After years of observing human nature，I have decided that two qualities make the difference between men of great achievement and men of average performance，curiosity and discontent．I have never known an outstanding man who lacked either．And I have never known an average man who had both．The two belong together．
Together，these deep human urges（驱策力）count for much more than ambition．Galileo was not merely ambitious when he dropped objects of varying weights from the Leaning Tower at Pisa and timed their fall to the ground．Like Galileo，all the great names in history were curious and asked in discontent，"Why？Why？Why？"
Fortunately，curiosity and discontent don't have to be learned．We are born with them and need only recapture them．
"The great man，" said Mencius（孟子），"is he who does not lose his child's heart．" Yet most of us do lose it．We stop asking questions．We stop challenging custom．We just follow the crowd．And the crowd desires only the calm and restful average．It encourages us to occupy our own little corner，to avoid foolish leaps into the dark，to be satisfied．
Most of us meet new people，and new ideas，with hesitation．But once having met and liked them，we think how terrible it would have been，had we missed the chance．We will probably have to force ourselves to waken our curiosity and discontent and keep them awake．
How should you start？Modestly，so as not to become discouraged．I think of one friend who couldn't arrange flowers to satisfy herself．She was curious about how the experts did it．How she is one of the experts，writing books on flower arrangement．
One way to begin is to answer your own excuses．You haven't any special ability？Most people don't；there are only a few geniuses．You haven't any time？That's good，because it's always the people with no time who get things done．Harriet Stowe，mother of six，wrote parts of Uncle Tom's Cabin while cooking．You're too old？Remember that Thomas Costain was 57 when he published his first novel，and that Grandma Moses showed her first pictures when she was 78．
However you start，remember there is no better time to start than right now，for you'll never be more alive than you are at this moment．
（1）In writing Paragraph 1，the author aims to ．
A．propose a definition
B．make a comparison
C．reach a conclusion
D．present an argument
（2）What does the example of Galileo tell us？
A．Trial and error leads to the finding of truth．
B．Scientists tend to be curious and ambitious．
C．Creativity results from challenging authority．
D．Greatness comes from a lasting desire to explore．
（3）What can you do to recapture curiosity and discontent？
A．Observe the unknown around you．
B．Develop a questioning mind．
C．Lead a life of adventure．
D．Follow the fashion．
（4）What can we learn from Paragraphs 6 and 7？
A．Gaining success helps you become an expert．
B．The genius tends to get things done creatively．
C．Lack of talent and time is no reason for taking no action．
D．You should remain modest when approaching perfection．
（5）What could be the best title for the passage？
A．Curious Minds Never Feel Contented
B．Reflections on Human Nature
C．The Keys to Achievement
D．Never Too Late to Learn
Bill Javis took over our village’s news-agency at a time of life when most of us only wanted to relax. He just thought he would like something but not too much to do, and the news-agency was ready-made. The business produced little enough for him, but Bill was a man who only wanted the simplicity and order and regularity of the job. He had been a long-serving sailor, and all his life had done everything by the clock.
Every day he opened his shop at 6:00 a. m. to catch the early trade; the papers arrived on his doorstep before that. Many of Bill’s customers were city workers, and the shop was convenient for the station. Business was tailing off by 10 o’clock, so at eleven sharp Bill closed for lunch. It was hard luck on anybody who wanted a paper or magazine in the afternoon, for most likely Bill would be down on the river bank, fishing, and his nearest competitor was five kilometers away. Sometimes in the afternoon, the evening paper landed on the doorway, and at 4 o’clock Bill reopened his shop. The evening rush lasted till seven, and it was worthwhile.
He lived in a flat above the shop, alone. Except in the very bad weather, you always knew where to find him in the afternoon, as I have said. Once, on a sunny afternoon, I walked home along the river bank from a shopping trip to the village. By my watch it was three minutes past four, so I was astonished to see Bill sitting there on his little chair with a line in the water. He had no luck, I could see, but he was making no effort to move.
“What’s wrong, Bill?” I called out from the path.
For answer, he put a hand in his jacket and took out a big, golden object. For a moment I had no idea what it could be, and then it suddenly went off with a noise like a fire engine. Stopping the bell, Bill held the thing up and called back, “Ten to four, you see, and this is dead right.”
I had never known anyone carrying a brass alarm clock round with him before.Bill Javis became a news-agent when _______.
| A．he needed the money |
| B．he was quite an old man |
| C．he decided to take up fishing |
| D．he gave up clock-repairing |
Bill opened the shop so early in the day because _______.
| A．he liked to do as much as possible before he went to work |
| B．the shop had to be open when the morning papers came |
| C．he was never sure of time |
| D．it was then that he did a lot of business |
From the information given in the passage, who or what do you think was wrong?
| A．The bell was－it must have gone off at the wrong time. |
| B．Bill was－he had dropped off to sleep. |
| C．The writer’s watch was－it was fast. |
| D．Bill’s clock was－it was old. |
Have you ever heard the old saying, “Never judge a book by its cover.”? This is a good rule to follow when trying to judge the intelligence of others. Some people have minds that shine only in certain situations. A young man with an unusual gift in writing may find himself speechless before a pretty girl when he speaks. He may not be able to find the right words. But don’t make the mistake of thinking him stupid. With a pen and paper, he can express himself better than anybody else.
