Long ago in a small town, there was a place known as the House of 1,000 Mirrors. A small, happy little dog learned of this place and decided to visit.
When he arrived, he bounced(跳) happily up the stairs to the doorway of the house. He looked through the doorway with his ears lifted high and his tail wagging as fast as it could. To his great surprise, he found himself staring at 1,000 other happy little dogs with their tails wagging just as his. He smiled a great smile, and was answered with 1,000 great smiles just as warm and friendly. As he left the house, he thought to himself, “ This is a wonderful place. I will come back and visit often.”
In this same village, another little dog, who was not quite as happy as the first one, decided to visit the house. He slowly climbed the stairs and hung his head low as he looked into the door. When he saw the 1,000 unfriendly looking dogs staring back at him, he growled at them and was horrified to see 1,000 little dogs growling back at him. As he left, he thought to himself, “This is a horrible place, and I will never go back there again.”
All the faces in the world are mirrors. What kind of reflections do you see on the faces of the people you meet? Why was the first dog surprised when he entered the house?
| A．Because he didn’t expect to see so many happy dogs. |
| B．Because he didn’t know there were 1,000 mirrors in the house. |
| C．Because he was always in a mixed mood. |
| D．Because he saw so many dogs smiling at him. |
Why did the first dog like the house?
| A．Because there were 1,000 mirrors in the house. |
| B．Because he thought he could keep himself warm in the house. |
| C．Because he liked everything presented to him. |
| D．Because he felt he was welcome here. |
The underlined word “ growled” probably means ______.
| A．make an unfriendly noise | B．smile | C．say hello | D．stare |
Which of the following is the most suitable title for the passage?
| A．A Small Happy Little Dog | B．The House of 1,000 Mirrors |
| C．The Wonderful Place and the Horrible Place. | D．Two Little Dogs |
FLORENCE, Italy-Svetlana Cojochru feels hurt. The Moldovan has lived here seven years as a caregiver to Italian kids and elderly, but in order to stay she's had to prove her language skills by taking a test which requires her to write a postcard to an imaginary friend and answer a fictional job ad.
Italy is the latest Western European country trying to control a growing immigrant(移民) population by demanding language skills in exchange for work permits, or in some cases, citizenship.
Some immigrant advocates worry that as hard financial times make it more difficult for natives to keep jobs, such measures will become a more vehicle for intolerance than integration(融合). Others say it's only natural that newcomers learn the language of their host nation, seeing it as a condition to ensure they can contribute to society.
Other European countries laid down a similar requirement for immigrants, and some terms are even tougher. The governments argue that this will help foreigners better join the society and promote understanding across cultures.
Italy, which has a much weaker tradition of immigration, has witnessed a sharp increase in immigration in recent years. In 1990, immigrants numbered some 1.14 million out of Italy's then 56.7 million people, or about 2 percent. At the start of this year, foreigners living in Italy amounted to 4.56 million of a total population of 60.6 million, or 7.5 percent, with immigrants' children accounting for an even larger percentage of births in Italy.
Cojochru, the Moldovan caregiver, hoped obtaining permanent residence(居住权) would help her bring her two children to Italy; they live with her sister in Moldova, where salaries are among the lowest in Europe. She was skeptical that the language requirement would encourage integration.
Italians always "see me as a foreigner," an outsider, even though she's stayed in the country for years and can speak the local language fluently, she said.
28. Why does Cojochru have to take a language test?
| A． |
To continue to stay in Italy. |
B． |
To teach her children Italian. |
| C． |
To find a better job in Italy. |
D． |
To better mix with the Italians. |
29. Some people worry that the new language requirement may ________.
| A． |
reduce Italy's population quickly |
B． |
cause conflicts among people |
| C． |
lead to financial difficulties |
D． |
put pressure on schools |
30. What do we know about Cojochru?
| A． |
She lives with her sister now in Italy. |
| B． |
She enjoys learning the Italian language. |
| C． |
She speaks Italian well enough for her job. |
| D． |
She wishes to go back to her home country. |
Getting less sleep has become a bad habit for most American kids. According to a new survey(调查) by the National Sleep Foundation, 51% of kids aged 10 to 18 go to bed at 10 pm or later on school nights, even though they have to get up early. Last year the Foundation reported that nearly 60% of 7- to 12-year-olds said that they felt tired during the day, and 15% said they had fallen asleep at school.
