JK Rowling, the Harry Potter author, has signed a deal with Little, Brown and Company, to publish her first ever novel for adults, which is set to become one of the most anticipated (期望的) book in years.
The deal means that Rowling’s long-standing relationship with Bloomsbury, the London-based publisher that launched (发行) the Harry Potter books, has come to an end, at least in terms of new works by the author.
Rowling is keeping her fans guessing about the characters and plot of her new book. She only said that the new novel will be nothing like the Harry Potter series, which was sold over 30 million copies in the UK alone. She thought that with the move from children’s to adult fiction, a switch to a new publisher seemed like a natural and reasonable step.
She said, "Although I've enjoyed writing it every bit as much, this book will be very different from the Harry Potter series. The freedom to explore a new field is a gift that Harry’s success has brought me."
Ian Rankin, the Edinburgh-based author whose highly-successful detective novels are also set in the city, suggested Rowling’s book will be a crime novel.
"Wouldn’t it be funny if JK Rowling’s first novel for adults turned out to be a crime story set in Edinburgh?" he said.
Industry insiders guessed that the deal is worth more than £5 million and the new book is expected to come out later this year.
A spokesman said, "JK Rowling’s audience is vast and her position is unique. Harry Potter books were a global success and her fans are very loyal. Children that were eight, nine, or ten when the books first came out in the 1990s are now in their 20s. Plenty of adults, loved the books regardless of whether they had children, so the potential market for her is huge."
What does the text mainly tell us?
A.JK Rowling has signed a deal with a new publisher. |
B.JK Rowling's new book will be more successful than her Harry Potter series. |
C.JK Rowling’s first book for adults will be published later this year. |
D.JK Rowling has to switch to a new publisher in order to publish her new book. |
JK Rowling’s new book for adults .
A.has been sold 30 million copies in the UK alone |
B.is poorly thought of by the London-based publisher Bloomsbury |
C.has nothing in common with the Harry Potter series |
D.is expected to bring her more money than the Harry Potter series |
The author used Ian Rankin’s words in order to .
A.tell us that some famous novelists offer to give Rowling some advice |
B.show that many readers are curious about Rowling’s new book |
C.tell us that many readers prefer to read detective or crime novels |
D.prove that a crime story set in Edinburgh is sure to be successful |
We can learn from the text that .
A.Little, Brown and Company is specialized in publishing adult books |
B.the author has no doubt about the success of Rowling’s new book |
C.JK Rowling will be a crime novelist as good as Ian Rankin |
D.it was in Edinburgh that Ian Rankin got to know JK Rowling |
Driving to a friend’s house on a recent evening, I was attracted by the sight of the full moon rising just above my friend’s rooftop. I stopped to watch it for a few moments, thinking about what a pity it is that most city people --- myself included --- usually miss sights like this because we spend most of our lives indoors.
My friend had also seen it. He grew up living in a forest in Europe, and the moon meant a lot to him then. It had touched much of his life.
I know the feeling. Last December I took my seven-year-old daughter to the mountainous jungle of northern India with some friends. We stayed in a forest rest house with no electricity or running hot water. Our group had campfires outside every night, and indoors when it was too cold outside. The moon grew to its fullest during our trip. Between me and the high mountains lay three or four valleys. Not a light shone in them and not a sound could be heard. It was one of the quietest places I have ever known, a bottomless well of silence. And above me was the full moon, which struck me deeply.
Today our lives are filled with glass, metal, plastic and fiber-glass. We have television,
cell phones, pagers, electricity, heaters and ovens and air-conditioners, cars, computers.
Struggling through traffic that evening at the end of a tiring day, most of it spent indoors, I thought, “Before long, I would like to live in a small cottage. There I will grow vegetables and read books and walk in the mountains. And perhaps write, but not in anger. I may become an old man there, and wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled and measure out my life in coffee spoons. But I will be able to walk outside on a cold silent night and touched the moon.”
The best title for the passage would be _________.
A.Touched by the Moon | B.The Pleasures of Modern Life |
C.A Bottomless well of Silence | D.Break away from Modern life |
The writer felt sorry for himself because __________.
