The young boy saw me, or rather, he saw the car and quickly ran up to me, eager to sell his bunches (串) of bananas and bags of peanuts. Though he appeared to be about twelve, he seemed to have already known the bitterness of life. "Banana 300 naira. Peanuts 200 naira"He said in a low voice. I bargained him down to 200 total for the fruit and nuts. When he agreed, I handed him a 500 naira bill He didn't have change, so I told him not to worry. He said thanks and smiled a row of perfect teeth.
When, two weeks later, I saw the boy again, I was more aware of my position in a society where it's not that uncommon to see a little boy who should be in school standing on the comer selling fruit in the burning sun. My parents had raised me to be aware of the advantage we had been afforded and the responsibility it brought to us.
I pulled over and rolled down my window. He had a bunch of bananas and a bag of peanuts ready. I waved them away. “What's up?” I asked him. “I...I don't have money to buy books for school.” I reached into my pocket and handed him two fresh 500 naira bills."Will this help?” I asked. He looked around nervously before taking the money. One thousand naira was a lot of money to someone whose family probably made about 5,000 naira or less each year. "Thank you, sir," he said. “Thank you very much.”
When driving home, I wondered if my little friend actually used the money for school-books. What if he's a cheat (骗子)? And then I wondered why I did it .Did I do it to make myself feel better? Was I using him? Later, I realized that I didn't know his name or the least bit about him, nor did I think to ask.
Over the next six months, I was busy working in a news agency in northern Nigeria. Sometime after I returned, I went out for a drive When I was about to pull over, the boy suddenly appeared by my window with a big smile ready on his face.
"Oh, gosh! Long time."
"Are you in school now?” I asked.
He nodded.
"That's good," I said. A silence fell as we looked at each other, and then I realized what he wanted. "Here," I held out a 500 naira bill. “Take this.” He shook his head and stepped back as if hurt. "What's wrong?” I asked. "It's a gift."
He shook his head again and brought his hand from behind his back. His face shone with sweat (汗水). He dropped a bunch of bananas and a bag of peanuts in the front seat before he said, "I've been waiting to give these to you."
64. What was the author's first impression of the boy?
A. He seemed to be poor and greedy. B. He seemed to have suffered a lot
C. He seemed younger than his age. D. He seemed good at bargaining
65. The second time the author met the boy, the boy________.
A. told him his purpose of selling fruit and nuts B. wanted to express his thanks
C. asked him for money for his schoolbooks D. tried to take advantage of him
66. Why did the author give his money to the boy?
A. Because he had enough money to do that.
B. Because he had learnt to help others since childhood.
C. Because he held a higher position in the society.
D. Because he had been asked by the news agency to do so.
67. Which of the following best describes the boy?
A. Brave and polite. B. Kind and smart C. Honest and thankful. D. Shy and nervous.
It was already dark when an old man came to a small town. He found an inn and wanted to stay there for the night. After he had gone to his room, the owner said to his wife, “Look at his bag, dear. I’m sure there are lots of valuable things in it. I want to steal it when he is asleep.”
“No, no,” said the woman. “He must look for his bag tomorrow morning. Then he’ll take you before the judge.” They thought and at last the woman had an idea. “We have forgetful grass,” said the woman, “Why not put some into his food? If he has the food, he will forget to take his bag away.” “How clever you are!” said the owner, “Don’t forget it when you prepare supper for him.”
The old man had the food with the forgetful grass and went to bed. The next morning, when the owner got up, he found the door was open and the old man had left with his bag. He woke his wife up and said angrily, “What a fool! Your forgetful grass isn’t useful at all.” “No, no,” said the woman. “I don’t think so. He must forget something.” “Oh, I’ve remembered!” The owner cried out suddenly, “He forgot…” The old man came to the inn _______.
A.in the morning | B.in the afternoon |
C.in the evening | D.at night |
The owner and his wife wanted to _______.
