Many years ago, when I was fresh out of school and working in Denver, I was driving to my parents' home in Missouri for Christmas. I stopped at a gas station(加油站) about 50 miles from Oklahoma City, where I was planning to stop and visit a friend. While I was standing in line at the cash register(收款台), I said hello to an older couple who were also paying for gas.
I took off, but had gone only a few miles when black smoke poured from the back of my car. I stopped and wondered what I should do. A car pulled up behind me. It was the couple I had spoken to at the gas station. They said they would take me to my friend's. We chatted on the way into the city, and when I got out of the car, the husband gave me his business card.
I wrote him and his wife a thank-you note for helping me. Soon afterward, I received a Christmas present from them. Their note that came with it said that helping me had made their holidays meaningful.
Years later, I drove to a meeting in a nearby town in the morning. In late afternoon I returned to my car and found that I'd left the lights on all day, and the battery(电池) was dead. Then I noticed that the Friendly Ford dealership — a shop selling cars — was right next door. I walked over and found two salesmen in the showroom.
"Just how friendly is Friendly Ford?" I asked and explained my trouble. They quickly drove a pickup truck to my car and started it. They would accept no payment, so when I got home, I wrote them a note to say thanks. I received a letter back from one of the salesmen. No one had ever taken the time to write him and say thank you, and it meant a lot, he said.
"Thank you" — two powerful words. They're easy to say and mean so much.
1.The author planned to stop at Oklahoma City ________.
A. to visit a friend
B. to see his parents
C. to pay at the cash register
D. to have more gas for his car
2.The words “took off” underlined in Paragraph 2 mean “________”.
A. turned off B. moved off C. put up D. set up
3.What happened when the author found smoke coming out of his car?
A. He had it pulled back to the gas station.
B. The couple sent him a business card.
C. The couple offered to help him.
D. He called his friend for help.
4.The battery of the author’s car was dead because ________.
A. something went wrong with the lights
B. the meeting lasted a whole day
C. he forgot to turn off the lights
D. he drove too long a distance
5.By telling his own experiences, the author tries to show ________.
A. how to write a thank-you letter
B. how to deal with car problems
C. the kind-heartedness of older people
D. the importance of expressing thanks
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Facial expressions carry meaning that is determined by situations and relationships. For example, in American culture the smile is in general an expression of pleasure. Yet it also has other uses. A woman’s smile at a police officer does not carry the same meaning as the smile she gives to a young child. A smile may show love or politeness. It can also hide true feelings. It often causes confusion across cultures. For example, many people in Russia consider smiling at strangers in public to be unusual and even improper. Yet many Americans smile freely at strangers in public places (although this is less common in big cities). Some Russians believe that Americans smile in the wrong places; some Americans believe that Russians don’t smile enough. In Southeast Asian cultures, a smile is frequently used to cover painful feelings. Vietnamese people may tell a sad story but end the story with a smile.
Our faces show emotions, but we should not attempt to “read” people from another culture as we would “read” someone from our own culture. The fact that members of one culture do not express their emotions as openly as members of another culture, but it does not mean that they do not experience emotions. Rather, there are cultural differences in the amount of facial expressiveness permitted. For example, in public and in formal situations many Japanese do not show their emotions as freely as Americans do. When with friends, Japanese and Americans seem to show their emotions similarly.
It is difficult to conclude about Americans and facial expressiveness because of personal and cultural differences in the United States. People from certain cultural backgrounds in the United States seem to be more facially expressive than others. The key is to try not to judge people whose ways of showing emotion are different. If we judge according to our own cultural habits, we may make the mistake of “reading” the other person incorrectly.
1.The author mentions the smile of the Vietnamese to prove that smile can ________.
A. show friendliness to strangers
B. be used to hide true feelings
C. be used in the wrong places
D. show personal habits
2.What should we do before attempting to “read” people?
A. Learn about their relations with others.
B. Understand their cultural backgrounds.
C. Find out about their past experience.
D. Figure out what they will do next.
3.What would be the best title for the test?
A. Cultural Differences
B. Smiles and Relationships
C. Facial Expressiveness
D. Habits and Emotions
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Thomas Edison was one of ten said to be the greatest genius（天才） of his age. There are only a few men in all of the history, who have changed the lives of other men as much as the inventor of the first useful electric light. But Edison could never be happy only because someone said he was a genius. “There is no such thing as genius,” Edison said. He said that what people called genius was mostly hard work.
But Edison was a dreamer as well as a worker. From his earliest days as a child he wondered about the secrets of nature. Nature, he often said, is full of secrets. He tried to understand them; then, he tried to learn what could usefully be done with them.
Edison enjoyed thinking. He knew that most people will do almost anything instead of the difficult work of thinking, especially if they do not think very often. But he knew, too, that thinking can give men enjoyment and pleasure.
