A neighbor of mine, while visiting his mother in Boston, took her to a shoe store to buy a new pair of shoes. While she was trying on different styles, my neighbor took the manager aside. “When she picks out a pair that she likes,” he said, “Just tell her that the price is 12 dollars. I’ll pay the regular(正常的)price. I don’t care how much it is.”
The following week, my neighbor was walking by the shoe store and the manager recognized him and called him in.
“What’s the problem?” asked my neighbor as he entered the store.
“Wasn’t my check any good?”
“That’s not it,” answered the manager, “The problem is that your mother is bringing all her friends in for those 12-dollar shoes!”My neighbor went to Boston ________.
| A．to buy shoes for his mother |
| B．to see his mother |
| C．to pay for the shoes he had bought for his mother |
| D．to see the manager of the shoe store |
The regular price my neighbor had paid must be _______.
| A．12 dollars | B．lower than 12 dollars |
| C．higher than 12 dollars | D．unknown to himself at all |
It seems very probable that my neighbor wanted to _______.
| A．please his mother | B．cheat his mother |
| C．cheat the manager | D．please his mother’s friends |
The manager called my neighbor in when he saw him because______.
| A．he didn’t have enough shoes for his customers(顾客) |
| B．my neighbor’s mother had taken a wrong pair of shoes |
| C．there was something wrong with his check |
| D．he found it hard to satisfy his customers |
What do we know about the character(个性) of my neighbor’s mother?
| A．She would like to buy expensive things. |
| B．She would like to buy cheap things. |
| C．She would like to help others when they’re in trouble. |
| D．She would like to have her son pay for her shopping. |
Rumor (谣言) is the most primitive(原始的) way of spreading stories--- by passing them on from mouth to mouth, but civilized countries in normal times have better sources of news than rumor. They have radio, television, and newspapers. In times of confusion ( 混乱 ), however, rumor appears and becomes widespread. At such times the different kinds of news are in competition: the press, television, and radio against the grapevine.
Especially do rumors spread when war requires control on many important matters. The normal news sources no longer give out enough information. Since the people can not learn through legal channels all that they are anxious to learn, they pick up "news" wherever they can and when this happens, rumor grows.
Rumors are often repeated even by those who do not believe the tales. There is an interest about them. The reason is that the cleverly designed rumor gives expression to something deep in the hearts of the victims -- the fears, doubts, forbidden hopes, or daydreams which they hesitate to voice directly. Pessimistic(悲观的)rumors about defeat and disasters show that the people who repeat them are worried and anxious. Optimistic rumors about record production or peace soon come point to self- satisfaction or confidence--and often to over-confidence. The author suggests that, in times of confusion, man often_______.
| A．stops regular news services | B．turns to primitive ways for support |
| C．distrusts his fellow man | D．loses complete control of himself |
The underlined word "grapevine" in Paragraph 1 probably means “_______”.
| A．rumor | B．newspaper | C．information | D．time |
The author, states that during wartime the regular sources of news provide only _______.
| A．false information | B．optimistic reports |
| C．limited information | D．pessimistic reports |
Which of the following statements is mentioned as a reason for people to repeat a rumor?
| A．They are too willing to believe. |
| B．They take an interest in rumor. |
| C．They have a strong desire to make a fool of other people. |
| D．They find some rumors reflect their own unexpressed beliefs. |
Long bus rides are like television shows. They have a beginning, a middle, and an end with commercials thrown in every three or four minutes. The commercials are unavoidable. They happen whether you want them or not. Every couple of minutes a billboard glides by outside the bus window. Buy Super Clean Toothpaste." "Drink Good Wet Root Beer." "Fill up with Pacific Gas." Only if you sleep, which is equal to turning the television set off, are you spared the unending cry of "You Need It! Buy It Now!"
