After a while, Tommy’s parents, who had recently separated, would arrive for a meeting on his failing schoolwork and bad behavior. Neither parent knew that I had called the other.
Tommy, an only child, had always been a happy, cooperative and top student. How could I make his father and mother believe that his recent failing grades meant a broken-hearted child’s reaction to his parents’ separation and divorce (离婚)?
Tommy’s mother entered and took one of the chairs. Soon the father arrived. Good! At least they were enough to be here in time. They ignored each other.
As I gave a detailed introduction of Tommy’s behavior and schoolwork, I waited for the right words to bring these two together to help them see what they were doing to their son. But somehow the words wouldn’t come. Perhaps if they saw one of his dirty, carelessly done papers?
I found a sheet in the back of his desk. Writing covered both sides: not the exercises, but a single sentence scribbled (胡写乱画) over and over.
Silently I gave it to Tommy’s mother. She read it and then handed it to her husband. Then his face softened.
At last he folded (折叠) the paper carefully, placed it in his pocket, and reached for his wife’s hand. She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled up at him. He helped with her coat and they left together.
In his own way God had given me the words to reunite that family. He had guided me to the sheet of yellow copy paper covered with the pain outpouring of a small boy’s troubled heart.
The words are “Dear Mom… Dear Daddy… I love…”How did Tommy’s parents feel after seeing the words?
| A．Glad. | B．Worried. |
| C．Moved. | D．Happy. |
The author called Tommy’s parents in order to _______.
| A．blame Tommy for his failing grades |
| B．ask them the reason for their divorce |
| C．help them realize their influence on Tommy |
| D．solve the couple’s problem of separation |
Why did Tommy fail his recent grades?
| A．Because he was greatly influenced by his parents. |
| B．Because he was punished by his teacher. |
| C．Because he wrote to his parents very often. |
| D．Because he did one of his dirty, careless papers. |
This passage is most probably written by _______.
| A．a reporter | B．a teacher |
| C．a lawyer | D．a doctor |
Five years ago, David Smith wore an expensive suit to work every day. “I was a clothes addict,” he jokes. “I used to carry a fresh suit to work with me so I could change if my clothes got wrinkled (皱的).” Today David wears casual clothes — khaki pants and a sports shirt — to the office. He hardly ever wears a necktie. “I’m working harder than ever,” David says, “and I need to feel comfortable.”
More and more companies are allowing their office workers to wear casual clothes to work. In the United States, the changes from formal to casual office wear have been slow. In the early 1990s, many companies allowed their workers to wear casual clothes on Friday (but only on Friday).This became known as “dress-down Friday” or “casual Friday”. “What started out as an extra one-day-a-week benefit for workers has really become an everyday thing,” said business adviser Maisly Jones.
Why have so many companies started allowing their workers to wear casual clothes? One reason is that it's easier for a company to attract new workers if it has a casual dress code. “A lot of young people don't want to dress up for work,” says the owner of a software company, “so it's hard to hire people if you have a conservative dress code.” Another reason is that people seem happier and more productive when they are wearing comfortable clothes. In a study made by Levi Strauss and Company, 85 percent of employers said that casual dress has a side effect on work. Supporters of casual office wear also say that a casual dress code helps them save money. “Suits are expensive, if you have to wear one every day,” one person said. “For the same amount of money, you can buy a lot more casual clothes.”David Smith refers to himself as having been “a clothes addict” because ______________.
| A．he often wore khaki pants and a sports shirt |
| B．he couldn't stand a clean appearance |
| C．he wanted his clothes to look tidy and clean all the time |
| D．he didn’t want to spend much money on clothes |
David Smith wears casual clothes now, because ______________.
| A．they make him feel at ease when working |
| B．he cannot afford to buy expensive clothes |
| C．he looks handsome in casual clothes |
| D．he no longer works for any company |
According to this passage, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．Company workers started to dress down about thirty years ago. |
| B．Dress-down has become an everyday phenomenon since the early 1990s. |
| C．“Dress-down Friday” was first given as a favor from employers. |
| D．Many workers want to wear casual clothes to impress people. |
D. he no longer works for any company
According to this passage, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．Company workers started to dress down about thirty years ago. |
| B．Dress-down has become an everyday phenomenon since the early 1990s. |
| C．“Dress-down Friday” was first given as a favor from employers. |
| D．Many workers want to wear casual clothes to impress people. |
A recent study of ancient and modern elephants has come up with the unexpected conclusion that the African elephant is divided into two distinct(不同的) species.
