ASK LASKAS
YOU’VE GOT QUESTIONS. SHE'S GOT ANSWERS
My children go to a primary school where they are not allowed to play football in the playground for fear that a child might be hurt. Besides, now the school says there must be no homework because the local secondary school can't keep up with the amount of homework given in the primary school. Can the school do this? Puzzled Dad
It can't if enough parents do something about it. It is not just schools. We live in a society which wishes to get rid of risk. However, schools should have a little common sense and courage. Children need risk if they arc to grow up self-sufficient and confident. They need homework, too, if they are to fulfill their academic potential. Complain, loudly.
I have a beautiful teenage daughter who spends an hour making up her face in front of the mirror every day. I tell her to go easy. She just gets mad or bursts into tears. How can I make her understand she's beautiful the way she is. Plain Mom
You can't. Your daughter is at the age when she's trying to look beautiful, trying on new masks. And if her friends all dress up as she does, you're in for an extra hard time. Support her and tell her she's beautiful — even if she looks ridiculous for now. Then invite her to join you for a day at a spa. Let her try various looks until she's comfortable in her own skin.Why are the children not allowed to play football in the playground?
| A．The school is afraid that children might be injured. |
| B．The school is not sensible and confident. |
| C．The children don't have enough time to do homework. |
| D．The children may fail to fulfill their academic potential. |
What disturbs Plain Mom is that her daughter______.
| A．becomes mad | B．cries a lot |
| C．spends much time before the mirror | D．is not beautiful enough |
The solution to Plain Mom's problem is to______.
| A．make her daughter look less ridiculous | B．let her daughter dress up like her friends |
| C．make her daughter go to a spa every week | D．let her daughter feel herself what beauty is |
What does the underlined word spa mean?
| A．a place where water with minerals in it | B．a place where people can relax |
| C．a beauty salon | D．a swimming pool |
TOKYO -- The number of domestic infections cases of influenza A/H1N1 in Japan hits 42 on Sunday after a total of 34 people in Osaka and Hyogo counties were confirmed to have been infected, local media reported.
The total number of the infection in the country now stands at 46, including the first four cases contracted abroad.
The country is now facing the risk of grass-root outbreak which could lead the WHO to raise its new flu pandemic alert（传染病预警）to the highest level of 6 from the current 5, experts has warned.
The 34 newly confirmed domestic cases, 11 in Osaka and 23 in Hyogo, included high school students, college students and teachers, the health ministry and local governments said Sunday.
Japan on Saturday confirmed the first eight cases of domestic infection on students of a Kobe high school. The later confirmed cases in Osaka are said to have contacted the Kobe students in a volleyball match. Osaka and Hyogo are neighboring in the Kansai region.
All of the 42 people had no record of overseas travel.
Meanwhile, a total of 143 students at the Kansai Okura Senior High School where many infections in Osaka were found, have shown symptoms of influenza since around Monday, according to local media reports.
The privately run school said it will be closed from Monday through Saturday.
More than 1,000 educational facilities -- kindergartens, and elementary, junior and senior high schools -- in Osaka and Hyogo counties have decided to suspend classes for certain periods following the confirmation of new flu infections in the counties, Kyodo News reported.
The two counties have requested private schools to follow suit.
Osaka Governor Toru Hashimoto held a meeting of a new flu task force on Sunday and decided to ask facilities such as movie theaters to suspend operations to prevent the spread of the flu.
TV clips showed people in Kansai region started to wear masks in public spaces and rushed to drug stores for buying medicines.
The Japanese government on Saturday shifted the stage of its new-flu action program from “a period of overseas outbreak” to “a period of domestic outbreak” and called for companies and schools in the areas concerned to allow individuals to avoid commuting（出行） during rush hours.
