There are two types of people in the world. Although they have equal degree of health and wealth and other comforts of life, one becomes happy, the other becomes unhappy. This arises from the different ways in which they consider things, persons, events and the resulting effects upon their minds.
People who are to be happy fix their attention on the convenience of things. The pleasant parts of conversation, the well prepared dishes, the goodness of the wine, the fine weather. They enjoy all the cheerful things. Those who are to be unhappy think and speak only of the opposite things. Therefore, they are continually dissatisfied. By their remarks, they sour the pleasure of society, offend(or hurt) many people, and make themselves disagreeable everywhere. If this turn of mind was founded in nature, such unhappy persons would be the more to be pitied. The intention of criticizing and being disliked is perhaps taken up by imitation. It grows into a habit, unknown to its possessors. The habit may be strong, but it may be cured when those who have it realize its bad effects on their interests and tastes. I hope this little warning may be of service to them, and help them change this habit.
Although in fact it is chiefly an act of the imagination, it has serious results in life since it brings on deep sorrow and bad luck. Those people offend many others; nobody loves them, and no one treats them with more than the most common politeness and respect. This frequently puts them in bad temper and draws them into arguments. If they aim at getting some advantages in social position or fortune, nobody wishes them success. Nor will anyone start a step or speak a word to favor their hopes. If they bring on themselves public objections, no one will defend or excuse them, and many will join to criticize their wrongdoings. These should change this bad habit and be pleased with what is pleasing, without worrying needlessly about themselves and others. If they do not, it will be good for others to avoid any contact with them. Otherwise, it can be disagreeable and sometimes very inconvenient, especially when one becomes mixed up in their quarrels.
【小题1】The phrase“sour the pleasure of society” most nearly means__________.

A．make others unhappy

B．have a good taste with social life

C．tend to scold others openly

D．enjoy the pleasure of life

【小题2】We can conclude from the passage that__________.

A．such unhappy people are dangerous to social life

B．people can get rid of the habit of unhappiness

C．we should pity all such unhappy people

D．unhappy people can not understand happy persons

【小题3】If such unhappy persons insist on keeping the habit, the author suggests that people should ______.

A．show no respect and politeness to them

B．prevent any communication with them

C．persuade them to recognize the bad effects

D．quarrel with them until they realize the mistakes

【小题4】In this passage, the writer mainly________.

A．describes two types of people	B．laughs at the unhappy people
C．tells people how to be happy in life	D．suggests ways to help them unhappy

A serious problem for today’s society is who should be responsible for our elderly and how to improve their lives. It is not only a financial problem but also a question of the system we want for our society. I would like to suggest several possible solutions to this problem.
First, employers should take the responsibility for their retired employees. To make this possible, a percentage of profits should be set aside for this purpose. But when a company must take life-long responsibility for its employees, it may suffer from a commercial disadvantage due to higher employee costs.
Another way of solving the problem is to return the responsibility to the individual. This means each person must save during his working years to pay for his years of retirement. This does not seem a very fair model since some people have enough trouble paying for their daily life without trying to earn extra to cover their retirement years. This means the government might have to step in to care for the poor.
In addition, the government could take responsibility for the care of the elderly. This could be financed through government taxes to increase the level of pensions(养老金). Furthermore, some in-situations should be created for senior citizens, which can help provide a comfortable life for them. Unfortunately, as the present situation in our country shows, this is not a truly viable answer. The government can seldom afford to care for the elderly, particularly when it is busy trying to care for the young.
One further solution is that the government or social organizations establish some working places especially for the elderly where they are independent.
To sum up, all these options(选择) have advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect that some combination of these options may be needed to provide the care we hope to give to our elderly generations.
【小题1】According to the passage, how can the government help to improve the lives of retired people?

A．Set aside some profits to help people with problems after they retire.

B．Increase savings levels of people during their working years.

C．Increase the discounts for food and transport for the old.

D．Increase the level of pensions.

【小题2】The underlined word “viable” in the fourth paragraph most probably means “______”.

A．impossible

B．practical

C．perfect

D．obvious

【小题3】What is the writer’s main purpose in writing this article?

A．To point out the need for government support for old people.

B．To make general readers aware of the problems of retired people.

C．To discuss some possible solutions to an important social problem.

D．To instruct retired people on how they can have a happier life.

