Some people bring out the best in you in a way that you might never have fully realized on your own.My mother was one of those people.
My father died when I was one-year-old.While I was growing up, we led a very hard life, but my mom gave me a lot of love.Each night, she seated me on her lap and, spoke the words that would change my life, "Kemmons, you are sure to be a great man and you can do anything in life if you work hard enough to get it."
At fourteen, I was hit by a car and the doctors said that I would never walk again.Every night my mother spoke to me in her gentle, loving voice, telling me whatever those doctors said, I could walk again if I wanted to.She drove that message so deep into my heart that I finally believed her.A year later, I walked on my own to school!
When the Great Depression broke out, my mother lost her job.Then I left school to support the two of us.At that moment I decided never to be poor again.
Over the years, I experienced a lot of business success.But the real turning point happened on a vacation I took with my wife and five kids in 1951.I was dissatisfied with the second-class hotels available for families and was very angry that they charged an extra $2 for each child.That was too expensive for an ordinary American family.I told my wife that I was going to open a motel (汽车旅馆) for families that would never charge extra money for children.Many people did not believe me at that time.
Not surprisingly, mom was my strongest supporter.As in any business, I experienced a lot of difficulties.But with my mom's words in my heart, I never doubted I would succeed.Fifteen years later, I had the largest hotel system in the world—Holiday Inn.In 1979 my company had 1,759 inns in more than fifty countries with an income of $l billion a year.
You may not have started out life in the best situations.But if you find a task in life worth working for and believe in yourself, nothing can stop you.What Kemmon's mother often told him during his childhood was____.
A.caring | B.moving | C.encouraging | D.interesting |
Who played the most important role in making the author walk back to school again?
A.Doctors. | B.Nurses. | C.His friend. | D.His mom. |
What caused Kemmon to start a motel by himself?
A.His terrible experience in the hotel. | B.His wife's suggestion. |
C.His previous business success. | D.His mom's support. |
Which of the following best describes Kemmon's mother?
A.Modest, helpful and hard-working. |
B.Loving, supportive and strong-willed. |
C.Careful, beautiful and helpful. |
D.Strict, sensitive and supportive. |
Which of the following led to Kemmon's success?
A.Self-confidence, hard work, higher education and a poor family. |
B.Mom's encouragement, clear goals, self-confidence and hard work. |
C.Clear goals, mom's encouragement, a poor family and higher education. |
D.Mom's encouragement, a poor family, higher education and opportunities. |
French novelist Jules Verne (1828~1905) is often called the father of science fictions.Although he was not a great traveller himself,his characters journeyed to the moon (in From Earth to Moon),Under the sea (in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea),into a volcano (in A Journey to the Centre of the Earth),around the world (in Around the World in Eighty Days) and to many other places.
Jules Verne was born in the French city of Nantes in 1828.When he was a boy he ran away from home to work on a ship.However,his father soon found him and brought him home.After that he decided that any future travel he did would be in books.In 1847,his father sent Jules to Paris to study to be a lawyer.Even though he was busy writing,Verne passed his exams in 1849 with high marks.
When Jules told his father he did not want to be a lawyer,his father was very angry.He stopped sending his son any money,so Jules had to earn a living by his writing.Over the next few years he wrote many stories and plays which brought him only a little money.Then,in 1856,he met Honorine de Viane,a rich,young widow with two children.The couple married the next year and their only child Michel was born in 1862.
After his marriage,Verne worked as a businessman in Paris.However,he was not very successful at his job and spent most of his time writing books and doing research for the next one.In 1863,he published his novel Five Weeks in a Balloon and in the following year he published A Journey to the Centre of the Earth which brought him fame.His books became so popular and earned him so much money that he was able to leave his job and work full time on his writing.
In his lifetime,Jules Verne wrote more than 50 books and he became a rich man.Many of this imaginative novels have been turned into films.Jules Verne became rich because of his________.
A.father | B.marriage |
C.business | D.writing |
When Jules Verne was brought home by his father,he decided that________.
A.he would go on more travels in the future |
B.he would do as his father required |
C.he would be devoted to writing about future travels |
D.he would stop writing about future travels |
Which book can be considered as a turning point in Jules Verne’s life?
A.Five Weeks in a Balloon. |
B.A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. |
C.From Earth to Moon. |
D.Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. |
What can we infer from the passage?
