One morning in Philadelphia, the sun shone bright through all the thick jungles and the tall churches. John, 6, wearing the worn-out clothes, walked from a far place, his dark small hands holding a piece of stolen bread.
John stopped for a moment at the entrance to the church and then left tightly holding the bread,      
He was an orphan(孤儿), whose parents were killed in World War II leaving him alone in the orphanage for five years, Like many children in the house, he had a lot of free time. Mostly no one took care of them, so they had to learn how to steal those they wanted.             
John believed God to be real, so every Sunday morning in any case he would go to the church to have a look and listen to those people singing inside or reading the Bible. He felt only at this moment he was the child of God and so close to God. But he couldn’t enter because his clothes were so dirty. John himself knew it.
John was quietly calculating the times. This was his 45th Sunday at the entrance to the church. He stood on tiptoe（踮着脚尖） for a while and walked away.
As time passed, the pastor(牧师) noticed John and learned from others that he was the small boy who liked stealing things in the orphanages.
On the 46th Sunday, the sun was shining and John came still holding a piece of bread with his dark small hands. When he just stood there, the pastor came out. He felt like running away, but he was carried by the pastor's friendly smile.
The pastor walked up to his side, clearly seeing John's small hands shaking.
"Are you John?"
John didn't answer, but looked at the pastor and nodded.
"Do you believe in God?" the pastor patted John on his head with dust.
"Yes, I do!" This time John told him loudly.
"So you believe in yourself?"
John looked at the pastor, without a word.
The pastor went on saying, "At the first sight of you, I find you're different from other kids because you have a good heart."
His face turning red, John said nervously, "In fact, I'm a thief." With that, he lowered his head.
The pastor didn't speak, but held John's dark small hands, slowly opened them and put them against his wrinkled face.
"Ah" Just at the same time, John shouted and was about to take out his dark small hands. Yet the pastor tightly held his small hands and spread them out in the sun.
"Do you see, John?"
"What?"
"You're cupping the sunshine in your hands."
John blankly looked at his hands: when did they become so beautiful?
"In God's eyes, all children are the same. When they are willing to spread out their hands to greet the sun, the sun will naturally shine on them. And you have two things more than they do. First is courage and the second is kindness." With that, the pastor led him into the church. It was the first time that John went into this sacred place, and at this moment he didn't feel inferior, but the unspeakable warmth.
On that morning greeting the sunshine, John found himself again, along with the confidence, satisfaction, happiness, dreams he had never had.
Twenty years have passed. Now the boy who ever tightly held the bread with his dirt hands has been the most famous cook in Philadelphia and made many popular dishes.
Every Sunday morning, he would personally send the bread he baked to the orphanage. Those children who greeted him with cheers were used to consciously spreading their palms before they got the bread.
Because they all knew when we are willing to spread out our hands to greet the sunshine, the sun will naturally shine on us

  1. 1.

    The method the writer uses to develop Paragraph is ______________

    1. A.
      presenting contrasts (对比)
    2. B.
      showing causes （原因）
    3. C.
      offering analyses
    4. D.
      providing explanations
  2. 2.

    Why didn't John go inside whenever he went to the church?

    1. A.
      He was frightened to be recognized by the pastor
    2. B.
      He was not welcomed by those singing in the church
    3. C.
      He was sorry for his dirty clothes and identity as a thief
    4. D.
      He was left alone in the orphanage and nobody cared for him
  3. 3.

    Which of the following questions did John reply certainly?

    1. A.
      “Are you John?"
    2. B.
      "Do you see, John?"
    3. C.
      "So you believe in yourself?"
    4. D.
      "Do you believe in God?"
  4. 4.

    Which of the following can best describe the pastor's great effect on John?

    1. A.
      John became a famous cook
    2. B.
      John admitted his bad behavior. (行为)
    3. C.
      John believed God to be real
    4. D.
      John spread warmth to other orphans
  5. 5.

