Have you ever noticed advertisements which say “Learn a foreign language in 6 weeks, or your money back! From the first day your pronunciation will be excellent. Just send…” and so on? Of course, it never happens quite like that. The only language that is easy to learn is one’s mother tongue. And think how much practice that gets! Before the Second World War people usually learnt a foreign language in order to read the literature of the country.
Now speaking a foreign language is what most people want. Every year millions of people start learning one. How do they do it? Some people try at home, with books and records of tapes; some use radio or television programmes; some use computers and network; others go to evening classes. If they use the language only 2 or 3 times a week, learning it will take a long time, like learning a foreign language at school. A few people try to learn a language fast by studying for 6 or more hours a day. It is clearly easier to learn the language in the country where it is spoken.
However, most people cannot afford this, and for many it is not necessary. They need the language in order to do their work better. For example, scientists and doctors chiefly need to be able to read books and reports in the foreign language. Whether the language is learnt quickly or slowly, it is hard work. Machines and good books will help, but they cannot do the student’s work for him. According to some advertisements, you ______.
| A．have to pay your money if you cannot master a foreign language in 6 weeks |
| B．needn’t pay you money if you cannot learn a foreign language in 6 weeks |
| C．must pay your money if you cannot master a foreign language in 6 weeks |
| D．will be paid much money if you cannot learn a foreign language in 6 weeks |
Now most people try to learn a foreign language in order to ______.
| A．read the literature of the country |
| B．read books and reports |
| C．do their work better |
| D．go to foreign countries |
Learning a foreign language is a hard job ______.
| A．only for scientists and doctors |
| B．only for the students at school |
| C．for those people at home |
| D．for most people |
When my first wartime Christmas came, I was in basic training in New Jersey and not sure if I could make it home for the holidays. Only on the afternoon of December 23 was the list of men who would have three-day holidays posted. I was one of the lucky soldiers. It was Christmas eve when I arrived home, and a light snow had fallen. Mother opened the front door. I could see beyond her, into the corner of the living room where the tree had always stood. There were lights, all colors, and ornaments (装饰物) shining against the green of a pine. “Where did it come from?” I asked.
“I asked the Gates boy to cut it,” my mother said. “I wouldn’t have had one just for myself, such a rush！He just brought it in this afternoon…” The pine reached to the proper height, almost to the ceiling, and the tree top crystal star was in its place. A few green branches reached about a little awkwardly at the side, I thought, and there was a bit of bare trunk showing in the middle. But the tree filled the room with warm light and the whole house with the pleasant smell of Christmas. “It’s not like the one you used to find,” my mother went on. “Yours were always in good shape. I suppose the Gates boy didn’t know where to look for a good one. But I couldn’t be fussy (挑剔的)．”
“Don’t worry,” I told her. “It’s perfect.” It wasn’t, of course, but at the moment I realized something for the first time: all Christmas trees are perfect． From the passage, we can infer that ______．
| A．the writer spent his first Christmas during the war |
| B．soldiers did not all go home for Christmas during the war |
| C．all the soldiers had three-day holidays |
| D．the writer could not go home for Christmas |
When the writer got home, ______．
| A．it was December 23th |
| B．it was snowing heavily |
| C．he found a Christmas tree in the living room |
| D．the Gates boy was cutting a Christmas tree for his mother |
From this passage，we can conclude that ______．
| A．the writer used to cut very beautiful Christmas trees |
| B．his mother didn’t like perfect trees |
| C．his mother didn’t want to have a tree |
| D．the writer wouldn’t have a tree cut by someone else |
“All Christmas trees are perfect”，because they can remind you of ______．
| A．the wartime | B．the green of a pine |
| C．the pleasant smell | D．the sweet home |
The best title for this passage would be “______”．
| A．How to Choose a Christmas Tree |
| B．How Soldiers Spent Christmas |
| C．The Perfect Christmas Tree |
| D．The Christmas Without a Tree |
Most of us fear getting up and speaking in public. Many people don’t like to go gathering where they don’t know anyone, but while most of us soldier on (迎难而上), those with social anxiety disorder are often stopped by the terror and worry.
