The day was warm and the sun shone down like a new beginning on my life. I was waving goodbye to my son, the last one of my fledglings （刚会飞的鸟）to leave home and go to new woods, "University actually" . I felt so lighthearted after spending many years looking after my four children—cooking, washing, ironing, teaching them how to look after themselves and manage their finances—that I actually thought “At long last, freedom".
But, as I watched my last one leave, although it was a joyous occasion, I realized I had not really prepared for this day, I was too tied up with bringing up these adults of the future to realize that they would all leave the nest and lives independently.
At first I didn't know what "I" wanted to do. I tried a part time job, which ended in me running out in tears. I started a business making soft furnishings, but that didn't work either. I grew my own veggies and fruit, which lasted 3 years, until I was advised by my doctor that my feet couldn't take any more "tools” driven through them.
I began wondering if I had a future of my own. I cried for the life I was used to, and hadn't known or wanted anything different.
Then one day I saw an ad. for foster parents, I discussed it with my husband who was always behind everything I tried and with great disturbance , I rang up the number.
I now laugh and sing with my 14-year-old foster daughter, even when my cooker is a mess and my bathroom is a disaster area. I now know, 8 years later, what “I” was meant to be doing with all the spare hours, days, and weeks I had on my hands when my last fledgling flew the nest. The sun shines once again in my home.How did the mother first feel when her last child went off to university?
| A．Lonely. | B．Anxious. | C．Relieved. | D．Annoyed. |
The underlined phrase “was tied up with” in the second paragraph means “ ”.
| A．was occupied in | B．was associated with |
| C．was tired of | D．was addicted to |
In the third paragraph, the poor mother did all the things just to .
| A．live a greener and healthier life |
| B．earn more money for her kids’ education |
| C．shift her attention and ease her anxiety |
| D．start her own decorating business |
What did the empty-nested mother think of her husband?
| A．Skilled | B．Supportive | C．Stubborn | D．Open-minded |
Thanks to the foster daughter, the author .
| A．got rid of her busy work |
| B．forgot her other children |
| C．found a suitable job |
| D．knew what she really wanted |
Attention to detail is something everyone can and should do — especially in tight job market. Bob Crossley, a human-resources expert notices this in the job applications that come across his desk every day. “It’s amazing how many candidates cross out themselves,” he says.
“Resumes (简历)arrive with faults. Some candidates don’t bother to spell the company’s name correctly. Once I see a mistake, I cross out the candidates,” Crossley concludes. “If they cannot take care of these details, why should we trust them with a job?”
Can we pay too much attention to details? Perfectionists struggle over little things at the cost of something larger they work toward. “To keep from losing the forest for the trees,” says Charles Garfield, the professor at the University of California, San Francisco, “We must constantly ask ourselves how the details we’re working on fit into the larger picture. If they don’t, we should drop them and move to something else.”
Garfield compares this process to his work as a computer scientist at NASA. “The Apollo II moon launch was slightly off course 90 percent of the time,” says Garfield. “But a successful landing was still likely because we knew the exact position of our goal. This allowed us to make adjustments as necessary.” Knowing where to go helps us judge the importance of every task we undertake.
Too often we believe what accounts for others’ success is some special secret or a lucky break. But rarely is success so mysterious. Again and again, we see that by doing little things within our grasp well, large rewards follow.According to the passage, some job applicants were rejected because .
| A．they failed to present resumes that are free of mistakes |
| B．they failed to give a detailed description of their background |
| C．they crossed out their names from the applicants list themselves |
| D．their handwriting on the resume was hard to recognize |
The underlined word “cross out” in the first paragraph probably means ______.
| A．neglect | B．recommend | C．wipe | D．introduce |
The third paragraph is intended to state that .
| A．trees are as important as forests |
| B．we should pay much attention to details |
| C．we shouldn’t go too far in details to lose our goals |
| D．perfectionists are capable of achieving perfect results |
The example of Apollo II moon launch is given to show that .
| A．minor mistakes can be ignored |
| B．failure is the mother of success |
| C．adjustments are the key to the successful completion of any work |
| D．keeping one’s goal in mind helps decide which details can be overlooked |
Wishing to encourage her young son to make more progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her. Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually found his way through a door marked “NO ADMITTANCE.” When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing.
Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. To her horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.
