Part two : reading comprehension :choose the best answer from the four choice 1 The Pilgrims who sailed to this country aboard the Mayflower were originally members of the English Separatist Church. They had earlier fled their home in England and sailed to Holland to escape religious persecution. There, they enjoyed more religious tolerance, but they eventually became disappointed with the Dutch way of life, thinking it ungodly. Seeking a better life, the Separatists negotiated with a London stock company to finance their journey to America. Most of those making the trip aboard the Mayflower were non-Separatists, but were hired to protect the company's interests. Only about one-third of the original colonists were Separatists. The Pilgrims set ground at Plymouth Rock on December 11, 1620. Their first winter was terrible. At the beginning of the following fall, they had lost 46 of the original 102 who sailed on the Mayflower. But the harvest of 1621 was a bountiful one. And the remaining colonists decided to celebrate with a feast ?including 91 Indians who had helped the Pilgrims survive their first year. It is believed that the Pilgrims would not have made it through the year without the help of the natives. The feast was more of a traditional English harvest festival than a true "thanksgiving" observance. It lasted three days. Men were sent to hunt after wild ducks and geese. It is not certain that wild turkey was part of their feast. However, it is certain that they had venison or meat of a deer. The term "turkey" was used by the Pilgrims to mean any sort of wild fowl. Another modern staple at almost every Thanksgiving table is pumpkin pie. But it is unlikely that the first feast included that treat. The supply of flour had been long diminished, so there was no bread or pastries of any kind. However, they did eat boiled pumpkin , and they produced a type of fried bread from their corn crop. There was also no milk, cider, potatoes, or butter. There was no domestic cattle for dairy products, and the newly discovered potato was still considered by many Europeans to be poisonous. But the feast did include fish, berries, lobster, dried fruit, clams, venison, and plums. This "thanksgiving" feast was not repeated the following year. But in 1623, during a severe drought, the pilgrims gathered in a prayer service, praying for rain. When a long, steady rain followed the very next day, Governor Bradford proclaimed another day of .Thanksgiving, again inviting their Indian friends. It wasn't until June of 1676 that another. Day of Thanksgiving was proclaimed. On June 20, 1676, the governing council of Charlestown, Massachusetts, held a meeting to determine how best to express thanks for the good fortune that had seen their community securely established. By unanimous vote they instructed Edward Rawson, the clerk, to proclaim June 29 as a day of thanksgiving. It is notable that this thanksgiving celebration probably did not include the Indians, as the celebration was meant partly to be in recognition of the colonists' recent victory over the "heathen natives". October of 1777 marked the first time that all 13 colonies joined in a thanksgiving celebration. It also commemorated the patriotic victory over the British at Saratoga. But it was a one-time affair. George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving in 1789, although some were opposed to it. There was conflict among the colonies, many feeling the hardships of a few Pilgrims did not merit a national holiday. And later, President Thomas Jefferson laughed at the idea of having a day of thanksgiving. It was Sarah Josepha Hale, a magazine editor, whose efforts eventually led to what we now recognize as Thanksgiving. Hale wrote many editorials championing her cause in her Boston Ladies' Magazine. Finally, after a 40-year campaign of writing editorials and letters to governors and presidents, Hale's obsession became a reality when, in 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving was proclaimed by every president after Lincoln. The date was changed a couple of times, most recently by Franklin Roosevelt, who set it up one week to the next-to-last Thursday in order to create a longer Christmas shopping season. Public uproar against this decision caused the president to move Thanksgiving back to its original date two years later. And in 1941, Thanksgiving was finally sanctioned by Congress as a legal holiday, as the fourth Thursday in November. 3 1. The Pilgrims made the voyage to America _____. A . due to religious persecution in Holland B . because of dissatisfaction with life in England C . due to the financial support from a stock company D . in order to protect their own interests 3 2. With the help of Indian, it was possible for the Pilgrims to _____. A . survive the cold winters there B . raise turkeys for food C . cultivate new types of food crops D . live through the hardships of the first year 3 3. The first official Thanksgiving was celebrated in _____. A . 1789 B . 1777 C . 1941 D . 1863 3 4. Which American president did not support celebrating a day of thanksgiving? A . George Washington B . Abraham Lincoln C . Thomas Jefferson D . Franklin Roosevelt 3 5.There was a public uproar when Thanksgiving was moved to the____. A . fourth Thursday of November B . third Thursday of November C . second Thursday of November D . first Thursday of November 2 It is often difficult for a man to be quite sure what tax he ought to pay to the government because it depends on so many different things: whether the man is married, how many children he has , whether he supports any relations; how much he earns; how much interest he receives; how much he has spent on his house during the year, and so on and so forth. All this makes it difficult to decide exactly how much the tax is. There was a certain artist who was always very careful to pay the proper amount. One year, after posting his check as usual, he began to wonder if he had paid enough, and after a lot of work, with a pencil and paper, decided that he had not. He believed that he owed the government something. He was just writing another check to send to the tax-collector when the postman dropped a letter into the box at the front door. Opening it, the artist was surprised to find inside it a check for five pounds from the tax-collector. The official explained that too much had been paid, and that therefore the difference was now returned to the taxpayer. 3 6 . According to the passage, to decided the exact amount of tax to be paid is ___. A . simple B . easy C . difficult D . interesting 3 7.It is mentioned in me passage that one has to pay tax according to ___. A . how much education one has received B . whether one is single or married C . how old one's children are D . where one lives 3 8.The word "proper" in the first line of the second paragraph means _____. A . small B . big C . right D . wrong 3 9.After a lot of work, the artist thought that he had paid the government ____. A . less tax than he should have B . more tax than he should have C . as much tax as usual D . just enough tax 4 0.Why did the tax-collector send a letter to the artist? A . To send him a new tax form. B . To return the money over-paid. C . To remind him of paying the tax. D . To explain the rules of tax-paying. 3 Interest in pursuing international careers has soared in recent years. enhanced by chronic ( 长 久的 ) personnel shortages that are causing companies to search beyond their home borders for talent. Professionals seek career experience outside of their home countries for a variety of reasons. They may feel the need to recharge their batteries with a new challenge. They may want a position with more responsibility that encourages creativity and initiative. Or they may wish to expose their children to another culture, and the opportunity to learn a second language. When applying for a job, one usually has to submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV). The two terms generally mean the same thing: a one- or two-page document describing one's educational qualifications and professional experience. However, guidelines for preparing a r6sum6 are constantly changing. The best advice is to find out what is appropriate regarding the corporate (公司) culture, the country culture, and the culture of the person making the hiring decision. The challenge will be to embrace two or more cultures in one document. The following list is a good place to start. "Educational requirements differ from country to country. In almost every case of 'cross- border' job hunting, just stating the title of your degree will not bean adequate description. Provide the reader with details about your studies and any related experience. " daohangtigong Pay attention to the resume format you use-chronological or reverse-chronological order. Chronological order means listing your 'oldest' work experience first. Reverse-chronological order means listing your current or most recent experience first. Most countries have preferences about which format is most acceptable. If you find no specific guidelines. the general preference is for the reverse-chronological format. If you are submitting your resume in English, find out if the recipient (收件人) uses British English or American English because there are variations between the two versions. For example, university education is often referred to as 'tertiary education' in the United Kingdom, but this term is almost never used in the United States. A reader who is unfamiliar with these variations may assume that your resume contains errors. 4 1. Companies are hiring more foreign employees because A . they find foreign employees are usually more talented B . they need original ideas from employees hired overseas C . they wa