What should you think about when trying to find your career? You are probably better at some school subjects than others. These may show strengths that you can use in your work. A boy who is good at mathematics can use that in an engineering career. A girl who spells well and likes English maybe good at office work. So it is important to know the subjects you do well in at school. On the other hand, you may not have any specially strong subjects but your records show a general satisfactory standard. Although not all subjects can be used directly in a job, they may have indirect value. A knowledge of history is not required for most jobs but if history is one of your good subjects you will have learned to remember facts and details. This is an ability that can be useful in many jobs.
Your school may have taught you skills, such as typing or technical drawing, which you can use in your work. You may be good at metalwork or cookery and look for a job where you can improve these skills. If you have had a part-time job on Saturdays or in the summer, think what you gained from it. If nothing else, you may have learned how to get to work on time, to follow instructions and to get on with older workers. You may have learned to give correct change in a shop, for example. Just as important, you may become interested in a particular industry or career you see from the inside in a part-time job.
Facing your weak points is also part of knowing yourself. You may be all thumbs when you handle tools; perhaps you are a poor speller or cannot add up a column of figures. It is better to face any weakness than to pretend they do not exist. Your school record, for instance, may not be too good, yet it is an important part of your background. You should not ignore it but instead recognize that you will have a chance of a fresh start at work.
What is the passage mainly about?
A.The importance of working hard at school. |
B.Choosing a career according to one’s strengths. |
C.How to face one’s weakness. |
D.The value of school work. |
The writer thinks that a student’s part-time job is probably_____.
A.a good way to find out his weak points |
B.one of the best ways of earning extra money |
C.of great use for his work in the future |
D.a waste of time he could have spent on study |
From the passage we learn that if a student’s school performance is not good, he ______.
A.should pay more attention to learning skills and developing abilities |
B.will be regretful about his bad results |
C.may also do well in his future work |
D.should restart his study at school |
The underlined phrase “be all thumbs” (in Para.3) probably means “______”.
A.be clumsy at doing things |
B.be skillful in doing things |
C.be not interested in certain things |
D.be easily bored in doing things |
When I was growing up in America, I was ashamed of my mother’s Chinese English. Because of her English, she was often treated unfairly. People in department stores, at banks, and at restaurants did not take her seriously, did not give her good service, pretended not to understand her, or even acted as if they did not hear her.
My mother has realized the limitations of her English as well. When I was fifteen, she used to have me call people on phone to pretend I was her. I was forced to ask for information or even to yell at people who had been rude to her. One time I had to call her stockbroker (股票经纪人).I said in an adolescent voice that was not very convincing, “This is Mrs.Tan...” And my mother was standing beside me, whispering loudly, “Why he don’t send me check already two weeks ago.”And then, in perfect English I said, “I’m getting rather concerned. You agreed to send the check two weeks ago, but it hasn’t arrived.”
Then she talked more loudly. “What he want? I come to New York tell him front of his boss.” And so I turned to the stockbroker again, “I can’t tolerate any more excuse. If I don’t receive the check immediately, I am going to have to speak to your manager when I am in New York next week.”
The next week we ended up in New York. While I was sitting there red-faced, my mother, the real Mrs.Tan, was shouting to his boss in her broken English.
When I was a teenager, my mother’s broken English embarrassed me. But now, I see it differently. To me, my mother’s English is perfectly clear, perfectly natural. It is my mother tongue. Her language, as I hear it, is vivid, direct, and full of observation and wisdom. It was the language that helped shape the way I saw things, expressed ideas, and made sense of the world.
Why was the author’s mother poorly served?
A.She was unable to speak good English. |
B.She was often misunderstood. |
C.She was not clearly heard. |
D.She was not very polite. |
What does the author think of her mother’s English now?
A.It confuses her. |
B.It embarrasses her. |
C.It helps her understand the world. |
D.It helps her tolerate rude people. |
We can infer from the passage that Chinese English . .
A.is clear and natural to non-native speakers |
B.is vivid and direct to non-native speakers |
C.has a very bad reputation in America |
D.may bring inconvenience in America |
The card above is .
A.a ticket | B.a postcard |
C.an invitation | D.an advertisement |
The party is for .
A.a birthday | B.a queen |
C.bee watching | D.the national day |
According to the card, if you are unable to go, you can .
A.return the card |
B.visit the Museum |
C.ignore the message |
D.contact Alice’s mother |
Dear Guys,
I’d like to talk to you about the shame you subjected me to last night. Let me first refresh your memory: You, a group of fit, young men, were playing soccer on the field across from my apartment building. I, a better-than-average looking young woman, was walking along the sidewalk with my groceries. That’s when your ball came flying over the fence and landed in front of me.
One of you approached and asked politely if I would throw the ball back to you. Fighting the urge to drop my bags and run screaming down the street, I reluctantly (勉强地) agreed.
