In the 1880s, Mark Twain established and operated his own publishing firm. He also became interested in various investments, especially an elaborate typesetting machine. He lost almost $200,000 in investments in the machine between 1881 and 1894. Also, his publishing company declared bankruptcy (破产) in April 1894. Thus, in January 1895, Mark Twain found himself publicly shamed by his inability to pay his debts.
Mark Twain eventually recovered from his financial difficulties, through his continued writing and a successful lecture tour in 1895 and 1896. During this much-publicized tour, Twain lectured in such places as India, South Africa and Australia. By the time he returned, he had become an international hero. Twain enjoyed this attention, and his habits of smoking cigars or a pipe and wearing unconventional white suits contributed to his showy image. He also made use of his position as a public figure to criticize the US foreign policy.
Although he was recovering from his financial problems by 1898, Mark Twain had begun to experience tragedy in his personal life. Suzy, his oldest daughter, died of meningitis (脑膜炎) in 1896, while her parents and sister Clara were abroad. In 1903, Mark Twain sold the beloved house in Hartford, which had become too closely associated with Suzy’s death. His wife, Olivia, who had developed a heart condition, died on June 5, 1904. His youngest daughter, Jean, died on Dec. 24, 1909.
64. Which is not the reason why Mark Twain found himself in debt?
Because he devoted all his energy to his writings.
Because his publishing firm bankruptcy.
He lost almost $ 200 000 in investments in the machine between 1881 and 1894
Because he lost a large quantity of money in various investments.
65. How did Mark Twain pay off his debts?
A. By borrowing money from the bank.
B. By investing in foreign countries.
By writing articles and a successful lecture tour.
By printing his own articles and selling them for money.
66. It can be inferred that Mark Twain ________________.
hated smoking cigars
liked wearing black clothes
hated the US foreign policy at that time
hated giving lectures in the foreign countries
What can help you make a fortune in the future? Graduating from a top university might not be enough. A new study from the University of Essex in Britain has shown that the more friends you have in school, the more money you’ll earn later.
The idea that popularity could have a serious impact on one’s earning potential shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. The researchers noted that if you want to get ahead in life, social skills and networking are easily as powerful as talent and hard work.
“If a person has lots of friends, it means that he or she has the ability to get along with others in all kinds of different situations,” said Xu Yanchun, 17, from Nantou High School in Shenzhen, who totally agreed with the recent finding. “Also, friends always help each other. They not only create wider social circles for you but lift your mood when you occasionally feel depressed,” said Xu. She believed that all this helps you “earn a higher salary”.
Maybe that’s why some people think the younger generations are in the age of Friendalholism(交友狂症). A woman even complained that the networking website Facebook’s 5,000-friend limit was too low for her large reserve of social contacts.
But what does a friend mean? Should friends be regarded as a form of currency?
“Call me uncool, but I think of a friend as an actual person with whom I have an actual history and whom I enjoy actually seeing. It seems, however, that this is no longer the definition of ‘friend’,” said Meghan Daum, who works with the Los Angeles Times in the US. The new study from the University of Essex in Britain shows that _______.
| A．if you have more friends you will not live happily |
| B．the more friends you have in school, the more money you’ll earn in your late life |
| C．the less friends you have, the poor lives you will live |
| D．friends can make more money for you |
According to Xu Yanchun, when you have lots of friends, it means________.
| A．you have the ability to earn more money |
| B．you will not feel lonely |
| C．you are quite content with your life |
| D．you have the ability to get along with others in various situations |
What’s the main idea of the passage?
| A．The passage mainly tells us something about the friendship. |
| B．Friendship plays a more important part in our daily life than anything else. |
| C．Friends are currency. |
| D．Friends give you success. |
We can learn from the passage that _______.
| A．if you have more friends, you can make a fortune in the future |
| B．graduating from college means that you can make a fortune in the future |
| C．friends mean a form of currency |
| D．friends can make you wider social circle and make you feel better when you feel depressed |
A single night of taking the drug Ecstasy (摇头丸) can cause serious brain damage and speed up the start of Parkinson’s disease（帕金森综合症）, scientists say. Just two or three Ecstasy tablets can permanently destroy brain cells that affect movement and reasoning, according to American research that links the drug to Parkinson’s for the first time.
A study by a team at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, involving squirrel monkeys and baboons (狒狒) found that both species suffered permanent damage to key cells, which are lost in Parkinson’s, after receiving three low doses（剂量）of Ecstasy at three-hour periods.
