Are morning people born or made? In my case it was definitely made．In my early 20s, I rarely went to bed before midnight, and I would almost always get up late the next morning．
But after a while I couldn’t ignore the high relationship between success and rising early．On those rare occasions where I did get up early, I noticed that my productivity was almost always higher．So I set out to become a habitual early riser．But whenever my alarm went off, my first thought was always to stop that noise and go back to sleep．Eventually some sleep research showed me that I was using the wrong strategy．
The most common wrong strategy is this: You assume that if you’re going to get up earlier, you’d better go to bed earlier．It sounds very reasonable, but will usually fail.
There are two main schools(流派) of thought on sleep patterns．One is that you should go to bed and get up at the same time every day．The second school says you should go to bed when you’re tired and get up when you naturally wake up．However, I have found both of them are wrong if you
care about productivity．If you sleep at set hours, you’ll sometimes go to bed when you aren’t sleepy enough．You’re wasting time lying in bed awake and not being asleep.
If your sleep is based on what your body tells you, you’ll probably be sleeping more than you need．Also, your mornings may be less predictable if yo
u’re getting up at different times．
The solution for me has been to combine both methods．I go to bed when I’m sleepy and get up with an alarm clock at a fixed time．So I always get up at the same time (in my case 5 am), but I go to bed at different times every night — sometimes at 9:30pm, and other times at midnight．Most of the time I go to bed between 10-11 pm．
However, going to bed only when I’m sleepy, and getting up at a fixed time every morning is my way．If you want to become an early riser, you can try your own.According to the passage, the underlined phrase refers to ____.
| A．people who stay up until the next morning. |
| B．people who get up early in the morning. |
| C．people who feel sleepy in the morning. |
| D．people whose productivity is the highest in the morning. |
Why did the author want to become a habitual early riser?
A．Because h e / she wanted to form the habit of going to bed early and getting up early. |
| B．Because he / she had found that his / her productivity was higher when he / she got up early. |
| C．Because he / she wanted to see which of the two main schools of thought on sleep patterns was right. |
D．Because he / she was told t he high relationship between success and rising early. |
The author experienced all the following EXCEPT ____.
| A．going to bed after midnight． |
| B．getting up early occasionally. |
| C．pressing off the alarm to go on sleeping. |
| D．asking scholars for advice on sleeping habits. |
The passage is mainly about ____。
| A．how to become an early riser． |
| B．how to have good sleep. |
| C．wrong strategies for getting up early. |
| D．main schools of thought on sleep patterns. |
If you lose your wallet, how often do you think someone will be kind enough to return it to you, with cash and credit cards?
Some people may be greedy, and others are simply too lazy to bother(打搅) with the trip to the post office to send back a wallet to a stranger. But according to a psychology study by Dr. Richard Wiseman, there’s one thing that’ll greatly increase your odds of being reunited with a lost wallet: a photograph of a cute baby.
In the study, hundreds of wallets were scattered(分散) around the streets of Edinburgh, Scotland. The psychologists wanted to see how many strangers would take the trouble to return them to the addresses listed on the drivers’ licenses inside—but more than that, they wanted to find out what would make a person more likely to help out a stranger.
To finish this, they included personal things in most of the wallets: some included a photo of a happy elderly couple, some contained a cute puppy, some contained a family portrait, and some held a photo of a lovely baby. Others had receipts(发票) showing that the wallet’s owner had recently donated to a charity（慈善）. Some contained no personal details.
As the psychologists soon discovered, the sight of a smiling baby is enough to warm nearly any heart: only one in ten of the strangers who retrieved such wallets did not return them. In contrast, the second most successful image, the puppy, had a 53% return rate. When the wallet included no photograph, it stood only a one in seven chance of being returned to the owner.
The success of the baby photograph shows a human compassion(同情) for the young that’s been passed down through the ages, according to Dr. Wiseman. “The baby kicked off a caring feeling in people, which is not surprising from an evolutionary perspective(进化的角度),” he told the Times.
