阅读理解。
The Japanese like parties.From ancient times, a party becomes enlivened (活泼) when someone starts singing and others keep applauding.Having such a custom, the Japanese can easily sing in front of others without feeling embarrassed.This seems to be one of the reasons that karaoke has been largely accepted in Japanese society.
It is now widely recognized that the use of karaoke started at a snack bar in Kobe City, one of the three biggest cities in Japan.It is said that when a guitarist could not come to perform at the bar due to illness, the owner of the bar prepared tapes of accompaniment recordings, and people enjoyed singing to the tapes.
It was at that time that karaoke appeared.Holding a microphone and singing a song to the accompaniment of an “orchestra (管弦乐队)”， you can feel like a professional singer.For soldiers living in a stressful society, there is no other entertainment activity that can make them feel so refreshed.
It is a typical way to relax for Japanese businessmen.They use it to take away their stress after work.However, there is an obstacle to this: since most Japanese houses are still made of wood, it would be very annoying to the neighbors to sing into a microphone at night.Seizing upon the opportunity, businessmen created the karaoke box, a roadside facility containing karaoke equipment.Karaoke boxes are soundproofed rooms, closed with a door, placed on roadsides where people can sing.The first “Karaoke box” was placed in a rice camp in the countryside in 1984.It was built from a converted freight car (改装的货运车).Now, the karaoke boom has even spread abroad and it has also been attracting the attention of the countries trying to improve their literacy rate (识字率) as a good educational tool.
1.According to the text, we can learn that karaoke ________.
A.originated from the biggest city of Japan
B.originated in the form of singing to tapes
C.can help you achieve the level of professional singers
D.first appeared in the army to relieve stress for soldiers
2.The underlined word “soundproofed” in Paragraph 4 most probably means “________”.
A.recording sounds repeatedly
B.receiving sound signals
C.making sound more clear
D.stopping sound from being heard outside
3.What can be inferred from the text?
A.Karaoke was started in a bar during a party.
B.A guitarist was the originator who brought the karaoke into being.
C.Karaoke was very common as a form of entertainment at home when it was born.
D.Karaoke is used as a way of education in some countries.
4.What is the text mainly about?
A.What karaoke boxes are like.
B.How karaoke boxes were created.
C.The origins and development of karaoke.
D.Karaoke becomes a popular form of entertainment.
阅读理解。
“Reconstituted” families are more and more common in the UK.
Steve and Debbie got married in 2001 and had two children，Lily and Alex.Unfortunately，Steve and Debbie’s marriage didn’t work out and they got divorced in 2006.The children live with Debbie.In 2008，Debbie remarried.Her new husband，Martin，has three children from his previous marriage and they visit Debbie，Martin，Lily and Alex at weekends.In addition，Debbie is pregnant with her third child.She’s expecting a boy who will be a halfbrother to Lily and Alex and also to Martin’s three other children.
Confused？Debbie’s family arrangements might have seemed strange 30 years ago but nowadays this kind of “reconstituted” family is increasingly common in the UK.Almost half of all marriages in Britain end in divorce and over 40% of marriages are remarriages.More than 10% of all British children live with one birth parent and a stepparent—a parent who isn’t their biological mother or father.The traditional “nuclear” family of two parents and their children is not so traditional any more.
What does all of this mean for parents in these “reconstituted” families？“There are difficulties and challenges，” says Debbie.“Different families have different routines and it can be difficult for children to move between their two families.Birthdays and holidays can be tricky.Where do the children go？Who should they spend their time with？Also，when my children are naughty it can be difficult for Martin to tell_them_off.Things that might be simple in a traditional family can be a bit more complicated.”
And how about the children？Martin’s eldest child，Ella，is 12.“I like my two families，” she says.“I live with my mum but visit my dad quite often and I’m happy that my mum and dad get along OK.They’re not married any more but it’s good that they can still be friends.” Of course divorce and separation are never easy but many families in the UK are finding ways to make family life work in new ways.
1.Why did Steve and Debbie get separated?
A．They couldn’t support the children.
B．They couldn’t get along well.
C．They were both out of work.
D．They had serious economic problems.
2.We can learn from the text that a “nuclear” family ________.
A．has two birth parents and their children
B．has two birth parents and only one child
C．is traditional but complicated
D．doesn’t have any children
3.What do the underlined words “tell them off” in Paragraph 4 most probably mean?
A．make them annoyed B．send them to school
C．let out their secrets D．talk angrily to them
4.What’s the text mainly about?
