If you have ever been discouraged(受挫) because of failure(失败), please read on. Usually, achieving(实现) what you set out to do is not the important thing. Let me explain.
Two brothers decided to dig a deep hole behind their house. As they were working, a couple of older boys stopped by to watch.
“What are you doing?” asked one of the visitors.
“We plan to dig a hole all the way through the earth!” one of the brothers answered excitedly.
The older boys began to laugh, telling the younger ones that digging a hole all the way through the earth was impossible. After a long silence, one of the diggers picked up a jar full of spiders（蜘蛛）, worms and a lot of insects. He removed the lid（揭开盖子） and showed the wonderful contents to the visitors who were laughing at them. Then he said quietly and confidently, “Even if we don’t dig all the way through the earth, look what we found along the way!”
Their goal was far too difficult, but it made them dig. And that is what a goal is for—to make us move in the direction we have chosen. In other words, it sets us to digging!
But not every goal will be fully achieved. Not every job will end successfully. Not every hope will come to pass. Not every love will last. But when you fall short of your aim, perhaps you can say, “Yes, but look at what I found along the way! Look at the wonderful things which have come into my life because I tried to do something!” And I believe it is the joy in the journey, in the end, that truly matters

  1. 1.

    The writer told us the story to ________

    1. A.
      advise us to treats（对待） our failures fairly
    2. B.
      persuade us to make an aim for our lives
    3. C.
      encourage us to learn from the two brothers
    4. D.
      prove that failure helps us make achievements
  2. 2.

    What’s the best title of the passage?

    1. A.
      Failure is the mother of success
    2. B.
      When there is a will, there is a way
    3. C.
      No pains, no gains
    4. D.
      Joy in the journey
  3. 3.

    Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

    1. A.
      Digging a hole all the way through the earth is impossible
    2. B.
      The writer thinks that the two brothers will reach their goal one day
    3. C.
      A goal is something that makes us want to dig holes
    4. D.
      Everyone can succeed if he sets a practical goal

Kong Zi, also called Confucius (551—479B.C.), and Socrates(苏格拉底) (469—399 B.C.) lived only a hundred years apart, and during their lifetimes there was no contact between China and Greece, but it is interesting to look at how the world that each of these great philosophers came from shaped their ideas, and how these ideas in turn, shaped their societies.
Neither philosopher lived in times of peace, though there were more wars in Greece than in China. The Chinese states were very large and feudal, while the Greek city-states were small and urban. The urban environment in which Socrates lived allowed him to be more radical (激进的) than Confucius. Unlike Confucius, Socrates was not asked by rulers how to govern effectively. Thus, Socrates was able to be more idealistic, focusing on issues like freedom, and knowledge for its own sake. Confucius, on the other hand, advised those in government service, and many of his students went out to government service.
Confucius suggested the Golden Rule as a principle for the conduct of life: "Do not do to others what you would not want others to do to you." He assumed that all men were equal at birth, though some bad more potential than others, and that it was knowledge that set men apart. Socrates focused on the individual, and thought that the greatest purpose of man was to seek wisdom. He believed that the superior class should rule the inferior (下层的) classes.
For Socrates, the family was of no importance, and the community of little concern. For Confucius, however, the family was the centre of the society, with family relations considered much more important than political relations.
Both men are respected much more today than they were in their lifetimes

  1. 1.

    Which of the following is TURE according to the first paragraph?

    1. A.
      Socrates and Confucius had much in common,
    2. B.
      Confucius had much influence on Socrates’ ideas
    3. C.
      The societies ware influenced by the philosophers’ ideas
    4. D.
      There were cultural exchanges between China and Greece
  2. 2.

    Socrates shared with Confucius the idea that ________

    1. A.
      all men were equal when they were born
    2. B.
      the lower classed should be ruled by the upper class
    3. C.
      the purpose of man was to seek freedom and wisdom
  3. 3.

    What made some people different from others according to Confucius?

