Dear Earthmen,
I have enjoyed my stay on your interesting unusual planet. I think I understand the life on earth now and I would like to give you my impressions.
First of all you live in boxes. Every morning you leave your big boxes and get into smaller boxes on wheels. All these small boxes race around and around, and finally stop to rest. You then leave these boxes on wheels and go to very large tall boxes.
After testing all days you get back in your little boxes and return to your big boxes. There you sit and stare at tiny glowing boxes with moving pictures on the front.
Only one thing puzzles me. One day, I went to a football game. A bunch of angry boys fought over a little round ball. Everyone yelled for them to stop but they kept on fighting. They were angry, I suppose, about being cooped up（被关起来）in boxes all day.
Thank you earthmen for this chance to get to know you.
Gratefully,
The man from the Mars（火星）
1. The small boxes on wheels are ________.
| |
A. toys |
B. cars |
| |
C. houses that can be moved |
D. boxes in which there are wheels |
2. The tiny glowing boxes with moving pictures on the front are ______.
| |
A. cameras |
B. cinema screens |
C. telescopes |
D. TV sets |
3. In the football game ________.
A. the players were very angry because there was only one ball on the playground
B. the players were very angry because everyone yelled at them
C. the man from the Mars saw fighting among the angry boys
D. the man from the Mars saw a close match
4. The best title of this passage is ______.
| |
A. The Man from the Mars |
B. Something about Boxes |
| |
C. A Letter from the Mars |
D. A football Game |
5. The man from the Mars thinks _______.
A. it is interesting to live on our unusual planet
B. there are so many boxes on the earth
C. the tiny glowing boxes are moving pictures
D. the angry boys are too foolish to fight over a little round ball
A serious problem for today’s society is who should be responsible for our elderly and how to improve their lives.It is not only a financial problem but also a question of the system we want for our society.I would like to suggest several possible solutions to this problem.
First,employers should take the responsibility to the individual.This means each person must save during his working years to pay for his years of retirement.This does not seem very fair model since some people have enough trouble paying for their daily life without trying to earn extra to cover their retirement years.This means the government could take responsibility for the care of the elderly.This could be financed through government taxes to increase the level of pensions.Furthermore,some institutions should be created for senior citizens,which can help provide a comfortable life for them.Unfortunately,as the president situation in our country shows,this is nota truly viable answer.The government can seldom afford to care for the elderly,particularly when it is busy trying to care for the young.
One further solution is that the government or social organizations establish some working places especially for the elderly where they are independent.
To sum up, all these options have advantages and disadvantages.Therefore,it is reasonable to expect that some combination of these options may be needed to provide the care we hope to give to our elderly generations.What is the passage mainly talk about?
| A．The problems faced by the old in society. |
| B．Why we should take reponsibility for the old. |
| C．How we can improve the lives of the old. |
| D．Where the old can go to get their pensins. |
According to the passage,how can the government help to improve the lives of retired people?
| A．Set aside some profits to help people with problems after they retire. |
| B．Increase savings levels of people during their working years. |
| C．Increase the discounts for food and transport for the old. |
| D．Make available pensions for those who have retired. |
The underlined word “viable” most probably means____.
| A．impossible | B．practical | C．useful | D．successful |
What can be concluded from the passage?
| A．Taking care of the old is mainly an issue of money. |
| B．Empoyers should allow their workers to retire at a later age. |
| C．Becoming independent should be the goal of most old people. |
| D．There is no single solution to the problems of the old. |
Self-esteem(自尊心)is all about how much we feel valued,accepted and thought well of by others---and how much we value,love and accept ourselves.Poeple with healthy self-esteem are able to feel good about themselves,appreciate their own worth,and take pride in their abilities,skills,and accomplishments with others,feel happier,find it easier to deal with low self-esteem may feel as if no one will like them or accept them or that they can’t do well in anything.
