高中英语阅读理解

Everyone gathered around and Paddy read out loud, slowly, his tone growing sadder and sadder． The little headline said: BOXER RECEIVES LIFF SENTENCE．
Frank Cleary, aged 26, professional boxer, was today found guilty of the murder of Albert Gumming, aged 32, laborer, last July．The jury （陪审团） reached its decision after only ten minutes, recommending the most severe punishment to the court．It was, said the Judge, a simple case．Cumming and Cleary had quarreled violently at the Harbour Hotel on July 23rd and police saw Cleary kicking at the head of the unconscious Gumming．When arrested, Cleary was drunk but clear-thinking．
Cleary was sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour．Asked if he had anything to say, Cleary answered, "Just don't tell my mother．"
" It happened over three years ago," Paddy said helplessly．No one answered him or moved, for no one knew what to do．"Just don't tell my mother," said Fee numbly （麻木地）．"And no one did! Oh,God' My poor, poor Frank!"
Paddy wiped the tears from his face and said．"Fee, pack your things．We'll go to see him．"
She half-rose before sinking back．her eyes in her small white face stared as if dead．"I can't go," she said without a hint of pain, yet making everyone feel that the pain was there．"It would kill him to see me．I know him so well—his pride, his ambition．Let him bear the shame alone, it's what he wants．We've got to help him keep his secret．What good will it do him to see us?"
Paddy was still weeping, not for Frank, but for the life which had gone from Fee's face, for the dying in her eyes．Frank had always brought bitterness and misfortune, always stood between Fee and himself．He was the cause of her withdrawal from his heart and the hearts of his children．Every time it looked as if there might be happiness for Fee, Frank look it away．But Paddy's love for her was as deep and impossible to wipe out as hers was for Frank．
So he said, "Well, Fee, we won't go．But we must make sure he is taken care of．How about if I write to Father Jones and ask him to look out for Frank?"
There was no excitement in the eyes, but a faint pink stole into her cheeks．" Yes, Paddy, do that．Only make sure he knows not to tell Frank we found out．Perhaps it would ease Frank to think for certain that we don't know．"
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Frank was found guilty of murder because he was a professional boxer．

B．The family didn't find out what happened to Frank until three years later．

C．The jury and the judge disagreed on whether Frank had committed murder．

D．Frank didn't want his family to find out what happened because Paddy disliked him．

Paddy cried because he thought ______．

A．Frank did kill someone and deserved the punishment

B．Frank should have told Fee what had happened

C．what had happened to Frank was killing Fee

D．Frank had always been a man of bad moral character

The underlined sentence "She half-rose before sinking back…" （ Paragraph 6） shows that      .

A．Fee was so heart-broken that she could hardly stand up

B．Fee didn't want to upset Paddy by visiting Frank

C．Fee couldn't leave her family to go to see Frank

D．Fee struggled between wanting to see Frank and respecting his wish

Which of the following suggests that Fee was deeply shocked by what happened to Frank?

A．"Her eyes in her small white face stared as if dead．"

B．"Let him bear the shame alone, it's what he wants．"

C．"Every time it looked as if there might be happiness for Fee, Frank took it away．"

D．"There was no excitement in the eyes, but a faint pink stole into her cheeks．"

What is Frank and Paddy's probable relationship with Fee?

