Every morning Grandpa got up early sitting at the table, reading his book. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to copy him in every way he could.
One day the grandson asked, “Grandpa, I try to read the book just like you, but I don’t understand it, and I forget what I understand as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the book do?” The grandpa quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, “Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.”
The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandpa laughed and said, “You’ll have to move a little faster next time,” and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again.
This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned. Out of breath, he told his grandpa that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, so he went to get a bucket instead. The grandpa said, “I don’t want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You’re just not trying hard enough.”
The boy again dipped the basket into the river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandpa the basket was empty again. Out of breath, he said, “Grandpa, it’s useless !”“So, you think it is useless?” the grandpa said, “Look at the basket.”
The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean.
“Grandson, that’s what happens when you read the book. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you’ll be changed, inside and out.”What puzzled the grandson most was ________.
| A．what kind of book he could understand |
| B．whether it was useful to read books |
| C．why he forgot what he read soon |
| D．how he could read books like his grandpa |
Why did Grandpa ask his grandson to fetch a basket of water? _______
| A．To punish him for not reading carefully. |
| B．To train him to run faster. |
| C．To get him to realize the use of reading books. |
| D．To clean the dirty basket in the river. |
What lesson can we learn from the story? ________
| A．It is foolish to carry water with a basket. |
| B．The old are always wiser than the young. |
| C．Reading books can change a person gradually. |
| D．You can’t expect to remember whatever you read. |
What can be the best title for the text? _______
| A．Grandpa and grandson | B．Carrying water in a basket |
| C．Baskets and books | D．Reading for total changing |
Recently, China UnionPay did an experiment in a subway station in Beijing—Are you willing to offer a hand to a stranger who needs help?
The leading role of the experiment was an old man. With a small bag in one hand and a large case in the other， the old man appeared in a cold winter morning in the bustling（繁忙的） subway station. He was so old that he couldn’t carry the heavy case up the stairs. Standing in front of the steps, he looked helpless.
Something good happened finally. At 9 o’clock, a kind man showed up, he offered to carry the case for the old man and walked up the stairs with him, at 9：25, another man helped …
Within six hours，the old man walked up the stairs for 25 times，among which he was helped for 23 times.
What’s more，two ladies tried to help the old man—one in the front and the other in the back. They carried the case up the stairs for him. The most noteworthy thing was that another old man tried to help too.
When these kind people were asked why they helped the stranger，they all said “ It’s just the right thing to do,” “I always help people as long as I can” ,or “it’s not a big thing, and I just want to help”.
We often see negative news about fake falling and blackmailing or scheming (阴谋)and cunning. But this experiment brought sheer warmth into our heart.Why did China UnionPay carry out the experiment?
| A．To find out whether strangers need help when they are in trouble. |
| B．To find out whether someone can help those who want to help others. |
| C．To find out whether strangers can be helped when they are in danger. |
| D．To find out whether someone can help strangers who are in need of help. |
What do we know about the old man?
| A．He lived a hard and miserable life. |
| B．He helped to do the experiment. |
| C．He was too weak to carry the case upstairs. |
| D．He left after being helped by another old man. |
The most moving scene is that______________ .
| A．most of the passers-by helped the old man |
| B．even a disabled girl helped the old man |
| C．another old man also helped the old man |
| D．one lady carried the old man on her back |
What message does the experiment express?
| A．What warms us most is that helping others is grateful in our society. |
| B．What people gain is that they will be rewarded for helping others in China. |
| C．What strikes us is that China UnionPay really did a successful experiment. |
| D．What impresses us is that most people help others really by nature. |
If you have a chance to go to Finland, you will probably be surprised to find how “foolish” the Finnish people are.
Take the taxi drivers for example. Taxis in Finland are mostly high-class Benz with a fare of two US dollars a kilometer. You can go anywhere in one, tell the driver to drop you at any place, say that you have some business to attend to(料理), and then walk off without paying your fare. The driver would not show the least sign of anxiety.
