Have you heard about Post Office Cats in Britain? They are mouse hunters. The post office has actually employed cats since 1868. They are not employed to sort or deliver mail, of course, but to protect the mail and keep the population of mice under control. They make sure your morning post arrives free from damages caused by rats and mice.
London post offices were the first to try out the experiment. Within a few months the population of mice had shrunk sharply. Other post offices all over the country were soon using cats in the war against rats and mice as well. Within ten years the pay of the cats was improved from one and a half old pence a day to six or nine pence a day. Now the average rate of pay is about a few pounds a month.
Some of the hard-working cats have become quite famous. In 1980, a cat named Lucky stopped an attempted robbery in a Worcestershire post office on her own. As the two burglars made their way in through the window, Lucky started an attack and they fled empty-handed. Another excellent cat was Jerry, of Earls Court post office in London. He served the building for 16 years and was on duty for 24 hours every day. He drove all the mice away.
However, there are fewer cats employed by the post office than at any time in the past. With the faster movement of the mail and better surroundings, post office cats are not always needed. But many post offices still employ them and they become great friends with the postmen. According to the post office, there is no plan for their services to be discontinued in the foreseeable future.
小題1:Cats were introduced to British post offices to ________.

A．help sort and deliver mails and papers

B．guard the building against thieves

C．keep mails and papers undamaged

D．search for certain dangers in mails

小題2:The underlined word “shrunk” in the second paragraph probably means “________”.

A．decreased

B．increased

C．narrowed

D．expanded

小題3:The cat named Lucky became famous because________.

A．She served the post office for 16 years around the clock.

B．She alone drove two burglars away from the post office.

C．She protected mails from being bitten by mice.

D．She was employed to sort and deliver mail.

小題4:We may learn from the last paragraph that________.

A．the duty of the cats has been replaced by machines

B．a(chǎn)ll the post offices are now completely mice free

C．cats are now considered of little use in post offices

D．cats will still be seen in service for quite a long time

Among various programs, TV talk shows have covered every inch of space on daytime television. But no two shows are more opposite in content, while at the same time standing out above the rest, than the Jerry Springer and Oprah Winfrey shows.
Jerry Springer could easily be considered the king of "rubbish talk". The show takes the ever-common talk show titles of love, sex, cheating, and hate, to a different level. Clearly, the Jerry Springer show is about the dark side of society, yet people are willing to eat up the troubles of other people's lives.
Like Jerry Springer, Oprah Winfrey takes the TV talk show to its top. But Oprah goes in the opposite direction. The show is mainly about the improvement of society and different quality of life. Contents are from teaching your children lessons, managing your work week, to getting to know your neighbors.
Compared to Oprah, the Jerry Springer show looks like poisonous waste being poured into society. Jerry ends every show with a "final word". He makes a small speech about the entire idea of the show. Hopefully, this is the part where most people will learn something very valuable.
Clean as it is, the Oprah show is not for everyone. The show's main audience are middle-class Americans. Most of the people have the time, money and ability to deal with life's tough problems. Jerry Springer, on the other hand, has more of a connection with the young adults of society.
小題1:Compared with other TV talk shows, both the Jerry Springer and the Oprah Winfrey shows are _______.

A．more interesting.	B．unusually popular.
C．more detailed.	D．more formal.

小題2:Though the social problems Jerry Springer talks about appear unpleasant, people who watch the shows ________.

A．show disbelief in them.	B．a(chǎn)re ready to face up to them.
C．remain cold to them.	D．a(chǎn)re willing to get away from them.

小題3:Which of the following is likely to be a topic of the Oprah Winfrey show?

A．A new type of robot.	B．National hatred (憎恨).
C．Family income planning.	D．Street accident.

小題4:What is the advantage of the Jerry Springer show?

A．The show exposes the dark sides of society.

B．The show pours poisonous waste into society.

C．Jerry sums up (總結(jié)) the whole idea of the show.

D．Jerry talks about the improvement of society.

