Tracy Wong is a well-known Chinese-American writer. But her writing __1__ was something she picked up by herself. After her first__2__, teaching disabled children, she became a part-time writer for IBM. __3__, writing stories was simply a __4__ interest. Tracy sent three of her stories to a publisher (出版商). __5__, they immediately suggested that she put them together to make a single one long __6__ and paid Tracy a $ 15,000 advance. “A pretty money,” said the publisher, “for __7__ writer.”
__8__ Tracy’s characters (人物) are interesting, her stories sometimes __9__ readers uneasy: those about the supernatural. “My mother believed I could __10__ the afterlife world,” she told a close friend. “She used to have me speak with my grandmother, who died many years ago.”
“Can I? I don’t think I can,” Tracy said with a laugh. “But I do have __11__ when things come to me __12__. “Once, she was wondering how to complete a __13__ set in ancient (古代的) China. __14__ the doorbell rang. It was a FedEx delivery man, with a copy of a book on Chinese __15__. It came without her having __16__ it.
Though she has published 45 books, Tracy has remained __17__ by her fame. She lives in the same __18__ she lived 27 years ago -- although in a more comfortable home. There’s more room for __19__ in her life -- and it wasn’t just __ 20__.
1. A. skill B. experience C. practice D. method
2. A. duty B. effort C. job D. task
3. A. Instead B. Normally C. Certainly D. Then
4. A. general B. deep C. personal D. lively
5. A. Interested B. Anxiously C. Seriously D. Encouraged
6. A. film B. story C. program D. article
7. A. a foreign B. a popular C. an unusual D. an unknown
8. A. Now that B. Even though C. Just because D. Except that
9. A. find B. turn C. leave D. hold
10. A. make up B. connect with C. control D. explain
11. A. events B. chances C. feelings D. moments
12. A. for no reason B. from a distance
C. by accident D. as gifts
13. A. description B. pointing C. scene D. talk
14. A. Surprisingly B. Suddenly
C. Expectedly D. Fortunately
15. A. cooking B. history C. play D. medicine
16. A. known B. sent C. realized D. ordered
17. A. unchanged B. excited C. determined D. unmoved
18. A. life B. city C. house D. way
19. A. success B. work C. joy D. variety
20. A. writing B. reporting C. luck D. fun
Lose-Win is weak. It’s easy to get stepped on. It’s easy to be the nice guy. It’s easy to give in, all in the name of being a peacemaker.
A girl named Jenny once told me about her 16 in the world of Lose-Win during her eighth-grade year before she finally broke 17 :
My 18 with my mom all started one day 19 she said to me sarcastically (讽刺地) “Wow, you’re surely lively today.” I 20 it so literally (字面地) that then and there I decided to close off from her and never 21 back to her. So every time she would say something 22 I disagreed with her I would just say. “Okay, 23 you want, Mom.” But I really got cold quickly. And my 24 began to build. One night I talked to my mom about the school homework and she said, “Oh, that’s 25 ” and then went back to mop the floor.
“Don’t you ever 26 ?” I thought. But I didn’t say anything and stormed off. She had no idea I was 27 upset. She would have been willing to talk to me had I 28 her bow important it was to me.
At last I just blew up. “Mom, this has got to 29 . You tell me everything you want me to do and I just do it because it’s 30 than if fighting. Well, I’m sick of it.” This all came as a 31 to her.
After my blow up, we felt like we were 32 all over in our relationship. But it’s getting better all the lime. We discuss things now and I always 33 my feelings with her.
If you adopt Lose-Win as your basic 34 toward life, then people will wipe their dirty feet on you. You’ll also be 35 your true feelings deep inside. And that’s not healthy.
