It was the first day of school. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a little old lady smiling at me. She said, “Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I’m eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?”
I laughed and said, “Of course!” And she gave me a big hug. “Why are you in college at such an age?” I asked.
She jokingly replied, “I’m here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have kids and then retire and travel.”
“No seriously.”
“I always dreamed of having a college education and now I’m getting one!”
We became friends at once. Over the course of the year, Rose easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she was happy with the attention given to her from the other students. At the end of the term we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet（宴会）. I’ll never forget what she taught us in her speech.
“We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You’ve got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and don’t even know it! There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don’t do one useful thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything, I will turn eighty-eight. Anybody can grow older. That doesn’t take any ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity to do productive things. Have no regrets（遗憾；后悔）. The elderly usually don’t have regrets for what we did, but we regret for things we did not do.”
At the year’s end Rose finished the college degree. One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Over two thousand college students attended her funeral to honor the wonderful woman!While meeting Rose at the college for the first time, the author was curious about _______.
| A．her age | B．her life | C．her purpose | D．her dream |
By saying “I’m here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have kids and then retire and travel”, Rose was trying to be ___________.
| A．humorous | B．amazing | C．confident | D．smart |
What else did Rose most probably say at the football banquet?
| A．“It seems that my young days are over.” |
| B．“Don’t do much in order to stay young.” |
| C．“The people who fear death are those with regrets.” |
| D．“When we are old, we can do nothing.” |
The story of Rose in the text shows that ___________.
| A．it is good to make friends with old people |
| B．it is necessary to have a college education for old people |
| C．it is important to have a healthy body when people are getting old |
| D．it is never too late to be what you can possibly be |
Mark Twain left school when he was twelve. He had little school education. In spite of this, he became the most famous writer of his time. He made millions of dollars by writing. His real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens, but he is better known all over the world as Mark Twain, his penname.
Mark Twain was born in 1835 and he was not a healthy baby. In fact, he was not expected to live through the first winter. But with his mother’s care, he managed to survive. As a boy, he caused much trouble for his parents. He used to play jokes on all his friends and neighbors. He didn’t like to go to school, and he often ran away from home. He always went in the direction of the nearby Mississippi(密西西比河). He was nearly drowned nine times.
After his father’s death, Mark Twain began to work for a printer, who only provided him with food and clothing. Then, he worked as a printer, a river-boat pilot and later joined the army. But shortly after that he became a miner. During this period, he started to write short stories. Afterwards he became a full time writer.
In 1870, Mark Twain got married. In the years that followed he wrote many books including Tom Sawyer in 1876, and Huckleberry Finn in 1884, which made him famous, and brought him great fortune.
Unfortunately, Mark Twain got into debts in bad investments(投资) and he had to write large numbers of stories to pay these debts. In 1904, his wife died, and then three of his children passed away.
At the age of 70, his hair was completely white. He bought many white suits and neckties. He wore nothing but white from head to foot until his death on April 21, 1910.In his childhood, Mark Twain, ________.
| A．learned a lot at school |
| B．he often went swimming with other boys |
| C．his mother often worried about his safety |
| D．he often played games with other boys |
Which of the following shows the right order about Mark Twain?
a. He became a miner. b. He worked as a printer.
c. He got into debts. d. His father died.
e. He became a full-time writer. F. He joined the army.
| A．a—d—b—c—e—f | B．d—b—f—a—e—c |
| C．d—a—f—e—b—c | D．c—b—d—f—e—a |
In order to make a living, Mark Twain _______.
| A．first worked as a printer | B．did many kinds of work |
| C．wrote stories in the beginning | D．joined the army after he worked in a mine |
From the passage we can see that Mark Twain _______.
| A．had a happy childhood |
| B．was a good boy and always did what he was asked |
| C．was very naughty when he was young |
| D．lived a pleasant life |
Before his death, Mark Twain _______.
