Several years ago, I had a huge falling out with one of my best friends. So huge, in fact, that now I can’t even remember what happened.
In the past nine years, I’ve seen her twice, and each time we’ve been polite but distant. And that troubles me because we were once that close to each other. I’d like nothing more than to go back nine years, and continue our friendship. But how? How do you reconnect with friends you’ve lost throughout the years?
Linking to your past
The desire to reconnect with lost friend isn’t unusual. Why? Because friends link us to the past. “Friends from years ago are custodians(监护人) of our past,” says Sandy Sheehy, author of Connecting” The Enduring Power of Female Friendship.
Although you can’t share information about your past with friends you’ve met recently, you don’t have a shared history with them. So you wind up only telling them about your past, rather than sharing it with them.
But many people never try to reconnect. Women especially have trouble taking the first step. Shyness or fear that the other person doesn’t want to reconnect often stops many women. And that shouldn’t be. Your friends probably want to be in touch with you as much as you want to be in touch with them.
Searching for friends
Fortunately, finding lost friends isn’t as difficult as it once was, thanks to tools like the Internet. Our experts offer these suggestions for locating contact information:
Search Internet sites designed to locate people like classmates.com and switchboard.com.
Contact your high school or college alumni(校友)office to request current address information.
Surf online yellow pages. Check current phone records from your friend’s hometown.
Network with other friends who might have known your friend.
Get in touch with any of her relatives(亲戚), if you know where they live. If you know where she works, find the company’s web site and search the directory of personnel.What ‘s the subject discussed in the passage?
A.How to make new friends. | B.How to rediscover friendships. |
C.How to develop healthy friendships | D.How to keep in touch with friends. |
The underlined sentence “Friends from years ago are custodians of our past” means _____.
A.many years ago old friends kept something for us |
B.in the past old friends took care of us |
C.old friends are part of our life history |
D.old friends know what wrong things we did in the past |
What makes us unwilling to reconnect old friends?
A.Lack of money | B.Shortage of time |
C.Regret ![]() |
D.Fear and shyness |
How can we make contact with the lost friends?
A.By asking other friends of the information on your lost friends. |
B.By searching your friends’ telephone number in the net. |
C.By asking the local post office about your friends’ new address. |
D.By putting an ad in your friends’ local town. |
D
Chocolate which hepls you lose weight by actually burning calories as you eat it ? It sounds wonderful.
But unfortunately , for anyone who spent £ 37 on a 40-day supply of Slim Choc, the idea is nothing more than daydream.
The product was one of a lot of “miracle cures” marketed to Britons which had no evidence to back up their grandiose(夸大的) claims, according to the Office of Fair Trading.
The OFT said that such tricks affect 200,000 of us a year, at a cost £ 20 million . Some 78 per cent of the victims(受害人)are female, but a large number of men are also taken in by “cures”for hair loss.
OFT Director of Consumer Protection Mike Haley said,“Miracle health tricks target people who are eager to lose weight or find a cure. The products are often worthless and can even be dangerous with untested and possibly harmful ingredients(成分)。”
The OFT yesterday warned consumers about the adverts for Slim-Choc, which were contained in junk mail sent to thousands of homes acorss Britain.
The company chaimed that eating the “slimming chocolate”could help users lose 20lbs in just 20 days, without exercising or cutting back on food.
The tricks claimed this was a “brand new revolutionary cure for the overweight”,and it was “the first and only cholcolate that burns off fat”. Thousands were persuaded to pay £ 37 for a 40-day supply.
Alice Tuff, of the Sense About Science charity, said :“The emotional and financial costs for the people who get drawn in can be huge and it is very important that we keep promoting public vigilance(警惕)in dealing with this serious problem.”
1.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A.Chocolate And Health B.Dangerous Chocolate
C.Too Good To Be True D.Weight-loss Chocolate
2.Which of the following best states Mike’s idea?
A.The emotional and financial costs for victims can be great
B.Eating the “slimming chocolate” could help users lose weight.
C.We should deal with this weight-loss chocolate problem seriously.
D.Weight-loss chocolate may contain dangerous ingredients.
3.The company promises if you pay £ 37 for the product, you will
A.turn to normal in 40 days, B.loss weight without exercising
C.lose 40lbs in 20 days D.lose weight anywhere anytime
4.The passage is written mainly for
A.doctors B.experts C.consumers D.advertisers
I am trying to muster(鼓起)the courage to toss away my mobile phone to enjoy a more peaceful and ring –free life.
