What do those countries have in common? People are killing each other or drive others out of their homes. Why is this happening? Very simple, in each of these, one group of people believes another group is different from them and dangerous to them. It has been thus through history. How different are humans from each other?
We come in different colors: red, black, white, yellow and brown; we have a variety of political systems, social systems, religious views or none at all; We are different in mind, have different educational systems, different economic classes. We speak different languages, and have different customs and dresses.
If we were to break each of these further, we would have quite a long list of qualities and characteristics that make humans appears to be different from each other. I say they appear to be different, because most of what have been listed stand for what we see or hear, not what is true of human. Man is man everywhere. It is only where he lives, when he lives there, with whom he lives there, and al the others that have effect on how he lives, that is, what he believes, what he wears, his customs, his language and so on. These are man-made facts that each group develops over tome, living together, facing the same problems, needing and desiring the same things. They are his culture. The truth is that we are much more same than different. If you wear one type of clothing and I wear another, we both wear some kind of clothing. Our culture demands it. If you speak one language and I another, we both speak so that others will understand us; we must communicate with each other. Nothing is gained by giving too many differences, but much is lost. If we understood our differences as the ones of culture, then we could make our world more peaceful.
Differences does not mean better or worse, right or wrong. It means only that differences have been made by society. Differences produce variety of thoughts, work out human problems peacefully. Which of the following is the best tile for this passage?
| A．Differences. | B．Humans | C．Cultures. | D．Customs. |
People in those countries fight each other because______
| A．They have different colors. |
| B．They have different customs and dresses. |
| C．They have different education systems. |
| D．They think that others are different and harmful. |
If you pay much attention to differences, ________.
| A．we will get something. |
| B．we will produce problem. |
| C．we will develop further. |
| D．Nothing will be lost. |
From this passage it can be inferred that ________.
| A．Our world would be more peaceful if we understand and communicate with each other. |
| B．People don’t know how differences are caused. |
| C．It is only differences that can solve man’s problems. |
| D．Man is man everywhere but not woman. |
February 4, 2012 saw the take-off of a new rising NBA star-Jeremy Lin.
Among professional basketball players, Jeremy Lin's background is not typical. He graduated from Harvard University, which sends few players to the NBA, and he is the only Chinese-American NBA player. But when you watch him on the court, there is no doubt that he belongs there. He moves with speed and grace that demonstrate years of faithful practice, which is fueled by a love for basketball.
Lin's enjoyment of basketball actually began in Taiwan. When Lin's father moved to U.S., his interest in the sport only grew and he passed on this love of basketball to his son, introducing him to the game at the age of five. The young Lin spent much of his youth playing basketball for fun.
In high school, Lin dreamed of playing in the NBA. When he applied for college, he was not offered a single sports scholarship. However, after his admission to Harvard, he was offered a place on its college basketball team.
During Lin's time at Harvard, his basketball career began to speed up. He scored 1,482 points, making him one of the highest scorers in Ivy League history.
When he graduated, no professional teams offered Lin a contract, but he was invited to play in the NBA Summer League. He played well and ended up eagerly signing a contract with the Golden State Warriors.
At first，playing in professional games filled Lin with excitement. He treasured opportunities to meet players he had been watching on TV for years. But slowly, the excitementwore offand was replaced by anxiety. In a few very difficult months, he was cut by two teams before the New York Knicks picked him up.
But he had the courage and determination to stick to his dream, so he put himself into hard training to get ready for his opportunity to come. Then his moment arrived on February 4, 2012，on which his excellent performance made him famous overnight. After that, he led the Knicks to their fifth straight victory.
The Associated Press called Lin "the most surprising story in the NBA". Knicks fans developed the nickname for him "Linsanity" (林发疯). Time magazine released its 2012 list of the 100 "Most Influential People in the World", Jeremy Lin included.
No doubt, Lin fever is continuing to spread if you haven't already caught "Linsanity", get ready.Which of the following elements is of little help in Lin's success?
| A．his father's influence |
| B．his devotion to basketball |
| C．his years of hard work |
| D．his graduation from Harvard University |
What does the underlined phrase "wore off" in the seventh paragraph probably mean?
| A．arose | B．disappeared |
| C．grew | D．remained |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Before Lin there was no Chinese-American NBA players.
