A report consistently brought back by visitors to the US is how friendly, courteous, and helpful most Americans were to them. To be fair, this observation is also frequently made of Canada and Canadians, and should best be considered North American. There are, of course, exceptions. Small-minded officials, rude waiters, and ill-mannered taxi drivers are hardly unknown in the US. Yet it is an observation made so frequently that it deserves comment.For a long period of time and in many parts of the country, a traveler was a welcome break in an otherwise dull existence. Dullness and loneliness were common problems of the families who generally lived distant from one another. Strangers and travelers were welcome sources of diversion, and brought news of the outside world.The harsh realities of the frontier also shaped this tradition of hospitality. Someone traveling alone, if hungry, injured, or ill, often had nowhere to turn except to the nearest cabin or settlement. It was not a matter of choice for the traveler or merely a charitable impulse on the part of the settlers. It reflected the harshness of daily life: if you didn’t take in the stranger and take care of him, there was no one else who would. And someday, remember, you might be in the same situation.Today there are many charitable organizations that specialized in helping the weary traveler. Yet, the old tradition of hospitality to strangers is still very strong in the US, especially in the smaller cities and towns away from the busy tourist trails. I was just traveling through, got talking with this American, and pretty soon he invited me home for dinner—amazing. Such observations reported by visitors to the US are not uncommon, but are not always understood properly. The casual friendliness of many Americans should be interpreted neither as superficial nor as artificial, but as the result of a historically developed cultural tradition.As is true of any developed society, in America a complex set of cultural signals assumptions, and conventions underlies all social interrelationships. And, of course, speaking a language does not necessarily mean that someone understands social and cultural patterns. Visitors who fail to translate cultural meanings properly often draw wrong conclusions. For example, when an American uses the word friend, the cultural implications of the word may be quite different from those it has in the visitor’s language and culture. It takes more than a brief encounter on a bus to distinguish between courteous convention and individual interest. Yet, being friendly is a virtue that many Americans value highly and expect from both neighbors and strangers.1.The word “observation” in the first paragraph most probably means （ ）.2.People in frontier settlements used to entertain travelers because these strangers would （ ）.3.Nowadays the tradition of friendliness to strangers （ ）.4.According to the passage, which of the following is true?5.From the last paragraph of the passage we have learned that（ ）.

A.attention. B.watchfulness. C.survey. D.opinion.
问题2：
A.bring good news from outside world. B.help locals solve their problems. C.bring a change to the life in the settlements. D.requires a different definition.
问题3：
A.is still prevailing. B.can rarely be seen C.is wading fast D.requires a different definition
问题4：
A.People are still fond of traveling to remote places. B.Foreign travelers now keep away from busy tourist trails. C.There is no charitable organization in small cities. D.Foreign visitors to the US have trouble understanding American’s friendliness.
问题5：
A.the ability of speaking a foreign language implies a better understanding of its culture B.various virtues manifest themselves exclusively among friends C.culture exercises a great influence on social interrelationships D.courteous convention and individual interest are closely interrelated

Children’s literature traces its beginnings to preliterate times, when ancient storytellers passed tales and legends from generation to generation in the oral tradition. William Caxton, who established England’s first printing press, published books of etiquette, fables and legends. However, these didn’t constitute a body of work that could be considered literature for children. Because children at that time were considered "miniature adults", books were didactic in nature. The content for young readers consisted mainly of religious instruction, rules of behavior, ethical messages, and moral platitudes. In 1774, Englishman John Newberry changed children’s publishing when he began to create books with attractive formats, quality illustrations, and sturdy bindings, that were designed primarily for children to enjoy. The oldest, and most prestigious award given for children’s books published in America, is the Newberry Medal.In the following century, children’s literature began to bloom. Hans Christian Andersen’s wonderful stories like "The Ugly Duckling", and "The Little Mermaid", and Grimm brothers collected two volumes of German folktales that included stories such as "Snow White" and "Rumpelstiltskin". Childhood came to be recognized as a joyful and carefree period of life, and books celebrating it began to be published. Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carrol) wrote the fantasy "Alice in Wonderland", the first book that was intended purely for children’s enjoyment without any pretense of instruction. Edwards Lear’s books of nonsense poetry delighted both young and old readers. In North America, books for a young audience were becoming popular as well. Kate Douglas Wiggin wrote "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm", Louisa May Alcott wrote "Little Women", and Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) created Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. By the end of the century, the pious and moralistic books of earlier times had been replaced by writing designed to amuse and entertain a young audience. In the 1800s color printing was introduced, and by the middle of the 19th century, the rough illustrations that characterized earlier children’s books had been replaced by works of art that captured the word and some of the story.1.The underlined word “constitute” in Paragraph 1 is closet in meaning to （ ）.2.According to the passage, the early books of etiquette, fables and legends could not really be considered children’s literature because（ ）.3.According to the passage, what changed children’s publishing in 1774?4.The underlined word “sturdy” in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to（ ）.5.What does the author mean by the statement “children’s literature began to bloom” in Paragraph 2?6.The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 2 refers to （ ）.7.According to the passage, “Alice in the WonderlancT’ was an example of （ ）.8.The underlined word “characterized” in Paragraph 2 is closet in meaning to （ ）.9.What impact did color printing have on children’s books?