The study is particularly important because baboons are one of the best animal models for the human brain. George Ricaurte, who led the research, said that the widespread abuse of drug might have caused severe damage. “The most troubling result is that young adults using Ecstasy may be increasing their risk of developing Parkinsonism as they get older.”
Alan Leshner, a former director of the US National Institute on Drug Abuse, said, “This study emphasizes the multi-aspect damage that Ecstasy causes to users. We’ve long known that repeated use damages brain cells. But this study shows that even very occasional（偶尔） use can have long-lasting effects on many different brain systems. It sends an important message to young people: don’t experiment with your own brain.”
Janet Betts, a mother whose teenage daughter Leah died after a single Ecstasy tablet in 1995, said, “This comes as no surprise. But people can’t see the effects at first, and they say it won’t happen to them. We’ll see the symptoms later, just as we have with smoking.”The article is intended to ______.
| A．explain the bad effects of drugs on people’s health |
| B．warn young people of the risk of taking the drug Ecstasy |
| C．persuade people out of such bad habits as smoking and using drugs |
| D．tell us the links between the drug Ecstasy and the animal models |
We know from the passage that a low dose of Ecstasy ______.
| A．can permanently destroy one’s brain cells |
| B．can cause serious brain damage occasionally |
| C．will result in immediate symptoms |
| D．may bring on Parkinson’s at once |
Why are squirrel monkeys and baboons involved in the experiments?
| A．Because these animals usually take drugs. |
| B．Because their brain is similar to human beings. |
| C．Because there is a model in the animals’ brains. |
| D．Because they will soon get well after the experiment. |
The underlined word “it” in the last paragraph probably refers to””.
| A．Leah’s death after a single tablet |
| B．the symptoms after smoking |
| C．the damage to the brain systems |
| D．repeated use of the drug |
Face-to-face communication involves much more than the spoken word．In fact, we often communicate our feelings to others through our body language without realizing we are doing so．We communicate through posture, gesture and facial expression．But the eyes also play an important part in this unspoken language．William Shakespeare called the eyes "a window to the soul," and you can learn to look through that window and better understand a person's body language by reading eye movement．
Begin a conversation and ask a simple question．Watch carefully for eye movement during the response．If the person looks up, he or she is thinking or forming pictures．This is also a sign of a visual thinker．Looking up and to the left shows recalling a memory, while looking up and to the right could show imaginative construction or lying．
If the person looks down, this could be a sign of obedience（服从） or even blame．Looking down and to the left can show a person talking to themselves．Looking down and to the right can show that they are feeling strong emotion．
Looking sideways can indicate distraction or checking out a potential（潜在的） threat, hut a sideways glance can also show anger．In addition, eyes that look side to side often show shiftiness（狡诈） and lying．
A glance usually indicates a desire for something．Glancing at a door could show a desire to leave the room, while a glance, at a person could indicate a desire to talk to them．A glance is also used when it is forbidden to look at something．
A person who is lying to you may hold eye contact longer than normal．In addition, this person might smile with his mouth but not with his eyes．Smiling with the eyes is difficult to do if the emotion is not genuine．
Rapid blinking（眨）of the eyes can occur when a person is thinking, and this can also be another sign of lying．Again, a person who is aware of this sign might overcompensate（矫枉过正） and stare．The writer supported his argument in the first paragraph by __ __．
| A．using what William Shakespeare said | B．describing the body language |
| C．telling a story of William Shakespeare | D．making a comment on eyes |
Which of the following eye movement shows a dishonest speaker?
| A．If he looks up and to the left． | B．If he looks up and to the right． |
| C．If he looks down and to the left． | D．If he looks down and to the right． |
Which eye movement cannot hide your feelings?
| A．Looking side to side． | B．Blinking the eyes quickly． |
| C．Smiling with the eyes． | D．Maintaining a prolonged eyes contact． |
The writer wrote this passage to __ __．
| A．introduce the different meanings of the body languages |
| B．teach us how to use eyes to express ourselves |
| C．explain the importance of body languages |
| D．tell us how to read eye movement |
When it comes to eating out, we can't help thinking of big meals in the restaurants, which usually contain much more fat and less fibers. Whether it is a business meeting over lunch or a fast food meal with the kids, eating out is a part of our lives. We eat out to save a lot of time, like grabbing a bite at fast food restaurants, or we take dining out as a favorite way to relax and socialize with friends.
