The next time you get caught jumping on your bed you can tell your parents with a straight face that you are not playing, simply getting ready got a promising career in “Mattress Jumping”. Believe it or not, there are some people who actually get paid to do that! According to Reuben Reynoso, a professional mattress tester at San Francisco’s McRoskey Mattress Factory that still makes every mattress by hand, it is real work and needs some training. For a start, it’s not all about jumping to new heights or doing tricks like professional athletes, but rather about feeling each area of the mattress carefully to detect the filling. In order to do it right, every bit of the mattress has to be tested slowly and deliberately.
Over the years, Reynoso has figured out the perfect routine. He begins by placing a protective mat over the mattress so that it doesn’t get dirty or absorb the smell from his feet. Then begins the fun---he steps to the middle of an edge and then takes five steps back and five steps forward. In this way, he slowly but surely, covers the entire surface. The key according to him is to find the perfect number of jumps---Too many and he will end up destroying the mattress completely. Too few And it will not fit into the giant machine for that final sewing! Who knew a job that sounds so simple could have so many skills!
While Reuben will not reveal how he got into this profession, he will admit that it is more fun than being a carpenter, roofer, construction worker and railroad engineer---all jobs he has tried previous to finding his true profession!
1.We learn from the text that the McRoskey Mattress Factory ______.
A. is the world’s oldest mattress factory
B. make mattresses for sports
C. produces mattresses by hand
D. hires athletes as mattress testers
2.The protective mat is used to ______.
A. prevent the tester getting hurt
B. keep the mattress as clean as possible
C. protect the mattress from being destroyed
D. make the mattress fit into the sewing machine
3.According to Reynoso, the most important thing in his work is ______.
A. the timing of his jumps B. the height of his jumps
C. the number of his jumps D. the frequency of his jumps
4.We can learn from the text that Reynoso ______.
A. has been injured several times in his work
B. liked mattress jumping in his childhood
C. didn’t choose mattress testing as his first job
D. dreamt about becoming a jumping athlete
Four days after Dad’s 67th birthday, he had a heart attack. Luckily, he survived. But something inside him had died. His enthusiasm for life was gone. He refused to follow doctor’s orders, and his sour attitude made everyone upset when they visited him. Dad was left alone.
So I asked Dad to come to live with me on my small farm, hoping the fresh air would help him adjust. Within a week after he moved in, I regretted the invitation. He criticized everything I did. I became frustrated. Something had to be done.
One day I read an article which said when given dogs, depressed patients would be better off. So I drove to the animal shelter that afternoon. As soon as I got there, a pointer’s eyes caught my attention. They watched me calmly.
A staff member said: “He got here two weeks ago and we’ve heard nothing. His time is up tomorrow.”
I turned to the man in horror. “You mean you’re going to kill him”
“Ma’am,” he said gently. “We don’t have room for every unclaimed dog.”
The police’s calm brown eyes awaited my decision. “I’ll take him,” I said.
I drove home with the dog on the front seat beside me. I was helping it out of the car when Dad walked onto the front porch. “Look what I got you!” I said excitedly.
Dad wrinkled his face. “I don’t want it,” he muttered, turning back towards the house. Then, suddenly, the dog pulled free from my grasp. He sat down in front of my Dad.
Dad’s anger melted, and soon he was hugging the dog.
This was the beginning of a warm friendship. Dad named the dog Cheyenne. Together they spent long hours walking down dusty lanes and relaxing on the banks of streams.
Dad’s bitterness faded, and he and Cheyenne went on to make many friends. Then, late one night two years later, I felt Cheyenne’s cold nose burrowing (搜寻) through my bed covers. He had never before come into my bedroom at night. I ran into my father’s room and found that he had passed away.
Two days later, my shock and grief deepened when I discovered Cheyenne lying dead beside Dad’s bed. As I buried him near their favorite stream, I silently thanked the dog for restoring Dad’s peace of mind.
1.After the author’s father survived the heart attack, he ______.
A. ignored everyone who visited him
B. became unpleasant toward other people
C. was left alone to get full rest
D. no longer wanted to live
2.Why did the author take the pointer home?
A. It was a type that is known for its friendliness.
B. Its eyes made her think it was the best dog available.
C. It was good at getting people’s attention and entertaining them.
D. It caught her attention right away and she didn’t want it to be killed.
3.From the last two paragraphs we can conclude that _______.
A. the author’s father and Cheyenne formed a real connection
B. friendship and care is much more efficient than the medicine
C. more attention should be given to old people
D. dogs are so loyal that they usually die for their friends
4.Which section of a newspaper is the source of the passage?
A. Friends B. Entertainment
C. Education D. Health
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What does the woman think is important?
A. A degree in business. B. Work experience. C. Family background.
2.Why doesn’t the man accept the woman’s offer?
A. He wants to find a better job.
B. He wants to work in London.
C. He’s already received job offers.
What does the woman think of the man’s plan?
A. It’s very relaxing.
B. It’s good for his health.
C. It may make him sick.
What does the woman need?
A. Fruit and vegetables. B. Fruit and meat. C. Meat and yogurt.
Where does the man work?
A. At a restaurant. B. At a hotel. C. At the airport.
