We've all heard the old saying，“Sticks and stones can break my bones，but words can never hurt me.” Don't you believe it？Words are powerful，and they can hurt—a lot. In fact，if you're not careful，you can even hurt yourself，by using the wrong word in your writing.
Recently a friend sent me a copy of an e-mail she received from the customer service department of her credit card company，after she contacted them with a question about her account. She was happy with their positive response. But as I read the e-mail，one line jumped out at me：“In lieu of good customer service...”
Did they really mean they were offering her a few extra reward points instead of good customer service？I doubt it. More likely，what the customer service department meant to say was，“Because good customer service is important to us...” followed by the details of what they were doing to make sure she remained a happy customer.
So why didn't the writer say that？I can only guess that perhaps the writer liked the phrase “in lieu of”，thought it sounded more interesting than saying “because”，and so used it—without bothering to check the true meaning.
Have you ever done that？Try to impress others with a big word，only to find out you've used the word incorrectly？It's just the opposite effect，isn't it？You may impress people all right，but it's not the impression you were going for.
When you write，remember to choose your words carefully. People may still disagree with what you say，but they won't be able to dismiss you because you made careless mistakes in how you said it.
小題1:What's the writer's purpose in giving the saying?
A．To amuse the reader.B．To persuade the reader.
C．To support a conclusion.D．To lead to the topic.
小題2:What does the phrase “in lieu of” most probably mean?
A．Because ofB．In honour ofC．Instead ofD．In favour of
小題3:According to the writer，the customer service department ______.
A．didn't prefer to use familiar words to attract customers
B．didn't express what they really meant
C．didn't need to offer their customers extra reward points
D．succeeded in impressing their customers

小題1:D
小題1:C
小題1:B
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


Balzac was good at buying things at its lowest price. One day he wanted to buy a vase in a shop window that was much more expensive than he could offer. Not being able to make the shopkeeper cut down its price very much, he left without further talking. Collecting a half dozen of his friends, he explained his wish to them and they worked a plan. The first would enter the shop and make an offer, lower than the marked price. Not getting the vase at his price, he would walk out. Shortly after another would enter and ask for a price lower than the first. In this way, each of the others would offer a price lower than the one before, and the last of his friends made a great effort to attempt to get it at the lowest price. Before long Balzac himself would return, offer more than the last two or three persons made and trust to luck. The plan worked--- Balzac got the vase at his price!
小題1:Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A．vase in the window was placed much higher than Balzac could reach.
B．At first the price of the vase was much higher than Balzac could offer.
C．Balzac always wanted to buy a vase that was much more expensive than he could pay.
D．Balzac was very poor. He couldn’t buy the vase at a high price.
小題2:How many friends did Balzac gather?
A．SixB．TwelveC．TenD．Five
小題3:Who asked for the lowest price?
A．The first one.B．The second one.
C．The last of his friends.D．Balzac.
小題4:What kind of person does the writer try to tell us about Balzac and his friends?
A．UnkindB．DishonestC．SelfishD．Clever

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

The first English week at our school started on May 4th, 2009. The whole school was filled with an English learning atmosphere. A series of activities was held. There were handwriting activities, story writing, English songs, role playing in English, and so on, all the teachers and students were very happy. They spoke English, sang English songs and enjoyed all the activities.
Handwriting was for the students in lower grades. Although most of them couldn’t write so well, they were all very careful about it. In the show window, there were a lot of colorful handwritten papers. They copied some articles from books or newspapers. And then they decorated them with pictures in different colors, and some even put their own photos on them. How cute and lovely they looked!
Story writing was for students in Grade 7 and Grade 8. These students are always fond of cartoons, so they got interested in this activity. Reading the stories they made up, all the visitors couldn’t help speaking highly of them.
The most important event was the English show on the last day. The students and teachers presented(上演) a lot of English songs and English operas. Each program won storms of applause.
One week is not very long, but all the students and teachers learned a lot. Just as the headmaster said, “It is a helpful week. It will certainly lead us to enjoy and learn more from our English studies.”
小題1:In this passage, the English week is described as__________.
A．surprisingB．boringC．enjoyableD．serious
小題2:Which of the following is Not true?
A．All the students took part in the handwriting contest.
B．The story writing contest was for students in Grade 7 and Grade 8.
C．The English show was the most important event.
D．Teachers also took part in the English week.
小題3: What does the underlined word “applause” probably mean?
A．NoiseB．CheerC．SoundD．Music
小題4:What does the writer probably want to tell us at the end of the passage?
A．The activities are a good way to learn English.
B．Students usually don’t like English.
C．The activities last longer.
D．Learning English in the classroom is invaluable.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

