Joy Mangano was 33 and divorced（离婚）, had three kids under age 7, and was hardly keeping up payments on her small two-bedroom home by working extra weekend hours as a waitress.

　　“Sometimes I would lie in bed and think. I don’t know how I’m going to pay the bills,” Mangano said.

　　But she had a gift for seeing the obvious. She knew how hard it was to mop the floor. “I was tired of bending down, putting my hands in dirty water and wringing（拧）out a mop.” Mangano says. “So, I thought: There’s going to be a better way.”

　　How about a “self wringing” mop? She designed a special tool that could be twisted（转动）in two directions while not making hands wet and dirty. She set out to sell it, first only a few at flea markets（跳蚤市场）.

　　Then Mangano met with the media. But would couch potatoes（泡在电视机前的人）buy a mop? The experts on shopping TV were less than certain. They gave it a try, and it failed. Mangano was sure it would sell if they’d let her do the on-camera demonstration.

　　QVC took a chance on her. “I got onstage and the phones went crazy. We sold every mop in minutes.”

　　Today she’s the president of Ingenious Designs, a multimillion-dollar company, and one of the stars of the Home Shopping Network. Talking about her household inventions is “as natural for me as it is for parents to talk about their children”.

　　Today one of her favorite products is Huggable Hangers. The thin, space-saving inventions are the most successful gadget（器具）ever sold on HSN, with 100 million hanging out there in closets across the country. Of course, you couldn’t possibly sell hangers on TV.

(1)What would be the best title for the passage?

[　　]

A．There is going to be a better way

B．A woman invented the self-wringing mop

C．An ordinary woman sells her invention on TV

D．Women can all achieve remarkable success

(2)What does the underlined sentence “the phones went crazy” (in Paragraph 6) mean?

[　　]

A．Many people made calls to say they were mad.

B．There were lots of calls to order the new mop.

C．Many people were mad to see me on TV.

D．The telephone broke down at my home.

(3)Which is the correct order of the following events?

a．Mangano invented the most popular Huggable Hangers.

b．Mangano was tired of mopping the floor.

c．Mangano designed a self-wringing mop.

d．Mangano was ever worried about how to pay the bills.

e．Mangano did an on-camera demonstration to sell her mops.

[　　]

(4)What conclusion can be made from the story?

[　　]

A．Women can invent household tools because they often do housework.

B．Mangano treated her household inventions as she treated her children.

C．Mangano used to lie in bed and think of how to invent household tools.

D．One can make life better through work though it is sometimes hard.

The professor stood before his class of 30 senior biology students, about to pass out the final exam. “I have been honored to be your instructor this term, and I know how hard you have all worked to prepare for this test. I also know most of you are off to medical school or graduate school next fall,” he said to them.
“I can well understand how much pressure you are under to keep your grades up, and because I know you are able to understand this material, I am prepared to offer an automatic(自动的) “B” to anyone who would prefer not to take the final.”
In relief a number of students jumped up to thank the professor and left the class. The professor looked at the students who remained, and offered again, “Any other takers? This is your last chance.” One more student decided to go.
There were seven students left. The professor closed the door. Then he handed out the final exam. There were only two sentences typed on the paper: “Congratulations, you have just received an “A” in this class. Keep believing in yourself.”
I never had a professor who gave a test like that. It may seem like the easy way out of grading (评分) a lot of exams, but it’s a test that any teacher in any subject could and should give. Students who don’t have confidence in what they’ve learned are “B” students at best.
The same is true for students of real life. The “A” students are those who believe in what they’re doing because they’ve learned from both successes and failures. They have learned life’s lessons, whether from formal education or the school of hard knocks, and become better people.
Take your cue(榜样) from Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to reach the top of Mount Qomolangma: “It’s not the mountain we conquer (征服), but ourselves.” Don’t let the biggest limit be yourself.
53. The professor offered an automatic “B” to those who would prefer not to take the final exam because _________.
A. he liked the students who wanted to get a “B”
B. he believed they were able to pass the exam
C. he thought any teacher should give them a “B”
D. he thought it was the easy way of grading exams
54. According to the text, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. 22 students got a “B” in the final test without doing the paper.
B. Most of the students would go to medical school shortly after the exam.
C. There were actually no problems on the test papers for the students to work out.
D. The way the professor tested his students would not be suitable for other subjects.
55. According to the writer, the test given by the professor was ________.
A. funny        B. meaningful       C. difficult            D. harmful
56. The point of the story is to advise readers _________.
A. to pay attention to what they can do
B. not to miss any final exam at school
C. not to let themselves limit their growth
D. to surround themselves with confident people

