The American book Who Moved My Cheese(奶酪)has been a bestseller all over the world. It teaches people how to face changes in their lives. Now its author Spence Johnson has written a book just for teens. The book tells us that when facing change in our lives, like a new school or new friends, don’t be afraid. Instead, use this change to make a better life. The book gives an example of a change at school. A school is changing from having two terms to three terms because there are too many students.
Several teens are talking about this. Most of them are unhappy and worried. But Chris is not. He laughs and tells a story about two mice, two “little people” and some cheese.
The four are in a maze looking for the cheese. Here, cheese means something important in life, like moving to a new class or getting into college. But they find the cheese is gone. The mice realize that they can’t change what has happened and have to find more cheese. This means finding different dreams. The little people, however, can’t do this. They are afraid of change so they find no cheese.
After Chris finishes the story, the friends understand one thing: to get more cheese, move in a new direction quickly. His friends understand how this can be used in the changes all teens face, such as doing well at school or having good relationships or just feeling good about yourself.The book Who Moved My Cheese is _________.
A.written all over the world | B.read across the world |
C.sold only in America | D.loved only by teens |
What does the text mainly discuss?
A.Never change in our life | B.Change when you like to do |
C.Change with the changes | D.Pay attention to the changes |
The underlined word “four”(paragraph 3)refers to ______.
A.Mice and little people | B.students |
C.Cheese | D.Readers |
In our lives, we should learn from _________.
A.mice | B.little people | C.Chris | D.Spence Johnson |
Which of the following statements is true?
A.The author is Britain. |
B.There are three terms in every school. |
C.Most teens don’t understand Chris’ story. |
D.The book tells teens how to face changes in their lives. |
I met the old man at a cafe. “Did you hear the radio news yesterday?” he asked me. “No,” I replied. “Anything exciting?”“Exciting? NO! Something very sad. A group of hungry dogs killed and ate my best friend.”
“Oh, dear!” I cried. “How did it happen?”“He was working on the hillside when the dogs attacked him. When he didn't return, I went to the hillside and found…”“His body?” I asked. The old fellow drank half of his coffee. “No. I told you they were hungry dogs, didn't I? The big bones were lying every where. But they found this.” He pushed open a match box he was holding in his hand. In it was a man's thumb, lying on some white bloody material.
“This is my friend's right thumb. The dogs ate the rest of him”. The old man began to cry. He finished his coffee quickly and left the cafe. I drank mine and called the waiter. “I'll pay the gentleman's bill. His poor friend—how terrible!”“You've heard the news?” The waiter laughed. “Sure. There's a hole in the bottom of the match box. He put his own thumb through the hole. The blood is red ink, I believe. Is the story worth a cup of coffee, sir?”“But he held the box in his right hand.”“Yes, but listeners look into the box. They just can't take their sight off that terrible thing.”“And when he tells the story, he gets free cup of coffee!” I said, laughing. “Yes, sir, but only from strangers who come to this town, and, of course, he does us no harm!” We can learn from this passage ________.
A.the writer came to the cafe for the first time |
B.the old man made a living by telling jokes in the cafe |
C.the writer had known about the old man before |
D.what had happened to his best friend made the old man mad |
Having heard the old man's story, the writer _______ .
A.couldn't help laughing immediately | B.showed great mercy upon him |
C.didn't believe him at all | D.bought the old man another cup of coffee |
It turned out that the thumb in the match box was actually __________.
A.the right thumb of his best friend |
B.the thumb he stole from the dead body of an unknown person |
C.something made of bloody white materials |
D.his own right thumb |
The waiter hadn't let out the truth of the old man's story earlier because _______ .
A.he was nobody but the best friend of the old man |
B.the old man wouldn't pay for his coffee if he did |
C.the waiter hadn't seen through the old man's trick |
D.the old man helped the cafe in some way |
As suggested by the passage, what might happen in the end?
A.The writer refused to pay the old man's bill. |
B.The writer decided to make the trick known to the public. |
C.More strangers would hear the old man's story. |
D.The old man wouldn't visit the cafe any more. |
Cities in Europe and around the world may be growing “bike trees” in the near future. Invented by Japan’s JFE Engineering Corp, the invention proved useful in the busiest parts of this nation’s crowded cities.
