In modern society there is a great deal of argument about competition. Some value it highly, believing that it is responsible for social progress and prosperity. Others say that competition is bad; that it sets one person against another; that it leads to unfriendly relationship between people.
I have taught many children who held the belief that their self-worth relied on how well they performed at tennis and other skills. For them, playing well and winning are often life-and-death affairs. In their single-minded pursuit of success, the development of many other human qualities is sadly forgotten.
However, while some seem to be lost in the desire to succeed, others take an opposite attitude. In a culture which values only the winner and pays no attention to the ordinary players, they strongly blame competition. Among the most vocal are youngsters who have suffered under competitive pressures from their parents or society. Teaching these young people, I often observe in them a desire to fail. They seem to seek failure by not trying to win or achieve success. By not trying, they always have an excuse: “I may have lost, but it doesn’t matter because I really didn’t try. “What is not usually admitted by themselves is the belief that if they had really tried and lost, that would mean a lot. Such a loss would be a measure of their worth. Clearly, this belief is the same as that of the true competitors who try to prove themselves. Both are based on the mistaken belief that one’s self-respect relies on how well one performs in comparison with others. Both are afraid of not being valued. Only as this basic and often troublesome fear begins to dissolve (缓解) can we discover a new meaning in competition .What does this passage mainly talk about?
| A．Competition helps to set up self-respect. |
| B．Opinions about competition are different among people. |
| C．Competition is harmful to personal quality development. |
| D．Failures are necessary experiences in competition. |
Why do some people favor competition according to the passage?
| A．It builds up a sense of duty. | B．It pushes society forward. |
| C．It improves personal abilities. | D．It encourages individual efforts. |
The underlined phrase “the most vocal” in Paragraph 3 means ______.
| A．those who try their best to win |
| B．those who value competition most highly |
| C．those who are against competition most strongly |
| D．those who rely on others most for success |
What is the similar belief of the true competitors and those with a “desire to fail”?
| A．One’s worth lies in his performance compared with others’. |
| B．One’s success in competition needs great efforts. |
| C．One’s achievement is determined by his particular skills. |
| D．One’s success is based on how hard he has tried. |
Which point of view may the author agree to?
| A．Every effort should be paid back. |
| B．Competition should be encouraged. |
| C．Winning should be a life-and-death matter. |
| D．Fear of failure should be removed in competition. |
Before the print was brought to England in 1476, everything was written by hand. The few people who knew how to write were trained in schools set up by the church. Those who made a living by writing for other people were called scribes(抄写员)。
The work of scribes was not easy. Much of it had to be done fast in order to meet the needs of the King. the church and traders. Most of the writing was in Latin(拉丁) ,but some of it was in the English of the day. And no one was quite sure how some English words should be spelled.
One problem was that several letters were written with short vertical strok（竖笔）that all looked like each other. Among them were the letters , i, u, v, m and n, Thus .five straight lines in a row might stand for uni nui uvi or mii.
As a result .reading was sometimes difficult, especially when the writing was done in a hurry.
The scribes solved(解决)the problem in part, by changing the letter u to o when it came before m. n or v. This is how sum and cum came to be written as some and come.
At some point, too, the scribes seemed to have decided that no English word should be ended by u or v. Thus, in time an e was added to such words as live, have, due and true. It was added, but not pronounced.Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．Everything has been written by hand in English since 1476. |
| B．The church set up schools to train scribes before 1476. |
| C．More than 500 years ago no people made a living by writing for other people. |
| D．Scribes in England worked only for kings and traders. |
Sometimes people couldn’t read easily_____________
| A．because there were too many u’s and v’s in sonic English words. |
| B．because most of the writing was in Latin. |
| C．When tile writing was done hurriedly. |
| D．when the writing was in English. |
The scribes changed u before m to o because___________
| A．the change helped them write faster |
| B．om was the right order |
| C．um and om had the same pronunciation |
| D．the change made reading easier |
It is believed that some scribes thought___________
| A．it important to add an e to every English word |
| B．an English word should be ended neither by n nor by v |
| C．it natural to change the spelling of sonic Latin words |
| D．the letter e at the end of any word shouldn't be pronounced |
Most of the time, people wear hats to protect themselves from harsh weather conditions. Hats are also worn to show politeness and as signs of social position. But nowadays, hats, especially women’s hats, are much more than that. More exactly, hats have changed into fashion and style symbols by many movie stars. What’s more, people now consider many different features (特点)when choosing even a simple hat. Many designers point out that, when choosing the right hat, it’s important to consider the color of your skin as well as your hair, your height, and the shape of your face.
