We use flowers as messengers, to say something we might have trouble saying 1. (direct) ourselves. Over time flowers have come to symbolize the most powerful human experiences: beauty, love, hope, and rebirth. Sweet flowers alone can say 2. one fears expressing. We’ve listed some of the most famous flowers 3. have a special significance.
In Mao Zedong’s poem Ode to Plum Blossom (《咏梅》), the plum blossom was used 4. (praise) great soldiers who sacrificed their lives for a better life for Chinese people.
5. great Chinese poet Li Bai from the Tang Dynasty once compared Yang Yuhuan’s beautiful face to blooming peonies(牡丹). Flowering in May, peonies’ large petals and strong colors are linked to prosperity(成功) and 6. (rich) in traditional Chinese culture. The orchid (兰花) is well known for its delicate smell. Beautiful articles and poems 7.(call) “lanzhang” by Chinese people in ancient times. Roses, of course, have the 8.(colorful) meaning among all the flowers. Red roses mean “I love you.” A red rose, rather than yellow roses, 9.(act) as the traditional romantic gift given to your love on Valentine’s Day. Sending yellow roses can be risky, as they represent either friendship 10. envy.
When I entered Berkeley, I hoped to earn a scholarship. Having been a Straight A student, I believed I could ___tough subjects and really learn something. One such course was World Literature given by Professor Jayne. I was extremely interested in the ideas he____in class.
When I took the first exam of my best subject English, I was____to find a 77, C plus, on my test paper. I went to Professor Jayne, who listened to my arguments but remained____. I decided to try harder, and I read the books more carefully, but got another 77 again. I____with Professor Jayne. Again, he listened patiently but wouldn’t change his___ .
One more test before the final exam. One more chance to improve my grade. So I redoubled my effort and, for the first time____the meaning of the word “thorough”. But my effort did no good and everything __ as before.
The last hurdle(障碍) was the final. No matter what __ I got, it wouldn’t cancel three C pluses. I might as well kiss the___ goodbye.
I stopped working hard. I felt I knew the course material as well as I ever would. The night before the final, I even __ myself to a movie. The next day I decided for once I’d have __ with a test. A Week later, I was surprised to find I got an A. I hurried into Professor Jayne’s office. He __ to be expecting me, “ If I gave you the As you ___, you wouldn’t continue to work hard.”
I stared at him __ that his analysis and strategy(策略)were correct.
I was speechless when my course grade arrived: A plus. The next year I received my scholarship. I always remembered professor Jayne’s lesson: you alone must set your own standard of excellence.
1.A.take B.discuss C.cover D.get
2.A.sought B.presented C.exchanged D.obtained
3.A.shocked B.worried C.scared D.anxious
4.A.unchanged B.unpleasant C.unfriendly D.unmoved
5.A.quarreled B.reasoned C.bargained D.chatted
6.A.attitude B.mind C.plan D.view
7.A.memorized B.considered C.accepted D.learned
8.A.stayed B.went C.worked D.changed
9.A.grade B.answer C.lesson D.comment
10.A.scholarship B.course C.degree D.subject
11.A.helped B.favored C.treated D.relaxed
12.A.fun B.luck C.problems D.tricks
13.A.happened B.proved C.pretended D.seemed
14.A.valued B.imagined C.expected D.welcomed
15.A.remembering B.guessing C.supposing D.realizing
Why Do We Get Angry?
Anger seems simple when we are feeling it, but the causes of anger are various. Knowing these causes can make us examine our behavior, and correct bad habits. The main reasons we get angry are triggering（触发）events, personality traits（特征）, and our assessment of situations. 1.
Triggering events for anger are so many that to describe them all would take hundreds of pages. However, here are some examples: being cut off in traffic, a deadline approaching, experiencing physical pain, and much more. 2. The reason why someone is triggered by something and others are not is often due to one’s personal history and psychological traits.
Each person, no matter who they are, has psychological imbalances. People who have personality traits that connect with competitiveness and low upset tolerance are much more likely to get angry. 3. Also, sometimes pre-anger does not have to do with a lasting condition, but rather a temporary state before a triggering event has occurred.
4.Sometimes even routine occurrences become sources of pre-anger, or anger itself. Sometimes ignorance and negative (消极的) outlooks on situations can create anger.
5.However, anger can easily turn violent, and it is best to know the reasons for anger to appear in order to prevent its presence. With these main reasons in mind, we can evaluate our level of anger throughout the day and prevent cases of outbursts by comprehending the reasons for our feelings.
A.Our attitude and viewpoint on situations can create anger within us as well.
B.But some types of situations can help us to get rid of the occurrence of anger.
C.Anger is rarely looked upon as a beneficial character trait, and is usually advised to reduce it.
D.Anger is a particularly strong feeling and maybe people think that they have reasons to feel angry.
E.Having these personality traits implies the pre-anger state, where anger is in the background of your mind.
F.Understanding these reasons will control our own anger if we are willing to evaluate ourselves with a critical eye.
G.Not everyone acts the same in response to events, and that is why what triggers one person may or may not trigger another.
As Internet users become more dependent on the Internet to store information, are people remember less? If you know your computer will save information, why store it in your own personal memory, your brain? Experts are wondering if the Internet is changing what we remember and how.
In a recent study, Professor Betsy Sparrow conducted some experiments. She and her research team wanted to know the Internet is changing memory. In the first experiment, they gave people 40 unimportant facts to type into a computer. The first group of people understood that the computer would save the information. The second group understood that the computer would not save it. Later, the second group remembered the information better. People in the first group knew they could find the information again, so they did not try to remember it.
