Yesterday was my stepmom’s birthday. I hadn’t been home for a long time so I wanted to stop by the house to see her on this special day.
I have been struggling financially so I was afraid of the long trip. Gas is so expensive nowadays! Anyway, I filled my tank with gas and set off.
I stopped at the shopping mall and found a present. It was the perfect gift and I knew she
would love it. But when I got to the cashier my card was declined! I did not have enough money in my account to pay for the gift!
So I pondered the issue for a few minutes. I could put it back and get something cheaper, but I knew there was nothing else in the store she would like as much. So, I got on my smart-phone and transferred some money from my savings account so I was able to pay for the gift. It took a big chunk of my savings but I wanted her to have something special.
She loved the gift and I felt that even though I had spent almost all my money my stepmom deserved the best and I was glad I gave her the best that I could.
Before leaving my parents’ house, my dad took me to one side and, with our secret hand-shake, he gave me some money. I had not said anything to him about my finances but I guess my dad had just known it. When I got to the car, I saw the amount he gave me was three times what I had spent on the gas and the gift!
It goes to show that doing the right thing always comes with great rewards.Why was the writer unwilling to have a long trip？
| A．Because gas was hardly available. | B．Because the writer was short of money. |
| C．Because the writer didn’t like driving. | D．Because the road was difficult to drive on. |
The underlined word “pondered” in Para. 4 means ________.
| A．thought about | B．tried on |
| C．depended on | D．got through |
From the passage, we can infer that ________.
| A．the writer loves his/her stepmom very much |
| B．the gift the writer bought was loved by his/her father very much |
| C．the writer spent all his/her savings buying the gift for his/her stepmom |
| D．the gift the writer bought was the most expensive one in the shop |
Why did the writer’s father shake hands with the writer in secret?
| A．Because he wanted to ask the writer for something special. |
| B．Because he wanted to give the writer some money. |
| C．Because he knew the writer had been struggling financially. |
| D．Because he didn’t want others to copy their handshake. |
Tokyo - Drivers in China are no longer in a hurry to own Toyota Motor Corp's cars.
Neil Hu, a sales manager at a Toyota dealership in Beijing, said he has stopped charging a 5,000 yuan ($732) premium to customers who want to skip the waiting list for RAV4 sport- utility vehicles. He took the initiative after the Japanese carmaker recalled 75,552 of the SUVs in China last month to fix gas pedals that may stick.
"I heard the situation in the US is pretty bad for Toyota," Hu said. "The recall has impacted us as well."
Toyota, which grew more slowly than competitors in China in 2009, will likely lose more market share and see a decline in local profit margin this year, analysts say. The carmaker has relied on a reputation for quality and safety to sell high margin, mid- to large-size models even as the world's biggest auto market shifts to cheaper, smaller cars, encouraged by government incentives.
With Toyota's brand damaged by global recalls of millions of vehicles, profit margins for its SUVs and Camry and Crown sedans may shrink, said Ashvin Chotai, London-based managing director of Intelligence Automotive Asia Ltd, an industry consultant.
"With this recall saga, Toyota's premium pricing power in China is gone," Chotai said. "Toyota's cars don't have enough good value for money."
Toyota has lost $24.5 billion in market capitalization this year as it recalled over 8 million cars globally to fix defects linked to unintended acceleration. The company faces at least 118 class actions in the US and at least 36 individual lawsuits claiming deaths and injuries caused by sudden acceleration of Toyota or Lexus vehicles.
Toyota President Akio Toyoda flew directly to Beijing on March 2 to apologize for the vehicle defects, after attending US Congressional hearings about the recalls in Washington. He skipped Europe's Geneva auto show, underscoring the growing importance of the Chinese market.
Toyota rose for a fifth straight day in Tokyo, advancing 0.9 percent to 3,580 yen as of 9:44 am local time. The carmaker's shares have fallen 7.7 percent this year.
