My brother Ron joined the US army a few years ago. Most girls, especially those who are my age, are thrilled by anything that has to do with the “army”. It’s a novelty to them to shoot a gun, jump out of a plane, and wear uniform.
Now I know you’re thinking that I must find it really cool to know a solider, who’s my brother. That’s wrong, before I found out that my brother joined the army, I was crazy about the army. Firstly, I wanted to go to college, knew that joining the army was probably the only way I could get it as my parents couldn’t afford it. Additionally there were all the other points of the army that grabbed my heart. I wanted the challenge, I wanted the discipline and I wanted the feeling that I would be doing something beyond the ability of average citizen.
But as soon as my brother joined the army, all those things fell away. All I saw were dead people, guns shooting, tanks turning into a ball of fire, tents burning, and lots of blood. It was so horrible. When Ron went to Iraq, I freaked out whenever I didn’t hear from him for more than a week. I kept up with the news, reading the latest newspaper and listening to the hourly reports. And every time I heard that an American solider was killed, I prayed, it’ wasn’t Ron.
I’m proud of my brother for serving our country, and his willingness to devote his life to something he finds important. It’s great to see how discipline and mature he’s got, and I’m glad he has his college paid for. But although I am proud, I gladly give up the “coolness” of having a brother in the army. I would be perfectly all right if I had never seen that uniform on him, and he was just a plain old “boring” brother.
I love my brother, and I’m proud of him, but I want him back home!What did the writer think of the army before Ron joined?
| A．Joining the army was more beneficial than going to college. |
| B．Joining the army was a good choice for those who couldn’t afford college education. |
| C．Joining the army was meant risking one’s life for something important, |
| D．Joining the army did more harm than good. |
After Ron joined the army, the writer .
| A．decide to join the army one day |
| B．became afraid of seeing soldiers |
| C．often showed off Ron in front of friends |
| D．became aware of the danger of joining the army |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Peace or war? |
| B．Life in the army |
| C．Having a soldier in the family |
| D．A choice between your life and your dream |
Hong Kong’s government has urged the Walt Disney Company to cut the maximum number of people allowed into its new park after visitors complained about long queues at a trial opening over the weekend .
The park admitted about 30.000guests on Sunday for a rehearsal, but visitors found themselves waiting in line for up to three hours for some popular rides .Many waited for up to half an hour at fast food outlets .
The park ,which was built to take maximum capacity of 30.000 visitors, officially opens next Monday .But Hong Kong Financial Secretary Henry Tang urged the company to consider lowering the upper limit .
“If it takes in 30.000 people, the queues will 
be very long and buying lunch would take a very long time. ”Tang told reporters late on Monday, “Disney has told us that queues at its other parks are also very long during peak periods, but people may not be used to lining up for so long. So we are discussing with Disney on whether it could manage this more flexibly.”
Asked if the full capacity should be lower than 30.000, he said, “We are now examining this ,we should handle it flexibly ”.
Disney was not immediately available for comment .
Hong Kong’s government holds a 57 percent stake in the park and Disney owns the rest. The project was launched during a time when Hong Kong was in recession (衰退)and was widely regarded as a best cure to the city’s economic trouble .
The park is expected to draw massive crowds, particularly from Chinese mainland .But not all news associated with the park has been encouraging .When visitors were lining up for tickets for a long time, they were
| A．excited | B．upset | C．nervous | D．dissatisfied |
What’s the best title for the passage？
| A．HK Disney opens up |
| B．HK urges Disney to cut visitors capacity at the new park. |
| C．HK encourages natives to visit Disney |
| D．Disney attracts visitors from Hong Kong and Chinese mainland |
By mentioning what Tang said ,the author wants to show
| A．visitors showed great interest in Disney |
| B．Disney will take some measures to limit visitors |
| C．why HK governments suggests lowering the number of visitors |
| D．the HK government tried to co-operate with Disney |
When HK Disney was launched,
| A．people thought little of its future development |
| B．people thought it a way to revive (复苏、恢复)HK’s economy |
| C．Disney hold belief that it could bring more money |
| D．Disney was in recession across the global |
As a boy ,Mark Twain caused much trouble for his parents . He used to play practical jokes on all his friends and neighbors .The nature of his jokes often led to violence. He hated to go to school, and he constantly ran away from home. He always went in the direction of the nearby Mississippi .He liked to sit on the bank of the river for hours at a time and just gaze at the mysterious island and the passing boats. He learned many things about the river during those days. He learned all about its history and unusual people who rode up and down it . He never forgot those scenes and those people .He later made them part of the history of America in the books Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.
