Years ago, there lived a wealthy man named Mr. Cooper who, with his dearest young son John, loved art collecting. Together they traveled around the world, collecting the finest art treasures.
One winter, war came to the nation, and John left to serve his country. After only a few short weeks, his father received a telegram reading that John had died while saving a fellow soldier. Filled with sadness, the old man cried. On the coming Christmas morning, a soldier called on him and gave him a picture of John.
The following spring, the old man became ill and passed away. According to his will, all of his works of art would be auctioned (拍卖) on Christmas Day, when he had received the greatest gift of his life. The day soon arrived and art collectors from around the world gathered to buy some of the world’s greatest paintings. The auction began with a painting of the old man’s son. “Who will open the bidding (出价) with $100?” the auctioneer (拍卖人) asked. Minutes passed, but no one spoke. Finally, a neighbor of the old man’s spoke. “Can I take the painting for ten dollars? It is all I have, and he is a good man.”
“Will anyone go higher?” called the auctioneer. After more silence, the auctioneer said, “Going once, going twice, gone.” The gavel(槌) fell. “Now we can get on to the real treasures,” someone shouted angrily. But the auctioneer said that the auction was over. Someone asked,“It’s over? We didn’t come here for a picture of some old guy’s son. There are millions of dollars worth of art here!”The auctioneer replied, “It’s very simple. According to the will of the father, whoever takes the son ... gets all.”Why did they travel around the world?
| A.They wanted to visit some well-known artists. |
| B.They had their own companies around the world. |
| C.They wanted to visit all kinds of places of interest. |
| D.They wanted to collect the world’s finest art. |
When did the old man die?
| A.The morning when the solider visited him. |
| B.Several months after John died. |
| C.A few days after John served in the army. |
| D.The day he received the news of John’s death. |
The underlined words “the greatest gift” in Paragraph 3 refer to ________.
| A.a picture of John | B.the painting John collected |
| C.the finest work of art | D.the telegram about his son |
A neighbor of the old man’s bought the painting of John ________.
| A.because he knew the will of the old man |
| B.to pick up the world’s greatest paintings |
| C.in honor of John, who was worth respecting |
| D.because no one else was willing to buy it |
It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
| A.the old man and the auctioneer were good friends |
| B.no art collectors wanted to buy Mr. Cooper’s collection of art |
| C.John was a successful art collector and an excellent artist |
| D.the old man, Mr. Cooper, loved his son very much |
After giving a talk at a high school, I was asked to pay a visit to a special student. An illness had kept the boy home, but he had expressed an interest in meeting me. I was told it would mean a great deal to him, so I agreed.
During the nine-mile drive to his home, I found out something about Matthew. He had muscular dystrophy (肌萎缩症). When he was born, the doctor told his parents that he would not live to five, and then they were told he would not make it to ten. Now he was thirteen. He wanted to meet me because I was a gold-medal power lifter, and I knew about overcoming obstacles and going for my dreams.
I spent over an hour talking to Matthew. Never once did he complain or ask, “Why me?” He spoke about winning and succeeding and going for his dreams. Obviously, he knew what he was talking about. He didn’t mention that his classmates had made fun of him because he was different. He just talked about his hopes for the future, and how one day he wanted to lift weights with me. When we had finished talking, I went to my briefcase and pulled out the first gold medal I had won and put it around his neck. I told him he was more of a winner and knew more about success and overcoming obstacles than I ever would. He looked at it for a moment, then took it off and handed it back to me. He said, “You are a champion. You earned that medal. Someday when I get to the Olympics and win my own medal, I will show it to you.”
Last summer I received a letter from Matthew’s parents telling me that Matthew had passed away. They wanted me to have a letter he had written to me a few days before:
Dear Dick,
My mum said I should send you a thank-you letter for the picture you sent me. I also want to let you know that the doctors tell me that I don’t have long to live any more, but I still smile as much as I can.
I told you someday that I would go to the Olympics and win a gold medal, but I know now I will never get to do that. However, I know I’m a champion, and God knows that too. When I get to Heaven, God will give me my medal and when you get there, I will show it to you. Thank you for loving me.
Your friend,
MatthewThe underlined sentence in the third paragraph probably means that_______.
| A.the boy never complained about how unlucky he was to have this disease |
| B.the boy never complained about not being able to go to school |
| C.the boy never complained why the author had never come to see him before |
| D.the boy never complained about not gettig a medal |
From the passage we learn that ________.
| A.Matthew was an athlete |
| B.Matthew was an optimistic and determined boy |
| C.The author used to have the same disease as Matthew had |
| D.Matthew became a champion before he died |
Matthew didn’t accepted the author’s medal because .
| A.he thought it was too expensive |
| B.he was sure that he could win one in the future |
| C.he thought it was of no use to him as he would die soon |
| D.he would not be pitied by others |
What would be the best title for this passage?
| A.A sick boy. | B.A special friend. |
| C.A real champion. | D.A famous athlete. |
Broken rubber bands and flat tires requiring replacement could soon be a thing of the past.
French researchers have developed a new kind of rubber that can repair itself when broken.The new rubber is made from widely available materials including vegetable oil and a common industrial chemical.All the materials are considered safe to the environment and can be easily reused.
The best part is that the new rubber can be repaired and used again and again without losing its strength or ability or stretch.When cut, the rubber can be made new again, simply by pressing the two broken ends back together.
The product can be repaired at room temperature, around twenty degrees Centigrade;other self-healing materials require higher temperatures for repair.
Traditionally, rubber substances are made from huge molecules(分子)connected by strong chemical links, or bonds.The new rubber is made of smaller molecules.The molecules are linked together using hydrogen bonds.When connected in this way, the molecules act like one long molecule, forming what is called supramolecular networks(超分子网).When the rubber is cut, the molecules attempt to connect with whatever molecule is near them.When pressed together, the molecules are able to repair themselves at the molecular level, making the repaired rubber like new.
However, time is an important element in the process.If the broken ends are not brought together quickly, a repair is not possible.This is because molecules will form bonds with molecules on their own side.The inventors say the surfaces of the rubber can be repaired within a week of being separated.
The rubber is the creation of scientists at the Industrial Physics and Chemistry Higher Education Institution in Paris.The organization is part of France’s National Center for Scientific Research.The new material is described in greater detail in the research publication Nature.
According to the introduction, which of the following is NOT the advantage of the new rubber?