The company's February China sales rose 30 percent to 45,400 vehicles, underperforming the overall passenger-car. According to the passage, why did Toyota carmaker recall their cars in China last month? _____________
| A．Because it faced law suits in the US |
| B．Because there were problems with the cars. |
| C．Because of the importance of the Chinese market |
| D．Because the customers are not satisfied with the charging of a 5,000 Yuan premium. |
What does the underlined phrase“take the initiative” mean?
| A．took the advice | B．changed his mind | C．took the action | D．made the decision |
Why did Toyota president Akio Toyota skip Europe’s Geneva auto show?
| A．Because he did not think it important |
| B．Because he was not satisfied with the hearing in the US |
| C．Because he attached importance to the Chinese Market |
| D．Because he needed to make an apology to Chinese |
After the global recalls of millions vehicles, Toyota will be impacted in the following aspects, EXCEPT_________.
| A．Its brand will be damaged |
| B．Its profit margins will shrink |
| C．It will have to face law suits |
| D．The president will be fired |
Where can read the passage? __________
| A．newspaper |
| B．magazine |
| C．encyclopedia |
| D．a school book |
XIANGNING, Shanxi - The number of people trapped underground after a coal mine flooding in north China's Shanxi Province was revised -- for a second time -- to 153 from 123, rescuers said late Sunday night.
Investigations showed that 261 workers were in the pit of Wangjialing Coal Mine under construction when underground water gushed in at about 1:40 pm. Of them, 108 were lifted safely to the ground while 153 others trapped in the shaft, according to the rescue headquarters.
Most of the trapped are migrant workers from Shanxi, Hebei, Hunan and Guizhou provinces," a rescuer said.
The exact number of people trapped is still being checked.
Soon after the accident happened, the Shanxi Provincial Work Safety Administration and the Shanxi Provincial Emergency Affairs Office said 152 people were trapped underground, but officials later changed the figure to 123.
Rescuers are struggling to save the trapped people, and local authorities are investigating the cause of the accident.
President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao ordered local authorities to spare no effort to save the trapped while guarding against secondary accidents.
Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang rushed to the site late Sunday to oversee the search and rescue operation.
The mine, sitting astride Xiangning County of Linfen City and Hejin City of Yuncheng City, covers about 180 square kilometers.
The mining zone boasts more than 2.3 billion tonnes of coal reserves, including nearly 1.04 billion tonnes of proved reserves, according to the company's official website.It is now under infrastructure construction and is expected to produce 6 million tonnes of coal annually once put into operation.
The mine, affiliated to the state-owned Huajin Coking Coal Co. Ltd., is a major project approved by the provincial government.At least how many people were trapped underground according to the latest report?
| A．123 | B．153 | C．261 | D．152 |
Most of the worked trapped are from __________. Which of the following answers is WRONG?
| A．Shanxi | B．Hunan | C．Guizhou | D．Hefei |
What’s the cause of this accident?
| A．The underground water gushed |
| B．The coal mine was under construction |
| C．It is still being investigated by the local authorities |
| D．The passage does not mention it at all |
According to the passage, which of the following statement is right? _________
A. The local authorities fully support the rescue work
B. Vice premier Zhang Dejiang rushed to the site early Sunday to oversee the search
C. The Wangjialing Coal Mine can produce 6 million tonnes of coal each year now
D．The coal mine is a major project approved by the country.
40. What’s the best title of the passage?_________
A. Number of people trapped in China colliery(煤矿) flooding revised to 153
B．The Wangjiajing Coal Mine
C．Rescue work
D. Who are to blame?
NEW YORK - People who keep doing some work in their field after they retire may enjoy better physical and mental health than those who stop work completely or switch to another area of work, according to a U.S. study.
Researchers from the University of Maryland said the findings suggest that prospective retirees should consider moving into so-called "bridge employment" as a transition to full retirement.