A．Son and brother．	B．Son and husband．
C．Brother and lover．	D．Lover and husband．

Four years ago my sweet mom went to be with her Lord．She did it her way．
I got the call at work, and 1 headed home quickly．Mom and Dad lived on a small farm that they had owned since I was seven．I hated going there every weekend．There was nothing for a young girl to do but watch the one station on the old TV set, if the weather allowed reception．
My mom, on the other hand, loved the peace and quiet of the land and loved to work in the garden among her flowers and vegetables．The place was rustic （乡下的）, with no indoor heat．We had a big wood stove in the kitchen that did its best to heat the little farmhouse, but it always seemed cold and too quiet to me．
In the evenings, my mom and I would sit for hours singing in the little kitchen．I sang the melody and Mom larmonized．Her favorite song was "Moon River" and we sang it over and over． Momtold me stones about how when I was a little girl, I could sing before I could talk．She loved to tell how my playpen （婴儿圈栏） sat in the kitchen next to the radio and there was one song I particularly loved called "Ivory Tower"．
As time passed, I had my own children and went to visit them every week or two．The kids loved the farm and the tractor rides with my dad．But I still hated the silence of the farm．While my mom loved to sit at her kitchen table and look out at her garden and flowers and retell all the old stories, I missed the hustle and bustle （喧闹） of my life at home．But I sat there listening quietly as she reminisced．
Now, I sat back in the silence and the silence was deafening so I finally leaned over to turn on an old radio．Music always comforted me,
My heart skipped a beat．"Moon River" was playing on the radio．I sat there, with a tear running down my cheek, as I listened to every familiar note．
Then the radio announcer of this old station came on．" Here's one we haven't heard in a while," and an unfamiliar song began．I began to cry harder as I heard the words sung over the airwaves．"Come down; come down from your Ivory Tower…"
The writer didn't like staying in the farm for the following reasons EXCEPT that ______．

A．it was too cold and quiet

B．she could only sing one song in the small farm

C．there was nothing more that could make her excited

D．The place was rustic, with no indoor heat

From the First paragraph, we know that the writer's mother ______．

A．died four years ago	B．left the small farm with Lord
C．left for Lord to live her own way	D．preferred to be with Lord

The underlined word reminisced in Paragraph 5 probably means ______．

A．recalled

B．comforted

C．shouted

D．sighed

Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage _____．

A．The writer was able to dance before she could speak．

B．The writer preferred to live a quiet life in the country．

C．The writer was still quite familiar with the song "Ivory Tower",

D．The writer forgot all her childhood memories in the small farmhouse．

Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?

A．Two English songs	B．My happy childhood
C．Our small farmhouse	D．Mom's music

If you do not use your arms or your legs for some time, they become weak. When you start using them again, they slowly become strong again. Everybody knows this. Yet there are many people who do not seem to know that one’s memory works in the same way. When someone says that he has a good memory, he really means that he keeps his memory in practice by exercising it regularly. When someone else says that his memory is poor, he really means that he does not give it enough chance to become strong.
If a friend complains that his arms are weak, we know that it is his own fault. But if he tells us that he has a poor memory, many of us think that his parents are to blame, or that he is just unlucky, and few of us realize that it is really his own fault. Not all of us can become very strong or very clever, but all of us can improve our memory by the same means —practice.
Have you ever noticed that people who cannot read or write usually have a better memory than those who can? Why is this? Of course, because people who can’t read or write have to remember things: they cannot write them down in a little notebook. They have to remember dates, prices, names, songs and stories, so their memory is exercised all the time.
So if you want a good memory, learn from those who cannot read or write: practice remembering.
According to the passage, few people know that _____.

A．arms or legs become weak if they are not used for some time

B．when they start using their arms or legs again, they slowly become strong again

C．a person’s memory becomes weak if he does not practice remembering things

D．it is their own fault if their arms or legs are weak

The author thinks that if a person has a poor memory, ____.

A．it is his own fault	B．his parents are to blame
C．he is just unlucky	D．his arms must be weak

According to the passage, we learn that all of us can ____.

