Every country has its heroes. The heroes are the people the nation and especially the young people admire. If you get a list of the heroes of a nation, it will tell you the potential（潜势）of that nation.
If today in America, you ask the high school students to list their heroes, their choice would probably fall into three groups. The first group of heroes would be the rock stars —the people connected with rock music. There is no doubt that such people do have talent but one wonders if one should hold up rock stars as a model (推举…为榜样). The rock stars too often are involved with drugs and their personal life is not all that good. The rock stars are rich and wear the latest fashion styles. However, one should seek more in a hero than such things as money and good clothes.
A second type of hero for the American youth is the sports star. Again you have a person who has a great ability in one area — SPORTS. However, too often the personal life of the sports star is a bit of a mess. Too frequently drugs and drinking are a part of life of the sports star.
A third type of hero is the TV or movie star. This person may have lots of acting talent and is quite handsome. However, the personal life of too many actors is quite sad and they should not be held up as a model for young people.
Today, the rock star, the athlete and the actor all have become the models of the youth in America. Really, do you hear a young person say that his hero is a doctor, a teacher, or a scientist? These people are not rich and do not wear fashionable clothes. However, they are talented people who work hard to make the world a better place for everyone.
What is really sad is that the young try to imitate their heroes. They like to wear the same clothes and follow their styles. If the heroes of today for the American youngsters are only rock stars, athletes and actors, the future does not look too bright.The hero discussed in this article means a person ______.
| A．who has done something brave |
| B．who plays an important role in a play |
| C．whom people greatly admire |
| D．who rides the waves and moves with the tides |
What is true of the groups mentioned in this article?
| A．They are not fright but are good-looking. |
| B．They are rich but are strict with themselves. |
| C．They are talented in some area but lead an indecent life. |
| D．They are perfect in every way. |
American young people will not admire ______.
| A．a university professor | B．a popular singer |
| C．a football player | D．a film actress |
According to the writer, people should hold up as their model those______.
| A．who are rich and wear the latest fashion clothes |
| B．whose personal life is good |
| C．who can express people’s feelings |
| D．who work in the interests (利益) of the people |
When my brother and I were young, my mom would take us on Transportation Days.
It goes like this: You can’t take any means of transportation more than once. We would start from home, walking two blocks(街区) to the rail station. We’d take the train into the city center, then a bus, switching to the tram, then maybe a taxi. We always considered taking a horse carriage in the historic district, but we didn’t like the way the horses were treated, so we never did. At the end of the day, we took the subway to our closest station, where Mom’s friend was waiting to give us a ride home—our first car ride of the day.
The good thing about Transportation Days is not only that Mom taught us how to get around. She was born to be multimodal (多方式的). She understood that depending on cars only was a failure of imagination and, above all, a failure of confidence—the product of a childhood not spent exploring subway tunnels.
Once you learn the route map and step with certainty over the gap between the train and the platform, nothing is frightening anymore. New cities are just light-rail lines to be explored. And your personal car, if you have one, becomes just one more tool in the toolbox—and often an inadequate(不适当的) one, limiting both your mobility and your wallet.
On Transportation Days, we might stop for lunch on Chestnut Street or buy a new book or toy, but the transportation was the point. First, it was exciting enough to watch the world speed by from the train window. As I got older, my mom helped me unlock the mysteries that would otherwise have paralyzed my first attempts to do it myself: How do I know where to get off? How do I know how much it costs? How do I know when I need tickets, and where to get them? What track, what line, which direction, where’s the stop, and will I get wet when we go under the river?
I’m writing this right now on an airplane, a means we didn’t try on our Transportation Days and, we now know, the dirtiest and most polluting of them all. My flight routed me through Philadelphia. My multimodal mom met me for dinner in the airport. She took a train to meet me. Which was forbidden by Mom on Transportation Days?
| A．Having a car ride. |
| B．Taking the train twice. |
| C．Buying more than one toy. |
| D．Touring the historic district. |
According to the writer, what was the greatest benefit of her Transportation Days?
| A．Building confidence in herself. |
| B．Reducing her use of private cars. |
| C．Developing her sense of direction. |
| D．Giving her knowledge about vehicles. |
The underlined word “paralyzed” (in Para. 5) is closest in meaning to “_______”.
| A．displayed | B．Justified | C．Ignored | D．destroyecl |
Which means of transportation does the writer probably have a dislike of?
| A．Subway. | B．Airplane. | C．Tram. | D．Car. |
We all know something about Thomas Edison. He was a great American 21 .He was in school for only a short time. 22 , he had to leave the school and 23 himself at home and learned a lot. When Edison grew up, he had his own lab. He worked hard and hardly 24 to have a rest.
