When Paul was a boy growing up in Utah, he happened to live near a copper smelter(炼铜厂), and the chemicals that poured out had made a wasteland out of what used to be a beautiful forest. One day a young visitor looked at this wasteland and called it an awful area. Paul knocked him down. From then on, something happened inside him.
Years later Paul was back in the area, and he went to the smelter office. He asked if they had any plans or if they would let him try to bring the trees back. The answer from that big industry was “No.”
Paul then went to college to study the science of plants. Unfortunately, his teachers said there weren't any birds or squirrels to spread the seeds. It would be a waste of his life to try to do it. Everyone knew that, he was told. Even if he was knowledgeable as he had expected, he wouldn’t get his idea accepted.
Paul later got married and had some kids. But his dream would not die. And then one night he did what he could with what he had. As Samuel Johnson wrote, “It is common to overlook what is near by keeping the eye fixed on something remote. Attainable good is often ignored by minds busied in wide ranges.” Under the cover of darkness, he went secretly into the wasteland and sta
rted planting.
And every week, he made his secret journey into the wasteland and planted trees and grass. For fifteen years he did this against the plain common sense. Slowly rabbits appeared. Later, as there was legal pressure to clean up the environment, the company actually hired Paul to do what he was already doing.
Now the place is fourteen thousand acres of trees and grass and bushes, and Paul has received almost every environmental award Utah has. It took him until his hair turned white, but he managed to keep that impossible vow he made to himself as a child. When Paul was a boy, _____.
| A．he had decided never to leave his hometown |
| B．the economy of Utah depended wholly on the copper smelter |
| C．no laws were made to protect the environment against pollution |
| D．he determined to stop the copper smelter polluting the area |
Why did Paul go to college to study the science of plants?
| A．He wanted to find out the best way to save the area himself. |
| B．He was interested in planting trees since he was young. |
| C．He wanted to get more knowledgeable people to help him. |
| D．He thought his knowledge would make his advice more persuasive. |
What does the underlined phrase “the plain common sense” probably refer to?
| A．That it was impossible for trees to grow on the wasteland. |
| B．That his normal work and life would be greatly affected. |
| C．That no one would like to join him in the efforts. |
| D．That he had to keep everything he did secret. |
The main idea of the passage is that _____.
| A．action speaks louder than words |
| B．perseverance will work wonders |
| C．God helps those who help themselves |
| D．many hands make light work |
I was stopped at a red light only a mile or so from my goal of my brother’s house. We were planning to drive down together to North Carolina to be with my father who was badly ill.
As I waited at the stop light experiencing this forced slowdown, I noticed Sharper’s Florist over to the left. It was the same place where I had experienced many things— floods of memories went through my mind as the light seemed a blessing. I noticed the wine store straight ahead where my father and I had been many times before, picking out the beer of the week. We both liked German beer.
The light finally became green and I made my left turn and drove through the poor section of our hometown. I remembered how each thanksgiving my family would be together. I also remembered how my father would take some time out of each thanksgiving to make sure there was no one hungry in the neighborhoods surrounding where we lived. I can remember as a young boy going with him to deliver some food. I was scared. I had never been into this part of town this deeply before.
My father seemed unfazed (不受困扰的) by this and went about his business. The people we went to seemed to know him and gratefully accepted what he came to offer. My father seemed able to give away the food in a way that honored those he was giving to. This was not an arrogant act. He would stop at each place and talk a little, which I can remember totally pissing me off (使…厌烦). I wanted to get the hell out of there. My father wanted to be sure everyone had food. If there were people he found who didn’t have food, he would take the time to go back and get more. That’s the kind of man he was.When the father was ill, he _______.
| A．lived in North Carolina |
| B．gave away food to the poor |
| C．came to help the poor in his hometown |
| D．stayed at the home of the author’s brother |
The author mentions the wine store to tell us _______.
| A．the same taste as his father |
| B．the life in his childhood |
| C．the experience with his father |
| D．the birthplace of his father |
The author was afraid of giving away food to the poor probably because _______.
| A．his father didn’t stay with him then |
| B．his father didn’t take good care of him |
| C．he was unfamiliar with the surroundings |
| D．he had never met with so many poor people |
The underlined word “arrogant” in the last paragraph probably means _______.