Why play games? Because they are fun, and a lot more besides, following the rules, planning your next move, acting as a team member…. These are all “game” ideas that you will come across throughout your life.
Think about some of the games you played as a young child, such as rope-jumping and hide-and-seek. Such games are entertaining and fun. But perhaps more importantly, they translate life into exciting dramas that teach children some of the basic rules they will be expected to follow the rest of their lives, such as taking turns and cooperating.
Many children’s games have a practical side. Children around the world play games that prepare them for work they will do as grown-ups. For instance, some Saudi Arabian children play a game called bones，which sharpens the hand-eye coordination（協(xié)調(diào)）needed in hunting.
Many sports encourage national or local pride. The most famous games of all, the Olympic Games, bring athletes from around the world together to take part in friendly competition. People who watch the event wave flags, knowing that a gold medal is a win for an entire country, not just the athlete who earned it. For countries experiencing natural disasters or war, an Olympic win can mean so much.
Sports are also an event that unites people. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. People on all continents play it—some for fun and some for a living. Nicolette Iribarne, a Californian soccer player, has discovered a way to spread hope through soccer. He created a foundation to provide poor children with not only soccer balls but also a promising future.
Next time you play your favorite game or sport, think about why you enjoy it, what skills are needed, and whether these skills will help you in other aspects of your life.
小題1:Through playing hide-and-seek, children are expected to learn to _____.

A．be a team leader	B．a(chǎn)ct as a grown-up
C．obey the basic rules	D．predict possible danger

小題2:The underlined part in Paragraph 2 most probably means that games can_____.

A．describe life in an exciting way

B．turn real-life experiences into a play

C．change people’s views of sporting events

D．make learning life skills more interesting

小題3:According to the passage, why is winning Olympic medals so encouraging?

A．It proves the exceptional skills of the winners.

B．It inspires people’s deep love for the country.

C．It helps the country out of natural disasters.

D．It earns the winners fame and fortune.

小題4:Iribarne’s goal of forming the foundation is to _______.

A．bring fun to poor kids

B．provide soccer balls for children

C．give poor kids a chance for a better life

D．a(chǎn)ppeal to soccer players to help poor kids

In today's fast paced, high stress world people are working longer hours than ever, and often exhaust themselves at day's end in front of the television to relax enough to begin again in the morning．However, television watching, for most people, does not really lower stress．Studies show that TV viewing more than an hour or so actually creates stress and, especially in women, may lead to the blues．Most individuals are unaware that doing some exercise after work makes them more energetic since it increases energy levels．
Wise use of free time does not mean getting an advanced degree, although the mental encouragement gained through education is unbeatable in keeping your mind active．Learning new things nearly always adds a spark to your daily life, especially if it is a favorite topic, such as sport, fashion, or art．Also, look through your bookstore or library to find books on your interests．Try to replace a half hour TV watching with reading．
It is reported that in the United States recently, many individuals have as few as two good friends．Long work hours and car commute act to separate people from each other．This separation is deadly．Find ways to meet people at the end of the day and on weekends．Often this can be best done by combining activities, such as by joining a walking group to get both exercise and companionship．Taking a class will lift your spirits and allow you to meet others with similar interests．Hobbies are great for reducing stress and provide another opportunity for social interaction．
Using your free time to aid your health may include these elements and many more, such as going to concerts and spending time with family．Overall, the key is to spend less free time being passive．The best ways to use free time are to be mentally and physically active, spend some time outdoors, and interact with other people on a regular basis．
小題1:What can we learn from the passage?

A．Watching television may cause women to feel depressed．

B．Finding interests and hobbies in common means taking a class．

C．Going to concerts is the best way to make you mentally active．

D．Getting an advanced degree in education always lights up your life．

小題2:What does the underlined word "commute" in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．The arrangement to work every day．	B．The journey to work every day．
C．The communication between people．	D．The separation between people．

小題3:Which would be the best title for the passage?

