There exist cruel wars, fighting and sadness in the world today, so it’s not only necessary, but also essential to have a good sense of humor just to help us go through difficult times in our lives. Putting a smile on someone’s face when you know they are feeling depressed, as the saying goes, makes me feel good and warms my heart.
How would you feel if you could not joke around with your wife, husband, child, co-worker neighbor, close friend, or even just someone that you are standing in line with at your corner store? I am always saying things that make others smile or laugh, even if I don’t know the person I’m joking around with. My Grandma always found humor in everything she did, even if it was the hardest job anyone could imagine. This not only relieves stress in any situation, but also is a common manner to speak to others that are around you.
I know of a few people that don’t have a funny bone in their bodies, as they say. Everyone around them could be rolling on the floor after hearing a great joke and they would sit there without the slightest smile on their face. They don’t get the joke that makes others laugh. I am busting a gut while they just sit there, looking at me as if I were from outer space. How can people not get a really funny joke?
Laughing is essential to keep your stress levels under control. Without humor we would find ourselves with a lot of psychological problems, or on a lot of medications to keep us from going crazy. There is too much sadness in this present world. It drives people crazy. We all need to find a way to avoid the sadness and bring a little light into our lives. Therefore, I believe our best medicine is to get together and tell some jokes and have some fun laughing together.
According to the author, humor is useful in the aspect that ____________.
A.it can pick up people’s spirits |
B.it can help people get on well with others |
C.it can help get rid of the cruelty in the world |
D.it makes people more confident |
The author answers the question in the second paragraph with ___________.
A.facts and descriptions | B.evidence and argument |
C.examples and conclusion | D.stories and persuasion |
The underlined phrase “busting a gut” in the 3rd paragraph can be replaced by .
A.keeping silent | B.speaking loud |
C.laughing hard | D.explaining carefully |
In writing the passage, the author mainly intends to __________.
A.talk about his own understanding of humor |
B.encourage people to be humorous in daily life |
C.introduce a practical way to get through daily life |
D.convince people of the power of being optimistic about life |
What is the author’s attitude towards the present world?
A.Indifferent | B.Positive | C.Satisfied | D.Critical |
Everyone knows about straight—A students. We see them frequently in TV situation comedies and in movies like Revenge of the Nerds(《菜鸟大反攻》),a comedy film satirizing(讽刺)social life in college. They get high grades,all right,but only by becoming dull laborers,their noses always stuck in a book. They are not good at social communication and look clumsy while doing sports.
How,then, do we account for Domenica Roman or Paul Melendres?
Roman is on the tennis team at Fairmont Senior High School. She also sings in the school singing group, serves on the students’ union and is a member of the mathematics society. For two years she has kept up A’s in every subject. Melendres, a freshman at the University of New Mexico,was student-body president at Valley High School in Albuquerque. He played soccer and basketball well, exhibited at the science fair,and meanwhile worked as a reporter on a local television station. Being a speech giver at the graduation ceremony,he achieved straight A’s in his regular classes,plus rewarding points for A’s in two college-level course.
How do super—achievers like Roman and Melendres do it? Brains aren’t the only answer “Top grades don’t always go to the brightest students,” declares Herbert Walberg, a professor of education at the University of Illinois at Chicago, who has conducted major studies on super—achieving students “Knowing how to make the most of your innate(天生的)abilities counts far more. Much more.”
In fact,Walberg says,students with high IQ sometimes don’t do as well as classmates with lower IQ. For them,learning comes too easily and they never find out how to get down.
Hard work isn’t the whole story, either.“it’s not how long you sit there with the books open.”said one of the many—A students we interviewed. “It’s what you do while you’re sitting.” Indeed,some of these students actually put in fewer hours of homework time than their lower-scoring classmates. The kids at the top of the class get there by mastering a few basic techniques that others can readily learn.
What can we conclude from the first paragraph?
A.Most TV programs and films are about straight-A students |
B.People have unfavorable impression on straight—A students |
C.Everyone knows about straight-A students from TV or films |
D.Straight-A students are well admired by people in the society |
What will be talked about after the last paragraph?
