For a commuter rushing to catch a train, a minute can mean the difference between dinner with the family and leftovers (剩飯) in the microwave. What most passengers don’t realize is that their minute is already there.
Every commuter train that departs from New York City — about 900 a day — leaves a minute later than scheduled. If the timetable says 8:14, the train will actually leave at 8:15. In other words, if you think you have only a minute to get that train — well, relax. You have two.
The courtesy (禮貌) minute, in place for decades and published only in private timetables for employees, is meant as a grace period（寬限期）for those who need the extra time to get off the platform and onto the train.
“If everyone knows they get an extra minute, they’re going to waste time doing unimportant things,” explained Marjorie Anders, a spokeswoman for the Metro-North Railroad. Told of this article, Ms. Anders laughed. “Don’t blow our cover!” she said.
Entirely hidden from the riding public, the secret minute is an odd departure from the railroad culture of down-to-the-second accuracy. The railroad industry helped invent the concept of standard time, and time zones were established in the United States in the 1880s, 35 years before they were written into law. And most commuters know their train by the precise minute it departs. The trains quickly make up the minute: at all other stops, the public timetable prevails. The phantom minute does not exist at commuter railroads in Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, or San Francisco. But in New York, the secret minute dates back decades.
“That’s been done forever, from my knowledge,” said Jack Swanberg, 70, an unofficial historian of Metro-North. “I was the trainmaster starting in 1970 and I’m sure it’s been the case since 1870 for all I know.”
小題1:The courtesy minute was hidden from the public to _____.
A．prevent the passengers’ idlenessB．help invent the concept of standard time
C．show the railroad company’s considerationD．follow the ancient tradition of New York City
小題2: The underlined part “Don’t blow our cover” in Para. 4 probably means “_____”.
A．Don’t publish the timetableB．Don’t blame commuter trains
C．Don’t make it known by the publicD．Don’t forget our chances of catching trains
小題3:What can we conclude from the passage?
A．The courtesy minute exists in many cities in the US.
B．One minute means a lot for most of the commuters.
C．The courtesy minute has been in place for about ten years.
D．Most railroad staff in New York have no idea of the courtesy minute.
小題4: The passage mainly talks about _____.
A．the railroads in the USB．the secret New York minute
C．the mistake of the railroad industryD．the history of New York commuter trains

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

There are two types of people in the world. Although they have equal degree of health and wealth and other comforts of life, one becomes happy, the other becomes unhappy. This arises from the different ways in which they consider things, persons, events and the resulting effects upon their minds.
　　People who are to be happy fix their attention on the convenience of things. The pleasant parts of conversation, the well prepared dishes, the goodness of the wine, the fine weather. They enjoy all the cheerful things. Those who are to be unhappy think and speak only of the opposite things. Therefore, they are continually dissatisfied. By their remarks, they sour the pleasure of society, offend(or hurt) many people, and make themselves disagreeable everywhere. If this turn of mind was founded in nature, such unhappy persons would be the more to be pitied. The intention of criticizing and being disliked is perhaps taken up by imitation. It grows into a habit, unknown to its possessors. The habit may be strong, but it may be cured when those who have it realize its bad effects on their interests and tastes. I hope this little warning may be of service to them, and help them change this habit.
　　Although in fact it is chiefly an act of the imagination, it has serious results in life since it brings on deep sorrow and bad luck. Those people offend many others; nobody loves them, and no one treats them with more than the most common politeness and respect. This frequently puts them in bad temper and draws them into arguments. If they aim at getting some advantages in social position or fortune, nobody wishes them success. Nor will anyone start a step or speak a word to favor their hopes. If they bring on themselves public objections, no one will defend or excuse them, and many will join to criticize their wrongdoings. These should change this bad habit and be pleased with what is pleasing, without worrying needlessly about themselves and others. If they do not, it will be good for others to avoid any contact with them. Otherwise, it can be disagreeable and sometimes very inconvenient, especially when one becomes mixed up in their quarrels.
小題1:The phrase“sour the pleasure of society” most nearly means__________.
A．have a good taste with social life　　B．make others unhappy
C．tend to scold others openly　　D．enjoy the pleasure of life
小題2:We can conclude from the passage that__________.
A．people can get rid of the habit of unhappiness
B．such unhappy people are dangerous to social life
C．we should pity all such unhappy people
D．unhappy people can not understand happy persons
小題3:If such unhappy persons insist on keeping the habit, the author suggests that people should ______.
A．prevent any communication with them
B．show no respect and politeness to them
C．persuade them to recognize the bad effects
D．quarrel with them until they realize the mistakes
小題4:In this passage, the writer mainly________.
A．describes two types of people　　B．laughs at the unhappy people
C．suggests ways to help them unhappyD．tells people how to be happy in life

