I started to study English by myself when I was about 15 because of Michael Jackson. He's been my idol
since1991, and I really wanted to understand him and his music.   1    I was very patient, and that helped me
a lot in the process of learning English by myself.
     Actually, I can't describe the techniques I used to learn it, because it was almost automatic for me to start
understanding English after a period of hard work trying to translate texts, dialogues and songs.   2      
     One thing that I can say is that I started learning English through comparing patterns and observing the
language structure, comparing it to Portuguese and trying to memorize rules.   3    Another thing that helped
me a lot is the fact that I would spend hours studying the uses, tenses, etc. of the words I could notice.
        4    It was the hardest part of the process for me, because the only source I had was music, although I
used a pronunciation dictionary, too. 
      5   Later on I entered UFMG and really started studying English. Today I'm a teacher at an English Course,
and I really enjoy it, because I can improve my English each day.

A. Despite the difficulty, I could learn everything well.
B. So I really can't say exactly how I've achieved proficiency (熟練).
C. With the help of my teacher, I learned pronunciation well.
D. So I can say that a strong will is the key to my success.
E. After having a large vocabulary, I started working on pronunciation.
F. And I used to make lists of words in order to memorize them and their meanings.
G. I used to use a dictionary to find the meaning of each word in songs written by him.

                                                        Tips for First Time Renters
      Young people should know the basics of renting accommodation before they hand over their money.
     ◎Deal with agent: In many cases, you'll have to work with an agent before finding an apartment,
because they have all the information. Find a large, reputable property agent. Small agents (especially those
that are unregistered), might cheat you by offering a good place with low rent. In many cases, they'll ask
for commission (傭金) before showing you the apartment. And they'll raise the rent afterwards.
     ◎Before you rent: Make sure you read the rental agreement carefully and ask for advice about anything
you don't understand. Make sure that once you sign a rental contract, you will receive a copy. Keep all the
paperwork you receive, such as receipts for rent and paid bills. They are proofs. If dispute arises, they will
be vital.
     ◎Upfront costs: Moving into rental accommodation can be fairly expensive to start. You will usually be
asked for three month's rent in advance and a deposit (押金),which is one month's rent. If the place is not
fully furnished, you may have to buy things like a mattress, refrigerator and washing machine. You need to
be financially prepared in advance.
     ◎Sharing with friends: If you intend to share an apartment with friends, make sure you discuss costs
and possible house rules before you make a promise. There will be ongoing expense, so consider collecting
separate contributions (定期繳款) towards regular bills such as electricity, phone or gas. Put this money
into a special purpose bank account.
     ◎Damage control: If any damage is made to your apartment either by you or your visitors, whether it
is accidental or not, make sure you tell your landlord about it. Remember, you are required to leave the
place in the same condition as when you moved in. You will have to pay for any damage that is not
considered to be reasonable"wear and tear".
     ◎Before you move out: You usually need to tell the landlord one month in advance. Clean your room
(or apartment) before you leave. Ask for a refund (return) of your deposit.

1. Working with an agent is essential because he / she _____.

A. may offer you a good place with a low rent
B. knows where there are houses to rent
C. may ask the landlord for commission
D. will help you sign a favourable contract

2. If a landlord charges you $100 a month, you need to prepare _____ before moving in.

A. at least $300
B. at most $400
C. more than $400
D. as mush as possible

3. How do you deal with regular bills when sharing an apartment with friends?

A. let the other renters pay for them
B. Collect separate money in advance
C. Pay in turn
D. Contribute separately

4. It is reasonable to keep _____.

A. all the paperwork you receive
B. the apartment clean
C. the apartment as you like
D. the idea of "wear and tear"

     A popular saying goes,"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."  However,
that's not really true. Words have the power to build us up or tear us down. It doesn't matter if the words
come from someone else or ourselves-the positive and negative effects are just as lasting.
     We all talk to ourselves sometimes. We're usually too embarrassed to admit it, though. In fact, we really
shouldn't be because more and more experts believe talking to ourselves out loud is a healthy habit.
     This"self-talk" helps us motivate ourselves, remember things, solve problems, and calm ourselves down.
Be aware, though, that as much as 77% of self-talk tends to be negative. So in order to stay positive, we
should only speak words of encouragement to ourselves. We should also be quick to give ourselves a pat on
the back. The next time you finish a project, do well in a test, or finally clean your room, join me in saying
"Good job!"
     Often, words come out of our mouths without us thinking about the effect they will have. But we should
be aware that our words cause certain responses in others. For example, when returning an item to a store,
we might use warm, friendly language during the exchange. And the clerk will probably respond in a similar
manner. However, harsh and critical language will most probably cause the clerk to be defensive.
     Words possess power because of their lasting effect. Many of us regret something we once said. And we
remember unkind words said to us! Before speaking, we should always ask ourselves: Is it loving? Is it
needed? If what we want to say doesn't pass this test, then it's better left unsaid.
    Words possess power: both positive and negative. Those around us receive encouragement when we speak
positively. We can offer hope, build self-esteem and motivate others to do their best. Negative words destroy
all those things. Will we use our words to hurt or to heal? The choice is ours.

