This is an open letter to the three people who stole my handbagfrom the department store I am employed as a shop assistant.
When you took my bag, I don’t know what you thought you were going to get. With my wages, there’s not much left on a Tuesday. I hope the ￡5 was useful to you. I have informed the social security office so you won’t be able to cash the child benefit next week. I hope that won’t leave you too short．But if you really need a couple of pounds, I suppose you could always cash one of the two checks left in my check book．Of course, I phoned the bank right away and the check-cashing card is no longer valid(有效的), so it won’t be much use to you.
Actually I don’t mind about the money too much. We single parents who work to support our families understand only too well what it means to be short of cash. However, I don’t suppose it went very far among the three of you. Sorry about that!
I wish you had left the bag behind and just taken the wallet and check book．There were all kinds of papers in it, and notes and things that I really need. I really think that was very inconsiderate of you . I mean, how would you like something like that to happen to you?
Well, perhaps the bag will turn up. It wasn’t even an expensive one, just a plain, old brown leather handbag. You probably dumped it in the nearest rubbish bin or threw it into the bushes. We’ve looked around, of course, but no one saw which way you went after you left the shop.
I’m not really angry with you．I know how the pressures of modern living can affect us, but I am sad at the loss of my personal things. I feel offended and helpless. The police were very icy, and they just shrugged（耸） their shoulders. “It happens all the time,” they told me. Some small comfort, I suppose. But I’ve lost just a little more faith in human nature. And as my young son said when I told him what had happened, “Why? Mummy, why us?” I couldn’t answer that question. I wonder if you can.In writing Paragraph 2, the writer wants to __________.
| A．describe the contents of the bag in detail | B．give some suggestions to the three thieves |
| C．tell the thieves they could hardly get any money | D．state the fact that she was careless with the money |
Which of the following is the most valuable to the writer?
| A．The cash in her bag. | B．The papers and notes in the bag. |
| C．The handbag itself. | D．The check books in the bag. |
What can we conclude about the police?
| A．They have doubts about human nature. | B．They show sympathy for the woman. |
| C．They think the case quite common. | D．They are unable to find the thieves. |
Why does the author write the letter?
A．To give the th ieves a serious warning. |
B．To complain about the fall ofhuman goodness. |
| C．To call people’s attention to their belongings. | D．To express her affection for her valuable bag. |
Sometimes children do not do what their parents tell them to do. When this happens, a parent tries to help the child to do the right thing. When this does not work, the parent usually punishes the child.
There are many things that a parent can do. One thing that people have done is to spank (打屁股) the child. When a parent spanks a child, they will use their hand or a hard object to strike them on their bottom. This is meant to show the child that they have done something wrong
everything and not try other ways to get the child to do the right thing。
Many parents are not sure of what to do instead of spanking. Some people think that their religion（宗教）tells them that spanking is okay. Some think that the law lets them do it. The courts (法院) say that parents have the right to teach their children how to behave.
Other things should be tried before a parent decides to spank a child. Telling the child exactly what is wanted from them can be one thing. Giving a child more than one choice is another thing that can be tried. Getting down to the child’s level and taking a more child-friendly approach (方法) can help as well.According to the passage, when children do something wrong, one thing that parents usually do to punish them is to ________.
| A．strike them on the bottom | B．try to help them do the right thing |
| C．teach them what to do | D．take them to court |
Which of the following is NOT the problem caused by spanking?
| A．It teaches the child to hit others when they offend him or her. |
| B．The parent may get angry and hit the child too hard. |
| C．Sometimes parents may use spanking for everything. |
| D．It makes parents try other ways to make the child do right. |
Which of the following can best describe the writer’s attitude towards spanking?
| A．favorable (赞同的) | B．indifferent (不关心) |
| C．interested | D．unfavorable |
From this passage, we can conclude that ________.
