I moved into a new house in July. Since then I have met a few of my neighbors who are very nice people. For Christmas, I thought I would do something nice for each of the neighbors I know. There were nine neighbors whom I knew by name or spoke with often when I was out in my yard. I knew which houses they lived in.
I decided to add one more to my list. This lady I decided to add lives down the street from me. I meet her every morning walking to work as I drive down the street. She always smiles to me. But I had no idea who she was and which house she lived in.
I planned to make small fruit baskets and leave them on my neighbor’s front porches(门廊) on Christmas Eve. I signed the cards: "Happy Holidays from 5104 Northumberland Road."
I saved the last for the friendly lady. I finally decided on a house where I met her each morning and guessed that it was hers.
My neighbors really appreciated the baskets and would tell me as they saw me in the yard or they would call, and a couple even came by to thank me.
This morning I found a small note in the mailbox. It was addressed simply: Resident, 5104 Northumberland Road.
The Thank You card really caught me by surprise. I opened it and read the message, "Thank you for the lovely fruit basket you left on our porch. It was very thoughtful. Richard Kelly passed away last week. He talked a lot about how nice it was that someone remembered him in his time of illness. He really appreciated it."
I had no idea who Richard Kelly was and that he had been seriously ill. I had left that nice lady’s basket on his porch by mistake. I wanted to say sorry, but that would be wrong. I believe that Mr. Kelly was meant to have that basket because he was dying. I hate that the nice lady did not get to receive a fruit basket on Christmas, but I believe if she knew what had happened, she would be happy. I feel pleased to have helped Richard Kelly’s last days be more cheerful. How many Christmas gifts did the author intend to send?
| A．Nine. | B．Eight. | C．Ten. | D．Eleven. |
Where did the friendly lady live?
| A．She lived at the end of Northumberland Road. |
| B．Her address was 5104 Northumberland Road. |
| C．She was thought to share a house with Mr. Kelly. |
| D．The author was not sure about her address at all. |
How did the author’s neighbors respond to his gifts?
| A．They liked the gifts very much and were thankful. |
| B．They were thankful that they wanted to be friends. |
| C．They all made phone calls to say “Thank You”. |
| D．They all visited him by person to show gratitude. |
What does the author mean in the last paragraph?
| A．He was regretful that the nice lady didn’t receive his gift. |
| B．He was glad to have made Mr. Kelly’s life more pleasant. |
| C．He thought Richard Kelly deserved to receive that basket. |
| D．The old lady was happy to sacrifice to make Kelly happy. |
Everyone has good days and bad days.
Sometimes, you feel as if you’re on top of the world and all the questions on your maths test might seem easy. But occasionally you feel horrible, and you lose things and cannot focus on our schoolwork.
For more than 20 years, scientists have suggested that high self-esteem(自尊) is the key to success.Now, new research shows that focusing just on building self-esteem may not be helpful. In some cases, having high self-esteem can make people less likeable or more upset when they fail in something.
“Forget about self-esteem,” says Jennifer Crocker, a psychologist at the University of Michigan, US. “It’s not the important thing.”
Feeling good
Crocker’s advice may sound a bit strange. After all, feeling good can be good for you.Studies show that people with high self-esteem are less likely to be depressed, anxious, shy, or lonely than those with low self-esteem.
However, after reviewing about 18,000 studies on self-esteem, Roy Baumeister, a psychologist at Florida State University, has found that building up your self-esteem will not necessarily make you a better person.
He believes that violent people often have the highest self-esteem of all. He also said:“ There’s no evidence that kids with high self-esteem do better in school.”
Problems
All types of people have problems. People with high self-esteem can have big egos(自我) that can make them less likeable, said Kathleen Vohs, a psychology professor at Columbia University.People with high self-esteem tend to think more of themselves, VOhs says. People with low self-esteem are more likely to rely on their friends when they need help.
What to do
Researchers say it is best to listen to and support other people. Find positive ways to contribute to society. If you fail in something, try to learn from the experience. “The best therapy(药方) is to recognize your faults,” Vohs says. “It’s OK to say, ‘I’ m not so good at that,’ and then move on.” What does the underlined part “on top of the world” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
| A．Quite helpful. | B．Extremely happy. |
| C．Very unlucky. | D．Rather upset. |
The conclusion drawn from the new research shows that high self-esteem_____.
| A．is not important at all |
| B．makes people more likeable |
| C．helps you do better at school |
| D．may not be the key to success |
Which of the following is TRUE according to Vohs?
