Today, roller skating is easy and fun. But many years ago, it wasn’t easy at all. Before 1750, people never tried skating on wheels. That changed because of a man named Joseph Merlin. Merlin’s work was making instruments. In his free time he liked to play the violin. Merlin was a man with many ideas and many dreams. People called him a dreamer.
One day Merlin received an invitation to go to an important party. He was very pleased and a little excited. As the day of the party came near, Merlin began to think. He wanted to find a way to make a wonderful entrance at the party. Merlin had an idea. He thought that he would attract a lot of attention if he could skate into the room.
Merlin tried different ways to make himself roll. Finally, he decided to put two wheels under each shoe. These were the first roller skate shoes. Merlin was very proud of them. He dreamed of arriving at the party and skating into the room while playing the violin. He was sure that everyone would be very surprised.
On the night of the party Merlin rolled into the room, playing his violin. Everyone was really surprised to see him. There was just one problem. Merlin had no way to stop his roller skating. He rolled on, playing the violin. Then, with all eyes on him, Merlin hit into a huge mirror on the wall. The mirror broke into many pieces with a very loud noise. But nobody forgot Merlin’s wonderful entrance after that.The story tells us that people began to enjoy roller-skating _______.
| A．before the year 1750 | B．before the invitation |
| C．because of Joseph Merlin | D．because it was dangerous |
People called Merlin a dreamer because ___________.
| A．he slept and dreamed a lot | B．he was full of different ideas |
| C．he was a talented violinist | D．he always made people’s dreams come true |
___________ made Merlin think of skating on wheels.
| A．Merlin’s work | B．Merlin’s violin | C．A huge mirror | D．An important party |
What was Merlin’s problem after he rolled into the room?
| A．He couldn’t stop his roller-skating. | B．He couldn’t attract a lot of attention. |
| C．Everyone was surprised at him. | D．He couldn’t play the violin while rolling. |
The text is mainly about_________.
| A．a strange man |
| B．an unusual party |
| C．how roller skating began |
| D．how people enjoyed themselves in the 18th century |
It’s a tradition that dates back to the 1930s’ and it’s designed to give all children in Finland, no matter what background they’re from, an equal start in life.
The maternity(母性) package — a gift from the government — is available to all expectant mothers. It contains bodysuits, a sleeping bag, outdoor gear, bathing products for the baby as well as nappies, bedding and a small mattress.
With the mattress at the bottom, the box becomes a baby’s first bed. Many children, from all social backgrounds, have their first naps within the safety of the box’s four cardboard walls.
The tradition dates back to 1938. At first, the scheme was only available to families on low incomes, but that changed in 1949. In the 1930s Finland was a poor country and the infant death rate was high — 65 out of 1,000 babies died. But the figure decreased rapidly in the decades that followed. Over 75 years, the box has been an established part of the Finnish rite(仪式) of a passage to motherhood, uniting generations of women.
Reija Klemetti, a 49-year-old woman from Helsinki, remembers going to the post office to receive a box for one of her children. “My partner Milla and I were living in London when we had our first child, Jasper, so we weren’t eligible (有资格) for a free box. But Milla’s parents didn’t want us to miss out, so they bought one and put it in the post office. We couldn’t wait to open the box. There were all the clothes I had expected, with the addition of a snowsuit for Finland's cold winter.”
“We now live in Helsinki and have just had our second child, Annika. She did get a free box, from the Finnish government. This felt to me like evidence that someone cared — someone wanted our baby to have a good start in life,” Reija Klemetti said.In Finland the maternity package is probably seen as a symbol of_____.
| A．wealth |
| B．equality |
| C．pride |
| D．fame |
The fourth paragraph implies that_____.
| A．the rich refused to use the boxes |
| B．there were not enough boxes at first |
| C．the boxes were given to poor families only |
| D．the boxes helped cut down the death rate of babies |
Why couldn’t Reija Klemetti get a free box when her first child was born?
| A．They were not citizens of Finland. |
| B．They lived outside Finland. |
| C．They didn't apply for the box. |
| D．They had got one from their neighbors. |
How did Reija Klemetti feel when she received the box from the post office?
| A．Worried. | B．Disappointed. |
| C．Puzzled. | D．Excited. |
What did Reija Klemetti want to tell us in the last paragraph？
| A．A free box came at last. |
| B．She was longing for a free box for her child. |
| C．She returned to Finland to get a free box. |
| D．The free box gave her a feeling of warmth. |
Dear Guest,
Welcome to Pacific International Apartments. At present we are updating our information folders in the rooms so as to assist you during your stay. Please note the following:
Phone number
Reception Dial 7
Housekeeping Dial 4
Apartment-to Apartment: Dial the Apartment number(except 1st floor Apartments: dial the Apartment number followed by the﹟key)
Outside line: Dial 0, wait for dial tone, and then the number required.
