Without most people realizing it, there has been a revolution in office work over the last ten years. Before that time, large computers were only used by large, rich companies that could afford the investment. With the advancement of technology, small computers have come onto the market, which are capable of doing the work that used to be done by much larger and expensive computers, so now most smaller companies can use them
The main development in small computers has been in the field of word processors（處理器）, or WPS as they are often called. 60% of British offices are now estimated to have a word processor and this percentage is growing fast.
There are many advantages in using a word processor for both secretary and manager. The secretary is freed from a lot of daily work, such as re-typing letters and storing papers. He or she can use this time to do other more interesting work for the boss. From a manager’s point of view, secretarial time is being made better use of and money can be saved by doing daily jobs automatically outside office hours.
But is it all good? If a lot of daily secretarial work can be done automatically, surely this will mean that fewer secretaries will be needed. Another worry is the increasing medical problems related to work with visual display units（顯示器）. The case of a slow loss of sight among people using word processors seems to have risen greatly. It is also feared that if a woman works at a VDU for long hours, the unborn child in her body might be killed. Safety screens to put over a VDU have been invented but few companies in England bother to buy them.
Whatever the arguments for and against word processor, they are a key feature of this revolution in office practice.
小題1:Ten years ago, smaller companies did not use large computers because_________.

A．these companies had not enough money to buy such expensive computers

B．these computers could not do the work that small computers can do today

C．these computers did not come onto the market

D．these companies did not need to use this new technology

小題2:According to the writer, the main feature of the revolution in office work over the last ten years is __________.

A．the saving of time and money

B．the use of computers in small companies

C．the wide use of word processors

D．the decreasing number of secretaries

小題3:It is implied in the passage that with the use of word processors _________.

A．some secretaries will lose their jobs

B．daily jobs can be done automatically outside office hours

C．medical problems related to work with a VDU have increased greatly

D．the British companies will make less money

小題4:Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A．There are both advantages and disadvantages in using a word processor.

B．The British companies care much for the health of the people using word processors.

C．The technology in the field of computers has been greatly advanced over the last ten years.

D．Using word processors, secretaries can get more time to do more interesting work for their bosses.

小題5:It can be concluded from the passage that ________.

A．safety screens are of poor quality

B．working at a VDU for a long time is good for one’s health

C．more and more British offices will use word processors

D．British companies will need fewer and fewer managers

Sometimes you may have a strong desire to do something strange or terrible. However, chances are that you don’t act on your impulse (沖動), but let it pass instead. You know that to take the action is wrong in some way and that other people will not accept your behavior.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about the phenomenon of taboo behavior is how it can change over the years, how certain behavior and attitudes once considered taboo can become perfectly acceptable and natural at another point in time. Topics such as death, for example, were once considered so upsetting that it was a taboo to even talk about them. Now with the publication of important books such as On Death and Dying and Learning to Say Goodbye, people have become more aware of the importance of expressing feelings about death and, as a result, are more willing to talk about this taboo subject.
One of the newest taboos is the topic of fat. Unlike many other taboos, fat is a topic that people talk about constantly. It’s not taboo to talk about fat; it’s taboo to be fat. The “in” look is thin, not fat. In the work world, most companies prefer youthful-looking, slim manager to sell their image as well as their products to the public. The thin look is associated with youth, vigor, and success. The fat person, on the other hand, is thought of as lazy and lacking in energy, self-discipline and self-respect. After all, how can people permit themselves to become fat? In an image-conscious society, thin is ‘‘in”, fat is “out”.
It’ s not surprising that millions of people have become obsessed (著迷) with staying slim and “in shape”. The pursuit of a youthful physical appearance is not, however, the only reason for people’s obsession with diet and exercise. Recent research has shown the importance of diet and exercise for personal health. As in most technologically developed nations, the life-style of people has changed since last century. Modern machines do all the physical labor. Cars and buses transport us quickly from point to point. As a result of inactivity and disuse, people’s bodies can easily become weak. In an effort to avoid such a fate , millions of people are spending more of their time exercising. Parks are filled with joggers and bicyclists, and many companies are providing special exercise equipment for their employees to use during the work day.    
小題1:What does the word “taboo’’ refer to in the passage?

A．Behavior considered unacceptable to the society.

B．An unfavorable impression left on other people.

C．A strong desire to do something strange or terrible.

D．A crime committed on impulse.

小題2:What does the underlined phrase “in” look probably mean?

A．The hidden look.	B．The fashionable look.
C．The usual look.	D．The inside look.

小題3:According to the passage, the common belief is that _________.