Research shows that around fifteen million Americans suffer from social anxiety disorder. People in this condition feel that they are always being watched. Even though they know these fears are unreasonable, they cannot overcome their fears on their own.
Social anxiety disorder sufferers are often misdiagnosed with conditions such as schizophrenia (精神分裂症) and personality disorder. Many feel lonely, and are unsure whether anyone else can understand their thoughts and emotions. This can lead to withdrawal from most social situations, even to being unable to hold employment.
Those who suffer from social anxiety disorder are often dismissed(辞退)as being shy. This is simply not the case; shyness is not even a symptom of social anxiety disorder. The majority of sufferers find their symptoms linked to specific situations, rather than all types of social interactions.
An important step in overcoming social anxiety disorder is seeking out a therapist who specializes in training this type of disorder. Group treatment has been shown to be especially effective. Medication also help reduce the symptoms, but it should not be used as a replacement for psychotherapy (心理疗法).
On your own, you can help reduce the symptoms by taking deep breaths and practising medication or prayer. Alcohol and nicotine should be avoided, as both can cause panic attacks. Exercises can relieve the symptoms, because it burns up the chemicals in your body that cause stress.
54.Patients with social anxiety disorder_________________.
A. are shy in all situations
B. feel they don’t understand themselves
C. are anxious and terrified while speaking in public
D. feel it is unreasonable to be watched by others
55. We know from the passage that___________________________________.
A. most people will try to fight against social anxiety disorder
B. shyness is the main symptom of social anxiety disorder
C. people who feel lonely are often misdiagnosed with social anxiety disorder
D. psychotherapy is very important in treating social anxiety disorder
56. According to the passage, if Jack suffers from social anxiety disorder, he should_________.
A. burn up some unsafe chemicals B. ask for help from a doctor
C. practise speaking in public D. resign from his present job
57. We are most likely to find this passage in__________.
A. American Culture B. Cross Country
C. Family Doctor D. English Nature
My bookshelves are full of dust — and with good reason. When it comes to cleaning that part of my home, I suffer from the most serious case of avoidance (回避反应症).
The thing is this: when I do set out to clean and re-organize my books, which seldom happens, I place myself into a really bad situation. No sooner do I take a title from the shelf, blow off the dust, and wipe down the cover than I find myself sitting on the floor with legs crossed and my back against the wall. Pretty soon books get piled up on my legs as I am reunited with old friends.
It is as if these books have voices, and each wants to say its piece. “Remember me? I was given to you when you went into the Navy, so that you would never lack for companionship,” one whispers. Another says, “I was your first book of poems, given to you before you learned to love poetry.” And a third, “I was the book that made history so attractive to you.”
Perhaps the greatest pleasure of re-organizing my books are the surprises — or better said, reunions — that occur. During my latest book-cleaning adventure, I found one that had fallen behind the shelf: “Tales of Edgar Allan Poe.” Not an unusual title, but the words written on the first page made it very special: “With Love from Mom and Dad, Christmas 1965.” What’s this? A book on the physics of lasers（激光）. It is filled with mathematical statements, and I had bought it at a library sale when I was 12, not long after the laser had been invented. I couldn’t understand a bit of it, but I did learn what “laser” meant.
What I end up with when I empty my bookshelves is a cross-section (横剖面) of my personal history. It’s like a road cut where one sees all the layers of rock going back through time to the beginning of the simplest life forms. The books I’ve read — and kept — are not just old friends. They are my résumé.
50. What could be said about the author?
A. He is too busy to tidy up his bookshelves.
B. He considers his books treasured possessions.
C. He has made a lot of notes in his books.
D. He is a lover of science books.
51. By saying that his books have voices, the author means ________ .
A. they bring back happy memories
B. they are recorded in human voice
C. they say a lot about human history
D. they offer good topics for discussion
52. What does the author enjoy most from re-organizing his books?
A. Finding some missing books.
B. Putting books in good order.
C. Learning something new from the books.
D. Rediscovering interesting stories behind some books.
53. The underlined word “résumé” in the last paragraph probably means ______.
A. personal history B. precious notes
C. good companion D. simple life forms
New Zealand
What can you see? Mountains, volcanoes, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, forests, beaches. Both islands are mountainous. In fact, only 30% of New Zealand is flat.
