Three Boys and a Dad
Brad closed the door slowly as Sue left home to visit her mother. Expecting a whole day to relax, he was thinking whether to read the newspaper or watch his favourite TV talk show on his first day off in months. “This will be like a walk in the park,” he’d told his wife. “I’ll look after the kids, and you can go visit your mom.”
Things started well, but just after eight o’clock, his three little “good kids”—Mike, Randy, and Alex—came down the stairs in their night clothes and shouted “breakfast, daddy.” When food had not appeared within thirty seconds, Randy began using his spoon on Alex’s head as if it were a drum. Alex started to shout loudly in time to the beat（节拍）. Mike chanted “Where’s my toast, where’s my toast” in the background. Brad realized his newspaper would have to wait for a few seconds.
Life became worse after breakfast. Mike wore Randy’s underwear on his head. Randy locked himself in the bathroom, while Alex shouted again because he was going to wet his pants. Nobody could find clean socks, although they were before their very eyes. Someone named “Not Me” had spilled a whole glass of orange juice into the basket of clean clothes. Brad knew the talk show had already started.
By ten o’clock, things were out of control. Alex was wondering why the fish in the jar refused his bread and butter. Mike was trying to show off his talent by decorating the kitchen wall with his colour pencils. Randy, thankfully, appeared to be reading quietly in the family room，but closer examination showed that he was eating apple jam straight from the bottle with his hands. Brad realised that the talk show was over and reading would be impossible.
At exactly 11:17, Brad called the daycare centre (日托所）.“I suddenly have to go into work and my wife’s away. Can I bring the boys over in a few minutes?” The answer was obviously “yes” because Brad was smiling.When his wife left home. Brad expected to .
| A．go out for a walk in the park |
| B．watch TV talk show with his children |
| C．enjoy his first day off work |
| D．read the newspaper to his children |
Which of the following did Randy do?
| A．Drawing on the wall | B．Eating apple jam |
| C．Feeding the fish. | D．Reading in a room |
Why did Brad ask the daycare centre for help?
| A．Because he wanted to clean up his house. |
| B．Because he suddenly had to go to his office |
| C．Because he found it hard to manage his boys home. |
| D．Because he had to take his wife back |
This text is developed .
| A．by space | B．by comparison | C．by process | D．by time |
One sunny afternoon, a seven-year-old girl went for a walk. She crossed a large area of grassland into the woods __26__ she realized that she was lost.
Sitting on a rock and __27__ what to do, she began crying. After a while. She__28__ to walk along a wide path lined with tall trees and thick bushes. __29__ it was getting dark, she saw a small, dark wooden house. She opened the door and __30__ stepped in. Suddenly, she heard a strange noise, and she ran out the door and back to the __31__. Cold and tired, she fell asleep near a __32__.
The girl’s parents were out and her dog, Laddy, was at home. Laddy __33__ that his mistrees（女主人）was in danger. He jumped __34__ a window, breaking the glass. He looked in the fields. But he couldn’t find his mistress anywhere. However, from the ground came a __35__ scent (气味) as he lowered his head. He __36__ the scent and walked across the grassland. Barking __37__ into the air, the dog __38__ through the woods until he found the __39__ . But the girl was not there, so he headed back to the woods. Much to his __40__ , he saw his mistress’ blue shirt in the distance. He __41__ over some bushes and saw the little stream, where the girl was __42__.
