Reading Comprehension

閱讀下列短文，從每題所給的A、B、C和D四個(gè)選項(xiàng)中，選出最佳選項(xiàng)。

（一）

A

Take Action for a Better World： Volunteers Needed

Six months preparation in Denmark： Africa studies， team work combined with social work with risk group teenagers.

Six months community work in Malawi in People to People Projects： Child Aid， HIV/AIDS Figure and Teacher Training.

Qualifications： over 18 years old and hard-working.

Please contact us by email： takeaction@betterworld.com

Part-time Work with Exchange Students

YOUTH International is a non-profit high school foreign exchange student organization. We welcome teenagers from over 80 countries worldwide and provide host families. The community representative is a part-time position designed for people with a strong desire to do something rewarding in the community and earn some extra money.

Applicants best suited for this work should enjoy teenagers， have a strong interest in cross-cultural communication， and feel comfortable in networking. Full training and support will be provided through branch offices throughout the US. Positions available in most states.

If interested， please email： staff@youth.org or call 888-123-9872.

International Summer Job

Hi， Im an ESL student in China. Im 20， quiet and polite， and I speak reasonable English. I am looking for a summer job in an English-speaking country. I can teach Chinese or do house and garden work， and cook Chinese dishes. Can anybody offer me a job？ I dont need to earn much， just enough in 2 months （July—August） to pay for my return ticket to China. My goal is to improve my English and see a bit more of the world.

My email is： ram3462@hotmail.com

Call for Native Speakers of English

I am looking for native speakers of English to join in an experiment. This experiment is carried out over the Internet； you dont need any specific knowledge other than understanding and speaking English at a native level. The first task will take you around 15 minutes. After this task， you can decide whether you want to continue the experiment. The tasks involve reading texts and designing questions and answers.

If you are willing to help me， then please email me：club3864@hotmail.com

1. Where will a volunteer receive the training before working in Malawi？

A. In a local office in the US. B. In an ESL organization in China.

C. In a preparation program in Denmark. D. In an exchange student center in Africa.

2. A community representative should be one who ___ .

A. enjoys working with teenagers from different countries

B. wants to earn some pocket money in the program

C. has a strong desire to improve his or her English

D. hopes to take action in fighting against diseases

3. To learn Chinese at home， an American may contact ___ .

A. takeaction@betterworld.com B. ram3462@hotmail.com

C. club3864@hotmail.com D. staff@youth.org

4. What are volunteers for an experiment supposed to do？

A. To interview people online. B. To do some housework.

C. To offer advice on Child Aid. D. To provide language exercises.

B

Sixteen years ago I learned a lesson in the back of a New York City taxi cab. Heres what happened. I hopped in （跳上） a taxi， and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when， all of a sudden， a black car rushed out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes （猛地剎車）， skidded， and missed the other cars back end by just inches！

The driver of the other car， who almost caused a big accident， started yelling bad words at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. I said， “Why did you just do that？ This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital！” And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call “The Law of the Garbage Truck”.

Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage， full of frustration， full of anger， and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up， they need a place to dump it. And if you let them， theyll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you， dont take it personally. You just smile， wave， wish them well， and move on. Youll be happy with what you did.

I started thinking， how often do I let garbage trucks run right over me？ And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people at work， at home， or on the streets？ It was that day I said， “Im not going to do that anymore.”

Successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. What about you？ If you let more garbage trucks pass you by， youll be happier. Lifes too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So， love the people who treat you right； forget about the ones who dont.

5. What happened when the author was taking a taxi？

A. The taxi driver was injured.

B. The taxi almost hit another car.

C. The author quarreled with the driver of the other car.

D. The author learned a lesson from the driver of the black car.

6. How did the taxi driver respond to the behavior of the driver in the black car？

A. He yelled back at the driver.

B. He sent the driver to the hospital.

C. He was friendly towards the driver.

D. He dumped some garbage in front of his car.

7. According to Paragraph 3， the author thinks many people ___ .

A. tend to be very depressed

B. like to drive garbage trucks

C. dump garbage wherever they like

D. are warm-hearted to make others happy

8. What does the author advise us to do if people “dump garbage” on you？

A. Try to persuade them not to do that again.

B. Ignore them and go on with our own work.

C. Tell them to dump the garbage in the right place.

D. Take over their work and carry the garbage to somewhere else.

C

The British National Health Service （NHS） was set up in 1948 and was designed to provide equal basic health care， free of charge， for everybody in the country. Before this time health care had to be paid for by individuals.

