In ancient Egypt, the pharaoh (法老) treated the poor message runner like a prince when he arrived at the
palace, if he brought good news. However, if the exhausted runner had the misfortune to bring the pharaoh
unhappy news, his head was cut off.
     Shades of that spirit spread over today's conversations. Once a friend and I packed up some peanut butter
and sandwiches for an outing. As we walked light-heartedly out the door, picnic basket in hand, a smiling
neighbor looked up at the sky and said, "Oh boy, bad day for a picnic. The weatherman says it's going to rain."
I wanted to strike him on the race with the peanut butter and sandwiches. Not for his stupid weather report,
for his smile.
     Several months ago I was racing to catch a bus. As I breathlessly put my handful of cash across the
Greyhound counter, the sales agent said with a broad smile, "Oh that bus left rive minutes ago." Dreams of
head-cutting! 
     It's not the news that makes someone angry. It's the unsympathetic attitude with which it's delivered.
Everyone must give bad news from time to time, and winning professionals do it with the proper attitude. A
doctor advising a patient that she needs an operation dose it in a caring way A boss informing an employee he
didn't get the job takes on a sympathetic tone. Big winners know, when delivering any bad news, they should
share the feeling of the receiver.
     Unfortunately, many people are not aware of this. When you're tired from a long flight, has a hotel clerk
cheerfully said that your room isn't ready ye? When you had your heart set on the toast beef, has your waiter
merrily told you that he just served the last piece? It makes you as traveler or diner want to land your fist right
on their unsympathetic faces.
     Had my neighbor told me of the upcoming rainstorm with sympathy, I would have appreciated his warning.
Had the Greyhound salesclerk sympathetically informed me that my bus had already left, I probably would
have said, "Oh, that's all right. I'll catch the next one." Big winners, when they bear bad news, deliver bombs
with the emotion the bombarded (被轰炸的) person is sure to have.

1. In Paragraph 1, the writer tells the story of the pharaoh to _____.

A. make a comparison
B. introduce a topic
C. describe a scene
D. offer an argument

2. In the writer's opinion, his neighbor was _____.

A. friendly
B. warm-hearted
C. not considerate
D. not helpful

3. From "Dreams of head-cutting!"(Paragraph 3), we learn that the writer _____.

A. was mad at the sales agent
B. was reminded of the cruel pharaoh
C. wished that the sales agent would have had dreams
D. dreamed of cutting the sales agent's head that night

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A. Delivering bad news properly is important in communication.
B. Helping others sincerely is the key to business success.
C. Receiving bad news requires great courage.
D. Learning ancient traditions can be useful.

     Driving a car is not just handling controls and judging speed and distance. It requires you to predict what
other road users will do and get ready to react to something unexpected. When alcohol is consumed, it enters
your bloodstream and acts as a depressant (抑制药), damaging eyesight, judgment and co-ordination (协调),
slowing down reaction time and greatly increasing the risk of accidents. Even below the drink driving limit,
driving will be affected.
     Alcohol may take a few minutes to be absorbed into the bloodstream and start action on the brain.
Absorption rate is increased when drinking on an empty stomach or when consuming drinks mixed with fruit
juice. To get rid of alcohol from the body is a very slow process and it is not possible to speed it up with any
measures like taking a shower or having a cup of tea or coffee.
     The present Road Traffic Ordinance states clearly that the limit of alcohol concentration is:
     ● 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100ml of blood; or
     ● 22 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath; or
     ● 67 milligrams of alcohol per 100ml of urine (尿液)
     Drivers who cause traffic accidents, or who commit a moving traffic offence or are being suspected of
drink driving will be tested.
     Any drive found drinking beyond the limit will be charged. The driver declared guilty may be fined a
maximum of HK $ 25,000 and be sentenced to up to 3 years in prison and punished for 10 driving-offence
points; or temporarily banned from driving.
     The same punishment applies to failing to provide specimens (样本) far breath, blood or urine tests without
good excuse.
     Drink driving is a criminal offence. Be a responsible driver, think before you drink. For the safety of
yourself and other road users, never drive after consuming alcohol.

1. The first paragraph is mainly about _____.

A. the introductions of driving skills
B. the damage of drinking to your body
C. the effect of drinking on driving
D. the process of alcohol being absorbed

2. The underlined word "it" in the second paragraph refers to "_____".

A. alcohol
B. absorption
C. blood
D. process

3. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Drinking below the drink driving limit has no effect on driving.
B. Alcohol is taken in more quickly when drunk with fruit juice.
C. Having a cup of tea helps to get rid of alcohol from the body.
D. 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100ml of breath is below the drink limit

4. A drive suspected of drink driving _____.

A. should provide specimens for testing
B. will be forbidden to drive for 3 years
C. will be punished for 10 driving-offence points
D. should pay a maximum fine of HK＄25,000

