E
Almost every day we come across situations in which we have to make decisions one way or another. Choice, we are given to believe, is a right. But for a good many people in the world. In rich and poor countries, choice is a luxury, something wonderful but hard to get, not a right. And for those who think they are exercising their right to make choices, the whole system is merely an illusion, a false idea created by companies and advertiser, hoping to sell their products.
The endless choice gives birth to anxiety in people’s lives. Buying something as basic as a coffee pot is not exactly simple. Easy access to a wide range of everyday goods leads to a sense of powerlessness in many people, ending in the shopper giving up and walking away, or just buying an unsuitable item(商品) that is not really wanted. Recent studies in England have shown that many electrical goods bought in almost every family are not really needed. More difficult decision-making is then either avoided or trusted into the hands of the professionals, lifestyle instructors, or advisors.
It is not just the availability of the goods that is the problem, but the speed with which new types of products come on the market. Advances in design and production help quicken the process Products also need to have a short lifespan so that the public can be persuaded to replace them within a short time. The typical example is computers, which are almost out-of-date once they are bought. This indeed makes selection a problem. Gone are the days when one could just walk with case into a shop and buy one thing; no choice, no anxiety.
小題1: What does the author try to argue in Paragraph 1?

A．The exercise of rights is a luxury.

B．The practice of choice is difficult.

C．The right of choice is given but at a price.

D．Choice and right exist at the same time.

小題2: Why do more choices of goods give rise to anxiety?

A．Professionals find it hard to decide on a suitable product.

B．People are likely to find themselves overcome by business persuasion.

C．Shoppers may find themselves lost in the broad range of items.

D．Companies and advertisers are often misleading about the rage of choice.

小題3:By using computers as an example, the author wants to prove that    .

A．a(chǎn)dvanced products meet the needs of people

B．products of the latest design fold the market

C．competitions are fierce in high-tech industry

D．everyday goods need to be replaced often

小題4: What is this passage mainly about?

A．The variety of choices in modern society.

B．The opinions on people’s right in different countries

C．The Problems about the availability of everyday goods.

D．The helplessness in purchasing decisions

How to protect children Web fans from unsuitable material on-line while encouraging them to use the Internet has long been discussed in the U.S.
For some parents, the Internet can seem like a jungle, filled with danger for their children. But jungles contain wonders as well as dangers and with good guides, some education, and a few precautions(預(yù)防措施), the wilds of the Internet can be safely navigated(航行). “Kids have to be on-line. If we tell our kids they can’t have access(機會) to the Internet, we’re cutting them off from their future,” said an expert.
Most kids have started to use search engines. Many of them are great for finding tons of interesting Internet sites, and they can also locate places where you might not want your kids to go. There are search engines designed just for kids. A certain software contains only sites that have been selected as safe. The most popular way to limit access would be to use what is known as a “content screener(過濾器)”. But this can’t be wholly reliable(可靠), and the best thing parents can do is to talk to their kids and let them know what is OK or not OK to see or do on the Internet. Another way is that mum or dad is nearby when the child is surfing(瀏覽) the Internet.
A few other tips
●Don’t put the PC in a child’s room but keep it in an area where mum or dad can keep an eye on things. That also makes the Internet more of a family activity.
●Ask your child what he or she has been doing and about any friends they make on-line.
●Tell your child not to give on-line strangers personal information, especially like address and phone number.
●And tell your children never to talk to anyone they meet on-line over the phone, send them anything, accept anything from them or agree to meet with them unless you go along.
小題1:The passage is mainly about the subject of _______.

A．American children going on-line	B．Internet in America
C．a(chǎn)ppreciating Internet	D．opposing children’s on-line

小題2:The best way to protect children from improper material is _______.

A．to install(安裝) a content screener on the computer

B．to buy some search engines for the children

C．to be nearby when they are surfing the Internet

D．to talk to the children and persuade them to tell right from wrong

小題3:Which of the following is right according to the passage?

A．Surfing the Internet is the best method of educating children.

B．Children’s not having access to Internet may have effect on their progress.

C．Using a content screener is most reliable for keeping children having access to Internet.

D．Searching engines can help children to select materials fit for them.

小題4:According to the passage, we can infer that _______.