Nowadays central government is directly responsible for the NHS although it is administered by local health authorities. About 83 percent of the cost of the health service is paid for by general taxation and the rest is met from the National Insurance contributions paid by those in work. There are charges for prescription and dental care but many people， such as children， pregnant women， pensioners， and those on Income Support， are free from payment.

Most people are registered with a local doctor （a GP， or General Practitioner） who is increasingly likely to be part of a health centre which serves the community.

As the population of Britain gets older， the hospital service now treats more patients than before， although patients spend less time in hospital. NHS hospitals—many of which were built in the nineteenth century—provide nearly half a million beds and have over 480，000 medical staff. The NHS is the biggest employer in Europe although Britain actually spends less per person on health care than most of her European neighbors.

During the 1980s there was considerable restructuring of the Health Service with an increased emphasis on managerial efficiency and the privatization of some services （for example， cleaning）. At the end of the 1980s the government introduced proposals for further reform of the NHS， including allowing some hospitals to be self-governing， and encouraging GPs to compete for patients. Patients would be able to choose and change their family doctor more easily and GPs would have more financial responsibility. The political questions continue of how much money should be provided to support the NHS and where it should come from.

9. What can we know from the first paragraph？

A. The NHS was the guarantee of a healthy life.

B. The NHS was an organization giving free advice to patients.

C. People didnt have to pay for health care before the NHS was set up.

D. Patients were charged for receiving health care in Britain before 1948.

10. What can we know about the NHS？

A. Its cost is mainly paid for by the National Insurance contributions.

B. Fewer patients are treated in its hospitals than before.

C. It hires more people than any other unit in Europe.

D. Its managed by the central government.

11. What is the biggest problem for the NHS？

A. Many hospitals are too old to be used.

B. Some services are in the charge of patients.

C. There is not enough money for further reform.

D. More and more patients go to GPs for treatment.

D

Imagine putting a seed in a freezer， waiting 30，000 years， and then taking the seed out and planting it. Do you think a flower would grow？

Amazingly， scientists have just managed to do something very similar. They found the fruit of an ancient plant that had been frozen underground in Siberia—a region covering central and eastern Russia—for about 31，800 years. Using pieces of the fruit， the scientists grew plants in a lab. The new blooms have delicate white petals. They are also the oldest flowering plants that researchers have ever revived from a deep freeze.

“This is like regenerating a dinosaur from tissues of an ancient egg，” said University of California， Los Angeles biologist Jane Shen-Miller.

The plant has a long history. Back when mammoths （猛犸） and woolly rhinoceroses walked the land， an Arctic ground squirrel buried seeds and fruits in an underground chamber near the Kolyma River in northeastern Siberia. The ground became permafrost （永久凍土）， a layer of soil that stays frozen for a long time.

Russian scientists dug out the old squirrel hole and found the plant remains 38 metres below the surface. Back at the lab， the team fed nutrients to tissue from three of the fruits to grow shoots. Then the scientists transferred the shoots to pots filled with soil. The plants produced seeds that could be used to grow even more of them.

Its important for scientists to know that plant tissues can still be revived after being frozen for a long time. Thats because many researchers are trying to preserve the seeds of modern plants by freezing them and then storing them in giant lockers at various spots around the globe. One such endeavor， an underground facility in Norway， is called the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. It stores hundreds of thousands of frozen seeds. If a plant ever goes extinct， scientists could bring it back by taking its seeds from the Svalbard or other storage lockers.

“No one knows how long they are able to live， but freezing is basically the format for many plant conservation attempts nowadays，” Shen-Miller said. Its a good thing that at least some plants are tough enough to survive the experience.