It’s a goal for millions and millions of families every year——keep the Christmas spending within a certain amount, but can still afford the gifts that your loved ones will enjoy. Never has this concern been greater in recent years than right now. Even so, there are several things that you can do to help.

         Hit the sales.

No one wants to get up at four o’clock in the morning and fight to get the best deal on Black Friday, and it’s surely very tough to pick up the courage and get out there in the cold for a good deal, but sometimes——it can be well worth. Many retailers(零售商) offer specials all through the day——and some even offer online Black Friday specials, so you may still be able to get a great deal on Black Friday.

         Pay close attention to advertisements.

Once the Christmas shopping season is coming, retailers hungry for business will do just about whatever to get you in the store. Pay very close attention to weekly advertisements of sales among the major retailers and you may be lucky enough to find different prices for the same thing in different shops.

         Shop online.

Some of us don’t like running from store to store in order to get the best price on the perfect gift, and some of us don’t like to go out in the cold at all——thankfully for us, we can do online shopping.

         The world of online shopping lets people visit all the major retailers as well as some specialty stores that could only be found on the Internet. Customers can find exactly what they are looking for, at the best possible price without ever having to leave the house. With traditional Christmas shopping consumers are sometimes limited to what’s left in stock if they wait too long to get to a particular store.

1. The first paragraph implies that ______.

         A. nowadays not many people can afford expensive gifts

         B. recently many people don’t want to spend money on gifts

         C. Christmas is a time to make our loved ones enjoy their gifts

         D. Christmas is a time to make us feel free to buy our loved ones gifts

2. In the writer’s opinion, it is rewarding on Black Friday _____.

         A. if the weather is not very cold                       B. if we don’t have to fight for the best deals

         C. if we don’t have to get up early                     D. If we get what we want at a good price

3.The underlined word “specials” means_______.

         A. some experts in shopping                               B. certain things for especially low price

         C. some kind of help for a certain customer   D. things that can only be found on Friday

4. We can have more choices _____.

         A. on Black Friday                                                   B. in a particular store

         C. on the Internet                                                  D. from retailers

5.In this passage the writer means ______.

         A. to tell us the best way to do shopping

B. to attract more readers to do wise shopping

         C. to show us how hard it is to do Christmas shopping

         D. to give us advice on how to get a good deal at Christmas time

阅读下面短文,掌握其大意,然后从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项。

School was over and I felt quite tired. I sat at the very 1.of the crowded bus because of my anxiety to get home. Sitting there makes me 2.out like a shiny coin in a pile of dull pennies.

Janie, the 3. tries to break the uncomfortable atmosphere by striking the match of 4.. I tried to mind my manners and 5.listen, but usually I am too busy thinking about my day. On this day, 6., her conversation was worth listening to.

“My father’s sick,” she said to no one in 7. I could see the anxiety and fear in her eyes. “What’s wrong with him?” I asked. With her eyes wet and her voice tight from 8. the tears, she answered, “Heart trouble.” Her eyes 9. as she continued. “I’ve already lost my mum, so I don’t think I can stand losing him.”

I was 10. My heart ached for her. And this reminded me of the great 11.that my own mother was thrown into when her father died. I saw how hard it was, and 12. is, for her. I wouldn’t like anyone to 13.that.

Suddenly I realized Janie wasn’t only a bus driver. That was 14.her job. She had a whole world of 15.and concerns, too. I suddenly felt very selfish. I realized I had only thought of people as 16.as what their purposes were in my life. I paid no attention to Janie17. she was a bus driver. I had 18. her by her job and brushed her off as unimportant.

