Three Boys and a Dad
Brad closed the door slowly as Sue left home to visit her mother. Expecting a whole day to relax, he was thinking whether to read the newspaper or watch his favourite TV talk show on his first day off in months. “This will be like a walk in the park,” he’d told his wife. “I’ll look after the kids, and you can go visit your mom.”
Things started well, but just after eight o’clock, his three little “good kids”—Mike, Randy, and Alex—came down the stairs in their night clothes and shouted “breakfast, daddy.” Brad realized his newspaper would have to wait for a few seconds.
Life became worse after breakfast. Mike wore Randy’s underwear on his head. Randy locked himself in the bathroom, while Alex shouted again because he was going to wet his pants. Nobody could find clean socks, although they were before their very eyes. Someone named “Not Me” had spilled a whole glass of orange juice into the basket of clean clothes. Brad knew the talk show had already started.
By ten o’clock, things were out of control. Alex was wondering why the fish in the jar refused his bread and butter. Mike was trying to show off his talent by decorating the kitchen wall with his colour pencils. Randy, thankfully, appeared to be reading quietly in the family room, but closer examination showed that he was eating apple jam straight from the bottle with his hands. Brad realized that the talk show was over and reading would be impossible.
At exactly11:17, Brad called the daycare centre (日托所). “I suddenly have to go into work and my wife’s away. Can I bring the boys over in a few minutes? ” The answer was obviously “yes” because Brad was smiling.When his wife left home, Brad expected to __________.
| A．go out for a walk in the park |
| B．watch TV talk show with his children |
| C．read the newspaper to his children |
| D．enjoy his first day off work |
Which of the following did Randy do?
| A．Drew on the wall. | B．Read in a room . | C．Fed the fish. | D．Ate apple jam. |
Who is “Not Me”(underlined in Para.3)?
| A．One of the family’s neighbor |
| B．One of the three kids |
| C．The father |
| D．The text doesn’t mention |
This text is developed _________.
| A．by space | B．by comparison | C．by time | D．by process |
Surviving treasures from the National Museum of Afghanistan
AFGHANISTAN
CROSSROADS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD
3 MARCH — 3 JULY 2013
At the heart of the silk road, Afghanistan linked the great trading routes of ancient Iran, Central Asia, Indian and China, and the more distant cultures of Greece and Rome.
Nearly lost during the years of civil war and later Taliban (塔利班) rule, precious objects that reveal this diverse past were bravely hidden in 1989 by officials from the National Museum of Afghanistan to save them from destruction.
The surviving treasures date from 2000 BC to the 1st century AD and included rich gold ornaments (装饰品) found at a burial site and limestone (石灰石) sculptures of a Greek city.
This is a unique opportunity to discover the story of Afghanistan’s ancient culture, its immense fragility, and the remarkable dedication (奉献) shown to its survival and protection.
DETAILED INFORMATION
| OPENING HOURS The exhibition is open late on Fridays until 20:30. ￡10, members free |
| EXHIBITION AND EVENTS BOOKING www.britishmuseum.org 020 7323 8181 |
| MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR VISIT ﹡On weekdays, take advantage of a classic afternoon tea package in the Court Restaurant for just ￡26 (including exhibition ticket). ﹡The exhibition catalogue (￡25 paperback) and other related titles are available in the museum shops or online at www.britishmuseum.org/shop. ﹡The exhibition Multimedia Guide (￡1) is available at the exhibition entrance. ﹡If you are visiting with a group, ask for the group ticket price. Details on group lecture packages are available at www.britishmuseum.org/groupvisits. |
| SPECIAL EVENTS ﹡Nowruz Monday 18 March, 17:30. Nowruz, or New Year, is celebrated in many countries from Afghanistan and Iran to Uzbekistan. 17:30~18:00 Entrance to exhibition. 19:00 Talks and discussion on Nowruz. ￡15 (including exhibition entry). ﹡Performance: The art of the Afghan rubab. Tuesday 14 May, 16:30~17:30. Afghan rubab virtuoso Soudi Homayun Sakhi and tabla player Yusuf Mahmoud give a performance of a full raga and folk pieces. ￡5, members ￡3. ﹡Easter holiday activities Thursday 18 ~ Monday 22 April,11:00~16:00. Explore the rich culture of Afghanistan. Listen to stories of Alexander the Great, try making a kite and be inspired by the treasures from the Hill of Gold. Suitable for all ages. Free, just drop in. |
If you arrive at the museum on April 20th, what can you enjoy?
| A．Near Year celebration. |
| B．Performance: The art of the Afghan rubab. |
| C．Easter holiday activities. |
| D．The exhibition without any special events. |
When seeing “The art of the Afgahan rubab”, a tourist can pay less by ________.
| A．booking tickets online |
| B．attending talks and discussion on Nowruz |
| C．calling at 020 7323 8181 |
| D．becoming a member of the British Museum |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．Of all the special events Performance costs least. |
| B．Museum officials saved these objects from destruction. |
| C．The Multimedia Guide is offered to visitors without any charge. |
| D．You can learn details about group visit either on website or by phone. |
Where can you most probably find this passage?
| A．In a high school text book. | B．In a history magazine. |
| C．In a state-owned newspaper. | D．In a traveler’s booklet. |
Many trees in the Brackham area were brought down in the terrible storms that March. The town itself lost two great lime trees from the former market square. The disappearance of such striking features had changed the appearance of the town center entirely, to the annoyance of its more conservative inhabitants(居民).
