Winners Club

You choose to be a winner!

The Winners Club is a bank account specially designed for teenagers. It has been made to help you better manage your money. The Winners Club is a transaction account (交易账户) where you receive a key – card so you can get to your money 24/7 – that's 24 hours a day, 7 days aweek!

It's a club with impressive features for teenagers:

●No account keeping fees!

You're no millionaire so we don't expect you to pay large fees. In fact, there are no account keeping or transaction fees!

●Excellent interest rates!

You want your money to grow. The Winners Club has a good rate of interest which gets even better if you make at least two deposits (储蓄) without taking them out in a month.

●Convenient

Teenagers are busy – we get that. You may never need to come to a bank at all. With the Winners Club you can choose to use handy tellers and to bank from home using the phone and the Internet ... You can have money directly deposited into your Winners Club account. This could be your pocket money or your pay from your part – time job!

●Mega magazine included

Along with your regular report, you will receive a FREE magazine full of good ideas to make even more of your money. There are also fantastic offers and competitions only for Winners Club members.

The Winners Club is a great choice for teenagers. And it is so easy to join. Simply fill in an application form. You will have to get permission from your parent or guardian (so we can organize that cool key-card) but it is easy. We can't want to hear from you. It's the best way to choose to be a winner!

1.The Winners Club is a bank account intended for _________.

A. parents B. teenagers

C. winners D. adults

2.The Winners Club provides magazines which _________.

A. encourage spending

B. are free to all teenagers

C. are full of adventure stories

D. help to make more of your money

3.If you want to be a member of the Club, you must _________.

A. be an Internet user

B. be permitted by your parent

C. have a big sum of money

D. be in your twenties

4.Which of the following is TRUE about the Winners Club?

A. Special gifts are ready for parents.

B. The bank opens only on work days.

C. Services are convenient for its members.

D. Fees are necessary for the account keeping.

5.What is the purpose of this text?

A. To set up a club.

B. To provided part – time jobs.

C. To introduce a new banking service.

D. To organize key – cards.

The more _________ we take the safety standards, the further we can speed up the development of the school bus industry.

A. constantly B. seriously

C. generally D. immediately

After several rounds of competition, the little girl _________ because of her excellent spoken English and quick response.

A. put out B. picked out

C. broke out D. stood out

I’m sorry I didn’t phone you, but I’ve been very busy ____ the past couple weeks.

A. beyond B. over

C. with D. among

In most cases, college graduates don't mind what job they will do so long as it is one ______ they can earn money to support themselves.

A. what B. where

C. that D. how

Although dishonesty seems so common in recent years, people still believe that honesty will not go out of .

A. style B. order

C. balance D. shape

More and more people are advised to arrange for insurance _________ that they or their family members need medical care.

A. in order B. in need

C. in case D. in hope

My father was a self-taught mandolin（曼陀林琴）player. He could not read, but if he heard a tune several times, he could play it. Occasionally, he ______ play for the local radio station.

Dad loved playing the mandolin for his family. He knew we enjoyed his playing. If he could give _____ to others, he would, especially for his family. He was always _____ his time and efforts to making sure his family had enough in their life.

Later, I matured into a man and had my own children. Whenever coming home, I would ask Dad to play the mandolin, for nobody played the mandolin like him. He could _____ your soul with tunes coming out of that old mandolin. He seemed to ______ when playing, taking pride in his ability to play so well.

Unfortunately, in 1977. Dad was _____ in an accident, leaving his third finger of his left hand wounded seriously. _____ he didn’t lose enough of the finger where it would stop him picking up anything, it did affect his ______ to play the mandolin. After the accident, he was ______ to play and felt unable to play as well as before. Every time we asked him to play, he would make excuses. _____, we could persuade him and he would say “Okay. But I can’t hold down on the strings and play as well as before.” For the family it made no ______. When he played the old mandolin, it would carry us back to a cheerful, happier time.

In August 1993, Dad was ______ with serious disease. He chose not to receive any chemotherapy（化疗）treatments ______ he could live out his rest life in dignity(尊严). A week before his death, we asked Dad if he would play the mandolin for his family. First he made the usual ______ again but later said “Okay.”, ______ it was likely to be the last chance for us to hear him playing. He tuned up the old mandolin and played. ______, I found everyone in the family ______. We saw before us a quiet humble man with an inner ______ that lives with him in his life.