There is a popular belief among parents that schools are no longer interested in spelling. No school I have taught in has ever ignored spelling or considered it unimportant as a basic skill. There are, however, vastly different ideas about how to teach it, or how much priority（优先）it must be given over general language development and writing ability. The problem is, how to encourage a child to express himself freely and confidently in writing without holding him back with the complexities（复杂）of spelling.
If spelling becomes the only focal point of his teacher’s interest, clearly a bright child will be likely to “play safe”. He will tend to write only words within his spelling range, choosing to avoid adventurous language. That’s why teachers often encourage the early use of dictionaries and pay attention to content rather than technical ability.
I was once shocked to read on the bottom of a sensitive piece of writing about a personal experience: “ This work is terrible! There are far too many spelling errors and your writing is illegible（难以辨认的）.” It may have been a sharp criticism of the pupil’s technical abilities in writing, but it was also a sad reflection on the teacher who had omitted to read the essay, which contained some beautiful expressions of the child’s deep feelings. The teacher was not wrong to draw attention to the errors, but if his priorities had centered on the child’s ideas, an expression of his disappointment with the presentation would have given the pupil more motivation（动力）to seek improvement.
【小题1】Teachers are different in their opinions about ___________.

A．the difficulties in teaching spelling

B．the role of spelling in general language development

C．the complexities of the basic writing skills

D．the necessity of teaching spelling

【小题2】 The expression “play safe” probably means ____________.

A．to write carefully	B．to do as the teachers say
C．to use dictionaries frequently	D．to avoid using words one is not sure of

【小题3】 Teachers encourage the use of dictionaries so that___________.

A．students will be able to express their ideas more freely

B．students will have more confidence in writing

C．teachers will have less trouble in correcting mistakes

D．students will learn to be independent of teachers

【小题4】 The writer seems to think that the teacher’s judgment on that sensitive piece of writing is____________.

A．unfair

B．reasonable

C．foolish

D．careless

【小题5】The major point discussed in the passage is_____________.

A．the importance of developing writing skills

B．the complexities of spelling

C．the correct way of marking compositions

D．the relationship between spelling and the content of a composition

In the modern world more and more people meet the problem of identity．The most interesting example is that of a so – called “banana”, which refers to an American who has an Asian face but holds Western values．
In Shanghai, there now live a group of people from abroad．They look no different from the locals and speak fluent Chinese or even Shanghai dialect, but when it comes to writing Chinese characters, they are almost illiterate（文盲）．Jack is such an example．He never learned to read or write Chinese characters, which he finds mysterious and difficult．From time to time, he files to the US as he does not feel Shanghai is where he comes from．“But when I am in the States, I feel that’s not my home either,” he said．
At De Gaulle Airport in France, there is a Swiss man who has been living in the waiting – room for a long time because he lost h is passport during his travels．He was refused entry into several countries．But when he was eventually allowed to return to Swizerland, he refused to leave the airport．His reason was very simple—“I am sure who I am．I need no acknowledgement from others,” he said during an interview．For th is reason  he was honored by the Western media as “the Hero of identity．”
As the Internet becomes more and more popular, the problem of identity becomes more serious．In a virtual world, people can have different addresses registered with different names．In the Internet chat room, even one’s gender（性别） is hard to determine．It seems that in the glohal village, people are saying hello every day to each other without knowing whom they are talking to．
What will be the next crisis（危机） of identity? With the development of cloning technology, it might be: who is the real “I”?
【小题1】What does the passage mainly talk about?

A．The importance of identity．

B．The crisis of identity．

C．Differences between Eastern and Western cultures．

D．Difficulty in living in foreign counties．

【小题2】The Swiss man had to live in De Gaulle Airport in France because      ．
A．he needed to board a plane at any time
B．he couldn’t afford to live in a hotel
C．he needed others acknowledgement
D．he couldn’t prove who he was
65．A “banana” in the passage is in fact an     ．
A．American traveling to Asia   B．American keeping Eastern culture
C．American born in Asia    D．America – born Asian
【小题3】We can infer from the passage that the author believes      ．

