“Earthquake!” The word flashed in my brain. A roaring sound filled my ears. I tried to hide beneath my desk. The desk did a wild tap dance, slipping and sliding towards the center of the room. I twisted(扭曲) my body and grabbed at the windowsill(窗沿) behind me, somehow kicking free of my dancing chair. I tried to stand. My legs skated away as if on a bucking escalator(弯曲的自动扶梯).
My fingers shook, grasped and held the windowsill tightly. Somewhere through the roar sounded the terrified scream of some wounded animals. I looked behind me and tried to steady my gaze on the other kids but the scene was a dizzy nightmare. Some of the class were sitting in the middle of the room, surrounded by chairs and desks. One girl was screaming. A boy was trying to move across the floor to the door in a crazy overarm crawl(肩上爬行).
I cried aloud, “I’m going to die. I’m going to die. Save me, I’m not ready to die, I’m not ready!”
I moved forward on my knees and pressed my face against my clenched fingers(握紧拳头). Suddenly I realized that the rocking had stopped. Perhaps I wasn’t going to die.The roaring sound was made by ____________________.
| A．a wounded animal | B．people screaming |
| C．children running | D．an earthquake |
When the writer clenches his fingers he is ___________________.
| A．afraid | B．angry |
| C．injured | D．impatient |
Paragraph 2 describes the ________________________.
| A．injuries suffered by the writer |
| B．effects of a bad nightmare |
| C．disorder in the classroom |
| D．the writer’s fear of death |
At the end of the passage there is a feeling of ___________________.
| A．fear | B．hope |
| C．sorrow | D．excitement |
For good health, be sure to eat fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly and lie as seldom as possible. A researcher is hoping this advice will someday take hold, based on results of a "science of honesty" study she completed.
Half of 110 participants were told to stop telling major or minor ("white") lies for 10 weeks, while the other half (the control group) was given no special instructions about lying.
The 110 people ranged from ages 18 to 71 and came from both sexes and all income levels. All came to a laboratory each week to complete health and relationship questionnaires and to take a test showing the number of major and minor lies they had told that week.
When those in the no-lie group told three fewer white lies than in other weeks, they complained less of headaches, tenseness, anxiety and other problems than those in the control group. In addition, they reported that their close personal relationships had improved and their social interactions(交往) had gone more smoothly.
“The link was that clear," said study author Anita Kelly, a professor of psychology at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana. "Lying less was clearly associated with better health for those people."
Previous research indicates that Americans average 11 lies per week, from the little white lies to save face or falsely praise others to major lies about serious matters. Kelly said her study differs from former studies because it didn't focus on how to detect a liar, but on the potential health consequences of telling lies.
“People might recognize the more harmful effect lying can have on relationships, but probably don't recognize the extent to which it can cause a lot of stress," said Dr. Bryan Bruno at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
At the end of the study, some participants had created smart ways to avoid lying. Kelly noted that some realized they could simply tell the truth about their daily achievements rather than exaggerate(夸张), while others responded to a troubling question with another question to take the person’s attention away. They also stopped making false excuses for running late or failing to finish tasks.
“People usually think white lies are acceptable. In fact, white lies are trouble, not just major lies," Kelly said. "As long as you like, you can find effective ways to avoid lying in many cases. It depends on you.”
“But the goal doesn’t have to be the absolute absence of lies … the goal would be a reduction in lies,” she added.According to the author, doing the following things is good for health EXCEPT.
| A．eating fruits and vegetables | B．exercising regularly |
| C．lying as seldom as possible | D．watching TV |
The “science of honesty” study by Anita Kelly focused on .
| A．the effect lifestyles have on health. |
| B．the link between lying and health. |
| C．how to improve relationships |
| D．how to discover a liar. |
Which of the following is TRUE about the research?
| A．All the participants were adults. |
| B．The control group was asked to stop lying. |
| C．The participants had ten physical examinations. |
| D．All the participants were of the same income level. |
The finding of the research is that .
