What should you think about when you try to find your career? You are probably better at some school subjects than others, and these may show strengths that you can use in your work. A boy who is good at mathematics can use that in engineering career. A girl who spells well and likes English may be good at office work. So it is important to know the subjects you do well in 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.
　  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 mental 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 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 records, for instance, may not be very good, yet it is an important part of your background. You should not feel sorry about it but instead recognize that you will have a chance of a fresh start at work.
【小題1】In the writer’s opinion, for a student to have a part-time job is probably ________.

A．a(chǎn) good way to find out his weak points

B．one of the best ways of earning extra money

C．of great use for his work in the future

D．a(chǎn) waste of time he could have spent on study

【小題2】If a student’s school record is not good, according to the passage, he ________.

A．may do well in his future work

B．won’t be able to find a suitable job

C．may be a complete failure in the future

D．will regret not having worked harder at school

【小題3】 The whole passage centers around ________.

A．looking for a part-time job

B．developing one’s abilities at school

C．gaining much knowledge by working hard at school

D．knowing yourself before trying to choose a career

Many years ago my student asked me the question, "Mrs. Kindred, why do you teach?" Without taking time to reflect, I answered, "Because someday I might say something that might make a difference in someone's life." Even though I was sincere, that wasn't a very good answer and my student didn't let it slide.
"Let me get this straight," he said, "You went to college for four years so you could come here every day because you have the hope that someday you might say something that will influence someone?" He shook his head as if I were cra zy and walked away looking confused . I'm one of those people who look back and wish they had said something smart or witty, or swift.
Even though that particular student might no longer wonder why I teach, there are days when I wonder. On those days, I remind myself of the real reasons I teach: It's in my blood. My mother was my most influential teacher, and she was a 6th grade reading teacher until her death in 1990. She instilled(逐漸灌輸) in me a love of reading and the knowledge that education opens doors.
Teaching is a way to make a difference. If you throw a stone in a pond the ripples go on and on until they reach the shore. You can't have ripples without a "stone." Good teachers throw stones that make a positive difference, and that's what I strive to do. I genuinely love teenagers. I want to share with others what I know and what I have learned through the years. Life is full of ups and downs, and if I can help students avoid some potholes on the road of life, I want to do so. If they'll allow me to celebrate their victories with them, I want to do too.
Teaching isn't for everyone, but I know I made the right career choice.
【小題1】. Why did the student continue to ask the question about the writer’s being a teacher?

A．Because he thought her answer was unbelievable.

B．Because the writer was insincere.

C．Because the student was naughty.

D．Because the answer was difficult to understand.

【小題2】. What do you think of the writer?

A．Stupid.

B．Honest.

C．Insincere.

D．Polite.

【小題3】. According to the text, which of the following is NOT true?

A．The writer’s mother has the greatest influence on her.

B．The writer’s answer made the student confused.

C．In the writer’s opinion, some people in the world are unfit to teach.

D．The writer annoyed the student who asked the question.

【小題4】. We can infer from the text that _________.

A．the writer was also a good teacher in school

B．the writer often plays with her students beside a pond

C．the writer devotes herself to teaching and her students.

D．the writer often accompanies the students on their way home

【小題5】. What’s the main idea of the text?

A．A student’s silly question.	B．A good teacher who likes students.
C．A confused student.	D．The reason why I teach.

When Charles Strattion was five, he stopped growing. His mother took him to see the famous showman, P.T.Barnum, and thought a small person would be the perfect addition to his show. He hired Charles’ parents along with him, and they traveled around the world together.
He gave the two-foot-tall Charles a new name, general Tom Thumb. He taught Tom how to sing, dance, act, and tell jokes. When he felt Tom was ready to perform on stage, he made up ads. To stir up great interest, he said that Tom was eleven years old and had come from England.
During the show, Tom fought battles pretendedly with tall people. He also danced upon a wooden plate held by a person who was eight feet tall.
Tom’s act was very popular and brought in a lot of money. By the time Tom was an adult, he had grown very rich. He had become a billionaire at the age of twenty-five.
Fortunately for Tom, Mr. Barnum added more little people to his show, and Tom became lucky in love as well. One of the little people was Lavinia Warren, a school teacher. Tom was able to win her love, and they married.
The ceremony and reception were the talk of the town. They were attended by many rich and famous people and by about two thousand guests. Crowds filled the streets of New York to have a look at their tiny wedding carriage. The couple even met with President Abraham Lincoln on their honeymoon, just before going to live in Tom’s house in Connecticut.
Their wedding, which took place during the Civil War, provided a welcome escape from the sad problems of war. Not willing to let this bit of sunshine fade, communities throughout the country sponsored “Tom Thumb” weddings. In these weddings, small boys and girls, all dressed up, went through marriage ceremony for fun.
【小題1】“the talk of the town” means _________ .

