Have you ever dreamed of having a fashionable watch of great value?
A small watchmaker in Switzerland in 1922 designed the first automatic watch to show the day，month，and date．Only seven of these splendid watches were ever made and these watches were almost lost to history．Today，it is so hard to get an original watch that some watch historians are even willing to offer $ 200，000 for one．
These watches attracted a lot of people for their splendid color，fashionable style，and new uses in the 1920s．The owners of the watches were admired and set apart from the crowd．Because the number of the original watches is very limited，owning such a watch will make you feel very special．
Today，you are offered the same kind of watch with improvement．The watch has a 24-jewel mechanical(机械的)movement，the kind desired by watch collectors．The watchmaker has made the movement of the watch much more modern with an automatic rotor(上弦装置)so that the watch never needs to be wound by hand．The watch comes in a very beautiful case with a crocodile design on it．To get a watch in such a perfect design means to get a chance to know a piece of watch making history and to wear such a watch will show your personal taste and social position．
You can get the watch either in person or by mail at an affordable price．You will also receive good service from the watch seller．If you are not satisfied with the watch after you get it，you may simply return it within 30 days．Don’t miss the chance to realize your dream．
41．The original automatic watches are valuable because .
A．the watches were made many years ago
B．the watches were made by a Swiss watchmaker
C．only rich people can afford the watches
D．only a few watches of the kind were made
42．Watch collectors want to get the improved watch，especially for its ．
A．mechanical movement B．splendid color
C．fashionable style D．new uses
43．The purpose of the passage is to encourage the readers to .
A．buy the watch B．return the watch
C．wear the watch D．receive the service
44．The passage is probably taken from a ．
A．novel B．magazine C．text book D．science book
Why I Don’t Spare “Spare Change”
“Poor but honest. ” “The deserving poor.” These words always come to my mind when I think of “the poor”. But I also think of people who, perhaps through alcohol or drugs, have ruined not only their own lives but also the lives of others in order to give way to their own pleasure. Perhaps alcoholism and drug addiction really are “diseases”, as many people say, but my own feeling－ based, of course, not on any serious study－is that most alcoholics and drug addicts belong to the “undeserving poor”. And that is largely why I don’t give spare change to beggars.
But surely among the street people there are also some who can rightly be called “deserving”. Deserving what? My spare change? Or simply the government’s assistance? It happens that I have been brought up to believe that it is proper to make contributions to charity（慈善机构）, but if I give some change to a beggar, am I making a contribution to charity and thereby helping someone, or, am I perhaps simply encouraging someone not to get help? Or, maybe even worse, am I supporting a cheat?
If one believes in the value of private charity, one can either give to needy people or to charitable organizations. In giving to a beggar one may indeed be helping a person who badly needs help, but one cannot be certain that one is giving to a needy person. In giving to an organization, on the other hand, one can feel that one’s money is likely to be used wisely. True, facing a beggar one may feel that this particular unfortunate person needs help at this moment－a cup of coffee or a sandwich－and the need will not be met unless I put my hand in my pocket right now. But I have come to think that the beggars whom I meet can get along without my spare change, and indeed perhaps they are actually better off for not having money to buy alcohol or drugs.
I know nothing about these beggars, but it’s my impression that they simply prefer begging to working. I am not generalizing about street people. I am talking about the people whom I actually meet. That’s why I do not give “spare change”, and I don’t think I will in the future.
53. What does the author think of beggars who take drugs?
A. They should be given a check-up. B. They really need money to live.
C. They have no pleasure in life. D. They are not worth helping.
54. Why doesn’t the author give money to street people?
A. He doesn’t think they need help.
B. He doesn’t have enough money to give.
C. He is not convinced they will use it rightly.
D. He believes they can get help from the government.
55. In the second paragraph, the author presents his idea by_____.
A. asking questions for people to think about B. giving examples to support his argument
C. raising questions and answering them D. expressing his opinions directly
56. Which of the following opinions does the author accept?
A. Drug addiction is a disease.
B. Some street people are poor and needy.
C. Most beggars have received enough help.
D. Charitable organizations handle money properly.
Telecommuting(远程办公) will have major effects on the worlds of work and family life. However, its biggest effect will be in the area of individual freedom, responsibility and time management.
Work and workplaces will change greatly. Offices may become smaller, as fewer desks are needed. There will be greater need for high-speed Internet connections to link the office and the home, and even homes to other homes, as other employees also begin working at home. Hours spent in traffic jams, and fights for parking should diminish(减少), as workers travel less.
Family life will also change. Both husbands and wives will be able to arrange their work around family commitments such as taking children to school, cooking, spare time activities, and so on. However, households(家人) will also have to set aside areas for work-particularly if more than one person is telecommuting.
However, although the ideas of more time at home and less time traveling are attractive, there are some drawbacks to telecommuting. People may feel that they cannot escape from work, work longer hours, or become less social. The quality of work may suffer because of fewer face-to-face interactions with other employees, and there may be delays if other workers are not immediately available. Telecommuters may also feel isolated. A major change will be in the way people think about work as a place or an institution. Instead, they will focus on the task or the product. Workers may feel less loyal to a company.
In conclusion, the effects are difficult to predict because they depend on the extent to which telecommuting becomes popular. At the same time, however, telecommuting could be the start of a major societal shift, possibly as big as the Industrial Revolution which created our present ideas of work.
