Dear Alcohol,
You’ve been around forever. I can remember all the pain you’ve caused for me.
Do you remember the night you almost took my father’s life? I do. He loves you. Sometimes I think he loves you more than he loves me. He’s addicted to you, to the way you promise to rid him of his problems only to cause more of them. You just sat back and laughed as his car went spinning through the street, crashing into two other cars. He wasn’t the only one hurt by you that night.
Do you remember the night of my first high school party? You were there. My friends were intrigued by you. They treated you as if they were never going to see you again, drinking all of you that they could. I spent two hours that night helping my friends who had fallen completely. “I’m so embarrassed,” they said as I held their hair back so that they could vomit (嘔吐). “I’m sorry,” they said when I called taxies for them, walking them out and paying the driver in advance. “This won’t happen again,” they said as they were sent to the hospital to have their stomachs pumped. Two 15-year-old girls slept in hospital beds that night thanks to you.
Do you remember the night when you took advantage of my 17-year-old neighbor who had to drive to pick up his sister from her dance lessons? Do you know how we all felt when he hit another car and killed the two people in the other car? He died the next morning too. His sister walked home from her dance lesson, and passed police cars and a crowd of people gathering on the sidewalk just two blocks away from the dance studio. She didn’t realize her brother was in the midst of it all. She never saw him again. And it’s all your fault.
I wish you’d walk out of my life forever. I don’t want anything to do with you. Look at all the pain you’ve caused. Sure, you’ve made people happy too from time to time. But the damage you’ve caused in the lives of millions is inexcusable. Stop luring (引誘) in the people I love. Stop hurting me, please.
Sincerely,Anonymous
【小題1】What is author’s purpose in writing to alcohol?

A．To introduce Mr. Alcohol to the readers

B．To describe the harm alcohol did to his family.

C．To show how much alcohol can hurt people.

D．To show the great fun that alcohol can bring to people’s life.

【小題2】What did alcohol do to the author’s father?

A．It made him crash into two other cars and took his life.

B．It made him drink too much and he had to get his stomach pumped.

C．It made him kill two other people when driving.

D．It made him get into a car accident and badly injure himself.

【小題3】The underlined phrase “were intrigued by” is closest in meaning to ______.

A．were familiar with	B．were interested in
C．were disappointed with	D．were satisfied with

【小題4】What is the tone of the article?

A．Critical.

B．Doubtful.

C．Unconcerned.

D．Humorous.

【小題5】What is the main writing technique of the passage?

A．Making something more noticeable than usual.

B．Representing something in the form of a person.

C．Describing something by listing its harmfulness.

D．Comparing one thing with another to make his point clear.

John Smith was lazy. He had finished his education and was happy to sit in his room and listen to the radio all day long. In fact, he had been doing nothing for almost six months, which worried his father a lot. One day Mr Smith decided that he had to do something. “Johnny. When I was your age I was working and supporting my ten brothers and sisters. I want you to go out and get a job.” So that was what he did. In fact, in the next three months, Johnny started ten jobs and was fired from ten jobs. He explained to his father.
“They wanted me to be at work at 8:00 a. m. and told me to do all sorts of unpleasant things.”
“I don’t care how you do it,” Mr Smith said. “Either you earn some money or move out of the house. I gave you one week’s time.”
In the next few days Johnny began to change. He still stayed in his room all day, but spent his time writing letters and reading through the newspapers. More and more posts began to arrive for him. He bought a new suit for himself and invited his parents to the theatre and for dinner afterwards at the most expensive restaurant in town. When his proud parents arrived home after their evening hour, a policeman was waiting at the front door.
“John Smith,” he said as he handed him a piece of paper, “I’ll see you in the court tomorrow.”
When he got outside, Johnny told his parents everything.
“When you told me to earn some money, I decided to put an advertisement in the newspaper saying, ‘New way to earn money fast! Send me $ 5 and I’ll tell you my secret.’ When I received the money I wrote back telling people to do as I do.”
Johnny was fined $ 250 by the court and was ordered to pay all the people back. As he left the court house feeling very ashamed, a newspaper man came up to him, “Young man, would you like to tell your story to my newspaper for $ 2500?”
【小題1】Johnny was fired from the jobs because _______.

