“People are ruder today because they are rushed and more ‘time poor’ than ever before,” says Patsy Rowe, “ Manners have fallen off the radar(雷达)．” Due to our strong attraction to electronic equipment it is a wonder that more people don’t wake up each morning and greet the singing birds with complaining about the noise．Here are some examples of rudeness．
Some people prefer to do almost everything over the Internet．To them, dealing with an actual human is like an evolutionary step backward． It feels very slow because humans don’t work at 4G speeds．When you have dinner with friends, you will often notice someone paying more attention to his mobile phone．We have programmed ourselves to think that every new message brings life-changing news, so taking calls and checking our texts are more important than talking to the people we are with．What is worse, some people even tend to send anonymous（匿名的）rude messages by email．
However, rudeness is never acceptable．Don’t assume it is OK to be rude if the person you’re in touch with won’t recognize you．If you have something awful to say, have the courage to face the person and say it, write a letter or email and sign it, or forget it．Upsetting people with unsigned messages is cruel and disgusting．
We shouldn’t blame technology for our shortcomings．Technology is here to help us, but we should not allow it to take over our lives．An important step is acknowledging our shortcomings．People spend a lot of time pointing out bad manners but it would be even more helpful if we’d publicly acknowledge good manners when we see them．What can be inferred from the underlined sentence in Paragraph 1?
| A．People can tell good from bad behavior． |
| B．Radar is able to observe human behavior． |
| C．People care little about their behavior． |
| D．Radar can be used to predict human behavior． |
Some people are less willing to deal with humans because__________．
| A．they are becoming less patient |
| B．they are growing too independent |
| C．they have to handle many important messages |
| D．they have to follow an evolutionary step backward． |
The author thinks sending unsigned awful messages is ___________．
| A．Ridiculous |
| B．disgusting |
| C．acceptable |
| D．reasonable |
What can we learn from the last paragraph?
| A．We should applaud good behavior． |
| B．Technology can never be blamed |
| C．We should keep pointing out mistakes． |
| D．Technology will take over lives one day． |
Because earthquakes happen without warning, it’s important to take measures now to prepare. Because you don’t know where you will be when an earthquake happens, prepare some supplies for your home, workplace, and car.
1. Water
A person needs at least 1/2 gallon(加仑) of water daily just for drinking. Store at least 1 gallon of water per person per day and be prepared for a 72-hour period. It is suggested that you buy bottled water. Keep bottled water in its original container and do not open it until you need to use it. Also, do check the “use by” date.
2. Food
It’s always a practical idea to keep a supply of non-perishable(不易腐烂的) food on hand. Have an enough supply of canned food, powdered milk, dried fruits, non-salted nuts and canned juices for at least 72 hours.
3. Torch(手电筒) and spare batteries (电池)
Keep a torch beside your bed, at your place of work, and in your car. Do not use matches or candles after an earthquake until you are sure that no gas leaks(泄露).Prepare a battery-powered radio and spare batteries. Most telephones will be out of order, so radios will be your best source of information.
4. Clothes
If you live in a cold place, you must think about warmth. You might not have heat after an earthquake. Think about your clothing and bedding supplies.Why should people prepare themselves for an earthquake?
| A．Because earthquakes can be known before they happen. |
| B．Because earthquakes take place without warning. |
| C．Because earthquakes usually take place in the neighborhood. |
| D．Because it’s people’s daily work to prepare the earthquakes. |
You should prepare all of the following except ______.
| A．powdered milk | B．fresh vegetables | C．dried fruits | D．canned juices |
According to the article we know that ______.
| A．we need to prepare some supplies only at home |
| B．a telephone is the most important prepared thing |
| C．after earthquakes you’d better use torch first but not matches |
| D．clothes are used to protect your head |
If you live in a cold place, you should prepare _______.
| A．some warm clothes and bedding supplies | B．some hot water |
| C．some batteries | D．some torches |
How to eat healthfully can be especially complex for working women who often have neither the desire nor the time to cook for themselves (or for anyone else )．Registered dietitian Barbara Morrissey suggests that a few simple rules can help.
“Go for nutrient－dense foods，”she suggests，“foods that contain a multiple of nutrients. For example，select whole wheat bread as a breakfast food，rather than coffee cake. Or drink orange juice rather than orange drink，which contains only a small percentage of real juice—the rest is largely colored sugar water. You just can't compare the value of these foods, the nutrient－dense ones are so superior，”she emphasizes.
