Have you heard of the saying, “If anything is worth doing, it is worth doing well”? The proverb is a piece of advice to make effects towards perfection in whichever job one does. It could be a small task like folding up your clothes, or a major one like organizing a business meeting in your later life.
Perfection just needs paying attention to details. If it is your job to dust the furniture at home, dust it so that not a single spot of dirt shows from any direction. If your task is to make the beds, make them so that not a single crease（皱纹）shows on the bed-covers.
There are only two ways to do a job: either sloppily, or well. If you choose the latter, you need to realize that any job that qualifies as (取得…的资格)“your” work deserves your best. Perfection is an attitude that can be developed with just a little effect. It is a habit that is helpful to a person in later life. Let us prove with an example: you may be asked to turn in an essay on, for example, wildlife, for a school project. Instead of writing carelessly a few facts that you already know, you could make the project more effective by looking up a reference books, encyclopedias（百科全书）or websites for additional information. You could then go over the finished essay for slips（疏漏）and errors, and provide pictures where necessary. If you make it a habit to put in extra effort in your school homework, will it not help you to handle more difficult projects at the college or university level?
As Michelangelo, the famous 16th century sculptor and painter, once put it: Trifles（琐事）go to make perfection, and perfection is no trifle.According to the passage, to achieve perfection is _______.
| A．to realize the quality of the work |
| B．to pay attention to details of one’s work |
| C．to do as many jobs as possible |
| D．to form the habit of doing things ahead of time |
The underlined word “sloppily” in paragraph 3 may mean _______
| A．badly | B．patiently | C．carefully | D．slowly |
What can be inferred from the third paragraph?
| A．It is necessary to provide pictures for your essay. |
| B．Websites are the sources of information you want. |
| C．Perfection is a habit that promises a good future. |
| D．You should make much effort to develop perfection. |
The purpose of writing this passage is to _______.
| A．introduce the famous painter Michelangelo |
| B．advise us to do the things that are worth doing |
| C．explain to us the meaning of the perfection |
| D．expect us to give our best to our work |
(BEIJING, August 10)—The Beijing Daily has put together a number of tips for cost-efficient travel in Beijing.
★Subway transfer
“Transfer” is a word frequently used by volunteers helping visitors choose the best way of transport during the ongoing Beijing Olympics to save time.
On the seven subway lines now in operation, the transport authorities have set up a total of 16 transfer stations:
Transfer between Line 2 and Line 1 at Jianguomen and Fuxingmen stations；
Transfer between Line 2 and Line 5 at Chongwenmen and Yonghegong stations;
Transfer between Line 2 and Line 13 at Dongzhimen and Xizhimen stations; Dongzhimen station can also bring you to Beijing Capital International Airport via the Airport Line；
Transfer between Line 1 and Line Batong at Sihui and Sihuidong stations；
Transfer from Line 1 to Line 10 at Guomao station to reach Zhongguancun, the north Third Ring Road (going north and west) or Jinsong (going south).
Via Line 10, transfer to Line 8 at Beitucheng station to reach the Olympic central zone, where the “Bird’s Nest” and other venues are located; transfer to Line 5 at Huixinxijie Nankou; transfer to Line 13 at Zhichunlu and Shaoyaoju stations; Sanyuanqiao station takes you to the airport via the Airport Line.
★From subway to bus
Beijing’s subway system is thoroughly linked with bus routes.
The Beijing Railway Station, which can be reached via the Line 2 subway, has bus lines going north, southeast and to the West Railway Station, covering Chaoyang, Tongzhou, Daxing and other districts.
Xizhimen station is linked to many bus routes that go south and northeast. The long-distance bus routes near Dongzhimen station pass through Shunyi, Pinggu and other outskirts.
★Park and ride
Park and ride facilities allow commuters to leave their personal vehicles in a parking lot and transfer to a bus or rail system.
In Beijing, because of city planning and other factors, park and ride is limited to bus and subway stations beyond the Fourth Ring Road. Since the Line 5 subway began operating, a low-fare parking lot, the largest in Beijing, was created at Tiantongyuan Beizhan station. Drivers are encouraged to spend just two yuan per day parking their vehicles and take the subway into the city.At which of the station, passengers can go to the Beijing Capital International Airport by subway?
| A．Dongzhimen and Xizhimen. | B．Jianguomen and Fuxingmen. |
| C．Dongzhimen and Sanyuanqiao. | D．Zhichunlu and Shaoyaoju. |
According to the tips, if you take Line 2, how can you reach Zhongguancun?
| A．Transfer to Line 1 at Jianguomen station, and then transfer to Line 10 at Guomao station. |
| B．Transfer to Line 5 at Chongwenmen station, and then transfer to Line 10 at Guomao station. |
| C．Transfer to Line 13 at Dongzhimen station, and then transfer to Line 8 at Beituchengstation. |
| D．Transfer to Line 1 at Dongzhimen station, and then transfer to Line 10 at Guomao station. |
Which of the following is TRUE?
