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People tend to be more impressed by evidence that seems to confirm some relationship. Thus many are convinced their dreams are known ahead of time because a few have come true; they neglect or fail to notice the many that have not.
Consider also the belief that "the phone always rings when I'm in the shower. "If it does ring while you do it , the event will stand out and be remembered. If it doesn't ring, that thing probably won't even be remembered.
People want to see order, pattern and meaning in the world. Consider, for example, the common belief that things like personal misfortunes, plane crashes, and deaths "happen in threes." Such beliefs stem from the tendency of people to allow the third event to define the time period. If three plane crashes occur in a month, then the period of time that counts as their "happening together” is one month; if three crashes occur in a year, the period of time is stretched. Flexible end points reinforce such beliefs.
We also tend to believe what we want to believe. A majority of people think they are more intelligent, more fair-minded and more skilled behind the wheel of an automobile than the average person. Part of the reason we view ourselves so favorably is that we use criteria that work to our advantage. As economist Thomas Schelling explains, “Everybody ranks himself high in qualities he values: careful drivers give weight to care, skilled drivers give weight to skill, and those who are polite give weight to courtesy," This way everyone ranks high on his own scale.
Perhaps the most important mental habit we can learn is to be cautious in drawing conclusions. The "evidence" of everyday life is sometimes misleading.
1. In the first paragraph the author states that______.
A. dreams cannot be said to be prophetic even though a few have come true.
B. dreams are prophetic did come true.
C. dreams may come true if clearly remembered.
D. dreams and reality are closely related.
2. By" things like...""happen in threes"(Para.3,Line 2),the author indicates that people believe_____.
A. personal misfortunes tend to happen every now and then.
B. personal misfortunes, plane crashes, and deaths usually happen together.
C. misfortunes tend to occur according to certain patterns.
D. misfortunes will never occur more than three times to a person in his lifetime.
3. The word "courtesy" (Para.4,Line 6)probably means_____.
A. good manners B. appropriate speech
C. friendly relations. D. satisfactory service.
4.What can be inferred from the passage_____.
A. Happenings that go unnoticed deserve more attention.
B. In a series of misfortunes the third one is usually the most serious.
C. People tend to make use of evidence that supports their own beliefs.
D. Believers of misfortunes happening in threes are cautious in interpreting events.
5.It can be concluded from the passage that_____.
A. there is some truth even in the wildest dreams.
B. one should take notice of other people's merits.
C. there is no order or pattern in world events.
D. we should not base our conclusions on accidental evidence.
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As the pace of life continues to increase, we are fast losing the art of relaxation. Once you are in the habit of rushing through life, being on the go from morning till night, it is hard to slow down. But relaxation is essential for a healthy mind and body.
Stress is a natural part of everyday life and there is no way to avoid it. In fact, it is not the bad thing. It is often supposed to be. A certain amount of stress is vital to provide motivation and give purpose to life. It is only when the stress gets out of control that it can lead to poor performance and ill health.
The amount of stress a person can bear depends very much on the individual. Some people are not afraid of stress, and such characters are obviously important for managerial responsibilities. Others lose heart at the first sign of unusual difficulties. When exposed to stress, in whatever form, we react both chemically and physically. In fact we make choice between “flight or fight” and in more primitive days the choices made the difference between life or death. The crises we meet today are unlikely to be so extreme, but however little the stress, it involves the same response. It is when such a reaction lasts long that health becomes endangered. Since we can’t remove stress from our lives (it would be unwise to do so even if we could), we need to find ways to deal with it.
