In the United States, when one becomes rich, he wants people to know it. And even if he does not become very rich, he wants people to think that he is. That is what ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ is about, It is the story of someone who tried to look as rich as his neighbours.
The expression was first used in 1913 by a young American called Arthur Momand. He told this story about himself. He began earning $ 125 a week at the age of 23. That was a lot of money in those days. He got married and moved with his wife to a very wealthy neighbourhood outside New York City. When he saw that rich people rode horses, Momand went horseback riding every day. When he saw that rich people had servants, Momand and his wife also hired a servant and gave big parties for their new neighbours.
It was like a race, but one could never finish this race because one was always trying to keep up. The race ended for Momand and his wife when they could no longer pay for their new way of life. They moved back to an apartment in New York City.
Momand looked around him and noticed that many people do things just to keep up with rich life--style of their neighbours. He saw the funny side of it and started to write a series of short stories, He called it ‘Keeping up with the Joneses’ because ‘Jones’ is a very common name in the United States.’ Keeping up with the Joneses’ came to mean keeping up with rich lifestyle of the people around you. Momand’s series appeared in different newspapers across the country for over 28 years.
People never seem to get tired of keeping up with the Joneses. And there are ‘Jonses’ in every city of the world. But one must get tired of trying to keep up with the Joneses because no matter what one does, Mr. Jones always seems to be ahead.Some people want to keep up with the Joneses because they ______.
| A．want to be as rich as their neighbours |
| B．want others to know or to think that they are rich |
| C．don’t want others to know they are rich |
| D．want to be happy |
It can be inferred from the story that rich people like to ________.
| A．live outside New York City | B．live in New York City |
| C．live in apartments | D．have many neighbours |
The underlined word neighbourhood in the second paragraph means ________.
| A．a person who lives near another | B．people living in an area |
| C．an area near the place referred to | D．an area in another town or city |
Arthur Momand used the name ‘Jones’ in his series of short stories because’ Jones’ is ________.
| A．an important name | B．a popular name in the United States |
| C．his neighbour’s name | D．not a good name |
According to the writer, it is to keep up with the Joneses.
| A．correct | B．interesting | C．impossible | D．good |
The clock struck eleven at night. The whole house was quiet. Everyone was in bed except me. Under the strong light, I looked sadly before me at a huge pile of that troublesome stuff(东西) they call “books”.
I was going to have my examination the next day. “When can I go to bed?” I asked
myself. I didn’t answer, In fact I dared not.
The clock struck twelve. “Oh, dear! ” I cried. “Ten more books to read before I can go to bed!” We pupils are the most unhappy creatures in the world. Dad does not agree with me on this. He did not have to work so hard when he was a boy.
The clock struck one. I was quite desperate（绝望的） now. I forgot all I had learned. I was too tired to go on. I did the only thing I could. I prayed, “Oh, God, please help me pass the exam tomorrow. I do promise to work hard afterwards, Amen.” My eyes were so heavy that I could hardly open them. A few minutes later, with my head on the desk, I fell asleep.
64. When the author was going over his lessons, all the others in the house were ________ .
A. asleep B. outside C. working in bed D. quietly laughing at him
65. Reviewing his lessons didn’t help him because ____ .
A. it was too late at night B. he was very tired
C. his eyes lids were so heavy that he couldn’t keep them open
D. he hadn’t studied hard before the examination
66. What do you suppose happened to the author the second day?
A. He went to a church to pray again B. He got an A in the exam
C. He failed in the exam D. He was punished by his teacher
67. The best title for the passage would be _________ .
A. The Night Before the Examination B. Working Far into the Night
C. A Slow Student D. Going Over My Lessons
Language is always changing. In a society where life continues year after year with few changes, the language does not change, either. The earliest known languages had difficult grammar but a small, limited vocabulary. Over the century, the grammar changed, and the vocabulary grew. For example, the English and Spanish people who came to America during the sixteenth century gave names to all new plants and animals they found. In this way, hundreds of new words were introduced into English and Spanish vocabularies. Today life is changing very fast, and language is changing fast too.
There are several major language families in the world. Some scientists say there are nine main families, but other scientists divide them differently. The languages in each family are connected, and scientists think that they came from the same parent language About 3 percent of the people in the world speak languages that are not in these major families.
60. The early language had ______.
A. a lot of problems B. words and easy grammar
C. words but no grammar D. grammar but not many words
61. In the next few hundred years we can expect language to ______.
A. stay exactly the same B. change a great deal
C. change only a little D. add more words and drop some grammar
62. What this article shows is that ______.
A. languages change fast B. languages really don’t want to change
C. language changes with changes of society D. Spanish and English change
63. From this article we can see that ______.
A. language can change very slowly or very quickly
B. if we don’t change, then our language won’t change, either
C. we should give our plants new names
D. English and Spanish are the only languages that have changes
No one is glad to hear that his body has to be cut open by a surgeon（外科医生） and part of it taken out． Today， however， we needn't worry about feeling pain during the operation． The sick person falls into a kind of sleep， and when he awakes， the operation is finished． But these happy conditions are fairly new． It is not many years since a man who had to have operation felt all its pain．
Long ago， operation had usually to be done while the sick man could feel everything． The sick man had to be held down on a table by force while the doctors did their best for him． He could feel all the pain if his leg or arm was being cut off， and his fearful cries filled the room and the hearts of those who watched．
Soon after 1770， Josept Priestley discovered a gas which is now called “laughing gas”．Laughing gas became known in America．Young men and women went to parties to try it． Most of them spent their time laughing，but one man at a party，Horace Wells，noticed that people didn't seem to feel pain when they were using this gas．He decided to make an experiment on himself．He asked a friend to help him．
Wells took some of the gas，and his friend pulled out one of Well’s teeth．Wells felt no pain at all．
As he didn't know enough about laughing gas， he gave a man less gas than he should have． The man cried out with pain when his tooth was being pulled out．
Wells tried again，but this time he gave too much of the gas，and the man died．Wells never forgot this terrible event．
56.It is ___________since a man being operated felt all the pain.