Please keep your key with you at all times. The main doors to the apartments are locked from 10:30pm— 07:00am, and you will need to swipe your key to gain access to the apartments.
Please see reception for any advice on tours and Sydney’s attractions, and please dial 7 if you require any further information.
We hope your stay with us is an enjoyable one.
Kind regards!
Paul Williams
Guest Services ManagerHow can you dial from your room in Pacific to Room 115 on the 1st floor?
| A．Just dial 115. |
| B．Dial 6, then 115. |
| C．Dial 115 and press the﹟key. |
| D．Press the﹟key, then dial 115. |
A guest who wants to go back to his room in Pacific at 11:45 pm can _____.
| A．open the main door with his key |
| B．dial 0, and phone the reception |
| C．go to his room via the reception |
| D．use the lifts |
In case of fire in Pacific, guests should _____.
| A．dial 7 and wait for the hotel security’s instructions |
| B．take their keys and leave Pacific by way of lifts |
| C．leave Pacific through the fire exits |
| D．be together with the Fire Brigade |
What does the underlines word “evacuation” mean in English?
| A．concentrating in a place |
| B．withdrawing from a place |
| C．searching for a place |
| D．taking up a place |
This letter most probably appears in _____.
| A．a guest’s room |
| B．the official guide |
| C．a staff member’s office |
| D．advertisements for hotel |
FIVE Americans swept the three Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology (生理学) or Medicine last week. It was the first American sweep of the Nobel science prizes since 1983.
It’s rare for Americans not to receive any of the science prizes, especially in recent years. In 2004, seven Americans were among the 10 laureates (获奖者) for the science prizes. Last year, the figure was five out of 10.
The huge sums of money invested in scientific research is one factor that has helped many Americans to win awards. Another reason is the vast number of researchers working in the US. American universities also often have a more “creative university environment”where people can focus on research for a long period without any pressure, said Anders Liljas, member of the Nobel Committee.
New hope for AIDS patients?
AMERICAN scientists Craig Mello (top) of the University of Massachusetts Medical School and Andrew Fire (above) of Stanford University School of Medicine won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine last Monday. Their discovery is a process that researchers hope to use to silence disease-causing genes (基因). It offers new ways for disease treatment.
Scientists now hope to develop a new technique that could be used to treat diseases, such as cancers, AIDS and Parkinson’s disease.
Like father, like son?
AS the son of a Nobel Prize winning professor, Roger D. Kornberg (left) had a lot to live up to. But, nearly half a century after his father, won his award, Kornberg, 59, a Stanford University professor, won his own last Wednesday: The Nobel Prize in Chemistry. His research into how cells read their genes is very important. It could help lead to the development of new drugs to fight cancer (癌症), heart disease and other illnesses, experts said.
First light of the universe
TWO Americans won the Nobel Prize in Physics last Tuesday for measuring the oldest light in the heavens. It is considered as “one of the greatest discoveries of the century”. It convinced (使确信) scientists that the Big Bang theory (大爆炸理论) of the universe’s origin is correct. George F. Smoot (top), 61, of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, and John C. Mather (above), 60, of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre, will share the US$1.4 million prize for their work. Beginning in 1989, they measured weak light that originated (源于) as early as 380,000 years after the Big Bang.What does the underlined word “swept” in Paragraph 1 mean ?
| A．cleaned by brushing | B．crossed completely |
| C．spread quickly | D．took each of the winning |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Craig Mello and Andrew Fire have found the way to cure cancers, AIDS and Parkinson’s disease.
B. Roger D. Kornberg’s father once won a Nobel Prize.
C. George F. Smoot will get US$1.4 million prize for his work.
D. Roger D. Kornberg is the youngest of the Nobel Prize owners of this time.The passage is probably taken from________.
| A．a science report | B．a news report |
| C．a history lecture | D．an advertisement |
Teenagers at one German school are learning how to achieve happiness alongside subjects like maths and languages.
