A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to visit their old university professor, now retired. During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives.

Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and other things including cups-porcelain(瓷杯子), glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some elegant -- telling them to help themselves to the hot chocolate.

When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said: "I notice that all the nice looking and expensive cups were taken, 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. The cup that you're drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each others cups. Now consider this: Life is the hot chocolate; your job, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life. The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality of life you have. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate we have. The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything that they have. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Thank the Lord for your blessings in 2011. And enjoy your hot chocolate in 2012!”

1. When did they decide to go to see their professor?

2.Why did the professor offer them different cups?

3.What caused the professor to say those words?

4.What does the word “cup” in this passage refer to?

5.What is the purpose of the professor’s words?

完型填空（每小题1.5分，满分30分）
Charlie and Jackie joined a wholesale company together just after graduation. Both worked very hard. After several years, the bosses promote Jackie to sales executive but Charlie_46_ a salesman. One day Charlie could not __47_ it anymore, tendered his resignation(辞职书) to the boss and complained the boss did not __48__ hard working staff, but only promoted those who flattered him. He thought it was really __49__.
The boss knew that Charlie had spared no _50___ for the company all these years, but in order to help Charlie realize the __51__ between him and Jackie, the boss ask Charlie to do the _52___: “go and find out if anyone is selling watermelon in the market.” Charlie returned and __53__ said yes. the boss asked.“how much per kg?” Charlie went back to the market to ask and returned to ___54__ ＄12 per kg.
The boss told Charlie that we would ask Jackie the _55___ question. Jackie went, returned and said,“boss, only one person is selling watermelon, ＄12 per kg, ＄100 for 10kg.he has a _56___ of 340 melons. on the table 58 melons and every melon weighs about 15kg,_57____ from the South two days ago. they are fresh, red and of good __58__ .” Charlie was _59____ and realized the difference between himself and Jackie. he decided not to __60___ but to learn from Jackie.

Three Boys and a Dad
Brad closed the door slowly as Sue left home to visit her mother. Expecting a whole day to relax, he was thinking whether to read the newspaper or watch his favorite TV talk show on his first day off in months. “This will be like a walk in the park,” he’d told his wife. “I’ll look after the kids, and you can go visit your mom.”
Things started well, but just after eight o’clock, his three little “good kids”—Mike, Randy, and Alex—came down the stairs in their night clothes and shouted “breakfast, daddy.” When food had not appeared within thirty seconds, Randy began using his spoon on Alex’s head as if it were a drum. Alex started to shout loudly in time to the beat（节拍）. Mike chanted “Where’s my toast, where’s my toast” in the background. Brad realized his newspaper would have to wait for a few seconds.
Life became worse after breakfast. Mike wore Randy’s underwear on his head. Randy locked himself in the bathroom, while Alex shouted again because he was going to wet his pants. Nobody could find clean socks, although they were before their very eyes. Someone named “Not Me” had spilled a whole glass of orange juice into the basket of clean clothes. Brad knew the talk show had already started.
By ten o’clock, things were out of control. Alex was wondering why the fish in the jar refused his bread and butter. Mike was trying to show off his talent by decorating the kitchen wall with his color pencils. Randy, thankfully, appeared to be reading quietly in the family room，but closer examination showed that he was eating apple jam straight from the bottle with his hands. Brad realized that the talk show was over and reading would be impossible.
At exactly 11:17, Brad called the daycare centre (日托所）.“I suddenly have to go into work and my wife’s away. Can I bring the boys over in a few minutes?” The answer was obviously “yes” because Brad was smiling.
【小题1】When his wife left home. Brad expected to           .

Three Boys and a Dad

 Brad closed the door slowly as Sue left home to visit her mother.Expecting a whole day to relax, he was thinking whether to read the newspaper or watch his favorite TV talk show on his first day off in months. “This will be like a walk in the park.”he’d told his wife.“I’ll look after the kids, and you can go visit your mom.”

