A characteristic of American culture that has become almost a tradition is to respect the self-made man —the man who has risen to the top through his own efforts, usually beginning by working with his hands. While the leader in business or industry or the college professor occupies a higher social position and commands greater respect m the community than the common laborer or even the skilled factory worker, he may take pains to point out that his father started life in America as a farmer or laborer of some sort.
This attitude toward manual （体力的） labor is now still seen in many aspects of American life. One is invited to dinner at a home that is not only comfortably but even luxuriously （豪华地） furnished and in which there is every evidence of the fact that the family has been able to afford foreign travel, expensive hobbies, and college education for the children; yet the hostess probably will cook the dinner herself, wil serve it herself and will wash dishes afterward, furthermore the dinner will not consist merely of something quickly and easily assembled from contents of various cans and a cake or a pie bought at the nearby bakery. On the contrary, the hostess usually takes pride in careful preparation of special dishes. A professional man may talk about washing the car, digging in his flowerbeds, painting the house. His wife may even help with these things, just as he often helps her with the dishwashing. The son who is away at college may wait on table and wash dishes for his living, or during the summer he may work with a construction gang on a highway in order to pay for his education.
From paragraph 1, we can know that in America _____.
A. people tend to have a high opinion of the self-made man
B. people can always rise to the top through their own efforts
C. college professors win great respect from common workers
C. college professors feel it painful to mention their fathers as labors.
According to the passage, the hostess cooks dinner herself mainly because ______.
| A．servants in American are hard to get |
| B．she takes pride in what she can do herself |
| C．she can hardly afford servants |
| D．It is easy to prepare a meal with canned food |
The expression “ wait on table” in the second paragraph means “______”.
| A．wait for others on a table | B．keep accounts in a restaurant |
| C．wait to lay the table | D．serve customers in a restaurant |
How does the author support his opinion?
| A．By analyzing causes and effects | B．By giving examples |
| C．By reasoning and concluding | D．By telling stories |
Some children are natural-born bosses. They have a strong need to make decisions, manage their environment, and lead rather than follow. Stephen Jackson, a Year One student, “operates under the theory of what’s mine is mine and what’s yours is mine,” says his mother. “The other day I bought two new Star Wars light sabers(剑). Later, I saw Stephen with the two new ones while his brother was using the beat-up ones.”
“Examine the extended family, and you’ll probably find a bossy grandparent, aunt, uncle or cousin in every generation. It’s an inheritable trait,” says Russell Barkley, a professor at the Medical University of South Carolina. Other children who may not be particularly bossy can gradually gain dominance（支配地位）when they sense their parents are weak, hesitant, or in disagreement with each other.
Whether it’s inborn nature or developed character at work, too much control in the hands of the young isn’t healthy for children or the family. Fear is at the root of a lot of bossy behavior, says family psychologist John Taylor. Children, he says in his book From Defiance to Cooperation, “have secret feelings of weakness” and “a desire to feel safe.” It’s the parents’ role to provide that protection.
When a “boss child” doesn’t learn limits at home, the stage is set for a host of troubles outside the family. The overly willful and unbending child may have trouble obeying teachers or coaches, for example, or trouble keeping friends. It can be pretty lonely as the top dog if no one likes your bossy ways.
“I see more and more parents giving up their power,” says Barkley, who has studied bossy behavior for more than 30 years. “They bend too far because they don’t want to be as strict as their own parents were. But they also feel less confident about their parenting skills. Their kids, in turn, feel more anxious.”Bossy children like Stephen Jackson .
| A．make good decisions |
| B．show self-centeredness |
| C．lack care from others |
| D．have little sense of fear |
. The study on bossy behavior implies that parents .
| A．should give more power to their children |
| B．should be strict with their children |
| C．should not be so anxious about their children |
| D．should not set limits for their children |
Bossy children may probably become .
