①Have you ever wondered what goes through your mind when you choose where to sit in a new classroom? Or in a waiting room full of strangers? Or on a bus? Researchers have found out some interesting facts.
②Girls sit by girls and boys sit by boys. Adults sit together and young people choose another young person to sit near. But it goes further than this. We even choose to sit near someone who looks like us. People with glasses are more likely to sit near other people with glasses. People with long hair sit closer to other people with long hair.
③We seem to believe that people with similar habits or hobbies will share similar experiences and we are more likely to be accepted by people like ourselves, or even, we think we may be safer with people who look like us. Sometimes that’s true but it’s a pity if we always stay with the same people, the same group. The danger in always staying in our comfort zone (舒适区)is that we just recycle the same opinions, the same tastes and the same ideas. We lose the chance to learn something new, find out interesting things, hear funny stories and discover differences.
④When we always stay with the same people, how can we break down the barriers which prevent us from getting to know people with different ideas? And how can we avoid the ignorance(无知)? If you want to live in a society that opens to changes, new things and different opinions, be the cat among the pigeons(鸽子).
⑤Move out of your comfort zone. Go and sit next to someone different. And don’t just sit there in silence. Say hello. Ask a question. Start a conversation. That’s how we make friends. That’s how we learn about people. That’s how we open our minds to new ideas. That’s how we live an exciting life. From the passage, we know that people prefer sitting by someone who .
A.is like themselves | B.has a sense of humor |
C.is open-minded | D.lives an exciting life |
People like staying in their comfort zone because they may .
A.remain comfortable and special |
B.find out more interesting things |
C.be accepted easily and feel safe |
D.discover differences among themselves |
The sentence “Unsurprisingly, we prefer to sit closer to people like ourselves.” should be put at the beginning of __________.
A.Paragraph 1 | B.Paragraph 2 |
C.Paragraph 3 | D.Paragraph 4 |
What does the underlined word“barriers” mean in Paragraph 4?
A.联系 | B.隔阂 | C.纽带 | D.熟悉 |
What is the purpose of the passage?
A.To tell us not to talk with strangers. |
B.To introduce ways to learn about the world. |
C.To explain how people communicate with foreigners. |
D.To encourage us to get along with different people. |
Computers can injure you. Most other injuries happen suddenly. For example, if you fall off a bike and break your arms, it happens very quickly. But computer injuries slowly.
You probably know how to ride a bike safely. Now learn to use a computer safely.
Your eyes
Too much light can injure your eyes, so never sit too close to a computer screen. Your eyes should be at least 50 centimeters from the screen. Remember to look away from it sometimes. This gives your eyes a rest.
When you use a computer, the window should be on your left or your right. If it is behind you, the light will reflect on (反射) the screen. If the window is in front of you, the sun and the screen will both shine into your eyes.
Your hands and wrists (手腕)
Hand and wrist injuries can happen because the hands and wrists are moved in the same way hundreds of times. If you use a keyboard for a long time, follow these three rules: 1) Rest your wrists on something. 2) Keep your elbows (肘部) at the same height as the keyboard. 3) Stop something and exercise your hands, wrists and fingers in a different way.
Your back
Some people sit for many hours in front of a computer. If you sit in the wrong way, you can injure your back or your neck. So you should sit with your back straight. The top part of the screen should all be in front of your eyes. Your forearms(前臂), wrists, hands and the upper(上部) part of your legs should all be parallel (平行) to the floor. If you are sitting for a long time, get up every 30 minutes and exercise your arms, legs and necks.
Enjoy your computer, but use it safely.A computer screen may injure your eyes if __________.
A.you sit 60 centimeters away | B.you remember to look away |
C.your eyes are too close to it | D.the window is on your left or your right |
Hand and wrist injuries are caused when you _________.
A.get plenty of exercise | B.move in the same way again and again |
C.rest your wrists on something | D.keep your elbows as high as the keyboard |
Your eyes and hands will be safe if __________.
A.you work near a window | B.you often take a rest from working |
C.you use a keyboard for a long time | D.the window is behind you |
It is good for your back and neck if you sit __________.
A.in the right way | B.for many hours |
C.with the screen below your eyes | D.with your back leaning forward |
What would be the best title for the passage?
A.How to protect your eyes | B.How to protect your hands and wrists |
C.How to use a computer safely | D.How to protect your back |
This is a talk by a London taxi driver.
"I've been a taxi driver for nearly ten years. Most London taxi drivers have their own taxis."
"It's a nice job most of time. you meet a lot of people. I always work at night, because there is too much traffic during the day. I live twenty miles (英里) outside London and I go to work at 5:30 in the afternoon."
"I usually go home between 2 and 3 in the morning."
"Some very strange things happened late at night .The other day I was taking a woman home from a party .She had her little dog with her. When we got to her house, she found that she had lost her key. So I waited in the car with the dog while she climbed in through the windows."
"I waited and waited. After half an hour of ringing the bell I decided to find out what was going on . I tied the dog to a tree and started to climb in through the window. The next thing I knew was that the police came. They thought I was a thief(小偷).
Luckily the woman came downstairs. She must have gone to sleep and forgotten about me and the dog!".The driver always worked at night because it was easier to _____.