The dining rooms in all big hotels not only serve their guests, but also serve outside diners. Hotel guests have their meals free, so they naturally go to the free dining rooms to have their meals. The most they would do to show their good faith is to wave their registration card(住宿登记卡) to the waiter. With such a loose check, you can easily use any old registration card to take a couple of friends to dine free of charge.
The Finnish workers are paid by the hour. They are very much on their own as soon as they have agreed with the boss on the rate(价钱). From then on, they just say how many hours they have worked and they will be paid accordingly(相应地).
With so many loopholes(漏洞) in everyday life, surely Finland must be a heaven to those who love to take “petty advantages”. But the strange thing is, all the taxi passengers would always come back to pay their fare after they have attended to their business; not a single outsider has ever been found in the free hotel dining rooms. And workers always give an honest account of the exact hours they put in. As the Finns always act on good faith in everything they do, living in such a society has turned everyone into a real “gentleman”.
In a society of such high moral practice, what need is there for people to be on guard against others? While taking a taxi in Finland, _____.
| A．a passenger can go anywhere without having to pay the driver |
| B．a passenger pays two US dollars for a taxi ride |
| C．a passenger can never be refused by the taxi driver wherever he wants to go |
| D．a passenger needs to provide good faith demonstration (证明) before leaving without paying |
We know from the passage that big hotels in Finland ________.
| A．are mostly poorly managed |
| B．provide meals for any diners |
| C．provide free wine and charge for food |
| D．provide meal for only those who live in the hotels |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．The workers in Finland are paid by the hour. |
| B．The workers are always honest with their working hours. |
| C．The workers and their bosses will make an agreement in advance about the pay. |
| D．The bosses in Finland are too busy to check the working hours of their employees. |
The word “those” in the last but one paragraph probably refers to _____.
| A．people who are dishonest |
| B．people who often have meals in big hotels |
| C．people who often take taxis |
| D．people who are worthy of trust |
Frank Smithson woke up and leaned over to turn off the alarm clock. "Oh no!" he thought to himself. " Another day at that office; a boss who shouts at me all the time."
As Frank went downstairs his eyes fell on a large brown envelope by the door. He was overjoyed when he opened it and read the letter inside. "Bigwoods Football Pools(足球赌博公司)would like to congratulate you. You have won half a million pounds."
Frank suddenly came to life. The cigarette fell from his lips as he let out a shout that could be heard halfway down the street.
At 11:30 Frank arrived at work. "Please explain why you're so late," his boss said. "Go and jump in the lake," replied Frank. "I've just come into a little money so this is good-bye. Find yourself someone else to shout at."
That evening Frank was smoking a very expensive Havana cigar(雪茄) when a knock was heard on the door. He rushed to the door. Outside were two men, neatly(整洁) dressed in grey suits. "Mr. Smithson," one of them said, "we're from Bigwoods Football Pools. I'm afraid there's been a terrible mistake…"What do we know about Frank?
| A．He was a lazy man. |
| B．He made a lot of money. |
| C．He didn't get on well with his boss. |
| D．He was a lucky person. |
When he heard the knock at the door, Frank probably thought_______.
| A．someone had come to make an apology |
| B．someone had come to give him the money |
| C．his friends had come to ask about the football pools |
| D．his friends had come to congratulate him on his luck |
On hearing "…there's been a terrible mistake…" Frank was most likely to be ______.
| A．disappointed | B．worried |
| C．nervous | D．curious |
When Armida Armato’s daughter, Alexia, came home from school one day last year keen to go on a school trip to Ecuador, she wasn’t too sure how to feel. She was happy that her daughter could experience something she never did as a teen but was fearful of letting her travel to such a remote part of the world.
Alexia was 16 at the time, a student at Westwood High School. The school sponsored a humanitarian trip for 26 students and two teachers to spend 18 days living in a mountain village to build a one-room school. Even though Armato trusted her daughter, the other students and the teachers, she was worried about the side effects from the travel vaccines, possible accidents, and medical care.
