There is a famous story about British poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. He was writing a poem when he was interrupted by a knock at the door.
This was an age before telephones. Someone was delivering a message. When Coleridge got back to his poem, he had lost his inspiration. His poetic mood had been broken by the knock on his door. His unfinished poem, which could otherwise have been a masterpiece, would now never be more than a fragment (片段).
This story tells how unexpected communication can destroy an important thought，which brings us to the cellphone.
The most common complaint about cellphones is that people talk on them to the annoyance of people around them. But more damaging may be the cellphone’s disruption (中断) of our thoughts.
We have already entered a golden age of little white lies about our cellphones, and this is by and large a healthy, protective development. “I didn’t hear it ring” or “I didn’t realize my phone had shut off” are among the lies we tell to give ourselves space where we’re beyond reach.
The notion of being unreachable is not a new concept – we have “Do Not Disturb” signs on the doors of hotel rooms. So why must we feel guilty when it comes to cellphones? Why must we apologize if we decide to shut off the phone for a while?
The problem is that we come from a long-established tradition of difficulty with distance communication. Until the recent mass deployment (使用) of cellphones, it was easy to communicate with someone next to us or a few feet away, but difficult with someone across town, the country or the globe. We came to take it for granted.
But cellphones make long-distance communication common, and endanger our time by ourselves. Now time alone, or a conversation with someone next to us which cannot be interrupted by a phone, is something to be cherished. Even cellphone devotees, myself usually included, can’t help at times wanting to throw their phone away, or curse the day they were invented.
But we don’t and won’t, and there really is no need. All that’s required to take back our private time is a general social recognition that we have the right to it. In other words, we have to develop a healthy contempt (轻视) for the rings of our own phones. Given the ease of making and receiving cellphone calls, if we don’t talk to the caller right now, we surely will shortly later.
A cellphone call deserves no greater priority (优先考虑的事) than a random (随机的) word from the person next to us. Though the call on my cellphone may be the one–in–a–million from Steven Spielberg–who has finally read my novel and wants to make it his next movie. But most likely it is not, and I’m better off thinking about the idea I just had for a new story, or the slice of pizza I’ll eat for lunch.
1.What is the point of the anecdote（轶事，趣闻） about the poet Coleridge in the first three paragraphs?
A. To direct readers’ attention to the main topic.
B. To show how important inspiration is to a poet.
C. To emphasize the disadvantage of not having a cellphone.
D. To encourage readers to read the works of this poet.
2.What does the writer think about people telling “white lies” about their cellphones?
A. It is a way of signaling that you don’t like the caller.
B. It is natural to tell lies about small things.
C. It is basically a good way to protect one’s privacy.
D. We should feel guilty when we can’t tell the truth.
3.According to the author, what is the most annoying problem caused by cellphones?
A. People get annoyed by the cellphone rings that they fail to notice anything else.
B. People feel guilty when they are not able to answer their cellphones.
C. Cellphones interrupt people’s private time.
D. With cellphones it is no longer possible to be unreachable.
4.What does the last paragraph suggest?
A. A person who calls us from afar deserves more of our attention.
B.Steven Spielberg once called the author to talk about the author’s novel.
C. You should always finish your lunch before you answer a call on the cellphone.
D. Never let cellphones interfere too much with your life.
I moved into a new house in July. Since then I have met a few of my neighbors who are very nice people. For Christmas, I thought I would do something nice for each of the neighbors I know. There were nine neighbors whom I knew by name or spoke with often when I was out in my yard. I knew which houses they lived in.
I decided to add one more to my list. This lady I decided to add lives down the street from me. I meet her every morning walking to work as I drive down the street. She always smiles to me. But I had no idea who she was and which house she lived in.
I planned to make small fruit baskets and leave them on my neighbor's front porches(门廊) on Christmas Eve. I signed the cards: "Happy Holidays from 5104 Northumberland Road."
I saved the last for the friendly lady. I finally decided on a house where I met her each morning and guessed that it was hers.
My neighbors really appreciated the baskets and would tell me as they saw me in the yard or they would call, and a couple even came by to thank me.
This morning I found a small note in the mailbox. It was addressed simply: Resident, 5104 Northumberland Road.