The Kyodo News quoted Masato Tashiro, a member of the World Health Organization's emergency committee, as saying that several hundred people in Japan already may have been infected with the new flu. According to the passage, the total number of the A/H1N1 infection in Japan now is __________.
| A．42 | B．34 | C．46 | D．143 |
The reasons for the happening of the later confirmed cases in Osaka are the following Except __________.
| A．143 students at the Kansai Okura Senior High School have shown symptoms of influenza. |
| B．Some students in a Kobe High school got infected. |
| C．Osaka and Hyogo are next to each other in the Kansai region. |
| D．The later infected people contacted the Kobe students in a volleyball match. |
What is the implied meaning of what Masato Tashiro said in the last paragraph?
| A．The real situation about the new flu in Japan may be worse than it has been reported. |
| B．Several hundred people have been infected but they don’t know it. |
| C．The WHO has to raise its new flu pandemic alert to the highest level. |
| D．The WHO’s emergency committee are trying to confirm the number of infection in Japan. |
Which of the following is one of the measures already taken by the Japanese government?
| A．Raising the new flu pandemic alert to the highest level. |
| B．Holding a meeting to ask some facilities in the country to stop their operations. |
| C．Calling for individuals in the whole country to avoid commuting during rush hours. |
| D．Changing its stage of its new-flu action program to a more serious level. |
The purpose of the passage is __________.
| A．to introduce the domestic infection cases in Japan. |
| B．to draw people’s attention to the worsening situation. |
| C．to give some advice on preventing the spread of the flu. |
| D．to call for educational facilities in Japan to suspend classes for some time. |
WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday announced a new
plan to renew and expand the nation's roads, railways and runways, in a bid (努力) to restart the sluggish economy and to help create jobs.
Obama announced the billion-dollar infrastructure(基础设施) spending program at an event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, marking the Labor Day holiday in the United States.
The proposal calls for investments over six years, including rebuilding and modernizing 150,000 miles (241,350 kilometers) of roads, 4,000 miles (6,430 kilometers) of railways and 150 miles ( 241 kilometers) of runways.
"It sets up an Infrastructure Bank to leverage(杠杆；利用) federal dollars and focus on the smartest investment. All of this will not only create jobs now, but will make our economy run better over the long haul," Obama said.
"This is a plan that will be fully paid for and will not add to the deficit over time," said Obama.
The U.S. unemployment rate rose to 9.6 percent in August, reflecting business reluctance to hire among uncertain economic prospects, the U.S. Labor Department reported on Friday.
The president admitted that new jobs "have not been coming fast enough" in the United States.
"These years would be some of the most difficult in our history. The problems facing working families are nothing new, but they are more serious than ever. And that makes our cause more urgent than ever," he added.What does the underlined word “sluggish” probably mean?
| A．繁荣的 | B．崩溃的 | C．疲软的 | D．行动迅速的 |
What’s the main idea of this passage?
| A．The US president launched a new program aiming at improving the nation’s infrastructure. |
| B．The US unemployment rate rose according to the Labor Department. |
| C．These years will be the most difficult in the American history. |
| D．More roads, railways and runways will be rebuilt and modernized. |
Which of the following will be changed most in length?
| A．Roads. | B．Railways. | C．Runways. | D．Highways. |
On April 24th, another natural disaster—the oil spill(泄露) in the Gulf of Mexico, happened．Millions of dollars have been used to help stop the spill and to clean up the animals, beaches, and land spoiled by the oil．Unfortunately, when many of these chemicals are used, more damage is caused to the environment, especially to lives in the sea．
But governments seem to accept the risk of transporting millions of tons of oil by ship every day so that we can fill up our cars and drive around and cause even more environmental damage．Interestingly, the biggest companies in the world produce cars, and the next biggest supply the gasoline to make them run.
