Hi, everybody. Over the past couple months, most of the political headlines you’ve read have probably been about the government shutdown and the launch of the Affordable Care Act. And I know that many of you have rightly never been more frustrated with Washington.
But if you look beyond those headlines, there are some good things happening in our economy. And that’s been my top priority since the day I walked into the Oval Office.
After decades in which the middle class was working harder and harder just to keep up, and a punishing recession that made it worse, we made the tough choices required not just to recover from crisis, but to rebuild on a new foundation for stronger, more durable economic growth.
Five years later, we have fought our way back. Our businesses have created 7.8 million new jobs in the past 44 months. Another 200,000 Americans went back to work last month.
The American auto industry has come roaring back with more than 350,000 new jobs – jobs churning out and selling the high-tech, fuel-efficient cars the world wants to buy. And they’re leading the charge in a manufacturing sector that has added jobs for the first time since the 1990s – a big reason why our businesses sell more goods and services “Made in America” than ever before.
We decided to reverse our addiction to foreign oil. And today, we generate more renewable energy than ever, more natural gas than anybody, and for the first time in nearly 20 years, America now produces more oil than we buy from other countries.
We decided to fix a broken health care system. And even though the rollout of the marketplace where you can buy affordable plans has been rough, so far, about 500,000 Americans are poised to gain health coverage starting January 1st. And by the way, health care costs are growing at the slowest rate in 50 years.
And one more thing: since I took office, we’ve cut our deficits by more than half. And that makes it easier to invest in the things that create jobs – education, research, and infrastructure.
Imagine how much farther along we could be if both parties were working together. Think about what we could do if a reckless few didn’t hold the economy hostage every few months, or waste time on dozens of votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act rather than try to help us fix it.
In the weeks ahead, I’ll keep talking about my plan to build a better bargain for the middle class. Good jobs. A good education. A chance to buy a home, save, and retire. And yes, the financial security of affordable health care. And I’ll look for any willing partners who want to help.
Because of your hard work and tough sacrifices over the past five years, we’re pointed in the right direction. But we’ve got more work to do to keep moving that way. And as long as I’m President, I’ll keep doing everything I can to create jobs, grow the economy, and make sure that everyone who works hard has a chance to get ahead. Thanks, and have a great weekend.Which of the following is not the reason for people’s frustration with the government?
A.The government shut down |
B.Unemployment rate |
C.The addiction to foreign oil |
D.The launch of the Affordable Care Act |
Why does the president mention more goods and services “Made in America”?
A.To show that American goods and services are very popular. |
B.To indicate that American people should be dependent on themselves. |
C.To show that the employment rate has been increased. |
D.To show that American auto industry enjoys high technology. |
What’s the meaning of the underlined word “repeal”?
A.To abolish | B.To protect |
C.To strengthen | D.To weaken |
According to the speech, which of the following can be implied?
A.American people have every reason to feel frustrated with the government. |
B.Health care costs are growing at the slowest rate in 50 years. |
C.The president feels sorry that the economy is not moving in the right direction. |
D.Some government officials don’t agree with the president on the medical care system. |
Lady Bird Johnson was born Claudia Alta Taylor in nineteen twelve. The Taylor family lived in the small town of Karnack, Texas. Claudia's father, Thomas Jefferson Taylor, owned two stores as well as thousands of hectares(公顷) for cotton production. Her mother, Minnie Taylor, died when Claudia was only five years old. A woman who worked for the Taylor family gave Claudia her nickname. Alice Tittle said the small child was "as purty as a lady bird."
As first lady, Missus Johnson became an energetic activist for educational and environmental issues. She helped support Head Start, a public program aimed at giving educational and health services to young children from poor families.
She started the Society for a More Beautiful National Capitol. Its aim was to improve the beauty of Washington by planting trees and flowers in public areas and parks. Missus Johnson understood that these improvements were also linked to important issues such as pollution, public transportation, mental health, and crime rates.
Lyndon Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson had a difficult four-year term. The president faced strong opposition about the United States involvement in the war in Vietnam. In nineteen sixty-eight, President Johnson surprised the nation by announcing that he would not seek reelection as president. The Johnsons left politics and returned home to Texas. Mister Johnson died of a heart attack in nineteen seventy-three.
Lady Bird Johnson continued her tireless work to improve the country's natural environment. She created the National Wildflower Research Center in nineteen eighty-two. The center helps to educate people about the environmental importance and value of native plants. Missus Johnson died in two thousand seven at the age of ninety-four. Her memory lives in the many fields of wildflowers that color the roads of America.What happened to Claudia in 1917?
A.She was born | B.She got her nickname |
C.She got married | D.Her mother died |
From the passage,we know that The Beautifieation Act is a(n)____.
A.activity | B.ornanization | C.Law | D.center |
Which of the following statements is true according to the article?
A.Lady Bird Johnson had an unhappy childhood |
B.Lady Bird Johnson was brough up by Alice Tittle |
C.Mrs. Johnson was devoted to education and environment |
D.Mrs. Johnson did not support her husband during hiw four-year term |
The passage inicates that Mrs. Johnson was the best know for ___
A.the National Wildflower Research Center |
B.her contribution to environmental improvement |
C.her concerns about the helth of poor young children |
D.her influence on other activists |
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☆Read more about Building MaterialsIf you want to do self-builds, the first step to follow is to________ .
A.get permission; cost project; finish touches |
B.cost project; build project; finish touches |
C.find land; cost project; build project |
D.find land; get permission; cost project |
Where will you click when you need to hire tools?
A.Use Our Estimating Service |
B.Use Our Branch Finder Service |
C.Visit the Travis Perkins Hire Website |
D.Read more about Building Materials |
What does Code For Sustainable Homes do?
