It was graduation day at the university where I work and a beautiful day quite unlike the first graduation I attended as a young professor．On that cold day years ago, as we watched the students walking into the hall, one of my colleagues turned to me and said, "Graduation will be one of the happiest and one of the saddest time of your life．" At my inquiry, he answered, "Because the students you have gotten to know have to leave．"
As years went by, my previous confusion about my colleague's words no longer existed．When I came across naughty students, I have had to rethink why I chose to be a teacher．It obviously isn't the money．Once a former computer science student of mine called me, asking me if I wanted to have a change．He was working at Nintendo Corporation．His salary was higher than my current one, though I have more education and have worked for over a decade．With my programming skills, he said he could get me hired．I thanked him, but declined his kind offer．
A few days before this current graduation, while working on final grades, I found a note a student had slipped in with her homework．She thanked me for being her teacher and said the things she had learned in my class—not about math, but about life—would be things she would remember long after the math skills had faded away．As I finished reading, I remembered why I had become a teacher．
Now, on this sunny graduation day, as I again observed the sea of blue hats and gowns, I did so with renewed dedication （奉献） and a deeper sense of satisfaction—I will always be grateful that I am a teacher．
【小题1】Hearing his colleague's description of graduation for the first time, the author __________．

A．quite agreed with his colleague

B．was very puzzled

C．thought it very funny

D．was very sad

【小题2】The computer science student called up the author because he___________．

A．wanted to inform the author of his present job

B．tried to persuade the author to work with him

C．wanted the author to share his joy and satisfaction

D．thought the author wasn't fit to be a teacher

【小题3】The underlined part “blue hats and gowns” refers to___________．

A．university colleagues	B．graduates' clothes
C．life memories	D．decorations in the hall

【小题4】The author wrote this passage to __________．

A．express his devotion to being a teacher

B．compare two different graduation ceremonies

C．talk about the meaning of graduation

D．give advice on how to be a good teacher

George, when your big brother and your little dog and I walked you up to school today, you had no idea how I was feeling.
You were so excited. You had packed and unpacked your pencils and safety scissors in your backpack a dozen times. I am really going to miss those lazy mornings when we waved your brother and sister off to school.
Because you are my youngest, I had learned a few things by the time you came along. I found out that the seemingly endless days of babyhood are gone like lightning. I blinked（眨眼）, and your siblings（兄弟姐妹） were setting off for school as eagerly as you did this morning, I was one of the lucky ones; I could choose whether to work or not. By the time it was your turn, the shining prizes of career advancement and a double income had lost their brightness. A splash（溅水）in the pool with you in your bright red boots or "just one more" rereading of your favorite book, Frog and Toad Are Friends, meant more. You didn't go to preschool and I hope that doesn't hold you back. You learned numbers by helping me count the soda cans we returned to the store.
I have to admit that in my mind’s eye, an image of myself while you're in school has developed, I see myself updating all the photo albums and starting that novel I always wanted to write. As the summer wound down and more frequent quarrels erupted（爆发） between you and your siblings, I was looking forward to today. And then this morning, I walked you up the steep hill to your classroom and you gave me one of your characteristically fierce, too-tight hugs. This time you were ready to let go before I was.
Maybe someday you will deliver a kindergartner to the first day of school. When you turn at the door to wave good-bye, he or she will be too deep in conversation with a new friend to notice. Even as you smile, you'll feel something warm on your cheek.
【小题1】What does the author mean by the underlined sentence in the 3rd paragraph?

A．She gave up the job with a big salary and prizes.

B．She could only recall her good job at home now.

C．Many good jobs with better pay attracted her but she didn’t take them.

D．Compared with bringing up the baby, work seemed to fade to her.

【小题2】Which statement is NOT TRUE about George's family according to the letter?

A．George's parents gave birth to three children.

B．The Georges is a double income family.

C．They recycled soda cans.

D．The children had more arguments during the summer.

【小题3】The passage tries to show us ________.