Dad would never play the mandolin for us again, but we still _____ the most valuable gift we gained from him, ____ he had done all his life, giving.

1.A. might B. should C. would D. must

2.A. pleasure B. advice C. help D. favor

3.A. applying B. paying C. attaching D. devoting

4.A. touch B. discover C. deliver D. possess

5.A. escape B. shine C. exist D. calm

6.A. included B. absorbed C. buried D. involved

7.A. Although B. If C. Whether D. Because

8.A. courage B. faith C. ability D. energy

9.A. desperate B. unwilling C. worthwhile D. sensitive

10.A. Eventually B. Suddenly C. Gradually D. Consequently

11.A. sense B. difference C. contact D. progress

12.A. combined B. burdened C. carried D. diagnosed

13.A. so that B. in case C. even if D. as though

14.A. plan B. apology C. reason D. excuse

15.A. promising B. noticing C. requesting D. knowing

16.A. Looking around B. Turning up C. Looking into D. Speeding up

17.A. happy B. tearful C. anxious D. delighted

18.A. preference B. advantage C. strength D. courage

19.A. treasure B. adopt C. consider D. approve

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

A

Katharine Meyer Graham was once described as “the most powerful woman in America.” She was not a government official or elected representative. She owned and published The Washington Post. Under her leadership, it became one of the most important newspapers in the country.

Katharine Meyer was born in New York City in 1917. Her father was a successful investment banker and became an important financial official. Her family was very rich. Katharine grew up in large houses in New York and Washington. Her parents were often away from home, traveling and working, Katharine was often lonely. Katherine Meyer graduated from the University of Chicago in Illinois in 1938. In 1933, her father bought a failing newspaper, The Washington Post. It was the least successful one of five newspapers in Washington.

Katharine Graham returned to Washington and got a job editing letters to the editor of her father's newspaper. She married Philip Graham. He was a clerk for Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter but soon accepted a job at his wife's father's newspaper. Mr. Graham improved The Washington Post. He bought Newsweek and several television stations. He also established close ties with important political leaders. However, Mr. Graham treated his wife badly. He had an affair with a young reporter. For many years, Mr. Graham suffered from mental illness. He killed himself in 1963.

Katharine Graham had four children to raise and a newspaper to operate. At first, she was only concerned about finding a way to keep control of The Washington Post until her sons were old enough. She did not think she had the ability to do an important job. She had no training in business or experience in operating a large company. In those days, it was unusual for a woman to be the head of a business. Women were expected to look after their homes and children.

Katharine Graham met with officials of The Washington Post. She was elected president of The Washington Post Company. She had no idea about how to operate a newspaper. So she decided to learn. She began by hiring Benjamin C.Bradlee. He later became chief editor. Mr. Bradlee improved the newspaper. He hired excellent reporters and editors. They began doing important investigative reporting. In 1969, Mrs. Graham became publisher as well as president of The Washington Post Company. In the 1970s, The Washington Post became famous around the world because of two major successes.

1.Katharine Graham is considered powerful because ____________.

A. she was born of a very rich family

B. she had the most important newspaper

C. she was in charge of the The Washington Post

D. she gained much money from newspapers

2.We can infer from the second paragraph that Katharine Graham _____________.

A. was one of the top students at university

B. helped her father in purchasing the paper

C. didn’t take interest in managing a bank

D. lived a rich life when she was young

3.After Katharine Graham got married ___________.

A. her husband gave up his previous job

B. she got a job editing letters for the editor

C. she made The Washington Post improved

D. her husband wanted to be a political leader

4.Faced with the death of Mr. Graham ____________.

A. Katharine Graham had confidence to operate the newspaper well.

B. Katharine Graham made up her mind to raise the kids.

C. KatharineGraham thought more about gaining experience.

D. Katharine Graham seemed to be trapped in the dark world.

5.What do you think of Benjamin C. Bradlee?

A. He was an expert when it came to earning money.

B. He brought The Washington Post back to life.

C. He intended to buy The Washington Post.

D. He should have given more help to Katharine Graham.

D

Dear Guys,

I’d like to talk to you about the shame you subjected me to last night. Let me first refresh your memory: You, a group of fit, young men, were playing soccer on the field across from my apartment building. I, a better-than-average looking young woman, was walking along the sidewalk with my groceries. That’s when your ball came flying over the fence and landed in front of me.

