What should you think about in trying to find your career? You are probably better at some school subjects than others. These may show strengths that you can use in your work. A boy who is good at mathematics can use that in an engineering career. A girl who spells well and likes English may be good at office work. So it is important to do well at school. On the other hand, you may not have any specially strong or weak subjects but your records show a general satisfactory standard. Although not all subjects can be used directly in a job, they may have indirect value. Knowledge of history is not required for most jobs but if history is one of your good subjects you will have learned to remember facts and details. This is an ability that can be useful in many jobs.

       Your school may have taught you skills, such as typing or technical drawing, which you can use in your work. You may be good at metal work or cookery and look for a job where you can improve these skills. 

       If you have had a part-time job on Saturdays or in the summer, think what you gained from it. If nothing else, you may have learned how to get to work on time, to follow instructions and to get on with older workers. You may have learned to give correct change in a shop, for example. Just as important, you may become interested in a particular industry or career you see from the inside in a part-time job.  

       Facing your weak points is also part of knowing yourself. You may be all thumbs when you handle tools. Perhaps you are a poor speller or cannot add up a column of figures. It is bitter to face any weaknesses than to pretend they do not exist. Your school record, for instance, may not be too good, yet it is an important part of your background. You should not be apologetic about it but instead recognize that you will have a chance of a fresh start at work.

51. We can infer from the first paragraph that_______.

       A. learning better at school shows power in your job

       B. the better you are at school subjects, the more helpful they are in your career

       C. learning each subject well is an ability in many jobs

       D. we should think about how to find our career

52. According to the passage, if a student’s school record is not good, he will _________.

       A. have no hope in his future work

       B. be hopeful to find a suitable job

       C. regret not having worked harder at school

       D. have an opportunity of a new beginning in his future work

53. All the subjects may have direct value for job hunting except___________.

       A. mathematics           B. English           C. history            D. technical drawing

54. The underlined words "all thumbs" in Paragraph 4 most probably mean_________.

       A. heavy-handed          B. the best            C. important        D. skilled

55. The passage mainly discusses ___________.

       A. the relationship between school performance and career

       B. how to get a job

       C. how to show strengths in your work

       D. working experience and knowledge at school

Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who cut through argument, debate and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand and remember．Churchill warned the British to expect “blood, toil, tears and sweat”; Roosevelt told the Americans that “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself”; Lenin promised the war-weary Russians peace, land and bread．Straightforward but effective messages．

We have an image of what a leader ought to be．We even recognize the physical signs; leaders may not necessarily be tall, but they must have bigger-than-life, commanding features －- Lyndon Baines Johnson’s nose and ear lobes, Ike’s broad grin．A trade-mark also comes in handy; Lincoln’s stovepipe hat, Kennedy’s rocking chair．We expect our leaders to stand out a little, not to be like an ordinary man．Half of President Ford’s trouble lay on the fact that, if you closed your eyes for a moment, you couldn’t remember his face, figure of clothes．A leader should have an unforgettable identity, instantly and permanently fixed in people’s minds．

It also helps for a leader to be able to do something most of us can’t: FDR overcame polio; Mao swam the Yangtze River at the age of 72. We don’t want our leaders to be "just like us." We want them to be like us but better, special more so. Yet if they are too different, we reject them.

A Chinese philosopher once remarked that a leader must have the grace of a good dancer, and there is a great deal of wisdom to this. A leader should know how to appear relaxed and confident. His walks should be firm and purposeful. He should be able, like Lincoln, Roosevelt, Truman, Lke and JFK, to give a good, hearty, belly laugh, instead of the sickly grin that passes for good humor in Nixon or Carter. Ronald Reagan’s training as an actor showed to good effect in the debate with Carter, when by his easy manner and apparent affability, he managed to convey the impression that in fact he was the president and Carter the challenger.

The every simple truth about leadership is that people can only be led where they want to go. The leader follows, though a step ahead. Americans wanted to climb out of the Depression and needed someone to tell them they could do it, and Roosevelt did. The British believed that they could still win the war after the defeats of 1940, and Churchill told them they were right.

A leader rides the waves, moves with the tides, understands the deepest yearning of his people. He cannot make a nation that wants peace at any price go to war, or stop a nation determined to fight from doing so. His purpose must match the national mood.

51．The underlined word “yearning” in the last paragraph probably means      .

       A．love  B．trouble     C．desire       D．feeling

52．From the fourth paragraph we can learn that         .

