Hilary Smith belonged to a good family. But by the age of twenty, he had spent all the money the good old family had. He then had some trouble with the bank and was put in prison. He escaped from the prison and ran to Australia without delay.
Hilary did not like Australia and Australia did not like Hilary. What he could do seemed to be one of two things: die or work. Then he remembered that he was not alone in the world. He had an aunt.
She was his father's only sister, but his father used to say she brought no glory to the family. Hilary, of course, tried to discover what she had done. It seemed that she had failed to marry a nobleman. Instead, she had chosen a husband who was connected with "trade". Of course as soon as she became "Mrs. Parks", her brother considered her dead. Later on, Mr. Parks died and left her a lot of money; but that did not bring her back to life in her brother's opinion.
Hilary discovered his aunt's address. Fortunately she remained faithful and honest to him even after she fell ill. So Hilary's star shone again, and soon he moved into her house and lived as comfortably as a sailor who had just reached harbor. He had only about a sixpence in his pocket.
One thing was soon clear: his aunt was seriously ill, and nothing could cure her illness. Hilary was very worried. Fate had found a home for him, and was now going to throw him out of it. There was only one thing that could save him: her will.
"Will?" she said, "yes, I have made one. That was when I was a girl and had not much money. I left all my money to some religious people."
"Didn't you make another will when you were married?" Hilary asked.
His aunt shook her head. "No," she said in a low voice, "There was no need. When I finally had a lot of money I found 1 had no relations."
On the next day he went to the public library and examined a book of law. It told him what he already believed. When a woman is married, an earlier will loses its value. A new will must be made. If no new will is made, the money goes to the nearest relation. Hilary knew that he was his aunt's only relation. His future was safe.
After a few months had passed, Hilary's problems became serious. He badly needed money. He had expensive tastes, and owed a lot of money to shopkeepers. They trusted him because his aunt was rich; but the debt was terrible.
Unfortunately his aunt did not want to discuss money matters at all. In the end they had a quarrel about the small amount of ten pounds. Hilary was not very angry. He began to wonder about a new problem. Was it kind to want his aunt to live any longer? Was it not better for her to die now? While he was considering what to do, his aunt told him that she was going to send for her lawyer. So she was going to make a new will, Hilary thought. She might leave all her money to someone else. Soon he reached a clear decision. He must do a great kindness to the poor old woman.
One night when the old servant who had been nursing his aunt went off, he doubled the amount of some medicine. The total amount was too great and it could just put her to sleep forever.
"Thank you," his aunt took the glass from his hand with a grateful look." I want, more than anything, to sleep, and never to wake up again. Is that what you wish, Hilary? Don't blame me if I have some doubts about what you intended to do. Sick people get these ideas, you know. One thing I ought to explain to you. Mr. Parks never married me. He already had a wife and couldn't marry again. That made your foolish father very angry with me...Well, if I am alive tomorrow I shall make another will in your favor. If I die tonight, you'll get nothing...No, Hilary, don't try to take the glass away. If you do that, I shall know; and I don't want to know. Good night, Hilary."
Then, very carefully, she raised the glass to her mouth and drank.From the story ,we learn that Hilary's aunt was ______.
| A．bad-tempered and lonely | B．kind-hearted and wise |
| C．careless about money | D．cruel to her niece |
Why did Hilary's father consider his aunt dead?
| A．Because they lost contact with each other after her marriage. |
| B．Because she married a businessman with a wife against his will. |
| C．Because she broke away from the family for a better life. |
| D．Because he thought she was a shame to the family |
The underlined sentence "He must do a great kindness to the poor old woman" in paragraph 11 suggests that Hilary Smith ______.
| A．was determined to put his aunt's life to an end |
| B．decided to do his aunt a favor to call in a lawyer |
| C．made up his mind to take good care of his aunt |
| D．would help his aunt to donate all her money to religious people |
Which of the following is the focus of the story?
| A．Hilary's aunt's money. | B．Hilary Smith's debts. |
| C．The intended murder. | D．Hilary's aunt's marriage. |
According to the law book,_____.
| A．Hilary's aunt is not allowed to make a new will. |
| B．the money will go to Hilary after his aunt dies without a new will. |
| C．Hilary's aunt must leave the money to the religious people after she dies. |
| D．Hilary must look after his aunt till her death because he is the only relation. |
Which detail from the story is the climax of the story?
| A．Hilary escaped from the prison. |
| B．Hilary quarreled with is aunt about ten pounds. |
| C．Hilary's aunt drank the medicine her nephew prepared for her. |
| D．Hilary's aunt made a will to leave all her money to someone else. |
READY or not, the college application season has begun. There are two main kinds of early admissions programs: Early Action and Early Decision.
Early Action is a great choice for the well-prepared student. Students apply early, and are allowed to apply under an Early Action program to as many colleges as they choose. The biggest advantage for students is that colleges let them know early – in most cases, before Jan 1. Roughly 15 percent of colleges and universities offer an Early Action option. Oct 15 is now the first deadline for many colleges and universities.This movement toward earlier deadlines is especially popular in the Southeast, with many of the large public universities leading the way. North Carolina State University, the University of South Carolina and the University of Georgia all have an Oct 15 Early Action deadline.
