One day the employees of a large company in St Louis, Missouri returned from their lunch break and were greeted with a sign on the front door. The sign said: “Yesterday the person who had been in your way to success passed away. We invite you to join the funeral （葬礼） in the gym.”

At first everyone was sad to hear that one of their colleagues （同事） had died, but after a while they started getting curious about who this person might be.

The excitement grew as the employees arrived at the gym to pay their last respects. Everyone wondered: “Who is this person that was in my way? Well, at least he's no longer here!”

One by one the employees got closer to the coffin （棺材）. When they looked inside it they were speechless. They stood over the coffin, shocked and in silence, as if someone had touched the deepest part of their soul （灵魂）.

There was a mirror inside the coffin: Everyone who looked inside it could see himself. There was also a sign next to the mirror that said: “There is only one person who can stop yourself from succeeding: it is YOU.”

You are the only person who can change your life. You are the only person who can influence（影响）your happiness and your success. You are the only person who can help yourself.

Your life does not change when your family changes, when your friends change, when your boss changes, or when your company changes.

Your life changes when YOU change, when you realize that you are the only one responsible （负责的） for your life.

1. When the employees first heard the news, they were _____.

A．curious                   B．sad             C．surprised             D．excited

2. The employees went to the gym to _____.

A．play some sports                                         B．watch a ball game     

C．visit a dead person                               D．see a movie

3. The employees saw _____ in the coffin.

A．a dead man           B．a mirror          C．a picture             D．nothing

4. The company did this to _____.

A．play a joke on the employee                    B．show how to achieve success

C．explain the meaning of life                      D．show how to change the world

5. The story mainly tells us _____.

A．it's important to change oneself before one can succeed

B．it's everyone's duty to make a difference

C．it takes a long time to realize the importance of change

D．it's not easy to change the world around you

HOW AMERICANS LIVE

   “I think it’s the best way to live,” James Conaboy, a 35-year-old New York musician said, “If you want to make a mess, you can make a mess. If you want to paint the walls a certain color, you can do  it . “

   In the USA, there are more single-person households than classic nuclear families----a married couple and their natural children----according to a latest report. Other cities with high percentages(百分比) of single households are Washington DC, St. Louis, Denver and San Francisco.

   The high number of single households shows today’s values. People living alone, especially unmarried women used to have something to do with sadness. That feeling is no longer true. Self-esteem（自尊）isn’t based on having children and being married any more.

1. New York may be the loneliest city of the USA because_______

A. many people often feel lonely.

B. most of the people there often live alone.

C. there are nearly half of single-person households.

D. people can do what they like by themselves.

2.What does the underlined word it refer to (指的是)？

     A. Painting the walls.     B. Making a mess.

     C. Living alone.         D. Being married.

3. Which of the following can best explain the chart(图表) on the left of the text ?

A.     There are more single-person households than classic unclear families.

B.     The high number of single households shows today’s values,

C.     People living alone make up 48% of all households in the world.

D.     Unmarried women used to have something to do with sadness

Columbus College, 241 Queen Elizabeth Drive, Kowloon City

To: All  Staff (工作人员)

From: Jakie Mok, leader; Sports Committee

Date: May 20. 2012

A week ago, "Sports for Life" programme was sent to the parents, asking them to choose a sport they wanted their child to play. Since then, our staff have received lots of calls from parents asking for more information about it. Here is a memo for your reference（参考） when you answer the phones.

Sports l: Basketball

We expect that this will be the most popular of the four sports. So students should be advised to signup(报名) as soon as possible. Students will take a bus to and from Kwun Tong Sports Park. Each student will have to pay $10 each time. There will be four basketball courts for our use with one teacher watching over each game.

Sports 2: Gym

We will be using St. Peter's Memorial Park. There are two reasons for choosing this park. First, it is not very busy and crowded before 6:00 pm. Second, it has lots of trees with plenty of shade（树荫）. Students must bring along two bottles of water to prevent thirst. Three activities, skipping, jogging, outdoor aerobics will be arranged, all of which are free. And there will be a teacher for each of the activities.

