My students often tell me that they don't have "enough time" to do all their schoolwork.
     My reply is often a brief "You have as much time as the president." I usually carry on a bit about there
being twentyfour hours in the day for everyone, and suggest that "not enough time" is not an acceptable
explanation of not getting something done.
     Once in graduate school, I tried to prove to one of my professors by saying that I was working hard.
His answer to me was,"That's irrelevant (無(wú)關(guān)的)．What's important is the quality of your work." Since
then I have had time to think carefully about the "hard worker" dodge(決竅), and I have come to some
conclusions-all relevant to the problem of how much time we have.
     If you analyze the matter, you can identify two parts of the problem: There is, of course, the matter of
"time", which we can think of as fixed.Then there is the problem of "work" during that time.But, as my
professor suggested, it's not how hard one works but the quality of the product that's important.
     That led me to a new idea: the quality of the work.That concept is perhaps best explained by a sign I
once saw on the wall in someone's office:"Don't work harder.Work smarter." There is a lot of sense in that idea.
     If you can't get more time, and few of us can, the only solution is to improve the quality of the work.
That means thinking of ways to get more out of the same time than we might otherwise get.That should
lead us to an analysis of our work habits.Since "work" for students usually means "homework", the
expression "work habits" should be read as "study habits"．
     Then,as a smart student, you will seek to improve those skills that you use in study, chiefly reading and writing.If you learn to read better and write better, there are big benefits that pay off in all your studies.

1. From the passage, we know that the author is probably ________.                        
A. a poet                                                                                
B. an educator                                                                            
C. a novelist                                                                            
D. an engineer                                                                            
2. We can infer from the 2nd paragraph that we students still ________.                  
A. have enough time                                                                      
B. can meet the president                                                                
C. get everything done well                                                              
D. should accept the explanation                                                          
3. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?                              
A. The author's students make good use of their time to do all their homework.            
B. The author tried to tell the professor that he/she (the author) had done a good job.  
C. You can't improve the quality of the work if you can't get more time.                  
D. You'll try to improve your skills in reading and writing if you're a clever student.  
4. What's the passage mainly about?                                                      
A. Students don't have enough time.                                                      
B. Don't work harder; work smarter.                                                      
C. No one can get more time.                                                              
D. Read better and write better.                                                          

     More than half of rich Americans have not shown their full wealth to their children, a new survey
showed last Tuesday.
     The survey, published by the Bank of America, studied the rich with $ 3 million or more in assets. It
found that "surprisingly few of those surveyed have well－developed plans to preserve and pass on their
assets to their children."
     The majority of the 457 people surveyed are self－made, first－generation rich. Fifty－two percent of parents have chosen not to tell their children just how wealthy they are, and 15 percent have given away
othing about the family wealth. one in three parents said they had never thought to do it.
     They are worried that their children would become lazy, spend money freely, make bad decisions and
even become a target for gold diggers.
     Only 34 percent strongly agreed that their children would be able to handle any inheritance(遺產(chǎn))they
plan to leave them.
     "There is an expectation about the wealthy parents that they have a responsibility to pass down their
fortune to the next generation."said Sallie Krawcheck, president of the Bank of America Global Wealth
and investment Management."Our research, however,uncovered changing views of what one generation
owes the next."
     The trend is led by the world's richest man Bill Gates, who promised in 2008 that he would leave his
$58 billion fortune to the charity started by him and his wife, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation(基金會(huì)),and not to his children.
     "We want to give it back to society in the way that it will have the most positive impact."he said.
Of his plans for his children, Gates said:"I will give the kids some money but not a meaningful percentage...
they will need to work but they will feel reasonably taken care of."

