I was born in New York, but I grew up in San Francisco. I began to live in London 25 years ago. If I am asked now where I want to live forever, I would say London. But I will always be American.

San Francisco, like London, has many parks. Every day my sisters and I were taken to play in the parks as children. I didn't go to school. I only had three hours of formal education when I was five. I was sent to school in the morning but came home at noon on the first day. I said I didn't enjoy it and hadn't learned anything. My parents thought that school was unsuitable for me. They agreed with me, so I never went back to school.

Then my mother taught me and my two sisters at home, in the way of an English lady who had good education. We learned languages and reading more than sciences and maths. Sometimes she taught us herself, but we also had other teachers. They asked us to take lessons every day. About once a week we walked to Golden Gate Park. While we were walking, my mother taught me to read music. One day I noticed a little toy train in the window of a shop and I remember now how I'd like to have it. I couldn't say "r" when I was small. My mother said if I could say an "r" well, I would have the toy train. I practiced and practiced. Then one morning I woke everybody up with my "r"s. I got the toy train. I usually get the things I want in life — but I work hard for them.

The writer ___ .

A. was born in San Francisco      B. likes living in London

C. is living in New York now      D. doesn't like America

The writer didn't go to school in America because ___ .

A. his mother wanted him to go to school in English

B. his parents didn't think formal education was right for him

C. his mother wanted him to play outdoors in the parks

D. he couldn't get on well with the other children

Which of the following is TRUE?

A. The writer was taught by his mother and other teachers.

B. The writer had no education at all.

C. The writer didn't have lessons every day.

D. The writer walked to the park to learn languages once a week.

The writer got the little toy train at last because ___ .

A. his mother gave him the money

B. he tried his best to read music

C. he wanted it very much

D. his mother was pleased with his progress

Scientists studying the impact of climate change on the Arctic need to consider ways to reduce their own carbon footprints(碳排放量), says Ryan Brook, a researcher who regularly flies north to study the health of caribous(驯鹿).He calls on scientists to show leadership by examining and sharing ways to reduce the impact of working in polar regions.

“The importance of the research is not at question here. It is important to our understanding of and adapting to climate change. But we need to think about better approaches,” says Brook.

“This is an issue for all scientists, though polar researchers often travel particularly long distances using commercial air travel. We also rely extensively on small aircraft, icebreakers, and snowmobiles, all of which produce large amounts of carbon.”

Brook studies the health of caribou herds in Nunavut and Northwest Territories. He works with northern wildlife managers. This work typically takes him north five or six times per year and when he calculated his own carbon footprint, he was not happy with the result.

“My research footprints are about the same as the annual footprints of an average Toronto resident. Basically, I have two footprints — my own personal life, which is moderate, and my research footprint.”

Climate scientists can rightly argue that Arctic research is a specialized field and the community of scientists who travel north is relatively small. Even if all scientists working in the north reduced their carbon emissions, it would not make a big impact on the global scale. For Brook, it’s the option that matters.

There are ways researchers can reduce the amount of carbon they use. Some helicopters use less fuel than others. Solar and wind power are alternatives to gas-fired generators. And while carbon offsets(抵消) don’t reduce the amount of carbon emitted, they are an easy first step.

“There aren’t necessarily any easy answers, but we need to start talking about it,” says Brook. “This is particularly important for the next generation of scientists being trained and I hope to see them become leaders in this issue.”

What did Brook find when he calculated his own carbon footprints?

A. His carbon footprints are more than the annual footprints of a Toronto resident.

B. His personal life footprints are more than the annual footprints of a Toronto resident.

C. His research footprints are about the same as his personal life footprints.

D. His personal life footprints are more than his research footprints.

Brook’s opinion is challenged by the statement that       .

A. arctic research is very important

B. the Arctic is a special environment

C. the footprints of Arctic scientists are small

D. Brook’s situation is a common phenomenon

We can infer from the last paragraph that         .

A. we should take actions immediately instead of just talking

B. it’s easy to start talking about the problem of carbon emissions

C. it’s necessary now to pay attention to the problem of research footprints

D. the next generation of scientists are more interested in research footprints

What’s the main idea of the text?

A. The importance of arctic research is not at question.

B. Climate change becomes worse because of arctic research.

C. Brook suggests ways of reducing the use of carbon.

D. Scientists must look at their own carbon footprints.

　　I grew up in a small town. My father raised chickens and ran a construction company. I was barely 10 years old when my dad gave me the responsibility (责任) of feeding the chickens and cleaning up the stable. He believed it was important for me to have those jobs to learn responsibility. Then, when I was 22, I found a job in Natchbill at a country music club called the Natchbill Palace, I washed dishes and cooked from 4: 00 pm to 9: 00 pm and then went on stage and sang until 2:00 in the morning. It wasn’t long before I became known as a singing cook. I had been rejected so many times by record companies that it was hard not to be discouraged. One night, a woman executive (懂事) from a company named Warner Brothers Records came to hear me sing. When the show was over, we sat down and talked and after she left, I said to myself it was one more rejection. A few weeks later, my manager received a phone call — Warner Brothers wanted to sign me to a record deal. Soon after, I released my first record in June 1986. It sold over 2 million copies. My best efforts had gone into every job I’ve ever held. It was the sense of responsibility that made me feel like a man. Knowing that I had done my best filled me with pride. I still feel that way today, even though I have become a well-known singer.

