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Being the head of a high school for many years, I grew tired of budget meetings, funding cuts, and many other administrative chores(杂务). I started to dream of retirement. Sitting in traffic on a weekday morning, I would find my mind wandering. I would imagine spending time with my grandchildren, quiet evenings with my wife, traveling, or rediscovering some great books. I told myself that I wouldn’t sign myself up for any committees, any classes, or anything requiring a schedule.
My first day of retirement came at last! I cooked a great breakfast for my wife and me, leisurely read the paper, cleaned a bit of the house, and wrote a few letters to friends. On the second day, I cooked breakfast, read the paper… On the third day, … This is retirement? I tried to tell myself that it was just the transition(过渡), that those golden moments were right round the corner, and that I would enjoy them soon enough. But something was missing.
A former colleague asked a favor. A group of students was going to Jamaica to work with children in the poorest neighborhoods. Would I interrupt my newfound “happiness” and return to the students, just this once? One trip. That’s all. My bags were packed and by the door.
The trip was very inspiring. I was moved not only by the poverty I saw but also by the sense of responsibility of the young people on the trip. When I returned home, I offered to work one day a week with a local youth organization. The experience was so positive that I was soon volunteering nearly full-time, working with students across North America to assist them in their voluntary work.
Now, it seems, the tables have turned. Some days I am the teacher, other days I am the student. These young people have reawakened my commitment(责任感) to social justice issues by challenging me to learn more about the situation in the world today, where people are still poor and suffer because of greed, corruption and war. Most important, they have given me the opportunity to continue to participate in helping to find solutions. In return, I help them do their charitable projects overseas. I’ve gone from running one school to helping oversee the construction of schools in twenty-one countries!
What did the writer expect to do after he retired?

A.To write some great books. B.To stay away from busy schedules.
C.To teach his grandchildren. D.To plan for his future.

Why did the writer decide to go to Jamaica?

A.He wasn’t satisfied with his retired life. B.He couldn’t refuse his colleague’s favor.
C.He was concerned about the people there. D.He missed his students in that country.

The underlined part “the tables have turned” (Paragraph 5) most probably means that the writer ______.

A.improved the situation in his school B.felt happy to work with students again
C.changed his attitude toward his retirement D.became a learner rather than a teacher

What does the writer think of his retired life now?

A.Meaningful. B.Troublesome. C.Relaxing. D.Disappointing.
科目 英语   题型 阅读理解   难度 中等
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Hilton English Language Center
Information for New Students
CLASS TIME: 8:30a.m.—10:00a.m., 10:30a.m.—12:00a.m., 1:30p.m.—3:00p.m..
The Language Center is open Monday to Friday. Each class has one afternoon free per week. On the first day, go to the lecture hall to check your timetable.
SELF-ACCESS: The language laboratory (Room 1110) is open Monday to Friday from 3:15p.m. to 5:00p.m. for all full-time students.
You can learn how to use computers for language games or word-processing(文字处理). There are tapes for students to borrow to practice their English. Go in and ask the teacher to show you. If you plan to take public examinations, there are dictation and listening comprehension tapes for you to practice with. There are cloze exercises on the computers. Ask your class teacher for a list of past exam essays. Students can borrow tapes to take home but they must be returned after two days.
ATTENDANCE(出勤):All students are expected to attend classes as it is required. Students who do not attend classes will be reported to OSS. Eighty percent attendance is required for students to receive their certificates(证书)when they finish their courses. It is also required by OSS for an extension to your visa.
BOOKS: If students are given course books, the books are their responsibility. If a book is lost, the student will be expected to pay for it.
If students wish to buy books, there is a bookshop in the college specializing in English books (Room 3520).
When do classes begin and end on a full day?

A.8:30a.m.—1:30p.m.. B.8:30a.m.—3:00p.m..
C.8:30a.m.—3:15p.m.. D.3:15p.m.—5:00p.m..

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A.No teachers are in the language lab.
B.90% attendance is required for the students.
C.Books can’t be taken out of the center.
D.Students can prepare for exams by listening to tapes.

Timetable can be seen in _____.

A.the lecture hall B.Room 3520
C.the classroom D.Room 1110

The books which the students wish to buy are in the _____.

