Buster Brown was a thief—and a good one,too,he thought. He’d never been caught by the police because he never took chances. He was always Prepared for any unforeseen event or emergency.
Confidently,he stood outside the house of his intended victim(受害者)and read the sign on the front gate of the house. “Don't worry about the dog—be aware of the owner !” it said. Buster smiled and found his way in.
The house looked quite normal outside,but inside it was very exotic with fascinating objects on display. As he began putting them into his bag,a dog came into the room. It stopped when it saw Buster,then wagged its tail madly and went over to him,licking his outstretched hand. “Good boy,” Buster whispered. “What a great guard dog you are—trying to lick me to death.”
Satisfied he’d made friends with the dog,Buster began to wander round the house,choosing items to put in his bag. His skilled eye picked out only the best antiques(古董):a pair of silver candleholders,a silver tea-and-coffee service,etc. His new friend,the dog,sat and watched,as if wondering what was happening.
“Well,boy,”Buster whispered,finally. “That might do. Any more and I won’t be able to carry it!” He swung the heavy bag onto his shoulders, just as the lights came on, nearly blinding him. He shielded his eyes with his hand.
“You’re a very silly person,” the figure in the doorway said, his voice dry as dust. As the man came closer, Buster could see he was well dressed. His face seemed familiar, but Buster couldn’t quite place where he had seen him before.
“You should have taken more notice of the sign outside,” the man rasped. “I knew about this attempted robbery last week and I also know you will end up behind bars for 20 years. Fancy trying to rob the house of the world’s greatest fortune-teller!”
60. Why was Buster so confident?
A. He was not afraid of dogs. B. He knew the owner of the house lived alone
C. He had never been caught by the police. D. The house had no security alarm.
61. Which of the definitions is closest in meaning to the word “exotic” in the third paragraph?
A. Messy and untidy. B. Rich and expensive.
C. Comfortable and calming. D. Foreign and unusual.
62. How did Buster decide which objects to take?
A. He took those that were easy to carry in his bag.
B. He took only the best antiques.
C. He took those that he knew he could sell easily.
D. He looked for silver objects.
63. What punishment waits for Buster Brown?
A. A prison sentence with hard labour. B. A long prison sentence.
C. A heavy fine. D. Community service for 20 years.
In this age of Internet chat, videogames and reality television, there is no shortage of mindless activities to keep a child occupied. Yet despite the competition, my 8-year-old daughter Rebecca wants to spend her leisure time writing short stories. She wants to enter one of her stories into a writing contest, a competition which she won last year.
As a writer, I know about winning contests – and about losing them. I know what it is like to work hard on a story only to receive a rejection letter from the publisher. I also know the pressure of trying to live up to a reputation created by previous victories. What if she doesn’t win the contest again? That’s the strange thing about being a parent. So many of our own past scars and destroyed hopes can resurface in our children.
A revelation (启示) came last week when I asked her, “Don’t you want to win again?” “No,” she replied, “I just want to tell the story of an angel going to first grade.”
I had just spent weeks correcting her stories as she spontaneously (自发地) told them. Telling myself that I was merely an experienced writer guiding the young writer across the hall, I offered suggestions for characters, conflicts and endings for her tales. The story about a fearful angel starting first grade was quickly “guided” by me into the tale of a little girl with a wild imagination taking her first music lesson. I had turned her contest into my contest without even realizing it.
Staying back and giving kids space to grow is not as easy as it looks. Because I know very little about farm animals who use tools or angels who go to first grade, I had to accept the fact that I was co-opting my daughter’s experience.
While stepping back was difficult for me, it was certainly a good first step that I will quickly follow with more steps, putting myself far enough away to give her room but close enough to help if asked. All the while I will be reminding myself that children need room to experiment, grow and find their own voices.What do we learn from the first paragraph?
A.A lot of amusements compete for children’s time nowadays. |
B.Children have lots of fun doing mindless activities. |
C.Rebecca is much too busy to enjoy her leisure time. |
D.Rebecca draws on a lot of online materials for her writing. |
What did the author say about her own writing experience?
A.She was constantly under pressure to write more. |
B.Most of her stories had been rejected by publishers. |
C.She did not quite live up to her reputation as a writer. |
D.Her road to success was full of pain and frustrations. |
Why did Rebecca want to enter this year’s writing contest?
A.She believed she possessed real talent for writing. |
B.She was sure of winning with her mother’s help. |
C.She wanted to share her stories with readers. |
D.She had won a prize in the previous contest. |
The underlined sentence probably means that the author was _______.
A.trying not to let her daughter enjoy her own life |
B.trying to get her daughter to do the thing as the author wished |
C.making sure that her daughter would win the contest |
D.helping her daughter develop real skills for writing |
An “apple polisher” is one who gives gifts to win friendship or special treatment. It is not exactly a bribe(贿赂), but is close to it.