| A．Good children always do the right thing. |
| B．Parents should try their best to avoid spanking their children. |
| C．Parents have no choice but to spank their children when they do something wrong. |
| D．Children can have more than one choice to avoid being spanked. |
We are going to see the ruins of Machu Picchu in the mountains of the Andes．Machu Picchu was forgotten for centuries but discovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham, a professor from Yale．It is said to be one of the most beautiful ancient sites in the world．
The Incas built the ancient civilization of Machu Picchu between the 12th century and the early 16th century．They spoke a language called Quechua but had no writing system at all．They kept records on various coloured strings with knots called quipu．
The Incas proved to be wonderful architects．They built most of their buildings with huge stones but without using any cement（粘结材料） to stick them together．However, the huge stones fit together so perfectly that you cannot force a sharp knife between two blocks．They also built bridges, tunnels through mountains and channels to bring water to their cities—just as the Romans did．The Incas turned the mountains into farmlands and planted corn and potatoes, and raised animals like llama and alpaca for food．
Now Machu Piccu has become a major tourist site in Peru, attracting people from all over the world．How long ago was Machu Picchu discovered?
| A．About 20 years ago | B．About 50 years ago． |
| C．About 70 years ago | D．About a century ago． |
With what did the Incas build their wonderful buildings?
| A．strings | B．stones | C．cements | D．trees |
The Incas built the following like the Romans except _______ according to the passage．
| A．roads | B．bridges | C．tunnels | D．channels |
What does the speaker probably do?
| A．A visitor． | B．A guide． | C．A teacher． | D．A scientist． |
For thousands of years, man has enjoyed the taste of apples. Apples, which are about 85 percent water, grow almost everywhere in the world but the hottest and coldest areas (地区). Among the leading countries in apple production are China, France and the United States.
There are various kinds of apples, but a very few make up the majority of those grown for sale. The three most common kinds grown in the United States are Delicious, golden Delicious, and McIntosh.
Apples are different in colour, size, and taste. The colour of the skin may be red, green, or yellow. They have various sizes, with Delicious apples being among the largest. The taste may be sweet or tart (酸的). Generally, sweet apples are eaten fresh while tart apples are used to make applesauce (苹果酱).
Apple trees may grow as tall as twelve meters. They do best in areas that have very cold winters. Although no fruit is yielded during the winter, this cold period is good for the tree. It can be learned from the text that Delicious apples are __________
| A．grown in France. | B．sold everywhere. |
| C．very big. | D．quite sweet. |
Cold winter weather is good for ___________
| A．the growth of apple trees. |
| B．producing large apples. |
| C．improving the taste of apples. |
| D．the increase of water in apples. |
China, France and the United States are considered to _______________
| A．be large producers of apples. |
| B．be large producers of applesauce. |
| C．have the longest history in apple production. |
| D．have the coldest winter among apple producing countries. |
The word yielded in the last sentence means _______________
| A．improved. | B．increased. | C．produced. | D．sold. |
Australia has passed regulations that will enable more international students to further their education in the country.
The new measures were released by the Australian Department of Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations in September and will take effect in mid-2012.
As a result, the student visa application process for overseas students has been simplified, and the deposit (押金) required to study in Australia has been reduced. Language requirements for overseas students have also been eased.
Also, overseas students receiving a higher education in Australia will be granted a working visa lasting from two to four years after graduation, as long as they meet the basic IELTS requirement.
"This change will definitely make Australia a more attractive destination for Chinese students planning to study overseas," says Wang Lan, a consultant from Education International Cooperation Group (EIC), a Beijing-based company that provides services to students wishing to study overseas.
However, in the past few years, many of Wang's student clients (客户) could not start studies in Australia because they did not meet the language requirements, visa processing took a long time and deposit regulations were tough. The change in policy is good news for the parents of students wishing to study in Australia, Wang says.
A 22-year-old female student surnamed Li, in Beijing, who is planning to do her postgraduate studies in Australia, learned about the policy change several weeks ago.
"According to the previous deposit requirement for my student visa, my family was required to put down 550,000 yuan ($86,850). Now we only need to prepare 410,000 yuan. This is a relief for my parents," Li says.