A．there will be more problems relating to identity in the future

B．Internet technology helps solve problems of identity

C．only people traveling abroad have problems of identity

D．people don’t need to worry about identity

The US government has started a website, Admongo, to help children think critically about the advertising aimed at them. It claims to provide visitors with an “aducation” through games and other entertainment.
A cartoon man dressed in old time pilot clothing greets visitors to Admongo. "Call me Haiz", he says upon arrival in a rocket ship that opens up with a crazy world inside it. Spacey dance music plays in the background as Haiz tells visitors that they need to learn about advertising.
Its inventors say eight to twelve years old is the age kids develop their critical thinking abilities. Kids that age are also a big market for advertisers.
The idea behind Admongo is to teach children three things: To identify the advertiser. To know what the advertiser is really saying. And to know what the advertisement is trying to get the child to do.
Children learn these things through a video game. They create their own game character. They can choose different skin colors, hair styles, eye and mouth shapes. Then they begin a trip through ad-land, where there are ads on buses and billboards. The players have to find all the marketing in the neighborhood before they can move on to the next level.
The Admongo game takes players inside a home, to the advertising studio and everywhere else ads can be found. It is a complete exploration of the world of marketing.
One such area is food marketing. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says it is a big business. The FTC estimates that food, drink and fast-food restaurants spent more than one and a half billion dollars on advertising to young people in 2009.
The FTC says children are important for three reasons. They buy products. They influence parents and caregivers to buy. And they are the future adult buyers of the products.
A recent study says most advertising aimed at children is for foods of the lowest nutritional value. First Lady Michelle Obama has said she would like to see advertisers marketing healthy foods for children.
【小题1】What is the best title of the text?

A．The guide of Admongo	B．An aducation website for children
C．A popular online video game	D．A website aimed at children

【小题2】Why did the government start the website?

A．To attract the biggest market of buyers.	B．To sell the products of its company.
C．To help children know about advertising.	D．To advertise the video game for children.

【小题3】What can players do in the website game?

A．Choose hair styles for their character.	B．Travel to a supermarket.
C．Eat in a fast-food restaurant.	D．Play video games during the trip.

【小题4】Children are important for advertising because they are __________.

A．important for the society	B．the most potential buyers
C．easily influenced by ads	D．easily affected by poor products

Short Skirts Are Out!
After decades of skimpy skirts and sleeveless tops on game days, some schools in the US are saying cheerleader uniforms will have to meet stricter dress codes when they are worn in class.
In Lake County, Florida, cheerleaders with uniforms too skimpy for the code are being asked to wear long shorts or trousers under their skirts and a T-shirt under the sleeveless tops, according to a district memo. Principals at two of Lake’s eight high schools – Leesburg and Lake Minneola – are not allowing the outfits in school at all.
Michelle Thomas, a cheerleader at Leesburg High School, was disappointed when she learned she couldn’t wear her outfit to school on game days.
“It shows that we’re a team just like all the other sports,” she said.
But the school administrators did not agree. “During the educational portion of the day, they have to meet the dress code just like every other student,” said school board chairwoman Debbie Stivender, who ordered the staff to bring the outfits into line with the dress code.
Bare midriffs are banned across the state by the Florida High School Athletic Association, but no state rules mention cheerleader miniskirts. Sheila Noone, a spokeswoman for cheerleading uniform company Varsity Brands, says the outfits haven’t become more revealing over the last 10 years. She says that the short skirts are designed to help the girls jump and kick.
“Cheerleading is athletic,” Noone said. “There’s a lot of jumping, so you won’t want a knee-length skirt that might hamper a tie touch.”
Most cheerleaders were sad to hear the news, but say they’ll follow the rules. Even male cheerleaders, whose pants and tops meet dress codes, chose not to wear their outfits to show unity.
“I understanding, because they are kind of short,” said Holly Bishop, 14, a Lake Minneola High School cheerleader, about her miniskirt. “It would have been really, really cool to wear them to school.”
【小题1】According to the new dress codes for cheerleaders in some American schools, __________.

A．bare midriffs are banned

B．cheerleading miniskirts are banned

C．cheerleader uniforms have switched from skirts to trousers

D．cheerleaders have to make their uniforms less revealing

【小题2】Which of the following statement is TRUE according to the article?

A．School administrators believe cheerleader uniforms do not match school dress codes.

B．Most cheerleaders show understanding of the new dress codes.

C．Sheila Noone believes that cheerleading miniskirts are not revealing.

D．School administrators don’t take cheerleading seriously.

【小题3】Some cheerleaders are not happy about the news because __________.

