There are four types of persons who go to work part-time. These include retirees who want a bit
more income or socialization, parents who want to spend more time with their children, college and high
school students and temporary agency workers who want more experience. Many people enjoy the
advantages of working part-time, but benefits are rarely offered to part-time employees.
     Most people are hoping for health insurance and retirement benefits when taking a job. Traditionally,
companies only offer benefits to employees who work 30 hours or more a week. This is only a 25%
reduction in hours, so it doesn't free up a lot of time for the employee who needs part-time hours. Even
when a part-timer is offered health benefits, he is rarely offered paid time off and retirement benefits.
Dental benefits are almost never offered to part-time employees.
     Many businesses hire part-time employees for the simple reason of saving money. If they work less
than a certain number of hours, the employers don't need to pay for benefits. There are companies,
however, that are beginning to offer benefits to part-time employees. This includes benefits for health,
paid time off and retirement plans. Some companies have begun to offer this in order to take in high
quality, trained professionals who just want part-time hours. If a company wants a qualified employee,
it will have to compete with other companies. People who may only want to work part-time may be
forced to take a full-time job to get the benefits. Companies who offer benefits to part-timers have an
advantage by offering more choices to their employees in terms of hours.
     Conducting an Internet search is probably the quickest way to find companies that provide benefits
for part-time employees. Many large corporations like Starbucks, Barnes & Noble and Whole Foods
offer benefits to part-time employees among other things. Look for companies that offer a team approach
to their employees. Employees are given choices and part of decision-making in the business. Businesses
that allow employee input are more likely to offer benefits to part-timers.

1. People prefer to work part-time mainly because they ______.

A. don't want to spend more time on work
B. have so many household and social affairs
C. hope to have more money, time and experience
D. only expect to make more friends

2. From the second paragraph we can learn that part-timers _______.

A. can enjoy as many benefits as full-timers
B. prefer retirement benefits to health insurance
C. often retire without enjoying any benefit
D. often enjoy fewer benefits than full-timers

3. What's the advantage of hiring part-time employees?

A. They don't need the insurance.       B. They can save employers some money.
C. They have no choice but to work hard.   D. They can be also changed into full-timers.

4. We can infer from the last paragraph that _______.

A. it's easy to find companies providing benefits
B. companies not allowing employee input don't offer any benefit to part-timers
C. Starbucks in England doesn't provide benefits to full-timers
D. employees are often forced to choose their jobs

        1   .If you give and give without making time to fill your own needs, then it' s likely you will burn out, or feel upset. When you take and take without giving back, you never feel fulfilled, so you are always
searching for ways to fill the void in your life.
     The way to create a healthy balance between giving and receiving is to know and then live by your
values. I break values up into two groups which I call being and having values.   2   I suggest to my clients
that they choose three being values that are willing to make a commitment to live by. An example of some being values are:kind, loving, generous, inspirational, peaceful, wise and even powerful. By acting on these values you give to others through your actions and you inspire others by being a positive role model.
Mastering being these character traits becomes your life purpose.
        3   .These could be companionship, achievement, and support, being valued or financial security.
This is what you receive. You take responsibility for filling your own needs by taking steps to create these
feelings and conditions in your life.
     When you make a commitment to live by your being values, it becomes easier to make conscious
choices rather than reactionary ones. If your usual pattern is to talk about your problems, you could
choose to think and act like a calm person.
        4   .If your usual pattern is to worry, you could choose to act like a responsible or wise person. In
other words, you would act like the person you choose to be-this is the key to personal power.
     When you choose to act on your values, you not only feel good about yourself, you reinforce your
chosen beliefs.   5   .
A. Young people have a different set of values.
B. You feel that you have a responsibility to help them.
C. Your having values are the feelings you need to create in order to be happy.
D. Your being values are the character traits(特征,特點)of the ideal person you would like to be.
E. You feel happiest when you create a healthy balance between giving and receiving.
F. A calm person might go for a walk, meditate, or set a time limit before responding.
G. Over time acting in this way changes how you see the world, and in turn the way other people
    think of you.