A.The interviews with more students |
B.The role IQ plays in learning well |
C.The techniques to be better learners |
D.The achievements top students make |
What can we infer from the passage?
A.IQ is more important than hard work in study |
B.The brightest students can never get low glades |
C.Top students certainly achieve all-around developments |
D.Students with average IQ can become super-achievers |
The law has a great many rules, showing when and how far a man is to be punished, or if he should be made to hand over money or property to his neighbors, and so on. These rules are contained in books. A lawyer learns them mainly by reading books.
He begins by doing little else than reading, and after he has prepared himself by three years’ study, still, he has to, almost every day, read more about some new questions which he has to answer.
The power to use books, then, is a special skill which a would-be lawyer ought to possess. He ought to have enough flexibility(灵活性)to make it easy for him to collect ideas from printed words. He ought to have some readiness to find what a book contains, and something of an instinct(直觉)for where to look for what he wants.
But although this is the power which he will first feel in need of, it is not the most important. A lawyer does not study law to recite it; he studies it to use it and act upon the rules which he has learned in real life. His business is to try cases in court and to advise people what to do in order to keep out or get out of trouble.
The first thing a law student has to do is to _______.
A.read books | B.hand over money |
C.practice law | D.answer questions |
The major business of a lawyer is ________.
A.to discuss the material he has read |
B.to advise people who have law problems |
C.to learn about real life |
D.to study the law |
What is the most important to a lawyer?
A.To possess a lot of books. |
B.To have enough flexibility when collecting ideas from printed words. |
C.To be able to quickly find out what a book contains. |
D.To be able to use his book knowledge in the right way in his future business. |
According to the passage, a good lawyer should know how to ________.
A.understand and use what he reads |
B.be effective in everything |
C.collect ideas from different sources |
D.be effective in court |
Love, success, happiness, family and freedom——how important are these values to you? Here is one interview which explores the fundamental questions in life.
Question: Could you introduce yourself first?
Answer: My name is Misbah, 27 years old. I was born in a war-torn area. Right now I’m a web designer.
Q: What are your great memories?
A: My parents used to take us to hunt birds, climb trees, and play in the fields. For me it was like a holiday because we were going to have fun all day long. Those are my great memories.
Q: Does your childhood mean a lot to you?
A: Yes. As life was very hard, I used to work to help bring money in for the family. I spent my childhood working, with responsibilities beyond my age. However, it taught me to deal with problems all alone. I learnt to be independent.
Q: What changes would you like to make in your life?
A: If I could change something in my life, I’d change it so that my childhood could have taken place in another area. I would have loved to live with my family in freedom. Who cares whether we have much money, or whether we have a beautiful house? It doesn’t matter as long as I can live with my family and we are safe.
Q: How do you get along with your parents?
A: My parents supported me until I came of age. I want to give back what I’ve got. That’s our way. But I am working in another city. My only contact with my parents now is through the phone, but I hate using it. It filters(过滤)out your emotion and leaves your voice only. My deepest feelings should be passed through sight, hearing and touch.
In Misbah’s childhood, .
A.he was free from worry |
B.he liked living in the countryside |
C.he was fond of getting close to nature |
D.he often spent holidays with his family |
What did Misbah desire most in his childhood?
A.A colorful life. | B.A beautiful house. |
C.Peace and freedom. | D.Money for his family. |
How would Misbah prefer to communicate with his parents?
A.By chatting on the Internet. | B.By calling them sometimes. |
C.By paying weekly visits. | D.By writing them letters. |
If there were only one question left, what would it most probably be?
A.What was your childhood dream? |
B.What is your biggest achievement? |
C.What is your parents’ view of you? |
D.What was your hardest experience in the war? |
With the possible exception of equal rights, perhaps the most heated argument across the United States today is the death penalty (死刑). Many argue that it is an effective deterrent (威慑) to murder(谋杀), while others think there is no enough proof that the death penalty reduces the number of murders. The argument advanced by those who are against the death penalty is that it is cruel and inhuman punishment, that it is a mark of a bad society and finally that it is of questionable effectiveness as a deterrent (威慑物) to crime (罪行) anyway.
