This is an open letter to the three people who stole my handbag from the department store I am employed as a shop assistant.

When you took my bag, I don’t know what you thought you were going to get. With my wages, there’s not much left on a Tuesday. I hope the ￡5 was useful to you. I have informed the social security office so you won’t be able to cash the child benefit next week. I hope that won’t leave you too short．But if you really need a couple of pounds, I suppose you could always cash one of the two checks left in my check book．Of course, I phoned the bank right away and the check-cashing card is no longer valid(有效的), so it won’t be much use to you.

Actually I don’t mind about the money too much. We single parents who work to support our families understand only too well what it means to be short of cash. However, I don’t suppose it went very far among the three of you. Sorry about that!

I wish you had left the bag behind and just taken the wallet and check book．There were all kinds of papers in it, and notes and things that I really need. I really think that was very inconsiderate of you . I mean, how would you like something like that to happen to you?

Well, perhaps the bag will turn up. It wasn’t even an expensive one, just a plain, old brown leather handbag. You probably dumped it in the nearest rubbish bin or threw it into the bushes. We’ve looked around, of course, but no one saw which way you went after you left the shop.

I’m not really angry with you．I know how the pressures of modern living can affect us, but I am sad at the loss of my personal things. I feel offended and helpless. The police were very icy, and they just shrugged（耸） their shoulders. “It happens all the time,” they told me. Some small comfort, I suppose. But I’ve lost just a little more faith in human nature. And as my young son said when I told him what had happened, “Why? Mummy, why us?” I couldn’t answer that question. I wonder if you can.

1.In writing Paragraph 2, the writer wants to __________.

A. describe the contents of the bag in detail        B. give some suggestions to the three thieves

    C. tell the thieves they could hardly get any money  D. state the fact that she was careless with the money

2.Which of the following is the most valuable to the writer?

    A. The cash in her bag.                       B. The papers and notes in the bag.

    C. The handbag itself.                        D. The check books in the bag.

3. What can we conclude about the police?

    A. They have doubts about human nature.                     B. They show sympathy for the woman.

    C. They think the case quite common.                        D. They are unable to find the thieves.

4. Why does the author write the letter?

    A. To give the thieves a serious warning.                   B. To complain about the fall of human goodness.

    C. To call people’s attention to their belongings.         D. To express her affection for her valuable bag.

I have a friend named Monty Roberts who owns a horse ranch (大牧场) in San Isidro. He lets me use his house to hold events to raise money for youth at risk programs.

The last time I was there he greeted me by saying, “I want to tell you why I let you use my house. It all goes back to a story about a young man who was the son of a poor horse trainer who would go from stable (马厩) to stable, farm to farm, training horses. As a result, the boy’s high school was continually interrupted (打断). One day in the last year of high school, he was asked to write a paper about what he wanted to do when he grew up.

“He wrote a seven-page paper about his goal of owning a horse ranch in great detail. He put a great deal of his heart into the project and even drew a detailed floor plan for the dream ranch. Then the next day he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later he received his paper back. But he got a low mark with a note that read, ‘See me after class.’

“The boy went to see the teacher after class and asked, ‘Why did I receive a low mark?’

“The teacher said, ‘This is an unrealistic dream for a young boy like you. You have no money. You come from a poor family. Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money. There’s no way you could ever do it, your dream couldn’t come true . ’Then the teacher added, ‘If you will rewrite this paper, I will reconsider your mark.’

“The boy went home and thought about it long and hard. He asked his father what he should do. His father said, ‘Look, son, you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it is a very important decision for you.’

“Finally, the boy turned in the same paper, making no changes at all. He wrote, ‘You can keep the low mark and I’ll keep my dream.’

“I was that boy twenty years ago.” My friend said, smiling.

1.Which of the following statements is TRUE about Monty Roberts?

2.From Paragraph 3, we know Monty Roberts _____.

3.The teacher thought Monty Roberts’s dream was _____.

4. From the end of the text, we can infer that Monty Roberts was very _____.

5. The purpose of the text is to tell readers that _____.

What is your body language saying to your children? What is their body language telling you? I had the honor of hearing Jan Hargrave speak the other day. She is one of four body language experts in the US. Jan Hargrave says we lie with the right side of our brains, so it is our left hand that gives us away. A person touching his nose, pulling at his ear or rubbing his eye with his left hand might be lying to you. Also, a person who, in any way, crosses any fingers might just be lying. That, she says, is a holdover(遗留物) from childhood, when we crossed our fingers to signal that we didn’t mean what we were saying. When children squint(眨) their eyes, move their body away from you, or can’t seem to make good eye contact, you may need to ask for a little more clarification.

But just as important, children learn early how to read our body language when they are conversing(交谈) with us. Here are some acceptance signals to let them know you are interested when they are talking to you. Lean(倾斜) towards them. Make good eye contact and smile. Open your arms. Let your hands relax with the palms(手掌) showing: an open, upward palm always show acceptance. If your legs are crossed, make sure you are not crossing them away from your child. These are important because they signal to your child that you are focused on them and are accepting and welcoming them into your world.

By paying attention, we can open those lines of important communication with our children and we can see the truth more clearly. I think it would be a mistake to use these tools to lie, but we need to be aware of the signals we are giving so we can show people that they really do matter to us.

1.According to Jan Hargrave, we can tell whether a person is lying by _______.

A．observing his/her left hand’s movements.

B．looking at how he/ she crosses his/ her fingers

C．observing whether he/ she uses body language

D．making good eye contact with him/ her

2.We can learn from the passage that body language _______.

