It is impossible not to make a mistake at some point of your life. We may as well accept that something
will go wrong and we will be to blame. It is therefore sensible to work out some plans for apologizing, and
the best way to apologize is by letter. This way you can take care over every word you write-which you
can't do if you say sorry to someone in person.
     We all say or do something that we wish we hadn't said or done. You may say something that accidentally
hurts someone, or you may provide a service which doesn't come up to the standards that a cheat or customer
expected.
     You may feel that it was a mistake which couldn't be avoided. Rather than dwell on the mistake, you should
quickly try to remedy (补救) the problem. An effective letter of apology is an important part of that process.
     For the content of the letter, just remember TABS-Timing, Action, Brevity, Sincerity.
     The timing of a letter of apology is crucial-it must be sent as soon as possible. Any delay in sending the
letter will only compound the problem. In this case, "better late than never" is not the best motto! The longer
you wait before writing a letter of apology, the more it will seem that you have been forced into writing it.
     Although it is important to recognize what has gone before, it is also necessary to detail the action you plan
to take to rectify whatever it was you did wrong. Research has shown that some indication that you have
thought about what future action you plan to take is always well received.
     A letter of apology should be brief and the word "sorry" should appear no more than twice. Indicate that
you are aware you are using it a second time "once again, I'm so sorry for" or "as I said early, I'm so sorry
about." Finally, the tone of the letter has to be sincere. In fact, all the above factors will help in this respect.
     And don't think that letters are out of date in the Email-oriented 21st century. An apology email can be
worse than no apology at all!

1. What kind of advice does the text suggest about apologizing?

A. It's a good idea to write a letter of apology as soon as something goes wrong.
B. It's a good idea to sends several emails to apologize and show that you mean it.
C. Write a long letter apologizing several times to make your point.
D. Wait to see how they react to your letter before planning to do anything

2. What kind of things do you NOT apologize for?

A. Services that are not as good as they should be.
B. Genuine mistakes.
C. Car accidents.
D. Causing anger or hurt.

3. According to the writer,you should not _____ after you have made a mistake.

A. waste time worrying about what happened
B. write an effective letter of apology
C. avoid what happened
D. recognize what has gone before

4. The underlined word "rectify" means _____.

A. to put right
B. to improve
C. to put aside
D. to apologize

     Good evening, ladies and gentlemen and welcome to this of the Box Bill Tennis Club. It's good to see so
many of you here this evening. I'm sure you're all enjoyed the fine food, and that you are ready to hear our
guest speaker.
     Ladies and gentlemen, we're pleased to welcome our most famous club champion, Billy Rogers, to our
meeting.
     Billy needs no introduction because he is one of the most well-known tennis players in our country.
However, I must mention a few things about him. Billy has won the US Open three times,and Wimbledon
twice. He has won more tennis tournaments (锦标赛) than any player from this country. He has been ranked
number one in the world in both singles and doubles. He has played in the Davis Cup and the Hopman Cup
for his country. His Wimbledon victory two years ago has been called one of the bravest in the modern time.
Had he not been injured, he would undoubtedly have won a third Wimbledon Championship. Billy is regarded
by many as perhaps the finest player ever in international tennis.
     But of course Billy is much more than a tennis champion.
     He is like an ambassador for the sport and for his country. He has done great work to help children around
the world,and his generosity to children's charity funds is well known.
     And of course, Billy is the most successful graduate of our club. He won the club championships when
he was twelve-yes, at only twelve. And Billy has not forgotten where it all started. That's why he accepted
our invitation to speak to us tonight. We're proud to have played a small part in Billy's success.
     Won't you please give a big hand to our own Billy Rogers?

1. Why did Billy Rogers not win the third Wimbledon?

A. Because he had no chance to take part in it.
B. Because he was too old to beat his opposite.
C. Because he got himself hurt.
D. Because he was too busy to well prepare it.

2. How many kinds of famous tournaments did Billy Rogers takes part in according to the text?

A. Two.
B. Four.
C. Three.
D. Six.

3. Which of the following can't be inferred from the text?

A. Billy Rogers likes children very much.
B. Billy Rogers played tennis in America.
C. Billy Rogers is the most important guest of the party.
D. Billy Rogers began to play tennis in college.

4. The tone of this text can best be described as _____.

A. scientific
B. admiring
C. cold
D. confident

     Teen Dating can be fun if you are aware of its pros and cons and are also aware of the ways to protect
yourself. There are a couple of suggestions you would like to know before you are out for dating.
     Do not go out for dating with somebody whom you have seen only a few times and not known much
about.
     Before leaving for a date, know the exact plans for the evening and make sure a parent or a friend knows
these plans and what time to expect your home. Let your date know that you are expected to call or tell that
person when you get in.
     Similarly, if you leave party with someone you do not know well, make sure you tell another person you
are leaving and with whom. Ask a friend to call and make sure you arrive home safely.
     No matter how good the person appears to you, trust your inner instincts (直觉). If a situation makes
you uncomfortable, try to stay calm and think of a way to remove yourself from the situation without letting
your date realize what is going on in your mind.
     Be aware of your decreased ability to react under the influence of alcohol or drugs and keep yourself in
control when out for a date.
     Always stay firm, straightforward and clear in your relationships, thoughts, decisions and judgments.
Never let a doubt come to your mind or face when out for dating. If you are firm and clear in your
communication, your date will always be careful in dealing with you.
     You should think ahead about ways to be safe if you are in a dangerous or potentially (潜在) dangerous
relationship. Adults, like parents, teachers, counselors, can be trusted in such cases.

