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 |
Sex prejudices are based on and justified by the ideology(意识形态) that biology is destiny. According to this ideology, basic biological and psychological differences exist between the sexes. These differences require each sex to play a separate role in social life. Women are the weaker sex both physically and emotionally. Thus, they are naturally suited, much more so than men, to the performance of domestic(家庭的) duties. A woman’s place, under normal circumstances, is within the protective environment of the home. Nature has determined that women play caretaker roles, such as wife and mother and homemaker. On the other hand, men are best suited to go out into the competitive world of work and politics, where serious responsibilities must be taken on. Men are to be the providers; women and children are “dependents”.
The ideology also holds that women who wish to work outside the household should naturally fill these jobs that are in line with the special capabilities of their sex. It is appropriate for women, not men, to be employed as nurses, social workers, elementary school teachers, house-hold helpers, clerks and secretaries. These positions are simply an extension of women’s domestic role. Informal distinctions between “women’s work” and “men’s work” in the labor force, according to the ideology, are simply a functional reflection of the basic differences between the sexes.
Finally, the ideology suggests that nature has worked her will in another significant way. For the human species to survive over time, its members must regularly reproduce. Thus, women must, whether at home or in the labor force, make the most of their physical appearances.
So goes the ideology. It is, of course, not true that basic biological and psychological differences between the sexes require each to play sex-defined roles in social life. There is enough evidence that sex roles vary from society to society, and those role differences that do exist are largely learned.
But to the degree people actually believe that biology is destiny and that nature intended for men and women to make different contributions to society, sex-defined roles will be seen as totally acceptable.According to the biology-is-destiny ideology, women_______.
| A．cannot compete with men in any field |
| B．are suited more to domestic jobs than men |
| C．are sensitive enough to be a good caretaker |
| D．are too weak to do any agricultural work at all |
Those who have prejudices against women think that_______.
| A．women shouldn’t go out for work |
| B．women should earn money to add the family income |
| C．women going out for work should only do “women’s work” |
| D．women should take jobs to drill the special capabilities of the sex |
The author thinks that the positions women hold outside_______.
| A．are determined by what they are better suited to |
| B．grow out of their household responsibilities |
| C．represent their breakthrough of sex discrimination |
| D．are physically and emotionally suitable to them |
What does the underlined sentence imply?
| A．Sex roles are socially determined |
| B．Sex roles are emotionally and physically determined |
| C．Sex roles are biologically and psychologically determined |
| D．Sex roles are determined by education people take |
For many of us, a little time with our smartphones or iPads before sleep is the highlight of the night. But would you still think it is relaxing if you knew that it damages or destroys your sleep? Scientists say that's exactly what it does.
In ancient times, when there were no lamps, telephones or smartphones, the sun was the main source of light. When the sun went down, our brains took that as a signal to start producing melatonin(褪黑素), a chemical that helps us sleep.
However, a healthy amount of melatonin can only be produced in complete darkness.Any light in your bedroom—even the one on the alarm clock or the charging indicator on your cellphone—could disturb the process, not to mention something as bright as smartphone and iPad screens. We tend to hold these much closer than a television or laptop, which allows them to shoot far more light straight into our eyes.
“This is particularly worrisome in populations such as young adults and adolescents, who already tend to be night_owls，” said researcher Brittany Wood at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.“Lack of sleep among teens is leading to depression, selfharm, low concentration and poor performance at school，” she added.
While all lights are the enemy of sleep, not all colors of light have the same effect. Our eyes are particularly sensitive to blue light, which is common during the day. Most of the light coming from electronic screens is blue light and it fools our brain into thinking it's still daytime. By contrast, orange or red light has less influence on melatonin production, because our brains recognize it as a signal that the day is ending, according to The Telegraph.