A．fat people are full of energy	B．fat people prefer to have fat bosses
C．thin people are more successful	D．thin people are less image-conscious

小題4:People pay more attention to diet and exercise because of _________.

A．their need to kill time	B．their love for sports
C．their belief in hard work	D．their concern for health

What doomed the Titanic is well known, at least in outline. On a moonless night of April 15, 1912, the ship hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic ,with 1,500 lives lost.
A century later many people presented new theories to explain the real reason for the disaster. Now two new studies argue that rare states of nature played major roles in the disaster.
The first says Earth’s nearness to the Moon and the Sun — a proximity not matched in more than 1,000 years — resulted in record tides that help explain why the Titanic met with so much ice, including the fatal iceberg.
Recently, a team of researchers found an apparent explanation in the heavens. They discovered that Earth had come unusually close to the Sun and Moon that winter, enhancing their gravitational pulls on the ocean and producing record tides. The rare orbits took place between December 1911 and February 1912 — about two months before the disaster came about. The researchers suggest that the high tides refloated masses of icebergs traditionally stuck along the coastlines of Labrador and Newfoundland and sent them adrift into the North Atlantic shipping lanes.
And a second, put forward by a Titanic historian from Britain, contends that the icy waters created ideal conditions for an unusual type of mirage(海市蜃樓) that hid icebergs from lookouts whose duty was to watch carefully for  danger ahead and confused a nearby ship as to the liner’s identity, delaying rescue efforts for hours.
Most people know mirages as natural phenomena caused when hot air near the Earth’s surface bends light rays upward. In a desert, the effect prompts lost travelers to mistake patches of blue sky for pools of water. But another kind of mirage occurs when cold air bends light rays downward. In that case, observers can see objects and settings far over the horizon. The images often undergo quick distortions — not unlike the wavy reflections in a funhouse mirror.
Now, scholars of the Titanic are debating these new theories. Some have different opinions on it. Over all, though, many experts are applauding the fresh perspectives.  (words:353)
小題1:The underlined word "It" in the title probably refers to _______.

A．the Titanic

B．the record tide

C．the cause of the disaster

D．a(chǎn)n unusual mirage

小題2:According to Theory First, what was the right chain of causes leading to the Titanic’s disaster?
① record tides’ forming and icebergs’ being refloated
② icebergs’ being drifted into the North Atlantic shipping lanes
③the Earth’s strange closing to the Sun and the Moon
④increasing of the gravitational force on the ocean

A．①→②→③→④

B．③→④→①→②

C．④→③→②→①

D．②→③→④→①

小題3:According to Theory Second, the disaster happened to the Titanic mainly because______.

A．the freezing weather made the watcher not be able to watch clear

B．the mirage on the sea attracted the watcher and made him forget his work

C．the high tides drove the icebergs float so fast that the watcher didn’t respond to them

D．the mirage made the watcher not find icebergs and a nearby ship delay rescuing

小題4:What is the chief function of the sixth paragraph?

A．to infer the possibility of the mirage appearing

B．to explain to the readers the ways of the mirage forming

C．to summarize the various kinds of the mirage

D．to analyze the conditions of the mirage arising

小題5:This passage is organized generally in the pattern of________.

A．comparison and contrast	B．time and events
C．conclusion and proof	D．definition and classification（分類)）

Tattoos and body piercings（穿孔）have moved up on the trend list in recent years. Around Western schools lots of teens are sporting new holes and “flesh ink”（紋身）. As with all other subjects, the Chinese will surely have to deal with this situation with respect to their children. To get a better view of what has happened in the West, 1et’s sit down and hear what they say.
Tiara from Indiana： 
I personally think body piercing is sickening. If there were supposed to be holes in your body，you would have been born with them. I do，however，think that ear piercing is not wrong. There is a difference between ear piercing and belly button piercing. Ear piercing is not nearly as dangerous. I would be sick if someone stuck a needle in my belly button.
Lee from Illinois:
Hi! I live in Illinois. I am 23. I have 12 tattoos and three piercings. I love my tattoos and consider myself an art collector. You would be surprised at who has given me the thumbs up on my art work. People on the street stop me to look at the tattoo on my leg. Most of them don’t know what it is. They just think the work itself is great.
Subotai from California:
I’m not forbidden of self-expression，but when I see high school students getting these piercings, I really wonder. In some cases, the drive is deeper and darker than mere fashion. A friend of mine tried piercing her own tongue with a safety pin. It got infected and she had a tongue the size of a cow’s.
Jackson from Ohio:
I don’t think it is wrong, but when people do it all over the place like their face and everything—I think that’s ridiculous. People who get the big “dragons that cover the whole body—I don’t think that’s necessary.” When I see naked chicks on guys, I think, “You have no respect for women.”
小題1:Who doesn’t think tattoos and piercings except ear piercing are beautiful？

A．Jackson

B．Lee

C．Tiara

D．Subotai

小題2:We can conclude that        .