Before I continue, let me explain something that I didn’t have a chance to mention last night: I hate sports. More specifically, I hate sports involving balls. This results from my lack of natural ability when it comes to throwing, catching and hitting. I’m bad at aiming too. So you can understand why I’d be nervous at what I’m sure seemed to you like a laughably simple request.
However, wanting to appear agreeable, I put my bags down, picked up the ball and, eyes half-shut, and threw it as hard as I could.
It hit the middle of the fence and bounced back to me.
Trying to act casually, I said something about being out of practice, and then picked up the ball again. If you’ll remember, at your command, I agreed to try throwing underhand. While outwardly I was smiling, in my head, I was praying, oh God, oh please oh please oh please. I threw the ball upward with all my strength, terrified by what happened next.
The ball hit slightly higher up on the fence and bounced back to me.
This is the point where I start to take issue with you. Wouldn’t it have been a better use of your time, and mine, if you had just walked around the fence and took the ball then? I was clearly struggling; my smiles were more and more forced. And yet, you all just stood there, motionless.
Seeing that you weren’t going to let me out of the trouble, I became desperate. Memories of middle school softball came flooding back. I tried hard to throw the ball but it only went about eight feet, then I decided to pick it up and dash with ball in hand towards the baseline, while annoyed thirteen-year-old boys screamed at me that I was ruining their lives. Children are cruel.
Being a big girl now, I pushed those memories aside and picked up the soccer ball for the third time. I forced a good-natured laugh while crying inside as you patiently shouted words of support over the fence at me.
“Throw it granny-style!” one of you said.
“Just back up a little and give it all you’ve got!” another offered.
And, most embarrassing of all, “You can do it!”
I know you thought you were being encouraging, but it only served to deepen the shame.
Anyway, I accepted your ball-throwing advice, backed up, rocked back and forth a little, took a deep breath and let it fly.
It hit the edge of the fence and bounced back to me.
I surprised myself—and I’m sure you as well—by letting out a cry, “DAMN IT!!!” I then willed myself to have a heart attack and pass out in front of you just so I’d be put out of my misery.
Alas, the heart attack didn’t happen, and you continued to look at me expectantly, like you were content to do this all night. I had become a sort of exhibition for you. I could feel your collective thoughts drifting through the chain-link: “Can she really not do it? But I mean, really?”
Unfortunately for you, I wasn’t really game to continue your experiment. Three failed attempts at a simple task in front of a group of people in a two-minute period were just enough blows for me for one night. I picked up the ball one last time, approached the fence and grumbled, “Please just come get the damn ball.”
And you did. And thanks to you, I decided at that very moment to never throw anything ever again, except disrespectful glances at people who play sports.
Sincerely,
Jen Cordery
The writer agreed to throw the ball because ______.
A.she needed to have a relax carrying the heavy groceries |
B.she wanted to refresh her childhood memories |
C.she could not refuse the polite request from the young man |
D.she had fallen in love with the young man at first sight |
Which of the following is closet in meaning to the underlined word “game”?
A.anxious | B.brave | C.afraid | D.curious |
Why did the writer mention her middle school memory?
A.To explain why she failed the attempts to throw the ball back. |
B.To complain that she had not mastered the ball throwing skills. |
C.To show how cruel those 13-year-old boys were. |
D.To express her dislike towards softball. |
What the boys said before the writer’s third attempt actually made the writer ________.
A.inspired | B.encouraged | C.awkward | D.depressed |
What happened to the ball at last?
A.The writer managed to throw the ball back. |
B.The boy got the ball back by himself. |
C.The writer threw the ball away out of anger. |
D.The boys got angry and left without the ball. |
What’s the writer’s purpose in writing this open letter?
A.To express her regret over what she did the day before. |
B.To announce that she would never play all games again. |
C.To joke on her inability to throw the ball over the fence. |
D.To criticize the young men for their cruelty to her dignity. |
Elizabeth Freeman was born about 1742 to African American parents who were slaves. At the age of six months she was acquired, along with her sister, by John Ashley, a wealthy Massachusetts slaveholders. She became known as “Mumbet” or “Mum Bett.”
For nearly 30 years Mumbet served the Ashley family. One day, Ashley’s wife tried to hit Mumbet’s sister with a spade(铁锹). Mumbet protected her sister and took the blow instead. Angry, she left the house and refused to come back. When the Ashleys tried to make her return, Mumbet turned to a lawyer, Theodore Sedgewick. With his help, Mumbet sued(起诉) for her freedom.
While serving the Ashleys, Mumbet had listened to many discussions of the new Massachusetts laws. If the laws said that all people were free and equal, then she thought it should apply to her. Eventually, Mumbet won her freedom—the first slave in Massachusetts to do so under the new law.
Strangely enough, after the trial, the Ashleys asked Mumbet to come back and work for them as a paid employee. She refused and instead went to work for Segdewick. Mumbet died in 1829, but her spirit lived on in her many generations. One of her great-grandchildren was W.E.B. Du Bois, one of the founder of the NAACP, and an important writer and spokesperson for African American civil rights.
