Newspapers in Great Britain vary greatly in their ways of carrying the news. There are serious papers for those who want to know about important happenings everywhere, both at home and abroad. There a 题目和参考答案——青夏教育精英家教网—

Buying insurance (保险) is a way in which people can protect themselves against large losses. Protection against fire is one kind of insurance. Large numbers of people pay small sums of money to an insurance company. Although thousands of people have paid for fire insurance, only a few will lose their homes by fire. The insurance company will pay for these homes out of the small sums of money it has collected.
The first modern fire insurance company was formed in London, England, in the 1760s. A great fire had just destroyed most of the city, and people wanted protection against further losses. The first company grew rapidly. Soon other companies were founded in other areas.
Benjamin Franklin helped form the first fire insurance company in America in 1752, and then a new kind of insurance for farmers was suggested. The new insurance would provide protection against the loss of crops from storms.
Later on another new insurance company was started in America. This company, which offered life insurance, collected small sums of money regularly from many different men. If a man died, his family was given a large sum of money.
Over the years, insurance companies have offered new kinds of insurance protection. The new kinds of insurance cover losses from such accidents as car and plane crashes. Today, most people have some kind of insurance.
小题1:Who helped set up the first company in America?

A．Benjamin Franklin.	B．Businessmen.
C．The first insurance company in London.	D．Farmers.

小题2:Insurance means ____.

A．Protection against the losses from the storms

B．protection against illness

C．Protection against accidents

D．all of the above

小题3:The first modern insurance company offered ____.

A．life insurance

B．fire insurance

C．a new kind of insurance

D．both A and B

小题4:Why do most people buy some kind of insurance today?

A．Insurance will keep their homes from burning.

B．People can protect themselves against large losses.

C．Insurance will pay for safety.

D．The insurance companies grow rapidly.

Last year, CCTV journalists approached pedestrians with their cameras, held a microphone to their mouth and asked a simple question, “Are you happy?”
The question has caught many interviewees off guard. Even Mo Yan, who just won a Nobel Prize, responded by saying, “I don’t know”.
While the question has become a buzz phrase and the Internet plays host to heated discussions, we ask: What exactly is happiness? And how do you measure it?
In the 1776 US Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson set in writing the people’s unalienable right to “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness”. 235 years on, Wen Jiabao told the nation, “Everything we do is aimed at letting people live more happily.” At National People’s Congress, officials agreed that increasing happiness would be a top target for the 12^thfive-year plan.
US psychologist Ed Diener, author of Happiness: Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth, describes happiness as “ a combination of life satisfaction and having more positive than negative emotions”, according to US broadcasting network PBS. This may sound straightforward enough, but it still doesn’t explain what determines people’s happiness.
Many argue that happiness is elusive and that there is no single source. It also means different things to different people. For some, happiness can be as simple as having enough cash.
Researchers believe happiness can be separated into two types: daily experiences of hedonic (享乐的) well-being; and evaluative well-being, the way people think about their lives as a whole. The former refers to the quality of living, whereas the latter is about overall happiness, including life goals and achievements. Happiness can cross both dimensions.
Li Jun, a psychologist and mental therapy practitioner at a Beijing clinic, says, “Happiness can mean both the most basic human satisfaction or the highest level of spiritual pursuit. It’s a simple yet profound topic.”
Chen Shangyuan, 21, a junior English major at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, said his idea of happiness always evolves. “At present it relates to how productive I am in a day,” he said. “It might be linked to job security or leisure time after I graduate.”
Then there is the question of measuring happiness. Does it depend on how many friends we have, or whether we own the latest smart phone? Is it even quantifiable?
Economists are trying to measure happiness in people’s lives. Since 1972, Bhutan’s GDP measurement has been replaced by a Gross National Happiness index. It is calculated according to the peoples’ sense of being well-governed, their relationship with the environment, their satisfaction with economic development, and their sense of national belonging.
In 2009, US economist Joseph Stiglitz proposed “to shift emphasis from measuring economic production to measuring people’s well-being”. But is well-being more easily measured?
小题1: In the second paragraph, the writer gave an example to ________.

