High school students need “cool” jobs in summer holidays. Working at popular retail chains(零售连锁店) and ice-cream shops are good choices. The U.S. Department of Labor(美国劳工部) says that about two-thirds of the teenager workers are in fast food business. 1/5 of cooks and food workers are between 16 and 19 years old and 2/5 of food workers are part-time workers.
If you think taking a part-time job is easier, you are wrong. For young people, whatever you do, do your jobs well. Because a good work record will be useful for higher-paid jobs in the future. Let’s share my story.
Unless with my family members, I would go to eat fast food. That doesn’t mean I don’t like working in a fast food restaurant. My first part-time job, at age 16, was at the McDonald’s in Bloomington, Indiana. It was very hard work. Especially on Indiana University football weekends, we had no time to rest, but we still had a lot of fun. Finally I got a higher-paid job.
A future manager believes that difficult work encourages success. The growing U.S. population will bring more restaurants. While many people can’t deal with the pressure(压力) to fill orders quickly, the people who really do a great job will get plenty of rewards in the workplace. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, ______.
| A．more than half of teenager workers are in fast food business |
| B．teenagers in America like to work in a fast food restaurant |
| C．teenagers like to take a part-time job in summer holidays |
| D．almost all teenagers are interested in fast food |
The author uses his own story mainly to tell us that ______.
| A．he never liked fast food and would never eat it |
| B．he didn’t like working in a fast food restaurant at all |
| C．he did a great job, which enabled him to find a better one |
| D．he never went to the fast food restaurant with his family |
The underlined phrase “A future manager” in Paragraph 4 means the person who ______.
| A．will become a manager in the future | B．wants to be a manager in the future |
| C．doesn’t like his job at present | D．worries about his future |
From the last paragraph, we can learn that ______.
| A．a manager will do less work and get more money |
| B．not all the people are suitable for the job in fast food business |
| C．a hardworking waiter has few chances to be a manager |
| D．the growing U.S. population can bring higher-paid jobs |
You’ve bought what you need. The grocery cashier asks, “Will that be paper or plastic? You reply “Plastic, please.”
This seems like a simple question and there are plenty of reasons we choose plastic: easier to carry, lighter than paper bags, possibly less damaging to the environment, less expensive to the shop owners, able to be used as trash bag, and so on. There are different opinions on plastic and paper. Now let’s follow the travels of 3 plastic bags. It begins at the grocery store with the customer’s choice.
Plastic Bag 1: As the waste engineer come by and pick up the trash, the first plastic bag falls out. It sits on a small street for a couple of hours until a car comes along and takes it down to the road. Then a gust of wind blows it across the road, then another car, then another gust of wind finally makes its way to the beach. Water fills the plastic bag and makes it look like a jellyfish. A seal(海豹) swims by, thinking it looks very interesting, and swallowed it. The plastic bag may stay in the seal’s stomach for months, maybe years. You see, our lovely animals have been living thousands of years in a world where everything can be eaten.
Plastic Bag 2: This bag does make its way to landfill(垃圾场). Before they have a chance to cover up the thousands of pounds of daily waste, a strong wind comes up and blows these plastic bags out of the landfill. Once the wind stops, workers will be sent to collect thousands of bags around. But they can’t possibly get them all. So our little bag continues his adventure getting caught in trees, eaten by birds or making its way to our lakes or rivers.
Plastic Bag 3: The last bag also blows away but is caught in a landfill where it sits for many years, as all the trash is wrapped in a big plastic bag, making natural degradation(降解) impossible. Although workers do much work to make sure water and air system won’t be polluted, some do. Guess what, plastic bags are made from petrol, a harmful waste material, which in one way or another makes its way to the environment.
Another problem with putting plastic bags in out trash is that our landfills for most cities may be filled in about 20 years. More importantly, since we are running out of land to build homes, you might have the pleasure of one day living on top of your plastic bags!