First of all, the color of the hat should match the color of your skin and hair. For instance, black hats should be avoided if you are dark skinned. If a purple hat is placed on top of red hair, one will look as attractive as a summer flower. Second, the height of the hat is also an important point. Tall women should not go for hats with tall crowns, just as short women should choose hats with upturned brims to give the look of height. Third, and most importantly, the shape of the face decides the kind of hat one should pick. A small, gentle hat that fits the head looks good on a small face. However, women with big, round faces should choose a different style.
As the saying goes, “Fine feathers make fine birds.” A good hat can not only help your dress but also support your features, so why not choose the best possible one next time you want to be in public?What does the underlined word “harsh” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?
| A．good | B．poor | C．strange | D．different |
According to the article, which of the following women would look most attractive?
| A．A short red-haired woman who wears a purple hat. |
| B．A big-faced woman who wears a small, nice hat. |
| C．A tall woman who wears a hat with a huge upturned brim. |
| D．A small dark-skinned woman who wears a black hat with a tall crown. |
What does the last paragraph suggest?
| A．Hats are worn on the head to keep warm. |
| B．Hats can make you look much taller. |
| C．Hats are not as important as character. |
| D．Hats can help you look better in public. |
What is the best title for the article?
| A．How to Choose a Proper Hat |
| B．How to Improve Your Features |
| C．How to Show Your Social Position |
| D．How to Design a Nice Hat |
Much meaning can be conveyed, clearly, with our eyes, so it is often said that eyes can speak.
Do you have such kind of experience? On a bus you may look at a stranger, but not too long. And if he is sensing that he is being stared at, he may feel uncomfortable.
The same in daily life. If you are looked at for more than necessary time, you will look at yourself up and down, to see if there is anything wrong with you. If nothing goes wrong, you will feel angry toward others’stare with you that way. Eyes do speak, right?
Looking too long at someone may seem to be rude and aggressive(冒犯的). But things are different when it comes to staring at the opposite sex. If a man glances at a woman for more than 10 seconds and refuses to avert(转移) his gaze, his intentions are obvious: he wishes to attract her attention, to make her understand that he is admiring her.
However, the normal eye contact for two people engaged in conversation is that the speaker will only look at the listener from time to time, in order to make sure that the listener does pay attention to what the former is speaking. As for the listener, he will, to a certain extent, look continuously at the speaker, to tell him that he is attentive.
If a speaker looks at you continuously when speaking, as if he tries to dominate（控制）you, you will feel upset. A poor liar usually exposes himself by looking too long at the victim, since he believes in the false idea that to look straight in the eye is a sign of honest communication. Quite the contrary.
In fact, continuous eye contact is confined to(局限于) lovers only, who will enjoy looking at each other tenderly for a long time, to show affection that words cannot express.
Evidently, eye contact should be done according to the relationship between two people and the specific situation.When the writer says eyes can speak, he really means that .
| A．eyes can really speak sometimes |
| B．eyes can express meaning sometimes |
| C．eyes can understand meaning |
| D．eyes take part in some conversations |
According to the text, a teacher should look at students in class in order to .
| A．find something wrong with the students |
| B．show that he or she is very attentive |
| C．make sure that students pay attention |
| D．show the sign of honest communication |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?
| A．People often stare at others on buses. |
| B．People don’t like being looked at. |
| C．Men always enjoy looking at women. |
| D．Eye contact can attract attention. |
According to the fourth paragraph, we can learn that _____.
| A．looking too long at someone is always polite |
| B．eye contact sometimes expresses your admiration to the opposite sex |
| C．eyes can help you get someone you love |
| D．looking at someone is sometimes necessary |
Apply for a Library Card
Any person who lives, works, attends school or pays property taxes in New York State is eligible to receive a New York Public Library card free of charge. Adult and teen users may either apply online or in person at any New York Public Library location. Applications for children ages 11 and under must be completed in person, and require the signature of a parent. When you apply for a card online, you will receive a 7-digit temporary barcode(条码). This allows you to set a secret code. After you receive your permanent barcode, which is required to borrow materials, search Library databases, or reserve a computer, you must renew your card.
