McDonald's is the world single biggest food provider with annual sales of around $12.4bn. And the company's symbol Ronald McDonald is now （or so the company claims） the word's most recognized person after Santa Claus.
　　The first McDonald's restaurant was opened in San Bernardino, California, in 1948 by brothers Mac and Richard “Dick” McDonald. Mac ran the restaurant side; Dick was the marketing genius. He had already invented the drive-in laundry and had been the first person to use neon lights in advertising. Now he spotted the gap in the post-war, baby-boom market for cheap, family-orientated restaurants with simple menus, standardized food and efficient service.
　　After a slow start, business began to boom. By 1954, the brothers were joined by another entrepreneur, a kitchen equipment salesman called Ray A Kroc who owned the franchise to the Multimixer, milk shake maker used throughout the McDonald's chain. A year later, Kroc had bought the McDonald brothers' chain of 25 franchises for the equivalent of around $70m（￡44m）. Dick remained with the company until the Seventies, when he and Kroc fell out over Kroc's claim that the chain was his creation.
　　Today, an almost Stalinist cult of personality surrounds Kroc （who died in 1984） at McDonald's, while the brothers who gave the company its name have all but been written out of its history. But though Kroc did not found McDonald's, he was certainly responsible for the empire-building philosophy which led to its world domination. He ushered in such essential contributions to international cuisine as the Big Mac （1968） and the Egg McMuffin （1973）; and helped launch Ronald McDonald —— “in any language he means fun” —— on to television in 1963.
　　Every three hours, a new McDonald's franchise opens somewhere in the world; it can be found in more than 100 countries including India （vegetarian-only to avoid offending the non-beef-eating populace） and Israel （non kosher, despite fierce local objection）. McDonald's chain embodied the thrusting, can-do spirit of Fifties America with staff mottoes such as “If you've got time to lean, you've go time to clean.”
小题1: McDonald's was founded _____.

A．by a kitchen equipment salesman

B．in California.

C．by a marketing genius called Dick McDonald.

D．after the first World War.

小题2:What do we know about McDonald's brothers?

A．They were not McDonald's founders although they named the restaurant.

B．Their business was still in depression after several years.

C．They had clear job separation on business.

D．They sold their restaurant to a salesman in 1954.

小题3: Which is not Kroc's contribution to McDonald's ?

A．He launched the restaurant image Ronald McDonald on to television.

B．Under his lead, international cuisine as the Big Mac and the Egg McMuffin earned worldwide fame

C．He spotted the gap in postwar market for cheap, family-orientated restaurants.

D．He built McDonald's empire with a philosophy which led to its world domination.

小题4:Which statement is true according to the passage?

A．The single biggest food provider was however, not named after its founder

B．The international cuisine as the Big Mac, a beef hamburger, is provided every chain restaurant in the world.

C．Employees in McDonald's have no time to lean.

D．The symbol Ronald McDonald, means fun in any language, is said to the word most recognized person after Santa Claus.

A is for always getting to work on time.
B is for being extremely busy.
C is for the conscientious（勤勤恳恳的） way you do your job.
You may be all these things at the office, and more. But when it comes to getting ahead, experts say, the ABCs of business should include a P, for politics, as in office politics.
Dale Carnegie suggested as much more than 50 years ago: Hard work alone doesn’t ensure career advancement. You have to be able to sell yourself and your ideas, both publicly and behind the scenes. Yet, despite the obvious rewards of engaging in office politics—a better job, a raise, praise—many people are still unable or unwilling—to “play the game”.
“People assume that office politics involves some manipulative（工于心计的） behavior,” says Deborah Comer, an assistant professor of management at Hofstra University, “But politics derives from the word ‘polite’. It can mean lobbying（游说）and forming associations. It can mean being kind and helpful, or even trying to please your superior, and then expecting something in return.”
In fact, today, experts define office politics as proper behaviors used to pursue one’s own self-interest in the workplace. In many cases, this involves some forms of socializing within the office environment—not just in large companies, but in small workplaces as well.
“The first thing people are usually judged on is their ability to perform well on a consistent basis,” says Neil P.Lewis, a management psychologist. “But if two or three candidates are up for a promotion, each of whom has reasonably similar ability, a manager is going to promote the person he or she likes best. It’ s simple human nature.”
Yet, psychologists say, many employees and employers have trouble with the concept of politics in the office. Some people, they say, have an idealistic vision of work and what it takes to succeed. Still others associate politics with flattery(奉承), fearful that, if they speak up for themselves, they may appear to be flattering their boss for favors.
Experts suggest altering（改变） this negative picture by recognizing the need for some self-promotion.
小题1:“Office politics” （Line 2,Para.4） is used in the passage to refer to____.

