| Writer/ Time |
Topic: Who’s a better singer, Andy Lau (刘德华) or Jacky Cheung (张学友)? |
| Jim 8-15-2006 5:25 pm. |
Some people say Jacky is the best Chinese singer. I don’t think so! Andy is the best. I went to his concert last year. It was so wonderful, I almost cried! OK, I did cry, but that’s because Andy is so handsome! |
| Tom 9-3-2006 4:38 pm. |
I disagree with Jim. Andy sounds like every other singer. His voice is nothing special. On the other hand, Jacky’s voice is unique, and his songs are so romantic! |
| Linda 9-10-2006 8:54 pm. |
I think they’re about the same. But Andy is a better actor. I’ve seen almost all of his movies. Remember the one where he was an airplane pilot, and his plane crashed near a farm? I love that movie! |
| John 9-16-2006 10:25 pm. |
I also think Jacky is a better singer. I prefer his Cantonese songs. Maybe they sound better because Cantonese is his first language. |
| Tom 10-2-2006 10:12 am. |
I agree. Jacky’s Cantonese songs are better than his Mandarin songs. (Though, I still like all his songs!) |
Who likes Andy Lau the best? __________.
| A．Jim | B．Tom |
| C．Linda | D．John |
Why did Jim cry? Because ___________.
| A．she was sad at a concert. |
| B．she had a broken heart. |
| C．she was angry at Jacky Cheung |
| D．she thought Andy Lau was very good looking |
Why does John think Jacky’s Cantonese songs sound the best? Because _________.
| A．Jacky has no experience singing in Mandarin |
| B．it’s his native language |
| C．his mandarin pronunciation is bad |
| D．Jacky’s Mandarin songs are boring |
Which of the following is TRUE? __________
| A．Nobody likes Andy’s movies. |
| B．Tom has the same opinion as John. |
| C．Tom thinks Andy’s voice is more special than Jacky’s. |
| D．Jim has never seen an Andy Lau concert. |
Have you ever noticed that the more you have the more you want? Let’s face it. Thinking our life is good enough doesn’t come naturally to many people. When we have high expectations of everything in life we will run into disappointment. Only when we are aware that needs are different from desires can we live with satisfaction. Here are a few ideas to help you be happier with what you have and who you are.
Focus on what you are thankful for. Most people want things to be better than they are, or when things are going well, we forget to appreciate what we have. Learn to reflect on how much better things are than they could be. Focus on what you are thankful for. Write down 5 things you are grateful for right now.
When we hold onto regrets from decisions we have made, it can really poison our well-being. Many people regret something they can no longer change, which ends up holding them back from moving forward in a more positive manner. What happened in the past is done and gone, so work to stay present and be mindful of the current moment to find more joy and fulfillment.
When we use other people as the measuring stick for our personal success and quality of life we are likely to be less satisfied. Social comparisons can provide useful information when we try to learn from others, but they also hold our perspective in a discontented position. Compare yourself less with others so you can be satisfied more.
When you are focused on your big ambitions and future goals you might elide the daily pleasures that surround you. Learn to slow down and absorb the wonder and beauty around you. Stay present and focus on the task you’re undertaking at the moment. Don’t let the life pass you by because you’re always on the go and distracted by ambition.
Practice looking at life through the lens of contentment and it will become more natural.How can we live with contentment?
| A．To change our lifestyle. |
| B．To have a motivation in life. |
| C．To give less attention to what we are grateful for. |
| D．To realize the difference between needs and desires. |
What’s the main idea of Paragraph 3?
| A．Make wise decisions. | B．Know the present situation |
| C．Let go of regrets. | D．Remember the past. |
The underlined word “elide”(in Paragraph 5) probably means “__”.
| A．enjoy | B．change | C．create | D．neglect |
What should you do to put yourself in a good mood?
| A．Make time for simple pleasures. |
| B．Learn from successful people. |
| C．Focus on your future goals. |
| D．Create chance to learn more. |
I was born in Korea, and my family came over to America when I was 10. I’m the middle child of three girls, and my parents moved so we would experience a different life. They did it for our education and to give us more of a chance than they had. We moved to Staten Island, and I went to the High School of Performing Arts in New York City. My parents were depressed when I told them I wanted to be an actress. My father suggested I try premed(医学预科). But after they saw me in plays they were really proud.
