Donald had his own difficulties in sleeping that night. Not just because of the bright lights of the shelter or people’s constant voices, it was the happening repeatedly nightmare that caused him to stay awake, to fear sleep. Donald was back in his small house. He did his best to ignore the howling winds outside his window. Yet he could not turn out the fearful whimpers (呜咽) of his little dog, or the uncomfortable sounds of his mother anxious in her room next door, unable to sleep through the storm despite her insistence they would be all right.
Donald did not want his mother to be upset, but on some level, he was glad to hear she was awake, It meant he was not alone in the dark. Though he was 12, until recently it was impossible for Donald to fall asleep unless his mother lay down by his side.
Suddenly there was a crash. Their living room window is shattered (打碎) by 125 miles an hour winds. Troy rushed to Donald and sat anxiously on the edge of his bed. He did his best to calm his mother, and she had to comfort him. Soon water was seeping (渗入) into the single floor house. Quickly it rose from ankle level to leg level. At Donald’s insistence, they pushed their way through the water --- now chest high --- toward the front door. When they fought their way into the living room, water rose to their chins.
It was a struggle for the boy and mother to stay afloat. In a total panic, desperate to hold on to something, Troy caught a curtain rod. She was breathing hard, shouting that she couldn’t swim.
Donald cried out, “Mom! Hold on!” Just then Donald also caught a floatable wood board.
The passage is mainly about _____.
A.how a storm happened and caused damage |
B.how a mother and son experienced a storm |
C.how a mother and son survived a storm |
D.how a son helped his mother in a storm |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the story?
A.The rising water. | B.The broken window. |
C.The lucky dog. | D.The noisy environment. |
Which phrase can describe Troy’s feelings at the beginning of the storm most suitably?
A.In excitement. | B.In calm. | C.In anxiety. | D.In despair. |
What will the author most probably talk about next?
A.How the other people struggled in the storm. |
B.Why the rainstorm happened. |
C.What damage the rainstorm caused. |
D.How Donald and Troy struggled to save themselves |
Recently a Beijing father sent in a question at an Internet forum (论坛) asking what "PK" meant. "My family has been watching the 'Super Girl' singing competition TV program . My little daughter asked me what 'PK' meant, but I had no idea," explained the puzzled father.
To a lot of Chinese young people who have been playing games online, it is impossible not to know this term. In such Internet games, "PK" is short for "Player Kill", in which two players fight until one ends the life of the other.
In the case of the "Super Girl" singing competition, "PK" was used to refer to the stage where two singers have to compete with each other for only one chance to go up in competition ranking.
Like this father, Chinese teachers at high schools have also been finding their students' compositions using Internet jargons (行话) which are difficult to understand. A high school teacher from Tianjin asked her students to write compositions with simple language, but they came up with a lot of Internet jargons that she didn't understand.
"My 'GG' came back this summer from college. He told me I've grown up to be a 'PLMM'. I loved to 'FB' with him together; he always took me to the 'KPM'," went one composition.
"GG" means Ge Ge (Chinese pinyin for brother). "PLMM" refers to Piao Liang Mei Mei (beautiful girl). "FB" means Fu Bai (corruption). "KPM" is short for KFC, Pizza Hut and McDonald's.
Some specialists welcome Internet jargons as a new development in language.
If you do not even know what a Kong Long (dinosaur, referring to an ugly looking female) or a Qing Wa (frog, referring to an ugly looking male) is, you will possibly be regarded as a Cai Niao!
By writing the article, the writer tries to ________ .
A.explain some Internet language |
B.suggest common Internet language |
C.laugh at the Beijing father |
D.draw our attention to Internet language |
What does the writer think about the term "PK"?
A.Fathers can't possibly know it. |
B.The daughter should understand it. |
C.Online game players may know it. |
D."Super Girl" shouldn't have used it. |
The examples of the Beijing father and the Tianjin teacher are used to show that Internet jargons ________ .