| A．became a white man | B．was in low spirits |
| C．liked to buy all kinds of clothes | D．had nothing on |
Apple Inc co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs, counted among the greatest American CEOs of his generation, died on Wednesday at the age of 56, after years-long and highly public battle with cancer．Mourners （ 哀悼者 ） gathered outside his house in Palo Alto, California, and Apple stores around the world．
Steve Jobs made technology fun．As tech leaders, they're really happy if they have one hit in their life．Steve Jobs has the Apple II, the Mac, the iPod, the iPhone, the iPad and Pixar．
Steve Jobs was a college dropout．He was adopted by a machinist and his wife, an accountant． They supported his early interest in electronics．He and his friend Steve Wozniak started Apple Computer —now just called Apple —in 1976．They stayed at the company until 1985．That year, Steve Wozniak returned to college and Steve Jobs left in a debate with the chief executive．
Mr．Jobs then formed his own company, called NeXT Computer．He rejoined Apple in 1997 after it bought NeXT．He helped remake Apple from a business that was in bad shape then to one of the most valuable companies in the world today．However, Steve Jobs stepped down as Apple's chief executive in August because of his health．He died a day after the company released a new iPhone version that met with limited excitement．Steve left behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple．
President Obama said in a statement: by building one of the planet's most successful companies from his garage, Steve Jobs exemplified the spirit of American ingenuity （独创性的）．By making computers personal and putting the Internet in our pockets, he made the information revolution not only accessible, but intuitive （有直觉力的） and fun．
The fact that he was able to redesign American business top to bottom and across is really stunning．He probably will be considered an industrial giant on the scale of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, so one of the greatest of all time．Steve Jobs not only revolutionized technology, he also revolutionized American business．Steve Jobs was remembered as a "great visionary and leader" and a " marketing genius"．According to the second paragraph, the author wants to show that _____．
| A．Steve Jobs owns many computer companies in America |
| B．Steve Jobs has a lot of inventions in the field of computers |
| C．tech leaders will be really happy when they have one hit in their life |
| D．Steve makes great contributions to mankind in the field of computers |
Which of the following statements about Steve Jobs is TRUE ?
| A．He left Apple in 1985 because he and the CEO had different opinions． |
| B．He built a company called NeXT Computer with his friend Steve Woaniak． |
| C．He died a day after he stepped down as Apple's chief executive． |
| D．He was remembered as the founder of Apple and the Internet． |
The underlined word "stunning" in the last paragraph probably means ______．
| A．effective | B．brilliant | C．practical | D．interesting |
This passage is mainly about _____．
| A．the inventions of Steve Jobs |
| B．the childhood of Steve Jobs |
| C．a brief introduction of Steve Jobs |
| D．the death of Steve Jobs |
Early in the 16th century men were trying to reach Asia by travelling west from Europe. In order to find Asia they had to find a way past South Africa. The man who finally found the way from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific was Ferdinand Magellan.
Magellan sailed from Seville in August 1519 with five ships and about 280 men. Fourteen months later, after spending the severe （凌冽的） winter on the coast of Patagonia, he discovered the channel （海峡） which is now called Magellan Straits. In November 1520, after many months of dangers from rocks and storms, the three remaining ships entered the ocean on the other side of South America.
They then continued, hoping to reach Asia. But they didn’t see any land until they reached the islands off the coast of Asia. Before they arrived at these islands, later known as Philippines, men were dying of starvation. While they were in the Philippines., Magellan was killed in battle.
The remaining officers then had to get back to Spain. They decided to sail around Africa. After many difficulties, one ship with eighteen men sailed into Seville after leaving. They were all that remained of Magellan’s expedition （探险队）.Magellan Straits were discovered by Magellan ______.
| A．in August 1519 | B．in October 1520 |
| C．in November 1520 | D．in December 1520 |
The number of the ships lost on the whole expedition was ______.
| A．two | B．three | C．four | D．five |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the text?
| A．Dangers from rocks and storms | B．Lack of fresh food and water |
| C．Severe winter in Patagonia | D．The death of Magellan |
Sometimes, something that is considered to be negative turns out to be an advantage on the job. Though he is only l8 years old and blind, Suleyman Gokyigit is among the top computer technicians and programmers at InteliData Technologies Corp., a large software company with several offices across the United States.
