阅读下面短文，掌握其大意， 然后从各题所给的四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

An old man had three children, all boys. When they had grown up, he called them together and told them that he was very __36__ and no longer able to provide, __37__ for himself .He ordered them to go out and bring him food and clothing.

The three brothers __38 __  , and after a very long while they came to a large__39__. They decided that once they got across they would __40__. The eldest told the youngest to take the middle road, and the second to go to the right, __41__ he himself would go to the left. Then, in a year’s time, they would __42__ to the same spot.

So they parted, and at the end of a year, as __43__, they found their way back to the riverside. The eldest asked the youngest what he had gotten during his travels, and the boy __44__: I have nothing but a __45__ . If you look into it, you can see all over the country, no matter how far away.”

 When asked __46__ what he had gotten, the second brother replied : “Only a pair of sandals that are so full of __47__ that if one puts them on one can walk at once to any place in the country in one step.”

Then the eldest himself, said: “ I , __48__ , have obtained but little, a kind of medicine, that is all. But let us look into the mirror and see how father __49__.”

The youngest __50__ his mirror, and they all looked into it and saw that their father was already __51__.Then the elder said: “Let us __52__ home and see what we can do,” So the second brought out his sandals, and all three placed their feet inside them and ,  __53__ , they reached their father’s grave. Then the eldest took the__54__ out of his bag, and poured it over the grave. At once their father __55__, as if nothing had been the matter with him.

Now which of these three sons has performed the best?

1.A. old                B. tired               C. active              D. unusual

2.A. merely             B. even       C. already       D. ever

3.A. took down   B. grew up               C. set out      D. turned around

4.A. plain               B. temple                   C. mountain     D. river

5.A. settle                 B. speed                C. bathe              D. separate

6.A. but                  B. although           C. while     D. if

7.A. refer                  B. return                C. owe               D. contribute

8.A. agreed     B. tested                    C. proved        D. called

9.A. rose                   B. replied                  C. aimed           D. added

10.A. map                 B. rule                  C. mirror           D. telescope

11.A. in doubt          B. in store           C. in time           D. in turn

12.A. happiness       B. time              C. energy          D. power

13.A. however          B. therefore            C. too                D. anyway

14.A. came out        B. got on                    C. made up      D. broke down

15.A. produced       B. fetched                 C. hid            D. received

16.A. dead                 B. rich                   C. strong     D. sick

17.A. call                   B. ride                  C. hurry            D. drive