A.library B.bookshop in the college
C.street D.classroom

At the end of my senior year of high school, I got a job working at a local coffee shop.I thought the job would be easy and stress-free.I pictured myself pouring the best coffees, making delicious doughnuts (炸面包圈), and becoming friends with regular customers.
I wasn’t expecting the people with enormous orders, the women who complained that the coffee was much too creamy (含乳脂的), or the men who wanted their iced coffees remade again and again until they reached perfection.I couldn’t seem to please anyone.
One rainy day, one of my regular customers came in looking upset.He said he felt like getting in bed, pulling the sheets up over his head, and staying there for a few years.I knew exactly how he felt.
Before he left, I handed him a bag along with his iced coffee.He was surprised, since he hadn’t ordered anything but coffee.I had given him his favorite type of droughnut.
“It’s on me,” I told him.“Have a nice day.”
He smiled and thanked me before heading back out into the rain.
The next day, it was still raining.I spent my afternoon hanging out the window handing people their orders.I was completely wet and freezing cold.Worse, no one was tipping that day.Every time I looked into our empty tip jar, I grew more depressed.
In the evening, the customer from the day before drove up to the window.He handed me a pink rose and a note.He said that not many people took time to care about others and he was glad there were still people like me in the world.With a friendly wave, he drove away.
I ran to the back of the shop and read the note.It read:
Christine,
Thanks for being so sweet, kind and thoughtful yesterday.It is so nice to meet someone who’s indeed nice.Please don’t change your ways! Have a great day! –Hank
After that, whenever I felt depressed or sick of coffee, I thought of Hank and his kindness.Then I would smile, hold my head up high, clear my throat and ask politely, “How can I help you?”
Why wasn’t the writer happy with her job at first?

A.The customers didn’t tip her enough
B.It was difficult to make iced coffee perfect
C.Everybody had an enormous order
D.The job didn’t turn out as she had expected

The man came to the coffee shop to ______

A.buy his favorite doughnut B.complain to the author
C.buy a cup of iced coffee D.get out of the rain

The man felt thankful for the writer because ______

A.she was indeed kind to him in a time of need
B.she knew exactly how the man felt
C.she offered him coffee and food for free
D.she comforted him by sharing his pain

What can we learn from the passage?

A.Don’t count your eggs until they are hatched
B.If you light a lamp for somebody, it will also brighten your path
C.The quality of your life is the quality of your relationships
D.A man is happy so long as he chooses to be happy

THE BRONTE FAMILY
Yorkshire, England was the setting for two great novels of the 19th century. One of them is Jane Eyre written by Charlotte Bronte.
The Bronte family had three girls and a boy. Charlotte was born in 1816, Emily was born in 1818 and Anne in 1820. Their brother Branwell was born in 1817. The children wrote and told stories and walked over the hills. They grew up largely self-educated. Branwell showed a great interest in drawing. The girls took positions as teachers or taught children in their homes. The girls were determined to earn money for Branwell's art education.
As children, the girls had all written many stories. Charlotte alone wrote 22 books, each with 60 to 100 pages of small handwriting. Therefore, they turned to writing for income. By 1847, Charlotte had written The Professor; Emily, Wuthering Heights; and Anne, Agnes Grey. After much difficulty, Anne and Emily found a publisher (出版商), but there was no interest shown in Charlotte's book. ( It was not published until 1859. ) However, one publisher expressed an interest in seeing more of her work. Jane Eyre was already started, and she hurriedly finished it. It was accepted at once; thus each of the sisters had a book published in 1847.
Jane Eyre was immediately successful; the other two, however, did not do so well. Emily lived only a short while after the publication of her book, and Anne died in 1849.
Charlotte published Shirley in 1849, and Villette in 1853. In 1854 she married Arthur Bell Nicholls. But only a year later, she died of tuberculosis (肺结核) as her sisters had.
What did the Bronte sisters want to do for Branwell Bronte?

A.Help him write stories.
B.Help him get trained in art.
C.Teach him how to draw well.
D.Teach him how to educate himself.