A．become very strong	B．become very clever
C．improve our memory by practicing	D．know how to improve our memory

It’s great fun to explore new places—it feels like an adventure, even when you know you’re not the first to have been there. But make sure not to get lost or waste time going round in circles.
·Do the map reading if you’re being driven somewhere. It’ll be easier if you keep turning the map so it follows the direction you’re traveling in. Keep looking ahead so that you can give the driver lots of warning before having to make a turn, or you’ll have to move to the back seat.
·Get a group of friends together and go exploring. You’ll need a good map, a compass(指南针), a raincoat, a cellphone to call for help in case you get lost, and a bit of spare cash for emergencies. Tell someone where you’re going before you set out and let them know what time you expect to be back. The test is not in getting lost, not in seeing how fast you can go, so always stick together, waiting for slower friends to catch up.
See if your school or a club organizes orienteering(越野识途比赛) activities, in which you need a map and a compass to find your way. This can be done as a sport, with teams trying to find the way from A to B (and B to C, etc) in the fastest time, or simply as a spare-time activity. Either way, it’s not only good fun, but a great way to keep fit.
Sitting beside the driver, you should _______.

A．direct the driver when necessary

B．look ahead to see where there’s a turn

C．move to the back seat if feeling uncomfortable

D．Keep looking at the map to find a place to go to

Why do you need to tell someone your exploration plan before setting out?

A．To get information when in danger.

B．To be saved in case of an accident.

C．To share the fun with him/her in exploration.

D．To tell him/her what’s going on with the group members.

Orienteering activities can _______.

A．make people work fast	B．help people stay healthy
C．help people organize other activities	D．make people get prepared for sports.

The text mainly talks about _____.

A．the fun of exploration	B．what to bring for exploration
C．the way to use a map in exploration	D．how to prevent getting lost in exploration.

Benjamin Franklin only studied in school for two years. But he liked to read and write very much. Once he discussed a question with his friend in letters. His father found the letters and read them. He felt Ben did not express himself well. Nor did Ben make his meaning clear. He agreed that his father was right, From then on, he paid more attention to the style of his writing so that he could write better.
About that time he bought a copy of the British periodical(周刊) called The Spectator (《观察家》). He read it over and over. He thought the writing excellent, and wished, if possible, to write in the same style.
With this in mind, he studied some of the stories and made a note of the thought in each sentence. Then, a few days later, without looking at the magazine, he tried to write the stories. He tried to express each thought as fully as it had been expressed before. Then he compared his writing with the magazine. He found some of his faults in the compositions.
In this way he discovered he needed to know many more words. He felt that writing poetry would help him since that needed to use many different words which had the same meaning. So he turned some of the stories into poems; and after a time, he wrote them as stories again. He insisted on doing this for a long time.
He learned much from his efforts and went on to practise his writing. Then he became the first famous writer in American history.
Benjamin liked ______ very much when he was ______ .

A．languages; young

B．writing; young

C．writing; old enough

D．languages; old enough

What did his father do to him?

A．He found his son’s letters written very well

B．He felt his son expressed himself very well

C．He told his son what he wrote wasn’t so good

D．He bought a copy of The Spectator for him

How did Benjamin practise writing?
(1) He studied the stories in the magazine and made notes.
(2) He rewrote some of the stories and tried to express their thought fully.
(3) He turned some stories into poems, and then turned them back again.
(4) He tried hard to publish his poems in the periodical The Spectator.

A．(1)(2)(3)

B．(2)(3)(4)

C．(1)(3)(4)

D．(1)(2)(4)

A number of scientific studies have suggested that repeatedly heading a football could increase the risk of developing dementia (痴呆症) in later life.
In 2002, former England international footballer Jeff Astle died aged 59. A coroner (验尸官) said that Astle died from a brain disease likely to have been caused by “repeated small damages to the brain” related to heading a heavy leather football.
Dr. Scott Delaney, research director of emergency medicine at McGill University Health Center in Montreal, Canada, has also researched soccer-related head injury and agrees that head-to-head or elbow-to-head blows are the real risk.
In 2007, Delaney carried out a study on footballers aged between 12 and 17 that showed they were half as likely to be concussed (使脑部受到震荡) wearing headgear (帽) than without.
He said youngsters have a higher risk of head injury than adults because their heads are thinner and less able to absorb shock. To make matters worse, their neck muscles aren’t as well developed and they often lack the correct heading technique that can help throw away the force of the ball.
Delaney recommends that children wear headgear when playing football and says his two eldest children wear head protection playing the sport. But he admits that children can be unwilling to be the first to wear head protection—especially when their football heroes play without it.
While headgear can protect footballers from being concussed during a match, no one knows the long-term effects of repeated “sub-concussive” blows to the head.
Delaney says that while there is indirect evidence that a career in soccer can lead to dementia, no one has yet found a sure link between the two. He says proving a link would mean monitoring hundreds of footballers for three or four decades—and that would take a lot of funding.
Which might be the best title of the passage?