18.A. suddenly         B. instead             C. slowly  D. immediately

19.A. fish       B. medicine        C. money  D. wine

20.A. got up    B. built up           C. joined in    D. passed away

Interviewing someone for a job is not as easy as it looks. First, as the interviewer, you’re tasked with finding the person who will not only do the job well but also fit in well with the other employees.
You have to make an evaluation of abstract qualities that can’t be found on a résumé. Because you have to repeat the process for every potential employee, you end up asking question after question, applicant after applicant.
Still, interviewers need to be told something: “What is your biggest weakness?” is not a good question. It just isn’t.
Now, job seekers have to understand that interviewers want to find some way to know what makes an applicant different from others. Asking questions that are seemingly impossible to answer is one way to see who can think creatively. Then what may be a proper way to respond to such a question?
Honesty, with a twist(新手法)
“‘What are your three strengths and three weaknesses?’ is a classic, but not too many people know how to answer this,” says Kenneth C. Wisnefski, founder and CEO of WebiMax, an online marketing company.
“As an interviewer, we want to hear strengths that describe initiative(主动性), motivation and dedication. The best way to respond is to include these qualities into specific ‘personal statements.’”
“Similarly, weaknesses should be positioned as a strength that can benefit the employer.”
“I like to hear applicants state an exaggerated strength, and put an interesting twist on it. An example of this is, ‘My initiative is so strong, that sometimes I take on too many projects at a time.’”
This answer leads with a strength that employers want —initiative —and still acknowledges that you’re not perfect.
Although you might consider this acknowledgement too honest, it works because it proves you’re being honest.
Honesty, with progress
When you consider what your weaknesses are, think about how you have attempted to overcome them. No one is perfect, so pretending that you are a perfectionist will come across as insincere.
Debra Davenport, author of “Career Shuffle,” believes citing(引用) examples are the best approach.
“My preferred response for this question is to tell the truth without damaging the applicant’s image.” Davenport explains.
“A better response might be, ‘I’ve had some challenges with work-life balance in the past and I realize that a life out of balance isn’t good for me, my family or my employer. I’ve taken the time to learn better time and project management, and I’m also committed to my overall wellness.’”
The answer adds some dimension to the question, and proves you’ve thought beyond the answer. You’ve actually changed your behavior to address the situation, even if you haven’t completely overcome the weakness.
Put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes
However you decide to answer, Debra Yergen, author of “Creating Job Security Resource Guide,” recommends job seekers imagine themselves sitting on the other side of the desk.
“If you were doing the hiring, what would you be looking for? What would be your motivation for asking certain questions? Who would you be trying to weed out? If you can empathize (共鸣) with the interviewer, you can better understand what they want and need, and then frame your qualifications to meet their needs for the position you seek.”
Once you consider what the goal of the question is and figure out what your honest answer is, you’ll be able to give the best possible answer to a tricky question.

-American office workers spend an average of 52 hours a week at their desks, according to a statistic survey. Some might argue that not all that time is spent working，but still all those hours in windowless offices with artificial light can have an influence.

A few green additions could have a large effect on worker happiness，according to the survey led by Tina Cade from Texas State University.

“We pretty much found out that if you had windows and plants or even if you just had plants in your office, you were more satisfied with your job,” Cade told LiveScience. “We thought it was important for offices because a lot of times people are looking for ways to keep employees happy and do all these expensive things like building a gym. Maybe for less investment they could put in a few plants in important places.”

The team surveyed 450 office workers in Texas and the Midwest，asking questions about job satisfaction and the work environments. When asked about their overall life quality,82 said they felt “content” or “very happy”. Only 69 percent of those who work with plants but without windows，and 60 percent of those who have windows but no plants, said they felt this way.

The group of people who work without plants or windows were  the most dissatisfied，with only 58 percent of them saying that overall they were “content” or “very happy”. While no one who works with plants，windows，or both reported they felt “miserable”, 0.8 percent of those who work in offices without either said they were “miserable”. “I was really surprised that having a plant in your office appeared to be more beneficial than having a window in your office,” Cade said. “Everybody says, ‘I need a window!’ but actually it seemed like a plant could be a suitable alternative.”

1.What does the passage mainly tell us?

2.Among the 450 people surveyed, ________.

3. According to the survey，the group of people who work without plants or windows ______.

4. Which of the following statement is true?

Brenda Bongos was a happy, artistic girl. She had one big ambition—to play the drums in a band. But one big problem lay in her way. To be good enough to play in a band, Brenda had to practice a lot, but she lived next-door to a lot of old people. Many of them are sick. She knew that the sound of beating drums would really get on their nerves. So, she had tried playing in the strangest places: a basement, a kitchen, and even in a shower. But there was always someone it would annoy.

    One day, while watching a science documentary on TV, she heard that sound cannot travel in space, because there's no air. At that moment, Brenda Bongos decided to become a sort of musical astronaut.

    With the help of a lot of time, books and work, Brenda built a space bubble. This was a big glass ball connected to a machine which sucked out all the air inside. All that would be left inside was a drum kit（成套设备） and a chair. Brenda got into the space suit she had made, entered the bubble, turned on the machine, and played those drums like a wild child.

    It wasn't long before Brenda Bongos came very famous. Many people came to see her play in her space bubble. Shortly afterwards she came out of the bubble and started giving concerts. Her fame spread so much that the government suggested that she be part of a unique space journey. Finally, Brenda was a real musical astronaut, and had gone far beyond her first ambition of playing drums in a band.

