One day, when I was working as a psychologist in England,an adolescent boy showed up in my office. It was David. He kept walking up and down restlessly, his face pale, and his hands shaking slightly. His head teacher had referred him to me. “This boy has lost his family,” he wrote. “He is understandably very sad and refuses to talk to others, and I'm very worried about him. Can you help?”
I looked at David and showed him to a chair. How could I help him? There are problems psychology doesn't have the answer to, and which no words can describe. Sometimes the best thing one can do is to listen openly and sympathetically.
The first two times we met, David didn't say a word. He sat there, only looking up to look at the children's drawings on the wall behind me. I suggested we play a game of chess. He nodded. After that he played chess with me every Wednesday afternoon—in complete silence and without looking at me. It's not easy to cheat in chess, but I admit I made sure David won once or twice.
Usually, he arrived earlier than agreed, took the chess board and pieces from the shelf and began setting them up before I even got a chance to sit down. It seemed as if he enjoyed my company. But why did he never look at me?
“Perhaps he simply needs someone to share his pain with,” I thought. “Perhaps he senses that I respect his suffering.” Some months later, when we were playing chess, he looked up at me suddenly.
“It's your turn,” he said.
After that day, David started talking. He got friends in school and joined a bicycle club. He wrote to me a few times, about his biking with some friends, and about his plan to get into university. Now he had really started to live his own life.
Maybe I gave David something. But I also learned that one—without any words—can reach out to another person. All it takes is a hug, a shoulder to cry on, a friendly touch, and an ear that listens.When he first met the author, David ________.
A.felt a little excited | B.walked energetically |
C.looked a little nervous | D.showed up with his teacher |
As a psychologist, the author ________.
A.was ready to listen to David |
B.was skeptical about psychology |
C.was able to describe David's problem |
D.was sure of handling David's problem |
David enjoyed being with the author because he________.
A.wanted to ask the author for advice |
B.needed to share sorrow with the author |
C.liked the children's drawings in the office |
D.beat the author many times in the chess game |
What can be inferred about David?
A.He recovered after months of treatment. |
B.He liked biking before he lost his family. |
C.He went into university soon after starting to talk. |
D.He got friends in school before he met the author. |
My grandfather spent most of his life in a turbulent (动乱的) India. After settling in New York, he took up his true passion: gardening.
Grandfather’s garden was where I took refuge (避难) from a world of adults and schoolwork. My grandfather cultivated squash (南瓜) and tomatoes — it was not rare to find me somewhere in the garden, either secretly eating a tomato, or just sitting and admiring my grandfather’s hard work. However, as time went by, I did not have the chance to visit his house as often as I used to.
On my eleventh birthday, I received a gift bag wrapped in pretty paper from my grandfather. Excited to see what he had given to me for my birthday, I tore apart the paper only to find a yellow squash. I was very angry. What a stupid present!
But gradually, I realized that in my developing a relationship with his garden, I had unknowingly grown very close to my grandfather himself, something he wished to remind me of through his gift. His commitment towards doing things definitely influenced me. It could bring him a sense of accomplishment. Because of him, I try to model the idea of approaching everything with both drive and passion.
My grandfather passed away five years ago, but his influence on me could not be bigger than it is today. As I prepare to enter college and move on from my relatively sheltered high school life toward achieving complete independence, allowing my passions to find their way into whatever I may be doing will be very necessary. I still look up to my grandfather very much to this day, and I hope that one day I will be able to sow in my own garden, and give someone else a squash on his or her birthday — it was the most meaningful gift I have ever received. When the author was young, she often visited the garden mainly to ______.
A.have a taste of her favorite vegetables |
B.help her grandfather cultivate the garden |
C.escape from the adults and schoolwork |
D.admire her grandfather’s hard work |
When the author saw the squash gift from her grandfather, she was ______.
A.excited | B.confused |
C.curious | D.upset |
Why did the grandfather send the author a squash?
A.Squash was the author’s favorite vegetable. |
B.Squash was the greatest achievement of him. |
C.He wanted to remind the author that they had been close. |
D.He wanted the author to follow his career. |
What’s the best title for the text?
A.A Special Gift — Yellow Squash |
B.Grandfather and India |
C.Life with Grandfather |
D.Gardening and Life |
We grew up with the familiar toy bricks (积木) that gave us the imagination to build towers and castles. Generations have been attracted by this toy that lets children and adults alike create anything and everything. But with over 200 millions sets being sold a year in over 100 countries, the question remains — where did Lego actually come from?
