A woman renewing her driver’s license at the County Clerk’s office was asked to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.
“What I mean is,” explained the recorder, “do you have a job, or are you just a …”
“Of course I have a job,” said Emily. “I’m a mother.”
“We don’t list ‘mother’ as an occupation…‘housewife’ covers it,” said the recorder.
One day I found myself in the same situation. The clerk was obviously a career woman, confident and possessed of a high sounding title. “What is your occupation?” she asked.
The words simply popped out. “I’m a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.”
The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozen in midair.
I repeated the title slowly, then I stared with wonder as my statement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
“Might I ask,” said the clerk with new interest, “Just what you do in this field?”
Coolly, without any trace of panic in my voice, I heard myself reply, “I have a continuing program of research (what mother doesn’t), in the lab and in the field (normally I would have said indoors and out). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities (any mother care to disagree?), and I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most careers and rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.”There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk’s voice as she completed the form, stood up, and showed me out.
As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up (鼓舞) by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants---ages 13, 7, and 3.
Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model (a 6 month old baby), in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal（嗓音的） pattern.
I felt proud! I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable (不可缺少的) to mankind than “just another mother.”
Motherhood…What a glorious career! Especially when there’s a title on the door. What can we infer from the conversation between the woman and the recorder at the beginning of the passage?
| A．Motherhood was not recognized and respected as a job by society. |
| B．The recorder was impatient and rude. |
| C．The author was upset about the situation that mothers faced. |
| D．The woman felt ashamed to admit what her job was. |
How did the female clerk feel at first when the author told her occupation?
| A．curious | B．indifferent | C．interested | D．puzzled |
Why did the woman clerk show more respect for the author?
| A．Because the author cared little about rewards. |
| B．Because she admired the author’s research work in the lab. |
| C．Because the writer did something she had little knowledge of. |
| D．Because she thought the author did admirable work. |
What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?
| A．To show how you describe your job affects your feelings toward it. |
| B．To show that the author had a grander job than Emily. |
| C．To argue that motherhood is a worthy career and deserves respect. |
| D．To show that being a mother is hard and boring work. |
Dear daughter,
As we drove off from Columbia, I wanted to write a letter to you to tell you all that is on my mind.
I want to tell you how proud we are. Getting into Columbia is a real testament of what a great well-rounded student you are. Your academic, artistic, and social skills have truly blossomed in the last few years. You have become a talented and accomplished young woman.
College will be the most important years in your life. It is in college that you will truly discover what learning is about. You often question "what good is this course". I encourage you to be inquisitive, but I also want to tell you: "Education is what you have left after all that is taught is forgotten." What I mean by that is the materials taught isn't as important as you gaining the ability to learn a new subject, and the ability to analyze a new problem. That is really what learning in college is about – this will be the period where you go from teacher-taught to master-inspired, after which you must become self-learner. So do take each subject seriously, and even if what you learn isn't critical for your life, the skills of learning will be something you cherish forever.
Follow your passion in college. Take courses you think you will enjoy. Don't be trapped in what others think or say. Steve Jobs says when you are in college, your passion will create many dots, and later in your life you will connect them. In his great speech given at Stanford commencement, he gave the great example where he took calligraphy, and a decade later, it became the basis of the beautiful Macintosh fonts, which later ignited desktop publishing, and brought wonderful tools like Microsoft Word to our lives. His expedition into calligraphy was a dot, and the Macintosh became the connecting line. Enjoy picking your dots, and be assured one day you will find your calling, and connect a beautiful curve through the dots of yourself .
Most importantly, make friends and be happy. College friends are often the best in life, because during college you are closer to them physically than to your family. Also, going through independence and adulthood is a natural bonding experience.
So please treasure your college years – make the best of your free time, become an independent thinker in control of your destiny, evolve yourself into a bi-cultural talent, be bold to experiment, learn and grow through your successes and challenges.
When I faced the greatest challenge and opportunity in my life in 2005, you gave me a big hug and said "bonne chance", which means "good luck" and "good courage". Now I do the same for you. Bonne chance, my angel and princess. May Columbia become the happiest four years in your life, and may you blossom into just what you dream to be.
