American life before 1950 felt nothing like American life feels now, and a big reason is those three
changes that took place in the second half of the 20th century, which has had the most lasting impact
on our lives today.
     1. The building of the interstates (州際公路).
     2. The covering of the United States with coast-to-coast television.
     3. The introduction and spread of the Internet.
     Before the interstates were constructed, even a trip within an individual state often took considerable
planning; two-lane roads, dangerous and slow, were common. The interstates tore down the invisible
walls around U. S. towns. President Eisenhower was in favor of building the interstates, because he
believed that, in a time of war, they would be helpful in moving troops and supplies. But their immediate
effect was to make Americans feel that certain doors had been unlocked. With the interstates came a sense
of freedom: A person could drive anywhere- everywhere-easily. Suddenly, horizons were unlimited. "Local"
didn't mean quite the same thing it used to. Getting away was effortless.
     The introduction of national television meant that for the first time in history, people in every corner of
the country were watching exactly the same thing at exactly the same moment. It connected the country,
in a way that even network radio hadn't accomplished, and it was because of the quality of the TV pictures.
As with the interstates, coast-to-coast television was a cure to separation. Those who ran the newly formed
television networks had an enormous amount of power. Their decisions about what to put on the air determined
what people would be talking about the next day. They controlled what people would laugh at and when, what
people would cry over and when, what would anger people and when it would anger them.
     And then, later in the century, the Internet came along, erasing all symbolic borders. If the interstate
highways had allowed physical freedom, the Internet allowed a different kind of freedom, one unprecedented
(空前的) in human experience. It was no coincidence that it was initially referred to as the information
superhighway: Seemingly overnight, the knowledge of the world was available to anyone with a keyboard and
a modem; people who had never met and would never meet could communicate as if they were lifelong friends.
Now the individual at his or her computer terminal was given the power to decide how he or she would be
informed or entertained at a given moment. No one else had the absolute authority to arrange the individual's
life; he or she made that decision, moment by moment. What in the past might have taken a person a lifetime-
searching for mankind's recorded wisdom in distant and magnificent libraries- now, in theory, was available
with a series of key taps from one's room. What had once seemed unbelievable had, very quickly, become
routine.
     The three developments ended up changing our daily world greatly; largely because of them, it is a world
that would be almost unrecognizable to our grandparents and great-grandparents.

     If you and your friends wish to share a secret, you can write it in code (編碼), and no one else will be
able to read it.
     Codes are one way of writing in secret. Ciphers (暗碼) are another. In a code each word is written as a
secret code word or code number. In a cipher each letter is changed. Codes and ciphers have played an
important role in the history of the world. Julius Caesar, the Roman ruler who defeated almost all the countries
in Europe about 2, 000 years ago, used a cipher when he sent secret messages to his troops. During the
American Revolution, George Washington's spies used a kind of code to send him information about the enemy
before his military (軍事的) action. In World War Ⅱ, the Americans "broke", or figured out, Japan's most
important navy codes and got enough information to destroy a powerful Japanese fleet( 艦隊(duì)).
     Storekeepers use codes to mark their goods. The codes show how much was paid for the goods or when
 they were added to the stock (商品). Businessmen use codes to hide plans from their business enemies.
Sometimes personal letters or diaries are written in code. Many people enjoy figuring out codes and ciphers
simply as a hobby.
     In the 16th century, codes and ciphers were very popular among scientists. They wrote messages to each
other in code so that no one else would learn their secrets. Geronimo Gardano, an Italian astrologer (星相家),
mathematician, and doctor, invented the trellis cipher. He took two sheets of paper and cut exactly the same
holes in each one. Then he sent one sheet, which he called a trellis, to a friend and kept the other for himself.
Whenever he wanted to write a message, he put his trellis over a clean sheet of paper and wrote the secret
message through the holes. Then he removed the trellis and filled the rest of the paper with words that would
make sense. When his friend received it, he put his trellis over the writing and read the secret message.

1. The best title of this passage would be _______.

A. Codes and Ciphers
B. Differences between Codes and Ciphers
C. History of Codes and Ciphers
D. Inventors of Codes and Ciphers

2. Which of the following statements is true?

A. Ciphers can be broken or figured out more easily than codes.
B. You could read some words in Geronimo's letter without his trellis.
C. The first person who ever used a cipher in history was Julius Caesar.
D. Fondness of using codes was the hobby of the scientists in the 16th century.

