I am a German by birth and descent. My name is Schmidt. But by education I am quite as much an Englishman as a 'Deutscher', and by affection much more the former. My life has been spent pretty equally between the two countries, and I flatter myself I speak both languages without any foreign accent.
I count England my headquarters now: it is “home” to me. But a few years ago I was resident in Germany, only going over to London now and then on business. I will not mention the town where I lived. It is unnecessary to do so, and in the peculiar experience I am about to relate I think real names of people and places are just as well, or better avoided.
I was connected with a large and important firm of engineers. I had been bred up to the profession, and was credited with a certain amount of “talent”; and I was considered—and, with all modesty, I think I deserved the opinion—steady and reliable, so that I had already attained a fair position in the house, and was looked upon as a “rising man”. But I was still young, and not quite so wise as I thought myself. I came close once to making a great mess of a certain affair. It is this story which I am going to tell.
Our house went in largely for patents—rather too largely, some thought. But the head partner's son was a bit of a genius in his way, and his father was growing old, and let Herr Wilhelm - Moritz we will call the family name—do pretty much as he chose. And on the whole Herr Wilhelm did well. He was cautious, and he had the benefit of the still greater caution and larger experience of Herr Gerhardt, the second partner in the firm.
Patents and the laws which regulate them are strange things to have to do with. No one who has not had personal experience of the complications that arise could believe how far these spread and how involved they become. Great acuteness as well as caution is called for if you would guide your patent bark safely to port—and perhaps more than anything, a power of holding your tongue. I was no chatterbox, nor, when on a mission of importance, did I go about looking as if I were bursting with secrets, which is, in my opinion, almost as dangerous as revealing them. No one, to meet me on the journeys which it often fell to my lot to undertake, would have guessed that I had anything on my mind but an easy-going young fellow's natural interest in his surroundings, though many a time I have stayed awake through a whole night of railway travel if at all doubtful about my fellow-passengers, or not dared to go to sleep in a hotel without a ready-loaded gun by my pillow. For now and then - though not through me - our secrets did ooze out. And if, as has happened, they were secrets connected with Government orders or contracts, there was, or but for the exertion of the greatest energy and tact on the part of my superiors, there would have been, to put it plainly, the devil to pay.
1. The writer preferred to be called ________.
A. a German B. an Englishman
C. both a German and an Englishman D. neither a German nor an Englishman
2.Which of the following words cannot be used to describe the writer?
A. Talented B. Modest C. Reliable D. Wise
3.The head of the company where the writer works is ________.
A. Schmidt B. Moritz C. Wilhelm’s father D. Gerhardt
4. The writer often stayed awake on the train or kept a ready-loaded gun in the hotel, because ________.
A. some people sometimes let out the secrets of his company
B. the writer occasionally didn’t keep the secrets of his company
C. patents and the laws are strange things to have to do with
D. the secrets were connected with Government orders or contracts
One Day Tour: Great Wall & Summer Palace
Overview: You will visit the famous Badaling Great Wall and Summer Palace in one day.
Tour Description and Itinerary (行程)
One day Private Tour or Coach Tour: Depart everyday
Start from 8:30 am to around 6:00 pm, flexible schedule for private tour.
Itinerary:
Pick you up from hotel on departure time, then drive to the famous Badaling Great Wall, which is 60 miles away from downtown about one and a half hour driving. Sightseeing on Great Wall Badaling section for about 3 hours.
Visit scenic spots: Badaling Geat Wall, Badaling Fortress, Beacon-towers, "Looking-toward-Beijing Stone", etc. (Cable car is available for you to get to the highest point to have a bird view)
Drive to restaurant for lunch. After lunch, visit the largest and most beautiful Chinese imperial garden- Summer Palace.
Visit scenic spots: 1. East palace gate, 2. the hall of benevolence and longevity, 3. hall of jade billows, 4. the hall of joyful longevity, 5. the covered walkway, 6. the marble boat, etc.
Transfer you back to your hotel after the whole day tour.
For the coach tour (small group in each bus, 6-10 persons per group):
★Suitable for economic or single travelers, make friends on the same bus, only English-speaking travelers on our bus.
★Travellers will be arranged in a small group, Keep group size less than ten in each air-conditioned bus;
★Vehicle mode: Coaster-New air-conditioned tour coach (click for picture)- 26 seats, only 6-10 persons per bus.
For Private Tour:
★Private tour is suitable for those individual or family travelers who is not willing to join the tour group, it may not feel very free when following the group. A designated car and private guide will follow you to go to the place you like, this package cost higher than coach tour.
