Here is a true story about a famous man who worked in the White House and a criminal. They once faced the same thing: their mother gave them apples when they were young.
The criminal said: one day, my mother brought some apples and asked my brother and me: “Which do you want?” “The reddest and biggest one,” my little brother said. My mother stared at him and said to him angrily: “You should learn to give the good things to others; you shouldn’t always think of yourself.” Seeing this, I suddenly changed my idea and then said to my mother: “Mum, please give me the smaller one and give the bigger one to my little brother.” Hearing my words, my mother was very happy. She kissed me on my face and gave the reddest and biggest apple to me as a prize. From then on, I learned to tell lies, fight, steal and rob. In order to get what I wanted, I played hard. As a result, I was sent into prison.
The famous man from the White House said: One day, my mother brought some apples. She said to my brother and me: “You all want the reddest and biggest one, right? Well, let’s have a competition. Now I divide the grassland in front of the gate into two and I will give one to each of you and you must shear(修剪) it well. And I will give the reddest and biggest apple to him who does it the most quickly and best.”
After the competition, I won and I got the biggest apple. In our family, as long as you want to get the best things, you must take part in competition. I think it is fair. No matter what you want, you must pay lots of efforts.The criminal got the reddest and biggest apple because .
| A.he told the truth that he wanted a smaller one |
| B.his mother loved him more than she loved the younger brother |
| C.elder brother should of course have the bigger one |
| D.he knew how to make his mother happy from her answer |
We can conclude from the passage that .
| A.it’s important to make children aware that no matter what they want, they must pay work |
| B.it’s wrong to ask children to choose apples when they are not old enough |
| C.it’s wrong to ask children not to always think of themselves |
| D.it’s always necessary to have a competition when we give children apple |
The writer tells the story by .
| A.organizing it in the order of time |
| B.making a comparison between two men |
| C.providing some scientific information |
| D.describing it in the order of space |
It is implied in the passage that .
| A.we should always try to win competitions which can bring us a lot |
| B.in order to get what we want, we should play hard |
| C.giving children apples will lead them to become criminals |
| D.a mother’s educational method has a great influence on a child’s growing |
Do you love holidays but hate the increase weight that follows? You are not alone.
Holidays are happy days with pleasure and delicious foods. Many people, however, are worried about the weight that comes along with these delicious foods.
With proper planning, though, it is possible to control your weight. The idea is to enjoy the holidays but not to eat too much. You don't have to turn away from the foods that you enjoy. The following suggestions may be of some help to you.
Do not miss meals. Before yon leave home for a feast(宴会),have a small, low-fat snack(小吃). This may help to keep you from getting too excited before delicious foods. Begin with clear soup and fruit or vegetables. A large glass of water before you eat may help you feel full. Use a small plate; a large plate will encourage you to have more than enough.
Better not have high-fat foods. Dishes that look oily or creamy have much fat in them.
Choose lean meat(瘦肉 ).Fill your plate with salad and green vegetables.
If you have a sweet tooth, try mints (薄荷) and fruits. They don’t have fat content as cream and chocolate.
Don’t let exercise take a break during the holidays. A 20-minute walk after a meal can help burn off excess(过多的) calories.Holidays are happy days with pleasure but they may ______
| A.bring weight problems |
| B.bring you much trouble in your life |
| C.make you worried about your foods |
| D.make you hate delicious foods |
In order to really enjoy your holidays without putting on weight, you'd better__
| A.drink much water and have vegetables only |
| B.not eat the food in high fat |
| C.not accept invitations to feasts |
| D.turn away from delicious foods |
According to the passage, ___ is a necessary part to stop you from putting on weight.
| A.physical exercise | B.water |
| C.calories of energy | D.vegetables |
Many people can't help putting on weight after the holidays because they _______ .
| A.enjoy delicious food |
| B.go to too many feasts |
| C.can't control themselves |
| D.can't help turning away from the foods |
Once there was a poor farmer and his farm belonged to(属于) a rich man. One day he brought a basket of apples to the rich man’s house. On the doorsteps, he met two monkeys dressed like children. They jumped onto the basket to eat the apples and threw some on the ground. The farmer politely took off his hat and asked the monkeys to get off. They obeyed(服从) and the farmer went into the house. He asked to see the rich man. A servant took him to the room where the rich man was sitting.