Mark Twain received his genius （天才）from his mother . Obviously he didn’t get it from his father . He once stated that he had never seen a smile on his father’s face .On the other hand, his mother had the rare ability to say humorous things. The same ability made Mark Twain an extremely humorous public speaker.Because of the nature of his jokes when he was a child , Mark Twain would
| A．ran away from school |
| B．cause his parents to quarrel with others |
| C．get into trouble with his friends and neighbors |
D．like to sit on the bank of the Mississippi River |
It can be learned from the text that
| A．Mark Twain’s father was a cruel man |
| B．Mark Twain never attended school on time |
| C．Mark Twain often went boating in the nearby river |
| D．Mark Twain’s mother was something of a humorist |
In his books Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain wrote much about
| A．the Mississippi and the people riding on it | B．his friends and neighbors |
| C．his school life | D．his parents |
It is implied that what affected Mark Twain’s character mostly was
| A．his practical jokes | B．his father’s seriousness |
| C．the history of the Mississippi | D．his mother’s genius for humor |
There is, for many of us, a moment in life when we make a choice that changes us forever. This moment marks a turning point, when we realize that the life we're living is not a mirror of who we really are.
For some, the moment comes as a result of something dramatic: the sudden loss of a job, or the death of a loved one. For others, they have to deal with difficult situations, such as financial hardship. In these challenging times, it's more critical(关键时刻的) than ever for us to seize the possibility of positive change. As I travel and talk to people about their lives, I often see a distant, vacant look in their eyes -- a look that says “I’m so busy trying to survive my life that no soul left to live it”.
As a result, we end up feeling lonely. Yet we keep on going the way we've been going. We tolerate high levels of stress at work, take important relationships for granted, or put our health needs on hold. We get so caught up in the details of living that our busyness becomes an excuse from the inner voice that begs us to listen. When you finally pay attention to that little voice and begin to make even small changes, you will slowly improve yourself.
To start positive change, you need the power of your mind. I've come up with a five-step strategy that will help you. You will be able to identify what you want and then go after it. It's easier than you might think.
1. Reset your happiness set point. Don't limit yourself! When I decided that I wanted more control over my life, I set goals in physical, emotional, financial, professional, material, and play. I challenged myself to consider every possible choice. Imagine things you've never believed you could achieve. Don't let your past determine your future.
2. Trust your courage. Too often, when you're first learning to take control of your life, you doubt yourself. It's important to develop a strong connection with your inner guidance system. I've heard many stories about the persistent voice inside your head.
3. Take action. Once you have set goals, adjusted your beliefs, and got ready, you can start making things happen. Again, turn to those people you respect -- the ones achieving what you desire -- for support and guidance. They will both inspire you and give you practical advice on what steps you need to take.
4. Have faith. Believe that the positive energy of grace will support your efforts to improve your life. When you've done all you can, let go and trust that the right result will occur. When we have faith, we give up the need to be in control, and we set ourselves up to actually enjoy the process of change.
5. Be patient. This can be the toughest step. It's not easy to trust that your life will improve in a best way. Remind yourself of the benefits of patience. In my experience, those life changes are always worth the wait.What does the author intend to say in the second paragraph?
| A．The start of some turning points in one’s life is caused by crisis. |
| B．Loss of a job or the death of a loved one are all dramatic things. |
| C．No one can live a life without any turning points. |
| D．No one can predict his future of being good or not. |
In the author’s opinion, we should ______________.
| A．adjust our beliefs from time to time | B．always control ourselves for anything |
| C．keep on going the way we are going | D．seize the challenging times to live an active life |
The author suggests that when setting your happiness set points, you should _______.
