Each year millions of babies are born too soon and too small. Premature or preterm births are defined as births at less than thirty-seven weeks.
Prematurity is the leading cause of death in newborn babies. More than one-fourth of the four million newborns who die each year around the world were born too early.
Preterm babies that survive can suffer a lifetime of serious health conditions. The examples include cerebral palsy, blindness, hearing problems and learning disabilities. Families and communities face emotional, physical and financial costs.
Christopher Howson is the vice president for global programs at the March of Dimes, a nonprofit group. His group and the World Health Organization recently published a report called “The Global and Regional Toll of Preterm Birth.”
CHRISTOPHER HOWSON: “Frankly the crisis of preterm birth is under-recognized, undercounted, undervalued and underfunded. I mean, this report shows that thirteen million babies are born every year preterm, and that over a million of those babies die as a result of being born too early.”
And these are just estimates; the true numbers could be even higher. More than eighty-five percent of preterm births happen in Africa and Asia. Africa has the highest rate, with about four million cases each year.
Chris Howson says many of the causes of preterm births are related to poverty and weak health-care systems.
CHRISTOPHER HOWSON: “For example, the poor overall health and nutritional status of women. A high burden of infectious diseases. Lack of provision of family planning – allowing a woman to decide when to start and end having children and how to space her children. And also the lack of good prenatal care programs that might identify problems early on in pregnancy.”
Preterm births are a problem not just in the developing world. The combined rate in the United States and Canada is the second highest in the world. Preterm birth rates in the United States have increased thirty-six percent in the last twenty-five years.
This has been largely the result of two reasons. One is an increase in pregnancies among women over age thirty-five. The other is an increase in the use of reproductive therapies.
49．This passage is mainly about ________.
A．the causes of people’s bad health throughout the world
B．how to improve people’s health throughout the world
C．premature or preterm births throughout the world
D．Christopher Howson, vice president for global programs at the March of Dimes
50．All of the following are causes of preterm births except ________.
A．too many deaths of newborn babies B．poverty
C．Lack of provision of family planning D．the lack of good prenatal care programs
51．Which of the following is a true statement according to the passage?
A．Preterm birth rates in developing countries are dropping and they are increasing in some developed countries like the US and Canada.
B．The increase in pregnancies among women over age thirty-five and the increase in the use of reproductive therapies result in the increase of preterm birth rates.
C．Fortunately, many people have already realized the seriousness of the problem of preterm births.
D．Preterm births must be a problem for only poor areas because of poverty.
52．Which is the best title for the passage?
A．Chris Howson, an Excellent Vice President
B．Preterm Births
C．“The Global and Regional Toll of Preterm Birth”
D．Emotional, Physical and Financial Costs
第二部分：阅读理解（每小题2分,满分50分）
第一节：阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出最佳选项。
A son and his father were walking on the mountains. Suddenly, his son falls, hurts himself and screams: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!". To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain: "AAAhhhhhhhhbhh! ! !
Curious, he yells: "Who are you?" He receives the answer: "Who are you?”. And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!". The voice answers: "I admire you!".
Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward (one without courage)!”. He receives the answer: "Coward!"
He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?”. The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention."
Again the father screams at the top of his voice: “You are a champion!".The voice answers: "You are a champion!"
The boy is surprised, but does not understand. Then the father explains: "People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE. It gives you back everything you say or do. Our life is simply a reflection of our actions. If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart. If you want more competence in your team, improve your competence.
This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life; Life will give you back everything you have given to it."
41. The boy is surprised because ________.
A. he falls over his own feet
B. his father can yell as loud as he does
C. he hears his screams repeated
D. someone calls him a coward
42. The father screams in order to ________.
A. beat his son in the contest
B. lay the basis for his teachings
C. show his son his superior skill
D. apply his theory to practice
43. What’s the father’s attitude towards life?
A. positive B. negative C. depressed D. hopeless
44. Which of the following proverbs is in keeping with the father's teachings?
A. Faith will move mountains. B. A great talker is a great liar.
C. Love me, love my dog. D. Do well and have well.
Ⅲ阅读(共两节，满分40分)
第一节阅读理解(共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Learning English is a great challenge, but with a little help from technology it can be as easy as a piece of cake.