To ensure our species’ survival, scientists think that we must feel empathy and compassion for our young. Scientists say that this study supports the argument that we won’t feel compassion only for our own babies, but for any that we see—hence, the strong desire a stranger would feel to return a wallet to the baby’s parent.
On a more basic level, the study also provides a great tip to help ensure that if your wallet is ever lost, you’re more likely to get it back. “If you want to increase the chances of your wallet being returned if lost, gain a photograph of the cutest baby you can find and ensure that it is clearly displayed,” said Dr. Wiseman.The main purpose of the psychologists’ leaving hundreds of wallets around was to find out________.
| A．whether people were as honest as before |
| B．what made people willing to help strangers |
| C．what kind of feelings could be caused by a smiling baby |
| D．how evolution influenced human beings |
The underlined word “retrieved” in Para. 5 probably means “________”.
| A．picked up | B．spread out | C．found out | D．looked for |
Why did people return a wallet with a photograph of a cute baby in it?
| A．Because the wallet was not attractive enough to keep. |
| B．Because the sight of a baby could cause a caring feeling in them. |
| C．Because they were curious to know the parents of the baby |
| D．Because the sight of a cute baby reminded them of their own children. |
If there are 30 lost wallets with a photograph of a cute baby, how many of them will probably be returned?
| A．Only 3. | B．About 15. | C．20 or so. | D．About 27. |
We can learn from the last two paragraphs that________.
| A．humans usually have compassion for the young |
| B．the caring feeling in people is gone during evolution |
| C．scientists believed that people only feel compassion for their own babies |
| D．a wallet with a cute baby’s picture in it cannot be lost |
Letters to the next president
Dear Mr. President:
I would like to personally thank you for your time and concern for our great country. I would like to take a few minutes to address a few concerns that I have with the United States.
First of all, I would like to address the war. In my opinion, we should have never been involved with Iraq to the extent that we are now. I believe we should pull our troops out. However, I think there should be a time table that we follow but the time table should not be released（发布） because the enemy does not need to know when we are going to pull out. Also, the war takes out a ton of our money, which leads me to my next issue.
The economy right now, in the opinion of many Americans is the biggest issue with which we are facing right now. No one can predict what will happen one day or the next. The obvious thing to do is to put 700 billion dollars in the economy, but that bill failed and was rejected by the House of Representatives(众议院). Instead of putting 700 billion dollars in, I think the money should be equally distributed among Americans to pay off their debts. I'm not sure if this would work, but I think it is a positive alternative(替代) we could take.
My final issue I would like to call to your attention is teacher's salaries. The high school students of today are America's future. In a way, America's future depends greatly on the high school teachers of America. Saying this, it is sad that teacher's salaries are where they are. While teachers are working harder and harder every day to teach high school students, CEO's of big companies that are driving our countries economy into the ground are getting bonuses. I'm not saying that teacher's salaries should be the same of CEO's of companies, but I do strongly believe that action should be taken to increase the salaries of teachers because they have one of the most important jobs in America - - preparing our country for the future.
Once again, thank you for your time and your effort you put in to making this great country a better place.
Sincerely, WalkerWhat's the author's attitude towards the Iraq War?
| A．Supportive | B．Objective(客观的) | C．Negative | D．Positive |
What's true about the time of pulling the troops out?
| A．We should pull the troops out without delay. |
| B．There is no need to have a time table to follow. |
| C．The public has the fight to know the time table. |
| D．We should keep the time secret from the enemy. |
According to the author, the 700 billion dollars__________
| A．is the biggest issue with which we are facing right now. |
| B．has been accepted by the House of Representatives. |
| C．should be equally shared among Americans |
| D．should be put in the economy |
When talking about high school teachers, the author thinks that____________
| A．the teachers' salaries are not high enough. |
| B．teacher's salaries should be as high as CEO's. |
| C．the teachers work harder than CEO's of companies. |
| D．teaching is more important than any other job in America |
Which of the topics is NOT included in the letter?
| A．Election | B．International affair | C．Finance | D．Education, |
Many people watched the lift-off of the space shuttle Columbia on March 21, 1982. But none watched more closely than eighteen-year-old Ted, as Ted’s insects were on board the shuttle.