Now that Alexia was home, Armato said she saw her daughter’s new maturity, greater confidence and independence. “This is the best thing I ever did,” Alexia said. “The experience was so eye-opening and life-changing. You’re with people who are not as lucky as you are. They live in very poor conditions but they’re so happy and outgoing. You say, ‘My God. I’m taking everything for granted back home.’”
She said they built a one-room school from scratch with no mechanical cement mixers. They used their hands, shovels and basic tools. She and another student lived with a local family in a small village about eight hours outside the capital, Quito. Despite the initial strangeness and knowing only basic Spanish, she said they grew very close and felt like a family.
Every year, groups of students at Montreal High School like Alexia pack their bags and fly off with classmates and teachers to developing countries where they volunteer for a variety of projects.
“Armato’s worries are very common among parents,” says Bill Nevin, a teacher at St. George’s High School. He organizes a humanitarian rip to India to the Sheela Bal Bhavan orphanage and says the three biggest fears families have are health, security and contact.When hearing the news that her daughter would go on a school trip to Ecuador, Armato was _______.
| A．proud and happy |
| B．supportive but concerned |
| C．fearful and nervous |
| D．excited but puzzled |
The underlined phrase “from scratch” in Paragraph 4 probably means “______”.
| A．having great help |
| B．using high technology |
| C．ending up in failure |
| D．starting from the beginning |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Volunteering helps students grow and develop. |
| B．School trips make parents worried about their children. |
| C．Ecuador is the most attractive travel destination in the world. |
| D．Brave Alexia dreams to work in Ecuador one day. |
A
My father wasn't a king， he was a taxi driver， but I am a prince-Prince Renato II， of the country Pontinha， an island fort on Funchal harbour． It's in Madeira，Portugal， where I grew up． It was discovered in 1419．
In 1903， the king of Portugal sold the land to a wealthy British family， the Blandys， who make Madeira wine． Fourteen years ago the family decided to sell it forjust €25，000， but nobody wanted to buy it either． I met Blandy at a party． and he asked if I'd like to buy the island． Of course I said yes，but I had no money-I was just an art teacher．I tried to find some business partners， who all thought I was crazy．So I sold some of my possessions，put my savings together and bought it．Of course， my family． my friends-all thought I was mad．
When the King originally sold the island，he signed a document， selling all the “possessions and the dominions”of the island．It means I can do what I want with it-I could start a restaurant， or a cinema but nobody thought someone would start a country．So that's what I did：I decided it would be my island， about the size of a one-bedroom house．
I have both a Portuguese passport and one for Pontinha （where my passport number is 0001）．There are four citizens： me， my wife， my son and my daughter．I am the police， the gardener，everything．I am whatever I want to be-that's the dream，isn't it？If l want to have a national flag，it could be blue today，red tomorrow．I can change it any time．Of course，my power is only absolute here， where I am the true sovereign．
I don't live in my country full time， but I am often there．My family sometimes drops by， and other people come every day because the country is free for tourists to visit； I never close for bad weather．Sometimes I come here when I'm feeling lively，after a few drinks．
Madeira is surrounded by water，but for some reason we all have to pay to swim in the ocean now，at the swimming spots．However．I have my island，which means I can come swimming whenever I want-it's as if someone has given me the key to the waters．
Our lives are gone in a flash．All change in the world begins with something very small， and this is my country-just a small island．How did the author get the island？
| A．It was a present from Blandy． |
| B．The king sold it to him． |
| C．He inherited from his father． |
| D．He bought it from Blandy． |
It can be learned from the passage that____．
| A．the author made his living by driving |
| B．the author's wife supported to buy the island |
| C．blue and red are the main colors of his national flag |
| D．people can travel around the island free of charge |
What did the author do with his island？
| A．He set up a restaurant． |
| B．He started a cinema． |
| C．He founded his own country． |
| D．He opened a swimming pool． |
From his own experience， the author wanted to tell the readers that____．
| A．you can change your life through small things |
| B．you should buy your own country and become a king |
| C．becoming a real ruler is of much fun |
| D．life is too short， so enjoy it to the fullest |
E
Before we start a voyage, we usually try to find out more or less definitely where we are bound and how we are supposed to get there.
