When I was about 12, I had an enemy, a girl who liked to point out my shortcomings(缺点). Sometimes she said I was thin. Sometimes she said I was lazy. Sometimes she said I wasn’t a good student. Sometimes she said I talked too much, and so on. I tried to put up with(忍受) her as long as I could. At last, I became very angry. I ran to my father with tears in my eyes.
He listened to me quietly, and then he asked, “Are the things she said true or not? Mary, didn’t you ever wonder what you’re really like? Go and make a list of everything she said and mark the points that are true. Pay no attention to the other things she said.”
I did as he told me and to my surprise, I discovered that about half the things were true.
I brought the list back to my dad. He refused to take it. “That’s just for you,” he said. “You know better than anyone else the truth about yourself. When something said about you is true, you’ll find it will be helpful to you. Don’t shut your ears. Listen to them all, but hear the truth and do what you think is right.”
Many years have passed. The situation often appears in my mind. In our life we often meet with some trouble and we often go to someone and ask for advice. For some advice you will treasure(珍惜) all your life!What did the writer’s father do after he heard her complaints(抱怨)?
| A．He agreed with her “enemy”. |
| B．he let her continue to put up with her “enemy”. |
| C．He told her to write down all her “enemy” had said about her. |
| D．He told her not to pay attention to what her “enemy” had said. |
The writer felt ______ when she did the things as her father had told her.
| A．surprised | B．angry | C．disappointed | D．sad |
Which of the following can we know from the passage?
| A．The “enemy” thought the writer was pretty. |
| B．The “enemy” thought the writer studied hard. |
| C．The writer and her “enemy” became best friends at last. |
| D．The writer is grateful to her father. |
Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?
| A．My Parents |
| B．A Serious Criticism(批评) |
| C．What People Say About You Is Always Right |
| D．The Best Advice I Ever Had |
The blockbuster film Titanic has brought millions of dollars and thousands of people to the theaters and continues to touch people today in their homes. Why is this film so successful? It is a combination of many different things. Among these are many different elements. Looking at some of these elements will show how the director and others involved were able to create an emotionally charged movie that appealed to millions.
The film uses one thematic(主题的) element called - The Truth of Human Nature. The two main characters seem to represent noble people. Most of the other characters in the film are shown as non-tolerant, rude and cold-hearted people. The element of focusing on the two main characters' love and emotion seems symbolic of an ideal state.
There are also social problems addressed. This is done in a few different ways. The most noticeable way is that the lower class people remain locked in the basement as the ship goes down. Throughout Titanic, the lighting is very important. The poor, lower class people are always shown in very warm-coloured light that gives them a sense of life and happiness. On the other hand, the rich, upper class are always shown in a flat light portraying the feeling of hardness and coldness. By using these techniques, they show the issue of class segregation(种族隔离), and they create stereotypes. The main characters are able to break free of these stereotypes and be together. This is the solution to the segregation problem.
As you can see, Titanic took a lot of thinking and preparation to film in a manner that would create emotion and bring to the surface the issues and story of the great ship.The underlined word “blockbuster” in the first paragraph probably means “________”．
| A．something very successful |
| B．a highly explosive bomb |
| C．something worth a lot of money |
| D．a touching story |
In Titanic, the scene of the lower class people remaining locked in the basement as the ship goes down is used to ________.
| A．criticize non-tolerant and cold-hearted rich people |
| B．enlarge the scene of the film |
| C．make the film more attractive |
| D．emphasize the condition of the poor at that time |
Why were different colours of light used in the film Titanic? ________
| A．They were used to show the difference between the rich and the poor. |
| B．The director was determined to achieve good visual effect. |
| C．The social status was represented by the color of light in the past. |
| D．The use of light was the main technique the director made use of. |
What can we infer from the passage? _________
| A．The segregation problem in the society can be solved by using the light. |
| B．Though love is the main theme of Titanic, it also reflects some social problems. |
| C．Because of the director's talents, the film Titanic achieved great success. |
| D．In the film Titanic there are two characters altogether. |
The writer mainly talks about ________ in this passage.
| A．the process of shooting Titanic |
| B．the leading actor and actress in Titanic |
| C．the reasons why Titanic became a blockbuster film |
| D．the outline of Titanic |
Sir,
Just over six months ago, I saw an advertisement in the Morning Mail for a set of the complete works of William Shakespeare. Your company, Cosmo books Ltd., offered this set (eight books of plays and two books of poetry) at what was claimed to be a ‘remarkable’ price: fifteen pounds and fifty pence, including postage and packing. I had wanted a set of Shakespeare’s plays and poems for some time, and these books, in red imitation leather, looked particularly attractive; so I sent for them.