    According to the passage, the sunshine cupped in hands can bring ________

    1. A.
      cheers and confidence
    2. B.
      dreams and imagination
    3. C.
      courage and kindness
    4. D.
      forgiveness and satisfaction

Music comes in many forms; most countries have a style of their own. The US is well known for jazz (爵士乐), which has gained world-wide popularity.
In contrast to classical (古典的) music, which follows formal European traditions, jazz is natural and free-form. It is full of energy, expressing the moods, interests, and feelings of the people. It has a modern sound that makes people very excited. In the 1920s jazz sounded like America. And So it does today.
The origins of this music are as interesting as the music itself. Jazz was produced by American blacks, who were brought to the Southern States as slaves. They were sold to plantation owners (种植园主) and forced to work long hours in the cotton and tobacco fields. This work was hard and life was short. When a Negro died, his friends and relatives formed a group to carry the body to the cemetery.
A band often went with them. On the way to the cemetery the band played slow and sad music. But on the way home the mood changed. Spirits lifted. Everybody was happy. Death had removed one of their members, but the living were glad to be alive. The band played happy music, which made everyone want to dance. It was an early form of jazz.
Music has always been important in their lives. Coming mainly from West Africa, the black men who were brought to America already possessed a rich musical tradition. This music centered on religious ceremonies (宗教的仪式) in which dancing, singing, clapping and stamping (顿足) to the beat of a drum were important forms of musical expression. As these people settled in to their fields, they made up work songs. Singing made the hard work go faster.
Another musical form that helped to develop jazz was the blues. Blues songs always describe something sad — an unhappy love affair, a money problem, bad luck. To this day, the expression “feeling blue” means being sad

  1. 1.

    Through jazz, people can express______

    1. A.
      their moods
    2. B.
      their feelings
    3. C.
      their interests
    4. D.
      all the above
  2. 2.

    Which of the following is true according to the text?

    1. A.
      Jazz follows European traditions
    2. B.
      Jazz always describes something sad
    3. C.
      Jazz was first produced by black slaves
    4. D.
      Blues made the hard work of those slaves go faster
  3. 3.

    The underlined sentence “Spirits lilted,” suggested that______

    1. A.
      everybody was feeling blue
    2. B.
      everybody was still in a sad mood
    3. C.
      everybody became happy
    4. D.
      people’s souls went to the heaven
  4. 4.

    What should be the best tide for this passage?

    1. A.
      A Light Music
    2. B.
      Black men’s Music
    3. C.
      The Origin of the Jazz Music
    4. D.
      The Popular Music—Jazz in the U.S.A
  5. 5.

    Why did the band play happy music on the way home from the cemetery?

    1. A.
      Because they felt happy for the dead men
    2. B.
      Because they were glad that they themselves were still alive
    3. C.
      Because they would have a big dinner after they returned home
    4. D.
      Because they hated that dead man

Scientists are trying to make the deserts into good land again．They want to bring water to the deserts，so people can live and grow food．They are learning a lot about the deserts．But more and more of the earth is becoming desert all the time．Scientists may not be able to change the desert in time．
Why is more and more land becoming desert？Scientists think that people make deserts．People are doing bad things to the earth．
Some places on the earth don’t get much rain． But they still don’t become deserts． This is because some green plants are growing there． Small green plants and grass are very important to dry places． Plants don’t let the sun make the earth even drier． Plants do not let the wind blow the dirt away． When a bit of rain falls， the plants hold the water． Without plants， the land can become desert more easily．

  1. 1.

    Deserts ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿ ．

    1. A.
      never have any plants or animals in them
    2. B.
      can all be turned into good land before long
    3. C.
      are becoming smaller and smaller
    4. D.
      get very little rain
  2. 2.

    Small green plants are very important to dry places because ＿＿＿＿＿ ．

    1. A.
      they don’t let the sun make the earth even drier
    2. B.
      they don’t let the wind blow the soil away
    3. C.
      they hold water
    4. D.
      All of the above．
  3. 3.

    Land is becoming desert little by little because ＿＿＿＿＿＿．

    1. A.
      plants can’t grow there
    2. B.
      there is not enough rain
    3. C.
      people haven’t done what scientists wish them to do
    4. D.
      scientists know little about the deserts
  4. 4.

