Along with more than 300 other seniors, I marched into the stadium on the afternoon of May 10. The audience burst into deafening cheers, whistling and clapping.
It was as if a Hollywood superstar had walked on stage. And indeed, every single senior that day was a star of the once-in-a-lifetime moment—the commencement.
Seated, I waited anxiously for the opening address. As a foreign exchange student, I was not able to receive a diploma. However, I still had the wonderful feeling of being part of things. Like the other graduates, I was dressed in marron cap and gown(方帽长袍).
Our principal, Mr. Glover, delivered a short, warm greeting. The US national anthem followed and then, hands on chests, a solemn Pledge of Allegiance(对美国的忠孝宣誓).
Students who had excelled academically gave farewell speeches. Then came the core (核心) of the commencement. Hundreds of names were announced. Each graduate walked across the stage to receive his or her diploma from the principal. From the different cheers each graduate got, we had the funny sense that it was a kind of competition of who could cheer the loudest.
To be honest, the presentation of diplomas got boring. But it wasn’t boring for those receiving the diploma: they would treasure the moment the principal placed the sacred brown document in their hands for the rest of their lives.
A new page in the book of that person’s life had turned. They were glimpsing their futures: futures of challenge, hardship, perhaps loneliness too, which would take all of their courage.What’s the article mainly about?
| A．An American high school’s graduation ceremony. |
| B．The opening ceremony of a sports meeting. |
| C．A presentation of college diplomas. |
| D．A US college’s farewell party. |
Which of the following statements about the author is FALSE?
| A．She was one of the graduates. |
| B．She was a foreign exchange student. |
| C．She was excited to receive her diploma. |
| D．She felt it great to be at the ceremony. |
The right order of the following events is________.
a. Diplomas were presented to graduates.
b. Students gave farewell speeches.
c. The US national anthem was played.
d. The principal gave a short, warm speech.
e. Seniors went into the stadium.
| A．b-c-a-d-e | B．c-d-b-e-a | C．d-b-e-a-c | D．e-d-c-b-a |
From the text, we can conclude that_______.
| A．a diploma ensures a good job |
| B．a diploma guarantees a bright future |
| C．the commencement symbolizes the beginning of a new stage in life |
| D．everyone felt excited at the presentation of the diploma |
Let's be honest：If you like to take lots of vacation，the United States is not the place to work.Besides a handful of national holidays，the typical American worker gets two or three precious weeks off out of a whole year to relax and see the world—much less than what people in many other countries receive.Only 57% of the US workers use up all of the days they're entitled (授权) to，compared with 89% of workers in France, a recent research found.
So what's going on here？A big reason for the difference is that paid time off is supported by law in many parts of the world.Germany is among more than two dozen industrialized countries—from Australia to Slovenia to Japan—that require employers to offer four weeks or more of paid vacation to their workers，according to a 2009 study by the human resources consulting company Mercer.Finland, Brazil and France are the champions, guaranteeing six weeks of time off.
But employers in the United States have no duty under federal law to offer any paid vacation, so about a quarter of all American workers don't have access to it，government figures show.That makes the US the only advanced nation in the world that doesn't guarantee its workers annual leave，according to a report titled “NoVacation Nation” by the Center for Economic and Policy Research, a liberal policy group.
But the fear of layoffs(下岗) and the everfaster pace of work mean many Americans don't want to be absent from the office—anxious that they might look like they're not willing to work hard.Or they worry they won't be able to deal with the backlog (积压未办之事)of work waiting for them after a vacation.
Working more makes Americans happier than Europeans, according to a study published recently in the Journal of Happiness Studies.That may be because Americans believe more than Europeans do that hard work is associated with success, wrote Adam OkuliczKozaryn，the study's author and an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Dallas.“Americans increase their happiness by working, and Europeans increase their happiness through vacation，” he found.Which of the following countries has the longest paid vacation?
| A．America. | B．Germany. |
| C．Australia. | D．France. |
What does the underlined word “it”in Paragraph 3 refer to?
| A．Federal law. | B．Paid vacation. |
| C．Annual leave. | D．Long vacation. |
Why are many Americans unwilling to be absent from the office?
a．They enjoy their work very much.
b．They are afraid of being fired.
c．They are not protected by law.
d．They are worried about falling behind.
| A．a，b | B．a，d |
| C．c，d | D．b，d |
What does the study in the Journal of Happiness Studies find?
| A．Americans get more happiness from work than Europeans. |
| B．Americans believe happiness is the most important thing. |
| C．Europeans believe more hard work leads to success. |
| D．Europeans do not like taking long vacations. |
What is the text mainly about?
| A．Why American workers have fewer vacations. |
| B．The reasons why American workers dislike work. |
| C．How workers in different countries take vacations. |
| D．Why American workers are happier than Europeans. |
Psychologists in Britain have said that the last full week of January is the most depressing time of year, and labelled next Monday ‘Blue Monday’. Blue is a slang way of saying unhappy.
