Many years ago, I pulled a family out of a burning car somewhere in Wyoming. Last week I received a telephone call from a woman who could not stop crying as she told me that one of my stories had saved her son from committing suicide. In closing she called me a hero.
That got me thinking about what a hero is. Was I a hero because I pulled a family from a burning car? If so, how could I be a hero just because I wrote a story that saved someone’s life?
Today I looked up the word “hero” in the dictionary to see exactly what it meant. It read “a person who does something brave” and also “a person who is good and noble”.
That statement impressed me more than the part about being brave. So I thought about something very important. And I remembered what happened to me years ago.
After my marriage of twenty years ended, I was in such a condition. I was within hours trying to get enough courage to end the pain and misery. When I returned home, someone had sent me a card in the mail which told me how much they would appreciate me as a friend. That wonderful card probably saved my life. That person, without even knowing it, saved a life and became a hero.
The many stories I kept writing in the following years saved the life of a teenage boy. In turn that makes the person who sent me the card a double hero. I suppose that is why I fight so hard to help the children now living in orphanages (孤儿院). Most children come out of these institutions with a very hard and bitter attitude against the world. The gifts we send them let them know that they have not been forgotten. Hopefully, most of them will never hurt anyone because of the kindness shown to them by those of us who cared. If it works, we will also become "heroes".The main idea of the passage is _______________.
| A．why the writer should be a hero | B．what a hero exactly is |
| C．whether the writer is a hero | D．that everyone is a hero |
Why did the woman call the writer a hero at the end of the call?
| A．Because he asked her son not to kill himself. |
| B．Because he saved a family from a burning car. |
| C．Because his story saved her son’s life. |
| D．Because he was cute and kind to everybody. |
What does the underlined word “it” in the last sentence of Paragraph 5 refer to?
| A．The wonderful card the writer received. |
| B．The action of sending the card. |
| C．The fact that the sender helped the writer. |
| D．The fact that the sender was a friend of the writer. |
What’s the writer’s attitude to “brave people”?
| A．neutral | B．supportive | C．objective | D．irony |
E
The motor vehicle has killed and disabled more people in its brief history than any bomb or weapon ever invented . Much of the blood on the street flows essentially from uncivil behavior of drivers who refuse to respect the legal and moral rights of others . So the massacre (大屠杀) on the road may be regarded as a social problem .
In fact , the enemies of society on wheels are rather harmless people just ordinary people acting carelessly , you might say . But it is a principle both of law and common morality that carelessness is no excuse when one’s actions could bring death or damage to others . A minority of the killers go even beyond carelessness to total negligence (疏忽).
Researchers have estimated that as many as 80 percent of all automobile accidents can be attributed to the psychological condition of the driver . Emotional upsets can distort drivers’ reactions , slow their judgment , and blind them to dangers that might otherwise be evident . The experts warn that it is important for every driver to make a conscious effort to keep one’s emotion under control .
Yet the irresponsibility that accounts for much of the problem is not confined to drivers . Street walkers regularly violate (违反) traffic regulations , they are at fault in most vehicle walker accidents , and many cyclists even believe that they are not subject to the basic rules of the road .
Significant legal advances have been made towards safer driving in the past few years . Safety standards for vehicle have been raised both at the point of manufacture (制造业) and through periodic road-worthiness inspections . In addition , speed limits have been lowered. Due to these measures , the accident rate has decreased . But the accident experts still worry because there has been little or no improvement in the way drivers behave . The only real and lasting solution , say the experts , is to convince people that driving is a skilled task requiring constant care and concentration . Those who fail to do all these things present a threat to those with whom they share the road .
1．What is the author’s main purpose in writing this passage ?
A．To show that the motor vehicle is a very dangerous invention .
B．To promote understanding between careless drivers and street walkers .
C．To discuss traffic problems and propose possible solutions .
D．To warn drivers of the importance of safe driving .
2．Why does the author mention the psychological condition of the driver in Paragraph Three ?
A．To give an example of the various reasons for road accidents .
B．To show how important it is for drivers to be emotionally healthy .
C．To show some of the inaccurate estimations by researchers .
