There’s a guy like me in every state and federal prison in America, I guess — I’m the guy who can get these for you: cigarettes, a bag of cigar, if you want that, a bottle of wine to celebrate yourson or daughter’s high school graduation, or almost anything else. . . within reason, that is. It wasn’t always that way.
I came to Shawshank when I was just twenty, and I am one of the few people in the prison who is willing to admit what he did. I committed murder(谋杀). I put a large insurance policy(保险单) on my wife, who was three years older than I was, and then I fixed the brakes of the car her father had given us as a wedding present. It worked out exactly as I had planned, except I hadn’t planned on her stopping to pick up the neighbor woman and the woman’s son on the way down Castle Hill and into town. The brakes let go and the car crashed through the bushes, gathering speed. Bystanders said it must have been doing fifty or better when it hit the base of the Civil War statue in the town arid burst into flames.
I also hadn’t planned on getting caught, but I was caught. I got a pass into this place. My state has no death penalty(死刑), but I was tried(审判) for all three deaths and given three life sentences, to run one after the other. That fixed up any chance of parole(假释) I might have, for a long, long time. The judge called what I had done ‘an extremely evil(邪恶的) crime’, and it was, but it is also in the past now.
Have I transformed myself, you ask? I don’t know what that word means, at least as far as prisons and corrections go. I think it’s a politician’s word. It may have some other meaning, and it may be that I will have a chance to find out, but that is the future. . .
I was young, good-looking, and from the poor side of town. I met a pretty, headstrong girl who lived in one of the fine old houses on Carbine Street. She got pregnant(怀孕的) later. Her father was agreeable to the marriage if I would take a job in the company he owned and ‘work my way up’. I found out that what he really had in mind was keeping me in his house and under his thumb, like a disagreeable pet that has not quite been housebroken and which may bite. Enough hate eventually piled up to cause me to do what I did.
Given a second chance I would not do it again, but I’m not sure whether that means I am transformed.What do we know about the man from the passage?
| A．He is treated unfairly in the prison. |
| B．He is in charge of the federal prison. |
| C．He is quite an able person as a prisoner. |
| D．He is the most powerful man in the prison. |
By saying that “I got a pass into this place” (in Para. 3), the man means that _______.
| A．he had to stay in prison |
| B．he was allowed to go home |
| C．he was caught by the police without a pass |
| D．he has stayed in the federal prison before |
The man committed such an evil crime because ________.
| A．he had made a secret deal with an insurance company |
| B．he had been angry for a long time with his father-in-law |
| C．his wife’s family members had disapproved of their marriage |
| D．his wife had looked on him as a pet and he didn’t feel respected |
Which of the following is TRUE about the man?
| A．He regrets having committed the crime. |
| B．He will be out of prison in the near future. |
| C．He thinks the trial a mistake and is unfair. |
| D．He has found out the meaning of ‘transform’. |
Most schools forbid chewing gum(嚼口香糖), but in a few years they might consider changing that rule. Why? Scientists are finding evidence that gum chewing may be good for your health. It may even help improve your test scores. This exciting research is just beginning. And in the meantime, companies are also experimenting with adding vitamins, minerals, medicines, and other substances that could give gum the power to cure headaches and fight everything from serious diseases to bad breath.
Other researchers are finding that gum might work better than a pill to deliver medicines and other substances into the bloodstream. That’s because the lining (膜) of our cheeks can absorb certain substances more quickly than our stomachs and intestines (肠) can. That discovery could help other researchers develop medicine-containing gums that fight colds, ease headaches, battle nervousness, and
more. Scientists might even create anti-microbial (抗菌的) gums that cure bad breath.