Mondays are generally seen as the worst day of the week because people feel grumpy(脾气坏的) and tired at having to go back to work after a weekend with a different sleep pattern.
There are various reasons why more people feel depressed at this time of year. Many people have unpaid credit card bills for the Christmas presents they bought, and pay day is often not until the end of the month.
As the party season is over, people feel stressed because they have to go back to real life – work and commuting; and they may be unhappy with their body image after bingeing on booze, chocolates, and other food at Christmas-time.
People may have already failed in their New Year’s resolutions, such as giving up smoking. The bad weather in January can also contribute to people feeling fed up.
Some companies are taking this quite seriously and offering counselling (咨询) for any staff who are feeling depressed. They hope that helping people as soon as there are signs of depression will avoid absenteeism(旷工). Evidence shows that unreasonable managers who contribute to their staff feeling fed up at this time can expect an uncooperative workforce.
However, it’s not all bad! Many people feel optimistic at this time, that things can only get better. Psychologists offer suggestions of how to combat feeling blue. These include spending 15 minutes doing a ‘gratitude exercise’ thinking about and writing down what you are grateful for, such as health, family, friends and so on.
Taking up a new hobby, doing some exercise, going to bed earlier, eating a healthy breakfast, and listening to some uplifting music, are all recommended as ways to feel more cheerful.
To avoid feeling blue next January, experts say that the best thing to do is to plan better next December. Spend less on presents, eat and drink less over the festive period, and make more realistic New Year’s resolutions.What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．A Happy Monday. | B．Blue Monday. |
| C．New Year’s Resolutions. | D．A Sad Christmas. |
What can be inferred from the second and the third paragraphs?
A. People have to pay for the things and can’t get paid until the end of the month.
B. People feel happy when they go to work on Monday.
C. Many companies offer counselling to their staff who are feeling depressed.In order to avoid feeling blue next time, you can do the following EXCEPT _______.
| A．spend less on gifts. |
| B．eat and drink less over the holidays. |
| C．drinking alcohol with your best friends. |
| D．make more realistic New Year’s resolutions. |
Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage?
| A．the last full week of January is the most depressing time of year. |
| B．The bad weather in January can also lead to people feeling fed up. |
| C．Some companies are offering counselling for any staff who are feeling depressed. |
| D．Many people feel optimistic at that time and can get better. |
The following are books sold on our website, perhaps some of them you’ll be interested in.
The Top Gear Guide to Britain (Hardback)
Our price: £9.99
For over ten years, Top Gear has been travelling all over Britain in the course of making the world’s best programme about cars, driving.
This book is not only a guide for outsiders; it is an invaluable reference manual for Britons themselves, like a mirror held up to our very souls.
Still Open All Hours (Hardback)
Our price: £12.49
From its first episode in 1973, Open All Hours was an instant hit. Audiences around Britain loved its familiar setting, good natured humour, and the hilarious (非常滑稽的) partnership of Ronnie Barker and David Jason. Whilst it only ran for 26 episodes, it firmly cemented itself as a British comedy classic.
Mrs Brown’s Family Handbook (Paperback)
Our price: £7.99
Mrs Brown’s Family Handbook, the first and only official book from Brendan O’Carroll’s brilliant educational creation, is filled with useful advice and gives us a unique look into the lives of the Brown family.
I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue: The Best of Forty Years (Hardback)
Our price: £15.99
“I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue” is the most listened to comedy programme on British radio. It regularly attracts a large audience. The author tells us about the forty years of the programme.
Life on Air (Hardback)
Our price: £16.49
Sir David Attenborough is Britain’s best-known natural history film-maker. His career as a naturalist and broadcaster has spanned nearly six decades, and in this volume of memoirs Sir David tells stories of the people and animals he has met and the places he has visited.If you are driving to Britain for your holidays, you probably will be interested in _______.
| A．The Top Gear Guide to Britain |
| B．I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue: The Best of Forty Years |
| C．Mrs Brown’s Family Handbook |
| D．Still Open All Hours |
Sally is a housewife with three naughty children, which book will attract her most?
| A．Life on Air. |
| B．Mrs Brown’s Family Handbook. |
| C．The Top Gear Guide to Britain. |
| D．Still Open All Hours. |
If you are interested in comedy, which books may you buy?
| A．Life on Air and Still Open All Hours. |
| B．Mrs Brown’s Family Handbook and The Top Gear Guide to Britain. |
| C．I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue: The Best of Forty Years and Mrs Brown’s Family Handbook. |
| D．I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue: The Best of Forty Years and Still Open All Hours. |
On the second day of the World Internet Conference themed with cybersecurity and international cooperation held in Wuzhen, an official with China’s network emergency watchdog said that 6,118 domestic websites have been controlled by the United States, according to Shanghai Securities News.
