Sir,
Just over six months ago, I saw an advertisement in the Morning Mail for a set of the complete works of William Shakespeare. Your company, Cosmo books Ltd., offered this set (eight books of plays and two books of poetry) at what was claimed to be a ‘remarkable’ price: fifteen pounds and fifty pence, including postage and packing. I had wanted a set of Shakespeare’s plays and poems for some time, and these books, in red imitation leather, looked particularly attractive; so I sent for them.
Two weeks later, the books arrived, together with a set of the complete works of Charles Dickens which I had not ordered. So I returned the Dickens books to you, with a cheque for fifteen pounds and fifty pence for the works of Shakespeare. Two more weeks passed. Then there arrived on my door step a second set of the works of Shakespeare, the same set of novels by Dickens and a six book set of the plays of Moliere, in French. Since I do not read French, these were of no use to me at all. However, I could not afford to post all these books back to you, so I wrote to you at the end of August of last year, instructing you to come and collect all the books that I did not want, and asking you not to send any other books until further notice.
You did not reply to that letter. Instead you sent me a bill for forty two pounds, and a set of the plays of Schiller, in German. Since then, a new set of books has arrived every two weeks, the works of Goethe, the poems of Milton, the plays of Strindberg; I hardly know what I have. The books are still all in their boxes, in the garage, and my car has to stand in the rain outside.
I have no room for any more books, and even if I read from now until the Last Judgment, I should not finish reading all the books that you have sent me.
Please send no more books, send no more bills, send no more angry letters demanding payment. Just send one large lorry and take all the books away, leaving me only with the one set of the complete works of Shakespeare for which I have paid.
Yours faithfully,
SIMON WALKER Simon Walker wrote the letter to ________
| A．urge for the final solution to the problem with the unwanted books. |
| B．complain about getting books he didn’t want. |
| C．advise readers not to order books from Cosmo Books Ltd.. |
| D．show his anger to Cosmo Books Ltd.. |
The advertisement that Mr. Walker saw in the Morning Mail was for ________
| A．unlimited number of Cosmo Books. |
| B．fifteen pounds and fifty pence. |
| C．a set of 10 books of the works of Shakespeare. |
| D．a book containing all the plays and poems of Shakespeare. |
Mr. Walker answered the advertisement because ________
| A．he claimed that the books were being offered at a remarkable price. |
| B．he wanted a set of Shakespeare’s works which was a good bargain |
| C．he had ordered the set and had been waiting for them to come for some time. |
| D．the set he already had was not particularly attractive. |
It can be inferred that _______
| A．Cosmo Books have sent bills for books that they have not sent. |
| B．Several sets of books have been sent to Mr. Walker free of charge. |
| C．Mr. Walker hasn’t received the books that he ordered. |
| D．Mr. Walker took some action after receiving the books he did not order. |
. The tone of the letter is that of _______
| A．bitterness | B．respect | C．humor | D．annoyance |
阅读下面短文，并根据题目要求用英语回答问题（请注意问题后的字数要求）。
Diana Rae of Tenino, Washington, demonstrates Virtual (虚拟的)Urgent Care with Dr. Ben Green in Seattle, who consults with her via Skype.
Telemedicine is the name for when doctors give advice to patients by telephone or the Internet, or when health care providers in rural areas connect with specialists in big cities.
Telemedicine has existed for a long time, but the rise of smartphone, tablets and webcam-equipped computers is raising telemedicine to new levels. Some health care systems in the United States now offer Virtual Urgent Care, patients see a doctor by video chat without having to leave home.
Diana Rae is a nurse educator in the western state of Washington. She recently demonstrated how Virtual Urgent Care works. She used an iPad tablet and Skype — the video chat service.
“Hi, yes, my name is Doctor Ben Green, among the doctors with Franciscan Virtual Urgent Care.”
Doctor Green has the patient describe her symptoms. Then the doctor performs a physical exam by demonstrating what he wants her to do. Doctor Green decides that the problem is an infection. For medicine, he advises penicillin, a common antibiotic drug for viruses. He says about 3 out of 4 patients who have health problems can be treated like this — through Virtual Urgent Care, which means a video chat could replace a visit to the doctor’s office.
The Franciscan Health System is based in Tacoma, Washington. Franciscan charges $35 for this kind of virtual house call, that is much less than the cost of going to an emergency room, a doctor’s office or an urgent care clinic.
After trying the video conference, Diana Rae says she would be happy to pay the 35 dollars, when she was recently home with a bad cold. “I would’ve paid twice that for the convenience of getting taken care of without having to sit in a waiting room, wait, and get exposed to everyone else’s germs.” Rae said.
But a company official says state rules have not kept progress with development in telemedicine. The workers who provide Virtual Urgent Care must be licensed separately in each state where the company does business. For now, that means Franciscan doctors can treat patients in Washington state and California, for example, but not in neighboring Oregon or Idaho.What is helping telemedicine to rise to new stages? (No more than 8 words)
What does the underlined word “infection” mean? (No more than 5 words)
Why would Diana Rae be happy to pay Virtual Urgent Care even more? (No more than 10 words)
Why can’t Virtual Urgent Care develop fast now? (No more than 10 words)
What do you think of Virtual Urgent Care’s future? Why? (No more than 20 words)
Negative self talk and negative energy can affect you in many ways and cause you additional stress. Because of this, developing more positive self talk is an important way to reduce stress in your life. You can help yourself maintain a positive frame of mind 一which will help with positive self talk一by surrounding yourself with positive energy in your life. You can get that by adding some elements to your life.
