When I was a child of seven years old, my friends, on a holiday, filled my pocket with coppers. I went at once to a shop where they sold toys for children. Being charmed with the sound of a whistle that I had seen by the way, in the hands of another boy, I handed over all my money for one. I then came home, and went whistling all over the house, much pleased with my whistle, but disturbing all the family. My brothers and sisters and cousins, when I told of the bargain I had made, said I had given four times as much as the whistle was worth. They put me in mind of what good things I might have bought with the rest of the money, and laughed at me so much for my folly that I cried with vexation(烦恼). Thinking about the matter gave me more chargrin than the whistle gave me pleasure.
This, however, was afterwards of use to me, for the impression continued on my mind, so that often, when I was tempted to buy something I did not need, I said to myself, “Don’t give too much for the whistle, ” and I saved my money. As I grew up, came into the world, and observed the actions of men, I thought I met with many, very many, who “gave too much for the whistle.” When I saw some men too eager for court favor, wasting his time at court gatherings, giving up his rest, his liberty, his virtue, and perhaps his friends, for royal favor, I said to myself---“This man gives too much for the whistle.” When I saw another fond of popularity, constantly taking part in political affairs, neglecting his own business, and ruining it by neglect, “He says, indeed,” said I, “too dear for his whistle.”
If I knew a miser（守财奴） who gave up every kind of comfortable living, all the pleasure of doing good to others, all the esteem of his fellow citizens and the joys of friendship, for the sake of gathering and keeping wealth--- “Poor man,” said I, “ you pay too dear for your whistle.” When I met a man of pleasure, who did not try to improve his mind or his fortune but merely devoted himself to having a good time, perhaps neglecting his health, “ Mistaken man, you are providing pain for yourself, instead of pleasure; you are paying too dear for your whistle.” If I saw someone fond of appearance who has fine clothes, fine houses, fine furniture, fine earrings, all above his fortune, and for which he had run into debt, and ends his career in a prison. “Alas,” said I, “he has paid dear, very dear, for his whistle.” In short the miseries of mankind are largely due to their puffing a false value on things --- to giving “too much for their whistle.”

1. 1.

   How did the author get the whistle?

   1. A.
      He bought it in a toy shop for children.
   2. B.
      He got it as a birthday present.
   3. C.
      He exchanged all his coppers for it from another boy.
   4. D.
      He got it from his brothers, sisters and cousins.
2. 2.

   When the author recalled(回忆) the whistle, he felt______________.

   1. A.
      pleased
   2. B.
      charmed
   3. C.
      chagrin
   4. D.
      worth
3. 3.

   Which situation would not the author say “ too dear for the whistle?”

   1. A.
      People were tempted to buy something they did not need.
   2. B.
      Men were too eager for court favor, wasting his time.
   3. C.
      People were fond of popularity, constantly taking part in political affairs.
   4. D.
      People were devoted to a career he loved so much.
4. 4.

   Which Chinese equivalent can best describe “ too dear for the whistle”?

   1. A.
      得不偿失
   2. B.
      皆大欢喜
   3. C.
      物超所值
   4. D.
      名副其实
5. 5.

   What’s the best title of the passage?

   1. A.
      A story in my childhood.
   2. B.
      Too dear for whistle.
   3. C.
      A lesson from a whistle.
   4. D.
      We should have a right attitude towards temptation（诱惑）.

I arrived in the United States on February 6, 1997, but I remember my first day there very clearly. My friend was waiting for me when my plane____26____at Kennedy Airport at three o’clock in the afternoon. The weather was very cold and it was snowing, but I was_____27____

excited to mind. From the airport, my friend and I ______28_____a taxi to my hotel. On the way, I saw the skyline of Manhattan for the first time and I stared_____29_____astonishment at the famous skyscrapers and their_____30_____beauty. My friend helped me unpack at the hotel and then_____31____me because he_____32_____go back to work. He_____33_____to return the next day.