A.there was too much pollution. |
B.he failed to see the fullest moon. |
C.he didn’t adapt to modern inventions |
D.there were too many accidents on the road. |
What impressed the writer most in the mountainous jungle of northern India?
A.No modern equipment. | B.Complete silence. |
C.The nice moon. | D.The high mountain. |
Modern things are mentioned mainly to ___________.
A.show that the writer likes city life very much. |
B.tell us that people greatly benefit from modern life. |
C.explain that people have less chances to enjoy nature. |
D.show that we can also enjoy nature at home through them. |
The author wrote the passage to __________.
A.express the feeling of returning to nature. |
B.show the love for the moonlight. |
C.advise modern people to learn to live. |
D.want to communicate longing for modern life. |
There was a story many years ago of a school teacher--- Mrs. Thompson. She told the children on the first day that she loved them all the same. But that was a lie. There in the front row was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. He didn’t play well with the other children and he always needed a bath. She did not like him.
Then Mrs. Thompson got to know that Teddy was actually a very good boy before the death of his mother. Mrs. Thompson was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when, like all her other students, Teddy brought her a Christmas present too. It was his mother’s perfume(香水)。
Teddy said, “Mrs. Thompson, today you smell just like my Mom used to.” After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she stopped teaching reading, writing and math. Instead, she began to teach children.
Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. The boy’s mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he improved. By the end of the sixth grade, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class.
Six years went by before she got a note from Teddy. He wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. He went to college. Mrs. Thompson got two more letters from him with the last one signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M. D. (医学博士).
The story doesn’t end there. On his wedding day, Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson’s ear, “Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for believing in me. You made me feel important and showed me that I could make a difference.”
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back, “Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn’t know how to teach until I met you.”
What did Mrs. Thompson do on the first day of school?
A.She made Teddy feel ashamed. |
B.She asked the children to play with Teddy. |
C.She changed Teddy’s seat to the front row. |
D.She told the class something untrue about herself. |
What did Mrs. Thompson find out about Teddy?
A.He often told lies. |
B.He was good at math. |
C.He needed motherly care. |
D.He enjoyed playing with others. |
In what way did Mrs. Thompson change?
A.She taught fewer school subjects. |
B.She became stricter with her students. |
C.She no longer liked her job as a teacher. |
D.She cared more about educating students. |
Why did Teddy thank Mrs. Thompson at his wedding?
A.She had kept in touch with him. |
B.She had given him encouragement. |
C.She had sent him Christmas presents. |
D.She had taught him how to judge people. |
Florence Nightingale was born in a rich family. When she was young she took lessons in music and drawing, and read great books. She also traveled a great deal with her mother and father.
As a child she felt that visiting sick people was both a duty and a pleasure. She enjoyed helping them.
At last mind was made up. “I’m going to be a nurse,” she decided.
“Nursing isn’t the right work for a lady,” her father told her.
“Then I will make it so”, she smiled. And she went to learn nursing in Germany and France.
When she returned to England, Florence started a nursing home. During the Crimean War in 1854 she went with a group of thirty eight nurses to the front hospitals. What they saw there was terrible. Dirt and death were everywhere to be seen — and smelled. The officer there did not want any woman to tell him how to run a hospital, either. But the brave nurse went to work.
Florence used her own money and some from friends to buy clothes, beds, medicine and food for the men. Her only pay was in smiles from the lips of dying soldiers. But they were more than enough for this kind woman.
After she returned to England, she was honored for her services by Queen Victoria. But Florence said that her work had just begun. She raised money to build the Nightingale Home for Nurses in London. She also wrote a book on public health, which was printed in several countries.
Florence Nightingale died at the age of ninety, still trying to serve others through her work as a nurse. Indeed, it is because of her that we honor nurses today.
When she was a child, Florence _______.
A.loved to travel very much |
B.knew what her duty in life was |
C.loved to help the sick people |
D.want to learn music and drawing in the future |
During the Crimean War in 1854, Florence served in the front hospital where _______.
A.she earned a little money |
B.work was very difficult |
C.few soldiers died because of her work |
D.she didn’t have enough food or clothes |
Why was Florence honored by Queen Victoria?
