Calvin Coolidge (1872 – 1933) was the thirtieth president of the United States. He looked down on a person as being unworthy of respect who was too fond of talking about the details of others people’s actions and private lives because he had no time for small talks. The following two incidents clearly show how Collidge treasured silence.
When he was vice president, Coolidge had plenty of opportunities to participate (参加) in Washington’s social life, especially the many dinner parties. As be ignored the art of conversation, he couldn’t exactly make himself dear to his hostesses. One lady felt she could solve this problem. She placed him next to Alice Roosevelt Longworth, daughter of the former President Roosevelt. Mrs. Longworth, a very brilliant conversationalist (谈话者), began to talk in her usual charming manner, but all attempts to a wake the interest on the part of the vice president were unproductive. Finally, being shamed into anger, she said, “I’m sure that going to as many dinners as you do, you must get terribly bored.”
Without lifting his eyes from his plate, Coolidge said not very clearly, “Well, a man has to eat somewhere.”
Later, when he was president and once again at a dinner party, Collidge was seated next to an ou
tstanding society woman, one of those busybodies, who seemed to take delight in trying to change the lives of everyone they met. “Oh, Mr. President,” she spoke with too much enthusiasm, “you are always so quiet. I made a bet (打赌) today that I could get more than two words out of you.”President Collidge considered those people as being unworthy of respect .
| A．who liked to talk about the affairs of others |
| B．who never talked about anything serious |
| C．who often spoke insincerely |
| D．who talked much but did little |
The hostesses thought Collidge was unfriendly because in her eyes.
| A．he treated women coldly and rudely |
| B．he paid no attention to conversational skills |
| C．he was too serious to please any women |
| D．he was pretty easy and quick to get angry |
Mrs. Longworth got shamed and angry because .
| A．the vice president took part in too many dinner parties |
| B．the vice president didn’t lift his eyes from his plate |
| C．the vice president didn’t speak exactly and clearly |
| D．the vice president didn’t react to all her efforts |
The underlined sentence “Well, a man has to eat somewhere” probably means .
A．Mr. Coolidge didn’t want to talk with Mrs. Longworth a t all |
| B．Mr. Coolidge had really got tired of so many social dinners |
| C．Mr. Coolidge was unhappy with the dinner he was eating that day |
D．M r. Coolidge was really hungry and had to find something to eat |
When something goes wrong, it can be very satisfying to say, “Well, it’s so-and-so’s fault.” or “I know I’m late，but it’s not my fault; the car broke down.” It is probably not your fault, but once you form the habit of blaming somebody or something else for a bad situation, you are a loser. You have no power and could do nothing that helps change the situation. However, you can have great power over what happens to you if you stop focusing on whom to blame and start focusing on how to remedy the situation. This is the winner’s key to success.
Winners are great at overcoming problems. For example, if you were late because your car broke down, maybe you need to have your car examined more regularly. Or, you might start to carry along with you the useful phone numbers, so you could call for help when in need. For another example, if your colleague causes you problems on the job for lack of responsibility or ability, find ways of dealing with his irresponsibility or inability rather than simply blame the person. Ask to work with a different person, or don’t rely on this person. You should accept that the person is not reliable and find creative ways to work successfully regardless of how your colleague fails to do his job well.
This is what being a winner is all about—creatively using your skills and talents so that you are successful no matter what happens. Winners don’t have fewer problems in their lives; they have just as many difficult situations to face as anybody else. They are just better at seeing those problems as challenges and opportunities to develop their own talents. So, stop focusing on “whose fault it is.” Once you are confident about your power over bad situations, problems are just stepping stones for success.According to the passage, winners .
| A．blame themselves rather than others |
| B．meet with fewer difficulties in their lives |
| C．have responsible and able colleagues |
| D．deal with problems rather than blame others |
The underlined word remedy in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ______.
| A．improve | B．accept | C．avoid | D．consider |
When problems occur, winners take them as ______.
| A．excuses for their failures | B．chances for self-development |
| C．challenges to their colleagues | D．barriers to greater power |
Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
| A．A Winner’s Opportunity. | B．A Winner’s Problem. |
| C．A Winner’s Secret. | D．A Winner’s Achievement. |
Global financial big dogs are no match for China's "Da Ma", or housewives, who have crowded into gold stores across China, buying up 300 tons of gold over the past two weeks. No wonder gold prices have steadied after taking a dive.
