I have a friend who lives by a three-word philosophy: seize the moment. Just possibly, she may be the wisest woman on this planet. Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven’t thought about it, don’t have it on their schedule, didn’t know it was coming or are too strict to depart from their routine.
I can’t count the times I called my siste
r and said, “How about going to lunch in half an hour?” She would gasp and stammer (结结巴巴地说), “ I can’t . I have clothes on the line. My hair is dirty. I wish I had known yesterday. I had a late breakfast. It looks like rain.” And my personal favo
rite response: “It’s just Monday.” She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together. From then on, I’ve tried to be a little more flexible.
Life has a way of going faster as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises made to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awake, and all have to show for our lives is repetition of “I’m going to”, “I plan on” and “someday”, when things are settled down bit.
When anyone calls my “seize the moment” friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips. She keeps an open mind on new ideas. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious. You talk with her for five minutes, and you’re ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of Rollerblades and skip an elevator for a bungle cord.
My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years. I love ice cream. The other day, I stopped the car and bought a triple-decker. If my car had hit an iceberg on the way home, I would have died happy.
Now…go on and have a nice day. Do something you WANT to…not something on your SHOULD DO list.
1. The example of the writer’s sister serves as ____.
A. an argument B. an introduction C. a support D. a conclusion
2. The writer thinks that the underlined excuse “It’s just Monday.” is acceptable,
because ____.
A.it is still likely that they can have lunch together some time later
B.it sounds most reasonable of all the excuses
C.it shows respect for the writer’s suggestion
D.it indicates the time when they can have lunch together
3. The underlined word “contagious” in the fourth paragraph means “______”.
A. appropriate B. influential C. practical D. evident
4. What did the purpose of the writer by writing this passage?
A. To suggest how time flies. B. To persuade busy people to relax.
C. to advise people to keep their promise.
D. To convince readers to be flexible on their schedule for practical joy.
Daniel Defoe (about 1660~1731) was an important novelist in the English literature(文学). When he was young, he served as a soldier and had been to Spain, Italy, France and Germany. At the same time, he went in for politics. He cared much about the development of capitalism(资本主义). He had written a lot of articles against it and he was put into prison twice for that. It was not until he was nearly sixty that he began to write the famous novel Robinson Crusoe, which was published in May, 1709. It spread so rapidly that the story was known to every household very soon.
Robinson Crusoe can be divided into three parts. The first part is about Crusoe’s three voyages, the second part about his hunting, hiding in caves farming and his hard struggles against nature on a small island, the third part about the things which happened after his return fro
m the island. The second part is the body of the novel, in which Robinson’s characters are clearly shown.
Defoe wrote his novel in a simple style and his language is easy to understand. His novel-writing set a milestone of the modern English novel. In his later part of life, he was in poor health and lived very poorly. He died on April 24th, 1731..Daniel Defoe was ______ and the writer of ______.
| A．an Englishman, “A Tale of Two Cities” | B．an American, “A Million Pound Note” |
| C．a Frenchman, “The Lost Necklace” | D．an Englishman, “Robinson Crusoe” |
. How old was he when he began to write his famous novel “Robinson Crusoe”?
| A．He was in his sixties. | B．He was in his fifties. |
| C．He was over 60. | D．He was sixty. |
. Robinson Crusoe can be divided into ______ parts and the first is about _______.
| A．two, his lonely life | B．three, his characters |
| C．three, his journeys by sea | D．four, his fame |
. “Every household” in this passage means ______.
| A．all members of a family | B．all people |
| C．every building | D．persons living in the same house |
.What was Defoe’s contribution(贡献) to the English literature?
| A．He wrote a very interesting story. |
| B．He made people happy while reading his story. |
| C．He set a milestone of the modern English novel. |
| D．He was active in politics and was against capitalism. |
Death Valley is one of the most famous deserts in the United States, covering a wide area with its alkali sand Almost 20 percent of this area is well below sea level, and Badwater, a salt water pool, is about 280 feet below sea level and the lowest point in the United States.
Long ago the Panamint Indians called this place “Tomesha”— the land of fire. Death Valley’s present name dates back to 1849, when a group of miners coming across from Nevada became lost in its unpleasantness and hugeness and their adventure turned out to be a sad story. Today Death Valley has been declared（宣告）a National Monument（纪念碑）and is crossed by several well-marked roads where good services can be found easily. Luckily the change created by human settlement has hardly ruined the special beauty of this place.
Here nature created a lot of surprise, almost like the sights on the moon, ever-changing as the frequent（频繁的）wind moves the sand about, showing the most unusual colors. One of the most surprising and variable（多变的）parts of Death Valley is the Devil’ s Golf Course, where it seems hard for one to tell reality from terrible dreams. Sand sculptures（沙雕）stand on a frightening ground, as evening shadows move and lengthen. .. _______ is the lowest place in the desert.
| A．Tomesha | B．Death Valley | C．Nevada | D．Badwater |
.. The present name of the valley comes from _______.
| A．an Indian name | B．the death of the miners |
| C．the local people | D．a National Movement |
.. From the passage we can learn that _______.
| A．no one had ever known the desert before the miners |
| B．it’s still not easy to travel across the desert |
| C．people can find gas-stations, cafes and hotels in the desert |
| D．people have changed the natural sight of the desert |
. Devil Golf Course is famous for _______.
| A．the frequent wind | B．the colors of the sand |
| C．dream-like sights | D．the sand sculptures |
. From the passage we can see that the writer _______ the Death Valley.
| A．appreciates | B．is fearful of | C．dislikes | D．is tired of |
The gray-haired lady can’t wait to leave the building to search for her dad .Unless watched ,she will walk in the streets in an effort to find her father ,who died 30years ago.
