Several days ago, a Beijing-based IT com­pany fired about 400 people overnight. No one had expected the job cuts, which broke with traditional ways of letting go of workers in Chi­na. Moreover, what was special about this case was that the day before the 400 were fired, they all received from their boss a gift—the book “Who Moved My Cheese?”
The book—a bestseller in the US—is being used by men and women to deal with changes in their lives and work. Some large organizations, including Coca-Cola, Kodak and General Mo­tors, ask their employees to read it in order to encourage them to be active towards changes.
Cheese is something related to everyone’s livelihood—our jobs, the Industries we work in, relationships and love as well.  
With China’s official entry into the WTO, the whole nation will face more changes and cha­llenges. So what should we do once this “cheese” on which we are so dependent is moved?
whatever challenges and changes we meet, we should face up to them bravely, Jiang Hengwei, a civil servant said after reading the book.
Professor Zhang Yang in Renmin University of China agrees. “We should change our way of thinking. The coming competitive foreign com­panies and products provide us with great chances to learn from them and improve our own products to meet international standards and be more competitive.”
“With hard work and wisdom, we will create a much larger and better piece of cheese.” Zhang smiled confidently.            
小題1:The whole passage is about _______.

A．people’s opinions about a bestseller of the US

B．what people think about China’s entry into the WTO

C．the change in people’s attitude towards changes and challenges

D．how a book influences the Chinese

小題2:The company in Beijing gave each of the 400 fired workers a copy of “Who Moved My Cheese” in order to _______.

A．be more competitive with foreign firms

B．find an excuse for their job cuts

C．let the workers make a living on their own

D．encourage the fired workers

小題3:The word “cheese” in the passage can refer to _______.

A．something we depend on for a living

B．a(chǎn) most important kind of food

C．change or challenge

D．way of life

小題4:From what Hengwei and Professor Zhang Yang said, we can know that _______.

A．they have different opinions on changes and challenges

B．people are not afraid of competition from foreign companies

C．the Chinese people are ready to face any changes and challenges

D．they are both greatly encouraged by the book

We have all experienced days when everything goes wrong. A day may begin well enough, but suddenly everything seems to get out of control. It seems as if a single unimportant event may cause a number of things to happen. Let us suppose that you are preparing a meal and keeping an eye on the baby at the same time. The telephone rings and this means your troubles are beginning. While you are on the phone, the baby pulls the table-cloth off the table, destroying your prepared meal. You hang up hurriedly and attend to your baby. Meanwhile, the meal gets burnt. As if these were not enough to bring you to tears, your husband arrives unexpectedly bringing three guests to dinner.
Things can go wrong on-a number of people on the road. During the rush hour one evening, two cars hit each other and both drivers began to argue. The woman driver behind the two cars happened to be a learner. She suddenly went into a panic and stopped her car. This made the driver following her stop suddenly. His wife was sitting beside him holding a large cake. As she was thrown forward, the cake went right through the window and landed on the road’. Seeing a cake-flying through the air, a truck driver had to stop his truck all of a sudden. The truck was carrying empty beer bottles and hundreds of them slid off the back of the truck and fell onto the road. This led to yet another angry argument. Meanwhile, the traffic piled up behind. It took the police nearly an hour to get the traffic to move again. In the meanwhile, the truck driver had to sweep up hundreds of broken bottles. Only two dogs were enjoying themselves from the accident; for they were happily having what was left of the cake. It was just one of those days.
小題1:What does the writer mainly tell us?

A．Troubles always happen at the same time.

B．Everyone may have trouble every day.

C．A small matter can cause great trouble.

D．Only the lucky man won’t have any trouble every day.

小題2:according to the passage, what should be the correct order?
(1) The woman driver stopped her car suddenly.             ?
(2) The driver’s wife dropped her cake on the road.
(3) Only two dogs were happy.
(4) Two cars hit each other.
(5) The truck driver had to sweep up hundreds of broken bottles.

