I'm seventeen. I had worked as a box boy at a supermarket in Los Angeles. People came to the
counter (柜臺) and you put things in their bags for them. And carried things to their cars. It was hard
work.
   While working, you wear a plate with your name on it. I once met someone I knew years ago. I
remembered his name and said, "Mr Castle, how are you?" We talked about this and that. As he left,
he said, "It was nice talking to you, Brett." I felt great, he remembered me. Then I looked down at my
name plate. Oh, no. He didn't remember me at all, he just read the name plate. I wish I had put "Irving"
down on my name plate. If he'd have said, "Oh yes, Irving, how could I forget you?" I'd have been ready
for him. There's nothing personal here.
    The manager and everyone else who were a step above the box boys often shouted orders. One of
these was: you couldn't accept tips. Okay, I'm outside and I put the bags in the car. For a lot of people,
the natural reaction (反應) is to take a quarter and give it to me. I'd say, "I'm sorry, I can't." They'd get
angry. When you give someone a tip, you're sort of being polite. You take a quarter and you put it in
their hand and you expect them to say, "Oh, thanks a lot." When you say, "I'm sorry, I can't." they feel
a little put down . They say, "No one will know." And they put it in your pocket. You say, "I really can't."
It gets to a point where you almost have to hurt a person physically (身體上) to prevent him from tipping
you. It was not in agreement with the store's belief in being friendly. Accepting tips was a friendly thing
and made the customer feel good. I just couldn't understand the strangeness of some people's ideas. One
lady actually put it in my pocket, got in the car, and drove away. I would have had to throw the quarter
at her or eaten it or something.
   I had decided that one year was enough. Some people needed the job to stay alive and fed. I guess I
had the means and could afford to hate it and give it up.

1. What can be the best title for this text? 

A. How Hard Life Is for Box Boys        
B. Getting along with Customers 
C. Why I Gave up My Job                  
D. The Art of Taking Tips

2. From the second paragraph, we can infer (推斷) that ________. 

A. the writer didn't like the impersonal part of his job 
B. with a name plate, people can easily start talking 
C. Mr Castle mistook Irving for Brett 
D. Irving was the writer's real name

3. The box boy refused to accept tips because ________. 

A. customers only gave small tips 
B. some customers had strange ideas about tipping 
C. the store didn't allow the box boys to take tips 
D. he didn't want to fight with the customers

4. The underlined phrase "put down" in the third paragraph probably means ________. 

A. misunderstood    
B. defeated      
C. hateful        
D. hurt

     根據(jù)短文內容,從短文后的選項中選出能填入空白處的最佳選項.選項中的兩項為多余選項

     No fight can end, and no friendship can move on, until everyone says these little words: I'm sorry.
Sometimes, though, they can be difficult to say,  1  .
     It's not about winning.
    Friendships aren't like the Super Bowl, and there should never be a winner and a loser. When you start
fighting with a friend, it may feel important that you "win" the fight by proving you're right and he is wrong, or by making him be the first to apologize.
        2  
    You may have heard the expression "His pride stood in the way." It is usually used to describe a
person who is so determined to be"right"that he lets an opportunity for happiness pass him by forever.
   3   Remember: as time goes on, we usually forget who was right and who was wrong in a disagreement, and only remember the sadness of losing a friend.
   Take the first step.
    Are you sick of fighting? Do you think this fight is just not important enough to ruin your friendship?
  4   You don't have to take full responsibility for starting the fight, or even say that your feelings were
wrong. But you should find something you did or said that's worth apologizing for. Maybe you're sorry
that you let the fight go for so long, of that you overreacted(反應過度的) to something your friend did.
If you say you are sorry, it's like an invitation for your friend to do the same.      5  

A. Then try to be the first to apologize.
B. Stop thinking about your pride.
C .It's about taking some resposibility for the argument.
D. Don't let this happen to a friendship you care about.
E. Here are some things to keep in mind.
F. There are some special cases when you shouldn't be the one to apologize first.
G. Once you've both said it, you'll both feel a million times better.