A．how excited a child will be on his first day to school

B．how deeply a mother loves her child

C．how many efforts a mother has made to raise a child

D．how a mother plans her future life after her children go to school

A group of graduates, successful in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor．Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life．
Before offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and a variety of cups-porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking and cheap, some exquisite and expensive-telling them to help themselves to the coffee．
When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones．While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress．Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee．In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink．What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups．．．And then you began eyeing each other's cups．
Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups．They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of Life we live．Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us．"
God brews the coffee, not the cups．Enjoy your coffee!
"The happiest people don't have the best of everything．They just make the best of everything．"
Live simply．Love generously．Care deeply．Speak kindly．Leave the rest to God．
【小题1】What does the underlined word "it" in Paragraph 3 refer to?

A．the ordinary-looking cup	B．the nice-looking cup
C．the coffee of good quality	D．the coffee of poor quality

【小题2】Why did the professor offer his students coffee with varieties of cups?

A．To give his students many more choices．

B．To teach his students how to enjoy coffee．

C．To show the students his collection of cups．

D．To tell his students the right attitude to life

【小题3】According to the professor, the happiest people are the ones who _____．

A．get the best type of coffee cups	B．make the best of what they have
C．have a wide range of coffee cups	D．care about social status and wealth

【小题4】The best title for the passage would be _____．

A．God's Coffee	B．The Pressure of Life
C．The Happiest People	D．Professor's Coffee Cups

根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
The Internet has opened up a whole new online world for us to meet, chat and go where we’ve never been before.
But just as in face to face communication, there are some rules of behavior that should be followed when on line.  ______1______Imagine how you’d feel if you were in the other person’s shoes.
For anything you’re about to send: ask yourself, “Would I say this to the person’s face?” if the answer is no, rewrite and reread.     2      
If someone in the chat room is rude to you, your instinct（本能）is to fire back in the same manner. But try not to do so.    3      If it was caused by a disagreement with another member, try to fix the situation by politely discussing it. Remember to respect the beliefs and opinions of others in the chat room.
  4     Offer advice when asked by newcomers, as they may not be sure what to do or how to communicate. When someone makes a mistake, whether it’s a stupid question or an unnecessarily long answer, be kind about it. If it’s a small mistake, you may not need to say anything. Even if you feel strong about it, think twice before saying anything. Having good manners yourself doesn’t give you license to correct everyone else.      5       At the same time, if you find you are wrong, be sure to correct yourself and apologize to those that you have offended（冒犯）.
It is not polite to ask others personal questions such as their age, sex and marital status. Unless you know the person very well, and you are both comfortable with sharing personal information, don’t ask such questions.

A．It’s natural that there are some people who speak rudely or make mistakes online.

B．Repeat the process till you feel sure that you’d feel comfortable saying the words to the person’s face.

C．Everyone was new to the network once.

D．The basic rule is simple: treat others in the same way you would want to be treated.

E. When you send short messages to a person online, you must say something beautiful to hear.
F. You should either ignore the person, or use your chat software to block their messages.
G. If you do decide to tell someone about a mistake, point it out politely.

Zoe Chambers was a successful PR (Public Relations) consultant and life was going well — she had a great job, a beautiful flat and a busy social life in London. Then one evening in June last year, she received a text message telling her she was out of work. The first two weeks were the most difficult to live through." she said. "After everything I'd done for the company, they dismissed me by text! I was so angry and I just didn't feel like looking for another job. I hated everything about the city and my life."
Then, Zoe received an invitation from an old school friend, Kathy, to come and stay. Kathy and her husband had just bought a farm in north-west Wales. Zoe jumped at the chance to spend a weekend away from London, and now, ten months later, she is still on the farm.
"The moment I arrived at Kathy's farm, I loved it and I knew I wanted to stay." said Zoe. "Everything about my past life suddenly seemed meaningless."
Zoe has been working on the farm since then and says she has no regrets. "It's a hard life, physically very tiring." she says. "In London 1 was stressed and often mentally exhausted. But this is a good, healthy tiredness. Here, all I need to put me in a good mood is a hot bath and  Kathy's wonderful dinners."
Zoe has never felt bored on the farm. Every day brings a new experience. She has learned how to ride a horse and drive a tractor. She has been helping with the lambing. "Watching a lamb being born is one of the most moving experiences for me. I could never go back to city life now," she says.
【小题1】When working as a PR consultant in London, Zoe thought she lived a ______ life.

A．satisfying

B．tough

C．meaningless

D．boring

【小题2】The most important reason why Zoe went to visit Kathy's farm is that______.

