Dear Dad ,
Today I was at the shopping mall and I spent a lot of time reading the Father’s Day cards . They all had a special message that in some way or another reflected how I feel about you . Yet as I selected and read , it occurred to me that not a single card said what I really want to say to you.
You’ll soon be 84 years old , Dad , and you and I will have had 55 Father’s Days together . I haven’t always been with you on Father’s Day but I’ve always been with you in my heart.
You know , Dad , there was a time when we were separated by the generation gap . You stood on one side of the Great Divide and I on the other.
The Father-Daughter Duel shifted into high gear(档位)when you taught me to drive the old Dodge and I decided I would drive the 54 Chevy whether you liked it or not . The police officer who sent me home after you reported the Chevy stolen didn’t have much tolerance for a stubborn 16 year old , while you were so tolerant about it , Dad , and I think that was probably what made it the worst night of my life.
Our relationship picked up when I married a man you liked , and things really turned around when we began making babies right and left . Somewhere along the line , the generation gap disappeared . I suppose I saw us and our relationship as aging together , rather like a fine wine.
But the strangest thing happened last week . I was at a stop sign and I watched as you turned the corner in your car . It didn’t immediately occur to me that it was you because the man driving looked so elderly and fragile behind the wheel of that huge car . It was rather like a slap in the face delivered from out of nowhere. Perhaps I saw your age for the first time that day.
I guess what I’m trying to say , Dad , is what every son and daughter wants to say to their Dad today . Honoring a father on Father’s Day is about respect and sharing and acceptance and tolerance and giving and taking . It’s about loving someone more than words can say , and it’s wishing that it never had to end.
I love you , Dad.
Love,
JennyWhat caused Jenny to write the letter ?
A.Getting along well with her father . |
B.Being away on previous Father’s Day . |
C.Visiting a card exhibition at a mall . |
D.Failing to find a satisfactory card . |
What does the underlined phrase “ turned around ” in Para. 5 mean ?
A.Because better . | B.Changed unexpectedly . |
C.Went worse . | D.Progressed unsteadily . |
What can we learn from Para. 6 ?
A.Jenny seldom saw her father drive that huge car . |
B.Jenny had never realized her father’s being weak . |
C.Jenny’s father slapped her on the face somewhere . |
D.Jenny knew her father’s real age from that day on . |
Jenny wrote her father this letter to __________ .
A.inform him of their conflicts |
B.apologize for her being stubborn |
C.express her genuine love to him |
D.remind him of the early incident |
Ellis Island is located in New York Harbor. Ellis Island is open daily year-round from 9:30am to 5:00pm, with extended hours during summer. It is closed on December 25. There is no admission charge to Ellis Island; donations are gratefully accepted.
At Your Fingertips
Park information (212) 363- 7620
Emergencies (212 ) 363- 3260
Ferryboat information (212) 269- 5755
Lost and found (212) 344- 7620
Dining, gifts, & audio tour (212) 344- 0996
Transportation
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ferry: Boats leave from Battery Park, Manhattan, and from Liberty State Park, New Jersey. They run about every 30 to 45 minutes beginning at 9: 15 am(ferry schedule subject to change).
Hours: May vary; call the number below
Closed: December 25
Ferry fees (Includes Liberty and Ellis Islands): adults, $ 7; senior citizens, $6; children(age 3 to 17), $ 3. (lower group rates are available for 25 or more adults)
Ticket & schedule information: (212) 269- 5755In summer, visitors will have ___________ to visit Ellis Island.
A.no enough money | B.a longer time | C.a shorter time | D.a wonderful time |
Which number would you call if your friends were suddenly ill?
A.(212) 344- 0996 | B.(212) 363- 7620 | C.(212 ) 363- 3260 | D.(212) 269- 5755 |
Which of the following is NOT true?
1.People can visit Ellis Island free of charge.
2.The boats departure time from Battery Park is at 9:15 a.m. all the year round.
3.Ferry fees for children are cheaper than for adults.
4.Ferry fees for group visitors can be reduced. We may infer from the passage that _____________.
A.visitors prefer to go to Ellis Island by boat | B.there are more visitors in winter |
C.Ellis Island is open every day | D.Boat is the only transportation to Ellis Island |
Many teenagers feel that the most important people in their lives are their friends. They believe that their family members, especially their parents, don’t know them as well as their friends do. In large families, it is often for brothers and sisters to fight with each other and then they can only go to their friends for advice.
It is very important for teenagers to have one good friend or many friends. Even when they are not with their friends, they usually spend a lot of time talking among themselves on the phone. This communication is very important in children’s growing up, because friends can discuss something difficult to say to their family members.
