A lazy Susan is an addition to a table that is designed to assist in moving food from one person to another while dining. This is achieved through the use of a turntable (转盘), which usually moves the food in a circle when it is pushed by those at the table. In this way, the food never has to be picked up and passed around the table. Instead, it remains in place on the lazy Susan.
A lazy Susan may also be a part of a kitchen cabinet (橱柜). In this sense, the lazy Susan is a type of shelving unit within the cabinet that is able to turn around its axis(轴心) . One may turn the lazy Susan in order to find certain goods in storage. From the outside, a lazy Susan appears to be two cabinets that are located at a right angle (直角) to each another. When one of these cabinets is pushed, however, both doors move and the lazy Susan is revealed inside.
It is believed that Thomas Jefferson invented the lazy Susan in the 18th century, though it was called “dumbwaiter” at that time. It is said that Jefferson invented the lazy Susan because his daughter complained she was always served last at table and, as a result, never found herself full when leaving the table. Others believe that Thomas Edison was the inventor, as he is believed to have invented the turntable for his phonograph (留声机). The turntable may have developed into the lazy Susan later.
Regardless of who invented it, it wasn’t until 1917 that the term “lazy Susan” was used in an advertisement for the invention. In Britain, however, the term “dumbwaiter” is still used rather than “lazy Susan”. The reason for the naming of it is still a mystery. One theory is that it was named after either Jefferson’s or Edison’s daughter, both of whom were named Susan.What is a “lazy Susan”?
| A．A waitress | B．A convenient tool | C．A table | D．A cabinet |
According to those who believed Thomas Jefferson invented the lazy Susan, _______.
| A．his daughter was very lazy | B．the lazy Susan didn’t exist until the 18th century |
| C．Thomas Edison was his friend | D．Thomas Edison didn’t invent the phonograph |
We can learn from the last paragraph that ___________.
| A．the lazy Susan can work by itself |
| B．the lazy Susan was named after Thomas Edison’s daughter |
| C．how the lazy Susan got its name remains unknown |
| D．the lazy Susan was invented in Britain |
The writer wrote the passage mainly to _________.
| A．discuss how the lazy Susan was named | B．teach us how to make a lazy Susan |
| C．introduce Thomas Edison’s inventions | D．tell us what a lazy Susan is and its origin |
After my brother died in an accident, my mother was in deep sadness. I was only a four-year-old girl at the time, but I still understood the sudden shift in my mom’s attitude towards safety. Suddenly everything around us was potentially dangerous. Overnight, the world had gone from a playground to a dangerous zone. I grew up with a lot of limits and rules. I couldn’t walk home from school by myself, even though everyone I knew already did. I couldn’t go to summer camp because what if something happened to me?
As I got older, the list of things of fear got longer. My whole life was divided into “things you should avoid”, and “things you needed to do in order to have a good, long life.” I became a natural worrier. I worry about things like getting cancer, losing my wallet, car accidents, earthquakes, and losing my job — disasters big and small, real and imagined.
The funny part is that you’d never know it by looking at my life. In fact, I’ve developed a rule for myself: If it scares me, then I have to do it at least once. I’ve done lots of things that my mom would have worried about: I’ve ridden a motorcycle; I’ve traveled —a lot. I’ve performed stand-up comedy, and I’m planning my second wedding.
There’s something else I don’t usually talk about, but it’s a cornerstone in my belief: When I was 14, my mother died suddenly in a car accident. At my mom’s funeral I remember making a choice. I could either live out the rest of my life trying to be “safe” or I could be brave enough to live out a fulfilling, exciting and, yes, sometimes dangerous life.
I worry that I may have betrayed(背叛) my mother by writing her in this light, but she has been a driving force in my life and, in the end I think she would have been proud of me. Courage isn’t a natural character of human beings. I believe that using courage is like developing a muscle. The more often I do things that scare me or that make me uncomfortable, the more I realize that I can do a lot more than I originally thought I could do.
