what it meant to serve a non–American: no tip. We would work just as hard as we always did,
but we might not get paid.
Americans have an unspoken rule about tipping: they give tips to almost everyone who
offers them a service of some kind. Americans tip their waiters, barbers and taxi drivers. An appropriate (合适的) tip is between 15 and 20 percent of the amount charged for the service, but the charge for the tip doesn’t appear on the bill. The customer is expected to add it on himself/herself.
So if you order $100 worth of food, you are expected to pay your waiter at least $15, making your total payment $115. Tipping less than this sends a message to your waiter that you think they’ve done a bad job serving you. And to leave no tip at all is simply unacceptable.
It’s not that American waiters are greedy. In many countries, waiters are paid a salary for their work. They’ll earn money even if no one c
omes into the restaurant. This system offers much more safety for waiters than the American version. In the US, waiters know that a night without customers means a night without pay.
Some countries include a tip for waiters – a “service charge” – on the bill itself. Since the tip is included with the other charges, waiters don’t need to worry about people forgetting to tip. But in the US, waiters do not receive a salary, and service charges only appear on bills when there are six or more customers at the table.
Since almost all American customers are familiar with the system, they know to add a tip without being told. But visitors to the US may expect waiters to be paid a salary, or think that the tip is included on the bill. So as much as we waiters loved hearing stories about other places from our foreign customers, we were always nervous when they got ready to leave the restaurant. We were never sure what to expect. Why would the author and her coworkers groan when they had to serve a non-American?
| A．They would have difficulty understanding the customer. |
B．They had to work ha rder to get tips from the customer. |
| C．They might not get any payment from the customer. |
| D．They thought a non-American customer would be hard to please. |
If you order $550 worth of food, you are supposed to pay your waiter at least ______.
| A．$55 | B．$82.5 | C．$100 | D．$110 |
Why would it be thought unacceptable not to tip a waiter in the US?
A．They enjoy  getting tips from their customers. |
| B．They work harder than waiters in other countries. |
| C．They are greedier than waiters in other countries. |
| D．They earn most of their money from diners’ tips. |
C
Several years ago, I read a book Your Money or Your Life, written by Joe Domingguez and Vicki Robin. The major theme of the book is the idea that if you want to cut your spending, you’ll have to begin by stopping trying to impress other people.
The authors divide people into two groups : people whose opinions you care about, and people whose opinions you don’t care about one way or another. It’s easy to stop caring about people whose opinions you don’t care about. Who cares what they think ? As long as you’re not doing something truly immoral —— something that might potentially create a negative reputation for you —— it doesn’t matter what they think.
But shouldn’t you impress other people whose opinions you do care about ? Anyway, they are people you want to meet : customers, friends and family.
The answer is that you don’t need to impress those people with expensive, shiny things. The relationship you’ve built with them —— or you’re going to build with them —— is based on you, not on the material items. They’ll either like you for you or they won’t.
To put it simply, take care of the basics. Keep yourself clean. Keep your weight under control. Wear reasonable clothing. Work on your communication skills. If you have them covered, you don’t need to invest time and money in impressing other people.
Coming to this realization is incredibly valuable. It drops your clothing budget. It drops your automobile budget. It drops your electronics budget. It drops your housing budget. You don’t need a shiny car, an iPhone, or a ＄50 haircut.
Yes , you may actually still want one or two of these things, but the impetus(动力) comes from what your personal values are, not what other people around you seem to value or what marketing messages you receive.
For some people, it seems impossible. Their social cues come from advertising-laden media and from friends who also get their cues from advertising-laden media.They believe they need a slick cellphone and ＄100 casual clothes. Their self-worth revolves around that little burst they get from impressing others.
People should learn to break through that situation. In short, don’t play socially by the tiring old rules that revolve around needing to impress people. Instead, spend your time on things that bring real value to you and give real value to others.