A．Live a Happy and Healthy Life	B．Relax Yourself in Various Ways
C．Spend Your Free Time Wisely	D．Interact With Others Outdoors

As the old saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But Venezuela, whose beauty queens have won Miss Universe and Miss World over six times, doesn’t leave it to chance. In Venezuela, girls as young as four can be found attending beauty schools, where they can learn a range of skills from how to walk to the correct way to hold a wine glass.
“Hair must always be completely clean, make-up should look natural, and you should always, always wear high-heels,” advises Andrea Reyes, a teacher in a school of Caracas with 160 students.
Beauty contests are treated in Venezuela much as sporting competitions are elsewhere. Many Venezuelan parents believe that if their daughters can succeed and get the beauty crown, their future as famous and public persons is sure to come. As a result, the girls are trained to compete at a young age.
Among former beauty queens are Irene Saez, who went on to compete for the country’s president, and Eva Ekvall, whose battle with cancer helped to make more people know about the illness in Venezuela.
However, voices against the trend can be heard all over the country. At one time, a feminist (男女平等主義者) group tried to stop the Miss Venezuela broadcast. President Hugo Chavez has spoken out against the culture of plastic surgery(整形手術(shù))in Venezuela, calling it a “frightening thing”.
The BBC reporter Sarah Grainger says that acceptance of the contests is partly a result of the country’s “machista” (大男子主義的) view of the different roles that men and women should play, “Men are supposed to be strong and brave and women to be gentle and beautiful”.
Miss Universe 1996, Alicia Machado, knows the price to be paid when you’re no longer seen as attractive. After winning the beauty contest, she said all she wanted to do was “eat, eat and eat”. Her weight gain later and warning by the organizers of the contest to replace her as queen with the runner-up was among the hottest topics in the country, especially in Latin America.
小題1:What’s the advice given by a teacher in Caracas to her students?

A．Attending beauty schools as early as possible.

B．Wearing high-heels at times.

C．Washing your hair quite often.

D．Fighting against cancer bravely.

小題2:Girls try to win in the beauty contest to__________.

A．try plastic surgery

B．practice the country’s “machista” view

C．earn a good future

D．eat as much as one pleases

小題3:We can learn from the passage that__________.

A．Venezuela girls have won Miss Universe and Miss World over six times by chance

B．In Venezuela, people judge men and women in quite different ways

C．Eva Ekvall once competed for the country’s president

D．Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez has spoken out against beauty contests

小題4:What does the underlined word “runner-up” in the last paragraph mean?

A．the news reporter covering the beauty contest

B．the organizer of the beauty contest

C．the girl who is slim

D．the person who comes in the second place

Q: On Facebook, my friends are a mix of real-life pals, former classmates, professional colleagues, extended-family members, and … my mom. Mom is the first to like and comment on everything I post, which is annoying. I tried talking to her about it, but her feelings quickly got hurt, so I backed off. I know I can’t block her, but now I don’t want to post anything. How do I handle this?
A: This is about Facebook, not your mom. The often-shrugged-off truth about social media is that nothing is private. It’s easy to forget this, so in a way, you’re lucky that your mom is reminding you. Everything you post—comments, likes, photos—is freely available to future friends, employers, lovers etc unless blocked. That said, you can ask Mom again nicely to tone it down. You can also customize your controls so she can’t see everything you post.
Q: In which situations am I required to make a phone call versus send a text message?
A: A text is for information—time, date, news. It’s for the stuff you can keep short and sweet. A phone call is for analysis, discussion, opinion, and, if you must, gossip.
Q: I’m always on Facebook, so I just send messages to friends through the site. But when should I log off and send an e-mail?
A: When you’re serious about anything. Think of it as chatting with someone on a bus versus asking her to meet you for coffee. The former is good for casual conversation; the latter is personal and requires attention.
Q: For which occasions should I mail paper invitations versus send e-mail ones? (E-cards are free and easy—what’s not to love?!)
A: Anything important needs a paper invitation. That’s your baseline. So ask yourself: “Do I want people to dress up for this event?” If the answer is yes, dress up your invitation by making it printed instead of virtual. For more casual events and gatherings, e-card away.
Q: Is using emoticons ever inappropriate to express a feeling or make a point in texts or e-mails?
A: Emoticons are for fun. Is the message you’re writing fun? Use an emoticon. Are you asking for a big favor? Skip it. Is the message to your boss or a colleague? Skip it. Avoid them if you want to be taken seriously about anything.
Q: I have a big, happy announcement to share with a lot of people. Is it appropriate to share it on my blog?
A: Yes, so you don’t have to go cc-ing everyone in an e-mail. Post away. But send a private message to those who should know first.
Q: I have a big, sad announcement. What should I do?
A: Respect your privacy—and yourself. Pick up the phone and call a trusted friend or family member to let her know, and then ask her to help spread the news offline.
小題1:What do we learn about social media from the first Q and A?