    Why is more and more land becoming desert according to this passage？

    1. A.
      Earthquakes make deserts
    2. B.
      Wind makes deserts
    3. C.
      Lack of water makes deserts
    4. D.
      People make deserts．

The Beginning of the Civil Rights Movement
In 1955，bus seats for African Americans and whites were separated in parts of the U．S.. On December 1,1955，in the city of Montgomery，Alabama，a conflict，or disagreement，started when an African American woman named Rosa Parks refused to give her bus seat to a white man and go to the back of the bus. The police took 42?year?old Parks to jail.
The African American community was extremely angry. They had a meeting and decided to work together to protest discrimination. They agreed to boycott(抵制) the buses on the day that Parks went to court. The day was a success. Empty buses drove through the streets. The city lost money. The community decided to continue the boycott. They elected a man named Martin Luther King，Jr. to be the leader.
The boycott continued. It was difficult for African Americans to get to work without buses，but they didn’t stop the boycott. The city continued to lose money. Finally，the U．S. Supreme Court decided that Montgomery’s bus laws were unfair and gave the African American community equal right. On December 21,1956，the bus boycott ended.
The Montgomery Bus Boycott was the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement. The movement eventually led to the Civil Rights Act in 1964，a set of laws that made discrimination a crime. During the Montgomery Bus Boycott，people worked together to change the government. Today，people in the U．S. continue to work together for a change. Now hundreds of organizations and community groups work to protect the rights of U．S. citizens and residents

  1. 1.

    How is the situation for the black in the U．S. in 1955?

    1. A.
      They were treated equally
    2. B.
      They were treated unfairly
    3. C.
      They had no rights to take a bus
    4. D.
      They were not allowed to take the same bus with the white
  2. 2.

    What is the cause of the Civil Rights Movement?

    1. A.
      Bus seats for African Americans and white were separated in parts of the U．S
    2. B.
      Rosa Parks was sent to jail for she refused to give her bus seat to a white man
    3. C.
      The African American community had a meeting to protest discrimination
    4. D.
      A man named Martin Luther King，Jr. was elected to be the leader
  3. 3.

    How long did the boycott continue?

    1. A.
      Less than a year
    2. B.
      Less than a month
    3. C.
      More than a year
    4. D.
      More than a month
  4. 4.

    How did the black people fight for the civil rights?

    1. A.
      By refusing to take buses
    2. B.
      By refusing to talk to the white
    3. C.
      Through fights with the white people
    4. D.
      By doing nothing
  5. 5.

    What is the final result of the Civil Rights Movement?

    1. A.
      The U．S. Supreme Court decided that Montgomery’s bus laws were unfair and gave the African American community equal right
    2. B.
      They elected a man named Martin Luther King，Jr. to be the leader
    3. C.
      Black people and white people can take the same bus
    4. D.
      The movement eventually led to the Civil Rights Act in 1964，a set of laws that made discrimination a crime

Nothing succeeds like confidence. When you are truly confident, it radiates (辐射) from you like sunlight, and attracts success to you like a magnet (磁铁). Besides, those who are self-confident can in turn inspire (encourage) confidence in others: their audience, their peers, their bosses, their customers, and their friends. And gaining the confidence of others is one of the key ways in which a self-confident person finds success.
So how can we build a sense of self-confidence and prepare ourselves on the way to success?
First, do what you believe to be right, even if others mock or criticize you for it. Believe in yourself and believe that you can do it in any situations, because if you believe you can, then you really will. The belief keeps you searching for answers, which means that pretty soon you will get them.
Second, govern your behavior based on what other people think. What’s more important, be willing to take risks and go the extra miles to achieve better results, in which case mistakes can not be avoided. Always be ready to admit your mistakes, and learn from them. Next, work hard to settle the problems in order to cover up your mistakes before anyone notices. Building self-confidence is readily achievable, as long as you have the focus and determination to carry things through. And what’s even better is that the things you’ll do to build self-confidence will also build success -- after all, your confidence will come from real, solid achievement. No one can take this away from you!
As you sow, so will you reap. With your perseverance (毅力) and improvement, you are getting closer to success. At this stage, wait for others to give congratulations and compliments on your achievements. “Thanks, I really worked hard on it. I’m pleased you recognize my efforts.” The congratulations and compliments from others will promote you to gain further success.
Self-confidence is extremely important in almost every aspect of our lives, and it is no wonder that so many people struggle to find it. Self-confidence really can be learned and built on. Besides, whether you’re working on your own self-confidence or building the confidence of people around you, it’s well worth the effort!

  1. 1.