A．Zoe lost her job as a PR consultant

B．Kathy persuaded her to do so

C．Zoe got tired of the city life

D．Zoe loved Wales more than London

【小题3】How does Zoe feel about the country life according to the passage?

A．Tiresome and troublesome.

B．Romantic and peaceful

C．Mentally exhausting but healthy

D．Physically tiring but rewarding.

【小题4】Which of the following is closest to the main idea of the passage?

A．A friend in need is a friend indeed.

B．Where there is a will, there is a way.

C．A misfortune may turn out a blessing.

D．Kill two birds with one stone.

On a cold evening I was waiting for a taxi in New York. About 5 minutes later, I was picked up by a driver, and he said how terrible some people were. I knew there was a part of me that wanted to be silent, but I had to listen out of kindness.
The man told me that he had just come from JFK Airport without a customer. During the taxi ride, what started as anger changed slowly and he mentioned that he had read an article which said that the happiest people are the ones that give, so he hoped he’d have more chance to give in his life. I was really starting to enjoy being with this man.
As we arrived at the place where I wanted to go, I paid my money by credit card. I pulled out an extra $20 and said, “Sir, since we’ve been talking about giving this whole time, I want to share that feeling with you. I’ve already paid my money, but here’s an extra little bit. You can tell the next passenger in this taxi that their ride is a gift from another.”
I thought I was pretty cool at this point, but he turned toward me, tears in his eyes, and said, “Sir, I have a better idea. You give that $20 to a homeless person around here and I will give the next passenger a free ride myself.
It was a great honor meeting that man and learning the lesson of how everyone gives and adds joy to another with their generosity.
【小题1】According to the text, when the author got in the taxi, the driver was    .

A．angry

B．nervous

C．worried

D．regretful

【小题2】The author gave the driver an extra $20 in order to    _.

A．help him to get out of trouble

B．know what he was really like

C．experience the joy of giving

D．learn how to get along with others.

【小题3】What can be inferred (推断) from the taxi driver’s words in Paragraph 4?

A．A driver should be willing to help.

B．People should understand each other.

C．The driver was deeply moved.

D．One needs to keep an optimistic attitude (乐观态度).

【小题4】What would be the best title for the text?

A．A cold evening in New York

B．A lesson learned from a taxi driver

C．A gift to a generous stranger

D．Always being a happy person

I have had the privilege of meeting some very interesting people over the years. Some of these people made a great impact on my life, my views and personal philosophy. Others I met had the opposite effect because they represented attitudes, behavior and beliefs that were directly opposed to my views on life and my feelings about the value of all people.
One such person I met was a woman in her late seventies. She had been an active woman, raised a family and had engaged in helping others, and developed her own crafts to sell at selected craft shows throughout the year.
When I met her for the first time, I couldn’t believe that she was in her late seventies — I would have placed her age more in her early sixties. After speaking with her for a short period, it was only then that the conversation seemed to turn to age. And, it wasn’t a conversation about the frailty (脆弱) of age, or the aches and pains, or about pleasures lost.
The conversation, instead, focused on her zest for life and all the things that she was in the planning stages of doing. And, what she was planning to do wasn’t about going to a seniors group so she and her husband could go on a bus tour. What she was planning was an excursion (旅行) to Europe, unaccompanied by any tour operator or taken around the usual sights by a local guide.
She really impressed me a lot because of her zest for life; for an uncompromising view of the future not in the least affected by her age; for the undying faith in knowing that there was a great deal of life yet to be discovered and experienced and yearning for each new image, discussion, smell, cultural uniqueness or experience.
【小题1】From the text we know_____________.

A．the woman had much sight-seeing around the world.

B．the woman was willing to help others.

C．the woman made great wealth by selling crafts.

D．the woman talked a lot about her age.

【小题2】The old woman impressed the author because ______________.

A．she kept young in spite of her age

B．she had experienced a lot in life

C．she never gave in to the aches and pains in life

D．she had a positive outlook on life

【小题3】What kind of tone does the author use to describe the woman?
A. Doubtful.   C. Concerning.              C. Sympathetic.   D. Appreciative.
【小题4】The underlined word “zest” in the fourth paragraph probably means“_____________”.

