Becoming a fireman is a challenging and competitive job today. A fireman’s main duty is being scheduled according to the fighting and extinguishment(熄灭) of fire which definitely requires being a strong man, both mentally and physically.
The duty of a fireman involves protection of life and property of the public. They are the servicemen who are decisively selected by an organization to deal with situations like fire. The duty of a fireman intentionally consists of helping innocent people in their time of need. Such type of jobs is one of those few jobs where service is provided for people when they need help immediately. This may include rescuing people from a building at fire, providing them with medical facilities, extinguishing fire in a house or in a large commercial building. Serving people is the main intention of these professionals. The satisfaction which a fireman gets from this type of job cannot be compared to any other profession in the world.
Such profession demands top-level commitment and professionalism from .those who have chosen it as a career. Fireman should possess the highest level of courage and patience to put their lives in danger for the sake of others. They undergo lessons of maintaining patience for long hours and go through complete preparation to become successful and well-organized professional firemen. There are certain tests that are recommended before becoming a fireman.
It’s not that easy to become a fireman nowadays. A fireman is supposed to deal with unexpected situations, and they should be skilled at communicating with others and be self-disciplined at the same time.
In order to be a good fireman, one must undergo（经历、接受） strict local fire department’s training program after passing all the tests. All the fire departments conclude a two-to-four-month course, including classroom training and practical training that cover firefighting techniques, fire avoidance, dangerous materials and urgent situation medical actions. Completing this training, trainees go through the department’s trial period of service that can last from three to six months, depending on the methods of selection.
Firemen usually work both indoors and outdoors. They have to be on duty at all times and mostly work in shifts of at least 8 hours. They are also provided with several benefits which include medical aid plan, pension fund, annual leave and many more.
Title: Fireman
| Definition |
The servicemen decisively selected by an organization to |
| ● Helping innocent people ● Rescuing people from a building at-fire and providing them with medical facilities. ● |
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| Requirements |
● Having top-level commitment and professionalism. ● Being courageous and ● Being strong both in body and ● Having good ● Being self-disciplined. |
| ● Firefighting techniques, fire avoidance, dangerous materials and urgent situation medical actions. ● The department’s trial period of service which possibly |
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| Medical aid plans, pension fund, annual leave and many more. |
No one not even its creators-thought that the world would care about the interwoven(相互交织的)lives, loves and sufferings of a group of attractive and witty New Yorkers. But there’s no doubt that Friends(老友记)has become more than just a successful situation comedy—it has established itself as one of the last great television phenomena of the last century. Along the way, it has made its half-dozen lead actors famous.
Looking back the strong friendship between the group of three men and three women who frequently gather at each other’s apartments and at Greenwich Village’s Central Perk coffee house, Friends was created by television producers, David Crane and Marta Kauffman. In 1993, the pair met producer Kevin S. Bright. Then the three became partners and got a deal to produce a new comedy for Warner Brothers. What they came up with was based on Crane and Kauffman’s after-college years, when they hung out at the local coffee house and involved themselves in every aspect of each other’s lives.
It didn’t take long for viewers to make friends with Friends. The sitcom quickly became a top ten hit. Critics loved it as well. Entertainment Weekly said the show operate like a Broadway show, with twisty plots and unique jokes. The television theme song has also been a success with the public. The song’s success helped save the television theme song. An ABC(美国广播公司)executive was ready to order very short music intros(前奏) on his network’s shows, thinking that viewers would hit the remote control as soon as the opening started. But the success of the Friends theme song led the ABC executive to change his mind---remote controls or not, the TV theme song would stay.
Years have gone by, but Friends remains and will remain an example of a modern day US sitcom that is both hugely entertaining television and nothing short o a genuine latter-day social phenomenon.What is stressed in the second paragraph?
| A．The origin of Friends |
| B．The role models of Friends |
| C．The popularity of Friends |
| D．The brilliance of Friends. |
Which of the following is TRUE about Friends?
| A．It has a simple but entertaining plot. |
| B．It is about friendship between college students. |
| C．It was criticized by Entertainment Weekly. |
| D．It first came into being in the 1990. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Producer, Kevin S. Bright, graduated from the same college as David Crane. |
| B．ABC once replaced the theme song of its TV show with a short music intro |
| C．The ABC executive thought highly of the theme song of Friends. |
| D．Marta Kauffman expected Friends to achieve great success. |
What might the author think of Friends?
| A．Its merits outweigh its shortcomings. |
| B．Its success lies in the lack of good sitcoms. |
| C．He/she has a reserved attitude towards its success. |
| D．He/she shows great affection towards it . |
Is it true that left-handed people are smarter than right-handed people? Chris McManus, professor of psychology and medical education at University College London, responds;
“If by intelligent you mean someone who performs better on IQ tests, the simply answer is no. Studies in the U.K., U. S. and Australia have revealed that left-handed people differ from right-handers by only one IQ point, which is not noteworthy.”
