A jobless man applied for the position of “office boy” at Microsoft. The HR manager interviewed him and then watched him cleaning the floor as a test.

“You are employed,” he said. “Give me your e-mail address and I’ll send you the application to fill in, as well as date when you may start. ”

The man replied, “But I don’t have a computer, neither an e-mail. ”

“I’m sorry,” said the HR manager. “If you don’t have an e-mail, that means you do not exist. And who doesn’t exist cannot have the job. ”

The man left with no hope at all. He didn’t know what to do, with only ten dollars in his pocket. He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy 10kg tomatoes. He then sold the tomatoes from door to door. In less than two hours, he succeeded to double his capital. He repeated the operation three times, and returned home happily with 60 dollars.

The man realized that he can survive in this way, and started to go every day earlier, and return late. Thus, his money doubled or tripled every day. Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles. Five years later, the man is one of the biggest food retailers in the US.

He started to plan his family’s future and decided to have a life insurance. He called an insurance broker and chose a protection plan.

When the conversation was concluded the broker asked him his e-mail. The man replied, “I don’t have an e-mail. ”

The broker answered curiously, “You don’t have an e-mail, and yet have succeeded to build an empire. Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an e-mail?” The man thought for a while and replied, “Yes, I’d be an office boy at Microsoft!”

1.Why can’t the man have the job at Microsoft?

A．Because he was lazy.                     B．Because he didn’t pass the test.

C．Because he didn’t have an e-mail.          D．Because he didn’t have a computer.

2.The underlined word “triple” can be replaced by ______.

A．become large                          B．become 3 times

C．increase quickly                        D．decrease quickly

3.According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?

A．The man is one of the biggest food retailers in the world.

B．The man didn’t give up though he failed the interview.

C．He started his career by selling tomatoes in the supermarket.

D．Those who have e-mails can work at Microsoft.

4.The man can be described as _______.

A．helpful and considerate                  B．positive and generous

C．smart and hardworking                   D．stubborn and unselfish

5.Which proverb can best describe the story?

A．Misfortune may be an actual blessing.

B．Where there is a will, there is a way.

C．Accidents will happen.

D．No pains , no gains.

 

Walking around the corner and into the hall at three in the morning, lost in thought and dragging a mop bucket, I raised my eyes to the front counter in indifference. A man, looking to be in his mid 40’s, stood in a pink dress. A wide-edged hat stuck out over his massive frame resembling an umbrella that was a little too shabby and worn-out, making him look like a woman. The shock at seeing such a strong proud man in a cheap disgusting dress broke my heart, as well as frightened me.

  Dropping my mop on the floor in surprise and picking up my face that had temporarily fallen off, I confidently walked over to the desk.

  “I’m sorry,” I began to say but was confused on whether sir or madam was appropriate. “Can I help you?”

  “I need a room,” he said in a gruff (粗哑的) powerful voice.

  “Sure thing,” I said bringing up the registry. “Can I get your last name?”

  “Hurgan,” he said briefly.

  “And your first name?”

  “Amanda.”

  Suddenly I had to direct all of my concentration on holding back a smile. A ten second pause of silence passed while I tried to stay calm.

  “Okay,” I said getting back to the job, “can I get your phone number, Amanda?”

All of the information was acquired and stored and Amanda received her room key for the night. All was well as I returned to the neglected mop bucket. Suddenly a low throaty cough drew me out of my temporary mental disorder. Looking over at the desk where Amanda stood touching her thick biceps (二头肌) I once again dropped the mop in shock.

  “I’m sorry about that,” I said coming around to the desk. Amanda stared with unease twisting her sleeve with her right index finger.

  “I have a cat,” she said in a low voice.

  “I’m sorry you what?” I asked leaning in closer. She drew back a bit as if I was some kind of threat.

  “I have a cat.”

  Looking up into her tall frame, I replied, “That’s fine. We just need to add an extra $10 fee.” She handed me her credit card once again. I swiped it, returned it, and grabbed the printing receipt.

  “You just need to sign here,” I said handing over the pen. She hesitantly grabbed it from my hand and signed. As she began to return it, my hand came a bit too close to connecting with hers. Scared and possibly a little disgusted she dropped the pen, causing it to bounce off the counter and onto the floor.

  “Sorry,” she said, looking down. “I have to go get my cat.”

  While Amanda was getting her cat, an unpleasant thought was circling around my head. Here I was just doing my job and this, this WO-MAN was acting as if I was the monster! He was wearing a pink dress! And I was the monster? Was he even still a man? The sliding doors opened and in came Amanda passing the front desk without even giving me a polite nod. 

The story most probably happened at a ________.

A. pub              B. hotel                C. hospital         D. shop

We can conclude that the author’s attitude towards the man is _______.

A. objective            B. indifferent          C. critical             D. considerate

Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A. The author was on the edge of smiling when he heard the man’s first name.

B. When the man checked in, he tipped the author $10.

C. After signing, the man grasped the author’s hand and thanked him.

D. The man gave the author a friendly nod while going toward his room.

What might be the best title of this passage?

