A man was walking on a mountain when he found an amazing cave. Stored inside were all kinds of treasure and precious stones. When he saw it, he concealed the cave entrance and stayed there, guarding it.
From that day on, the man hid all his valuables in the cave, and to avoid anyone suspecting he was rich, he gave up his job, his home, and his friends. He constantly watched the approaches to his cave, wanting no one to find out about it. Fearing thieves, he guarded the cave all night long.
He was so devoted to the cave that he hardly ate or drank. Before long, he fell ill. Many days passed, and he got thinner and sicker, losing all his strength. One day, when he could hardly move at all, he realized that it was his greed that had brought him to this extreme end. He understood that guarding his treasure had been of no use and no good. He decided to share it with others.
He crawled (爬) into the cave to fetch some jewels, but discovered that the cave was almost empty. All he could find was a small emerald (绿宝石). He took it and left the cave, intending to give it to the first person passing by. Soon a woman approached and accepted the emerald with great joy. The man said to her, “I could have given you many more riches, but I don’t know where they went. This is all I have now.”
“Are you sure there’s nothing else?” replied the woman. The man shook his head and pointed to the cave. He found that some riches were still there; he saw some gold coins. He said, “Take them with you.” The woman took both the emerald and the coins, and went away happily.
In a while, an old man passed by and asked the man what he was doing there. The man replied, “What bad luck! Just a moment ago I gave a woman the few riches left over from the treasure I was guarding.”
“Are you sure there’s nothing else?” The old man asked him.
The man showed him the cave, and they found a box filled with jewels and gold. The man was shocked. The old man explained to him, “At last! At last someone has freed himself from the spell (咒语) of this cave. You see, this is a magic cave, and you’re the first to pass its great test. Many people have devoted their lives to this cave, only to end up realizing there’s nothing here ...”
“And why does this happen?” said the man. “Why does the treasure appear and disappear?”
“My son, this magic cave has as many riches as does your own heart. When someone discovers it, the cave fills with the treasure they bring with them, but later, when they all devote themselves to guarding the treasure, their hearts begin emptying, and so does the cave. The only way to fill it is to fill your heart with all that is good, as you did by giving that last jewel to the woman. That’s the reason why the cave was filling up again ...”
And so, the man understood it was better to share than to keep things to himself. And, from that day, thanks to the cave and the old man, the man became ever more noble (高尚的) and generous.The underlined word “concealed” in the first paragraph can be replaced by “_____”.
A.built | B.covered |
C.discovered | D.used |
After the man fell ill, he intended to ______.
A.tell others about his story |
B.take all the treasure home |
C.give some of the treasure to other people |
D.return the treasure to the woman and the old man |
What happened to the man in the end?
A.He became more generous. |
B.He became the richest man in the world. |
C.He became more careful about his health. |
D.He became more grateful to others for their help. |
What can we learn from this passage?
A.Be a good listener. |
B.Don’t be angry with others. |
C.We should learn to share. |
D.We ought to help each other. |
Winning the lottery (彩票) is not the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for many past winners. Sad stories do exist in large numbers for the past lottery winners and that's why some financial experts say "70 percent of lottery winners will squander away (乱花) winning within a few years." Some end up losing all within two years, family relationships destroyed or even worse.
Wayne Schenk was an old soldier diagnosed with lung cancer. When he won a million dollars in a lottery he thought his troubles were over and he would get the advanced medical treatment that might save his life. But Lottery officials refused to pay him the total sum in a single payment and they said they could not make an exception to the regulations. When Schenk died in 2007, he'd only received one payment of $34,000.
Another lottery winner, Billy Bob Harrell, Jr. killed himself two years after winning 31 million dollars in the Texas lottery in 1997.He'd spent large amounts of money and given large amounts away, but he didn't end me expected peace that should have come with the freedom of money.
Other lottery winners have ended up in prison for crimes. Many suffer bankruptcy (破产) after the big jackpot (头奖) is spent and given away, including some of the eight people who won the 365 million Powerball in 2006.
The examples given paint a sad picture of what can happen if you win a big lottery jackpot, but fortunately, these examples don't tell the stories of all jackpot winners.What is the main idea of the first paragraph?
A.Most lottery winners use up money quickly. |
B.Most lottery winners don't really end up well. |
C.Winning lottery means relationships destroyed. |
D.Financial experts are against the lottery industry. |
Why did lottery officials refuse to give Wayne Schenk the million dollars in one payment?
