Sitting is an art that isn’t getting passed along. People these days feel as though they have to be doing something. If they are not working, they are jogging, or playing tennis or golf, or taking courses to improve their minds or bodies—or they are parked in front of the TV. Sitting in front of the TV isn’t sitting—it’s watching.

People used to sit a whole lot. You would walk down the street or drive down the road, and there they would be, out on the doorsteps, sitting. You could go down to the store and sit on the bench out front in the summer or around the fire in the winter. There were sitting benches out in the town square. At the garage, there were straight-backed chairs. There among the oilcans and tires and spare parts, you could kick back and sit.

Houses used to have sitting rooms, where the grown-ups would go after Sunday dinner. Mom and Dad, Grandpa and Aunt Ruby would sit and digest (消化) the fried chicken and talk about Aunt Ethel. s illness, and how well the minister did today. Outside, the children would play, and the afternoon would pass by in a comfortable haze (悠闲的氛围).

That sort of thing looks like doing nothing. A recharging battery (正充电的电池) doesn’t look as if it’s doing anything either. Sitting restores your soul. If you want to enjoy a truly full life, don’t just do something—sit there.

1. What message does the author try to get through to us?

A. People should make better use of their sitting room.

B. People should spend less time watching TV.

C. People should pass down their good habits.

D. People should take things easy for their own good.

2. We can learn from the second paragraph that

A. people lived a more restful life in the past

B. towns were built to make living convenient

C. small town garages had a lot to offer

D. people enjoyed going out for a drive

3. The sitting room mentioned in the text used to be a place for

A. eating food

B. watching TV

C. gathering together

D. playing with children

4. From the text we know the Writer believes

A. sitting has a good spiritual effect

B. sitting helps people remember the past

C. a sitting room may have different purposes

D. a sitting room is important for the old

When Nancy Lublin received $5000 from her grandfather in 1996, she never once considered taking a vacation or paying off student loans(贷款). Instead, the 24-year-old New York University law student began thinking about helping low-income women get better jobs. “If a woman goes for a job interview (面试)poorly dressed, she won’t get the job,” Lublin says. “But without a job, she can’t afford suitable clothes.”

So, with the money Lublin founded “Dress for Success” and began collecting women’s clothes which were still in good condition but which their owners no longer needed. “So many women have clothes lying around that they will never wear again,” one of Lublin’s assistants says. “Nancy’s idea is so simple and yet so important to women.”

Many women come to Lublin’s office before going to a job interview. Here, they receive a suit, shoes and any other things they need. Since it was set up, more than 1000 women have turned to “Dress for Success” for help. Many of them have won jobs. Some have found jobs after being out of work for many years. Jenny, a 32-year-old woman who was recently hired as a law-firm office manager says, “I made a good impression(印象)because of. Dress for Success.”

1. What can we learn from the text?

A. Nancy’s grandfather lent her the money to set up the office.

B. Nancy’s office gathers used clothes from women.

C. Low-income women can get jobs at “Dress for Success”.

D. Nancy set up “Dress for Success” to make money.

2. “Dress for Success” attracts many women because they ________.

A. like to wear different clothes

B. like the design of the dresses

C. prefer buying clothes at a low price

D. need to look smart when looking for a job

3. From what Jenny says, we know that _______ .

A. she got a lot of good ideas from Nancy

B. she is working happily at her present job

C. clothes from Nancy’s office helped to get her a job

D. “Dress for Success” has a good business relation with her firm

4. What would be a good title for the text?

A. Keep Your Old Clothes

B. A Helping Hand for Women

C. Nancy: A Successful Law Student

D. A Successful Clothing Business

After a quick breakfast in the station restaurant, Peter set off to look for a room where he could live for the next few months. He knew exactly what he wanted: a room which was not too small, nor so large that it would be difficult to heat in winter. It had to be clean and comfortable too but, above all, it had to be quiet. In the newspaper he had bought from the bookshop, there were very few advertisements (广告) for rooms to let. But, as he glanced down the page, a notice caught his eye. 

This seemed hopeful, so he made a note of the address and set off in search of the agency. He found it in a narrow street just off the main road. The woman at the desk gave him a bright smile as he entered and, after Peter had explained what sort of room he was looking for, he paid two pounds for a list of about half a dozen landladies who had rooms to let.