1. We can learn from the passage that________.                                    
A. rich parents may not know how to manage their inheritance                      
B. rich parents don't equal rich kids, at least in the US                          
C. American children don't get to inherit their parents' wealth                    
D. poor children don't expect themselves to be as rich as their parents            
2. According to the survey, most rich Americans________.                          
A. think they owe their children nothing                                          
B. think it best to give their money back to society                              
C. doubt their children's ab ility to handle wealth                                
D. are confident of their children's ability to handle wealth                      
3. The underlined word"they"in Paragraph 6 refers to______.                      
A. responsible children                                                            
B. Bill Gates and his wife                                                        
C. first－generation rich                                                          
D. rich parents                                                                    
4. From the last paragraph, we can see that Bill Gates wants to show________.      
A. the trend of leaving no inheritance to children                                
B. the positive impact of charity on society                                      
C. the way of giving back to society                                              
D. the importance of independence for children                                    

     Can dogs and cats live in perfect harmony in the same home? People who are thinking about adopting a dog as a friend for their cat are worried that they will fight.A recent research has found a new recipe for
success.According to the study, if the cat is adopted before the dog, and if they are introduced when still
young (less than 6 months for cats, a year for dogs), it is highly probable that the two pets will get along
swimmingly.Twothirds of the homes interviewed reported a positive relationship between their cat and dog.
However, it wasn't all sweetness and light.There was a reported coldness between the cat and dog in 25% of the homes, while aggression and fighting were observed in 10% of the homes.One reason for this is
probably that some of their body signals are just opposite.For example, when a cat turns its head away it
signals aggression, while a dog doing the same signals submission.
     In homes with cats and dogs living peacefully,  researchers observed a surprising behavior.They are
learning how to talk in each other's language.It is a surprise that cats can learn how to talk 'Dog', and dogs can learn how to talk 'Cat'.
     What's interesting is that both cats and dogs have appeared to develop their intelligence.They can learn to read each other's body signals, suggesting that the two may have more in common than was previously
suspected.Once familiar with each other's presence and body language, cats and dogs can play together,
greet each other nose to nose, and enjoy sleeping together on the sofa.They can easily share the same
water bowl and in some cases groom (梳理) each other.
     The significance of this research on cats and dogs may go beyond pets-to people who don't get along,
including neighbors, colleagues at work, and even world superpowers.If cats and dogs can learn to get
along, surely people have a good chance.

1. The underlined word "swimmingly" in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ________.
A. early                                                                              
B. sweetly                                                                            
C. quickly                                                                            
D. smoothly                                                                          
2. Some cats and dogs may fight when ________.                                        
A. they are cold to each other                                                        
B. they look away from each other                                                    
C. they misunderstand each other's signals                                            
D. they are introduced at an early age                                                
3. What is found surprising about cats and dogs?                                      
A. They eat and sleep together.                                                      
B. They observe each other's behaviors.                                              
C. They learn to speak each other's language.                                        
D. They know something from each other's voices.                                      
4. It is suggested in Paragraph 4 that cats and dogs ________.                        
A. have common interests                                                              
B. are less different than was thought                                                
C. have a common body language                                                        
D. are less intelligent than was expected                                            

     It took me more than 10 years to realize that the world has no shortage of fashion (時(shí)尚) designers
who have the ability to make trendy and elegant garments, but that it is badly in need of, simply, clothes
designers. My own definitions would set fashion and clothing greatly apart. It is a fact that, in the shopping malls, there are plenty of beautiful garments whose unpredictability makes our life colorful and interesting. You are almost convinced: You can buy whatever you dare to think.
      There is no doubt that fashion designers are usually with high qualifications. They study fashion trends, select colors, and make sure the final production of their designs is done properly. However, as
experience grew with age, my attraction to arts became ever stronger. I have a strong desire for clothing
to stand as does paint to the painter, as does stone to the sculptor, as a simple and particular language of
an individual creation, which draws the audience from an appreciation of the surface to deeper thoughts
with the world of the soul. I believe that the most meaningful creative motives should arise through caring
for other people, the great care of humanity-a concern for human feeling and spirituality. This includes
love, but it is bigger than love, and it is unconditional. I believe the greatest works of art can touch the
deepest and strongest parts of human feelings and the world of the spirit, and only these works can be
the memories of history, preserving the most valuable feelings that have ever existed, and inspiring a
greater awareness of ourselves.
     I am not satisfied if people only appreciate clothing if it merely satisfies their desire. I believe clothing
could be a specific creative language for communicating ideas and thoughts, for inspiring you and shaping
your behavior. Those clothes fashioned out of necessity possess a power that can continue to exist across
the ages. This is what I have tried to achieve, the clothing to return to its original simplicity, the clothing to
help people regain the natural sense. The true fashion today should not follow the trends. It should instead uncover the extraordinary in the ordinary, for I believe the pleasure you get from the clothing is not its
price, but its spirit.