In our opinion, the death penalty is a necessary action. Throughout recorded history there have always been those peculiar persons in every society who made terrible crimes such as murder. But some are more dangerous than others. For example, it is one thing to take the life of another in time of blind anger, but quite another to coldly plan and carry out the murder of one or more people in the style of a butcher. Thus, murder, like all other crimes, is a matter of different degree. While it could be argued with some reason that the criminal in the first instance should be merely kept from society, such should not be the fate of the latter type murderer.
The value of the death penalty as a deterrent to crime may be open to discussion. But the majority of people believe that the death penalty protects them. Their belief is proved by the fact that the death penalty prevents murder. For example, from 1954 to 1963, when the death penalty was carried out from time to time in California, the murder rate remained between three and four murders for each 100, 000 population. Since 1964 the death penalty has been done only once, and the murder rate has risen to10.4 murders for each 100, 000 population. The sharp climb in the state's murder rate, which began when killings stopped, does not happen by chance. It certainly shows that the death penalty does stop many murderers. If the law about death penalty is vetoed (否决), some people will be murdered----some whose lives may have been saved if the death penalty were in effect. This is really a life or death matter. The lives of thousands of people must be protected.
The main purpose of this passage is to _________.
A.speak for the majority |
B.argue against the value of the death penalty |
C.speak ill of the government |
D.argue for the value of the death penalty |
Which of the following is among the heated arguments across the USA besides death penalty?
A.Air pollution. | B.The war against Iraq. |
C.Equal rights. | D.Election of president. |
The numbers in the last paragraph show that ______.
A.if they stick to death penalty, the number of murders will be reduced |
B.death penalty almost stopped from 1954 to 1963 |
C.the population of California has risen |
D.death penalty is of little value |
It can be inferred that the writer thinks that ______.
A.the death penalty is the most important problem in the United States today |
B.the second type of murderers (in Paragraph 2) should be sentenced to death |
C.the veto of the law about death penalty is of little importance |
D.the value of the death penalty as a deterrent to crime is not to be discussed |
Zoo elephants don’t live as long as those in the wild, according to a study sure to cause debate about keeping the giant animals on display. Researchers compared the life spans of elephants in European zoos with those living in Amboseli National Park in Kenya and others working on a timber enterprise in Buma. Animals in the wild or in natural working conditions had life expectancies twice than or more of their relatives in zoos.
Animal care activists have urged in recent years to discourage keeping elephants in zoos, largely because of the lack of space and small numbers of animals that can be kept in a group.
The researchers found that the median life span for African elephants in European zoos was 16.9 years, compared with 56 years for elephants who died of natural causes in Kenya’s Amboseli Park. Adding in those elephants killed by people in Africa lowered the median life expectancy there to 35.9 years. For the more endangered Asian elephants, the median life span in European zoos was 18.9 years, compared with 41.7 years for those working in the Burma Timber Enterprise. Median means half died younger than that age and half lived longer.
There is some good news, though. The life expectancies of zoo elephants have improved in recent years, suggesting an improvement in their care and raising, but “Protecting elephants in Africa and Asia is far more successful than protecting them in Western zoos.”
There are about 1,200 elephants in zoos, half in Europe, researchers concentrated on female elephants, which make up 80 percent of the zoo population. One amazing thing was that Asian elephants born in zoos had shorter life spans that those brought to the zoos from the wild.
Zoos usually lack large areas that elephants are used to in the wild, and that zoo animals often are alone or with one or two other unrelated animals, while in the wild they tend to live in related groups of 8 to 12 animals. In Asian elephants, baby death rates are two to three times higher in zoos than in the Burmese logging camps, and then, in adulthood, zoo-born animals die young. People are not sure why.
What is argued about in this passage?
