The cars were honking (鸣叫) on the road one morning as I was walking to the park. I walked on and soon found the cause — a little taxi that had got stuck in the middle of the road. There was sweat on the driver's face as he tried to start the engine again and again — nothing happened. "No petrol,"
I said to myself and then found myself getting angry. "Why doesn't the fool move his taxi to the side?" I thought, so did all the others who honked and shouted.
He got up tiredly, and the passenger in the taxi got out. He was a young man in a white shirt, who watched the driver try to push it to the side. "Stupid guy!" I said. "Can't he lend a helping hand? "
I watched as the poor driver pushed it to the side. Cars, buses and trucks went past cursing (咒骂 ) the poor man. The young man took another taxi and went off.
The taxi driver began mending his taxi. "Stupid passenger!" I said to him. "He didn't help you!" The taxi driver slowly got up. "Sir!" he asked, "Did you?" I looked at him guiltily, then looked away, and walked away fast, asking myself, "Did I help the poor man push his taxi?"
What had I been doing as the traffic jam took place? How had I helped deal with the problem? Did I help the poor man push his taxi? I’d done my bit, with my mouth. But never had I moved to solve the problem. I was shocked with guilt as I heard him asking, "Sir! Did you?" Why did a traffic jam happen on the road when the author was walking to the park?
| A.There was too much traffic in the street. |
| B.Truck drivers attempted to go ahead of others. |
| C.A taxi driver couldn't start his engine. |
| D.A young man wasn't good at driving. |
The author's attitude toward the passenger is that of __________.
| A.anger | B.respect | C.sympathy | D.guilt |
Why did the author feel guilty?
| A.Because he blamed the driver wrongly. |
| B.Because he didn't help the driver, either. |
| C.Because he tried to help but failed in the end. |
| D.Because he didn't persuade the passenger to help. |
From the incident, the author learnt a lesson that we should _________.
| A.criticize those who don't help |
| B.hurt the self-respect of others no more |
| C.think more of those who are in need |
| D.stop talking and start to help |
All people need to sleep. Sleep is a necessary process that promotes proper body functioning and can improve the quality of your life. Not only is the quantity of sleep important, but also the quality of sleep.
Your bedroom should be shaped to your taste and allow you to sleep in a peaceful environment. One of the biggest mistakes people make in their sleep is to use their bedroom for activities other than sleep. If your bedroom also functions as a command station for your life and work, the likelihood(可能性)of your sleeping being poor is rather high. Bedrooms should be designed, decorated and used for sleep mainly.TVs, computers and other things should not be in your bedroom if at all possible.
Establishing regular sleeping and waking times can help improve the quality of your sleep especially for those suffering from sleeplessness. Avoid hot food, caffeine, sugar and alcohol at least 4 to 6 hours before your sleep time.Develop a regular exercise program.Proper exercise and nutrition will help improve sleeping patterns. However, avoid exercising 2 hours before sleeping, since this may stimulate(刺激)your body and make sleeping more difficult.
Establish a pre-bedtime rule that will help you focus on sleep. You can try meditation (沉思), reading or deep breathing and relaxation. Your bedtime rule should be yours. Do not worry about it fitting into a specific category(种类).Do what is best for you.
Things such as room temperature, noise and light levels and even your bed mattress(垫子) can have a lot of effect on the quality of sleep that you experience. Block out distracting(使人分心的) noises and lights. You are in your bedroom to sleep and not be distracted by environmental interferences (干扰).Which of the following is the best title for the text?
| A.How to Improve Sleep Quality? | B.What Is the Process of Sleep? |
| C.Where Should We Sleep? | D.How to Deal with Sleep Problems? |
According to the author, __.
| A.the bedroom has many functions than expected |
| B.computers can make people sleep fast |
| C.the bedroom is better used only for sleep |
| D.amusements are forbidden in the bedroom by law |
If you have sleep problems, __.
| A.a well-decorated bedroom is important to you |
| B.you’d better have steady sleeping and waking time |
| C.cold food and sugar are good for you |
| D.you need proper exercise just before sleep |
The main idea of the last paragraph is ___.
| A.a good sleep environment contributes to good sleep |
| B.blinding lights can make for a good sleep |
| C.bed mattress plays a key part in sleep |
| D.distracted people are sleepless |
Not all memories are sweet. Some people spend all their lives trying to forget bad experiences. Violence and traffic accidents can leave people with terrible physical and emotional scars. Often they relive these experiences in nightmares(噩梦).
Now American researchers think they are close to developing a pill, which will help people forget bad memories. The pill is designed to be taken immediately after a frightening experience. They hope it might reduce, or possibly wipe out, the effect of painful memories.
In November, experts tested a drug on people in the US and France. The drug stops the body releasing (释放) chemicals that fix memories in the brain. So far the research has suggested that only the emotional effects of memories may be reduced, not that the memories are wiped out. They are not sure to what degree people’s memories are affected.
The research has caused a great deal of argument(争议). Some think it is a bad idea, while others support it. Supporters say it could lead to pills that prevent or treat soldiers' troubling memories after war. They say that there are many people who suffer from terrible memories.
"Some memories can ruin people's lives. They come back to you when you don't want to have them in a daydream or nightmare. They usually come with very painful emotions," said Roger Pitman, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. "This could relieve a lot of that suffering."
But those who are against the research say that maybe the pills can change people’s memories and changing memories is very dangerous because memories give us our identity (特质). They also help us all avoid the mistakes of the past.