Early Decision is a promise that cannot be reversed. Students who are accepted must take back their other applications and should attend that school. Students are allowed to apply to just one school under an Early Decision program. Early Decision deadlines are in early November, with colleges letting students know by mid-December.Many students believe that they are more likely to be accepted if they apply for Early Decision, but it actually depends.
In some cases there is big increase in students being accepted, and at other colleges it is not that big at all. Generally, the strongest students are applying early. Athletes and students with focused interests are encouraged to apply for Early Decision
Choose the best answer:
| A．To explain the process of applying to study in the US. |
| B．To describe two types of US college early admissions programs. |
| C．To encourage students who want to study in the US to apply early. |
| D．To list the advantages of early admissions programs. |
| A．A student who is accepted as an Early Action applicant must attend the college they apply to. |
| B．The deadline for Early Action is usually two months earlier than the one for Early Decision. |
| C．Students can apply to several colleges at the same time under an Early Action program. |
| D．Students can apply for Early Action at the majority of universities and colleges in the US. |
| A．changed | B．balanced | C．accepted | D．arranged |
| A．Students are not allowed to apply for both Early Decision and Early Action at the same time. |
| B．Students applying for Early Decision impress colleges because they tend to be more active than others. |
| C．Early Decision is most fit for students who are skilled in some field. |
| D．Those applying for Early Decision have a better chance of being accepted than those applying for Early Action. |
OF course, Ms Cratty wasn’t really my aunt and, out of fear, I never called her that to her face. I only called her “My Aunt Fannie (俚语)” because the name always made my father chuckle (轻声地笑) and caused my mother to look seriously at both of us – at me for being disrespectful of my elder, and at my father for encouraging my bad behavior. I enjoyed both reactions so I looked for every opportunity to work the name into as many conversations as possible.
As a young woman, my mother had worked in the kitchen of a large farmhouse owned by Ms Cratty and her twin brother. Neither had married, and they had no children. My father once told me that it was because they were both too mean to share their family’s money or pass it on. Ms Cratty was famous for her jam and for never sharing the recipe with another one. Even though my mother knew the recipe , she never made the jam without Ms Cratty kitchen to direct the process and keep the secret.
Each August, my mother would prepare me for Aunt Fannie’s visit. One year, after I had been particularly helpful with the jam process Aunt Fannie gave me a quarter and then made me promise that I would never spend it. “Hold onto this quarter,” she said, “and someday you will be rich. I still have my very first quarter, given to me by my grandfather.” It had obviously worked for her. So, I put the quarter in my dresser drawer, and waited to become rich.
I now have the jam recipe and the quarter from Aunt Fannie. Neither has made me wealthy, but I keep them as reminders to hold onto the valuable things in life. Money can make you feel rich for a while, but it is the relationships and the memories of time spent with friends and family that truly leave you wealthy. And that is a fortune that anyone can build.
| A．Because she wanted to show respect for her. |
| B．Because she believed that made her seem closer to her. |
| C．Because she loved to see her parents’ responses to it. |
| D．Because she didn’t like her and thus made fun of her. |
| A．owned the large farmhouse with Aunt Fannie |
| B．disliked Aunt Fannie’s meanness and the way she would never share |
| C．didn’t know the exact way to make the jam |
| D．tried to make Aunt Fannie believe that the secret recipe was safe |
| A．was a reminder of the valuable things in her life |
| B．would bring her good luck and make her rich |
| C．was a small reward for her help with the jam process |
| D．was the exact one that Aunt Fannie had received from her grandfather |
| A．have a certain secret recipe |
| B．have lasting love and friendship |
| C．share our wealth with others |
| D．have good fortune and money |
HOW many of you have used rock, paper, scissors (RPS) as a “fair” way to settle something? If you think it is a game of chance, think again, according to scientists.
RPS is a game as popular in the East as it is in the West. The rules are the same: Two players make one of the three hand signs. To decide the winner, rock breaks scissors, scissors cut paper, and paper covers rock.
Many of us play with no game plan in mind. But researchers have worked out several winning patterns. The World Rock Paper Scissors Society holds tournaments (联赛) in Toronto, Canada. According to their data, players choose rock (35.4 percent) and paper (35 percent) more than scissors (29.6 percent).
If your opponent is a man or an angry person, it’s quite possible they will start the game with rock, researchers have found. If your opponent is a woman or a beginner, you should expect them to start with scissors.
Earlier this year, Chinese scientists asked 360 students to compete in a RPS tournament at Zhejiang University. Scientists found that winners tend to choose the same action they won with, while the loser tends to change to the next action in the order of rock, scissors, paper.This is called the “win-stay lose-change” strategy(策略). Humans use this strategy in many competitive situations.
Expert RPS players have many other techniques. Monica Martinez, 2008 winner of the World RPS Tournament, said that she read faces.“I didn’t worry about what I was going to do, I just did what I thought they were going to do,” she told The Telegraph. If your friends are similar experts, learn from Jonathan Monaco, winner of the 2009 USA RPS Tournament. He wears dark sunglasses to cover his expressions during the game.