One day a friend of his brought a young man into his lab. He 25 the young man to Edison. He said the young man had studied in a famous university in Germany and had a lot of 26 of physics and maths. Edison was glad to work with a man like him and 27 him as a helper. A few weeks later, the young 28 about Edison’s past. He began to look down on him. Edison 29 about it, but he said 30 .
Once the young man came into the lab while Edison 31 an important experiment. He stood near the table 32 he didn’t help him. Edison stopped 33 out a bottle and said, “Go to calculate (计算)its volume(容积)and tell me the 34 in two hours.”
At first the young man thought it easy to do it. Soon he 35 it difficult. Two hours later Edison went into his office and saw a lot of paper and books on his desk. Of course he couldn’t compute the volume in the time 36 .
“Why not pour some 37 into the bottle?” said Edison. “Then you’ll 38 calculate its volume!” Having heard this, the young man’s 39 turned red, and he knew Edison was really 40 than him!
A．doctor B．player C．writer D．inventor
A．Soon B．After C．Later on D．Soon after
A．teach B．play with C．study D．enjoy
A．forgot B．remembered C．finished D．observed
A．showed B．pushed C．introduced D．threw
A．news B．books C．knowledge D．dictionaries
A．employed B．asked C．made D．watched
A．beard B．learned C．read D．told
A．told B．was told C．said D．was said
A．something B．everything C．nothing D．all
A．did B．had C．was doing D．was having
A．but B．and C．as D．while
A．bringing B．to bring C．taking D．to take
A．result B．way C．idea D．opinion
A．knew B．saw C．learned D．found
A．given B．followed C．said D．taken
A．oil B．salt C．water D．food
A．carefully B．slowly C．easily D．quietly
A．head B．face C．eyes D．ears
A．more polite B．stricter C．more kind-hearted D．cleverer
The Great Fire of London started in the very early hours of September 2, 1666. In four days it destroyed more than three-quarters of the old city, where most of the houses were wooden and close together. Over one hundred people became homeless, but only a few lost their lives .
The fire started on Sunday morning in the house of the King’s baker（面包师）in Pudding Lane. The baker, with his wife and family, was able to get out through a window into the roof. A strong wind blew the fire from the bakery（面包房）into a small hotel next door. Then it spread quickly into Thames Street. That was the beginning.
By eight o’clock three hundred houses were on fire. On Monday nearly a kilometer of the city was burning along the River Thames. Tuesday was the worst day. The fire destroyed many well-known buildings, old St Paul’s and the Guildhall among them .
Samuel Pepys , the famous writer, writer about the fire, “People threw their things into the river. Many poor people stayed in their houses until the last moment. Birds fell out of the air because of the heat .”
The fire stopped only when the King finally ordered people to destroy hundreds of buildings in the path（路径） of the fire.With nothing left to burn, the fire became weak and finally died out.
After the fire, Christopher Wren, the architect(建筑师), wanted a city with wider streets and fine new houses of stone．In fact, the streets are still narrow, but he did build more than fifty churches, among which was the new St Paul’s
The fire caused great pain and loss, but after it London was a better place: a city for the future and not just of the past.The underlined word‘family’in the second paragraph probably means____.
| A．house | B．children | C．wife and husband | D．wife and children |
It seems that the writer of the text was most sorry for the fact that .
| A．many people lost their lives |
| B．the birds in the sky were killed by the fire |
| C．many famous buildings were destroyed |
| D．the King’s bakery was burned down |
Why did the writer cite(引用)Samuel Pepys?
| A．Because Pepys was among those putting out the fire. |
| B．Because Pepys also wrote about the fire. |
| C．To show that poor people suffered most. |
| D．To give the reader a clearer picture of the fire. |
How was the fire put out according to the text?
| A．The King and his soldiers came to help. |
| B．All the wooden houses in the city were destroyed. |
| C．People managed to get enough water from the river. |
| D．Houses standing in the path of the fire were destroyed. |
The Basics of Math—Made Clear
Basic Math introduces students to the basic concepts of mathematics, as well as the fundamentals of more tricky areas. These 30 fantastic lectures are designed to provide students with an understanding of arithmetic and to prepare them for Algebra(代数) and beyond.