A．Playing football may lead to brain damage.

B．Repeated small damages to the brain.

C．Footballers should wear headgear when playing. .

D．Evidence to dementia.

According to Delaney’s research, what is the most risky injuries to head?

A．Long-term effects of blows.

B．Wearing head protection.

C．Underdeveloped neck muscles.

D．Head-to-head or elbow-to-head blows.

Children are unwilling to wear headgear because they think _____ .

A．headgear is harmful to their heads	B．headgear influences their skills
C．they should follow their idols	D．they mustn’t lead the fashion

It can be inferred from the last paragraph that _____ .

A．Delaney has studied dementia for three or four decades

B．few footballers would like to be studied in the research

C．funding is important in order to carry out the research.

D．no one can find the link between playing football and dementia

It is winter in many parts of the world. For some areas, that means snow. Maybe even lots of snow. If you don’t have to drive in it or remove it, snow can be very beautiful. When snow covers everything around you, the world looks like a “winter wonderland”. That is the name of a very popular song about winter. Richard Smith and Felix Bernard wrote the song back in 1934. There are hundreds of recordings of this happy song.
But winter is not always such a beautiful and happy time. It’s cold outside. You try hard to keep warm. The days are darker and shorter. The sun rarely shines. The leaves on the trees are brown. It isn’t surprising that some people are sad in winter. And some people dream about being somewhere else where it’s warm and pretty—like the state of California. The Mamas and the Papas recorded this famous song “California Dreaming”.
During the 1960s, many other famous rock groups released songs about winter. Here is a poetic song by Simon and Garfunkel called “A Hazy Shade of Winter”. They sing about life and hope and possibilities.
In 1968, the group Blood, Sweat and Tears recorded this gentle, sad song about winter. They sing about a lost love and forgotten memories in “Sometimes in Winter”.
In the early 1990s, Tori Amos wrote and recorded the beautiful song called “Winter”. She enjoyed singing about winter when she was a child.
Finally, on a happier note comes this song written and recorded by Fountains of Wayne in 2003. They sing about a snowstorm in a New England town. Nothing unusual there. But instead of being sad or tense about the snow, they write a song about it.
The underlined sentence “For some areas, that means snow.” probably means 
_____ .

A．In some areas, when it’s winter, it must snow

B．In some areas, it often snows in winter

C．In some areas, it’s important to snow

D．In some areas, people like snow in winter

According to the second paragraph, winter is _____ .

A．beautiful and happy	B．happy and warm
C．lovely and hopeful	D．cold and sad

Which of the songs can bring us hope of life?

A．Winter Wonderland.	B．California Dreaming.
C．A Hazy Shade of Winter.	D．Sometimes in Winter.

What does the passage mainly talk about?

A．Winter in different areas.	B．Different ideas about winter.
C．Songs about winter.	D．Winter is cold but happy.