Eating out can be fun but many people still like eating at home more because it is healthier. When my dear wife does not prepare foods for me, I would rather cook some instant noodles and eat at home! However, we go out to eat once in a while for holidays or on special occasions.
More and more people want to make healthy food choices nowadays. Some are watching calories, while others want to keep their cholesterol(胆固醇)under control or eat less fat. Plan ahead and choose wisely, you will find foods that fit into your meal plan and make eating out both healthy and enjoyable．
Here are some pointers（忠告） to remember that can help you make wise choices when eating out: go for balance, watch portion sizes and drink water or low-fat milk．Keep the ground rules of good nutrition in mind．Eat a variety of foods in moderate（适中的）amounts, limit the amount of fat you eat, and watch the amount of salt in food．If you develop the skills to make healthy choices now, your body will thank you later．
Eating out can be one of life's great pleasures．Make the right choices, ask for what you need, and balance your meals out with healthy meals at home．You can enjoy yourself and take good care of yourself at the same time．From the passage, we can infer that often eating out______________ ．
| A．saves time from cooking | B．maintains good relations with friends |
| C．contributes to healthy bodies | D．is of disadvantage to health |
On the author's wedding anniversary, _______________________．
| A．he prefers to cook some instant noodles for his wife |
| B．he would like to have a party at home |
| C．he must make an important choice |
| D．he is likely to take his wife to eat out |
The third paragraph doesn't say but implies that________________．
| A．calories have caused people's attention |
| B．people's awareness of health has improved |
| C．it is important to choose your food every |
| D．most people are worried about their cholesterol day |
If you had been watching for your diet, _____________________ ．
| A．you would be in good health now |
| B．you could have cured your illnesses |
| C．you wouldn't have suffered any disease |
| D．you might have had much experience in life |
Spring is just around the corner and it’s a time to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors．Here is a selection of festivals around the country that are a great excuse to travel and get back in the spring sunshine．
Dana Point Festival of the Whales
Dana Point, California
March 7 to 8 and 14 to 15, 2010
Each year, over two sunny weekends in March the town of Dana Point, California celebrates the return of migratory California gray whales to this part of the Pacific Ocean．Festivities include whale-watching, an arts festival and educational hands-on activities for the entire family．Prices start at $29 per adult and $19 for children．For more information, visit: www．dpfestivalofwhales．com
Chandler Ostrich Festival
Chandler, Arizona
March 13 to 15, 2010
Chandler is the center of ostrich（鸵鸟） ranching （农牧场工作） in the USA．You can see jockeys ride these feathered beasts around the ostrich track at Tumbleweed Park．General admission is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors, $7 for children aged 5 to 12 and kids 4 and under are free．For more information visit:
www．ostrichfestival．com
Festival of Houses and Gardens
Charleston, South Carolina
March 19 to April 18, 2010
The Historic Charleston Foundation gives curious travelers the opportunity to explore gardens of some of the finest private residences in America．Each 3-hour tour （afternoons from 2 to 5 pm and evenings from 6 to 9 pm） lets you visit 8 to 10 properties dating from the American colonial period．Prices range from $25 to $45．For more information, visit:
www．historiccharleston．org
Tulip Time Festival
Holland, Michigan
May 1 to 9, 2010
You don’t need to travel to the Netherlands this spring to see and smell some of the world’s finest tulips （郁金香）．The town of Holland is home to millions of colorful bulbs. The 81st annual Tulip Time Festival, one of the largest flower festivals in America will kick off with fireworks on May 1．Admission fee ranges from $6 for the children’s area to $38 for theatre tickets．Tickets and more information are available at www．tuliptime．com.A couple with their 4-year-old son will go whale-watching, they have to pay _____．
| A．$77 | B．$58 | C．$38 | D．$48 |
The underlined word “jockeys” in the passage is closest in meaning to _____．
| A．judges | B．riders | C．children | D．travelers |
If you want to learn about the history of American colonial period, you can visit.
| A．Tulip Time | B．Houses and Gardens |
| C．Dana Point of the whales | D．Chandler Ostrich |
It can be concluded that.
| A．all the festivals are held in March | B．all the Festivals are concerned with animals |
| C．all the Festivals surely interest children | D．all the Festivals are held in the U.S.A |