The lessons in Basic Math cover every basic aspect of arithmetic. They also look into exponents(指数), the order of operations, and square roots. In addition to learning how to perform various mathematical operations, students discover why these operations work, how a particular mathematical topic relates to other branches of mathematics, and how these operations can be used practically.
Basic Math starts from the relatively easier concepts and gradually moves on to the more troublesome ones, so as to allow for steady and sure understanding of the material by students. The lectures offer students the chance to “make sense” of mathematical knowledge that may have seemed so frightening. They also help students prepare for college mathematics and overcome their anxiety about this amazing—and completely understandable—field of study.
By the conclusion of the course, students will have improved their understanding of basic math. They will be able to clear away the mystery(神秘性) of mathematics and face their studies with more confidence than they ever imagined. In addition, they will strengthen their ability to accept new and exciting mathematical challenges.
Professor H. Siegel, honored by Kentucky Educational Television as “the best math teacher in America,” is a devoted teacher and has a gift for explaining mathematical concepts in ways that make them seem clear and obvious. From the basic concrete ideas to the more abstract problems, he is master in making math lectures learner-friendlier and less scary.
With a PhD in Mathematics Education from Georgia State University, Dr. Siegel teaches mathematics at Central Arizona College. His courses include various make-up classes and a number of lectures for future primary school teachers.
If the course fails to provide complete satisfaction to you, you can easily exchange it for any other course that we offer. Or you can get your money back.What does the course Basic Math mainly cover?
| A．Algebra. | B．College Mathematics. |
| C．Arithmetic. | D．Mathematics Education. |
What benefits can students expect from Basic Math?
| A．Stronger imaginative ability. |
| B．Additional presentation skills. |
| C．More mathematical confidence. |
| D．Greater chances of becoming teachers. |
What can we learn about Professor H. Siegel?
| A．He is a guest lecturer at Kentucky Educational Television. |
| B．He is to deliver 30 lectures in Basic Math. |
| C．He works in Georgia State University. |
| D．He specializes in training teachers. |
Where is the passage most likely to have been taken from?
| A．A news report. | B．A book review |
| C．A lesson plan. | D．An advertisement |
It was 1961 and I was in the fifth grade. My marks in school were miserable and, the thing was, I didn’t know enough to really care. My older bother and I lived with Mom in an ugly multi-family house in Detroit. We watched TV every night. The background noise of our lives was gunfire and horses’ hoofs(马蹄) from “Wagon Train” or “Cheyenne”, and laughter from “I Love Lucy”, or “Mister Ed”. After supper, we’d lie on Mom’s bed and stare for hours at the TV screen.
But one day Mom changed our world forever. She turned off the TV. Our mother had only been able to get through third grade. But, she was much brighter and smarter than we boys know at the time. She had noticed something in the suburban houses where she cleaned books. So she came home one day, switched off the TV, sat us down and explained that her sons were going to make something of themselves. “You boys are going to read two books every week,” she said. “And you’re going to write a report on what you read.”
We moaned（不满,发牢骚） and complained about how unfair it was. Besides, we didn’t have any books in the house other than Mom’s Bible. But she explained that we would go where the books were: “I’ll drive you to the library.”
So pretty soon there were these two peevish（坏脾气的）boys sitting in her white 1959 Oldsmobile on their way to Detroit Public Library. I wandered reluctantly（不情愿） among the children’s books. I loved animals, so when I saw some books that seemed to be about animals, I started leafing through them.
The first book I read clear through was Chip the Dam Builder. It was about beavers（河狸）. For the first time in my life I was lost in another world. No television program had ever taken me so far away from my surroundings as did this virtue visit to a cold stream in a forest and these animals building a home.
It didn’t dawn on me at the time, but the experience was quite different from watching TV. There were images forming in my mind instead of before my eyes. And I could return to them again and again with the flip（快速翻动）of a page.
Soon I began to look forward to visiting this quiet sanctuary form my other world. I moved from animals to plants, and then to rocks. Between the covers of all those books were whole worlds, and I was free to go anywhere in them. Along the way a funny thing happened: I started to know things. Teachers started to notice it too. I got to the point where I couldn’t wait to get home to my books.
