Don't talk to me; I'm busy with my iPhone
     Riding a London subway, a person from China will notice one major difference: in London, people do
not look at each other. In fact, eye contact is avoided at all times. That's not rudeness-people are just too busy to bother looking.
     Busy doing what, you ask? Well, they're certainly not using the time for a moment of quiet reflection,
nor are they reading a book. New technology has replaced quiet habits. Today the only acceptable form
of book on the London underground is an e-book.
     Apple must earn a fortune from London commuters (乘車上下班的人). Since the launch of the
iPhone in 2007, over 40,000-yes, that's 40,000-"apps" (programs downloaded for the iPhone) have
been designed.
     Commuters love them because they are the perfect time-fillers. One "app", called iShoot, is a game
that features tanks. Another one, Tube Exits, tells passengers where to sit on the train to be closest to
the exit of their destination. ISteam clouds the iPhone screen when you breathe into the microphone. You
can then write in the " steam" on your phone screen.
     For those without an iPhone, another Apple product, the iPod, may be another choice. It's not just
teenagers who "plug in" to their music-iPods are a popular way to pass the time for all ages.
     And if games,  e-books and music aren't enough to keep you occupied. Then perhaps you would
prefer a film. The development of palm DVD technology means many commuters watch their favorite
TV show or film on the way to work. With all this entertainments, it's amazing that people still remember
to get off the train.

1. People in London do not make eye contact on the subway because they are busy___.

A. going to work
B. reading books
C. thinking private things
D. playing games, reading e-books, listening to music or watching films.

2. Those who like war games can download ___to their iPhones.

A. iShoot
B. Tube Exits
C. ISteam
D. iPod

3.The underlined word "occupied" in the last paragraph probably means____.

A. delighted
B. busy
C. amused
D. controlled

4.The article tells us that___.

A. London commuters are unfriendly to strangers
B. Apple has earned a lo of money from selling 40,000 iPhones
C. technology is changing the way London commuters spend their traveling time.
D. with all the new time-fillers, London commuters often forget to get off the train.

1. What will be exhibited in Geneva?

A. A watch  
B. A kind of shoes.
C. A bracelet.
D. A photo.

2. A newly-developed car has been produced by ________.

A. Vans and Hermes
B. Christian Dior
C. Champion Motorsport
D. Panerai

3. It can be inferred that ________.

A. Goose liver is the favorite food of the Japanese people. 
B. Some children have built up a toy-brick-liked building.
C. Mixing up olive oil with ordinary oil makes high-quality oil. 
D. Badly behaved designers used not to get what they deserved.

     It is common and usual to see people freak out when they face challenges in their life. We all pass in
different life problems and challenges. No one is free of life problems. Only a dead man faces no problem. As long as you are alive, challenges are everywhere.
     How do you face problems and challenges in your life? Problems and challenges are the building
blocks of your personality. They make you who you are. Besides, whether what happened in your life
builds or destructs you depends on how you look at it. If you take your problems as troubles, they will be
troubles and may cause destruction. If you take them as constructive tools, you are going to be built up on them.
     Problems are everywhere. No one can avoid them. And they are good too. They open up a different
look and opportunity if you are willing to see. When you face troubles, do not frustrate or freak out. Just
cool yourself to think in a different direction. Think in a positive way. Every problem has its own good as
well as bad sides. Focus on the good one. Look at the bright side.
     Besides, there is always a good person, perhaps your mom or dad, or one of your friends, right beside you who can turn everything into your best if you are willing to turn to them. No matter what happens,
they will be there to help you. Trust them and they will never let you down. All you need to know is that
you are loved wherever you are.

1. What's the meaning of the underlined phrase "freak out" in Paragraph 1 ?

A. feel shy.   
B. stay calm.  
C. keep up.    
D. feel upset.

2. In Paragraph 2, the writer implies that______

A. problems cause troubles  
B. attitude is everything
C. challenges can be avoided  
D. personalities are built on failures

