Silence is unnatural to man．He begins life with a cry and ends it in stillness．In between he does all he can to make a noise in the world, and he fears silence more than anything else．Even his conversation is an attempt to prevent a fearful silence．If he is introduced to another person, and a number of pauses occur in the conversation, he regards himself as a failure, a worthless person, and is full of envy of the emptiest headed chatterbox （喋喋不休的人）．He knows that ninety-nine percent of human conversation means no more than the buzzing of a fly, but he is anxious to join in the buzz and to prove that he is a man and not a waxwork figure （蜡塑人像）．
The aim of conversation is not, for the most part, to communicate ideas; it is to keep up the buzzing sound．There are, it must be admitted, different qualities of buzz; there is even a buzz that is as annoying as the continuous noise made by a mosquito （蚊子）．But at a dinner party one would rather be a mosquito than a quiet person．Most buzzing, fortunately, is pleasant to the ear, and some of it is pleasant even to the mind．He would be a foolish man if he waited until he had a wise thought to take part in the buzzing -with his neighbors．
Those who hate to pick up the weather as a conversational opening seem to me not to know the reason why human beings wish 1:0 talk．Very few human beings join in a conversation in the hope of learning anything new．Some of them are content ．if they are merely allowed to go on making a noise into other people's ears, though they have nothing to tell them except that they have seen two or three new, plays or that they had food in a Swiss hotel．At the end of an evening during which they have said nothing meaningful for a long time, they just prove themselves to be successful conservationists．
1.According to the author, people make conversation to .
A．exchange ideas B．prove their value
C．achieve success m life D．overcome their fear of silence
2.By "the buzzing of a fly" （Para．1）, the author means"_____".
A．the noise of an insect B．a low whispering sound
C．meaningless talks D．the voice of a chatterbox
3.According to the passage, people usually talk to their neighbors___ ．
A．about whatever they have prepared
B．about whatever they want to
C．in the hope of learning something new
D．in the hope of getting on well
4.What is the author's purpose in writing the passage?
A．To discuss why people like talking about weather．
B．To encourage people to join in conversations．
C．To persuade people to stop making noises．
D．To explain why people keep talking．
Teens don’t understand the big fuss. As the first generation to grow up in a wired world, they hardly know a time when computers weren’t around, and they eagerly catch the chance to spend hours online, chatting with friends. So what?
But researchers nationwide are increasingly worried that teens are becoming isolated, less skillful at person-to-person relationships, and perhaps numb to the cheatings that are so much a part of the e-mail world. “and a teen’s sense of self and values may be changed in a world where personal connections can be limitless,” said Sherry Turkle.
Another researcher, Robert Kraut, said he’s worried about the “opportunity costs” of so much online time for youths. He found that teens who used computers, even just a few hours a week, showed increased signs of loneliness and social isolation. “Chatting onine may be better than watching television, but it’s worse than hanging out with real friends,” he said.
Today’s teens, however, don’t see anything strange in the fact that the computer takes up a central place in their social lives, “School is busy and full of pressure. There’s almost no time to just hang out.” said Parker Rice, 17. “Talking online is just catch up time.”
Teens say they feel good about what they say online or taking the time to think about a reply. Some teens admit that asking someone for a date, or breaking up, can be easier in message form, though they don’t want to do so. But they insist there’s no harm.
1.She researchers argue that___．
A．teens may develop a different sense of values
B．nothing is wrong with teens' chatting online
C．teens can manage their social connections
D．spending hours online does much good to teens
2.Teens think that talking online can help them ____．
A．use computers properly B．improve their school work
C．develop an interest in social skills D．reduce their mental pressures
3.The text mainly deals with __ _．
A．teens' pleasant online experience
B．teens' computer skills and school work
C．the effects of the computer world on teens
D．different opinions on teens' chatting online
4.The purpose of the text is to ____．
A．describe computer research results
B．draw attention to teens' computer habits
C．suggest ways to deal with problem teens
D．discuss problems teens have
It was the summer of 1965. Deluca, then 17, visited Peter Buck, a family friend. Buck asked Deluca about his plans for the future. “I’m going to college, but I need a way to pay for it,” DeLuca recalls saying. “Buck said, ‘You should open a sandwich shop.’”