"After our company united with another one last October, two different computer networks were driving us crazy," recalls Douglas Braun, the InteliData president. "We couldn't even send e-mail to each other.” In three weeks Mr Gokyigit created the software needed to connect the two networks. "None of the company's 350 other employees could have done the job in three months," says Mr. Braun. " Suleyman can 'see' into the heart of the computer.”
Mr. Gokyigfi's gift, as Mr. Braun calls it, is an unusual ability to form an idea of the inside of a machine. "The computer permits me to reach out into the world and do almost anything I want to do," says Mr. Gokyigit
The young programmer is at home with hardware as well, thanks partly to a highly developed sense of touch. Mitzi Nowakowski, an office manager at InteliData, remembers how he easily disconnected and reconnected their computer systems during a move last year. "Through feel, Suleyman can find the position of connectors, pins and wires much faster than most other people with sight," he says.
Much of the student programmer's speed comes from his ability not to be interrupted while at the computer. When typing, he listens carefully to the synthesizer （合成器）. His long, thin fingers fly over the keyboard. "Nothing seems to shake his attention," says Mrs. Nowakowski, his boss.
Mr. Gokyigit is the only company employee who is available 24 hours a day. "We consider him our top problem solver." says Mr. Braun.According to Mr. Braun, Suleyman ________________.
| A．can work wonders on computer |
| B．is the best technician in the world |
| C．has done a hard job in three months |
| D．has united InteliData Technologies Corp. with another computer company |
The underlined part "is at home with hardware" ( paragraph 4 ） means _________.
| A．is good at dealing with computer hardware |
| B．is fond of computer hardware |
| C．works with computer hardware at home |
| D．feels comfortable when working with computer hardware |
Suleyman was quick while at the computer mostly because of ______.
| A．his blindness | B．his attention on the synthesizer |
| C．his long, thin fingers | D．his ability not to be interrupted |
What does the text mainly tell us?
| A．Computer technicians are more likely to be gifted. |
| B．One's disadvantages may prove to be advantages. |
| C．The disabled can also play an important role in society. |
| D．Top computer scientists have unusual abilities to form ideas of computers. |
Ammie was only 18 months old when she had an accident that scarred her for life. While her mother was away for a moment , the curious baby reached up to a hot kettle in the kitchen and poured boiling water all over her body.
An ambulance was called and rushed the baby to nearby hospital . About 20 percent of Ammie’s body had been burned and all of her burns were third degree. The doctors could tell immediately that Ammie’s best chance of survival was specialized burns unit some miles away at Glasgow Royal hospital.
There , using tissue taken from unburned areas of Ammie’s body, surgeons performed complex skin grafts（植皮手术）to close her wounds and control her injuries , an operation that took about six hours. Over the next 16 years, Ammie underwent（经历）12 more operations to repair her body.
When she started school at the age of 4 , other pupils made cruel comments or simply wouldn’t play with her . “I was the only burned child in the street , the class and the school,” she recalls, “Some children refused to become friends with me because of that.”
Today , age 17 , Ammie can only ever remember being a burned person with scars ; pain is a permanent part of her life, she is still awaiting two further operations. Yet she is a confident, outgoing teenager who offers inspiration and hope to other young burnt victims.
Ammie’s parents have been a great support to her. “They told me of people had a problem with my burns, the problem with my burns, the problem was theirs not mine,” says Ammie. “They taught me to cope with other people’s reactions and constantly reminded me I was valued and loved.” Ammie’s positive attitude to life means she is often contacted by burns charities（慈善机构）, helping younger patients build their self-respect to live with permanent scars.
Now she is a member the Scottish Burned Children’s Club. “Ammie provides so much encouragement for the younger ones. She is optimistic and outgoing and a perfect role model for them , ” say Donald Todd, chairman of the club.