Even though I inherited (继承) my mother’s cautious nature. I’ve also come to believe that fear can be a good thing, if we face it. Believing that has made my world a less scary place. In the writer’s childhood, the limits and rules were used to ______.
| A．improve her behavior | B．develop her independence |
| C．be in memory of her dead brother | D．protect her from possible danger |
How does the writer deal with the things that frighten her?
| A．She just ignores them. | B．She faces up to them. |
| C．She turns to her mother for help. | D．She does them with her friends. |
From the passage, we can learn that ______.
| A．the writer failed in her first marriage |
| B．nothing can make the writer afraid now |
| C．frightening things made the writer lose her self-confidence |
| D．the writer’s mother felt annoyed with her |
What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．Mothers influence their children much. |
| B．Fear is in fact not a bad thing. |
| C．Facing fear bravely produces courage. |
| D．The world is not as scary as people expect. |
In the past few years development in medical technology has made it possible for people to live longer than in the past. New medicines and machines are being developed every day to extend(延长) life. However, some people, including some doctors, are not in favor of(支持) these life extending measures, and they argue that people should have the right to die when they want to. They say that the quality of life is as important as life itself and that people should not be forced to go on living when conditions of life have become terrible. They say that people should be allowed to die with dignity (尊严) and to decide when they want to die. Others argue that life under any conditions is better than death and that the duty of doctors is always to extend life as long as possible. And so the argument goes on and on without a final answer.The best title for this passage is _____.
| A．The Right to Live | B．The Right to Die |
| C．The Doctor’s Duty | D．The Right to Live or Die |
In recent years, people can live longer than in the past. It’s because of __ .
| A．the development of medical technology |
| B．big hospitals |
| C．good doctors |
| D．both B and C |
According to some people whether a dying patient has the right to die or not is decided by _____ .
| A．the doctors |
| B．the head of the hospital |
| C．his or her family |
| D．the patient himself or herself |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．Most of the medical workers join in the argument. |
| B．The argument has ended in favor of the patient. |
| C．The argument hasn’t ended yet. |
| D．The quality of life is not as important as life itself. |
If you have a chance to go to Finland, you will probably be surprised to find how “foolish” the Finnish people are.
Take the taxi drivers for example. Taxis in Finland are mostly high-class Benz with a fare(车费) of two US dollars a kilometer. You can go anywhere in one, tell the driver to drop you at any place, say that you have some business to attend to, and then walk off without paying your fare. The driver would not show the least sign of anxiety.
The dining rooms in all big hotels not only serve their guests, but also serve outside diners. Hotel guests have their meals free, so they naturally go to the free dining rooms to have their meals. The most they would do to show their good faith is to wave their registration（登记） card to the waiter. With such a loose check, you can easily use any old registration card to take a couple of friends to dine free of charge.
The Finnish workers are paid by the hour. They are very much on their own as soon as they have agreed with the boss on the rate. From then on they just say how many hours they have worked and they will be paid accordingly.
With so many loopholes （漏洞） in everyday life, surely Finland must be a heaven to those who love to take “petty advantages”. But the strange thing is, all the taxi passengers would always come back to pay their fare after they have attended to their business; not a single outsider has ever been found in the free hotel dining rooms. And workers always give an honest account of the exact hours they put in. As the Finns always act on good faith in everything they do, living in such a society has turned everyone into a real “gentleman”.The underlined words in this passage means to “______”。
| A．be ready to help others |
| B．make good use of one’s friends |
| C．be a little ahead of others |
| D．gain something at other’s loss |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．While taking a taxi in Finland, you can get off without first paying your fare. |
| B．In a big hotel in Finland, you can enjoy free meals if you’re living in the hotel. |
| C．The bosses in Finland pay the employees according to registration of t heir working hours. |
| D．The workers are always honest with their working hours. |
We can infer from the passage that ______.
| A．the Finnish society is of very high moral (道德) level |
| B．there are many loopholes in everyday life in Finland |
| C．in Finland, most taxi drivers will not charge you anything |
| D．everyone in Finland is like a gentleman, for they have faith in themselves |
Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
| A．Life in Finland |
| B．A Society with “Foolish” People |
| C．What a Life |
| D．Honest accounts of the Finns |
People who are hit by lightning and survive often have long-term effects. These may include memory loss, sleep disorders, muscle pain and depression(郁闷).