I happen to have the “Concise Oxford dictionary” on my desk and that will do as well as any other. The word I am looking for appears at the bottom of Page 344. edition 1912.
“Geography: the science of the earth's surface, form, physical features, natural and political divisions, climate, productions and population.”
I could not possibly hope to do better, but I still stress some of the aspects of the case at the expenses of others, because I intend to place man in the centre of the stage. This book of mine will not merely discuss the surface of the earth and its physical features, together with its political and natural boundaries. I would rather call it a study of man in search of food and shelter and leisure for himself and for his family and an attempt to his background or has reshaped his physical surroundings in order to be comfortable and well nourished and happy with his limited strength.
Among the two million human beings in the world, there is of course the widest possible range for all sorts of experiments of an economic and social and cultural nature. It seems me that those experiments deserve our attention before anything else. For a mountain is after all merely a mountain until it has been seen by human eyes and has been walked on by human feet and until its and slopes and valleys have been occupied and fought over and planted by a dozen generation of hungry settlers.
The Atlantic Ocean was just as wide and deep and as wet and salty before the beginning of the 13th century as after, but it took the human touch to make it what it is today—a bridge between the New World and the Old, the highway for the commerce between East and West.
For thousands of years the endless Russian plains lay ready to offer their abundant harvest to whoever should take the trouble to sow the first grain. But the aspect of that country today would he a very different one if the hand of a German or a Frank, rather than that of a Slav, had guided the iron-pointed stick that plowed the first furrows (犁沟).
The island of Nippon would shake and quake just as continually, whether they happened to be settled by Japanese or by the Tasmanian race, but in the latter case they would hardly be able to feed 60,000,000 people.
Generally speaking, I have paid more attention to the purely “human” side of geography than to the commercial problems which are so important in a day and age devoted to mass production.
In the first four paragraphs, the author wants to share with the readers ______.
| A．his approach to planning a voyage |
| B．his emphasis on using a dictionary |
| C．his definition of the word “geography” |
| D．his altitude to the earth's physical features |
Which of the following will the author NOT consider to be on experiment according to Paragraph 5?
| A．Exploring a mountain. |
| B．Climbing a mountain. |
| C．Planting on slopes and valleys. |
| D．Becoming hungry. |
Which of the following is implied about the Atlantic Ocean?
| A．It is wide, deep, wet and salty. |
| B．Human touch makes it important. |
| C．There is a bridge over it. |
| D．The highway is busy there. |
The author mentioned the Russian plains and the island of Nippon to show that _____.
| A．they both feed a lot of people |
| B．they enjoy very good natural conditions |
| C．different people may make the same place different |
| D．their natural conditions haven't changed for many years |
A
While growing up in Jersey in the 1960s, I always seemed to be building things. One summer I build a model car with my father. It was a simple affair, and as a capable 12-year-old, I could have easily done it alone. But my father spent the time together with me, and before I knew it, we were both out in the garage, working away.
I wish I had thought about this when I was raising my first son. We never built anything together. Oh, we had a lot of fun, for sure. But we never undertook a common work of our hands.
A few years ago, when Anton, my second son, asked if we could build a treehouse in the big silver maple behind our house, his suggestion immediately reminded me of the memory. Yes, I thought. Of course. My second chance. And so, one day while Anton was in school and I had some free time, I bought some wood. But one thing led to another and we got only as far as the ladder and a simple platform. His vision for the treehouse was not fulfilled that summer, and the three following summers saw me involved with other things. In the middle of our quiet supper last night, I looked at Anton, a high school student now and asked, “Anton, are you still interested in finishing the treehouse?” “Sure, Dad,” he said, and within that “sure” was contained, perhaps, his own self-awareness of a childhood to which he was still attached.
We continued where we had left off. I was surprised at how good a worker Anton had become. Where four years ago all he could really do with confidence was hammer nails, now he was measuring and cutting. In one moment that took my breath away, he attempted to center a support beam(支撑梁)while looking to me for direction. “Is it centered, Dad?” I waved him a little to the right. Then a little more. Then I said. “Perfect.”