A．he liked listening to the radio

B．he had a big family to support

C．he spent a lot of time writing letters

D．he didn’t do the jobs well

【小題2】Johnny put an advertisement in the newspaper about _______ months after he left school.

A．three

B．six

C．nine

D．eleven

【小題3】Why was Johnny fined $ 250? _______.

A．Because he was lazy

B．Because he was out of work

C．Because he cheated people

D．Because he didn’t pay for his new suit

【小題4】What would probably happen at last? _______.

A．Johnny would get $ 2500 from the newspaper

B．The court would give $ 250 back to Johnny

C．Johnny would continue to advertise in the newspaper

D．Johnny would become a newspaper reporter

【小題5】Which of the following questions is NOT answered by the information from the passage? _______?

A．How did the parents feel when Johnny invited them to the theatre and dinner

B．What’s Johnny’s secret

C．What did the policeman want Johnny to do

D．How much did Johnny have to pay all the people back

What is a lifestyle and how is that different from a life? A lifestyle is about brand names and buying identity or fame. Lifestyle gives a false sense of peace and acceptability that comes from others recognizing what you’ve bought into (as well as bought). If your car, clothes, and home are expensive, you’re sophisticated(世故的) and stylish. If you have the right kind of job or go to the right social gatherings, then you receive the insincere approval of others. This means that your self-esteem(自尊) is always at the mercy of others, with no appreciation of you as an individual.
A life, on the other hand, is very different. A life is what you lead when you know what matters most to you. It is very simple and comes from being connected to what you know is important and being willing to put that first, no matter what others may think. When you create a life vs. a lifestyle, your self-esteem comes from what’s inside you, not what others think about you.
Lifestyle is expensive financially and personally, because it costs a great deal to keep up appearances and do what you think is socially acceptable. A life is not expensive. Rather than using personal or financial resources, a life generates energy and staying power. It’s about liberating yourself from the mindless consumption that society expects. It is about making the choices that are in line with your values, instead of using up your bank account or energy for no heart-driven reason.
How can you make the change? Understand the difference between a life and a lifestyle. Analyze your current lifestyle to see what is costing you in money, time, stress, and energy to maintain it. Let go and make room for what is really important to you, what supports you and brings you joy. Remember who you are from within, not what you own!
【小題1】Which of the following examples best explains “what is life about”?

A．We work long hours in a job that we do not enjoy.

B．We focus on what we wear, or what kind of car we drive.

C．We find out what our true beliefs and values are and choose to live by these.

D．We think that how others see us is more important than what we think of ourselves.

【小題2】What method does the author use to explain his opinion in the third paragraph?

A．Making comparison.	B．Giving an example.
C．Giving a definition.	D．Giving a reason.

【小題3】To make the change, we need to______________________.

A．be directed from within	B．be directed from outside
C．be driven by social values	D．be driven by others’ opinions

【小題4】What is the author’s purpose of writing this passage?

A．To describe what life is.

B．To introduce what lifestyle is.

C．To promote life instead of lifestyle.

D．To tell the differences between life and lifestyle.

