Do you ever run out of great books to read? So what should I read next? Is fast-paced crime fiction your thing?
Try the new Patricia Cornwell book, Scarpetta （Putnam）. She is such an able writer and handles complex forensic（法庭的） intelligence with ease. You need to be prepared, though, for the world you're entering—this isn't for the faint of heart, let's say.
If peace is more your thing, try Mary Pipher's wonderful new book, Seeking Peace: Chronicles of the Worst Buddhist in the World （Riverhead）. Mary is a lovely, comfortable writer who takes the reader through her personal awakening after reputation and fortune came her way. Even if you've never experienced life as a bestselling writer （as she has done, in her book years back, Reviving Ophelia）, you'll totally understand and sympathize with her renewed need for privacy, distance and quiet.
What if you want a straightforward, totally thrilling read with vivid characters, set about World War II? You cannot go wrong with Jim Lehrer's new novel, Oh, Johnny （Random House）, about a young Marine whose life is changed forever when he meets a woman on his way to war. His relationship with her lasts him through danger and hardship, and there's an impressive ending. See our interview with the productive novelist/newsman in the current issue of Reader's Digest （March, on stands now）, by the way, for insight into the very talented Mr. Lehrer and what interests him.
Well, what about something wickedly funny and totally offbeat? Does the name Carrie Fisher do anything for you? Try her vivid and new life in Hollywood and elsewhere, Wishful Drinking （Simon & Schuster）. Be prepared for humor as sharp as knives.
61. What does the writer want to tell us by the underlined sentence?
A. The world is complex and hard. B. Scarpetta is a thriller.
C. The fiction is hard to understand. D. Society is hard to fit into.
62. Which of the following is true of Mary Pipher?
A. She is an adventurous writer. B. She doesn’t care about fortune.
C. Her books normally sell well. D. She can help you achieve writing skills.
63. To get further information about Jim Lehrer, you may________.
A. go to Reader’s Digest issued in March B. go to Random House
C. analyze the characters in Oh, Johnny D. read the novel Oh, Johnny
64. Which book isn’t directly based on the writer’s own life?__________________
A. Seeking Peace. B. Reviving Ophelia.
C. Wishful Drinking. D. Oh, Johnny.
You can mail a letter or package under 16 oz. (unit of weight, 454g) in a mailbox, a blue box found on many street corners in U.S. cities and towns. Each mail box should have pick-up times clearly posted on top.
!Packages over 16 oz. placed in a mailbox will not be sent. Bring the package to the post office or retail (零售的) mailing shop instead. The clerk will process if for you.
The Post Office
In the larger cities, when you go to the post office you must take a number and wait in line. Post offices tend to be extremely crowded around Christmas. Try to go as early in the morning as possible. Post office branches open at 9 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. while main branches close at 6 p.m.
Buying Stamps
! The cost of a first-class postage stamp to mail a letter is currently 39 cents, although rates tend to change often.
Stamps are sold individually or in booklets (小册子) of 10 (US$3.90) or 20(US$7.80) or in rolls of 100(US$9.00). You can buy stamps at the following locations:
·online, if you have a computer.
Link to the U.S. Postal Service website (http://www. usps.com) and click on “stamps online”.
·at your local post office
·at some ATMs (automated teller machine)
·at some supermarkets
·by mail
·retail mailing stores(you may have to pay extra for stamps and to mail packages through the U.S. Postal Service)
Postal Rates and Fees
The U.S. Postal Service’s online postage calculator(计算器) tells you the cost to mail a letter or package anywhere in the world. But you should know the weight of the package and the post code of the package’s origin and destination. If you don’t know the weight of the letter or package to be mailed, you can go to your local post office and the postal clerk will weigh it for you.When do the post office main branches close?
| A．At 9 p.m. | B．At 6 p.m. | C．At 5 p.m. | D．At 5:30 p.m. |
If you have only 39 cents, you can NOT buy a stamp at_____.
| A．a local post office | B．a supermarket |
| C．an ATM | D．a retail mailing store |
The cost to mail a letter can be calculated when you know _____.