★Vehicle mode: private luxury car or MPV van (click for picture)
For the private tour, you also need to go to one or two shopping stops every day.
Tour Price includes:
1. Pick-up and drop-off from your hotel.
2. Air-conditioned car, van or minibus for your private group.
3. Entrance tickets of the sightseeings.
4. English-speaking tour guide explain the sightseeings along the tour.
5. Typical Chinese lunch.
6. Chinese Jade shop visit.
Tour Package excludes:
Fee of cable car - cable car to the highest point of Great Wall, 60 RMB ($7.4)
Note: Children taller than 1.1 meter should be charged as full price, children shorter than 1.1 meter should be charged only half of the price.
How to Book?
1. You can book online or by email, tell us which hotel to pick you up, then receive our confirmation email.
2. When you arrive in Beijing, our tour guide will call you the night before the tour, if you are not in hotel room, we will leave a message in your room, to inform the time to pick you up in the next morning.
Payment Methods: 1.Cash to tour guide 2.Credit card 3.PayPal 4.Bank remit (wire transfer)
1. If a group of 26 Americans want to have a one-day tour in Beijing, they can .
A. share the same bus B. take 6 coaches at most
C. take 3 coaches at least D. not speak English
2.For private tour, .
A. travellers can ask the tour guide to change the travel schedule
B. travellers should pay the same amount of money as the coach tour
C. travellers must pay additional money for the entrance tickets
D. travellers needn’t pay additional money for the cable car
3. This passage is most probably taken from .
A. a travel guide B. a newspaper C. a magazine D. the Internet
These days no car show is complete without an electric car, and the 2011 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, US, which ran from January 10 to 23, was no exception.
Among the fully electric vehicles on display were the Ford Focus Electric and the Honda Fit EV. BMW and Volvo also had prominent displays at the show, proving that they can produce practical, yet spacious family-oriented electric cars.
Industry insiders at the show claimed that more efficient batteries, improved performance and greater consumer acceptance could make 2011 the “year of electric car”.
It’s long been clear that electric cars score heavily for convenience. They are, for instance, much easier to maintain than gasoline-powered cars. When the battery runs out, you simply replace it or recharge it, just like you would for a cell phone or a laptop.
This is also a much cheaper method than filling your tank with gasoline. Better yet, electric cars don’t emit exhaust fumes. As a result, they don’t produce environmentally damaging greenhouse gases.
It appears that improved technology is making electric cars and their maintenance much more user-friendly. So, what are the obstacles which are preventing electric cars from becoming popular and fashionable?
Home charging for electric cars could be extremely convenient for users. However, it is also a potential obstacle. For a start, installing charging stations in owners’ homes will be a challenge, particularly for those who have to park several blocks away from their homes.
Also, charging the car’s battery still takes quite a long time. It may be some time yet before you can recharge an electric car in the same time as you can refill your gas tank.
Another problem is that many electric vehicles have limited ranges that may only allow for journeys of 50 miles (80 km) or less between charges. In cases where a driver wishes to charge the car primarily at home (perhaps overnight), this limits their daily driving to the range of their vehicle.
This may be one reason why hybrid cars are now becoming more popular. A hybrid car has more than one energy source, usually a traditional gasoline fuel tank and an electric battery. It’s like a more practical version of an electric car: It’s greener than a conventional vehicle, with fewer CO2 emissions, yet it also doubles as a conventional vehicle.
“I would say that hybrid is a transition to fully electronic,” Road and Track magazine editor Richard Horman told Detroit News during the show. “The trend is for lighter, smarter, more economical cars. Of course, electronic vehicles are meant to be that way.”
This sounds promising, particularly in light of the fact that the show featured more electric cars from big manufacturers than ever before.
However, it seems that the technology associated with electric cars is not yet able to fully meet people’s expectations. Don’t expect gasoline-powered cars to disappear from roads just yet.
1. What made electric cars more convenient?
A. Easier maintenance. B. High scores on the show.
C. Practicality and large space. D. Much lower prices.
2. Which of the following could NOT act as a potential obstacle of electric cars?
A. It is rough work to install charging stations at home.
B. It is time-consuming to charge the batteries.
C. The ranges between charges are limited.
D. There’s no need to fill the tank with petrol.
3.In Paragraph 10, the underlined word “hybrid” is probably closest in meaning to ________.
A. gasoline B. electric C. combined D. separated
4.The writer’s purpose in writing this passage is to_________.
