As far back as he could remember,Larry had longed to go to Hollywood and become a film star. The young man’s hopes for success were broken again and again, however. Hollywood just did not seem interesting. When he first came to California, Larry had decided never to give up and return home without success. Therefore, he kept on trying. Someday, he told himself, his big opportunity would come.
Larry found a job parking cars for one of Hollywood’s big restaurants. His pay was basic, but since the guests were kind enough to give him more money, he managed to make a living. One day he recognized an important film director driving into the parking lot(停车场)and getting out of his car. Larry had recently heard that the man was ready to make a new picture.
Larry got into the car and prepared to drive it on into the lot and park it. Then he stopped, jumped out, and ran over to the director. “Excuse me, sir, but I think it is only fair to tell you that it is now or never if you want me in your next picture. A lot of big companies are after me.”
Instead of pushing away the boy,the director laughed,then wrote something on a card and handed it to the young man.“ Come and see me tomorrow.”
Larry got a small part in the director’s next film. He was on his way!Which of the following was Larry really interested in?
| A.Working as a waiter. | B.Becoming a film star. |
| C.Parking cars for film stars. | D.Owning a big company. |
Why did Larry find a job parking cars?
| A.Because he liked the job. |
| B.Because the parking lot was near Hollywood. |
| C.To make a living and wait for the opportunity. |
| D.To see a lot of film stars and work for them. |
After reading the story, what can we know about the film director ?
| A.He wanted to laugh at Larry. | B.He recognized Larry at first sight. |
| C.He was kind and gave Larry a try. | D.He thought Larry would become a star. |
“He was on his way”refers to the fact that_______.
| A.he gave up and returned home |
| B.he began to work towards success |
| C.he took a journey to Hollywood |
| D.he had difficulty in playing the small part |
Hong Kong plays host to exciting events ranging from colourful festivals to world class arts and sports events. When planning your next visit,be sure to include these signature events in your plans.



Where can sport lovers order tickets for sports events?
| A.At www.hkticketing.com. |
| B.At www. hksevens.com. |
| C.At Hong Kong Stadium. |
| D.At Auditorium,Kwai Tsing Theatre. |
How much should you pay at least to attend both the jazz concert and Writer’s Block?
| A.HK $260. | B.HK $310. | C.HK $440. | D.HK $500. |
In which event can audience see Woody Allen in person?
| A.Affordable Art Fair. |
| B.Jazz Concert— HKCO + Howard MeCrary. |
| C.Writer’s Block. |
| D.Hong Kong Sevens 2014. |
Will online courses transform world of education?
Some may wonder what it feels like to attend a class at Stanford University. The recently popular MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) can satisfy this desire. But they are also most likely to change the situation of higher education. Only last month,both Peking University and Tsinghua University announced plans to start open online course on the edX platform,one of the world’s major providers of MOOCs,to explore this new form of online education.
Gaining momentum(势头)
“It’s not only a change of platforms from offline to online. It’s more about a reform of
teaching methods,even the whole education system,”said Chen Jining,president of Tsinghua University.
The potential of MOOCs to reform education has been obvious in the US ever since the immediate popularity of the course Artificial Intelligence,taught by Stanford University professor Sebastian Thrun, who later co-founded Udacity, a platform with 1.6 million enrolled(注册) students in 200 countries. According to Nature magazine,by June 2013,74 percent of universities in the US offered some type of online course. Lu Fang, vice-president of Fudan University,explains the appeal of MOOCs as a simple case of supply and demand:“The demand for high quality educational resources from both enrolled students and professionals is feeding the rise of MOOCs,in which classes usually taught by top teachers are available to everyone,”said Lu.
Too early to replace
With easy access and free of charge, MOOCs are said to have the potential to change the present education system. But there are barriers,because hardly any universities offer degree certificates, as college administrators point out, it’s difficult to confirm if students are foaming anything in MOOCs,reposed USA Today.