B. Lin learned to play basketball when he was eight.
C. Lin was excited for professional games and did a good job at the beginning.
D. Lin is the most outstanding player in NBA.Which is the right order for Lin's life?
a He made an excellent performance on Feb,4.
b He was fired by the Golden State Warriors.
c He was invited to play in the NBA Summer League.
d He graduated from Harvard University.
e He became famous overnight.
| A．a, d, c, b, e |
| B．d, b, c, e, a |
| C．d, c, b, a, e |
| D．a, e, d, c, b |
It can be inferred from the passage that ______.
A. NBA prefers graduates from Harvard University.
B. Lin got an easy entry into NBA.
C. Lin didn't show his basketball talents in Harvard University.
D. Lin didn't have a smooth road in NBA.
One day，when 12-year-old Sean Redden went to a popular chat room on the Internet, he saw the name of someone he’d never seen there before, Susan Hicks. Her message was “ Would someone help me? I can’t breathe. Help me! I can’t feel my left side.”
At first, Sean thought it was a bad joke and he told his mother Sharon Redden. But she asked, “ It’s not just some game, is it?
The message was not a joke. “ Susan Hicks” was actually 20-year-old Taija Laitinen, a student working late at night at a college library near Helsinki, Finland---almost 7,000 miles away from Sean’s home in Texas. While searching the Internet, she began to feel terrible pain all through her body. The library was empty and the nearest phone was outside in the hallway. She couldn’t move that far because any movement caused the pain to get worse. Then as the pain became worse, she began typing her message for help in the chat room.
“I don’t think it’s a joke, mom,” Sean said. He typed, “ Where are you? The letters appeared, “Finland.” Sean and Sharon couldn’t believe it. Not knowing what else to do, Sharon called the local police and explained the situation to officer Amy Schmidt. Schmidt told Sharon to try to get the sick girl’s phone number and address.
Meanwhile, the Texas police called the international telephone operator and asked to be connected to the proper agency(机构) in Finland. The Texas police explained the situation and gave Susan’s address to the Finnish operator. When Sean heard that, he typed, “Help is on the way.”
In the few minutes, the library door opened. Doctors and three policemen ran in. Taija turned once more to the computer, “ They are here. Thanks. Bye-bye.”At first when receiving the message for help, Sean__________.
| A．didn’t believe it | B．took no notice of it |
| C．called the police at once | D．had a joke with the person |
What was the problem with the person who asked for help?
| A．She lost her phone. |
| B．She couldn’t finish her work |
| C．She was locked in the library. |
| D．She felt pain and couldn’t move. |
What can we learn from the text?
| A．The policeman Sean’s mother called was in Finland. |
| B．Susan Hicks was a friend of Taija Laitinen. |
| C．Sean and his mother offered help in time. |
| D．Sean had seen Taija Laitinen before. |
4. What does the underlined phrase “ on the way.” refer to?
| A．There is a way | B．to be arriving soon |
| C．have a long way to arrive | D．to have almost finished |
5. What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Help yourself | B．A helping hand |
| C．Help is on the way | D．Help on the Internet |
| Paris is a popular tourist attraction. Which has much more to offer than just the well-known Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. Let’s experience this amazing city through some of its wonderful places and activities. |
| River Boats Tour the heart of Paris by boat along the Seine River(塞纳河)! Boats offer eight must-see tourist stops along the boat tour path. The cost is 13 euros for a whole day of river boating with stops for tourists to walk through the Parisian sites. Boats come every 15 minutes. It is wonderful to drink in the unique atmosphere of Paris while boating along the Seine River. |
| Children’s Science Museum If you are traveling to Paris with kids, this museum is a perfect place to visit. The museum has many exhibitions for children. The cost is low at only 8 euros per adult and 4.5 euros per child. |
| Medieval tavern(酒馆) In Paris, tourists can enjoy the night at Medieval Tavern from 8pm every Thursday till 2 am. This tavern invites visitors to experience life in the old days. Everyone is dressed in old costumes(服装). The menu includes items that were enjoyed in the old days. The entire experience can be enjoyed for only 15 euros per person. |
| Luxembourg Garden This garden is the second largest public park in Paris. Whether you are interested in walking through the flowers and statues or a pleasant ride on the old carousel(旋转木马), this graden is ideal. Children like its theater and plays while adults enjoy the free musical performances. |
If a couple with two children visits the Children’s Science Museum, they have to pay.