During the May Day holiday, gold stores were crowded with mostly female customers. Most of them are middle-aged "Chinese housewives". This group of buyers has risen to fame recently. They are big spenders and are desperate to get their hands on a bargain. "I bought some gold jewellery and kept them as a gift for my son when he gets married," said a buyer from Shanghai.
The gold business is skyrocketing. "Our sales are growing by the day. Yesterday we sold more than ten million yuan of gold products," a gold store salesperson said. The gold rush in China started about two weeks ago thanks to a decline in global gold prices. Media reports suggest that Chinese housewives have spent about 100 billion yuan, or about 16 billion US dollars, purchasing 300 tons of gold since mid-April. That has helped support gold prices.
"Gold prices depressed since the middle of last month but have risen gradually. That is mainly due to the strong demand from Asian markets," said foreign trader Zhang Chen from Industrial & Commercial Bank of China. "Some people even joked that Chinese housewives have beaten Wall Street analysts." For Chinese people, with limited investment options, the only thing better than buying gold is buying gold at discount prices.What does the author mean by the underlined sentence of the first paragraph?
| A．The global big dogs can’t match with Chinese housewives. |
| B．China's "Da Ma" help a lot to support the global economic crisis. |
| C．Chinese housewives spend a great deal of money on gold. |
| D．Chinese housewives have a better consumption idea than global financial big dogs. |
The whole passage mainly developed_______ ?
| A．by comparison | B．by contrast | C．by quotation | D．by time order |
We can infer about the gold rush in China from the passage?
| A．The Chinese housewives are most willing to spend money in buying gold. |
| B．China's "Da Ma" crowded into stores to get gold as the best gifts for sons when they get married. |
| C．China's "Da Ma" are bigger spenders and cleverer than global financial big dogs. |
| D．China’s "Da Ma" become the largest gold buyers due to a decline in global gold prices. |
The author’s description about the passage is ______.
| A．negative | B．subjective | C．doubtful | D．objective |
InChina, people usually set off firecrackers to celebrate Spring Festival. But this year seemed very quiet. It was really different. A man called Zhang Wei was asked by a reporter in an interview. He said that his friends and he hadn’t set off a single firecracker.
“We all suffered from last month’s smog(雾霾). If we don’t call an end to the firecracker, the environment will get worse and worse during the holiday.” Said Zhang Wei. He put up a notice in his community inJinan, the capital of ShandongProvince. In the notice, he called on more people to set off fewer firecrackers during this year’s Spring Festival holiday.
Lots of parents agreed with Zhang Wei’s idea. They said that they hated the noise of firecrackers. The noise used to wake up their babies too early. The babies really needed quiet mornings,
More Chinese looked forward to celebrating the holiday in a greener way. They decided not to set off firecrackers. They also decided not to waste food. They said that the new celebrations sounded fashionable.
“My family didn’t buy any fireworks this year. Instead, we donated the money to charity. It’s good for the environment and charity as well.” Internet user “Fighter” wrote on Sina Weibo.How do people usually celebrate Spring Festival inChina?
| A．By setting off firecrackers. |
| B．By donating the money to charity. |
| C．By not wasting food. |
| D．By putting up a notice. |
Lots of parents hated the noise of firecrackers because____.
| A．they couldn’t afford to buy them. |
| B．firecrackers were too expensive. |
| C．the noise might wake up their babies. |
| D．firecrackers might cause fire |
More people decided _____.
| A．not to get together |
| B．not to set off firecrackers |
| C．not to throw away more food |
| D．to call an end to all the celebrations |
What’s the best title for the passage?
| A．Don’t Waste Food | B．Spring Festival Celebrations |
| C．Spring Festival Goes Green | D．Firecrackers and Noise |
Winter is a very special time in Northern Norway. Winter also means skiing, and Narvik can offer some of the best skiing in Norway. The view and light change frequently and no two days are the same. For many people, the northern lights are an unforgettable sight, and in Narvik the sky is especially clear and great for watching at night.
