To err is human. To blame the other guy is even more human.
Common sense is not all that common.
Why tell the truth when you can come up with a good excuse?
These three popular misquotes(戏谑的引语)are meant to be jokes, and yet they tell us a lot about human nature .To err, or to make mistakes, is indeed a part of being human, but it seems that most people don’t want to accept the responsibility for the problem. Perhaps it is the natural thing to do .The original quote about human nature went like this:” To err is human, to forgive, divine(神圣的).”This saying mirrors an deal people should be forgiving of others’ mistakes. Instead, we tend to do the opposite –find someone else to pass the blame on to. However, taking responsibility for something that went wrong is a making of great maturity.
Common sense is what we call clear thought. Having common sense means having a good general plan that will make things work well, and it also means staying with the plan. Commonsense tells you that you take an umbrella out into a rainstorm, but you leave the umbrella home when you hear a weather forecast for sunshine．Common sense does not seem to be common for large organizations, because there are so many things going on that one person cannot be in charge of everything. People say that in a large company,”the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing.”
And what is wrong with a society that thinks that making up a good excuse is like creating a work of art? One of the common problems with making excuses is that people, especially young people. get the idea that it’s okay not to be totally honest all the time. There is a corollary(直接推论)to that: if good excuse is “good”even if it isn’t honest, then where is the place of the truth?
1. According to tile passage, which of following seems the most human?
A. To search for truth．                    B. To achieve one’s ideal
C. To make fun of others’mistakes．          D. To criticize others for one’s own error.
2．According to the author, what is a sign of a man’s maturity?
A．Doing things his own way.
B．Bearing responsibility for his mistakes.
C．Making as few mistakes as possible．
D．Thinking seriously about his wrongdoing.
3．Which of the following is N0T based on common sense?
A．A man tries to take charge of everything in a large company.
B．A student goes out with an umbrella in stormy weather.
C．A company’s next move follows a good plan．
D．A lawyer acts on fine judgments．
4. What is the author’s opinion about a good excuse?
A. Making a good excuse is sometimes a better policy.
B. Inventing a good excuse needs creative ideas.
C. A good excuse is as rewarding as honesty.
D. Bitter truth is better than a good excuse.
5. What would be the best title for his passage?
A. A Mirror of Human Nature            B. To Blame or to Forgive
C. A Mark of Maturity                  D. Truth or Excuse

To err is human.To blame the other guy is even more human.

Common sense is not all that common.

Why tell the truth when you can come up with a good excuse?

These three popular misquotes(戏谑的引语)are meant to be jokes, and yet they tell us a lot about human nature.To err, or to make mistakes, is indeed a part of being human, but it seems that most people don't want to accept the responsibility for the problem. Perhaps it is the natural thing to do. The original quote about human nature went like this：“To err is human, to forgive, divine(神圣的)．”This saying mirrors an ideal people should be forgiving of others' mistakes. Instead, we tend to do the opposite—find someone else to pass the blame on to. However, taking responsibility for something that went wrong is a making of great maturity.

Common sense is what we call clear thought. Having common sense means having a good general plan that will make things work well, and it also means staying with the plan. Common sense tells you that you take an umbrella out into a rainstorm, but you leave the umbrella home when you hear a weather forecast for sunshine.Common sense does not seem to be common for large organizations, because there are so many things going on that one person cannot be in charge of everything. People say that in a large company，“the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing.”

And what is wrong with a society that thinks that making up a good excuse is like creating a work of art? One of the common problems with making excuses is that people, especially young people. Get the idea that it's okay not to be totally honest all the time. There is a corollary(直接推论)to that: if good excuse is “good”even if it isn't honest, then where is the place of the truth?