46. Which of the following behaviours is “immoral”according to the second paragraph ?
A. Caring about other people’s opinion.
B. Dropping your clothing budget.
C. Copying existing works.
D. Obeying the traffic rule.
47. To build relationship with others, you should pay attention to the following EXEPT _______.
A. dressing casually
B. learning about weight control
C. improving communication skills
D. being a tidy person
48. As for people we care about, what does the author advise us to do ?
A. To impress them in a proper way.
B. To buy them special gifts.
C. To spare more time to be with them.
D. To impress them with shiny things.
49. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage ?
A. An iPhone is totally unnecessary in our life.
B. Your family members’ opinions are always worth caring about.
C. Learning how to impress others helps people save money.
D. You should always be aware of what other people around you seem to value.
50. What is the best title for the passage ?
A. Whose opinions do you care about ?
B. Two different groups of people.
C. My favorite book : Your Money or Your Life
D. Stop trying to impress other people.
B
Barack Obama defeated John McCain in the longest and most costly presidential campaign in American history. The election results were widely seen as a strong statement by voters on economy. A public opinion study reported by the Wall Street Journal found that about sixty percent of voters considered the economy as the top issue.
Mr. Obama faces the deepest economic crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. The Dow Jones Industrial Average of leading stocks has lost nearly thirty of its value. The government seized the nation’s two largest home financing companies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. It also took control of the huge insurance company, A. I. G. The government is now a share holder in nine of the country’s largest banks. That will expand to small banks , too. The amount spent on these rescue plans has been close to one trillion dollars. That amount could increase.
Another problem the new administration faces is the budget deficit(赤字). Some experts predict the deficit for next year’s budget could be close to one trillion dollars. Some observers predict that the deficit will limit speeding in economic programs.
Barack Obama has promised a tax cut for middle income Americans. He is seeking fifty billion dollars in aid for states and job creation programs. Mr. Obama has put forward a health care reform plan that costs fifty to sixty-five billion dollars. Obama is also seeking to spend one hundred and fifty billion dollars on new energy technologies over the next ten years.
In addition, Mr. Obama has been discussing a program worth one hundred billion dollars. It includes spending in public works projects and aid to American states, cities and citizens.
41. According to the passage, the election results suggested ___________________.
A. how fierce the presidential campaign was
B. the significance of the election in American history
C. Obama promised to devote himself to economic development
D. how much money was spent during the presidential campaign
42. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is mentioned to show _________________.
A. how serious the economic crisis is
B. the value of all America’s stocks
C. the economy was considered as the top issue
D. what percentage of shares Obama has in leading stocks
43. We know from the passage that _______________________.
A. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are insurance companies
B. the government will become a share holder in small banks
C. money spent on the government’s rescue plan will be decreased
D. the budget deficit will not affect the economic programs
44. Which of the following statements does NOT belong to Obama’s rescue plans?
A. Cutting taxes for middle income Americans.
B. Seeking money for job creation programs.
C. Putting forward a health care reform plan.
D. Stopping spending on new energy technologies.
45. The passage mainly tells us ____________________________.
A. the deepest economic crisis in the 1930’s
B. the result of the presidential election
C. America tries to save the country’s economy
D. how Americans think of the newly-elected president
B．阅读理解：
A
Now we can see a man and his wife at the breakfast table. They are not speaking to each other.
They haven’t spoken to each other at the breakfast table for years. The husband is reading his newspaper. We can’t see his face. The wife looks very worried as she gets a cup of tea ready for him. Today she is using a new kind of tea for the first time. The husband picks up his cup. He isn’t interested. He tastes his tea. Suddenly he puts down his newspaper. Something is different! Can it be the tea? He takes another taste. It’s wonderful. He smiles. He looks at his wife and says in surprise, “Doris, when did you cut your hair?” Doris is pleased. She answers, “Two months ago.” Doris asks, “Herbie, when did your hair begin to become white?” He answers, “A long time ago.” Doris says, “We have been together for many years, but we never cared about each other.” Now they aren’t worried any longer. Breakfast is different. Has a new kind of tea changed their lives?