Asking yourself to keep your hands off your smartphone before bedtime might seem unreasonable, but you should at least remember to dim the screen or hold it farther away from your eyes. You could also wear a pair of orange sunglasses that take away the harmful blue light.According to the passage, we can know ________.
| A．it's a good habit to play with smartphones or iPads late into night |
| B．scientists suggest we should avoid using smartphones or iPads |
| C．darkness makes a great impact on the amount of melatonin |
| D．the sun was the only source of light in ancient times |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The darker it is, the more melatonin will be produced. |
| B．The lighter it is, the more melatonin will be produced. |
| C．The more melatonin you have, the worse you'll sleep. |
| D．The more electrical equipment you have, the more melatonin will be produced. |
The underlined part in Paragraph 4 refers to those ________.
| A．who are young adults or adolescents |
| B．who don't perform well in school |
| C．who are addicted to a television or laptop |
| D．who are short of sleep at night and perform poorly in daily life |
In the writer's opinion, which is a correct suggestion?
| A．You should go to bed when the sun goes down. |
| B．You should use an orange or red light electronic screen. |
| C．You should wear a pair of blue sunglasses when sleeping. |
| D．You should avoid blue light as possible as you can before bedtime. |
Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature．However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource-hungry．Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water．Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses (球场) in good condition．This causes major environmental effects．For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas．
There are many environment-friendly sports．Power walking is one of them that you could take up today．You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don’t have to worry about resources and your purse．Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit．If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones．Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials．But the final goal should be “green gyms”．They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers．Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces．There is no special requirement for you to start your membership．And best of all, it’s free.The author thinks the golf is resource-hungry because of the following EXCEPT that ________.
| A．Golf wastes large areas of countryside |
| B．Golf runs out of much water |
| C．Golf is bad for people’s health |
| D．Keeping golf court in good condition needs too much energy |
According to the passage, which of the following is an environment-friendly sport?
| A．hiking in the hills | B．swimming in the pool |
| C．playing basketball in the gym | D．motor racing in the desert |
The reason why the author uses power walking as an example mainly is that ________.
| A．it improves our health | B．it is an outdoor sport |
| C．it is recommended by experts | D．it uses fewer resources |
The passage is developed mainly by ________.
| A．examples and explanation | B．comparison and persuasion |
| C．facts and descriptions | D．figures and conclusion |
Reseachers at the University of Kansas say that people can accurately juage 90 percent of a stranger's personality simply by looking at the person’s shoes．“Shoes convey useful information about their wearers，’’the authors wrote in the new study published in the Journal of Research in Personality．
Lead researcher Omri Gillath said the judgments were based on the style，cost，color and condition of someone’s shoes．In the study，63 University of Kansas researchers looked at pictures showing 208 different pairs of shoes worn by the study’s participants．Volunteers in the study were photographed in their most commonly worn shoes，and then filled out a personality questionnaire．
Some of the results were expected：People with higher incomes most commonly wore expensive shoes，and flashier shoes were typically worn by outgoing people．However，some of the more specific results are strange enough．For example，“practical and functional’’ shoes were generally worn by more “pleasant" people，while ankle boots were more linked with ‘‘aggressive’’ personalities．The strangest of all may be that those who wore‘ ‘uncomfortable looking” shoes tend to have “calm” personalities．And if you have several pairs of new shoes or take extreme care of them，you may suffer from “attachment anxiety"，spending lots of time worrying about what other people think of your appearance．There was even a political calculation in the mix with more liberal(主张变革的)types wearing “shabbier and less expensive” shoes．
The researchers noted that some people will choose shoe styles to mask their actual personalities，but researchers noted that volunteers were also likely to be unaware that their footwear choices were showing the deep side of their personalities．What does this text mainly tell us?
| A．Shoes Call hide people’s real personalities． |
| B．Shoes convey false information about the wearer． |
| C．People’s personalities call be judged by their shoes． |
| D．People know little about their personalities． |
The participants were asked to
| A．provide pictures of their shoes |
| B．look at pictures of different shoes |
| C．design a personality questionnaire |
| D．hand in their commonly worn shoes |
Which of the results is beyond people’s expectation?
| A．Wealthy people often wear expensive shoes． |
| B．Pleasant people like wearing uncomfortable shoes． |
| C．Aggressive people are likely to wear"ankle boots． |
| D．Fashion shoes are typically worn by outgoing people． |
People suffering from“attachment anxiety” tend to
| A．wear strange shoes | B．worry about their appearance |
| C．have a calm character | D．become a political leader |
The author wrote the text in order to
| A．inform us of a new study | B．introduce a research method |
| C．teach how to choose shoes | D．describe different personalitie |
A woman was walking her dog along a beach in New Zealand in late June when she saw something that looked like a white ball in the sand. It turned out to be a young Emperor penguin that was lost. At his age, he should have been close to Antarctic, swimming for fish and playing on the ice floes(冰川). But this penguin started swimming north and just kept going.
