French novelist Jules Verne (1828～1905) is often called the father of science fictions.Although he was not a great traveller himself，his characters journeyed to the moon (in From Earth to Moon)，Under the sea (in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea)，into a volcano (in A Journey to the Centre of the Earth)，around the world (in Around the World in Eighty Days) and to many other places.
Jules Verne was born in the French city of Nantes in 1828.When he was a boy he ran away from home to work on a ship.However，his father soon found him and brought him home.After that he decided that any future travel he did would be in books.In 1847，his father sent Jules to Paris to study to be a lawyer.Even though he was busy writing，Verne passed his exams in 1849 with high marks.
When Jules told his father he did not want to be a lawyer，his father was very angry.He stopped sending his son any money，so Jules had to earn a living by his writing.Over the next few years he wrote many stories and plays which brought him only a little money.Then，in 1856，he met Honorine de Viane，a rich，young widow with two children.The couple married the next year and their only child Michel was born in 1862.
After his marriage，Verne worked as a businessman in Paris.However，he was not very successful at his job and spent most of his time writing books and doing research for the next one.In 1863，he published his novel Five Weeks in a Balloon and in the following year he published A Journey to the Centre of the Earth which brought him fame.His books became so popular and earned him so much money that he was able to leave his job and work full time on his writing.
In his lifetime，Jules Verne wrote more than 50 books and he became a rich man.Many of this imaginative novels have been turned into films.Jules Verne became rich because of his________.
| A．father | B．marriage |
| C．business | D．writing |
When Jules Verne was brought home by his father，he decided that________.
| A．he would go on more travels in the future |
| B．he would do as his father required |
| C．he would be devoted to writing about future travels |
| D．he would stop writing about future travels |
Which book can be considered as a turning point in Jules Verne’s life?
| A．Five Weeks in a Balloon. |
| B．A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. |
| C．From Earth to Moon. |
| D．Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Jules Verne was appreciated by film makers. |
| B．Jules Verne was not clever enough to learn law. |
| C．Jules Verne’s stories and plays won him big fame in the 1850s. |
| D．Jules Verne’s wife helped him a lot in his writing career. |
Consumer electronics once again topped the list of the most wanted gifts this holiday season.
“Seventy-six percent of consumers who plan to buy holiday gifts say that they will spend money or buy at least one technology product; definitely a solid vote of confidence for technology.”
Steve Koenig is with the Consumer Electronics Association. He says the group’s latest research also shows that Americans this year are spending more on technology products. “Here in 2012, $252 on average——the technology spend for consumers this year.”
From tablet computers to smart phones, American shoppers have been lining up to get the newest and coolest electronic devices on the market. There are more choices today than ever before. "It's kind of hard to make a decision."
Tablet computers are one of the best-selling products this year. Brian Tong is Senior Editor of CNET.com. The website reports on tech news and examines the latest electronic products. He says the Apple iPad Mini is one of the most popular tablets. Its starting price is $329. One of Apple’s biggest competitors is the Google Nexus 7. It starts at $199.
“Its hardware is more powerful than what’s in the iPad Mini, but also it offers you a lot of things like maps that work better than Apple’s maps.
But Brian Tong says there is one reason why people may like the iPad Mini more than the Nexus 7. “If you just want to read books and surf the Internet, you don’t really need to get an iPad Mini, but if you want the largest robust group of apps (应用软件) that’s where the iPad and Apple’s ecosystem shines the most.”
Elman Chacon is with the electronics store Best Buy. He says another hot product this season is smart cameras. They connect to the Internet through WiFi. This makes it easy for users to email or upload photographs directly from the camera.
“You can literally take a picture and upload it into your Facebook in a matter of seconds. These things are pretty cool because they do a lot of things.”