A.get the man’s bag | B.steal the man’s money |
C.make the man pay them more | D.hide the man’s bag |
The owner and his wife put the forgetful grass into the food because _______.
A.the old man always forgot something |
B.they wanted to make the food better |
C.they hoped the old man would leave the bag in the inn |
D.they wanted to know if the grass was useful |
According to the passage the old man forgot _______.
A.to take his bag away |
B.to tell the owner when he left |
C.to close the door when he went to sleep |
D.to pay them the inn money |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Both the owner and his wife were clever. |
B.The owner of the inn got nothing from the old man. |
C.The old man left the inn without his bag. |
D.The woman forget to put the grass into the food. |
Confucius (551BC~479BC), a Chinese philosopher,one of the most influential men in the history of China. Confucius was born in a noble family in the state of Lu. However,his parents were poor. His father died when Confucius was only three years old. In 527 BC he began his life as a teacher,usually traveling about and teaching the followers that were around him. Confucius worked as an official of the state of Lu. However,he soon left office to travel and teach. In 484 BC he returned to Lu,where he lived until his death.
Living in the turbulent(动荡的)period,Confucius believed that people must go back to the principles of the ancient wise men. He therefore lectured to his pupils on the classics and taught them how to behave properly in society. Confucius did not write down the principles of his philosophy. The Analects (《论语》),a work written by some of his followers,is considered the most faithful source of information about his life and teachings.
The teachings of Confucius were practical and moral,rather than religious. He said that man's behavior should be based on five virtues:kindness, uprightness(义),decorum(礼),wisdom and faithfulness(信).He asked everyone to fulfill their duties carefully toward the state. In the centuries after his death,his teachings,known as Confucianism,had a more powerful influence on the Chinese nation.At about what age did Confucius begin his teaching?______
A.51. | B.27. | C.48. | D.24. |
The Analects is________.
A.considered to have been written by Confucius |
B.about the principles of the ancient wise men |
C.about Confucius' life and his teachings |
D.considered to be practical in tricks and evils |
It can be inferred that________.
A.Confucius was born in a very rich family |
B.Confucius served as an official in his lifetime |
C.the teachings of Confucius are religious |
D.Confucianism was more popular after Confucius died |
Rather than talk about how he feels, often a man would express his love by buying the woman cosmetics (化妆品), or bringing home a flower, or giving up the control of the remote (遥控器).
And when men do talk, they’d prefer to talk about actions rather than emotions. For example, a lot of men would choose to express their long-range faith in a relationship by talking about next summer’s vacation plans, not by starting a conversation about undying love.
Men just prefer to say their plans with plane tickets, rather than poetry. It’s one of the reasons why men are more comfortable talking at work (the practical world) than they are at home (the castle that emotion built). But you can bring out his great communicator by making him feel more like he’s operating in the work mode, even when the topic at hand is your love life.
When men talk less and women want more, the conflict can escalate. Like when a policeman is questioning an unwilling witness, more silence equals more questions. A full 65 percent of men we surveyed recently told us that they don’t want their partners to ask them more questions about themselves.
It’s clear that some men are just tired of feeling like they’re on the witness stand. They’re not necessarily hiding anything; many men simply prefer not to have to tell confusing feelings that they may not even understand themselves.
An age-old method can make things better: back off a little, give him room to operate in a conversation, and he’s more likely to open up.According to the author, men feel more comfortable when talking .
A.actions | B.feelings |
C.long-term friendship | D.conversations |
How can women communicate more successfully with men?
A.They may give men a surprise by buying plane tickets. |
B.They can ask men if they have a great time during working. |
C.They might create a warm home environment first of all. |
D.They can give men the feeling that they are talking at work. |
The underlined word “escalate” has the similar meaning to.
A.decrease | B.disappear | C.change | D.increase |
From the text it can be inferred that.