D．To illustrate the hidden tensions in the course of driving
3．The following is mentioned as being responsible for the road accidents except .
A．careless bicycle riders B．mindless people walking in the street
C．irresponsible drivers D．irresponsible manufacturers of automobiles
4．Which of the following best reflects the author’s attitude toward a future without traffic accident problems ?
A．Doubtful yet still longing for . B．Happy and rather confident .
C．Surprised and very pleased . D．Disappointed and deeply worried .
“Long time no see” is a very interesting sentence . When I first read this sentence from an American friend’s email, I laughed . I thought it was a perfect example of Chinglish .
Obviously , it is a word-by-world literal translation of the Chinese greetings with a ruled English grammar and structure ! Later on, my friend told me that it is a standard American greeting , I was too thrilled to believe her . Her words could not convince me at all . So I did a research on google .com . To my surprise , there are over 60 thousand web pages containing “ Long time no see.” This sentence has been widely used in emails , letters , newspapers, movies , books , or any other possible place . Though it is sort of informal, it is part of the language that Americans use daily . Ironically , if you type this phrase in Microsoft Word , the soft-ware will tell you that the grammar needs to be corrected .
Nobody knows the origin of this Chinglish sentence . Some people believe that it came from Charlie Chan’s movies . In the 1930s, Hollywood moviemakers successfully created a world-wide famous Chinese detective named “Charlie Chan” on wide screens . Detective Chan likes to teach Americans some Chinese wisdom by quoting Confucius . “Long time no see” was his trademark . Soon after Charlie Chan , “Long time no see” became a popular phrase in the real world with thanks to the popularity of these movies .
Some scholars refer America as a huge pot of stew (染缸). All kinds of culture are mixed in the stew together , and they change the color and taste of each other . American Chinese , though a minority ethnic group in the United States , is also contributing some changes to the stew !Language is usually the first thing to be influenced in the mixed stew .
You can have some other examples than adoptions from Chinese , such as pizza from Italian , susi from Japanese , and déjá vu from French etc . There is a long list ! Americans do not just simply borrow something from others . They will modify it and make it their own , so you would not be surprised to find a tofu and peanut butter hamburger in a restaurant , or to buy a bottle of iced Chinese green tea with honey in a grocery store . Since Americans appreciate Chinese culture more and more nowadays , I believe more Chinese words will become American English in the future . In this way the American stew keeps adding richness and flavor .
1．The writer himself felt surprised at .
A．reading “Long time no see”
B．knowing the expression is standard American English
C．seeing the literal translation of the expression
D．finding out Americans use the expression every day
|
2．According to the passage , it can be inferred that .
A．Charlie Chan made the phrase “Long time no see”Want to find a job ? Now read the following advertisements .
FAIRMONT HOTEL
Five waiters and Ten Waitresses
—Age under 22
—At least high school graduate
—Gook—looking ; men at least 1.72 meters tall and women at least 1.65
—Those knowing foreign languages favoured
—Paid 1,600—2,200 dollars per month
One secretary
—Aged under 30
—Female fovoured
—Good at writing and skilled at computer
If interested , call 465-4768 or write to :
Room 0825, Fairmont Hotel
Mr. Jack Hundris
567 Wood Street , Sand Markers , 78003
Fax：6954828
WILSON BOOKSTORE
Accountant
—Aged between 25 and 40
—With an experience of at least two years
—With a degree and an accountant certificate (证书)
—Paid 3,000—4,000 dollars monthly
—With a practical knowledge of computer
Salesclerk
—Basic education of 12 years or more
—Good at computer
—Paid 1,800—2,400 dollars monthly
Tel：447-4398
Fax：3485269
1．If you don’t know how to use a computer , you can jut apply for the position as .
A．a secretary B．a waiter or waitress
C．an accountant D．a salesclerk
2．If you want to get the position of accountant in Wilson Bookstore , you have to satisfy the following conditions except .
