Freda Bright says, “Only in opera do people die of love.” It’s true. You really can’t love somebody to death. I’ve known people to die from no love, but I’ve never known anyone to be loved to death. We just can’t love one another enough.
A hear-warming story tells of a woman who finally decided to ask her boss for a raise in salary. All day she felt nervous and late in the afternoon she summoned the courage to approach her employer. To her delight, the boss agreed to the raise.
The woman arrived home that evening to a beautiful table set with their best dishes. Candles were softly glowing. Her husband had come home early and prepared a festival meal. She wondered if someone from the office had tipped him off, or --- did he just somehow know that she would not get turned down?
She found him in the kitchen and told him the good news. They embraced and kissed, then sat down to the wonderful meal. Next to her plate the woman found a beautifully lettered note. It read: “Congratulations, darling! I knew you’d get the raise! These things will tell you how much I love you.”
Someone has said that the measure of love for his wife is love without measure. What this man feels for his wife is total acceptance and love, whether she succeeds or fails. His love celebrates her victories and soothes her wounds. He stands with her, no matter what life throws in their direction.
Upon receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, Mother Teresa said, “What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family. And love your friends. Love them without measure.”The sentence in the first paragraph “Only in opera do people die of love.” means ________.
| A．no love in the world is believable |
| B．love is one thing, and life is another |
| C．love in operas is truly touching |
| D．love can survive forever, though people die at different ages |
That the husband prepared her a second letter about her raise suggests that ________.
| A．he loves her because he believes that she is sure to receive a raise |
| B．he has a great way to promote his wife’s love towards him |
| C．he has a false love for people even if the person is his wife |
| D．he loves his family members truly, whether they are in good conditions or not |
From the text, we might say the author ________.
| A．refuse any spiritual emotions as embraced and kissed |
| B．criticizes the attitude of suspicion of the love |
| C．doesn’t believe there is true love in the world |
| D．thinks the true love does not expect repayment |
【改编】Is language, like food, a basic human need without which a child at a critical period of life can be starved and damaged? Judging from the experiment of Frederick in the thirteenth century, it may be. Hoping to discover what language a child would speak if he heard no mother tongue, he told the nurses to keep silent.
All the infants died before the first year. But clearly there was more than lack of language here. What was missing was mothering. Without good mothering, in the first year of life especially, the capacity to survive is seriously affected.
Today no such severe lack exists as that ordered by Frederick. Nevertheless, some children are still backward in speaking. Most often the reason for this is that the mother is insensitive to the signals of the infant, whose brain is programmed to learn language rapidly. If these sensitive periods are neglected, the ideal time for acquiring skills passes and they might never be learned so easily again. A bird learns to sing and to fly at the right time, but the process is slow and hard once the critical stage has passed.
Experts suggest that speech stages are reached in a fixed order and at a constant age, but there are cases where speech has started late in a child who eventually turns out to be of high IQ. At twelve weeks a baby smiles and makes vowel-like sounds; at twelve months they can speak simple words and understand simple commands; at eighteen months he has a vocabulary of three to five words. At three he knows about 1,000 words, which he can put into sentences, and at four his language differs from that of his parents in style rather than grammar.
Recent evidence suggests that an infant is born with the capacity to speak. What is special about man’s brain, compared with that of the monkey, is the complex system which enables a child to connect the sight and feel of, say, a toy-bear with the sound pattern “toy bear”. And even more incredible is the young brain’s ability to pick out an order in language from the mixture of sound around him, to analyze, to combine and recombine the parts of a language in new ways.