A.He was diagnosed with lung cancer. |
B.He was unwilling to give away his money. |
C.They had to observe the official rules. |
D.They didn't want to disturb his peace. |
The author supports his main idea by ____.
A.giving examples | B.making comparisons |
C.listing numbers | D.listing reasons |
In the following paragraph, the author will probably talk about_____.
A.advice given by financial experts |
B.happy stories of the lottery winners |
C.conclusion drawn by the author |
D.regulations about lottery winning |
There are two basic ways to see growth: one as a product, the other as a process. People have generally viewed personal growth as an external(外部的) result or product that can easily be identified and measured. The worker who gets a promotion, the student whose grades improve, the foreigner who learns a new language--- all these are examples of people who have measurable results to show for their efforts.
By contrast, the process of personal growth is much more difficult to determine, since by definition it is a journey and not the specific signposts or landmarks along the way. The process is not the road itself, but rather the attitudes and feelings people have, their caution or courage, as they go through new experiences and unexpected obstacles. In this process, the journey never really ends; there are always new ways to experience the world, new ideas to try, new challenges to accept.
In order to grow, to travel new roads, people need to have a willingness to take risks, to be faced with the unknown, and to accept the possibility that they may “fail” at first. How we see ourselves as we try a new way of being is essential to our ability to grow.
These feelings of insecurity and self – doubt are both unavoidable and necessary if we are to change and grow. If we do not face and overcome these internal fears and doubts, if we protect ourselves too much, then we cease to grow. We become trapped inside a shell of our own making.A person is generally believed to achieve personal growth when______..
A.he has given up his smoking habit |
B.he has made great efforts in his work |
C.he is interested in making anything new |
D.he has tried to determine where he is on his journey |
In the author’s eyes, one who views personal growth as a process would______.
A.judge his ability to grow from his own achievements |
B.succeed in climbing up the social ladder |
C.face difficulties and take up challenges |
D.aim high and reach his goal each time |
When the author says “a new way of being” (para. 3), he is referring to _____.
A.a new way of taking risks |
B.a new approach to experiencing the world |
C.a new system of adapting to change |
D.a new method of finding ourselves |
For personal growth, the author may not support __________.
A.curiosity and more chances |
B.being quick in self – adaptation |
C.open – minded to new experiences |
D.avoidance of internal fears and doubts |
The New York Aquarium (水族馆) offers a diverse collection and nice viewing experience for all our guests. Whether you’re observing penguins on their rocky coastline home or swimming underwater, looking at a coral reef (珊瑚礁) under the water, or cheering on California sea lions at the theater, you’ll find plenty to see and do during your visit. Your underwater adventure is waiting for you! This summer, head out to Coney Island to learn about the underwater world at the New York Aquarium.
Just off the Coney Island in Brooklyn, the New York Aquarium features more than 300 marine (海洋的) species, such as dolphins and seals. Meet some of our mammals and fish, and learn about their natural history, biology, and cultural roles.
Hours |
|
Summer hours May 28 – Sept. 5 |
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. , Monday–Friday 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. , Weekends & Holidays |
Fall hours Sept. 6 – Nov. 6 |
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. , Monday–Friday 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. , Weekends & Holidays |
Winter hours Nov. 7 – Mar. 31 |
10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. , Daily |
Spring hours Apr. 1– May 27 |
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. , Monday–Friday 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. , Weekends & Holidays |
Total Experience Ticket
Adult $18.00
Child (Ages 3-12) $14.00
Senior (65+) $15.00
Groups (at least ten visitors) $8.00
﹡Includes admission to our 4-D Theater Plus General Admission.
﹡Children under 3 years old are free!
﹡To receive the group rate, you must make a reservation at least two weeks in advance of your group’s visit. Please call 718-741-1818.
Friday Afternoon Special
Admission on Fridays beginning at 3:00 p.m. is by donation. Suggested donation is $13 for adults, $9 for children, and $10 for seniors. Every dollar you give supports our work in caring for animals at the aquarium.
Aquarium Parking
Car $13.00
Bus $13.00
Please note:
﹡Due to rising costs, the Wildlife Conservation Society reserves the right to change all fees without notice.
﹡All Aquarium buildings and exhibits are wheelchair-accessible.
﹡For further information, please call 718-265-3454.Which animal can’t visitors probably see at the New York Aquarium?
