How to improve my life? Many people think that they have to accept whatever life throws at them. They'll say, "This is my fate, my destiny. I cannot change it."
Of course not! You don't have to suffer needlessly. Your destiny depends on you, not on any other external factors.
I know someone wh
o says she just accepts what life gives her because she has done everything she can to improve it. Guess what her lifestyle is? She wakes up in the morning, goes to work, comes back home, relaxes, chats with people, watches TV, then goes to sleep. Next day, the same routine cycle follows.
Huh! Is this what she calls "doing her best"? She believes she has tried her best and just accepts it in her heart that this is the life that God has intended for her to live; that her luck can only change if God wills it. Of course God wants us to be happy and live our life to the fullest, but we have to do our share of exerting(运用) the effort to live the life of our dreams.
Remember that you reap what you sow. You just don't sit around and wait for a million dollars to fall from the sky. You have to get off the couch, get your eyes off the TV screen, get your hands off the phone. Don’t expect your luck to change unless you do something about it. If something goes wrong, don't just regard it as a temporary setback; but use it as feedback. Learn your lesson, make the most of the situation, and do something to solve the problem. It's not enough to think positively; you also have to act positively.
If someone's life is in the trouble, do you just hope and pray that things will turn out fine? Of course not! You get to do anything you can to save the person. So it is with your own life. It is not enough to hope for the best, but you have to do your best. In other words, don't just stand (or sit ) there, do something to improve your life.According to the woman mentioned in Para.3, her life ____________.
| A．Doesn't need improving | B．couldn't be improved |
| C．will be better some day | D．Will be worse in the future |
What does the author think of the woman's life?
| A．positive | B．satisfying | C．colorful | D．passive |
Which of the following statements is the author's opinion?
| A．Your temporary problem is not discouraging. |
| B．Your luck can be changed by your efforts |
| C．You can only achieve success when God wills it. |
| D．You should treat yourself in the way you treat friends. |
In Para.5, the author emphasized the importance of _____________.
| A．positive action | B．positive thinking | C．hope for the best | D．intention to succeed |
The text is mainly written to advise you to ____________.
| A．understand yourself | B．improve your life |
| C．believe in yourself | D．change your normal way |
（五）
Washoe, a female chimpanzee (黑猩猩) believed to be the first non-human to acquire human language, has died of natural causes at the research institute where she was kept.
The chimp died on Tuesday night, according to Roger and Deborah Fouts, co-founders of The Chimpanzee and Human Communications Institute in Washington, where she lived.
Washoe was born in 1965 in Africa, where she was captured by the Air Force and taken to the US for research use in the space program. In 1966, she left the program and began living with two scientists, Allen and Beatrix Gardner, who led a project to teach the chimp American Sign Language (ASL) in Washoe, Nevada, for which it was named. Washoe had been living on Central Washington University’s Ellensburg Campus since 1980. She had a vocabulary of about 250 words. Also, Washoe taught sign language to three younger chimps: Tatu, 31, Loulis, 29, and Dar, 31
Primate (灵长类) researcher Jane Goodall, in Fouts’ book Next of Kin, noted the importance of the work with Washoe. “Roger, through his ongoing conversations with Washoe and her extended family, has opened a window into a chimpanzee’s mind,” Goodall said.
Though previous efforts to teach chimps spoken languages had failed, the researchers believed there was a better chance using signs. But Washoe’s language skills were disputed by scientists who believed that language is unique to humans. Among those who doubted that chimps could use language were linguist (语言学家) Noam Chomsky and Harvard scientist Steven Pinker. They believed primates simply learn to perform certain acts in order to receive rewards, and do not acquire true language.
5. As for its first task, Washoe was involved with _______.
A. some space research
B. a study on African animals
C. an ASL project
D. the program of training the Air Force
6. In Goodall’s opinion, teaching Washoe ASL ______.
A. was not successful
B. led to the book Next of Kin
C. won honor for Fouts
D. made a difference
7. In the last paragraph, the underlined word “disputed” probably means “______”.
A. supported
B. studied
C. questioned
D. discussed
8. What can be inferred from the passage?
A. The ASL project was first set up in Africa for the study on Washoe.
B. Washoe may communicate with other chimps by signing.
C. Washoe must have been able to speak 250 words or so.
D. The researchers will prove that most chimps could use language.
9. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Washoe was the first animal to be taught human language.
B. Washoe, the chimp, was named in honor of a place.
C. There were four chimps in total at Ellensburg Campus.
D. Chomsky believed primates only perform silent signs.
（四）
About ten years ago, a young and very successful businessman named Josh was traveling down a Chicago neighborhood street. He was going a bit too fast in his shiny, black, 12 cylinder Jaguar XKE, which was only two months old.
He was watching for kids rushing out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no child came out, but a brick sailed out and — WHUMP! — it hit the Jag’s shiny black side door! SCREECH...!!!! Immediately Josh stopped the car, jumped out, seized the kid and pushed him up against a parked car. He shouted at the kid, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing?!" Building up a head of steam, he went on. " That’s my new Jag, that brick you threw is gonna cost you a lot of money. Why did you throw it?"
"Please, mister, please....I’m sorry! I didn’t know what else to do!" begged the youngster. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop!" tears were streaming down the boy’s face as he pointed around the parked car. "It’s my brother, mister," he said. "He rolled of the curb (路沿) and fell out of his wheelchair and I can’t lift him up. "Sobbing, the boy asked the businessman," Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He’s hurt and he’s too heavy for me.
Moved beyond words, the young businessman tried hard to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. Straining, he lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapers and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be OK. He then watched the younger brother push him down the sidewalk toward their home.
It was a long walk back to the black, shining 12 cylinder Jaguar XKE — a long and slow walk. Josh never did fix the side door of his Jaguar. He kept the dent (凹痕) to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at him to get his attention. Feel for the bricks of life coming at you.