And it was perfect. As was this second chance, I finally realized that my father hadn't had to help me build that model car in 1966. He wanted to. And that made all the difference.Not having built anything together with his first son, the author felt _____.
| A．disappointed | B．satisfied |
| C．regretful | D．relieved |
Why didn't they finish building the treehouse at first?
| A．It was too hot those summers. |
| B．Anton wasn't confident enough. |
| C．They gradually lost interest in it. |
| D．They were both occupied with other things. |
From the fourth paragraph, we can see that the father _____.
| A．was proud of his son |
| B．missed the last chance |
| C．felt content with the treehouse |
| D．hoped to finish the work perfectly |
It can be inferred that the author realized _____.
| A．the quiet passing of childhood |
| B．the difficulty in raising children |
| C．the children's dependence on their father |
| D．the significance of undertaking a common work with children |
The Purpose of Boredom Being bored can encourage people's creativity-partly to escape the horrible，frustrated．And meaningless feeling of boredom-recent studies find．It could even be true at work．
Psychologists at the University of Central Lancashire had participants copy numbers out of the telephone book for 15 minutes，while others went straight into a standard creativity task．
Both groups were asked to come up with as many different uses as they could for a plastic cup．The group that felt more bored came up with more uses．
Dr．Sandi Mann，one of the study's authors said．" Boredom at work has always been seen as something to he removed．hut perhaps we should be welcoming it in order to encourage our creativity．What we want LO do next is to see what the practical implications of this finding are．Do people who are bored at work become more creative in other areas of their work-or do they go home and write novels？"
In a later study，Dr．Sandi Mann found that creativity was reduced when people were still bored but didn't have the chance to daydream．
While we tend to think of boredom as something；that certainly leads to trouble-drinking，gambling．and antisocial behavior，this research suggests different possibilities．
More than anything，the feeling of boredom is a 8trong signal that we are stuck in some kind of rut and we need to seek out new goals．In the study above，this research led participants to new ideas．
Usually people will do anything to avoid being bored．as it's such an aversive experience．But creative people，like writers，sometimes talk about seeking out boredom．
Here is the comedy writer Graham Linehan talking about boredom Lo The Cuardian．"I have to use all these programs that cut off the Internet，force me to be bored，because being bored is an essential part of writing，and the Internet has made it very hard to be bored．The creative process requires a period of boredom ，of being stuck．That's actually a very uncomfortable period that a lot of people mistake for writer's block，but it's actually just part of a long process．"
So，when you start to feel bored ，instead of g7ancing at your smartphone．，try being bored for a bit．Who knows what creative thought might come of it？
From the study of Dr．Sandi Mann，we can learn that________．
| A．boring tasks make people creative |
| B．daydreaming may increase creativity |
| C．plastic cups can be used very creatively |
| D．copying numbers might be very interesting |
The underlined word "aversive" in Paragraph 8 probably means________
| A．common | B．unpleasant |
| C．unusual | D．personal |
According to Craham Linehan________．
| A．glancing at a smartphone is a solution． |
| B．he is forced to feel bored by the Internet |
| C．the boredom period is a block for writers |
| D．being stuck for a period benefits him a lot |
What is the author's attitude towards boredom？
| A．Critical | B．Cautious |
| C．Positive | D．Unclear |
Everybody in this world is different from one another．But do you know that understanding differences can help you better manage your money？
As we grow up，we gradually develop a set of our own values or beliefs．These are influenced by society，our family，the education we receive and so on．Once this value system is set up，it's not easy to change later in life．
Financial experts say that everyone also has their own belief of how to manage their finances．This is part of our value system and it has a great impact on the way we look after our money．
According to our different values，experts put us in three categories．They are：the ant，the cricket and the snail．
The ant-works first
Just like ants who work heart and soul in summer in order to store food for winter，these people don't care about enjoying the moment．They work very hard and save money they earn so that they can enjoy life when they get old and retire．The ant loves to save but they could make more out of their money if they were willing to invest in some funds and stocks with low risk．
