President Coolidge’s statement, “The business of America is business,” still points to a very important truth today — that business organizations have more prestige (威望) in American society than any other kind of organization, including the government. Why do business institutions still possess this great prestige?
One reason is that Americans view business as being more firmly based on the idea of competition than other organizations in society. Since competition is seen as the main source of progress and development by most Americans, competitive business organizations are respected. Competition is not only good in itself; it is the means by which other basic American values, such as individual freedom, equality of opportunity, and hard work are protected.
Competition protects the individual freedom by making sure that there is no monopoly (垄断) of power. Compared with one and all-powerful government, many businesses compete against each other for benefit. If one business tries to take unfair advantage of its customers, it will lose to the competing business which treats its customers more fairly. Since there are many businesses competing for the customers’ dollars, they cannot afford to treat them unfairly and the customers would lose nothing.A contrast is often made between business, which is competitive, and government, which is a monopoly. Because business is competitive, many Americans believe that it gives more support for freedom than government, even though government leaders are elected by the people while business leaders are not. Many Americans believe that competition is as important, or even more important, as democracy in protecting freedom.
Competition in business is also believed to strengthen the idea of equal opportunities. Competition is seen as an open and fair race where success goes to any person regardless of his or her social class background. Competitive success is commonly seen as the American choice of the higher social position which is not based on one’s family background. Business is therefore viewed as an expression of the idea of equal opportunities.
【小题1】Which of the following is discussed as the main topic in the passage?

A．Competition in America’s business.	B．Freedom in America’s business.
C．Americans’ different values.	D．Business against government.

【小题2】Americans believe that they can realize their personal values ______.

A．when given equal opportunities

B．through doing business

C．by protecting their individual freedom

D．by means of competition

【小题3】Who can benefit from business competition?

A．Businessmen who compete.

B．Customers of those businesses.

C．People with the idea of equality and freedom.

D．Both business organizations and government.

【小题4】It could be inferred from the passage that the author believes ______.

A．business in other countries are not as competitive as those in the USA

B．business problems are very important to the American government

C．the competition in business plays a very important role in America

D．American business is the most powerful one in the whole world

As you are probably aware, the latest job markets news isn’t good: Unemployment is still more than 9 percent, and new job growth has fallen close to zero. That’s bad for the economy, of course. And it may be especially discouraging if you happen to be looking for a job or hoping to change careers right now. But it actually shouldn’t matter to you nearly as much as you think.
That’s because job growth numbers don’t matter to job hunters as much as job turnover(人员更替) data. After all, existing jobs open up every day due to promotions, resignations, terminations(解雇), and retirements. (Yes, people are retiring even in this economy.) In both good times and bad, turnover creates more openings than economic growth does. Even in June of 2007, when the economy was still moving ahead, job growth was only 132,000, while turnover was 4.7 million!
And as it turns out, even today — with job growth near zero — over 4 million job hunters are being hired every month.
I don’t mean to imply that overall job growth doesn’t have an impact on one’s ability to land a job. It’s true that if total employment were higher, it would mean more jobs for all of us to choose from (and compete for). And it’s true that there are currently more people applying for each available job opening, regardless of whether it’s a new one or not.
But what often distinguishes those who land jobs from those who don’t is their ability to stay motivated. They’re willing to do the hard work of identifying their valuable skills; be creative about where and how to look; learn how to present themselves to potential employers; and keep going, even after repeated rejections. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that 2.7 million people who wanted and were available for work hadn’t looked within the last four weeks and were no longer even classified as unemployed.
So don’t let the headlines fool you into giving up. Four million people get hired every month in the U.S. You can be one of them.
【小题1】The author tends to believe that high unemployment rate ______.

A．discourages many people from landing jobs

B．prevents many people from changing careers

C．should not stop people from looking for a job

D．does not mean the U.S. economy is worsening

【小题2】Where do most job openings come from?

A．Job growth.	B．Job turnover.
C．Improved economy.	D．Business expansion.

【小题3】What does the author say about overall job growth?

A．It doesn’t have much effect on individual job seekers.

B．It increases people’s confidence in the economy.

C．It gives a ray of hope to the unemployed.

D．It doesn’t mean greater job security for the employed.

【小题4】What is the key to landing a job according to the author?

A．Education.

B．Intelligence.

C．Persistence.

D．Experience.

【小题5】What do we learn from the passage about the unemployment figures in the US?

A．They clearly indicate how healthy the economy is.