1. The main idea of the first paragraph is that _____.

A. not sticks and stones but words will hurt us
B. inspiring words give us confidence
C. negative words may let us down
D. words have a lasting effect on us

2. There is no sense for us to feel embarrassed when we talk to ourselves because _____.

A. almost everybody has the habit of talking to themselves
B. we can benefit from talking to ourselves
C. talking to ourselves always gives us courage
D. it does no harm to have "self-talk" when we are alone

3. The author would probably hold the view that _____.

A. encouraging words are sure to lead to kind offers
B. negative words may stimulate us to make more progress
C. people tend to remember friendly words
D. it is better to think twice before talking to others

     When you learn reading, math, and other subjects taught in school from your parents or tutors (家庭教師)
who come to your house, it's called homeschooling. A kid may be the only one, or he or she may be taught
with brothers, sisters, or kids from the neighborhood.
     Parents choose to homeschool their children for many different reasons.   1   But more often, kids are
homeschooled because their parents feel they can give their child a better education than the local school
can.   2   
     If you don't like school, homeschooling might seem like the perfect solution. But it's better for everyone
if homeschooling isn't chosen just as an escape from school or problems there, such as bullying.   3   Your
school counselor (顧問(wèn)) and other school officials, such as the principal, often can help. 
      4    It's true that kids must be educated, but it's legal to be schooled at home in the US. In fact, more than
1 million students do it. These kids can learn just as they do in regular schools, but their parents are in charge
of their education. 
       5   The parents also may have to file paperwork with the state to explain who's teaching the kid and
which subjects are being covered.

A. Homeschooling is very popular in the United States.
B. Sometimes a kid is sick and can't go to regular school.
C. Finding solutions to the problem should be the first step.
D. Some people's kids should attend public schools.
E. Homeschool parents must make sure that their kids get the instruction and the experiences they need.
F. You might wonder if kids have to go to school.
G. Parents also may choose homeschooling because they want their child's education to include religious
  instruction, which isn't offered at public schools.

     While surfing television channels over the weekend,a scene from a family classic of last year portraying
the now-so-familiar sorry state of retired parents being ill-treated by their children and families caught my
attention. I wondered why the description of this relationship had not changed much over the many years!
Even though the same movies and soaps accurately capture several other social changes around us-from
value systems to new found economic freedom to the importance of technology and the changing approach
to consumerism (消費(fèi)主義)-are these creative efforts far from the truth in telling us that an average retiree
is still struggling?
     Look around and you will agree that the post-retired lifestyle for an ex-salaried class people is often a pale
shadow of their last working years. Even self employed people, who have handed over the responsibility to
the next generation, are no exception. Did the average middle class not save enough through his working
years?
     Socially, we already know that the Indians are taught the benefits of start saving early on in life. Household
savings data supports this social behavior-India has the highest rates of savings among various economies and
is far ahead of the west. Yet, tragically, a lifetime of savings does not seem to provide enough for a
comfortable retirement!
     A closer look at the pattern of what we do with our financial savings may tell us a bit more. Over half of
households' financial savings is put into a "safe" deposit, followed by large portions in insurance, pension,
provident funds (福利基金) and the rest in physical currency. Less than a tenth goes into "risky" assets (資產(chǎn))
like stocks. While there might be nothing, in particular, worrisome in this investment pool, one has to consider
inflation (通貨膨脹). The real value of savings, over a few decades, may actually be lower than the starting
point.

1. What had not changed much over the many years according to the passage?

A. Value systems
B. The poor situation of retirees
C. Economic freedom
D. Approach to consumerism

2. Which of the following statements about saving in India is right?

A. the concept of saving has been well received by Indians.
B. the amount of the savings ranks number one across the world.
C. long-standing savings can help the retirees live a care-free life.
D. saving early can not benefit people at all.

3. What's the best title of the text?

A. Retirees being treated unfairly
B. Is saving enough
C. Saving in India
D. How to deal with saving

4. What can be inferred according to the last paragraph?

A. Half of the financial savings in stocks can be accepted.
B. The real value of saving must be lowered in a few years.
C. A loss of savings may hardly be avoided.
D. Inflation can be avoided on condition that you consume instead of saving.