Streaming media boxes also connect to the Internet. People are able to watch web content such as movies and YouTube videos on their televisions. Another popular item is wireless speaker systems. The newest ones work with any device that has Bluetooth technology, including smart phones, laptops and tablets.What does the underlined sentence mean in Paragraph 3?
| A．Every technology product costs an average of $252. |
| B．Consumers are spending $252 more on technology products than last year. |
| C．Consumers should spend $252 on their technology products. |
| D．It is estimated that $252 on average might be spent on electronics by consumers in 2012. |
According to Brian Tong, why may people prefer the iPad Mini to the Google Nexus 7?
| A．Because it is cheaper. |
| B．Because it has more functions. |
| C．Because you can read books and surf the Internet with it. |
| D．Because it offers you a lot of things like maps that work better than Apple’s maps. |
What does “Its hardware” in Paragraph 6 refer to?
| A．The hardware of tablet computers. |
| B．The hardware of the Apple iPad. |
| C．The hardware of the Google Nexus 7. |
| D．The hardware of the iPad Mini. |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．People will spend most of their money on electronics. |
| B．Photos can be uploaded from the camera when connected to a computer. |
| C．A streaming media box is a box which can contain CDs. |
| D．Most people would like to buy electronics as gifts. |
Which of the following would be the best title of the passage?
| A．Electronics: People’s Most Favorite Gifts this year |
| B．Which is More Popular, the Apple iPad Mini or the Google Nexus 7? |
| C．Latest Technology Products |
| D．More Electronics to Choose from |
If you don’t want people to know too much about you, then you had better keep your fridge contents secret, according to a British market research document released last week.
Researchers peered (凝视) into the fridges of 400 people in Britain and compared the contents with the owners’ lifestyles. They claim to be able to classify the nation’s people by fridge contents.
They say those people can be separated into five categories：nutrition nerds (no social sense), food faddiest (whatever’s in style), martyr mums, fast food fanatics and restaurant regulars.
Nutrition nerds care much about what they put into their bodies. Their fridges are stocked with fruit, vegetables and healthy meat.
People in this category tend to be highly organized and usually work in law or accountancy. The vast majority is single, but if they have a partner, that person will be similar.
A fridge full of vitamins — enriched juices implies its owner works in media or fashion. They tend not to eat the foods they buy. Known as the food faddiest, they just want to be seen as purchasing the latest important things.
A fridge filled with everything from steak to frozen fish suggests the martyr mum. Her fridge tends to be stocked with every kind of product, except what she herself would want. This fridge hints at difficulty balancing family and work life.
Fast food fanatics always buy mineral water or soda pop. The nearest they will get to fresh fruit is tomato sauce. Their fridges hint at someone who works hard and plays hard, also, someone who is not into long term planning.
Finally, a fridge filled with nothing more than a bottle of white wine and some sparkling mineral water implies an owner who is single, lives in a big city and enjoys the finer things in life. The fridge is empty because this person regularly eats in restaurants.What can we know from the first two paragraphs?
| A．Some researchers are fond of staring at other people’s fridges. |
| B．People don’t want others to know about their secrets. |
| C．The food you put in the fridge has something to do with your personality. |
| D．There are mainly five kinds of lifestyles among British people. |
According to the passage, people who belong to food faddiest_________.
| A．don’t care much about money when buying things |
| B．will try their best to stay healthy |
| C．often stay up late to finish their job |
| D．prefer to ask others about what to do next |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．“Nutrition nerds” are always organized and successful in their jobs. |
| B．“Food faddists” like to stock their fridges with all kinds of vitamins. |
| C．“Martyr mums” care themselves more than others. |
| D．“Fast food fanatics” usually do not stock their fridges with fresh fruit. |
What will those who often dine out put in the fridge?
| A．All kinds of food they like. |
| B．Only something to drink. |
| C．Fruit, vegetables and meat. |
| D．Food rich in vitamins. |
What is this passage mainly about?
| A．What people store in their fridges. |
| B．Fridge contents and its owner’s secret. |
| C．What we should store in our fridges. |
| D．How to keep our fridge contents secret. |
While Andrew was getting ready for work one Friday morning, he announced to his wife that he had finally decided to ask his boss for a salary raise. All day Andrew felt nervous and anxious as he thought about the upcoming showdown. What if Mr Larchmont refused to grant his request? Andrew had worked so hard in the last 18 months and landed some great accounts for Braer and Hopkins Advertising Agency. Of course, he deserved a wage increase.
