EVERYBODY in this world is different from one another. But do you know that understanding differences can help you better manage your money?
As we grow up, we gradually develop a set of our own values or beliefs. These are influenced by society, our family, the education we receive and so on. Once this value system is set up, it’s not easy to change later in life.
Financial experts say that everyone also has their own belief of how to manage their finances. This is part of our value system and it has a great impact on the way we look after our money.
According to our different values, experts put us in three categories. They are: the ant, the cricket and the snail.
The ant—works first
Just like ants who work heart and soul in summer in order to store food for winter, these people don’t care about enjoying the moment. They work very hard and save money they earn so that they can enjoy life when they get old and retire. The ant loves to save but they could make more out of their money if they were willing to invest in some funds and stocks with low risk.
The cricket—fun first
The cricket wants to enjoy everything now and doesn’t think too much about the future. They even borrow money when they really want something. Many young people now belong to this group. These people have little savings. When they get old, they might have problems. They should learn to save and buy insurance.
The snail—lives under pressure
The snail refers to people who make life difficult for themselves. They take big long-term loans from the bank in order to buy things such as luxury houses. They are happy to take big loans even though they are not sure they can afford it. This can cause problems in the future. They should plan more carefully.
小題1:We can learn from the text that _____.

A．we spend money because we have earned it

B．saving money is a good way to manage money

C．your way of managing money is a reflection of your value or belief

D．spending money is a wiser way

小題2: Of the three types of people, the one that has no weakness is _____.

A．the ant

B．the snail

C．none of them

D． the cricket

小題3:If you had three dollars, you would spend all of it. Which type do you belong to?

A．The cricket

B．The ant

C．The snail

D．None of them

小題4:The text tells us mainly about _____.

A．understanding differences

B．our own values and beliefs

C．living behaviors of small animal

D．spending nature

I was driving in my car the other day. The sun was out, the radio was playing, and I was ____ along. The song was a ____ one and even my weak voice sounded good singing it. Then it ____, however. The sweet sound of the music ____ and there came the ____ news. Gas prices ____ again. Fans of two sports teams got into fight. I sighed and wondered about this ____ world we live in.
____, I could take no more and turned off the _____. Silence seemed preferable to listening to ____ else about the crazy, competitive society we live in. I slowed down as I entered a town and ____ the people as I drove by. A tall man was ____ an elderly lady out of a car and helping her place her walker so she could go into store. A smiling woman was ____ food onto the square while a dozen birds flew down to enjoy the ____ being laid out before them. A young man was walking along, carrying his ____ safely in his arms. When the daughter pulled the hat off his head, they both ____. I laughed too as I looked at all of his ____. The radio may have been off in my car, _____ in my heart I was _____ singing.
In truth, this world could have more kindness and less _____. Kindness makes us all winners in this life and our life is full of kindness, love and joy.

小題1:	A．talking B．singing C．walking D．driving

小題2:	A．long B．boring C．joyful D．sad

小題3:	A．appeared B．remained C．happened D．stayed

小題4:	A．ended B．continued C．jumped D．fell

小題5:	A．sports B．business C．unpleasant D．welcome

小題6:	A．cut B．changed C．going down D．going up

小題7:	A．exciting B．interesting C．unusual D．crazy

小題8:	A．Finally B．Generally C．Secretly D．Calmly

小題9:	A．television B．radio C．gas D．lights

小題10:

A．anything B．everything C．something D．nothing

小題11:

A．touched B．watched C．avoided D．recognized

小題12:

A．freeing B．protecting C．helping D．keeping

小題13:

A．collecting B．moving C．covering D．throwing

小題14:

A．water B．bread C．grass D．food

小題15:

A．daughter B．son C．dog D．cat

小題16:

A．stopped B．stood C．laughed D．shouted

小題17:

A．weakness B．kindness C．loneliness D．safeness

小題18:

A．for B．or C．and D．but

小題19:

A．still B．just C．soon D．first

小題20:

A．silence B．development C．competition D．sickness

If you’re like most kids, you’ve probably made more than a few paper airplanes in your day. But how many kids can say their paper airplanes have been built life-size and then flown? At least one: 12-year-old Arturo Veldenegro of Tucson, Arizona, who won the Pima Air& Space Museum’s first annual Great Paper Airplane Project Fly-Off in March 2012.
“ The purpose of the competition is to inspire and draw kids’ interest in science and flight,” says Tim Vimmerstedt, director of the museum.
About 150 kids entered the competition. The young designers learned about how airplanes fly and then set to work designing their own planes.
Arturo designed and built his airplane. When hen was finished, he took his plane to the flight area and let it fly, outdistancing the other competitors in all age groups. At last, Arturo’s airplane flew the farthest---more than 75 feet!
As the winner, Arturo got to meet with a team of engineers, which took his design and made a bigger one. The new paper airplane might have been the largest one ever built! Arturo named his large paper airplane Arturo’s Desert Eagle.
Later a helicopter tried to lift the paper airplane over the Arizona desert, but it was unsuccessful. Engineers worked for eight hours to repair it for a second try. This time, the helicopter managed to raise it to 2700 feet and then set the plane free.
Arturo watched as his plane flew through the sky at speeds of up to 98 miles per hour for 10 seconds before falling to pieces.
“I felt happy but sad,” Arturo says, “ It flew really well, but it was sad to see it destroyed.”
But that wasn’t the end of Arturo’s Desert Eagle. The Pima Air & Space Museum collected the pieces of the broken plane and put them on show to inspire other young engineers to reach for the sky.
小題1:According to the text, the Great Paper Airplane Project Fly-Off competition _______

A．has been held many times

B．can only be entered by kids

C．is to choose the largest plane

D．is held by a team of designers

小題2:The underlined word ”outdistancing” in Para 4 means ________

A．looking for

B．believing in

C．throwing away

D．leaving behind

小題3:What do we know about the paper airplane Arturo built?

A．It flew the highest	B．It flew for 20 minutes
C．It flew more than 75 feet	D．it took him eight hours to build

小題4:In the end, Arturo’s Desert Eagle ______

A．was made into a helicopter

B．was produced in many places

C．was sold to a team of engineers

D．was put on show in the museum

Joe is interested in getting exercise and competing on a team. He reads about the events at the local pool and finds the perfect activity. 
Swimming Programs
Summer Swim Team 
Join a Summer Swim Team and compete with other swimmers! The program is offered at eight different local pools for youths to 17 years old. The season runs June 21—August 21. Practices are daily (Monday through Friday) throughout the summer. The championship meet(冠軍賽) is August 21. Cost: $50.00
Pools & Practice Times
Buckman  2-3 P.M.           Montavilla  8-9 A.M.
Creston  7-9 A.M.             Peninsula  4-7 P.M.
Dishman  8-9 A.M.            Pier    noon-1 P.M.
Grant  8-10 A.M.             Sellwood  7-9 A.M.
Junior Swim Instructor
Two weeks, 20 hours of instruction, two hours per day for children 11-14 years old. Pre-training for youths interested in becoming swim instructors($45 per child)
Two weeks, 30 hours of instruction, three hours per day for children 11-14 years old. Pre-training in lifeguarding, and customer service ($45 per child)
Junior Swim Instructor & Junior Lifeguard Training Dates
June 28-July 9     August 9-August 20
June 12-July 23    August 23-September 3
June 26-August 6
Special Offer
Anyone who takes part in both junior swim instructor and junior lifeguard programs at the same time need only spend $75 instead of $90 for 50 hours of training.
Register Online
You can now register online! Visit our website at http://www.example.com You can choose an area of town, a specific local center, a program, or search for classes which can meet the needs of students of different ages. Just visit our website, and you’re on your way!
小題1:If Joe joins the Summer Swim Team, he _____
A. needs to pay $45.00
B. begins training at 6 A.M.
C. has to practice for two months
D. needs to practice for 7 days a week
小題2:Anyone who wants to be a junior swim instructor should _____

A．be 11-14 years old

B．pay the instructor by the hour

C．do at least 30 hours of training

D．be an experienced junior lifeguard

小題3:What’s the main purpose of this text?

A．To introduce Joe’ s hobbies.

B．To introduce a new website.

C．To introduce several swimming pools

D．To introduce some swimming activities.