     In our life, we face situations where we are either asked to choose between trust and disbelief. Many of us
would say we have to choose trust over disbelief. Actually we are given intellectual (智力的) power to choose
what we want, and what we choose certainly need not be the one that sounds pleasing. That is, we can choose
both trust and disbelief, but we have to know when to choose between these two.
     We should all realize that we are living in a world which is unfortunately mixed with people of various types. We have been given the power of judging who we are working with and who we are partnering with. We
cannot give an excuse for believing a scheming (詭計(jì)多端的) person, just because he looked or sounded nice,
unless we consider ourselves mentally unskillful.
     This world was there before us and it does not owe us a single thing. We are asked to take care of ourselves
and our belongings. Trust, too, has to be saved for the deserving (值得的) people. When we give trust
universally to all, we end up troubled by the undeserving common cheat. People say trust is life. True! But only
wisely exercised trust is life.
     When we start a conversation with someone, the first things that we usually notice would be their dress,
behavior, style and their language. What sometimes we all forget to look at is the person's intention. Now how
to look at a person's intention is a lesson everybody has to learn for themselves in their own way-there is no
single standard for it. But it is certainly possible to discover the purpose if we seek a little bit more.
     Certainly a false offer of friendship or guidance cannot stand undiscovered for long; we are therefore called
to exercise disbelief over trust at least momentarily till we find out that we certainly are in agreement with a
mutual (相互的)good-willed person.
     The world teaches you lots of lessons and if we are willing, we can learn all that we want.

1. In the first paragraph, the author ______.

A. concentrates on the reason why we make different choices
B. focuses on how to choose between trust and disbelief
C. suggests that trust should be wisely exercised
D. implies that people are forced to make the choice

2. We can infer from the passage that ______.

A. people who we are working with are in fact those who we are partnering with
B. the first thing we notice tends to mislead our judgment
C. the mentally healthy people will not judge a person by his looks
D. the standards of looking at a person's intention are not various

3. The underlined sentence means ______.

A. trust and disbelief go hand in hand with each other
B. disbelief is necessary if you aren't wise
C. trust is established if two people know each other
D. doubt may serve as the precondition for trust

4. Which of the following can serve as the best title for the passage?

A. Trust or Disbelief?
B. Trust Is Life.
C. Trust over Disbelief?
D. Disbelief over Trust?

      What are the best ways to learn new words? Once you have learned new words, how can you remember
them?
         1   .What is your reason for wanting to improve your vocabulary-for a purpose, like the SAT, or for fun
and general self-improvement?    2    For example, there are books specifically written with methods for
increasing one's vocabulary for SAT test-taking. 
       3   Some people need to use what they learn in order for it to stick-as in conversation and writing.Others
succeed by taking quizzes. Still others are good at memorizing. 
     We tend to remember words more easily when we read about them in meaningful context, when we see
that they are useful and worth remembering, and also when they have been fully explained.    4   Most
word-of-the-day offerings supply the definition as well as an example sentence or two.
     Studies have shown that a new word will stay in your vocabulary if it is regularly reinforced (強(qiáng)化) through
use and reading.    5   It is great to have a quiz book with you when you have to wait in places like a dentist's
office．Keeping a quiz book in the car and on the bedside table is good, too.

A. If you want to learn new words, knowing new words' meanings in your native language is in the first
   place.
B. Also,you can examine how you learn best, especially word-based information．
C. Taking word quizzes is a fun way to spend a few minutes learning words.
D. Getting many kinds of methods towards your learning goal by reading.
E. Knowing how to use a word is just as important as knowing its meaning.
F. If you want to learn new words, you have to take a couple of things into consideration.
G. If you have a goal, it is good to read about different approaches toward achieving the goal.

     Packaging is an important form of advertising. A package can sometimes motivate someone to buy a
product. For example, a small child might ask for a breakfast food that comes in a box with a picture of
a TV character. The child is more interested in the picture than in breakfast food. Pictures for children to
color or cut out, games printed on a package, or a small gift inside a box also motivate many children to
buy products or to ask their parents to buy for them.
     Some packages suggest that a buyer will get something for nothing. Food products sold in reusable
containers are examples of this. Although a similar product in a plain container might cost less, people
often prefer to buy the product in a reusable glass or dish, because they believe the container is free.
However, the cost of the container is added to the cost of the product. The size of a package also motivates
a buyer. Maybe the package had "Economy Size" or "Family Size" printed on it. This suggests that the larger
size has the most product for the least money. But that is not always true. To find it out, a buyer has to
know how the product is sold and the price of the basic unit.
     The information on the package should provide some answers. But the important thing for any buyer to
remember is that a package is often an advertisement. The words and pictures do not tell the whole story.
Only the product inside can do that.