A．(2)(3)(3)(5)(1)	B．(4)(1)(2)(5)(3)
C．(3)(5)(2)(4)(1)	D．(1)(4)(2)(3)(5)

小題3:Which of the following is true?

A．The woman’s husband brought three guests home to dinner unexpectedly.

B．The meal got burnt.

C．Her baby pulled the table-cloth off the table.

D．It is not strange to experience such accidents.

小題4:What does the word "these" in the last sentence of the first paragraph refer to?
A. Your husband brings three guests to dinner unexpectedly.
B. The meal gets burnt.
C. The baby pulls the table-cloth off the table.
D. Both B and C.

How often one hears children wishing they were grown up, and old people wishing they were young again. Each age has its pleasures and its pains, and the happiest person is the one who enjoys what each age gives him without wasting his time in useless regrets.
Childhood is a time when there are few responsibilities to make life difficult. If a child has good parents, he is fed, looked after and loved, whatever he may do. It is impossible that he will ever again in his life be given so much without having to do anything in return. In addition, life is always presenting new things to the child-things that have lost their interest for older people because they are too well-known. But a child has his parents, he is not so free to do what he wishes to do. He is continually being told not to do things or being punished for what he has done wrong. When the young man starts to earn his own living, he can no longer expect others to pay for his food, his clothes, and his room, but has to work if he wants to live comfortably. If he spends most of his time playing about in the way that he used to as a child, he will go hungry. And if he breaks the laws of society as he used to break the laws of his parents, he may go to prison. If, however, he works hard, keeps out of trouble and has good health, he can have the great happiness of building up for himself his own position in society.
小題1:according to the second paragraph, the writer thinks that _______.

A．life for a child is comparatively easy

B．a(chǎn) child is always loved whatever he does

C．if much is given to a child, he must do something in return

D．only children are interested in life

小題2:After a child grows up, he ________.

A．will have little time playing

B．has to be successful in finding a job

C．can still ask for help in time of trouble

D．should be able to take care of himself

小題3:Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A．People are often satisfied with their life.

B．Life is less interesting for old people.

C．Adults are freer to do what they want to do.

D．Adults should no longer rely on others.

小題4:The main idea of the passage is ________.

A．life is not enjoyable since each age has some pains

B．young men can have the greatest happiness if they work hard

C．childhood is the most enjoyable time in one’s life

D．one is the happiest if he can make good use of each age in his life

小題5:The paragraph following this passage will most probably discuss _______.

A．examples of successful young men

B．how to build up one’s position in society

C．joys and pains of old people

D．what to do when one has problems in life

A is for always getting to work on time.
B is for being extremely busy.
C is for the conscientious(勤勤懇懇的) way you do your job.
You may be all these things at the office, and more. But when it comes to getting ahead, experts say, the ABCs of business should include a P, for politics, as in office politics.
Dale Carnegie suggested as much more than 50 years ago: Hard work alone doesn’t ensure career advancement. You have to be able to sell yourself and your ideas, both publicly and behind the scenes. Yet, despite the obvious rewards of engaging in office politics—a better job, a raise, praise—many people are still unable or unwilling—to “play the game”.
“People assume that office politics involves some manipulative(工于心計的) behavior,” says Deborah Comer, an assistant professor of management at Hofstra University. “But politics derives from the word ‘polite’. It can mean lobbying(游說) and forming associations. It can mean being kind and helpful, or even trying, to please your superior, and then expecting something in return.”
In fact, today, experts define office politics as proper behavior used to pursue one’s own self-interest in the workplace. In many cases, this involves some form of socializing within the office environment—not just in large companies, but in small workplaces as well.
“The first thing people are usually judged on is their ability to perform well on a consistent basis,” says Neil P. Lewis, a management psychologist. “But if two or three candidates are up for a promotion, each of whom has reasonably similar ability, a manager is going to promote the person he or she likes best. It’s simple human nature.”
Yet, psychologists say, many employees and employers have trouble with the concept of politics in the office. Some people, they say, have an idealistic vision of work and what it takes to succeed. Still others associate politics with flattery(奉承), fearful that, if they speak up for themselves, they may appear to be flattering their boss for favors.
Experts suggest altering this negative picture by recognizing the need for some self-promotion.
小題1:“Office politics” is used in the passage to refer to________.