A.Zoo elephants don’t live as long as those in the wild. |
B.Elephants should not be on display. |
C.Asian elephants are in danger. |
D.Asia is far more successful in protecting elephants in zoos. |
What does the underlined word “median” mean according to the passage?
A.Average | B.Longest. | C.Shortest. | D.Ordinary. |
Which of the following is Not the disadvantage of keeping elephants in zoos?
A.Limited number of relatives. | B.Lack of space. |
C.Shorter life expectancy. | D.Less attention. |
Who are expected to pay more attention to the issue addressed?
A.Zoologists. | B.Animal care activists. |
C.Zoo visitors. | D.The public. |
The Mayan Indians lived in Mexico for thousands of years. The Maya were so bright that they achieved a lot. They had farms, temples and cities with many buildings. They knew much about nature and the world around them. This knowledge helped them to live a better life than most people of that time.
In ancient Mexico there were many small clearings in the forest. In each clearing was a village with fields of crops around it. The Maya planted seeds after they cleared the land. A farmer was able to grow crops that produced for several people. But not every Maya had to be a farmer. Some were builders or priests (祭司).
The Maya believed in many gods. They built large temples to honor them. Skillful workers built cities around these temples. It was difficult because they had to carry all of the building materials themselves. Today, many of these ancient Mayan cities and temples are still standing.
Although the Maya worked hard to build the beautiful cities, very few of them lived in them. Usually, only the priests lived in the cities. The other people lived in small villages in the forests. Their houses were much simpler. Most Maya lived a simple life close to nature.
Measuring time correctly was important to the Maya, so Mayan priests made a system to keep track of time. They wrote numbers as dots ( … ) and bars ( — ). They also made a calendar (日历). The year was divided into 18 months of 20 days each with five days left over.
Around the year 800, the Maya left their villages and beautiful cities, never to return. No one knows why this happened. They may have died from a deadly disease. They may have left because the soil could no longer grow crops. The lost secrets of the Maya are still beyond the reach of modern people. They are still one of our greatest mysteries (神秘).
The Maya lived better than most people of their times because _____.
A.they had skillful workers |
B.they believed in many gods |
C.they knew better about nature |
D.they could measure time correctly |
It can be inferred from the passage that _____.
A.the calendar was first invented by the ancient Maya |
B.the ancient Mayan cities and temples were well built |
C.the ancient Mayan people led a happy life in the cities |
D.the priests were not highly respected by the ancient Maya |
The underlined word “they” in the passage refers to _____.
A.the Mayan people | B.the Mayan villages |
C.the Mayan cities | D.the lost secrets of the Maya |
Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
A.The Life of the Maya | B.The Cities of the Maya |
C.The Mystery of the Maya | D.The Belief of the Maya |
On August 26, 1999, New York City was struck by a terrible rainstorm. The rain caused the streets to 36 and the subway system almost came to a stop.
Unfortunately, this happened during the morning rush hour. Many people who were going to work were 37 to go home. Some battled to 38 a taxi or to get on a bus. Still others faced the 39 bravely, walking miles to get to work.
I 40 to be one of people on the way to work that morning. I went from subway line to subway line only to find that most 41 had stopped. After making my way 42 crowds of people, I finally found a subway line that was 43. Unfortunately, there were so many people waiting to 44 the subway that I could not even get down the stairs to the 45 . So I took the train going in the opposite direction, and then switched back to the downtown train.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, the train 46 my stop. Then I had to walk several blocks in the increasingly heavy rain. When I finally got to my office, I was 47 through, exhausted and 48 .
My co-workers and I spent most of the day drying off. When it was 5:00 pm, I was ready to go home. I was about to turn off my computer 49 I received an email from Garth, my Director:
I would like to thank all of you who made the effort and 50 went to work. It is always reassuring(令人欣慰), at times like these, when employees so clearly show their 51 to their jobs. Thank you.
Garth’s email was short, but I learned more from that 52 message than I ever did from a textbook. The email taught me that a few words of 53 can make a big difference. The rainstorm and the traffic 54 had made me tired and upset. But Garth’s words immediately 55 me and put a smile back on my face.