A．they were in the newspaper

B．people spread mean rumors about them

C．they were the most popular things happening

D．they were discussed in a city meeting

【小題2】What does the author think about Tom Thumb’s wedding?

A．People gave it too much of their attention.

B．It helped people cheer up in a dark time.

C．It was funny and ridiculous.

D．Tom and Lavinia were stupid.

【小題3】 Which of the following is the best clue to the fact that Tom was smart?

A．He became a billionaire at twenty-five.

B．He learned how to sing, dance, and act at a very young age.

C．He met with President Lincoln during his honeymoon.

D．He married a school teacher.

【小題4】 It was very funny when Tom danced on a wooden plate held by a person who was eight feet tall because ________ .

A．the wooden plate would make it sound as if Tom were tap dancing

B．it made Tom feel taller

C．the eight-foot-tall man was the only tall person Tom trusted

D．the difference between them would make Tom look even smaller

【小題5】 What does the author imply in the last paragraph?

A．Weddings always make people feel full of sunshine.

B．People are always disappointed during wartime.

C．Entertainment can serve an important purpose.

D．People should be married even if they are small.

Four hundred years ago, an Italian scientist named Galileo Galilei became the first person to see the craters（環(huán)形山） on the moon. Galileo was one of the first people to use a telescope to study the sky. Since then, telescopes have become the most important tool used by astronomers. Scientists never stop finding new ways to make these instruments more powerful. In the next several years, two new telescopes with different purposes are to be used.
One of the telescopes, called Pan-STARRS, could save humans from dying out. Nick Kaiser, a scientist who works on the project, says the Pan-STARRS telescope has been designed to find “90 percent of all killer asteroids(小行星) near Earth”.
Pan-STARRS, like most telescopes, uses mirrors and lenses(透鏡) to provide pictures of outer space. Giant mirrors are used to “gather” light. They reflect the light onto the lens of a camera, which can then record the image.
When completed, Pan-STARRS will include four telescopes which will be put on top of a mountain on the Hawaiian island of Maui. Only one telescope is in place and working now. Each telescope will take pictures of one patch of sky for about 30 seconds, and then move on to another patch. Every night, each telescope will take pictures of about 1,000 patches. Every week, each telescope will have photographed the whole sky.
Each of the four telescopes will take pictures of the same patches of sky. One telescope, working alone, may sometimes incorrectly show an asteroid. If there are three other telescopes working, astronomers can use them to see if there really is an asteroid coming our way. By using four telescopes instead of one, scientists hope to get a better picture of space. If a giant asteroid was identified, astronomers would try to break it up long before it reached Earth.
【小題1】 Galileo Galilei is mentioned to ____________.

A．tell us the history of telescopes

B．introduce the topic of the passage

C．show people his contributions

D．tell us about the craters on the moon

【小題2】 For what purpose is Pan-STARRS designed?

A．To find more asteroids around Earth.

B．To help scientists know Earth better.

C．To find killer asteroids coming towards Earth.

D．To learn about asteroids in outer space.

【小題3】What is paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The use of mirrors in a telescope.

B．Why Pan-STARRS is different.

C．How telescope “gather” light

D．How a telescope works.

【小題4】How many patches is the whole sky divided into when Pan-STARRS is working?

A．1,000

B．7,000

C．21,000

D．28,000

【小題5】 The four telescopes will take pictures of the same patches of sky because _____.