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Perhaps the most astonishing theory to come out of kinetics，the study of body movement,was suggested by Professor Ray Birdwhistell.He believes that physical appearance Is often culturally programmed.In other words,we learn our looks;we are not born with them.
A baby generally unformed facial features.A baby,according to Birdwhistell,learns where to set the eyebrows by looking at those around family and friends．This helps explain why the people of some regions of the United States look so much lilke．New Englanders or Southerners have certain common facial characteristics that cannot be explained by genetics(遺傳學(xué))．The exact shape of the mouth is not set at birth,it is learned later．In fact，the final mouth shape is not formed until well after permanent(永久的)teeth are set．For many，this can be well into adolescence(青春期)．A husband and wife together for a long time often come to look somewhat alike．We learn our looks from those around us. This is perhaps why in a single country there are areas where people smile more than those in other areas．In the United States，for example，the South is the part of the country where the people smile most frequently．In New England they smile less，and in the western part of New York State still less．Many Southerners find cities such as New York cold and unfriendly，partly because people on Madison Avenue smile less than people on Peach Tree Street jn Atlanta，Georgia．People in densely(稠密地)populated urban areas also tend to smile and greet each other in public less than people in rural areas and small towns．
小題1:The passage might be taken out of a book dealing with______
A．physicsB．healthC．chemistryD．body movement
小題2:Ray Birdwhistell believes that physical appearance_______．
A．has little to do with cultureB．is decided by our parents
C．can be infiuenced by cultureD．varies from place to place
小題3:Ray Birdwhistell can tell what region of the United States a person is from by     .
A．the way he or she talksB．how he or she raises his or her eyebrows
C．what he or she likes bestD．how much he or she laughs
小題4:According to the passage，people who live_______are more friendly.
A．in the northB．in the country
C．in New York CityD．in densely populated areas

