Do you wake up in the morning dreading the moment that your feet have to hit the floor for you to get ready for work? If that’s the case, join most of Americans. Very few people wake up to that annoying alarm clock and spring out of bed excited about having to go to work.
As if that were not enough, most of us have to fight traffic getting there, usually an hour’s drive. Then, when we get to work, we have to fight with unruly co-workers or a nagging boss. And to make matters worse, you have to fight the same traffic going in the opposite direction just to get back home.
Making dinner, fixing plates, eating and then straightening up afterwards is a job within itself. If that sounds like your life, you probably have a J-O-B. you know what J-O-B stands for? Just Over Broke, that’s what! With a job, most Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck and hating every minute of it. I know because I was doing the same thing: trading time for money. And, I came to a conclusion that it stinks (糟糕透了)! Big time!
Looking around at my co-workers, friends and relatives, I saw that they were all doing the same thing I was doing. They were complaining about the same things I was complaining about : not having enough time or money. And, I decided that I wanted to do something different.[来源:学*科*
So, I started a home-based business. There are several to choose from. The extra income has done so much for our family. We can vacation more. We have been able to give more. And, we’ve even been able to do something calling save! It’s been amazing.
Therefore, if you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired, it’s time you make a change, too. The definition of insanity (疯狂) is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I know you aren’t stupid. If you continue to do what everyone else is doing: trading time for money, you’re going to keep getting what everyone else is getting: being broke and not having the time to do what is really important to you.
Do your due diligence. Find a home-based business that works well for you. Go to work, and live the life you’ve always imagined!
【小题1】According to Paragraph 1, which of the following statements is TRUE about most Americans?

Do you wake up in the morning dreading the moment that your feet have to hit the floor for you to get ready for work? If that’s the case, join most of Americans. Very few people wake up to that annoying alarm clock and spring out of bed excited about having to go to work.

As if that were not enough, most of us have to fight traffic getting there, usually an hour’s drive. Then, when we get to work, we have to fight with unruly co-workers or a nagging boss. And to make matters worse, you have to fight the same traffic going in the opposite direction just to get back home.

Making dinner, fixing plates, eating and then straightening up afterwards is a job within itself. If that sounds like your life, you probably have a J-O-B. you know what J-O-B stands for? Just Over Broke, that’s what! With a job, most Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck and hating every minute of it. I know because I was doing the same thing: trading time for money. And, I came to a conclusion that it stinks (糟糕透了)! Big time!

Looking around at my co-workers, friends and relatives, I saw that they were all doing the same thing I was doing. They were complaining about the same things I was complaining about : not having enough time or money. And, I decided that I wanted to do something different.

So, I started a home-based business. There are several to choose from. The extra income has done so much for our family. We can vacation more. We have been able to give more. And, we’ve even been able to do something calling save! It’s been amazing.

Therefore, if you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired, it’s time you make a change, too. The definition of insanity (疯狂) is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I know you aren’t stupid. If you continue to do what everyone else is doing: trading time for money, you’re going to keep getting what everyone else is getting: being broke and not having the time to do what is really important to you.

Do your due diligence. Find a home-based business that works well for you. Go to work, and live the life you’ve always imagined!

68. According to Paragraph 1, which of the following statements is TRUE about most Americans?

   A. Most Americans are excited to go to work every day.

   B. Most Americans are used to sleeping in the morning.

   C. Most Americans are tired of having to go to work every morning.

   D. Most Americans have alarm clocks to wake them up in the morning.

69. By writing the first three paragraphs, what feeling does the writer express?

   A. Regret.               B. Joy.                  C. Pride.               D. Dissatisfaction

70. What does “something different” in Paragraph 4 refer to?

   A. To set up a business at home.            B. To complain about life and work.

   C. To spend more time on holidays.              D. To resign from the former job and get a new one.

The teacher thought that hobbies were very important for every child. She 20  all her pupils to have one, and sometimes, arranged for their parents to come and 21 the work they had done as a result.
One Friday morning the teacher told the class that  22 of them who had a hobby could 23  a holiday that afternoon to get things they had  24  as parts of their hobbies ready for their parents to see the following afternoon.
So on Friday afternoon, 25 those of the pupils who had nothing to show did their usual lessons, the  26 ones who had made something were allowed to go home, on 27 that they returned before five o’clock to bring what they were going to 28  . When the afternoon lessons began, the teacher was   29  to see that Tommy was not there. He was the laziest boy in the class, and the teacher found it difficult to believe that he had a hobby. However, at a quarter to five, Tommy arrived with a   30 collection of butterflies in glass cases.  31  his teacher had admired them
and helped him to arrange them on a table in the   32 , she was surprised to see Tommy pick them up again and begin to   33 . “What are you doing, Tommy?” she asked. “Those things must   34  here until tomorrow afternoon. That’s   35  the parents are coming to see them.”
“I know they are coming then,” answered Tommy, “and I will   36  them back tomorrow, but my big brother doesn’t want them to be out of our house at night in case they are  37  .”
“But what has it got to do   38  your big brother?” asked the teacher. “Aren’t the butterflies yours?” “No,” answered Tommy. “They belong to him.” “But Tommy, you are   39  to show your own hobby here, not somebody else’s!” said the teacher. “I know that,” answered Tommy. “My hobby is watching my brother collecting butterflies.”

　　The class teacher thought that hobbies were very important for every child．She encouraged all her pupils to have one, and sometimes arranged for their parents to come and see the work they had done as a result．

　　One Friday morning the teacher told the class that those of them who had a hobby could have a holiday that afternoon to get the things they had made as parts of their hobbies ready for their parents to see the following afternoon．

　　So on Friday afternoon, while those of the pupils who had nothing to show did their usual lessons, the lucky ones who had made something were allowed to go home, on condition that they returned before five o’clock to bring what they were going to show, and to arrange them．

　　When the afternoon lessons began, the teacher was surprised to see that Tommy was not there．He was the laziest boy in the class, and the teacher found it difficult to believe that he had a hobby．However, at a quarter to five, Tommy arrived with a beautiful collection of butterflies（蝴蝶）in glass cases．After his teacher had admired them and helped him to arrange them on a table in the classroom, she was surprised to see Tommy pick them up again and begin to leave．

　　“What are you doing, Tommy?” She asked．“Those things must remain here until tomorrow afternoon．That’s when the parents are coming to see them.”

　　“I know they are coming then, ” answered Tommy, “ and I will bring them back tomorrow, but my big brother doesn’t want them to be out of our house at night in case they are stolen.”

　　“But what has it got to do with your big brother?” asked the teacher, “Aren't the butterflies yours?”

　　“No, ” answered Tommy．“They belong to him.”

　　“But Tommy, you are supposed to show your own hobby here, not somebody else’s ! ”said the teacher．

　　“I know that , ” answered Tommy, “My hobby is watching my brother collecting butterflies．”

56．What’s the best title for this passage?

　　A. Important Hobbies　　　　　　　 B. Tommy’s Hobby

　　C. Different Hobbies　　　　　　　　 D. Hobby of Collecting Butterflies

57．The teacher________.

　　A. asked her pupils to bring something they had made that Saturday afternoon

B. was certain that her pupils were good at making things, so she wanted to show them to the parents.

　　C. invited the parents to come and see what the pupils had made

　　D. allowed the pupils who had hobbies not to go to class that Friday afternoon

58．After reading the passage the readers will laugh. Why?

　　A. Because Tommy was so lazy a boy.

　　B. Because the teacher knew so little about Tommy.

　　C. Because Tommy had made nothing at all.

D. Because Tommy had a strange idea about hobby.