"I have brought you the basket of apples you asked for," he said.
"But why have you brought a half-empty basket?" the rich man asked.
"I met your children outside, and they stole(偷) some of the apples." Why did the farmer bring apples to the rich man? Because
| A.he was poor |
| B.he liked the rich man |
| C.the rich man’s children liked apples |
| D.his farm belonged to the rich man |
What did the monkeys do when the farmer was on the doorsteps?
| A.They jumped and jumped. | B.They played. |
| C.They ran away. | D.They ate some of the apples. |
. The monkeys left the basket because
| A.they had thrown apples on the ground |
| B.the farmer had politely asked them to get off |
| C.they were afraid of the hat |
| D.the farmer was angry with them |
. How did the rich man feel when he saw the basket? He felt
| A.pleased | B.moved(感动) |
| C.excited | D.unhappy |
Cold weather can be hard on pets, just like it can be hard on people. Sometimes owners forget that their cats are just as used to the warm shelter (住所) as they are. Some owners will leave their animals outside for a long period of time, thinking that all animals are used to living outdoors. This can put their pets in danger of serious illness. There are things you can do to keep your animal warm and safe.
Keep your pets inside as much as you can when the weather is bad. If you have to take them out, stay outside with them. When you're cold enough to go inside, they probably are too. If you must leave them outside for a long time, make sure they have a warm, solid shelter against the wind, thick bedding, and plenty of non-frozen water.
If they are left alone outside, dogs and cats can be very smart in their search for warm shelter. They can dig into snow banks or hide somewhere. Watch them closely when they are left outdoors, and provide them with shelter of good quality. Keep an eye on your pet's water. Sometimes owners don't realize that a water bowl has frozen and their pet can't get anything to drink. Animals that don't have clean and unfrozen water may drink dirty water outside, which may contain something unhealthy for them. What do we learn about pets from Paragraph 1?
| A.Thy are often forgotten by their owners |
| B.They like to stay in warm places. |
| C.They build their own shelter. |
| D.They are used to living outdoors. |
. Why are pet owners asked to stay with their pets when they are out in cold weather?
| A.To keep them company |
| B.To keep them from eating bad food. |
| C.To know when to bring them inside |
| D.To help them find shelters. |
If pets are left on their own outdoors in cold weather, they may ________.
| A.run short of clean water | B.dig deep holes for fun |
| C.dirty the snow nearby | D.get lost in the wild |
What is the purpose of this text?
| A.To give practical advice. |
| B.To solve a problem. |
| C.To tell an interesting story. |
| D.To present a research result. |
When I was young I wanted to be a model,so when a national contest was staged,I convinced my parents to take me for an audition (试演).I was selected and told I had potential. They said that for only $900 I could attend a weekend event which dozens of the most prestigious (有声望的) modeling agencies from around the world would attend. At 13,my hopes of fame and fortune clouded all judgment and I begged my parents to let me go. We have never been rich,but they saw my enthusiasm and agreed.
I imagined being signed by some famous model companies. For months,any boredom or disappointment I faced was pushed aside because I knew I would soon have the chance to be real model. I thought I would grace the covers of famous magazines!
Of course,I wasn't signed,but what hurt the most was being told that if I grew to 5′9″(about 1.75 metres) I could be a success. I prayed for a growth spurt (冲刺) because I could not imagine giving up my dream. I made an appointment with a local modeling agency and the agent demanded $500 for classes. $500 for a photo shoot,and $300 for other expenses. My parents only agreed after hours and hours of my begging.
