The old man walked slowly into the restaurant. With head tilted, and shoulders bent forward he leaned on his trusty stick with each unhurried step. His torn cloth jacket, patched trousers, worn out shoes, and warm personality made him stand out from the usual Saturday morning breakfast crowd. He stopped, turned with his whole body, and winked at a little girl seated by the door. She flashed a big smile right back at him.
A young waitress named Mary watched him walk toward a table by the window. She ran over to him, and said, “Here, Sir. Let me give you a hand with that chair.” She pulled the chair away from the table. Steadying him with one arm, she helped him move in front of the chair, and get comfortably seated. Then she moved the table up close to him, and leaned his stick against the table where he could reach it.
In a soft, clear voice he said, "Thank you, Miss. And bless you for your kind gestures."
“You're welcome, Sir.” She replied. “And my name is Mary. I'll be back in a moment, and if you need anything at all in the mean time, just wave at me!”
After he had finished a hearty meal, Mary brought him the change from his ticket. He left it on the table. She helped him and walked with him to the front door. Holding the door open for him, she said, “Come back and see us, Sir!” He turned and nodded a thank-you. “You are very kind.” he said softly, smiling.
When Mary went to clean his table, she almost fainted. Under his plate she found a business card, and a note scribbled on a napkin. Under the napkin was a one-hundred-dollar bill.
The note on the napkin read, “Dear Mary, I respect you very much, and you respect yourself too. It shows by the way you treat others. You have found the secret of happiness. Your kind gestures will shine through those who meet you.”
The man she had waited on was the owner of the restaurant where she worked. This was the first time that she, or any of his employees had ever seen him in person.The old man left $ 100 under the napkin because he ________.
A.was grateful for Mary's kindness |
B.wanted to encourage Mary to do more good deeds |
C.appreciated Mary's kindness and work attitude |
D.thought highly of the tasty meal in the restaurant |
What do we know about Mary and the old man?
A.Mary knew who the old man was from the note. |
B.Mary recognized the old man when she served him. |
C.The old man intended to have Mary as his secretary. |
D.Mary had never seen her boss face to face before. |
It can be inferred that the old man went to the restaurant to ________.
A.have a good meal | B.enjoy good service |
C.have an on-site visit | D.show his generosity |
The passage is developed mainly by________.
A.following the order of space | B.following the order of time |
C.making comparisons | D.providing examples |
The best title of the passage would be ________.
A.Employer and Employee | B.The Secret of Happiness |
C.A Gift from the Manager | D.Good Service in the Restaurant |
As we move upwards in an organization, our perspective begins to change, sometimes in ways that can feel uncomfortable. Most people begin working in some technical skill area where they can reliably produce desired outcomes based largely on their own performance.
In my career, I was a public relations practitioner, skilled at media relations, drafting news releases, organizing events and news conferences, etc. Of course that also required the skill of collaborating with others, but I wasn’t responsible for their performance. However, as my mastery of public relations increased into the areas of consulting and selling, I started moving up the ladder until eventually I was the general manager of the organization.
Suddenly, I realized I had been catapulted beyond my area of competence. I really had no idea how to “manage” others and how to “delegate” responsibility effectively to other players. So what did I do? I sucked most of the responsibility up to myself, continuing to work on things that demanded my technical expertise, while occasionally handing out a few “tasks” to others. Needless to say I suffered hugely as a manager until I learned the difficult lesson that (as my coach at the time said to me) “You need to find new ways of being important.”
The new role, the “new way of being important” that I learned was the role of leader, orchestrator, delegator. The new role of developing others instead of simply being a technical expert.The new role of working through others, not doing all the work myself. Imagine a symphony orchestra conductor trying to play all the instruments. That is what many new managers find themselves trying to do and its not a highly effective approach, to say the least!
Many new managers fail to achieve their potential because they don’t delegate effectively and they don’t really understand what delegation is all about. Delegating is so critically important that for many aspiring managers it literally becomes their “Achilles Heel”—their fatal weak spot that can make or break their careers. So let’s examine six major reasons that managers fail to delegate effectively.(www.kekenet.com)What does the word “collaborating” in the second passage mean?
A.operating | B.corresponding |
C.struggling | D.cooperating |
Where can the sentence “That’s when I hit the wall”be put?
A.paragragh 1 and 2. | B.paragragh 2 and 3. |
C.paragragh 3 and 4. | D.paragragh 4and 5. |
Why did the writer suffer as a manager?
A.He took on most of the responsibility on his own. |
B.He thought of himself an important person. |
C.He failed to earn respect from others. |
D.He put much pressure on others. |
According to the passage, we know “the new way of being important”means that________.
A.The new role of developing others and being a technical expert. |
B.The new role of working through others instead of doing all the work myself. |
C.The new role of simply being a technical expert and doing all the work myself. |
D.The new role of simply being a technical expert instead of doing all the work myself. |
What will the writer talk about following the text?
