【1】

O. Henry was a pen name used by an American writer of short stories. His real name was William Sydney Porter. He was born in North Carolina in 1862. As a young boy he lived an exciting life. He did not go to school for very long, but he managed to teach himself everything he needed to know. When he was about 20 years old, O. Henry went to Texas, where he tried different jobs. He first worked on a newspaper, and then had a job in a bank, when some money went missing from the bank O. Henry was believed to have stolen it. Because of that, he was sent to prison. During the three years in prison, he learned to write short stories. After he got out of prison, he went to New York and continued writing. He wrote mostly about New York and the life of the poor there. People liked his stories, because simple as the tales were, they would finish with a sudden change at the end, to the reader’s surprise.

【1】In which order did O. Henry do the following things?

a. Lived in New York.   b. Worked in a bank.        c. Travelled to Texas.

d. Was put in prison.    e. Had a newspaper job.      f. Learned to write stories.

A．e. c. f. b. d. a   B．c. e. b. d. f. a    C．e. b. d. c. a. f.   D．c. b. e. d. a f.

【2】O. Henry went to prison because        .

A．people thought he had stolen money from the newspaper

B．he broke the law by not using his own name

C．he wanted to write stories about prisoners

D．people thought he had taken money that was not his

【3】What do we know about O. Henry before he began writing?

A．He was well-educated.  B．He was not serious about his work.

C．He was devoted to the poor. D．He was very good at learning.

【4】Where did O. Henry get most material for his short stories?

A．His life inside the prison.       B．The newspaper articles he wrote.

C．The city and people of New York. D．His exciting early life as a boy.

答案

【1】B

【2】D

【3】D

【4】C

解析试题分析：本文介绍了美国著名的短篇小说大师欧亨利的一生，他的写作生涯，他的作品的特点等。

【1】B 细节题。根据文章4,5,6,7行When he was about 20 years old, O. Henry went to Texas, where he tried different jobs. He first worked on a newspaper, and then had a job in a bank. When some money went missing from the bank, O. Henry was believed to have stolen it. Because of that, he was sent to prison. During the three years in prison, he learned to write short stories. After he got out of prison, he went to New York and continued writing.可知B项顺序是正确。

【2】D 细节题。根据文章5,6行. When some money went missing from the bank, O. Henry was believed to have stolen it. Because of that, he was sent to prison.可知人们怀疑他偷了钱，所以把他送进监狱。故D正确。

【3】D 推理题。根据During the three years in prison, he learned to write short stories和He did not go to school for very long, but he managed to teach himself everything he needed to know. 可知他善于学习，他自学了很多知识，在监狱里学会了写短篇小说。故D正确。

【4】C 细节题。根据文章倒数第二行He wrote mostly about New York and the life of the poor there.可知纽约普通人的生活是他的写作材料。故C正确。

【2】

During my elementary school years, I used to compare my mom with my best friend Tiffany's mom.

Tiffany's mom always gave her lots of money to buy the most fashionable clothes and favorite food. Her mom allowed her to do anything she liked. I really admired Tiffany. My mom didn't give me much pocket money and she always told me that I should behave myself. I was annoyed with her.

Whenever I didn't get what I wanted, I would complain to my mom, Tiffany's mom would give her that! I wish she were my mom. "Every time, my morn would calmly say "Poor Tiffany". I couldn't understand her. "She shouldn't be feeling sorry for Tiffany!" I thought. "She should be feeling sorry for me."

One day, I couldn't help saying to Mom, "Poor Tiffany? Lucky Tiffany! She gets everything she wants! Why do you feel sorry for her? " I burst into tears.

My mom sat down next to me and said softly. "Yes, I do feel sorry for her. I have been teaching you a lesson that she will never be taught. "

I looked up at her. "What are you talking about?"

Mom said with care, "One day she will really want something. Maybe she'll find out that she can't have it. Her mother won't always be around to give her money, and what's more, money can't buy everything. "

She continued, "I have taught you valuable lessons by not giving you everything you want. You'll know how to look for bargains and save money, but she won't. You'll understand that you need to work hard to get the things that you want but she won't. When Tiffany is a grown woman, she'll wake up one day and she will be wishing that she had a mom like the one you've got. Life lessons are more important than modern clothes and delicious food. "

It took some time, but I eventually understood my mom's words. Now I am a happy and successful woman.