B．They provide the public with the latest information.

C．They warn of the structural problems in the economy.

D．They don’t include those who have stopped looking for a job.

The aims of the Illustrators’(插图画家的) Exhibition, staged as part of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, organized by BolognaFiere and held from 23 to 26 December 2012, are to bring illustrators and publishers together and to promote illustrators and their works among publishers.
QUALIFICATIONS
? Individual illustrators or groups of illustrators of any nationality, if they were born before 31st December 1992, whose artwork is intended for use in children’s books, are qualified to enter the Exhibition, either directly or through publishing houses or schools.
? Please state in the application form whether you are entering work for the Fiction or Nonfiction Category. Illustrators may only enter one category.
? Artwork previously presented to the Exhibition may not be re-entered.
? The confirmation(确认) form must be filled in and a photograph attached, then presented together with illustrations no later than 15 October 2012.
SHIPMENT
Entries may be delivered by post, express delivery service or by hand. From abroad, please use the following forms: Form “A” for registered mail or post by air; Form “B” if using an international forwarding agent or airline.
To avoid delays, material should not be sent by normal post. Material should be sent “carriage(运费) paid”, including any customs and delivery costs.
BolognaFiere may not be held responsible for the non-arrival or late arrival of artwork. All published works must be accompanied by a declaration bearing the ISBN number, publisher’s name and address.
REQUIREMENTS
The illustrations (i.e. the size of the sheet) must not exceed(超过) the following dimensions:
Fiction:
32 × 42 cm (or 42 × 32 cm)
Non-fiction:
50 × 70 cm (or 70 × 50 cm)
Illustrations in larger formats will not be considered, nor will they be returned by BolognaFiere. The illustrations must be on paper or flexible board, maximum thickness 2 mm (for scanner separation purposes).
SELECTION PROCESS
All artwork received by the stated deadline and meeting the specified requirements will be examined and selected by an international group (whose decision is final), including five members (from publishing house and art schools) appointed each year by BolognaFiere.
EXHIBITIONS ABROAD
After the Bologna event, the Illustrators Exhibition will travel to Japan under the supervision of JBBY. The Illustrators Exhibition may afterwards be transferred to other venues(场馆) in other countries. The exhibitions of illustrations held abroad follow the same rules and regulations as the Illustrators Exhibition, and the provisions(条款) of the regulations are extended to the organizers of the exhibitions held abroad.
RETURN OF ARTWORK
All the works will be returned to their owners by BolognaFiere or directly by the organizers of the exhibitions and held abroad by the end of July 2013.
【小题1】Which of the following of the Illustrators’ Exhibition is TRUE?

A．It will last five days in all in July every other year.

B．It is intended for college students who are good at painting.

C．It is held by the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in BolognaFiere.

D．It can strengthen the relationship between illustrators and publishers.

【小题2】The illustrators of the Illustrators’ Exhibition ______.

A．should be at least 16 and no more than 25

B．may re-enter their artwork after it is returned

C．should state the category of their artwork clearly

D．may choose to attach a photo to the application form

【小题3】Which of the following is unacceptable for delivering entries?

A．Normal post.

B．Airline post.

C．Registered mail.

D．Express delivery.

【小题4】What is BolognaFiere responsible for?

A．Paying for the delivery costs.

B．Late arrival of artwork.

C．Confirmation of ISBN number.

D．Returning the illustrators’ works.

【小题5】The illustrators’ works will not be considered if they ______.

A．are received after the day of 15 October 2012

B．are smaller than the required size

C．have already been published abroad before

D．don’t meet the demands of the international experts

Heading off to college this year? Here are some fashion tips from our experts you should keep in mind:
Dress to impress: Stylist and business consultant Daniela Smith says, “Girls should keep in mind that your college professors will often be the bridge that connects you to your future career and your classmates will become your professional network. You don’t need to dress like you’re going to the office, but you should display an ability to properly present yourself with appropriate maturity and confidence, and look put-together.”
Logo mania(品牌狂热症): Wearing the logos of brands aimed at younger customers physically identifies you as part of that age group, so consider the targeted age group of the stores you shop at. It’s tempting to load up on logos, especially well-known logos that signify high-end brands. But consider this: college is a time of self-discovery, a chance to develop your own personal style. Instead of wearing logos head to toe, “walking advertisement”-style, why not express who you really are?
Wear real pants: The combination of leggings and baggy shirts is all too common on college campuses. Smith points out that leggings, yoga pants, and sweatpants are entirely unacceptable in public unless you’re exercising. Although leggings worn as pants are a common trend among high school and college girls, they are not an appropriate choice for daywear. As a young woman, your style choice should begin to reflect your maturity level. So, get rid of leggings and wear real pants!
Keep the cute factor to a minimum: Stay away from sweaters and T-shirts with smiling animals, cartoon characters, or Hello Kitty on them. Sure, kittens might be cute, but they’re not doing you any favors in the style department. Dressing too cutesy can take years off your look, and not necessarily in a good way!
【小题1】The author believes that college girls should       .