A．support his idea that being famous is the reason to be happy

B．introduce his topic to be discussed

C．tell people winning a Nobel Prize is a great honor

D．show that the question was quite difficult

小题2:From what Thomas Jefferson and Wen Jiabao mentioned in the passage, we know ________.

A．people’s happiness is determined by great people

B．people’s happiness is an important target for the development of a country

C．people in all countries have the right to ask the government for a happy life

D．people both in China and America are living a happy life

小题3:According to the passage, the writer may most likely agree that ________.

A．CCTV journalists are concerned about people’s happiness out of sympathy

B．the question has led to heated discussions about who are the happiest people in China

C．Bhutan’s new index shows that people there are the happiest in the world

D．it is not easy for us to decide what determines people’s happiness

小题4:What does the underlined word “elusive” in the sixth paragraph mean?

小题5:The best title of the passage is ________.

A．Are you happy?	B．The Measurement of Happiness
C．GDP and Happiness	D．The Secret of Happiness

I met him first in 1936. I rushed into his ugly little shop to have the heels of my shoes repaired. I waited when he did it. He greeted me with a cheerful smile. “You’re new in this neighborbood, aren’t you?”
I said I was. I had moved into a house at the end of the street only a week before.
“This is a fine neighborhood,” he said. “You’ll be happy here.” He looked at the leather covering the heel sadly. It was worn through because I had failed to have the repair done a month before. I grew impatient, for I was rushing to meet a friend. “Please hurry,” I begged.
He looked at me over his spectacles. “Now, lady, we won’t be long. I want to do a good job. You see, I have a tradition to live up to.”
A tradition? In this ugly little shop that was no different from so many other shoe repair shops on the side streets of New York?
He must have felt my surprise, for he smiled as he went on. “Yes, lady, I inherited a tradition. My father and my grandfather were shoemakers in Italy, and they were the best. My father always told me, ‘Son, do the best job on every shoe that comes into the shop, and be proud of your fine work. Do that always, and you’ll have both happiness and money enough to live on.’”
As he handed me the finished shoes, he said: “These will last a long time. I’ve used good leather.”
I left in a hurry. But I had a warm and grateful feeling. On my way home I passed the little shop again. There he was, still working. He saw me, and to my surprise he waved and smiled. This was the beginning of our friendship. It was a friendship that came to mean more and more to me as time passed.
Every day I passed his shop, we waved to each other in friendly greeting. At first I went in only when I had repair work to be done. Then I found myself going in every few days just to talk with him.
He was the happiest man I’ve ever known. Often, as he stood in his shopwindow, working at a pair of shoes, he sang in a high, clear Italian voice. The Italians in our neighborhood called him la luce alla finestra—“the light in the window”.
One day I was disappointed and angry because of poor jobs some painters had done for me. I went into his shop for comfort. He let me go on talking angrily about the poor work and carelessness of present-day workmen. “They had no pride in their work,” I said. “They just wanted to collect their money for doing nothing.”
He agreed. “There’s a lot of that kind around, but maybe we should not blame them. Maybe their fathers had no pride in their work. That’s hard on a boy. It keeps him from learning something important.” He waited a minute and said “Every man or woman who hasn’t inherited a prideful tradition must start building one.”
“In this country, our freedom lets each of us make his own contribution. We must make it a good contribution. No matter what sort of work a man does, if he gives it his best each day, he’s starting a tradition for his children to live up to. And he is making lots of happiness for himself.”
I went to Europe for a few months. When I returned, there was no “light in the window”. The door was closed. There was a little sign: “Call for shoes at shop next door.” I learned the old man had suddenly got sick and died two weeks before
I went away with a heavy heart. I would miss him. But he had left me something—an important piece of wisdom I shall always remember: “If you inherited a prideful tradition, you must carry it on; if you haven’t, start building one now.”
小题1:The shoemaker looked sadly at the shoes because __________

A．they were of poor quality.