      Most people want to be happy, but few know how to find happiness. Money and success alone do
not bring lasting happiness. Aristotle, a Greek thinker, said, " Happiness depends upon ourselves." In
other words, we make our own happiness. Here are a few suggestions to help you be happier.
     The first secret of happiness is to enjoy the simple things in life. Too often, we spend so much time
thinking about future - for example, getting into college or getting a good job - that we fail to enjoy the
present. You should enjoy life's simple pleasures, such as reading a good book, listening to your favorite
music, or spending time with close friends. People who have several close friends often live happier and
healthier lives.
      Another secret to living a happy life is to be active, and have hobbies where you forget your problems and time. Many people experience this dancing, or playing a sport, such as swimming. You can forget
about your problems, and only think about the activity. Finally, many people find happiness in helping
others. Studies show that people feel good when they spend their time helping others. If you want to feel
happier, do good things for someone. You can help a friend with his or her studies, go shopping to buy
food for an elderly person, or simply help out around the house by washing the dishes.

1. The best title of the passage is ___________.

A. Money Make You Happy                
B. The Secrets of Happiness
C. Ideas for Helping Other People to Be Happy  
D. Good Friends Make You Happy

2. The writer thinks that _____________

A. everyone knows how to live a happier life
B. it's wrong to spend time on work
C. hobbies take up too much time
D. doing good things for someone can make you happier.

3. Which of the following is not mentioned in the passage?

A. Reading a good book                
B. Traveling to a foreign country
C. Playing a sport                      
D. Spending time with close friends

     When you do some minor image editing (修正) on your computer screen, you may make some
mistakes, so from time to time you'd click undo (撤消).
     There are things in life we cannot undo as easily and completely as we would with our computer
files. A wrong turn, a hurtful word said to a loved one, a bad move - these we all commit as we walk
our life's journeys, no matter how careful we are in our steps. Once committed, we can no longer undo
many of these mistakes, especially because unlike with our computer documents, each thing we do and
say has vast impact as they involve not just us - the file that we are working on - but also others, the
unopened files and computer programs in our system.
     So I guess our life's mistakes are not like our pencil scrawls (潦草書寫) that can be effectively
corrected with an eraser, or errors on our computer works that can be undone with an undo button.
But there are effective and reliable tools we can use-APOLOGY and FORGIVENESS. Simply click
the APOLOGY button when you have committed a mistake that has hurt a loved one and the words
"I'm Sorry" will flash on the other person's screen. But, you have to be truly sorry and you must be
prepared not to commit the same mistake again for your APOLOGY to work. Sincerity is definitely a
necessary part.
     When someone clicks the APOLOGY button and the words "I'm sorry" flash on your screen, all
you have to do is click back the FORGIVENESS (原諒) button. It means that you have wholeheartedly
accepted the other person's APOLOGY. But not only that. You also have to click it when someone has
sent you back the message "It's okay. Forget about it.". It means that you are also forgiving yourself for
your mistake; that you won't keep feeling so bad having committed it.
      And lastly, don't forget to keep clicking the SAVE button. Going through the whole process of
editing-of doing and undoing, of apologizing and forgiving - is useless if you fail to save the LESSON for
future use. Let the saved file be a reminder of the healing process you once went through to make
yourself better; for you not to forget the lesson; and for others to access and learn from.

1. Which of the following is TRUE?

A. However careful we are, we still make mistakes in life.
B. Things we do and say can affect computer programs in our system.
C. We can undo life's mistakes if we are careful enough.
D. An eraser is an effective tool for our computer works.

2. The APOLOGY button should be clicked when ________.

A. one wants to make the computer work perfectly
B. one's mistakes won't influence others any more
C. one is actually saying "I'm sorry"
D. one won't make the same mistake again

3. What does the underlined word "it" in Paragraph 4 refer to?

A. The UNDO button.
B. The APOLOGY button.
C. The SAVE button.
D. The FORGIVENESS button.

4. We need to click the SAVE button in life because ________.

A. we want to go through the whole process of editing
B. we need to learn a lesson from the past mistakes
C. we want to make the healing process faster
D. we need to use the computer properly

