In ancient Egypt, the pharaoh（法老） treated the poor message runner like a prince when he arrived at the palace, if he brought good news. However, if the exhausted runner had the misfortune to bring the pharaoh unhappy news, his head was cut off.
Shades of that spirit spread over today’s conversations. Once a friend and I packed up some peanut butter and sandwiches for an outing. As we walked light-heartedly out the door, picnic basket in hand, a smiling neighbor looked up at the sky and said, “Oh boy, bad day for a picnic. The weatherman says it’s going to rain.” I wanted to strike him on the race with the peanut butter and sandwiches. Not for his stupid weather report, for his smile.
Several months ago I was racing to catch a bus. As I breathlessly put my handful of cash across the Greyhound counter, the sales agent said with a broad smile, “Oh that bus left rive minutes ago.” Dreams of head-cutting!
It’s not the news that makes someone angry. It’s the unsympathetic attitude with which it’s delivered. Everyone must give bad mews from time to time, and winning professionals do it with the proper attitude. A. doctor advising a patient that she needs an operation dose it in a caring way A. boss informing an employee he didn’t get the job takes on a sympathetic tone. Big winners know, when delivering any bad news, they should share the feeling of the receiver.
Unfortunately, many people are not aware of this. When you’re tired from a long flight, has a hotel clerk cheerfully said that your room isn’t ready ye? When you had your heart set on the toast beef, has your waiter merrily told you that he just served the last piece? It makes you as traveler or diner want to land your fist right on their unsympathetic faces.
Had my neighbor told me of the upcoming rainstorm with sympathy, I would have appreciated his warning. Had the Greyhound salesclerk sympathetically informed me that my bus had already left, I probably would have said, “Oh, that’s all right. I’ll catch the next one.” Big winners, when they bear bad news, deliver bombs with the emotion the bombarded （被轰炸的） person is sure to have .
1.In Paragraph 1, the writer tells the story of the pharaoh to .
A. make a comparison B. introduce a topic C. describe a scene D. offer an argument
2.In the writer’s opinion, his neighbor was _____________.
A. friendly B. warm-hearted C. not considerate D. not helpful
3.From “Dreams of head-cutting!”（Paragraph 3）, we learn that the writer .
A. was mad at the sales agent.
B. was reminded of the cruel pharaoh
C. wished that the sales agent would have had dreams.
D. dreamed of cutting the sales agent’s head that night.
4.What is the main idea of the text?
A. Delivering bad news properly is important in communication.
B. Helping others sincerely is the key to business success.
C. Receiving bad news requires great courage.
D. Learning ancient traditions can be useful.
Plants can’t communicate by moving or making sounds, as most animals do. Instead, plants produce volatile compounds, chemicals that easily change from a liquid to a gas .A. flower’s sweet smell, for example, comes from volatile compounds that the plant produces to attract insects such as bugs and bees.
Plants can also detect volatile compounds produced by other plants. A. tree under attack by hungry insects, for instance, may give off volatile compounds that let other trees know about the attack, In response, the other trees may send off chemicals to keep the bugs away- or even chemicals that attract the bugs’ natural enemies.
Now scientists have created a quick way to understand what plants are saying: a chemical sensor（传感器） called an electronic nose. The “e-nose” can tell compounds that crop plants make when they’re attacked. Scientists say the e-nose could help quickly detest whether plants are being eaten by insects, But today the only way to detect such insects is to visually inspect individual plants. This is a challenging task for managers of greenhouses, enclosed gardens that can house thousands of plants.
The research team worked with an e-nose that recognizes volatile compounds. Inside the device, 13 sensors chemically react with volatile compounds. Based on these interactions, the e-nose gives off electronic signals that the scientists analyze using computer software.
To test the nose, the team presented it with healthy leaves from cucumber, pepper and tomato plants, all common greenhouse crops. Then the scientists collected samples of air around damaged leaves from each type of crop. These plants had been damaged by insects, or by scientists who made holes in the leaves with a hole punch （打孔器）.
The e-nose, it turns out, could identify healthy cucumber, pepper and tomato plants based on the volatile compounds they produce. It could also identify tomato leaves that had been damaged. But even more impressive, the device could tell which type of damage – by insects or with a hole punch – had been done to the tomato leaves.
With some fine tuning, a device like the e-nose could one day be used in greenhouses to quickly spot harmful bugs, the researchers say. A. device like this could also be used to identify fruits that are perfectly ripe and ready to pick and eat, says Natalia Dudareve, a biochemist at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. who studies smells of flowers and plants. Hopefully, scientists believe, the device could bring large benefits to greenhouse managers in the near future.
1.We learn from the text that plants communicate with each other by______.
