In the United States, when one becomes rich, he wants people to know it. And even if he does not become very rich, he wants people to think that he is. That is what “keeping up with the Joneses” is about. It is the story of someone who tried to look as rich as his neighbours.

The expression was first used in 1913 by a young American called Arthur Momand. He told this story about himself. He began earning $ 125 a week at the age of 23. That was a lot of money in those days. He got married and moved with his wife to a very wealthy neighbourhood outside New York City. When he saw that rich people rode horses, Momand went horseback riding every day. When he saw that rich people had servants, Momand and his wife also hired a servant and gave big parties for their new neighbours.

It was like a race, but one could never finish his race because one was always trying to keep up. The race ended for Momand and his wife when they could no longer pay for their new way of life. They moved back to an apartment in New York City.

Momand looked around him and noticed that many people do things just to keep up with rich lifestyle of their neighbours. He saw the funny side of it and started to write a series of short stories. He called it “Keeping up with the Joneses” because “Jones” is a very common name in the United States. “Keeping up with the Joneses” came to mean keeping up with rich lifestyle of the people around you. Momand’s series appeared in different newspapers across the country for over 28 years.

People never seem to get tired of keeping up with the Joneses. And there are “Joneses” in every city of the world. But one must get tired of trying to keep up with the Joneses because no matter what one does, Mr. Jones always seems to be ahead.

1.Some people want to keep up with the Joneses because they ________.

A．want to be as rich as their neighbours

B．want others to know or to think that they are rich

C．don’t want others to know they are rich

D．want to be happy

2.It can be inferred (推断) from the story that rich people like to ________.

A．live outside New York City                 B．live in New York City

C．live in apartments                       D．have many neighbours

3.Arthur Momand used the name “Jones” in his series of short stories because “Jones” is ________.

A．an important name                      B．a popular name in the United States

C．his neighbour’s name                   D．not a good name

4.If a person who keeps up with the Joneses, he would _________.

A．do as the poor persons around him do

B．do everything he likes to do

C．do as his neighbours do

D．do as the rich people around him do

 

Mrs. Thompson came to the 5th grade class and noticed that Teddy was always alone. Also, he did badly in his studies. When she reviewed Teddy’s past records，she find he was a good child at first，but he began to change when his mother got ill. Finally he lost interest in school after his mother’s death.
Mrs.Thompson realized the problem and felt sorry for him. She felt even worse when her students brought her beautifully-covered Christmas presents. His presents were covered with some old paper. Some children laughed when she found a bracelet(手镯)with some of the stones missing, and a bottle with a little perfume(香水). But she said how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some perfume on her hand. Teddy stayed after school for a long time just to say，“Mrs.Thompson，today you smelled just like my mom used to.” After the child left，she cried for quite a long time.
On that very day，she taught not only knowledge but also children. As she worked with Teddy，his mind seemed to come alive. By the end of the year，Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class.
A year later，Teddy left school. She found a note under her door，from Teddy，saying that she was the best teacher he ever had in his life. After that, these words were repeated in each of his letters to her.
Then after he finished college, Teddy wrote telling her that he had met a pretty girl and was going to get married. He explained that his father was dead，and that he wondered if Mrs.Thompson might sit at the wedding in the place for the mother of the groom(新郎).
Of course，Mrs.Thompson did. She wore the bracelet and the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.
They hugged(拥抱)each other，and Teddy whispered in Mrs.Thompson’s ear，“Thank you，Mrs.Thompson，for making me feel important，and showing me that I could make a difference. ”
Mrs.Thompson，with tears in her eyes，whispered back，“Teddy，it’s not like that. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn’t know how to teach until I met you.”
【小题1】What made Teddy change before Mrs. Thompson came?

A．His mother’s illness and death.	B．His classmates’ laughing at him.
C．His past records by his teachers.	D．His interest in some other things.

【小题2】Teddy left a note for Mrs. Thompson when he left school mainly to say _______.

A．sorry

B．hello

C．thanks

D．goodbye

【小题3】What kind of person was Mrs. Thompson?

A．Wise and humorous.	B．Kind and helpful.
C．Selfish and impatient.	D．Strict and stubborn.

【小题4】We can learn from the passage that _______.

A．Mrs. Thompson became Teddy’s mother at last.

B．Mrs. Thompson didn’t know how to teach all her life.

C．Teddy didn’t finish college before he got married.

D．Mrs. Thompson and Teddy each made a difference.

 Mrs. Thompson came to the 5^th grade class and noticed that Teddy was always alone. Also, he did badly in his studies．When she reviewed Teddy’s past records，she find he was a good child at first，but he began to change when his mother got ill. Finally he lost interest in school after his mother’s death.

    Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and felt sorry for him．She felt even worse when her students brought her beautifully-covered Christmas presents．His presents were covered with some old paper. Some children laughed when she found a bracelet(手镯)with some of the stones missing, and a bottle with a little perfume(香水). But she said how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some perfume on her hand．Teddy stayed after school for a long time just to say，“Mrs. Thompson，today you smelled just like my mom used to.”After the child left，she cried for quite a long time.

On that very day，she taught not only knowledge but also children. As she worked with Teddy，his mind seemed to come alive. By the end of the year，Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class.

A year later，Teddy left school. She found a note under her door，from Teddy，saying that she was the best teacher he ever had in his life. After that, these words were repeated in each of his letters to her.

Then after he finished college, Teddy wrote telling her that he had met a pretty girl and was going to get married. He explained that his father was dead，and that he wondered if Mrs. Thompson might sit at the wedding in the place for the mother of the groom(新郎).

