Did you ever wonder how some of your favorite foods, products or toys came about? Believe it or not, they may have been an accident, or a failure of some other intention. Below, we found three mistakes we’re thankful for turned out to be what they are.
1. Most historians hold that the Chinese invented fireworks in the 9th century when they
discovered how to make gunpowder. Story has it that a Chinese cook accidentally mixed together what were then considered common kitchen items and noticed they burnt. When put tightly in a bamboo tube and lit, it blew up.
2. In May of 1886, a law led John Pemberton, a pharmacist（药剂师）, to rewrite the formula(配方) for "Pemberton’s French Wine Coca,” his popular headache treatment. Containing sugar instead of wine as a sweetener, the outcome became something for Coke, which was later mixed with carbonated water. His bookkeeper suggested the name Coca-Cola because he thought the two C’s would look good together, which is how what we call Coca-Cola, a world –wide drink came into being.
3. During World War II, scientists at the University of Birmingham invented the magnetron—an important heat-producing part of the microwave oven(微波炉). While working for Raytheon Corporation after the war, the American engineer Percy Spencer was testing the magnetron when a chocolate bar in his pocket melted. He went on to test other foods including popcorn kernels, and found it to be a much more efficient way to cook. In 1947 Raytheon came out with the first restaurant microwave oven, which was six feet tall and weighed 750 lbs.   
【小题1】The right time order of the three inventions, according to the passage, should be_________.

A．fireworks, the microwave and Coca-Cola

B．fireworks ,Coca-Cola and the microwave

C．Coca-Cola , fireworks and the microwave

D．the microwave, Coca-Cola and fireworks

【小题2】Percy Spencer found the microwave efficient in cooking when he was _______.

A．looking for a way to melt his chocolate

B．trying to know how a magnetron could cook

C．working to know how the magnetron works

D．asked to invent a restaurant microwave oven

【小题3】What can we learn from the above invention stories? 

A．Experiments make great inventors of our time.

B．Nothing is impossible if one tries each day.

C．Inventors come out of hard work at any time.

D．A small incident may lead to a great invention.

【小题4】What’s the best title for the passage?

A．What great inventions they are!	B．Inventions from Three Countries.
C．Stories of Accidental Inventions.	D．The Human Inventions of time.

It is not unusual for people to speak two or three languages; they’re known as bilinguals or trilinguals. Speakers of more than three languages are known as polyglots. And when we refer to people who speak many languages, perhaps a dozen or more, we use the term hyper-polyglot.

The most famous hyper-polyglot was Giuseppe Mezzofanti, a 19th century Italian cardinal, who was said to speak 72 languages. This claim sounds absurd. If you assume each language had 20,000 words, Mezzofanti would have to learn a word a minute, six hours a day, for eleven years—an impossible task. But Mezzofanti was tested by critics, and they were all impressed.

Did Mezzofanti have an extraordinary brain? Or are hyper-polyglots just ordinary people with ordinary brains who manage to do something extraordinary through hard work?

U.S. linguist Stephen Drashen believes that outstanding language learners just work harder at it and then they acquire unusually strong language ability. As an example, he mentions a Hungarian woman who worked as an interpreter during the 20th century. When she was 86, she could speak 16 languages and was still working on learning new languages. She said she learned them mostly on her own, reading fiction or working through dictionaries or textbooks.

Some researchers argue to the contrary. They believe that there is such a thing as a talent for learning languages. In the 1930s, a German scientist examined parts of the preserved brain of a hyper-polyglot named Emil Krebs, who could speak 60 languages fluently. The scientist found that the area of Krebs’s brain called Broca’s area, which is associated with language, looked different from the Broca’s area in the brains of men who speak only one language. However, we still don’t know if Krebs was born with a brain ready to learn dozens of languages or if his brain adapted to the demands he put on it.

Although it is still not clear whether the ability to learn many languages is in born, there’s no doubt that just about all of us can acquire skills in a second, third, or even fourth language by putting our mind to it.

1.What does the underlined sentence imply?

A. Mezzofanti could remember 360 words a day.

B. Mezzofanti had a special way to learn languages.

C. Mezzofanti’s achievement was ridiculous.

D. Mezzofanti language ability was astonishing.

2.The Hungarian woman became a hyper-polyglot mainly because of her __.

A. good memory       B. unique brain      C. hard work      D. learning methods

3.The German scientist’s findings showed that Krebs ___.

A. had an unusual brain

B. was born with great talent

C. had worked hard at languages

D. expected too much of himself

4.The author seems to agree that ___.

A. it is not hard to learn foreign languages

B. hard work plays a part in language learning

C. there is no such thing as a talent for languages

D. hyper-polyglots have an inborn talent for language

 

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Many people think of guys as being carefree when it comes to their appearance. But in fact, a lot of guys spend plenty of time in front of the mirror.    1   .

Body image is a person’s opinions and feelings about his or her own body and physical appearance.     2   . You appreciate your body for its capabilities and accept its imperfections.

So, what can you do to develop a positive body image? Here are some ideas:

Recognize your strengths. Different body types are good for different things. What does your body do well? Maybe your speed, strength, or coordination makes you better than others at a certain sport. That may be basketball, table tennis, mountain biking, dancing, or even running. Or perhaps you have non-sports skills, like drawing, painting, singing, playing a musical instrument, writing, or acting.      3   .