Not all cases of Alzheimer’s disease look like this ,but Alzheimer’s is a serious disease that is said to be the fourth or fifth leading cause of death for people over age 75.
It is said that about three percent of the U.S. population over age 65 have Alzheimer’s .In the early stages ,people may exhibit short term memory loss. Some may experience changes in personality , easy to be angry .As the
disease progresses ,patients might lose the ability to move and may be unable to speak or move at all. This progressive disease generally lasts 8 to 10 years before death occurs.
While no one is certain what causes these changes in the brain’s nerve fibers （神经纤维）,their effect is certain .Alzheimer’s destroys not only the patients ,but also spouses（配偶）,friends and families.
What should you do if you notice progressive memory loss in yourself or a loved one? Have the person examined by a doctor who is a specialist in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
Though many reasons other than Alzheimer’s disease may cause memory loss ,its
early diagnosis（诊断）and treatment may delay some of the most serious effects.
What feeling will you likely experience should a loved one suffer from Alzheimer’ s disease? A person will often go through the various stages of sadness, shock ,anger ,and so on. If the spouse develops the disease ,you may expe
rience hurt and disappointment when he or she doesn’t remember you are married.
Life for the Alzheimer’s patients and their loved ones will never be the same as the disease progresses ,bringing a deep sorrow ,loss and even anger towards God .No matter what feelings are present ,facing them honestly will serve one better than burying them..
What can be inferred from the passage about the gray-haired day?
| A．She has been living with her father. | B．She was sad about the death of her father. |
| C．She can’t search for her father without being watched. |
|
| D．She suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. |
.
．When people suffer from Alzheimer’s disease , ________.
| A．their families and friends will suffer from the same disease |
| B．their families and friends will experience mental sufferings |
| C．they will certainly die in 8 to 10 years |
| D．they will forget everybody but their spouses |
.
．Memory loss occurs ________.
| A．from Alzheimer’s disease and nothing else | |
| B．from sadness ,shock ,anger ,and so on | |
| C．for a number of reasons | D．with changes in personality |
A university graduate described as a “respectable and intelligent” woman is seeking professional help after being convicted of （证明有……罪）shoplifting for the second time in six months.
Ana Luz, recently studying for her PhD, has been told she could end up behind bars unless she can control the desire to steal from shops .
Luz ,who lives with her partner in Fitzwilliam Road ,Cambridge ,admitted stealing clothes worth ￡9.95 from John Lewis in Oxford Street ,London ,on March 9.
Phillip Lemoyne ,prosecuting（起诉）,said Luz selected some clothes from a display and took them to the ladies’ toilet in the store .When she came out again she was wearing one of the skirts she had selected ,having taken off the anti-theft security alarms（防盗警报装置）.
She was stopped and caught after leaving the store without paying ,Mr Lemoyne said.
He added that she was upset on her arrest and apologized for her actions.
Luz,28, was said to have been convicted of shoplifting by Cambridge judges last October ,but Morag Duff, defending ,said she had never been in trouble with the police before that .
“She is ashamed and embarrassed but doesn’t really have any explanation why she did this ,” Miss Duff said . “She didn’t intend to steal when she went into the store .She is at a loss to explain it . She is otherwise a very respectable and intelligent young lady .She went to her doctor and asked for advice because she wants to know if there is anything in particular that caused her to do this.”
Judge David Azan fined Luz ￡ 50, and warned : “You’ve got a criminal record .If you carry on like this ,you will end up in prison ,which will ruin your bright future you may have.”
Luz achieved a degree in design at university in her native Spain ,went on to a famous university in Berlin , Germany for her master’s degree and is now studying for a PhD at Cambridge University ,UK..
．What is Ana Luz’s nationality?
| A．American. | B．British. | C．Spanish. | D．German. |
.
What does the underlined sentence “She is at a loss to explain it” mean?
| A．In her opinion it was a loss to the clothes shops where she stole things . |
| B．She doesn’t have any idea why she has the desire to steal from shops . |
| C．She thinks it is a loss for her to explain why she stole things from shops. |
| D．Personally she feels ashamed and embarrassed for her shoplifting actions. |
.
Which of the following best explains the meaning of the word “shoplifting” used in the passage?
| A．Carrying goods in a lift for a shop. | B．Taking goods to the ladies’ toilet . |
| C．Selecting some goods from a display. | D．Taking goods from a shop without paying. |
.
．From the passage we can learn that .
| A．Ana Luz is already got her PhD at Cambridge University ,UK |
| B．Ana Luz is ashamed and embarrassed and knows why she often did so |
| C．the university graduate will be put in prison if she steals in shops once more |
| D．Phillip Lemoyne is the “respectable and intelligent” woman’s defense lawyer |
.
What would be the best title for the passage ?
A．Shoplifting Shame of a PhD  Student |
B．Apologizing for the Actions in Shops |
| C．Seeking Professional Help from Experts | |
| D．Controlling the Desire to Steal from Shops |
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The manager expects to meet and talk with successful applicants in Paris in June and July..
. What is the purpose of the text?
| A．To introduce a language school in Japan. |
B．To hire language teachers to work in Japan. |
| C．To describe working conditions in Japan. |
D．To make cl ear the requirements for Japanese teachers. |
.
We know from the text that those who are going to Japan will _______.
| A．teach English only in Osaka | B．receive a degree from a university |
| C．have free accommodation | D．get trained for the job |
.
Before going to Japan, you need _______.
| A．to see the manager of NOVA France | B．to take some computer courses |
| C．to write a letter to Japan | D．to find a place to live |
.
If you want to work in Japan you should _______.
| A．have some working experience | B．know how to use computers |
| C．present good teaching plans | D．speak several languages |