A．The difference between “marriage” and “remarriage”．
B．More and more people get divorced in the UK.
C．“Reconstituted” families are becoming more and more in the UK.
D．The marriage situation is becoming severe.
阅读理解。
You know how wonderful you are, and you know that others know how wonderful you are, but what do you do when admiration crosses over the line into jealousy (嫉妒)? For most teens there will come a day when you realize that one of your friends is jealous and that this jealousy is hurting your friendship. When this happens it can seem like there is nothing that you can do, but the good news is that there is. Don't let jealousy spoil your friendship. Deal with it confidently and you might be back to normal much sooner than you think.
It can be hard to walk up to a friend and ask them what the problem is, but if you want to save your friendship you'll have to do just that. Don't approach them and ask why they are jealous of you unless of course you want to appear totally conceited (逞能的), just take some time alone with them and let them know that you've been feeling like there's been something coming between you. If they refuse to respond, then use the opportunities to explain how you have been feeling. Chances are that something you say will strike a nerve and your friend will open up as well.
When you figure out what is annoying your friend, ask him or her what (s)he thinks would make the situation better. If, for example, (s)he says that (s)he feels like (s)he doesn't get to spend any time with you because of your being off with your new friends from the swim team then maybe you could invite him or her along the next time or block off one day a week for just the two of you. Remember, though, that whatever solution you decide on should be a compromise. Don't limit your own talents or opportunities simply because your friend is unhappy. Try instead to include him or her in your new life and see how that works out.
Even the best of friendships can be ruined by jealousy. This destructive emotion is rarely productive and can turn best friends into worst enemies. Before taking extreme action, chat with your jealous friend to see if the two of you can work out a compromise. If you can't, be prepared to know exactly how far you will go to keep your friend and how far you won't.
1.According to the author, the jealousy emotion is ________.
A.normal B.productive
C.destructive D.extreme
2.What does the author intend to tell us in paragraph 2?
A.How to solve the problem of jealousy.
B.Why we need to solve the problem of jealousy.
C.How to explain your jealousy to your friends.
D.Why it is hard to deal with the problem of jealousy.
3.What can be inferred from the last two paragraphs?
A.There's always a solution to solve the problem of jealousy.
B.Jealousy can turn best friends into worst enemies.
C.You may lose a friend to keep your own gifts, chances or selfdevelopment.
D.You should go a long way with your friend to work out a solution.
4.This passage is mainly intended for ________.
A.female readers B.students
C.teenagers D.best friends
阅读理解。
Finally，I entered the university.Because of my careful savings，I did not have to work during the school years.Then，summer came and it was time to work harder than ever.I continued working as a waitress at night，instructed tennis camps several mornings a week and worked as a secretary for a few hours in the afternoons.I even decided to take a class at a community (社区) college.This class at the community college saved me $650.It was an extremely tiring summer and made me anxious to return to my relatively easy life at the university.
During my second and third years of undergraduate schooling，I decided to work about five hours per week in the campus (校园) admissions office answering phones.This provided a little spending money and kept me from drawing my savings out. The overall situation looked hopeful as I approached my senior year as long as I could make as much money as I had the previous summer.I wanted to go to Israel to study for 3 weeks，but I hesitated in making this decision because it would cost me $1,600 more to get the credits in Israel.About two weeks later my mom called to tell me that I had $1,600 in the bank that I had forgotten about！One of my concerns about this trip was not only the cost，but the loss of time to make money；however，I made as much that summer in the ten weeks when I was at home as I had made during the fourteen weeks when I was at home the summer before.The way everything worked together to make this trip possible was one of the most exciting things that have ever happened to me.
This experience has shaped me in many important ways.The first thing that I learned was the importance of a strong work ethic (道德准则)．Working long hours did a lot to develop my character and helped me learn the value of a dollar.It also made me learn how to search for creative ways to settle difficult situations.
1.Where did the writer probably work parttime before attending the university?
A．In a restaurant.
B．In the tennis camps.
C．In a company.
D．In the campus admissions office.
2.The writer took a class at a community college mainly because ________.
A．she wanted to save money
B．life there was relatively easy
C．summer time was tiring
D．it was required by the university
3.The writer’s major concern about the trip to Israel was that ________.
A．her mother would not give her approval
B．she would fail to get credits in Israel
C．a wellpaid summer job would be lost
D．$1,600 couldn’t be drawn out in time
4.The passage is mainly about how the writer ________.
