Fortunately, I've been able to avoid the traffic jam brought by presidential visits because ! don't have to commute anywhere. Barack Obama visited Los Angeles recently which paralyzed large sections of a city and you could almost hear the collective pain of unhappy commuters.
I am among the l0 percent of people in the US that regularly work from home. You could include Obama among them, although I suspect his working area in the White House is better-equipped than my small space on to the back of the garage. He also probably doesn't have a problem with three little kids interrupting his phone calls or bursting into his office at inappropriate moments.
Every day there they are, knocking on my window and peering inside, as if looking at an animal in a zoo. Once, a telephone interview I was doing with the former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was interrupted by my older son, then three years old, and completely naked "Ahaaar!" he shouted to my face. "What was that?" said Schwarzenegger. I stammered(結(jié)巴地說出) something about the joys of children and silently managed to shoo the boy out of the room without putting down the phone.
I shouldn't complain. I no longer have to stand having someone's armpit(腋窩) being pressed into my face on a crowded train and home status means ! should be a more productive worker although working from home could also lead to "avoiding duties from home". I would argue that a bigger problem is going nuts: Staring at the same walls every day and not going anywhere can do strange things to a person.
I realized I had to get out of the house at least once a day to avoid turning into an unshaven and unshoweredrecluse(隱士) who was still in his pyjamas at dinner time. I would work for an hour or so in a local coffee shop but, like most routine, this became boring because I would constantly see the same faces: Screenwriters poring over screenplays, elderly women heading to the yoga studio next door and hordes of overweight middle-aged male cycling by.
And yet here I am several years later, still working from home consciously and, I'm happy to report, not sitting at my desk in my pyjamas. Not since last Tuesday, anyway.
小題1:The author may agree that __
A.it's a bad decision to work from home
B.presidential visits bring inconvenience to the locals
C.if a person wants to be more productive, he must work from home
D.the former California governor was angry at the interruption during the interview
小題2:The incident of three-year-old son is described to prove that___
A.working from home has some drawbacks
B.working from home is a pleasant experience
C.Barack Obama has better working conditions than the author
D.it's unfortunate for the author to have a naughty boy
小題3: The reason why the author goes to the coffee shop is that __
A.he wants to get familiar with the people around
B.he doesn't like working in his pyjamas at home
C.he becomes bored with being a commuter
D.he needs some changes to get relaxation
小題4:The whole passage suggests that __
A.the author has to work from home
B.a(chǎn)ny routine definitely means boredom
C.the author is a humorous person
D.working from home contributes to avoiding duties

