We tried so hard to make things better for our kids but we made them worse. For my naughty boys, I’d know better. I’d really like for them to know about hand-me-down clothes and home-made ice cream and leftover meatloaf. I really would.
My cherished boys, I hope you learn humility (谦逊) by surviving failure and that you learn to be honest even when no one is looking. I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in. I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother. And it is all right to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl (爬) under the covers (被子) with you because he’s scared, I hope you’ll let him. And when you want to see a Disney movie and your kid brother wants to tag along, I hope you take him.
I hope you have to walk uphill with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely. I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books, and when you learn to use computers, you also learn how to add and subtract (减) in your head.
May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on the stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole (旗杆). I hope you get sick when someone blows smoke in your face. I don’t care if you try beer once, but I hope you won’t like it.
I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your grandpa or go fishing with your uncle.
I hope your father punishes you when you throw a baseball through a neighbor’s window, and that your mother hugs you and kisses you when you give her a plaster of pared mold (一个石膏模型) of your hand.
These things I wish for you—tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness.Who wrote the letter?
| A．A grandmother. | B．A grandfather. | C．A father. | D．A mother. |
What does the author hope for the boys?
| A．they learn a lesson from a fight with others. |
| B．they know how to calculate with computers. |
| C．they get on well with family members. |
| D．they burn their hand on the stove and stick their tongue on a frozen flagpole. |
It can be inferred from the text that the boys _________________.
| A．often fight with others | B．are to develop good qualities |
| C．always keep their grandpa company | D．score high in the exam |
Why does the author write the letter?
| A．To show the boys it’s not easy growing up. |
| B．To teach the boys dos and don’ts on the way growing up. |
| C．To help the boys to avoid making mistakes on the way growing up. |
| D．To encourage the boys to fully experience life on the way growing up. |
Fifteen years ago, I entered the Boston Globe, which was a temple to me then . It wasn’t easy getting hired. I had to fight my way in to a dime-a-word job. But once you were there, I found , you were in .
Globe jobs were for life-guaranteed until retirement. For 15 years I had prospered there—moving from an ordinary reporter to foreign correspondent and finally to senior editor. I 
would have a lifetime of security if I struck with it.
Instead, I had made a decision to leave.
I entered my boss’s office. Would he rage? I wondered. He had a famous temper. “Matt, we have to have a talk, ” I began awkwardly. “I came to the Globe when I was twenty —four. Now I’m forty . There’s a lot I want to do in life. I’m resigning. ”
“To another paper? ” he asked.
I reached into my coat pocket, but didn’t say anything, not trusting myself just then.
I handed him a letter that explain everything. It said that I was leaving to start a new media company. That the Globe had taught me in a thousand ways. That we were at a rare turning point in history, I wanted to be directly engaged in the change.
“I am glad for you , ” he said , quite out of my expectation. “ I just came from a board of directors meeting and it was seventy-five percent discouraging news. Some of that we can do deal with. But much of it we can’t ,” he went on. “I wish you all the luck in the world, ”be concluded. “And if it doesn’t work out , remember ,your star is always high here.”
Then I went out of his office, walking through the newsroom for more good-byes. Everybody was saying congratulations. Everybody—even though I’d be risking all on an unfamiliar venture : all 
the financial security I had carefully built up.
Later, I had a final talk with Bill Taylor, chairman and publisher of the Boston Globe. He had turned the Globe into a billion-dollar property.
I’m resigning, Bill, ” I said. He listened while I gave him the story. He wasn’t looking angry of dismayed either. After a pause, he said, “Golly, I wish I were in your shoes.” From the passage we know that the Globe is a famous .
| A．newspaper | B．magazine | C．temple | D．church |
If the writer stayed with the globe, .
| A．he would be able to realize his lifetime dreams |
| B．he would let his long favourite dreams fade away |
| C．he would never have to worry about his future life |
| D．he would never be allowed to develop his ambitions |
The writer wanted to resign because.
| A．he had serious trouble with his boss |
| B．he got underpaid at his job for the Globe |
C．he wanted to work in the new media industry |
| D．he had found a better paid job in a publishing house |
By “I wish I were in your shoes. ”(in the last paragraph), Bill Taylor meant that.