     When I was a child, I often dreamed of the time when I could leave home and escape to the city. We lived
on a farm. In the winter especially, we wear quite out off from the outside world. As soon as I left school, I
packed my bags and moved to the capital. However, I soon discovered that my life has its too.
     One big disadvantage is money. It costs so much to go out, not to mention basics like food and housing.
Another disadvantage is pollution. I suffer from asthma (哮喘), and the air is so that I am afraid to go outside.
Then there is the problem of traveling round. Although I have a car, I seldom use it became of the traffic jams.
One choice is to go by bicycle, but that can be quite dangerous.
     Of course there are advantages. First, there is so much to do in the city, whatever you tastes in culture or
entertainment (娱乐活动). Besides, there are wonderful jobs and greater chances of moving to a more important
job or position. Finally, if you like shopping, the variety of goods is very surprising-and, what is more, shops
are often only a short walk away.
     Is life better then, in the city? Perhaps it is, when you are in your teens (十几岁) or twenties. However, as
you get older, and especially if you have small children, the peace of the countryside may seem preferable. I
certainly hope to move back there soon.

1. What was the writer always thinking about when he was a child?

A. Staying on the farm.
B. Moving to the countryside.
C. Leaving home for the city.
D. Running away from the school.

2. Which of the following is true about the writer?

A. He is very old now.
B. He is in good health.
C. He prefers driving a car.
D. He lives in the city now.

3. In the passage, the writer tries to _____.

A. express his opinions about way of life
B. describe his life in the countryside
C. an interest in the outside world
D. persuade the reader to live in the city

4. How is the passage mainly developed?

A. By inferring.
B. By comparing.
C. By listing examples.
D. By giving explanations.

     Domestic (驯养的) horses now pull ploughs, race in the Kentucky Derby, and carry police. But early
horses weren't tame (驯服的) enough to perform these kinds of tasks. Scientists think the first interactions
humans had with horses were far different from those today.
     Thousands of years ago, people killed the wild horses that lived around them for food. Over time, people
began to catch the animals and raise them. This was the first step in domestication.
     As people began to tame and ride horses, they chose to keep those animals that had more desirable
characteristics. For example, people may have chosen to keep horses that had a gentle personality so they
could be ridden more easily. People who used horses to pull heavy loads would have chosen to keep stronger
animals. Characteristics like strength are partly controlled by the animals' genes. So as the domesticated horses
reproduced, they passed the characteristics on to their young. Each new generation of houses would show
more of these chosen characteristics.
     Modern day horse breeds come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. This variety didn't exist in the horse
population before domestication. The Shetland horse is one of the smallest breeds-typically reaching only one
meter tall. With short, strong legs, the animals were bred to pull coal out of mine shafts (矿井) with low
ceilings. Huge horses like the Clydesdale came on the scene around 1700. People bred these heavy, tall horses
to pull large vehicles used for carrying heavy loads.
     The domestication of horses has had great effects on societies. For example, horse were important tools
in the advancement of modern agriculture. Using them to pull ploughs and carry heavy loads allowed people
to farm more efficiently. Before they were able to ride horses, humans had to cross land on foot. Riding horses
allowed people to travel far greater distance in much less time. That encouraged populations living in different
areas to interact with one another. The new form of rapid transportation helped cultures spread around the
world.

1. Before domestication horses were _____.

A. caught for sports
B. hunted for food
C. made to pull ploughs
D. used to carry people

2. The author uses the Shetland horse as an example to show _____.

A. it is smaller than the Clydesdale horse
B. horse used to have gentle personalities
C. some horses have better shaped than others
D. horses were of less variety before domestication

3. Horses contributed to the spread of culture by _____.

A. carrying heavy loads
B. changing farming methods
C. serving as a means of transport
D. advancing agriculture in different areas

4. The passage is mainly about _____.

A. why humans domesticated horses
B. how humans and horses needed each other
C. why horses came in different shapes and sizes
D. how human societies and horses influenced each other

     Beauty has always been regarded as something praiseworthy (值得表扬的). Almost everyone thinks
attractive people are happier and healthier, have better marriages (婚姻) and have more respectable jobs.
Personal advisors give them better advice for finding jobs. Even judges are softer on attractive defendants.
But in the executive (主管的) 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 (帅的) male executives were considered having more honesty than plainer 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 considered to be more feminine
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(候选人). She asked 125 undergraduate students to rank two groups of photographs, one of men
and one of women, in order 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. 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. has as little effect on men as on women
D. affects men and women alike

3. 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

4. The author writes this passage to ____.

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

Dear Hamilton,
     We are fortunate that in such a large, high-pressure office we all get along so well. You are one of the
people who keep the social temperature at such a comfortable setting. I don't know anyone in the office
who is better liked than you.
     You can perhaps help with this. The collection of contributions towards gifts for employees' personal-life
events is becoming a little troubling. Certainly, the group sending of a gift is reasonable now and then. In the
past month, however, there have been collections for two baby shower gifts, one wedding shower gift, two
wedding gifts, one funeral (葬礼) remembrance, four birthday gifts, and three graduation gifts.
     It's not only the collected-from who are growing uncomfortable (and poor), but the collected-for feel
uneasy receiving gifts from people who don't know them outside the office, who wouldn't even recognize
their graduating children, their marrying daughters and sons, or their dead relatives.
     This is basically a kind gesture (and one that people think well of you for), but the practice seems to have
become too wide-ranging and feels improper in today's office setting.
     Thank you for understanding.