The beginning of the ride is comfortable and somewhat exciting, even if you've traveled that way before. Usually some things have changed new houses, new buildings, sometimes even a new road. The bus driver has a style of driving and it’s fun to try to figure it out the first hour or so. If the driver is, particularly reckless ( 鲁莽的 ) or daring, the ride can be as thrilling as a suspense story. Will the driver pass the truck in time? Will the driver move into the right or the left hand lane? After a while, of course, the excitement dies down. Sleeping for a while helps pass the middle hours of the ride. Food always makes bus tides more interesting. But you've got to be careful of what kind of food you eat. Too much salty food can make you very thirsty between stops,
The end of the ride is somewhat like the beginning. You know it will soon be over and there's a kind of expectation and excitement in that. The seat of course, has become harder as the hours have passed. By now you’ve sat with your legs crossed, with your hands in your lap, with your hands on the armrests even with your hands crossed behind your head. The end comes just at no more ways to sit.According to the passage, what do the passengers usually see when they are on a long bus trip?
| A．Buses on the road. | B．Films on television. |
| C．Advertisements on the billboards. | D．Gas stations. |
What is the purpose of this passage?
| A．To give the writer's opinion about long bus trips. |
| B．To persuade you to take a long bus trip. |
| C．To explain how bus trips and television shows differ. |
| D．To describe the billboards along the road. |
The writer of this passage would probably favor_____.
| A．bus drivers who aren't reckless | B．driving alone |
| C．a television set on the bus | D．no billboards along the road |
The writer feels long bus rides are like TV shows because_____.
| A．the commercials both on TV shows and on-billboards along the road are fun |
| B．they both have a beginning, a middle, and an end, with commercials in between |
| C．the drivers are always reckless on TV shows just as they are on buses |
| D．both traveling and watching TV are not exciting |
A man once said how useless it was to put advertisements in the newspapers. "Last week," said he, "my umbrella was stolen from a London church. As it was a present, 1 spent twice its worth in advertising, but didn't get it back."
"How did you write your advertisement?" asked one of the listeners, a merchant.
"Here it is," said the man, taking out of his pocket a slip cut from a newspaper. The other man took it and read, "Lost from the City Church last Sunday evening a black silk umbrella. The gentleman who finds it will receive ten shillings on leaving it at No l0 Broad Street."
"Now," said the merchant, "I often advertise, and find that it pays me well. But the way in which an advertisement is expressed is of extreme importance. Let us try your umbrella again, and if it fails, I will buy you a new one."
The merchant then took a slip of paper out of his pocket and wrote: "If the man who was seen to take an umbrella from the City Church last Sunday evening doesn't wish to get into trouble, he will return the umbrella to No. 10 Broad Street. He is well-known."
This appeared in the paper, and on the following morning, the man was astonished when he opened the front door. In the doorway lay at least twelve umbrellas of all sizes and colors that had been thrown in and his own was among them. Many of them had notes fastened to them saying that they had been taken by mistake, and begging the loser not to say anything about the matter. This is a story about_______.
| A．how a man lost and found his umbrella |
| B．how to make an effective advertisement |
| C．how to find lost things |
| D．how to put an advertisement in the newspaper |
"If it fails, I will buy you a new one "suggested that______.
| A．he was rich enough to afford an umbrella | B．he was quite sure of his success |
| C．he was not sure he would get the umbrella back | D．he was ready to help others |
The result of the first advertisement was that______.
| A．the man got his umbrella back | B．the man wasted some money advertising |
| C．the man found his umbrella | D．someone found his umbrella |
According to the first advertisement, anyone who_____ would receive ten shillings.
| A．left the umbrella in the City Church | B．found the umbrella at No. I 0 Broad Street |
| C．gave the message to the man | D．left the umbrella at No. 10 Broad Street |
Why play games? Because they are fun, and a lot more besides. Following the rules... planning your next move... acting as a team member... these are all "game" ideas that you will come across throughout your life.