Left-handedness is, however, much more common among individuals with severe learning difficulties. A slightly higher proportion of left-handers have a stutter(口吃). Other problems, such as a higher rate of accidents reported in left-handers, mostly result from a world designed for the convenience of right-handers, with many tools not made for the left-handed.
However, if by smarter you mean more talented in certain areas, left-handers may have an advantage. Left-handers’ brains are structured differently from right-handers’ in ways that can allow them to process language, relations and emotions in more diverse and creative ways. Also, a slightly larger number of left-handers than right-handers are especially gifted in music and maths. A study of musicians in professional orchestras（管弦乐队）found a greater proportion of talented left-handers, even among those who played instruments that seem designed for right-handers, such as violins. Similarly, studies of adolescents who took tests to assess mathematical ability found many more left-handers in the population. The fact that mathematicians are often musical may not be a coincidence.
For other talents and skills, the benefits of being left-handed are less clear. In one-on-one competitive sports, being in the minority can be an advantage. For example, most right-handed tennis players have little experience of playing left-handers, but left-handers have plenty of experience of playing right-handers.
Whatever the advantages are, handedness seems to be genetic. With 10 percent of people preferring their left hand, there must be some selective advantages, or else the genes would probably not survive.The underlined word, “noteworthy”, in the second paragraph, probably means“_______”.
| A．remarkable | B．convincing |
| C．helpful | D．beneficial |
What is one of the characteristics of left-handed people?
| A．They have a much higher IQ than right-handed people. |
| B．They have an obvious advantage in tennis. |
| C．They are more likely to be talented in certain fields. |
| D．They usually don’t have learning difficulties. |
We can learn________ from the passage.
| A．right-handers have a higher rate of accidents. |
| B．most right-handed tennis players are good at playing left-handers. |
| C．left-handers can sometimes be more gifted in music and maths than right-handers. |
| D．left-handers’ brains process language in the same way as right-handers’. |
You are most likely to find this passage in the ____________ section of a magazine.
| A．travel and entertainment |
| B．gene and health. |
| C．fashion and trends |
| D．health and lifestyle |
In Vietnam, two members of a family of street vendors are finding a way to help the poorest students in Hanoi. Pham Minh Dap and his brother are providing the students with mostly free English and Japanese lessons at a learning center they created. The men want to help people who would not normally have a chance to learn a foreign language.
Some education experts in Vietnam say such knowledge may help college graduates get jobs. The country’s economy has improved. But many graduates continue to have a hard time finding employment. Local media reported ten percent of university graduates do not have a job.
Earlier this year, 24-year-old Pham Minh Dap and his brother established a school they call “Stand By You”. Volunteers teach poor students English and Japanese. Many classes are free. Students with some language knowledge pay 25 to 50 cents per class. Mr. Dap pays about $ 500 to rent the language center space and for other costs. He gives about $ 150 from his earnings as a street Vendor and private language teaching. His brother gives the same amount from the money he earns as a secretary. Friends provide the rest. Mr. Dap and many of his family members have sold things outside HoaBinh Park in the center of Vietnam’s capital for five years. They come from a village of rice farmers in Thanh Hoa Province.
Twenty-four-year-old Pham THi Trang is one of 600 students at the language school. She is finishing her university studies. Her parents work in a market in a village in Ha Nam Province. She says life is hard in the city. She earns about $50 a month from a part-time job, and her parents give her $ 75. But this is not enough to live on. She has said she has to be very careful with money so she can pay her bills.
Demand for the school is growing. About 1,000 people are on a waiting list to enter. Ten people have offered to teach for free. And Mr. Dap says he is hoping to raise money to pay for a bigger place. He wants to open more classes.“Stand By You” is established____________.
| A．by the Vietnam government | B．by a family |
| C．by a non-profit organization | D．by two brothers |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．All the courses provided by “ Stand By You” are free. |
| B．Farmers in Vietnam are very rich. |
| C．“Stand By You” is especially welcomed by the poor students in Vietnam. |
| D．Only ten percent of university graduates in Vietnam are employed. |
Mr. Dap wants to pay for a bigger place because___________.
| A．he wants to make more money. |
| B．he wants to open more classes for poor students. |
| C．he wants to change his job. |
| D．he wants to provide a wider space for students to play. |
The main idea of the passage is ____________.
| A．street vendors help the poor to learn English and Japanese. |
| B．the demand for school is growing in Vietnam. |
| C．free learning of English and Japanese are provided in Vietnam. |
| D．students in Vietnam are very poor. |
Here are some famous romantic places in the world that you can’t miss.