Mumbet’s tombstone still stands in the Massachusetts cemetery where she was buried. It reads, in part: “She was born a slave and remained a slave for nearly thirty years. She could neither read nor write, yet in her own area she had no superior or equal.”
What do we know about Mumbet according to Paragraph 1?
A.She was born into a rich family. |
B.She was a slaveholder. |
C.She was born a slave. |
D.She had a famous sister. |
What did Mumbet do after the trial?
A.She founded the NAACP. |
B.She went to live with her grandchildren. |
C.She continued to serve the Ashleys. |
D.She chose to work for a lawyer. |
What did Mumbet learn from discussions about the new constitution?
A.How to be a good servant. |
B.How to apply for a job. |
C.She should always obey her owners’ orders. |
D.She should be as free and equal as whites. |
What is the text mainly about?
A.A trial that shocked the whole world. |
B.The life of a brave African American woman. |
C.A story of a famous writer and spokesperson. |
D.The friendship between a lawyer and a slave. |
The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC has thousands of objects on display, including the 1903 Wright Flyer, Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis, the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia, and a lunar rock you can touch. In addition to our exhibition gallery, you may want to visit the Albert Einstein Planetarium, Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater, and the Public Observatory on the east end. There are many things to do at the Museum in DC. We offer daily tours and educational activities for both children and adults. We also have scheduled lectures and events throughout the year.
Hours and Admission: Open every day except December 25. Admission is free.
Regular Hours: 10:00 am to 5:30pm
Extended Hours: 10:00 am to 7:30pm
December 26---30, 2014 March 30---April 20, 2015
Friday and Saturdays, April 24---May 16, 2015 May 17---September 7, 2015
Visiting Tips: Limit the number of bags: All visitors are screened through metal detector upon entry. The fewer items you bring inside the Museum, the faster your entry. Before you visit, please review the list of prohibited items, which include pocket knives and tripods(三脚架). Visitors carrying prohibited items will not be allowed inside the Museum, so please leave them at home or in your car.
No Food or Drink: Only bottled water is permitted in the Museum. You may only consume food and other drinks in the Food and Drink Court, not in the Museum. Groups who bring food are encouraged to picnic on the National Hall.
Please Take Photos: You are welcome to take photos for personal use. However, tripods and monopods(单脚架) are not permitted without approval.
First Aid: The Museum has a First Aid office and a nurse on duty. Please contact the nearest security officer or the Welcome Center for assistance.
Visit the Welcome Center: At our Welcome Center in the South Lobby, staff and volunteers can answer any questions you have during your visit.
Open: 10:00am to 5:30 Phone: 202-666-2212
E-mail: NASM-visitorservice@si.edu
According to the passage, the National Air and Space Museum is a place _______.
A.where only adults can take part in some educational activities |
B.where one can touch anything he likes |
C.everyone can pay a visit to without buying tickets |
D.everyone can visit without time limit all the year round. |
If the Greens plan to visit the Musuem at 6:00pm, it is accessible on _______.
A.December 24, 2014(Wednesday) | B.March 1, 2015(Sunday) |
C.September 15, 2015(Tuesday) | D.July 6, 2015(Monday) |
A visitor to the Museum can _______.
A.get some medical treatment if he suddenly falls ill |
B.take photos with tripods for personal use |
C.bring fewer bags to go through metal detectors |
D.eat and drink in the Museum or in the Food Court |
The purpose of this passage is to _______.
A.attract people to explore the universe |
B.make an advertisement for the Museum |
C.encourage adults to bring their children here |
D.show what is on display in the Museum |
“I never did hate the Yankees(北方佬). All that I hated was the war...” That’s how my great-aunt Bettie began her story. I heard it many times as a child, whenever my family visited Aunt Bettie in the old house in Berryville, Virginia.
Bettie Van Metre had good reason to hate the Civil War. Her brother was killed at Gettysburg, and her husband, James, a Confederate(南方联盟军)officer, was taken prisoner and sent to an unknown prison camp somewhere.
One day in late September, Dick came to Bettie reporting that he had found a wounded Union soldier in a farmhouse half a mile away from the Van Metre home. When talking about her first sight of the man in the blood-spotted blue uniform, she always used the same words. “It was like walking into a nightmare: those awful bandages, that terrible smell.” She went out into the cool air, trying not to be sick at the thought of that smashed right hand, that missing left leg.
The man’s papers Bettie found in the farmhouse showed his identity: Henry Bedell, 30 years old. She knew that she should report the presence of this Union officer to the Confederate army, but she wouldn’t. This is how she explained it: “I kept wondering if he had a wife somewhere, hoping, and not knowing—just as I was. It seemed to me that the only thing that mattered was to get her husband back to her.”
Slowly, patiently, skillfully, Aunt Bettie fanned the spark of life in Henry Bedell. Of drugs or medicines she had almost none. And she was not willing to take any from the few supplies at the Confederate hospital. But she did the best she could with what she had.