     The 2012 SAVE THE FROGS ! A poetry contest will run from January 15th October 15th, 2012.
     Who can enter?
     Anybody! We encourage students and teachers to get their writing classes involved on Save The
Frogs Day. We encourage people from all walks of life to take part as well.
     Inspiration
     The Japanese poet Basho wrote a famous poem in the 17th century.
     The old pond
     A frog jumps in
     The sound of water
     How do I write a frog poem?
     Here are some ideas for your frog poems:
     (1)Find out about a particular kind of frog and describe the world from that frog's point of view.
     (2)What if you found the last frogs alive on the planet? What would you do? How would you feel?
     (3)Write a poem that makes the reader understand the importance of saving frogs , or one that makes
them realize the danger frogs are in.
     (4)Write a poem about any of the threats to frogs.
     (5)Imagine all kinds of daring ways in which you could save the frogs.
     Categories(種類)  
     Category winners will be chosen from the following categories::
     (1)18 + years old
     (2)13-19 years old
     (3)Under 13 age group
     Contest rules
     (1)The poetry must be your original creation!
     (2)You may submit (呈交) two poems. Please always give us the title of each poem. Please do NOT
name your poems "Save The Frog".
     (3)All entries are to be submitted no later than 11:59 pm on October 15th, 2012.
     Attention !  
     If you are a teacher, please inform your fellow teachers. If you are a student, please tell your teachers. Please put this advertisement up around your school as well.
     If you are active on a poetry website, post an announcement. If you have a website, please link to this
page. If you have a Facebook or My space account, put a notice up on your page, and tell your friends. In Facebook, you can post a link to this page. Thanks!

1.Which of the following is not mentioned in the passage ?

A. The contest rules.    
B. The contest prizes.
C. The contest types.    
D. The contest time.

2. The writer mentioned Basho's poem to __________.

A. give an example of frog poems for writers to copy          
B. prove Basho was a frog lover in the 17th century
C. give people the idea of writing a frog poem
D. show the interest Japanese poets have in frogs

3. To join in the contest, you are required to __________.

A. add titles to your poems              
B. hand in at least two poems
C. post your poems on Oct.15,2012      
D. name your poems "Save the frogs"

4. From the last two paragraphs, we can infer that you are expected to _________.

A. take part in the contest actively                
B. spread the news of the contest
C. write poems in different ways
D. use new media to learn about frogs

     The house was quiet at 5 a.m. and Tim's mother was asleep. Only the sound of the big freezer broke
the quiet. He'd dreamt of the cave last night? The purring (輕微顫動聲) of the freezer had been the sea.
    Tim pulled on a sweater and put some apples into his schoolbag. It was too early for breakfast. He'd
eat after he'd been through the cave, sitting on the rocks and staring at the sea.
    He wished he had a proper pack. His schoolbag would have to do. What else? Sandwiches -but his
mother might wake up if he started pulling out bread for sandwiches. She'd want to know why he had to
leave so early. He settled for some biscuits, and left a note stuck to the table.
    Gone to Michael's. Back tonight. Tim.
    The sky was high and soft and light outside, though the sun still wasn't up. Even the highway up the hill
was quiet as he made his way down the street. The wind from the sea was fresh and sweet.
    The sandhills still breathed heat from yesterday's sun, though the top of the sand was cool. He ran
down to the beach impatiently, but there was no one, just dry sand dancing in the early wind and seabirds marching up and down watching the waves.
    The light changed suddenly. The first rays of sunlight stretched across the sea. The sun was pushing its
way over the edge of the world
    Over the first rocks, along to the point. Tim glanced back. The beach was still empty. The sun sailed
higher in the sky.
    He could see the cave now, even darker in the morning light. The sand turned silver then dark gold as
the water flowed away from it. He had to force himself to go closer. Why was it so much more mysterious now? But it would be silly to go back now after so much trouble. He needn't go in all the way...

1. What did Tim do at the beginning of the story?

A. He left the house quietly.    
B. He had breakfast at home.
C. He left a note on the freezer.
D. He put a sweater in his schoolbag.