| A．the writer was to fail | B．the writer was stupid |
| C．he would do the same if possible | D．he would reject the writer’s request |
China is the biggest market in the world, and many countries such as Germany, the USA, the UK and Russia do a lot of business in China. Let’s have a look at some important tips to help you be successful when dealing with these nationalities,
First, you must be punctual(准时的) with Germans. Even 5 minutes late makes a bad impression. Being punctual is also very important in the USA. In the UK, it’s important to be punctual for business meetings, but nobody expects you to be on time for a social event. Half past seven really means a quarter to eight, or even eight o’clock! With Russians, you should always be on time, though it is not unusual for them to be one or even two hours late!
It is best to dress formally and wear dark colours when you meet people from all the four countries. In Russia, designer clothes are very common.. Don’t be surprised if you go to an office in the UK on a Friday and find everyone wearing jeans. Many companies have "dress down Friday", when people wear casual (随便的) clothes.
In Germany, first names are only used by family members and close friends, so be prepared to use titles and last names. In the USA you will usually be invited to use first names almost immediately. The British are quite informal and using first names in business is more and more common, especially among younger people. In Russia, however, nobody uses first names, so use titles and last names.
In conversation, the British and the Americans value humour, and both like to talk about sport. The weather is also a good topic of conversation with the British and the Americans, but avoid talking about politics. In Russia, say positive (积极的)things about their country, but avoid making complaints（抱怨）. The Germans, however, prefer to get straight down to business!
So, use these tips, and you will be on your way to a successful international business career!Which color should you NOT wear when meeting a person from the USA?
| A．Dark blue. | B．Gray. | C．Black. | D．White. |
All of the following statements are true EXCEPT ________.
| A．you can say something funny when you talk to an American |
| B．you can use his first name when you talk to an Englishman |
| C．you must be on time when you meet people from each of the four countries |
| D．people wear whatever they like on Friday in some companies in the UK |
When you talk to a Russian, you can ________.
| A．complain about something |
| B．say something negative about his country |
| C．say something good about his country |
D． point out some disadvantages in politics |
The tips in this passage are probably given to people from ______.
| A．China | B．the USA | C．Germany | D．the UK |
If you don’t use a dictionary. What should you do instead? The first thing you can do is trying to guess what the word means. Often the surrounding context gives a very clear idea of the meaning of the word. Even if you can’t work out the meaning exactly, you may be able to get a vague idea, enough to enable you to continue reading.
Sometimes It is impossible to guess the meaning of a word from the context and then you will have to decide whether the word is important enough to make it worthwhile stopping and looking it up in a dictionary or whether you can just pass it by.
Many times in your reading, you will come across words which you don’t know, but which do not prevent you from understanding all the main points of the text. You can made your dictionary use much more efficient if you only look up the words which are necessary to understand the text. and this means that you must develop the skill to decide whether the words are worth looking up.The passage mainly tells us in our reading what we would do.
| A．without knowledge of English |
| B．when we look up words in a dictionary |
| C．when we are guessing new words |
| D．without using a dictionary |
What does the underlined word“vague”mean?
| A．Mysterious. | B．Not clear. | C．Exact. | D．Important. |
In our reading some words we don’t know.
| A．help us to understand the text well |
| B．don’t prevent us from understanding the main points of the text |
| C．will be remembered forever |
| D．are borrowed from other languages |
In this passage the writer
| A．advised us to use the dictionary as much as possible |
| B．told us not to be discouraged by the sight of a dictionary |
| C．gave us some advice on how to deal with these unknown words |
| D．introduced some ways to take notes in the course of reading |
What do you know about the sea? We know that it looks very pretty when the sun is shining on it. We also know that it can be very rough when there is a strong wind. What other things do we know about it?
The first thing to remember is that the sea is very big. When you look at the map of the world you will find there is more water than land. The sea covers three quarters of the world.
The sea is also very deep in some places. It is not deep everywhere. Some parts of the sea are very shallow. But in some places the depth of the sea is very great. There is one spot, near Japan, where the sea is nearly 11 kilometers deep! The highest mountain in the world is about 9 kilometers high. If that mountain were put into the sea at that place, there would he 2 kilometers of water above it ! What a deep place !
