The world is filled with smart, talented, educated and gifted people. We meet them every day. A few days ago, my car was not running well. I pulled it into a garage and the young mechanic had it fixed in just a few minutes. He knew what was wrong by simply listening to the engine. I was amazed. The sad truth is: Great talent is not enough.
I am constantly shocked at how little talented people earn. I heard the other day that less than 5 percent of Americans earn more than $100, 000 a year. A business consultant who specializes in the medical trade was telling me how many doctors and dentists struggle financially. It was this business consultant who gave me the phrase, “They are one skill away from great wealth.”
There is an old saying that goes, “Job means just over broke (破产)' ”. And unfortunately, I would say that the saying applies to millions of people. Because school does not think financial intelligence is intelligence, most workers “live within their means”. They work and they pay the bills. Instead I recommend to young people to seek work for what they will learn, more than what they will earn.
When I ask the classes I teach, “How many of you can cook a better hamburger than McDonald’s?” almost all the students raise their hands. I then ask, “So if most of you can cook a better hamburger, how come McDonald’s makes more money than you?” The answer is obvious: McDonald’s is excellent at business systems. The reason so many talented people are poor is because they focus on bui1ding a better hamburger and know little or nothing about business systems. The world is filled with talented poor people. They focus on perfecting their skills at building a better hamburger rather than the skills of selling and delivering the hamburger.The author mentions the mechanic in the first paragraph to show that __________.
| A．he has a sharp sense of hearing |
| B．he is ready to help others |
| C．he is just one of the talented people |
| D．he knows little about car repairing |
The underlined part in the third paragraph can be best replaced by__________.
| A．spend more than they can afford |
| B．live within what they earn |
| C．live in their own circle |
| D．do in their own way |
Why do talented people earn so little according to the author?
| A．They don't work hard enough. |
| B．They have no specialized skills. |
| C．They don't make full use of their talents. |
| D．They lack financial intelligence. |
The main purpose of the author is to tell us___________.
| A．why so many talented people are poor |
| B．what schools should teach students |
| C．how young people can find a satisfactory job |
| D．how McDonald's makes much money |
阅读表达（共5小题；每小题3分，满分15分）
Last December, Doris Low turned 90. Once a week she still drives to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) in Toronto, where she helps transform literature into Braille() to bring the power of story and knowledge to the hears and minds of blind readers. She has been volunteering her time and talents to such enterprises foe more than 40 years.
After working in the business world for a while, Low got fed up. So she turned to teaching at a technical school and later moved into the library.
Low’s mother liked reading. As her eyes began to fail, low read to her. Then “ hearing an advertisement encouraging people to learn Braille, I decided to give it a try.” In 1973, she was certified as a braille transcriber (转译者) and began transcribing books as a volunteer for the CNIB library.
The job was strenuous ---she could get to the end of a page, make a mistake on the last line, and have to do the whole thing again. For a number of years, low also worked in the CNIB sound studio reading books onto tape. Three years ago, she took up proofreading (校对) at the CNIB’s word factory.
In April, during Volunteer Week, the CNIB recognized Low for her great contributions. Thanks to volunteers like Low, the CNIB library has got more than 80,000 accessible materials for people unable to read traditional print. “ I can’t imagine how many readers of all ages have benefited from
Doris’s contribution as a skilled volunteer through her rich voice and her high degree of accuracy in the hundreds of books she has brailled and proofread over the years--- and she is still doing so,” said a CNIB official.
“For me,” said Low, “the CNIB is more than just a place to volunteer. Three thins matter most in my life: a little play, a little work, a little love. I’ve found them all here.”What does Low still do at the age of 90 at the CNIB? ( no more than 10 words)
Why did Low learn Braille? ( no more than 15 words)
what does the underlined word “strenuous” most probably mean?(1 word)
What are Low’s contributions to the CNIB? ( no more than 10 words)
What do you think of Low? Give your reasons. ( no more than 20 words)
E
Close your eyes for a minute and imagine what life would be like if you had a hundred dollars less. Also imagine what it would be like spending the rest of your life with you eyes closed. Imagine having to read this page, not with your eyes but with your finger-tips.
With existing medical knowledge and skills, two-thirds of the world’s 42 million blind should not have to suffer. Unfortunately, rich countries posses most of this knowledge, while developing countries do not.
ORBIS is an international non-profit organization which operates the world’s only flying teaching eye hospital. ORBIS intends to help fight blindness worldwide. Inside a DC-8 aircraft, there is a fully-equipped teaching hospital with television studio and classroom. Doctors are taught the latest techniques of bringing sight back to people there. Project ORBIS also aims at promoting peaceful cooperation(合作) among countries.