    Years later, when asked how she had achieved all this, she thought for a moment, and said: ''If those old people next – door hadn't mattered so much to me, I wouldn't have found a solution, and none of this would have ever happened.''

1.Why did Brenda try to play in the strangest places?

A. Because she didn't want others to hear her play

B. Because she didn't mean to disturb others.

C. Because she didn't have her own room

D. Because she didn’t like her neighbors.

2.Brenda started to give concerts _______.

A. after she practiced in her space bubble

B. when she became part of the unique space journey

C. after she became a real musical astronaut

D. when people came to see her in the space bubble

3.Brenda became famous because _______.

A. she was good at music and science

B. she became a real musical astronaut

C. she invented a special way of practice

D. she played well and had a talent

4.Which of the following can be used to describe Brenda?

A. Kind, hardworking and clever

B. Brave, kind and hardworking.

C. Lovely, brave and kind

D. Nervous, kind and clever.

5.It can be inferred from the text that: " _______".

A. He laughs best who laughs last

B. It's never too old to learn

C. Two heads are better than one

D. One good turn deserves another

阅读下面短文，根据所读内容在表格中的空白处填入恰当的单词。注意：每个空格只填一个单词。
Time, a faithful company of our life, is a universal topic. People are always curious about what it is, how it travels and who it meets.
Stephen Hawking, one of the world’s smartest physicists, once said. “I’m fascinated by time.”
Many of us are, and the popularity of time travel novels, movies and TV series has proved that. After Palace and Startling by Each Step achieved astonishing ratings last year, Palace 2 aired on January 20, attracting time travel fans back to TV.
Woody Allen’s movie Midnight in Paris achieved great success. It was nominated for Best Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay and Art Direction for the 2012 Academy Awards.
Dream of heroism
Time travel TV series and movies connect both today and the past, thus offering room for imagination. Imagination creates a chance for the young to fulfill a dream that is hard to achieve in reality.
Chinese writer Xi Juan is a pioneer of time-travel stories in China. In 1993 she published a love story about a young woman time traveling to ancient times. The leading role’s modern personality and perception of love help her win the heart of a cool, handsome martial art master. Such a plot satisfies female fans’ love fantasy.
Starting from the late 1990s, novels about men traveling back to the past prevailed (盛行), with a Step into the Past as the most popular example. In these stories, the male leading roles accomplish great things with their modern skills and wisdom.
It is usually “a dream of heroism come true”, along with enviable romances.
Eye candy
“I’m hooked by the shows because they are characterized by dramatic and poetic love and have eye-pleasing actors,” Xia Xiaoyan, who works for a foreign-owned enterprise in Shanghai, explained her love for time travel TV series.
Her comment echoes a 2011 survey by Creat Marketing Research Co Ltd in China. When asked about what is so appealing about time travel TV series, 21 percent of respondents answered, “These attractive characters.”
A bigger reason behind the popularity of time travel stories, however, is the relaxation they offer, according to the survey.
Cai Yinong agrees. “Many people are facing tremendous pressure in their fast-paced lives, so this genre is more relaxing than other shows as it provides people with a terrific outlet to escape reality,” Cai told China Daily.
Cultural homesickness
“Which dynasty would you like to live in if you could travel to the past?” asked a survey launched by Shanghai University and Shanghai Social Sciences Association last December.
About 60 percent of the 2,543 respondents chose Tang Dynasty, while Qing Dynasty, and the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods were the other top two destinations.
The survey results reflects people’s definition of the good days: prosperous economy and culture, steady society, fair and uncorrupted politics, and opening up to the outside world.
As for the movie Midnight in Paris, it features modernity versus cultural homesickness. The New York Times commented, “The past seems so much more vivid, more substantial, than the present. The good old days are so attractive because we were not around, however much we wish we were.”