A.She built the Nightingale Home for Nurses. |
B.She wrote a book on public health. |
C.She worked as a nurse all her life. |
D.She did a great deal of work during the Crimean War. |
The passage can best be described as _______.
A.the life story of a famous woman |
B.a description of the nursing work |
C.an example of successful education |
D.the history of nursing in England |
It’s parents’ worst nightmare. Their child doesn’t come home one evening and is missing for several days.
When a 14-year-old boy from Atlanta, Georgia disappeared earlier this year, his mother turned to her Smartphone for clues using an app(应用程序) called Family Tracker that helped track his location.
“You can see where your loved ones are without having to call or bother them. ”said Roberto Franceschetti of LogSat, the creators of the Family Tracker, which has more than 100,000 users and is available worldwide.
Parents can track the location of their child on a map, send messages, and even sound an alarm on the phone in a long distance.
“We have an option for the sender to make a very unpleasant, noisy sound. It’s a loud alarm and we repeat that sound every two minutes until the person picks it up, ”he said.
Parents don’t need to own a Smartphone to track their children. The service is also accessible through the web, as long as the phone that is being tracked is running the app.
Family Tracker has an additional service that keeps records of all data from the app for a two-week period, which the company calls GPS breadcrumbs.
“With a subscription(预定), we keep all the locations where people have been on our servers. You can see where your kid has been for the past two weeks. You can find out where someone was at a certain time or when that person was at a specific place, ”Franceschetti explained.
“When somebody gets abducted(劫持), usually whoever does this throws the phone away or takes the battery out. We were hoping that our app would at least provide information on where the person was abducted or where they had been in the past. ”
But will these types of apps let out personal secrets?
“The advantages are huge compared to the disadvantages. Let’s not forget that the person always has to give initial permission—no one can be tracked unless they allow someone to do it. ”said Franceschetti.
According to the passage, all of the following about “Family Tracker” are true EXCEPT that __________.
A.it can help parents know where their children are |
B.all parents don’t need to own a Smartphone to track children |
C.parents can use all the services of the app for free |
D.it has little to do with letting out personal secrets |
What can we infer from the passage?
A.The app will enjoy a great popularity in the future. |
B.The loss of children won’t be a nightmare for parents any more. |
C.The app will repeat the loud alarm continuously whenever parents track children. |
D.The app can keep records of information for more than half a month. |
Which belong to the functions of the new app?
a. track location b. detect criminals c. send messages
d. protect privacy e. send remote alarm f. record information
A.a, b, c, e | B.a, c, e, f | C.a, c, d, e | D.a, d, e, f |
What will man be like in the future — in 5,000 or even 50,000 years from now? We can only make guesses, of course, but we can be sure that he will be different from what he is today, for man is slowly changing all the time.
Let us take an obvious example. Man, even five hundred years ago, was shorter than he is today. Now, on average, men are about three inches taller. Five hundred years is relatively a short period of time, so we may suppose that man will continue to grow taller. Again, in the modern world we use our brains a great deal. Even so, we still make use of only about 20% of the brain’s capacity(容量). As time goes on, however, we shall have to use our brains more and more, and finally we shall need our brains more and more, and finally we shall need larger ones! This is likely to bring a physical change too: the head, in particular the forehead, will grow larger.
Nowadays our eyes are in constant use. In fact, we use them so much that very often they become weaker and we have to wear glasses. But over long period of time it is likely that man’s eyes will grow stronger.
On the other hand, we tend to make less use of our arms and legs. These, as a result, are likely to grow weaker. At the same time, however, our fingers will grow more sensitive because they are used a great deal in modern life.
But what about hair? This will probably disappear from the body altogether in course of time because it does not serve a useful purpose any longer. In the future, then, both sexes are likely to be bald.
Perhaps all this gives the impression that future man will not be a very attractive creature to look at! This may well be true. All the same, in spite of all these changes, future man will still have a lot in common with us. He will still be a human being, with thoughts and motions similar to our own.
The passage mainly tells us that __________.
A.Man’s life will be different in the future |
B.Future man will look quite different from us |
C.Man is growing taller and uglier as time passes |
D.Man’s organs’ functions will change |
What serves as the evidence that man is changing?