A．soft wares fit for children want programming

B．a(chǎn) child who is on-line is in danger

C．Internet is a jungle full of danger

D．Internet contains a lot of harmful sites

Among various programmes, TV talk shows have covered every inch of space on daytime television. And anyone who watches them regularly knows that each one is different in style(風格). But no two shows are more opposite in content, while at the same time standing out above the rest, than the Jerry Springer and the Oprah Winfrey shows.
Jerry Springer could easily be considered the king of “rubbish talk”. The contents on his show are as surprising as can be. For example, the show takes the ever-common talk show titles of love, sex, cheating, and hate, to a different level. Clearly, the Jerry Springer show is about the dark side of society, yet people are willing to eat up the troubles of other people’s lives.
Like Jerry Springer, Oprah Winfrey takes TV talk show to its top. But Oprah goes in the opposite direction. The show is mainly about the improvement of society and different quality(質(zhì)量) of life. Contents are from teaching your children lessons, managing your work week, to getting to know your neighbors.
Compared to Oprah, the Jerry Springer show looks like poisonous waste being poured into society. Jerry ends every show with a “final word”. He makes a small speech about the entire idea of the show. Hopefully, this is the part where most people will learn something very valuable.
Clean as it is, the Oprah show is not for everyone. The show’s main viewers are middleclass Americans. Most of these people have the time, money, and ability to deal with life’s tough problems. Jerry Springer, on the other hand, has more of a connection with the young adults of society. These are 18-to-21-year-olds whose main troubles in life include love, relationship, sex, money and drug. They are the ones who see some value and lessons to be learned through the show’s exploitation.
小題1: Compared with other TV talk shows, both the Jerry Springer and the Oprah Winfrey are ____.

A．more interesting

B．unusually popular

C．more detailed

D．more formal

小題2:Though the social problems Jerry Springer talks about appear unpleasant, people who watch the shows____.

A．remain interested in them	B．a(chǎn)re ready to face up to them
C．remain cold to them	D．a(chǎn)re willing to get away from them

小題3:Which of the following is likely to be a topic of the Oprah Winfrey show?

A．A new type of robot.	B．Nation hatred.
C．Family income planning.	D．Street accident.

小題4:We can learn from the passage that the two talk shows_____.

A．have become the only ones of its kind

B．exploit the weaknesses in human nature

C．a(chǎn)ppear at different times of the day

D．a(chǎn)ttract different people

Many people who work in London prefer to live outside it, and to go in to their offices or schools every day by train, car or bus, even though this means they have to get up early in the morning and reach home late in the evening. 
One advantage of living outside London is that houses are cheaper. Even a small flat in London without a garden costs quite a lot to rent. With the same money, one can get a little house in the country with a garden of one’s own. 
Then, in the country one can rest from the noise and hurry of the town. Even though one has to get up earlier and spend more time in trains or buses, one can sleep better at night and during weekends and on summer evenings, one can enjoy the fresh, clean air of the country. If one likes gardens, one can spend one’s free time digging, planting, watering and doing the hundred and one other jobs which are needed in a garden. Then, when the flowers and vegetables come up, one has the reward of one who has shared the secret of Nature. 
Some people, however, take no interest in country things: for them, happiness lies in the town, with its cinemas and theatres, beautiful shops and busy streets, dance-halls and restaurants. Such people would feel that their life was not worth living if they had to live it outside London. An occasional walk in one of the parks and a fortnight’s (two weeks) visit to the sea every summer is all the country they want: the rest they are quite prepared to leave to those who are glad to get away from London every night. 
小題1:Which of the following statements is NOT true? 

A．People who like country things prefer to live outside the city.

B．People who work in London prefer to live in the country.

C．Because of certain disadvantages of living outside London, some people who work in London prefer to live inside London.

D．Because of certain advantages of living outside London, many people who work in London prefer to live outside London.

小題2:One can use the same money for ________ to buy a little house with a garden in the country.

A．getting a small flat with a garden	B．having a small flat with a garden
C．renting a small flat without a garden	D．buying a small flat without a garden

小題3:When the flowers and vegetables in the garden come up, those _______ have the reward of one who has shared the secret of Nature. 

A．who live in the country

B．who have spent time working in the garden

C．who have a garden of their own

D．who have been digging, planting and watering

小題4:People who think happiness lies in the town would feel that _______ if they had to live it outside London. 

A．their life was meaningless	B．their life was invaluable
C．they didn’t deserve a happy life	D．they were not worthy of their happy life

小題5: The underlined word rest in the last paragraph refers to ________.

