B.he hoped to get help from there |
C.he wanted to telephone his friends where they were |
D.he wanted to stay there for the night |
Susan could hear nothing more from their friends because ________.
A.the telephone lines were broken by a tree |
B.the strong wind made too much noise |
C.they got angry |
D.they had all left |
From the passage we know ________.
A.Ben and his wife often went out for dinners |
B.Ben and his wife lived in the country |
C.both Ben and his wife were shortsighted(近视的) |
D.Ben and his wife seldom(很少) went to Dorling |
On a sunny day last August, Tim heard some shouting. Looking out to the sea carefully, he saw a couple of kids in a rowboat were being pulled out to sea.
Two 12-year-old boys, Christian and Jack, rowed out a boat to search for a football. Once they'd rowed beyond the calm waters, a beach umbrella tied to the boat caught the wind and pulled the boat into open water. The pair panicked and tried to row back to shore. But they were no match for it and the boat was out of control.
Tim knew it would soon be swallowed by the waves. "Everything went quiet in my head," Tim recalls(回忆). "I was trying to figure out how to swim to the boys in a straight line."
Tim took off his clothes and jumped into the water. Every 500 yards or so, he raised his head to judge his progress. "At one point, I considered turning back," he says. "I wondered if I was putting my life at risk." After 30 minutes of struggling, he was close enough to yell to the boys, "Take down the umbrella!" Christian made much effort to take down the umbrella. Then Tim was able to catch up and climb aboard the boat. He took over rowing, but the waves were almost too strong for him.
"Let's aim for the pier(码头)," Jack said. Tim turned the boat toward it. Soon afterward, waves crashed over the boat, and it began to sink. "Can you guys swim?" he cried. "A little bit," the boys said. Once they were in the water, Tim decided it would be safer and faster for him to pull the boys toward the pier. Christian and Jack were wearing life jackets and floated on their backs. Tim swan toward land as water washed over the boys' faces.
“Are we almost there?” they asked again and again. "Yes," Tim told them each time. After 30minutes, they reached the pier.Why did the two boys go to the sea?
A.To go boat rowing. |
B.To get back their football. |
C.To swim in the open water. |
D.To test the umbrella as a sail. |
What does "it” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A.The beach. | B.The water. |
C.The boat. | D.The wind. |
Why did Tim raise his head regularly?
A.To take in enough fresh air. |
B.To consider turning back or not. |
C.To check his distance from the boys. |
D.To ask the boys to take down the umbrella. |
How did the two boys finally reach the pier?
A.They were dragged to the pier by Tim. |
B.They swam to the pier all by themselves. |
C.They were washed to the pier by the waves. |
D.They were carried to the pier by Tim on his back. |
Mr. Jackson lived in the center of London but he had a hotel near the airport. There a lot of foreigners stayed for night. He didn’t know any other language but English and he found it difficult for him to understand the foreign visitors. Sometimes he had to use the gesture to talk with them, and tried his best to make himself understood. But he was often misunderstood (误解) and it brought him a lot of trouble. A friend of his who taught a few foreign languages in a university would teach him. He was happy and studied hard. At first he learned some, but soon he found it wasn’t very easy to remember the words and expressions. His friend advised him to write down the useful expressions in his notebook so that he could use them when necessary. He did as he was told. He found it helpful for him to do so.
One evening there were plenty of people in the dining-room. They were all busy eating something except a Japanese. He was wandering (徘徊) there and waiting for his wife who was dressing herself up upstairs. Mr. Jackson thought to himself, “ The man wants to eat something but he doesn’t know any English. Let me help him.”
As he knew only a little Japanese, he had to bring out his notebook and showed it to the man, pointing to the sentence “I’m hungry.”
The Japanese had a look at it and gave him two pounds and left.Mr. Jackson knew only English because .
A.he was an English student |
B.he had never been abroad |
C.he couldn’t learn by himself |
D.he hadn’t studied any foreign languages |
Mr. Jackson had to use the gesture because .
A.he wanted the foreign visitors to understand him |
B.he wanted to learn the foreign languages from the visitors |
C.he hoped to know the foreign visitors’ custom |
D.he hoped more foreign visitors would stay for night in his hotel |
As not all foreign visitors understand his gesture, sometimes Mr. Jackson to communicate with them.
A.succeeded | B.lost heart | C.failed | D.gave up |
, so he decided to help the man.
A.Mr. Jackson thought the Japanese wanted to stay for night |
B.Mr. Jackson thought the Japanese was not hungry |
C.Mr. Jackson knew the Japanese was waiting for his wife. |
D.Mr. Jackson was sure the Japanese couldn’t speak English |
The Japanese thought , so he gave him two pounds.
A.Mr. Jackson was a beggar. | B.Mr. Jackson was a translator. |
C.Mr. Jackson could help him. | D.Mr. Jackson could ring his wife up. |
试题篮
()