| A．white lies help to improve relationships. |
| B．few people realize lying harms their health. |
| C．Americans tell 11 lies per week on average. |
| D．Lying less results in better health mentally and physically. |
Please excuse me if I’m a little sad today because Mark is leaving．You probably don’t know Mark，but you might be lucky enough to know someone just like him．He’s been the heart and soul of the office for a couple of years combining professional skills with a sweet and gentle nature．He’s never been all that interested in getting credit for the terrific work he does．He just wants to do his job，and to do it extremely well．
And now he’s moving on to an exciting new professional opportunity．It sounds like it could be the chance of a lifetime，and we’re sincerely pleased for him．But that doesn’t make it any easier to say goodbye to a dear friend and trusted colleague．
Life has a way of throwing these curve（曲线的） balls at us．Just when we start to get comfortable with a person，a place or a situation，something comes along to change the recipe．A terrific neighbor moves away．Someone in the family graduates．A child finds new love and loyalties through marriage．The family’s bread-winner is laid off．Our ability to cope with change and disruption（混乱） determines our peace，happiness and contentment in life．
But how do we do that? According to the author of Ecclesiastes，comfort can be found in remembering that “to everything there is a season，and a time to every purpose under heaven．Let today embrace the past with remembrance，and the future with longing．’’
“Change，indeed，is painful，yet ever needful，”said philosopher Thomas Carlyle．“And if memory has its force and worth，so also has hope．”
We’re going to miss Mark．But rather than lose ourselves in the sadness of our parting，we’ll focus on our hopes for a brighter future——for him，and for us．And then we’ll go out and do everything we can to make that future happen．Until our plans change——again．What will happen to Mark soon?
| A．He will pass away． | B．He will leave for a new job． |
| C．He will get married． | D．He will stay with us forever． |
The underlined word “credit” in Para．1 probably means __________ ．
| A．praise | B．criticism |
| C．opportunity | D．job |
From the passage，we can learn that __________ ．
| A．any change will make us upset any time |
| B．it is easy to say goodbye to a dear friend and trusted colleague |
| C．our happiness depends on our ability to deal with change |
| D．comfort can be found in remembering the sadness |
The best title of the passage may be __________ ．
| A．My Friend Mark | B．Focusing on Future |
| C．Always Changing | D．A Sad Story |
Should we allow modern buildings to be built next to older buildings in historic area of a city? In order to answer this question, we must first examine whether people really want to preserve the historic feel of an area. Not all historical buildings are attractive. However, there may be other reasons—for example, economic(经济的) reasons—why they should be preserved. So, let us assume that historical buildings are both attractive and important to the majority of people. What should we do then if a new building is needed?
In my view, new architectural styles can exist perfectly well alongside an older style. Indeed, there are many examples in my own home town of Tours where modern designs have been placed very successfully next to old buildings. As long as the building in question is pleasing and does not dominate(影响)its surroundings too much, it often improves the attractiveness of the area.
It is true that there are examples of new buildings which have spoilt(破坏)the area they are in, but the same can be said of some old buildings too. Yet people still speak against new buildings in historic areas. I think this is simply because people are naturally conservative (保守的)and do not like change.
Although we have to respect people's feelings as fellow users of the buildings, I believe that it is the duty of the architect and planner to move_things_forward. If we always reproduced what was there before, we would all still be living in caves. Thus, I would argue against copying previous architectural styles and choose something fresh and different, even though that might be the more risky choice.What does the author say about historical buildings in the first paragraph?
| A．Most of them are too expensive to preserve. |
| B．Some of them are not attractive. |
| C．They are more pleasing than modern buildings. |
| D．They have nothing to do with the historic feel of an area. |
Which of the following is true according to the author?
| A．We should reproduce the same old buildings. |
| B．Buildings should not dominate their surroundings. |
| C．No one understands why people speak against new buildings.j-y |
| D．Some old buildings have spoilt the area they are in. |
By “move things forward” in the last paragraph, the author probably means “________.”
| A．destroy old buildings |
| B．respect people's feelings for historical buildings21 |
| C．put things in a different place |
| D．choose new architectural styles |
What is the main purpose of the passage?
| A．To argue that modern buildings can be built in historic areas. |
| B．To explain why people dislike change. |
| C．To warn that we should end up living in caves. |
| D．To admit how new buildings have ruined their surroundings. |
Americans plan parties for many reasons. As in other cultures, many Americans attend parties for weddings and religious or national holidays. But some parties are especially American. For example, a group of neighbors may gather on their street to eat food, play music and visit with one another. This is called a block party. A woman might invite a group of women to a party called a baby shower for a friend who is about to give birth. Guests bring presents for the new baby.