The discovery was made by researchers at York and Harvard Universities when they were examining the genetic relationship between the ancient woolly mammoth and mastodon to modern elephants — the Asian elephant, African forest elephant, and African savanna elephant.
Once they obtained DNA sequences(序列) from two fossils(化石), mammoths，and mastodons the team compared them with DNA from modern elephants. They found to their amazement that modern forest and savanna elephants are as distinct from each other as Asian elephants and mammoths.
The scientists used detailed genetic analysis to prove that the African savanna elephant and the African forest elephant have been distinct species for several million years. The divergence of the two species took place around the time of the divergence of Asian elephants and woolly mammoths. This result amazed all the scientists. There has long been debate in the scientific community that the two might be separate species, but this is the most convincing scientific evidence so far that they are indeed different species.
Previously, many naturalists believed that African savanna elephants and African forest elephants were two populations of the same species, despite the elephants’ significant size differences. The savanna elephant has an average shoulder height of 3.5 metres while the forest elephant has an average shoulder height of 2.5 metres. The savanna elephant weighs between six and seven tons, roughly double the weight of the forest elephant. But the fact that they look so different does not necessarily mean they are different species. However the proof lay in the analysis of the DNA.
Alfred Roca, assistant professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Illinois, said, “We now have to treat the forest and savanna elephants as two different units for conservation purposes. Since 1950，all African elephants have been conserved as one species. Now that we know the forest and savanna elephants are two very distinctive animals, the forest elephant should become a bigger priority(优先) for conservation purposes.”One of the fossils studied by the researchers is that of _____.
| A．the Asian elephant | B．the forest elephant |
| C．the savanna elephant | D．the mastodon elephant |
The researchers’ conclusion was based on a study of the African elephant’s _____.
| A．DNA | B．height |
| C．weight | D．population |
What are Alfred Roca’s words mainly about?
| A．The conservation of African elephants. |
| B．The purpose of studying African elephants. |
| C．The way to divide African elephants into two units. |
| D．The reason for the distinction of African elephants. |
Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?
| A．Naturalists’ Beliefs about Elephants |
| B．Amazing Experiments about Elephants |
| C．An Unexpected Finding about Elephants |
| D．A Long Scientific Debate about Elephants |
Blind imitation (模仿)is self-destruction. To those who do not recognize their unique worth， imitation appears attractive；to those who know their strength. Imitation is unacceptable.
In the early stages of skill or character development, imitation is helpful. When I first learned to cook, I used recipes (菜谱) and turned out some tasty dishes. But soon I grew bored. Why follow someone else’s way of cooking when I could create my own? Imitating role models is like using training wheels on a child’s bicycle; they help you get going, but once you find your own balance, you fly faster and farther without relying on them.
In daily life, imitation can hurt us if we subconsciously (下意识地) hold poor role models. If, as a child, you observed people whose lives were bad, you may have accepted their fear and pain as normal and gone on to follow what they did. If you do not make strong choices for yourself, you will get the results of the weak choices of others.
In the field of entertainment, our culture glorifies celebrities. Those stars look great on screen. But when they step off screen, their personal lives may be disastrous. If you are going to follow someone, focus on their talent, not their bad character or unacceptable behaviors.
Blessed is the person willing to act on their sudden desire to create something unique. Think of the movies, books, teachers, and friends that have affected you most deeply. They touched you because their creations were motivated by inspiration, not desperation. The world is changed not by those who do what has been done before them, but by those who do what has been done inside them. Creative people have an endless resource of ideas. The problem a creator faces is not running out of material; it is what to do with the material knocking at the door of imagination.
Study your role models, accept the gifts they have given, and leave behind what does not serve you. Then you can say,” I stand on the shoulders of my ancestors tragedies and declare victory, and know that they are cheering me on.Imitation proves useful when you .
| A．know you are unique |
| B．lose the balance of life |
| C．begin to learn something new |
| D．get tired of routine practice |
To avoid the bad result of imitation, we should________.
| A．forget daily fear and pain | B．choose the right example |
| C．ask others for decisions | D．stay away from stars |
The trouble a creator faces is .
| A．the lack of strong motivation |
| B．the absence of practical ideas |
| C．how to search for more materials |
| D．how to use imagination creatively |
What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?
