It was one of the happiest times of my life. I was 29 and had just received my bachelor’s degree, graduating with honors despite working two jobs and being a wife and mother. My parents and five-year-old son were in the audience when I walked onto the stage at Ashland University to get my diploma. I was so excited and proud to be starting a teaching career and contributing more to my family’s well-being.
But when I got home that evening, there was a note from my husband written on the back of an envelope. It basically said he had come to get his clothes and wouldn’t be back. We’d been having trouble, but the finality of that note still came as a shock. He had emptied our bank account. We were horribly in debt. I had quit my previous jobs in expectation of interviewing for a teaching position. Plus, I was eight months pregnant.
I had my son, and I was about to bring a new life into the world, so despite my deep sadness, I had to go on. The next morning, I woke up, put my feet on the floor, took a deep breath, fixed breakfast, and basically did everything I always did. I used my routine to keep me moving. After being in the military for six years, I guess you can say I relied on my training, like all good soldiers do in tough situations. One small step after one small step was the way I bounced back.
And in the seven years since, I’ve continued moving forward. I got a job as a kindergarten teacher, earned a master’s degree in education, and watched my babies grow to twelve and seven. I certainly would never have chosen to put them through this, but looking back, I’m glad it happened to me when it did. It helped me find my voice and myself a lot sooner. It helped me grow independent, confident, and strong—things I’m hopefully instilling(灌输) now in my children.After getting her bachelor’s degree, the author expected to ________.
| A．become a teacher | B．be a wife and mother |
| C．work two jobs | D．get divorced |
What do we know about the author from Paragraph 2?
| A．Her husband wrote a note to congratulate her on her graduation. |
| B．She had just been to a job interview when her husband left her. |
| C．Her husband paid off all the debts from the bank. |
| D．She was going to have another baby soon. |
The author’s hardships in life made her ________.
| A．become confident and independent |
| B．work harder in the kindergarten |
| C．use her routine to move forward |
| D．feel pleased with what happened to her |
It can be inferred from the passage that __________.
| A．The author’s parents helped her a lot |
| B．The author received further education later |
| C．The author earned a master’s degree when she was 29 |
| D．The author didn’t know how to deal with marriage |
What helped the author to pull through her hard time?
| A．The divorce with her husband. |
| B．Her fellow soldiers in the army. |
| C．Her decision to find a new job. |
| D．A strong mind and love for her kids. |
Think of London and you’re likely to think of the city’s famous bright red double-decker(双层) buses．Think of Thailand’s capital city, Bangkok，and the noisy tuk-tuk(三轮摩托车) may come to mind．Picture the American city of San Francisco and you might see the city’s cable cars(电车)．
Imagining what these cities would look like without their red buses，tuk-tuks or cable cars is difficult．They are symbols of these cities that make them different from anywhere else in the world．However,these city symbols，which are so 1oved by tourists，are not always so well loved by their city 1eaders． City 1eaders want what is best for their city, which often means the most modern transport．
In Thailand，Bangkok city authorities have forbidden new tuk-tuks because they consider them noisy and polluting．However, the ban has largely been unsuccessful，as it has not changed Thai people’s preference for the inexpensive tuk-tuks over taxis．
In London，the city’s first ever mayor got rid of the red double-decker buses． which he thought were old—fashioned, by selling them to other countries．His plan worked．but Londoners were upset to lose the charming old buses that they believed represented the best of their city. They made their upset felt， when the mayor came up for re-election 1ast year．Most Londoners voted for his competitor, who promised to bring the bus back．Now, an improved version(版本)of the double-decker bus will hit London’s streets in 2012．
AS for San Francisco, several cable cars remain in use but mainly as tourist attractions．They are too slow to be used for anything other than scenic trips．
City transport symbols may have palace in their city people’s hearts，but it seems they are increasingly out of step with the modern world．As Londoners have proved，their continued 1ife depends on people’s willingness to fight for their survival．
5．What’s the purpose of writing the first paragraph?
A．To show the cultural significance of several cities’unique transport systems．
B．To introduce some old-fashioned means of transport, which are symbols of three tourist cities．
C．To use the old transport symbols to attract more tourists to visit the cities．
D．To explain why those cities are popular with tourists around the world．
6．Bangkok’s ban on tuk-tuks is unsuccessful due to ________.
A．people’s unawareness of environmental protection
B．tourists’preference for tuk-tuks over taxis
C. the lack of severe punishment for violation
D．1ocals’willingness to take the tuk-tuks
7．The London double Decker bus is returning mainly because______.
A．it is an improved version B．The new mayor also loves it
C. it is popular with tourists D．Londoners fought for it
8．Which example can prove old city transport symbols are not loved by city leaders?
