Have you ever been to the beautiful country of Holland and its capital Amsterdam? Anyone who has traveled to Amsterdam would probably agree on one thing: Amsterdam's story is a tale of two cities -- one during the day and a completely different one at night．

    During the day, the largest city in the Netherlands sits quietly on the Amstel River．You can rent a bicycle, visit the Van Gogh or Anne Frank museum, or take a water taxi．But when the sun goes down, the partying begins．In the big clubs and in coffee shops, tourists gather to hang out, talk politics and smoke．

    Several areas of the city clearly show the two worlds that rule Amsterdam．And they're all within a short cab ride of each other．For example, Dam Square attracts daytime sightseers to its festivals, open markets, concerts and other events．Several beautiful and very popular hotels can be found there．And there's the Royal Palace and the Magna Plaza shopping mall．

    But at night party-seekers come to the square．Hip hop or funk music is heard there．．So if you come, be ready to dance．The clubs don't shut down until 4 am．

    And while you're there, check out the various inexpensive ways to tour the city．Don't worry about getting lost．Although Dutch is the official language, most people in Amsterdam speak English and are happy to help you with directions．And you'll notice that half the people in the streets are on bicycles they rent．

    Amsterdam also has a well-planned canal system．For about 10 dollars, you can use the canal bus or a water taxi to cruise（巡游） the "Venice of the North"．

    The city has a historic past．One impressive place to visit is the Anne Frank House on Nine Streets．It was there that the young Jewish girl wrote her famous diary during World War II．Visitors can view Anne's original diary and climb behind the bookcase to the room where she and her family hid from the Nazis for two years．

1.What means of transport is not available to visitors in Amsterdam?

A．A carriage．           B．A bicycle．     C．A canal bus．    D．A water taxi．

2.When getting lost, a visitor can ask natives for directions in _______．

    A．only Dutch                            B．Dutch or English

    C．only English                           D．Spanish and English

3.What can you learn about by visiting the Anne Frank House?

    A．The experience of a beautiful girl survivor．

    B．The glorious past of Amsterdam．

    C．The life of Jewish during World War Ⅱ．

    D．The suffering of the Dutch in wars．

4.The passage is intended to _______．

    A．call up people’s memories of World War Ⅱ

    B．tell readers what A Tale of Two Cities is about

    C．instruct visitors what to do and see in Holland

    D．offer readers some information about Amsterdam

In summer, millions of people will head for the beach．And while the ocean can be a great place to swim and play, it may also be useful in another way．Some scientists think that waves could help make electricity．
“Have you ever been on a surfboard or boat and felt yourself being lifted up by a wave? Or have you jumped in the water and felt the energy as waves crashed over you?” asked Jamie Taylor of the Wave Energy Group at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland．“There is certainly a lot of energy in waves．”
Scientists are working on using that energy to make electricity．
Most waves are created when winds blow across the ocean．“The winds start out by making little ripples （波纹） in the water, but if they keep on blowing , those ripples get bigger and bigger and turn into waves, ”Taylor said．“Waves are one of nature’s ways of picking up energy and then sending it off on a journey．”
When waves come towards the shore, people can set up dams or other barricades to block the water and send it through a large wheel called a turbine （涡轮） ．The turbine can then power an electrical generator （发电机） ．
The United States and a few other countries have started doing research on wave energy , and it is already being used in Scotland．
The resource is huge．We will never run out of wave power, besides, wave energy does not create the same pollution as other energy sources, such as oil and coal．
Oceans cover three quarters of the earth’s surface．That would make wave power seem perfect for creating energy around the world．There are some drawbacks, however．
Jamie Taylor said that wave power still cost too much money．He said that its effects on animals in the sea were still unknown．Plus, wave power would get in the way of fishing and boat traffic．
With more research, however, “many of these problems might be overcome,” Taylor said．“Demand for energy to power our TVs and computers, drive our cars, and heat and cool our homes is growing quickly throughout the world．Finding more energy sources is very important, for traditional sources of energy like oil and gas may run out some day．”
In the future, when you turn on a light switch, an ocean wave could be providing the electricity!
【小题1】Which of the following is NOT true?

A. Be brave in your requests

B. You get what you tolerate

C. Don’t feel guilty of your requests

D. Don’t think others are mind readers

E. Don’t make a “no” mean more than it does

F. Be specific about what you want and when you want it

Be Bold: Ask for What You Really Want!

Have you ever been in a situation that is causing you to feel annoyed, frustrated, or unappreciated? We all experience them, but often we don’t have the courage to change them or ask for what we really want. Complaining about your problems never solves them. Only when you get clear about what you want, and are willing to ask for it, will you experience not only a lot less stress in your life, but greater success in your relationship, career and life. Here are five tips to help you on your way.

1.________________

We often think our bosses, colleagues and even our friends can understand our thought even without being told. So when they don’t act as we’d like, we feel hurt and upset. For any relationship to develop, both parties have to communicate their needs. Whether it’s how you’d like your colleague to communicate with you about a work project, or how you’d like your boss to assess your work, it’s necessary to convey what you want.