小題1:B
小題2:A
小題3:D
小題4:C
在本文中作者通過自己的敘述迂回地告訴我們,現(xiàn)在的美國社會里有很多的在家工作的人,告訴我們在家工作有很多的好處,但是也有很多的劣勢。
小題1:B
【試題解析】推理題。根據(jù)文章第一句Fortunately, I've been able to avoid the traffic jam brought by presidential visits because ! don't have to commute anywhere.總統(tǒng)的來訪讓這里的人有很多的交通堵塞了,給人們的生活帶來了很多的影響。故B正確。
小題2:A
【試題解析】推理題。根據(jù)文章第二段2,3行He also probably doesn't have a problem with three little kids interrupting his phone calls or bursting into his office at inappropriate moments.說明三個孩子經(jīng)常會打擾我的工作。接著文章第三段Once, a telephone interview I was doing with the former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was interrupted by my older son, then three years old, and completely naked "Ahaaar!" he shouted to my face. "What was that?" said Schwarzenegger.這個例子正是說明在家里工作經(jīng)常會被干擾。故A正確。
小題3:D
【試題解析】推理題。根據(jù)文章倒數(shù)第二段1,2行I realized I had to get out of the house at least once a day to avoid turning into an unshaven and unshoweredrecluse(隱士) who was still in his pyjamas at dinner time. I would work for an hour or so in a local coffee shop可知可知作者要每天都要到咖啡店里去,是為了讓自己放松。故D正確。
小題4:C
【試題解析】推理題。根據(jù)文章第二段I am among the l0 percent of people in the US that regularly work from home. You could include Obama among them, although I suspect his working area in the White House is better-equipped than my small space on to the back of the garage.作者把奧巴馬也歸為自己的一類,并且用一種很幽默的口吻敘述奧巴馬可能會比自己有更好的工作條件。說明作者是一個很幽默的人。故C正確。
【長難句解析】
I am among the l0 percent of people in the US that regularly work from home.
【翻譯】我是美國在家里工作的百分之十的人中的一員。
【分析】本句中有一個定語從句that regularly work from home,修飾先行詞people,that在這個定語從句中指代先行詞并做主語。定語從句的考查主要就是考查關(guān)系詞的辨析,關(guān)系代詞that, which, whose, whom, as, who在句中做主語,賓語,表語或者定語;where, why, when在句中做狀語。要分析句子成分,看缺少什么成分,就選用相應(yīng)的關(guān)系詞。
2. Staring at the same walls every day and not going anywhere can do strange things to a person.
【翻譯】盯著同樣的墻看一整天什么地方也不去可能會對人產(chǎn)生奇怪的影響。
【分析】本句的主語是兩個動名詞短語Staring at the same walls every day and not going anywhere,動名詞做主語表示經(jīng)常性習慣性的事情,和不定式做主語相區(qū)別,不定式做主語表示的是一次性具體的行為。
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A.to contrast their functions with elevators,
B.to emphasize the importance of elevators
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D.to explain people’s preference for elevators
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B.Lack of excitement.
C.Little physical space.
D.Uncomfortable conditions.
小題4:The author urges readers to consider  .
A.the exact number of elevator lovers
B.the serious future situation of elevators
C.the role of elevators in city development
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The best of Bali in 48 hours
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FRIDAY
3pm—There's nothing like a good meal. La Lucciola is the place to go, with its good food, great service and a beautiful view of the sea.
You can hire a car for some 450,000 rupiah per day. This will help you have more to spare during your trip there.
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8pm—To finish off the evening, head to Jimbaran Bay where restaurants offer candles, dances, boys singing songs. Kick off your shoes, feel the sand, and enjoy the night.
SATURDAY
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SUNDAY
6am—It's time to go to the sea. Don't forget the camera.
10:30am—Another half­day trip to two of the most famous temples in Bali. Drive down to the Taman Ayun temple at Mengwi.
12am—Next up is the Tanah Lot temple, perhaps the most famous of them all. Built on a rock, it's best seen in the afternoon when it's against the sun or at sunset.
小題1:How can you save time during your trip in La Lucciola according to the text?
A.Having a pair of good shoes.
B.Preparing early and well.
C.Joining a tour group.
D.Hiring a car.
小題2:Where can you enjoy fire dance?
A.In La Lucciola.B.In Uluwatu.
C.At Mengwi.D.In Denpasar.
小題3:Which of the following is probably a better time to visit the famous temple built on a rock?
A.5 am.B.4 pm.C.11 am.D.9 pm.
小題4:Which of the following needs to be booked in advance?
A.Joining in a “ barong and keris” dance.
B.Visiting the Tanah Lot temple.
C.Having a spa in Spa Hati.
D.Having lunch in Kintamani.

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See what happens? We are going to get up in the air, and see what happens? At this point, one woman started crying. “Oh, no! We are going to       !” There were sighs of desperation and       spreading throughout the plane, and we hadn’t even        yet. Thirty minutes passed and we were still        there. Then the voice of the pilot came over again,“ Ladies and gentlemen, I know you are       , so we are. We only have one engine going right now, and it is working double time. ”
There was crying       we had walked into grave. But, the pilot told us our one engine was working double time, and his        was to get up in the air and see what happens! Then we did. We got up in the air and         happened. We arrived in Norfolk and everyone        for still being alive.
Although I do sincerely like to have a plan        “see what happens”, which really isn’t such a bad life strategy, all too often, I would see people pursuing their goals        with inaction just because they don’t have        success. Actually, success will never be guaranteed. The       thing that you can do is just get up in the air, and see what hap­pens.
If you are planning to learn a new skill, get up in the air, and see what happens! It might not be as       as you thought. You might be smarter than you thought. It could be        ! So don’t stay there trying nothing just because there is no        of guaran­teed success.
小題1:
A.HopefullyB.ExcitedlyC.UnfortunatelyD.Thankfully
小題2:
A.serviceB.powerC.waterD.fuel
小題3:
A.shutB.fixC.changeD.start
小題4:
A.get upB.pack upC.light upD.speed up
小題5:
A.waitB.delayC.crashD.suffer
小題6:
A.rumorB.a(chǎn)nxietyC.diseaseD.smoke
小題7:
A.looked overB.gone outC.got acrossD.taken off
小題8:
A.sittingB.checkingC.watchingD.boarding
小題9:
A.puzzledB.patientC.desperateD.embarrassed
小題10:
A.even ifB.a(chǎn)s ifC.what ifD.only if
小題11:
A.commentB.complaintC.promiseD.plan
小題12:
A.everythingB.somethingC.nothingD.a(chǎn)nything
小題13:
A.escapedB.cheeredC.sighedD.praised
小題14:
A.less thanB.other thanC.better thanD.more than
小題15:
A.frozenB.a(chǎn)nnoyedC.concernedD.satisfied
小題16:
A.realisticB.organizedC.potentialD.guaranteed
小題17:
A.sameB.commonC.bestD.last
小題18:
A.interestingB.challengingC.surprisingD.encouraging
小題19:
A.funB.painC.sorrowD.trouble
小題20:
A.meaningB.sighC.a(chǎn)ctionD.reward

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