One of the best suggestions is not to use a bag at all or bring your own cloth bags. If you must, please choose paper bags, which, though not suggested, can be eaten by animals. And there are more opportunities recycle paper bags. It does take a little extra effort. But please have a thought about the little seal next time you say, “Plastic please.”According to the passage, what is NOT the reason for a customer to choose plastic bags?
| A．He can use plastic bags to carry trash later. |
| B．He finds paper bags heavier than plastic bags. |
| C．He finds plastic bags more convenient to carry. |
| D．He can save money for plastic bags are cheaper. |
The author describes the travel of Plastic Bag 1 to show ______.
| A．seals like eating plastic bags around them. |
| B．seals really have a good stomach. |
| C．seals are potential victims of plastic bags. |
| D．seals are not able to differ plastic from food. |
Wrapped in a big plastic bag, Plastic Bag3_____.
| A．still does harm to the environment |
| B．can hardly be harmful to the environment |
| C．is much safer than Plastic Bag2 |
| D．will end up being eaten by seals or some fish |
What will the following part of this passage talk about?
| A．Suggestions on reducing harm of plastic bags. |
| B．Disadvantages of using too many plastic bags. |
| C．Persuading people into using paper bags. |
| D．Other potential victims of plastic bags. |
What is the overall tone of this passage?
| A．Excited | B．Serious | C．Ironical | D．Casual |
Have you ever considered all the English expressions that include words about clothes? Let’s see if I can name a few proverbs “off the cuff” since I haven’t prepared for it.
| English expressions with “pants” |
| People wear pants to cover the lower part of their bodies. We sometimes say that people who are restless or nervous have “ants in their pants.” They might also “fly by the seat of their pants” -- they use their natural sense to do something instead of their learned knowledge. Sometimes, people may “get caught with their pants down” -- they are found doing something they should not be doing. And, in every family, one person takes control. Sometimes a wife tells her husband what to do. Then we say “she wears the pants in the family.” |
| When people what to say something about money |
| Pants usually have pockets to hold things. Money that is likely to be spent quickly can “burn a hole in your pocket.” Sometimes you need a belt to hold up your pants. If you have less money than usual, you may have to “tighten your belt” -- you may have to live on less money and spend your money carefully. But once you have succeeded in budgeting your money, you will have that skill “under your belt.” I always praise people who can save their money and not spend too much. I really “take my hat off to them.” Yet, when it comes to my own money, I spend it “at the drop of a hat” -- immediately, without waiting. And sadly, you cannot “pull money out of a hat” -- you cannot get money by inventing or imagining it. |
| English expressions with “shoes” |
| Boots are a heavy or strong kind of shoes. People who are “too big for their boots” think they are more important than they really are. I dislike such people. I really do. You can bet your boots on that! Yet, truly important people are hard to replace. Rarely can you “fill their shoes” -- or replace them with someone equally effective. |
| English expressions with “shirt” |
| My father is an important person. He runs a big company. He wears a suit and tie and a shirt with sleeves that cover his arms. Some people who do not know him well think he is too firm and severe. They think he is a real “stuffed shirt.” But I know that my father “wears his heart on his sleeve” -- he shows his feelings openly. And, he knows how to “keep his shirt on” -- he stays calm and never gets angry or too excited. |
What is this passage mainly about?
| A．How to say English correctly and properly. |
| B．Why English expressions include words about clothes. |
| C．Which words can be used to describe my father. |
| D．What people mean when they use some proverbs. |
Which of the following proverbs are not related to money?
| A．tighten one’s belt | B．burn a hole in one’s pocket |
| C．get caught with their pants down | D．take one’s hat off to them |
Tim often considers himself the most important person in the world , which is far from the truth .We may say ____.
| A．he is “too big for their boots”. |
| B．he “bet his boots on that ”. |
| C．he “ fill their shoes”. |
| D．he “wears his heart on his sleeve ”. |
If you want to praise somebody for his calmness when facing danger , you may say ___.
| A．“You really fill your shoes” |
| B．“Awesome ! You wear your heart on your sleeve!” |
| C．“Amazing !How can you keep your shirt on at that time!” |
| D．“Cool! You are truly a stuffed shirt”. |
A reader from Brazil recently wrote to us asking for some advice. He’s planning a trip to the United States, and wanted to know about the best places to travel in America. Today, we are going to give you some information which may help you when choosing your destination.