The Wall Street Journal also reposed that,presently,a typical MOOC student is likely to have
already graduated from college and is using the course to explore an interest or acquire professional
skills. Even so, an increasing number of undergraduates are signing up.
“What we are really establishing(创建)are educational pathways for people who want skills that are related to contemporary jobs,”Thrun told The Wall Street Journal.MOOCs have been considered likely to reform education since___________.
| A.the founding of Udacity |
| B.the wide application of online education |
| C.the popularity of the course Artificial Intelligence |
| D.the opening of MOOCs on the edX platform in China |
According to Lu Fang, MOOCs have become popular because___________.
| A.high quality educational resources are in demand |
| B.students can attend courses in famous universities |
| C.college students have access to famous teachers |
| D.MOOCs have brought about revolution in education |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A.Most of the MOOCs focus on professional training for college graduates. |
| B.There are barriers for MOOCs to replace the present education system. |
| C.International companies prefer applicants who graduate from MOOCs. |
| D.More and more undergraduates have realized the limits of MOOCs. |
The author’s attitude towards MOOCs is___________.
| A.doubtful | B.negative | C.critical | D.optimistic |
Tasha Tudor(August 28,1919 — June 18,2008) was an American illustrator(插画家)and writer of children’s books. She received many awards and honors for her contributions to children’s literature. When people talk about her creativity in artwork,she said,“I do it to support my dogs and my four children.”Her great publishing record, the number of magazine stories that have been written about her over the years, and her admirers have no effects on her at all.
Much of Tasha’s artwork and her reading are done in the wintertime.“I love winter. It’s delightful,”she says.“I don’t have to go anywhere because I work at home. If I’m snowed in,I can stay this way for months.”She hopes for early, deep snow to protect her garden from the hardship of the New England winter,and when it comes she puts on snowshoes when she needs to get down the mile-long dirt path that leads to the road.
Given her enjoyment of winter and her fantasy(梦幻)way of life,it’s not surprising that Tasha’s Christmas is a storybook holiday. She hangs flowers over the front door. Her tree comes from the woods,
and it goes up on Christmas Eve,lit by homemade candles and decorated with her great- grandmother’s collection that dates from 1850. In a place of honor on the tree are large cookies cut into the shapes of her animals.
The grandchildren and friends get presents from Tasha’s old dolls;so do the animals and they
have their own Christmas tree. “Of course,it’s a known fact that all the animals talk on Christmas
Eve,”she has written. Small, handmade gifts fill a big wooden box
At the end 0f each year, Tasha can look back and know that her life is perfect,that she has
again ignored the twentieth century,and that the magic continues. And for the rest of us,here’s
a bit of advice, Tasha style:“Nowadays, people are so restless.If they took some tea anti spent more time rocking on the porch(门廊)in the evening listening to light music,they might enjoy life more.”Tasha loved winter because it allowed her to ____________.
| A.read stories to her grandchildren |
| B.show her DIY snowshoes to kids |
| C.stay indoors working mid reading |
| D.enjoy bicycle tiding along the path |
From the passage, we can learn that Tasha’s life is ____________.
| A.modern and fashionable | B.simple and fantastic |
| C.lonely and hard | D.adventurous and inspiring |
Which of the following is TRUE about Tasha?
| A.She cared little about fame. |
| B.She created an animal fund. |
| C.She wrote many stories for magazines. |
| D.She bought presents for her relatives. |
In which section of a paper can you probably read the article?
| A.Travel. | B.Sports. | C.Economy. | D.People. |
Driving a car is not just handling controls and judging speed and distance. It requires you to predict what other road users will do and get ready to react to something unexpected. When alcohol is consumed, it enters your bloodstream and acts as a depressant (抑制药), damaging eyesight, judgment and co-ordination(协调), slowing down reaction time and greatly increasing the risk of accidents. Even below the drink driving link, driving will be affected.
