We live in a very competitive world. Everybody seems to be competing with someone at some level. Each week we spend hours playing or watching others compete in sporting activities all over the world. We cannot help being impressed by the level of excellence that these people achieve.
In sport and business, competition encourages excellence in performance. Where there is no competition, improvement in performance is less likely. Some level of competition is a have-to in all aspects of life.
The following story makes this point.
As two friends are hiking in the forest they come across a huge, ferocious and obviously hungry bear. Its next meal has just come into sight, and they are it! The first friend calculates that the bear will catch them in 27.3 seconds. At that point, she panics, realizing there is no escape. She faces her friend, with the fear of death in her eyes. To her amazement, she observes that her friend is not scared at all. On the contrary, her friend is quickly but calmly taking off her hiking boots and putting on running shoes. “What do you think you’re doing?” the first hiker says to her companion. “You’ll never be able to run faster than that bear”. “That’s true,” says the companion, “but all I have to do is escape, faster than you.”
We all compete when the motivation is strong enough. However, competition is not the real purpose of life. Fulfilling the measure of our creation can only be achieved individually.
Most of time, we are not in competition with any other person, so we do not have to compare ourselves with others. There is only one person that can fulfill our role and that is us. This means that others cannot beat us to the finish line because there is no race. This is not to say that others do not have a similar role to us, but it is never the same. This is important to understand if we are going to enjoy life. Every human being is unique and cannot be cloned. In this, I am not referring to the body, only to the spirit, soul, or the essence of a person.The first four paragraphs tell us that competition .
| A．is necessary though harmful | B．only exists in sports and business |
| C．is a fight against oneself | D．is unavoidable and beneficial |
Why is the story of two friends told in the passage?
| A．To advise friends to be loyal even in competition. |
| B．To expose the weak side of friendship when tested. |
| C．To support the author’s own argument on competition. |
| D．To persuade people to beat others, even friends. |
From the last two paragraphs we learn that .
| A．there is more to life than just competition |
| B．we don’t have to compete since we are all different |
| C．we have to beat others in order to survive |
| D．competition plays an important role in social development |
As a whole the passage advises the readers to .
| A．realize we are living in a world of competition |
| B．face competition in a balanced state of mind |
| C．have a strong sense of being a possible winner |
| D．value friendship however fierce competition may be |
A student is learning to speak British English. He wonders(想知道): Can I communicate(交际) with Americans? Can they understand me? Learners of English often ask: What are the differences between British and American English? How important are these differences?
Certainly, there are some differences between British and American English. There are a few differences in grammar. For example, speakers of British English say “in hospital” and “Have you a pen?” Americans say “in the hospital” and “Do you have a pen?”.Pronunciation is sometimes different. Americans usually sound theirs in words like “bird” and “hurt”. Speakers of British English do not sound theirs in these words. There are differences between British and American English in spelling and vocabulary. For example, “colour” and “honour” are British, “color” and “honor” are American.
These differences in grammar, pronunciation, spelling and vocabulary are not important, however. For the most part, British and American English are the same language.According to this passage, a student who is learning to speak American English might be afraid that __________.
| A．British people cannot understand him |
| B．American people cannot understand him |
| C．the grammar is too hard for him |
| D．the spelling is too hard for him |
American English and British English are different in __________.
| A．spelling | B．pronunciation | C．grammar | D．all of the above |
What is NOT mentioned(提及) in the passage?
| A．Whether there are differences between British English and American English. |
| B．Whether British English and American English are one language or two. |
| C．How the differences between British English and American English came about. |
| D．How important the differences are. |
Most ______say “Do you have a watch?”
| A．British people | B．Americans | C．children | D．teachers |
According to this passage, British people and Americans have ______ difficulty in understanding each other.
