One day not too long ago the employees of a large company in St. Louis, Missouri returned from their
lunch break and were greeted with a sign on the front door. The sign said:"Yesterday he person who has
been hindering your growth in this company passed away. We invite you to attend the funeral in the room
that has been prepared in the gym."
     At first everyone was sorry to hear that one of their colleagues had died, but after a while hey started
getting curious about who this person might be. The excitement grew as the employees arrived at the gym
to pay their last respects. Everyone wondered:"Who is this person that was hindering my progress? Well,
at least he's no longer here!"
     One by one the employees got closer to the coffin and when they looked inside it they suddenly became
speechless. They stood over the coffin, shocked and in silence, as if someone had touched the deepest part
of their soul. There was a mirror inside the coffin: everyone who looked inside it could see himself. There
was also a sign next to the mirror that said:"There is only one person who is capable to set limits to your
growth:it is you." You are the only person who can revolutionize your life. You are the only person who can
influence your happiness, your realization and your success.
     You are the only person who can help yourself. Your life does not change when your boss changes,
when your friends change, when your parents change,when your partner changes, when your company
changes. Your life changes when you change, when you go beyond your limiting beliefs, when you realize
that you are the only one responsible for your life.

1. The underlined word"funeral" in the first paragraph means _____.

A. an occasion when one admires himself in a mirror
B. a chimney from where smelly smoke comes out
C. a ceremony for burying or burning a dead person
D. an exhibition displaying varieties of treasures

2. Which of the following would be the best title for the text?

A. Last Respects
B. Beyond Your Belief
C. A Strange Company
D. A Road to Success

3. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A. The employees were shocked when they saw the dead person.
B. It is you yourself that can actually change your life.
C. In the mirror you can find how small you are in the world.
D. You can achieve your goal if you set limits to your growth.

4. It seems that the company is _____.

A. encouraging the employees to show respects to the dead
B. providing good working conditions for its employees
C. suffering a heavy loss due to its staff member's death
D. trying to make its employees aware of their own potential

     The mothers met while walking their beloved dogs in the local park, the Donald Mcdonald Reserve,
several years ago and developed a friendship that began with small talk about their pets. This quickly turned
to afternoon get-together, where kids, dogs and grown-ups formed firm friendships.
     Now the pair and their pets meet several times a week on the grass near Sandringham College, a place
for a huge network of dog owners who have formed all kinds of friendships and a good old-fashioned sense
of community. Dogs, it seem, are good for social life.
     The combination (結(jié)合) of excited kids and dogs could be a recipe (處方) for disaster and Miller says it
is surprisingly harmonious (和諧的). "There are some other people who don't have kids but have started to
meet us quite regularly," she says. "the other day, there were seven dogs, five adults and six children all
walking around the park together."
     Friendships formed through pets seem to cross cultural and age barriers (阻礙) and often include helping
when someone is sick or needs help to care for a bet. A woman says she's answered several SOS calls from
elderly people who have become ill suddenly and need a help. "The friendships are such that you see these
people every day and you get to know them and they trust you with their pets and know they can call you at
the last minute," she says.
     One dog owner says that, even as a child, she noticed how dogs could act as conversational ice-breakers
for adults. Like people, dogs are also social creatures. "Dogs need to meet others," she says, "they are pack
animals."

1. The friendships formed through walking dogs usually began with _____.

A. detailed descriptions of the pets
B. polite greetings to the pets
C. short conversations about the pets
D. lots of work of walking dogs

2. What's the result of the combination of dogs and people?

A. Dogs may cause disasters for children.
B. People can live harmonious lives with dogs.
C. People without children are lonely.
D. The park is very crowded.

3. How do people benefit from friendships formed through pets?

A. People know each other too well to have secrets.
B. They can help him \ her when a person is in need.
C. It's easy for people to call each other.
D. People can only get help at the last minute.

4. According to the last paragraph, dogs _____.

A. are ice-breakers for children
B. are like people in many ways
C. are unnecessary for children
D. naturally like getting together

     We all long for friendship, but how to make a friend?"The best time to make a friend is before you need
one." Joy Steven said. The following are some tips for you.
     People equal friends
     Friends usually begin with strangers. Getting in touch with other people is the first step to make a friend.
Friends can't be made in empty air. Best friends take time to make.
     Friends understand friends 
     Friends understand each other when talking. Many unpleasant personal quarrels can be avoided if you will
take the time to understand others' feelings and points of view.
     Friends touch friends
     Touching is a warm from of communication between friends. When you see best friends communicating,
you will notice them stand close together, touch each other comfortably and listen to each other. Sometimes
a friendly touch is more powerful than words.
     Friends praise friends
     Praise is a powerful tool to make a friend. Honest praise can affect (影響) your friends' lives. So try to
praise your friends, including your general ones.
     Friends can loyal (忠誠的) and trustworthy
     Trust and loyalty go hand in hand for friends. Friends can share secrets with you, because good friends
never break confidence (信心) and are loyal forever.