Of all of today's environmental disasters, an oil spill may actually be one of the least serious．Although oil is poisonous, it is a natural material．In the end, it breaks down naturally．In 1967 the tanker Torrey Canyon sank off the Scilly Isles near the coast of England and spilled 120,000 tons of oil into the ocean．If you go there today, you will find it hard to see any sign that it ever happened．
However, we should be thinking more about reducing our dependency on oil．Governments should be encouraging research into new technologies, such as cars run by solar power（太阳能）, electricity, hydrogen, and so on．Much of this research, in the past, was stopped by the oil, gas, and coal．
If the world's millions of cars were 10% more efficient（高效的）,we would need many fewer tankers crossing the oceans each year．If this happened, the risks of oil spills would be reduced, and the air we breathe would be cleaner and fresher, too．What is the passage mainly talking about?
| A．Oil spills pollution． | B．What oil pollution is． |
| C．Oil tanker accidents． | D．How to reduce oil pollution. |
How does the author support the idea that oil spills are not as serious as people believe?
| A．By giving a description． | B．By making an argument． |
| C．By giving an example． | D．By comparing． |
Which suggestion is made for reducing oil tank accidents according to the passage?
| A．We should build safer tankers in the near future． |
| B．We should develop new technologies to cut oil use． |
| C．Tankers should not be allowed to sail near the coastlines． |
| D．Countries should build more oil pipelines under the sea． |
Where can you read this article?
| A．In a story book． | B．In a science magazine． |
| C．In a novel． | D．In a travel guide． |
China news, Beijing, Feb. 9 – Housing price in China has always aroused heated discussions among property developers（房产开发商）and ordinary Chinese. To many property developers and local government officials, housing price in China is still low compared with many developed countries. However, the average housing price in the United States is only 8,000 yuan per square meter, while in China, it is even higher than in the United States. This shows that there are some bubbles(泡沫) in Chinese real estate market, the International Finance News reported.
Although the average price of residential houses in the United States, after converted（转换）to Renminbi, is about 8,000 yuan per square meter, the houses in US are not sold in terms of building area, as most Chinese property developers do when they sell their houses. If US property developers sell their houses according to the building area, then the housing price will be even lower than 8,000 yuan per square meter. In most big Chinese cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, houses are sold a t a price even higher than those in the US.
The high housing sales price in large cities in China proves that Chinese real estate（房地产）market does have some bubbles. Moreover, Chinese houses can not be compared with houses in US in terms of building quality, environment and supporting facilities. Furthermore, it should be noted that American people’s average income is several dozen times higher than that of Chinese people. How can the Chinese afford to buy a house which is even more expensive than that sold in US?
At the beginning of 2007, Chinese government issued a set of policies that aimed to benefit the public. Now in order to reduce the high housing prices, the government can regulate (控制) the real estate market by raising tax on property industry and controlling the release of loans（贷款）and lands to property developers. At the same time, the government should allow people to build more houses through various fund-raising channels, such as funds collected from buyers or raised by working units. By applying these multiple means, it is expected that the high housing prices can be lowered.What is the average housing price per square meter in China?
| A．8000 yuan. | B．10000 yuan. | C．7000 yuan. | D．it’s not mentioned here. |
Which of the following does NOT support the idea that the average housing price in China is even higher than in the United States?
| A．Chinese houses can not be compared with houses in US in terms of building quality, environment and supporting facilities. |
| B．American people’s average income is several dozen times higher than that of Chinese people. |
| C．The houses in US are not sold in terms of building area, as most Chinese property developers do when they se  ll their houses. |
| D．There population who need houses in China than in the United States. |
How many measures are mentioned in the last paragraph in order to reduce the high housing prices?
| A．Four. | B．Three. | C．Tow. | D．One. |
What is the main idea of this passage?