| A．Feeling good doesn’t mean you lead a happy life. |
| B．People with high self-esteem always seek others’ help. |
| C．People with high self-esteem tend to be selfish. |
| D．People with low self-esteem are often more popular. |
We can infer from the text that the best therapy mentioned in the last paragraph is mainly for people_____.
| A．with high self-esteem |
| B．with low self-esteem |
| C．who contribute significantly to society |
| D．who are in need of support |
College libraries are designed primarily for research and study. To explain its use, let us choose a research topic and follow the step-by-step procedure of looking up the material for the paper．
Suppose your assignment is to write a paper on a novel called The Sun Also Rises by American writer Hemingway．The first step is to go to the main catalog．Many small drawers on the large wooden cabinets are lined up in alphabetical(字母的) order．Each of the drawers contains hundreds of alphabetical ordered cards．These cards are printed references to all material available in the library．Title cards are cataloged by the first word of the book title, leaving out the articles like “a”, “an” and “the”．And then you get the cards for the books you need．On the upper left corner of each card is the call number．This is the numerical code that shows where the book is located in the library．The library has open and closed stacks．If your book is on the open stacks, you can go to the open-stack room, and according to the call number find it out by yourself．There are only about 30,000 books on open stacks, while most of the 800,000 books in our library are kept in closed stacks, which are accessible only to teachers and graduate students.
For undergraduates like you, borrowing books from the closed stacks have to be done with the help of our librarian．In that case, you must fill out a call slip(纸条) for the book, showing the call number, author and title．You can get call slips on tables near the catalog cabinets．You show your call slip together with your library card to a librarian at the information desk．He or she will help you find the book out in the closed stacks.What is the main purpose of this text?
| A．To present readers a brief introduction to a college library． |
| B．To guide readers how to find books needed in a college library. |
| C．To tell readers how to fill out a call slip in a college library. |
| D．To show readers where to find books in a college library. |
What letter you should look for on the title card for the book The Old Man and the Sea by the Hemingway?
| A．The letter “t”. | B．The letter “h”. |
| C．The letter “s”. | D．The letter “o”. |
How are books arranged and shelved in the library?
| A．By call numbers. | B．By call slips of authors’ names. |
| C．In alphabetical order. | D．By the first word of book title. |
Suppose you are an undergraduate and you want to borrow a book from the closed stacks, which is the correct order to do it?
a. go to the main catalog
b. show your call slip and library card
c. find out the call number
d. fill out a call slip
e. get the cards for the books
| A．a-b-e-d-c | B．b-a-c-d-e |
| C．a-e-c-d-b | D．b-c-a-e-d |
More than 27,000 people from around the UK set off at dawn from London to begin the cycle route through Surrey to the Sussex coast.
The annual 54-mile ride raises money for the British Heart Foundation（BHF） and is Europe’s largest charity cycling event. Cyclists began the exhausting journey at Clapham Common at 6 a. m. , hoping to reach Brighton seafront within an average of six hours.
Money from today's event will help the charity to continue its vital work through heart research and the development of its care and support services. Among those taking part was BBC Breakfast's resident（居民）Dr Rosemary Leonard and several colleagues.
BHF spokeswoman Gemma Cloke said, “It was quite cold this morning, but everyone set off without any problems.” Those taking part range in age from 14 to those in their 70s. Last year cyclists raised￡4. 1 million for the charity, and have raised more than￡50 million since the BHF became involved in the event in 1980. The first ride was held in 1976. It is hoped this year's fund raising total could reach￡4. 5 million. She added : “We have a lot of people taking part, from the more experienced cyclists to those cycling with friends and family in memory of someone and to raise money through sponsorship.”
“People are always pleased knowing the money is going to a good cause. There is so much support along the route, with local residents watching the ride. ”
“One of the highlights for participants（参加者）is coming along the seafront while people are clapping, which can really help when they've been in the saddle (自行车车座) for a long time. ” What can we know about the cycling event from the text?
| A．It is the world’s largest charity cycling event. |
| B．Cyclists may raise more money than last year. |
| C．The first event was held by the BHF in 1980. |
| D．The route of the event is 54 kilometers long. |
What can we learn from what Gemma Cloke said?
| A．Cyclists will receive encouragement from local people. |
| B．Some people doubt whether the money is properly used. |
| C．Most of the cyclists are professional. |
| D．Local people have little interest in cycling events. |
The local residents’ attitude towards the ride is .
| A．doubtful | B．unconcerned |
| C．supportive | D．indifferent |
What is the text mainly about?
| A．Cyclists have raised over￡50 million for the BHF. |
| B．More than 27,000 people like travelling by bike in the UK. |
| C．Charity cycling event wins support from local people. |
| D．More than 27,000 people in the UK join in the charity bike ride. |
Hanukkah is an eight-day winter holiday, which celebrates the successful struggle of the Jews against King Antiochus IV Epiphanes of Syria. There are many traditions to celebrate the day, such as lighting the menorah (多连灯烛台),frying potato pancakes and spinning the dreidel (四面陀螺).