A．Bangkok city authorities tried to get rid of the cheap tuk-tuks．
B．The mayor who sold double-decker buses lost the re-election．
C．The new mayor will bring back improved double-decker buses．
D．Only a few cable cars remain in use by tourists in San Francisco．
9．We can conclude from reading the passage that_______.
A．Tourist cities will lose their charm if their old transport symbols disappear
B．A modern city should get rid of inefficient old transport
C．Old city transport symbols now face the problem of survival
D．The writer is in favor of keeping the old city transport symbols
I HEAR America beeping(嘟嘟响)．
Beep，says my cellophane when it gets a text message．
Beep，says my microwave oven when my sandwich is warmed up．
Sometimes I long for a natural sound：a bird singing，dog barking，children laughing， anything to drown out the maddening beeps that have become the soundtrack(配乐)to modern life．
My cellophane? It isn’t enough that its ring tone offerings seem to stretch from “annoymg” toextremely “annoying”． It also has to beep whenever someone texts messages me．
The microwave? A bell rings when it's finished heating my food．But is that enough? No．If I don’t rush to it right away, it starts beeping，like an impatient child tugging(用力拉) at my sleeve(袖子)．
The smoke detector(探测器) is the worst offender．When its batteries are in need of replacement，it 1ets out a series of chirps．The things that don’t beep buzz(嗡嗡响)．And for some reason，beeping and buzzing is beneath them，they clear their throats and perform a symphony． Like my TV, each time I turn it on, it performs an aria(咏叹调)：La di da di dum．Salutions! Here I am! Same thing when I turn it off: La di da di dum．Good bye, kind sir! Until the next time
But at 1east I know where each of these sounds is coming from．That isn’t always the case．For weeks, my wife and I were awoken in the night by a beeping．There，in the stillness， we went through the possible suspects．Could we have a text message? Could it be any of the devices(装置)able to make a sound? Curling iron, rice cooker, smoke detector, TV set，clock radio．．．
The only way to tell was to chase the sound down ，but no sooner would we pull on our bathrobes than the beeping would stop. We didn’t hear it every night but often enough that we would climb into bed wondering whether our sleep would be interrupted by that maddening sound，that beep．
Finally,early one morning，my wife found it：in the study,under a desk，a big plastic cube that was plugged into the wall．It was an uninterruptible power supply that we’d inherited(继承)from my wife’s mother．We’d never known it was capable of speech．
I think it just wanted someone to talk to.
14．What does the writer truly mean by saying“I hear America beeping”?
A．American people like devices that beep．
B．Americans are crazy about sending text messages．
C．In modern society people are dependant on technology．
D．The soundtrack to modern life is no longer natural．
15．Why couldn’t the author and his wife find the source of the noise in their house in the beginning?
A．There were too many devices for them to check．
B．They were unwilling to get up at midnight．
C．They had never known that thing could beep too．
D．The noise didn’t come every day．
16．After reading this passage，we can probably tell the author ．
A．enjoys being surrounded by beeps B．has a touch of humor in his writing
C．tries to avoid using anything that beeps
D．understands the beeping is designed to be user-friendly
New archaeological discovers suggest that trade between Europe and Asia along the Silk
Road probably began in some form many countries earlier than once thought. The findings, coupled with a widening range of scientific and historical research, could add a fascinating new
page to the epic of the Silk Road.
The latest and most surprising discovery is pieces of silk found in the hair of an Egyptian mummy from about 1000 BC, long before regular traffic on the Silk Road and at least one thousand years before silk was previously thought to be used in Egypt. Other research may extend human activity along this route back even further, perhaps a million years to the migration of human ancestors into eastern Asia.
The official origin of East-West commerce along the road is usually placed in the late 2nd century BC when an agent of the Chinese Emperor Wu-di returned from a dangerous secret mission（使命）across the desert into the remote high country of Central Asia. The agent, Zhang Qian, travelled as far as Afghanistan and brought back knowledge of even more distant lands such as Persia, Syria and a place known as Lijien, perhaps Rome. Historians have called this one of the most important journeys in ancient times. His journey opened the way for what have been thought to be the first indirect contacts between the ancient world’s two superpowers, China and Rome. Chinese silk, first traded to central Asian tribes for war horses and to the Parthians of old Persia in exchange for acrobats and ostrich eggs, was soon finding its way through a network of merchants to the luxury markets of Rome.