1. The boy threw a brick at the businessman’s car because ________.
A. the businessman drove at a high speed
B. he envied the brand-new car very much
C. he wanted to ask for some money
D. he wanted to get help from the driver
2. Which of the following is the right order of the story?
a. The younger brother threw a brick at Josh’s car.
b. The elder brother fell out of his wheelchair.
c. The younger brother begged Josh for help.
d. Josh lifted the elder brother back into his wheelchair.
e. Josh shouted at the younger brother.
A. b, a, e, c, d
B. a, c, d, b, e
C. b, a, c, e, d
D. a, c, b, e, d
3. What can we learn from the passage?
A. Josh would accept the money from the kids.
B. The two kids were Josh’s neighbors.
C. Josh was a kind-hearted man.
D. Josh’s new car broke down easily.
4. According to the passage, the last sentence means ________.
A. trying to get ready for the trouble in your future life
B. driving fast in a neighborhood street is dangerous
C. trying to be more understanding seeing others in trouble
D. protecting oneself from being hurt
（三）
A traveler was passing through a desert on a hot day. He was tired, feeling thirsty and hungry. At least, he needed a shady spot to rest for a while. A big leafy tree came into view at some distance away. He felt glad and said to himself, “Had I water to drink, now.” Yes, he found a glass full of cold water on the ground right in front of him. Then, he wished, “Had I something to eat right here.” Immediately, a variety of dishes appeared before him. He was under the shade of Kalpa-Vriksha — a magical tree. Whoever was under it would have whatever he wished for!
The traveler enjoyed the delicious food. He felt drowsy. He wished for a nice bed. It was granted. He stretched himself comfortably on the soft mattress. He hoped that someone would massage (按摩) his feet. Yes, a young lady appeared. She started massaging his feet and legs.
He now started thinking differently. “How can things happen like this? Is it some kind of a trick played by a magical demon (魔鬼)?” he doubted. Oh, a true demon appeared in place of the nice lady! Within no time the demon started leaping at him, with his mouth wide open. The frightened traveler took to his heels and ran away.
7. What will happen if you sit under the magical tree?
A. You will get what you want.
B. You will marry a young girl.
C. You will meet a demon.
D. You will get rid of all your trouble.
8. The underlined word “drowsy” in the second paragraph means “_______”.
A. hungry
B. sleepy
C. thirsty
D. cold
9. How many wishes did the traveler make?
A. 3
B. 4
C. 5
D. 6
（二）
One event that helps educate young people about things they can do for others is National Youth Service Day (NYSD). Every year on this day, organizations all over the country celebrate young volunteers, educate young people about how they can help their country, and invite them to participate in service projects. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell said, “National Youth Service Day honors young volunteers and is an invitation to others to join hands and do our part as Americans.”
Founded in 1988, NYSD originally took place on a Tuesday. Now the event lasts from Friday until Sunday so that more people can participate in it. More than 200 organizations work together to create thousands of projects each year. Millions of young people across the United States take part in these service projects.
Long before the event, people, community groups, schools, and nonprofit organizations think of ways to meet their communities’ needs. Then, they plan projects for young volunteers. Projects include bringing food to hungry people, tutoring younger children and helping senior citizens. During the event, young people from the community do things like planting neighborhood gardens and cleaning up local parks.
The organizations that contribute to NYSD believe that volunteering and community service are important activities for people of all ages, but especially for young people. Young people who volunteer are more likely to do well in school, vote, and contribute to charities. More important, they help other people and make the world a better place for everyone.
4. The aim of National Youth Service Day is to _______.
A. educate young people on responsibility
B. invite young people to meet each other
C. encourage young people to serve others
D. celebrate the growth of young people
5. On National Youth Service Day, young volunteers will _______.
A. do some cleaning in public places
B. prepare food for hungry people
C. plant vegetables and fruit
D. help old people to learn
6. The purpose of writing this passage is to _______.
A. warn young people not to affect their schooling during volunteering
B. keep a record of how young people celebrate their festival
C. introduce an event — National Youth Service Day
D. advise young people to be cooperative when volunteering
（一）
Health experts have long worried about the increasing rate of obesity in kids. It’s an important concern: Being weight or obese during childhood can lead to serious problems normally seen in adults, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Poor diets and a lack of exercise are usually the causes. But would you ever have imagined there might be a connection between the bacteria that lived in your guts （内脏）when you were a baby and the chance that you would become overweight?
Scientists in Finland recently found just such a link. In a recent study, they showed that overweight kids had different species of bacteria living in their guts.
You probably think of bacteria only as germs that can make you sick. While it’s true that some bacteria can make people ill, your body actually depends on some types of bacteria to help you digest food and extract nutrients from it. These “good” bacteria live in your guts, where they process the food you eat.
Human babies get these bacterial helpers from their moms. When a baby is born, some of the bacteria in the mother move into the baby’s body. Growing babies get additional “good” bacteria from the milk their mothers produce. And it turns out the bacteria might play an important role in regulating weight just six years later.
So how could these bacteria affect weight? The researchers still haven’t tested that question, but future tests might lead to an answer.
1. The “link” in Paragraph 2 refers to the relationship between _______.
A. bacteria and the chance of being overweight
B. obesity and diabetes
C. diets and the chance of being overweight
D. bacteria and exercise
2. Which of the following is NOT the function of “good” bacteria?
A. Helping to digest food.
B. Helping to take nutrients from food.
C. Helping to regulate weight.
D. Making a person ill.
3. The purpose of writing this passage is to _______.
A. introduce the role of bacteria in children’s weight
B. analyze the influence of obesity on kids
C. give advice on how to lose weight quickly
D. explain the function of bacteria in foods