| A．angry | B．proud | C．careless | D．wild |
Is it possible to persuade mankind to live without war? War is an ancient practice which has existed for at least six thousand years. It was always bad and usually foolish, but in the past, the human race managed to live with it. Modern cleverness has changed this. Either man will end the existence of war, or war will end the existence of man. For the present, it is nuclear weapons (核武器) that cause the most serious danger, but bacteriological or chemical weapons may, before long, offer an even greater threat. If we succeeded in ending the existence of nuclear weapons, our work will not be done. It will never be done until we have succeeded in ending war. To do this, we need to persuade mankind to look up on international problems in a new way not as contests of force, in which the victory goes to the side which is most skillful in killing people, but by settling in accordance with(与、、、一致) agreed rules of law. It is not easy to change very old mental habits, but this is what must be attempted.
There are those who say that the acceptance of this or that ideology (意识形态) would prevent war. I believe this to be a big mistake. All ideologies are based upon dogmatic statements (强词夺理) ，which are, at best, doubtful, and at worst, totally false. Their supporters believe in them so deeply that they are willing to go to war in support of them.
The movement of world opinion during the past few years has been very largely such as we can welcome. It has become a common place that nuclear war must be avoided. Of course very difficult problems remain in the world, but the spirit in which they are coming nearer to is a better one than it was some years ago. It has begun to be thought, even by the powerful men who decide whether we shall live or die, that negotiations（谈判） should reach agreements even if both sides do not find these agreements wholly satisfactory. It has begun to be understood that the important struggle nowadays is not between different countries but between man and the atom bomb(原子弹).This passage implies(暗示) that war is now_______.
| A．worse than in the past |
| B．as bad as in the past |
| C．not as dangerous as in the past |
| D．as necessary as in the past |
From Paragraph 2 we learn that the writer of the passage_______.
| A．is a supporter of some modern ideologies |
| B．does not think that the acceptance of any ideologies could prevent war |
| C．believes that the acceptance of some ideologies could prevent war |
| D．does not doubt the truth of any ideologies |
According to the writer,_______.
| A．war is the only way to solve international arguments |
| B．war will be less dangerous because of the improvement of weapons |
| C．it is impossible for people to live without war |
| D．war must be ended if man wants to survive |
These days a green building means more than just the color of the paint. Green building can also refer to environmentally friendly houses, factories, and offices.
Green building means “reducing the impact (影响) of the building on the land”Taryn Holowka of the U.S Green Building Council in Washington, D. C. said.
According to Holowka, buildings account for(占了) 65 percent of total U.S. electricity use.
But green buildings can reduce energy and water use. Also, the buildings are often located near public transportation such as buses and subways, so that people can drive their cars less. That could be good for the environment, because cars use lots of gas and give off pollution. Green buildings are often built on developed land, so that the buildings don't destroy forests.
Marty Dettling is the project manager for a building that put these ideas into action. The Solaire has been called the country's first green high-rise building. According to Dettling, “We've reduced our energy use by one-third and our water by 50 percent.”
The Solaire cuts energy in part by using solar power. “On the lace(边) of the building we have solar panels which change the sun's energy into electricity,” Dettling explained.
The Solaire also has lights that automatically turn off when people leave the room. In addition, the building has lots of windows, allowing people to use the sun for light during the day. The Solaire cuts water by reusing it.
Not everyone is eager to move into a green building, however. Some people think that things like solar panels cost more money than more traditional energy sources. Anyhow, Holowka said, “It's going to be big.”A green building is often built on an area of land________.
| A．which has thick forests around |
| B．which has already been developed for building |
| C．where people of high income live |
| D．where traveling around by car is most convenient |
When Holowka says in the last paragraph, "It's going to be big", she means that green buildings________.
| A．will be more comfortable |
| B．will take the place of traditional buildings |
| C．will become popular in the future |
| D．will be more environmentally friendly |
What is the main subject discussed in the text?
| A．Dettling designed the first green building in the U. S. |
| B．Energy shortage calls for buildings of new design. |
| C．Green buildings help save environment. |
| D．The Solaire serves as a model of high buildings. |
Which of the following statements is WRONG?
| A．The Solaire can reduce the impact of the building on the land. |
| B．Everyone is not eager to move into a green building. |
| C．Marty Dettling has come up with the idea of green buildings. |
| D．In the U.S, buildings consume(消耗) more than half of the total electricity. |
Who is there among us that hasn't dreamed of having his or her own small ( maybe, several years later, even big) business, and having wonderful freedom, both from a boss and from the time clock: the freedom to make up our own rules for our work, and our own plans--arranging our own hours of work? That way work would be both painless and fun. Or, so we imagine.