A.It can be made as easily as common rubber.![]() |
B.It is environmentally-friendly.![]() |
C.It can repair itself at room temperature.![]() |
D.It is made of smaller molecules. |

What does the 5th paragraph mainly tell us?

A.Why the new rubber is unique.![]() |
B.Why the new rubber can repair itself.![]() |
C.The new rubber is made from huge molecules.![]() |
D.The new rubber is different from the common rubber. |

If we want to know more about the technology of this kind of new rubber, where can we get the information?

| A.In the researchers’ diary. | B.In a guide book.![]() |
C.In a research magazine. | D.In a newspaper. |
To get an extra 14 years of life, don’t smoke, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly and drink alcohol in a proper amount.That is according to a study published this Monday in the Public Library of Science Medicine Journal.
After tracking more than 20,000 people aged 45 to 79 years in the United Kingdom from about 1993 to 2007, Kay-Tee Khaw of the University of Cambridge and his colleagues found that people who adopted these four healthy habits lived all average of 14 years longer than those who didn’t.
“We’ve known for a long time that these behaviors are good things to do, but we’ve not seen this benefit before, ”said Susan Jebb, head of Nutrition and Health at Britain’s Medical Research Council.“The benefit was also seen regardless of whether or not people were fat and what social class they came from.”
Study participants(参与者)scored a point each for not smoking, regular physical activity, eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day and moderate alcohol intake.
Public health experts said they hoped the study would inspire governments to introduce policies helping people to adopt these changes.But because the study only observed people rather than testing specific changes, it would be impossible to conclude that people who suddenly adopted these healthy behaviors would surely gain 14 years.
“We can’t say that any person could gain 14 years by doing these things, ”said Dr.Tim Armstrong, a physical activity expert at the World Health Organization.“The 14 years is an average across the population of what’s theoretically(理论上地)possible.”
“Most people know that things like a good diet matter and that smoking isn’t good for them, ”Susan Jebb said.“We need to work on providing people with much more practical support to help them change.”Which of the following DOESN’T belong to the four healthy habits?
| A.Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. |
| B.Do proper exercise in the morning every day. |
| C.Drinking alcohol in the proper amount every day. |
| D.Having a cigarette before going to bed every day. |
We can learn from the passage that.
| A.Susan Jebb did not take part in the study. |
| B.the study observed people as well as tested specific changes. |
| C.there’s no need for people under 45 to adopt these good habits. |
| D.only those from first class can benefit from these healthy behaviors. |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A.All the people are well aware of the harm of their bad habits. |
| B.People aged 45 to 70 have bad habits in the United Kingdom. |
| C.Governments should take measures to help people change their bad habits. |
| D.People have adopted the four healthy habits after knowing they’re good. |
What would be the best title for this passage?
| A.Smoking and Drinking Cuts You 14 Years |
| B.How to Live a Much Healthier Life |
| C.Healthy Habits May Give Extra 14 Years |
| D.How to Make Your Life Longer Than Others |
It was a beautiful Sunday morning, and Maggie and I were returning from our walk through the woods.We were only a couple of blocks from home when I spotted a cell phone and a credit card sitting on the road.We took them home.We always find amazing things on the street and she looks upon them as a movable feast-a chicken wing here or a barbecue rib (肋骨)there.
I found another cell phone a few years back, too, and called a number in its phone book.I explained the situation to the guy who answered.He said it was his sister’s and that he’d come to pick it up, which he did.
