Americans value competition. They believe that competition out the best in any individual. They claim that it challenges or even each person to produce the very best that is humanly possible. , the foreign visitor will see competition encouraged in the American home and in the American classroom, at the youngest age levels. You may find the placed on competition confusing, especially if you come from a society that promotes cooperation competition among individuals. But Americans teaching in the Third World countries find the lack of competition in a classroom situation equally . They soon learn that what they had thought to be one of the universal human qualities only a particularly American or Western value.
A．carries B．brings C．picks D．comes
A．forces B．causes C．leads D．teaches
A．Particularly B．Occasionally C．Consequently D．Accidentally
A．even B．still C．only D．already
A．thoughts B．interest C．attitude D．value
A．together with B．rather than C．in spite of D．along with
A．puzzling B．unacceptable C．unfortunate D．discouraging
A．encouraged B．respected C．represented D．Produced
“Why do we shout in anger?” a saint (圣人) asked his disciples (门徒). “Why do people shout at each other when they are upset?”
His disciples thought for a while, and one of them said, “Because we 16 our calm, we shout for that.”
“But, why do you shout when the other person is 17 next to you?” asked the saint. “Isn’t it possible to speak to him or her with a soft 18 ? Why do you shout at a person when you’re angry?”
Disciples gave some other answers but none 19 the saint. Finally he explained, “When two people are angry at each other, their 20 distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the 21 they will have to shout to hear each other through that great distance.”
Then the saint asked, “What 22 when two people fall in love? They don’t shout at each other but talk softly, why? Because their hearts are very close and the distance between them is very 23 .”
The saint continued, “When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak loudly, only whisper and they get 24 closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only 25 each other and that’s all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.”
The saint said finally, “When you argue, do not let your hearts get 26 , and do not say words that distance each other more, or there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not 27 the path to return!”
A．miss B．lose C．avoid D．refuse
A．already B．yet C．just D．well
A．voice B．sound C．attitude D．manner
A．excited B．satisfied C．surprised D．persuaded
A．heads B．brains C．backs D．hearts
A．faster B．slower C．louder D．earlier
A．happens B．matters C．decides D．concerns
A．short B．long C．easy D．hard
A．never B．ever C．too D．even
A．look at B．take over C．turn away D．rely on
A．empty B．distant C．cold D．lonely
A．build B．repair C．follow D．find
There is a small shop about 200 meters from where I live that sells groceries, meat and other basic necessities. About 10 years ago, there was a beggar who would go into the shop every day and ask the owner for a 36 . The owner, 37 he would love to help, simply didn’t have any jobs available, so he kept 38 the man’s request.
This situation continued 39 for a few months, until the owner 40 to give the homeless man a job which 41 sweeping outside the shop. Every single day from 5 am, the homeless man was there doing the very 42 he could for the 43 , even though it did earn him some pennies. 44 , the owner saw how good a job the man was doing and gave him a job working 45 a cashier. He was watched closely to make sure that he didn’t 46 any of the money received from the sales. He was still homeless, after all. The homeless man did a/an 47 job as a cashier for over 2 years, and did such a good job that he was promoted to 48 the finances for the whole shop.
To my 49 , this was the arrangement up until 2 years ago, when the owner 50 . In his will, he only had one 51 , to give the whole shop to the now stable, “homeless” man. Now, I could walk into that shop and see him working as hard as 52 , with his own business that is still 53 and active 10 years after getting his job as a sweeper.
From this story, we can probably get the inspiration: work hard and give everything your best effort, even if it isn’t your 54 situation, it very well may turn out to 55 some day in the future.
A．coin B．home C．job D．meal
A．although B．unless C．because D．if
A．expecting B．considering C．accepting D．refusing
A．again B．often C．weekly D．daily
A．allowed B．agreed C．planned D．failed
A．meant B．involved C．included D．trained
A．best B．least C．better D．less
A．family B．owner C．interest D．moment
A．Suddenly B．Accurately C．Quietly D．Eventually
A．for B．with C．as D．like
A．lose B．pocket C．spend D．save
A．honest B．loyal C．fantastic D．kind
A．guard B．raise C．provide D．manage
A．knowledge B．mind C．scare D．joy
A．got tired B．became old C．passed away D．gave up
A．thought B．purpose C．request D．suggestion
A．ever B．necessary C．expected D．required
A．big B．new C．shabby D．popular
A．ideal B．current C．own D．financial
A．become B．be C．happen D．do
I used to believe in the American Dream, which meant a job, a mortgage, credit cards, success. I wanted it and worked toward it like everyone else, all of us 51 chasing the same thing.
One year, through a series of unhappy events, it all fell 52 . I found myself homeless and alone. I had my truck and $56. I 53 the countryside for some place I could rent for the 54 possible amount. I came upon a shabby house four miles up a winding mountain road over the Potomac River in West Virginia. It was 55 , full of broken glass and rubbish. I found the owner, rented it, and 56a corner to camp in.
The locals knew nothing about me, but slowly, they started teaching me the 57 of being a neighbor. They dropped off blankets, candles, and tools, and began sticking around to chat. They started to teach me a belief in a 58 American Dream—not the one of individual achievement but of neighborliness.
What I had believed in, all those things I thought were 59 for a civilized life, were nonexistent in this place. 60 on the mountain, my most valuable possessions were my 61 with my neighbors.
Four years later, I moved back into 62 . I saw many people were having a really hard time,
63 their jobs and homes. I managed to rent a big enough house to 64a handful of people. There are four of us now in the house, but over time I’ve had nine people come in and move on to other places. We’d all be in shelters if we hadn’t banded together.
