It is well known that the Japanese people’s love of fish is almost as a bee’s interest in honey. As fish populations were decreasing, fishing companies were forced to fish further and further away from the shore. Then they had a big challenge－how to keep the fish fresh for longer. So they decided to keep the fish stored in freezers on the boats. But the public did not like frozen fish. So again the fishing companies had a new bigger challenge. What they decided to do was to have fish tanks on their boats. After catching fishes, they would put them in the tanks and keep them living there until they got back to shore. But in this protected environment, lacking predators (掠食者)，the fish stopped moving around. The Japanese public felt these dull fish did not taste fresh, which had an unpleasant effect upon sales. Once again the fishing companies had an even bigger challenge ...
Stop for a minute! Before we go any further, I would like to ask “What are your challenges? How do you handle an unexpected challenge?” May I think it this way that you should try to attack your challenges? Conquer them with a Swiss Army knife. Take the most proper and simple tool that you can adopt to deal with your situation.
Now back to our story. How did the Japanese finally figure out the fresh fish problem？Sharks! You might think the same. Sharks were caught and put into the tanks with other fishes. Don’t sharks eat fish? Well, they do eat a few fish, but they did also keep more fish active and alert (警觉的) The fish stay fresh because they are challenged.
Now, try to keep yourself fresh by finding your own shark to offer yourself a challenge in your own business and career.
1.The main reason for the fishing company to fish in the far sea is that .
A. the fish resource near the shore was decreasing
B. the fishes farther away from the sea tasted fresher
C. people would prefer eating fresh fishes to less fresh ones
D. it was getting harder and harder to keep fishes fresh
2.The relationship between fishes and sharks is similar to that between in nature.
A. dogs and cats B. monkeys and mosquitoes
C. wolves and antelopes D. children and lions
3.The underlined part of the last paragraph means “ .”
A. If you went fishing, you might do as the fishing companies did
B. Try to find a big shark, and you will meet your challenge
C. To succeed in life, you should always be ready to meet challenges
D. Sharks are usually compared to the challenges in people’s life
4.The purpose for the author to write the passage is to .
A. tell the readers “no pains, no gains”
B. tell the readers how the Japanese keep the fish fresh
C. suggest readers looking for challenges to make progress
D. advise readers to find something difficult to do
Mrs. Blake teaches English in a large school in the inner area of a big city on the west coast. Even since she was a young girl, she has wanted to become a teacher. She has taught eight years now and hasn’t changed her mind. After she graduated from high school, she went on to college. Four years later, she received her bachelor’s degree (BA) in English and her teaching certificate(证书). Then she went to teach in the secondary schools of her state. In the summers, Mrs. Blake takes more classes; she hopes to get a master’s degree ( MA ). With an MA, she will receive a higher salary and if possible, she hopes to get a doctor’s degree as well. The school day at Mrs. Blake’s high school, like that in many high schools in the United States, is divided into one hour each. Mrs. Blake must teach five of these periods. During her free period, which for her is from 2 to 3 P.M, Mrs. Blake must meet with parents, make our examinations, check assignments at all, Mrs. Blake works continuously from the time she arrives at school in the morning till the time she leaves for home late in the afternoon.How long is it since Mrs. Blake graduated from middle school?
| A．four years | B．eight years | C．twelve years | D．twenty years |
According to the article, which is the right order of the degrees a person can receive after going to university?
| A．a doctor’s degree – a bachelor’s degree – a master’s degree |
| B．a bachelor’s degree – a master’s degree – a doctor’s degree |
| C．a master’s degree – a bachelor’s degree – a doctor’s degree |
| D．a bachelor’s degree – a doctor’s degree – a master’s degree |
How many degrees has Mrs. Blake achieved so far?
| A．one | B．two | C．three | D．four |
Which of the following sentences is not true?
| A．Mrs. Blake teaches in the inner area of big city on the east of the United States. |
| B．Mrs. Blake has turned her wish of becoming a teacher into reality. |
| C．Mrs. Blake is still studying in her holidays in order to get higher degree. |
| D．The working hours in the school where Mrs. Blake works are similar to those of may other high schools in the states. |
Two friends have an argument that breaks up their friendship forever, even though neither one can remember how the whole thing got started. Such sad events happen over and over in high schools across the country. In fact, according to an official report on youth violence, “In our country today, the greatest threat to the lives of children and adolescents is not disease or starvation or abandonment, but the terrible reality of violence”. Given that this is the case, why aren’t students taught to manage conflict the way they are taught to solve math problems, drive cars, or stay physically fit?
First of all, students need to realize that conflict is unavoidable. A report on violence among middle school and high school students indicates that most violent incidents between students begin with a relatively minor insult. For example, a fight could start over the fact that one student eats a peanut butter sandwich each lunchtime. Laughter over the sandwich can lead to insults, which in turn can lead to violence. The problem isn’t in the sandwich, but in the way students deal with the conflict.