3. According to the last paragraph, when we're in trouble, we _______.

A. can only depend on our parents      
B. are not alone
C. should only believe ourselves        
D. are not confident

4. What's the writer' purpose to write the passage?

A. To encourage.  
B. To compare.  
C. To prove.
D. To explain.

     Have you ever received a gift that was so clearly not your taste that you wondered if perhaps it had
been h anded to you by mistake? Worse, have you ever given a present and watched your friend look as
though she had opened the wrong box? Maybe she responded with a polite "Why, thank you." but you
knew you had missed the mark. Why do presents sometimes go wrong? And what do your choices
(good and bad) reflect about your personal qualities?
     Choosing the right gift is an art, I believe. It calls for empathy -the ability to put yourself into someone
else's head and heart. We're all able to do this; in fact, we're born with a kind of natural empathy. After
the earliest period of childhood, however, it needs to be reinforced (加強(qiáng)) by our parents, teachers,
friends. When it isn't, we're not able to understand other people's feelings as sharply. This can show in
the gifts we select, and so can many other emotional qualities.
     Think back to the presents you've given over the past year, the time and effort you put into your
selection, how much you spent, your thoughts while you were shopping, and your feelings when the
receiver opened the package. Keep in mind that what you choose displays your inner world. Of course,
you may express yourself differently with different friends, relatives, and other people you know.
     We live in a society where exchanging presents is an important part of communication. Ignoring the
tradition won't make it go away. If you really dislike such a tradition, tell your friends ahead of time.

1. The underlined expression "you had missed the mark" means "you had failed to ______".

A. make her feel better
B. keep your friendship
C. receive a present in return
D. get the expected effect

2. Which of the following is the main idea of the second paragraph?

A. Natural empathy needs to be reinforced.
B. Emotional changes influence one's choice of gifts.
C. Selecting the right gift is an ability people are born with.
D. Choosing gifts requires one to understand the receivers.

3. In the third paragraph, the author tells us that ______.

A. attention should be paid to the receiver's responses  
B. one learns from what he did in the past
C. the choice of gifts reflects one's emotional qualities  
D. one should spend more time choosing gifts

4. The best possible title for this passage is "______".

A. Ways of Choosing Gifts
B. An Important Tradition
C. Exchanging Presents
D. Message in a Gift

     Competition. It's a simple word, yet a very complex word that covers many angles when it comes to
how gasoline prices are determined. It seems so easy to explain, but don't let that trick you-it's incredibly
difficult to explain and adequately understand.
     Say you're on a Sunday afternoon drive, and notice a gas station near you charging $3.50. Down the
road a few miles, that price could easily be 10 or more cents higher or lower. The question is "how" or
"why" is that? Think of it this way. Are you more likely to get a better deal on a car if there are two similar car dealers next to each other? Perhaps, because the dealers are too close. Say there is a third similar car dealer miles away. Is he going to be at the same level of competition and sell his cars for the same price as the two dealers next to each other? Likely not. He may charge more or less. Maybe people don't know
there are two other dealers down the road. Maybe the dealer is almost outside of the city and the land
value isn't as high, so his taxes aren't as high.
     These situations do take place at gas stations. And more factors can impact what a station will charge. Timing can greatly impact what price a station charges as well! Many motorists fail to realize that the price a station pays for gasoline changes daily. If one station gets lucky and buys gas on Monday and the cost
goes up Tuesday, the station that bought on Monday doesn't necessarily have to raise prices like the
station that bought on Tuesday. Maybe the station that got caught buying for a higher price on Tuesday
will pass that higher cost on by raising its gas price.
      Perhaps the difference is what brand the station is-branded stations usually pay a slightly higher cost
for their gasoline. In return for paying a higher cost, those stations are guaranteed first supply in case of
emergency situations. Independent stations don't pay as much, but aren't guaranteed supply.
     While competition sounds easy to understand, there are always a large number of factors that could
influence what one station charges. Keep in mind how many variables (變數(shù)) there are next time you fill
up.

1. What could be the best title for the passage?

A. How Competition Impacts Gas Prices 
B. Gas Prices Go Up or Down
C. Competition---a Very Complex Word 
D. We Can't Stress Enough the Need for Competition  

2. The example of car dealers is used to show ________.  

A. car prices are determined by car dealers
B. location is an important factor in pricing
C. the quality of service matters most
D. dealing strategy should be flexible

3. The gas prices of a station always change partly because _______. 

A. a gas station always wants to charge more
B. the gasoline is in great demand
C. the cost of the gas the station buys varies daily
D. gas is in greater need on Monday

4. According to the passage, branded stations _______.

A. spend less money on their gasoline        
B. have more staff than independent stations
C. charge less for high quality oil            
D. offer a steady oil supply

