Riding was the favourite activity of Thomas Jefferson, who was the third President of the United States. He usually rode good horses.
One day, he was riding outside Washington, when a jockey (赛马师) came near. He did not know the President, but his professional eye was attracted by Mr. Jefferson’s horse. He stopped and said that he wanted to buy the horse, but Mr. Jefferson politely refused his offer.
The jockey offered more money for the horse, because the closer he looked at the horse, the more he liked it. All of his offers were refused, which made him angry. He then became rude, but his rudeness left as little an impression as his money, for Jefferson had a very good temper. At last, he hit Mr. Jefferson’s horse with his whip, getting it to run suddenly. This would have thrown a less skillful rider to the ground, but Jefferson stayed on his seat, and controlled his horse well.
The jockey then gave up. He rode with Mr. Jefferson side by side and began to talk with him about politics. Jefferson joined in the conversation. When they got into the city and came close to the gate of the presidential mansion (总统府), Mr. Jefferson stopped, and politely invited the man to enter.
The jockey was surprised and asked, “Why? Do you live here?”
“Yes” was the simple reply.
“Why, stranger, what’s your name?”
“My name is Thomas Jefferson.”
Embarrassed, the man quickly left, while the President looked at him with a smile and then rode through the gate.
1.Which is the best title for the passage?
A. Jefferson and the Jockey B. Jefferson’s Interest
C. Be Polite to Everyone D. No Pain, No Gain
2.Which word can best describe the jockey?
A. Professional. B. Skillful. C. Impatient. D. Impolite.
3.The underlined word “embarrassed” can be replaced by “__________”.
A. worried B. pleased C. hurried D. ashamed
4.We can infer from the passage that __________.
A. the jockey had once bought a horse from another stranger
B. Mr. Jefferson was very good at riding a horse
C. Mr. Jefferson would invite the jockey to his own house later
D. the jockey would not talk about this experience to others
5.According to the passage, which of the following statement is true?
A. The President of the US is fond of riding.
B. The jockey managed to buy the horse from Mr. Jefferson.
C. Mr. Jefferson, the third President of the United States, was a man of good manners.
D. All the presidents of the US have expensive horses.
Directions: For each blank in the following passages there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
I teach biology at UNLV three times per week. Last Monday, at the beginning of class, I cheerfully asked my 1how their weekend had been. One young man said that his weekend had not been so 2. He had his wisdom teeth removed. Then he went on to ask me why I always seemed to be so 3.
His question 4me of something I’d read somewhere before: “Every morning when you get up, you have a 5about how you want to deal with life that day,” I said. “I choose to be cheerful.”
“Let me give you an example,”I continued, 6all sixty students in the class. “In 7to teaching here at UNLV, I also teach out at a 8in Henderson, 17 miles down the highway from where I live. One day a few weeks ago I drove those 17 miles to Henderson. I 9the highway and turned onto College Drive. I only had to drive another quarter mile down the road to the college. But just then my car 10. I tried to start it again, but the 11wouldn’t work. 12I turned my flashers on, took my books, and 13down the road to the college.”
“As soon as I got there, I called and 14for a tow truck to meet me at my car after 15. The secretary there asked me what had happened. ‘This is my 16day.’ ” I replied, smiling.
She was 17. “What do you mean?”
“My car could have broken down anywhere along the highway. It didn’t.” I replied. “18, it broke down in the perfect place: off the highway,19walking distance of here.
I’m still able to teach my class, and I’ve been able to arrange for the tow truck to meet me after class. If my car was meant to break down today, it couldn’t have been arranged in a more convenient 20.”
I ended my story. In spite of the early hour, no one in my class seemed to be asleep. Somehow, my story had touched them.
1.A.schoolmates B. children C. teachers D.students
2.A. had B. good C. sad D.free
3.A. cheerful B. grateful C. hopeful D. thankful
4.A. informed B.told C. reminded D. warned
5.A. decision B. choice C. preference D. judgment
6.A. showing B. demanding C. addressing D. commanding
7.A. contribution B. devotion C. application D. addition
8.A. school B. college C. university D. institute
9.A. exited B. found C. crossed D. entered
10.A. broke B. died C. ended D. finished
11.A. instrument B. wheel C. light D. engine
12.A. But B. And C. So D. Or
13.A. marched B. drove C. rode D. followed
14.A. prepared B. looked C. waited D. arranged
15.A. class B. work C. study D. lunch
16.A. usual B. unusual C. unlucky D. lucky
17.A. astonished B. excited C. puzzled D. pleased
18.A. Anyway B. Instead C. Also D. Still
19.A. within B. beyond C. without D. along
20.A. order B. need C. way D. situation
People try to avoid public transportation delays by using their own cars, and this ____ creates further problems.
A. in turn B. on contrary C. in return D. by turns
It is the test system, _____ the teachers, that is to blame for the heavy burden of middle school students nowadays.
A. other than B. or rather C. rather than D. more than
______ is our belief that improvements in health care will lead to a stronger, more prosperous economy.
A. As B. That C. What D. It
It was___he said___disappointed me.
A.what, that B.that, that C.what, what D.that, what
