“What is success?” Mr Gruber asked his 6th grade business class. It was his opening conversation for the first class of the term.
“Success is riding in a sweet car, watching an 80-inch TV, and living in a place with at least twelve rooms.” One student answered, earning laughs from all the students.
Mr Gruber smiled, but shook his head. “Tom, that is excess(过量). That is not success.”
“How about being able to provide for your family?” A blonde girl named Sandy in the front suggested as an answer.
“Now we’re getting closer,” Mr Gruber smiled, “but try thinking about what you need and what you want.”
“Getting everything you want.” Tom shouted out an answer again, trying for more laughs.
Mr Gruber sighed. “ I believe we’ve already talked about excess versus(与…比较) success.” “Getting everything you need, but some of what you want?” James, sitting in the back wondered aloud.
“Quite right!” Mr Gruber clapped. “Success is getting everything you need and some of what you want. The more you get that you want, the more successful you are. You do reach a point where you are living in excess, though.”
“What does this have to do with business?” Tom asked. It seemed if it wasn’t funny, he wasn’t happy.
“Well, Tom, think of it this way: the point of business is to make a living to support your family. Once you have properly seen to (确保) their needs, you can then see to getting the extras that you want.”
“What if I don’t have a family?” he continued to be difficult.
“Then you have to provide for yourself, a family of one.”
“He has goldfish to think about!” Peter, Tom’s friend, shouted out.
“Then he needs to provide for a family of one with a fishbowl.” Mr. Gruber corrected himself.
Tom nodded, satisfied with that answer.
“So in the next nine weeks, we’re going to study basic business situations, like having a checking account and understanding credit cards.”
Tom rubbed his hands together excitedly. “When do we get to start spending?”
“You already are, Tom. You’re spending time with us!” Mr. Gruber laughed. “Now, let’s see what you guys know about credit cards…”What class did Mr Gruber teach?
A.History | B.Science |
C.Maths | D.Business |
Which student didn’t seem to be taking the class seriously?
A.Tom | B.James |
C.Peter | D.Sandy |
How did Mr Gruber make his class lively and interesting?
A.He himself kept talking. |
B.He just read from a textbook. |
C.He showed a movie to his students. |
D.He got his students to take part in a discussion. |
What do you think of Mr Gruber according to the passage?
A.Strange | B.Patient |
C.Shy | D.Proud |
What can be the best title of this passage?
A.Get What You Want | B.Needs and Wants |
C.Try to Get More Money | D.How to Live Well |
When I was ten, my mother worked all day so I had to take care of my younger brother. At that time my little brother was about four years old and he missed mum all the time.
One day, after I had given him his dinner, he started crying for mum.He was so young and really needed mum. So I dressed him, put on his shoes, carried him on my back and walked out. Soon he fell asleep. About half an hour later, I found that he had lost a shoe while sleeping. I took him off my back and put him down. I knew we needed to find that shoe, for our mother couldn’t afford new shoes. We had to go back to find it, so I told my brother to wait right there. A man heard it and stopped me just before I walked off. He asked me, “You are leaving your brother here to find the shoe? What would you do if he is not here when you return?” I did not know how to answer that question. He continued, “It’s OK if you can’t find the shoe, but it is not OK to lose your brother.” Then he sent us to mum’s workplace by taxi.
My whole life I have depended on the kindness of many strangers, I feel regretful that I cannot find them and say thank you. I do not even remember what the man’s face looked like, but he taught me a lesson—people are more important than things. Why did the younger brother cry for his mother?
A.Because he was hungry. | B.Because he missed his mother. |
C.Because he wanted to sleep. | D.Because he wanted to play outside. |
What does the underlined word “regretful” in the last paragraph mean?
A.Sorry. | B.Happy. | C.Excited. | D.Angry. |
What did the man mean by saying “It’s OK if you can’t find the shoe, but it is not OK to lose your brother.”?
A.People are more important than things. |
B.Things are more important than people. |
C.Both the shoe and your brother are important. |
D.The shoe is more important than your brother. |
According to the passage, which word can best describe the man?
A.Rude. | B.Funny. | C.Silly. | D.Kind. |
Animals grow up in different ways. They have lots of lessons to learn.