A.drive | B.make money | C.climb in through the window | D.meet a lot of people |
The woman climbed in through the window because _____.
A.she wanted to have a sleep | B.her husband didn't open the door for her |
C.she didn't want to pay the driver | D.she couldn't find her key |
.The story happened _____.
A.early in the morning | B.late at night |
C.20 miles outside London | D.near the police station |
Which of the following is wrong?
A.The driver worked until between 2 and 3 in the morning. |
B.The police made a mistake. |
C.The woman had no money to pay the driver. |
D.The woman had forgotten about the driver and the dog. |
.The driver climbed in through the window to
A.get money from the woman | B.return the dog to the woman |
C.see what was happening in the house | D.phone the police |
Saturday,March 24th
We have arrived in the hot, wet city of Bangkok. This is our first trip to Thailand(泰国). All the different smells make us want to try the food. We are going to eat something special for dinner tonight. The hotel we are staying in is cheap, and very clean. We plan to stay here for a few days, visit some places in the city, and then travel to Chiang Mai in the North.
Tuesday, March 27th
Bangkok is wonderful and surprising! The places are interesting. We visited the famous market which was on water, and saw a lot of fruits and vegetables. Everything is so colorful, and we have taken hundreds of photos already! Later today we will leave for Chiang Mai. We will take the train north, stay in Chiang Mai for two days, and then catch a bus to Chiang Rai.
Friday,March 30th
Our trip to Chiang Rai was long and boring. We visited a small village in the mountains. The village people here love the quiet life -- no computers or phones. They are the kindest people I have ever met. They always smile and say “hello”. Kathy and I can only speak a few words of Thai, so smiling is the best way to show our kindness. I feel good here and hope to be able to come back next year.The diaries above show the writer’s _________days in Thailand.
A.3 | B.7 | C.15 | D.30 |
It seems that visitors _________ in Bangkok.
A.often feel hungry | B.can always find cheap things |
C.can’t take any photos | D.can enjoy themselves |
Which of the following is TRUE?
A.Chiang Mai is a beautiful city in the south of Thailand. |
B.The writer left Chiang Mai for Chiang Rai by bus. |
C.Chiang Rai is a boring city in the mountains. |
D.The writer is traveling alone in Thailand. |
The people in the village _________.
A.are friendly to others | B.like to speak English |
C.are very weak | D.hope to live in the cities |
The best title of this article is_________.
A.My First Travel | B.The Outside World |
C.Traveling in Thailand | D.A Country on the Train |
It was the last day of the final exam in a college. On the steps of building, a group of engineering students were waiting for the last exam. On their faces was confidence(自信的).
They knew the exam would be easy. The professor (a teacher at a college) had said they could bring any books or notes during the test.
Right after they came into the classroom. The professor handed out the papers. There were only five questions on it.
Three hours passed. Then the professor began to collect the papers. The students no longer looked confident. On their faces was nervous expression(表情). The professor watched the worried faces before him, and then asked, “How many of you have finished all five questions?” No hand was raised. “How many of you have answered four?” Still no hands. “Three? Two?” The students moved restlessly in their seats. “One, then? Certainly somebody has finished one.” But the class kept silent. The professor said, “That is exactly what I expected. I just want to make you know clearly that even though you have completed four years of engineering. There are still many things about the subject you don’t know. These questions you could not answer are common in everyday practice.” Then, smiling, he added, “You will all pass this course, your education has just begun.”
The years have obscured the name of this professor, but not the lesson he taught. Why did the students think the exam was easy at first?
A.Because it was their last exam in the college. |
B.Because they knew there were only five questions. |
C.Because they thought they were clever and talented. |
D.Because they were allowed to bring any books and notes during the text. |
What does the underlined word “obscured” mean in the last paragraph?
A.模糊 | B.回忆 | C.提醒 | D.改变 |
. What’s the best title for the article?
A.Some Confident Students. | B.An Engineering Exam. |
C.An Interesting Professor. | D.An Unforgettable Lesson. |
Last month the manager(经理) of a jewelry shop ( 珠宝店) received a letter. As he was very busy then, the letter lay on his desk till tea-time. He opened it and a 10-pound note(票 ) fell out onto the desk. Within the note was a letter which said:
Dear sir:
In 1935 I got engaged(订婚 ). But unfortunately I lost my job. At the time a lot of people were out of work. Six months later I got a job again, but of course I was very short of money. I came to your shop to buy a wedding ring(婚戒 ). The assistant took out some rings for me to look at, but she was called away for a moment, and I put one of the rings in my pocket. When she came back, I said I didn’t know the size of my girl’s finger. So I left the shop without buying a ring. My wife died a short while ago and the fact that I never paid for the ring has been heavy in my heart all these years. At that time, the ring cost 2 pounds so I think it is 10 pounds at today’s price and I’m sending 10 pounds.
Yours truly,
A customer (顾客 )What happened in 1935?
A.The jewelry shop lost some rings. |
B.The customer married a girl. |
C.The customer stole (偷窃) a ring for his wife. |
D.The customer stole a ring for his girl friend. |
What do you think of the customer?
A.Honest | B.Forgetful | C.Dishonest | D.Careless |