Most people know that Marie Curie was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize, and the first person to win it twice. However, few people know that she was also the mother of a Nobel Prize winner.
Born in September, 1887, Irene Curie was the first of the Curies’ two daughters. Along with nine other children whose parents were also famous scholars, Irene studied in their own school, and her mother was one of the teachers. She finished her high school education at the College of Sévigné in Paris.
Irene entered the University of Paris in 1914 to prepare for a degree in mathematics and physics. When World War I began, Irene went to help her mother, who was using X-ray facilities（设备）to help save the lives of wounded soldiers. Irene continued the work by developing X-ray facilities in military hospitals in France and Belgium. Her services were recognized in the form of a Military’s Medal by the French government.
In 1918, Irene became her mother’s assistant at the Curie Institute. In December 1924, Frederic Joliot joined the Institute, and Irene taught him the techniques required for his work. They soon fell in love and were married in 1926. Their daughter Helene was born in 1927 and their son Pierre five years later.
Like her mother, Irene combined family and career. Like her mother, Irene was awarded a Nobel Prize, along with her husband, in 1935. Unfortunately, also like her mother, she developed leukemia because of her work with radioactivity（辐射能. Irene Joliot-Curie died from leukemia on March 17, 1956.
【小题1】Why was Irene Curie awarded a Military Medal?

A．Because she received a degree in mathematics.

B．Because she contributed to saving the wounded.

C．Because she won the Nobel Prize with Frederic.

D．Because she worked as a helper to her mother.

【小题2】Where did Irene Curie meet her husband Frederic Joliot?

A．At the Curie Institute.

B．At the University of Paris.

C．At a military hospital.

D．At the College of Sevigne.

【小题3】When was the second child of Irene Curie and Frederic Joliot born?

A．In 1932.

B．In 1927.

C．In 1897.

D．In1926.

【小题4】In which of the following aspects was Irene Curie different from her mother?

A．Irene worked with radioactivity.

B．Irene combined family and career.

C．Irene won the Nobel Prize once

D．Irene died from leukemia.

Before she appeared on the reality show(真人秀) Britain’s Got Talent, Susan Boyle was just an ordinary middle-aged British woman. Now all this is going to change.
She lives in a house with her cat Pebbles in a tiny Scottish town. Because of learning difficulties, she doesn’t have much education. But what she does have is a very good voice. As a kid, she sang in church and choirs and school plays. For a living, she sang at local pubs.
When she took the stage on April 10^th her hair was untidy and her clothes seemed just one step up from rags. The audience laughed at her.
But then she opened her mouth. A few bars into the song and the laughing audience went silent. A beautiful voice was singing I Dreamed a Dream from the musical Les Miserables. Everyone was amazed. At the end of her song, the audience jumped to their feet and applauded wildly.
Almost overnight, Susan became a household name. She won fans and millions of admirers. Her online videos have drawn over 85.2 million hits.
Susan’s story proved the truth of an old saying: “Never judge the book by its cover.” Susan may look ordinary, and doesn’t have much dress sense, but she can certainly sing.
Susan’s fans admire her courage, as much as they do her voice. She has experienced mockery and many disappointments, but her love for music has kept her going, which is worth anyone’s respect.
【小题1】According to the passage, Susan Boyle _______.

A．is a famous young actress

B．became famous after a show

C．used to be a good student

D．is good at dancing and has millions of admirers

【小题2】The underlined phrase “just one step up from” in the third paragraph probably means______.

A．far from	B．close to
C．different from	D．the same as

【小题3】The audience jumped and applauded wildly because__________.

A．her hair was untidy and her clothes seemed just one step up from rags

B．she looked very funny

C．she sang so well that everyone was amazed

D．she made a foolish mistake in the end

【小题4】Susan Boyle has many fans now because of _______.

A．her beautiful face

B．her knowing how to dress

C．her good education

D．her beautiful voice and courage

【小题5】The passage is mainly about___________.

