When my family moved to America from a small village in Guangdong, China, we brought not only our luggage, but also our village rules, customs and culture. One of the rules is that young people should always respect elders. Unluckily, this rule led to my very first embarrassment in the United States.
I had a part-time job as a waiter in a Chinese restaurant. One time, when I was serving food to a middle-aged couple, the wife asked me how the food could be served so quickly. I told her that I had made sure they got their food quickly because I always respect the elderly. As soon as I said that, her face showed great displeasure. My manager, who happened to hear what I said, took me aside and gave me a long lecture about how sensitive(敏感) Americans are and how they dislike the description “old”. I then walked back to the table and apologized to the wife. After the couple heard my reason, they understood that the problem was caused by cultural differences, so they laughed and were no longer angry.
In my village in China, people are proud of being old. Not so many people live to be seventy or eighty, and people who reach such an age have the most knowledge and experience. Young people always respect older people because they know they can learn from their rich experience.
However, in the United States, people think “growing old” is a problem since “old” shows that a person is going to retire or that the body is not working well. Here many people try to keep themselves away from growing old by doing exercises or jogging, and women put on makeup, hoping to look young. When I told the couple in the restaurant that I respect the elderly, they got angry because this caused them to feel they had failed to stay young. I had told them something they didn’t want to hear.
After that, I changed the way I had been with older people. It is not that I don’t respect them any more; I still respect them, but now I don’t show my feelings through words.
1．Jack brought the couple their food very fast because .
A．the manager asked him to do so
B．he respected the elderly
C．the couple wanted him to do so
D．he wanted more pay
2．When Jack called the couple “elderly”, they became .
A．nervous B．satisfied C．unhappy D．excited
3．In Jack’s hometown, .
A．people dislike being called “old”
B．people are proud of being old
C．many people reach the age of seventy or eighty
D．the elderly are the first to get food in restaurants
4．After this experience, Jack .
A．lost his job in the restaurant
B．made friends with the couple
C．no longer respected the elderly
D．changed his way with older people
5．Which of the following is TRUE?
A．The more Jack explained, the angrier the couple got.
B．Jack wanted to show his feelings through words after his experience.
C．The manager went back to the table and apologized to the couple.
D．From this experience, Jack learned more about American culture.
Have you ever been to the beautiful country of Holland and its capital Amsterdam? Anyone who has traveled to Amsterdam would probably agree on one thing: Amsterdam’s story is a tale of two cities — one during the day and a completely different one at night.
When the sun is up, this largest city in the Netherlands sits quietly on the Amstel River. You can rent a bicycle, visit the Van Gogh or Anne Frank museum, or take a water taxi. But when the sun goes down, the partying begins. In the big clubs and in the coffee shops, tourists gather to talk politics and smoke.
Several areas of the city clearly show the two worlds that rule Amsterdam. And they’re all within a short cab ride of each other. For example, Dam Square attracts daytime sightseers to its festivals, open markets, concerts and other events. Several beautiful and very popular hotels can be found there. And there’s the Royal Palace and the Magna Plaza shopping mall. But at night party-seekers come to the square. Hip hop or funk music (疯狂音乐) is heard there. So if you come, be ready to dance. The clubs don’t shut down until 4 am.
And while you’re there, check out the various inexpensive ways to tour the city. Don’t worry about getting lost. Although Dutch is the official language, most people in Amsterdam speak English and are happy to help you with directions. And you’ll notice that half the people walking around in the streets are on bicycles they rent. Amsterdam also has a well-planned canal system. For about 10 dollars, you can use the canal bus or a water taxi to cruise (巡游) the “Venice of the North”.