The Thank You card really caught me by surprise. I opened it and read the message, "Thank you for the lovely fruit basket you left on our porch. It was very thoughtful. Richard Kelly passed away last week. He talked a lot about how nice it was that someone remembered him in his time of illness. He really appreciated it."
I had no idea who Richard Kelly was and that he had been seriously ill. I had left that nice lady's basket on his porch by mistake. I wanted to say sorry, but that would be wrong. I believe that Mr. Kelly was meant to have that basket because he was dying. I hate that the nice lady did not get to receive a fruit basket on Christmas, but I believe if she knew what had happened, she would be happy. I feel pleased to have helped Richard Kelly's last days be more cheerful.
1.How many Christmas gifts did the author intend to send?
A. Nine. B. Eight. C. Ten. D. Eleven.
2.Where did the friendly lady live?
A. She lived at the end of Northumberland Road.
B. Her address was 5104 Northumberland Road.
C. She was thought to share a house with Mr. Kelly.
D. The author was not sure about her address at all.
3.How did the author’s neighbors respond to his gifts?
A. They liked the gifts very much and were thankful.
B. They were thankful that they wanted to be friends.
C. They all made phone calls to say “Thank You”.
D. They all visited him by person to show gratitude.
4.What does the author mean in the last paragraph?
A. He was regretful that the nice lady didn’t receive his gift.
B. He was glad to have made Mr. Kelly's life more pleasant.
C. He thought Richard Kelly deserved to receive that basket.
D. The old lady was happy to sacrifice to make Kelly happy.
Two years ago, the Funk family of suburban Chicago adopted a Chinese baby girl who had been abandoned on a sidewalk near a Yangzhou textile factory.
Last year and halfway across the United States, the Ramirez family of suburban Miami adopted a girl who had been abandoned a week later on the same spot.
Both families named their daughters Mia. It turns out, a first name and Chinese heritage aren’t the only things the three-year-olds have in common. The girls’ mothers—Holly Funk and Diana Ramirez—met on a website for parents who had gone through international adoptions. After a flurry of e-mails comparing photographs and biographical details, DNA testing proved the families’ suspicions: The girls are probably fraternal (手足般的) twins.
“I was in shock,” said Ramirez, who lives with her husband Carlos in Pembroke Pines, Florida. “Well, now this is for real.”
The Internet and Web groups revolving around international orphanages are increasingly being used to link adopted children with biological kin(亲属). The site that the Funks and Ramirezes used has a membership of 137 people, with 15 sets of twins and seven sets of siblings whose relationships have been confirmed.
At a reunion on Friday at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, Mia Diamond Funk Mia Hanying Ramirez shyly surveyed each other, then reached for each other’s hand.
DNA tests established an 85 percent probability that the girls are at least half sisters. Scientists did not have a biological parent to test and reach a greater certainty, but given their ages and physical similarities, experts say it is likely they are fraternal twins.
Douglas and Holly Funk hope to take Mia to Miami in October. Both sets of parents say they are committed to staying in touch and often let the twins talk to each other on the phone.
1.. Both the adopted girls shared a first name ________.
A. because they both came from China
B. because of their physical similarities
C. because their US parents suspected they were twins
D. for no good reason
2. Why did the girls’ mothers meet on the Internet?
A. To compare photographs of the two girls.
B. To communicate with other people who had adopted children abroad.
C. To test their suspicion.
D. To exchange experiences on adopting children.
3.Experts are still not 100 percent sure that the two girls are fraternal twins because ________.
A. DNA tests are still not accurate enough
B. the two girls were born by different parents
C. the DNA of a biological parent is still missing
D. one girl is born a week later than the other
4.What would be the best title for the passage?
A. Adopted Twins Reunited on Internet
B. Adopted Twins Live happily in the US.
C. Suspicion Turned into Reality
D. The Story of Adopted Twins and Their Parents
What do you want to be when you grow up? A teacher? A doctor? How about an ice-cream taster?
Yes, there really is a job where you can get paid to taste ice-cream. Just ask John Harrison, an “Official Taste Tester” for the past 21 years. Testing helps manufacturers to be sure of a product’s quality. During his career Harrison has been responsible for approving large quantities of the sweet ice cream — as well as for developing over 75 flavors (味道）.