The penguin attracted a lot of attention in New Zealand. It has been 40 years since an Emperor penguin was last seen there. Researchers at the Department of Conservation were called in. They decided to watch the penguin closely, but not to disturb it in any way. Many New Zealanders came to Peka Peka Beach to look at the elegant penguin. They were careful to keep their dogs away from it so it wouldn’t be frightened.
The public nicknamed the animal Happy Feet. Researchers started to notice that Happy Feet didn’t seem well. It turns out that he had been eating the sand from the beach, likely thinking it was snow.
The public raised more than 11,000 pounds for an operation to get the sand out of his stomach. The operation was a success, and Happy Feet was taken to a zoo in Wellington, NZ. A group of experts met to decide how to help Happy Feet return to the wild.
Last Sunday, they put him on a boat called the Tangaroa, in a specially built ice-filled box and took him out into the Southern Ocean, southeast of New Zealand. There, they released him into the ocean, which is his natural habitat. He took one last look at his human helpers and then dived into the ocean.
“Emperor penguins spend their first five years at sea,” said Peter Simpson of New Zealand’s Department of Conservation. “ What happens now is up to the penguin.”
Happy Feet was fitted with a satellite transmitter(发射机)so they can monitor his progress using the Internet. So far, the trackers shows that he swam northeast for a little while before getting his bearings and heading south.Where is the young penguin supposed to appear?
| A．On the sunny beach. | B．Near the Antarctic. |
| C．Inside the hole in the ice. | D．In the depths of the ocean. |
The public collected some money to______.
| A．build a home for the penguin |
| B．get the sand out of the penguin’s belly |
| C．do some research on the penguin |
| D．return the penguin to his habitat |
What does Peter Simpson mean by saying “ What happens now is up to the penguin.”?
| A．The penguin needs no protection from human. |
| B．Human beings can do noting to help penguins. |
| C．No one knows what will happen to the penguins. |
| D．Whether the penguin can survive depends on himself. |
An English saying goes: “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” That means we should relax after a day’s hard work or we’ll be unhealthy.
Many students know that if they want to get ideal jobs with good salaries, they must do well in high school so they can enter good universities. Therefore, they spend all day studying without time to relax.
However, not all students can go to top universities even if they work very hard. Students are pressurized by parents and teachers who are just concerned about their studies and exam scores while ignoring their hobbies and individual differences. As a result, students are forces to work harder and harder. Furthermore, there is pressure coming from students themselves. They realize they have a slim chance of getting into a top university as competition is fierce. So, they put a lot of stress on themselves and stay in a nervous state day after day. If they keep it up, they’ll suffer illnesses; both psychological and physical.
What students need is relaxation. This doesn’t mean that they should give up their ambitions and stop studying hard. It means “work while you work, play while you play”. If you can do this, you will improve your health greatly. You’ll feel yourself suddenly fresh, just like recovering from a terrible illness. You’ll find that your studies are not a burden(负担) anymore.The underlined part in the first paragraph might mean all the following EXCEPT______.
| A．too much work may bring trouble to anyone |
| B．overwork without rest is sure to make one foolish |
| C．Jack becomes dull because he works too much |
| D．Anyone who doesn’t work will break down |
What trouble have both the parents and teachers brought to the students?
| A．They don’t know how to let the students relax. |
| B．They give too much burden for them to bear. |
| C．They don’t love those who work the hardest. |
| D．They fail to understand what the students need most. |
What causes the student’ pressure from themselves?
| A．That they don’t know how to get top universities. |
| B．That they want to relax but have no chance. |
| C．That they fail to relax themselves during their work. |
| D．That they think too much about the result of their work. |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．What to do to relax yourself. |
| B．The serous situation for the poor students. |
| C．Some problems caused by the misunderstanding of learning. |
| D．How to be a healthy and successful learner. |
Someday a stranger will read your e-mail without your permission or scan the Website you’ve visited，Or perhaps someone will casually glance through your credit card purchases or cell phone bills to find out your shopping preferences or calling habits.
In fact, it’s likely some of these things have already happened to you. Who would watch you without your permission? It might be a spouse, a girl friend, a marketing company, a boss, a cop or a criminal. Whoever it is, they will see you in a way you never intended to be seen --- the 21st century equivalent of being caught naked.