1. Which of the following is forbidden when dating according to the passage?

A. Going out for dating with a stranger.
B. Knowing the plan for the evening.
C. Telling your parents about the date.
D. Telling the person you date that your parents know about the date.

2. The underlined word "date" in the third paragraph might mean _____.

A. a time
B. a person
C. a plan
D. a place

3. If you feel uncomfortable,you should NOT _____.

A. leave as soon as possible
B. tell your date what you are thinking
C. stay calm
D. trust yourself

4. The best title for this passage might be _____.

A. Be Careful With Your Friends
B. Never Go Out Dating
C. Safety Measures For Teen Dating
D. Dating Out Is Always Dangerous

Hi, Antonio,
     I read your blog and guess what? Now I have a summer job with my neighbor moving their lawn and
doing work around their house and I am getting paid. I do the same work at my house but the pay is better
at the neighbor's. Have a great summer, man! 
                                                                                                                                Posted by: Jack
Dear Antonio,
     My son is 15 and he has been begging for a summer job. Do you know of any place that hires children
of that age?
                                                                                                                             Posted by: Vallery
Hi, Antonio,
     I am 13 years old and trying to earn money to take a trip with my chorus to Hawaii. I am willing to do
any work at any hour during the summer.
                                                                                                                     Posted by Ashley Jordan
Hi, Antonio,
     I am 19 years old, a college student and I am looking for a summer job. Does anyone know somewhere
that is hiring? I have been looking for two weeks now.
                                                                                                                         Posted by: Erica Allen
Dear Antonio,
     My daughter is working in the file room at the law firm I work for and I am very happy that we were
able to get her on. My concern is that she wouldn't have got the summer job if I had not "known" people.
What about kids whose parents do not know someone?
                                                                                                                             Posted by: Tracy
Hi, Antonio,
     I found my summer job on my own and my parents are so proud of me because I did it on my own.
That is why the world needs teens who can take responsibility for themselves and grow into mature and
wise adults. Can't wait for your next blog. I enjoy your writing. You have a great point of view.
                                                                                                                                Posted by: Jeff

1. What may be the topic of Antonio's blog this time?

A. A great summer.
B. Getting a summer job.
C. An ideal career.
D. Entering a profession.

2. From the above posts we learn that _____.

A. Jack gets paid for cutting and moving the lawn for his own family
B. Valley has been begging in streets over the summer
C. Erica is quite experienced in finding part-time jobs
D. Ashley is willing to do any part-time job during his trip to Hawaii

3. What do we know about Tracy from her post?

A. She works in a file room.
B. She helped her daughter to become a lawyer.
C. She's proud that she helped her daughter find a job.
D. She thinks children should take responsibility for themselves.

4. Where can we find the text most probably?

 A. In a book.
B. In a report.
C. On the Internet.
D. In a bulletin (公告).

     So, there you are, just sitting there in the subway car, enjoying that book you just bought. 1_____ Or,
the person sitting next to you takes out a nail clipper (指甲刀) and begins cutting his or her nails.
     Annoying? Many of us have to spend some time every day on public transportation (客运). 2_____ So,
to make the trip more pleasant, we suggest the following:
     Let passengers get off the bus or subway car before you get on. 3_____ Stand away from the doors
when they are closing.
     Don't talk loudly on a bus or subway. Chatting loudly with your friends can be annoying (讨厌的) to
others. 4_____.
     Don't think your bags and suitcases deserve (应得) a seat of their own.
     Use a tissue whenever you cough or sneeze (打喷嚏). An uncovered sneeze can spread germs, especially
in crowded places.
     Don't cut your nails or pick your nose on public transportation.
     Don't read over other people's shoulder. 5_____. It can make people uncomfortable. They might think
you're too stingy (小气的) even to buy a newspaper. Or they might think you're judging their behavior.

A. Suddenly, you feel someone leaning over your shoulder reading along with you.
B. Getting off and on in an orderly manner can save time for all.
C. Many people do this on subways, but it's really annoying.
D. We all know that some behaviors are simply unacceptable.
E. Don't shout into your mobile phone on a bus or subway.
F. Mind those manners on the subway.
G. Don't eat food on a bus or subway.

