Father’s Day has a very short history. It was started because there was a Mother’s Day. And just because some Americans thought that if we had a Mother’s Day, we should also have a Father’s Day. Father’s Day has become important in North America. And shopkeepers found it was a good way to get people to buy presents for their fathers, presents from their shops.
By the way, very few countries have a Father’s Day, though some have Children’s Day, or a special day for boys and another for girls. More and more countries are having Mother’s Day, so maybe Father’s Day will also become popular before too long. Now, what do people in North America do on Father’s Day? The newspapers, radios, and TV tell children what they should do－buy a Father’s Day present for your father. They even tell a wife to buy a Father’s Day present－not for her father but for her husband, even if he is not yet a father. And they tell grandchildren to buy a Father’s Day present for their grandfathers.
The important thing to remember about Father’s Day is that American children can show their love to their fathers in a more open way.Father’s Day was started just because .
| A．there was a Mother’s Day | B．there was a Children’s Day |
| C．people liked their fathers a lot | D．fathers were more important |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Many countries have a Father’s Day. |
| B．Father’s Day has a long history. |
| C．Father’s Day has become important in North America. |
| D．Maybe Father’s Day will become popular before too long. |
In America, people have a Father’s Day to .
| A．go shopping with their fathers | B．help their fathers do something |
| C．show their love to their fathers | D．get money from their fathers |
On Father’s Day, shopkeepers always want .
| A．people to buy as many presents as possible |
| B．children to buy presents only for their fathers |
| C．women to buy presents only for their husbands |
| D．grandchildren to buy a Father’s Day present only for their grandfathers |
It can be learned from the article that .
| A．the writer is against Father’s Day |
| B．many countries have a Father’s Day |
| C．shopkeepers can get more money on Father’s Day than usual |
| D．We don’t need to have a Father’s Day |
People have strange ideas about food. For example, tomato is a kind of very delicious vegetable. It is one of useful plants that can be prepared in many ways. It has rich nutrition(营养) and vitamin in it. But in the 18th century, Americans never ate tomatoes. They grew them in their gardens because tomato plants are so pretty. But they thought the vegetable was poisonous(有毒的). They called tomatoes “poison apples”.
President Thomas Jefferson, however, knew that tomatoes were good to eat. He was a learned man. He had been to Paris, where he learned to love the taste of tomatoes. He grew many kinds of tomatoes in his garden. The President taught his cook a way for a cream of tomato soup. This beautiful pink soup was served at the President party. The guests thought the soup tasted really good. They never thought their president would serve his honored guests poison apples. Jefferson never spoke to his honored guests about the fact.Tomato is a kind of ___________.
| A．poisonous fruit | B．poisonous vegetable |
| C．tasty fruit | D．tasty vegetable |
After you read the passage, which of the following do you think is true?
| A．Americans never ate tomatoes after they began to plant them. |
| B．Americans didn’t eat tomatoes before 19th century. |
| C．Even now Americans don’t eat tomatoes. |
| D．In the 18th century Americans ate a lot of tomatoes. |
Jefferson learned that tomatoes were good to eat ____.
| A．while he was in Paris | B．when he was a little boy |
| C．because his parents told him so | D．from books |
From the passage we know all the honored guests invited by Jefferson were____.
| A．people from other countries | B．from France |
| C．people of his own country | D．men only |
According to the passage, which of the following is NOT TRUE?
| A．None of the guests knew the soup that was served at the President’s party was made of tomatoes. |
| B．All of the guests thought the soup which was prepared by the President’s cook was nice. |
| C．President Thomas Jefferson knew that tomatoes were good to eat and not poisonous at all. |
| D．All of the guests didn’t know that their president would serve his honored guests poison apples. |
The pen is more powerful than the sword. There have been many writers who use their pens to write things that were wrong. Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe was one of them.
