In England recently three foreign gentlemen came to a bus stop and waited. About

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In England recently three foreign gentlemen came to a bus stop and waited. About five minutes later, the bus they wanted came along. They were just going to get on when suddenly there was a loud noise behind them. People rushed onto the bus and tried to push them out of the way. Someone shouted at them. The bus conductor came rushing down the stairs to see what all the trouble was about. The three foreigners seem all at sea and looked embarrassed. No one had told them about the British custom of lining up for a bus that the first person who arrives at the bus stop is the first person to get on the bus.
Learning the language of a country isn"t enough. If you want to have a pleasant visit, find out as much as possible about the manners and customs of your host country. You will probably be surprised just how different they can be from your own. A visitor to India would do well to remember that people there consider it impolite to use the left hand for passing food at table. The left hand is supposed to be used for washing yourself. Also in India, you might see a man shaking his head at another to show that he doesn"t agree. But in many parts of India a shake of the head means agreement. Nodding (点头) your head when you are given a drink in Bulgaria will most probably leave you thirsty.
The British people tried to push the three gentlemen out of the way, because the gentlemen _______ .
A. were foreigners　　                 B. didn"t have tickets
C. made a loud noise　　　           D. didn"t line up for the bus
According to the article, if you want to have a pleasant journey in a foreign country, you should ________.
A. learn the language of the country
B. understand the manners and customs of the country
C. have enough time and money
D. make friends with the people there
In India it is considered impolite ________.
A. to use the right hand for passing food at table.
B. to pass food with the left hand.
C. to eat food with your hands.
D. to help yourself at table.
The best title (题目) for this article is ________.
A. People"s Everyday Life
B. Mind Your Manners
C. Shaking and Nodding Head　
D. Taking a Bus in England

答案

小题1:D
小题2:B
小题3:B
小题4:B

解析

略

举一反三

In the southern part of America, when somebody has a birthday, often family or friends, or both, will arrange a party. The party could be elaborate(精心准备的)and include a meal or may be simple with a birthday cake and drinks. One does not plan, nor give, one’s own birthday as is the custom in some cultures. At a party there is usually a decorated cake, often with the words “Happy Birthday” and with the name of the person written on the top of the cake. Sometimes there is also one candle for each year of the person celebrating the birthday before the cake is cut. While blowing out the candles, the person makes a wish for something pleasant.
Usually those invited to a birthday party will bring a gift for the person honored. Gifts given by friends do not have to be expensive, but the family of the birthday person will spend whatever they can afford on a gift.
Christmas parties also are very popular in the South. Often this is the only time during the year that some people see acquaintances(熟人). These parties can be elaborate or simple, ranging from a buffet(自助餐)to a reception called “open house (家庭招待会)”. If you are invited to one of these, you don’t need to take a Christmas gift, as it is not customary to take the hostess a gift every time you are invited to a party or a meal. However, if you wish to take a gift, it should only be something useful and inexpensive and should be given to the hostess at the door as you enter the party. Usually gifts of Christmas food treats are the most appreciated.
51. On one’s birthday, before blowing out the candles, he or she will______.
A. wear beautiful clothes          B. eat birthday cake
C. invite friends                 D. make a wish
52. This passage mainly tells us about __________.
A. two kinds of parties in the southern United States
B. how to arrange a birthday party
C. how to arrange a Christmas party
D. who will arrange a party
53. In southern America , birthday parties are often arranged by _________.
A. friends     B. oneself      C. family        D. Both A and C
54. Which of the following is true?
A.For a birthday party, the cake is often cut before candles are blown out.
B.For a birthday party, neither friends nor the family will buy expensive presents.
C. It’s customary to take the hostess a gift when you are invited to a party.
D.If you take a gift to a Christmas party, you’d better take something useful and inexpensive.
55. What kind of gift is the best if someone is invited to a Christmas party?
A. Expensive things     B. Candles      C. Food      D. Money