A．It is illegal to keep track of personal privacy on Facebook.

B．Personal privacy is inaccessible online with control customized.

C．People tend to ignore privacy provided it is blocked purposefully.

D．We need someone to remind us constantly of our privacy online.

小題2:Which of the following is appropriate about using social media?

A．Sending texts to consult a doctor for surgery

B．Carrying on casual conversations via emails.

C．Emailing your boss with emoticons for promotion.

D．Writing a formal invitation for a dress-up event.

小題3:According to the passage, how would you make it known that you have won a scholarship to Harvard?

A．Arranging for a social gathering to celebrate it.

B．Informing your teachers who may help you spread.

C．Telling your parents before posting it on your blog.

D．Sending everyone a message privately to share it.

Happiness through Honorable Actions
Do you want to live with a strong sense of peacefulness, happiness, goodness, and self-respect? The collection of happiness actions broadly categorized as “honor” help you create this life of good feelings.
Here is an example to show how honorable actions create happiness.
Say a store clerk fails to charge us for an item. If we keep silent, and profit from the clerk’s mistake, we would drive home with a sense of mean excitement. Later we might tell our family of friends about our good fortune. On the other hand, if we tell the clerk about the uncharged item, the clerk would be grateful and thank us for our honesty. We would leave the store with a quiet sense of honor that we might never share with another soul.
Then, what is it to do with our sense of happiness?
In the first case, where we don’t tell the clerk, a couple of things would happen. Deep down inside we would know ourselves as a type of thief. In the process, we would lose some peace of mind and self-respect. We would also demonstrate that we cannot be trusted, since we advertise our dishonor by telling our family and friends. We damage our own reputations by telling others. In contrast, bringing the error to the clerk’s attention causes different things to happen. Immediately the clerk knows us to be honorable. Upon leaving the store, we feel honorable and our self-respect is increased. Whenever we take honorable action we gain the deep internal rewards of goodness and a sense of nobility.
There is a beautiful positive cycle that is created by living a life of honorable actions. Honorable thoughts lead to honorable actions. Honorable actions lead us to a happier existence. And it’s easy to think and act honorably again when we’re happy. While the positive cycle can be difficult to start, once it’s started, it’s easy to continue. Keeping on doing good deeds brings us peace of mind, which is important for our happiness.
小題1: According to the passage, the positive action in the example contributes to our ______.

A．self-respect	B．financial rewards
C．a(chǎn)dvertising ability	D．friendly relationship

小題2:The author thinks that keeping silent about the uncharged item is equal to ______.

A．lying

B．stealing

C．cheating

D．a(chǎn)dvertising

小題3:The underlined phrase “bringing the error to the clerk’s attention” means ______.

A．offering advice to the clerk	B．telling the truth to the clerk
C．a(chǎn)sking the clerk to be more attentive	D．reminding the clerk of the charged item

小題4:How does the positive cycle work according to the author?