That afternoon, they agreed to be partners. And they set a goal: to open 32 stores in ten years. After doing some research, buck wrote a check for $1000. DeLuca rented a storefront (店面) in Connecticut, and when they couldn’t cover their start-up costs, Buck kicked in another $1000.
But business didn’t go smoothly as they expected. DeLuca says, “After six months, we were doing poorly, but we didn’t know how badly, because we didn’t have any financial controls.” All he and Buck knew was that their sales were lower than their costs.
DeLuca was managing the store and going to the University of Bridgeport at the same time. Buck was working at his day job as a nuclear physicist in New York. They’d meet Monday evenings and brainstorm ideas for keeping the business running. “We convinced ourselves to open a second store. We figured we could tell the public, ‘We are so successful, we are opening a second store.’” And they did—in the spring of 1966. Still, it was a lot of learning by trial and error.
But the partners’ learn-as-you-go approach turned out to be their greatest strength. Every Friday, DeLuca would drive around and hand-deliver the checks to pay their suppliers. “It probably took me two and a half hours and it wasn’t necessary, but as a result, the suppliers got to know me very well, and the personal relationships established really helped out,” DeLuca says.
And having a goal was also important. “There are so many problems that can get you down. You just have to keep working toward your goal,” DeLuca adds.
DeLuca ended up founding Subway Sandwich, the multimillion-dollar restaurant chain.
1.DeLuca opened the first sandwich shop in order to ____.
A．support his family
B．pay for his college education
C．help his partner expand business
D．do some research
2.Which of the following is true of Buck?
A．He put money into the sandwich business.
B．He was a professor of business administration.
C．He was studying at the University of Bridgeport.
D．He rented a storefront for DeLuca.
3.What can we learn about their first shop?
A．It stood at an unfavorable palce.
B．It lowered the prices to promote sales.
C．It made no profits due to poor management
D．It lacked control over the quality of sandwiches
4.They decided to open a second store because they ___ .
A．had enough money to do it.
B．had succeeded in their business
C．wished to meet the increasing demand of customers
D．wanted to make believe that they were successful
5.What contribute most to their success according to the author?
A．Learning by trial and error. B．Making friends with suppliers.
C．Finding a good partner. D．Opening chain stores.
Are you sometimes a little tired and sleepy in the early afternoon? Many people feel this way after lunch. They may think that eating lunch is the cause of the sleepiness. Or, in summer, they may think it is the heat. However, the real reason lies inside their bodies. At that time – about eight hours after you wake up – your body temperature goes down. This is what makes you slow down and feel sleepy. Scientists have tested sleep habits in experiments where there was no night or day. The people in these experiments almost always followed a similar sleeping pattern. They slept for one long period and then for one short period about eight hours later.
In many parts of the world, people take naps in the middle of the day. This is especially true in warmer climates, where the heat makes work difficult in the early afternoon. Researchers are now saying that naps are good for everyone in any climate. A daily nap gives one a more rested body and mind and therefore is good for health in general. In countries where naps are traditional, people often suffer less from problem such as heart disease.
Many working people, unfortunately, have no time to take naps. Though doctors may advise taking naps, employers do not allow it! If you do have the chance, however, here are a few tips about making the most of your nap. Remember that the best time to take a nap is about eight hours after you get up. A short sleep too late in the day may only make you feel more tired and sleepy afterward. This can slao happen if you sleep for too long. If you do not have enough time, try a short nap – even ten minutes of sleep can be helpful.
1.Why do people feel sleepy in the early afternoon according to the text?
A．They eat too much for lunch.
B．They sleep too little at night.
C．Their body temperature becomes lower.
D．The weather becomes a lot warmer.
2.If you get up at 6:30 am, what is the best time for you to take a nap?
A．About 12:30 pm. B．About 1:30 pm.
C．About 2:30 pm D．About 3:30 pm
3.What would be the best title for the text?
A．Just for a Rest B．All for a Nap
C．A Special Sleep Pattern. D．Taking Naps in Warmer Climate.