This month , Ammie will join some younger children on a summer camp. “I’ll show them how to shrug off unkind stares from others , ” she says. Ammie loves wearing fashionable sleeveless tops（无袖上衣）, and she plans to show the children at the summer camp that they can too. “I don’t go to great lengths to hide my scars , ” she says . “I gave up wondering how other people would react years ago.”Ammie was taken to Glasgow Royal hospital because .
| A．it was the nearest hospital to her home |
| B．it was the only hospital curing her burns |
| C．surgeons there were skilled at performing skin grafts |
| D．it was a local hospital excellent at treating burns |
How many operations will Ammie have to receive altogether ?
| A．12 | B．13 | C．14 | D．15 |
The underlined phrase “shrug off” in the last paragraph is closet in meaning to .
| A．ignore | B．avoid | C．accept | D．tolerate |
Which of the following best describes Ammie ?
| A．Shy, pessimistic and discouraged. |
| B．Strong-minded , optimistic and helpful. |
| C．Fashionable , sensitive and easygoing. |
| D．Careful , confident and intelligent. |
What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．Ammie had an accidents and had to do many operations. |
| B．Ammie was a brave gire after the accident. |
| C．Ammie helped many younger patients. |
| D．Ammie has a positive life through many operations. |
Whitney Houston, who died on February 11, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California, is being remembered across the globe as a trailblazer（开拓者）. Among all of Houston’s outstanding achievements, including a total of more than 400 career a wards , her most significant achievement was her record-setting string of seven Number One singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart . It broke the previous record of six set by The Bee Gees and The Beatles. The string began on October 26 , 1985 with her Grammy-winning hit “Saving All My Love For You,” and ended on April 23, 1988 with her R＆B ballad “Where Do Broken Hearts Go.” It was the fourth single from her album“Whitney”to go to Number One, also a record for a female artist. She sold more than 170 million albums worldwide and co-produced and recorded songs for one of the best-selling soundtracks（声带）of all time, The Bodyguard.
Whitney Houston was born the daughter of famed gospel（福音）singer Cissy Houston in Newak , New Jersey. Dionne Warwick was her cousin and Aretha Franklin her godmother. She began as a gospel singer and pianist in her mother’s church and sometimes performed alongside her in nightclubs. At age 15 , Whitney sang backup on Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman,” a tune she later performed on The Bodyguard soundtrack.
Whitney signed with Arista in 1983 and released her self-titied debut album two years later. The New York Times called her first effort, “an impressive, musically conservative showcase（展示）for an exceptional vocal talent（声乐天才）.” She continued to achieve similar praise for subsequent albums, while her fast-growing fan base put her into the world-class entertainer. In 1998, she released her most musically-diverse album to date, “My Love Is Your Love.” The title track became her third best-selling single ever.
The past 10 years were filled with highs and lows. While Whitney’s contract at Arista Records was renewed for ＄100 million, album sales began to slide. Her 14-year marriage to singer Bobby Brown ended in 2007 , she canceled concerts and interviews , and accusation arose of drug abuse. Her final album “I Look To you,” sold more than two million copies and reached the Number One spot in 2009.What’s Whitney Houston’s most outstanding achievements?
| A．Selling more than 170 million albums worldwide. |
| B．Her 400 career awards. |
| C．Her vocal talent. |
| D．Her record-setting string of seven Number One singles. |
According to the text, Houston .
| A．was born in a gospel singer family |
| B．released her famous album at the age of 15 |
| C．sold the most of the albums worldwide |
| D．Whitney first signed with Arista in 1985 |
What was Houston accused of ?
| A．Her divorce with Bobby Brown. | B．Her conflict with her former husband. |
| C．The canceled concerts and interviews. | D．Drug abuse. |
When did Whitney release her first self-titled album?
| A．In 1983. | B．In 1985. | C．In 1989. | D．In 1987. |
What is the main idea of the first paragraph?
| A．Whitney’s success. | B．Whitney’s achievements. |
| C．Whitney’s best singles. | D．Whitney’s music talents. |
I’ve loved my mother’s desk since I was just tall enough to see above the top
of it as mother sat doing letters. Standing by her chair, looking at the ink bottle, pens and white paper, I decided that the act of writing must be the most wonderful thing in the world.