A new U．S．government report says more than two million Americans fall ill each year with drug—resistant bacterial infections(感染)，and 23，000 of them are dying as a result．The head of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention[CDC]said that the number probably will grow．Officials warn that steps must be taken now to preserve the effectiveness of antibiotic(抗生素)drugs．
Without urgent action to stop that trend，warned Tom Frieden whose agency wrote the report，the miracle drugs to fight them won’t be available in the future．
“If we are not careful，the medicine chest will be empty when we go there to look for a lifesaving antibiotic for someone with a deadly infection．But if we act now，we can preserve these medications while we continue to work on development of new medicines．”
The report names a drug—resistant abuse of gonorrhea(淋病)，which causes about one quarter of a million hospitalizations in the United States annually．Of the number at least 1 4，000 result in death．
Drug resistance develops through the overuse and inappropriate use of anti—bacterial agents．These can be：doctors prescribing(開藥) them to patients who have viral infections that are not affected by medicine meant to fight bacteria；patients not taking all of their medicine as prescribed，so the bacteria making them sick are only weakened，not killed；antibiotic use in healthy farm animals to prevent illness and promote growth．Antibiotic remainders left in meat and animal products can then lead to drug resistance in humans．
To limit the spread of resistant infections，experts recommend wider use of routine immunizations(預(yù)防)，as well as hand—washing in hospitals and other health care facilities．Also， the report urges hand—washing by food handlers．?
Michael Bell，deputy director of the Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion at CDC，said Patients also can play a role in preserving the effectiveness of antibiotics by asking health care providers a few simple questions．
小題1:What’s the best title of the passage?

A．Drug Resistance Developing Quickly in the US

B．Drug—Resistant Bacterial Infections Growing in the US

C．Actions for Preserving Anti-Bacterial Medications in the US

D．Preventions of Drug-resistant Bacterial Infections in the US

小題2:According to Frieden，we must take measures without delay to preserve effectiveness of antibiotics，or_____.

A．we will have to develop better medicines in place of antibiotics

B．there may be no effective anti-bacterial drugs for use in the future

C．we can’t find other medicines to cure serious illnesses in the future

D．more and more Americans will suffer from bacterial infections each year

小題3:Of those patients admitted to the hospital because of a drug-resistant abuse of gonorrhea annually，deaths add up to_____.

A．a(chǎn)t least 5.6％

B．a(chǎn)bout 25％

C．a(chǎn)bout 1.4％

D．a(chǎn)t least 2.5％

小題4:One of the approaches through which drug resistance develops is that_____.

A．people eat the meat with Antibiotic remainder in animals

B．doctors prescribe less antibiotics than needed for patients

C．doctors prescribe much more antibiotic than needed for patients

D．patients don’t take their ant-bacterial agents that doctors prescribe

Downing Street sources have indicated that the British tennis player，Andy Murray，will be Recommended for a knighthood(爵士頭銜)for ending Britain’s 77-year wait for a Wimbledon men’s champion title．David Cameron，the British prime minister，who was in the royal box on Sunday at Wimbledon．told reporters that he couldn’t think of anyone who deserves one more．
More news on the knighthood is surely to come．but Murray’s achievement has a twist in that he is Scottish．not English．
Also in the royal box show on Sunday was Scotland’s  first minister, Alex Salmond, waving the white-and-blue Scottish flag．in the row directly behind Cameron after the victory．No Scotsman had won the singles at Wimbledon since Harold Mahony in 1896．Salmond was later asked on BBC Radio whether Murray’s achievement had been a victory for Britain． “Absolutely，and for tennis fans everywhere，"Salmond said．“Let everyone enjoy the victory．But you will allow us just the little private thing．Let us wave our national flag．’’
The Scottish government，headed by Salmond，has announced that Scotland will hold a referendum(全民票)on independence from Britain in September 2014．Murray，who lives in the London area but was born and raised in the Scottish town of Dunblane，has not said publicly which way he would vote on the issue，and his Wimbledon Championship will only mix interest in his views．
But this was，make no mistake，a national moment．Murray’s semifinal victory over Jerzy Janowicz drew a peak television audience of 13.24 million viewers．the biggest of the year in Britain．The final then topped that with a peak audience of 17.3 million，the biggest audience for a Wimbledon final since at least 1990, according to the BBC．
Only one name will go on the trophy(獎杯)，but tennis at the highest level has now become a team event．Murray，who once had frequent fits of anger during matches，has transformed himself into a much more focused force with the help of an extensive support group．Murray’s rise to champion has clearly  something to do with his decision to hire the former number one tennis champion Ivan Lendl as his coach just before the2012 season．“He’s been very patient with me; I'm just happy I managed to do it for him．”
Onward Team Murray goes toward a defense of the United States Open title，beginning next month，and then eventually to defending at Wimbledon next year with the British drought(干旱) well and truly over．
小題1:The underlined word “twist” in the second paragraph refers to Murray’s_____.