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The term “multitasking” originally referred to a computer"s ability to carry out several tasks at one time. For many people, multitasking has become a way of life and even a key to success. In fact, some excellent mental aerobic exercises (大脑训练) involve engaging the brain in two or more challenging activities at a time. Although checking e-mail while talking on a phone and reading the newspaper may be second nature for some people, many times multitasking can make us less productive, rather than more. And studies show that too much multitasking can lead to increased stress, anxiety and memory loss.
In order to multitask, the brain uses an area known as the prefrontal cortex (前额叶脑皮层). Brain scans of volunteers performing multiple tasks together show that as they shift from task to task, this front part of the brain actually takes a moment of rest between tasks. You may have experienced a prefrontal cortex “moment of rest” yourself if you"ve ever dialed (拨电话) a phone number and suddenly forgotten who you called when the line is answered. What probably occurred is that between the dialing and the answering, your mind shifted to another thought or task, and then took that “moment” to come back. Research has also shown that for many volunteers, job efficiency (效率) declines while multitasking, as compared to when they perform only one task at a time.
Multitasking is easiest when at least one of the tasks is habitual, or requires little thought. Most people don" t find it difficult to eat and read the newspaper at the same time. However, when two or more attention-requiring tasks are attempted at one time, people sometimes make mistakes.
We often don"t remember things as well when we"re trying to manage several details at the same time. Without mental focus, we may not pay enough attention to new information coming in, so it never makes it into our memory stores. That is one of the main reasons we forget people"s names—even sometimes right after they have introduced themselves. Multitasking can also affect our relationships. If someone checks their e-mail while on the phone with a friend, they may come off as absent-minded or disinterested. It can also cause that person to miss or overlook key information being passed on to them.
1. Why are some mental aerobic exercises designed to engage people in multitasking?
A. To make them more productive.
B. To reduce their stress and anxiety.
C. To develop their communication Skills.
D. To help them perform daily tasks more easily.
2. According to Paragraph 2, why

may a person suddenly forget who he has called?
A. He may have his prefrontal cortex temporarily damaged.
B. He is probably interrupted by another task.
C. He is probably not very familiar with the person he has called.
D. He may need a rest between dialing and speaking.
3. People tend to make mistakes when       .
A. they perform several challenging tasks at a time
B. new messages are processed one after another
C. their relationships with others are affected
D. the tasks require little thought
4. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Multitasking has become a way of life.
B. Multitasking often leads to efficiency decline.
C. Multitasking exercises need to be improved.
D. Multitasking enables people to remember things better.

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第二节完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
Wishing to encourage her young son’s progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a famous concert. After they were seated, the mother 36    a friend and walked over to greet her. Seizing the 37 to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy got up and explored his way 38   a door marked “NO ADMITTANCE（禁止进入）”. When the lights became less bright and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her 39    and discovered that the child was missing.
Suddenly, the curtains 40 and the lights focused on the stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard,   41 Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.
At that moment, the great piano master, Paderewski, 42 on the stage, quickly went to the piano and 43 in the boy’s ear, “Don’t 44 . Keep playing.”
Then, leaning(倾斜) over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began 45 in a bass (低音的) part. Soon his right arm reached 46 to the other side of the child and he added a beautiful piece of music. 47 , the old master and the boy 48   a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative 49
That’s the way it is in life. 50 we can complete on our own is 51 noteworthy(值得注目的). We try our best, but the 52 aren’t exactly graceful or flowing music. 53 when we put our trust in the hands of greater power, our life can be truly beautiful.
The next time you set 54 to create great performances, listen carefully. You can hear the 55 of the master whispering in your ear, “Don’t quit. Keep playing.”
36. A. made           B. saw               C. looked           D. called
37. A. chance     B. performance   C. piano       D. lesson
38. A. over            B. above        C. across       D. through
39. A. stage           B. seat              C. room       D. table
40. A. parted          B. drew        C. pulled      D. pushed
41. A. singing     B. knocking      C. playing      D. creating
42. A. stood           B. appeared     C. sat        D. fell
43. A. shouted     B. cried        C. whispered   D. looked
44. A. perform          B. stop             C. leave       D. run
45. A. filling          B. getting       C. breaking     D. taking
46. A. forwards      B. down       C. up          D. around
47. A. Separately B. Together       C. Luckily     D. Hurriedly
48. A. made           B. became        C. changed           D. grew
49. A. experience B. play          C. concert      D. film
50. A. What           B. That          C. Which      D. When
51. A. hard            B. hardly        C. always      D. usually
52. A. failures     B. successes     C. causes       D. results
53. A. So           B. And         C. But          D. Though
54. A. down           B. about       C. away        D. out
55. A. sound          B. noise        C. voice        D. song

