One day the employees of a large company in St Louis，Missouri returned from their lunch break and were greeted with a sign on the front door. The sign said：“Yesterday the person who has been hindering (阻碍) your growth in this company passed away. We invite you to join the funeral(葬礼) in the room that has been prepared in the gym.”
At first everyone was sad to hear that one of their colleagues had died，but after a while they started getting curious about who this person might be.
The excitement grew as the employees arrived at the gym to pay their last respects. Everyone wondered：“Who is this person that was hindering my progress? Well，at least he’s no longer here.”
One by one the employees got closer to the coffin(棺材) and when they looked inside it they became speechless. They stood over the coffin，shocked and in silence，as if someone had touched the deepest part of their soul.
There was a mirror inside the coffin：Everyone who looked inside it could see himself. There was also a sign next to the mirror that said. “There is only one person who can set limits to your growth：it is YOU.”
You are the only person who can revolutionize(彻底改变) your life. You are the only person who can influence your happiness，your realization and your success. You are the only person who can help yourself.
Your life does not change when your family changes，when your friends change，when your boss changes，and when your company changes.
Your life changes when YOU change，when you go beyond your limiting beliefs，when you realize that you are the only one responsible for your life.The writer’s purpose in writing the article is to tell us that __________.
| A．the harder we work，the more successful we will become |
| B．our work and life are closely connected with others |
| C．changing our lives is down to us |
| D．we will have a better future if people do not hinder our development |
People were speechless when they looked inside the coffin because __________.
| A．there was nothing but a mirror inside |
| B．they could see their own souls inside |
| C．their closest colleague lay inside |
| D．what was inside told a great truth |
Who probably wrote the sign on the front door?
| A．The company boss. |
| B．A worker who liked to make fun of others. |
| C．The director in charge of production. |
| D．A worker who wanted to teach others a lesson. |
What can we conclude from the article?
| A．The employees went to the gym to join the funeral. |
| B．The lesson the employees learned would influence them greatly. |
| C．The employees’ lives depended on the attitude of their boss. |
| D．The employees got angry after the funeral.. |
A firm handshake is the key to interview success. As any serious job-hunter knows, it helps to dress smartly and smile at that all-important interview. But research has showed that a firm handshake is what really matters when it comes to impressing potential employers.
A US research looked at 98 undergraduates taking part in mock（模拟）interviews with businesses. As each undergraduate was graded on their general performance, five “handshake raters（评估人）” also marked them on their grasp, strength, duration, vigor and eye contact.
Professor Greg Stewart, from the University of Iowa, who led the study, said those who scored highly with the handshake raters were also considered to be the most hirable by the interviewers. Students with “wimpy” shakes were judged to be more timid（胆怯的）and less impressive.
The study also found women with a firm handshake were likely to be evaluated more favorably than their male counterparts.
Professor Stewart said: “We’ve always heard that interviewers make up their mind about a person in the first two or three minutes of an interview. But we found that the first impression begins with a handshake that sets the tone for the rest of the interview. We don’t consciously remember a person’s handshake but it is one of the first non-verbal（非语言的）clues we get about the person’s general personality, and that impression is what we remember.”
Women were less likely to have a highly rated handshake, partly because traditionally they shake hands less than men. But when women did possess a firm handshake, they were likely to be evaluated more favorably than their male counterparts.
Body language experts warn, however, that the firmness needs to be just right, —as an overenthusiastic “bone crusher” handshake can indicate self-importance, a controlling personality and a lack of reliability.
The handshake is thought to have originated in medieval Europe as a way for kings and knights to show that they did not intend to harm each other and possessed no hidden weapons.The passage is probably intended for_______.
| A．job-hunters | B．an undergraduate | C．employers | D．handshake raters |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．The firmer your handshake is the better impression you leave. |
| B．The undergraduates without a firm handshake are less competitive. |
| C．Generally speaking, women shake hands less with others. |
| D．The handshake dates back to medieval Europe. |
What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．The handshake determines a person’s personality. |
| B．A successful job interview starts with a firm handshake. |
| C．The first few minutes of the interview really counts. |
| D．Job interview success depends on a number of factors. |
There is no question that teenagers need rules, which is often not a difficult thing for parents to give. What can be more challenging is giving teenagers their freedom. It can be difficult to draw the line between the two. However, some issues cannot be changed by discussion and require firm rules. For instance, rules should be established concerning driving the family car.