When she opened her eyes and 43 her dog standing beside her, the girl said, “you 44 me, Laddy,” and she kissed him several times. Seeing their daughter and dog coming back, the parents burst into tears of 45 . That night Laddy had a heror’s supper: a huge meal of steak
A．before B．since C．while D．as
A．wondering B．forgetting C．remembering D．regretting
A．preferred B．expected C．failed D．decided
A．When B．Until C．If D．Because
A．carelessly B．cautiously C．hopelessly D．unwillingly
A．trees B．bushes C．woods D．grasses
A．stream B．rock C．tree D．house
A．found B．sensed C．heard D．smelt
A．at B．through C．in D．onto
A．terrible B．strange C．pleasant D．familiar
A．missed B．discovered C．followed D．ignored
A．calmly B．loudly C．merrily D．gently
A．searched B．wandered C．looked D．travelled
A．window B．girl C．house D．hero
A．satisfaction B．disappointment C．embarrassment D．delight
A．jumped B．climbed C．walked D．flew
A．awake B．abandoned C．available D．asleep
A．spotted B．watched C．observed D．saw
A．disturbed B．comforted C．rescued D．scared
A．pain B．shock C．sorrow D．relief
One Tuesday evening in the beginning of the fall 1996 semester at Shippensburg University, sirens(警笛) sounded. These sirens were not in celebration; they were a cry to the university that something was wrong. A house, only one block away, was on fire. Nine of the university's students lived there.
From the minute the word got out that help was needed, it seemed like everyone showed up. The victims of the fire were offered endless invitations for housing for the night. The very next day, everyone got into gear to do their part in helping them. Flyers (小传单) were posted with items that were immediately needed, just to get these students through this next couple of days. Boxes for donations and money jars were placed in every residence hall（学生宿舍）．
As a residence director，I went before the students in my hall to ask them to do what they could. I knew that college students don't have much, but I asked them to do their best: “Every little bit will help." I really didn't think they could do much. I was proved wrong.
At the hall council meeting the night after the fire, my residents decided to have a wing competition, where each wing of the building would team up to see who could bring In the most donations. I announced that the wing who won would receive a free pizza party.
Thursday evening we announced over the PA system that we were beginning the wing competition. Within minutes, the place exploded. The single large box that I had placed in the lobby (太厅) was over-flowing. We quickly grabbed more boxes, and we watched in amazement as they, too, filled to the brim. Members of the resident assistant staff and I began to count the items. I was astonished by what I saw, and I was inspired by these kids.
When we came to the final tally（得分）, the winners turned to me and announced that they would like to donate their winnings as well. They wanted the victims of the fire to have their pizza party.
Tears welled up in my eyes. I had watched these students jump to action, work tirelessly and donate all that they could. And then, as if that were not enough, they handed over their reward’s was touched and so very proud of them.The writer mainly wanted to by the story.
| A．tell us the suffering of nine of the college students from a fire |
| B．praise the college students helping the victims selflessly |
| C．tell us how successful the wing competition was |
| D．show he was deeply moved by the college students' action |
The phrase "get into gear" in the second paragraph means .
| A．be eager | B．take action | C．be prepared | D．start working |
At first, the residence director thought .
| A．it was impossible to expect the college students to donate anything |
| B．it was easy to collect a lot of donations from the college students |
| C．the college students would donate not much |
| D．the college students would donate all the items they had |
The wing competition was held .
| A．on Tuesday evening | B．on Thursday |
| C．on Wednesday evening | D．the very next day |
How did the residence director feel when he saw the brimful boxes?
| A．Terrible． | B．Funny． | C．Surprised． | D．Serious |
A group of graduates got together to visit their old university professor. They talked about the 36 topic-happiness. But soon their conversation turned into complaints about 37 in work and life.
To offer his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and 38 with a large pot of coffee and a variety of 39 -plastic glass, metal, porcelain (陶瓷), some plain-looking some very 40 .The professor told his students to help themselves to hot coffee.
When all the students had a cup of coffee in 41 . the professor said:" lf you have noticed, all the nice-looking 42 . cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is 43 for you to want only the best for Your belives, that is the 44 of your problems and stress. The professor continued," Believe that the cup itself adds no 45 to the coffee. ln most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases it even 46 what we drink. What all of you 47 wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went 48 the best cups. Now 49 this: life is coffee, the jobs, money, and 50 in society are the cups， which are just tools to hold and 51 life, and the different types of cups we have don't decide, nor 52 the quality of life. lf we concentrate only on the cups, we will 53 to enjoy the coffee in it. So don't let the cups 54 you...enjoy the coffee instead."
At these words, the graduates looked at each other in 55 embarrassment.