She also says that the two to four years working visa makes her feel much clearer about her study plans.
"I believe several years of working experience abroad will strengthen my competitiveness when I return to China," she says.
Gaining a competitive advantage is the major reason for Chinese students to study abroad, according to the report by EIC.What's the main idea of the passage?
| A．Language requirement for overseas students have been eased in Australia. |
| B．Australia is a most attractive place for students in China. |
| C．Australia widens window of opportunity for international students. |
| D．More students will work in Australia after their graduation. |
Which of the following is NOT the content of the new regulations?
| A．The student visa application process for overseas students has been simplified. |
| B．The deposit required to study in Australia has been reduced. |
| C．Language requirements for overseas students have been more difficult. |
| D．After graduation, some overseas students can get a working visa in Australia. |
After the new regulations are passed, _______ .
| A．more students will come to Australia to work |
| B．more Chinese students will choose to live in Australia. |
| C．the opportunities to work in Australia decrease for overseas students |
| D．more Chinese students will choose to further their education in Australia |
How much can Li's parents save according to the new regulations?
| A．550,000 yuan | B．140,000 yuan | C．410,000 yuan | D．86,850 yuan |
Why do many students want to work in Australia after their graduation?
| A．The working experience abroad will strengthen their competitiveness. |
| B．They can earn more money in Australia. |
| C．Their working experience can make them stay in Australia forever. |
| D．They have to do so according to the new regulations. |
It’s not uncommon in America for a person to belong to some kind of volunteer group. Donating one’s time and services is very much a part of the American way of life. Most charitable activities are organized by churches and groups around the nation and even encouraged by the government. The helping hand is extended to the poor， the homeless and the disabled. Some people work to teach youngsters how to read. Others open up soup kitchens to feed the homeless. Volunteers also take care of the disabled by making reading tapes for the blind and working in orphanages（孤儿院）to help children without parents.
High school students are often encouraged to become volunteers and many school club activities center around volunteer services. Students may work with disabled children during a summer program， or participate in a club activity which helps to bring meal to senior citizens who are shut-ins. With their sense of idealism（理想主义）students are often eager to donate their spare time. They see such activities as a way of becoming involved in the community and the adult-world. Social action for them becomes as important as their academic studies.
In a like manner， throughout the year，fund raising drives are also conducted by schools and community groups to raise money for a worthy cause. They may respond to a recent earthquake in a foreign country， a flood somewhere within their own， or another natural disaster which has left people destitute and homeless. They may organize drives to collect food， clothing and medicines to serve an immediate need. Today even the Halloween custom of ‘trick or treat’has become an occasion to collect money for a charitable cause.
The motive to help those less fortunate comes from the poor origins of the American nation. Those immigrants who were poor and downtrodden（受压迫的）became dependent on the kindness of their neighbors to make a new life for themselves.
American volunteers work throughout the world in less developed countries. They volunteer by serving as a champion of goodwill both at home and abroad， which no doubt enriches both his life and those whom he serves. Which of the following charitable activities is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．Some people open up soup kitchens to feed homeless people. |
| B．Some students bring meals to old people who can’t go out easily. |
| C．Some people collect money to help a foreign country with a recent earthquake. |
| D．Some students donate books to children in mountainous areas. |
Why are American high school students eager to do voluntary work?
| A．Because they want to participate in some social activities. |
| B．Because they want to go to better universities. |
| C．Because they can get higher scores at school. |
| D．Because they can realize their dream sooner. |
The underlined word “destitute” in Paragraph 4 probably means .
| A．lifeless | B． penniless | C．useless | D．valueless |
American charitable activities started because ___________.
| A．Americans are always ready to share with others |
| B．Americans are mostly kind |
| C．poor immigrants needed help badly |
| D．poor Americans couldn’t live on without help |
What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．The Call from the Poor | B．Voluntary Work in the US |
| C．Ways to help the Poor | D．American Volunteers Around the World |