Each of the 50 states in America has interesting things to offer visitors, but some are more popular than others. Washington, D.C. is famous for its historical places, like the White House and the Lincoln Memorial. Visitors to Los Angeles, California can see the Hollywood Walk of Fame or shop the stores on Rodeo Drive where they may see a star or two. The Grand Canyon in Arizona appeals to hikers, climbers and nature lovers, as does Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.
TripAdvisor is a website where people can write reviews about their travel experiences. Every year, TripAdvisor makes a list of the top 25 cities to visit in the United States. The results are based on the opinions of visitors to the website.
Brooke Ferencsik of TripAdvisor said the top picks on the list were not surprising. And it’s no secret why New York City was named the number one destination.
New York City is sometimes called “the city that never sleeps” because it can be very busy. It is an exciting place for many people because there is so much to do. But the city might be too busy for travelers looking for rest and calm. They might want something more like Myrtle Beach, in the state of South Carolina, which made it to number 21 on Trip Advisor’s list.
“A lot of people come to Myrtle Beach for great weather, it’s a wonderful family vacation spot, the beaches - got the wonderful Atlantic beaches there - there’s a lot of family-friendly parks and water parks.”
Many people take time off from their jobs in the summer to travel. Because there are many tourists visiting other places, June until August is known as “high season.” Traveling during the high season can be crowded. Hotels, restaurants, and transportation might also be very expensive.
If you want to save money on a trip, it is a good idea to plan to leave before or after the summer months. These times are known as “shoulder seasons” for travel.
“If you’re looking for value, try and think about traveling through the shoulder season if it’s possible - the shoulder season being the fall or the spring. The weather is still very good in some of these destinations, and you can get better prices.”
America’s major cities are still the most popular destinations for visitors. Ferencsik says this is because of the good quality of services they provide tourists.
“They do a great job of giving travelers what they want when they’re on vacation. I think they kind of cater to every type of traveler need. So whether you’re traveling alone, you’re traveling for business, you’re traveling with your family - whatever it is, those destinations are really tuned in to delivering amazing experiences and just a lot of different opportunities when you’re there.”Lily has great interest in nature and American history. She can visit___________.
A. The Grand Canyon and Rodeo Drive
B. California and Los Angeles
C. White House and Arizona
D. Washington, D.C and The Grand CanyonWhich of the following is NOT true about Myrtle Beach?
| A．People can enjoy a wonderful holiday with their family there. |
| B．It’s a place where people can have rest and calm. |
| C．It’s on the list of the top 25 cities to visit in the United States. |
| D．It’s in North Carolina with great weather that attracts tourists. |
Why does the author suggest traveling through the shoulder seasons?
| A．To enjoy good weather in spring and fall. |
| B．To have good quality of services. |
| C．To have better value of traveling . |
| D．To save money and energy. |
The author write this passage to ___.
A. give some information about the top 25 cities to visit in USA.
B. talk about some American popular places and advice on traveling
C. advise tourists to visit big cities for their good service and opportunities.
D. give advice on saving money and time when traveling in America.This passage may probably be taken from ____.
| A．a travel journal | B．a magazine |
| C．News Weekly | D．a website |
People from East Asia tend to have more difficulty than those from Europe in distinguishing facial expressions--and a new report published online in Current Biology explains why.
Rachael Jack, University of Glasgow researcher, said that rather than scanning evenly(均匀的) across a face as Westerners do, Easterners fix their attention on the eyes.
"We show that Easterners and Westerners look at different face features to read facial expressions," Jack said. "Westerners look at the eyes and the mouth in equal measure, whereas Easterners favor the eyes and neglect (忽略) the mouth."
According to Jack and her colleagues, the discovery shows that human communication of emotion is more complex than previously believed. As a result, facial expressions that had been considered universally recognizable cannot be used to reliably convey emotion in cross-cultural situations.
The researchers studied cultural differences in the recognition of facial expressions by recording the eye movements of 13 Western Caucasian and 13 East Asian people while they observed pictures of. expressive faces and put them into categories: happy, sad, surprised, fearful, disgusted, angry, or neutral. They compared how accurately participants read those facial expressions using their particular eye movement strategies.
