What’s on Your Pet’s Mind?
In 1977, Irene Pepperberg of Harvard University began studying what was on another creature’s mind by talking to it. Her first experiments began with Alex. Alex was a one-year-old African grey parrot and Irene taught him to produce the sounds of the English language. “I thought if he learned to communicate, I could ask him questions about how he sees the world.”
At the time, most scientists didn’t believe animals had any thoughts. They thought animals were more like robots but didn’t have the ability to think or feel. Of course, if you own a pet you probably disagree. But it is the job of a scientist to prove this and nowadays more scientists accept that animals can think for themselves.
“That’s why I started my studies with Alex,” Irene said, “Some people actually called me crazy for trying this.”
Nowadays, we have more and more evidence that animals have all sorts of mental abilities. Sheep can recognize faces. Chimpanzees (黑猩猩) use a variety of tools and even use weapons to hunt. And Alex the parrot became a very good talker.
Thirty years after the Alex studies began. Irene was still giving him English lessons up until his recent death. For example, if Alex was hungry he could say “want grape”. Alex could count to six and was learning the sounds for seven and eight. “He has to hear the words over and over before he can correctly say them.” Irene said, after pronouncing “seven” for Alex a few times in a row. Alex could also tell the difference between colors, shapes, sizes, and materials (e.g. wood and metal). Before he finally died, Alex managed to say “seven”.
Another famous pet that proved some animals have greater mental skills was a dog called Rico. He appeared on a German TV game show in 2011. Rico knew the names of 200 different toys and easily learned the names of new ones. When Rico became famous, many other dog owners wanted to show how clever their pets were. Another dog called Betsy could understand 300 words.
One theory for dogs’ ability to learn a language is that they have been close companions to humans for many centuries and so their ability to understand us is constantly evolving (进化). While animals can’t do what humans do yet, some scientists believe that examples like Alex and Rico prove that evolution develops intelligence, as well as physical appearance.Irene wanted to find out __________.
| A．what a parrot thinks |
| B．why a parrot can speak |
| C．how parrots make sounds |
| D．if parrots speak English |
Alex learnt new words by __________.
| A．singing them |
| B．reading them |
| C．writing them |
| D．rehearing them |
The two dogs mentioned in the article could _______.
| A．understand some words |
| B．recognize strange voices |
| C．copy human gestures |
| D．tell different colors |
The article concludes that ___________.
| A．our pets understand what we say |
| B．dogs may speak to humans one day |
| C．humans are related to chimpanzees |
| D．mental ability can evolve in animals |
You have the ability to decide whether you are happy or not. Happiness is a choice.
You can’t depend on someone else to make you happy. That is a lesson I learned early in my marriage. I realized that I couldn’t rely on my husband as my source of happiness. I learned that my happiness depended on myself and not my husband’s actions. I learned that you have to choose to be happy.
You can choose your emotions. True happiness comes from within, and it can’t be forced by outside force. So how do you choose happiness? The same way, you choose to smile or choose to wear a certain outfit（一套衣服）. You choose it because that’s what you want to experience in you life.
You want to buy a new pair of shoes so you choose a pair that you like and feels good. You wouldn’t buy a pair of shoes that you don’t like or that doesn’t fit well, right? So why do we keep choosing emotions and feelings that don’t make us feel good?
Choosing to be happy after you realize your anger has shown up (or even choosing to be calm) can be beneficial. We choose our feelings; no one else can do that for us. If we let others get to us, influence our emotions — we are giving them power over us. When others cause us anger or pain, we are giving them our power.
We need to keep our feelings in check and not to react（反应） automatically to what is thrown at us. We need to think our actions out instead of just reacting to what someone says or does.
Remember that we can always choose happiness. At first it will be difficult to just switch（使转变）your thoughts and feelings from anger, self-doubt, or fear to joy and happiness. But it is only a thought away. Don’t dwell on（细想） what happens to you unnecessarily but realize what is causing you to feel that way. Realize that thoughts, feelings and emotions can change. Then move on and choose to be happy.