I graduated from Boston University and was doing theater in New York when I got cast in a Korean miniseries(电视连续剧). We started shooting the show in New York, and then went to Korea to finish it up. They said I would be there for three weeks, but it ended up being two months. The miniseries took off, and overnight, I became recognizable. It was sort of like Lost. It blew up. Then amazing projects were offered to me. I kept thinking, “ I’ll do one more and then go back to the US.” I ended up staying for seven years.
Some people described me as the Julia Roberts of Korea, which is a bad comparison because she’s the queen of romantic comedy. I became famous in Korea for a dramatic role in a film called Shiri. I played a “La Femme Nikita” type of role. I was the girl with the gun—all action．The writer’s parents moved to America so as to _________.
| A．offer a good chance to their children. |
| B．receive a good education in performing |
| C．seek a successful life in America |
| D．film a Korean miniseries |
When the writer announced her decision to become an actress, her parents_____.
| A．were both in favor of her | B．felt very ashamed of her |
| C．didn’t agree at first | D．took it for granted |
What is the second paragraph mainly about?
| A．The author’s performing life in America. |
| B．The difficulties of filming abroad. |
| C．The popularity of the miniseries Lost. |
| D．The author’s first performing breakthrough. |
The writer referred to the Julia Roberts of Korea as a bad comparison to show______.
| A．she looked down upon Julia Roberts. |
| B．she disliked to be compared with others |
| C．she had a different style of performing |
| D．she was better at dramatic roles than Julia |
Among various programs, TV talk shows have covered every inch of space on daytime television. And anyone who watches them regularly knows that each one is different in style. But no two shows are more opposite in content, while at the same time standing out above the rest, than the Jerry Springer and Oprah Winfrey shows.
Jerry Springer could easily be considered the king of "rubbish talk". The topics on his show are as surprising as can be. For example, the show takes the ever-common talk show titles of love, sex, cheating, and hate, to a different level. Clearly, the Jerry Springer show is about the dark side of society, yet people are willing to eat up the troubles of other people's lives.
Like Jerry Springer, Oprah Winfrey takes the TV talk show to its top. But Oprah goes in the opposite direction. The show is mainly about the improvement of society and different quality of life. Contents are from teaching your children lessons, managing your work week, to getting to know your neighbors.
Compared to Oprah, the Jerry Springer show looks like poisonous waste being poured into society. Jerry ends every show with a "final word". He makes a small speech about the entire idea of the show. Hopefully, this is the part where most people will learn something very valuable.
Clean as it is, the Oprah show is not for everyone. The show's main audience are middle-class Americans. Most of the people have the time, money and ability to deal with life's tough problems. Jerry Springer, on the other hand, has more of a connection with the young adults of society. These are 18-to 21year-olds whose main troubles in life include love, relationship, sex, money and drug. They are the ones who see some value and lessons to be learned through the show's exploitation.Compared with other TV talk shows, both the Jerry Springer and the Oprah Winfrey shows are ______.
| A．more interesting | B．more detailed |
| C．more formal | D．unusually poplar |
Though the social problems Jerry Springer talks about appear unpleasant, people who watch the shows ______.
| A．are ready to face up to them |
| B．show disbelief in them |
| C．remain cold to them |
| D．are willing to get away from them |
Which of the following is likely to be a topic of the Oprah Winfrey show?
| A．A new type of robot. | B．National hatred. |
| C．Family income planning. | D．Street accident. |
What is the advantage of the Jerry Springer show?
| A．The show exposes the dark sides of society. |
| B．Jerry sums up the whole idea of the show. |
| C．The show pours poisonous waste into society. |
| D．Jerry talks about the improvement of society. |
We can learn from the passage that the two talk shows ____.
| A．have become the only ones of its kind |
| B．exploit the weaknesses in human nature |
| C．appear at different times of the day |
| D．attract different people |
You know how wonderful you are, and you know that others know how wonderful you are, but what do you do when admiration crosses over the line into jealousy? For most teens there will come a day when you realize that one of your friends is jealous and that this jealousy is hurting your friendship. When this happens it can seem like there is nothing that you can do, but the good news is that there is. Don’t let jealousy spoil your relationships. Tackle it head on and you might be back to normal much sooner than you think.
It can be hard to walk up to a friend and ask them what the problem is, but if you want to save your friendship you’ll have to do just that. Don’t approach them and ask why they are jealous of you (unless of course you want to appear totally conceited), just take some time alone with them and let them know that you’ve been feeling like there’s been something coming between you. If they refuse to respond, then use the opportunity to explain how you have been feeling. Chances are that something you say will strike a nerve and your friend will open up as well.