| A．To highlight the importance of creatively. |
| B．To criticize the characters of role models. |
| C．To compare imitation with creation. |
| D．To explain the meaning of success. |
The word advertising refers to any kind of public announcement that brings products and services to the attention of people．Throughout history, advertising has been an effective way to promote(促进)the trading and selling of goods．In the Middle Ages，merchants employed “town criers” to read public messages aloud to promote their goods．When printing was invented in the fifteenth century, pages of advertisements (ads) could be printed easily and were either hung in public places or put in books．
By the end of the seventeenth century, when newspapers were beginning to be read by more people, printed materials became an important way to promote products and services．The London Gazette was the first newspaper to set aside a place just for advertising. This was so successful that by the end of the century several companies started businesses for the purpose of making newspaper ads for merchants．
Advertising spread quickly throughout the eighteenth century．Ad writers were starting to pay more attention to the design of the ad text．Everything，from clothes to drinks，was promoted with clever methods such as repetition of the firm’s name or product, words organized in eye-catching patterns，the use of pretty pictures and expressions easy to remember．
Near the end of the nineteenth century, companies that were devoted to the production of ads came to be known as “advertising agencies (广告商)” . The agencies developed new ways to get people to think of themselves as members of a group．Throughout the twentieth century, advertising agencies promoted consumerism(消费主义)as a way of life，spreading the belief that people could be happy only if they bought the “right” products.What was advertising like in the Middle Ages?
| A．Merchants were employed to promote products． |
| B．Ad messages were shouted out in public places． |
| C．Product information was included in books． |
| D．Ad signs were put up in towns． |
What does the word “This” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
| A．Advertising in newspapers． | B．Including pictures in ads． |
| C．Selling goods in markets． | D．Working with ad agencies． |
The l8th century advertising was special in its______．
| A．growing spending | B．printing materials |
| C．advertising companies | D．attractive designs |
Which of the following might be the best title for the text?
| A．The Story of Advertising |
| B．The Value of Advertising Designs |
| C．The Role of Newspaper Advertising |
| D．The Development of Printing for Advertising |
LIPITOR
ABOUT LIPITOR
Lipitor is a prescription (处方) medicine. Along with diet and exercise, it lowers “bad” cholesterol (胆固醇) in your blood. It can also raise “good” cholesterol.
Lipitor can lower the risk of heart attack in patients with several common risk factors, including family history of early heart disease, high blood pressure, age and smoking .
WHO IS LIPITOR FOR?
Who can take LIPITOR:
•People who cannot lower their cholesterol enough with diet and exercise
•Adults and children over l0
Who should NOT take LIPITOR:
•Women who are pregnant, may be pregnant, or may become pregnant. Lipitor may harm your unborn baby.
•women who are breast-feeding. Lipitor can pass into your breast milk and may harm your baby.
•People with liver (肝脏) problems
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF LIPITOR
Serious side effects in a small number of people:
•Muscle (肌肉) problems that can lead to kidney (肾脏) problems, including kidney failure
•Liver problems. Your doctor may do blood tests to check your liver before you start Lipitor and while you are taking it.
Call your doctor right away if you have:
•Unexplained muscle pain or weakness, especially if you have a fever or feel very fired
•Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and/or throat that may cause difficulty in breathing or swallowing
•Stomach pain
Some common side effects of LIPITOR are:
•Muscle pain
•Upset stomach
•Changes in some blood tests
HOW TO TAKE LIPITOR
DO:
•Take Lipitor as prescribed by your doctor.
•Try to eat heart-healthy foods while you take Lipitor.
•Take Lipitor at any time of day, with or without food.
•If you miss a dose (一剂), take it as soon as you remember. But if it has been more than 12 hours since your missed dose, wait. Take the next dose at your regular time.
Don’t:
•Do not change or stop your dose before talking to your doctor.
•Do not start new medicines before talking to your doctor.What is a major function of Lipitor?
| A．To help quit smoking. | B．To control blood pressure. |
| C．To improve unhealthy diet. | D．To lower “bad” cholesterol. |
Taking Lipitor is helpful for _________.
| A．breast-feeding women |
| B．women who are pregnant |
| C．adults having heart disease |
| D．teenagers with liver problems |
If it has been over 12 hours since you missed a dose, you should _________.
| A．change the amount of your next dose |
| B．eat more when taking your next dose |
| C．have a dose as soon as you remember |
| D．take the next dose at your regular time |
Which of the following is a common side effect of taking Lipitor?
| A．Face swelling. | B．Upset stomach. |
| C．Kidney failure. | D．Muscle weakness. |