    Those who are truly confident _______

    1. A.
      succeed without effort and hard work
    2. B.
      encourage people around to become confident
    3. C.
      appear more attractive and thus become successful
    4. D.
      gain the confidence of others and feel successful
  2. 2.

    The underlined word “mock” (Paragraph 2) is closest in meaning to _______

    1. A.
      praise
    2. B.
      imitate (模仿)
    3. C.
      punish
    4. D.
      laugh at
  3. 3.

    When others congratulate us on our achievements, we are supposed to _______

    1. A.
      praise them in return
    2. B.
      gain further improvement
    3. C.
      politely accept the compliments
    4. D.
      expect them to congratulate you again
  4. 4.

    Which of the following proverbs (sayings) best goes with Paragraph 4?

    1. A.
      Look before your leap
    2. B.
      It is no use crying over spilt milk
    3. C.
      Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration
    4. D.
      Learn from past mistakes and avoid future ones
  5. 5.

    The purpose of the text is to _______

    1. A.
      tell people how to become successful
    2. B.
      convince people to do what they believe to be right
    3. C.
      encourage people to build confidence and achieve success
    4. D.
      criticize people who lack confidence and thus fail in their career

You can mail a letter or package under 16 oz. (unit of weight, 454g) in a mailbox, a blue box found on many street corners in U.S. cities and towns. Each mail box should have pick-up times clearly posted on top.
!Packages over 16 oz. placed in a mailbox will not be sent. Bring the package to the post office or retail (零售的) mailing shop instead. The clerk will process if for you.
The Post Office
In the larger cities, when you go to the post office you must take a number and wait in line. Post offices tend to be extremely crowded around Christmas. Try to go as early in the morning as possible. Post office branches open at 9 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. while main branches close at 6 p.m.
Buying Stamps
! The cost of a first-class postage stamp to mail a letter is currently 39 cents, although rates tend to change often.
Stamps are sold individually or in booklets (小册子) of 10 (US数学公式7.80) or in rolls of 100(US$9.00). You can buy stamps at the following locations:
·online, if you have a computer.
Link to the U.S. Postal Service website (http://www. usps.com) and click on “stamps online”.
·at your local post office
·at some ATMs (automated teller machine)
·at some supermarkets
·by mail
·retail mailing stores(you may have to pay extra for stamps and to mail packages through the U.S. Postal Service)
Postal Rates and Fees
The U.S. Postal Service’s online postage calculator(计算器) tells you the cost to mail a letter or package anywhere in the world. But you should know the weight of the package and the post code of the package’s origin and destination. If you don’t know the weight of the letter or package to be mailed, you can go to your local post office and the postal clerk will weigh it for you

  1. 1.

    When do the post office main branches close?

    1. A.
      At 9 p.m
    2. B.
      At 6 p.m
    3. C.
      At 5 p.m
    4. D.
      At 5:30 p.m
  2. 2.

    If you have only 39 cents, you can NOT buy a stamp at_____

    1. A.
      a local post office
    2. B.
      a supermarket
    3. C.
      an ATM
    4. D.
      a retail mailing store
  3. 3.

    The cost to mail a letter can be calculated when you know _____.
    ①its weight   ②its origin   ③its destination
    ④its origin’s post code     ⑤its destination’s post code

    1. A.
      ①③④
    2. B.
      ①④⑤
    3. C.
      ①②③
    4. D.
      ①②⑤

A small man went to a cinema, bought a ticket and went in. But after two or three minutes he came out, bought a second ticket and went in again.
After a few minutes, he came out again and bought a third ticket. Two or three minutes after that, he came out a third time and asked for another ticket.
But the girl said to him, “Why are you buying all these tickets? Are you waiting for friends in the cinema all the time?”
“No, I am not doing that,” answered the small man. “But a big woman always stops me at the door and tears (撕)my ticket up.”
The girl smiled and sold him another ticket

  1. 1.

    One day a small man went to _____

    1. A.
      a shop
    2. B.
      a hospital
    3. C.
      a post office
    4. D.
      a cinema
  2. 2.

    The small man bought _____ tickets in all

    1. A.
      five
    2. B.
      three
    3. C.
      four
    4. D.
      six
  3. 3.

    The big woman _____

    1. A.
      didn’t let the small man in
    2. B.
      was the ticket collector (收票员)
    3. C.
      didn’t like a small man at all
    4. D.
      was the doorkeeper (看门人)
  4. 4.

