My friend Robert started a new job this week and he’s been in the training class for two days. The employer has a very strict dress code—dark blue shirts and pants.
On the first day, an older gentleman in his class did not have the proper clothes and he was strictly told that he would be fired if he didn’t have the right clothes the next day. He explained, “Sir, I had been told about this, but because of my larger size, it’s sometimes difficult to find the right clothing for a price I can afford.”
Last night, Robert and I decided that this old man shouldn’t lose the chance of work simply because he couldn’t afford the clothes. I had some cash on hand and Robert took it with him this morning just in case it was needed.
When training started this morning, the trainer was ready to fire the older gentleman. “You have 10 minutes to be in proper clothes,” he was told. At this point, Robert spoke up and asked if he could have 10 minutes to get him the clothes. He then ran out to the store and bought the proper-sized pants and a shirt; he returned with both and gave them to the older man.
The older gentleman began to cry and told him that he couldn’t accept such a gift from a stranger. Robert told him he had to because he had lost the receipt(收据) and couldn’t return them—a little white lie. The pants were a perfect fit, the shirt was a bit tight but he was able to keep his job.
“My wife and I tried to gather together some money last night, but we didn’t have enough to buy the clothes,” he told Robert. “It’s unbelievable to me that a person would do such a thing for only knowing me a day!”
More unbelievable is how good it has made Robert and me feel to do this.If the older man did not have the proper clothes, he would _____.
| A．be punished | B．be offered another job | C．put off the training class | D．lose his job |
The money which was paid for the clothes was _____.
| A．the trainer’s | B．the older man’s | C．the writer’s | D．Robert’s |
How did Robert persuade the older man to accept the clothes?
| A．He told the older man that he would lose his job if he did not take them. |
| B．He told a lie that the clothes didn’t fit himself. |
| C．He told the older man that he could save money and return it later. |
| D．He told the older man that he had no way to send them back. |
What might be the best title for the passage?
| A．Proper clothes for a stranger | B．Fight against strict rules |
| C．A strange employer | D．An unbelievable thing |
阅读下面的短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C、D)中，选出最佳选项。
D
Most people around the world are“righthanded”. This also seems to be true in history. In 1979, scientists studied works of art made at different times from 1500 B．C. to the 1950s. Most of the people shown in these works are righthanded so the scientist guessed that righthandedness has always been common through history. Today, about 10% of 15% of the world's population is lefthanded.
Why are there more righthanded people than lefthanded ones? Scientists now know that a person's two hands each have their own jobs. For most people, the left hand is used to find things or hold things. The right hand is used to work with things. This is because of the different work of the two sides of the brain. The right side of the brain, which makes a person's hand and eyes work together, controls the left hand. The left side of the brain, which controls the right hand, is the centre for thinking and doing problems. These findings show that more artists and doing problems. These findings show that more artists should be lefthanded, and studies have found that lefthandedness is twice as common among artists as among people in other jobs. No one really knows what makes a person become righthanded instead of lefthanded. Scientists have found that almost 40% of the people become lefthanded because their main brain is damaged when they are born. however, this doesn't happen to everyone, so scientists guess there must be another reason why people become lefthanded.
One idea is that people usually get righthanded from their parents. If a person does not receive the gene(基因)for righthandedness, he/she may become either righthanded or lefthanded according to the chance and the people they work or live with. Though righthandedness is more common than lefthandedness, people no longer think lefthanded people are strange or unusual. A long time ago, lefthanded children were made to use their right hands like other children, but today they don't have to.After studying works of art made at different times in history, the scientists found________.
A．the art began from 1500 B．C.
B．the works of art ended in 1950s
C．most people shown in the works of art are righthanded
D．most people in the works of art the lefthandedWhat is the left hand for most people used to do?
| A．It's used to find or hold things. |
| B．It's used to work with things. |
| C．It's used to make a person's eyes and hands work together. |
| D．It's the centre for thinking and doing problems. |
According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
| A．No one really knows what makes a person become righthanded. |
| B．Lefthandedness is cleverer than righthandedness. |
| C．Today children are not made to use their right hands only. |
| D．Scientists think there must be some reason why people become lefthanded |
阅读下面的短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C、D)中，选出最佳选项。
C
William Shakespeare, the great English writer of drama(戏剧), was born in 1564 in StartfordonAvon. We do not know everything about Shakepeare's early life. But we know that he studied at the Grammar School in Stratford, and that he became interested in the theatre when he was still a boy. In 1586, Shakespeare went to London, where he worked in a theatre for some years before he began to write his own plays. Shakespeare soon became wellknown in London. Every play he wrote was very good and new to the people of the capital. Queen Elizabeth liked Shakespeare's plays. By the end of the 16th century, Shakespeare and his friends had enough money to build their own theatre. But we must think that Shakespeare had no difficulties in his life. Some writers were against him because their plays were worse than his.Shakespeare is________in England.
| A．a scientist |
| B．an inventor |
| C．a play writer |
| D．a story writer |
The writer thinks________.
| A．we don't know Shakespeare's boyhood at all |
| B．we know Shakespeare's childhood a little |
| C．we know Shakespeare's boyhood a lot |
| D．we should know Shakespeare about his early life well |
Shakespeare worked in the theatre________.
| A．when he started to write his plays |
| B．after he left the Grammar School |
| C．when he was twentytwo years old |
| D．after he liked the theatre very much |
Some writers were against Shakespeare because________.
| A．they hated him |
| B．their plays were less famous than his |
| C．they wrote fewer plays than he |
| D．their money was less than his |
阅读下面的短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C、D)中，选出最佳选项。
B
There is a story about how Albert Einstein was travelling to universities, giving lectures on his famous theory of relativity(相对论). One day while on their way to a university, the driver said, “Dr. Einstein, I've heard that lecture more than 30 times. I have learned it by heart and bet(打赌)I could give it myself.”