Here are some steps that may help improve your self-esteem:
Try to stop Try to thinking about negative thoughts about yourself.If you’re used to focusing on your shortcomings,start thinking about positive aspects of yourself that outwheigh them .Each day,write down three things about yourself that make you happy.it is good to aim high,but your goals should be within reach.That’s why you should set pratical goals and never expect the impossible.Mistakes are part of learning,so view mistakes as learning opportunities.Accept that you will make mistakes because everyone does.Also, you should recognize what you can change and what you can’t.if you realize that you’re unhappy with something about yourself that you can change, then start today.If it’s something you can’t change(like your height),then start to work toward loving yourself the way you are.Feeling like you’re making a difffference and that your help is valued can do wonders to improve self-esteem.So don’t hesitate to make a contribution.Help a classmate who’s having trouble,help clean up your campus,or volunteer your time in some other way.
Self-esteem plays a role in almost everything you do.It’s never to be late to build healthy positive self-esteem.It takes some work,but healthy self-esteem is an asset you’ll have for life.What does the author mainly want to tell us in this passage?
| A．Self-esteem plays an important role in life. |
| B．What self-esteem means |
| C．How people can improve their self-esteem. |
| D．What people with healthy self-esteem are like. |
The underlined word “them” in paragagh 3 refers to_____.
| A．negative thoughts | B．your shortcomings |
| C．positive aspects | D．your goals |
According to the passage,which of the following can help you improve your self-esteem?
| A．Setting high goals. |
| B．Never forgiving yourself for your mistakes. |
| C．Changing all the things that make you upset. |
| D．Lending a hand to a classmate in trouble. |
How many ways to improve your self self-esteem are given in this passage?
| A．4 | B．5 | C．6 | D．7 |
Kristy,28,a cook in La Gross, often wondered what she’d do in a life threatening situation. On August 29, she got her answer. While she was driving on a road,a big truck hit its head on a pickup car.The pickup burst into flames.Kristy rushed out and ran to the pickup.Two farmers,Dean Bernhard,51, and his brother,Donald,44,were inside.
When she got close,Kristy could see the unconscious driver.The other man was under the passenger seat. “The smells were sicking.I was afraid the truck would blow up and kill us all,” said kristy.
The driver of the big truck was struggling to open the passenger door,so Kristy rushed to the driver’s side.Finally they opened the door.She reached in,seized the driver and, to her horror,felt her hands sink into his chest.She quickly dragged the man to safety on the roadside,then hurried back.As Kristy started down the ditch(水沟) with the passenger,the pickup exploded..She jumped on top of him and they both rolled to safety.
Today,the two farmers,each the farmer of two children,are good friends with Kristy.To show their deep appreciation,they bought her a ring with nine diamonds---one for each member of their immediate families,and the ninth for her.Which is the correct order according to the passage?
a.carried Dean and Donald to safety
b.rushed to the pickup
c.the pickup exploded
d.saw the truck hit on the pickup
e.got out of her car
f.wondered what she’d do when in danger
| A．e,d,b,a,c,f | B．f,e,b,a,d,c | C．f,d,e,b,a,c | D．f,c,e,d,b,a |
When coming to save Donald and Dean Bernhard,Kristy never thought that she___.
| A．could have any help from others |
| B．would be successful in saving both of them |
| C．might be killed |
| D．would be tested in dangerous situations |
This sentence “The pickup burst into flames.”in the first paragragh means “_______”.
| A．The pickup was on fire |
| B．The pickup started smoking badly |
| C．A terrifying cry came out of the pickup |
| D．The pickup was broken into pieces |
Which of the following best shows Kristy’s true heroism?
| A．She did not feel terrified at the accident |
| B．She protected herself as well as the two brothers from harm. |
| C．She put her life “on the line” to save others. |
| D．She was regarded as a member of Dean’s and Donald’s families. |
When I first began to work with international students, I asked someone at a lunch, “What brings you here today?” Looking at me like I was a bit crazy, he answered, “ The bus.” That was my first realization that no matter how good a speaker is, there are phrases that will always tend to cause confusion to non-native speakers. These idiomatic phrases(惯用语) add color and interest to any language and are worth learning if you want to talk fluently with native speakers.
