For those who make journeys across the world, the speed of travel today has turned the countries into a series of villages. Distances between them appear no greater to a modern traveler than those which once faced men as they walked from village to village. Jet plane fly people from one end of the earth to the other, allowing them a freedom of movement undreamt of a hundred years ago.
Yet some people wonder if the revolution in travel has gone too far. A price has been paid, they say, for the conquest (征服) of time and distance. Travel is something to be enjoyed, not endured . The boat offers leisure and time enough to appreciate the ever-changing sights and sounds of a journey. A journey by train also has a special charm about it. Lakes and forests and wild, open plains sweeping past your carriage window create a grand view in which time and distance mean nothing. On board a plane, however, there is just the blank blue of the sky filling the narrow window of the airplane. The soft lighting, in-flight films and gentle music make up the only world you know, and the hours progress slowly.
Then there is the time spent being “processed” at a modern airport. People are conveyed like robots along walkways; baggage is weighed, tickets produced, examined and produced yet again before the passengers move again to another waiting area. Journeys by rail and sea take longer, yes, but the hours devoted to being “processed” at departure and arrival in airports are luckily absent. No wonder, then, that the modern high-speed trains are winning back passengers from the airlines.
Man, however, is now a world traveler and can not turn his back on the airplane. The working lives of too many people depend upon it; whole new industries have been built around its design and operation. The holiday maker, too, with limited time to spend, patiently endures the busy airports and limited space of the flight to gain those extra hours and even days, relaxing in the sun. Speed controls people’s lives; time saved, in work or play, is the important thing—or so we are told. Perhaps those first horsemen, riding free across the wild, open plains, were enjoying a better world than the one we know today. They could travel at will, and the clock was not their master.What does the writer try to express in Paragraph1?
| A．Travel by plane has speeded up the growth of villages． |
| B．The speed of modern travel has made distances relatively short． |
| C．The freedom of movement has helped people realize their dreams． |
| D．Man has been fond of travelling rather than staying in one place． |
How does the writer support the underlined statement in Paragraph2?
| A．By giving instructions. |
| B．By analyzing cause and effect. |
| C．By following the order of time. |
| D．By giving examples. |
According to Paragraph 3, passengers are turning back to modern high-speed trains because______．
| A．they pay less for the tickets |
| B．they feel safer during the travel |
| C．they can enjoy higher speed of travel |
| D．they don’t have to be “processed” |
What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．Air travel benefits people and industries． |
| B．Train Travel has some advantages over air travel． |
| C．Great changes have taken place in modern travel. |
| D．The high speed of air travel is gained at a cost. |
Many peoplerush into the commitment of bringing home a four-legged family member, only to find out that they are not ready for a pet. This often results in the dog being turned over to a shelter where it may not find another home. This can be avoided if potential pet owners take the time to figure out if they are truly ready for the responsibilities of pet ownership.
Being a responsible pet owner involves a financial commitment that goes beyond buying dog food. There are also parasite (寄生虫) prevention, boarding costs while traveling and the cost to care for the pet should it become ill or injured. That is not to say that one must be rich in order to have a dog, but it is important to be prepared for the expenses that come with being a pet owner.
Another consideration is the time commitment. An owner away from home for 14 hours every day is not an ideal situation for a dog. A potential dog owner must also consider the time it takes to care for his or her pet, the time it takes to feed, walk, play with, bathe and clean up. Also, dogs require attention. Be prepared to spend time each day petting and playing with it.
Dogs are dogs, and will act like dogs. This includes barking, digging, having accidents in the house and, possibly, destroying some of the owner’s prized possessions, such as furniture, shoes and cell phones. If the above would cause an owner to want to get rid of the dog, then he or she is not yet ready to be a pet owner. Many wonderful pets end up in shelters simply because they acted like dogs!Who might be qualified to be a dog owner, according to the text?
| A．Jim, who has a daughter sensitive to dog’s smell. |
| B．Dick, a jobless teenager who can hardly pay his rent. |
| C．Kari, a teacher who works eight hours a day. |
| D．Steven, a business man who travels a lot on business. |
To be a responsible dog owner you need to do all the following EXCEPT _________.
