Listen carefully, working people, we would like to tell you something that could save your precious
time and money! Best of all, it is free!
     It's "no".
    What do you ask? We'll say it again: "No".
     Sweet and simple "no".
     Say "no" at your office and see how quickly that pile of work on your desk disappears.
     "Saying 'no' to others means you are saying 'yes' to yourself, " said Leslie Charles, a professional
speaker from East Lansing, Michigan.
     "Time is precious. People are spending money buying time. And yet we are willing to give up our time
because we can't say 'no'."
     Susie Watson, a famous writer, said people who always say "yes" need to say "no" without guilt(內(nèi)
疚)or fear of punishment. "I would rather have someone give me a loving 'no' than an obligated(強(qiáng)制的)
'yes', " she said.
     Susie Watson says she feels "no" obligation to give an explanation when she says "no" either socially
or professionally. Does she feel guilty about it? "Not at all," said Watson, who is director of advertising
and public relations at Timex Corp in Middlebury, Conneticut. "Most people are afraid of saying 'no'…
My advice is to say 'yes' only if you don't mean 'no'."
     Watson said "no" is the most effective weapon against wasting time. "Every year there are more
demands on your time… Other people are happy to use up your time. " Watson said. Time saving
appears to be "no's" greatest friend.
    "No" can be your new friend, a powerful tool to take back your life. "No" may even take you further
in the business world than "yes".
     "No" is power and strength. "No" now seems completely correct. "Saying 'no' isn't easy. But finally
it's greatly liberating," Charles said. But, he added, a "no" project needs to be worked on every day
because it is hard to change long-term habit.
     But, he also warns: "Don't go to extremes. Don't find yourself saying 'no' to everything. In return you
should learn to hear 'no'."

1. The sentence "Saying 'yes' to yourself" means _______.

A. you can have more time to play with others
B. you needn't care about other's feeling if you are happy
C. you are selfish and treat others rudely
D. you can deal with your business as you have planned

2. When you say "no" to others you should say it in a _______.

A. secret way        
B. polite way
C. proud way      
D. guilty way

3. In Watson's opinion, peoplecan save much time on condition that _______.

A. they say "no" at a suitable time
B. they say "no" as much as possible
C. they are afraid of saying "no"
D. they make others angry at them

4. If a person says "no" to everything, the result he or she receives may be that he or she______.

A. enjoys a wonderful life
B. makes a lot of money
C. faces difficulty in life   
D. forgets to say "yes" in the end

      It is often difficult for visitors to understand Americans lack of desire for privacy(隱私) . They are
not a nation of walled gardens and closed gates. Their yards normally run into one another without fences,
they often visit one another's homes without being invited or telephoning first, they leave their office doors
open while they work.
      Their lack of desire for privacy probable results from their history as a nation. America is a big
country.   There have never been walled cities in the United States, nor was there the need for Americans
to protect themselves from neighboring states. During the early years, America had so few settlers that
neighbors were very important, they were not to be shut out by doors and fences. Neighbors offered
protection and helped in the hard work of settling the land. They depended upon each other.
      From the nation's early history has come the desire for openness rather than privacy. Visitors will
notice this desire in a number of small ways, there may be rooms in American homes that do not have
doors or that have glass walls. If you notice that people forget to close your door when they leave your
room, do not think that this is rude, help them to learn that you would like it to be closed, or else become
used to new ways. In either case, be patient with the differences.

1. According to the passage, visitors to America sometimes have difficulty understanding ___.

A. Americans' openness
B. American's lack of desire for privacy
C. Americans' way of home
D. American's style of life

2. During the early years, people were never shut out by doors because ___ .

A. they were neighbors
B. they were friends
C. they depended on each other
D. they got used to that

3. Visitors will notice American's desire for openness in a way ___

A. they walled their houses with glass
B. they leave the office doors open while working
C. they never have fence
D. they depended upon each other

4. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A. No Walled Cities.
B. The Early Settlers
C. Americans' Lack of Desire for Privacy
D. be Patient with Differences

       Have you ever suddenly felt that someone you knew was in trouble-and was he? Have you ever
dreamed something that came true later? Maybe you have ESP(超感覺(jué)的知覺(jué)).
       ESP stands for Extrasensory Perception. It may be called a sixth sense. It seems to let people know
about events before they happen, or events that are happening some distance away.
        Here's an example. A woman was ironing clothes. Suddenly she screamed, "My father is dead! I
saw him sitting in the chair!" Just then, a telegram came.
        The woman's father died of a heart attack. He died sitting in a chair.
        There are thousands of stories like this one on record. Scientists are studying them to find out
what's behind these strange mental messages. Here's another
          example-one of hundreds of dreams that have come true.
        A man dreamed he was walking along a road when a horse and a carriage came by. The driver
said, "There's room for one more." The man felt the driver seemed dead, so he ran away. The next day,
when the man was getting on a crowded bus, the bus driver said, "There's room for one more."
        Then the man saw that the driver's face was the same face he had seen in the dream. He wouldn't
get on the bus. As the bus drove off, it crashed and burst into flames. Everyone was killed!
        Some people say stories like this are coincidences. Others, including some scientists, say that ESP
is real. From studies of ESP, we may someday learn more about the human mind.

