Having driven almost thirty hours, I decided to stay in South Carolina for a few days. The next morning, I purchased a three-day fishing license and bait (饵料) before heading to the lake.
Opening my trunk, I carefully took out my fishing gear (用具), put it on the lake’s edge, baited up and began to fish.
“Good morning,” said someone, walking up from behind me.
Turning around, I saw a game warden (猎场管理员) with a clip-board.
“Good morning,” I said, nodding my head.
“Catch any fish?” he asked.
“No sir, just relaxing and killing time.”
“Can I see your fishing license?”
I handed him the license I had purchased at the bait shop.
“Can I see your driver’s license, too?” he requested.
“I see the name on the driver’s license is spelled Kiser and the name on the fishing license is Kaiser,” said the warden.
“The gentleman at the bait shop must have written it wrong,” I told him.
“Well, I’m afraid I’ll have to write you up for fishing with an invalid license and take away your fishing gear.”
“You’ve got to be kidding,” I responded, with a surprised look on my face.
Sure enough I was written up and my fishing gear taken away. I was told that I would have to pay a fine and that my stuff would be sold at auction（拍卖）.
I stood there almost in tears as he drove away. Those rods and reels were very special to me. I had used them over twenty years, fishing with my friends, who were now all dead.
After returning home in Georgia, I telephoned South Carolina trying to explain the situation, but no one would listen. I was told that the Department of Fish and Game had a “zero tolerance” for fishing and hunting violations. Finally, in tears I paid the fine and gave up the fight.
Nine months later, I received a letter. I had no idea who it was from as there was no return address. On a plain piece of notebook paper was written “Auction for the Department of Fish and Game held this Saturday at 11:00 am.”
On Saturday, at six in the morning I headed to South Carolina. By ten o’clock I had found the auction. There were numerous boats and piles upon piles of fishing equipment. All at once, there it was—my wonderful stuff all thrown in a pile as if it was worth nothing.
As the auction began I took my seat. In my wallet was twenty-seven dollars. For more than an hour I waited for my property to be brought to the auction block.
“We have three rods and reels here. I guess we will sell this as a unit,” said the auctioneer.
“50 dollars,” yelled someone in the crowd.
“51 dollars,” yelled another man.
I rose from my seat and walked out of the auction.
“66 dollars,” I heard as the bidding continued.
“100 dollars,” came another bid. The auction became silent.
“100 dollars once, 100 dollars twice, 100 dollars three times. Sold for 100 dollars,” went the auctioneer.
I walked to my truck, got in and just sat there. Suddenly I heard something hit the side of my truck. Turning around, I saw the back of a man putting my three rods and reels into my truck. It was the same game warden who wrote me the ticket almost a year ago!
As I got out of the truck he stuck out his hand and said, “I wasn’t wrong. It’s the law that is wrong.”
I shook his hand, thanked him and drove away. I cried as I crossed the South Carolina Georgia state line.
68. Who wrote a letter to the writer telling him about the auction?
A. The Department of Fish and Game. B. The game warden.
C. A person unmentioned in the passage. D. The auction organizers.
69. Why did the writer walk out of the auction while it was going on?
A. He realized he was unable to get back his fishing gear.
B. He was too nervous to stay inside till the auction ended.
C. He couldn’t bear hearing people selling his fishing gear.
D. He knew the game warden was waiting for him outside.
70. What did the game warden mean by saying “It’s the law that is wrong”?
A. It didn’t make any sense to prohibit people from fishing freely in South Carolina.
B. The writer did break the law by fishing with an invalid license whatever the reason.
C. The writer should have been allowed a chance to explain and get his things back.
D. The auction should not have been held to sell the boats and fishing equipment.
In this day and age when we have a tendency to toss toys that are even slightly worn, it is tough to believe that there is a “hospital” where dolls can be repaired and brought back to their original glory. What is even more amazing is that such a place has existed for a century and is still going strong. Welcome to Sydney’s “original Doll Hospital” that celebrated its l00th birthday, on February 22nd, 2013.
In 1913, a general store owner in Sydney began importing dolls. However, the rubber bands(橡皮圈) that held them together would often break. Luckily for him, his brother Harold Chapman Sr., was a good handyman and set aside a little “hospital” area in the store to repair the delicate toys. But when customers found out about this, they began bringing in their raggedy dolls, stuffed animals and even leather goods and umbrellas—starting what would become a family business for many generations.
In l930, Chapman’s son also, named Harold, relocated the doll hospital and expanded the business even further, by agreeing to repair anything that could be fixed, no matter how big or small. While business was robust, the real boom came in 1938 during World War Two. Faced with extreme restrictions, new dolls and toys became a rarity, and young girls and boys had no option, but to get their existing ones lovingly restored.
While it does not have as many employees today, the hospital that is run by his son Geoff Chapman now sits in a spiffy location with a beautiful store-front that features everything a little girl could possibly wish for, from new to lovingly restored, to even extremely rare and valuable dolls. Also in keeping with modern times and dolls, the doctors are now specialists—some focus on bringing back to life modern dolls, while others stick to antiques. And then there are also the soft toy experts and accessory repair experts.
