A few days ago I asked my sons’ governess（女家庭教师）Julia to come into my study. “Be seated, Julia, ”I said, “Let’s settle our accounts. I guess you most likely need some money, but maybe you’re too polite to mention it. Now then, we agreed on thirty dollars a month...”
“Forty.”
“No, thirty. I made a note of it. I always pay our governess thirty. Well, um, you’ve been here two months, so...”
“Two months and five days.”
“Exactly two months. I made a special note of it. That means you have sixty dollars coming to you. Take off nine Sundays... you know you didn’t work with Tom on Sundays, you only took walks. And three holidays... ”Julia was biting her finger nail nervously, her face red, but - not a word.
“Three holidays, therefore take off twelve dollars. Four days Tom was sick and there were no lessons, as you were occupied only with Dick. Three days you had a toothache and my wife gave you permission not to work after lunch. Twelve and seven - nineteen. Take nineteen off ... that leaves. hmm.... forty one dollars. Correct？”
Julia’s left eye reddened with tears welling up. Her chin trembled; she coughed nervously and blew her nose, but - still not a word.
“Around New Year’s Day you broke a teacup and a saucer; take off two dollars. The cup cost more, it was a treasure of the family, but- forget it. When didn’t I take a loss! Then, due to your neglect （疏忽）, Tom climbed a tree and tore his jacket; take away ten. Also due to your carelessness the maid stole Dick’s shoes. You ought to watch everything! You get paid for it. So, that means five more dollars off. The tenth of January I gave ten dollars.”
“You didn’t. ”sobbed Julia.
“But I made a note of it.”
“Well... if you say so.”
“Take twenty seven from forty one -that leaves fourteen.”
Both her eyes were filled with tears. Beads of sweat stood on the thin pretty little nose. Poor girl!
“Only once was I given any money,” she whispered, her voice trembling, “and that was by your wife. Three dollars, nothing more.”
“Really? You see now, and I didn’t know that! Take three from fourteen.. leaves eleven. Here’s your money, my dear. Three, three, three, one and one. Here it is !”
I handed her eleven dollars. She took them and pocketed them.
“Merci （法语: 谢谢）,”she whispered.
I jumped to my feet and started pacing the room. I was overcome with anger. “For what, this - ‘merci’?” I asked.
“For the money. ”
“But you know I’ve cheated you - robbed you ! I have actually stolen from you ! Why this‘merci’？”
“In my other places they didn’t give me anything at all.”
“They didn’t give you anything? No wonder! I played a little joke on you, a cruel lesson, just to teach you... I m going to give you all the eighty dollars! Here they are in the envelope all ready for you... Is it really possible to be so spineless （懦弱）?Why didn’t you protest? Why were you silent? Is it possible in this world to be without teeth and claws（爪）—to be such a fool?”
Embarrassed, she smiled. And I could read her expression,“It is possible.”
I asked her pardon for the cruel lesson and, to her great surprise, gave her the eighty dollars. She murmured her little“merci”several times and went out. I looked after her and thought,“How easy it is to crush the weak in this world !”While talking to Julia, the wrier expected from her ________.
| A．a protest | B．gratitude |
| C．obedience | D．an explanation |
What shocked the writer was Julia’s ________.
| A．nervousness in front of her boss |
| B．acceptance of injustice |
| C．shyness when talking about money |
| D．reluctance to express herself |
The writer said, “Is it possible in this world to be without teeth and claws?” He was actually telling the governess ________.
| A．to be more aggressive |
| B．to be more careful in her work |
| C．to protect her right |
| D．to live independently |
At the end of the story, the writer said,“ How easy it is to crush the weak in this world!”to show ________.
| A．his understanding of Julia’s anxiety |
| B．his worry about Julia’s future |
| C．his concern on the living condition of working - class people |
| D．his sympathy for the mental state of those exploited |
From the story, we can tell that Julia’s employer was ________.
| A．greedy but honest |
| B．ill - tempered but warm - hearted |
| C．strict but forgiving |
| D．none of the above |
The Maum Sin Yong School says that they are the first in Colorado and the one of only two schools in the US to teach martial arts (武术) to students with mental diseases.