1. What does the text mainly describe?

A. Peter’s room-hunting experience.

B. Peter’s determination to find a room.

C. The difficulties in finding rooms.

D. The housing market.

2. Peter’s most important consideration in choosing a room was that it should be

A. neat and tidy

B. away from noise

C. of the right size

D. warm in winter

3. The underlined word “this” in the second paragraph refers to ________.

A. a list of rooms to let

B. the newspaper Peter bought

C. the notice in the restaurant

D. Johnson’s Housing Agency

◆Cannes will rock to the sound of a cancan dance this year when Moulin Rouge by the Australian director Baz Luhrmann opens the French film festival(电影节)in May. The musical stars Nicole Kidman as a singer, and John Leguizamo as the artist Henri de Toulouse—Lautrec. It will be competing for the Palme d’Or, the festival. s top prize. The festival runs to May 21.

    ◆The American actor Tommy Lee Jones, 54, has married his longtime girlfriend, Dawn Maria Laurel, 36, in a private wedding in San Antonio. “It wasn’t a big to-do,” said Fred Biery, a U. S. District Judge who performed the service. He refused to discuss things further. “These are very private people,” he said.

    ◆Loretta Lynn is being treated for a very bad cold in Tennessee and will miss several appearances. The country singer, 65, was admitted to a hospital near her home in Hurricane Mills. “She is in good condition, but the doctors are watching her closely, ”a spokeswoman said.

The French-Algerian singer Enrico Macias was named a United Nations peace messenger. Enrico joins eight other people who act as goodwill envoys(使者)for the United Nations, among them are the writer Elie Wiesel and the basketball player Magic Johnson.

1. We can learn from the text that Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec is ________.

A. a figure in a film

B. a dancer in a show

C. a country singer

D. a prize winner

2. We know from the text that ________.

A. Moulin Rouge won the top prize in a film festival

B. Loretta Lynn is under the doctors’ care

C. eight people serve as the UN goodwill envoys

D. Fred Biery was Tommy Lee Jones assistant

3. This text most probably appears in ________. 

A. a book on film stars

B. a film review in a magazine

C. a newspaper

D. a notice

It’s not the flashiest car in the world. Not even close. But the 1971 Volkswagen named Helios can do something most cars can't: run on solar energy—energy from the sun's light and heat!

Joshua Bechtold, 14, and the other students at the Riverside School in Lyndonville, Vermont, worked many months to get Helios ready for the 1999 American Tour de Sol ( "Sol" is the Latin word for "sun"). They named their car after Helios, the sun god in Greek mythology (神话).

 The 4-year-old Tour de Sol encourages the use of "green", or environmentally friendly, cars to help reduce pollution and save energy. It's not a race. Cars are judged on fuel efficiency (耗油量) rather than speed. In the week-long event, 44 cars took the 350-mile tour from Waterbury, Connecticut, to Lake George, New York. Of the 23 student cars, Helios was the only one built by middle school students. A teacher drove Helios, but the children talked with people wherever they stopped along the road. "That was my favorite part," says Anna Browne, 15. "We explained how the car runs." Due in part to old, inefficient batteries (电池), Helios finished fourth—out of four—in its kind, the sun-powered class. "We were there for the fun of it," Anna says. "We're proud of Helios," says Ariel Gleicher, 14. "It's a car that's good for the environment."

1. What is special about the car Helios in the text?

A. It was built by middle school students.

B. It has an attractive design.

C. It was made in 1971.

D. It won the fourth prize.

2. How many sun-powered cars took part in the race?

A. 1.

B. 4.

C. 23.

D. 44.

3. What would be the best title for the text?

A. The Making of Helios

B. 1999 American Tour de Sol

C. Sun-powered Cars on the Road

D. Use of Green Cars in Connecticut

4. The students felt proud of Helios because

A. it could run as far as 350 miles

B. it was favored by many children

C. it had high-quality batteries

D. it was driven by clean energy

My first reaction was annoyance. It was Friday after-noon, and I was within an hour of finishing my Work for the week. As I was leaving, a nurse brought me one more patient message. The statement read: “Mrs. Jones called to say that she has had blurred vision (视觉模糊) ever since her medical test this morning. ”I smiled. Suddenly our tests were causing eye problems.

This week my patients had questioned everything. My patient with high b1ood pressure had stopped coming to her treatment on the advice of an Internet chat room. A woman who had a mental problem was substituting(用……替代) St. John’s word for her medication. Now Mrs. Jones was imagining problems. I rolled my eyes.

