A man calls a company and orders their 5-day/10-pound weight loss program. The next day, there's a knock
on the door and there stands before him a voluptuous (艳丽的), athletic, 19-year-old girl dressed in nothing but
a pair of Nike running shoes and a sign around her neck. She introduces herself as a representative of the weight
loss company. The sign reads, "If you can catch me, you can have me." Without a second thought, he takes off
after her. A few miles later out of breath, he finally gives up. The same girl shows up for the next four days and
the same thing happens. On the fifth day, he weighs himself and is delighted to find he has lost 10 pounds as
promised.
     He calls the company and orders their 5-day/20-pound program.
     The next day there's a knock at the door and there stands the most stunning (漂亮的) and beautiful woman
he has never seen in his life. She is wearing nothing but Reebok running shoes and a sign around her neck that
reads, "If you catch me you can have me."
     Well, he's out the door after her like a shot. This girl is in excellent shape and he does his best, but no such
luck. So for the next four days, the same routine happens with him gradually getting in better and better shape.
Much to his delight on the fifth day when he weighs himself, he discovers that he has lost another 20 pounds
as promised.
     He decides to go for broke (全力以赴) and calls the company to order the 7-day/50-pound program.
     "Are you sure?" asks the representative on the phone. "This is our most rigorous program."
     "Absolutely," he replies, "I haven't felt this good in years."
     The next day there's a knock at the door, and when he opens it he finds a huge muscular guy standing there
wearing nothing but pink running shoes and a sign around his neck that reads, "If I catch you, you are mine!!!"
He lost 63 pounds that week.

1. How many pounds did the man lose in all?

A. 80 pounds
B. 70 pounds
C. 30 pounds
D. 93 pounds

2. Which of the following is true of the man?

A. He didn't like the traditional ways of losing weight.
B. He was very fat before he took the weight loss programs.
C. He liked the man more than the two beautiful women.
D. He wasn't satisfied with the results of the weight loss programs.

3. What does the underlined word "rigorous" refer to?

A. tough
B. easy
C. effective
D. instructive

4. Where can we most probably read this text?

A. In a research paper.
B. In a short story.
C. In a travel magazine.
D. In a student's book.

     I was working as a swimming coach when I met Anita for the first time. Seeing I was swimming,
Anita coming to me and asked me if I could help her to swim as her personal trainer was not available.
I have been a swimming coach for a club and there was no reason to deny her request.
     In few minutes we became good friends and I was told she suffers from back problem. Her doctor
advised her to swim as it might be helpful to her. I took it easy as I have been sailing in the same boat
and swimming was a good option.
     With my experience, I appreciated the thought and recommended her to swim on daily basis.
Without any hesitation she said, "I suffer from spinal arthritis(脊椎炎), a bigger problem than yours."
     As we discussed types of oral medications for back problem, she came closer to me and whispered,
"I can make you feel better. My problem is more severe and requires a spinal injection on weekly
basis rather than oral medication". Her acceptance to her reality gave me strength to bear my pain.
I was glad we met. Undoubtedly, she made me feel better.
     Arthritis has made my life difficult, one problem leading to another. It has made me treasure the
people in my life. The days are getting harder and Anita is an inspiration for me. Anita is working for
an architectural firm, irrespective of all her medical problems. Meeting Anita helped me to understand
that there are three angles to every problem - my angle, your angle and the right angle. Right angle is
the reality that you do not want to accept. I accepted the right angle in my life that my problem is big
but others might have a bigger problem. If they can live with courage and determination, why cannot
I?
    We always focus on 'my angle' and neglect the 'right angle'. Life is easier and better once we
understand the 'right angle'.  

1. Why did the author accept Anita's request?

A. Because her personal coach wasn't there.
B. Because they had became good friends.
C. Because the author was a swimming coach.
D. Because Anita was a person hard to refuse.

2. What does the unlined phrase "sailing in the same boat" mean here?

A. Doing the same thing together.
B. Suffering from the same disease.
C. Swimming in the same swimming pool.
D. Taking the same boat out for swimming.

3. For the author, Anita was           .

A.an encouragement
B.an eager trainee
C. a happy patient
D.an daily swimmer

4. What is the "right angle" according to the author?

A. courage
B. determination
C. acceptance
D. truth

     I needed to buy a digital camera, one that was simply good at taking good snaps (快照), maybe
occasionally for magazines. Being the cautious type, I fancied a reliable brand. So I went on the net,
spent 15 minutes reading product reviews on good websites, wrote down the names of three top
recommendations and headed for my nearest big friendly camera store. There in the cupboard was
one of the cameras on my list. And it was on special offer. Oh joy. I pointed at it and asked an
assistant, "Can I have one of those?" He looked perturbed (不安). "Do you want to try it first?" he
said. It didn't quite sound like a question. "Do I need to?" I replied, "There is nothing wrong with it?"
This made him look a bit insulted and I started to feel bad. "No, no. But you should try it," he said
encouragingly. "Compare it with the others."
     I looked across at the others: shelves of similar cameras placed along the wall, offering a wide
range of slightly different prices and discounts, with each company selling a range of models based
around the same basic box. With so many models to choose from, it seemed that I would have to
spend hours weighing X against Y, always trying to take Z and possibly H into account at the same
time. But when I had finished, I would still have only the same two certainties that I had entered the
store with: first, soon after I carried my new camera out of the shop, it would be worth half what I
paid for it; and second, my wonderful camera would very quickly be replaced by a new model.
     But something in the human soul whispers that you can beat these traps by making the right choice,
the clever choice, the wise choice. In the end, I agreed to try the model I had chosen. The assistant
seemed a sincere man. So I let him take out of my chosen camera from cupboard, show how it took
excellent pictures of my fellow shoppers… and when he started to introduce the special features, I
interrupted to ask whether I needed to buy a carry-case and a memory card as well.
     Why do we think that new options (选择) still offer us anything new? Perhaps it is because they
offer an opportunity to avoid facing the fact that our real choices in this culture are far more limited
than we would like to imagine.