However, parents often try to choose their children’s friends for them. Some parents may even stop their children from meeting their good friends. The question of “choice” is an interesting one. Have you ever thought of the following questions?
Who choose your friends?
Do you choose your friends or your friends choose you?
Have you got a good friend your parents don’t like? Many teenagers think their _______ know them better than their parents do.
A.friends | B. teachers | C.brothers and sisters | D. classmates |
When teenagers stay alone, the usual way of communication is to _________.
A.go to their friends | B.talk with their parents |
C.have a discussion with their family | D.talk with their friends on the phone |
Which of the following sentences is TRUE?
A.Parents should like everything their children enjoy.] |
B.In all families, children can choose everything they like. |
C.Parents should try their best to understand their children better. |
D.Teenagers can only go to their friends for help. |
The main idea of this passage is that ___________.
A.Teenagers need friends |
B.Friends can give good advice |
C.Parents often choose their children’![]() |
D.Good friends can communicate with each other |
Tuvalu, north of Fiji, is a tiny country in the Pacific Ocean.
Storms and huge waves are a constant threat and none of Tuvalu's nine little islands is more than five metres above sea level. Salt water is already entering the country's drinking water supply, as well as damaging plants that produce fruit and vegetable.It fears it will be swallowed up by the sea. Without urgent help, the country's days are numbered.
But Tuvalu is not the first place to face sinking into the sea. Venice, a historic city in Italy best known for its canals, has sunk about 24cm over the past 100 years. Experts say that it will have sunk another 20-50cm by 2050. A century ago, St. Mark's Square, the lowest point in the city, flooded about nine times a year. Nowadays, it happens more than 100 times.
While Venice is slowly sinking into the mud on which it stands, Tuvalu's rising sea level is caused by global warming.
The average global temperature has increased by almost 0.5 centigrade degree over the past century; scientists expect it to rise by an extra 1-3 degrees over the next 100 years.
Warmer weather makes glaciers melt, adding more water to the ocean. The warmer temperatures also make water expand, so it takes up more space, causing the sea level to rise. The sea level has risen about 10-25cm in the last 100 years.
People have been increasing the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as CO2, through burning coal, oil and gas. This adds to the power of the greenhouse effect, making the planet even warmer.
Many scientists believe that, if the warming is not stopped, there will be huge climate changes. The sea level could rise by one metre this century.
Should this come true, millions of homes would be swallowed up by the sea and the world will be flooded with "climate refugees" looking for somewhere else to live. We can infer from Paragraph 2 that ______.
A.Tuvalu is in danger of being swallowed up by the sea |
B.all Tuvalu’s islands are about five meters above the sea level |
C.drinking water in Tuvalu has been destroyed |
D.Tuvalu is often flooded by storms and waves |
The author uses Tuvalu and Venice as examples in order to explain ______.
A.they are the first places sinking into the sea |
B.they are both sinking into the mud where they stand |
C.they will disappear in the future |
D.their trouble is caused by global warming |
What does the underlined word “refugees” mean?
A.People forced away from their homeland. |
B.Sudden changes caused by world climate. |
C.Animals whose lives are closely connected with weather. |
D.Bad effect of climate changes. |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the text?
A.The main cause of global warming is human pollution. |
B.The average global temperature has risen by 1-3 centigrade degrees over the past 100 years. |
C.The warmer temperature causes the sea level to rise. |
D.There will be huge climate changes unless the warming is stopped. |
According to the passage, the root cause of global warming is _______.
A.the burning of coal, oil and gas | B.the position change of the solar system |
C.human pollution | D.carbon dioxide emission |
Ted Turner, achieved high goals and great success by the time he was 43. Best known for his CNN, Ted Turner launched a second nationwide all-news network, Headline News, purchased the Atlanta Braves baseball team, and became the world's best yachtsman at the America's Cup in 1977. In 1982 Ted Turner was named by Forbes one of the 400 richest people in the US. He was named Time magazine's "Man of the Year" in 1992. How did Ted Turner accomplish all of this at such a young age?
Ted Turner's father, Ed, was a self-made millionaire who demanded that his only son try to achieve similar success. He instilled in the boy a strong belief that hard work was good. Besides reading a new book every two days, Ted Turner was also charged rent at home during summer vacations from boarding school. Ed Turner was a strong influence in his son's life.
As a child, Ted Turner lived a very lonely life, often separated from his family. He was enrolled in a military academy in the fifth grade and eventually went to Brown University. He attended college off and on, became involved in sailboat racing, and became a member of the U.S. Coast Guard. In his early twenties, Ted Turner became general manager of one of his father's branch offices in Georgia.