6. According to the passage, which of the following seems the most human?

A. To search for truth.

B. To achieve one's ideal.

C. To make fun of others' mistakes.

D. To criticize others for one's own error.

7. According to the author, what is a sign of a man's maturity?

A. Doing things his own way.

B. Bearing responsibility for his mistakes.

C. Making as few mistakes as possible.

D. Thinking seriously about his wrongdoing.

8. Which of the following is NOT based on common sense?

A. A man tries to take charge of everything in a large company.

B. A student goes out with an umbrella in stormy weather.

C. A company's next move follows a good plan.

D. A lawyer acts on fine judgments.

9. What is the author's opinion about a good excuse?

A. Making a good excuse is sometimes a better policy.

B. Inventing a good excuse needs creative ideas.

C. A good excuse is as rewarding as honesty.

D. Bitter truth is better than a good excuse.

10. What would be the BEST title for his passage?

A. A Mirror of Human Nature

B. To Blame or to Forgive

C. A Mark of Maturity  

D. Truth or Excuse

My six-year-old granddaughter stared at me as if she were seeing me for the first time.”Grandma, you are an antique(古董),”she said. "You are old. Antiques are old. You are my antique."
I was not satisfied to let the matter rest there. I took out the Webster's Dictionary and read the definition(定义)to Jenny.I explained, "An antique is not only old, it's an object existing since or belonging to earlier times...a work of art... piece of furniture. Antiques are treasured,"I told Jenny as I put away the dictionary. "They have to be handled carefully because they sometimes are very valuable. In order to qualify as an antique, the object has to be at least 100 years old."
"I'm only 67,"I renunded Jenny.
We looked around the house for other antiques, besides me. There was a desk that was handed down from rone aunt to another and finally to our family. "It's very old,"I told Jenny.“I try to keep it polished and I show it off whenever I can. You do that with antiques."
There was a picture on the wall purchased at a garage sale. It was dated 1867. "Now  that's an antique," I boasted. "Over 100 years old." Of course it was marked up and scratched and not in very good condition. "Sometimes age does that," I told Jenny. "But the marks are good marks. They show living, being around. That's something to display with pride. In fact, sometimes, the more an object shows age, the more valuable it can become." It was important that I believed this for my own self-esteem.
Our tour of antiques continued. There was a vase on the floor. It had been in my house for a long time. I was not certain where it came from but I didn't buy it new. One thing about antiques, I explained to Jenny, was that they usually had a story. They'd been in one home and then another, handed down from one family to another, traveling all over the place. They'd lasted through years and years. They could have been tossed away, or ignored. or destroyed, or lost. But instead, they survived.
For a moment, Jenny looked thoughtful. “l don't have any antiques but you," she said. Then her face brightened. "Could I take you to school for show and tell?"
"Only if I fit into your backpack," I answered. And then Jenny's antique lifted her up and embraced her in a hug that would last through the years.
【小题1】Grandma read the definition of "antique" to Jenny in order to         .

The plan looks good on paper, but will it _____?

A. work    B. pass   C. agree      D. does

第二节:完形填空(共20小题;每小题1.5分,满分30分)
Learning values and character at home is as important as any schoolwork. We all hope that the very values 　36　 are important to each of us are　37　 along to our children. Often, 　38　, that hope is challenged by a great many of pop culture messages, peer pressure (同伴压力), and overscheduled lives.
In the real world of jobs and career, people are　39　 by two standards: Their professional skills and their 　40　 abilities. 　41　 grade school, high school, and college can teach skills and proficiency, it’s 　42　 parents to teach children the characters that make for　43　 in the real world—a cooperative attitude, 　44　, optimism and honesty. So take the work 　45　. Send your kids into the world ready to 　46　 not only the tasks of life but its difficulties with character.
You really can’t start soon enough. 　47　, children need personal integrity (个人操守) and morals as much as any adult. 　48　 the 5 to 10 most important messages you want your children to truly understand. Then think through 　49　 to teach these lessons. Talking to your kids should be only 　50　 of the plan. Letting them 　51　 honesty in action—through your own behaviour, by　52　 films about great people together, or even by visiting a courtroom—is the 　53　 way to pass the message.
By identifying the specific 　54　 you would like to see in your children, you’re more likely to 　55　  those characters. So make a point of it.
36. A. which                B. that               C. who             D.  /
37. A. handed                 B. given                C. belonged         D. passed
38. A. therefore              B. however            C. thus            D. besides
39. A. chosen                     B. divided            C. selected        D. judged
40. A. personal               B. outstanding         C. collective         D. genetic
41. A. While                B. When               C. Until           D. Unless
42. A. for                       B. to                C. on to           D. up to 
43. A. work                      B. success             C. grow           D. maturity
44. A. depression            B. encouragement       C. creativity       D. desertion
45. A. quickly                    B. eventually           C. seriously      D. obviously
46. A. face                      B. achieve              C. make              D. handle
47. A. First of all           B. After all             C. In all               D. All in all
48. A. Work out            B. Go over             C. Write down     D. Get through
49. A. how                  B. what               C. where         D. why
50. A. root                B. base                C. all            D. part
51. A. witness              B. stare                  C. gaze         D. scan
52. A. reading                    B. scanning            C. watching     D. examining
53. A. easiest                     B. strongest            C. cruelest        D. simplest
54. A. problems            B. manners            C. wonders       D. characters
55. A. strengthen           B. forget              C. remind            D. tear