Once when I was a teenager, my father and I were standing in line to buy tickets for the circus. (马戏团)Finally, there was only one family between the ticket office and us. This family made a big impression on me.
There were eight children, all probably under the age of 12. You could tell they didn’t have a lot of money. Their clothes were not expensive, but they were clean. The children talked excitedly about the clowns. It was clearly a very important day out for them. The father and mother seemed happy as they could be.
The tickets lady asked how many tickets the father wanted, he proudly answered, “Please let me buy eight children’s tickets and two adults’ tickets, so I can take my family to the circus.”
The ticket lady told him the price.
The man’s wife lowered her head. There was no longer a smile on the man’s face. He quietly asked, “How much did you say?”
The ticket lady again told him the price.
The man obviously didn’t have enough money. But how could he tell his kids the bad news?
Seeing what was happening, my dad took a $20 note from his pocket and dropped in on the ground. (We were not rich ourselves at all!) He then tapped the man on the shoulder and said, “Excuse me, sir, you dropped this.”
The man understood my father was helping him. He picked up the money, looked straight into my dad’s eyes, and in tears replied. “Thank you. This really means a lot to me and my family.”
Although we did not go to the circus that night, we didn’t go without.Why does the writer say “Their clothes were not expensive, but they were clean” ( Paragraph 2)?
| A．To show the children were well looked after. |
| B．To show cheap clothes could be popular. |
| C．To show how hard the mother worked. |
| D．To show how rich the family were. |
Why was the poor man unhappy after he spoke with the ticket lady?
| A．He had lost his money. |
| B．His children were noisy. |
| C．The tickets were sold out. |
| D．The tickets were too expensive. |
Who did the $20 note belong to?
| A．The poor man. |
| B．The writer’s father. |
| C．The poor man’s wife. |
| D．The ticket lady. |
Why was the poor man in tears at the end of the story?
| A．He found the money he lost. |
| B．He wanted others to help him. |
| C．He made his children unhappy. |
| D．He was thankful for the kindness. |
Which of the following statements is probably true according to the passage?
| A．The poor saw the circus that night. |
| B．The two families became close friends. |
| C．The writer’s father earned some money. |
| D．The writer saw the circs that night. |
Assertiveness is the ability to confidently express your opinions, feelings,attitudes, and rights, in a way that doesn't infringe（侵犯） the rights of others.
Many of us are taught that it is not nice to consider our own needs above those of others. If someone says or does something that we don't like, we should just be quiet and try to stay away from that person in the future.
Why is Assertiveness important?
If you don't know how to be assertive, you might experience:
•Depression - Anger, a sense of being helpless, hopeless, or of having no control over your life.
•Resentment - Anger at others for taking advantage of you.
•Frustration - Why did I allow that to happen?
Most people find it easier to be assertive in some situations than in others. This makes perfect sense. It's a lot easier to hold your ground with a stranger than with someone you love. But the more important the relationship is to you, the more ｉｍｐｏｒｔａｎｔ it is to be assertive. Assertive behavior leads to increased respect from others！
But before you decide to act assertively, you have to decide if you can live
with the results. Although assertive behavior usually will result in a positive
response (积极的回应)，some people might react differently.
How to be effectively（有效地） assertive:
•Use "I" statements. Keep the focus on the problem you're having. "I'd like to be able to tell my stories without interruption." instead of "You're always interrupting my stories ! "
•Use facts, not opinions. "Did you know that shirt has a hole?" instead of "You're not going out looking like THAT, are you?"
•Express ownership of your thoughts, feelings, and opinions. "I get angry when he breaks his promises. " instead of "He makes me angry. "
• Make clear and direct requirements. Don't invite the person to say no. "Will you please?" instead of 'Would you mind．．．?" or "Why don't you．．．?"
•Keep repeating your point. Use a low level and pleasant voice. Don't try to explain yourself.The writer probably agrees that____________.
| A．you should consider others' response before you act assertively |
| B．you should be assertive if you want to get good marks |
| C．assertiveness is the ability to infringe others' rights. |
| D．assertive behavior will bring you bad feelings |
The expression "hold yourｇround" probably means “_________________”
| A．reach an agreement |
| B．insist on your point |
| C．keep your word |
| D．keep on fighting |
Which of the following helps you to be effectively assertive?
| A．Explaining yourself in a soft and sweet voice. |
| B．Expressing ownership of others' thoughts. |
| C．Making requirements directly and clearly. |
| D．Using your opinions instead of facts. |
I bought a jasmine plant for my office. When I bought it, I was told it would bloom（开花） and the sweet smell would fill my office. I had the plant for two months, and every day I looked at it, but there weren't any flowers or pleasant smell. I was not happy, so I gave the plant to my friend Linda.
One day, another friend Mary called and invited me to her office. When I walked in, her jasmine flowers surprised me. I reached out to touch the flowers. Mary cut some and gave them to me. I couldn't help smelling them. Surrounded by the sweet smell of only a handful of these flowers, I suddenly understood something.
Mary bought her plant the same time I did. It took a year for her jasmine to bloom. I was so impatient for mine to bloom; regretfully, I gave it away.
In a way my life is like the jasmine plant. I need to be patient and let things happen.
Last Sunday Linda told me that she was going abroad the next week. Before she left, she returned the plant to me. This time I am going to wait. I have learned that when we want something in our life, we have to be patient. I am slowly learning to have that patience to wait for my jasmine to bloom.Before she gave the jasmine away, the writer had it for .