Off the Beaten Path
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The best-selling Reader’s Digest travel book has 40% new content including over 200 new sites, over 200 new full-color photographs, and all-new, up-to-date maps. It spotlights over 1,000 of the United States’ most overlooked must-see destinations.
Container Gardens by Number
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A unique book contains 50 easy-to-follow container designs. Each design provides a simple numbered planting plan that shows exactly how to create each display, with an instruction of the finished planter and in-depth plant information. The plans are easy to follow and for any type of living space or garden.
Best Weekend Projects
Cover price: $17.95
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Choose from 80 unique ideas to create an extraordinary living space. The projects are practical, as well as attractive, and will improve your home and yard and can be made in a weekend. These 80 well-designed projects are presented in a clear, easy-to-follow style that addresses readers in an accessible, user-friendly tone.
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Cover price: $40.00
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Plenty of health complaints can be handled at home. Each and every remedy will be tested by a doctor to make sure it is safe and sound.
Dozens of conditions are covered, from headaches, sunburn, bad breath, and blisters to allergies, and hiccups.
You can most probably read the passage in a _____ .

A．newspaper

B．travel guide

C．reference book

D．textbook

How much money could you save if you want to buy a travel book?

A．$6.46

B．$10.20

C．$13.96

D．$19.8

Which of the following could help you deal with common diseases without a doctor?

A．Off the Beaten Path.	B．Container Gardens by Number.
C．1801 Home Remedies.	D．Best Weekend Projects.

What’s the purpose of the passage?

A．To share opinions about the books with readers.

B．To advise readers to read more in spare time.

C．To share the pleasure of reading with readers.

D．To advise readers to buy their books.

“Hurry, Mommy! Let’s go trick-or-treating!” My daughter waited by the door in her pink princess skirt while I prayed in the living room. Usually I liked taking her out on Halloween, but this year I was sad. I was worried about my mother, who was in China on vacation. I got a call that afternoon that she had slipped and fallen on the hard floor of her hotel and broken her leg. She was taken to a hospital in Beijing. Mom was nervous because she couldn’t understand any of the doctors. If only I could do something to help her!
I knew I couldn’t let my worries spoil my daughter’s fun. There was nothing I could do for Mom except pray, I thought. We left the house and went down the block. I was so upset that I hardly took notice of the kids around me. There came the man to whose son I’d once given piano lessons. “Hello there,” I said, greeting him and the boy at his side.
“Hello,” the father answered. “Having fun?”“I’m trying,” I said. “Why, what’s wrong?” he asked. I told him the whole story. “My mother, in China, broke her leg and didn’t understand any of the doctors. And I’m too far away to do anything!” I said.
He raised his eyebrows. “Beijing, you said?” he asked. I nodded. He smiled. “Believe it or not, my sister is a doctor at an English-speaking hospital there. If you want, I’ll make a call right away and we’ll try and get your mom transferred (转移).”
A few days later I sat in the living room with my daughter as she finished the last of the candy. “Mommy, how far away is China?” she asked. “Not as far as I thought,” I said.
What did the author’s daughter want to do?

A．Pray with the author.	B．Enjoy herself outside.
C．Play a trick on her mom.	D．Go to the theatre to see a play.

What was the author’s mother worried about most?

A．She couldn’t get used to the life in Beijing.

B．She was hurt in the leg badly while travelling.

C．She was too old and weak to pray for her daughter.

D．She couldn’t make herself understood by the doctor.

The author hardly took notice of the kids around because _____ .

A．she was calling her mother	B．she felt very sad at that time
C．she was about to give a lesson	D．she couldn’t find her daughter

We can infer from the text that _____ .

