Human beings are the most intelligent of all animals because we are gifted with the ability to think and reason logically. Scientists and even common people with special intelligence have made a lot of inventions and contributions to modern lifestyle in the past. “Houses” have been the most popular area for discoveries and inventions in the past and even now.
Many household items have been the result of inventions of people who desired better functioning of the existent products. Every individual has intelligence and if it is used properly for the right purpose it leads to invention of a new tool or device. Many new household inventions are made almost every day and there are specific companies, which particularly keep a record of all these inventions.
A lot of inventions have been made recently in the household field. These products are patented(专利的)and have trade mark licenses(许可). The patented sliding cinch is a very simple but effective method to prevent shoulder stress and injury for those who work before computers all day long. Vanity PC is a type of computer furniture that specifically hides all the computer wires and keeps a clean and good look. All the outdoor dust, mud and snow can be kept out of the house by installing(安装)the dirt drain(排水管)at the entrance of the door. Another important invention is the automatic toilet night-light, in which a small light starts when the lid of the toilet seat is opened and closes as soon as the lid is closed.
These are some of the new household inventions invented mostly by common people. Thus, a variety of new household items are invented every day, which helps in a better functioning of household chores and in a more useful manner.The first paragraph tells us the importance of _________.
| A．the particular changes in houses |
| B．human beings’ role in making inventions |
| C．the advantages of modern lifestyle |
| D．the difference between human beings and animals |
What plays the most important role in causing people to invent new things?
| A．To earn more money and gain awards. |
| B．To be recorded by some special companies. |
| C．To improve the present living conditions. |
| D．To meet the new demands of new science. |
It can be inferred that the sliding cinch is used to _________.
| A．prevent your shoulder from being over-pressured |
| B．keep your shoulder safe and sound when you are in an accident or an operation |
| C．help you practice your shoulder more often and reduce shoulder pains |
| D．cover your shoulder and make it stronger to resist the outside strike |
Common people can also make good inventions because __________.
| A．wisdom and inspiration sometimes come from everyday life |
| B．some inventions are easy to be made and can be mastered by common people |
| C．common people have a strong desire to do something for science research |
| D．success is often connected with hardship and bitter experience of common people |
The passage is mainly talking about _________.
| A．the correct use of household facilities |
| B．different ideas about household inventions |
| C．the history of household inventions |
| D．household inventions and their influence |
A sobbing little girl stood near a small church from which she had been turned away because it “was too crowded.” “I can’t go to Sunday School,” she sobbed to the pastor (牧师) as he walked by. Seeing her shabby appearance, the pastor guessed the reason, and, taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday School class. The child was so touched that she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus.
Some years later, this child lay dead in one of the poor buildings and the parents called for the kindhearted pastor, who had befriended their daughter, to handle the final arrangements. As her poor little body was being moved, a worn purse was found which seemed to have been picked up from some trash dump. Inside was found 57 cents and a note scribbled in childish handwriting which read, “This is to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday School.”
For two years she had saved for this offering of love. When the pastor tearfully read that note, he knew instantly what he would do. Carrying this note, he told people the story of her unselfish love and devotion.
A newspaper learned of the story and published it. It was read by a Realtor who offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands. When told that the church could not pay so much, he offered it for 57 cents.
Church members made large donations. Checks came from far and wide. Within five years the little girl’s gift had increased to $250,000, a huge sum for that time.
When you are in the city of Philadelphia, look up Temple Baptist Church, with a seating capacity of 3,300 and Temple University, where hundreds of students are trained. Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses hundreds of Sunday scholars, so that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside during Sunday school time. Why did the girl have a purse with 57 cents?
| A．To save money for her future career. |
| B．To build a large building for more children to live in. |
| C．To help build a church big enough for every child to go to. |
| D．To remind people to make remarkable history. |
How did a Realtor help the church?
| A．He made the story known to the public by publishing it. |
| B．He sold a land to the church for free. |
| C．He offered the church a piece of land for 57 cents. |
| D．He raised money for the church. |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．Church members donated because of their desire for a big church. |
| B．The girl’s unselfish love was rewarded at last. |
| C．The pastor found 57 cents saved by the little girl. |
| D．Temple Baptist Church, Temple University, Good Samaritan Hospital and a Sunday School building all belong to the small church the little girl went to. |
. What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．57 Cents | B．A little girl’s wish |
| C．Pastor and Girl | D．A bigger Church |
If practicing an attitude of gratitude(感激） during the storms of life is too much for you right now, that’s OK. When things are tough, most people have a hard time being thankful. They're so caught up in what's wrong in the present moment that they simply can't see some things are still right.
If that's true for you, then accept it. You're going through a particularly difficult or unhappy period of time, and don't like it one bit. Very normal, very human. But remember this: there is always something to be grateful for. It may be only a small comfort right no, but it is a start. Make a list of some of the terrible things that didn't happen. For example:
You're in debt... but you're not homeless.
You lost your job... but you didn't lose your health. You broke your leg... but you didn't break your neck.
Your mother has Alzheimers disease... but your father doesn't.
No matter how bad things are, they could always be worse. Start finding gratitude for what might have happened, but didn't. It does help a lot. Of course, you may not be thankful for everything- but you can always be thankful for something.How many "terrible things that didn't happen" are listed in this passage?
| A．Two | B．Three | C．Four | D．Five |
The writer thinks it ____ for people to feel unhappy in time of difficulty.
| A．necessary | B．normal | C．great | D．helpful |
.What is the purpose of this passage?
| A．To discuss ways to make a list of terrible things |
| B．To explain what is gratitude towards the storms of life. |
| C．To persuade people to be thankful for what didn't happen. |
| D．To show people different ways to consider their tough situations. |
. How is the passage organized?
| A．Explanation―Comparison―Topic |
| B．Argument―Opinion―Discussion |
| C．Comparison―Argument―Explanation |
| D．Introduction―Discussion―Conclusion |
Mark Zukerberg is the founder and CEO of Facebook, an extremely popular social working website that started in the United States.