    1. A.
      Family
    2. B.
      Potential
    3. C.
      Knowledge
    4. D.
      Community
  4. 4.

    This passage is organized in the pattern of ________

    1. A.
      time and events
    2. B.
      comparison and contrast
    3. C.
      cause and effect
    4. D.
      definition and classification

My father is a smart man. He spent many years of his life listening to people’s arguments, first as assistant district lawyer and then as a judge. My dad knows rubbish rhetoric when he hears it.
One of his favorite phrases is: “If you don’t have anything smart to say, then don’t say it at all.” Yet, for all of his legal training and life experience, he can’t help but keep talking about the Mega Millions jackpot.
We all know the odds(几率)of winning the jackpot this evening with one ticket are extraordinarily low ... 1 in 175, 711, 536, to be exact. Still, people go out and buy hundreds of tickets with the hopes of becoming wealthier beyond their dreams. Why? There are two possible explanations for this “irrationality”(不理智).
One idea is that the way we calculate odds in our heads has nothing to do with mathematical odds in the traditional sense. We don’t go to the mathematical odds table and say, “Well, this would be a terrible investment. I think I’m better off putting my money in the bank!” Rather, it has everything with the ability to picture an event happening.
My father, for instance, watches the news every night and sees people winning the lottery(彩票). Therefore, he thinks the chance of him winning the lottery is much higher than they actually are.
The second thought is that the expected effect of playing cannot be represented merely by the odds. My father and, I’m sure, others get a thrill from the mere idea of winning. He loves imagining what it would be like to actually win and losing doesn’t really affect him. Sure, he’s disappointed, but it’s “better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” When you combine the utility of thinking you can win with the utility of actually winning (no matter how small the chance of that occurring), it’s worth it for many people to spend the one dollar on a ticket.
My analysis is that both factors are at play in taking a chance on the lottery. My father and others really do underestimate the odds of winning, but the thrill of participation is not denied by a realistic assessment of the odds. Still, I would probably put my finger on the scale for the first explanation.
All told, a review of the odds of other events happening confirms that there just aren’t many events that occur with less frequency than your winning the Mega Millions jackpot. Look at the graph below, you may understand some:

In many ways, it’s like the lottery, something that features often on television and about which people fantasize, but that rarely happens.
So, when you watch, along with my Pa, to see if your lucky number is drawn this evening, keep in mind three things: that your number almost certainly won’t come up; that you are still going to have fun; and that, finally, a lot of other things are more likely to happen—but getting eaten by a shark isn’t one of them

  1. 1.

    It can be learned from the article that ________

    1. A.
      the Mega Millions jackpot is the last lottery to win in the world
    2. B.
      a judge in that country can’t talk about lottery because it is illegal
    3. C.
      the writer doesn’t buy lottery, for he never hopes to become rich
    4. D.
      In spite of little possibility, a lot of people spend money on lottery
  2. 2.

    The function of the graph is to ________

    1. A.
      show chances that those things take place are fewer
    2. B.
      support the writer’s arguments on the lottery tickets
    3. C.
      indicate no one can win the Mega Millions jackpot
    4. D.
      say shark attack death will seldom happen this year
  3. 3.

    Which of the following do you think the writer would probably agree with?

    1. A.
      If one has mathematical odds, he can win the prize more easily
    2. B.
      Only those who have irrationality buy hundreds of lottery tickets
    3. C.
      The Mega Millions jackpot is very popular in the writer’s country
    4. D.
      Winning lottery is a shortcut to achieve the dream of being rich
  4. 4.

    The underlined phrase “at play” in the 7th paragraph most probably means ________

    1. A.
      effective
    2. B.
      ridiculous
    3. C.
      contradictory
    4. D.
      astonishing
  5. 5.

    What do you think is the best title?

    1. A.
      The Popular Mega Millions Jackpot
    2. B.
      Lottery is Merely a Trick
    3. C.
      Mega Million is Like a Shark Attack
    4. D.
      Be rich, Buy Lottery Soon

One of our biggest fears nowadays is that our kids might some day get lost in a “sea of technology” rather than experiencing the natural world. TV and computer games are leading to a serious disconnect between kids and the great outdoors, which will change the wild places of the world, its creatures and human health for the worse, unless adults get working on child’s play.
Without having a nature experience, kids, can turn out just fine, but they are missing out a huge enrichment of their lives. That contributes to everything from their physical health and mental health, to stress levels, creativity and cognitive (认知的) skills. Experts predict modern kids will have poorer health than their parents---and they say a lack of outside play is surely part of it; research suggests that kids do better academically in schools with a nature component(成份) and that play in nature develop leadership by the smartest, not by the toughest. Even a tiny outdoor experience can create wonder in a child. The three-year-old turning over his first rock realizes he is not alone in the world. A clump of trees on the roadside can be the whole universe in his eyes. We really need to value that more.
Kids are not to blame. They are overprotected and frightened. It is dangerous out there from time to time, but much stress from computers is replacing breaking an arm as a childhood process of passage.
Everyone, from developers, to schools and outdoorsy citizens, should help regain for our kids some of the freedom and joy of exploring, taking friendship in fields and woods that strengthen love, respect and need for landscape. As parents, we should devote some of our energies to taking our kids into nature. This could yet be our greatest cause

  1. 1.

