You wake up in the morning, the day is beautiful and the plans for the day are what you have been looking forward to for a long time. Then, the telephone rings, you say hello, and the drama starts. The person on the other end has a depressing (令人沮丧的) tone in his voice as he starts to tell you how terrible his morning is and that there is nothing to look forward to. Are you still in a wonderful mood? Impossible!
Communicating with negative people can wash out your happiness. It may not change what you think，but communicating long enough with them will make you feel depressed for a moment or a long time.
Life brings ups and downs，but some people are stuck in the wrong idea that life has no happiness to offer. They only feel glad when they make others feel bad. No wonder they can hardly win others’pity or respect.
When you communicate with positive people，your spirit stays happy and therefore more positive things are attracted. When the knife of a negative person is put in you，you have the heavy feeling that all in all，brings you down.
Sometimes we have no choice but to communicate with negative people. This could be a co-worker，or a relative. In this case，say what needs to be said as little as possible. Sometimes it feels good to let out your anger back to the negative person，but all this does is to lower you to that same negative level and they won’t feel ashamed of themselves about that.
Negativity often affects happiness without even being realized. The negative words of another at the start of the day can attach to you throughout the rest of your day，which makes you feel bad and steals your happiness. Life is too short to feel negative. Stay positive and avoid negativity as much as possible.
1．The purpose of the first paragraph is to_________
A. make a comparison B. offer an suggestion
C. introduce a topic D. describe a daily scene
2．How can negative people have effect on us?
A. By influencing our emotion.
B. By telling us the nature of life.
C. By changing our way of thinking.
D. By comparing their attitude to life with ours.
3. Some negative people base their happiness on_________.
A. other people’s pity for them B. making other people unhappy
C. building up a positive attitude D. other people’s respect for them
4．According to the passage，to reduce negative people’s influence on us，we are advised________
A. to change negative people’s attitude to life
B. to show our dissatisfaction to negative people
C. to make negative people feel ashamed of themselves
D. to communicate with negative people as little as possible
Tabb doesn't look like a typical music teacher. But every weekday evening in the French Quarter New Orleans, he beats out the rhythm on his music stand as students play their chosen instruments.
“I'm doing my best to take young people away from harmful things,” said Tabb. His program, "The Roots of Music”, offers free music education to more than 100 students. He struggles to keep young people on the straight and narrow in the city with the nation's highest murder rate(凶杀率).
Tabb chose to target 9to14yearolds with his program. “That's a very important time in your life,” he said. “If I catch them then, I can hold onto them for at least four or five years and guide them the way that will lead them to success.”
Students meet from 4 pm to 7 pm every weekday, all year round. They work with tutors(助教) on schoolwork, practice their music and eat a hot meal before heading home. With the money provided by some people, Tabb's group is able to provide bus transportation, instruments and food for free. He calls it his “no excuse” policy. “You have no excuse why you're not here,” Tabb said. Tabb owes the success in part to the nature of music. “You're always learning something new,”he said. “That's what keeps the kids coming back every day.”
But the program isn't only about fun. “Music is about discipline (纪律),”said Tabb. He insists on good behavior and keeps kids in order with threats of situps(仰卧起坐), pushups(俯卧撑) or tasks like picking up grains of rice — but these measures aren't just punishment. Tabb wants young people to realize that music can help them build a better future. “I don't say that I'm saving lives,” he said. “I say I'm giving life — a whole different life of music.”The underlined phrase "keep young people on the straight and narrow” may mean ________.
| A．keep young people standing straight |
| B．keep young people on the correct life track(道路) |
| C．keep young people busy performing music |
| D．keep young people away from the dangerous parts of the city |
Which of the following kids may NOT be included in Tabb's program “ The Roots of Music”？
| A．Jack, 8 years old. | B．Tom, 9 years old. |
| C．John, 11 years old. | D．Linda, 13 years old. |
What attracts children to join in the program to learn music?
| A．The free food and transportation. | B．The famous music teacher. |
| C．The chance to learn new things. | D．The strict discipline rules. |
By saying “music is about discipline”, Tabb means ________.
| A．keeping discipline is more important than learning music |
| B．obeying(遵守) rules is important in playing music well |
| C．music is also connected with kids' grades |
| D．kids can learn how to behave through music |
What is the main idea of this passage?
| A．Tabb's program offers young people help. |
| B．Kids improve grades through music learning. |
| C．Tabb offers kids free food to learn music. |
| D．Tabb performs music for street children. |
Arthur Miller was born on October 17th, 1915 and died on February 10th, 2005.Over the course of seven decades(十年) of literature career(文学生涯), Arthur Miller created some of the most memorable stage plays(舞台剧) in American Literature. He is the author of DeathofaSalesmanandTheCrucible. Born and raised in Manhattan, Miller went through the best and the worst of American society.
Arthur Miller's childhood：His father was a productive shopkeeper and clothing manufacturer(制造商) until the Great Depression(大萧条时期) dried up nearly all business opportunities.Yet, despite being faced with poverty, Miller made the best of his childhood. He was a very active young man, in love with such sports as football and baseball. When he wasn't playing outside, he enjoyed reading adventure stories. He was also kept busy by his many boyhood jobs. He often worked alongside his father. During other times in his life, he delivered bakery goods and worked as a clerk in a car parts warehouse.
