John and Bobby joined a wholesale company together just after graduation from college the same year. Both worked very hard. After several years, however, the boss promoted Bobby to the position of manager but John remained an ordinary employee. John could not take it any more, tendered his resignation to the boss and complained the boss did not know how to delegate and did not value hard-working staff, but only promoted those who flattered him.

The boss knew that John worked very hard for the years. He thought a moment and said, “Thank you for your criticism, but I have a request. I hope you will do one more thing for our company before you leave. Perhaps you will change your decision and take back your resignation.”

John agreed. The boss asked him to go and find out anyone selling watermelon in the market. John went and returned soon. He said he had found out a man selling watermelon. The boss asked how much per kg. John shook his head and went back to the market to ask and returned to inform the boss $1.2 per kg.

Boss told John to wait a second, and he called Bobby to come to his office. He asked Bobby to go and find anyone selling watermelon in the market. Bobby went, returned and said, “Boss, only one person selling watermelon. $1.2 per kg, $10 for 10kg, he has inventory (清单) of 340 melons. On the table 58 melons, bought from the South two days ago, they are fresh and red, good quality.”

John was very impressed and realized the difference between himself and Bobby. He decided not to resign but to learn from Bobby.

Chances exist in the daily details. For the same matter, a more successful person sees more and farther so that he can find out an opportunity and catch it to realize his aim. If a person sees one year ahead, while another sees only tomorrow. Then the difference between a year and a day is 365 times!

1.Why did John decide to hand in his resignation to the boss?

A.  Because he couldn’t stand being an ordinary employee.

B.  Because Bobby would take John’s former position.

C.  Because the boss was not flattered by his hard work.

D.  Because Bobby instead of him was promoted.

2. What did the boss ask John to do?

A. To go to market and find out whether there is someone selling watermelons.

B. To make a complete marketing research on the various prices of watermelons.

C. To search for much information about the effective ways to sell watermelons.

D. To make a comparison on the prices of different types of watermelons.

3. What sort of following information about watermelons was NOT brought by Bobby?

A. The price.                       B. The quality.

C. The quantity.                    D. The weight.

4. From the difference of John and Bobby, we may infer that a more successful person is more _____.

A.  alert, sensitive and passionate

B.  observant, thoughtful and exploratory

C.  considerate, modest and satisfied

confident, noble and tolerant

完型填空（每小题1.5分，满分30分）

Charlie and Jackie joined a wholesale company together just after graduation. Both worked very hard. After several years, the bosses promote Jackie to sales executive but Charlie_46_ a salesman. One day Charlie could not __47_ it anymore, tendered his resignation(辞职书) to the boss and complained the boss did not __48__ hard working staff, but only promoted those who flattered him. He thought it was really __49__.

The boss knew that Charlie had spared no _50___ for the company all these years, but in order to help Charlie realize the __51__ between him and Jackie, the boss ask Charlie to do the _52___: “go and find out if anyone is selling watermelon in the market.” Charlie returned and __53__ said yes. the boss asked.“how much per kg?” Charlie went back to the market to ask and returned to ___54__ ＄12 per kg.

The boss told Charlie that we would ask Jackie the _55___ question. Jackie went, returned and said,“boss, only one person is selling watermelon, ＄12 per kg, ＄100 for 10kg.he has a _56___ of 340 melons. on the table 58 melons and every melon weighs about 15kg,_57____ from the South two days ago. they are fresh, red and of good __58__ .” Charlie was _59____ and realized the difference between himself and Jackie. he decided not to __60___ but to learn from Jackie.

 Learn and Earn

Charlie and Jackie joined a wholesale company together just after graduation. They both worked very hard. After several years, the boss made Jackie sales manager but Charlie  __36__  a salesman. One day Charlie could not  __37__ it any more. He handed in his resignation letter (辞职信) to the boss and complained that the boss did not  __38__ hard-working employees, but only raised those who tried to please him. He thought that it was really __39___.