The Maoris
When the Maoris first arrived in New Zealand, they lived in villages and were excellent fishermen, hunters and farmers. About 50 years ago many Maoris started to live and work in the large cities and took jobs in government, industries, medicine and education. They are proud of their culture and are determined to keep many of the customs which are part of their way of life.
Who can you meet? Most people live on North Island. Eighty-five percent of New Zealanders are “pakeha” (“white men”), which means their “great grandfathers” came from Europe. Ten percent are Maoris. The Maoris came to New Zealand from the Polynesian islands probably around the tenth century. The “pakeha” started to arrive in New Zealand from Europe about 200 years ago as farmers and traders.
Fact box: New Zealand
Position: South of the Equator ; Nearest neighbour: Australia, 1600 km away.
Size: Two main islands — North Island and South Island: together they are 268.680 sq. km.
Population: 4 million
Capital: Wellington
Languages: English and Maori
46. Which of the following is a fact about New Zealand?
A. 20% of the population being Maoris.
B. Four million white people.
C. About 1600 km south of the Equator.
D. Nearly 1/3 of the country being plains.
47. The country’s population is mainly made up of _________.
A. the white people and the Polynesians
B. the white people and the “pakeha”
C. the Maoris and the white people
D. the Maoris and the Polynesians
48. When did the white people begin to live in New Zealand?
A. 1000 years ago. B. 200 years ago.
C. 85 years ago. D. 50 years ago.
49. What do the Maoris value most in life?
A. Living in small villages. B. Developing farming skills.
C. Keeping their own culture. D. Taking up government jobs.
NEW YORK- One in five U.S. workers regularly attends after-work drinks with coworkers, where the most common mishaps range from badmouthing another worker to drinking too much, according to a study released on Tuesday.
Most workers attend so-called happy hours to bond with colleagues, although 15 percent go to hear the latest office gossip and 13 percent go because they feel necessary, said the survey conducted for CareerBuilder.com, an online job site. As to what happens when the after-work drinks flow, 16 percent reported bad-mouthing a colleague, 10 percent shared a secret about a colleague and 8 percent said they drank too much and acted unprofessionally. Five percent said they had shared a secret about the company, and 4 percent confessed to singing karaoke. While 21 percent of those who attended said happy hours were good for networking, 85 percent said attending had not helped them get closer to someone higher up or get a better position. An equal number of men and women said they attended happy hours with co-workers, with younger workers aged 25 to 34 most likely and workers over 55 least likely to attend. Overall, 21 percent of workers attend happy hours with co-workers and; of those nearly a quarter go at least once a month.
The survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder.com among 6,987 full-time employees between February 11 and March 13. Harris Interactive said the results had a sampling error of plus or minus 1.2 percentage points.
56. Harris Interactive made the survey to find out ________.
A. how U.S. workers spend their after-work time
B. what U.S. workers do at after-work drinks
C. the relationships between U.S. workers
D. who are most likely to attend after-work drinks
57. ________ of workers who attend after-work drinks speak ill of a colleague.
A. 4 percent B. 8 percent C. 16 percent D. 10 percent
58. According to the passage, most of those surveyed believed attending after-work drinks ________.
A. benefited them a lot B. could provide information
C. only made them relaxed D. was of no help to them
59. We can learn from the text that _________.
A. workers over 55 don’t like to attend happy hours at all
B. about 75% of workers go more than once a month
C. 10.5% of male workers attend happy hours with co-workers
D. about 700 workers surveyed shared a secret about a co-worker
60. After the survey, it can be inferred that_________.
A. all the workers oppose after-work drinks
B. the workers may change their attitudes towards after-work drinks
C. all the workers support after-work drinks
D. all the workers are suggested going to attend after-work drinks