A jobless man wanted very much to have the position of “office boy” at Microsoft. The HR manager interviewed him and then watched him cleaning the floor as a test. “You have passed the test,”he said. “Give me your e-mail address and I’ll send you the form to fill in and the date when you may start.”The man replied, “But I don’t have a computer , neither an e-mail.” “I’m sorry,”said the HR manager. “If you don’t have an e-mail, that means you are not living. And anyone who isn’t living cannot have the job.”
The man left with no hope at all. He didn’t know what to do with only $10 in his pocket. He thought and thought. Then he went to the supermarket and bought 10 kilos of tomatoes. He sold the tomatoes from door to door. In less than two hours, he had 20 dollars. He repeated the operation three times, and started to go early every day, and returned home late. Shortly, he bought a cart , then a truck, then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles (运货车队). Five years later, the man was the one of the largest food retailers (零售商)in the US.
One day, one of his friends asked him for his e-mail. He said,“I haven’t got one.”
His friend couldn’t believe his ears. “Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an e-mail?” The man thought for a while and replied,“Yes, I’d be an office boy at Microsoft.”The man didn’t get the job because he _______________________.
A disliked the job B didn’t pass the test
C didn’t have an e-mail D knew nothing about computersWhy could the man become one of the largest food retailers in the US?
A Because he had many friends to help him.
B Because he was smart and worked very hard.
C Because he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles.
D Because he wanted to show Microsoft he was living.What does the story want to tell us?
A Computers are very important in our daily life.
B Everyone can make a lot of money with only $10.
C The HR manager didn’t find the ability of the man.
D Nothing in the world is impossible if we work hard,
This may be music to your ears.
Researchers P. Jason Rentfrow and Samuel Gosling gave 3,500 people a personality quiz. Then they asked them to name their favorite kind of music. “We found that the musical style people like are closely linked to their personalities,” Gosling says.
RAP/HIP-HOP
Known for their quick speech, some rappers can say more than 700 syllables (音节) a minute!
If you like rap/hip-hop, you are energetic and have a way with words. You put a fresh spin on things, whether it’s new moves on the dance floor or your hip style.
CLASSLCAL
In the 18th century, classical musicians were like rock stars. Beethoven and Mozart, for example, played in packed concert halls.
If you like classical, you are open to new ideas and like debating with friends. Creative and imaginative, you can easily spend many hours scrapbooking, writing or painting.
COUNTRY
Country music came from the folk songs of English, Scottish, and Irish settlers of the southeastern United States.
If you like country, you express your opinions well, which makes you the ideal class president or team captain. Traditional and loyal, you enjoy spending time with your family.
POP
Pop music is designed to appeal to (吸引) almost everyone, and it does. Each year, the industry brings in about 30 billion dollars!
If you like pop, you are attractive to your friends. You can make big things happen, like planning for a huge party or inspiring your team to victory.
ROCK
In the 1950s, rock music created a brand-new culture. Teenagers, for the first time, had an identity separate from adults and children.
If you like rock, you are a risk-taker who never accepts no for an answer. You rise to any challenge, like doing very well in a big exam or landing the lead in the school play.
If these personality profiles don’t match you, that’s OK. These are just for fun.What does the underlined part “You put a fresh spin on things” mean in the passage?
| A．You can express your idea in a clever way that makes it seem better than it really is. |
| B．You have the ability to attract others’ attention. |
| C．You are always willing to communicate with others. |
| D．You are willing to express your thoughts to others all the time. |
If you like pop music, .
| A．you are traditional and prefer to stay with your family |
| B．you are easy to accept new ideas |
| C．you are welcome and your friends all like to be with you |
| D．you have a quick speech and can say 30 words in a minute |
We can know from this passage that .
| A．in the 18th century, classical musicians were like pop stars |
| B．country music came from the old songs of the Native Americans |
| C．pop music is liked by the largest number of people in the world |
| D．everyone can find his personality in this passage |
What’s the main idea of the passage?
| A．When music came into being. |
| B．What your favorite music says about you. |
| C．Some basic information about music. |
| D．How to like music. |
Would you eat a ready meal from the fridge rather than cook by yourself? Have you been doing Internet shopping rather than going to the stores? What can’t you be bothered to do?
A study into how lazy British people are has found more than half of the adults are so idle (懒散的) that they’d catch the lift rather than climb two flights of stairs.
Just over 2,000 people were quizzed by independent researchers at Nuffield Health, Britain’s largest health center. The results were extremely surprising.
About one in six people questioned said if their remote control was broken, they would continue watching the same channel rather than get up.
More than one third of those questioned said they would not run to catch a bus. Worryingly, of the 654 respondents with children, 64% said they were often too tired to play with them.
This led the report to conclude that it’s no wonder that one in six children in the UK are classified as obese (very fat) before they start school.
Dr Sarah Dauncey, medical director of Nuffield Health, said, “People need to get fitter, not just for their own sake, but for the sake of their families, friends and evidently (明显地；显然) their pets too.”
