The entire house was lit with lights. It was Meera’s wedding the next day. Seema walked to her daughter's bedroom. Meera was not there, so she left the envelope on Meera’s bed and went away. When Meera came back after a bath downstairs, her eyes fell on the envelope. She picked it up and opened it Sitting on the bed, she started to read it：
My darling daughter, I’m so happy for My darling is getting marked! To such a good man! At the same time, I’m a little worried, too. The reason? You’re going to a new house where everything is going to be new: the people, relationships and surroundings. Yes, you’re smart and Vinod will be there with you to help, but I have a few things to say:
Accept Vinous parents as your parents. Remember that your mother-in-law will have her own understanding about you. So it’s up to you give her a good impression.
Earn respect from family members. If that means changing yourself a little bit and adapting to their customs, just do it. It will help you to settle into your new home.
Never compare your mothers home and their home. It may not be appreciated.
The kitchen is one place where small fights can appear. Ifs your mother-in-law s kingdom, so ask her permission if you want to cook something. If she offers help, accept it. This Ml help in building trust between you. Similarly, offer her your help when she s busy cooking. Thus, a new relationship -will be born: one of respect and understanding.
Finally, respect your husband, as he's your life partner. Remember that a marriage re-quires trust, love and compromise (妥协).
I could have sat with you and told you, but I felt that writing all this down would make you understand better and I’m sure you’ll give your whole heart to this relationship. Remember that both Papa and I are here for you always.
Love,
Ma
1.Where was Meera when her mother went to her bedroom?
A. In the kitchen. B. In the bathroom.
C. In Vinod’s house. D. In the bedroom.
2.What was Seema’s attitude towards Vinod?
A. Satisfied. B. Cautious.
C. Doubtful. D. Worried
3.According to the text, what will help if Meera wants to build trust with her mother-in-law?
A. Living with her. B. Cooking meals instead of her.
C. Making comparison with her. D. Accepting her help in the kitchen.
Do you believe that things are connected for no scientific reason at all? For example, do you avoid saying the word “four” to avoid bad luck? If so, you have a superstition (迷信). And you’re not alone — all kinds of people have them.
For example, Portugal’s soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo always steps onto the pitch (球场) with his right foot first, according to The Telegraph. And sports players are not alone in having superstitions. A visitor once asked the Nobel Prize winning scientist Niels Bohr whether he really believed that the horseshoe he’d hung at his country home was lucky. “Of course not,” the Danish physicist said. “But I understand it’s lucky whether you believe in it or not.”
One recent study found that even scientists at MIT and other top US schools tended to look for a meaning in natural events, similar to the connection between stepping on the pitch and playing soccer well, according to The Atlantic. When the researchers gave the scientists little time to answer questions, they were twice as likely to agree with statements such as “Trees produce oxygen so that animals can breathe” as they were when they had more time to think about their reply.
It seems that fear can make people think differently in this way, too. In a British study, students imagined meeting a “witch” who said she would cast (施魔法) an evil spell(符咒) on them. About half said a scientist should not be worried about the spell. Yet each of them said that, personally, they wouldn’t let the witch do it to them.
So why are so many of us superstitious? Well, it seems to be our way of dealing with the unknown. “Many people quite simply just want to believe,” Brian Cronk, a professor of psychology at Missouri Western State University, said in a 2008 interview. “The human brain is always trying to work out why things happen, and when the reason is not clear, we tend to make up some pretty bizarre (古怪的) explanations.”
And these explanations aren’t completely unhelpful. In fact, superstitions can sometimes work and bring real luck, according to psychologists at the University of Cologne in Germany in the May 2010 issue of the journal Psychological Science. They found that believing in something can improve performance on a task like an exam.
So, what about you? What superstitions do you follow to keep you safe and successful?
1.The author mentions avoiding saying the word "four" in the opening paragraph to ________.
A. show how foolish it is to believe in superstitions
B. introduce the readers to the topic of superstitions
C. discuss the scientific reasons behind superstitions
D. prove that it is reasonable to be superstitious
2.How many superstitious practices are mentioned in the passage?
A. 3 B. 2 C. 4 D. 5
3.What’s the author’s attitude to superstitions?
A. Unknown. B. Positive. C. Negative. D. Neutral.
4.What is the best title of the article?
A. Why superstitions are common
B. How superstitions affect our daily lives
C. How some common superstitions came into being
D. How to get rid of superstitions
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.What time is it now?
A. 8:20 a.m. B. 8:40 a.m. C. 9:00 a.m.
2.What was the weather probably like yesterday?
A. Hot. B. Cool. C. Cold.
3.What do we know about the movie?
A. It will be on at 9:00 p.m. B. It is a new one. C. It is free.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What does the boy think is bad with a teenager?
A. He can’t buy what he wants. B. He has to do the housework. C. He needs to do homework.
2.How many days does the boy’s mother work a week?
A. Four. B. Five. C. Six.
3.What does the boy think of his mother’s life?
A. Busy. B. Boring. C. Wonderful.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Where does the conversation take place?
A. In an Internet cafe. B. In a travel agency. C. In a studio.
2.When are calls cheaper in Britain?
A. From 6:00 p.m to 8:00 a.m. B. From 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. C. From 6:00a.m to 8:00 p.m.
3.What does the man say about the youth hostels?
A. Small. B. Clean. C. Expensive.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What did the woman work for five years ago?
A. The BBC. B. The EU. C. The VOA.
2.Where did the woman grow up?
A. In America. B. In Britain. C. In Argentina.
3.What did the woman go to Argentina for three years ago?
A. Work. B. Pleasure. C. Sightseeing.