A．tattoos and piercings are a new kind of elegant art

B．a(chǎn)ll the teachers in the West are in favour of tattoos and piercings

C．everything is changeable as time goes on

D．it is necessary to live with different views of beauty

小題3:The best title for this passage is probably        .

A．Body Art or Causing Damage

B．Doing Damage to the Young People’s Bodies

C．Young People’s Different Curiosities

D．The Latest Fashion

Competition. It’s a simple word, yet a very complex word that covers many angles when it comes to how gasoline prices are determined. It seems so easy to explain, but don’t let that trick you—it’s incredibly difficult to explain and adequately understand.
Say you’re on a Sunday afternoon drive, and notice a gas station near you charging $3.50. Down the road a few miles, that price could easily be 10 or more cents higher or lower. The question is “how” or “why” is that? Think of it this way. Are you more likely to get a better deal on a car if there are two similar car dealers next to each other? Perhaps, because the dealers are too close. Say there is a third similar car dealer miles away. Is he going to be at the same level of competition and sell his cars for the same price as the two dealers next to each other? Likely not. He may charge more or less. Maybe people don't know there are two other dealers down the road. Maybe the dealer is almost outside of the city and the land value isn't as high, so his taxes aren't as high.
These situations do take place at gas stations. And more factors can impact what a station will charge. Timing can greatly impact what price a station charges as well! Many motorists fail to realize that the price a station pays for gasoline changes daily. If one station gets lucky and buys gas on Monday and the cost goes up Tuesday, the station that bought on Monday doesn’t necessarily have to raise prices like the station that bought on Tuesday. Maybe the station that got caught buying for a higher price on Tuesday will pass that higher cost on by raising its gas price.
Perhaps the difference is what brand the station is---branded stations usually pay a slightly higher cost for their gasoline. In return for paying a higher cost, those stations are guaranteed first supply in case of emergency situations. Independent stations don’t pay as much, but aren’t guaranteed supply.
While competition sounds easy to understand, there are always a large number of factors that could influence what one station charges. Keep in mind how many variables there are next time you fill up.
小題1:What could be the best title for the passage?

A．How Competition Impacts Gas Prices

B．Gas Prices Go Up or Down

C．Competition---a Very Complex Word

D．We Can’t Stress Enough the Need for Competition

小題2:The example of car dealers is used to show _________.

A．car prices are determined by car dealers

B．location is an important factor in pricing

C．the quality of service matters most

D．dealing strategy should be flexible

小題3:The gas prices of a station always change partly because _________.

A．a(chǎn) gas station always wants to charge more

B．the gasoline is in great demand

C．the cost of the gas the station buys varies daily

D．gas is in greater need on Monday

小題4:According to the passage, branded stations _________.

A．spend less money on their gasoline

B．have more staff than independent stations

C．charge less for high quality oil

D．offer a steady oil supply

What is the connection between violence and sports? Psychologists（心理學家） say that there are many reasons for violence at sports events. One is alcohol（酒精）. Many fans drink a lot at games. When people drink, they are more likely to do abnormal things. Psychologist Dennis Brock says, “Quiet people become loud. Normally nonviolent people become destructive.”
David Sampson, a sports sociologist, agrees, “These are often celebratory riots(暴亂)— a large number of very happy people mixed in with large amounts of alcohol. They don’t often seem dangerous in the beginning, but things get violent quickly.”
Another reason for violence at sports events is the crowd itself. When individuals are in a large group of people, they can lose their sense of personal responsibility. Edward Hirt, a social Psychologist, says that research shows that people do things in crowds that they would never do alone. People in crowds feel that no one knows who they are. Crowds also make people feel powerful. They stop making personal decisions. They just follow the crowd. Social psychologists call this a “mob mentality.”
Dave Zarifis, head of public safety at Northern Iowa University says, “Some people don’t even come to celebrate. They want to drink hard and make trouble. Someone does something stupid, and it grows from there. You get a mob mentality. People think it’s OK to do almost anything. They think, ‘There are so many of us and not enough of them.’ ”
Social psychologist Dr. Sharon Kennedy says that there are a few things officials can do to prevent violence. Making sure that an area is not overcrowded is very important. Officials should also think of games as “big parties.” Then they will prepare differently. Kennedy says that in Great Britain they are controlling the problem with cameras in all the stadiums. “When you know someone is watching, you are much less likely to behave badly.”
小題1:Which of the following best gives the main idea of the first two paragraphs? 