Researchers claimed that waitresses who wear red get up to 26 percent extra in tips than they would wearing other colors. However, the team finds that the sexes tip very differently—with the bigger tips coming only from male customers.
No matter what color they wear, female diners will give the same kind of amounts for service every time. Yet men, whether they realize it or not, add anything between 15 and 26 percent more to a waitress in red than they would if it was the same waitress wearing a different color.
The test was simple. Take 11 waitresses in five restaurants over a six-week period and ask them to wear the same kind of T-shirt every day but change the colors. Previous research has suggested waitresses could earn more if they acted charmingly or wore more make-up than their colleagues. But this study, by the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, only changed the color of the T-shirt. Every other aspect from make-up to behavior remained the same.
When wearing either black, white, green, blue or yellow T-shirts, the size of the tips from both male and female customers was almost identical. But when they wore red, the size of the tips went up by between 15 and 26 percent from male customers, yet stayed the same from female ones. 
A total of 272 restaurant customers were studied by researchers Nicolas Gueguen and Celine Jacob for the international journal of the tourism industry.
Even as a T-shirt, it shows just how much the color red is thought, by men, to increase the physical and sexual attractiveness of woman, said the researchers.
The researchers wrote: As red color has no negative effect on women customers, it could be in their interest to wear clothes at work.
【小題1】The underlined word “identical” in Para. 4 probably means____________________.

A．different

B．similar

C．the same

D．close

【小題2】 According to the passage, in the research by the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research waitresses could earn more by _________________.

A．wearing red T-shirts	B．putting on attractive make-up
C．changing the color of T-shirts	D．behaving themselves

【小題3】Which of the following is right according to the passage?

A．Bright color can increase the physical and sexual attractiveness of women.

B．Waitresses in red make no difference to female customers.

C．Make-up makes no difference to man customers.

D．Whether male customers tips more or not depends on service.

【小題4】What is the main idea of the passage?

A．People tip differently if waitresses wear different make-up.

B．Waitresses who wear red get more tips than they would wearing other colors.

C．Male customers are more interested in the red color.

D．Red color has no negative effect on female customers.

It’s really true what people say about English politeness: it’s everywhere. When squeezing past someone in a narrow aisle, people say “sorry”. When getting off a bus, English passengers say “thank you” rather than the driver. In Germany, people would never dream of doing these things. After all, squeezing past others is sometimes unavoidable, and the bus driver is only doing his job. I used to think the same way, without questioning it, until I started traveling to the British Isles and came to appreciate some more polite ways of interacting (交往) with people.
People thank each other everywhere in England, all the time. When people buy something in a shop, customers and retail assistants in most cases thank each other twice or more. In Germany, it would be exceptional to hear more than one “thank you” in such a conversation. British students thank their lecturers when leaving the room. English employers thank their employees for doing their jobs, as opposite to Germans, who would normally think that paying their workers money is already enough.
Another thing I observed during my stay was that English people rarely criticize others. Even when I was working and mistakes were pointed out to me, my employers emphasized (強(qiáng)調(diào)) several times that none of their words were intended as criticism. It has been my impression that by avoiding criticism, English people are making an effort to make others feel comfortable. This is also shown in other ways. British men still open doors for women, and British men are more likely to treat women to a meal than German men. However, I do need to point out here that this applies to English men a bit more than it would to Scottish men! Yes, the latter (后者) are a bit tightfisted.
【小題1】What is the author’s attitude towards English politeness?

A．He appreciates it.

B．He gives no personal opinion.

C．He thinks it is unnecessary.

D．He thinks it goes too far.

【小題2】What can we learn about customers and retail assistants in Germany?

A．A customer never says thank you to a retail assistant.

B．They may say thank you only once.

C．It’s always a retail assistant who says thank you.

D．They always say thank you to each other.

【小題3】We can learn from the last paragraph that Scottish men __________.

A．a(chǎn)re not so willing to spend money for women

B．a(chǎn)re more polite than English men

C．treat women in an impolite way

D．a(chǎn)re more likely to be involved in a fighting

【小題4】The author develops the text through the method of ____________.

