About ten years ago, a young and very successful businessman named Josh was traveling down a Chicago neighborhood street. He was going a bit too fast in his shiny, black, Jaguar XKE, which was only two months old.
He was watching for kids rushing out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no child came out, but a brick sailed out and — WHUMP! — it hit the Jag’s shiny black side door! SCREECH...!!!! Immediately Josh stopped the car, jumped out, seized the kid and pushed him up against a parked car. He shouted at the kid, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what are you doing?!" Building up a head of steam, he went on. “That’s my new car. That brick you threw is gonna cost you a lot of money. Why did you throw it?"
"Please, mister, please....I’m sorry! I didn’t know what else to do!" begged the boy. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop!" Tears were streaming down the boy’s face as he pointed around the parked car. "It’s my brother, mister," he said. "He rolled of the curb (路沿) and fell out of his wheelchair and I can’t lift him up. "Sobbing, the boy asked the businessman," Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He’s hurt and he’s too heavy for me.”
Moved beyond words, the young businessman tried hard to swallow (咽下) the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. Straining, he lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapers and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be OK. He then watched the younger brother push him down the sidewalk toward their home.
It was a long walk back to the black, shining Jaguar XKE — a long and slow walk. Josh never did fix the side door of his Jaguar. He kept the dent (凹痕) to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at him to get his attention. Feel for the bricks of life coming at you.
The boy threw a brick at the businessman’s car because ____________.
| A．the businessman drove at a high speed | B．he envied the new car very much |
| C．he wanted to ask for some money | D．he wanted to get help from the driver |
Which of the following is the right order of the story?
a. The younger brother threw a brick at Josh’s car. b. The elder brother fell out of his wheelchair.
c. The younger brother begged Josh for help.
d. Josh lifted the elder brother back into his wheelchair. e. Josh shouted at the younger brother.
| A．b, a, e, c, d | B．a, c, d, b, e | C．b, a, c, e, d | D．a, c, b, e, d |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Josh would accept the money from the kids. | B．The two kids were Josh’s neighbors. |
| C．Josh was a kind-hearted man. | D．Josh’s new car broke down easily. |
According to the passage, the underlined sentence in the last paragraph means ____________.
| A．trying to get ready for the trouble in your future life |
| B．driving fast in a neighborhood street is dangerous |
| C．trying to be more understanding seeing others in trouble |
| D．protecting oneself from being hurt |
People do not analyze every problem they meet. Sometimes they try to remember a solution from the last time they had a similar problem. They often accept the opinions or ideas of other people. Other times they begin to act without thinking. They try to find a solution by trial and error. However, when all these methods fail, the person with a problem has to start analyzing. There are six stages in analyzing a problem.
First the person must recognize that there is a problem. For example, Sam’s bicycle is broken, and he cannot ride it to class as he usually does. Sam must see that there is a problem with his bicycle.
Next the thinker must define the problem. Before Sam can repair his bicycle, he must find out the reason why it does not work. For instance, he must determine if the problem is with the gears, the brakes, or the frame. He must make his problem more specific.
Now the person must look for information that will make the problem clearer and lead to possible solutions. For instance, suppose Sam decided that his bike does not work because there is something wrong with the gear wheels. At this time, he can look in his bicycle repair book and read about gears. He can talk to his friends at the bike shop. He can look at his gears carefully.
After studying the problem, the person should have several suggestions for a possible solution. Take Sam as an illustration. His suggestions might be: put oil on the gear wheels; buy new gear wheels and replace the old ones; tighten or loosen the gear wheels.
Eventually one suggestion seems to be the solution to the problem. Sometimes the final idea comes very suddenly because the thinker suddenly sees something new or sees something in a new way. Sam, for example, suddenly sees that there is a piece of chewing gum between the gear wheels. He immediately realizes the solution to his problem: he must clean the gear wheels.
Finally the solution is tested. Sam cleans the gear wheels and finds that afterwards his bicycle works perfectly. In short , he has solved the problem.What is the best title for this passage?
| A．Six Stages for Repairing Sam’s Bicycle |
| B．Possible Ways to Problem-solving |
| C．Necessities of Problem Analysis |
| D．Suggestions for Analyzing a Problem |
In analyzing a problem we should do all the following except .
| A．recognize and define the problem |
| B．look for information to make the problem clearer |
| C．have suggestions for a possible solution |
| D．find a solution by trial or mistake |
By referring to Sam’s broken bicycle, the author intends to _________.