1. According to the writer, most fashion designers are ______.  

A. lack of imagination    
B. deep in thought
C. unproductive      
D. trendy

2. By saying "This includes love" in Paragraph 2, the writer regards "love" as ______. 

A. a very important part of the spiritual world
B. what can be achieved through the works of hand
C. one of the most meaningful creative motivations
D. a form of concern for human feeling and spirituality

3. The writer indicates that the primitive clothes are made as a result of ______. 

A. respect for nature      
B. spiritual value
C. necessity        
D. simplicity

4. What is the main idea of the passage? 

A. Humanity is fundamental in fashion design.
B. The growing fashion trends present human interest.
C. Designers must concern for the desire of consumers.
D. Fashion clothes have close relations with earth predictions.

     In my thirty years as a Time Management speaker, I have observed a lot of what we can and should
not do to increase our daily result. Time Management is not necessarily working harder, but quicker and
smarter. Sometimes our mistakes will keep us from running at a full pace. Here are the top four Time
Management mistakes we should all avoid to help us to increase our daily success.
     a). Start your day without a plan of action. If so, you will have worked hard but may not have done
enough of right things. Time Management is not doing the wrong things quicker. Time Management is
doing the right things.
     b). Work with a messy(雜亂的) desk or work areas. Studies have shown that the person who works with a messy desk spends one and a half hours per day looking for things. If you have ever visited the
office of a top manager, who is working with a clean desk environment, you will find that the manager
works effectively(有效地).
     c). Don't get enough sleep. Studies show that nearly 75% of us complain on a regular basis, all
throughout our days, that we are tired. For most people, they get the quantity of sleep, but they lack the
quality of sleep. Their days are filled with so much stress that they are out of control, working harder but
maybe not smarter, that it's difficult to get a full night's sleep.
     d). Don't take a lunch break. Many do not take a lunch break, working through that period in the
hopes that it will give them more time to produce results. Studies have shown it may work just the
opposite. After doing what we do for several hours, we start to feel tired. A lunch break, even short,
gives us a chance to get our energy back again.

1. The purpose of this passage is to __________.

A. show how to become a speaker
B. explain the importance of Time Management
C. persuade us to get rid of bad habits
D. tell us to avoid Time Management mistakes

2.  We may know from the passage that Time Management is about ____________ . 

A. how to deal with a lunch break
B. how to get the quality of sleep 
C. how to do right things quicker and smarter
D. how to avoid doing the wrong things

3. What can we learn from the passage?  

A. Working with a plan of action can save one and a half hours per day.
B. Studies have shown that most people work with a messy desk.
C. People can't get a full night's sleep mainly because of too much stress.
D. The longer a lunch break is, the more efficiently people will work.

4. The author holds the following opinions EXCEPT ____________.

A. Time waits for no man.
B. Good order leads to great success.
C. A year's plan starts with spring.
D. No rest, no work.