A. making some sounds B. waving their leaves
C. producing some chemicals D. sending out electronic signals
2.What did the scientists do to find out if the e-nose worked?
A. They presented it with all common crops..
B. They fixed 13 sensors inside the device.
C. They collected different damaged leaves.
D. They made tests on damaged and healthy leaves.
3.According to the writer, the most amazing thing about the e –nose is that it can ______.
A. pick out ripe fruits
B. spot the insects quickly
C. distinguish different damages to the leaves
D. recognize unhealthy tomato leaves
4.We can infer from the last paragraph that the e-nose_____.
A. is unable to tell the smell of flowers
B. is not yet used in greenhouses
C. is designed by scientists at Purdue
D. is helpful in killing harmful insects
Below are some classified ads from an English newspaper.
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Classified ads FOR DIRECT CLASSIFIED. SERVICE CALL 800—0557 10A.M.-4P.M. MONDAY-FRIDAY |
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FOR SALE COME to moving sale----Plants, pottery, books, clothes, etc, Sat, Dec. 14#----9a.m.-5p.m.1612 Femdale, Apt. I.800-4696.
USED. FUT COATS and JACKETS. GOOD. condition. $30-$50. Call 800-0436 after 12 noon. MOVING: Must sell. TV21”, $50; AM/FM radio A/C. or battery, $15; cassette tape recorder, $10. Call Jon or Pat, 800-0739 after 5 p.m. or weekends.
SHEEPSKIN COAT: man’s, size 42, I year old. $85. After 6 p.m.,. 800-5224. LOST AND. FOUND FOUND: Cat, 6 months old, black and white markings. Found near Linden and South U. Steve. 800-4661.
LOST: Gold wire rim glasses in brown case. Campus area. Reward, Call Gregg 800-2896.
FOUND: Set of keys on Tappan near Hill intersection. Identify key chain. Call 800-9662.
FOUND: Nov.&----A. black and white puppy in Packard-Jewett area. 800-5770. |
PERSONAL OVERSEAS JOBS---Australia, Europe, S.Ameriea, Africa. Students all professions and occupations, $700 to $3000 monthly. Expenses paid, overtime. Sightseeing, Free information at STUDENTS’UNION.
THE INTERNATIONAL CEMTER plans to publish a booklet of student travel adventures. If you like to write about your foreign experiences, unusual or just plain interesting. Call us （800-9310） and ask for Mike or Janet.
UNSURE WHAT TO DO? Life-Planning Workshop, Dec. 13th -15th, Bob and Margaret Atwood, 800-0046. ROOMMATES FEMALE ROOMMATE WAMTED: Own room near campus. Available December 1st . Rent $300 per month until March 1st . $450 thereafter. Call Jill for details, 800-7839.
MEED. PERSON to assume lease for own bedroom in apt. near campus, ＄’380/mo. starting Jan. 1st. Call 800-6157 after 5p.m.. |
DOMESTIC. SERVICE EARLY HOUR WAKE-UP SERVICE: For prompt, courteous wake-up service, call 800-0760.
HELP WANTED BABYSLTTER—MY HOME If you are available a few hours during the day, and some evenings to care for 2 school-age children, please call Gayle Moore, days 800-1111, evenings and weekends 800-4964.
PERSONS WANTED. for delivery work, Own transportation. Good pay. Apply 2311 E. Stadium. Office 101, after 9 a.m.
TELEPHONE RECEPTIONIST WAMTED. NO experience necessary. Good pay. Apply 2311 E. Stadium. Office 101, after 9 a.m.
WAITRESS WANTED: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. or 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Apply in person. 207 S. Main, Curtis Restaurant.
HELP WANTED. for house
cleaning |
1.Where will you post a notice if you need someone to look after your children?
A. PERSONAL B. HELP WANTED. C.DOMESTIC. SERVICE D.ROOMMATES
2.A. second-hand jacket will probably cost you .
A. $60 B.$40 C.$20 D.10
3.To have your travel notes published, you may contact .
A. Students’ Union B. Gayle Mcore
C. The International Center D. Life Planning Workshop
4.If you want to have someone wake you up in the morning, you may call .
A.800-5224 B.800-5770 C.800-7839 D.800-0760
I was in a rush as always, but this time it was for an important date I just couldn’t be late for! I found myself at a checkout counter behind an elderly woman seemingly in no hurry as she paid for her groceries. A. PhD. student with not a lot of money, I had hurried into the store to pick up some flowers. I was in a huge rush, thinking of my upcoming evening. I did not want to be late for this date.
We were in Boston, a place not always known for small conversation between strangers. The woman stopped unloading her basket and looked up at me. She smiled. It was a nice smile-warm and reassuring—and I retuned her gift by smiling back.