3. According to Geronimo Cardano, a trellis is _______.

A. a piece of paper with many small holes
B. a secret message with a lot of small holes
C. a letter with unreadable words and sentences
D. a sheet of paper with groups of Arabic figures

4. It is NOT mentioned in the passage that codes and ciphers are used for the purpose of _______.

A. military affairs　　 　　　　　　　　
B. commercial secrets
C. scientific achievements 　　　　　　
D. personal enjoyment

     A survey conducted last week by China Youth Daily and Sina.com showed about 70 percent of 3 990
interviewees believe wealthy Chinese do not have a good reputation and are not worthy of respect. "Rich
people on the mainland invest too little in charity and gain too much." a student from Beijing Sports University
said. 1_____ They are a sense of social responsibility, self-discipline and a caring heart.
     The number of people who make at least $ 50 000 a year increases by 15 percent a year according to the
China Economic Times. 2_____
     The question how the rich became rich was on the top of the list from the interviewees surveyed. A post-
graduate student at the Communication University of China said, "3_____" This opinion has been widely
acknowledged by most interviewees. 
     4_____ Many voters thought better of rich people from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and western countries,
rather than the mainland, Hong Kong property tycoon (大亨) Li Ka-shing was most highly regarded, followed
by Bill Gates, mainland property tycoon Wang Shi and basketball player Yao Ming.
     A professor from Renmin University of China called on the heads of Chinese companies to think and invest
in a long-term way. "5_____" the professor added.

A. Even so, the survey also found wealthy people keeping the law, and having a sense of social responsibility
    and a caring heart, are respected.
B. Skilled communication is not the necessary quality for the rich to get social respect.
C. The survey suggests the rich, to become popular and respected, need three things.
D. Their social responsibility is not only in charity, but in being a tie connecting the company with the
     government and the public.
E. What's more, some wealthy people were found dishonest sometimes.
F. Our country now has l.5 million rich people.
G. Some rich people are thought to have made their wealth through illegal means, such as bribery

     When I was eight, I saw a movie about an island that had an erupting volcano and jungles filled with wild
animals. The island was ruled by a beautiful woman called Tondalaya, the Fire Goddess of the Volcano. It was
a low budget movie, but to me, it represented the perfect life. But through the years, Tondalaya was forgotten.
     The week I turned 50, my marriage came to a sudden end. My house, furniture and everything I'd owned
was sold to pay debts that I didn't even know existed. In a week I had lost my husband, my home and my
parents who had refused to accept a divorce (離婚) in the family. I'd lost everything except my four teenage
children. I used every penny I had to buy five plane tickets from Missouri to Hawaii. Everyone said I was
crazy to think I could just run off to an island and survive. I was afraid they were right.
     I worked 18 hours a day and lost 30 pounds because I lived on one meal a day. One night as I walked alone
on the beach, I saw the red orange lava (火山巖) pouring out of Kilauea Volcano in the distance. It was time to
live my imagination!
     The next day, I quit my job, bought some art supplies and began doing what I'loved. I hadn't painted a
picture in 15 years. I wondered if I could still paint. My hands trembled the first time I picked up a brush. But
before an hour had passed, I was lost in the colors spreading across the canvas (畫布) in front of me. And as
soon as I started believing in myself, other people started believing in me, too. The first painting sold for $1 500. 
     The past six years have been filled with adventures. My children and I have gone swimming with dolphins,
watched whales and hiked around the crater rim (火山口邊緣) of the volcano. We wake up every morning
with the ocean in front of us and the volcano behind us. The dream I had more than 40 years ago is now reality.
I'm living freely and happily ever after.

1. Why did the writer go to Hawaii?

A. To make a living.
B. To spend her holiday.
C. To free herself from trouble.
D. To realize her childhood dream.

2. Which of the following is the writer's dream?

A. Get close to wildlife.
B. Live a free and happy life.
C. Live in nature with animals.
D. Become a successful painter.

3. We can infer from the passage that _____.

A. the writer had never done painting before
B. the writer's parents encouraged her to divorce
C. the writer's husband took away most of her money
D. the writer wasn't sure whether she could survive in Hawaii at first