Americans also attend tailgate parties. A tailgate is the back end of a truck or other vehicle that opens down. The tailgate parties are a big part of sports culture in the United States. Friends bring food and drink to a sports event. They eat together in the parking area of the sports stadium.
Birthday parties are also very popular. Many parents organize a party for their child around a theme. Birthday parties usually include gifts and a birthday cake with candles. In many parts of the United States, cupcakes have become a popular replacement for cakes.
Birthday parties can be low cost or very costly. Some parents take their children’s birthday parties very seriously, even when the child is too young to fully understand the celebration.
One group of parents started a website called Birthdays Without Pressure. They decided that some parents were under too much social pressure to plan costly parties for their children. The group sees this movement as an example of America’s culture of “too much stuff”. The group’s website gives suggestions on how to keep birthday celebrations simple, meaningful and fun without spending a lot of money. Their advice may be very helpful during this period of economic recession (萧条)．What can be the best title for the passage?
| A．Reasons for parties |
| B．Birthdays without pressure |
| C．Different parties in the world |
| D．American parties |
How many kinds of parties does the passage mention?
| A．5. | B．7. | C．6. | D．8. |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Birthday parties are the most popular in America. |
| B．Some parties in America are the same as in other countries. |
| C．There’s a party for the mother before her new baby is born. |
| D．Block party is especially American |
The purpose of Birthdays Without Pressure is to advise people to _________.
| A．relieve people’s pressure |
| B．make birthday parties meaningful and costly |
| C．have meaningful birthday parties with low cost |
| D．spread America’s culture |
This March is a busy month in Shanghai. There’s a lot to do. Here are the highlights.
Live Music—Late Night Jazz
Enjoy real American jazz from Herbie Davis, the famous trumpet player. He’s coming with his new 7-piece band, Herbie’s Heroes. Herbie is known to play well into the early hours, so don’t expect to get much sleep. This is Herbie’s third visit to Shanghai. The first two were sold out, so get your tickets quickly.
Scottish Dancing
Take your partners and get ready to dance till you are tired. Scottish dancing is fun and easy to learn.
Instructors will demonstrate the dances. The live band, Gordon Stroppie and the Weefrees, are also excellent.
Exhibitions—Shanghai Museum
There are 120,000 pieces on show here. Your can see the whole of Chinese history under one roof. It’s always interesting to visit, but doubly so at the moment with the Egyptian Tombs exhibition. There are lots of mummies and more gold than you’ve ever seen before. Let us know if you see a mummy move!
Dining –Sushi chef in town
Sushi(寿司) is getting really big in Shanghai. In Japan, it’s become an art form. The most famous Sushi ‘artist’ is Yuki Kamura. She’s also one of the few female chefs in Japan. She’ll be at Sushi Scene all of this month.
For a full listing of events, see our website.Suppose you are going to attend an activity at 8:00p.m. on Saturday, which one can you choose?
| A．Exhibitions –Shanghai Museum |
| B．Scottish dancing |
| C．Live Music—Late Night Jazz |
| D．Dining—Sushi chef in town |
Which of the following is true according to the advertisements?
| A．Scottish dancing is so interesting and easy that it never tires you out . |
| B．The performance given by the American jazz band won’t last long . |
| C．Sushi is not popular in Shanghai as it is a kind of Japanese traditional food. |
| D．It is more interesting to visit Shanghai Museum for the exhibits from Egypt. |
From the text we may learn that Kamura is _________.
| A．a cook | B．a waitress |
| C．an musician | D．an artist |