| A．The housing price in China is so high that the government should do something useful to prevent it. |
| B．There are some bubbles in Chinese real estate market. |
| C．The average housing price in China is even higher than in the United States. |
| D．The Chinese government issued a set of policies that aimed to benefit the public. |
PLAYA GRANDE, COSTA RICA? This resort town was long known for Leatherback Sea Turtle （棱皮龟） National Park, nightly turtle beach tours and even a sea turtle museum．However, on a beach where dozens of turtles used to nest on a given night , scientists spied only 32 国leatherbac,ks all of last year．
With leatherbacks threatened with extinction （灭绝）, Playa Grande's turtle museum was abandoned three years ago and now sits among a sea of weeds．And the beachside ticket office for turtle tours was washed away by a high tide in September．"We do not promote that 'as a turtle tourism destination anymore because we realize there are far too few turtles to please,” said Alvaro Fonseca, a park ranger （管理员）．
Even before scientists found temperatures going up over the past decade, sea turtles were threatened by beach development, drift net fishing and Costa Ricans' interest in eating turtle eggs．Btu climate change may cause the most serious harm to an animal that has lived in the Pacific for 150 million years．
Sea turtles are sensitive to numerous effects of warming．They feed on reefs, which are dying in hotter seas．They lay eggs on beaches that are being covered by rising seas and more violent waves．
More uniquely their gender （性别）is determined, not by genes but by the egg's temperature during development．Small rises in beach temperatures can result in ail-female populations, obviously problematic for survival．If the sand around the eggs hits30 degrees Celsius, the gender balance shits to females: at about 32 degrees they are all female．Above 34, you get boiled eggs．
On some nesting beaches, scientists a
re artificially cooling nests with shade o
r irrigation and trying to protect broader areas of coastal property from development to ensure that turtles have a place to nest as the seas rise．Why does the resort: town stop promoting its turtle tourism?
| A．It decides not to disturb the turtles' normal life． |
| B．Tourists have lost interest in watching turtles． |
| C．There are only very few turtles now． |
| D．The turtle museum was destroyed by a high tide． |
Which of the following is the major factor in the turtles endangerment?
| A．The local's eating habit． | B．Drift net fishing |
| C．Beach development | D．Global warming |
We learn from the last paragraph that scientists ____．
| A．are doing research on the sea rise． |
| B．are moving turtles to new homes |
| C．are protecting turtles' nests |
| D．are getting rid of sea weeds． |
The passage intends to ____．
| A．introduce a special kind of sea turtle |
| B．explain the mystery of turtles' eggs |
| C．show the dangers a certain kind of turtle is facing |
| D．attract more visitors to a sea turtle museum |
China launched its fifth Beidou orbiter into space on Sunday morning, moving it one step closer to its goal of building a navigation(导航) and positioning satellite netw
ork.
The Beidou, or Compass, system is being built to rival the US-developed GPS, the European Union's Galileo and Russia's Global Navigation Satellite System. It can allow travelers, drivers and military officials to kn
ow their locations.
The fifth orbiter was launched on top of a Long March 3A carrier rocket at 5:30 am on Sunday from Xichang of Southwest China's Sichuan province.
It is the third Compass satellite launched this year, following launches on Jan 17 and June 2.
The short interval of less than two months since the last launch demonstrated that "the country is stepping into a busy period of launching the Compass satellites", an unnamed official in charge of the project s
aid last month.
The first two orbiters were launched in 2007 and 2009 respectively.
Sun Jiadong, the Beidou program's chief designer, said on June 21 in a TV interview that China would launch 13 to 15 Beidou navigation satellites into orbit by 2012 to form a network that provides regional service covering the neighboring areas.
And in about 10 years, the network would be expanded to include more than 30 satellites covering the globe, he said.
The system is a crucial part of the country's space infrastructure for providing nav
igation and positioning services in transportation, meteorology, pe
troleum prospecting, forest fire monitoring, disaster forecasting, telecommunications and public security.
In addition, a global positioning system is crucial to any country's national security and defense, said Ran Chengqi, an official in charge of the program, referring to the fact that the US initially built its GPS system for military purposes.
It is unimaginable for China to go without such a system, he said.