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

In a moment of personal crisis, how much help can you expect from a New York taxi driver? I began studying this question and found the answers interesting.
One morning I got into three different taxis and announced, “Well, it’s my first day back in New York in seven years. I’ve been in prison.” Not a single driver replied, so I tried again. “Yeah, I shot a man in Reno.” I explained, hoping the driver would ask me why, but nobody asked. The only response came from a Ghanaian driver, “Reno? That is in Nevada?”
Taxi drivers were uniformly sympathetic when I said I’d just been fired. “This is America,” a Haitian driver said. “One door is closed. Another is open.” He argued against my plan to burn down my boss’s house. A Pakistani driver even turned down a chance to profit from my loss of hope; he refused to take me to the middle of George Washington Bridge—a $20 trip. “Why you want to go there? Go home and relax. Don’t worry. Take a new job.”
One very hot weekday in July, while wearing a red ski mask and holding a stuffed pillowcase with the word “BANK” on it, I tried calling a taxi five times outside different banks. The driver picked me up every time. My ride with a Haitian driver was typical of the superb assistance I received.
“Let’s go across the park.” I said. “I just robbed the bank there. I got $25,000.”
“$25,000?” He asked.
“Yeah, you think it was wrong to take it?”
“No, man. I work 8 hours and I don’t make almost $70. If I can do that, I do it too.”
As we approached 86th and Lexington, I pointed to the Chemical Bank.
“Hey, there’s another bank,” I said, “Could you wait here a minute while I go inside?”
“No, I can’t wait. Pay me now.” His reluctance may have something to do with money—taxi drivers think the rate for waiting time is too low—but I think he wanted me to learn that even a bank robber can’t expect unconditional support.
小題1:. From the Ghanaian driver’s response, we can infer that ____.
A．he was indifferent to the killingB．he was afraid of the author
C．he looked down upon the authorD．he thought the author was crazy
小題2:. Why did the Pakistani driver refuse to take the author to the middle of the George Washington Bridge?
A．Because he was able to help the author to find a new job.
B．Because he wanted to go home and relax.
C．Because it was far away from his home.
D．Because he thought that the author would commit suicide.
小題3:.What is the author’s interpretation of the driver’s reluctance “to wait outside the Chemical bank”?
A．The driver thought that the rate for waiting time was too low.
B．The driver thought it wrong to support a taxi rider unconditionally.
C．The driver was frightened and wanted to leave him as soon as possible.
D．The driver did not want to help a suspect to escape from a bank robbery.
小題4:. Which of the following statements is true about New York taxi drivers?
A．They are ready to help you do whatever you want to.
B．they often refuse to pick up those who would kill themselves.
C．They are sympathetic with those who are out of work.
D．They work only for money.
小題5:. The passage mainly discusses ____.
A．how to please taxi drivers.
B．how to deal with taxi drivers
C．the attitudes of taxi drivers towards riders in personal trouble
D．the attitudes of taxi drivers towards troublesome taxi riders