Among the hacked websites in the first half of this year, 48.8 percent were under the thumb of overseas IP addresses, said Huang Chengqing, director-general of the National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team and Coordination Center (CNERT/CC).
He added that the US contributed the most, followed by Hong Kong, which controlled 3,097, and South Korea with 2,307.
Among the overseas IP addresses inserting backdoor programs in domestic websites, the US accounted for 29.3 percent, South Korea for 6 percent and Hong Kong for 5 percent, he said.
In addition, 4.9 percent of government websites have been attacked, and 3.2 percent inserted with backdoor programs.
Huang also said that the number of Chinese computers affected by Trojan Horse viruses reached 190,000 in the six-month period.
To safeguard cybersecurity, the CNERT/CC has cooperated with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and built relationships with 59 countries and 127 organizations.
Over the past two years, the center dealt with more than 15,000 cross-border online security cases.The theme of the World Internet Conference is _______.
| A．the safety of the Internet |
| B．international control and worldwide cooperation |
| C．cybersecurity and international cooperation |
| D．network emergency. |
Which of the following is true according to the first three paragraphs?
A. 6,118 domestic websites have been owned by the USA.
B. 48.8 percent were under the thumb of overseas IP addresses among the hacked websites in the second half of the year.
C. The USA, Hong Kong and South Korea are the biggest victims of the hacked websites.
D. The US is the biggest attacker when it comes to the hacked websites.What should we do to safeguard cybersecurity?
| A．Try to attack the websites in other countries with Trojan Horse viruses. |
| B．Insert backdoor programs in everyday apps. |
| C．Strengthen the cooperation with other countries and organizations. |
| D．The passage does not mention. |
The number of the cross-border online security cases dealt with in the past two years by the CNERT/CC is _______.
| A．190,000 | B．over 15,000 | C．3,097 | D．6,118 |
Five-year-old Jocelyn Rojas spent all day playing happily with her friends outside her grandmother’s apartment building. Her mom, Jaimee, kept her eye on the little girl from a window. At about 4 p.m., Jocelyn walked around the corner of the building to get her bicycle. However, half an hour later, she disappeared. Jaimee called 911.
A short time later, police officers and firefighters crowded inthe area, blocking streets and searching the neighborhood. Officers handed out photos of the girl wearing thick-framed glasses.
Temar Boggs, 15, a school athlete in track, was with some friends moving a couch into the apartment of his elderly neighbor when one officer approached him and asked if he’d seen Jocelyn. Unfortunately, none of them had seen her. A little bit later, Temar and his friends went to check out the situation. By 6:30 p.m., Jocelyn had been missing for more than two hours, and the search team was worried that the sun would set before she was found.
Just at that moment, Temar felt an intense emotion that he was going to find her. He and his friend Chris Garcia, 13, rode alongside, simply keeping a sharp eye out as they circled around. Then Temar spotted a car circling around, as if the driver were unfamiliar with the neighborhood. Temar cycled close and made eye contact with the man behind the wheel, an older guy wearing a red-and-white striped shirt, and saw a tiny blond girl in the passenger seat. Temar instantly realized it must be the missing girl.
The boys cycled after the car, but the driver kept moving, winding his way through the neighborhood.
Finally, the driver had to park the car ahead of them and pushed open the passenger-side door. A girl slipped out of the car. It was Jocelyn. Temar got off his bike, and carried her to the police. The kidnapper sped away.
A police report later identified the man as a 63-ycar-old sex offender. He is still at large.
Neil Harkins, chief of the Manheim Police Department, says “The boys’ heroics are ‘something we don’t normally hear about.’ It is a very brave thing for young boys to do that.” But when asked, Temar, now a tenth-grade student at Lucy Laney High School, says “I didn’t do it for attention. I just wanted to help.”Why did Jaimee call 911?
| A．Because her mother was in need of help. |
| B．Because her house was on fire. |
| C．Because her daughter was missing. |
| D．Because she was trapped in the building. |
What was Temar doing when the police were searching for Jocelyn?
| A．He and his friends were playing outside the building. |
| B．He was helping the police hand out the photos of the missing girl. |
| C．He and his friends were helping his neighbor moving a couch. |
| D．He and his friends were having a cycling race. |
What do the underlined words mean in Paragraph 7?
| A．as large as a man. | B．free. |
| C．put in prison. | D．arrested. |
From what Neil Harkins says, we can know _______.
| A．Temar and his friends did a heroic thing. |
| B．Temar is a boy with little courage. |
| C．The kidnapper was under control because of Temar and his friends. |
| D．Temar didn’t want to catch people’s attention. |