Lego was born from the creative mind of Danish carpenter (木匠), Ole Kirk Christiansen, back in the early 1930s. He established a small business in Denmark. He and his team built a variety of household goods like ironing boards along with wooden toys. The Lego name was adopted in 1934, formed from the Danish words “Leg Godt” or “play well”, which means “I study” or “I put together” in Latin.
Christiansen’s company continued to make wooden toys until 1942 when fire struck — the entire Lego factory burned to the ground. Unwilling to give in, the factory was rebuilt and the production line restarted soon after. By 1954, Christiansen’s son, Godtfred, had become the junior managing director of the Lego Group. It was during his conversation with an overseas buyer that he was struck by the idea of a toy system.
For over 30 years, the Lego Company made only toys and related goods. Then, in 1968, the company opened its first Legoland in Denmark. Combining the Lego building bricks with a computer, the Robotics Invention System 1.5 is now the most advanced toy in the Lego Company, which is targeted at users aged twelve and above, and that includes any parents or grandparents that want to join in.
Now the Lego Company is expanding its production lines to include lights, cameras and so on. Lego Company has done a lot to entertain many children around the world. The author presents the text by ________.
A.telling an interesting story |
B.showing the process in different stages |
C.introducing a practical method |
D.describing many different activities |
Which of the following is NOT true about the Robotics Invention System 1.5?
A.It is the most advanced toy in the Lego Company. |
B.It combines the Lego building bricks with a computer. |
C.It is intended for users aged twelve and above. |
D.It is the most expensive toy invented since 1968. |
What is the correct order of the following events in the development of Lego?
a. The entire Lego factory burned to the ground.
b. The company and its products adopted the name Lego.
c. The company opened its first Legoland in Denmark.
d. Godtfred had become the junior managing director of the Lego Group.
A.cadb | B.cbad | C.abcd | D.badc |
What can we learn from the text?
A.The Lego Company expands its production lines with computers. |
B.The author thinks highly of Lego, which entertains many children. |
C.The name Lego means “I put together” in the Danish language. |
D.Lego enjoys the greatest popularity among children of 12. |
Bullis School Visual (视觉的) and Performing Arts Program is designed to advance a student’s ability through artistic expression. Students will choose their Majors (主修课) and Minors (辅修课) and will commit to each of these courses for the academic year.
Courses are listed as follows:
● Majors: Band, Choir (合唱团), Dance, Theater
● Minors: Painting, Music Ensemble (合唱), Visual Arts
Arts course meetings will vary according to the term:
● Fall Term: 3 Majors - 4 classes / course / week;
1 Minor - 2 classes / course / week
● Winter Term: 2 Majors - 3 classes / course / week
● Spring Term: 2 Majors - 3 classes / course / week;
2 Minors - 2 classes / course / week
Descriptions of Majors:
●Band: This class is designed to help students progress towards proficiency in a range of musical instruments. An audition (试听) will only be required for students who are not current members of the band. Members of the band will be expected to take a weekly lesson with a private instructor.
●Choir: Choir is a mixed vocal ensemble devoted to the study and performance of music from a wide range of traditions. The course is for students who want to learn to respond to different musical styles. The course also focuses on developing vocal skills.
●Dance: This course is designed for students who have had little or no dance background. Students have the opportunity to explore the principles of dance skills, develop awareness and control the body.
●Theater: The primary goal of this course is to introduce students with greater experience to the art of acting. More specifically, it allows students to recognize their own personal responses to a given situation and use these reactions to create individual and unique characters. In which course might you receive personal training?
A.Band. | B.Choir. |
C.Dance. | D.Theater. |
All the following descriptions about the courses are true EXCEPT that ________.
A.Dance is designed for learners who want to improve their skills |
B.Choir is very helpful in developing students’ vocal skills |
C.an audition will not be open to members of the band |
D.Theater helps students create individual and unique characters |
Where can we most probably read this text?
A.In a personal diary. |
B.In a science report. |
C.In an educational magazine. |
D.In an art textbook. |
Ever since Canadian psychiatrist Michael R. Phillips, who works in China, released his report saying China’s suicide rate from 1995 to 1999 reached 0.023 percent, the country has been ranked among those with the highest suicide rates in the world. But Jing Jun, a professor of sociology in Tsinghua University, challenges that view and presents the true picture through his nationwide research.
Jing and his students took one year to set up the first national database on suicide rate to grasp the overall trend of suicides in China. They collected data from the Health Statistics Annuals of the World Health Organization (sample size 10 million), and the country’s Health Statistics Annuals (which cover 100 million people). The database covers 23 years, from 1987 to 2009. Jing calculates the suicide rate in China based on these data. Though the suicide rate was comparatively high in the early years, his study shows it has dropped in recent years, as opposed to the ascending trend in the rest of the world.