A．the rest time	B．the rest people
C．the rest of the country	D．the rest of the parks and of the sea

A punctual person is in the habit of doing a thing at the proper time and is never late in keeping an appointment.
The unpunctual man, on one hand, never does what he has to do at the proper time. He is always in a hurry and in the end loses both time and his good name. A lost thing may be found again, but lost time can never be regained. Time is more valuable than material things. In fact, time is life itself. The unpunctual man is for ever wasting and mismanaging his most valuable asset (財產(chǎn)) as well as other’s. The unpunctual person is always complaining that he finds no time to answer letters, or return calls or keep appointments promptly. But the man who really has a great deal to do is very careful of his time and seldom complains of want of it. He knows that he can not get through his huge amount of work unless he faithfully keeps every piece of work when it has to be attended to.
Failure to be punctual in keeping one’s appointments is the sign of disrespect towards others. If a person is invited to dinner and arrives later than the appointed time, he keeps all the other guests waiting for him. Usually this will be regarded as a great disrespect to the host and all other guests present.
Unpunctuality, moreover, is very harmful when it comes to do one’s duty, whether public or private. Imagine how it would be if those who are put in charge of important tasks failed to be at their proper place at the appointed time. A man who is known to be habitually unpunctual is never trusted by his friends or fellow men.
小題1:What does the author think is the main difference between a punctual person and an unpunctual person?

A．A punctual person does everything ahead of time while an unpunctual person does everything behind schedule.

B．A punctual person does everything at the right time while an unpunctual person seldom does anything at the correct time.

C．A punctual person has a lot of appointments while an unpunctual person has few appointments.

D．A punctual person has much time to do everything while an unpunctual person has little time to do anything.

小題2: According to the passage, the main reason that a person is always unpunctual is that _______.

A．he has more work to do than other people

B．he is always in a hurry when he works

C．he doesn’t care much about time

D．he always mismanages and wastes his time

小題3:According to the third paragraph, when you are invited to dinner, you should arrive there _______.

A．a(chǎn)fter other guests have arrived

B．before all other guests

C．a(chǎn)t the appointed time

D．a(chǎn)fter the host has got things ready

小題4:Which of the following statements best describes the harm of unpunctuality?

A．If you are an unpunctual person, you cannot be in charge of any important task.

B．If your friends know that you are unpunctual, they may not see you again.

C．Unpunctuality may bring about heavy losses for both public and private affairs.

D．Unpunctuality may make you miss a lot of appointments and lose friends.

Play is the basic business of childhood, and in recent years research has shown the great impor­tance of play in the development of a human being. From earliest infancy (嬰兒), every child needs opportunity and the right materials for play, and the main tools of play are toys. The main function of toys is to suggest, encourage and play. To succeed in this, they must be good toys, which children will play with often, and will come back to again, and again. Therefore it is important to choose suit­able toys for different stages of a child’s development.
In recent years research on infant development has shown that the standard a child is likely to reach, within the range of his inherited (遺傳的) abilities, is largely determined in the first three years of his life. So a baby’s ability to benefit from the right play materials should not be underestimated. A baby who is encouraged, talked to and shown things and played with, has the best chance of growing up successfully.
In the next stage, from three to five years old, curiosity knows no bounds. Every type of suitable toys should be made available to the child, for trying out, experimenting and learning, for discovering his own particular ability: Bricks and jigsaws (七巧板) and construction toys; painting, scribbling (涂鴉) and making things; sand and water play;toys for imaginative and pretending play — the first so­cial games for learning to play and get on with others.
But at the third stage of play development — from five to seven or eight years old — the child is at school. But for a few more years play is still the best way of learning, at home or at school. It is easier to see which type of toys the child most enjoys.
Until the age of seven or eight, play and work mean much the same to a child. But once reading has been mastered, then books become the main source of learning. Toys are still interesting and val­uable, which lead up to new hobbies, but their significance has changed — to a child of nine or ten years old, toys and games mean, as to adults, relaxation and fun.
小題1:according to the first passage we know that as a child grows up________.

A．he should be allowed to choose his own toys

B．he should be given the same toys

C．he should be given different toys

D．he should be given fewer and fewer toys

小題2:according to the passage, the abilities a child has inherited from his parents________.

A．determine his character

B．will not change after the age of three

C．partly determine the standard he is likely to reach

D．to a large extent determine the choice of toys

小題3:We learn from the passage that a child has boundless curiosity________.

A．when he is two	B．when he is around four
C．when he is six	D．when he is eight

小題4: The passage is mainly about________.