Psychologists tell us boundaries are healthy, that it's important to reveal yourself to friends, family and lovers in stages, at appropriate times.But few boundaries remain. The digital bread crumbs (碎屑) you leave everywhere make it easy for strangers to reconstruct who you are, where you are and what you like. In some cases, a simple Google search can reveal what you think. Like it or not, increasingly we live in a world where you simply cannot keep a secret.
The key question is: Does that matter?
For many Americans, the answer apparently is “no.”
When opinion polls ask Americans about privacy, most say they are concerned about losing it. A survey found an overwhelming pessimism about privacy, with 60 percent of respondents saying they feel their privacy is “slipping away, and that bothers me.”
But people say one thing and do another. Only a tiny fraction of Americans change any behaviors in an effort to preserve their privacy. Few people turn down a discount at tollbooths (收费站) to avoid using the EZ-Pass system that can track automobile movements. And few turn down supermarket loyalty cards. Privacy economist Alessandro Acauisti has run a series of tests that reveal people will surrender personal information like Social Security numbers just to get their hands on a pitiful 50-cents-off coupon (优惠卷).
But privacy does matter - at least sometimes. It’s like health: When you have it, you don’t notice it. Only when it’s gone do you wish you’d done more to protect it.What does the author mean by saying “the 21st century equivalent of being caught naked” (Para. 2)?
| A．People tend to be more frank with each other in the information age. |
| B．In the 21st century people try every means to look into others’ secrets. |
| C．People's personal information is easily accessed without their knowledge. |
| D．Criminals are easily caught on the spot with advanced technology. |
What would psychologists advise on the relationships between friends?
| A．Friends should open their hearts to each other. |
| B．There should be a distance even between friends. |
| C．Friends should always be faithful to each other. |
| D．There should be fewer disputes between friends. |
Why does the author say “we live in a world where you simply cannot keep a secret” ( para. 3)?
| A．People leave traces around when using modern technology. |
| B．Modern society has finally evolved into an open society. |
| C．There are always people who are curious about others’ affairs. |
| D．Many search engines profit by revealing people’s identities. |
What do most Americans do with regard to privacy protection?
| A．They change behaviors that might disclose their identity. |
| B．They use various loyalty cards for business transactions. |
| C．They talk a lot but hardly do anything about it. |
| D．They rely most and more on electronic devices. |
According to the passage, privacy is like health in that .
| A．people will make every effort to keep it |
| B．its importance is rarely understood |
| C．it is something that can easily be lost |
| D．people don’t cherish it until they lose it |
Photographs are everywhere. They decorate the walls of homes and are used in stores for sales of different goods. The news is filled with pictures of fires, floods, and special events. Photos record the beauties of nature. They can also bring things close that are far away. Through photos, people can see wild animals, cities in foreign lands, and even the stars in outer space. Photos also tell stories.
Reporting the news through photos is called photojournalism. At times photojournalists tell their stories through a single picture. At other times, they use a group of pictures to tell a story. Each picture is like a chapter in a book, which can do more than record the facts. It can also be a strong force for social change.
Jacob Riis was among the first photojournalists. He took pictures of parts of New York City where the poor lived. Riis believed that poverty caused crime, and he used photos to help him prove his point. A few years later, the photos of small children working in factories by Lewis Hine shocked the public. Hine’s pictures helped bring about laws to protect such children.
Hundreds of pictures may have to be taken in order to get one or two really good photos. It takes science to have the photo come out clearly and art to make a photo that has a good design and expresses feeling. Photojournalists make an actual record of what they see. A photo, however, can be both a work of art and an actual record. It can record an important event as a beautiful or exciting picture.
As historical and artistic documents，photos can become more important over time. Today photojournalists still have their pictures appear in newspapers and magazines. They also publish them in books and on the Internet.The underlined word “They” in the first paragraph refers to .
| A．beauties | B．photos | C．goods | D．events |
The photos of the small children by Hine show us that photos .
| A．are also works of art |
| B．are popular ways of reporting news |
| C．often shock the public |
| D．can serve as a force for social change |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．News with pictures is encouraging. |
| B．Photos help people improve their life |
| C．News photos mean history in a sense. |
| D．People prefer reading news with pictures. |
The text is mainly about .
| A．telling the story through pictures |
| B．decorating the walls of homes |
| C．publishing historical papers |
| D．expressing feeling through pictures |
Do you know how to use a mobile phone without being rude to the people around you?