My second reaction was worry. As I looked through her record, I tried to figure out why she would have blurred vision, but nothing in her record explained the new problem. She’s probably just anxious, I thought. Still, she wouldn’t have called if she had been all right. I picked up the phone.

 What I next felt can only be described as delight. Before I made the call, the nurse ran in：Mrs. Jones called. Her vision is fine. Turns out she picked up the wrong glasses when she left the office. The X-ray technician has been having the same problem. I let out a laugh. Mrs. Jones had been right. Her vision had been blurred. Now we know why.

Finally I felt shame. I came to realize what Mrs. Jones had taught me. I had first known she was wrong, that her anxiety had clouded her judgment instead, my medical training had clouded mine. Now I feel thankful that Mrs. Jones figured it out before I made a mistake about our relationship. Patients come to me for my help. They pay me to listen, diagnose(诊断), treat and talk. That suggests trust：I must remember that, and trust them too.

1. The writer smiled while reading the patient message because he knew ________.

A. Mrs. Jones would ask for more tests

B. the patient was being unreasonable

C. the nurse was joking with him

D. Mrs. Jones Would call him

2. What has caused Mrs. Jones’ eye problem?

A. Wrong glasses.

B. Medical checkup.

C. Her own imagination.

D. Chatting on the Internet.

3. The underlined words “clouded her judgment” in the last paragraph probably mean ________.

A. made her less trustful toward the doctor

B. put her in control of her own feelings

C. made her less able to think clearly

D. put her in a dangerous situation

    If you are a recent social science graduate who has had to listen to jokes about unemployment from your computer major classmates, you may have had the last laugh. There are many advantages for the social science major because this high-tech “Information Age” demands people who are flexible(灵活的) and who have good communication skills.

    There are many social science majors in large companies who fill important positions.  For example, a number of research studies found that social science majors had achieved greater managerial success than those who had technical training or pre-professional courses. Studies show that social science majors are most suited for change, which is the leading feature (特点) of the kind of high-speed, high-pressure, high-tech world we now live in.

    Social science majors are not only experiencing success in their long-term company jobs, but they are also finding jobs more easily. A study showed that many companies had filled a large percentage of their entry-level positions with social science graduates. The study also showed that the most sought-after quality in a person who was looking for a job was communication skills, noted as “very important” by 92 percent of the companies. Social science majors have these skills, often without knowing how important they are. It is probably due to these skills that they have been offered a wide variety of positions.

    Finally, although some social science majors may still find it more difficult than their technically trained classmates to land the first job, recent graduates report that they don't regret their choice of study.

1. By saying that “you may have had the last laugh” in the first paragraph, the author means that you may have

A. shared the jokes with computer majors.

B. earned as much as computer majors

C. found jobs more easily than computer majors

D. stopped joking about computer majors

2. Compared with graduates of other subjects, social science graduates

A. are ready to change when situations change

B. are better able to deal with difficulties

C. are equally good at computer skills

D. are likely to give others pressure

3. The underlined word “land” in the last paragraph probably means

A. keep for some time

B. successfully get

C. immediately start

D. lose regretfully

4. According to the text，what has made it easy for socialお science graduates to find jobs?

A. Willingness to take low—paid jobs．

B. Readiness to gain high—tech knowledge．

C. Skills in expressing themselves．

D. Part—time work experience．

Before a new type of airplane goes into service, every part of it is tested again and again. But there are two tests that are more important than all the others. The first is called the “tank testお”. A modern airplane must fly very high in the sky. Air must be pumped into the plane so that the passengers can breathe. The metal structure(结构) of the plane has to be very strong for this reason. When the plane is filled with air, the air presses against the skin of the plane inside. The pressure (压力) on a small window is like a huge foot that is trying to get out. If a small part of the plane were to fail, the plane would explode in the sky. To test the structure of the plane, the plane is lowered into a huge tank or container of water. Then it is filled with air. The pressure inside the plane is greater than it ever will be when it is high up in the air. Finally, there is an explosion. This does not cause so much damage inside the water tank as it would anywhere else. Engineers can discover which part of the plane has broken. Then that part is made stronger.

The most dangerous test happens when the new plane is going through test flights in the air. The test pilot must find out exactly what happens when the engines (发动机) are all shut off at once. The plane begins to fall like a stone. It is the pilot's job to find out how he can get control of the plane again. These two tests are examples of how planes are made safe before they ever carry passengers.