The agency sent me out on a few auditions,but with every day I didn't receive a call,I grew more depressed. The_ finalstraw came in July after I had decided to focus on commercial modeling. There was an open call in New York City. We spent hours driving and another few hours waiting,only to be told that I was too short. I was devastated (极度不安的).
Years later,I realized that the trip to New York was good as it made me notice I didn't actually love modeling,just the idea of it. I wanted to be special and I was innocently determined to reach an impossible goal. The experience has made me stronger and that will help me in the future.What's the author's parents' attitude toward her dream?
| A.Encouraging. | B.Worried. |
| C.Doubtful. | D.Enthusiastic. |
What was it that made the author end her attempt to become a model?
| A.Her parents were strongly against it. |
| B.She realized that it was impossible for her. |
| C.Even a local modeling agency turned her down. |
| D.She realized that she didn't actually love the idea of modeling. |
The underlined phrase “The final straw” probably means ________.
| A.the last in a series of bad things that happen to make someone very upset,angry,etc... |
| B.the final result that she was admitted by the model company. |
| C.the final audition given by the agency. |
| D.the decision that she made at last not to be a model any more. |
What did the author learn from her experience of struggling to be a model?
| A.Where there's a will there's way. |
| B.Being a model is not that easy. |
| C.We should have our own judgment and should not just follow others. |
| D.We might set unpractical goals but the experience can help us grow. |
Below is adapted from an English dictionary. Use the dictionary to answer the following questions.
figure / fīgə / noun, verb
● noun
1. a number representing a particular amount, especially one given in official information: the trade / sales figures
2. a symbol rather than a word representing one of the numbers between 0 and 9: a six-figure salary
3. (informal) the area of mathematics that deals with adding, multiplying, etc. numbers
4. a person of the type mentioned: Gandhi was both a political and a religious figure in Indian history.
5. the shape of a person seen from a distance or not clearly
6. a person or an animal as shown in art or a story: a wall with five carved figures in it
7. the human shape, considered from the point of view of being attractively thin: doing exercise to improve one’s figure
8. a pattern or series of movements performed on ice: figure-skating
* be / become a figure of fun: be / become sb. that others laugh at
* cut a…figure: sb with a particular appearance: He cut a striking figure in his dinner jacket.
* put a figure on sth: to say the exact price or number of sth.
* a fine figure of man / woman: a tall, strong-looking and well-shaped person
* figure of speech: a word or phrase used in a different way from its usual meanings in order to create a particular mental image or effect
* figurehead: someone who is the head or chief in name only (with no real power or authority)
● verb
1. to think or decide that sth. will happen or is true: I figured that if I took the night train, I could be in Scotland by morning.
2. to be part of a process, situation, etc. especially an important part: My opinion of the matter didn’t seem to figure at all.
3. to calculate an amount or the cost of sth: We figured that attendance at 150,000.
* figure in: to include (in a sum): Have you figured in the cost of hotel?
* figure on: to plan on; to expect sth. to happen: I haven’t figured on his getting home so late.
* figure out: to work out; understand by thinking: Have you figured out how much the trip will cost?
* It / That figures!: That seems reasonable.According to the information above, which of the following sentence is not right?
| A.This year’s sales figures were quite excellent. |
| B.I couldn’t figure out what the teacher was talking about. |
| C.She was the leading figure in British politics in the 1980s. |
| D.He was about to speak but she put a figure on his lips to stop him. |
— She was coming late again for the work.
— ______! That’s typical of her. You just can’t do anything to stop her doing that.
| A.It figures her out | B.She is a figure of fun |
| C.It cuts a poor figure | D.It figures |
The phrase “watch my figure” in the sentence “Don’t tempt me with chocolate; I am watching my figure.” means “______”.
| A.add the numbers | B.have sports |
| C.try not to get fat | D.watch games |
Which sentence is used as figure of speech?
| A.John is fond of animals and raises a rabbit as a pet. |
| B.In some countries, bamboo can be used to build houses. |
| C.We all regard Mr. Smith as an important figure in our company. |
| D.I didn’t really mean my partner was a snake. |