      Free On-line Short Stories For Kids: Trevor The Taxi
     In this children's story, suited to younger children, we have an adventure with Trevor. He is a taxi.
Trevor loves his life:
     "Sometimes he takes patients to the nursing home, where they can get better after being ill, and
sometimes he takes people home when they have been shopping, and Stan puts all their packages inside
Trevor's boot, so they will not get wet or broken."
     The black cab, in this adventure, goes far beyond the call of duty whilst he achieves his wildest dreams! What could this be? Well you will just have to read this short story for yourself!
     Free On-line Short Stories For Kids: The Girl Who Believed In Fairies
     The fairy queen is upset and the elves just don't know what to do:
     "Oh , oh ," sobbed the queen, getting her hankie all wet with her constant crying. For the twelfth time
that day, Elgie the chief elf took her hankie and wrung it out on to the carpet of grass that grew all around
the palace."
     How will they manage to help the queen? Why was she so unhappy? There is only one person that
can help! Can she do it? This is a lovely fairy tale that will glow the embers of your heart - only for young
little princesses!
     Free On-line Short Stories For Kids: The Envious Kings
     This story is suitable for 6 years and upwards.
     Unfolding in the story pages of this recommendation is a children's story about two kings who were
competing with each other:
     "In spite of the easy life that the two kings had, they were not happy, for each of them kept thinking
that the other one had a bigger and better palace, or owned more horses, or had more jewels or even
had creamier milk."
     They were both petty and, through their envy, they caused themselves much trouble. Who do you
think saved the day? Well, you will just have to read the story to find out!
      Free On-line Short Stories For Kids: The Wise Old Woman
This story is probably suited to the 8 years old age range and upwards, although would appeal to adults,
alike.
     Here I introduce you to one of my kids on-line stories listed on the writing and literature section of
Hubpages. In this parable you will find a magical world of wisdom involving trees, people and someone
very special.
    "As she stood and watched, the knowledge melted into her and the sapling grew...The magical
transition took her breath away and as she watched on with ore, she noticed something strange."
So, what was this strangeness and magical transition? Let me leave you with wonderment ... and a click
of the link!
     Free On-line Short Stories For Kids: Unusual Stories - Faffenburger's Odyssey
     This story is probably more suited to the older child. So who is Faffenburger? Well with one of these
free on-line short stories for kids, we enter into a different realm. A world of nonsense as Faffenburger
moves within alpha and omega. This is a rather unusual story as you will find out!
     "My friend, Henry Faffenburger stomped down the long lane on his short stumpy legs, moonlight
glancing off his bald-spot, which was a little surprising as there was no moon that night. As he rounded
the bend, he saw a pair of headlights coming toward him. They drew level, and stopped. A small man
with yellow eyes emerged from the darkness behind the lights, and enquired if Faffenburger would like
a lift.
     "Where are you going ?" asked my friend. "Wherever you want to go", replied the owner of the
yellow eyes."
     So, the adventure begins! Where will they go? Alpha, Omega or just the middle? After all, it was a
long summer - especially the middle! Take a closer look at this - you might find something a little more
strange and a little more hidden that you have noticed before. Intrigued? Well you should be with
Faffenburger's Odyssey!

1.Which story is more well-received by young girls?

A.Trevor The Taxi
B. Faffenburger's Odyssey
C.The Wise Old Woman
D. The Girl Who Believed In Fairys

2.You can find the description of a night scene in _______?

A.The Envious Kings
B.The Girl Who Believed In Fairies
C.The Wise Old Woman
D. Faffenburger's Odyssey

3. According to the passage, the kings in "The Envious Kings" can be described as_______?

A. Jealous
B. powerful
C. rude
D. ugly

4.Who will most probably find the passage useful?