Some people think that it would be easy to do this job: after all, you just have to like ice cream, right? No — there’s more to the job than that, says Harrison, who has a degree in chemistry. He points out that a dairy or food-science degree would be very useful to someone wanting a career in this “cool” field.
In a typical morning on the job, Harrison tastes and assesses 60 ice-cream samples. He lets the ice cream warm up to about 12℉. Harrison explains, “You get more flavor from warmer ice cream, which is why some kids like to stir it, creating ice-cream soup.”
While the ice cream warms up, Harrison looks over the samples and grades each one on its appearance. “Tasting begins with the eyes,” he explains. He checks to see if the ice cream is attractive and asks himself, “Does the product have the color expected from that flavor?” Next it’s time to taste!
Continuing to think up new ideas, try out new flavors, and test samples from so many kinds of ice cream each day keeps Harrison busy but happy — working at one cool job.
1.What is John Harrison’s job?
A. An official. B. An ice-cream taster.
C. A chemist. D. An ice-cream manufacturer.
2.According to John Harrison, to be qualified in the “cool field”, it is helpful to ______.
A. keep a diary of work B. have a degree in chemistry
C. have new ideas every day D. find out new flavors each day
3.What does Harrison do first when testing ice cream?
A. He stirs the ice cream.
B. He examines the color of the ice cream.
C. He tastes the flavor of the ice cream.
D. He lets the ice cream cool down.
My friend Michelle is blind, but you’d never know it. She makes such good use of her other 36 , including her "sixth sense", that she rarely gives the impression she's 37 anything.
Michelle looks after her children pretty much like the rest of us, 38 that she doesn’t push too hard on them, 39 really benefit a lot from her relaxed attitude. She knows when to clean the house, she moves around so fast that often 40 don't realize she's blind.
I 41 this the first time after my six-year-old daughter, Kayla, went to play there. When Kayla came home, she was very 42 about her day. She told me they had baked cookies, played games and done art projects. But she was 43 excited about her finger-painting project."Mom, guess what?" said Kayla, all smiles. "I learned how to 44 colors today! Blue and red make purple, and yellow and blue make green! And Michelle 45 with us.
To my great 46 , my child had learnt about color from a blind friend! Then Kayla continued, "Michelle told me my 47 showed joy, pride and a sense of accomplishment. She really 48 what I was doing!" Kayla said she had never felt how good finger paints felt 49 Michelle showed her how to paint without looking at her paper.
I realized Kayla didn't know that Michelle was blind. It had just never 50 in conversation. When I told her, she was 51 for a moment. At first, she didn't believe me. "But Mommy, Michelle knew exactly what was in my picture!" Kayla 52 . And I knew my child was 53 because Michelle had listened to Kayla describe her artwork. Michelle had also heard Kayla's 54 in her work.
We were silent for a minute. Then Kayla said slowly, "You know, Mommy, Michelle really did ‘see’ my picture. She just used my 55 ." Indeed, she uses a special type of “vision” that all mothers have.
1.A．ways B．means C．methods D．senses
2.A．enjoyed B．found C．missed D．lost
3.A．and B．except C．even D．but
4.A．who B．it C．she D．which
5.A．children B．family C．guests D．friends
6.A．realized B．heard C．recognized D．witnessed
7.A．sad B．satisfied C．excited D．enjoyed
8.A．especially B．not so C．a little D．not at all
9.A．paint B．draw C．create D．mix
10.A．stayed B．painted C．talked D．played
11.A．excitement B．encouragementC．delight D．surprise
12.A．attitude B．color C．picture D．paper
13.A．touched B．distinguishedC．saw D．understood
14.A．after B．before C．until D．when
15.A．come up B．turned out C．referred to D．talked about
16.A．curious B．quiet C．puzzled D．worried
17.A．cried B．insisted C．complained D．informed
18.A．right B．wrong C．worried D．uncertain
19.A．shortcomingsB．difficulties C．pride D．description
20.A．paper B．pens C．hands D．eyes
---I think Maths is playing a more important part in the new test system. What about you?
--- ______. We should be more devoted to it.
A. No pains, no gains.
B. Fact speaks louder than words.
C. Great minds think alike.
D. Don’t claim to know what you don’t know.