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Some people believe that international sports create goodwill between the nations and that if countries play games together they will learn to live together. Others say that the opposite is true: that international competitions encourage false national pride and lead to misunderstanding and hatred. There is probably some truth in both arguments, but in recent years the Olympic Games have done little to support the view that sports encourage international brotherhood. Not only was there the tragic incident involving the murder of athletes, but the Games were also ruined by lesser incidents caused mainly by minor national competitions.
　One country received its second-place medals with visible indignation（憤慨）after a hockey final. There had been noisy scenes at the end of the hockey match, the loser’s objection to the final decision. They were sure that one of their goals should not have been disallowed and that their opponents’ victory was unfair. Their manager was very angry and he said, “This wasn’t hockey. Hockey and the International Hockey Federation are finished.” The president of the Federation said later that such behavior could result in the suspension（停賽）of the team for at least three years.
　The American basketball team announced that they would not give up the first place to Russia, after a disputable end to their competition. The game had ended in disturbance. It was thought at first that the United States had won, by a single point, but it was announced that there were three seconds still to play. A Russian player popped the ball into the basket. It was the first time the USA had ever lost an Olympic basketball match. An appeal jury discussed the matter for four and a half hours before announcing that the result would stand. The American players then voted not to receive the silver medals.
　Incidents of this kind will continue as long as sports are played competitively rather than for the love of the game. The suggestion that athletes should compete as individuals, or in non-national teams, might be too much to hope for. But in the present organization of the Olympics there is far too much that encourages aggressive patriotism（愛國主義）.
小題1:According to the author, recent Olympic Games have ________.
A．caused national pride for athletes
B．created goodwill between the nations
C．hardly showed any international friendship
D．led to less misunderstanding between countries
小題2:What did the manager mean by saying “Hockey and the International Hockey Federation are finished”?
A．His team would no longer take part in international games.
B．There should be no hockey matches organized by the Federation.
C．Hockey and the Federation are both ruined by the unfair decisions.
D．The International Hockey Federation should be dismissed forever.
小題3:By taking the basketball game for example, the author wants to prove that ________.
A．too much patriotism was displayed in the games
B．the announcement to prolong the match was wrong
C．the appeal jury was too hesitant in making the decision
D．the team was right in refusing to accept the silver medals
小題4:What conclusion can be drawn from the passage?
A．Sports should be played for the love of one’s nation.
B．Unfair decisions are common in the Olympic Games.
C．International competitions will lead to misunderstanding.
D．The organization for the Olympic Games must be reformed.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Employees are being flooded with too much information that has little to do with their work, according to a new survey.
On average, white-collar workers spend 51 percent of their work time receiving and processing information. Only one third of it was relevant to their work, the survey found. Information overload for white collar workers has become a global issue. The huge amount of information has already affected their efficiency in management as well as their performance at work.
Buried with e-mails
Every morning, a secretary at the human resources department of an auto parts company opens her e-mail box, only to find it crammed with at least 50 unread mails. For her, even scanning through these e-mails every day takes at least half an hour. Some of her colleagues are not so lucky — they have to read at least 100.
Bothered with calls
Telephone calls are also causing a problem. More than 40 percent white-collar workers chose mobile phones as the preferred way to communicate important and urgent business matters.
Talking saves time and energy over the clicking, reading and replying to e-mails, but phone calls are also more distracting(分心的). While answering a call, a clerk is likely to put away a much more important task at hand and start the business being talked about on the phone.
Solution? Not yet.
Many companies start with providing staff with better computers, better Internet access and more advanced gadgets(裝置). For example, staff members above a certain level in one company will be provided with a blackberry phone for easier access to their e-mails. The company has also organized many lectures on efficient ways of e-mail management. Yet most white-collar workers think their companies can do more.
小題1:What does the new survey find about white-collar workers?
A．They spend 51% of their work time on meetings.
B．Only half of the information they receive is useful.
C．Over 60% of them prefer to use the telephone.
D．Some of them have to read at least 100 e-mails every day.
小題2:Telephone calls cause a problem because ________.
A．they take up the time to receive and send e-mails
B．they are often not answered
C．they are mostly not about business
D．they may lead to the changing of work schedule
小題3:How do some companies try to solve the problem of information overload?
A．They start to give staff a pay rise.
B．They plan to employ more people.
C．They provide employees with more advanced equipment.
D．They organize lectures on how to reduce stress.
小題4:What is the major issue discussed in this text?
A．Poor management leads to inefficiency at work.
B．Junk mail is causing big trouble.
C．White-collar workers suffer from information overload.
D．Better computers are in need in workplaces.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Internet dating has become one of the biggest and most successful business ventures on the Internet. Basically, Internet dating is a way to meet people for either friendship or dating without actually having to meet them in person first.
The first thing to do if you decide to try Internet dating is to build your profile(簡介) which can include your hobbies, hopes for the future, and so on. A photograph is optional, but many sites claim that a photograph increases the number of people who look at your profile.  Many Internet dating sites will charge a one-time registration fee to use their services.
Internet dating makes it possible to meet people from all over the world. You can even narrow the search down to your area by zip code. Another advantage is that you can communicate by email before you meet in person. Thousands of people have met, fallen in love, and married through Internet dating. It is an excellent way for shy people to meet. It is also a way for people with busy lives to connect with others, and an easy way to meet people who share your interests.
Just as in conventional dating and love, there are some pitfalls to be aware of in Internet dating. The person you have been talking to on the net may not be who they say they are. Be very aware that there are some people who misrepresent their appearance or private details, such as marital status, income, and so on, for their own reasons. It would not be the first time that someone has been taken in, and talk shows are full of cheating partners who have been caught dating over the Internet in their spare time. Nevertheless, taking a few simple precautions should help ensure that your Internet dating experience is fun.
小題1:Which of the following is a must to make an Internet dating possible?
A．A photo.B．A profile.
C．Registration fee.D．Business experience.
小題2:One advantage of Internet dating is that _______.
A．you can avoid a face-to-face meeting in the beginning
B．you're sure to find a partner with the same interests
C．you'll find absolutely reliable information of others
D．you'll gain fame and money overnight
小題3:The underlined word "pitfalls" in Paragraph 4 most probably means________.
A．rulesB．trendsC．problemsD．skills
小題4:What is probably talked about following the last paragraph?
A．Conventional dating.B．Hidden advantages.
C．Safety measures.D．Romantic love.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Ideal for anyone who wants a good time, the Gold Coast is packed with enough fun for everyone in Australia．It's impossible to be bored on the Gold Coast．Below are the attractions;
Dream World
This is a fun place for everyone, whether you are a family with young kids, older kids, or out with your mates．This theme park is actually a series of parks, made up of such places as preschooler heaven Wiggles World and such attractions as Big Brother for inner reality TV fans．Dream World also owns the theme park White Water World．It is possible to buy tickets from Dream World that covers several different parks．
Sea World
Get up close and personal with dolphins, sharks and polar bears．This theme park also offers the right mixture of shows, exhibits, animal fights and thrill rides such as roller coaster．This is a must-see for your Gold Coast adventure．
Warner Bros Movie World
This theme park has the best combination of fast-paced entertainment．Visitors can have fun living as though they're in the movies．Kids will see all their cartoon favourites on parade and in shows．Bigger kids and grown-ups can pretend they're on real movie sets with their favourite action heroes, and then put themselves into some serious action．
How to get there梇ou can easily travel to the Gold Coast by plane．Fly straight into Gold Coast International Airport, or to Brisbane and then catch the '"airtrain" service to the Gold Coast．All of the major airlines have daily flights, some with several per day depending on your departure city．If you want to save money, you can get there by train．
Accommodation—Want something truly unusual? Consider staying in the world's largest residential tower （塔式住宅） and enjoy beautiful views．The accommodation choices on the Gold Coast are just as varied and interesting as the activities, so whether you are a single, couple, family, friends, a large or small group, you will find options perfect for you at TakeABreak．corn．a(chǎn)n．
小題1:From the passage, we know _____．
A．visitors can go t．o the Gold Goast only by air
B．the Gold Coast is famous for its golden beach
C．it is difficult for a family to find a right place to stay
D．the theme park "Sea World" will attract animal lovers
小題2:Which is NOT included in the theme parks?
A．Children can see their favorite cartoons．
B．Visitors have opportunities to take roller coasters．
C．Some famous movie actors often act with visitors．
D．Visitors can share the joy from animals．
小題3:This passage is mainly ______．
A．to describe the theme parks in Australia
B．to draw more visitors to go to the Gold Goast
C．to tell some exciting shows, adventures, etc．
D．to introduce how to get to the Gold Coast

