It is often said that you cannot “teach an old dog new tricks”, but three New Zealand dogs have decided to prove otherwise 
by learning a skill—driving a car!
What’s even more impressive is that the three who have become skilled in just eight weeks are not special dogs that belong to some rich owners, but abandoned ones at New Zealand’s SPCA.
To get their training started, 10-month-old Porter, 18-month-old Monty and one-year-old Ginny were selected from a pool of seven potential candidates and moved to Animal Q, a talent agency that teaches animals tricks for movies and television shows.
The driving classes began with teaching the dogs some basic driving techniques like turning the steering wheels(方向盘)and applying the brakes. After that the dogs practiced everything they had learnt behind the wheels of a motorized(装上发动机的)car. Then finally, it was time for the big test-driving a real car!
Human cars are not really built for four-legged animals, so the car they drove was adjusted so that the dogs could sit comfortably and easily reach the steering wheel with their paws.
Though they all seemed to do very well, the real test came on Monday night when Monty, the best driver of the three, showed his great driving skill on live television.
Why would the SPCA go through so much trouble to highlight the skills of homeless dogs? The reason is to show that adopting a dog from a shelter does not mean owners are getting a pet that is worse than one purchased from a keeper. The CEO of the SPCA is hoping that this unusual event will be enough to convince the residents of New Zealand to consider them, when searching for a pet. We surely hope so, meanwhile we are almost certain that these three pioneers have at least landed their names in the Guinness World Records, creating a category that probably does not even exist today! Who do the three dogs belong to?
| A． Some rich owners. | B． Animal Q. |
| C． A shelter. | D． A zoo. |
The car the dogs drove was adjusted .
| A． because it was too big for the dogs to drive |
| B． because it had no steering wheels and brakes |
| C． to ensure the dogs could sit comfortably and drive easily |
| D． to motorize the car and turn it to be a real one |
Why does the SPCA decide to teach the three dogs to learn to drive a car?
| A． To prove old dogs can learn new tricks. |
| B． To teach them performing tricks for movies and television shows. |
| C． To provide amusing performances for homeless children. |
| D． To encourage people to adopt the abandoned dogs. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A． A new Guinness category for driving dogs will probably be created. |
| B． Abandoned dogs are much cleverer than house-kept ones. |
| C． All the dogs at New Zealand’s SPCA will soon be adopted. |
| D． New Zealand has the most homeless dogs among all countries. |
Money and Happiness
A Guide to Living a Good Life
Author: Laura Rowley
Publisher: Wiley （March 1, 2007）
Laura Rowley makes us all understand the connection between money and happiness in our own lives so that we can spend our time and efforts wisely. She offers an insight（领悟）so that every reader can make smarter decisions and live a happier life.
Happiness
The Science Behind Your Smile
Author: Daniel Nettle
Publisher: Oxford University Press （July 1,2007）
It is the first book mainly about what happiness is and how happiness works. Nettle examines whether people are basically happy, whether success can make us happy, why some people are happier than others, etc.
The Happiness Makeover
How to Teach Yourself to Be Happy and Enjoy Every Day
Author: M. J. Ryan
Publisher: Broadway （May 10, 2007）
Ryan’s own desire to be happier first led her to study about happiness from brain science, psychology（心理学）, and the wisdom traditions of the world. The happiness Makeover draws on wide - ranging knowledge and presents some suggestions that will help you a lot:
● Clear away worry, fear, envy, and grudges.
● Learn to think about yourself confidently.
● Find daily ways to truly enjoy the moments of your life.
Hormones（荷尔蒙）, Health, and Happiness
Author: Steven F. Hotze
Publisher: Forrest Publishing （April, 2007）
Dr. Steven Hotze is leading a wellness revolution that advances a new model of healthcare.
In Hormones, Health, and Happiness, Dr. Hotze deals with the basic causes of poor health. You are shown how to reach and maintain the most favorable cell，tissue，and organ functioning．It can help you enjoy a better quality of life．What does the underlined“grudges”probably mean?
| A．anger | B．surprise | C．favour | D．preference |
If you want to know more about whether happiness has something to do with Success，you’d better read_____________．
| A．Money and Happiness | B．Happiness． |
| C．The Happiness Makeover | D．Hormones，Health，and Happiness |
Whose book will possibly help readers get a new kind of health and wellness model?
| A．Laura Rowley’s | B．M．J．Ryan’s |
| C．Daniel Nettle’s | D．Steven F．Hotze’s． |
Where we live, on the eastern shore of Maryland, the gentle waters run in and out like fingers slimming at the tips.