One of you approached and asked politely if I would throw the ball back to you. Fighting the urge to drop my bags and run screaming down the street, I reluctantly (勉强地) agreed.

Before I continue, let me explain something that I didn’t have a chance to mention last night: I hate sports. More specifically, I hate sports involving balls. This results from my lack of natural ability when it comes to throwing, catching and hitting. I’m bad at aiming too. So you can understand why I’d be nervous at what I’m sure seemed to you like a laughably simple request.

However, wanting to appear agreeable, I put my bags down, picked up the ball and, eyes half-shut, and threw it as hard as I could.

It hit the middle of the fence and bounced back to me.

Trying to act casually, I said something about being out of practice, and then picked up the ball again. If you’ll remember, at your command, I agreed to try throwing underhand. While outwardly I was smiling, in my head, I was praying, oh God, oh please oh please oh please. I threw the ball upward with all my strength, terrified by what happened next.

The ball hit slightly higher up on the fence and bounced back to me.

This is the point where I start to take issue with you. Wouldn’t it have been a better use of your time, and mine, if you had just walked around the fence and took the ball then? I was clearly struggling; my smiles were more and more forced. And yet, you all just stood there, motionless.

Seeing that you weren’t going to let me out of the trouble, I became desperate. Memories of middle school softball came flooding back. I tried hard to throw the ball but it only went about eight feet, then I decided to pick it up and dash with ball in hand towards the baseline, while annoyed thirteen-year-old boys screamed at me that I was ruining their lives. Children are cruel.

Being a big girl now, I pushed those memories aside and picked up the soccer ball for the third time. I forced a good-natured laugh while crying inside as you patiently shouted words of support over the fence at me.

“Throw it granny-style!” one of you said.

“Just back up a little and give it all you’ve got!” another offered.

And, most embarrassing of all, “You can do it!”

I know you thought you were being encouraging, but it only served to deepen the shame.

Anyway, I accepted your ball-throwing advice, backed up, rocked back and forth a little, took a deep breath and let it fly.

It hit the edge of the fence and bounced back to me.

I surprised myself—and I’m sure you as well—by letting out a cry, “DAMN IT!!!” I then willed myself to have a heart attack and pass out in front of you just so I’d be put out of my misery.

Alas, the heart attack didn’t happen, and you continued to look at me expectantly, like you were content to do this all night. I had become a sort of exhibition for you. I could feel your collective thoughts drifting through the chain-link: “Can she really not do it? But I mean, really?”

Unfortunately for you, I wasn’t really game to continue your experiment. Three failed attempts at a simple task in front of a group of people in a two-minute period were just enough blows for me for one night. I picked up the ball one last time, approached the fence and grumbled, “Please just come get the damn ball.”

And you did. And thanks to you, I decided at that very moment to never throw anything ever again, except disrespectful glances at people who play sports.

Sincerely, Jen Cordery

1.The writer agreed to throw the ball because ______.

A. she needed to have a relax carrying the heavy groceries

B. she wanted to refresh her childhood memories

C. she could not refuse the polite request from the young man

D. she had fallen in love with the young man at first sight

2.Which of the following is closet in meaning to the underlined word “game”?

A. anxious B. brave C. afraid D. curious

3.Why did the writer mention her middle school memory?

A. To explain why she failed the attempts to throw the ball back.

B. To complain that she had not mastered the ball throwing skills.

C. To show how cruel those 13-year-old boys were.

D. To express her dislike towards softball.

4.What the boys said before the writer’s third attempt actually made the writer ________.

A. inspired B. encouraged C. awkward D. depressed

5.What happened to the ball at last?

A. The writer managed to throw the ball back.

B. The boy got the ball back by himself.

C. The writer threw the ball away out of anger.

D. The boys got angry and left without the ball.

6.What’s the writer’s purpose in writing this open letter?

A. To express her regret over what she did the day before.

B. To announce that she would never play all games again.

C. To joke on her inability to throw the ball over the fence.

D. To criticize the young men for their cruelty to her dignity.