A．giving reasons

B．telling stories

C．giving comments

D．making comparisons

You’ve just come home, after living abroad for a few years. Since you’ve been away, has this country changed for the better or for the worse?
If you’ve just arrived back in the UK after a fortnight’s holiday, small changes have probably surprised you—anything from a local greengrocer suddenly being replaced by a mobile-phone shop to someone in your street moving house.
So how have things changed to people coming back to Britain after seven, ten or even 15 years living abroad? What changes in society can they see that the rest of us have hardly noticed—or now take for granted? To find out, we asked some people who recently returned.
Debi: When we left, Cheltenham, my home town, was a town of white, middle-class families—all very conservative (保守的).The town is now home to many eastern Europeans and lots of Australians, who come here mainly to work in hotels and tourism. There are even several shops only for foreigners.
Having been an immigrant (移民) myself, I admire people who go overseas to find a job. Maybe if I lived in an inner city where unemployment was high, I’d think differently, but I believe foreign settlers have improved this country because they’re more open-minded and often work harder than the natives.
Christine: As we flew home over Britain, both of us remarked how green everything looked. But the differences between the place we’d left behind and the one we returned to were brought sharply into focus as soon as we landed.
To see policemen with guns in the airport for the first time was frightening — in Cyprus, they’re very relaxed — and I got pulled over by customs officers just for taking a woolen sweater with some metal-made buttons out of my case in the arrivals hall. Everyone seemed to be on guard. Even the airport car-hire firm wanted a credit card rather than cash because they said their vehicles had been used by bank robbers. But anyway, this is still a green, beautiful country. I just wish more people would appreciate what they’ve got.
【小題1】After a short overseas holiday, people tend to ______ .         

A．expect small changes	B．notice small changes
C．welcome small changes	D．exaggerate (夸大) small changes

【小題2】How does Debi look at the foreign settlers?

A．Cautiously.

B．Skeptically.

C．Positively.

D．Critically.

【小題3】When arriving at the airport in Britain, Christine was shocked by ______ .          

A．the tight security	B．the messy arrivals hall
C．the relaxed policemen	D．the bank robbers

【小題4】Which might be the best title for the passage?

A．Life in Britain.	B．Britain in Memory.
C．Britain in Future.	D．Back in Britain.

I had a perfect life. No one died; no one was sick; we were all happy and loving life.
Then I discovered my grandfather had cancer. No matter how much I told myself he could live, and that he might not die, somehow I still felt as if it was a death sentence. He was so young, only 63.
He fought so hard. Whenever I feel my own life taking a turn for the worse, as if things will never get better, I remember how many years he lived fighting such a scary and difficult disease.
He died with a huge party going on around him, with all his friends and family. They ate and I honestly didn’t know how to cope. I never cried alone. I had the compassion (同情) of my friends and the support of my family and teachers. I just remembered my grandfather’s wish that we should celebrate his life.
That’s how we came up with the idea for Hives for Lives----a business my sister and I started where all the profits go to the American Cancer Society (ACS). We sell honey, honeycomb, beeswax candles and lip balm, which all come from our beehives in Virginia. It started out small, 2 years ago, with just an idea. During our first year we donated more than $2,000 to the ACS. The next year a man who belonged to my grandparents’ bee club willed his honey to us, and our little business grew.
We sold at craft fairs, wine festivals, schools, and to anyone else who would buy! We had my uncle sell in California and my grandmother sell in Chicago. We have sold honey in 13 states---even in Puerto Rico.
This year we donated more than $10,000 to the ACS and we’re hoping to do more next year. Hopefully our business will help find a cure or just improve the life of someone with cancer.
I feel like Hives for Lives is a way to honor my grandfather. Honor his love, his life and his strength.
With Hives for Lives reminding me of my grandfather every day, I feel as if I can move on in life, that he will always be alive in my heart and memories. It made me capable of coping with his death, because I felt like I had truly honored his wish of celebrating his life.
I have made his spirit everlasting through the business and I honor him every day. He always taught me to make the best of things. Well, grandpa, that’s what I’m doing, for you.
I hope he is smiling from heaven.
【小題1】 Reading the first two paragraphs, we know _________.

A．the grandfather was sentenced to death

B．cancer always attacks old people

C．the sad news was quite beyond the author’s expectation

D．the author was sorry that their life was not perfect any more

【小題2】 When the author feels down in life, ________ will give him strength to overcome difficulties.