When you figure out what is annoying your friend, ask him or her what (s)he thinks would make the situation better. If, for example, (s)he says that (s)he feels like (s)he doesn’t get to spend any time with you because of your being off with your new friends from the swim team then maybe you could invite her along the next time or block off one day a week for just the two of you. Remember, though, that whatever solution you decide on should be a compromise. Don’t limit your own talents or opportunities simply because your friend is unhappy. Try instead to include him or her in your new life and see how that works out.
Even the best of friendships can be tinged by jealousy. This destructive emotion is rarely productive and can turn best friends into worst enemies. Before taking extreme action, chat with your jealous friend to see if the two of you can work out a compromise. If you can’t, be prepared to know exactly how far you will go to keep your friend and how far you won’t.According to the author, the jealousy emotion is________.
| A．normal | B．destructive |
| C．productive | D．extreme |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a way to confront your friend when jealousy happens?
| A．Spending some time with him/her and letting him/her know you think there’s something between you. |
| B．Spending some time with him/her and letting him/her know how you feel. |
| C．Walking up to him/her and asking him/her what the problem is. |
| D．Walking up to him/her and asking him/her why he/she is jealous of you. |
The underlined “it” in the first paragraph refers to________.
| A．friendship | B．relationship |
| C．jealousy | D．admiration |
What can be inferred from the last two paragraphs?
| A．Jealousy can turn best friends into worst enemies. |
| B．There’s always a solution to solve the problem of jealousy. |
| C．You should go a long way with your friend to work out a solution |
| D．You may lose a friend to keep your own gifts, chances or self development. |
The purpose of the passage is________.
| A．to explain what causes jealousy |
| B．to offer some advice on making friends |
| C．to introduce the way to cope with a jealous friend |
| D．to explain how destructive the jealous emotion is |
I was thirteen when my father got hurt. Looking back over the years, I sometimes wonder what I could have done differently that day. Spit twice over my shoulder when I saw the single magpie (喜鹊), maybe. But that's the thing about superstitions (迷信). You don't know how much power they have until you break them.
We lived in a dark shabby house in Bucks. Wood blocks laid over dirt on the floor. That part of England was full of cherry trees. Chalky soil．
The rice had caught in the bottom of the pot that morning at breakfast and all I could smell was burned rice. Even now when I think of that day I have the taste of burned rice in my mouth.
"I'm going to cut down the old cherry tree," my father announced.
"You've been saying that for years," said my mother lightly touching the end of her nose. Her nose ran all year long. Her arms rested on the table, a cup of tea placed between her hands, steam rising into the air. "You'll never get round to it. "
My stomach, balled into a tight little knot (结) relaxed itself．
"Millie's going to cry if you cut it down," said my younger brother, Simon, his eyes bright as a fox. "Silly Millie, silly Millie."
"Hold your noise," said my father patting Simon on the head. "And put back that butter. That's a week's ration (限额) you've got on your plate. "
"The war's over," said Simon in a low voice." We haven't had rationing for ages." Simon was right. Even sugar had come off points. However, we still occasionally received food parcels from distant cousins in Canada.
My father glared at him and then went on.
"Pigs. Burt says he'll come and help me take the tree down if he can have some of the wood."
"No," I said springing to my feet." You can't do it. That's my tree. Always has been. Always will be. I won't let you."
Tom, took a piece of toast, watching my reaction. My older brother, he knew what the tree meant to me．
"Now then, Millie," said my father softening his face. "That tree's wild. It's in the way."The magpie is mentioned to show that _____.
| A．Millie got much power on seeing the bird |
| B．things seemed to go wrong from the beginning |
| C．the bird caused Father's getting hurt that day |
| D．but for the bird Millie would have done differently |
According to the passage, how many kids does the family have at least?
| A．6. | B．5. | C．4. | D．3. |
By saying "balled into a tight little knot", the author means that Millie _____.
| A．had a terrible stomachache that morning |
| B．felt like crying on hearing her brother's words |
| C．was afraid of her cherry tree being cut down |
| D．hated to hear her mother saying that way |
From the passage, we can infer that _____.
| A．there were already plenty of food supplies |
| B．Mother showed little interest in the cherry tree |
| C．the tree was a great danger to people walking by |
| D．the tree was finally cut down by father that day |
When the author calls up the day, she feels _____.
| A．regretful | B．joyful |
| C．thankful | D．Painful |