“Everybody loves a bargain.” One person's useless, ugly, or broken object can be another person's bargain. That is why so many Americans do not throw things away. They put them outside their houses. They put on a “For Sale” sign. And, as simple as that, they have a yard sale.
The sellers put a paid announcement(付费通告) in a local newspaper. It tells when and where the yard sale will take place. These sales are very popular during weekends in spring, summer, and autumn. Early in the morning, all the things to be sold are carried out of the house. Then they sit all day in the sunlight----like tired guests at a party----waiting for someone to take them home.
Just about anything can be sold at a yard sale. Sometimes, there are more clothes than anything else. Cooking equipment is also popular. So are old toys, tools, books, tables and chairs. Then there are objects called “white elephants”. A white elephant is something you think is extremely ugly or useless. It may be an electric light shaped like a fish. You feel a sharp pain whenever you look at it. To someone else, however, it might be a thing of beauty and joy.
Some people go to yard sales to find a special thing that they collect. It may be old toy trains, for example, or painting of dogs. Experts say more Americans are collecting old things now than ever before. Most people who go to yard sales, however, are not looking for anything special. They might buy an object simply because it costs so little. They enjoy negotiating(谈判) over prices, even if they really do not need the object. Later, they may hold their own yard to sell all the things they have bought.What kind of things will go to a yard sale?
| A．Cheap and ugly things. |
| B．Things people no longer use. |
| C．Things out of season. |
| D．Things of great value. |
A white elephant refers to _________.
| A．something that can cause a feeling of pain |
| B．something disliked by the owners while appreciated by others |
| C．something sold at the lowest prices |
| D．a toy shaped like a fish |
Most people go to yard sales to________.
| A．find valuable paintings |
| B．look for something special |
| C．find a bargain |
| D．kill their time |
We can infer from the last paragraph that__________.
| A．people may find something of great value on a yard sale |
| B．yard sales only attract those who have a low income |
| C．things on a yard sale can cost people a lot |
| D．most people don’t want to go to yard sales. |
The first newspaper were handwritten sheets which were posted in pubic places. The earliest recorded newspaper was started in Rom in 59 BC. In the 700’s the world’s first printed newspaper was developed in China. The paper was printed from carved(雕刻的) wooden blocks and sent out among the citizens. Europe didn’t have a regularly(定期的) published newspaper until 1609, when one was started in Germany.
The fist regularly published newspaper in the English language was printed in 1620. In 1621, an English newspaper was started in London and was published weekly. The first daily English newspaper was the Daily Courant, which didn’t appear until March 1702.
In 1690, Benjamin Harris printed the first American newspaper in Boston. But the local(当地的) government soon stopped its publication. In 1704, John Campbell started The Boston News-letter, the first newspaper to be published daily in America. By 1760, the whole America had more than thirty daily newspapers. There are now about 1800 daily papers in the United States.
Today, as a group, English language newspapers have the largest circulation(发行量) in the world. The largest circulation for a newspaper, however, is that of the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, which sells over eleven million copies every day.The first English newspaper printed and sold every day appeared _________.
| A．in 1620 |
| B．at the beginning of the 18th century. |
| C．at the end of the 17th century |
| D．in 1609 |
As suggested by the article, which of the following newspapers have the largest umber of readers in the world?
| A．Italian language newspapers. |
| B．German language newspapers. |
| C．English language newspapers. |
| D．Japanese language newspapers. |
Which title best gives the main idea of the passage?
