Dear Guys,
I’d like to talk to you about the shame you subjected me to last night. Let me first refresh your memory: You, a group of fit, young men, were playing soccer on the field across from my apartment building. I, a better-than-average looking young woman, was walking along the sidewalk with my groceries. That’s when your ball came flying over the fence and landed in front of me.
One of you approached and asked politely if I would throw the ball back to you. Fighting the urge to drop my bags and run screaming down the street, I reluctantly agreed.
Before I continue, let me explain something that I didn’t have a chance to mention last night: I hate sports. More specifically, I hate sports involving balls. This results from my lack of natural ability when it comes to throwing, catching and hitting. I’m bad at aiming too. So you can understand why I’d be nervous at what I’m sure seemed to you like a laughably simple request.However, wanting to appear agreeable, I put my bags down, picked up the ball and, eyes half-shut, and threw it as hard as I could.
It hit the middle of the fence and bounced back to me.
Trying to act casually, I said something about being out of practice, then picked up the ball again. If you’ll remember, at your command, I agreed to try throwing underhand. While outwardly I was smiling, in my head, I was praying, Oh God, oh please oh please oh please. I threw the ball upward with all my strength, terrified by what happened next.
The ball hit slightly higher up on the fence and bounced back to me.
This is the point where I start to take issue with you. Wouldn’t it have been a better use of your time, and mine, if you had just walked around the fence and took the ball then? I was clearly struggling; my smiles were more and more forced. And yet, you all just stood there, motionless.
Seeing that you weren’t going to let me out of the trouble, I became desperate. Memories of middle school softball came flooding back. I tried hard to throw the ball but it only went about eight feet, then I decided to pick it up and dash with ball in hand towards the baseline, while annoyed thirteen-year-old boys screamed at me that I was ruining their lives. Children are cruel.Being a big girl now, I pushed those memories aside and picked up the soccer ball for the third time. I forced a good-natured laugh while crying inside as you patiently shouted words of support over the fence at me.
“Throw it granny-style!” one of you said.
“Just back up a little and give it all you’ve got!” another offered.
And, most embarrassing of all, “You can do it!”
I know you thought you were being encouraging, but it only served to deepen the shame.
Anyway, I accepted your ball-throwing advice, backed up, rocked back and forth a little, took a deep breath and let it fly.
It hit the edge of the fence and bounced back to me.
I surprised myself --- and I’m sure you as well --- by letting out a cry, “DAMN IT!!!” I then willed myself to have a heart attack and pass out in front of you just so I’d be put out of my misery. Alas, the heart attack didn’t happen, and you continued to look at me expectantly, like you were content to do this all night. I had become a sort of exhibition for you. I could feel your collective thoughts drifting through the chain-link: “Can she really not do it? But I mean, really?”
Unfortunately for you, I wasn’t really game to continue your experiment. Three failed attempts at a simple task in front of a group of people in a two-minute period was just enough blow for me for one night. I picked up the ball one last time, approached the fence and grumbled, “Please just come get the damn ball.”
And you did. And thanks to you, I decided at that very moment to never throw anything ever again, except disrespectful glances at people who play sports.
Sincerely, Jen Cordery The writer agreed to throw the ball because _______.
| A．she needed to have a relax carrying the heavy groceries |
| B．she wanted to refresh her childhood memories |
| C．she could not refuse the polite request from the young man |
| D．she had fallen in love with the young man at first sight |
Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “game”?
| A．anxious | B．brave | C．afraid | D．curious |
Why did the writer mention her middle school memory?
| A．To explain why she failed the attempts to throw the ball back. |
| B．To complain that she had not mastered the ball throwing skills. |
| C．To show how cruel those 13-year-old boys were. |
| D．To express her dislike towards softball. |
What the boys said before the writer’s third attempt actually made the writer ________.
| A．inspired | B．encouraged | C．embarrassed | D．depressed |
What’s the writer’s purpose in writing this open letter?
| A．To express her regret over what she did the day before. |
| B．To announce that she would never play ball games again. |
| C．To explain her own inability to throw the ball over the fence. |
| D．To criticize the young men for their cruelty to her dignity. |
I travel a lot, and I find out different “styles”（风格）of directions every time I ask “How can I get to the post office?”