| A．illustrate the ways to repair his bicycle |
| B．discuss the problems of his bicycle |
| C．tell us how to solve a problem |
| D．show us how to analyze a problem |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．People do not analyze the problem they meet. |
| B．People often accept the opinions or ideas of other people. |
| C．People may learn from their past experience. |
| D．People can not solve some problems they meet. |
As used in the last sentence, the phrase “in short” means _________.
| A．in the long run | B．in detail |
| C．in a word | D．in the end |
Everyone has some opinion about history, no matter how ill-informed. Walking through a parking lot in a university in Miami, I noticed a bumper sticker (车尾贴纸) that said, “Ruin a Liberal’s (自由派) Day—Recite Historical Fact!” But Marwick thinks this sort of opinion is just fine; it is unavoidable(不可避免的) that we all feel a sense of ownership of history.
History never stands still, as Marwick says at the beginning of The Nature of History, “The shape and content of history, too, vary according to the methods and materials available to different generations.” Marwick’s goal is to explain, in plain language, the changes in the way history is done up to the present; one method is to connect history with advances in the physical sciences. Marwick examines a number of case studies toward the end of the book. He ends the book with a refreshing collection of aphorisms (格言) about history. History truly belongs to each and every man and we all belong to history; with the proper education, history can be made more accessible to everyone.
Marwick relates（叙述）how inventions and the physical sciences have driven historical changes. Dropping a ball in a vacuum will reveal the same properties (性质) each time the experiment is conducted, providing(如果) the conditions are the same. But historians obviously do not have the luxury of reproducing such conditions; historians view the past through the present which depends on invention and science.
By looking at the changing nature of history, Marwick feels the study progressing. Although Marwick suspects some people would accuse a historian of creating job security with the endless views of the past, he insists it is imperative (必要的) based on the philosophy, science, and new materials of the age. History, according to Marwick, must be for everyone and not remain locked behind the walls of academia.The author mentions the bumper sticker in order to ________.
| A．show his own opinion about history |
| B．introduce the readers to Marwick |
| C．explain the freedom of understanding history |
| D．make the readers know about the argument between historians |
Which of the following best describes the statement “History never stands still”?
| A．Marwick explains the changes in the way history is done up to the present. |
| B．Marwick connects history with advances in the physical sciences. |
| C．He ends the book with a refreshing collection of aphorisms about history. |
| D．The shape and content of history vary according to the methods and materials available. |
In paragraph 3, Marwick gives the example of dropping a ball in a vacuum to prove ________.
| A．the changeable nature of history |
| B．the difficulty of historical study |
| C．changeable ways of historical study |
| D．the difficulty of scientific study |
The text is intended to（目的在于） ________.
| A．state a historian’s ideas |
| B．argue against a historian |
| C．attract readers to study history |
| D．describe the story of a historian |
“Image is everything．” An entire industry has been built upon the assumption that image is everything, but when it comes down to it, an appealing image is not enough．If there is no substance（事实） behind the image, the product, service or person will fail eventually．
First of all, one should consider how important image is in the selling of products and services．Advertising agencies have raised the art of creating an image to a state of near perfection．Public concept of that product or service is certainly managed by the images created by the advertising agencies．But if the product or service does not live up to the image that was created, the customer will be very dissatisfied and possibly ask for their money back．For example, the Arthur Andersen accounting firm had spent decades building up an image of trustworthiness．But the recent scandal （丑闻） showed that behind that image, it cheated in business practices．Despite the previous positive image, the firm is being accused of criminal actions and it will probably not survive as a business unit．Although the image had been nearly perfect, the reality behind the image has led to the downfall of the world famous accounting firm．
Similarly, personal advisers can build up a public image for politicians and movie stars．Putting out positive news releases, making sure that only the best photographs are published, and ensuring that the person is seen in all the right places can build up a very positive image in the view of the general commons．But once again, history is filled with examples of both politicians and movie stars that fell from grace like the story of the Hollywood actor giving in to the pressures of fame and fortune．With people, just as with products and services, image is certainly important, but without positive substance behind the image, failure is close．
To summarize, it is clear that an appealing image is extremely important to success, whether that image is related to selling a product or service or to the “selling” of a person．But image is only half of the equation(等式)．What lies behind that image is every bit as important as the image itself —— the person or product must deliver on that image or there is little chance for long-term success．The downfall of the Arthur Andersen accounting firm is due to ________.
| A．its dishonesty in business | B．its previous images |
| C．its bad management | D．its poor service |
Why did some famous people fall from grace?
| A．Their images were not well built up. |
| B．They paid little attention to fame and fortune. |
| C．They felt much pressure from the public. |
| D．They failed to live up to their images. |
The structure of the passage is_________.
