【题目】— Did you stay at the party until the very end last night?

— No, I left as early as was ________ with politeness.

A. content B. consistent

C. patient D. Permanent

【题目】Two students started quarreling at school. One student shouted dirty words at the other, and a fight began. What can be done to stop fights like this at school? In some schools, the disputants sit down with peer mediators(同龄调解者). Peer mediators are students with special training in this kind of problems.

Peer mediators help the disputants to talk in a friendly way. Here are some of the ways they use:

1) Put what you think clearly but don’t say anything to hurt the other. Begin with “I feel…” instead of “You always…”

2) Listen carefully to what the other person is saying. Don’t stop the other person’s words.

3) Keep looking at the other person’s eyes when he or she talks.

4) Try to see the other person’s side of the problem.

5) Never put anyone down. Saying things like “You are foolish” makes the talk difficult. 6) Try to find a result that makes both people happy.

Peer mediators never decide the result or the winner. They don’t decide who is right and who is wrong. Instead, they help the two students to find their own “win-win” result.

【1】The underlined word “disputants” refers to the students ________.

A. who make peace B. who give in

C. who are lazy D. who quarrel

【2】When there is a fight at school ________.

A. the peer mediators decide who the winner is

B. the peer mediators and the disputants talk together

C. the students who quarrel decide who the winner is

D. the two students sit down and listen to the per mediators

【3】Peer mediators’ work is ________.

A. to give lessons to disputants

B. to find out who starts a quarrel

C. to give students some special training

D. to help find a way to make both sides happy

【4】Which of the following ways is not used by Peer mediators in finding a “win-win” result?

A. Listen carefully to what the other person is saying.

B. Try to see the other person’s side of the problem.

C. Never say things like “You are foolish”

D. Never keep looking at the other person’s eyes when he or she talks.

【题目】Everyone has good days and bad days.

Sometimes, you feel as if you’re on top of the world and all the questions on your maths test might seem easy. But occasionally you feel horrible, and you lose things and cannot focus on our schoolwork.

For more than 20 years, scientists have suggested that high self-esteem(自尊) is the key to success.Now, new research shows that focusing just on building self-esteem may not be helpful. In some cases, having high self-esteem can make people less likeable or more upset when they fail in something.

“Forget about self-esteem,” says Jennifer Crocker, a psychologist at the University of Michigan, US. “It’s not the important thing.”

Feeling good

Crocker’s advice may sound a bit strange. After all, feeling good can be good for you.Studies show that people with high self-esteem are less likely to be depressed, anxious, shy, or lonely than those with low self-esteem.

However, after reviewing about 18,000 studies on self-esteem, Roy Baumeister, a psychologist at Florida State University, has found that building up your self-esteem will not necessarily make you a better person.

He believes that violent people often have the highest self-esteem of all. He also said:“ There’s no evidence that kids with high self-esteem do better in school.”

Problems

All types of people have problems. People with high self-esteem can have big egos(自我) that can make them less likeable, said Kathleen Vohs, a psychology professor at Columbia University.People with high self-esteem tend to think more of themselves, VOhs says. People with low self-esteem are more likely to rely on their friends when they need help.

What to do

Researchers say it is best to listen to and support other people. Find positive ways to contribute to society. If you fail in something, try to learn from the experience. “The best therapy(药方) is to recognize your faults,” Vohs says. “It’s OK to say, ‘I’ m not so good at that,’ and then move on.”

【1】 What does the underlined part “on top of the world” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A. Quite helpful. B. Extremely happy.

C. Very unlucky. D. Rather upset.

【2】 The conclusion drawn from the new research shows that high self-esteem_____.

A. is not important at all

B. makes people more likeable

C. helps you do better at school

D. may not be the key to success

【3】 Which of the following is TRUE according to Vohs?

A. Feeling good doesn’t mean you lead a happy life.

B. People with high self-esteem always seek others’ help.

C. People with high self-esteem tend to be selfish.

D. People with low self-esteem are often more popular.

【4】 We can infer from the text that the best therapy mentioned in the last paragraph is mainly for people_____.

A. with high self-esteem

B. with low self-esteem

C. who contribute significantly to society

D. who are in need of support

【题目】King Midas used to love gold. One day he met a fairy who allowed him to make a wish for something. The king replied at once, ‘‘I love gold. I want everything I touch to change into gold”. ‘‘Very well, tomorrow morning, everything you touch will turn into gold.” Saying this, the fairy disappeared.

The king waited excitedly till the next morning. To his joy, everything he touched changed immediately into gold. ‘‘I’m the richest man in the world now.” He shouted.

Soon Midas became hungry. He sat down at his table. All the foods and drinks turned into gold in his hand. ‘‘I’m dying of hunger.” He cried.

Just then his daughter came running in. ‘‘Why are you so sad, dad?” she asked, putting her arms around him. There and then she became a golden statue. The king loved his daughter very much .Seeing this, he began to cry. He looked up and suddenly saw the fairy before him. ‘‘Don’t you like the golden touch?” asked the fairy. ‘‘Please take it away,” begged the king, ‘‘give me back my daughter.” ‘‘Well, you have learned your lesson. Go and wash in the river. Then the golden touch will be gone.”

