Every time Lionel Messi breaks a record, it seems appropriate to compare him to the legends that came before him.
In 2012, he rewrote soccer history on multiple occasions, and his latest record came when he scored his 86th goal of the calendar year, breaking Gerd Muller’s previous mark, before wrapping up the year with 91 goals.
All statistics indicate that Messi is currently the best player in the world, and that he will go down in history as the top footballer of his generation. But when he is judged against all-time greats like Pele and Diego Maradona, he still has work to do.
We don’t know whether the Barcelona striker will have another year in which he records more than 90 goals, but he must still sustain(维持)a similar level of production for the next several seasons.
Messi has already taken part in three of Barcelona’s victorious Champions League(冠军联赛)campaigns, and he played an important role in two of them. In order to firmly establish himself as the greatest club football player in history, he must win the tournament a few more times.
Most importantly, the Argentine(阿根廷人)needs to win on the international stage. Regardless of what Messi does for Barcelona, his legacy will be incomplete if he cannot win the World Cup with Argentina.
Both Pele and Maradona led their countries to the top of international soccer during their careers, and Messi’s performances for his country have been severely disappointing.
While he was still a teenager in 2006-and his lackluster(平淡的)showing is excusable due to his youth-he cannot brush off the disappointment that characterized Argentina’s performance in 2010.
But the 4-0 loss to Germany in the 2010 World Cup Quarter Final seems to have sparked Messi. He scored 12 times for Argentina last year, and the next World Cup could finally be Messi’s breakout performance in blue and white stripes.
Due to all of his accomplishments, it is easy to forget that the extraordinary footballer is just 25 years old. If he can avoid injury or lengthy slumps(低潮状态)until his speed and skills start to decline due to age, he may continue to break records and win trophies.
| A．He must win the World Cup with Argentina. |
| B．He must win the tournament a few more times. |
| C．He must defeat Pele and Maradona. |
| D．He must avoid injury or lengthy slumps. |
| A．Excellent. | B．Inspiring. |
| C．Disappointing. | D．Normal. |
| A．Messi has firmly established himself as the greatest club soccer player in history. |
| B．Messi will try his best to win the next World Cup with Argentina. |
| C．Messi can avoid injury and lengthy slumps to break records and win trophies. |
| D．Pele and Maradona led their countries to the top of international soccer during their careers. |
| A．Lionel Messi, the Best Soccer Player of All Time |
| B．Lionel Messi, the Greatest Soccer Player in History |
| C．Barcelona and Lionel Messi |
| D．World Cup and Lionel Messi |
He met her at the party. She was so outstanding, with many boys around her, while he was so normal, with nobody paying attention to him.
At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him. She was surprised, but due to being polite, she agreed.
They sat in a nice coffee shop. He was too nervous to say anything, and she felt uncomfortable, thinking, “Please let me go home.”
Suddenly he asked the waiter, “Would you please give me some salt? I’d like to put it in my coffee.”
Everybody stared at him---so strange! His face turned red, but, still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it.
She asked him curiously, “Why do you have this hobby?”
He replied, “When I was a little boy, I lived near the sea. I liked playing in the sea, and I could feel the taste of the sea, just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I have the salty coffee, I always think of my childhood. I miss my hometown so much. I miss my parents who are still living there.”
While saying that, tears filled his eyes. She was deeply touched. That’s his true feeling, from the bottom of his heart. A man who can tell about his homesickness must be a man who loves home, cares about home, and has a good sense of responsibility.
Then she also started to speak, about her faraway hometown, her childhood, her family. That was a really nice talk, also a beautiful beginning of their story.
They continued to date. She found that actually he was a man who meets all her demands: he was kind-hearted, warm and careful. He was such a good person but she almost missed him!
Thanks to his salty coffee! Then the story was just like every beautiful love story, the princess married the prince, then they were living a happy life…And, every time she made coffee for him, she put some salt in the coffee.
After 40 years, he passed away, leaving her a letter which said, “My dearest, please forgive my whole-life lie. This was the only lie I said to you ---the salty coffee.”
“Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time. Actually I wanted some sugar, but I said salt. It was hard for me to change so I just went ahead.”
“I tried to tell you the truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to do that, as I have promised not to lie to you for anything.”
“Now I’m dying, I’m afraid of nothing so I tell you the truth: I don’t like the salty coffee. What a strange and bad taste! But I have had the salty coffee for my whole life!”
“Since I knew you, I never feel sorry for anything I do for you. Having you with me is my biggest happiness for my whole life. If I can live for a second time, I still want to know you and have you for my whole life, even though I have to drink the salty coffee again.”
Her tears made the letter totally wet.