| A．little | B．much | C．some | D．great |
In 1620, about half the USA was covered by forests． Today the forests have almost gone． A lot of good land has gone with them, leaving only sand． China doesn’t want to copy the USA’s example． We’re planting more and more trees． We’ve built the " Great Green Wall" of trees across northern part of our country．The Great Green Wall is 7,000 kilometres long, and between 400 and 1,700 kilometres wide． It will stop the wind from blowing the earth away． It will stop the sand from moving towards the rich farmland in the south． More "Great Green Walls" are needed． Trees must be grown all over the world． Great Green Walls will make the world better．In 1620, about ______ the USA was covered by forests．
| A．a third | B．half | C．two thirds | D．a fourth |
A lot of good land has gone with ______．
| A．sand | B．water | C．wind | D．forests |
The Great Green Wall in China is ______ long．
| A．7,000 kilometers | B．1,700 kilometers |
| C．7,000 meters | D．400 kilometers |
Trees must be grown in ______.
| A．China | B．the USA |
| C．some countries | D．every part of the world |
_____ will make the world better．
| A．The Great Wall | B．Tall buildings |
| C．Great Green Walls | D．Flowers and grass |
Looking back on China’s road to outer space, people can easily find it has not been very smooth. In the past years, Chinese people have made hard and determined efforts to realize the dream their ancestors had for thousands of years.
After China’s first satellite into the Earth’s orbit in 1970 came four flights of unmanned Shenzhou missions(飞行) from 1999 to 2002. The country carried out its first one-piloted space flight in October, 2003, making China the third country in the world to have independent human spaceflight ability after the Soviet Union and the United States. Then came another breakthrough on October 12, 2005, when Shenzhou 6, China’s second human spaceflight, was launched, with a crew of two astronauts. What’s more, the landmark(里程碑)spacewalk done by Zhai Zhigang, one of the three boarding Shenzhou 7, launched on Sept. 25, 2008, leads the country further in its space exploration.
Meanwhile, China’s moon exploration project, started in 2004, has also been progressing satisfactorily. Fifty years after the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the world’s first man-made satellite, China’s first circumlunar(绕月的)satellite Chang’e 1 took off on Oct.24, 2007, which became the third landmark in China’s space achievements after the above-mentioned manned flights. Chang’e 1 was expected to fulfill four scientific goals, one of which was to expore mineral elements on the moon, especially those not existent on Earth. It’s said that the lunar regolith(月壤) is abundant in helium-3, a clean fuel that may support the Earth’s energy demands for more than a century. Nearly 3 years later, Oct. 1, 2010 witnessed the launching of Chang’e 2, China’s 2nd unmanned lunar probe(勘探),marking another step forward in moon exp
loration. This time the aim is to test the key techniques of Chang’e 3 and Chang’e 4, as a preparation for a soft lunar landing in the future.
With great expectations, people all over the world are looking forward to China’s greater space achievements. According to the text, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．China sent its first satellite into the Moon’s orbit in 1970. |
| B．China is the third country in Asia to make human spaceflight. |
| C．By now, altogether 5 astronauts have made successful spaceflight by Shenzhou spaceship. |
| D．The launching of Chang’e 1 became the third landmark in China’s space achievements. |
Paragraph 2 mainly deals with information about China’s .
| A．landmark spacewalk | B．manned Shenzhou missions |
| C．first circumlunar satellite | D．unmanned Shenzhou missions |
We can infer from the text that .
| A．China’s road to outer spacehas not been very smooth for a long time |
| B．the lunar regolith is believed to be rich in a clean fuel called helium-3 |
| C．China’s lunar exploration project was started in 2004 and completed in 2007 |
| D．China’s scientists are researching into techniquesfor soft lunar landing |
What can be the best title for the text?
| A．Ancient Chinese’s Dream | B．China’s Major Space Achievements |
| C．China’s Moon Exploration | D．The World’s Great Expectations |
The auther’s attitude towards China’s space exploration is _________.
| A．negative | B．positive | C．critical | D．indifferent |
The UK has a wellrespected higher education system and some of the top universities and research i
nstitutions in the world. But to those who are new to it all， sometimes it can be confusing.
October is usually the busiest month in the college calendar. Universities have something called Freshers’ Week for their newcomers. It’s a great opportunity to make new friends， join lots of clubs and settle into university life.
However， having just left the comfort of home and all your friends behind， the prospect(前景) of meeting lots of strangers in big halls can be nervewracking(令人头痛的). Where do you start？ Who should you make friends with？ Which clubs should you join？
Luckily， there will be thousands of others in the same boat as you worrying about starting their university social life on the right foot. So just take it all in slowly. Don’t rush into anything that you’ll regret for the next three years.