Well, in fact it isn't quite as simple as that. Yes, it is true that being the boss has its satisfactions and that you can arrange your working hours freely if you own your own small business. But in those early years of starting your own business, you shouldn't think of a free day, not to mention flying off for a month's vacation. It is not unusual for new business owners to work seventy or eighty hours a week, and if there is a day off, that day might need to be devoted to accounting(算账).
But this negative picture doesn't destroy the beautiful hopes. The possibility of getting something wonderful in return--both material and mental--continues to drive that large number of people who start up small businesses each year in the United States.From the first paragraph, we know that everybody hopes_______.
| A．to rule others | B．to be his or her own boss |
| C．to get a time clock | D．to be free from work |
Most new business owners have to_______.
| A．work more than 10 hours a day |
| B．devote himself to accounting |
| C．fly to some places in the world |
| D．have a day off in a week |
The beautiful hopes will never be destroyed because_______.
| A．people love beautiful things by nature |
| B．people have a strong desire to seek personal gains |
| C．small businesses make big money each year in the US |
| D．small businesses have advantages over big companies. |
Which is the main idea of the passage?
| A．Many people have dreamed of having his or her own small business. |
| B．Being your own boss is painless and fun. |
| C．Business owners often work seventy or eighty hours a week. |
| D．Although being your own boss is not easy, many people are starting their own businesses to get something wonderful in return. |
Some time ago I discovered that one of my chairs had a broken leg. I didn't think there would be any difficulty in getting it mended, as there are a lot of antique (古董) shops near my home. So I left home one morning carrying the chair with me. I went into the first shop expecting a friendly reception. I was quite wrong. The man wouldn't even look at my chair.
The second shop, though slightly more polite, was just the same, and the third and the fourth...So I decided that my approach must be wrong.
I entered the fifth shop with a plan in my mind. I placed the chair on the floor and said to the shopkeeper, “Would you like to buy a chair?” He looked it over carefully and said, “Yes. How much do you want for it, sir?” “Twenty pounds,”I said, “OK,”he said. “I'll give you twenty pounds.” “It's got a slightly broken leg,”I said. “Yes, I saw that, it's nothing.”
Everything was going according to plan and I was getting excited. “What will you do with it?” I asked. “Oh, it will be easy to sell once the repair is done.” “I'11 buy it.” I said. “What do you mean?” “You've just sold it to me.” he said. “Yes, I know but I've changed my mind. I am sorry. I'll give you twenty-seven pounds for it.”“You must be crazy. ”he said. Then, suddenly the penny dropped. “I know what you want. You want me to repair your chair.” “You're right.”I said. “And what would you have done if I had walked in and said, ‘Would you mend this chair for me?’” “I wouldn't have agreed to do it,” he said. “We don't do repairs, not enough money in it and too much trouble. But I'll mend this for you, shall we say for a fiver?" He was a very nice man and was greatly amused(感到有趣) by the whole thing.We can learn from the text that in the first shop the writer ________.
| A．was rather impolite |
| B．asked the shopkeeper to repair his chair |
| C．was warmly received |
| D．asked the shopkeeper to buy his chair |
Why didn’t the shops want to repair the chair?
| A．It’s too difficult to repair. |
| B．The writer didn’t want to offer enough money. |
| C．No one in the shops could mend it. |
| D．There was too much trouble and too few profits in mending a chair. |
From the text, we can learn that the writer was ________.
| A．honest | B．careful | C．smart | D．funny |
Which is the best title of the passage?
| A．A chair with a broken leg |
| B．It was hard to mend a chair |
| C．My experience of mending a chair |
| D．A kind shopkeeper |