    According to the passage, children without experiencing nature will______

    1. A.
      keep a high sense of wonder
    2. B.
      be over-protected by their parents
    3. C.
      be less healthy both physically and mentally
    4. D.
      change wild places and creatures for the better
  2. 2.

    According to the author, children’s breaking an arm is_____

    1. A.
      the fault on the part of their parents
    2. B.
      the natural experience in their growing up
    3. C.
      the result of their own carelessness in play
    4. D.
      the effect of their repetitive stress from computers
  3. 3.

    In writing this passage, the author mainly intends to______

    1. A.
      blame children for getting lost in computer games
    2. B.
      encourage children to protect parks from encroachment
    3. C.
      show his concern about children’s lack of experience in nature
    4. D.
      inspire children to keep the sense of wonder about things around

In the near future，we may be using our eyes to operate our smart-phones and tablets，even when it comes to playing popular games like Fruit Ninja．
The Gaze Group has been developing eye-controlled computer technology for nearly 20 years．But those devices have been firstly designed to help those with disabilities，and are very expensive．
“After a while，we figured out that probably the best way is to go for a mass-market way，” says Gaze’s Sune Alstrup Johansen．“where everybody would have this available．"
Johansen and some of his colleagues have formed a new company，the Eye Tribe，which is hoping to develop the technology on a mass commercial level．
The technology works with the help of the computing device toward the user’s face． After making sure of the user’s eye movements，the technology is then able to easily find where a person’s eyes are moving，and then allow the eyes to control a cursor（光标）．
“Our software can then determine the location of the eyes and know where you’re looking on the screen to make sure what you’re looking at，“reads an explanation on the Eye Tribe site．
There has been a gradual change toward hands-free technology in recent years， particularly in the gaming world．Recently Xbox released the Kinect device，which lets users control their Xbox and play certain games using only their hands，legs and voices． But still，most of these devices have been more of a gimmick than a practical way to use one’s hands to control a mobile device．Johansen said a replaceable filter（滤光器）would be a cheap，convenient way for most consumers．
And even as companies like The Eye Tribe work to create such a product for the average user, making the eye-controlled technology more accessible and less expensive will have similar benefits for physically disabled users.
For more articles on modern science，please CLICK here．

  1. 1.

    Which of the following is the main idea of the passage?

    1. A.
      An introduction of a new device．
    2. B.
      An introduction of smart-phones．
    3. C.
      An introduction of eye-controlling technology．
    4. D.
      An introduction of a new technology for the disabled．
  2. 2.

    The underlined word“gimmick” probably means         

    1. A.
      a trick
    2. B.
      a way
    3. C.
      a lie
    4. D.
      a dream
  3. 3.

    According to the passage，we can learn that      

    1. A.
      the eye-controlling technology was first developed for the blind
    2. B.
      the present developing 0f the technology will bring no good
    3. C.
      there is no such a phone as we can use only with our eyes at present
    4. D.
      the eye-controlling technology is only intended for the disabled people
  4. 4.

    This passage is probably taken from         

    1. A.
      an experiment report
    2. B.
      a science fiction
    3. C.
      a school textbook
    4. D.
      a science website

---Sorry to ______ you, but could I ask a quick question?
---No problem.