A．one telescope often takes unclear pictures

B．one telescope may provide incorrect information

C．information from just one telescope is usually incorrect

D．no information is allowed to be identified based on single information

When Julia Rhodes is asked what she does for a living，she says she is a “wind farmer”．While her job is operation manager for wind farm owner RES-Gen：Rhodes is responsible for making sure their l4 wind farms in the UK and Ireland are using the power of the wind to produce power for homes and businesses．
RES-Gen is a division of leading renewable energy group Renewable Energy Systems(RES)，a UK-based company with global operations．  RES was one of the pioneers of wind energy technology．It built the UK’s second wind farm in l992．Since then：RES has built more than 40 wind farms across four continents．
Rhodes graduated from the University of Nottingham with a degree in manufacturing engineering．  Following that，she received a master's degree in renewable energy systems technology specializing in wind energy．  Rhodes has worked in the wind sector ever since, providing technical support for two leading wind farm developers before joining RES in 2001．
RES’s projects are continually monitored by computer and checked remotely on a daily basis．Regular servicing is carried out by contractors(承包者)，usually every six months. Rhodes always has a top—level view of how well the wind turbines(渦輪)are operating．
Rhodes is a supporter of wind—energy engineering．She also works closely with other departments to keep good relations with the communities around RES’s wind farms．The open days and government officials’ visits show that wind power is popular and that wind projects-are viewed positively．
Renewable energy is a growing sector with attractive career prospects． For Rhodes．a(chǎn)s the RES wind farms expand，the team that she manages is expected to increase．She enjoys working for a company with strong engineering roots and a highly respected track record(業(yè)績)．Her job as a wind farmer is challenging and enjoyable．“It's great knowing that you are helping to bring about a clean．environment and are contributing to the global community．”
【小題1】What’s the text mainly about?

A．Julia Rhodes and her work．	B．Why Julia Rhodes works in RES．
C．The importance of renewable energy．	D．How出e wind can produce Dower．

【小題2】What can we know about Julia Rhodes?

A．She once worked as a farmer to make a living．

B．She has worked in RES ever since graduation．

C．She likes her job as a wind farmer very much．

D．She is in charge of forty wind farms in the UK．

【小題3】What can we learn about RES from the text?

A．It built the UK's first wind farm in 2001．

B．It plays a leading role in the wind sector．

C．It is an important branch of RES—Gen．

D．It provides regular servicing for its contractors．

【小題4】Which of the following is NOT true?

A．RES is financially supported by the British government．

B．Wind farms receive a warm welcome around the UK．

C．RES has developed at a high speed during recent years．

D．Rhodes thinks people should create a clean environment．

Ten years ago，Morgan Zuch，a two—year—old girl from Long Island，New York，was diagnosed with leukemia(白血病)．The day that Morgan’s father Rod knew it，he made a promise，“If my daughter gets better，I will devote the rest of my life to helping others who are in the Same condition．”
Fortunately．Morgan recovered gradually，and since then，Rod and his wife Nancy，have been helping other families with cancer．stricken children through the Morgan Center．It is the country’s first preschool for children with cancer．
Because of the risk of germs, children with cancer are usually forbidden from playing with other kids．They must spend their days in hospital rooms or lying in bed at home．The Zuchs believed that children with cancer should have the opportunity to play，too．
The center offers the kids and their families a safe place to connect with others who have the same problem．To reduce the risk of infections，the center's staff wash their own and the children's hands frequently，and provide each child with his or her own toys and supplies．
“You feel like you’re not the sick kid’s mom，”said one child’s mother，Maura Lewinger．“It is nice because none of the parents at the center are alienated(孤立的)．”
The Zuchs run the center as a non-profit organization and any family can bring their children to the center for free．Nancy Zuch works as the head teacher-with a little help from her daughter Morgan, now l2 years old．Today，Morgan is strong and healthy，and loves to provide support for the children who are going through the difficult time that she once went through．She says she wants to be a teacher at the Morgan Center when she grows up.
【小題1】The Zuchs created the Morgan Center     ．

A．to help their daughter to realize her dream

B．to invite other children to play with their daughter

C．to build a school for their daughter and her friends

D．to provide a healthy place for children with cancer

【小題2】What can we learn from the text?

A．The kids can share all their toys there．

B．The kids can receive free medical care．

C．The kids have to keep their hands clean．

D．The kids’ parents must pay for the supplies．

【小題3】Which of the following is NOT true?

