"When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I survived at all． It was, of course, a miserable childhood． The happy childhood is hardly worth your while． "Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood． And worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood．" That was Frank McCourt reading the opening lines of his book Angela's Ashes, released in nineteen ninety-six．
This Irish American author best known for the Pulitzer Prize-winning autobiography Angela's Ashes that recorded his poor upbringing, died of cancer on Sunday, The New York Times reported． He was 78．
Born in New York City, he was the eldest of seven children born to Irish immigrant parents． Angela's Ashes was a memoir that captured an irresponsible, drunkard father with a gift for story-telling． When not drunk, his father was absent, turning his back on a family so poor, McCourt wrote, that they were reduced to burning the furniture in their rented hut to keep warm． His mother struggled to raise her many children after his father left the family．
Already struggling when the Great Depression hit, the family moved back to Limerick, where they slipped ever deeper into poverty in the 1930s．
Three of McCourt's siblings died of diseases worsened by hunger and the wretchedness of their surroundings． McCourt himself almost died of typhoid（伤寒的） fever as a child．
In Angela's Ashes, he wrote of hunger, a home flooded with rainwater and the unbearable humiliation of seeking handouts from charities in the Irish city． But he told the story in a way that is expressive, warm and light-hearted．
Frank McCourt left Ireland at the age of nineteen to return to New York City where he was born． He earned a degree in- English education and taught creative writing for nearly thirty years． After retiring in nineteen eighty-seven, he decided to write about his childhood． "Angela's Ashes" became a huge success and brought McCourt a 1997 Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Critics Circle Award and other honors． Millions of copies of the book were sold worldwide and it was adapted into a 1999 movie starring Emily Watson and Robert Carlyle．What's the text mainly about?
| A．A brief introduction to Frank McCourt and one of his works． |
| B．A literary review on Frank McCourt's book Angela's Ashes． |
| C．An account of Frank McCourt's miserable childhood. |
| D．A comment on Frank McCourt's life experience． |
By saying "The happy childhood is hardly worth your while", the writer really means that ．
| A．a lot of readers don't deserve happy childhood |
| B．his childhood is not worth of others' sympathy |
| C．his childhood is mixed with happiness and misery |
| D．smooth childhood surely will not draw readers' attention |
From the passage, we know Frank McCourt's father is ．
| A．humorous and trustworthy | B．alcohol-addicted but loves his family |
| C．poor but warm-hearted | D．irresponsible but gifted in telling stories |
What does the underlined word "handouts" mean in the 6th paragraph?
| A．Reliefs． | B．Compensations． |
| C．Leaflets． | D．Teaching materials． |
How often do you let other people like a bad driver, a rude waiter, or an angry boss, change your mood (情绪)?
Sixteen years ago I learned a lesson. I got in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane (车道) when all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver used his brakes (车闸), the tires made a loud noise, and at the very last moment our car stopped just 3cm from the back of the other car.
I couldn’t believe it. But then I couldn’t believe what happened next. The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, turned his head around and he started shouting at us. I couldn’t believe it!
My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. So, I said, “Why did you just do that? This guy could have killed us!” And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, “The Law of the Garbage Truck”. He said, “Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of anger and disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they look for a place to dump (倾倒) it. And if you let them, they’ll dump it on you.
So I started thinking how often I let Garbage Trucks run right over me and how often I take their garbage and spread it to other people.
I began to see Garbage Trucks. I see the load people are carrying. I see them coming to dump it. And like my taxi driver, I don’t take it personally. I just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on.What happened to the author on his way to Grand Central Station?
| A．He was caught in a traffic jam. |
| B．He had a fight with his taxi driver. |
| C．His taxi suddenly got a flat tire. |
| D．His taxi almost ran into another car. |
When the author saw his taxi driver smile and wave at the driver of the black car, he ______.
| A．got very angry |
| B．was deeply impressed |
| C．felt quite disappointed |
| D．praised him for his manners |
The underlined part “the load” in the last paragraph probably refers to _______.
| A．waste materials | B．poor habits |
| C．the bad mood | D．great pressure |
How did the author learn to deal with Garbage Trucks?
