So there you are on the phone, you ask a question, and suddenly there's silence． What is this, the phone's gone dead, the person you're talking to is dead? Possibly． But there could be another reason — the other person could be Finnish, or Japanese．
According to a handy new booklet from British Telecom （BT） for business people, in countries such as Britain and Italy "conversation is a form of entertainment． There is a continuous flow of talk．．．"． But in other countries especially Finland and Japan, "it is not only impolite to break in, but listeners will think over what has been said in silence"．
It also points out that English, when spoken by foreigners, is likely to include plenty of "false friends", where word-for-word translation fails． If a Frenchman says something is "interesting", he probably means it's profitable．If he "demands" something, he's actually just asking． If an American says your proposal is "quite good", you should be pleased, because "quite" means "very"． But if he tells you to "table" a proposal, then things are not good at all． Whereas an English person would understand tabling a proposal as putting an idea forward, to an American it means shelves it．
According to the booklet, British people are not "explicit" like the Americans, the Dutch, the Germans or the French． "If a Dutchman says an idea is interesting, he means that it is interesting． If an Englishman says it is interesting, you have to deduce （推论） from the way he says it whether he means it is a good or a bad idea．"
The Japanese, the Russians and the Arabs on the other hand, live in the land of true dioplomatic subtlety（微妙）．"If they say an idea is interesting, it may simply be out of politeness"．
It is safest to stick with plain speaking whenever possible, BT advises its British readers． And whatever you do, be careful to limit the use of the famous British sense of humor．When someone says that an idea is interesting, who don't really mean it?
| A．The Dutch． | B．The French． | C．The British． | D．The Japanese． |
While speaking in English, a foreigner seems .
| A．to use the words "false friends" quite often |
| B．to have a strong foreign accent |
| C．to have difficulty in expressing himself clearly |
| D．to keep on forgetting English words |
We may learn from the passage that the best thing to do while talking to others, especially to foreigners, is to .
| A．speak as a diplomat |
| B．be fully aware of culture difference |
| C．speak with a sense of humor |
| D．avoid being somewhat entertaining |
Americans love their cars. There are more than eight cars for every 10 Americans, but most of the time, they sit idle(闲置的), parked in a driveway or on the street. Now, several companies on the U. S. West Coast are helping people rent their personal car to someone else when they don’t need it.
Eric Loebel is one of those people. For a small price, he wants to let his Oregon neighbors “borrow” his car. It’s a dark blue, model year 2000 Volvo car. The sales and marketing consultant says he doesn’t use it much. “My wife and I are huge bike commuters and almost don’t need a car,” he says.
Loebel is one of the first car owners in Portland to list his wheels for rent through a so-called
“peer-to-peer car sharing” service called Getaround. Com. “Cars are so expensive to own,” he says “This can definitely offset(弥补) some of the cost.” The website lets car owners decide for themselves how much to charge borrowers to rent by the hour, day or week.
Person-to-person rentals began in Germany a decade ago, and there are a handful of similar companies in Europe and Australia. The concept caught on quickly in California over the past year according to John Atcheson, vice president of Getaround, one of four carsharing startups in the San Francisco area.
“We have had amazing cars leaping into our system,” Atcheson says. “Not just 1995 pickup trucks but we have had late model Mercedes, Audis, any type of car you can imagine. We actually have a Tesla Roadster—a $150,000 sports car.”
Another service called JustShareIt plans to stand out by going beyond cars. Its founder says the company will offer person-to-person rentals of power boats, jet skis and snowmobeles(雪地机 动车) too.What’s the main idea of the passage?
| A．There are too many cars in America. |
| B．Most cars are rarely used in America. |
| C．Commuting by bike is popular in America. |
| D．Americans try renting their cars to strangers. |
Which of the following is true of Getaround.com?
| A．It gives tips on saving costs on cars. |
| B．It provides a platform for car sharers. |
| C．It provides advice on driving. |
| D．It answers drivers’ questions person-to-person. |
We learn form Atcheson’s words that .
| A．they offer international services |
| B．they first formed in San Francisco |
| C．they offer cars of different types |
| D．their customers prefer new cars |
JustShareIt wants to make itself more attractive by .
| A．providing lower rent |
| B．providing extra sports equipments |
| C．offering person-to-person service |
| D．offering other things for rent |
It's not about how much money you make, and it's not about who your daddy is. And no, it's definitely not about whether you look like Tom Cruise or his wife Katie Holmes ... What it is about is these simple things, things that maybe even a person like Tom Cruise does not have.
