The world is filled with smart, talented, educated and gifted people．We meet the

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The world is filled with smart, talented, educated and gifted people．We meet them every day A few days ago, my car was not running well．I pulled it in to a garage and the young mechanic had it fixed in just a few minutes．He knew what was wrong by simply listening to the engine．I was amazed．The sad truth is that great talent is not enough．
　I am constantly shocked at how little talented people earn. I heard the other day that less than 5 percent of Americans earn more than $100,000 a year. A business consultant who specializes in1 the medical trade was telling me how many doctors and dentists struggle financially. It was this business consultant who gave me the phrase, “They are one skill away from great wealth．”
There is an old saying that goes, "Job means "just over broke（***）’"．And unfortunately, I would say that the saying applies to millions of people．Because schools do not think financial intelligence is intelligence, most workers "live within their means"．They work and they pay the bills．Instead I recommend to young people to seek work for what they will learn, more than what they will earn．
When I ask the classes I teach, “How many of you can cook a better hamburger than McDonald"s?” almost all the students raise their hands. I then ask, “So if most of you can cook a better hamburger, how come McDonald"s makes more money than you?” The answer is obvious: McDonald"s is excellent at business systems. The world is filled with talented poor people. They focus on perfecting their skills at building a better hamburger rather than the skills of selling and delivering the hamburger.
小题1:The author mentions the mechanic in the first paragraph to show that ．

A．he is just one of the talented people

B．he is ready to help others

C．he has a sharp sense of hearing

D．he knows little about car repairing

小题2:The underlined part in the third paragraph can be best replaced by____ ．

A．spend more than they can afford

B．do in their own way

C．1ive in their own circle

D．1ive within what they earn

小题3:Why do talented people earn so little according to the author?

A．They don’t work hard enough

B．They lack financial intelligence．

C．They don"t make full use of their talents

D．They have no specialized skills．

小题4:The main purpose of the author is to tell us____ ．

A．how young people can find a satisfactory job

B．What schools should teach about finance

C．why so many talented people are poor

D．how McDonald"s makes much money

答案

小题1:A
小题2:D
小题3:B
小题4:C

解析

文章讲解的是作者通过一次修车的经历，联想到有天赋的人在实际生活中的经济收入其实是很低的，并分析了原因。
小题1:推理判断题。根据第一段可知，作者认为修车的人很厉害，就是一个天才，有天赋的人，选A。
小题2:猜测词义题。根据第三段Instead I recommend to young people to seek work for what they will learn, more than what they will earn可知很多工人是靠挣的钱生活的，选D。
小题3:推理判断题。根据第四段The reason so many talented people are poor is because they focus on bui1ding a better hamburger and know little or nothing about business systems.可知有才能的人缺乏商业头脑。选B。
小题4:主旨大意题。文章主要想告诉为什我们有天赋的人收入却很低。选C。

举一反三

Dr. Wiseman started the “laugh lab” project in September 2001. It is the largest study of humor. Participants are invited to log on the laugh lab website, give a few personal details, tell their favorite jokes and judge the jokes told by other people.
Their project will last for a year, and the organizers hope to finally discover the world’s funniest joke. But there is also a serious purpose. The researchers want to know what people from different nations and cultures find funny. And they want to find out the differences between male’s and female’s sense of humor. The idea is that if we want to understand each other, we have to find out what makes us laugh.
This is a subject that has long interested psychologists (心理学家) and philosophers (哲学家). Most of the time, people are not completely honest. We do things that society expects us to and say things that help us get what we want. But laughing cannot be controlled. When we laugh, we tell the truth about ourselves.
By December 2001 over 10,000 jokes had been submitted (公认的). This gave the scientists enough evidence to make early conclusions. It seems that men and women do have different senses of humor, for example.
“Our findings show the major differences in the ways in which males and females use humor,” said Dr Wiseman. “Males use humor to appear superior (高傲的，有优越感的) to others, while women are more skilled in languages and prefer word play.”
Researchers also found that there really is such a thing as a national sense of humor. The British enjoy what is usually called “toilet humor”. But the French like their jokes short and sharp, “You’re a high priced lawyer. Will you answer two questions for $ 500?” “Yes. What’s the second question?”
The Germans are famous for not having a sense of humor. But the survey found that German participants were more likely to find submitted jokes funny than any other nationality. Perhaps that proves the point. Is this joke funny? I don’t know, but let’s say yes, just to be safe.
Dr Wiseman and his workmates also submitted jokes created by computer. But none of those who took part in the survey found any of them amusing. Perhaps this is relief (安慰). Computers already seem like they can do everything. But at least they should leave the funny things to us.
小题1:The scientist started the “laugh lab” project ________.

A．to find the funniest joke in European countries

B．to know what funny people are from different nations and cultures

C．to find out the differences between the male’s and female’s sense of humor

D．to get more personal details about participants

小题2:The writer gave the examples of the British, the French and the Germans_____.

A．to show that the French people have a better sense of humor

B．to prove the British people have a sense of “toilet humor”

C．to show people from different nations have different senses of humor

D．to prove that the Germans have no sense of humor

小题3:Which statement is true according to the passage?