“Must be a special lady,” whoever it is that will be getting those beautiful flowers,” she said.
“Yes, she’s special,” I said, and then to my embarrassment, the words kept coming out. “It’s only our second date, but somehow I am just having the feeling she’s ‘the one，’”jokingly, I added, “The only problem is that I can’t figure out why she’d want to date a guy like me.”
“Well, I think she’s very lucky to have a boyfriend who brings her such lovely flowers and who is obviously in love with her,” the woman said. “My husband used to bring me flowers every week-even when tines were tough and we didn’t have much money. Those were incredible days; be was very romantic and-of course- I miss him since he’s passed away.”
I paid for my flowers as she was gathering up her groceries. There was no doubt in my mind as I walked up to her. I touched her on the shoulder and said “You were right, you know. These flowers are indeed for a very special lady.” I handed the flowers and thanked her for such a nice conversation.
It took her a moment to realize that I was giving her the flowers I had just purchased. “You have a wonderful evening,” I said. I left with a big smile and my heart warmed as I saw her smelling the beautiful flowers.
I remember being slightly late for my date that night and telling my girlfriend the above story. A. couple of years later, when I finally worked up the courage to ask her to marry me, she told me that this story had helped to seal it for her-that was the night than I won her heart .
1.Why was the writer in a hurry that day?
A. He was to meet his girlfriend. B. He had to go back to school soon.
C. He was delayed by an elderly lady. D. He had to pick up some groceries.
2.What does the underlined phrase “her gift” （Paragraph 2 ） refer to?
A. Her words. B. Her smile. C. Her flowers. D. Her politeness.
3.Why did the writer give his flowers to the elderly lady?
A. She told him a nice story. B. She allowed him to pay first.
C. She gave him encouragement. D. She liked flowers very much.
4.What is the message conveyed in the story?
A. Flowers are important for a date. B. Small talk is helpful.
C. Love and kindness are rewarding. D. Elderly people deserve respecting.
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的四个选项（A.B.C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题纸上将该选项标号涂黑。
The trip to that city was eye-opening for everyone, and near its end, all the young people in our group began to reflect on what it had meant. We __1___the first night we had arrived. We had all gone into the markets of the city ___2__the young people could experience its energy. But what we actually saw simply __3__ us all ---- the rundown houses, the children in rags, the people begging for money … Walking home, ___4____ under a low bridge, we came across ___5___ families of homeless people seeking a bit of dry ground to sleep on __6__ the night. We had to step over bodies as we found our way through the darkness.
The poverty（贫困） was __7__ than anything my young companions had ever imagined. Back in the hotel, an air of sadness settled over the group. Many __8__ and cried. Spending time in this ___9__ moves a person to care about humanity.
That evening, our group spent hours talking about what we had ___10___. Gently, I encouraged everyone to talk about the difficult ___11__ that day’s discoveries had inspired. Sitting together ___12__ a circle as everyone had a chance to speak, we all began to realize that __13___ of us was alone in our struggle to cope with our reactions.
Based on my _14_ in poverty-stricken areas, I suggested that __15___ the emotions we had were painful, they could also be important in helping us to move forward. We all__16__ that we had seen things that should never be allowed to happen. ___17___, what could we do about it? Together, we began to brainstorm ways we could help to case the __18__ we had seen. As I encouraged group members to focus on __19__ they could do, a sense of determination __20___ the previous sadness, Instead of despair, these young people began to feel a call to action.
1.A. put up with B. got back to C. looked back on D. made up for
2.A. now that B. so that C. as if D. even if
3.A. puzzled B. annoyed C. embarrassed D. shocked
4.A. marching B. running C. passing D. moving
5.A. entire B. normal C. average D. general
6.A. beyond B. with C. till D. for
7.A. stronger B. deeper C. worse D. less
8.A. gave up B. broke down C. set off D. held on
9.A. environment B. hotel C. house D. background
10.A. inspected B. attempted C. witnssed D. challenged
11.A. feelings B. decisions C. thoughts D. impressions
12.A. along B. around C. by D. in
13.A. neither B. either C. none D. each
14.A. experiences B. schedules C. data D. position
15.A. once B. while C. since D. unless
16.A. supposed B. advised C. confirmed D. agreed
17.A. Surely B. Rather C. Now D. Indeed
18.A. burden B. suffering C. anxiety D. difficulty
19.A. how B. where C. what D. when
20.A. replaced B. changed C. covered D. improved
—What do you think of the movie?
—It’s fantastic. The only pity is that I the beginning of it.
A. missed B. had missed C. miss D. would miss
1／2 day
on weekends. When----to be discussed for mutual convenience. Good wages.
Sylvan Street. Call 800-2817.