Today we will explain a very gold saying that has had a big influence on rock-and-roll music. That
saying is "A rolling stone gathers no moss". It has several meanings. One meaning is that a person who
never settles down in one place will not be successful. Another is that someone who is always moving,
with no roots in one place, avoids responsibilities.
     This proverb was said to be first used in the 1500s. But in the 1960s, the expression "rolling stone"
became famous in the world of rock-and-roll music. It became the name of a song, a rock group and
a magazine.
     Experts say it all started with a song by the American singer and guitarist Muddy Waters. He was
one of the country's top blues musicians until his death in 1983. His music influenced singers like Elvis
Presley and Bob Dylan. In 1950, Muddy Waters recorded a song called "Rolling Stone".
A British rock group is said to have taken its name from Muddy Waters' song. The Rolling Stones
performed for the first time in 1962. The group's members called themselves "the world's greatest rock
and roll band".
     In 1965, Bob Dylan released his song "Like a Rolling Stone". It is one of his best known and most
influential works.
     It is an angry song about a woman who was once rich and successful. But now she is on her own,
"with no direction home, like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone".
     In 1967, a young man named Jann Wenner started a magazine and he named it "Rolling Stone". The
magazine reported on rock music arid the popular culture that the music created. By 1971 "Rolling Stone" had become the leading rock music and counterculture publication. It is still popular today.

1. Which person can be described as a rolling stone according to the proverb?

A. A person who always changes his jobs.
B. A person who has a successful career.
C. A person who has no family.
D. A person who is cut of work.

2. All of them are musicians except ____.

A. Elvis Presley
B. Bob Dylan
C. Muddy Waters
D. Jann Wenner

3. Who first used "rolling stone" as a name for music?

A. Jann Wenner.
B. Bob Dylan.
C. Elvis Presley.
D. Muddy Waters.

     In a world where comparisons happen non-stop, it is difficult to look outside yourself and to
ever be content with who you are. There's always someone who's a bit better. The only solution
is to reach inside and measure against what Warren Buffett calls your own inner yardstick. There
is no more accurate measure for comparison than who you were yesterday, last week or last
decade, when you were at your best.
     Nothing useful ever comes from comparison to others. Either you see yourself as better than
someone and you get lazy, or you see someone else as better than you and you feel like all your
hard work is for nothing. It is a fool's game. None of us are inherently above or below the person
next to us. We are who we are. Not one of us is exactly alike. The only direct and honest
comparison is within yourself. Everything else is apples to oranges.
     My opinion is that you are only allowed to compare yourself to someone else if their life situation
is the same as your own. Good luck finding that match. And one thing is for sure. No matter how
hard you work and how dedicated you are, there will always be someone who can run a little faster,
jump a little higher, score a little better or look a little nicer in a swimsuit. And if there's not, you can
bet someone is coming up fast behind you. So how can you always win in life? Become your best
competitor.
     The following are the reasons why you are your own best competitor.
     1. You will always be motivated.
     Having an image of your most recent past limits is the perfect thing to push you to the next level.
If you ran 7 flights of stairs yesterday, then do 8 today. Who cares if the guy next to you did 15? It
doesn't make a bit of difference. You are a more fit person today than you were yesterday. Your
own progress is all you need.
     2 . You will continuously be your personal best.
     If you commit to a slightly higher standard of yourself every day, you will always be at the top of your game. And that game will only get better. But if for some reason you fall off your mark, you will always have the past image of your best performance to show you what you're capable of. Once you've lone it, you know what's possible and then it's just a matter of doing it again.

 1. Through the passage the writer advises the readers to ____.

A. avoid comparison with others
B. work much harder
C. pay attention to others' progress
D. make full use of motivation

 2. If you want to achieve your best, according to the author, you should ____.

A. see yourself better than others
B. measure accurately
C. compare with yourself
D. be honest with yourself

3. Which of the following is certain to happen according to the author?

A. Finding someone else who is in the same life situation as you are.
B. Finding someone who runs faster and jumps higher than you.
C. Finding someone who is hiding right behind you.
D. Finding someone who almost always wins in their life.

4. What can help you up to higher level in your life according to the passage?

A. Comparing yourself with the guy next to you.
B. Thinking about your own progress.
C. Promising to play a game every day.