The cricket-fun first
The cricket wants to enjoy everything now and doesn't think too much about the future．They even borrow money when they really want something．Many young people now belong to this group．These people have little savings．When they get old，they might have problems．They should learn to save and buy insurance．
The snail-lives under pressure
The snail refers to people who make life difficult for themselves．They take big long-term loans from the bank in order to buy things such as luxury houses．They are happy to take big loans even though they are not sure whether they can afford it．This can cause problems in the future．They should plan more carefully．
People with the character of the snail would like to __________．
| A．enjoy life at the moment without thinking much about the future |
| B．put work before everything else |
| C．live a luxury life at all costs |
| D．take the risk of investing a large sum of money |
Our beliefs and values are affected by the following except __________．
| A．society | B．our family |
| C．education | D．money |
This passage mainly talks about __________．
| A．the spending nature of people |
| B．the relation between man and insects |
| C．the insects in nature |
| D．the problems with dealing with money |
Which of the following has the character that the author prefers？
| A．The ant | B．The cricket |
| C．The snail | D．None of the above |
B I really love my job because I enjoy working with small children and like the challenges and awards from the job．I also think my work is important．There was a time when I thought I would never have that sort of career（职业）．
I wasn’t an excellent student because I didn’t do much schoolwork．In my final term I started thinking what I might do and found I didn’t have much to offer．I just accepted that I wasn’t the type to have a career．
I then found myself a job．Looking after two little girls，It wasn’t too bad at first．But the problems began when I agreed to live in，so that I would be there if my boss had to go out for business in the evening．We agreed that if I had to work extra hours one week，she’d give me time off the next．But unfortunately，it didn’t often work out．I was getting extremely tired and fed up，because I had too many late nights and early mornings with the children．
One Sunday，I was in the park with the children，and met Megan who used to go to school with me，I told her about my situation．She suggested that I should do a course and get a qualification（资格证书）if I wanted to work with children．I didn’t think I would be accepted because I didn’t take many exams in school．She persuaded me to phone the local college and they were really helpful．My experience counted for a lot and I got on a part – time course．I had to leave my job with the family，and got work helping out at a kindergarten．
Now I’ve got a full – time job there．I shall always be thankful to Megan．I wish I had known earlier that you could have a career，even if you aren’t top of the class at school．
What is the author’s present job？
| A．Working part – time in a college． |
| B．Taking care of children for a family． |
| C．Helping children with their schoolwork． |
| D．Looking after children at a kindergarten． |
When staying with the two girls’family，the author__________．
| A．was paid for extra work |
| B．often worked long hours |
| C．got much help from her boss |
| D．took a day off every other week |
Why did the author leave her first job？
| A．She found a full – time job． |
| B．She was fed up with children． |
| C．She decided to attend a part – time course． |
| D．She needed a rest after working extra hours． |
What has the author learned from her own experiences？
| A．Less successful students can still have a career． |
| B．Qualifications are necessary for a career． |
| C．Hard work makes an excellent student． |
| D．One must choose the job she likes． |
Are you single or married? Are you a cat or a dog owner? Do you exercise, or are you a “couch potato” (a person who sits on the sofa all day watching TV, eating and basically doing nothing)? These questions and many others are about your lifestyle．
People in the United States feel that they can choose their lifestyles and even shape their own identities．The great variety of lifestyles leads to constant national discussion of choices that people make．This freedom of choice is fun and exciting, but it also creates stress and uncertainty．In newspapers, lifestyle issues are discussed in the features or style section．In The Chicago Tribune this section is called “Tempo”．People turn to this section for lively discussion on lifestyle choices they face with regard to their personal identities, their families, and their social lives．