A．hot B．sensitive C．famous D．easy
A．pay B．joy C．experience D．stress
A．cooked B．took C．returned D．met
A．cups B．gifts C．plates D．drinks
A．common B．special C．rare D．delicate
A．order B．time C．hand D．place
A．pretty B．different C．colorful D．expensive
A．necessary B．normal C．good D．possible
A．situation B．answer C．result D．source
A．quality B．energy C．weight D．color
A．makes B．gives C．hides D．includes
A．finally B．really C．especially D．nearly
A．for B．with C．off D．to
A．forget B．discuss C．consider D．try
A．position B．relation C．workmates D．friends
A．create B．support C．contain D．own
A．damage B．determine C．change D．increase
A．come B．stop C．have D．fail
A．drive B．hold C．take D．control
A．quiet B．speechless C．amazing D．reasonable
Disease, poverty, hate, love—Charles Dickens’ stories opened his readers eyes to the most important themes of his age. Two hundred years on, his stories still speak volumes across the world, proving that Dickens’ legacy(遗产) was far greater than just “great literature”
February 7 marks the 200th anniversary of the writer’s birthday. To mark this date, BBC writer Alex Hudson listed six things Dickens gave the modern world. Let’s take a look at two of them.
A white Christmas
Dickens is described as “the man who invented Christmas”—not the religious festival, but the cultural aspects that we associate with the festive season today. In the early 19th century, Christmas was barely worth mentioning, according to critic and writer Leigh Hunt. The committee which ran the Conservative Party even held ordinary business meetings on Christmas Day – unthinkable in the West nowadays, when everyone but the most necessary workers takes at least three days off.
Many people believe that Dickens’ popular descriptions of the festive period became a blueprint for generations to come. In his classic novel, A Christmas Carol, he not only put forward the idea of snow at Christmas, but also painted a picture of glowing warmth –“ home enjoyments, affections and hopes”.
In his biography of Dickens, Peter Ackroyd wrote: “ Dickens can be said to have almost single-handedly created the modern idea of Christmas.”
“Dickensian” poverty
Dickens was one of the first to take an honest look at the underclass and the poor of Victorian (the period during British Queen Victoria’s reign from 1837 to 1901) London.
He helped popularize the term “red tape” to describe situations where people in power use needless amounts of bureaucracy（官僚作风） in a way that particularly hurts the weaker and poorer members of society.
“Dickensian” has now become a powerful word for describing an unacceptable level of poverty. In 2009, when the president of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers in the UK wanted to talk about deprivation in some areas of Britain, she did not use words like “terrible” or “horrific”, but rather described it as “life mirroring the times of Dickens”. What is the main idea of the article?
| A．An introduction to Charles Dickens’ classic novels. |
| B．Charles dickens’ impact on the world. |
| C．Charles Dickens’ amazing characters. |
| D．Why Charles Dickens is popular across the world. |
Why is Dickens called “the man who invented Christmas”?
| A．Because he created the religious festival. |
| B．Because many of his novels have something to do with Christmas. |
| C．Because one of his novels helped to shape Christmas celebrations. |
| D．Because he was the first man to have proposed celebrating Christmas. |
According to the article, the phrase “red tape” refers to _______.
| A．rules or procedures that are required to accomplish a task |
| B．a situation in which poor members of society are hurt. |
| C．conflict between people in power and weaker people |
| D．pointlessly time-consuming official procedures |
Without any hesitation, he said, “I’d be better off dead.” Hearing those words come out of my best friend’s mouth tore my heart apart. He has repeated that phrase more than once, and my mind continually plays it over like a voice recording.
I met him about three years ago. After knowing me for six months, he told me about his struggles with depression. Sadness was not the only emotion that came over me; I was shocked. He seemed so outgoing and happy all the time. I soon learned that he was physically and emotionally abused as a young child, causing him to have suicidal thoughts.
He refuses to talk to others about his depression because he now distrusts adults, especially those in his family. Nevertheless, he feels as if I understand him and that I know the right words to speak. Therefore, when it comes to helping him, convenience is not in my vocabulary. It does not matter where I am or what I am doing, for he always comes first.
