In a moment of personal crisis, how much help can you expect from a New York taxi driver? I began studying this question and answers are interesting.
One morning, I got into three different taxis and announced，“Well，it's my first day back in New York in seven years.I've been in prison.”Not a single driver replied，so I tried again.“Yeah，I shot a man in Reno.”I explained, hoping the driver would ask me why, but nobody asked.The only response came from a Ghanaian driver，“Reno? That is in Nevada？”
Taxi drivers were uniform sympathetic when I said I'd just been fired.“This is America，”a Haitian driver said.“One door is closed.Another is open.”He argued against my plan to burn down my boss' s house.A Pakistani driver even turned down a chance to profit from my loss of hope；he refused to take me to the middle of the George Washington Bridge—a $20 trip.“Why do you want to go there? Go home and relax.Don't worry.Take a new job.”
One very hot weekday in July, while wearing a red ski mask and holding a stuffed pillowcase with the word “BANK” on it, I tried calling a taxi five times outside different banks.The driver picked me up every time.My ride with a Haitian driver was typical of the superb assistance I received.
“Let's go across the park，” I said.“I just robbed the bank there.I got $25,000.”
“$25,000？” he asked.
“Yeah，you think it was wrong to take it？”
“No, man.I work 8 hours and I don't make almost $70.If I can do that，I will do it too.”
As we approached 86th and Lexington, I pointed to the Chemical Bank.
“Hey，there is another bank，”I said，“Could you wait here a minute while I go inside？”
“No，I can't wait.Pay me now.” His unwillingness may have had something to do with money—taxi drivers think the rate for waiting time is too low—but I think he wanted me to learn that even a bank robber can't expect unconditional support.From the Ghanaian driver's response, we can infer that________.
| A．he was afraid of the author |
| B．he thought the author was crazy |
| C．he looked down upon the author |
| D．he was indifferent to the killing |
Why did the Pakistani driver refuse to take the author to the middle of the George Washington Bridge?
| A．Because he was able to help the author to find a new job. |
| B．Because he wanted to go home and relax. |
| C．Because he thought that the author would commit suicide. |
| D．Because it was far away from his home. |
In the author's opinion, the driver's unwillingness to wait outside the Chemical Bank indicates________.
| A．the driver thought it wrong to support a taxi rider unconditionally |
| B．the driver was frightened and wanted to leave him as soon as possible |
| C．the driver did not want to help a suspect to escape from a bank robbery |
| D．the driver thought that the rate for waiting time was too low |
Which of the following statements is TRUE about New York taxi drivers?
| A．They are ready to help you do whatever you want to. |
| B．They are sympathetic with those who are out of work. |
| C．They refuse to pick up those who would kill themselves. |
| D．They work only for money. |
The passage mainly discusses________.
| A．the way to please taxi riders |
| B．the way to deal with taxi riders |
| C．taxi drivers' attitude to riders in personal trouble |
| D．taxi drivers' attitude to troublesome taxi riders |
C
Handshaking, though a European practice, is often seen in big cities of China. Nobody knows exactly when the practice started in Europe. It is said that long long ago in Europe when people met, they showed their unarmed hands to each other as a sign of goodwill. As time went on and trade in cities grew rapidly, people in cities began to clap each other’s hands to make a deal or to reach an agreement, This practice was later changed into shaking hands among friends on meeting or leaving each other. “Let’s shake (hands) on it” sometimes means agreement reached.
Do the Europeans shake hands wherever they go and with whomever they meet? No. Sometimes the Chinese abroad reach out their hands too often to be polite. It is really very impolite to give your hand when the other party, especially when it is a woman, shows little interest in shaking hands with you and when the meeting does not mean anything to him or her. Even if, for politeness, he holds out his unwilling hand in answer to your uninvited hand, just touch it slightly. There is generally a misunderstanding among the Chinese that westerners are usually open and straightforward, while the Chinese are rather reserved (保守的) in manner. But in fact some people in western countries are more reserved than some Chinese today. So it is a good idea to shake hands with a westerner only when he shows interest in further relations with you.