We're talking about being attractive in general, whether it's on a job interview or just gaining the respect of your colleagues.
Ask lots of questions
In other words, be humble. If you come across as a know-it-all (even if you really do know it all!)， it really pushes people away. Rather, asking lots and lots of questions (even dumb ones) makes people feel like you care, you can be trusted, and you are... humble.
Stay busy
Do you really know the power of this? We're told to stay busy to prevent depression and feelings of anxiety. But did you know you should also stay busy to be really attractive? It's true. Always have something to do. Have you ever seen someone just sitting around, doing nothing? How unattractive. Always be busy with something, even if for some reason you have to make something up.
Show your pearly whites (or just smile)
Smile more, no matter how ugly your teeth are. I'm not kidding about this one. It's not all about the teeth. If you are smiling genuinely, you can draw everyone for 100 meters around to you.
Be interested in other men
Be interested in the other person. Again, ask them questions. Don't talk about yourself... remove attention from yourself. If you are truly interested in the person, it will come across. And if you want to talk about yourself, you'll find that putting the other person first actually opens him up to return the favor and ask you questions. See how fun this is?
So, yes it is possible to be the most attractive person in the world. If you've noticed the ring throughout the article, it has a lot to do with just being confident in who you are. Nobody needs to look like Tom Cruise or Will Smith or their wives, or anyone else for that matter. Every person, of every race, of every nationality, of every background, can be the most attractive person in the world.In the writer’s opinion, attractiveness is determined by a person’s ________.
| A．good looks | B．white teeth | C．confidence | D．race |
The underlined sentence means that __________.
| A．if you are a know-it-all, you are surely welcome |
| B．being a know-it-all may keep people away from you |
| C．a person should pretend to be a know-it-all when communicating with others |
| D．people admire a person who know it all |
In order to be attractive, you should do followings EXCEPT ________.
| A．Behave like Tom Cruise | B．ask questions | C．smile | D．keep busy |
The main idea of the article is to tell us _________.
| A．How to make friends | B．How to build your confidence |
| C．How to reduce depression | D．How to be attractive |
Allan goes everywhere with Birgitta Anderson, a 54-year-old secretary. He moves around her office at work and goes shopping with her. “Most people don’t seem to mind Allan,” says Birgitta, who thinks he is wonderful. “He’s my fourth child.” She says. She may think of him and treat him that way, buying his food, paying his health bills and his taxes, but in fact Allan is a dog.
Birgitta and Allan live in Sweden, a country where everyone is expected to lead an orderly life according to rules laid down by the government, which also provides high level of care for its people. This level of care costs money.
People in Sweden pay taxes on everything, so aren’t surprised to find that owning a dog means yet more taxes. Some people are paying as much as 500 Swedish kronor in taxes a year for the right to keep their dog, money that is spent by the government on dog hospitals and sometimes medical treatment for a dog that falls ill. However, most such treatment is expensive, so owners often decided to pay health and even life insurance(保险) for their dog.
In Sweden dog owners must pay for any damage(损坏) their dog does. A Swedish Kennel Club official explains what this means: if your dog runs out on the road and gets hit by a passing car you, as the owner, have to pay for any damage done to the car, even if your dog has been killed in the accident.Birgitta pays taxes for Allan because ____________.
| A．he is her dog | B．he is her child |
| C．he follows her everywhere | D．he often falls ill |
If a dog causes a car accident and gets killed, who should pay for the damage done to the car?
| A．The owner of the car | B．The owner of the dog |
| C．The insurance company (公司) | D．The government |
From the text it can be learned that in Sweden ____________.
| A．dogs are welcome in public places |
| B．keeping dogs means asking for trouble |
| C．many car accidents are caused by dogs |
| D．people care much about dogs |
A scientist turns out to be able to see the future by offering each of some four-year-olds a piece of candy and watching how he or she deals with it. Some children reach eagerly for the treat they see. Some last a few minutes before they give in. But others are determined to wait until the last moment.
