More than 10 years ago, it was difficult to buy a tasty pineapple. The fruits that made it to the UK were green on the outside and, more often than not, hard with an unpleasant taste within. Then in 1966, the Del Monte Gold pineapple produced in Hawaii first hit our shelves.
The new type of pineapple looked more yellowy-gold than green. It was slightly softer on the outside and had a lot of juice inside. But the most important thing about this new type of pineapple was that it was twice as sweet as the hit-and-miss pineapples we had known. In no time, the Del Monte Gold took the market by storm, rapidly becoming the world’s best-selling pineapple variety, and delivering natural levels of sweetness in the mouth, up until then only found in tinned pineapple.
In nutrition it was all good news too. This nice tasting pineapple contained four times more vitamin C than the old green variety. Nutritionists said that it was not only full of vitamins, but also good against some diseases. People were understandably eager to be able to buy this wonderful fruit. The new type of pineapple was selling fast, and the Del Monte Gold pineapple rapidly became a fixture in the shopping basket of the healthy eater.
Seeing the growing market for its winning pineapple, Del Monte tried to keep market to itself. But other fruit companies developed similar pineapples. Del Monte turned to law for help, but failed. Those companies argued successfully that Del Monte’s attempts to keep the golden pineapple for itself were just a way to knock them out of the market.We learn from the text that the new type of pineapple is __________.
| A．green outside and sweet inside | B． good-looking outside and soft inside |
| C．yellowy-gold outside and hard inside | D．a little soft outside and sweet inside |
Why was the new type of pineapple selling well?
| A．It was rich in nutrition and tasted nice. | B．It was less sweet and good for health. |
| C．It was developed by Del Monte. | D．It was used as medicine. |
The underlined word “fixture” in Paragraph 3 probably refers to something _________.
| A．that people enjoy eating | B．that is always present |
| C．that is difficult to get | D．that people use as a gift |
We learn from the last paragraph that Del Monte _________.
| A．slowed other companies to develop pineapples |
| B．succeeded in keeping the pineapple for itself |
| C．tried hard to control the pineapple market |
| D．planned to help the other companies |
Mistakes are a part of life. To err is human. Failure is also a part of life, not the end of life. Be happy facing life’s challenges. When you make the effort to be happy and to improve your life, you are actually rewarded along the way.
Life is like a game and maybe you can award points for every effort that has been a success for you. Try it. Add ten points for every achievement. And when you have reached 50 points, just yell, “Hey, I’ve won!” and give yourself a reward. If you happen to have missed your points for whatever reason, tell yourself, “Well, I tried!” which is better than not trying at all. Don’t let it be said you didn’t try.
What is it that you want to make yourself happy? Actually happiness means different things to different people. For example, an athlete will be happy winning his first race. For a new mother happiness would be seeing her baby’s first steps. Happiness for a poor person would mean having a meal just for today. So happiness for you is really something simple that you want for yourself.
It really doesn’t have to be big. As a matter of fact, you should be always realistic(现实的). Make the best out of every given situation. If you expect a certain result from a situation and it does not happen, don’t get despondent. This just means trying harder next time. We all have in us the power to succeed. Don’t let “give up” be a part of your vocabulary.By saying “To err is human”, the author means that____________.
| A．human beings should try to avoid making mistakes |
| B．no one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes |
| C．mistakes and failures make up our life |
| D．human beings make mistakes easily |
What’s the main idea of Paragraph 2?
| A．Try to reach 50 points. | B．Try to get as many points as you can. |
| C．Award yourself for your success | D．Don’t be afraid of missing your points. |
The author proves his idea in Paragraph 3 through____________.
| A．examples | B．numbers | C．experiments | D．stories |
The underlined word “despondent” in the last paragraph means____________.
| A．frightened | B．disappointed | C．surprised | D．excited |
Few of us haven’t read Cinderella(灰姑娘), the story of a young woman living in poverty who meets the prince of her dreams. Some might not want to admit it, but there is a hidden Cinderella in everyone’s heart—we all wish we could achieve recognition or success after a period of obscurity(默默无闻). Mary Santiago has that secret dream, too. Her story is featured(特点) in Another Cinderella Story, a film set in a US high school.