51. People are finding less and less time for relaxing themselves because _______.
A. they regard working as their greatest enjoyment
B. they believe that work is superior to relaxation
C. they are traveling fast all the time
D. they are becoming busier with their work than ever before
52. According to the author, the most important character for a good manager is his ______.
A. strong will to overcome stress
C. high sense of responsibility
B. knowing the art of relaxation
D. having control over performance
53. Which of the following statements is TRUE, according to the passage?
A. We can find quite a few ways to avoid stress.
B. Stress is always harmful to people’s health
C. It's easy to change the habit of keeping oneself busy with work.
D. Different people can bear different amount of stress.
54. In the last sentence of the passage, “do so” refers to _____.
A. “expose ourselves to stress ”
C. “remove stress from our lives”
B. “find ways to deal with stress”
D. “establish links between diseases and stress”
55. According to the author, the right attitude toward stress is _____.
A. to avoid it B. to try to deal with it
C. to regard it as a vital motivation D. to find some relaxation
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第三部分：阅读理解（
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项中，选出最佳选项。共10小题；每小题2分，共20分。)
I’ve loved my mother’s desk since I was just tall enough to see above the top of it as Mother sat doing letters. Standing by her chair, looking at the ink bottle, pens, and white paper, I decided that the act of writing must be the most wonderful thing in the world.
Years later, during her final illness, Mother left different things for my sister and brother. “But the desk”, she said, “is for Elizabeth”.
I never saw her angry, and never saw her cry. I knew she loved me, and she showed it in action. But as a young girl, I wanted heart-to-heart talks between mother and daughter.
They never happened. And a gulf opened between us. I was “too emotional”. But she lived “on the surface”.
As years passed and I had my own family. I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family. I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive me.
I posted the letter and waited for her answer. None came. My hope turned to disappointment, the little interest, finally, peace — it seemed that nothing happened. I couldn’t be sure that the letter had ever got to Mother. I only knew that I had written it, and I could stop trying to make her into someone she was not.
Now the present of her desk told me, as she’d never been able to, that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work, I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers inside — a photo of my father and a one-page letter, folded and refolded many times which gave me the answer that the desk was the way you chose. Mother, you always chose the acts that spoke louder than words.
46. The writer began to love her mother’s desk _______.
A. after Mother died
C. when she was a child
B. before she became a writer
D. when Mother gave it to her
47. The passage shows about _______.
A. Mother wrote her daughter in careful words
B. Mother cared much about her daughter in words
C. Mother was too serious about everything her daughter had done
D. Mother was cold on the surface but kind in her heart to her daughter
48. The word “gulf” in the 4th paragraph means _______.
A. part of the sea going far in land
B. free talks between mother and daughter
C. different ideas between the mother and daughter
D. deep understanding between the old and the young
49. What did Mother do with her daughter’s letter asking for forgiveness?
A. She had never received the letter.
B. She read the letter again and again till she died.
C. For years, she often talked about the letter.
D. She didn’t forgive her daughter at all
in her life.
50. What’s the best title of the passage?
A. My letter to Mother
B. Mother and children
C. My Mother’s Desk
D. Talks between Mother and Me
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Anybody running a company knows that a well - planned conference can greatly improve performance of that business．The main reason for this is that it takes your employees away from the daily workplace and offers them somewhere fresh for a short time．However，unless the conference is well thought out it will not have the best results and you will have wasted a great deal of money．Here are some tips for you．
The first step is to find the right place．Can your employees easily reach the conference center? Is it near a railway station? Is it close to a good，fast road? Has it plenty of suitable parking space? If you are going to choose a hotel，then perhaps the hotel has cheaper rates at weekends or，if it is in a popular tourist area，midweek rates may be cheaper．Furthermore, you need to think whether there is a bathroom．After a day’s meeting，maybe your employees would like to have a hot water bath．Or maybe there are other needs to satisfy depending on your employees’ taste.
Another important requirement is food and drink. Breakfast is a time when people can relax before work begins，but you may not want a long break for lunch in the middle of the day．Buffet(自助餐) lunches are very popular for this reason．Then there is dinner，which most employees consider a reward for a day’s hard work!
Whatever your needs are，it is essential（基本的）to think ahead if you want a successful conference．
67. In the text the writer is trying to ________．
A. complain about a conference center
B. describe a good conference center he has been to
C. persuade employers to choose a suitable place for a conference
D. advise employees where to stay for a conference
68. Readers read the text in order to __________．
A. find out about organizing conferences
B. learn how to reward good employees
C. find out about running a business
D. 1earn some details about conference centers
69.What is very important when choosing a conference center?