A．his grandfather’s encouraging words

B．his grandfather’s fighting against cancer

C．his grandfather’s wish before dying

D．his grandfather’s pitiful fate

【小題3】 When the grandfather died, __________.

A．a(chǎn)ll felt relieved that he would never suffer any more

B．his family and friends honored him more than ever

C．the author was at a loss what to do for a time

D．the author didn’t cry following his wish

【小題4】 Which of the following statements is true according to the text?

A．The profits they make are all donated to the ACS.

B．They struggle to develop their business without any help.

C．They have helped find a cure for those with cancer.

D．All their relatives joined in their activity.

【小題5】 What’s the author’s purpose of writing the text?

A．To show us how he runs his business to help others.

B．To tell us his way to deal with sadness.

C．To tell us the importance of self-control in the face of sadness.

D．To tell us to learn from his grandfather.

With more and more cars on the road, traffic jams are inevitable. Traffic jams can lead to increased accidents as there are more cars, with more people trying to get to their destination, all the while getting worse. Although it’s impossible to avoid traffic jams altogether, there are some tips you can follow to reduce the amount of time on the road.
Check for traffic jams before you leave. You can listen to the radio for traffic news, or check on the Internet to get up-to-minute information on traffic. If the route you want to take is heavy with traffic, you can choose another.
Look for a different route all the time. Most traffic jams happen on busy roads. Using country roads could see you avoiding a lot of traffic. Although the distance you may have to travel is further, it can work out quicker.
Set your car radio to receive traffic bulletins. Many new car stereo systems (汽車音響系 統(tǒng)) are equipped with a radio system by which you can hear the traffic channel. This way you can get the latest traffic information and change your journey if necessary.
__________ Most traffic jams usually occur during rush hour, so try to avoid this time period if possible. Some jobs offer flexible working hours so that you can travel to work outside of rush hour. Some jobs even allow you to work at home so as to avoid moving altogether. Ask your manager to see what you can do if traffic is a problem for you.
Use public transport alternatives where available. The easiest way to avoid traffic jams is to take buses or the underground instead of driving your own car. Not only will you avoid traffic jams but you will most likely be saving money as the cost of motoring rises.
【小題1】The underlined word “inevitable” in Paragraph 1 probably means _____.

A．hard to accept	B．impossible to avoid
C．getting less serious	D．seen everywhere

【小題2】The author wrote the text in order to ______.

A．explain why there are traffic jams

B．tell us how to save time on the road

C．tell us what we can do on the road

D．tell us the negative effects of traffic jams

【小題3】To get the latest traffic information, you could do the following EXCEPT ______.

A．surfing the Internet

B．listening to the radio for traffic news

C．listening to the traffic channel

D．turning to other drivers for information

【小題4】Which of the following can be put in the blank in the text?

A．Choose a job that has flexible working hours

B．Make friends with your manager

C．Try traveling at different time

D．Work from home

【小題5】According to the author, we should use public transport because __________.

A．it is cheaper and can avoid traffic jams

B．it is useful to us

C．it is environmentally-friendly

D．it is completely free from traffic jams

In modern society there is a great deal of argument about competition. Some hold an optimistic attitude. They value it highly, believing that it is a natural outcome of social progress and prosperity（繁榮）and that anyone who wants to be outstanding has to keep the pace. Others think otherwise. They say that competition is bad; that it sets one person against another; that the unfriendly relationship between people because of competition.
I have taught many children who held the belief that their self-worth depended on how well they performed at tennis and other skills. For them, playing well and winning are often life-and-death affairs. In their single-minded pursuit（追求）of success, the development of many other human qualities is sadly forgotten.
However, while some seem to be lost in the desire to succeed, others have an opposite opinion. In a culture which values only the winner and pays no attention to the ordinary players, they strongly blame competition. Among the most vocal are youngsters who have suffered under competitive pressures from their parents or society. They have no choice. Teaching these young people, I often observe in them a desire to fail. They seem to seek failure by not trying to win or achieve success. By not trying, they always have an excuse: “I may have lost, but it doesn’t matter because I really didn’t try”. What is not usually admitted by themselves is the belief that if they had really tried and lost, that would mean a lot. Such a loss would be a measure of their worth. Clearly, this belief is the same as that of the true competitors who try to prove themselves. Both are based on the mistaken belief that one’s self-respect relies on how well one performs compared with others. Both are afraid of not being valued. Only as this basic and often troublesome fear is overcome can discover a new meaning in competition.
【小題1】What does this passage mainly talk about?

