Without any hesitation, he said, “I’d be better off dead.” Hearing those words come out of my best friend’s mouth tore my heart apart. He has repeated that phrase more than once, and my mind continually plays it over like a voice recording.
I met my best friend about three years ago. After knowing me for six months, he told me about his struggles with depression. Sadness was not the only emotion that came over me; I was shocked. He seemed so outgoing and happy all the time. I soon learnt that he was physically and emotionally abused as a young child, causing him to have suicidal (自杀的) thoughts.
He refuses to talk to others about his depression because he now distrusts adults, especially those in his family. In spite of this, he feels as if I understand him and that I know the right words to say. Thus, when it comes to helping him, convenience is not in my vocabulary. It doesn’t matter where I am or what I am doing, for he takes priority. Sometimes he just needs the assurance of my voice telling him that everything is going to be okay and that I will not let him down.
Many students at his school laugh at him when they notice the scars on his arms from cutting. It seems that other kids have every right to make fun of him and to look down on him. But no one holds such a right, so I encourage him to ignore the heartless kids who treat him badly. When he feels the weight of judging eyes or hateful voices, I always remind him that I care about him unconditionally. Just hearing me say I will always be his best friend seems to give him the security he needs to keep on going.
My best friend once told me that if he hadn’t had me, he wouldn’t be alive. He said that my encouraging words convinced him not to take his life. Our friendship has taught me that a single word can impact on someone’s life. With the fragility of life as it is, I believe in the necessity of encouragement.The author’s friend got into depression mainly because _____ .
| A．he lived without his parents | B．he had poor health |
| C．he received little care at school | D．he had a bitter childhood |
We know from the passage that the author’s friend_____.
| A．was better off three years ago | B．thought little of others’ judging eyes |
| C．appreciates the author’s help | D．wants to communicate with his parents |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．I believe in encouragement. | B．I enjoy friendship. |
| C．My friend and I. | D．The story of my friend. |
D
Thousands of taxi drivers in Shenyang, Liaoning province, reportedly blocked streets with their vehicles on Sunday in protest against unlicensed vehicles using taxi-hiring apps(打车软件) and apps-based car rental companies providing passenger services, including high-end cars. Although the drivers also complained about the withdrawal of the fuel subsidy by the government, their main complaint was the loss of business because of the rising number of Internet-based car services companies.
On Wednesday, news reports came that Beijing transport authorities will take measures to stop the illegal “taxi business” of private cars through the newly rising Internet apps, following the footsteps of Shenyang and Nanjing.
It is not yet clear how the Shenyang city government will handle the issue and whether it will declare the services offered by market leaders such as Didi Dache, a taxi-hiring app provider backed by Tencent Holdings, and Kuaidi Dache illegal. But Shanghai transport regulators have set a rule, by banning Didi Zhuanche, or car services offered by Didi Dache in December.
Such regulations will cause a setback to the car-hiring companies and investors that are waiting to cash in on the potentially booming business. Just last month, Didi Dache got $700 million in funding from global investors, including Singapore state investment company Temasek Holdings, Russian investment company DST Global and Tencent. Besides, the market is uncertain that Kuaidi Dache is about to finalize its latest round of funding after getting $800 million from global investors.
Regulatory uncertainties, however, could cast a shadow on the future of the Internet-based car-hiring services, which have become popular in most of China’s big cities. To be fair, these companies’ business model is anything but bad. For example, Didi Zhuanche works side by side with established car rental companies to provide high-end car service mainly for businesspeople through the Internet and mobile phone apps.
Every link in this business model chain has legal companies and services. Hence, it is hard to define it as illegal and ban it.Why did taxi drivers in Shenyang block the streets with their vehicles?
| A．Because they wanted the authority to increase their driving allowances. |
| B．Because they wanted to be taught how to use the taxi-hiring apps. |
| C．Because they wanted to make their main complaints known to the authority. |
| D．Because they wanted to appeal to passengers not to hire the private cars. |
The author’s attitude to banning internet car-hiring service is______.
| A．positive | B．negative |
| C．neutral | D．unclear |
Which of the following statements is false according to the passage?
| A．The problem referred to in the passage exists in all cities |
| B．App-based car rental is functional to some degree |
| C．The government should regulate the app-based car rental market |
| D．Didi Dache is a China-foreign joint company |
we can learn from the passage that ____ _.
| A．Shenyang forbade apps-based car rental companies |
| B．Shanghai is the second city banning Didi Zhuanche |
| C．some international investment companies have strong faith in the future of apps-based car rental companies |
| D．it is not difficult to picture the apps-based car rental companies illegal |
C
It was the end of my junior year, the weekend before prom (毕业舞会). I was riding with some friends, and a bottle was passed around the car. Everyone was taking swigs(一大口). When the bottle got to me, I thought:“What should I do?”I took a swig. It was the biggest mistake of my life. I had to drive home later that night.