A. A disgusting cat                         B. A considerate waiter

C. A fierce monster                         D. A strange-looking WO-MAN

根据对话内容，从对话后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

Ann: Well, Bob, what a surprise! It's nice to see you again!

Bob: Hello, Ann!  61  Wasn't it a year ago Christmas, the last time we saw you?

Ann: You know, I think you're right．How are your wife and the children?

Bob: Oh, they're fine．Billy fell down and broke his leg a few months ago．  62  

Ann: Wasn't Joey learning to play the violin? Seems to me I remember something about that．

Bob:   63   He's all excited about sports now．

Ann: And you wife, what is she doing these days?

Bob:? She's going to a night school on Mondays and Thursdays．She's studying French now．But last year she studied typing and sewing．  64   Next it’ll probably be cooking．

Ann: How nice for her!   65  But say hello to Mrs James for me, will you?

Bob:?Sure I will, and remember me to your husband．Goodbye．

A．Oh, he's given that up．

B．Oh, I'm sorry．I've got to rush．

C．She's made great progress in that．

D．How long has it been?

E．I think she just enjoys going to school．

F．Joey's getting on well with her．

G．But other than that, there's been nothing special.

Peter joined the army when he was eighteen, and    31   several months he    32   how to be a good soldier. He   33 everything except shooting. One day,   34  officer   35   the young soldiers how to shoot. He asked each soldier to shoot ten times,   36   all of them    37   quite well except Peter. After he had shot    38  the target nine times and had not   39   it once, the officer    40  and said. "You are quite hopeless, Peter! Don't    41    your last bullet too! Go behind that    42  and shoot yourself with it !"

     Peter did not say    43   and went behind the wall. A few    44    later, the officer and the other young soldiers   45    the sound of a shot.

    "Heavens!" the officer said, "   46    that foolish man really shot   47   ?"

     He ran behind the wall   48   , but Peter was   49  . "I'm  sorry, sir,"  he said,  "but I 50  again."

A. from        B. since         C. within        D. at

A. will be taught B. taught          C. was teaching   D. was taught

A. wasn't good at B. stopped to do  C. did quite well in D. wanted to do

A. another      B. other         C. an           D. a

A. asked       B. learned          C. taught        D. chose

A. but         B. yet             C. just            D. and

A. are doing      B. were doing    C. would do        D. were done

A. at            B. from           C. to             D. for

A. beaten        B. knocked        C. hit            D. touched

A. got angry   B. was hungry      C. was pleased    D. got ready

A. leave       B. lose          C. waste         D. pass

A. house        B. wall          C. desk           D. target

A. anything     B. nothing         C. everything            D. something

A. weeks       B. days          C. years         D. seconds

A. saw        B. heard           C. listened       D. watched

A. Does       B. Did            C. Has          D. How

A. his friend   B. the soldier       C. him            D. himself

A. at once      B. at last          C. with a smile   D. no longer

A. very good    B. badly          C. gone         D. all right

A. changed    B. left            C. missed         D. lost 

It was a quiet village in which there was a military camp. It was far from the towns and cities and there were some high mountains around. Of course it was a good place for training the new soldiers. But it was difficult for the young men to go outside. Mr. White, an officer of forty, was strict with them and he hardly let them leave the camp.

　　Once Mr. White was ill in bed. He couldn't work and a young officer, Mr. Hunt, began to train the new soldiers instead of him. He knew the young men well and let nine soldiers go to the nearest town to have a holiday. But night fell and none came back to the camp. He was worried about it and stood at the gate. It was five to twelve when Mr. Hunt decided to go to the town and see what was happening with the young men. He started the car quickly and set off. At that moment the nine soldiers came back. It seemed they were all drunk. Of course they found the officer was angry.

　　"I'm sorry, sir," said the first soldier. "I left the town on time. But something was wrong with my bus on my way here. I had to buy a horse and made it run fast. Bad luck! It died and I had to run back."

　　And the other seven soldiers said they were late for the same reasons. It was the last soldier's turn. He said, "I'm sorry, sir. I got on a bus on time, but…"

　　Having heard this, the officer became even angrier and stopped him at once. He called out, "If you say something was wrong with your bus, I'll punish you at once!"

　　"No, no, sir," said the young man. "My bus was all right, but the dead horses were in its way!"

1.The military camp was built in the village to _______.

A．stop the soldiers going to towns

B．stop the soldiers meeting their friends

C．train the new soldiers

D．make the young men live quietly

2.Mr. Hunt let the nine soldiers have a holiday because _______.

A．he was kind to them

B．they felt lonely

C．they had something important to do

D．they were the best of all

3.The young officer was worried because _______.

A．a traffic accident had happened

B．he was afraid something happened to the nine soldiers

C．the nine soldiers didn't come back on time

D．the nine soldiers drank too much in the town

4.The nine soldiers returned to the camp late because _______.

A．something was wrong with their buses

B．their horses died on the return way

C．it took them much time to run back

D．they all had drunk much in the town

5.Which answer do you think right?

A．I'll believe only the last soldier.

B．The officer believed the nine soldiers.

C．I'll believe none of the nine soldiers.

D．The officer won't punish his soldiers.