A．enthusiasm

B．concept

C．view

D．satisfaction

My father is a smart man. He spent many years of his life listening to people’s arguments, first as assistant district lawyer and then as a judge. My dad knows rubbish rhetoric when he hears it.
One of his favorite phrases is: “If you don’t have anything smart to say, then don’t say it at all.” Yet, for all of his legal training and life experience, he can’t help but keep talking about the Mega Millions jackpot.
We all know the odds(几率)of winning the jackpot this evening with one ticket are extraordinarily low ... 1 in 175, 711, 536, to be exact. Still, people go out and buy hundreds of tickets with the hopes of becoming wealthier beyond their dreams. Why? There are two possible explanations for this “irrationality”(不理智).
One idea is that the way we calculate odds in our heads has nothing to do with mathematical odds in the traditional sense. We don’t go to the mathematical odds table and say, “Well, this would be a terrible investment. I think I’m better off putting my money in the bank!” Rather, it has everything with the ability to picture an event happening.
My father, for instance, watches the news every night and sees people winning the lottery(彩票). Therefore, he thinks the chance of him winning the lottery is much higher than they actually are.
The second thought is that the expected effect of playing cannot be represented merely by the odds. My father and, I’m sure, others get a thrill from the mere idea of winning. He loves imagining what it would be like to actually win and losing doesn’t really affect him. Sure, he’s disappointed, but it’s “better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” When you combine the utility of thinking you can win with the utility of actually winning (no matter how small the chance of that occurring), it’s worth it for many people to spend the one dollar on a ticket.
My analysis is that both factors are at play in taking a chance on the lottery. My father and others really do underestimate the odds of winning, but the thrill of participation is not denied by a realistic assessment of the odds. Still, I would probably put my finger on the scale for the first explanation.
All told, a review of the odds of other events happening confirms that there just aren’t many events that occur with less frequency than your winning the Mega Millions jackpot. Look at the graph below, you may understand some:

In many ways, it’s like the lottery, something that features often on television and about which people fantasize, but that rarely happens.
So, when you watch, along with my Pa, to see if your lucky number is drawn this evening, keep in mind three things: that your number almost certainly won’t come up; that you are still going to have fun; and that, finally, a lot of other things are more likely to happen—but getting eaten by a shark isn’t one of them.
【小题1】It can be learned from the article that ________.

A．the Mega Millions jackpot is the last lottery to win in the world

B．a judge in that country can’t talk about lottery because it is illegal

C．the writer doesn’t buy lottery, for he never hopes to become rich

D．In spite of little possibility, a lot of people spend money on lottery

【小题2】The function of the graph is to ________.

A．show chances that those things take place are fewer

B．support the writer’s arguments on the lottery tickets

C．indicate no one can win the Mega Millions jackpot

D．say shark attack death will seldom happen this year

【小题3】Which of the following do you think the writer would probably agree with?

A．If one has mathematical odds, he can win the prize more easily.

B．Only those who have irrationality buy hundreds of lottery tickets.

C．The Mega Millions jackpot is very popular in the writer’s country.

D．Winning lottery is a shortcut to achieve the dream of being rich.

【小题4】The underlined phrase “at play” in the 7^th paragraph most probably means ________.

A．effective

B．ridiculous

C．contradictory

D．astonishing

【小题5】What do you think is the best title?

A．The Popular Mega Millions Jackpot	B．Lottery is Merely a Trick
C．Mega Million is Like a Shark Attack	D．Be rich, Buy Lottery Soon