Foreign tourists are often confused （困惑）in Japan because most streets there don’t have names; in Japan, people use landmarks （地标）in their directions instead of street names．For example, the Japanese will say to travelers, “Go straight down to the corner．Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market．The post office is across from the bus stop.”
In the countryside of the American Midwest, there are not usually many landmarks．There are no mountains, so the land is very flat; in many places there are no towns or buildings within miles．Instead of landmarks, people will tell you directions and distances．In Kansas or Iowa, for example, people will say, “Go north two miles．Turn east, and then go another mile.”
People in Los Angeles, California, have no idea of distance on the map; they measure distance in time, not miles．“How far away is the post office?” you ask．“Oh,” they answer, “it’s about five minutes from here.” You say, “Yes, but how many miles away is it?” They don’t know.
It’s true that a person doesn’t know the answer to your question sometimes．What happens in such a situation? A New Yorker might say, “Sorry, I have no idea.” But in Yucatan, Mexico, no one answers “I don’t know.” People in Yucatan believe that “I don’t know” is impolite．They usually give an answer, often a wrong one．A tourist can get very, very lost in Yucatan!When a tourist asks the Japanese the way to a certain place, they usually ______.
| A．describe the place carefully |
| B．show him a map of the place |
| C．tell him the names of the streets |
| D．refer to recognizable buildings and places |
What is the place where people measure distance in time?
| A．New York. | B．Iowa. |
| C．Kansas. | D．Los Angeles. |
People in Yucatan may give a tourist a wrong answer ______.
| A．in order to save time | B．as a test． |
| C．for fun | D．so as to be polite |
What can we infer from the text?
| A．It’s important for travelers to understand cultural differences. |
| B．It’s useful for travelers to know how to ask the way properly. |
| C．People have similar understandings of politeness. |
| D．New Yorkers are generally friendly to visitors. |
Alfred Carlton Gilbert(1884-1961) was a man of many ideas and talents. As a small boy, he kept trying new things. At age 12, he started a sports club for his friends and got their school to have a field day with active games and prizes. As he grew and practiced, Gilbert became skilled at pole vaulting（撑杆跳高）, pull-ups, the long jump and football.
Gilbert broke the world record for pull-ups in 1900 and the distance record for running long dive in 1902. And he won a gold medal in the pole vault at the Olympic Games in 1908. By that time, he had nearly finished medical studies. Choosing not to make medicine his career, Gilbert co-founded Mysto Manufacturing, a manufacturer of magic sets, in 1907. Gilbert had amused his friends and earned college money by doing magic tricks, so he knew what was needed. One day, Gilbert saw workers using steel girders（钢梁） to build towers for power lines. That gave him the idea for the Erector Set, a popular construction toy.
In 1917, the Council of National Defense thought no toys should be produced for Christmas because the country was fighting in World War I. Gilbert and other men from the Toy Manufacturers of America went to Washington, with about 40 different toys. They had 15 minutes to speak. This meeting was at the end of a long, hard day. Gilbert told the government men at the meeting how toys helped children learn. His helpers brought out the toys. Soon, the tired government men were on the floor, playing with building sets, models of navy ships, and other toys. The time limit was forgotten; so was the Christmas toy ban（禁令）.