Edison could not understand how anyone could be uninterested in life. As he loved to think, he also loved to work. On the day he became 75 years old, someone asked him what ideas he had about life. “Work,” he answered. “Discovering the secrets of nature and using them to make men happier.” He said he had enough inventions in his mind to give him another 100 years of work.
1.Edison thought ________.
A. he could be happy if he was a genius
B. genius plays the most important part in one’s success
C. hard work could do better than genius
D. genius could do better than hard work
2.In Edison’s opinion, ________.
A. thinking can supply people with enjoyment and pleasure as well as help
B. people’s success lies mostly in genius
C. hard work is the second important thing in making people successful
D. there are few secrets for him to discover later
3.The last sentence in the passage most probably implies(暗示） ________.
A. life is too short for Edison to invent more for human beings
B. Edison made 100 inventions in his life
C. Edison was able to live and work for 100 years
D. people of his time were ready to give Edison another 100 years’ work
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Is There Life on Earth?
There was great excitement on the planet of Venus(金星) this week. For the first time Venusian scientists managed to land a satellite on the planet Earth, and it has been sending back signals as well as photographs ever since.
The satellite was directed into an area known as Manhattan (named after the great Venusian astronomer Prof. Manhattan, who first discovered it with his telescope 20,000 light years ago).
Because of excellent weather conditions and extremely strong signals, Venusian
scientists were able to get valuable information as to feasibility (可行性) of a manned flying saucer (碟) landing on Earth. A press conference was held at the Venus Institute of Technology.
“We have come to the conclusion, based on last week’s satellite landing,” Prof. Zog said, “that there is no life on Earth.”
“How do you know this?” the science reporter of the Venus Evening Star asked.
“For one thing, Earth’s surface in the area of Manhattan is made up of solid concrete and nothing can grow there. For another, the atmosphere is filled with carbon monoxide (一氧化碳) and other deadly gases and nobody could possibly breathe the air and survive.”
“What does this mean as far as our flying saucer program is concerned?”
“We shall have to take our own oxygen with us, which means a much heavier flying saucer than originally planned.”
“Are there any other dangers that you discovered in your studies?”
“Take a look at this photo. You see this dark black cloud hovering(盘旋) over the surface of Earth? We call this the Consolidated Edison Belt. We don’t know what it is made of, but it could give us a lot of trouble and we shall have to make further tests before we send a Venus Being there.”
“Over here you will notice what seems to be a river, but the satellite findings indicate it is polluted and the water is unfit to drink. This means we shall have to carry our own water, which will add even greater weight to the saucer.”
“Sir, what are all those tiny black spots on the photographs?”
“We are not certain. They seem to be metal particles(粒子) that move along certain paths. They emit gases, make noise and keep crashing into each other. There are so many of these paths and so many metal particles that it is impossible to land a flying saucer without its being smashed by one”.
“What are those stalagmite(石笋) projections sticking up?”
“They are some of granite formations that give off light at night. Prof. Glom has named them skyscrapers since they seem to be scraping the skies. ”
“If all you say is true, won’t this set back the flying saucer program several years?”
“Yes, but we shall continue as soon as the Grubstart gives us the added funds.”
Prof. Zog, why are we spending billions and billions of zilches to land a flying saucer on Earth when there is no life there?
“Because if we Venusians can learn to breathe in an Earth atmosphere, then we can live anywhere.”
1.According to Prof. Zog, the Venusians will have to take their own oxygen with them when they carry out their flying saucer program because ________.
A. they need it on their way to the planet of earth
B. the earth’s atmosphere is filled with deadly gases
C. oxygen is far from enough in the area of Manhattan
D. there is no air on the planet of Earth
2.The “dark black cloud” in the 10th paragraph indicates ________.
A. the polluted air hovering over the surface of Earth
B. the mass of tiny drops of water floating above Earth
C. the mass of small things moving through the air
D. the dark clouds gathering before a storm breaks
3.The author wishes to call our attention to the fact that ________.
A. modern man has polluted his environment to such an extent that he may destroy himself if he carries on like this
B. there is no point in spending billions and billions of zilches to land a flying saucer on Earth
C. pollution has become so serious a problem on Earth that even Venusians find life there unbearable
D. it is difficult, if not altogether impossible, to land a manned flying saucer on Earth
4.The tone of this essay is ________.
A. hopeless and objective
B. serious and critical (批评的)
C. humorous and satirical (讽刺的)
D. sensitive and subjective
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
Do you want to improve the way you study? Do you feel nervous before a test? Many students say that a lack of concentration is their biggest problem.1.
If so, use these tips to help you.
Study Techniques
2.You shouldn’t sit somewhere that you use for another purpose. For example, you always study at the desk, but when you sit on a sofa to study, your brain will think it is time to relax.