Being beautiful means a lot to teenage girls. Once it did to me too. I was the vainest person in the world, but that all changed one December night.
It was a Thursday, and I was getting ready for the wrestling tournament the following day. I was so excited; it was going to be my first tournament as a cheerleader. I walked past the mirror and stopped to check my appearance. I noticed my eyebrows were a little bushy, and that’s when my vanity kicked in. The brows could be easily fixed with the waxing kit I had purchased. I put the jar of wax in the microwave. But instead of heating the wax for 30 seconds, I pressed too many zeros and heated it for three minutes. As I reached for the jar, I dropped it, spilling it all over myself.
My mother came running when she heard my screams. The hot wax was rolling down my face and arm. My mom took a wet washcloth and tried to wash the wax off my face. This proved to be a bad idea, because the wax was honey based, and it pulled my skin off with the wax.
The 15-mile drive to the emergency room seemed to take hours. When we finally arrived, the nurse didn’t waste any time. They took me straight to a doctor and gave me extra-strength painkillers, so my mind was in confusion. The doctor explained how severe my burns really were: my arm was a combination of first-, second- and third-degree burns, and needed to stay bandaged. My face was first- and second-degree burns. If the wax had gotten any closer to my right eye, I would have lost my sight. I was covered in multi-colored “goop(药膏)”, wrapped, and sent home to recover.
I got up the next morning and the first thing I wanted to do was wash off the remaining wax. I unwrapped the bandages and “degooped”, letting warm water gently remove the rest of the wax. The next step was to do a self-evaluation of the damage. I couldn’t believe how horrible I looked. A horror-movie monster stared back at me from the mirror. All I could think was, my life is over. For someone as vain as me, this was very true. I thought I was going to be horribly disfigured(毁容的)for the rest of my life! All I could do was cry.
My mom made it worse by forcing me to go out in public. She dragged me to the grocery store and wherever else she felt like taking me. Everywhere we went, people had a million questions, none of which I wanted to answer. Then my mom declared she was going to put me through even more torture—I had to go to school on Monday. School only led to more questions from more people.
Now, two years later, my wounds have healed, leaving a few scars. I still feel self-conscious if I don’t wear make-up, and I’ve discovered that three-quarter length sleeves are wonderful for covering the scars on my arm.
After spending several months adjusting to this injury, I realized how vain I was. I had made beauty important, but it never was or will ever be that important. It took this event to teach me that no matter how much you change on the outside, you’re still the same person on the inside. 
【小题1】After the accident, the writer has come to realize that ________.

A．teenage girls care too much about their appearance

B．loving beauty will necessarily make one disfigured

C．we can never judge a person merely by one’s looks

D．sometimes being beautiful can cost you something

【小题2】Which of the four statements is a fact?

A．The severe damage to her sight and face weren’t recovered.

B．The mother wished the writer to face her misfortune bravely.

C．From the lesson we conclude that “once bitten, twice frightened”.

D．The severe burns were caused by her mother’s lack of first-aid.

【小题3】The underlined sentence in the last paragraph is closest to ________.

A．beauty is not everything	B．a student shall not make up
C．beauty is not important	D．loving beauty will spoil you

【小题4】The author develops her composition by ________.

A．offering accurate facts	B．giving contrast and comparison
C．using logical arguments	D．representing own experiences

【小题5】Which of the following can be the best title?

A．The Price of Vanity	B．An Unexpected Ending
C．A Disfigured Girl	D．Beauty Ruins Everything

No one wants to look stupid or do the wrong thing at a new job. It is important to make the right impression from the very first day. You will face new people. You will be in a new place.
It may be difficult to know what to do. Here are five tips to help you make it through the first days at a new job:
1. First impressions can last forever. Make sure you make a good one. Before your first day, find out if your new job has a dress code (rules about what you can wear to work). If so, be sure to follow it. No matter what, always be neat and clean.
2. Get to work on time.
3. Pay attention to introductions. One of the first things that your supervisor may do is to introduce you to co-workers. These co-workers will be important to you. They are the ones who will answer your questions when the boss is not around.
4. Ask plenty of questions. Make sure that your supervisor has told you what is expected of you. If he or she has not told you your duties, ask for a list. Set daily and weekly goals for yourself.
5. Never be the first one to leave. Observe(观察) what your co-workers do around quitting time (下班时间). It does not look good for you to be eager to leave.
【小题1】Before you arrive at work on the first day, you should __________.

A．dress in a right way	B．introduce yourself
C．know your duties	D．know your co-workers well

【小题2】According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．You should be the first one to arrive at work.

B．You should ask your co-workers about your duties.

C．You should not be eager to go back home after work.

D．You are required to arrive 15 minutes earlier

【小题3】According to the passage, your supervisor is most likely your _____________.

A．visitor

B．teacher

C．workmate

D．leader

【小题4】What is the best title for this passage?

A．Getting a New Job.	B．Tips on How to Work.
C．The First-day Work.	D．The Importance of Co-workers.