Once upon a time there was a precious sword. Now, this sword belonged to a great King, and for as long as anyone could remember, the King spent all his time in his place, enjoying its shows and competitions with other swords. One day a great dispute（争端）arouse between this King and the King of a neighbouring country. It ended with both declaring war.
The sword was greatly excited at the prospect of taking part in its first real battle. It would show everyone how truly brave and special it was, and would become well-known throughout the kingdom. On the way to the front line, the sword imagined itself the winner of many battles. However, when it arrived, the first battle had already broken out, and the sword got to see the results of the war. What it saw had nothing in common with what the sword had imagined. No elegant shining knights, successful, with their weapons shining in the sunlight. Instead, all the sword saw was broken weapons, and a large crowd of hungry and thirsty men. There was hardly any food left. Everything was covered in dirt and disgusting smell. Many were half dead and scattered on the ground, bleeding from multiple wounds.
Seeing this, the sword realized it liked neither wars nor battles. It decided it preferred to live in peace and spend its time taking part in tournaments and competitions. So, on the night before what was going to be the big final battle, the sword tried to find a way to prevent it from taking place. After a while, the sword started to vibrate（颤抖）. First it gave out a low buzz, and then this gradually got louder, until it became an annoying metallic noise. The swords and armour（盔甲）of the soldiers asked the King’s sword what it was doing. It told them, “I don’t want there to be a battle tomorrow. I don’t like war.”
One answered, “No one likes it, but what can we do?”
“Make yourself vibrate, just like what I’m doing,” said the King’s sword. “If we make enough noise, no one will sleep.”
So the weapons started vibrating, and the noise became deafening. It was so loud that it reached the enemy camp, and the weapons there, which were equally sick of war, joined the protest.
The next morning, when the battle should have begun, not a single soldier was ready to fight. No one had managed to get even a wink of sleep, not even the King or the Generals. So they spent the whole day catching up on sleep. During the evening they started to wake up, and decided to put off the battle until the next day.
However, the weapons, led by the King’s sword, spent the night repeating their peace song, and again no soldier could rest. The battle had to be postponed yet again, and this carried on for the next seven days. On the evening of the seventh day, the Kings of the two armies met to see what they could do about the situation. Both were very angry at their previous disputes, but after being together for a while they started to discuss their sleepless nights, the surprise on their soldiers’ faces, the confusion between day and night, and the amusing situations all this had created. It wasn’t long before both were laughing, like friends, at these little stories. Fortunately, they forgot their old disputes and they put an end to the war, each returning to their own land with the double joy.
【小题1】 From the first paragraph, we can infer that _________.

Once upon a time there was a precious sword. Now, this sword belonged to a great King, and for as long as anyone could remember, the King spent all his time in his place, enjoying its shows and competitions with other swords. One day a great dispute（争端）arouse between this King and the King of a neighbouring country. It ended with both declaring war.

The sword was greatly excited at the prospect of taking part in its first real battle. It would show everyone how truly brave and special it was, and would become well-known throughout the kingdom. On the way to the front line, the sword imagined itself the winner of many battles. However, when it arrived, the first battle had already broken out, and the sword got to see the results of the war. What it saw had nothing in common with what the sword had imagined. No elegant shining knights, successful, with their weapons shining in the sunlight. Instead, all the sword saw was broken weapons, and a large crowd of hungry and thirsty men. There was hardly any food left. Everything was covered in dirt and disgusting smell. Many were half dead and scattered on the ground, bleeding from multiple wounds.

Seeing this, the sword realized it liked neither wars nor battles. It decided it preferred to live in peace and spend its time taking part in tournaments and competitions. So, on the night before what was going to be the big final battle, the sword tried to find a way to prevent it from taking place. After a while, the sword started to vibrate（颤抖）. First it gave out a low buzz, and then this gradually got louder, until it became an annoying metallic noise. The swords and armour（盔甲）of the soldiers asked the King’s sword what it was doing. It told them, “I don’t want there to be a battle tomorrow. I don’t like war.”

One answered, “No one likes it, but what can we do?”

“Make yourself vibrate, just like what I’m doing,” said the King’s sword. “If we make enough noise, no one will sleep.”

So the weapons started vibrating, and the noise became deafening. It was so loud that it reached the enemy camp, and the weapons there, which were equally sick of war, joined the protest.

The next morning, when the battle should have begun, not a single soldier was ready to fight. No one had managed to get even a wink of sleep, not even the King or the Generals. So they spent the whole day catching up on sleep. During the evening they started to wake up, and decided to put off the battle until the next day.