By the time the children reach high school, something remarkable has happened. A survey found that those who as four-year-olds had enough self-control to hold out generally grew up to be more popular, adventurous, confident and dependable. The children who gave in to temptation（诱惑）early on were more likely to be lonely, easily frustrated and inflexible.
Actually, the ability to delay reward is a sign of emotional intelligence which doesn’t show up on an IQ test.
The hardware of the brain and the software of the mind have long been scientists’ concerns. But brain theory can’t explain what we wonder about most, like the question why some people remain upbeat in the face of troubles that would sink a less resistant soul.
Here comes the theory of Daniel Goleman, writer of Emotional Intelligence: when it comes to predicting people’s success, brain ability as measured by IQ may actually matter less than the qualities of mind once thought of as “character”.
EQ is not the opposite(相反) of IQ. What researchers have been trying to understand is how they work together; how one’s ability to handle stress, for instance, affects the ability to concentrate and put intelligence to use. Among the ingredients(要素) for success, researchers now generally agree that IQ makes up about 20%; the rest depends on everything from social class to luck.
While many researchers in this relatively new field are glad to see emotional issues finally taken seriously, some few fear EQ invites misuse. The experiment with the four-year-olds makes it clear that .
| A．the age of 4 is a proper time for scientific experiment |
| B．emotional intelligence won’t show up until adolescence |
| C．the ability of self-control plays a role in personal success |
| D．candy can be used to measure a person’s emotional intelligence |
The underlined word “upbeat” in Paragraph 4 probably means .
| A．kind | B．floating | C．excited | D．cheerful |
Why does the author mention the experiment at the beginning of the text?
| A．To amuse both the children and readers. |
| B．To prove the scientist’s wisdom. |
| C．To introduce the topic of the text. |
| D．To show us how to do an IQ test. |
What is most likely to be written in the paragraph that follows?
| A．Information about famous people with high EQ. |
| B．Examples showing the opposite voice about EQ. |
| C．Some reasons why EQ is a relatively new field. |
| D．Strong demand for basic emotional education. |
Saying “thank you” is probably the first thing most of us learn to do in a foreign language. After all, we’re brought up to be polite, and it is important to make a good impression upon other people — especially across national divides.
So, what exactly are you supposed to say when “thank you” is only the 20th most popular way to express gratitude? According to a recent survey, 19 other ways of expressing appreciation finished ahead of “thank you” in a poll of 3,000 people.
Pollsters(民测调查员) found almost half of those asked preferred the more informal “cheers”, while others liked to use such expressions as “ta”, “great” and “nice one”.
So, just what is the appropriate form of words to express your thanks?
Fortunately, the clue is in the language itself. “Cheers”, despite its popularity, is considered an informal way to say thank you — and this is a definite clue as to when you can best use it.
For instance, when going for a drink with friends, a smile and a “cheers” by way of thanks is not only appropriate to the situation, it is also culturally accurate.
“Ta”, originated from the Danish word “tak”, was the second-most popular expression of thanks, and is also commonly used in informal situations, along with phrases such as “nice one”, and “brilliant”. Interestingly, one word that didn’t make it into the top 20 was “thanks”, Thank you is shorter, more informal cousin.
“Thanks” can be useful, as it is able to bridge the divide between the formality of “thank you” and the downright relaxed “cheers”.
Certain words can double as an expression of thanks as well as delight. Again, the words themselves offer the clue as to when best to use them.
For example, words like “awesome”, “brilliant” and “you star” featured highly in the new poll and they can hint at both your pleasure at someone’s action, as well as serving to express your thanks. If you are on the receiving end of a “new” thank you, you can respond with a simple “no problem”, or “sure”.
Of course, in certain circumstances, a simple wave, nod or smile may be appropriate. For instance, if a car driver slows down to let you cross the road, simply raising your hand in acknowledgement is enough to show that you appreciate the driver’s consideration.
