Last year, on report card day, my son and a group of his 13-year-old friends piled into the back seat of my car, ready for the last-day-of-school party at McDonald's. “Jack got a laptop for getting straight A's, and Laurie got a cell-phone,” one boy said. “Oh, yeah, and Sarah got an iPod Nano, and she's only in third grade,” said another. “And how about Brian? He got $10 for each A.”
I suddenly became concerned. These payoffs might get parents through grammar school, but what about high school and beyond? What would be left after the electric guitar, the cell-phone, and the DVD player?
I saw the road ahead: As the homework load increased, my income would decrease. I saw my comfortable lifestyle disappear before my eyes---no more of those $5 bags of already-peeled organic（施有机肥料的）carrots. No more organic anything!
I started to feel surprised and nervous. Would every goal achieved by my two children fetch a reward? A high grade point average? A good class ranking? Would sports achievements be included in this reward system: soccer goals, touchdowns（橄榄球底线得分）? What about the orchestra（管弦乐队）? Would first chair pay more than second? I'd be penniless by eighth-grade graduation.
“We never paid anything for good grades,” said my neighbor across the street, whose son was recently accepted at MIT. “He just did it on his own. Maybe once in a while we went out for pizza, but that's about it.”
Don't you just hate that? We're all running around looking for the MP3 player with the most updates, and she’s spending a few dollars on pizza. She gets motivation; we get negotiation. And what about the primary grades? What do these students get? “When the teacher asked if anyone got rewards for good grades, everyone in my class raised their hands and said they got ice cream cones (蛋卷),” said one third-grader.What's the best title for the passage?
| A．Tips on Paying Kids for Good Grades |
| B．New Trends in Paying Kids for Good Grades |
| C．Good Grades Mean Good Rewards |
| D．Don't Pay Kids for Good Grades |
What does the underlined sentence in the third paragraph probably mean?
| A．Taking care of my children would influence my work. |
| B．I would spend less money on my children's good grades. |
| C．More rewards would be needed as my children grow up. |
| D．Reducing my children's homework load would cost me a lot. |
It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
| A．if you buy children pizza as a reward, they will work harder |
| B．if you pay kids for good grades, they will take it for granted |
| C．children will not ask for rewards when they enter high school |
| D．good grades won't help kids make great progress in the future |
The author takes her neighbor as an example to show _______.
| A．pizza is the best way to motivate children |
| B．it is necessary to reward children for their good grades. |
| C．getting rewards for good grades is common nowadays |
| D．rewards are not the only way to motivate children |
The Iceberg Was Only Part ofIt
What doomed the Titanic is well known, at least in outline. On a moonless night of April 15, 1912, the ship hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic ,with 1,500 lives lost.
A century later many people presented new theories to explain the real reason for the disaster. Now two new studies argue that rare states of nature played major roles in the disaster.
The first says Earth’s nearness to the Moon and the Sun — a proximity not matched in more than 1,000 years — resulted in record tides that help explain why the Titanic met with so much ice, including the fatal iceberg.
Recently, a team of researchers found an apparent explanation in the heavens. They discovered that Earth had come unusually close to the Sun and Moon that winter, enhancing their gravitational pulls on the ocean and producing record tides. The rare orbits took place between December 1911 and February 1912 — about two months before the disaster came about. The researchers suggest that the high tides refloated masses of icebergs traditionally stuck along the coastlines of Labrador and Newfoundland and sent them adrift into the North Atlantic shipping lanes.
And a second, put forward by a Titanic historian from Britain, contends that the icy waters created ideal conditions for an unusual type of mirage(海市蜃楼) that hid icebergs from lookouts whose duty was to watch carefully for danger ahead and confused a nearby ship as to the liner’s identity, delaying rescue efforts for hours.
Most people know mirages as natural phenomena caused when hot air near the Earth’s surface bends light rays upward. In a desert, the effect prompts lost travelers to mistake patches of blue sky for pools of water. But another kind of mirage occurs when cold air bends light rays downward. In that case, observers can see objects and settings far over the horizon. The images often undergo quick distortions — not unlike the wavy reflections in a funhouse mirror.
Now, scholars of the Titanic are debating these new theories. Some have different opinions on it. Over all, though, many experts are applauding the fresh perspectives.The underlined word "It" in the title probably refers to _______.
| A．the Titanic | B．the cause of the disaster |
| C．the record tide | D．an unusual mirage |
According to Theory First, what was the right chain of causes leading to the Titanic’s disaster?