Now, millions of student users visit Facebook daily and the website is one of the top ten widely visited sites on the Internet worldwide. College and high school students use Facebook to communicate with friends and share both information and pictures for free. The company earns money through advertising.
Many other companies have been rumored(谣传）to be interested in buying Facebook. Just a few years after Mark started the company, he was approached by Terry Semel, who was the CEO of Yahoo. Terry offered Mark one billion dollars($1,000,000,000) to sell Facebook to Yahoo. Mark said no, though. He stands behind his dreams at the very beginning. He knows the value of the company could fall down; however, he is in this to build something unbelievable, not be bought out by another company.
Maybe he was smart. Now Facebook is rumored to be worth billions of dollars and bigger companies like Microsoft or Google want a share of the company. Some private firms are also interested. Facebook could sell 15billion dollars if Mark decides to sell it at all. Perhaps Mark will just keep working from his California office to continue his dream of building something cool..Facebook makes money from _____ .
| A．members | B．advertisements | C．pictures | D．students |
.Terry Semel was the CEO of _______.
| A．Microsoft | B．Facebook | C．Google | D．Yahoo |
.Which of the following words best describes Mark Zukerberg according to the passage?
| A．Determined | B．Humorous | C．Gentle | D．Selfless |
Is there anything more important than health? I don’t think so. “Health is the greatest wealth(财富),” wise people say. You can’t be good at your studies or work well when you are ill.
Speaking about health, I can’t help telling you a funny story.
An old gentleman came to see the doctor. The man was very ill. He told the doctor about his weakness, memory loss and serious problems with his heart and lungs. The doctor examined him and said there was no medicine for his disease.
He told his patient to go to a quiet place for a month and have a good rest. He also advised him to eat a lot of meat, drink two glasses of red wine every day and take long walks. In other words, the doctor advised him to follow the rule: “Eat at pleasure, drink with measure and enjoy life as it is.” The doctor also said that if the man wanted to be well again, he shouldn’t smoke more than one cigarette a day.
A month later the gentleman came into the doctor’s office. He looked cheerful and happy. He thanked the doctor and said that he had never felt a healthier man.
“But you know, doctor,” he said, “it’s not easy to begin smoking at my age.”The writer thinks that .
| A．health is more important than wealth |
| B．work is as important as studies |
| C．medicine is more important than pleasure |
| D．nothing is more important than money |
. The doctor usually tells his patient what to do .
| A．without examining the patient |
| B．after he has examined the patient |
| C．if the patient doesn’t take medicine |
| D．unless the patient feels pain |
The underlined part means “ ”.
| A．he will be well again | B．he wasn’t a healthy man |
| C．he was feeling worse than before | D．he was feeling better than ever |
From the last sentence of the passage, we learn the man before the doctor told him not to smoke more than one cigarette a day.
| A．didn’t smoke | B．has smoked so much |
| C．was a heavy smoker | D．began to learn to smoke |
Mini Book Excerpts（节选）
Biography
When Salinger learned that a car park was to be built on the land, the middle-aged writer was shocked and quickly bought the neighboring area to protect it… The townspeople never forgot the rescue and came to help their most famous neighbor.
J. D. Salinger：A Life by Kenneth Slawenski（Random House,$27）Mystery（疑案小说）
“You’re a smart boy. Benny’s death was no accident, and you’re the only who saw it happen. Do you think the murderer should get away with it ? ”The boy was staring stubbornly at his lap again.
A thought suddenly occurred to Ammika,“ Did you …You recognized the man in the car, didn’t you?”
The boy hesitated, twisting his fingers,“ Maybe,” he said quietly.
Red Wolf by Liza Marklund（Atria Books, $25. 99）
Short Stories
She wants to say to him what she has learned, none of it in class：Some women are born stupid, and some women are too smart for their own good. Some women are born to give ,and some women only know how to take. Some women learn who they want to be from their mothers, some who they don’t want to be. Some mothers suffer so their daughters won’t. Some mothers love so their daughters won’t.
You Are Free by Danzy Senna （Riverhead Books,$15）
Humor
Do your kids like to have fun? Come to Fun Times! Do you like to watch your kids having fun? Bring them to Fun Times! Fun Times!’s “amusement cycling”is the most fun you can have, legally, in the United States right now. Why spend thousands of dollars flying to Disney World when you can spend less than half to that within a day’s drive of most cities?
Happy And Other Bad Thoughts by Larry Doyle（Ecco,$14. 99）. If the readers want to know about the life of Salinger , they should buy the book published by .
| A．Ecco | B．Atria Books | C．Riverhead Books | D．Random House |
. The book Happy And Other Bad Thoughts is intended for.
| A．young children | B．Disney World workers |
| C．middle school teachers | D．parents with young children |
. Which book describes women with characters of their own?
A. Happy And Other Bad Thoughts
B. J. D. Salinger: A Life
C. You Are Free
D. Red Wolf After finishing the book Red Wolf, the readers would learn that .
| A．the boy helped arrest the murderer |
| B．Benny died of an accident |
| C．the murderer got away with the crime |
| D．Ammika carried out the crime |