       A．leaders usually look special or different

       B．leaders don’t have to be tall

       C．most leaders look ordinary

       D．leaders should always have trademarks

53．According to the article, a leader         .

       A．usually tries to simplify our messages

       B．tell us what we want to hear

       C．encourages us to think about things in a new way

       D．is usually confident and handsome

54．From the passage we can infer that          .

       A．it helps for a leader to be able to dance or act well

       B．great leaders are usually totally different from us

       C．Carter was humorous and made good speeches

       D．it is the people rather than the president that makes what a nation is

55．Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

       A．Want to be a leader?

       B．What makes a leader?

       C．What does a leader look like?

       D．What must a leader do?

Do you have any idea what you would like to be and do after graduation? A lot of people don’t begin thinking about careers until they reach junior or senior year, which, in my opinion, is too late.

When people are trying to decide what they want to do, it helps to know something they love. Ever since I was little, I’ve always been doing someone’s hair, make-up or nails, starting with Barbie dolls and progressing to humans. Over the years my family has really inspired me to do this and now I fix friends’ and family members’ hair for weddings, dances and other big events.

I have been thinking about what I would like to do for a career since middle school. I did some research and discovered that I might really enjoy being a cosmetologist, so I went to my hair stylist and asked her lots of questions about what it takes to reach her level and what she would recommend I do. I considered her advice and then did more research.

I used Aveda’s website to get information on the Aveda Institute and what type of credit(貸款) I would need from high school to apply. I found their institute has three parts: theoretical knowledge, practical experience, and professional business-building skills. For the past few years, I have been looking at Aveda in more and more detail. This school not only offers cosmetology, but also massage therapy. I grew up in Minnesota(美國中北部的一個(gè)州), so I plan to apply to the institute in Minneapolis that several people have highly recommended. It helps students become “future industry leaders in hair care, skin care, makeup and total body wellness”. It is affordable and everyone there is friendly and understanding.

Having done the groundwork and thinking about what I’d like to do after high school, I know that I will definitely pursue my dream of becoming a cosmetologist.

 After reading the text, we can infer the author is interested in ___________.

traveling abroad  B. service business  C. social activities  D. acting on the stage.

Why does the author think it’s too late for people to start thinking about careers in junior or senior year?

A. Because he/she began to think about them when very young.

B. Because many people are too old to learn.

C. Because a lot of people can’t grasp the opportunity.

D. Because many people have little they love.

We know from the text that a cosmetologist is __________ .

A. a chemist working at college    B. a person who works in the institute

C. a doctor in a hospital          D. a person doing all types of body care for people

The author plans to apply to the institute in Minneapolis NOT because________

the people there are good to others  B. some people advise him/her to do so

C.  the institute is free of charge       D. the institute is helpful to his/her future

45. The author of the text may be a __________.

 A. married person  B. middle school student  C. college student   D. a teacher in an institute.

As summer comes near, many children are really happy to forget about school for a few months. However, studies have found that children typically forget between one and three months’ worth of school learning during the summer months. Spelling and math abilities suffer the most, while reading is not really influenced by the time off. The most probable reason for this is that most children read at least occasionally outside of the classroom, whether newspapers, magazines, books, or video game guides. However, their math and spelling skills only get exercised in the school setting.

The original purpose of summer vacations was to let farm children have time off to help work in the fields in the high growing season, but this reason is no longer valid since fewer kids actually work on farms today. Some cities in the United States, such as Los Angeles, have moved to a year-round school calendar, which may help reduce the academic decline that occurs during the long summer vacation. Most cities still use the normal nine and a half-month calendars. To improve skills and to maintain a good level of preparation, experts recommend trips to museums, summer camps, and visits to libraries to keep kids mentally active and interested throughout the summer.

There are other educational systems that provide vacations while still keeping students’ skills sharp(敏銳的). For example, in Japan students attend class for seven weeks continuously, followed by two weeks of vacation. This continues throughout the year. In Italy, students attend class six days per week, but finish at 1:30 PM each day, so that school does not dominate their life the way that it does in America.

Educational specialists fear that the three-month summer vacation stops the continuity of learning. Just as students become accustomed to new concepts in reading, writing, or critical thinking skills, they “shut down” for an extended period. When they go back to school after the long summer vacation, they take up to two months to return to their previous level of understanding. And so the debate continues: whether to continue the present vacations or to seek changes.