Gilbert spent the rest of his life improving erector sets. His company made and sold the sets, plus chemistry and other science sets and toy trains. He made items for homes, businesses, and the army. When he died in 1961, he had 150 patents （专利）for his many inventions. But his main joy was in helping children learn and have fun at the same time.What’s the right order of the events about Gilbert?
a. He argued against a ban on toy production.
b. He broke the world record for pull-ups.
c. He set up a manufacturer of magic sets.
d. He started a sports club for his friends.
e. He won a gold medal in the pole vault.
| A．b, d, e, a, c | B．b, a, e, d, c |
| C．d, b, c, e, a | D．d, c, e, b, a |
The story mentioned in paragraph 3 shows that _____.
| A．Gilbert’s toys interested not only children but adults |
| B．toys could help children learn about World War I |
| C．toys were a danger to the Council of National Defense |
| D．Christmas toys were not popular during wartime |
According to the text, Gilbert was known as _____.
| A．a teacher, boy-maker and businessman |
| B．an athlete, inventor and businessman |
| C．an athlete, writer and businessman |
| D．a magician, writer and toy-maker |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．An easy way into the sporting circle. |
| B．The man who saved Christmas. |
| C．Influenced of toys on children |
| D．The amazing Mr. Gilbert. |
Where Are We Going, Dad? presents a new generation of men, in a break from Chinese tradition, now take an active role in their children’s lives.
Five star fathers and their children travel around China, riding camels through the western deserts, fishing off the east coast, and selling vegetables for their bus fare home in southwestern Yunnan province. One dad doesn’t know how to do his daughter’s hair, but give him a couple of days — he’ll figure it out. Another one must survive with his son for three days in the desert, where, because neither can cook, the two only eat instant noodles.
These story lines are part of Where Are We Going, Dad? which, since its first show in October, has become one of China’s most popular television shows, covering more than 600 million viewers each week. And searches for Where Are We Going, Dad? turn up over 40 million hits on Sina Weibo, China’s Twitter.
“In traditional Chinese culture, the common conception of parenthood is that the father is strict and the mother is kind. But on the show, we see fathers who are much gentler on their kids and more concerned with their upbringing,” said Li Minyi, an associate professor of early childhood education at the leading Beijing Normal University. “An important question arises in this show for modern Chinese society — what is the role of fathers in today’s China?”
“As they raise their children, parents are growing up at the same time,” said Wang Renping, a popular education expert. “They cannot use parenting styles from 20 years ago to guide the development of children born 20 years later.”
The attraction of Where Are We Going, Dad? lies in the chance to have a close look at the lives of popular Chinese stars and their children. Audiences like watching the failed attempts of star dads making dinner, braiding hair(编头发), and disciplining children — tasks often left to mothers in a society still influenced by the opinion that “men rule outside and women rule inside.”From the passage, we can draw a conclusion that Where Are We Going, Dad? is _____.
| A．a match | B．a novel |
| C．a TV show | D．a news report |
In Where Are We Going, Dad? we can probably learn about _____.
| A．how the fathers do housework at home |
| B．how the children study in their spare time |
| C．how the fathers look after and guide their children |
| D．how the children and their father travel around China |
We can know from the passage that_____.
| A．In modern society, men should not care too much about their kids |
| B．Where Are We Going, Dad? has the most number of viewers in China |
| C．In Chinese tradition, fathers always play an active part in their children’s lives |
| D．While they bring up their children, parents are improving their parenting styles |
The reason why Where Are We Going, Dad? is so popular in China may include the following EXCEPT that _____.
| A．audiences enjoy laughing at others’ failure in life |
| B．it can make people laugh and think at the same time |
| C．people love watching the stars and their children’s lives closely |
| D．it presents a new generation of men’s role in their children’s lives |
The airline lost your baggage. The hotel laundry ruined your favorite shirt. The taxi driver asked for more money. When you’re abroad, sometimes things go wrong. Now you can do something about it! Use these tips when you want to express an effective complaint in English.
No matter how unfair the situation is, it’s best to express your complaint politely. In English, you’ll sound more polite if you use indirect language. Here are some examples:
“I’m sorry to bother you...” Starting a complaint like this puts the listener who may have heard many complaints that day at ease. Use this phrase if the situation isn’t that serious. For example, “I’m sorry to bother you, but I wanted a baked potato, not fried.”
“Can you help me with this?” Everyone would rather be asked to do something than told! So try expressing your complaint as a request for help: “Can you help me with this? My shirt came back from the laundry without buttons.”