B．he didn’t have the right kind of leather

C．he thought they were too worn to be repaired

D．the author hadn’t taken good care of them.

小题2:The author was surprised when she heard that the shop had a tradition because the shop ________.

A．looked no different from other shoe repair shops

B．had a light in the window

C．was at the end of a street

D．was quite an ugly and dirty one

小题3:What does the underlined word “inherit” mean in paragraph 6 mean?

小题4:The author later frequently went into the little shop __________.

A．to repair her worn shoes

B．only to chat with the shoemaker

C．to look at the new shoes there

D．only to get comfort from the shoemaker

小题5:Why was the shoemaker called “the light in the window” by his neighbors?

A．Because he always worked late at night.

B．Because he always put a light in the window.

C．Because he was always guiding the others.

D．Because he was always happy and cheerful.

小题6:What’s the best title of this passage?

A．A Proud Shoemaker	B．A Prideful Tradition
C．The Light in the Window	D．Treasure Your Shoes

When something goes wrong, it can be very satisfying to say, “Well, it’s so-and-so’s fault.” or “I know I’m late, but it’s not my fault; the car broke down.” It is probably not your fault, but once you form the habit of blaming somebody or something else for a bad situation, you are a loser. You have no power and could do nothing that helps change the situation. However, you can have great power over what happens to you if you stop focusing on whom to blame and start focusing on how to remedy the situation. This is the winner’s key to success.
Winners are great at overcoming problems. For example, if you were late because your car broke down, maybe you need to have your car examined more regularly. Or, you might start to carry along with you the useful phone numbers, so you could call for help when in need. For another example, if your colleague causes you problems on the job for lack of responsibility or ability, find ways of dealing with his irresponsibility or inability rather than simply blame the person. Ask to work with a different person, or don’t rely on this person. You should accept that the person is not reliable and find creative ways to work successfully regardless of how your colleague fails to do his job well.
Being a winner is all about creatively using your skills and talents so that you are successful no matter what happens. Winners don’t have fewer problems in their lives; they have just as many difficult situations to face as anybody else. They are just better at seeing those problems as challenges and opportunities to develop their own talents. So, stop focusing on “whose fault it is.” Once you are confident about your power over bad situations, problems are just stepping stones for success.
小题1:According to the passage, winners .

A．deal with problems rather than blame others

B．meet with fewer difficulties in their lives

C．have responsible and able colleagues

D．blame themselves rather than others

小题2:The underlined word remedy in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to .

小题3:When your colleague brings about a problem, you should .

A．blame him for his lack of responsibility

B．find a better way to handle the problem

C．tell him to find the cause of the problem

D．ask a more able colleague for help

小题4:When problems occur, winners take them as .

A．excuses for their failures

B．barriers to greater power

C．challenges to their colleagues

D．chances for self-development

小题5:Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A．A Winner’s Secret	B．A Winner’s Problem
C．A Winner’s Opportunity	D．A Winner’s Achievement

The information below is taken from a dictionary page.
jaguar: n. a type of large, yellow-colored cat with black markings found in the southwestern region of the U. S. and in Central and South America.
jargon: 1. n. speech that doesn’t make sense.
2. n. an unknown language that seems strange or impossible to understand.
3. n. a language made up of two or more other languages: His jargon was a mixture of French and English.
4. n. the special vocabulary of a field or profession: Her report on computers was filled with jargon.
jaunt: 1. n. a trip taken for fun.
2. v. to go on a brief pleasant trip: We jaunted to the country last Saturday.
javelin: 1. n.. a spear(矛) most commonly used as weapon or in hunting.
2. n. a light metal or wooden spear that is thrown in track-and-field sport events.
3. n. the event in which a javelin is thrown.
4. v. to strike, as with a javelin.
jazz: 1. n. a type of music that originated in New Orleans and is characterized by rhythmic beats.
2. n. popular dance music influenced by jazz.
3. n. empty talk.
4. ad. of or like jazz: a jazz band, jazz records.
Jennet: n. a small Spanish horse.
jest: 1.n. thing said or done to cause amusement; joke.
2. (idiom) in jest: as a joke ; in fun; not seriously.
3.v.make jokes
小题1:Which meaning of the word javelin is used in the sentence below?
At the competition, Jack drew his arm back and threw the javelin 50 yards.