A．the importance of pre-school education	B．the importance of schooling
C．the role of play in a child’s development	D．the choice of toys for youngster

Back in my country, when I was a child, I used to go to “market day” with my mother. One day each week, farmers used to ___1___ their fruit and vegetables into the city. They ___2___ one street to all cars, and the farmers set up tables for their ___3___. This outdoor market was a great place to ___4___. Everything was fresher than produce in grocery stores because the farmers brought it in ___5___ after the harvest. My mother and I always got there early in the morning to get the ___6___ produce.
The outdoor market was a wonderful adventure for a small child, ___7___ was like a festival — full of colors and ___8___. There are red tomatoes, yellow lemons, green lettuce, peppers, grapes, onions. The farmers did their own ___9___. They all shouted loudly for ___10___ to buy their produce. “Come and buy my beautiful oranges! They’re juicy and delicious and full of vitamins to ___11___ your children healthy and strong!”
Everyone used to ___12___ with the farmers over the ___13___ of their produce. It was like a wonderful drama in a theatre; the buyers and sellers were the “___14___” in this drama. My mother was an ___15___ at this. First, she picked the freshest, most attractive tomatoes, for example. Then she asked the price. The seller told her.
“What?” she said. She looked very surprised. “ So ___16___?”
The seller looked terribly ___17___. “My dear lady!” he replied. “I’m a poor, ___18___ farmer. These are the cheapest tomatoes on the market!”
They always argued for several minutes before agreeing ___19___ a price. My mother took her tomatoes and left. Both buyer and seller were ___20___. The drama was over.
1. A. carry      B. take　　　 C. bring         D. fetch
2. A. opened　       B. closed　　 C. started　　 D. stopped
3. A. produce　     B. goods　　　     C. food　　   D. product
4. A. buy B. sell　　　　     C. bargain　　      D. shop
5. A. hurriedly       B. immediately      C. directly      D. straightly
6. A. best　　 B. finest　　  C. freshest      D. cheapest
7. A. who　    B. that　　　　     C. which　　 D. what
8. A. voices    B. noises　　 C. sounds　    D. accent
9. A. shopping       B. business　　     C. shouting　　     D. advertising
10. A. customers    B. producers　       C. themselves　     D. sellers
11. A. keep　　     B. let      C. except D. make
12. A. argue    B. talk　　　 C. discuss　　       D. speak
13. A. order    B. price　　　      C. quality　    D. form
14. A. viewers B. listeners　  C. actors  D. directors
15. A. actress　      B. inventor　  C. advancer　 D. expert
16. A. wonderful    B. exciting　　      C. cheap　　　     D. expensive
17. A. injured　     B. hurt　　    C. damaged　 D. wounded
18. A. excellent      B. fair　　　 C. honest　　 D. easy
19. A. with     B. to　　　    C. in　　　　       D. on
20. A. disappointed B. encouraged C. satisfied     D. tired

Modern life is a lot les s to the advantage of friendships and neighborliness than it used to be. The average American moves every five years. People drive straight into their garages, hire lawn services, hang out in their backyards instead of their front porches (前走廊). These days, neighbors don't even know each other's names. 
Good neighbors and good friends are a lot like electricity or running water: We don't know how much we depend on them until we don't have them. In fact, the authors of a recent book, Refrigerator Rights, claim that refrigerators are signs of close relationships--after all, you wouldn't snatch a drumstick(雞腿) from the refrigerator of a stranger.
The surprising thing is that all it takes to strengthen your relationship with friends and neighbors is respect for their feelings, concern for their property, and a helping hand when it's needed. Here's how to develop your relationships with two types of vitally important people in your life. 
_________________. A true friend doesn't flee when changes occur. The sign of a good friend is one who stays true through it all--marriage, parenthood, new jobs, new homes, the losses. Just because situations change doesn't mean the person has to.
Friendships fade away if there isn't an balance between the give and the take. So make sure you aren't being a burden to your friends. Be sensitive to how much your friend can and can't offer you--be it time, energy, or help -- and don't step over the line. Meanwhile, friendships that drain(耗盡) you will not last. If a friendship is out of balance in this way, you'll need to talk the situation through.
1. Which sentence in the passage is the closest in meaning to the following one?
A true friend will stay the same even when the situations change. 
2. Fill in the blank in Paragraph 4 with a proper sentence. (Within 10 words)
3. What advice is given in the last paragraph? (Within 10 words)
4. What do you think the author will go on talking about if the passage continues?(Within 10 words)
5. Translate the underlined sentence in the last paragraph into Chinese．

