Once upon a time there was a wise man that used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.
One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought that someone would dance on the beach. So he began to walk faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn’t dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.
As he got closer he called out, “Good morning! What are you doing?”
The young man paused, looked up and replied, “Throwing starfish in the ocean.” “I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?” “The sun is up and the tide is going out, and if I don’t throw them in they’ll die.”
“But, young man, don’t you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it. You can’t possibly make a difference!”
The young man listened politely, then he bent down, picked another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said, “It made a difference for that one.”
There is something very special in each and every one of us. We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference. And if we can know that gift, we will gain through the strength of our visions the power to shape the future.
We must each find our starfish. And if we throw our starfish wisely and well, the world will be better.
One day, the wise man saw the young man .
| A．dancing along the beach | B．walking with a dancer |
| C．picking up starfish for sale | D．trying to save as many starfish as possible |
Near the end of the passage, “something very special” refers to .
| A．the gifts from friends | B．the strength of making decision |
| C．our own starfish | D．the ability of shaping one’s own future |
From the last two paragraphs, we can learn that .
| A．the wise man realized something new and important |
| B．the wise man thought it was foolish of the young man to throw starfish into the ocean |
| C．the young man had the ability to make a difference |
| D．it is necessary for us to save starfish on the beach |
The writer told this story in order to show us .
| A．how and where we can write a good article |
| B．everyone can do something for the future |
| C．wise men are sometimes stupid |
| D．young people are actually wiser than old people |
One in four Britons would not trust their neighbors to take delivery of a parcel and 10 per cent suspect them of having stolen a parcel in the past, a survey has found.
A study of 2,000 shows that barely half of people know who their neighbors are. A majority would never ask their neighbors to look after such things as keys (68 percent), pets (89 percent) while they were out and even taking in parcels is taking trust too far for more than a third of us (35 percent), according to research for InPost UK.
One in ten (11 percent) have had parcels taken by a neighbor or from right outside their house. When it comes to deliveries, almost a quarter (26 percent) have gone into work late or have left early to wait in for a parcel. This gives rise to people queuing in the Post Office more than 20 minutes to pick up or send a parcel.
As a result, shoppers are looking for more convenience this Christmas. While 83 percent will still get gifts sent to their home, one in five (19 percent) will have parcels delivered to their office and 33 percent will click and collect in store or from a nearby shop.
In addition, almost two thirds of online shoppers (64 percent) are considering using parcel lockers because they provide a local 24/7 service.
Jonathan Smith, chairman at InPost UK, said: “It’s surprising that people don’t trust those closest to them to help them out and to see that missed deliveries are still such an issue, especially as we head into the peak shopping period.”What’s the problem of British delivery parcels?
| A．They are always stolen by strangers. |
| B．Some missing parcels are suspected to be taken by neighbors. |
| C．Most of the parcels have to be picked up in the post office. |
| D．Deliveries almost cause 50% going into work late or leaving early. |
According to the passage, we can learn that .
| A．merely half of people know their neighbors |
| B．only one in four Britons trust their neighbors to take delivery of a parcel |
| C．a majority would ask their neighbors to look after their pets |
| D．two thirds of online shoppers still get their parcels sent to their home |
What’s the attitude of Jonathan Smith towards the issue?
| A．Unexpected. | B．Critical. |
| C．Overstate. | D．Optimistic. |
What’s the best title for the passage?
| A．The delivery problem in Britain |
| B．How can we trust each other |
| C．The trust crisis（危机） in neighborhoods in Britain |
| D．The way to improve delivery |
A smart phone’s low battery warning is the only warning that most people take seriously. Try the following steps and you will improve your battery life.
1. Let there be less light
For larger smart phones, the longer the screen is on and the brighter it is, the faster you
r battery goes. Try making the screen as dark as you can bear it and still read a text. Darkening the screen is common among teenagers, but it may be hard for Mom and Dad to see what’s showing on their phone.
2. Turn off the signals
Your smart phone does a lot of communicating in the background. They’re checking for things like new emails, text messages, Wi-Fi signals, Bluetooth signals, your location and more. These activities do drain your battery life, so you should turn off whatever you aren’t using. Location Services is also another feature that burns up your battery, so you can use GPS and Wi-Fi to find out which apps have access to Location Services and turn them off.
3. Turn off notifications (通告)
Another way to improve battery life is to stop the constant flow of notifications and updates from Facebook, email, games and sites. Your phone will automatically pick up these notifications when it’s connected to the Internet, and they can have a noticeable impact on battery life.
4. Use battery saving mode (模式)
For a quick way to improve your battery, simply put your smart phone in Airplane Mode. If Airplane Mode is too limiting, some phones have a specific battery saver mode. This shuts down unimportant functions and apps like Wi-Fi, some updates and more.
If used properly, these tips above will improve your battery life up to 30 percent.The underlined word “drain” means “”.
| A．light up | B．use up |
| C．pick up | D．make up |
If you want to improve your battery life, you are advised to use a .
| A．small screen | B．large screen |
| C．bright screen | D．round screen |
We can infer that aged people tend to.
| A．email family members | B．use Location Services |
| C．darken the screen | D．brighten the screen |
We can learn that Airplane Mode can .
| A．improve signals | B．waste energy |
| C．affect health | D．save power |
Sleep is a basic human need, as basic as the need for oxygen. Getting a good night’s sleep is not only directly related to how we feel the next day, but to our long-term health as well. However, many of us suffer from insomnia (失眠). Even more of us report at least one night of restless sleep per week. This is a serious problem.
Well, how can we make sure that we rest well and stay healthy? Here are some suggestions.