Mary is shy but loves to dance. Compared with other girls, she is invisible. However, her world changes completely when a famous teenager pop singer, Joey Parker, appears. Joey is everything the rest of the boys in her class are not—kind, handsome and desirable. Mary and Joey’s paths cross at a ball. They meet and fall in love with each other. But when Mary has to rush back home, she leaves behind her MP3 player, which becomes the only clue Joey has to find the girl of his dreams. Of course, there is a wicked(邪恶的) stepmother, who turns out to be Dominique Blatt and she takes in Mary after her dancer mother dies. Dominique treats Mary like a maid and does everything she can to make sure Mary doesn’t get into the top dance school. Her two daughters are equally determined to stop Joey falling for Mary, even if that means embarrassing her.
The story, though it mostly follows Cinderella, does add a few modern day twists to the classic fairy tale. Refreshingly, the film, unlike many high school films, does not focus on looks, although the actors are all beautiful. There is also a lot less materialism in Another Cinderella Story than in many similar movies.
“The movie takes the Cinderella fairytale as its jumping off point,” writes movie critic Amber Wilkinson, “The focus is firmly on following your dream.”The first paragraph is mainly to ____________.
| A．build interest and lead us to Mary’s secret dream |
| B．remind us why Cinderella is popular all the years |
| C．tell us what is the Cinderella Story |
| D．tell us how interesting the fairy tale Cinderella is |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Joey is just like other boys in Mary’s class. |
| B．Mary’s mother influences her a lot in singing. |
| C．Not many people have a dream to be realized. |
| D．The MP3 player helps Joey in finding Mary. |
The passage is mainly about ____________.
| A．an introduction to a novel | B．a review about a film |
| C．a passage about dreams | D．an advertisement of Cinderella |
Ten years ago I used to be very fit. I rode a bike to work and I got a lot of exercise at weekends. I used to play tennis a lot and go for long walks. In those days I didn’t earn very much. I had a job in an office. It wasn’t a very good job but I had a lot of time to do the things I enjoyed doing.
Then, about eight years ago, I got a much better job. The pay was better, but the hours were a lot longer. I bought a car and drove to work every day. I began to take people out to lunch. And I began to put on weight, too. I stopped playing tennis and going for long walks at weekends because I just didn’t have any time for things like that any more.
There’s a lot of stress in my job. Perhaps that’s why I started drinking more than I used to. For example, I used to have only half a glass of whisky when I got home, but then I started filling my glass to the top, and instead of having one glass, I would have several. I started smoking a lot, too. I never used to smoke at all.
Two months ago I had a heart attack. At first I just couldn’t believe it. Luckily it wasn’t very serious. The doctor advised me to stop smoking and to eat less. He also advised me to work less and get more exercise. But I just haven’t any time! My job takes everything out of me!
Sometimes I wonder if I should get another job. Perhaps I could do something as I used to. But if I do that, I won’t earn as much. I have a family to support. I have to think of them, too. I just don’t know what I should do. What do you think?Compared with ten years ago, what is worse for the author now?
| A．His job. | B．His pay. |
| C．His means of transport. | D．His health. |
According to the passage, when the author got the better job, which of the following is NOT true?
| A．He got higher pay. | B．His working hours weren’t long. |
| C．He found it very stressful. | D．He had little free time at weekends. |
After the author had a heart attack, the doctor advised him ____________.
| A．not to work any longer |
| B．to take a long vacation abroad |
| C．to stop smoking and take exercise |
| D．not to eat out any more |
What can we learn about the author?
| A．The author is not sure what he should do now. |
| B．The author has taken the doctor’s advice already. |
| C．The author has got another new job. |
| D．The author feels much better now. |
You know Australia is a big country, but you may not know how easy it is to get around. The untouched beaches that go for miles and deserts that touch the horizon are just there, waiting to be reached and explored. The following are the different ways you can explore our vast country.
Getting around Australia
Air
Flying is the best way to cover large distances in a short time. You can spend more time on the Australia’s can’t-miss landscapes and relaxing lifestyle. Moreover, competition among airlines makes great flying fees available for you.
Drive
Australia has a vast network of well-maintained roads and some of the most beautiful touring routes in the world. You have no difficulty finding car rental companies at major airports, central city locations, suburbs and attractions.