Some animals are born helpless but their mothers protect them. A newborn kangaroo is the size of a bee. She stays in her mother’s safe pouch. She doesn’t open her eyes for at least five months. A newborn monkey cannot walk. He is carried by his mother.
Other baby animals can walk soon after they’re born. They learn to run with their mother when danger is near. A baby zebra(斑马)can run an hour after she is born.
Some baby animals are born in a place that is safe. Other baby animals are born in the open. Baby wolves are born in large holes. A baby elephant is born on open, grassy land. Other elephants make a circle(圈)to protect her.
Animals that drink their mothers’ milk are called mammals. A mother bear’s milk is fatty and rich. Baby bears need lots of fat to keep warm in winter. They have milk for six months. Baby zebras drink milk for six months or more! As baby animals grow they need solid(固体的)food. Baby lions eat what their mother can catch. Which baby animals don’t open their eyes for at least five months?
A.Lions. | B.Zebras. | C.Kangaroos. | D.Elephants. |
What can’t a baby zebra do an hour after she is born?
A.Drink milk. | B.Walk by herself. |
C.Run with her mother. | D.Make a circle to protect herself. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Baby wolves are born in the open. |
B.Newborn lions only eat solid food. |
C.Newborn monkeys can walk but can’t jump. |
D.Baby bears need lots of fat to keep warm in winter. |
It’s 10:00 pm. A man leaves a restaurant, gets into his car and drives away. 200 metres further he’s stopped by a police officer.
Officer: Good evening, sir. We’re testing drivers for drunk driving. Would you please blow(吹)into this machine?
Man: I’m sorry, I can’t do that. If I blow into that machine, I will get out of air.
Officer: Please come along to the office and we can give you a blood test.
Man: I can’t do that. If you give me a blood test, I will bleed(流血)to death.
Officer: Then you’ll have to get out and walk five metres along this white line.
Man: I can’t do that, either.
Officer: Why not?
Man: Because I’m dead drunk! I can’t open the door.The man is stopped ______ metres away from the restaurant.
A.5 | B.10 | C.200 | D.205 |
The conversation probably happens in a (an) ______.
A.office | B.street | C.hospital | D.restaurant |
The man wouldn’t have the test for drunk driving because ______.
A.he is badly ill | B.he will get out of air |
C.he is dead drunk![]() |
D.he will bleed to death |
Television has a huge influence on our lives. It is one of the most important ways of getting information. People spend part of their spare time watching television, and much of what they learn comes from it.
What we see on TV — movies,news shows, sports shows, advertisements and so on have increased our knowledge and have changed the way we learn about the world today. However, not everything on TV is true.
Most of the viewers (观众) are children. Television sometimes is like a baby-sitter. It spends more time with children than parents do. But it keeps them in the living room away from healthy outdoor activities. They spend less time playing soccer or walking in the park or playing games in the yard.
Of course, there are some programs on TV that are good for children. But there are also some shows which are bad. Children should not watch unhealthy shows. Maybe we can't change what is on TV, but we can choose what we watch. Do you agree?According to the passage,_is one of the most important ways of gettinginformation.
a. a book b. a computer C. TV _can't be got on Television.
a. Knowledgeb. Sports news C. Computer gamesThe underlined word "baby-sitter" means
A. 小妹妹 B. 保育员 C. 女婴What can we do with programs on TV?
A. We can surely change them.
B. We can do nothing.
C. We can choose them. From the passage, we may know_.
A. TV is both good and bad for children.
B. Everything is true on TV.
C All programs on TV are suitable for children.
In the United States, children start school when they are five years old. In some states they must stay in school until they are sixteen. Most students are seventeen or eighteen years old when they leave secondary(中等的) schools. There are two kinds of schools in the United States: public schools and private(私立的)schools . Most children go to public schools. Their parents do not have to pay for their education because the schools receive money from the government. If a child goes to a private school, his parents have to get enough money for his schooling. Some parents still prefer private schools, though they are much more expensive. Today about half of the high school students go to universities after they finish the secondary school. A student at state university does not have to pay very much if his parents live in that state. But many students work while they are studying at universities. In this way they develop good working habits and live by their own hands. Children can go to school at the age of four in the U.S.
Most parents prefer to send their children to private schools in America.
About fifty percent of high school students can go on to universities after they leave the secondary school today.
Lots of American students go to universities by depending on their parents completely (完全地).
The passage is mainly about American education.