A．the political views and beliefs of office workers

B．the interpersonal relationships within a company

C．the various qualities required for a successful career

D． the code of behavior for company staff

小題2:To get promoted, one must not only be competent but________.

A．a(chǎn)void being too outstanding

B．get along well with his colleagues

C．honest and loyal to his company

D．give his boss a good impression

小題3:The author considers office politics to be________.

A．unwelcome at the workplace

B．bad for interpersonal relationships

C．a(chǎn)n important factor for personal advancement

D．indispensable to the development of company culture

小題4:It is the author’s view that________.

A．self-promotion does not necessarily mean flattery

B．hard work contributes very little to one’s promotion

C．many employees fail to recognize the need of flattery

D．speaking up for oneself is part of human nature

After a fortnight of extraordinary type, the much-feared computer virus that was supposed to strike the globe’s hard drives last Friday simply fizzled. So many warnings were sounded that most computer owners either fed anti-virus programs into their systems or refused to turn the power on during the dreaded M-day. They dodged one disease, but more strains are on the way. The eponymous Friday-the-13th virus is due to strike this week, and the Maltese Amoeba may detonate on March 15.
Who creates these things? A disproportionate number seems to originate in Bulgaria or Russia, where writing the smallest, most elegant virus programs has become a matter of quirky pride. Viruses are transmitted either by shared disks (as was Michelangelo) or over telephone lines. The virus program hides in a computer until, activated by a date, time, or some other trigger, it springs to life. The most common virus, Stoned, makes your screen announce: “Your computer is now stoned. Legalize marijuana. ” (Regardless of your politics, you don’t want this one around; it can damage your files inadvertently.) Solution: either keep your computer isolated—no trading disks, no on-line communication—or else install one of a dozen or so commercially available anti-virus programs that detect and delete the little time bombs. If they can come up with a virus that is hidden, will they next try to extort a business?—as in, pay me $1 million or my virus will destroy your system.
In the meantime, money is being made by firms selling anti-virus programs. Egghead software stores logged a 3,000 percent jump in anti-virus sales. Was the threat overblown by the companies that make millions selling anti-virus software? Thanks to the media blitz, no one will ever know what might have happened—an unallied number of computer owners discovered and deleted Michelangelo before it was supposed to strike—on the artist’s birthday.
小題1:The much-feared M-day was ________.

A．Friday-the-13th when the eponymous virus was due to strike

B．Friday-the-15th when the Maltese Amoeba would be activated

C．the previous Friday when Michelangelo virus was due to strike

D．the previous Friday which coincided with the artist's birthday

小題2:Computer viruses are ________.

A．diseases spread from one computer to another by shared disks

B．viruses hidden in a computer’s instructions by the designers

C．little time bombs hidden in a computer waiting to be triggered

D．just those computer programs created by malevolent designers

小題3:Which of the following sayings fits the Michelangelo virus?

A．A burnt child dreads the fire.	B．The bug’s bark was worse than its bite.
C．A barking dog seldom bites.	D．Once bitten, twice shy.

小題4:The author implies that in days to come the viruses might be used ________.