Among the annoyed, under more normal circumstances, would have been Chief Inspector Douglas Pelham, head of the local police force. But at the height of that week's storm, when the wind brought down even the mature walnut tree in his garden, Pelham had in fact been in no fit state to notice. A large and healthy man, he had for the first time in his life been seriously ill with an attack of bronchitis.
When he first complained of an aching head and tightness in his chest, his wife, Molly, had tried to persuade him to go to the doctor. Convinced that the police force could not do without him, he had, as usual, ignored her and attempted to carry on working. Predictably, though he wouldn't have listened to anyone who tried to tell him so, this had the effect of fogging his memory and shortening his temper.
It was only when his colleague, Sergeant Lloyd, took the initiative (主动) and drove him to the doctor's door that he finally gave in. By that time, he didn't have the strength left to argue with her. In no time at all, she was taking him along to the chemist's to get his medicine and then home to his unsurprised wife who sent him straight to bed.
When Molly told him, on the Thursday morning, that the walnut tree had been brought down during the night, Pelham hadn’t been able to take it in. On Thursday evening, he had asked weakly about damage to the house, groaned (含糊不清地说) thankfully when he heard there was none, and pulled the sheets over his head.
It wasn't until Saturday, when the medicine took effect, his temperature dropped and he got up, that he realized with a shock that the loss of the walnut tree had made a permanent difference to the appearance of the living-room. The Pelhams’ large house stood in a sizable garden. It had not come cheap, but even so Pelham had no regrets about buying it. The leafy garden had created an impression of privacy. Now, though, the storm had changed his outlook.
Previously, the view from the living-room had featured the handsome walnut tree. This had not darkened the room because there was also a window on the opposite wall, but it had provided interesting patterns of light and shade that hid the true state of the worn furniture that the family had brought with them from their previous house.
With the tree gone, the room seemed cruelly bright, its worn furnishings exposed in all their shabbiness. And the view from the window didn’t bear looking at. The tall house next door, previously hidden by the tree, was now there, dominating the outlook with its unattractive purple bricks and external pipes. It seemed to have a great many upstairs windows, all of them watching the Pelhams' every movement.
“Doesn’t it look terrible?” Pelham whispered to his wife. But Molly, standing in the doorway, sounded more pleased than dismayed. “That's what I’ve been telling you ever since we came here. We have to buy a new sofa, whatever it costs.”Why were some people in Brackham annoyed after the storm?
| A．No market could be held. |
| B．The police had done little to help. |
| C．The town looked different. |
| D．Fallen trees had not been removed. |
In the third paragraph, what do we learn about Chief Inspector Pelham’s general attitude to his work?
| A．He finds it extremely annoying. |
| B．Не is sure that he plays an important role. |
| C．Не considers the systems are not clear enough. |
| D．He does not trust the decisions made by his superiors. |
What aspect of the Pelhams’ furniture does “shabbiness” in paragraph 8 describe?
| A．its condition. | B．its colour. | C．its position. | D．its design. |
As a result of the storm, the Pelhams’ living-room _____.
| A．was pleasantly lighter | B．felt less private |
| C．had a better view | D．was in need of repair |
Why did Molly sound pleased by her husband’s comment?
| A．It proved that he was well again. |
| B．She agreed about the tree. |
| C．She thought he meant the sofa. |
| D．It was what she expected him to say. |
Most people think their time problems are outer, and that they are caused by the telephone, meetings, visitors, and delayed information or decisions. Although these problems often have a bad effect on us, as when people call or drop in, we usually contribute to them. We fail to have calls screened(审查)by a skillful secretary or assistant, or we leave our door open, actually assuring constant interruptions.
In almost all cases, it is possible to influence our time. If not controlled, it usually can cause problems, such as, slowness and indecision, lack of self-discipline, the inability to delegate(委托), or the tendency to act without thinking and to jump from task to task without finishing any of them.
Time is constant that cannot be changed. The clock cannot be slowed down or sped up. Thus we cannot manage time itself. We can only manage our activities with respect to time.
The same skills are needed as those used in managing others－the abilities to plan, organize, delegate, direct, and control. Time management is simply self-management. It is impossible to be effective in any position without controlling one’s time effectively.