63. The first paragraph mainly tells us___________
A. where handshaking was first practised.
B. how handshaking came about.
C. about the relationship between handshaking and trade.
D. about the practice of handshaking both in Europe and in China.
64. According to the text, which of the following statements is true?
A. Westerners are more reserved than the Chinese.
B. Westerners are unwilling to shake hands.
C. We should make a judgement before shaking hands.
D. We shouldn’t shake hands with European women.
65. The main purpose of the text is_______.
A. to tell us some differences between the East and the West
B. to offer us some important facts about handshaking
C. to introduce us to some different customs in the West.
D. to give us some advice before we travel abroad
B
We have two daughters: Kristen is seven years old and Kelly is four. Last Sunday evening, we invited some people home for dinner. I dressed them nicely for the party, and told them that their job was to join Mommy in answering the door when the bell rang. Mommy would introduce them to the guests, and then they would take the guests’ coats upstairs and put them on the bed in the second bedroom.
The guests arrived. I introduced my two daughters to each of them. The adults were nice and kind and said how lucky we were to have such good kids.
Each of the guests made a particular fuss over Kelly, the younger one, admiring her dress, her hair and her smile. They said she was a remarkable girl to be carrying coats upstairs at her age.
I thought to myself that we adults usually make a big “to do” over the younger one because she’s the one who seems more easily hurt. We do it with the best of intentions.
But we seldom think of how it might affect the other child. I was a little worried that Kristen would feel she was being outshined. I was about to serve dinner when I realized that she had been missing for twenty minutes. I ran upstairs and found her in the bedroom, crying.
I said, “What are you doing, my dear?”
She turned to me with a sad expression and said, “Mommy, why don’t people like me the way they like my sister?” Is it because I’m not pretty? Is that why they don’t say nice things about me as much?
I tried to explain to her, kissing and hugging her to make her feel better.
Now, whenever I visit a friend’s home, I make it a point to speak to the elder child first.
59. The underlined expression “make a big ‘to do’ over” (Paragraph 4) means “_____” .
A. show much concern about B. have a special effect on
C. list jobs to be done for D. do good things for
60. The guests praised Kelly for carrying coats upstairs because of her________.
A. beautiful hair B. pretty clothes
C. lovely smile D. young age
61. Kristen felt sad and cried because_________.
A. the guests gave her more coats to carry
B. she didn’t look as pretty as Kelly
C. the guests praised her sister more than her
D. her mother didn’t introduce her to the guests
62. We can conclude from the passage that______.
A. parents should pay more attention to the elder children
B. the younger children are usually more easily hurt
C. people usually like the younger children more
D. adults should treat children equally
四、阅读理解(每小题2分，共30分)
A
You might think that “global warming” means nothing more than a rise in the world’s temperature. But, rising sea levels caused by it have resulted in the first evacuation(撤离) of an island nation—the citizens of Tuvalu will have to have their homeland.
During the 20th century, sea level rose 8-12 inches. As a result, Tuvalu has experienced lowland flooding of salt water which has polluted the country’s drinking water.
Paani Laupepa, a Tuvaluan government official, reported to the Earth Policy Institute that the nation suffered an unusually high number of fierce storms in the past ten years. Many scientists connect higher surface water temperatures resulting from global warming to greater and more damaging storms.
Laupepa expressed dissatisfaction with the United States for refusing to sign the Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement calling for industrialized nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions(导致温室效应的气体排放), which are a main cause of global warming. “By refusing to sign the agreement, the US has effectively taken away the freedom of future generations of Tuvaluans to live where their forefathers have lived for thousands of years,” Laupepa told the BBC.
Tuvalu has asked Australia and New Zealand to allow the gradual move of its people to both countries.
Tuvalu is not the only country that is vulnerable(易受影响的) to rising sea levels. Maumoon Gayoon, president of the Maldives, told the United Nations that global warming has made his country of 311,000 an “endangered nation”.
56. The text is mainly abou_________ .
A. rapid changes in earth’s temperature
B. bad effects of global warming
C. moving of a country to a new place
D. reasons for lowland flooding
57. According to scientists, the DIRECT cause of more and fiercer storms is________.
A. greenhouse gas emissions in industrialized nations
B. higher surface water temperatures of the sea
C. continuous global warming
D. rising sea levels
58. Laupepa was not satisfied with the United States because it did not_______.
A. agree to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions
B. sign an agreement with Tuvalu
C. allow Tuvaluans to move to the US
D. believe the problems facing Tuvalu were real
E
The earth is getting warmer. The planet is suffering. But what can you do about it? Reduce the amount of waste you generate. Use cleaner energy sources and go greener today, starting with these steps:
1. Get a reusable water bottle
Americans buy about 25 billion single-serving plastic water bottles each year. That's an average of 83 bottles per person per year. Plastic bottles take plenty of resources to produce, including fuel for transportation and petroleum to make the plastic. Even recycling bottles uses energy.