Can you imagine not having your mobile phone? In our high-tech, in-a-hurry age, a cell-free life is a hard concept to swallow. Our mobile phones can now access the Internet, and many people feel the need to express their every thought on their blog pages. If I gave up my cellphone, people would think I was mad.
I wish I had the strength to toss away my technology . I have an office phone, a home phone, e-mail and if people want to contact me. they can. If I’m out, people can leave a message. Do they really need to find me 24/7 ? However, I’m a bit like Frodo in the movie Lord of the Rings. The power of the ring is too strong and I can’t let it go.
Mobile phones have become necessary tools in our busy life. For most people , they hold all contacts and many of us don't write up address books any more. The latest phones carry our music, pictures, movies and everything else. We feel lost without this device and when we do misplace it , we feel cut off from our fellow,
“Where have you been?” said a friend, who saw me a week after I lost my cell, “I tried calling you , but you disappeared. You disappeared off the face of the Earth。” See, when you don’t have a mobile phone, you don’t exist.
I’m not really going to toss my mobile phone away, in fact. We humans are such social animals and mobile phones serve us well. So in 2009, I’ve dicided not to serve my mobile phone. Like all machine, I can always turn it off.
1.What does the underslined phrase“toss away”mean?
A.give away B.get away C.break away D.throw away
2.The writer mentions Frodo to
A.show it is difficult to get rid of the mobile phone
B.show how much he likes Frodo
C.suggest a cell-free life is what he wants
D.introduce a film character to us
3.What do we know about mobile phones in the 4 th paragraph?
A.Mobile phones can do anything for us .
B.Mobile phones have become very important in our life
C.We could not live without mobile phones
D.We would be cut off by our fellow without mobile phones
4.What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A.The writer is not really going to toss his mobile phone away.
B.When you don't have a mobile phone, you don’t exist.
C.The writer decides not to serve his mobile phone
D.We humans can control ourselves and machines will.
How to Save on Sightseeing New York City Attractions
With so many unique attractions, world-famous museums, theaters, and skyscrapers there is always plenty to do in New York. However, sightseeing, in New York City might not be the easiest or the cheapest experience.
This is why our team of real, life-long New Yorkers has created the New York Pass. If you want to discover the best of what this amazing city offers while still saving some time and money on your visit, the New York Pass is something you should be interested in.
How You Benefit from The New York Pass?
Free entry to over 50 attractions – Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Museum of Modern Art, Madison Square Garden Tour,. NBC Studio Tours, New York Aquarium.& many others.
Free 140-page guidebook in English, German & Spanish, containing hours of operation, maps and directions to every tourist attraction , shop and restaurant.
Line skipping privileges(特权)-As a New York Pass holder you are entitled (享有权利)to fast track entry to the New York City ‘s busiest attractions.
Over 650 worth of entrance fees-that’s how much it would cost if you visited all the attractions that New York Pass grants entrance to –wihtout using the New York Pass. That doesn’t even include the additional discounts you receive for having a NY Pass.
100% Risk Free, Money Back Guarantee-New York Pass insurance gives you extra comfort in case your travel plans change, offering refund on non-used Passes.
Plese Note:
You can visit as many attractions as you want-even more with the time saved with fast track entry . You don't need to carry too much cash and the New York Pass keeps control on your spending.
New York Pass Prices;
Offer Ends : Fri 13 Feb 2009
Product |
Price |
1 Day Adult Pass |
$75 |
1 Day Child Pass |
$55 |
2 Day Adult Pass |
$110 |
2 Day Child Pass |
$90 |
3 Day Adult Pass |
$140 $112 |
3 Day Child Pass |
$120 $96 |
7 Day Adult Pass |
$180 $144 |
7 Day Child Pass |
$140 $ 112 |
1.What is the main purpose of this passage?
A.To attract tourists to New York.
B.To describe how to use the New York Pass.
C.To introduc the New York Pass.
D.To explain why the New York Pass is created
2.What benefit can you get from the New York Pass
A.You can change your travel plans as you like,
B.You can get the free guidebook in four languages.
C.You don’t have to carry cash with you
D.You can visit the Statue of Liberty for free.
3.Jack and his two kids will visit New York for three days in January in 2009,how much should he pay for the New York Pass?