1. According to the passage, the author believes that the sixth sense is ______.

A. in existence  
B. imaginative  
C. not real  
D. impossible

2. What does ESP let people know?

A. About events before they happen.  
B. About events after they happen.
C. About events that are happening some distance away.  
D. Both A and C.

3. By studying ESP, scientists may get to ______.

A. learn how people tell lies  
B. know more about human dreams
C. know more about human mind  
D. learn how strange things happen

4. In the last paragraph, the underlined word "coincidences" probably means ______.

A. things that may not happen  
B. things that happen in a dream
C. things that must happen  
D. things that happen by accident

5. This passage is mainly about ______.

A. the human dream  
B. the sixth sense  
C. the human mind  
D. a crowded bus

     What is your favourite colour? Do you like yellow, orange, red? ___1___ . Do you prefer greys and
blues? Then you are probably quiet, shy, and you would rather follow than lead. You tend to be pessimist. At least, this is what psychologists tell us, and they should know, because they have been seriously
studying the meaning of colour preference, as well as the effect that colours have on human beings.
___2___ . If you happen to love brown, you did so, as soon as you opened your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly.
     ___3___ . A yellow room makes most people feel more cheerful and more relaxed than a dark green
one; and a red dress brings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day. ___4___ . A black bridge over
the Thames River, near London, used to be the scene of more suicides(自殺) than any other bridge in the area---until it was repainted green. The number of suicide attempts immediately fell sharply. Perhaps it
would have fallen even more if the bridge had been done in pink or baby blue.
     ___5___ . It is an established fact that factory workers work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or grey.

A. On the other hand, black is depressing.
B. They tell us, among other facts, that we do not choose our favourite colour as we grow up --- we are
     born with our preference.
C. The rooms are painted in different colours as you like.
D. If you do, you must be an optimist, a leader, an active person who enjoys life, people and excitement.
E. Light and bright colours make people not only happier but more active.
F. Life is like a picture or a poem, full of different colours.
G. Colours do influence our moods---there is no doubt about it

     I loved music when I was young. I learned to play the guitar at 11 and I wrote my first song four years
later. My dream was to become a country singer.
After years of hard work, a record company was showing interest in me. One day during a trip to
Nashcille, a friend offered me a bit of meth (一種興奮劑).I didn't know then that meth is the easiest,
cheapest drug to get, and also one of the most addictive. So I smoked it and that was all I thought about
for the next year and a half .I couldn't live without it.
     When the police arrested me, I looked like death. The first seven days in prison, I just slept. when I
woke up on the eighth day, I had never known such shame and guilt. I walked down the hall to the pay
phone. My mum is the sweetest person on the planet, and I knew this was going to break her heart. When
I heard her voice on the phone, I told her where I was . She just said : "son, don't you know you can't do
anything to make me not love you?"
     Her words gave me the strength to face my trouble. And I also realized this was my chance to start a
new life.
     When people know my story, I hope they will not make the same mistake as I have, but I do know that
you can overcome almost anything, especially drug abuse. That's why I share my story here.

1. Which was the writer's favorite music when he was in his teens?

A. Rock music    
B. Classical music    
C. Jazz music  
D. Country music

2. How long was the writer addicted to drug?

A. About half a year    
B. About one year    
C. One and a half years  
D. Two years

3. The writers was put into prison most probably because he _____.

A. offered others drugs  
B. took drugs
C. stopped working with a record company
D. refused to pay off all his debts

     Do you enjoy reading? Here readers of your age from all over the United States recommend (推薦)
great books for you to read:
     My favorite book is Don't Die, My Love by Lurlene McDaniel. I love all her books, but this was the
first one I read and I have to say, it is by far my favorite. It doesn't end like other books, and I cried while reading.
     I think Nancy Drew is great! Nancy is a detective (偵探) who has many fantastic ideas! I love it
because it's a book from when my grandma was my age, and I can share the fun with her!
     I highly recommend Skinny Bones by Barbara Park. It is funny so please add it on your book list.
You don't want to miss out funny stories!
     I would suggest ______ by Judy Blume. It is based on real things that happened to Judy Blume. It is
about a girl, Alice, who meets some girls at a new state. They become friends, make a club and meet
once a week. They stop after two weeks because they all like a boy in their class and put him as number
one. I think every girl should read this because it is about our growing up.
     I read a book called Neela: Victory Song and it was so good I read it twice! It takes place in India
in 1936 and this 12-year-old girl named Neela tries to save her father! It has lots of history in it! I also
learned a lot about different cultures! The author's name is Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.

