My newly-rented small apartment was far away from the centre of London and it was becoming essential for me to find a job, so finally I spent a whole morning getting to town and putting my name down to be considered by London Transport for a job on the underground. They were looking for guards, not drivers. This suited me. I couldn’t drive a car but thought that I could probably guard a train, and perhaps continue to write my poems between stations. The writers Keats and Chekhov had been doctors. T.S. Eliot had worked in a bank and Wallace Stevens for an insurance company. I’d be a subway guard. I could see myself being cheerful, useful, a good man in a crisis（艰难危险时期）. Obviously I’d be overqualified but I was willing to forget about that in return for a steady income and travel privileges — those being particularly welcome to someone living a long way from the city centre.
The next day I sat down, with almost a hundred other candidates, for the intelligence test. I must have done all right because after about half an hour’s wait I was sent into another room for a psychological test. This time there were only about fifty candidates. The interviewer sat at a desk. Candidates were signaled forward to occupy the seat opposite him when the previous occupant had been dismissed, after a greater or shorter time. Obviously the long interviews were the more successful ones. Some of the interviews were as short as five minutes. Mine was the only one that lasted a minute and a half.
I can remember the questions now: “Why did you leave your last job?” “Why did you leave your job before that?” “And the one before that?” I can’t recall my answers, except that they were short at first and grew progressively shorter. His closing statement, I thought, revealed a lack of sensitivity which helped to explain why as a psychologist, he had risen no higher than the underground railway. “You’ve failed the psychological test and we are unable to offer you a position.”
Failing to get that job was my low point. Or so I thought, believing that the work was easy. Actually, such jobs — being a postman is another one I still desire — demand exactly the sort of elementary yet responsible awareness that the habitual dreamer is least qualified to give. But I was still far short of full self-understanding. I was also short of cash.The writer applied for the job chiefly because _________.
| A．he wanted to work in the centre of London |
| B．he could no longer afford to live without one |
| C．he was not interested in any other available job |
| D．he had received some suitable training |
The writer thought he was overqualified for the job because _________.
| A．he often traveled underground | B．he had written many poems |
| C．he could deal with difficult situations | D．he had worked in a company |
The length of his interview meant that _________.
| A．he was not going to be offered the job | B．he had not done well in the intelligence test |
| C．he did not like the interviewer at all | D．he had little work experience to talk about |
What does the writer realize now that he did not realize then?
| A．How unpleasant ordinary jobs can be. | B．How difficult it is to be a poet. |
| C．How unsuitable he was for the job. | D．How badly he did in the interview. |
What’s the writer’s opinion of the psychologist?
| A．He was very aggressive（有进取心的）. | B．He was unhappy with his job. |
| C．He was quite inefficient. | D．He was rather unsympathetic. |
Talking plants might sound like characters in a fairy tale. But recent scientific studies have shown that plants communicate with each other and with other living things in a surprising number of ways. To understand them, scientists say, we just have to learn their language. Farmers are especially interested in what plants have to say.
“Plants are able to communicate with all sorts of organisms(有机体). They can communicate with giant bacteria, with other plants and with insects. They do this chemically, ”said Cahill, an Ecology Professor of the University of Alberta in Canada.
Plant scientists are just beginning to understand this chemical “language”. Cahill says studies have shown, for example, that plants can evaluate conditions in their immediate environment and take appropriate actions. Plants have an ability, for example, to signal pain or discomfort caused by anything from temperature extremes to an insect attack. Jack Schultz, a professor of chemical ecology at the University of Missouri, says when a plant senses that it’S being eaten, it cannot walk away from trouble；on the contrary, it will release a chemical vapor that alerts other plants nearby.
“Their language is a chemical language, and it involves chemicals that move through the air, which are easily to be changed, and most of all are smells that we are familiar with, ” Schultz explained.
“All plants responded to the attack by changing their chemistry to defend themselves, ” Schultz recalled. “But we were quite surprised to find that nearby plants also changed their chemistry to defend themselves, even though they were not part of the experiment. ”
Studies have also shown that plants under attack release pleasant chemicals. Those chemicals attract friendly insects that attack the pests eating the plant.