One night in the 1990s, we tidied up wrapping paper and toys while the lighted menorah stood on the kitchen table. When we were not there, as the many-colored candles broke, our long-haired black-and-white cat, Ladybug, jumped onto the kitchen table and brushed past them.
"Do you smell something?" asked my husband, Donny. "Is something burning?" asked Molly, our oldest, age ten.
It was Ladybug! The fur on her left side had been burnt. She wasn't hurt, but she wore an upset expression all evening, and for the rest of the week she hid whenever we began chanting the Hebrew(希伯来语)blessings over the candles. "Though her fur grew out as thick as ever, Ladybug took a dim view of Hanukkah after that, clearly preferring less flammable holidays, like Labor Day.
The following year, for fifth-grade homework about family traditions, Molly wrote about Ladybug's story with the Hanukkah candles. The teacher, Lynn Fink, a sporty and funny woman, enjoyed Molly's story and gave it an A.
Three years later, Seth got Ms. Fink for fifth grade. He also worked the burnt cat fur into a writing assignment, and he, too, got an A.
Our son Lee, three years later: the same teacher, the same story, the same A. We had no idea these retellings were piling up.
The year Lily got Ms. Fink for fifth grade, she also felt inspired to write down what happened that night. By now, we were very fond of Ms. Fink. We invited her to join us for a night of Hanukkah. It was her first time to experience the Jewish holiday. Happily, she ate her potato pancakes. Gamely, she spun the dreidel. Delightedly, she opened the small gift of home-made cookies the children had prepared for her. As the evening seemed to be winding down, she clapped her hands, rubbed them together as if before a big dinner, and said excitedly," So! When do we torch the cat?"What happened to Ladybug when the family celebrated Hanukkah that year?
| A．She was seriously hurt that night. |
| B．She broke the candles on the menorah. |
| C．She had some of her fur burnt. |
| D．She got a surprising present from the family. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Hanukkah lasts for only one night. |
| B．The writer has at least four children. |
| C．The family saw Ladybug jump onto the kitchen table that night. |
| D．Frying potato pancakes is not a tradition to celebrate Hanukkah. |
Which proverb can best describe the meaning of the underlined sentence in Paragraph 4?
| A．It's easy to be wise after the event. |
| B．Where there is a will, there is a way. |
| C．He that falls today may be up again tomorrow. |
| D．Once bitten, twice shy. |
We can infer from the last paragraph that Ms.Fink _____.
| A．forgot the story of Ladybug |
| B．came to the writer's home unexpectedly |
| C．knew all the traditions of Hanukkah well |
| D． thought people would torch the cat to celebrate Hanukkah |
In China, more and more middle school students are getting shorter sleeping time than before. More students sleep less than nine hours every night, because they have much homework to do. Some homework is given by their teachers, and some by their parents. Also, some students don’t know how to save time. They are not careful enough while they do their homework, so it takes them a lot of time. Some students spend too much time watching TV or playing computer games. They stay up very late. Some students have to get up early every morning on weekdays to get to school on time by bus or by bike. It can be a long way from home to school. It will probably make them sleepy during school hours.
Schools and parents should cut down some of the homework so that our children can enjoy more than nine hours of sleep every night for their health. For children, they should make the most use of their time. When they have enough time for sleeping, they will find it much better for both their study and health.What makes most students sleep less than nine hours every night?
| A．Watching TV. | B．Playing computer games. |
| C．Doing homework | D．Doing housework. |
According to the article, who else gives children some homework to do except their teachers?
| A．Their parents | B．Other students. |
| C．The children themselves. | D．Nobody else. |
How many hours of sleep is good for students’ health?
| A．Less than 9 hours. | B．Over 9 hours. |
| C．Only 9 hours. | D．8 hours. |
What is most likely to happen to a student who often goes to bed late and gets up early?
| A．He would fall asleep in class. |
| B．He would do well in study. |
| C．He would finish his homework fast. |
| D．He would have good heath. |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Some students are so careless that they spend much time on the homework. |
| B．All the students stay up late for their homework. |
| C．Children should be given less homework. |
| D．School and parents should take care of children’s health. |