In early autumn I applied for admission to college. I wanted to go nowhere but to Cornell University, but my mother fought strongly against it. When she saw me studying a photograph of my father on the sports ground of Cornell, she tore it up.
“You can’t say it’s not a great university, just because Papa went there.”
“That’s not it at all. And it is a top university.” She was still holding the pieces in her hand. “But we can’t afford to send you to college.”
“I wouldn’t dream of asking you for money. Do you want me to get a job to help support you and Papa? Things aren’t that bad, are they?”
“No,” she said. “I don’t expect you to help support us.”
Father borrowed money form his rich cousins to start a small jewellery shop, His chief customers were his old college friends. To get new customers, my mother had to help. She picked up a long-forgotten membership in the local league of women, so that she could get to know more people. Whether those people would turn into customers was another question. I knew that my Parents had to wait for quite a long time before their small investment could show returns. What’s more , they had not wanted enough to be rich and successful ;otherwise they could not possibly have managed their lives so badly.
I was torn between the desire to help them and change their lives, and the determination not to repeat their mistakes. I had a strong belief in my power to get what I wanted. After months of hard study I won a full college scholarship. My father could hardly contain his pride in me, and my mother eventually gave in before my success.
The author was not allowed to go to Cornell University mainly because
| A．his father graduated from the university |
| B．his mother did not thinks it is a great university |
| C．his parents needed him to help support the family |
| D．his parents did not have enough money for him |
The father started his small shop with the money from
| A．a local league | B．his university |
| C．his relatives | D．his college friends |
Why did the mother renew her membership in the league?
| A．To help with her husband’s business |
| B．To raise money for her son |
| C．To meet her long-forgotten friends |
| D．To better manage her life |
According to the text, what was the author determined to do in that autumn?
| A．To get a well-paid job for himself |
| B．To improve relations with his mother |
| C．To go to his dream university |
| D．To carry on with his father’s business |
There are many festivals in Argentina during the year. Therefore, you can enjoy the different interesting festivals when traveling there. First of all, we should talk about the Tango(探戈舞) Festival in Argentina, which is held in the capital of this country — Buenos Aires, from February to March. You ought to know that Argentina is the home of tango, so Argentineans admire this dance very much. Even if you cannot dance perfectly, you should join the people and try to perform this dance.
The next festival in Argentina is Open Polo(马球) Tournament. You should go to Palermo to see this festival in Argentina. This festival is held every year and is the most important polo tournament in Argentina. This kind of sport is considered the most important in Argentina. Attending this festival in Argentina, you will be able to communicate with different people, admire the fascinating competition between the teams of different countries, such as Argentina, England, Australia, as well as the US. This festival in Argentina is usually held between November and December every year. So don’t miss the opportunity if you travel to Argentina at this time.
The other festival in Argentina is the Semana Musical Llao Llao. This is a festival of classical music. The festival was created in 1993 and is
held at the Llao Llao Hotel, near Bariloche. The festival is held yearly in October. So if you admire this kind of music, you should travel to Argentina in October. There are also many carnivals in October. There are also many carnivals in Argentina in summer. Of course, it’s impossible to put everything about festivals in Argentina into just one article. We hope that you have found this article interesting and eye-catching..
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Travel to Argentina | B．Entertainments in Argentina |
| C．Festivals in Argentina | D．A brief introduction to Argentina |
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From the passage, we know that the Tango Festival.
| A．is organized by the government | B．is held in summer |
| C．welcomes everyone to take part in | D．holds parties for different dances |
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Which of the following is a sport festival?
| A．The Semana Musical Llao Llao. | B．Open Polo Tournament. |
| C．The Tango Festival. | D．Argentina Carnivals. |
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If Tom wants to enjoy a classical music event in Argentina, he should visit.
| A．Buenos Aires in spring | B．Palermo in April |
| C．Bariloche in October | D．Palermo in winter |
I was driving home one evening about 5, stuck in traffic, and the car started to die— I hardly managed to get into a gas station, glad only that I would have a somewhat warm spot to wait for the tow truck(拖车). Before I could make the call, I saw a woman walking out of the “ Quickie Mart” building, then suddenly she slipped(滑倒) on some ice and fell down, so I got out to see if she was okay.