Many American people believe that they can make their lives happy and satisfying despite their problems．If they lack confidence or tend to feel anxious, shy, angry, or depressed, they believe that they can change themselves．Self-help books, magazines, and feature articles are filled with advice from experts about steps to take to become a happier or more satisfied person and to improve one’s self-respect．Part of this research for self-improvement is a belief that even one’s own appearance can be controlled．This is why there are so many articles in the newspaper about looking young, wearing the latest fashions, and becoming physically fit．
Lifestyle choices also involve moral and social issues．How should children be raised? How should people behave on a date? How should elderly people be treated? How can people stay happily married? All these kinds of issues are constantly discussed and are constantly changing．Not only are experts such as psychologists consulted, but stars from the political and entertainment worlds are held up as lifestyle leaders as well．In the newspaper, feature articles called profiles discuss in detail the personal lives or public work of movie stars, authors, artists, and exceptional individuals who are not stars．The lifestyle choices these people make contribute to the public discussion of all the issues that people think about．
A well-known advertising slogan is “Just do it．” In the culture of the United States, people believe that they can take action and become the kind of people they want to be and live the way they want to live．
The section “Tempo” in The Chicago Tribune mainly discusses ______．
| A．lifestyle choices |
| B．current affairs |
| C．experts’ opinions on life |
| D．how to improve one’s self-respect |
According to the author, Americans are pretty sure that they can ______．
| A．control their own appearance |
| B．solve all the problems in their life |
| C．live a happy life in spite of their problems |
| D．improve their life by following the elders’ advice |
According to the passage, people’s opinions on moral or social issues can be influenced by ______．
| A．their superiors |
| B．family members |
| C．friends and colleagues |
| D．experts and famous people |
Which is the best title for the passage?
| A．Just Do It |
| B．Make Our Lives Happy |
| C．Lifestyles in the United States |
| D．Choosing the Way We Live |
Published March 30, 2011）Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity might have a few mistakes—and Jake Barnett has set out to prove it．Between attending college classes at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and tutoring his fellow students, Jake is also working on a new theory about the creation of the universe．He happens to be 12 years old．
From an early age, Jake showed an extraordinary interest in stars．When he was 3, his parents took him to a space observatory．He tried to learn as much as he could about astronomy．Jake’s IQ measured remarkably high at 170．
As a baby, Jake was found out with Asperser’s syndrome, a form of autism (孤独症)．Autism causes difficulties in communication and social abilities．People with autism may also have strong interests—like Jake’s interest in the stars at a young age．
The symptoms of autism can range from mild to extremely severe．Asperser’s is one of the milder forms of autism．Sometimes people with Asperser’s, like Jake, develop extremely advanced skills in science, music or art．
When Jake was in elementary school, his parents worried that the effects of his Asperser’s were worsening．He became quiet．And he was withdrawing from people．So a doctor recommended that Jake’s parents let him study more advanced subjects, like math and physics．
Jake’s mother asked an astronomy professor to let Jake sit in on his class．Now, Jake studies advanced sciences like electromagnetic physics at IUPUI．
But Jake thinks it’s important to have a normal life too．He likes to play Guitar Hero with his friends and watch science fiction movies．He also enjoys playing classical music on the piano．But for Jake, studying physics is the most important thing．Jake’s professor, John Ross, is working on getting a large sum of money for him to do research at the university．
Doctors have said Jake’s autism symptoms have lessened over time．Still, Jake proudly refers to himself as an “Aspy”, or someone with Asperser’s．In an interview with his university student newspaper, he said, “I think the autism is the reason I’m even at IUPUI．”What did Jake want to do at IUPUI?
| A．Get a degree in astronomy． |
| B．Put forward his own theory in physics． |
| C．Become an Albert Einstein in the future． |
| D．Teach his fellow students Theory of Relativity． |
Which of the following is the correct order of the events that happened to Jake?