64. What’s the best title of this passage?
A. Pretend to Be Happy
B. Choose Your Emotions
C. Choose to Be Happy
D. Find Happiness
65. The lesson the writer learned in her marriage is .
A. one can’t depend on someone else to make himself or herself happy
B. balancing the relationship between husband and wife is an art
C. she can depend on her husband to find happiness
D. happiness can be influenced by outside force
66. Why did the writer mention buying shoes?
A. To offer advice on how to choose comfortable shoes.
B. To use it as an example to illustrate（阐述）her point of view.
C. To compare choosing shoes and choosing an outfit.
D. To help move to the next paragraph easily.
67. The writer suggests that we should .
A. let others control our feelings
B. respond immediately to others’ words
C. hold back our feelings properly
D. pay more attention to words than actions
Lots of students shop to reduce stress or just to kill time with their friends. Shopping to get rid of boredom or to escape from life’s pressures may lead to serious problems. When you start to shop out of control, you become a shopping addict.
Shopping addicts show signs that are similar to other addicts. Some students think that shopping, even as little as buying gifts for classmates, can make them feel better and forget their problems. Actually, it can make them feel worse, guilty, or even cause them to run into financial difficulties. Finding yourself in a financial struggle or deep in debt may harm your relationships with friends and parents.
Do you go shopping for just a few things and come home with your wallet empty? Do you always go shopping after an emotional trauma or when life feels tough（艰难的）? Do you regret later what you buy? Or do you buy things that you never use? Maybe your parents or friends have expressed disagreement that leads you to hide items or lie about prices.
Avoid any environment that may make you want to spend money. Never use credit cards. Form some other meaningful and beneficial hobbies. Exercise, yoga and hot baths generally may help you not want to shop. Take a drive through the country where there aren’t any stores. Have patience with yourself and your money, which can benefit you for the rest of your life.
60. According to the passage, shopping addicts ______.
are always rich people B. get well along with friends
C. may suffer financial difficulties D. all the above
61. The third paragraph mainly tells about ______.
ways to get rid of shopping addiction
the signs of shopping addicts
the danger of shopping addiction
why shopping addicts can’t stop shopping
62. The underlined word “trauma” probably means “______”.
hurt B. satisfaction C. enjoyment D. appreciation
63. The intended readers of the passage are ______.
teachers B. doctors C. students D. education
第三部分 阅读理解（共20小题，每小题2分，满分40分）
ROYAL HOTEL
invites applications for the following posts:
HOUSEKEEPING
Housekeeping Supervisor(主管人)
• Salary: $1,200 per month
•At least 2 years similar experience
•Female only
Housemaids
•Salary: $700 per month
•No experience required
Part-time posts for Housemaids only
LAUNDRY（洗衣）
Laundry Valet
•Salary: $700 per month
•Duties – to collect and deliver（递送） laundry parcels
•Shift（轮班） work required
Laundry Attendant
•Salary: $700 per month
•Male applicants only
•Shift work required
Preference will be given to people with some experience.
FOOD AND DRINKS
(for new 24-hour restaurant)
Head waiter
•Salary: $1,200 per month
•Experienced waiters can apply
Waiter/ Waiters
•Salary: $800 per month
•No experience needed
(Willing to work shifts)
Part-timers needed for permanent night shift 6 pm to 11 pm.
GENERAL
Car Driver
•Salary: $800 per month
•Clean driving record
•At least 1 year of experience
•Willing to work irregular hours
Pool Attendant
•Salary: $700 per month
•Must know life-saving technique
•Some related experience
Both posts for male only.
Interviews will be conducted at the Royal Hotel, East Room, 2nd Level on the 25th and 26th Nov. from 10:00 to 4:00 pm.
56. What work does a laundry valet do?
A. He washes the clothes.
B. He drives the laundry truck.
C. He collects and delivers bags of laundry.
D. He operates the machines in the laundry room.
57. Which posts can fresh school-leavers apply for?
A. Housekeeping supervisor and housemaid.
B. Housemaid and waiter.
C. Head waiter and waiter.
D. Laundry valet and laundry attendant.
58. Which of these jobs require shift work?
A. Housemaid and waiter.
B. Laundry valet and waiter.
C. Car driver and pool attendant.
D. Laundry attendant and pool attendant.
59. There are four people applying for pool attendant. If you are the interview, who do you think is most suitable for the post?
