“Confidence” is probably one of the most noticeable traits(品质)in the Americans. They show confidence in the way they talk, the way they smile, the way they dress and the way they walk. Living and competing with all these confidence American students, I find it extremely important to be confident as an international student and instructor. As a student, being confident means you should never hesitate to raise your hand whenever a question or a point comes to your mind. Don’t mind if it sounds simple or silly. Otherwise you will never get a chance to speak in class at all. What’s worse, the professors may think you are not prepared for the discussion or you do not have your own opinion on the issue-this is the last comment any graduate would like to receive。
Being confidence for me as a foreign instructor means calmly asking the student to repeat what he or she has said if I did not get it. Pretending to understand what you actually did not may just bring yourself embarrassment or even disgrace. But the time I most need to be confident is when my students come to my office and bargain about the grades I have given for their Speeches。(The course I’m teaching here is Public Speaking). Modesty is a trait highly valued in China, but it won’t be of much help here if you want to survive and succeed in a good American graduate program．To compete with American students it’s very important to
| A．be quite confident |
| B．be polite and friendly |
| C．have more discussions with |
| D．understand what they think about |
A professor will have the worst opinion of a student who
| A．gives a silly or simple answer |
| B．tries to seize any chance to speak in class |
| C．shows no interest in the course |
| D．is considered to have no opinion of his own |
The author is most likely to feel embarrassed if
| A．he asks a student to repeat what he has said |
| B．the students bargain with him |
| C．he pretends to know what he doesn’t |
| D．he has to give a speech |
We learn from the second paragraph that
| A．we should also remain modest in America |
| B．modesty doesn’t help modest in America |
| C．American also like modest people |
| D．modesty can help you through an American graduate program |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．American students are ready to accept the grades from the teacher. |
| B．The writer teaches in Europe for a living. |
| C．Students are encouraged to present simple questions. |
| D．One’s ignorance will give away in time. |
Technology is making life easier for some dairy farmers．They use robotic systems to milk their cows．Cows are trained to follow a series of paths that lead to milking stations．Only one cow at a time can enter a station．
Once inside，the cow is rewarded with food．As the cow eats，a robotic arm cleans and connects the animal to the milking machine．A few minutes later，milking is complete．The gate is opened，the cow is released and the next cow enters．
The robotic systems are designed to operate 24 hours a day．The cows get to decide when they want to be milked．Cows are milked an average of about three times a day．Some are milked four to six times a day．
The cows wear collars around their necks that identify them to the system．A computer keeps records on their eating and milking．A cow is released from the station if the computer decides it should not be milked．
The automated system also measures the temperature and color of freshly produced milk．Milk is thrown away if it does not pass the tests．
Professor Plaut believes the systems will appeal（吸引） especially to the next generation of farmers．She means young people who are more interested in technology and less interested in working all the time on the farm．Still，she says the price of robotic milking systems will continue to limit their use．
Doug and Tina Suhr have more than 100 cows on their family farm．Last year it became the fourth farm in southeast Minnesota to get a robotic milking system．A recent story in a local agricultural newspaper said the first robot cost 175 000 dollars．The second cost 150 000．
Doug told AgriNews that wages that would have been paid for one employee in five years will pay for one robot．He says the increase in milk production reaches a high of more than six kilograms per cow per day．From the first paragraph，we can infer________．
| A．the robotic system is designed to reduce labor |
| B．cows can be raised by robots in the future |
| C．robots direct cows into milking stations |
| D．cows are kept clean by robots on some farms |
Besides milking cows，the robotic system also can______．
| A．adjust the temperature of milking stations |
| B．judge the quality of fresh milk |
| C．improve the appetite of cows |
| D．keep fresh milk for two weeks |
Why is the robotic system not popular now?
| A．Because young people have no interest in it． |
| B．Because it is difficult to learn how to use it． |
| C．Because people can’t afford to buy it． |
| D．Because it usually causes the waste of milk． |
According to Doug，what is the wage of an employee?
| A．150 000～170 000． | B．750 000． |
| C．150 000～30 000． | D．30 000—32 000 |
The best title for the passage may be_________．
| A．Letting robot milk your cow | B．Milking cows by hand |
| C．Improving the quality of milk | D．Drinking fresh milk every day |
Frank Woolworth was born in Rodman, New York, in 1852. His family were very poor farmers, and there was never enough to eat. Frank decided he did not want to be a farmer. He took a short business course, and went to work as a salesman in a large city.