A．try to load up on well-known logos

B．find their identity by trying different logos

C．choose a logo that suits their age

D．use logos to show who they are

【小题2】The second paragraph indicates the importance of       .

A．getting on well with classmates

B．dressing appropriately

C．impressing professors

D．creating a professional image

【小题3】In which magazine would you most likely find this passage?

A．Parents.

B．Travel & Leisure

C．Business Week.

D．Style.

【小题4】The author recommends wearing real pants because      .

A．real pants can present you with appropriate maturity

B．people like real pants better than the other pants

C．yoga pants and sweatpants are not so comfortable

D．leggings and baggy shirts are too common

Visitors to Britain may find the best place to sample local culture is in a traditional pub. But these friendly pubs can be dangerous places of potential gaffes(失礼) for the newcomers.
A team of researchers have discovered some of the unknown customs of British pubs－starting with the difficulty of getting a drink. Most pubs have no waiters－you have to go to the bar to buy drinks. A group of Italian youths were waiting 45 minutes before they realized they would have to fetch their own. This may sound inconvenient, but there is a hidden purpose.
Pub culture is designed to promote sociability(社交)in a society known for its reserve. Standing at the bar for service allows you to chat with others waiting to be served. The bar counter is possibly the only site in the British Isles in which friendly conversation with strangers is considered entirely suitable and really quite normal behavior. “If you haven’t been to a pub, you haven’t been to Britain.” This tip can be found in a booklet, Passport to the Pub: The Tourists’ Guide to Pub Etiquette, a customers’ rule of conduct for those wanting to sample “a central part of British life and culture”.
The trouble is that if you do not follow the local rules, the experience may fall flat. For example, if you are in a big group, it is best if only one or two people go to buy the drinks. Nothing annoys the regular customers and bar staff more than a group of strangers blocking all access to the bar while they chat and hesitate about what to order.
【小题1】The culture of pub in Britain is developed to             .

A．encourage more people to consume drinks

B．encourage people to communicate with each other

C．form its own character of culture

D．attract more tourists to the pubs

【小题2】If you don’t follow the local rules in a pub,        .

A．you may fail to feel the local culture

B．you might get into a dangerous place

C．you won’t buy good local drinks

D．you may annoy the regular customers and bar staff

【小题3】What may be the best title for the passage?

A．Manners in British Local Pubs

B．Self-service Pubs in Britain

C．British Local Pubs: Special Chat Places

D．Local Pub Culture in Britain

【小题4】The underlined word “sample” in the first paragraph probably means “       ”.

A．record

B．test

C．experience

D．taste

Chinese writer Mo Yan’s Nobel Prize for Literature might ignite an explosion of global interest in Chinese literature and lead to more titles translated into English, European experts say.
“Hopefully, the award means more people will read Chinese literature and more works will get translated,” says Michel Hockx, professor of the Languages and Cultures of China and Inner Asia from University of London. “Many very good Chinese writers have been accepted globally for a long time already. Mo Yan is probably the most translated Chinese writer alive, with at least five of his novels made available in English over the past 20 years.”
Jonathan Ruppin, web editor of bookseller Foyles, says Mo’s win coincides with growing interest in Chinese literature and recognizes the talents of a distinctive and visionary（富于幻想的）writer. “We are very excited by the fact that English translations of more of his books should now become available,” Ruppin says. He made the comment after Mo became the first Chinese citizen to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in its century-long history.
As East-West cultural exchange has been booming, Chinese literature has been attracting growing attention in recent years. Hockx explains, “It’s mainly because there are many more opportunities for Chinese writers to visit other countries, to publish their works outside China and to interact with readers abroad. At the same time, more and more people globally are learning Chinese and taking an interest in the Chinese language and culture.”
University of Oxford lecturer in modern Chinese literature Margaret Hillenbrand says, “The obvious reason for the growing global presence of Chinese literature is the growing global presence of China itself. People have come to realize that there is a serious knowledge deficit between China and its international counterparts — in particular, China knows incomparably more about Europe and America than the other way round — and reading Chinese literature is an effective, simple means of solving that gap.”
【小题1】The underlined word “ignite” in Paragraph 1 probably means  “________”.

