In March 1987, I started a new magazine called Creating Excellence. It was a very proud moment for me. I’d worked hard for over a year to create it, and the premiere issue (首次发刊) was a real success.
Shortly after we mailed 25,000 copies, I received one in the mail. But this one wasn’t as beautiful as the ones we’d sent out. It was marked in red ink correcting the grammatical errors (语法错误) in it. A talented editor had read the issue carefully and found more errors than I could have imagined.
I felt abashed. A magazine called Creating Excellence should be perfect in its content (内容). The stories were good, but the errors this woman had found showed that we were far from being excellent.
At first, I was upset with my editor for not having caught more mistakes, and also upset with the woman who seemed to have taken pleasure in pointing them out. Later, I was upset with myself for not having employed a better editor.
Then I realized that I had to face up to my mistakes. I called the woman who had shown me that we were not so excellent. I thanked her for taking the time to read our magazine so carefully. As painful as it was, I accepted responsibility for it.
Then I offered her the job of editing our publication. The result was a great improvement in it; we could now be very proud of our magazine.
From this I learnt that an upsetting moment could be an opportunity to see the truth, and accepting responsibility could help to prevent one making the same mistakes for a second time, and to make "excellence" a reality.From the first paragraph we learn that _____.
| A．the author put little effort into his first magazine |
| B．the author’s job was selling magazines |
| C．the author was very satisfied with his work |
| D．the author experienced a total failure |
What does the underlined word "abashed" mean?
| A．excited. | B．embarrassed. | C．interested. | D．exhausted. |
What do we learn about the woman who had found the errors in the magazine?
| A．She was causing trouble on purpose. |
| B．She liked pointing out the errors of others. |
| C．She contributed a lot to the success of the premiere issue. |
| D．She ended up joining the magazine. |
What do we learn from this passage?
| A．Pride is the biggest enemy of success. |
| B．Success is behind many failures. |
| C．Picking holes in something can help you find a job. |
| D．Accepting responsibility for one’s errors can lead to real excellence. |
第三部分阅读理解（共20小题，满分40分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳项。
To Whom It May Concern:
My husband and I got married in 1965 and for the first ten years of our marriage I was very happy to stay at home and raise our three children. Then four years ago, our youngest child went to school and I thought I might go back to work.
My husband was very supportive and helped me to make my decision. He emphasized all of the things I can do around the house, and said he thought I could be a great success in business.
After several weeks of job-hunting I found my present job, which is working for a small public relations firm. At first, my husband was very proud of me and would tell his friends, "My clever little wife can run that company she's working for."
But as his joking remark approached reality, my husband stopped talking to me about my job. I have received several promotions and pay increases, and I am now making more money than he is. I can buy my own clothes and a new car. Because of our combined incomes, my husband and I can do many things that we had always dreamed of doing, but we don't do these things because he is very unhappy.
We fight about little things and my husband is very critical of me in front of our friends. For the first time in our marriage, I think there is a possibility that our marriage may come to an end.
I love my husband very much, and I don't want him to feel inferior（自惭形秽）, but I also love my job. I think I can be a good wife and a working woman, but I don't know how. Can you give me some advice? Will I have to choose one or the other or can I keep both my husband and my new career?
Please help. "Distressed"
1. The letter was most probably written ________.
A. in 1975 B. around 1980 C. four years ago D. in 1965
2. Her husband ________ when she first found her present job.
A. was very critical of her B. felt disappointed
C. was proud of her D. was happy but critical
3. What does the underlined word "promotion" mean?
A. scolding B. criticism C. prize D. advancement
4. As her income increased, ________.
A. she found a gap（分歧）emerged（显露）between her and her husband
B. she bought more clothes and a house
C. she did the many things she and her husband dreamed of
D. she felt very proud of herself
Bored by the Chinese courses he was majoring in, Zuo Cheng, 18, couldn't imagine having to drag himself into class day after day, week after week, for four years. The Beijing Language and Culture University student decided that enough was enough. After rounds of examinations and interviews, he managed to transfer (转移) to the Department of International Accounting.
"It may seem like I've wasted a year and have to start college all over again, but now that I've settled on a field, I'll be able to concentrate." Zuo said. Zuo is not alone.
At the China Three Gorges University in Yichang in Hubei province 53 out of 59 students in the Physics Department took transfer exams last term. Unfortunately only 22 of them got a place on another major.
Jiang Xin, 20, who was able to switch to electrical engineering and automation from physics, said that physics graduates had few other choices besides going into teaching. He added that a career in education just didn't suit him.
"I should have better job prospects (前景) and the chance to earn more money once I graduate," Jiang said. Many first year college students find their majors uninteresting.
However, Shao Yanfang, who works at the admissions office of a university, advised students to consider both short-term and long-term goals. "After graduation do you want to find yourself in a job very specifically related to your college major? Or, would you like to possess the knowledge and skills that will enable you to work in many areas? These are the questions students need to consider. Above all, your choice of major should be based on your own interests, abilities and personality," Shao said.
1. After Zuo Cheng managed to transfer the collage major, he felt________.
A. sad B. happyC. nervous D. pitiful
2. Which of the following statements is true?
A. A lot of students are not accustomed to the life on campus.
B. Students who attend university want to earn more money.
C. Students can change their major based on their interests.
D. Students who are weak in their study can change their major.
3. In the passage, Paragraph 3 functions as ________.
A. an example B. an introduction C. a conclusion D. an explanation
4. According to Shao Yanfang, students are supposed to think about ________ when changing majors.
A. present knowledge and skills B. short-term and long-term goals
C. future earnings and jobs D. relationship between friends
5. The text is written mainly for those ________.
A. Company managers B. Job hunters
C. Collage directors D. College students
For more than two decades, Oprah Winfrey has been the change-your-life champion who ruled over daytime television much like Johnny Caron once ruled late night.