A.How managers can deal with the workers. |
B.The reasons why mangers should delegate effectively. |
C.How managers be respected by workers. |
D.The reasons why mangers can’t allocate effectively. |
Ecotourism is one of the fastest growing sectors in tourism.More and more of us are becoming concerned about the effects we are having on the destinations we choose, as well as the world around us.Some of us are choosing more green modes of transport to get there instead of flying, and some of us are choosing to visit greener destinations.India is one of the best places for ecotourism, and with the destinations below you can be sure that you’ll not only be protecting the earth, but giving something back to the area too.
Kerala, more commonly known as “God’s Own Country”, is a beautiful state on the southern tip of India.It’s a biologically diverse area, with many unique animal species, and almost 2,500 plant species in its tropical forests—that’s nearly a quarter of all India’s plant groups.In the past, though the forests in this area were much cleared, today they are well protected.There are plenty of wildlife reserves where you can see some of these unique animals.
With tourism developing in the area and money brought in, more attention can be given to protecting its plants and animals, ensuring that the people in the area have a better quality of life.
Arunachal Pradesh, situated on the most northern tip of India, is a resort for the more adventurous. With dry, desert heat in the summer and a snowfall best avoided in the winter, this area is less about greenery, and more about stunning desert landscapes.When visiting this amazing area, you'll be promoting locals earning income from their surroundings, encouraging them to make the most of them and preserve them, as well as gradually increasing their quality of life.
As a north Indian province, Ladakh supports much rare and even endangered plants and animals, which can be seen at Hemis High Altitude National Park.There are also many Tibetan monasteries, including the Hemis Monastery, to visit in the area.Why do people regard Kerala as a biologically diverse area?
A.Because Kerala is one of the best places for ecotourism. |
B.Because Kerala is commonly known as “God’s Own Country”. |
C.Because there live many unique animal species and almost 2,500 plant species. |
D.Because Kerala is a beautiful state on the southern tip of India. |
What’s the author’s attitude towards the tourist industry in Kerala?
A.supportive |
B.objective |
C. nentral |
D.passive |
What can the tourists enjoy in Arunachal Pradesh despite much hardship?
A.many unique animal species |
B.plenty of wildlife |
C.The beautiful desert landscapes. |
D.snowfall |
According to the passage, where would you like to go if you intend to study some endangered animals and plants?
A.Hemis High Altitude National Park in Arunachal Pradesh. |
B.Hemis High Altitude National Park in Kerala. |
C.Hemis High Altitude National Park in Tibet. |
D.Hemis High Altitude National Park in Ladak. |
What is the passage mainly talking about?
A.The best ecotourism destinations in India. |
B.protecting the earth |
C.greener destinations |
D.Ecotourism is one of the fastest growing sectors in tourism. |
The United Nations and the World Meteorological Organization created the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 1988. The panel is a committee made up of hundreds of scientists. Last week, an IPCC working group released a report about climatic conditions around the world.
Scientists are surer than ever before that the Earth is warming and that human activity is to blame. That is the message of the new report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. As we hear from Christopher Cruise, the report's findings will help inform policy makers and the public as they consider action to fight climate change.
One-hundred-ten governments approved this scientific agreement:
"It is extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of observed warming since the mid-20thcentury."
The head of the World Meteorological Organization, Michael Jarraud, spoke at a press conference about the new report.
"It should serve as yet another wake-up call that our activities today will have a profound impact on society, not only for us, but for many generations to come."
Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have been losing mass and glaciers continue to shrink, the report says. It calls the decrease of Artic sea ice, "unprecedented," meaning nothing like this has been noted before. The report also examines the mean rate of sea level rise. It says that since the middle of the 19thcentury, the rate is higher than at any time in the past 2000 years.
The working group also examined the connection between extreme weather events and climate. Brenda Ekwurzel is a climate scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists, a non-profit group. She has worked with the scientists who prepared the IPCC report.
"The most we can say is that extreme events dealing with coastal flooding and extreme heat, (we have) very, very high confidence with these events being highly linked to climate change."
She says the report blames human activity for half of the increased warming over the past fifty or so years. One such activity is the burning of fossil fuels in factories, buildings and cars. This produces heat-trapping gasses.
Past IPCC reports have led the way to international agreements like the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. It ended in 2012. The United Nation's top climate official, Christiana Figueres, says the new report will help move new climate talks forward.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is sometimes criticized as appearing to be too conservative in its predictions. But, Ms. Figueres says this report is right on the mark.
"Everything that we thought we knew about climate change has been underestimated, that we will have much faster and much more intense effects from the growing concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. So, it's a very sobering message that calls for a more invigorated and more accelerated policy response to address that."
Government leaders and climate experts will get a chance to do that at the climate negotiations next month. The talks will take place in the Polish capital, Warsaw.505What does the underlined word “sobering”mean in the last paragraph?
A.satisfactory |
B.serious |
C.disappointing |
D.unbelievable |
According to the passage, the Earth is warming due to_______.
A.human activity |
B.the burning of fossil fuels |
C.heat-trapping gasses |
D.the burning of fossil fuels in cars |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A.Christopher Cruise says that our activities today will have a profound impact on society. |
B.Ms. Figueres says that climate change calls for a more invigorated and more accelerated policy response to address that. |
C.Michael Jarraud says that the report blames human activity for half of the increased warming over the past fifty or so years. |
D.Brenda Ekwurzel says that It is extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of observed warming since the mid-20thcentury. |
A new study finds that more than 13 million deaths could be prevented in China over the next 40 years if the country had stronger anti-smoking measures. But the study's authors say China has not taken many steps to control the use of tobacco. The study was published in the British Medical Journal.