I went back to my car, got in and drove off. At a stop sign I saw a policeman sitting in the parking lot across the street. His headlights were turned on, and I knew he was going to follow me. Then he flashed his lights at me. All I could think was: “Oh no, that swig!”
I pulled over and waited for him to come to my door. It felt like forever. “Can I see your license and registration, please, Miss?” I gave them to him. He took them and went back to his car for a while. When he returned, he asked if I had been drinking.
“No,” I said. He asked me to step out of my car.
“Walk heel to toe down the white line, please.” I passed the test. Next he had me stand on my left foot, lift my right foot and hold it for 30 seconds. I’m not the most coordinated (动作协调的) person and I can’t even walk and chew gum at the same time, so, needless to say, I didn’t pass. Then he asked me to take a breathalyzer test.
That was where I messed up. I told him I didn’t want to and didn’t understand why I had to. The officer asked me three more times, and I continued to refuse. He told me to turn around and place my hands behind my back. He arrested me right then and there.
The policeman drove me to a police station 20 minutes from my home. He called my parents and told them where I was.
I went to court two months after that, charged with refusing to obey an officer. I got a $700 (4,340 yuan) fine and 40 hours of community service. I’ll be on probation (缓刑) for a year, and I’ll have to take the driving test again. I lost my license for a whole year.
This was a huge learning experience for me. It opened my eyes to how easy it is to make a stupid decision. I want everyone reading this to know that it’s not right to drink and drive. It definitely isn’t worth losing your license over.According to the first paragraph, we may know that the author __________.
| A．forgot she had to drive home later when riding with her friends |
| B．would rather she had not accepted to drink that night. |
| C．felt just one mouthful would not affect her driving |
| D．Could not find out her driving license on the way |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the article?
| A．The author was in prison for 40 hours and had to do something about community service. |
| B．The author considered that her punishment shouldn’t be so serious. |
| C．The author was really sorry that she had made such a serious mistake. |
| D．The author believed she would have avoided punishment if she had followed the policeman. |
What is the main purpose of the article?
| A．To warn people against driving after drinking. |
| B．To explain how policemen test drivers. |
| C．To show that severe punishment works. |
| D．To blame the author’s thoughtless friends. |
B
What should you think about when trying to find your career? You are probably better at some school subjects than others. These may show strengths that you can use in your work. A boy who is good at mathematics can use that in an engineering career. A girl who spells well and likes English may be good at office work. So it is important to know the subjects you do well in at school. On the other hand, you may not have any specially strong subjects but your records show a general satisfactory standard. Although not all subjects can be used directly in a job, they may have indirect value. A knowledge of history is not required for most jobs but if history is one of your good subjects you will have learned to remember facts and details. This is an ability that can be useful in many jobs.
Your school may have taught you skills, such as typing or technical drawing, which you can use in your work. You may be good at metalwork or cookery and look for a job where you can improve these skills. If you have had a part-time job on Saturdays or in the summer, think what you gained from it. If nothing else, you may have learned how to get to work on time, to follow instructions and to get on with older workers. You may have learned to give correct change in a shop, for example. Just as important, you may become interested in a particular industry or career you see from the inside in a part-time job.
Facing your weak points is also part of knowing yourself. You may be all thumbs when you handle tools; perhaps you are a poor speller or cannot add up a column of figures. It is better to face any weakness than to pretend they do not exist. Your school record, for instance, may not be too good, yet it is an important part of your background. You should not be apologetic about it but instead recognize that you will have a chance of a fresh start at work.what can we infer from the first paragraph ? ________.
| A．we should reflect on how to find our career |
| B．the better you are at school subjects, the more helpful they are in your career. |
| C．mastering each subject well is an ability in many jobs. |
| D．learning better at school shows strength in your job |
From the passage we can conclude that if a student’s school performance is not good, he will _____.
| A．fail in his future work |
| B．be hopeful to find a appropriate job |
| C．regret not having worked harder at school |
| D．have a chance of a new beginning in his future work |
All the subjects may have direct value for job hunting except _________.
| A．mathematics | B．English |
| C．history | D．technical drawing |
The passage mainly discusses ___________.
| A．The relationship between school performance and career |
| B．how to get a job |
| C．How to show strengths in your work |
| D．working experience and knowledge at school |
For many centuries，countless scholars have asked the question：What is beauty? As designers update the latest fashions and artists create their masterpieces, what is considered beautiful changes at an alarming pace. Fifty years ago, the full-figured American actress Marilyn Monroe was a symbol of the American aesthetic(美学的)value；today, many Hollywood actresses different in appearance from Marilyn’s have taken her place. However，aesthetic values not only differ from generation to generation，but do so along cultural lines as well. Often, what is considered hating one civilization is just the aesthetic appeal in another. Thus it is difficult to give an absolute definition(定义)of beauty.