| A．You can get to the Beijing Railway Station via the Line 5 subway. |
| B．Park and ride is limited to bus and subway stations beyond the Third Ring Road. |
| C．Drivers can spend a little money in parking their vehicles in the largest parking lot. |
| D．Drivers must park their cars in the largest parking lot and transfer to a bus or rail system. |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．From the Beijing Railway Station, you can take buses to the West Railway Station. |
| B．From the Beijing Railway Station, you can take the subway to the West Railway Station. |
| C．The Beijing Railway Station has bus lines going north and southeast. |
| D．The Beijing Railway Station has bus lines going southeast and to the West Railway Station. |
What is the purpose of the tips?
| A．To help volunteers save time during the ongoing Olympic Games. |
| B．To help tourists enjoy the places of interest in Beijing. |
| C．To make people learn about the daily transport in Beijing. |
| D．To make it convenient and efficient to travel in Beijing during the ongoing Olympic Games. |
I stood outsideNew York’s Madison Square Garden and just stared, almost speechless. I was a farm boy from County Kilkenny, a child who some thought would never walk, let alone go as far as I had in the world.
From the day I was born, there was a problem. The doctors at the Dublin hospital told my parents I had phocomelia, a deformity that affected both legs below the knee, which were outward and shorter than normal and each foot had just three toes. 
Life was tough. I couldn’t stand, much less walk. I rarely left the farmhouse—and then only in someone’s arms. Mom bundled me up whenever she took me to town, no matter the season.
“The world will see him when he can walk,” she told Dad. “And he willwalk.”
Mom devoted herself to helping me. She tried everything to get me on my feet. When I was three, she and Dad took me to a clinic in Dublin.
A few weeks later we returned to Dublin with my artificial limbs (肢). Back home I practiced walking with my new limbs.
“There’s nothing anyone can do but you can’t,” Mom said. “You and I are going to walk through town.”
The next day Mom dressed me in my finest clothes. She wore a summer dress and fixed herhair and makeup. Dad drove us to the church. We stepped out of the car. Mom took my hand. “Hold your head up high, now, Ronan,” she said.
We walked 300 meters to the post office. It was the farthest I’d walked, and I was sweating from the effort. Then we left the post office and continued down the street, Mom's eyes shining with a mother's pride.
That night, back on our farm, I lay exhausted on my bed. It meant nothing, though, compared to what I’d done on my walk.
Then I began to pursue my dream of singing. And at every step Mom's words came back to me—Ronan, you can do anything anyone else can do—and the faith she had in God, who would help me do it.
I’ve sung from the grandest stages in Europe, to music played by the world’s finest musicians. That night, I stood at the Madison Square Garden, with Mom’s words chiming in my ears. Then I began singing. I couldn't feel the pulse of the music in my feet, but I felt it deep in my heart, the same place where Mom’s promise lived.What was the problem with the author as a baby?
| A．He was expected unable to walk. |
| B．He was born outward in character. |
| C．He had a problem with listening. |
| D．He was shorter than a normal baby. |
The underlined word “deformity” in the second paragraph most probably means _________.
| A．shortcoming | B．disadvantage |
| C．disability | D．delay |
Why did Mom dress him and herself in finest clothes?
| A．To hide their depressed feeling. |
| B．To indicate it an unusual day. |
| C．To show off their clothes. |
| D．To celebrate his successful operation. |
From the story we may conclude that his mother was __________.
| A．determined | B．stubborn | C．generous | D．distinguished |
According to the writer, what mattered most in his success?
| A．His consistent effort. | B．His talent for music. |
| C．His countless failures. | D．His mother’s promise. |
Losing a baby tooth can be fun for a kid. You can put it under your pillow and look forward to finding some money there in the morning. And then you can watch your new permanent(永恒的) tooth grow in its place.
But if a permanent tooth falls out, that’s a problem. There isn’t another one under the gum(齿龈)that can replace it. Unfortunately, this happens to some older people. And if permanent teeth fall out or need to be pulled, an older person might need dentures.
Dentures, known as false teeth, are a set of replacement teeth for any teeth that are missing. There are partial dentures, which take the place of only a few teeth and prevent the others from changing position. If all the teeth are gone, the person would need complete dentures, which replace every tooth in the mouth.
Dentures can cause pains at first and take little time to get adjusted to. They also need special care. They should be brushed daily with a special denture brush and cleanser and soaked（浸泡） in denture solution when not in the mouth.
Dentures are important for the old because, without teeth, it’s hard to smile, talk, and eat properly. But it can be a little weird if you see someone take out his or her dentures. It can also be strange to see someone, like a grandparent, without dentures in because he or she won’t have any teeth. Try not to make fun of the person because this could cause hurt feelings.