Things started well, but just after eight o’clock, his three little “good kids”---Mike,Randy, and Alex --- came down the stairs in their night clothes and shouted“breakfast,daddy.” When food had not appeared on within thirty seconds,Randy began using his spoon on Alex’s head as if it were a drum. Alex started to shout loudly in time to the beat(节拍) . Mike chanted“Where’s my toast,where’s my toast” in the background. Brad realized his newspaper would have to wait for a few seconds.

Life became worse after breakfast. Mike wore Randy’s underwear on his head. Randy locked himself in the bathroom, while Alex shouted again because he was going to wet his pants. Nobody could find clean socks, although they were before their eyes. Someone named “Not me” had spilled a whole glass of orange juice into the basket of clean clothes. Brad knew the talk show had already started.

By ten o’clock, things were out of control. Alex was wondering why the fish in the fish bowl refused his bread and butter. Mike was trying to show off his talent by decorating（装饰）kitchen wall with his color pencils. Randy, thankfully, appeared to be reading quietly in the sitting room, but closer examination showed that he was eating apple jam straight from the bottle with his hands. Brad realized that the talk show was over and reading would be impossible.

At exactly 11:17, Brad called the daycare center(日托所).“I suddenly  have to go into work and my wife is away. Can I bring the boys over in a few minutes?” The answer was obviously“Yes” because Brad was smiling.

1.When his wife left home, Brad expected___________.

A. go out for a walk in the park

B. watch TV talk show with his children

C. enjoy his first day off the work. 　　

D. read the newspaper to his children

2.Which of the following did Randy do?

　A. drawing on the wall      B. eating apple jam

C. feeding the fish          D. reading in a room　

3.Why did Brad ask the daycare center for help?

A. Because he wanted to clean his house.　        

B. Because he suddenly had to go to his office

C. Because he found it hard to manage his boys　　         

D. Because he had to take his wife back home.

4.The text is developed ____________.

   A. by space    B. by comparison      C. by process     D. by time

 Maggie was very glad that James was not a frequent visitor to the house. So far as the children were concerned, they had a mystery about him that stirred their imagination. He stirred Maggie’s anger, however, so that she often said to her husband, “It’s mercy that brother of yours doesn’t come oftener.”

In fact James came once a year, unexpectedly, around eight o’clock in the evening, and he stayed for six hours of close discussion with his brother. His arrival was a signal to the children that their bedtime would be delayed. Not that he ever spoke to them or played with them. He took no notice of them, as if he was unable to see children, at least until the time came for him to go. Instead, after his first greeting and a careless kiss, James took no notice of Maggie either, except to add, “You’ll be getting on with the supper, Maggie.” Such was his regard for her.

Maggie paid him back in her own way. She kept the children up, the four of them, to keep her company, she said, but of course they sang and made a noise and broke the endless sound of James’s voice. Very late, they dropped off to sleep in their chairs. Then, when James was about to go, Maggie woke them up and so more or less forced him to part with four shillings before he left. That gave her some satisfaction, for James, though rich, was mean. He always went home by the last train, just after two o’clock.

Maggie’s children secretly stared at their uncle. They could not forget that he had, in their mother’s words, “lost two wives and taken a third, ” They wondered about those two unfortunate lost ladies. They asked each other what their fate had been, and if neither could ever be found again. James never brought his third wife with him nor ever mentioned her. The children decided that he must be so frightened of losing her that he never allowed her outside the door.

 The underlined word “mercy” in the text most probably means _______.

A. loss      B. wonder

C. lucky thing D. terrible thing

Maggie never prepared anything special for James because _______.

A. he was a man difficult to please

B. she never knew when he was coming

C. she was too busy looking after her children

D. he never stayed long enough for a meal

What do we know about James’ behavior?

A. He was a kind man, with love for the family.

B. He was generous, especially towards his brother.

C. He was anxious to please the family, especially the kids.

D. He was rude to his sister-in-law.

Maggie felt pleased when _______.

A. she paid James the money that she owed him

B. James gave some money to the children

C. she had to wake James up to catch his train

D. James thanked her for the nice supper

The children did not realize that two of James’ wives _______.

A. had been dead    B. suffered from loss of memory

C. had run away from him    D. might appear again one day