    The small man _____

    1. A.
      enjoyed the film very much
    2. B.
      didn’t like the film at all
    3. C.
      didn’t see the film at all
    4. D.
      was very clever
  5. 5.

    The girl ______

    1. A.
      was the ticket seller
    2. B.
      was the doorkeeper
    3. C.
      was the ticket collector
    4. D.
      was the small man’s friend

The necktie looks set to follow the top hat in being handed over to the fashion museum by office workers within the next 50 years, according to research.
Nearly three quarters (74%) think the tie will not survive within British firms beyond the next half a century with the popularity of the open-collared shirt. Its demise is being blamed on the boom in creative businesses, such as Facebook and Google, and online trading companies where formal dress codes tend to be avoided in favour of a more casual approach.
Once considered an important part of business dress, the tie has become a victim of the spread of "casual Fridays" into other weekdays, according to researchers.
The poll, by Deal Jungle. com, which helps small and medium enterprises, found more than half (51% ) thought the tie would die out in offices within the next 20 years and almost a quarter (22%) believed it would last less than 10 years.
A spokesman for the site, which has 20, 000 registered members, said: "Ties have been around seemingly forever but increasing numbers of office workers are telling them to get away."

"The success of businesses such as Facebook and Google, where even the CEO turns up wearing jeans and a hoodie, also seems to have had a corrosive (侵蚀性) effect on the idea of dressing formally for work."
"Many of our members keep their expenses to a minimum by working from home so they feel no need to dress up to go to work. We know that when they meet with clients, they still put on a business suit, but a tie is no longer seen as an essential part of the suited-and-booted look."
"Instead, many businessmen and increasing numbers of executives choose a suit and shirt with an open collar. The tie-less suit creates an impression of a more approachable deal maker, someone who is still business-minded, yet creative and technology-sensible, too. "

  1. 1.

    Why are ties expected to disappear in offices?

    1. A.
      CEOs in creative businesses set a rule to forbid wearing ties
    2. B.
      The idea of casual weekdays is increasingly accepted
    3. C.
      Office workers are tired of wearing ties daily
    4. D.
      The tie-less look appears more modern
  2. 2.

    According to the spokesman, how are their members dressed before clients?

    1. A.
      Business suits and casual jeans
    2. B.
      Formal suits and a shirt with a tie
    3. C.
      Casual suits and buttoned-up shirt
    4. D.
      Business suits and an open-collared shirt
  3. 3.

    What kind of image does the tie-less suit create?

    1. A.
      Accessible in business
    2. B.
      Professional in fashion
    3. C.
      Casual in working
    4. D.
      Creative in dressing
  4. 4.

    What does the underlined word "demise" mean in Para.2?

    1. A.
      popularity
    2. B.
      survival
    3. C.
      disappearance
    4. D.
      development

Having friends may well keep you healthier and help you deal with stress better. Some studies show that people with close friends have a greater ability to fight disease than people who are alone.
Place friendship in the first place. Find the time to be with friends even if it means letting the lawn go unmowed or the dishes unwashed for a while. When you can’t get together, use the phone to keep in touch.
Open up to close friends. Keeping a deep friendship requires a level of “heartfelt” intimacy (亲密).Don’t be afraid to express your inner fears and disappointments. Listen to your friends when they have problems，but offer advice only when it’s wanted. Help raise friends’ self?esteem when they are sad about a job loss, or other such events.
Have different friends for different activities, such as going to the movies，singing in a choir，and joining in a bowling league.
Don’t wait for a friend to ask for helps. When a friend has the flu，offer to go to the store or drive his or her children to their after?school activities.
Never take a friendship for granted. Like a good marriage，friendship needs care and patience. Become a joiner. Find a group that matches your interests.
Talk to strangers. Conversations started in museums, laundry rooms，or bookstores can lead to firm friendship.
Enroll in an adult?education course. A classroom is an ideal place to meet others with similar interests

  1. 1.

    People with close friends have a        ability to fight disease than people who are alone

    1. A.
      less
    2. B.
      greater
    3. C.
      poorer
    4. D.
      little
  2. 2.

    According to the passage，you’d better offer advice to your friends       

    1. A.
      at any moment
    2. B.
      only when they are happy
    3. C.
      only when they want it
    4. D.
      only when you are glad
  3. 3.