2. "He settled for some biscuits" (in Paragraph 3) means that Tim             

A. had to leave the biscuits on the table.
B. liked biscuits better than sandwiches.
C. had to take biscuits instead of sandwiches.
D. could only find some biscuits in the kitchen.

3. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the story?  

A. The sea looked like a piece of gold.
B. Seabirds flew away when Tim arrived.
C. Tim was the only person on the beach.
D. The sky got dark as Tim reached the cave.

4. In the story, Tim's mood changed from        .

A. loneliness to craziness
B. anxiousness to excitement
C. helplessness to happiness
D. eagerness to nervousness

     "Our aim is to take our art to the world and make people understand what it is to
move," said David Belle, the founder of parkour (跑酷).
     Do you love running? It is a good exercise, yet many people find it boring. But what if making your
morning jog a creative one? Like jumping from walls and over gaps, and ground rolls? Just like the
James Bond in the movie Casino Royale? Bond jumps down from a roof to a windowsill and then runs
several blocks over obstacles on the way. It is just because of Bond's wonderful performances that the
sport has become popular worldwide.
    Yes, that's parkour, an extreme street sport aimed at moving from one point to another as quickly as
possible, getting over all the obstacles in the path using only the abilities of the human body. Parkour is
considered an extreme sport. As its participants dash around a city, they may jump over fences, run up
walls and even move from rooftop to rooftop.
     Parkour can be just as exciting and charming as it sounds, but its participants see parkour much more
than that.
    Overcoming all the obstacles on the course and in life is part of the philosophy behind parkour. This is
the same as life. You must determine your destination, go straight, jump over all the barriers as if in
parkour and never fall back from them in your life, to reach the destination successfully. A parkour lover
said, "I love parkour because its philosophy has become my life, my way to do everything."
Another philosophy we've learnt from parkour is freedom. It can be done by anyone, at any time, anywhere in the world. It is a kind of expression of trust in yourself that you earn energy and confidence.

1. Parkour has become popular throughout the world because of       .

A. its founder, David Belle      
B. the film, Casino Royale
C. its risks and tricks          
D. the varieties of participants

2. The underlined word "obstacles" in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to"   ". 

A. streets                  
B. objects
C. barriers                  
D. roofs

3. Which of the following is the philosophy of parkour?

A. Sports and extremes.        
B. Excitement and popularity.
C. Dreams and success.      
D. Determination and freedom.

     Michael Jackson, the American pop legend, died of a cardiac arrest (心臟驟停) in a Los Angeles
hospital, just weeks before he hoped to resurrect (復(fù)活) his four-decade long career with a series of
sold-out shows in London. The pop superstar was taken to the University of California at Los Angeles
medical centre last night, and doctors tried resuscitation (使蘇醒,使復(fù)活) in the ambulance. He did not
regain consciousness and was reported dead about three hours later.
    "My brother, the legendary King of Pop, passed away on Thursday 25 June at 2:26pm," his brother
Jermaine said, "We believe he suffered a cardiac arrest at his home, however the cause of his death is
unknown until the results of the autopsy (驗尸) are known. The personal physician who was with him
at the time attempted to resuscitated him."
    A spokesman for the UCLA medical centre said, "When he arrived at hospital at approximately
l:14pm, a team of doctors attempted to resuscitate him for a period of more than one hour, but they
were unsuccessful." Police said they were investigating, which is the standard procedure in such cases.
    Jackson's death brought a tragic end to a long decline from his peak in the 1980s when he was music's
greatest all-around performer, a uniter of black and white music who shattered the race barrier on MTV. His 1982 album Thriller, which included the blockbuster hits Beat It, Billie Jean and Thriller is still the
best-selling album of all time, with over 50m copies sold worldwide.
     The world famous entertainer had planned a series of 50 concerts in London from 12 July. Although
in the last two decades his reputation was destroyed by charges of child molestation (騷擾) and his
fantastic public behavior, all tickets were sold within hours, proving the King of Pop had enduring appeal.

1. Where did Michael Jackson die? 

A. At home in Los Angeles.    
B. In a Los Angeles hospital.
C. On the stage in London.      
D. In an ambulance to hospital.