Successful time management does not mean working harder, but working smarter. All kinds of management skills must be used in the home and office to get most value from time. You must think ahead about what to do, and more timely than others, making it get maximum results in the shortest possible period.What does “outer” in the first sentence mean?
| A．being away from a center |
| B．situated outside |
| C．objective |
| D．relating to a person’s body or physical appearance rather than to a person’s mind or spirit |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as internally generated time wasters?
| A．Slowness and indecision. |
| B．Lack of self-discipline. |
| C．Jumping from task to task without finishing any of them. |
| D．Working hard. |
It can be concluded from the passage that the abilities to plan, organize, delegate, direct and control should .
| A．be used in managing others’ activities |
| B．be used in managing one’s own activities |
| C．not be used in time management |
| D．be used in managing both other’s and one’ activities |
We can also draw a conclusion that the key to successful time management is .
| A．working harder and harder |
| B．clever self-management |
| C．thinking of what to do, and how and when to do it |
| D．employing a skillful secretary |
Terra-cotta Warriors
As the greatest archaeological findings of the 20th century, Terra-cotta Warriors has a really long history．In 246 BC, Qin Shi Huang, later the first Emperor of all China, had begun to prepare for his mausoleum which took 11 years to finish to defend him in the afterlife．There are over 7,000 pottery soldiers, horses, bronze chariots, and even weapons found in it now．Terra-cotta Warriors was listed by UNESCO in 1987 as one of the world cultural heritages and it has made Xi’an a famous city for tourists．
Big Wild Goose Pagoda
The Big Wild Goose Pagoda has a history of over 1,300 years and is a typical ancient Chinese building．It is located in the south of Xi’an City．Because Master Xuanzang stored his classics brought from India in the pagoda, it is also a holy place for Buddhists．As a National Key Cultural Relic Preserve, it won the title of an AAAA Tourist Attraction as well．
Xi’an Ancient City Wall
As one of the landmarks of Xi’an, Ancient City Wall still stretches round the old city today, dividing the city into the inner part and the outer part．Ancient City Wall was originally built during the old Tang Dynasty (618 — 907) and then enlarged by Zhu Yuanzhang, Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, thus forming the modern Xi’an City Wall．After the extension, the wall now stands 12 meters tall, 12-14 meters wide at the top and 15-18 meters thick at the bottom．What is The Big Wild Goose Pagoda most famous for?
| A．It has a history of over 1,300 years． |
| B．It is a typical ancient Chinese building． |
| C．It is a holy place for Buddhists． |
| D．It won the title of an AAAA Tourist Attraction． |
When was the modern Xi’an City Wall formed?
| A．In the Tang Dynasty． | B．In AD907． |
| C．In modern times． | D．In the Ming Dynasty． |
Who are the text written for?
| A．Archaeologists． | B．Scientists |
| C．Tourists． | D．Artists |
Should e-cigarettes (electronic cigarettes) be a new choice for the smokers trying to get rid of the habit? Reactions from Americans are mixed. More than half of the people questioned in a survey think e-cigarettes should be controlled by the US Food and Drug Administration, but 47 percent believe the e-cigarettes should be available to the smokers who want to quit.
“In the hunt for a safter cigarette, e-cigarettes are becoming a popular choice among those either trying to quit.”or looking to replace standard tobacco smoke with an alternative that manufacturers claim to be safer, ”Zogby International, which conducted the survey, said in a statement.
About half of the 4,611 adults who took part in the survey had heard about e-cigarettes, which are battery-powered, or rechargeable cigarettes that vaporize a liquid nicotine solution. They do not produce smoke but a water vapor without smell. Sold mostly on the Internet, e-cigarettes were first made in China.
Last year the World Health Organization (WHO) warned against using e-cigarettes, saying there was no evidence to prove they were safe or helped smokers break the habit. The WHO said people who smoke e-cigarettes breathe in a fine fog of nicotine into the lungs.
Nearly a third of people questioned in the survey think that e-cigarettes should be allowed in places where smoking is forbidden, because they don’t produce smoke, but 46 percent disagree. Men who were aware of the availability of e-cigarettes were more likely than woman to say they should be a choice available to smokers who want to quit. Young people, aged 18-29, and singles were the groups most open to trying e-cigarettes. Smoking is the single largest cause of preventable death worldwide, according to the WHO.What can we learn from Paragraph 1?
| A．American smokers ought to try e-cigarettes. |
| B．Americans have different opinions about e-cigarettes. |
| C．Every kind of cigarettes should be forbidden in America. |
| D．Most of the Americans don’t like e-cigarettes. |
According to Zogby International, e-cigarettes .
| A．are much safer than common cigarettes |
| B．are popular among people who want to quit smoking |
| C．will take the place of traditional cigarettes |
| D．are produced in a safer way by manufacturers |
What do we know about e-cigarettes from the passage?
| A．Most Americans are familiar with them. |
| B．They are a good choice as there is no nicotine. |
| C．They produce a water vapor that can’t be seen. |
| D．Most people buy them on the Internet. |
What’s the attitude of the WHO towards e-cigarettes?
| A．Negative | B．Supportive | C．Doubtful. | D．Indifferent |