① record tides’ forming and icebergs’ being refloated
② icebergs’ being drifted into the North Atlantic shipping lanes
③ the Earth’s strange closing to the Sun and the Moon
④ increasing of the gravitational force on the ocean
| A．①→②→③→④ | B．②→③→④→① | C．④→③→②→① | D．③→④→①→② |
According to Theory Second, the disaster happened to the Titanic mainly because______.
| A．the freezing weather made the watcher not be able to watch clear |
| B．the mirage made the watcher not find icebergs and a nearby ship delay rescuing |
| C．the mirage on the sea attracted the watcher and made him forget his work |
| D．the high tides drove the icebergs float so fast that the watcher didn’t respond to them |
What is the chief function of the sixth paragraph?
| A．to explain to the readers the ways of the mirage forming |
| B．to infer the possibility of the mirage appearing |
| C．to summarize the various kinds of the mirage |
| D．to analyze the conditions of the mirage arising |
This passage is organized generally in the pattern of________.
| A．comparison and contrast | B．conclusion and proof |
| C．time and events | D．definition and classification（分类) |
The China Daily newspaper group is looking for English-language senior business editors, senior copy editors, copy editors and graphic designers to strengthen its international team. We offer a competitive salary package, accommodation with utilities paid for 90 percent, medical reimbursement, a seven-day paid leave, eleven-day public holidays and a return ticket to the country of residence.
Senior Business Editor
You must:
(1) Assist the business editor in setting goals and working on achieving them；
(2) Be an excellent team person who can generate ideas and think creatively and be able to rewrite totally if needed and mentor junior staff;
(3)Ideally have been working or have worked in a position of responsibility and understand what leadership entails；
(4) Have had at least five years’ editing experience working on editing the Business Desk and be familiar with industry software.
Senior Copy Editor
You must：
(1) Work on shifts in the Business Desk and usually have the last word before the page is sent to print；
(2) Edit or rewrite copy and give snappy headlines and captions；
(3) Have had at least two years’ editing experience working on editing desks and be familiar with industry software.
Copy Editor
You must：
(1) Be good at editing or rewriting copy and writing snappy headlines and captions；
(2) Be able to work on shifts for different pages, and usually have the last word before the page is sent to print；
(3) Have two years of editing experience working on copy desks, and be familiar with industry software.
Graphic Designer
You must:
(1) Have excellent skills in information graphics;(2) Be good at illustrations and freehand drawings;
(3) Be experienced in newspaper or magazine layouts
(4) Have a good sense of typography(活版印刷术).
(5) Have good new judgment;
(6)Be fluent in English.
For enquiries or to apply, write to job @ chinadaily.com.cn.What is the purpose of this passage?
| A．To describe the positions of the China Daily newspaper group. |
| B．To advertise for recruiting some good employees. |
| C．To describe the working conditions of the China Daily newspaper group. |
| D．To tell you how to become part of this group. |
What is not required about Graphic Designer?
| A．Be well-versed in Photoshop. |
| B．Writing snappy headlines and captions. |
| C．Have excellent skills in information graphics. |
| D．Having a good sense of typography. |
How many positions need editing experience?
| A．Two | B．One | C．Three | D．Four |
Which can be the best title of the passage?
| A．China Daily：New Employees Wanted |
| B．China Daily：Newspaper |
| C．China Daily：An International Team |
| D．China Daily：The Best Working Condition |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Free accommodations are available to the workers. |
| B．The workers there can enjoy a seven-day leave without pay. |
| C．The employees have the right to enjoy eleven-day public holidays. |
| D．The senior business editor’s only job is to help the business editor to set goals. |
Grandma Moses is among the most famous twentieth-century painters of the United States, yet she did not start painting until she was in her late seventies. As she once said to herself: " I would never sit back in a rocking chair, waiting for someone to help me." No one could have had a more productive old age.
She was born Anna Mary Robertson on a farm in New York State, one of five boys and five girls. At twelve she left home and was in domestic service until, at twenty--seven, she married Thomas Moses, the hired hand of one of her employers. They farmed most of their lives, first in Virginia and then in New York State, at Eagle Bridge. She had ten children, of whom five survived; her husband died in 1927.
Grandma Moses painted a little as a child and made embroidery (刺绣) pictures as a hobby, but only changed to oils in old age because her hands had become too stiff to sew and she wanted to keep busy and pass the time. Her pictures were first sold at the local drugstore and at a market and were soon noticed by a businessman who bought everything she painted. Three of the pictures exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art, and in 1940 she had her first exhibition in New York. Between the 1930's and her death, she produced some 2,000 pictures: detailed and lively portrayals of the country life she had known for so long, with a wonderful sense of color and form. "I think really hard till I think of something really pretty, and then I paint it" she said.According to the passage, Grandma Moses began to paint because she wanted to_______.
| A．make herself beautiful | B．become famous |
| C．earn more money | D．keep active |
Grandma Moses spent most of her life ________.
| A．nursing | B．painting | C．farming | D．embroidering |
The underlined word “portrayals ” means ________.