People usually lose their permanent teeth due to periodontal disease（牙周炎）, or gum disease, which is caused by bacteria that attacks the gums. Diseased gums aren’t strong and healthy, so teeth can get loose and fall out. Older people often have many cavities(洞)that have been filled over the years, and these fillings can weaken over time, leading to more tooth problems.If one of your baby teeth falls out, you.
| A．should have a false tooth fixed in its place | B．have to put it under your pillow at once |
| C．will gain a permanent tooth in future | D．can exchange it for some money |
A person wearing dentures.
| A．should brush them with a special denture brush every few days |
| B．will take a very long time to adjust himself or herself to them |
| C．will experience unpleasant feelings at the beginning of fixing them |
| D．should use denture solution to soak them in his or her mouth |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Partial dentures can prevent the remaining teeth from changing position. |
| B．Old people will find it hard to smile, talk, and eat properly without teeth. |
| C．A person’s teeth will possibly get loose if diseases strike his gums. |
| D．It is hard for a person to wear dentures if all his teeth have fallen out. |
What does the underlined word “weird” mean in the fifth paragraph?
| A．inconvenient | B．excited | C．uncomfortable | D．impolite |
Have you ever wondered why birds sing? Maybe you thought that they were just happy. After all, you probably sing or whistle when you are happy.
Some scientists believe that birds do sing some of the time just because they are happy. However they sing most of the time for a very different reason. Their singing is actually a warning to other birds to stay out of their territory.
Do you know what a ‘territory’ is? A territory is an area that an animal, usually the male, claims as its own. Only he and his family are welcome there. No other families of the same species are welcome. Your yard and house are your territory where only your family and friends are welcome. If a stranger should enter your territory and threaten you, you might shout. Probably this would be enough to frighten him away.
If so, you have actually scared the stranger away without having to fight him. A bird does the same thing. But he expects an outsider almost any time, especially at nesting（筑巢）season. So he is screaming all the time, whether he can see an outsider or not. This screaming is what we call a bird’s song, and it is usually enough to keep an outsider away.
Birds sing loudest in the spring when they are trying to attract a mate and warn others not to enter the territory of theirs.
You can see that birds have a language of their own. Most of it has to do with attracting mates and setting up territories.Some scientists believe that most of the time bird’s singing is actually________.
| A．an expression of happiness | B．a way of warning |
| C．an expression of anger | D．a way of greeting |
What does the underlined word “territory’’ mean?
| A．A place where families of other species are not accepted |
| B．A place where a bird may shout at the top of its voice |
| C．An area for which birds fight against each other |
| D．An area which a bird considers to be its own |
Why do birds keep on singing at nesting season?
| A．Because they want to invite more friends |
| B．Because their singing helps frighten outsiders away |
| C．Because they want to find outsiders around |
| D．Because their singing helps get rid of their fears |
How does the writer explain bird’s singing?
| A．By comparing birds with human beings | B．By reporting experiment results |
| C．By describing birds’ daily life | D．By telling a bird’s story |
Green is an important color in nature. It is the color of grass and the leaves on trees. It is also the color of most growing plants. 
Sometimes, the word green means young, fresh and growing. Sometimes, it describes something that is not yet ripe（成熟） or finished. For example, a greenhorn is someone who has no experience, who is new to a situation. In the fifteenth century, a greenhorn was a young cow or ox whose horns(角) had not yet developed. A century or so later, a greenhorn was a soldier who had not yet had any experience in battle. By the eighteenth century, a greenhorn had the meaning it has today—a person who is new in a job. Someone who has the ability to grow plants well is said to have a green thumb. The expression comes from the early nineteen hundreds. A person with a green thumb seems to have a magic touch that makes plants grow quickly and well. You might say that the woman next door has a green thumb if her garden continues to grow long after your plants have died.
The Green Revolution is the name given some years ago to the development of new kinds of rice and other grains. The new plants produced much larger crops. The Green Revolution was the result of hard work by agricultural scientists who had green thumbs.
Green is also the color used to describe the powerful feeling, jealousy(嫉妒). The green-eyed monster is not a frightening creature from outer space. It is an expression used about four hundred years ago by British writer William Shakespeare in his play “Othello”. It describes the unpleasant feeling a person has when someone has something he wants. A young man may suffer from the green-eyed monster if his girlfriend begins going out with someone else. Or, that green-eyed monster may affect your friend if you get a pay rise and she does not. Greenhorn now refers to ____.
| A．a person who is new in a job | B．a new solider | C．a young horse | D．a thumb |
A person who has a green thumb is a person ____.
| A．whose garden is greener than others’ | B．whose thumbs are in green color |
| C．who is good at growing plants | D．who is younger than his neighbors |
The author is actually talking about ____.
| A．colors | B．language | C．politics | D．agriculture |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．In about the 16th century, a greenhorn meant an experienced soldier |
| B．The Green Revolution may have some connection with green thumbs |
| C．The green-eyed monster was probably created by William Shakespeare |
| D．The green-eyed monster can be used to describe a person who is jealous |