A．how to win fans

B．how to sing well

C．a woman’s sudden success

D．a woman’s simple life

As we drove along, my spirits went up again, and I turned, with pleasure, to the thought of the new life which I was entering. But though it was not far past the middle of September, the heavy clouds and strong north-easterly wind combined to make the day extremely cold; and the journey seemed a very long one, so that it was nearly one o’clock before we reached the place of our destination. Yet when we entered the gateway, my heart failed me, and I wished it were a mile or two farther off. For the first time in my life I must stand alone: there was no retreating now. I must enter that house, and introduce myself among its strange people. But how was it to be done? True, I was near nineteen; but, thanks to the protecting care of my mother and sister, I well knew that many a girl of fifteen, or under, was gifted with a more womanly address, and greater ease and self-possession, than I was. Yet, anyway. I would do very well, after all; and the children, of course, I should soon be at ease with them.
"Be calm, be calm, whatever happens," I said within myself; and truly I was so fully occupied in steadying my nerves and keeping down the rebellious beat of my heart that when I was admitted into the hall and into the presence of Mrs. Bloomfield, I almost forgot to answer her polite greeting; and it afterwards struck me that the little I did say was spoken in the tone of one half-dead or half-asleep.
With due politeness, however, she showed me my bedroom, and left me there to take a little refreshment for a little while and led me into the dining-room. Some beefsteaks and potatoes were set before me; and while I dined upon these, she sat opposite, watching me (as I thought) and trying to keep something like a conversation— consisting chiefly of commonplace remarks. In fact, my attention was almost wholly absorbed in my dinner: not from appetite, but from the toughness of the beefsteaks, and the numbness of my hands.
“I have had so little time to attend to their education myself, but I think they are clever children, and very willing to learn, especially the little boy; he is, I think, the flower of the flock— a generous, noble-spirited boy, one to be led, but not driven, and remarkable for always speaking the truth.” “His sister Mary Ann will require watching,” continued she, “but she is a very good girl on the whole, though I wish her to be kept out of the nursery as much as possible, as she is now almost six years old, and might acquire bad habits from the nurses. I have ordered her bed to be placed in your room, and if you will be so kind as to look after her washing and dressing, and take charge of her clothes, she needs to have nothing further to do with the nursery maid.”
I replied I was quite willing to do so; and at that moment the children entered the room. Tom Bloomfield was a well-grown boy of seven. Mary was a tall girl, for her age of six, somewhat dark like her mother. The second sister was Fanny, a very pretty little girl, looking little younger than Mary. The remaining one was Harriet, a little broad, fat, merry, playful thing of scarcely two, whom I had more desire for than all the rest — but with her I had nothing to do.
【小题1】Which of the following statements best describes how the writer felt when she entered Mrs. Bloomfield's home?

A．She was nervous, dissatisfied with her manners but still confident.

B．She was cold, hungry but eager to see all the children in the family.

C．She was frightened, nervous and regretful about her decision.

D．She was calm, confident and very happy with all the family.

【小题2】What job would the writer take in Mrs Bloomfield's home?

A．A nursery maid.

B．A house cleaner.

C．A home cook.

D．A family teacher.

【小题3】Which of the following was TRUE according to the passage?

A．The writer had some difficulty with her lunch because of the tough food and the cold.

B．The delicious food took the writer's attention away from Mrs. Bloomfield’s words.

C．All the children were well educated before the writer came to the family.

D．All the children in the family were looked after by Mrs Bloomfield herself.

【小题4】From the passage, we can infer that ___________.

A．Mrs Bloomfield would treat the writer kindly and help her a lot

B．The youngest girl Harriet would be the writer’s favorite student

C．the writer would take on more responsibilities than she should

D．Tom Bloomfield would be the cleverest of all the children

Oprah Winfrey, the American media queen, is undoubtedly one of the most successful women in the world. She’s the host and owner of The Oprah Winfrey Show, which continuingly wins high ratings, and the founder of Harpo Productions, which produces her television shows and movies.
Certainly Winfrey feels right these days. Early on, however, Winfrey seemed more like a candidate for welfare rolls than film roles. She stayed with her grandmother after birth and moved to Wisconsin to live with her mother at 6, and hence began the most difficult period in her life. They lived in the low-income community and her mother showed her less attention. Her classmates came from families with more money and she couldn’t participate with them in a lot of activities.
The young girl had held too much anger and pain inside and she rebelled. She repeatedly ran away from home and got into various troubles. During that time, she turned heavy smoker, became addicted to alcohol and drug and was sent to a juvenile detention home(青少年拘留所) at the age of 13.
Fed up, Oprah’s mother sent her to Tennessee to live with her father. To a large extent, this man saved Oprah’s life and helped pave the way for her success. She received a full scholarship to Tennessee State University where she majored in Speech and Performing Arts. After graduation, she landed a job as a news reader at a television station, where she did not do well at first. But she did not give up; instead, she worked harder. She put in long hours and prepared carefully before going on camera.
Her hard work paid off: she moved up swiftly to news reader and reporter in Baltimore and was offered her own talk show in 1977. From then on, her career began to take off.
Some people are handed money at birth and are nurtured into success; other people create their own success, and Oprah Winfrey definitely belongs to the latter. “There is no such thing as failure in my life,” she concluded, “Life is a marathon. I think the ones who survive in life do it by hammering at it one day at a time.” Well, by doing so, she won the game.
【小题1】By mentioning “Winfrey seemed more like a candidate for welfare rolls than film roles” in Paragraph 2, the author indicates that ______.