The thought of walking into Larchmont’s office left Andrew weak in the knees. Late in the afternoon he was finally courageous enough to approach his superior. To his delight and surprise, the ever-frugal（一向节俭的）Harvey Larchmont agreed to give Andrew a raise!
Andrew arrived home that evening—despite breaking all city and state speed limits—to a beautiful table set with their best china, and candles lit. His wife, Tina, had prepared a delicate meal including his favorite dishes. Immediately he figured someone from the office had tipped her off!
Next to his plate Andrew found a beautiful lettered note. It was from his wife. It read: “Congratulations, my love! I knew you’d get the raise! I prepared this dinner to show just how much I love you. I am so proud of your accomplishments!” He read it and stopped to reflect on how sensitive and caring Tina was.
After dinner, Andrew was on his way to the kitchen to get dessert when he observed that a second card had slipped out of Tina’s pocket onto the floor. He bent forward to pick it up. It read: “Don’t worry about not getting the raise! You do deserve one! You are a wonderful provider and I prepared this dinner to show you just how much I love you even though you did not get the increase.”
Suddenly tears swelled in Andrew’s eyes. Total acceptance! Tina’s support for him was not conditional upon his success at work.
The fear of rejection is often softened and we can undergo almost any setback or rejection when we know someone loves us regardless of our success or failure.What was Andrew’s plan that Friday?
| A．To request a wage increase from his boss. |
| B．To get a job with the Braer and Hopkins Advertising Agency. |
| C．To celebrate his success with his wife at home. |
| D．To ask his boss to come for dinner. |
On his way back home, Andrew _________.
| A．felt weak in the knees |
| B．was punished by the traffic policeman |
| C．was too anxious to share the news |
| D．couldn’t wait to enjoy a meal |
Which of the following statements about the story is FALSE?
| A．Andrew was afraid that his request would lead to disaster. |
| B．Andrew had worked very hard and done his part for the company. |
| C．Andrew’s boss agreed to his request. |
| D．One of Andrew’s colleagues had told his wife the good news. |
Why did Tina prepare a grand dinner for Andrew that day?
| A．She was confident of his getting a pay raise. |
| B．She meant to show her support whatever the result would be. |
| C．She believed that her husband was the best in his company. |
| D．She wanted to express her gratitude for his devotion to the family. |
We can conclude from the text that ______.
| A．we should never be afraid to ask for what is due to us |
| B．work hard and you will be rewarded |
| C．many fears turn out to be unfounded |
| D．unconditional love brings courage and strength |
Like many men at some point, I dream about opening a bar. I plan to call it Work Out. It will cater to married women in need of a little fun. On Friday nights, they will be able to come here and enjoy themselves.
See, I have a gift for business. I am, as my wife Zsa Zsa likes to note, “A man with a million ideas, none of them very good.” Speaking of Zsa Zsa, she is fed up with this plain little life I’ve made for us——too many kids, too many chores, mind – numbing debt. The other day, she said she thought we needed a new family car. “Sure. How about an 87 Lincoln?” I said, and saw my dear Zsa Zsa age about 20 years, and become her mother right before my eyes.
Yes, money is our madness. Last year, we thought we had found a little cushion when I published a book about the life here in suburban America. It sold 12 copies——six of them to my mother. Four other copies went to various aunts and uncles, who used them for martini coasters (杯垫), then sold them at yard sales. The two remaining copies went to perfect strangers. (I think I owe you dinner, whoever you are. Call me, OK? We’ll arrange something.)
When the book didn’t take off, I wrote a TV show. Then I penned a short novel based on the earlier TV idea that didn’t sell. Currently, I am at work on a set of encyclopedias(百科全书). In a month, I plan to sell them door – to – door.