| A．Fight back immediately. |
| B．Call the police for help. |
| C．Smile and move on. |
| D．Dump it on someone else. |
Leadership is the most significant word in todays competitive business environment because it directs the manager of a business to focus inward on their personal abilities and style．Experts on leadership will quickly point out that“how things get done”influences the success of the outcomes and indicates a right way and a wrong way to do things．When a noted leader on the art of management，Peter Drucker,coined the phrase“Management is doing things right；leadership is doing the right things，”he was seeking to clarify the distinctions he associates with the terms．
When Stephen Covey,founder and director of the Leadership Institute，explored leadership styles in the past decade，he focused on the habits of a great number of higllly effective individuals．His Seven Habits of Highly Effective People became a popular bestseller very quickly. His ideas forced a reexamination of the early leadership example，which centered on the feature that was found in the character ethic(道德)and the personality ethic．The former ethic suggested success was founded on modesty,loyalty,courage，patience，and so on. The personality ethic suggested it was one’s attitude，not behavior,that inspired success, and this ethic was founded on a belief of positive mental attitude．In contrast to each of these ideas，Covey advocates that leaders need to understand universal principles of effectiveness，and he highlights how vital it is for leaders to first personally manage themselves if they are to enjoy any hope of outstanding success in their work environments；To achieve a desired vision for your business，it is essential that you have a personal vision of where you are headed and what you value．Business leadership means that managers need to“put first things first,” which implies that before leading others，you need to be clear on your own values，abilities，and strengths and be seen as trustworthy．What does Peter Drucker’s phrase infer?
| A．Leaders should be good at making right decisions． |
| B．Leaders should be good at doing things right． |
| C．Leaders should be good at ignoring distinctions． |
| D．Leaders should be skilled in predicting future． |
Under what condition are people likely to succeed，in terms of what the personality ethic suggests?
| A．When people have little determination，they will be successful． |
| B．When people have good behaviour，they will gain success． |
| C．If people have positive mental attitude, they are likely to succeed． |
| D．If people have negative mental attitude，they are certain to succeed． |
How Can leaders enjoy outstanding success in their work environments，according to Stephen Covey?
| A．Firstly they have to think highly of themselves． |
| B．They are supposed to benefit themselves． |
| C．They can not adjust themselves． |
| D．First they must manage themselves． |
What is the meaning ofthe underlined word “vision”?
| A．Bright future． | B．Good beginning． |
| C．Good scenery． | D．Pretty background． |
To be good leaders．what must managers Pay close attention to?
| A．Universal principles of effectiveness． |
| B．Values，abilities and strengths． |
| C．Good qualities such as modesty． |
| D．Courage as well as patience． |
Global warming happens when greenhouse gases trap heat and light from the sun in the earths atmosphere, which increases the temperature. This is like when heat is trapped in a car. On a hot day, the car gets hotter when it is out in the parking lot. This is because the heat and light from the sun can get into the car, by going through the windows，but it can’t get back out. This is what the greenhouse effect does to the earth .The heat and light can get through the atmosphere, but it can’t get out. As a result，the temperature rises.
Sometimes the temperature can change in a way that helps us. The greenhouse effect makes the earth appropriate for people to live on. Without it，the earth would be freezing，or it would be burning hot. It would be freezing at night because we would not get the sun’s heat and light .During the day, especially during the summer, it would be burning because the sun would be up with no atmosphere to filter(过滤)it，so people，plants，and animals would be exposed to all the light and heat.
Although the greenhouse effect makes the earth able to have people living on it，if there gets to be too many gases，the each can get unusually warmer, and many plants，animals．and people will die. Plants would die because they would not be able to take the heat .This would cause us to have less food to eat,and it would also limit the food that animals have. With less food for the animals that we need to survive we would even have less food. Gradually,people，plants，and animals would all die of hunger．
People are doing many things to try to stop global warming .One thing is carpooling—driving with someone to a place that you are both going to. Another thing is being more careful about leaving electrical devices turned on. Now,more people are even riding buses or bikes to lower the amount of greenhouse gases in the air .Although adults do many things to help stop global warming,kids call do just as much.By the example given in Paragraph l, the author wants to__________.
| A．explain how global warming happens. |
| B．show his feeling in a car in hot summer. |
| C．tell us cars are causes of greenhouse gases. |
| D．say that I there are greenhouse gases in every car. |
The underlined worditin Paragraph 2 refers to__________.
| A．light | B．greenhouse effect |
| C．temperature | D．heat |
What is the effect of atmosphere?
| A．It only traps the heat of the sun. |
| B．It does great harm to humans. |
| C．It makes the earth neither too hot nor too cold. |
| D．It prevents all the light from the sun shining on the earth. |
What is the main idea of the third paragraph?
| A．lf there is greenhouse effect,all the plants will die |
| B．Human beings are likely to disappear from the earth |
| C．Crops can’t take in the heat lf there is greenhouse effect |
| D．Although greenhouse effect is necessary,too much of it will cause us to die. |
What will the author most probably discuss in the paragraph that follows?
| A．What kids can do to help stop global warming. |
| B．Who should be responsible for the environmental problems. |
| C．What global warming is doing to the environment. |
| D．Why cars and buses pollute the air a lot. |
Researchers are finding new ways to save snakebite victims.Experts discussed the latest findings during a recent conference.
