In the United States, when one becomes rich, he wants people to know it. And even if he does not become very rich, he wants people to think that he is. That is what “keeping up with the Joneses” is about. It is the story of someone who tried to look as rich as his neighbours.
The expression was first used in 1913 by a young American called Arthur Momand. He told this story about himself. He began earning $ 125 a week at the age of 23. That was a lot of money in those days. He got married and moved with his wife to a very wealthy neighbourhood outside New York City. When he saw that rich people rode horses, Momand went horseback riding every day. When he saw that rich people had servants, Momand and his wife also hired a servant and gave big parties for their new neighbours.
It was like a race, but one could never finish his race because one was always trying to keep up. The race ended for Momand and his wife when they could no longer pay for their new way of life. They moved back to an apartment in New York City.
Momand looked around him and noticed that many people do things just to keep up with rich lifestyle of their neighbours. He saw the funny side of it and started to write a series of short stories. He called it “Keeping up with the Joneses” because “Jones” is a very common name in the United States. “Keeping up with the Joneses” came to mean keeping up with rich lifestyle of the people around you. Momand’s series appeared in different newspapers across the country for over 28 years.
People never seem to get tired of keeping up with the Joneses. And there are “Joneses” in every city of the world. But one must get tired of trying to keep up with the Joneses because no matter what one does, Mr. Jones always seems to be ahead.
【小題1】Some people want to keep up with the Joneses because they ________.

A．want to be as rich as their neighbours

B．want others to know or to think that they are rich

C．don’t want others to know they are rich

D．want to be happy

【小題2】It can be inferred (推斷) from the story that rich people like to ________.

A．live outside New York City	B．live in New York City
C．live in apartments	D．have many neighbours

【小題3】Arthur Momand used the name “Jones” in his series of short stories because “Jones” is ________.

A．a(chǎn)n important name	B．a(chǎn) popular name in the United States
C．his neighbour’s name	D．not a good name

【小題4】If a person who keeps up with the Joneses, he would _________.

A．do as the poor persons around him do

B．do everything he likes to do

C．do as his neighbours do

D．do as the rich people around him do

Mr. Smith likes playing cards（撲克）at night and goes to bed very late. He often oversleeps（睡過頭）. Mrs. Smith has to wake him up（不得不把他叫醒），so he won't be late for work.
One day，they have a big fight（打架）. They do not speak to each other. In the evening，Mr. Smith gives his wife（妻子）a piece of paper. The paper says “Call me at seven o’clock in the morning”. Then he goes to bed.
The next morning，when Mr. Smith wakes up，it's already 9：00. He is very angry. He gets up and puts on his clothes. He finds（發(fā)現(xiàn)）another piece of paper on the table. “It’s seven o’clock. Get up!”
【小題1】What does Mr. Smith like doing?

A．He likes playing cards.	B．He likes playing ball games.
C．He likes fighting.	D．He likes writing letter.

【小題2】 Why does Mr. Smith oversleep?

A．He works very hard.	B．He can’t sleep at night.
C．He goes to bed late.	D．He watches TV too late.

【小題3】Why don’t they speak to each other?

A．Because Mr. Smith is ill.	B．Because they have a big fight.
C．Because they are both late.	D．Because they don’t have dinner.

【小題4】What time does Mr. Smith get up the next morning?

A．He gets up at 8 o’clock.	B．He gets up at 9 o’clock.
C．He gets up at 7 o’clock.	D．He gets up at 10 o’clock.

【小題5】What does Mrs. Smith’s paper say?

A．It says “Call me at 9 o’clock in the morning”.	B．It says “Don’t be late”.
C．It says “Get up，please	D．It says “It’s 7 o’clock. Get up”.

In the United States, when one becomes rich, he wants people to know it. And even if he does not become very rich, he wants people to think that he is. That is what “keeping up with the Joneses” is about. It is the story of someone who tried to look as rich as his neighbours.

The expression was first used in 1913 by a young American called Arthur Momand. He told this story about himself. He began earning $ 125 a week at the age of 23. That was a lot of money in those days. He got married and moved with his wife to a very wealthy neighbourhood outside New York City. When he saw that rich people rode horses, Momand went horseback riding every day. When he saw that rich people had servants, Momand and his wife also hired a servant and gave big parties for their new neighbours.