A．Morgan has regained her health．

B．The Center is run by the government．

C．Morgan helps in the Center sometimes．

D．Both kids and parents like the Center．

【小題4】This text is mainly about     ．

A．Long Island’s first preschool for kids with cancer

B．the pain that the kids in the Morgan Center suffer

C．the contributions Morgan has made to the Center

D．the Zuchs，the creators of the Morgan Center

Count Me Out
Call me old-fashioned. Call me old. Call me what you want, but refuse to become part of this new Internet world.
I do not possess a computer at home or at the office. Actually, I stopped going to an office 35 years ago, when all communications were done with a pen, a typewriter, or, if the matter was of world-shaking importance, over the telephone. Likewise, if you like something advertised in a newspaper or magazine, you visited the shop selling it at the given address, or you phoned, the number shown. Then you spoke to the fellow and asked for further details.
Tell me what you think of the following ad that appeared the other day in the newspaper. It was for a cure for cancer and this is what it said: “Awareness is the key. Visit spfulford. com at the awareness site.” There was no address or telephone number for the site. So what do unfortunate people without a computer do it they are seeking a cure for their illness?
There are, I am told, certain advantages in having access to the Internet. You can, for example, send love messages across the world or even get married to someone that you meet online. This bit doesn’t interest me; I have been happily married for 60 years. There are, of course, other activities for Internet users besides finding love. They can pay bills, order groceries, or discuss with their doctors.
And this is by no means all. More amazing things are yet to come in the near future. I read a newspaper report recently that quoted Stephen Hawking, an important British scientist. “The complexity of a computer as it exists today is probably less than the brain of an earthworm,” he said. “But, as technology advances, computers will become more complex, and a time may come when the Internet may develop ‘consciousness.’ In other words, the Internet will be able to think, have feelings, and may well be able to act on its own.”
If Professor Hawking is right, I may change my attitude about conjurers. As I grow older each day, I would like one of those that not only thinks for me but also accepts responsibilities for all my mistakes.
【小題1】What’s the meaning of the title “Count Me Out”?

A．Get me out of the Internet world.

B．Computers are trying to take control of life.

C．Modern technology pushes old people away.

D．Do not expect me to be a supporter of the Internet.

【小題2】According to Paragraph 2, the author thinks computers are         .

A．unnecessary

B．convenient

C．expensive

D．a(chǎn)dvanced

【小題3】What might the author like about the future computer?

A．Taking blames.	B．Curing illnesses.
C．Delivering messages.	D．Responding to emotions.

People have wondered for a long time how their personalities and behaviors are formed．It is not easy to explain why one person is intelligent and another is not, or why one is cooperative and another is competitive．
Social scientists are, of course, extremely interested in these types of questions．They want to explain why we possess certain characteristics and exhibit certain behaviors．There are no clear answers yet, but two distinct schools of thought on the matter have developed．As one might expect, the two approaches are very different from one another, and there is a great deal of debate between proponents of each theory．The controversy is often referred to as  “nature and nurture”．
Those who support the “nature” side of the conflict believe that our personalities and behavior patterns are largely determined by biological and genetic factors．That our environment has little, if anything, to do with our abilities, characteristics, and behavior is central to this theory．Taken to an extreme, this theory maintains that our behavior is predetermined to such a degree that we are almost completely governed by our instincts（本能）．
Proponents of the “nurture” theory, or, as they are often called, behaviorists, claimed that our environment is more important than our biologically based instincts in determining how we will act．A behaviorist, B．F．Skinner, sees humans as beings whose behavior is almost completely shaped by their surroundings．The behaviorists’ view of the human being is quite mechanistic; they maintain that, like machines, humans’ respond to environmental stimuli（刺激） as the basis of their behavior．
Socially and politically, the consequences of these two theories are far-reaching．In the US, for example, blacks often score below whites on standardized intelligence tests．This leads some “anature” proponents to conclude that blacks are genetically lower in status than whites．Behaviorists, on the contrary, say that the differences in scores are due to the fact that blacks are often robbed of many of the educational and other environmental advantages that whites enjoy, and that, as a result, they do not develop the same responses that whites do．
Either of these theories cannot yet fully explain human behavior．In fact, it is quite likely that the key to our behavior lies somewhere between these two extremes．That the controversy will continue for a long time is certain．
【小題1】This passage is mainly concerned with             ．

A．relation between personality and behavior

B．relation between behavior and environment

C．different accounts of patterns of human behavior

D．different theories of the formation of human behavior

【小題2】The underlined word " proponents'' in paragraph 2 means          ．

A．creators

B．a(chǎn)dvisors

C．a(chǎn)dvocates

D．judges

【小題3】In paragraph 5 , the author mainly writes about          ．

A．the considerable influence of the two theories

B．differences between the blacks and whites

C．racial discrimination in the United States

D．different responds to intelligence tests

【小題4】What's the author's purpose in writing the passage?