    What we should do to have friends according to the author?

    1. A.
      Make friendship a priority
    2. B.
      Open up to close friends
    3. C.
      Never take a friendship for granted
    4. D.
      All the above
  4. 4.

    Which of the statements is TRUE according to the passage?

    1. A.
      You should have different friends for the same activities
    2. B.
      You should wait for a friend to ask a favor
    3. C.
      You should avoid talking with strangers in museums, laundry rooms, or bookstores
    4. D.
      You should never take a friendship for granted
  5. 5.

    The underlined word “enroll” in the last paragraph means         

    1. A.
      give
    2. B.
      join
    3. C.
      get
    4. D.
      catch

One day an out of work mimic(滑稽演员) is visiting the zoo and attempts to earn some money as a street performer. As soon as he starts to draw the crowd，a zoo keeper grabs him and drags him into his office. The zoo keeper explains to the mimic that the zoo's most popular attraction，a gorilla(大猩猩)，has died suddenly and the keeper fears that attendance at the zoo will fall off. He offers the mimic a job to dress up as the gorilla until they can get another one. The mimic accepts.
So the next morning the mimic puts on the gorilla suit and enters the cage before the crowd comes. He discovers that it's a great job. He can sleep all he wants，play and make fun of people and he draws bigger crowds than he ever did as a mimic. However，eventually the crowds tire of him and he tires of just swinging on wires. He begins to notice that the people are paying more attention to the lion in the cage next to his. Not wanting to lose the attention of his audience，he climbs to the top of his cage，crawls across a partition(隔离物)，and dangles from the top to the lion's cage. Of course，this makes the lion very angry，but the crowd loves it.
At the end of the day the zoo keeper comes and gives the mimic a raise for being such a good attraction. Well，this goes on for some time-the mimic keeps taunting the lion，the crowds grow larger，and his salary keeps going up. Then one terrible day when he is dangling over the angry lion he slips and falls. The mimic is terrified.
The lion gathers itself and prepares to attack. The mimic is so scared that he begins to run round and round the cage with the lion close behind. Finally，the mimic starts screaming and yelling，“Help me，help me！”But the lion is quick and attacks. The mimic soon finds himself flat on his back looking up at the angry lion and the lion says，“Shut up，you idiot！Do you want to get us both fired？”

  1. 1.

    The mimic visits the zoo to________

    1. A.
      take care of the dying gorilla
    2. B.
      beg some money from the zoo keeper
    3. C.
      ask for a job there
    4. D.
      perform and earn some money there
  2. 2.

    The zoo keeper offers the mimic a job to act as the gorilla because________

    1. A.
      it is more expensive to hire a real gorilla
    2. B.
      the real gorilla died but the keeper does not want to lose its visitors
    3. C.
      he likes the mimic's performance
    4. D.
      he wants to help the mimic who is out of work
  3. 3.

    What does the mimic feel about the new job at first?

    1. A.
      He likes it because he has enough freedom in the job
    2. B.
      He likes it but he prefers to working as a mimic
    3. C.
      He doesn't like it for people do not respect him
    4. D.
      He doesn't like it because he gets little pay
  4. 4.

    The mimic climbs to the lion's cage because________

    1. A.
      he finds it more interesting to climb the cage
    2. B.
      he wants to play with the lion
    3. C.
      he wants to attract the attention of his audience
    4. D.
      he has never seen a lion before
  5. 5.

    What does the passage mainly tell us?

    1. A.
      The mimic and his job
    2. B.
      The mimic and his success
    3. C.
      The actor and the mimic
    4. D.
      The mimic and his animals
 0  10522  10530  10536  10540  10546  10548  10552  10558  10560  10566  10572  10576  10578  10582  10588  10590  10596  10600  10602  10606  10608  10612  10614  10616  10617  10618  10620  10621  10622  10624  10626  10630  10632  10636  10638  10642  10648  10650  10656  10660  10662  10666  10672  10678  10680  10686  10690  10692  10698  10702  10708  10716  151629 

违法和不良信息举报电话：027-86699610 举报邮箱：58377363@163.com

精英家教网