The church seems cold this morning, even after all the people, friends and family, fill the benches. I sit here in silence, in shock and denial. This was not supposed to happen. What about our dreams, or our plans? We were going to raise our children, travel the world, and grow old together. I’m only 37, a typical housewife. I don’t know if I can do all this alone—two children, no father. What do I do or say?
The faces of so many people confuse me as they come to pay their last respects. Some have real sorrow; I can see it in their eyes. The others seem to just say, “I told you so.” Those famous last words: I-told-you-so. How I can’t stand them. And the pointing fingers as so-called family and so-called friends pick me out of the crowd for others to see. I want to scream and wake up but I can’t do anything but sit there. How can they be so blind? I fell in love with a man. Love knows no boundaries .
He was a good man, hardworking, caring and kind. He was retired from the Navy and a gentleman. He was sensitive to others’ needs, the kind of man that knew what to do or say, how to humor any situation and calm everyone’s fears. I remember our first child was a big surprise to both of us. I remember when I told him the news. He fell off his chair, saying over and over in disbelief, “But I’m almost sixty.” After a few months he started planning our next and even doing his famous little dance whenever he discussed the idea.
A man, thirty years older than I, lies in a coffin. Flowers, the American flag and his VFW comrades surround him, paying tribute（頌詞）to him as the man he really was. And I sit alone here, with our two children, in silence, praying that this cold morning at church is only a nightmare and I will awake to his loving arms again.
【小題1】What can we know from the passage about the writer?

A．She married a man much older than she.

B．She is going to give birth to their second child.

C．She lost her husband, who was as old as she.

D．She lost her father, whom she loved deeply.

【小題2】From Paragraph Two, we can see ______.

A．the writer didn’t really love the man

B．some of her family members didn’t understand her

C．some of her family members and friends were blind

D．she thought her marriage to the man was a mistake

【小題3】 Which of the following can best replace the underlined words “But I’m almost sixty”?

A．I can’t believe it.

B．That’s a lot of trouble.

C．That should have happened long ago.

D．It can’t be my child.

【小題4】Which of the following can’t be used to describe the writer’s feelings for the man?

A．Sad.

B．Loving.

C．Inseparable

D．Complaining.

What’s delicious, healthy to eat and comes in various colors? Eggplant! And no, it has nothing to do with chickens! This strangely named vegetable is, however, as versatile as an egg. It can be steamed, fried or baked. It can be eaten by itself or combined with meats and other vegetables.
Eggplant was first grown in India during the 5th century B.C. Its popularity soon spread to China and then throughout Asia. Finally, during the Middle Ages the vegetable made its way to Europe. At that time, eggplant was not the shiny purple vegetable most people know today. Instead, it was like a white egg. Due to this egg-like appearance, eggplant got its name. In its early days, the vegetable was so bitter that people often called it a “mad apple”. This nickname started because people believed its bitterness was bad for one’s health. People actually thought eggplant could cause insanity(精神錯(cuò)亂) and cancer.
Fortunately, today people know that eggplant doesn’t cause insanity or cancer. In fact, eggplant is so healthy that it may prevent cancer. In addition, the brain and the heart benefit from this supper vegetable. Since it is high in fiber, eggplant can also improve digestion.
Italy, Turkey, Egypt, China and Japan are the leading growers of eggplant in the world today. Depending on its location, eggplant may be purple, green, orange or yellow-white. And it can be as small as a tomato or as large as a cucumber. Dish diversities(多樣性) range from simple to complex, with all of them being delicious!
Today, thousands of people are gathering in Loomis, Calif, for the 23rd annual Loomis Eggplant Festival. The main activity at the festival is eating delicious eggplant dishes. There is plenty more to do and see, though. Recipe contests, arts and crafts, performers, races and children’s activities all “egg-cite” festival-goers. Most people at the festival would agree — eggplant is an “egg-cellent” vegetable!
【小題1】What does the underlined word “versatile” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．simple in shape	B．various in cooking
C．diverse in size	D．flexible in price

【小題2】Which of the following statements about eggplants is TRUE?
A. Eggplant was once misunderstood by the people for its bitterness.
B. Eggplant was introduced into Europe during the 5th century B.C.
C. Eggplant got its name for its nutrition which is as rich as an egg.
D. Eggplant looks like what it used to be in color and shape.
【小題3】Eggplant is so healthy that it can _____________.