Two weeks later, the books arrived, together with a set of the complete works of Charles Dickens which I had not ordered. So I returned the Dickens books to you, with a cheque for fifteen pounds and fifty pence for the works of Shakespeare. Two more weeks passed. Then there arrived on my door step a second set of the works of Shakespeare, the same set of novels by Dickens and a six book set of the plays of Moliere, in French. Since I do not read French, these were of no use to me at all. However, I could not afford to post all these books back to you, so I wrote to you at the end of August of last year, instructing you to come and collect all the books that I did not want, and asking you not to send any other books until further notice.
You did not reply to that letter. Instead you sent me a bill for forty two pounds, and a set of the plays of Schiller, in German. Since then, a new set of books has arrived every two weeks, the works of Goethe, the poems of Milton, the plays of Strindberg; I hardly know what I have. The books are still all in their boxes, in the garage, and my car has to stand in the rain outside.
I have no room for any more books, and even if I read from now until the Last Judgment, I should not finish reading all the books that you have sent me.
Please send no more books, send no more bills, send no more angry letters demanding payment. Just send one large lorry and take all the books away, leaving me only with the one set of the complete works of Shakespeare for which I have paid.
Yours faithfully,
SIMON WALKERSimon Walker wrote the letter to ________
| A．show his anger to Cosmo Books Ltd.. |
| B．complain about getting books he didn’t want. |
| C．advise readers not to order books from Cosmo Books Ltd.. |
| D．urge for the final solution to the problem with the unwanted books. |
The advertisement that Mr. Walker saw in the Morning Mail was for ________
| A．unlimited number of Cosmo Books. |
| B．a set of 10 books of the works of Shakespeare. |
| C．fifteen pounds and fifty pence. |
| D．a book containing all the plays and poems of Shakespeare. |
Mr. Walker answered the advertisement because ________
| A．he wanted a set of Shakespeare’s works which was a good bargain |
| B．he claimed that the books were being offered at a remarkable price. |
| C．he had ordered the set and had been waiting for them to come for some time. |
| D．the set he already had was not particularly attractive. |
It can be inferred that _______
| A．Cosmo Books have sent bills for books that they have not sent. |
| B．Mr. Walker took some action after receiving the books he did not order. |
| C．Mr. Walker hasn’t received the books that he ordered. |
| D．Several sets of books have been sent to Mr. Walker free of charge. |
The tone of the letter is that of _______
| A．bitterness | B．respect | C．annoyance | D．humor |
You’re rushing to work and a man ahead of you collapses on the sidewalk. Do you stop to help? In a study of by-standers, it was found that some people avert their gaze and keep on walking rather than stop and get involved.
“There is a tendency to decide that no action is needed.” says a psychologist. “The first thoughts that pop into your mind often keep you from offering help. In order to take action, you have to work against them.” Here are some common thoughts that might prevent you from helping.
● Why should I be the one? I’m probably not the most competent（有能力的） person in this crowd. You might think someone older or with more medical knowledge should offer assistance.
● What if he doesn’t really need my help? The fear of embarrassment is powerful; no one wants to risk looking foolish in front of others.
● No one else looks concerned- this must not be a problem. We can follow the people around us, but most people tend to hold back their emotions in public.
“If you spot trouble and find yourself explaining inaction, force yourself to stop and evaluate the situation instead of walking on,” says the psychologist. “Then retry to involve other people; you don’t have to take on the entire responsibility of being helpful. Sometimes it’s just a matter of turning to the person next to you and saying, ‘It looks like we should do something.’ Or asking someone if an ambulance has been called and, if not, to call for one. Once you take action, most people will follow you.”Which is NOT the common thought that stops you from helping others?
| A．I’m not the very person capable of setting the problem. |
| B．It looks like we should do something. |
| C．It must not be a problem as no one else is concerned. |
| D．He doesn’t really need my help. |
According to a study of by-standers, what will some people do when a man ahead falls down on the sidewalk?