Sometimes ideas do not appear when you are concentrating your attention and mysteriously appear when you are not. Modern science recognizes this as a result of incubating (醞釀) the problem in your subconscious (潛意識) yet can't account for why it occurs.
When you quit thinking about a subject and decide to forget it, your subconscious mind doesn't quit working. Your thoughts keep making associations. This is why you're experienced suddenly remembering names, getting solutions to problems you've forgotten about, and ideas out of the blue when you're relaxing and not thinking about any particular thing.
You may try solving a problem with your subconscious mind by writing a letter to it. The letter should read just like a letter you would send to a real person. Seal the letter and put it away.
Let go of the problem. Don't work on it. Forget it. Do something else. This is the incubation stage when much of what goes on occurs outside your focused awareness, in your unconscious. Open the letter in two days. The answer might magically pop into your mind.
An advertising agency was under pressure to come up with a marketing campaign to introduce new television shows. Bob, the creative director, wrote the following letter which he addressed to his subconscious mind. He called his subconscious mind "Secret Expert".
Secret Expert,
I need to come up with a new marketing program to introduce a new season of TV shows. I'm interested in coming up with some kind of campaign that will capture the audience's attention more than one time. Is there something people need that we can advertise on? What kind of products, foods and services should we investigate? I need a fresh approach to advertising. Your mission is to give me a new idea on how to advertise TV shows.
Thanks, Bob
Bob mailed the letter to himself and when he read what he had written, he got his brainstorm, which was to advertise on "eggs". Somehow an association between "foods", "need", and "fresh" approach" inspired the thought of using "fresh eggs to advertise". He arranged to place laser imprints of the slogans for the TV shows on eggs —some thirty million.
The consumers look at a single egg at least a few times, when they buy the eggs at the store, when they transfer them to the refrigerator, and when they crack them open. It's unlike any other ad medium in the world, because you're looking at it while you're using it.
小題1:You remember names when you're not thinking about them because your subconscious mind ____.

A．is still working	B．is full of names
C．stops working	D．improves your memory

小題2:Which of the following was included in Bob's letter to his subconscious mind?

A．How the solution could be found.

B．When he would need its help.

C．What product could be advertised

D．What he wanted it to do

小題3:During the incubation stage, your focused awareness _____.

A．waits for an answer	B．controls your thoughts
C．doesn't work	D．helps your unconscious

小題4: In what way did the ad on eggs help?

A．It helped Bob to get a brainstorm

B．It made the TV shows known to people repeatedly.

C．It greatly increased the sales of eggs.

D．It made sure consumers could get fresh eggs.

小題5:Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

A．Difference between Subconscious and Awareness

B．A fresh Approach to Advertising

C．Communicating with Your Subconscious Mind

D．Solving problems with your Subconscious Mind

The survey about childhood in the Third World shows that the struggle for survival is long and hard. But in the rich world, children can       from a different kind of poverty — of the spirit.   , one Western country alone now sees 14, 000 attempted suicides ( 自殺 ) every year by children under 15, and one child      five needs psychiatric (心理上的) advice.
There are many good things about       in the Third World. Take the close and constant relation between children and their parents, relatives and neighbors for example. In the West, the very nature of work puts distance between      and children. But in most Third World villages mother and father do not go miles away each day to work in offices.   , the child sees mother and father, relations and neighbors working      and often shares in that work..
A child       in this way learns his or her role through joining in the community's       ：helping to dig or build, look after animals or babies -- rather than      playing with water and sand in kindergarten, keeping pets      playing with dolls.
These children may grow up with a less oppressive sense of space and time than the      children. Their sense of days and time has a lot to do with the change of seasons and positions of the sun or the moon in the sky. Children in the rich world,         , are provided with a watch as one of the      signs of growing up, so that they can      along with their parents about being late for school times, meal times, bed times, the times of TV shows …
Third World children do not usually      to stay indoors, still less in high-rise apartments. Instead of dangerous roads, "keep off the grass" signs and "don't speak to strangers", there is often a sense of        to study and play. Parents can see their children outside rather than observe them      from ten floors up.
     , twelve million children under five still die every year through hunger and disease. But childhood in the Third World is not all     

小題1:	A．come B．survive C．suffer D．learn

小題2:	A．As usual B．In fact C．For instance D．In other words

小題3:	A．in B．by C．to D．under

小題4:	A．childhood B．poverty C．spirit D．survival

小題5:	A．neighbors B．fathers C．adults D．relatives

小題6:	A．Anyhow B．Instead C．However D．Still

小題7:	A．away B．alone C．nearby D．along

小題8:	A．working B．living through C．playing D．growing up

小題9:	A．fun B．life C．study D．work

小題10:

A．by B．through C．from D．with

小題11:

A．or B．but C．and D．so

小題12:

A．Western B．good C．poor D．Eastern

小題13:

A．at any moment B．at the same time C．on the other hand D．on the whole

小題14:

A．easiest B．quickest C．happiest D．earliest

小題15:

A．care B．worry C．hurry D．fear

小題16:

A．dare B．expect C．have D．require

小題17:

A．freedom B．danger C．disappointment D．control

小題18:

A．eagerly B．anxiously C．impatiently D．proudly

小題19:

A．Above all B．In the end C．Of course D．What's more

小題20:

A．poor B．good C．rich D．bad

Rock stars and their money
Around the world young people are spending unbelievable sums of money listening to rock music. Forbes reports that at least fifty rock stars have incomes between two million and six million dollars per year.
"It doesn't make sense," says Johnny Mathis, one of the older music millionaires, who made a million dollars a year when he was popular in 1950s. "Performers aren't worth this kind of money. In fact, nobody is."
But the rock stars' admirers seem to disagree. Those who love rock music spend about two billion dollars a year for records. They pay 150 million to see rock stars in person.
Luck is a key word for explaining the success of many. In 1972 one of the luckiest was Kon Mclean, who wrote and sang "American Pie". Mclean writes his own music, so he earns an additional two cents on every single record of the song.
Neil Young who performs in torn blue jeans, sometimes sings to an audience of 10,000, each of whom has paid five dollars for a ticket. After paying expenses, Young leaves with about $ 18,000 in his blue jeans at the end of an evening.
How do the rock stars use their money? What do they do when the money starts pouring in like water? Most of the young stars simply show the money around. England's Elton John gave someone a $ 38,000 Rolls car and bought himself 5,000 pairs of eyeglasses, then lighted up and spelt ：E-L-T-O-N. He also bought himself two cars, "one for each foot".
Many rock stars live like Grace Slick and Jefferson Airplane. Those performers return from a tour, pay their bills, and buy new toys. Then when they need money again, they do another tour. They save no money and live from hand to mouth.
In the end the rock stars' life is unrewarding. After two or three years riches and fame are gone. Left with his memories and his tax problems, the lonely star spends his remaining years trying to attract strangers. New stars have arrived to take his place.
小題1: This passage is mainly about       .

A．the success of a rock star	B．the way rock stars live
C．rich rock stars	D．the admirers of rock stars

小題2: How much expense does Neil Young pay for a performance?

A． $10,000

B．$33,000

C． $32,000

D．$38,000

小題3:According to passage, the underlined phrase "from hand to mouth" means       .

A．they have to earn money by hand

B．They know how to spend money in a reasonable way

C．they earn money only for their immediate enjoyment

D．they steal to feed their mouth when they need money

October 15, 1970 was declared International White Cane Safety Day (IWCSD) for the first time by the President of the International Federation of the Blind (IFB). This date was adopted at the first convention of the IFB, held in Colombo on October 4, 1969. The object of the exercise is to enable the general public to have a better understanding of blindness and visual handicap, and to make people more aware of the white cane as a mobility aid.
Peguilly d’Herbemont was born on 25th June 1888 into an old French noble family of the same name. In her youth she led the conventional and protected existence, lack of great activity, of a girl from a “good family”, an existence reminding of the life of the aristocracy(貴族) before the French Revolution. She never visited a public school, but was educated by German and English governesses and nuns. Her movements were restricted and were mainly confined to the family positions in Paris and Belgium, but she spent most of her time at the castle of Charmois not far from Verdun.
In the process of helping individual blind people across the road, Peguilly d’Herbemont was made aware by narrow scrapes(刮擦) which almost led to accidents, of the dangerous situation of the visually impaired brought about by the steadily increasing traffic on the roads. She first spoke about measures to protect the blind against street hazards to her mother in 1930, but she was of the opinion that it was unfit for a lady of good society to create a public outcry and advised her to stick to the transcription of books, a popular pastime of ladies of rank at the time.
But the idea did not leave her. The urgent wish to encourage the integration(成為一體) of the blind into society by providing them with a means of moving about more freely without endangering others, and at the same time attracting the attention of passers-by ready to offer assistance, caused her to take the unusual step of writing to the editor of the Paris daily Echo de Paris in which she suggested issuing the blind of the Paris region with white sticks similar to those used by the traffic police.
The editor took up the idea, published it in November 1930 and saw to it that the relevant authorities acted with atypical speed. Thus it was that the white cane received official backing, and on 7th February 1931.
小題1:The underlined words “the exercise” here refer to _____.