Local governments of Japan have struggled for ways to encourage people to park their bikes considerably, particularly close to big stations, but that may block some roads and entrances to homes and businesses. “Our cities do not have a lot of space for any kind of parking, including bicycles.” said Mitsuharu Oshima, a spokesman for JFE Engineering. The bike tree comes in two types: one in a tower that is above ground and on the contrary, the other in an underground structure.
A cyclist registers with the operator of the equipment, pays a monthly fee and pushes the wheels of his bicycle into restraints(管理处) at the base of the bike tree. Each bicycle is fitted with an electronic card with the owner’s details. A mechanical arm then pulls the bike into the base of the tower and moves it to a free location inside. To collect the bike later, the cyclist puts his card through a reader and his bike is automatically returned to him in seconds. “The science of the equipment has been difficult —— even though they may look quite simple —— because bikes come in many different shapes and sizes.” said Oshima.
As well as clearing away the road, bicycles cannot be stolen from a bike tree. There are presently versions at seven sites in Japan and two others are under construction, while work is under way on an even larger version —— with room for 9400 bicycles —— in Thailand. And Oshima believes that the idea could catch on in Europe, particularly in countries such as France, Holland and Denmark , where cycling is so popular. Cities build this kind of “bike trees” so that they can _______.
A.ask more people to ride bikes | B.provide more jobs for people |
C.make more money than before | D.save more room for people |
Which is the right order of the following things when you use the bike tree?
① the wheels of the bicycle are put into restraints at the base .
② the card is read and the bike is automatically returned .
③ an electronic card with the owner’s details is given
④ the bike is pulled and moved to a free location inside .
A.③②①④ | B.③①④② | C.②①④③ | D.②④③① |
What made it difficult to design “bike trees”?
A.The location of “bike trees”. | B.The method of finding enough bikes. |
C.The differences of the bikes. | D.The importance of traffic safety |
From the passage, we can know that _______.
A.countries with many cyclists in Europe will like the idea of “bike trees” |
B.there are seven “bike trees” used for holding bikes in Japan |
C.local government of Japa![]() |
D.cyclists can use “bike trees” for free in Japan. |
While reading a book in English, every few lines, you run across a word or two that you don't know. You look up every new word in the dictionary. Bad move. All that does is slow you down. Even electric or CD-ROM dictionaries can get in the way of your reading progress. A dictionary is like a road map. It can help you if you get lost and point you in the right direction. But if you stop to look at the "map" each time you take a step, you'll get nowhere fast.
On your English learning "journey", a dictionary can be a helpful "travel companion"—if it's not overused. To help you start thinking in English, use an English-to-English dictionary. Otherwise, you'll always depend on your native language and end up translating in your head.
A good dictionary can help you do more than just find the meaning of a word. It can help you verify (test and check) spelling, check word forms and grammar usage, find example sentences and learn pronunciation. Some dictionaries even provide exercises to teach you how to use their resources.
Take time to get to know your dictionary. Learn the pronunciation symbols. Understand what the abbreviations(缩写字) mean. Become familiar with the grammar codes that explain the usage for each word. Look for charts, diagrams and lists that might be useful in the future. You'll discover how rewarding it can be to make friends with your dictionary. And as they say, "A friend in need is a friend indeed".
The underlined word "that" used in the last paragraph refers to ________.
A.chart, diagrams and lists |
B.abbreviations and the usage for each word |
C.the meaning of a word, spelling and grammar usage |
D.pronunciation symbols and grammar codes |
Why do you want to buy a good English-to-English dictionary?
A.Because it is a good friend if we use it often. | |
B.Because it can help us to find the right direction if we get lost. | |
C.Because it can help us to start thinking both in English and in Chinese.![]() |
D.Without it we'll depend on our native language and end up translating in our head. |
Which of the following statements does the writer lead you to believe?