As well as the classroom, teachers and textbooks, the Internet, TV and radio programs can play an active role in helping learn English. The Internet is full of rich and up-to-date information. English learners might wish to try http://www.in2english.com.cn. This website is co-established by the British Council, the BBC World Service and Central Radio and TV University. It provides cultural information about Britain and has an example of the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) that students can use for practice. Different levels of grammar tests can also be found.
Make friends online
Another useful website for middle school students and teachers is. Besides reading 21st Century School Edition online, students are also invited to put their views on different topics up on the website.
Users have the opportunity to make friends with people who share their interests.
In the teaching and learning section, there are reading and vocabulary tips for students.
Compared with the Internet, TV programs have their own advantages: one does not have to sit at a computer and the audio and visual effects can even be relaxing.
One popular English-learning program is called "Modern English". This focuses on oral English in practical situations such as taking photos and shopping.
The short dialogues and useful phrases may help students to express themselves if they go abroad or meet foreigners in China. More than 50 TV stations in about 300 cities have aired the program.
Word to World
If you watch Beijing Television Channel 8, you might see a program titled "Study Abroad". On this show Professor Wang Qiang from New Oriental School hosts "From Word to World".
He selects words with a deep cultural background and teaches useful phrases related to that word. Cartoons are also used to explain how to use the word in daily life. Listening to the radio may not be a new way to learn English but it is easy.
China Radio International airs a program called "Studio Classroom" at 6:30 a.m. every day. This 25-minute program is aimed at middle school students and covers subjects from current news to travel and history, all in simple language.
41. This passage ______.
A. introduces some new websites and TV and radio programs
B. focuses on advantages and disadvantages of different medium forms
C. recommends technological help in learning English
D. aims at advertising various English courses
42. If you want to read an English newspaper and make comments on different topics, you try_____.
A. www.in2english.com.cn. B. www.21se.com.cn.
C. Modern English D. Studio Classroom
43. One can practise oral English in everyday situations in _____.
A. Studio Classroom B. From Word to World
C. Study Abroad D. Modern English
44. According to the author, one superiority of TV programs over the Internet is that they ____.
A. offer more English learning resources
B. cost you nothing
C. have better audio and visual effects
D. have English courses available whenever you need them
45. The author wants the readers to know that learning English ______.
A. is difficult
B. is easy
C. is neither easy nor difficult
D. can be made much easier with a little help of modern technology
In order to know a foerign language well. Four thing are necessary. Fisrt, we must understand the language when we hear it spoken. Secondly, we must be able to speak it ourselves correctly with confidence (自信 ) and without hesitation( 犹豫). Thirdly, we must be able to write it. Finally we must be able to make sentences that are correct in Grammar.
There is no short way to succeed in language learning. A good memory (记忆 ) is a great help, but it is not enough only to memorize the rules from grammar book. It is no much uses learning by heart long lists of words and their meanings, studing the dictionary and so on. We must learn by using the language. If we are pleased with a few rules we have memorized, we are not really learning a language. We must “Learning through use”. Practice is important. We must practice speaking and writing t
he language whenever we can.
64．The most important things to learn a foreign language are ________.
A. understanding and speaking B. hearing, speaking, reading and writing
C. writing and understanding D. memorizing and listening
65. Someone can understand and write English well, but can’t speak it. This is because _______.
A. he doesn’t understand the language he hears it
B. he doesn’t have a good memory
C. he always rememner a long list of words and their meanings
D. he often hesitates to practise speaking it
66. One can never learn a foerign language well only by _______.
A. much practice B. studying the dictionary
C. learning through use D. using the language
67. Which of the following is the most important in learninga foreign language?
A. A good memory B. Speaking C. Practice D. Wrting
The most frightening words in the English language are,“ Our computer is down.” You hear it more and more when you are on business. The other day I was at the airport waiting for a ticket to Washington and the girl in the ticket office said,” I’m sorry, I can’t sell you a ticket .Our computer is down.”
“If your computer is down, just write me out a ticket.”
“I can’t write you out a ticket. The computer is the only one allowed to do so.”
I looked down the counter(柜台)and every passenger was just standing there drinking coffee and staring at the blank screen. Then I asked her,” What do you do?”
“We give the computer the information about your trip, and then it tells us whether you can fly or not.”
“So when it goes down, you go down with it.”
“That ‘s right, sir.”
“How long will the computer be down?” I wanted to know.
“I have no idea .Sometimes it’s down for 10 minutes , sometimes for two hours. There is no way we can find out without asking the computer , and since it’s down, it won’t answer us.”