The Canada geese know this place, as do the white swans and ducks. In the autumn, they come home for the winter. Once or twice each year, snow and frozen rain move into the area. When this happens, if the river is at its narrowest, there is a freeze which hardens the water to the ice.
One morning, a friend of mine set the breakfast table beside the huge window, which overlooked the Tred Avon River. Suddenly she leaned forward and cried out, “There is a goose out
there.”
We saw the figure of a large Canada goose, very iii, its wings folded tight to its sides, its feet frozen to the ice.
Then from the dark sky, she saw a line of swans. They floated from the top of the sky downward and at last landed on the ice. My friend was on her feet now, with one unbelieving hand against her mouth. As the swans surrounded the frozen goose, she feared what life it still had might be pecked（啄）out by those great swan beaks.
Instead, those beaks began to work on the ice. The long necks were lifted and curved down, again and again. It went on for a long time. At last, the goose’s head lifted. Its body pulled. Then the goose was free and standing on the ice. And the swans stood in the air watching. Then, as if it had cried, “I cannot fly,” four of the swans came down around it. Their powerful beaks chipped off the ice and held in the feathers. Slowly, the goose spread its wings as far as they could go, and moved slowly into the sky.
This is a true story. I just think of it in the bad moments, and from it comes only one hopeful question:“ If so for birds, why not for man?”What happened to the Canada goose?
| A．It was deserted by other geese. | B．It was stuck in the ice. |
| C．It was wounded and couldn’t fly. | D．It was lost in the water. |
At first the author’s friend was worried that ________.
| A．the swans would not help the Canada goose |
| B．the swans would have the same fate with the Canada goose |
| C．the Canada goose wouldn’t identify with the swans |
| D．the swans would peck the Canada goose to death |
What did the swans do when they saw the Canada goose couldn’t fly?
| A．They chipped off the ice held in its feathers. |
| B．They waited patiently for the ice held in its feathers to melt. |
| C．They came down and lifted it up to the sky together. |
| D．They stayed with it and protected it. |
What would probably happen to the
author’s friend in the end?
| A．She stood there, watching attentively, still feeling a bit worried. |
| B．She was on her feet, laughing at the swans and the Canada goose. |
| C．She was embarrassed and went on with her breakfast silently. |
| D．She stood there quietly, not realizing tears had come down her cheeks. |
When I was a child, I often dreamed of the time when I could leave home and escape to the city. We lived on a farmstead, in the winter especially, we wear quite out off from the outside world. As soon as I left school, I packed my bags and moved to the capital. However, I soon discovered that city life has its problems too.
One big disadvantage is money. It costs so much to go out, not to mention basi
cs like food and housing. Another disadvantage is pollution. I suffer from asthma（哮喘）, and at times the air is so dirty that I am afraid to go outside. Then there is the problem of traveling round. Although I have a car, I seldom use it because of the traffic jams. One choice is to go by bicycle, but that can be quite dangerous.
Of course there are advantages. First, there is so much to do in the city, whatever your tastes in culture or entertainment. Besides, there are wonderful jobs and greater chances of moving to a more important job or position. Finally, if you like shopping, the variety of goods is very surprising - and, what is more, shops are often only a short walk away.
Is life better then, in the city? Perhaps it is, when you are in your teens or twenties. However, as you get older, and especially if you have small children, the peace of the countryside may seem preferable. I certainly hope to move back there soon.What was the writer always thinking about when he was a child?
| A．Staying on the farm. | B．Moving to the countryside. |
| C．Leaving home for the city. | D．Running away from the school. |
Which of the following is true about the writer?
| A．He is very old now. | B．He is in good health. |
| C．He prefers driving a car. | D．He lives in the city now. |
In the passage, the writer tries to _________.
| A．express his opinions about way of life |
| B．describe his life in the countryside |
| C．show an interest in the outside world |
| D．persuade the reader to live in the city |
How is the passage mainly developed?
| A．By inferring. | B．By comparing. |
| C．By listing examples. | D．By giving explanations. |
Burn rate is the speed at which a startup business consumes money. My rate was $ 75,000 a month. Four months after my company was set up, I had only a quarter of the starting capital left in the bank.