Years later, during her final illness, mother kept different things for my sister and brother. “But the desk,” she said again, “is for Elizabeth.”
I never saw her angry, never saw her cry. I knew she loved me; she showed it in action. But as a young girl, I wanted heart-to-heart talks between mother and daughter.
They never happened. And a gulf opened between us. I was “too emotional(易动感情的)”. But she lived “on the surface”.
As years passed and I had my own family. I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family. I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive me.
I posted the letter and waited for her answer, none came.
My hope turned to disappointment, then little interest and, finally, peace it seemed that nothing happened. I couldn’t be sure that the letter had even got to Mother. I only knew that I had written it, and I could stop trying to make her into someone she was not.
Now the present of her desk told me, as she’d never been able to, that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work. I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers inside — a photo of my father and a one-page letter, folded(折叠) and refolded many times.
Give me an answer, my letter asks, in any way you choose, Mother, you always chose the act that speaks louder than words.The writer began to love her mother’s desk _______.
| A．after Mother died | B．before she became a writer |
| C．when she was a child | D．when mother gave it to her |
The passage shows that _______.
| A．Mother was cold on the surface but kind in her heart to her daughter |
| B．Mother was too serious about everything her daughter had done |
| C．Mother cared much about her daughter in words |
| D．Mother wrote to her daughter in careful words. |
The world “gulf” in the passage means _______.
| A．deep understanding between the old and the young. |
| B．different ideas between the mother and the daughter. |
| C．free talks between mother and daughter. |
| D．part of the sea going far in land. |
What did Mother do with her daughter’s letter asking for forgiveness?
| A．She had never received the letter. |
| B．For years, she often talked about the letter. |
| C．She didn’t forgive her daughter at all in all her life. |
| D．She read the letter again and again till she died. |
What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．My letter to Mother | B．Mother and Children |
| C．My Mother’s Desk | D．Talks between Mother and me. |
Zhao Wenxuan，a film star from Taiwan，has been fond of seeing films since his childhood. He would sometimes go to the cinema for the same film four or five times. He also enjoys literature and art. Before he took the film acting as his career，he had worked in an airline in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan Province. His change of job to acting was quite by chance.
One day，he came across in the paper an advertisement for a leading actor to appear in the film named “Wedding Feast.” Full of excitement，he answered the job ad by telephoning the director of the film — Mr. Li An. It was this telephone call that had changed all his life. At last the director decided him to be the very person for the role. That he could be chosen owed much to his good command of English，natural manners and low pay for his work in the film.
The film “Wedding Feast” proved to be a hit. It won the German Golden Bear Award and entered the competition for one of the Oscar Academy Awards. Also, it was the first Taiwan film that was permitted to be shown in the U. S. Thanks to the film，Zhao Wenxuan became popular in Taiwan, Hong Kong and southeast Asia.
In 1994，Mr. Zhao acted as a leading role in the Hong Kong film，“Red Rose and White Rose”，in which many film stars like Ms Chen Chong from U. S. and Ms Ye Yuqing from the local area participated. This film was named for 10 prizes of the Taiwan Golden Horse Prize and at last it was awarded five prizes for the best play，actress and music. Zhao has regarded the film as one of his favorite films since he stepped into the acting circle.
Since 1993，Mr. Zhao has taken part in the shootings of 13 films， most of which are thought highly of.
