Few of us haven’t read Cinderella, the story of a young woman living in poverty who meets the prince of her dreams.Some might not want to admit it, but there is a hidden Cinderella in everyone’s heart—we all wish we could achieve recognition or success after a period of obscurity (默默无闻).
Mary Santiago has that secret dream, too.Her story is featured in Another Cinderella Story, a film set in a US high school.
Mary is shy but loves to dance.Compared with other girls, she is invisible.However, her world changes completely when a famous teenager pop singer, Joey Parker, appears.
Joey is everything the rest of the boys in her class are not—kind, handsome and desirable.Mary and Joey’s paths cross at a ball.They meet and fall in love with each other.But when Mary has to rush back home, she leaves behind her MP3 player, which becomes the only clue Joey has to find the girl of his dreams.Of course, there is a wicked stepmother, who turns out to be Dominique Blatt and she takes in Mary after her dancer mother dies.Dominique treats Mary like a maid and does everything she can to make sure Mary doesn’t get into the top dance school.Her two daughters are equally determined to stop Joey falling for Mary, even if that means embarrassing her.
The story, though it mostly follows Cinderella, does add a few modern day twists to the classic fairy tale.Refreshingly, the film, unlike many high school films, does not focus on looks, although the actors are all beautiful.There is also a lot less materialism in Another Cinderella Story than in many similar movies.
“The movie takes the Cinderella fairytale as its jumping off point,” writes movie critic Amber Wilkinson.“Yet the focus is firmly on following your dream.”The first paragraph is mainly to _________.
A.inform us of the importance to marry a prince |
B.remind us why Cinderella is popular all the years |
C.build interest and lead us to Mary’s secret dream |
D.tell us how interesting the fairy tale Cinderella is |
In the movie, Mary Santiago is the main character who _________.
A.is badly treated by the stepmother |
B.is brave in expressing her love |
C.has a dream of meeting a prince |
D.is embarrassed by the pop singer |
What can we infer from the passage?
A.Joey is just like other boys in Mary’s class. |
B.The MP3 player helps Joey in finding Mary. |
C.Not many people have a dream to be realized. |
D.Mary’s mother influences her a lot in singing. |
What does movie critic Amber Wilkinson mean by his words about Another Cinderella Story?
A.The movie is exactly another copy of the Cinderella fairytale. |
B.The movie is as good as the story Cinderella. |
C.The movie and Cinderella both focus on following your dream. |
D.The movie is based on the story Cinderella while a little different from it. |
The passage is mainly about _________.
A.an introduction to Mary Santiago |
B.a review about a film |
C.an essay about dreams |
D.an advertisement of Cinderella |
C
Have you ever heard the story of the four-minute mile? Many years ago, people believed that it was impossible for a human being to run a mile in less than four minutes until Roger Banister proved it wrong in1954.
What happens if you put an animal in a pond? Any animal, big or small, will swim its way through. What happens when someone, who does not know how to swim, falls in deep waters? They drown. If an animal who has not learned swimming could escape by swimming, why not you? Because you believe you will drown while the animal does not.
Have you ever wondered why the letters are organized in a particular order on hour keyboard? You might have thought it is to increase the typing speed. Most people never question it. But the fact is that this system was developed to reduce the typing speed at a time when typewriter parts would jam if the operator typed too fast.
These three cases show the power of our beliefs. There is no other more powerful directing force in human behavior than belief. Your beliefs have the power to create and to destroy. A belief delivers a direct command to your nervous system.
I used a snake in my workshops for children to show them how unrealistic some of their beliefs are. Students of a school in India, said snakes were slippery, slimy (黏糊糊的) and poisonous. After doing an exercise for changing beliefs, they handled my snake and found it to be dry and clean. They also remembered that only three types of poisonous snakes exist in India.
Did this story end the way you thought? Review your beliefs now and find out which ones you need to change.