【1】During the author's elementary school years, she        .

A．wished that her mom were as good as Tiffany's

B．went to school with Tiffany every day

C．usually compared her lesson with Tiffany's

D．sometimes gave lots of money to Tiffany

【2】Why did the author's mom always say "Poor Tiffany"?

A．She felt sorry for Tiffany because Tiffany was poor.

B．She wanted to tell a lie to comfort the author.

C．She thought that Tiffany was spoiled by her mother.

D．She told the author this and wanted her to help Tiffany.

【3】What do we learn about the author's mother?

A．She was strict and taught the author to be independent.

B．She cared for other people's children more than her own.

C．She thought that life lessons were as important as money.

D．She was so poor that she couldn't give the author much money.

【4】What can we infer from the passage?

A．The author was quite annoyed with her mother in the past.

B．The author's mother felt sorry for Tiffany.

C．Tiffany's mother took the author's mother's advice.

D．The author is thankful to her mother now.

答案

【1】A

【2】C

【3】A

【4】D

解析试题分析：文章讲述作者由反感母亲对自己严格对待到慢慢接受并珍视的故事。

【1】细节题：从文章第一段的句子：I used to compare my mom with my best friend Tiffany’s mom.  可知在作者小学的时候，她希望自己的妈妈能和Tiffany 的妈妈一样好，选A。

【2】细节题：从文章倒数第三段的句子; One day she will really want something. Maybe she’ll find out that she can’t have it. Her mother won’t always be around to give her money,可知作者的妈妈总是说“Poor Tiffany”，因为她认为Tiffany被她妈妈宠坏了，选C。

【3】推理题：从文章第二段的句子：My mom didn’t give me much pocket money and she always told me that I should behave myself. 和倒数第二段的句子;可知作者的妈妈很严格，教孩子要独立，选A。

【4】推理题：从文章最后一段的句子：It took some time, but I eventually understood my mom’s words. Now I am a happy and successful woman.  可知作者现在很感激妈妈，选D。

【3】

British potato farmers were angry and wanted the expression “couch potato” to be taken out of the dictionary because it harmed the vegetable’s image.

The British Potato Council wants the Oxford English Dictionary to replace the expression with the term “couch slouch”, with protests being outside Parliament in London and the offices of Oxford University Press.

Kathryn Race, head of marketing at the Council, which represents some 4,000 planters and processors, said the group had complained in writing to the OED but had yet to receive a response.

“We are trying to get rid of the image that potatoes are bad for you,” she said on Monday.

“The potato has had its knocks in the past. Of course it is not the Oxford English Dictionary’s fault but we want to use another term instead of “couch potato” because potatoes are naturally healthy.”

The OED says that “couch potato” began as American slang, meaning “a person who spends his or her leisure time sitting around, especially watching television or video tapes.”

The Potato Council says its campaign is backed by dieticians (饮食学家) who say the vegetable is low in fat and high in vitamin C.

Supporting the campaign, famous cook Antony Worrall Thompson said the vegetable was one of Britain’s favorite foods.

“Not only are they healthy, they are also convenient and yummy (美味). Life without potato is like a sandwich without a filling,” he said.

John Simpson, chief editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, said the dictionary first included the term “couch potato” in 1993 and said “dictionaries just reflect the words that society uses.”

Simpson said words were never taken out of the full-length dictionary, which includes some 650,000 words in 20 volumes.

But little-used words can be removed from the smaller dictionaries to make way for newer ones.

“If society stops using words then they get taken out of the smaller dictionaries,” he added.

The first known recorded use of the expression “couch potato” was in an article in Los Angeles Times, in 1979, Simpson said.

Nigel Evans, a member of Parliament for the Ribble Valley in Lancashire, has made a motion in support of the campaign, highlighting the nutritional value of the British potato.

【1】British potato farmers wanted to _________.

A．advertise their produces

B．call for a higher price for their potatoes

C．remove the expression “couch potato” from the dictionary

D．let people know how important the potato is in people’s lives

【2】The farmers think that _________.

A．potatoes have had a bad image

B．Potatoes are good for people by nature

C．potatoes sometimes do harm to people

D．it’s the dictionary’s fault to use the expression “couch potato”

【3】John Simpson thinks that _________.