Before sitting down to study, bring together all the equipment you need.3.
If your study desk or table is needed when you are not studying, store all your equipment in a box beside it.
Don’t try to do a lot of things in one study period.4.If you need a break, stand up and walk around for a few minutes, but try not to telephone a friend or have something to eat.
Test-taking skills
All your hard work will be for nothing if you are too nervous or tired to take your test. Getting plenty of rest is very important.5.
When you arrive in the examination room, find your seat and sit down. Breathe slowly and deeply. Check the time on the clock during the test, but not too often.
A. Don’t watch TV while you are studying.
B. Finish one thing before beginning another.
C. You should always study in the same place.
D. It is a better idea to have a long-term study plan.
E. This means that you mustn’t study all night before you test.
F. It has a negative influence on their study and their test results.
G. If you are studying English, have textbooks, pens and a dictionary at hand.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
I used to be a very self-centered person, but in the past two years I have really changed. I have started to think about other people ________ I think about myself. I am happy that I am becoming a ________ person.
I think my ________ started when I was at Palomar College. At first, I just wanted to get my ________ and be left alone. I thought I was smarter than everyone else, so I hardly ever ________ to anyone in my classes. By the end of my first semester, I was really ________. It seemed as if everyone but me had made friends and was having fun. So tried a(n) ________. I started asking people around me how they were doing, and if they were having trouble I ________ to help. That was really a big ________ for me. By the end of the year, I had several new friends, and two of ________ are still my best friends today. A bigger cause of my new ________, however, came when I took a part-time job at a Vista Nursing Home. One old lady there who had Alzheimer’s disease became my ________. Every time I came into her room, she was so ________ because she thought I was her daughter. Her real daughter never ________ her, so I took her place. She let me ________ that making others feel good make me feel good, too, when she died, I was ________, but I was very grateful to her.
I think I am a much ________ person today than I used to be, and I hope I will not ________ these experiences. They have ________ me to care about other people more than about myself. I ________ who I am today, and I could not say that a few years ago.
1.A. since B. or C. before D. unless
2.A. famous B. simple C. different D. skilled
3.A. education B. change C. tour D. career
4.A. balance B. homework C. degree D. interest
5.A. reported B. wrote C. lied D. talked
6.A. careful B. lonely C. curious D. guilty
7.A. experiment B. game C. argument D. defense
8.A. dared B. offered C. hesitated D. happened
9.A. dream B. problem C. duty D. step
10.A. us B. them C. which D. whom
11.A. hope B. hobby C. attitude D. luck
12.A. friend B. partner C. guide D. guest
13.A. polite B. happy C. strange D. confident
14.A. bothered B. answered C. visited D. trusted
15.A. explain B. see C. declare D. guess
16.A. homeless B. hopeless C. bad-tempered D. heartbroken
17.A. quieter B. busier C. better D. richer
18.A. improve B. face C. forget D. analyze
19.A. forced B. preferred C. ordered D. taught
20.A. like B. miss C. wonder D. expect
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
The pressures of 1.(provide) full-time care for a loved one with a learning disability can be felt throughout the whole family. When I was younger, I remembered my parents taking 2.(turn) to look after Frances until she fell asleep,3. was usually around 5 am. As my parents got more hopeless, I felt I 4.(have) to take a turn and give them a break. But every morning 5. fail, after endless nights of no sleep, my 6. (tire) dad would still be ready at 5 am to take me to swimming practice. It is a miracle 7. under such stress and pressure, my mum and dad have always remained calm and loving with Frances, with me, and most incredibly with each other.
It’s 8. (absolute) heartbreaking to see families 9. (tear) apart because they are not getting the short breaks they badly need. MENCAP is asking the government to make sure that any money they invest 10. (spend) on these services. They are also calling on councils to make sure that they reach out early to families caring for a son or daughter with a learning disability.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
短文改错
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线〔\〕划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
I used to feel sleepy in class and I couldn’t focus to my lessons. As a result, not only did I do badly in our studies, but also my health went from bad to worse, for that I was often scolded by my parents. I decide to change my situation. Half a year ago, followed my teacher’s advice, I began to join some sports activities. I now play the basketball for 45 minutes every day. My health has improved, but at the same time, I’ve made lots of progresses in my studies. Physical exercise has changed me into an entire new person.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
加拿大高中生David在互联网上登出启事，希望结识一位中国朋友，以便学习中国的语言、文化。假设你是李华，请在看到这则启事后，用英文给David发一封电子邮件，主要内容包括：
1. 你怎样得知David的愿望；
2. 你愿意成为他的朋友；
3. 你打算如何帮助他；
4. 你盼望他的回复。
注意事项：1电子邮件的格式已为你写好。2.词数：100词左右。
Dear David,
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
Yours sincerely,
Li hua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析