A.confusion B.flood C.sink D.crash
A.forced B.refused C.approached D.gathered
A.order B.pay C.call D.search
A.climate B.scenery C.storm D.burden
A.occurred B.promised C.deserved D.happened
A.practice B.travel C.process D.service
A.to B.through C.over D.for
A.running B.cycling C.turning D.rushing
A.get off B.take off C.take on D.get on
A.street B.ground C.floor D.platform
A.paused B.crossed C.reached D.parked
A.wet B.weak C.sick D.hurt
A.ashamed B.discouraged C.surprised D.helpless
A.while B.when C.where D.after
A.hardly B.definitely C.absolutely D.finally
A.devotion B.permission C.concern D.reaction
A.exact B.urgent C.brief D.humorous
A.promise B.appreciation C.admiration D.guidance
A.troubles B.signals C.rules D.signs
A.corrected B.supported C.amazed D.refreshed
If you have ever been rock climbing, you will know that it is not a very easy sport. In fact, you probably felt quite defeated when you first tried to do any serious climbing. Indoor and outdoor rock climbing are both extremely demanding and require practice to get good at. It is one of the most physically and mentally demanding sports.
There are three basic types of rock climbing. Top roping is the most common type and the climber need to climb with a partner. The second type, which is very similar to top roping, is called lead climbing. In both of the types, the climber can sit off the wall and rest on the rope. The third type is called bouldering. Bouldering is a type of free climbing without any ropes. This is the most demanding of all climbing types. The climber must be able to complete the climbing without taking a rest on the rope.
Believe it or not, climbing is said to be about 75% legs and only 25% arms. To climb efficiently and successfully, a person needs to have a wonderful technique. One of the major rules of rock climbing is to always have three points touching the wall, whether it is both feet and one hand, or one foot and both hands, as it is much easier to have your weight cases will not do the climbing; they only hold you into the wall so that your legs are actually pushing you upward. Also, the closer you are to the wall, the easier it is to climb.
Rock climbing may sound a bit too extreme for the everyday person, but it is really an amazing workout. Once you get into the sport, and learn how to position your body and rest your weight, then you can begin to deal with some difficult problems. The great thing about rock climbing is that it is mentally challenging as well. You are constantly analyzing the way your body moves and how to do certain moves on the wall. For anyone who wants to get into shape, rock climbing is a fun and effective way to exercise muscles.
What does the author think of rock climbing?
A.It is an easy sport. | B.It is challenging. |
C.It is quite dangerous. | D.It is extremely difficult. |
From the text we know that _____________.
A.indoor rock climbing is much easier than outdoor rock climbing |
B.while rock climbing, people depend mainly on their arms |
C.ordinary people can practise rock climbing |
D.during climbing, the climber can always stop for a rest |
While climbing, it is much easier for a rock climber if he __________.
A.takes a rope | B.has a partner |
C.has three points touching the wall | D.uses feet more often |
__________ will make rock climbing easier.
A.Keeping the body closer to the wall |
B.Resting more often on the arms |
C.Resting more often on the feet |
D.Pushing forward without thinking of the problems |
By rock climbing, one can _______.
A.get more weight and stronger muscles |
B.get both physical and mental exercises |
C.have a terrible experience that will last long |
D.probably feel quite defeated |
Hundreds of secondary schools are using a controversial reward scheme which “bribes” (贿赂)pupils with iPods and DVD players to turn up in classes and do homework.
Almost one million schoolchildren have been issued with supermarket-style reward cards which allow them to collect good-behavior “points” and cash them in for prizes.
Schools taking part in the “Vivo Miles” scheme are spending several thousand pounds a year in an attempt to cut truancy (逃学) and promote achievements. The prizes are ultimately funded by the taxpayer, through school budgets. Nearly 500 secondary schools, one in six, have decided to take part in the scheme, which is intended to replace old-style rewards such as stickers and golden stars.