After the girl told me they had no spare computer ,I said, “ Let’s forget the computer. What about your planes? They’re still flying aren’t they?”
“I couldn’t tell without asking the computer.”
“Maybe I could just go to the gate and ask the pilot if he’s flying to Washington.” I suggested.
“I wouldn’t know what gate to send you to .Even if the pilot was going to Washington, he couldn’t take you if you didn’t have a ticket.”
“Is there any other airline flying to Washington within the next few hours?”
“I wouldn’t know,” she said, pointing at the dark screen.” Only ‘IT’ knows . ’IT’ can’t tell me.”
By this time there were quite a few people standing in lines .The words soon spread to other travelers that the computer was down Some people went, some people started to cry and still others kicked(踢) their luggage.The best title for the passage is ______.
| A．Asking the computer | B．The computer of the airport |
| C．The most useful words | D．When the computer is down |
What could the girl in the ticket office do for the passengers without asking the computer?
| A．She could answer the passengers’ questions | B．She could do nothing |
| C．She could sell tickets | D．She could write out tickets |
The last paragraph suggests that _____.
| A．modern computers won’t be down |
| B．computers can take the place of humans |
| C．computers may bring trouble to people |
| D．there will be great changes in computers |
GUATEMALA CITY（Reuters）--A fish that lives in mangrove swamps（红树沼泽）across the Americas can live out of water for months at a time, similar to how animals adapted（适应）to land millions of years ago, a new study shows.
The Mangrove Rivulus, a type of small killifish, lives in small pools of water in a certain type of empty nut or even old beer cans in the mangrove swamps of Belize, the United States and Brazil. When their living place dries up, they live on the land in logs (圆木), said Scott Taylor, a researcher at the Brevard Endangered Lands Program in Florida .
The fish, whose scientific name is Rivulus marmoratus, can grow as large as three inches. They group together in logs and breathe air through their skin until they can find water again.
The new scientific discovery came after a trip to Belize.
“We kicked over a log and the fish just came crowding out,” Taylor told Reuters in neighboring Guatemala by telephone. He said he will make his study on the fish known to the public in an American magazine early next year.
In lab tests, Taylor said he found the fish can live up to 66 days out of water without eating.
Some other fish can live out of water for a short period of time. The walking catfish found in Southeast Asia can stay on land for hours at a time, while lungfish found in Australia, Africa and South America can live out of water, but only in an inactive state. But no other known fish can be out of water as long as the Mangrove Rivulus and remain active, according to Patricia Wright, a biologist at Canada’s University of Guelph.
Further studies of the fish may tell how animals changed over time.
“These animals live in conditions similar to those that existed millions of years ago, when animals began making the transition（过渡）from water onto land,” Wright said.
54. The Mangrove Rivulus is a type of fish that _______.
A. likes eating nuts B. prefers living in dry places
C. is the longest living fish on earth
D. can stay alive for two months out of water
55. Who will write up a report on mangrove Rivulus?
A. Patricia Wright. B. Researchers in Guatemala.
C. Scientists from Belize D. Scott Taylor.
56. According to the text, lungfish can _______.
A. breathe through its skin B. move freely on dry land
C. remain alive out of water D. be as active on land as in water
57. What can we say about the discovery of Mangrove Rivulus?
A. It was made quite by accident.
B. It was based on a lab test of sea life.
C. It was supported by an American magazine.
D. It was helped by Patricia Wright.
How I Turned to Be Optimistic
I began to grow up that winter night when my parents and I were returning from my aunt’s house, and my mother said that we might soon be leaving for America. We were on the bus then. I was crying, and some people on the bus were turning around to look at me. I remember that I could not bear the thought of never hearing again the radio program for school children to which I listened every morning.
I do not remember myself crying for this reason again. In fact, I think I cried very little when I was saying goodbye to my friends and relatives. When we were leaving I thought about all the places I was going to see—the strange and magical places I had known only from books and pictures. The country I was leaving never to come back was hardly in my head then.
The four years that followed taught me the importance of optimism, but the idea did not come to me at once. For the first two years in New York I was really lost—having to study in three schools as a result of family moves. I did not quite know what I was or what I should be. Mother remarried, and things became even more complex for me. Some time passed before my stepfather and I got used to each other. I was often sad, and saw no end to “the hard times.”
