Section B
Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read.
Margaret, married with two small children, has been working for the last seven years as a night cleaner, cleaning offices in a big building.
She trained as a nurse, but had to give it up when her elder child became seriously ill. “I would have liked to go back to it, but the shifts are all wrong for me, as I have to be home to get the children up and off to school.”
So she works as a cleaner instead, from 9 p.m. till 6 a.m. five nights a week for just £90, before tax and insurance. “It’s better than it was last year, but I still think that people who work ‘unsocial hours’ should get a bit extra.”
The hours she’s chosen to work mean that she sees plenty of the children, but very little of her husband. However, she doesn’t think that puts any pressure on their relationship.
Her work isn’t physically very hard, but it’s not exactly pleasant, either. “I do get angry with people who leave their offices like a place for raising pigs. If they realized people like me have to do it, perhaps they’d be a bit more careful.”
The fact that she’s working all night doesn’t worry Margaret at all. Unlike some dark buildings at night, the building where she works is fully lit, and the women work in groups of three. “Since I’ve got to be here, I try to enjoy myself—and I usually do, because of the other girls. We all have a good laugh, so the time never drags.”
Another challenge Margaret has to face is the reaction of other people when she tells them what she does for a living. “They think you’re a cleaner because you don’t know how to read and write,” said Margaret. “I used to think what my parents would say if they knew what I’d been doing, but I don’t think that way any more. I don’t dislike the work though I can’t say I’m mad about it.”
1.Margaret quit her job as a nurse because _______.
A. she wanted to earn more money to support her family
B. she had suffered a lot of mental pressure
C. she needed the right time to look after her children
D. she felt tired of taking care of patients
2.Margaret gets angry with people who work in the office because _______.
A. they never clean their offices B. they look down upon cleaners
C. they never do their work carefully D. they always make a mess in their offices
3.When at work, Margaret feels _______.
A. light-hearted because of her fellow workers B. happy because the building is fully lit
C. tired because of the heavy workload D. bored because time passed slowly
4.The underlined part in the last paragraph implies that Margaret’s parents would _______.
A. help care for her children B. regret what they had said
C. show sympathy for her D. feel disappointed in her
As a parent you have the responsibility to help your children understand money. But first you will need to understand your own attitude towards money, and make sure to practise what you teach.
Ask yourself what things that cost money are the most important to you. Also ask yourself what financial goals do you have for yourself and your family this year, in five years, and so on?
Take a minute to write down a list. Below are some ideas to get you started. There’s no right or wrong here. This exercise is just to help you grasp what money means to you so that you can help your children understand your values.
◆ Home
◆ Household expenses
◆ Education
◆ Recreation, entertainment
◆ Savings
◆ Charitable contributions
You can start discussing money when your children are as young as three years old. The best time to teach a child anything is when he or she shows an interest. So he prepared to start talking about money when your child starts asking you to buy candy or toys.
Begin by showing how money is exchanged for items or services. Show your children how money works by allowing them to buy something, such as a toy or a book.
Be open and honest, and explain to your children why they can or cannot have certain items. If you must say no to a child’s request to spend money, you might say, “You have enough toy trucks now.” Or, if the request is for multiple items, “You have a choice to make, between this toy and that one.”
You can start explaining the bigger picture once your children understand the basic function of money. Show an older child how money is used to provide for the whole family.
45. Why should parents understand their own money attitudes first?
A. To help their children earn money. B. To set an exampel to their children.
C. To help them set financial goals. D. To help them tell right from wrong.
46. Which of the following is NOT one of the major categories of things that cost money listed in the article?
A. Travel and investments. B. Household expenses.
C. Education and entertainment. D. Savings and charitable contributions.
47. Which of the following is NOT a way to teach the children about money?
A. Showing how money is exchanged.
B. Allowing children to buy whatever they like.
C. Explaining the limits involved in using money.
D. Having an open discussion about money.
48. According to the passage, when should parents start teaching a child about money?
A. When the child can understand its basic function.
B. When the child can understand how money is used to provide for the whole family.
C. When the child knows how to support a family.
D. As young as three, or when they start showing an interest.
The 149th anniversary of Washington University’s founding will be celebrated with a presentation of Distinguished Alumni(校友) Awards for six famous teachers and alumni for their outstanding professional achievements, public service, extraordinary service to Washington University, or all three. Among the sixd awards winners for this year is Chen Zhangliang.