In the end, plants’ability to communicate their needs－and our ability to understand them－could help farmers reduce the use of poisonous chemicals, cut operating costs and limit damage to the environment.The recent scientific studies have shown that plants can __________.
| A．communicate with other living things in a chemical way |
| B．hardly react to any sudden change in temperature |
| C．use a very special chemical language which is familiar to us |
| D．respond to the attack by giving off poisonous chemicals |
When being eaten by a pest, the plant will ___________.
| A．walk away from trouble |
| B．change its chemistry to kill the insect |
| C．release a chemicaI vapor to “ask” other plants for help |
| D．give off nice chemicals to attract friendly insects to a tack the pest |
The underlined word “alerts” most probably means “___________”.
| A．warns | B．protects |
| C．threatens | D．allows |
Which would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Communication between Plants |
| B．A Chemical “Language” |
| C．Plants Can Talk |
| D．How Plants Protect Themselves |
  Because of his family’s Jewish background, they are sent to live in the concentration camps(集中营). Scared and alone, Joshua one day makes frinds with a little mouse he calls Bethlehem who becomes his closest friend. |
  In his More Things in Heaven, Bill Bosworth presents the highlights of his 83 years of life, including his trips to India and the study of the writings of several great spiritual leaders. More things in Heaven will appeal to anyone who insists on finding the deepest meaning for their existence based on their own experience. |
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  It is an easy-to-read collection of poems originally written to encourage in faith and to be a cure for chronic depression(长期抑郁)…cure to strengthen identity and purpose. |
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  Were humans created, or did they evolve? How old is the Earth? The debate between science and religion continues to be heated. In Creation or Evolution, Michael Ebifegha examines these two opposed world views within the structure of empirical(实证的) science. |
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  Seeking the Edge provides the tools and techniques to find that edge in one’s life. －driving readers to achieve success whether in your current job, finding a new job, in education, family,or even hobbies. |
Who wrote the story about a little boy and a little mouse?
| A．Bill Bosworth. | B．Michelle O. Donovan. |
| C．Dr. Joseph I. Rose. | D．Gloria Coykendall. |
The ISBN for the book of poems is ________.
| A．9781462031795 | B．9781412027854 |
| C．9780595433582 | D．978 1462058679 |
What kind of readers will probably like reading More Things in Heaven?
| A．Those who are searching for the meaning of life. |
| B．Those who are trying to be spiritual leaders. |
| C．Those who study the art of writing. |
| D．Those who like traveling abroad. |
Which of the following books explores the origin of humans?
| A．Seeking the Edge. |
| B．Creation or Evolution. |
| C．Joshua, Helmut, and Bethlehem. |
| D．More Things in Heaven. |
Noah Webster, born on October 16, 1758, is known for The American Dictionary of the English Language. He has been called the" Father of American Scholarship and Education. " His " Blue-Backed Speller" books were used to teach spelling and reading to five generations of American children. But how much do you know about him beyond that?
At the age of 16, Noah Webster began attending Yale College, Unfortunately, he spent his four years at Yale during the American Revolutionary War, and, because of food shortages, many of his college classes were held in Glastonbury, Connecticut. Later, he served in the army. Having graduated from Yale in 1778, Webster wanted to continue his education in order to earn his law degree. He had to teach school in order to pay for his education. He set up many small schools that didn’t survive, but he was a good teacher because instead of forcing his students to learn, like what most teachers did, he rewarded them.
He earned his law degree in, 1781, but did not practice law until 1789. Once he started he found the law was not to his liking. Webster did not have much money.
In 1793, Alexander Hamilton lent him $ 1500 to move to New York City to edit a newspaper. In December, he founded New York’s first daily newspaper, American Minerva, and edited it for four years. For decades, he published textbooks, political essays, a report on some diseases, and newspaper articles for his party. He wrote so much that a modern list of his published works required 655 pages.
Noah Webster died on May 28, 1843 and was buried in the Grove Street Cemetery.Which of the following best describes Webster’s life at Yale?
| A．Tough. | B．Smooth. |
| C．Normal. | D．Tiring. |
What did Noah want to be after graduation from Yale?
| A．A teacher. | B．A lawyer. |
| C．A headmaster. | D．A scholar. |
What can we infer from Paragraph 4?
| A．Webster was a most productive author. |
| B．Webster led a miserable life in New York City. |
| C．Webster’S books added up to 655 pages. |
| D．Webster didn’t write any political Works. |
The statistics I’ve cited and the living examples are all too familiar to you. But what may not be so familiar will be the increasing number of women who are looking actively for advancement of for a new job in your offices. This woman may be equipped with professional skills and perhaps valuable experience. She will not be content to be Executive Assistant to Mr. Seldom Seen of the Assistant Vice President’s Girl Friday, who is the only one who comes in on Saturday.
She is the symbol of what I call the Second Wave of Feminism. She is the modern woman who is determined to be.
Her forerunner was the radical feminist who interpreted her trapped position as a female as oppression by the master class of men. Men, she believed, had created a domestic, servile role for women in order that men could have the career and the opportunity to participate in making the great decisions of society. Thus the radical feminist held that women through history had been oppressed and dehumanized, mainly because man chose to exploit his wife and the mother of his children. Sometimes it was deliberate exploitation and sometimes it was the innocence of never looking beneath the pretensions of life.
