D
For 23 years, Barbara Bentree had been making Los Angeles her home, thriving on the bustle of city life.
She said, “As a singer who studied music education in college, I moved to California in my early 20s with stars in my eyes.” She found work — teaching in private schools, and in her spare time she performed in one-woman shows, sang for various studio recordings and even appeared as a singer in several episodes of TV shows, including Ally McBeal, Days of Our Lives and Wings. Through teaching, she began to make connections with people in the production world and was soon being referred to work with children in the entertainment industry.
“I was young and single and really excited about being in a big city,” Bentree said about those early years in Los Angeles. “To participate in movies and television was very, very exciting.”
Eventually, Bentree was recruited to work on The Mickey Mouse Club TV show as a music producer, helping to train Mouseketeers, including famous alumnae Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears. She worked in various production and music director roles for big networks like Disney, and eventually met and fell in love with her husband, John Rangel, a pianist and composer, who moved to Los Angeles from Florida in the early 1990s to be closer to her. They married two years ago, after decades together.
The couple lived along the city’s striking coastline, in beachfront areas such as Pacific Palisades and Malibu. “They were wonderful and beautiful,” Bentree said, “but very expensive.” To keep up with the cost of their rented apartment, Bentree worked on several projects that were lucrative but not artistically satisfying.
At one point she looked at her life and realized she was spending 10 hours a week in the car, commuting (通勤) back and forth to work on a particular project.
“It was a little crazy, and there was a lot of running around,” Bentree said. “When I turned 50, I started to have the feeling that Los Angeles is not the place for me to grow old. The things that were important to me when I was young — all that excitement, the sense of accomplishment and ambition — have changed,” she continued. “Now, what I find interesting is time, and being close to nature and my community. I am less interested in feeling like I’m living in the center of the universe.”
Around 2004, the couple decided not to renew the lease on their apartment. Towards the end of the year, Bentree visited a friend who had a guest house in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and after two weeks, she told her husband she knew she was not going back to Los Angeles. In 2005, she made the move to Santa Fe permanently. It took a bit longer for Rangel to come round to the idea, commuting back and forth to Los Angeles weekly via two-hour-long plane rides for the first year, but eventually, he settled in as well.
As it happened, leaving the center of the entertainment world was the spark the couple needed to really get in touch with their own creativity.
The couple bought a home together there, which, according to Bentree, cost her probably twice as much as in Los Angeles, and began saving on major expenses, including car insurance and taxes. The lower cost of living also allowed Bentree to fundamentally restructure her days. Now she generally teaches two days a week and spends the remaining five working on creative pursuits, including a screenplay, a book of poetry and children’s books. “There is something comforting about being a medium or small fish in a relatively small pond as opposed to a microscopic fish in a huge pond,” she said.
Perhaps the biggest change for Bentree has been the connection to nature she feels day in and day out in her new home. Nature, according to her, is her “healing place”, her “inspiration place” and her “church”. Though the landscape around Los Angeles is lovely, in her current home she can be up in the mountains, walking through a forest by a stream, within five minutes. She recently released a new nature-inspired CD, Green, which explores various environmental issues, and is donating 100 percent of the profits to support the related causes.
“I used to say I was a ‘jazz artist’ but now I say I’m a ‘jazz activist’,” Bentree said. “I’m using music to promote my political causes and points of view.”
At no point, however, has Bentree regretted waiting so long to leave Los Angeles and her past life. Her wants and needs have changed gradually over time.
“I loved every part of living in Los Angeles for the first 10 years. The next five years were great, too. It was really only during the last few years that I started to consider leaving,” she said. “Now, I’m in a new chapter. It was scary to make that big change, but life is an adventure.”
What can we conclude from Paragraph 2?
| A．Bentree disliked teaching in the schools. |
| B．Bentree did a lot to pursue her dreams. |
| C．Bentree found it hard to live in the new city. |
| D．Bentree intended to contact famous people. |
When Bentree met her husband for the first time, .
| A．she was the director of The Mickey Mouse Club |
| B．he had lived in Los Angeles for so many years |
| C．she was seeking a job in the music industry |
| D．he worked somewhere far away from Los Angeles |
What does the underlined word “lucrative” in Paragraph 5 mean?
| A．Profitable. | B．Voluntary. |
| C．Terrible. | D．Legal. |
Which of the following is typical of Bentree’s life in Los Angeles?
| A．Living a comfortable life full of free time and artistic creativity. |
| B．Most of the time being on the way to hunt for a new teaching job. |
| C．Leading a very costly life lacking in artistical satisfaction. |
| D．Always being ready to move from one apartment to another. |
By the underlined part, Bentree means .
| A．a small pond is the equal of a big one as far as comfort is concerned |
| B．she actually prefers living in a relatively big city as an ordinary person |
| C．a relatively small pond is a good place for a fish to live comfortably |
| D．she prefers to live in a relatively small city rather than in a big one |
How does Bentree feel about living in the new home?
| A．She feels busy and exhausted. |
| B．It is colorful and meaningful. |
| C．She feels relaxed but lonely. |
| D．It is hopeful but stressful. |
Tsai Chin Chung is one of Taiwan’s most famous cartoonists, and his cartoons are enjoyed by people in many different countries in Asia. His books of cartoons have now become best sellers in Singapore, Malaysia, and even Japan.