“If we don’t start to take control of this problem, a whole generation will become too unfit to perform even the most fundamental tasks.”
And Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow, was shamed as the most idle city in the UK, with 75% questioned admitting they do not get enough exercise, followed closely by Birmingham and Southampton, both with 67%.
The results bring serious challenges for the National Health Service, where obesity-related illnesses such as heart disease and cancer have been on a steady increase for the past 40 years and are costing billions of pounds every year.How many people questioned don’t play with their children?
| A．1280. | B．More than 333. | C．654. | D．About 420. |
The study leads us to believe that _____________.
| A．the pets in the UK will be in trouble if their owners keep their way of life |
| B．Glasgow people feel ashamed because they don’t get enough exercise |
| C．British people are the laziest around the world |
| D．five sixths of the British children are healthy |
How does the author convince the readers?
| A．By presenting the results of a study. |
| B．By providing answers to questions. |
| C．By interviewing some experts. |
| D．By telling a story. |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．A study of British people’s laziness. |
| B．A study of British people’s lifestyles. |
| C．The health service in the UK. |
| D．The obesity problem in the UK. |
The young boy saw me, or rather, he saw the car and quickly ran up to me, eager to sell his bunches of bananas and bags of peanuts. Though he appeared to be about twelve, he seemed to have already known the bitterness of life. “Banana 300 naira. Peanuts 200 naira.”
He said in a low voice. I bargained him down to 200 total for the fruit and nuts. When he agreed, I handed him a 500 naira bill. He didn’t have change, so I told him not to worry.
He said thanks and smiled a row of perfect teeth.
When, two weeks later, I saw the boy again, I was more aware of my position in a society where it’s not that uncommon to see a little boy who should be in school standing on the corner selling fruit in the burning sun. My parents had raised me to be aware of the advantage we had been afforded and the responsibility it brought to us.
I pulled over and rolled down my window. He had a bunch of bananas and a bag of peanuts ready. I waved them away. “What’s up?” I asked him. “I…I don’t have money to buy books for school.” I reached into my pocket and handed him two fresh 500 naira bills.
“Will this help?” I asked. He looked around nervously before taking the money. One thousand naira was a lot of money to someone whose family probably made about 5,000 naira or less each year. “Thank you, sir,” he said. “Thank you very much.”
When driving home, I wondered if my little friend actually used the money for school-books. What if he’s a cheat? And then I wondered why I did it. Did I do it to make myself feel better? Was I using him? Later, I realized that I didn’t know his name or the least bit about him, nor did I think to ask.
Over the next six months, I was busy working in a news agency in Northern Nigeria. Sometime after I returned, I went out for a drive. When I was about to pull over, the boy suddenly appeared by my window with a big smile ready on his face.
“Oh, gosh! Long time.”
“Are you in school now?” I asked.
He nodded.
“That’s good,” I said. A silence fell as we looked at each other, and then I realized what he wanted. “Here,” I held out a 500 naira bill. “Take this.” He shook his head and stepped back as if hurt. “What’s wrong?” I asked. “It’s a gift.”
He shook his head again and brought his hand from behind his back. His face shone with sweat. He dropped a bunch of bananas and a bag of peanuts in the front seat before he said, “I’ve been waiting to give these to you.”What was the author’s first impression of the boy?
| A．He seemed to be poor and greedy. |
| B．He seemed to have suffered a lot. |
| C．He seemed younger than his age. |
| D．He seemed good at bargaining. |
The third time the author met him, the boy ______.
| A．told him his purpose of selling fruit and nuts |
| B．wanted to express his thanks |
| C．asked him for money for his schoolbooks |
| D．tried to take advantage of him |
Why did the author give his money to the boy?
| A．Because he had enough money to do that. |
| B．Because he had learnt to help others since childhood. |
| C．Because he held a higher position in the society. |
| D．Because he had been asked by the news agency to do so. |
Which of the following best describes the boy?
| A．Brave and polite. | B．Kind and smart. |
| C．Honest and thankful. | D．Shy and nervous. |
In 1943, during the Second World War the body of an English man, William Martin, was discovered off the Spanish coast. The papers he had been carrying were returned to England, where they were carefully examined. They had clearly been changed and that was exactly what the British had hoped would happen, for Martin was a trick designed to fool the Germans.
Martin did not exist. The body was that of a sailor who looked as though he had died when his boat sank, but in fact he had been ill and died. Leaving the boat to go down, his parents allowed the dead body to be put into the sea near Spain. It was hoped that the Germans would find it and read the fake(假的)papers he carried.
