A TAXI driver taught me a million dollar lesson in customer satisfaction and expectation. Inspiring speakers charge thousands of dollars to give his kind of training to corporate directors and staff.  It cost me only a ＄12 taxi ride.

I had flown into Dallas just for the purpose of calling on a client. Time was important and my plan included a quick turn – around trip from and back to the airport. A clean taxi pulled up.

The driver rushed to open the passenger door for me and made sure I was comfortably seated before he closed the door. As be got in the driver’s seat, he mentioned that the neatly folded Wall Street Journal next to me for my use. He then showed me several tapes and asked me what type of music I would enjoy.

Well! I looked around for a “Candid Camera!” Wouldn’t you? I could not believe the service I was receiving! I took the opportunity to say, “Obviously you take great pride in you work. You must have a story to tell.”

“You bet,” he replied, “I used to be in Corporate America. But I got tired of thinking my best would never be good enough. I decided to find my right position in life, somewhere I could feel proud of being the best I could be.

I knew I would never be a rocket scientist, but I love driving cars, being of service and feeling like I have done a full day’s work and done it well. I evaluated my personal property and, I became a taxi driver!

One thing I know for sure, to be good in my business I jus have to meet the expectations of my passengers. But, to be GREAT in my business, I have to EXEED the customer’s expectations! I like the sound of being ‘great’ better than just being ‘average’. ”

Did I tip him big time? You bet!

 The taxi driver taught me a great life lesson: Go an extra mile when providing any service to others. And there is no good or bad job you can make any job good.

What lesson did the author learn from the taxi driver?

    A．How to make the best use of time.

    B．How to do better in the service business.

    C．How to turn an interest into your career.

    D．How to become a motivational speaker.

Why did the author look around for a “Candid Camera”?

    A．Because he was afraid he would be photographed in the cab.

    B．Because he was worried what the driver could be up to.

    C．Because he was amazed by the way the driver was treating him.

    D．Because he wasn’t interested in the tapes offered by the driver

It can be inferred from the story that          .

    A．the taxi driver couldn’t accept just being average

    B．the author was anxious to get back to meet a client

    C．when the author waited for a taxi at the airport, he was not in a rush

    D．the taxi driver loved to play his favorite music during rides

According to the story, the taxi driver        .

    A．was dissatisfied wit his present job

    B．was once often rewarded for being a model worker

    C．enjoyed offering his customers more than they expected

    D．was forced to become a taxi driver to support his family

A peer is a person who is about the same age as you. Peers affect your life, whether you know it or not, just by spending time with you.

Peers can have a good effect on each other. Maybe another student in your science class taught you an easy way to remember the planets in solar system. Maybe you got others excited about your new favorite book, and now everyone's reading it.

However, sometimes peers affect each other in another way. For example, one kid in school might try to get another to cut class with him, your soccer friend might try to persuade you to be mean to another player and never pass him the ball, or a kid in the neighborhood might want you to shoplift with him.?

Some kids give in to peer pressure because they want to be liked, to fit in, or because they worry that other kids may make fun of them if they don't go along with the group. Others may go along because they are curious to try something new that others are doing. The idea that “everyone's doing it ” may influence some kids to leave their better judgments, or their common senses behind.

　　Peer pressure can be extremely strong and hard to get rid of. Experiments have shown how peer pressure can influence someone to change mind from what she knows for sure is a correct answer to the incorrect answer—just because everyone else gives the incorrect answer! That holds true for people of any age in peer pressure situations.

It can be hard to walk away from peer pressure, but it can be done. Pay attention to your own feelings and beliefs about what is right and wrong can help you know the right thing to do. Inner strength and self-confidence can help you stand firm, walk away, and resist doing something when you know better.

What is the main idea of the passage?

A. Peers have a good effect.

B. Children give in to peer pressure.?

C. Peer pressure is hard to stop.

D. Peer pressure.?

The underlined word “shoplift” probably means to_______.?

A. do shopping      B. carry goods for shops?

C. steal in the shop D. take the lift upstairs in the shop?

The writer will NOT agree that_______.?

A. only children change their correct answers to incorrect ones because of peer pressure?

B. peers have an effect on each other?

C. peer pressure can be got rid of ?

D. peers will believe in themselves if there are other peers who agree with them?

The writer intends to _______ by writing the passage.?

A. warn peers to separate from each other?

B. tell peers to follow others?

C. show it is hard to walk away from peer pressure?

D. persuade peers to do what they think is the right thing??

A week ago, I read When Money Talks, Listen! by Rich Ezzo. It took only about an hour to read, and that included one trip to the coffee maker and about 10 distractions (分心)from Alex, our cat, who thinks he is the center of the universe.

When I first received a copy, I thought it was a get-rich-quick type of publication. There is nothing wrong with that kind of book, but my mind just doesn’t chase after dreams of wealth. I figure that if God ever wants me to be rich, he knows where to find my purse.