Chen Zhangliang is one of China’s most famous scientists, who was born into a poor fisherman’s family in Fuqing City, Fujian Province in 1961. after graduating from a university at home, Chen went to the US for further study. Since coming to Washington University as a doctoral student in 1983 to study transgenic(转基因的) plant engineering, Chen’s academic career has focused on gene cloning and the development of disease-and-pest-resistant plants. He completed his doctoral degree in biology at Washington University in 1987 and returned to Beijing to establish the National Laboratory of Plant Genetic Engineering at Peking University.
A productive scholar, Chen has published many books and more than one hundred research papers. He holds over ten patents with an equal number pending(等待决定的). Currently he is president of China Agricultural University and vice president of Peking University.
In addition to his academic career, Chen is also founder and president of the Weiming Biotechnology Company, which produces many DNA recombinant drugs and vaccines. He’s also a representative of China’s National People’s Congress and vice chairman of China Biotechnology Association. In addition, he serves as vice chairman for the China’s National Youth Federation.
Among his many honors are the UNESCO Javed Husain Prize for Young Scientists and TIME’s Global 100 Roster of Young Leaders for the New Millennium, as well as the Science and Technology prizes from the Ministry of Education in China.
41. Chen Zhangliang takes part in the following activities EXCEPT __________.
A. the Chinese government’s work
B. the university’s management
C. the management of agriculture
D. the production of biochemistry medicines
42. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Chen Zhangliang gained a doctor’s degree at the age of 26.
B. It’s possible for Chen Zhangliang to obtain about 20 patents.
C. Chen Zhangliang established the genetic engineering laboratory in Beijing.
D. Distinguished Alumni Awards are mainly given to the students of the university.
43. What’s the passage mainly about?
A. An introdction to Washington University’s anniversary activities.
B. A brief introduction to a world-famous university.
C. The scientific achievements and honors of Chen Zhangliang.
D. The career development of Chen Zhangliang
44. This passage gives us the inspiration that ___________.
A. knowledge can change one’s destiny
B. wehre there’s a will, there’s a way
C. a good scholar can become an official
D. a good beginning is half done
Shelly Nielsen sees students fall asleep in class at least twice a week. “When I see teens asleep in my class, I wonder if I am really that boring”, said Nielsen, a teacher. “I also wonder why they are so tired.” Neilson first tried to wake up sleeping students quietly. If the snoozing (呼噜声) continues, she may call a student’s parents to find out how much sleep the students is getting at night and why.
According to a research, teens need at least nine hours of sleep to function properly during the day. And more than 90 percent of teens say they are sleeping less than that each night.
Forgetting homework, yawning in class, losing concentration --- these are the signs of a sleep-deprived (被剥夺睡眠的)student, said Dr. Carl Lawyer, a specialist. “The big problem is the social demand for homework, video games and friends. Teens don’t understand how important sleep is.”
Rebecca Lucas, another teacher agrees. “Teens are busy,” she said, noting many activities most teens are involved in during the day force them to get home pretty late.” When I see teens sleeping in my class, I feel sad, like they are not sleeping enough,” she said. “I also feel frustrated because I have so much to teach in such a short amount of time and teens sleeping in the class slows me down.”
Not sleeping the needed number of hours can affect your day very much. The effect is on school, work and driving and is very frustrating to teachers when students don’t do their best because of being so tired, Lawyer said.
Al Taylor, a teacher says sleeping is not allowed in his class. “When I see a teen sleeping in my class, I feel bad that they didn’t get enough sleep but they need to correct the issue at home,” Taylor said. “I’ve raised teenage boys myself. Teenagers like to wait to the last minute to do their homework so they often stay up late trying to finish it.”