But the extent of rewards being offered in schools brought a warning that a generation of children is growing up expecting to be rewarded at every stage. Many youngsters are collecting points for ordinary achievements such as remembering to bring their PE kit and wearing the correct uniform.
Under the scheme, teachers award Vivo points—worth 1 penny each—according to the school’s policy. Schools typically spend£4 to£6 on prizes per pupil each year, although some commit considerably more. Most pupils accumulate between 400 and 600 Vivos a year. Vivo Miles insists it is “pretty rare” for a pupil to accumulate enough points to buy an iPod, which requires 3,100 Vivos.
But Chris McGovern, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, said the scheme amounted to “bribery”. “It misleads children into thinking anything which requires effort has to have a special reward,” he said. “This ‘all must have prizes’ view is damaging to children in the long-term.” The scheme amounted to an “admission of failure” by schools. He said. “It shows a school has failed to convince children education is important.”
The “Vivo Miles” scheme is aimed at ______________.
A.increasing the income of the school |
B.encouraging students to perform well at school |
C.inviting more students to attend the school nearby |
D.encouraging parents to donate to the school |
The underlined word “controversial” in the first paragraph can be replaced by __________.
A.arguable | B.practical | C.strange | D.mature |
Those who oppose the “Vivo Miles” scheme think ______________.
A.it helps control the problem of truancy |
B.it teaches children the importance of saving |
C.it will mislead children about efforts and rewards |
D.it’s not easy to get more than 600 Vivos a year |
What’s the writer’s attitude towards the scheme?
A.Supportive. | B.Opposed. | C.Unconcerned. | D.Objective. |
When doctors urge overweight kids to pick up more activities,reading probably isn’t what they have in mind. Yet a new study by fatness researchers at Duke University finds that the simple act of reading—depending on the choice of material—can cause weight loss in teenage girls.
The study’s experimental group included 31 fat girls aged 9 to 13,who took part in the Healthy Lifestyles Program at Duke Children’s Hospital. The girls read a novel called Lake Rescue,whose protagonist (主人公) is an overweight teenager who struggles with low selfesteem,feelings of loneliness and teasing because of her size. A group of 33 girls read a different book called Charlotte in Paris,which did not have an overweight character,and another group of 17 girls read neither book.
At the end of the sixmonth experiment,all the girls who read books had lost weight,but the girls who read Lake Rescue lost more. They lowered their body mass index (BMI) by 0.71,compared with 0.33 in the Charlotte group,an average 0.05 increase among the nonreaders.
The idea behind the study,says Dr Sarah Armstrong,director of Healthy Lifestyles,was to find a way to encourage the girls without adopting the restrictive and often authoritative voice of so many other nutrition and diet programs. Lake Rescue was the perfect instrument,says Armstrong;it presents a likable character to whom the girls could relate and whom they could learn from. As the book progresses,its protagonist learns to make healthier lifestyle choices and finds an adviser to help keep her on track. Armstrong says,“She learns that she can become healthier,and the ‘I can do it’ feeling resonates (产生共鸣) with the teenage girls.”
What’s the main idea of the passage?
A.There are different ways to help overweight kids lose weight. |
B.Lifestyle is important for kids. |
C.Lake Rescue is the perfect weightlosing instrument. |
D.Reading can help kids lose weight. |
How many girls took part in the experiment?
A.31. | B.33. | C.64. | D.81. |
What does the underlined word “She” in the last paragraph refer to?
A.Armstrong. | B.The protagonist in Lake Rescue. |
C.A character in Charlotte in Paris. | D.A girl in the first group. |
According to the passage we can know that ________.
A.overweight girls are living unhappily |
B.reading is the best way to lose weight |
C.different reading materials play different roles in losing weight |
D.people will become fat if they don’t read |
In which part of a newspaper can we read the above passage?
A.Education. | B.Entertainment. | C.Health. | D.Advertisement. |
In the competition of Olympic weightlifting,the athletes try to lift the maximum (最大的) weight they can. There are special conditions they have to meet in order to compete:body weight,height and strength.