Of course，Mrs. Thompson did. She wore the bracelet and the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together．

They hugged(拥抱)each other，and Teddy whispered in Mrs. Thompson’s ear，“Thank you，Mrs. Thompson，for making me feel important，and showing me that I could make a difference．”

Mrs. Thompson，with tears in her eyes，whispered back，“Teddy，it’s not like that. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn’t know how to teach until I met you.”

【小题 1 】What made Teddy change before Mrs. Thompson came?

A. His mother’s illness and death.        B. His classmates’’ laughing at him.

C. His past records by his teachers.       D. His interest in some other things.

【小题 2 】Teddy left a note for Mrs. Thompson when he left school mainly to say _______.

A. sorry        B. hello       C. thanks       D. goodbye

【小题  3】What kind of person was Mrs. Thompson?

A. Wise and humorous.              B. Kind and helpful.

C. Selfish and impatient.             D. Strict and stubborn．

【小题 4 】 We can learn from the passage that _______.

A. Mrs. Thompson became Teddy’s mother at last.

B. Mrs. Thompson didn’t know how to teach all her life.

C. Teddy didn’t finish college before he got married.

D. Mrs. Thompson and Teddy each made a difference.

 

In the United States, when one becomes rich, he wants people to know it. And even if he does not become very rich, he wants people to think that he is. That is what “keeping up with the Joneses” is about. It is the story of someone who tried to look as rich as his neighbours.
The expression was first used in 1913 by a young American called Arthur Momand. He told this story about himself. He began earning $ 125 a week at the age of 23. That was a lot of money in those days. He got married and moved with his wife to a very wealthy neighbourhood outside New York City. When he saw that rich people rode horses, Momand went horseback riding every day. When he saw that rich people had servants, Momand and his wife also hired a servant and gave big parties for their new neighbours.
It was like a race, but one could never finish his race because one was always trying to keep up. The race ended for Momand and his wife when they could no longer pay for their new way of life. They moved back to an apartment in New York City.
Momand looked around him and noticed that many people do things just to keep up with rich lifestyle of their neighbours. He saw the funny side of it and started to write a series of short stories. He called it “Keeping up with the Joneses” because “Jones” is a very common name in the United States. “Keeping up with the Joneses” came to mean keeping up with rich lifestyle of the people around you. Momand’s series appeared in different newspapers across the country for over 28 years.
People never seem to get tired of keeping up with the Joneses. And there are “Joneses” in every city of the world. But one must get tired of trying to keep up with the Joneses because no matter what one does, Mr. Jones always seems to be ahead.
【小题1】Some people want to keep up with the Joneses because they ________.

A．want to be as rich as their neighbours

B．want others to know or to think that they are rich

C．don’t want others to know they are rich

D．want to be happy

【小题2】It can be inferred (推断) from the story that rich people like to ________.

A．live outside New York City	B．live in New York City
C．live in apartments	D．have many neighbours

【小题3】Arthur Momand used the name “Jones” in his series of short stories because “Jones” is ________.

A．an important name	B．a popular name in the United States
C．his neighbour’s name	D．not a good name

【小题4】If a person who keeps up with the Joneses, he would _________.

A．do as the poor persons around him do

B．do everything he likes to do

C．do as his neighbours do

D．do as the rich people around him do

Mrs. Thompson came to the 5^th grade class and noticed that Teddy was always alone. Also, he did badly in his studies. When she reviewed Teddy’s past records，she find he was a good child at first，but he began to change when his mother got ill. Finally he lost interest in school after his mother’s death.
Mrs.Thompson realized the problem and felt sorry for him. She felt even worse when her students brought her beautifully-covered Christmas presents. His presents were covered with some old paper. Some children laughed when she found a bracelet(手镯)with some of the stones missing, and a bottle with a little perfume(香水). But she said how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some perfume on her hand. Teddy stayed after school for a long time just to say，“Mrs.Thompson，today you smelled just like my mom used to.” After the child left，she cried for quite a long time.
On that very day，she taught not only knowledge but also children. As she worked with Teddy，his mind seemed to come alive. By the end of the year，Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class.
A year later，Teddy left school. She found a note under her door，from Teddy，saying that she was the best teacher he ever had in his life. After that, these words were repeated in each of his letters to her.
Then after he finished college, Teddy wrote telling her that he had met a pretty girl and was going to get married. He explained that his father was dead，and that he wondered if Mrs.Thompson might sit at the wedding in the place for the mother of the groom(新郎).
Of course，Mrs.Thompson did. She wore the bracelet and the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.
They hugged(拥抱)each other，and Teddy whispered in Mrs.Thompson’s ear，“Thank you，Mrs.Thompson，for making me feel important，and showing me that I could make a difference. ”
Mrs.Thompson，with tears in her eyes，whispered back，“Teddy，it’s not like that. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn’t know how to teach until I met you.”
【小题1】What made Teddy change before Mrs. Thompson came?

A．His mother’s illness and death.	B．His classmates’ laughing at him.
C．His past records by his teachers.	D．His interest in some other things.

【小题2】Teddy left a note for Mrs. Thompson when he left school mainly to say _______.

A．sorry

B．hello

C．thanks

D．goodbye

【小题3】What kind of person was Mrs. Thompson?

A．Wise and humorous.	B．Kind and helpful.
C．Selfish and impatient.	D．Strict and stubborn.

【小题4】We can learn from the passage that _______.

A．Mrs. Thompson became Teddy’s mother at last.

B．Mrs. Thompson didn’t know how to teach all her life.

C．Teddy didn’t finish college before he got married.

D．Mrs. Thompson and Teddy each made a difference.