Howtheironoftomorrow(thefirstS-优题课

Weekend getaways and romantic dinners used to be sweet escapes from the daily working life. Nowadays, vacations are often interrupted by the ding of an instant message on a wireless laptop. That’s not news to modern workers, many of whom may just be getting back from a long winter break during which they worked more than in years past. One-fifth of Americans carry a laptop on vacation. Countless more carry cell phones, many of which can be used to check company e-mail.
And why not? With wireless coverage extending, staying connected is simple. Recently, JetBlue Airways announced a trial of free e-mail and instant messaging services for passengers on one of its aircraft. Other airlines are expected to follow suit. But there’s a hidden cost to companies: employee burnout. Using work cell phones and checking company e-mail at the poolside is not a vacation.
“If I were a manager, I would insist that my employees leave their cell phones at work during their vacation and not check their e-mail while away ,” said Dov Eden, an organizational psychologist. “In the long run, the employee will be better rested and better able to perform his or her job.”
A nine-year study of more than 12,000 middle-aged men at high risk of heart disease showed that participants who vacationed more had a lower risk of dying than the vacation-deprived(剥夺的). In a nationwide survey, nearly half of the 2,000 adults questioned said stress has increased in the past five years, with 75 percent ranking money and work as the leading causes of stress.
One way to beat work stress could be to work from home or another remote location. This alternative work arrangement is a win-win set-up. Telecommuting（远程办公）has an overall beneficial effect, because the arrangement provides employees with more control over how they do their work. Telecommuters reported more job satisfaction, less stress and improved work-family balance.
71. According to the first paragraph, Americans carry a cell phone or a laptop on vacation mainly to .
A. entertain themselves B. keep in touch with their family
C. check company emails D. tell their managers about their experiences
72. What does the underlined phrase “employee burnout” in Paragraph 2 mean?
A. Employees become very angry. B. Employees get extremely tired
C. Employees leave the company. D. Employees demand a pay rise.
73. We can learn from the last paragraph that .
A. companies have more control over telecommuters
B. telecommuting is good for both companies and employees
C. employees will work more slowly if they work at home
D. telecommuting can reduce the company’s stress
74. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. In the past, people on vacation were seldom interrupted by work.
B. Dov Eden agrees with JetBlue Airways’ announcement.
C. Many airlines have been providing their passengers with instant service.
D. Most people are under stress because they have no vacation to relax.
75. What would be the best title for the passage?
A. How to spend your holidays B. The modern vacation: fully wired, totally ruined
C. Modern life with cell phones D. Telecommuting-----a win-win set-up

During the day, Mercer, is a hard-working dog , helping his owner and making sure she stays safe. But at night, the big, black dog slips out of the house, tries his paws at ice-skating, and even makes hot chocolate for himself .
Or at least that's what he does in Marvelous Mercer, a new book written by the dog's 12-year-old owner, Shea Megale. Shea has spinal muscular atrophy, a condition that makes her muscles very weak. She uses a motorized wheelchair. Mercer is an assistance dog that is specially trained to do many of the things Shea can't.
Shea is writing a series of six books about Mercer Marvelous mercer arrived in stores this fall, and the second book is due out early next year.
Cool Tricks
During his training, Mercer learned to carry out 60 different commands, Shea now uses them to tell Mercer what she needs as she goes about her day. “Under ”tells down. “Car” tells him to get into a vehicle.
Shea’s favorite command is “lap”, which tells Mercer to put his front paws across her lap. “I love that ”, Shea says .
At school, Mercer carries Shea’s backpack and helps her order her lunch in the dining room. During class, he stays under her desk in case she drops her pencil. At night, he pulls the covers up for her and turns out her bedroom light.
Leading a Paw
Shea and Mercer aren’t the only ones benefiting from their special relationship. “Thanks to the book series . We’re helping a lot more people now ,” Shea says.
Some of the books profits are going to help pay for research into the disease Shea is suffering from. Money from the books also will be used to train assistance dogs for U.S. soldiers who were injured in Iraq.
Despite all of the attention –and his star status success hasn’t gone to Mercer’s head. In fact , when WR News interviewed Shea, Mercer slept through the whole thing-most likely dreaming about his next adventure !
67．We know from the passage that Mercer is .
A．Shea’s pet dog B．an assistance dog helping Shea
C．a 12-year-old dog D．a character Shea makes up in her book
68．According to the passage , Shea’s “Cool Tricks ”include the following EXCEPT .
A．commanding Mercer to lie down B．commanding Mercer to get into a car
C．telling Mercer to open her backpack
D．telling Mercer to put his front paws across her lap
69．The underlined expression “Lending a Paw ”is closest in meaning to “ ”
A．giving a helping hand B．acting as a guide
C．benefiting from friendship D．exploring adventures
70．Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage ?
A．Shea has written 6 books about Mercer
B．Mercer is glad to be the focus of attention
C．Mercer isn’t allowed in Shea’s classroom
D．Though disabled , Shea helps lots of people