①its weight②its origin③its destination
④its origin’s post code⑤its destination’s post code
| A．①③④ |
| B．①④⑤ |
| C．①②③ |
| D．①②⑤ |
People have been listening to music to get in the mood for hundreds of years. Recently, there is scientific research to back up what we have always known about music. The studies have shown that when people are excited or happy they are more helpful. The opposite happens when people feel aggressive(好斗的) or under stress. The use of music can influence how helpful people can be.
Dr Adrian North made a study with 256 university students. Half the group took exercise in the gymnasium listening to music which can bring happiness and the other half exercised to aggressive music. When leaving the gym, the students were asked to hand out flyers (传单) in support of the local disabled athlete’s foundation.
The results showed that nearly half of the group that listened to happy music were willing to hand out flyers. But in the group that heard the aggressive music, less than 20% were willing. This study suggests that our choice of music can influence our willingness to cooperate(合作).
While a study also shows that productivity (生产效率) can increase with the right choice of background music in the workplace. As music stimulates (刺激) workers’ minds, job satisfaction is often positively influenced. Other studies have shown that workers who are in a good mood report more job satisfaction than those in a bad mood.
These studies show that music can have a powerful influence on a person’s ability to cooperate. Moods have a direct influence on cooperation and job satisfaction, etc. These factors also have a direct relationship to the success of a business.The underlined words “back up” in the paragraph can be replaced by _____.
| A．support | B．leave | C．refuse | D．compare |
In the studies mentioned in the passage, music is used to _____.
| A．express people’s ideas | B．change people’s moods |
| C．improve people’s health | D．show people’s love of arts |
According to the passage, people who are in a good mood _____.
| A．can understand the music | B．have a good taste in music |
| C．might do well in their work | D．are influenced by others |
The passage is mainly about _______.
| A．effort and success | B．music and science |
| C．work and life | D．music and mood |
Started in 1636, Harvard University is the oldest of many colleges and universities in the United States. Yale, Princeton, Columbia and Dartmouth were all started before the American Revolution made the thirteen colonies(殖民地) into states.
In the early years, these schools were much alike. Only young men attended colleges. All the students studied the same subjects, and everyone learned Latin, Greek and Hebrew. Little was known about science then, and one kind of school could teach everything that was known about the world. When the students graduated, most of them became ministers or teachers.
In 1782, Harvard started a medical school for young men who wanted to become doctors. Later, lawyers(律师) could receive their training in Harvard’s law school. In 1852, Harvard began teaching modern languages, such as French and German, as well as Latin and Greek. Soon it began teaching American history.
As knowledge increased, Harvard and other colleges began to teach many new subjects that interested them.
Special colleges for women were started. New state universities began to teach such subjects as farming, engineering and business. Today, there are many different kinds of colleges and universities. Most of them are divided into smaller schools that deal with special fields of learning. There is so much to learn that one kind of school cannot offer it all. Yale, Princeton, Columbia and Dartmouth were the names of the _______ in America.
| A．states | B．cities | C．universities | D．colonies |
As knowledge increased, colleges began to teach _______.
| A．everything that is known | B．many new subjects |
| C．French and German | D．farming |
The title of this passage should be _______.
| A．Famous Harvard University |
| B．American Universities |
| C．The Changing of American Universities |
| D．The American Revolution |
Which statement does the passage lead you to believe?
| A．The early schools are still much alike. |
| B．There is more to learn today than in 1636. |
| C．All the early students worked harder. |
| D．Students in modern America learn only science. |
If you’re among the millions of Americans packing their vocation bags for summer trips, don’t forget, however, that as soon as you step off the plane, you’re expected to follow that country’s laws. We took a look at one of the top countries Americans are most likely to visit and what might happen if you got caught.