Earlier reports cited（引用） Song Xiaojun, a Beijing-based military expert, as saying that 90 percent of the world's current weapons systems need a global positioning system.This news report was probably released .
| A．in January, 2010 | B．in June, 2010 | C．in July, 2010 | D．in August, 2010 |
The Compass System is expected to finally cover in the future.
| A．China | B．China and its neigh boring areas |
| C．Asia, Europe and Oceania | D．the earth |
At the very beginning, the GPS system was built to help .
| A．military officers to judge their locations | B．travelers to know their locations |
| C．drivers to reach their destinations easily | D．hunters to find wild animals smoothly |
Visiting the Embassies of Washington, D．C．
Washington, D．C．is known for its many museums and government buildings．It is also home to embassies（大使馆）from more than 170 countries. Many of these buildings around the city have interesting histories. Some embassies are in large historical homes. Others were built more recently to show the building desihgn of their countries. Many embassies hold special cultural（文化）events.
The Embassy of Uzbekistan
It is in a richly decorated（装修）home built in 1906 by a wealthy banker, Clarence Moore. But Mr Moore did not live to enjoy his house for very long. He died on board the ship Titanic, which sank 1912·This building served as the Canadian Embassy before Uzbekistan bought it in 1996．
The Embassy of Finland
The Italian Embassy is near Massachusetts Avenue. Nearby, the Embassy of Finland looks like it is built out of blocks of glass．Its design is modern，but it fits in nicely with the natural environment around it．A screen of plants covers part of the front of the building．Inside．visitors Can look through large glass windows deep into the wooded areas of Rock Creek Park. The Finnish Embassy holds many interesting exhibits．
The Embassy of France
It is in a gated area off Reservoir Road．The embassy’s cultural center, La Maison Francaise, organizes many cultural events．Also．if you are very lucky, you might be invited to a party at the home of the French ambassador(大使)．This extraordinary home in the Kalorama neighborhood looks like a palace。Organizations like the Washington Opera sometimes hp1d events in this beautiful house。
The International Center
Last month，China opened a new embassy in the area of Washington called the International Center．C．C．Pei and L．C。Pei designed the building．Measuring more than 10．000 square meters，this is One of the biggest embassies in Washington．C．C．Pei said the areas of plants around the embassy
were to present people a natural and calming design．Which embassy was once a large historical home?
| A．The International Center． | B．The Embassy of Finland． |
| C．The Embassy of France． | D．The Embassy of Uzbekistan． |
What can we learn about the International Center from the text?
| A．It once belonged to a rich banker． |
| B．It was built out of blocks of glass． |
| C．It stands in the Kalorama neighborhood． |
| D．It is a newly—constructed building． |
At the Embassy of France，you
can .
A．see many exhibits of great interest
B．attend events in La Maison Francaise
C．invi
te the French ambassador home
D．visit its designers C．C．Pei and L．C．PeiThis text is most probably taken from
| A．a science magazine | B．a medical report |
| C．a travel guide | D．a history textbook |
Japanese people,who never miss a chance to be photographed,were lining up to get their pictures on a postage stamp．Vanity（虚荣）stamps with personal photographs went on sale for the first time in Japan as part of an international postage stamp exhibition．The customer’s photo was taken with a digital camera and then printed on stamp sheets,a process that takes about five minutes．Sold in a sheet of 10 stamps for $8．80,little more than the cost of lunch in Tokyo,each stamp printed a different scene from a traditional painting along with the photo．
The stamps can be used normally to mail a letter,and postal officials hope they will help encourage interest in letter writing in the Internet age．“Certainly e-mail is a useful method of communication,but letters are fun in a different way,”said Hatsumi Shimizu an official in the Post Ministry．“We want to show young people that letters can be fun too．”[
While similar stamp sheets appeared in Australia in 1999 and are now sold in some nations and territories,Japan’s fondness for commemorative photos is likely to make them especially popular here．Indeed,officials had prepared 1 000 sheets but they were sold out in less than 30 minutes．Although the stamps are currently only available as a special service during the exhibition,postal officials said they may start selling them on a regular basis in the future．The best title of this passage might be______．
