All you have is what you bring with you
I've always felt a need to be prepared for whatever situation I've found myself in．
My mother once took me to a store when I was seven years old．She and I got to the checkout counter, and she realized she had forgotten a couple of things on her shopping list．She left me with the cart and ran off to get what she needed．
"I'll be right back．" she said．
She was gone just a few minutes, but in that time, I had loaded all the things on the belt and everything was rung up．I was left staring at the cashier, who was staling at me．"Do you have money for me, son?" she said．"I'll need to be paid．" -
I didn't realize she was just trying to amuse herself．So I stood there, ashamed and embarrassed．
By the time my mom returned, I was angry．"You left me here with no money! This lady asked me for the money, and I had nothing to give her I"
Now that I'm an adult, you'll never catch me with less than $200 in my wallet．I want to be prepared in case I need it．
I've always admired people who are over-prepared．In college, I had a classmate named Norman．One day he was giving a presentation on an overhead projector and in the middle of his talk, the light bulb （灯泡） on the projector blew out．We would have to wait ten minutes until someone found a new' projector．
"It's Okay．" he announced．"There's nothing to worry about．"
We watched him walk over to his bag and pull something out．He had brought along a spare bulb for the Overhead projector．Who could even think of that?
I often told my students, " When you go into the wilderness, the only thing you can depend on is what you take with you．" And essentially, the wilderness is anywhere but your home or office．So take money．Pack a light bulb．Be prepared．
Why did the cashier ask a seven-year-old boy to pay for the purchases'?
| A．The boy was shopping by himself． |
| B．The boy's mother asked her to do so． |
| C．The cashier was playing a joke on him． |
| D．The boy's mother was away for something else． |
Why was the boy angry with his mother?
| A．His mother left him alone． |
| B．He lost face in front of the cashier． |
| C．His mother forgot to buy something． |
| D．He had just quarreled with the cashier． |
Why did Norman bring a spare bulb with him?
| A．He was always well-prepared． |
| B．His presentation was about bulbs． |
| C．He knew the classroom equipment was of poor quality． |
| D．He predicted the bulb on the projector would blow out． |
What do the two stories tell us?
| A．Accidents happen almost every day． |
| B．Money is the key that opens all doors. |
| C．In fair weather, prepare for a rainy day． |
| D．Chances favor those who are well-prepared． |
Hello! My name is Lisa, and I am a lioness. I live on the open grasslands of Africa with my family. Lions living in a group are called a pride.
My father is strong and powerful. He and his cousin are the leaders of our pride. The other members are my mother, her sisters, and their children.
The area where a pride lives is big! We roar (咆哮) to tell each other where we are and to warn strangers to stay away.
Come to meet my new baby brother. His name is Leon. See the spots on his fur? We lions are born spotted or striped (有条纹的). As we grow older, the spots gradually disappear.
Lionesses usually spend their entire lives with their birth pride, but Leon will leave when he is about three years old. He’ll run around with a male (雄性的) friend or relative for a few years until they take over a pride of their own.
But for now, we have lots of fun together. We often play and fight for hours, which can help us practice skills that we will need for hunting.
We lions keep ourselves very clean. Just like a house cat, I clean my fur with my tongue. We clean for each other, too, to show we’re friends.
Lions like to sleep for most of the day. We hunt in the cool evening. Female (雌性的) lions hunt more often than male lions. We work together as a team. At the right moment, we attack and kill our prey. Then we share it. Male lions usually eat first. Females eat next. Baby lions are the last to eat. The smallest one gets the least food.
Since we are full, it’s time to go to find a nice place for a sleep. Bye!From the text, we can learn that Lisa comes from______.
| A．Asia | B．Africa | C．Europe | D．America |
The underlined word “prey” in the passage probably means _____.
| A．the animal that is hunted |
| B．the animal that is dangerous |
| C．the animal that is powerful |
| D．the animal that is ill |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Lions sometimes clean their fur for each other. |
| B．Lions also develop their skills of hunting by having fun. |
| C．Lions usually hunt for food in the evening. |
| D．Baby lions are often the first to get food in their group. |
The passage is written for _____.
| A．doctors | B．political leaders | C．children | D．hunters |
According to the passage, Leon _____.
