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It’s just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no address. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past 10 years.
It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas. He didn’t hate the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it; overspending, running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and powder for Grandma…
Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way.
Our son Kevin, at 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended and before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church, mostly black.
As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear to protect a wrestler’s ears. They obviously could not afford.
Mike shook his head sadly, “I wish just one of them could have won,” he said. “They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them.”
Mike loved kids—all kids—and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball and lacrosse. That’s when the idea for his present came.
That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church.
On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year. For each Christmas, I followed the tradition.
The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents.
The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing around the tree with wide-eyed anticipation watching as their fathers take down the envelope. Mike’s spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us.
1.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A．Precious Present B．Christmas Gift
C．The Small White Envelope D．The Good Old Tradition
2.Why did Mike hate Christmas according to the passage?
A．He didn’t like the true meaning of Christmas
B．He didn’t like people spending too much money on presents
C．He hated buying presents for Uncle Harry and Grandma
D．He didn’t want to receive gifts like shirts, sweaters or ties.
3.Which is the closest meaning to the underlined phrase “take the heart right out of them”?
A．make them excited
B．make them inspired
C．make them lose confidence
D．make them kill themselves
4.Why was his smile the brightest thing about Christmas that year? ( paragraph 9)
A．He received some sporting goods
B．He found a potential wrestling team
C．His son won the wrestling match
D．His wife sent presents to those poor kids
5.What can we infer from the passage?
A．The tradition of sending presents will pass from generation to generation.
B．The children were eager to get their new toys ignoring the envelope.
C．With the presents, the poor kids will surely win the match one day.
D．Mike’s spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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We use an average of 158 liters of water a day in Britain, for which we pay a bargain price of 28p a liter, but much of this is just cash down the drain, according to water companies.
Most are campaigning to cut the amount we use. And the frontline weapon in their campaign is the water meter (计量器). They want us all to have one and one company is seeking powers to make this compulsory.
The Government is anxious for us to use less water, too. Elliot Morley, the Environment Minister, says he is impressed by the savings when a meter is installed. In most homes, consumption drops by 20 percent.
He also thinks consumers get a good deal from meters. He said, “Most people would find that they would either be exactly the same or better off with water meters and it is a fairer way of paying for water.”
At present, only 25% of households have meters and most of those are in East Anglia. They are installed by water companies, and households then have about ￡43 added to each bill to cover the cost of installing and reading the meter.
Barrie Clarke, a spokesman for Water UK, said, “We want everyone to be more water wise—to think about the amount of water they use. But with our climate change and different weather patterns, over time it will make economic and environmental sense to think how we use water. This may mean meters.”
Mr. Clarke believes the easiest way to save water is to use less in the garden. In one hour, a sprinkler uses the same amount of water as the average family of four uses in a day—about 632 liters. He said that gardeners should water in the evening so that it dose not evaporate in the heat of the day and that every household should have a water butt to collect rainwater for use in the garden.
1.Which of the following is NOT the advantage of installing water meters?
A．Water consumption drops.
B．It’s fairer to pay for water.
C．They’re installed for free.
D．People are more water wise.
2.The passage implies that ________.
A．water meters are welcome by British people
B．people will be better off with water meters
C．everyone has become wiser to use water now
D．saving water is both good to economy and environment
3.How many liters of water does an average family of four use in a day after installing a meter in Britain?
A．about 126 liters B．about 158 liters
C．about 506 liters D．about 632 liters
4.The underlined word “evaporate” in the last paragraph means _________.
A．change into steam and disappears
B．absorb the heat of the day
C．sink into the soil
D．turn into ice
5.According to Mr. Clarke, some good ways to save water are as follows EXCEPT ________.
A．using less on the garden
B．using a sprinkler
C．watering in the evening
D．gathering rainfall for garden use
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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The other day my aunt paid me a visit. She was overjoyed. “I got the highest mark in the mid-term examination!” She said. Don’t be surprised! My aunt is indeed a student, exactly, a college student at the age of 45.
“Compared with the late 70s,” she says, “now college students have many doors.” I was shocked when she first told me how she had had no choice in her major. Look at us today! So many doors are open to us! I believe there have never been such abundant opportunities for self-development as we have today. And my aunt told me that we should reach our goals by grasping all these opportunities.