The Shuttle Student Involvement Program invited students to make a science experiment. The experiment would be done by astronauts on the space shuttle.
Ted had always been interested in space and flight. Insect flight especially interested him. Ted noticed that insects need gravity to take off and land. They need gravity to fly in a straight line. But in space, there is no gravity. Could insects fly in zero gravity? That is what Ted wanted to find out.
Ted made an experiment called “Insect in Flight Motion Study”. He entered his experiment and soon news came that it was a winner.
A large team of scientists and engineers helped Ted get his experiment ready to fly. There were many questions to be answered first. What kind of insects would Ted use in his experiment? The insects would have to be strong enough to live on the shuttle for nine days without much food. What kind of container would hold the insects? Would the insects die during the shuttle flight?
After months of hard work, the “insectronauts” were chosen. A group of moths, flies, and honeybees were put into a special box and put onto the space shuttle. When Columbia flew into space, it was carrying insect passengers.
On March 24, astronauts Gordon Fullerton and Jack Lousma took out the box that held the insects. They began filming the insects with a special video camera.
When the space shuttle landed Ted was able to watch the video film of insects. Just as he thought, most of the insects did have trouble flying in zero gravity. The flies did well. But the moths’ flight seemed “uncontrolled”. They would often just hang in the air. The bees had the most trouble. They couldn’t fly at all! The film showed bees spinning around in all directions. Others were just floating about in the box.
Ted learned the answer to his question about insects’ flight in zero gravity. But he also learned a lot more. He learned about the hard work needed in making a successful experiment.What does the underlined sentence “it was a winner” mean?
| A．Ted could fly in space. | B．Ted won a prize. |
| C．Ted’s experiment was accepted. | D．Ted won in a race. |
What did Ted want to find out?
| A．Whether the insects could fly in space. |
| B．Whether the insects could fly in a straight line. |
| C．Whether the insects could land after flying for a while. |
| D．Whether the insects could take off after resting for a while. |
Of the three kinds of insects sent into space, which one flew worst in zero gravity?
| A．The flies. | B．The honeybees. | C．The insects. | D．The moths. |
Who did the experiment?
| A．Ted himself. |
| B．Ted’s friend. |
| C．A large team of scientists and engineers. |
| D．Two astronauts on the space shuttle. |
How did Ted learn the answer to his question about insects’ flight in zero gravity?
| A．By asking the scientists and engineers. |
| B．By studying a book written by the astronauts. |
| C．By going into space and watching the insects’ flight himself. |
| D．By watching the video film made by the astronauts. |
Good training plays an essential role in the development of an efficient workplace. Ensuring that employees receive the appropriate skills training for their job is the type of preparation that future success in business is predicated on. Seeking out experienced guidance better enables businesses to compete and succeed.
Gainful employment is made even more worthwhile with help from Train to Gain. Funded by the Government, Train to Gain is a service that’s managed by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). Its purpose is to help businesses throughout England to choose the best and most suitable training to meet the needs of their particular environment and a competitive global marketplace. Train to Gain is responsible for introducing employers to independent and experienced Skills Brokers who identify and form a range of services vital to a productive working atmosphere. These Skills Brokers offer advice, match any training needs identified with training providers and will ensure that training is delivered to meet business needs.
Train to Gain Skills Brokers review and analyze the employer’s business needs to assess what skills are needed both now and in the future. The next step is the selection of the right training providers and the choice of how and when the training is delivered. A Train to Gain Skills Broker will recommend the best funding options available to the business and Train to Gain may even provide some funding itself to organizations.