The city has a historic past. One impressive (印象深刻的) place to visit is the Anne Frank House on Nine Street. It was there that the young Jewish girl wrote her famous diary during World War II. Visitors can view Anne’s original diary and climb behind the bookcase to the room where she and her family hid from the Nazis for two years. What means of transport is not available to visitors in Amsterdam?
| A．A carriage. | B．A bicycle. |
| C．A canal bus. | D．A water taxi. |
What can you learn about by visiting the Anne Frank House?
| A．The wonderful past of Amsterdam. |
| B．The experience of a beautiful girl survivor. |
| C．The life of Jewish during World WarⅡ. |
| D．The suffering of the Dutch in wars. |
The passage is intended to_______.
| A．call up people’s memories of World WarⅡ |
| B．tell readers what A Tale of Two Cities is about |
| C．instruct visitors what to do and see in Holland |
| D．offer readers some information about Amsterdam |
This passage is most likely taken from _______.
| A．a private diary | B．a test paper | C．a travel journey | D．a history book |
My friend Robert started a new job this week and he’s been in the training class for two days. The employer has a very strict dress code—dark blue shirts and pants.
On the first day, an older gentleman in his class did not have the proper clothes and he was strictly told that he would be fired if he didn’t have the right clothes the next day. He explained, “Sir, I had been told about this, but because of my larger size, it’s sometimes difficult to find the right clothing for a price I can afford.”
Last night, Robert and I decided that this old man shouldn’t lose the chance of work simply because he couldn’t afford the clothes. I had some cash on hand and Robert took it with him this morning just in case it was needed.
When training started this morning, the trainer was ready to fire the older gentleman. “You have 10 minutes to be in proper clothes,” he was told. At this point, Robert spoke up and asked if he could have 10 minutes to get him the clothes. He then ran out to the store and bought the proper-sized pants and a shirt; he returned with both and gave them to the older man.
The older gentleman began to cry and told him that he couldn’t accept such a gift from a stranger. Robert told him he had to because he had lost the receipt(收据) and couldn’t return them—a little white lie. The pants were a perfect fit, the shirt was a bit tight but he was able to keep his job.
“My wife and I tried to gather together some money last night, but we didn’t have enough to buy the clothes,” he told Robert. “It’s unbelievable to me that a person would do such a thing for only knowing me a day!”
More unbelievable is how good it has made Robert and me feel to do this.If the older man did not have the proper clothes, he would _____.
| A．be punished | B．be offered another job | C．put off the training class | D．lose his job |
The money which was paid for the clothes was _____.
| A．the trainer’s | B．the older man’s | C．the writer’s | D．Robert’s |
How did Robert persuade the older man to accept the clothes?
| A．He told the older man that he would lose his job if he did not take them. |
| B．He told a lie that the clothes didn’t fit himself. |
| C．He told the older man that he could save money and return it later. |
| D．He told the older man that he had no way to send them back. |
What might be the best title for the passage?
| A．Proper clothes for a stranger | B．Fight against strict rules |
| C．A strange employer | D．An unbelievable thing |
Many Chinese students who have learnt English for more than ten years are still unable to speak English very well when they meet a foreigner. They seem to have mastered the basic language structure, but a conversation in English will make them feel uneasy. They are afraid that other people might find out their mistakes.
It’s uncommon that many students who are bad speakers of English can write English perfectly. This proves that they are unable to organize their ideas in English. The center of the problem is that they lack practice and confidence(自信).
Why should you be afraid? Do you fear those foreigners with whom you are speaking? Don’t be shy, they will not laugh at you just for a little mistake you make. The best way to get rid of trouble is to learn to speak by speaking more. I am sure that constant practice will help you succeed.What’s the best topic for the passage?
| A．How to speak to foreigners | B．How to study English well |
| C．How to organize the idea in English | D．Practise speaking English all the time |
Many Chinese students can write English very well, but they cannot speak English freely because_______.
| A．they seldom meet foreigners |
| B．they seldom practise speaking English |
| C．they had no chance to speak English |
| D．they think it’s enough to master the basic language structure |
So many Chinese students are afraid to speak to foreigners because _________.