51. In the author’s opinion, if a person in deep water doesn’t know how to swim he will drown because _________.
A. he is afraid of water B. he doesn’t want to live in the world
C. he hasn’t learned to swim before D. he believes he will drown
52. The author thinks that the letters are organized in a particular order on your keyboard in order to _________.
A. reduce one’s typing speed B. satisfy the operator
C. save more space D. increase one’s typing speed
53. The author’s experiment shows that __________.
A. snakes in India aren’t poisonous B. snakes can be caught easily
C. snakes are slimy and poisonous D. snakes are dry and clean
54. According to the passage, we know that ________.
A. students from India have unrealistic beliefs on how to live a better life
B. an animal who has not learned to swim will drown if you put it in a pond.
C. Roger Banister was the first person who ran a mile in less than four minutes.
D. most people don’t like the order the letters are arranged on your keyboard
55. The main idea of this passage should be that _______.
A. beliefs make us seem stupid
B. beliefs are very powerful
C. changing your beliefs now if necessary
D. people should always believe in themselves
B
What should you think about when trying to find your career? You are probably better at some school subjects than others. These may show strengths that you can use in your work. A boy who is good at mathematics can use that in an engineering career. A girl who spells well and likes English may be good at office work. So it is important to know the subjects you do well in at school. On the other hand, you may not have any specially strong subjects but your records show a general satisfactory standard. Although not all subjects can be used directly in a job, they may have indirect value. A knowledge of history is not required for most jobs but if history is one of your good subjects you will have learned to remember facts and details. This is an ability that can be useful in many jobs.
Your school may have taught you skills, such as typing or technical drawing, which you can use in your work. You may be good at metalwork or cookery and look for a job where you can improve these skills. If you have had a part-time job on Saturdays or in the summer, think what you gained from it. If nothing else, you may have learned how to get to work on time, to follow instructions and to get on with older workers. You may have learned to give correct change in a shop, for example. Just as important, you may become interested in a particular industry or career you see from the inside in a part-time job.
Facing your weak points is also part of knowing yourself. You may be all thumbs when you handle tools; perhaps you are a poor speller or cannot add up a column of figures. It is better to face any weakness than to pretend they do not exist. Your school record, for instance, may not be too good, yet it is an important part of your background. You should not be apologetic about it but instead recognize that you will have a chance of a fresh start at work.
( ) 46. We can infer from the first paragraph that ________.
learning better at school shows power in your job
the better you are at school subjects, the more helpful they are in your career.
learning each subject well is an ability in many jobs.
we should think about how to find our career
( ) 47. From the passage we learn that if a student’s school performance is not good, he
will _____.
A. have no hope in his future work
B. be hopeful to find a suitable job
C. regret not having worked harder at school
D. have an opportunity of a new beginning in his future work
( )48. All the subjects may have direct value for job hunting except _________.
A. mathematics B. English C. history D. technical drawing
( )49. The underlined phrase “be all thumbs” (in Paragraph 3) probably means “_________”.
A. heavy- handed B. the best C. important D. skilled
( )50. The passage mainly discusses ___________.
A. The relationship between school performance and career
B. how to get a job
C. How to show strengths in your work
D. working experience and knowledge at school
第三部分:阅读 (共两节,满分40分)
第一节阅读理解 (共15小题;每小题2分,满分30分)
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
Here’s an unusual story: a diamond ring was recently found in an egg. The magician, Liu Qian, discovered it in front of an audience of millions at CCTV’s Spring Festival Gala. Liu’s magic tricks have made the centuries – old art of magic fashionable once again, and made him the hottest magician in China.
As a seasoned magician from Taiwan, Liu is popular worldwide for his magic shows. Countries he has performed in include the United States, Japan, South Korea and the UK.
Witnessing something impossible happen right before your eyes is the root of people’s love for magic.
Liu is known for his interaction with his audiences. He has a unique understanding of showmanship(演出技巧)。
“It’s actually thinking rather than one’s manipulation (处理) skills that is more important to achieving a successful magic show. We think carefully about how to design the shows creatively, to make them appear more interesting,” Liu said.
Liu Qian’s success dated back to his childhood. Born in 1976 in Taiwan, he found himself attracted to a magic toy in a shop when he was seven years old. At the age of 12, he won Taiwan’s Youth Magic Contest, which was judged by the great American magician, David Copperfield.
Yet, Liu never planned on becoming a professional magician. He studied Japanese literature at university and only hoped to be an amateur magician in his spare time. However, his failure to find a proper job after graduation pushed him towards magic as a career.
To refine his performing skills, he has performed on streets, roads and fields, for passersby, policemen and farmers.
“Street shows are the biggest challenge for us magicians. We have to deal with unexpected situations and tough crowds,” Liu said.