A．made money on the college campus
B．managed to make full use of her vacation
C．was forced to support herself by her mother
D．was shaped by working parttime through college
阅读理解。
Complete the following sentence：“You go to the library to check out ...？” The obvious answer is “books”.But a harder question might be, “What do we mean by ‘books’？” Nowadays, electronic books, or “ebooks”， have become more and more popular in American society.
The biggest online bookseller Amazon, for example, recently announced that less than four years after introducing them to its catalog, it is now selling more electronic versions of its book titles than printed ones.
Last week, Pew Internet Project released a survey about the use of ebooks by library customers.It found that 12% of Americans aged 16 and older who read ebooks say they had borrowed at least one from a library within the past year.But the survey found that the broader public, including 58% of those who have library cards and 53% of people who own electronic book readers, are not aware that they can find and check out ebooks from public libraries, even though three quarters of the libraries offer that service.
Pew Internet Project director Lee Rainie noted that ebook borrowing is becoming more popular at the same time that publishers, who are selling plenty of ebooks and fewer hardcopy editions, are worried that free ebook checkouts at the library will hurt sales.In February, for example, the big publisher Penguin Books stopped supplying new ebooks and audio books to libraries.Penguin just reached an agreement to resume supplying one big library system in New York City but not until six months after new titles are released.That way, those who want the latest books will have to buy them.
So things are a little murky (阴暗的) in the library world when it comes to electronic books.More and more customers want them, but publishers are giving the libraries a hard time about offering them.Demand is not the problem.Supply may soon be.
1.What is the function of the two questions in the first paragraph?
A. To introduce the topic of the passage.
B. To stress the popularity of ebooks.
C. To show what the author cares about.
D. To remind us of the change at the library.
2.According to Paragraph 2, what can we know about Amazon?
A. It has sold ebooks for five years.
B. Its ebooks are cheaper than printed books.
C. It has the best ebooks among all libraries.
D. Its ebooks sell better than printed books.
3.We know from the survey done by Pew Internet Project that ________.
A. few library customers know how to read ebooks
B. the promotional effort at ebook readers is not big enough
C. library customers should be reminded about the ebook service
D. more library cards should be offered to readers free of charge
4.Why did Penguin Books NOT supply new ebooks to libraries?
A. Because they are not allowed to offer ebooks.
B. Because they wanted to increase the sales of printed books.
C. Because they didn't want their ebooks to be copied.
D. Because their products were not welcomed there.
阅读理解。
Having good etiquette (礼节) at the workplace is very important to be a favorite in an office.However，it’s observed that many people aren’t aware of the workplace etiquette and this creates a very bad impression in the office.So it’s important to know some workplace etiquette tips.
Among all the workplace etiquette guidelines，the most important is to be punctual to your office.Though going late due to an emergency is okay，habitual late comers are never appreciated in any organization.By arriving at your office on time，you show that you’re aware of your responsibilities and have respect for the organization.In case you feel that you would be late，call the concerned authority and report the matter to him or her.
Also，a proper knowledge of the workplace email etiquette is a must.In the official emails，you need to mention the subject concisely，while at the same time include all the important details which are to be shared.You should use good and grammatically correct language while writing emails.
A knowledge of telephone etiquette in the workplace is very important as well.While talking on the telephone，be polite and listen to what they’re saying carefully.Only then should you say what you feel.Speak in a voice which would be heard clearly at the other end.
The workplace guidelines are important even while you’re dining or celebrating with your coworkers.If you get a call in between，receive it after you’re permitted by the others by saying “excuse me”．Don’t talk loudly while eating.Greet people well and try to make them feel comfortable while being in your company.
These guidelines will help you become the best employee of a company.All the best!
1.Why should you try to be punctual?
A．To prove you are not a habitual late comer.
B．To respect the rules of the organization.
C．To show that you are a responsible worker.
D．To win other workers’ respect.
2.How should you write an official email?
A．Write the subject clearly and simply.
B．Include all the details in the email.
C．Make the language as beautiful as possible.
D．Make emails as brief as possible.
3.Which of the following is considered NOT acceptable about making phone calls in the workplace?
A．Using polite language.
B．Listening with patience and care.
C．Speaking clearly.
D．Answering a call whenever it comes in.
4.In the writer’s opinion，workplace etiquette________.
A．is easy to master
B．is considered important by all employees
C．can be helpful in doing your work well
D．will bring you good luck and good salaries