1. According to the reader, Skinny Bones can be described as a ________ story.

A. sad
B. history
C. funny
D. detective

2. From which book can we learn different cultures?

A. Skinny Bones.
B. Nancy Drew.
C. Don't Die, My Love.
D. Neela: Victory Song.

3. The best name of the 4th book is ________.

A. My Secret
B. Growing Trouble
C. Three Friends
D. Alice Learns a Lesson

4. Which is TRUE about Nancy Drew?

A. It doesn't have a common ending like other books.
B. It's based on real things that happened to the author.
C. It's about a12-year-old girl who tries to save her father.
D. Both the reader and the reader's grandma love this book.

      I live in the land of Disney, Hollywood and year - round sun. You may think People ,n such an
attractive, fun - filled place are happier than others. If so you have some mistaken ideas about the
nature of happiness.
      Many intelligent people still think fun equals happiness. The truth is that fun and happiness have
little or nothing in common. Fun is what we experience during an act. Happiness is what we experience
after an act. It is a deep, long-lasting emotion.
      Going to an amusement park or a ball game, watching a movie or television are fun activities that
help us relax, temporally forget our problems and maybe even laugh. But they do not bring happiness,
because their positive effects end when the fun ends.
      I have often thought that if Hollywood stars have a role to play, it is to teach us that happiness has
nothing to do with fun. They have constant access to exciting parties, fancy cars, expensive homes,
everything that spells "happiness" But in memoir(回憶錄) after memoir, they expose Ac unhappiness
hidden beneath all their fun: depression, alcoholism, drug addiction, broken marriages and loneliness.
      Ask a bachelor why he resists marriage even though he finds dating to be less and less satisfying.
If he is honest, he will tell you that he is afraid of making a commitment. For commitment is in fact quite
painful. The single life is filled with fun, adventure and excitement. Marriage has such moments, but they
are not its most distinguishing features.
     Similarly, couples that choose not to have children are deciding in favor of painless fun over painful
happiness. They can dine out whenever they want and sleep as late as they want. Couples with babies
are lucky to get a whole night' s sleep. I don't know any parent who would choose the word fun to
describe raising children.
      Understanding and accepting that true happiness has nothing to do with fun is one of the most
liberating realizations we can ever come to. It liberates time: now we can devote more hours to activities
that can truly increase our happiness. It liberates money: buying that new car or those fancy clothes that
will do nothing to increase our happiness now seems pointless. And it frees us from envy: we now
understand that all those rich and famous people we were so sure are happy because they are always
having so much fun actually may not be happy at all.

1. What is the passage mainly about?

A. Fun and happiness.
B. Success and satisfaction.
C. Marriage and commitment.
D. Entertainment and responsibility.
 
2. The author probably agrees that ____.

A. fun creates long - lasting satisfaction
B. long - standing fun may lead to happiness
C. fun is short-lived while happiness is long-lasting
D. fun provides enjoyment while pain leads to happiness

3. What does the author think of marriage?

A. It ends in pain.              
B. It means commitment.
C. It affords greater fun.          
D. It leads to raising children.

4. If one gets the real meaning of happiness, he ____.

A. will start a business          
B. won' t place too much value on money
C. will seek for freedom        
D. won't devote himself to his family

      Are some people born clever, and others born stupid? Or is intelligence developed by our
environment and our experience? Strangely enough, the answer to these questions is yes. To
some extent our intelligence is given to us at birth, and no amount of education can make a genius
out of a child born with low intelligence. On the other hand, a child who lives in a boring environment
will develop his intelligence less than one who lives in rich and varied surroundings. Thus the limits of
person's intelligence are fixed at birth, whether or not he reaches those limits will depend on his
environment. This view, now held by most experts, can be supported in a number of ways.
     It is easy to show that intelligence is to some extent something we are born with. The closer the
blood relationship between two people, the closer they are likely to be intelligence. Thus if we take
two unrelated people at random from population, it is likely that their degree of intelligence will be
completely different. If, on the other hand, we take two identical twins, they will very likely be as
intelligent as each other. Relations like brothers and sisters, parents and children, usually have similar
intelligence, and this clearly suggests that intelligence depends on birth.
     Imagine now that we take two identical twins and put them in different environments. We might
send one, for example, to a university and the other to a factory where the work is boring. We would
soon find differences in intelligence developing, and this indicates that environment as well as birth plays
a part. This conclusion is also suggested by the fact that people who live in close contact with each other,
but who are not related at all are likely to have similar degree of intelligence.

1. The writer is in favor of the view that man's intelligence is given to him_________.

A. at birth                            
B. through education
C. both at birth and through education      
D. neither at birth nor through education

2. If a child is born with low intelligence, he can_________.

A. become a genius
B. still become a genius if he should be given special education
C. not reach his intelligence in his life.
D. reach his intelligence limits in rich surroundings

3. The example of the twins going to a university and to a factory separately shows_________.

A. the importance of their intelligence    
B. the role of environment on intelligence
C. the importance of their positions      
D. the part that birth plays

4. The best title of the passage can be __________.

A. Surroundings    
B. Effect of education
C. Dependence on Environment    
D. Intelligence