Such is the life of a writer, sending off the most personal thoughts possible to his hard drive. I am a writer, but also the breadwinner in my family. I’m at the keyboard at 6 almost every morning, hoping to tap out one idea——just one——that will take us up the hill, to the mountain, to the top.According to the passage, the author is leading a/an life.
| A．enjoyable | B．wealthy | C．hard | D．comfortable |
By saying “Sure. How about an 87 Lincoln?”, the author .
| A．promised it to his wife | B．was showing off their fortune |
| C．thought his wife would like it | D．was just joking |
What was the result of the book the author mentioned in the 3rd paragraph?
| A．It didn’t sell well at all. |
| B．He sold it door – to – door. |
| C．He made a lot of money from it. |
| D．It was really a cushion for his family. |
What does the underlined word “cushion” mean ?
| A．Comfortable seat. |
| B．Financial help. |
| C．Unexpected success. |
| D．Best-selling book. |
From the account above, which of the following statements is true?
| A．He has a real gift for business. |
| B．He isn’t serious enough about life. |
| C．He is a hard – working writer. |
| D．His wife is satisfied with their plain life. |
The teacher was leaving the village, and everybody seemed sorry. The miller at Cresscombe lent him the small cart and horse to carry his goods to Christminster, the city of his destination, such a vehicle proving of quite enough size for the teacher's belongings. For his only article, in addition to the packing-case of books, was a piano that he had bought when he thought of learning instrumental music. But the eagerness having faded he had never acquired any skill in playing, and the purchased article had been a permanent trouble to him.
The headmaster had gone away for the day, being a man who disliked the sight of changes. He did not mean to return till the evening, when the new teacher would have arrived, and everything would be smooth again.
The blacksmith, the farm bailiff and the teacher were standing in confused attitudes in the sitting room before the instrument. The teacher had remarked that even if he got it into the cart he should not know what to do with it on his arrival at Christminster, since he was only going into a temporary place just at first.
A little boy of eleven, who had been assisting in the packing, joined the group of men, and said, ‘Aunt has got a fuel-house, and it could be put there, perhaps, till you’ve found a place to settle in, sir.’
‘Good idea,’ said the blacksmith.
The smith and the bailiff started to see about the possibility of the suggested shelter, and the boy and the teacher were left standing alone.
‘Sorry I am going, Jude?’ asked the latter kindly.
Tears rose into the boy’s eyes. He admitted that he was sorry.
‘So am I,’ said Mr. Phillotson.
‘Why do you go, sir?’ asked the boy.
‘Well—don't speak of this everywhere. You know what a university is, and a university degree? It is the necessary hallmark (标志) of a man who wants to do anything in teaching. My scheme, or dream, is to be a university graduate. By going to live at Christminster, I shall be at headquarters, so to speak, and if my scheme is practicable at all, I consider that being on the spot will afford me a better chance.’
The smith and his companion returned. Old Miss Fawley's fuel-house was practicable; and she seemed willing to give the instrument standing-room there. So it was left in the school till the evening, when more hands would be available for removing it; and the teacher gave a final glance round.
At nine o'clock Mr. Phillotson mounted beside his box of books, and waved his friends good-bye.It seemed that the teacher _____.
| A．was not getting on well with the headmaster |
| B．had lived a rather simple life in the village |
| C．was likely to continue to practice playing the piano |
| D．would get help in the city on arriving there |
The motivation of the teacher’s moving lay in his _____.
| A．ambition | B．devotion | C．admiration | D．inspiration |
The boy named Jude may be described as _____.
| A．polite, generous and cheerful | B．active, modest and friendly |
| C．kind, bright and helpful | D．calm, confident and humorous |
In the passage the writer describes both the teacher’s _____.
| A．love for music and his dislike for musical instruments |
| B．hard work in the village and his strong interest in city life |
| C．friendship with some villagers and also conflicts with others |
| D．eagerness to go to the city and his affection for the village |