Mexico
Smoking marijuana(大麻): If police find you smoking a cigarette which contains marijuana, they will most likely detain you overnight and you will get a fine.
Carrying a firearm: You might be able to walk around with a gun in Texas, but that isn’t so in Mexico, so leave your gun behind. If you wish to go hunting in Mexico, you can apply for a gun permit but are expected to be charged $5,000. If you are caught bringing a firearm, Mexican policeman may take away your car and arrest you. An arrested American may spend months in prison while his or her case is being looked into.
Driving 70 mph on the highway: Speed limits are on the lower side. Depending on what type of highway you’re driving on, you shouldn’t go faster than 60mph. The police enforce (执行) the speed limit, but most local police don’t have radars(无线电探测器). The maximum fine for speeding is about $40. To scare (吓得某人做……) tourists into paying the fine “on the spot”, sometimes police will threaten to keep your driver’s license (驾照). This is illegal.Which of the following statements are not true?
| A．The laws in Texas are different from the ones in Mexico. |
| B．People will be fined if they smoke marijuana. |
| C．People will be arrested if they are caught bringing a gun. |
| D．The police in Mexico have the right to keep the drivers’ license. |
If the travelers want to drive in Mexico, they should _______.
| A．drive on the lower side of the street |
| B．keep an eye out on the radars |
| C．limit their car speed |
| D．pay the fine on the spot. |
The word “detain” in the second paragraph means：____．
| A．arrest | B．fine | C．punish | D．destroy |
What can we know from the passage?
| A．Different countries have different regulations． |
| B．Different countries have the same regulations． |
| C．Americans like to visit other countries． |
| D．Mexico police aren't friendly． |
Janice is an American engineer working in Nanjing. She and her husband George, who is teaching English at a university, have been eager to get to know Chinese people better, so they were pleased when Liu, Janice’s young co-worker, invited them to her home for dinner.
When they arrived, Liu introduced them to her husband Yang and asked them to sit down at a table containing eight plates of various cold dishes. Half an hour later she came back and sat down and the three began to eat. Yang came in from time to time, putting hot dishes on the table. Most of the food was wonderful, though neither George nor Janice could eat the fatty pork, and there was much more than they could eat. They kept wishing Yang would sit down so they could talk to him. Finally he did sit down to eat a bit, but soon it was time to go home.
Janice and George felt slightly depressed by this experience, but returned the invitation two weeks later. They decided to make a nice American meal and felt lucky to find olives, crackers(脆饼), tomato juice, and even some cheese in the shop. They put these out as appetizers（开胃品）. For the main course they prepared spaghetti and a salad.
When Liu and Yang arrived and began to have dinner, they took small tastes of the appetizers and seemed surprised when both George and Janice sat down with them. They ate only a little spaghetti and didn’t finish the salad on their plates. After a while, George cleared the table and served coffee and pastries(糕点). Yang and Liu each put four spoons of sugar into their coffee but didn’t drink much of it and ate only a bite or two of pastry.
After they left, George and Janice were upset. “ We left their place so full but they’re going to have to eat again when they get home. What went wrong?What do we know about the dinner at Liu’s home?
| A．It lasted about half an hour. |
| B．There were eight dishes in all. |
| C．the hot dishes were mainly cooked by Yang. |
| D．Many dishes were cooked in American style. |
Why did the American couple feel a bit depressed after dinner at Liu’s home?
| A．They received a cold welcome. |
| B．The fatty pork was not delicious. |
| C．The dinner was not well prepared. |
| D．Yang spent little time talking with them. |
During the dinner at Janice’s home, Liu and Yang _______.
| A．found little food to enjoy. |
| B．ate much salad and pastry. |
| C．drank a lot of coffee with much sugar. |
| D．showed much interest in American food. |
The text is most likely to be found in a book about _______.
| A．cooking skills | B．cultural differences |
| C．language learning | D．business management |