"All of us can think of bad events in our lives that were terrible at the time but make us who we are. I'm not sure we want to wipe those memories out, "said Rebecca Dresser, a medical ethicist. The passage is mainly about.
| A.a new medical invention | B.a new research on the pill |
| C.a way of wiping out painful memories | D.an argument about the research on the pill |
The drug tested on people can.
| A.cause the brain to fix memories | B.stop people remembering bad experiences |
| C.stop body producing certain chemicals | D.wipe out the emotional effects of memories |
We can infer from the passage that.
| A.people doubt the effects of the pills |
| B.the pill will certainly stop people's emotional memories |
| C.taking the pill will do harm to people's physical health |
| D.the pill has already been produced and used by the public in America |
Which of the following does Rebecca Dresser agree with in the last paragraph ?
| A.some memories can ruin people's lives. |
| B.people want to get rid of bad memories. |
| C.experiencing bad events makes us different from others. |
| D.the pill will reduce people's sufferings from bad memories. |
You may probably read the passage in a __________
| A.guidebook | B.medical magazine | C.textbook | D.science fiction |
On Halloween Night, children go trick-treating in their neighborhoods. Dressed up as ghosts, skeleton devils, and various other characters, children knock on doors to collect their treats. Seldom do they actually perform a “trick”.
It is thought that trick-or-treating comes from an old English custom. On All Souls Day, poor people went begging and promised to say prayers in exchange for food. Apple bobbing, still a favorite Halloween game, was originally an ancient ceremony honoring the harvest time.
A jack-o’-lantern is placed on porches and windows to tell children that treats are available. The legend was that a man named Jack could enter heaven because he played tricks on the devil. As punishment, he had to wander the earth carrying a lantern waiting to be judged fit to get into heaven.
People believed that Halloween marked the connection between the world of the living and the world of the dead. This meant that ghosts would roam the earth on this night. Some believed that these ghosts would go back to the homes they lived in before they died.
Thankfully, Halloween is an amusing night when children can dress up and get a bag full of candy. We don’t have to worry about ghosts. Or do we?Apple bobbing was an ancient ceremony held originally to ____.
| A.honor the harvest time | B.honor the dead |
| C.honor the living | D.play a trick on each other |
The underlined word “roam” is close in meaning to ____.
| A.come back | B.place | C.collect | D.walk around |
Which of the following is not true?
A. On Halloween Night, children often dress up as ghosts.
B. On Halloween Night, children often perform tricks.
C,. Trick-or-treating comes from an old English custom.
D. Children can get a lot of candy on Halloween Night.According to the passage, Halloween is a(n) ____ festival.
| A.sad | B.bad | C.interesting | D.boring |
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People can buy used books in ______.
| A.None | B.Harry Potter Store |
C.B argain Books Store |
D.The Textbook Store |
If you order one 8.75-dollar book, two 4. 55-dollar books and one 3.99-dollar book in the Bargain Books Store, then you can get ______free.
| A.none | B.the 3.99-dollar book |
| C.the two 4.55-dollar books | D.the 8.75-dollar book |
What can we infer from the advertisement?
| A.People can only get books about Harry Potter in Harry Potter Store. |
| B.People can get any book free if he buys four books in Bargain Books Store. |
| C.The editors in Bargain Books Store often recommend(推荐) books to readers. |
D.In the Textbook Store people can save 40% off th e list prices of all the books. |
Some places in the world have strange laws. It’s important for you to know about them before going there.
People who like to chew gum(口香糖) may have to leave Singapore. The government really wants to keep the city clean and will fine you for chewing gum.
Before you leave for the United Arab Emirates you’d better make sure you aren’t visiting during Ramadan(斋月). During that time you aren’t allowed to eat or drink in public. Tourists have been fined up to $275 for drinking in public.
Lovers spend so much time kissing each other goodbye at train stations that trains often start late. This law — no kissing your lover goodbye at train stations – is rather old, and is
n’t in use today in France.
In Thailand it’s against the law to drive a car or motorcycle without a shirt on, no matter how hot it is. Punishments are different in different areas and can include warnings and tickets costing about $10. No joke -- the local police will stop you.
Studies in Denmark have shown that cars with their headlights on are more noticeable by other drivers than those with their headlights off. Drivers there are required to leave their headlights on even during the day, or they may face a fine up to $100.
Do you often buy things using coins? Don’t do it in Canada. The Currency Law of 1985 doesn’t allow using only coins to buy things. Even the use of the dollar-coin is limited (受限制的). The shop owner has the right to choose whether to tak
e your coins or not.
Make sure you know about these laws before your next trip. Better safe than sorry.What is mainly talked about in the text?
| A.How to make your trip around the world safe. |
| B.Why there are strange laws in the world. |
| C.Some strange laws you should know about for your trip. |
D.inter esting places you can go to around the world. |
If you are driving a car in Thailand, _____.
| A.the police will play a joke on you |
| B.you should wear your shirt even though it’s hot |
| C.the police will give you tickets costing about $10 |
| D.you should always keep your headlights on |
What can we learn from the text?
| A.The Singaporean government cares a lot about its environment. |
| B.Kissing goodbye at train stations isn’t allowed in France today. |
| C.Tourists in the United Arab Emirates shouldn’t eat in public. |
| D.You can turn your headlights off in daytime in Denmark. |
What do we know about the strange law in Canada?
| A.It is a newly invented law. | B.You aren’t allowed to use dollar-coins. |
| C.You will be fined if you use coins. | D.Shop owners can decide if you can use coins. |