     If you have mice in your house, you are not alone. ____1____ Having mice doesn't mean your house
is dirty. It is one of the challenges of every house owner.
     When we are trying to catch a mouse, the first that comes to our mind is a mouse trap(夾子).
___2_  __ Mice travel along walls for safety. Don’t touch the trap too much because you will leave your
smell on it.
     ___  3  ___ Usually, mice will not visit your house when they hear there is a cat inside. It will also help you fight against the mice.
     Be careful when using poison(毒藥) to kill the mice. ____4____ It's dangerous because the mice may
touch your food and pollute it.
     Mice can get into the houses through tiny holes. The best way to have a mouse-free house is to close
any possible entry(入口).
     ___  5       _If there is nothing there for them to eat, they won't possibly stay.
A. Keep a cat as a pet in your house.
B. Cheese is the favorite food of mice.
C. Every house may have mice for some reason.
D. Leave the poison out of your children's reach.
E. Don't leave even a small piece of food outside.
F. It will kill them, but you may not be able to find the dead mice.
G. Put a small piece of cheese under the trap, and put it near the wall.

     After being laid off from her job, Ann Bauer struggled financially. She worked at several lower-paid jobs,
relocated to a new city and even declared bankruptcy. Then in December, she finally moved back into her
parents' home at age 52. "I'm back living in the bedroom that I grew up in," she said.
     Taking shelter with parents isn't uncommon for young people, especially when the job market is poor.
But now the declining economy is forcing some children to do so later in life-even at middle age.
     Financial planners report receiving many calls from parents seeking advice about taking in their grown
children after divorces and lay-offs. Kim Erickson, a financial planner in California, said she has never seen
older children, even those at 50, depending so much on their parents as in the last six months."These are
40-and-50-year-old children of my clients that they're helping out. We have a hard time saying no as a culture
to our children, and they keep asking for more," she said.
     Bauer's parents won't take rent money. She's trying to save several hundred dollars a month for a house
while working as a meeting coordinator. Bauer would prefer to live on her own, but without her parents' help,
she would "probably be renting again," she said."Buying groceries for another person isn't stretching my
budget too much," said her mother, Shirley Smith, aged 80.
     Parents usually feel guilty if they don't offer help. But a large number of well-meaning parents must delay
retirement or scale back their dreams because they have to help their children, Erickson said. And the sliding
economy might threaten their jobs.
     "I almost have to act like a financial therapist," she said to Shirley. "Here is the line I'm drawing for you.
That's fine. You can do up to this point, but at this point, now you're starting to erode ( 損害 ) your own
wealth."

1. From the passage, we can learn that _____.

A. middle-aged people even have fewer job opportunities than young people
B. few of American young people live with their parents
C. the rate of divorce in America is obviously on the increase
D. many parents are at a loss on dealing with grown children

2. How did Ann Bauer's parents act after learning about her situation?

A. They at first refused but finally allowed her to move back.
B. They didn't hesitate to invite her back home.
C. They allowed her back on condition that she bought groceries.
D. They preferred her to love on her own because of their tight budget.

3. What attitude does Erickson have towards aged parents helping their grown children?

A. She thinks it unnecessary.
B. She is in favor of it.
C. She thinks parents should be more careful with their savings.
D. Parents shouldn't feel guilty when failing to help their children.

4. What is the main idea of the passage?

A. American culture has an effect on the relationship between parents and children.
B. Children's dependence on their parents is increasing.
C. Sliding economy forces grown-ups to move to their parents' home.
D. Supporting grown children may put their parents' financial freedom at risk.

     Dr. Jack M. Gwaltney, Jr. a professor at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, infected
six student volunteers with virus, the most common cause of colds. A few days later, when they were
coughing and sneezing, he gathered 37 more people and divided them into three groups. Group 1
members spent three days and nights in the same room with one of the infected students, separated
by a screen so they couldn't touch one another. Group 2 sat around a table while an infected volunteer
talked, coughed and sang to them. Group 3 held hands with an infected student for ten seconds, and
then touched their own noses or eyes.
     Although most scientists at the time, the mid-70s, believed colds were spread by virus-laden
droplets spread through the air when infected people coughed or sneezed, Gwaltney suspected
physical contact might play an important role. Sure enough, of the 15 people who had touched a
student volunteer, 11 became infected-compared with only one of those who had been sitting at the
table, and none who had spent three days and nights together.
     "The best evidence we have is that hand-to-hand contact is the most efficient way of transmitting
virus," says Gwaltney. The study was one of a series that helped establish Gwaltney's reputation as
a leading authority. Dr. Robert Couch says, "It would not be inappropriate to call him Mr. Common
Cold."
     When Gwaltney is asked how close scientists are to finding a cure, he replies: "If you mean 'get
rid of', I don't think we're going to be able to do that with cold viruses any time soon. But if you
look in the dictionary, you'll see that 'cure' is explained as a successful treatment. And we're not just
getting more effective at treating the symptoms (癥狀)-we're getting at the root cause too. "