A．cure the cancer with certainty	B．do good to digestion
C．replace other vegetables	D．help relieve insanity

【小題4】The diversities of eggplant reflect in many aspects EXCEPT _____________.

A．colors

B．sizes

C．dishes

D．nutrition

【小題5】The passage mainly tells us about __________________.

A．the 23rd annual Loomis Eggplant Festival

B．the general introduction of eggplant

C．the origin of eggplant

D．the benefits of eggplant

“Old wives’ tales” are beliefs passed from one generation to another. For example, most of us remember our parents’ telling us to eat more of certain foods or not to do certain things. Is there any truth in these teachings? Some of them agree with present medical thinking, but others have not passed the test of time.
Did your mother ever tell you to eat your carrots because they are good for your eyes? Scientists now report that eating carrots can help prevent a serious eye disease called macular degeneration. Eating just one carrot a day can reduce the possibility of getting this disease by 40%. Garlic(蒜) is good for you, too. It can kill the type of virus that causes colds.
Unfortunately, not all of Mom’s advice passed the test of medical studies. For example, generations of children have been told not to go swimming within an hour after eating. But research suggests that there is no danger in doing so. Do sweets cause tooth problems? Well, yes and no. Sticky sweets made with grains tend to cause more problems than sweets made with simple sugars.
Even though science can tell us that some of our traditional beliefs don’t hold water, there is still a lot of truth in the old wives’ tales. After all, much of this knowledge has been accumulated(積累) from thousands of years of experience in family health care. We should respect this body of knowledge even as we search for clear scientific support to prove it true or false.
【小題1】The author develops the third paragraph mainly         .

A．by cause and effect	B．by order in space
C．by examples	D．by order in time

【小題2】Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?

A．Eating garlic is good for our eyes.

B．Carrots prevent people from catching colds.

C．Swimming after a meal is dangerous.

D．Sticky sweets are damaging to our teeth.

【小題3】What is the author’s attitude toward “old wives’ tales” in the text?

A．Objective.

B．Subjective.

C．Dissatisfied.

D．Curious.

【小題4】The phrase “hold water” in the last paragraph most probably means “     .”

A．to be valuable	B．to be believable
C．to be admirable	D．to be suitable

It’s parents’ worst nightmare. Their child doesn’t come home one evening and is missing for several days.
When a 14-year-old boy from Atlanta, Georgia disappeared earlier this year, his mother turned to her Smartphone for clues using an app（應(yīng)用程序） called Family Tracker that helped track his location.
“You can see where your loved ones are without having to call or bother them. ”said Roberto Franceschetti of LogSat, the creators of the Family Tracker, which has more than 100,000 users and is available worldwide.
Parents can track the location of their child on a map, send messages, and even sound an alarm on the phone in a long distance.
“We have an option for the sender to make a very unpleasant, noisy sound. It’s a loud alarm and we repeat that sound every two minutes until the person picks it up, ”he said.
Parents don’t need to own a Smartphone to track their children. The service is also accessible through the web, as long as the phone that is being tracked is running the app.
Family Tracker has an additional service that keeps records of all data from the app for a two-week period, which the company calls GPS breadcrumbs.
“With a subscription（預(yù)定）, we keep all the locations where people have been on our servers. You can see where your kid has been for the past two weeks. You can find out where someone was at a certain time or when that person was at a specific place, ”Franceschetti explained.
“When somebody gets abducted（劫持）, usually whoever does this throws the phone away or takes the battery out. We were hoping that our app would at least provide information on where the person was abducted or where they had been in the past. ”
But will these types of apps let out personal secrets?
“The advantages are huge compared to the disadvantages. Let’s not forget that the person always has to give initial permission—no one can be tracked unless they allow someone to do it. ”said Franceschetti.
【小題1】According to the passage, all of the following about “Family Tracker” are true EXCEPT that __________.

A．it can help parents know where their children are

B．a(chǎn)ll parents don’t need to own a Smartphone to track children

C．parents can use all the services of the app for free

D．it has little to do with letting out personal secrets

【小題2】What can we infer from the passage?

A．The app will enjoy a great popularity in the future.

B．The loss of children won’t be a nightmare for parents any more.

C．The app will repeat the loud alarm continuously whenever parents track children.

D．The app can keep records of information for more than half a month.