A．they hate the dress codes that other sports have

B．they consider their uniforms special and cool

C．they want to wear revealing clothes

D．they will have to buy new uniforms

In the Harry Potter films, Hermione Granger is better than her male friends and is considered the brightest pupil in her grade. Isn’t it often the same in schools of our real world?
“It’s surprising but true that most of the top students have been girls since primary school. Girls are class leaders, club presidents and the top ones in exams,” said Wang Feixuan, 15, who studies at a Chengdu school. By any measure, Wang herself is a high-achiever. She is a top student, a team leader in her school’s sports club and a winner in national English and IT competitions.
But why do so many girls outperform their male peers?
In Sun Yunxiao’s latest book Save Our Boys, he points out that the education system is “more suited to girls, who are good at memorizing and like to sit quietly and read.” Yet he also says that girls have to do so much more when they compete with males for honors, top universities and later good jobs. They can feel great pressure nearly every day.
This seems to be the same in most countries in the world. Young women in the United States are also reported to feel the same pressure to be perfect.
“Let’s look at what we ask of our teenage girls,” says Professor Stephen Hinshaw in an interview. He thinks that it’s no longer enough that a girl does well in school and is a caring friend. On the TV, on the Internet and everywhere, girls see images of impossible perfection.
Today’s young women must be good learners, good athletes, and fill their after-school lives with other activities. But they are also asked to have the styles and looks of popular stars. “Be pretty, sweet and nice. Be athletic, competitive and get straight. Be impossibly perfect.” Stephen Hinshaw sums up.
【小题1】The passage suggests that               .

A．our society asks far too much of teenage girls

B．teenage girls shouldn’t be so perfect at school

C．boys are always lazy ones rather than girls

D．American girls have less pressure than Chinese girls

【小题2】 According to the passage, it is true that               .

A．boys are less smart than girls throughout school life

B．boys usually don’t have so much pressure as girls do

C．girls are all fond of the Chinese education system

D．girls are better at school because boys don’t work hard

【小题3】The underlined word “outperform” means               .

A．hate

B．misunderstand

C．like

D．defeat

【小题4】What is the best title for the passage?

A．Impossibly Perfect Is Possible．	B．Why Are Girls So Perfect?
C．Perfect? Pressure Every Day!	D．Perfect: Boys or Girls?

There are two types of people in the world. Although they have equal degree of health and wealth and other comforts of life, one becomes happy, the other becomes unhappy. This arises from the different ways in which they consider things, persons, events and the resulting effects upon their minds.
　　People who are to be happy fix their attention on the convenience of things. The pleasant parts of conversation, the well prepared dishes, the goodness of the wine, the fine weather. They enjoy all the cheerful things. Those who are to be unhappy think and speak only of the opposite things. Therefore, they are continually dissatisfied. By their remarks, they sour the pleasure of society, offend(or hurt) many people, and make themselves disagreeable everywhere. If this turn of mind was founded in nature, such unhappy persons would be the more to be pitied. The intention of criticizing and being disliked is perhaps taken up by imitation. It grows into a habit, unknown to its possessors. The habit may be strong, but it may be cured when those who have it realize its bad effects on their interests and tastes. I hope this little warning may be of service to them, and help them change this habit.
　　Although in fact it is chiefly an act of the imagination, it has serious results in life since it brings on deep sorrow and bad luck. Those people offend many others; nobody loves them, and no one treats them with more than the most common politeness and respect. This frequently puts them in bad temper and draws them into arguments. If they aim at getting some advantages in social position or fortune, nobody wishes them success. Nor will anyone start a step or speak a word to favor their hopes. If they bring on themselves public objections, no one will defend or excuse them, and many will join to criticize their wrongdoings. These should change this bad habit and be pleased with what is pleasing, without worrying needlessly about themselves and others. If they do not, it will be good for others to avoid any contact with them. Otherwise, it can be disagreeable and sometimes very inconvenient, especially when one becomes mixed up in their quarrels.
【小题1】The phrase“sour the pleasure of society” most nearly means__________.

A．have a good taste with social life	B．make others unhappy
C．tend to scold others openly	D．enjoy the pleasure of life

【小题2】We can conclude from the passage that__________.

A．people can get rid of the habit of unhappiness

B．such unhappy people are dangerous to social life

C．we should pity all such unhappy people

D．unhappy people can not understand happy persons

【小题3】If such unhappy persons insist on keeping the habit, the author suggests that people should ______.