A. expressions B explanations C. descriptions . D. impressionsFrom Grandma Moses' description of herself in the first paragraph, it can be inferred that she was ________.
| A．pretty | B．nervous | C．rich | D．independent |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
| A．The Children of Grandma Moses. | B．Grandma Moses: Her Life and Pictures. |
| C．Grandma Moses: Her Best Exhibition. | D．Grandma Moses and Other Older Artists. |
Visitors to Fiji enjoy not only some of the world's best lagoons, with beautiful blue waters and the famous Rainbow Reef，but also rich history and culture spanning thousands of years．While you'll surely spend plenty of time on the beach in Fiji, why not check out some of these cultural destinations to get a sense of traditional life in Fiji?
The Meke is a native dance performed by indigenous Fijians wearing leis and grass skirts．Although similar in importance to the hula dance of Hawaiian the Meke is like nothing you'll see on any other island．Experiencing this culturally and historically significant dance is something that visitors to Fiji simply must do．
Indigenous Fijians are very proud of their heritage，something you'll notice immediately upon walking into the National Museum．The Fiji Museum is located in the beautiful botanical gardens of Suva，the capital city of Fiji. There，you'll find an archaeological collection dating back thousands of years，evidence of Fiji's long history．The lengthy history of Fiji can also be seen in its buildings, including the Parliament Houses and Sri Siva Subramaniya, a Hindu temple．
While you're in Suva to visit the Fiji museum，take plenty of time to absorb the local culture. Suva offers a very active nightlife, including live bands and other forms of entertainment. If you're looking for a Meke show，Suva is a good bet on any night of the week. The city is also a popular destination for tourists looking for souvenirs，including carved Tiki masks and statues．
Like any tropical island vacation, Fiji offers white sandy beaches，palm trees，and beautiful blue skies .If you're planning a variation to Fiji，don’t forget to schedule plenty of time to visit cultural and historical sites，and to take in the parts of Fiji that truly can’t be found anywhere else in the world．The word”lagoons”(in Paragraph 1)probably refers to “”.
| A．lakes | B．theatres | C．museums | D．stadiums |
Which of the following may be the main idea of the fourth paragraph?
| A．Suva is a modern city in the world． |
| B．Suva is a place well worth visiting． |
| C．Fiji's nightlife is especially active. |
| D．Fiji’s culture includes all kinds of art． |
This passage is most likely taken from．
| A．an advertisement | B．a news report |
| C．a research paper | D．a travel book |
It was an afternoon Truman would never forget．
Rayburn and his friend were talking in the office before Truman arrived. The telephone rang. It was a call from the White House asking whether Vice-President Truman had arrived yet. No, Rayburn replied. The caller asked to have him telephone the White House as soon as he arrived.
Truman entered a minute later. He immediately called the White House. As he talked, his face became white. He put down the phone and raced out of the door to his car.
Truman arrived at the White House within minutes. An assistant took him to the president’s private living area. Eleanor Roosevelt, the president’s wife, was waiting for him there. “Harry,” she said, “the president is dead.” Truman was shocked. He asked Mrs. Roosevelt if there was anything he could do to help her. But her reply made clear to him that his own life had suddenly changed. “Is there anything we can do for you ?” Mrs. Roosevelt asked the new president, “You are the one in trouble now.”
Truman had been a surprise choice for vice-president at the Democratic Party nominating convention in nineteen forty-four. Delegates considered several other candidates before they chose him as Roosevelt’s running mate. That was at a time when presidential candidates did not make their own choices for vice-president．
Harry Truman lacked the fame，the rich family and the strong speech-making skills of Franklin Roosevelt．He was a much simpler man．He grew up in the Midwestern state of Missouri．Truman only studied through high school but took some nighttime law school classes．He worked for many years as a farmer and a small businessman，but without much success．
Truman had long been interested in politics．When he was almost forty，he finally won several low-level positions in his home state．By nineteen thirty-four，he was popular enough in Missouri to be nominated and elected to the United States Senate. And he won re-election six years later．
Most Americans, however, knew little about Harry Truman when he became president．They knew he had close ties to the Democratic Party political machine in his home state．But they had also heard that he was a very honest man．They could see that Truman had strongly supported President Roosevelt’s New Deal programs．But they could not be sure what kind of president Truman would become．
At the center of all the action was Harry Truman．It was not long before he showed Americans and the world that he had the ability to be a good president．He was honest，strong and willing to make decisions．When Mrs. Roosevelt said”You are the one in trouble now”，she really meant that ．
| A．Truman’s life had suddenly changed |
| B．Truman was at the center of all the action |
| C．Truman was a surprise choice for vice-president |
| D．Truman had close ties to the Democratic Party |
According to the passage，of Truman’s day，the president’s running mate was ．
| A．decided by delegates |
| B．recommended by presidential candidates |
| C．chosen by the Democratic Party |
| D．elected by vice-president |
Truman served as the U．S．Senator ．
| A．for ten years | B．before he was forty |
| C．before 1943 | D．for two terms |
What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．An Unforgettable Afternoon |
| B．Vital Telephone Call Makes a Difference |
| C．Truman Makes His Decisions |
| D．Roosevelt’s Death Makes Truman President |