A．a(chǎn)chievement	B．knighthood
C．champion title	D．nationality

小題2:Which of the following is TRUE?

A．Murray is the first British to have won the singles at Wimbledon．

B．Murray’s victory over Jerzy Janowicz drew the biggest audience of the year．

C．Murray has won the championship of the United States Open before．

D．Murray was born a strong，talented and cool-headed tennis player．

小題3:What does the author mean by saying“the British drought well and truly over”?

A．Murray is concerned about the drought that struck Britain．

B．Drought in Britain will be over next year when Wimbledon is held．

C．British government’s rule over Scotland will come to an end soon．

D．The British people’s desire for a Wimbledon victory is fully satisfied．

小題4:What does the writer intend to tell us?

A．The whole Great Britain is enjoying Murray’s victory．

B．Scotland is going to gain independence from Britain

C．The secret lies behind Murray’s Wimbledon victory．

D．Murray was torn between the choices in the referendum．

Sushi is a kind of food made with a mixture of cooked or raw fish, vegetables, and rice. Although Sushi is most commonly considered to have its origin in Japan, it actually began in China during the 7^th Century.
At that time, any fish caught had to be preserved. Raw fish was cleaned and then pressed between layers of heavy salt. After a couple of months, the whole process was complete. Over time, a discovery was made that by rolling the fish in rice that had been soaked in vinegar the fish was easily fermented (發(fā)酵) in a few days rather than months. The rice was then thrown away and the fish was eaten. However, with a food shortage, people began consuming the rice as well as the fish and thus, Sushi today as we know was born. However, in the 1800s, a famous chef by the name of Yohei created two styles of Sushi—one called Edo, and the second, Osaka, for two cities.
Sushi is usually consumed with hot green tea. Also, Gari is offered free and eaten between bites to create a better taste. Two kinds of sauce are usually available: one is soy sauce, which is poured on most kinds of Sushi; the other is a thick sweet sauce used on eel (鰻魚).
Sushi has taken the world by storm and today is a multi-billion dollar industry. Its popularity continues to rise because people are looking for healthy food that is quick and easy to make. With such unbelievable popularity as well as the health benefits of eating Sushi, it is likely that this food will continue to be a part of everyday life for many more centuries to come.
小題1:Two kinds of Sushi, Edo and Osaka, were probably named after _______.

A．the chef’s name	B．their birthplaces
C．the name of fish	D．some kinds of food

小題2:When people eat Sushi, Gari is used to _______.

A．keep Sushi last long

B．make green tea better

C．digest Sushi more quickly

D．make Sushi more delicious

小題3:Why do people like Sushi today?

A．It is cheap and delicious.

B．It is served with free Gari.

C．It is beneficial to people’s health.

D．It is easy to be kept for a long time.

小題4:What can be the best title for the text?

A．Delicious Sushi and Its Origin

B．How to Make Delicious Sushi

C．Yohei and Two Styles of Sushi

D．The Birthplace of Sushi—China