Bus
Bus travel in Australia is comfortable, easy and economical. Buses generally have air conditioning, reading lights, adjustable seats and videos. Services are frequent, affordable and efficient.
Rail
Train travel is the cheapest and gives you an insight into Australia’s size and variety, all from the comfort of your carriage. Scheduled services are a great way to get quickly between our cities and regional centers.
Ferry
The Spirit of Tasmania runs a passenger and vehicle ferry service between Melbourne and Tasmania nightly. Extra services are running during summer rush hours. Sealink ferries connect South Australia and Kangaroo Island several times a day. Ferries connect suburbs in our capital cities.
Walk
With easy on the feet pedestrian streets, walking is a great way to get around our cities.
Besides all the above, you can also experience some of the longest tracks and trails in the world in central Australia—impressive journeys of a thousand kilometers or more that can take several weeks to complete.The underlined word “untouched” in the 1st paragraph means _____.
| A．secure | B．special | C．natural | D．artificial |
Which of the following is TRUE about travelling in Australia?
| A．More travelers make the flying fees among airlines higher than before. |
| B．You can easily rent a car to explore its most beautiful touring routes. |
| C．Taking a bus tour is the most comfortable, economical and efficient way. |
| D．Train services can offer you more comfort than any other means of transport. |
Ferry service between Melbourne and Tasmania usually runs ____.
| A．only at night hours | B．only during rush hours |
| C．several times a day | D．Between different cities |
From the passage, we know that ____.
| A．pedestrian walking is a great way to travel between cities |
| B．walking in central Australia takes a long time |
| C．central Australia has the world’s longest railway line |
| D．you have to walk over a thousand kilometers in Australia |
If you have only 5 days and want to visit Australia’s famous attractions that are far away from each other, which way of travelling best suits you?
| A．By air. | B．By car. | C．By bus. | D．On foot. |
Adrian’s “Amazing Race” started early when his parents realized that he, as a baby, couldn’t hear a thing, not even loud noises. In a special school for the hearing-impaired(听力受损的)， he learned sign language and got to mix with other disabled children. However, the sight of all the disabled children communicating with one another upset his mother. She wanted him to lead a normal life. So after speaking to an advisor, she sent him to private classes where he learned to read lips and pronounce words.
Later on, Adrian’s parents decided to send him to a regular school. But the headmaster tried to prevent them from doing so, saying regular schools couldn’t take care of a special needs student. His parents were determined to take the risk and pushed him hard to go through his work every day because they wanted to prove that, given the opportunity, he could do anything. Adrian made the grade and got accepted. It was a big challenge. The pace (节奏) was faster so he had to sit at the front of the class and really pay attention to the teacher, which wasn’t always easy. But he stuck to it and did a lot of extra work after school.
The efforts made by Adrian and his parents paid off. Adrian graduated with good grades and got into a top high school. He also achieved a lot in life outside school. He developed a love for the outdoors and went to Nepal to climb mountains. He even entered the World Yacht Race 05/06—being the first hearing-impaired Asian to do so.
But none of these achievements would have been possible without one of the most important lessons from his mother. “If you believe in yourself and work hard, you can achieve great results,” she often said.How did Adrian communicate with other children in the special school?
| A．By speaking |
| B．By using sign language. |
| C．By reading lips. |
| D．By making loud noises |
Adrian’s parents decided to send him to a regular school because ___________
| A．they wanted him to live a normal life |
| B．they wanted to prove the headmaster wrong |
| C．he wouldn’t mix with other disabled children. |
| D．he wasn’t taken good care of in the special school |
How did Adrian finally succeed in his study?
| A．He did a lot of outdoor activities. |
| B．He was pushed hard to study every day. |
| C．He attended private classes after school. |
| D．He worked very hard both in and after class. |
Why is Adrian’s life described as an “Amazing Race”?
| A．He did very well in his study. |
| B．He succeeded in entering a regular school. |
| C．He reached his goals in spite of his disability. |
| D．He took part in the World Yacht Race 05/06. |
Who is the most important person behind Adrian’s achievements?
| A．The headmaster. | B．His mother. |
| C．The other disabled children. | D．An advisor. |