41. Spelling and math abilities suffer the most during the summer months because children _____.

A. take the summer vacation too seriously

B. do little work of math or spelling

C. don’t like spelling and math

D. have to help work in the fields

42. What can be learned from the passage?

A. Students read in summer vacations.

B. Nowadays no children work on farm in summer vacations.

C. The United States has cancelled summer vacations.

D. The nine and a half-month calendars help improve skills.

43. What is one of the advantages of Japan and Italy’s educational systems?

A. They provide students with shorter vacations every year.

B. The students have more free time of their own to play.

C. They offer vacations without affecting students’ skills.

D. The students attend classes for longer time every week.

44. What does the underlined phrase “shut down” in the last paragraph probably mean?

A. Stop learning.                  B. Get sick.

C. Go on vacation.        D. Concentrate on their studies.

45. What is the best title for the passage?

A. How to Spend Summer Vacations.

B. No More Summer Vacations.

C. Summer Vacations: Change or Not

D. New Educational Systems Needed

How to protect children Web fans from unsuitable material on-line while encouraging them to use the Internet has long been discussed in the U.S.

　　For some parents, the Internet can seem like a jungle, filled with danger for their children. But jungles contain wonders as well as dangers and with good guides, some education, and a few precautions(預(yù)防措施), the wilds of the Internet can be safely navigated(航行). Kids have to be on-line. If we tell our kids they cant have access to the Internet, were cutting them off from their future, said an expert.

　　Most kids have started to use search engines. Many of them are great for finding tons of interesting Internet sites, and they can also locate places where you might not want your kids to go. There are search engines designed just for kids. A certain software contains only sites that have been selected as safe. The most popular way to limit access would be to use what is known as a content screener(過濾器). But this can’t be wholly reliable, and the best thing parents can do is to talk to their kids and let them know what is OK or not OK to see or do on the Internet. Another way is that mum or dad is nearby when the child is surfing(瀏覽) the Internet.

A few other tips

　　●Don’t put the PC in a child’s room but keep it in an area where mum or dad can keep an eye on things. That also makes the Internet more of a family activity.

　　●Ask your child what he or she has been doing and about any friends they make on-line.

　　●Tell your child not to give on-line strangers personal information, especially like address and phone number.

●And tell your children never to talk to anyone they meet on-line over the phone, send them anything, accept anything from them or agree to meet with them unless you go along.

69. The best way to protect children from improper material is _______.

A. to install(安裝) a content screener on the computer

B. to buy some search engines for the children

C. to be nearby when they are surfing the Internet

D. to talk to the children and persuade them to tell right from wrong

70. Which of the following is right according to the passage?

A. Surfing the Internet is the best method of educating children.

B. Children’s not having access to Internet may have effect on their progress.

C. Using a content screener is most reliable for keeping children having access to Internet.

D. Searching engines can help children to select materials fit for them.

71. According to the passage, we can infer that _______.

A. soft wares fit for children want programming

B. a child who is on-line is in danger

C. Internet is a jungle full of danger

D. Internet contains a lot of harmful sites

Dear Daughter,

As we drove off from Columbia, I wanted to write a letter to you to tell you all that is on my mind.
    First, I want to tell you how proud we are. Getting into Columbia is a real proof of what a great well-rounded student you are. You should be as proud of yourself as we are.
    It is in college that you will discover what learning is about. This will be the period where you go from teacher-taught to master-inspired, after which you must become self-learner. So do take each subject seriously, and even if what you learn isn’t critical for your life, the learning skills you acquire will be something you will treasure forever.
    Follow your passion in college. Take courses you think you will enjoy. Don’t be trapped by what others think or say, but make up your own mind.
    Most importantly, make friends and be happy. Pick a few friends and become really close to them – pick the ones who are genuine to you. Don’t worry about their grades, looks, or even personalities.
    Start planning early. I think your plan to study fashion is good, and you should decide where you want to be, and get onto the right courses.
    Whether it is coursework planning or picking a major, you should take control of your life. I will always be there for you, but the time has come for you to be in the driver’s seat – this is your life, and you need to be in control. Being in control feels great.
    So please treasure your college years – make the best of your free time, become an independent thinker in control of your destiny fate, learn and grow through your successes and challenges.
    May your years at Columbia be the happiest of your life, and may you blossom into just what you dream to be.
                                                          Love,
                                                         Dad (& Mom)

65. According to the letter the author’s daughter is ______.
A. scared to be leaving home                            B. a well-rounded student
C. the pride of her university                            D. learning to drive a car

66. Which advice below is given to his daughter by the author?

       A. Party with friends in her free time.

B. Ignore what others think or say.
C. choose friends with similar personalities.

D. Treasure and make the best of her college years.

67. From the passage, we can conclude the father is ______.
A. worried about his daughter                           B. strict with his daughter
C. positive about his daughter’s future         D. sad about his daughter’s leaving home

Do you want to improve the way you study? Do you feel nervous before a test? Many students say that a lack of concentration is their biggest problem. It seriously affects their ability to study, so do their test results.