When I got there, it looked like she had been overcome by weep than that she had fallen; she was a young woman who looked exhausted with dark circles under her eyes. She dropped something as I helped her up, and I picked it up and gave it to her. It was a coin.
At that moment, everything came into focus for me: the crying woman, the ancient Suburban packed full of stuff and three kids in the back, and the gas pump(汽油泵) reading $4.95.
I asked her if she was okay and if she needed help, and she just kept saying “I don’t want my kids to see me crying,” so we stood at the other side of the pump from her car. She said she was driving to California for Christmas and that things were very hard for her right now.
I took out my credit card and swiped(刷磁卡) it through the card reader on the pump so that she could fill up her car completely, and I bought 2 big bags of food for her kids in the 
car who attacked it like wolves. While it was fueling, she asked, “So, are you an angel or something?” I said, “At this time of year, angels are really busy, so sometimes God uses common people.”
It was unbelievable to be part of someone else’s miracle. And of course, you guessed it, when I got in my car it started right away and got me home with no problem. Sometimes, angels fly close enough to you that you can hear the flutter(摆动) of their wings.. Caught in traffic, the author still felt happy because .
| A．she could fill up her car to get home in time |
| B．the woman who needed help was waiting there |
| C．she could find a warm place to wait |
| D．she could do something for others in the gas station |
. The young woman cried because.
| A．her situation was very terrible | B．her kids wouldn’t listen to her |
| C．she was too tired | D．she fell down and got injured |
. It can be inferred from the passage that.
| A．the author was driving carelessly on the way home |
| B．the young woman was interested in long driving |
| C．the young woman didn’t want to see her kids crying |
| D．the kids were extremely hungry at that time |
. According to the passage, we can say that the author .
| A．was a kind person | B．liked to deal with others’ business |
| C．had no thought for others | D．was a real angel |
I am sure that everybody in his/her life has used computers. Nowadays you can feel their presence everywhere at home，at school，at work and they certainly make life easier．On the other hand，there are people who can’t work with them．
Anyway，I believe their presence is a good thing. Life with them seems easier, less difficult and more comfortable You can use them to choose your meal，to withdraw your money, and also save your time，because these operations are all controlled by computers. Therefore you can hardly imagine the modern world without them；the whole planet seems to be one big computer society．
Nevertheless，problems can often appear in this area, too．To have a computer means you have to be quite well－off and have the necessary skills to use it．However，think about questions like “Are computers so available for everyone, or rich and poor people，for people from villages and people from cities. Aren’t they too expensive？Is everyone able to learn how to use them and not everyone has the chance to access and work with them，how could everything in the future be dependent on them？”Therefore，I think our society will be split into two parts．One part will work with them and enjoy the benefits that computers can bring and the other part will be pushed out and will actually be far behind the other group．
Another question that bothers me is，on the one hand，computers are important and good things in our life，but they aren’t everything．They are good as a help at school，quite often as entertainment，especially for young people，as an necessary tool to help in research etc，but I think we shouldn’t be so dependent on them，because computers are only machines and machines can’t feel anything be human and sympathetic，and every action performed by computer can be interfered with another person，which could cause these machines to crash or work badly．
In conclusion，I would like to say I am not against computers．I use computers，too，but people should be wary all the time．By saying “wary”（In the last paragraph）,the writer is trying to say “People should_______.
| A．be strongly for the use of computers because of its convenience |
| B．be careful with computers that will also cause problems |
| C．master more necessary computer skills |
| D．not do something that causes computers to work badly |
Which of the following best shows the structure of the passage？
In the third paragraph，the author presents his idea by________
| A．asking questions for people to think about |
| B．giving examples to support his argument |
| C．raising questions and answering them |
| D．expressing his opinion directly |
The writer’s main purpose in writing the passage is__________
| A．to encourage us to use computers in our society |
| B．to advise us to say no to computers from now on |
| C．to remind us to care about the problems that computers bring. |
| D．to inform us that the computer has become a necessary part of our life |
Hidden in our subconsciousness (意识) is a perfect mental picture. We see ourselves on a long trip that goes across the continent. We are traveling by train. Out of the windows, we think in the passing scene of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at a crossing, of cattle feeding on a distant hillside, of smoke pouring from a power plant, or row upon row of corn and wheat, of flat lands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hills, of city skylines and village halls.