1. By doing the “tank test”, the engineers can find out

A. the amount of air in the plane

B. the strength of the plane structure

C. the pressure inside and outside the plane

D. the power of the airplane engines

2. What will happen to the plane under the “tank test”?

A. It will be broken.

B. It will he made stronger.

C. It will be filled with water.

D. It will be tested by pilots.

3. According to the text, why are test flights most dangerous?

A. The plane may explode in the air.

B. The pilot may lose control of the plane.

C. The engines may be damaged.

D. Too much air may get into the plane.

4. What might be the most suitable title for the text?

A. Two Important Tests on Airplanes.

B. The Importance of Flying Safely.

C. The Danger of Testing Airplanes.

D. How Airplanes Are Made and Tested.

Tired of Working in Your Country?

With over 500 instructors and 20 years of experience, we are the leader in the field of teaching foreign languages. We now have positions open in Osaka starting September/ October 2004 for instructors of English, German, Spanish and French.

· Teach many different kinds of classes using the latest technology in small classes of up to 3 students.

· Accommodation (住宿), and other necessary documents (文件) will be ready before you leave.

· Applicants will teach their first language only.

· Excellent teacher training programs.

If you are young with a university degree and are willing to experience different cultures, apply (申请) now. Experience in teaching is an advantage but not specially required. Knowledge of the Japanese language is not necessary but good English skills and practical computer knowledge is basic requirements.

Apply with C．V. and send letters to:

NOVA France, Mr. Sampy (IHT3/2)

34, Bd. Haussmann, 75009 Paris, France

Fax: 33148014804

Or visit our website: www.teachjp.com

The manager expects to meet and talk with successful applicants in Paris in June and July.

1. What is the purpose of the text?

A. To introduce a language school in Japan.

B. To hire language teachers to work in Japan.

C. To describe working conditions in Japan.

D. To make clear the requirements for Japanese teachers.

2. We know from the text that those who are going to Japan will

A. teach English only in Osaka

B. receive a degree from a university

C. have free accommodation

D. get trained for the job

3. Before going to Japan, you need

A. to see the manager of NOVA France

B. to take some computer courses

C. to write a letter to Japan

D. to find a place to live

4. If you want to work in Japan you should

A. have some working experience

B. know how to use computers

C. present good teaching plans

D. speak several languages

  The year is 2094.It has been announced that a comet(彗星) is heading towards the Earth. Most of it will miss our planet, but two pieces will probably hit the southern half of the Earth.

    On 17 July, a piece four kilometers wide enters the Earth's atmosphere (大气层) with a massive explosion. About half of the piece is destroyed, but the remaining part hits the South Atlantic at 200 times the speed of sound．The sea boils and a huge hole is made in the sea bed．Huge waves are created and spread outwards from the hole. The wall of water, a kilometer high, rushes towards southern Africa at800 kilometers an hour. Cities on the African coast are totally destroyed and millions of people are drowned.

    Before the waves reach South America, the second piece of the comet lands in Argentina．Earthquakes and volcanoes are set off in the Andes Mountains. The shock waves move north into California and all around the Pacific Ocean. The cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Tokyo are completely destroyed by earthquakes. Millions of people in the southern half of the earth are already dead, but the north won't escape for long. Because of the explosions, the sun is hidden by clouds of dust, temperatures around the world fall to almost zero. Crops are ruined．The sun won’t be seen again for many years. Wars break out as countries fight for food．A year later, no more than 10 million people remain alive.

    Could it really happen? In fact, it has already happened more than once in the history of the Earth.  The dinosaurs were on the Earth for over 160 million years. Then 65 million years ago they suddenly disappeared．Many scientists believe that the Earth was hit by a piece of object in space. The dinosaurs couldn’t live through the cold climate that followed and they died out Will we meet the same end?

    1. What is mainly described in the passage?

A．A historic discovery.

B．An event of imagination.

C．A research on space.

D．A scientific adventure.

    2. When the first piece hits the South Atlantic, it causes ______.

A．an earthquake

B．damages to cities

C．an Earth explosion

D．huge waves

    3. Why can’t the northern half of the earth escape for long?

A．Because the land is covered with water.

B．Because the light and heat from the sun can not reach the earth.

C．Because people there can not live at the temperature of zero.

D．Because wars break out among countries,

    4. By giving the example of dinosaurs, the author tries to prove _______.

A．animals could not live in the cold climate

B．what happened 65 million years ago was an invented story

C．the human beings will die out in 2094

D．the Earth could be hit by other objects in space