     With their weakening bodies, advanced age or increasing pressure of work or study, people have been
advised and usually persuaded to have health care products. Do you remember your first time to take a
nutritional supplement (營養(yǎng)補(bǔ)充品)? What was your first impression?
                                                                                             Posted by Amy, Dec. 23, 2010 8:05 PM
Madeline on Dec. 24, 2010 7:25 PM
     Years ago, as a young morn with two small children, I struggled to keep up with the demands of a busy
life. One day, I woke up feeling so tired that I knew something had to change!
     A friend gave me some Royal Jelly-an amazing substance (物質(zhì)) from the beehive (蜂房). I was doubtful,
but desperate.., so I tried it! In time, I began to experience renewed energy and vitality (活力) like never
before! Now, over two decades later, I travel all round the country, sharing my life-changing experience. I'm
grateful for the energy to keep up and love to share this wonderful discovery with others.
Blanca on Dec. 25, 2010 7:02 PM
     Ten years ago, when I was 73, my mind wanted to be busy and useful, but my body didn't. I became tired
and lethargic (無精打采的). That's when my daughter Madeline tried to persuade me to try her special Royal
Jelly. It made such a dramatic (巨大的) difference in her life, so she was sure it could help me too! Hesitating
for 2 days, I gave in. She was right! I no longer felt worn out. I had a new, youthful zest (熱情) for life and
I've been OK-thanks to Royal Jelly!
Lori on Dee. 25, 2010 10:27 PM
     When my mom Madeline was introduced to Royal Jelly, it affected my life, too! Mom gave me some of her
fantastic Royal Jelly. Boy, things did turn around! I had more energy and stamina (耐力) and was finally able
to keep up with high school and, eventually, college activities. Today, I'm a busy mom in my mid-thirties with
two active boys and a new business! I have enough energy to do it all! I'm glad I took my Mom's advice.

1. From the text, we learn that _____.

A. Madeline became more than willing to take Royal Jelly at the very beginning
B. Lori was grateful partly because Royal Jelly helped him to improve his studies
C. Royal Jelly is a product that can help renew a person's energy and vitality
D. Amy has benefited from Royal Jelly so she posted a topic about the product

2. Which of the following is true of Blanca?

A. She replied to the topic on Christmas Eve.
B. She tried Royal Jelly without hesitation.
C. She is now supposed to be in her seventies.
D. She was the second one to reply to the topic.

3. What's the relationship between the Royal Jelly takers?

A. Lori and Blanca are Madeline's grandchildren.
B. Madeline is Blanca's daughter and Lori's mother.
C. Blanca is Lori and Madeline's great grandmother.
D. They have no blood relationship but friendship.

4. Where can we most probably read this text?

A. In a sports club.
B. On an Internet page.
C. In a fiction.
D. In a travel magazine.

     How do you know if your home is an easy aim for thefts (偷竊)? Around the holidays, many families don't
consider taking proper measures to prevent their homes from suffering holiday thefts. With just a few simple
steps, you can better make sure of the safety of your home during all of the holiday celebrations. Here are a
few tips for making it difficult to tell you are away from home. 
     ● Either have a trusted neighbor pick up your mail and newspapers, or tell your mailperson to hold your
mail until you return. Nothing says "Hey, we are not home!" like when your postbox is filled with all kinds of
mails and you have many different newspapers in your driveway. 
     ● Set several different lights in your house on random timers (隨機(jī)定時器). Don't leave your outdoor lights
on all the time. Instead, put your outside lights on timers to be on during the nights. If an outdoor light remains
on for days at a time, it means that nobody is home to turn it off. 
     ● If you have pets that you are not taking with you on vacation, leave them with a friend, rather than having
someone come into your house every day to take care of them. When thefts see a neighbor or friend entering
your house every day, they will know you are not home. 
     ● Close all your curtains when you leave town. This is effective to deter possible thefts, as no one can see
what is in your house. If they don't know what there is to take, then the risk is even greater for them to break
in. 
     ● This article just has suggested a few tips to help you keep your house safe while you are on holiday.
Nothing can truly protect your home unless you have it monitored by a professional home security system.

1. What is the main idea of the passage?

A. to tell us how to prevent the thefts around the holidays.
B. to let the outdoor lights on all the time.
C. to tell us many families suffering from the thefts while they are on holiday.
D. to tell you to have your neighbor go to your house to take care of your pet.

2. If you are on holiday in other places, the lights in your house should _____.

A. be lit in an irregular way
B. be kept on all the night
C. be replaced by random timers
D. be turned on only once one day

3. To make your home is well protected, what does the writer advise you to do?

A. Have all the curtains closed
B. Stop your mail service at once
C. Turn to your close neighbors or friends
D. Equip your home with security system

4. Most of the tips mentioned in the text seem to _____.

A. be very popular with families
B. have no effect on preventing thefts
C. give a false impression on thefts
D. be a little hard to be brought into effect