       ______34____ my friend had left, I went to a restaurant near the hotel to get something to eat. Because I_____35____speak a word of English, I couldn’t ____36____the waiter what I wanted. I was very upset and ____37_____to make some gestures, _____38_____the waiter didn’t understand me. Finally, I______39_____the same thing the man_____40_____the next table was eating. After dinner, I started to walk along Broadway______41_____I came to Time Square with its movie theatres, and huge_____42_____people. I didn’t feel tired so I continued to walk_______43_____the city.

       When I returned to the hotel, I couldn’t sleep because I ______44______hearing the fire and police sirens(汽笛) during the night. I______45_____awake and thought about New York. I decided that I had to learn to speak English.

A. took off                 B. landed                      C. got out                     D. took down

A. too                        B. so                            C. very                  D. much

A. got                        B. took up                    C. got on               D. took

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

A. old-make            B. man-made                C. newly-make       D. natural

A. had left                 B. would leave              C. left                   D. was leaving

A. must                         B. had to                      C. should               D. ought

A. agreed                   B. said                         C. told                  D. promised

A. Shortly after          B. Long before              C. Shortly             D. Soon

A. couldn’t                B. could                       C. didn’t               D. did

A. ask                        B. say                          C. tell                   D. order

A. begun                    B. started                      C. must                 D. started to

A. and                       B. so                            C. then                  D. but

A. ordered                 B. booked                     C. asked                D. got

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

A. when                     B. until                        C. after                 D. before

A. crowds of                  B. groups of                 C. crowd of           D. group of

A. around                  B. in                                   C. by                    D. near

A. was                    B. went                        C. kept                  D. started

A. was                    B. lay                           C. laid                   D. were

Ridgewood is a small, quiet town 20 miles from Manhattan. It is a typical suburban town, perfect for raising children away from the fast pace of the city. However, some Ridgewood kids feel as upset as if they were on the city’s busy streets. In addition to hours of homework, Ridgewood’s children are occupied with afterschool activities — from swimming to piano to religious classes.

Out of desperation one day, the town decided to schedule another activity. This one was called “Ridgewood Family Night — Ready, Set, Relax!” Instead of schedules filled with sports, music, or overtime at the office, some of the town’s 25,000 residents decided to take the night off and stay home. For a few months before Family Night, a committee of volunteers worked hard to spread the word. Younger students took “Save the Date for Me” leaflets home to their parents. The mayor issued a statement, and schools and clubs agreed to cancel homework and meetings so families could relax and be together.

The tension between a hope for a more relaxed lifestyle and the knowledge that the benchmark for success has been raised in recent years weighs heavily on the minds of the townspeople. Some parents like to recall a different kind of childhood, one without so many scheduled afterschool activities. However, these same parents feel obliged to make sure their children are prepared to survive in today’s high-pressure work environment. They are afraid that any gap in their children’s physical or intellectual development might mean they won’t be admitted to the “right” universities and won’t succeed in a more and more competitive world.

Nevertheless, it seems that Family Night worked, at least to a point. Cars moved easily around Ridgewood’s normally busy downtown streets, and stores and restaurants saw a drop in business. Some families ate supper together for the first time in months.

Initially, there was great hope of taking back their lives. But sadly, few families believe that one night will change their lives. Many are sure that they will fall back into the habit of over-scheduling their children to be overachieving adults.

1.The writer describes Ridgewood as a town where ________.

A. residents take little notice of education

B. children are stressful and over expected

C. parents are concerned about children’s safety

D. children lead a life of relaxed, ordinary rhythms

2.According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true about the Family Night?

A. Schools assigned no homework.

B. Fewer people ate in the restaurants.

C. The streets were less crowded.

D. People enjoyed meeting each other.

3.According to the passage, the parents in Ridgewood ________.

A. have conflicting desires about what experiences to offer their children

B. are happy with the lifestyle they have chosen for themselves and the children

C. believe that it is their duty to make a change for the stressful life style

D. are worried about their children’s lacking of big ambition

4.We may get the conclusion from the passage that ________.