A.are used not only online |
B.can be understood very well |
C.are welcomed by all the people |
D.cause trouble to our mother tongue |
What would be the best title for the passage?
A.A puzzled father |
B.Do you speak Internet-ish? |
C.Keep away from Internet-ish |
D.Kong Long or Qing Wa? |
An old man died and left his son a lot of money. But the son was a foolish young man, and he quickly spent all the money, so that soon he had nothing left. Of course, when that happened, all his friends left him. When he was quite poor and alone, he went to see Nasreddin, who was a kind, clever old man and often helped people when they had troubles.
My money has finished and my friends have gone, said the young man. What will happen to me now?
Don't worry , young man, answered Nasreddin. Everything will soon be all right again. Wait ,and you will soon feel much happier.
The young man was very glad .Am I going to get rich again then? he asked Nasreddin.
No, I didn't mean that, said the old man. I meant that you would soon get used to being poor and to having no friends.
An old man died and left his son_______.
A.nothing | B.some gold | C.much money | D.only a house |
When the son was________, he went to see Nasreddin.
A.short of money | B.quite poor and sick |
C.in trouble | D.quite poor and alone |
The young man was very glad because Nasreddin said that________.
A.he would become rich again |
B.he would soon feel much happier |
C.he would become clever |
D.he would have more friends |
Nasreddin meant the young man______.
A.would get rich again |
B.would get used to having nothing |
C.would get used to being in trouble |
D.would get out of poorness |
What this story tells us is________.
A.that money is everything |
B.that money makes the mare go |
C.to save each penny |
D.that misfortune tests the sincerity of friends |
There are thousands of things to be sold that are of all colors and shapes in a supermarket, making you believe that they are good enough for you to have a try. How packaging(包装)is the quiet but persuading salesman?
There on the shelves,each bottle, can and box has been carefully designed to speak to the inner self of the consumer(消费者), so that he is buying not only a product but also his belief in life. Scientists have studied on this and found that the look of the package has a great influence on the “quality” of the product and on how well it sells, because “Consumers generally cannot tell between a product and its package. Many products are packages and many packages are products,” as Louis Cheskin, the first social scientist studying consumers’ feeling for packaging, noticed.
Colors are one of the best tools in packaging. Studies of eye movement have shown that colors draw human attention quickly. Take V8 for example. For many years,the bright red color of tomatoes and carrots on the thin bottle makes you feel that it’s very good for your body. And the word “green" today can keep food prices going up.
Shapes are another attraction.Circles often mean happiness, because they are pleasing to both the eye and the heart. That’s why the round yellow M sings of McDonald’s are inviting to both young and old.
This new consumer response(反应)to the colors and shapes of packages reminds(提醒)producers and sellers that people buy to meet the needs of both body and heart.
According to the passage, ______ seems to be able to persuade a consumer to buy the product.
A.the pleasing color of the package |
B.the special taste of the product |
C.the strange shape of the package |
D.the belief in the product |
It can be inferred(推测)from the passage that V8 is a kind of .
A.vegetable dish | B.healthy juice |
C.hard drink | D.red vegetable |
“And the word ‘green’ today can keep food prices going up” This sentence
suggests that consumers today are .
A.starting to notice the importance of new food |
B.enjoying the beauty of nature more than before |
C.beginning to like green vegetables |
D.paying more attention to their health |
What’s the best title of the passage?
A.Colors and Shapes |
B.Packaging Can Talk |
C.The response to the packages |
D.What is packing? |
What’s in a name? Well, apparently, our general happiness. Psychologists say that what we are called has a direct connection with our well-being (
幸福).
Those called Judy and Joshua are the happiest, while Lynn or Ben is likely to be the unhappiest, according to research. Psychologist Dr David Holmes found that this might due to the association(
联想)that others made with the name. Hearing the name Judy may make them think of actress Judi Dench or TV presenter Judy Finnigan, people who are seen as good natured and happy. On the other hand, people think Paulines are unhappy because of the character Pauline Fowler from the TV programme East Enders. The research claims that this association influences the person with the name and so their personality becomes shaped to fit it. Dr David Holmes said, "This also has some relation with the original meaning of the name. For example, the original meaning of Judy is 'praised’."