It turned out that Easterners focused much greater attention on the eyes and made significantly more errors than did Westerners. "The cultural difference in eye movements that they show is probably a reflection of cultural difference in facial expressions," Jack said. "Our data suggest that whereas Westerners use the whole face to convey emotion, Easterners use the eyes more and mouth less."
In short, the data show that facial expressions are not universal signals of human emotion. From here on, examining how cultural factors have diversified these basic social skills will help our understanding of human emotion. Otherwise, when it comes to communicating emotions across cultures, Easterners and Westerners will find themselves lost in translation.The discovery shows that Westerners __
| A．pay equal attention to the eyes and the mouth |
| B．consider facial expressions universally reliable |
| C．observe the eyes and the mouth in different ways |
| D．have more difficulty in recognizing facial expressions |
What were the people asked to do in the study?
| A．To make a face at each other. |
| B．To get their faces impressive. |
| C．To classify some face pictures. |
| D．To observe the researchers' faces. |
What does the underlined word "they" in Paragraph 6 refer to?
| A．The participants in the study. |
| B．The researchers of the study. |
| C．The errors made during the study |
| D．The data collected from the study. |
In comparison with Westerners, Easterners are likely to __
| A．do translation more successfully |
| B．study the mouth more frequently |
| C．examine the eyes more attentively |
| D．read facial expressions more correctly |
What can be the best title for the passage?
| A．The Eye as the Window to the Soul |
| B．Cultural Differences in Reading Emotions |
| C．Effective Methods to Develop Social Skills |
| D．How to Increase Cross-cultural Understanding |
When Mary Moore began her high school in 1951, her mother told her, "Be sure and take a typing course so when this show business thing doesn't work out, you'll have something to rely on." Mary responded in typical teenage fashion. From that moment on, "the very last thing I ever thought about doing was taking a typing course," she recalls.
The show business thing worked out, of course. In her career, Mary won many awards. Only recently, when she began to write Growing Up Again, did she regret ignoring her mom," I don't know how to use a computer," she admits.
Unlike her 1995 autobiography, After All, her second book is less about life as an award-winning actress and more about living with diabetes (糖尿病). All the money from the book is intended for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), an organization she serves as international chairman. "I felt there was a need for a book like this," she says. "I didn't want to lecture, but I wanted other diabetics to know that things get better when we're self-controlled and do our part in managing the disease."
But she hasn't always practiced what she teaches. In her book, she describes that awful day, almost 40 years ago, when she received two pieces of life-changing news. First, she had lost the baby she was carrying, and second, tests showed that she had diabetes. In a childlike act, she left the hospital and treated herself to a box of doughnuts (甜甜圈). Years would pass before she realized she had to grow up--again---and take control of her diabetes, not let it control her. Only then did she kick her three-pack-a-day cigarette habit, overcome her addiction to alcohol, and begin to follow a balanced diet.
Although her disease has affected her eyesight and forced her to the sidelines of the dance floor, she refuses to fall into self-pity. "Everybody on earth can ask, 'why me?' about something or other," she insists. "It doesn't do any good. No one is immune (免疫的) to heartache, pain, and disappointments. Sometimes we can make things better by helping others. I've come to realize the importance of that as I've grown up this second time. I want to speak out and be as helpful as I can be."Why did Mary feel regretful?
| A．She didn't achieve her ambition. |
| B．She didn't take care of her mother. |
| C．She didn't complete her high school. |
| D．She didn't follow her mother's advice. |
We can know that before 1995 Mary 。
| A．had two books published | B．received many career awards |
| C．knew how to use a computer | D．supported the JDRF by writing |
Mary's second book Growing Up Again is mainly about her ________.
| A．living with diabetes | B．successful show business |
| C．service for an organization | D．remembrance of her mother |
When Mary received the life-changing news, she __.
| A．lost control of herself | B．began a balanced diet |
| C．tired to get a treatment | D．behaved in an adult way |
What can we know from the last paragraph?
| A．Mary feels pity for herself. |
| B．Mary has recovered from her disease. |
| C．Mary wants to help others as much as possible. |
| D．Mary determines to go back to the dance floor. |