At that moment, the great pianist made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy’s ear, “Don’t quit. Keep playing.” Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a melody. Together, the old master and the young beginner transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was amazed and, as it finished, they cheered.
That’s the way it is in life. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren’t exactly graceful flowing music. But when we put our trust in the hands of a Greater Power, our life’s work can be truly beautiful. Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You can hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, “Don’t quit, and keep playing.”The reason why the boy went to the piano was that ________.
| A．he was encouraged to explore |
| B．his mother forced him to have a look |
| C．he was invited by the pianist |
| D．he was exploring the concert hall |
What the famous pianist did at the beginning of the concert showed ________.
| A．what a great pianist he was |
| B．what a skilled pianist he was |
| C．what an upright man he was |
| D．what a strong man he was |
What did the author really want to tell us in the last paragraph?
| A．Not being interrupted by others is important. |
| B．Life needs one’s own effort combined with guidance and cooperation. |
| C．It is necessary for us to keep doing everything. |
| D．It is important for us to get help from a famous person. |
BEIJING—Apple Inc. is one step closer to beginning sales of iPad2 tablet computers with cellular network compatibility （兼容） for the first time in the Chinese mainland, where the consumer-electronics giant is in the midst of an aggressive expansion．
According to China’s Telecommunication Equipment Certification Center, a device by Apple with third-generation high-speed wireless data capabilities was issued the network access license needed for the company to begin official sales in China．The device, listed under model number “A1396”, is compatible with the 3G standard WCDMA, and would work with the cellular network operated by Apple’s local iPhone partner, China Unicom （Hong Kong） Ltd．
China Unicom declined to comment．
Apple already offers the 3G iPad2 in Hong Kong through its partners, but currently only offers Wi-Fi versions of the device in the Chinese mainland．Still, consumers in China, which according to research firm IDC surpassed the US as the world’s largest PC market in the second quarter, have been purchasing 3G tablets through unofficial channels．
Separately, Apple spokeswoman Carolyn Wu said Sept 6 that the company’s first Hong Kong store, set to open this quarter, will be located in the city’s central shopping and business district in the International Finance Center’s upscale （高档的） IFC mall, a commercial center and sightseeing spot along the city’s waterfront．Wu also said that Apple is planning a new store in Shanghai later this quarter, which will be its biggest store in China．She declined to give more details or to comment on the 3G iPad2．
Apple currently has four full-service Apple stores in the mainland, which receive the most traffic of any Apple stores in the world．The company otherwise relies on resellers to get its products into the market．
The new stores reflect Apple’s confidence in rising demand for its products such as smart phones and tablet computers．Sales in the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan helped boost （增长） the company’s third-quarter results, newly appointed Chief Executive Tim Cook said in July．China revenue （收益） surged （激增） six-fold to about $3．8 billion during the three months ended June 25．
“This has been a substantial （重大） opportunity for Apple and I firmly believe that we’re just scratching the surface right now,” Cook said at the time, referring to strong sales in China．“I see an incredible opportunity for Apple there．”
From China Daily 2011-09-08According to the news, which of the following statements is true?
| A．WCDMA is not the only 3G standard in the world． |
| B．Apple Inc. sells its products in the market of the Chinese mainland all by its own stores． |
| C．The consumers in China can only get iPad2 of Wi-Fi versions． |
| D．Chinese mainland is the second largest PC market in this year’s second quarter． |
Which one of the following phrases can replace the underlined word in paragraph 1?
| A．in the interests of | B．in the front of |
| C．in the process of | D．in the case of |
How many full-service Apple stores in China?
| A．4 | B．6 | C．8 | D．Unknown |
What’s the probable meaning of “six-fold” in the last but one paragraph?
| A．six times | B．one-six | C．60 percent | D．2 times |
By saying “we’re just scratching the surface right now”, Cook means ________．
| A．they don’t know much about China’s market |
| B．they will sell more products and gain more profit in China |
| C．they need to obtain more permission from China’s government |
| D．they ignored the rural market in China |
Which are you more likely to have with you at any given moment-your cell phone or your wallet? Soon you may be able to throw your wallet away and pay for things with a quick wave of your smart phone over an electronic scanner.
In January, Starbucks announced that customers could start using their phones to buy coffee in 6,800 of its stores. This is the first pay-by-phone practice in the U.S., but we’re likely to see more wireless payment alternatives as something called near field communication (NFC) gets into America’s consumer electronics. Last December, some new smart phones which contain an NFC chip were introduced to the public.