A．she was interested in acting and applied for roles in many films, but failed.

B．she was more interested in working for charities than in films.

C．she lived a poor life and had to depend on the government for food.

D．the film companies wouldn’t offer her roles because she was too poor.

【小题2】Which of the following is NOT the cause of her bad behaviors as a teenager?

A．Her mother had no time to take good care of her.

B．Her classmates’ families were very rich.

C．She couldn’t take part in activities with her classmates.

D．She had too much anger and pain inside.

【小题3】Oprah Winfrey succeeded at last chiefly due to _______.

A．her hard childhood living with her grandmother.

B．her hard work and the spirit of not giving up.

C．her good performance in the juvenile detention home.

D．her major in Speech and Performing Arts in college.

【小题4】Which of the following can best serve as the title of this passage?

A．Oprah Winfrey, from a problem girl to the American media queen.

B．Oprah Winfrey, from a news reader to a marathon winner.

C．Even famous people have a disgraceful past.

D．All that glitters is not gold.

Today, almost everyone has heard of Harry Potter. The books detailing his experiences at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry have aroused passion, creativity, and interest in reading throughout the world.
But have you ever considered why you are a fan of the Harry Potter series?
JK Rowling has created a list of characters and an environment for them to inhabit that appeals to both adults and children.
The fantasy aspect of the wizarding world expands the imagination, and takes the mind to new and exciting places. Anything could happen there. Her stories contain parts of the believable and unbelievable, changing the predictability that readers commonly come across and bear in fiction.
The main theme of the series, including good versus evil, prejudice, love, death, sacrifice, friendship and loyalty, in actuality contributes to the ever-lasting nature of the stories. At the same time, these themes remind us of classic literature, offering mature readers tales that wear like a comfortable pair of shoes, while introducing younger readers to concepts they will meet throughout their lives.
Much of the appeal also comes from the characters. In each book, JK Rowling introduces and describes the characters in such a way that we wonder not only about their futures, but also about their pasts. Even supporting characters are suddenly more than just extras in the background. And what of Harry Potter himself? We care about Harry, because we watch him grow from an innocent boy to a powerful wizard. We see him as both Hero and Victim. He experiences endless love and extreme pain, and as readers, we experience them with him.
This perfect combination of emotion, suspense and fantasy, together with the fact that JK Rowling is a superb storyteller is the reason why we are Harry potter fans. People are fond of Harry Potter series. With books like these, it’s hard not to be.
【小题1】Harry Potter series become popular partly because____________.

A．they remind us of the childhood and environment we had in the past

B．they take us to a world beyond our imagination and expectation

C．they offer us ever-lasting nature of the stories

D．they set an example of hero for us to follow

【小题2】What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 6 mean?

A．The supporting characters are not necessary in the story.

B．Readers care only about Harry but not those supporting characters.

C．Even the supporting characters are attractive in the story.

D．Those supporting characters only appear all of a sudden.

【小题3】The themes of the Harry Potter series do not contain____________.

A．prejudice and love	B．good and evil
C．death and sacrifice	D．safety and peace

【小题4】People care for Harry Potter because ____________.

A．they think of classic literature when reading the story

B．they find different experiences from theirs on Harry

C．they share the experiences with Harry

D．they like JK Rowling’s description very much

Every country has its heroes. The heroes are the people the nation and especially the young people admire. If you get a list of the heroes of a nation, it will tell you the potential（潜势）of that nation.
If today in America, you ask the high school students to list their heroes, their choice would probably fall into three groups. The first group of heroes would be the rock stars —the people connected with rock music. There is no doubt that such people do have talent but one wonders if one should hold up rock stars as a model (推举…为榜样). The rock stars too often are involved with drugs and their personal life is not all that good. The rock stars are rich and wear the latest fashion styles. However, one should seek more in a hero than such things as money and good clothes.
A second type of hero for the American youth is the sports star. Again you have a person who has a great ability in one area — SPORTS. However, too often the personal life of the sports star is a bit of a mess. Too frequently drugs and drinking are a part of life of the sports star.
A third type of hero is the TV or movie star. This person may have lots of acting talent and is quite handsome. However, the personal life of too many actors is quite sad and they should not be held up as a model for young people.
Today, the rock star, the athlete and the actor all have become the models of the youth in America. Really, do you hear a young person say that his hero is a doctor, a teacher, or a scientist? These people are not rich and do not wear fashionable clothes. However, they are talented people who work hard to make the world a better place for everyone.
What is really sad is that the young try to imitate their heroes. They like to wear the same clothes and follow their styles. If the heroes of today for the American youngsters are only rock stars, athletes and actors, the future does not look too bright.
【小题1】The hero discussed in this article means a person ______.