Two years later after his father’s suicide, Ted Turner took over the company. He soon discovered that he was more skilled than his father in managing the business. During the next twenty years, Ted Turner worked hard to accumulate enough power and money to fulfill his father's dream.
Reflecting on his father's death, however, Ted Turner realized that it was dangerous to put too much emphasis on material possessions. He decided to use his hard-earned influence to serve the public. Concerned about the environment, Ted Turner established the Better World Society in 1985. The purpose of this organization was to produce documentaries to educate people about pollution, hunger, and the danger of building weapons of mass destruction. In 1986 Turner began sponsoring the Goodwill Games to promote world peace. The Turner Tomorrow Awards were created to encourage writers and thinkers to focus their attention on solving world problems. The Turner Family Foundation was established in 1992. What is CNN according to the passage?
A.It’s a broadcast-news company. | B.It’s a basketball team agency. |
C.It’s a charity organization. | D.It’s a publishing house. |
What is the main idea of Paragraph 1?
A.The creation of CNN encouraged broadcasters to be more successful. |
B.Towering goals and hard work led to fame and prosperity. |
C.Ted Turner was expert at sailboat racing and playing basketball. |
D.Ted Turner became very successful at an early age. |
As a student in a military academy, Turner ______.
A.wasn’t as lonely as he looked because his many friends at school. |
B.missed his family very much despite having friends at school. |
C.served as a member of the US Coast Guard for a while. |
D.showed little interest in studying but other affairs. |
The author seems to believe that Ted Turner is ______.
A.slow moving | B.incompetent | C.goal-oriented | D.modest |
Which of the following best describes an important change in Ted Turner’s life?
A.He became more determined and was feared by this workmates. |
B.He developed respect and admiration for his employees. |
C.H e revised his view of the world and his responsibility in it. |
D.He demanded the same level of success as he father. |
For Chinese wanting to work as nurses in the United Sates, the arrival of the test of the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) may be a welcome move.
The CGFNS has a certification programme for people wanting to work as registered nurses in the US. The first CGFNS test in China is to be held in Beijing in July. Registrations is open till April 9. According to US labour law, nurses have to pass the National Council License Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) before they can practise. However, the NCLEX-RN is only useful in the US, making it difficult for people from other countries to get in. But, the US expects a shortage of 50,000 nurses by 2010. So, the CGFNS has not replaced the NCLEX-RN, which is still needed for work as a registered nurse in the US.
So what exactly does CGFNS do?
First of all, it helps international nurses qualify for a work visa for the US. Nurses educated abroad who do not have a US license by the NCLEX-RN, must get the CGFNS certificate. “But not everyone who gets a CGFNS certificate can get a work visa. There are many requirements for a visa, and the CGFNS is just one,” said John Ratigan, immigration officer for the CGFNS.
The certificate helps applicants meet requirements for the NCLEX-RN. Forty-two states require a CGFNS certificate from nurses educated abroad before taking the NCLEX-RN examination.
About 85 percent of those who passed the CGFNS have passed the NCLEX-RN. According to Barbara Michols, chief executive officer of CGFNS, “the CGFNS is cost-efficient for the Chinese. If they can’t pass the CGFNS here in China, their chances of passing the NCLEX-RN for the US are tiny. This saves time and money on visa applications and the long trip. ” In a word, to get a CGFNS certificate, a person must have: a credentials review, the CGFNS qualifying exam of nursing knowledge and an English language proficiency exam. We can infer from the text that to people hoping to work as registered nurses in the US, CGFNS tests can be taken _____.
A.nowhere but in the US | B.somewhere outside the US |
C.in every country but the US | D.both in China and the US |
According to American labour law, people cannot work as nurses until they pass _____.
A.NCLEX-RN | B.CGFNS |
C.CGFNS and NCLEX-RN | D.CGFNS or NCLEX-RN |
We can learn from the text that _____.
A.if you get a CGFNS certificate, you can pass the NCLEX-RN in the US and get visa applications |
B.if you pass the NCLEX-RN in the U![]() applications |
C.if you can't pass the NCLEX-RN in the US, you will not be able to pass the CGFNS examination |
D.if you get a CGFNS certificate, you will be more likely to pass the NCLEX-RN examination |
The sentence "CGFNS holders have a higher rate of success on the NCLEX-RN examination" can be arranged at the beginning of Paragraph _____.
A.Two | B.Four | C.Five | D.Six |
What is probably the best title of this passage?
A.The CGFNS helps international nurses |
B.The first CGFNS test in China |
C.The CGFNS and the NCLEX-RN |
D.Working as registered nurses in the US |