I will admit that I have no problem coming up with rules. To me they make life easier and they leave no room for questioning. What can be more difficult, however, is giving my teens their freedom. I guess there are really two primary reasons for this. One is that I sometimes am afraid to give them freedom. The second is that I’m not always so sure what the freedom should be.
It helps that I have a husband with whom I can discuss these problems. We talk about them, give our thoughts and then we come up with an agreement. Sometimes one of us might be more unwilling but we know that there comes a time when we really do have to learn how to let go of the reins (缰绳) a bit.
If we try to make life have nothing but rules, we are more likely to see our teen’s rebelling (反抗). They need to know that while we do have certain expectations, we also trust them to begin making their own choices and decisions. How else can they do that unless they are given the space and room to do it?
It’s really all about balance and I will be the first to admit that it can be a challenge to carry out. However, it is a necessary part of growing up. Yes, teens definitely need rules but they also need freedom.According to the text, we can infer that the writer________.
| A．refuses to give her children freedom |
| B．finds it difficult to make rules |
| C．doesn’t have a good relationship with her children |
| D．has trouble in giving freedom to her children |
According to the writer, only rules without freedom will make the children _______.
| A．strong-willed | B．rebellious | C．weak | D．independent |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?
| A．Rules are difficult to make for parents. |
| B．Rules and freedom are similarly important. |
| C．We should give children freedom as much as possible. |
| D．Rules are more important than freedom. |
What does the underlined word “them” in Paragraph 3 probably refer to?
| A．Problems. | B．Children. | C．Rules. | D．Reasons. |
You are walking along a lane and never know what you will find. It might be a shop selling oil paintings, or a place where you can buy Dutch cheese. One thing is for sure, you will end up by a canal.
Welcome to Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands.
The year 2013 will be a good time to explore Amsterdam as the city has a lot to celebrate: the famous canal ring will turn 400 years old. Amsterdam will also celebrate the 160th birthday of Dutch painter of the Van Gogh museum, home to the biggest collection of the artist’s colorful works.
The famous canal ring is a trademark of the city. With more than 100 kilometers of canals, it is no wonder that Amsterdam is called the ‘Venice of the north’. But unlike the Italian town, where boats were originally used for transport, the canals in Amsterdam were mainly used for defense in the 17th century. Today ferries on canals offer a different way to explore the city.
But to truly experience Amsterdam, you can’t miss the city’s historic museums and monuments, among which Van Gogh museum is the most famous one. It holds 200 paintings, 700 letters and 500 drawings by the artist. Another famous museum is Anne Frank’s house. Anne Frank became famous around the world because of a diary she left explaining her and her family’s experience as a Jewish girl during World War II, hiding out in a house hoping that she would not be captured by German Nazis.
Amsterdam is small enough to walk or cycle almost anywhere, but it is rarely dull. Best of all it combines its glittering past with a rebellious edginess.Which of the following is TRUE of the canals in Amsterdam?
| A．They had to be rebuilt after years of use. |
| B．They protected the city in ancient times. |
| C．They were built to provide transport for the city. |
| D．They are the main theme of Van Gogh’s paintings. |
In the passage, Amsterdam is described as a city _____.
| A．that can be explored by foot |
| B．that is completely built on water |
| C．that has two historic museums in all |
| D．that is famous for its modernization |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．People get lost easily in Amsterdam. |
| B．Van Gogh spent his life time in Amsterdam. |
| C．Many Jews in Amsterdam were caught by Nazis. |
| D．Taking a ferry ride is the most popular activity in Amsterdam. |
Harvard University named historian Drew Gilpin Faust as its first female president on Sunday, ending a lengthy and secretive search to find a successor to Lawrence Summers.