1. Dr. Jack M. Gwaltney conducted the experiment in order to__________.

A. find out the most common cause of colds
B. infect the student volunteer
C. find out the role physical contact plays in the common colds
D. find out the role virus-laden air plays in the infection of colds

2. The result of the experiment shows that _________ plays an important role in the infection of colds.

A. sneezing at the infected person
B. touching the infected person
C. sitting together with the infected person
D. talking with the infected person

3. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Dr. Gwaltney was sure that hand-to-hand touch is the cause of the common cold.
B. Only one of the people who had spent three days and nights together became infected.
C. Dr. Gwaltney conducted many an experiment as to the cause of colds.
D. Dr. Gwaltney tested altogether 43 volunteers to see how they could develop colds.

4. Mr. Common Cold is______.

A. a newly-found virus
B. a nickname (綽號(hào)) of respect to Dr. Gwaltney
C. a method to cure colds
D. a way by which the other scientists laughed at Dr. Gwaltney

5. When Dr. Gwaltney gives a reply in the end of the passage, he means that______.

A. they have found the fundamental cause of colds
B. they have managed to wipe out the cold viruses
C. they have meant to experiment more
D. they have made much progress in dealing with colds

     We live in a very competitive world. Everybody seems to be competing with someone at
some level. Each week we spend hours playing or watching others compete in sporting activities
all over the world. We cannot help being impressed by the level of excellence that these people
achieve.
     In sport and business, competition encourages excellence in performance. Where there is no
competition, improvement in performance is less likely. Some level of competition is a have-to in
all aspects of life.
     The following story makes this point.
     As two friends are hiking in the forest they encounter a huge, ferocious and obviously hungry
Grizzly Bear. Its next meal has just come into sight, and they are it! The first friend calculates that
the bear will overtake them in 27.3 seconds. At that point, she panics; realizing there is no escape.
She faces her friend, with the fear of death in her eyes. To her amazement, she observes that her
friend is not scared at all. To the contrary, her friend is quickly but calmly taking off her hiking boots
and putting on jogging shoes. "What do you think you're doing?" the first hiker says to her companion,
"You'll never be able to outrun that grizzly." "That's true," says the companion, "but all I have to do
is outrun you."
     We all compete when the motivation is strong enough. However, competition is not the real
purpose of life. Fulfilling the measure of our creation can only be achieved individually.
     Most of time, we are not in competition with any other person, so we do not have to compare
ourselves with others. There is only one person that can fulfill our role and that is us. This means
that others cannot beat us to the finish line because there is no race. This is not to say that others
do not have a similar role to us, but it is never the same. This is important to understand if we are
going to enjoy life. Every human being is unique and cannot be duplicated. In this, I am not referring
to the body, only to the spirit, soul, or the essence of a person.

1. The first 4 paragraphs tell us that competition        

A. is necessary though harmful
B. only exists in sports and business
C. is unavoidable and beneficial
D. is a fight against oneself

2. Why is the story of two friends told in the passage?

A. To advise friends to be loyal even in competition.
B. To expose the weak side of friendship when tested.
C. To support the author's own argument on competition.
D. To offer evidence of necessary competition in life.

3. From the last two paragraphs we learn that           .

A. competition plays an important role in social development
B. we don't have to compete since we are all different
C. we have to beat others in order to survive
D. there is more to life than just competition

4. As a whole the passage advises the readers to       .

A. realize we are living in a world of competition
B. face competition in a balanced state of mind
C. have a strong sense of being a possible winner
D. value friendship however fierce competition may be