Love,
Dad (& Mom)What can we learn from the passage?
| A．The daughter is a well-rounded college student. |
| B．The father faced the greatest challenge in 2006. |
| C．The daughter is a freshman in college. |
| D．Steve Jobs gave the great example where he took calligraphy at Columbia commencement. |
The father may agree that _____.
| A．you will be well-educated if you forget all is taught |
| B．there are only master-inspired students in college |
| C．the daughter will be thinner if she goes on a diet |
| D．the skills of learning is very important for his daughter’s life |
The example of Steve Jobs in Paragraph 4 is to show _____.
| A．how Steve Jobs invented the basis of the Macintosh fonts |
| B．it is important for the daughter to follow her passion in college |
| C．Steve Jobs made great contributions to Microsoft Word |
| D．the father wishes his daughter to be as successful as Steve Jobs |
College friends are often the best to you because_____.
| A．your family are far away while college friends are around you within an easy reach |
| B．they are closer to you psychologically than to your family |
| C．they are better than your family |
| D．going through independence and adulthood is unusual bonding experience |
Lines around the eyes mean the aging process in the body. Though aging is considered as one of the most unavoidable occurrence in one’s life, it is not entirely the thing. You just need to know that you can deal with it in your life. For example, if you are willing to spend a considerable amount of money to make yourself look young again, then you can try eye lifts. However, if you are more of the money-conscious type, then you should decide to go for eye creams which bring the same results but with lower prices.
Despite of the advantages of using eye creams, however, there is a disadvantage in trying them. This is due to the hundreds of brands o eye creams being marketed at present. If you do not know how to choose the best eye cream in the countless brands available, then you might fall victim to eye creams that do not really fulfill their promised effects.
What’s good is that looking for the best eye cream does not involve too much effort. You just have to look for eye cream reviews to know how a product performs and if it lives up to its promises. If you have a dermatologist(皮肤科医生), then you can ask for advice. If you have none, however, then you can just browse on the net for the best cream for your needs.
In searching for eye cream reviews, look for those with reviews based on the results of product testing. Doing so can ensure you that you are not basing your decision on fake review sites that are only made to build up an image of a certain product. Follow these tips and guidelines and you are sure to finally spot the best eye cream that can solve your aging problem. To deal with lines around your eyes, you can______________.
| A．try your best to stop yourself aging |
| B．make up by using eye shadow |
| C．raise your hand to lift your eyes |
| D．try to use eye creams |
What can we learn from the second paragraph?
| A．None of the eye creams will be benefit you properly. |
| B．You should buy an eye cream according to your economic power. |
| C．You will suffer from a wrong eye cream. |
| D．You can take advantage of any eye creams. |
The best way to buy an eye cream is by_____________.
| A．reading the reviews first |
| B．comparing the prices of all the products |
| C．surfing the Internet for the best eye cream |
| D．trying to visit dermatologists as often as possible |
When reading reviews if the eye creams, you should_________.
| A．be careful of the package of the products |
| B．notice the function of the products |
| C．know of the quantity of the products |
| D．pay attention to the production date of the products |
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 ，并在题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
J.K. Rowling had reused her magic and brought Dumbledore back to life.
A spokesperson for the author confirmed Rowling had sent a letter and a package to a Texas teenager who optimistically found strength in the words of a Harry Potter film after witnessing the murder of her family.
Fifteen-yiear-old Cassidy Stay lost both parent s and four siblings to a gunman in Texas last month. Cassidy was shot in the head and survived the gunshot wound only because she played dead. Authorities had called her survival a miracle.
Cassidy had seen the unimaginable tragedy, but was still thinking about happiness. At the memorial(悼念会 ) for her family, Cassidy gave a speech in front of the media saying she believed her family was “in a much better place.”
Quoting the words of Dumbledore, the wise headmaster of Hogwarts, she said, “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”
The same day Cassidy gave her speech, a Facebook page called “We want J.K. Rowling to meet Cassidy Stay” formed and quickly draw public attention.
The creator of the page claimed to know a friend of Cassidy’s who “confirmed that J.K. Rowling did write Cassidy a personal letter under the name of ‘Dumbledor’. She also sent a wand, an acceptance letter to Hogwarts with a school supply list, along with the 3rd book with Rowling’s autograph.”Where did Cassidy find strength after the tragedy?
| A．In a letter sent to her by J.K Rowling |
| B．From her friends |
| C．In the words of a Harry Potter film |
| D．At the memorial for her family |
The underlined word “siblings” in Paragraph 3 can be replaced by _____?
| A．brothers and sisters | B．neighbors |
| C．friends | D．classmates |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．J.K. Rowling brought Dumbledore back to life for a new book. |
| B．There were seven people in Cassidy’s family before the tragedy. |
| C．J.K. Rowling met Cassidy when Cassidy gave a speech at the memorial for her family. |
| D．Cassidy survived the gunshot accidentally. |
What is the best title of the passage?
| A．J.K. Rowling’s New Book |
| B．A Smart Teen |
| C．Cassidy’s Tragedy |
| D．J.K. Rowling Writes to the Sad Teen |
Owls(猫头鹰) are some of the world’s greatest hunters. From head to feet, owls’ bodies are built to hunt. Scientists are studying all the things that make owls such great hunters.