     If you haven't heard or seen anything about Road Rage in the last few months, you've probably
been avoiding the media. There have been countless stories about this new and scary phenomenon,
considered a type of aggressive driving. You have most likely encountered aggressive driving or
Road Rage recently if you drive at all.
     While drunk driving remains a critical problem, the facts about aggressive driving are surely as
disturbing. For instance, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Association,
41,907 people died on the highway last year. Of those deaths, the agency estimates that about
two-thirds were caused at least in part by aggressive driving behavior.
     Why is this phenomenon occurring more than ever now, and why is it something that seemed
almost nonexistent a few short years ago? Experts have several theories, and all are probably
partially correct. One suggestion is sheer overcrowding. In the last decade, the number of cars on
the roads has increased by more than 11 percent, and the number of miles driven has increased by
35 percent. However, the number of new road miles has only increased by 1 percent. That means
more cars in the same amount of space; and the problem is magnified in urban areas. Also, people
have less time and more things to do. With people working and trying to fit extra chores and
activities into the day, stress levels have never been higher. Stress creates anxiety, which leads to
short tempers. These factors, when combined in certain situations, can spell Road Rage.
     You may think you are the last person who would drive aggressively, but you might be surprised.
For instance, have you ever yelled out loud at a slower driver, sounded the horn long and hard an
another car, or sped up to keep another driver from passing? If you recognize yourself in any of
these situations, watch out!
     Whether you are getting angry at other drivers, or another driver is visibly upset with you, there
are things you can do to avoid any major conflict. If you are easily influenced by Road Rage, the
key is to discharge your emotion in a healthy way. If you are the target of another driver's rage,
do everything possible to get away from the other driver safely, including avoiding eye contact
and getting out of their way.

1. The first sentence in Para. 1 implies that ______.  

A. one may be angered by media reports and wants to avoid them
B. the media coined the term "Road Rage" only a few months ago
C. Road Rage has received much media coverage in the last few months
D. people not interested in the media know little about recent happenings

2. The underlined word "spell" in Para. 3 means ________.

A. relieve                
B. cause            
C. spread              
D. prevent

3. Which of the following characterizes aggressive driving?

A. Talking while driving.              
B. Driving at high speed. 
C. Sounding the horn when passing.      
D. Shouting at another driver.

4. The last paragraph is intended to _________. 

A. tell people how to deal with Road Rage 
B. inform people how aggressive drivers could be 
C. show people how to control themselves when angry 
D. warn people against eye contact with another driver

     Driving speeds have largely stabilized, and nowadays, safety concerns are important and reducing
road accidents to minimum is a must. So, automakers are focused on safety systems more than ever
before.
Given the emphasis on improving safety, it's possible that well-known phrases such as "live fast and
die young" may lose their meaning as innovative (創(chuàng)新的) new devices are built into cars and trucks
and other things that go.
     Many of the new safety systems that are being added to high-end vehicles are computer-assisted
technologies that transfer some of the vehicle's operations to the vehicle itself, rather than relying only
on the driver's decision-making skills.  
     For example, predictive brake assist is an in-vehicle feature that prepares the vehicle for braking
when its built-in sensors detect a potential object ahead. The predictive brake assist basically places
the vehicle's braking system on alert, which helps the system to slow down the car in as little time and
as short a distance as possible.
     Other in-vehicle sensors will detect moving and still objects and will even distinguish the objects
based on simple patterns, such as other vehicles vs. a person.
What's more, built-in "active systems", i.e., predictive precollision (可預(yù)測(cè)碰撞) systems, will provide
drivers with advance detection of potential contact between vehicles. These systems compute the
relative movement of the objects and detect possible dangerous intersections (交點(diǎn)).
     What technological developments have enabled innovations like predictive precollision systems?
Essentially, these so-called active systems are the result of vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure
communications.
     These communication links allow highways to provide a vehicle's owners with services such as renting
a movie during the trip, as well as reduce reaction delays when medical care is needed due to a crash.  
Despite these new technologies, drivers cannot take safety for granted.
     Until all vehicles are fully automated, it is the drivers themselves who are responsible for operating
their vehicles and obeying traffic laws designed to keep roadways secure. So, keep your eyes on the
road and your hands on the steering wheel (方向盤).

1. "Predictive Precollision" can be used to _________. 

A. detect possible dangerous crossroads
B. compute the relative movement of the contacting vehicles 
C. brake the car automatically in as little time as possible
D. detect potential contacts between vehicles in advance

2. Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A. Advanced safety systems make driving an easier job.
B. Automakers pay more attention to safety system than before.
C. New advanced technology makes the vehicle operation rely only on the vehicle itself.
D. Drivers are still expected to drive carefully despite the built-in advanced safety system.

