We lived in a very quiet neighborhood. One evening I heard a loud crash in the street. Earlier that evening my wife had asked me to go to the store to get some soft drinks. It seemed like this would be a good time to let my teenage daughter Holly practice her driving, so I sent her to the store in my truck. At dinner my son talked about how much he liked my truck. I enjoyed having it, but I said, "Guy, my heart is not set on that truck. I like it but it is just metal and won't last forever. Never set your heart on anything that won't last." After hearing the loud noise, the whole family ran outside. My son shouted, "Dad! Dad! Holly crashed your truck."
My heart sank and my mind was flooded with conflicting thoughts. Was anyone hurt? Who else was involved? As I ran to the door, I heard a voice in my heart say, "Here is a chance to show Holly what you really love. She'll never forget it."
The accident had occurred in my own driveway. Holly had crashed my truck into our other vehicle, the family van. In her inexperience, she had confused the brakes and the gas pedal (油门). Holly was unhurt physically but when reached her, she was crying and saying, “Oh, Dad, I'm sorry. I know how much you love this truck." I held her in my arms as she cried.
Later that week a friend dropped by and asked what had happened to my truck. I told her the whole story. Her eyes moistened（润湿） and she said, "That happened to me when I was a girl. I borrowed my dad's car and ran into a log that had fallen across the road. I ruined the car. When I got home, my dad knocked me to the ground and began to kick me."
Over 40 years later, she still felt the pain of the night. It was a deep wound on her soul. I remember how sad Holly was on the night she crashed our truck, and how I comforted her. One day, when Holly thinks back on her life, I want her to know that I love her a thousand times more than any piece of property. I repaired the van, but the dent (凹陷） in my truck is still there today. Every day it reminds me of what really matters in my life.What caused the crash?
| A．The brakes weren't working. |
| B．Holly stepped on the gas pedal instead of the brakes. |
| C．Holly was drinking a soft drink while driving. |
| D．The car got a fiat tire and Holly lost control. |
What happened to the author's friend after she ruined her dad's car?
| A．She suffered physical pain for a long time. |
| B．She lost the courage to drive. |
| C．Her father kicked her out of the house. |
| D．Her father was violent towards her. |
Which of the following descriptions is true according to the passage?
| A．When the author first learned about the crash, he regretted sending his daughter to the store. |
| B．The author allowed his daughter to use his truck because his son was too young to drive. |
| C．When the author saw the crash, he was sorry for the damage to his beloved car. |
| D．By comforting his daughter, the author showed how much more he loved her than his truck. |
What does the underlined sentence imply?
| A．The wound recovered after 40 years. |
| B．Her soul was deeply hurt. |
| C．The hurt caused by her father affected her all the time. |
| D．Parents shouldn't beat their children. |
The main idea of the story is that ______.
| A．love is more important than possessions |
| B．parents should never let a teenager drive |
| C．there is no point blaming someone after an accident |
| D．we should always forgive others' mistakes |
| 1. Six Hours Free Parking If you spend $ 100 or more in our stores you will receive six hours of free parking. When you have spent $100 or more, just take this coupon and your receipt to the customer service desk on level 4. They will stamp your parking ticket to allow 6 hours of free parking. Offer here until November 14. |
| 2. Win a $1000 CD Collection Win your choice of $1000 worth of CDs from JB Music Store. Just buy any two CDs and your name will go into the competition. Select your own prize from our wide variety of rock, pop, jazz and classical music. Competition ends November 14. Prize drawn on November 21. Check store for more information. |
| 3. Buy One, Get One Free Buy one shirt or tie at Daniel’s Menswear, and get another shirt or tie of the same value free. Choose from any of our dress shirts and we will give you another one at no cost. Hurry! Offer ends November 14. Offer limited to one per customer. |
| 4. 10% Off Present this coupon at The Book Store to get a 10% discount on any books you buy. We have lots of books to choose from, including children’s books, novels, travel guides, and science works. You are sure to find something that you will enjoy. Shop now for Christmas, we have a large quantity of toys as gifts for you and avoid the rush! Offer here until November 14. |
| 5. Half-price Movie Tickets Buy any full-price movie ticket on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, and you can buy a second tickets for a friend for only half price. The latest movies are here, being shown in one of our five theaters at Bayfield Shopping Center. Offer here through December 1, Limit on per customer. |
| 6. Free Soft Drink Buy any meal for at least $6 at Mike’s Café, and receive a free soft drink. We serve the best food in the Shopping Center. Come in and try our delicious meals and our excellent service. You won’t be disappointed! Free soft drink offer ends November 14. |
What are these ads for?