A．the expression can be taken out of every kind of dictionary

B．dictionaries do not necessarily reflect the words the society uses

C．little-used words can remain in the smaller dictionaries

D．it is impossible for them to take the expression out of the dictionary

【4】What is wrong with the expression “couch potato” according to the farmers in this passage?

A．It is connected with unfavorable meaning.

B．Potato should be used in the expression.

C．It is borrowed from America English.

D．It refers to a kind of person.

答案

【1】C

【2】B

【3】D

【4】A

解析试题分析：文章介绍英国的农民抗议字典中使用“couch potato”这样的词组，因为他们认为土豆本质是很好的，但是这个词组却将土豆和不好的意思联系起来了。

【1】细节题：从文章第一段的句子：British potato farmers were angry and wanted the expression “couch potato” to be taken out of the dictionary because it harmed the vegetable’s image.可知英国种土豆的农民想要从“couch potato” 这样的词组在字典里面去掉，所以选C

【2】细节题：从文章第五段的句子：Of course it is not the Oxford English Dictionary’s fault but we want to use another term instead of “couch potato” because potatoes are naturally healthy.”可知英国种土豆的农民认为土豆本质上对人们是好的，选B

【3】细节题：从文章倒数第四段的句子：Simpson said words were never taken out of the full-length dictionary, which includes some 650,000 words in 20 volumes.可知John Simpson认为他们不可能将这个短语从字典里面去掉的，选D

【4】推理题：从文章第四段的句子：“We are trying to get rid of the image that potatoes are bad for you,” she said on Monday.可知农民认为“couch potato” 和不好的意思联系在一起，选A

【4】

Would you like to be a king or queen? To have people waiting on you hand and foot? Many Americans experience this royal treatment every day. How? By being customers. The American idea of customer service is to make each customer the center of attention. Need proof? Just listen to the commercials. Most of them sound like the McDonald’s ad: “We do it all for you.” Actually, not all stores in America roll out the red carpet for their customers. But wherever you go, good customer service means making customers feel special.

People going shopping in America can expect to be treated with respect from the very beginning. Most places don’t have a “furniture street” or a “computer road” which allow you to compare prices easily. Instead, people often “let their fingers do the walking” through the store hot lines. From the first “hello”, customers receive a satisfying response to their questions. This initial contact can help them decide where to shop.

When customers get to the store, they are treated as honored guests. Customers don’t usually find store clerks sitting around watching TV or playing cards. Instead, the clerks greet them warmly and offer to help them find what they want. In most stores, the clear signs that label each department make shopping a breeze. Customers usually don’t have to ask how much items cost, since prices are clearly marked. And unless they’re at a flea market or a yard sale, they don’t bother trying to bargain.

When customers are ready to check out, they find the nearest and shortest checkout lane. But as Murphy’s Law would have it, whichever lane they get in, all the other lanes will move faster. Good stores open new checkout lanes when the lanes get too long. Some even offer express lanes for customers with 10 items or less. After they pay for their purchases, customers receive a smile and a warm “thank you” from the clerk. Many stores even allow customers to take their shopping carts out to the parking lot. That way, they don’t have to carry heavy bags out to the car.

【1】By quoting (引用) the McDonald’s ad: “We do it all for you”, the author intends to_______.

A．suggest that customers believe what commercials say deeply

B．show readers the American idea on good customer service

C．express all the stores pay much attention to the customers

D．persuade readers to choose the stores with ads correctly

【2】In the USA, what may you do at first if you want to do some shopping?

A．To visit a professional street with lots of similar stores.

B．To compare prices in many shops in the same street.

C．To make phone calls and get better shopping choices.

D．To receive other customers’ answers to the questions.

【3】Which of the followings shows American stores offer convenience to customers in this passage?

A．The store clerks don’t usually sit around watching TV or playing cards.

B．Some stores offer price bargain to the customers like a yard sale.

C．The clerks give customers a smile and a warm “thank you” after paying.

D．Some stores open new checkout lanes when the lanes are crowded.

【4】Which of the following can be the best title of this passage?