| A．they are afraid they can’t understand foreigners |
| B．they don’t think their English is poor |
| C．they worry about making mistakes in their speaking |
| D．they didn’t like speaking to foreigners |
According to the passenger, which of the following is NOT true?
| A．We can speak English fluently by doing more speaking. |
| B．If you can write English perfectly, you are able to organize your idea in English. |
| C．If you can write good English composition, you can speak English very well. |
| D．Many Chinese students can’t speak English freely because they are afraid of making mistakes. |
Too many people want to be their friends, but they don’t give friendship back. That is why some friendship doesn’t last long. To have a friend, you must learn to be one. You must learn to treat your friend the way you want your friend to treat you. Learning to be a good friend means learning three rules: be honest; be generous; be understanding.
Honesty is where a good friendship starts. Friends must be able to trust one another. If you do not tell the truth, people usually find out. If a friend finds out that you haven’t been honest, you may lose friend’s trust. Good friends always count on one another to speak and act honestly.
Generosity means sharing and sharing makes a friendship grow. You do not have to give your lunch money or your clothes. Naturally you will want to share your ideas and feeling. These can be very valuable to a friend. They tell your friend what is important to you. By sharing them, you help your friend know better.
Sooner or later everyone needs understanding and helping with a problem. Something may go wrong at school. Talking about the problem can make it easier to solve. Turning to a friend can be a first step in solving the problem. So to be a friend you must listen and understand. You must try to put yourself in your friend’s place so you can understand the problem better.
No two friendships are ever exactly alike. But all true friendships have three things in common. If you plan to keep your friends, you must practice honesty, generosity, and understanding.Some friendships don’t last very long because ________.
| A．there are too many people who want to make friends. |
| B．some people receive friendship but don’t give friendship back. |
| C．those who give others friendship receive friendship from others. |
| D．they don’t know friendship is something serious. |
According to the passage honesty is ___________.
| A．something countable | B．the base of friendship |
| C．as important as money | D．more important than anything else |
Which of the following isn’t mentioned(提及) in the passage?
| A．Always tell your friends the truth. |
| B．Sharing your mind with your friends is of great value. |
| C．Discussing your problems with your friend often helps to solve the problem. |
| D．A friend who gives you his lunch money is a true friend. |
The best title of this passage is __________.
| A．Honesty is the Best Policy | B．A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed |
| C．How to be Friend | D．Three Important Points in Life |
Americans like to travel on their yearly holiday．Today，more and more travelers in the United States are spending nights at small houses or inns （客栈） instead of hotels．They get a room for the night and the breakfast the next morning．
Rooms for the night in private homes with breakfast have been popular with travelers in Europe for many years．In the past five to ten years，these bed-and-breakfast places have become popular in the United States．Many of these America’s bed-and-breakfast inns have only a few rooms，others are much larger．Some inns do not provide telephones or televisions in the rooms，others do．
Staying at a bed-and-breakfast inn is much different from staying at a hotel．Usually the cost is much less．Staying at an inn is almost like visiting someone’s home．The owners are glad to tell about the areas and the interesting places to visit．Many vacationers say that they enjoy the chance to meet local families．Americans take a holiday trip _____．
| A．all the year round | B．for years | C．every year | D．every other year |
According to the passage，which of the following is NOT true？
| A．Some Americans like to stay at bed-and-breakfast homes instead of at hotels． |
| B．The bed-and-breakfast inns are private homes opened to vacationers． |
| C．The bed-and-breakfast inns have been popular in America for a long time． |
| D．The bed-and-breakfast inns owners provide a morning meal for their visitors and a room for the night． |
Why do American travelers prefers staying at bed-and-breakfast inns?
| A．It is like visiting someone’s home． | B．The money they spend there is much less． |
| C．They can meet local families． | D．All of the above |
Staying at the bed-and-breakfast inns，_____．
| A．the travelers needn’t pay anything |
| B．the travelers don’t have to pay for the telephone or television |
| C．The travelers can meet and talk with the local people |
| D．The owners will show the travelers around the area |