If you have swum in the sea, you know that it is salty. You can taste the salt. Rivers, which flow into the sea, carry salt from the land into the sea. Some parts of the sea are saltier than other parts. There is one sea, called the Dead Sea, which is very salty. It is so salty that swimmers cannot sink! Fish cannot live in the Dead Sea!
In most parts of the sea, there are plenty of fishes and plants. Some live near the top of the sea. Others live deep down. There are also millions of tiny living things that float in the sea. These floating things are so small that it is hard to see them. Many fish live by e
ating these.
The sea can be very cold. Divers who go deep down in the sea know this. On the top the water may be warm. When the diver goes downwards, the sea becomes colder and colder. An
other thing happens. When the diver goes deeper, the water above presses down on him. It squeezes him. Then the diver has to wear clothes made of metal. But he cannot go very deep. Some people who wanted to go very deep used a very strong diving ship! They went down to the deepest part of the sea in it. They went down to a depth of eleven kilometers !When does the sea look beautiful?
| A．When it is calm. | B．When the weather is fine. |
| C．When there is a strong wind. | D．When there is a storm. |
How much of the earth’s surface does land cover?
| A．15%. | B．25%. | C．30%. | D．45%. |
Why does the writer cite（引用） the sea somewhere near Japan?
| A．To show that the sea in some places is very deep. |
| B．To show that the sea in some places is very shallow. |
| C．To show that its depth is 9 kilometers greater than the height of the highest mountain. |
D．To show that its depth is 11 kilometers greater than the height |
of the highest mountain.Which of the following statements about the Dead Sea is NOT true?
| A．Swimmers cannot sink. | B．It is a safe place for swimmers. |
| C．It is extremely salty. | D．Fish  can be found in it. |
In China, tea is a traditional drink, which is not only good for your health but can also enrich your mind. The following are some information of teahouses.
Guozijian Yicheng Teahouse
Run by two beautiful girls who play the seven-stringed guqin, this place is elegant and classic. Guests here not only enjoy fragrant(芬芳的)tea but also the beautiful music of guqin.
Address : No. 8, Guozijian Avenue，Dongcheng District
Minghui Teahouse
Located in an old temple, this teahouse will provide you a place of serenity. The teahouses here are divided into six private（私人的） ro
oms so guests can be ful
ly relaxed in the comfortable environment. The workers are all dressed in traditional clothes of the Qing Dynasty. When enjoying a cup of tea, you may feel your troubles have disappeared.
Address : Inside Dajue Temple, Haidian District
Peng Chacha
Besides fragrant tea, this place is also famous for its entertainment facilities(娱乐设施) as it offers playing cards, chess and many other games. Guests here can enjoy tea while chatting and playing games. On the first floor, there are many kinds of nuts and snacks to try. And the second floor has many small rooms, which offer more privacy for conversation.
Address : No. 549, Jianhe Road, Changning District
Taihe Teahouse
Showcasing（展览） a lot of special furniture from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, this place attracts many people who appreciate traditional Chinese culture. As for the tea, its selection and quality may be beyond your imagination. Even the water for making tea is transported from the famous Hutiao Spring in Hangzhou.
Ad
dress: No. 569,Pudong Avenue, Pudong New DistrictIf you want to enjoy the music Of guqin while drinking tea, you must go to __.
| A．Taihe Teahouse | B．Guozijian Yicheng Teahouse |
| C．Peng Chacha | D．Minghui Teahouse |
The underlined word" serenity" probably means ＿＿.
| A．calm and peace | B．anxiety and tiredness |
| C．noise and sorrow | D．joy and happiness |
Which of the following is the one that the guests can NOT do in Peng Chacha?
| A．Enjoying tea. | B．Playing games. | C．Watching plays. | D．Chatting. |
We know from the text that ＿＿.
| A．drinking tea is not good for your health but can enrich your mind |
| B．the workers in Peng Chacha are all dressed in traditional clothes of the Qing Dynasty |
| C．there are many kinds of nuts and snacks to try on the second floor in Peng Chacha |
| D．the water for making tea in Taihe Teahouse is transported from the famous Hutiao Spring in Hangzhou |