Many students at his school laugh at him when they notice scars on his arms from cutting. As he sees it, other kids have every right to make fun of him. But no one holds such a right, so I encourage him to ignore the heartless kids who treat him badly. When he feels the weight of judging eyes or hateful voices, I always remind him that I care about him unconditionally. Just hearing me say I will always be his best friend seems to give him the security he needs to keep on going.
My best friend once told me that if he had not had me, he would not be alive. He said that my encouraging words convinced him not to take his life. Our friendship has taught me that a single kind word can influence someone’s life. With the fragility of life as it is, I believe in the necessity of encouragement.According to the first paragraph, what the author’s friend said made the author feel ______.
| A．puzzled | B．heartbroken. | C．frightened | D．hopeless |
By saying “convenience is not in my vocabulary”, the author means ______.
| A．he is always ready to help his friend. |
| B．he hardly spares time to help his friend. |
| C．he has no good excuse for refusing his friend. |
| D．he is not good at communicating with his friend. |
From the passage we learn that the author’s friend ________.
| A．had a happy childhood but everything changed later |
| B．wanted to share his story but no one listened. |
| C．took it for granted that he was made fun of |
| D．was always of sad appearance |
What does the author learn from his experiences?
| A．How to make a big difference to others. |
| B．The importance of encouragement. |
| C．How to get rid of depression |
| D．The necessity of security |
A group of graduates got together to visit their old university professor.
The conversation soon turned into complaints about 36 in work and life. Offering his 37 coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and 38 with a large pot of coffee and a 39 of cups---porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain-looking, some expensive, some beautiful—telling them to 40 themselves to the coffee.
When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said, “if you have 41 , all the nice-looking expensive cups have been 42 , leaving behind the plain and 43 ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the 44 of your problems and stress.”
“Be assured that the cup 45 adds no quality to the coffee. 46 it is just more expensive and in some cases 47 hides what we drink.”
“48 all of you really want is coffee, not the cup, 49 you consciously went for the best cups…. And then you began 50 each other’s cups.”
Now consider this: 51 is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. 52 are just tools to hold and contain life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the 53 of life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we 54 to enjoy the coffee. Value the coffee, not the cups! Don’t let the cups 55 you … enjoy the coffee instead.
A．stress B．dream C．sorrow D．truth
A．friends B．customers C．fellows D．guests
A．carried B．returned C．arrived D．reached
A．kind B．variety C．sort D．number
A．devote B．expose C．help D．addicted
A．searched B．witnessed C．noticed D．discovered
A．taken up B．brought in C．sold out D．cut down
A．expensive B．cheap C．beautiful D．usual
A．point B．answer C．source D．result
A．by itself B．on its own C．for itself D．itself
A．At no time B．At times C．In no case D．In most cases
A．ever B．even C．never D．hardly
A．What B．That C．Which D．Whether
A．but B．so C．and D．for
A．suspecting B．liking C．envying D．eyeing
A．Love B．Life C．Future D．Failure
A．They B．We C．You D．What
A．quantity B．style C．quality D．standard
A．have B．hesitate C．forget D．fail
A．force B．drive C．puzzle D．amaze
Buster Brown was a thief and a good one too，he thought． He’d never been caught by the police because he never took chances．He was always prepared for any unforeseen event or emergency.
Confidently，he stood outside the house of his intended victim(受害者)and read the sign on the front gate of the house．“Don't worry about the dog—be aware of the owner!” it said．Buster smiled and found his way in．
The house looked quite normal outside，but inside it was very exotic with fascinating objects on display．As he began putting them into his bag，a dog came into the room．It stopped when it saw Buster，then wagged its tail madly and went over to him，licking his outstretched hand． "Good boy，” Buster whispered． “What a great guard dog you are—trying to lick me to death.” Satisfied he'd made friends with the dog，Bluster began to wander round the house，choosing items to put in his bag．His skilled eye picked out only the best antiques(古董)：a pair of silver candleholders，a silver tea-and-coffee service，etc．．His new friend，the dog，sat and watched，as if wondering what was happening．
“Well，boy，” Buster whispered，finally．“That might do．Any more and I won't be able to carry it!” He swung the heavy bag onto his shoulders, just as the lights came on, nearly blinding him. He shielded his eyes with his hand.