“By no stretch”----The speaker is referring to something that’s very hard to achieve or realize, even with great effort, as in “It was not a good meal, by any stretch of the imagination.” Which means that ______________.
“Half dead”----An expression of extreme tiredness, having nothing to do with actual health. Commonly used at the end of a long and tiring day.
“By the book”----This means that an action should follow the rules exactly. It also describes the nature of someone who won’t deviate(背离) from a set of rules no matter what the situation is.
“More power to you”----This isn’t a wish for you to have better electricity from the power company----it’s a statement, usually slightly ironic(讽刺的), that the speaker thinks that you are unlikely to do a task, but you should try if you think you can complete it. It generally means the speaker has no intention of helping you achieve your goal neither will they discourage you from attempting to reach it. For example, “I don’t think you can meet that deadline, but more power to you.”
“As easy as pie”----A reference that something is as simple or easy as eating a delicious dessert, or that it requires little effort to successfully achieve. In chatting, this phrase does not refer to the process of cooking or eating.The example given by the author in the first paragraph is used to show__________.
| A．the importance of learning idioms | B．the beauty of the English language |
| C．the foolishness of the student | D．the cause of the misunderstanding |
According to the passage, which of the following would be proper to fill in the blank in Paragraph 2?
| A．the meal is very delicious | B．it’s very hard to make the meal delicious |
| C．people make great efforts to make the meal delicious | |
| D．even if people try to believe it, the meal could not be described as good |
If someone says he is half dead, he means____________.
| A．he is in poor health | B．he cannot move |
| C．he has a sound sleep | D．he is exhausted |
If a person daren’t do things in a creative way, you may describe him by using “__________”.
| A．by no stretch | B．by the book |
| C．as easy as pie | D．the breaker of rules |
There was a story many years ago of a school teacher----Mrs.Thompson. She told the children on the first day that she loved them all the same. But that was a lie. There in the front row was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. He didn't play well with the other children and he always needed a bath. She did not like him.
Then Mrs. Thompson got to know that Teddy was actually a very good boy before the death of his mother. Mrs. Thompson was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when, like all her other students, Teddy brought her a Christmas present too. It was his mother's perfume(香水）.
Teddy said, "Mrs.Thompson, today you smell just like my Mom used to." After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she stopped teaching reading, writing and math. Instead, she began to teach children.
Mrs.Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy.The boy's mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he improved. By the end of the sixth grade, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class.
Six years went by before she got a note from Teddy. He wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. He went to college. Mrs.Thompson got two more letters from him with the last signed, Theodore F. Stoddar, M. D. (医学博士）.
The story doesn't end there. On his wedding day, Dr.Stoddard whispered in Mrs.Thompson's ear," Thank you, Mrs. Thomson, for believing in me. You made me feel important and showed me that I could make a difference."
Mrs. Thompson , with tears in her eyes, whispered back,"Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you.What did Mrs.Thompson do on the first day of school?
| A．She made Teddy feel ashamed |
| B．She asked the children to play with Teddy. |
| C．She changed Teddy's seat to the front row. |
| D．She told the class something untrue about herself. |
What did Mrs. Thompson find out about Teddy?
| A．He often told lies. | B．He was good at math |
| C．He needed motherly care | D．He enjoyed playing with others |
In what way did Mrs. Thompson change?
| A．She taught fewer school subjects. |
| B．She became stricter with her students. |
| C．She no longer liked her job as a teacher. |
| D．She cared more about educating students. |
Why did Teddy thank Mrs.Thompson at his wedding?
| A．She had kept in touch with him. |
| B．She had given him encouragement. |
| C．She had sent him Christmas presents. |
| D．She had taught him how to judge people. |