2.________________

When asking for what you really want, you will seldom, if ever, be given more than what you have the courage to ask for. So don’t weaken your requests to avoid being turned down. Think about what your ideal outcome would be and then confidently, courageously, ask for it. While you may not always get as much as you asked for, you will get more than you would have otherwise.

3.________________

In the workplace, the biggest reason for unmet expectations is a lack of understanding of exactly what is expected. A request that holds water needs to make clear not just what you want, but also the time limit within which you want it. That is, both a clear “what” and “when”. For example, “Could you please get the monthly sales report to me by midday Friday?

4.________________

Whether it’s asking your friend to show up on time, or asking your colleague to stop making jokes in your presence, every day, through what you say and do, you teach others how to treat you. Letting others know what you will （and will not）put up with and what you expect from them, is important to your wellbeing and success—at home and work.

5.________________

In reality you won’t always get what you ask for. Your boss won’t always give you the pay raise you’d like and your parents may not agree to mind your three kids every second weekend. When people say no, you can take it really personally and decide never to speak to them again—or you can accept it graciously and move on. At least now you know where you stand and can plan accordingly.

Asking for less than you really want—from yourself, from others and from life—doesn’t serve anyone. Remember that fortune favors the bold. So make bigger, better, bolder requests, and ask for what you really want. Who knows…you might just get it!

Have you ever been ill? When you are ill, you must be unhappy because your body becomes hot, and there are pains all over your body. You don’t want to work, and you stay in bed, feeling very sad.

What makes us ill? It is germs(细菌). Germs are everywhere.  They are very small and you can’t find them with your eyes, but you can see them with a mi­croscope. They are very very small and there could be hundreds of them on a very small thing.

Germs are always found in dirty water. When we look at dirty water under the microscope, we shall see them in it. So your father and mother will not let you drink dirty water.

Germs aren’t found only in water. They are found in air  and dust. If you cut your finger, if some of the dust from the floor goes into the cut(割开处), some of the germs would go into your finger. Your finger would become big and red, and you will have much pain in it. Sometimes the germs would go into all of your body, and you would have pain everywhere.

56. Which of the following is true?

A. If things are very very small, they are germs.

B. If things can’t be seen, they must be germs.

C. Germs are only in dirty water.

D. Germs are everywhere around us.

57. What is a microscope used for?

A. Making very very small things look much bigger.

B. Making very big things look much smaller.

C. Helping you read some newspapers.

D. Helping you if you can’t see things clearly.

58. Why don’t your parents let you drink dirty water?

A. You haven’t looked at it carefully.

B. Water can’t be drunk in this way.

C. There must be lots of germs in it.

D. Water will make you ill.

59. Which of the following is not true?

A. Germs can be found both in water and in the air.

B. Germs can go into your finger if it is cut.

C. If your temperature is not OK, there must be germs in your body.

D. If your finger isn’t cut, there aren’t any germs on it.

60. What’s the main idea of the passage?

A. Germs may make us ill.       B. Germs are in dirty water.

C. Don’t drink dirty water.       D. Take care of your fingers.

Women make better drivers than men for many reasons. Why is that? Wouldn't you think that competing at who has better driving abilities is pointless (无意义的)? If you ask me, I'd like to say, men know that women are better drivers but do not have the courage to admit the truth.
Unlike men, women stop for directions when they have no idea where they are going. Women don't drive around for hours pointlessly wasting a tank ofgas only to find themselves heading in the wrong direction. Have you ever been in a car with a man who is lost? He tells you to shut up when you begin to open your mouth. And every five minutes or so he takes a turn going forty-five miles per hour only to find out he's made another wrong turn.
Speeding is what men do best on the road. Traffic is not a race. There is a reason why men get more speeding tickets than women. Not because women trick to get out of tickets but only because they don't speed. Women don't risk putting their own lives and the lives of others in danger. In other words，they have more responsibility for life.
My largest issue with male drivers is how a majority of them drive with one hand on the wheel and the other hand doing only God knows what. The seat is backed as far as possible. They're totally lost in loud music beyond a necessary level. You don't ever see women driving like that.
I feel that the above evidence（证据） more than proves (证明) my points that women are queens of the road. Oh ，men, if you want to continue criticizing (批评) women for being bad drivers，bring it on. We know you lack confidence, or else you wouldn't be wasting your valuable time making jokes about the ones you may choose to spend the rest of your days with.
【小题1】Who does the author think are the better drivers? (no more than 1 word)
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【小题2】When will women drivers stop to ask for help? (no more than 9 words)
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【小题3】Why do men get more speeding tickets (no more than 3 words)
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【小题4】What quality（品质） do women drivers have when it comes to safety? (no more than 3 words)
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【小题5】How is the seat backed by most male drivers? (用完整的句子回答）
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