Looking for guidance, I went to talk to my friend, Arthur Walworth about my new venture. “Times of great change always bring out the risk-takers,” he said. “And they leave winners and losers. My grandfather invested a lot of money in a project of Thomas Edison’ s that ended up in failure. ”
I was lost in thought at the notion(an idea or belief about something) of a Thomas Edison project ending in failure. Damn. It could happen to anybody! I must continue.
At that time CD-ROM sales had bombed, so investors were fleeing from the field. I didn’t turn away from mine entirely, but instead linked it to the internet.
My plan was to offer consumers descriptions of home-design products by using a special software and let them modify the designs. Then we can enable them to get online professional an
d constructional help to have their houses built, decorated and furnished according to their own choice.
To realize my plan I needed investors, so I continued to meet regularly with venture capitalists. One said I had a great idea. But I needed to test it. Get the money somewhere. To get this money from a venture capitalist is going to cost my wife and my children! He turned down my request.
Wife? Children? I hardly remembered them.
I was working nonstop---struggling to turn the key in the lock, to find the right way ahead. The pressu
re was terrible. It was just at this time that my parents and sisters stepped up. Two hundred thousand dollars. A lot of money to them, invested in this crazy son and brother without a moment’s hesita
tion. Dad and Mom had driven out from Chicago and seen the passion in my little office and the trouble at home.
With their help my company survived and has been prospering ever since.When the author’s company started operation, he had_______ .
| A．$ 450,000 | B．$ 400,000 | C．$ 350,000 | D．$ 300,000 |
Arthur implies that to start a business in times of change, people have to_______ .
A．rely on famous people all be ti me |
B．invest as much money as possible |
| C．face the risks of possible failure | D．think about nothing but success |
The author’s company was engaged in_______
| A．furniture design and production | B．online home-design service |
| C．traditional home designing | D．home decoration business |
Faced with a very unfavorable market situation, the author decided_______ .
| A．to improve his service | B．to start a new business |
| C．to withdraw his money | D．to reduce his investment |
Exploit your parking space
An unused parking space or garage can make money. If you live near a city center o
r an airport, you could make anything up to £200 or £300 a week. Put an advertisement（广告）for free on Letpark or Atmyhousepark.
Rent a room
Spare room? Not only will a lodger（房客）earn you an income, but also, thanks to the government-backed “rent a room” program, you won’t have to pay any tax on the first £4500 you make per year. Try advertising your room on Roomspare or Roommateeasy.
Make money during special events
Won’t want a full-time lodger? Then rent on a short-term basis. If you live in the capital, renting a room out during the Olympics or other big events could bring in money, Grashpadder can advertise your space.
Live on set
Renting your home out as a “film set” could earn you hundreds of pounds a day, depending on the film production company and how long your home is needed. A quick search on the Internet will bring up dozens of online companies that allow you to register your home for free—but you will be charged if your home gets picked.
Use your roof
You need the right kind of roof, but some energy companies pay the cost of fixing solar equipment(around￡14,000), and let you use the energy produced for nothing. In retur
n, they get paid for unused energy fed back into the National Grid. However, you have to sign a 25-year agreement with the supplier, which could prevent you from changing the roof.If you earn ￡5000 from renting a room in one year, the tax you need to pay will be based on ______.
| A．￡800 | B．￡500 | C．￡4500 | D．5000 |
Where can you put an advertisement to rent out a room during a big event?
| A．On Letpark. | B．On Roomspare. | C．On Grashpadder. | D．On Roommateeasy. |
If you want to use energy free, you have to_____.
| A．sign an agreement with the government |
| B．pay around ￡14,000 for the equipment |
| C．sell the roof to some energy companies |
| D．keep the roof unchanged for within 25 years |
For whom the text most probably written?
| A．Lodgers. | B．Advertisers. | C．House owners. | D．Online companies |