Long bus rides are like television shows. They have a beginning, a middle, and an end with commercials thrown in every three or four minutes. The commercials are unavoidable. They happen whether you want them or not. Every couple of minutes a billboard glides by outside the bus window. "Buy Super Clean Toothpaste.” Drink Good Wet Root Beer.” Fill up with Pacific Gas.” Only if you sleep, which is equal to turning the television set off, are you spared the unending cry of "You Need It! Buy It Now!"
The beginning of the ride is comfortable and somewhat exciting, even if you’ve traveled that way before. Usually some things have changed new houses, new buildings, sometimes even a new road. The bus driver has a style of driving and it’s fun to try to figure it out the first hour or so. If the driver is particularly reckless （鲁莽的） or daring, the ride can be as thrilling （惊心动魄的） as a suspense story. Will the driver pass the truck in time? Will the driver move into the right or the left hand lane? After a while, of course, the excitement dies down. Sleeping for a while helps pass the middle hours of the ride. Food always makes bus rides more interesting. But you’ve got to be careful of what kind of food you eat. Too much salty food can make you very thirsty between stops.
The end of the ride is somewhat like the beginning. You know it will soon be over and there’s a kind of expectation and excitement in that. The seat of course, has become harder as the hours have passed. By now you’ve sat with your legs crossed, with your hands in your lap, with your hands on the armrests even with your hands crossed behind your head. The end comes just at no more ways to sit.According to the passage, what do the passengers usually see when they are on a long bus trip?
| A．Advertisements on the billboards. | B．Films on television. |
| C．Buses on the road. | D．Gas stations. |
What is the purpose of this passage?
| A．To explain how bus trips and television shows differ. |
| B．To persuade you to take a long bus trip. |
| C．To give the writer’s opinion about long bus trips |
| D．To describe the billboards along the road. |
The writer of this passage would probably favor .
| A．bus drivers who aren’t reckless | B．driving alone |
| C．no billboards along the road | D．a television set on the bus |
The writer feels long bus rides are like TV shows because .
| A．they both have a beginning, a middle, and an end, with commercials in between |
| B．the commercials both on TV shows and on billboards along the road are fun |
| C．the drivers are always reckless on TV shows just as they are on buses |
| D．both traveling and watching TV are not exciting. |
The writer thinks that the end of the ride is somewhat like the beginning because both are .
| A．comfortable | B．exciting | C．tiring | D．boring |
One day, Jack’s parents told him that his grandpa would retire （退休） after working for forty years．Jack said in surprise, “I’m only seven, so it means Grandpa has been … er… A really long time!”
His parents said, “Yes．That’s why we are going to have a surprise party for him．”
Jack loved his Grandpa and wanted to do something special for him．He remembered the business card his grandpa had given him two years before．He knew that his grandpa would no longer have the position （职位） on that card, so he decided to build a new one for his grandpa．
When the big day came, Jack was ready．But he didn’t want to put his gift together with others’．He carried it around with him the whole evening．
When all the other people left, he took his grandpa’s hand and brought him over to a chair and gave him the gift．
His grandpa smiled, “Well, it must be a beautiful gift．May I open it now?” “Sure!” Jack said excitedly．
As Grandpa opened the gift, tears （眼泪） came into his eyes．Jack gave him the greatest gift he had ever got! They were business cards with his new position: FULL-TIME GRANDPA! Jack said, “Now your full-time job is my grandpa!”
“Well, how much do I get paid?” his grandpa asked, smiling．“As many hugs （拥抱） as you want!” With these words, Jack gave Grandpa a hug．“Well, I guess that means I’m the richest man in the world!” said Grandpa．What did Jack decide to do for his grandpa?
| A．To build a new position for him． |
| B．To draw a picture for him． |
| C．To sing a song for him． |
| D．To buy a gift for him． |
Which of the following is TRUE?
| A．Jack was the first one to give his gift to his grandpa． |
| B．Jack was the last one to give his gift to his grandpa． |
| C．Jack gave his gift to his grandpa together with other people． |
| D．Jack gave his gift to his grandpa together with his parents． |
Why were there tears in Grandpa’s eyes?