　　 Why was the writer once known as the singing cook?

　　A. Because he was a cook at a country-music club.

　　B. Because he sang for guests while he worked as a cook.

　　C. Because he often sang while cooking.

　　D. Because he liked singing better than cooking.

　　 Who first recognized his talents and helped make his career successful?

　　A. Wamer Brothers.                        B. His manager.

　　C. His father.                                 D. A businesswoman.

　  What made the writer proud of himself?

　　A. His ability to live independently.

　　B. His sense of responsibility in whatever he did.

　　C. His courage in the face of rejections.

D. His hard work in his early days.

Frank Woolworth was born in Rodman, New York., in 1852. His family were very poor farmers, and there was never enough to eat. Frank decided he did not want to be farmer. He took a short business course, and went to work as a salesman in a large city.

Woolworth realized he had a natural skill for showing goods to attract people’s interest, but he soon learned something more important. One day his boss told him to sell some odds and ends (小商品) for as much as he could get. Frank put all these things on one table with a sign which said FIVE CENTS EACH. People fought and pushed to buy the things and the table was soon cleared.

Soon afterwards, Woolworth opened his own store, selling goods at five and ten cents. But he had another lesson to learn before he became successful. That is, if you want to make money by selling low-price goods, you have to buy them in large quantities directly form the factories. Once, for example, Woolworth went to Germany and placed an order for knives. The order was so large that the factory had to keep running 24 hours a day for a whole year. In this way, the price of the knives was cut down by half.

By 1919, Woolworth had over 1000 stores in the US and Canada, and opened his first store in London. He made many millions and his name became famous throughout the world. He always run his business according to strict rules, of which the most important was: “ THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT.” （词数268）

Frank took a short business course in order to ____________.

   A. earn more money for his family   B. learn something from a salesman

   C. get away from the farm          D. get enough to eat.

Frank sold the odds and ends quickly because _____________.

   A. he knew how to get people to buy his goods.

B. he cut down the price by half

C. he had put the goods on a table in a very nice way.

D. the sign he put on the table was well designed.

The price of the knives was cut down by half because ______________.

   A. the factory workers worked 24 hours a day.

   B. knives were ordered in large quantities directly from the factory.

   C. the knives were made in Germany, where labor (劳动力) was cheap.

   D. the knives were produced in one factory.

_____________make Woolworth a world-famous man.

   A. His business skills and his wealth.

   B. The low price of the goods he sold.

   C. His trip to Germany and his huge order of knives.

   D. His natural skill for showing things.

The belief that : “ The customer is always right” suggests that _______________.

A. whenever there is a quarrel between the customer and shop assistant, the customers are always right.

B. If you want to succeed, the rule is the only way.

C. stores must always follow the customer’s orders if they want to make more money.

D. stores should do their best to meet the customer’s needs if they want to be successful.

Jim suffered heart problems.In conversation he expressed little joy and it seemed that his life was drawing to a close.

When his heart problems led to operation,Jim went through it successfully,and a full recovery was expected.Within days,however,his heart was not beating properly.Jim was rushed back to operation,but nothing was found to explain the cause of his illness.He died on the operating table on the day before his 48th birthday.

Dr.Bruce Smoller,a psychologist(心理学家),had had many conversations with him,and the more he learned,the stranger he realized Jim’s case was.When Jim was a child,his father,a teacher,suffered a heart attack and stayed home to recover.One morning Jim asked his father to look over his homework,promising to come home from school at noon to pick it up.His father agreed,but when Jim returned his father had died.Jim’s father was 48.

“I think all his life Jim believed he killed his father,”Dr. Smoller says.“He felt that if he had not asked him to look at his homework,his father would have lived.Jim had been troubled by the idea.The operation was the trial(判决) he had expected for forty years.”Smoller believes that Jim willed himself not to live to the age of 48.

Jim’s case shows the powerful role that attitude(态度) plays in physical health,and that childhood experiences produce far-reaching effect on the health of grown-ups.Although most cases are less direct than Jim’s,studies show that childhood events,besides genes,may well cause such midlife diseases as cancer,heart disease and mental illness.

Jim was sent back to operation because ______.

A.his heart didn’t work well

B.he expected a full recovery

C.his life was drawing to a close

D.the first one wasn’t well performed

What made Dr. Smoller feel strange about Jim’s case?

A.Jim died at a young age.

B.Jim died on the operating table.

C.Both Jim and his father died of the same disease.

D.Jim’s death is closely connected with his father’s.

From Smoller’s words,we can infer that ______.

A.Jim’s father cared little about his study

B.Smoller agreed that Jim did kill his father

C.Jim thought he would be punished some day

D.Smoller believed Jim wouldn’t live to the age of 48

Which of the following could have strong effect on one’s physical health according to the text?

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

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