Once students recognize that conflict is unavoidable, they can practice the golden rule of conflict resolution: stay calm. Once the student feels calmer, he or slid should choose words that will calm the other person down as well. Rude words, name-calling, and accusation only add fuel to the emotional fire. On the other hand, soft words spoken at a normal sound level can put out the fire before it explodes out of control.
After both sides have calmed down, they can use another key strategy for conflict resolution: listening. Listening allows the two sides to understand each other. One person should describe his or her side, and the other person should listen without interrupting. Afterward, the listener can ask non-threatening questions to clarify the speaker’s position. Then the two people should change roles.
Finally, students need to consider what they are hearing. This doesn’t mean trying to figure out what’s wrong with the other person. It means understanding what the real issue is and what both sides are trying to accomplish. For example, a shouting match over a peanut butter sandwich might happen because one person thinks the other person is unwilling to try new things. Students need to ask themselves questions such as these: How did this start? What do I really want? What am I afraid of? As the issue becomes clearer, the conflict often simply becomes smaller. Even if it doesn’t, careful thought helps both sides figure out a mutual solution.
There will always be conflict in schools, but that doesn’t mean there needs to be violence. After students in Atlanta started a conflict resolution program, according to Educators for Social Responsibility, “64% of the teachers reported less physical violence in the classroom; 75% of the teachers reported an increase in student cooperation; and 92% of the students felt better about themselves”. Learning to resolve conflicts can help students deal with friends, teachers, parents, bosses, and coworkers. In that way, conflict resolution is a basic life skill that should be taught in schools across the country.This article is mainly about .
| A．the lives of school children | B．the cause of arguments in schools |
| C．how to analyze youth violence | D．how to deal with school conflicts |
From Paragraph 2 we can learn that .
| A．violence is more likely to occur at lunchtime |
| B．a small conflict can lead to violence |
| C．students tend to lose their temper easily |
| D．the eating habit of a student is often the cause of a fight |
Why do students need to ask themselves the questions stated in Paragraph 5?
| A．To make clear what the real issue is. |
| B．To get ready to try new things. |
| C．To find out who is to blame. |
| D．To figure out how to stop the shouting match. |
After the conflict resolution program was started in Atlanta, it was found that .
| A．more teachers felt better about themselves in schools |
| B．there was less student cooperation in the classroom |
| C．there was a decrease in classroom violence |
| D．the teacher-student relationship greatly improved |
The writer’s purpose for writing this article is to .
| A．complain about problems in school education |
| B．teach students different strategies for school life |
| C．inform teachers of the latest studies on school violence |
| D．advocate teaching conflict management in schools |
An increase in students applying to study economics at university is being attributed to the global economic crisis awakening a public thirst for knowledge about how the financial system works.
Applications for degree courses beginning this autumn were up by 15% this January, according to UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. A spokesman for the Royal Economic Society said applications to do economics at A-level were also up.
Professor John Beath, the president of the society, and a leading lecturer at St Andrews University, said his first-year lectures—which are open to students from all departments—were drawing crowds of 400, rather than the usual 250.
“There are a large number of students who are not economics majors, who would like to learn something about it. One of the things I have done this year is to relate my teaching to contemporary events in a way that one hasn’t traditionally done.” He added.
University applications rose 7% last year. But there were rises above average in several subjects. Nursing saw a 15% jump, with people’s renewed interest in careers in the public sector, which are seen as more secure in economic crisis.
A recent study showed almost two thirds of parents believed schools should do more to teach pupils about financial matters, and almost half said their children had asked them what was going on, although a minority of parents felt they did not understand it themselves well enough to explain.
Zack Hocking, the head of Child Trust Funds, said: “It’s possible that one good thing to arise from the downturn will be a generation that’s financially wiser and better equipped to manage their money through times of economic uncertainty.”Professor John Beath’s lectures are .
| A．given in a traditional way |
| B．open to both students and their parents |
| C．connected with the present situation |
| D．warmly received by economics |
Incomes in the public sector are more attractive because of their .
| A．greater stability | B．higher pay |
| C．fewer applications | D．better reputation |
In the opinion of most parents .
| A．economics should be the focus of school teaching |
| B．more students should be admitted to universities |
| C．children should solve financial problems themselves |
| D．the teaching of financial matters should be strengthened |
According to Hocking, the global economic crisis might make the youngsters .
| A．have access to better equipment | B．wiser in money management |
| C．confident about their future careers | D．get jobs in Child Trust Funds |
What’s the main idea of the text?
| A．Universities have received more applications. |
| B．College students benefit a lot from economic uncertainty. |
| C．Economics is attracting an increasing numbers students. |
| D．Parents are concerned with children’s subject selection. |
When it comes to friends, I desire those who will share my happiness, who possess wings of their own and who will fly with me. I seek friends whose qualities illuminate （照亮） me and train me up for love. It is for these people that I reserve the glowing hours, too good not to share.
