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 |
The government in China plans to end its one-child per family policy and instead let families have two children.
The plan was announced Thursday after high-level political meetings in Beijing. The official Xinhua news agency says the country’s top legislature must approve the proposal before it becomes law.
A Chinese Communist Party statement gave a number of reasons for the change in policy. The statement said the change is meant to balance population development. It said the move also attempts to stop a declining birth rate and strengthen the country’s work force.
China, the world's most populous country, launched the one-child policy in 1980. But the government permitted only a small number of couples to have two children. For example, some rural families were given approval to have two children. A total of 19 rural provinces have a partial two-child policy. That policy states if the first-born is a girl, a second child is permitted.
In 2013, the Chinese government gave other couples a chance to have two children. Families could have two if one parent was an only child.
A teacher and population expert, Jiang Quanbao, explained how Chinese families will react to the policy. “Too many young people in the cities are probably no longer interested in having a second child,”he said. “People in rural farming villages may be more interested. But again, some of them are already allowed to have two children.”
At the end of 2014, China had a population of 1.37 billion people. A total of 800 million of them are employed. But that job market population is expected to drop by 2050. With the two-child policy, an increase in births will ease the labor shortage, starting in 20 years.Which of the following is NOT the reason for the two-child policy?
| A．To ease the present labor shortage. |
| B．To balance population development. |
| C．To strengthen the country’s work force. |
| D．To stop a declining birth rate. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．In the 1980s rural families could have two children if the first-born was a girl. |
| B．Due to the boom in population, by 2050 more young people will become unemployed. |
| C．Chinese government changes its population policy to greet the new situation in social development. |
| D．Few young people in the cities show much interest in the new policy because of financial pressure. |
The writer writes this passage ________.
| A．To educate. | B．To inform. |
| C．To advertise. | D．To analyze. |
Wanted, Someone for FM 90.8
We’re looking for a radio announcer to join us on Anhui Transportation Broadcasting FM 90.8. Broadcasting and hosting major is necessary, along with some experience in radio and music. Please apply in writing to Anhui Radio and TV Station.
Father Christmas
We’re looking for a very special person, preferably over 40, to fill our Father Christmas suit.
Working days: Every Saturday and Sunday from December 11 to December 20 and every day from December 21 to December 25, 14∶30－20∶00.
Excellent pay.
Please contact Yurun Central Square, Changjiang Road.
Accountants Assistant
When you join the team in our Social Security Administration Office, you will be providing assistance within all parts of the Office, dealing with post and other general duties. If you are educated in a 211 University we would like to talk to you. This position is equally suitable for a school leaver or for somebody who has office experience.
Social Security Administration Office
Software Trainer
If you are aged 22-48 and have experience in teaching and training, you could be the person we are looking for. You should be good at the computer and have some experience in programme writing. You will be allowed to make your own decisions, and to design courses as well as present them. Pay upwards of ￥8,000 for the right person. Please apply by sending your CV to Mrs. Huang, Huanghe Computer Training Center.Who should you get in touch with if you hope to work in a radio station?
| A．Yurun Central Square. |
| B．Mrs. Huang, Huanghe Computer Training Center. |
| C．Anhui Radio and TV Station. |
| D．Social Security Administration Office. |
We learn from the ads that Yurun Central Square needs a person who________.
| A．is aged between 22 and 48 |
| B．needs to do some training work |
| C．should deal with general duties |
| D．can work for about a fortnight |
Which position is open to recent school graduates?
| A．Accountants Assistant. | B．Father Christmas. |
| C．Radio announcer. | D．Software Trainer. |
What kind of person would probably apply to Huanghe Computer Training Center?
| A．One graduating from a 211 university. |
| B．One with some office experience. |
| C．One having good computer knowledge. |
| D．One with experience in radio and music. |
Five years ago, David Smith wore an expensive suit to work every day. “I was a clothes addict,” he jokes. “I used to carry a fresh suit to work with me so I could change if my clothes got wrinkled.” Today David wears casual clothes-khaki pants and sports shirt to the office. He hardly ever wears a necktie. “I’m working harder than ever,” David says, “and I need to feel comfortable.”
More and more companies are allowing their office workers to wear casual clothes to work in the United States. The change from formal to casual office wear has been gradual. In the early 1990s, many companies allowed their employees to wear casual clothes on Friday(but only on Friday). This became known as “dress-down Friday” or “casual Friday”. “What started out as an extra one-day-a-week benefit for employees has really become an everyday thing.” said business consultant Maisly Jones.