Woolworth realized he had a natural skill for showing goods to attract people’s interest, but he soon learned something more important. One day his boss told him to sell some odds and ends (小商品) for as much as he could get. Frank put all these things on one table with a sign which said FIVE CENTS EACH. People fought and pushed to buy the things and the table was soon cleared.
Soon afterwards, Woolworth opened his own store, selling goods at five and ten cents. But he had another lesson to learn before he became successful. That is, if you want to make money by selling low-price goods, you have to buy them in large quantities directly from the factories. Once, for example, Woolworth went to Germany and placed an order for knives. The order was so large that the factory had to keep running 24 hours a day for a whole year. In this way, the price of the knives was cut down by half.
By 1919, Woolworth had over 1000 stores in the US and Canada, and opened his first store in London. He made many millions and his name became famous throughout the world. He always run his business according to strict rules, of which the most important was: “ THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT.” Frank took a short business course in order to _________.
| A．get away from the farm | B．learn something from a salesman |
| C．earn more money for his family | D．get enough to eat. |
Frank sold the odds and ends quickly because _________.
| A．he had put the goods on a table in a very nice way. |
| B．he cut down the price by half |
| C．he knew how to get people to buy his goods. |
| D．the sign he put on the table was well designed. |
The price of the knives was cut down by half because ________.
| A．the factory workers worked 24 hours a day. |
| B．knives were ordered in large quantities directly from the factory. |
| C．the knives were made in Germany, where labour was cheap. |
| D．the knives were produced in one factory. |
________ make Woolworth a world-famous man.
| A．His business skills and his wealth |
| B．The low price of the goods he sold |
| C．His trip to Germany and his huge order of knives |
| D．His natural skill for showing things |
The belief that “ The customer is always right” suggests that ________.
| A．whenever there is a quarrel between the customer and shop assistant, the customers are always right. |
| B．If you want to succeed, the rule is the only way. |
| C．stores must always follow the customer’s orders if they want to make more money. |
| D．stores should do their best to meet the customer’s needs if they want to be successful. |
A little stress is good, since it helps you keep motivated to meet your goals. However, too much stress is bad for your health. Stress needs to be managed in order to prevent anxiety (焦虑). Here are some tips on how to manage stress.
Write it out
Write down everything that seems stressful, and ways to deal with each problem. You’ll find a things-to-do list much easier to manage than having all messed up in your head. Write down the tasks along with the specific times when you can do them.
One task at a time
Give each task all your attention while you’re doing it, and forget the rest. This will keep you from feeling anxious about things you have left to do. Thinking about other tasks only adds unnecessary stress, and can even stop you from doing the task you’re busy with at present. You don’t need to do everything all at once, or on your own. The feeling of being pressed to finish something on time will somehow disappear if someone is there to help you.
Give yourself a reward
Rewarding yourself for what you’ve already done, no matter how small, is a great way to motivate yourself to keep going. It will reduce stress, and make you happier to go on with the next task.
Give yourself a break
Breaks of ten to fifteen minutes are important. Visit a cafe or take a quick walk —anything to take your mind off the work for a while. If you need to stay at work, sit with your eyes closed and imagine a peaceful place or some other relaxing scenes. This will remove the stress from your muscles and mind.The best title for the passage would probably be _____.
| A．Stress Is Good or Not |
| B．How to Form Good Working Habits |
| C．Tips on How to Manage Stress |
| D．Ways to Keep Healthy |
According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
| A．It’s better to plan a specific time to do the task. |
| B．It helps you stay motivated to think about the undone tasks. |
| C．It’s unnecessary for you to do all the tasks by yourself. |
| D．It helps if you put your attention to one task at a time. |
Which of the following would the author agree?
| A．The more stress you have, the more motivated you will be. |
| B．Writing down everything seems impossible. |
| C．Only reward yourself for your biggest achievements in your work. |
| D．It is necessary to have a break during your work. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Stress is always bad for people. |
| B．Imagining a relaxing scene may help. |
| C．The best way to relax is by rewarding yourself. |
| D．Finishing tasks on time reduces stress. |
The following is the information about plays which will be on these days.