Other people may fool you into overestimating(过高估计) their intelligence by putting up a good front. A student who listens attentively and takes notes in class is bound to (一定会) make a favorable impression on his teachers. But when it comes to exams, he may score near the bottom of the class.
In a word, you can’t judge someone by appearance. The only way to determine a person’s intelligence is to get to know him. Then you can see how he reacts to different situations. The more situations you see, the better your judgment is likely to be. So take your time. Don’t judge a book by its cover. The passage suggests that ______.
| A．a good writer may not be a good speaker |
| B．a good writer is always a good speaker |
| C．a speechless person always writes well |
| D．a good writer will find himself speechless |
According to this passage, a student who listens attentively and takes notes in class
______________.
| A．is an intelligent student |
| B．may not be an intelligent student |
| C．will score better in exams |
| D．will not be a good student |
The passage suggests that we should judge a person’s intelligence through ______.
A. his teachers B,his deeds in the classroom
C. his appearanceD. his reactions to different situations The writer of this passage wants to tell us not to______.
| A．judge a book by its cover |
| B．make the mistake of thinking a young man stupid |
| C．overestimate a student’s intelligence |
| D．judge a person’s intelligence by his appearance |
If women are mercilessly exploited (剥削) year after year, they have only themselves to blame, because they tremble at the thought of being seen in public in clothes that are out of fashion. They are always taken advantage of by the designers and the big stores. Clothes which have been worn only a few times have to be put aside because of the change of fashion. When you come to think of it, only a woman is capable of standing in front of a wardrobe packed full of clothes and announcing sadly that she has nothing to wear.
Changing fashions are nothing more than the intentional creation of waste. Many women spend vast sums of money each year to replace clothes that have hardly been worn. Women who cannot afford to throw away clothing in this way, waste hours of their time changing the dresses they have. Skirts are lengthened or shortened; necklines are lowered or raised, and so on.
No one can claim that the fashion industry contributes anything really important to society. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with primary things like warmth, comfort and durability (耐用). They’re only interested in outward appearance and they take advantage of the fact that women will put up with any amount of discomfort, as long as they look right. There can hardly be a man who hasn’t sometime in his life smiled at the sight of a woman shaking in a thin dress on a winter day, or picking her way through deep snow in high-heeled shoes.
When comparing men and women in the matter of fashion, the conclusions to be drawn are obvious. Do the constantly changing fashions of women’s clothes, one wonders, reflect basic qualities of instability (不稳定) ? Men are too clever to let themselves be cheated by fashion designers. Do their unchanged styles of dress reflect basic qualities of stability and reliability? That is for you to decide.Designers and big stores always make money _.
| A．by mercilessly exploiting women workers in the clothing industry |
| B．because they are capable of predicting new fashions |
| C．by constantly changing the fashions in women’s clothing |
| D．because they always improve quality of women’s clothing |
The writer would be less critical (批评) if fashion designers placed more stress on the ________of clothing.
| A．cost | B．appearance | C．comfort | D．suitability |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．New fashions in clothing are created for the commercial exploitation of women. |
| B．The constant changes in women’s clothing reflect their strength of character. |
| C．The fashion industry makes an important contribution to society. |
| D．Fashion designs should not be encouraged since they are only welcomed by women. |
By saying “the conclusions to be drawn are obvious”, the writer means that ________.
| A．women’s changeableness in their choice of clothing is often laughed at |
| B．women are better able to put up with discomfort |
| C．men are also exploited greatly by fashion designers |
| D．men are more reasonable in the matter of fashion |
In recent years advances in medical technology have made it possible for people to live longer than in the past. New medicines and machines are being developed every day to extend life. However, some people, including some doctors, are not in favor of these life extending measures, and they argue that people should have the right to die when they want. They say that the quality of life is as important as life itself and that people should not be forced to go on living when conditions of life have become unbearable. They saw that people should be allowed to die with dignity (尊严) and to decide when they want to die. Others argue that life under any conditions is better than death and that the duty of doctors is always to extend life as long as possible. And so the battle goes on and on without a definite answer.The best title for this passage is _____.
| A．The Right to Live | B．The Right to Die |
| C．The Doctor’s Duty | D．Life Is Better Than Death |
In recent years, people can live longer than in the past. It’s because of _____ .
| A．the development of medical technology | B．big hospitals |
| C．good doctors | D．both B and C |
According to some people whether a dying patient has the right to die or not is up to _____ .
| A．the doctors | B．the surroundings |
| C．his or her family | D．the patient himself or herself |
In the writer’s opinion _____ .
| A．death is better than life | B．life is better that death |
| C．neither death nor life is good | D．none of the above |
Sheffield
Lincoln College of English
Classes for foreign students at all levels 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and one course open all year.
Small class (maximum 12 students), library, language lab and listening center,
accommodations with selected families 25 minutes from London.
Course fees for English for one year are $1380 with reduction for shorter periods of study._____ are admitted in.
| A．Both foreigners and native speakers | B．Only foreign beginners |
| C．Only foreign advanced students | |
| D．Foreign students from beginners to the advanced |
While you stay there, _____ will take care of you.
| A．the school where you study | B．the family you have chosen |
| C．your classmates | D．your parents |
If you go there for one term course, you will pay _____ for it.
| A．$1380 | B．over $1380 |
| C．much less than $1380 | D．nothing |