| A．hunts more often than his sisters |
| B．will have spots on his fur for the whole of his life |
| C．will leave his birth pride when he is about three |
| D．will take over his birth pride when his father dies |
In summer, millions of people will head for the beach．And while the ocean can be a great place to swim and play, it may also be useful in another way．Some scientists think that waves could help make electricity．
“Have you ever been on a surfboard or boat and felt yourself being lifted up by a wave? Or have you jumped in the water and felt the energy as waves crashed over you?” asked Jamie Taylor of the Wave Energy Group at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland．“There is certainly a lot of energy in waves．”
Scientists are working on using that energy to make electricity．
Most waves are created when winds blow across the ocean．“The winds start out by making little ripples (波纹) in the water, but if they keep on blowing , those ripples get bigger and bigger and turn into waves, ”Taylor said．“Waves are one of nature’s ways of picking up energy and then sending it off on a journey．”
When waves come towards the shore, people can set up dams or other barricades to block the water and send it through a large wheel called a turbine (涡轮) ．The turbine can then power an electrical generator (发电机) ．
The United States and a few other countries have started doing research on wave energy , and it is already being used in Scotland．
The resource is huge．We will never run out of wave power, besides, wave energy does not create the same pollution as other energy sources, such as oil and coal．
Oceans cover three quarters of the earth’s surface．That would make wave power seem perfect for creating energy around the world．There are some drawbacks, however．
Jamie Taylor said that wave power still cost too much money．He said that its effects on animals in the sea were still unknown．Besides, wave power would get in the way of fishing and boat traffic．
With more research, however, “many of these problems might be overcome,” Taylor said．“Demand for energy to power our TVs and computers, drive our cars, and heat and cool our homes is growing quickly throughout the world．Finding more energy sources is very important, for traditional sources of energy like oil and gas may run out some day．”
In the future, when you turn on a light switch, an ocean wave could be providing the electricity!We can infer from the passage that ______．
| A．finding new energy sources like wave energy is important |
| B．wave energy is a resource that will never run out and is used all over the world |
| C．wave power is perfect for creating energy around the world |
| D．wave power doesn’t create any pollution |
The underlined word “drawbacks” probably means ______．
| A．regrets | B．adventures | C．disadvantages | D．difficulties |
What can be the best title for the passage?
| A．How to Get Electricity by Waves． |
| B．A Huge Resource of Energy． |
| C．Can Waves Make Electricity? |
| D．The Disadvantages of Wave Energy． |
Make the most of college
Dear Daughter,
As we drove off from Columbia, I wanted to write a letter to you to tell you all that is on my mind.
First, I want to tell you how proud we are. Getting into Columbia is a real testament of what a great well-rounded student you are. You should be as proud of yourself as we are.
Your college years will be the most important of your life. It is in college that you will discover what learning is about. This will be the period where you go from teacher-taught to master-inspired, after which you must become self-learner. So do take each subject seriously, and even if what you learn isn’t critical for your life, the learning skills you acquire will be something you will cherish forever.
Follow your passion in college. Take courses you think you will enjoy. Don’t be trapped by what others think or say, but make up your own mind.
Most importantly, make friends and be happy. College friends are often the best in life. Pick a few friends and become really close to them – pick the ones who are genuine to you. Don’t worry about their hobbies, grades, looks or even personalities.
Start planning early – what would you like to do? Where would you like to live? What would you like to learn? I think your plan to study fashion is good, and you should decide where you want to be, and get onto the right courses.
Whether it is summer-planning, or coursework planning, or picking a major, or managing your time, you should take control of your life. I will always be there for you, but the time has come for you to be in the driver’s seat – this is your life, and you need to be in control. Being in control feels great. Try it, and you’ll love it!
College is the four years where you have:
The greatest amount of free time
the first chance to be independent
the most flexibility（灵活性） to change
the lowest risk for making mistakes
So please treasure your college years – make the best of your free time, become an independent thinker in control of your destiny, be bold to experiment, learn and grow through your successes and challenges.
May your years at Columbia be the happiest of your life, and may you blossom into just what you dream to be.
Love,
Dad (&Mom)What does the author think college life prepares for his daughter?______
| A．Uncertainty | B．Pure enjoyment. |
| C．Successes and challenges. | D．Experimentation with life. |
What does the author advise his daughter to do in college?______
| A．Plan everything. |
| B．Party with friends in her free time. |
| C．Ignore what others think or say. |
| D．Treasure and make the best of her college years. |
Which of these pieces of advice is given in the article?_____
a. think and live independently b. learn how to learn
c. choose friends with similar personalities d. be genuine and sincere e. try new things
| A．abc | B．bce | C．cde | D．abe |
From the text, we can conclude the father ______.
| A．is worried about his daughter |
| B．is strict with his daughter |
| C．is optimistic (乐观的) about his daughter’s future |
| D．is sad that his daughter is leaving home |
The influence of America is increasing in my country. Spanish people drink Coca Cola, wear blue jeans, watch Hollywood movies, listen to American music, and eat fast food, and they do these things every day.