Listening to music that not only has a pleasant melody, but an uplifting message, can be great for developing positive self talk. Have you ever had a song “stuck in your head” for a few hours or days, the lyrics (歌词) repeating themselves in your mind? If those lyrics were positive and inspirational, that would be a good thing. It’s a much better mental soundtrack to have than a running stream of complaints, criticisms of self-limiting thoughts, or even songs that had more depressing or sad lyrics.
Books on strength, personal power, enlightenment, or self help can be good resources to help you change your outlook and the things you say to yourself. Rather than bringing habitual self-defeating thoughts, you can find yourself thinking of new can-do concepts when times get tough.
One of the most important ways you can get and keep positive energy in your life is with the company you keep. Do your friends uplift you, or bring you down? Are they critical, or approving? Ideal friendships provide support when you’re down, fun when you’re up, wisdom when you’re lost. Good friends can inspire you to reach greater heights, and see your strengths even when you don’t always. Pay attention to how your friends make you feel, and if they’re less than supportive, start putting your energy and time toward people who are better suited to be your friends.
In addition, positive affirmations (肯定)can certainly change your self talk from negative to positive. Now, why not begin working positive affirmations into your life in some creative ways?What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．Adding some elements to your life. |
| B．Getting positive energy from the company you keep. |
| C．Changing your self talk with positive affirmation. |
| D．Reducing stress by surrounding yourself with positive energy. |
How many ways does the author suggest to maintain a positive frame of mind?
| A．3. | B．4. | C．5. | D．6. |
If you have something “stuck in your head”, you probably ________.
| A．keep thinking of this thing all the time |
| B．keep singing the same song for a long time |
| C．regard the lyrics of a song as positive |
| D．are developing positive self-talk |
According to the passage, your best company should be those who ________.
| A．uplift you or bring you down |
| B．encourage you to do things better |
| C．provide fun when you’re depressed |
| D．are supportive when you are strong |
What will probably be talked about in the following paragraph?
| A．How negative self talk influences a person. |
| B．How positive self talk reduces stress in one’s life. |
| C．Some great ways of making great friends. |
| D．Some creative ways of practicing affirmation. |
In most countries in the world, governments require children to attend schools in which trained teachers are responsible for educating the children using an approved curriculum. However, a sharply increasing number of parents believe that it is much better for their children to be educated at home by the people who know them and their needs best. Today, it is estimated that about one million home schooled children in the United States and tens of thousands of other learners around the world are learning outside of school. Now that home schooling is growing worldwide, the real-world experiences of learners show that schools are not always necessary for learning.
Therefore, an increasing number of parents are deciding that home schooling is the best option for their children. They are unhappy with the quality or depth of education offered in the schools, or have other reasons why they feel that conventional schools (some people would rather call “normal schools” or “traditional schools”) are not suitable for their children. One reason is social factors. Parents worry that their children will suffer from bullying(欺负) or will be forced into bad behavior by peer pressure. They believe that the good behavior they have taught the child will be lost in school. Another reason is concern over the quality of schooling available. Schools frequently have large classes and they are often under-funded and stuffed with teachers without sufficient knowledge of their subjects. In the third place, other parents may disagree with the aims of the school curriculum, preferring for academic, social or cultural reasons to keep their children separate.
However, there are many arguments in favor of sending children to conventional schools. The first is that the children will be exposed to other children. And they will interact with each other and develop social skills. A second point is that the children will learn to function outside the family. They will not be dependent on their parents for their educational, emotional and social needs. A third point is that the children will find it easier to integrate (融入) when they finish school, as they eventually will, when they start work or college.
All in all,while many parents work hard to teach their children at home, conventional schools are still the right choice for most children. Schools are not perfect, but they seem to be a proven way of preparing our children for the real world. After all, education is not only about learning facts and figures, but also about learning how to survive socially.It seems that more and more people come to realize that ______.
| A．teachers should know their students’ needs better. |
| B．children should be educated at school. |
| C．children should learn by themselves. |
| D．children should be educated at home. |
What is the main idea of the second paragraph?
| A．The reasons why parents choose home schooling. |
| B．Parents care much for their young children. |
| C．Parents are forced to accept home schooling. |
| D．The quality of education at conventional school is bad. |
Which of the following is most likely to be the disadvantage of conventional schools according to the parents who choose home schooling?
a. The children will make bad friends.
b. The children may behave badly.
c. There is a lot of academic pressure.
d. There are too many students in a class.
| A．a, b | B．a, d |
| C．b, c | D．b, d |
One of the advantages of the conventional schools is that the students ______.
| A．have to meet each other every day |
| B．will be independent of their educational needs |
| C．can develop their practical skills |
| D．have a better chance of going to college |
According to this passage, the author's attitude towards conventional schooling is ________.
| A．disapproving |
| B．supportive |
| C．puzzled |
| D．suspicious |
It was the small hours of the morning when we reached London Airport. I had rung London from Amsterdam, and there was a hired car to meet, but there was one more unfortunate happening before I reached my flat. In all my travels I have never, but for that once, been required by the British customs to open a single bag or to do more than state that I carried no goods liable to duty, or rather, to declare. It was, of course, my fault; the extreme tiredness and nervous tension of the journey had destroyed my normal state of mind. I was, for whichever reason, so tired that I could hardly stand, and to the question, “have you read this?” I replied with extreme foolishness, “Yes, hundreds of times.”