A．who has done something brave

B．who plays an important role in a play

C．whom people greatly admire

D．who rides the waves and moves with the tides

【小题2】What is true of the groups mentioned in this article?

A．They are not fright but are good-looking.

B．They are rich but are strict with themselves.

C．They are talented in some area but lead an indecent life.

D．They are perfect in every way.

【小题3】American young people will not admire ______.

A．a university professor	B．a popular singer
C．a football player	D．a film actress

【小题4】According to the writer, people should hold up as their model those______.

A．who are rich and wear the latest fashion clothes

B．whose personal life is good

C．who can express people’s feelings

D．who work in the interests (利益) of the people

There is a wonderful story about a young girl who had no family and no one to love her.
One day, feeling very sad and lonely, she was walking through a grassland when she noticed a small butterfly caught in a thorn （荆棘） bush. The young girl carefully released the butterfly. Instead of flying away, the little butterfly changed into a beautiful fairy. The young girl rubbed her eyes in disbelief.
“For your wonderful kindness,” the good fairy said to the girl, “I will give you any wish you would like.” The little girl thought for a moment and then replied, “I want to be happy.”
The fairy leaned toward her and whispered in her ear. Then the fairy disappeared.
As the little girl grew up, there was no one in the land as happy as she. Everyone asked her secret of happiness .She would only smile and answer, “The secret of my happiness is that I listened to a good fairy when I was a little girl.”
When she was very old and on her deathbed, the neighbors all gathered around her, and feared that her unbelievable secret of happiness would die with her. “Tell us, please,” they begged, “Tell us what the good fairy said.” The lovely old woman simply smiled and said, “She told me that everyone, no matter how secure they seemed, no matter how old or young, how rich or poor, had need of me.”
【小题1】______ the girl felt sad and lonely.

A．There were many friends but

B．There was nobody to love her so

C．There was nothing to do

D．Seeing the butterfly was caught

【小题2】Noticing the butterfly was caught by the thorn, the orphan girl ______.

A．helped the butterfly escaped from the thorn

B．felt sorrow,but she didn’t go up to help it

C．fell down on it too

D．failed to help it release from the thorn

【小题3】The only thing that the little girl wanted was________.

A．to be rich	B．to have her own parents
C．to have a lot of friends	D．happiness

【小题4】The neighbors all gathered around the old happy woman when she was dying, because ______.

A．they loved this woman deeply and they didn’t wanted her to die

B．the woman had lots of money to be shared as soon as she died

C．they wanted to know the secret of her lifetime happiness

D．they wanted to pray for her after her death

What makes a gift special? Is it the price you see on the gift receipt? Or is it the look on the recipient's face when they receive it that determines the true value? What gift is worth the most?
This Christmas I was debating what to give my father. My dad is a hard person to buy for because he never wants anything. I pulled out my phone to read a text message from my mom saying that we were leaving for Christmas shopping for him when I came across a message on my phone that I had locked. The message was from my father. My eyes fell on a photo of a flower taken in Wyoming. and underneath a poem by William Blake. The flower, a lone dandelion standing against the bright blue sky, inspired me. My dad had been reciting those words to me since I was a kid. That may even be the reason why I love writing. I decided that those words would be my gift to my father.
I called back. I told my mom to go without me and that I already created my gift. I sent the photo of the cream-colored flower to my computer and typed the poem on top of it. As I was arranging the details another poem came to mind. The poem was written by Edgar Allan Poe; my dad recited it as much as he did the other. I typed that out as well and searched online for a background to the words of it. The poem was focused around dreaming, and after searching I found the perfect picture. The image was painted with blues and greens and purples, twisting together to create the theme and wonder of a dream. As I watched both poems passing through the printer, the white paper coloring with words that shaped my childhood. I felt that this was a gift that my father would truly appreciate.
Christmas soon arrived. The minute I saw the look on my dad's face as he unwrapped those swirling black letters carefully placed in a cheap frame, I knew I had given the perfect gift.
【小题1】The idea for a special gift began to form when the author was______.

A．doing shopping	B．having a debate
C．reading a message	D．leaving for Wyoming

【小题2】The author's inspiration for the gift came from_____.