The Olympic weightlifting mainly tests the limit of explosive strength (爆发力).There are not many lifters who really like Olympic weightlifting and the explanation is very simple:they are short of explosive strength.
The weights used for Olympic weightlifting are added in kilograms. The order by which the athletes enter the competition is not general,but it is set depending on the event. Usually the athlete with the lowest weight begins. If he/she is not successful,he/she can try later. There is a maximum of three lifts allowed for every competition.
For many years Olympic weightlifting was only for men. However,now women also take part in Olympic weightlifting. It was at the beginning of the 21st century that women’s competitions entered an organized professional environment. For women,Olympic weightlifting is more difficult because of their different body structure. However,strength training techniques (技术) are widely and successfully used by women,too.
Lots of the athletes who’ve ended up in Olympic weightlifting competitions have started with strength training only to improve their muscle condition and their body power. However,the demarcation line (界线) is not still very clear between power training and Olympic weightlifting. This is how so many lifters have got into Olympic weightlifting competition,even if their purpose was different at the beginning.
In the competition of Olympic weightlifting,athletes need to be all of the following EXCEPT________.
A.the right age | B.the right height |
C.the right weight | D.the right strength |
How many more times can a lifter try if he/she fails for the first time?
A.One. | B.Two. | C.Three. | D.Four. |
According to the fourth paragraph,________.
A.men often do better than women in weightlifting |
B.women need to use different training techniques from men |
C.men can learn the training techniques better than women |
D.women used not to be allowed to compete in Olympic weightlifting |
According to the passage,many athletes began to practice weightlifting because they wanted to________.
A.take part in the Olympics |
B.get a reward in the competition |
C.strengthen their body power |
D.test the limit of explosive strength |
Just a few hours ago,the Italian ship Andrea Doria was sailing through thick fog toward the city of New York. Captain Piero Calamai kept watch. He knew that many other ships were nearby. He should have slowed down because of the fog but he decided not to. He wanted to arrive on time the next morning.
At about 11∶00 PM,another ship,the Stockholm,suddenly hit the Andrea Doria. It made a huge hole in the Italian ship. Some people were badly hurt. Others fell into the sea. But one girl was saved by the Stockholm.
Linda Morgan was fourteen. She lived in Spain with her mother and her little sister. She was going to visit her father in New York. She was excited about seeing her father.
Linda had loved the trip. She wanted to have dinner with the captain on the last night at sea. The captain did not sit at his table that night,though. He was busy guiding the ship through the fog. Linda did not get to talk to him.
When Linda went to bed,everything seemed fine. Her mother turned off the lights. Linda talked to her little sister. She thought about seeing her father the next morning.
What happened next was a terrible surprise. Linda woke up not knowing where she was. She was not in her bed. When she called to her family,no one answered. Both her knees were broken.
Linda had been saved by an amazing accident. When the Stockholm made a hole in the side of the Andrea Doria,it lifted Linda out of her bed. She landed on the deck (甲板) of the Stockholm instead of falling into the ocean. A sailor heard her cries and found her.
Right now,the girl is in the hospital. She is expected to get better. Her father is at her side,glad that his little girl was saved. The Andrea Doria lies under the waves at the bottom of the sea.
Why didn’t Captain Piero Calamai reduce the speed?
A.He didn’t want to be late. |
B.He went crazy because of the bad weather. |
C.He thought the fog was not serious. |
D.He had rich experience. |
When the accident happened,________.
A.Linda was asleep |
B.the day was about to break |
C.few people were killed |
D.the Andrea Doria hit a hole in the Stockholm |
What can we learn from the text?
A.Linda hated the trip very much. |
B.Linda was saved by the Stockholm. |
C.Linda lived with her father in Spain. |
D.The Andrea Doria wasn’t badly damaged. |
What’s the main idea of the passage?