| A．finding a shelter for it when you are bored with it |
| B．buying dog food and feeding it |
| C．taking it to hospital when necessary |
| D．spending time each day playing with it |
What does the underlined part in the first paragraph probably mean?
| A．Rush to adopt a dog formally. |
| B．Decide to be a pet owner without thinking about it carefully. |
| C．Run into a pet shelter and take one home so quickly. |
| D．Commit to buy a dog and take it home. |
What might be the best title for the text?
| A．Dogs Are Dogs | B．Pets Are Family Members |
| C．Have Time for a Dog? | D．Ready for a Pet? |
I will never forget the day--- September 10th 2009, when my class went on a field trip to the beach and I had so much fun. When we returned to school, my teacher told me to go to the headmaster’s office. When I got into the office, I saw a police officer. Suddenly, I realized something was wrong. The police officer told me what had happened and we went to pick my sister up. After that, we went to the hospital and waited. Time went slowly. Finally, we got to see our mother. It was terrible.
On the next day, the headmaster came and told my two teachers what had happened. I was taking a test that day. I knew it had something to do with my mother. I kept thinking that she either died or had gotten better. How I wished that she had gotten better. When my teacher took me outside, my sister ran up to me. She started crying, “She’s gone, Terresa, mommy’s gone. She’s dead.” I couldn’t believe it. We jumped into the car and drove straight to the hospital. Most of my family were there. The silence was terrible. I knew I had to say goodbye.
Today when I look back, I still miss my mother very much, but I know that I will live. My mother was a strong mother, who had the biggest heart. She was an angel walking on the earth. I will always remember her as a living. When someone is asked who their hero is, they usually say someone famous, like Michael Jordan or Britney Spears. When someone asks me who my hero is, I tell them, my mother. My mother lives everyday. That is what makes her a true hero.Where was the writer when she learned her mother was sick?
| A．On the beach. | B．At the hospital. |
| C．At school. | D．At home. |
Who brought the writer the bad news that her mother was ill?
| A．Her sister. | B．The headmaster. |
| C．The police officer | D．Her teacher. |
What did the headmaster tell the two teachers on the next day?
| A．Her father had been very ill. |
| B．Her mother had gotten better. |
| C．Her mother came to see her. |
| D．Her mother had been dead. |
From the last paragraph of the passage we know that _____________.
| A．the writer is afraid of her mother. |
| B．the writer feels sad about her mother. |
| C．the writer feels sorry for her mother. |
| D．the writer is proud of her mother. |
Spring is coming. and it is time for those about to graduate to look for jobs. Competition is tough, so job seekers must carefully consider their personal choices. Whatever we are wearing，our family and friends may accept us, but the workplace may not.
A high school newspaper editor said it is unfair for companies to discourage visible tattoos (纹身),nose rings, or certain dress styles. It is true you can’t judge a book by its cover, yet people do “cover” themselves in order to convey (传递)certain messages. What we wear, including tattoos and nose rings, is an expression of who we are. Just as people convey messages about themselves with their appearances, so do companies. Dress standards exist in the business world for a number of reasons, but the main concern is often about what customers accept.
Others may say how to dress is a matter of personal freedom, but for businesses it is more about whether to make or lose money. Most employers do care about the personal appearances of their employees (雇员),because those people represent the companies to their customers.
As a hiring manager I am paid to choose the people who would make the best impression on our customers. There are plenty of well-qualified candidates, so it is not wrong to reject someone who might disappoint my customers. Even though I am open-minded, I can’t expect all our customers are.
There is nobody to blame but yourself if your set of choices does not match that of your preferred employer. No company should have to change to satisfy a candidate simply because he or she is unwilling to respect its standards, as long as its standards are legal.Which of the following is the newspaper editor’s opinion according to Paragraph 2?
| A．People’s appearances carry messages about themselves. |
| B．Candidates with tattoos or nose rings should be fairly treated. |
| C．Customers’ choices influence dress standards in companies. |
| D．Strange dress styles should not be encouraged in the workplace. |
What can be inferred from the text?
| A．Candidates have to wear what companies prefer for an interview. |
| B．Hiring managers make the best impression on their candidates. |
| C．What to wear is not a matter of personal choice for companies. |
| D．Companies sometimes have to change to respect their candidates. |
Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
| A．Hiring Managers Matter | B．Personal Choices Matter |
| C．Employees Matter | D．Appearances Matter |
The author’s attitude towards strange dress styles in the workplace may best be described as _________.
| A．enthusiastic | B．positive |
| C．negative | D．sympathetic |
What looks like an angry old man and lives at the bottom of the ocean? It’s the world’s ugliest animal---the blobfish(水滴鱼).
