Dear daughter,
As we drove off from Columbia, I wanted to write a letter to you to tell you all that is on my mind.
I want to tell you how proud we are. Getting into Columbia is a real testament of what a great well-rounded student you are. Your academic, artistic, and social skills have truly blossomed in the last few years. You have become a talented and accomplished young woman.
College will be the most important years in your life. It is in college that you will truly discover what learning is about. You often question "what good is this course". I encourage you to be inquisitive, but I also want to tell you: "Education is what you have left after all that is taught is forgotten." What I mean by that is the materials taught isn't as important as you gaining the ability to learn a new subject, and the ability to analyze a new problem. That is really what learning in college is about – this will be the period where you go from teacher-taught to master-inspired, after which you must become self-learner. So do take each subject seriously, and even if what you learn isn't critical for your life, the skills of learning will be something you cherish forever.
Follow your passion in college. Take courses you think you will enjoy. Don't be trapped in what others think or say. Steve Jobs says when you are in college, your passion will create many dots, and later in your life you will connect them. In his great speech given at Stanford commencement, he gave the great example where he took calligraphy, and a decade later, it became the basis of the beautiful Macintosh fonts, which later ignited desktop publishing, and brought wonderful tools like Microsoft Word to our lives. His expedition into calligraphy was a dot, and the Macintosh became the connecting line. Enjoy picking your dots, and be assured one day you will find your calling, and connect a beautiful curve through the dots of yourself .
Most importantly, make friends and be happy. College friends are often the best in life, because during college you are closer to them physically than to your family. Also, going through independence and adulthood is a natural bonding experience.
So please treasure your college years – make the best of your free time, become an independent thinker in control of your destiny, evolve yourself into a bi-cultural talent, be bold to experiment, learn and grow through your successes and challenges.
When I faced the greatest challenge and opportunity in my life in 2005, you gave me a big hug and said "bonne chance", which means "good luck" and "good courage". Now I do the same for you. Bonne chance, my angel and princess. May Columbia become the happiest four years in your life, and may you blossom into just what you dream to be.
Love,
Dad (& Mom)What can we learn from the passage?
| A．The daughter is a well-rounded college student. |
| B．The father faced the greatest challenge in 2006. |
| C．The daughter is a freshman in college. |
| D．Steve Jobs gave the great example where he took calligraphy at Columbia commencement. |
The father may agree that _____.
| A．you will be well-educated if you forget all is taught |
| B．there are only master-inspired students in college |
| C．the daughter will be thinner if she goes on a diet |
| D．the skills of learning is very important for his daughter’s life |
The example of Steve Jobs in Paragraph 4 is to show _____.
| A．how Steve Jobs invented the basis of the Macintosh fonts |
| B．it is important for the daughter to follow her passion in college |
| C．Steve Jobs made great contributions to Microsoft Word |
| D．the father wishes his daughter to be as successful as Steve Jobs |
College friends are often the best to you because_____.
| A．your family are far away while college friends are around you within an easy reach |
| B．they are closer to you psychologically than to your family |
| C．they are better than your family |
| D．going through independence and adulthood is unusual bonding experience |
British society is considered to be divided into three main groups of classes－the upper class，the middle class．and the lower or working class．This is known as the class system and it is important
to know something about it if you mean to understand British people and society．Most British people grow up with a deep knowledge and understanding of the class system even if they are not very conscious（意识到的）of it．As a result，more people know which class they belong to and are able to tell which class other people come from by the way t
hey speak，the kind of clothes they wear，their interests and hobbies or even the type of food they eat．
Social class is not only about behavior and attitudes．For example，although many upper class people are rich and may own a lot of land，having a lot of money does not necessarily make a person one member of the upper class．It is also important to come from a particular kind of family，have friends who are considered suitable，have been to a certain type of private school and speak with the right kind of accent．There are people who are poor but who do not think of themselves as working class because their family background，education，political opinions，etc．are basically different from those of most working－class people．Many people do not like the class system but it is impossible to pretend that these differences do not exist or that British people do not sometimes form opinions in this way．The idea of the class system in Britain __________．
| A．exists only in the mind of foreigners | B．is deeply rooted in the British people |
| C．is now under attack | D．is regarded as a long custom |
If an Englishman has a lot of money，__________．
| A．he belongs to the middle class |
| B．he must be a member of the upper class |
| C．he is not likely to be from the upper class |
| D．he may buy an upper class title with money |
What does the second paragraph mainly discuss?