A.Assists with self-builds. |
B.Sets national standards for design and constructions. |
C.Offers help on costing your project, and so on. |
D.Offer the information on all aspects. |
What’s the aim of Build the Dream?
A.To build one’s dream. |
B.To supply building materials. |
C.To help leading manufacturers. |
D.To attract people to do self-builds. |
It remains a curiosity and a bit of a historical mystery why we don't all drive on the same side of the road. The fact is that most people are right-handed; that's why, for much of history, drivers have stuck to the left. Ancient Romans using two-wheeled carriages are believed to have held the reins(缰绳) with their right hands and a whip with their left; to avoid whipping the near drivers, they favored the left-hand side the road. It's also easier for right-handers to get on a horse from the left, so riders were attracted to that side to avoid the near traffic as they climbed on and off. Finally, knights(骑士) and the other drivers favored the left so they could do battle, if necessary, with their good hand.
So why does most of the world travel on the right side today? Theories differ, but there's no doubt Napoleon was a major influence. The French have used the right since the late 18th century. Some say that before the French Revolution, people in upper class drove their carriages on the left, forcing the peasantry to the right. During the violence, fearful rich people sought to mix with the peasantry by traveling on the right as well. Regardless of the origin, Napoleon brought right-hand traffic to the nations he conquered, including Russia, Switzerland and Germany. Hitler, in turn, ordered right-hand traffic in Czechoslovakia and Austria in the 1930s. Nations that escaped right-handed conquest, like Great Britain, kept their left-handed tradition.Who had a major effect on “keep-right” traffic law?
A.Ancient Romans | B.Hitler |
C.Napoleon | D.Austrians |
What does the second paragraph mainly tell us?
A.Napoleon brought right-hand traffic to the nations he conquered. |
B.Hitler ordered right-hand traffic in Austria. |
C.Great Britain escaped right-handed conquest. |
D.The reasons that most of the world drives on the right side. |
What does the word peasantry in the last paragraph mean?
A.People in upper class. |
B.Right-handers. |
C.Drivers. |
D.Poor people. |
Apart from Great Britain, which country mentioned in the text keeps left-hand
traffic?
A.France | B.Ancient Rome |
C.Russia | D.Germany |
A jobless man Hambley applied for the position of "office boy" at Microsoft. The HR manager interviewed him then watched him cleaning the floor as a test.
"You are employed" he said. "Give me your e-mail address and I'll send you the application to fill in, as well as date when you may start."
Hambley replied "But I don't have a computer, neither an email."
"I'm sorry", said the HR manager. "If you don't have an email that means you do not exist. And who doesn't exist, cannot have the job."
The man left with no hope at all. He didn't know what to do, with only ten dollars in his pocket. He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy ten kilograms tomatoes. He then sold the tomatoes in a door to door round. In less than two hours, he succeeded to double his capital(本金). He repeated the operation three times, and returned home with sixty dollars.
Hambley realized that he can survive by this way, and started to go earlier every day, and return late. Thus, his money doubled every day. Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles. Five years later, Hambley is one of the biggest food retailers in the US.
He started to plan his family's future, and decided to have a life insurance. He called an insurance broker(代理人), and chose a protection plan. When the conversation was concluded the broker asked him his email. Hambley replied, "I don't have an email."
The broker answered curiously, "You don't have an email, and yet have succeeded to build a company. Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an email?" Hambley thought for a while and replied, "Yes, I'd be an office boy at Microsoft!" Hambley was refused by the HR manager because he________.
A.didn’t have an email |
B.didn’t exist |
C.couldn’t clean the floor. |
D.was dishonest |
In less than two hours, Hambley succeeded in earning ________ dollars.
A.twenty | B.sixty | C.ten | D.thirty |
What do the underlined words “the retailers”refer to?
A.People that sell insurance. |
B.People that sell goods to the public. |
C.People that double their capital |
D.People that have their own truck. |
What is Hambley’s opinion on Network?
A.It’s helpful |
B.He wanted to use it later. |
C.An office boy should use it. |
D.It doesn’t mean everything. |
(共15小题,每小题2分,满分30分)
Elephants are trained, at an early age, not to escape. One leg of a baby elephant is tied with a rope to a wooden post planted in the ground. The rope limits the baby elephant to an area determined by the length of the rope. At first the baby elephant tries to break free from the rope, but the rope is too strong. Soon the elephant learns that he cannot break the rope in any case. This space defined by the rope becomes the elephant's comfort zone.
As the elephant grows up it could easily break the rope, but it does not even try because it was conditioned as a baby to think that it still could not break free. As a result, the large elephant remains tied and stays in a small space.
This metaphor(隐喻) can be used to describe what happens to human beings as we become trapped in a comfort zone. Just as the elephant's space determines what it can do, our comfort zone determines what we are able to achieve. Fortunately, humans are born with the ability to make conscious choices. The elephant doesn't try to break the rope free while we can easily leave our comfort zone.
In order to expand our potential and succeed in life, we must expand our comfort zone into unfamiliar fields. You will never realize what you are truly able to achieve if you remain in your comfort zone. The area where the baby elephant can move around is decided by ________.
A.the space covered by the elephant |
B.the length of the rope |
C.the elephant’s comfort zone |
D.the wooden post planted in the ground |
The large elephant does not try to break the rope, because ________.
A.the rope is too strong |
B.a wooden post is planted in the ground |
C.the elephant likes the small space |
D.the elephant thinks it still could not break free |
What can be the best title for the text?
A.How to train elephants |
B.A cautious elephant |
C.A comfort zone |
D.Expand your comfort zone |