Anne Battle's "Do We Over-educate Our Children" reminded me that the German author Gunter Grass once said that failing his school leaving exams was a blessing （福气） without which he would never have achieved the position he now holds． I wonder how many other great men and women owe their success to having failed in their academic careers．

I was a college student in the 1960s the time when it was believed that the future wealth of the country depended on the education of the young: money was plentiful, new universities sprang up and great myths evolved to attract young people into the academic life．

Three years later, I got a first-class degree in mathematics． For some months there had been pressure to try for a further degree-the more post-graduate students there are, the mere financial benefits exist for us． My fellow postgraduates and I knew nothing of the outside world, and happily believed that academic life for another three years would uplift us in the eyes of future employers: and so I went to London and began work for a doctor's degree．

Here, for the first time, I came across  "mature students" -people who had left school at 16 and, years later, taken A-levels at technical colleges and come to university． Having chosen their subject with great care, and being more mature, they found a joy in their courses unknown to most of us．

I have been working now for several years: life has been very different from what I had been led to expect． However, it is too late Lo change: the state of understanding will not pay to reeducate people  completely． As I think back, I regret that I did not fail my A-levels．

47．What can we infer from Gunter Grass' words?

       A． He's ashamed of failing school leaving exams．

       B． He's satisfied with his present position．

       C． He's regarded as a great man.

       D． He's achieved a lot in career.

48．When the author was at college in the 1960s, the youth             .

       A． were linked up with the society

       B． were attracted by school

      C． were hopeless about life

       D． were quite wealthy

49．What makes the author feel regretful?

       A． Post-graduate students increased fast．

       B． She had had a hard time in academic life．

       C． The reality was different from what expected．

       D． She missed being a "mature student" in academe．

50．Which agrees with the author's idea?

       A． The society couldn't provide enough jobs for the youth

       B． Universities have done a lot for the society today．

       C． The youth shouldn't be at school for so long．

    D． Many great persons failed exams at school．

  

阅读理解

　　Cross was what people call a mystery(神秘和)man. We had known him for over five years, even since he became a member of our club. But he had a way of keeping his personal life to himself in all but unimportant facts. We knew his address, though he did not ever invite us to his home, and his age too, but only small matters of this kind.

　　It appeared that he did not have to work for a living as we did. He had once mentioned a piece of property left by someone on which he managed to live comfortably. He was not, however, a man of luxurious(奢侈的)habits: he was not especially well-dressed and he did not even have a car. At the age of forty-five he was still single, since marriage was not a subject(话题)he ever discussed. We had no means of finding out whether he regretted the lack of a wife.

　　Cross disappeared suddenly from our circle shortly after we came to learn the first really meaningful facts about our mystery man. From reports that appeared in the newspapers, together with photographs of a man who was, without any doubt, our Mr Cross, it was discovered that he was a most skilled house -breaker, operating mainly in the London area; and that he had practised this for many years, until he was caught and sent to prison.

1．Cross’s prersonal life ________.

[　　]

2．It seemed that Cross ________.

[　　]

A．had different jobs

B．had lost his job

C．lived only for his work

D．had enough money without working

3．Cross went out of sight ________.

[　　]

4．Cross was ________.

[　　]

5．Cross worked ________.

[　　]

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 Bobby to the position of manager but John remained an ordinary employee. John could not take it any more, tendered his resignation to the boss and complained the boss did not know how to delegate and did not value hard-working staff, but only promoted those who flattered him.

The boss knew that John worked very hard for the years. He thought a moment and said, “Thank you for your criticism, but I have a request. I hope you will do one more thing for our company before you leave. Perhaps you will change your decision and take back your resignation.”

John agreed. The boss asked him to go and find out anyone selling watermelon in 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 inform 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 in the market. Bobby went, returned and said, “Boss, only one person selling watermelon. $1.2 per kg, $10 for 10kg, he has inventory (清单) of 340 melons. On the table 58 melons, bought from the South two days ago, they are 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.

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 realize his aim. If a person sees one year ahead, while another sees only tomorrow. Then the difference between a year and a day is 365 times!

Why did John decide to hand in his resignation to the boss?

Because he couldn’t stand being an ordinary employee.