If so, use these tips to help you.

Study Techniques

You should always study in the same place. You shouldn’t sit in a position that you use for

another purpose. For example, when you sit on a sofa to study, your brain will think it is time to relax. Don’t watch TV while you are studying. Experts warn that your concentration may be reduced by 50 percent if you attempt to study in this way. Always try to have a white wall in front of you, so there is nothing to distract (make less concentrated) you. Before sitting down to study, gather together all the equipment you need. Apart from your textbooks, pens, pencils and knives, make sure you have a dictionary. If your study desk or table is needed when you are not studying, store all your equipment in a box beside it.

Your eyes will become tired if you try to read a text which is on a flat surface. Position your

book at an angle of 30 degrees.

Be realistic and don’t try to complete too much in one study period. Finish one thing before

beginning another. If you need a break, get up and walk around for a few minutes, but try not to telephone a friend or have something to eat.

Test-taking Skills

All your hard work will be for nothing if you are too nervous to take your test. Getting plenty of rest is very important. This means do not study all night before your test! It is a better idea to have a long-term study plan. Try to make a timetable for your study which lasts for a few months.

Exercise is a great way to reduce pressure. Doing some form of exercise every day will also

 improve your concentration. Eat healthy food, too.

When you arrive in the examination room, find your seat and sit down. Breathe slowly and

deeply. Check the time on the clock during the test, but not too often. Above all, take no notice of everyone else and give the test paper your undivided attention.

69. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

       A. You should study in a different place every day, so you don’t get bored.

       B. Your concentration will improve if you study and watch TV at the same time.

       C. Check the time during the exam at a certain time.

D. Staying up all night and studying is tiring, but you will learn a lot using this method.

70. What does the underlined word “it” refer to?

       A. Your study desk or table.                       B. Your textbook.

       C. Your dictionary.                                    D. The equipment you need.

71. What can be inferred from the passage?

       A. You shouldn’t look at everyone else during the test.

B. You will have enough energy to deal with your study and exams by eating healthy diet.

       C. You’ll concentrate more if there is nothing to distract you.

       D. If you feel tired during study, you can walk around for a few minutes.

Some people are just sure to be failures. That’s how some adults look at troublesome kids. Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “A bird with a broken wing will __50__ fly as high.” I’m sure that T.J. Ware, who was caught __51__ a year ago, was made to feel this way almost every day at school.

At high school, Ware was always making __52__. He didn’t answer questions, got into lots of fights and was __53__ from school at times. Teachers didn’t want to have him again the following year.

I met Ware for the first time at a meeting. All the students at school had been invited to __54__ for a program designed to have students become more active in their communities. The program __55__ group discussion and voluntary work in their neighborhoods.

In the beginning, Ware just stood by, not ready to join the discussion groups. But slowly, the interactive games __56__ him in… At the end of the meeting, he joined the Homeless Project team. He knew much about __57__, hunger and helplessness. The other students on the team had never seen Ware making such a long, moving speech. They were __58__ with his passionate concern and ideas, so they elected Ware to be chairman of the team with a __59__ vote.

Two weeks later, Ware led a group of 70 students to collect __60__. They collected a school __61__: 2,854 cans of food in just two hours. It was enough to feed needy families in the area for 75 days. The local newspaper __62__ the event with full-page article the next day. After that, Ware started showing up at school every day and answering questions from teachers.

Ware’s change __63__ us that a bird with a broken wing only needs mending. Once it has __64__, it can fly higher than the rest.