"In essence, if someone is in a field where part-time work or self-employment is possible, he or she should consider it as they plan for retirement," researcher Dr. Mo Wang, an assistant professor of psychology, told Reuters Health.
For their study, Wang and his colleagues used data on more than 12,000 workers in a U.S. health study begun in 1992. Participants, who were between the ages of 51 and 61 at the outset, were surveyed every two years over a six-year period.
Overall, Wang's team found, people who went into some form of bridge employment reported lower rates of major diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and arthritis during the study period than their counterparts who went straight into full retirement.
The findings were not explained by older age or worse initial health among people who opted for full retirement, the investigators report in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology.
On top of their better physical health, "bridge" workers also tended to report fewer mental health problems, such as depression.
The same mental health benefits were not seen, however, when retirees took part-time work in other fields -- possibly, Wang said, because many of these people may have taken those jobs out of financial need rather than choice.
He noted that the lack of benefit could also stem from the fact that these retirees had to adjust to an unfamiliar job position or had to make lifestyle changes.
Bridge work, particularly in one's accustomed field, may benefit physical and mental health for a number of reasons, according to Wang.
In general, he explained, such work may help older adults maintain the active lifestyles they had during their careers and decrease any stress they might feel from the transition into retirement.wwwWang said when it comes to mental health, for instance, bridge work may help by allowing people to keep some of the "role identity" that they have formed over their careers.
Staying active in general, not only through work, can also benefit retirees' physical health, Wang noted. He added, however, that any mental health benefits are likely to depend on the type of activity -- whether it is something that the person truly enjoys, and that helps ease any stress of moving into retirement.
"These findings," Wang said, "suggest that for retirees and prospective retirees, carefully considering whether to engage in bridge employment -- and if so, what types of bridge employment -- is quite important." What does the underlined phrase “at the outset” mean?__________
| A．at least | B．at least | C．at the beginning | D．at last |
People who went into some form of bridge employment have less chances to get the following diseases, EXCEPT___________.
| A．arthritis | B．heart disease | C．diabetes | D．low blood pressure |
Which of the following statement is WRONG?_________
| A．As long as retirees move into “bridge employment”, they must be healthier than those who do not. |
| B．The participants in the study were between 51 and 61 years old. |
| C．The bridge workers are also less likely to get depression. |
| D．Staying active is beneficial to the retirees’ physical health. |
What can we infer from the passage?________
| A．The study was begun in 1992 and lasts for two 6-year periods |
| B．If a bridge worker is older than 61 years old, it does not mean that he will get a better health than others who enjoy full retirement. |
| C．Only by moving into “bridge employment” can the retirees enjoy better health both physically and psychologically. |
| D．Any activity can benefit the retirees’ mental health. |
Which is the best title of the passage?
| A．A US study |
| B．Bridge Work |
| C．Working after retiring can be good for your health |
| D．Stay active |
阅读理解 (共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
On the snowy Tibet plateau, traditional elements have been mingled with modern life -- youths dressed in the latest fashion dancing "Guozhuang," office-ladies playing conventional Tibetan music while driving to work and Tibetan girls wearing superb folk costume displaying their nice figures.
"I used to go shopping or bar-hopping with my friends after work. But now I don't think it is advisable to continue following that living style," said Pasang, a young Tibetan girl who practices Yoga everyday at a fitness club in the eastern suburbs of Lhasa city.
Today, the conception to live in a healthy way has become more popular in Tibet's general public.
When the night falls, crowds of aged citizens dancing "Guozhuang," a traditional Tibetan group dance, to vigorous folk music can be seen in many residential communities. Among them, Pasang's mother Tseden Wangmo, 63, is undoubtedly one of the enthusiasts in such an outdoor team activity: "I like dancing Guozhuang very much, for it can make my body strong, bring me good mood and carry forward Tibetan ethnic culture as well."
Different from their elder generations, a swarm of teenagers play skateboard or roller-skating shuttle among groups of strollers on the squares in front of the Potala Palace and Norbulingka, the Dalai Lama's permanent residence.
