I began working in journalism when I was eight. It was my mother’s idea. She wanted me to “make something” of myself, and decided I had better start young if I was to have any chance of keeping up with the competition.
With my load of magazines I headed toward Belleville Avenue. The crowds were there. There were two gas stations on the corner of Belleville and Union. For several hours I made myself highly visible, making sure everyone could see me and the heavy black letters on the bag that said THE SATURDAY EVENING POST. When it was supper time, I walked back home.
“How many did you sell, my boy?” my mother asked.
“None.”
“Where did you go?”
“The corner of Belleville and Union Avenues.”
“What did you do?”
“Stood on the corner waiting for somebody to buy a Saturday Evening Post.”
“You just stood there?”
“Didn’t sell a single one.”
“My God, Russell!”
Uncle Allen put in, “Well, I’ve decided to take the Post.” I handed him a copy and he paid me a nickle(五分镍币). It was the first nickle I earned.
Afterwards my mother taught me how to be a salesman. I would have to ring doorbells, address adults with self-confidence, and persuade them by saying that no one, no matter how poor, could afford to be without the Saturday Evening Post in the home.
One day, I told my mother I’d changed my mind. I didn’t want to make a success in the magazine business.
“If you think you can change your mind like this,” she replied, “you’ll become a good-for-nothing.” She insisted that, as soon as school was over, I should start ringing doorbells, selling magazines. Whenever I said no, she would scold me.
My mother and I had fought this battle almost as long as I could remember. My mother, dissatisfied with my father’s plain workman’s life, determined that I would not grow up like him and his people. But never did she expect that, forty years later, such a successful journalist as me would go back to her husband’s people for true life and love.
1.Why did the boy start his job young?
A.He wanted to be famous in the future B.The job was quite easy for him.
C.His mother had high hopes for him. D.The competition for the job was fierce.
2.From the dialogue between the boy and his mother, we learn that the mother was _______.
A.excited B.interested C.ashamed D.disappointed
3.What did the mother do when the boy wanted to give up?
A.She forced him to continue. B.She punished him.
C.She gave him some money. D.She changed her plan.
4.The phrase “this battle” in the last paragraph refers to .
A.the war between the boy’s parents
B.the arguing between the boy and his mother
C.the quarrel between the boy and his customers
D.the fight between the boy and his father
5.What is the text mainly about?
A.The early life of a journalist.
B.The early success of a journalist.
C.The happy childhood of the writer.
D.The important role of the writer in his family.
Climbers at the top of Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, will now be able to make video calls and surf the Internet on their mobile phones, a Nepalese (尼泊尔的) telecom group claims.
Ncell, a branch company of Swedish phone giant TeliaSonera, said on Thursday it had set up a high-speed third-generation (3G) phone base station at an altitude of 5,200 metres in the Everest region.
“Today we made the world’s highest video call from Mount Everest base camp successfully. The coverage (覆盖范围) of the network will reach up to the peak of Mount Everest,” Ncell Nepal chief Pasi Koistinen told reporters in Kathmandu.
The installation (安装) will also help tens of thousands of tourists and hikers who visit the world’s highest mountain every year.
Climbers who reached its 8,848-metre peak previously depended on expensive satellite phones and a voice-only network set up by China Mobile in 2007 on the Chinese side of the mountain.
“This is a great milestone for mobile communications as the 3G high speed Internet will bring faster, more affordable telecommunication services from the world’s tallest mountain,” said Lars Nyberg, chief executive of TeliaSonera, which owns 80 percent of Ncell.
The 3G services will be fast enough to make video calls and use the Internet, said the company, which also claimed the world’s lowest 3G base at 1,400 metres below sea level in a mine in Europe.
Despite the installation in Mount Everest, telecom services cover less than one-third of the 28 million people of Nepal, one of the poorest countries in the world.
TeliaSonera said it planned to invest $ 100 million in the next year to ensure that mobile coverage increases to more than 90 per cent of the Himalayan nation’s population.
The 3G network on Mount Everest puts TeliaSonera ahead of state-controlled Nepal Telecom, Indian-owned United Telecom and China Mobile.
Around 3,000 people have climbed to the Everest summit since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first people to conquer the peak in 1953.
1.Who are most likely to benefit from the 3G services at Mount Everest?
A. The telecom firm. B. The local residents.
C. Travelers to Nepal. D. Mount Everest explorers.
2.According to Lars Nyberg, the 3G services they provide __________.
A. are fast and convenient B. are a little expensive
C. can make voice-only calls D. offer free emailing
3.What do we know about TeliaSonera?