| A．The World’s First Newspaper. |
| B．The First Daily Newspaper in American. |
| C．History of Newspaper. |
| D．A Remarkable Man-Benjamin Harris. |
| PAINTER Must have at least 3 years painting experience. Commercial and new construction work. $10/hr. Immediate opening. Call 4359201 with work history. |
COOK NEEDED Immediately. Busy downtown restaurant. Must be good and dependable. Experience preferred. Weekends required. Call 3249817. |
| SECRETARY Part-time position available in friendly, busy office. Good typing and general office skills. Some weekends required. High pay. Various duties. Apply(申请) at East Side Management, 500 Park Drive, DeWitt, NY.13214. |
TEACHER Small private school needs English and maths teachers. Must have BS degree and at least 4 years teaching experience. Send resume to: Wales Charter School 19 South 8th St. NY. 13214. |
| VETERINARIAN ASSISTANT(兽医助理) Person needed for busy animal hospital. Some nights and weekends. Apply in person to Johnson Marks Animal Hospital, 404 Snow Road, Syracuse, NY. 13224. After 4 pm. only please. |
SALESPERSON Experienced. Must have some knowledge of men’s clothing industry. Available to work evenings and some Saturdays. Send resume(个人简历) to: Martin’s Apparel, 237 Rockledge St., Syracuse, NY. 13224. |
| NURSES’ ASSISTANTS Fulltime and part-time positions available for modern nursing home. High pay. Call Mrs. Downs, R.N. at 5347618. |
HOTEL needs part-time FRONT DESK CLERK No experience necessary. Excellent people and phone skills a must. Some computer skills helpful. $ 13/hr. Call: Mr. Jones 3572897. |
If you are interested in working in a hotel, call.
| A．4359201 | B．3572897 | C．3249817 | D．5347618 |
If you want to get a job as a maths teacher, send your resume(简历) to .
| A．237 Rockledge St., Syracuse, NY. 13224 |
| B．404 Snow Road, Syracuse, NY. 13224 |
| C．19 South 8th St. NY. 13214 |
| D．500 Park Drive, DeWitt, NY. 13214 |
If you dislike working on Sundays, being a should be your best choice.
| A．cook | B．salesperson |
| C．secretary | D．veterinarian assistant |
If you want to get a job at , you must have office skills.
| A．East Side Management |
| B．Martin’s Apparel |
| C．Wales Charter School |
| D．Johnson Marks Animal Hospital |
How to protect children Web fans from unsuitable material on-line while encouraging them to use the Internet has long been discussed in the US.
For some parents, the Internet can seem like a jungle (丛林), filled with danger for their children. But jungles contain wonders as well as dangers and with good guides, some education and a few precautions (预防), the wilds of the Internet can be safely navigated . "Kids have to be on-line. If we tell our kids they can’t be allowed to surf the Internet, we are cutting them from their future,” said an expert.
Most kids have started to use search engines. Many of them are great for finding tons of interesting Internet sites, and they can also locate places where you might not want your kids to go. There are search engines designed just for kids. A certain software contains only sites that have been selected as safe. The most popular way would be to use what is known as a “content screener ". But this can’t be wholly reliable, and the best thing parents can do is to talk to their kids and let them know what is OK or not OK to see or to do on the Internet. Another way is that Mum or Dad is nearby when the child is surfing the Internet.
A few other tips:
--- Don't put the PC in the child's room but keep it in an area where Mum or Dad can keep an eye on things. That also makes the Internet more of a family activity.
--- Ask your child what he or she has been doing and about any friend they make online,
--- Tell your child not to give on-line strangers personal information, especially like address and phone number.
--- And tell your children never to talk to anyone they meet on-line over the phone, send them anything, accept anything from them or agree to meet with them unless you go along.What is the best way to protect children from improper materials?
| A．To fix a content screener on the computer. |
| B．To be nearby when they are surfing the Internet. |
| C．To talk to them and persuade them to tell right from wrong. |
| D．To buy some search engines for children. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Surfing the Internet is the best way of educating children. |
| B．Using a content screener is most reliable for keeping children having ways to the Internet. |
| C．Search engines can help children to select materials fit for them. |
| D．Children’s not having chances to go to the Internet may have effect on their progress. |
According to the passage, we can infer that _____.
| A．softwares fit for children want programming. |
| B．the Internet will be protected by law |
| C．the Internet contains a lot of harmful sites |
| D．a child who is on-line is in danger |
What does the passage tell us most?
| A．Education. | B．Precautions. |
| C．Search engines. | D．Software. |
One day newly wedded Nancy lost her ring while helping to plant potatoes. Friends were called and the field was searched long but in vain(徒劳). Later, when the potatoes were harvested, Everyone looked out for the ring but it remained lost. Another year came round and all the farmers working in the field kept their eyes open. The following year was the same. And year after year, whoever had business in the field always had Nancy’s ring in his mind.
