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A daughter complained to her father about her life and how things have been so hard for her.She did not know how she was going to make it and she wanted to give up.She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed that just as one problem was solved another arose.
Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen, filled three pots with water and placed the fire on high Soon the three pots came to a boil.In one he placed carrots, in the other he placed eggs, and the last he placed ground coffee beans.He let them sit and boil, without saying a word.
The daughter impatiently wondered what he was trying to do. In half an hour he walked over to the stove and turned down the fire.He pulled the carrots out and placed them in the bowl.He pulled the eggs out and placed them in the bowl.Then he ladled（盛）the coffee out and placed it in a cup.Turning to her he asked.“Darling what do you see?”
“Carrots, eggs, and coffee.”she replied.
He brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots.She did and noted that they were soft.He then asked her to take an egg and break it.After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled ege. Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee.She smiled, as she tasted its rich aroma（芳香）.
Humbly, she asked.“What does it mean Father?”
He explained.“Each of them faced the same adversity,however each reacted differently.The carrot went in strong, hard.But after going through boiling water, it softened and became weak.The egg was fragile.A thin outer shell protected a liquid center.But after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.The coffee beans are unique however.After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water”
“Which are you,”he asked his daughter, “When adversity knocks on your door, how do yourespond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?”
1.How did the daughter feel about her life?（No more than 10 words）
2.Why did the father take his daughter to the kitchen?（No more than 12 words）
3.What does the underlined word“adversity”in the last paragraph probably mean in English?（No more than 12 words）
4.What advice did the father give his daughter?（No more than 10 words）
5.What kind of man do you think the father was and why?（No more than 25 words）
In Western countries people have been using the installment plan since the first half of the twentieth century.Today, a large number of families in Great Britain buy furniture, household goods and cars by installments In the U.S.A, the figure is much higher than in Great Britain, and people there spend over 10 percent of their income on the installment plan.
The price of an article bought on installments is always higher than the price that would be paid by cash.There is a charge for interest.The buyer pays one quarter or one third of the price as a down payment when the goods are delivered to him.He then makes regular payments, weekly or monthly,until the full price is paid up.The legal ownership of the goods remains with the seller until the final payment has been made.
Installment buying has advantages and disadvantages. It can help couples with small incomes to fumish their homes and star housekeeping, It increases the demand for goods, and in this way helps business and employment .There is ,however, the danger that when business is bad, installment buying may end suddenly, making business much worse.This may result in a great increase in unemployment.If the people on the installment plan lose their jobs, they will probably not be able to make their payments.If great numbers of people are not able to pay their installment debts, there is a possibility that businessmen cannot collect their debts and will therefore lose money.If businessmen lose money or fail to make a satisfactory profit, it becomes more likely to have a depression .This is why, in some countries,the government controls the installment plan by fixing the amount of the down payment and installments to discourage people from buying more than they can pay for on the installment plan.
1.Which of the following is NOT TRUE about the installment plan?
A. A lot of British families use the installment plan.
B. More than 10 percent American families buy things on installments.
C. Americans depend more on installment than British people do.
D. Americans spend one tenth of their income on installment buying.
2.Goods bought on installments are more expensive than goods bought by cash because ________ .
A. the buyer has to pay extra money as interest
B. the delivery of the goods charges extra money
C. the buyer has to pay a down payment
D. the service offered by installment plan charged extra money
3.What will happen to a buyer if he fails to make the full payment for an item bought on installments?
A. He might lose his job.
B. He will stop owning the item he has bought
C. He will have to sell what he has bought.
D. He will go into debt
4.The advantage of installment buying might include all the following EXCEPT that ________ .
A. purchasing power is strengthened.
B. employment might be increased
C. people develop a good habit of saving money
D. young couples are able to furnish their homes
5.In some countries,the governments control the installment plan to ________ .
A. increase employment
B. avoid depressions
C. ensure that businesses make good profits
D. ensure that people can pay for what they buy
Have you ever complained, “I remember reading it, but I can’t remember what it said? ” then you should try the SQ4R reading method.
S = Survey.The first step is to take a few minutes skimming the chapter. Don’t read it yet, just look at topic headings, key words, and read the summary.
Q = Question. As you prepare to read the chapter,turn the first topic into a question or two.As you read, seach for the answer.This will help you organize your reading-find the parts that answer your question, give an example ,consist of related information or that may answer a later question.Most importantly, this gives you a reason to read the next paragraph.
R = Read.Read in short “bites”（部分）,then determine how that answers question（s）you originally posed（提出）.Often as you read other questions will arise.
R = Recite. Now can you answer your question（s）in your own words? If you can’t, reread the material to find the answers or determine if you need to change the question.You are rehearsing（重复，默诵）for the time when you will need o know the answer.A good technique for rehearsing answers is to briefly jot down（草草记下）the key words that remind you of the essence of the answer without writing down every detail.