Experts tell people to seek(寻找) the safety of a building or a hard-top vehicle any time they hear thunder, even if it is not raining. They say lightning can strike as far as sixteen kilometers from any rainfall. Lightning can travel sideways. And at least ten percent of lightning happens without any clouds overhead that you can see.
People who are outdoors should make sure they are not the tallest thing around. Bend(屈身) low to the ground, but do not lie down. And do not stand near a tree or any tall object. Get away from water and anything made of metal. A car is safe, but do not touch any metal inside.
Safety experts say people in buildings should stay away from anything with wires or pipes that lead to the outside. The National Weather Service says if you plan to disconnect any electronic equipment, do so before the storm arrives. Do not use a wired telephone. Do not use water. All these can carry electricity.
Some people think a person struck by lightning carries an electrical charge （电荷） afterward. Experts say this is not true. It is safe to begin emergency treatment.
Each year about four hundred people in the United States are struck by lightning. Last year forty four people died. The average(平均) is close to seventy. The National Weather Service says that is more than the number of people killed by severe storms. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Lightning can happen even if there is no cloud. |
| B．Lightning won’t do harm to people’s health. |
| C．Lightning can travel sideways. |
| D．Lightning can strike very far. |
The underlined word “disconnect” (in Paragraph 4) refers to “_______”.
| A．cut out | B．interrupt | C．disturb | D．cut off |
Which of the following mustn’t you do in order to seek lightning safety?
| A．Hide in a building. | B．Sit in a car. |
| C．Bend low to the ground. | D．Lie under a tall tree. |
Which of the following is the main idea of the passage?
| A．The latest information about lightning. |
| B．Some common knowledge about lightning safety. |
| C．How lightning comes into being. |
| D．Where we should hide in case of lightning. |
Agatha Christie went out at night．She never forgot the night when she met a robber many years ago．
That evening, she was invited to a birthday party which lasted until 2 o’clock in the morning．Agatha walked in the quiet street alone． Suddenly from the shadow of a dark building a tall man with a sharp knife in his right hand ran out at her． “Good morning, lady,” the man said in a low voice, “I don't think you wish to die here!”
“What do you want?” Agatha asked．
“Your earrings(耳环)． Take them off!”
Agatha suddenly had a bright idea． She tried to cover her necklace with the collar (衣领 ) of her overcoat while she used the other hand to take off both of her earrings and then she quickly threw them on the ground．
“Take them and let me go,” she said． The robber saw that the girl didn’t care for the earrings at all, only trying to protect the necklace． He thought the necklace would cost more, so he said, “Give me your necklace．”
“Oh, sir． It’s not worth much． Please let me keep it．”
“Stopping rubbish(废话)． Quick!”
With shaky hands, Agatha took off her necklace． As soon as the robber disappeared, she picked up her earrings and ran as fast as she could to one of her friends．
The earrings cost 480 pounds and the necklace the robber had taken away cost only six pounds．Agatha never forgot the night, for she _______．
| A．was robbed of her earrings |
| B．had a good time at the birthday party |
| C．was robbed of her necklace |
| D．was robbed, but she fooled the robber |
The birthday party ___________．
| A．was over at 2 | B．didn’t end after 2 |
| C．ended before 2 | D．didn’t end at 2 |
Which of the following is not true? ______．
| A．Agatha pretended not to care for her earrings |
| B．Agatha pretended to care for her necklace |
| C．Agatha really cared for her earrings |
| D．Agatha didn’t care for her earrings at all because they were not too expensive |
After reading the story，you may know that Agatha was a _____ girl．
| A．brave and famous | B．clever and brave |
| C．foolish | D．beautiful |