A．is hard to master for children

B．can be understood in different ways

C．may help improve communication

D．is more likely to hide the truth

3.Which of the following does NOT show acceptance to people?

A．Smile while making eye contact.

B．Open your arms to them.

C．Relax your hands with the palms showing.

D．Cross your leg away from them.

4.In the last paragraph, the author seems to suggest that parents_______.

A．spend more time with their children

B．learn to read and use body language

C．pay attention to family communication

D．try to prevent their children from lying

Brian arrived at the San Francisco airport two hours before the flight to Paris. He was wearing three shirts, a jacket, two pairs of socks, a pair of shorts, and two pairs of jeans. He was carrying one small backpack, which was very full, but he didn’t have any other luggage. Brian needed to meet a man named Tony before he checked in for his flight. He found Tony near the Air France counter. Tony gave him a round-trip ticket and a small package. 

 “Give this package to Jean-Paul at the airport in Paris. He will have a sign with your name on it. I think you can find him easily, “Tony said.” You don’t have any luggage, right?”

 “Only this backpack,” Brian answered. “You said I could bring one carry-on bag.”

 “That’s right, one carry-on bag is fine. Have a good trip.”

 “Thanks.”

Is Brian a criminal（犯罪）? Not at all. He is an air courier. And he paid only $110 for the round-trip ticket to Paris. Air couriers get cheap airline tickets because they take important packages and papers to foreign countries. Businesses sometimes need to get packages and papers to people in foreign countries by the next day. Often, the only way they can do this is to use an air-courier company. It is not cheap for a business to send a package with an air courier, but it is quick. 

Every year about 80, 000 people worldwide travel as air couriers. The number of tickets for courier travel is growing by about 10 percent a year. However, air-courier travel isn’t for everyone. But if you have very little money, can be flexible（灵活的）about your travel plans, and don’t mind wearing the same clothes for a week, it can be a great way to take a vacation!

1.Why was Brian wearing so many clothes for his travel?

A. Because they were the uniform for air couriers.  

B. Because that made him easier to be recognized. 

C. Because his backpack had no room for his clothes. 

D. because he did not have any luggage with him. 

2.An air courier is a person who         .

A. manages a business company in foreign countries

B. organizes international flights for tourists.

C. travels around the world with cheap tickets.

D. delivers papers and packages to foreign countries.

3.Businesses choose the air-courier service because       

A. it costs less     B. it is flexible     C. it saves time     D. it grows fast

4. The author of the text mainly      ..

A. describes the activities of a law-breaker          B. suggests an ideal way to travel             

C. argues against the air-courier travel              D. tells us about a developing business  

下面文章中有5处需要添加小标题。请从以下选项（A、B、C、D、E和F）中选出符合各段意思的小标题，并在答题纸上将相应选项的标号涂黑。选项中有一项是多余选项。

A. Early to Bed, Early to Rise

B. Read Challenging Books

C. Exercise

D. Relax yourself

E. Minimize Television Watching

F. Take Time to Reflect

Five Simple Ways to Increase Your Intelligence

Your brain needs exercise just like a muscle. If you use it often and in the right ways, you will become a more skilled thinker and increase your ability to focus.

Here are 5 simple ways anyone can squeeze a bit more productivity out of the old gray matter.

1._______– This is a hard sell. People love vegetating in front of the television, myself included more often than I’d like. The problem is watching television doesn’t use your mental capacity OR allow it to recharge. It’s like having the energy sapped out of a muscle without the health benefits of exercise.

When you feel like relaxing, try reading a book instead. If you’re too tired, listen to some music. When you’re with your friends or family, leave the tube off and have a conversation. All of these things use your mind more than television and allow you to relax.

2._______ – I used to think that I’d learn more by not exercising and using the time to read a book instead. But I realized that time spent exercising always leads to greater learning because it improves productivity during the time afterwards. Using your body clears your head and creates a wave of energy. Afterwards, you feel invigorated and can concentrate more easily.

3._______– Many people like to read popular suspense fiction, but generally these books aren’t mentally stimulating. If you want to improve your thinking and writing ability you should read books that make you focus. Reading a classic novel can change your view of the world and will make you think in more precise, elegant English. Don’t be afraid to look up a word if you don’t know it, and don’t be afraid of dense passages. Take your time, re-read when necessary, and you’ll soon grow accustomed to the author’s style.

4.________– Nothing makes it harder to concentrate than sleep deprivation. You’ll be most rejuvenated if you go to bed early and don’t sleep more than 8 hours. If you stay up late and compensate by sleeping late, you’ll wake up lethargic(无精打采) and have trouble focusing. In my experience the early morning hours are the most tranquil and productive. Waking up early gives you more productive hours and maximizes your mental acuity(敏锐) all day.

If you have the opportunity, take 10-20 minute naps when you are hit with a wave of drowsiness. Anything longer will make you lethargic, but a short nap will refresh you.

5.________ – Often our lives get so hectic that we become overwhelmed without even realizing it. It becomes difficult to concentrate because nagging thoughts keep interrupting. Spending some time alone in reflection gives you a chance to organize your thoughts and prioritize your responsibilities. Afterwards, you’ll have a better understanding of what’s important and what isn’t. The unimportant stuff won’t bother you anymore and your mind will feel less encumbered.

Conclusion – I hope you aren’t disappointed that none of the techniques I’ve proposed are revolutionary. But simple, unexciting answers are often the most valid. The challenge is having the will to adhere to them. If you succeed in following these 5 tips, you’ll be rewarded with increased mental acuity and retention of knowledge.