When I was seven my father gave me a Timex, my first watch. I loved it, wore it for years, and haven’t had another one since it stopped ticking a decade ago. Why? Because I don’t need one. I have a mobile phone and I’m always near someone with an iPod or something like that. All these devices(装置)tell the time—which is why, if you look around, you’ll see lots of empty wrists; sales of watches to young adults have been going down since 2007.
But while the wise have realized that they don’t need them, others—apparently including some distinguished men of our time—are spending total fortunes on them. Brands such as Rolex, Patek Philippe and Breitling command shocking prices, up to £250.000 for a piece.
This is ridiculous. Expensive cars go faster than cheap cars. Expensive clothes hang better than cheap clothes. But these days all watches tell the time as well as all other watches. Expensive watches come with extra functions—but who needs them? How often do you dive to 300 metres into the sea or need to find your direction in the area around the South Pole? So why pay that much of five years’ school fees for watches that allow you to do these things?
If justice were done, the Swiss watch industry should have closed down when the Japanese discovered how to make accurate watches for a five-pound note. Instead the Swiss reinvented the watch, with the aid of millions of pounds’ worth of advertising, as a message about the man wearing it. Rolexes are for those who spend their weekends climbing icy mountains; a Patek Philippe is for one from a rich or noble family; a Breitling suggests you like to pilot planes across the world.
Watches are now classified as“investments”(投资). A 1994 Philippe recently sold for nearly £350, 000, while the 1960s Rolexes have gone from £15, 000 to £30, 000 plus in a year. But a watch is not an investment. It's a toy for self-satisfaction, a matter of fashion. Prices may keep going up—they’ve been rising for 15 years. But when fashion moves on, the owner of that £350, 000 beauty will suddenly find his pride and joy is no more a good investment than my childhood Timex.
It seems ridiculous to the writer that_______________.
A.people dive 300 meters into the sea |
B.expensive clothes sell better than cheap ones |
C.cheap cars don’t run as fast as expensive ones |
D.expensive watches with unnecessary functions still sell |
What can be learned about Swiss watch industry from the passage?
A.It’s hard for the industry to beat its competitors. |
B.It targets rich people as its potential customers. |
C.It wastes a huge amount of money in advertising. |
D.It’s easy for the industry to reinvent cheap watches. |
Which would be the best title for the passage?
A.Watches? Not for Me! | B.My Childhood Timex |
C.Timex or Rolex? | D.Watches—a Valuable Collection |
A couple from Miami, Bill and Simone Butler, spent sixty –six days in a life-raft (救生艇) in the seas of Central America after their boat sank.
Twenty-one days after they left Panama in their boat, Simony, they met some whales (鲸鱼). “They started to hit the side of the boat,” said Bill, “and then suddenly we heard water.” Two minutes later, the boat was sinking. They jumped into the life-raft and watched the boat go under the water.
For twenty days they had tins of food, biscuits, and bottles of water. They also had a fishing-line and a machine to make salt water into drinking water— two things which saved their lives. They caught eight to ten fish a day and ate them raw (生的). Then the line broke. “So we had no more fish until something very strange happened. Some sharks (鲨鱼) came to feed, and the fish under the raft were afraid and came to the surface. I caught them with my hands.”
About twenty ships passed them, but no one saw them. After fifty days at sea their life-raft was beginning to break up. Then suddenly it was all over. A fishing boat saw them and picked them up. They couldn’t stand up. So the captain carried them onto his boat and took them to Costa Rica. Their two months at sea was over.
68. Bill and Simone were traveling ______ when they met some whales.
A. in a life-raft B. in Miami C. in Simony D. in Panama
69. During their days at sea, ______ saved their lives.
A. tins of food and bottles of water B. a fishing-line and a machine
C. whales and sharks D. Twenty passing ships
70. After their boat sank, the couple ______.
A. jumped into the life-raftB. heard water
C. watched the boat go under water D. stayed in the life-raft
You have the ability to decide whether you are happy or not. Happiness is a choice.
You can’t depend on someone else to make you happy. That is a lesson I learned early in my marriage. I realized that I couldn’t rely on my husband as my source of happiness. I learned that my happiness depended on myself and not my husband’s actions. I learned that you have to choose to be happy.