Here are some top advice from past students on how to survive Freshers’ Week：
●Learn rules. Make sure you know British social manners. Have a few wine glasses and snacks handy for your housemates and friends.
●Be kind. Sometimes cups of tea or even slices of toast can give you a head start in making friends.
●Be sociable. The more active you are， the more likely you’ll be to meet new people than if you’re someone who never leaves their room.
●Bring a doorstop. Keep your door op
en when you’re in and that sends positive messages to your neighbors that you’re friendly.
So with a bit of clever planning and effort， Freshers’ Week can give you a great start to your university life and soon you’ll be passing on your experience to next year’s new recruits.Which of the following statements is FALSE according to the passage？
| A．October is generally the busiest month for universities. |
| B．It’s a good idea to put a doorstop in your suitcase. |
| C．A bit of planning can make Freshers’ Week easier. |
| D．The first week of your every year at university is called Freshers’ Week. |
The underlined word “recruits” in the last paragraph refers to .
| A．courses | B．freshers | C．neighbors | D．challenges |
We can infer from the 4th paragraph that .
| A．the newcomers usually miss the days living at home |
| B．most of the students in the UK spend three years in universities |
| C．many freshers are worried about how to fit university life |
| D．all the new students will make new friends and join certain clubs |
Why does the author suggest having wine glasses and snacks handy？
| A．To pass the busy university life. |
| B．To help make friends with other freshers. |
| C．To show yourself a drinker as others. |
| D．To pass the time in a happy way. |
The main purpose of the passage is to .
| A．tell the newcomers how to make a new start in universities |
| B．introduce something about higher education system of the UK |
| C．discuss something about the Freshers’ Week in the UK |
| D．advise the freshmen how to behave well in universities |
It was the old lady’s eightieth birthday. She was sure Myra wouldn’t forget her mother’s birthday, even if she was busy. After all, eighty was a special birthday. Perhaps Myra might come. Even if Myra did not come, she would send a present. The old lady was sure of that. Two spots of colour brightened her cheeks. She was excited like a child.
Mrs. Morrison had brought a card and a bunch of flowers when she came to do the breakfast. Mrs. Grant downstairs had made a cake. Johnnie, the little boy next door, was now up with her with a packe
t of sweets.
“I guess you’ll get lots and lots of presents, ” he said. “I did last week when I was six.”
What would she like? A pair of slippers, perhaps. A blue new cardigan(羊毛衫). Or a table lamp. Or a little clock, with clear black numbers. So many lovely things.
She stood by the window, watching. The postman turned round the corner on his bicycle. Her heart beat fast. Johnnie had seen him too and ran to the gate.
“Granny, granny, ” Johnnie returned. “I’ve got your post!”
He gave her four envelopes. Three were from old friends. The fourth was in Myra’s writing.
“No parcel(包裹), Johnnie?”
“No, granny.”
Almost reluctantly, she tore the fourth envelope open. Folded in the card was a check. Written on the card was a message: Happy Birthday—Buy yourself something nice with the check, Myra and Harold.
The six-figure check fell to the floor like a bird with a broken wing. Slowly the old lady bent to pick it up. Her present, her lovely present. With trembling fingers she tore it into little bits.As can be inferred from the passage, _______.
| A．the old lady lived alone in a flat away from her daughter |
| B．the friends sent the old lady many lovely presents by post |
| C．Myra was stopped by her husband from seeing her mother |
| D．the neighbours cared little about the old lady in daily life |
The old lady expected her daughter most __________.
| A．to send her a present. | B．to send her a check. |
| C．to come back home to celebrate her birthday. | D．not to return home. |
The old lady felt _______ when she saw no parcel came with her daughter’s card.
| A．excited | B．happy | C．disappointed | D．impatient |
Which of the following might serve as the best title for the passage?
| A．The Present | B．The Check | C．The Birthday | D．The Daughter |
The reason why the old lady tore the check into small pieces was that _______.
| A．she was sure her daughter would come, not the check |
| B．she didn’t notice there were six figures on the check |
| C．she didn’t think the check was large enough for a present |
| D．she would prefer a present with love from her daughter |