And that was that.No verbal thank-you, no written thank-you, no “here’s a box of chocolates” thank-you.
I didn’t have time to call anyone on my latest found cell phone.I was pouring myself coffee when it started to shake and dance across the kitchen counter.
“Who’s this?” someone asked when I picked up.
“Who’s this?” I countered(反问).“Sarah?”
She was surprised at my knowing her name until she realized her name was on the credit card.“Could you send them to me?” she asked.
She lives in Arlington, which is 2 miles from my house.
“Hmm, no, ”I replied, adding that I thought she could come to get them, and that if I wasn’t at home, they would be in my mailbox.
A day later, when I was out for a run, someone got them back.There wasn’t even a piece of paper put in the mailbox with “Thanks” on it.In this age of e-mail and cell phone, there’s really no excuse.Years ago, I found something more precious than a $100 bill on the street:a driver’s license.I saw that its owner lived a couple of blocks from me, so I called him up.He asked whether I could slip the license through his front door.
“I guess I could, ”I replied.
And that was that.What is the relationship between Maggie and the writer?
| A.Wife and husband | B.Daughter and father |
| C.Teacher and student | D.Master and pet dog |
.How many experiences are mentioned by the writer to return things to the losers?
| A.3 | B.4 | C.5 | D.6 |
How did the writer know Sarah’s telephone number?
| A.From her telephone’s phone book | B.From her credit card |
| C.From her e-mail | D.From her driver’s license |
The writer wants to tell us through the unusual stories,
| A.we should return the things we picked to the losers |
| B.people don’t know how to appreciate others in the age of e-mail and cell phone |
| C.people would learn to appreciate persons who provide help for you |
| D.the advance of society makes people lose some virtues |
Preparing for a medical emergency involving your pet is always best accomplished before the event takes place. This series is designed to help guide you through the important decisions about first aid, as well as how and when to transport your pet quickly and safely to a veterinary hospital or emergency ability.
VeterinaryPartner.com has provided this complete reference book online for you to skim through, expanding your knowledge of dog and cat first aid;however, we encourage you to buy the book to keep in your home or car as a quick reference during an emergency.
This book is an emergency preparedness ready-reference for dogs and cats.Wise preventive measures, intelligent use of first aid principles, coupled with recognition of abnormal symptoms and treatment of disorders, diseases, and problems, lead to effective health care.
A working knowledge of this information will help you get rid of some potentially dangerous circumstances and help you prepare for emergency situations.
It includes information on what to do and what not to do in specific emergency situations.The authors encourage careful reading and occasional rereading.We have tried to make this book easy to understand, avoiding technical terms as often as possible, but defining(下定义)them in context when they are necessary.What does the underlined word “veterinary” in paragraph 1 mean?
| A.Immediate | B.For animals | C.Urgent | D.For humans |
Why are we advised to buy the book?
| A.Because it’s very cheap and may be useful to all the people. |
| B.Because it contains a working knowledge of information about dogs and cats. |
| C.Because it contains information on specific emergency situations. |
| D.Because it is convenient to know things dealing with dog or cat in an emergency. |
Which is NOT true about the book?
| A.It can enlarge the readers’ knowledge of dog and cat first aid. |
| B.It contains the knowledge of recognition of abnormal symptoms of dogs and cats. |
| C.Although it contains many technical terms, it is easy to understand. |
| D.You can read it on VetrinaryParmer.com free of charge. |
What’s the purpose of the passage?
| A.To introduce a book. | B.To introduce a website. |
| C.To introduce a working knowledge. | D.To encourage careful reading. |