The papers said that the British would attack the island of Sardinia, when in fact they planned to attack the island of Sicily. The trick was successful. When the British landed on Sicily, most of the heavy German guns had been moved to defend(保卫) Sardinia.______ put the papers on the dead man.
| A．The British | B．German spies | C．Spanish soldiers | D．William Martin |
When the Germans found William Martin they probably thought he _________.
| A．was a British spy with important information about the war |
| B．was killed by the British soldiers |
| C．died of an illness |
| D．had the fake papers of the British Army |
When the British found out the papers were changed they concluded _________.
| A．Martin did exist | B．Martin was a German spy |
| C．the Germans had read the papers | D．they should attack Sardinia |
Which of the order is right according to this passage? __________.
a. The Germans found the dead at sea.
b. The British decided to use the dead body to fool the Germans.
c. The British planned to attack Sicily.
d. The papers on Martin were brought to London to be examined.
e. The Germans found the fake papers on the dead body.
f. The Germans decided to defend Sardinia.
g. The Germans believed the papers.
| A．c.b.a.e.g.f.d. | B．c.a.b.d.g.f.e. | C．a.c.b.g.f.e.d. | D．b.c.a.g.e.f.d. |
I was puzzled! Why was this old woman making such a fuss about an old copse（矮林） which was of no use to anybody? She had written letters to the local paper, even to a national, protesting about a projected by-pass to her village, and, looking at a map, the route was nowhere near where she lived and it wasn’t as if the area was attractive. I was more than puzzled, I was curious.
The enquiry into the route of the new by-pass to the village was due to take place shortly, and I wanted to know what it was that motivated her. So it was that I found myself knocking on a cottage door, being received by Mary Smith and then being taken for a walk to the woods. “I’ve always loved this place,” she said, “it has a lot of memories for me, and for others. We all used it. They called it ‘Lovers lane’. It’s not much of a lane, and it doesn’t go anywhere important, but that’s why we all came here. To be away from people, to be by ourselves. ” she added.
It was indeed pleasant that day and the songs of many birds could be heard. Squirrels watched from the branches, quite bold in their movements, obviously few people passed this way and they had nothing to fear. I could imagine the noise of vehicles passing through these peaceful woods when the by-pass was built, so I felt that she probably had something there but as I hold strong opinions about the needs of the community over-riding the opinions of private individuals, I said nothing. The village was quite a dangerous place because of the traffic especially for old people and children, their safety was more important to me than an old woman’s strange ideas.
“Take this tree,” she said pausing after a short while. “To you it is just that, a tree. Not unlike many others here.” She gently touched the bark, “Look here, under this branch, what can you see?”
“It looks as if someone has done a bit of carving with a knife.” I said after a cursory inspection.
“Yes, that’s what it is!” she said softly.
She went on, “He had a penknife with a spike for getting stones from a horse's hoof, and I helped him to carve them. We were very much in love, but he was going away, and could not tell me what he was involved in the army. I had guessed of course. It was the last evening we ever spent together, because he went away the next day, back to his Unit.”
Mary Smith was quiet for a while, then she sobbed. “His mother showed me the telegram. ‘Sergeant R Holmes …Killed in action in the invasion of France.’…”
“I had hoped that you and Robin would one day get married.” she said, “He was my only child, and I would have loved to be a Granny, they would have been such lovely babies’- she was like that! ”
“Two years later she too was dead. ‘Pneumonia (肺炎), following a chill on the chest’ was what the doctor said, but I think it was an old fashioned broken heart. A child would have helped both of us.”
There was a further pause. Mary Smith gently caressed the wounded tree, just as she would have caressed him. “And now they want to take our tree away from me.” Another quiet sob, then she turned to me. “I was young and pretty then, I could have had anybody, I wasn’t always the old woman you see here now. I had everything I wanted in life, a lovely man, health and a future to look forward to.”
She paused again and looked around. The breeze gently moved through the leaves with a sighing sound. “There were others, of course, but no one can match my Robin!” she said strongly. “And now I have nothing - except the memories this tree holds. If only I could get my hands on that awful man who writes in the paper about the value of the road they are going to build where we are standing now, I would tell him. Has he never loved, has he never lived, does he not know anything about memories? We were not the only ones, you know, I still meet some who came here as Robin and I did. Yes, I would tell him!”
I turned away, sick at heart.The main purpose of this passage is to ________.
| A．draw attention to the damage that wars cause |
| B．persuade people to give up private interest |
| C．arouse the awareness of being environmentally friendly |
| D．introduce a touching but sad love story |
Which of the following words can best describe Mary Smith?
| A．Selfish. | B．Faithful. | C．Changeable. | D．Stubborn. |
The underlined sentence “I felt that she probably had something there” means ________.
| A．I thought there might be something hidden in the woods by Mary Smith |
| B．I guessed there might be a story related with Mary Smith |
| C．I thought there might be some reason for Mary Smith’s protest |
| D．I guessed there might be a secret purpose of Mary Smith. |
What was probably the carving on the wounded tree?
| A．The date when Robin Holmes would leave for army. |
| B．Their wish that this place and tree would last long. |
| C．Their names and a heart with a sign of arrow through it. |
| D．Their protest against the war which tore them apart. |
In Mary’s opinion, which of the following might have caused Robin’s mother’s death?
| A．Pneumonia | B．A chill on the chest | C．A heart attack | D．Severe sorrow |
The “tree” probably stands for ________.
| A．her romance . | B．her determination | C．her sadness | D．her dream |