| A．16euros | B．17 euros | C．25 euros | D．20.5 euros |
At Medieval Tavern, visitors.
| A．can enjoy popular French food |
| B．can watch performances while eating and drinking |
| C．can experience life in the old days at night |
| D．will have the chance to put on old costumes to perform |
The passage is likely to be taken from a website about.
| A．history | B．travel |
| C．technology | D．entertainment |
The global population is living longer，and getting older，which presents new challenges. “The question becomes：who will take care of everyone? While people will always be the best caregivers for people，there just aren’t enough people. That’s where robotic technology can really make a difference,” says Professor Maja Mataric at the University of Southern California.
Her group is developing robots to work with stroke (中风) patients and elderly people. The research team has found that people react well to a robot gym instructor，and seem to get less frustrated with it than with instructions given on a computer screen. The robot can act as a perfect trainer，with infinite(极大的) patience.
“People say things like ‘I prefer this robot to my husband！Can I take it home?’” according to Professor Mataric. “In fact there’s a really important point here. As we create these care giving technologies，we’re helping not only the people that need the care，but also the people caring for them. We can give them a break，and help them avoid burnout.”
People are going to have to like，and importantly trust robots before they welcome them into their homes，and several groups around the world are working on making it easier to communicate with them.
Much of human communication takes place through body language. Gestures， eye contact , and concepts of personal space are all things that robots are being taught. In learning about how people interact(互动) with machines，researchers are also discovering new roles for robots in our lives. Robots can communicate with humans in ways that other technologies can not.
“If someone finds the robot to be more persuasive and more reliable，that’s going to affect how they interact with it,” says Dr Cynthia Breazeal, director of the Personal Robots Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “We can now start to think about fields where it’s the social interaction，which is the main means by which a robot helps someone.” Dr Breazeal says that means robots could be used in education，learning，and health care，where social support is important.Professor Maja Mataric mainly focused on robots’ function of ________.
| A．teaching | B．exploring |
| C．making things | D．giving care |
Why can robots be wonderful trainers in the gym?
| A．Because they are more clever. |
| B．Because they give correct instructions. |
| C．Because they cost less money. |
| D．Because they are more patient. |
The underlined word “burnout” in Paragraph 3 probably means “________”．
| A．feeling tired | B．feeling angry |
| C．getting hurt | D．becoming disappointed |
The scientists are presently working hard to help robots.
| A．to use less electricity | B．to communicate better |
| C．to react more quickly | D．to have more functions |
Once a general manager wanted to test his people, who had come from all over India, about their values of life. He announced that in their folders(文件夹), there is PVC pouch and in it there is a seed. When they return, they must put the seed in a pot with good soil and look after it very well. He would hold a competition at the next year’s seminar and the best plants would be awarded suitably.
Everyone did what was told to him. A year passed quickly. And the next year in a big hall, what a great scene! There were hundreds of pots and a great variety of plants-all except one. In this pot was soil, but no plant! The owner of the pot was standing quietly and feeling ashamed of himself.
The general manager called him on the stage. He asked him what happened and he told him the truth. He planted the seed, which he was given, and did what was to be done - but nothing happened!
The general manager declared(宣布) him the winner! Everyone was shocked.
It was announced, "Gentlemen! The seeds I gave you were boiled seeds. You planted them and nothing happened! You acted smartly and used some other seeds. This man was honest to his work and therefore, he did not cheat me or himself!"What’s the general manager’s purpose of giving a seed to each of his employees?
| A．He wanted to get some beautiful plants. |
| B．He wanted to improve his employees’ planting skill |
| C．He wanted to enrich his employees’ life. |
| D．He wanted to know whether his employees are honest. |
The man in the passage failed to get the plant because.
| A．he didn’t take good care of his seed |
| B．he wasn’t good at planting |
| C．his seed wasn’t as good as the other people’s |
| D．the seed had been boiled |
Why was everyone shocked after they heard the general manager’s declaration?
| A．They didn’t understand why the man failed to get the plant. |
| B．They didn’t understand why the man was the winner. |
| C．They didn’t know why the manager gave him the best seed. |
| D．They didn’t know why they couldn’t get the plants. |
The author wanted to tell us the importance of by writing this passage.
| A．being careful |
| B．being honest |
| C．knowing how to plant |
| D．knowing how to please the manager |