When building houses, people used to think about not only the climate of the areas but also the building materials and the fashions for their houses. However, since electricity became more and more expensive, people began to pay much more attention to the energy they could get for their houses and the new ways they could find to protect their houses from both cold and heat.
Now, houses of an old yet new type have been widely built. In some parts of the world, people share their houses with their livestock（家畜）.During cold weather, they gather their cows, goats, or other animals and keep them on the first floor of their houses. The reasons are that the animals can be protected from the cold and that they can help to heat the houses as well. The body heat given off by the animals rises to the second floor of the houses, where people live. By sharing their houses with their livestock, people gain a source of heat.
People who live in or near cities do not usually keep livestock. However, home builders use the fact that heat rises. This natural law can be used in building houses in these areas. Instead of keeping livestock on the first floor, builders fill it with large rocks. As they are open to the sun’s rays during cold weather, these rocks take in heat. They also give off the heat, and, of course, the warm air rises into the living areas of the houses. So these houses are energy saving.
House building becomes a great challenge（挑戰(zhàn)）to building designers and energy engineers. They try to meet this challenge by learning from old traditions and by using modern technology. And someday in the future, people will be able to live in more energy saving houses.
小題1:What did people begin to consider as electricity was no longer cheap?

A．The climate of their areas.

B．The energy for their houses.

C．The fashions for their houses.

D．The building materials for their houses.

小題2:People in some areas gain a source of heat by _________.

A．keeping their livestock downstairs

B．protecting their livestock from the cold

C．sharing their houses only with their cows

D．living on the second floor with their livestock

小題3:The underlined words “natural law” in the third paragraph refer to the fact that ________.

A．heat raises the temperature in the houses

B．heat goes in the upward direction

C．heat goes up if temperature is raised

D．heat increases the temperature of rocks

小題4:From the passage, we can conclude that __________.

A．people will no longer consider building materials in the future

B．energy saving buildings will become more popular in the future

C．a(chǎn)lmost all people will move into the houses heated by large rocks

D．energy engineers will devote themselves only to modern technology.

You’re sitting on the train home and the person opposite you yawns(打哈欠). Suddenly, you’re yawning with him, though you’re not tired.
This phenomenon confused scientists for years until a recent study found that people tend to sympathize with fellow humans. Supporting this claim was the discovery that those children who were unable to form normal emotional ties with others did not experience contagious(有感染力的) yawning, which showed that humans communicate regularly with out words.
Hugo Critchley, a neuroscientist, has conducted an experiment recently, which will prove that happiness and sadness can spread like the common cold. According to Critechley, our mind and body are in constant exchange about how we’re feeling. “Emotions are closely linked with states of internal(內(nèi)部的) responses,” he explained. “ There are also more visible changes in our gestures and facial expression. When we’re in a group, these signals can spread to another person. For example, there’s the obvious tendency to smile when smiled at and there are less obvious changes that reflect emotions of surprise, anger or sadness such as a change in our heart rate and blood pressure.
Hugo Critchley further explained, “Our bodies synchronies and when we like the other person, we ever copy his behavior. Next time you chat with a friend, take note of how you’re sitting— it’s pretty likely that you will be the same. Scientists believe it’s our way of telling each other that we’re partners. Through body language, humans give each other very subtle(微妙的) but clear signals that show emotions.”
So, what lessons can we learn from this? “ Spend time with happy people— otherwise your health could suffer,” said Critchley.” When we’re sad, our body goes into fight or flight mode. But when we’re happy, our body works normally and we feel relaxed and positive. So we look bright, our skin glows, we feel healthy and it affects everyone around us.”
小題1: According to Hugo Critchley, ________.

A．emotions are as visible as facial expressions

B．we yawn more frequently when we have a cold

C．emotions are connected with states of internal responses

D．the change of blood pressure is not linked with the change of emotions.

小題2:The underlined word “synchronies” in Paragraph 4 means “_____”.

A．move slowly

B．change rapidly

C．relax temporarily

D．respond accordingly

小題3:From the passage we can learn ________.

A．sadness is as contagious as happiness

B．a(chǎn)nger is less contagious than friendliness

C．surprise is more contagious than smile

D．surprise is the most contagious among emotions

小題4:Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A．Emotions have delicate influence on fellow humans.

B．Children like copying the actions of the fellow humans.

C．Scientists are still confused about contagious yawning

D．People tend to communicate more with body language.