Though it may not appear to be, the doctors say their jobs are very interesting given that no two dolls are the same or need the same repairs and that just like medical doctors they have no idea what obstacle they will have to face when they come to work each day. The one advantage? There are no emergency night calls to worry about!We can learn from Paragraph 2 that __________.
| A．people showed little interest in having their toys repaired at first |
| B．most of the toys that had broken were thrown away by Harold |
| C．stores in Sydney didn’t produce toys for kids at the beginning of 1900s |
| D．the toy repairing business came into being rather accidently |
The underlined word “robust” in Paragraph 3 shows the family’s business __________.
| A．was struggling hard |
B．was greatly stricken |
| C．was developing very well |
D．was enjoying its best time |
What can we learn about people working in the toy repairing hospital?
| A．They work in that hospital mainly because they love toys. |
| B．Most of them focus on repairing modern dolls for little kids. |
| C．They are not capable of repairing toys that are extremely rare. |
| D．There are different experts who specialize in different types of toys. |
Which of the following words can describe the doctors’ work according to the last paragraph?
| A．Simple. |
B．Boring. |
C．Worthless. |
D．Challenging. |
“The Voice” has become a major player in the TV talent-show stages, as the show has become NBC’s biggest entertainment prime-time program of 2012. In addition to being a hit in the ratings, “The Voice” is also a hit with critics and Emmy voters: The second season of the show , which aired from February to May 2012, has earned the 2012 Critics’ Choice Award for Best Realty-Series Competition and an Emmy nomination (提名) for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program.
All the original coaches are back for the third season in a row: Christina Aguilera, Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green and Blake Shelton. The show’s other on-air talent returning for Season 3 are host/producer Carson Daly and social media reporter Christina Milian, who has been with the show since Season 2. The grand prize for the winner is also the same: a record deal with Universal Republic Records.
The third season of “The Voice” features two big new changes: “steals”, in which the coaches can steal contestants who have been rejected from another coach’s team, and “knockout rounds”. In the “battle rounds,” two contestants face off in a duet (二重唱) of a song chosen by their coach. When a contestant is rejected from a team after a battle round, another coach has the option to “steal” the contestant for his or her team. If more than one coach wants the same contestant, then the contestant gets to choose the coach. In the “knockout rounds,” two contestants face off by each doing a different song of the contestant’s choice, and coaches can no longer “steal” a contestant who is rejected.
Season 3 will also have a new group of four advisers, who are each paired with a coach: Green Day lead singer with Aguilera; Mary J. Blige with Levine; Michael Bublé with Shelton; and Matchbox Twenty lead singer Rob Thomas with Green. At an August 2012 press event held at “The Voice” executive producer Mark Burnett’s home in Malibu, California, members of the media gathered for a press conference with Burnett, Aguilera, Green, Shelton, Levine, Daly and Milian to discuss changes in the show and what the future holds for “The Voice.” What does the underlined word “aired” in Paragraph 1 mean?
| A．open |
B．perform |
C．sing |
D．broadcast |
On which section of a newspaper will you read this passage?
| A．Finance |
B．Current affairs |
C．Tech |
D．Entertainment |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．“The Voice” has earned the recognition of critics and Emmy voters. |
| B．The prize of “The Voice” remains the same as the previous year. |
| C．“The Voice” has become the biggest world entertainment of 2012. |
| D．All the original coaches are back for the third season in a row. |
One important variable affecting communication across cultures is destiny (命运) and personal responsibility. This refers to the degree to which we feel ourselves the masters of our lives, contrary to the degree to which we see ourselves as subject to things outside our control. Another way to look at this is to ask how much we see ourselves able to change and act, to choose the course of our lives and relationships. Some have drawn a parallel between the personal responsibility in North American settings and the view itself. The North American view is vast, with large spaces of unpopulated land. The frontier attitude of “King” of the wilderness, and the expansiveness(广阔) of the land reaching huge distances, may relate to generally high levels of confidence in the ability to shape and choose our destinies.
In this expansive land, many children grow up with a heroic sense of life, where ideas are big, and hope springs forever. When they experience temporary failures, they encouraged to redouble their efforts, to “try, try again.” Action, efficiency , and achievement are valued and expected. Free will is respected in laws and enforced by courts.
Now consider places in the world with much smaller land, whose history reflects wars and tough struggles: Northern Ireland, Mexico, Israel, Palestine. In these places, destiny’s role is more important in human life. In Mexico, there is a history of hard life, fighting over land, and loss of homes. Mexicans are more likely to see struggles as part of their life and unavoidable. Their passive attitude is expressed in their way of responding to failure or accident by saying “no mode” (“no way” or “tough lick”), meaning that the failure was destined.
