FFather was a hardworking man who delivered bread as a living to support his wife and three children. He spent all his evenings after work attending classes，hoping to improve himself so that he could one day find a better. paid job. Except. for Sundays, Father hardly ate a meal together with his family. He worked and studied very hard because he wanted to provide his family with the best that money could buy.

Whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. Though he often longed to spend more time with his family, he weighed his contribution to his family above everything else.

The day came when the examination results were announced. To his joy, Father passed, and with distinctions too! Soon after, he was offered a good job as a senior supervisor which paid handsomely.

Like a dream come true, Father could now afford to provide his family with life’s little luxuries like nice clothing，fine food and vacation abroad.

However, the family still did not get to see Father for most of the week. He continued to work very hard, hoping to be promoted to the position of manager. In fact, to make himself a worthily candidate for the promotion, he took another course in an open university.

Again, whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. Though he often longed to spend more time with his family, he weighed his contribution to his family above everything else.

Father’s hard work paid off and he was promoted. Happily, he decided to hire a maid to relieve his wife from her domestic tasks. He also felt that their three-room flat was no longer big enough. It would be nice for his family to be able to enjoy the facilities and comfort of a condominium.  Having experienced the rewards of his hard work many times before, Father resolved to further his studies and work at being promoted again. The family still did not get to see much of him. In fact, sometimes Father had to work on Sundays entertaining clients.

 Over again, whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. Though he often longed to spend more time with his family, he weighed his contribution to his family above everything else.

As expected, Father's hard work paid off again and he bought a beautiful condominium overlooking the coast of Singapore. On the first Sunday evening at their new home, Father declared to his family that he decided not to take any more courses or pursue any more promotions. From then on he was going to devote more time to

his family, and it was a promise.

Father did not wake up the next day.

1.Father worked and studied very hard because ________.

A．he had to support his family

B．he was enthusiastic in attending classes

C．he wanted to bring his family a better lire

D．he had to so as to reduce his family’s complaint

2.What CAN’T Father get through his hard work?

A．Family time.        B．Higher education.   C．Better housing.     D．Vacation abroad.

3.How would the family feel when “Father did not wake up the next day”?

A．To their joy, Father can have a good rest in the end.

B．They should have stopped Father from working so hard.

C．Thank God, Father can stay home with them.

D．There is no point working hard for a better life.

4.What is the function of the italicized(斜体)paragraphs in this passage?

A．To make readers show sympathy for Father.

B．To show how stubborn Father was.

C．To make readers fee l how hard Father worked.

D．To imply a sad ending to the story.

 

Five years ago, David Smith wore an expensive suit to work every day. “I was a clothes addict,” he jokes. “I used to carry a fresh suit to work with me so I could change if my clothes got wrinkled.” Today David wears casual clothes—khaki pants and sports shirt—to the office. He hardly ever wears necktie. “I’m working harder than ever,” David says, “and I need to feel comfortable.”

More and more companies are allowing their office workers to wear casual clothes to work in the United States. The change from formal to casual office wear has been gradual. In the early 1990s, many companies allowed their employees to wear casual clothes on Friday(but only on Friday). This became known as “dress-down Friday” or “casual Friday.” “What started out as an extra one-day-a-week benefit for employees has really become an everyday thing,” said business consultant Maisly Jones.

Why have so many companies started allowing their employees to wear casual clothes? One reason is that it’s easier for a company to attract new employees if it has a casual dress code. “A lot of young people don’t want to dress up for work,” says the owner of a software company, “so it’s hard to hire people if you have a conservative dress code.” Another reason is that people seem happier and more productive when they are wearing comfortable clothes. In a study conducted by Levi Strauss and Company, 85 percent of employers said that they believe that casual dress improves employee morale(士气). Only 4 percent of employers said that casual dress has a negative impact on productive. Supporters of casual office wear also argue that a casual dress code helps them save money. “Suits are expensive, if you have to wear one every day,” one person said. “For the same amount of money, you can buy a lot more casual clothes.”

David Smith refers to himself as having been “a clothes addict” because       .

A. he often wore khaki pants and a sports shirt

B. he couldn’t stand a clean appearance

C. he wanted his clothes to look neat all the time

D. he didn’t want to spend much money on clothes

David Smith wears casual clothes now, because     .

A. they make him feel at ease when working

B. he cannot afford to buy expensive clothes

C. he looks handsome in casual clothes

D. he no longer works for any company

According to this passage, which of the following statements is FALSE?

A. Many employees don’t like a conservative dress code.

B. Comfortable clothes make employees more productive.

C. A casual clothes code is welcomed by young employees.

D. All the employers in the US are for casual office wear.

In this passage, the following advantages of casual office wear are mentioned EXCEPT       .