I think that American movies are a good way to spread American culture because people are often influenced by what they see in the movies. Most of the programs and documentaries (纪录片) we watch on TV are from America, and most of the movies we go to see are made in Hollywood.
In the last few years, the government has tried to protect the Spanish movies. Now, in our cinemas, at least twenty percent of the movies which are shown must be from Spain or from other countries in Europe.
American culture is a part of Spanish life now. It’s certain that many things from America are as much a part of people’s lives as Spanish things. For example, Coca Cola is as familiar to everybody as any typical Spanish product. I’ve known about Coca Cola for my whole life.
However, it’s different with Western fast food. For example, I don’t think McDonald’s is as successful in Spain as it is in other countries. In my opinion, one of the reasons may be the lifestyle of the Spanish people. The Spanish people normally eat at home.
On the other hand, maybe McDonald’s hamburgers will eventually replace the famous Spanish tapas. It’s true that in every city in Spain you can find a McDonald’s, and it is more popular among the Spanish children than among the adults. In any case, it’s obvious that American culture is becoming more and more a part of our lives every day.From the first paragraph we can know that ____.
| A．the influence of America on Spain can be found everywhere |
| B．most Spanish people don’t like to listen to their own music |
| C．fast food spreads from Spain to the United States |
| D．some Spanish actors go to America to improve their acting skills |
What plays an important part in the spreading of American culture in Spain?
| A．American novels. | B．Hollywood movies. |
| C．McDonald’s. | D．American music. |
Why did the government set some rules for the films shown in Spain?
| A．To protect foreign culture in Spain. |
| B．To earn more money from Spanish films. |
| C．To limit the number of American movies. |
| D．To unite the European Community. |
Why does the author think that McDonald’s is not as successful as it is in other countries?
| A．Its fast food contains too much fat. |
| B．He thinks it is unhealthy. |
| C．Spanish people seldom eat out. |
| D．Spanish adults don’t like its fast food. |
What do you think Spanish tapas might be?
| A．The name of a drink. | B．The name of a restaurant. |
| C．A clothing brand. | D．A certain kind of food. |
About ten years ago, a young and very successful businessman named Josh was traveling down a Chicago neighborhood street. He was going a bit too fast in his shiny, black, 12 cylinder Jaguar XKE, which was only two months old.
He was watching for kids rushing out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no child came out, but a brick sailed out and-WHUMP!-it hit the Jag’s shiny black side door! SCREECH...!!!! Immediately Josh stopped the car, jumped out, seized the kid and pushed him up against a parked car. He shouted at the kid, “What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing?!” Building up a head of steam, he went on. “That’s my new Jag. That brick you threw is going to cost you a lot of money. Why did you throw it?”
“Please, mister, please... I’m sorry! I didn’t know what else to do!” begged the youngster. “I threw the brick because no one else would stop!” tears were streaming down the boy’s face as he pointed around the parked car. “It’s my brother, mister,” he said. “He rolled of the curb （路沿）and fell out of his wheelchair and I can’t lift him up.” Sobbing, the boy asked the businessman, “Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair?” he’s hurt and he’s too heavy for me.”
Moved beyond words, the young businessman tried hard to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. Straining, he lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapers and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be OK. He then watched the younger brother push him down the sidewalk toward their home.
It was a long walk back to the black, shining, 12 cylinder Jaguar XKE — a long and slow walk. Josh never did fix the side door of his Jaguar. He kept the dent （凹痕）to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at him to get his attention. Feel for the bricks of life coming at you.The boy threw a brick at the businessman’s car because ________.
| A．the businessman drove at a high speed |
| B．he envied the brand-new car very much |
| C．he wanted to ask for some money |
| D．he wanted to get help from the driver |
Which of the following is the right order of the story?
a．The younger brother threw a brick at Josh’s car.
b．The elder brother fell out of his wheelchair.
c．The younger brother begged Josh for help.
d．Josh lifted the elder brother back into his wheelchair.
e．Josh shouted at the younger brother.
| A．b, a, e, c, d | B．a, c, d, b, e | C．b, a, c, e, d | D．a, c, b, e, d |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Josh would accept the money from the kids. |
| B．The two kids were Josh’s neighbors. |
| C．Josh was a kind-hearted man. |
| D．Josh’s new car broke down easily. |