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That cold January night, I was growing sick of my life in San Francisco. There I was, walking home at one in the morning after a tiring practice at the theatre. With opening night only a week away, I was still learning my lines. I was having trouble dealing with my part-time job at the bank and my acting at night at the same time. As I walked, I thought seriously about giving up both acting and San Francisco. City life had become too much for me.
As I walked down empty streets under tall buildings, I felt very small and cold. I began running, both to keep warm and to keep away from any possible robbers (抢劫犯). Very few people were still out except a few sad-looking homeless people under blankets.
About a block from my apartment (公寓房间), I heard a sound behind me. I turned quickly, half expecting to see someone with a knife or a gun. The street was empty. All I saw was a shining streetlight. Still, the noise had made me nervous, so I started to run faster. Not until I reached my apartment building and unlocked the door did I realize what the noise had been. It had been my wallet falling to the sidewalk.
Suddenly I wasn’t cold or tired anymore. I ran out of the door and back to where I’d heard the noise. Although I searched the sidewalk anxiously for fifteen minutes, my wallet was nowhere to be found.
Just as I was about to give up the search, I heard the garbage truck (垃圾车) pull up to the sidewalk next to me. When a voice called from the inside, “ Alisa Camacho?” I thought I was dreaming. How could this man know my name? the door opened, and out jumped a small red-haired man with an amused look in his eyes. “Is this what you’re looking for?” he asked, holding up a small square shape.
It was nearly 3 A.M. by the time I got into bed. I wouldn’t get much sleep that night, but I had gotten my wallet back. I also had gotten back some enjoyment of city life. I realized that the city couldn’t be a bad place as long as people were willing to help each other.
1. How did the writer feel when she was walking home after work?
A. Cold and sick           B. Fortunate and helpful
C. Satisfied and cheerful      D. Disappointed and helpless
2. From the first paragraph, we learn that the writer was busy ______.
A. solving her problem at the bank         B. taking part in various city activities
C. learning acting in a n evening school      D. preparing for the first night show
3. On her way home the writer _______.
A. lost her wallet unknowingly               B. was stopped by a garbage truck driver
C. was robbed of her wallet by an armed man   D. found some homeless people following her
4. In the fifth paragraph, why did the writer say she was dreaming?
A. Someone offered to take her back home. B. A red-haired man came to see her.
C. She heard someone call her name D. Her wallet was found in a garbage truck.
5. From the text, we can infer that the writer _________.
A. would stop working at night       B. would stay on in San Francisco
C. would make friends with cleaners    D. would give up her job at the bank

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The 2012 London Olympics had enough problems to worry about. But one more has just been added - a communications blackout caused by solar storms.
After a period of calm within the Sun, scientists have detected the signs of a flesh cycle of sunspots that could peak in 2012, just in time for the arrival of the Olympic torch in London.
Now scientists believe that this peak could result in vast solar explosions that could throw billions of tons of charged matter towards the Earth, causing strong solar storms that could jam the telecommunications satellites and interact links sending five Olympic broadcast from London.
"The Sun"s activity has a strong influence on the Earth. The Olympics could be in the middle of the next solar maximum which could affect the functions of communications satellites," said Professor Richard Harrison, head of space physics at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire.
At the peak of the cycle, violent outbursts called coronal mass ejections (日冕物质抛射) occur in the Sun"s atmosphere, throwing out great quantities of electrically-charged matter. " A coronal mass ejection can carry a billion tons of solar material into space at over a million    kilometres per hour. Such events can expose astronauts to a deadly amount, can disable satellites, cause power failures on Earth and disturb communications," Professor Harrison added. The risk is greatest during a solar maximum when there is the greatest number of sunspots.
Next week in America, NASA is scheduled to launch a satellite for monitoring solar activity called the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), which will take images of the Sun that are 10 times clearer than the most advanced televisions available.
The Rutherford Appleton Laboratory helped to make the high-tech cameras that will capture images of the solar flares (太阳耀斑) and explosions as they occur.
Professor Richard Hold away, the lab"s director, said that the SDO should be able to provide early warning of a solar flare or explosion big enough to affect satellite communications on Earth "If we have advance warning, we"ll be able to reduce the damage. What you don"t want is things switching off for a week with no idea of what"s caused the problem," he said.
1. The phrase "communications blackout" in paragraph 1 most probably refers to      during the 2012 Olympics.
A. the extinguishing of the Olympic torch
B. the collapse of broadcasting systems
C. the transportation breakdown in London
D. the destruction of weather satellites
2. What can be inferred about the solar activity described in the passage?
A. The most fatal matter from the corona falls onto Earth.
B. The solar storm peak occurs in the middle of each cycle.
C. It takes several seconds for the charged matter to reach Earth.
D. The number of sunspots declines after coronal mass ejections.
3. According to the passage, NASA will launch a satellite to _________.
A. take images of the solar system         B. provide early warning of thunderstorms
C. keep track of solar activities            D. improve the communications on Earth
4. Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?
A. Solar Storms: An Invisible Killer
B. Solar Storms: Earth Environment in Danger
C. Solar Storms: Threatening the Human Race
D. Solar Storms: Human Activities to Be Troubled

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