Having Fun “Growing” and “Stealing”

Recently, an Internet game has become a new fashion among young office workers and students. People can “farm” on a piece of  “land” and “grow”, “sell” or even “steal” “vegetables”, “flowers” and “fruits” on the internet.
They can earn some e-money and buy more “seeds”, “pets” and even “houses”.
Joyce interviewed some young people. Here are their opinions.
Harold：I don't quite understand why they are so mad about the childish game, maybe they are just not confident enough to face the real world.
Allan：I enjoy putting some “bugs” (臭虫) in my friends’ gardens and we’ve become closer because of the game. Having fun together is the most exciting thing about it．
Laura：You know, people in the city wish for the life in the countryside. It relaxes my work pressure; besides, it gives me the exciting experience of being a “thief”.
Ivy： Well. It’s just a waste of time. Teenagers playing the game spend so many hours on it that they can not concentrate on their study.      
【小题1】According to the passage, people can’t ______ things in this game.   
A．grow                     B. borrow                   C. steal   
【小题2】Among the people Joyce interviewed, ______ likes the game while ______ dislikes the game.
A. Laura, Allan                    B. Allan，Harold          C. Ivy, Harold  
【小题3】From Laura’s words, we can infer (推理) that she’s most probably ______.
A. a student                   B. an office worker          C. a thief
【小题4】You can find the passage ______.
A. in a science magazine            B．in an advertisement    C．in a newspaper       
【小题5】Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. People in the city want to enjoy the country life.
B. People can earn some money and buy more seeds.
C. People are confident enough to face the real world.

“I’ve been writing a book, John. Do you think anyone would be interested in   1   it?” said the old lady.

John took over the papers from her shaking hand and seated her in chair. He remembered her rich    2   in the early days of the Old West. He looked through the papers. “It’s good, Grandma,” he said gently. Then realizing that she    3   hear him, he shouted into her ears, “I think it’s very good. I’ll  4   it to a publisher (出版商).”

Ten days later, he reported that the publisher had had time to read only a few    5  . But he was so impressed (给...留下深刻的好印象) that he had sent $ 100 for an option（版权）. More money would be given as an advance (预付款). Every month John    6   $100 for her with a letter from the publisher telling about the progress of the book.

One morning, three months after her 100^th birthday, Grandma didn’t get up. The doctor told her that she couldn’t    7   more than a few days. She was ready to go, but she first wanted her book to be in print. John promised that she could get it very soon.

Grandma held on until the day the book came into her hands with the title and her name on the cover. Though she couldn’t see it, she could touch it. She proudly traced（找到）her name with her fingers(手指), tears(眼泪) in her eyes. Two hours later, she died peacefully,    8   holding her book.

Her granddaughter took up the book and opened it. “Why, it’s just blank pages!” she cried in    9  . John’s face turned    10  . Then the girl understood. There never was a book. Grandma couldn’t hear the little bell when the typewriter came to the middle of the line. She would keep on working, not knowing the whole sentences and sometimes the paragraphs were missing. John did not tell her, for he couldn’t take away her only hope. It was John himself who had written the letters and sold his car to pay the advance.

(   ) 1. A. buying     B. publishing      C. reading         D. lending

(   ) 2. A. sufferings     B. experiences     C. thoughts        D. family

(   ) 3. A. couldn’t    B. needn’t          C. mustn’t             D. doesn’t

(   ) 4. A. throw      B. put             C. send            D. lift

(   ) 5. A. words      B. sentences         C. pages            D. books

(   ) 6. A. brought        B. took              C. gave             D. carried

(   ) 7. A. die            B. stay             C. last               D. sleep

(   ) 8. A. still           B. yet              C. always         D. then

(   ) 9. A. anger          B. joy             C. surprise        D. tears

(   ) 10. A. white         B. red             C. gray             D. pale

Oxford graduates sell faces to pay ￡50,000 university debts

Business is growing for two graduates who decided to pay off ( 偿清) their university debts by selling advertising space on their faces .Ross Harper and Ed Moyse, both from Oxford , are selling advertising space for hundreds of pounds a day and have earned more than ￡25,000 since setting up business last October.
Anyone can buy the advertising space , from businesses to individuals or groups, on a day-to-day basis, through the pair’s website, buymyface .co. uk. The logo (标识) is then seen by people as they go about their daily business. The pair sold their first face ads to friends and family for just ￡ 1 a day, but as need has increased, so has the daily price , which has reached an amazing ￡400 by now, the end of May. So far , the main customers have been Paddy Power , the online betting agency ( 网络博彩企业), and accountancy firm ( 会计事务所)Earnest & Young , which is now the website ‘s official sponsor ( 赞助商).
Moyse and Harper said , “ It’s our special way of paying off our student debts. We’ve seen so many students unsuccessfully applying for jobs , only to find one that they never really wanted. It’s just something a bit different and has taken off quite nicely.”  ( 236 words)
【小题1】Why do the two Oxford graduates sell advertising space on their faces?