Certain names also work well in certain aspects of life. In the workplace Richard and Judy are happiest, while those called Ruth and Carly are happiest in relationships. At the other end of the scale the unhappiest workers are Stuart and Liz, with the unhappiest in relationships being Frank and Harriet.
Dr Holmes said, "The relation we have with certain names, particularly important namesakes(
同名者), also shapes how we see ourselves and so may have an effect on our confidence. Names are like product brands in having a powerful effect on attitudes and should therefore be chosen with care."
"Other names are connected with being brave, outgoing or serious. Therefore, many celebrities change their names to ones which reflect these characteristics. This, in turn, influences parents when they choose names for their babies," said Dr Holmes, "however, names connected with ordinary people are seldom chosen for their babies".
Which of the following is NOT a reason why Judy is a good name?
A.The association people make with it. |
B.Its original meaning. |
C.The high number of famous people who are called Judy. |
D.The personalities of famous Judys. |
According to the passage, which of the following names are better?
A.Ruth and Joshua. | B.Pauline and Frank. | C.Richard and Stuart. | D.Joshua and Ben. |
The reason why names should be chosen carefully is that___________.
A.good names can make us succeed. |
B.names can affect how we see ourselves |
C.names can tell us what we should do |
D.good names can show others who we are |
The author may continue the passage with__________.
A.names and product brands | B.famous people’s names |
C.parents ‘choices of baby names | D.names and personality |
What’s the main idea of this passage?
A.How to choose a good name for babies. |
B.How to achieve success by changing a good name. |
C.The relation between names and success. |
D.The relation between names and happiness. |
As summer approaches, a lot of people will be in search of a great book to read while they are relaxing on the beach or by the pool. Here we have made a list of four e-books that we think are great summer reads.
Stark by Ben Elton--- If you have read a lot of books then you may know that Ben Elton is one of the funniest writers around the world. This book is one of his best pieces of work to date and it will certainly leave you in hysterics(狂笑). You may find yourself laughing out loud constantly when reading this book.
1984 by George Orwell---there is a big chance that some of you may have read this book ,but even if you have, it’s still well worth reading again. This is a great holiday book and it will shock you constantly due to the accuracy of the book. The book was actually written in 1948 and was written about what the author (George Orwell) fell the world would be like in 1984,and he was pretty spot-on .This book is thrilling and will probably leave you a little scared at the end of it.
The Road---This book is a fantastic read and will leave you hanging on edge all the way through it. This book is quite dark, however, and it certainly had some shocking moments throughout. The book is set in a post-apocalyptic(浩劫后的) world where modern life has been destroyed and in which there is no wildlife and a lot of humans have actually turned to cannibalism(同类相食).This book is fantastic if you enjoy a thrilling read that will leave you on the edge of your seat every few seconds. This certainly isn't a book for the faint of heart.
The Theory of Everything by Stephen Hawking---If you haven’t read this book yet then you really must .If you’re looking for a non-fiction and highly informative book for your summer then this is the book for you. This book was written by Professor Stephen Hawking and is extremely famous.
What is the text mainly about?
A.An introduction to four e-books that are great summer reads. |
B.Advice on how to choose great e—books for summer reads. |
C.The contents of four e-books that are famous around the world |
D.People’s opinion on reading e-books on the beach. |
Which of the following is TRUE?
A.Ben Elton is the funniest writer all over the world. |
B.If you’ve read 1984, there’s no need to read it again. |
C.The Road presents a world in which there are no humans. |
D.The Theory of Everything is full of information that is helpful to readers. |
We can learn from the passage that____________
A.George Orwell wrote what the world in 1948 was like in his book |
B.Readers will surely be scared after reading 1984. |
C.The Theory of Everything is a work of popular fiction. |
D.Readers who are fond of comedies may like to read Stark |
If Mark likes reading thrilling and exciting stories, which of the following should he choose?