A.women are better at writing poems about emotions than men |
B.it is natural for women to be fond of finding the faults of men |
C.men are more interested in learning more about their partners |
D.men prefer to pour out their hearts in a forgiving environment |
Italian Lakes and Greek Islands (12 Days)
Your tour begins in Milan, Italy(意大利), and moves on to the pretty Italian Lake District and the attractive resort(胜地)of Stresa, your home for two nights. Collette Vacations has carefully chosen the Costa Victoria as your home for your 7—night journey along the waterways of the Mediterranean. The cruise ship is filled with the warmth and culture of Italy and is richly designed with entertainment(娱乐)areas and very good living conditions. It will take you to the places of your dreams.
You’ll spend 4 days touring Greek cities you’ve always heard about. In Katakolon, you will have an exciting tour to nearby Olympia without a guide. Then with a local guide you will visit the Greek islands of Santorini, which is often related to the story of the lost city of Atlantis, and Mykonos, a wonderful island with beautiful beaches.
Your journey ends in Verona, home of the love story Romeo and Juliet, with a fun—filled Goodbye dinner—a perfect ending to a pleasant journey.
12 Days, 25Meals: 10 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches, 9 Dinners
Day 1 Overnight flight to Italy
Days2—3 Regina Palace, Stresa, Italy
Days4—10 Costa Victoria ( Costa cruises)
Day 11 Hotel Leopardi, Verona, Italy
Day12 Leave for home
Please Note:
Leaving date |
Price for one person |
April 7 |
$2,099 |
June 2 |
$2,199 |
October 6 |
$2,099 |
November 3 |
$1,999 |
How is the journey planned?
A.It starts and ends in Italy. |
B.It starts and ends in Greece. |
C.It starts in Italy and ends in Greece. |
D.It starts in Greece and ends in Italy. |
What can be inferred from the travel plan?
A.The price may get lower than those in the plan. |
B.The prices include three meals a day. |
C.The price is the highest in summer. |
D.The prices include entertainment service. |
What does the underlined part “ the Costa Victoria” most probably refer to?
A.A famous hotel. | B.A beautiful resort. |
C.A comfortable ship. | D.A long—distance bus. |
Tourists will travel on their own in .
A.Stresa | B.Olympia | C.Mykonos | D.Verona |
As prices and building costs keep rising, the“do-it-yourself”(DIY)trend(趋势)in the U.S. continues to grow.
“We needed furniture(家具)for our living room,” says John Ross,“and we just didn’t have enough money to buy it. So we decided to try making a few tables and chairs.” John got married six months ago, and like many young people these days, they are struggling to make a home at a time when the cost of living is very high. The Rosses took a 2-week course for $280 at a night school. Now they build all their furniture and make repairs around the house.
Jim Hatfield has three boys and his wife died. He has a full time job at home as well as in a shoe making factory. Last month, he received a car repair bill for $420.“I was deeply upset about it. Now I’ve finished a car repair course, I should be able to fix the car by myself.”
John and Jim are not unusual people. Most families in the country are doing everything they can to save money so they can fight the high cost of living. If you
want to become a “do-it-yourselfer”, you can go to DIY classes. And for those who don’t have time to take a course, there are books that tell you how you can do things yourself.We can learn from the text that many married people_________.
A.find it hard to pay for what they need |
B.have to learn to make their own furniture |
C.take DIY courses run by the government |
D.seldom go to a department store to buy things |
When the writer says that Jim has a full-time job at home, he means Jim_________.
A.makes shoes in his home |
B.does extra work at night |
C.does his own car and home repairs |
D.keeps house and looks after his children |
Jim Hatfield decided to become a do-it-yourself when__________.
A.his car repairs cost too much |
B.the car repair class was not helpful |
C.he could not possibly do two jobs |
D.he had to raise the children all by himself |
What would be the best title for the text?
A.The Joy of DIY | B.You Can Do It Too! |
C.Welcome to Our DIY Course | D.Ross and Hatfield Believers in DIY |