Exercise regularly. Exercise can help you look good and feel good about yourself. Good physiques (体形) don’t just happen.     4   . A healthy habit can be as simple as exercising 20 minutes to one hour three days a week. Working out can also lift your spirits.

Respect your body! Practicing good habits --- regular showering; taking care of your teeth, hair, and skin; wearing clean clothes, and so on --- can help you build a positive body image.

   5     . Your body is just one part of who you are. Your talent for comedy, a quick wit (智慧), and all the other things make you unique. So try not to let small imperfections take over.

A．Use this as an opportunity to discover what you’re good at.

B．Be yourself.

C．They care just as much as girls do about their body image.

D．Just explore talents that you feel good about.

E. They take hard work, regular workouts, and a healthy diet.

F. The good news is that self-image and body image can be changed.

G. Having a positive body image means feeling satisfied with the way you look. 

 

I left university with a good degree in English Literature, but no sense of what I wanted to do. Over the next six years, I was treading water, just trying to earn an income. I tried journalism, but I didn’t think I was any good, then finance, which I hated. Finally, I got a job as a rights assistant at a famous publisher. I loved working with books, although the job that I did was dull.

I had enough savings to take a year off work, and I decided to try to satisfy a deep-down wish to write a novel. Attending a Novel Writing MA course gave me the structure I needed to write my first 55,000 words.

It takes confidence to make a new start — there’s a dark period in-between where you’re neither one thing nor the other. You’re out for dinner and people ask what you do, and you’re too ashamed to say, “Well, I’m writing a novel, but I’m not quite sure if I’m going to get there.” My confidence dived. Believing my novel could not be published, I put it aside.

Then I met an agent（代理商）who said I should send my novel out to agents. So, I did and, to my surprise, got some wonderful feedback. I felt a little hope that I might actually become a published writer and, after signing with an agent, I finished the second half of the novel.

The next problem was finding a publisher. After two-and-a-half years of no income, just waiting and wondering, a publisher offered me a book deal — that publisher turned out to be the one I once worked for.

It feels like an unbelievable stroke of luck — of fate, really. When you set out to do something different, there’s no end in sight, so to find myself in a position where I now have my own name on a contract（合同）of the publisher — to be a published writer — is unbelievably rewarding（有回报的）.

1.What does the underlined part in Paragraph 1 mean?

A．I was waiting for good fortune.

B．I was trying to find an admirable job.

C．I was being aimless about a suitable job.

D．I was doing several jobs for more pay at a time.

2.The author decided to write a novel ______ .

A．to finish the writing course

B．to realize her own dream

C．to satisfy readers’ wish

D．to earn more money

3.How did the writer feel halfway with the novel?

A．Disturbed.

B．Ashamed.

C．Confident.

D．Uncertain.

4.What does the author mainly want to tell readers in the last paragraph?

A．It pays to stick to one’s goal.

B．Hard work can lead to success.

C．She feels like being unexpectedly lucky.

D．There is no end in sight when starting to do something.

 

John and Bobby joined a wholesale company together just after graduation from college the same year. Both worked very hard. After several years, however, the boss promoted (提升) Bobby to the position of manager but John remained an ordinary worker. John couldn't understand it anymore, gave his resignation(辞呈) to the boss and complained that the boss didn't value hardworking workers, but only promoted those who flattered (奉承)him.
The boss knew John worked very hard for the years. He thought for a moment and said, "Thank you for your criticism(批评), but I have a request. I hope you'll do one more thing for our company before you leave. Perhaps you'll change your mind and take back your resignation."
John agreed. The boss asked him to go and find out anyone selling watermelon on the market. John went and returned soon. He said he had found out a man selling watermelon. The boss asked how much per kg? John shook his head and went back to the market to ask and returned to tell the boss$1.2 per kg.
Boss told John to wait a second, and he called Bobby to come to his office. He asked Bobby to go and find anyone selling watermelon on the market. Bobby went, returned and said,"Boss, only one person selling watermelon. $1.2 per kg, and $ 10 for 10 kg. He has 340 melons in all, 58 of which are on the table. Every melon weights about 2kg. Bought from the South two days ago, they're fresh and red, good quality."
John was very impressed and realized the difference between himself and Bobby. He decided not to resign but to learn from Bobby.
My dear friends, chances exist in the daily details. For the same matter, a more successful person sees more and farther so that he can find out an opportunity and catch it to achieve his aim.
【小题1】According to the first paragraph, John thought that _____.

A．Bobby was lazy though he was clever

B．it was unfair that the boss just promoted Bobby

C．Bobby wasn't fit to be a manager

D．the boss disliked hardworking workers

【小题2】The boss told John and Bobby to go to find anyone selling watermelon on the market in order to __.

A．show watermelons were in great need on the market

B．test their abilities to make market research

C．make John find out the differences between them two

D．convince John of Bobby's ability to do business

【小题3】It is known from the text that John was hardworking but _____.

A．a little stupid

B．a little rude

C．not good at learning

D．not thoughtful

【小题4】The story shows such an opinion that _____.

A．a successful person observes and thinks more

B．a successful person is curious and eager to learn

C．the main key to success is to know what you want

D．one's success sometimes is not related to his hard work