My responsibilities in the family increased a lot since I knew English better than everyone else at home. I wrote letters, filled out forms, translated at interviews with Immigration (移民) officers, took my grandparents to the doctor and translated there, and even discussed telephone bills with company representatives.
From my experiences I have learned one important rule: almost all common troubles eventually go away! Something good is certain to happen in the end when you do not give up, and just wait a little! I believe that my life will turn out all right, even though it will not be that easy.How did the author know about America before she got there?
| A．From her relatives. | B．From her mother. |
| C．From books and pictures. | D．From radio programs. |
Upon leaving for America the author felt _______.
| A．confused | B．excited | C．worried | D．amazed |
For the first two years in New York, the author _________.
| A．often lost her way | B．did not think about her future |
| C．studied in three different schools | D．got on well with her stepfather |
What can we learn about the author from Paragraph 4?
| A．She worked as a translator. | B．She attended a lot of job interviews. |
| C．She paid telephone bills for her family. | D．She helped her family with her English. |
The author believes that ________.
| A．her future will be free from troubles | B．it is difficult to learn to become patient |
| C．there are more good things than bad things | D．good things will happen if one keeps trying |
Jones worked so hard that made the sparks fly from his hammer．The son of Mr．Smith, a rich neighbor, used to come to see the blacksmith and he would enjoy himself watching how the tradesman worked．"Why don’t you try your hand to learn to make shoe tacks?" said the blacksmith．"Who knows, one day, it may be of use to you." The lazy boy began to see what he could do．But after a little practice he found that he was becoming very skilled and soon he was making some of the finest tacks.
Old Mr．Smith died and the son on account of the war lost all his goods．He had to leave home and was forced to take up residence in another country．It so happened that in this village there were numerous shoemakers who were spending a lot of money to buy tacks for their shoes and even at times when they paid high prices they were not always able to get what they wanted, because in that part of the country there was a high demand for soldiers’ shoes.
Young Smith, who was finding it difficult to earn his daily bread, remembered that he had learned the art of making tacks and had the sudden idea of making a bargain with the shoemakers．He told them that he would make the tacks if they would help to get him settled in his workshop．The shoemakers were only too glad of the offer．"How funny it seems," he used to say, "even making tacks can bring a fortune．My trade is more useful to me than were all my former riches."From Paragraph 1 we can refer that _______
| A．Jones was a blacksmith from another country |
| B．Old Smith wanted his son to learn skill from Jones |
| C．Young Smith was too lazy to learn to make shoe tacks |
| D．Young Smith was good at making shoe tacks by accident |
The reason why young Smith was forced to leave his home town is that ______
| A．he was lazy and wasted all the money from his father |
| B．the price of shoe tacks in another country was high |
| C．his father died and left nothing for him |
| D．there was a terrible which broke his peace |
We can learn from the last paragraph that Young Smith _______
| A．made a living in the village by selling bread |
| B．worked in the workshop as a shoemakers |
| C．was good at making soldier shoes |
| D．lived a better life in the village than before |
Which of the following well-known sayings can best tell the main idea of the passage?
| A．Knowledge is no burden. |
| B．Where there’s a will, there’s a way. |
| C．You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. |
| D．Time lost cannot be recalled. |
A couple of years ago, before a trip to China, Nicole Davis and her US women’s volleyball teammates were warned about the prominence (显著、突出) of coach “Jenny” Lang Ping in her native country.
“I was pushed over by Chinese journalists while I was just trying to put my luggage on the bus,” said Davis.
Known as the “Iron Hammer” for her punishing spikes(扣球),Lang made it possible for China to dominate in the sport in the early 1980s. She was a key player on China’s 1984 Olympic gold medal winning team.
When the US team arrived for the Olympics, Lang, 48, who is from Beijing, had to take a different route to avoid a crowd of reporters and fans.
Then came the greatest moment to Lang：While the US team was playing in a packed gym, at least 8,000 Chinese fans unfurled an American flag.
“That really says it all,” Davis said. “They look at her as an icon(偶像)．I’m sure it’s hard for them to see her coaching another country, but they love her so ly that her success is their success.”
The loyalty of the Chinese fans was tested on Friday, when China lost a match to the US.
“It’s a pity that China lost the match, but I’m still glad that Lang Ping’s team won, since she is the pride of China’s volleyball,” said Liu Chengli, a spectator. “We also cheered for
Lang’s victory.”