As fundamental(基础的)physicists，my colleagues and I like to believe that we are involved in a search for a beauty that affects definition. The beauty that we search for is not what is set up through the work of people and subject to the tastes, but rather what has been laid down by nature Physics allows its students to look past outer appearances，into a deeper beauty. As a human being, I am attracted by the visual appeal of a wave crashing on the beach. As a physicist, however I am able to see the deeper beauty of the physical laws that govern such a phenomenon.
In truth，since Albert Einstein put forward the idea that there might be one main physical theory that governs the universe，aesthetics have become a driving force in modern physics. Einstein and other later physicists have discovered that：Nature, as its most fundamental level，is beautifully constructed. The extraordinary simplicity (朴素)of the laws that govern the universe is really breathtaking. As Einstein said, it would seem more likely that we should find ourselves living in a “chaotic (无秩序曲)world，in no way graspable（能理解的） through thinking”. Yet we are now closer than ever to a full understanding of the universe’s beautiful clockwork. As new discoveries and technologies allow us to examine the physical world on deeper and deeper levels，we find that the beauty itself becomes much deeper.The reference to “Marilyn Monroe” in Paragraph 2 mainly serves to___________.
| A．compare traditional concept of the East with the West |
| B．express there is no fixed definition of aesthetics |
| C．set an example of today’s beauty standards |
| D．discuss her abilities as an actress |
When appreciating a wave crashing on the beach，a physicist sees the beauty of_____.
| A．the visual attraction |
| B．the powerful sounds |
| C．the physical laws behind |
| D．the lovely creatures |
Why are Albert Einstein’s words mentioned in Paragraph 3?
| A．To detail the functions of physical laws. |
| B．To highlight the range of Einstein’s influence. |
| C．To show that Einstein doubted the beauty of physics. |
| D．To stress the very simplicity of the laws of the universe. |
what does the passage mainly talk about ?___________.
| A．a special way of seeing beauty |
| B．the influence of physics |
| C．the awareness of cross-culture |
| D．the traditional ideas on value |
D
We all have fond memories of taking a few lazy months off after the stress of A-levels. So now that summer has arrived, let’s take full advantage. It goes without saying that summer vacations are the perfect time to go traveling.
Tickets go up greatly when you turn 26, so make the most of cheaper rates while you’re eligible.
Overseas volunteering won’t amaze future employers, but it can be very useful. Finding a reliable (可靠的) company that won’t cheat you is important, as is discovering a program that interests you. There are plenty of websites where you can see other people’s suggestions.
Of course for most of us, money is tight. To avoid overspending you can combine employment and vacation. Hannah Warn, a psychology (心理学) student at the University of Winchester, is spending her summer at Camp America where students enjoy a good time on a summer camp. “Being thrown into something where I don’t really know what to expect is exciting,” she says. “It gives me a chance to experience being away from home in a different way.”
Those with a talent for languages might also consider working abroad as an au pair (互惠工人). The work may be a chance to involve yourself in a new culture while your employer pays most of the bill.
If you have an idea of the sort of career you’d like, getting work experience is wise. In many careers, graduating with only your degree to show for your three or four years just won’t make it. Send applications (申请) off early and to as many places as possible. Make sure you take a well-earned break this summer.From the passage,we can infer that .
| A．students will be offered part-time jobs during the vacation |
| B．students may employ lower-price tickets when they are traveling |
| C．students should have a longer summer vacation than ever |
| D．students will be offered part-time jobs during the vacation |
The underlined part “you’re eligible” in Para. 2 can best be replaced by “ ”.
| A．you have more free time | B．you’re tired of school life |
| C．you enjoy traveling a lot | D．you’re of the right age |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the example of Hannah Warn?
| A．Camp America offers jobs to students. |
| B．Psychology students are good at saving money. |
| C．Students had better choose a camp related to their future job. |
| D．A camp is a good place to combine employment and vacation. |
From the passage, we may conclude that the one who is more likely to seek a job after graduation is _____
| A．John, who got extraordinary academic records during his university years. |
| B．Lily, who worked abroad as an au pair during summer vacations. |
| C．Tom, who got working experience relevant to his future job in college. |
| D．Mary, who got a degree after studying four years in a famous university. |