A.The more you use a dictionary, the better you can understand the article you read. |
B.The more you use the resources in the dictionary, the more you can benefit from it. |
C.The more you use a dictionary, the faster you may read. |
D.The better a dictionary is, the more expensive it is. |
The best title of the passage may be _______.
A.Dictionary is Like a Road Map While We Are Traveling |
B.Use a Dictionary When Necessary |
C.How Important a Good English-to-English Dictionary is |
D.A Dictionary is a Friend Indeed |
BRITAIN is a popular tourist place. But tours of the country have pros and cons.
Good news
Free museums. No charge for outstanding collections of art and antiquities.
Pop music. Britain is the only country to rival (与……匹敌) the US on this score.
Black cabs. London taxi drivers know where they are going even if there are never enough of them at weekends or night.
Choice of food. Visitors can find everything from Ethiopian to Swedish restaurants.
Fashion. Not only do fashion junkies love deeply and respect highly brand names such as Vivienne Westwood, Alexander Mc Queen; street styles are justly loved, too.
A.Poor service. | B.Poor public transport. | C.Overpriced hotels. | D.Rain. |
What do we learn about pop music in Britain and the US through this passage?
A.Pop music in Britain is better than that in the US. |
B.Pop music in Britain is worse than that in the US. |
C.Pop music in Britain is as good as that in the US. |
D.Pop music in Britain is quite different from that in the US. |
When is alcohol not able to get?
A.At 12:00 p.m.. | B.At 10:00 p.m.. | C.At 11:00 p.m.. | D.At 9:00 p.m.. |
“Tomorrow is another day”---- this line has impressed various people at various times. It's now 70 years after it appeared in the film, but it still seems to hold its power especially during an economic downturn.
The phrase comes from a film adaptation of Margaret Mitchell's successful 1936 novel Gone With the Wind. It's set in the American South and tells the story of a strong heroine, Scarlett O' Hara, who struggles to find love during the Civil War and, afterwards, of her strength in surviving the war and its hardships.
Love story
In a moment of despair, Scarlett finally realizes that her love belongs to Rhett Butler. For many audiences, it is the theme of love and struggle that has kept the movie alive. While the burning of Atlanta might seem irrelevant(不相关的) to today's viewers, the timeless theme of love keeps its ability to touch people.
With a promise to her lover still in her mind, Scarlett chooses to stay in the midst of war and take care of Melanie. But her heart is broken when Rhett just walks away, leaving the woman that he once loved with cruel words, "Frankly, dear, I don' t give a damn."(毫不在乎)
Great epic (史诗)
The film shows the love-hate relationship of these characters, but also American history, the fall of the Confederacy and the following period of Reconstruction in the South. The background made this film a true classic in the epic genre.
When the film opened after World War II, French viewers loved it, and it reminded them of their fight against the Nazis. In 1940 Shanghai, during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression(侵略), people stood in line for hours to watch this film, and saw the same suffering they were having as well as the hope and possibility of building a new homeland from the ruins.
Each nationality could identify with the story and see it as a victory. In fact, Gone With the Wind never lost its charm and ability to inspire and amaze.
Biggest of all time
The film had five directors, 15-plus screenwriters, and an unexpected $3.9 million budget. The film brought in $ 200 million, which makes it the biggest selling film of all times in North America. It also won 10 Academy awards in 1940.The underlined "it" in the first paragraph refers to _______.
A.the novel Gone with the Wind | B."tomorrow is another day" |
C.the movie Gone with the Wind | D.the Academy Award |
The text is written mainly to _______.
A.celebrate the anniversary of Margaret Mitchell |
B.introduce how the film was directed and filmed |
C.throw light on the charm of the movie "Gone with the Wind" |
D.inspire people to struggle the economic downturn |
It can be concluded that Scarlett O' Hara is _______.
A.optimistic and lucky | B.childish and realistic |
C.caring and stubborn (固执的) | D.strong-minded and persistent (坚毅的) |
The passage mentions Shanghai in order to _______.
A.prove that the background of the movie touched viewers |
B.describe how popular the movie was at that time |
C.point out that Shanghai was a center of entertainment |
D.tell us that Chinese were suffering the War then |