A．Customer Service in America B．Excellent Stores in America

C．Shopping Rules in America   D．Being King or Queen in America

答案

【1】B

【2】C

【3】D

【4】A

解析试题分析：这篇文章讲的是美国的消费者服务，美国人做为消费者每天都享受的是国王和女王的待遇。

【1】写作意图题：根据文章“By being customers. The American idea of customer service is to make each customer the center of attention. Need proof? Just listen to the commercials. Most of them sound like the McDonald’s ad: “We do it all for you.”可看出通过引用麦当劳的广告“We do it all for you”, 作者想告诉读者美国人对好的顾客服务的看法。答案B。

【2】细节题：根据文章“Instead, people often “let their fingers do the walking” through the store hot lines. From the first “hello”, customers receive a satisfying response to their questions. This initial contact can help them decide where to shop.”可得出在美国如果你想购物，你要首先打电话，做出更好的购物选择，答案C。

【3】细节题：根据文章的句子：“When customers are ready to check out, they find the nearest and shortest checkout lane. But as Murphy’s Law would have it, whichever lane they get in, all the other lanes will move faster. Good stores open new checkout lanes when the lanes get too long.可看出有的商店在收银台忙碌的时候，会增加收银台的数量，由此可以看出美国人对顾客提供便利，答案D。

【4】标题确定题：结合全文和第一段的句子： Many Americans experience this royal treatment every day. How? By being customers. The American idea of customer service is to make each customer the center of attention.”可看出这篇文章讲的是美国的消费者服务，答案A。

【5】

It was a winter morning, just a couple of weeks before Christmas 2005. While most people were warming up their cars, Trevor, my husband, had to get up early to ride his bike four kilometers away from home to work. On arrival, he parked his bike outside the back door as he usually does. After putting in 10 hours of labor, he returned to find his bike gone.

The bike, a black Kona 18 speed, was our only transport. Trevor used it to get to work, putting in 60-hour weeks to support his young family. And the bike was also used to get groceries（食品杂货），saving us from having to walk long distances from where we live.

I was so sad that someone would steal our bike that I wrote to the newspaper and told them our story. Shortly after that, several people in our area offered to help. One wonderful stranger even bought a bike, then called my husband to pick it up. Once again my husband had a way to get to and from his job. It really is an honor that a complete stranger would go out of their way for someone they have never met before.

People say that a smile can be passed from one person to another, but acts of kindness from strangers are even more so. This experience has had a spreading effect in our lives because it strengthened our faith in humanity（人性）as a whole. And it has influenced us to be more mindful of ways we, too, can share with others. No matter how big or how small, an act of kindness shows that someone cares. And the results can be everlasting.

【1】Why was the bike so important to the couple?

A．The man’s job was bike racing.

B．It was their only possession.

C．It was a nice Kona 18 speed.

D．They used it for work and daily life.

【2】We can infer from the text that ____________.

A．the couple worked 60 hours a week.

B．people were busy before Christmas

C．the stranger brought over the bike

D．life was hard for the young family.

【3】How did people get to know the couple’s problem?

A．From radio broadcasts. B．From a newspaper.

C．From TV news. D．From a stranger.

【4】What do the couple learn from their experience?

A．Strangers are usually of little help.

B．One should take care of their bike.

C．News reports make people famous.

D．An act of kindness can mean a lot.

答案

【1】D

【2】D

【3】B

【4】D

解析试题分析：文章通过一件小事告诉读者“勿以善小而不为”的道理。作者的丈夫骑自行车上下班，不幸的是，自行车被盗了，这给作者一家带来很多的不便。报纸报道了这件事以后，好心人送给了作者一辆自行车。

【1】细节题：根据第二段“our only transport...get to work...get groceries”可知，丢失的自行车是作者家里唯一的交通工具，他们骑着它去工作，买东西。故选D。

【2】细节题：根据第二段“putting in 60-hour weeks to support his young family...saving us from having to walk long distances from where we live”可知，一周要工作60小时来养家，出门只能骑车，步行要走好远。说明他们的生活很艰苦。故选D。

【3】细节题：根据第三段第一句“I was so sad that someone would steal our bike that I wrote to the newspaper and told them our story.”可知，作者向报社写信告诉他们这件事。故选B。

【4】推理题：根据最后一段“People say that a smile can be passed from one person to another, but acts of kindness from strangers are even more so...an act of kindness shows that someone cares. And the results can be everlasting”可知，微笑可以传递给他人，善意的小事也能感染他人。根据第三段“One wonderful stranger even bought a bike, then called my husband to pick it up.”可知，A错；B项未提及；丢失自行车这件事登报后，许多爱心人士提供了帮助，并不是让作者成为名人，排除C。故选D。