A．There’s a connection between violence and sports

B．There are many reasons for violence at sports events.

C．One cause of violence at sports events is alcohol.

D．David Sampson and Dennis Brock have the same opinion.

小題2:Which of the following does NOT belong to a “mob mentality”?

A．“ No one knows I’m doing this.”

B．“ It’s safe to do what many people are doing.”

C．“There are so many of us and not enough of them.”

D．“I must drink some alcohol to stop myself feeling shy.”

小題3:How many experts are quoted by the writer of this passage?

A．Five.

B．Four.

C．Three.

D．Two.

小題4:The last paragraph is mainly about ______.

A．how to turn games into big parties

B．how to prevent violence at sports events

C．why to fix cameras in stadiums

D．how to avoid oneself behaving badly

小題5:What lesson can we learn from this passage?

A．Never drink any alcohol no matter where you are.

B．Whenever you are watching a game, you should keep quiet.

C．Never follow blindly no matter how many people are doing something.

D．Be careful when you are at a stadium because there are cameras there.

Every Saturday or Sunday night my family and I go out and feed the homeless people in the city of Orlando. There are thousands of people across the United States without any food or shelter. My family and I have been doing this for several months.
We all get together in the kitchen and prepare the food. Some of the meals are sandwiches, cookies and a bottle of water. Sometimes my mom prepares a steaming hot delicious meal. We then bag them all up to feed 30 or more people.
I like to write special notes on the bags like “God loves you.” Before my family and I get into the car we ask God for protection in a family prayer. A lot of people misunderstand homeless people. Not all homeless people are drug addicts or bad people. Some are really nice. Some of them just had bad things that happened to them.
At first when my family and I went out on the street we had to earn their trust. A lot of people are unkind to them for no good reason. But now that they see us every week, they trust us. We even know some of their names. We all have to remember that these are people that have feelings. Some of them shake our hands for giving them food, and thank us. Some of them do really funny dances because they are happy.
We have become really close with this man named Tony and his wife. They have all of their personal belongings in shopping carts. After meeting with them several times he has told us a lot about his life. He graduated from Harvard University and has a PHD. He used to teach French and Spanish. He lost his job after the economic crisis began.
After we get done feeding the homeless, it makes me appreciate what I have at home. Sometimes it makes me sad, and makes my mom cry. I love feeding the homeless, and making a difference in someone’s life.
小題1:The following statements are all right except _________.

A．we feed the homeless every Saturday or Sunday night

B．I write some encouraging words on the food

C．we offer food for about 30 or more people every Saturday or Sunday night

D．my family and I have been feeding the poor for several months

小題2:What do many people think of the homeless in America?

A．They are homeless because of taking drugs.

B．They are bad people against the society.

C．They must have done something bad.

D．All of above.

小題3:Why do the homeless believe in the author and his family?

A．They don’t ask the homeless to do something bad.

B．They always bring more food every time.

C．They often give food to them at fixed time.

D．They never ask about the names of the homeless.

小題4:What made Tony lose his job?

A．The falling economy across the whole country.

B．He hasn’t got a suitable university degree.

C．He graduated from a common university.

D．He doesn’t like the teaching of the French language.

小題5:The underlined word “it” in the last paragraph most probably refers to _________.

A．the loss of the job of Tony

B．the poverty of the author’s family

C．the feeding of the homeless

D．the leaving from the homeless

An experiment was carried out at British school into the performance of new pupils. At the start of the year, the pupils were each given a rating, ranging from “excellent prospect” to “unlikely to do well”. These were totally untrue ratings and did not reflect how well the pupils had previously performed. However, these ratings were given to the teachers. At the end of the year, the experimenters compared the pupils’ performance with the ratings. Despite their real abilities, there was an astonishingly high connection between performance and ratings. It seems that people perform as well as we expect them to.
The Self-fulfilling Effect is also known as the Pygmalion Effect. This comes from an old Greek story. The story was also the basis of George Bernard Shaw’s play “Pygmalion”, later turned into the musical “My Fair Lady”. In Shaw’s play, Professor Henry Higgins claims he can turn a Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle into a duchess. But, as Eliza herself points out to Higgins’ friend Pickering, it isn’t what she learns or does that determines whether she will become a duchess, but how she’s treated.
The implication (含義) of the Pygmalion Effect for leaders and managers is massive. It means that the performance of your team depends less on them than it does on you. The performance you get from people is no more or less than what you expect, which means you must always expect the best. As Goethe said, “Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can and should be and he will become as he can and should be.”
小題1:The underlined word in Paragraph 1 can be replaced by “_________”.