A．being a woman B．knowing well how to use a computer
C．having been an accountant D．having an accountant certificate
3．If you want to try for a job in Fairmont Hotel , you .
|
A．have to be a woman and know foreign languages
B．should be a university graduateB
The first reality TV show in the world was called Expedition Robinson and it was shown in Sweden in 1997. Half the population of the country watched the final event and a new kind of TV program was born . Two years later in Holland , the first series of Big Brother was filmed . Again ,it was a great success and the final program was watched by 15 million people . Now more than 20 countries around the world have Big Brother or Expedition Robinson on their TV screens . The ordinary people who take part in the programs are known by millions of people in their own countries and reality TV has become big ,big business .
For the TV producers , reality TV is a dream to come true because many of the programs cost nothing to make . At some point , the television viewers are asked to telephone the program to vote or to apply to take part in the show . It is the cost of these telephone calls that pays for the shows . One of the most popular shows is Pop Idol . In the show a group of attractive young people are made into pop stars . TV viewers vote for their favorite person on the show . The winner makes a record and millions of copies of the record are sold . His or her pictures are published on the covers of magazines or on the front pages of newspapers , and then , they are quickly forgotten .
But not everyone is happy about reality TV. In Portugal , two TV channels got into trouble because they showed too much of the personal lives of the people in the shows . In France , reality TV is called “rubbish TV” and the TV studios of Big Brother were attacked three times in one week . In Greece , Big Brother was described as “against human rights and civilization”.
1．Those who take part in the reality TV shows are usually .
A．common people B．pop TV stars
C．attractive people D．famous film stars
2．Who would pay for the cost of the reality TV shows according to the passage ?
A．TV producers who make reality TV shows .
|
B．TV actors who take part in reality TV shows .
C．TV viewers who telephone reality TV shows .IV．阅读理解（每题2分，满分40分）
A university graduate described as a “respectable and intelligent” woman is seeking professional help after being convicted of (证明有…罪) shoplifting for the second time in six months .
Aha Luz , recently studying for PhD has been told she could end up behind bars unless she can control the desire to steal from shops.
Luz , who lives with her partner in Fitzwilliam Road , Cambridge , admitted stealing clothes worth 9.95 pounds from John Lewis in Oxford Street , London , on March 9.
Phillip Lomoyne , prosecuting (起诉), said Luz selected some clothes from display and took them to the ladies’ toilet in the store , when she came out again she was wearing one of the skirts she had selected , having taken off the anti-theft security alarm .
She was stopped and caught after leaving the store without paying , Mr. Lomoyne said .
He added that she was upset on her arrest and apologized for her actions .
Luz , 28, was said to have been convicted of shoplifting by Cambridge judges last October , but Morag Duff , defending said she had never been in trouble with the police before this .
“She is ashamed and embarrassed but doesn’t really have any explanation why she did this,” Miss Duff said .” She didn’t intend to steal when she went into the store . She is at a loss to explain it . She is otherwise a very respectable and intelligent young lady . She went to her doctor and asked for advice because she wants to know if there is something in particular that caused her to do this .”
Judge David Azan fined Luz 50 pounds , and warned : “You have got a criminal record . If you carry on like this , you will end up behind bars , which will ruin your bright future you may have .”
Luz achieved a degree in design at university in her native Spain , went on to a famous university in Berlin , Germany for her master’s degree and is now studying for a PhD at Cambridge University , UK .
1．What is Ana Luz’s nationality ?
A．American . B．British . C．Spanish . D．German .
2．What does the underlined sentence “She is at a loss to explain it” mean ?
A．In her opinion it was a loss to the clothes shops where she stole things .
B．She doesn’t have any idea why she has the desire to steal from shops .
C．She thinks it is a loss for her to explain why she stole things from shops .
D．Personally she feels ashamed and embarrassed for her shoplifting actions .
3．From the passage we can learn that .
A．Ana Luz has already got her PhD at Cambridge University , UK
B．Ana Luz is ashamed and embarrassed and knows why she often did so
C．the university graduate will be put in prison if she steals in shops once more
D．Phillip Lomoyne is the “respectable and intelligent” woman’s defense lawyer
4．What would be the best title for the passage ?
|
A．Shoplifting Shame of a PhD Student .
B．Apologizing for the Actions in Shops .