| A．Many rich people do not belong to the upper class． |
| B．Today many British people do not like the class system． |
| C．Many poor people do not consider themselves a lower class． |
| D．An Englishman’S social class is determined by many factors． |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．An Unequal Society | B．Social Class in Britain |
| C．British People and Society | D．Information about Britain |
Money and Happiness
A Guide to Living a Good Life
Author: Laura Rowley
Publisher: Wiley （March 1, 2007）
Laura Rowley makes us all understand the connection between money and happiness in our own lives so that we can spend our time and efforts wisely. She offers an insight（领悟）so that every reader can make smarter decisions and live a happier life.
Happiness
The Science Behind Your Smile
Author: Daniel Nettle
Publisher: Oxford University Press （July 1,2007）
It is the first book mainly about what happiness is and how happiness works. Nettle examines whether people are basically happy, whether success can make us happy, why some people are happier than others, etc.
The Happiness Makeover
How to Teach Yourself to Be Happy and Enjoy Every Day
Author: M. J. Ryan
Publisher: Broadway （May 10, 2007）
Ryan’s own desire to be happier first led her to study about happiness from brain science, psychology（心理学）, and the wisdom traditions of the world. The happiness Makeover draws on wide - ranging knowledge and presents some suggestions that will help you a lot:
● Clear away worry, fear, envy, and grudges.
● Learn to think about yourself confidently.
● Find daily ways to truly enjoy the moments of your life.
Hormones（荷尔蒙）, Health, and Happiness
Author: Steven F. Hotze
Publisher: Forrest Publishing （April, 2007）
Dr. Steven Hotze is leading a wellness revolution that advances a new model of healthcare.
In Hormones, Health, and Happiness, Dr. Hotze deals with the basic causes of poor health. You are shown how to reach and maintain the most favorable cell，tissue，and organ functioning．It can help you enjoy a better quality of life．What does the underlined“grudges”probably mean?
| A．anger | B．surprise | C．favour | D．preference |
If you want to know more about whether happiness has something to do with Success，you’d better read_____________．
| A．Money and Happiness | B．Happiness． |
| C．The Happiness Makeover | D．Hormones，Health，and Happiness |
Whose book will possibly help readers get a new kind of health and wellness model?
| A．Laura Rowley’s | B．M．J．Ryan’s |
| C．Daniel Nettle’s | D．Steven F．Hotze’s． |
Where we live, on the eastern shore of Maryland, the gentle waters run in and out like fingers slimming at the tips.
The Canada geese know this place, as do the white swans and ducks. In the autumn, they come home for the winter. Once or twice each year, snow and frozen rain move into the area. When this happens, if the river is at its narrowest, there is a freeze which hardens the water to the ice.
One morning, a friend of mine set the breakfast table beside the huge window, which overlooked the Tred Avon River. Suddenly she leaned forward and cried out, “There is a goose out
there.”
We saw the figure of a large Canada goose, very iii, its wings folded tight to its sides, its feet frozen to the ice.
Then from the dark sky, she saw a line of swans. They floated from the top of the sky downward and at last landed on the ice. My friend was on her feet now, with one unbelieving hand against her mouth. As the swans surrounded the frozen goose, she feared what life it still had might be pecked（啄）out by those great swan beaks.
Instead, those beaks began to work on the ice. The long necks were lifted and curved down, again and again. It went on for a long time. At last, the goose’s head lifted. Its body pulled. Then the goose was free and standing on the ice. And the swans stood in the air watching. Then, as if it had cried, “I cannot fly,” four of the swans came down around it. Their powerful beaks chipped off the ice and held in the feathers. Slowly, the goose spread its wings as far as they could go, and moved slowly into the sky.