Sometimes, formality is necessary, and “thank you” is still the best choice in such situations. But students should not worry about when exactly to use certain expressions.
Many people in Western countries are worried that good manners are in decline. People are tired of seeing their acts of kindness and service pass without comment. So don’t think your “thank you” is clumsy or awkwardly formal. The chances are, if you said “thank you”, you made someone’s day. You star.We can tell from the results of the poll that __________.
| A．people are unconcerned about politeness nowadays. |
| B．“thank you” remains the best expression of gratitude. |
| C．there is a variety of expressions of appreciation. |
| D．there are more formal expressions than informal ones. |
According to the passage, which is an appropriate response to “awesome” or “brilliant”?
| A．Thanks. | B．Sure. | C．Nice one. | D．Cheers. . |
In the last paragraph the author encourages people to .
| A．show their gratitude to others. |
| B．behave themselves well. |
| C．continue their acts of kindness. |
| D．stop worrying about bad manners. |
Which of the following can serve as the best title of this passage?
| A．How to Appear More Polite. |
| B．Ways to Show Gratitude. |
| C．Never hesitate to Say “Thank You”. |
| D．Good Manners in Decline! |
Friendship and friends continue to be the centre of our life. The relationship that we share with our friends is grounded in mutual (相互的) care as our friends help us in shaping our personalities as well. Even in this age of online social networking and e-cards, the need of keeping the network of friends, whether online or offline remains a primary concern for people. We may not completely understand what makes a friend but we all want to have a good number of friends around us.
The first step to make friends with someone is to make them like you. If they don’t like you in the first place, it is unlikely that they’ll be eager to become your friends. To let someone know that you are specially interested in them, simple gestures like a little smile and calling them by their names can lay the basic foundation. To make the other person feel important to you, you need to be a good listener and encourage the other person to talk. Give your honest and sincere opinion but do not directly criticize or make fun of him or her.
The second step of making someone your friend is to develop a mutual understanding. You need to share his or her experiences and it is necessary for you to develop a habit to see things from the other person’s point of view.
The third or final step towards friendship is to show your unconditional support and encouragement towards your friend. Moreover, you also need to be very clear about your expectations from your friend. If what you expect from the person you want to make friends with matches with what that person can give, the developing friendship between you and your friend is sure to be successful.The underlined word “shaping” (in Paragraph 1) means “________”.
| A．forming | B．changing | C．catching | D．losing |
Which one of the following is true according to this passage?
| A．It is no use learning what a true friend is. |
| B．It is very important to understand each other. |
| C．It is a duty for you to meet your friends’ need all the time. |
| D．We had better keep silent when staying with our friends. |
If you want to make friends with someone, you can ________.
| A．show your interest with a smile to him or her |
| B．make him or her feel more important than you |
| C．never expect him or her to support you |
| D．have your own ways of seeing things |
New research shows sheep are clever
People often make jokes about how dull sheep are, but new research shows they may be cleverer than we think. Researchers at the University of Cambridge discovered that Welsh mountain sheep have brainpower that equals rodents (啮齿动物). Tests found that the sheep can map the area they live in, and some may even be able to plan ahead.
Young fish prefer noisy neighbors
A new study has shown that young fish like to live on reefs with noisy neighbors! Researchers from the universities of Auckland and Bristol found that young fish looking for a home choose areas where other noisy fish live. The scientists produced all kinds of sounds which had been recorded in different natural environments. The young fish seemed to prefer the sounds of natural reefs, complete with noisy animals! The scientists compared the choice to a music fan wandering around at a music festival, choosing to set up a tent closest to the music they like best!