“They do everything that our regular classes do,” says Rob Hansen, Tae Kwon Do instructor. Hansen teaches the kids how to punch (拳打), kick, and block along with the values of the Korean martial arts. He says that they also learn confidence and how to improve their motor skills. “They’ve learned focus, just to be able to pick one item and pay attention to it.”
“Tae Kwon Do is pretty fun,” says Christina Hinkle. She was born with Down syndrome (唐氏综合症) and says she never wants to miss class. “Well, how come? It’s pretty fun.”
“Ever since she saw Karate Kid, she’s been running around the house, doing kicks and punches,” says Peggy Hinkle, Christina’s mother. Peggy says that her daughter processes information slowly and taking Tae Kwon Do lessons has helped her in all parts of her life. “It gives her a chance to be a regular kid.”
Wednesday’s class is not a normal class. Instead, it’s a day that all the students have been waiting for. “Today is actually the first day, and I’m actually going to be able to test these guys,” says Hansen. The students would receive their White Belts. However, in order to receive their belts, the students must show off their skills in front of a group of Black Belts.
“Nervous? No way. I’m so excited,” says Christina just before she displayed what she has learned over the past few months. She and the other students also answered questions about the history of Tae Kwon Do, as well as its philosophy (哲学).
“To me, it’s just really important for them to actively see that they are learning something,” says Hansen. “That they actually are able to be rewarded for everything that they’ve done in this class.” All the students passed. They received their White Belts.
“To see the joy in her face was very rewarding,” says Peggy. She videotaped the whole test and hugged her daughter telling her that she’s proud. “Christina feels like she could do anything,” she says.
Christina says that her next goal is to keep working on her skills so she can move up to a Gold Belt. She says, “Oh, my God, I can’t believe I got the first rank.” The purpose of teaching the students with mental disease Tae Kwon Do is _______.
| A．to help them gain confidence and be skilled at concentration |
| B．to enable them to punch and kick the other opponents |
| C．to take part in tournament and win prize. |
| D．to get rid of their mental diseases and run motorcar |
Wednesday is the time ________ according to the text.
| A．when the students with mental disease will begin to learn Tae Kwon Do |
| B．when Hansen’s students will give a display of what they have learned. |
| C．when Hansen’s students will replace their black belts with white belts. |
| D．when the parents can see how Hansen teach their children with mental disease. |
The example of Christina in the passage suggests________.
| A．children are learning Tae Kwon Do with their parents’ company. |
| B．Rob Hansen is a strict coach of teaching Tae Kwon Do |
| C．children with mental disease are interested in Tae Kwon Do |
| D．Tae Kwon Do can cure mental disease. |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Learning Tae Kwon Do is beneficial to children with mental disease both in health and mind. |
| B．Any child with mental disease should come to learn Tae Kwon Do. |
| C．Parents understand why Rob Hansen teach children with metal disease. |
| D．More schools like The Maum Sin Yong School are needed in America. |
We know the effect calories have on your body.For each pound of weight that your body carries,it takes about 12 calories per pound per day to keep it alive.If you weigh 150 pounds,you therefore need about (150×12) 1800 calories per day to keep yourself alive and maintain that same weight.
If you were to eat more than 1800 calories per day,the surplus turns into fat.It takes about 3600 excess calories to make a pound of fat.Let's say that you were to eat,on average,2000 calories per day.That extra 200 calories per day is going to turn into fat.However,you will eventually hit a point of equilibrium(平衡，均衡) because as you gain weight,you need more calories to maintain that weight.So,a person eating an average of 2000 calories per day will hit equilibrium at (2000/12) 166.67 pounds.
So let's say that you eat,on average,2000 calories per day and reach equilibrium at 166 pounds.Then you go on a crash diet where you eat only 1000 calories per day for 60 days.You lose 16 pounds and reach your target weight of 150 pounds.But then you go right back to eating 2000 calories per day again.The graph below shows your eating pattern before,during and after the diet:
Note that the graph assumes that you,like most people,eat a random number of calories per day.Some days you are “good” and eat less,and some days you are “bad” and eat more,but the assumption is that it averages out to 2000 calories per day over the long run.
