I struggled to _____ on my new skates, which frightened my parents.

A. keep my balance B. off balance 　　 C. lose my balance D. on balance

　　It is exciting to apply for(申请) a job that really interests you. In making your application, there are a number of points for you to observe.

　　In your letter of application, aim to say just enough to introduce yourself. If you are answering an advertisement, any information for which it asks must, of course, be given. This will usually cover your school record and any further education and training. You may also be asked to give the names of one or two persons to supply reference(参考). For this purpose you should choose people who know you well enough about your character and ability; and you should also ask for their permission to be named as referees.

　　It will depend on circumstances(情况)how much you can usefully add about yourself. Your purpose is to bring to the notice of the boss any good reason why you rather than any of the other applicants(申请人) should be chosen for the job. If therefore you feel you have any special skill for the work or, for example, any particular interest in the line of business, let this be known.

　　Finally there is your use of language. You cannot go wrong if you keep your sentences and paragraphs short, making sure the sense is clear and well expressed. Choose plain words so long as they can express your meaning .

1.The aim of writing a letter of application is to ___________

　　A. tell the boss your school record    　　B. express why you are most suitable for the job

　　C. show your character and ability    　　D. give enough information about yourself

2.In your letter of application, try to ________________.

　　A. keep it as short as possible

　　B. give more information about your education and training

　　C. say in a few words with main information

　　D. cover your school record fully

3.The author suggests you choose_________so long as they can express your thought well .

　　A. simple words　　　B. ordinary words

　　C. direct words 　　　D. words easy to understand

4.The underlined word “referee ”means a person________.

　　A. who is willing to comment on your character and ability

　　B. who writes the letter of application for you.

　　C. to whom you are going to work

　　D. who is to examine the matter

5.The best title for this passage could be________.

　　A. How to Find a Job 

　　B. The Best Way to Write a Letter

　　C. Writing Letters to One's Boss

　　D. How to Write a Letter of Application

Who will ______ your dog when you all go out for a holiday?

1. A.
   keep down
2. B.
   look for
3. C.
   attend to　　
4. D.
   take to

　　 My secret of staying young is quite simple: devote your attention to the part of you that's young and growing — your brain. Keep your mind awake and you will stay young all over. These are exciting times. Take an interest in the world around you, and make a point of learning one new thing every day.

　　 No matter how old you are, it's not too late to make your life more interesting. I know a housewife without knowledge in the past who made herself into an excellent industrial designer. I know an old electrical engineer who has become a highly paid artist.

　　 Get over the idea that you are too old to go back to school. I know a man who entered a medical college at 70. He got his degree with honors and became a famous doctor. Another man went to a law school at 71 and now is an active lawyer.

　　 No matter how old people are, staying young is easy for these who live in the future. You can do it if you are active enough to try. Keep your mind active and awake: that's the only youth elixir.

1. Which of the following best expresses the main idea of this passage?

　 A. Staying young is the only youth elixir.　 B. Learning at least one new thing every day.

　 C. Never too late to go back to school.　 D. The secret of staying young.

2. If you wish to stay young, above all, you should __.

　 A. keep your mind awake and active　　　 B. make your life more interesting

　 C. keep your mind from being harmed　　 D. keep in touch with other people

3. The implied meaning of the passage is that __.

　 A. anyone can learn to do something no matter how old he may be

　 B. the electrical engineer learned to be an artist to become famous

　 C. the man who entered the medical college at 70 came out at the top of the list

　 D. every one can be successful if you try to learn no matter how old he may be

4. The word “elixir” in the last sentence probably means something that can keep people __.

　 A. healthy　　　　 B. wealthy　　　 C. young　　　　　 D. happy

Who owns the large American companies that produce cars, washing machines, and television sets? They are owned by a large group of people called stockholders.
　　A company must have money to build factories and to buy machinery. To get this money, it sells shares of stock（股份）. Each share of stock is a share in the ownership of the company. The person who buys a share of stock becomes a part owner of the company. He is called a stockholder. A company can have thousands of stockholders. Sometimes a very large company is owned by millions of stockholders.
　　Few persons can afford to buy a whole company, but the average individual can become part owner of a business. He can save his dollars and buy a share of stock in a large company. A person does not have to be wealthy to be a stockholder.
　　When a company makes money, each stockholder may receive a dividend(股息) check, which is his share of the profits（利润）. Parts of a company’s profits are not paid out to the stockholders. This money is used by the company so it can grow larger. If the company does well, its shares of stock become more valuable.
　　More than 20 million people own shares of stock in America’s companies. By owning stock, they are helping America’s businesses grow. They are also putting their money to work to earn more money.
【小题1】The story makes you think that _____.