In another experiment, the researchers gave people facts to remember, and told them where to find the information on the Internet. The information was in a specific computer folder (文件夹). Surprisingly, people later remember the folder location (位置) better than the facts. When people use the Internet, they do not remember the information. Rather, they remember how to find it. This is called “transactive memory (交互记忆)”
According to Sparrow, we are not becoming people with poor memories as a result of the Internet. Instead, computer users are developing stronger transactive memories; that is, people are learning how to organize huge quantities of information so that they are able to access it at a later date. This doesn’t mean we are becoming either more or less intelligent, but there is no doubt that the way we use memory is changing.
1.The passage begins with two questions to ________.
A.introduce the main topic B.show the author’s attitude
C.describe how to use the Internet D.explain how to store information
2.What can we learn about the first experiment?
A.Sparrow’s team typed the information into a computer.
B.The two groups remembered the information equally well.
C.The first group did not try to remember the formation.
D.The second group did not understand the information.
3.In transactive memory, people ________.
A.keep the information in mind
B.change the quantity of information
C.organize information like a computer
D.remember how to find the information
4.What is the effect of the Internet according to Sparrow's research?
A.We are using memory differently.
B.We are becoming more intelligent.
C.We have poorer memories than before.
D.We need a better way to access information.
The oddness of life in space never quite goes away. Here are some examples.
First consider something as simple as sleep. Its position presents its own challenges. The main question is whether you want your arms inside or outside the sleeping bag. If you leave your arms out, they float free in zero gravity, often giving a sleeping astronaut the look of a funny ballet（芭蕾）dancer. “I’m an inside guy,” Mike Hopkins says, who returned from a six-month tour on the International Space Station. “I like to be wrapped up.”
On the station, the ordinary becomes strange. The exercise bike for the American astronauts has no handlebars. It also has no seat. With no gravity, it’s just as easy to pedal violently. You can watch a movie while you pedal by floating a microcomputer anywhere you want. But station residents have to be careful about staying in one place too long. Without gravity to help circulate air, the carbon dioxide you exhale（呼气）has a tendency to form an invisible（隐形的）cloud around your head. You can end up with what astronauts call a carbon-dioxide headache.
Leroy Chiao, 54, an American retired astronaut after four flights, describes what happens even before you float out of your seat. “Your inner ear thinks you’re falling. Meanwhile your eyes are telling you you’re standing straight. That can be annoying－that’s why some people feel sick. “Within a couple of days truly terrible days for some－astronauts’ brains learn to ignore the panicky signals from the inner ear, and space sickness disappears.
Space travel can be so delightful but at the same time invisibly dangerous. For instance, astronauts lose bone mass’ That’s why exercise is considered so vital that National Aeronautics and Space Administration（NASA）puts it right on the workday schedule. The focus on fitness is as much about science and the future as it is about keeping any individual astronaut healthy. NASA is worried about two things: recovery time once astronauts return home, and, more importantly, how to maintain strength and fitness for the two and a half years or more that it would take to make a round-trip to Mars’
1.What is the major challenge to astronauts when they sleep in space?
A. Deciding on a proper sleep position.
B. Choosing a comfortable sleeping bag.
C. Seeking a way to fall asleep quickly.
D. Finding a right time to go to sleep.
2.The astronauts will suffer from a carbon-dioxide headache when .
A. they circle around on their bikes
B. they use microcomputers without a stop
C. they exercise in one place for a long time
D. they watch a movie while pedaling
3.Some astronauts feel sick on the station during the first few days because .
A. their senses stop working
B. they have to stand up straight
C. they float out of their seats unexpectedly
D. their brains receive contradictory messages
4.One of NASA’s major concerns about astronauts is .
A. how much exercise they do on the station
B. how they can remain healthy for long in space
C. whether they can recover after returning home
D. whether they are able to go back to the station
1. TrueCar.com
Top dealers compete for your business by offering lower prices. TrueCar spends a lot of money and resources on making sure the entire car renting experience is simple and straightforward. If you’re in the market for a new car, give this site a try first.
TrueCar’s network checks many of the prices in your area and gets you the best price for the car you’re looking for.
2. Carvoy.com
It offers more control by allowing you to “build your car” and select your rental plan. The “build your car” option is one of the better options for those looking to add on features to their car. If you’re looking for cars with options like a sunroof or navigation (导航), it’s Carvoy that makes it very easy to get started with the process.
3. CarsDirect.com
They have a large collection of new and used cars, and also provide resources for car comparisons. In the business for many years, they are one of the first online car outlets. They have a staff that can usually help you if you give them a call. Their phone support is very good and they are mostly located in the United States.
4. CarRent.com
It delivers your rental car to the door, which is actually a huge selling point. Many people don’t like to go to a dealership or even drive somewhere to pick up a car. Imagine renting a car and having it delivered right to your doorstep, no driving necessary!
5. CostcoAuto.com
It offers member-only savings, many car selections and an easy sign-up process. The deals through Costco are great and unique. Many times they have deals with General Motors cars like Chevrolet. There are a lot of deals to be done, but the one thing that Costco does not do is negotiate the price.
1.What’s the selling point of TrueCar.com?
A. Its most reasonable prices for cars.
B. The diversity of its used cars.
C. Its delivery service to your door.
D. The special offers to its members.
2.What is the special service that Carvoy.com provides?
A. You can have other functions added to your car.
B. You can rent a car more easily than elsewhere.
C. You can design the whole car by yourself.
D. You can have better operation over your car.
3.If you are a good bargainer, it’s wise to avoid dealing with _______.
A. CarsDirect.com B. Carvoy.com
C. CarRent.com D. CostcoAuto.com