Morrissey believes that variety is not only the spice of life，it's the foundation of a healthful diet. Diets which are based on one or two foods are not only almost impossible to keep up the strength，they can be very harmful, she says, because nutrients aren't supplied in enough amounts or balance.
According to Morrissey，trying to find a diet that can cure your illnesses，or make you superwoman is a fruitless search.“ As women，many of us are too concerned with staying thin，”she says，and “we believe that vitamins are some kind of magic cure to replace food.”
“We need carbohydrates，protein and fat－they are like the wood in the fireplace. The vitamins and minerals are like the match，the spark，for the fuel，”she explains.“ We need them all，but in a very different proportions（部分）. And if the fuel isn't there，the spark is useless.”From the first paragraph we know that working women________.
| A．think cooking is especially complicated |
| B．do not share the same views with registered dietitians |
| C．are busy and not interested in cooking |
| D．are likely to eat healthfully |
Orange juice is different from orange drink because________.
| A．it contains only a small percentage of real juice |
| B．it is natural，nutritious and prepared from real oranges |
| C．it is largely orange－colored sugar water |
| D．it produces nothing but calories |
In Paragraph 4，“a fruitless search” means “____”．
| A．an effort with no results |
| B．a search for a diet without fruits |
| C．a research on fruitless diet |
| D．a diet serving as medicine |
Many women take it for granted，according to the passage that________.
| A．a balanced diet can result in being fat |
| B．staying thin and healthy are both possible |
| C．lack of variety in diets leads to staying thin |
| D．vitamins are some kind of substitutions（代替物）for food |
By saying “if the fuel isn't there，the spark is useless”，the author means “________”．
| A．carbohydrates，protein and fat are enough to support a human life |
| B．vitamins and minerals are almost of no value |
| C．carbohydrates，protein and fat are as important as vitamins and minerals |
| D．without carbohydrates，protein and fat，vitamins and minerals are of no use |
Centerville High School Essay Contest “Write All About It”
Calling All Aspiring Authors—Centerville High School Essay Contest
◇Rules
1．Students are asked to present essays of 500 to 700 words of their own work. Any essay containing material plagiarized(剽窃) from another source will be disqualified（取消资格）.
2．Manuscripts should be typed double－spaced，with the student's name，address，and grade level on a separate sheet of paper.
3．Essays must be turned in by 4∶00 p.m. on November 30.They can be brought to Mrs. Elton in Rom 104 or to Mr. Markham in the school library.
◇Essay－Writing Tips
1．Catch your readers' interests—Your opening should immediately pull your readers into your essay. Asking a question or starting with an story，quotation，or surprising statement is a good way to do this.
2．Create a picture—Use active words that show your readers what is happening. Instead of telling your readers vaguely that “the room was disordered”，paint a picture using active verbs and lively adjectives.
3．Have a purpose—Well－written essays do more than just describe an incident or express a viewpoint，and they also communicate a message.
4．Check for mistakes—Read your paper over to check for mistakes. Ask another student to read your paper and make suggestions. Another pair of eyes will often spot a mistake you've overlooked.
5．Format your essay—Neatly type your essay on white paper. Choose an attractive cover for submission. The computer lab will be open after school from 3∶15 to 4∶45 p．m. each day this month so that students can use the computers.
◇Prizes
Winning essays will be published in the Centerville Times. Every contestant(选手)will also receive a free pass to enter one school activity or athletic game this year.
First Prize： $150
Second Prize:Dictionary and thesaurus
Third Prize:Pen set and journal
Special thanks to the Centerville Writers' Association for the prizes to help encourage our aspiring authors. Good luck to all contestants.The first writing tip given is mostly about________.
| A．the use of quotations and stories in an essay |
| B．using active verbs and lively adjectives |
| C．how a student should begin an essay |
| D．how to submit your essays |
Information in the passage suggests that________.
| A．the essay contest has been carefully planned |
| B．the students of the school are all athletic lovers |
| C．most essay contestants have published their work previously |
| D．Mr. Markham is an English teacher at Centerville High School |
The prize section of the poster is included in order to________.
| A．show organizations how to donate prizes |
| B．inform teachers of the prizes available |
| C．persuade students to enter the essay contest |
| D．convince students to buy the local newspaper |
Thanks are given to the Centerville Writers' Association because it has________.
| A．offered to judge the contest |
| B．prepared the essay－writing tips |
| C．organized the essay contest |
| D．donated prizes for the contest |
What do we know by inference from the passage?
| A．The computer lab usually closes at 4∶15 p.m. each day. |
| B．Winning essays will be published in the Centerville Times. |
| C．Every contestant will benefit from the essay contest. |
| D．The essay contest is held annually at Centerville High School. |
Two thieves came to a house to steal something. They dug a hole in the wall of the house.