A.Stark | B.1984 | C.The Road | D.The theory of Everything |
In which section of a magazine would you most probably read the text?
A.Literature | B.Travel | C.Lifestyle | D.Nature. |
Habits, whether good or bad, are gradually formed. When a person does a certain thing again, he is driven by some unseen force to do the same thing repeatedly, then a habit is formed. Once a habit is formed, it is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to get rid of. It is therefore very important that we should pay great attention to the formation of habits. Children often form bad habits, some of which remain with them as long as they live. Older persons also form bad habits lasting as long as they live, and sometimes become ruined by them.
There are other habits which, when formed in early life, are of great help. Many successful men say that much of their success has something to do with certain habits in early life, such as early rising, honesty and so on.
Among the habits which children should not form are laziness, lying, stealing and so on. These are all easily formed habits. Unfortunately older persons often form habits which could have been avoided(避免).
We should keep away from(远离) all these bad habits, and try to form such habits as will be good for ourselves and others.
________ are formed little by little.
A.Good habits | B.Bad habits |
C.Both good habits and bad habits | D.Either good habits or bad habits |
The underlined word "them" in the first paragraph refers to ________.
A.bad habits | B.good habits | C.children | D.other persons |
Generally speaking, it's difficult for one _____ and easy for them _____which should be avoided.
A.to form bad habits; to form good habits |
B.to form good habits; to form bad habits |
C.to form such habits as will be good; to get rid of bad habits |
D.to get rid of bad habits; to form good habits |
Why should we pay much attention to the formation of habits?
A.Because habits are of great help to every one of us. |
B.Because a man can never get rid of a habit. |
C.Because it's hard and sometimes even impossible to throw away bad habits. |
D.Because we are forced to do them again and again. |
According to the passage, early rising ________.
A.has something to do with success |
B.is an easily formed habit |
C.is such a habit as should have been avoided |
D.is such a habit as will be kept |
Deciding which English-speaking country to study in wasn’t difficult for Ann; She had always wanted to visit America. “I wanted to study in an English-language country and I always wanted to visit America because it always seemed to me a very beautiful and friendly country.” Ann is more than happy with the quality of the education she is receiving in America, particularly with the subjects and strong academic support.“ I am very happy with the quality of education I am receiving. All my subjects are useful and connected. I am happy with help I receive from the lecturers and tutors.”
Also of particular satisfaction for Ann is the practical element of her American course. “I find it very important and useful. The theory is a good thing to know but nothing gives you more skills and knowledge than practical work.”
Where her future employment is concerned, Ann is very confident her American qualification will be of great help. “I know that getting a degree here is a good thing for my future; it can open many doors in Poland or anywhere else in the world.”
Ann is also really enjoying life in America; She is making friends and taking time out to enjoy herself. “People are very friendly and helpful. University is a good place to find new friends from America and from overseas. It is a friendly environment with lots of things to do, not only studying. And of course there are the beaches, not to mention the beautiful weather.”
The purpose of writing this passage is to _________.
A.tell us Ann’s decision to settle in America |
B.tell us Ann is accustomed to life in America |
C.introduce Ann’s happy study and life in America |
D.introduce more about Ann to help her make friends |
Why did Ann decide to study in America?
A.Her parents persuaded her to do so. |
B.She has relatives and best friends here. |
C.Her boyfriend was studying here too then. |
D.She has dreamed of studying here for long. |
What makes Ann particularly satisfied in America?
A.The comfortable climate and easy lifestyle. |
B.The help from her host families and teachers. |
C.The American courses have more practical elements. |
D.The friends here are mostly from English-speaking countries. |
What does the underlined sentence mean?