Now my older brother is an engineer and I am chief of pediatric neurosurgery(儿童神经外科)at John Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore. Sometimes I still can’t believe my life’s journey, from a failing and indifferent student in a Detroit public school to this position, which takes me all over the world to teach and perform critical surgery.
But I know when the journey began the day Mom switched off the TV set and put us in her Oldsmobile for that drive to the library.We can learn from the beginning of the passage that ___________.
| A．the author and his brother had done well in school |
| B．the author had been very concerned about his school work |
| C．the author had spent much time watching TV after school |
| D．the author had realized how important schooling was |
Which of the following is not true about the author’s family?
| A．He came from a middle-class family. |
| B．He came from a single-parent family. |
| C．His mother worked as a cleaner. |
| D．His mother had received little education. |
How did the two boys feel about going to the library at first?
| A．They were afraid | B．They were reluctant. |
| C．They were impatient. | D．They were eager to go. |
The author began to love books for the following reasons EXCEPT that ___________.
| A．he began to see something in his mind |
| B．he could visualize what he read in his mind |
| C．he could go back to read the books again |
| D．he realized that books offered him new experience |
Animals are not always animals. Some of them will try to cheat or cow some others in the way the human beings often do. Here is a fairy tale from Aesop for you to enjoy.
An eagle（鹰）made her nest at the top of a high tree while a cat, having found a convenient hole, moved into the middle of the trunk, and at the same time a wild pig, with her young took shelter in a hollow at its foot. The cat then decided to make all serve her in her wise way.
To carry out her design, she climbed to the nest of the eagle, saying, "Destruction is preparing for you and for me too, unfortunately. The wild pig, whom you see daily digging up the earth, wishes to uproot the tree, so she may on its fall seize our families as food for her young."
Having thus frightened the eagle out of her senses, she crept down to the cave of the pig, saying, "Your children are in great danger, for as soon as you go out to find food, the eagle is prepared to jump upon one of your little pigs."
Having filled these fears into the pig, she went and pretended to hide herself in the hollow of the tree. When night came she went out silently and obtained food for herself and her children, but pretending to be afraid, she kept a lookout all through the day. Meanwhile, the eagle, full of fear of the pig, sat still on the branches, and the pig, terrified by the eagle, did not dare to go out from her cave. Thus they both, along with their families, starved from hunger, and afforded good food for the cat and her children.What was the eagle afraid of?
| A．Her home would be destroyed. |
| B．Her children would get lost. |
| C．She would be taken as the cat’s food. |
| D．Her family would be eaten by the wild pig. |
What was the pig frightened of?
| A．The eagle would kill her young child. |
| B．The eagle would cheat her away. |
| C．The cat was telling the true story. |
| D．She could not find enough food. |
How did the cat get what she wanted?
| A．By running here and there. |
| B．By cheating both the eagle and the pig. |
| C．By waiting and catching the chance. |
| D．By fighting against the eagle and the pig. |
Which of the following might be the best title of the above passage?
| A．Believe it or not. | B．Animal stories. |
| C．How one can be successful. | D．Don’t be afraid. |
In 1959, when Jean Harper was in the third grade, her teacher gave the class an assignment to write a report on what they wanted to be when they grew up. She poured her heart into her report and expressed her dream of becoming an airline pilot. Her paper came back with an "F" on it. The teacher told her it was a "fairy tale". Jean was heartbroken and ashamed. As the years went by, Jean was beaten down by the discouragement and negativity she encountered whenever she talked about her dream. "Girls can't become airline pilots; never have, never will. You're crazy. That's impossible. "Finally Jean gave up.
In her senior year of high school, her English teacher was a Mrs. Dorothy Slaton, a demanding teacher with high standards. One day Mrs. Slaton asked this question: "If you had unlimited finances, unlimited access to the finest schools, unlimited talents and abilities, what would you do?" Jean felt a rush of the old enthusiasm, and with excitement she wrote down the very old dream.
The next thing that Mrs. Slaton said changed the course of Jean's life. The teacher leaned forward over her desk and said, "I have a little secret for you. You do have unlimited abilities and talents. When you leave school, if you don't go for your dreams, no one will do it for you. You can have what you want if you want it enough."
The hurt and fear of years of discouragement disappeared all of a sudden. Jean felt thrilled and told her about her dream of becoming a pilot. Mrs. Slaton slapped the desk top. "Then do it!" she said.