When I began reading When Money Talks, Listen!, I was overjoyed to find that Rich Ezzo isn’t money hungry either. He, too, is hungry for things far more important than money.

I absolutely love this e-book. Why did I wait a week to write the review ? simple. I wanted to see if the impact it had on me could keep up. After reading the last word of the e-book, I totally agreed with the subtitle(副标题)which promised to forever change the way we thought about money. I had so many thoughts running around my mind that I had to install a stop light to stop some while others made their way into the picture. I had a mental traffic jam, which only goes to show how slow the traffic usually is.

It has been a week and the impact is the same. I guarantee this is an e-book you’ll want to read. I urge you to visit the author’s website, MysterMoney. Com, and to download the e-book. You won’t

regret it.

What’s the purpose of the passage?

     A．to strongly recommend an e-book          

         B．to show the author’s attitude to money

     C．to introduce the general idea of an e-book

     D．to tell us Rich Ezzo isn’t money hungry

The author didn’t write the review right after reading because _____.

     A．he was too excited to write anything 

         B．he was not sure whether he liked the book

     C．he had to wait for Rich Ezzo’s permission

     D．he wondered if this book had a long influence on him

Which of the following is true according to the passage?

         A．The author had known Rich Ezzo before

         B．The author hasn’t dreamed of getting rich instantly

         C．The author always prefers e-books to paper books

         D．The author likes the get-rich type of publication

A peer is a person who is about the same age as you. Peers affect your life, whether you know it or not, just by spending time with you.

Peers can have a good effect on each other. Maybe another student in your science class taught you an easy way to remember the planets in solar system. Maybe you got others excited about your new favorite book, and now everyone's reading it.

However, sometimes peers affect each other in another way. For example, one kid in school might try to get another to cut class with him, your soccer friend might try to persuade you to be mean to another player and never pass him the ball, or a kid in the neighborhood might want you to shoplift with him.?

Some kids give in to peer pressure because they want to be liked, to fit in, or because they worry that other kids may make fun of them if they don't go along with the group. Others may go along because they are curious to try something new that others are doing. The idea that “everyone's doing it ” may influence some kids to leave their better judgments, or their common senses behind.

　　Peer pressure can be extremely strong and hard to get rid of. Experiments have shown how peer pressure can influence someone to change mind from what she knows for sure is a correct answer to the incorrect answer—just because everyone else gives the incorrect answer! That holds true for people of any age in peer pressure situations.

It can be hard to walk away from peer pressure, but it can be done. Pay attention to your own feelings and beliefs about what is right and wrong can help you know the right thing to do. Inner strength and self-confidence can help you stand firm, walk away, and resist doing something when you know better.

What is the main idea of the passage?

A. Peers have a good effect.

B. Children give in to peer pressure.?

C. Peer pressure is hard to stop.

D. Peer pressure.?

The underlined word “shoplift” probably means to_______.?

A. do shopping      B. carry goods for shops?

C. steal in the shop D. take the lift upstairs in the shop?

The writer will NOT agree that_______.?

A. only children change their correct answers to incorrect ones because of peer pressure?

B. peers have an effect on each other?

C. peer pressure can be got rid of ?

D. peers will believe in themselves if there are other peers who agree with them?

The writer intends to _______ by writing the passage.?

A. warn peers to separate from each other?

B. tell peers to follow others?

C. show it is hard to walk away from peer pressure?

D. persuade peers to do what they think is the right thing??

 A friend of mine was sitting in the living room one day when his cat dragged in a little “gift” in its mouth—a dead animal of some sort. Taking a closer look, he was surprised to  36 it as the bunny(小兔子) that  37 Mary, the young daughter of the family next door. My friend felt  38 , believing his cat had killed Mary’s bunny.
My quick-thinking friend came up with a plan.  39  from the cat’s mouth the dead animal, which by now was a     40 mess, he put it in the kitchen sink. With a little warm water and some shampoo, he tried to  41 the dead bunny as best he could. Then he took a hair dryer and blowdried the bunny  42 it looked pretty good.
Finally, under the cover of darkness, he crept into the next-door garden and placed it  43 in the cage. He managed to make the bunny look very  44 there in his little box.
The next morning, my friend looked out of the window and noticed a crowd of people  45 around the rabbit hutch(笼). Everyone seemed to be talking and pointing. My friend  46 to go over and act like any normal  47 neighbor and find out what was going on.
When he got there, Mary’s mother said to my friend, “You won’t believe this! It’s a(n)   48 thing! Mary’s bunny  49 a few days ago, and we buried that little bunny right over there…”
Have you ever tried to cover up one wrongdoing with another? Covering up only makes matters  50 .
When we get caught doing something  51 , for example, we may  52 to cover it up with a lie. But just like Mary’s bunny, the result is  53 what we expected. We  54 looking foolish. We would have been better off admitting we were wrong and accepting the  55 . What do you think of it?