A.Man has got stronger eyes now than he ever had. |
B.Man’s hair is getting thinner and thinner. |
C.Man’s arms and legs have become lighter and weaker. |
D.Man has been growing taller over the past 500 years. |
The change in man’s size of the forehead is probably because __________.
A.he makes use of only 20% of the brain’s capacity |
B.his brain has grown larger over the past centuries |
C.he will use his brain more and more as time goes on |
D.the other 80% of his brain will grow in due time |
Which of the following is TRUE about a human being in the future?
A.He is hairless because hair is no longer useful. |
B.He has smaller eyes and wears better glasses. |
C.His fingers grow weaker because he doesn’t have to make use of them. |
D.He thinks and feels in a different way. |
It is implied that __________.
A.human beings will become less attractive in the future |
B.body organs will become poorer if they are not used often |
C.human beings hope for a change in the future life |
D.future life is always predictable |
The writer Margaret Mitchell is best known for writing Gone with the Wind, first published in 1936. Her book and the movie based on it, tell a story of love and survival during the American Civil War. Visitors to the Margaret Mitchell House in Atlanta, Georgia, can go where she lived when she started composing the story and learn more about her life.
Our first stop at the Margaret Mitchell House is an exhibit area telling about the writer’s life. She was born in Atlanta in 1900. She started writing stories when she was a child. She started working as a reporter for the Atlanta Journal newspaper in 1922. One photograph of Ms. Mitchell, called Peggy, shows her talking to a group of young college boys. She was only about one and a half meters tall. The young men tower over her, but she seems very happy and sure of herself. The tour guide explains: “Now in this picture Peggy is interviewing some boys from Georgia Tech, asking them such questions as ‘Would you really marry a woman who works?’ And today it’d be ‘Would you marry one who doesn’t?’ ”
The Margaret Mitchell House is a building that once contained several apartments. Now we enter the first floor apartment where Ms. Mitchell lived with her husband, John Marsh. They made fun of the small apartment by calling it “The Dump ” .
Around 1926, Margaret Mitchell had stopped working as a reporter and was at home healing after an injury. Her husband brought her books to read from the library. She read so many books that he bought her a typewriter and said it was time for her to write her own book. Our guide says Gone with the Wind became a huge success. Margaret Mitchell received the Pulitzer Prize for the book. In 1939 the film version was released. It won ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
The book Gone with the Wind was _________.
A.first published on a newspaper |
B.awarded ten Academy Awards |
C.written in “The Dump” |
D.adapted from a movie |
The underlined phrase “tower over” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to_________.
A.be very pleased with |
B.show great respect for |
C.be much taller than |
D.show little interest in |
Why did Ms. Mitchell stop working as a reporter according to the passage?
A.Because she was rich enough. |
B.Because she was injured then. |
C.Because her husband didn’t like it. |
D.Because she wanted to write books. |
We can know about Margaret Mitchell from the passage that _________.
A.her height made her marriage unhappy |
B.her interest in writing continued as an adult |
C.writing stopped her working as a reporter |
D.her life was full of hardship and sadness |
Which is the best title for the passage?
A.A Trip to Know Margaret Mitchell. |
B. Gone with the Wind: A Huge Success. |
C.An Introduction of the Margaret Mitchell House. |
D.Margaret Mitchell: A Great Female Writer. |
Raised in a fatherless home,my father was extremely tightfisted towards us children. His attitude didn’t soften as I grew into adulthood and went to college. I had to ride the bus whenever I came home. Though the bus stopped about two miles from home,Dad never met me,even in severe weather. If I grumbled,he’d say in his loudest father-voice,“That’s what your legs are for!”
The walk didn’t bother me as much as the fear of walking alone along the highway and country roads. I also felt less than valued that my father didn’t seem concerned about my safety. But that feeling was canceled one spring evening.
It had been a particularly difficult week at college after long hours in labs. I longed for home. When the bus reached the stop,I stepped off and dragged my suitcase to begin the long journey home.