1. The underlined word "contributions" probably means _____.

A. money
B. suggestions
C. reports
D. understanding

2. Hamilton is expected to _____.

A. show more kindness
B. discontinue the present practice
C. quit being the organizer for gift giving
D. know more about co-workers' families

3. This is basically a letter of _____.

A. apology
B. sympathy
C. appreciation
D. dissatisfaction

     We have designed all our bank cards to make your life easier.
     How to use your NatWest Servicecard.
     As a Switch card, it lets you par for all sorts of goods and services, wherever you see the Switch logo.
The money comes straight out of your account, so you can spend as much as you like as long as you have
enough money or an agreed overdraft (透支) to cover it. It is also a cheque guarantee (担保) for up to the
amount shown on the card. And it gives you free access to your money from over 31,000 each machines
across the UK.
     How to use your NatWest Cashcard
     You can use your Cashcard as a Solo card to pay for goods and services wherever you see the Solo logo.
It can also give you access to your account and your cash from over 31,000 cash machines nationwide.
You can spend or withdraw (提取) what you have in your account, or as much as your agreed overdraft limit.
     Using your cards abroad
     You can also use your Servicecard and Cashcard when you're abroad. You can withdraw cash machines
and pay for goods and services wherever you acc the Cirrus or Maestro logo displayed. We take a commission
charge (手续费) of 2.25% of cash withdrawal you make (up to &4) and a commission. Charge of 75 pence
every time you use Maestro to pay for goods or services. We also apply a foreign-exchange transaction fee
of 2.65%.
    How to use your Nat West Credit Card
     With your credit card you can do the following:
     * Pay for goods and services and enjoy up to 56 days interest-free credit.
     * Pay in over 24 million shops worldwide that display the Mastercard or Visa logos.
     * Collect one AIR MILE for every ￡20 of spending that appears on your statement (结算单).
     (This does not include foreign currency or traveler's cheques bought,interest and other charges.)

1. If you carry the Servicecard or the Cashcard, _____.

A. you can use it to guarantee things as you wish
B. you can draw your money from cash machines conveniently
C. you can spend as much money as you like without a limit
D. you have to pay some extra money when you pay for services in the UK

2. If you withdraw ￡200 from a cash machine abroad,you will be charged _____.

A. ￡4
B. ￡4.5
C. ￡5.25
D. ￡5.3

3. Which of the following is TRUE about using your NatWest Credit Card?

A. You have to pay back with interest within 56 days.
B. You will be charged some interest beyond two months.
C. You can use the card in any shop across the world.
D. You will gain one air mile if you spend ￡20 on traveler's cheques.

4. The purpose of the passage is to show you how to _____.

A. play your cards right
B. use your cards abroad
C. draw cash with your cards
D. pay for goods with your cards

                                             Do's and Don'ts in Whale (鲸) Watching
     The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has developed guidelines for whale watching in Johnston Strait,
where killer whales are found on a daily basis each summer. It is strongly recommended that vessel (船只)
operators follow these guidelines for all kinds of whales.
● Approach whales from the side, not from the front or the back.
● Approach no closer than 100 metres, then stop the boat but keep the engine on.
● Keep noise levels down-no horns, whistles or racing of engines.
● Start your boat only after the whales are more than 100 metres from your vessel.
● Leave the area slowly, gradually moving faster when you are more than 300 metres from the whales.
● Approach and leave slowly, avoiding sudden changes in speed or direction.
● Avoid disturbing groups of resting whales.
● Keep at low speeds and remain in the same direction if travelling side by side with whales.
● When whales are travelling close to shore, avoid crowding them near the shore or coming between the
whales and the shore.
● Limit the time spent with any group of whales to less than 30 minutes at a time when within 100 to 200
metres of whales.
● If there is more than one vessel at the same observation spot, be sure to avoid any boat position that would
result in surrounding the whales.
● Work together by communicating with other vessels, and make sure that all operators are aware of the
whale watching guidelines.

1. For whom is this text written?

A. Tour guides.
B. Whale watchers.
C. Vessel operators.
D. Government officials.

2. When leaving the observation areas, the vessel should _____.

A. move close to the beach
B. increase speed gradually
C. keep its engine running slowly
D. remain at the back of the whales

3. When going side by side with whales, the vessel should _____.

A. keep moving in the same direction
B. surround the whales with other boats
C. travel closer and closer to the shore
D. take a good viewing position

4. What is the shortest safe distance from the whales?

A. 400 metres.
B. 300 metres.
C. 200 metres.
D.100 metres.