A.Jules Verne was appreciated by film makers. |
B.Jules Verne was not clever enough to learn law. |
C.Jules Verne’s stories and plays won him big fame in the 1850s. |
D.Jules Verne’s wife helped him a lot in his writing career. |
The car,running along the welllit road now sank in darkness.I broke the ____ on purpose,____ that the driver was too tired to drive.“When do you go back home in the evening?”“9 o’clock after this ____.” “Then when do you come out in the morning?” I ____ another question.“9 o’clock,too—just as if I worked at an office.” His __ surprised me,because every time I ride a taxi,what I ___ from the driver are only complaints that they have to work from morning till night,it’s hard to earn money and they’re often ___ by the police,or that their leaders are seated lazily,___ the fruits.But this driver told me,“I find it ____ to be a section chief as I was before.I like driving just for ____.It’s fortunate that I hardly drive ____ a passenger.So I earn two or three thousand yuan a month with ease.Yes,I never ____ an empty taxi.If it goes southward,I go northward.If it goes along a ____,I turn into a narrow street.”
His words showed his ____ with his life and the pride he ____ in his job.Such feelings are so rare among people nowadays as oxygen in high ____.As an ancient saying goes,“Neither joy in material ____ nor grieve(悲痛) over personal setbacks.” How many people nowadays can show high ideals by ____ living and go far with a calm mind?I couldn’t help feeling ____ when finding such a state of mind in a stranger on a cold ___.
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A.angry | B.content |
C.dangerous | D.curious |
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Credit cards let people buy things now and pay for them over months or even years.But some people get deep into debt:Some banks have terms and charges that can make it harder for people to pay off that debt.In the United States,there are calls for stronger government supervision of the credit card industry.They_offer_economic_power_at_a_price.In 2004,Americans had about $800 billion in credit card debt.Now they own about $968 billion.
Critics say banks made it too easy to get credit cards.But that may be changing.The crisis in the housing and credit they call markets is beginning to affect the credit card industry.More payments are late.Charges for late payments are a growing source of profit for banks.But late payments can also signal bad debts.
The central bank,the Federal Reserve,says twothirds of American banks have recently reported tighter lending requirements.Many people report having their credit limits reduced without warning.
Some lawmakers are concerned that cardholders do not have enough protections from what abusive policies.These include actions like raising interest rates because of an unrelated event.Also,banks may raise the chances of a late payment by changing monthly payment dates for credit cards.
According to a survey,82% of Americans think credit cards provide a valuable service.But a majority,58%,say they do not trust credit card companies.And three out of four think the government should regulate the industry more closely.Three out of four people feel there is always some condition that makes a card less appealing than the company made in scared.And a little more than half say they have had a card that was not as good as they expected.But close to 80% say no one really reads the terms and conditions when they sign up for a credit card.What does the underlined sentence in the first paragraph probably mean?
A.We can enjoy more convenience using credit cards. |
B.Credit cards can improve our buying power. |
C.We can buy things at lower prices using credit cards. |
D.Credit cards bring more card debt as well as convenience. |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the text?
A.Banks are making it harder for people to get credit cards. |
B.Some people’s credit limits have been reduced. |
C.It is more difficult to borrow money from some banks. |
D.Banks are receiving more charges from late payments. |
What can we know from the text?
A.Banks actually prefer to see more late payment. |
B.People should be more careful when applying for a credit card. |
C.The US government provides better protection for cardholders. |
D.The majority of Americans don’t think much of credit cards. |
What is the main idea of the last paragraph?
A.Credit cards are still very well received in America. |
B.Credit cards don’t live up to some people’s expectations. |
C.Many people don’t believe in credit card companies. |
D.The results of a survey about credit cards in Americans. |
A
Gerber 2241770 Artifact Pocket Keychain Tool
Product Dimensions:2.1×0.8×0.1 inches
ASIN:B001349MD8
Item Model Number:2241770
Discount Price:$9.90(you save 33%)
Product Description:At just 3.5 inches closed,the Artifact is a little larger than a cigarette lighter,but Gerber still has eight different functions.With a flat and Phillips screwdrivers(螺丝刀),wire stripper(剥皮钳) and more,the Artifact Pocket Keychain Tool helps you be prepared for office use.
B
ResQMe,The Keychain Version of the Original Life Hammer (Black)
Product Dimensions:7×9×2 inches
ASIN:B000IE0EZO
Item Model Number:RQMBLA
Discount Price:$9.95(you save 50%)
Product Description:ResQMe is a handheld rescue tool that provides drivers and passengers with the same level of confidence in the event of a lifethreatening incident in your vehicle.Small,yet designed to provide the instant and easy ability to cut through seat belts and side windows when the need arises,it is the inexpensive,portable power that every car should have in the event of an emergency.