A．to destroy data	B．to commit crimes
C．to commit mischief	D．to create confusion

What happens to mother-daughter relationships when girls become teenagers. It seems that girls go from playing “dress up”, to arguing with their mothers about how they should dress.
When a girl is 3-4 years old they love to “dress up” in their mothers’ clothes, put on their mothers’ makeup, cook, and do whatever else their mother does. This is the time when she can be classified as being a mama’s girl.
How come girls change so much from childhood to the teenage years? Many parents seek the answer when their daughter becomes a teen. Often when a girl enters high school her behavior changes as well as her physical appearance.
When I was young I always liked playing “dress up”. It made me feel older and more like my mother. Even when I entered middle school, I still depended a lot on my mother to choose and buy my clothes. Once I entered high school there was a big change. To me, my mother’s clothes were no longer “in fashion”, and neither was her opinion. I started becoming interested in boys and tried to improve the way I looked. It was not that I wanted to look cool, I just wanted to look my age.
This is the time that the mother-daughter relationship can take a turn. It’s difficult for a mother to know that her daughter is no longer totally dependent on her.
When the daughter starts wearing revealing clothing, dating, and just wanting to be more independent, a mother starts to feel left out, or not needed. The number of arguments increases, and the number of times when the mother and daughter get along happily decreases.
When these things start to happen, it is a sign that the daughter wants her independence and the freedom to grow up.
When you notice how much your relationship had changed, try to believe positive things come out of the change. Put all the negatives aside and concentrate on what your mother is feeling instead of just on what you’re feeling.
When it seems too hard to handle, take some quiet time and write out your feelings. Maybe at another time, you can share them with your mother and try to find a way to better your relationship as mother and daughter. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing your feelings, at least write them down so you can get them out. It’s better than keeping them bottled up inside.
小題1:The girls would argue with their mothers because ________.

A．they need more independence

B．mothers want daughters to be mama’s girls again

C．they think their mothers’ clothes are no longer in fashion

D．a(chǎn)ll of the above

小題2:From the passage, we know that ________.

A．the teenage period is a sensitive part in human life

B．the parents can’t get the answer why their daughters change a lot

C．they can get on well only in talking, no matter what mothers or daughters do

D．mothers should concentrate on their own feelings

小題3:A “mama’s girl” will Not________.

A．dress up in her mother’s clothes

B．depend a lot on her mother to choose and buy her clothes

C．like wearing revealing clothing

D．think her mother’s clothes are in fashion

小題4:When the daughter starts wanting to be more independent, ________.

A．a(chǎn) mother starts to feel left out

B．it is the time when mother and daughter get on joyfully increases

C．she wants to look cool

D．All of the above

Several years ago, while attending a communication course, I experienced a most unusual process. The instructor asked us to list ___1___ in our past that we felt ___2___ of, regretted, or incomplete about and read our lists aloud.
This seemed like a very ___3___ process, but there’ s always some ___4___soul in the crowd who will volunteer. The instructor then ___5___ that we find ways to ___6___ people, or take some action to right any wrong doings. I was seriously wondering how this could ever ___7___ my communication.
Then the man next to me raised his hand and volunteered this story: “Making my ___8___, I remembered an incident from high school. I grew up in a small town. There was a Sheriff ___9___ of us kids liked. One night, my two buddies and I decided to play a ___10___ on him.
After drinking a few beers, we climbed the tall water tank in the middle of the town, and wrote on the tank in bright red paint: Sheriff Brown is a s.o.b.(畜生). The next day, almost the whole town saw our glorious ___11___. Within two hours, Sheriff Brown had us in his office. My friends told the truth but I lied. No one ___12___ found out.”
“Nearly 20 years later, Sheriff Brown’s name ___13___ on my list. I didn’t even know if he was still ___14___. Last weekend, I dialed the information in my hometown and found there was a Roger Brown still listed. I tried his number. After a few ___15___, I heard, “Hello?” I said, “Sheriff Brown?” Paused. “Yes.” “Well, this is Jimmy Calkins.”
“And I want you to know that I did it？”Paused. “I knew it!” he yelled back. We had a good laugh and a ___16___ discussion. His closing words were: “Jimmy, I always felt bad for you ___17___ your buddies got it off their chest, but you were carrying it ___18___ all these years. I want to thank you for calling me...for your sake.”
Jimmy inspired me to ___19___ all 101 items on my list within two years, and I always remember what I learned from the course: It’s never too late to ___20___the past wrongdoings.
1. A. something      B. anything     C. somebody   D. anybody
2. A. ashamed B. afraid  C. sure    D. proud
3. A. private   B. secret  C. interesting  D. funny
4. A. foolish   B. polite  C. simple D. brave
5. A. expected B. suggested   C. ordered      D. demanded
6. A. connect with        B. depend on  C. make apologize to D. get along with
7. A. improve B. continue     C. realize D. keep
8. A. notes      B. list      C. plan    D. stories
9. A. any B. most   C. none   D. all
10. A. part      B. game  C. trick   D. record
11. A. view     B. sign    C. attention     D. remark
12. A. also      B. even   C. still     D. ever
13. A. appears B. considers    C. presents      D. remembers
14. A. angry   B. happy C. doubtful     D. alive
15. A. words   B. rings   C. repeats       D. calls
16. A. cold     B. plain   C. nervous      D. lively
17. A. in case  B. so long as   C. unless D. because
18. A. around  B. out     C. on      D. away
19. A. build up       B. make up     C. clear up      D. give up
20. A. regret   B. forgive       C. right   D. punish