This graph shows what happens to your weight before,during and after the diet:
The diet really takes the weight off.But the weight comes right back when you return to your “normal” eating pattern.The weight appears to come back so quickly because when you are at your lightest,you tend to gain more weight each day.The lighter you are,the fewer calories you need.If you only need 1500 calories per day and you're eating 2000,you're going to gain weight faster than if you need 1800 and you're eating 2000.The passage is mainly about_________.
| A．how to lose weight effectively |
| B．why the weight comes back so quickly once a person stops dieting |
| C．why a person puts on weight |
| D．how to keep a healthy diet |
According to the text,a person weighing 120 pounds needs _________calories per day to keep the same weight.
| A．1440 | B．1800 | C．2000 | D．1000 |
Suppose all the following people take in 3000 calories every day.Who will gain weight fastest?
| A．A person who weighs 200 pounds. | B．A person who weighs 180 pounds. |
| C．A person who weighs 150 pounds. | D．A person who weighs 100 pounds. |
What will the writer continue to discuss at the end of the text?
| A．Ways to keep the weight off. | B．Ways to go on a diet. |
| C．Diseases caused by overweight. | D．Proper diet to keep healthy. |
Of Chinese secondary school students top ten heroes,Mao Zedong,ranks number one and Olympic track gold medal winner,Liu Xiang,ranks fifth,according to a survey conducted by All-China Women’s Federation (ACWF).
Late Chinese leaders,Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai,and revolutionary martyrs,Liu Hulan and Dong Cunrui,all have remained important heroes in the eyes of Chinese teenagers aged 13 to 18.
Meanwhile,the 2004 Olympic track and field star,Liu Xiang;model police chief,Ren Changxia;Hong Kong action star,Jackie Chan,and China’s first astronaut Yang Liwei,have ascended to be the new stars among the students.
“The coexistence of old and new models in youth’s hearts reveal the new era’s character,” said Han Xiangjing,president of “China Women” magazine attached to ACWF.
The respondents also chose their parents as heroes,ranking number two.
“This reflects that young students’ selection standards of heroes have changed to be more human oriented,emotional and personalized,”Han said.
Reasons given by the surveyed students for this choice are:“parents are the people I love and indispensable to me”and“they consistently guide,encourage and support me.”
The survey was conducted in six provinces and cities across China,including Beijing,Shanghai,Henan,Shanxi,Liaoning and Hunan.Students completed 1018 questionnaires;443 polled were boys and 575 were girls.This passage most probably appears _________.
| A．in a newspaper | B．in a magazine |
| C．in a history book | D．in a report |
This passage mainly talks about _________.
| A．a survey about teenagers’top 10 heroes |
| B．why teenagers regard their parents as heroes |
| C．different heroes in teenagers’eyes |
| D．All-China Women’s Federation |
How many heroes of the top 10 can be found in the passage?
| A．10. | B．9. | C．8. | D．7 |
Which of the following is NOT the reason why teenagers choose their parents as heroes?
A.Their parents are the people they love very much.
B.Their parents are indispensable to them.
C.Their parents have done something great and successful.
Drinking wine in moderation improves the IQ and may boost mental agility in old people,according to Japanese researchers.
A study of the effects of alcohol on the middle aged and elderly found the average IQ of men who drink wine (whether made from grapes or rice) was 3.3 points higher than that of men who do not imbibe.
Similarly,the IQ of women drinkers showed an improvement of 2.5 points over their teetotal sisters.The findings are part of an ongoing study by Japan’s National Institute for Longevity into the links between human intelligence and what we eat and drink.
The tests measured general knowledge,powers of judgment and concentration in drinkers and non-drinkers over 40,all living in Aichi prefecture,central Japan,and sharing the same income level-roughly￡50 000 a year—and educational background.All were university graduates.