The October nights in the valley grew cold. With the help of Dick and his wife, she moved the Union officer at night, to a hidden room above the warm kitchen of her own home. But the next day, Bedell had a high fever. Knowing that she must get help, she went to her family doctor, Graham Osborne. Dr. Osborne examined Bedell and said, “there was little hope unless proper medicines could be found.”
“I’ll get them from the Yankees at Harpers Ferry.” Bettie said. The doctor told her that Harpers Ferry was almost 20 miles away. Even if she reached them, the Yankees would never believe her. “I’ll take proof,” Bettie said. She found a blood-spotted paper bearing the official War Department seal (印章). “When I show it, they’ll believe me.”
Early the next morning she set off with a list of medical items. For five hours she drove, stopping only to rest her horse. The sun was almost down when she finally stood before the general at Harpers Ferry. The general listened, but did not believe her. “Madam,” he said, “Bedell’s death was reported to us.” “He’s alive,” Bettie insisted. “But he won’t be much longer unless he has the medicines on that list.” “Well,” the general turned to a junior officer, “see that Mrs. Van Metre gets the supplies.”
With the medicines, Bedell gradually recovered. Ten days later he was walking with sticks. “I’d better go back as soon as possible.” Bedell told Bettie. So it was arranged that Dick should help Bettie deliver Bedell to Harpers Ferry in his wagon. Bedell lay down in a box filled with hay, his rifle and sticks beside him.
At Harpers Ferry, the soldiers were amazed when the Union officer with the missing leg rose from his hay-filled box. Bedell told the story to Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, who wrote a letter of thanks to Bettie and signed an order to free James Van Metre. It was arranged for Bedell to go with Bettie as she searched for her husband. Records showed that a James Van Metre had been sent to a prison camp in Ohio. Then at Fort Delaware, near the end of the line of prisoner, a tall man stepped out and walked clumsily into Bettie’s arms. Bettie held him, tears streaming down her face. And Henry Bedell, standing by on his sticks, wept, too.
What might be Bettie’s tone when she used the underlined sentence to describe the first sight of Henry Bedell?
A.Pessimistic | B.Desperate | C.Shocked | D.Sympathetic. |
Why wouldn’t Bettie report the presence of Bedell to the Confederate army.
A.Because she felt it her responsibility to save soldiers of the Union. |
B.Because she wanted to save Bedell so that her husband could be freed. |
C.Because Bedell was more a suffering human being than an enemy to Bettie. |
D.Because Bedell begged Bettie not to give him away to the Confederate army. |
Dr. Osborn thought it was ______ of Bettie Van Metre to drive to Harpers Ferry for the medicines.
A.crazy | B.kind | C.brave | D.smart |
.Still recovering, Henry Bedell decided to leave as soon as possible mainly because ______.
A.he was eager to return to the Union to fight |
B.he didn’t want to go on putting Bettie in danger |
C.he was concerned about his safety at the Van Metre home |
D.he could be treated with better medicines back at Harpers Ferry |
Rearrange the following statements in terms of time order.
a. Bettie’s husband was found and freed.
b. Bettie helped deliver Bedell back to Harpers Ferry.
c. Bettie moved Bedell to a safe room in her own house.
d. Bettie drove all the way to Harpers Ferry to get the medicines for Bedell.
e. In spite of being short of medicines, Bettie attended to Bettie with what she had.
f. Bettie saw Bedell in a farmhouse half a mile away from her house for the first time.
A.f, e, c, b, d, a | B.f, c, e, d, b, a |
C.f, e, c, d, b, a. | D.f, c, e, b, d, a |
What message is conveyed through the end of the story.
A.Giving is a reward in itself. |
B.Happiness comes from giving. |
C.God helps those who help themselves. |
D.Help yourself by helping others |
To prevent the deserts coming near, China has planted billions of trees---to replace destroyed forests and as barriers against the sand. This isn’t a cure, though, say experts, as thirsty trees can make the problem worse by taking in groundwater.
“Planting tress is one way, but it isn’t that simple. It doesn’t solve the basic issue of water resources,” says Wu Bo, a professor. “We need to calculate how much water the trees will absorb, or else it could have a negative effect.”
Villagers in Zhengxin have taken on this challenge, with limited success. When the irrigation channels began to run dry, Lu Xianglin switched from wheat to cotton on his land. He also planted trees to protect his fields from sandstorms. He says he still gets good yields(产量) using flood irrigation and earns a good income for his family.
Other farmers haven’t stuck it out(坚持到底): about one in three have left Zhengxin in the past 10 years after their wheat crops died. Young people who can find jobs in the towns rarely return.
Last week, Mr Lu joined the other men in his village on a government-arranged trip to see the land that has been set aside for their relocation, nearly 40 miles to the south. The next day, he was back, shaking his head at the plan. The idea of uprooting his family troubles him, as does the idea of giving up the land that fed his forefathers. He prefers to stay and keep up the fight.