There lived many mice in the house. The woman in the house saw a mouse crawl(爬行) into the house in the moonlight. “Look! In comes one,” she said to the man in the house. The thief was so frightened that he hurriedly crawled out of the house and said to the one waiting outside, “She found me when I was just in.” But the thief outside didn’t believe him, so he said, “Let us try to crawl into the house together.” At that time two mice happened to crawl into the house, too. The woman saw the mice and shouted, “In come two, catch them!” The two thieves were terribly frightened. The man in the house said, “You saw them come in but where are they? I will catch them tonight.” The two thieves started running away at once.
The two thieves wanted to make it clear whether they had been found or not the night before. The next day they acted as men selling sweet potatoes and came before the house. The man and the woman were ploughing in their fields. The rope broke and the woman came home for a rope. She saw two men selling sweet potatoes and wanted to buy some. She picked out two which looked like mice. At the time the man couldn’t wait for her any longer in the fields and he ran back from the fields to hurry her up. The woman showed the sweet potatoes to the man and said, “How they look like the two of last night.” The man said, “I asked you to fetch a rope, why don’t you hurry for it?” The two thieves ran away very quickly without their sweet potatoes.The two thieves failed to steal anything from the house because _____.
| A．they were found out |
| B．they were frightened by what they had heard in the house |
| C．they didn’t work together well with each other |
| D．mice stopped them from doing so |
From the last paragraph, we know that _____.
| A．the two thieves were famous selling sweet potatoes |
| B．the woman recognized the two thieves |
| C．the woman pretended to know nothing about the two thieves and made fun of them |
| D．the two thieves didn’t know that they were not found at all |
When the woman said, “How they look like the two of last night!” _____.
| A．she referred to the two thieves | B．she meant nothing |
| C．she said it on purpose | D．she referred to the mice |
“____________”is the best title for this passage.
| A．Two Clever Thieves | B．Terrible Mice |
| C．Hit the Mark by a Fluke(侥幸) | D．A Clever Coupe |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．The two thieves not only failed to steal things but also lost their sweet potatoes. |
| B．Whenever they found mice, the people in the house would try to catch them. |
| C．The two thieves ran away at once, because they thought the woman had seen them. |
| D．The man let the woman go home for a rope, which would be used for catching the thieves. |
You can improve your child’s hearing memory considerably（在很大程度上）. Once his hearing memory has been greatly improved, he'll be able to use and remember what he listens to in class. The success of these suggestions depends upon your ability to use your child’s natural desire to get involved in games he finds simple and fun.
A good way to begin is to read aloud a sentence from a book suitable for your child's reading age. Then ask your youngster to repeat the sentence back to you correctly. Next, reread the sentence, leaving out a particular word. See if your child can identify the word you left out. At the beginning use only simple sentences. Gradually, increase the length of the sentences. Make sure you don’t rush things along too quickly, or your child may become discouraged and tired of the game.
Take your child shopping with you often. He’s to remember a list of items you want to buy in the supermarket. First , ask him to remember only a few things. Then, as he shows increased ability to remember, make the list longer and longer. Praise him often and warmly when he shows increased ability to remember things. He'll become proud of his ‘good’ memory and will happily play the game.
Encourage your child to learn easy and short poems. As his ability to do this becomes stronger, encourage him to remember longer poems. Do the same with songs.The suggestions will be successful if____.
| A．you find simple and funny games for your child |
| B．you can stimulate（激发）your child’s interest in the activity |
| C．you force your child to get involved in more practice |
| D．you improve your own hearing memory first |
The purpose of asking your child to repeat what you say is __.
| A．to practice his pronunciation |
| B．to develop his reading skills |
| C．to help him remember what he hears |
| D．to play a simple game he may find fun |
The third paragraph mainly talks about ___.
| A．another way to improve your child’s hearing memory |
| B．how you should take you child shopping with you |
| C．how to remember the items you want to buy |
| D．the way you help your child do shopping |
The last sentence ‘Do the same with songs’ means you should encourage your child to learn and remember ___.
| A．songs in the same way as he does with poems. |
| B．poems in the same way as he does with songs |
| C．the poems and songs which are similar in meaning |
| D．those songs that have the same meaning as poems |
Who are the supposed readers of this passage?
| A．Children. | B．Parents. | C．Teachers. | D．Psychologists. |