A．Definition (定义) 1	B．Definition 2
C．Definition 3	D．Definition 4

小题2:Which meaning of the word jargon is used in the sentence below?
Doctors often speak in medical jargon.

A．Definition 1	B．Definition 2
C．Definition 3	D．Definition 4

小题3:What does the word jazz mean in the following sentence?
Don’t give me that jazz, for I am a practical person.

A．rhythmic beats	B．a type of music
C．a kind of dance	D．meaningless talk

小题4:Which word is needed to fill in the following sentence?
His reply was taken half seriously, half in_________.

It’s common to hear the honking of horns in New York. Whoever tries every day to get more than a few minutes of sleep in the city will tell you that he could do nothing about it! Honking of horns is just one of their most widely enjoyed pastimes.
But Aaron, a Japanese website developer has had enough of it. Once, the 31-year-old man approached the open window to wait for the driver to finish honking, delivered a polite "excuse me" and then yelled " Ho-o-o-o-onk!", which suggests fierce anger in Japan. Then he threw three eggs from the window of his apartment on to a passing car honking loudly below when his patience was worn out. Instead of apologizing to him, the driver threatened to kill him angrily. So, nobly, Aaron turned to non-violence. He started writing anti-honking haiku verses, a form of Japanese poetry, and submitted them to local newspapers:
Oh .forget Enron;
The problem around here is;
All the damn honking
(Enron_: a major American company that recently caused a scandal by going bankrupt because of corrupt(腐败) mismanagement)
"Then this kind of chain reaction started happening," Aaron says. "All these other haiku started appearing that I haven't written." Aaron’ s community is now covered in anti - honking poetry, written by all walks of life, ranging from scary environmental activist types to violent revolutionaries:
Patience slowly fades;
Residents store up their eggs;
That day is coming soon.
It’s no surprise that Aaron has started a website — www. honku. org — and now people from across the country send him news of their own anti - honking activities. It seems that poetry can change the world after all. Then, just recently, anti-anti- honking haiku started to appear, taped up by locals who thought Aaron should stop worrying about honking and start worrying about starving children, say, or war in the Middle East instead. Aaron has an answer for that. "Stop me if this is too tenuous(不靠谱的) ," he says," but they talk about the violence in the Middle East like it' s a force of nature, like it' s beyond our control. But actually it's kind of like the honking - the violence is man -made. If we can figure out how to stop honking on the streets, I think we could learn some things that we could use on a large scale. "
小题1:The first paragraph of the passage is intended to tell us that_______.

A．New Yorkers have formed a habit of honking while driving

B．most New Yorkers enjoy sleeping late in the morning

C．honking noise has influenced people's life in New York

D．New Yorkers enjoy listening to the honking of horns

小题2:What is Aaron’s final response to the frequent honking of horns?

A．Pretended to ignore it.

B．Screamed at the driver.

C．Acted in a peaceful way.

D．Complained to the government.

小题3:According to the passage, most New Yorkers think Aaron's response is ___.

小题4:Faced with the criticism of his anti-honking campaign, Aaron notes that___.