“With enough water, this problem can be solved,” Lu says. “We can plant trees and grass, and they will grow bigger. That will stop the desert.”
Experts say that farmers could switch to drip irrigation (滴灌)to lessen their water intake for growing crops. Elsewhere in the region, farmers have built brick greenhouses as part of a plan to grow vegetables using less water. Roadside signs urge farmers to “Save Water, Protect the Environment”.
The negative effect of planting trees in deserts is that __________.
A.it can make groundwater become less |
B.it can prevent the sand moving freely |
C.it can stop crops growing well |
D.it can get the soil to become poor |
Why did Mr. Lu NOT accept the idea of relocation?
A.Because the plan of relocation will cost him much money. |
B.Because his family had trouble moving away. |
C.Because he was reluctant to give up his land. |
D.Because he would rather stay than fight against the deserts. |
What can we infer from the passage?
A.The deserts drive more and more people to leave their homes for their lives. |
B.People have no means to fight against the land becoming desert. |
C.Water is the biggest barrier for people to stop the desert. |
D.Planting trees cannot solve the problem of desertification of farmland. |
What advice is given by experts to save water?
A.To plant more trees. |
B.To build greenhouses. |
C.To change crops. |
D.To use drip irrigation. |
Psychology has a new application in the field of medicine. Many doctors, together with their patients, are looking for alternative methods of treatment of physical problems. In large hospitals, modern therapy seems to focus on the physical disease. Patients may feel they are treated like broken machines. Some doctors have recognized this as a problem. They are now using psychological therapy, in which the patient is working with the doctors against the disease with the help of medicine. The patient does not wait for the medicine and treatment to cure him or her, but instead the patient joins in the fight.
The doctor knows that a disease affects a patient's body physically. The body of the patient changes because of the disease. He is not only physically affected, but also has an emotional response to the disease. Because his mind is affected, his attitude and behavior change. The medical treatment might cure the patient's physical problems, but the patient's mind must fight the emotional ones. For example, the studies of one doctor, Carl Simonton, M. D., have shown that a typical cancer patient has predictable attitudes. She typically feels depressed, upset, and angry. Her constant depression makes her acts unfriendly toward her family, friends, doctors, and nurses. Such attitudes and behaviors prevent recovery. Therefore, a doctor's treatment must help the patient change that. Simonton's method emphasizes treatment of the “whole” patient.
The attitude of a cancer patient receiving radiation therapy, an X-ray treatment, can become more positive. The physician who is following Simonton's psychological treatment plan suggests that the patient imagine that he or she can see the tumor in the body. In the mental picture, the patient "sees" a powerful beam of radiation like a million bullets of energy. The patient imagines the beam hitting the tumor cells and causing them to shrink. For another cancer patient, Dr. Simonton asks him to imagine the medicine going from the stomach into the bloodstream and to the cancer cells. The patient imagines that the medicine is like an army fighting the diseased cells and sees the cancer cells gradually dying and his blood carry away the dead cells. Both the medical therapy and the patient's positive attitude fight the disease.
Doctors are not certain why this mental therapy works. However, this use of psychology does help some patients because their attitudes about themselves change. They become more confident because they use the power within their own minds to help stop the disease.
Another application of using the mind to help cure disease is the use of suggestion therapy. At first, the doctor helps the patient to concentrate deeply. The patient thinks only about one thing. He becomes so unaware of other things around him that he is asleep, or rather in a trance(催眠状态). Then the physician makes “a suggestion” to the patient about the medical problem. The patient's mind responds to the suggestion even after the patient is no longer in the trance. In this way, the patient uses his mind to help his body respond to treatment.
Doctors have learned that this use of psychology is helpful for both adults and children. For example, physicians have used suggestion to help adults deal with the strong pain of some disease. Furthermore, sometimes the adult patient worries about her illness so much that the anxiety keeps her from getting well. The right suggestions may help the patient to stop being anxious. Such treatment may help the patient with a chronic(慢性的)diseases. Asthma (哮喘) is an example of a chronic disorder. Asthma is a disease that causes the patient to have difficulty in breathing. The patient starts to cough and sometimes has to fight to get the air that he or she needs. Psychology can help relieve the symptoms of this disorder. After suggestion therapy, the asthma patient breathes more easily.
Physicians have learned that the psychological method is very useful in treating children. Children respond quickly to the treatment because they are fascinated by it. For example, Dr. Basil R. Collison has worked with 121 asthmatic children in Sydney, Australia, and had good results. Twenty-five of the children had Excellent results. They were able to breathe more easily, and they did not need medication. Another forty-three were also helped. The symptoms of the asthma occurred less frequently, and when they did, they were not as strong. Most of the children also felt better about themselves. Doctors have also used suggestion to change habits like nail-biting, thumb-sucking, and sleep-related problems.
Many professional medical groups have accepted the medical use of psychology and that psychology has important applications in medicine.
What does the passage mainly discuss?