When I was in the eighth grade, I had a friend. We were shy and “too serious” about our studies when it was becoming fashionable with our classmates to learn acceptable social behaviors. We said little at school, but she would come to my house and we would sit down with pencils and paper, and one of us would say: “Let’s start with a train whistle today.” We would sit quietly together and write separate poems or stories that grew out of a train whistle. Then we would read them aloud. At the end of that school year, we, too, were changing into social creatures and the stories and poems stopped.
When I lived for a time in London, I had a friend. He was in despair and I was in despair. But our friendship was based on the idea in each of us that we would be sorry later if we did not explore this great city because we had felt bad at the time. We met every Sunday for five weeks and found many excellent things. We walked until our despairs disappeared and then we parted. We gave London to each other.
For almost four years I have had a remarkable friend whose imagination illuminates mine. We write long letters in which we often discover our strangest selves. Each of us appears, sometimes in a funny way, in the other’s dreams. She and I agree that, at certain times, we seem to be parts of the same mind. In my most interesting moments, I often think: “Yes, I must tell...” We have never met.
It is such comforting companions I wish to keep. One bright hour with their kind is worth more to me than the lifetime services of a psychologist, who will only fill up the healing silence necessary to those darkest moments in which I would rather be my own best friend. In the eighth grade, what the author did before developing proper social behavior was to .
| A．share poems and stories with her friend |
| B．go to her friend’s house regularly |
| C．become serious about her study |
| D．learn from her classmates at school |
In Paragraph 3, “We gave London to each other” probably means .
| A．our unpleasant feeling about London disappeared |
| B．we were unwilling to tear ourselves away from London |
| C．our exploration of London was a memorable gift to both of us |
| D．we parted with each other in London |
According to Paragraph 4, the author and her friend .
| A．call each other regularly | B．enjoy writing to each other |
| C．have similar personalities | D．dream of meeting each other |
In the darkest moments, the author would prefer to .
| A．seek professional help | B．break the silence |
| C．stay with her best friend | D．be left alone |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．Noble Companions | B．Remarkable Imagination |
| C．Lifelong Friendship | D．Unforgettable Experiences |
A practical English Grammar is intended for intermediate（中级的） and post-intermediate students. We hope that more advanced learners and teachers will also find it useful.
The book is a comprehensive survey of structures and forms, written in clear modern English and illustrated with numerous examples. Areas of particular difficulty have been given special attention. Differences between conversational usage and strict grammatical forms are shown but the emphasis is on controversial forms.
In the fourth edition the main changes are as follows.
1. Explanation and examples have been brought up to date.
2. There is now more information on countable and uncountable nouns, attributive and predicative adjectives, adverbs of place, sentence adverbs, cleft sentences, prepositions, conjunctives, modal verbs, perfect tenses, infinitive constructions, the passive, purpose clauses and nouns.
3. Some material has been rearranged to make comparisons easier. For example, parts of chapters on can, may, must etc. are now grouped by functions; verbs of liking and preference have a chapter to themselves; suggestions and invitations have joined the chapter on commands, requests and advice.
4. The contents list now summaries every edition heading, and there is a new index containing many more entries references.
In this edition the sign “~” is frequently used to show a change of speaker in examples of dialogue. Note also that although the sign “="”" sometimes connects two words or expressions with the same meaning, it is often used more freely, e.g. to indicate a transformation from active to passive or direct to indirect speech.
We wish to thank all at Oxford University Press who have assisted in the preparation of the fourth edition. We would also like to thank Professor Egawa of Nihon University, Japan, Professor Rene Dirven of Duisburg University, West Germany and other colleagues for their friendly and helpful suggestions.
London, November 1985 A.J.T., A.VMThe grammar book mentioned in this passage is not suitable for .
| A．a middle school teacher | B．a primary school student |
| C．a senior high student | D．a college student |
According to the passage, we know that his grammar book .
| A．compares modern English with old English |
| B．gives a large number of examples to reduce difficulty |
| C．attaches more importance to conversational forms |
| D．pays little attention to strict grammatical forms |
Which of the following statements about the changes is TRUE?
| A．This book keeps up with the latest usages of the America English language. |
| B．This edition offers more information about pronouns. |
| C．It’s not easy for us to find the information we need in this book. |
| D．One particular chapter discusses verbs like “care, like, love, hate, prefer, wish”. |
When you see this line in the book, “Did you get a ticket? ~Yes, I managed to get one”, we can understand that .
| A．the two parts before and after the sign “~” mean the same |
| B．the two parts before and after “~” are said by two different people |
| C．the second speaker repeats what the first speaker says |
| D．the topic is changed in the part after the sign “~” |
In the last paragraph, the authors thank several people because .
| A．they have helped the authors with this edition |
| B．they have agreed to buy a lot of books from the authors |
| C．the authors want to make use of the fames of those people |
| D．those people will make advertisements for this book |