A. introduce the 2011 Auto Show in US B. get readers informed of electric cars
C. comment on different types of cars D. advertise for electric cars
Temperature is measured by means of a thermometer (温度计). One general form of thermometer depends upon the fact that most solids and liquids expand as their temperature rises. There are one or two exceptions. There is, for instance, a kind of steel called invar (from “invariable”) which does not change its dimensions as temperature changes; it is valuable for making pendulums (钟摆), since, if the length of a pendulum changes, its time of vibration changes. It is also used for making very accurate measuring scales. In both cases, then, changes of atmospheric temperature have no effect if invar is used.
Another exception is that very odd liquid, water, which has many strange properties (特性). As water gets colder it contracts (收缩), which is ordinary behavior, until it reaches the temperature of 30℃. above freezing point. After that, as it gets colder, it expands. This is fortunate---for considering the freezing of a pond. As the water on top gets colder, it shrinks; and so, volume for volume, it becomes heavier and sinks. This goes on until all the pond is at 30℃, but after that, as the water becomes colder it expands. Therefore the colder water stays on top and freezes, covering the pond with ice. If the water went on contracting down to the freezing point, the pond would become a solid block of ice in the end. This would not worry people who live in hot climates, but it would be very serious for those who live in cold climates, especially for those who want to break the ice and catch fish which live in the cold water beneath.
1. Invar is valuable for making pendulums because _______.
A. it can hardly change its shape or size as temperature changes.
B. it will change its dimensions without the change of temperature.
C. its time of vibration doesn’t change if its length changes.
D. its time of vibration does not change if its length changes.
2. As water gets colder after reaching the temperature of 30℃. it will _______.
A. contract B. shrink C. expand D. freeze
3. Which of the following statements is true, according to this passage?
A. Only invar can be used to make a thermometer.
B. Only water can be used to make a thermometer.
C. Both invar and water can be used to make a thermometer.
D. Neither invar nor water can be used to make a thermometer.
4.The best title of this passage is most likely to be _____.
A. Temperature Measurement B. Two Exceptions
C. Uses of Invar D. Properties of Water
完形填空（共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分）
请认真阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A Woman and a Fork
There was a young woman was diagnosed with a terminal illness and could only live three months. So as she was getting her things "in order," she 36 her Rabbi (法师）and had him come to her house to 37 certain aspects of her final wishes.
She told him which songs she wanted sung at the 38 , what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.
Everything was in order and the Rabbi was preparing to leave 39 the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.
"There's one more thing," she said 40 . "What' that?" "This is very important, I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand."
The Rabbi stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.
“That surprises you, doesn't it?” the young woman asked. "Well, to be honest, I'm 41 by the request," said the Rabbi.
The young woman 42 . “My grandmother once told me this story, and from then on, I have always done so. I have also, always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of 43 .
In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main 44 were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part 45 I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie…”
So, I just want people to see me there in that casket（棺材）with a fork in my hand and I want them to 46 "What's with the fork?" 47 I want you to tell them: "Keep your fork…the best is yet to come."
The Rabbi's eyes were 48 up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of 49 than he did. She had a better grasp of 50 heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge.
She knew that something better was coming. At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork 51 in her right hand. Over and over, the Rabbi heard the question "What's with the fork?" And over and over he 52 .
During his message, the Rabbi told the people of the 53 he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and what it symbolized to 54 . The Rabbi told the people how he could not stop thinking about the 55 and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.
He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it remind you ever so gently, that the best is yet to come.
1.. A. contracted B. contacted C. attracted D. attached
2. A. talk B. identify C. recognize D. discuss
3. A. assembly B. party C. conference D. service
4. A. before B. as C. when D. then
5.A. excitedly B. regretfully C. angrily D. breathlessly
6. A. surprised B. astonished C. depressed D. puzzled
7. A. explained B. introduced C. admitted D. hesitated
8.A. praise B. honor C. encouragement D. comfort
9. A. meal B. course C. food D. cause
10. A. so B. and C. yet D. because
11. A. wonder B. question C. enquire D. say
12. A. Later B. Afterwards C. Finally D. Then
13. A. full B. filled C. fed D. flowed
14.A. life B. funeral C. fork D. heaven
15.A. how B. where C. what D. which
16.A. placed B. grasped C. held D. caught
17.A. sobbed B. cried C. smiled D. laughed
18. A. agreement B. conclusion C. argument D. conversation
19. A. her B. him C. them D. people
20. A. woman B. funeral C. incident D. fork
— Would you mind my coming over and having a look at your rehearse (排练)? My little son’s curious about the performance.
— _______ . Just come round.
A. Yes, I do B. Never mind C. Not at all D. Yes, please