A: Argument P: Point C: Conclusion
The author tries to argue that ____________.
| A．image is the key to success |
| B．image creates everything |
| C．truth and image are equally important |
| D．truth is unlikely ever to be equaled |
Homestay in Sydney，Australia
| Linda： Our large house is in Sydney，about 200 meters from Macquarie University and 400 meters from the train station. The train ride is about 30 minutes to the CBD. Now we only have a small bedroom for a female student. The cost is $260 per week，which includes all meals when at home and laundering (洗烫) of clothes. Email：markalarms@optusnet.com.au |
| John： I have a lovely single room for homestay (male，nonsmokers only)．The apartment is located across the road from a bus station. A sports field is only a twominute walk away. The room is for both short and long stays. The cost is $220 per week，including breakfast and lunch on weekdays. There is no washing machine at home. Do your own laundry in the apartment block’s facilities (设备)． Email：ainsley gilkes@yahoo.com.au |
| Eric： I live in the northern suburbs (郊区) of Sydney—quiet for studying and relaxing，yet close to Macquarie University & NCELTR & SIBT. The subway station is nearby. All facilities of the house including a living room with a TV can be used. Owners are very open and friendly，and treat students as part of the family. The prices include all meals (breakfast，lunch and dinner) and cleaning. The fee is $300 per week. Email：mineanny@hotmail.com |
| Rose： Hi，everyone！I have one room for homestay (girl students only) in a house which is very close to Macquarie University (SIBT) & WSU in the northern district of Sydney. There is a bus station across the road. Travel time to the centre of the city is 40 minutes by train. We only have one homestay at a time. Therefore，our family can take good care of you. The fee is $230 per week. We are looking forward to having you in our home. Email：cliqi9239@hotmail.com |
The four people wrote these passages to________.
| A．find suitable roommates |
| B．advertise rooms for homestay |
| C．find a suitable room in Sydney |
| D．introduce some good hotels |
A person who lives in John’s apartment________.
| A．can smoke in the apartment |
| B．can use John’s washing machine to wash clothes |
| C．is provided with breakfast and lunch on weekdays |
| D．has to walk a long way to get to the sports field |
If Peter wants to find a homestay room near Macquarie University，he should send an email to________.
| A．mineanny@hotmail.com |
| B．markalarms@optusnet.com.au |
| C．cliqi9239@hotmail.com |
| D．ainsley_gilkest@yahoo.com.au |
A girl who wants a room for between $210 and $240 per week would most probably contact________.
| A．Linda | B．John | C．Eric | D．Rose |
A listener from Brazil recently wrote to us asking for some advice. He's planning a trip to the United States, and wanted to know about the best places to travel in America. Today, we tell about the most popular places to visit in the country, and hear about what makes them so appealing.
Each of the 50 states in America has interesting things to offer visitors, but some are more popular than others. Washington D.C. is famous for its historical places, like the White House and the Lincoln Memorial. Visitors to Los Angeles, California can see the Hollywood Walk of Fame or shop at stores on Rodeo Drive where they may see a star or two. The Grand Canyon in Arizona appeals to hikers, climbers and nature lovers as does Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.
Trip Advisor is a website where people can write reviews about their travel experiences. There are also ratings for hotels, restaurants, and places people have visited around the world. Every year, Trip Advisor makes a list of the top 25 cities to visit in the United States. The results are based on the opinions of visitors to the website.
America's major cities are still the most popular destinations for visitors. This is because of the good quality of services they provide tourists.
"They do a great job of giving travelers what they want while they're on vacation. They cater to (迎合) every type of traveler need. So whether you're traveling alone, you're traveling for business, you're traveling with your family – whatever it is, those destinations are really tuned in to (与…一致)delivering amazing experiences and just a lot of different opportunities when you're there." said Brooke Ferencsik, a tourist from Germany.The author is most possibly________.
| A．a radio announcer | B．a journalist |
| C．a university professor | D．a tour guide |
According to Brooke Ferencsik, _________ make America’s major cities the most popular
destinations for visitors?
| A．city residents’ kindness and care |
| B．the good service |
| C．great opportunities of jobs |
| D．the varieties(多样性) of cities |
Which of the following is the best place to visit if you want to know about American history?
A. Yellowstone National Park
B. The Grand Canyon
C. Los Angeles, California
D. Washington D.CWhich of the following can be the best title for the passage?
| A．Welcome to Trip Advisor |
| B．America’s Major Tourist Attractions |
| C．The Power of the Internet |
| D．It’s Tourist Who Decide Where to Go |