But while wine-drinkers appeared to be brighter,the same was not true of those who drank deer,shochu (a local gin) and whisky.
“The benefits of wine and sake (rice wine) in raising IQ could be due to substances they contain,such as polyphenol,which are believed to slow the ageing process,” Hiroshi Shimokata,head of epidemiology research,said.
It was premature to conclude,he added,that drinking wine or sake slowed the deterioration of brain functions in the elderly,or warded off senility.The research does,however,suggest that this is one way to stay mentally alert longer.
But there is a sobering caveat:drinking too much may make you dimmer.“People who drink more than 540 milli-litres (a little over a pint) of sake or wine a day had lower intelligence quotients than those who did not drink at all,”Hiroshi Shimokata said.“Moderation is very important.”Which one is the topic of the passage?
| A．Drinking wine in a large amount improves the IQ of old people. |
| B．Drinking wine in a reasonable amount raises the IQ of old people. |
| C．Drinking wine in moderation does good to any one. |
| D．Drinking wine helps improve the IQ of women. |
According to the passage,which of the following is NOT wrong?
| A．Every wine drinker’s IQ is 3.3 points higher than that of men who don’t drink. |
| B．The IQ of women drinker is 2.5 points lower than that of the non-drinking women. |
| C．Drinking beer and whisky cannot improve one’s IQ. |
| D．Drinking wine can only do good to the IQ of rich old people. |
The reason why wine and sake can improve IQ is that _________.
| A．wine and sake have special taste |
| B．wine and sake can make us excited |
| C．wine and sake contain substances considered to slow the ageing process |
| D．wine and sake contain something believed to prevent us from ageing |
From the text,it seems that we can conclude _________.
| A．the more wine we drink,the brighter we are |
| B．the less wine we drink,the brighter we are |
| C．drinking wine less than 540ml a day,we’ll become dimmer |
| D．drinking wine in moderation,we’ll become brighter |
Life on-line can be a much richer experience when you aren’t restricted to just written words and still pictures.Even if you’re new to the Net,you’ve probably heard about multimedia on-line—listening to audio,watching animations and videos,even playing in three-dimensional space.Sound and movement make information come alive.
To experience it,you’ll need special pieces of software called plug-ins.The term “plug-in” refers to a small,add-on piece of software which extends the capabilities of your web browser,like Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Explorer,turning your computer into a radio or TV.
When you arrive at a web page which contains a file requiring a plug-in which you don’t have,you will usually receive a message asking if you want to get it by downloading it and installing it into your computer.Most of the time,the installation will be automatic.
Occasionally,you’ll run into a downloaded file which needs to be decompressed or un-zipped before installation.Once installed,plug-ins run automatically,without you having to do anything.
Many multimedia controls still need to be obtained from the developer but are installed automatically.
Shockwave is a good example of this.All you need to do is go to the Macromedia site and click on the link to install the ActiveX control.The rest happens automatically.The next time you go to a “Shocked” website,the Shockwave control loads and plays the movie.
Most plug-ins and controls can be downloaded for free on the Internet,although not all will work with every system.Some of them,for instance,only work with Windows 95.Plug-ins can help us to do all of the following except _________.
| A．listening to music |
| B．watching animations and videos |
| C．playing three-dimensioned games |
| D．searching for information on the net |
The correct explanation about “plug-in” is _________.
| A．a radio or TV connected with a computer |
| B．a small,add-on piece of hardware which improves your web browser |
| C．a small,add-on piece of software which can turn your computer into a radio or TV |
| D．a small,add-on piece of software like Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Explorer |
When we go to a “shocked” website a second time,_________.
| A．we should go to the Macromedia site and click on the link to install the Active X control |
| B．the shockwave control loads itself and plays the movie for us |
| C．we will be asked whether to download the shockwave control or not |
| D．we have to buy the shockwave control and load it |
Most of the time,how can we get a plug-in before automatic installation?
| A．We have to buy it from the developer. |
| B．We have to borrow it from the developer. |
| C．We have to rent it from the developer. |
| D．We can obtain from the developer without paying. |