【小題3】Which belong to the functions of the new app?
a. track location      b. detect criminals    c. send messages
d. protect privacy     e. send remote alarm   f. record information

A．a(chǎn), b, c, e

B．a(chǎn), c, e, f

C．a(chǎn), c, d, e

D．a(chǎn), d, e, f

Habits, whether good or bad, are gradually formed. When a person does a certain thing again, he is driven by some unseen force to do the same thing repeatedly, then a habit is formed. Once a habit is formed, it is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to get rid of. It is therefore very important that we should pay great attention to the formation of habits. Children often form bad habits, some of which remain with them as long as they live. Older persons also form bad habits lasting as long as they live, and sometimes become ruined by them.
There are other habits which, when formed in early life, are of great help. Many successful men say that much of their success has something to do with certain habits in early life, such as early rising, honesty and so on.
Among the habits which children should not form are laziness, lying, stealing and so on. These are all easily formed habits. Unluckily older persons often form habits which could have been avoided.
We should keep away from all these bad habits, and try to form such habits as will be good for ourselves and others.
【小題1】____ are formed litle by little.

A．Good habits

B．Bad habits

C．Both good habits and bad habits

D．Either good habits or bad habits

【小題2】The underlined word "them" in the first paragraph refers to "____"

A．bad habits

B．good habits

C．bad children

D．other persons

【小題3】Generally speaking, it's difficult for one _____ and easy for them _____ which should be avoided.

A．to form bad habits; to form good habits

B．to form good habits; to form bad habits

C．to form good habits; to get rid of had habits

D．to get rid of bad habits: to form good habits

【小題4】Why should we pay much attention to the formation of habits?

A．Because a man can never get rid of a habit.

B．Because we are forced to do them again and again.

C．Because habits are of great help to every one of us at present.

D．Because it's hard and sometimes even impossible to throw away bad habits.

【小題5】According to the passage, early rising _____.

A．has something to do with success

B．is an easily formed habit

C．is such a habit as should have been avoided

D．is such a habit as won't be kept

Life on-line can be a much richer experience when you aren’t restricted to just written words and still pictures. Even if you’re new to the Net, you’ve probably heard about multimedia on-line—listening to audio, watching animations and videos, even playing in three-dimensional space. 樣一個(gè)道理在新西蘭留學(xué)， tears.Sound and movement make information come alive.
To experience it, you’ll need special pieces of software called plug-ins. The term “plug-in” refers to a small, add-on piece of software which extends the capabilities of your web browser, like Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Explorer, turning your computer into a radio or TV.
When you arrive at a web page which contains a file requiring a plug-in which you don’t have,you will usually receive a message asking if you want to get it by downloading it and installing it into your computer. Most of the time, the installation will be automatic.
Occasionally, you’ll run into a downloaded file which needs to be decompressed or un-zipped before installation. Once installed, plug-ins run automatically, without you having to do anything.
Many multimedia controls still need to be obtained from the developer but are installed automatically.
Shockwave is a good example of this. All you need to do is go to the Macromedia site and click on the link to install the ActiveX control. The rest happens automatically. The next time you go to a “Shocked” website, the Shockwave control loads and plays the movie.
Most plug-ins and controls can be downloaded for free on the Internet, although not all will work with every system. Some of them, for instance, only work with Windows 95.
【小題1】Plug-ins can help us to do all of the following except _________.

A．listening to music

B．watching animations and videos

C．playing three-dimensioned games

D．searching for information on the net

【小題2】The correct explanation about “plug-in” is _________.

A．a(chǎn) radio or TV connected with a computer

B．a(chǎn) small,add-on piece of hardware which improves your web browser

C．a(chǎn) small,add-on piece of software which can turn your computer into a radio or TV

D．a(chǎn) small,add-on piece of software like Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Explorer

【小題3】When we go to a “shocked” website a second time,_________.

A．we should go to the Macromedia site and click on the link to install the Active X control

B．the shockwave control loads itself and plays the movie for us

C．we will be asked whether to download the shockwave control or not

D．we have to buy the shockwave control and load it

【小題4】Most of the time,how can we get a plug-in before automatic installation?

A．We have to buy it from the developer.

B．We have to borrow it from the developer.

C．We have to rent it from the developer.

D．We can obtain from the developer without paying.