Lang said she just tried to stay professional when the two teams meet. “It doesn’t matter if we play China or any other team. It’s the same.” Lang said.
Davis said she and her teammates could not have imagined the passion for volleyball among Chinese because the sport was lack of popularity in the US. The reception from Chinese fans has touched the US players, said US volleyball player Lindsey Berg.
“It’s such an honor to be here and play for our coach here in China,” she said. “The amount of support that the Chinese give to her and us has been tremendous. The whole event has been unbelievable.” What’s the passage mainly about?
| A．Staying professional. | B．Cheering for the Iron Hammer. |
| C．A match between China and the US. | D．Lang Ping’s career as a coach. |
Lang Ping avoided meeting the reporters and fans probably because she ________.
| A．was afraid to be questioned about her strategy |
| B．didn’t want to be paid much attention to |
| C．disliked to be with her fans |
| D．didn’t want to disturb public order |
What does the underlined word “unfurled” exactly mean?
| A．destroyed completely | B．tore into pieces |
| C．spread out to the wind | D．rolled up |
What does Lang Ping mean by saying “It doesn’t matter if we play China or any other team.”？
| A．American Volleyball Team will beat any team. |
| B．Chinese Volleyball Team is the same as other teams. |
| C．She just tried to stay professional. |
| D．The results of each match will be the same. |
What impressed the US team players most?
| A．The tolerance of Chinese people. |
| B．The popularity of volleyball in China. |
| C．Lang Ping’s coaching skills. |
| D．The loyalty for volleyball of the Chinese. |
At five he was collecting old newspapers to make money. And when he was 15 he signed his schoolmates up to start a baby-sitting circle.
Now 20, third-year Cambridge University student, Peter Blackburn is managing director of a company with a £ 30,000 plan. And he thinks it will make more than $15,000 by next summer. He set up Peter Blackburn Ltd last year to bring out a new, color term-planner that now students all over the UK are using.
"I felt that most of the planners going around were pretty unimaginative," he says, "I believed that I could do a better job and decided to have a go".
Blackburn admits that he is putting far more effort into business than his computer studies course at university. While fellow students are out with their friends, he keeps in touch with his business office in Lancashire by movable phone. Before he set up the company he spent one holiday preparing a plan that would persuade his bank to lend him money.
"Most students work hard for a good degree because they believe that will help them get a job to support themselves," he says "I work hard at my company, because that is what will support me next year, after I leave college."
Friends believe that Blackburn will make £ 1 million within 5 years. He is not quite so sure, however. "There's a lot to be done yet," he says.
Choose the right order of the facts given in the passage.
a. He spent his holiday preparing a plan. b. He collected newspapers.
c. He set up his own company. d. He asked the bank for money.
e. He set up a babysitting circle.
| A．e, b, c, a, d | B．b, e, a, d, c |
| C．b, e, d, a, c | D．b, e, c, a, d |
When he was quite young, Blackburn _______ .
| A．already made a lot of money | B．already had a business brain |
| C．was already managing director of a company | D．already set up his own business |
The underlined expression in the fourth paragraph "have a go," here means _______ .
| A．give up this job and have a new one | B．leave the company |
| C．have a try | D．develop my business quickly |
In spite of（尽管） a college student, Blackburn _______ .
| A．spends more time on his business than on his studies course |
| B．keeps in touch with his business office by movable phone |
| C．seldom goes out with his friends |
| D．often spends whole holiday preparing business plan |
Which of the following best explain why Blackburn works hard at his company?
| A．He wants to do more business practice before he leaves college. |
| B．He wants to make more money before he leaves college. |
| C．He wants to get a good job like most students after he leaves the college. |
| D．he depends on the company for his living in the future. |
Will it matter if you don't have your breakfast? A short time ago, a test was given in the United States. People of different ages, from 12 to 83, were asked to have a test. During the test, these people were given all kinds of breakfasts, and sometimes they got no breakfast at all. Scientists wanted to see how well their bodies worked when they had different kinds of breakfasts.
The rules show that if a person eats a right breakfast, he or she will work better than if he or she has no breakfast. If a student has fruit , eggs, bread and milk before going to school ,he or she will learn more quickly and listen more carefully in class.