It was like a race, but one could never finish his race because one was always trying to keep up. The race ended for Momand and his wife when they could no longer pay for their new way of life. They moved back to an apartment in New York City.

Momand looked around him and noticed that many people do things just to keep up with rich lifestyle of their neighbours. He saw the funny side of it and started to write a series of short stories. He called it “Keeping up with the Joneses” because “Jones” is a very common name in the United States. “Keeping up with the Joneses” came to mean keeping up with rich lifestyle of the people around you. Momand’s series appeared in different newspapers across the country for over 28 years.

People never seem to get tired of keeping up with the Joneses. And there are “Joneses” in every city of the world. But one must get tired of trying to keep up with the Joneses because no matter what one does, Mr. Jones always seems to be ahead.

1.Some people want to keep up with the Joneses because they ________.

A．want to be as rich as their neighbours

B．want others to know or to think that they are rich

C．don’t want others to know they are rich

D．want to be happy

2.It can be inferred (推斷) from the story that rich people like to ________.

A．live outside New York City                 B．live in New York City

C．live in apartments                       D．have many neighbours

3.Arthur Momand used the name “Jones” in his series of short stories because “Jones” is ________.

A．a(chǎn)n important name                      B．a(chǎn) popular name in the United States

C．his neighbour’s name                   D．not a good name

4.If a person who keeps up with the Joneses, he would _________.

A．do as the poor persons around him do

B．do everything he likes to do

C．do as his neighbours do

D．do as the rich people around him do

 

Mr. Smith likes playing cards（撲克）at night and goes to bed very late. He often oversleeps（睡過頭）. Mrs. Smith has to wake him up（不得不把他叫醒），so he won't be late for work.

One day，they have a big fight（打架）. They do not speak to each other. In the evening，Mr. Smith gives his wife（妻子）a piece of paper. The paper says “Call me at seven o’clock in the morning”. Then he goes to bed.

The next morning，when Mr. Smith wakes up，it's already 9：00. He is very angry. He gets up and puts on his clothes. He finds（發(fā)現(xiàn)）another piece of paper on the table. “It’s seven o’clock. Get up!”

1.What does Mr. Smith like doing?

A．He likes playing cards.                    B．He likes playing ball games.

C．He likes fighting.                        D．He likes writing letter.

2. Why does Mr. Smith oversleep?

A．He works very hard.                     B．He can’t sleep at night.

C．He goes to bed late.                     D．He watches TV too late.

3.Why don’t they speak to each other?

A．Because Mr. Smith is ill.                   B．Because they have a big fight.

C．Because they are both late.                D．Because they don’t have dinner.

4.What time does Mr. Smith get up the next morning?

A．He gets up at 8 o’clock.                 B．He gets up at 9 o’clock.

C．He gets up at 7 o’clock.                  D．He gets up at 10 o’clock.

5.What does Mrs. Smith’s paper say?

A．It says “Call me at 9 o’clock in the morning”.    B．It says “Don’t be late”.

C．It says “Get up，please                 D．It says “It’s 7 o’clock. Get up”.

 

Mr Smith works in a factory in the middle of the city. The factory is not far from his home. It is about 800 meters away. So Mr Smith doesn’t go to work by bus. He usually goes there by bike, sometimes he walks to work. It takes(花費) him 10 minutes to get there by bike or 20 minutes on foot. He usually leaves home at ten minutes to eight. Today something is wrong with his bike. He wants to walk there. His work starts at half past eight in the morning and finishes at a quarter(一刻鐘) to five in the afternoon.
根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容，選擇正確答案。
【小題1】 What does Uncle Wang do?

A．He is a worker.	B．He is a teacher.
C．He is a doctor.	D．He is a farmer.

【小題2】 Why doesn’t Mr Smith go to work by bus?

A．Because there is no bus.

B．Because his factory is not far from his home.

C．Because he likes riding a bike.

D．Because he doesn’t like taking a bus.

【小題3】 How long does it take Mr Smith to walk to work?

A．Twenty minutes.	B．Forty minutes.
C．Ten minutes.	D．Half an hour.

【小題4】 What time does Mr Smith usually leave home?

A．8:10.

B．7:50.

C．7:10.

D．8:50.

【小題5】 Mr Smith usually goes home from work at ______ in the afternoon.

A．4:15.

B．4:45.

C．4:35.

D．4:05.