Because Bobby would take John’s former position.

Because the boss was not flattered by his hard work.

Because Bobby instead of him was promoted.

What did the boss ask John to do?

A. To go to market and find out whether there is someone selling watermelons.

B. To make a complete marketing research on the various prices of watermelons.

C. To search for much information about the effective ways to sell watermelons.

D. To make a comparison on the prices of different types of watermelons.

What sort of following information about watermelons was NOT brought by Bobby?

A. The price.                       B. The quality.

C. The quantity.                    D. The weight.

From the difference of John and Bobby, we may infer that a more successful person is more _____.

alert, sensitive and passionate

observant, thoughtful and exploratory

considerate, modest and satisfied

confident, noble and tolerant

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 Bobby to the position of manager but John remained an ordinary employee. John could not take it any more, tendered his resignation to the boss and complained the boss did not know how to delegate and did not value hard-working staff, but only promoted those who flattered him.
The boss knew that John worked very hard for the years. He thought a moment and said, “Thank you for your criticism, but I have a request. I hope you will do one more thing for our company before you leave. Perhaps you will change your decision and take back your resignation.”
John agreed. The boss asked him to go and find out anyone selling watermelon in 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 inform 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 in the market. Bobby went, returned and said, “Boss, only one person selling watermelon. $1.2 per kg, $10 for 10kg, he has inventory (清单) of 340 melons. On the table 58 melons, bought from the South two days ago, they are 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.
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 realize his aim. If a person sees one year ahead, while another sees only tomorrow. Then the difference between a year and a day is 365 times!
【小题1】Why did John decide to hand in his resignation to the boss?

A．Because he couldn’t stand being an ordinary employee.

B．Because Bobby would take John’s former position.

C．Because the boss was not flattered by his hard work.

D．Because Bobby instead of him was promoted.

【小题2】What did the boss ask John to do?

A．To go to market and find out whether there is someone selling watermelons.

B．To make a complete marketing research on the various prices of watermelons.

C．To search for much information about the effective ways to sell watermelons.

D．To make a comparison on the prices of different types of watermelons.

【小题3】 What sort of following information about watermelons was NOT brought by Bobby?

A．The price.	B．The quality.
C．The quantity.	D．The weight.

【小题4】 From the difference of John and Bobby, we may infer that a more successful person is more _____.
A. alert, sensitive and passionate
B. observant, thoughtful and exploratory
C. considerate, modest and satisfied
confident, noble and tolerant

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 Bobby to the position of manager but John remained an ordinary employee. John could not take it any more, tendered his resignation to the boss and complained the boss did not know how to delegate and did not value hard-working staff, but only promoted those who flattered him.

The boss knew that John worked very hard for the years. He thought a moment and said, “Thank you for your criticism, but I have a request. I hope you will do one more thing for our company before you leave. Perhaps you will change your decision and take back your resignation.”

John agreed. The boss asked him to go and find out anyone selling watermelon in 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 inform 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 in the market. Bobby went, returned and said, “Boss, only one person selling watermelon. $1.2 per kg, $10 for 10kg, he has inventory (清单) of 340 melons. On the table 58 melons, bought from the South two days ago, they are 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.

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 realize his aim. If a person sees one year ahead, while another sees only tomorrow. Then the difference between a year and a day is 365 times!

1.Why did John decide to hand in his resignation to the boss?

A.  Because he couldn’t stand being an ordinary employee.

B.  Because Bobby would take John’s former position.

C.  Because the boss was not flattered by his hard work.

D.  Because Bobby instead of him was promoted.

2. What did the boss ask John to do?

A. To go to market and find out whether there is someone selling watermelons.

B. To make a complete marketing research on the various prices of watermelons.

C. To search for much information about the effective ways to sell watermelons.

D. To make a comparison on the prices of different types of watermelons.

3. What sort of following information about watermelons was NOT brought by Bobby?

A. The price.                       B. The quality.

C. The quantity.                    D. The weight.

4. From the difference of John and Bobby, we may infer that a more successful person is more _____.

A.  alert, sensitive and passionate

B.  observant, thoughtful and exploratory

C.  considerate, modest and satisfied

confident, noble and tolerant