All sorts of people are apple polishers, including politicians and people in high offices—just about everybody. Oliver Cromwell, the great English leader, offered many gifts to win the support of George Fox and his party, but failed.
There are other phrases meaning the same thing as “apple-polishing”—“soft-soaping” or “buttering-up”. A gift is just one way to “soft-soap” somebody, or to “butter him up”. Another that is just as effective is flattery, giving someone high praise—telling him how good he looks, or how well he speaks, or how talented and wise he is.
Endless are the ways of flattery. Who does not love to hear it? Only an unusual man can resist the thrill of being told how wonderful he is. In truth, flattery is good medicine for most of us, who get so little of it.
We need it to be more sure of ourselves. It cannot hurt unless we get carried away by it. But if we just lap it up for its food value and nourishment, as a cat laps up milk, then we can still remain true to ourselves.
Sometimes, however, flattery will get you nothing from one who has had too much of it. A good example is the famous 12th century legend of King Canute of Denmark and England. The king got tired of listening to endless sickening flattery of his courtiers(朝臣). They overpraised him to the skies, as a man of limitless might.
He decided to teach them a lesson. He took them to the seashore and sat down. Then he ordered the waves to stop coming in. The tide was too busy to listen to him. The king was satisfied. This might show his followers how weak his power was and how empty their flattery.Which of the following activities has nothing to do with “apple-polishing”?
A.A boy tells his girlfriend how pretty she looks. |
B.An employee tells her boss how good he is at management. |
C.A knight is said to be of limitless power by his followers. |
D.A teacher praises her students for their talent and wisdom. |
What does the writer want to prove with Cromwell’s example?
A.Everybody can be an apple-polisher. |
B.Cromwell was not a good apple-polisher. |
C.George Fox and his party were not apple-polishers. |
D.There are people who don’t like being apple-polished. |
Which of the following statements about flattery is true according to the author?
A.Too much flattery can carry us away. |
B.Flattery is too empty to do people any good. |
C.Flattery can get you nothing but excessive(过度的) pride. |
D.Flattery is one of the ways to apple-polish people. |
Why did King Canute of Denmark and England take his followers to the seashore?
A.Because he was sick of his normal life. |
B.Because he disliked being overpraised any more. |
C.Because he wanted them to realize how wise he was. |
D.Because he wanted them to see how weak he was as a king. |
Who does the author think that flattery can do good to ?
A.Those who are politicians or in high offices. |
B.Those who lack confidence. |
C.Those who are really excellent. |
D.Those who think highly of themselves. |
The television news feature about Ben Heckmann, an eighth grader from Farmington, Minn, was breathless in its praise. “At 14, he has accomplished something many adults can’t achieve,” the reporter said, “Ben is a twice-published author.” But Ben’s two “Velvet Black” books, describing a fictional rock band, were not picked from a pile of manuscripts(手稿)by an eagle eyed publisher. They were self-published, at the cost of $400 by Ben’s parents.
Over the past five years, print-on-demand technology and a growing number of self publishing companies whose books can be sold online have inspired writers of all ages to avoid the traditional gatekeeping system for determining who could call himself a “published author.”
The mothers and fathers who foot the bill say they are simply trying to encourage their children, in the same way that other parents buy equipment for a promising baseball player. But others see self-publishing as a lost opportunity to teach children about hardship and perseverance. Mr. Robbins, a critic, thinks it is wonderful to start writing at a young age, but worries self-publishing sends the wrong message. “There are no prodigies(神童) in literature,” he said. “Literature requires experience, in a way that mathematics and music do not.” Alan Rinzler, a publishing industry veteran, suggested parents hire a professional editor like him to work with their child to tear a manuscript apart and help make a better. Ben’s father, Ken, said Ben’s ambitions “weren’t to knock Harry Potter off the list,” but “to get that good feeling inside that you’ve done something.”
Ajla Dizdarevic, 12, who has self-published two books of poetry, has been on television and in local newspapers. “Being a published author,” she said, “was always a dream of mine.” Her new dream: three books by age 15.Which of the following is true of Ben?
A.He has achieved something unusual for his age. |
B.His self-published books were well received. |
C.His manuscripts were favored by the publisher. |
D.He was thought little of by the public media. |
What makes it possible for writers of all ages to self-publish their works?
A.The rapid increase of online readership. |
B.The increasing number of publishers. |
C.The immediate access to marketing agencies. |
D.The development of printing and publishing. |
Why do some parents pay the self-publishing bill?
A.They want to offer opportunities to their children. |
B.They want to give encouragement to their children. |
C.They want to help their children avoid hardship. |
D.They want to show love and care for their children. |
What dose Alan Rinzler suggest that children should do?
A.Be forbidden to write books |
B.Start writing at an early age |
C.Be professionally guided |
D.Learn from experience |
Why do some children self-publish works according to the last part?