However, now she’s ready to say goodbye, Wimfrey told viewers Friday that The Oprah Winfrey Show would close in September 2011 after 25 years on the air.
“I love this show. This show has been my life. And I love it enough to know when it’s time to say goodbye,” Winfrey said, holding back tears.
Winfrey’s show “is one of daytime television’s very foundations,” said Larry Gerbrandt an analyst for the firm Media Valuation Partners in Los Angeles. “Stations build their schedules around her. They gave it the best time period and used it to promote other shows.”
Winfrey offered no specific plans for the future, except to say that she intended to produce the best possible shows during the final two years.
“I just wanted to say whether you’ve been here with me from the beginning or you joined me last week, I want you all to know that my relationship with you is one that I hold very dear,” she said. “Your trust in me and the sharing of your precious time every day with me have brought me the greatest joy I have ever known.”
The Oprah Winfrey Show’s open atmosphere and frank conversation determined the talk show style and made Winfrey one of the most influential women in the US as well as the wealthiest black woman in the world.
“She has had great effects on today’s society. She’s just part of every one’s life,” said Yasmeen Elhaj, a 19-year-old student from Chicago.
1. Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?
A. Winfrey’s Contributions to TV Show
B. Winfrey’s Show to Close in the Year 2011
C. Winfiey’s Great Influence in the USA
D. Winfrey’s Support for Black People
2. Winfrey’s talk show has lasted________.
A. nearly 25 years B. less than 20 years
C. no more than 20 years D. more than 25 years
3. What can be inferred from the passage?
A. Winfred will change her show style in the coming years.
B. Winfrey will have some other specific plan for the future.
C. Winfred does promote some other shows after her retirement.
D. Winfrey appreciates every moment she has with her viewers.
4. Which of the following can best describe Oprah Winfred?
A. Energetic and funny. B. Friendly and clever.
C. Frank and influential. D. Active and changeable.
Drinking a lot of water does not do any good to the body, according to two experts in the United States. In fact, they warn, drinking too much water could be, in certain Cases, harmful.
In a study, Dr Stanly Goldfarb and Dr Dan Negoianu, both of the Renal, Electrolyte and Hypertension Division at the University of Pennsylvania, the United States, have denied the popular belief that drinking a lot of water clears body toxins (毒素) better, improves skin, and helps reduce weight.
Dr Goldfarb and Dr Negoianu say that they found little proof to support the public opinion that drinking 8 glasses of water every day benefits health. At the same time, they found little proof of harm in drinking 8 glasses of water every day.
It is widely believed that in some cases — such as athletes, people who live in hot, dry environments, and those with certain medical conditions — drinking a lot of water indeed helps, but no studies have been done to prove the benefits of this practice in average, healthy people, the website medheadlines. com reports.
The study at the University of Pennsylvania also examined reports that some people experienced increased headaches when their consumption of water was low. In one small study, which the doctors reviewed, the group drinking the most water reported fewer headaches than the control group, “but the difference in the number of headaches was so small between the two groups as to be considered unimportant.”
The researchers concluded that there is no scientific proof to support that average, healthy people need to drink at least 8 glasses of water each day.
The website medheadlines. com says that, according to an Indian doctor, drinking too much water is harmful. If water enters the body more quickly than it can be removed, problems can occur.
1. What’s the key message delivered in the passage?
A. Drinking too much water might bring harm.
B. Whether to drink enough water makes no difference.
C. Drinking too much water may cause headaches.
D. Average, healthy people should drink more water.
2. We can learn from the passage that 8 glasses of water every day ________.
A. proves good for the body B. has scientific proof of harm
C. is sure to reduce headaches D. is generally considered necessary
3. Who may agree that drinking lots of water helps to lose weight?
A. Two experts. B. General public.
C. An Indian doctor. D. A website.
4. According to the passage, we know that ________.
A. the website medheadlines. com is developed by an Indian doctor
B. the study was carried out by two experts with an Indian doctor
C. the two experts performed the study at the University of Pennsylvania
D. drinking 8 glasses of water every day can cure certain diseases
Central London Bus Guide This guide includes maps showing where buses and Night buses run in Central London and major tourist attractions. This guide is not available to download.
Tube Toilet Map The locations of toilet and baby changing equipment on the Tube (地铁) network. You can download the Tube Toilet map.
Step-free Tube Guide Tube and DLR stations with step-free access from the street and information about the step and gap between the platform and the train. Where you can change step-free between different Tube lines and between Tube and National Rail services. You can also download the Step-free Tube guide.
River Thames Boat Services A guide to entertainment and business river services with maps, places of interest and useful information. You can also download River Thames boat services.
Getting Around London - your guide to accessibility A complete guide to accessibility on all means of transport, including a guide to Freedom Passes, Journey Planner and interactive maps. You can also download the Getting around London - your guide to accessibility.
Taxi and Private Hire Guide The taxi and private hire guide includes information on taxis and other private hire services in London, including details and how to make a complaint. You can also download the taxi and private hire guide.
1. If you download something about ________, you will fail.
A. Central London Bus Guide B. Getting Around London
C. River Thames Boat Services D. Step-free Tube Guide
2. Which of the following statements is right?
A. Young mothers have no places to get their babies changed on tube.
B. Disabled people have no access to tube and national rail services.
C. You can enjoy transport service in London before planning your journey.
D. You can complain about the taxi and private hire services in London.
3. The information above is mainly about ________.
A. places of interest B. traveling in London
C. transport advantages D. journey planning