Big and Little
It is a play written by Botho Strauss and directed by Laurence Strangio, featuring (由……主演) second-year Performing Arts students. It is about a lonely woman living in a big city. From the play, we can learn how to get along well with our friends, our family, our lovers, ... and with ourselves.
A dreamlike journey in search of identity ...
When:15-17 March, 7:30 pm
Where: Drama Theatre, Centre for the Performing Arts, Building 68, Clayton campus (校园)
Tickets: Adults $10, Concessions (优惠票价) $5
You can get the tickets at the door.
Love Play
It is written by Moira Buffini and directed by Trent Baker, featuring Performing Arts students.
First-year Performing Arts students present
Love Play. It follows a series of unexpected meetings that have taken place in the same place in London across 2,000 years, through the centuries from the Romans to the Elizabethans to the present day. Love Play is a comedy that challenges the reasons and ways we want love.
When:17-19 April, 8 pm
Where: Drama Theatre, Centre for the Performing Arts, Building 68, Clayton campus
Tickets: Adults $10, Concessions $5
You can get the tickets at the door.
Smashed
It is a play written by Lally Katz and directed by Suzanne Chaundy, featuring second-year Performing Arts students. Smashed is about friendship, time travel and death. Writing for TheAge, Helen Thomson calls the play "a wonderful memory of childhood on the edge (边缘) of adulthood."Smashedp raises invention, imagination and girl power.
When: 24-26 April, 8 pm
Where: Drama Theatre, Centre for the Performing Arts, Building 68, Clayton campus
Tickets: Adults $10, Concessions $5 You can get the tickets at the door. We can know from the passage that Moira Buffini ______.
| A．is a character in Big and Little |
| B．is the director of Smashed |
| C．wrote the play Love Play |
| D．once wrote for The Age |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．All the plays begin at 8 pm on Clayton campus. |
| B．The tickets have different prices but all are sold at the door. |
| C．Love Play is a comedy which has a different idea about love. |
| D．All the plays are performed by second-year Performing Arts students. |
The play Big and Little is mainly about _________.
| A．friendship, time travel and death |
| B．the life experience of a lonely woman |
| C．the life of a Performing Arts student on Clayton campus |
| D．unexpected meetings in London during the past 2,000 years |
People are overweight for many reasons, the most important one of which is that they eat the wrong foods, get the wrong types of calories per meal, and they also eat meals at the wrong time each day. Food is more powerful than any weight loss pill, because the food that you eat can either make you thin or fat. This is true because your body is like an engine, and it only needs certain foods at certain intervals(间隔)each day. Low-calorie Diets Do Not Work The reason people cannot lose weight by starving themselves is that their metabolism(新陈代谢)will detect any major drop in calories and it will then adjust(调整)itself by burning fewer calories each day. That is the reason why you can eat 1,000 calories per day and not lose any weight, while your friends can eat 2,500 calories per day and not gain any weight.Low-fat Diets Do Not Work Many people in today’s society are buying mostly low- fat or non-fat food at the grocery store. Everybody knows how much fat is inside the food they buy. However, people are getting fatter than ever before by doing this. They are not losing weight by changing to this low fat lifestyle. Losing weight has nothing to do with these things. One of the most important things you can do to control your weight is to eat the proper foods, such as fruit and vegetables, eat them at the right time, and exercise every day. If people make this a habit, they will lose weight.What is the main reason why people are overweight?
| A．They eat the wrong foods at the wrong time. |
B．They eat food with lots of calories. |
C．They don’t take any weight loss pills. |
D．They burn many calories every day. |
The article is written in order to _______.
| A．tell readers not to buy low-fat or non-fat food |
B．tell readers how to lose weight |
C．tell readers about an important scientific discovery |
D．call on people to lose weight and stay healthy |
To realize the aim of your weight loss plan, you should ________.
a. do exercise every dayb. eat meals at the right timec. eat fruits and vegetablesd. eat low-fat or sweet foode. eat the proper foods at each meal
| A．a, b, c, d | B．a, b, d, e | C．a, c, d, e | D．a, b, c, e |