She was born in the U. S. A. in 1811. One of her books not only made her famous but has been described as one that excited the world, and was helpful in causing a civil war and freeing the enslaved race. The civil war was the American Civil War of 1861, in which the Northern States fought the Southern States and finally won.
This book that shook the world was called Uncle Tom's Cabin. There was a time when every English-speaking man, woman, and child had read this novel that did so much to stop slavery. Not many people read it today, but it is still very interesting, if only to show how a warm-hearted writer can arouse people's sympathies. The author herself had neither been to the Southern States nor seen a slave. The Southern Americans were very angry at the book, which they said did not at all represent the true state of affairs, but the Northern Americans were widely excited over it, and were so inspired by it that they were ready to go to war to set the slaves free.Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe became famous for .
| A．one of her books |
| B．she was a very heartedly person |
| C．she was a kind wife |
| D．she worked for the war |
How old was Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe when her world famous book was published?
| A．About sixty years old. |
| B．Over fifty years old. |
| C．In her forties. |
| D．Around twenty years old. |
What do we learn about Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe from the passage?
| A．Before the civil war she had been a slave. |
| B．Before the civil war she had lived in the north of America. |
| C．She had a good school education. |
| D．She was better at writing than swinging a sword. |
Why could Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe's book cause a civil war in America? Because .
| A．she disclosed the terrible wrongs done to the slaves in the Southern States |
| B．she wrote so well that the Americans loved her very much |
| C．the Americans were too excited when they reads the book |
| D．the Southern Americans hated the book, while the Northern Americans liked it |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．No wor can be won without such a book as Uncle Tom's Cabin. |
| B．We must understand the importance of literature and art. |
| C．We needn't use weapons to fight things that are wrong. |
| D．A writer is more helpful in war than a soldier. |
I have nothing to say about whether or not “A Day Without Immigrants(移民)” had a positive or negative effect on the question of how the federal government should deal with the huge population of undocumented illegal immigrants in this country. I'll leave that question to others.
Regardless of how you feel about the event, one conclusion is obvious. Using the theme of “A Day Without” as a way to focus national attention on a particular subject is a great idea, and could serve as a method for increasing public consciousness about other issues that affect daily life in America. Here are my top three examples:
“A Day Without Speeding.” How hard could this be? If all drivers would strictly obey every posted speed limit on highways, downtown, on neighborhood streets, and in parking lots for one 24-hour cycle, the benefits would be huge.
“A Day Without Losing Your Temper.” A higher degree of difficulty here, and I know that from personal experience. When something goes wrong at home or on the job, there may be brief satisfaction in yelling or kicking the furniture, but bursting into anger usually has nothing to do with the approach to the heart of the matter.
“A Day Without Having All The Answers.” I would like to get a break from hearing anyone speak the phrase, “Here’s what you’re doing wrong.” Right now the US is packed with citizens who believe they can point out the cause of every single problem in existence and then solve it in a moment. I believe they need to be quiet sometimes and use their ears instead of their voices.
I wonder how would average Americans react to such a national pause? Would it be a day of reaction against anger, or joyful celebrations?The first paragraph suggests ________.
| A．the writer is against “A Day Without Immigrants” |
| B．immigrants are not equally treated by the US government |
| C．the immigrants issue is so complex that the author has to refer to others |
| D．some move to America without the permission of the US government |
The author uses his “top three examples” to________.
| A．criticize the undocumented illegal immigrants in America |
| B．show public consciousness of some subjects could be raised |
| C．encourage common people to create more similar activities |
| D．indicate some bothering issues affecting people’s daily life |
According to the author, losing one’s temper is ________.
| A．unpleasant | B．pointless | C．relaxing | D．personal |
The writer suggests “a day without having all the answers”, because ________.
| A．he thinks the Americans are too proud |
| B．he wants to have a chance to speak his mind |
| C．he expects others to keep quiet and calm |
| D．he hopes to get a break from the problems |
Dear Dean,
It is my understanding that this college has received a large donation to be used to improve the quality of life for students: expand the bookstore or add computers to the lab. I strongly argue in favor of the addition of more computers.