However, the weapons, led by the King’s sword, spent the night repeating their peace song, and again no soldier could rest. The battle had to be postponed yet again, and this carried on for the next seven days. On the evening of the seventh day, the Kings of the two armies met to see what they could do about the situation. Both were very angry at their previous disputes, but after being together for a while they started to discuss their sleepless nights, the surprise on their soldiers’ faces, the confusion between day and night, and the amusing situations all this had created. It wasn’t long before both were laughing, like friends, at these little stories. Fortunately, they forgot their old disputes and they put an end to the war, each returning to their own land with the double joy.

1. From the first paragraph, we can infer that _________.

A．the great King was fond of his precious sword

B．a disagreement led to a war between Kings

C．the two Kings were once good friends before the war

D．the precious sword was used to entertain the great King

2. What is the best word to describe the mood of the sword when it heard about the war?

A．Worried          B．Fearful            C．Eager             D．peaceful

3. When did the sword change its attitude to war?

A．When it fought at the first battle

B．After it realized that it was not powerful

C．When it was on the way to the front line

D．After it saw the terrible results of the first battle

4. What is the right order of the following events?

a. The noise was loud enough to reach the other side

b. The battle had to be postponed because the soldiers in both armies lacked sleep.

c. It let out continuous low noise

d. It persuaded other swords to join in.

e. All the weapons in both side confused day with night

A．a, b, c, d, e                            B．b, a, c, e, d

C．c, d, a, e, b                             D．d, b, a, e, c

5. According to the passage, how many times was the battle put off?

A．Seven            B．Eight             C．Nine             D．Ten

6.What do the underlined words in the last paragraph refer to?

A．Both King’s sleepless nights

B．The end of war and being friends

C．The surprise on the soldiers’ faces

D．The confusion of day with night

Once upon a time there was a precious sword. Now, this sword belonged to a great King, and for as long as anyone could remember, the King spent all his time in his place, enjoying its shows and competitions with other swords. One day a great dispute（争端）arouse between this King and the King of a neighbouring country. It ended with both declaring war.
The sword was greatly excited at the prospect of taking part in its first real battle. It would show everyone how truly brave and special it was, and would become well-known throughout the kingdom. On the way to the front line, the sword imagined itself the winner of many battles. However, when it arrived, the first battle had already broken out, and the sword got to see the results of the war. What it saw had nothing in common with what the sword had imagined. No elegant shining knights, successful, with their weapons shining in the sunlight. Instead, all the sword saw was broken weapons, and a large crowd of hungry and thirsty men. There was hardly any food left. Everything was covered in dirt and disgusting smell. Many were half dead and scattered on the ground, bleeding from multiple wounds.
Seeing this, the sword realized it liked neither wars nor battles. It decided it preferred to live in peace and spend its time taking part in tournaments and competitions. So, on the night before what was going to be the big final battle, the sword tried to find a way to prevent it from taking place. After a while, the sword started to vibrate（颤抖）. First it gave out a low buzz, and then this gradually got louder, until it became an annoying metallic noise. The swords and armour（盔甲）of the soldiers asked the King’s sword what it was doing. It told them, “I don’t want there to be a battle tomorrow. I don’t like war.”
One answered, “No one likes it, but what can we do?”
“Make yourself vibrate, just like what I’m doing,” said the King’s sword. “If we make enough noise, no one will sleep.”
So the weapons started vibrating, and the noise became deafening. It was so loud that it reached the enemy camp, and the weapons there, which were equally sick of war, joined the protest.
The next morning, when the battle should have begun, not a single soldier was ready to fight. No one had managed to get even a wink of sleep, not even the King or the Generals. So they spent the whole day catching up on sleep. During the evening they started to wake up, and decided to put off the battle until the next day.
However, the weapons, led by the King’s sword, spent the night repeating their peace song, and again no soldier could rest. The battle had to be postponed yet again, and this carried on for the next seven days. On the evening of the seventh day, the Kings of the two armies met to see what they could do about the situation. Both were very angry at their previous disputes, but after being together for a while they started to discuss their sleepless nights, the surprise on their soldiers’ faces, the confusion between day and night, and the amusing situations all this had created. It wasn’t long before both were laughing, like friends, at these little stories. Fortunately, they forgot their old disputes and they put an end to the war, each returning to their own land with the double joy

1. 1.

   From the first paragraph, we can infer that _________

   1. A.
      the great King was fond of his precious sword
   2. B.
      a disagreement led to a war between Kings
   3. C.
      the two Kings were once good friends before the war
   4. D.
      the precious sword was used to entertain the great King
2. 2.