| A．Never Miss a Chance to be Photographed |
| B．Your Own Face on a Postage Stamp |
| C．First Japanese Postage Stamps with a Photo |
| D．Letters are as Fun as E-mails |
By saying“little more than the cost of lunch in Tokyo”,the author really means______．
| A．this service is not very expensive |
| B．the cost of this service is very high |
| C．food in Tokyo is very dear |
| D．$8．80 is a very small amount of money |
The purpose of this activity is______．
| A．to make the international postage stamp exhibition more interesting |
| B．to make more stamps for normal use |
| C．to draw interest in writing letters |
| D．to satisfy Japan’s fondness of commemorative photos |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．Japanese people like to take photos． |
| B．This kind of stamps must be used to mail letters． |
| C．Japanese people can get this kind of stamps easily after the stamp exhibition． |
| D．This service is more popular in Japan than in other places． |
TIJUANA, Mexico – A powerful earthquake swayed （摇动） buildings from Los Angeles to Tijuana, killing two people in Mexico, blacking out cities and forcing the evacuation （疏散） of hospitals and nursing homes．One California city closed off its downtown due to unstable buildings．
The 7．2-magnitude quake centered just south 
of the US border near Mexicali was one of the strongest earthquakes to hit region in decades．
"It sounds like it's felt by at least 20 million people," USGS seismologist Lucy Jones said．"Most of Southern California felt this earthquake．"
Sunday afternoon's earthquake hit hardest in Mexicali, a commerce center along Mexico's border with California, where authorities said the quake was followed by at least 20 smaller aftershocks, including ones of magnitudes 5．1, 4．5 and 4．3．
"It has not stopped trembling in Mexicali," said Baja California state Civil Protection Director Alfredo Escobedo on Monday．
Escobedo said one man was killed when his home collapsed just outside of Mexicali and another died when he rushed into the street in panic and was struck by a car．At least 100 people were injured in the city, most of them struck by falling objects．Power was out in virtually the entire city．
Susan Warmbier was putting away groceries in the San Diego suburb of Chula Vista when her husband asked, "Is the house moving?"
Elsewhere in San Diego, there were reports of shattered windows, broken pipes and water main breaks in private buildings, but no reports of injuries, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department spokesman Maurice Luque said．Coronado Bridge over San Diego Bay was briefly closed as a precaution．
Across the border in Tijuana, Mexico, the quake caused buildings to sway and knocked out power in some areas．No tsunami warning was issued, but hundreds of people on Tijuana's crowded beach feared the worst and fled when they felt the ground shake．What's the best title of the passage?
| A．A strong quake in Mexico, but no tsunami |
| B．A strong quake kills 2 in Mexico, frightens US states |
| C．A strong quake, downtowns closed off |
| D．A strong quake, buildings collapses |
The 7．2-magnitude quake ．
| A．centered just south of the Mexico |
| B．was felt by 20 million people in Mexico |
| C．was felt by most of Southern California |
| D．was the strongest earthquakes to hit region in centuries |
Which is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Some cities had power failure after the quake． |
| B．One of the cities closed off its downtown because of the swaying buildings． |
| C．Many smaller quakes happened after the 7．2-magnitude one． |
| D．Hundreds of people on the beach died because of the tsunami． |
People got injured mostly ．
| A．because they were in panic |
| B．because the power was out in the whole city |
| C．because of the falling objects |
| D．because they were buried under the falling objects |
Coronado Bridge over San Diego Bay was briefly closed ．
| A．to avoid further dangers |
| B．by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department |
| C．as a reminding of the quake |
| D．to prevent the bridge from destroying |
The ChinaDaily newspaper group is looking for English-language senior business editors,senior copy editors,copy editors and graphic designers to strengthen its international team.We offer a competitive salary package,free accommodation with utilities paid for,90 per cent medical reimbursement,a seven-day paid leave,elevenday public holidays and a return ticket to the country of residence.