A. one day B. one year C . two weeks D. two monthsWhen the writer saw Mary's jasmine, she felt____________ .
| A．unhappy | B．peaceful | C．hopeful | D．surprised |
What has the writer learned from her experience?
| A．Patience is needed in life. |
| B．Flowers can make life better. |
| C．Friendship is necessary for us. |
| D．Jasmine can be a wonderful plant. |
C
How many popular articles are there in the magazine?
| A．2 | B．3 | C．4 | D．5 |
Which article is about saving money?
| A．Ice cream and banking. |
| B．Black sheep and Uncle Bob. |
| C．Relation between you and food. |
| D．Films that aren’t really about Canada. |
What is Black sheep and Uncle Bob about?
| A．American films. | B．Family stories. |
| C．Food. | D．Banking. |
The human brain weighs about 1.4 kilograms, but it can, hold much more information than most computers. However, there is another difference between humans and computers. Computers don't forget information they are given, but humans often do. No one remembers everything, and luckily we don't usually have to. But everyone can improve their memory if they want to. Here are some suggestions.
◆Try to use new informati6n immediately. For example, if you meet someone who says "Hi! I'm Carlos," don't just say "Hello." Repeat the person's name. Say"____"
◆Break a big number into smaller parts. For example, it's hard to memorize (记忆) 109244153. But if you break it into three parts--109/244/153—it becomes easier.
◆Write out what you need to remember ever and over again. This will help you keep it in mind longer, especially for memorizing formulas (公式) or facts.
◆Always review information. If you bring what you've learned back to your mind, they become easier to remember. For example, before you go to sleep, it’s a good idea to review the new things you learned that clay.
◆Discuss with a friend. It is always easier to remember things through discussions. You can have a discussion about what's right and what's wrong, and it will lead to the right answer.
◆Never tell yourself that you have a bad memory. You can always do something to help improve your memory. And everyone's memory gets better if they use it often enough.
All of the suggestions are helpful. If you follow them, you are certain to improve your memory.How many suggestions are mentioned in the passage?
| A．Three. | B．Four. | C．Five. | D．Six. |
Which should be put in the blank (空格) in Paragraph 2？
| A．Hello, Carlos. | B．How do you do? |
| C．Hello, I am Sophia. | D．Glad to meet you! |
What can help memorize a big number more easily according to the passage?
| A．To store it in a computer. | B．To break it into stunner parts. |
| C．To discuss it with a friend. | D．To review it before you sleep. |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．Discussing with friends can help you remember things. |
| B．Always reviewing information can help you fall asleep. |
| C．Formulas and facts can help you learn about your brain. |
| D．Human beings can improve their memory by computer. |
What does the sentence "Never tell yourself that you have a bad memory” mean?
| A．You should tell others about your bad memory. |
| B．You should believe in other people all the time. |
| C．You should ask others to improve their memory. |
| D．You should ho confident in your memory ability. |
| broadcast1/'brɔ:dkɑ:st||ˈbrɔdˌkæst/n[C] a programme on the radio or on television: a radio news broadcast | live broadcast ( =" a" programme that you see or hear at the same time as the events are happening) broadcast2 v past tense and past participle, broadcast 1 [ I,T] to send out radio or television programmes: The interview was broadcast live across Europe. 2 [T] to tell something to a lot of people: There was no need to broadcast the fact that he lost his job. broadcaster /ˈbrɔːdkɑːstə || ˈbrɔːdkæstər/ n [C] |
curious/ˈkjʊəriəs || 'kjur-/ adj 1 wanting to know about something: When I mentioned her name everyone was curious. | [ +about] I’m incurious about this book she's supposed to be writing. |curious to see/hear/know etc: Mandy was curious to hear what Peter had to say himself.—opposite INCURIOUS 2 strange or unusual: a curious noise coming from the cellar | curious that It's very curious that she left without saying goodbye. curl1 /kɜ:l|| kɚrl/ n 1[C] a small mass of hair |
| flask / flɑ:sk || flæsk/n [C] I BrE a special type of bottle that you use to keep liquids either hot or cold, for example when travelling 2 a flat bottle usually used to carry alcohol 3 a glass bottle with a narrow top, used in a LABORATORY flat1/ flæt / adj flatter, flattest 1▶ SURFACE◀ smooth and level, without raised or hollow areas, and not sloping or curving: a flat-bottomed boat |a perfectly flat sandy beach | flat as a |
pollute / pə'lu:t/ v[T] 1 to make air, water, soil etc dangerously dirty and not suitable for people to use: beaches polluted by raw sewage | industrial emissions that pollute the air 2 pollute sb’s mind to give someone immoral thoughts and spoil their character: fears that Lawrence's novels would pollute young minds--polluted adj: polluted rivers--polluter n [C] pollution / pəˈlu:ʃn /n [U] 1 the process of making |
The pronunciation of the word "broadcast" is ____ or/ˈbrɔdˌkæst /.
| A．/'brɔ:dkɑ:st/ | B．/'brəud'sɑ:st/ | C．/bræd'kɔst/ | D．/'bru:dkɑ:st/ |
The word"____ "can be used as an adjective (形容词).
| A．pollute | B．pollution | C．curious | D．curiously |
Which of the following is a flask?
| A． | B． | C． | D． |
The word "pollute" means "______".
| A．to tell something to a lot of people | B．wanting to know about something |
| C．a programme on the radio or on TV | D．to make air. water, soil, etc dirty |
These texts are probably from ______.
| A．a magazine | B．a dictionary |
| C．a newspaper | D．an advertisement |