“Well, I'll give you the chances，”said Einstein, “they don't know me at the next school. So when we get there, I'll put on your cap and you introduce yourself as me and give the lecture.”
The driver gave Einstein's lecture so wonderfully that he didn't make any mistakes.
When he finished, he started to leave, but one of the professors stopped him and asked him a question which was very difficult. The driver thought fast. “The answer to that question is so simple，”he said, “I'm surprised you have to ask me, in fact, to show you just how simple it is, I'm going to ask my driver to come up here and answer your question.”The driver asked Albert Einstein to give him a chance to give lectures because________.
| A．he thought the theory of relativity simple |
| B．he didn't understand the theory of relativity at all |
| C．he had heard the lecture so many times that he could recite it |
| D．he wanted to show how well he understood the theory of relativity |
________and he let driver have a try.
| A．Albert Einstein was a very kind man |
| B．Albert Einstein knew it was impossible for the driver to give the lecture |
| C．Albert Einstein knew the driver was able to give the lecture |
| D．Albert Einstein wanted to make fun of the driver |
The professor________， so he asked him the question.
| A．regarded the driver as Einstein |
| B．knew the driver wasn't Einstein himself |
| C．wanted to test Einstein's knowledge |
| D．wanted to know if the driver was Einstein himself |
The driver thought that the professor's question was________.
| A．too easy for him to answer |
| B．too difficult for him to answer |
| C．simple enough for Einstein to answer |
| D．so difficult that Einstein couldn't answer it either |
What do you think of the driver?
| A．He was a foolish man. |
| B．He was as clever as Einstein. |
| C．He was bright enough to master the theory of relativity. |
| D．He was such a clever man that he fooled the professor and other people. |
阅读下面的短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C、D)中，选出最佳选项。
A
Thomas Alva Edison was awarded more patents(专利)on inventions than another American. When he died in 1931, Americans wondered how they could best show their respect for him. One suggestion was that the nation observe a minute or two of total blackout. All electric power could be shut off in homes, streets, and factories.
Perhaps this suggested plan made Americans realize fully what Edison and his invention meant to them. Electric power was too important to the country. Shutting it off for even a short time would have led to complete confusion. A blackout was out of the question.
On the day of Edison's funeral, many people silently dimmed their lights. In this way they honored the man who had done more than anyone else to put the great force of electricity at his country people's fingertips.People decided to honor Edison when________.
| A．he made the first electric light |
| B．electric power was 100 years old |
| C．the country realized electricity's importance |
| D．he died in 1931 |
The suggested plan was to________.
| A．turn off the lights in factories and schools |
| B．observe a few minutes of total silence |
| C．dim all electric lights |
| D．shut off all electricity for a short time |
Americans fully realized what Edison's inventions meant when they________.
| A．heard of his death |
| B．heard of the plan to honor him |
| C．first used electric power |
| D．tried to carry out the plan |
The plan was never carried out because________.
| A．not everyone wanted to honor Edison |
| B．it was too difficult |
| C．electric power was too important to the country |
| D．it honored only one of Edison's inventions |
This passage was probably written to________.
| A．tell about Edison's inventions |
| B．explain electricity |
| C．prove that people wished to honor Edison |
| D．show what a great Edison was |
Danielle Steel, America's sweetheart, is one of the hardest working women in the book business. Unlike other productive authors who write one book at a time, she can work on up to five. Her research time before writing takes at least three years. Once she has fully studied her subjects, ready to dive into a book, she can spend twenty hours nonstop at her desk.
Danielle Steel comes from New York and was sent to France for her education. After graduation, she worked in the public relations and advertising industries. Later she started a job as a writer which she was best fit for. Her achievements are unbelievable：390 million copies of books in print, nearly fifty New York Times bestselling novels, and a series of “Max and Martha” picture books for children to help them deal with the real life problems of death, new hobbies and new schools. Her 1998 book about the death of her son shot to the top of the New York Times bestselling list as soon as it came out. Twenty-eight of her books have been made into films. She is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for one of her books being the Times bestseller for 381 weeks straight.
Not content with a big house, a loving family, and a view of the Golden Gate Bridge, Danielle Steel considers her readers to be the most important resource(资源)and has kept in touch with them by email. While she is often compared to the heroines(女主人公)of her own invention, her life is undoubtedly much quieter. But, if she does have anything in common with them, it is her strength of will and her inimitable(独特的)style. There is only one Danielle Steel.Danielle Steel is different from other writer in that________.
| A．she can write several books at the same time |
| B．she often does some research before writing the book |
| C．she is one of the most popular American women writers |
| D．she can keep writing for quite a long time without a break |
Children who have read “Max and Martha” picture books may know______.
| A．how to deal with affairs at school |
| B．what to do if Max and Martha die |
| C．what to do when new babies are born into their families |
| D．how to solve the difficult problems in their writing classes |
One of Danielle Steel's achievements is that________.
| A．some TV plays were based on her books |
| B．her picture books attracted a lot of young men |
| C．one of her books became a bestseller in 1998 |
| D．she wrote the Guiness Book of World Records |
We can learn from the passage that Danielle Steel________.
| A．lives an exciting life |
| B．values her readers a lot |
| C．writers about quiet women |
| D．is pleased with her achievements |