16. A. wanderings B. disappointment C. lessons D. helplessness
17. A. out B. down C. up D. free
18. A. relationship B. problems C. quarrels D. improvement
19. A. as B. since C. when D. before
20. A. regarded B. treated C. received D. took
21. A. fight B. struggle C. talk D. turn
22. A. even if B. only if C. which D. as though
23. A. however B. whatever C. so much D. too much
24. A. coldness B. anger C. disagreement D. hope
25. A. true B. impossible C. nice D. important
26. A. care B. see C. say D. listen
27. A. also B. still C. even D. already
28. A. warned B. shown C. asked D. told
29. A. end B. change C. last D. stop
30. A. worse B. easier C. more D. less
31. A. surprise B. pleasure C. gift D. harm
32. A. going B. starting C. thinking D. reviewing
33. A. share B. have C. discuss D. improve
34. A. way B. method C. attitude D. theory
35. A. hurting B. waking C. storing D. hiding
You are a German living in Berlin. One day you’ re walk¬ing down the street, minding your own business, when sudden¬ly a stranger comes up with a smile on his face. After stopping you, he holds a small electronic device (装置) close to his face and speaks slowly into it, saying, in English," Can you tell me where I can buy some sauerkraut?" What should you do? (a) Run away; (b) Call the police; or (c) Listen closely for the device to say in German," Konnen Sie mir bitte sagen, welches sauerkraut haufen kann?"
The most proper answer would be (c) because the person in front of you is only a tourist trying to enjoy himself. The de¬vice is said to be the world’s first portable(便携的) translator — a hand-held microcomputer that at the same time translates one spoken language into another. The four-pound, battery-op¬erated product is called the Voice, and it is the invention of Advanced Products and Technologies, an American electronics company. When the Voice is introduced in the Unite States in late April — at a price of (1,500 — it will be used to trans¬late spoken English into Italian, German, French and Span¬ish. The product comes with separate cartridges(盒式存储器) for each of the four languages, which can be changed when the user travels from one country to another. It will be sold in Eu¬rope soon after the US introduction, with cartridges that trans¬late Italian, German, French and Spanish into English.
The Voice uses a microchip(微型集成电路片) to trans¬late languages. It is Started by voice command and produces voice output through a built-in speaker. When the user makes a statement or asks a question, the Voice immediately repeats what has been said in another language.
1. The device held by the stranger is probably a kind of________.
A. a two-way radio B. language translator
C. easily-carried speaker D. a multi-functioned computer
2. What does the last sentence of the first paragraph mean?
A. Can you tell me where I can buy some sauerkraut?
B. Can I ask for some information from the police?
C. Would you like to try my device?
D. Would you not run away if I ask you where to buy some sauerkraut?
3. When the stranger says," Can you tell... sauerkraut?" he is ________.
A. learning German from his device
B. asking you the way to the sauerkraut shop
C. making fun of you with his device
D. testing his device for fun
4. Which of the following is not mentioned in the text?
A. The price of the hand-held microcomputer.
B. The function of the product Voice.
C. The producer pf the small electronic device.
D. The number of the device sold to the European coun¬tries.
I was 15 when I walked into McCarley’s Bookstore in Ashland. As I was looking at ___1___ on the shelves, the man behind the counter, ___2___, asked if I’d like ___3___. I needed to start ___4___ for college, so I said yes. I ___5___ after school and during summers for the lowest wages and the job helped pay for my freshman year of college. I would work many other jobs; I made coffee in the Students Union during college, I was a hotel maid and even made maps for the U. S. Forest Service. But selling books was one of the most ___6___. One day a woman asked me for books on cancer. She seemed fearful. I showed her almost ___7___ we had at that time ___8___ and found other books we could order. She left the store less ___9___. I’ve always remembered the ___10___ I felt in having helped her.
Years later, as a ___11___ in Los Angeles, I heard about an immigrant child who was born with his fingers connected, webline. His family could not ___12___ a corrective operation, and the boy lived in ___13___, hiding his hand in his pocket.
I ___14___ my boss to let me do the story. After my story was broadcast, a doctor and a nurse called, offering to perform the ___15___ for free.
I visited the boy in the recovery room soon after the operation. The first thing he did was to hold up his ___16___ hand and say, “Thank you.” I felt a sense of ___17___.
In the past, while I was ___18___, I always sense I was working for the customers, not the store. Today it’s the same. NBC News pays my salary, ___19___ I feel as if I work for the ___20___, helping them make sense of the world.