The king ran quickly to the nearby river.

【1】The fairy allowed the king to make a wish because

A.She hoped to make the king the richest in the world.

B.She loved gold too.

C.She wanted to teach the king a lesson.

D.She wanted to turn the king’s daughter into gold.

【2】When the foods and drinks turned into gold the king was

A. excited B. hungry C. worried D happy

【3】The king’s daughter became a golden statue when

A.she saw her father

B.the king went to meet her

C.she put her arms around her father

D.the king loved her very much

【4】Which of the following might have happened afterwards?

A.The king died in the river.

B.The king’s daughter changed back from gold to a lovely girl.

C.All the things the king had touched changed back into real ones.

D.Both B and C

【5】What do you think the story tries to tell us?

A.Gold makes people unhappy.

B.More gold, more happiness.

C.Gold is not the thing that makes life happy.

D.People feel happy if they have not gold.

【题目】Harvard researchers have created a tough, low-cost, biodegradable(可生物降解的) material inspired by insects’ hard outer shells. The material’s inventors say it has a number of possible uses and someday could provide a more environmentally friendly alternative(替代物) to plastic. The material, made from shrimp(虾)shells and proteins produced from silk, is called “shrilk”. It is thin, clear, flexible and strong.

A major benefit of the material is its biodegradability. Plastic’s toughness and flexibility represented a revolution in materials science during the 1950s and 1960s. Decades later, however, plastic’s very durability(耐用性) is raising questions about how appropriate it is for one-time products such as plastic bags, or short-lived consumer goods, used in the home for a few years and then cast into a landfill（垃圾池） where they will degrade for centuries. What is the point of making something that lasts 1,000 years?

Shrilk has great potential, the inventors said. Materials from which it is made are plentiful in nature, fond in everything ranging from shrimp shells, insect bodies to living plants that makes shrilk low cost, and its mass production possible should it be used for products demanding a lot of material.

Work on shrilk is continuing in the lab. The inventors said the material becomes flexible when wet, so they’re exploring ways to use it in wet environments. They’re also developing simpler production processes, which could be used for non-medical products, like for computer cases and other products inside the home. They’re even exploring combining it with other materials like carbon fibers, to give it properties.

【1】 Paragraph 1 of the passage is mainly about shrilk’s ______________.

A. remarkable design

B. interesting name

C. major features

D. basic elements

【2】What has become a concern about plastic?

A. Using it properly

B. Producing it cheaply

C. Developing its properties quickly

D. Evaluating its contributions fairly

【3】According to the inventors, shrilk has great potential partly because _________ .

A. it can help plastic degrade

B. it can be found in living things

C. its mass production has been realized

D. its raw materials are plentiful in nature

【4】 What are the inventors doing in the lab?

A. Replacing carbon fibers with shrilk

B. Testing shrilk’s use in wet conditions

C. Making shrilk out of used household goods.

D. Improving shrilk’s flexibility for medical purposes

【5】 Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

A. Recent Progress in Environment Protection

B. Benefits of Insects in Scientific Research

C. The Harm of One-time Products

D. A possible Alternative Plastic

【题目】There is an old saying about volunteer work that goes like this: No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.

Today, many people volunteer their time and energy to help others. There are a lot of ways to meet other people’s needs. For example, some volunteers provide help after a disaster. Others are happy to get dirty while repairing homes or planting trees or flowers in poor neighborhoods（地区）. Young people see suffering and loneliness around them and find ways to help. And history lovers help archeologists（考古学家）search for ancient objects to help deepen knowledge of the past.

Volunteers also work in many areas around the world, including Haiti（海地）. More than two years have passed since a 7.0 earthquake shook the nation. The exact number of people who died may never be known. Thousands of survivors of the Haitian earthquake still live in temporary（临时的）shelters. Last year, former American President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn joined five hundred Habitat volunteers in the town of Leogane to build houses.

Organizations do not have to be large to get volunteers. An activist group in Dharamsala, India is a good example. Jodie Underhill from England arrived in northern India several years ago. She planned to volunteer for an environmental project. She could almost not believe how much rubbish was ruining some of the area’s most beautiful sights. Ms Underhill learned about how to deal with the rubbish while taking part in other volunteer projects. But soon enough she formed her own group, Mountain Cleaners. Ms Underhill says the work is very hard. But she praises the group’s efforts as a wonderful experience. The young English woman says the Indian media started calling her “Garbage Girl”. And she says she was pleased with the name.

American teenagers also volunteer in many ways.

【1】The author uses an old saying in the first paragraph to .

A. introduce the topic of the passage

B. draw the readers’ attention to care for the poor

C. encourage people to become volunteers

D. explain the meaning of volunteer work

【2】What did former American President Jimmy Carter do as a volunteer?

A. Give some money to the poor in Haiti.

B. Plant trees and flowers in Haiti’s park.

C. Help archeologists search for ancient objects

D. Help to build houses after a disaster.

【3】How did Jodie Underhill feel when she saw beautiful sights ruined by the rubbish?