Remember, the strategy for playing RPS depends on how skilled your opponent is. But if you’re looking for a quick, simple winning rule for a match, choose paper. Scissors is the least popular choice, and men favor rock. Both are reasons to choose paper.
| A．The popularity of RPS games around the world. |
| B．The general rules of RPS games. |
| C．A game plan for RPS games. |
| D．The fairness of RPS games. |
| A．studying the rules of the game |
| B．analyzing game data |
| C．interviewing expert players |
| D．organizing major tournaments |
| A．She likes to use the same actions many times in a row when playing the game. |
| B．She usually follows the order of rock, scissors and paper when playing the game. |
| C．She is good at reading her opponent’s moves when playing the game. |
| D．She often wears dark sunglasses when playing the game. |
| A．scissors is the most popular choice of skilled RPS players |
| B．paper is a safer choice than rock and scissors for RPS players |
| C．beginners have barely any chance of winning against skilled RPS players |
| D．men are usually better at RPS games than women |
I have happy memories of trips to Europe, but my trip to Romania was unique. My husband was born there, but his family sent him to study in Italy. He hasn’t seen his family since he was 16.
When we reached Bucharest, his family was waiting outside to greet us. After a lot of hugging, kissing, and crying, his family also embraced (拥抱) me, the American wife with two young children. They had great interest in me. Few Americans visited Romania at that time, and most Romanians had little chance to travel.His family loved our gifts. We made trips to the Black Sea and the Carpathian Mountains. Eating at outdoor cafes to the sound of gypsy violins was very different, but nothing was as unforgettable as family dinners.
Most Romanian homes had old-fashioned washing machines but no dryers. It was a hot summer. My husband’s relatives didn’t want to risk dirtying their clothes. Their solution was as simple as it was surprising: The women had dinner in their bras (文胸) and slips (衬裙). The men were shirtless. They all had jobs, so time was precious. Disrobing (脱去衣服) for dinner was a small inconvenience compared with the effort of doing laundry – at least in their household, and perhaps all across Romania. I washed my clothes by hand and hung them outdoors to dry. I, of course, having just met them, ate fully clothed.
On the last night of our three-week stay, we had a large family dinner. I was tired of washing my clothes. So I pulled my dress over my head and placed it on the chair behind me. The table applauded. Even with my poor Romanian, I understood that they were saying: “She’s part of our family now.”
| A．his family showed no respect for her at first |
| B．she intended to talk to his family in English |
| C．she got extra attention from his family for her nationality |
| D．she found that she hadn’t brought enough gifts for his family |
| A．Most of his family members didn’t travel a lot at the time. |
| B．Women in his family had dinner in only their underclothes. |
| C．Most of her husband’s relatives didn’t like doing laundry. |
| D．They had old-fashioned washing machines but no dryers at home. |
| A．the author disrobed for dinner as the family did |
| B．they just wanted to show their love for the author |
| C．the author could finally understand them easily |
| D．it was time for the author to give a speech |
A funny thing happened on the way to the communications revolution: we stopped talking to one another.
I was walking in the park with a friend recently, and his cell phone rang, interrupting our conversation. There we were, walking and talking on a beautiful sunny day and…I became invisible, absent from the conversation.
The telephone used to connect you to the absent. Now it makes people sitting next to you feel absent. Why is it that the more connected we get, the more disconnected I feel? Every advance in communications technology is a tragedy to the closeness of human interaction. With e-mail and instant messaging over the Internet, we can now communicate without seeing or talking to one another. With voice mail, you can conduct entire conversations without ever reaching anyone. If my mom has a question, I just leave the answer on her machine.
As almost every contact we can imagine between human beings gets automated, the alienation(疏远) index goes up. You can't even call a person to get the phone number of another person anymore. Directory assistance is almost always fully automated.
I am not against modern technology. I own a cell phone, an ATM card, a voice, mail system, and an e-mail account. Giving them up isn't wise, they're a great help to us. It's some of their possible consequences that make me feel uneasy.
More and more, I find myself hiding behind e-mail to do a job meant for conversation, or being relieved that voice mail picked up because I didn’t really have time to talk. The industry devoted to helping me keep in touch is making me lonelier, or at least facilitating my antisocial instincts.
So I've put myself on technology restriction: no instant messaging with people who live near me, no cell phoning in the presence of friends, no letting the voice mail pick up when I'm at home.Which of the following would be the best title of the passage?
| A．The Advance of Communications Technology |
| B．The Consequences of Modern Technology |
| C．The Story of the Communications Revolution |
| D．The Automation of Modern Communications |
The sentence “Now it makes people sitting next to you feel absent” means that _________.
| A．the people sitting beside you have to go away to receive phone call |
| B．you can hardly get in touch with the people sitting beside you |
| C．modern technology makes it hard for people to have a face-to-face talk |
| D．people can now go to work without going to the office |
The writer feels that the use of modern communications is _________.
| A．satisfying | B．encouraging |
| C．disappointing | D．embarrassing |
The passage implies that________.
| A．modern technology is bridging people |
| B．modern technology is separating people |
| C．modern technology is developing too fast |
| D．modern technology is interrupting our communication |