How much sleep you need depends a lot on your age. Babies need a lot of rest: most of them sleep about 18 hours a day! Adults need about eight hours. For most school-age children, ten hours is ideal(理想的). But the new National Sleep Foundation survey found that 35% of 10- to 12-year-olds get only seven or eight hours. And guess what almost half of the surveyed kids said they do before bedtime? Watch TV.
"More children are going to bed with TVs on, and there are more opportunities(机会) to stay awake, with more homework, the Internet and the phone," says Dr. Mary Carskadon, a sleep researcher at Brown University Medical School. She says these activities at bedtime can get kids all excited and make it hard for them to calm down and sleep. Other experts say part of the problem is chemical. Changing levels of body chemicals called hormones not only make teenagers' bodies develop adult characteristics, but also make it hard for teenagers to fall asleep before 11 pm.
Because sleepiness is such a problem for teenagers, some school districts have decided to start high school classes later than they used to. Three years ago, schools in Edina, Minnesota, changed the start time from 7:25 am to 8:30 am. Students, parents and teachers are pleased with the results.
25. What is the new National Sleep Foundation survey on?
| A． |
American kids' sleeping habits. |
B． |
Teenagers' sleep-related diseases. |
| C． |
Activities to prevent sleeplessness. |
D． |
Learning problems and lack of sleep. |
26. How many hours of sleep do 11-year-olds need every day?
| A． |
7 hours. |
B． |
8 hours. |
C． |
10 hours. |
D． |
18 hours. |
27. Why do teenagers go to sleep late according to Carskadon?
| A． |
They are affected by certain body chemicals. |
| B． |
They tend to do things that excite them. |
| C． |
They follow their parents' examples. |
| D． |
They don't need to go to school early. |
Benjamin West,the father of American painting, showed his talent for art when he was only six years of age. But he did not know about brushes before a visitor told him he needed one. In those days ,a brush was made from camel's hair. There were no camels nearby. Benjamin decided that cat hair would work instead. He cut some fur from the family cat to make a brush.
The brush did nott last long. Soon Benjamin needed more fur. Before long, the catbegan to look ragged （蓬乱）. His father said that the cat must be sick. Benjamin was forced to admit what he had been doing.
The cat ' s lot was about to improve.That year, one of Benjamin's cousins, Mr.Pennington, came to visit. He was impressed with Benjamin's drawings. When he went home, he sent Benjamin a box of paint and some brushes. He also sent six engravings （版画）by an artist. These were the forst pictures and first real paint and brushes Benjamin had ever seen.In 1747，when Benjamin was nine years old，Mr.Pennington retured for another visit .He was amazed at what Benjamin had done with his gift.He asked Benjamin's parents if he might take the boy to Philadelphia for a visit.
In the city, Mr.Pennington gave Benjamin materials for creating oil paintings.The boy began a landscape (风景) painting.Wiliams ,a well-known painter,came to see him work . Wiliams was impressed with Benjamin and gave him two classic books on painting to take home .The books were long and dull. Benjamin could read only a little,having been a poor student.But he later said,"Those two books were my companions by day,and under my pillow at night."While it is likely that he understood very little of the books,they were his introduction to classical paintings.The nine-year-old boy decided then that he would be an artist.
21. What is the text mainly about?
| A． |
Benjamin's visit to Philadelphia. |
| B． |
Williams' influence on Benjamin. |
| C． |
The beginning of Benjamin's life as an artist. |
| D． |
The friendship between Benjamin and Pennington. |
22. What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 3 suggest?
| A． |
The cat would be closely watched. |
| B． |
The cat would get some medical care. |
| C． |
Benjamin would leave his home shortly. |
| D． |
Benjamin would have real brushes soon. |
23. What did Pennington do to help Benjamin develop his talent?
| A． |
He took him to see painting exhibitions. |
| B． |
He provided him with painting materials. |
| C． |
He sent him to a school in Philadelphia. |
| D． |
He taught him how to make engravings. |
24. Williams' two books helped Benjamin to ________.
| A． |
master the use of paints |
| B． |
appreciate landscape paintings |
| C． |
get to know other painters |
| D． |
make up his mind to be a painter |
In the years of my growing up, Dad was strict with me. He made sure I made my bed and did my homework. He would call in advance to make sure there was no alcohol at the party. I got so angry with him for laying down the law. I would scream, " I hate you!" Dad would yell back, "Good! I don't care!" Deep down I knew he did.