1. From Joy Steven's words, we can conclude that _____.

A. a friend in need is a friend indeed
B. it is never too late to make a friend
C. it is late to make a friend when you need one
D. everyone needs a friend in his life

2. To make and keep many friends, you need to do the following EXCEPT _____.

A. get in touch with people
B. understand your friends
C. praise your friends
D. quarrel with your friends

3. The passage mainly tells us _____.

A. how to communicate with a friend
B. how to develop friendship
C. when to make a friend
D. how to praise a friend

     Things always seem different from in normal (平常的) times to people when he or she is not feeling well.
Perhaps, many of us know this rule, but we do not care about it. At such times, things make life hard for
people in little ways. For example, when I am not in good condition, I can never find the things I need. To my
surprise, it seems that the things I need have moved from all the places where I expect to find them. If I need
something, I can never find it quickly.
     Sometimes when we are not well, we will find that boxes become heavier when lifting them, that doors
don't want to open much more easily when trying opening them, that wind becomes even colder when facing
it, that the sun becomes much hotter when under it, that cars don't run better when driving it and the distances
are longer than they were when we felt fine.
     Why does it happen? The things around us usually do what they should do as long as we are well and strong.
But when we aren't in good condition, things often tell us that they are really not our friends but our enemies.
It is wrong. In fact, everything keeps the same. Only because we are disturbed (打擾) by the bad mood (情緒),
we get the wrong feeling that everything is in the opposite direction against us. If we keep calm in the bad times,
things will be the same as usual.

1. According to this passage, why does the writer feel everything is unusual in bad condition?

A. Because everything changed.
B. Because the writer has changed everything.
C. Because the bad conditions influence (影響) his finding the right things.
D. Because the writer feels very sad and does not want to find the right things.

2. What does the underlined sentence mean?

A. When we feel bad, things do not look like our enemies.
B. When we feel good, we can know something about our enemies.
C. When we feel bad, things can help us as our friends.
D. When we feel good, we feel that things are our friends.

3. What does the writer want to tell us in this passage?

A. When we are in bad condition,we can feel that everything is usual.
B. When we find that boxes become heavier than usual, we must be in a bad emotion.
C. If we meet trouble, we should keep calm.
D. If we meet trouble, we should find ways to get ourselves out of it.

     Living and dealing with kids can be a tough job these days, but living and dealing with parents can be
even tougher.
     If I have learned anything in my 16 years, it is that communication is very important, both when you
disagree and when you get along. With any relationship, you need to let other person know how you are
feeling. If you are not able to communicate, you drift apart. When you are mad at your parents, or anyone
else, not talking to them doesn't solve anything.
     Communication begins with the concerns (關(guān)心) of another. It means that you can't just come home
from school, go up to your room and ignore (不理睬) everyone. Even if you just say"Hi", and see how
their day was for five minutes, it is better than nothing.
     If you looked up the word "communication" in a dictionary, it would say"the exchange of ideas, the
conveyance (表達(dá)) of information, correspondence (通信), means of communication: a letter or a message".
To maintain (保持) a good relationship, you must keep communication strong. Let people know how you
feel, even if it's just by writing a note.
     When dealing with parents, you always have to make them feel good about how they are doing as a
parent. If you are trying to make them see something as you see it, tell them that you'll listen to what they
have to say, but ask them politely to listen to you. Yelling or walking away only makes the situation worse.
     This is an example: one night, Sophie went to a street party with her friends. She knew she had to be
home by midnight after the fireworks, but she didn't feel she could just ask to go home. That would be rude.
After all, they had been nice enough to take her along with them. Needless to say, she was late getting home.
Her parents were mad at first, not when Sophie explained why she was late, they weren't as mad and let the
incident go. Communication is the key factor here. If Sophie's parents had not been willing to listen, Sophie
would have been in a lot of trouble.
     Communication isn't a one-way deal: it goes both ways. Just remember: if you get into a situation like
Sophie's, telling the other person how you feel-listening is the key factor to communication.

1. In the writer's view, dealing with parents is _____ than with children.

A. more difficult
B. easier
C. more uninteresting
D. more interesting

2. The main idea of the second paragraph is _____.

A. the importance of friendship
B. to make your feeling known to others
C. the importance of communication
D. the disagreement between generations

3. When parents and children are in communication, the key to a happy relationship is that _____.

A. children should always obey their parents
B. they should be equal
C. parents play the leading part
D. both make the opposite know their feelings

4. The example in this passage proves that _____.

A. Sophie's parents are willing to listen to her
B. Sophie is very polite to her parents
C. Sophie did well in explaining her being late
D. communication is the solution (解決辦法) to misunderstanding

5. All the following statements are correct except "_____".

A. If you don't agree with others, you'd better let them know
B. It is better to say "Hi" to others than say nothing
C. If you are not able to communicate, walk away
D. Communication is a two-way deal