   What is the best word to describe the mood of the sword when it heard about the war?

   1. A.
      Worried
   2. B.
      Fearful
   3. C.
      Eager
   4. D.
      peaceful
3. 3.

   When did the sword change its attitude to war?

   1. A.
      When it fought at the first battle
   2. B.
      After it realized that it was not powerful
   3. C.
      When it was on the way to the front line
   4. D.
      After it saw the terrible results of the first battle
4. 4.

   What is the right order of the following events?
   a. The noise was loud enough to reach the other side
   b. The battle had to be postponed because the soldiers in both armies lacked sleep.
   c. It let out continuous low noise
   d. It persuaded other swords to join in.
   e. All the weapons in both side confused day with night

   1. A.
      a, b, c, d, e
   2. B.
      b, a, c, e, d
   3. C.
      c, d, a, e, b
   4. D.
      d, b, a, e, c
5. 5.

   According to the passage, how many times was the battle put off?

   1. A.
      Seven
   2. B.
      Eight
   3. C.
      Nine
   4. D.
      Ten
6. 6.

   What do the underlined words in the last paragraph refer to?

   1. A.
      Both King’s sleepless nights
   2. B.
      The end of war and being friends
   3. C.
      The surprise on the soldiers’ faces
   4. D.
      The confusion of day with night

 “Teamworking” is found everywhere within just about every organization .you can’t get away   from “teams” that are supposed to be able to create something that is greater than the sum of its parts. Or so the theory goes.

There must be a clear reason for the team to exist. And all the members should realized the value and significance of what they are going to do. What they are hoping to achieve should be something achievable but at the same time tough and inspiring enough to attract the members and keep their motivation alive. What is more ,they should also be well prepared for the possible difficulties they may come across in the process.

Team members must be able to express their opinions freely without fear of being criticized  and  they must have the feeling that their suggestions will be taken seriously . This is an important point because the team may need to resolve some complex or thorny issues. For example ,it may discuss a sensitive topic .Should they keep their conclusion within the team or share it with other employees. This is an issue in itself that all the members should agree on frank discussion is required.

It is easy to think that a junior team member may have less to contribute than more experienced ones. This is not only demoralizing or discouraging, it also makes no sense ---people that have nothing to contribute should not have been selected for the team in the first place. Since they have become members of your team, you need to make sure that each of them has an opportunity to add his or her thoughts to discussions.

Disagreements are natural and, in fact debate and discussion should be encouraged. A team made up only of "yes men" can make disastrous decisions that few people honestly agreed with in the first place. Consequently, there should be rules on how lengthy disagreements should be handled. For example, team meetings may not be the most appropriate place for a discussion that involves only two people, so "under-the-table" method may be effective.

Most high-performing teams are well organized. A good organizer should be able to play to individuals' strengths and help them overcome their weaknesses. It should be someone who can act  as a promoter and a constant reminder of what the team needs to achieve. He must ,above all, be skilled in sharing responsibility and setting tasks to others coaching them to achieve tasks, and providing constructive feedback on how the tasks went.

Team building isn't as simple as just throwing a few people together. It requires, much more, but motivating people is most essential. Successful team working is not marked by how much progress the team makes toward its goals, but by how confidently each of its members completes his or her assigned tasks with a sense of achievement and pride.

64．Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE according to the text?

       A．All the members should realized the value and significance of their tasks.

       B．Team members must be able to express their opinions freely.

       C．Disagreements and frank discussions should be encouraged.

       D．Team members may discuss different issues except sensitive topics.

65．A good organizer in a high-performing team should be the following EXCEPT          .

       A．a reminder of what the team needs to achieve

       B．strict with individuals and criticizing their shortcomings timely

       C．skilled in sharing responsibility and setting tasks to others

       D．good at providing constructive feedback on how the tasks went

66．What can be the best title of the text?

       A．Respect to All Team Members

       B．Common Goals with Challenging Target in Team Building

       C．Team Building Means More than Throwing a Few People Together

       D．Open Communication and Conflict Solution in Team Building

67．How is the passage organized?

       A．topic-advice and supporting examples-conclusion

       B．opinion-supporting examples and comparison-conclusion

       C．opinion-descriptions and examples-solution

       D．topic-figures and explanations-solution

D

It was Sunday morning. All the summer world was bright and fresh, and full of life. There was cheer on every face and a spring in every step.