  1. A.
    worry
  2. B.
    prevent
  3. C.
    trouble
  4. D.
    disappoint

Charlotte’s Web by E．B． White is a children’s book．
As the story opens,eight-year-old farm girl Fern Arable stops her father from killing a baby pig who is weaker than his brothers and sisters．The little pig,Wilbur,becomes one of the main characters in the story．Later he will be treated as a friend by Charlotte,a wise and loving spider living on the same farm．Wilbur slowly realizes that the farmer will kill him for his meat in a few months ,and Charlotte decides to help him out．She tries many things to keep Wilbur alive．She writes words in her web describing how wonderful Wilbur is and this makes the farm famous．
White creates a sort of modern animal fable（寓言）,in which animals can speak both with each other and with Fern．Also there are many great characters in this book．
The society of animals has many lessons to teach children and adults:friendship,sacrifice（牺牲），hope,determination,love,duty,fairness,respect,and many more．
Part of this novel’s success is the fact that the author makes a heroine（女主角）out of a spider,a creature that many people probably dislike．Unlike a lovely little pig or other creatures,a spider is a creature greatly different from humans．White’s Charlotte is a truly wonderful character．He tells the story of Charlotte and her friends in a special way．This is a book that no one could ever dislike．It has much to offer to children as well as to older teens and adult readers．

  1. 1.

    According to the descripion of the book,Charlotte ______．

    1. A.
      is a nice and clever spider
    2. B.
      often teaches her friends good lessons
    3. C.
      always sacrifices herself for her friends
    4. D.
      is disliked by many animals around her
  2. 2.

    According to the writer,which of the following is a factor in the success of the book?

    1. A.
      That there are many animals in the book．
    2. B.
      That the author of the book is very famous．
    3. C.
      That the author knows children very well．
    4. D.
      That the author makes a heroine out of a spider．
  3. 3.

    We learn from the passage that Charlitte’s Web ______．

    1. A.
      is the most interesting book for children
    2. B.
      is E．B． White’s only book written for children
    3. C.
      is a good book not only for children but also for adults
    4. D.
      is mainly about how animals get along with each other
  4. 4.

    What is the purpose of the writer in writing this passage?

    1. A.
      To introduce the book Charlitte’s Web
    2. B.
      To discuss what kinds of books are good to read
    3. C.
      To explain why Charlitte’s Web is a good book
    4. D.
      To tell us the importance of friendship in our life

In the United States, friends can be close, constant and real. But if they move live far away from each other, little by little, they will not be as close as before. But neither side feels hurt by this. Both may exchange Christmas greetings for a year or two, perhaps a few letters for a while, then no more. If two people meet again by chance, even years later, they will be delighted and pick up the friendship again.
In America, you can feel free to visit people's homes, share their holidays and enjoy their delicious food. If you are invited to a party, just accept their hospitality(款待) for various reasons, such as crowded space, language difficulties or family customs. It is often considered more friendly to invite a person to one's home than to go to a public place. So, if your host or hostess brings you home, do not feel that you aren’t treated well. You know, strangers are not invited into the home.
Don't feel neglected if you do not find flowers awaiting you in your hotel room either. Flowers are very expensive there, hotel delivery is not certain, and arrival times are often delayed, so flowers are not often sent as a welcoming touch. Please do not feel unwanted! In fact, signs outside change in different lands, but the welcome in the heart is real and valuable

  1. 1.

    You will find friendships _______ in America if they are not near each other

    1. A.
      die suddenly
    2. B.
      come back
    3. C.
      disappear gradually
    4. D.
      last forever
  2. 2.

    The underlined part in the last paragraph can be replaced by “______”

    1. A.
      Don’t feel you are paid little attention
    2. B.
      Don’t accept an invitation quickly
    3. C.
      Don’t feel you should be treated well
    4. D.
      Don’t pay much attention to the flowers
  3. 3.

    Which of the following is the best title for this passage?

    1. A.
      American Hospitality
    2. B.
      American Friendships
    3. C.
      American Invitation
    4. D.
      American Welcome

After successfully serving their terms for 4 years, military service men and women are given the choice to stay in the military or return to civilian life.
For some, having to readjust to civilian life is one of the most challenging assignments our returning soldiers and marines（水兵）will ever to undertake. While people may think readjusting should be simple, they must take into consideration all physical and mental stress our servicemen went through.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder（创伤后应急障碍）, or PTSD, is a mental disorder that can occur following the experience or witnessing of life-threatening events such as military combat（打仗）.
Most survivors of trauma return to normal given a little time. In the military, the marines are given a two-week course on how to return to civilian life.
Unfortunately, some will have stress reactions that do not go away on their own, or may even get worse over time. These individual may develop PTSD.
People who suffer from PTSD have difficulty sleeping because they are often reliving the experience through nightmares and flashbacks, and feel deserted or often stand off, and these symptoms can be severe enough and last long enough to significantly damage the person’s daily life.
Fullerton College, like most colleges, has its own Veteran’s Office. Ray Bustos has been running the office for 3 years. Bustos acts as a liaison（联络）for the school and the veteran（老兵）students. He makes sure the veterans returning to school get the right benefits. There are various types of financial aid for soldiers and marines. He strongly encourages the use of the Veteran Affairs website.
The website is very informative and extremely helpful for veterans as well as for friends and relatives of veterans who want to learn more

  1. 1.