"You're a very silly person," the figure in the doorway said, his voice dry and dust. As the man came closer, Buster could see he was well dressed. His face seemed familiar, but Buster couldn't quite place where he had seen him before.
"You should have taken more notice of the sign outside," the man rasped. "I knew about this attempted robbery last week and I also know you will end up behind bars for 20 years. Fancy trying to rob the house of the world's greatest fortune-teller!"Why was Buster so confident?
| A．He was not afraid of dogs. |
| B．He knew the owner of the house lived alone. |
| C．The house had no security alarm. |
| D．He had never been caught by the police. |
Which of the definitions is closest in meaning to the word "exotic" in the third paragraph?
| A．Messy and untidy. | B．Rich and expensive. |
| C．Foreign and unusual. | D．Comfortable and calming. |
How did Buster decide which objects to take?
| A．He took those that were easy to carry in his bag. |
| B．He took only the best antiques. |
| C．He took those that he knew he could sell easily. |
| D．He looked for silver objects. |
What punishment waits for Buster Brown?
| A．A long prison sentence. |
| B．A prison sentence with hard labor. |
| C．A heavy fine. |
| D．Community service for 20 years. |
When I was in the third grade, I was picked to be the princess in the school play. For weeks my mother had helped me practice my lines. But once on stage, every word disappeared from my head. Then my teacher told me she had written a narrator's part for the play, and asked me to change roles. Though I didn't tell my mother what had happened that day, she sensed my unhappiness and asked if I wanted to take a walk in the yard. It was a lovely spring day. We could see dandelions(蒲公英）popping through the grass in bunches, as if a painter had touched our landscape with bits of gold. I watched my mother carelessly bend down by one of the bunches. "I think I am going to dig up all these weeds," she said. "From now on, we'll have only roses in this garden." "But I like dandelions," I protested. "All flowers are beautiful-even dandelions!" My mother looked at me seriously. "Yes, every flower gives pleasure in its own way, doesn't it?" she asked thoughtfully. I nodded. "And that is true of people, too," she added. When I realized that she had guessed my pain, I started to cry and told her the fact. “But you will be a beautiful narrator,” she said, reminding me of how much I loved to read stories aloud to her. Over the next few weeks, with her continuous encouragement, I learned to take pride in the role. The big day finally came. A few minutes before the play, my teacher came over to me. “Your mother asked me to give this to you,” she said, handing me a dandelion. After the play, I took home the flower, laughing that I was perhaps the only person who would keep such a weed.The girl did not play the role of the princess mainly because_____
| A．she felt nervous on the stage. |
| B．she lost her interest in that role. |
| C．she preferred the role of the narrator |
| D．she had difficulty memorizing her words |
Why did the mother suggest a walk in the garden?
| A．To remove the dandelions |
| B．To enjoy the garden scene |
| C．to help her daughter with the play. |
| D．to have a talk with her daughter. |
What is the main idea of the story?
| A．Everybody can find his or her own way to success. |
| B．Everybody should learn to play different roles |
| C．Everybody has his or her own value in the world. |
| D．Everybody has some unforgettable memory. |
American magician David Blaine left the glass box in which he had lived for 44 days without food on October 19, 2003. Hundreds of people came to watch the end of his starvation experiment, which has become one of London’s main tourist attractions.
Looking thinner and darker, 30-year-old Blaine was taken out of his box over the River Thames and immediately went to hospital. He was then slowly reintroduced to food, a process doctors say could be life threatening. He had been drinking only water since September 5.
A native of Brooklyn, New York, Blaine first became known as a street magician in the early 1990s. He soon found himself doing magic tricks in bars for the likes of American actor Leonardo DiCaprio and his super model friends.
Over the last decade Blaine has become famous with a combination of breathtaking magic and clever tricks aimed at getting a lot of attention. In 1999, he was buried in a coffin (棺材) for one week and, in 2000, he spent 62 hours in a giant block of ice. Last year he stood on top of a 25-meter pillar (柱子) in the center of New York for 35 hours before jumping into a pile of boxes.