But speech has to be induced（激发，引起）, and this depends on interaction between the mother and the child, where the mother recognizes the signals in the children’s babbling（咿呀声）,grasping and smiling, and responds to them. Insensitivity of the mother to these signals dulls the interaction because the child gets discouraged and sends out only the obvious signals. Sensitivity to the child’s nonverbal signals is essential to the growth and development of language.The experiment of Frederick proved ____.
| A．lack of mothering didn’t affect the development of a baby |
| B．only lack of language could kill a baby |
| C．very cruel to the babies in the experiment |
| D．babies could be starved to death |
Why are some children backward in speaking?
| A．Because they are born disabled. |
| B．Because they lack language input when in sensitive periods. |
| C．Because they are exposed to too much language at once. |
| D．Because their mothers are not smart enough |
Which of the following is true ?
| A．If a child starts to speak later than others, he will be backward in future. |
| B．If the ideal time for acquiring skills passes, there will be a second time. |
| C．A child can only imitate others’ language. |
| D．An infant is born with the ability to speak. |
What is the purpose of the example of birds in the third paragraph?
| A．To prove the importance of the sensitive periods. |
| B．To prove birds has the same ability to speak as human. |
| C．To explain why some birds can’t sing. |
| D．To inform the results of Frederick’s experiment. |
where can you read this passage?
| A．In a science report. |
| B．In an Entertainment magazine. |
| C．In a health report. |
| D．In a science fiction story. |
Human beings are the most intelligent of all animals because we are gifted with the ability to think and reason logically. Scientists and even common people with special intelligence have made a lot of inventions and contributions to modern lifestyle in the past. "Houses" have been the most popular area for discoveries and inventions in the past and even now.
Many household items have been the result of inventions of people who desired better functioning of the existent products. Every individual has intelligence and if it is used properly for the right purpose it leads to invention of a new tool or device. Many new household inventions are made almost every day and there are specific companies, which particularly keep a record of all these inventions.
A lot of inventions have been made recently in the household field. These products are patentedand have trade mark licenses. The patented sliding cinch is a very simple but effective method to prevent shoulder stress and injury for those who work before computers all day long. Vanity PC is a type of computer furniture that specifically hides all the computer wires and keeps a clean and good look. All the outdoor dust, mud and snow can be kept out of the house by installing（安装）the dirt drain（排水管）at the entrance of the door. Another important invention is the automatic toilet night-light, in which a small light starts when the lid of the toilet seat is opened and closes as soon as the lid is closed.
These are some of the new household inventions invented mostly by common people. Thus, a variety of new household items are invented every day, which helps in a better functioning of household chores（家务）and in a more useful manner.The first paragraph is intended to _____________.
| A．stress the importance of inventions |
| B．introduce the topic of the article |
| C．show the advantages of modern lifestyle |
| D．tell the differences between human beings and animals |
According to the passage, people make house inventions to _____________.
| A．earn more money and gain awards |
| B．accumulate their wealth |
| C．improve the present living conditions |
| D．meet the new demands of new science |
It can be inferred that the sliding cinch is used to ___________.
| A．prevent your shoulder from being over-pressured |
| B．keep your shoulder safe and sound when you are in an accident or an operation |
| C．help you practice your shoulder more often and reduce shoulder pains |
| D．cover your shoulder and make it stronger to resist the outside strike |
Common people can also make good inventions because ___________.
| A．wisdom and inspiration sometimes come from everyday life |
| B．some inventions are easy to be made and can be mastered by them |
| C．common people have a strong desire to do something for science research |
| D．success is often connected with hardship and bitter experience of common people |
The passage mainly talks about _______________.
| A．the correct use of household facilities |
| B．different ideas about household inventions |
| C．the history of household inventions |
| D．household inventions and their influence |
【改编】What is funny? The short answer is: Who knows? The joke that causes a burst of laughter from one listener might be met with a puzzled look from another.
In general, you should avoid jokes at any business or social gathering where there are more than two people in your conversational group. If there are only two people — and they consist of you and your best friend — go ahead and tell it.
Admittedly, a few people possess a perfect sense of timing, appropriateness, and joke delivery. You are probably not one of them. You might be quite funny and have many great jokes. But there’s a place for jokes — over dinner with family, hiking with friends, but business or social affairs with colleagues and acquaintances (熟人) are not it. It takes a whole other level of joke-telling ability to put a joke into the more formal conversations.