A．start out

B．burn up

C．set off

D．appeal to

【小题2】Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．Chinese literature has spread with the development of China.

B．The Nobel Prize for Literature has a history of hundreds of years.

C．In the past, no Chinese writers were accepted outside China.

D．Foreigners know about China mainly by reading Mo Yan’s works.

【小题3】Chinese literature has been attracting growing attention mainly because

A．Chinese writers have been writing more and more books in English

B．the Chinese language has become the most widely used language in the world

C．the Chinese government attaches great importance to literature

D．the cultural communication between China and western countries has developed

【小题4】How do you understand the underlined sentence in the last paragraph?

A．China knows more about Europe and America than before.

B．China knows more about Europe and America than they know about China.

C．China, Europe and America know one another more than before.

D．Compared with America, China knows more about Europe.

Puerto Rico may be part of the USA but its music and dance is a mixture of both Spanish and African rhythms. The country, as a result, is a mixture of very new and very old. It exhibits the open American way of yet retains the more formal Spanish influences. This is reflected in the architecture, not just the contrast between the colonial and the modern in urban areas but also in the countryside, where older buildings sit side by side with concrete schools and buildings.
However, if you do not wander beyond the tourist areas on the coast, you will not experience the real Puerto Rico. Old volcanic mountains, long inactive, occupy a large part of the interior（内陆）, with the highest peak, Cerro de Punta, at 1,338m in the Cordillera Central. North of the Cordillera is the karst （岩溶）country where the limestone（石灰石）has been acted upon by water to produce a series of small steep hills and deep holes. The mountains are surrounded by a coastal plain with the Atlantic shore beaches cooled all the year round by trade winds.
The population is 3.8 million, of which about 1.5 million live in San Juan, although about another two million Puerto Ricans live in the USA Average life expectancy is 73.8 years and GDP per capita is US $12,212, the highest in Latin America, although not up to the level of mainland USA. Most Puerto Ricans do not speak English and less than 30% speak it fluently. Second generation Puerto Ricans who were born in New York but who have returned to the island, are called Nuyoricans. The people are very friendly and hospitable but there is crime, liked to drugs and unemployment.
【小题1】What are the disadvantages of Puerto Rico?

A．Too many Puerto Ricans live in the USA

B．Few people in Puerto Rico can speak English

C．Puerto Rico’s GDP is lower than that of the USA

D．Social problem connected with drugs and lack of jobs.

【小题2】We can learn from the passage that Puerto Rico _________.

A．is a state of the United States	B．used to be ruled by Spain
C．is an agricultural country	D．is gently affected by Africa

【小题3】Nuyorican is a person who _______.

A．has been living in New York

B．is living in New York

C．was born in New York but has returned to Puerto Rico

D．has got the citizenship of America

【小题4】What does the underlined word “retains” mean?

A．loses

B．keeps

C．enjoys

D．returns

America is a mobile society. Friendships between Americans can be close and real, yet disappear soon if situations change. Neither side feels hurt by this. Both may exchange Christmas greetings for a year or two, perhaps a few letters for a while — then no more. If the same two people meet again by chance, even years later, they pick up the friendship. This can be quite difficult for us Chinese to understand, because friendships between us flower more slowly but then may become lifelong feelings, extending sometimes deeply into both families.
ericans are ready to receive us foreigners at their homes, share their holidays, and their home life. They will enjoy welcoming us and be pleased if we accept their hospitality (好客) easily. Another difficult point for us Chinese to understand Americans is that although they include us warmly in their personal everyday lives, they don’t show their politeness to us if it requires a great deal of time. This is usually the opposite of the practice in our country where we may be generous with our time. Sometimes, we, as hosts, will appear at airports even in the middle of the night to meet a friend. We may take days off to act as guides to our foreign friends. The Americans, however, express their welcome usually at homes, but truly can not manage the time to do a great deal with a visitor outside their daily routine. They will probably expect us to get ourselves from the airport to our own hotel by bus. And they expect that we will phone them from there. Once we arrive at their homes, the welcome will be full, warm and real. We will find ourselves treated hospitably.
For the Americans, it is often considered more friendly to invite a friend to their homes than to go to restaurants, except for purely business matters. So accept their hospitality at home.
【小题1】In which part of a newspaper can this article be found?