A．the political views and beliefs of office workers

B．the interpersonal relationships within a company

C．the various qualities required for a successful career

D．the code of behavior for company staff

小题2:Why are many people unwilling to "play the game" (Line 4, Para. 5) ?

A．They believe that doing so is impractical.

B．They feel that such behavior is unprincipled(不道德的).

C．They are not good at manipulating colleagues.

D．They think the effort will get them nowhere.

小题3:To get promoted, one must not only be competent but____.

A．avoid being too outstanding

B．get along well with his colleagues

C．honest and loyal to his company

D．give his boss a good impression

小题4:It is the author’ s view that____.

A．self-promotion does not necessarily mean flattery

B．hard work contributes very little to one’ s promotion

C．many employees fail to recognize the need of flattery

D．speaking up for oneself is part of human nature

Life is filled with challenges. As we get older we 31 realize that those challenges are the very things that 32 us and make us who we are .It is the same with the challenges that come with 32 .
When we are faced with a challenge, we usually have two 34. We can try to beat it off, or we can decide that the thing 35 the challenge isn’t worth the 36 and call it quits. Although there are certainly 37 when calling it quits is the right thing to do, in most 38 all that is needed is 39 and communication.
When we are committed to something, it means that no matter how 40 or how uncomfortable something is, we will always choose to 41 it and work it trough instead of running away from it. Communication is making a 42 for discussion and talking about how you feel as opposed to just saying what the other person did wrong. 43 you can say to a friend, “I got my feelings hurt.” 44 “You hurt my feelings,” you are going to be able to solve the problem much faster.
In dealing with the many challenges that friendship will bring to you, try to see them for 45 they are: small hurdles you need to jump or 46 on your way through life. Nothing is so big that it is 47 to get over, and hurt only 48 to make us stronger. It is all part of growing up, it 49 to everyone, and some day you will 50 all of this and say, “Hard as it was, it made who I am today. And that is a good thing.”

小题1:	A．seem to B．come to C．hope to D．try to

小题2:	A．design B．promote C．direct D．shape

小题3:	A．confidence B．pressure C．friendship D．difficulty

小题4:	A．opportunities B．expectations C．choices D．aspects

小题5:	A．demanding B．deserving C．predicting D．presenting

小题6:	A．comment B．loss C．trouble D．expense

小题7:	A．spans B．times C．dates D．ages

小题8:	A．cases B．fields C．parts D．occasions

小题9:	A．assessment B．commitment C．encouragement D．adjustment

小题10:

A．doubtful B．shameful C．harmful D．painful

小题11:

A．keep B．control C．face D．catch

小题12:

A．space B．plan C．topic D．room

小题13:

A．If B．As C．While D．Unless

小题14:

A．other than B．rather than C．or rather D．or else

小题15:

A．what B．who C．where D．which

小题16:

A．pass by B．come across C．get through D．run over

小题17:

A．unnecessary B．necessary C．impossible D．possible

小题18:

A．serves B．means C．aims D．attempts

小题19:

A．opens B．appeals C．goes D．happens

小题20:

A．lock down on B．look back on C．look forward to D．look up to

My grandparents were married for over half a century, and played their own special game the time they had met each other. The goal of their game was to write the word “shmily” in a surprise place for the other to find. They took turns leaving “shmily” around the house, and as soon as one of them discovered it, it was their turn to hide it once more. They dragged “shmily” with their fingers through the sugar and flour containers to await whoever was preparing the next meal. “Shmily” was written in the steam left on the mirror after a hot shower, where it would reappear bath after bath. There was no end to the places where “shmily” would pop up. Little notes with “shmily” were found on car seats, or taped to steering wheels. The notes were put inside shoes and left under pillows. “Shmily” was written in the dust upon the mantel（壁炉架）and traced in the ashes of the fireplace. This mysterious word was as much a part of my grandparents’ house as the furniture.
It took me a long time before I was able to fully appreciate my grandparents’ game. Skepticism has kept me from believing in true love --- one that is pure and enduring (持久的). However, I never doubted my grandparents’ relationship. It was based on passionate（热情的）affection which not everyone is lucky enough to experience.
But there was a dark cloud in my grandparents’ life: my grandmother had breast cancer. The disease had first appeared ten years earlier. As always, Grandpa was with her every step of the way. He comforted her in their yellow room, painted that way so that she could always be surrounded by sunshine, even when she was too sick to go outside. But my grandmother grew steadily weaker until, finally, she could not leave the house anymore. Then one day, what we all dreaded finally happened. Grandma was gone.
“Shmily.” It was written in yellow on the pink ribbons of my grandmother’s funeral bouquet (花束). As the crowd thinned and the last mourners turned to leave, Grandpa stepped up to my grandmother’s coffin and, taking a shaky breath, he began to sing to her. Through his tears and grief, the song came: S-h-m-i-l-y: See How Much I Love You.
小题1:According to the passage, where may the word “shmily” be found?
a.in the flour containers
b.on the mirror
c.on the sheet of toilet paper
d.on pillows
e.on the furniture

A．a, b

B．b, c

C．a, d

D．b, e

小题2:The first paragraph is mainly about ________.