| A．Because he would lose his position． |
| B．Because he was not cared for． |
| C．Because he was moved by Jack’s gift． |
| D．Because he was unhappy． |
Farmer John and Farmer Bob were neighbours．For more than 30 years, they had been getting along very well．
Then their good relationship broke．It began with a small thing, then bitter words, and then weeks of silence．One morning Farmer John woke up to find a stream between the two farms．“It must be Bob,” John thought．
Then one day there was a knock on John’s door．He opened it to find a carpenter（木匠） standing at the doorway．
“I’m looking for a few days’ work,” the carpenter said．
“I do have a job for you,” John said．“Look across the stream at that farm．That’s my neighbour Bob．He dug a stream between the two farms．I want you to build a fence—an 8-foot fence．I don’t want to see his place or his face any more．I don’t have such a neighbour!”
The carpenter said, “I think I know what to do, sir, and I’ll be able to do a job that pleases you．”
Farmer John helped the carpenter get the materials（材料） ready and then he was off for the day．
About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job．The farmer’s eyes opened wide．There was no fence there at all!
It was a bridge! And the neighbour, Bob, was coming across, with his hand outstretched（伸出）．“Hi, John! You’re quite a fellow to build this bridge!”
Then they met in the middle, taking each other’s hands．“I’m terribly sorry for what I have said and done．We should be good to each other．” said Farmer Bob．
Then they turned to see the carpenter, who was ready to go．“No, wait! Stay a few days．I have a lot of other jobs for you,” said Farmer John．“I’d love to stay,” the carpenter said, “but I have more bridges to build．”What does the sentence “You’re quite a fellow to build this bridge!” mean?
| A．John was great to build this bridge． |
| B．John was not good at building bridges． |
| C．John was foolish to build such a bridge． |
| D．John should build the bridge earlier． |
What do you think of the carpenter?
| A．Shy． | B．Wise． | C．Proud． | D．Careless． |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．What a Big Fence! | B．A Strong Bridge |
| C．Three Kind Men | D．A Fence or a Bridge? |
Italian Lakes and Greek Islands（12Days)
Prices starting from $1，999
Your tour begins in Milan, Italy, and moves on to the pretty Italian Lake District and the attractive resort（胜地）of Stresa, your home for two nights. Collette Vacations has carefully chosen the Costa Victoria as your home away from home for your 7-night journey along the waterways of the Mediterranean. The cruise ship is filled with the warmth and culture of Italy and is richly designed with entertainment（娱乐）areas and very good living conditions. It will take you to the places of your dreams.
You’ll spend 4 days touring Greek cities you’ve always heard about. In Katakolon, you will have the only unguided tour to nearby Olympia on the whole journey. Then with a local guide you will visit the Greek islands of Santorini, which is often related to the story of the lost city of Atlantis, and Mykonos, a wonderful island with beautiful beaches.
Your journey ends in Verona, home of the love story Romeo and Juliet, with a fun-filled farewell dinner—a perfect ending to a pleasant journey.
12Day, 25Meals: 10Breakfasts, 6 Lunches, 9Dinners
Day 1Overnight flight to Italy
Day 2-3Regina Palace, Stresa, Italy
Day 4-10Costa Victoria（Costa cruises）
Day 11Hotel Leopardi, Verona, Italy
Day 12Leave for home
Please Note:
| Leaving date |
Price for one person |
| April 7 |
＄2, 099 |
| June 2 |
＄2, 199 |
| October 6 |
＄2, 099 |
| November 3 |
＄1, 999 |
How is the journey planned?
| A．It starts and ends in Italy. |
| B．It starts and ends in Greece. |
| C．It starts in Italy and ends in Greece. |
| D．It starts in Greece and ends in Italy. |
What can be inferred from the travel plan?
| A．The price may get lower than those in the plan. |
| B．The prices include three meals a day. |
| C．The price is the highest in summer. |
| D．The prices include entertainment service. |
What does the underlined part “the Costa Victoria” most probably refer to?
| A．A famous hotel. | B．A beautiful resort. |
| C．A comfortable ship. | D．A long-distance bus. |
Tourists will travel on their own in .
| A．Stresa | B．Olympia |
| C．Mykonos | D．Verona |
Some children are natural-born bosses. They have a strong need to make decisions, manage their environment, and lead rather than follow. Stephen Jackson, a Year One student, “operates under the theory of what’s mine is mine and what’s yours is mine,” says his mother. “The other day I bought two new Star Wars light sabers(剑). Later, I saw Stephen with the two new ones while his brother was using the beat-up ones.”