A.A little girl’s braveness moved people. |
B.Andrea Doria sailed through thick fog. |
C.The Italian ship Andrea Doria was hit by Stockholm. |
D.A fourteenyearold girl was saved by accident after the crash. |
As any housewives who has tried to keep order at the dinner table knows, there is far more to a family meal than food. Sociologist Michael Lewis has been studying 50 families to find out just how much more.
Lewis carried out his study by videotaping the families while they ate ordinary meals in their own homes. They found that parents with small families talk actively with each other and their children. But as the number of children gets larger, conversation gives way to the parents’ efforts to control the loud noise they make. That can have an important effect on the children. “In general the more question-asking the parents do, the higher the children’s IQ scores,” Lewis says. “And the more children there are, the less question-asking there is.”
The study also provides an explanation for why middle children often seem to have a harder time in life than their siblings. Lewis found that in families with three or four children, dinner conversation is likely to center on the oldest child, who has the most to talk about, and the youngest, who needs the most attention. “Middle children are invisible,” says Lewis. “When you see someone get up from the table and walk around during dinner, chances are it’s the middle child.” There is, however, one thing that stops all conversation and prevents anyone from having attention: “When the TV is on,” Lewis says, “dinner is nothing.”
The writer’s purpose in writing the text is to _________.
A.show the relationship between parents and children |
B.teach parents ways to keep order at the dinner table |
C.report on the findings of a study |
D.give information about family problems |
By saying “Middle children are invisible” in paragraph 3, Lewis means that middle children _________.
A.have to help their parents to serve dinner |
B.get the least attention from the family |
C.are often not allowed to come to the dinner table |
D.find it hard to get along well with other children |
Which of the following statements would the writer agree to?
A.Parents should talk to each of their children frequently. |
B.It is a good idea to have the TV on during dinner. |
C.It is important to have the right food for children. |
D.Elder children should help the younger ones at dinner. |
It seems some people have something bad to say about Facebook, the social media website that now has attracted more than 300 million members. To them I have only this to say: Stop please!
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal blamed Facebook’s ability to ruin friendships, saying that it limits communication to typing and encourages people to spend far too much time with friends they have never met.
Having used Facebook since its first year, I find these arguments false. The simple truth is that the problems are only a symptom of Facebook abuse. Like many things, it is only as harmful to your life and relationships as you allow it to be. Consider arguments against watching too much TV and overeating.
Try using Facebook to find friends who may have long ago changed their e-mail addresses and phone numbers, to find out what your old college friends are up to, to congratulate your friends on their latest birthdays, to share pictures and articles you find interesting, and to join in the discussion about them with your friends.
Sure, I had days when I wasted a little more time on Facebook than I should, but I’m not going to blame Facebook for my own laziness. If Facebook wasn’t there, I would have found something else to waste time on. To my “friends”: if you don’t feel like broadcasting your life stories on your Facebook, don’t. If you tire of my personal updates, ignore them. If you don’t want to join in the popular online games, don’t. It is a fun tool at your fingers that can be used for both good and bad. If you don’t like using Facebook, don’t.
I am now a consultant at the Department of State. I use Facebook to keep in touch with friends, family, and colleagues who live and work all over the world.
Why did the article in the Wall Street Journal blame Facebook?
A.Because it makes people spend too much time online. |
B.Because it can make people lose their real-life friends. |
C.Because it is as harmful to people’s lives as watching TV. |
D.Because it encourages people to make friends with strangers. |
What does the author suggest using Facebook to do?
A.To find out lost e-mail addresses and phone numbers. |
B.To arrange appointments with our old college friends. |
C.To collect interesting pictures and articles from our friends. |
D.To keep in touch with friends who we haven’t called for long. |
We can imply from the passage that by using Facebook we can ____.
A.read other’s personal updates |
B.write our life stories online secretly |
C.decide who can read our life stories |
D.refuse to join in popular online games |
The author writes the last paragraph to ____.
A.prove that Facebook can be well used |
B.gain support from the Department of State |
C.show that Facebook is used all around the world |
D.introduce how she uses Facebook in her work as a consultant |
试题篮
()