A. 80 percent of it is owned by Ncell
B. It belongs to Nepal Telecom.
C. It is in the charge of Pasi Koistinen
D. It provides services for Pasi Koistinen.
4.What is the best title of the text?
A. Telecommunication in Nepal
B. 3G services reach Mt. Everest summit
C. TeliaSonera takes lead in communication
D. Good news for hikers and climbers
To help make the most of your experience at Auckland Zoo we suggest:
Plan Your Day:
Plan your day to learn more about your favorite zoo animals.
Don’t forget your camera – the best way to capture your visit forever.
Keep Safe at the Zoo:
Children aged 12 years and under need to be accompanied (陪同) by a caregiver.
To keep the safety of our animals, any throwing games are not permitted in the zoo grounds.
The zoo animals are not trained. Do not enter any enclosure (围场), or put any part of your body into an enclosure.
There are a number of natural waterways at the zoo, so please take care of your children at all times.
General Information:
Check out the weather before you come. In winter we suggest you bring a jacket and an umbrella, and in summer, be sure to bring sunscreen and a hat.
Every zoo animal enjoys its own specific: well-balanced food. We hope that you enjoy some great food treats on your zoo visit, but please do not feed any of our animals. Our keepers work strictly on this.
Feel free to take personal photos and make videos. However, any commercial photography or filming needs written permissions from zoo management.
Not all animals are permitted in the zoo grounds. We welcome people with guide dogs, but they must contact us ahead of time about their visit. Please phone the Zoo Information Center on +64(0)9-360-3805.
Smoking is not permitted in covered areas.
Auckland Zoo does not allow entry to any unaccompanied children 12 years and under. If the children are found by themselves, the staff do have the right to call the police.
1.When visiting Auckland Zoo, parents should tell their children that _________.
A. they could play throwing games
B. they couldstay close to the animals
C. the zoo animals have been well-trained
D. it’s dangerous to play near the waterways
2.The underlined word “this” in the part of “General Information” refers to the fact that ____.
A. zoo animals enjoy their well-balanced food
B. visitors are not allowed to feed animals
C. visitors enjoy their own food treats
D. children offer food to the zoo animals
3.The main purpose of the passage is to _________.
A. give people some tips on visiting Auckland Zoo
B. introduce Auckland Zoo animals
C. ask people to stop polluting Auckland Zoo
D. attract people to the zoo
People always say that if God closed a door in front of you, there must be a window opened for you. Yes, people always say that, but 31 is the window for me?
I’m not disappointed, just a little worried 32 as my roommate said, “Why are you angry with yourself once you 33 to do anything?” I had no idea. I just can’t 34 myself if I can understand some easy things. Now, I just feel 35 with myself because I couldn’t finish the assignment(任务) on the lab, and what was 36 worse was that actually I didn’t understand what the 37 was! Fiona asked me why I didn’t 38 for help. The problem is that if I have to ask some silly questions, I will feel 39 .
Before I came here, I was confident. But I have totally 40 it. Sometimes I can’t even find the right words: sometimes I am too shy to 41 others. I have to admit that I am 42 .
The wisest people are always 43 who can take advantage of others’ wisdom. But I was so stupid as to close myself and 44 a lot of time soaking inside the workbook, 45 made me more confused. Why can’t I follow the sentence? I am 46 to get help the next time I have any questions. I can 47 I am not smart, But I shouldn’t hide it. I must 48 it as soon as possible. 49 I will have to waste much more time on it ---just like tonight.
Difficulties always go with me. Go 50 ! I can make it.
1.A. which B. what C. where D. why
2.A. or B. and C. but D. while
3.A. want B. decide C. fail D. like
4.A. believe B. like C. delight D. forgive
5.A. unsatisfied B. satisfied C. happy D. worry
6.A. very B. even C. quite D. fairly
7.A. lab B. assignment C. problem D. question
8.A. look B. thank C. search D. ask
9.A. shamed B. upset C. comfortable D. sorry
10.A. forgot B. made C. lost D. took
11.A. disturb B. help C. greet D. communicate
12.A. smart B. clever C. wrong D. stupid
13.A. these B. those C. ones D. the ones
14.A. spend B. cost C. kill D. waste
15.A. that B. what C. which D. as
16.A. determined B. willing C. content D. ready
17.A. say B. announce C. explain D. admit
18.A. answer B. solve C. work out D. finish
19.A. However B. Thus C. Otherwise D. Hopefully
20.A. ahead B. on C. down D. up
While giving the speech, Doc. Kim ____________ his notebook now and then.
A. referred to B. cut off C. starred in D. carried on
—It’s really a __________ story!
—Exactly. Almost everybody was __________.
A. touching; moved B. touching; moving
C. touched; moving D. touched; moved