But uppermost in our minds is the final destination. On a certain day at a certain hour, we will pull into the station. Bands will be playing and flags waving. Once we get there, so many wonderful dreams will come true and the pieces of our lives will fit together like a completed jigsaw (拚图玩具) puzzle. How restlessly we pace the aisles(通道) ,condemning the minutes for loitering-waiting, waiting, waiting for the station.
‘‘When we reach the station, that will be it!” we cry, “When I'm 38.” “When I buy a new 450SL Mercdes Benz!” “When I put the last kid through co llege.” “When I have paid off!” “When I get a promotion.” “When I reach the age of retirement, I shall live happily ever after! " Sooner or later, we must realize there is no station, no one place to arrive at once and for all. The true joy of life is the trip. The station is only a dream. It constantly outdistances us.
“Relish (appreciate) the moment" is a good motto, actually it isn't the burdens of today that drive man mad. It is the regret over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today.
So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more and cry less. Life must be lived as we go along. Then the station will come soon enough. .
Why does the author describe the mental picture?
| A．To lead us into a perfect world. | B．To let people enjoy the scenery. |
| C．To introduce an actual trip of his. | D．To compare it to our life's journey. |
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How do people feel when they’re on their trip?
| A．Puzzled. | B．Happy. | C．Relaxed. | D．Impatient. |
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What does the author mean by "Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today" in Paragraph 4?
| A．Regret and fear are responsible for the loss of today. |
| B．We must be careful of the two thieves: regret and fear. |
| C．Regret and fear stop us from enjoying our present life. |
| D．We’re frequently challenged by the two : regret and fear. |
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Why does the author write the passage?
| A．To teach us a good lesson. | B．To tell us the right attitude to life. |
| C．To advise us to forget our worries. | D．To stop us wandering along the aisles. |
★The regular use of text messages and e-mails can lower the IQ more than twice as much as smoking marijuana(大麻). Psychologists say that sending/receiving messages or looking through the many menu options your mobile phone has, lowers a person’s IQ by almost 10 points. British researchers have named this situation “infomania”. Instead of fixed on what they are doing, people’s minds are constantly focused on reacting to the technology surrounding them. This means they don’t pay full attention to the work they are paid to do. The report also added that the brain can not do so many things at once. If you try to do too many things, mistakes begin to occur. And while modern technology can have huge benefits, too much use can be damaging not only to a person’s mind, but to their social life.
★The more televisions 4-year-old children watch, the more likely they are to become bullies later on in school, a newest U.S. study said. At the same time, children whose parents read to them, take them on outings and just generally pay attention to them are less likely to become bullies, said the report from the University of Washington. Researchers also found gaps in learning and understanding such things as social skills early in life makes it more difficult for children to relate with other children. Watching violence on television leads to aggressive behavior.
★You could soon be able to add your favorite perfume to your e-mails. UK net provider Telewest Broadband is testing a system to let people send e-mails over the Internet with sweet smell. It has developed a kind of hi-tech air freshener that plugs into a PC and sprays a smell linked to the message. Telewest says it could be used by supermarkets to attract people with the smell of fresh bread or by holiday companies seeking to stir up images of sun-kissed beachers..
What does “infomania” refer to according to the first part of the text?
| A．A situation in which a person uses his mobile phone too much. |
| B．A situation in which a person has his IQ lowered using his mobile phone. |
| C．A situation in which a person performs badly at work.. |
| D．A situation in which a person lowers his IQ using his mobile phone improperly. |
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According to the second part of the text, _____ are less likely to become bullies.
| A．children whose parents care about them |
| B．children whose parents give them more freedom |
| C．children whose parents direct them over watching TV |
| D．children whose parents stop them watching TV |
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The children who watch TV frequently will not ______.
| A．be aggressive |
| B．be likely to become bullies |
| C．have difficulty in communicating with other children |
| D．understand socially skills as easily |
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The new system provided by Telewest Broadband can _____.
| A．be used as a kind of air freshener |
| B．make people have imagination of sun kissed beachers |
| C．make people smell fresh bread |
| D．make e-mails smelly over the Internet |