“Examine the extended family, and you’ll probably find a bossy grandparent, aunt, uncle or cousin in every generation. It’s an inheritable trait,” says Russell Barkley, a professor at the Medical University of South Carolina. Other children who may not be particularly bossy can gradually gain dominance（支配地位）when they sense their parents are weak, hesitant, or in disagreement with each other.
Whether it’s inborn nature or developed character at work, too much control in the hands of the young isn’t healthy for children or the family. Fear is at the root of a lot of bossy behavior, says family psychologist John Taylor. Children, he says in his book From Defiance to Cooperation, “have secret feelings of weakness” and “a desire to feel safe.” It’s the parents’ role to provide that protection.
When a “boss child” doesn’t learn limits at home, the stage is set for a host of troubles outside the family. The overly willful and unbending child may have trouble obeying teachers or coaches, for example, or trouble keeping friends. It can be pretty lonely as the top dog if no one likes your bossy ways.
“I see more and more parents giving up their power,” says Barkley, who has studied bossy behavior for more than 30 years. “They bend too far because they don’t want to be as strict as their own parents were. But they also feel less confident about their parenting skills. Their kids, in turn, feel more anxious.”Bossy children like Stephen Jackson .
| A．make good decisions |
| B．show self-centeredness |
| C．lack care from others |
| D．have little sense of fear |
. The study on bossy behavior implies that parents .
| A．should give more power to their children |
| B．should be strict with their children |
| C．should not be so anxious about their children |
| D．should not set limits for their children |
Bossy children may probably become .
| A．relaxed | B．skillful |
| C．hesitant | D．lonely |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．How bossy behavior can be controlled. |
| B．How we can get along with bossy children. |
| C．What leads to children’s bossy behavior. |
| D．What effect bossy behavior brings about. |
Researchers are placing robotic dogs（机器狗）in the homes of lonely old people to determine whether they can improve the quality of life for humans. Alan Beck, an expert in human-animal relationship, and Nancy Edwards, a professor of nursing, are leading the animal-assisted study concerning the influence of robotic dogs on old people’s depression, physical activity, and life satisfaction. “No one will argue that an older person is better off being more active, challenged, or stimulated（刺激）,”Edwards points out. “The problem is how we promote（使……成为现实）that, especially for those without friends or help. A robotic dog could be a solution.”
In the study, the robot, called AIBO, is placed for six weeks in the houses of some old people who live alone. Before placing AIBO in the home, researchers will collect baseline data for six weeks. These old people will keep a diary to note their feelings and activity before and after AIBO. Then, the researchers will review the data to determine if it has inspired any changes in the life of its owner.
“I talk to him all the time, and he responds to my voice,” says a seventy-year-old lady, “When I’m watching TV, he’ll stay in my arms until he wants down. He has a mind of his own.”
The AIBOs respond to certain orders. The researchers say they have some advantages over live dogs, especially for old people. Often the elderly are disabled and cannot care for an animal by walking it or playing with it. A robotic dog removes exercise and feeding concerns.
“At the beginning, it was believed that no one would relate to the robotic dog, because it was metal and not furry(毛皮的).” Beck says. “But it’s amazing how quickly we have given up that belief.”
“Hopefully, down the road, these robotic pets could become a more-valuable health helper. They will record their masters’ blood pressure, oxygen levels, or heart rhythms. AIBOs may even one day have games that can help stimulate older people’s minds.”The purpose of Beck and Edwards’ study is to__________.
| A．understand human-animal relationship |
| B．make lonely old people’s life better |
| C．find the causes of old people’s loneliness |
| D．promote the animal-assisted research |
In the research, the old people are asked to__________.
| A．note the activities of AIBOs |
| B．keep AIBOs at home for 12 weeks |
| C．record their feelings and activity |
| D．analyze the collected information |
What is the advantage of AIBO over live dogs?
| A．It is easier to keep at home. |
| B．It can help the disabled people. |
| C．It responds to all the human orders. |
| D．It can watch TV with its owner. |
The author seems to suggest that the future robotic dogs may__________.
| A．cure certain diseases |
| B．keep old people active |
| C．change people’s beliefs |
| D．look more like real dogs |