I had once helped a friend of mine run a watermelon stall. I noticed something interesting. Almost every buyer would lift the melon up to their ear，smartly tap it, apparently trying to listen to something. I wondered what they expected to hear.
Finally I could no longer hold back my curiosity and made bold to ask a customer—an elderly gentleman—about this. Hearing my question，he roared with laughter. Then he replied in a selfmocking(自嘲)tone.“Young lady，I have been doing this for more than fifty years. All I know is that everybody would stare at you as if you were a fool if you just pick up the melon and leave！”
Not long after that，my watermelon stall friend unexpectedly sent me an invitation for her wedding，which really surprised me. I asked her, “How come you are seized by a sudden desire to get married? I don't remember ever hearing you mention that yon've got a boyfriend.” She answered while counting money，“Everyone has to get married anyway，so it is better to get married sooner than later.”
I could think of no word to refute(反驳)her. It seems that everybody is living for everybody else and has forgotten the need of their own heart. It may be safe and save a lot of worries by following others' suit in doing things. The use of We or Us will give one a steady and sure sense of pride. But using the pronoun “I” would often give one a guilty conscience.
I find all these things somewhat funny. We have got used to taking cue from(模仿) others and follow their suit. In turn，we also take it for granted that we should judge the right and wrong of others by our own standard. As a matter of fact，this massive practice is still wrong though we all follow others' suit like this, but we feel at ease and, justified simply because this is the way of us, and so we can have an easy conscience because this has been practiced by so many people.
1.The writer probably feels that it is ________.
A．necessary for the buyer to tap the watermelon
B．foolish of the buyers to buy watermelon without tapping it
C．funny that the buyers will tap the watermelons when buying them
D．wise of the elderly gentleman to tap watermelons before buy them
2.The writer uses the example of her friend's decision of getting married to show that ________.
A．her friend took no account of others's feeling
B．her friend decided to marry just to follow the crowd
C．her friend was a person who has strong personality
D．everybody in the world should marry for others
3.Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A．It may be safe to follow others' suit in doing things.
B．I was surprised to receive my friend's invitation for her wedding.
C．My experience of helping my friend run a watermelon stall was interesting.
D．The use of We or I will give speakers themselves quite different senses.
4.Which word can replace the underlined word“justified”in the last paragraph?
A．Reasonable. B．Embarrassed. C．Ashamed. D．Nervous.
5.In which section of a magazine can you read the passage?
A．Art and Life B．Sport and Health
C．Culture and Society D．Science and Technology
I used to believe in the American Dream, which meant a job, a mortgage (按揭), credit cards, success. I wanted it and worked toward it like everyone else, all of us chasing the same thing.
One year, through a series of unhappy events, it all fell . I found myself homeless and alone. I had my truck and $56. I the countryside for some place I could rent for the possible amount. I came upon a shabby house four miles up a winding mountain road the Potomac River in West Virginia. It was , full of broken glass and rubbish. I found the owner ,rented it, and a corner to camp in.
The locals knew nothing about me, slowly, they started teaching me the of being a neighbor. They dropped off blankets, candles, and tools, and began to chat. They started to teach me a belief in a American Dream—not the one of individual achievement but of .
What I had believed in, all those things I thought were for a civilized life, were nonexistent in this place. on the mountain, my most valuable possessions were my with my neighbors.
Four years later, I moved back into . I saw many people were having a really hard time, their jobs and homes. I managed to rent a big enough house to a handful of people .There are four of us now in the house, but over time I’ve had nine people come in and move on to other places. We’d all be in if we hadn’t banded together.（团结起来）
The American Dream I believe in now is a shared one. It’s not so much about what I can get for myself; it’s about we can all get by together.
1.A. equally B. separately C. violently D. naturally
2.A. off B. over C. apart D. out
3.A. searched B. left C. toured D. crossed
4.A. cheapest B. largest C. fairest D. fullest
5.A. at B. through C. over D. round
6.A. occupied B. abandoned C. emptied D. robbed
7.A. turned B. approached C. cut D. cleared
8.A. but B. although C. otherwise D. for
9.A. benefit B. lesson C. nature D. art
10.A. looking B. staying C. swinging D. turning
11.A. wild B. real C. different D. remote
12.A. neighborliness B. happiness C. friendliness D. kindness
13.A. unique B. expensive C. rare D. necessary
14.A. Down B. Up C. Deep D. Along
15.A. cooperation B. relationships C. satisfaction D. appointments
16.A. reality B. society C. town D. life
17.A. creating B. losing C. quitting D. offering
18.A. put in B. turn in C. take in D. get in
19.A. yards B. shelters C. camps D. cottages
20.A. when B. what C. whether D. how
The president of the World Bank says he has a passion for China , , he remembers starting as early as his childhood.
A. where B. which C. what D. when
Generally speaking, students’ inner motivation with high expectations from others essential to their development.
A. is B. are C. was D. were
In the global economy, a new drug for cancer, it is discovered, will create many economic possibilities around the world.
A. whatever B. whoever C. wherever D. whichever
Lionel Messi ， the record for the most goals in a calendar year, is considered the most talented football player in Europe.
A. set B. setting C. to set D. having set