The best jokes come into the conversation so that by the time listeners realize a joke is in progress, the punchline that produces humour is being delivered — to their surprise and delight.
Jokes don’t translate well when you’re in a group with mixed backgrounds: those whose first language is not English, those who might not understand a special term or an “in” expression, young people who wouldn’t catch a reference to some bit of culture familiar to older people — and vice versa (反之亦然).
Never joke about another person in the group — about their name, habits, hometown, profession, appearance, or past. It’s not a question of whether the joke is cheery or appropriate. No one enjoys being singled out this way. When you are the subject of the joke, the laughter doesn’t feel good no matter how hard you try to tell yourself they’re not laughing at you. Because that’s what it feels like.
What do you say if you realize your joke upset someone? Apologize as briefly and as sincerely as you can, and hope that someone changes the subject. Try saying: “I’m sorry. I should have known better” or “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
What do you do if people don’t get your joke or don’t appear to find it as funny as you do? First, do not retell it, only louder this time, hoping the point of the joke will be seen. Second, don’t try to push people to get it. People do not like people whose jokes they don’t understand. They feel stupid and need to blame someone. If you want to leave with the goodwill of your listeners, say something to make them feel less foolish. You could say: “I don’t know why I tell jokes when I’m so poor at it.”
The world needs laughter, and good humour is a success wherever it goes, so this caveat (告诫) about joke-telling is not meant to dampen high spirits or to advocate dull conversation. If you’re a gifted story-teller and you know people love your jokes, go for it. We need your kind. The rest of us will save our jokes for family and close friends.From the first paragraph we can know______.
| A．Not all jokes are funny. |
| B．Not all people like jokes. |
| C．No one knows what jokes are. |
| D．People may have different reactions to the same joke. |
Which occasion is appropriate for you to tell jokes?
| A．At a business meeting. |
| B．At a social gathering. |
| C．Over dinner with your boss and colleagues. |
| D．At home with family.. |
Which of the following statement is true?
| A．Jokes are welcome in whatever situation. |
| B．People should repeat the joke when it isn’t understood well. |
| C．Not all jokes work well as expected. |
| D．Jokes have no borders. |
When you are the subject of a joke, you may feel _____.
| A．uncomfortable | B．worried |
| C．happy | D．satisfied |
In the passage, the writer suggests that _____.
| A．jokes are useful in any situation. |
| B．joke-telling is a very complex thing. |
| C．joke-telling can help people get along well. |
| D．jokes are forbidden in some areas. |
【原创】Noah McQueen is part of "My Brother's Keeper," a White House program aimed at young men of color.
His teen years have been rough, and include several arrests and a short period of being in prison. But last week, he was at the White House talking with President Obama.
"Growing up, I didn't have a stable household. I attended eight schools in three years," McQueen says.
McQueen adds his dad lives down the street from him, but he doesn't really have a relationship with him.
"That's one of the things we have in common," Obama says. "As I get older, I start reflecting on how that affected me. How do you think that affected you?"
"I think I learn right and wrong on my own terms." McQueen says.
"Obviously you've straightened yourself out and become successful as a black man. " Obama says. " But did you feel pressure to look back on the way you once acted?"
"Definitely, there's always pressure." McQueen says, "People will say, 'You are the success story,' but it's hard to always make the right decision and always be the leader."
"You shouldn't feel like you can't make mistakes.” Obama says. “You've discovered this strength inside yourself. If you stay true to that voice that clearly knows what's right and what's wrong, sometimes you're going to mess up, but you can steer back and keep going."
About his future plan, McQueen says" I want to do education because I want to work with kids," "You know, to see the beginnings, and to see where I was, to see the exact same kid doing the exact same thing. And it's like, we owe it to everyone and ourselves to come back and change that. That's like our duty.