Scientists in Australia have shown that a chemical called nitric oxide could increase the chances of surviving a poisonous snakebite.The scientists injected rats with a deadly amount of snake venom.Then they rubbed an ointment(软膏)containing nitric oxide on the skin around the injection site.The study found that the rats lived about one-third longer than if nitric oxide had not been used.But the treatment had to be started very quickly.
Dirk van Helden led the research.He says the nitric oxide ointment also showed promise in humans.The study appeared earlier this year in the journal Nature Medicine.Scientists say the findings could help save many lives.A recent study found that poisonous snakes cause as many as ninety-four thousand deaths worldwide each year.But Ulrich Kuch of the Biodiversity and Climate Research Center in Frankfurt,Germany,says that number appears to be low.
Mr Kuch says many deaths could be prohibited if snakebite victims are treated correctly,but they often go to traditional healers or do not seek any help at all.He said,“Sometimes it’s because there is no treatment available—no antivenom(抗蛇毒血清),which is the specific(特殊的)drug to treat snakebites—or health care staff do not know how to treat snakebites,and sometimes its because transportation to get to a health facility is not available or too expensive.
Here is no single antivenom that can be used to treat all snakebites.The antivenom must be specific to the kind of snake that bit the person.In some countries the treatment is costly,while in others there is no such treatment.What is this passage mainly about?( )
| A．Snakebite deaths around the world. |
| B．Progress in fighting snakebite deaths. |
| C．Snakebite treatment around the world. |
| D．The chances of surviving a poisonous snakebite. |
After being rubbed an ointment containing nitric oxide,the rats .
| A．suffered no pain | B．died immediately |
| C．lived a little longer | D．started feeling uncomfortable |
What does Paragraph 3 suggest?( )
| A．The number of deaths caused by snakebites is becoming lower each year. |
| B．The nitric oxide ointment has saved thousands of people’s lives. |
| C．It is very important to find an effective way to treat snakebites. |
| D．The number of deaths caused by snakebites worldwide is low. |
What does the underlined word “prohibited” in Paragraph 4 mean?( )
| A．caused. | B．considered. |
| C．examined. | D．prevented. |
What is implied in the last paragraph?( )
| A．Antivenom can be made very easily. |
| B．It’s very important to use the correct antivenom to treat snakebite victims. |
| C．Antivenom is extremely expensive all over the world. |
| D．A person bitten by a snake will survive as long as there is antivenom. |
A painting by Chinese artist Qi Baishi set a record for modern art and calligraphy (书法) on the mainland when it sold for 425.5 million yuan at an auction (拍卖) on May 22. The sale was a milestone (里程碑) in the auction of modern and contemporary artworks.
The price meant its value had risen more than 2,000 per cent in six years. The work , Eagle standing on pine tree with four-character coupleti（对联）, measures about 2.6 metres by 1 metre . It was the second highest price paid for an artwork on the mainland . A Song dynasty work by Huang Tingjian was sold for 436.8 million yuan in 2010. Qi’s painting was finished in 1946 when Qi was 86, and was his largest work . With a starting price of 88 million yuan, it attracted nearly 50 bids（出价）in half an hour. Shanghai businessman Liu Yiqian said that the work had belonged to him and had cost less than 20 million yuan in 2005. The auction company said the work was brought back to the mainland after being bought from a private owner in San Francisco six years ago.
China ranked first in global art sales last year, ahead of the United States and Britain . Four Chinese artists were among the top 10 in worldwide sales: Qi Baishi , Zhang Daqian, Xu Beihong and Fu Baoshi. Qi’s works ranked second in sales to Pablo Picasso’s last year . Qi was born into a peasant family in Hunan in 1864. He taught himself to paint and focused on nature including plants, insects, birds and fish. He is mostly well-known for his paintings of shrimps. In 1953, he was elected president of the Association of Chinese Artists. He died in Beijing in 1957.What’s the best title of the text ?
| A．Qi Baishi’s Painting Was Discovered . |
| B．Qi Baishi’ s Painting Was Brought Back . |
| C．Qi Baishi’s Painting Sets an Auction Record . |
| D．The Value of Qi Baishi’s Paintings Is on the Increase . |
Whose artwork sold for the highest price on the mainland ?
| A．Qi Baishi’s . | B．Huang Tingjian’s |
| C．Xu Beihong’s . | D．Zhang Daqian’s . |
The auction price of Qi’s painting was _____ million yuan higher than the starting price in the auction .
| A．337.5 . | B．348.8 . | C．50 . | D．11.3 . |
Which of the following is TRUE ?
| A．Qi finished the painting when he was young . |
| B．The painting was once stolen by an American . |
| C．The owner of this painting Liu Yiqian gained a lot of money . |
| D．Pablo Picasso’s works ranked second in sales to Qi’s last year . |
The text is most probably taken from a _____.
| A．computer book | B．library guide |
| C．technology magazine | D．newspaper report |