49. This passage was mainly written to tell us _____.
A. about the advantages of telecommutingB. how telecommuting will change the world
C. that telecommuting will affect family life D. how to telecommute in the future
50. What is Paragraph 4 mainly about?
A. The disadvantages of telecommuting. B. Setting aside areas for work.
C. The future of telecommuting. D. The employees’ focus on work.
51. With telecommuting in the future, which of the following will be reduced?
A. Working hours and family time. B. Face-to-face communication.
C. Spare time and individual freedom.D. Spending time with friends.
52. What can we infer from the passage?
A. Telecommuting will change the world completely.
B. There will be no traffic jams because of telecommuting.
C. Work efficiency will increase through telecommuting.
D. Telecommuting workers will likely change their jobs.
Throughout the ages, man has tried to create beauty through painting, music, sculpture(雕刻) and other kinds of artistic expression. It seems to be a basic need for humans to surround themselves with art. Some people, however, feel that the government is wasting money by spending it on art, particularly when there are so many other more important things that the money can be used for.
It can be wrong for governments to spend large sums of money on art. Too often, governments spend the money unwisely. Cities end up with huge statues or expensive, empty buildings that are only used by a few people. Many times, the art is also chosen to represent social or political
rather than artistic ideas, and even if it represents artistic ideas, tastes in art can change very rapidly. Without thinking carefully about how to spend the money, the people may end up with an expensive collection of worthless paintings of tasteless productions.
At the same time it would be wrong to say that governments should not spend any money at all on art. Painters, musicians, and composers cannot survive without monetary support. Many times, the art is inaccessible (很难到的) to ordinary people because only rich people and large companies can afford it. Governments have a duty to make this art available to everyone. Art helps people enjoy life,
Although people do need to be provided with the necessities of life, governments also have a duty to provide their citizens with something more. I firmly believe that spending money on art is vital (必不可少的) part of a government’s responsibility, and I am confident that my country is able to contribute a great deal to the rich collection of art from around passage?
45. What does the author mainly tell us in the passage?
A. Why tastes in art change so rapidly.
B. The importance of art to human beings.
C. Humans’ need to be surrounded by art.
D. Whether or not the government should spend money on art.
46. The following are reasons why governments spend too much money on arts EXCEPT that _____.
A. art is changing with time rapidly
B. they choose art to serve political purpose
C. they don’t think carefully enough about what to buy
D. art is necessary for the life of poor people
47. The underlined word “monetary” in the third paragraph probably means“_____”.
A. political B. financial C. temporary(临时的) D. continuous
48. According to the author, what is the function of art?
A. Art can be very valuable when it is traded. B. Art makes people’s lives worthwhile.
C. Art can unite governments. D. Art can make governments fashionable.
四、阅读理解
When I was a stay-at-home mom, there were times I wished I could buy some beautiful flowers, but the money that they would cost was needed in the home. When I walked into town with the family, my youngest daughter, Lily, would always carry a flower stem(花梗). That’s how she got the nickname “Stick Girl”
One day when we passed the flower lady with Lily, the flower lady smiled at her and said, “Come here. I have something for you.” She handed her a beautiful flower. Lily dropped the stem and held on to that flower until we came back home. We placed it in water and enjoyed the beauty of that flower along with the feelings of warmth and kindness from the flower lady.
My neighbors would run to her to get a bouquet of flowers whenever they wanted to, and I used to give directions(为人指路) using the flower lady. I would say, “Walk for three blocks. You’ll see the flower lady. Turn right at that street.”
My mom visits me each year. On her first summer visit this year, she looked at me and asked, “Where’s the flower lady?”
I had no idea. The flower lady had been an icon(偶像) for me for 16 years, but now she wasn’t there any more.
I went on a search and soon found her in another spot, at the Harbor Loop. I was glad to see her and I had to tell her that she was missed!
I have a garden which I admire very much now. Every time I see those bright colors when I come home after a day of work, I remember the generosity of a dear old lady whom I only know as the flower lady.
41. When the flower lady gave Lily a flower, Lily _____.
A. accepted it happily
B. paid for it and walked home quickly
C. accepted it and forgot that other people were laughing at her
D. felt sorry for not being able to pay for it
42. Why did the author give directions using the flower lady?
A. Because the flower lady used to give her daughter many flowers.
B. Because she felt grateful for the flower lady’s generosity and warmth.
C. Because her neighbors usually bought flowers from the flower lady.
D. Because the flower lady ran the flower shop with her and her mother.
43. From the passage, we know that _____.
A. it was the flower lady who taught the author how to grow flowers
B. the author didn’t know the flower lady’s address or name
C. the flower lady used to sell flowers in one place all the time
D. the flower lady might keep on offering the author flowers
44. What’s the best title for the passage?
A. The Stick GirlB. Beautiful Flowers
C. The Flower Lady D. Buying Flowers
People across America are lining up at doctor’s offices, hospitals, and even shopping streets hoping to receive a flu shot .However, many of them have returned home without one.
This year’s flu season is starting early and it’s already spreading quickly .Officials said that the flu has now spread to 50states.That’s why the flu shot isn’t easy to find.
Help will soon be on its way .A manufacturer of the will ship 100,000 doses for adults, and 150,000for children soon. Although this could be one of the worst flu outbreaks in years, experts say that the flu is not a very serious disease for most people.
“We don’t need to fear or worry that something very bad will happen,” said the director of Centers for Disease control and Prevention.” Most of us will get through this fine.”
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Many public hospitals only give the vaccine to the elderly, children under two , and people with bad health problems. Chris Rikon, a mother in Maryland, was able to find a shot for her 13-month –old daughter , but not her two-year-old son.
“I would have felt better if both of them bad been able to get the shots.” Rikon said.