Its strange skin is shaped by its habitat. It lives 800 meters below the ocean’s surface, a depth where very few other creatures can survive.
Most fishes have a swim bladder(鱼鳔), which is filled with gas and helps them stay afloat. At the depth that the blobfish live, water pressure is 80 times higher than that at higher sea levels and any swim bladder wouldn’t be able to serve its purpose.
The blobfish don’t have a swim bladder because their skin works the same way. It helps them stay afloat without having to use any energy.
The blobfish have a pretty relaxed attitude towards eating. All they do is stay and wait for crabs or lobsters to come by.
Since the blobfish like to eat crabs and lobsters, they often get caught in nets that are used to catch lobsters or crabs and end up dying or being killed. They are not suitable for eating so they are useless for fishermen.
There’s a purpose behind the blobfish’s new title; it has become the new mascot for the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, an organization whose purpose is to preserve endangered ugly animals.
“We’ve needed an ugly face for endangered ugly animals for a long time and I’ve been amazed by the public reaction,” said the Society’s Simon Watt. “For too long cute animals have taken the limelight(风头) but now the blobfish will be a voice for those who always get forgotten.”They hope this new face will help the world know that we need to help preserve the populations of ugly animals too.The biggest difference between the blobfish and most other fishes is that the blobfish_____ .
| A．cannot be eaten by people |
| B．don’t have a swim bladder |
| C．only live at high sea levels |
| D．aren’t active in catching food |
What makes the blobfish stay afloat?
| A．Their skin. | B．Their tail. |
| C．Their mouth. | D．Their swim bladder. |
We can learn from what Simon Watt said that _____ .
| A．most ugly animals are in danger |
| B．the population of the blobfish is increasing |
| C．the blobfish have attracted the public’s attention |
| D．people knew nothing about the blobfish in the past |
What is the purpose of the passage?
| A．To discuss the importance of preserving animals. |
| B．To give the reason for starting an organization. |
| C．To present the results of a survey. |
| D．To introduce a special animal. |
| Apple picking |
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| Apple picking is always a popular fall activity, with families looking for a fun way to spend time together outdoors. Check out some options on where and how to pick close to Toronto: |
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| Where to pick |
Pine Farms Tel: 905-833-5459 Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9 am to 5 pm Details: Pick your own apples from mid-August to November. |
| Albion Farms Tel: 905-584-0354 Hours: Daily 10 am to 6 pm Details: Pick your own apples on weekends only |
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| Watson Farms Tel: 905-623-9109 Hours: Monday to Friday 9 am to 8 pm Weekends 9 am to 6 pm Details: Pick your own apples only in early September. |
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| Brooks Farms Tel: 905-473-3920 Hours: Daily 9 am to 5 pm Details: Picking your own apples is not available(可得到的)，but apples are available in the farm market. |
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| Willis Family Fruit Farms Tel: 905-876-2606 Hours: Weekends 10 am to 8 pm Details: Pick your own apples only in September and October. |
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| Apple picking tips |
Call first: Certain apple types may not be available because demand and farm hours can change without notice. So call ahead before setting out. |
| What to bring: Some farms provide containers(容器) for you to carry the fruit home, but it’s not a bad idea to bring them yourself. Comfortable shoes and clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty are a must. And keep the weather in mind: pack a sweater for cooler days, and bring sun cream. |
According to the author, apple picking ______ .
| A．helps farmers harvest the fruit |
| B．can bring great pleasure to families |
| C．is better for teenagers than for adults |
| D．is becoming more and more popular in cities |
If you are only free after 6 pm on Tuesday, you can choose _____ .
| A．Pine Farms | B．Albion Farms |
| C．Watson Farms | D．Willis Family Fruit Farms |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．You may dirty your clothes when picking apples. |
| B．Apples on all the farms are on sale at the same time. |
| C．You have to pay to take the apples you have picked home. |
| D．You are not allowed to take containers for carrying apples. |