1. A. maps B. titles C. articles D. reports
2. A. the reader B. the college student C. the shop owner D. the customer
3. A. a book B. a job C. some tea D. any help
4. A. planning B. saving C. preparing D. studying
5. A. read B. studied C. cooked D. worked
6. A. boring B. surprising C. satisfying D. disappointing
7. A. anything B. something C. nothing D. everything
8. A. in need B. in all C. in order D. in store
9. A. worried B. satisfied C. excited D. puzzled
10. A. pride B. failure C. regret D. surprise
11. A. doctor B. store owner C. bookseller D. TV reporter
12. A. pay B. cost C. afford D. spend
13. A. shame B. honour C. horror D. danger
14. A. advised B. forced C. persuaded D. permitted
15. A. action B. program C. treatment D. operation
16. A. repaired B. connected C. injured D. improved
17. A. pleasure B. sadnessC. interest D. disappointment
18. A. at the TV station B. in the Students Union
C. at the U. S. Forest Service D. at McCarley’s Bookstore
19. A. so B. and C. but D. because
20. A. readers B. viewers C. customers D. passengers
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从36—55各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出最佳选项。
The Orkney Islands are about 14 kilometres from the north coast of Scotland. They are mostly low-lying, except for Hoy which has the highest sea cliff(峭壁) in Britain. The 36 and the climate are good in Orkney, 37 there are a lot of farms.
To get to Orkney you have to fly or go by 38 . Ships bringing passengers come from Aberdeen every week. They also bring food, machines and so on. Most Orkney farmers 39 cows or sheep. Because of this, grass is the most 40 crop on the islands. One of the islands has sheep which 41 sea plants 42 grass---they are 43 , but very strong and healthy.
Many people in the Orkney Islands are fishermen. Some go a long way out to 44 to catch large fish, 45 others catch 46 like crabs(螃蟹) and lobsters(龙虾)，near the shore. The islanders 47 the crab meat and then pack it and send it to the 48 . They do not cook the lobsters. They send them 49 to restaurants in many of the large 50 of Europe. Most of the islands have their own 51 but of course some of them are very small---with only one group of children from five to ten years old. In fact there are 52 young people at all on the quietest islands. Usually they go the main town of Kirkwall, 53 modern lives.
Some people come from other parts of Britain to find a 54 life on the islands. Everyone is very friendly and they all know each other. Things are changing slowly, but the old way of life 55 continues.
36．A．land B．hill C．mountain D．forest
37．A．yet B．but C．or D．and so
|
38．A．train B．bus C．boat D．car
39．A．feed B．buy C．kill D．like
|
41．A．drink B．eat C．produce D．plant
42．A．instead of B．instead C．for D．withOf all living creatures on earth, insects are the most plentiful. Some 36 are very useful to man, for example, bees, 37 we get honey and wax, and silkworms, which 38 us with silk. Other varieties, 39 , are extremely harmful, and do a great 40 of damage, especially to crops. Locusts （蝗虫） are perhaps the most dangerous of all, 41 they will eat almost any green 42 , and when millions of them 43 on cultivated land（耕地）they soon leave it 44 . In some countries they are the farmer’s 45 enemy. Another nuisance is the common 46 , not only because it 47 us indoors and out - of- doors, but because it spreads diseases.
Scientists have given much time and 48 to the study of insects. It needs the most careful and 49 observation. Thanks 50 their discoveries we now know almost all 51 is to be known about the habits of these hardworking insects, bees and ants, which live in 52 better planned in some ways than our 53 . But the most valuable work has been done in trying to give 54 to men, animals and crops from the 55 which insects cause.
36．A. members B. forms C. qualities D. varieties
37．A. by which B. from which C. of which D. in which
38．A. give B. produce C. offer D. supply
39．A. however B. meanwhileC. therefore D. what's more
40．A. majority B. number C. amount D. quantity
41．A. and B. for C. if D. when
42．A. grass B. field C. fruit D. plant
43．A. settle B. attack C. pass D. cross
44．A. bare B. nothing C. empty D. untouched
45．A. hardest B. greatest C. serious D. wildest
46．A. insect B. creature C. fly D. enemy
47．A. dislikes B. bites C. worries D. hates
48．A. understanding B. ideas C. comprehension D. thought
49．A. serious B. patient C. curious D. long
50．A. for B. of C. to D. with
51．A. that B. which C. there D. what
52．A. societies B. crowdsC. teams D. organizations
53．A. world B. nation C. selves D. own
54．A. help B. protection C. living D. defense
55．A. injury B. wound C. sickness D. ruin