“And you have nothing to declare?”
“Nothing.”
“How long have you been out of this country?”
“About three months.”
“And during that time you have acquired nothing?”
“Nothing but what is on the list I have given you.”
He seemed momentarily at a loss, but then he attacked. The attack, when it came, was completely unexpected.
“Where did you get that watch?”
I could have kicked myself. Two days before, when playing water games with a friend in the bath, I had forgotten to take off my ROLEX OYSTER, and it had, not unnaturally, stopped. I had gone into the market and bought, for no more than ten pounds, an ugly time piece that made a strange noise. It had stopped twice, without any reason, during the journey.
I explained, but I had already lost face. I produced my own watch from a pocket, and added that I should be grateful if he would confiscate the replacement.
“It is not a question of confiscation; you will have it,” he said, “there is a fine for failing to declare dutiable goods. And now may I please examine that Rolex?”
It took another quarter of an hour to persuade him that the Rolex was not contraband(走私品); then he began to search my luggage.What can we conclude from the questions asked by the customs officer?
| A．He wanted to embarrass the writer. |
| B．He was just fulfilling his duty by asking the passenger some usual questions. |
| C．He must have noticed the writer’s new watch. |
| D．He can’t have noticed the writer’s tiredness. |
What did the writer think of the watch he bought in the market?
| A．He was fond of the watch because it was a Rolex. |
| B．He will replace the Rolex with the new watch. |
| C．He found the watch useful though it was very cheap. |
| D．He didn't like the watch at all. |
What does the underlined word “confiscate” mean?
| A．turn away |
| B．throw away |
| C．put away |
| D．take away |
What must have happened to the writer in the end?
| A．He must have spent a long time at the customs but escaped punishment. |
| B．His Rolex must have been confiscated. |
| C．He must have been given a fine as a punishment. |
| D．His cheap watch must have been confiscated. |
What do you think is the tone of the story?
| A．Serious. | B．Critical. |
| C．Humorous. | D．Objective. |
Chris Waddell wants to climb Kilimanjaro in a wheelchair; George Del Barrio wants to make a film in Cambodia; Jeff Edwards wants to write a book: they want you to fund their dreams.
A website called Kickstarter.com is making it possible for people like this to raise money from a few hundred to tens of thousands of dollars to fund anything that catches the imagination of Internet users with a little money to spare.
It worked for Emily Richmond, a 24-year-old living in Los Angeles who plans to sail solo around the world for two years. She's raised $ 8,142 from 148 people who'll receive gifts such as photos from the trip or a telephone call when she crosses the equator (赤道).
“This was a perfect learning experience for my daughter,” Landon Ray said, adding that he also dreamed of sailing the world himself.
Jason Bitner’s plan for $ 7,500 to pay for a film about the small Midwestern town of La Porte, was so popular that it raised $ 12,153. It's about a record of pictures by a photographer who died in 1971. About a third of his supporters were friends and family. Others include people of La Porte but also people from as far as Australia.
“It’s a creative marketplace,” said Jonathan Scott Chinn, who is collecting $16,500 to make a short film. “You’re given the opportunity to make yourself known, and if it’s really interesting, it’ll take off.”
Independent singer & songwriter Brad Skistimas, 26, has been using the Internet for eight years to promote his one-man band Five Times August. He used Kickstarter to raise $ 20,000 to help his new album Life As A Song.
“It’s a great way to get in touch with fans,” Skistimas said. “I was marketing to my own fans, so I said ‘If you want more music from me, now’s a great time to help me out’” .According to the text, Kickstarter. com is a website _______.
| A．to fund people travelling around the world |
| B．to collect money to realize special dreams |
| C．to help people deal with any trouble |
| D．to support its users to communicate online |
What do we know about Emily Richmond?
| A．She has finished her solo sail. |
| B．She has planned for two years. |
| C．Her solo sail needs about $ 8,142. |
| D．Her solo sail will last about two years. |
Emily Richmond's success showed that ________.
| A．one needs to attract interest when collecting money. |
| B．it is very easy to collect money |
| C．sending photos is good to thank supporters |
| D．it is a hard learning experience |
According to Brad Skistimas, Kickstarter. com is a good place _____.
| A．to make more music |
| B．to make a film about himself |
| C．to make an advertisement about him |
| D．to sell his new album Life As A Song |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．The Internet Is a Big Market |
| B．The Internet Is a Bank for Your Life |
| C．The Internet Helps Sell Your Products |
| D．The Internet Can Help Fund Your Dream |