Butterflies are disappearing
A new study has shown that 17 species (物种) of butterfly found in Europe have dropped by 70% in the last 20 years. The information collected from 3,000 sites across 15 countries shows it may be caused by the loss (减少) of grasslands covered with flowers. You can encourage butterflies to come into your garden by planting flowers. What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Some new studies about animals. |
| B．People’s wrong ideas about animals. |
| C．Why the number of animals has dropped. |
| D．The importance of protecting animals. |
According to the first paragraph, we may infer that sheep _____.
| A．are less clever than rodents |
| B．can find their home |
| C．can read maps |
| D．are good planners |
Which seems to have to do with the number of butterflies?
| A．The species of grass in grasslands. |
| B．The species of trees in grasslands. |
| C．The number of flowers in grasslands. |
| D．The number of animals in grasslands. |
In which part of a newspaper can we most probably read the passage?
| A．Geography. | B．Culture. | C．Travel. | D．Nature. |
A scientist turns out to be able to see the future by offering each of some four-year-olds a piece of candy and watching how he or she deals with it. Some children reach eagerly for the treat they see. Some last a few minutes before they give in. But others are determined to wait until the last moment.
By the time the children reach high school, something remarkable has happened. A survey found that those who as four-year-olds had enough self-control to hold out generally grew up to be more popular, adventurous, confident and dependable. The children who gave in to temptation early on were more likely to be lonely, easily frustrated and inflexible.
Actually, the ability to delay reward is a sign of emotional intelligence which doesn’t show up on an IQ test.
The hardware of the brain and the software of the mind have long been scientists’ concerns. But brain theory can’t explain what we wonder about most, like the question why some people remain upbeat in the face of troubles that would sink a less resistant soul.
Here comes the theory of Daniel Goleman, writer of Emotional Intelligence: when it comes to predicting people’s success, brain ability as measured by IQ may actually matter less than the qualities of mind once thought of as “character”.
EQ is not the opposite of IQ. What researchers have been trying to understand is how they work together; how one’s ability to handle stress, for instance, affects the ability to concentrate and put intelligence to use. Among the ingredients(要素) for success, researchers now generally agree that IQ counts for about 20%; the rest depends on everything from social class to luck.
While many researchers in this relatively new field are glad to see emotional issues finally taken seriously, some few fear EQ invites misuse. The experiment with the four-year-olds makes it clear that .
| A．the age of 4 is a proper time for scientific experiment |
| B．emotional intelligence won’t show up until adolescence |
| C．the ability of self-control plays a role in personal success |
| D．candy can be used to measure a person’s emotional intelligence |
The underlined word “upbeat” in Paragraph 4 probably means .
| A．kind | B．floating | C．excited | D．optimistic |
Why does the author mention the experiment at the beginning of the text?
| A．To amuse both the children and readers. |
| B．To prove the scientist’s wisdom. |
| C．To introduce the topic of the text. |
| D．To show us how to do an IQ test. |
What is most likely to be written in the paragraph that follows?
| A．Information about famous people with high EQ. |
| B．Examples showing the opposite voice about EQ. |
| C．Some reasons why EQ is a relatively new field. |
| D．Strong demand for basic emotional education. |
Stonehenge may have been a prehistoric health center rather than a site for observing stars or a temple in honor of the dead, scientists said yesterday. New evidence unearthed at the World Heritage Site in more than 40 years suggests that the monument was a place where the diseased and injured went in groups, seeking cures.
After a two-week dig, scientists have concluded that Stonehenge was “the ancient healthcare centre of southern England” because of the existence of “bluestones”---the smaller columns of dolerite that formed an earlier stone structure.
By dating pieces of remains to around 7330BC, Tim Darvill, of Bournemouth University, and Goff Wainwright, of the Society of Antiquaries have found that hunter-gatherers were at the site on Salisbury Plain 4,000 years earlier than thought. The first stage of Stonehenge, a round earthwork structure, was built around 3000BC. Professor Wainwright added: “I did not expect the degree of complexity we discovered. We’re able to say so much more about when Stonehenge was built and why---all of which changes our previous understanding of the monument.”
The research reveals the importance of the henge’s famous bluestones. Hundreds of bluestone chips gathered at the site have led the team to conclude that the bluestones were valued for their curing effects---the key reason that about 80 of them, each weighing up to 4 tons and a half, were dragged more than 150 miles from the Preseli Hills to Wiltshire. After years of research, Professors Darvill and Wainwright have concluded that, for thousands of years, the Preseli mountain range was home to magical health centers and holy wells.