The result is opposite to what some people think. Having no breakfast will not help them lose weight. This is because they are so hungry at noon that eat too much for lunch. They will gain weight instead of losing it. You will lose weight if you reduce your other meals.During the test, the people were given _________.
| A．no breakfast at all | B．different breakfast or sometimes none |
| C．very rich breakfast | D．little food for breakfast |
Scientists wanted to know whether __________
| A．breakfast had any effect on work and studies. | B．people were interested in breakfast |
| C．breakfast did harm to people’s health | D．people would work better without breakfast |
According to the passage, some people think without breakfast they will ____
| A．lose weight | B．get a good result in their work |
| C．gain weight | D．not be hungry at all. |
Which of the following sciences is not right?
| A．It is bad for your health to have no breakfast. |
| B．No breakfast and more lunch may make you fatter. |
| C．The more breakfast you have, the more quickly you will learn in class. |
| D．If you don't eat much for lunch and supper, you may lose weight. |
One morning, a young man leading a goat lost his way due to the thick mist．Then he met a blind man and asked whether he also lost his way．The blind man said, “I cannot see anything．Therefore, the mist doesn’t affect me．I followed the path in my memory and it never goes wrong.”
Happily the young man led the goat following him forward．The blind man asked where he was going．He said he wanted to sell his goat．“Male or female? How many years have you kept it?” The young man spoke without too much thought, “A female goat of 3 years!”
The young man was still following the blind man when he was grasped the hand by the blind man．He shouted ,“Here is the police station! Go into it and elaborate on how you stole the goat!”
The young man had been a thief for a long time and admitted the goat was stolen by him．He asked the blind man puzzlingly, “But how do you know I am a thief?”
The blind man smiled, “I have been keeping goats for decades and can tell one of them is male or female as well as their age according to their voices．The goat you led just now is obviously a male goat, but you said female．The goat is simply a little more than one year old, but you said you had kept it for three years．Moreover, the goat will bleat totally differently when he is led by a stranger instead of his owner．So I can tell the goat does not belong to you!” Only then did the thief understand the whole thing with his head dropped down．The blind man didn’t lost his way because _________
| A．he didn’t lead a goat |
| B．he couldn’t see anything |
| C．he wasn’t affected by the thick mist |
| D．he had a better memory than the young man |
According to the dialogue in Paragraph 2, we can know that ______
| A．the blind man was a detective |
| B．the young man was an honest man |
| C．the young man familiar with the goat |
| D．the blind man was very careful |
The underlined word “elaborate” in Paragraph 3 most probably means ______
| A．express in detail | B．tell a lie |
| C．learn by heart | D．make up one’s mind |
We can infer that the young man was ______after hearing the blind man’s explanation．
| A．humorous | B．nervous | C．depressed | D．satisfied |
Part Three: Reading Comprehension (30 points)
Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For eahc of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best acoording to the information given in the passage.
（A）
More Americans are turning to charm school to gain an advantage over competitors in a job market stricken by the longest economic slowdown since the Great Depression.
Etiquette (礼节) trainers report business growing from clients who believe that good manners could be the key selling point that helps them get hired or keeps them off the unemployment line.
“People are prepared to do whatever it takes to keep their job”, said Gloria Starr, an adviser on image, etiquette and communications in North Carolina. Starr, who says business is up 40 percent in the past year at her school, said people were “realizing that it takes more than just ability and knowledge” to keep or win a job.
Peggy Newfield, who has been teaching etiquette for 30 years and runs a charm school, said business was “booming.” “When the economy is down etiquette training will always be up. They’re focusing on ‘What I can do to survive, I really have to keep up my game because the competition is keen.’”
Proper business manners, however, extend far beyond greeting or thanking a would-be employer. Etiquette classes deal with the basics of presentation in an interview, including what to say and how to dress.
“It’s so much more than writing the thank-you note at the end,” Newfield said. “It’s about walking in for the job interview, every hair is in place, your clothes are perfectly pressed, your shoes are polished, you’re groomed to the nines, you speak the part, and your English is correct.”
It’s great that we have seen this renewal in etiquette and manners and self respect.
Studies have shown that 85 percent of the reason a person gets a job, keeps a job and moves up is related to their personal skills. There are very few jobs out there where your manners, where your socials skills, are not a big piece of being successful. If you have manners you can walk into any business or social situation.
Teaching etiquette has become a tougher task. Some people point to bad public behavior by athletes and celebrities (名人) as a factor in ruining good manners in U.S. society. Hotel owner Paris Hilton, actress Lindsay Lohan and singer Britney Spears are among those who have been charged with setting a poor example, especially for children and adolescents. Hilton is infamous （声名狼藉的）for a sex tape that became an Internet hit, Lohan has long been gossip stuff due to her quarrels with the law and Spears was photographed partying without underwear.