　Not everyone in the world requires the same amount of living space. The amount of space a person needs around him is a cultural (文化的) difference, not an economic one. Knowing your own psychological (心理的) space needs is important because they strongly affect your choices, including, for example, the number of bedrooms in the home. If you were brought up in a two-child family and both you and your sister or brother had your own bedrooms, the chances are if you have two children or more, that you also will offer separate bedrooms for them. In America, for example, they train people to want to have their own rooms by giving them their own rooms when they are babies. This is very unusual in the world. In many other countries, the baby sleeps in the same bed with his parents or in bed near them.
　　 The space in the home also shows a lot about psychological space needs. Some families gather closer to each other and the size of their house has nothing to do with it. Others have separate little corners where family members go to be alone.
　　 Although it is true that psychological space needs are not decided by economic reasons, they sometimes have to be changed a little because of economic pressure（壓力）. It is almost impossible, however, to completely change your psychological space needs.
　
小題1:The first sentence in Paragraph 1 “Not everyone in the world requires the same amount          of space” means “______”.
A．Not two people need exactly the same amount of living space
B．Living space requirements are not always the same
C．The world requires the same amount of living space
D．Nobody needs a required amount of living space
小題2:Some families gather closer to each other at home than others because ______.
A．they have limited living space　　　
B．they are brought up in a large family
C．it satisfies（滿足） their psychological space needs
D．the children in the family sleep in the same bed with their parents
小題3:Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A．Americans are trained to live in the large rooms at birth.
B．Economic situation decides one’s amount of space needs.
C．People in different countries demand(need) different psychological space.
D．Knowing your psychological space needs is important, as it has effect on your future.
小題4:The best title for this passage is ______.
A．American Way of Living
B．Psychological Space
C．Space Needs in Different Countries
D．Psychological Space and Economic Pressure

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

For many years there’s been a debate about rewarding our children. Does it work? Is it effective?
Some people think we should establish a standard with our kids and give them something for meeting this standard as a reward. Punishment is given out in much the same way, but it’s used when certain standards of performance, behavior, etc. have not been met. Kids will often become more dutiful when threatened with punishment, and work harder when promised a valuable reward. The problem is what happens when you aren’t around.
To develop responsible, self-disciplined kids, parents need to promote certain ideas. One of these ideas is that everyone pitches in and helps in your family. Another idea is that there can be enjoyment in doing any task if we choose to make it so. When a task is for a worthy cause ( our family can enjoy the house more because I helped clean it), this message can have a big impact.
This is how we help our kids develop a sense of responsibility. When our children develop this responsibility, they’ll be more disciplined, and they’ll control their emotions better. When we give rewards to our kids, we reduce the sense of responsibility. We also create children who may temporarily perform to a certain standard, but who aren’t likely to continue the performance without the carrot hanging in front of them. 
“Rewards and punishment can change behavior for a while, but they cannot change the person who engages in the behavior,” said Alfie Kohn, author of Punished by Rewards. “Good values have to be grown from the inside out.” Parents can help give their children a sense of shared responsibility and discipline which can last a life time. The real rewards that your children receive will be their readiness for the complex and demanding world that waits for them—a world that rewards those who have learned the secrets of discipline responsibility. So keep those shiny rewarding to yourself, and let your kids find their own rewards.
小題1:According to the passage, when children are threatened with punishment, ______.
A．they may lose interest in their work
B．they may appear to be well-behaved
C．they may change to another person
D．the results will be worse than usual
小題2:What can we know from Paragraph 3?
A．Parents should promote certain ideas to help children develop.
B．Children should be responsible for their discipline.
C．Children should help build a good family atmosphere.
D．No children will adapt to society without their parents’ help
小題3: The underlined part “the carrot” in Paragraph 4 probably refers to _____.
A．rewardsB．a(chǎn)imsC．a(chǎn)pologiesD．doubts
小題4:According to the passage, Alfie Kohn would agree that parents should ______.
A．never pay attention to the way their children do things
B．show their children how to behave by example
C．never punish their children
D．help their children establish good values
小題5:What’s the best title for the passage?
A．Do you often reward your children?
B．Should parents reward their children?
C．When should parents reward their children?
D．What can parents reward their children with?