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

A latest national survey has found that over half of China's netizens are suffering from various mental problems although some 62 percent of them claim at the same time that they are happy on the whole anyway.
This is the result of China's first White Paper on Netizens' Health Conditions issued on Wednesday by 39.net, China's largest authoritative website on health sciences. It is the first most comprehensive health survey on netizens' health situation ever conducted in China in ten years' time. The white paper came out after two months of online and offline research that involved over 150 thousand netizens, covering topics and questions on health knowledge, mental situation, sense of health, and living habits.
According to the white paper, more than 70 percent of China's netizens say they are suffering from mental problems such as bad memory, anxiety, depression, and a lack of confidence. And a similar 72 percent of them also say they are often suffering from diseases like insomnia, dizziness, joint degeneration and achings. Meanwhile, another 53 percent of netizens believe that white collar employees who have bigger work pressures are more likely to catch mental problems.
The white paper adds, doing almost no sports and spending long time surfing online lead to the above mentioned health problems among netizens. Only 9 percent of netizens take up sports on weekends while over 40 percent stay home, surfing. And only 16 percent netizens can assure more than eight hours' sleeping daily.
At present, China has a netizen population of 162 million, with a monthly consumption of 186 yuan, or about 25 dollars, on Internet surfing.
小題1:The national survey on netizens' health situation ________.
A．was conducted by sohu.comB．is conducted every year
C．was carried out online and offlineD．covered about half a million netizens
小題2:Which of the following has the closest meaning to the underlined part "white collar"?
A．White clothes.B．White offices. C．Office workers.D．White people.
小題3:All the following factors have been mentioned to cause the health problems among netizens EXCEPT ________.
A．doing no sportsB．spending long time online
C．heavy work pressuresD．shopping online
小題4:

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