So Jean did. It didn't happen overnight. In her l0 years of hard work, even facing varieties of laugh, frustration and opposition, she never gave up her dream. Instead, she went on doing everything her third-grade teacher said was fairy-tale.
Eventually, Jean Harper became a Boeing 737 captain for the United Airline Company.Jean’s third-grade teacher thought her dream to be ____________.
| A．great | B．impossible |
| C．challenging | D．reasonable |
Mrs. Slaton may hold the view that _____________.
| A．only some of her students have great potential |
| B．her students are good enough to be admitted to the best schools |
| C．belief contributes to realizing a dream |
| D．Jean was to have her dream realized |
According to the passage, we can infer that___________.
| A．Jean’s dream was always in her deep heart |
| B．Jean owed her success to all her teachers |
| C．most people around Jean approved of her dream |
| D．Jean achieved her dream with ease |
Which is the best title of the passage?
| A．A Respectable Teacher | B．How to Realize a Dream |
| C．Hard Work Pays off | D．Reach for the Sky |
Shakespeare’s Birthplace and Exhibition of Shakespeare’s World
Welcome to the world-famous house where William Shakespeare was born in l564 and where he grew up. The property (房产) remained in the ownership of Shakespeare’s family until 1806. The House has welcomed visitors traveling from all over the world, for over 250 years.
◆Enter through the Visitors’ Centre and see the highly-praised exhibition Shakespeare's World, a lively and full introduction to the life and work of Shakespeare.
◆Stand in the rooms where Shakespeare grew up.
◆Discover examples of furniture and needlework from Shakespeare’s period.
◆Enjoy the traditional English garden, planted with trees and flowers mentioned in the poet’s works.
pThe Birthplace is within easy walking distance of all the car parks shown on the map: nearest is Windsor Street (3 minutes’ Walk).
㊣The House may present difficulties but the Visitors’ Centre, its exhibition, and the garden are accessible (可进入的) to wheelchair users.
⊙The Shakespeare Coffee House (opposite the Birthplace).
How much is the admission for a family of two grown-ups and two children?
| A．￡9.80. | B．￡12.00. | C．￡14.20. | D．￡16.40. |
Where is the nearest parking place to Shakespeare’s Birthplace?
| A．Behind the exhibition hall. |
| B．Opposite the Visitors’ Centre. |
| C．At Windsor Street. |
| D．Near the Coffee House. |
A wheelchair user may need help to enter .
| A．the House | B．the garden |
| C．the Visitors’ Centre | D．the exhibition hall |
The associates I hired in my bicycle and lawn mower shop like myself were never perfect; however, they were excellent. Working with them as they improved taught me new ways to show forgiveness, understanding, and patience.
One day the placement officer asked me to interview a young man who was having trouble finding a job. He told me that David was a little shy, did not talk much and was afraid to go on with interviews. He requested that I give David an interview just for practice. He plainly told David that I had no positions open at the time and the interview was just for practice.
When David came in for the interview, he hardly said a word. I told him what we did at the bicycle shop and showed him around. I told David to keep showing up because the number one thing an employer wanted in an associate was dependability.
David was very quiet (he was evaluated as a slow learner in school). Every ten days or so, for weeks after the interview, David walked into the bicycle shop and stood by the front door. He never said a word, just stood by the door.
One day, shortly before Christmas, a large truck came to the shop, packed with 250 new bicycles. It had to be unloaded right away or the driver would leave.
It was raining. Some of my workers (without physical limitations) chose not to brave the weather to get into work, so I was short-handed. It seemed everything was going wrong and on top of it, David came in the front door and just stood there. I looked at him and shouted, “Well, all right! Fill out a time card and help me unload this truck!”
David worked for my bicycle shop for eighteen years. He came to work every day thirty minutes early. He could talk; however, he rarely chose to. He drove my truck and made deliveries. The customers would praise David, saying, “He doesn’t talk, but he really shows you how to operate a lawn mower!”The author finally hired David because________.
| A．there were no other workers in the shop then |
| B．he needed someone who was willing to work then |
| C．David kept showing up |
| D．he realized David was dependable |
We can infer from the last paragraph that_______.
| A．the author feels lucky to hire David |
| B．David has had his character changed through work |
| C．the author prefers David to be more outgoing |
| D．some customers just play jokes on David |
The author gave David an interview to _______.