A.form B.talk C.plan D.look
问题2：
A.the children couldn’t read them B.the early books were too heavy for children C.the stories were too difficult for children to appreciate D.the stories were for education rather than for enjoyment
问题3：
A.the Newberry Medal B.some books began to be produced mainly for children to enjoy C.some books had attractive formats, quality illustration, and sturdy bindings D.some books no longer contained religious instruction, rules of behavior, ethical messages, and moral platitudes
问题4：
A.robust B.ornate C.soft D.hard
问题5：
A.quality illustrations and attractive formats made books more appealing B.illustration often included flowers C.became more varied and attractive D.became more numerous and popular
问题6：
A.publishing B.books C.life D.childhood
问题7：
A.a fantasy story B.a German folktale C.a book celebrating childhood D.a book of instruction
问题8：
A.rejected B.described C.devalued D.amused
问题9：
A.sales increased by the middle of the 19th century B.rough illustrations were now more appealing C.illustrat

To read a new book, you simply need good light, time and the right frame of mind. But to read a new software package, you need a thousand pounds’ worth of hardware, considerable computer knowledge, plenty of time and, most important of all, endless determination.Generally speaking, all books are very much alike, and the experienced reader has no difficulty coping with an unfamiliar book. But imagine how frustrating it would be if you had to make a mental adjustment, if you had to read in a different way every time you read a book from a different publisher, yet this is exactly what it is like when you use a new software package.You can be encouraged in a good book within a minute, but getting new software running takes ages. Learning to use a new piece of software is like trying to ride a trick bicycle, on which the handlebars have a reverse action. It looks easier than it really is. This is partly because you must first unlearn what you’ve learnt on the last package; no two packages use the control characters on the keyboard in quite the same way. How much easier it would be if there are some standards to which all software writers adhered!Since you can’t rely on your precious experience, the only way to understand your new software package is to rely on the manual. Some software manuals are written with the beginner in mind and have explicit instruction with well-designed exercises that lead you gently on from stage to stage. But most assume that you are already an expert, and have complicated explanations which only confuse and irritate you. All require a full set of fingers and thumbs to mark pages while hunting out information. Yes, perhaps the information is in the manual, but where?1.When learning to use a new software package you may probably feel （ ）.2.The author mentions the trick bicycle, on which the handlebars have a reverse action, in order to show （ ）.3.How could a software package become easier to users according to the author?4. What is the most common problem in software manuals according to the passage?5.The word “explicit” underlined in paragraph 4 probably means “ （ ）”.

A.frustrated B.encouraged C.engrossed D.dismayed
问题2：
A.how difficult it is to learn to ride a bicycle B.it is impossible to learn to ride this bicycle C.how difficult it is to learn a new software package D.to leam to ride a bicycle is the same thing as to leam a new software package
问题3：
A.All software packages are made by the same software company. B.The users are familiar with all kinds of software packages. C.There are some standards to which all software writers adhere. D.There is a committee which examines all software packages.
问题4：
A.They have complicated explanations which are quite beyond your understanding. B.They are printed in very small characters. C.Their instructions and explanations are too simple. D.They are written with the beginner in mind.
问题5：
A.confusing B.clear C.complicated D.involved

M: How is everything going with you?W: Not bad. Say, if you are done for the day, maybe we could celebrate your birthday at Starbucks, I’ll buy!Q: What’s the woman doing?

A.She is making an invitation. B.She is making a suggestion. C.She is asking for advice. D.She is offering her opinion

Experts say walking is one of the best ways for a person to （ ） healthy.

A.preserve B.stay C.maintain D.reserve

Newspapers in the 1920s and the 1930s offered their readers gifts to increase their （ ）.

A.circulation B.contribution C.regulation D.advocation