1. From the passage we know the buyer pays more attention to ______.

A. the size of a container
B. a container with attractive picture
C. a well-designed container
D. a plain container with low cost

2. What suggestion does the author give in the passage?

A. It's not good to buy the product which is sold in a glass or dish.
B. The quality of a container has nothing to do with the quality of the product.
C. The best choice for a buyer is to buy a product in a plain package.
D. A buyer should buy what he needs most rather than a well-designed package.

3. What is the best title for the passage?

A. How to Package a Product.
B. How to Make an Advertisement.
C. How to Sell Product.
D. How to Treat the Package Wisely.

     Why is setting goals important? Because goals can help you do, be, and experience everything you want
in life. Instead of just letting life happen to you, goals allow yourself to make your life happen.
     Successful and happy people have a vision of how their life should be and they set lots of goals (both
short-term and long-range)to help them reach their vision. By setting goals you are taking control of your
life. It's like having a map to show you where you want to go. Think of it in this way. There are two drivers.
One has a destination in mind (her goal) which is laid out for her on a map. She can drive straight there
without any wasted time or wrong turns. The other driver has no goal or destination or map. She starts off at
the same time from the same place as the first driver. But she drivers aimlessly around, never getting
anywhere, just using up gas and oil. Which driver do you want to be? 
     Winners in life set goals and follow through on them. They decide what they want in life and then get
there by making plans and setting goals. Unsuccessful people just let life happen by accident. Goals aren't
difficult to set, and they aren't difficult to reach. It's up to you to find out what your goals, ideals and visions
really are. You are the one who must decide what to pursue and in what direction to aim your life.
     Research tells us that when we write a goal down we are more likely to achieve it. Written goals can be
reviewed regularly, and have more power. Like a contract (合同) with yourself, they are harder to neglect
or forget.
     Also when you write your goals in a particular way you are able to make yourself continuously aware
of situations that will bring you nearer to your goals.

1. The author gave the example of two drivers to show_____.

A. the foolishness of the first driver
B. the importance of having a map and right direction
C. the foolishness of the second driver
D. the importance of setting goals

2. According to this text, the most important thing in realizing one's ideal is to _____.

A. try to be realistic about one's ability
B. have a clear understanding of what he or she wants in life
C. let others understand him or her first, then work together with them
D. let others help him or her to make his or her dream come true

3. If people want to reach their goals, they should _____.

A. write down their goals
B. sign a contract with other people
C. face the difficulties in front of them
D. discuss with others and ask for their help

4. If you want to succeed, you must _____.

A. study hard
B. have a goal and achieve it
C. live happily
D. sleep well

     McDonald's Corporation (NYSE: MCD) is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants,
serving nearly 47 million customers daily  1   Brands (KFC, Taco Bell and others) and sandwich chain
Subway.
     In addition to its signature restaurant chain, McDonald's Corporation held a minority interest in Pret A
Manger until 2008, and owned the Chipotle Mexican Grill until 2006 and the restaurant chain Boston Market
until 2007.   2  The corporations' revenues come from the rent, royalties and fees paid by the franchisees, as
well as sales in company-operated restaurants. 
      3  In response to obesity trends in western nations and in the face of criticism over the healthiness of its
products, the company has modified its menu to include such healthier alternatives as salads, wraps and fruit.
     The business began in 1940, with a restaurant opened by brothers Dick and Mac McDonald in San
Bernardino, California. Their introduction of the"Speedee Service System" in 1948 established the principles of
the modern fast-food restaurant. The original mascot of McDonald's was a man with a chef's hat on top of a
hamburger shaped head whose name was "Speedee." Speedee was eventually replaced with Ronald McDonald
in 1963.
      The first McDonald's restaurants opened in the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, Japan, the
Netherlands, Germany, Australia, France, El Salvador and Sweden in order of openings. The present
corporation dates its founding to the opening of a franchised restaurant by Ray Kroc, in Des Plaines, Illinois
on April 15, 1955, the ninth McDonald's restaurant overall.    4    Kroc was also noted for aggressive
business practices, compelling the McDonald brothers to leave the fast food industry. The McDonald brothers
and Kroc feuded over control of the business, as documented in both Kroc's autobiography and in the McD
onald brothers' autobiography.   5  

A. McDonald's primarily sells hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken products, french fries, breakfast items,
    soft drinks, milkshakes and desserts.
B. The site of the McDonald brothers' original restaurant is now a monument.
C. At one time it was the largest global restaurant chain, but it has since been surpassed by multi-brand
   operator Yum!
D. Each McDonald's restaurant is operated by a franchisee, an affiliate, or the corporation
    itself.
E. The company has also expanded the McDonald's menu in recent decades to include alternative meal
     options. 
F. Kroc later purchased the McDonald brothers' equity in the company and led its worldwide
    expansion and the company became listed on the public stock markets in 1965.