Tom appeared on the sidewalk with a bucket of whitewash and a long-handled brush. He stopped by the fence in front of the house where he lived with his aunt Polly. He looked at it, and all joy left him. The fence was long and high. He put the brush into the whitewash and moved it along the top of the fence. He repeated the operation. He felt he could not continue and sat down.

He knew that his friends would arrive soon with all kinds of interesting plans for the day. They would walk past him and laugh. They would make jokes about his having to work on a beautiful summer Saturday. The thought burned him like fire.

He put his hand into his pockets and took out all that he owned. Perhaps he could find some way to pay someone to do the whitewashing for him. But there was nothing of value in his pockets—nothing that could buy even half an hour of freedom. So he put the bits of toys back into his pockets and gave up the idea.

At this dark and hopeless moment, a wonderful idea came to him. It filled his mind with a great, bright light. Calmly he picked up the brush and started again to whitewash.

While Tom was working, Ben Rogers appeared. Ben was eating an apple as he walked along the street. As he walked along, he was making noises like the sound of a riverboat. First he shouted loudly, like a boat captain. Then he said “Ding-Dong-Dong”, “Ding-Dong-Dong” again and again, like the bell of a riverboat. And he made other strange noises. When he came close to Tom, he stopped.

Tom went on whitewashing. He did not look at Ben. Ben stared a moment and then said: "Hello! I’m going swimming, but you can’t go, can you?”

No answer. Tom moved his brush carefully along the fence and looked at the result with the eye of an artist. Ben came nearer. Tom's mouth watered for the apple, but he kept on working.

Ben said, "Hello, old fellow, you’ve got to work, hey?"

Tom turned suddenly and said, "Why, it's you, Ben! I wasn't noticing."

"Say — I'm going swimming. Don't you wish you could? But of course you’d rather work — wouldn't you? Of course you would."

Tom looked at the boy a bit, and said "What do you call work?"

"Why, isn't that work?"

Tom went back to his whitewashing, and answered casually,

"Well, maybe it is, and maybe it isn't. All I know is, it suits Tom Sawyer."

"Oh come, now, you don't mean to say that you like it?"

The brush continued to move.

"Like it? Well, I don't see why I shouldn’t like it. Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day?" Ben stopped eating his apple. Tom moved his brush back and forth, stepped back to look at the result, added a touch here and there, and stepped back again. Ben watched every move and got more and more interested. Soon he said,

"Say, Tom, let me whitewash a little."

Tom thought for a moment, was about to agree; but he changed his mind:

"No — no — it won’t do, Ben. You see, Aunt Polly wants this fence to be perfect. It has got to be done very carefully. I don’t think there is one boy in a thousand, maybe two thousand, that can do it well enough."

"No — is that so? Oh come, now —let me just try. Only just a little."

"Ben, I'd like to, but if it isn’t done right, I’m afraid Aunt Polly— "

"Oh, I'll be careful. Now let me try. Say -- I'll give you the core（核心）of my apple."

"Well, here — No, Ben, now don't. I'm afraid —"

"I'll give you all of it."

Tom gave up the brush with unwillingness on his face, but joy in his heart. And while Ben worked at the fence in the hot sun, Tom sat under a tree, eating the apple, and planning how to get more help. There were enough boys. Each one came to laugh, but remained to whitewash. By the time Ben was tired, Tom sold the next chance to Billy for a kite; and when Billy was tired, Johnny bought in for a dead rat — and so on, hour after hour. And when the middle of the afternoon came, Tom had won many treasures

And he had not worked. He had had a nice idle time all the time, with plenty of company -- and the fence had been whitewashed three times. If he hadn't run out of whitewash, Tom would have owned everything belonging to his friends.

He had discovered a great law of human action, namely, that in order to make a man or a boy want a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to get.

68．Tom was about to agree to let Ben whitewash when he changed his mind because ______ .

A. Tom wanted to do the whitewashing by himself

B. Tom was unwilling to let Ben do the whitewashing

C. Tom was afraid Ben would do the whitewashing better

D. Tom didn’t want to let Ben do the whitewashing before he made him give up his apple first

69．The underlined word “casually” is most similar to “______” in meaning.

A. carelessly                 B. delightedly               C. seriously                  D. angrily

70．We can learn from the passage that ______ .

A. Tom was interested in whitewashing the fence.

B. Tom had a lot of friends who are ready to help others.

C. Tom was unwilling to whitewash the fence, but he managed to let other boys do it for him

D. Tom was good at whitewashing the fence, so he looked at the result of his work with the eye of an artist.