It was a bad time for me . I was low emotionally and tired physically. Probably because of this I hadn’t shaved for a few days. Also, because I had been doing some repairs at my daughter’s house, I was dressed quite scruffily. Boarding the bus to go home I saw it was almost full so I found a rail to lean against.

That was when a young woman, sitting with her child, stood up and offered me her seat. “Wow !” I thought. Out loud I said, “Do I look that old and tired?” She replied,” You look like you’ve had a tough day.” I thanked her sincerely and stayed standing.

A moment later a man rose from his seat at the back of the bus and made his way towards me, squeezing past several people on the way. Then he told me about his addiction problems, asked for my advice, and just chatted about life for a few minutes. Then he went back to his seat. Very random!

Watching him go, I also looked at the bus-load of people between me and his seat. He hadn’t chosen to talk to those strangers. He chose to talk to this stranger, for whatever it meant to him and whatever comfort it brought him. Why?

That’s when it occurred to me. I must have looked like I had been where he was. I probably looked like a man who would understand a difficult life. I was humbled and uplifted at the same time by the realization that even when we are at our lowest we can still help others—if we look like we might be able to meet them where they live or walk a while in their world.

1.Why did the young woman offer her seat to the writer?

A. Because she thought the writer looked very old.

B. Because the writer looked very friendly.

C. Because the writer looked humorous.

D. Because the writer looked exhausted.

2.What can we learn about the man from Paragraph 3 ?

A. He was an acquaintance of the writer.

B. He felt familiar with the writer.

C. He might took drugs heavily.

D. He lacked confidence in life.

3.The underlined words “this stranger” in Paragraph 4 probably refer to“ .”

A. the young woman B. one passenger

C. the writer D. the driver

4.Which of the following may be the best title for the text?

A. Unusual Appearance Interests Strangers.

B. Meet Them Where They Live.

C. Small Talks Make a Difference.

D. Accept What They Are.

When times get tough, we all look for ways to cut back. When we’re hungry, we eat at home instead of going out. We take buses instead of taxis. And we wear our old designer jeans just a few months longer. With college expenses at all-time highs, high school students are eager to do anything to cut the cost of a university education.

One cost-cutting proposal is to allow college students to get a bachelor’s degree in three years instead of four. Educational institutions have been actively exploring ways to make the learning process more efficient. But there’s a question: Would the quality of undergraduate education suffer? Few US universities have formally approved a “three-year degree” model.

I doubt that mainstream North American colleges will carry out a three-year curriculum any time soon. For one thing, most universities already allow highly qualified students to graduate early by testing out of certain classes and obtaining a number of college credits. In addition, at famous universities, the committee who determine which courses are required and which courses are electives are unlikely to suddenly “throw out” one quarter of the required credits. Professors will resist “diluting(稀释)”the quality of the education they offer.

In my opinion, a quality four-year education is always superior to a quality three-year education. A college education requires sufficient time for a student to become skilled in their major and do coursework in fields outside their major. It is not a good idea to water down education, any more than it’s not a good idea to water down medicine. If we want to help students find their way through university, we should help them understand early on what knowledge and skills they need to have upon graduation. We should allow students to test out of as many courses as possible. We should give them a chance to earn money as interns(实习生)in meaningful part-time jobs that relate to their university studies, such as the five-year co-op program at Northeastern University.

1.Which of the following can be the best title?

A. It’s time to shorten the learning process

B. Best learning takes place over time

C. University education should be watered down

D. College education calls for reform

2.In most US universities, ________ .

A. some excellent students can graduate ahead of time

B. college students are offered the co-op program

C. electives’ credits make up one quarter of the required credits

D. all students are required to finish four-year education before graduation

3.We can infer that ________ .

A. the author is a college professor

B. the author considers the university education quality very important

C. the author thinks the cost of a university education is too high for people to afford

D. the author pays special attention to the all-round development of college students

4.The first paragraph serves as a(n) ________ .

A. explanation B. Definition C. Comment D. introduction

There are a lot of products out there that make your life easier. Some, however, are a little sillier than others — so much that they seem like joke products. Here are a few products that sound crazy, but actually rule.

Sleep Phones

It’s hard to imagine something sillier than a music-playing headband you wear while you sleep, but they exist — and are quite popular. Sleep Phones won’t give you the highest quality sound in the world, but if you prefer to fall asleep to music, they’re far more comfortable than normal headphones. While they’re a bit expensive, they might be perfect for you. There’s also a wireless version (版本) if you prefer.

Onion Goggles

If cutting onion brings on the waterworks no matter what you try, it’s time for desperate measures. We tested a bunch of methods for avoiding onion tears, and found the best solutions came down to cutting the onion under a vent (通风孔), or wearing these stylish and awesome goggles.

Lock Laces

There’re some great ways to tie your shoes better, but if you long for the laceless shoes of your childhood days, Lock Laces are a pretty good choice. They’re basically elastic (有弹性的) laces that remove the need to tie your shoes. Sure, people will make fun of you, but you can make fun of them after they trip over their own untied laces. Or you can make your own slip-on shoes with elastic tubing.

2D-Glasses

Hate 3D-movies, but have to go to one? The difference between 2D-glasses and 3D-glasses lies in their lenses (镜片). Each lens of 2D-glasses blocks the same picture, so each eye gets the same picture, while each lens of 3D-glasses blocks a different picture, so each eye gets a different picture which the brain interprets as 3D. Now you have a pair of glasses that can save you from the headache caused by wearing 3D-glasses which are popular in our movie theaters. You can buy them or make a pair for yourself.

1.What do we know about Sleep Phones?

A. There are two versions.

B. They’re comfortable but unhealthy.

C. They give you the best quality sound.

D. They’re cheaper than other headphones.

2.The underlined part “brings on the waterworks” in the text probably means _____.

A. makes your eyes water

B. makes your fingers hurt

C. destroys your water pipes

D. adds to your washing work

3.What is the advantage of Lock Laces?

A. They are strong and lasting.

B. They help you walk comfortably.

C. They are stylish and eco-friendly.

D. They save you from tying your shoes.

4.Compared with 3D-glasses, 2D-glasses _____.

A. are cheaper and thinner

B. won’t give you a headache

C. let you see a different picture

D. are more popular in movie theaters

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