This variable is important to understanding cultural conflict. If someone believing in free will crosses paths with someone more passive, miscommunication is likely. The first person may expect action and responsibility. Failing to see it, he may conclude that the second is lazy, not cooperative, or dishonest. The second person will expect respect for the natural order of things. Failing to see it, he may conclude that the first is forcible, rude, or big headed in his ideas of what can be accomplished or changed.The author thinks that one’s character is partly determined by __________.
| A．physical senses |
B．general attitude |
| C．financial background |
D．geographic characteristics |
According to the passage, Mexicans would think that Americans are __________.
| A．impractical |
B．dishonest |
C．ambitious |
D．hesitant |
The underlined word “subject” in Paragraph l probably means __________.
| A．a topic of a discussion |
| B．a branch of knowledge |
| C．a person being experimented on |
| D．a person under the power of others |
The author would probably agree that __________.
| A．vast land may lead to a more controllable desire |
| B．heroic sense of life roots deeply in a small country |
| C．living in limited space contributes to an accepting attitude |
| D．fighting over land may help people gain high levels of confidence |
Cities with high levels of homeownership—in the range of 75%, like Detroit and St. Louis—had on average considerably lower levels of economic activity and much lower wages and incomes. Far too many people in financial problems are trapped in homes they can’t sell, unable to move on to new centers of opportunity.
The cities and regions with the lowest levels of homeownership—in the range of 55% to 60% like Los Angeles and New York—had healthier economies and higher incomes. They also had higher levels of happiness and well-being.
I was shocked to read these interesting points that Richard Florida made in his recent article. Let me try to understand. The people in Detroit and St. Louis are less happy than the people in New York, and Los Angeles. And, the reason is because of homeownership rates?
First, to compare them to New York City (the economic capital of the world), Los Angeles (the entertainment capital of the world) seems unfair. Most people in almost any other city in the world might be less happy!
Next, let’s try a different way of determining whether renters are happier than homeowners. Why don’t we ask them? Fannie Mae’s National Housing Survey 2010 reported:
75% of current renters believe owning a home makes more sense.
67% plan to buy a home at some point in the future.
When they asked current renters for the major reason to buy a house, these were their answers (they could pick several answers):
78% said it was a good place to raise children.
75% said because they would feel safe.
70% said because you have control of your own space.
If you believe renters are happier, you would also have to believe the majority enjoy living in a less safe environment, which wouldn’t be a good place to raise children and would be a place where they have less control of their space.Which of the following is a fact?
| A．People in Los Angeles earn high incomes because of its low homeownership rate. |
| B．New York’s low homeownership rate increases people’s happiness levels. |
| C．Detroit’s high level of homeownership causes its economic problems. |
| D．St. Louis has a higher level of homeownership than Los Angeles. |
In his article, Richard Florida tried to express that _________.
| A．people in Los Angeles are happier than those in St. Louis |
| B．renting a house is better than owning a house |
| C．Detroit’s economy is healthier than New York’s economy |
| D．New York and Los Angeles are happiest cities |
The writer believes that New York City and Los Angeles _________.
| A．pay employees highest wages in America |
| B．benefit from low levels of homeownership |
| C．are leading cities across the globe |
| D．are best American cities to live in |
From Fannie Mae’s survey report, we can know that _________.
| A．paying rent makes more sense |
| B．most homeowners plan to sell their houses |
| C．most renters prefer to become homeowners |
| D．parents need to buy a house for their children |
A Child’s History of the World
Our Price: $28.00
Item #: 010821
ISBN: 978-8-8828-7028-7
Grades: 4—Adult
Product Description
V. M. Hillyer, the first headmaster of Calvert School, spent many of his school years studying only American history. Believing that studying world history would broaden children’s horizons and give them a better understanding of the world and history in general, he set out to write an understandable and comprehensive world history children could enjoy. A Child’s History of the World functions to familiarize young children with some historical events and people of significance while reading like a good story. The subjects are covered in chronological order, from the beginning of the world through the end of the Cold War. This gives the child a linear view of world history that allows the details to be filled in later. A Child’s History of the World is a basic reader and is not intended to be used as a supplementary reader.
Customer Reviews
This is a must-have book. It is a complete and engaging curriculum that is easy to use and understand. My girls are so close in age I was able to use it with all three at once and they loved it. And it’s inexpensive! Love the way it is written.
Katrena R. from Shingle Springs, CA
This is a great book. Everyone (elementary/primary aged) should have this book in their homeschooling library. My kids (ages 4-9) have all enjoyed this book. It is engaging and well written for young ones. There is a lot of information packed into this book and it is presented in a way that is not boring for kids. It is kind of like The Story of the World.
Patrice T. from SeattleWe can know that A Child’s History of the World ________.
| A．included many original historical pictures |
| B．included many interesting historical details |
| C．was introduced to Calvert School by V. M. Hillyer |
| D．was first used as a history textbook at Calvert School |
A Child’s History of the World was written ________.
| A．in order of space |
B．in order of time |
| C．in numerical(of numbers) order |
D．in alphabetical order |
From A Child’s History of the World, children can know _________.
| A．important events in America |
| B．famous places of historical interest |
| C．lives of many famous people in the past |
| D．some stories of ordinary people in the past |
According to Katrena R, her children _________.
| A．read A Child’s History of the World to each other |
| B．learned A Child’s History of the World together |
| C．each had a copy of A Child’s History of the World |
| D．used A Child’s History of the World to improve their writing |