A. parents with children    
B. children who love to surf the Internet
C. teachers in high school
D. experts who concern children

     Half of the world's population is affected by Asian monsoons (季風(fēng)), but monsoons are difficult to
predict. American researchers have put together a 700-year record of the rainy seasons, which is
expected to provide guidance for experts making weather predictions
     Every year, moist (潮濕的) air masses,known as monsoon,produce large amounts of rainfall in India,
East Asia, Northern Australia and East Africa. All this wet air is pulled in by a high pressure area over the
Indian Ocean and a low pressure area to the south.
     According to Edward Cook, a weather expert at Columbia University in New York, the complex
nature of the climate systems across Asia makes monsoons hard to predict. In addition, climate records
for the area are too recent and not detailed enough to be of much use. Therefore, he and a team of
researchers spent more than fifteen years traveling across Asia, looking for trees old enough to provide
long-term records. They measured the rings, or circles, inside thousands of ancient trees in more than
300 places.
     Rainfall has a direct link to the growth and width of rings on some kinds of trees. The researchers
developed a document they are calling a Monsoon Asia Drought Atlas. It shows the effect of monsoons
over seven centuries, beginning in the 1300s.
     Professor Cook says the tree-ring records show periods of wet and dry weather. "If the monsoon
basically fails or is a very weak one, the trees affected by monsoons at that location might put on a very
narrow ring. But if the monsoon is very strong, the trees affected by that monsoon might put on a wide
ring for that year. So, the wide and narrow ring widths of the chronology that we developed in Asia
provide us with a measure of monsoon variability." With all this information, researchers say they can
begin to improve computer climate models for predicting the behavior of monsoons.
     "There has been widespread famine and starvation and human dying in the past in large droughts. And
on the other hand, if the monsoon is particularly heavy, it can cause extensive flooding." said Eugene
Wahl, a scientist with America's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "So, to get a sense
of what the regional moisture patterns have been, dryness and wetness over such a long period of time in
great detail, I would call it a kind of victory for climate science."

1.What's the passage mainly about?

A. The effects of Asian monsoons.            
B. The necessity of weather forecast.
C. The achievements of Edward cook.        
D. A breakthrough in monsoon prediction.

2. It is difficult for experts to predict Asian monsoons because _______.

A. it is hard to keep long-term climate records.
B. they are formed under complex climate systems.
C. they influence many nations.        
D. there is heavy rainfall in Asia.

3. What can be inferred from the passage?

A. Long and detailed climate records can offer useful information for monsoon research.
B. The Monsoon Asia Drought Atlas has a monsoon record for about 1,300 years.
C. The trees affected by monsoon grow fast if the monsoon is weak.
D. The rainfall might be low although the monsoon is strong in monsoon-affected areas.

4. According to Professor Cook, the rings of the trees _______.

A. determine the regional climate.          
B. have a great influence on the regional climate.
C. offer people information about the regional climate.
D. reflect all kinds of regional climate information.

5. What do we know about the research according to Eugene Wahl?

A. It is a great achievement in climate science.
B. It should include information about human life in the past.
C. It has analysed moisture models world wide,
D. It will help people prevent droughts and floods.

6. Which of the following best describes the tone of this passage?

A. Matter-of -fact   
B. Pessimistic    
C. Humorous    
D. Friendl

A. Arguments are pointless.
B. Your parents only want what's best for you.
C. Everyone's opinion matters only as much as you want them to.
D. You learn by doing.
E. Your emotions are under your control.
F. You aren't stuck in any situation.
                                                    Life is the greatest teacher
     There always comes a moment when I wonder where I will end up and this moment always serves as
a strong motivation for me to learn life lesson. I've learned a great many things, but these are the lessons
that I wish I'd learned earlier:
1. _________
     There was a time when everyone's opinion was mine as well. Whatever preferences I formerly held
were dashed in the face of another's. This most likely came from a need to please others. Remember that
your opinion matters just as much as the next guy's, whether they make more money than you or are less
popular than you. Everyone's opinion holds the same weight.
2. _________
      Drama, chaos, and emotional unrest - these were what took up most of my time as a teenager. If I
had heard someone said bad things behind my back, I'd be angry. Go crazy. Looking back on those
tantrums now, I'm not too surprised. After all, when you have little self control, anything is possible. The
lessons here is, remain aware of how you react.
3. _________
     Will one small quarrel among friends decide the fate of the entire universe? In my world it felt like it. I
just wanted so much to be right and for them so much to be wrong. But in the end, it only resulted in me
wasting my time and in the other person storming off in frustration. Is there really a point to arguing?
Unless it's absolutely necessary, I've learned that it's better to hold your breath on things you can't control
at all. Arguing to change someone's mind is one of them.
4. _________
     I'm not saying every parent wants what's best for you (there are outliers), but in general, parents do
what they do for you in your best interest. My parents used to make me do the dishes, cook dinner,
sweep the floors, mow the lawn, take out the garbage…