You can choose your emotions. True happiness comes from within, and it can’t be forced by outside force. So how do you choose happiness? The same way, you choose to smile or choose to wear a certain outfit(一套衣服). You choose it because that’s what you want to experience in you life.
You want to buy a new pair of shoes so you choose a pair that you like and feels good. You wouldn’t buy a pair of shoes that you don’t like or that doesn’t fit well, right? So why do we keep choosing emotions and feelings that don’t make us feel good?
Choosing to be happy after you realize your anger has shown up (or even choosing to be calm) can be beneficial. We choose our feelings; no one else can do that for us. If we let others get to us, influence our emotions — we are giving them power over us. When others cause us anger or pain, we are giving them our power.
We need to keep our feelings in check and not to react(反应) automatically to what is thrown at us. We need to think our actions out instead of just reacting to what someone says or does.
Remember that we can always choose happiness. At first it will be difficult to just switch(使转变)your thoughts and feelings from anger, self-doubt, or fear to joy and happiness. But it is only a thought away. Don’t dwell on(细想) what happens to you unnecessarily but realize what is causing you to feel that way. Realize that thoughts, feelings and emotions can change. Then move on and choose to be happy.
64. What’s the best title of this passage?
A. Pretend to Be Happy
B. Choose Your Emotions
C. Choose to Be Happy
D. Find Happiness
65. The lesson the writer learned in her marriage is .
A. one can’t depend on someone else to make himself or herself happy
B. balancing the relationship between husband and wife is an art
C. she can depend on her husband to find happiness
D. happiness can be influenced by outside force
66. Why did the writer mention buying shoes?
A. To offer advice on how to choose comfortable shoes.
B. To use it as an example to illustrate(阐述)her point of view.
C. To compare choosing shoes and choosing an outfit.
D. To help move to the next paragraph easily.
67. The writer suggests that we should .
A. let others control our feelings
B. respond immediately to others’ words
C. hold back our feelings properly
D. pay more attention to words than actions
Lots of students shop to reduce stress or just to kill time with their friends. Shopping to get rid of boredom or to escape from life’s pressures may lead to serious problems. When you start to shop out of control, you become a shopping addict.
Shopping addicts show signs that are similar to other addicts. Some students think that shopping, even as little as buying gifts for classmates, can make them feel better and forget their problems. Actually, it can make them feel worse, guilty, or even cause them to run into financial difficulties. Finding yourself in a financial struggle or deep in debt may harm your relationships with friends and parents.
Do you go shopping for just a few things and come home with your wallet empty? Do you always go shopping after an emotional trauma or when life feels tough(艰难的)? Do you regret later what you buy? Or do you buy things that you never use? Maybe your parents or friends have expressed disagreement that leads you to hide items or lie about prices.
Avoid any environment that may make you want to spend money. Never use credit cards. Form some other meaningful and beneficial hobbies. Exercise, yoga and hot baths generally may help you not want to shop. Take a drive through the country where there aren’t any stores. Have patience with yourself and your money, which can benefit you for the rest of your life.
60. According to the passage, shopping addicts ______.
are always rich people B. get well along with friends
C. may suffer financial difficulties D. all the above
61. The third paragraph mainly tells about ______.
ways to get rid of shopping addiction
the signs of shopping addicts
the danger of shopping addiction
why shopping addicts can’t stop shopping
62. The underlined word “trauma” probably means “______”.
hurt B. satisfaction C. enjoyment D. appreciation
63. The intended readers of the passage are ______.
teachers B. doctors C. students D. education
第三部分 阅读理解(共20小题,每小题2分,满分40分)
ROYAL HOTEL
invites applications for the following posts:
HOUSEKEEPING
Housekeeping Supervisor(主管人)
• Salary: $1,200 per month
•At least 2 years similar experience
•Female only
Housemaids
•Salary: $700 per month
•No experience required
Part-time posts for Housemaids only
LAUNDRY(洗衣)
Laundry Valet
•Salary: $700 per month
•Duties – to collect and deliver(递送) laundry parcels
•Shift(轮班) work required
Laundry Attendant
•Salary: $700 per month
•Male applicants only
•Shift work required
Preference will be given to people with some experience.