Paris
The ranking for the “most romantic city” quite rightly leads to Paris. The city of light has long been famous as a city of love. This is definitely the best place for love, wine and food. Paris is rich with history; you can take a walk through the Louvre, go to a café across the Champs Elysees, have dinner at the Eiffel Tower or visit the Palace of Versailles.
Venice
Undoubtedly, Venice is the most romantic city of Italy. From the amazing architecture of San Marco Square to the gondolas(贡多拉船) there, Venice talks about love, romance and passion. The best time to visit Venice is during the annual carnival(狂欢节). A gondola trip through the most magical city in Europe remains unforgettable for everyone.
Vienna
Vienna may well be called the cradle of European culture. The baroque architecture, the historic city opera and typical restaurants create a romantic mood and memorable atmosphere. During the ball season in Vienna, one can enjoy the city’s past, the masked waltz and romance.
Prague
Prague is called the heart of Europe. The city, dating from the 9th century, is indeed a real architectural wonder. Prague’s famous castle is the largest ancient castle in the world, built early in 1257. For a more romantic experience, take your loved ones to the top of the 60-foot observatory and watch the slow sunset over Prague.
Maldives
There are quiet islands, warm, clear water with excellent visibility, a huge amount of reefs and an incredible diversity of marine life. The Maldives is the place to shoot all those beautiful postcard pictures of couples on a desert beach. Most islands are not more than 1 km in area, with makes them particularly suitable for privacy, honeymoons and love.The city of light refers to___________.
| A．Paris | B．Venice |
| C．Prague | D．Vienna |
In Vienna, visitors can________________.
| A．go to the annual carnival. |
| B．admire the typical French architecture. |
| C．see the waltz in the ball season. |
| D．take beautiful pictures of reefs. |
Which of the following is TRUE?
| A．Vienna is known as the heart of Europe. |
| B．Prague has the largest ancient castle in the world. |
| C．Paris is called the cradle of European culture. |
| D．Most of the islands of the Maldives are more than 1 km in area. |
Anyone can try to lead a group, but not every individual is cut out for leadership. The better leaders possess a few qualities that can mean the difference between the success and failure of the group. These aret he qualities the leader of higher rank will look for when choosing a leader for a group, or when evaluating the performance of a leader. They're also the qualities team members want in a group leader, and appreciate when they find them.
Take Responsibility
Group leaders might share tasks around a group as necessary, but eventually a group leader needs to be able to accept that responsibility lies on her shoulders. That means that if things go wrong in a group project, she's the one who must accept the consequences and work out what mistakes were made. The group leader won't always have the power to control everything group members do, but she should be ready to admit any mistakes the group has made as a result of her leadership.
Concern for Members
The group leader has a commitment to the task or project at hand, but perhaps more importantly, he has a real concern for each and every person who is part of his group. This means getting to know the strengths, weaknesses and goals of team members, as well as making time to build the group through collective activities. The group leader should make sure that everyone is included, even if an individual is new to a group.
Good Listener
The group leader needs to be able to listen to the suggestions, complaints (抱怨) and ideas of group members. Not only will this allow complaints to be addressed and potentially suitable ideas to be put into practice, but a leader who listens will also encourage group members to share their concerns and thoughts,creating an atmosphere of free speech and productivity.The passage is mainly about____________.
| A．choosing a good leader for a group. |
| B．assessing the performance of a leader. |
| C．qualities of a good group leader. |
| D．team members’ appreciation of a leader. |
A good leader should always be able to_______.
| A．tell when things go wrong in a group project. |
| B．control everything group members do. |
| C．make group members admit their mistakes. |
| D．recognize any mistakes as his own. |
According to “Concerns for members”, which of the following is a good quality of a leader?
| A．fair | B．reliable |
| C．determined | D．generous |
Which of the following is not the benefit of being a good listener?
| A．Offer a chance for group members to express themselves freely |
| B．Allow the leader to put all his ideas into practice easily. |
| C．Make it possible to deal with group members’ complaints. |
| D．Make group members productive by sharing their thoughts. |