     Every day life is made and lost. Every day, life goes on. Every day we experience some of the most
important parts of life and may not even realize it: love, generosity, and perseverance. These values aren't
just important to us; they make the world what it is.
     Scientists say that gravitational (重力的) force makes the world turn, but some people say that love
makes it go round. Love can be found anywhere: in families, friends, and even complete strangers. Even
if you can't see it, you know it's there.
     Love may connect people all over the world, but what would the world be without generosity? Whether
after a national disaster, or a school fund-raiser, one thing is certain-it is better to give than to receive.
Generosity is found everywhere and whether it's a large or small act, it makes a difference. Most of all,
being generous is not something you need any qualifications for, but no matter what you do, it can make
a difference. Sometimes, though, it takes effort to be generous, which leads us to perseverance.
     Founding a country, riding a bike, or finishing an essay, these are all finished with perseverance.
Perseverance is the one thing that can help us achieve whatever we want. It is what helps scientists to
discover cures for diseases, and athletes to become champions. You may fail, but every time you make
a mistake, that's one less to make the next time.
     There is an infinite (無窮的) number of things we value, but without love, generosity and perseverance,
we just don't think that our life or the world would be the way it is.

1. The underlined word "it" in the second paragraph refers to "_____".

A. the world
B. gravitational force
C. value
D. experience

2. To be generous, the author thinks _____.

A. you needn't make efforts
B. you should be qualified
C. you should give all you have
D. you will find it good to give

3. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Perseverance is the only thing that can help us to achieve success.
B. People don't understand the life they are experiencing at all.
C. We can find love in complete strangers sometimes.
D. What the world is like depends on gravity and love.

4. What would be the best title for the passage?

A. Success and Failure
B. Three Values
C. Endless Love
D. Life Full of Hope

5. We find the passage conveys a(n) _____ attitude to us when we read between the lines.

A. negative
B. positive
C. indifferent (漠不關(guān)心的)
D. worried

     Do you sometimes argue about what seems to you to be simple fact? Do you argue whether it's cold
outdoors or whether the car in front of you is going faster than the speed limit?
     If you get into such arguments, try to think about the story about the six blind men and the elephant.
The first blind man who felt the elephant's trunk said it was like a snake. The second who felt the elephant's
side said it was like a wall, while the third said it was like a spear as he touched the animal's tusk. The fourth,
who got hold of the elephant's tail insisted that it was like a rope. The fifth man said it looked like a tree as he
put his arms around one of the elephant's legs. The sixth, who was tall and got hold of the elephant's ears,
said it was like a huge fan.
     Each man's idea of the animal came from his own experience. So if someone disagrees with you about a
"simple fact", it's often because his experience in the matter is different from yours.
     To see how hard it is for even one person to make up his mind about a "simple fact", try this simple
experiment. Get three large bowls. Put ice water in one. Put hot water in the second. Put lukewarm water in
the third. Now put your left hand in the ice water. Put your right hand in the hot water. After thirty seconds,
put both hands in the lukewarm water. Your right hand will tell you the water is cold. Your left hand will tell
you it's hot!

1. What makes people think about simple facts differently?

A. The fact that simple facts differ from one another.
B. The fact that people have different experience in the same simple fact.
C. The fact that people often disagree with one another.
D. The fact that it's hard to make up one's mind about simple facts.

2. Which of the following temperatures can the word "lukewarm"be applied to?

A. Around 1℃
B. Above 60℃
C. Around 25℃
D. Below 0℃

3. After reading the last paragraph, we may think of _____.

A. Newton's law
B. Galileo's theory of falling objects
C. Einstein's theory of relativity
D. Marx's On Capital

4. The main idea of this passage is _____.

A. people often judge something according to his own experience
B. people often agree about simple facts
C. it's hard for a person to make up his mind about a simple fact
D. don't care too much about simple facts

     Happiness is for everyone. You don't need to care about those people who have beautiful houses with
large gardens and swimming pools or those who have nice cars and a lot of money and so on. Why? Because
those who have big houses may often feel lonely and those who have cars may want to walk on the country
roads in their free time.
     In fact, happiness is always around you if you put your heart into it. When you are in trouble at school,
your friends will help you; when you study hard at your lessons, your parents are always taking good care
of your life and your health; when you make progress, your friends will say congratulations to you; when
you do something wrong, people around you will help you to correct it. And when you do something good
to others, you will feel happy, too. All these are your happiness. If you notice a bit of them, you can see that
happiness is always around you.
     Happiness doesn't mean money. It is a feeling of your heart. When you are poor, you can also say you
are very happy, because you have something that can't be bought with money. When you meet with
difficulties, you can say loudly you are very happy, because you have more chances (機(jī)會(huì)) to challenge (挑
戰(zhàn)) yourself. As the saying goes, life is like a revolving (旋轉(zhuǎn)的) door. When it closes, it also opens. If you
take every chance you get, you can be a happy and lucky person.

1. When you do something wrong, people around you will _____.

A. quarrel with you
B. help you correct it
C. do something wrong like you
D. laugh at you

2. What will your friends say when you make great progress?

A. Oh, so do I
B. Congratulations!
C. Good luck!
D. Just so-so

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

A. People who have cars would never like to walk in the open air.
B. You can get help from others when you are in trouble.
C. You can still be a happy person even if you have little money.
D. Happiness is always around you though difficulties come towards you.

4. The passage mainly tells us _____.

A. parents always care for our life and health
B. we're not happy if we meet with difficulties
C. happiness is always around us
D. life is colorful