Talking during a performance irritates (激怒) people. If you are expecting an emergency call, sit near the exit doors and set your phone to vibrate (振动). When your mobile phone vibrates, you can leave quietly and let the others enjoy the performance.
Think twice before using mobile phones in elevators, museums, churches or other indoor public places—especially enclosed spaces. Would you want to listen to someone’s conversation in these places? Worse yet, how would you feel if a mobile phone rang suddenly during a funeral! It happens more often than you think. Avoid these embarrassing situations by making sure your mobile phone is switched off.
When eating at a restaurant with friends, don’t place your mobile phone on the table. This conveys the message that your phone calls are more important than those around you.
Mobile phones have sensitive microphones that allow you to speak at the volume you would on a regular phone. This enables you to speak quietly so that others won’t hear the details of your conversations. If you are calling from a noisy area, use your hand to direct your voice into the microphone.
Many people believe that they can’t live without their mobile phone. Owning a mobile phone definitely makes life more convenient, but limit your conversations to urgent ones and save the personal calls until you are at home.What should you do when you need to answer a phone call during a performance?
| A．Call back after the performance. | B．Answer it near the exit door. |
| C．Talk outside the exit door. | D．Speak in a low voice. |
Putting your mobile phone on a restaurant table may make your friends think_____.
| A．you prefer to talk to your friends at the table |
| B．you value your calls more than your friends |
| C．you are enjoying the company of your friends |
| D．you are polite and considerate of your friends |
When you are calling in a noisy area, you are advised to _____.
| A．use a more sensitive microphone |
| B．shout loudly into your microphone |
| C．go away quietly to continue the phone call |
| D．use your hand to help speak into the phone |
The author implies that the use of mobile phones in such places as museums should be_____.
| A．limited | B．expected | C．encouraged | D．recommended |
Recently I paid a visit to Harvard University, where there are top class scientists and professors and the best academic system in the world.
I was pretty shocked when I first stepped onto the campus. Well, it’s not ever really a campus. It’s a more like district in a small town.
Harvard's main buildings are from the 18th century. They look very old and simple. You might even say they're a little shabby (破旧的). They don’t fit the modern idea of university at all. The buildings are surrounded by grass and trees, so I felt as if I had walked into a medieval castle. But when I looked across the street, busy shops and in-fashion students made me feel like I was in the 21st century again. It creates a strong contrast (对比) and brings a special atmosphere (氛围) to the school.
Our tour guide Gary took us around and told us: “You see this grass field in the center of the school? Here is where they host their graduation ceremony. They just set up tents and benches and have a very simple ceremony. Unbelievable! Who would think the most talented students just graduate on the lawn?”
I saw some students put a blanket on the grass and lie down to read a book. When I listened to the soft sound of pages turning, along with chirping of the birds, I felt very calm. There was no competitive feeling at all.
Harvard has the world’s first computer in its science center and there are hundreds of high-end computers too. Its religion and the literature departments are also among the best. It is the perfect mix of tradition and new technology. It makes Harvard a very attractive place to study in.
I hope one day I’ll attend my dream school—Harvard.According to the article the author was most impressed by ____.
| A．Harvard’s mix of tradition and new technology |
| B．the classes held on beautiful lawns at Harvard |
| C．Harvard students not taking their graduation ceremony seriously |
| D．the feeling of not living in modern society on the campus |
What can we conclude from the article?
| A．Harvard campus is actually a district of a big city. |
| B．There are no competitions at Harvard University. |
| C．Graduation ceremonies are not complex at Harvard. |
| D．All Harvard buildings date back to the 18th century. |
Which word can be used to describe the Harvard campus?
| A．Modern | B．Competitive | C．Peaceful | D．Splendid |
In addition to writing articles and books, Mark Twain delighted the audience with his public lectures about the faraway places he visited on his travels. People were eager to learn about his trips to places like the Sandwich Islands (now Hawaii), Egypt and the Holy Land. Twain often used the fees he earned from his lectures to pay for more adventures. His well-attended performances also served to bring attention to his published work. At that time, the public lecture was a very popular form of entertainment, and audiences’ expectations ran high, but Twain never failed to amuse them.
Twan also wrote on amusing subjects. In 1873, he released a book called The Gilded Age. The book was a satire（讽刺）of the very wealthy of the time. A satire is a work that makes fun of bad human behavior, such as wasteful spending. Twain made people laugh at the excesses（无节制）of the rich.