36. This story happens______________________.
A. before breakfast B. after breakfast
C. at home D. in a teahouse
37. In the passage, we can see ________________________.
A. Doris is drinking tea B. Herbie likes the new kind of tea
C. Doris is reading a newspaper D. Herbie is very young and good-looking
38. Herbie and Doris lived ______________ before this day.
A. a wonderful B. an unhappy
C. an enjoyable D. a friendly
39. Which of the following statements is true?
A. They are good friends. B. They have just got married.
C. They like to talk about their hair. D. They are no longer young.
40. From the passage, we think it may be ______________.
A. a radio programme B. a short film
C. a computer game D. a beautiful painting
C
I was riding along the road when I heard someone shouting behind me. It was a young shepherd (牧羊人). He was running across a field, and pointing at something.
I looked and saw two wolves running across the field. One was fully grown, the other was a cub. The cub had on his back a lamb (羔羊) which had just been killed, and he had the leg in his mouth. The old wolf was running behind.
As soon as I saw the wolves, I joined the shepherd and started in pursuit (追击), setting up a shout.
When they heard, some peasants started out also in pursuit, with their dogs.
As soon as the old wolf caught sight of the dogs and the men, he ran to the young one, snatched (攫取) the lamb from him, threw it over his back, and both wolves increased their pace and were soon lost from view.
Then the shepherd began to tell me how it happened. The big wolf has sprung (跳跃) out from the valley, seized the lamb, killed it and carried it off. The old wolf allowed the young wolf to carry the lamb, but kept running a short distance behind.
But as soon as there was danger, the old wolf stopped giving the lesson, and seized the lamb himself.
58. What is a cub?
A. It’s an old wolf.B. It’s a young wolf. C. It’s a strong wolf.D. It’s a big wolf.
59. The old wolf seized the lamb for himself because __________.
A. the cub would not carry it any longerB. the cub was too tired
C. there was dangerD. the cub would not learn
60. What is the passage about?
A. How a young wolf carried a lamb.
B. How the wolves escaped.
C. How some peasants tried to catch the wolf.
D. How an old wolf taught its cub..
B
The Harp Seal is one of nature’s most beautiful and appealing (吸引人的) creatures. Many years ago it was hunted for its fur. Hunting Harp Seals is now illegal.
The seals spend the summer months migrating (迁徙) in large groups. Harp Seals close their nostrils (鼻孔) and earholes when diving in water, but have to surface frequently to breathe. Their favourite place to rest is on the top of icebergs.
The female Harp Seal gives birth in February or March and feeds her pups for 14-18 days. Baby Harp Seals begin to lose their white fur at around six to eight weeks of age. As an adult, the Harp Seal has brown skin. At birth, Harp Seals weigh 12kg but can weigh up to 130kg as adults. Harp Seals eat small fish, shrimps and krill. However, they are able to switch from one food to another depending on what they can get as food. Males have a lifespan of 29 years while females usually live for longer than 30 years.
Since the Canadian Government introduced laws to protect the seal pups from hunters, their numbers have increased to more than one million. Now every year, thousands of tourists flock to the pack ice to witness the wonderful sight of new pups born in spring.
55. What is the passage mainly about?
A. Hunting Harp Seals is illegal.
B. Protecting Harp Seals.
C. Harp Seals.
D. Lifespan of Harp Seals.
56. An adult Harp Seal could be described as being ___________.
A. brown in colour and weighing 12kg
B. brown in colour and weighing 130kg
C. white in colour and weighing 12kg
D. white in colour and weighing 130kg
57. According to the passage which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. Adult Harp Seals only eat shrimp.
B. Adult Harp Seals eat different food at different times.
C. Adult Harp Seals prefer to eat krill.
D. Adult Harp Seals catch small fish to feed their young.