A. saving employees’ money

B. making employees more attractive

C. improving employees’ motivation

D. making employees happier

Many years ago, there was a story of a school teacher—Mrs. Thompson. She told the children on the first day that she loved them all the same. But that was a lie. There in the front row was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. He didn’t play well with the other children and he always needed a bath. She did not like him.

Then Mrs. Thompson got to know that Teddy was actually a very good boy before the death of his mother. Mrs. Thompson was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when, like all her other students, Teddy brought her a Christmas present too. It was his mother’s perfume.

Teddy said, “Mrs. Thompson, today you smell just like my Mom used to.” After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day， she stopped teaching reading, writing and maths. Instead, she began to teach children.

Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. The boy’s mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he improved. By the end of the sixth grade, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class.

Six years went by before she got a letter from Teddy. He wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. He went to college. Mrs. Thompson got two more letters from him with the last one signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M. D.（医学博士）.

The story doesn’t end there. On his wedding day, Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson’s ear， “Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for believing in me. You made me feel important and showed me that I could make a difference.”

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

1.What first impression did Teddy give Mrs. Thompson?

A. He often told lies. 

B. He was good at math. 

C. He was dirty and not easy-going. 

D. He enjoyed playing with others.

2.According to the first paragraph, which is true between Teddy and his teacher?

A. Mrs. Thompson had a dislike of Teddy at first.

B. Mrs. Thompson didn’t play well with him.

C. Mrs. Thompson loved him all the time.

D. Mrs. Thompson told Teddy not to tell a lie.

3.Why did Teddy become one of the smartest children in the class?

A. Mrs. Thompson paid little attention to him.

B. Mrs. Thompson gave him encouragement more often

C. Teddy was cleverer than before.

D. Teddy got on well with other students.

4.Why did Teddy invite Mrs. Thompson to his wedding?

A. Teddy kept in touch with her all the time.

B. Teddy thanked her for her help and encouragement.

C. Teddy was treated by the teacher like her son.

D. She had taught him how to judge people.

5.From the passage, we can infer that ______.

A. we should love our teacher

B. we shouldn’t tell a lie in any way

C. knowledge can’t be important

D. motherly care can really make a difference

 

Clyde, a small-clawed otter, was moved from Auckland Zoo to Wellington Zoo two months ago. The zookeepers hoped he and the other otter Bonnie might start a family together.

But only two days after he arrived, Clyde went missing. He had dug his way under one of the walls and was nowhere to be seen.

The zookeepers set up cages inside the zoo, with plates of Clyde’s favorite fish in them, hoping to catch him.

Two days went by and still there was no sign of Clyde.

At last a couple saw Clyde at their house --- a whole kilometer away in Newtown. Clyde was hiding in an out-of-reach hole outside their laundry.

The zookeepers arrived and set up some more traps to try to catch him. But Clyde is a pretty smart otter. Twice he managed to get the fish out of a trap without being caught.

Five days after he’d escaped, Clyde’s days on the run came to an end when he was finally caught in one of the traps.

It was no good putting Clyde back in his old home---he’d only dig his way out again. So he and Bonnie were put into the zoo hospital. There was no chance of their escaping from there.

Meanwhile, the zookeepers were working hard to make Clyde’s old home safer. They put an iron barrier underground to stop him digging their way out. Then Bonnie and Clyde went home again.

But a month after his first escape, Clyde was out again. Once more the zookeepers came

hurrying to catch Clyde. They found him by following the bubbles he made in the river nearby.

Nobody knew how Clyde had escaped. But this time he was only out for an hour. So---back he went to the hospital again.

Poor Clyde. It seemed that he wasn’t happy at Wellington Zoo, even though he and Bonnie were getting on well together. The keepers didn’t like seeing him unhappy, so they planned to look for a home for him somewhere else. 

1.Where was Clyde found after his first escape?

A．Back in Auckland Zoo.                    B．In a river nearby.

C．At a house a kilometer away.               D．In the zoo hospital.

2.How did zookeepers catch Clyde after his second escape?

A．They set up cages in the zoo.

B．They attracted Clyde with fish.

C．They dug a hole outside his home.

D．They followed the bubbles in the water.

3.What do we know about Clyde?

A．He often gets ill.

B．He is good at digging.

C．He likes hiding in a hole.

D．He escaped to meet Bonnie.

4.Where is the passage most likely to have been taken from?

A．A news report.                         B．An advertisement.

C．A book review.                         D．A research paper.

 

When deeply absorbed in work, _____ he often was, he would forget all about eating or sleeping.

A. that   B. which   C. where   D. when