China signed the World Health Organization's international treaty on tobacco control in 2003. But it has not put in place many of the WHO ideas to help people stop smoking. Experts say following these ideas could cut smoking by 40 percent before the year 2050. Without stronger anti-smoking measures, there could be 50 million tobacco-related deaths in the country over that time.The authors of the study used a computer program called "SimSmoke" to make their predictions.
David Levy works at Georgetown University's Lombardi Cancer Center in Washington, DC. He says China has one third of the world's cigarette smokers. More than half of the men in China smoke. Mr. Levy says people often begin smoking without knowing it will harm their health. He says people in some countries smoke because it makes them feel important.
"Smoking, you know, once it gets established and in many of the low- and middle income countries, you know there's a kind of a prestige initially to smoking."
The WHO plan calls for a ban on smoking in all public places. It also calls for countries to place health warnings on cigarette containers and offer programs to help people stop smoking. And, it says, there should be high taxes on tobacco.
Experts say a 75 percent increase in cigarette taxes could save about 3.5 million lives. They say an end to cigarette advertising could save two million lives. After signing the WHO agreement, China placed a 12 percent tax on cigarettes. But the government did not force Chinese smokers to pay the tax.
One of the authors of the new study is Teh-we Hu. He is a professor of public policy economics at the University of California Berkeley. Professor Hu says China's culture and society are changing. He says President Hu Jintao supports a ban on smoking in public. The president also wants people to stop giving cigarettes as gifts to officials and employers. Mr. Hu says the most effective anti-smoking measure in China would be a large increase in the cigarette tax. But he does not expect that to happen soon.To prevent people from smoking,which is wrong about the WHO plan?
A.The WHO plan calls for a ban on smoking in all public places. |
B.The WHO plan calls for countries to place health warnings on cigarette containers. |
C.The WHO plan calls for offering programs to help people stop smoking. |
D.The WHO plan calls for there should be low taxes on tobacco. |
If China has stronger anti-smoking measures, about ________ lives could be saved over the next 40 years.
A.3.5 million | B.more than 13 million | C.50 million | D.40 million |
What does the underlined phrase “put in place” mean in Chinese?
A.carry out | B.put something in the correct place | C.stop | D.begin |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?
A.After signing the WHO agreement, China placed a 75 percent tax on cigarettes. |
B.Experts say a 12 percent increase in cigarette taxes could save about 3.5 million lives. |
C.Experts say using stronger anti-smoking measures could cut smoking by 40 percent before the year 2050. |
D.After signing the WHO agreement, China has taken many steps to control the use of tobacco. |
The speech by President Obama in Shanghai
Good afternoon. It is a great honor for me to be here in Shanghai, and to have this opportunity to speak with all of you. What I’d like to do is to make some opening comments, and then what I’m really looking forward to doing is taking questions, not only from students who are in the audience, but also we’ve received questions online, which will be asked by some of the students who are here in the audience, as well as by Ambassador Huntsman. AndI am very sorry that my Chinese is not as good as your English,but I am looking forward to this chance to have a dialogue.
This is my first time traveling to China, and I’m excited to see thisgreatcountry. Here, in Shanghai, we see the growth that has caught the attention of the world—the highskyscrapers (摩天大楼), the busy streets and entrepreneurial(创业) activity. And just as I’m impressed by these signs of China’s journey to the 21st century, I’m eager to see those ancient places that speak to us from China’s distant past.
Tomorrow and the next day I hope to have a chance when I’m in Beijing to see the Forbidden City and the wonder of the Great Wall. Truly, this is a nation thathas both a rich history and a belief in the promise of the future.
The same can be said of the relationship between our two countries. Shanghai, of course, is a city that has great meaning in the history of the relationship between the United States and China. It was here, 37 years ago, that the Shanghai Communique opened the door to a new chapter(新篇章) of engagement between our governments and among our people. However, America’s ties to this city—and to this country—date back further, to the earliest days of America’s independence.How many times does President Obama has come to China?
A.one | B.two | C.three | D.four |
What can we infer from the the passage?
A.the Shanghai Communique plays an important role in maintaining(维持) the relationship between the two countries |
B.China has a long history |
C.Shanghai has great meaning in the history of the relationship between the United States and China. |
D.President Obama is eager to see those ancient places |
Put the following statements in the right order.
a. President Obama will see the Forbidden City and the wonder of the Great Wall.
b. President Obama is in Shanghai.
c. The Shanghai Communique opened the door to a new chapter(新篇章) of engagement between our governments and among our people.
A.abc | B.cba | C.bca | D.bac |
What can be inferred after the last passage?
A.It is about the earliest history of the relationship between the United States and China. |
B.It is about America’s independence. |
C.It is about the earliest days of America’s independence. |
D.It is about the earliest history of Shanghai. |