R = Relate.Most of us try to relate what we are reading to what we already know.It is always easier and more satisfying to remember information that is personally meaningful. Everything has a context.Some information may take more reflection before you are able to grasp its relationship with what you already know while other information may simply require more research, to understand how it fits with other data.
R = Review.One way to minimize memory decay（衰退）and to store the material you have studied firmly in your mind is by reviewing it.After you finish reading the entire chapter, skim back over it and any note you made.
Effective studying requires effective reading.Rather than getting“intellectual indigestion” while reading straight through a chapter, instead you should stop to survey, question, read, recite, relate, and review so as to improve your reading comprehension.
1.What does the passage mainly tell us?
A. Six steps to skim through a chapter.
B. The purpose of using the SQ4R reading method.
C. An effective way of getting“intellectual indigestion”.
D. A method to help you learn what you read effectively.
2.In author’s view, the step of“reading”is a process that ________ .
A. you determine what questions should be posed an answered
B. you find key words to remind you of the essence of a chapter
C. you search for answers to the questions you created before reading
D. you make preparation for the next steps -recite and relate
3.Why does the author advise readers to relate what they learn while reading a chapter?
A. Because it can make us recognize the meaningful information.
B. Because the purpose of reading is to know relationships between data.
C. Because it’ll be more enjoyable as we’ll be reminded of what we’ve known.
D. Because it’ll be easier to grasp and remember the information from the chapter.
4.How can we remember what we have learned firmly according to the passage?
A. By reading it. B. By reviewing it.
C. By questioning it. D. By relating it.
5.Unlike the SQ4R reading method, “intellectual indigestion”may result from the way of ________ .
A. rehearsing for the time when you will need to know the answer
B. not finding a purpose for reading the next paragraph
C. reading straight through a chapter ineffectively
D. reviewing many times to store materials in your mind
One evening in February 2007, a student named Paula Ceely brought her car to a stop on a remote road in Wales.She got out to open a metal gate that blocked her path.That’s when she heard the whistle sounded by the driver of a train.Her Renault Clio was parked across a railway line.Seconds later, she watched the train drag her car almost a kilometre down the railway tracks.
Ceely’ s near miss made the news because she blamed it on her GPS device.She had never driver the route before.It was dark and raining heavily.Ceely was relying on her GPS, but it made no mention of the crossing.“I put my complete trust in the device and it led me right into the path of a speeding train, ”she told the BBC.
Who is to blame here? Rick Stevenson, who tells Ceely’s story in his book When Machines Fail Us,points the finger at the limitations of technology.We put our faith in digital devices, he says, but our digital helpers are too often not up to the job.They are filled with small problems.And it’s not just GPS devices:Stevenson takes us on a tour of digital disasters involving everything from mobile phones to wireless keyboards.
The problem with his argument in the book is that it’s not clear why he only focuses on digital technology, while there may be a number of other possible causes.A map-maker might have left the crossing off a paper map.Maybe we should blame Ceely for not paying attention.Perhaps the railway authorities are at fault for poor signaling system .Or maybe someone has studied the relative dangers and worked out that there really is something specific wrong with the GPS equipment. But Stevenson doesn’t say.
It’s a problem that runs through the book.In a section on cars, Stevenson gives an account of the advanced techniques that criminals use to defeat computer-based locking systems for cars.He offers two independent sets of figures on car theft; both show a small rise in some parts of the country.He says that once again not all new locks have proved reliable,Perhaps, but maybe it’s also due to the shortage of policemen on the streets .Or changing social circumstances.Or some combination of these factors.
The game between humans and their smart devices is amusing and complex.It is shaped by economics and psychology and the cultures we live in.Somewhere in the mix of those forces there may be a way for a wiser use of technology.
If there is such a way, it should involve more than just an awareness of the shortcomings of our machines.After all, we have lived with them for thousands of years.They have probably been fooling us for just a.s long.
1.What did Paula Ceely think was the cause of her accident?
A. She was not familiar with the road.
B. It was dark and raining heavily then.
C. The railway workers failed to give the signal.
D. Her GPS device didn’t tell her about the crossing.
2.The phrase “near miss”（Paragraph 2）can best be replaced by ________.
A. close hit B. heavy loss
C. narrow escape D. big mistake
3.Which of the following would Rick Stevenson most probably agree with?
A. Modern technology is what we can’t live without.
B. Digtal technology often falls short of our expectation.
C. Digital devices are more reliable than they used to be.
D. GPS error is not the only cause for Ceely’s accident.
4.In the writer’s opinion,Stevenson’s argument is ________ .