A．the man’s sister would help the author’s mother

B．the author would come to China to see her mother

C．the author was a famous music teacher in the town

D．the author’s daughter wanted to travel in China

Federal regulators (管理者) Wednesday approved a plan to create a nationwide emergence alert (警报) system using text messages delivered to cell phones.
Text messages have exploded in popularity in recent years, particularly among young people. The wireless industry's trade association, CTIA, estimates（估计） more than 48 billion text messages are sent each month.
The plan comes from the Warning Alert and Response Network Act, a 2009 federal law that requires improvements to the nation's emergency alert system. The act tasked(派给…工作) the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with coming up with new ways to alert the public about emergencies.
"The ability to deliver accurate and timely warnings and alerts through cell phones and other mobile services is an important next step in our efforts to help ensure that the American public has the information they need to take action to protect themselves and their families before, and during, disasters and other emergencies," FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said following approval of the plan.
Participation in the alert system by carriers –telecommunications companies is voluntary, but it has received solid support from the wireless industry.
The program would be optional for cell phone users. They also may not be charged for receiving alerts.
There would be three different types of messages, according to the rules.
The first would be a national alert from the president, likely involving a terrorist attack or natural disaster. The second would involve "approaching threats," which could include natural disasters like hurricanes or storms or even university shootings. The third would be reserved for child abduction (绑架) emergencies, or so-called Amber Alerts.
The service could be in place by 2012.
What is the purpose of the approved plan?

A．To warn people of emergencies through messages.

B．To popularize the use of cell phones.

C．To estimate the monthly number of messages.

D．To promote the wireless industry.

The improvement to the present system is in the charge of ____.

A．CTIA

B．the Warning Alert and Response Network

C．FCC

D．federal regulators

The carriers’ participation in the system is determined by _____.

A．the US federal government	B．mobile phone users
C．the carriers themselves	D．the law of the United States

Which of the following is true of cell phone users?

A．They must accept the alert service.	B．They may enjoy the alert service for free.
C．They must send the alerts to others	D．They may choose the types of messages

An alert message will NOT be sent if _____

A．a child loses his way.	B．a university shooting happens
C．a natural disaster happens	D．a terrorist attack occurs

For a 400-year-old art form, opera had a bad fame: overweight actresses singing the words which were hard to understand in one of those romantic languages you were supposed to learn in high school. And with tickets costing as much as $145 a performance, operagoers also had a certain appearance in people’s mind: rich, well-dressed and old.
But now opera companies around the country are loosening their ties and kicking off their shoes in an attempt to keep opera alive and take it to a younger and not so wealthy audience.
Opera producers have found that to attract this crowd, they need to associate opera with the common people. That means no formal suits, old-styled theatre or bank-breaking ticket prices. And because young people don’t or won’t come to the opera, companies are bringing the opera to them, giving performances in such usual places as parks, libraries and public schools.
The Houston Grand Opera’s choice is the public library, where it performs “mobile operas”, shortened versions of child-friendly operas. This summer’s production is Hansel & Gretel. By performing smaller versions of large productions, producers are able to make people interested while keeping costs at a reasonable level. The San Francisco Opera, which will be celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, is staging Cinderella free of charge, keeping costs down by employing students from its Young Artists’ Training Program.
Which is the main idea of this passage?

A．Opera is famous for its long history.

B．Opera is only performed for rich people.

C．Opera companies are trying to keep opera alive.

D．Young people are not interested in opera.

The underlined phrase in the second paragraph means _________.

A．breaking up the old rules	B．changing the dresses
C．making the audience at ease	D．advertising themselves

Opera companies prefer to perform short versions because _________.

A．they can be performed in public libraries

B．short versions are easy to perform

C．it is hard to find long versions

D．they can make people interested

The San Francisco Opera employs students in order to _________.

A．celebrate its 75th anniversary

B．reduce the cost

C．attract young people

D．make Cinderella popular

From the passage we can infer that _________.