ORBIS tries to help developing countries by providing training during three-week medical programs. ORBIS has taught sight-saving techniques to over 35,000 doctors and nurses, who continue to cure tens of thousands of blind people every year. ORBIS has conducted 17 plane programs is China so far. For the seven to ten million blind in China ORBIS is planning to do more for them. At the moment an ORBIS is working on a long-term plan to develop a training center and to provide eye care service to Shanxi Province. ORBIS needs your help to continue their work and free people from blindness.
For just US$38,you can help one person see; for $380 you can bring sight to 10 people; $1,300 helps teach a doctor new skills; and for $13,000 you can provide a training programme for a group of doctors who can make thousands of blind people see again. Your money can open their eyes to the world. Please help ORBIS improve the quality of life for so many people less fortunate than ourselves.The first paragraph is intended to ______.
| A．introduce a new way of reading |
| B．advise the public to lead a simple life |
| C．direct the public’s attention to the blind |
| D．Encourage the public to use imagination |
What do we learn about existing medical knowledge and skills in the world?
| A．They are adequate |
| B．They have not been updated. |
| C．They are not equally distributed |
| D．They have benefited most of the blind |
ORRIS aims to help the blind by ______.
| A．teaching medical students |
| B．training doctors and nurses |
| C．running flying hospitals globally |
| D．setting up non-profit organization |
What does the author try to do in the last paragraph?
| A．Appeal for donations |
| B．Make an advertisement |
| C．Promote training programs |
| D．Show sympathy for the blind |
What can be the best title for the passage?
| A．ORRIS in China | B．Fighting Blindness |
| C．ORRIS Flying Hospital | D．Sight-seeing Techniques |
D
Larry was on another of his underwater expeditions(探险)but this time, it was different. He decided to take his daughter along with him. She was only ten years old. This would be her first trip with her father on what he had always been famous for.
Larry first began diving when he was his daughter’s age. Similarly, his father had taken him along on one of his expeditions. Since then, he had never looked back. Larry started out by renting diving suits from the small diving shop just along the shore. He had hated them. They were either too big or too small. Then, there was the instructor. He gave him a short lesson before allowing him into the water with his father. He had made an exception. Larry would never have been able to go down without at least five hours of theory and another similar number of hours on practical lessons with a guide. Children his age were not even allowed to dive.
After the first expedition, Larry’s later diving adventures only got better and better. There was never a dull moment. In his black and blue suit and with an oxygen tank fastened on his back, Larry dived from boats into the middle of the ocean. Dangerous areas did not prevent him from continuing his search. Sometimes, he was limited to a cage underwater but that did not bother him. At least, he was still able to take photographs of the underwater creatures.
Larry’s first expedition without his father was in the Cayman Islands. There were numerous diving spots in the area and Larry was determined to visit all of them. Fortunately for him, a man offered to take him around the different Spots for free. Larry didn’t even know what the time was, how many spots he dived into or how many photographs he had taken. The diving spots afforded such a wide array of fish and sea creatures that Larry saw more than thirty varieties of creatures.
Larry looked at his daughter. She looked as excited as he had been when he was her age. He hoped she would be able to continue the family tradition. Already, she looked like she was much braver than had been then. This was the key to a successful underwater expedition.In what way was this expedition different for Larry?
| A．His daughter had grown up. |
| B．He had become a famous diver. |
| C．His father would dive with him. |
| D．His daughter would dive with him. |
What can be inferred from Paragraph2?
| A．Larry had some privileges. |
| B．Larry liked the rented diving suits. |
| C．Divers had to buy diving equipment. |
| D．Ten-year-old children were permitted to dive. |
Why did Larry have to stay in a cage underwater sometimes?
| A．To protect himself from danger. |
| B．To dive into the deep water. |
| C．To admire the underwater view. |
| D．To take photo more conveniently. |
What can be learned from the underlined sentence?
| A．Larry didn’t wear a watch. |
| B．Larry was not good at math. |
| C．Larry had a poor memory. |
| D．Larry enjoyed the adventure. |
What did Larry expect his daughter to do?
| A．Become a successful diver. |
| B．Make a good diving guide. |
| C．Take a lot of photo underwater. |
| D．Have longer hours of training. |
C
Denmark is one of the happiest nations on earth with some of the best quality of life . You don’t need statistics to understand the Dane’s happy lot . Walk around any Danish town and you’ll experience some of the most harmonious civic spaces anywhere . Their intimate scales and perfect transport systems combine the rich history and bold modern lines of the built environment to delight the eye , and the locals’ manners and sense of humor is refreshing .