72. What does Shelly first do when she finds students sleeping in class?
A. She wakes them up with no punishment.
B. She blames herself for giving a boring lesson.
C. She asks them to stand outside.
D. She reports it to their parents.
73. Students always feel tired and sleep in class because they __________.
A. have to stay up late to do their homework.
B. are attracted by many activities.
C. are not interested in the lessons
D. are too busy to have enough sleep
74. From the last paragraph, we can infer that Al Taylor __________.
A. can easily lose his temper
B. was a father of teenage boys
C. has no sympathy for sleeping students
D. finds a good way of giving teens more sleep
75. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Why sleep is important
B. Why teens are so tired
C. How students get enough sleep
D. How teachers manage sleeping students
Everyone knows the story of Benjamin Franklin’s famous kite flight. He was a man of many talents and interests. His natural curiosity about things and the way they work made him try to find ways to make them work better. Although he made important discoveries and advancements, Ben didn’t “invent” electricity. He did, however, invent the lightning rod which protected buildings and ships from lightning damage.
In colonial America, most people warmed their homes by building a fire in a fireplace even though it was kind of dangerous and used a lot of wood. Ben figured that there had to be a better way. His invention of an iron furnace stove allowed people to warm their home less dangerously and with less wood. The furnace stove that he invented is called a Franklin stove. Interestingly, Ben also established the first fire company and the first fire insurance company in order to help people live more safely.
As the postmaster, Ben had to figure out routes for delivering the mail. He went out riding in his carriage to measure the routes and needed a way to keep track of the distance. He invented a simple odometer and attached it to his carriage.
In his old age, Ben retired from business and public service and wanted to spend his time reading and studying. He found, however, that his old age had made it difficult for him to reach books from the high shelves. Even though he had many grandchildren to help him, he invented a tool called a long arm to reach the high books. The long arm was a long wooden pole with a grasping claw at the end.
Later, other famous inventors, like Thomas A. Edison and Alexander Graham Bell, would follow in Ben’s footsteps by trying to find ways to help people live better. Today’s curious thinkers are keeping Ben’s traditions alive by inventing new and improved ways to make things work.
68. We can learn from the passage that Benjamin Franklin ___________________.
A. made his first invention using a kite
B. made his living by delivering the mail
C. set up some companies to help people to live better
D. made a stove which used other fuels instead of wood
69. The underlined word “odometer” in Paragraph 3 refers to something that ________.
A. contains the mail B. shows the direction
C. makes the carriage go fastD. records total miles covered
70. Benjamin Franklin invented a long arm in order to _________.
A. replace his disabled arm
B. play games with his grandchildren
C. get books from the bookshelf more easily
D. clean and tidy his house and the bookshelf
71. The last paragraph mainly wants to tell us that _____________.
A. Ben was the most famous inventor.
B. other inventors learned a lot from Ben.
C. Ben’s spirit of inventing remain with us.
D. thinkers are more likely to become inventors
Did you know it takes 21 days to form a good habit? Research shows that when you “stick to something” for three weeks you are more likely to reach your goals. This is important for language learners or anyone who wants to make a change.
People who try something new often “fall off the wagon”. Whether it is a plan to lose weight or a decision to learn something, life often gets in the way. Those who make up their minds to learn English are more likely to succeed if they have a short-term goal at the beginning.
How to make learning English a habit:
Set a specific goal
Example: Break up the four main skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) and plan to do one hour of practice in each area at the same time every day.
Find a learning partner
Choose a friend to keep you moving towards your goal. Your friend doesn’t need to be a language learner. He can be someone who wants to start exercising. He can be someone who wants to write a novel. It is best if you both have a goal.
Write out how your life will change when you reach your goal
If I improve my English, I will be able to get a better job.
If I take the TOEFL test, I will be able to get into university.
If I improve my pronunciation, my customers will understand me.
Keep track of your progress
Keep track of your effort in a notebook or online list. Share your progress list with your partner.
When you reach 21 days, reward yourself! Go out for a dinner or a movie or buy yourself a treat. It will be easier to stay on your program now that you are in the habit. If you ever fall off again, put yourself back on the 21-day challenge.
65. What can be inferred from the passage?
A. Life sometimes makes people give up their plans or decisions.
B. An English learner should find a language learner as a partner.
C. A long-term goal is of importance in forming a good habit.
D. It is necessary to spend an hour on each language skill every day.
66. Why does the author advise an English learner to reward himself when he reaches 21 days?
A. Because he should share his progress with his partner.
B. Because he has had a good knowledge of English.
C. Because he would put himself on another 21-day challenge.
D. Because he has formed a good habit of learning English.
67. The best title of the passage would be “________”.
A. Taking 21 days to form a good habit
B. A research on learning English
C. Make learning English a habit
D. Setting a goal in life