2. Eat less meat
You don't need to become a vegetarian to help save the planet. Eating meat just one day less a week can reduce your negative impact on the environment. More water, energy and land are required to produce meat than to produce grain.
3. Switch to energy-efficient light bulbs
Most households use standard incandescent (白炽的) bulbs. But compact fluorescent (荧光的) light bulbs, or CFLs, use 66 percent less energy than standard bulbs, produce just as much light, last up to 10 times longer and don't need to be replaced as often. If every household in the United States replaced just one incandescent light bulb with a CFL bulb, it would equal removing one million cars from the road.
4. Buy organic and local food
Did you know that only 1 percent of pesticides (杀虫剂) applied to crops reach the pests they target? The rest enter the environment. Organic food is grown without the use of pesticides. Organic farming can use 50 percent less energy than traditional farming methods. Buying local food saves on the fuel used to transport food grown elsewhere, thousands of miles across the country or around the world.
5. Recycle your electronics
Everyone knows the importance of recycling glass and plastic, but what about cell phones, computers, CDs and batteries? Electronics are responsible for about 40 percent of toxic (有毒的) heavy metals such as lead and mercury. Check with your city's recycling facilities to see if they take electronics.
72. The readers of this passage are called on to ______.
A. help reduce global warming B. use water in a wise way
C. donate money for charity D. keep a balanced diet
73. What is an advantage of CFLs according to the passage?
A. They use more energy but produce more light.
B. They can last longer so don't need to be replaced often.
C. They cost less than standard incandescent bulbs.
D. They are as energy-efficient as incandescent bulbs.
74. Which of the following figures is correct according to the passage?
A. Every year an American buys 63 plastic water bottles on average.
B. Eating meat one day less a week helps cut environment costs.
C. 99 of the pesticides used on crops is effective in practice.
D. Electronics account for half of poisonous heavy metals on the earth.
75. Which can be the best title for this passage?
A. Why is the earth getting warmer? B. What can we do about pollution? C. How can you lead a greener life? D. Who is to blame for global warming?
D
A curriculum vitae (CV) provides an overview of a person's life and qualifications. You know that you're a star but without a knock-out CV, no-one else will believe you. Here's how to impress and write yourself into a better job.
First, be concise (简洁的). "It's not War and Peace." says Steven Kirkpatrick, the managing director of Adecco Staffing. Recruiters (考官) who have to plough through hundreds of CVs don't enjoy flowery long articles. Use active verbs and ensure that every sentence counts.
Second, tell the truth. "The most important thing is not to lie," Kirkpatrick says. "People decorate their CV by adding things to make themselves more attractive," he says, only to embarrass themselves later. "If your first impression is a lie, it's not a great basis for moving forward."
Then, focus on your skills. A CV is a selling tool and how you break down what you have learnt and what you can do is me most important. "It's OK to simplify job titles to make them clearer," Sharman says. "Just outline your achievements and experience to back that up, and say more about your recent roles."
Also, personalize it. "There's nothing as bad as getting an automatically created CV from a website," Kirkpatrick says. "What they are buying is you, so sell them you. It's always nice to have personal information that makes you a human being," Sharman says. But do try to stand out from the crowd.
Finished? So you've written the perfect CV. That's the job half done. Last but not least, check out how to write the perfect covering letter.
68. For what purpose does the author write this passage?
A. To teach readers how to behave in job interviews.
B. To tell readers how to improve their writing skills.
C. To instruct readers on how to apply for a job.
D. To advise readers on how to write a CV.
69. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
A. It doesn't have to be too long. B. It should be true.
C. It needs to be fun to read. D. It ought to be polite.
70. Which of the following would the author recommend?
A. Tell lies about your education and experience.
B. Focus on what work you are able to do.
C. Download sample CVs from websites.
D. Provide a nice photo of yourself.
71. How many tips are given in this passage?
A. Five. B. Four. C. Three. D. Two.