12. How did the fruit originally get underground？

A. It was placed there by an animal. B. It was trapped there during the ice-age.

C. It was planted there by ancient farmers. D. It was buried there after the earthquake.

13. Why are scientists interested in this discovery？

A. It can help guide future efforts to protect endangered plants.

B. It can provide directions for where to look for other ancient plants.

C. It helps them learn how plant life has changed in the past 30，000 years.

D. It proves that all plant life can survive for thousands of years when frozen.

14. The underlined word “they” in the last paragraph refers to “___”.

A. plants B. seeds C. animals D. storage lockers

15. What is the purpose of the passage？

A. To introduce some ancient plants. B. To discuss a plant conservation effort.

C. To describe a scientific research project. D. To outline some causes of global warming.

（二）

A

Summer Camps for Teenagers

There are many types of summer camps for teenagers to attend. Theyre a great way for teens to make friends and learn valuable lessons about life. If youre seeking a good summer camp to attend， the first thing you should do is decide what type of camp would be most suitable to your interests and goals.

Traditional Camps

When you just want the sort of camp in classic films， a traditional overnight camp might be just what you need to grow， learn， and relax this coming summer. These sorts of camps offer more vigorous outdoor activities， yet often allow campers to customize their camping experiences.

Chewonki Camp

As one of the best summer camps in the country by Boston magazine， this camp aims to help teens learn about natural history and ecology， and the campers get treats like sailing trips and hiking excursions， besides formal instruction in such things as kayaking， swimming， field sports， and photography.

Camp Wicosuta

As a top-rated， traditional four-week sleep away camp especially for young ladies， Camp Wicosuta has more than 30 different activities to help teens learn to cook and wash themselves， which aim to help young girls focus on building their self-confidence.

Academic Camps

Many teens like to advance their education during the summer months while also having fun. There are hundreds of academic camps for them to choose from that specialize in various academic subjects like journalism， language， law， computer， and science.

1. You should decide what camp to attend according to ___ .

A. items and activities

B. camping time and place

C. your values and customs

D. personal interests and goals

2. Which can be the most suitable for a person who likes sailing and hiking？

A. Traditional Camps. B. Chewonki Camp.

C. Camp Wicosuta. D. Academic Camps.

3. What is the purpose of Camp Wicosuta？

A. To make teens focus on science.

B. To let teens learn and get relaxed.

C. To help girls build self-confidence.

D. To help girls learn lessons about life.

B

A fellow speaker from California named Geri， in her favourite jeans and a casual jacket， flew to Japan to give her first speech. Fourteen hours later， four perfectly dressed Japanese gentlemen greeted her at Narita Airport. Smiling and bowing low， they handed her their business cards. With her bag in one hand， Geri took their cards with the other. She thanked them， glanced briefly at the cards， and put them into her jeans pocket quickly.

When the five of them arrived at the hotel， they invited Geri to tea in the lobby. While sipping tea， the gentlemen presented her with a small gift which she eagerly opened. She was thrilled with the gift and shouted excitedly， “Oh， its beautiful.”

At this point， the four Japanese gentlemen stood up and， bowing only very slightly， said “Sayonara” and left immediately. Poor Geri was left astonished. What did she do wrong？

Everything！ Her jeans were the first gaffe. Even if youre coming off a bicycle in Japan， you do not meet clients casually dressed. The second mistake was Geris handling of their business cards rudely. In Japan， the business card is one of the most important communicative tools. It is always presented and accepted respectfully with both hands. However， Geri put their cards away much too quickly. In Japan， people use business cards as a conversation starter. You chat about each others cards and work and do not put theirs away until they gently and respectfully place yours in safekeeping. Putting it carelessly into her jeans pocket was the ultimate disrespect.