In 1889, Twain took on other members of the Establishment. He wrote A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, about a boy who travels back to the time of King Arthur. Twain made fun of those who were given advantages not because they had earned them but because of their family connections. If you have never read any of Mark Twain’s works, try reading A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, or The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. They will make you laugh.What do we learn about Mark Twain from the passage?
| A．He liked showing off by talking about his travels abroad. |
| B．He thought the rich should show mercy to the poor. |
| C．His lectures were very popular. |
| D．He supported those who succeeded with the help of others. |
Mark Twain was good at each of the following EXCEPT ________.
| A．writing excellent works |
| B．giving wonderful lectures |
| C．writing or speaking in a humorous style |
| D．laughing at people without a lot of money |
What’s the author’s attitude towards Mark Twain?
| A．Interested. | B．Admiring. |
| C．Disappointed. | D．Indifferent. |
During my elementary school years, I used to compare my mom with my best friend Tiffany's mom.
Tiffany's mom always gave her lots of money to buy the most fashionable clothes and favorite food. Her mom allowed her to do anything she liked. I really admired Tiffany. My mom didn't give me much pocket money and she always told me that I should behave myself. I was annoyed with her.
Whenever I didn't get what I wanted, I would complain to my mom, Tiffany's mom would give her that! I wish she were my mom. Every time, my mom would calmly say "Poor Tiffany". I couldn't understand her. "She shouldn't be feeling sorry for Tiffany!" I thought. "She should be feeling sorry for me."
One day, I couldn't help saying to Mom, "Poor Tiffany? Lucky Tiffany! She gets everything she wants! Why do you feel sorry for her?" I burst into tears. My mom sat down next to me and said softly. "Yes, I do feel sorry for her. I have been teaching you a lesson that she will never be taught."
I looked up at her. "What are you talking about?"
Mom said with care, "One day she will really want something. Maybe she'll find out that she can't have it. Her mother won't always be around to give her money, and what's more, money can't buy everything."
She continued, "I have taught you valuable lessons by not giving you everything you want. You'll know how to look for bargains and save money, but she won't. You'll understand that you need to work hard to get the things that you want but she won't. When Tiffany is a grown woman, she'll wake up one day and she will be wishing that she had a mom like the one you've got. Life lessons are more important than modern clothes and delicious food."
It took some time, but I eventually understood my mom's words. Now I am a happy and successful woman.During the author's elementary school years, she __________.
| A．wished that her mom were as good as Tiffany's |
| B．went to school with Tiffany every day |
| C．usually compared her lesson with Tiffany's |
| D．sometimes gave lots of money to Tiffany |
Why did the author's mom always say "Poor Tiffany"?
| A．She felt sorry for Tiffany because Tiffany was poor. |
| B．She wanted to tell a lie to comfort the author. |
| C．She thought that Tiffany was spoiled by her mother. |
| D．She told the author this and wanted her to help Tiffany. |
What do we learn about the author's mother?
| A．She was strict and taught the author to be independent. |
| B．She cared for other people's children more than her own. |
| C．She thought that life lessons were as important as money. |
| D．She was so poor that she couldn't give the author much money. |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．The author was quite annoyed with her mother in the past. |
| B．The author's mother felt sorry for Tiffany. |
| C．Tiffany's mother took the author's mother's advice. |
| D．The author is thankful to her mother now. |
There are many things people do with their spare time.Have you ever thought about tuning(调音)your own piano for fun and profit？Are you a piano teacher or player who really does not want the expense of hiring a piano tuner and feels that you could do it yourself with a little training？Well，this is your lucky day.All you need are the right tools，a piano and patience.
So，why would I want to tune my piano？There are many reasons for tuning your own piano.
·It is a very pleasant thing to do.
·You can make up to $80 each time tuning other people's pianos.
·There are millions of pianos in the world and thousands of new ones are being sold every day.There are not enough piano tuners available to tune them all.
·You can provide a valuable service for friends，family and others.
·You can teach yourself very cheaply and then develop it into a parttime or fulltime business.
You may have thought that only a trained expert could do this，someone who had devoted years of study and developed a sense of perfect pitch(音高)．In the past，tuning a piano was as much an art form as it was a technology exercise，but now the balance is swaying(摇动) more towards the technology and the final result is as good or even better than tuning by ear.