| A．They will call for help and then walk away. |
| B．They will stop and offer help. |
| C．They will turn away their eyes and go on walking. |
| D．They will laugh at him. |
We learn from the last paragraph that if we spot trouble, ．
| A．we should call the ambulance as soon as we can. |
| B．we should take on the whole responsibility and do something alone. |
| C．we should stop and evaluate the situation and try to make other people follow. |
| D．we should turn to other people and ask them to take on the responsibility |
In order to offer others your timely help, you need to．
| A．ask others for help and call the police |
| B．get along well with the passers-by who spot the trouble |
| C．go directly to the police station |
| D．work against the first thoughts that prevent you offering help |
The main purpose of the text is to tell readers．
| A．to give others a hand |
| B．to be more competent |
| C．not to risk looking foolish |
| D．to stop and evaluate the situation |
On October 12, 1989, some Chinese scientists were working at the computers to look for information they needed. Suddenly they saw a lot of very bright spots crossing the computers’s screens. At the same time the computers were working much slower. To find out what was happening they stopped their work to check some parts of the computers. To their horror, they found out that most of their stored information was got rid of by computer viruses ! Obviously all these computers had been infected by computer viruses.
It is said that the computer viruses were made by a group of young men fond of playing tricks. They all had excellent education. They created the viruses just to show their intelligence . These kinds of computer viruses are named Jerusalem（耶路撒冷）Viruses. These viruses can stay in computers for a long time. When the time comes they will attack the computers by lowering the functions , damaging their normal programs or even getting rid of all the information.
We now come to know that Jerusalem Viruses often attack computers on Fridays and that they are spreading to a lot of computers. Among the countries that suffered computer viruses last year are Britain, Australia, Switzerland and the U.S. But fill now , how to get rid of the terrible viruses remains a problem.The group of young men created the virus to________.
| A．damage the computers |
| B．test their ability |
| C．tell the world that they were intelligent |
| D．play a trick on operators of the computers |
According to the passage, computer viruses seem to________.
| A．have been in nature for years |
| B．exist in any computers |
| C．be difficult to get rid of at present |
| D．be able to be got rid of in the near future |
The most serious damage caused by the viruses is that________.
| A．the computer’s functions are lowered |
| B．the normal programs are damaged |
| C．all the information stored in the computers is gone |
| D．the computers infected by the viruses can no longer be used |
It happened to me recently that I was telling someone how much I had enjoyed reading Barack Obama’s DreamsfromMyFather and how it had changed my views of the current US president.The person I was talking to agreed with me that it was，in his words，“a wonderfully written book”. However，he then proceeded to talk about Mr Obama in a way that suggested he had no idea of his background at all.I sensed that I was talking to a book liar.
And it seems that he is not the only one.Clearly two thirds of people have lied about reading a book which they haven’t.In the World Book Day survey，DreamsfromMyFather is at number 9.The survey lists top ten books，and various authors，which people have lied about reading.As I’m not one to lie too often，I’ll admit here and now that I haven’t read the entire ten books.But I am pleased to say that I have read the book at number one，GeorgeOrwell’s 1984.I think it’s absolutely outstanding.
Asked why they lied，the most common reason was to impress someone they were speaking to.This could be difficult if the conversation became more indepth!
The World Book Day survey also has some other interesting information in it.It shows that many people lie about having read classical works by Jane Austen，the Bronte sisters，Charles Dickens and so on.But when asked which authors they actually enjoy，they named J．K.Rowling，Jilly Cooper，and Stephen King (ah，the big sellers，in other words)．Fortyone percent of people asked admitted they turned to the back of the book to read the end before finishing the story.
So which books have you lied about reading—if any—and which is your favourite?The main reason why people lie about reading is to________.
| A．make fun of the listener |
| B．impress the listener |
| C．please the listener |
| D．interest the listener |
The underlined word“proceeded” in the passage probably means “________”.
| A．wanted | B．happened |
| C．continued | D．stopped |
What does the World Book Day survey show?
| A．Nearly half of the people surveyed didn’t read through a whole classical book. |
| B．People don’t like DreamsfromMyFather and GeorgeOrwell ’s 1984. |
| C．Few people lie about having read classical works by Jane Austen. |
| D．People usually enjoy reading books by Charles Dickens. |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．Are You a Book Liar? | B．Readers Are All Liars |
| C．World Book Day | D．Dreams from My Father |