A. Mary, who likes swimming very much.
B. Jenny, who knows life-saving technique very well.
C. Tom, who has been a pool attendant for two years.
D. John, who expects to earn over $1000 every month.
Study-abroad programs are a great way to learn about different cultures. Sometimes students don’t have the money to join in these programs. That is why scholarships for study-abroad programs are starting to become poplar.
Study-abroad programs can often be quite expensive. Finding scholarships is not that difficult. Usually, you can just visit the study-abroad office at your educational institution or even the financial services office. They will have a large directory of available scholarships. If your school does not have these offices, you can just quickly have a look on the Internet and find a wide variety of scholarships you might qualify for.
The credentials(资历) you need to be considered for a scholarship vary greatly. But, to be a candidate for any scholarship, you generally need to have good grades, be an outstanding person, and be able to take full advantage of the opportunities presented to you . You will be able to show why you are a good candidate through the application process.
The application process for each scholarship varies, which usually includes submitting an academic record, an essay, and sometimes an interview.
Usually , you will have to submit your academic records. The administrators of the scholarship will know that you take your academic studies seriously. Next you usually need to write an essay. This could be on a wide variety of subjects , but they usually focus on something related to “why you should get this scholarship” to determine how much you want the scholarship and how good of a candidate you would be. After this, the final few applicants may be asked in for an interview to learn about you and why you would be a good recipient of the scholarship.
If you satisfy all these requirements, there is a good chance you will get a scholarship. If you don’t have enough money, don’t give up but use plenty of scholarship opportunities for you!
51. What do we learn about study-abroad programs from the passage?
A. They are often quite cheap to apply for. B. They are very difficult to apply for.
C. They are good tools for learning other cultures.
D. They are only found in the study-abroad offices in colleges.
52. To apply for a scholarship, the writer doesn’t mention the credential that_______.
A. You need to speak a foreign language well. B. you need to have good marks at school.
C. you need to be an excellent student .
D. you need to know when to use the opportunities before you.
53.The main purpose of the passage is _______.
A. to introduce the advantages of study-abroad programs.
B. to show us why scholarships for study-abroad programs are popular
C. to suggest where one can find suitable study-abroad programs
D. to provide tips on applying for scholarships for study-abroad programs
54. To prove whether you take your academic studies seriously, you should ____.
A. write an essay on why you should get this scholarship
B. submit your academic records
C. be interviewed by the administrators of the scholarship
D. prove you are a good recipient of the scholarship
55. In which part of a newspaper would you most probably read this passage?
A. Education B. Fashion C. Business D . Entertainment
A new study has claimed that men really are more intelligent than women . The study concluded that men’s IQs are almost four points higher than women’s.
British-born researcher John Philippe Rushton says the finding could explain why so few women make it to the top in the workplace.
The Oxford University reached his conclusion after Scrutinizing the results of university ability tests taken by 100,000 students aged 17 and 18 of both sexes.
A focus on the factors such as the ability to quickly grasp a complex concept , verbal reasoning skills(语言推理能力) and creativity—some of the key factors of intelligence ---showed the male teenagers had IQs that were an average of 3.63 points higher. The average person has an IQ around 100 . The findings , which held true for all classes and levels of education , overturn 100-year opinion that men and women average the same in general mental ability. They also conflict（冲突） with evidence that girls do better in school exams than boys.
But Professor Rushton argues that the faster maturing（成熟） of girls leads to them outshining boys in the classroom .
46. The report is mainly about________.
A. a study that shows men are clever than women B. the “glass ceiling “phenomenon
C. Professor Ruston’s theory on IQ D. the difference between male and female
47. The underlined word “Scrutinizing” in the fourth paragraph probably means__________.
A. making up B. carrying out C. examining carefully D. looking at
48. The tests were taken by _________.
A. boy students aged 17 and 18. B. 100,000 boy and girl students aged 17 and 18[
C. girl students aged 17 and 18D. 100,000 girl students
49. We can infer that the average woman has an IQ of _________.
A. a little less than 100 B. 100 C. more than 100 D. 96.37
50. Which of the following opinions does Professor Rushton NOT accept?
A. Men’s IQs are almost four points higher than women’s
B. Few women make it to the top in the workplace.
C. Men and women average the same in general mental ability .
D. The faster maturing of girls leads to them outshining boys in the classroom.