The stylish dress, colored hairs, an earring on a single ear or an obscure tattoo -- all these signals have highlighted Tibet's younger generation's personality and their view on fashion.
Lhakpa Tashi, 16, will become a high-school student in the second half year. This adolescent is a typical fan at various kinds of modern novelties, such as surfing the net, online shopping and foreign Rap music.Which activity is not mentioned in the passage?.
| A．shopping | B．dancing “Guozhuang” |
| C．playing skateboard | D．singing |
Which of the following phrase has the same meaning as the underlined phrase “mingled with”?
| A．along with | B．mixed with | C．together with | D．connected with |
After reading the whole passage, do you think which of the following is NOT TRUE?
| A．Young people in Tibet like going shopping or bar-hopping after work |
| B．Aged citizens like dancing “Guozhuang” to folk music at night in Tibet |
| C．Teenagers are keen on playing skateboard and roller-skating shuttle in Tibet |
| D．Young people in Tibet are interested in the factional dress |
What is the main idea of the passage?
A successful combination of traditional and modern Tibet
B. People in Tibet today are trying to break away from the tradition
C. Young people in Tibet today are trying to break away from the tradition
D. Young people in Tibet today are having a more colorful life than the old According to your understanding, what is the author’s attitude towards the changes in Tibet?
| A．Positive. |
| B．Negative |
| C．The passage does not tell us |
| D．The author does not care about the changes at all |
Bad moods can actually be good for you, with an Australian study finding that being sad makes people less gullible (轻信), improves their ability to judge others and also boosts memory.
The study, authored by psychology professor Joseph Forgas at the University of New South Wales, showed that people in a negative mood were more critical of, and paid more attention to, their surroundings than happier people, who were more likely to believe anything they were 
told.
"Although positive mood seems to promote creativity, flexibility, cooperation, and reliance on mental shortcuts, negative moods trigger (引发) more attentive, careful thinking, paying greater attention to the external world," Forgas wrote.
"Our research suggests that sadness ... promotes information processing strategies best suited to dealing with more demanding situations."
For the study, Forgas and his team conducted several experiments that started with inducing happy or sad moods in their subjects through watching films and recalling positive or negative events.
In one of the experiments, happy and sad participants were asked to judge the truth of urban myths and rumors and found that people in a negative mood were less likely to believe these statements.
People in a bad mood were also less likely to make snap decisions based on racial or religious prejudices, and they were less likely to make mistakes when asked to recall an event that they witnessed.
The study also found that sad people were better at stating their case through written arguments, which Forgas said showed that a "mildly negative mood may actually promote a more concrete, accommodati
ve and ultimately more successful communication style."
"Positive mood is not universally desirable: people in negative mood are less prone to judgmental errors, are more resistant to eyewitness distortions（扭曲）and are better at producing high-quality, effective persuasive messages," Forgas wrote.
The study was published in the November/December edition of the Australian Science journal. _ The study suggests that when someone is in a bad mood, he ________ .
| A．is particular about everything | B．shows less concern about others |
| C．is willing to believe what he hears | D．cares more about his surroundings |
_Which of the following is connected with positive mood?
| A．New ideas. | B．Being stubborn. | C．Being careful. | D．Concentration. |
_ How did researcher put the subjects in good or bad moods?
| A．By watching sports programs. | B．By listening to happy or sad stories. |
| C．By dealing with demanding situations. | D．By thinking back on their past exp erience. |
_ Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?
| A．Positive mood leads to better judgement. |
B．Sad people rem embered what they saw precisely. |
| C．Cheerful people were less likely to believe rumors. |
| D．People in bad mood tend to make quick decisions. |
_The author intends to convince(说服) us that __________ .
| A．Joseph Forgas made a great discovery | B．bad moods can actually be good for us |
| C．we should think positively and negatively | D．the Australian study is of practical value |