A.How suggestion therapy benefits adults and children. |
B.How modern therapy focuses on the disease. |
C.Responses from the medical world. |
D.How to use the mind against disease. |
What can we learn from the studies of Carl Simonton, M. D.?
A. The medical treatment can cure the patient's mental disease.
B. The treatment of a patient by treating the body and the mind is necessary.
C. The mental treatment is more important than medical treatment.
D. Few patients have emotional response to the disease.
The use of psychological therapy is helpful to some patients in that .
A.the medical effect is better with psychological therapy than without it |
B.the patients can see a powerful beam of radiation hitting their tumor cells |
C.the patients' attitudes towards themselves have changed |
D.the patients are easy to accept the methods the doctors use to treat them |
It can be learned from the passage that suggestion therapy cannot be used to .
A.help adults deal with the strong pain of some diseases |
B.help the patients with chronic diseases |
C.help change some bad habits |
D.help cure patients of insomnia |
According to the passage, which of the following remains unknown so far?
A.The value of mental therapy. |
B.The effectiveness of suggestion therapy. |
C.The working principle of suggestion therapy. |
D.The importance of psychology in medical treatment. |
I am trying to muster (鼓起) the courage to toss_away my mobile phone to enjoy a more peaceful and ring-free life.
Can you imagine not having your mobile phone? In our high-tech, in-a-hurry age, a cell-free life is a hard concept to swallow. Our mobile phones can now access the Internet, and many people feel the need to express their every thought on their blog pages. If I gave up my cell-phone, people would think I was mad.
I wish I had the strength to toss away my technology. I have an office phone, a home phone, an e-mail and if people want to contact me, they can. If I'm out, people can leave a message. Do they really need to find me 24/7? However, I'm a bit like Frodo in the movie Lord of the Rings. The power of the ring is too strong and I can't let it go.
Mobile phones have become necessary tools in our busy life. For most people, they hold all contacts and many of us don't write up address books any more. The latest phones carry our music, pictures, movies and everything else. We feel lost without this device and when we do misplace it, we feel cut off from our fellow.
"Where have you been?" said a friend, who saw me a week after I lost my cell-phone, "I tried calling you, but you disappeared. You disappeared off the face of the Earth." See, when you don't have a mobile phone, you don't exist.
I'm not really going to toss my mobile phone away, in fact. We humans are such social animals and mobile phones serve us well. So in 2009, I've decided not to serve my mobile phone. Like all machines, I can always turn it off.
What does the underlined phrase "toss away" mean?
A.give away | B.get away |
C.break away | D.throw away |
The writer mentions Frodo to________.
A.show it is difficult to get rid of the mobile phone |
B.show how much he likes Frodo |
C.suggest a cell-free life is what he wants |
D.introduce a film character to us |
What do we know about mobile phones in the 4th paragraph?
A.Mobile phones can do anything for us. |
B.Mobile phones have become very important in our life. |
C.We could not live without mobile phones. |
D.We would be cut off by our fellow without mobile phones. |
What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A.The writer is not really going to toss his mobile phone away. |
B.When you don't have a mobile phone, you don't exist. |
C.The writer decides not to serve his mobile phone. |
D.We humans can control ourselves and machines. |
Perfectionists believe that not only is perfection achievable, but that it should be achieved whenever possible. They always try to make their work better, and often get pleasure from investing time and effort in their projects. They enjoy paying attention to detail and are often hard to please. After all, perfectionists almost always have nearlyimpossible standards for themselves, much higher than what outside parties would generally hope for.
Most perfectionists are also highlyorganized. They've perfected their work process along with everything else in their life. They have processes and patterns for handling almost anything that comes their way, from email to new projects and clients to bookkeeping. It can definitely add up to a more effective workday with less wasted time and effort.
Perfectionists can be thought of as overbearing(霸道的) by those who don't share their attitude. It can also be upsetting to clients who aren't interested in “perfect” and simply want their project done yesterday. When you strive for perfection, everything takes just a bit longer to get right. Even if you have a more efficient design and development process than many other designers, it is likely that you spend more time on each step than a lot of others do.
While most people who call themselves “perfectionists” do so in a lighthearted or positive manner, there are those out there to whom perfection becomes an obsession(痴迷). They consider anything less than perfect completely unacceptable. This can lead to obsessive behavior and can have damaging effects on their overall quality of life. Just feeling good about a job done to the best of your ability is entirely normal for a perfectionists and isn't something to worry about. But it becomes particularly dangerous when perfectionists feel they are never quite able to attain perfection, and so drive themselves crazy trying to always reach this unattainable goal.
These perfectionists often place their entire selfworth on their accomplishments and ability to reach perfection, and since they're never able to reach it, it creates a very negative selfimage and low selfesteem or depression. The good news is that there are trained psychologists who can help those who are nervously obsessed with perfection to overcome their obsession.
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of perfectionists?