| A．find a person who is reliable |
| B．find a part-time worker in need |
| C．give him some practice |
| D．show sympathy for him |
The author’s tone in describing David is full of ______.
| A．pity | B．wonder |
| C．disappointment | D．appreciation |
Cleverness is a gift while kindness is a choice．Gifts are easy—they’re given after all．Choice can be hard．
I got the idea to start Amazon 16 years ago．I came across the fact that the Internet usage was growing at 2300 percent per year．I’d never seen or heard of anything that grew that fast，and the idea of building all online bookstore with millions of titles was very exciting to me. I had just turned 30 years old，and I’d been married for a year．I told my wife MacKenzie that I wanted to quit my job and go to do this crazy thing that probably wouldn’t work since most start-ups don’t and I wasn’t sure what to expect．MacKenzie told me I should go for it．As a young boy，I’d been a garage inventor．I’d always wanted to be all inventor，and she wanted me to follow my passion．
I was working at a financial firm in New York City with a bunch of very smart people and I had a brilliant boss that I much admired．I went to my boss and told him I wanted to start a company selling books on the Internet．He took me on a long walk in Central Park，listened carefully to me，and finally said，“That sounds like a really good idea，but it would be an even better idea for someone who didn’t already have a good job．”That 1ogic made some sense to me，and he convinced me to think about it for 48 hours before making a final decision．Seen in that light,it really was a difficult choice，but finally，I decided I had to give it a shot．I didn’t think I’d regret trying and failing．And I suspected I would always be haunted by a decision to not try at all.
After much consideration ，I took the less safe path to follow my passion ，and I’m proud of that choice．For all of us，in the end，we are our choice．What inspired the author with the idea of building an online bookstore?
| A．His dream of being an inventor． |
| B．The support of his wife． |
| C．The greatly increasing usage of the Internet． |
| D．Millions of exciting titles, |
Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined sentence?
| A．The idea of not trying would keep coming to his mind and disturb him． |
| B．He would be very excited if he tried it out． |
| C．Be would be always having a doubt if he didn’t try． |
| D．The decision to not try the online bookstore would terrify him． |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Cleverness and Kindness | B．The Starting of Amazon |
| C．Following My Passion | D．We Are What We Choose |
We can know from the passage that_______．
| A．the boss thought the idea was suitable for the author |
| B．the author wanted someone else to try the idea |
| C．the author might not regret if he failed the idea |
| D．the author might go back to his boss if he failed |
After a terrible electrical accident, which caused him to become both blind and deaf, the whole world became completely dark and quiet for Robert Edwards for almost ten years. The loss of sight and hearing threw him into such sorrow that he tried a few times to put an end to his life. His family, especially his wife, did their best to tend and comfort him and finally he regained the will to live.
One hot summer afternoon, he was taking a walk with a stick near his house when a thunderstorm started all at once. He stood under a large tree to avoid getting wet, but he was struck by the lightning. Witnesses thought he was dead but he woke up some 20 minutes later lying face down in muddy water at the base of the tree. He was trembling badly, but when he opened his eyes, he could hardly believe what he saw: a plough and a wall. When Mrs. Edwards came running up to him, shouting to their neighbors to call for help, he could see her and hear her voice for the first time in nearly ten years.
The news of Robert regaining his sight and hearing quickly spread, and many doctors came to examine him. Most of them said that he regained his sight and hearing from the shock he got from the lightning. However, none of them could give a convincing answer as to why this should have happened. The only reasonable explanation given by one doctor was that, since Robert lost his sight and hearing as a result of a sudden shock, perhaps, the only way for him to regain them was by another sudden shock.The reason for Robert’s attempts to kill himself was that _________.
| A．a terrible traffic accident happened to him |
| B．he had to live in a dark and silent world |
| C．he was struck by the lightning once more |
| D．nobody in the world cared about him |
What was Robert doing when he was struck by the lightning?
| A．Taking a walk with a stick. |
| B．Sheltering from the rain under a tree. |
| C．Driving a car. |
| D．Lying on the ground. |
We can infer from the text that ________.
| A．Robert’s wife sent for doctors immediately after the shock |
| B．many doctors came because Robert was badly injured |
| C．there was no exact explanation for Robert’s recovery |
| D．a sudden injury in the head led to Robert’s recovery |
What’s the best title of the whole passage?
| A．A Terrible Electrical Accident |
| B．Robert Edwards and His Wife |
| C．What a Sudden Shock |
| D．An Unforgettable Experience |
It was Christmas 1961. I was teaching in a small town in Ohio where my twenty seven third graders eagerly anticipated the great day of gift giving.