Sports 3: Hiking

Hiking will take place at Kowloon Peak. The activity will start at 2:30 pm and finish 90 minutes later. Three teachers will be ,together with the students, and a hiking instructor（教练） will accompany each group of 15 hikers. Each instructor will cost $ 75 per hour.

Sports 4: Swimming

The Kowloon City Aquatic Centre is a 10 minute walk from our school. Four teachers will go to the swimming pool. Only students skillful at swimming can take up this activity. The pool will have two lifeguards(救生员). Girls must wear a swimming suit, The cost is $ 10 per visit.

53. Students should pay for the sports except_______.

   A. basketball        B. swimming        C. hiking      D. jogging

54. It can be inferred from the passage that_______.

   A. students taking part in basketball will walk to the courts

   B. every student can take part in any of the four sports

   C. skipping students can have a regular rest in the shade of trees

   D. students taking up the four sports should bring bottles of water

55. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

   A. Students choosing basketball should sign up early.

   B. Students taking part in gym should arrive at 6:00 pm.

   C. Hiking usually begins at 2:30 pm and lasts 2 hours.

   D. Students having swimming suits can take up swimming.

56. The purpose of the memo is to_______.

   A. make the students interested in the programme

   B. ask the parents to choose a sport for their child

   C. help the staff explain the programme to the parents

   D. tell teachers and lifeguards to start to work on time

Columbus College, 241 Queen Elizabeth Drive, Kowloon City

To: All  Staff (工作人员)

From: Jakie Mok, leader; Sports Committee

Date: May 20. 2012

A week ago, "Sports for Life" programme was sent to the parents, asking them to choose a sport they wanted their child to play. Since then, our staff have received lots of calls from parents asking for more information about it. Here is a memo for your reference（参考） when you answer the phones.

Sports l: Basketball

We expect that this will be the most popular of the four sports. So students should be advised to signup(报名) as soon as possible. Students will take a bus to and from Kwun Tong Sports Park. Each student will have to pay $10 each time. There will be four basketball courts for our use with one teacher watching over each game.

Sports 2: Gym

We will be using St. Peter's Memorial Park. There are two reasons for choosing this park. First, it is not very busy and crowded before 6:00 pm. Second, it has lots of trees with plenty of shade（树荫）. Students must bring along two bottles of water to prevent thirst. Three activities, skipping, jogging, outdoor aerobics will be arranged, all of which are free. And there will be a teacher for each of the activities.

Sports 3: Hiking

Hiking will take place at Kowloon Peak. The activity will start at 2:30 pm and finish 90 minutes later. Three teachers will be ,together with the students, and a hiking instructor（教练） will accompany each group of 15 hikers. Each instructor will cost $ 75 per hour.

Sports 4: Swimming

The Kowloon City Aquatic Centre is a 10 minute walk from our school. Four teachers will go to the swimming pool. Only students skillful at swimming can take up this activity. The pool will have two lifeguards(救生员). Girls must wear a swimming suit, The cost is $ 10 per visit.

53. Students should pay for the sports except_______.

      A. basketball        B. swimming        C. hiking      D. jogging

54. It can be inferred from the passage that_______.

      A. students taking part in basketball will walk to the courts

      B. every student can take part in any of the four sports

      C. skipping students can have a regular rest in the shade of trees

      D. students taking up the four sports should bring bottles of water

55. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

      A. Students choosing basketball should sign up early.

      B. Students taking part in gym should arrive at 6:00 pm.

      C. Hiking usually begins at 2:30 pm and lasts 2 hours.

      D. Students having swimming suits can take up swimming.

56. The purpose of the memo is to_______.

     A. make the students interested in the programme

     B. ask the parents to choose a sport for their child

     C. help the staff explain the programme to the parents

     D. tell teachers and lifeguards to start to work on time