A row of hedge(树篱)edged the driveway that climbed the hill to our house. Once I had turned off the highway to start the last lap of my journey,I always had a sense of relief to see the hedge because it meant that I was almost home. On that particular evening,the hedge had just come into view when I saw something gray moving along the top of the hedge,moving toward the house. Upon closer observation,I realized it was the top of my father’s head. Then I knew,each time I’d come home,he had stood behind the hedge,watching,until he knew I had arrived safely. I swallowed hard against the tears. He did care,after all.
On later visits,that spot of gray became my watchtower. I could hardly wait until I was close enough to watch for its secret movement above the greenery. Upon reaching home,I would find my father sitting innocently in his chair. “So! My son,it’s you!” he’d say,his face lengthening into pretended surprise.
I replied,“Yes,Dad,it’s me. I’m home.”
What does the underlined word “grumbled” in Paragraph 1 probably mean .
A.Accepted happily. |
B.Explained clearly. |
C.Agreed willingly. |
D.Spoke unhappily. |
What made the author feel upset was ______.
A.the tiredness after long hours in labs |
B.the fear of seeing something moving |
C.the feeling of being less than valued |
D.the loneliness of riding the bus home |
The author’s father watched behind the hedge because ______.
A.he was concerned about his son’s safety |
B.he wanted to help his son build up courage |
C.he didn’t want to meet his son at the doorway |
D.he didn’t think his son was old enough to walk alone |
Which of the following can be the best title for the text
A.My Father’s Secret. |
B.The Life of My father. |
C.Terrible Journey Home. |
D.Riding Bus Alone. |
One morning in Philadelphia, the sun shone bright through all the thick jungles and the tall churches. John, 6, wearing the worn-out clothes, walked from afar, his dark small hands holding a piece of stolen bread.
John stopped for a moment at the entrance to the sacred church and then left tightlyholding the bread,
He was an orphan(弧儿), whose parents were killed in World War Illeaving him alonein the orphanage for five years, Like many children in the orphanage, he had a lot of free time. Mostly no one took care of them, so they had to learn how to steal those they wanted.
John believed the existence of God, so every Sunday morning in any case be would go to the cburch to have a look and listen to those people singing inside or reciting the Bible.He felt only at this moment he was the child of God and so close to God. But he couldn'tenter because his clothes were so dirty. John himself knew it.
John was quietly counting. This was his 45th Sunday at the entrance to the church. He stood on tiptoe for a while and walked away.
As time passed, the pastor(牧师) noticed John and learned from others that he was thesmall boy who liked stealing things in the orphanages.
On the 46th Sunday, the sun was shining and John came still holding a piece of bread with his dark small hands. When he just stood there, the pastor came out. He felt like running away, but he was carried by the pastor's friendly smile.
The pastor walked up to his side, clearly seeing John's small hands tremble.
"Are you John?"
John didn't answer, but looked at the pastor and nodded.
"Do you believe in God?" the pastor petted John on his head stained with dust.
"Yes,l do!" This time John told him loudly.
"So you believe in yourself?"
John looked at the pastor, without a word.
The pastor went on saying, "At the first sight of you, I find you're different from other kids because you have a good heart."
His face tunung red, John said timidly, "In fact, I'm a thief." With that, he loweredhis head.
The pastor didn't speak, but held John's dark small hands, slowly opened them andput them against his wrinkled face.
"Ah:" Just at the same time, John shouted and was about to take out his dark smallhands. Yet the pastor tightly held his small hands and spread them out in the sun.
"Do you see, John?"
"What?"
"You're cupping the sunshine in your hands."
John blankly looked at his hands: when did they become so beautiful?
"In God's eyes, all cluldren are the same. When they are willing to spread out their hands to greet the sun, the sun will naturally shine on them. And you have two things more than they do. First is courage and the second is kindness." With that, the pastor led him into the church. It was the first time that John went into this sacred place, and at this moment he didn't feel inferior, but the unspeakable warmth.
On that morning embracing the sunshine, John found himself again, along with the confidence, satisfaction, happiness, dreams he had never had.
Twenty years have passed. Now the boy who ever tightly held the bread with his dirt hands has been the most famous chefin Philadelphia and made many popular dishes.
Every Sunday morning, he would personally send the bread he baked to the orphanage. Those children who greeted him with cheers were used to consciously spreading their palms before they got the bread.