A．program

B．regulation

C．correction

D．classification

小題2:What’s the passage mainly about?

A．A new scientific experiment.

B．The Self-fulfilling Effect.

C．Shaw’s play “Pygmalion”.

D．An improved teaching method.

小題3:The experiment was made in order to _________.

A．try out a new teaching method

B．pick out the most excellent pupils

C．learn if expectations affect performance

D．give each pupil a proper rating

小題4:What made Eliza change into a duchess according to Eliza herself?

A．Strict training from Higgins.

B．Her own strong will and hard work.

C．The proper way she was regarded.

D．Warm encouragement from Pickering.

小題5:According to the Pygmalion Effect, if you want a man to finish a hard task in a short time, you should say, “_________”.

A．I’m sure you can make it	B．I will help you any time
C．It is as easy as pie	D．It doesn’t matter if you fail

Many teenagers feel that the most important people in their lives are their friends.They believe that their family members don’t know them as well as their friends do.In large families，it is quite often for brothers and sisters to fight with each other and then they can only go to their friends for some ideas.It is very important for teenagers to have one good friend or a group of friends.Even when they are not with their friends，they usually spend a lot of time talking among themselves on the phone.This communication is very important in children’s growing up，because friends can discuss something.These things are difficult to tell their family members. However，parents often try to choose their children’s friends for them.Some parents may even stop their children from meeting their good friends.Have you ever thought of the following questions?
Who chooses your friends?
Do you choose your friends or your friends choose you?
Have you got a good friend your parents don’t like?Your answers are welcome.
小題1:Many teenagers think that________can understand them better.

A．friends

B．brothers

C．sisters

D．parents

小題2:When teenagers have something difficult to tell their parents，they usually________.

A．stay alone at home	B．fight with their parents
C．discuss it with their friends	D．go to their brothers and sisters for help

小題3:The underlined sentence “Your answers are welcome.” means “________”.

A．You are welcome to discuss the questions with us.

B．We’ve got no idea，so your answers are welcome.

C．Your answers are always right.

D．You can give us all the right answers.

小題4:Which of the following is the writer’s attitude(態(tài)度)?

A．Parents should choose friends for their children.

B．Children should choose everything they like.

C．Parents should understand their children better.

D．Teenagers should only go to their friends for help.

During the week days,they are luckily busy office people; but on weekends,they are just a brood of(一窩)stay home animals.A recent survey shows that office workers in China prefer quiet and easy ways to spend their weekends.
In the survey,conducted by job seeking and offering website Zhaopin.com,32.8 percent of the 6000 respondents choose to stay home at weekends and have a good rest,the Beijing Morning Post reported.
Twenty percent use their days off to do housework. And only 19.3 percent are willing to have fun during the break time from work.Their first choice of fun is shopping. Other choices,though practiced by few,include meeting friends,accompanying the children,trips to the suburbs,and lessons for more skills. When they go shopping,54.5 percent of the white collars actually shop in supermarkets,while 27.9 percent attend other stores,especially when discounts are offered.    These activities don’t seem to cost much,as 60 percent spend average less than 200 yuan(US$26)during weekends,and 30 percent no more than 500 yuan.
When asked whom they would spend the weekends with,about 40 percent mention their partners,and 30 percent prefer a weekend all by themselves.Less than 20 percent hang out with friends. Only 5.8 percent would kill the time with their colleagues.This is because we tend to avoid too many personal contacts with our coworkers when we don’t have to work with them,according to some experts.
小題1:How many of the office workers who are the respondents do the housework at weekends?

A．1968.

B．1158.

C．1200.

D．1674.

小題2:Why will less than ten percent of office workers kill the time with their colleagues at weekends?

A．Because they can’t spare time to play with them.

B．Because they tend to avoid too many personal contacts with them when they don’t have to.

C．Because they have many things to deal with at weekends.

D．Because some experts suggest they should not keep in touch with their colleagues.

小題3:Which of the following is TRUE according to the survey?

A．There is the same percentage about people preferring a weekend all by themselves and people spending no more than 500 yuan during weekends.

B．Most office workers can’t afford things in supermarkets,so they prefer to attend other stores,especially when discounts are offered.

C．More than one fifth of office workers like to hang out with friends.

D．All the office workers prefer to relax themselves and no one is willing to learn more skills.

小題4:What is the best title of the passage?

A．How to spend the weekends

B．Several ways of spending their weekends for office people?

C．How to go shopping on the weekends for office people

D．Office people prefer easy weekends