FOOD AND DRINKS
(for new 24-hour restaurant)
Head waiter
•Salary: $1,200 per month
•Experienced waiters can apply
Waiter/ Waiters
•Salary: $800 per month
•No experience needed
(Willing to work shifts)
Part-timers needed for permanent night shift 6 pm to 11 pm.
GENERAL
Car Driver
•Salary: $800 per month
•Clean driving record
•At least 1 year of experience
•Willing to work irregular hours
Pool Attendant
•Salary: $700 per month
•Must know life-saving technique
•Some related experience
Both posts for male only.
Interviews will be conducted at the Royal Hotel, East Room, 2nd Level on the 25th and 26th Nov. from 10:00 to 4:00 pm.
56. What work does a laundry valet do?
A. He washes the clothes.
B. He drives the laundry truck.
C. He collects and delivers bags of laundry.
D. He operates the machines in the laundry room.
57. Which posts can fresh school-leavers apply for?
A. Housekeeping supervisor and housemaid.
B. Housemaid and waiter.
C. Head waiter and waiter.
D. Laundry valet and laundry attendant.
58. Which of these jobs require shift work?
A. Housemaid and waiter.
B. Laundry valet and waiter.
C. Car driver and pool attendant.
D. Laundry attendant and pool attendant.
59. There are four people applying for pool attendant. If you are the interview, who do you think is most suitable for the post?
A. Mary, who likes swimming very much.
B. Jenny, who knows life-saving technique very well.
C. Tom, who has been a pool attendant for two years.
D. John, who expects to earn over $1000 every month.
Study-abroad programs are a great way to learn about different cultures. Sometimes students don’t have the money to join in these programs. That is why scholarships for study-abroad programs are starting to become poplar.
Study-abroad programs can often be quite expensive. Finding scholarships is not that difficult. Usually, you can just visit the study-abroad office at your educational institution or even the financial services office. They will have a large directory of available scholarships. If your school does not have these offices, you can just quickly have a look on the Internet and find a wide variety of scholarships you might qualify for.
The credentials(资历) you need to be considered for a scholarship vary greatly. But, to be a candidate for any scholarship, you generally need to have good grades, be an outstanding person, and be able to take full advantage of the opportunities presented to you . You will be able to show why you are a good candidate through the application process.
The application process for each scholarship varies, which usually includes submitting an academic record, an essay, and sometimes an interview.
Usually , you will have to submit your academic records. The administrators of the scholarship will know that you take your academic studies seriously. Next you usually need to write an essay. This could be on a wide variety of subjects , but they usually focus on something related to “why you should get this scholarship” to determine how much you want the scholarship and how good of a candidate you would be. After this, the final few applicants may be asked in for an interview to learn about you and why you would be a good recipient of the scholarship.
If you satisfy all these requirements, there is a good chance you will get a scholarship. If you don’t have enough money, don’t give up but use plenty of scholarship opportunities for you!
51. What do we learn about study-abroad programs from the passage?
A. They are often quite cheap to apply for. B. They are very difficult to apply for.
C. They are good tools for learning other cultures.
D. They are only found in the study-abroad offices in colleges.
52. To apply for a scholarship, the writer doesn’t mention the credential that_______.
A. You need to speak a foreign language well. B. you need to have good marks at school.
C. you need to be an excellent student .
D. you need to know when to use the opportunities before you.
53.The main purpose of the passage is _______.
A. to introduce the advantages of study-abroad programs.
B. to show us why scholarships for study-abroad programs are popular
C. to suggest where one can find suitable study-abroad programs
D. to provide tips on applying for scholarships for study-abroad programs
54. To prove whether you take your academic studies seriously, you should ____.
A. write an essay on why you should get this scholarship
B. submit your academic records
C. be interviewed by the administrators of the scholarship
D. prove you are a good recipient of the scholarship
55. In which part of a newspaper would you most probably read this passage?
A. Education B. Fashion C. Business D . Entertainment