We know from the text that

A.Jane Eyre was published in 1847
B.Charlotte Bronte wrote 22 books in all
C.the Bronte sisters received good education
D.the father helped his daughters with their writing

The underlined words "the other two" in Paragraph 4 refer to ________.

A.Shirley and Villette
B.The Professor and Agnes Grey
C.Agnes Grey and Wuthering Heights
D.The Professor and Wuthering Heights

What do we know about the Bronte sisters from the text?

A.Their novels interested few publishers.
B.None of them lived longer than 40 years.
C.Emily was the least successful of the three.
D.None of them had more than two books published.

My favorite English teacher could draw humor out of the driest material. It wasn't forced on us either. He took Samuel Johnson's dictionary, Addison's essays, and many other literary wonders from the eighteenth century and made them hilarious, even at eight o'clock in the morning. The thing that amazed me most was that the first time I read these works on my own some of them seemed dead, but the second time, after his explanation, I couldn't believe that I hadn't seen the humor. The stories and poems and plays were suddenly filled with allusions (典故) and irony (反讽) and hilarious moments. I learned more from him than from any other teacher.
My least favorite English teacher also made people laugh. Some students found him to be funny. Many others did not. He assigned journals over a six week period, to be written every day. At the end of the six weeks I had a notebook full of bits and pieces about my ideas, short stories, reactions to what we had read, and so on. Our teacher announced that we would be grading each other's journals. Mine was passed to Joe, that class clown, who always behaved in a funny or silly way. He saw it fit to make joke of and said, " This writing isn't fit to line (衬垫) the bottom of a birdcage. " Our teacher laughed at that funny remark. It hurt me so much that the anger from it has driven my writing and teaching ever since.
So what makes the difference? Humor is one of the most powerful tools teachers or writers have. It can build up students and classes and make them excited about literature and writing, or it can tear them apart. It is true that humor is either productive or counter-productive and self-defeating.
The passage mainly discusses ________.

A.teaching B.literature
C.humor D.knowledge

The underlined word "hilarious" in Paragraph 1 probably means ________.

A.funny B.tiring
C.inspiring D.brilliant

The English teacher the writer disliked most ________.

A.was not able to make students laugh
B.hurt his students' feelings
C.didn't let his students do the grading
D.had no sense of humor

Trip 1 Black Bear Count
There have been fires in this area in the last few years and the Office of the National Park is not sure how many black bears are still living. Some bears have been seen since the fires, and the Office has asked for young people to help count them.
The entire trip will last three hours. Bookings necessary.
Cost: Free When: May 8
Trip 2 Garland Valley
Bring your drink and lunch for this walk in a beautiful area of the Blue Mountains. Garland Valley is close to the town of Garland but is part of the National Park. Many wild animals live in this area, including many rare birds. This is a great walk for bird-lovers. The trip lasts four hours. Bookings necessary.
Cost: $ 15 When: May 8, May 15
Trip 3 Flashlight Adventure
Put on your warm clothes, bring a flashlight and a pair of glasses, and come for a night walk along the Dungog Valley. A guide will lead the tour. Many of the animals you will see on this trip can only be seen at night. The guide will tell you about the lives of the animals you see. Numbers are strictly limited on night trips, so be sure to book early. This walk lasts two and a half hours.
Cost: $ 12 When: May 8, May 15, May 22
Equipment to be needed:
·Please bring enough water and food for all walks.
·Wear good walking shoes--no high heels.
·Wear a hat for day walks.
·Dress warmly for night walks.
·Children must be with an adult.
·Make sure your flashlight works well and bring extra batteries for night walks.
·Follow all instructions from guides during the walks. The mountains are a dangerous place.
Bookings:
·Bookings for the above trips can be done by telephone (893 - 4847) or on the Internet at (www. bluemountaintour, com)
Where are these trips?

A.In a large city. B.In a park in the mountains.
C.In a special zoo. D.In three different countries.

Which of the following is NOT necessary for the three trips?

A.Good walking shoes. B.A pair of glasses.
C.Food and water. D.A sleeping bag.

What is the best title for the passage?

A.Adventure Travel in America
B.Hunting around the Great Mountains
C.Discovery Trips in the Blue Mountains
D.Interesting Trips in the East of the USA

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