There was a story many years ago of a school techer-Mrs. Thompson. She told the children on the first day that she oved them all the same. But that was a lie. There in the front row was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. He didn’t play well with the other children and he always needed a bath. She did not like him.
Then. Mrs. Thompson got to know that Teddy was actually a very good boy before the death of his mother. Mrs. Thompson was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when, like all her other students, Teddy brought her a Christmas present too. It was his mother’s perfume(香水).
Teddy said, “Mrs. Thompson, today you smell just like my Mom used to.” After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she stopped teaching reading, writing and math. Instead, she began to teach children.
Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. The boy’s mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he improved. By the end of the sixth grade, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class.
Six years went by before she got a note from Teddy. He wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. He went to college. Mrs. Thompson got two more letters from him with the last one signed. Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D.(医学博士).
The story doesn’t end there. On his wedding day, Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson’s ear, “Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for believing in me. You made me feel important and showed me that I could make a difference.”
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back, “Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference, I didn’t know how to teach until I met you.”
1.What did Mrs. Thompson do on the first day of school?
A．She made Teddy feel ashamed.
B．She asked the children to play with Teddy.
C．She changed Teddy’s seat to the front row.
D．She told the class something untrue about herself.
2.What did Mrs. Thompson find out about Teddy?
A．He often told lies.
B．He was good at math.
C．He needed motherly care.
D．He enjoyed playing with others.
3.In what way did Mrs. Thompson change?
A．She taught fewer school subjects.
B．She became stricter with her students.
C．She no longer liked her job as a teacher.
D．She card more about educating students.
4.Why did Teddy thank Mrs. Thompson at his wedding?
A．She had kept in touch with him.
B．She had given him encouragement.
C．She had sent him Christmas presents.
D．She had taught him how to judge people.
On August 26, 1999, New York City was struck by a terrible rainstorm. The rain caused the streets 21 and the subway system almost came to a stop.
Unfortunately, this happened during the morning rush hour. Many people who were going to work were 22 to go home. Some battled to 23 a taxi or to get on a bus. Still others faced the 24 bravely, walking miles to get to work.
I 25 to be one of people on the way to work that morning. I went from subway line to subway line only to find that most 26 had stopped. After making my way 27 crowds of people. I finally found a subway line that was 28 . Unfortunately, there were so many people waiting to 29 the subway that I could not even get down the stairs to the 30 . So I took the train going in the opposite direction, and then switched back to the downtown train. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the train 31 my stop. Then I had to walk several blocks in the increasingly heavy rain. When I got to my office, I was 32 through, exhausted and 33 .
My co-workers and I spend most of the day drying off. When it was 5:00 pm, I was ready to go home. I was about to turn off my computer 34 I received an email from Garth, my Director.
I would like to thank all of you who made the effort and 35 reported to work. It is always reassuring（令人欣慰）, at times like these, when employees so clearly show their 36 to their jobs. Thank you.
Garth’s email was short, but I learned more from that 37 message than I ever did from a textbook. The email taught me that a few words of 38 can make a big difference. The rainstorm and the traffic 39 had made me tired and upset. But Garth’s words immediately 40 me and put a smile back on my face.
1.A．break B．flood C．sink D．crash
2.A．forced B．refused C．adjusted D．gathered
3.A．order B．pay C．take D．search
4.A．climate B．scenery C．storm D．burden
5.A．used B．promised C．deserved D．happened
6.A．practice B．routine C．process D．service
7.A．to B．through C．over D．for
8.A．operating B．cycling C．turning D．rushing
9.A．check B．carry C．find D．board
10.A．street B．ground C．floor D．platform
11.A．paused B．crossed C．reached D．parked
12.A．wet B．weak C．sick D．hurt
13.A．ashamed B．discouraged C．surprised D．puzzled
14.A．while B．when C．where D．after
15.A．hardly B．casually C．absolutely D．eventually
16.A．devotion B．donation C．connection D．reaction
17.A．accurate B．urgent C．brief D．humorous
18.A．promise B．appreciate C．advice D．guidance
19.A．troubles B．signals C．rules D．sings
20.A．corrected B．supported C．amazed D．refreshed