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Women are on their way to holding more than half of all American jobs. The latest government report shows that their share of nonfarm jobs nearly reached fifty percent in September.
Not only have more and more women entered the labor market over the years, but the depression has been harder on men. In October the unemployment rate for men was almost eleven percent compared to eight percent for women.
Industries that traditionally use lots of men have suffered deep cuts. For example, manufacturing and building lost more jobs last month. But health care and temporary employment services have had job growth. Both of those industries employ high percentages of women.
Thirty years ago, women earned sixty-two cents for every dollar that men earned. Now, for those who usually work full time, women earn about eighty percent of what men earn. And women hold fifty-one percent of good-paying management and professional jobs.
Yet a study released Thursday said men still hold about nine out of every ten top positions at the four hundred large companies in California. The results have remained largely unchanged in live years of studies from the University of California, Davis.
Also, a new research paper in the journal Sex Roles looks at the experiences of women who are the main earners in their family. Rebecca Meisenbach at the University of Missouri in Columbia interviewed fifteen women. She found they all valued their independence and many enjoyed having the power of control, though not all wanted it.
But they also felt pressure, worry and guilt. Partly that was because of cultural expectations that working women will still take care of the children. Also, men who are not the main earners may feel threatened.
The job market continues to suffer the effects of last year’s financial crash. Now, a judgment has been reached in the first case involving charges of criminal wrongdoing on Wall Street.
Last week, the government lost its case against two managers at Bear Stearns, the first investment bank to fail last year. A jury found Ralph Cioffi and Matthew Tannin not guilty of lying to investors.
The hedge funds they supervised lost their value in two thousand seven. But jurors said there was no clear evidence that they meant to mislead investors.
The Justice Department continues to investigate other companies.
小題1:Why is the unemployment rate for men higher.
A．Because there are more men workers in industries.
B．Because many industries mainly employing men now don’t need so many workers.
C．More and more women take the place of men.
D．Because health care and temporary employment services don’t employ men.
小題2:It can be inferred from the passage that __________.
A．women haven’t got complete equality as men
B．only by becoming the main earners in their family can women gain a high position
C．a(chǎn)ll women now value independence and the power of control
D．taking care of children is now shared by men and women
小題3:Which of the following is TRUE?
A．Men hate that women earn more money.
B．It is commonly believed that women should take care of children.
C．The job market has recovered from the effect of the financial crisis.
D．Now women working full time earn more than men.
小題4: Why does the government accuse two managers?
A．They contributed to the financial crash.B．They led a corrupt life.
C．They lied to investors.D．A jury found them misleading investors.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

It is football time again．Currently, the qualifying rounds are being played to decide which countries will send teams to the next World Cup．Some Soccer is becoming more and more popular on a worldwide scale and these qualifying legs are causing much excitement．
The game is popular at club level as well．Many fans go every week to support their teams, whether the event is a home or away one, hoping to get a result．They all hope an attacking game, with a lot of goals being scored．Obviously, they do not want to see a boring, defensive match where the players are aimlessly passing the ball to each other．
Sadly, not all the action always takes place on the ground．All too frequently, there is action in the stands, too．Football supporters, most of whom declare their loyalty , by wearing their team colors, in the form of shirts, are not known for their quiet behavior．They are often very noisy, shouting noisy encouragement to their team and singing deafening songs．
There is much rivalry between supporters．Mostly, this is good-natured, but trouble can easily arise．Fans get angry if they feel that a referee has made a wrong decision, perhaps giving one of their team a red or yellow card unfairly, or perhaps failing to notice a foul committed by a member of the other team．
When trouble breaks out in a football crowd, it can be difficult to control．Stadium officials often seat the opposing fans in separate parts of the ground as a precaution against fighting． However, preventing trouble is more difficult outside the ground．In the worst cases, riot （暴亂）police have to be called in．
Unfortunately, there are some fans who enjoy this violent aspect of football．These football hooligans （流氓） really enjoy a running battle with the police, and call up other people to throw stones and bottles at them．They regard football not only as a sport, but as an excuse for trouble makings．Inevitably, their behavior spoils the reputation of the game．
小題1:The qualifying rounds are played to ______．
A．make the game more excitingB．a(chǎn)ttract soccer fans at club level
C．raise funds for the organizationD．select the teams for the next rounds
小題2:What do football fans hope to see?
A．A home game．B．A defensive game．
C．An exciting game．D．An evenly matched game．
小題3:Riot police are called in ______．
A．to stop lighting occurring outside the ground
B．to separate the opposing fans inside the ground
C．a(chǎn)s a precaution against trouble inside the ground
D．a(chǎn)s a precaution against lighting outside the ground
小題4:It is implied in the last paragraph that ______．
A．football has a poor reputation
B．football hooligans are crazy about the games
C．football fans enjoy spoiling games
D．football can be an excuse for troublemaking