Those projects may take years, but gum scientists have already had at least one recent success: They’ve created a gum that could help us stay awake. Researchers have produced a gum called Stay Alert. Each stick has as much caffeine as a cup of coffee. It can take an hour for the caffeine in coffee to have its full effect, but the caffeine in Stay Alert hits in just a few minutes. The gum is easy to transport and it’s stable in cold and hot climates. Unlike a pill, it doesn’t require water to swallow. Those qualities make it easy for soldiers to use. For now, Stay Alert is available only to the military (军队). The manufacturer may one day offer it for sale to the public. People who work at night, such as truck drivers and medical personnel who ride in ambulances, might benefit from a product like Stay Alert.The passage mainly talks about _____.
| A．the rule of forbidding chewing gum in school |
| B．new research on chewing gum |
| C．different kinds of chewing gum |
| D．the relationship between chewing gum and medicine |
What does the underlined word “hits” in Paragraph 6 probably mean?
| A．Touches. | B．Attacks. | C．Takes effect. | D．Affects badly. |
According to the passage, Stay Alert is a gum which can help people _____.
| A．stay awake | B．fight colds |
| C．cure headaches | D．overcome nervousness |
It can be inferred from the passage that _____.
| A．stay Alert is not easy to store |
| B．stay Alert needs water to swallow |
| C．stay Alert is available to the public now |
| D．we can’t buy gums which cure bad breath now |
One day not too long ago 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 attend the funeral in the room that has been prepared in the gym.”
At first everyone was sorry 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 suddenly 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 is capable to set limits to your growth: it is you.”
You are the only person who can revolutionize 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 boss changes, when your friends change, when your parents change, when your partner changes, 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 underlined word “funeral” in the first paragraph means ________.
| A．an occasion when one admires himself in a mirror |
| B．a chimney from where smelly smoke comes out |
| C．a ceremony for burying or burning a dead person |
| D．an exhibition displaying varieties of treasures |
Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
| A．Last Respects | B．A Strange Person |
| C．A Strange Company | D．A Road to Success |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The employees were shocked when they saw the dead person. |
| B．It is you yourself that can actually change your life. |
| C．In the mirror you can find how small you are in the world. |
| D．You can achieve your goal if you set limits to your growth. |
It seems that the company is ________.
| A．encouraging the employees to show respects to the dead |
| B．providing good working conditions for its employees |
| C．suffering a heavy loss due to its staff member’s death |
| D．trying to make its employees aware of their own potential |
It was a village in India. The people were poor. However, they were not unhappy. After all, their forefathers had lived in the same way for centuries.
Then one day. Some visitors from the city arrived. They told the villagers there were some people elsewhere who liked to eat frog’s legs. However, they did not have enough frogs of their own, and so they wanted to buy frogs from other places.
This seemed like money for nothing. There were millions of frogs in the fields around, and they were no use to the villagers. All they had to do was catch them. Agreement was reached, and the children were sent into the fields to catch frogs. Every week a truck arrived to collect the catch and hand over the money. For the first time, the people were able to dream of a better future. But the dream didn’t last long.
The change was hardly noticed at first, but it seemed as if the crops were not doing so well. More worrying was that the children fell ill more often, and, there seemed to be more insects around lately.
The villagers decided that they couldn’t just wait to see the crops failing and the children getting weak. They would have to use the money earned to buy pesticides(杀虫剂) and medicines. Soon there was no money left.
Then the people realized what was happening. It was the frog. They hadn’t been useless. They had been doing an important job---eating insects. Now with so many frogs killed, the insects were increasing more rapidly. They were damaging the crops and spreading diseases.
Now, the people are still poor. But in the evenings they sit in the village square and listen to the sounds of insects and frogs. These sounds of the night now have a much deeper meaning.From paragraph I we learn that the villagers __________.
| A．worked very hard for centuries |
| B．dreamed of having a better life |
| C．were poor but somewhat content |
| D．lived a different life from their forefathers |
Why did the villagers agree to sell frogs?
| A．the frogs were easy money |
| B．They needs money to buy medicine |
| C．they wanted to please the visitors |
| D．the frogs made too much noise |
What might be the cause of the children’s sickness?
| A．the crops didn’t do well |
| B．there were too many insects |
| C．the visits brought in diseases |
| D．the pesticides were overused |
What can we infer from the last sentence of the text?