    One purpose of the writer in writing the passage is ______.

    1. A.
      to introduce some methods to cure PTSD
    2. B.
      to instruct PTSD patients to return to civilian life
    3. C.
      to recommend a website to veterans and people concerned
    4. D.
      to give military service men and women advice on civilian life
  2. 2.

    What problems will some returning soldiers and marines meet with?

    1. A.
      How to readjust to civilian life
    2. B.
      How to get rid of mental diseases
    3. C.
      How to get along with PTSD patients
    4. D.
      How to return to school for benefits
  3. 3.

    Which of the following is true about Ray Bustos?

    1. A.
      He runs Fullerton College with a veteran office
    2. B.
      He’s in charge of an office dealing with veteran affairs
    3. C.
      He provides a lot of financial aid for soldiers and marines
    4. D.
      He’s a veteran who has just come back from a military combat
  4. 4.

    Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

    1. A.
      PTSD: Killer of A Civilian Life
    2. B.
      The Last Assignment for All Military Persons
    3. C.
      How to Overcome PTSD
    4. D.
      Ready for a Civilian Life?

Flowers only bloom(开花) when they are planted in the right soil. That is also true for me.
I first moved to Foxboro, Massachusetts, as a single mother with my baby daughter, Darcy. I was drawn to its New England beauty, friendly people and rich history. It happened that there were a lot of forsythia(连翘) bushes around the house in which I lived just like my childhood home. I joined St. Mark’s Episcopal Church where I taught the Sunday school. At church, I met my second husband, Dean. For more than 25 years, I bloomed in Foxboro, and I had another two children.
Then, when Darcy was a few years out of college, she moved to Alameda, California, to be near friends. I missed her badly. A year later my beloved husband Dean had deadly cancer. He only made it eight months. My heart was broken. Later I moved to Alameda with my children. It was a beautiful Victorian island, and I was grateful to spend more time with Darcy. I even attended a church and made a few friends there. Still, I couldn’t help but miss Foxboro. It had everything and everyone I loved.
One spring day, when I was walking by a school, something yellow caught my eyes. Forsythia bushes! They made me homesick and I kept back my tears. “I miss you, Foxboro,” I whispered. Then I went into a shop and looked at some ceramic(陶瓷的) pots lined up on a shelf. A large white one seemed to catch my attention. “That’ll be perfect in my living room,” I thought.
I turned it over to look at the price. Instead I found these words: “New England Pottery, Foxboro, Massachusetts.” A piece of artwork, from my second hometown, was right here. It was able to spread across the country and so were forsythia bushes. I took it as a sign that I can bloom, right where I am

  1. 1.

    From the text we learn that the author ____

    1. A.
      gave birth to three children in Foxboro
    2. B.
      planted forsythia bushes around her house
    3. C.
      got to know her second husband at church
    4. D.
      worked as a middle school teacher in Foxboro
  2. 2.

    The author moved to Alameda so that she could ____

    1. A.
      have more time together with Darcy
    2. B.
      forget the sorrow at her husband’s death
    3. C.
      visit her children at Alameda College frequently
    4. D.
      enjoy the beautiful scenery on the Victorian island
  3. 3.

    When the author saw forsythia bushes at a school she _____

    1. A.
      wanted to buy a ceramic pot to put them in
    2. B.
      thought of her life in Foxboro
    3. C.
      felt they would look great in her living room
    4. D.
      believed they were real art work
  4. 4.

    Why does the author compare herself to flowers?

    1. A.
      Because she wanted to show she likes flowers
    2. B.
      Because she can live in any place that is right like flowers
    3. C.
      Because she moved across the country just like flowers
    4. D.
      Because girls are like flowers that are blooming
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