College life: In 1934, Miller left the east coast to attend the University of Michigan. He was accepted into their school of journalism. His experiences during the Depression made him skeptical (怀疑的) about religion. Politically, he began leaning towards the "Left”.And since the theater was the cutting edge way for socioeconomic liberals (自由主义者) to express their views, he decided to enter the Hopwood Drama competition. His first play, NoVillain, received an award from the university.It was an impressive beginning for the young playwright; he had never studied plays or playwriting, and he had written his play in just five days!
Miller's later years: In 1987, his autobiography was published. Many of his later plays dealt with personal experience. In particular, his final play, FinishingthePicture mirrors the last days of his marriage to Marilyn Monroe.In 2005, Arthur Miller passed away at the age of 89.What can we know about Arthur Miller from Paragraph 2?
| A．He was born into a poor family. |
| B．His father wasn't good at business. |
| C．He couldn't adjust himself to poverty. |
| D．He had to do lots of jobs to make a living. |
Arthur Miller began to write plays ________.
| A．when he was in college |
| B．when he was a small boy |
| C．because his father encouraged him to do so |
| D．because it was one of his school assignments(作业) |
We can infer from Paragraph 3 that ________.
| A．the University of Michigan is on the east coast of the USA |
| B．Miller's university education made him doubt religion |
| C．Miller learned playwriting all by himself |
| D．socioeconomic liberals were probably not politically "left” |
Which of the following plays tells the story of Arthur Miller and Marilyn Monroe?
| A．Death of a Salesman. |
| B．The Crucible. |
| C．No Villain. |
| D．Finishing the Picture. |
The passage is intended to________.
| A．introduce Arthur Miller's plays |
| B．tell us about Arthur Miller's childhood |
| C．explain how Arthur Miller started to write plays |
| D．give us a brief introduction to Arthur Miller's life |
Six Chinese surveillance ships have entered waters near islands claimed by both China and Japan.
China said the ships were carrying out "law enforcement" to demonstrate its jurisdiction(管辖权) over the islands, known as Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan.
At least two of the vessels left after the Japanese coast guard issued a warning, Japanese officials say.
The move came after Japan sealed a deal to buy three of the islands from their private Japanese owner. Japan controls the uninhabited but resource-rich East China Sea islands, which are also claimed by Taiwan.
The Japanese Coast Guard said the first two Chinese boats entered Japan's territorial waters at 06:18 local time (21:18 GMT Thursday), followed by another fleet of four other ships just after 07:00. The first two ships then left the area. A third ship left later on Friday morning, one report said. No force was used, Japanese officials added. "Our patrol vessels are currently telling them to leave our country's territorial waters," the coastguard said in a statement.
The Chinese foreign ministry confirmed that its ships were there. “These law enforcement and patrol activities are aimed to demonstrate China's jurisdiction over the Diaoyu Islands and its affiliated(附属的) islets and ensure the country's maritime(海事的) interests,” a statement said.
The US has called for ''cooler heads to prevail'' as tension intensifies between China and Japan over the islands, which lie south of Okinawa and north of Taiwan. US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is due to visit both Japan and China from this weekend as part of a tour of the region that also includes New Zealand.
The dispute has seriously marred diplomatic relations between China and Japan and threatens to damage the strong trading relationship, says the BBC's John Sudworth in Beijing. The row(争端) has also generated strong nationalist sentiment on both sides that observers say now makes it very difficult to be seen to be backing down, says our correspondent.
The Japanese government says it is buying the islands to promote their stable and peaceful management. Its move followed a bid by right-wing Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara to buy the islands using public donations - an action that would likely have further provoked(触怒) China.
China, on the other hand, says the islands have historically been its territory and fishing grounds.
Meanwhile Japan's newly-appointed ambassador to China, Shinichi Nishimiya, remains in hospital in Tokyo after he was found unconscious near his home in Tokyo on Thursday. No details have been given on his condition. He was appointed on Tuesday to replace Uichiro Niwa, who has been criticised for his handling of one of the worse diplomatic rows between Japan and China in recent years.The Diaoyu Islands are actually inhabited by .
| A．Japan | B．China | C．America | D．Nobody |
Which of the following is true?
| A．Japan fired at the 6 Chinese ships to warn them to leave the waters. |
| B．China admitted that the 6 ships had been forced to leave the waters. |
| C．The US called on both sides to calm down. |
| D．Shinichi Nishimiya was unconscious in the hospital because somebody attacked him. |
Why was Uichiro Niwa replaced?
| A．He is not iron enough in handling the diplomatic rows between Japan and China. |
| B．His health condition is not good enough to work there. |
| C．He didn’t do a good job in dealing with the dispute about the Diaoyu Islands. |
| D．He criticized the Chinese government publicly in an improper way. |
This news report is most likely to be selected from the newspaper.
| A．British | B．Chinese | C．Japanese | D．American |
Like many of my generation, I have a weakness for hero worship. At some point, however, we all begin to question our heroes and our need for them. This leads us to ask: What is a hero?