Mr. Zhao said the that Taiwan should think to cooperate much with the mainland in the film producing industry and it would benefit each other. In recent years he often came to the mainland for film shooting. He has just completed his performance in the film “Love Affairs” directed by Mr. LiXin，a director from Shanghai Film Studio.Why could Zhao Wenxuan play the leading role in the movie “Wedding Feast”？
| A．Because he liked to see films very much. |
| B．Because he was a famous actor at that time. |
| C．Because he could speak English very well，acted naturally and gave no thought to the pay for his work in the movie. |
| D．Because the director of the movie knew him very well. |
The text suggests that _____.
| A．“Wedding Feast” is just an ordinary film |
| B．the film “Wedding Feast” disappointed people greatly |
| C．Zhao Wenxuan became a famous movie star because of the film “Wedding Feast” |
| D．A lot of the Taiwan films are shown in the U. S. every year |
Which of the following is the right order for Mr. Zhao Wenxuan‘s experience？
a. He joined in the film “Red Rose and White Rose” in Hong Kong.
b. He worked in an airline in Taipei.
c. He suggested Taiwan and the mainland should film more together.
d. When he was a boy，he often went to the cinema.
e. He has just finished the film “Love Affairs” in Shanghai.
f. He acted an important role in the film “Wedding Feast”.
| A．d，b，f，a，e，c | B．a，b，d，f，e，c |
| C．b，e，f，a，d，c | D．c，b，e，a，f，d |
From the text it can be inferred that _____.
| A．one’s success is frequently (often) closely connected with a favorable chance |
| B．it is never too late to learn |
| C．know the enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles with no danger of defeat |
| D．there is no limit to knowledge |
He was a hero that saved two children from the jaws of a cougar(美洲狮). Standing barely 1.7 meters, the 22-year-old with black-frame glasses might pass more for a Chinese Harry Potter. Yet Shen Huigang is now getting recognition for his bravery in fighting off a cougar on Vancouver Island, Canada, during a family outing. Shen, also known as Ian, was then an exchange student. With him was a friend, Myles Hagar, and Hagar’s two grandchildren. Silently and suddenly a cougar appeared out of nowhere. By the time they spotted the cat, it already had the head of 18-month-old Julien in its mouth.
“At first, my brain was nothing but blank,” Shen recalled. “But I believed I could get the child back.” He gestured as if he were ready for a fight, and tried to scare the beast off with his bag. Hearing the noise Shen made, the animal dropped the baby and Hagar rushed to grab his grandson. But the animal didn’t run, instead turned toward 3-year-old Iris standing beside Shen. “Had Ian not been there, shouting at the cougar, remaining calm and standing firm, it would certainly have attacked Iris.” Hagar recalled.
They chased the animal back into the woods. “We moved slowly to our vehicle as we waved our fists and bags, pretending to wrestle it,” Shen said. “The vehicle wasn’t far away but it felt like it took us a century to travel the short journey.” As Hagar drove for help, Shen held the heavily-bleeding boy in the passenger seat and calmly kept him awake by hugging and kissing him in case he would go into a coma(昏迷). The boy was flown to a hospital nearby. Doctors later said his little skull had been punctured(刺穿) through to his brain in two places. Luckily, Julien made a full recovery.
“Any hesitation, even a second delay, would have resulted in certain death for Julien, but Ian was there…” Hagar said. Following the incident, the story appeared on Canadian TV networks in every city, and in many small town newspapers---plus many US Internet news sites. The Royal Canadian Humane Association planned to give Shen a Canada Bravery Award, but it couldn’t reach him because he had returned to China.Why did the cougar drop the baby?
| A．Because it was scared by the noise made by Ian’s shouting. |
| B．Because Hagar rushed to grab the baby from its jaws. |
| C．Because it wanted to attack Iris and took her away. |
| D．Because Hagar and Ian were chasing it back into the woods. |
Which of the following statements about Shen Huigang is TRUE?
| A．He was called Chinese Harry Potter because he was very brave. |
| B．His deed was spread both in Canada and the US. |
| C．He was better at fighting and wrestling compared with Hagar. |
| D．He was too shocked to move to the vehicle in the incident. |
What did Ian do in the car to keep the baby awake?
| A．He held, hugged and kissed the baby in the passenger seat. |
| B．He drove the car as quickly as possible to find a hospital. |
| C．He encouraged the baby telling him to be awake. |
| D．He held the heavily- bleeding wound of the baby. |
Which of the following can be the best title for this passage?
| A．Saving Lives From the Jaws of Death |
| B．Experiencing a Family Outing |
| C．Taking Care of Two Children |
| D．Interviewing a Clever Young Student |
Obama Still Smokes in Secret
US President Barack Obama has just made life more difficult for cigarette makers. He has just signed a law that will set tough new rules for the tobacco industry. The new law gives the US Food and Drug Administration the power to strictly limit the making and marketing of tobacco products.