a．He set out to disprove Einstein’s theory．
b．He began to study math and physics．
d．He was found out with a mild form of autism．
| A．b-d-c-a |
| B．d-b-c-a |
| C．b-a-c-d |
| D．d-c-b-a |
The underlined sentence in the passage means ______．
| A．he was unable to help others |
| B．he was impolite to other people |
| C．he was afraid of seeing other people |
| D．he was only concerned about learning |
In the eyes of Jake, autism is something ______．
| A．not worth worrying about |
| B．annoying |
| C．not necessary to know about |
| D．embarrassing |
It is amazing to note that the Internet is still such a new device，and yet it is one of the fastest and most powerful media tools．But think about it for a moment．On the Internet，a big online company can be run by two guys out of their garage．So it is only reasonable that people shopping on the Net would be a little leery of the security levels．
Internet giants such as Microsoft knew consumer confidence was the key to getting virtual(虚拟) shopping off the ground，and they work hard to make people feel safe to shop online．
Credit card companies，too，quickly saw the potential for Internet shopping，and have installed things like online shopping insurance for people．If you ever have a problem with your online credit purchases，many credit card companies will happily refund(返还) your money and then set their claws on the company that wronged you．Now that’s buying power！
There are other bonuses for online shoppers，of course．No line-ups，for one．No annoying mall shopping carts with broken wheels and kids crying because their parents won’t get them what they want．
When shopping online，consumers can sit down，have a coffee，and wear their slippers，not have to worry about their hair or parking and just click through sale after sale．Comparison shopping couldn’t be any easier．And thanks to courier companies（速递公司）getting in on the act，you never need wait longer than a day or two to get those all important purchases delivered right to your door．
No wonder so many companies are shaking their heads at traditional advertising and instead looking to the “virtual” world to attract online shoppers．The underlined word “leery” means__________．
| A．satisfied | B．distrustful |
| C．hopeful | D．sad |
________leads to consumers’ trust in online shopping．
| A．Shopping law |
| B．Shopping convenience |
| C．Internet access |
| D．Shopping security |
Which group of words would the writer use to describe current Internet shopping？
| A．Adventurous，enjoyable，fast，unreal |
| B．Unsafe，cheap，slow，convenient |
| C．Reliable，popular，convenient，slow |
| D．Safe，convenient，fast，comfortable |
The following are thought to have made contributions to the popularity of online shopping EXCEPT_________．
| A．internet companies |
| B．courier companies |
| C．advertising companies |
| D．credit card companies |
Maybe you don’t think animals have certain mental powers which human beings do not have．But the truth is that some of them have instincts，and besides this，I am sure they can feel certain things we humans cannot．A personal experience showed me this．
Some years ago，I had a dog named Howard．From the time when he was a puppy，he was timid，so we named him Howard，sounding like “coward”！He was especially afraid of thunderstorms．At the first flash of lightning or crash of thunder，he would run whining into his house and hide under a table．
I often went for a walk with Howard．Once，as we were walking along a road，it began to rain．I quickly ran to a bus stop for shelter．The bus stop had a roof supported by metal poles．Soon after I had got there，Howard caught my trousers in his teeth and tried to pull me away．At first I was puzzled and a little angry at his behavior．But I decided to humor him and walked away from the shelter into the rain and started to go home．
When I was about two hundred metres from the shelter，there came a flash of lightning and soon after，there was thunder which nearly deafened me．Howard stopped walking and began whining．Thinking he was afraid，I bent to pick him up．As I straightened up，I glanced at the bus shelter we had just left．I was shocked to see that two of the poles were bent and the roof was lying on the ground，broken．The shelter had been struck by the bolt of lightning！The author named his dog Howard mainly because of_______．
| A．his timid characteristic |
| B．one of the author’s friends Howard |
| C．his loud sound |
| D．his strange behaviors |
The reason why the author was puzzled and angry with the dog was that_______．
| A．Howard had a strange behavior |
| B．Howard should be afraid of the metal poles |
| C．Howard should know the approaching of the terrible lightning |
| D．Howard bit his trousers in his teeth |
Which of the following is true according to the passage？
| A．Dogs are cleverer and better than men． |
| B．Dogs are usually afraid of thunderstorms． |
| C．Some animals can feel certain things humans cannot． |
| D．Dogs are naturally born heroes． |
What can be inferred about the bus shelter from the passage？
| A．It was about 200 meters from the author’s home． |
| B．It was destroyed in a rainy day． |
| C．Its roof was supported by wood poles． |
| D．It could produce blinding flash of lightning． |
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