A．The jokes by computer are less funny than those by humans.

B．The Germans cannot find the submitted jokes amusing.

C．Males are better at word play compared with women.

D．Females like to use humor to show that they are superior.

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What is it that makes a house a home ? A home is a place of companionship with people in it who love each other , who are harmonious and closer inside with one another than they are outside with those in the workplace or with classmates at school . A home is a place of companionship that it’s difficult to leave. In a home there is love , sharing and appreciation , and the members help each other .
I have seen families on the street. But if they live , sleep , talk , and eat together , they are a family, even if they are poorly off. You don’t need a roof to make a home. The truly homeless are some of the rich people who build multi-million-dollar houses and are too busy to live in them . The truly homeless are those who have turned their home into a hotel lobby . The parents work. The children do wrong . They don’t talk and eat together every day . They rarely see each other . The truly homeless people are those with babysitters , caretakers , gardeners and maids. Parents are unaware , too busy making money outside the home that they don’t live in . This is another way of looking at the rich and the homeless . Who is to be pitied ?
Control of the computer and the Internet is also important to make a house into a home. If the computer is on all the time , the house turns into an office, even if everyone is at home . Many homes these days are just offices. Human communication has stopped . The computer eats up the time that one should be giving to others within the home . Using the computer moderately gives us time for gentleness , play and communication , not with a screen , but with a human being.
小题1:The purpose of the first paragraph is to _____________ .

A．tell us that where there is home there is love

B．tell us what people think home is

C．show the author’s concept of home

D．tell people how to have a happy home

小题2:The underlined word those in the second paragraph refers to _____________ .

A．people who build multi-million-dollar houses

B．people who have lost their family members

C．people who don’t spend time with the family

D．homeless families living on the street in America

小题3:Which statement is Not True according to the passage ?

A．A home is a place where you are willing to stay .

B．Even the poorest person can have a happy home .

C．Computers and the Internet are important for a happy family.

D．Sometimes it’s the rich that should be pitied .

小题4:Which of the following may serve as the best title of the passage ?

A．How to make a house a home	B．What makes a house a home
C．Who are homeless , the poor	D．What’s a home for

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As a parent you might never guess all the ways a good imagination benefits your child. It helps a preschooler(学龄前儿童)：
Develop social skills
As children play pretend, they explore relationships between family members, friends and coworkers and learn more about how people interact. Playing doctor, they imagine how physicians care for their patients. Playing house, they learn more about how parents feel about their children. Imaginative play helps develop empathy(同情) for others. If children can imagine how it feels to be left out of a game or to lose a pet, they are better able to help those in need. They become more willing to play fair, to share, and to cooperate.
Build selfconfidence
Young children have very little control over their lives. Imagining oneself as a builder of skyscrapers(摩天大楼) or a superhero defending the planet is empowering to a child. It helps them develop confidence in their abilities and their potential.
Boost intellectual growth
Using the imagination is the beginning of abstract thought.Children who can see a king"s castle in a mound(堆) of sand or a delicious dinner in a mud pie are learning to think symbolically(象征性地). This skill is important in school where a child will have to learn that numerals symbolize groups of objects, letters symbolize sounds, and so on.
Practice language skills
Kids who play pretend with their friends do a lot of talking.This helps boost their vocabulary, improve sentence structure and promote communication skills.
Work out fears
Playing pretend can help children work out their fears and worries. When children roleplay about the big, bad monster under the bed, they gain a sense of control over him and he doesn"t seem quite so big or so bad. Imaginative play also helps kids vent(发泄) confusing feelings they might have, such as anger toward a parent or compete with a new sibling(兄弟姐妹)．
To encourage your youngster"s imagination, read to him every day. Books offer children the opportunity to visit other worlds and create new ones of their own.
For generations children have enjoyed reading the story of Peter Pan because Peter takes them on fascinating adventures.Reader"s Digest Young Families offers a beautiful typical Disney edition of Peter Pan, which is an iParenting Media Award winner. Click here to find out how you can get this classic story along with 2 free books-Bambi and Pinocchio.
小题1:What"s NOT the advantage of children having a good imagination?

A．Understanding the other people"s feelings and problems.

B．Expressing their feelings like anger.

C．Having a strong faith in their own abilities and potential.

D．Helping them form a good habit of reading stories.

小题2:What does the underlined word “Boost” mean?

A．Improve.

B．Limit.

C．Push.

D．Praise.

小题3:From the last paragraph we can learn that ________．

A．Reader"s Digest Young Families wins an iParenting Media Award

B．Disney edition of Peter Pan can be got online for free

C．the story of Peter Pan has been popular with kids

D．Bambi and Pinocchio are offered for free because of bad sales

小题4:What"s the purpose of writing the article?

A．To tell readers the benefits of encouraging children"s imagination.

B．To introduce some wonderful Disney stories to readers.

C．To provide ways of helping make kids more imaginative.

D．To persuade parents to buy the Disney edition of Peter Pan.