In order to start a business online now, there are a few steps you need to complete.
The very first step you need to complete is to have a product or service idea. A good idea to make money online should be an idea that excites you, an idea that others will be interested in, and an idea that not many other people are trying.
Once you have your business ready to go, you need to go ahead and get a website. You will need to buy a domain name (域名) and host(托管) it with a company on the Web. Your domain name should be as simple as possible and it should be related to(與…有聯(lián)系) your products. After this you can go ahead and get your site built up.
You can either do this yourself or you can pay someone else to do this. The site itself doesn’t have to be anything special.
The final step for starting your business online is to have a way to make money. For this, you need to have a merchant account(商業(yè)賬戶) that will let you sell things and make money. Your merchant account should accept as many forms of payment as possible.
Once your site is up and running, you can begin advertising the site. You need to create contents(內(nèi)容), such as articles, social networking sites, blog entries, etc. and then you can post it on the Internet so that you can attract(吸引) as many potential(潛在的) customers as possible.
That’s how easy it is to start a business online now.Very soon you will be making money online.
【小題1】The writer wrote this passage in order to tell us __________.

A．how to set up a website	B．how to start a business online
C．how to make some pocket money	D．how to become famous nowadays

【小題2】According to Paragraph 2, a good idea to make money online probably should be an idea that ____.

A．you are not excited about	B．others will not be interested in
C．a(chǎn)lmost everyone knows	D．few people are trying

【小題3】According to the writer, which of the following may NOT be something necessary to do?

A．Building up a website

B．Having a simple domain name

C．Making your site as special as possible

D．Hosting the domain name with a company on the Web

【小題4】What’s the CORRECT time order of the steps in starting a business online?
a. advertise the site
b. Build up a website
c. Come up with a product idea
d. Buy a domain name

A．c-d-b-a

B．c-d-a-b

C．d-c-b-a

D．c-b-d-a

【小題5】After reading the passage, we may know that _____________.

A．it costs no money to start a business online

B．not everyone is allowed(允許) to start a business online

C．you need to have as many merchant accounts as possible

D．it is better if the website domain name is related to the products you sell.

Part-time Front Desk Position Kirchoff.Inc, a book development company, is looking for a part-time front desk office worker. This position is perfect for a person who is cheerful, dependable, and pleasant to work with. Also, you should be able to welcome guests, redirect phone call, and take messages. More importantly, you can stay cool under pressure. You are expected to work 5:00--6:00 pm weekdays. You need to fill in some forms if you are interested. Forms can be collected at Kirchoff.Inc 866 United Nations Plaza, #525 New York, NY 10037

 

Important Points to Remember When Swimming ·Wait at least an hour after meals. ·Follow the advice of lifeguards. ·Don’t dive into unknown waters. Always swim in line with the shore. ·Find out at the seaside when and where it is safe to swim. ·Don’t use floating toys on the water. Wind can easily sweep them out to sea. ·Get out of the water if you feel tired or cold. Cold can kill even strong swimmers. Help Telephone:212-543-5902 Atlantic City Beach Office

 

Arrive on time. Introduce yourself in a polite manner. Read company materials while you wait. Have a firm handshake. Listen. Use body language to show interest. Smile and nod to the interviewers. Ask about the next thing you should do. Thank the interviewer. Write a thank-you letter to anyone you have spoken to. For more information, please visit jobweb.com 368 Cooper Square, New York.

 
【小題1】If you want to work in an office, where can you get the forms to fill in?

A．jobweb.com

B．Atlantic City Beach Office.

C．368 Cooper Square, New York, NY

D．866 United, New York, NY 10017.

【小題2】What does a person need most to be the one-hour weekday job?

A．He should be cheerful, dependable, and easy-going.

B．He has to work from Monday to Friday.

C．He can remain calm in a difficult situation.

D．He can welcome guests and deal with phone calls.

【小題3】According to the above information, what is the right thing to do when you swim?

A．To keep close to the beach.	B．To dive into unknown waters.
C．To use floating toys on the water.	D．To swim soon after lunch.

【小題4】The best title for the last piece of information would be_________.