5. The underlined word "deter" probably means "_____".

A. discover
B. discourage
C. surprise
D. attract

     We all remember seeing hitchhikers, standing by the side of the road, thumb sticking out, waiting for a
lift. But it is getting rare nowadays. What killed hitchhiking? Safety is often mentioned as a reason. Movies
about murderous hitchhikers and real-life crime have put many drivers off picking up hitchhikers. That no
single women picked me up on my journey to Manchester no doubt reflects the safety fear: a large, strangely
dressed man is seen as dangerous.
     But the reason may be more complex: hitchhiking happens where people don't have cars and transport
services are poor. Plenty of people still hitchhike in Poland and Romania. Perhaps the rising level of car
ownership in the UK means the few people left hitchhiking are usually considered strange. Why can't they
afford cars? Why can't they take the coach or the train?
     Three-quarters of the UK population have access to a car; many of the remainder will be quite old. The
potential hitchhiking population is therefore small. Yet my trip proves it's still possible to hitchhike. The
people who picked me up were very interesting-lawyer, retired surgeon, tank commander, carpenter, man
who lived in an isolated farmhouse and a couple living up in the mountains. My conclusion is that only really
interesting people are mad enough to pick up fat blokes in red, spotted scarves. Most just wanted to do
someone a good turn; a few said they were so surprised to see a hitchhiker that they couldn't help stopping.
     The future of hitchhiking most likely lies with car-sharing organised over the Internet, via sites such as
hitchhikers, org. But for now, you can still stick your thumb out (actually, I didn't do much of that, preferring
just to hold up my destination sign) and people-wonderful, caring, sharing, unafraid people-will stop.
     In the UK, with its cheap coaches and reasonable rail service, I don't think I'll make a habit of it. But having
enjoyed it so much, I'm ready now to do a big trip across Europe and beyond. In the 1970s a female friend of
my wife's hitchhiked to India. How wonderful it would be to have another go, though Afghanistan might be a
challenge. I wish I'd got that tank commander's mobile number.

1. The author tried to hitchhike but was rejected by single women drivers because _____.

A. they were not heading towards Manchester
B. they thought most hitchhikers were dangerous
C. hitchhiking had been banned and they didn't want to break the law
D. he was a strong man in strange clothes who seemed dangerous

2. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A. Movies have discouraged people from hitchhiking.
B. Car ownership levels are lower in Romania than in the UK.
C. 25% of UK people don't have access to cars.
D. Increased car ownership has reduced the need for hitchhiking.

3. The "fat blokes in red, spotted scarves" in Paragraph 3 most likely means _____.

A. murderous hitchhikers
B. friendly and talkative hitchhikers
C. typical hitchhikers
D. strange hitchhikers like the author

4. According to the author, future hitchhikers are more likely to _____.

A. visit websites and find people to share cars with
B. stand by roads with their thumbs sticking out
C. stick out signs with their destinations written on
D. wait for some kind people to pick them up

5. From the last paragraph, we know that the author _____.

A. frequently hitchhikes in Britain
B. plans m hitchhike across Europe
C. thinks public transport is safer for travel
D. is going to contact the tank commander

A. The general result of a survey.
B. Some specific data about whether people in different areas are appreciated.
C. Being appreciated may promote growth of productivity.
D. In most places people are well-praised.
E. Most people need encouragement but haven't got it.
F. Politeness actually means much to people.

1._____
     It is often said that politeness costs nothing. In fact, frequently hearing the phrase "thank you" or "well
done" means the same to staff as a pay rise, researchers say. Praise and encouragement makes employees
more likely to work hard and stay in their jobs, saving on the cost of finding replacements.
2._____ 
     A third of 1 000 workers surveyed (調(diào)查) by consulting firm White Water Strategies (WWS) said they
did not get thanked at all when they did well, and a further third said they were not thanked enough. In both
cases, staff said they felt undervalued, meaning they were less likely to exert (使努力) themselves and were
more likely to look for employment elsewhere.
 3._____ 
     The yearly result is around 5.2 billion in lost productivity from employees who would improve their
performance if they felt more appreciated, WWS claimed. According to the company, praising staff has
the same encouragement as a l percent pay rise, and works out much cheaper for bosses.
4._____
     Three out of four employees said that regular appreciation by their bosses was important to them, but
only a quarter said they were actually given as much praise as they felt they needed. The survey found that
those in blue-collar and manual (體力的) jobs were less likely to be given any recognition for doing well.
5._____
     In regional terms, Scottish staff felt most undervalued. Four out of ten workers said they were never
thanked and eight out of ten said they would like more praise. However, workers in the Northeast are less
impressed by being praised by the boss, for only 69 per cent said they felt the need to be told "well done"
regularly. Older employees and women need the most reassurance, according to psychologist Averil Leimon,
a director of WWS. She said that words of praise did more than create a pleasant place to work-they could
even increase profits.