A.Ann will try all her best to ensure to get a degree. |
B.Ann’s degree will help her find a job easily at home and abroad. |
C.Ann will certainly go back to Poland to work after graduation. |
D.With the degree received in America, Ann will never be out of work. |
Dolphins are interesting animals and researchers find them interesting to watch. They don’t have hands, but can use tools to solve problems, just like us. Scientists have observed a dolphin trying to get a shy eel(鳝鱼) to come out of its hole by poking(捅)it with a dead fish. Many species of dolphin live in large societies. They have many different relationships and need a good communication system; they use a variety of sounds to communicate with each other.
There is currently no evidence that dolphins have a language of their own. But scientists still have a lot to find out about these animals and so there are certain to be a few surprises in the future.
At Kewalo Basin Marine Laboratory in Hawaii, the dolphin team have developed a sign langue to communicate with the dolphins, and the results are amazing. Not only do the dolphins understand the meaning of individual words, they also understand the significance of word order in a sentence. For example, when they were asked to ‘touch the ball with your tail and then jump over it’ they generally responded correctly and straight away, which showed that they understood the langue.
Most mammals seem to enjoy play—but dolphins seems to like making their games as challenging as possible. On a beautiful day in 1997, researchers working at a beach, off the southern coast of Brazil, observed a little dog going into the sea and swimming towards the dolphins. To their surprise, the dolphins approached the dog and then started throwing it into the air. The dog seemed to enjoy the ‘game’ and continued playing with the dolphins for more than an hour. From then on, different dogs were seem trying to interact with the dolphins.
Dolphins live in a very different world to ourselves, but they are very good at our ‘intelligence tests’. For example, they will jump out of the water when they hear a whistle noise. They do this because they will get a fish as a reward. There is still much to learn about these flexible(灵活的)problem-solvers, but from the evidence so far, it would seem as though dolphins are very intelligent.
To get a shy eel to come out of its hole , a dolphin would poke it with____.
A.a tool | B.its tail | C.a dead fish | D.its mouth |
At a laboratory in Hawaii, the dolphin team have developed a ____ to communicate with the dolphins.
A.variety of sounds | B.sign language |
C.special word order | D.dolphin’s language |
Dolphins not only understand the meaning of individual words, they also understand the importance of ______ in a sentence.
A.the subject | B.the verbs | C.the main structure | D.word order |
When they play, dolphins seems to like making their games as ______ as possible.
A.difficult | B.easy | C.interesting | D.relaxing |
Dolphins will jump out of the water when they hear a whistle noise in order to _______.
A.watch people | B.breathe fresh air |
C.enjoy themselves | D.get some food |
The clothes you wear. The food you eat. The color of your bedroom walls. Where you go and how you get there. The people you hang around with. What time you go to bed. What do these things have in common, you’re asking? They’re just a few examples of the many hundreds of things that your parents controlled for you when you were a child.
As a kid, you didn’t have a say in everything; your parents made decisions about everything from the cereal you ate in the morning to the pajamas you wore at night. And it’s a good thing, too—kids need this kind of protection on their own.
But finally, kids grow up and become teens. And part of being a teen is developing your own identity—one that is separate from your parents’. But as you change and grow into this new person who makes his own decisions, your parents have a difficult time adjusting(调整).
In many families, it is this adjustment that can cause a lot of fighting between teens and parents. And issues like the type of friends you have or your attitudes to partying can cause bigger arguments, because your parents still always want to protect you and keep you safe, no matter how old you are.
The good news about fighting with your parents get more comfortable with the idea that their teen has a right to certain opinions. It can take several years for parents and teens to adjust to their new roles, though. In the meantime, focus on communicating with your parents.
Sometimes this can feel impossible—like they just don’t see your point of view and never will. But talking and expressing your opinions can help you gain more respect from your parents.
Keep in mind, too, that your parents were teens once and that in most cases, they can relate to what you’re going through.
In the first two paragraphs, the writer________.