A．the founding of the IFB	B．the declaration of IWCSD
C．the convention of the IFB	D．the first convention of the IFB

小題2: Which of the following is true about Peguilly d’Herbemont?

A．She led a typical aristocrat life when she was young.

B．Though she could travel around Europe, she spent most time at Charmois.

C．She was taught German and English at a public school.

D．She worried about possible street hazards for the blind, witnessing many traffic accidents.

小題3:_____ gave her the white cane idea.

A．Her concern about the dangerous situation for the blind caused by the increasing traffic

B．The accident she had when helping blind people across the road

C．The scrapes she got when crossing the road

D．Her urgent wish to integrate into society together with the blind

小題4:According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?

A．Peguilly d’Herbemont’s mother didn’t want her to draw the public’s attention.

B．It was common for people to write to newspapers to voice their opinion at the time.

C．Peguilly’s strong desire to help the blind made her not a looker-on but an advocate.

D．The editor contributed a lot to the declaration of International White Cane Safety Day.

小題5:This passage mainly wants to tell us _____.

A．Peguilly d’Herbemont’s achievements

B．how to care for the blind

C．the function of the white cane

D．how International White Cane Safety Day came into being

Maybe you know the saying, “When you point one finger, there are three fingers pointing back to you.” One wise man had a version of this       when he said, “Don't focus on the dust in your brother's eye while       the dirt in your own eye.” Why do we do this? Because criticisms are always        ourselves. When we criticize others, we do not expose them, but expose ourselves. We      our own weakness and smallness.
A story in the old tales       the difference in wisdom between the good and the bad. Once a king        both Nelson and Dick. The king asks Nelson to go out into the kingdom and       after finding someone less qualified than himself. Then he asks Dick to go out into the kingdom and return after finding someone       than himself.
When Fool Dick returns, he tells the king that he couldn't find anyone better than himself.       Wise Nelson says that he was       to find anyone less qualified than himself on his return.
Moral of the story is something about human      . Good people always look at their own       and faults and consider themselves less qualified than others. Whereas bad people always look at the shortcomings and faults of others and       themselves more qualified than others.

小題1:	A．problem B．wisdom C．idea D．action

小題2:	A．dropping B．holding C．ignoring D．neglecting

小題3:	A．centered on B．put up with C．dealt with D．moved out

小題4:	A．forget B．kill C．broadcast D．express

小題5:	A．cancels B．explains C．doubts D．illustrates

小題6:	A．meets with B．questions about C．worries about D．looks after

小題7:	A．leave B．return C．wait D．stay

小題8:	A．better B．faster C．higher D．shorter

小題9:	A．But B．Although C．Moreover D．Therefore

小題10:

A．happy B．quick C．disabled D．unable

小題11:

A．side B．life C．thought D．psychology

小題12:

A．shortcomings B．excuses C．worries D．advantages

小題13:

A．consider B．take C．have D．keep

The world has never faced so much trouble before. People are        within themselves about natural resources, territories and especially religions. In my opinion, laughter is a universal language, which has the ability to       humanity without religions. Laughter can build a common connection between various religions and create a new world      . The idea may sound over-ambitious, and maybe it is. But maybe it is not. It is our deep       that laughter and only the laughter can unite the world, holding up a       sense of brotherhood and friendship.
Studies also show that laughter helps your body to do the following: lower blood pressure; lighten depression; reduce stress; work out the heart,       for those who are unable to perform       exercise. So in life, when you can laugh, you should laugh loudly and with your entire body—because it’s good for you.

小題1:	A．in peace B．in difficulty C．at war D．among challenge

小題2:	A．unite B．unfold C．release D．handle

小題3:	A．position B．ruler C．size D．order

小題4:	A．belief B．advice C．intention D．plan

小題5:	A．safe B．humorous C．common D．global

小題6:	A．partly B．intensively C．especially D．universally

小題7:	A．mental B．heart C．physical D．morning