The seven-member Harvard Corporation elected Faust, a noted scholar on History of the American South and dean of Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, as the university’s 28th president.
“This is a great day, and a historic day, for Harvard,” James R. Houghton, chairman of the presidential search committee, said in a statement. “Drew Faust is an inspiring and accomplished leader, a superb scholar, a dedicated teacher, and a wonderful human being.”
Her selection is noteworthy given the heated debates over Summers’ comments that genetic differences between the sexes might help explain the lack of women in top science jobs.
Faust has been dean of Radcliffe since 2001, two years after the former women’s college was combined into the university as a research center with a mission to study gender issues.
Some professors have quietly groused that the 371-year-old university is appointing a fifth president who is not a scientist. No scientist has had the top job since James Bryant Conant retired in 1953; its last four have come from the fields of classics, law, literature and economics.
Faust is the first Harvard president who did not receive a degree from the university since Charles Chauncy, a graduate of Cambridge University, who died in office in 1762. She attended the University of Pennsylvania.
“Teaching staff turned to her constantly,” said Sheldon Hackney, a former president of the University of Pennsylvania and historian who worked closely with Faust. “She’s very clear. She has a sense of humor, but she’s very strong-minded. You come to trust in her because she’s so solid.” Which might be the best title for the passage?
| A．Harvard named its first female president. |
| B．History of Harvard University changed. |
| C．Debates on female equality ended. |
| D．Drew Gilpin Faust, a famous woman historian. |
Which is NOT true about Drew Gilpin Faust?
| A．She is the 28th president of Harvard University. |
| B．She is a famous scholar from the American South. |
| C．She isn’t a graduate from Harvard University. |
| D．She was head of Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. |
The underlined word “groused” in the 6th paragraph means____ .
| A．approved | B．commented | C．complained | D．indicated |
This passage probably appears in a____ .
| A．biography | B．personal letter | C．research paper | D．newspaper report |
A device that stops drivers from falling asleep at the wheel is about to undergo testing at Department of Transport laboratories and could go on sale within 12 months.
The system, called Driver Alert, aims to reduce deadly road accidents by 20% - 40% that are caused by tiredness. Airline pilots can also use it to reduce the 30% of all pilot-error accidents that are related to fatigue.
Driver Alert is based on a computerized wristband. The device, worn by drivers or pilots, gives out a sound about every four minutes during a car journey. After each sound the driver must respond by squeezing the steering wheel. A sensor in the wristband detects this pressing action and measures the time between the sound the driver’s response.
Tiredness is directly related to a driver’s response time. Usually, a watchful driver would take about 400 milliseconds to respond, but once that falls to more than 500 milliseconds, it suggests that the driver is getting sleepy.
In such cases the device gives out more regular and louder sounds, showing that the driver should open a window or stop for a rest. If the driver’s response continues to slow down, the sounds become more frequent until a nonstop alarm warns that the driver must stop as soon as possible.
The device has been delivered to the department’s laboratories for testing. If these tests, scheduled for six months’ time, are successful, the makers will bring the product to market within about a year. According to the text, Driver Alert ______.
| A．aims to reduce tiredness-related accidents |
| B．has gone through testing at laboratories |
| C．aims to prevent drivers from sleeping |
| D．has been on sale for 12 months |
How should a driver respond to the sounds from Driver Alert?
| A．By sounding a warning. | B．By touching the wristband. |
| C．By checking the driving time. | D．By pressing the steering wheel. |
We can learn form the text that the driver needs to stop for a break when his response time is ______.
| A．about 400 milliseconds | B．below 500 milliseconds |
| C．over 500 milliseconds | D．about 4 minutes |
When the driver gets sleepy while driving, Driver Alert ______.
| A．moves more regularly | B．stops working properly |
| C．opens the window for the driver | D．sounds more frequently and loudly |