| A．relaxed | B．skillful |
| C．hesitant | D．lonely |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．How bossy behavior can be controlled. |
| B．How we can get along with bossy children. |
| C．What leads to children’s bossy behavior. |
| D．What effect bossy behavior brings about. |
Researchers are placing robotic dogs（机器狗）in the homes of lonely old people to determine whether they can improve the quality of life for humans. Alan Beck, an expert in human-animal relationship, and Nancy Edwards, a professor of nursing, are leading the animal-assisted study concerning the influence of robotic dogs on old people’s depression, physical activity, and life satisfaction. “No one will argue that an older person is better off being more active, challenged, or stimulated（刺激）,”Edwards points out. “The problem is how we promote（使……成为现实）that, especially for those without friends or help. A robotic dog could be a solution.”
In the study, the robot, called AIBO, is placed for six weeks in the houses of some old people who live alone. Before placing AIBO in the home, researchers will collect baseline data for six weeks. These old people will keep a diary to note their feelings and activity before and after AIBO. Then, the researchers will review the data to determine if it has inspired any changes in the life of its owner.
“I talk to him all the time, and he responds to my voice,” says a seventy-year-old lady, “When I’m watching TV, he’ll stay in my arms until he wants down. He has a mind of his own.”
The AIBOs respond to certain orders. The researchers say they have some advantages over live dogs, especially for old people. Often the elderly are disabled and cannot care for an animal by walking it or playing with it. A robotic dog removes exercise and feeding concerns.
“At the beginning, it was believed that no one would relate to the robotic dog, because it was metal and not furry(毛皮的).” Beck says. “But it’s amazing how quickly we have given up that belief.”
“Hopefully, down the road, these robotic pets could become a more-valuable health helper. They will record their masters’ blood pressure, oxygen levels, or heart rhythms. AIBOs may even one day have games that can help stimulate older people’s minds.”The purpose of Beck and Edwards’ study is to__________.
| A．understand human-animal relationship |
| B．make lonely old people’s life better |
| C．find the causes of old people’s loneliness |
| D．promote the animal-assisted research |
In the research, the old people are asked to__________.
| A．note the activities of AIBOs |
| B．keep AIBOs at home for 12 weeks |
| C．record their feelings and activity |
| D．analyze the collected information |
What is the advantage of AIBO over live dogs?
| A．It is easier to keep at home. |
| B．It can help the disabled people. |
| C．It responds to all the human orders. |
| D．It can watch TV with its owner. |
The author seems to suggest that the future robotic dogs may__________.
| A．cure certain diseases |
| B．keep old people active |
| C．change people’s beliefs |
| D．look more like real dogs |
When I was in the third grade, I was picked to be the princess（公主）in the school play. For weeks my mother had helped me practice my lines. But once on stage, every word disappeared from my head. Then my teacher told me she had written a narrator’s（解说者的）part for the play, and asked me to change roles. Though I didn’t tell my mother what had happened that day, she sensed my unhappiness and asked if I wanted to take a walk in the yard.
It was a lovely spring day. We could see dandelions（蒲公英）popping(突然出现) through the grass in bunches, as if a painter had touched our landscape with bits of gold. I watched my mother carelessly bend down by one of the bunches. “I think I am going to dig up all these weeds,” she said. “From now on, we’ll have only roses in this garden.”
“But I like dandelions,” I protested. “All flowers are beautiful-even dandelions!”
My mother looked at me seriously. “Yes, every flower gives pleasure in its own way, doesn’t it?” She asked thoughtfully. I nodded. “And that is true of people, too,” she added.
When I realized that she had guessed my pain, I started to cry and told her the truth.
“But you will be a beautiful narrator,” she said, reminding me of how much I loved to read stories aloud to her.