At a White House signing ceremony Monday, Obama said that he was among the nearly 90% of smokers who took up the habit before their 18 th birthday.
Obama, who has publicly struggled to give up smoking, said he still hadn’t completely kicked the habit. Every now and then he still smokes in secret.
“As a former smoker I struggle with it all the time. Do I still smoke sometimes? Yes. Am I a daily smoker, a constant smoker? No.” Obama said at a news conference.
“I don' t do it in front of my lads．I don ?t do it in front of my family．I would say that I am 95% cured, but there are times when I mess up, " he said．
"Once you go down this path, it' s something you continually struggle with, which is exactly why the law is so important．The new law is not about me, it' s about the next generation of kids coming up．What we don ' t want is kids going down that path," he said．
Nearly 20% of Americans smoke and tobacco use kills about 440,000 people a year in the United States due to cancer, heart disease, and other serious diseases．The new law makes life difficult for .
| A．Obama |
| B．tobacco industry |
| C．White House |
| D．US Food and Drug Administration |
What do we know about Obama?
| A．He no longer smokes． |
| B．He still smokes as usual． |
| C．He began to smoke at eighteen． |
| D．He is trying hard to give up smoking． |
According to the passage, Obama is most concerned about ．
| A．children | B．officials | C．his family | D．Businessmen |
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 that 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.”
“Dickens” poverty
Dickens was one of the first to take an honest look at the underclass and the poor of Victorian 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 poverty 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”.The article is mainly about .
| A．a brief introduction to Charles Dickens’ |
| B．Charles Dickens’ impact on the world |
| C．the characters in Charles Dickens’ stories |
| D．Charles Dickens’ achievements in literature |
Why is Dickens’ called “the man who invented Christmas”?
| A．Because he created both religious and culture festival. |
| B．Because 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. |
We can learn from the passage that .
| A．Charles Dickens’ novels reflect the true life at his age |
| B．Dickensian is widely used to describe the Christmas |
| C．Every person can take three days off for Christmas |
| D．The theme of Charles Dickens’ stories is about poverty |
According to the passage the phrase “red tape” refers to .
| A．regulations that are required to finish a task |
| B．a situation where poor members of society are hurt |
| C．conflict between people in power and weaker people |
| D．agreements made by the underclass of society |
For the past two years, 8-year-old Harli Jordean from Stoke Newington, London, has been selling marbles(弹珠). His successful marble company, Marble King, sells all things marble-related － from affordable tubs of the glass playthings to significantly expensive items like Duke of York solitaire tables － sourced, purchased and processed by the mini-CEO himself.
“I like having my own company. I like being the boss,” Harli told the Mirror.
With profits now in the thousands, “the world’s youngest CEO” has had to get his mother and older brothers to help him meet the growing demand.
Harli launched Marble King after swapping marbles at school led to schoolchildren consuming his marble collection. Yes, he literally “lost his marbles.” Harli and his mother, Tina, turned to the Internet to find replacements.
Harli saw an empty space online: the marbles he wanted were hard to find. Within months, Harli had his own marble-selling website － and orders started pouring in.
Tina says her son's attachment to marbles started when he was just 6.
“His attachment became so passionate that we started calling him the Marble King — so when he wanted to set up a website it was the natural name for it,” she told The Sun.
“I never thought it would become so popular － we are struggling to cope with the number of orders at times.”
The 8-year-old boy has his sights set on expanding his business and launching his own brand of marbles.
“Sometimes his ideas are so grand we have to scale them back a bit. But his dream is still to own Britain's biggest marble shop and open stores around the world,” Tina told The Daily Mail.