     Long before they can talk children often use body language to show us how they are feeling. If they hang
around their mothers quietly, it is easy to tell that they are nervous. Mothers also know that they can calm the
child with a touch on the cheek or a gentle word.
     It seems that we come into the world with a set of gestures already programmed into us. Everybody,
regardless of country, race or religion, can look surprised, smile or cry. It also seems that we can recognize
our mothers' voice even before we are born. Even a newborn baby will look in the direction of its mother's
voice when she is not in sight. Feeding time also means a time when babies and mothers can get closer. The
baby can watch the mother's face at the same time.
     Babies are also excellent observers of facial (of the face) expressions and learn from mothers' reaction
whether something is to be feared or not. This is often why first babies are more timid (胆小的) and less
relaxed than their later brothers and sisters. The mother is obviously more worried with her first baby but by
the time the second arrives she will have gained confidence.
     Babies never want to be left out of any activity. Even small babies will cry until they can see what is going
on around them. Babies learn to communicate quite early with gestures. They point to things and get rewarded
when those things are given to them. They laugh during a game and are rewarded when the game is continued.
They smile at strangers and are rewarded by being picked up and held in their arms. So learning the body
language of the children is as important and rewarding as studying that of another culture.

1. According to the passage, what will babies most probably do if they feel nervous?

A. Cry as loudly as they can.
B. Get near to their mothers silently.
C. Close their eyes and shake their head.
D. Point to things they are afraid of.

2. A baby is born to know the mother's _____ according to Paragraph 2.

A. language
B. habit
C. voice
D. Gestures

3. We can infer from Paragraph 3 that _____.

A. Babies know which things are frightening
B. Babies understand what their mothers are thinking about
C. Babies will be more timid if their mothers are confident
D. Babies are easily influenced by their mothers

4. Newborn babies communicate with their parents mainly by _____.

A. body language
B. facial expressions
C. touching on the cheek
D. making noise

     Beauty has always been regarded as something praiseworthy. Almost everyone thinks attractive (漂亮的)
people are happier and healthier, have better marriages and have more respectable jobs. Personal advisors give
them better advice for finding jobs. Even judges are softer on attractive defendants (被告). But in the executive
(行政的; 管理的) circle, beauty can become a liability.
     While attractiveness is a positive factor for a man on his way up the executive ladder, it is harmful to a
woman. Handsome male executives were considered as having more honesty than plain (平常的,不漂亮的)
men; effort and ability were thought to lead to their success. Attractive female executives were considered to
have less honesty than unattractive ones; their success was connected not with ability but with factors such
as luck. All unattractive women executives were thought to have more honesty and to be more capable than
the attractive female executives. Interestingly, though, the rise of the unattractive overnight successes was
connected more to personal relationships and less to ability than that of the attractive overnight successes.
     Why are attractive women not thought to be able? An attractive woman is considered to be more feminine
and an attractive man more manly than the less attractive ones. Thus, an attractive woman has an advantage
in traditionally female jobs, but an attractive woman in a traditionally manly position appears to lack the "manly"
qualities required.
     This is true even in politics. "When the only clue is how he or she looks, people treat men and women
differently," says Anne Bowman, who recently published a study on the effects of attractiveness on political
candidates. She asked 125 undergraduate students to rank two groups of photographs, one of men and one
of women, of attractiveness. The students were told the photographs were of candidates for political offices.
They were asked to rank them again, in the order they would vote for them.
     The results showed that attractive males completely defeated unattractive men, but the women who had
ranked most attractive unchangeably received the fewest votes.

1. The word "liability" most probably means _____.

A. disadvantage
B. advantage
C. misfortune
D. trouble

2. In traditionally female jobs, attractiveness _____.

A. makes women look more honest and capable
B. strengthens the qualifies required
C. is of no importance to women
D. often enables women to succeed quickly

3. Bowman's experiment shows that when it comes to politics, attractiveness _____.

A. turns out to be a disadvantage to men
B. is more of a disadvantage than an advantage to women
C. affects men and women alike
D. has as little effect on men as on women

4. It can be inferred from the passage that people's views on beauty are often _____.

A. practical
B. supportive
C. old-fashioned
D. one-sided

5. The author writes this passage to _____.

A. give advice to job-seekers who are attractive
B. discuss the disadvantages of women being attractive
C. demand equal rights for women
D. state the importance of appearance

     Since it was founded a year ago, the babysitting pool has become increasingly popular in the United States.
More and more mothers have joined it and have benefited from it. What attracts them most is the idea that you
pay your babysitter not in cash, but in paper cards. When you join the babysitting pool, you are given thirty
cards, which are worth 30-minute babysitting time each. For each half an hour while you are gone, th
e babysitter gets paid one card.
     There are rules regulating this service. You should not watch more than three kids at a time including your
own. On big holidays, such as Christmas and Thanksgiving, the babysitter should be paid twice as much,
which means two cards for every half an hour. When you leave the babysitting pool, you should return all the
cards. If you are out of cards, you cannot use money instead. You should have to baby-sit for others to earn
enough cards so that you will have them handy when you yourself need a babysitter.
     Many mothers think highly of this service. It keeps children in constant touch with one another, and makes
life easier for the mothers. Since in most cases, the babysitter is the mother who watches other kids at her
own home, it is still possible for her to do her own things while the kids play with each other. In fact most
mother babysitters find that their own kids are less of a monster and easier to watch when they are around
other playmates. Moreover, since the babysitting pool service does not involve money, it will not be a financial
loss to the family.
     In the past year, the babysitting pool has helped so many mothers with their work that they all think that it
is indeed a good community service worth keeping.