                                                     The Meanings of Dreams
     Sleep and dreams have interested people for centuries. Scientists are learning more about sleep, but
they still know very little about why we dream. 
       1   First, we have most of our dreams during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. At this time, the
brain is very active. Second, everyone dreams - even if we cannot remember doing so when we awaken.
    2   While we are asleep, it works more slowly and sometimes puts our thoughts and memories together
in strange ways. 
        3   Some believe that our dreams are associated with thoughts and feelings that we experience
while we are awake. Many dream researchers think that a dream about death, for example, is really
about an important life change.    4   Dreams about a car or travel often represent feelings about your
own life. Dreams about teeth - especially broken or loose ones may indicate stress and fear. Dreams in
which you are flying often represent freedom or escape.
    Researchers think people in our dreams can tell us something about ourselves. If the person in the
dream was yelling (叫喊), for example, maybe you are angry.    5  
    There is still a lot about dreaming that we do not understand. By learning more about our dreams, we
may learn more about ourselves.

A. Dreams may be more important than sleep.
B. Scientists do not know for certain why we dream.
C. If he or she was terrified, then maybe you are afraid of something.
D. Modern research can tell us some important things about dreams.
E. There are three things you should pay attention to to have a sweet dream.
F. Finally, a part of our brain helps us to understand daily experiences we have.
G. Dreams about telephones are thought to be about giving or receiving an important message.

     Honey from the African forest is not only a kind of natural sugar, it is also delicious.
     Most people, and many animals, like eating it. However, the only way for them to get that
honey is to find a wild bees' nest and take the honey from it. Often, these nests are high up in
trees, and it is difficult to find them. In parts of Africa, though, people and animals looking for
honey have a strange and unexpected helper - a little bird called a honey guide.
      The honey guide does not actually like honey, but it does like the wax in the beehives (蜂房).
The little bird cannot reach this wax, which is deep inside the bees' nest. So, when it finds a suitable
nest, it looks for someone to help it. The honey guide gives a loud cry that attracts the attention of
both passing animals and people. Once it has their attention, it flies through the forest, waiting from
time to time for the curious animal or person as it leads them to the nest. When they finally arrive at
the nest, the follower reaches in to get at the delicious honey as the bird patiently waits and watches.
Some of the honey, and the wax, always falls to the ground, and this is when the honey guide takes
its share.
     Scientists do not know why the honey guide likes eating the wax, but it is very determined in its
efforts to get it. The birds seem to be able to smell wax from a long distance away. They will quickly
arrive whenever a beekeeper is taking honey from his beehives, and will even enter churches when
beeswax candles are being lit.

1. Why is it difficult to find a wild bees' nest?

A. It's small in size.
B. It's hidden in trees.
C. It's covered with wax.
D. It's hard to recognize.

2. What do the words "the follower" in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A. A bee.
B. A bird.
C. A honey seeker.
D. A beekeeper.

3. The honey guide is special in the way              .

A. it gets its food
B. it goes to church
C. it sings in the forest
D. it reaches into bees' nests

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A. Wild Bees
B. Wax and Honey
C. Beekeeping in Africa
D. Honey-Lover's Helper

     About twenty of us had been fortunate enough to receive invitations to a film-studio(影棚)to take
part in a crowd-scene. Although our "act" would last only for a short time, we could see quite a number
of interesting things.
    We all stood at the far end of the studio as workmen prepared the scene, setting up trees at the edge
of a winding path.Very soon, bright lights were turned on and the big movie-camera was
wheeled into position. The director shouted something to the camera operator and then went to speak
to the two famous actors nearby. Since it was hot in the studio, it came as a surprise to us to see one of
the actors put on a heavy overcoat and start walking along the path. A big fan began blowing tiny white
feathers down on him, and soon the trees were covered in "snow". Two more fans were turned on, and a "strong wind" blew through the trees. The picture looked so real that it made us feel cold.
     The next scene was a complete contrast(對比).The way it was filmed was quite unusual. Pictures
taken on an island in the Pacific were shown on a glass screen. An actor and actress stood in front of the
scene so that they looked as if they were at the water's edge on an island. By a simple trick like this, palm
trees, sandy beaches, and blue, clear skies had been brought into the studio!
     Since it was our turn next, we were left wondering what scene would be prepared for us. For a full
three minutes in our lives we would be experiencing the excitement of being film "Stars"!