Because they all knew when we are willing to spread out our hands to greet thesunshine, the sun will naturally shine on us.
The method the writer uses to develop Paragraph lis
A.presenting contrasts | B.showing causes |
C.offering analyses | D.providing explanations |
Why didn't John go inside whenever he went to the church?
A.He was frightened to be recognized by the pastor |
B.He was not welcomed by those singing in the church. |
C.He was ashamed of his dirty clothes and identity as a thief. |
D.He was left alone in the orphanage and nobody cared for him. |
John felt when the pastor walked up to him.
A.excited | B.nervous | C.satisfied | D.angry |
Which of the following questions did John respond to firmly?
A.6'Are you John?" | B."Do you see, John?" |
C."So you believe in yourself?" | D."Do you believe in God?" |
Which of the following can best reflect the pastor's great influence on John?
A.John became a famous chef. |
B.John admitted his bad behavior. |
C.John believed the existence of God. |
D.John spread warmth to other orphans. |
According to the passage, the sunshine cupped in hands can bring
A. cheers and confidence B, dreams and imagination
C. courage and lindness D. orgiveness and satisfaction
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 |
One day Mr. Brown sees a young woman in the street with children. He is very surprised because all the children are wearing the same clothes. White caps, blue coats and yellow trousers.
“Are all these children yours?” he asks the woman.
“Yes, they are.” she answers.
“Do you always dress them in the same clothes ?” asks Mr. Brown.
“Yes,” answers the mother. “When we have four children, we dress them in the same clothes because we don’t want to lose any of them. It is easy to see our children among other children because they are all wearing the same clothes.
And now we have ten, we dress them like this because we don't want to take other children home by mistake. When there are other children among ours, it is easy to see them because their clothes are different.
How many people does Mr. Brown see in the street one day? He sees ____in all.
A.twelve | B.eleven | C.four | D.ten children |
Why is Mr. Brown surprised? Because ________ .
A.all the children are boys |
B.all the children are in the same clothes |
C.all the children are lovely |
D.all the children are wearing the same trousers |
Why does the woman dress her children in the same clothes? Because ___________.
A.she has so many children |
B.she loves her children |
C.she doesn't want to take her children home |
D.she wants to see her children easily among others |
A lawyer and a young lady were sitting next to each other on a long flight. The lawyer asked if she would like to play a fun game. The lady just wanted to take a nap, so she politely refused.
The lawyer explained that the game was actually very easy. He explained “I ask you a question, and if you don’t know the answer, you pay me, and vice versa(反之亦然).” Again, the lady politely refused and tried to get some sleep.
The lawyer added eagerly, “Okay, if you don’t know the answer, you pay me $5, and if I don’t know the answer, I will pay you $50!” Considering that there would be no end to this suffering unless she played, the lady agreed.
The lawyer asked the first question, “What is the distance from the earth to the moon?” The young lady didn't say a word, pulled out five dollars from her purse and handed it to the lawyer.
Now, it was the lady’s turn. She asked the lawyer, “What goes up a hill with three legs, and comes down with four?” The lawyer was greatly puzzled. He took out his computer and searched all of his references. He searched the Net and sent e-mails to all of his friends, but it was all to no avail. After over an hour, he woke up the lady and handed her $50. The lady politely took the money and turned away to get back to sleep.
The lawyer, very puzzled now, woke the lady up again and asked, “Well, what on earth is the answer?” Without a word, the lady reached into her purse, handed the lawyer another $5 and went back to sleep.
The lawyer tried to persuade the lady to play the game because he .
A.knew he could win |
B.wanted to have fun with the lady |
C.wanted to lose money to her |
D.liked to chat with young ladies |
Which of the following best describes the meaning of the underlined words?
A.No messages arrived | B.No one could help him |
C.The Net failed to work | D.Nobody answered his e-mails |
We may infer from the story that .
A.the lawyer and the lady used to be lovers. |
B.there was no answer to the lady’s question. |
C.the lady didn't like playing games with strangers. |
D.the lawyer was too stupid to answer the question. |
The author’s purpose for writing the story is to .
A.tell us how clever the lady is |
B.describe the rules of playing games |
C.show that it is interesting to play games |
D.make fun of the lawyer |
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