As soon as he could hold a pencil, Tsai Chin Chung lived only for drawing. Every day he practised drawing people and things around him and from his favorite stories.
When he was only 15 years old, he left home to work for a publisher in Taipei. He worked hard to draw pictures for books. Two years later, he left his job and started to work on drawing cartoon series, which he liked better. He made up his mind to succeed as a cartoonist.
Now Tsai Chin Chung has achieved something unusual for a modern cartoonist. He has become extremely successful at changing Chinese literature and philosophy into humorous comic stories. In this way, he has made the Chinese classics known to thousands of people.
Because of his great achievement, several years ago Tsai Chin Chung was given a prize as one of the 10 Outstanding Young People of Taiwan. Since then, he has won many prizes, and his cartoons have become popular throughout Asia, America and Europe. So far, he has published more than 20 comic books. Ten of these are about ancient Chinese philosophers based on Chinese historical and literary classics.
Many of Tsai Chin Chung’s books of cartoons and comics have now been published in English in countries like Singapore. His books have also been translated into several other languages, including Japanese, Korean and Thai. Even publishers in France and Indonesia have recently signed agreements for permission to publish his cartoon series. Tsai Chin Chung left his first job because he ________.
| A．preferred drawing cartoons | B．wanted to go back to school |
| C．enjoyed drawing pictures for books | D．wanted to be famous |
Half of the books he has published are related to _______.
| A．Chinese and foreign comics | B．countries in Asia, America and Europe |
| C．foreign languages learning | D．Chinese history and literature |
Because of his great achievements, Tsai Chin Chung _______.
| A．travelled a lot in Asia and Europe | B．went to live in Singapore |
| C．won an important prize in Taiwan | D．has become famous in Africa. |
Farming was once the chief way of life in nearly every country. People cannot live without food, and nearly all their food comes from crops and animals raised on farms. Not many people farm for a living any more, but farming remains the most important work in the world.
Before the n
ineteenth century, the typical American family lived on a small farm. They raised pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens, and planted corn, fruits, garden vegetables, and wheat. Everyone worked long and hard, but the results were often poor. Families barely harvested enough food for themselves. This situation began to change during the last half of the 1800's and it changed remarkably(明显地) in the next century.
Scientific methods and labor-saving machinery(机械）have made farming increasingly productive. The development of improved plant varieties and fertilizers（肥料）has helped double and even triple the production of some major crops. More scientific animal 
care and animal raising have helped increase the amount of meat and products that animals produce. At the same time, the use of tractors and other modern farm equipment has sharply reduced the need for farm labor.
As farming has become less important as a way of life in the United States, it has bec
ome more important as a source which offers materials to industry. Today's successful farmers are experts not just in agriculture but also in accounting, marketing, and finance. Farms that are not run in a similar way have great difficulty surviving. We are told in the first paragraph about ____.
| A．the history of farming | B．the importance of farming |
| C．the development of farming | D．the changes of farming |
Which of the following describes American farming before the 19th century?
| A．Farmers didn’t work hard on their farms. | |
| B．Farmers used tractors to help them. | |
| C．Farming was the main way of living for most people | D．Farmers could supply materials to industry. |
The passage mainly talks about_____.
| A．the advantages of American farming | B．the changes in American farming |
| C．the situation of American farms | D．how rapidly farming has developed |
Traveling without a map in different countries, I find out about different “styles” of directions every time I ask “How can I get to the post office?”
Foreign tourists are often confused in Japan because most streets there don’t have name signs; in Japan, people use landmarks in their directions instead of street names. For example, the Japanese will say to travelers, “Go straight down to the corner. Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market. The post office is across from the bus stop.”
People in Los Angeles, the US, have no idea of distance on the map: they measure distance by time, not miles. “How far away is the post office?” you ask. “Oh,” they answer, “it’s about five minutes from here.” You don’t understand completely, “Yes, but how many miles away is it, please?” To this question you won’t get an answer, because most probably they don’t know it themselves.
People in Greece sometimes do not even try to give directions because tourists seldom understand the Greek language. Instead, a Greek will often say, “Follow me.” Then he’ll lead you through the streets of the city to the post office.
Sometimes a person doesn’t know the answer to your question. What happens in the situation? A New Yorker might say, “Sorry, I have no idea.” But in Yucatan, Mexico, no one answers “I don’t know.” People there believe that “I don’t” is impolite. They usually give an answer, but often a wrong one. So a tourist can get lost very easily in Yucatan!