A.They enjoy investing time and efforts. |
B.They are not easy to satisfy. |
C.They have special ways of handling emails. |
D.They set high requirements for others. |
Clients who are not satisfied with perfectionists think they need ________.
A.better coworkers | B.bigger achievements |
C.higher efficiency | D.less organization skills |
To perfectionists, their obsession with perfection is an act of ________.
A.showing psychological sickness |
B.realizing their own value |
C.wasting time and energy |
D.improving their selfimage |
Which of the following will the author probably agree?
A.It's very normal to always do one's best in life. |
B.Perfectionists should seek help as soon as possible. |
C.Perfectionists should not be too proud of themselves. |
D.People should not pursue perfection too much. |
The stories we share with one another are important.They show wisdom and provide inspiration.They are important to our development.But sometimes people choose not to tell.
Consider the negative effects of not sharing a story in the news: People are wondering if public health officials are holding back too much information about the recent outbreak of Ebola.
There is a danger in holding back stories that ought to be told. Bobette Buster said it like this, “The fact is, history has shown us that stories not told can become like a dangerous genie (妖怪) left in a bottle. When they are finally uncorked, their power to destroy is set free.”
There are a number of reasons why we hide parts of our story: they often show our weaknesses or expose our disadvantages; they require courage and strength to share; and of course, there are some stories that should be kept secret—especially those that embarrass someone else.
Most of us have two selves: the one we display on the outside and the one we actually are on the inside. And the better we get at hiding the stories that show our true selves, the more damage we may be causing to ourselves and to others.
Honesty and openness is important: It proves we are trustworthy. It displays we are human. We are not perfect or better.It highlights the importance of hard work and personal development. Hard work may not allow us to overcome our disadvantages completely. But with hard work, we do not have to be restricted to our mistakes.
Does this mean we admit every weakness, every disadvantage, and every secret regret to everybody we meet? No, of course not. There is a time and a place and a certain level of relationship necessary for some stories to be told in an appropriate manner.
What’s the function of the example in Paragraph 2?
A.It reflects that people are concerning about the spread of Ebola. |
B.It shows the bad effect caused by sharing a story. |
C.It proves not sharing a story can cause trouble. |
D.It concludes that one should share a story at a proper time. |
One of the reasons why people are unwilling to share experiences is that _______.
A.story-sharing highlights the importance of hard work |
B.people are used to exposing their weaknesses |
C.people sometimes have no courage to share their stories |
D.some stories make themselves feel uneasy |
Which is close in meaning to the underlined word “uncorked” in Paragraph 3?
A.freed | B.broken | C.unfolded | D.untouched |
The writer aims to convince us to _______.
A.be open to people close to you by sharing some secrets |
B.share stories appropriately for the good of others and ourselves |
C.remove the dangers that can be caused by untold stories |
D.realize the importance of being honest when making friends |
To most people, noise pollution is a jet flying over their head. For one Spanish woman, it is a neighbor playing the piano. The woman has taken her neighbor to court. Now she wants to send her neighbor to prison for over seven years on the charges of psychological damage and noise pollution.
In a country known for its noisiness, the case has raised eyebrows Neighbors often complain about street noise in Spain, but people seeking prison time for someone practicing the piano is unheard of. At the trial, Sonia Bosom says she has been suffering noise pollution up to now due to the practice sessions of Laia Martin, who lives below her. Martin, 27, didn’t admit that she played at home that often, saying she took regular classes in other towns and mostly practiced at home on the weekends.
On the first day of the trial, the newspaper reported that Bosom told the court she now hated pianos so much that she couldn’t even stand seeing them in a film.
Bosom says years of hearing constant playing has caused her “psychological injury”. Medical reports show she has suffered from a variety of problems, including insomnia (失眠), anxiety, and panic attacks.
She says tests by local authorities have found that the sound levels made by the piano are up to 10 decibels (分贝) higher than the limit. City authorities have asked the family several times to either stop the piano playing or soundproof (隔音) the room. The family told the court they carried out soundproofing work twice but the complaints continued.
The court hasn’t made a final decision.A spokeswoman says the trial will end before May.
Bosom wants to send Martin to prison because _______.
A.Martin’s playing the piano damaged her health |
B.Bosom suffered from heart attack |
C.Martin refused to take regular classes in other towns |
D.Martin flew a jet over her head |
How did Laia Martin respond to the complaints?
A.She stopped playing the piano. |
B.She soundproofed the room. |
C.She didn’t admit she played at home. |
D.She took her neighbor to court. |
Which of the following may probably be the best title for the passage?
A.A 7-year Sentence Caused by the Piano |
B.Pianist Charged with Noise Pollution |
C.Health Problems of a Spanish Woman |
D.Actions Against Noise by Local Authority |
Reading is a great way to improve your English. You'll learn new words, revise previously-taught structures and absorb thousands of useful expressions and phrases... without any effort. By reading, you are receiving valuable language input. And this is how you learn! Remember, language learning is a combination of input + practice. As you're reading, you're taking in language naturally, and you're seeing how it all fits together. This is crucial to your learning.