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Mother’s Day is a holiday for mothers. It is celebrated(庆祝)in the United States, England, India and some other countries. In a short time, it becomes widely celebrated. Mother’s day falls on the second Sunday in May. On that day, many people send gifts(礼物)of love to their mothers.
Those whose mothers are still living often wear a pink or red rose or carnation(康乃馨)， while those whose mothers are dead wear a white one.
The idea of a day for mothers was first given by Miss Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia. As a result of her hard work, the celebration of the first American Mother’s Day was held in Philadelphia(费城） on May 10, 1908. Soon the holiday became popular all over the country and around the world.
In China, people do the same on the day for mothers. And, in some cities, people sometimes ask a song to be broadcast(广播) for his or her mother only. This might cost a little money for some of them, but, as it is said, “Love is invaluable.”
On May 8, 1999, just the day before the Mother’s Day that year, a Chinese mother was killed in criminal bombing(罪恶轰炸). Her name is Shao Yanhuan, a heroic mother. All the Chinese will remember her forever.
小题1: Mother’s Day .

A．is a holiday for mothers

B．is celebrated in the United Stated only

C．falls on May 10 every year

D．was given by Miss Anna Jarvis

小题2:What was the date of the Mother’s Day in 1999?

A．May 7.

B．May 8.

C．May 9.

D．May 10

小题3:On Mother’s Day, people .

A．send some flowers to their mothers.

B．wear a pink or red rose or carnation

C．wear a white flower

D．send gifts of love to their mothers

小题4: the underlined word “invaluable” means “ ”.

A．美好的

B．无价的

C．永恒的

D．无私的

小题5:Maybe you’ve known the criminal bombing, which of the following ideas do you agree to?

A．Shao Yunhuan is a heroic mother.

B．A Chinese mother is the same as an American mother.

C．The bombing cannot get away with the crime (难逃罪责).

D．All of the above

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“Find a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Do you agree with this old saying? Joanne Gordon does. She is the author of Be Happy at work and other books about careers(职业). Gordon believes that about 30% of employees(雇员) in North America do not like their jobs, and she thinks that is terrible. She wants to help people who do not feel satisfied with their jobs find work that is good for them. Joanne says, “There are no happy jobs, only happy workers.” She believes that happy workers share three main characteristics.
First, happy workers enjoy the daily activities of their jobs, and they look forward to the workday. Take Tony Hawk, for example. At age 14, he became a professional skateboarder. Now he is a businessman working on projects related to skateboarding—films and video games, but he still skates every day. He once said, “My youngest son’s pre-school was recently asked what their dads do for work. My son said, ‘I’ve never seen my dad do work.’” Tony agrees that his job doesn’t look like work. He has found a way to spend each day doing a job he enjoys.
Second, happy workers like the people they work with. Sally Ayote says, “I work with the coolest people in the world.” She and her group cook for almost 1,200 people in Antarctica. Most of these people are scientists who are doing research. Sally loves to sit and talk with them. She says, “There is no television here, no radio, so I get to know the scientists and what they’re studying.” Sally thinks she has a great job, and the best part about it is the people.
Third, happy workers know that their work helps others. Caroline Baron’s work helps people who have had to leave their home countries because of war or other dangers. She is a filmmaker who started an organization called FilmAid, which shows movies in refugee(难民) camps around the world. Caroline believes that movies can be very helpful in these camps. For one thing, entertaining movies let refugees forget their troubles for a little while. Movies can also teach important subjects like health and safety. For example, in one camp, thousands of refugees saw a movie about how to get clean water. Caroline knows that is helping other people, and this makes her feel proud and happy about her work.
Tony Hawk, Sally Ayote, and Caroline Baron all get great satisfaction from their work. Tony Hawk says, “Find the thing you love. If you are doing what you love, there is much more happiness there than being rich or famous.” Joanne Gordon would agree. She encourages people to find something they enjoy doing, find people they like to work with, and find ways to help others. Then they can be proud of what they do, and they will probably be happy at work.
小题1:Who is the book, Be Happy at Work, written for?

A．Joanne Gordon herself.

B．Tony Hawk, Sally Ayote, and Caroline Baron.

C．People who do not feel satisfied with their jobs.

D．The workers who agree with the author’s ideas.

小题2:Why did Tony Hawk’s son say, “I’ve never seen my dad do work.”?

A．Because Tony Hawk’s job doesn’t look like work.

B．Because Tony Hawk always finds something enjoyable in his job.

C．Because Tony helps people forget their troubles while skating.

D．Because the best part about his job is to spend each day skating.

小题3:Tony Hawk, Sally Ayote, and Caroline Baron are good examples that show us ____________.

A．how to be a successful businessman

B．how to help people in difficulties

C．how to get along with the coolest people

D．how to become a happy worker

小题4:Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A．Some people believe that only a few kinds of jobs can really make people feel happy.

B．The writer of the passage tells us that many different kinds of work can be enjoyable.

C．The author of Be Happy at Work thinks that happiness at work is really important.

D．Joanne Gordon believes that people will probably be happy at work when they are proud of what they do.

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