The physicians in a hospital form the center of medical staff. But they could not provide effective medical care to their patients without the help of numerous other medical employees. From the viewpoint of the patients, the nursing staff is particularly important. Nurses are usually in close contact with patients as long as they are in the hospital.
A nurse does not study for as many years as a doctor. however, each must be equally dedicated. Caring for sick persons requires a great deal of patience and concern. Most nurses work long days, and they often must work at odd hours or during the night.
Under the supervision (監(jiān)管) of the head nurse, the nursing staff must provide nursing services on a 24-hour basis and attend to patients’ needs. This responsibility continues around the clock, and so nurses must work in shifts. A shift is a period of duty, usually eight in length. The nurses on the ward rotate their shifts. Some take turns working night duty; others work odd shifts.
A nurse must always be alert. She can never afford to be careless. This is true in all nursing situation, but it is especially true in the intensive care unit. Patients under intensive care are critically ill, and they must be monitored at all times. The nurses who do intensive care duty have one of the most demanding jobs in the hospital.
Serving as a nurse can be a very rewarding job. But it is not an easy one. Not every person is suited to become a nurse. Only very dedicated people have chosen nursing as a profession.
小題1:The nursing staff ________.

A．a(chǎn)re central to the medical staff

B．play an important role in caring for patients

C．can work effectively without physicians

D．a(chǎn)re always in close contact with the patients

小題2:Why don’t nurses study for as many years as doctors?

A．They don’t treat patients for illness and injury.

B．Most nurses work long days.

C．Caring for sick patients requires patience and concern.

D．They are not dedicated.

小題3:Nurses work in shifts because ________.

A．they are careless.

B．nursing services must be provided continuously.

C．they work at night from time to time.

D．a(chǎn) shift is usually eight hours long.

小題4:What kind of person is suited to become a nurse?

A．A very careful person.	B．An able person.
C．A very dedicated person.	D．A specially trained person.

Everyone has good days and bad days.
Sometimes, you feel as if you’re on top of the world. But occasionally you feel horrible, and you lose things and you cannot focus on your schoolwork.
For more than 20 years, scientists have suggested that high self-esteem (自尊) is the key to success. Now, new research shows that focusing just on building self-esteem may not be helpful. In some cases, having high self-esteem can bring bad results if it makes you less likeable or more upset when you fail at something.
“Forget about self-esteem,” says Jennifer Crocker, a psychologist (心理學家) at the University of Michigan, US. “It’s not the important thing.”
Feeling good
Crocker’s advice may sound a bit strange because it is good to feel good about yourself.
Studies show that people with high self-esteem are less likely to be depressed, anxious, shy, or lonely than those with low self-esteem.
But, after reviewing about 18,000 studies on self-esteem, Roy Baumeister, a psychologist at Florida State University, has found that building up your self-esteem will not necessarily make you a better person.
He believes that violent and wicked people often have the highest self-esteem of all. He also said: “There’s no evidence that kids with high self-esteem do better in school.”
Problems
All types of people have problems. People with high self-esteem can have big egos (自我) that can make them less likeable to their peers(同齡人), said Kathleen Vohs, a psychology professor at Columbia University.
People with high self-esteem tend to think more of themselves, Vohs says. People with low self-esteem are more likely to rely on their friends when they need help.
What to do
Researchers say it is best to listen to and support other people. Find positive ways to contribute to society. If you fail at something try to learn from the experience. “The best therapy (藥方) is to recognize your faults,” Vohs says. “It’s OK to say, ‘I’m not so good at that,’ and then move on.”
小題1:The new research comes to the conclusion that high self-esteem ________.