A．Culture.

B．News.

C．Story.

D．Travel.

【小题2】Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Friendships between Americans usually extend deeply into their families.

B．Friendships between Americans usually last for all their lives.

C．Americans always show their warmth even if they are very busy.

D．Americans will continue their friendships again even after a long break.

【小题3】The underlined words “flower”(in Line 5) probably means ___________.

A．weaken

B．develop

C．stretch

D．disappear

【小题4】From the last two paragraphs we can learn that when we arrive in America to visit an American friend, we will probably be___________.

A．treated hospitably at his home	B．offered a ride to his home
C． warmly welcomed at the airport	D．treated to dinner in a restaurant

【小题5】The writer mainly talks about ___________ in the text.

A．friendships between Chinese	B．Americans’ hospitality
C．different views of friendship	D．friendships between Americans

For many years, artists have flocked to Paris, France, to paint or to learn to paint. Perhaps artists first went there because of the city′s beauty. They went to paint pictures of the broad, tree-lined streets, the great churches, and the graceful river bridges.
The artists felt comfortable in Paris because the people of the city had always enjoyed art. Paris had great art museums, filled with famous paintings and statues(雕像)from many countries. And the people of Paris had always welcomed new ideas. In this city, artists felt free to experiment with new ways of painting.
As soon as famous artists painted in Paris, students came to learn from them. People came to buy paintings. People called  art dealers set up galleries where paintings were bought and sold. Others kept shops that sold artists′ paints and supplies.
Students and artists who were not yet famous could live in Paris for very little money. They learned by studying great art in the museums, and they learned from one another. They held art fairs, hanging their paintings outdoors along the streets.
Today, New York City and Florence, Italy, are also famous art centers. But the world’s main art exhibits are still held in Paris. Important judges of art live there. Most of the new ways of painting that have started in the last hundred years began in Paris. So artists and art dealers still go to Paris because it is the world′s leading art center.
【小题1】In Pairs artists can make progress in art by doing lots of things except .

A．painting the beautiful scenes of Pairs.

B．visiting museums, churches and fairs.

C．trying out their new ideas in the way of painting.

D．buying or selling paintings in the fair.

【小题2】The story does not say so, but it makes you think that.

A．Paris is famous for its artists’ paints and supplies

B．there is more than one way to paint

C．art fairs are held in galleries

D．Florence is the center of world art exhibits

【小题3】Which of the following statement is not a reason why so many artists prefer to stay in Pairs?

A．Pairs is a beautiful city

B．The French are willing to accept any new things.

C．All the museums are free of charge in Pairs.

D．Artists can make an easier life in Pairs.

【小题4】On the whole, this story is about.

A．the world′s most famous art center

B．how to buy a painting in Paris

C．the famous art centers of New York and Florence

D．where to set up galleries

To me, life without music would not be exciting. I realize that this is not true for everybody. Many people get along quite well without going to the concert, and listening to the record. But music plays an important part in everyone's life, whether he realizes it or not. Try to imagine, for example, what films or TV plays would be like without music. Would the feelings, the moving plot, and the greatest interests, be so exciting or dramatic? I'm not sure about it.
Now, we have been speaking of music in its more common meaning----the kind of music we hear in the concert hall. But if we look at some parts of music more closely, we discover them in our everyday life too----in the rhythm of the sea, the melody of a bird in the woods and so on. So music surely has meaning for everyone, in some way or other. And, of course, it has special meaning for those who have spent all their lives working on playing or writing music.
It is well said, “Through music a child enters into a world of beauty, expresses himself from his heart, feels the joy of doing things alone, learns to take care of others, develops his mind and makes his body strong.”
【小题1】What dose the writer say more about in the text?

A．Life full of music.

B．Life without music.

C．The importance of music.

D．The development of music.

【小题2】From the text, we learn that many people________.

A．don't realize the importance of music

B．get along quite well without music

C．go to the concert instead of enjoying music

D．think music would be less exciting than films

【小题3】What does the underlined word “melody” mean in the text?

A．flying

B．looking

C．singing

D．living

【小题4】From the last paragraph, we learn that music________.

A．is very important, especially for children

B．is very necessary for our everyday life

C．can make our life exciting and dramatic

D．can enter into another beautiful world