Not many people know that U.S. President Calvin Coolidge did not always live in the White House. Sometimes he lived in the nearby Willard Hotel.
Once, in the middle of a night, the President awoke to see a thief searching his clothes. Coolidge calmy spoke up from the darkness, “I wish you wouldn’t take that watch.”
“Why?” asked the shocked man.
Coolidged answered, “Take it near the window and read what is engraved on the back of it.”
The man read, “Presented to Calvin Coolidged, Speaker of the House, by the Massachusetts General Court.” He was very surprised!
“Are you President Coolidge?” he asked. He had never thought he would find the president sleeping in a hotel!
“Yes, I am” Coolidge said. Then he asked, “Why are you doing this,Son?”
The young man explained that he and a friend traveled to Washington during their college vacation. They spent all of their money and had no money to pay the hotel bill and the train tickets back to school.
Coolidge added up those fees. It came to $32. That may not sound like much now, but it was a big sum then. “I’ll give you the $32 as a loan,” the President said, “And I expect you to pay me back.”
The youth thanked him. Coolidge left him with this warning: “Son, you are a nice boy, you are better than you are acting. You are starting down the wrong road. Just remember who you are.”
It wasn’t until after the death
of Mr.Coolidge that this story was allowed to come out. It was first published in the Los Angeles Times. And the most interesting of all is that the President’s notes show that the young man was indeed better than he was acting. He repaid the $32 loan in full..The president stopped the youth from stealing the watch because
| A．It was his favorite watch. |
| B．He wanted to give some money to the youth |
| C．He wanted to help the young man from getting into trouble |
| D．He used it for work and daily life |
It can be inferred from the passage that
| A．the youth’s family was in financial difficulty |
| B．hotel fees were rather expensive at that time |
| C．the youth never connected with the president again |
| D．the youth learned a lesson from his experience with the president |
How did people first get to know the story of the president with the youth?
| A．From the president himself |
| B．From a newspaper |
| C．From the youth’s notes |
| D．From the youth himself |
We can learn from the passage that
| A．possessions can be given up when necessary |
| B．generosity should be encouraged in some cases |
| C．people can benefit from their unforgettable experiences |
| D．an act of kindness may change a person’s life |
Moving in with a boyfriend causes women to eat more unhealthily and put on weight. But the opposite is true for men, whose long-term health benefits when they move in with a female partner.
Dieticians at Newcastle University said both partners try to please one another, and so change their dietary habits to suit their other half.
It leads men to eat more light meals, such as salads, fruit and vegetables, while women choose to make creamier, heavier dishes curry or rich pasta sauces, which may please their partner.
Women still have the strongest long-term influence over the couple’s diet and lifestyle, as they still have the traditional role of shopper and cook in most households.
The report, by Newcastle University’s Human Nutrition Research Centre, reviewed the finding of a variety of research projects from the UK, North America and Australia, which looked at the eating and lifestyle habits of couples.
The research shows that women are more likely to put on weight and increase their consumption of foods high in fat and sugar when they move in with their partner.
Women also use food as a comfort when dealing with emotional stress and have been found to gain weight when a relationship ends, while the same finding has not been observed in men.
Many couples reported food as being central to their partnership, and eating together in the evening was particularly important to many.
Report author and registered dietician Dr. Amelia Lake said, “The research has shown that your partner is a strong influence on lifestyle and people who are trying to live healthier lives should take this factor into consideration.”
41. According to the passage, moving in with a girlfriend, men _______.
A. have few changes of their dietary habits
B. have to eat more unhealthy foods
C. don’t like foods high in fat and sugar at all
D. try to eat foods that their girlfriends like
42. The underlined word “light”(in Paragraph 4 ) probably means ________.
A. not very heavy
B. less in fat and sugar
C. gentle
D. not serious or important
43. According to the report by Newcastle University’s Human Nutrition Research Centre, ________.
A. women put on weight only because they want to suit their other half
B. when men are faced with emotional stress, they will change their dietary habits
C. eating together in the evening is a good way to communicate for couples
D. it is wrong to change your dietary habits to suit your partner
44. From the passage, we can infer that _________.
A. women should pay more attention to their partner’s influence on them
B. more men will play roles of shopper and cook in most households
C. couples will not change their dietary habits and lifestyle to please their partner
D. long-term health of men benefits when they move in with a female partner
45. What would be the best title for the passage?
A. Don’t be silly any more, women!
B. Which are better dietary habits?
C. Boyfriends make you fat
D. Dr. Amelia Lake and his study
Can people change their skin colour without suffering like pop king Michael Jackson? Perhaps yes. Scientists have found the gene that determines skin colour.