A．is not important at all	B．has taken on a different meaning
C．may not be the key to success	D．does not help you do better at school

小題2:One of the conclusions of the new research is that ________.

A．feeling good about oneself doesn’t mean you lead a happier life

B．people with high esteem usually do not seek other’s help

C．people with high esteem tend to be proud

D．people with low esteem are often more popular

小題3:The underlined part “a better person” in the passage probably means a person who is ________.

A．helpful and supportive	B．gentle and modest
C．likable and successful	D．friendly and kind

小題4:From the text, we can infer the best therapy mentioned in the last paragraph is mainly for people ________.

A．with high self-esteem	B．with low self-esteem
C．of all kinds	D．who are focusing on building self-esteem

I close my eyes and can still hear her—the little girl with a ___1___ so strong and powerful we could hear her halfway down the block. She was a(n)  ___2___ peasant who asked for money and ___3___ gave the only thing she had——her voice. I paused outside a small shop and listened. She brought to my mind the ___4___ of Little Orphan Annie. I could not understand the words she  ___5___, but her voice begged for ___6___. It stood out from the noises of Arbat Street, pure and impressive, like the chime of a bell. She sang ___7___ an old-style lamp post in the shadow of a building, her arms extended and ___8___ thrown back. She was small and of unremarkable looks. Her brown hair ___9___ the bun(發(fā)髻) it had been pulled into, and she occasionally reached up to ___10___ a stray piece from her face. Her clothing I can’t recall. Her voice, on the other hand, is ___11___ imprinted in my mind.
I asked one of the translators about the girl. Elaina told me that she and hundreds of others like her throughout the ___12___ Soviet Union add to their families’ income by working on the streets. The children are unable to ___13___ school, and their parents work fulltime. These children know that the consequence of an ___14___ day is no food for the table. Similar situations occurred during the Depression(蕭條) in the United States, but those American children were ___15___ shoeshine boys of the ___16___. This girl was real to me.
When we walked past her I gave her money. It was not out of pity ___17___ rather admiration. Her smile of ___18___ did not interrupt her singing. The girl watched us as we walked down the street. I know this because when I looked back she smiled again. We ___19___ that smile, and I knew I could never forget her courage and ___20___ strength.
1. A. will B. strength      C. voice  D. determination
2. A. American       B. Chinese      C. Japanese     D. Russian
3. A. in return B. in turn       C. by hand      D. in silence
4. A. voice      B. image C. story   D. looks
5. A. said B. murmured  C. used    D. sang
6. A. attention B. love    C. help    D. mercy
7. A. across     B. from   C. under  D. from underneath
8. A. hands     B. feet     C. head   D. face
9. A. fell out   B. escaped      C. did up D. tied to
10. A. remove B. tear     C. cut off       D. dress
11. A. never    B. permanently      C. occasionally       D. sometimes
12. A. latter    B. rich    C. former       D. great
13. A. attend   B. finish  C. leave   D. enjoy
14. A. unhappy      B. unsatisfied  C. unusual      D. unsuccessful
15. A. faced    B. real     C. faceless      D. visible
16. A. twenties       B. thirties       C. forties D. teens
17. A. and      B. while  C. but     D. or
18. A. contempt     B. pity    C. bitterness    D. thanks
19. A. stopped B. shared C. won    D. exchanged
20. A. full      B. inner   C. brave  D. fighting