A．the tickets for opera are very expensive

B．opera is performed in a difficult language

C．opera is not so popular an art form today

D．students enjoy performing opera very much

It was the summer of 1965. DeLuca, then 17, visited Peter Buck, a family friend. Buck asked DeLuca about his plans for the future. “I’m going to college, but I need a way to pay for it,” DeLuca recalls saying. “Buck said, ‘You should open a sandwich shop.’”
That afternoon, they agreed to be partners. And they set a goal: to open 32 stores in ten years. After doing some research, Buck wrote a check for $1000. DeLuca rented a storefront (店面) in Connecticut, and when they couldn’t cover their start-up costs, Buck kicked in another $1000.
But business didn’t go smoothly as they expected. DeLuca says, “After six months, we were doing poorly, but we didn’t know how badly, because we didn’t have any financial controls.” All he and Buck knew was that their sales were lower than their costs.
DeLuca was managing the store and going to the University of Bridgeport at the same time. Buck was working at his day job as a nuclear physicist in New York. They’d meet Monday evenings and brainstorm ideas for keeping the business running. “We convinced ourselves to open a second store. We figured we could tell the public, ‘We are so successful, we are opening a second store.’” And they did—in the spring of 1966. Still, it was a lot of learning by trial and error.
But the partners’ learn-as-you-go approach turned out to be their greatest strength. Every Friday, DeLuca would drive around and hand-deliver the checks to pay their suppliers. “It probably took me two and a half hours and it wasn’t necessary, but as a result, the suppliers got to know me very well, and the personal relationships established really helped out,” DeLuca says.
And having a goal was also important. “There are so many problems that can get you down. You just have to keep working toward your goal,” DeLuca adds.
DeLuca ended up founding Subway Sandwich, the multimillion-dollar restaurant chain.
DeLuca opened the first sandwich shop in order to ____.

A．support his family	B．pay for his college education
C．help his partner expand business	D．do some research

Which of the following is true of Buck?

A．He put money into the sandwich business.

B．He was a professor of business administration.

C．He was studying at the University of Bridgeport.

D．He rented a storefront for DeLuca.

What can we learn about their first shop?

A．It stood at an unfavorable place.

B．It lowered the prices to promote sales.

C．It made no profits due to poor management

D．It lacked control over the quality of sandwiches

They decided to open a second store because they ___.

A．had enough money to do it.

B．had succeeded in their business

C．wished to meet the increasing demand of customers

D．wanted to make people believe that they were successful

What contribute most to their success according to the author?

A．Learning by trial and error.	B．Making friends with suppliers.
C．Finding a good partner.	D．Opening chain stores.

Willy, a merchant, returned home to his own country from a faraway continent, where he had succeeded making a small fortune by hard work. He found on arriving at the port that all his relatives were having a large party.
He was in such a happy mood and in the joy of the moment, he did not even bother changing his grey flannel（法兰绒）suit which had become a little worn during the trip home.
When he entered the brilliantly lit room, his relatives and friends gave him a rather cold welcome because they had noticed his modest suit and immediately imagined that he had come back a poor man.
A young man who happened to be accompanying him was quite irritated at this and said to Willy, “What a wonderful reception you have received from these people. They have not even the intention of shaking your hand after all these years that you have been away from home.”
“Just wait and see!” whispered Willy, “They will soon change their looks!” Saying this he slipped a precious ring on his finger. All of a sudden the faces of all those present lit up and immediately Willy was surrounded by so many people that he didn’t know what to do. A man shook his hand, a cousin threw his arms around him, and he had so many invitations from the people present that he thought he would be unable to make any other appointments for several years.
“Has this beautiful, precious ring of yours the power of magic people?” asked the young man.
“Oh, no!” replied Willy, “They see in this glittering diamond ring something that makes them think I am rich, and, unfortunately, they place wealth above everything else.”
"What blind people!" exclaimed the young man. “It is not the ring that has drawn them to you but their desire for riches. Is it possible to appreciate more a piece of yellow metal surrounded by little stones than the goodness of my Lord? And indeed how foolish are people who place their trust in riches rather than in virtues（美德）!”
In what way did Willy go to attend the party held by his relatives and friends?

A．In such a modest mood.	B．In travel-soiled clothes.
C．Wearing a precious jewel.	D．Without being accompanied.

The word “irritated” in the fourth paragraph is closest in meaning to “______”.

A．excited

B．pleased

C．angry

D．envious

According to the young man, people should ______.