Already in use in parts of Asia and Europe, NFC allows shoppers to wave their phones a few inches above a payment terminal – a contact- free system built for speed and convenience. But before NFC becomes widely adopted in the U.S., a few problems need to be worked out, like who will get to collect the profitable transaction（交易）fees. Although some credit card providers have been experimenting with wave-and- pay systems that use NFC-enabled credit cards, cell phone service providers may try to muscle their way into the point-of-sale（POS）market. Three big cell phone service providers have formed a joint venture（合资企业）that will go into operation over the next 15 months. Its goal is “to lead the U.S. payments industry from cards to mobile phone.”
The other big NFC issue, apart from how payments will be processed, is security. For instance, what’s to stop a thief from digitally pick-pocketing you? “We’re still not at the point where an attacker can just brush against you in a crowd and steal all the money out of your phone,” says Jimmy Shah. A mobile- security researcher, “Users may also be able to set transaction limits, perhaps requiring a password to be entered for larger purchases.”
Still uneasy about this digital-wallet business? Keep in mind that if you lose your smart phone, it can be located on a map and remotely disabled. Plus, your phone can be password protected. Your wallet isn’t.What is predicted to happen in the U.S.?
| A．The expansion of cell phone companies. |
| B．The boom of pay-by-phone business. |
| C．The disappearance of credit cards. |
| D．The increase of Starbucks sales. |
The NFC technology can be used to __________.
| A．ensure the safety of shoppers |
| B．collect transaction fees easily |
| C．make purchase faster and simpler |
| D．improve the quality of cell phones |
Three cell phone service providers form a joint venture to __________.
| A．strengthen their relationship |
| B．test the NFC technology |
| C．sell more cell phones |
| D．get a share in the payments industry |
According to the passage, what can users do if they lose their smart phones?
| A．Stop the functioning of their phones. |
| B．Set up a password. |
| C．Get all the money out of their phones. |
| D．Report it to the bank. |
In Greek mythology（神话）, the gods punished Sisyphus by forcing him to roll a rock up a steep hill for eternity（来世）. But he was probably better off than if they’d forced him to sit and stare into space until the end of time, conclude the authors of a new study on keeping busy. They found that people who have something to do, even something pointless, are happier than people who sit around.
“The general phenomenon I’m interested in is why people are too busy doing what they are doing in modern society,” says Christopher K. Hsee, of the University of Chicago. “People are running around, working hard, the way beyond the basic level.” Sure, there are reasons, like making a living, earning money, and so on. But, Hsee says, “I think there’s something deeper: We have extra energy and we want to avoid idleness.”
In a study 98 students were asked to complete two surveys. After they had completed the first they were made to wait 15 minutes to receive the next one. They were given a choice of either handing in the first survey nearby or at a more distant location they had to walk to. Whichever option they chose, they received a chocolate bar. Not everyone chose to go to the faraway location. Two-thirds chose the lazy option. Yet those who chose to stay busy by going to the faraway location were found to be happier than those who had stayed put.
But if the chocolate bars offered at the two locations were different, they were more likely to choose the far location—because they could make up a good and acceptable reason for the trip, Hsee and his colleagues say.
Hsee thinks it may be possible to use this principle—people like being busy, and they like being able to show being busy right or reasonable—to benefit society. “If we can find a way for idle people to engage in activity that is at least not harmful, I think it is better than destructive business,” he says. Hsee himself has been known to give a research assistant a useless task when he doesn’t have anything to do, so he isn’t sitting around the office getting bored and depressed.The author starts the passage with the Greek mythology story to ________.
| A．make it easier to understand the passage |
| B．draw readers’ attention to Greek culture |
| C．show Greek people enjoyed being busy |
| D．bring about the subject of the passage |
According to Hsee, people are busy in modern society because they want to _________.
| A．make others think they are not lazy |
| B．keep their energy at the basic level |
| C．earn more money to support their family |
| D．avoid the state of having nothing to do |
The underlined phrase “stayed put” in Paragraph 3 probably means __________.
| A．remained there | B．kept occupied | C．got around | D．stayed awake |
How does Hsee’s assistant probably feel while performing a task?
| A．Blue. | B．Empty. | C．Contented. | D．Trapped. |