According to Jing’s calculation, China’s suicide rate had dropped to about 0.01 percent in 2004. In 2009, the figure dropped further to 0.007 percent, which is rather low compared with the global rate of 0.016 percent. Even if the “missing” suicides were added, China’s suicide rate in 2009 would still be below 0.008 percent.
Jing has found that one of the main reasons why the suicide rate has dropped was the steady and big decline in the number of suicides committed by rural women. In the early years, researchers generally agreed that the suicide rate among Chinese women was higher than among men, which is pretty rare in the rest the world. But the suicide rate among Chinese women, especially in rural areas, has declined remarkably in recent years. In fact, it is almost equal to that of Chinese men.
As a sociologist, Jing regards suicide as a social issue, and believes improvement of social policies will reduce the suicide rate even further. More people’s lives can be saved if the authorities adjust to social environment for the better, he concludes.From Jing’s search, we can see ________.
A.China has been ranked among those with the highest suicide rates in the world |
B.in the rest of the world suicide rate has been rising quickly in the last few years |
C.different from Michael![]() |
D.the suicide rate among Chinese women is lower than that of men |
The data in Para. 2 is mainly to prove that ________.
A.the result from Jing’s research is believable |
B.Jing’s research is more complicated than Michael R. Phillip’s |
C.Jing has made great efforts to make the research |
D.China’s suicide rate was comparatively low all the time |
Why has the suicide rate in China dropped steadily according to Jing Jun?
A.Because the life level of Chinese people has improved a lot. |
B.Because China’s government has adopted measures to reduce the suicide rate. |
C.Because the number of Chinese women who commit suicide has declined. |
D.Because the world environment affects the suicide rate in China. |
In Jing’s opinion, what should be done to reduce the suicide?
A.Pay more attention to rural women. |
B.Continue to improve social environment. |
C.Set up more mental health centers. |
D.Make policies to prevent suicides. |
We can infer that the text is __
_____.
A.a news report |
B.a research report |
C.a description of suicides |
D.an introduction to a professor |
A month after Hurricane Katrina, I returned home in New Orleans. There lay my house, reduced to waist-high rains, smelly and dirty.
Before the trip, I’d had my car fixed. When the office employee of the garage was writing up the bill, she noticed my Louisiana license plate. “You from New Orleans?” she asked. I said I was, “No charge.” She said, and firmly shook her head when I reached for my wallet. The next day I we
nt for a haircut, and the same thing happened.
As my wife was studying in Florida, we decided to move there and tried to find a rental house that we could afford while also paying off a mortgage (抵押贷款) on our ruined house. We looked at many places, but none was satisfactory. We’d begun to accept that we’d have to live in extremely reduced circumstances for a while, when I got a very curious e-mail from a James Kennedy in California. He’d read some pieces I’d written about our sufferings for Slate, the online magazine and wanted to give us (“no conditions attached”) a new house across the lake from New Orleans.
It sounded too good to be true, but I replied, thanking him for his exceptional generosity, that we had no places to go back. Then a poet at the University of Florida offered to rent his house to me while he went to England on his one-year-paid leave. The rent was rather reasonable. I mentioned the poet’s offer to James Kennedy, and the next day he sent a check covering our entire rent for eight months.
Throughout this painful experience, the kindness of strangers has done much to bring back my faith in humanity. It’s almost worth losing your worldly possessions to be reminded that people are really nice when given half a chance. The garage employee’s attitude toward the author was that of ________.
A.unconcern | B.sympathy |
C.doubt | D.tolerance |
What do we know about James Kennedy?
A.He was a writer of an online magazine. |
B.He was a poet at the University of Florida. |
C.He learned about the author’s sufferings via e-mail. |
D.He offered the author a new house free of charge. |
It can be inferred from the text that ________.
A.the author’s family was in financial difficulty |
B.rents were comparatively reasonable despite the disaster |
C.houses were difficult to find in the hurricane-stricken area |
D.the mortgage on the ruined house was paid off by the bank |
From Paragraph 4, we can know that the author’s new house ________.
A.was located in the University of Florida |
B.was offered by a poet and the rent was expensive |
C.was sponsored by James Kennedy with its 8-month rent |
D.was well-equipped but the rent was low |
The author learned from his experience that ________.
A.worldly possessions can be given up when necessary |
B.generosity should be encouraged in some cases |
C.people benefit from their sad sto![]() |
D.human beings are kind after all |