“I think a lot of people are unable to accept that they’re able to do what they can do,” he said. “They don’t realize we can survive. The human being is an amazing creation.”
But he seems to have suffered from spending so long in the glass box. He said that at times he was unable to see, had serious back pains and lost his sense of taste.It is for David Blaine to eat food after such a long starvation.
| A．pleasant | B．delicious | C．dangerous | D．important |
Having spent such a long time in the glass box, he suffered the following EXCEPT that .
| A．he had become blind | B．he had serious back pains |
| C．he lost his sense of taste | D．he was in weak health |
Which of the following can best describe David Blaine?
| A．Serious. | B．Adventurous. | C．Smart. | D．Crazy. |
Which of the following is NOT true about David Blaine?
| A．Blaine immediately went to hospital after he was taken out of his box. |
| B．Blaine was born and brought up in England. |
| C．In Blaine’s opinion, people can create a wonder. |
| D．Blaine didn’t have any food for 44 days. |
Barditch High School decided to an All-School Reunion. Over 450 people came to the event. There were tours of the old school building and a picnic at Confederate Park. Several former teachers were on hand to tell stories about the old days. Ms. Mabel Yates, the English teacher for fifty years, was wheeled to the Park.
Some eyes rolled and there were a few low groans(嘟囔声)when Ms.Yates was about to speak. Many started looking at their watches and coming up with excuses to be anywhere instead of preparing to listen to a lecture from an old woman who had few kind words for her students and made them work harder than all the other teachers combined.
Then Ms. Yates started to speak:
"I can't tell you how pleased I am to be here. I haven't seen many of you since your graduation, but I have followed your careers and enjoyed your victories as well as crying for your tragedies. I have a large collection of newspaper photographs of my students. Although I haven't appeared in person, I have attended your college graduations, weddings and even the birth your children, in my imagination."
Ms. Yates paused and started crying a bit. Then she continued:
"It was my belief that if I pushed you as hard as I could, some of you would succeed to please me and others would succeed to annoy me. Regardless of our motives, I can see that you have all been successful in you chosen path."
"There is no greater comfort for an educator than to see the end result of his or her years of work. You have all been a great source of pleasure and pride for me and I want you to know I love you all from the bottom of my heart."
There was a silence over the crowd for a few seconds and then someone started clapping. Tee clapping turned into cheering, then into a deafening roar(呼喊). Lawyers, truck drivers, bankers and models were rubbing their eyes or crying openly with no shame all because of the words from a long forgotten English teacher from their hometown.
| 1． |
What activity was organized for the school reunion?
|
| 2． |
What can be inferred from Paragraph 2 ?
|
| 3． |
We can learn from Ms. Yates' speech that she
|
| 4． |
What was Ms.Yates' belief in teaching teenagers?
|
| 5． |
Which of the following can best describe Ms. Yates?
|
I fell in love with Yosemite National Park the first time I saw it, when I was 13. My parents took us there for camping. On the way out, I asked them to wait while I ran up to E1 Capitan, a ___16___ rock of 3,300 feet straight up. I touched that giant rock and knew ___17___ I wanted to climb it. That has been my life’s passion (钟爱) ever since--- ___18___ the rocks and mountains of Yosemite. I’ve long made Yosemite my ___19___.
About 15 years ago I started seeing a lot of ___20___, like toilet paper, beer cans, and empty boxes, around the area. It’s ___21___ me why visitors started respecting the place ___22___ and treated such a beautiful home-like place this way.
I tried ___23___ trash(垃圾)myself, but the job was too big. I would ___24___an hour or two on the job, only to find the area trashed all over again weeks later. Finally, I got so ___25__ it that I decided something had to change.
As a rock-climbing guide, I knew ___26___about organizing any big event. But in 2004, together with some climbers, I set a date for a ___27___. On that day, more than 300 people ___28___. Over three days we collected about 6,000 pounds of trash. It was amazing how much we were able to ___29___. I couldn’t believe the ___30___ we made ---the park looked clean!