A.complains that parents control kids too much. |
B.proves that kids have no right to give their opinions. |
C.describes how carefully parents look after kids |
D.explains that it is necessary for parents to control kids |
A lot of fighting breaks out between teens and parents because________.
A.parents aren’t used to losing control of kids |
B.teens like to have everything decided |
C.parents blame teens for not respecting them |
D.teens are eager to develop their own identity |
In the opinions of the writer, parents control teens in order to ________.
A.prevent them from having their own ideas |
B.protect them from being hurt |
C.make them respect parents in family |
D.make sure that children have a good future. |
The underlined word “this” in paragraph 6 may refer to “________”.
A.arguing with friends |
B.fighting with your parents |
C.communicating with parents |
D.adjusting to new roles |
What might be the most suitable title for the passage?
A.What do parents control their children for? |
B.How parents take are of children? |
C.How to get rid of your parents’ control? |
D.Why do I fight with parents so much? |
Shopping is not as simple as you may think! There are all sorts of tricks at play each time we reach out for that particular brand (商标) of product on the shelf.
Colouring, for example, varies according to what the producers are trying to sell. Health foods are packaged (包装) in greens, yellows or browns because we think of these as healthy colours. Ice cream packets are often blue and expensive goods, like chocolates, are gold or silver.
When some kind of pain killer was brought out recently, researchers found that the colours turned the customers off because they made the product look weak and ineffective. Eventually, it came on the market in a dark blue and white package—blue because we think of it as safe, and white as calm.
The size of a product can attract a shopper. But quite often a bottle doesn’t contain as much as it appears to.
It is believed that the better-known companies spend, on average, 70 per cent of the total cost of the product itself on packaging!
The most successful producers know that it’s not enough to have a good product. The founder of Pears soap, who for 25 years has used pretty little girls to promote(推销) their goods, came to the conclusion: “Any fool can make soap, but it takes a genius (天才) to sell it.”
Which of the following may trick a shopper into buying a product according to the text?
A.The cost of its package. | B.The price of the product. |
C.The colour of its package. | D.The brand name of the product. |
The underlined part “the colours turned the customers off”(in Para. 3 ) means that the colours _____.
A.attracted the customers strongly |
B.had weak effects on the customers |
C.tricked the customers into shopping |
D.caused the customers to lose interest |
Which of the following is the key to the success in product sales?
A.The way to promote goods. |
B.The discovery of a genius. |
C.The team to produce a good product. |
D.The brand name used by successful producers. |
Which of the following would be the best title for this text?
A.Choice of Good Products | B.Disadvantages of Products |
C.Effect of Packaging on Shopping | D.Brand Names and Shopping Tricks |
People believe that climbing can do good to health. Where can you learn the skill of climbing then? If you think that you have to go to the mountains to learn how to climb, you’re wrong. Many Americans are learning to climb in city gyms. Here,people are learning on special climbing walls. The climbing wall goes straight up and has small holding places for hands and feet.
How do people climb the wall? To climb,you need special shoes and a harness (保护带) around your chest to hold you. There are ropes tied to your harness. The ropes hold you in place so that you don’t fall. A beginner’s wall is usually about 15 feet high, and you climb straight up. There are small pieces of metal that stick out for you to stand on and hold on to. Sometimes it’s easy to see the next piece of metal. Sometimes, it’s not. The most difficult part is to control your fear. It’s normal for humans to be afraid of falling, so it’s difficult not to feel fear. But when you move away from the wall, the harness and the ropes hold you,and you begin to feel safe. You move slowly until you reach the top.
Climbing attracts people because it’s good exercise for almost everyone. You use your whole body, especially your arms and legs. This sport gives your body a complete workout. When you climb,both your mind and your body can become stronger.
What can we infer from the passage?
A.People are fairly interested in climbing nowadays. |
B.It is impossible to build up one’s body by climbing. |
C.People can only learn the skill of climbing outdoors. |
D.It is always easy to see holding places in climbing. |
The most difficult thing to do in wall climbing is________.