The gene comes in two versions, one of which is found in 99 per cent of Europeans. The other is found in 93 to 100 per cent of Africans, researchers at Pennsylvania State University report in the latest issue of Science.
Scientists have changed the colour of a dark-striped zebrafish to uniform gold by inserting a version of the pigment(色素) gene into a young fish. As with humans, zebrafish skin colour is determined by pigment cells, which contain melanosomes(黑色素). The number, size and darkness of melanosomes per pigment cell determines skin colour.
It appears that, like the golden zebrafish, light-skinned Europeans also have a mutation(变异) in the gene for melanosome production. This results in less pigmented skin.
However, Keith Cheng, leader of the research team, points out that the mutation is different in human and zebrafish genes.
Humans acquired dark skin in Africa about 1.5 million years ago to protect bodies from ultra-violet rays of the sun(太阳光紫外线), which can cause skin cancer.
But when modern humans leave Africa to live in northern latitudes, they need more sunlight on their skin to produce vitamin D. So the related gene changes, according to Cheng.
Asians have the same version of the gene as Africans, so they probably acquired their light skin through the action of some other gene that affects skin colour, said Cheng.
The new discovery could lead to medical treatments for skin cancer. It also could lead to research into ways to change skin colour without damaging it like chemical treatment did on Michael Jackson.
51. The passage mainly tells us that ________.
A. people can not change their skin colour without any pain
B. the new discovery could lead to search into ways to change skin colour safely
C. pop king Michael Jackson often changed his skin colour as he liked
D. scientists have found out that people’s skin colour is determined by the gene
52. It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
A. nowadays people who want to change their skin colour have to suffer a lot from the damage caused by the chemical treatment
B. Europeans and Africans have the same gene
C. the new discovery could help to find medical treatments for skin cancer
D. there are two kinds of genes
53. Scientists have done an experiment on a dark-striped zebra fish in order to ________.
A. find the different genes of humans’
B. prove the humans’ skin colour is determined by the pigment gene
C. find out the reason why the Africans’ skin colour is dark
D. find out the ways of changing peopl’s skin colour
54. The reason why Europeans are light-skinned is probably that ________.
A. they are born light-skinned people
B. light-skinned Europeans have mutation in the gen for melanosome production
C. they have fewer activities outside
D. they pay much attention to protecting their skin
55. The writer’s attitude towards the discovery is ________.
A. neutral B. negative C. positive D. indifferent
Among various programs, TV talk shows have covered every inch of space on daytime television. And anyone who watches them regularly knows that each one is different in style. But no two shows are more opposite in content, while at the same time standing out above the rest, than the Jerry Springer and Oprah Winfrey shows.
Jerry Springer could easily be considered the king of "rubbish talk". The topics on his show are as surprising as can be. For example, the show takes the ever-common talk show titles of love, sex, cheating, and hate, to a different level. Clearly, the Jerry Springer show is about the dark side of society, yet people are willing to eat up the troubles of other people's lives.
Like Jerry Springer, Oprah Winfrey takes the TV talk show to its top. But Oprah goes in the opposite direction. The show is mainly about the improvement of society and different quality of life. Contents are from teaching your children lessons, managing your work week, to getting to know your neighbors.
Compared to Oprah, the Jerry Springer show looks like poisonous waste being poured into society. Jerry ends every show with a "final word". He makes a small speech about the entire idea of the show. Hopefully, this is the part where most people will learn something very valuable.
Clean as it is, the Oprah show is not for everyone. The show's main audience are middle-class Americans. Most of the people have the time, money and ability to deal with life's tough problems. Jerry Springer, on the other hand, has more of a connection with the young adults of society. These are 18-to 21year-olds whose main troubles in life include love, relationship, sex, money and drug. They are the ones who see some value and lessons to be learned through the show's exploitation.
46. Compared with other TV talk shows, both the Jerry Springer and the Oprah Winfrey shows are ______.
A. more interesting B. unusually poplar C. more detailed D. more formal
47. Though the social problems Jerry Springer talks about appear unpleasant, people who watch the shows ______.
A. show disbelief in them B. are ready to face up to them
C. remain cold to them D. are willing to get away from them
48. Which of the following is likely to be a topic of the Oprah Winfrey show?
A. A new type of robot. B. National hatred.
C. Family income planning. D. Street accident.
49. We can learn from the passage that the two talk shows ____.
A. have become the only ones of its kind B. exploit the weaknesses in human nature
C. appear at different times of the day D. attract different people
50. What is the advantage of the Jerry Springer show?
A. The show exposes the dark sides of society.
B. The show pours poisonous waste into society.
C. Jerry sums up the whole idea of the show.
D. Jerry talks abou the improvement of society.
阅读理解（时间：20分钟）
A
Many years ago my student asked me the question, "Mrs. Kindred, why do you teach?" Without taking time to reflect, I answered, "Because someday I might say something that might make a difference in someone's life." Even though I was sincere, that wasn't a very good answer and my student didn't let it slide.