Over the next few weeks, with her continuous encouragement, I learned to take pride in the role. The big day finally came. A few minutes before the play, my teacher came over to me. “Your mother asked me to give this to you,” she said, handing me a dandelion. After the play, I took home the flower, laughing that I was perhaps the only person who would keep such a weed(野草).he girl did not play the role of the princess mainly because.
| A．she felt nervous on the stage |
| B．she lost her interest in that role |
| C．she preferred the role of the narrator |
| D．she had difficulty memorizing her words |
Why did the mother suggest a walk in the garden?
| A．To remove the dandelions. |
| B．To enjoy the garden scene. |
| C．To have a talk with her daughter. |
| D．To help her daughter recite the words. |
. What is the main idea of the story?
| A．Everybody can find his or her own way to success. |
| B．Everybody has his or her own value in the world. |
| C．Everybody should learn to play different roles. |
| D．Everybody has some unforgettable memory. |
The purpose of keeping fit is to avoid illness ,resist the mental and physical fatigue（疲劳）that make us more likely to contract infections ,and above all to feel more pleasure in being alive. Research has shown the value of a balanced diet ,fresh air, sunshine ,enough rest and some forms of regular exercise for everyone .If everyone followed this plan ,the number of people visiting the doctor and going to hospital would be considerably reduced.
Unfortunately ,although most people acknowledge the importance of physical fitness ,not enough of us put this into practice .We spend too much time watching others from the comfort of an armchair or a seat in the stand at a sports stadium.
One reason why people who are physically fit to live longer is that they do not put the heart under excessive strain（过度劳累）and so they reduce the risk of heart and blood vessel（血管）diseases .They also avoid suffering the consequences of weakened muscles ,which are the cause of a great deal of back and abdominal（腹部的）trouble.
About 640 muscles for about 45% of our body's weight ,they must have the ability to store energy and be continually supplied with fuel by the blood .Sensible exercise ,suited to each individual and preferably undertaken on the advice of a doctor ,is the best insurance of meeting these requirements.Why do people want to prevent illness?
| A．Because they want to avoid health. |
| B．Because they want to add mental and physical fatigue. |
| C．Because they want to feel happier and live longer. |
| D．Because they want to obtain much more money. |
What happens to him if a man follows the plan given by the researchers?
| A．He will be more exhausted（疲惫的）. |
| B．He will know his doctor very well. |
| C．He will do less work. |
| D．He may be less familiar with the hospital. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Everyone knows the importance of this plan. |
| B．Not all people do what the plan tells them to do. |
| C．Most people put the plan into practice. |
| D．No one wants to do with this plan. |
Next autumn when you see wild geese (大雁) heading south for the winter flying in a V formation you might think about what scientists have discovered as to why they fly that way.
As each bird flaps (拍打) its wings, it creates an uplift (上升力) for the bird immediately following. By flying in a V formation the whole group adds at least 71% greater flying range (航程) than if each bird flies on its own.
People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going more quickly and easily because they are traveling on the push of one another.
When a wild goose falls out of the formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance (阻力) of trying to go alone and quickly tries to get back into the formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front. When the head goose gets tired, it flies back into the formation and another goose flies to the front. It is wise to take turns doing difficult jobs whether it be people or wild geese flying south.
Wild geese honk (发出雁叫声) from behind to inspire those up front to keep up their speed. What can we learn from this?
When a wild goose gets sick or wounded by gunshots, and falls out of the formation, two other geese will fall out with that goose and follow it down to lend help and protection. They will stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly or until it dies, and only then will they go on with their own or with another formation to catch up with their group.Wild geese fly in a V formation in order to ________.
| A．protect themselves from danger |
| B．fly more quickly and easily |
| C．help the sick and wounded |
| D．fly much higher in the sky |
If a wild goose falls out of the V formation, _______.
| A．the other geese will call it back |
| B．the other geese will fly with it |
| C．it will try to get back into the group |
| D．it will fall behind the whole group |
What can we learn from the fifth paragraph?
| A．We should try to lead others to move forward. |
| B．We should give people facing difficulties encouragement. |
| C．We should believe in those who offer us help. |
| D．We should care more about the old and sick. |
When a wild goose becomes sick or is wounded, ____.
| A．it will be left alone and will fall on the ground |
| B．the whole group will stop flying |
| C．two other geese will stay with it to offer help |
| D．other geese will honk to give it encouragement |