A few simple tools and a laptop computer with tuning software are all that are required.The real secret is the tuning software，which makes the whole process extremely easy.It means you do not have to train your ears but just look at the laptop screen to know when the piano string is in tune.
I have put together an ebook in my website with all the information you need to get started tuning your own piano, where to get the free software and where to buy the tools.
I hope I have inspired you to think about piano tuning and actually give it a go.You will find it a very rewarding and pleasant activity even if it remains just a hobby.The writer asks two questions in the first paragraph to ________.
| A．show his doubt on the topic |
| B．ask readers to answer the questions clearly |
| C．encourage readers to make comments on the topic |
| D．attract readers to more information on this topic |
According to the passage，why should you learn to tune pianos?
| A．To offer help to piano tuners. |
| B．To save money and earn money as well. |
| C．Because it can help you make a piano yourself. |
| D．Because it can help you learn how to play the piano. |
What makes piano tuning easier now?
| A．Advanced technology. |
| B．More effective training. |
| C．More chances of practicing. |
| D．Traditional tuning methods. |
If you want to get the tuning software and tools，you can ________.
| A．get them for free from the piano sellers |
| B．buy them from the writer's online shops |
| C．make them yourself according to the passage |
| D．surf the writer's website for the information |
In the last paragraph，the writer mainly wants to show that ________.
| A．one must be active to play the piano |
| B．piano tuning will be popular in the future |
| C．it's valuable to take piano tuning as a hobby |
| D．it's difficult to tune pianos without professional training |
No one knows for sure when advertising first started. It is possible that it grew out of the discovery that some people did certain kinds of work better than others did them. That led to the concept of specialization, which means that people would specialize, or focus on doing one specific job.
Let’s take a man we’ll call Mr. Fielder for example. He did everything connected with farming. He planted seeds, tended the fields, and harvested and sold his crops. At the same time, he did many other jobs on the farm. However, he didn’t make the bricks for his house, cut his trees into boards, make the plows, or any of other hundreds of things a farm needs. Instead, he got them from people who specialized in doing each of those things.
Suppose there was another man we shall call Mr. Plowright. Using what he knew about farming and working with iron, Mr. Plowright invented a plow that made farming easier. Mr. Plowright did not really like farming himself and wanted to specialize in making really good plows. Perhaps, he thought, other farmers will trade what they grow for one of my plows.
How did Mr. Plowright let people know what he was doing? Why, he advertised, of course. First he opened a shop and then he put up a sign outside the shop to attract customers. That sign may have been no more than a plow carved into a piece of wood and a simple arrow pointing to the shop door. It was probably all the information people needed to find Mr. Plowright and his really good plows.
Many historians believe that the first outdoor signs were used about five thousand years ago. Even before most people could read, they understood such signs. Shopkeepers would carve into stone, clay, or wood symbols for the products they had for sale.
A medium, in advertising talk, is the way you communicate your message. You might say that the first medium used in advertising was signs with symbols. The second medium was audio, or sound, although that term is not used exactly in the way we use it today. Originally, just the human voice and maybe some kind of simple instrument, such as a bell, were used to get people’s attention.
A crier, in the historical sense, is not someone who weeps easily. It is someone, probably a man, with a voice loud enough to be heard over the other noises of a city. In ancient Egypt, shopkeepers might hire such a person to spread the news about their products. Often this earliest form of advertising involved a newly arrived ship loaded with goods. Perhaps the crier described the goods, explained where they came from, and praised their quality. His job was, in other words, not too different from a TV or radio commercial in today’s world.What probably led to the start of advertisement?
| A．The discovery of iron. |
| B．The development of farming techniques. |
| C．The appearance of new jobs. |
| D．The specialization of labor. |
The writer makes up the two stories of Mr. Fielder and Mr. Plowright in order to __________.
| A．explain the origin of advertising |
| B．predict the future of advertising |
| C．provide suggestions for advertising |
| D．expose problems in advertising |
In ancient Egypt, a crier was probably someone who __________.
| A．had the loudest voice |
| B．took possession of a ship |
| C．functioned like today’s TV or radio commercial |
| D．ran a shop selling goods to farmers |
The last two paragraphs are mainly about __________.
| A．the basic design of advertising |
| B．the early forms of advertising |
| C．the benefits of advertising |
| D．the history of advertising |
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