A．Competition helps to set up self-respect.

B．Opinions about competition are different among people.

C．Competition is harmful to personal quality development.

D．Failures are necessary experience in competition.

【小題2】Why do some people favor competition according to the passage?

A．It pushes society forward.

B．It builds up a sense of duty.

C．It improves personal abilities.

D．It encourages individual efforts.

【小題3】The underlined phrase “the most vocal” in Paragraph 3 means      .

A．those who try their best to win

B．those who value competition most highly

C．those who are against competition most strongly

D．those who rely on others most for success

【小題4】What is the similar belief of the true competitors and those with a “desire to fail”?

A．One’s worth lies in his performance compared with others.

B．One’s success in competition needs great efforts.

C．One’s achievement is determined by his particular skills.

D．One’s success is based on how hard he has tried.

【小題5】Which point of view may the author agree to?

A．Every effort should be paid back.

B．Competition should be encouraged.

C．Winning should be a life-and-death matter.

D．Fear of failure should be removed in competition.

If you see someone drowning, speed is very important. Once you get him out of the water, if he isn’t breathing, you have four minutes before his brain is completely destroyed. Support his neck, tilt（使翹起）his head back and press his chin（下巴）upwards. This stops the tongue blocking the airway in the throat and is sometimes enough to get him breathing again. If that doesn’t work, start mouth-to-mouth breathing. Press his nostrils（鼻孔）together with your fingers. Open your mouth and take a deep breath. Blow into his lungs until his chest rises, then remove your mouth and watch his chest fall. Repeat twelve times a minute. Keep doing until help arrives.
To bring a child back to life, keep your lips around his mouth and nose and gently blow into his mouth. Give the first four breaths as quickly as possible to fill the blood with oxygen. If, in spite of your efforts, he starts turning a blue grey color, you can feel no pulse（脈搏）,then pressing is the last chance of saving his life.
With arms straight, rock（搖動(dòng)）forwards, pressing down on the lower half of the breastbone. Don’t be too hard or you may break a rib（肋骨）. Check how effective you are seeing if his color improves or his pulse becomes independent to your chest pressing. If this happens, stop the pressing. Otherwise continue until rescue arrives.
【小題1】This passage is mainly about ________.

A．how to save people out of the water

B．how to give first aid to people who are drowning

C．how to do mouth-to-mouth breathing

D．how to save a child from a river

【小題2】Once you get a drowning man out of the water, if he isn’t breathing, you must first ________.

A．get him breathing again

B．take him to the nearest hospital as soon as possible

C．find someone to help you

D．call the First Aid Centre

【小題3】In the last paragraph, the word “rescue” means ________.

A．breath

B． doctor

C． help

D． pulse

【小題4】If the drowning boy has no pulse, ________.

A．pressing his chin upwards is enough to get him breathing again

B．blowing air into his mouth is sure to save his life

C．pressing his nostrils together with your fingers can work

D．pressing his chest is the last chance of saving his life

【小題5】Which of the following statements is true?

A．If a man fails to breathe for four minutes, his brain will be completely destroyed.

B．If you see someone drowning, you must give him mouth-to-mouth breathing.

C．Don’t stop pressing his chest, if the drowning man starts breathing again.

D．When pressing, you can do it as hard as you can.