A.Just to achieve their dreams. |
B.Just to earn more money. |
C.Just to gain self-confidence. |
D.Just to satisfy their parents. |
I usually doubt about any research that concludes that people are either happier or unhappier or more or less certain of themselves than they were 50 years ago.While any of these statements might be true, they are practically impossible to prove scientifically. Still, 1 was struck by a report which concluded that today’s children are significantly more anxious than children in the 1950s. In fact, the analysis showed, normal children between 9 and 17 have a higher level of anxiety today than children who were treated for mental illness 50 years ago.
Why are America’s kids so stressed? The report cites two main causes: increasing physical isolation (孤独) brought on by high divorce rates and less involvement in community, and a growing perception that the world is a more dangerous place.
Given that we can’t turn the clock back, adults can still do plenty to help the next generation to cope.
At the top of the list,nurturing (培育) is a better appreciation of the limits of individualism. No child is an island. Strengthening social ties helps build communities and protect individuals against stress.
To help kids build stronger connections with others, you can pull the plug on TVs and computers. Your family will thank you later.They will then have more time for face-to-face relationships, and they will get more sleep.
Limit the amount of virtual (虚拟的) violence your children are exposed to. It’s not just video games and movies; children see a lot of murder and crime on the local news.
Keep your expectations for your children reasonable. Many highly successful people never attended Harvard or Yale.
Make exercise part of your daily routine. It will help you deal with your own anxieties and provide a good model for your kids. Sometimes anxiety is unavoidable,but it doesn’t have to ruin your life.What does the author thinks of the conclusion that people in America are unhappier than 50 years ago?
A.Surprising | B.Confusing | C.Illogical | D.Questionable |
What does the author mean by saying “ we can’t turn the clock back(Para. 3)?
A.It’s impossible to slow down the pace of the change. |
B.The social reality children are facing cannot be changed. |
C.Lessons learned from the past should not be forgotten. |
D.It’s impossible to forget the past. |
According to an analysis, compared with normal children today, children 50 years ago __________.
A.were less isolated physically |
B.were probably less self-centered |
C.probably suffered less from anxiety |
D.were considered less individualistic |
What is the first and most important thing parents should do to help their children?
A.To provide them with a safer environment. |
B.To lower their expectations for them. |
C.To get them more involved socially. |
D.To set a good model for them to follow. |
What conclusion can be drawn from the passage?
A.Anxiety, though always unavoidable, can be coped with. |
B.Children’s anxiety has been enormously exaggerated(夸大). |
C.Children’s anxiety can be removed with more parental care. |
D.Anxiety, if properly controlled, may help children become mature. |
The day when the jobs were handed out was one of the most exciting moments for all the children in the class. It took place during the first week of the term. Every kid was given a job for which they would be responsible for the rest of that school year.
Some jobs were more interesting than others, and the children were eager to be given one of the best ones. When giving them out, the teacher took into account which pupils had been most responsible during the previous year. During the previous year Rita had carried out the teacher’s instructions perfectly. All the children knew Rita would be given the best job.
But there was a big surprise. Each child received a normal job. But Rita’s job was very different. She was given a little box containing some sand and one ant. Though the teacher insisted that this ant was very special, Rita felt disappointed. Most of her classmates felt sorry for her. Even her father became very angry with the teacher and he encouraged Rita to pay no attention to this insignificant pet. However, Rita preferred to show the teacher her error by doing something special with that job of little interest.
Rita started investigating all about her little ant and gave the ant the best food, and it grew quite a bit bigger.
One day, a man, who looked very important, came into their classroom and declared, “Your class has been chosen to accompany me, this summer, on a journey to the tropical rain forest, where we will investigate all kinds of insects. Among all the schools of this region, your class has best cared for the little ant.”
That day the school was filled with joy and celebration. Everyone thanked Rita for having been so patient and responsible. And many children learnt that to be given the most important task you have to know how to be responsible even in what are the smallest tasks.What did the teacher base his decision on when giving out jobs to the children?
A.Their characters and interests. |
B.Their class performance during the previous year. |
C.Their working performance during the previous year. |
D.Their ability of managing their accounts during the previous year. |
What does the underlined sentence mean?
A.Each child got an important job. |
B.Each child got an interesting job. |
C.The perfect student got the job of everyone’s preference. |
D.The most responsible student got the job of least interest. |
What is Rita’s attitude to her father’s suggestion?
A.Negative. | B.Uncertain. | C.Totally positive. | D.Acceptive. |
We can infer that the man who made the declaration is a _________.
A.hunter | B.director | C.biologist | D.principal |
What would be the best title for the passage?
A.Never complain about life. |
B.Small tasks can lead to fortunes. |
C.Men are best known by their friends. |
D.Responsibility and intelligence bring good luck. |