A. one-sided B. reasonable
C. puzzling D. well-based
5.What is the real concern of the writer of this article?
A. The major causes of traffic accidents and car thefts.
B. The human unawareness of technical problems.
C. The shortcomings of digital devices we use.
D. The relationship between humans and technology.
When first entered,Vanak Restaurant does not look like much of a restaurant, but once the pleasant smells of kabob（烤肉串）hit the senses, you are incapable of calling it anything less.
Owned by a local couple, this Persian restaurant has an inviting, homelike atmosphere that many restaurants lack.
The space is small with only a few dining tables and nearly no decoration, but the environment is truly charming.
Lying in a hardly noticeable street corner, the restaurant still attracts all customers, especially those experienced in the delights of Middle Eastern cooking.
A common sight is that of old Persian men sitting in the corner talking loudly about world topics,watching news events on TV, drinking a black tea known as Persian chai, and reading local Persian newspapers all the while trying to finish off their plates piled with food.
The variety of food at the restaurant is limited, but the amount of each dish is fairly large.Most of the meals can serve two people and are under $10, so not only is it affordable but practical as well.
The food especially appeals to health-conscious eaters because each dish is very healthy, made with limited fat and oil and served straight off the grill（烤肉架）.
The main dish that the restaurant is popular for is its kabobs, which are different styles of grilled meat.
One delicious and extremely healthy dish is the Joojeh Kabob, which is made of grilled chicken pieces served with either rice or bread.Another great kabob is the Chelo Kabob, a kabob consisting of grilled beef.
Although the restaurant s small, the atmosphere and the food is delicious. It is a place that should not be overlooked.
1.When first entering the restaurant, one can find that it ________ .
A. has pleasant smells of kabobs
B. is splendidly decorated
C. is crowded with dining tables
D. looks like a common restaurant
2.What activity is also mentioned apart from dining in the restaurant?
A. Reading local English newspapers.
B. Drinking a kind of black coffee.
C. Watching news events on TV.
D. Discussing world topics in low voices.
3.The food of the restaurant ________ .
A. is served in small amounts B. is rather expensive
C. is rich in variety D. is very healthy
4.What is the dish Joojeh Kabob mainly made of?
A. Rice B. Chicken
C. Bread D. Beef.
5.It can be inferred from the passage that the restaurant
A. occupies a large space
B. owns a favorable location
C. is popular for its special food
D. has a quiet environment inside
It was a terrible day.Snow had been falling all day long making th trip _________ .I would rather have been in my warm home than drive along on such a cold day, but I didn’t have a _________ .I had to have my paper work handed in and then _________ my son.
The snow continued to fall as we drove along for the 15-mile trip back home.I slowed the car and _________ at my son in his heavy coat as he looked _________ out of the window with a blank expression.In the _________ of the world he was looked upon as a mentally disabled child. _________, over the years what I saw was a beautiful, kind and _________ soul.He had shown me more about love than I could have ever _________ on my own.
I slowed the car even more as we __________ a sharp curve（弯）.As we rounded it I saw a shivering（颤抖的）, young woman in a __________ jacket walking in the snow storm .I pulled over and let her in.She was heading for her Mom’s house to visit her __________ whom she hadn’t seen for months.She had experienced a lot of disappointments and __________.Yet, she still held out hope for a new job and tried to __________ a new life for her son and herself.
I took her as __________ as I was able to and dropped her off.She thanked me for the __________ and I told her I wished I could have done more to help.Then as we were about to leave, my sweet son took off his coat, __________ down the window and gave it to her.She put it on, smiled and __________ to us as we pulled out on the road.
In this world we will __________ many problems and challenges.Sometimes it seems that our entire Iives are a trip down a curvy and dangerous road.Yet the power of __________takes us straight back to a broad smooth highway.
1.A. smooth B. funny C. risky D. special
2.A. change B. chance C. reason D. choice
3.A. call on B. pick up C. seek for D. look up
4.A. glanced B. laughed C. stared D. shouted
5.A. excitedly B. peacefully C. sadly D. fearfully
6.A. history B. development C. eyes D. systems
7.A. However B. Therefore C. Meanwhile D. Besides
8.A. dirty B. sensitive C. painful D. merciful
9.A. dreamed B. learned C. concluded D. ignored
10.A. expected B. left C. approached D. discovered
11.A. new B. heavy C. comfortable D. light
12.A. son B. daughter C. mother D. father
13.A. adventures B. puzzles C. tragedies D. doubts
14.A. predict B. suffer C. save D. build
15.A. far B. long C. soon D. much
16.A. money B. coat C. gift D. lift
17.A. burned B. rolled C. tore D. shut
18.A. cried B. pointed C. waved D. wrote
19.A. face B. overcome C. create D. bear
20.A. nature B. love C. minds D. wills