The first door is the opportunity to study different subjects that interest us. My aunt was happy to study management, but she could also attend lectures on ancient Chinese poetry and on Shakespearean drama. As for myself, I am an English major, but I may also go to lectures on history.
The second door is the door to the outside world. Learning goes beyond classrooms and national boundaries. I have many fellow international classmates, and I am applying to an exchange program with a university abroad. As for my aunt, she is planning to get an MBA degree in the U.K.
The third door is the door to life-long learning. Many of my aunt’s contemporaries say she’s amazingly up-to-date for a middle-aged woman. She simply responds, “Age doesn’t matter. What matters is your attitude. I don’t think I’m too old to learn.” Yes, she is right. Since the government removed the age limit for college admissions, there are already some untraditional students, sitting with us in the same classrooms. Like them, my aunt is old but young in spirit with incredible energy and determination.
The doors open to us also pose challenges. For instance, we are faced with the challenge of a balanced learning, the challenge of preserving our fine tradition while learning from the West, and the challenge of learning continuously while carrying heavy responsibilities to our work and family. So, each door is a test of our courage, ability and judgment, but with the support of my teachers, parents, friends and my aunt, I believe I can meet the challenge head on.
1.Which of the following words can best replace the “door” in the passage?
A．challenge B．knowledge C．learning D．opportunity
2.What made the writher’s aunt overjoyed?
A．Having a chance to visit the writer
B．Having lots of choices in subjects
C．Getting the highest score in her exam
D．Getting admission to a university
3.Which of the following statements will the writer’s aunt agree with?
A．No pains, no gains.
B．Failure is the mother of success.
C．One is never too old to learn.
D．Rome isn’t built in a day.
4.The following word can be used to describe the writer’s aunt EXCEPT __________.
A．fashionable B．traditional C．energetic D．determined
5.Which chart shows the correct structure of the passage?
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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Good training plays an essential role in the development of an efficient workplace. Ensuring that employees receive the appropriate skills training for their job is the type of preparation that future success in business is predicated on. Seeking out experienced guidance better enables businesses to compete and succeed.
Gainful employment is made even more worthwhile with help from Train to Gain. Funded by the Government, Train to Gain is a service that’s managed by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). Its purpose is to help businesses throughout England to choose the best and most suitable training to meet the needs of their particular environment and a competitive global marketplace. Train to Gain is responsible for introducing employers to independent and experienced Skills Brokers who identify and form a range of services vital to a productive working atmosphere. These Skills Brokers offer advice, match any training needs identified with training providers and will ensure that training is delivered to meet business needs.
Train to Gain Skills Brokers review and analyze the employer’s business needs to assess what skills are needed both now and in the future. The next step is the selection of the right training providers and the choice of how and when the training is delivered. A Train to Gain Skills Broker will recommend the best funding options available to the business and Train to Gain may even provide some funding itself to organizations.
Over 43,000 companies have already engaged with the Train to Gain service. As a result, more than 175,000 employees have begun their training with over 77,000 first full Level 2 achievements over the past 12 months. By the end of 2013 it is expected that over 500,000 learners will have achieved a first full Level 2 qualification through Train to Gain. The service will increase the opportunity for employees from a low skills base to reach Level 2 and beyond.
For more information about Train to Gain, visit traintogain.gov.uk, call 0800 015 55 45 or visit a Skills Broker in your area.
1.Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
A．How to be a Successful Businessman
B．The Way to Succeed in your Business
C．Train to Gain can Help your Business Succeed
D．Good Training is Essential in Workplace
2.What’s the purpose of the author by showing us the figures in the last but one paragraph?
A．To show that Train to Gain is so good that it attracts so many employees.
B．To show the importance of receiving training from Train to Gain.
C．To tell us only by joining in Train to Gain, can you succeed.
D．To tell us Train to Gain will increase the chances for employees.
3.What’s the correct order according to the passage? Train to Gain Skills Brokers ___________.
① assess what skills are needed
② choose how and when to deliver the training
③ review and analyze the employer’s business needs
④ recommend the best funding options to the business
⑤ select the right training providers
A．③ ① ④ ⑤ ② B．③ ① ⑤ ② ④
C．① ③ ⑤ ② ④ D．① ③ ④ ② ⑤
4.Which of the following is NOT the way to get more information about Train to Gain?
A．surfing the Internet B．making a phone call
C．paying a visit D．watching TV
5.The passage most probably is a _________.
A．business report B．news story
C．business advertisement D．research report
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