1. The shop assistant insisted that the writer should _____

A. try the camera to see if there was anything wrong with it.
B. compare the camera he had chosen with the others.
C. get more information about different companies.
D. trust him and stop asking questions.

2. What does the writer mean by "it would be worth half what I paid for it" (paragraph 2)?

A. He should get a 50% discount.
B. The price of the camera was unreasonably high.
C. The quality of the camera was not good.
D. The camera would soon fall in value.

3. The writer decided to try the model he had chosen because he _____

A. knew very little about it.
B. didn't trust the shop assistant.
C. wanted to make sure the one he chose would be the best.
D. had a special interest in taking pictures of his fellow shoppers.

4. I t can be inferred from the passage that in the writer's opinion, _____.

A. people waste too much money on cameras
B. cameras have become an important part of our daily life
C. we don't actually need so many choices when buying a product
D. famous companies care more about profit than quality

     Nine-year-old Jack Russell terrier George is being honored with a bravery medal for saving five New
Zealand children from an attack by two pit bulls. The medal from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( SPCA ) comes after former US Marine Jerrell Hudman said he was sending his Purple Heart medal to George's owner after hearing of the dog's bravery.
     Feisty, 30cm tall George, who had a heart problem, fought with the pit bulls to keep them from
attacking the youngest of five children as they returned home from buying sweets at a neighborhood shop
in the small North Island town of Manaia on April 29.
     The Jack Russell was badly injured in the fight. "It was an extraordinary act of  heroism" said the
animal protection society's chief executive, Robyn Kippenberger. Authorities have killed the two pit bulls,
and their owner faces prosecution for owning dangerous and unconotrolled dogs.
     Kippenberger said her group's award, the SPCA medal, normally given to humans for bravery in
aiding animals, has not been awarded to a dog since 1990. The two previous dog winners were trained
police dogs. "That he weighed into a couple of dogs much larger than himself, clearly to protect a child, is
just a most amazing act and needs to be recognized," she told The Associated Press. The bravery medal
will be presented to George's owner at the children's school.
     Meanwhile, former US marine Jerrell Hudman told the local Taranaki Herald newspaper that he
would honor the terrier's bravery by mailing to New Zealand one of the three Purple Heart medals he
was awarded for service in Vietnam in 1967. Purple Hearts are given to US troops wounded or killed in
battles. Hudman 58, of Austin, Texas, described George as a "little warrior" who deserved the honor.

1. How many medals were given to George for his bravery act?

A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Four

2. What's true about the two pit bulls?

A.Their owner has killed them because of prosecution.
B.They were honored with a bravery medal.
C.They are dangerous and uncontrolled
D.They saved five children against an attack.

3. The bravery medal is usually given to ______.

A.whoever defends animals bravely
B.people who train police dogs successfully
C.those who protect children during their daily life
D.solider wounded or killed in the battle

4. The text mainly wants to tell us ______.

A. which kind of dog is brave most
B. a dog gets medals for saving kids
C. the career of Jerrel Hudman
D. the function of Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

     A young father was visiting an old neighbor.They were standing in the old man's garden,and talking
about children.The young man said,"How strict should parents be with their children?"
      The old man pointed to a string(绳子)between a big strong tree and a thin young one."Please untie
(解开)that string, " he said.The young man untied it,and the young tree bent(弯)over to one side."Now
tie it again,please, " said the old man,"but first pull the string tight so that the young tree is straight again. "
      The young man did so.Then the old man said,"There, it is the same with children.You must be strict
with them,but sometimes you must untie the string to know how they are getting on.If they are not yet
able to stand alone,you must tie the string tight again.But when you find that they are ready to stand alone,
you can take the string away. "

1. The story is about _____ .

A. how to take care of young trees
B. how strict parents should be with their children
C. how the young father should get on with his old neighbor
D. how to tie and untie the string

2. The young man untied the string _____ .

A. in order to throw it away
B. so that both of the trees would grow straight
C. only to find that the thinner one bent over to one side
D. in order to let the old man teach him

3. When can the string be taken away?

A. When the old man has left
B. After you have untied it
C. When the young man has untied it next time
D. When the young tree grows strong enough

4. At last the old man told the young man ____.

A. that he should be strict with his children if they could not yet stand alone
B. that he should always be strict with his children
C. that he should be hard on them
D. that he should tie his children until they are ready to stand alone

5. In the story the relation(关系) of the big strong tree to the thin one is like that of ____.

A. the young father to the old neighbor
B. parents to their children
C. the old neighbor to the children of the young father
D. grown ups to their parents