41. The story is about ________.
A. why people love magic B. how Liu Qian became China’s hottest magician
C. how fashionable magic is D. what magic tricks are
42. People love to watch magic because ________.
A. they love watching magicians make the impossible happen
B. it arouses their curiosity
C. they can’t figure out the secret of magic
D. it is a centuries – old art
43. Which of the following is the key reason that Liu Qian decided to make magic his career?
A. He was interested in magic when he was little.
B. He had won Taiwan’s Youth Magic Contest.
C. He couldn’t find an acceptable job after graduation.
D. He became an amateur magician in his spare time.
44. What does the underlined word “seasoned” in Paragraph2 mean?
A. experienced B. freshman C. amateur D. unskillful
45. Liu Qian improved his performing skills by ______.
A. learning from David Copperfield.
B. learning magic in a university
C. performing in public on streets
D. joining in Taiwan’s Youth Magic Contest
(D)
Hunting for a job is a painful experience, which nearly everyone must endure at least once in a lifetime. Books are published and magazine articles are written on the subject, all trying to tell job seekers what they should do or avoid in order to win the game. They can’t calm the nervous applicant but they do offer some advice.
To begin with, it is not a good idea to be late. Job interviewers don’t think very highly of the candidate(应聘者)who arrives twenty minutes after the appointed time . The wise job seeker explores the place the day before. Next day he arrives early for the appointment.
What makes a good impression? Being on time does, then, appearance. It is essential for the candidate to be dressed properly and to look alive. It is also very important to look the interviewer in the eye because this “eye contact” gives a strong impression of sincerity and openness.
Many candidates waste a good part of the interview explaining why they want the job; the man or the woman on the other side of the desk is waiting to hear why the would-be employee would be good for the position and for the company.
It is a very difficult task to display oneself to possible employer: one must not be too humble, since it is essential to show one’s good points and experiences. However, bragging(说大话)doesn’t make a very good impression. One thing is certain: interview time is a time for honesty. The interviewer is trying to discover not only the professional worth but also the character of the man or the woman he is meeting. Therefore, he must rely on his observation of the applicant, her manners, what she says and how she says it.
While this examination is going on, the job seeker should remember that she too has a right to be curious. It is recommended that the applicant ask some serious questions about the job, the company, and its future. If the questions are intelligent, they will impress the interviewer favorably.
68. The writer’s purpose in writing the passage is to _____________.
A. offer tips on job seeking B. warn applicants not to be nervous
C. analyze the thinking of interviewers D. stress the difficulty of job seeking
69. Which of the following shows whether an applicant could benefit the company?
A. How early he/she is. B. What he/she is wearing.
C. His/Her explanation for the job. D. His/Her manners.
70. The underlined word “humble” probably means _____.
A. humorous B. modest C. honest D. talkative
71. Which of the following statements would the writer agree with?
A. Job seekers should be as early as possible.
B. Job seekers should be dressed as well as possible.
C. Interviewers pay a lot of attention to applications’ behaviors.
D. Interviewers encourage applicants to ask questions.
(C)
Many people often say there is more stress in today's society than in years past. In fact, these people are comparing our lives with that of the cave man, who didn't have to worry about the stock market or the atomic bomb. They forget that the cave man worried about being eaten by a hear while he was asleep, or about dying of hunger--things that few people worry much about today.
Actually stress is a normal state of affairs, and it's important that people understand what they are talking about when they speak about stress. Whenever anyone experiences something unpleasant, for lack of a better word they say they are under stress. Yet there is such a thing as pleasant stress--as in the case of the Olympic winner at the moment of his glory, or a conductor as his orchestra performs particularly well. They are just sending out excitement, and they are giving off all the stress hormones exactly the same as if they were in low spirits or had just heard of a death in the family. We call the pleasant or healthy kind "eustress” and the unpleasant or unhealthy kind "distress".
Then how can people deal with stress? The secret is not to avoid it but to "do your own thing". It implies doing what you like to do and what you are made to do at your own speed. For most people, it is really a matter of learning how to live and how to behave in various situations, to decide: “Do I really want to take my father's business or be a musician?” If you really want to be a musician, then be one.
64. What can be inferred from the first paragraph?
A. Modern people experiences more stress than the cave man.
B. The cave man experienced more stress than modern people.
C. People don't suffer more stress today; it's just that they think they do.
D. Modern people have the same worries as the cave man did.
65. In which of the following situations will you feel "eustress"?
A. Your favorite football team has lost an important game.
B. You have failed an important examination.
C. You are informed of an accident of your best friend.
D. You have won the first prize in an English competition.
66 The purpose of writing the passage is to let us know _________________________.
A. stress does not necessarily refer to unpleasant experience
B. distress is what people call the pleasant kind of stress
C. an Olympic winner feels the same stress as one who loses a family member
D. people will feel eustress and distress at the same time
67. According to the passage, how can people deal with stress?
A. Do things that you really want to do. B. Do whatever you're expected to do.
C. Try to do things successfully.D. Refuse to do whatever you're told to.