A．fierce violence in the Middle East is more of an issue worthy of concern

B．finding the solution to anti - honking is as meaningful as that to starvation

C．big issues are beyond our control while small ones are under our control

D．if not handled properly, honking may cause serious problems like starvation

Pasta is the world’s favorite food. Asurveytaken in 17 countriesconfirmedthat pasta is what people like to eat most. Not only is pasta the number one food in its home country -Italy, but is alsoenjoyedin faraway places like the Philippines, Mexico andSouth Africa.
Pasta has become popular, for one thing, because it is cheap and easy to prepare. Just cook noodles or other forms of pasta, make a sauce to go with it and you’re finished. Many different types of meals can becreatedwith pasta. It tastes good and fills your stomach. It produces energy in the form ofcarbohydrates(碳水化合物)， which is whyathleteseat pasta regularly. Pasta can also be kept for a longer time. You don’t have to use it up at once.
Pasta has also become popular because it stands for the Italian way of life. People all over the world like it because it’s so simple. It has two basic ingredients(成分), wheatand water, just like bread.
Legend has itthat Marco Polo brought pasta back to Italy with him but this is not true. Arabs probably brought a noodle-likedishtoSicilyin the 8th century. Farmers have been growing wheat, the mainingredientof pasta, there for ages.
The worldwide sales of pasta have risen sharply over the past decade. Italy leads the pasta-eatingcommunityof the world. The Italians are the number one consumers followed by Venezuela and Tunisia.
小题1:In which country do people eat pasta most?

小题2:Sports people often have pasta because_________.

A．it costs less money

B．it can be kept longer

C．it provides proper energy

D．it contains no carbohydrates

小题3:One reason why pasta is favored is that_______.

A．people like a simple lifestyle

B．it smells just like bread

C．it is rich in nutrition

D．Italian food stands for fansition.

小题4:What would be the best title for the text?

A．The origin of pasta

B．Italians’ love for pasta

C．Pasta is changing people’s way of life

D．Pasta—the world’s favorite food

As any parent with an iPhone or an iPod Touch knows, mobile apps (手机软件) can be an engaging and entertaining experience for kids. Now, a new study of PBS Kids suggests that the experience can be an educational one as well.
The study, which was administered by PBS under a grant from the Department of Education, first tested the vocabulary level of a group of 90 Title 1 school children, aged 3 to 7. Then, the children were each given two weeks with an iPod Touch loaded with the Martha Speaks Dog Party app created by PBS Kids.
The study monitored how the children used the iPod, during what hours, and in what context. On average, the study found that kids played with the iPod Touch for a total of 5 hours across the two weeks, with half that time spent playing the Martha Speaks app. At the end of the two week trial, the children were given another vocabulary test, which revealed an increase in vocabulary acquisition by as much as 31 per cent.
The study findings are particularly useful as smart phones and mobile devices have become increasingly popular among families and parents are faced with a proliferation of mobile apps designed for kids. According to a recent Nielsen study, smart phone usage is 12% higher in households with children than other households.
“Mobile apps can be a great learning tool in the hands of children,” said Lesli Rotenberg, SVP, Children’s Media, PBS. “This research is important in helping to better understand and guide the development of new apps that improve the value of children’s screen time with significant educational outcomes.”
So what does it all mean? Well, at the very least it will help parents get over that guilty feeling when they hand over their iPhone or iPod Touch for a little peace and quiet. At best, it provides more evidence that mobile devices and apps do indeed have educational value and could be an important part of the child-learning process for many years to come.
小题1:What Lesli Rotenberg said in the fifth paragraph suggests that .

A．he has a positive attitude towards mobile apps

B．he thinks children should never use smart phones

C．he is doubtful about mobile apps designed for children

D．he thinks parents should be careful with mobile apps for children

小题2:The underlined sentence in the last paragraph implies that .

A．parents will feel more comfortable giving kids iPhone or iPod Touch

B．parents will know what kind of mobile phones are suitable for kids

C．parents will know what children do with mobile phones

D．parents can watch over their children now and then

小题3:What would be the best title of the text?

B．The entertaining function of smart phones

C．Smart phones make kids learn more.

D．It’s too early for kids to use smart phones

A．a serious newspaper	B．foreign newspaper
C．any independent paper	D．a popular newspaper

A．improve	B．compete with each other
C．are different	D．keep in touch with each other

试题分类