C
LaCie iamaKey v2 16 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive 131106
Product Dimensions:2.2×0.9×0.1 inches
ASIN:B004D2AZ0Q
Item Model Number:131105
Discount Price:$24.99(you save 11%)
Product Description:With the LaCie iamaKey v2 the keyshaped design is functional and memorable(难忘的),and the protection that the LaCie iamaKey offers makes it extremely reliable.Best of all,you can fit a very large amount of data in a small flash drive.With its eyecatching design,the iamaKey certainly stands out,and it is one of the most durable(耐用的) and thinnest USB keys on the market.
D
Swiss Tech UKCSB1 UtiliKey 6in1 KeyChain MultiTool
Product Dimensions:6×5×1 inches
ASIN:B0001EFSTI
Item Model Number:UKCSB1
Discount Price:$7.88(you save 21%)
Product Description:The lightest and multiuse tool ever developed.This durable tool has a straight knife sharp edge and a flat screwdriver,a Phillips screwdriver,and a bottle opener.The tool makes repairs and hundreds of jobs an easy undertaking.A good choice for indoor or outdoor activities and emergency situations,this tool comes in handy on the road and at home!Which of the following products has the biggest size?
A.Swiss Tech UKCSB1. |
B.Gerber 2241770 Artifact. |
C.ResQMe. |
D.LaCie iamaKey v2. |
As a bus driver,Mike would be interested in ________.
A.A and B | B.C and D |
C.A and C | D.B and D |
Which tool has the lowest original price?
A.Gerber 2241770 Artifact. |
B.ResQMe. |
C.LaCie iamaKey v2. |
D.Swiss Tech UKCSB1. |
From the text we can learn that all the tools above ________.
A.are electronics |
B.have the same ASIN |
C.are easy to carry |
D.are perfect on a keychain |
Make some noise on May 7 for Music Monday.People in the U.S. and Canada will be celebrating the day by singing and playing musical instruments together.
Music Monday is the first day of National Wanna Play Music Week,which runs from May 7 to 13.The National Association of Music Merchants(NAMM) organizes the weeklong celebration every year.This marks the seventh year the organization is teaming up with Canada’s Coalition for Music Education(CME),the group that started Music Monday.
“It’s a day to fill the skies with music and bring young people together in song,” CME Executive Director Holly Nimmons said.
The CME started Music Monday in 2005.It is held every year on the first Monday of May.It was created to help people realize the importance of music education programs in schools and in communities.The day also celebrates the benefits of playing music for people of all ages.
NAMM researches the effects of music on children.They found that playing music has positive effects on thinking skills and on confidence.It also teaches selfdiscipline(自律) and helps kids bond with their peers(同龄人).“Learning musical skills can also help in your studies of other subjects,such as math,reading and language,” Lora Bodmer,who works at NAMM,said.
Their studies show that music can also help people form friendships and connect with different groups.Nimmons says anyone can join in on the day,not just those who are musically gifted.“I think that we all have the music in us,and it’s a matter of confidence,” she said.“Sing with other people or beat drums,just enjoy the music.”
Participants can turn on the radio to join the fun.Each year a song is assigned to Music Monday.This year the song is “Tomorrow Is Coming” by Luke Doucet.The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation(CBC) will be playing the tune at 1 p.m. Eastern Time.People across North America will play or sing the song at the exact same time.The performance is meant to connect people through melody(旋律).More than 700,000 students took part in the concert last year.
Schools,afterschool programs,organizations,groups and individuals throughout the U.S. and Canada can all participate in Music Monday.Students who would like to share in the celebration should let their teachers or organization leaders know.But NAMM also encourages people to pick up any instrument and play anytime on the day.What can we learn about Music Monday?
A.National Wanna Play Music Week begins on Music Monday. |
B.People can’t sing every day except on Music Monday. |
C.Music Monday will last at least seven days. |
D.Students can enjoy music on Music Monday freely. |
The purpose of National Wanna Play Music Week is to ________.
A.advise young people to learn music |
B.help students to learn music better |
C.get schools and communities closely united |
D.call on people to pay more attention to music education |
Which of the following may be the benefit of music to kids?
A.Kids can get rid of many bad habits. |
B.Kids are most likely to do well in their lessons. |
C.Kids would like to play with other friends more. |
D.Kids will get on well with their parents at home. |
What do the last two paragraphs mainly tell us?
A.How people will celebrate Music Monday. |
B.What students should do on Music Monday. |
C.Why a theme song is chosen for Music Monday. |
D.Where the celebration of Music Monday will be held. |