Even today there are those who believe in the curing powers of the springs for coughs and heart disease, and people who use crystals and bluestones for self-curing. Radiocarbon tests have also revealed that the construction of the original bluestone circle took place around 2300BC, three centuries later than originally thought. Interestingly, on the same day died the “Amesbury Archer”---a sick traveler from the Swiss or German Alps who had an infected knee---whose remains were discovered about five miles from Stonehenge. The professors believe that he was a devoted religious person who was hoping to benefit from the curing powers of the monument.Stonehenge is recently believed to be a place for people .
| A．to recover from poor health | B．to observe star movements |
| C．to hold religious ceremonies | D．to gather huge bluestones |
What can be inferred about Stonehenge from the passage?
A. The springs could cure coughs and heart disease best.
B. The new discovery was the same as what had been expected.
C. Some huge bluestones were not produced at Stonehenge.
D. The original bluestone circle was thought to be constructed around 2000BC.The sick traveler in the passage is supposed to be .
| A．a devoted religious person from Stonehenge |
| B．one of the earliest discoverers of Stonehenge |
| C．the first explorer to test the magical power of bluestones |
| D．a patient trying to cure his infection at Stonehenge |
Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
| A．Stonehenge: A New Place of Interest | B．Stonehenge: Still Making News |
| C．Stonehenge: Heaven for Adventurers | D．Stonehenge: A Site for Observing Stars |
A recent study, published in last week’s Journal of the American Medical Association, offers a picture of how risky(冒险的) it is to get a lift from a teenage driver. Indeed, a 16-year-old driver with three or more passengers is three times as likely to have a deadly accident as a teenager driving alone, while the risk of death for drivers between 30 and 59 decreases with each additional passenger.
The authors also found that the death rates for teenage drivers increased sharply after 10 p.m., and especially after midnight. With passengers in the car, the driver was even more likely to die in a late-night accident.
Robert Foss, a scientist at the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center, says the higher death rates for teenage drivers have less to do with “really stupid behavior” than with just a lack of driving experience. “The basic issue,” he says, “is that adults who are responsible for issuing licenses fail to recognize how complex and skilled a task driving is.”
Both he and the author of the study believe that the way to mitigate (使……缓解)the problem is to have states set up so-called graduated licensing systems, in which getting a license is a multistage process. A graduated license requires that a teenager first prove himself capable of driving in the presence of an adult, followed by a period of driving with night or passenger limits, before graduating to full driving licenses.
Graduated licensing systems have reduced teenage driver crashes, according to recent studies. About half of the states now have some sort of graduated licensing system in place, but only 10 of those states have limits on passengers. California is the strictest, with a new driver under 20 forbidden to carry any passenger (without the presence of an adult over 25) for the first six months. Which of the following situations can we infer is most dangerous according to the passage?
| A．A teenager driving after midnight with passengers in the car. |
| B．Adults giving a lift to teenagers on the highway after 10 p.m. |
| C．Adults driving with three or more teenage passengers late at night. |
| D．A teenager getting a lift from a stranger on the highway at midnight. |
According to Robert Foss, the high death rate of teenage drivers is mainly because of _______.
| A．their frequent driving at night | B．their improper ways of driving |
| C．their driving with passengers | D．their lack of driving experience |
According to Paragraph 3, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．The licensing departments are partly responsible for teenagers' driving accidents. |
| B．Driving is too complex a skill for teenagers to learn. |
| C．Teenagers should be forbidden to apply to take driving lessons. |
| D．Teenagers should spend more time learning to drive. |
A suggested measure to be taken to reduce teenagers' driving accidents is that_______.
| A．driving in the presence of an adult should be made a rule |
| B．the licensing system should be improved |
| C．they should not be allowed to drive after 10 p.m. |
| D．they should be forbidden to take on passengers |
A good modern newspaper is an extraordinary piece of reading. It is unusual for what it contains: the news from local crime to international politics, from sports to business to fashion to science, and the comments and special features(特写)as well, from editorial page to feature articles, from interviews to criticism of books, art, theatre, and music. A newspaper is even more unusual for the way one reads it never completely, never straight through, but always by jumping from here to there, in and out, glancing at one piece, reading another article all the way through, reading just a few paragraphs of the next.
