Did you have a very strict teacher at school? I did. I'll never forget 'Mr. Strict'. If you didn't get your geography right, you would wish to run to the end of the earth to be far away from him. That tall man with a very loud voice knew how to frighten you and put the fear of God into you. Nobody dared to be late for his class. No one dared to chat in his class no matter how boring the subject was. And not even the naughtiest pupil would dream of cheating in his tests.
I thought about my old teacher when I read about a new government program in England to train former soldiers with no degrees to become a teacher. They can act either as secondary school subject teachers or as primary teachers. From next January those selected for the program will earn a salary and train on-the-job four days a week and one day at university. In two years they will be considered 'newly qualified teachers'.
Education Minister David Laws said: "We know that our highly-skilled soldiers can inspire young people." He believes that values in the army such as leadership, discipline(纪律), energy and teamwork would benefit children.
But not everybody is happy with the government plans. Brian Lightman, from an organisation called the Association of School and College Leaders, thinks the training offered to the former soldiers who want to be teachers is not enough.
Christine Blower, of the National Union of Teachers, believes that teachers need to understand how children develop. According to her, teachers need a high level of education themselves and thorough teacher training before they can educate the young.
I'm not sure how much 'Mr. Strict' knew about child development. What I know is how happy he was when we did well. I'll never forget the broad smile on his face when I got a very high mark. My teacher was a soldier, but to me his smile was a medal for bravery in our war against ignorance(无知)!Which of the following is true according to the first paragraph?
| A．Students would still fall asleep in the class of “Mr. Strict”. |
| B．Only the naughty students would talk with each other in the class of “Mr. Strict”. |
| C．“Mr. Strict” often played tricks on his students in a very loud voice. |
| D．If Mr. Strict’s class was boring, his students would still listen to him carefully. |
What does the new government program in England want to do?
| A．To train more excellent soldiers. |
| B．To change former soldiers into teachers. |
| C．To train teachers to teach better |
| D．To increase the employment rate |
Who supports the new government program in England?
| A．Mr. Strict | B．David Laws |
| C．The author himself | D．Brian Lightman |
According to Christine Blower, ____.
| A．the English government should stop the program. |
| B．teachers should often receive regular training |
| C．teachers should know about child development |
| D．only those who receive high education can be teachers |
Some nations think they must have more and more babies, more and more people, if they are to remain strong and free.
Actually, this is not so. Very often in history, small nations have conquered large ones. It’s not so much the size of the army as its organization and the technical level of its weapons. Thus, Greece took over Persia in the 300s B.C., Great Britain took over India in the 1700s, even though Persia and India had far bigger population than Greece and Great Britain.
If a nation wishes to avoid being dominated by its neighbors, its best chance is to raise its standard of living and its level of technology.This can be done best by not allowing its population to grow to such a point that it is sunk in misery and poverty. In fact, the worst way in which a nation can try to avoid being dominated by its neighbor is to increase its population to the point of misery and poverty.
If every nation tries to compete with its neighbors by raising its population, then the whole world will be sunk in misery and poverty. The nations will become weak in a disaster that will leave nothing behind that is worth dominating. No one will have gained anything. Everyone will have lost everything.
Once all this is understood, and people generally agree that population growth must not be allowed to continue, they must also come to understand how that growth can be stopped. Population grows because more people are being born than are dying. There are two ways, then, in which the growth can be stopped. You can increase the number of people who die until it matches the number of people who are being born. Or else you can decrease the number of people who are born until it matches the number of people who are dying.
The first method—increasing the death rate—is the usual way in which population is controlled in all species of living things other than ourselves, but we don’t want that, for disaster lies that way. The intelligent way is to reduce the birth rate. But how can the birth rate be reduced? In paragraph 3, the word “This” refers to ______.
| A．avoidance of poverty | B．improvement of life and technology |
| C．growth of population | D．enhancement of living standard and competition |
It can be inferred from the passage that if a country had fewer people, ______.
| A．it could still remain strong | B．it would be defeated by a strong neighbour |
| C．its standard of living could be high | D．its people would live misery |
What might the author be further discussing after the passage?
| A．Needs to balance population. | B．Problems involved in birth control. |
| C．Methods of decreasing population. | D．Opposition from some nations. |
The passage mainly focuses on ______.
| A．why we must control population | B．where we can find a solution |
| C．how to stop population growth | D．how to become a strong nation |
The modern Olympic Games, founded in 1896, began as contests between individuals, rather than among nations, with the hope of promoting world peace through sportsmanship. In the beginning, the games were open only to amateurs. An amateur is a person whose involvement in an activity---from sports to science or the arts---is purely for pleasure. Amateurs, whatever their contributions to a field, expect to receive no form of compensation ; professionals, in contrast, perform their work in order to earn a living.
From the perspective of many athletes, however, the Olympic playing field has been far from level. Restricting the Olympics to amateurs has precluded（妨碍） the participation of many who could not afford to be unpaid. Countries have always desired to send their best athletes, not their wealthiest ones, to the Olympic Games.