One time at a party, I drank too much alcohol and got so sick. I said, " Call my dad." Next thing, Dad was carrying me to the car. I woke up the next morning, thinking I would definitely be criticized. As expected, I got a roasting, but I now understand why I need discipline.
Dad was 29 when he got his big roles in films. I had an early start at the age of nine with a role in a 1990s TV series, but it wasn't until I finished film studies that I pursued my career as an actress. Like those early days for Dad, I faced lots of rejections.Working in such a competitive industry, I've sometimes thought, " I can't do this any more."
Once, after a trip to Hollywood, I returned to Australia so depressed and spent months in my bedroom painting, listening to Eckhart Tolle's music and trying to find myself again. Dad sat me down and said,"Alice, I know it's hard, but it's all about persistence(坚持不懈)."
Now I get to work with Dad a lot, which I love. We both passionate about acting, which comes from us being so interested in people. If it weren't for Dad, I wouldn't be where I am today. He's my biggest fan, and when you have that in your life you can go a long way.
56. What rules did Alice's father set for her when she was growing up?(no more than 15 words)
57. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 2 mean?(no more than 5 words)
58. What did Alice's father do when she felt depressed?(no more than 5 words)
59. According to the last paragraph, what do Alice and her father have in common?(no more than 10 words)
60. What do you think of Alice's father? Please explain.(no more than 20 words)
I read somewhere that we spend a full third of our lives waiting. But where are we doing all of this waiting, and what does it mean to an impatient society like ours? To understand the issue, let's take a look at three types of "waits".
The very purest form of waiting is the Watched-Pot Wait. It is without doubt the most annoying of all. Take filling up the kitchen sink(洗碗池) as an example. There is absolutely nothing you can do while this is going on but keep both eyes fixed on the sink until it's full. During these waits, the brain slips away from the body and wanders about until the water runs over the edge of the counter and onto your socks. This kind of wait makes the waiter helpless and mindless.
A cousin to the Watched-Pot Wait is the Forced Wait. This one requires a bit of discipline. Properly preparing packaged noodle soup required a Forced Wait. Directions are very specific. "Bring three cups of water to boil, add mix, simmer three minutes, remove from heat, let stand five minutes."I have my doubts that anyone has actually followed the procedures strictly. After all, Forced Waiting requires patience.
Perhaps the most powerful type of waiting is the Lucky-Break Wait. This type of wait is unusual in that it is for the most part voluntary. Unlike the Forced Wait, which is also voluntary, waiting for your lucky break does not necessarily mean that it will happen.
Turning one's life into a waiting game requires faith and hope, and is strictly for the optimists among us. On the surface it seems as ridiculous as following the directions on soup mixes, but the Lucky-Break Wait well serves those who are willing to do it. As long as one doesn't come to rely on it, wishing for a few good things to happen never hurts anybody.
We certainly do spend a good deal of our time waiting. The next time you're standing at the sink waiting for it to fill while cooking noodle soup that you'll have to eat until a large bag of cash falls out of the sky, don't be desperate. You're probably just as busy as the next guy.
51. While doing a Watched-Pot Wait, we tend to ___________.
| A． |
keep ourselves busy |
| B． |
get absent-minded |
| C． |
grow anxious |
| D． |
stay focused |
52. What is the difference between the Forced Wait and the Watched-Pot Wait?
| A． |
The Forced Wait requires some self-control. |
| B． |
The Forced Wait makes people passive. |
| C． |
The Watched-Pot Wait needs directions. |
| D． |
The Watched-Pot Wait engages body and brain. |
53. What can we learn about the Lucky-Break Wait?
| A． |
It is less voluntary than the Forced Wait. |
| B． |
It doesn't always bring the desired result. |
| C． |
It is more fruitful than the Forced Wait. |
| D． |
It doesn't give people faith and hope. |
54. What does the author advise us to do the next time we are waiting?
| A． |
Take it seriously. |
| B． |
Don't rely on others. |
| C． |
Do something else. |
| D． |
Don't lose heart. |
55. The author supports his view by _________.
| A． |
exploring various causes of "waits". |
| B． |
describing detailed processes of "waits". |
| C． |
analyzing different categories of "waits" |
| D． |
revealing frustrating consequences of "waits" |