Denmark’s capital Copenhagen is a remarkable city with well-preserved medieval streets , renowned art galleries , Michelin-starred restaurants and a healthy business center . Finding something to do is never a problem and if all else fails , just admiring the streets with a hotdog in hand is an enjoyable way to spend a few hours .
Beyond the capital and the bigger cities , Denmark offers a mix of lively towns such as Ribe and Odense plus rural countryside , medieval churches , Renaissance castles and tidy 18th-century villages .
The coastline of Denmark with its sand dunes and greenery is a sight that always attracts visitors . So , no matter what time of year you’re in Denmark , you shouldn’t miss out on a trip to the nearest beach .
It’s hard , in short , to find fault with the place . The visitor’s most heartfelt complaint is usually the cost of visiting Denmark . True , it is not a cheap destination , but no more so than the UK , and which nation’s public transport system would you rather use ?
Cheer yourself up by thinking of the country’s remarkable organization and clockwork railway timetable as being financed by the extremely high taxes paid by your hosts . When viewed in this way , this first-rate destination seems like good value , and you get the fairy tales thrown in for free : the Danish royal family is genuinely loved and respected by the vast majority of its citizens , not least handsome Prince Frederik , his beautiful Australian-born princess-bride , Mary , and their young family .Which of the following words can best describe Danes ?
| A．Polite and humorous. | B．Happy and romantic . |
| C．Kind and friendly . | D．Out-going and humorous . |
The writer implies in the last two paragraphs that __________ .
| A．Visiting the U.K. will cost less than travelling in Denmark . |
| B．The transport system in the UK can’t equal that in Denmark . |
| C．People in Denmark pay high taxes to welcome visitors . |
| D．The Danish royal family plays an important role in politics . |
How does the passage mainly develop ?
| A．By providing examples . |
| B．By making comparisons . |
| C．By giving descriptions . |
| D．By following time order . |
What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage ?
| A．To introduce Danish culture . |
| B．To show the attractions of Denmark . |
| C．To share experiences of travelling in Denmark . |
| D．To describe the happy life people live in Denmark . |
B
Dear Dad ,
Today I was at the shopping mall and I spent a lot of time reading the Father’s Day cards . They all had a special message that in some way or another reflected how I feel about you . Yet as I selected and read , it occurred to me that not a single card said what I really want to say to you.
You’ll soon be 84 years old , Dad , and you and I will have had 55 Father’s Days together . I haven’t always been with you on Father’s Day but I’ve always been with you in my heart.
You know , Dad , there was a time when we were separated by the generation gap . You stood on one side of the Great Divide and I on the other.
The Father-Daughter Duel shifted into high gear（档位）when you taught me to drive the old Dodge and I decided I would drive the 54 Chevy whether you liked it or not . The police officer who sent me home after you reported the Chevy stolen didn’t have much tolerance for a stubborn 16 year old , while you were so tolerant about it , Dad , and I think that was probably what made it the worst night of my life.
Our relationship picked up when I married a man you liked , and things really turned around when we began making babies right and left . Somewhere along the line , the generation gap disappeared . I suppose I saw us and our relationship as aging together , rather like a fine wine.
But the strangest thing happened last week . I was at a stop sign and I watched as you turned the corner in your car . It didn’t immediately occur to me that it was you because the man driving looked so elderly and fragile behind the wheel of that huge car . It was rather like a slap in the face delivered from out of nowhere. Perhaps I saw your age for the first time that day.
I guess what I’m trying to say , Dad , is what every son and daughter wants to say to their Dad today . Honoring a father on Father’s Day is about respect and sharing and acceptance and tolerance and giving and taking . It’s about loving someone more than words can say , and it’s wishing that it never had to end.
I love you , Dad.
Love,
JennyWhat caused Jenny to write the letter ?
| A．Getting along well with her father . |
| B．Being away on previous Father’s Day . |
| C．Visiting a card exhibition at a mall . |
| D．Failing to find a satisfactory card . |
What does the underlined phrase “ turned around ” in Para. 5 mean ?
| A．Because better. | B．Changed unexpectedly . |
| C．Went worse . | D．Progressed unsteadily . |
What can we learn from Para. 6 ?
| A．Jenny seldom saw her father drive that huge car . |
| B．Jenny had never realized her father’s being weak . |
| C．Jenny’s father slapped her on the face somewhere . |
| D．Jenny knew her father’s real age from that day on . |
Jenny wrote her father this letter to __________ .
| A．inform him of their conflicts |
| B．apologize for her being stubborn |
| C．express her genuine love to him |
| D．remind him of the early incident |