A slender and imprecise line separates what we call “financial support” from “earning money.” Do athletes “earn money” if they are reimbursed（补偿） for travel expenses? What if they are paid for time lost at work or if they accept free clothing from a manufacturer or if they teach sports for a living? The runner Eric Liddell was the son of poor missionaries; in 1924 the British Olympic Committee financed his trip to the Olympics, where he won a gold and a bronze medal. College scholarships and support from the United States Olympic Committee made it possible for American track stars Jesse Owens and Wilma Rudolph and speed skater Dan Jansen to train and compete. When the Soviet Union and its allies joined the games in 1952, the definition of amateur became still muddier. Their athletes did not have to balance jobs and training because as citizens in communist regimes, their government financial support was not considered payment for jobs.
In 1971 the International Olympic Committee(IOC) removed the word amateur from the rules, making it easier for athletes to find the support necessary to train and compete. In 1986 the IOC allowed professional athletes into the games.
There are those who regret the disappearance of amateurism from the Olympic Games. For them the games lost something special when they became just another way for athletes to earn money. Others say that the designation of amateurism was always questionable; they argue that all competitors receive so much financial support as to make them paid professionals. Most agree, however, that the debate over what constitutes an “amateur” will continue for a long time. One might infer that _______________________.
| A．developing Olympic-level skills in athletes is costly |
| B．professional athletes are mostly interested in financial rewards |
| C．amateurs does not expect to earn money at the sport that is played |
| D．amateurs have a better attitude than professionals do |
The statement “the Olympic playing field has been far from level” means that__________.
| A．the ground the athletes played on was in bad condition |
| B．the poorer players were given some advantages |
| C．the rules did not work the same way for everyone |
| D．amateurs were inferior to the professionals in many ways |
The financial support given to athletes by the Soviet government can best be compared to ________________.
| A．a gift received on a special occasion, such as a birthday |
| B．money received from a winning lottery ticket |
| C．an allowance paid to a child |
| D．money from charity organization |
One can conclude that the Olympic Organizing Committee _________________.
| A．has held firm to its original vision of the Olympic games |
| B．has struggled with the definition of amateur over the years |
| C．regards itself as an organization for professional athletes only |
| D．did nothing but stop allowing communists to participate |
I once had my Chinese MBA students brainstorming on “two-hour business plans”. I separated them into six groups and gave them an example: a restaurant chain. The more original their idea, the better, I said. Finally, five of the six groups presented plans for restaurant chains. The sixth proposed a catering service. Though I admitted the time limit had been difficult, I expressed my disappointment.
My students were middle managers, financial analysts and financiers from state owned enterprises and global companies. They were not without talent or opinions, but they had been shaped by an educational system that rarely stressed or rewarded critical thinking or inventiveness. The scene I just described came in different forms during my two years’ teaching at the school. Papers were often copied from the Web and the Harvard Business Review. Case study debates were written up and just memorized. Students frequently said that copying is a superior business strategy, better than inventing and creating.
In China, every product you can imagine has been made and sold. But so few well developed marketing and management minds have been raised that it will be a long time before most people in the world can name a Chinese brand.
With this problem in mind, partnerships with institutions like Yale and MIT have been established. And then there’s the “thousand talent scheme”: this new government program is intended to improve technological modernization by attracting top foreign trained scientists to the mainland with big money. But there are worries about China’s research environment. It’s hardly known for producing independent thinking and openness, and even big salary offers may not be attractive enough to overcome this.
At last, for China, becoming a major world creator is not just about setting up partnerships with top Western universities. Nor is it about gathering a group of well-educated people and telling them to think creatively. It’s about establishing a rich learning environment for young minds. It’s not that simple. Why does the author feel disappointed at his students?
| A．Because there is one group presenting a catering service. |
| B．Because the six groups made projects for restaurant chains. |
| C．Because all the students copied a case for the difficult topic. |
| D．Because the students’ ideas were lacking in creativeness. |
We can infer from the passage that ________.
| A．China can make and sell any product all over the world |
| B．high pay may not solve the problem of China’s research environment |
| C．cooperation with institutions has been set up to make a Chinese brand |
| D．the new government program are aimed at encouraging imagination |
Which is the best title of the passage?
| A．Look for a New Way of Learning. | B．Reward Creative Thinking. |
| C．How to Become a Creator. | D．Establish a technical Environment. |
Some people bring out the best in you in a way that you might never have fully realized on your own. My mom was one of those people.
My father died when I was nine months old, making my mom a single mother at the age of eighteen. While I was growing up, we lived a very hard life. We had little money, but my mom gave me a lot of love. Each night, she sat me on her lap and spoke the words that would change my life, “Kemmons, you are certain to be a great man and you can do anything in life if you work hard enough to get it.”
At fourteen, I was hit by a car and the doctors said I would never walk again. Every day, my mother spoke to me in her gentle, loving voice, telling me that no matter what those doctors said, I could walk again if I wanted to badly enough. She drove that message so deep into my heart that I finally believed her. A year later, I returned to school—walking on my own!