However, one thing will help you everywhere in the world. It’s body language.Which one of the followings is probably an example of Japanese directions?
| A．“Go south two miles. Turn west and then go another mile.” |
| B．“Turn right at the hospital and go past a school. The library is right in front of you.” |
| C．“The post office is about five minutes from here” |
| D．“The post office is at Street Kamira.” |
People in Los Angeles don’t give directions in miles because _________.
| A．they use landmarks in their directions instead of distance |
B．t hey prefer to lead you the way |
| C．they often have no idea of distance measured by miles |
| D．they prefer to use body language |
Greeks give directions by __________.
| A．using street names | B．using landmarks |
| C．leading people the way | D．giving people a wrong direction |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．There are different ways to give directions in different parts of the world. |
| B．People in Yucatan give wrong directions on purpose. |
| C．People in some places give directions using landmarks. |
| D．People in some places give directions in time. |
What does the writer want to tell us?
| A．It's difficult to travel without a map. |
| B．It's important to use body language when you are travelling. |
| C．In different countries, there are different styles of directions. |
| D．You can't trust everyone when you are travelling. |
While IQ (Intelligence Quotient) tells you how smart you are. EQ (Emotional Quotient) tells you how well yo
u use your smartness. Professor Salovery, the psychologist who created the term, EQ, says that it is IQ that gets you hired but it is EQ that gets you p
romoted.
Supported by his research, he suggested that when predicting future successes, a person’s brainpower, as measured by IQ tests, might actually matter less than a person’s character, or EQ. Professor Salovery may be correct. For example, have you ever wondered why some of the best and smartest students in your class end up failing exams? Perhaps it is because of their EQ. People often make the mistake of thinking that EQ is the opposite of IQ. It is not. Although it is hoped that people have both high EQs and IQs, there is little doubt that those with low EQs have a hard time surviving in life.
For a long time, researchers disc
ussed if a person’s IQ could be raised. The geneticists said no, while the social scientists said yes. Furthermore, the social scientists said that it was possible to improve a person’s EQ, particularly in terms of “people skills”, such as understanding and communication.
Recently, a professor released the findings of a study on senior high school students. When some normal students were introduced to some disabled students, they found that afterwards they were more willing to help people in difficulties. At the same time, there was a marked change in the disabled students’ attitudes. They became more positive about their disabilities and were more eager to try new things. People with high EQs often have positive attitudes towards life and are open to different ideas, so they tend to be more creative in their thinking. Please remember that having a high IQ is helpful but having a high EQ might even be more helpful. The second paragraph tells us that .
| A．people who have a high IQ always have a high EQ |
| B．EQ is the opposite of IQ |
| C．people who have a low EQ tend to have a hard life |
| D．people who have a high EQ always have a high IQ |
What did the professor find from his study of normal students being introduced to some disabled
children?
A．Students with disabilities were not  open in trying new things. |
| B．There was no change in the normal students. |
| C．The disabled students became more positive and more eager to try new things. |
| D．The disabled students were more willing to help others. |
Which of the following is the writer’s attitude toward EQ and IQ?
| A．IQ is more helpful to people than EQ. |
| B．IQ can be raised by understanding and communication. |
| C．EQ can get people hired. |
| D．A high EQ is of great benefit in getting people promoted. |
Which of the following would be the best t
itle of this passage?
| A．A person’s brainpower. | B．IQ, EQ and success. |
| C．IQ and a person’s character. | D．A person’s IQ and EQ. |
Early this month, on the Egyptian-Israeli border not far from her hometown, a series of bombings killed 35 people and injured more than 160. Despite the attack, life quickly returned to normal. Living under the threat of attack i
s normal
here.
Israel teenagers’ interests are not very different from others’. “Low-cut jeans（低腰牛仔裤）and miniskirts are very in,”said Hinanit, an 18-year-old teenager.
“You cannot let the fighting control what you do and don’t do. Of course I am scared sometimes, but I still go out and have fun. Yon always have to be careful, and things are probably more dangerous now, but I still love Israel. It is my home, and I would not leave it for anything!” Cohen said.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian boy named Bilal lies in a hospital bed, with his friends round, praying for his life. He has been in a coma（昏迷）since Israeli soldiers shot him on his way to school last month. In this recent military action, Israeli soldiers have killed at least 83 Palestinians, including 24 children.
Palestinian children lead a dangerous life under the watchful eyes of Israeli soldiers. Israel presents them as terrorists（恐怖分子）and faceless stone throwers. Many Palestinian children have been driven away from homes into crowded and hungry refugee camps with their families. “Even if we are surrounded by Israeli soldiers and have no food, we will stand and defend our country,” said Fatima Al-Aidi，a 13-year-old teenager, who lost a friend in Israel’s recent attack. “I hope to carry a lot of weapons and take my revenge（报复）one day. I hope the day comes when the enemy leaves Palestine.”The underlined sentence “Despite the attack, life quickly returned to normal” means “”.
A．Life has returned to normal as a result of the a ttack |
| B．Life remains normal even if there was an attack |
| C．Life has returned to normal, although there was an attack |
| D．If there is not the attack, life will return to normal |
Cohen’s words suggests that she .
| A．is living in horror | B．is peace-loving |
| C．wants to join the army | D．doesn’t let fighting change her life |
How does Israel think of Palestinian children? They are______
| A．lovely | B．smart | C．friendly | D．dangerous |
What can we learn from what Fatima Al-Aidi said?
| A．He was in poor health. |
| B．he hated Israeli soldiers. |
| C．He was eager to invent some other weapons to attack Israel. |
D．He wishes more hel p to be given. |