Each day the children made some new wonder – strings of popcorn, hand-made decorations, and German bells made from wallpaper samples, which we hung from the ceiling. Through it all she stayed indifferent(漠不关心的), watching from afar, seemingly miles away. I wondered what would happen to this quiet child, once so happy, now so suddenly unsociable. I hoped the festivities would light her up. But nothing did.
The day of gift giving finally came. We oohed and aahed over our handwork as the presents were exchanged. Through it all, she sat quietly watching. I had made a special package for her, red and green with white lace. I wanted very much to see her smile. She opened it so slowly and carefully. I waited but she turned away.
After school the children left in little groups, but she hesitated, watching them go out of the door. I sat down to catch my breath, hardly know what was happening when she came to me reaching out her hands, holding a small white box, unwrapped and slightly soiled, as though it had been held many times by unwashed, childish hands. “For me?” I asked with a weak smile. She said not a word, but nodded her head. I took the box and carefully opened it. There inside, lay a golden chain. In a flash I knew – she had made it for her mother, a mother she would never see again, a mother who would never hold her or brush her hair or share a funny story, a mother who would never again hear her childish joys or sorrows, a mother who had taken her own life just three weeks before.
I held out the chain. She took it in both her hands, reached forward, and put it on at the back of my neck. She stepped back then as if to see that all was well. I looked down at the golden chain, then back at the giver, “Maria, it is so beautiful. She would have loved it.” Neither of us could stop the tears. She threw herself into my arms and we were in tears together. And for that moment I became her mother, for she had given me the greatest gift of all: herself.The underlined “anticipated” (Paragraph 1) is closest in meaning to _________.
| A．prepared | B．expected | C．talked | D．kept |
We can learn from the story that_________.
| A．the beautiful chain was put inside a beautiful box |
| B．Maria made a golden chain of popcorn for her mother |
| C．the teacher made a special package for Maria so as to see her smile |
| D．Maria oohed and aahed over the handwork as the presents were exchanged |
Maria became quiet and unsociable because_________.
| A．she was a shy girl |
| B．her teacher didn’t give her any gift |
| C．her mother passed away three weeks ago |
| D．she didn’t have any friends in the class |
The underlined sentence (Paragraph 5) mostly means_________.
| A．Maria found her biological mother |
| B．Maria asked her teacher to be her mother |
| C．the teacher promised to be Maria’s mother after receiving her greatest gift |
| D．Maria believed in her considerate teacher and opened her heart to the teacher |
The BEST title for the passage is _________.
| A．The kid’s gift | B．A quiet girl |
| C．The greatest teacher | D．The great day of gift giving |
When Ben Franklin was very only a boy, he always wanted to know about things. He was always asking his father and brothers “What?” and “How?” and “Why?”
They couldn’t always tell him what he wanted to know.
When they couldn’t tell him, Ben tried to find out for himself.
Many times Ben did find out things that no one knew before. The other boys would say, “That’s Ben Franklin! He’s always finding out something new! ”
Ben lived close to the water. He liked to go there to see the boats. He saw how the wind blew them across the water.
One day Ben said to himself, “Why can’t the wind help me float across the water? And I’m going to try.” Ben got his big kite. He took hold of the kite string and ran with it. The wind took the kite up into the air. Then Ben jumped into the water.
The wind blew the kite high into the air. Ben began to float across the water. Soon he was on the other side, and he had not worked at all.
One boy shouted, “Look at Ben floating across the water! His kite takes him to the other side without any work!”
“Yes”, said another. “He’s always finding new ways to do things.”When he was only a child, Ben _____.
| A．liked to fly a kite by himself |
| B．always asked easy questions |
| C．always liked to play with water |
| D．always liked to find out how things worked |
His father and brothers _____.
| A．couldn’t answer all his questions |
| B．could answer all his questions |
| C．tried hard to find out something new for him |
| D．were too busy to answer his questions |
How did Ben Franklin float across the water?
| A．The other boy took him across it. |
| B．The water carried him across it. |
| C．The flying kite took him across it. |
| D．A boat took him across it. |
He found out many things that ____.
| A．children didn’t know |
| B．his father and brothers knew |
| C．people didn’t know |
| D．most people knew |
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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