1. Who is the author?

A. A cameraman.
B. A film director.
C. A crowd-scene actor
D. A workman for scene setting

2. What made the author feel cold?

A. The heavy snowfall.
B. The man-made scene.
C. The low temperature.
D. The film being shown.

3. What would happen in the "three minutes" mentioned, in the last paragraph?

A. A new scene would be filmed.
B. More stars would act in the film.
C. The author would leave the studio.
D. The next scene would be prepared.

根據(jù)短文內容,從短文后的選項中選出能填人空白處的最佳選項.選項中有兩項為多途選項.

     When we think about happiness,we usually think of something extraordinary,a pinnacle(頂點)of delight.  And those pinnacles seem to get rarer the older we get.
        1    I remember playing policemen and robbers in the woods,getting a speaking part in the school
play.  Of course,kids also experience lows,but their delight at such peaks of pleasure as winning a race
or getting a new bike is unreserved.
    For teenagers,or people under 20 the concept of happiness changes.   2   I can
still feel the pain of not being invited to a party that almost everyone else was going to. I also remember
the great happiness of being invited at another event to dance with a very handsome young man.
   In adulthood the things that bring great joy-birth,love,marriage also bring
responsibility and the risk of loss.      3   For adults,happiness is complex.
       4   But I think a better explanation of happiness is"the ability to enjoy something".  The more we can
enjoy what we have,the happier we are.  It's easy to overlook the pleasure we get from loving and being
loved,the company of friends,the freedom to live where we please,even good health.
    While happiness may be more complex for us,the solution is the same as ever.
Happiness isn't about what happens to us；it's the ability to find a positive for every
negative,and view a difficulty as a challenge.   5   

A. Love may not last；loved ones die.
B. For a child,happiness has a magic quality.
C. Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life.
D. Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect.
E. The dictionary explains "happy" as "lucky" or "fortunate".
F. It's not wishing for what we don't have,but enjoying what we do possess.
G. Suddenly it's conditional on such things as excitement,love,and popularity.

     Phil White has just returned from an 18,000-mile, around-the-world bicycle trip. White had two
reasons for making this epic journey. First of all, he wanted to use the trip to raise money for charity,
which he did. He raised ~70,000 for the British charity, Oxfam. White's second reason for making the
trip was to break the world record and become the fastest person to cycle around the world. He is still
waiting to find out if he has broken the record or not.
    White set off from Trafalgar Square, in London, on 19th June 2004 and was back 299 days later. He
spent more than l,300 hours in the saddle(車座)and destroyed four sets of tyres and three bike chains.
He had the adventure of his life crossing Europe, the Middle East, India, Asia, Australia, New Zealand
and the   Americas. Amazingly, he did all of this with absolutely no support team. No jeep carrying food,
water and medicine. No doctor. Nothing! Just a bike and a very, very long road.
     The journey was lonely and desperate at times. He also had to fight his way across deserts, through
jungles and over mountains. He cycled through heavy rains and temperatures of up to 45 degrees, all to
help people in need. There were other dangers along the road. In Iran, he was chased by armed robbers
and was lucky to escape with his life and the little money he had. The worst thing that happened to him
was having to cycle into a headwind on a road that crosses the south of Australia. For 1,000 kilometres
he battled against the wind that was constantly pushing him. This part of the trip was slow, hard work
and depressing, but he made it in the end. Now Mr. White is back and intends to write a book about his
adventures.

1.  When Phil White returned from his trip, he________.

A. broke the world record              
B. collected money for Oxfam
C. destroyed several bikes            
D. travelled about 1,300 hours

2. What does the word "epic" in Paragraph l most probably mean

A. Very slow but exciting.                    
B. Very long and difficult.
C. Very smooth but tiring.                
D. Very lonely and depressing.

3. During his journey around the world, Phil White _______.

A. fought heroically against robbers in Iran
B. experienced the extremes of heat and cold
C. managed to ride against the wind in Australia
D. had a team of people who travelled with him

4. Which of the following words can best describe Phil White?

A. Imaginative.    
B. Patriotic.  
C. Modest.      
D. Determined.