The great thing about reading is that learning takes place subconsciously. There are no exercises to do, no grammar rules to learn, no tasks to complete... it's all natural. The language flows in through your eyes, and gets recorded in your brain. What could be easier?
The key to effective reading is to read things that you want to read. There are millions of books, magazines and websites out there. You couldn't possibly read them all. So, the important thing is to find things that you like reading. Then, you'll be motivated to read. And then the reading won't be difficult. It'll be easy! And then you'll learn. It's simple.
Remember: read what you want to read. What you like reading. What motivates and inspires you. But where can you start? Well, you could read a book that you've already read in your own language. Simply find a translated version of a book that you have read and enjoyed. This will make processing the content in the target language much easier as you’ll already know what the book is about! You could also read the news. This is great as you can read the news in your own language first, then in English. You'll see that it won't be too difficult as you'll be familiar with the topics and stories. Magazines are also great. Find one that covers a topic you're interested in: business, clothing, guns, horses, houses, housekeeping, stocks and shares, sports, computers, electronics, designing, cooking... you name it, they'll have it. If not, look for information on the internet. There are also websites for every topic under the sun! Why not join a forum? They're a great source of English input as the language is often written in a simple, spoken style. Go to Google Groups, which has discussion groups based on common interests. Just type in the topic that interests you and join the chat.
Finally, how you read is also important. The best thing is to read without using a dictionary. Let the words flow over you. Just skip the parts you don't understand. If you make your reading feel too much like work, it'll stop being fun. Of course, you could make a note of any new words and phrases that you like or see repeated frequently, but try not to break your concentration too much. Also, set yourself mini-objectives. For example, if you're reading a novel, read 20 pages a day. Very soon, you'll have been exposed to thousands of useful phrases and words. Have fun reading! You'll learn so much!
The underlined word “crucial” in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to ________.
A.easy | B.important | C.difficult | D.suitable |
The key to effective reading is _______.
A.to read millions of books |
B.not to learn grammar rules |
C.to be motivated to read |
D.to read easy things |
You can start to read by ____.
A.reading a book that you've already read in English |
B.reading the news in English first |
C.going to Google Groups to practice spoken English |
D.reading magazines containing topics you are interested in |
From the passage we can learn that ______.
A.when you read you needn’t look up every new word in the dictionary |
B.the great thing about reading is that you can read without any effort |
C.to read is as much fun as to work |
D.you should make notes of every new word and phrase while reading |
Most people say “yes” much more readily than “no”.
A friend is moving house this weekend and would like some help, and you agree. But, what you really wanted was a couple of quiet days relaxing at home. Or a roommate spends the entire weekends playing video games and wants to borrow your homework for “reference”. But, you’ve just finished it after taking a whole day to work hard.
Many people say “yes” to these kinds of requests. They tend not to consider their own interests and feelings, and are often angry with themselves afterwards.
Saying “no” requires courage and considerable practice, in fact, according to psychologists.
“Everyone wants to be liked,” says Gabriele Steinki, a German psychologist. “Saying ‘no’ risks losing the affection of the person asking the favor or even a job.”
The result is that many people say “yes” just for keeping the peace. But experts say this is regrettable. Anyone should have the right to say “no”.
In fact, rejecting a request can even help to strengthen a relationship because it expresses a true feeling.
But, for people used to agreeing to every request, changing can be a long and uncomfortable learning process.
Most people believe that “If I say ‘no’, I’ll lose the affection of the person. But the affection is important to me.” This way of thinking can be replaced by this: “If he only likes me because I always do what suits him , then the price of his affection is too high in the long term.”
Steinki says the key is talking to the other person to find a mutual (相互的) solution. “One needs to present the situation from one’s own point of view, and to suggest how the situation can be dealt with to the advantage of both parties. The other person must have the feeling that his interests are being considered.”
When the refusal is not accepted, Steinki advises giving the reasons calmly again until the person gets the message.
Most people say “yes” much more readily than “no” because ________.
A.they don’t care about their own interests and feelings |
B.they don’t know they will regret afterwards |
C.they have already been used to saying “yes” |
D.they care more about others’ affection |
In the opinion of experts, _________ .
A.people need a lot of practice to say “no” |
B.people should say “yes” to keep the peace |
C.saying “no” means losing a job |
D.people have the right to be liked |
According to the writer, what should you do if you want to refuse the other person’s request?
A.Just say you can’t help him. |
B.Say sorry to him. |
C.Refuse him clearly. |
D.Talk to the other person to find a mutual way. |
According to the writer, what should you do if your refusal is not accepted?
A.Say yes to him. |
B.Repeat your reason for his acceptance |
C.Just go away |
D.Say no to him |
What is the best title of the passage?
A.You Need Courage To Say “No” |
B.“Yes” More Than “No” |
C.Nobody Has the Right To Say “No” |
D.It’s Easy To Say “Yes” |
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