| A．Happiness comes from peaceful life in the country |
| B．Health is more important than money |
| C．The harmony between man and nature is important |
| D．good old day will never be forgotten |
Some kids start to drink alcohol （酒精） at a young age． They think it is part of becoming an adult．They also think drinking is not that bad because so many people do it．They feel it is not as bad as taking drugs （毒品）． It is easy for kids to get liquor（酒精饮料）by using fake identification （伪造证件）．
Parents may start to notice a change in their child’s behavior if the child starts drinking． Kids who drink sometimes stop doing things they normally liked to do．They may keep telephone calls and meetings a secret and not want anybody to touch their things．They act moody（喜怒无常） and do not have the same eating and sleeping habits．
Parents need to stay involved （牵涉） in their kids’ lives． They should talk to their children about their problems to be aware of any changes．
Parents can be the best protection． Children who get a lot of love can feel good about themselves． It helps them resist（抵抗） doing bad things even when other kids are doing them． Parents can also help set a good example by not drinking and driving． They can have firm rules in the home that everyone follows．
Give the children good ideas on how to say “no” to drinking, even when they are at a party． Try not to overreact or panic （惊慌） if the child tries alcohol． How you handle it can affect their attitude． It may be helpful to talk to other parents about setting up curfews （宵禁令） and rules about parties or other events．Which of the following is NOT the reason why some kids have an early start of drinking?
| A．They want to show their maturity （成熟） by drinking alcohol． |
| B．Drinking alcohol is much cooler than taking drugs． |
| C．They are affected by many other people around them． |
| D．They can get liquor easily． |
According to the passage, what changes may happen to the kids who start drinking?
| A．Nothing serious will happen to them． |
| B．They keep the same eating and sleeping habits． |
| C．They can control their moods quite well． |
| D．Sometimes they act secretly． |
According to the writer, if parents find their children try alcohol, they had better ________．
| A．punish them at once |
| B．ask the police for help |
| C．ask their children’s friends for help |
| D．set up curfews and rules about parties or other events with other parents |
Which is the main subject discussed in the passage?
| A．Teen health． | B．Teen education． |
| C．Teen drinking | D．Parents’ worries． |
T-shirts out; uniforms in
School uniforms（制服） are becoming more and more popular across the U.S.A. That’s no surprise, because they offer many benefits. They immediately end the powerful social sorting and labeling (标记) that come from clothing. If all students are dressed in the same way, they will not pay too much attention to their clothing, and some of them will not be laughed at for wearing the “wrong” clothes.
Some people are against the strict rule of school uniforms, but they do not realize that students already accept a kind of rule — wanting to look just like their friends. The difference is that the clothing students choose for themselves creates social barriers(障碍); school uniforms tear those barriers down.
As in other places, uniforms remind the wearers of their purposes and duties. For example, when a man or woman puts on a police uniform, he or she becomes, for a time, the symbol (象征) of law and order. The uniform means to the wearer his or her special duties and sends the same message to everyone the wearer meets. People with different jobs wear uniforms of one kind or another. For students, the school uniform reminds them that their task for the six or seven hours they are in school is to get an education.
Some parents are unhappy about uniforms, saying that school uniforms will affect their children’s “creativity.” First, the clothes students choose to wear do not necessarily express their individuality (个性). They just copy their classmates. Second, students have the rest of the day to be as creative as they like. While they’re in school, their job is to master reading, writing, and maths; this should take up all the creativity they have. Mastery of those skills will be good for the students to build up their creativity in every way.From the passage we learn that uniforms in general .
| A．prevent the wearers from being laughed at |
| B．help the wearers keep their duties in mind |
| C．are seen as a symbol of power |
| D．help to create social barriers |
Some people are against school uniforms because .
| A．they fail to realize that students have accepted the uniforms |
| B．they believe that uniforms will make students less creative |
| C．they don’t agree that uniforms can remove social barriers |
| D．they think that school uniforms are too popular |
The author would probably agree that .
| A．it makes no difference whether to wear school uniforms or not |
| B．students’ individuality may not come from school education |
| C．students’ creativity is related to the clothes they choose |
| D．school uniforms help to create equality among students |
School uniforms are becoming more and more popular and important because _____
| A．they can stop the powerful social sorting and labeling. |
| B．if all students are dressed in the same way, they will not pay too much attention to their clothing. |
| C．uniforms can remind the wearers of their purposes and duties |
| D．school uniforms will affect their children’s creativity. |