A good modern newspaper offers a variety to attract many different readers, but far more than any one reader is interested in. What brings this variety together in one place is its topicality, that is, its immediate relation to what is happening in your world and your locality now. But this immediacy and the speed of production that goes with it also mean that much of what appears in a newspaper has no more than temporary value. For all these reasons, no two people really read the same paper: what each person does is to put together, out of the pages of that day’s paper, his own selection and order, his own newspaper. For all these reasons, reading newspapers efficiently which means getting what you want from them without missing things you need but without wasting time, demands skill and self-awareness(意识) as you change and apply the techniques of reading.What does the underlined word in the second paragraph mean ?
| A．wide coverage | B．speed in reporting news |
| C．various style | D．popularity among readers |
According to the passage, the reason why no two people really read the same newspaper is that ___________.
| A．people are interested in the same kind of news |
| B．different people prefer different newspapers |
| C．people scan for the news they are interested in |
| D．people have different views about what a good newspaper is |
A good newspaper offers “a variety” to readers because ___________.
| A．readers like to read different newspapers |
| B．it has to cover things that happen in a certain locality |
| C．readers are difficult to please |
| D．it tries to serve different readers |
The best title for this passage would be ___________.
| A．The Characteristics of a Good Newspaper |
| B．The Importance of a good Newspaper |
| C．Good Newspapers and Bad Newspapers |
| D．Some Advice on How to Read a Newspaper |
The young man arrived on the Massachusetts beach early carrying a radio, a shovel(铁锹), and a strange set of tools: a brick layer’s trowel, a palette knife, spatulas, spoons, and a spray bottle.
He walked down near the water — the tide(潮水) was out — and switched on the radio to listen to soft rock. Then he shoveled wet sand into a pile nearly four feet high and as many feet across. Then he created a square shape.
After that, he set to work with palette knife, spatulas, and spoons. He shaped a splendid tower, topped walls, fashioned beautiful bay windows, and carved (雕刻)out a big front gate.
The man knew his sand. He smoothly finished some surfaces and carved artistic designs on others. As the shapes began to dry, he gently kept them slightly wet with water from the spray bottle, in case they might break in the wind.
All this took hours. People gathered. At last he stood back, obviously satisfied with a castle worthy of the Austrian countryside or Disneyland.
Then he gathered his tools and radio and moved them up to drier sand. He had known for a while what many in the crowd still ignored: the tide was coming in. Not only had he practiced his art with confidence and style, he also had done so against a powerful, irresistible(不可抵抗的) deadline.
As the crowd looked on, water came at the base of the castle. In minutes it was surrounded. Then the rising flood began to eat into the base, walls fell, the tower fell, and finally the gate fell. More minutes passed, and small waves erased bay windows — soon no more than a small part was left.
Many in the crowd looked terribly sad; some voiced fear and discouragement. But the man remained calm. He had, after all, had a wonderful day, making beauty out of nothing, and watching it return to nothing as time and tide moved on.In this passage, why did the young man start early in the day?
| A．He needed the sun to help dry the sand. |
| B．It gave plenty of time for the crowd to gather. |
| C．He knew the tide was out on this particular morning. |
| D．It was easier to begin his work with only a few people around. |
In this passage, what does the incoming tide signal?
| A．It is time to begin working. |
| B．It is the end of a day’s work. |
| C．It is the busiest time of the day. |
| D．It is time for lookers-on to leave. |
How did the lookers-on react when the tide began to come in?
| A．They were disappointed to see the art ruined. |
| B．They tried their best to save the sand castle. |
| C．They were nervous about their own belongings. |
| D．They helped the artist finish the castle. |
We can tell that the young man’s reward for his work is ___________.
| A．payment for his work | B．personal satisfaction |
| C．popularity as an artist | D．attention from the crowd |
We chat with our colleagues all the time when we have lunch, gossip in the tearoom, or leave work together. Sharing your personal life brings you closer to your coworkers and builds trust within your team. But revealing too much about yourself to colleagues, managers or human resources staff can cause difficulties and even endanger your work.