A．what the word “shmily” means

B．how the author’s grandparents played their special game

C．how the author appreciated her grandparents’ game

D．how the author’s grandparents cared for each other

小题3:The underlined phrase “pop up” in Paragraph 1 means ________.

A．appear

B．change

C．survive

D．work

小题4:According to the passage, the author _________.

A．thought the game was meaningless

B．believes everyone can experience true love

C．doubted the existence of true love at first

D．sometimes left “shmily” around the house

小题5:Grandpa tried to make Grandma comfortable by _______.

A．singing songs to her every day

B．painting the room yellow

C．encouraging her to go outside

D．helping her take a hot shower every day

Your peers are people your age or close to it who have experiences and interests similar to yours. You and your friends make dozens of decisions every day, and you influence each other’s choices and behavior. This is often ________ --- it’s human nature to listen to and learn from other people in your age group.
Sometimes, though, the stresses in your life can actually come from your peers. They may pressure you into doing something you’re uncomfortable with, such as shoplifting, doing drugs or drinking, or taking dangerous risks when driving a car.
The pressure to conform（随潮流） can be powerful and hard to resist. A person might feel pressure to do something just because others are doing it. Peer pressure can influence a person to do something that is relatively harmless--- or something that has more serious consequences.
People may feel pressure to conform, so they fit in or are accepted, or so they don’t feel awkward or uncomfortable. When people are unsure of what to do in a social situation, they naturally look to others for cues（暗示）about what is and isn’t acceptable.
The people who are most easily influenced will follow someone else’s lead first. Then others may go along, too --- so it can be easy to think, “It must be OK. Everyone else is doing it. They must know what they’re doing.” Before you know it, many people are going along with the crowd --- perhaps on something they might not otherwise do.
Responding to peer pressure is part of human nature --- but some people are more likely to give in, and others are better able to resist and stand their ground.
It’s not always easy to resist negative peer pressure. But when you do, it is easy to feel good about it afterwards. And you may even be a positive influence on your peers who feel the same way --- often it just takes one person to speak out or take a different action to change a situation.
小题1:Which of the following is a kind of peer pressure?

A．Your teachers give you a lot of homework.

B．Your parents expect high scores from you.

C．Your classmates persuade you to cut class.

D．Your relatives invite you to attend a party.

小题2:Which is most likely to be filled in the blank in Paragraph 1?

A．negative

B．impossible

C．positive

D．uncertain

小题3:Most people tend to do what others are doing in order to _________.

A．feel a sense of achievement

B．get a feeling of being accepted

C．set a good example for others

D．stand out in a crowd

小题4:What can we know according to the author?

A．Giving in to peer pressure is unavoidable.

B．Peer pressure usually leads to serious results.

C．Going along with the crowd usually means making a right choice.

D．Everyone can make a difference by resisting negative peer pressure.

小题5:This passage is mainly about _______.

A．thoughts on peer pressure

B．different types of peer pressure

C．ways to deal with peer pressure

D．the influence of peer pressure on people

What does it mean to say that we live in a world of persuasion? It means that we live among competing interests. Your roommate’s need to study for an exam may take priority over pizza. Your instructor may have good reasons not to change your grade. And the object of your romantic/inter­est may have other choices.
In such a world, persuasion is the art of getting others to give fair and favorable consideration to our points of view. When we persuade, we want to influence how others believe and behave. We may not always prevail — other points of view may be more persuasive, depending on the listener, the situ­ation, and the merit of the case. But when we practice the art of persuasion, we try to ensure that our position receives the attention it deserves.
Some people, however, object to the very idea of persuasion. They may regard it as an unwelcome interruption into their lives. Just the opposite, we believe that persuasion is unavoidable — to live is to persuade. Persuasion may be ethical or unethical, selfless or selfish, inspiring or degrad­ing. Persuaders may enlighten our mind or prey on our vulnerability. Ethical persuasion, however, calls on sound reasoning and is sensitive to the feelings and needs of listeners. Such persuasion can help us apply the wisdom of the past to the decisions we now must make. Therefore, the most basic part of edu­cation is learning to resist the one kind of persuasion and to encourage and practice the other.
Beyond its personal importance to us, persuasion is necessary to society. The right to persuade and be persuaded is the bedrock of the American political system, guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution.
小题1:According to the passage, persuasion means ________.