Then， the fourth mistake of horrors was that Geri should not have opened the gift in front of her clients. In a land where saving face is critical， it would be embarrassing to discover the gift they gave was not as nice as the one they received. What was worse， Geri hadnt even given them a gift！

4. The Japanese gentlemen thought Geri took their cards ___ .

A. excitedly B. seriously C. politely D. disrespectfully

5. Why did the four Japanese gentlemen leave Geri suddenly？

A. They couldnt bear Geris behaviour any longer. B. They had finished their task.

C. They had something more important to do. D. They didnt want to embarrass Geri.

6. What does the underlined word “gaffe” in Paragraph 4 probably mean？

A. Ignorance. B. Sadness. C. Mistake. D. Carelessness.

7. Which of the following sayings can best express the main idea of the passage？

A. Honesty is the best policy. B. Think twice before you take any action.

C. When in Rome， do as the Romans do. D. Dont pretend to know what you dont know.

C

Cosmetic surgery （整容手術(shù)） is not something to be entered into lightly. Unfortunately， in this modern world， we have become confused by very narrow standards of beauty. Images of celebrities who never seem to age are seen everywhere these days. We forget the fact that most of these images are the result of photo manipulation （處理）， driven by the incredibly powerful beauty industry. We are all different—why should we all look the same？ Isnt there more to life than undergoing surgery in order to have the same boring face that everybody else wants to have？

—Dr Elisabeth McKenna， Psychologist

Yes， its fake！ Thats what I told my friends when they started asking me about my nose job. Id always been sensitive to my nose， but it took me a long time before I decided to go for cosmetic surgery. I took advice from several doctors and after careful consultation I finally decided to have it done. In fact I wish Id had it done a few years ago. Im sure I wouldnt have been teased so much at school.

—Debbie Caron， Student

It makes me really angry to think of the millions of people who spend a fortune on cosmetic surgery. Surgery should be carried out for medical purposes， not vanity （虛榮心）. I would rather all the money spent on cosmetic surgery was available to treat people around the world who are in need but cant get proper medical treatment. Furthermore， there are thousands of under-qualified surgeons out there who only care about getting rich as quickly as possible. We should do something to ban it.

—Danny Glass， Student

8. What does Dr Elisabeth McKenna suggest？

A. Dont be fooled by “perfection”. B. Dont believe in beauty industry.

C. The beauty industry needs improving. D. Its unnecessary to set new standards of beauty.

9. What did Debbie Carons cosmetic surgery bring to her？

A. More friends. B. More worries.

C. More self-confidence. D. More job opportunities.

10. How does Danny Glass feel about those who have cosmetic surgery？

A. They should be treated as patients. B. They hurt themselves badly.

C. They can have a new start. D. They waste money and medical resources.

11. What could be the best title for the text？

A. Hard Talk—Cosmetic Surgery B. The Future of Cosmetic Surgery

C. The Mystery of Cosmetic Surgery D. A New Fashion—Cosmetic Surgery

D

NOT all memories are sweet. Some people spend all their lives trying to forget bad experiences. Violence and traffic accidents can leave people terrible both physical and emotional scars. Often they relive these experiences in nightmares.

Now American researchers think they are close to developing a pill， which will help people forget bad memories. The pill is designed to be taken immediately after a frightening experience. They hope it might reduce， or possibly erase， the effect of painful memories.

In November， experts tested a drug on people in the US and France. The drug stops the body releasing chemicals that fix memories in the brain. So far the research has suggested that only the emotional effects of memories may be reduced， not that the memories are erased.

The research has caused a great deal of argument. Some think it is a bad idea， while others support it.

Supporters say it could lead to pills that prevent or treat soldiers post-war troubling memories. They say that there are many people who suffer from terrible memories.

“Some memories can ruin peoples lives. They come back to you when you dont want to have them in a daydream or nightmare. They usually come with very painful emotions，” said Roger Pitman， a professor of psychiatry （精神病學(xué)） at Harvard Medical School. “This could relieve a lot of that suffering.”

But those who are against the research say that changing memories is very dangerous because memories give us our identity. They also help us all avoid the mistakes of the past.

“All of us can think of bad events in our lives that were horrible at the time but make us who we are. Im not sure we want to wipe those memories out，” said Rebecca Dresser， a medical ethicist （倫理學(xué)家）.