A. the concept of Family Night will become a regular part of life in Ridgewood

B. Ridgewood people believe the Family Night will change their way of living

C. Family Night is not as popular as people have originally thought

D. schools are worried about students being given too much free time

Then why am I able to write about computers?  I can write on this subject because of these shortcomings. The last two years of learning has been an ordeal for me. By hard work I have managed to learn enough to use computers fairly well, and to work with people who know a great deal more than I. Since I have learned all this at such personal cost, I would like to share my knowledge with others. More and more people want to know about computers, and want to know quickly.

The best way to learn is to take a course. However, many people do not have the time for this. They will have to find some other ways to get some basic information. I hope to be able to help them by writing about some of the things I have learned by myself.

I have a home computer on which I’ve learned in my own time. I have used it like a home study course. I have sat down with it day after day, night after night. I have forced it to give up some of its secrets. Now I can use it to do some of the work that I get paid for. And I can do this work in my own home, instead of in an office. Many people may soon be working on a computer at home, just as many now take in other people’s typing.

Some things about computers are easier than you may fear. First, computers are logical. Things that at first seem difficult will make sense to you after you learn the rules. Second, it is really not hard to learn enough to use today’s machines. You do not need to have a great brain. But you do have to learn to think in new ways. And you do have to keep a good bit of information in your head. Finally, there are many people around who are really enthusiastic about computers. These people are always happy to be of help.

1. The purpose of writing this article is to ______.

A. help those who want to learn computers

B. tell us that it’s difficult to learn computers

C. let us know how hardworking the writer was

D. show us how to make money at home through computers

2. The underlined word “ordeal” probably means ______.

A. an interesting experience

B. something easy

C. something difficult

D. a tiring job

3. According to the passage, a home computer can be best described as ______.

A. puzzling　　   　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. frightening

C. friendly　　   　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   D. logical

4. We can learn from the passage that the writer ______.

A. often helps his co-workers

B. knows a lot about computers

C. wants to give a computer course to others

D. likes writing very much

5. According to the writer, a computer can be used at home to ______.

A. take typing for fun

B. help you change your job

C. help you make money in some way

D. take a college course

I’m not a computer expert. I have been in the field for only a short time. I never learned much in the way of science or math. And I’m quite puzzled by things like engineering or electronics.

Then why am I able to write about computers?  I can write on this subject because of these shortcomings. The last two years of learning has been an ordeal for me. By hard work I have managed to learn enough to use computers fairly well, and to work with people who know a great deal more than I. Since I have learned all this at such personal cost, I would like to share my knowledge with others. More and more people want to know about computers, and want to know quickly.

The best way to learn is to take a course. However, many people do not have the time for this. They will have to find some other ways to get some basic information. I hope to be able to help them by writing about some of the things I have learned by myself.

I have a home computer on which I’ve learned in my own time. I have used it like a home study course. I have sat down with it day after day, night after night. I have forced it to give up some of its secrets. Now I can use it to do some of the work that I get paid for. And I can do this work in my own home, instead of in an office. Many people may soon be working on a computer at home, just as many now take in other people’s typing.

Some things about computers are easier than you may fear. First, computers are logical. Things that at first seem difficult will make sense to you after you learn the rules. Second, it is really not hard to learn enough to use today’s machines. You do not need to have a great brain. But you do have to learn to think in new ways. And you do have to keep a good bit of information in your head. Finally, there are many people around who are really enthusiastic about computers. These people are always happy to be of help.

1. The purpose of writing this article is to ______.

A. help those who want to learn computers

B. tell us that it’s difficult to learn computers

C. let us know how hardworking the writer was

D. show us how to make money at home through computers

2. The underlined word “ordeal” probably means ______.

A. an interesting experience

B. something easy

C. something difficult

D. a tiring job

3. According to the passage, a home computer can be best described as ______.

A. puzzling　　   　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. frightening

C. friendly　　   　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   D. logical

4. We can learn from the passage that the writer ______.

A. often helps his co-workers

B. knows a lot about computers

C. wants to give a computer course to others

D. likes writing very much

5. According to the writer, a computer can be used at home to ______.

A. take typing for fun

B. help you change your job

C. help you make money in some way

D. take a college course