A．Tips on Showing Interest in a Job	B．Steps to a Successful Interview
C．Advice on Introducing Yourself Politely	D．Rules of Body Language in an Interview

In my experience, one of the greatest reasons of unhappiness is the difficulty we have in accepting things as they are．When we see something we don’t like, we wish it could be different–we cry out for something better．That may be human nature, or perhaps it’s something that has been grown in our culture．
The root of the unhappiness isn’t that we want things to be different, however, it’s that we decided we didn’t like it in the first place．We’ve judged it as bad, rather than saying, “It’s not bad or good, but it just is．”
Here is an example．I have written a paper, A Beautiful Method to Find Peace of Mind．Quite a few people think it bad after reading it because I think people should expect things to go differently than you planned, and that you should accept that, instead of encouraging people to change themselves or the environment as much as possible．You could accept it as the way the world works–as the way things actually are．And try to understand why that is, and follow it, as it is．
This can be useful to whatever you do: whether it be how other people act at work, how politics works and how depressing the news media can be．Accept these things as they are, and try to understand why they’re that way．
It’ll save you a lot of sadness because you’ll no longer say, “Oh, I wish things didn’t go bad!”
If you really understand what I mean, you can try a different way to live in this world:accept, and understand．It might lead to some interesting results．
【小題1】What is the major reason why we feel unhappy in the writer’s opinion?

A．We are never satisfied with ourselves and the environment around us．

B．When we see something that makes us unhappy, we don’t know what to do．

C．We feel hard to accept the way things happen themselves．

D．No matter how happy we are, we never want to be happy．

【小題2】What do you think the writer may say to himself when he meets something unhappy?

A．How could I have made such a stupid mistake?

B．I should have done better．It’s all my fault．

C．Why is it all against my plan? It can’t be so bad．

D．Well, I know all is what it is meant to be．Take it easy．

【小題3】Why do some people think badly of the writer’s new paper after reading it?

A．The writer hasn’t shown an encouraging attitude in his paper．

B．The writer asks people to try to make things better．

C．The writer reminds the people that things will go exactly as you’ve planned．

D．The writer doesn’t think it a good idea to accept the things go naturally．

【小題4】The statements below are based on the writer’s points of view, EXCEPT_______

A．Unhappiness may be caused by human nature that we always want things to be better．

B．Why we don’t like the thing is that we have regard it as bad in the beginning．

C．The news media shouldn’t be so depressing if the reporters worked harder．

D．The best way to avoid feeling unhappy is to accept the things as they are．

There’s no shortage of web sites offering deals-everything from daily deals to members-only private sales. But when it comes to real jaw-dropping deals, there’s one company that seems to have figured out a way to really deliver.
The company is called Quibids and they auction（拍賣）the hottest, in-demand electronics like Apple ipads and ipods, as well as other items like gift cards from the top retailers（零售商）. Unlike other sites, the prices people pay are nowhere near retail. How low are the prices?
$ 33.84 for a new Apple ipad 32 GB（retail $ 600）
$ 22.10 for a new Nikon D90 Digital SLR Camera（retail $ 1070）
Our first reaction on seeing these prices was disbelief. After all, how could Quibids possibly afford to sell these items for so little ---- surely they must be losing a lot of money.
That’s where its unique business model comes into play. You see, for every bid a buyer places for an item on Quibids, the company collects a small fee from the bidder. The fee to bid is only about 60 cents, but based on the volume of sales and bids, the company is able to collect enough to make up for the ridiculous prices the items sell for.
But best of all, participating in the Quibids auction is incredibly fun. Because each bid costs a little to place, shoppers can strategize when to place their bids. Each auction has a strict time limit. When you place your bid, the system adds a little time to the auction to see if any other bids come in. If you have the winning bid when the clock runs out ---- you win the item for that price.
But the best part of Quibids may be the “Buy-It-Now” feature. This allows bidders who did not win an auction to still buy the product they want and apply the cost of the bids they placed as a discount on the regular product price. So you still get the item and the bids you placed previously in the auction don’t cost you anything!
【小題1】According to the passage, the success of Quibids mainly lies in          .

A．how its buying and selling is conducted	B．the change in people’s shopping model
C．the quality of the goods and service	D．their willingness to risk losing money

【小題2】It can be inferred from the passage that          .

A．other retailers will be out of business	B．winning a bid is not just a matter of luck
C．Quibids only sell popular electronics	D．the prices on Quibids are the lowest

【小題3】A buyer who bid twice for a $ 20 MP4 can get one from “Buy-It-Now” for          .

A．$ 21.2

B．$ 20

C．$ 19.4

D．$ 18.8

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

A．Buy Products for Next to Nothing	B．How to Buy New Must–have Electronics
C．The Most Successful Shopping Website	D．Tips on Shopping Online