Someday, someone asked her, “What’s the taste of salty coffee?” “It’s sweet,” she replied. After ordering some salt to put into the coffee, the young man must have felt _________.
| A．excited | B．satisfied | C．embarrassed | D．displeased |
Why did the man have salty coffee all his life?
| A．To change lifestyle. | B．To please his wife. |
| C．To keep his word. | D．To remember the past |
What does the write mean by saying “she almost missed him”?
| A．She meant to leave him on their first date. |
| B．She thought of him every now and then. |
| C．She nearly misunderstood his explanation. |
| D．She could hardly believe this simple fact. |
From the passage, we can see that the man is ___________.
| A．dishonest but responsible | B．shy but kind-hearted |
| C．caring and loyal | D．warm and understanding |
It is implied in the passage that the woman ___________ when reading the letter left by her husband.
| A．was confused about his behavior | B．was touched by his white lie |
| C．felt sorry to know the truth too late | D．felt angry about his dishonesty |
When 7-year-old Warren Buffett said,“I will be the richest man one day,” his friends made fun of his “daydreaming”. But ever since then the little boy has set about learning how to make money by selling drinks, delivering newspaper and buying stocks. The American had already earned $9,000 (equal to $90,000 today) by the time he graduated from high school.
And this month the 78-year-old man, who earned his fortune by making a lot of sound investment in the stock market, took the place of Microsoft founder, Bill Gates, as the world’s richest man. Gates’ worth declined $1.5 billion to $55.5 billion in 33 days after the recent financial storm, according to Forbes Magazine.
Buffett, the only son of a stockbroker, was ready to think outside the box to develop his business from a very early age. At 8, he went to golf courses collecting and selling the used balls. At 11 when he sold soda pop door-to-door with a friend, the pair collected lids on streets to judge which flavor was the most popular.
As a paper boy during high school, Buffett delivered two competitor papers, so that even when customers canceled one of the subscriptions, he could still make a profit from the other. With his paper delivery savings, Buffett bought 162,000 square meters of farmland and collected rent. Young Buffett stepped into the stock market at 11 but earned only $5. The experience taught him one of the virtues in investing, patience.
After graduating from university, Buffett started his venture with stocks with his childhood earnings and money from friends. He researched the stocks and just bought those of solid companies that were undervalued and inexpensive at the time. By sticking to companies such as American Express and Coca-Cola, Buffett has become rich.
“Learning is important to Buffett’s success. He is a learning machine who can spend his entire day reading. He keeps learning from books, street smarts and investigation, from both success and failure. In this way, he over-achieved his aptitude (能力).” said Charlie Munger, his longtime business partner. The passage is mainly about ___________.
| A．why Buffett took the place of Bill Gates as the world’s richest man |
| B．what effect Buffett’s childhood experiences had on his success |
| C．how Buffett earned his fortune and achieved his aptitude |
| D．what Buffett dreamt about when he was a child |
Which of the following is true about Buffett?
| A．His worth is more than $ 55.5 billion now. |
| B．He is next to Bill Gates in wealth at the present time. |
| C．He achieved great success on stepping into the stock market. |
| D．He bought 162,000 square meters of farmland by selling soda pop. |
How did Buffett behave at the stock market?
| A．He often prefers some inexpensive stocks. |
| B．He will buy the stock whose price is lower than its value. |
| C．He always borrows money from his friends to buy stocks. |
| D．He will sell the stock if its price doesn’t go up. |
Which is the main factor that determines Buffett’s success?
| A．His education. | B．His family background. |
| C．His desire to learn. | D．His cooperation with his partner. |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Buffett is an immediate success in the stock market. |
| B．Buffett and Gates are business partners. |
| C．His father helped him a lot in his business. |
| D．Buffett has a good sense of business. |
1. Summer came early to Middlesbrough yesterday, as temperatures shot up to 22°C (71°F), a record for March. But local NFU agent Jim Wilkes says it could be bad news for farmers. “The crops will think it's summer,” he told our reporter, “and start sprouting (发芽) four weeks before time.”
2. The death toll (死亡人数) of the Burnside train crash rose to four yesterday when John Phillips, 32, of Petersville died in Wallsend Hospital. Another six people are still on the danger list. Mr. Phillips, an electrical engineer leaves a wife and two children.
3. China and the United States reached an agreement on the protection of intellectual property rights (知识产权) yesterday, after difficult marathon talks.
The agreement is good news for all parties concerned. The Chinese Foreign Trade Minister described the agreement as a "turning point" in Sino-US trade relations that "promises further progress" in the future. The agreement will not only favorably influence trade relations between China and the United States. It may favorably influence the overall relations between the two countries. What do you get to know from article 1?
| A．It is as cold as usual in Middlesbrough, and the farmers are pleased. |
| B．It is hotter than usual in Middlesbrough, and the farmers are pleased. |
| C．It is hotter than usual in Middlesbrough, and the farmers are worried. |
| D．It is colder than usual in Middlesbrough, and the farmers are worried. |
How many people have died in the train crash in article 2 ?
| A．Only John Phillips has died. |
| B．Ten people have died in the crash, including John Phillips. |
| C．Four people have died in the crash, including John Phillips. |
| D．John Phillips, his wife and children all died in the crash. |
Who are on the danger list?
| A．Petersville and Wallsend. | B．An electrical engineer and John Phillips. |
| C．John Phillips' wife and two children. | D．Another six people who were on the train. |
What agreement did China and the United States reach in article 3?
| A．It is an agreement on a marathon race. |
| B．It is an agreement on trade relations. |
| C．It is an agreement on overall relations. |
| D．It is an agreement on intellectual property rights protection. |
What are relations going to be like between China and the United States?
| A．Relations between China and the United States are going to be sometimes worse and sometimes better. |
| B．Relations between China and the United States are going to be better. |
| C．Relations between China and the United States are going to be worse. |
| D．Relations between China and the United States are going to remain the same. |
In 1977, a dead author of detective stories saved the life of a 19-month-old baby in a most unusual way. The author was Agatha Christie, one of the most successful writers of detective stories in the world.
