Pulling heavy suitcases all day in the summer is hard work, especially when you're a thin 14-year-old.That was me in 1940-the youngest and smallest baggage boy at New York City's Pennsyl-vania Railway Station.
After just a few days on the job, I began noticing that the other fellows were overcharging passengers. I'd like to join them, thinking, "Everyone else is doing it."
When I got home that night, I told my dad what I wanted to do." You give an honest day's work," he said, looking at me straight in the eye." They're paying you. If they want to do that, you let them do that."
I followed my dad's advice for the rest of that summer and have lived by his words ever since.
Of all the jobs I've had, it was my experience at Pennsylvania Railway Station that has stuck with me. Now I teach my players to have respect for other people and their possessions. Being a member of a team is a totally shared experience. If one person steals, it destroys trust and hurts everyone. I can put up with many things, but not with people who steal. If one of my players were caught stealing, he'd be gone.
Whether you're on a sports team, in an office or a member of a family, if you can't trust one another, there's going to be trouble. What can be inferred about the baggage boys?
| A．They could earn much, but they had to work hard. |
| B．Many of them earned money in a dishonest way. |
| C．They were all from poor families. |
| D．They were all thin, young boys. |
What does the father's advice imply?
| A．It is wrong to give more pay to the passengers. |
| B．Don't believe them if they are paying you more. |
| C．Don't follow others to overcharge the passengers. |
| D．It is difficult to work hard and live as an honest boy. |
The writer can't put up with stealing because he thinks that ______.
| A．it is a totally shared experience |
| B．it is considered as the most dangerous |
| C．it does great harm to human relationship |
| D．it may lead to the loss of his sports team |
It can be concluded from the text that ______.
| A．his father's advice helped him to decide which job to take up |
| B．working in the sports team was his most important experience |
| C．he learnt much from his shared experience with his team members |
| D．his experience as a baggage boy had a great influence on his later life |
In a moment of personal crisis, how much help can you expect from a New York taxi driver? I began studying this question and found the answers interesting.
One morning I got into three different taxis and announced, “Well, it’s my first day back in New York in seven years. I’ve been in prison.” Not a single driver replied, so I tried again. “Yeah, I shot a man in Reno.” I explained, hoping the driver would ask me why, but nobody asked. The only response came from a Ghanaian driver, “Reno? That is in Nevada?”
Taxi drivers were uniformly sympathetic when I said I’d just been fired. “This is America,” a Haitian driver said. “One door is closed. Another is open.” He argued against my plan to burn down my boss’s house. A Pakistani driver even turned down a chance to profit from my loss of hope; he refused to take me to the middle of George Washington Bridge—a $20 trip. “Why you want to go there? Go home and relax. Don’t worry. Take a new job.”
One very hot weekday in July, while wearing a red ski mask and holding a stuffed pillowcase with the word “BANK” on it, I tried calling a taxi five times outside different banks. The driver picked me up every time. My ride with a Haitian driver was typical of the superb assistance I received.
“Let’s go across the park.” I said. “I just robbed the bank there. I got $25,000.”
“$25,000?” He asked.
“Yeah, you think it was wrong to take it?”
“No, man. I work 8 hours and I don’t make almost $70. If I can do that, I do it too.”
As we approached 86th and Lexington, I pointed to the Chemical Bank.
“Hey, there’s another bank,” I said, “Could you wait here a minute while I go inside?”
“No, I can’t wait. Pay me now.” His reluctance may have something to do with money—taxi drivers think the rate for waiting time is too low—but I think he wanted me to learn that even a bank robber can’t expect unconditional support.Why did the Pakistani driver refuse to take the author to the middle of the George Washington Bridge?
| A．Because he was able to help the author to find a new job. |
| B．Because he wanted to go home and relax. |
| C．Because it was far away from his home. |
| D．Because he thought that the author would commit suicide. |
What is the author’s interpretation of the driver’s reluctance “to wait outside the Chemical bank”?
| A．The driver thought that the rate for waiting time was too low. |
| B．The driver thought it wrong to support a taxi rider unconditionally. |
| C．The driver was frightened and wanted to leave him as soon as possible. |
| D．The driver did not want to help a suspect to escape from a bank robbery. |
Which of the following statements is true about New York taxi drivers?
| A．They are ready to help you do whatever you want to. |
| B．they often refuse to pick up those who would kill themselves. |
| C．They are sympathetic with those who are out of work. |
| D．They work only for money. |
One day Bill went to eat at a restaurant in London．Suddenly a young woman sat down beside him．Bill could not think what she wanted．She did not look very happy．Bill asked her what was wrong．“The problem is,” she began．But then she stopped．She didn’t find it easy to tell Bill about it, it seemed．
“My husband and I wanted to meet here for lunch at 12,” she said at last, “but he hasn’t come．”
“Well, don’t you know where he is? Can you ring him up?”
“No, I can’t.” said the woman, “And I have had lunch now and I can’t pay the bill．Because I haven’t got any money with me．”
“Never mind, I’ll pay the bill for you．You can pay me back later．” Bill said．“If you give me your address, I’ll send you the money as soon as I get home．” With these words she left the restaurant．
A few weeks later, when Bill was having lunch at another restaurant, he suddenly heard a familiar（熟悉的）voice, “Excuse me．May I just sit here for a moment?” Bill turned round．It was the same young woman again．This time she was talking to a man with gray hair at a table not far from the gate．Bill smiled at the woman and got up from his chair and walked across the room．One day Bill came to eat at a restaurant _____ ．
| A．to meet a young woman |
| B．to help a woman |
| C．to have lunch |
| D．to have the last meal of the day |
The woman said she would _____ ．
| A．return Bill’s money as early as possible |
| B．go to Bill’s home to return the money |
| C．give Bill’s money back the next day |
| D．return Bill’s money at the restaurant |
Bill walked across the room _____ ．
| A．to pay the woman’s bill |
| B．to say hello to the man with gray hair |
| C．to meet the woman |
| D．to go away from the woman |
One-hundred-and seventh birthdays aren’t usually celebrated for authors who aren’t alive anymore. But Theodor Seuss Geisel---better known as the children’s books author Dr. Seuss ---who came into the world on 2 March, 1904, was an unusual man.