Funeral homes aren’t just for dead peopled . They’re for our passed–on pets too these days. Pet Angel Memorial Center in Carmel. Indiana, helps guide grieving （悲痛的）animal owners through a vast range of burial and menorial options . The staff of five, all former clients （顾客）, then carries out the owner’s wishes . Perhaps the most important service the center provides, though, is an understanding to cry on .
Owner Coleen Ellis started the country’s first pet funeral home there years ago after the death of her dog Mico. It was then that she discovered her veterinarian（兽医）, like most throughout the United States, put dead animals in garbage bags and stored them in a freezer for up to one week . A disposal company then picked up the bodies and took them to a landfill（废物埋填地）site.
Before opening Pet Anget Memorial Center, Ellis worked in human funeral homes for 15 years, helping guide families through the end of life process. Her work with pets, though, is unusual. Only a handful of animal funeral homes exist, most of which Ellis said she helped get started.
Honoring dead pets and honoring people are similar in many ways. The 1,200 square –foot memorial center, located outside of Indianapolis, offer a full line of memorial items . The lowest priced package starts at $ 230 and includes pick-up , as well as a keepsake（纪念品）paw print. Friends, family and surviving pets often accompany grieving owners.
The atmosphere is different from a human funeral home, where people stay their distance to give the grieving family privacy. At the center , pet owners mourn together . Often times , if two visitations are going on, the families will share stores about their dead loved ones. It’s a very good healing experience.
63．What made Coleen Ellis have the idea of a pet funeral home?
A．Her dream to become famous in the USA
B．The cruel way of dealing with dead pet animal
C．Her determination to change her job
D．Her wish to make friends with pet owners
64．What do human funeral homes and animal funeral homes have in common ?
a. They both have a memorial center.
b. They both provide memorial items.
c. They have the same atmosphere.
d. In both places grieving people are kept company by their friends
A．a.b.c B．a. c. d. C． b. c. d. D．a.b.d.
65．The underlined word“visitations ”in the last paragraph refer to “ ”.
A．animal funerals B．places of funerals
C．pet owners D．sad stories
66．What is the passage mainly about ?
A．Coleen Ellis’ life B．Human funeral homes.
C．Veterinarians and animals D．Animal funeral homes

Skinner Creek ESL Guest Ranch offers a unique outdoor adventure camp for inter national students．
Students who come to Skinner Creek have the opportunity to learn English in an environment entirely different from a regular school setting．English classes are designed to meet the academic and spoken levels of each student．All English classes will be taught by instructors qualified in Teaching English as a Second Language．All levels of English are available．
After class，students can enjoy many outdoor activities in a controlled．safe environment．Experienced supervisors（管理人）and camp teachers will prepare each activity to the level appropriate for each student．
Students’safety is a priority（优先考虑的事）for the staff of Skinner Creek ESI．Guest Ranch．Students are monitored at all times and supervisors are in the cabins with the students at night．Staff members have St．John’s First Aid and Transportation and Wilderness First Aid．An emergency clinic is nearby and accessible 24 hours．
English Classes：
Class hours are from Monday to Friday，9：00 am—2：00 pm．with a one—hour break for lunch．
Students are challenged in reading，writing，grammar，vocabulary building and conversational English．
Vocabulary is specific to related outdoor activities in some classes．
Fun after-class outdoor and evening activities
Great after—class activities on site include：horseback riding lessons．Hiking，baseball，volleyball，badminton，mountain hiking，bonfires（篝火）and much more．
Time to watch videos and TV and play games．
Experience Canadian family life．
Weekends：
Special all—day and overnight weekend activities include：camping，days at the lake（fishing，swimming，boating），cowboy church and more．
Travel Information：
Students will be picked up at Vancouver airport and dropped off again for their individual flights．Transportation to and from the ranch will be provided as well as overnight stays in Vancouver．
Please contact the ranch directly for prices：skinnercreek@telus．net
59．If you attend Skinner Creek Summer Camp，you will．
A．sometimes have English classes outdoors
B．learn how to deal with dangers in the wild
C．enjoy different sports activities after class
D．experience the traditional farmer 1ifestyle
60．How many hours of English classes do students have every week in Skinner Creek?
A．35 hours． B．28 hours． C．25 hours． D．20 hours
61．Skinner Creek ESL Guest Ranch is in．
A．Canada B．America C．England D．Australia
62．How will most students travel to Skinner Creek if they want to attend the camp?
A．By air． B．By car． C．By boat． D．By train．

第三部分阅读理解
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
We were driving in the right lane （车道）when, all of a sudden, a black car pulled out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver stepped on his brakes, skidded（打滑）. And missed the black car’s back end by just inches! The driver of the black car. Who almost caused a major accident . turned his head angrily and started shouting bad words at us .
My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. I mean, my taxi driver was friendly. So, I said, Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to hospital!” and the following is what my taxi driver told me, which I now call “the law of the garbage truck”.
“Many people are like garbage trucks. The run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump(倾卸) it. And if you let them, they’ll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Believe me. You’ll be happier.”
So this is it: “the law if the garbage trucks”. I started thinking: how often do I let “Garbage trucks” run right over me? and how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: at work, at home, or in the streets? It was then that I said, “I’m not going to do it anymore.”
I began to see “Garbage trucks”. I see the load they’re carrying. I see them coming to drop it off. And like my taxi driver, I don’t make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave , and move on.。
Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting. Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from school with hugs and kisses. What about you? The mark of a successful person is how quickly he can get back his focus on what’s important.
56．Who acted like a garbage truck in the incident described in the first two paragraphs ?
A．The author B．The taxi driver
C．The driver of the black car D．Both drivers
57．The underlined part “the load” in Paragraph 5 refers to“ ”.
A．bad mood B．excitement C．new products D．waste materials
58．What is the main idea of the last paragraph ?
A．Ignore unpleasantness and stick to your tasks
B．Try to be good leaders as well as good parents
C．Always be kind and hard-working
D．Do things quickly so as to be ready for the next