A.Penguins. | B.Pandas. | C.Dolphins. | D.Seals. |
Six adults (including a man of 68) and two children (aged 2 and 10) are going to visit the New York Aquarium on Sunday. They will have to pay ______________ at least.
A.$144 | B.$133 | C.$64 | D.$119 |
The donation is used to ______________.
A.help the poor people |
B.help to save the endangered animals in the wild |
C.care for animals at the aquarium |
D.help the disabled visitors |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A.You can visit the New York Aquarium at 5:30 p.m. on Christmas. |
B.A visitor in a wheelchair can get around at the New York Aquarium. |
C.Visitors can enjoy free parking service on Friday. |
D.To enjoy the group rate, visitors must make a reservation at least two weeks in advance by sending an e-mail. |
You may have seen a lot of frogs, but if you haven't, you must have heard about frogs. However, have you heard about a frog that can kill a person?
These smallbrightly colored amphibians (两栖动物)live in the tropical rain forests of Central and South America. They are best known for their ability to kill persons even though they are no more than 2 inches long. If we touch their poisonous skin without proper protection (such as gloves), we may die! For animals of this size that can be so deadly, they are certainly one of the world's most poisonous animals! Who are they? They are poison arrow frogs or, simply, poison frogs.
Poison frogs acquired their name from the Indians. The Indians catch and kill many of these frogs before hanging them upside down over a campfire. As the frogs get hot, the poison drips out of their skin. The Indians collect the poisonous liquid in a bottle and dip(蘸) the tips of their arrows into the bottle. Once the tips are dried, they are ready to be used for their arrows for hunting.
There are about 170 different types of poison arrow frogs in the world. Though most species have bright markings, either in stripes or patches, on their black bodies, some just wear noticeable single-colored coats. Their shocking skin colors-usually in yellow, red, green, blue or orange-serve as a warning sign to other animals. The sign simply says,” Stay away or pay with your life!” Theycertainly do not bluff.We can infer that the Indians may kill poison frogs in order to______.
A.treat diseases | B.avoid being bitten |
C.hunt animals | D.eat their meat |
According to the passage, poison frogs______.
A can grow to several meters long B. like to change colors on the back
C. have bright-colored skin or markings D. are on the edge of dying outWhich of the following best explains the last sentence of the passage?
A.Poison frogs don't want to kill others. |
B.Poison frogs do not just scare others. |
C.Poison frogs want to stop others from coming near. |
D.Poison frogs just pretend to be dangerous animals. |
Like lots of small-business owners, Lola Gonzalez had to decide to cut down her company’s nine-person staff (员工) when the economic recovery began to fail last spring. Unlike other companies, she picked an unlikely employee to lay off (解雇): herself.
Her business began to have problems in 2008 after going through her books (账簿)
One day, her husband, Marcos, told her she had to reduce her payroll(薪金总额)by one person. Gonzalez said at a meeting, “I want you all to know that I have to lay somebody off and it’s been a very difficult decision. And that person is me.” Employees first froze in amazement and then burst into laughter until they realized she was serious. Gonzalez ’s employees said they were grateful for her kindness.
Her reason was simple. Although she ran the business and her employees did the legwork (跑腿), she thought she could find work more easily than her staff. Sure enough, she soon got a job as a social worker for a non-profit organization called Devereux Kids. She enjoys her social-worker job now, but the salary (薪水) cut has required some lifestyle changes. She and Marcos no longer eat out daily; they no longer pay for their son’s car and mobile phone, and they changed their car to a smaller one to save $300 a month.
Her business has picked up a bit recently and Marcos has begun to work part-time at Gonzalez’s company. Gonzalez says she has no plan to return to work at her company until the economic situation becomes better, perhaps in a year. Her employees, however, will get Christmas bonuses (奖金) this year.How many workers are there in Gonzalez’s company at present?
A.8. | B.9. | C.10. | D.11. |
How did her employees feel at first when they heard Gonzalez’s decision?
A.Happy. | B.Grateful. | C.Surprised. | D.Unbelievable. |
After leaving her company, _____________.
A.Gonzalez sold her car and went to work by bus |
B.Gonzalez always had meals in a restaurant |
C.Gonzalez’s son helped her a lot |
D.Gonzalez changed her lifestyle a lot |
From the text, we can learn that ___________.
A.Gonzalez will not return to her company in future |
B.Gonzalez’s business has improved a little lately |
C.Gonzalez got her social-worker job with great difficulty |
D.Marcos lost his job and had to work at Gonzalez’s company |