Like generations of children I was raised on his wonderful stories. But when I now read them to my children it’s not just the childhood memories I enjoy. His writing is brilliant and imaginative and flows with a self-confidence as sure as the words of a Shakespeare poem. Readers ride his characteristic rhythm (韵律) with an effortless joy that cannot be matched by any other modern writer:
You have brains in your head
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself any direction you choose
And will you succeed?
Yes indeed, yes indeed!
Ninety-eight and three-quarters percent guaranteed.
Seuss’s brilliant cartoons and clever words make his books a delight for adults but they attract mostly children of course. His stories teach kids moral lessons but in indirect and entertaining ways.
The first Seuss book I was given was The Lorax, written just as the 60s were becoming the 70s. Seuss was ahead of his time, and in this book the dawn of concern for environmental problems are shown as the Lorax “who speaks for the trees” battles against an evil businessman who wants to destroy the forest and make goods “which everyone needs”.
It’s not only a warning of the heavy price of environmental destruction, written well before most people had thought to worry, but it’s also a smart analysis of consumer societies: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” This is of course a moral message, but not of the kind designed to persuade the youngsters into behavior that adults want.
I could go on, but hey, it’s a birthday, and I’m sure you folks have some good toasts to raise for the party…What’s the purpose of this passage?
| A．To introduce Dr. Seuss’s life. |
| B．To analyze Dr. Seuss’s books. |
| C．To describe Dr. Seuss’s writing style. |
| D．To celebrate Dr. Seuss’s achievements. |
Why does the author include Dr. Seuss’s poem?
| A．To encourage readers to use their brains and choose their own way. |
| B．To give readers a sample of Seuss’s story The Lorax. |
| C．To provide readers with an example of Seuss’s writing style. |
| D．To explain how relevant Seuss’s stories remain today. |
Why do adults also enjoy Seuss’s books?
| A．His words and pictures are imaginative enough to be enjoyed by all. |
| B．His books give children obvious moral messages to learn from. |
| C．He writes about adult topics in a way that is understandable to children. |
| D．He was the first person to write about the environment. |
When was the book The Lorax written?
| A．Early 1960s. | B．Early 1970s. |
| C．Late 1960s. | D．Late 1970s. |
Which of the following is true about Seuss?
| A．Many of the issues he discussed attracted greater concern in later years. |
| B．He is widely considered as the twentieth-century Shakespeare. |
| C．His books are more popular now than when they were first published. |
| D．Most readers thought his ideas were difficult to understand. |
Some people will do just about anything to save money. And I am one of them. Take my family’s last vacation. It was my six-year-old son’s winter break form school, and we were heading home from Fort Lauderdale after a weeklong trip. The flight was overbooked, and Delta, the airline, offered us $400 per person in credits to give up our seats and leave the next day. I had meetings in New York，So I had to get back. But that didn't mean my husband and my son couldn't stay. I took my nine-month-old and took off for home.
The next day, my husband and son were offered more credits to take an even later flight. Yes, I encouraged—okay, ordered—them to wait it out at the airport, to "earn" more Delta Dollars. Our total take: $1,600. Not bad, huh?
Now some people may think I'm a bad mother and not such a great wife either. But as a big-time bargain hunter, I know the value of a dollar. And these days, a good deal is something few of us can afford to pass up.
I've made living looking for the best deals and exposing （揭露）the worst tricks. I have been the consumer reporter of NBC's Today show for over a decade. I have written a couple of books including one titled Tricks of the Trade: A Consumer Survival Guide. And I really do what I believe in.
I tell you this because there is no shame in getting your money’s worth. I’m also tightfisted when it comes to shoes, clothes for my children, and expensive restaurants. But I wouldn't hesitate to spend on a good haircut. It keeps its shape longer, and it's the first thing people notice. And I will also spend on a classic piece of furniture. Quality lasts.Why did Delta give the author's family credits?
| A．They took a later flight. |
| B．They had early bookings. |
| C．Their flight had been delayed. |
| D．Their flight had been cancelled. |
What can we learn about the author?
| A．She rarely misses a good deal. |
| B．She seldom makes a compromise. |
| C．She is very strict with her children. |
| D．She is interested in cheap products. |
What does the author do?
| A．She's a teacher. | B．She's a housewife. |
| C．She's a media person. | D．She's a businesswoman. |
What does the author want to tell us?
| A．How to expose bad tricks. | B．How to reserve airline seats. |
| C．How to spend money wisely. | D．How to make a business deal. |
Welcome to International Student Insurance (保险), the number one online destination for international student health insurance and travel insurance plans. Here you will find information on the best international health, medical and student insurance plans to fit the needs of the international student:
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If you are looking for an international plan to fit the need of your group of international students, please visit our group insurance center for more. Any student who wants to learn about the insurance plans can click the following EXCEPT ______.
| A．Student Safety | B．International Citizens |
| C．Atlas International | D．Student STM |
The underlined word “browse” (in Paragraph 4) means “______”.
| A．look after | B．look for |
| C．look through | D．look at |
Where can we probably read this passage?
| A．In a newspaper. | B．On the Internet. |
| C．In a magazine. | D．In a story book. |
The group insurance center is for ______.
| A．every student | B．groups of international students |
| C．American students | D．single international student |