It's important to keep the right balance between getting along with colleagues and maintaining your privacy. “Communication in the office is tricky and complicated. You can neither spread chatter, nor be too silent and shut yourself off from others，” said Yang Yudan, deputy HR director at P&G.
According to her, there are several safe topics to talk about with colleagues during the break, such as the weather or movies. Women like to talk about makeup and clothing, while men are fond of sports and online games. But discussing your private life, such as relationship, habits or health conditions, is a potential minefield.
Liang Kun, 26, had to resign from his job at a trading company in Guangzhou last week after discussing his income with colleagues during a lunch break. “I didn't realize it was such a serious issue until a senior member of staff went to find the boss, asking why I got a higher salary than her，” said Liang. “Then our HR told me that according to the employee handbook it is forbidden to talk about salary in the office.” HR expert Yang also reminds us that paychecks are your own business. It is unwise to share this information with others, no matter how close you are.
To summarize, Yang advises office workers to be more aware of the image they project when talking to colleagues, “When you share your personal life, it will be recorded on your invisible resume and may slow down your career progressing.”The author quoted Yang Yudan in the text to ________.
| A．show his admiration for her |
| B．make an argument with her |
| C．support his own viewpoint |
| D．build up his fame |
What can be inferred from the fact that Liang Kun had to resign his job according to the text?
| A．It was unwise for him to share information with others. |
| B．He broke the rules made by the company. |
| C．He was such an honest person that he told the truth. |
| D．He treated his colleagues as family members. |
What is the author's purpose in writing the text?
| A．To draw people's attention to their behaviors in public. |
| B．To advise office workers to be aware of the image they project. |
| C．To make you believe that communication in the office is complicated. |
| D．To warn you to be careful of invisible trouble while talking about your privacy to colleagues. |
Which would be the best title for the text?
| A．At Work, Keep It to Yourself |
| B．Keep the Right Balance |
| C．Share Your Personal Life with Others |
| D．Safe Topics to Talk about |
Google has been collecting tons of data about smartphone usage around the world. Here are some of the most surprising and interesting facts：
Android is most popular in Japan, with 55% of respondents(调查对象) using it, compared with 39% for iOS.Android is also number one in a few other countries, including New Zealand (41%), the US(40%), and China (38%)．
iOS is farthest ahead in Switzerland, with 52% usage vs 23% for Android.Other countries where iOS is far ahead include Australia (49% vs 25% Android), Canada (45% vs 23% Android and 23% Blackberry), and France (43% vs 25% Android)．
In Egypt, Windows Mobile is far more popular than iOS.13% of survey respondents use the Microsoft smartphone platform, behind Symbian (19%) and Android (14%). iOS is very far down at 4%.
Mobile social networking is biggest in Mexico and Argentina, where 74% and 73% of users visit a social network daily.But mobilesocial is weak in Japan where 34% of users never visit a social network on their phone, and this figure rises to 41% in Brazil.
Watching video is most popular in Saudi Arabia, with 59% of respondents doing it daily.Number two is Egypt, with 41%.
Chinese users shop from their phones.59% of Chinese users do this, compared with only 41% in secondplace Egypt.Chinese users also love to write reviews.41% of them write a review of a local business after looking it up on their smartphone.Number two, Japan, is far behind, with only 24% of respondents doing this.
。Which of the following best describes the usage of the smartphone operating systems in Egypt?
| A．Windows Mobile＞iOS＞Symbian＞Android |
| B．Android＞Windows Mobile＞iOS＞Symbian |
| C．iOS＞Android＞Symbian＞Windows Mobile |
| D．Symbian＞Android＞Windows Mobile＞iOS |
In which of the following countries is mobile social networking least popular?
| A．Brazil. | B．Japan. |
| C．Mexico. | D．Argentina. |
In which section of a newspaper can we most probably read the passage?
| A．Health. | B．Environment. |
| C．Technology. | D．Entertainment. |
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