A．a photo of a flower	B．a story about a kid
C．a call from the mother	D．a text about Christmas

【小题3】The underlined word "it" in Paragraph 3 refers to a poem by_____.

A．the father	B．the author
C．William Blake	D．Edgar Allan Poe

【小题4】The author made the gift by_____.

A．searching for the poems online

B．drawing the background by hand

C．painting the letters in three colors

D．matching the words with pictures

【小题5】What is the main purpose of the passage?

A．To show how to design images for gifts.

B．To suggest making gifts from one's heart.

C．To explain how computers help create gifts.

D．To describe the gifts the author has received

The Basics of Math—Made Clear
Basic Math introduces students to the basic concepts of mathematics, as well as the fundamentals of more tricky areas. These 30 fantastic lectures are designed to provide students with an understanding of arithmetic and to prepare them for Algebra(代数) and beyond.
The lessons in Basic Math cover every basic aspect of arithmetic. They also look into exponents(指数), the order of operations, and square roots. In addition to learning how to perform various mathematical operations, students discover why these operations work, how a particular mathematical topic relates to other branches of mathematics, and how these operations can be used practically.
Basic Math starts from the relatively easier concepts and gradually moves on to the more troublesome ones, so as to allow for steady and sure understanding of the material by students. The lectures offer students the chance to “make sense” of mathematical knowledge that may have seemed so frightening. They also help students prepare for college mathematics and overcome their anxiety about this amazing—and completely understandable—field of study.
By the conclusion of the course, students will have improved their understanding of basic math. They will be able to clear away the mystery(神秘性) of mathematics and face their studies with more confidence than they ever imagined. In addition, they will strengthen their ability to accept new and exciting mathematical challenges.
Professor H. Siegel, honored by Kentucky Educational Television as “the best math teacher in America,” is a devoted teacher and has a gift for explaining mathematical concepts in ways that make them seem clear and obvious. From the basic concrete ideas to the more abstract problems, he is master in making math lectures learner-friendlier and less scary.
With a PhD in Mathematics Education from Georgia State University, Dr. Siegel teaches mathematics at Central Arizona College. His courses include various make-up classes and a number of lectures for future primary school teachers.
If the course fails to provide complete satisfaction to you, you can easily exchange it for any other course that we offer. Or you can get your money back.
【小题1】What does the course Basic Math mainly cover?

A．Algebra.	B．College Mathematics.
C．Arithmetic.	D．Mathematics Education.

【小题2】What benefits can students expect from Basic Math?

A．Stronger imaginative ability.

B．Additional presentation skills.

C．More mathematical confidence.

D．Greater chances of becoming teachers.

【小题3】What can we learn about Professor H. Siegel?

A．He is a guest lecturer at Kentucky Educational Television.

B．He is to deliver 30 lectures in Basic Math.

C．He works in Georgia State University.

D．He specializes in training teachers.

【小题4】Where is the passage most likely to have been taken from?

A．A news report.	B．A book review
C．A lesson plan.	D．An advertisement

About twenty of us had been fortunate enough to receive invitations to a film-studio(影棚)to take part in a crowd-scene. Although our "act" would last only for a short time, we could see quite a number of interesting things.
We all stood at the far end of the studio as workmen prepared the scene, setting up trees at the edge of a winding path. Very soon, bright lights were turned on and the big movie-camera was wheeled into position. The director shouted something to the camera operator and then went to speak to the two famous actors nearby. Since it was hot in the studio, it came as a surprise to us to see one of the actors put on a heavy overcoat and start walking along the path. A big fan began blowing tiny white feathers down on him, and soon the trees were covered in "snow". Two more fans were turned on, and a "strong wind" blew through the trees. The picture looked so real that it made us feel cold.
The next scene was a complete contrast (对比). The way it was filmed was quite unusual. Pictures in front taken on an island in the Pacific were shown on a glass screen (幕). An actor and actress stood of the scene so that they looked as if they were at the water’s edge on an island. By a simple trick like this, palm trees, sandy beaches, and blue, clear skies had been brought into the studio!
Since it was our turn next, we were left wondering what scene would be prepared for us. For a full three minutes in our lives we would be experiencing the excitement of being film "stars"!
【小题1】Who is the author?

A．A cameraman.

B．A film director.

C．A crowd-scene actor.

D．A workman for scene setting.

【小题2】What made the author feel cold?

A．The heavy snowfall.

B．The man-made scene.

C．The low temperature.

D．The film being shown.

【小题3】What would happen in the "three minutes" mentioned in the last paragraph?

A．A new scene would be filmed.

B．More stars would act in the film.

C．The author would leave the studio.

D．The next scene would be prepared.