The boss knew that Charlie had spared no  __40__ for the company all these years, but in order to help Charlie to realize the  __41__ between him and Jackie, the boss asked Charlie to do the  following. “Go and __42__ if there is anyone selling watermelons in the market.” Charlie went, returned and  __43__ said, “Yes.” The boss asked, “How much per kilogram?” Charlie went back to the market to ask and returned to  __44__, “$ 12 per kg.”

The boss told Charlie that he would ask Jackie the  __45__ question. Jackie went, returned and said, “Boss, only one person selling watermelons. $ 12 per kg, $ 100 for 10 kg. He has a  __46__of 340 melons. On the table are 58 melons, and every melon weighs about 15 kg, __47__  from the South two days ago. They are fresh, red, and of good  __48__.”

Charlie was  __49___ and he realized the difference between himself and Jackie. He decided not to  __50__ but to learn from Jackie.

My dear friends, you know, a more  __51__ person is more observant, thinks more and understands in __52__. For the same matter, he sees several years ahead,  __53__ you see only tomorrow. The difference between a year and a day is 365 times, so how could you  __54__  ?

Think: how far have you seen ahead in your life? How __55__ are you?

Helen Thomas, born on August 4, 1920, is a famous news reporter, a Hearst Newspapers columnist, and member of the White House Press Corps. She served for fifty-seven years as a correspondent and White House bureau chief for United Press International (UPI). She is called “First Lady of the Press”.

Born in Kentucky, Helen Thomas was raised in Detroit, Michigan where she attended public schools and later graduated from Wayne State University. Upon leaving college, Helen served as a copy girl in an old company in Washington. In 1943, Ms. Thomas joined United Press International and the Washington Press Corps. Thomas served as president of the Women’s National Press Club from 1959 to 1960.

In November, Helen began covering then President-elect John F. Kennedy, following him to the White House in January 1961 as a UPI correspondent. She later became White House Bureau Chief for UPI, where she was employed until her resignation on May 17, 2000. Thomas then became a White House correspondent and columnist.

Thomas was the only woman journalist traveling with then President Nixon to China in January, 1972. She has traveled around the world several times with Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton, during the course of which she covered every Economic Summit. The World Almanac has cited her as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in America. 

On March 21, 2006, Thomas was called upon directly by President Bush for the first time in three years. Thomas asked Bush about Iraq. Helen Thomas has written four books and she is also a popular speaker at events nationwide. 

1.What’s the correct order of the events?

a. Thomas joined the UPI and the Washington Press Corps.

b. Thomas traveled with President Nixon to China.

c. Thomas served as president of the Women’s National Press Club.

d. Thomas resigned.

e. Thomas was called upon by President Bush.

f. Thomas became a White House correspondent and a columnist.

2.Which of the following is NOT true?

3.From the passage, we can conclude that Thomas is a _____ woman.

4.After reading the passage it can be inferred that ___.

5.What’s the best title of the passage?

完型填空（每小题1.5分，满分30分）
Charlie and Jackie joined a wholesale company together just after graduation. Both worked very hard. After several years, the bosses promote Jackie to sales executive but Charlie_46_ a salesman. One day Charlie could not __47_ it anymore, tendered his resignation(辞职书) to the boss and complained the boss did not __48__ hard working staff, but only promoted those who flattered him. He thought it was really __49__.
The boss knew that Charlie had spared no _50___ for the company all these years, but in order to help Charlie realize the __51__ between him and Jackie, the boss ask Charlie to do the _52___: “go and find out if anyone is selling watermelon in the market.” Charlie returned and __53__ said yes. the boss asked.“how much per kg?” Charlie went back to the market to ask and returned to ___54__ ＄12 per kg.
The boss told Charlie that we would ask Jackie the _55___ question. Jackie went, returned and said,“boss, only one person is selling watermelon, ＄12 per kg, ＄100 for 10kg.he has a _56___ of 340 melons. on the table 58 melons and every melon weighs about 15kg,_57____ from the South two days ago. they are fresh, red and of good __58__ .” Charlie was _59____ and realized the difference between himself and Jackie. he decided not to __60___ but to learn from Jackie.