12. The drug tested on people can ______ .

A. help the brain fix memories

B. stop them remembering bad experiences

C. wipe out the emotional effects of memories

D. prevent the body producing certain chemicals

13. What can we infer from the text about the pill？

A. People doubt the effects of it.

B. It does harm to peoples health.

C. It has probably been produced in America.

D. People believe it will stop their bad experiences.

14. Which of the following does Rebecca Dresser probably agree with？

A. Some memories can ruin peoples lives.

B. Most people want to get rid of bad memories.

C. Experiencing bad events makes us different from others.

D. The pill will reduce peoples suffering from bad memories.

15. What does this text mainly talk about？

A. A new medical discovery.

B. A way of erasing painful memories.

C. A pill fixing memories in the brain.

D. An argument about the research on a pill.

（三）

A

Bicycle Safety

Operation： Always ride your bike in a safe， controlled manner on campus. Obey rules and regulations. Watch out for walkers and other bicyclists， and always use your lights in dark conditions.

Theft Prevention： Always securely lock your bicycle to a bicycle rack—even if you are only away for a minute. Register your bike with the University Department of Public Safety. Its fast， easy， and free. Registration permanently records your serial number （編號(hào)）， which is useful in the possible recovery of the bike stolen.

Equipment

Brakes： Make sure that they are in good working order and adjusted properly.

Helmet： Make sure your helmet meets current safety standards and fits properly.

Lights： Always have a front headlight—visible at least 500 feet in front of the bike. A taillight is a good idea as well.

Rules of the Road

Riding on Campus： As a bicycle rider， you have a responsibility to ride only on streets and posted bicycle paths. Riding on sidewalks or other walkways can lead to a fine. The speed limit for bicycles on campus is 15 mph， unless otherwise posted. Always give the right of way to walkers. If you are involved in an accident， you are required to offer appropriate aid， call the Department of Public Safety and remain at the scene until the officer lets you go.

Bicycle Parking： Only park in areas reserved for bikes. Trees， handrails， hallways， and sign posts are not for bicycle parking， and parking in such spots can result in a fine.

If Things Go Wrong

If you break the rules， you will be fined. Besides， violating rules while riding bicycles on campus， you could be fined for：

No bicycle registration... $25

Bicycle parking banned... $30

Blocking the path with the bicycle... $40

Violation of bicycle equipment requirement... $35

1. Registration of your bicycle may help you ___ .

A. find it when its stolen B. get your serial number

C. receive free repair services D. settle conflicts with walkers

2. What bike equipment is a free choice for riders？

A. Brakes. B. A helmet. C. A headlight. D. A taillight.

3. What should you do when you ride a bicycle on campus？

A. Give the way on the right to walkers. B. Cycle always at a speed of 15 mph.

C. Ride on posted bicycle paths and sidewalks. D. Call the police before leaving in case of an accident.

B

Two summers ago I was about to turn fifty and wanted to do something Id never done before. My daughter Bailey thought skydiving （跳傘） would be perfect for me. I can promise you that of all the things I was thinking of doing， jumping out of an airplane never came close to making the list. As I age， I seem to have developed a growing fear of heights.

After several requests from my daughter， I finally said yes and she looked almost shocked. I told a friend what we were doing； then we set off. We had a 3-hour drive to the jump site. We drove through some beautiful countryside， but then we passed a small cemetery （墓地）. Then we passed another cemetery and another one. I asked if so many people died jumping out of airplanes in this area that they needed to keep building more cemeteries to bury all the bodies！

As we squeezed into the little plane， I tightly held the right hand of my partner Ronnie. The short ride to altitude was cruel for me. As Bailey stepped to the door， she looked back at me and said， “Dad， Im sure you can do it！” I said yes as she rolled out. I immediately looked behind me and said， “RONNIE I AM NOT FEELING GOOD！” He said， “Its going to be great. Besides， its too late now anyway.” And we jumped out.

The next five minutes were some of the most amazing of my life. It was so beautiful and peaceful—except for the parts where I was screaming. I prayed to God for the parachute （降落傘） to open， but mostly I told him how thankful I was for my life and being with me through good and bad.

