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C
A failed plot to kill Barack Obama, uncovered by US federal agents recently, has reminded people of the ideas that some humans associate with simple numbers.
Two white American Neo-Nazi racists (新纳粹种族主义者) had planned to kill 88 African Americans, before finally assassinating (暗杀) Obama. The number "88" is equated with "HH", initials (首字母) for the Nazi greeting, "Heil Hitler". "H" is the eighth letter of the alphabet .
Many people were not familiar with the Neo-Nazi importance of 88, but associations attached to other numbers are more well-known, if not always believed. The number 13, for instance, is considered deeply unlucky.
In the US, many buildings do not have a floor numbered 13. They instead label it 12A, or use the letter M, which is the 13th letter in the English alphabet. New York's John F. Kennedy International airport does not have a gate number 13. And the popular Irish flight carrier, Ryan Air, has banished (摒弃) row 13 from all its planes.
Last year when Brussels Airline put 13 dots in their new logo, the flood of complaints was so vast the airline was forced to change their “unlucky logo” and add an additional dot.
The fear comes from a Bible story, which states that Judas Iscariot, the disciple (门徒) who betrayed (出卖) Jesus, was the 13th to sit at the table in the Last Supper.
But the most fascinating fear of the number relates to Friday the 13th. It’s a day of double bad luck. In the US, many people would not schedule a wedding for Friday the 13th. According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in the US, an estimated 17 to 21 million Americans are affected by a fear of this day.
51. From the first two paragraphs, we can know that .
A. a lot of Americans want to kill Barack Obama
B. the number 88 is equated with 13
C. there are still racists in the US
D. the two white Americans had killed 88 African Americans before killing Barack Obama
52. When you go aboard the Ryan Air, you will probably find that .
A. row 13 is replaced with 12 A
B. there is no gate 13
C. passengers complain that there is 13 dots on its logo
D. none of their planes have row 13
53. If you are in the US, you will probably not .
A. live on the 13th floor B. attend a wedding on Saturday the 14th
C. see a floor numbered 3 D. have an M floor
54. From the passage, we can know that the Brussels Airline .
A. doesn’t have row 13 B. has 14 dots on its logo
C. has no flight take off on Fridays D. was once stuck in a flood
55. From the last paragraph but one, we can learn that .
A. Jesus wrote the Bible
B. Judas was the 13th disciple of Jesus
C. Judas read a Bible story in the Last Supper
D. Judas betrayed Jesus
D
When something goes wrong，it can be very satisfying to say, “Well, it’s so-and-so’s fault.” or “I know I’m late，but it’s not my fault；the car broke down.” It is probably not your fault，but once you form the habit of blaming somebody or something else for a bad situation，you are a loser. You have no power and could do nothing that helps change the situation. However, you can have great power over what happens to you if you stop focusing on whom to blame and start focusing on how to remedy the situation. This is the winner’s key to success.
Winners are great at overcoming problems. For example, if you were late because your car broke down, maybe you need to have your car examined more regularly. Or, you might start to carry along with you the useful phone numbers, so you could call for help when in need. For another example, if your colleague causes you problems on the job for lack of responsibility or ability, find ways of dealing with his irresponsibility or inability rather than simply blame the person. Ask to work with a different person, or don’t rely on the person. You should accept that the person. Ask to work with a different person, or don’t rely on this person. You should accept that the person is not reliable and find creative ways to work successfully regardless of how your colleague fails to do his job well.
This is what being a winner is all about—creatively using your skills and talents so that you are successful no matter what happens. Winners don’t have fewer problems in their lives; they have just as many difficult situations to face as anybody else. They are just better at seeing those problems as challenges and opportunities to develop their own talents. So, stop focusing on “whose fault it is.” Once you are confident about your power over bad situations, problems are just stepping stop on for success.
56. According to the passage, winners .
A. have responsible and able colleagues
B. meet with fewer difficulties in their lives
C. deal with problems rather than blame others
D. blame themselves rather than others
57. The underlined word “remedy” in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to .
A. improve B. accept C. avoid D. consider
58. When your colleague brings about a problem, you should .
A. ask a more able colleague for help
B. blame him for his lack of responsibility
C. tell him to find the cause of the problem
D. find a better way to handle the problem
59. When problems occur, winners take them as .
A. excuses for their failures B. chances for self-development
C. challenges to their colleagues D. barriers to greater power
60. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A. A Winner’s Problem. B. A Winner’s Secret.
C. A Winner’s Opportunity. D. A Winner’s Achievement.
E
The man who admitted to killing an Italian woman inside her East Harlem apartment said he was possessed by an “evil spell (咒语),” police said Thursday.
Bakary Camara, 41, who once dated the murdered woman, penned his admission of guilt in a three-page letter folded in his pocket as he tried to kill himself after policemen burst into his home. Kelly, a policeman, said “He says that there was an evil spell that was cast on him.”
Camara, who was in stable condition at St. Barnabas Hospital, was later charged with the murder of Rita Morelli.
The 36-year-old woman was getting a degree at Borough of Manhattan Community College as she waited tables at Caffe Buon Gusto on the upper East Side, police said. Camara called 911 from a payphone after killing the lively Morelli on Nov. 23.
Her body was later found in her E. 120th St. home. She was hanged and had knife wounds to her throat and chest.
Policemen began dialing numbers from Morelli’s cell phone and when Camara picked up, a detective recognized his voice as the man who called in the report of a dead body, police said. When officers went to Camara’s home, he locked himself inside, forcing policemen to burst down the front door to catch him.
“He is standing there with a knife pointed at his chest,” Kelly, a policeman, said. “He makes threatening statements as to the fact that he killed the woman. He then stabs himself in the chest.”
Camara, who told police he served six years in prison for robbery back in his native country, was still waiting to be charged with murder Thursday.
Morelli left her hometown of Spoltore, Italy, five years ago to fully experience the arts and music culture of the big city, her family said.
61. The reason why Camara killed the woman was _______.
A. he didn’t love her any more B. the passage didn’t tell us clearly
C. he killed her by mistake D. he loved her dearly
62. Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. Morelli and Camara are both Italians.
B. Camara will be sentenced to six years in prison.
C. Camara was once in prison for six years.
D. Camara was seriously wounded.
63. From the passage we know ______.
A. Camara was in his native country B. “Evil spell” really works
C. Camara and Morelli are husband and wife D. Camara and Morelli knew each other
64. What can we know about Morelli from the passage?
A. She was murdered in Camara’s home.
B. She had stayed in the city for 5 years.
C. She had just finished her degree before she was killed.
D. She called 911 before she was killed.
65. What did Camara do after killing the woman?
A. He called to report a dead body.
B. He called the hospital to save the woman.
C. He regretted and tried to kill himself but failed.
D. He called the police and was ready to be arrested.