2. What caused Michael Jackson to die according to Jermaine?   

A. Heart disease.              
B. It's unknown before the results of the autopsy.
C. Working too hard.          
D. His personal physician's improper treatment.

3. Why were the police involved in investigating the death of Michael Jackson?

A. Because they believed he was murdered.
B. Because it was standard procedure in such cases.
C. Because Michael Jackson died suddenly.
D. Because his brother was suspicious of the truth of his death.

4. It can be inferred that Michael Jackson was            

A. a King of Pop with good reputation.
B. a King of Pop still playing on the stage before death.
C. indeed a bad man with fantastic public behavior.
D. a popular King of Pop in spite of ill fame.

     When first entered, Vanak Restaurant does not look like much of a restaurant, but once the pleasant
smells of kabob (烤肉串) hit the senses, you are incapable of calling it anything less.
     Owned by a local couple, this Persian restaurant has an inviting, homelike atmosphere that many
restaurants lack. The space is small with only a few dining tables and nearly no decoration, but the
environment is truly charming. Lying in a hardly noticeable street corner, the restaurant still attracts all
customers, especially those experienced in the delights of Middle Eastern cooking.
     A common sight is that of old Persian men sitting in the corner talking loudly about world topics,
watching news events on TV, drinking a black tea known as Persian chai, reading local Persian
newspapers all the while and trying to finish off their plate piled with food.
     The variety of food at the restaurant is limited, but the amount of each dish is fairly large. Most of the
meals can serve two people and are under $10, so not only is it affordable but practical as well. The
food, especially appeals to health-conscious eaters because each dish is very healthy, made with limited
fat and oil and served straight off the grill (烤肉架).
     The main dish that the restaurant is popular for is its kabobs, which are different styles of grilled meat. One delicious and extremely healthy dish is the Joojeh Kabob, which is made of grilled chicken pieces
served with either rice or bread. Another great kabob is the Chelo Kabob, a kabob consisting of grilled
beef.
     Although the restaurant is small, the atmosphere and the food is delicious. It is a place that should not
be overlooked.

1. When first entering the restaurant, one can find that it________.

A. is splendidly decorated
B. has pleasant smells of kabobs
C. is crowded with dining tables
D. looks like a common restaurant

2. What activity is also mentioned apart from dining in the restaurant?

A. Watching news events on TV.
B. Drinking a kind of black coffee.
C. Reading local English newspapers.
D. Discussing world topics in low voices.

3. What is the dish Joojeh Kabob mainly made of?

A. Rice  
B. Chicken
C. Bread  
D. Beef

4. It can be inferred from the passage that the restaurant _______.

A. occupies a large space
B. owns a favorable location
C. is popular for its special food
D. has a quiet environment inside

     This booklet is designed to help you and your family plan for and survive a major earthquake. By
taking action to be prepared, you can lessen the impact of an earthquake on your family. Set aside
some emergency supplies, and teach your family what to do at home during and after a disaster. You
could be without help for up to 72 hours, so learn to cope for at least that long.
    Movement of the ground is seldom the actual cause of death or injury. Most casualties (意外) result
from partial building collapse and falling objects and debris, like toppling chimneys, falling bricks, ceiling
plaster, and light fixtures. Many of these conditions are easily preventable.
    Because earthquakes occur without warning, it's important to take steps now to prepare, so that you
know what you can do and how to respond-constructive, protective action is possible.
    Have on hand for Any Emergency- Ideas for Home, Workplace, and Car.
    Because you don't know where you will be when an earthquake occurs, prepare disaster supplies.

1. Who is the passage mainly written for? 

A. scientists      
B. parents      
C. the public      
D. teachers

2. How can we lessen the impact of an earthquake on our family?   

A. Stay at home.
B. Keep away from high buildings.
C. Learn some knowledge about the cause of earthquakes.
D. Know what to do in a disaster.