“I’m afraid there may be a misunderstanding.” This is a polite way of saying, “Your information is wrong. Please fix it now.” You’ll most likely use this phrase if you made reservations(预定) for a flight, hotel or restaurant, and when you arrive, it’s not what you expected. For example, “I’m afraid there may be a misunderstanding. I requested a non-smoking room.”
“I understand it’s not your fault...” Often when you make a complaint, you deal with a person who was not directly responsible for the problem. But the problem isn’t your fault, either! This phrase is helpful when you need swift action. Tell the person you’re dealing with that you understand they’re not at fault and then directly state the problem: “I understand it’s not your fault, but the airline promised they would deliver my baggage yesterday.”
“Excuse me, but I understood that...” Using this phrase lets the person know you’re well-informed and doubt they might be trying to take advantage of you. Don’t say, “Hey! You’re trying to cheat me!” Instead, start indirectly by stating what you know to be true: “I understood that the taxi ride to the airport was only 25 dollars.” Then give them a chance to do the right thing.What’s the purpose of this passage?
| A．To give an introduction of life abroad. |
| B．To offer advice on giving complaints in English. |
| C．To give suggestions on how to learn English. |
| D．To offer guides to those who travel around the world. |
According to the passage, if we meet an unfair situation, we’d better _____.
| A．use direct language to make others understand |
| B．go for the police immediately |
| C．state our complaints politely |
| D．fight against the one who is responsible |
Why should we start a complaint with polite phrases?
| A．Because the situation is never serious. |
| B．Because the listener may not speak English. |
| C．Because we should be always in good manners abroad. |
| D．Because it can help solve the problem more easily. |
Several effective complaints in English are mentioned above EXCEPT _____.
| A．“Can you help me with this?” |
| B．“I understand it's not your fault.” |
| C．“I’m afraid there may be a misunderstanding.” |
| D．“Hey! You’re trying to cheat me!” |
Many people have influence on my life, based on their personal characteristics, achievements, and values. I have been lucky to have had a great many teachers and professors who I respect for their patience and intelligence. There are artists who have encouraged me by their talents and creativity. I value many political leaders, who have inspired me by their contributions to society, and their ability to change our futures. But of all the people I have known in my life, the person I admire most is my father.
As the youngest girl in my family, I always considered myself to be “Daddy’s little girl”. While I grew up, it always made me sad to see so many of my friends and neighbors without a father or father-like figure around. This helped me appreciate how my father always takes an interest in his children’s lives. In every aspect of my life, my father continuously pushes me to excel, so I could finish my work excellently among my people. Whenever I feel like giving up, or have a question or a concern, I know I can always turn to him for advice. From him I have also learned that sometimes you have to put others’ needs ahead of your own, but don’t make yourself made use of by others. His strength seems to be unbreakable during hard times, and he is extremely determined to do anything he sets his mind on, no matter how small it is. I highly respect him for how he stands up for what he believes in, and will never back down. I have always admired his open mind, sympathy（同情）for people, and sense of understanding. He is a very strict man, but in our daily life, he has a great sense of humor, and always knows how to put a smile on the faces of his wife, his children and his friends.
Living in his love and instruction, I am very proud of my father. He also professes how proud he is of his children, and is still there to support us in whatever we are doing in.Which of the following could NOT be used to describe the author’s father?
| A．Caring and humorous. |
| B．Knowledgeable and sociable. |
| C．Sympathetic and open-minded. |
| D．Energetic and helpful. |
Which of the following can best explain the underlined word “excel”?
| A．be cleverer than others. | B．show off. |
| C．do better than others. | D．keep healthy |
According to the underlined sentence, the father was telling the author to ____.
| A．think about others and help them, but not to be used in a bad way |
| B．try to take advantage of those who were friendly to her |
| C．think about others and help them, so that she could make them serve her |
| D．try to be good to those who were worth making friends with |
What can we infer(推论) about the author?
| A．She appreciated her father because he could solve all the problems. |
| B．She considered her father strict and had no smile to her. |
| C．She was outstanding because her father forced her to do so. |
| D．She felt pity for those children without the father. |