A．changing others’ points of view

B．exercising power over other people

C．getting other people to consider your point of view

D．getting people to agree with you and do what you want

小题2:The underlined word in the second paragraph “prevail” means________.

A．win

B．fail

C．speak

D．listen

小题3:The passage states that some people object to persuasion because they think it is ________.

A．a danger to society	B．difficult to do well
C．unwelcome behavior	D．never successful

小题4:The passage mainly discusses ________.

A．how people persuade

B．why people persuade

C．that persuasion is both good and bad

D．that persuasion is important and it is all around us

Good nutrition (营养)and a balanced diet will help your children grow up healthily .No matter how old your kids are , you can take steps to improve nutrition and to encourage smart eating habits .Here are some suggestions.
Family Meals
Family meals are comforting for both parents and kids. Children like to guess what they are going to have and parents get the chance to introduce new food to children and to find out which food they like and which ones they don’t.
Teens may turn up their noses at your plan of a family meal. It is not surprising because they’re trying to establish independence. Yet studies find that teens still want their parents’ advice, so use the mealtime as a chance to reconnect.
Stocking up (储备) on healthy food
Kids, especially younger ones, will eat mostly what they can get at home. That’s why it’s important to control the supply lines — the food which you serve for meals and have on hand for snacks. You should have enough fruits, vegetables, lean meat and other good sources of protein, such as eggs and nuts, and healthy snacks, such as yogurt, peanut butter and whole-grain biscuits.
Being a good example
The best way for you to encourage healthy eating is to eat well yourself. Kids will follow the lead of the adults they see every day. By eating fruits and vegetables and avoiding fast food and sugary drinks, you’ll be sending the right message.
No conflicts over food
Parents might find themselves shouting at children to get them to have healthy food in front of them. This in fact can make children dislike what they are aske d to eat.
Get kids included
Most kids will enjoy making the decision about what to make for dinner. Talk to them about making choices and planning a balanced meal. It can help them make good decisions on their own about the  food they want to eat.
小题1:Family meals provide the chances for parents to do the following things EXCEPT ________.

A．guessing what kids are going to have

B．finding what kids like and dislike

C．introducing new food to kids

D．reconnecting with kids

小题2:What does the phrase “on hand” mean?

A．Being dealt with.

B．Out of one’s reach.

C．Made by persons instead of machines.

D．Close by and ready when needed.

小题3:According to the passage, which should NOT be done by parents?

A．Form a healthful eating habit themselves.

B．Force kids to have vegetables.

C．Stock up on some fruits at home.

D．Make meal plans with kids.

小题4:The best title for the article is “________”.

A．Eat healthily

B．What is a healthy meal

C．Help kids form healthy eating habits

D．How to grow up healthily

Two thirds of the singles looking for love in Britain turned to the Internet last year, according to figures made in public yesterday. Special sites offer introductions to smokers, to Roman Catholics, tall people, beautiful people, frequent flyers and vegans (素食者). Technology has brought about a great change in the dating game.
A survey by Parship, a British branch of Europe’s largest dating service with more than 1.5 million members, says that 65 percent of the 5.4 million Britons looking for a relationship used online dating services last year.
A spokeswoman for Relate, the relationship advisor, confirmed that a figure of two third feel it all right. “Doing it online allows people quite a lot of privacy, because they can do a bit of quiet research and look around from the comfort of their own home. You don’t have to meet a middleman or go to an actual dating agency office, which takes a lot of courage,” she said.
There are more than 100 independent online dating agencies in Britain. Parship says that 50 percent of single people believe they will meet a suitable partner through the Internet, up from 35 percent six months ago.
Mary Balfour, the founder, says that the Internet has changed the dating industry completely. “It’s like a return to old-fashioned love letters,” she said. “You don’t base your initial judgment on how someone looks or what his or her figure is like. You e-mail or talk before you actually see each other. Everybody you know who is single these days has at least had a good look at a dating website, introduction agency or personal ad. They have to, because all the old matchmaking institutions have gone. People work harder, settle down later and live more isolated lives. They’re much more likely to end the day with a DVD and a can of beer than by going to a village dance.”
小题1:Singles in Britain can look for love online mainly because of ________.