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Sophia Richardson: Both my parents are really important to me. My parents are really more than friends. They’re the people I can open up and talk to. Talking to them is like talking to one of my friends. They’ve been there for me and given me good advice on a lot of my problems.
Stacey Avnes: My Jewish big sister is important to me. Her name is Lauren. We’ve been together for two years. My mom is a single mom and she is very busy. Lauren is someone who helps me deal with all this stuff because she’s someone I can talk to. She’s like a second mom to me and also a best friend. If I have any problem, I can call her and she’ll come and pick me up and we’ll go to a park and talk.
Jean Park: It’s my uncle who is important to me. When I’m with him, I’m grateful（感激的） for the small things—being alive and healthy; having a good family and friends. He’s also very grateful for the small things and gives back to his community（社區(qū)）.
Melaku Shierfaw: My father is important to me. He came here from a rich family in Africa. But when he came, he didn’t take any money and started fresh. He showed that he could do everything by himself without the help of others and he’s successful. It shows me that I can do anything as long as I try.
Kalin Scott-Wright: My great grandmother is in charge of our whole family. She was born in 1920. I know she went through a lot in her life. She was a very strong woman and she raised my mom and took her in. She had a kind spirit and loved me and my brother. She’ll always be there for me although she’s not alive any longer.
小題1:We can infer that Sophia             .
A．is always in trouble
B．has few friends
C．gets along well with her parents
D．depends too much on her parents
小題2:What do we know about Stacey’s big sister?
A．She is very lonely.
B．She is a single mother.
C．She is Stacey’s only friend.
D．She often helps Stacey.
小題3:What does Jean’s uncle teach her?
A．To be grateful for the small things in life.
B．To be ready to help her community.
C．To treat others like friends.
D．To have a good family.
小題4: From his father, Melaku has learnt that            .
A．not everyone can be successful
B．money is not important in one’s life
C．one should never ask others for help
D．he can do anything as long as he tries

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

My wife passed away a few years ago, and I went through the worst time in my life. I even wanted to kill myself. Just for kids, I had to continue to live and work as small-town doctor at my medical clinic in Hawaii. My kids had gone to live on the mainland, and I was alone. Then they asked me to have a family trip.
On our trip, we turned on the TV at the motel and saw the second plane crash into the World Trade Center. Seeing it falling down, I said to my kids: “I’m going to Afghanistan”. And a few weeks later, international Medical Corps sent me to set up 20 clinics in provinces where people had no health care. In these field clinics surrounded by frightening shoots or deadly bombs, we were eventually serving 27,000 patients a month in a very busy schedule. Tired and nervous, I gradually had a sense of achievement, a sense of purpose, and my depression went away.
In the years to follow, I went to Indonesia after the tsunami, Pakistan after the earthquakes, Sudan after the civil warm and Iraq after more and more bombs. Each time after disasters one after another, hundreds of people were killed, wounded and many more had to flee. We once set up movable clinics in an area with 19,000 refugees, and it was supposed to hold 13,000 originally. Flu broke out, one of the biggest killers of kids in refugee camps, and it spread like wildfire. Water and food were also serious problems. “Adventures or not?” I often asked myself.
When my wife passed away, I thought my life was done. But in reality, it was just getting started. At the end of her life, she went unconscious. I held her head in my hands and told her of all the places we would visit and the exciting adventures we would have.
I think about the moment many times during my “adventures”. I didn’t know how predictive those words would be. But I know that she is still with me.
小題1:Where has the doctor been in the past few years?
A．Some countries where he could set up clinics.
B．Some African countries where flu broke out.
C．The places where the earthquakes happened.
D．The places that the horrible disasters struck.
小題2:How would the doctor describe his life after he had worked in Afghanistan?
A．Tired and troublesome.
B．Busy and risky.
C．Meaningful and helpful
D．Frightening and depressing.
小題3:The underlined word “refugees” means people_______________.
A．who are robbed, killed, or wounded
B．who suffer from flu in movable clinics
C．who like to take adventures
D．who have lost homes because of disasters.
小題4:Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A．the doctor’s wife encouraged him to work in foreign countries.
B．What the doctor said to his wife before her death became reality.
C．The doctor’s adventures made him understand the love of his wife.
D．With the true love of his wife, the doctor started to change his life.

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