A．To call our attention to the changes of human behavior．

B．To urge scientists to do more research in social science．

C．To give us a detailed explanation of human behavior．

D．To present an argument in the field of social science．

This is an open letter to the three people who stole my handbag from the department store I am employed as a shop assistant ．
When you took my bag, I don't know what you thought you were going to get．With my wages, there's not much left on a Tuesday．I hope the ￡5 was useful to you ．I have informed the  social security office so you won't be able to cash the child benefit next week ．I hope that won't leave you too short．But if you really need a couple of pounds, I suppose you could always cash one of the two checks left in my check book．Of course,I phoned the bank right away and the check-casing card is no longer valid, so it won’t be much use to you ．
Actually I don't mind about the money too much．We single parents who work to support our families understand only too well what it means to be short of cash ．However, I don’t suppose it went very far among the three of you．Sorry about that!
I wish you had left the bag behind and just taken the wallet and check book．There were all kinds of papers in it, and notes and things that I really need．I really think that was very inconsiderate of you ．I mean, how would you like something like that to happen to you?
Well, perhaps the bag will turn up．It wasn't even an expensive one．just a plain, old brown leather shoulder bag．You probably dumped it in the nearest rubbish bin or threw it into the bushes. We've looked around, of course, but no one saw which way you went after you left the shop．
I'm not really angry with you．I know how the pressures of modern living can affect us, but I am sad at the loss of my personal things．I feel violated and helpless．The police were very icy, and they just shrugged（聳） their shoulders．"It happens all the time," they told me ．Some small comfort, I suppose．But I've lost just a little more faith in human nature．And as my young son said when I told him what had happened, "Why? Mummy, why us?" I couldn't answer that question．I wonder if you can．
【小題1】In writing Paragraph 2, the writer wants to           ．

A．describe the contents of the bag in detail．

B．give some suggestions to the three thieves

C．tell the thieves hardly any money was available

D．state the fact that she was careless with the money

【小題2】Which of the following is the most valuable to the writer?

A．The cash in her bag．	B．The papers and notes in the bag．
C．The handbag itself．	D．The check books in the bag．

【小題3】What can we conclude about the police?

A．They have doubts about human nature．

B．They show sympathy for the woman．

C．They think the case quite common．

D．They are unable to find the thieves．

【小題4】Why does the author write the letter?

A．To give the thieves a serious warning．

B．To complain about the fall of morality．

C．To call people’s attention to their belongings．

D．To express her affection for her valuable bag．

I had looked forward to this day for a long time．Finally I, Kirsty Sturart, would stand on the top of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Europe．Although I climbed often in my native Scotland, this was my first trip to the Alps．My companions—Jean Pierre Barton, Maurice Gautier, and Mary Sargent—and I left our camp early and planned to reach the top by late morning．
As we neared the top, large clouds gathered and it began to snow．We found shelter and decided to wait for the snow to stop．After three hours, however, we decided to go back and try again the next day．We started down the mountain in the thick snow．Jean-Pierre forgot his sunglasses and went back to look for them．As he was returning to us, he started to fall．
His fall started an avalanche（雪崩） and it was falling towards us! I was swept away by the heavy snow. Jean-Pierre hurried down to me．“Are you OK?” he asked．
“I think I broke my leg,” I answered．
“I’d better radio for help!” he said．“Where are the others?” We couldn’t see Maurice or Mary anywhere．
Jean-Pierre called the emergency radio number, and the police said they would send help right away．It seemed like hours, but only minutes later we heard the welcome sound of a helicopter． The helicopter couldn’t land on the mountainside, so they lowered two men, two dogs, and a stretcher（擔架）．One man ran to me, but I told him to search for the others．The dogs were trained for avalanche rescue and soon began to dig crazily in the snow．
Bernardo, the lead dog, found Mary’s scarf and led the rescuers to her．Maurice was nearby．The men gave us hot drinks and warm blankets and then prepared to lift us into the helicopter．Two men inside the helicopter pulled us up with the ropes．I went first on the stretcher．
Once we were safely inside, the helicopter flew to the hospital in Chamonix．Our poor rescuers and their dogs had to climb all the way back down the mountain．Later we would find these brave men and thank them for saving our lives．
【小題1】What prevented the climbers from reaching the top?

A．The terrible weather．

B．The loss of the sunglasses．

C．The injury of the team members．

D．The unexpected height of the mountain．

【小題2】How did the writer break his leg?

A．The road was covered with snow．

B．His companion knocked into him．

C．The heavy clouds blocked his view．

D．The avalanche caused a fall for him．

【小題3】How did the writer feel while waiting for help?

A．Anxious．

B．Crazy．

C．Sorry．

D．Annoyed．

【小題4】What do we learn from the passage?

A．Mary was the leader of the team．

B．The team was upset about their failure．

C．It was several hours before the rescue team arrived ．

D．The writer was excited thinking of climbing Mount Blanc．