We have to think about a greater goal and a more practical way to enhance the quality of life for students. Do we want our college to be known as a place with a great bookstore where you can find CDs and gifts, or as a place where the students can research in their field using the best tools provided by technology?
As a learning institution, this college has the responsibility to offer its students the best technology to help them prepare for their future, since many students will be expected to be familiar with the latest software and other tools when they go on to work.
While they are in college, students find they are expected to use computers. They are asked to create PowerPoint presentations and research many topics on the Internet. Being able to do projects using the computer also gives students the opportunity to find information that without a computer would be much more difficult to find. Since students are competing for good grades, those who have limited access to computers are at a great disadvantage.
If there are more new and faster computers accessible, students will be able to complete their work more efficiently. No more will they have to wait in line, paper and disk in hand, while scanning the room for an empty chair and computer. No longer will they have to sit and wait while an outdated computer struggles to follow their commands.
The more computers are used in society, the more colleges will depend on them as a tool of teaching and learning. Making computers more accessible to students facilitates their learning process by making it much easier and more engaging(专注), and eventually improves their quality of life.The purpose of the author in writing the passage is________.
| A．to explain why students are in great need of computers |
| B．to tell us what benefits students can gain from computers |
| C．to persuade the Dean to purchase more advanced computers |
| D．to describe the problems caused by lack of computers |
The author mainly wants to tell us in paragraph four that ________.
| A．computers are beneficial to students’ academic success |
| B．computers are the only access to good grades for students |
| C．students find it convenient to do homework by computers |
| D．students wish to use more money to buy more computers |
The underlined word “facilitates” can be replaced by________.
| A．furthers | B．equips | C．predicts | D．troubles |
Which of the following shows the structure of the passage?
A.  |
B.  |
C. |
D.  |
CP: Central point P: Point SP: Sub-point(次要点) C: Conclusion
Imagine you are doing this reading in this text on the computer; what else are you doing? Maybe you’re eating a sandwich or drinking a cup of Starbucks. Should you eat while reading?
There aren’t many believable numbers, but we do know the number of people who eat while sitting in front of some type of screen is growing. A recent study found that 33 percent of families always have the TV on during meal times and another 27 percent people have it on at least half the time. Another 10 percent may be texting, emailing or talking on a cell phone while eating.
Any type of these behaviors is bad, considering the following evidence:
A Canadian study found that children who watch more than three hours of cartoons a day are 50 percent more likely to be fat than children who watch fewer than two hours. The researchers concluded that more than 60 percent of overweight incidents can be connected with screen watching too much.
A three-week study found that adults who usually play with smartphones less burned 119 more calories per day.
One Chicago researcher found that people eat more potato chips while reading online than when they have the laptop turned off.
There has been very little investigation(调查) into eating with your eyes staring at a screen or reading a book, but it is likely that his mindless eating is related to weight gain. Simply speaking, your brain has no idea what is going on with your mouth because it is occupied by other things. You don’t notice how full your stomach is, and you often don’t even notice the taste or the act of chewing and swallowing, as a result of which, developing an adapted dietary habit is a must.The author answers the question raised in the first paragraph with ________.
| A．stories and explanations | B．examples and investigations |
| C．an argument and evidence | D．facts and descriptions |
Which of the following statement is true?
| A．Being focused while eating is a good way to have a good figure. |
| B．Adults’ weight is not affected by their eating habits. |
| C．There exist many investigations into eating while reading. |
| D．This text must be found on a website. |
What can be the best title of this passage?
| A．How Should You Lose Weight? |
| B．Should You Do Other Things While Eating? |
| C．Healthy and Unhealthy Eating Habits |
| D．TV and Eating |
What will the author probably continue to write?
| A．Express healthy eating ways. |
| B．Give more useful investigations into eating. |
| C．Describe the study about the old who watch less TV while eating. |
| D．Tell the proper ways to watch TV. |