Most owls hunt at night. The birds have excellent hearing, which helps them find their next meal in the dark.
Owls have one ear that is larger and set higher than the other. When an owl hears a sound, it listens closely. Is the sound lounder in its right ear or left ear? Does the upper or lower ear detect the sound first? The information helps the owl find the location of its prey without ever seeing it.
Owls don’t depend just on their hearing to hunt. After a sound draws an owl’s attention, it zeroes in with sight.
Many birds have eyes on either side of their heads. But an owl’s eyes face forward, like a person’s. Images from each eye combine to form a 3-D picture, similar to how we see. That helps owls better judge a prey’s size, distance, and speed.
An owl’s eyes are so large that they can gather lots of light. That helps the owl see better when hunting at night. An owl’s eyes are also fixed in their sockets(眼窝). It can’t roll them like we can. Instead, an owl keeps prey in its sight by turning its head.
Owls can move their beads nearly upside down and turn them 270 degrees around. Their necks have 14 vertebrae(椎骨). That’s twice as many neck bones as a person has.
The blood vessels(血管) thread through holes in an owl’s vertebrae. The researchers found that these holes are very large so that the extra space provides an air cushion that protects the vessels.
Detecting prey is only the first step for owls. Next they must catch their meals. An owl can fly inches over your head and you can’t hear anything. The secret to owls’ silent flight is their feathers. Fine “hairs” cover the surface of an owl’s wing feathers. And the feathers’ edges have soft barbs(羽支). Together, they make the sound of air rushing over the owl’s wings quieter and less clear. While hunting at night, owls first get a prey’s information by .
| A．seeing the shape | B．hearing the sound |
| C．detecting the smell | D．feeling the air move |
According to text, an owl’s eyes .
| A．are small but sharp |
| B．can function like a person’s |
| C．are on either side of its head |
| D．can tell how fast a prey is moving |
The shortcoming of an owl’s fixed eyes can be made up by its .
| A．large head | B．strong legs |
| C．body size | D．flexible neck |
What is the last paragraph mainly about?
| A．How owls find their prey. |
| B．Why owls can fly noiselessly. |
| C．The advantages of owls’ hearing |
| D．The secret of owls’ high-speed flight. |
The wedding took place in a Birmingham hotel. The bride and her father arrived in a new black American sports car. Her father looked nervous and uncomfortable in front of the cameras. The bride wore a silk wedding dress. She smiled nervously at the waiting photographers and went to a room on the first floor where she met her future husband for the very first time.
Carla Germaine and Greg Cordell were the winners of a radio station’s competition. The aim of the competition was to find two strangers prepared to marry without having met each other. Miss Germaine, 23, is a model. Mr. Cordell, 27, is a TV salesman. They were among the two hundred people who entered for a peculiar “experiment” organized by BMRB radio in Birmingham, England. Greg and Carla were among eight finalists who were interviewed live on radio. They took a lie detector test and the station also spoke to their friends and family about their personalities. The competition judges included an astrologer (占星家) who declared that they were suited.
The couple celebrated their wedding with a wedding breakfast and a party for 100 guests in the evening, but not everyone shared their joy. Miss Germaine’s mother looked anxious throughout the wedding and Mr. Cordell’s parents are reported to be less than delighted.
Organizations, including the marriage guidance service relate, have criticized the marriage. As one person put it, “we have enough problems getting young people to take marriage seriously without this. Marriage should always be about love.”
The couples are now on a Caribbean honeymoon followed by journalists. Their other prizes include a year’s free use of a wonderful apartment in the centre of Birmingham, and a car. But will it last?What can we know about the couple from the passage?
| A．The couple know each other before the wedding. |
| B．The bridegroom is a model and the bride is a TV salesman. |
| C．The bride is 4 years older than the bridegroom. |
| D．The couple can use an apartment free for some time as one of the prizes. |
Some experts believe that ______ .
| A．marriage without the couple’s meeting each other first ends up in divorce. |
| B．young people nowadays are too careless about marriage |
| C．taking a lie detector test can not solve all the marriage problems |
| D．most young people take marriage seriously except this couple |
The goal of the competition was_______.
| A．to find two strangers prepared to marry without having met each other |
| B．to win a free honeymoon |
| C．to win a year’s free use of a wonderful apartment |
| D．to make the radio station famous |
Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
| A．Two Strangers and a Wedding | B．A Wedding Based on Love |
| C．A Short-lived Marriage | D．A Well-Matched Couple |