| A．Food you can order for delivery. |
| B．Places to go on vacation. |
| C．Special offers at a shopping center. |
| D．Things on sale in a big store. |
Which of the following is true according to the ads?
| A．Spending $50 means 3 hours of free parking. |
| B．One person can buy 5 tickets for the price of three. |
| C．After buying two CDs, you can get another two CDs for free. |
| D．At Mike’s Café, people can get a free drink after spending $6. |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned at this mall?
| A．Clothes store. | B．Music store. | C．Restaurant. | D．Toy store. |
We can know from this passage ________.
| A．there is more than one theater in the center. |
| B．if you buy a book there, you may pay less than half the price. |
| C．you may get a free one if you buy a shirt, or a tie, or a pair of shoes. |
| D．you won’t get a free soft drink unless you spend more than 10 dollars on the meal. |
You need to be of a certain age to understand why so many people in Hollywood are caring about the possible closing down of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (米高梅电影公司)．For the past 40 years, its output has been good, but now it is on the ropes, with debts of $ 3.7 billion and will have to sell off its most valuable assets.
In its golden time, MGM stood for something．If Warner Brothers meant social dramas and gangster movies, and Disney meant cartoon films, then MGM was healthy fantasy．This business model found its most glorious expression in its musicals of the post-war era．It also featured such many famous stars as Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly and Judy Garland.
But MGM had always put its hopes on the quality of stars it could attract．From the time MGM became a company in 1924, the studio and his associate proved themselves good at creating big names.
For 35 years, this worked well enough, but the growing power of television disturbed Hollywood．MGM continued to throw money into making gorgeous-looking musicals, but despite some big successes audiences gradually started to drift away．Throughout the sixties, MGM's decline set in．Things went from bad to worse．In 1973, MGM stopped distributing its own films．Since then, the Lion's roar has been reduced to a whimper (呜咽).
How far MGM has fallen can be shown by its recent releases．This was a studio that for years offered a reliable supply of first-class films．Yet last year its total output was three．To make it worse, all were co-produced with other studios．And this year? Only one so far, and maybe the last.
What now? MGM will probably be sold, though recent buyers have been cautious about a price thought to be around $ 2 billion.MGM is becoming the focus in Hollywood because it _______．
| A．has more supporters | B．has produced good films |
| C．might be closed down | D．has lost all its assets |
What can we learn about MGM from the text?
| A．It has been sold out for around $ 2 billion. |
| B．The Internet was a factor causing its decline. |
| C．It only produced three films by itself last year. |
| D．It made a wrong decision for its development. |
What's the main idea of the text?
| A．The past glories of MGM． | B．The musicals made by MGM. |
| C．The decline of MGM． | D．A historical decision by MGM |
Fluency(流利) in another language is one of the most important aims of a newcomer to another country. In addition, understanding the culture and learning to communicate comfortably with people of that culture are as important as learning the rules of the language. Language learning and culture learning go together and may take a long time.
Sometimes people feel that they understand a culture after a few weeks or months. People do learn a lot when they first begin living in another culture, but this is only the first stage of learning. It usually involves(含包) things like learning everyday activities and some basic customs.
To really understand another culture, people have to go beyond the first stage, this is challenge(挑战) because it is often difficult to know what to learn. Much of what we call “culture” is hard to see.
Culture is like an iceberg(冰川). Picture in your mind a huge iceberg in the ocean. The only part of the iceberg that you see is the tip. You don’t see the rest of the iceberg because it is hidden from sight in the water. It is easy to forget that it is there. Most of the iceberg is deep within the ocean, just as much of a culture is deep within its people.