"Let me get this straight," he said, "You went to college for four years so you could come here every day because you have the hope that someday you might say something that will influence someone?" He shook his head as if I were crazy and walked away looking confused. I'm one of those people who look back and wish they had said something smart or witty, or swift.
Even though that particular student might no longer wonder why I teach, there are days when I wonder. On those days, I remind myself of the real reasons I teach:
It's in my blood. My mother was my most influential teacher, and she was a 6th grade reading teacher until her death in 1990. She instilled(逐渐灌输) in me a love of reading and the knowledge that education opens doors.
Teaching is a way to make a difference. If you throw a stone in a pond the ripples go on and on until they reach the shore. You can't have ripples without a "stone." Good teachers throw stones that make a positive difference, and that's what I strive to do.
I genuinely love teenagers.
I want to share with others what I know and what I have learned through the years. Life is full of ups and downs, and if I can help students avoid some potholes on the road of life, I want to do so. If they'll allow me to celebrate their victories with them, I want to do too.
Teaching isn't for everyone, but I know I made the right career choice.
41. Why did the student continue to ask the question about the writer’s being a teacher?
A. Because he thought her answer was unbelievable.
B. Because the writer was insincere.
C. Because the student was naughty.
D. Because the answer was difficult to understand.
42. What do you think of the writer?
A. Stupid. B. Honest. C. Conservative. D. Polite.
43. According to the text, which of the following is NOT true?
A. The writer’s mother has the greatest influence on her.
B. The writer’s answer made the student confused.
C. In the writer’s opinion, some people in the world are unfit to teach.
D. The writer annoyed the student who asked the question.
44. We can infer from the text that _________.
A. the writer was also a good teacher in school
B. the writer often plays with her students beside a pond
C. the writer devotes herself to teaching and her students
D. the writer often accompanies the students on their way home
45. What’s the main idea of the text?
A. A student’s silly question. B. A good teacher who likes students.
C. A confused student. D. The reason why I teach.
A twisted sense of humor and a strong voice cast（演出人员） make "Open Season" fun for kids and adults. It's a great start for Sony's animation studio.
Boog is a full-grown grizzly（灰熊）bear that has been raised among humans by park ranger Beth. He has a warm place to live, all the food he wants, and is safe from hunters.
However, when he crosses paths with the spastic(大脑性麻痹的) mule deer Elliot, all that changes. Thanks to a series of misunderstandings, everyone believes Boog is dangerous and out of control. Beth is forced to release(释放) him back into the wild.
Once Boog finds himself in the great outdoors, he has no idea what to do. He gets lost, can't find food, and is attacked by unfriendly forest cutters. Boog is forced to rely on the idiotic Elliot to help him find his way back to civilization(文明). But can they make it before open season begins for hunting?
The movie also has a really strong voice cast. Martin Lawrence voices Boog, and his attitude and persona（人格面具）perfectly fit the bear. The same goes for Aston Kutcher as Elliot. Even if you can't stand him in the real world, you'll be surprised how well he brings the annoying deer to life in the movie.
The animation in "Open Season" is also excellent. The characters are quite cartoonish, but the hair is realistic looking and the movements are fantastic. The body language adds a lot to the performances of the characters.What’s the key factor(因素) that the Boog need to survive himself in the wild?
| A．He wants to seek a comfortable settlement. |
| B．It’s thought that the Boog is beyond control. |
| C．The Boog is required to find enough food. |
| D．The Boog is eager to make new friends. |
Who is the enemy of the Boog?
| A．Elliot | B．Beth | C．hunter | D．Martin |
How can you understand the underlined word “make it” in the fourth paragraph?
| A．come to | B．succeed in | C．turn out | D．hold out |
The text in general is about _________.
| A．“ Open Season ” to bring fun for kids and adults. |
| B．The funny bear Boog and the annoying deer Elliot. |
| C．The grizzly beer Boog and the park ranger Beth. |
| D．A really strong voice cast of the “ Open Season ” |