56. The writer wants to tell the readers___________.
A. the etiquette training in America B. the ways to avoid failure
C. good manners count in keeping a job D. how to keep business up
57. From the passage we learn that the charm school____________.
A. helps those who are unemployed B. deals with moral problems
C. becomes more popular with people D. does good to the economy
58. The underlined sentence “you’re groomed to the nines” probably means “you’re_________.”
A. dressed in the best way B. fully understood
C. greeted with good manners D. very concerned
59. We can infer from the last paragraph that__________.
A. Good examples contribute to etiquette teaching
B. good public behavior doesn’t exist any more
C. teaching etiquette has become a tougher task
D. some famous people don’t have good manners
60．Which of the following can you NOT learn in Peggy Newfield’s charm school?
A. How to dress in a job interview.
B. How to hack into the company centeral database.
C. How to maintain an edge over other competitors in the job market..
D. How to improve your communicative skills with your collegues.
Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature .However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses（球场） in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.
There are many environment-f
riendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don’t have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be “green gyms”. They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it’
s free.
49. Which of the following is the author most probably in favor of?
A. Cycling around a lake.
B. Motor racing in the desert.
C. Playing basketball in a gym.
D. Swimming in a sports center.
50. What do we know about golf from the passage?
A. It is popular in Portugal and Spain.
B. It causes water shortages around the world.
C. It pollutes the earth with chemicals and wastes.
D. It needs water and electricity to keep its courses green.
51. The author uses power walking as an example mainly because______.
A. it is an outdoor sport
B. it improves our health
C. it uses fewer resources
D. it is recommended by experts
52. The author writes the passage to_______.
A. show us the function of major sports
B. encourage us to go in for green sports
C. discuss the major influence of popular sports
D. introduce different types of environment-friendly
Preparing for the Next Job Market
The latest spike in the unemployment rate is being felt across the board ?in 98 percent of metropolitan areas, in high-wage and low-wage jobs, among young and old, women and men, but especially men．
This landscape means that young Americans who are trying to plan their futures right now have some hard choices．Do they go to college and take on debt without hope of getting a job? And what about high school students? Do they have any chance of securing a job without a college degree? Perhaps the education system needs to react to this rapidly moving economic crisis．
In our current economic collapse, the connection between education and employment could not be more different than it was during the Depression．Education must now hold center stage, not because of an enemy abroad but because of the global economy．The jobs of the future will demand levels of education, particularly skills in mathematics, technology and science, which exceed those now taught in high school．
A healthy society should strive for full employment．In our times, that goal cannot be realized, or even approximated by creating jobs for the unskilled．The long-term prospect for economic recovery depends on the extent to which we improve our educational system．And this is where America is now at its weakest．
Our high schools produce graduates who do not write well enough, have limited reasoning skills and are unable to use the tools of mathematics．Their command of science is far inferior to that of their counterparts in other nations．And all too many young people drop out．We may still have the best university system, but it benefits only a minority．
We will need more engineers, scientists and service providers, particularly in the health professions, with a quality of education that cannot be obtained in the current system．Radical change, not reform, is called for．
What should be done? First, high school should be cut short and end when students are 16．Second, a new generation of two-year college programs tied to a wide range of specific skills that the economy needs should be created．Third, access to four-year colleges should be expanded, giving more Americans the chance to acquire the deep learning that makes breakthroughs in technology possible．Fourth, we need to recruit more public school teachers and train them better, particularly in physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics, so that our children can be prepared to compete．
68．Nowadays, students graduating from high school____．
A．write well enough
B．have limitless reasoning skills
C．can't use the tools of mathematics
D．command science as much as their counterparts in other nations
69．What should we do to improve the quality of education?
A．Students shouldn't study in high school until 16．
B．We should create a new generation of two-year college programs tied to a wide range of specific skills the economy needs．
C．We should limit access to four-year colleges．
D．We ought to recruit more private school teachers and train them better．
70．What does the word "collapse" in the third paragraph mean?
A．success B．failure C．development D．booming
71．Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A．Young Americans planning their futures have difficult choices．
B．Education must hold center stage due to the global economy．
C．The best university system benefits a majority．
D．A health society should struggle for full employment．
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