For all I know, I’m just another person in 19. else’s world, and may not even be 20. . I should not have been so selfish and self-centered. Everyone has places to go, people to see and appointment to keep. Understanding people is an art.

21.A. front                       B. end                        C. side                         D. middle

22.A. find                        B. take                       C. think                        D. stand

23. A. doctor                    B. driver                     C. teacher                     D. assistant

24. A. fire                        B. topic                      C. conversation             D. discussion

25.A. politely                   B. slightly                   C. carelessly                 D. partly

26.A. however                  B. therefore                C. instead                     D. otherwise

27.A. surprise                   B. particular                C. silence                     D. purpose

28.A. fighting                  B. turning                   C. clearing                    D. protecting

29.A. opened                    B. shone                     C. closed                      D. lowered

30. A. recognized  B. worried                            C. shocked                    D. excited

31. A. victory                   B. pain                       C. respect                     D. disappointment

32.A. away                      B. seldom                   C. still                          D. never

33.A. pick up                   B. work out                C. go though                 D. get down

34.A. almost                    B. nearly                    C. ever                         D. just

35.A. family                    B. factory                   C. school                      D. friend

36.A far                           B. long                       C. much                       D. well

37.A. while                      B. because                  C. though                     D. until

38.A. criticized                 B. received                 C. considered                D. judged

39. A. everyone                B. anyone                   C. someone                   D. nobody

40.A. happy                     B. wise                       C. useful                      D. important

阅读下面短文,掌握其大意,然后从 21～40 各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项,并在答题纸上将该选项标号涂黑。

   School was over and I felt quite tired. I sat at the very  21  of the crowded bus because of my anxiety to get home. Sitting there makes me  22  out like a shiny coin in a pile of dull pennies.

   Janie, the  23_ , tries to break the uncomfortable atmosphere by striking the match of _ 24 .

I tried to mind my manners and 25  listen, but usually I am too busy thinking about my day. On this day,   26  , her conversation was worth listening to.

   “My father’s sick,” she said to no one in  27 , I could see the anxiety and fear in her eyes. “What’s wrong with him?” I asked. With her eyes wet and her voice tight from  28  the tears, she answered, “Heart trouble.” Her eyes   29   as she continued. “I have already lost my mum, so I don’t think I can stand losing him.”

I was  30  . My heart ached for her. And this reminded me of the great  31   that my own mother was thrown into when her father died. I saw how hard it was, and   32  is, for her. I wouldn’t like anyone to   33   that.

   Suddenly I realized Janie wasn’t only a bus driver. That was   34   her job. She had a whole world of   35  and concerns, too. I suddenly felt very __36____. I realized I had only thought of people as far as what their purposes were in my life. I paid no attention to Janie 37  she was a bus driver. I had   38  her by her job and brushed her off as unimportant.

   For all I know, I’m just another person in  39  else’s world, and may not be   40 . I should not have been so selfish and self-centered. Everyone has places to go, people to see and appointment to keep. Understanding people is an art.

1. A. front         B. end            C. side                D. middle

2. A. find          B. take           C. think               D. stand

3.. A. doctor        B. driver         C. teacher              D. assistant

4. A. fire          B. topic          C. conversation          D. discussion

5. A. politely      B. slightly         C. carelessly             D. partly

6.. A. however     B. therefore        C. instead               D. otherwise

7.. A. surprise      B. particular       C. silence               D. purpose

8. A. fighting      B. turning         C. clearing              D. protecting

9. A. opened       B. shone          C. closed               D. lowered

10. A. recognized    B. worried        C. shocked              D. excited

11. A. victory       B. pain           C. respect               D. disappointment

12.A. away         B. seldom         C. still                 D. never

13. A. pick up       B. work out       C. go through            D. get down

14.A. almost        B. nearly         C. ever                 D. just

15. A. family        B. bus            C. school              D. friend

16. A. selfish        B. desperate       C. pessimistic          D. ridiculous

17.. A. while         B. because        C. though              D. until

18.. A. criticized      B. received        C. considered           D. judged

19.. A. everyone      B. anyone         C. someone            D. nobody

20. A. happy         B. wise           C. useful              D. important