Renew or Validate Your Card
All adult, teen and child library cards for cardholders must be renewed every three years. New library card applicants who applied for a card online must renew their card before full cardholder privileges can be extended. Cardholders can visit any New York Public Library location to present the required forms of identification in order to renew or validate their card. Cardholders may also email copies of the required forms of identification to patronaccounts@nypl.org. Alternatively, this information may be faxed to 212.621.0278.
Forget Your Secret Code?
If you forget your secret code, you can provide the library with a valid email address, and click on the link ---“Forgot Your secret code?” A link with instructions on changing your secret code will be sent to the email address on your account, giving you a brief period of time to update your information. You must select a 4 digit numeric secret code, with no repeating or obvious numbers (e.g. 1234 or 2222). If you have not provided us with a valid email address, you may visit a library location to reset your secret code.
Replace a Lost or Stolen Card
Cardholders are responsible for all items on a card, all use made of the card and all charges made against it until it is reported lost or stolen. If your card is lost or stolen, inform the library immediately. Call 917.ASK.NYPL (917.275.6975), email Ask NYPL, or visit to your nearest library to report the card lost.Who can’t apply for a New York Public Library card for free?
| A．Those who work in New York. |
| B．Those who travel in New York. |
| C．Those who live in New York. |
| D．Those who go there for further study. |
Children ages 11 and under________.
| A．are required to apply for a free library card online |
| B．must apply for a library card in person with a parent |
| C．should change their library cards every three years |
| D．can enjoy extended privileges before renewing the card |
Library cards may NOT be renewed _______.
| A．by email | B．by fax | C．by phone | D．in person |
Which of the following can be a secret code?
| A．1368 | B．5188 | C．5678 | D．8888 |
In the past decade the popularity of rock climbing has greatly increased, and so has the number of injuries. It has been estimated that rock climbing is now enjoyed by more than 9 million people in the US each year. Study findings revealed a 65% increase in the number of patients that were treated in US emergency departments for rock climbing-related injuries between 1991 and 2012.
The study, published in the online issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, found that about 40,000 patients were treated in US emergency departments for rock climbing-related injuries between 1991 and 2012. The most common types of rock climbing –related injuries were fractures(骨折) and sprains （扭伤）。The ankle was the most common body part to be injured (40%). Climbers in the study ranged in age from 2 to 74, with an average age of 26. The study also found that women took up a quarter of the injuries.
Falls were the primary reason for injury with over three-quarters of the injuries occurring as the result of a fall. The severity of fall-related injuries had a lot to do with the height of the fall. Patients who were injured after falling from a height over 20 feet were 10 times more likely to be treated than patients who were injured falling from 20 feet or lower.
“We found that the climbers who fell from heights higher than 20 feet took up 70 percent of the patients treated for a rock climbing-related injury,” explained the study author Lara McKenzie, PhD, director at the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Hospital. “This trend, combined with the fact that rock climbers have a higher hospitalization rate than other sports and recreational injuries, demonstrates the need to increase injury prevention efforts for climbers.”Which body part is most likely to get injured for a climber ?
| A．The arm | B．The knee |
| C．The ankle | D．The hand |
How many women climbers in American got injured while climbing a rock between 1991 and 2012 ？
| A．About 40,000 | B．About 30,000 |
| C．About 20,000 | D．About 10,000 |
The severity of climbers’ fall-related injures is mainly related to ______.
| A．the height of the fall. |
| B．the climber’s age. |
| C．the climber’s health condition |
| D．the climber’s climbing experience. |
The underlined word “demonstrates” in the last paragraph can be replaced by ________.
| A．denies | B．proves |
| C．prevents | D．describes |