Each year volunteers come for the cleanup from everywhere. In 2007 alone, 2,945 people picked up 42,330 pounds of trash and ___31___ 132 miles of roadway.
I often hear people ___32___ about their surroundings. If you are one of them, I would say the only way to change things is by ___33___ rather than complaining. We need to teach by ___34___. You can’t blame others ___35___ you start with yourself.
A．distant B．huge C．narrow D．loose
A．immediately B．finally C．gradually D．recently
A．imagining B．painting C．describing D．climbing
A．garden B．home C．lab D．palace
A．material B．resources C．waste D．goods
A．beyond B．against C．over D．within
A．more B．most C．less D．least
A．throwing away B．picking up C．breaking down D．digging out
A．kill B．save C．wait D．spend
A．satisfied with B．delighted in C．tired of D．used to
A．something B．anything C．everything D．nothing
A．cleanup B．party C．picnic D．concert
A．dropped out B．showed up C．looked around D．called back
A．demand B．receive C．accomplish D．overcome
A．plan B．visit C．contact D．difference
A．crossed B．measured C．covered D．designed
A．talk B．complain C．argue D．quarrel
A．doing B．thinking C．questioning D．watching
A．method B．explanation C．example D．research
A．although B．if C．when D．useless
The audience starts to scream and young people all over Britain turn on their TVs. Yes, it’s Top of the pops!
Top of the pops is an amazing 45-year-old programme. Pop stars from all over the world appear on this successful TV prograrmme. After about 2340 shows, it’s still the most popular pop music show in Britain．So what’s the secret?
“We get lots of bands to perform live in the studio,” says producer Chris Cowey. “That just doesn’t happen on other shows”
Chris starts the preparations for the programme over a week before it goes out．His first job is to decide which bands to have on the show. When the chart of the top twenty songs is produced on Sunday, Chris can start to book the bands
Monday starts with Chris meeting his sound, lighting and camera workers. They listen to each song and plan the show.
Tuesday is paperwork day. There are bookings to make sure of, letters to answer and lots of phone calls to make. The show is on Thursday. Bands arrive at the studio from 10 o’clock in the morning and start practicing. Tonight’s presenter, Jo Whiley, practises too
First the bands go to make up. Judy and Issy are the make-up artists. “We see the stars with no make-up on, looking terrible,” says Issy. Then the bands go to the costume department where Marianne dresses the stars.
Back in the studio things are happening. The audience is practising their dance moves! It takes over two hours to record the whole programme, then Chris edits it all night long. The final version is exactly 29 minutes longWhat make (s) Top of the Pops the most popular in Britain?
| A．The famous singers of the bands. |
| B．The live performances in the studio. |
| C．The large numbers of pop fans in Britain. |
| D．The jobs carefully done by the workers of the TV station. |
When the bands receive the invitations to the performance, ___________________.
| A．they must decide what songs they will perform |
| B．they have no idea what songs they will perform |
| C．they don’t have to decide what songs they will perform |
| D．the songs that will be performed haven’t been decided on |
Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The programme time on TV is exactly controlled. |
| B．All the stars must make up before their performance. |
| C．The producer plays the main role in planning the programme. |
| D．There are no audience to join in the performance at the TV station |
How is the music programme made at the TV station?
Which is the proper title for the passage?
| A．A Stage for Pop Stars |
| B．Go Backstage of Top of the Pops |
| C．Great Success Comes from Hard Work |
| D．The Most Popular Is the Most Successful |
I had to knock on the taxi to get his attention. Finally, the driver, a man about 60, looked up from behind the wheel and apologized, “I’m sorry, but I was reading a letter.” He sounded as if he had a cold or a cough.
Since I was in no hurry, I told him to finish his letter. He shook his head, explaining that he had already read it several times and almost knew it by heart. Curious, I asked whether it was from a child or maybe a grandchild. “This isn’t family,” he replied. “Though he might just as well have been a regular member of the family, Old Ed and I grew up together.”