4. What can we know about the author from Paragraph 1？

A. He skydived for the first time at the age of 48.

B. He wanted to do skydiving for his 50th birthday.

C. The older he gets， the less fearful of heights he is.

D. Never had he considered attempting to do skydiving.

5. Whats the main purpose of mentioning cemeteries in Paragraph 2？

A. To tell how determined he was.

B. To show how rough the trip was.

C. To express how scared he was then.

D. To prove how lonely the jump site was.

6. What did Bailey do for her father before she skydived？

A. She played a joke with him.

B. She gave him encouragement.

C. She comforted him constantly.

D. She offered him useful guidance.

7. How did the author behave after jumping out of the airplane？

A. He enjoyed himself.

B. He stayed quite calm.

C. He breathed out in relief.

D. He kept fearing for safety.

C

A new keyboard can tell whether you are its owner. The keyboard records information about the typing pattern and sends it to a computer program. The program then checks to see if the pattern matches the right user. If not， an alarm sounds， and the computer locks the typist out. It locks out anyone else， even if the person knows the password. Whats more， this device needs no batteries. It harvests all the energy it needs from the action of your typing. Besides， the keyboard is also self-cleaning and the keys are free of damage from water， oil and dirt.

The keys of the new keyboard are made of the same inexpensive plastic that might be found on any other standard keyboard. But instead of being smooth， the keys have millions of tiny plastic nanowires （納米線） on their surface area to every key， increasing the effective contact area between the plastics and fingers. This ensures that theres enough power to run the keyboard as someone types.

Liming Dai， a scientist， did not work on the new keyboard， but he thinks the design could be important in getting better performance from a variety of devices. “It could also be applied to a touch screen， for instance，” Dai says. “Then smartphones and notepads could harvest energy from the action of someone typing or drawing.”

“Future work might make the keyboard even more useful，” Dai adds. “A later design might build tiny capacitors onto the nanowires，” he suggests. Capacitors are little devices that temporarily store electric charges. Those might then be LEDs to light a keyboard in the dark.

Zhonglin Wang is a co-designer of the new keyboard. His team has built a working model of the keyboard. “If a company decides to fund its production， this keyboard could be in stores in as little as two years，” says Wang.

8. How does the new keyboard tell whether you are its owner？

A. By checking the users passwords.

B. By sending alarms to a computer program.

C. By matching the typing pattern to the user.

D. By recording information about the typing pattern.

9. Why are there many nanowires on the surface of the keys？

A. To make the keys beautiful. B. To help produce power.

C. To make the keys smooth. D. To improve the speed of typing.

10. Whats Dais attitude to the new keyboard？

A. Unconcerned. B. Positive. C. Doubtful. D. Critical.

11. What is the best title for the text？

A. A Keyboards Future

B. A Keyboard Made of Nanowires

C. A Keyboard Powered by Typing

D. A Keyboard Entirely Owned by You

D

The meteor （流星） shower left many people in the community dissatisfied and demanding answers. According to Gabe Rothschild， Emerald Valleys mayor， people gathered in the suburbs of the city， carrying heavy telescopes， expecting to watch the brightly burning meteors passing through the sky. What they found instead was a sky so brightened by the citys lights that it darkened the light of the meteors passing overhead.

“My family was so frustrated，” admitted town resident Duane Cosby. “We wanted to make this an unforgettable family outing， but it turned out to be a huge disappointment.”

Astronomers—scientists who study stars and planets—have been complaining about this problem for decades. They say that light pollution prevents them from seeing objects in the sky that they could see quite easily in the past. They call on people and the government to take measures to fight against it.

There is yet a population besides professional and amateur star observers that suffers even more from light pollution. This population consists of birds， bats， frogs， snakes， etc. For example， outdoor lighting severely affects migrating birds. According to the International Dark-Sky Association， “100 million birds a year throughout North America die in crashes with lighted buildings and towers.”

Countless animal casualties result from the use of artificial lighting. Clearly， people enjoy the benefits of lighting their evenings， but some scientists think it can be harmful for humans， too. They worry that exposure to light while sleeping can increase a persons chances of getting cancer.

Emerald Valley is the only one community that is becoming aware of the negative effects of light pollution. For years， Flagstaff， Arizona， has enforced lighting regulations in its city in order to assist astronomers at the Lowell Observatory. Similar efforts have been made worldwide， and a movement is under way to remind us to turn off lights when we are not using them， so that other creatures can share the night.