“At the moment he is annoying me by creating his own Marble King marbles － so that could well be the next step for him.”Harli’s Marble Company became popular as soon as he launched it because ______.
| A．it was run by “the world’s youngest CEO” |
| B．it filled the gap of online marble trade |
| C．Harli was fascinated with marble collection |
| D．Harli met the growing demand of the customers |
How many mass media are mentioned in the passage?
| A．One | B．Two | C．Three | D．Four |
The underlined expression “scale them back” is closest in meaning to ______.
| A．hold them down | B．carry them out |
| C．set them aside | D．clear them away |
What message do the last two paragraphs carry?
| A．Conflicts often occur between Harli Jordean and his family. |
| B．Harli’s mother and brothers are worried about Marble King’s future. |
| C．Marble King marbles will surely attract more fans around the world. |
| D．The “Marble King” has great ambition for his Marble King company. |
Not many years ago, a wealthy and rather strange old man named Johnson lived alone in a village in the south of England. He had made a lot of money in trading with foreign countries. When he was seventy-five, he gave £ 12，000 to the village school to buy land and equipment (设备) for a children’s play ground.
As a result of his kindness, many people came to visit him. Among them was a newspaperman, During their talk, Johnson remarked that he was seventy-five and expected to live to be a hundred. The newspaperman asked him how he managed to be healthy at seventy-five, Johnson had a sense of humor (幽默). He liked whisky (威士忌酒) and drank some each day. “I have an injection (注射) in my neck each evening.” He told the newspaperman, thinking of evening glass of whisky.
The newspaperman did not understand what Johnson meant. In his newspaper he reported that Johnson was seventy-five and has a daily injection in his neck. Within a week Johnson received thousands of letters from all over Britain, asking him for the secret of his daily injection.
Johnson became a rich man through .
| A．doing business | B．making whisky |
| C．cheating | D．buying and selling land |
The gift of money to the school suggests that Johnson .
| A．had no children. | B．was a strange man. |
| C．was very fond of children. | |
| D．wanted people to know how rich he was. |
The newspaperman .
| A．should have reported what Johnson had told him. |
| B．shouldn’t have asked Johnson what injection he had. |
| C．was eager to live a long life. |
| D．should have found out what Johnson really meant. |
When Johnson said he had an injection in his neck each evening, he really meant that .
| A．he liked drinking a glass of whisky in the evening. |
| B．he needed an injection in the neck. |
| C．a daily injection in the evening would make him sleep well. |
| D．there was something wrong with his neck. |
Tom arrived at the bus station quite early for the London bus. The bus for London would not leave until five to twelve. He saw a lot of people waiting in the station. Some were standing in lines, others were walking about. There was a group of school-girls. Their teacher was trying to keep them in order. Tom looked around but there was nowhere for him to sit.
He walked into the station café. He looked up at the clock there. It was only twenty to twelve. He found a seat and sat down, facing a large mirror on the wall. Just then, John, one of Tom’s friends, came in and sat with Tom.
“What time is your bus?” asked John.
“Oh, there is plenty of time yet,” answered Tom.
“Oh, I’ll get you some more tea then,” said John.
They talked while drinking. Then Tom looked at the clock again.
“Good heavens! It’s going back-ward!” he cried. “A few minutes ago it was twenty to twelve and now it’s half past eleven.” “You are looking at the clock in the mirror,” said John.
Tom wanted to kick himself for being so foolish. The next bus was not to leave for another hour. He has never liked mirror since then.Tom went into the station café because _______.
| A．John asked him to have a cup of tea |
| B．he wanted a drink there |
| C．he would meet a friend of his |
| D．it was early yet and he could find a place to sit |
What time was it in fact when he looked at the clock in the mirror?
| A．Half past twelve. | B．Half past eleven. |
| C．Twenty to twelve. | D．Half past one. |
When we look at a clock in the mirror we’ll see _______.
| A．the right time | B．it is going slower |
| C．it is going backward | D．it is going fast |
Which of the following is true?
| A．Tom missed his bus. |
| B．He liked mirror even before. |
| C．The next bus would leave soon. |
| D．Tom arrived in London on time. |
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