Over 43,000 companies have already engaged with the Train to Gain service. As a result, more than 175,000 employees have begun their training with over 77,000 first full Level 2 achievements over the past 12 months. By the end of 2013 it is expected that over 500,000 learners will have achieved a first full Level 2 qualification through Train to Gain. The service will increase the opportunity for employees from a low skills base to reach Level 2 and beyond.
For more information about Train to Gain, visit traintogain.gov.uk, call 0800 015 55 45 or visit a Skills Broker in your area. Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
| A．How to be a Successful Businessman |
| B．The Way to Succeed in your Business |
| C．Train to Gain can Help your Business Succeed |
| D．Good Training is Essential in Workplace |
What’s the purpose of the author by showing us the figures in the last but one paragraph?
| A．To show that Train to Gain is so good that it attracts so many employees. |
| B．To show the importance of receiving training from Train to Gain. |
| C．To tell us only by joining in Train to Gain, can you succeed. |
| D．To tell us Train to Gain will increase the chances for employees. |
What’s the correct order according to the passage? Train to Gain Skills Brokers ___________.
① assess what skills are needed
② choose how and when to deliver the training
③ review and analyze the employer’s business needs
④ recommend the best funding options to the business
⑤ select the right training providers
| A．③ ① ④ ⑤ ② | B．③ ① ⑤ ② ④ |
| C．① ③ ⑤ ② ④ | D．① ③ ④ ② ⑤ |
Which of the following is NOT the way to get more information about Train to Gain?
| A．surfing the Internet | B．making a phone call |
| C．paying a visit | D．watching TV |
The passage most probably is a _________.
| A．business report | B．news story |
| C．business advertisement | D．research report |
The other day my aunt paid me a visit. She was overjoyed. “I got the highest mark in the mid-term examination!” She said. Don’t be surprised! My aunt is indeed a student, exactly, a college student at the age of 45.
“Compared with the late 70s,” she says, “now college students have many doors.” I was shocked when she first told me how she had had no choice in her major. Look at us today! So many doors are open to us! I believe there have never been such abundant opportunities for self-development as we have today. And my aunt told me that we should reach our goals by grasping all these opportunities.
The first door is the opportunity to study different subjects that interest us. My aunt was happy to study management, but she could also attend lectures on ancient Chinese poetry and on Shakespearean drama. As for myself, I am an English major, but I may also go to lectures on history.
The second door is the door to the outside world. Learning goes beyond classrooms and national boundaries. I have many fellow international classmates, and I am applying to an exchange program with a university abroad. As for my aunt, she is planning to get an MBA degree in the U.K.
The third door is the door to life-long learning. Many of my aunt’s contemporaries say she’s amazingly up-to-date for a middle-aged woman. She simply responds, “Age doesn’t matter. What matters is your attitude. I don’t think I’m too old to learn.” Yes, she is right. Since the government removed the age limit for college admissions, there are already some untraditional students, sitting with us in the same classrooms. Like them, my aunt is old but young in spirit with incredible energy and determination.
The doors open to us also pose challenges. For instance, we are faced with the challenge of a balanced learning, the challenge of preserving our fine tradition while learning from the West, and the challenge of learning continuously while carrying heavy responsibilities to our work and family. So, each door is a test of our courage, ability and judgment, but with the support of my teachers, parents, friends and my aunt, I believe I can meet the challenge head on. Which of the following words can best replace the “door” in the passage?
| A．challenge | B．knowledge | C．learning | D．opportunity |
What made the writher’s aunt overjoyed?
| A．Having a chance to visit the writer |
| B．Having lots of choices in subjects |
| C．Getting the highest score in her exam |
| D．Getting admission to a university |
Which of the following statements will the writer’s aunt agree with?
| A．No pains, no gains. |
| B．Failure is the mother of success. |
| C．One is never too old to learn. |
| D．Rome isn’t built in a day. |
The following word can be used to describe the writer’s aunt EXCEPT __________.
| A．fashionable | B．traditional | C．energetic | D．determined |
Which chart shows the correct structure of the passage?