Then the farm changed hands but it went no farther than to cousins. So the memory of the lost ring remained alive until thirty-eight years had passed. Then came a spring day when a man was ploughing the field behind a pair of horses. Even after thirty-eight years he still looked out for the ring, and knew just which part of the field Nancy had lost it in. At this time, when he came there, he found it .He picked it up, put it carefully into his pocket, left his horse, and ran all the way down to the village and placed it into Nancy’s hand.How did Nancy come to lose her ring?
| A．She lost it while helping to harvest tomatoes in the field |
| B．She lost it while working in the field. |
| C．She lost it while helping to plant potatoes in the field. |
| D．She lost it while watering the plants in the field. |
Why did people keep looking for the ring even after the farm changed hands?
| A．They all loved Nancy. |
| B．They all wanted to solve the mystery. |
| C．It was a very expensive ring |
| D．Everybody wanted to have this ring. |
What did the ploughman do after finding the ring?
| A．He picked it up and put it in his pocket. |
| B．He ran back to tell everybody in the village. |
| C．He placed it in a secret spot. |
| D．He returned it to the owner. |
What can you infer from the story?
| A．The ring was invaluable. |
| B．The ring’s disappearance was the work of supernatural power. |
| C．People on the farm were honest and helpful. |
| D．Nancy no longer expected that her ring would be found again. |
Stop wasting your time thinking of reasons for your failures and shortcomings. Instead，realize that the seeds of success were planted within you when you were born. Only you have the power to make those seeds grow.
The seeds，and the power to grow them，are contained in the most awesome machine ever created: the human mind. Success is a choice and not a chance. You were born a winner. You were born rich. You can be a success if only you make the right choice.
You cannot be successful without first developing your self-esteem (自信心). Your level of self-esteem is always based on the degree of control that you are able to exercise over yourself，and thus over your life. People with low self-esteem are people who do not believe that they have any power，or responsibility for their lives. They are always victims. They are leaves tossed (摇摆) by the winds of chance blown about with any sudden change in the weather.
You can exercise control over your life only to the degree that you believe you are responsible for everything that happens in your life. Failures think that everything happens by accident and chance. Successful people realize that they are responsible.
Everything happens as a result of something. If we can identify the cause，we can control the effect. We are responsible for what we choose to think and believe. One generally rises to the level that one expects. We are responsible for setting our expectations. Our success is dependent upon our level of confidence.
If you associate with positive-thinking people，you are definitely going to achieve success. On the contrary，the opposite happens. We are responsible for finding，planting，and nurturing (培育) the seeds that contain future victory，born from setbacks (挫折).
In short，in all areas of your life，whether they are financial，physical，emotional，or spiritual，you are responsible. Once you recognize this，accept it，and firmly believe it. You are on the road to success.People with low self-esteem are compared to leaves because they ______.
| A．can’t exercise control over themselves |
| B．are easily affected by windy weather |
| C．don’t have the power to face their fate |
| D．are ready to change their minds |
Losers would think that ______.
| A．success is the result of hard work |
| B．working hard will lead to success |
| C．they fail only because of bad luck |
| D．they don’t make efforts to succeed |
It can be inferred from the fifth paragraph that ______.
| A．setting our expectations is essential before taking action |
| B．knowing cause and effect is the key to future success |
| C．thoughts and beliefs are the result of creative mind |
| D．whether we will succeed depends on our attitudes |
The last paragraph serves as ______.
| A．the proof of the author’s points |
| B．the conclusion of the argument |
| C．an introduction to another topic |
| D．a comparison between two views |