A.a few more years B.not long C.few years D.two thousand years
57.Long ago, when the sick man was operated on, he___________.
A.could feel nothing B.could not want anything
C.could feel all the pain D.could do anything
58.Using the laughing gas, the people did not seem to___________.
A.be afraid of anything B.feel pain C.want to go to the parties D.be ill
59.If a man took less laughing gas than he should have when an operation went on he___________.
A.felt nothing B.felt very comfortable C.still felt pain D.would die
E
The key to happiness is how quickly you can get back your focus on what’s important.
-----Anonymous
Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson in the back of a New York City taxi cab. Here's what happened. I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car’s back end by just inches!
The driver of the other car, who almost caused a big accident, started yelling bad words at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly. So, I said, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!" And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call "The Law of the Garbage Truck."
Many people are like garbage (rubbish) trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they'll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally. You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You'll be happy you did.
I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets? It was that day I said, "I'm not going to do anymore."
Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting. Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from school with hugs and kisses. Leaders and parents know that they have to be fully present, and at their best for the people they care about. The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their day. What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by? Here's my bet. You'll be happier. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So, Love the people who treat you right. Forget about the ones who don't.
72. What happened one day when the author was taking a taxi?
A. The taxi almost hit another car.
B. The taxi driver was injured.
C. The author scolded the driver of the other car.
D. The author learned a lesson from the driver of the garbage truck.
73. How did the taxi driver respond to the behaviour of the driver of the black car?
A. He yelled back at the driver. B. He sent the driver to the hospital.
C. He was friendly towards the driver. D. He dumped some garbage in front of his car.
74. What can we infer from Paragraph 4?
A. The author used to have a lot of garbage trucks.
B. The author used to complain a lot.
C. The author used to have a lot of money.
D. The author used to be a good manager.
75. According to the passage, what should you do if people “dump garbage” on you?
A. Ignore them and go on with our own work.
B. Try our best to persuade them not to do that again.
C. Tell them to dump the garbage in the right place.
D. Take over their work and carry the garbage to somewhere else.
D
Three Central Texas men were honored with the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Director’s Award in a Tuesday morning ceremony for their heroism in saving the victims of a fiery two-car accident.
The accident occurred on March 25 when a vehicle lost control while traveling on a rain-soaked State Highway 6 near Baylor Camp Road. It ran into an oncoming vehicle, leaving the passengers trapped inside as both vehicles burst into flames.
Bonge was the first on the scene and heard children screaming. He broke through a back window and pulled Mallory Smith, 10, and her sister, Megan Smith, 9, from the wreckage.
The girls’ mother, Beckie Smith, was not with them at the time of the wreck, as they were traveling with their baby sitter, Lisa Bowbin.
Beckie Smith still remembers the sickening feeling she had upon receiving the call informing her of the wreck and the despair as she drove to the scene.
Bozeman and Clemmons arrived shortly after Bonge and helped rescue the other victims and attempted to put out the fires.
“I was nervous,” Bozeman said. “I don’t feel like I’m a hero. I was just doing what anyone should do in that situation. I hope someone would do the same for me.”
Everyone at the accident made it out alive, with the victims suffering from nonlife-threatening injuries. Mallory Smith broke both femurs(股骨), and Megan had neck and back injuries. Bowbin is still recovering from a broken pelvis(骨盆), ankle and foot.
The rescuers also were taken to the hospital and treated for cuts and smoke breathing, Bonge said.
In addition, Bozeman got to meet accident victim Anthony Russo in the hospital after the accident, where Russo presented him with a glass frame inscribed(刻;雕 )with “Thank you,” Bozeman said. Those involved in that fateful encounter on Highway 6 credited God blessing for bringing them together.
“Whatever the circumstances, Tuesday’s ceremony provided a time to be grateful for those who put their lives on the line for the lives of complete strangers,” Beckie Smith said, “We’re calling it The Miracle on Highway 6.”
68. What’s the main idea of the passage?
A. Three persons were awarded for rescuing victims in a car accident.
B. Three ordinary people were regarded as great heroes.
C. Several victims were carried to safety from the burning cars.
D. A car accident occurred on a rain-soaked State Highway 6.
69. Who saved Megan Smith from the damaged car?
A. Clemmons. B. Anthony Russo. C. Bozeman. D. Bonge.
70. Which of the following can be used to describe Bozeman?
A. Kind. B. Modest. C. Excited. D. Smart.
71. It can be inferred from what Beckie Smith said that _______.
A. she regarded the accident as a wonder
B. she was frightened by the serious accident
C. she thought highly of the rescuers
D. she called on others to learn from the rescuers