Think about some of the games you played as a young child, such as rope-jumping and hide-and-seek. Some games are entertaining and fun. But perhaps more importantly, they translate life into exciting dreams that teach children some of the basic rules they will be expected to follow the rest of their lives, such as taking turns and cooperating（合作）.
Many children's games have a practical side. Children around the world play games that prepare them for work they will do as grown-ups. For instance, some Saudi Arabian children play a game called bones, which sharpens the hand-eye coordination（协调） needed in hunting.
Many sports encourage national or local pride. The most famous games of all, the Olympic Games, bring athletes from around the world together to take part in friendly competition. People who watch the event wave flags, knowing that a gold medal is a win for an entire country, not just the athlete who earned it. For countries experiencing natural disasters or war, an Olympic win can mean so much.
Sports are also an event that unites people. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. People on all continents play it--some for fun and some for a living. Nicolette Iribarne, a Californian soccer player, has discovered a way to spread hope through soccer. He created a foundation to provide poor children with not only soccer balls but also a promising future.
Next time you play your favorite game or sport, think about why you enjoy it, what skills are needed, and whether these skills will help you in other aspects of your life.The underlined part in Paragraph 2 most probably means that games can ____.
| A．describe life in an exciting way |
| B．turn real-life experiences into a play |
| C．make learning life skills more interesting |
| D．change people's views of sporting events |
According to the passage, why is winning Olympic medals so encouraging?
| A．It inspires people's deep love for the country. |
| B．It proves the exceptional skills of the winners. |
| C．It helps the country out of natural disasters. |
| D．It earns the winners fame and fortunes. |
Iribarne's goal of forming the foundation is to ____.
| A．bring fun to poor kids |
| B．provide soccer balls for children |
| C．give poor kids a chance for a better life |
| D．attract soccer players to help poor kids |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．Games benefit people all their lives. |
| B．Sports can get all athletes together. |
| C．People are advised to play games for fun. |
| D．Sports increase a country's competitiveness. |
Children at a school in Italy have today begun an experiment to replace all their books with personal computers. The pupils involved will each be given a special laptop that contains their entire courses.
Until today, the Don Milani di Rivoli elementary school in central Turin was like any other. Children turned up, got out their books and pens and began the process of learning. But now, in what's being described as a unique experiment, 60 fifth-grade pupils and a number of third-graders, will start using computers only.
The mini-laptops, which run Windows software, all have a full curriculum programmed into them. The pupils will use the computers to do all their reading and writing. Security systems within the laptops mean the children's access to the Internet is strictly controlled. The machines weigh less than a kilogram, can be dropped from a height of 1.5 metres and are waterproof.
Instead of spending 700 dollars a year on books, the laptops, built by the Italian company Olidata, cost less than 400 dollars. One of the teachers involved in the scheme says that, for the first time, schools will be able to verify in a scientific way how a computer alone can improve the learning process. The experiment, which has the backing of parents, is due to last a year.
In other countries, such a programme is also being carried out. Venezuela is ordering one million low cost laptops for its school children. The machines will be based on the Intel Classmate laptop that has been designed for school children. Many see the deal as a blow for the One Laptop Per Child organization that has also been introducing its child- friendly machine to developing nations. Which of the following is TRUE about the mini-laptop?
| A．It is heavy for pupils to carry. | B．It can't be damaged by water. |
| C．It is one and a half meters high. | D．It is easily broken or damaged. |
The pupils use the laptop to ____ in class.
| A．learn their lessons as an aid |
| B．have a course named computer studies |
| C．surf the Internet mainly to find information |
| D．do what they used to do with books and pens |
How much money can a pupil save by using the mini-laptop to replace all the books in a year?
| A．Less than 400 dollars. | B．More than 400 dollars. |
| C．More than 300 dollars. | D．Less than 300 dollars. |
Which of the following about the experiment is TRUE?
| A．It has been carried out for over one year. |
| B．It has already turned out to be a success. |
| C．The pupils' parents are against it in fact. |
| D．The pupils' parents are supportive to it. |