| A．know the limitation of your set point | B．build self-confidence without doubt |
| C．limit your goals in different ways | D．consider every possible choice with care |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．When you've done all you can, you may believe that the right result will occur. |
| B．When you set goals, and take action, it is possible to make things happen. |
| C．When you first learn to take charge of your life, you will always doubt yourself. |
| D．If things do not happen in a way that is best, patience is always worth the wait. |
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Affordable Boutique Hotels in New York City By STEPHEN HEYMAN June 20, 2010 A new breed of hotels is trying to stand out from the masses with designer details, memorable allowances and prices around $250 a night. Welcome to Boutique Hotel. |
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To Get Those Summer Tickets in New York, Strategize By FELICIA R. LEE May 28, 2010 “The Merchant of Venice” is on show. Tickets can now be requested online, Most New Yorkers know the drill: on the day of the show, line up outside the Theater in Central Park several hours before 1 p.m., when free tickets start being handed out. |
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Climbing the Walls in Brooklyn By LOUISE STORY May 28, 2010 Since opening last fall, Brooklyn Boulders, an 18,000-square-foot gym, has become a destination for New York rock climbers of all levels. |
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Hotel Review: Ace Hotel, New York By FRED A. BERNSTEIN September 27, 2009 The owners are hoping that guests will enjoy the spacious accommodations, but that depends on whether they find the hotel’s oddities off-putting or endearing. |
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Tent City: A Child’s Urban Adventure By ERIC KONIGSBERG July 24, 2009 One of the better-kept secrets of the city is the series of one-night family campouts that the Parks & Recreation Department has every summer weekend. |
If you want to stay in a hotel in New York City for a week and enjoy designer details, memorable allowances, you need to get prepared for at least____________.
| A．$ 1550 | B．$ 1650 | C．$ 1750 | D．$ 1850 |
___________ is a good destination for New York rock climbers of all levels.
| A．the Parks & Recreation Department | B．Brooklyn Boulders |
| C．Lower Manhattan | D．Tent City |
Suppose you are interested in Shakespeare’s plays, you may pay attention to more details written by _________.
A. ERIC KONIGSBERG B. LOUISE STORY
C. FRED A. BERNSTEIN D. FELICIA R. LEE
We now think of chocolate as sweet, but once it was bitter. We think of it as a candy, but once it was a medicine. Today, chocolate can be a hot drink, a frozen dessert, or just a snack. Sometimes it is an ingredient in the main course of a meal. Mexicans make a hot chocolate sauce called mole and pour it over chicken. The Mexicans also eat chocolate with spices like chili peppers.
Chocolate is a product of the tropical cacao tree. The beans taste so bitter that even the monkeys say “Ugh!” and run away. Workers must first dry and then roast the beans. This removes the bitter taste.
The word “chocolate” comes from a Mayan word. The Mayas were an ancient people who once lived in Mexico. They valued the cacao tree. Some used the beans for money, while others crushed them to make a drink.
When the Spaniards came to Mexico in the sixteenth century, they started drinking cacao too. Because the drink was strong and bitter, they thought it was a medicine. No one had the idea of adding sugar. The Spaniards took some beans back to Europe and opened cafes. Wealthy people drank cacao and said it was good for the digestion.
In the 1800s, the owner of a chocolate factory in England discovered that sugar removed the bitter taste of cacao. It quickly became a cheap and popular drink. Soon afterwards, a factory made the first solid block of sweetened chocolate. Later on, another factory mixed milk and chocolate together. People liked the taste of milk chocolate even better.
Besides the chocolate candy bar, one of the most popular American snacks is the chocolate chip cookie. Favorite desserts are chocolate cream pie and of course an ice cream sundae with hot fudge sauce. It was ______that discovered sugar could remove the bitter taste of cacao.
| A．the workers in the chocolate factory | B．the Spaniards |
| C．the people in England | D．the owner of a chocolate factory. |
According to the passage which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Nobody had the idea of adding sugar until the sixteenth century. |
| B．The word “chocolate” comes from a Mexican word. |
| C．The beans taste so bitter that even the monkeys like them. |
| D．Workers must dry and roast the beans to remove the bitter taste. |
It can be inferred from the passage that___________.
| A．chocolate can be a hot drink, a frozen dessert, or a candy bar | |
| B．Mexicans like chocolate very much | C．chocolate is a product of the cacao tree |
| D．people liked the taste of chocolate mixed with milk |
Which is the right time order of the events regarding chocolate?
a. Chocolate became a cheap and popular drink in England.
b. A factory made the first solid block of sweetened chocolate.
c. The Spaniards started drinking cacao.
d. It was found that sugar removed the bitter taste of cacao.
e. A factory mixed milk and chocolate together.
| A．a-b-c-d-e | B．c-d-e-b-a | C．c-d-a-b-e | D．c-d-b-e-a |