The class sit in a circle with their eyes shut and count from one to ten: one begins, the next voice comes from the far right, a third from the other side. The aim is to listen for an opportunity to shout the number without clashing(冲突) with another voice or leaving a pause. On the first try, most of the young Germans try to be first, while a few are too shy to join in. But by the fifth round, they develop a rhythm.
The message: giving other people space but also confidently claiming your own space is a requirement for social well-being.
While the game suggests a soft course for the less bright, the school says it is trying to make it affect even clever pupils. The Willy Hellpach School is the first in the nation to develop a happiness course, intended for 17-19-year-olds preparing for university-entrance exams. “The course isn’t there to make you happy,” Ernst Fritz-Schubert, the school principal, warned the pupils who were taking the course, “but rather to help you discover the ways to become happy.” Cooking a meal together will be one of the class exercises, along with improving body language under the guidance of two professional actresses.
“In the first period, we had to each say something positive about another member of the class and about ourselves. No laughing at people or teasing,” said Fanny, 17.
The message: self-esteem(自尊) improves happiness too.
The course is taught for three periods a week and will be graded as a part of overall assessment. Despite the happy subject, the pupils themselves insist it is no laughing matter. Max, 18, says he is happy when he finds people who share his interests. Janina, 18, says she needs to be fit to feel happy.
“We want to show how proper food or exercise can help in becoming happy,” the principal said. He hopes other schools in Germany will copy the idea. The school has attracted national interest since it announced its new course.What would be the best title of this passage?
| A．Basic Things for Happiness. |
| B．Tips to Be Happy. |
| C．Learning How to Be Happy. |
| D．Laughing a Lot at School. |
Why is the happiness course compared with maths and languages?
| A．It has been developed as a school subject. |
| B．It is more important than traditional courses. |
| C．It is part of the research. |
| D．It arouses the students’ interest. |
Who are expected to take the course at the school?
| A．First year students. |
| B．All the students. |
| C．Students with mental problems. |
| D．Students who are going to graduate. |
Which of the following is NOT true about the happiness classes?
| A．Students learn through playing games. |
| B．Cooking a meal together is a class activity. |
| C．Students are only made to be happy. |
| D．Students say positive things about each other. |
Facing fear is one of the most important things you can do. Some people have a fear of failure and others a fear of success. It may seem strange but neither one is a good fear. You might think the fear of failure could be a good thing but it’s not, particularly if the fear of failure keeps you from accomplishing anything.
For myself, I have a huge fear of failure but I am good at facing that fear and overcoming it. I don’t let my fear of failure cause me to delay(延误) my decision or get me off the track. I use the fear to make sure I’m doing my absolute best at all times because I know if I don’t do my best I will fail. That frightens me. I’m not afraid of trying at all.
I started a business when I was married to my first wife. The business became successful and I was getting ready to make some huge money. However, my wife just wanted us to stay small because she was comfortable there. She feared what success might bring and did every little thing she could to make sure we didn’t grow any bigger. I’m sure you can see the problem. I had a fear of failure and she had an even bigger fear of success. Finally I couldn’t stand any more of her fear and we got a divorce.
Facing fear and overcoming fear is very important. People even have a fear of fear. I’m sure that it is normal. People fear change more than anything else and fight that change with fear. They fear what they don’t know or understand. They fear anything new to them. But we need to keep in mind that the world is changing all the time and that change is inevitable (不可避免的). You can live a life free of fear by learning to face your fears.From the first paragraph, we can learn that the fear of failure________.
| A．is better than the fear of success |
| B．is a good thing to most of us |
| C．is more common than the fear of success |
| D．may stop us from getting successful |
It can be inferred that when the writer’s small business became successful, _____.
| A．he feared to grow bigger |
| B．he feared to lose his money |
| C．something went wrong with their marriage |
| D．he was as comfortable as his wife |
What’s the writer’s purpose of telling his own experience with his first wife?
| A．To explain two kinds of fears. |
| B．To tell his problem in his early career. |
| C．To explain the bad effects of different fears. |
| D．To show the fear of failure is a good thing. |
People who have a fear of fear___________.
| A．often fail to understand something new to them |
| B．just want to live an unchangeable life |
| C．believe that change is inevitable |
| D．fear that they can’t change |