A．give up all the physical wealth	B．appreciate more jewelry than goodness
C．observe carefully when judging a person	D．avoid being blinded by the desire for wealth

Which can be the best title of the passage?

A．The Diamond Ring	B．The Welcome Party
C．The Modest Clothes	D．The Joyful Crowd

Contrary to many people believe, highly intelligent children are not necessarily certain to achieve academic success. In fact, so-called gifted students may fail to do well because they are unusually smart. Ensuring that a gifted child reaches his or her potential requires an understanding of what can go wrong and how to satisfy the unusual learning requirements of extremely bright young people.
One common problem gifted kids face is that they, and those around them, place too much importance on being smart. Such an emphasis can encourage a belief that bright people do not have to work hard to do well. Although smart kids may not need to work hard in the lower grades, when the work is easy, they may struggle and perform poorly when the work gets harder because they do not make the effort to learn. If the academic achievement of highly intelligent children remains below average for an extended period, many teachers will fail to recognize their potential. As a result, such students may not get the encouragement they need, further depressing their desire to learn. They may fall far behind in their schoolwork and even develop behavior problems.
IQ is just one element among many in the recipe for success—Children develop well or struggle in school for a host of reasons apart from IQ. These include motivation and persistence, social competence, and the support of family, educators and friends.
Because highly gifted children solve the most varied thought problems faster and more thoroughly than those with more average talents do, they need additional intellectual stimulation while they wait for the rest of the kids to learn the basics. Two central approaches are used to satisfy the educational needs of such children: acceleration and enrichment. Acceleration means studying material that is part of the standard subjects for older students. Enrichment involves learning information that falls outside the usual subjects.
A child might skip one or more grades as a way of accelerating in school. But being with older children for the entire school day—and perhaps for grade-based extracurricular activities such as sports—can make a child feel inferior in every filed outside of academics. One very bright fourth-grader who had skipped two grades remained far ahead of his classmates intellectually, but as his classmates reached adolescence, his social and other shortcomings became painfully apparent. While acceleration is not an option, or not a good one, enrichment can be. After all, school is not a race but an adventure in learning. As such, the goal is not finishing first but absorbing as much knowledge as possible in the time assigned. Thus, providing opportunities for a child to study topics outside the regular subjects can be at least as valuable as pushing him or her through the required material faster.
What is the basic reason for the low academic achievement of highly intelligent children?

A．Teachers’ failure to recognize their potential.

B．Too much emphasis on being intelligent.

C．Studying topics outside the regular subjects.

D．Lack of encouragement from teachers.

According to the passage, which of the following belongs to enrichment activities for talented children?

A．Skipping one of more grades and studying together with older children.

B．Learning the same material in the standard subjects for older students.

C．Learning information that is not included in the regular subjects.

D．Learning how to read with fluency even in their pre-school days.

Which of the following statements do you think is true about the writer?

A．He is in favor of enrichment rather than acceleration.

B．He is in favor of acceleration rather than enrichment.

C．He speaks highly of both enrichment and acceleration.

D．He thinks neither enrichment nor acceleration is a good choice.

In this article, the writer wants to ______.

A．point out the weaknesses of acceleration for gifted children

B．compare acceleration with enrichment for gifted children

C．stress the importance of enrichment for gifted children

D．discuss how to bring out gifted children’s potential

Each participating team will receive ______.

A．1 T-shirt and 1 souvenir	B．4 T-shirts and 1 souvenir
C．1 T-shirt and 4 souvenirs	D．4 T-shirts and 4 souvenirs

A family team which does not complete any task at the activity stations but has completed the hunt at 11.30 a.m. will ______.

A．not be entitled to any prize	B．be awarded a mystery gift
C．be awarded the consolation prize	D．not receive the T-shirts

The main purpose of the hunt is to ______.

A．get people to spend time with family	B．attract people to win cash and prizes
C．encourage people to appreciate nature	D．promote Wiedken & Kennedy Advertising