A. Cheap food and drink. B. Free car parking．
C. Good transport connections. D. Popular tour areas．
70.Which center would the writer recommend to an employer?
| ★STAR★ CONFERENCE CENTRE äClose to airport and golf course. äChoice of conference rooms. äSwimming pool and sauna. ä3 full meals a day included in price. |
WATT CONFERENCE CENTRE )5 Minutes from city center and close to motorway )Full breakfast, light lunches and exciting dinner menus. )Choice of accommodation（住宿） to suit your financial needs. |
A B
| *Topps Conference center ·Enjoy beautiful scenery high up in the hills. ·Continental breakfast served in bedroom if wished. ·Minibus service to nearest town. |
Royal conference Center ]Situated in quiet countryside. ]Free car park available for guests. ]TV and VHS included in your conference costs as well as three buffet style meals a day. |
C D
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There is an English saying, “Laughter is the best medicine.” Until recently, few people took the saying seriously. Now however, doctors have begun to look into laughter and the effects it has on the human body. They have found that laughter really can improve people’s health.
Tests were carried out to study the effects of laughter on the body. People watched funny films while doctors checked their heart, blood pressure, breathing and muscles. It was found that laughter has similar effects to physical exercise. It increases blood pressure, makes the heart beat quicker and makes people breathe deeper; it also works several groups of muscles in the face, the stomach, and even the feet. If laughter exercises the body, it must be beneficial.
Other tests have shown that laughter appears to be able to reduce the effect of pain on the body. In one experiment doctors produced pain in groups of students who listened to different radio programmes. The group that tolerated (忍耐) the pain for the longest time was the group which listened to a funny programme. The reason why laughter can reduce pain seems to be that it helps to produce a kind of chemical in the brain which diminishes both stress and pain.
As a result of these discoveries, some doctors in the United States now hold laughter clinics, in which they help to improve their patients’ condition by encouraging them to laugh. They have found that even if their patients do not really feel like laughing, making them smile is enough to produce beneficial effects similar to those caused by laughter.
63. According to the passage, which of the following statements is WRONG?
A. Laughter is good for health.
B. Laughter can make you become old quickly.
C. Laughter helps to reduce pain.
D. Laughter, just like physical exercise, is good for our body.
64. The underlined word “diminishes” in the third paragraph means “ ”.
A. delays B. prevents
C. increases D. reduces
65. Why do doctors hold laughter clinics?
A. Because they want to earn more money.
B. Because they think they will help the patients recover from illnesses.
C. Because they want to improve their patients’ health.
D. Because they want their patients to laugh more.
66. What would be the best title for this passage?
A. Both laughter and physical exercise are good for health.
B. Laughter clinics can help patients improve their condition.
C. Laughter can reduce the effect of pain.
D. Laughter is the best medicine.
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Education is not an end, but a means to an end. In other words, we do not educate children only for the purpose of educating them. Our purpose is to fit them for life.
In some modern countries it has for some time been fashionable to think that by free education for all — one can solve all the problems of society and build a perfect nation. But we can already see that free education for all is not enough; we find in such countries a far larger number of people with university degree; they refuse to do what they think “low” work; and, in fact, work with hands is thought to be dirty and shameful in such countries. But we have only to think a moment to understand that the work of a completely uneducated farmer is far more important than that of a professor; we can live without education, but we die if we have no food. If no one cleaned our streets and took the rubbish away from our houses, we should get terrible diseases in our towns.
In fact, when we say that all of us must be educated to fit us for life, it means that we must be educated in such a way that, firstly, each of us can do whatever work suited to his brains and ability and, secondly, that we can realize that all jobs are necessary to society, and that is very bad to be ashamed of one’s work. Only such a type of education can be considered valuable to society.
60. The writer of the passage thinks that _______.
A. education can settle most of the world’s problems
B. free education for all probably leads to a perfect world
C. free education won’t help to solve problems
D. all the social problems can’t be solved by education
61. The writer wants to prove that _______.
A. our society needs all kinds of jobs
B. our society needs free education for all
C. a farmer is more important than a professor
D. work with hands is the most important
62. The purpose of education is _______.
A. to choose officials for the country
B. to prepare children mainly for their future work
C. to let everyone receive education fit for him
D. to build a perfect world