12. Why were the people unsatisfied with the meteor watching？

A. It ended up a social outing. B. The citys lights affected it.

C. The meteors flew past before being noticed. D. The city light show attracted many people.

13. What do the astronomers complain about？

A. Meteor showers occur less often than before. B. Their eyesight is failing due to artifical lighting.

C. Light pollution has remained unsolved for years. D. The government forbids their observation.

14. What is the author concerned about according to Paragraph 4？

A. Birds may take other migration paths. B. Animals living habits may change suddenly.

C. Varieties of animals will become sharply reduced. D. Animals lives are threatened by outdoor lighting.

15. What does the author mainly want to tell us？

A. Saving wildlife is saving ourselves. B. Great efforts should be made to save energy.

C. Human activities should be environmentally friendly. D. New equipment should be introduced for space study.

（四）

If watching kids isnt quite the part-time job youd want to keep yourself busy with during the summer holidays， then here are some of the coolest jobs for teens.

Camp Counselor （輔導(dǎo)員）

Though its kind of a babysitting job， its much more fun as it exposes you to many skills such as team working and many other activities. Another advantage of this kind of job is that you are more likely to make new friends as you will be working with a number of people.

Life Guard

This will not be a job for anyone as it is quite demanding when youre really needed. Under calm conditions， the job involves sitting by the poolside as you watch over swimmers and helping them in case of emergencies. For life guard tasks， special training and certifications are required.

Dog Walker

For animal lovers， you have not been left out. This job involves taking care of dogs and walking them. Fun as it is， dog walking can be a boring exercise especially if you have more than one dog to walk. As for this job， you need to advertise yourself in your neighborhood by using flyers or approaching dog owners to ask if they need your services.

Retail & Food Service

If you are 14 and above then you may consider getting a “real” job as a store or restaurant attendant this summer. Creating a resume （簡(jiǎn)歷） for yourself with all the required information such as contact information and any skill or working experience that youd like your employer to know about is important.

1. According to the text， a camp counselor can ___ .

A. have chances to make more new friends

B. learn to stay calm in case of emergencies

C. earn much more money than other jobs

D. get a real job in a store or restaurant

2. Which job requires you to make yourself known to neighbors？

A. Camp Counselor. B. Life Guard.

C. Dog Walker. D. Retail & Food Service.

3. Whats the purpose of the text？

A. To encourage teens to take summer jobs.

B. To recommend cool summer jobs to teens.

C. To warn teens of the risks in summer jobs.

D. To introduce summer jobs for teens to parents.

B

My grandma whom we all called Nanny was a solid， first-generation Italian immigrant. She came to this country with her family on a tiny ship during World War I when she was only 8 years old. During the trip she survived stormy seas， little food， and an attack by a German Uboat. After getting here， her large family worked hard to build a new life in America. They never had much money but were rich in love.

One day， when I was about 5 or 6 years old， my parents and brothers went on a trip. It was just me and Nanny in the house for the weekend. Nanny seemed so happy to be taking care of me all by herself. She made me a special breakfast that first morning. However， all I could do was to complain about how the food was not how Mom always made it. Nanny quietly put down the plate and went into the living room. I followed a minute later and saw that she had tears in her eyes. It was the first time I had ever seen my strong and proud grandmother cry and I was the one who had caused it.

I walked over to Nanny， climbed on her lap， and for the first time in my short life I did something else too. I apologized without being told to and asked Nanny to forgive me. She smiled， rubbed my head， and told me I was a good boy even though I didnt feel like one then.

That memory just like my Nannys love will stay in my heart forever. It is a sign of both strength and wisdom. Asking for forgiveness helps us to learn， to grow， and to love.