"Yeah, and Noah, I just want to say how proud I am of you, man," Obama says. "It's not an easy thing to do what you've done. And I think you give others a lot of confidence and a sense of what's possible for them. And that makes me real proud. I know you're going to do great things."What doe the underlined words “steer back” possibly mean?
| A．Turn to the right direction. |
| B．Hesitate to go ahead. |
| C．Stop to have a rest. |
| D．Adapt to the environment. |
From the passage we can know Obama ____.
| A．got along well with his father when young |
| B．cares about the growth of the American youth |
| C．hates the youth to make mistakes |
| D．asks McQueen to work with kids |
Why does McQueen want to do education?
| A．Because he wants to make a living. |
| B．Because he wants to help children grow healthily. |
| C．Because he is encouraged by Obama. |
| D．Because there is a great need for teachers. |
Which is wrong about Noah McQueen ?
| A．Heisa black boy. |
| B．He did something wrong |
| C．He is praised by the president. |
| D．He founded “My Brother's Keeper”. |
What can be the best title?
| A．You Have This Strength Inside Yourself. |
| B．Don’t be Afraid to Make Mistakes. |
| C．My Brother's Keeper—A Nice Program. |
| D．Black People should be Treated Equally. |
首先请阅读以下几种巧克力的广告：
| A. |
Guittard Chocolate Truffles Favors We have got the perfect wedding favor for your guests, which will really win your guest over. Each truffles are made with some of the finest ingredients from Guittard with vintage chocolate. Available in 24 pcs per box. Don’t worry about left over, you will be having fun eating them while you assemble the favors together. |
| B. |
Chocolate Covered Delight Square Come in our beautiful square, you can find a variety of chocolate such as Pastel chocolate covered apricots and cranberries, chocolate covered espresso mix, and powder dusted chocolate almonds make for a really fine gift. Everyone loves to choose chocolates freely! Furthermore, they are fresher than packaged ones. |
| C. |
Dove Milk Chocolates Bouquet What better way to celebrate a special day than adding a little sweetness with luscious dreamy Dove Chocolate. It can let them know you are thinking of them and loving them. Two Dozen stemmed chocolate square dove chocolates, rose shaped. All bouquets include your gift message and a reusable container. |
| D. |
Ferrero Rocher 48 count box At the heart of Rocher chocolates are a whole roasted hazelnut and creamy chocolaty filling inside a light, crispy wafer, all wrapped in milk chocolate and finely chopped hazelnuts. This beautiful clear box contains 48 gold foil wrapped chocolates, enough and perfect for your special gathering. |
| E. |
Kinder Surprise Chocolate Egg Kinder Surprise eggs are those lovely milk chocolate eggs with white chocolate lining and a surprise toy, which often requires adults to figure out how to put it together! Kids all love Kinder eggs, because it is one of their favorite treats. The toys sometimes turn out to be collectors’ items too! |
| F. |
Mars Snickers Bar The Snickers candy bar was introduced in 1930. Packed full of roasted peanuts caramel and milk chocolate. Packed with roasted peanuts, creamy nougat, rich caramel, and milk chocolate. Snickers candy bars will drive your taste buds wild. Snickers handles your hunger, so you can handle everything else! |
下面是一些需要购买巧克力的人，请为她们选择项是和他们的巧克力：Mr. And Mrs. Johnson are going to buy a gift for their nephew Mike, who likes chocolate very much. They hope their gift can offer Mike more than delicious food, like bringing more fun and helping him develop a good hobby.
Aron is going to marry Maggie in this month, but this Valentine’s Day he can’t be with his fiancee because he is on a business trip. Therefore, he decides to buy some chocolates in special shape to express his love and missing.
After a 10 years’ leave, Isabella and her high school classmates will have a great party to celebrate the anniversary of graduation. Isabella hopes to share her favorite chocolate, which is with wafer and nuts, with her classmates.
Emma and her husband have a habit to enjoy chocolate with their children every night when watching TV. In order to buy fresh and various chocolates at a lower price, she will choose those unpacked ones.
Cooper Smith is an enthusiastic fan of out-door sports. Each time he goes hiking or rafting, he will prepare everything carefully, including buying some handy chocolates for his body energy supply.