If you can’t sleep in the middle of the night, don’t get up. The bright light will affect your body clock and worsen your insomnia. Stay in bed!
Avoid short sleep during the day, except for a brief ten to fifteen-minute sleep between 2:00 and 4:00 P.M.
Limit your time in bed to the average number of hours you’ve actually slept per night last week. Don’t try to make up for lost sleep. It can’t be done.
Get regular exercise each day, but finish at least six hours before bedtime. Exercising in the evening can help keep you awake.
Take a hot bath for thirty minutes within two hours of bedtime. The bath will warm you, relax you, and make you feel sleepy.
Keep our bedroom dark, quiet, and well ventilated (通风).
Keep a regular schedule seven days a week. Avoid sleeping late on weekends. Although it may feel good while you’re doing it, sleeping late on weekend can lead to insomnia during the week.
Don’t drink alcohol (酒精). Although, having a drink before bed makes you sleep, alcohol loses its effects after a while. The secondary effects of alcohol can wake you up during the second half of your night’s sleep.
Keep the face of the clock in your bedroom turned away, and don’t find out what time it is when you awaken in the night.The first paragraph serves as a(n) __________.
| A．argument | B．introduction |
| C． comment | D．explanation |
Which of the following is NOT advised for a good night’s sleep?
| A．Staying in bed after failing to sleep. |
| B．Don’t exercise six hours before sleeping |
| C．Don’t drink alcohol before sleeping. |
| D．Preventing the wind from blowing into your room. |
To sleep well, you need to __________.
| A．get up late on weekends |
| B．sleep during the day sometimes |
| C．avoid looking at your clock |
| D．have a bath in the morning |
The text mainly about__________ .
| A．some keys to a better night’s sleep |
| B．some advantages of having a good sleep |
| C．some effects of bad night’s sleep |
| D．some reasons for insomnia |
I was never very neat, while my roommate Kate was extremely organized. Each of her objects had its place, but mine always hid somewhere. She even labeled (贴标签 ) everything. I always looked for everything. Over time, Kate got neater and I got messier. She would push my dirty clothing over, and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. We both got tired of each other.
War broke out one evening. Kate came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming, "Take your shoes away! Why under my bed!" Deafened, I saw my shoes flying at me. I jumped to my feet and started yelling. She yelled back louder.
The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Kate answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up, she quickly crawled (爬 ) under her covers, weeping. Obviously, that was something she should not go through phone. All of a sudden ,a warm feeling of sympathy rose up in my heart,
Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bed, cleaned the socks and swept the floor, even on her side. I got so absorbed into my work that I even didn't noticed Kate had sat up. She was watching, her tears dried. Then, she reached out her hands to grasp mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at me. "Thanks."
Kate and I stayed roommates for the rest of the year. We didn't always agree, but we learned the key to living together: giving in，cleaning up and holding on.What made Kate angry that evening?
| A．She heard the author shouting loud. |
| B．She couldn't find her books. |
| C．She saw the author's shoes beneath her bed. |
| D．She got the news that her grandma was ill. |
The author tidied up the room most probably because___.
| A．she was scared by Kate's anger |
| B．she wanted to show her care |
| C．she hated herself for being so messy |
| D．she was asked by Kate to do so |
How is Paragraph 1 mainly developed?
| A．By showing differences. | B．By describing a process. |
| C．By analyzing causes. | D．By following time order. |
What might be the best title for the story?
| A．How to Be Organized | B．Learning to Be Roommates |
| C．My Friend Kate | D．Hard Work Pays Off |
Our spiritual intelligence quotient（精神智商）,or SQ, helps us understand ourselves, and live fuller, happier lives.
Though we're all born with SQ, most of us don't even realize that we have it. Fortunately, you don't have to sign up for classes to learn how to improve your SQ. Here are some simple steps that can lead you to this new level of understanding.
Sit Quietly. The process of developing spiritual intelligence begins with solitude（独处）and silence. To tune in to your spirit, you have to turn down the volume（强度）in your busy, noisy, complicated life and force yourself to do nothing at all. Start small by creating islands for silence in your day. In the car, instead of listening to the music, use the time to think. At work, shut the door to your office between meetings, take a few breaths and let them out very, very slowly. Enjoy the stillness in your home after the kids are finally in bed.
Step Outside. For many people, nature sets their spirit free. Go outside to watch a beautiful sunset. If you are walking with the dog, take the time to admire flowers in bloom; follow the flight of a bird and watch clouds float overhead.
Ask Questions of Yourself. Ask open-ended questions, such as "What am I feeling? What are my choices? Where am I heading?"
But don't expect an answer to arrive through some supernatural forms of e-mail. “Rarely do I get an immediate answer to my question,” says Reverend Joan Carter, a Presbyterian minister in Sausalito, California. “But later that day I suddenly find myself thinking about a problem in a perspective I never considered before.”
Trust Your Spirit. While most of us rely on gut（本能的）feeling to realize danger, spiritual intelligence pushes us, not away from, but towards some action that will lead to a greater good..The passage is mainly about______.
| A．what your SQ is and in what way it can benefit our life |
| B．what your SQ is and in what way it can be improved |
| C．the relationship between your SQ and your life |
| D．advantages and disadvantages of SQ |
The underlined phrase "to tune in to your spirit" in the third paragraph probably means to_________
| A．get your spirit relaxed | B．keep up your spirit |
| C．keep seated quietly | D．change your spirit |
From the passage, we can know that the most important thing to improve your SQ is______
| A．a peaceful mind | B．deep thought |
| C．spare time and hobbies | D．good spirits |