Alcohol may take a few minutes to be absorbed into the bloodstream and start action on the brain. Absorption rate is increased when drinking on an empty stomach or when consuming drinks mixed with fruit juice. To get rid of alcohol from the body is a very slow process and it is not possible to speed it up with any measures like taking a shower or having a cup of tea or coffee.
The present Road Traffic Ordinance states clearly that the limit of alcohol concentration is: ● 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100ml of blood; or
● 22 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath; or
● 67 milligrams of alcohol per 100ml of urine (尿液).
Drivers who cause traffic accidents, or who commit a moving traffic offence or are being suspected of drink driving will be tested.
Any drive found drinking beyond the limit will be charged. The driver declared guilty may be fined a maximum of HK $25,000 and be sentenced to up to 3 years in prison and punished for 10 driving-offence points; or temporarily banned from driving.
The same punishment applies to failing to provide specimens (样本) far breath, blood or urine tests without good excuse.
Drink driving is a criminal offence. Be a responsible driver, think before you drink. For the safety of yourself and other road users, never drive after consuming alcohol.The first paragraph is mainly about ________.
| A.the introduction of driving skills |
| B.the damage of drinking to your body |
| C.the effect of drinking on driving |
| D.the process of alcohol being absorbed |
The underlined word “it” in the second paragraph refers to “________”.
| A.alcohol | B.absorption | C.blood | D.process |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A.Drinking below the drink driving limit has no effect on driving. |
| B.Alcohol is taken in more quickly when drunk with fruit juice. |
| C.Having a cup of tea helps to get rid of alcohol from the body. |
| D.50 milligrams of alcohol per 100ml of breath is below the drink limit. |
A drive suspected of drink driving ________.
| A.should provide specimens for testing |
| B.will be forbidden to drive for 3years |
| C.will be punished for 10 driving-offence points |
| D.should pay a maximum fine of HK $25,000 |
Have you ever wondered what a Degree might be worth to you in your job or career? It means a lot of Americans with an Associate Degree average nearly $10,000 more in yearly earnings than those with just a High School Diploma(毕业证).
Harcourt Learning Direct offers you a way to get a Specialized Associate Degree in 11 of today’s growing fields-without having to go to college full time. With Harcourt, you study at home, in your spare time -- so you don’t have to give up your present job while you train for a better one. Choose from exciting majors like Business Management, Accounting, Dressmaking &Design, Bookkeeping, Photography, Computer Science, Engineering, and more! Your training includes everything you need! Books, lessons, learning aids-even professional-quality tools and equipment -- everything you need to master your training and more ahead to a new career is included in the low tuition price you pay. Your education is nationally recognized! Nearly 2, 000 American companies -- including General Electric, IBM, Mobile, General Motors, Ford, and many others -- have used our training for their employees. If companies like these recognize the value of our training, you can be sure that employees in your area will, too!
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Simply fill in your name and address on the coupon(票券) above. Then write in the name and number of the one program you’re most interested in, and mail it today. We’ll rush your free information about how you can take advantage of the opportunities in the field you’ve chosen. Act today!
Mail coupon today! Or call the number below 1-800-372-1589. Call any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. www. Harcourt-learning. com E-mail:Harcourt@learning. com.This advertisement aims at calling on people to ________.
| A.attend full-time universities |
| B.work part time to further their education |
| C.improve their education at home to get better jobs |
| D.earn their degrees in different ways that suit them |
Which of the following is NOT clearly mentioned in this advertisement?
| A.The way how you will get your degree. |
| B.Tuition price. |
| C.The hot fields you will be preparing yourself for. |
| D.The length of time it will take you to get a degree. |
What does the writer of this ad intend to say by naming General Electric, IBM, Ford, etc.?
| A.To show that their training is widely used in the country. |
| B.To show that the training program is fully supported by famous companies in the U. S. |
| C.To prove the value of their training in every area. |
| D.To show the importance of getting recognized by the most famous companies. |
How many ways are mentioned in the ad for people to get in touch with the Harcourt Learning Direct?
| A.One. | B.Two. | C.Three. | D.Four. |