A.to tie ropes to your harness | B.to control your fear |
C.to move away from the wall | D.to climb straight up |
The word “workout” underlined in the last paragraph most probably means________.
A.settlement | B.exercise | C.excitement | D.tiredness |
Why does the author write this passage?
A.To tell people where to find gyms. |
B.To prove the basic need for climbing. |
C.To encourage people to climb mountains. |
D.To introduce the sport of wall climbing. |
Whether we’re 2 years old or 62, our reasons for lying are mostly the same: to get out of trouble, for personal gain and to make ourselves look better in the eyes of others. But a growing body of research is raising questions about how a child’s lie is different from an adult’s lie, and how the way we deceive changes as we grow.
“Parents and teachers who catch their children lying should not be alarmed. Their children are not going to turn out to be abnormal liars,” says Dr. Lee, a professor at the University of Toronto and director of the Institute of Child Study. He has spent the last 15 years studying how lying changes as kids get older, why some people lie more than others as well as which factors can reduce lying. The fact that children tell lies is a sign that they have reached a new developmental stage. Dr. Lee conducted a series of studies in which they bring children into a lab with hidden cameras. Children and young adults aged 2 to 17 are likely to lie while being told not to look at a toy, which is put behind the child’s back. Whether or not the child takes a secret look is caught on tape.
For young kids, the desire to cheat is big and 90% take a secret look in these experiments. When the test-giver returns to the room, the child is asked if he or she looked secretly. At age 2, about a quarter of children will lie and say they didn’t. By 3, half of kids will lie, and by 4, that figure is 90%, studies show.
Researchers have found that it’s kids with better understanding abilities who lie more. That’s because to lie you also have to keep the truth in mind, which includes many brain processes, such as combining several sources of information and faking that information. The ability to lie — and lie successfully — is thought to be related to development of brain regions that allow so called “executive functioning”, or higher order thinking and reasoning abilities. Kids who perform better on tests that involve executive functioning also lie more.
What’s the purpose of children telling lies?
A.To help their friends out. |
B.To get rid of trouble. |
C.To get attention from others. |
D.To create a popular image. |
The underlined word “deceive” in Paragraph 1 can be replaced by “ ”.
A.tell lies | B.handle troubles |
C.raise questions | D.do research |
From the second paragraph we can know that .
A.which factors can reduce lying |
B.why some lie more than others |
C.it is normal for kids to tell lies |
D.how lying changes as kids grow |
It can be inferred from the passage that .
A.children’s lies are the same as adults’ |
B.the better kids are, the more they lie |
C.the older kids are, the more they lie |
D.kids always keep the truth in their mind |
What is NOT included in the passage?
A.The reasons why kids tell lies. |
B.Which kind of kids tells more lies. |
C.Experiments about lying of young kids. |
D.What to do with lying children. |
When I was seven, my father gave me a Timex, my first watch. I loved it, wore it for years, and haven’t had another one since it stopped ticking a decade ago. Why? Because I don’t need one. I have a mobile phone and I’m always near someone with an iPod or something like that. All these devices (装置) tell the time — which is why, if you look around, you’ll see lots of empty wrists (手腕); sales of watches to young adults have been going down since 2007.
But while these wise people have realized that they don’t need them, others — including some distinguished ones of our time — are spending total fortunes on them. Brands such as Rolex, Patek Philippe and Breitling command shocking prices, up to £ 250.000 for a piece.
This is ridiculous. Expensive cars go faster than cheap cars. Expensive clothes hang better than cheap clothes. But these days, all watches tell the time as well as all other watches. Yes, you may say expensive watches will come with some extra functions — but who needs them? How often do you dive to 300 metres into the sea to test its function of waterproof, or need to find your direction in the area around the South Pole by using its compass? So why pay that much of five years’ school fees for watches that allow you to do these things?