When the Great Depression(大萧条)hit, my mom lost her job. Then I left school to support the both of us. At that moment, I was determined never to be poor again.
Over the years, I experienced various levels of business success. But the real turning point occurred（出现）on a vacation I took with my wife and five kids in 1951. I was dissatisfied with the second-class hotels available for families and was angry that they charged an extra $2 for each child. That was too expensive for the average American family. I told my wife that I was going to open a motel(汽车旅馆)for families that would never charge extra for children. There were plenty of doubters at that time.
Not surprisingly, mom was one of my strongest supporters. She worked behind the desk and even designed the room style. As in any business, we experienced a lot of challenges. But with my mother’s words deeply rooted in my soul, I never doubted we would succeed. Fifteen years later, we had the largest hotel system in the world—Holiday Inn. In 1979 my company had 1759 inns in more than fifty countries with an income of $1 billion a year.
You may not have started out life in the best situations. But if you can find a task in life worth working for and believe in yourself, nothing can stop you.What Kemmons’ mom often told him during his childhood was_______.
| A．caring | B．moving | C．encouraging | D．interesting |
According to the author, who played the most important role in making him walk back to school again?
| A．Doctors. | B．Nurses. |
| C．Friends. | D．Mom. |
What caused Kemmons to start a motel by himself?
| A．His mom’s support. |
| B．His previous business success of various levels. |
| C．His terrible experience in the hotel. |
| D．His wife’s suggestion. |
Which of the following best describes Kemmons’ mother?
| A．Modest, helpful and hard-working. |
| B．Careful, helpful and beautiful. |
| C．Loving, supportive and strong-willed. |
| D．Strict, sensitive and supportive. |
Which of the following led to Kemmons’ success according to the passage?
| A．Self-confidence, hard work, higher-education and a poor family. |
| B．Mom’s encouragement, a poor family, higher education and opportunities. |
| C．Clear goals,mom’s encouragement, a poor family and higher education. |
| D．Mom’s encouragement, clear goals, self-confidence and hard work. |
It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit (追寻) of the dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.
Over the phone, his mother told him, “Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral（葬礼） is Wednesday.” Memories flashed（闪现）through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.
“Jack, did you hear me?”
“Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. it’s been so long since I thought of him. I’m sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago,” Jack said.
“Well, he didn’t forget you. Every time I saw him he’d ask how you were doing. He’d reminisce (回忆) about the many days you spent over ‘his side of the fence’ as he put it, ” Mom told him.
“I loved that old house he lived in,” Jack said.
“You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man’s influence (影响) in your life,” she said.
“He’s the one who taught me carpentry. I wouldn’t be in this business if it weren’t for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things that he thought were important. Mom, I’ll be there for the funeral.” Jack said.
Busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser’s funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.
The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time, which was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture … Jack stopped suddenly.
“What’s wrong, Jack?” his Mom asked.
“The box is gone,” he said.
“What box?” Mom asked.
“There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he’d ever tell me was ‘the thing I value most’,” Jack said.
It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.
“Now I’ll never know what was so valuable to him,” Jack said sadly.
Returning to his office the next day, he found a package on his desk. The return address caught his attention.
“Mr. Harold Belser” it read.
Jack tore （撕）open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope（信封）. Jack’s hands shook as he read the note inside,
“Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bernett. It’s the thing I valued most in my life.” A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, and tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch. Running his fingers slowly over the fine cover, he opened it.
Inside he found these words carved: “Jack. Thanks for your time! Harold Belser.”
“Oh. My God! This is the thing he valued most …”
Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his assistant and cleared his appointments for the next two days. “Why?” his assistant asked.
“I need some time to spend with my son,” he said.Why did Belser send Jack his gold watch?
| A．Because he had no children or relatives. |
| B．Because he was grateful for Jack’s time with him. |
| C．Because he thought he had to keep his word. |
| D．Because Jack had always wanted it during his childhood. |
Why did Jack say he needed some time to spend with his son?
| A．He was very tired of his work and wanted to have a good rest. |
| B．He had promised to spare more time to stay with his son. |
| C．He had missed his son and his family for days. |
| D．He came to realize the importance of the time with his family. |
Why did Jack think Mr. Belser died years ago?
| A．College and career prevented him from remembering Mr. Belser. |
| B．Jack was too busy with his business and family to think about Mr. Belser. |
| C．Jack was too busy realizing his dreams to think about Mr. Belser. |
| D．His present busy life washed away his children memories. |
Jack’s mother told him on the phone about Mr. Belser EXCEPT that _________.
| A．Mr. Belser often asked how Jack was doing |
| B．Mr. Belser’s funeral would take place on Wednesday |
| C．Mr. Belser had asked for Jack’s mailing address |
| D．Mr. Belser had pleasant memories of their time together |
Which of the following is the most suitable title for this passage?
| A．The Good Old Times |
| B．The Lost Childhood Days |
| C．An Old Gold Watch |
| D．What He Valued Most |