A. 304 B. 380 C.420D.520
4.If the Empire State Building is too crowded, you can
A.get the refund from the New York Pass immediately
B.enter it before others by using the New York Pass
C.get more discounts and save more money
D.visit many other attractions as long as you want
第三部分:阅读理解(共20小题;每题2分,满分40分)
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该选项的标号涂黑。
It happened to me recently that I was telling someone how much I had enjoyed reading Barack Obama’s Dreams From My Father and how it had changed my views of the current US President. The person I was talking to agreed with me that it was, in his words,“a wonderfully written book .”However, he then proceeded to talk about Mr Obama in a way that suggested he had no idea of his background at all. I sensed that I was talking to a book liar.
And it seems that he is not the only one. Clearly two thirds of people have lied about reading a book which they haven’t . In The World Book Day survey, Dreams From My Father is at number 9. The survey lists top ten books, and various authors, which people have lied about reading. As I’m not one to lie too often, I’ll admit here and now that I haven’t read the entire ten books. But I am pleased to say that I have read the book at number one, George Orwell’s 1984. I think it’s absolutely outstanding.
Asked why they lied, the most common reason was to impress someone they were speaking to . This could be difficult if the conversation became more in-depth !
The World Book Day survey also has some other interesting information in it. It shows that many people lie about having read classical works by Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Charles Dickens and so on. But when asked which authors they actually enjoy, they named JK Rowling, Jilly Cooper, and Stephen King (ah, the big sellers, in other words). Forty-one percent of people asked admitted they turned to the back of the book to read the end before finishing the story.
So which books have you lied about reading—if any—and which is your favourite?
1.The main reason why people lie about reading is to
A.make fun of the listener B.impress the listener
C.please the listener D.interest the listener
2.The underlined word“proceeded”in the passage probably means“ ”
A.wanted B.happened C.continued D.stopped
3.What does The World Book Day survey show?
A.Nearly half of the people surveryed didn’t read through a whole classical book.
B.People don’t like Dreams From My Father and George Orwell’s 1984
C.Few people lie about having read classical works by Jane Austen.
D.People usually enjoy reading books by Charles Dickens.
4.What is the best title for the passage?
A.Are You A Book Liar? B.Readers Are All Liars
C.World Book Day D.Dreams From My Father,
E
The motor vehicle has killed and disabled more people in its brief history than any bomb or weapon ever invented . Much of the blood on the street flows essentially from uncivil behavior of drivers who refuse to respect the legal and moral rights of others . So the massacre (大屠杀) on the road may be regarded as a social problem .
In fact , the enemies of society on wheels are rather harmless people just ordinary people acting carelessly , you might say . But it is a principle both of law and common morality that carelessness is no excuse when one’s actions could bring death or damage to others . A minority of the killers go even beyond carelessness to total negligence (疏忽).
Researchers have estimated that as many as 80 percent of all automobile accidents can be attributed to the psychological condition of the driver . Emotional upsets can distort drivers’ reactions , slow their judgment , and blind them to dangers that might otherwise be evident . The experts warn that it is important for every driver to make a conscious effort to keep one’s emotion under control .
Yet the irresponsibility that accounts for much of the problem is not confined to drivers . Street walkers regularly violate (违反) traffic regulations , they are at fault in most vehicle walker accidents , and many cyclists even believe that they are not subject to the basic rules of the road .
Significant legal advances have been made towards safer driving in the past few years . Safety standards for vehicle have been raised both at the point of manufacture (制造业) and through periodic road-worthiness inspections . In addition , speed limits have been lowered. Due to these measures , the accident rate has decreased . But the accident experts still worry because there has been little or no improvement in the way drivers behave . The only real and lasting solution , say the experts , is to convince people that driving is a skilled task requiring constant care and concentration . Those who fail to do all these things present a threat to those with whom they share the road .
1.What is the author’s main purpose in writing this passage ?
A.To show that the motor vehicle is a very dangerous invention .
B.To promote understanding between careless drivers and street walkers .
C.To discuss traffic problems and propose possible solutions .
D.To warn drivers of the importance of safe driving .
2.Why does the author mention the psychological condition of the driver in Paragraph Three ?
A.To give an example of the various reasons for road accidents .
B.To show how important it is for drivers to be emotionally healthy .
C.To show some of the inaccurate estimations by researchers .
D.To illustrate the hidden tensions in the course of driving
3.The following is mentioned as being responsible for the road accidents except .
A.careless bicycle riders B.mindless people walking in the street
C.irresponsible drivers D.irresponsible manufacturers of automobiles
4.Which of the following best reflects the author’s attitude toward a future without traffic accident problems ?
A.Doubtful yet still longing for . B.Happy and rather confident .
C.Surprised and very pleased . D.Disappointed and deeply worried .