Despite immense differences in cultures, heroes around the world generally share a number of characteristics that instruct and inspire people.
A hero does something worth talking about. A hero has a story of adventure to tell and community who will listen. But a hero goes beyond mere fame.
Heroes serve powers or principles larger than themselves. Like high-voltage transformers, heroes take the energy of higher powers and step it down so that it can be used by ordinary people.
The hero lives a life worthy of imitation. Those who imitate a genuine hero experience life with new depth, enthusiasm, and meaning. A sure test for would-be heroes is what or whom do they serve? What are they willing to live and die for? If the answer or evidence suggests they serve only their own fame, they may be famous persons but not heroes. Madonna and Michael Jackson are famous, but who would claim that their fans find life more abundant?
Heroes are catalysts (催化剂) for change. They have a vision from the mountaintop. They have the skill and the charm to move the masses. They create new possibilities. Without Gandhi, India might still be part of the British Empire. Without Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr., we might still have segregated (隔离的) buses, restaurants, and parks. It may be possible for large-scale change to occur without leaders with magnetic personalities, but the pace of change would be slow, the vision uncertain, and the committee meetings endless.Although heroes may come from different cultures, they __________.
| A．generally possess certain inspiring characteristics |
| B．probably share some weaknesses of ordinary people |
| C．are often influenced by previous generations |
| D．all unknowingly attract a large number of fans |
According to the passage, heroes are compared to high-voltage transformers in that _______.
| A．they have a vision from the mountaintop |
| B．they have warm feelings and emotions |
| C．they can serve as concrete examples of noble principles |
| D．they can make people feel stronger and more confident |
Madonna and Michael Jackson are not considered heroes because __________.
| A．they are popular only among certain groups of people |
| B．their performances do not improve their fans morally |
| C．their primary concern is their own financial interests |
| D．they are not clear about the principles they should follow |
The author concludes that historical changes would __________.
| A．be delayed without leaders with inspiring personal qualities |
| B．not happen without heroes making the necessary sacrifices |
| C．take place if there were heroes to lead the people |
| D．produce leaders with attractive personalities |
Dear Kind-Trustee-Who-Sends-Orphans-to-College,
Here I am! I traveled yesterday for four hours in a train．It’s a funny feeling, isn’t it? I never rode in one before．
College is the biggest, most puzzling place—I get lost whenever I leave my room. I will write you a description later when I'm feeling less confused; also I will tell you about my lessons. Classes don't begin until Monday morning, and this is Saturday night. But I wanted to write a letter first just to get acquainted.
It seems strange to be writing letters to somebody you don't know. It seems strange for me to be writing letters at all—I've never written more than three or four in my life, so please overlook it if these are not a model kind.
Before leaving yesterday morning, Mrs. Lippett and I had a very serious talk. She told me how to behave all the rest of my life, and especially how to behave towards the kind gentleman who is doing so much for me. I must take care to be very respectful.
But how can one be very respectful to a person who wishes to be called John Smith? Why couldn't you have picked out a name with a little personality? I might as well write letters to Dear Flagpole or Dear Clothes-line.
I have been thinking about you a great deal this summer; having somebody take an interest in me after all these years makes me feel as though I had found a sort of family. It seems as though I belonged to somebody now, and it's a very comfortable feeling. I must say, however, that when I think about you, my imagination has very little to work upon. There are just three things that I know: I, You are tall. Ⅱ. You are rich. Ⅲ. You hate girls.
I suppose I might call you Dear Mr. Girl-Hater. Only that's rather rude to me. Or Dear Mr. Rich-Man, but that's rude to you, as though money were the only important thing about you. Besides, being rich is such a very external quality. Maybe you won't stay rich all your life; lots of very clever men get broke in Wall Street. But at least you will stay tall all your life! So I've decided to call you Dear Daddy-Long-Legs. I hope you won't mind. It's just a private pet name we won't tell Mrs. Lippett.
The ten o'clock bell is going to ring in two minutes. Our day is divided into sections by bells. We eat and sleep and study by bells. It's very lifeful. There it goes! Lights out. Good night.
Observe how precisely I obey rules--due to my training in the John Grier Home.
Yours most respectfully,
Jerusha Abbott
to Mr. Daddy-Long-Legs SmithJerusha felt “confused” because ______.
| A．she had never written to the trustee before |
| B．she was not familiar with the college yet |
| C．she could never find the way to her home |
| D．she had never traveled on a train berore |
Jerusha thought that she couldn’t be very respectful to “John Smith” because _______．
| A．he was a total stranger to her |
| B．she was sure it was a false identity |
| C．the name was too common |
| D．nobody would like to be called that name |
The fact that her day is “divided into sections by bells” makes Jerusha feel______.
| A．busy | B．restricted by rules | C．pressed for time | D．full of energy |
Jerusha decided to call the trustee Dear Daddy-Long-legs______.
| A．in order to show her respect for him |
| B．because it was one of his inner quality |
| C．in older to make them feel closer to each other |
| D．because she had always wanted a father |