3. We can conclude that the new technology will _________.

A. put an end to road accidents
B. force people to obey traffic laws
C. see a wide use in the future
D. ensure the quality of medical care

4. Which of the following would best serve as the title for the passage?

A. Live fast, die young
B. New systems, safer driving
C. New technology, relaxed drivers
D. High-end vehicles, big innovation

     On our journey to finding our true self and achieving our full potential, we sometimes get into hard
times. However, we must never lose hope for only through determination and discipline will we be able
to reach personal growth. The following tips may help you to achieve your goals for personal growth.
     Find challenges
     If you don't find any challenges to your life, don't just let it be but find them yourself. You should
understand that staying too much in your comfort zone would just cause you to remain where you are
and therefore never improve. So try to find new challenges that would further develop your strengths
and therefore achieve their peak performance.
     Always have a positive mindset (思維模式)
     You should develop a positive mindset, as this would be useful when you face any challenge along
the way. Through this type of mindset, you will be able to continue with your life no matter how hard
the challenge you face is. You should always find a reason to be happy, which would fuel you to go on
further and further until you reach your destination.
     You are not alone and you shouldn't let yourself be
     This is a very important factor. Sometimes we are so stubborn about doing things on our own that
we don't ask others for help. Generally speaking, doing things by yourself is not wrong, and, in fact, it's
even preferred to be independent. However, there are really instances in our life that we need to ask
others for help. You shouldn't see this as being weak, and other people won't think less of you if you
do this. We humans are communal individuals and we could achieve more in this world if we help one
another. So don't hesitate to ask for help if you need it, and also lend a hand to others when they need
you.
     Plan
     When you want to achieve something, don't be in a rush. You need to make good preparations
before doing it, that is, to plan your overall course of action in advance. Create a goal that you are ready
to bet your life on, and check it to see if it is really the goal you want to attain before you give it your all
without any second thoughts. When you're sure about it, plan the ways to achieve it, and to evaluate if
your process is effective while still along the way. You can change your course of actions while you still
have time. Make sure that your goals are specific, attainable and time limited. In this way you can make
sure you are not planning to fail, but to be successful in your search for personal growth.
     Consistency is the key to securing self-improvement; however, being able to do this is really hard.
Still we need to be prepared to pay our dues if we want to reach our goal in life.

     When children celebrate a wedding anniversary for the parents, it's not just a celebration for the
parents but for the whole family. There are many types of wedding anniversary gifts.      1    Choosing a
gift for parents that involves the whole family makes the event more special for them.
Budget(預(yù)算)
     Children shouldn't spend too much money on the gift. Parents usually know the financial conditions of
their children.     2       
     Considerations
     An anniversary gift for parents should have two characteristics: customized (訂制的), and something
they can use together. It is not a good idea to choose a gift that only looks good. The gift is celebrating
their time spent together, so it has to be something they both will enjoy.
     Family celebration
     One of the biggest achievements of parents is raising children. So some children decide to buy an
anniversary gift that involves the entire family such as a special family vacation.      3     
     A party as a gift
         4      If it is a milestone anniversary such as a 25th or 50th wedding anniversary, some children
choose to hold a party. The guest list includes all family members who have been close to them over the
years.
     Family-themed gifts
     One choice is a family photo taken by a professional or even a painting created by a professional
artist using a family photo as the image to be painted.      5   If the parents don't have a DVD player,
the player can be included as part of the gift.
A. Sometimes gifts don't have to be objects bought with money.
B. Brothers and sisters can share the cost of the party.
C. And these gifts reflect a lot of thought and effort.
D. So the gift should be one selected specially for parents.
E. Overspending can make parents uncomfortable and worried.
F. This way, the family can be together to celebrate the anniversary.
G. Another nice gift is making a DVD with old videotapes of family events.

1. The main purpose of this article is to explain ______.

A. why you need extra time when you visit Arab countries
B. how to be polite when doing business in the Arab world
C. why Arab officials are so busy
D. what Arabs say when doing business

2. From this article we know that ______.

A. when an Arab wants to say "yes", he often says "maybe"
B. an Arab seldom disagrees with a guest to his face
C. when an Arab agrees, a smile and a slow nod will be given
D. "inshallah" is an English word

3. Which of the following is NOT an Arab custom?

A. To dislike being interrupted during their meeting.
B. Often to give you a vague answer.  
C. Seldom to say "no" directly.
D. Seldom to hesitate to start talking business in the presence of strangers.

     Among various programs, TV talk shows have covered every inch of space on daytime television.
But no two shows are more opposite in content, while at the same time standing out above the rest,
than the Jerry Springer and Oprah Winfrey shows.
     Jerry Springer could easily be considered the king of "rubbish talk". 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 the 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 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 audience are middle-class
Americans. Most of the 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.

1. Compared with other TV talk shows, both the Jerry Springer and the Oprah Winfrey shows
are ________.

A. more interesting
B. unusually popular
C. more detailed
D. more formal

2. Though the social problems Jerry Springer talks about appear unpleasant, people who watch
     the shows ________.

A. show disbelief in them
B. are ready to face up to them
C. remain cold to them
D. are willing to get away from them

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

A. A new type of robot.
B. National hatred (憎恨).
C. Family income planning.
D. Street accident.

4. What is the advantage of the Jerry Springer show? 

A. The show exposes the dark sides of society.
B. The show pours poisonous waste into society.
C. Jerry sums up (總結(jié)) the whole idea of the show.
D. Jerry talks about the improvement of society.