They were always friends. But since he moved away from the neighborhood 30 years ago, it’d generally just been postcards at Christmas time between them. A couple of weeks ago, Ed died. “I should have kept in touch.” He repeated this, more to himself than to me. To comfort him, I said sometimes we just didn’t seem to find the time. “But we used to find the time,” he said. “Take a look.” He handed the letter over to me.
The first sentence “I’ve been meaning to write for some time, but I’ve always delayed it.” reminded me of myself. It went on to say that he often thought about the good times they had had together. When I read the part where it said “Your friendship really means a lot to me, more than I can say because I’m not good at saying things like that”, I found myself nodding in agreement.
We had gone several kilometers and were almost at my hotel, so I read the last paragraph: “So I thought you’d like to know that I was thinking of you.” And it was ended with “Your Old Friend, Tom.”
“I thought your friend’s name was Ed,” I said.
“I’m Tom,” he explained. “It’s a letter I wrote to Ed before I knew he’d died. I never put it in the mailbox. I guess I should have written it sooner.” His face was pale as he wiped his eyes with a handkerchief.
When I got to my hotel room I didn’t unpack right away. I had to write a letter and post it. From Paragraph 4, we learn that the author _______.
| A．often fails to write to his friends |
| B．doesn’t want to write to his friends |
| C．had many great moments with his friends |
| D．was good at expressing his feelings to friends |
Who wrote the letter?
| A．Old Ed | B．The driver’s grandchild |
| C．The author | D．Tom |
It can be inferred from the passage that the driver regretted_____.
| A．missing Ed’s funeral |
| B．moving away from his neighborhood |
| C．forgetting to send Ed Christmas cards |
| D．not being able to keep in touch with Ed |
An “apple polisher” is one who gives gifts to win friendship or special treatment. It is not exactly a bribe(贿赂),but is close to it.
All sorts of people are apple polishers, including politicians and people in high offices ── just about everybody. Oliver Cromwell, the great English leader, offered many gifts to win the support of George Fox and his party, but failed.
There are other phrases meaning the same thing as “apple-polishing” ── “soft-soaping” or “butter-up”. A gift is just one way to “soft-soap” somebody, or to “butter him up”. Another that is just as effective is flattery, giving someone high praise ── telling him how good he looks, or how well he speaks, or how talented and wise he is.
Endless are the ways of flattery. Who does not love or hear it ? Only an unusual man can resist the thrill of being told how wonderful he is. In truth, flattery is good medicine for most of us, who gets so little of it.
We need it to be more sure of ourselves. It cannot hurt unless we get carried away by it. But we just lap it up for its food value and nourishment, as a cat laps up milk, then we can still remain true to ourselves.
Sometimes, however, flattery will get you nothing from one who has had too much of it. A good example is the famous 12th century legend of King Canute of Denmark and England. The king got tired of listening to the endless sickening flattery of his courtiers（朝臣）.They overpraised him to the skies, as a man of limitless power.
He decided to teach them a lesson. He took them to the seashore and sat down. Then he ordered the waves to stop coming in. The tide was too busy to listen to him. The king was satisfied. This might show his followers how weak his power was and how empty their flattery.Which of the following activities has nothing to do with “apple-polishing” ?
| A．A boy tells his girlfriend how pretty she looks |
| B．An employee tells his boss how good he is at management |
| C．A knight(骑士)is said to be of limitless power by his followers |
| D．A teacher praised his students for their talent and wisdom. |
Which of the following statement about flattery is TRUE according to the author ?
| A．Too much flattery can carry us away |
| B．Flattery is too empty to do people any good |
| C．Flattery can get nothing but excessive(过度的)pride |
| D．Flattery is one of the ways to apple-polish people. |
King Canute of Denmark and England took his followers to the seashore because __________.
| A．he was sick of his normal |
| B．he disliked being overpraised any more |
| C．he wanted them to realize how wise he was |
| D．he wanted them to see how weak he was as a king |
The author thinks that flattery can do good to those who _________.
| A．are really excellent |
| B．lack confidence |
| C．are politicians or in high offices |
| D．think highly of themselves |
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