The radical feminists found strength in banding together. Coming to recognize each other for the first time, they could explore their own identities, realize their own power, and view the male and his system as the common enemy. The first phases of feminism in the last five years often took on this militant, class-warfare tone. Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem, Germaine Greer, and many others hammered home their ideas with a persistence that aroused and intrigued many of the brightest and most able women in the country. Consciousness-raising groups allowed women to explore both their identities and their dreams—and the two were often found in direct conflict.
What is the stereotyped role of American women? Marriage. A son. Two daughters. Breakfast. Ironing. Lunch. Bowling, maybe a garden club of for the very daring, non-credit courses in ceramics. Perhaps an occasional cocktail party. Dinner. Football or baseball on TV. Each day the same. Never any growth in expectations—unless it is growth because the husband has succeeded. The inevitable question: “Is that all there is to life?”
The rapid growth of many feminist organizations attests to the fact that these radical feminists had touched some vital nerves. The magazine “Ms.” was born in the year of the death of the magazine “Life.” But too often the consciousness-raising sessions became ends in themselves. Too often sexism reversed itself and man-hating was encouraged. Many had been with the male chauvinist.
It is not difficult, therefore, to detect a trend toward moderation. Consciousness-raising increasingly is regarded as a means to independence and fulfillment, rather than a ceremony of fulfillment itself. Genuine independence can be realized through competence, through finding a career, through the use of education. Remember that for many decades the education of women was not supposed to be useful.What was the main idea of this passage?
| A．The Second Wave of Feminist. |
| B．Women’s Independent Spirits. |
| C．The Unity of Women. |
| D．The Action of Union. |
What was the author’s attitude toward the radical?
| A．He supported it wholeheartedly. |
| B．He opposed it strongly. |
| C．He disapproved to some extent. |
| D．He ignored it completely. |
What does the word “militant” mean?
| A．Aggressive. | B．Ambitions. |
| C．Progressive. | D．Independent. |
What was the radical feminist’s view point about the male?
| A．Women were exploited by the male. |
| B．Women were independent of the male. |
| C．Women’s lives were deprived by the male. |
| D．The male were their common enemy. |
A victor is, by definition, someone who wins a struggle or contest. However, that doesn’t mean he or she will live a proud and happy life ever after, as Katniss Everdeen is about to discover in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
Catching Fire, out in Chinese theaters on Nov 21, is set in a futuristic society called Panem. Every year its government holds a televised fight to the death. Two teenagers from each of the 12 districts of Panem are chosen to compete.
In the new film, last year’s victors Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and her partner Peeta are back home after winning the 74th Hunger Games. Katniss just wants to live a normal life. However, that never seems to happen. She has nightmares, which remind her that she is a killer.
Her worst nightmare comes true when the annual Hunger Games arrive again. The teenager finds herself back in the competition along with Peeta. Since Katniss brings hope to Panem through her courage, President Snow plans to use this year’s Games to kill off Katniss and Peeta and in turn dampen the fires of rebellion.
“This is the next step of Katniss’ heroism and the next part of her journey to finding out who she is really going to be,” Lawrence told Reuters.
Fast-paced and full of action, Catching Fire looks to outdo the success that the first film had in 2012. With a 97 percent rating on the movie review website Rotten Tomatoes, it is enjoying positive reviews. Critics have praised it for being faithful to the book written by American author Suzanne Collins. The Hollywood Reporter said that Catching Fire outshines the first movie a lot.
Jennifer Lawrence, who won a best actress Oscar this year for her 2012 movie Silver Linings Playbook, has helped Catching Fire find success, Forbes pointed out. The 23-year-old actress does well playing a young lady who hates what she was forced to do to stay alive yet is determined not to give up.
“Lawrence’s down-to-earth personality in real life won the hearts of the public. So given a wildly popular first film that blew everyone away, a rising fan base and a lead performer beloved by the mainstream press and viewers, the sequel(续集) was always going to be big,” Forbes noted.The underlined word “dampen” in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to “_______”.
| A．hold | B．light | C．reduce | D．support |
Which of the following is TRUE about the film’s story according to the article?
| A．Every year 12 teenagers in total are chosen to join in the televised fight. |
| B．Despite having won the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss doesn’t feel much joy. |
| C．Katniss and Peeta are chosen once again to make the TV show more appealing. |
| D．Jennifer Lawrence won a best actress Oscar this year for the first Hunger Games movie. |
What are some reasons why Catching Fire will probably be successful?
a. The previous film was successful.
b. It is true to the original book’s story.
c. Most of the reviews of the movie are positive.
d. It has many famous stars in addition to Jennifer Lawrence.
| A．abc | B．abd | C．acd | D．bcd |
After reading the passage, we can infer that _______.
| A．President Snow thinks highly of Katniss and Peeta’s victory |
| B．Katniss decides to fight in the 75th Hunger Games because she loves it |
| C．Critics hold a negative attitude to the first movie of Hunger Games |
| D．The personality of the leading actress contributes to the success of Catching Fire |