A．prevent any communication with them

B．show no respect and politeness to them

C．persuade them to recognize the bad effects

D．quarrel with them until they realize the mistakes

【小题4】In this passage, the writer mainly________.

A．describes two types of people	B．laughs at the unhappy people
C．suggests ways to help them unhappy	D．tells people how to be happy in life

With a £4 million ITV contract（合同） in her pocket and an engagement （婚约） to her England footballer boyfriend, it's been a good year for Christine Bleakley．Perhaps it's no wonder, as the TV presenter is 31, the age at which women are the most attractive, according to a survey．
While the average British woman of 31 may be married with a child, the survey noted they are at a wonderful age because they have not only youthful beauty but also more confidence and a better sense of style than flesh-faced teenagers．
Some 70 percent of more than 2,000 men and women surveyed considered confidence as a key factor in making a woman attractive, ahead of the 67 percent who included physical beauty and 47 percent who looked for a sense of style．Almost two thirds of the women agreed with the opinion "With age, comes beauty", and over half said that as they age they do away with their insecurities and feel more beautiful, while 55 percent felt they knew the best make-up to wear．
Self-confidence varied widely across the country in the survey: London women emerged as the most confident about their looks, with 37 percent describing themselves as beautiful, compared with just 28 percent of Welsh women．Meanwhile, East Midlands women spend the most on beauty programs —£129．69 monthly—compared with a national average of £105．50．
The research was carried on for TV shopping channel QVC to mark the launch of its "Beauty Month"．QVC marketing director Sue Leeson said: "This research shows what many have always suspected — real beauty is about more than just good looks but a combination of confidence, style and personality, too．”
【小题1】Which of the following doesn't have much to do with a woman's beauty?

A．Being famous and independent．	B．Having self-confidence．
C．Looking young and stylish．	D．Wearing proper make-up．

【小题2】In the survey_______________ think attractive women should possess a sense of style．

A．nearly 1,000 women	B．more than 1,000 women
C．nearly half the participants	D．55 percent of the women

【小题3】Which fact shows that a woman is confident?

A．Paying little attention to style．

B．Wearing expensive make-up．

C．Considering herself as beautiful．

D．Spending much on beauty programs．

Parents often believe that they have a good relationship with their teenagers. But last summer, Joanna and Henry noticed a change in their older son: suddenly he seemed to be talking far more to his friends than to his parents. “The door to his room is always shut.” Joanna noted.
Tina and Mark noticed similar changes in their 14-year-old daughter. “she used to cuddle up（拥抱） with me on the sofa and talk.” said Mark. “Now we joke that she does this only when she wants something. Sometimes she wants to be treated like a little girl and sometimes like a young lady. The problem is figuring out which time is which.”
Before age 11, Children like to tell their parents what’is on their minds. “In fact, parents are first on the list.” said Michael Riera, author of Uncommon Sense for Parents with Teenagers. “This completely changes during the teen years.” Riera explained. “They talk to their friends first, and then maybe their teachers and their parents last.”
Parents who know what’s going on in their teenagers’ lives are in the best position to help them. To break down the wall of silence, parents should create chances to understand what their children want to say, and try to find ways to talk and write to them. And they must give their children a mental break, for children also need freedom, though young. Another thing parents should remember is that to be a friend, not a manager, with children is a better way to know them.
【小题1】 “The door to his room is always shut” suggests that the son__________.

A．is always busy with his studies

B．doesn’t want to be disturbed

C．keeps himself away from his parents

D．begins to dislike his parents

【小题2】 What troubles Tina and Mark most is that__________.

A．their daughter isn’t as lovely as before

B．they can’t read their daughter’s mind exactly

C．they don’t know what to say to their daughter

D．their daughter talks with them only when she needs help

【小题3】Which of the following best explains “the wall of silence” in the last paragraph?

A．Teenagers talk a lot with their friends.

B．Teenagers do not want to understand their parents.

C．Teenagers do not talk much with their parents.

D．Teenagers talk little about their own lives.

【小题4】What can be learned from the passage?

A．Parents are unhappy with their growing children.

B．Parents have suitable ways to talk with their teenagers.

C．Parents should be patient with their silent teenagers.

D．Parents should try to understand their teenagers.