Why have so many companies started allowing their employees to wear casual clothes? One reason is that it’s easier for a company to attract new employees if it has a casual dress code. “A lot of young people don’t want to dress up for work,” says the owner of a software company, “so it’s hard to hire people if you have a conservative dress code.” Another reason is that people seem happier and more productive when they are wearing comfortable clothes. In a study conducted by Levi Strauss and Company, 85 percent of employers said that they believe that casual dress improves employee morale(士气). Only 4 percent of employers said that casual dress has a negative impact on productivity. Supporters of casual office wear also argue that a casual dress code helps them save money. “Suits are expensive, if you have to wear one every day,” one person said. “For the same amount of money, you can buy a lot more casual clothes.”David Smith refers to himself as having been “a clothes addict,” because _______.
| A．he often wore khaki pants and a sports shirt |
| B．he couldn’t stand a clean appearance |
| C．he wanted his clothes to look neat all the time |
| D．he didn’t want to spend much money on clothes |
David Smith wears casual clothes now, because _______.
| A．they make him feel at ease when working |
| B．he cannot afford to buy expensive clothes |
| C．he looks handsome in casual clothes |
| D．he no longer works for any company |
According to this passage, which of the following statements is false?
| A．Many employees don’t like a conservative dress code. |
| B．Comfortable clothes make employees more productive. |
| C．A casual clothes code is welcomed by young employees. |
| D．All the employers in the U. S. are for casual office wear. |
In this passage, the following advantages of casual office wear are mentioned in the passage except _______.
| A．saving employees’ money |
| B．making employees more attractive |
| C．improving employees’ motivation |
| D．making employees happier |
Wanted, Someone for a Kiss
We're looking for producers to join us on the sound of London Kiss 100 FM. You'll work on the station's music programs. Music production experience in radio is necessary, along with rich knowledge of modern dance music. Please apply in writing to Producer Vacancies, Kiss 100.
Father Christmas
We're looking for a very special person, preferably over 40, to fill our Father Christmas suit.
Working days: Every Saturday from November 24 to December 15 and every day from December 17 to December 24 except Sundays, 10∶30－16∶00.
Excellent pay.
Please contact (联系) the Enterprise Shopping Centre, Station Parade, Eastbourne.
Accountants Assistant
When you join the team in our Revenue Administration Unit, you will be providing assistance within all parts of the Revenue Division, dealing with post and other general duties. If you are educated to GCSE grade C level we would like to talk to you. This position is equally suitable for a school leaver or for somebody who has office experience.
Wealden District Council
Software Trainer
If you are aged 2445 and have experience in teaching and training, you could be the person we are looking for. You should be good at the computer and have some experience in program writing. You will be allowed to make your own decisions, and to design courses as well as present them. Pay upwards of ￡15,000 for the right person. Please apply by sending your CV (简历) to Mrs R. Oglivie, Palmlace Limited.Who should you get in touch with if you hope to work in a radio station?
| A．Producer Vacancies, Kiss 100. |
| B．Mrs Oglivie, Palmlace Limited. |
| C．The Enterprise Shopping Centre. |
| D．Wealden District Council. |
We learn from the ads that the Enterprise Shopping Centre needs a person who________.
| A．is aged between 24 and 40 |
| B．may do some training work |
| C．should deal with general duties |
| D．can work for about a month |
Which position is open to recent school graduates?
| A．Producer, London Kiss. |
| B．Father Christmas. |
| C．Accountants Assistant. |
| D．Software Trainer. |
What kind of person would probably apply to Palmlace Limited?
| A．One with GCSE grade C level. |
| B．One with some office experience. |
| C．One having good computer knowledge. |
| D．One trained in producing music programs. |
Wheels are everywhere around you and me, yet no one knows exactly when the first wheel was invented or what it was used for. We do know, however, that they existed over 5,500 years ago in ancient Asia.
The oldest known transport wheel was discovered in 2002 in Slovenia. It is over 5,100 years old. Evidence suggests that wheels for transport didn’t become popular for a while, though. This could be because animals did a perfectly good job of carrying farming tools and humans around.
But it could also be because of a difficult situation. While wheels need to roll on smooth surfaces, roads with smooth surfaces weren't going to be constructed until there was plenty of demand for them. Eventually, road surfaces did become smoother, but this difficult situation appeared again a few centuries later. There had been no important changes in wheel and vehicle design before the arrival of modern road design.
In the mid-1700s,a Frenchman came up with a new design of road--a base layer (层)of large stones covered with a thin layer of smaller stones. A Scotsman improved on this design in the 1820s and a strong, lasting road surface became a reality. At around the same time, metal hubs(the central part of a wheel)came into being, followed by the pneumatic tire (充气轮胎) in 1846. Alloy wheels were invented in 1967, sixty years after the appearance of tarmacked roads(柏油路). As wheel design took off, vehicles go faster and faster.What might be the reason why transport wheels wasn’t that popular for some time?
| A．Few knew how to use transport wheels. |
| B．Humans carried farming tools just as well. |
| C．Such animals as horses and bulls were still a good means of transport. |
| D．The existence of transport wheels was not known. |
How is the last paragraph mainly developed?
| A．By giving examples. |
| B．By following time order |
| C．By making comparisons. |
| D．By making classifications. |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．The beginning of road design. |
| B．The history of public transport. |
| C．The developmentt of transport wheels. |
| D．The invention of fast-moving vehicles. |