The American Dream I believe in now is a shared one. It’s not so much about what I can get for myself; it’s about 65 we can all get bytogether.
A．separately B．equally C．violently D．naturally
A．off B．apart C．over D．out
A．crossed B．left C．toured D．searched
A．fullest B．largest C．fairest D．cheapest
A．occupied B．abandoned C．emptied D．robbed
A．turned B．approached C．cleared D．cut
A．benefit B．lesson C．nature D．art
A．wild B．real C．different D．remote
A．unique B．expensive C．rare D．necessary
A．Up B．Down C．Deep D．Along
A．cooperation B．relationships C．satisfaction D．appointments
A．reality B．society C．town D．life
A．creating B．losing C．quitting D．offering
A．put in B．turn in C．take in D．get in
A．when B．what C．whether D．how
Every night, my mother would come to my room, lean down and push my long hair out of the way, then kiss my forehead．
I don't remember when it first started 26 me --her hands pushing my hair that way. But it did make me annoyed, for they felt work - worn and 27 against my young skin．Finally, one night, I shouted at her: “Don' t do that any more --your 28 are too rough！" She didn’t say anything in 29 ．But never again did my mother close out my day with that _30 expression of her love．
Time after time, with the 31 years, my thoughts returned to that night． I'm not a little girl any more．Mom is in her mid - seventies, and those hands I 32 thought to be so rough are still doing things for me and my 33 .
Now, my own children are 34 Mom no longer has Dad．It was late on that Thanksgiving Eve, as I went to sleep in the bedroom of my youth, a familiar hand35 before stealing across my face to brush the 36 from my forehead．Then a kiss, ever so _37 touched my brow．In my 38 , thousands of times, I 39 the night my young voice complained．40 Mom's hand in my hand, I said how41 I was for that night．I thought she'd remember, as I did,_42 Mom didn't know what I was talking about．She had forgotten—and43 —long ago．
That night, I fell asleep with a new44 for my gentle mother and her caring hands． And the45 I had carried around for so long was nowhere to be found．
A．surprising B．hurting C．annoying D．amazing
A．rough B．gentle C．smooth D．strong
A．noises B．words C．feelings D．hands
A．anger B．silence C．reply D．fear
A．healthy B．familiar C．popular D．perfect
A．coming B．remaining C．following D．passing
A．often B．even C．never D．once
A．family B．neighbor C．husband D．home
A．developed B．grown C．moved D．forgotten
A．imagined B．hesitated C．regretted D．trembled
A．hair B．tears C．dirt D．kisses
A．quickly B．roughly C．gently D．slowly
A．memory B．opinion C．history D．diary
A．chanced B．missed C．hated D．recalled
A．Beating B．Picking C．Catching D．Stopping
A．happy B．sorry C．annoyed D．amused
A．and B．faded C．because D．but
A．remembered B．while C．forgiven D．apologized
A．hope B．appreciation C．thought D．approval
A．guilt B．pride C．sorrow D．failure
The quality of drinking water in Shanghai will meet European Union standard by 2010 and, a decade later, citizens in Shanghai will drink the best water in the world.
These were the goals set out by the Shanghai Water Authority. With the city’s population expected to increase only slightly and the economy to boom by 2020, Chen Yin, and official with the water authority, said Shanghai’s water consumption will not increase from its present amount.
Zhang Yue, director of the Urban Construction Division under the Ministry of Construction, said, “Shanghai is the first city in the country to publicize these ambitions. They will not be easy to achieve.”
He said water saving will help keep the sustainable development of China’s economy.
Saving one cubic meter of water means saving the city’s infrastructure（基础设施）costs by 10,000 Yuan. Last year, Shanghai saved 300 million cubic meters of water either from readjustment of industrial structure or the employment of new technology.
“The aim is to arouse public awareness of the seriousness of water shortages,” Chen said. “The abundant surface water and amount of rain of the city are so misleading that they result in improper use of water.”
Shanghai lacks drinkable water. The Huangpu River, which supplies 80 percent of the city’s drinkable water, is nearing exhaustion.
The city, therefore, has been exploring new sources from the Yangtze River and growing forests along it to conserve quality water.
Besides penning regulations, the authority is popularizing technology among the public to efficiently cut the amount of water used.
At present, the city has 600，000 family toilets, each using 13 liters of water per flush. These are to be renovated（整修）to use only 9 liters of water per flush.
The authority is renovating the first 200 toilets for households – at a cost of 40 Yuan each.
In three years, all the toilets will be renovated, which saves the city nearly 15 million Yuan every year in water conservation.
Another task the city is engaged in is the treatment of sewage（污水）to improve the water environment.
At present the city can only treat 44 percent of its daily 5.04 million tons of waste water. To meet the total demand, 27 more sewage treatment factories are to be established with an estimated investment of 18 billion Yuan.
People in Shanghai get their daily water mainly from now.
A．the underground B．the rain C．the Yangtze River D．the Huangpu River
A．the renovating of family toilets will save plenty of water B．about half of waste water has been treated already C．advanced technology makes people use water as much as possible D．there is plenty surface water and large amount of rain at present
A．make people’s living more convenient B．improve people’s living standards C．ease employment pressure D．meet the total demand of water
A．a, b, c, d B．b, c, e, f C．b, c, d, e D．a, b, e, f
A．the boom of economy will need a larger amount of water in the future B．citizens today in Shanghai drink the best quality of water in the world C．not everyone today in Shanghai is aware of water shortage D．all the family toilets will be renovated to save water within 3 years