This is a true story. I just think of it in the bad moments, and from it comes only one hopeful question:“ If so for birds, why not for man?”What happened to the Canada goose?
| A．It was deserted by other geese. | B．It was stuck in the ice. |
| C．It was wounded and couldn’t fly. | D．It was lost in the water. |
At first the author’s friend was worried that ________.
| A．the swans would not help the Canada goose |
| B．the swans would have the same fate with the Canada goose |
| C．the Canada goose wouldn’t identify with the swans |
| D．the swans would peck the Canada goose to death |
What did the swans do when they saw the Canada goose couldn’t fly?
| A．They chipped off the ice held in its feathers. |
| B．They waited patiently for the ice held in its feathers to melt. |
| C．They came down and lifted it up to the sky together. |
| D．They stayed with it and protected it. |
What would probably happen to the
author’s friend in the end?
| A．She stood there, watching attentively, still feeling a bit worried. |
| B．She was on her feet, laughing at the swans and the Canada goose. |
| C．She was embarrassed and went on with her breakfast silently. |
| D．She stood there quietly, not realizing tears had come down her cheeks. |
When I was a child, I often dreamed of the time when I could leave home and escape to the city. We lived on a farmstead, in the winter especially, we wear quite out off from the outside world. As soon as I left school, I packed my bags and moved to the capital. However, I soon discovered that city life has its problems too.
One big disadvantage is money. It costs so much to go out, not to mention basi
cs like food and housing. Another disadvantage is pollution. I suffer from asthma（哮喘）, and at times the air is so dirty that I am afraid to go outside. Then there is the problem of traveling round. Although I have a car, I seldom use it because of the traffic jams. One choice is to go by bicycle, but that can be quite dangerous.
Of course there are advantages. First, there is so much to do in the city, whatever your tastes in culture or entertainment. Besides, there are wonderful jobs and greater chances of moving to a more important job or position. Finally, if you like shopping, the variety of goods is very surprising - and, what is more, shops are often only a short walk away.
Is life better then, in the city? Perhaps it is, when you are in your teens or twenties. However, as you get older, and especially if you have small children, the peace of the countryside may seem preferable. I certainly hope to move back there soon.What was the writer always thinking about when he was a child?
| A．Staying on the farm. | B．Moving to the countryside. |
| C．Leaving home for the city. | D．Running away from the school. |
Which of the following is true about the writer?
| A．He is very old now. | B．He is in good health. |
| C．He prefers driving a car. | D．He lives in the city now. |
In the passage, the writer tries to _________.
| A．express his opinions about way of life |
| B．describe his life in the countryside |
| C．show an interest in the outside world |
| D．persuade the reader to live in the city |
How is the passage mainly developed?
| A．By inferring. | B．By comparing. |
| C．By listing examples. | D．By giving explanations. |
Burn rate is the speed at which a startup business consumes money. My rate was $ 75,000 a month. Four months after my company was set up, I had only a quarter of the starting capital left in the bank.
Looking for guidance, I went to talk to my friend, Arthur Walworth about my new venture. “Times of great change always bring out the risk-takers,” he said. “And they leave winners and losers. My grandfather invested a lot of money in a project of Thomas Edison’ s that ended up in failure. ”
I was lost in thought at the notion(an idea or belief about something) of a Thomas Edison project ending in failure. Damn. It could happen to anybody! I must continue.
At that time CD-ROM sales had bombed, so investors were fleeing from the field. I didn’t turn away from mine entirely, but instead linked it to the internet.
My plan was to offer consumers descriptions of home-design products by using a special software and let them modify the designs. Then we can enable them to get online professional an
d constructional help to have their houses built, decorated and furnished according to their own choice.
To realize my plan I needed investors, so I continued to meet regularly with venture capitalists. One said I had a great idea. But I needed to test it. Get the money somewhere. To get this money from a venture capitalist is going to cost my wife and my children! He turned down my request.
Wife? Children? I hardly remembered them.
I was working nonstop---struggling to turn the key in the lock, to find the right way ahead. The pressu
re was terrible. It was just at this time that my parents and sisters stepped up. Two hundred thousand dollars. A lot of money to them, invested in this crazy son and brother without a moment’s hesita
tion. Dad and Mom had driven out from Chicago and seen the passion in my little office and the trouble at home.
With their help my company survived and has been prospering ever since.When the author’s company started operation, he had_______ .
| A．$ 450,000 | B．$ 400,000 | C．$ 350,000 | D．$ 300,000 |
Arthur implies that to start a business in times of change, people have to_______ .
A．rely on famous people all be ti me |
B．invest as much money as possible |
| C．face the risks of possible failure | D．think about nothing but success |
The author’s company was engaged in_______
| A．furniture design and production | B．online home-design service |
| C．traditional home designing | D．home decoration business |
Faced with a very unfavorable market situation, the author decided_______ .
| A．to improve his service | B．to start a new business |
| C．to withdraw his money | D．to reduce his investment |