The tourist season lasts from February to April, although May can be fascinating too, often with fantastic dry snow and an unbelievable light lasting well into the evening.
Ski hire
It is possible for adults and children to hire skiing equipment such as snowboards. All equipment is prepared for us. If you would like to book your equipment, please email Narvikfjellet.
Cross-country skiing
There are 12 kilometers of cross country ski run in Narvik. You need to bring your own skis as there is no cross-country hire. However, equipment can be bought at local sports shops in and around Narvik.
Off-piste skiing（非场地滑雪）
In order to explore Narvik’s off-piste opportunities you need to know the dangers when choosing routes. It is suggested that you bring necessary equipment such as a shovel（雪铲）and a GPS locator. Ask Narvikfjellet for an experienced guide. With a guide you can explore Narvik’s special off-piste areas in a safe manner.
Sometimes it is nice to do something different and not everybody enjoys skiing. Then you can go horse-riding, or visit the local museums.
Price examples for the 2012--2013 season
Time Children(8-15years) Adults
1 day NOK 230 NOK 325
3 days NOK 590 NOK 835
5 days NOK 815 NOK 1,170
7 daysNOK 970 NOK 1,375
Children 0-7 years can enjoy the service for freeIn Northern Norway, the tourist season may last ______.
| A．one month | B．two months | C．three months | D．four months |
What can we know from the passage?
| A．You can book skiing equipment through the Internet. |
| B．You are provided with skiing equipment for free. |
| C．Narvik is located in the south of Norway. |
| D．Narvik is open to adults and children over eight. |
If Mr. and Mrs. Smith stay in Narvik with their six-year-old daughter for three days in 2012,they should pay ______.
| A．NOK 1,160 | B．NOK 1,425 |
| C．NOK 1,670 | D．NOK 2,260 |
My Garden
-----by Nelson Mandela
In early 1977, the authorities (当局) announced the physical labour and arranged some kind of work for us to do in the courtyard. The free time also allowed me to hunt what became two of my favorite hobbies in Robben Island---gardening and tennis.
To survive in prison, one must develop ways to take satisfaction in one's daily life. One can feel fulfilled (充实) by washing one's clothes so that they are particularly clean. Just as one takes pride in important tasks outside of prison, one can find the same pride in doing small things inside prison. Almost from the beginning of my sentence on Robben Island, I asked the authorities for permission to start a garden in the courtyard. For years, they refused without offering a reason. But finally they gave in, and we were able to cut out a small garden in the prison.
The soil in the courtyard was dry and rocky. In order to start my garden, I had to remove a great many rocks to allow the plant room to grow.
The authorities supplied me with seeds. At first, I planned tomatoes and onions, because these plants did not require rich earth or constant care. The early harvests were poor, but they soon improved.
I began to order books on gardening. I studied different gardening techniques and types of fertilizers (肥料). For a time, I tried to grow peanuts, and used different soils and fertilizers, but finally I gave up. It was one of my few failures.
A garden was one of the few things in prison that one could control. The processes of planting a seed, watching it grow, taking care of it and then harvesting it offered a simple but long-lasting satisfaction. The sense of being the owner of the small patch of earth offered a small taste of freedom.Mandela's hobbies on Robben Island were ____.
| A．hunting and physical labour |
| B．gardening and tennis |
| C．washing his clothes |
| D．gardening techniques and types of fertilizers |
When did Mandela ask the prison authorities for the permission to start a small garden?
| A．Soon after 1997. |
| B．Some time in early 1977. |
| C．Almost as soon as he went to prison there. |
| D．Long after he went to prison there. |
Why did Mandela wash his clothes especially clean although he was in prison?
| A．To show he could do it as well as others. |
| B．To get some sense of pride and satisfaction from it. |
| C．To show others that he preferred to be clean. |
| D．To gain the authorities' permission to start a garden. |
Hard as he tried, he failed ____ at last.
| A．to get a sense of satisfaction and freedom |
| B．to grow tomatoes and onions |
| C．to grow peanuts |
| D．to get the same pride inside prison. |