A．Parship	B．the help of go-betweens
C．technology	D．the revolution of dating game

小题2:About ________ Britons tried to find love online last year according to this passage.

A．1.5 million

B．3.5 million

C．5.4 million

D．65 million

小题3:For those who want to look for love online, they _________.

A．don’t need to do any research at all

B．have to meet first before they can e-mail each other

C．don’t have to find a go-between.

D．must go to an actual dating agency office first

小题4:From this passage we can infer that ________.

A．not all single people believe the Internet can help them find their partners

B．looking for love online needs a lot of courage

C．old-fashioned love letters become popular again

D．single people don’t like to look for their partners online.

Thinking is something you choose to do as a fish chooses to live in water. To be human is to think. But thinking may come naturally without your knowing how you do it. Thinking about thinking is the key to critical（批判性的）thinking. When you think critically, you take control of your thinking processes（过程）. Otherwise, you might be controlled by the ideas of others. Indeed, critical thinking is at the heart of education.
The word "critical" here has a special meaning. It does not mean taking one view against another view, as when someone criticizes another person for doing something wrong. The nature of critical thinking is thinking beyond the easily seen—beyond the pictures on TV, the untrue reports in the newspapers, and the faulty reasoning (错误的推理).
Critical thinking is an attitude as much as an activity. If you are curious about life and desire to dig deeper into it, you are a critical thinker; if you find pleasure in deep thinking about different ideas, characters, and facts, you are a critical thinker.
Activities of the mind and higher-order reasoning are processes of deep and careful consideration. They take time, and do not go hand in hand with the fast speed in today's world, fast foods, instant coffee, and self-developing film. If you are among the people who believe that speed is a measure of intelligence, you may learn something new from a story about Albert Einstein. The first time Banish Hoffman, a scientist, was to discuss his work with Albert Einstein, Hoffman was too nervous to speak. But Einstein immediately put Hoffman at ease by saying, "Please go slowly, I don't understand things quickly."
小题1:Critical thinking is important to us because if we do not think critically,__________.

A．it will be hard for us to think naturally and fast

B．we will follow the ideas of others naturally

C．we might be controlled by other people's ideas

D．we might be fooled by other people's ideas

小题2:If you are a critical thinker, you will________.

A．criticize other people for their mistakes	B．trust the reports in the newspapers
C．take one view against another view	D．think deeply about different ideas

小题3:In the last paragraph, "something new" suggests that________.

A．the smarter you are, the faster you do things

B．intelligence is not decided by speed

C．speed can improve intelligence

D．the faster you do things, the smarter you become

小题4:What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Understanding Critical Thinking	B．Thinking and Critical Thinking
C．Thinking Natural and Human	D．Thinking Fast Means Intelligence

Many American youngsters earn their own allowance（零花钱）by doing temporary jobs for their neighbors. Babysitting is one of the common of these jobs. Most couples do not have maids or relatives living with them, and they need to have someone watch the children if they want to go out.
Another way is by mowing lawn in summer and clearing snow from sidewalks and driveways in winter. Many people mow their own lawns，but often people prefer to give the job to a neighbor’s child. In winter, snow clearing from streets and highways is the government’s responsibility. Homeowners or tenants, however, must clear sidewalks and driveways. Since clearing snow is very tiring, many people prefer to hire teenagers for this job rather than do it themselves.
Besides, many American teenagers usually work two to three hours after school and all day on Saturday or Sunday at the local supermarket. They work as cashiers or stockroom clerks. Or they help customers carry things to their cars. Other favorite jobs are waiting on tables in restaurants or working part-time at stores or gas stations.
By earning their own allowance，teenagers acquire a feeling of independence and a sense of responsibility which prepares them for a productive life in society.
小题1:What does “babysitting” mean in the first paragraph?

A．Watching a baby when its parents are out.	B．Working as a maid.
C．Sitting with a baby.	D．Selling something.

小题2:How do American youngsters earn their allowance? Which one is NOT one of the ways?

A．By mowing lawn in summer.

B．By clearing snow from sidewalks and driveways in winter.

C．By working two to three hours after school and all day on Saturday or Sunday.

D．By doing some housework for the family.

小题3:When it comes to clearing snow，what do many people like to do?

A．Hire teenagers for this job rather than do it themselves

B．They do it themselves.

C．They hire their own children to do so

D．They don’t clean it at all.

小题4:What is the advantage of youngsters earning allowance?

A．They acquire a feeling of independence.

B．They acquire a sense of responsibility.

C．The actions prepare them for a productive life in society.

D．All of the above.

小题5:Who will clear the snow on the streets?

A．The inhabitants.	B．The neighbors
C．The government.	D．The police.