A. shocked B. pleased C. moved D. interested

【4】What can we learn from the passage?

A. The number of people died in Haiti’s earthquake is unclear.

B. Ms Underhill formed her own group to make money.

C. History lovers mainly learn the history from ancient objects.

D. Ms Underhill was called “Garbage Girl” by American media.

【5】What may the next passage talk about?

A. The reason why people offer their services to others.

B. The way to join in a volunteer group.

C. The volunteer work that American teenagers do.

D. The benefits that volunteers can achieve.

【题目】The other day I heard a few local musicians talking:

“I hate all the terrible pianos in this town. I hate that rubbish they play on the radio. They can’t even understand a bit of music.”

“I’m never playing in that club again. Too many drunks and nobody listens to us.”

But, one younger musician said, “There are a few clubs that book my band a few nights a month, and I’m trying to find other places to play. I’m also looking to book a few summer festivals this year.”

I’ve heard that you are the average of the five people whom you spend the most time with, or to put it another way, you are who your friends are.

Attitudes are important. Whether they’re positive or negative, they’re rubbing off on you. If you’re around people who complain about lack of work and about other musicians, or blame others, and you play the role of victim, chances are you will start to as well. So it’s time to take a look at the people you call “friends”.

This is an easy exercise: Make a list of the people who you hang out with, and simply stop spending time with the negative people on your list. Set a new standard for yourself and don’t become friends with people who fall below that standard.

Keep successful people around you and your own chances for success will be much better. Ask them how they do it. Ask if they will help you get the work you’re looking for, or maybe give you some advice to help you on your career path.

【1】Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?

A. A friend in need is a friend indeed

B. How to make friendship last for ever

C. You are who your friends are

D. Friends are the most important in one’s success

【2】The underlined sentence “they’re rubbing off on you” in Paragraph 6 means ______.

A. they’ll push you ahead

B. they’ll influence you

C. they’ll cover your shortcomings

D. they’ll help you achieve your goal

【3】The musicians’ words at the beginning are written mainly to show ______.

A. the musicians’ living conditions are quite poor

B. people have poor taste in music

C. people have different attitudes towards the same thing

D. young people have greater chances of succeeding

【4】 By taking the exercise mentioned in Paragraph 7, you can ______.

A. improve a lot in making more friends

B. come to the right way of making friends

C. develop a better relationship with your friends

D. arrange the time with your friends properly

【5】 The passage is mainly written for ______.

A.musicians B. managers

C. negative people D. people wanting to succeed

【题目】Believe it or not, your ship isn’t quite sunk, as there are some ways to ________ a new career even if it’s something you’ve never done before.

A. burst into B. get through

C. break into D. comb through

【题目】My wife Julie and I were out on the road that runs around where we live, when we saw an old worn-out dog stumbling (蹒跚) painfully up the road. We stopped, bent down, talked gently to the dog and patted it. I checked and there was a collar with a phone number. I called but no one answered.

The dog was painfully thin. So Julie ran home to get some of our dog’s food while I tried to encourage the dog. After Julie came back, we sat down on the sidewalk while our new friend made short work of the food. Eventually we got her home.

After trying for many times we got a response from the number. A lady came around with a bunch of flowers for us. She explained that Tara had been her father’s dog. She was very old and got lost that morning. So, Tara was safely returned home.

Here is the truth of the story:

Actually Julie and I were out that morning because I was leaving. She was trying to persuade me to come back, but I wasn’t hearing anything that made that sound likely.

I was about to turn and go when an old black dog walked between us and almost fell down. Suddenly we had something more important than our problem to worry about. There was a creature in need right before us and we had to work together to help it.

We did help it. And here I am writing the story in my own home, in my own family.

In the song “Love Is Not a Fight” Warren Barfield talks about marriage. At one point he sings, “And if we try to leave, may God send angels to guard the door.”

Sometimes angels come disguised (伪装) as dogs.

【1】How was the dog when found?

A. Too weak to walk.

B. Thin and worn out.

C. Unable to eat food.

D. Homeless but gentle.

【2】From paragraph 2, we know that_______________________.

A. the dog didn’t go with the writer

B. the writer had his own pet dog

C. the dog belonged to one of the couple’s friend

D. the dog didn’t eat any of the food

【3】The underlined part “our problem” in the passage refers to the fact that .

A. the writer didn’t want to take Julie’s advice

B. an old black dog appeared in front of them

C. Julie disagreed with the writer’s travel on business

D. the couple had some trouble with their marriage

【4】 We can infer from the passage that ___________________.

A. the couple finally took the dog home

B. the dog was abandoned by its owner

C. the couple also solved their own problem after helping the dog

D. it is God that send the dog to help the couple

【5】Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A. An Angel Dog

B. A Helpful Couple

C. Saving the Dog

D. A Famous Song

【题目】— Alan seems a lot taller than when I last saw him.

— He ________. He’s grown a foot since you saw him in Shanghai.

A. is B. will be C. has been D. Was