3. Which can be the best title of this passage? 

A. Are You Prepared for the Next Earthquake?
B. Earthquakes Occur Without Warning
C. How to Prevent Earthquakes
D. Cause of Earthquakes

      ●   1   With the invention of the Internet several decades ago, do you feel that since then it has made
us human beings feel more connected to the world and one another, or has it isolated (使孤立) us and
made us feel more alone than ever before?
    What about you as an individual?
    ●    2   The Internet enables us to know what's happening in the world. We couldn't imagine talking to
people everywhere in the world twenty years ago.
     ●    3    It unites us because we talk to others from all around our country and the world, but the
Internet can be addicting, and keep us away from people for a while, There is an inherent (內(nèi)在的) human need for direct human contact (e.g. touching, talking face to face, etc.) that the Internet has all taken away.
     ●     4     It has given me freedom beyond my imagination. I'm home-bound with many duties to attend
to. My life is a bit too crowded. Duties duties duties. I get lost many times not knowing who I really am!
This medium is my best friend. It just lets me BE!I can speak here without fear or favour.
     ●   5   Chatting online is completely different from hanging out with friends outside or hearing their
voice over the phone.I find that it's not just the Internet that has increased this sense of isolation, even iPods,MP3s, such devices kind of separate us, make us lose focus on the everyday happenings of life.       

A. I think that the Internet isolates as well as unites us.
B. I believe it unites us more than it isolates us.
C. Do you feel that the Internet unites us or isolates us?
D. What is happening in the world today?
E. The Internet is playing a more and more important role.
F. I think it has isolated us more.
G. I am truly grateful for this new technology.

Columbus College, 241 Queen Elizabeth Drive, Kowloon City
   To: All Staff
   From: Jakie Mok, Secretary; Sports Development Committee
   Date: May 20, 2010
   A Week ago, "Sports for Life" programme was sent to the parents, requiring them to select a sport
they wanted their child to play. Since then, our staff have received lots of calls from parents asking for
more information about it. Here is a memo (備忘錄) for your reference when you answer the phones:
   Sports 1: Basketball
   We expect that this will be the most popular of the four sports. Therefore, students should be advised
to sign up as soon as possible. Students will take a private bus to and from Kwun Tong Sports Park. To
cover the cost of hiring a bus, each student will have to pay $10 each time. There will be four basketball
courts available for our use with one teacher watching over each game.
   Sports 2: Gym
   We will be using St. Peter's Memorial Park. There are two reasons for choosing this park. First, it is
not very busy and crowded before 6:00 pm. Second, it has a lot of trees with plenty of shade. Students
must bring along two bottles of water to prevent thirst. Three activities, skipping, jogging, outdoor
aerobics (有氧運動), all of which are free of charge, will be arranged. And there will be a teacher on
duty for each of the activities.
   Sports 3: Hiking. (遠足)
   Hiking will take place at Kowloon Peak. The activity will start at 2:30 pm and finish 90 minutes later.
Three teachers will accompany the students, and a hiking instructor will accompany each group of 15
hikers. Each instructor will cost $ 75/hr.
   Sports 4: Swimming
   The Kowloon City Aquatic Centre is a 10-minute walk from our school. Four teachers will go to the
pool and conduct the goings-on from the poolside. We will only be able to reserve the pool for one hour
(i.e. 2:45pm to 3:45pm). Only students skillful at swimming can take up this activity. The pool will have
two lifeguards present. Girls must wear a swimming suit. The cost is $10 per visit.

1. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Students selecting basketball had better register early.
B. Students participating in gym should arrive at 6:00 pm.
C. Hiking usually begins at 2:30 pm and lasts 2 hours.
D. Students having swimming suits can take up swimming.

2. It can be inferred from the passage that ________.

A. students taking part in basketball will walk to the courts
B. every student can gain admission to one of the four sports
C. hiking students can have a regular rest in the shade of trees
D. students taking up the four sports should bring bottles of water

3. It can be concluded that ________.

A. each sport will take only an hour
B. students will be charged for the four sports
C. all the sports will take place at Kowloon Peak
D. teachers will accompany students on each sport

4. The purpose of the memo is to ________.

A. attract students' interest in the programme
B. require the parents to select a sport for their child
C. help the staff explain the programme to the parents
D. remind teachers and lifeguards to be present on time