50.	A. sometimes	B. always	C. never	D. still
51.	A. cold	B. stealing	C. lying	D. spitting
52.	A. known	B. mistake	C. fun	D. trouble
53.	A. absent	B. different	C. present	D. free
54.	A. take up	B. make up	C. sign up	D. put up
55.	A. contained	B. included	C. concluded	D. increased
56.	A. took	B. caught	C. pulled	D. drew
57.	A. poverty	B. fighting	C. robbery	D. courage
58.	A. disappointed	B. surprised	C. impressed	D. bored
59.	A. quantity	B. majority	C. minimum	D. quality
60.	A. food	B. money	C. clothes	D. furniture
61	A. rule	B. mark	C. foundation	D. record
62.	A. spread	B. covered	C. printed	D. wrote
63.	A. requests	B. decides	C. reminds	D. requires
64	A. repaired	B. realized	C. protected	D. healed

Exceptional children are different in some significant ways from others of the same age. For these children to develop to their full adult potential, their education must be adapted to those differences.

Although we focus on the needs of exceptional children, we find ourselves describing their environment as well. While the leading actor on the stage captures our attention, we are aware of the importance of the supporting players and the scenery of the play itself. Both the family and the society in which exceptional children live are often the key to their growth and development. And it is in the public schools that we find the full expression of society’s understanding — the knowledge, hopes, and fears that are passed on to the next generation.

Education in any society is a mirror of that society. In that mirror we can see the strengths, the weaknesses, the hopes, the prejudices, and the central values of the culture itself. The great interest in exceptional children shown in public education over the past three decades indicates the strong feeling in our society that all citizens, whatever their special conditions, deserve the opportunity to fully develop their capabilities.

“All men are created equal,” we heard it many times, but it still has important meaning for education in a democratic society. Although the phrase was used by this country’s founders to indicate equality before the law, it has also been interpreted to mean equality of opportunity. That concept implies educational opportunity for all children — the right of each child to receive help in learning to the limits of his or her capability, whether that capability is small or great. Recent court decisions have confirmed the right of all children — disabled or not — to an appropriate education, and have ordered that public schools take the necessary steps to provide that education. In response, schools are modifying their programs, adapting instruction to children who are exceptional, to those who cannot profit substantially from regular programs.

（Note: Answer the questions or complete the statements in NO MORE THAN TWELVE WORDS.）

81. This passage is concerned primarily with the necessity of adapting ________________.

82. What affects the growth of exceptional children according to the author?

83. People have shown great interest in the education of exceptional children over the last three decades because they believe that ________________________________________.

84. According to the passage, what does “All men are created equal” mean to the country’s founders? 

Ever since she was a baby, Heather, aged 5, has watched her parents regularly turn off lights

that aren’t needed and put the day’s newspapers cans, bottles, jars, and other recyclables into a big, yellow bin — that is, if they can't find a second life for the discarded items in their own home first. Plastic packaging, pieces of cardboard, scraps of colored paper, bits of yarn, and small pieces of broken toys are typically dropped into a basket that the whole family rummages through whenever they need supplies for an art project. Recently, after spying a bit of shiny paper on the floor, Heather picked it up and said, "This is pretty. I'll put it in the art basket." Already, like parents, like daughter.

Heather's effort to recycle a scrap of paper rather than throw it away is a tiny gesture with a big message. It shows that even young children can learn about conserving materials and resources, and by extension, protecting the planet, in age-appropriate ways. It also shows that your child is so tuned in to your ways that it is easy to become an environmental role model. But because children are more apt to want to care for something they have a personal stake in, it's as important to expose your child to the natural world as it is to teach her ways to protect it.

This doesn't require week-long camping trips into the wilderness — although those can be fun, enlightening experiences for the whole family. Children can explore, appreciate, and learn about nature literally in their own backyard, in a park, in a community garden, and on trips to the beach or mountains. There's more good news: Giving your child opportunities to connect with nature can also help her develop crucial literacy, language, math, science, social studies, art, problem-solving, and research skills.

41．The underlined word “discarded” (Paragraph 1) probably means “        .”

       A．waste       B．important  C．small D．dirty

42．Which of the following statements is true according to the text?

       A．The family is quite poor.

       B．The family members don’t waste any money.

       C．The parents are proud of saving materials.

       D．The parents set an example to the daughter.

43．The text mainly suggests that children        .

       A．love recycling things       B．a(chǎn)re curious about things

       C．can learn to protect nature      D．should act the way as their parents

44．What’s the author’s suggestion about introducing a child to the natural world?

       A．Going on a camping trip.       B．Traveling to the wilderness.

       C．Learning from their parents.   D．Playing in such places as a park.