When you meet someone from another culture, certain culture differences are obvious: You hear another language or you hear your own language spoken with an accent. You see different foods, clothes and sometimes physical characteristics of people. You observe new customs or habits, such as the use of chopsticks, and, bowing or kissing on both cheeks as a greeting. These differences are interesting and important, but they are usually not too difficult to understand. They are visible so they are seen easily and quickly.
The part of culture that is like the underwater part of the iceberg consists of assumptions(设想), communication styles, values, and beliefs about what is right and wrong. The hidden part of culture affects much of a person’s way of thinking and communicating. It is the meaning behind his or her verbal (言语的) and nonverbal language. Learning to communicate well with people from another culture involves becoming aware of the hidden part of culture.What’s the subject of this passage?
| A．Learning about culture. | B．Language learning. |
| C．The hidden part of the iceberg. | D．Fluency in another language. |
What is learning about culture?
| A．Learning the hidden part of the iceberg, which is underwater. |
| B．Learning everyday activities and some basic customs. |
| C．Learning the culture of an iceberg. |
| D．Learning the visible as well as the hidden differences of culture. |
The underlined phrase “consists of” can be replaced by “______”.
| A．lies in | B．is made up of | C．agrees with | D．is different from |
What conclusion can we draw after reading this passage?
| A．Values and beliefs are like the tip of the iceberg. |
| B．People often become aware of the hidden part of culture. |
| C．The tip of the iceberg is larger than the hidden part. |
| D．The hidden part of culture has a great effect on people’s communication styles. |
SPECIAL EVENTS(事件)
THIS WEEKEND
Captain Goodfellow
Do your children enjoy interesting stories, funny games, and exciting dances? Captain Goodfellow will be ready to teach all these things to children of all ages at the City Theatre on Saturday morning at 10:00, free.
Walking Tour of the Town
Forget your worries on Saturday morning. Take a beautiful walk and learn about local history. Meet at the front entrance of City Hall at 9:30. Wear comfortable shoes!
Films at the Museum
Two European films will be shown on Saturday afternoon at the Museum Theatre. See Broken Window at 1:30. The Workers will be at 3:45. For further information, call 4987898.
International Picnic
Are you tired of eating the same food every day? Come to Central Park on Saturday and enjoy food from all over the world. Delicious and not expensive. Noon to 5:00 p.m.
Take Me out to the Ballgame
It’s October, and tonight is your last chance to see the Redbirds this year. Get your tickets at the gate. It might be cold… Don’t forget sweaters and jackets.
Do you want to hear “The Zoo”?
“The Zoo, a popular group from Australia, will give their first U.S. concert tomorrow night at 8 at Rose Hall, City College.You can probably eat Chinese, Italian, and Arab food ________.
| A．at the front entrance of City Hall | B．at the Ballgame |
| C．at 5:00 p.m. | D．at Central Park on Saturday |
If you are going on the Walking Tour, don’t forget ________.
| A．your worries | B．your beautiful walk |
| C．your learning about local history | D．your comfortable shoes |
You may see this passage in ________.
| A．a British newspaper | B．an American newspaper |
| C．a British magazine | D．an American magazine |
A good way to pass an examination is to work hard every day in the year. You may fail in the examination if you are lazy for most of the year and then work hard only a few days before the examination. A few days before the examination you should start going to bed early. Do not stay up late at night learning things. Before you start the examination, read carefully over the question paper. Try to understand the exact meaning of each question before you pick up your pen to write. When you have at last finished your examinations, read over your answers. Correct any mistake that you see and make sure that you have not missed anything out. “Stay up late at night” here means .
| A．sleeping in bed | B．just sitting up without doing anything |
| C．walking about in the room | D．working far into the night |
The first thing to do after you get the question paper is to .
| A．start to answer questions | B．work the difficult problems |
| C．have a look at the titles | D．read it very carefully |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage？
| A．You must not hand in the examination paper before you check your answers. |
| B．You must wait till others point out mistakes in your paper. |
| C．You must first hand in your paper then correct the mistakes. |
| D．You must be the last to hand in your paper. |