But the new discoveries show that Chinese silk was apparently present in the West long before the Han emperor started organized trade over the Silk Road. The research could change thinking about the early history of world trade and provide insights into the mystery of just how and when Europe and the Mediterranean lands first became aware of the glorious culture at the other end of Eurasia. The word “coupled” in the first paragraph could best be replaced by ______.
| A．produced | B．contributed | C．doubled | D．combined |
The silk thread found in the hair of an Egyptian mummy suggests that ______.
| A．Egyptians had probably travelled to China to buy silk |
| B．trade along the Silk Road began earlier than once thought |
| C．historical research often achieves fascinating results |
| D．new light can now be thrown on ancient trading practices |
Until recently most historians believed that trade along the Silk Road _______.
| A．originated in the 2nd century BC |
| B．extended human migration into eastern Asia |
| C．began a million years ago |
| D．primarily benefited the Egyptians |
Historians have always considered Zhang Qian’s mission important because they believe ______.
| A．be brought back knowledge of Rome to the emperor | B．be discovered the Silk Road |
| C．be helped establish East-West trade | D．be travelled as far as Afghanistan |
Many people write to newspaper and magazines to express their opinions. Letters to the editor must carry the writer’s full name, address and telephone number, although the information is not necessary for publication. This requirement to provide personal particulars is a clear indication that writers are held responsible for what they say. When a writer wants his voice heard, he needs to claim ownership of his voice. Responsibility is the name of the game.
“People today prefer living together to putting their signatures on a marriage certificate because they refuse to accept responsibility for the relationship,” said social worker Ken Yip, “and this is what is causing a lot of family problems.” When we sign a paper, for example, a business contract or a bank document, the signature is a seal of consent, an agreement to take the matter seriously. Most governments and many organizations will not process written complaints if they do not bear the writer’s signature. The absence of a signature, they explain, tells us that the writer cannot be too serious and therefore does not deserve a reply.
There are people who wish to remain anonymous（匿名的）for various reasons. Multi-billionaire Mr. King donates generously to charity several times a year. He gives simply because he wants to help but not for the publicity his donations may bring, and he does not want his good deeds to make news. In other cases, people insist on anonymity because they are afraid of the consequences of revealing their identity. Crime witnesses may be willing to assist the police, but most are unwilling to give their names when reporting a crime.
Name or no name? The answer is very personal and lies in how much we want to get involved. We all have a name. It is a matter if responsibility to use it when we make a statement, a claim or an accusation. We all want to honour our own name, and it is only by stamping our expression of an opinion with our own name that we honour what we say. What does the writer mean by saying “Responsibility is the name of the game”?
| A．Writers need to provide their personal information in the game. |
| B．Publication must bear the writer’s full name, address and phone number. |
| C．Writers should be responsible for their names. |
| D．Names are required to indicate writers’ responsibility for what they say. |
The second paragraph suggests that a paper without a signature may _______.
| A．help to end a relationship | B．not get a reply |
| C．be accepted all the same | D．become a family problem |
Some people don’t want their names known because they are ________.
| A．hesitant to make a donation | B．unwilling to draw public attention |
| C．afraid of an accusation | D．ready for involvement |
The passage is mainly about _______.
| A．honour and writers | B．identity and signature |
| C．signature and responsibility | D．anonymity and signature |
| 237 West Palmdale Boulevard Fresno, California 93706 AmToy Corporation Suite 15 TransAm Building San Francisco, California 94115 November 20, 2008 Dear Sirs, As a concerned parent, I am writing to protest your recent advertisement for Electro-Robo seen in local media is California. Specifically, I am referring to newspaper and magazine ads（attached to this letter）published the week of November 15. Children respond to your type of advertising in an immature way; that is, they are unable to understand how expensive some toys are for middle-class parents. Further, you product is violent in nature. Youth advertisement gives children the impression that it's fine to have "two guns and laser eyes." You also suggest that children need your toy to protect them "when you go outside." This is not a healthy attitude for children to have. I hope you will stop advertising your product in such a way that may harm our children. Sincerely yours, （Mrs.） Alma Hernandez President, Parents for Non-violent Toys Enc. |
| It's here! Ready for You, Now! It's Electro-Robo! Every boy dreams of being in control of a robot, and AmToy can make your dream come true! Electro-Roho is the world's first fully automatic robot with radio control. Standing 80 centimeters tall, Electro-Robo is like a friend at home. He can walk, talk, and even shake your hand! He has two guns and laser eyes to help you defend yourself when you go outside with him. Every boy needs Electro-Robo! Ask your Mom and Dad to buy Electro-Robo for your birthday or for Christmas, which is coming up soon. Imagine that you are in control of your friend for life, Electro-Robo! Available at all toy stores and department stores NOW! |
| 1． |
What is the purpose of the letter?
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| 2． |
Why does the writer of the letter that Electro-Robo is violent?
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| 3． |
What dose "Enc." at the end of the letter mean?
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| 4． |
Electro-Robo can do all the following EXCEPT.
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