A lot of us lose life's tougher battles by starting a frontal(正面的)attack-when a touch of humor might well enable us to win. Consider the case of a young friend of mine, who hit a traffic jam on his way to work shortly after receiving an ultimatum(最后通牒)about being late on the job. Although there was a good reason for Sam's being late-serious illness at home-he decided that this by-now-familiar excuse wouldn't work any longer. His supervisor was probably already pacing up and down preparing a dismissal speech. Yes, the boss was, as Sam entered the office at9:35. The place was as quiet as a locker room(更衣室);everyone was hard at work. Sam's supervisor came up to him. Suddenly, Sam forced a grin and stretched out his hand. "How do you do!" he said. "I'm Sam Maynard. I'm applying for a job. Which, I understand, became available just 35 minutes ago. Does the early bird get the worm?"

　　The room exploded in laughter. The supervisor clamped off a smile and walked back to his office. Sam Maynard had saved his job-with the only tool that could win, a laugh.

　　Humor is a most effective, yet frequently neglected(忽略), means of handling the difficult situations in our lives. It can be used for patching up differences, apologizing, saying "no," criticizing, getting the other fellow to do what you want without his losing face. For some jobs, it's the only tool that can succeed. It is away to discuss subjects so sensitive that serious dialogue may start a quarrel. For example, many believe that comedians(喜剧演员)on television are doing more today for racial and religious tolerance(忍受力)than people in any other forum.

1.WhywasSamlateforhisjob?

　A. Because he was ill.　　 B. Because he got up late.

C. Because he was caught in a traffic jam. 　 D. He was busy applying for a new job.

2.The main idea of this passage is ____.

　A. Sam Maynard saved his job with humor 　 B. humor is important in our lives

　C. early bird gets the worm 　　　　 D. humor can solve racial discriminations.

3.The phrase "clamped off" n paragraph 3 means____.

　A. tried to hold back　 B. tried to set　 C. charged　 D. gave out

4.Which of the following statements can we infer from the passage?

A. Many lose life's battles because they are lacking in a sense of humor.

B. It wasn't the first time that Sam came late for work.

C. Sam was supposed to arrive at his office at8:30.

D. Humor is the most effective way of solving problems

One fine day, I was sitting in a quiet room at the Miclroft Hotel, a peaceful place about an hour out of Toronoto. It was just past noon, late July, and I was 　 1　 to the desperate sounds of a life —or— death 　2　 going on a few feet away．

There was a small fly 　3 the last of its short life' s energies in a useless 　4　 to fly through the glass of the window．The whining （发出嗡嗡声） wings told the 　5　 story of the fly' s strategy: Try harder．But it' s not working．

The great effort offered no hope for its　 6 ．Instead, the struggle was part of the trap．It was 　7　 for the fly to try hard enough to succeed in breaking through the glass: This fly's fate was　 8 ．It would die there near the window． 9　 the room; ten steps away, the door was 10 ．By ten seconds of flying, this small creature could 　11　 the outside world．With only a bit of the 　12　 now being wasted, it could be free of this self - imposed （自设的） trap．The breakthrough possibility was 　13　 .It would be so easy．

Why didn't the fly try 　14　 approach? How did it get so locked in the idea that this 　15 route and determined effort offered the most 　16　 for success? No doubt this approach made sense to the fly． 17 , it was an idea that would kill it．

Trying harder isn't necessarily the solution to achieving more．It 　18 offer any real promise for getting what you want out of life．Sometimes, 　19　 , it' s a big part of the problem．If you stake （拿……冒险） your hopes for a breakthrough on trying harder than ever, you may 20 your chances for success．

1．A．listening　　　 B．walking　　　 　　　　　　 C．looking　　 　　　 D．talking

2．A．performance　 B．struggle　　　　 C．competition　　 D．decision

3．A．giving up　 　　　　　　 B．saving up　　 C．bringing out　　 D．burning out

4．A．fight　 B．attempt　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 C．way　　　　　　 D．spirit

5．A．sad　 　　　　　　　　　　 B．brave　　　　　　　　　　 C．funny　　　 　　　 D．great

6．A．reality　　　　　 B．trouble　　　 C．survival　　　 D．death

7．A．impossible　　 B．difficult 　C．unnecessary　　 　　　 D．practical

8．A．determined　 B．shortened 　C．changed　　　　 　　　　 D．controlled

9．A．From　　　 　　　　　 B．．Through C．Across　　　　 　　　　 D．Around

10．A．open　　　　 　　　 B．left 　C．closed　　　 　　　　　 D．guarded

11．A．see　　　　　 　 B．reach 　C．feel　　　　　 　　　　　 D．contact

12．A．power　　　 　　 B．hope C．trial　　　　　　 　　　 D．effort

13．A．late　　　　　 　　 B．little C．there　　　　 　　　　　 D．wasted

14．A．another　　　 　　　 B．the other 　C．either　　　　　 　　　 D．any other

15．A．different -　 　　　　 B．difficult 　C．familiar　　　　 　　　 D．particular

16．A．problem　　 　　　 B．excuse C. strength　　　　 　　　　 D．promise

17．A．Probably　　 　　 B．Regrettably C．Naturally　　　　 　　　 D．Gradually

18．A．may not B．mustn't C．would not D．can't

19．A．at last　　　 　　　 B．intact 　C．as a result　　　 　　　 D．after all

20．A．kill　　　　　 　　 B．value C．take　　　　　　 　　　 D．have

　　A lot of us lose life's tough battles by starting a frontal（正面的）attack--when a touch of humor might well enable us to win. Consider the case of a young friend of mine, who hit a traffic jam on his way to work shortly after receiving an ultimatum（最后通牒）about being late for the job. Although there was a good reason for Sam's being late--being seriously ill at home--he decided that this by-now-familiar excuse wouldn't work any longer. His supervisor was probably already pacing up and down preparing a dismissal speech. Yes, the boss was, as Sam entered the office at 9∶35. The place was as quiet as a locker room（更衣室）; everyone was hard at work. Sam's supervisor came up to him. Suddenly, Sam forced a grin and stretched out his hand. “How do you do?” he said. “I'm Sam Maynard. I'm applying for a job, which, I understand, became available just 35 minutes ago. Does the early bird get the worm?”

　　The room exploded in laughter. The supervisor clamped off a smile and walked back to his office. Sam Maynard had saved his job--with the only tool that could win, a laugh.

　　Humor is a most effective, yet frequently neglected（忽略）means of handling the difficult situations in our lives. It can be used for patching up differences, apologizing, saying“no”, criticizing, getting the other fellow to do what you want without his losing face. For some jobs, it's the only tool that can succeed. It is a way to discuss subjects so sensitively that serious dialogue may start a quarrel. For example, many believe that comedians（喜剧演员）on television are doing more today for racial and religious tolerance（忍受力）than people in any other forum.

(1) Why was Sam late for his job?

[　　]

A．Because he was ill.

B．Because he got up late.

C．Because he was caught in a traffic jam.

D．He was busy applying for a new job.

(2) The main idea of this passage is ________.

[　　]

A．Sam Maynard saved his job with humor

B．humor is important in our lives

C．early bird gets the worm

D．humor can solve racial discrimination

(3) The phrase“clamped off”in Paragraph 2 means _______.

[　　]

(4) Which of the following statements can we infer from the passage?

[　　]

A．Many lose life's battles because they are lacking in a sense of humor.

B．It wasn't the first time that Sam came late for work.

C．Sam was supposed to arrive at his office at 8∶30.

D．Humor is the most effective way of solving problems.