In June 1977, a baby girl became seriously ill in Qatar, near Saudi Arabia. Doctors were unable to find out the cause of her illness with confidence, so she was sent to Hammersmith Hospital in London. She was then only semi-conscious (半清醒状态) and on the "Dangerously Ill" list. A team of doctors hurried to examine the baby only to discover that they, too, were confused by the very unusual symptoms (症状). While they were discussing the baby's case, a nurse asked to speak to them.
"Excuse me," said Nurse Marsha Maitlan, "but I think the baby is suffering from thallium poisoning. (铊中毒)"
"What makes you think that?" Dr. Brown asked. "Thallium poisoning is extremely rare."
"A few days ago, I was reading a novel called A Pale Horse by Agatha Christie," Nurse Maitlan explained. "In the book, somebody uses thallium poison, and all the symptoms are described. They're exactly the same as the baby's."
"You're very thoughtful and you may be right," another doctor said. "We'll carry out some tests and find out whether it's thallium or not."
Tests showed that the baby had indeed been poisoned by thallium, a rare metallic substance used in making special glass. Once they knew the cause of the illness, the doctors were able to give the baby the correct treatment. She soon recovered and was sent back to Qatar. Later it was reported that the poison might have come from an insecticide (杀虫剂) used in Qatar.The one who first suggested the correct cause of the baby's illness was _____.
| A．a doctor in Qatar | B．Nurse Maitlan |
| C．Dr. Brown | D．Agatha Christie |
The baby was sent to London because _____.
| A．she was born there |
| B．the hospitals in Qatar were full at that time |
| C．she was the daughter of a doctor in London |
| D．the Qatar doctors were not sure whether they could cure her |
As far as we can tell from the passage, Agatha Christie _____.
| A．had never met this baby |
| B．had spent a long time studying the baby's case |
| C．visited the baby in the hospital at Hammersmith |
| D．gave Nurse Maitlan some advice on the phone |
It seems likely from the passage that the baby's illness had something to do with _____.
| A．a dangerous pair of glasses |
| B．the water in Qatar |
| C．a harmful substance used to kill insects |
| D．a dead writer |
When the baby was sent to the hospital in London, her case was considered to be _____.
| A．an urgent one | B．quite a simple one |
| C．a usual one | D．the result of thallium poisoning |
You are watching a film in which two men are having a fight. They hit one another hard. At the start they only fight with their fists. But soon they begin hitting one another over the heads with chairs. And so it goes on until one of the men crashes (撞击) through a window and falls thirty feet to the ground below. He is dead！Of course he isn't really dead. With any luck he isn't even hurt. Why? Because the men who fall out of high windows or jump from fast moving trains, who crash cars or even catch fire, are professionals (专业人士). They do this for a living. These men are called stuntmen. That is to say, they perform tricks. There are two sides to their work. They actually do most of the things you see on the screen. For example, they fall from a high building. However, they do not fall on to hard ground but on to empty cardboard boxes covered with a mattress (床垫). Again, when they hit one another with chairs, the chairs are made of soft wood and when they crash through windows, the glass is made of sugar! But although their work depends on trick of this sort, it also requires a high degree of skill and training. Often a stuntman' s success depends on careful timing. For example, when he is "blown up" in a battle scene, he has to jump out of the way of the explosion just at the right moment.
Naturally stuntmen are well paid for their work, but they lead dangerous lives. They often get seriously injured, and sometimes killed. A Norwegian stuntman, for example, skied over the edge of a cliff a thousand feet high. His parachute (降落伞) failed to open, and he was killed. In spite of all the risks, this is no longer a profession for men only. Men no longer dress up as women when actresses have to perform some dangerous action, for nowadays there are stunt girls too!Stuntmen are those who ______.
| A．often dress up as women |
| B．prefer to lead dangerous lives |
| C．often perform seemingly (表面上) dangerous actions |
| D．often fight each other for their lives |
Stuntmen earn their living by ______.
| A．playing their dirty tricks | B．selling their special skills |
| C．jumping out of high windows | D．jumping from fast moving trains |
When a stuntman falls from a high building, ______.
| A．he needs little protection |
| B．he will be covered with a mattress |
| C．his life is endangered |
| D．his safety is generally all right |
Which of the following is the main factor (因素) of a successful performance?
| A．Strength. | B．Exactness. | C．Speed. | D．Power. |
What can be inferred from the author' s example of the Norwegian stuntman?
| A．Sometimes an accident can occur to a stuntman. |
| B．The percentage of serious accidents is high. |
| C．Parachutes must be of good quality. |
| D．The cliff is too high. |