If justice were done, the Swiss watch industry should have closed down when the Japanese discovered how to make accurate watches for a five-pound note. Instead, the Swiss re-invented the watch, with the aid of millions of pounds’ worth of advertising, as a message about the man —— usually a famous star, wearing it. Rolexes are for those who spend their weekends climbing icy mountains; a Patek Philippe is for one from a rich or noble family; a Breitling suggests you like to pilot planes across the world.
Watches are classified as “investment items” (投资项目) now. A 1994 Philippe recently sold for nearly £ 350, 000, while 1960s Rolexes have gone from 15, 000 to 30, 000 plus in a year. But, to some wealthy people, a watch is more than an investment. It’s a valuable toy for self-satisfaction, a matter of fashion. Prices may keep going up — they’ve been rising for fifteen years. But when fashion moves on, the owner of that £ 350, 000 treasured object will suddenly find his pride and joy is no more a good investment than my childhood Times.
The sales of watches to young people have fallen because ______.
A.they have other devices to tell the time |
B.they think watches are too expensive |
C.they have little sense of time now |
D.they prefer to wear an iPod on their wrists |
It seems ridiculous to the writer that ______.
A.some people often dive 300 metres deep into the sea |
B.expensive clothes sell much better than cheap ones |
C.cheap cars usually don’t run as fast as expensive ones |
D.expensive watches with unnecessary functions still sell |
What can be learnt about Swiss watch industry from the passage?
A.It targets rich people as its potential customers. |
B.It seems hard for the industry to beat its competitors. |
C.It wastes a huge amount of money in advertising. |
D.It is easy for the industry to re-invent cheap watches. |
Which would be the best title for the passage?
A.Timex Being better than Rolex |
B.My Expensive Childhood Timex |
C.Super-level Watches? Not for Me! |
D.Watches — a Valuable Collection |
Every object tells a story. Even the most ordinary objects can present to us powerful images. Sometimes it is the ordinary nature of these objects that actually makes them so extraordinary. Such is the case with an old leather shoe in a museum in Alaska. At first glance it does not look like much. It is a woman’s shoe of a style popular in the 1890s. But what is unique(独特的) about this shoe is where it was found. It was discovered on the Checkout Pass, the famous trail used by the people seeking gold in Alaska. Who it belonged to or why it was left there is not known. Was it perhaps dropped by accident as the woman climbed up the 1500 stairs carved outface? Or did she throw away goods that she didn’t need in order to travel lighter?
Over 100, 000 people with “gold fever” made this trip hoping to become millionaires. Few of them understood that on their way they would have to cross a harsh wildness. Unprepared for such a dangerous journey, many died of starvation and exposure to the cold weather.
The Canadian government finally started requiring the gold seekers to bring one ton of supplies with them. This was thought to be enough for a person to survive for one year. They would carry their supplies in backpacks(背包) each weighing up to fifty pounds; it usually took at least 40 trips to get everything to the top and over the pass. Whoever dropped the shoe must have been a brave and determined woman. Perhaps she was successful and made it to Alaska. Perhaps she had to turn back in defeat. No one will ever know for sure, but what we do know is that she took part in one of the greatest adventures in the 19th century.
The ordinary woman’s leather shoe is considered unusual because ______.
A.it was an important clue to life in the past |
B.it was found on a famous trail |
C.it at one time belonged to a VIP |
D.it was a fashionable shoe at that time |
According to this passage, many people who went to Alaska ______.
A.eventually became millionaires |
B.brought with them many shoes |
C.had conflicts with the Eskimos |
D.were not properly equipped |
The Canadian government made gold seekers bring one year’s supplies with them so that ______.
A.they would not die of hunger and cold |
B.the army would have enough food for fighting a war |
C.they would change these goods with the Eskimos |
D.the supplies would make Alaska rich |
No matter what happened to the woman who owned the shoe, ______.
A.she must have lived a happy life |
B.she certainly dropped the shoe on purpose |
C.her adventurous spirit is definitely admired |
D.her other shoes were equally fashionable |
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