4. Why did Nannys family immigrate to America？

A. They suffered starvation in their homeland.

B. They wanted to start a rich life in the new land.

C. They tried to get away from the terrible climate.

D. They needed peace and their country was in war.

5. How did the author feel when seeing Nanny crying in the living room？

A. Surprised. B. Ashamed.

C. Shocked. D. Annoyed.

6. What kind of person is Nanny in the authors eyes？

A. Hardworking and careful.

B. Strong-willed and wise.

C. Kind and sensitive.

D. Joyous and jealous.

7. What does the author mainly want to tell us？

A. Grandparents are more tolerant than their grandchildren.

B. Forgiveness can be beneficial to people asking for it.

C. Hardships can make children more indifferent.

D. Family ties can sometimes be misused.

C

There are a growing number of pet owners who feed their pets on raw， which means “uncooked” meat and bones. William Burk， a pet food specialist from the Food and Drug Administration （FDA）， believes that feeding raw meat to pets is against its goal of protecting the public from health dangers， and that raw meat and bones do not have all the required nutrition that a pet needs every day.

Recognizing how popular these foods are， the FDA has provided guidelines for producers of pet foods which contain uncooked meat for dogs， cats and other pets. The guidelines give rules to protect pet owners and pets from dangers about food and lack of nutrition.

Pet owners who feed raw meat and bones to their pets should deal with products very carefully to protect themselves against possible dangers， says Burk. Just as when you are preparing foods for human beings， use hot water and soap to wash your hands， containers， and surfaces that come into contact with the food. Dont put your hands near your mouth until you have washed them， and dont allow your pet to touch your face right after it has eaten raw meat.

“If pet owners choose to feed bones to their pets， they should watch their pets carefully when they are eating bones，” Burk says. “If a pet eats a big piece of bone that wont pass through its digestive system， it is likely to kill the pet.”

8. What does William Burk think of feeding pets on raw meat？

A. Itll make the pet owners sick.

B. Its against the policy of the FDA.

C. Its dangerous and lack of nutrition.

D. Itll help keep the pets wild nature.

9. Why has the FDA provided guidelines for producers of pet foods with raw meat？

A. Such foods may be dangerous and lack of nutrition.

B. The quality of pet foods is dropping.

C. Pet safety is a serious problem.

D. Most pets are lack of nutrition.

10. What should you do when preparing raw meat for pets according to the passage？

A. Add some salt to the meat.

B. Do some necessary cleaning.

C. Select various kinds of meat.

D. Keep the meat away from other foods.

11. The last paragraph suggests that pets should be ___ .

A. forbidden to eat raw bones

B. kept away from frozen raw meat

C. checked on their digestive system

D. watched carefully while eating bones

D

Before I studied psychology， I used to think that people would laugh when funny things occurred. While I was right about that， I discovered there are lots of other psychological factors that make people laugh other than the funny part of a joke. When someone laughs at a joke， there will usually be more than one reason that makes him laugh—and the more reasons there are， the more powerful the joke will be.

I was attending a stand-up comedy show in Egypt， and when the man started to make fun of pedestrians （行人） crossing streets， everyone laughed their hearts out. The main reason those people strongly laughed was that almost all of them felt angry towards pedestrians who crossed streets carelessly. The joke wasnt only funny， it also made the audience feel that they were right about being angry at those pedestrians. That is， people were laughing both because of the funny joke and because of the happiness experienced as a result of the psychological support they got.

The better a joke makes a person feel， and the more it includes other psychological factors， the more the person will like it. For example， if you envy one of your friends， and someone tells a joke that is funny and， at the same time， makes your friend seem stupid， then you will probably laugh at it louder than if you werent jealous of him.

In short， we dont laugh only when we hear something funny； we also laugh when we experience some kind of happiness that results from the other psychological factors involved in the joke. I strongly discourage making fun of anyone or belittling someone to make someone else laugh. All I want to explain is that if your joke supports a persons emotions， he will certainly like it a lot.

12. What did the author find out after studying psychology？

A. Jokes make people laugh. B. Many factors make people laugh.

C. Funny things make people laugh. D. Psychological factors make people laugh.

13. Why did the audience laugh loudly at the pedestrians？

A. They played a trick on the pedestrians.

B. The pedestrians behaved in a funny way.

C. They could feel the pedestrians happiness.

D. Their emotion was approved of by the show.

14. What does the underlined word “belittling” in the last paragraph probably mean？

A. Annoy. B. Blame. C. Look down on. D. Make up to.

15. Which of the following best shows the structure of the passage？