Senior Business Editor
You must：
assist the business editor in setting goals and working on achieving them；
be an excellent team person who can generate ideas and think creatively and be able to rewrite totally if needed and mentor junior staff；
ideally have been working or have worked in a position of responsibility and understand what leadership entails；
have had at least five years’ editing experience working on editing the Business Desk and be familiar with industry software.
Senior Copy Editor
You must：
work on shifts in the Business Desk and usually have the last word before the page is sent to print；
edit or rewrite copy and give snappy headlines and captions；
have had at least two years’ editing experience working on editing desks and be familiar with industry software.
Copy Editor
You must：
be good at editing or rewriting copy and writing snappy headlines and captions；
be able to work on shifts for different pages,and usually have the last word before the page is sent to print；
have two years of editing experience working on copy desks,and be familiar with industry software.
Graphic Designer
You must：
have excellent skills in information graphics；
be good at illustrations and freehand drawings；
be experienced in newspaper or magazine layouts；
have a good sense of typography；
have good news judgment；
be wellversed with Macintosh software,including InDesign,Illustrator and Photoshop；
be fluent in English.
For enquiries or to apply,write to job @ chinadaily.com.cn.What is the purpose of this passage?
| A．To describe the positions of the ChinaDaily newspaper group. |
| B．To describe the working conditions of the ChinaDaily newspaper group. |
| C．To advertise for recruiting some good employees. |
| D．To tell you how to become part of this group. |
What is not required about Graphic Designer?
| A．Be well-versed with Photoshop. |
| B．Have excellent skills in information graphics. |
| C．Having a good sense of typography. |
| D．Writing snappy headlines and captions. |
How many positions need editing experience?
| A．2. | B．1. | C．3. | D．4. |
Which can be the title of the advertisement?
| A．ChinaDaily：New Employees Wanted |
| B．ChinaDaily：Newspaper |
| C．ChinaDaily：An International Team |
| D．ChinaDaily：The Best Working Condition |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Free accommodations are available to the workers. |
| B．The workers there can enjoy a seven-day leave without pay. |
| C．The employees have the right to enjoy elevenday public holidays. |
| D．The senior business editor’s only job is to help the business editor to set goals. |
第三部分: 阅读理解 (共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项A、B、C和D中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
BEIJING - TV viewers may no longer be able to hear English abbreviations（缩写）, like "NBA" (National Basketball Association), from mainland broadcasters.
China Central Television (CCTV) and Beijing Television (BTV) confirmed to China Daily on Tuesday that they had received a notice from a related government department, asking them to avoid using certain English abbreviations in Chinese programs.
The channels, however, did not reveal exactly how many English abbreviations are listed in the notice.
The Hangzhou-based Today Morning Express reported on Tuesday that a number of provincial television stations have also received the notice.
Broadcasters and journalists have been asked to provide Chinese explanations for unavoidable English abbreviations in their programs, the report said.
The notice not only limits the use of English abbreviations in sports news, but also in economic and political news. Abbreviations such as "GDP" (gross domestic product), "WTO" (World Trade Organization) and "CPI" (consumer price index) will also be substituted with their Chinese pronunciations, it said.
The country's top watchdog on television and radio, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, refused to comment.
The move comes after a growing number of national legislators and political advisors called for preventive measures to preserve the purity of the Chinese language.
"If we don't pay attention and don't take measures to stop mixing Chinese with English, the Chinese language won't remain pure in a couple of years," said Huang Youyi, editor-in-chief of the China International Publishing Group and secretary-general of the Translators' Association of China.
"In the long run, Chinese will lose its role as an independent linguistic system for passing on information and expressing human feelings," he told China Daily in an earlier interview.
According to his proposal, all documents and speeches of top government officials should be written in pure Chinese, without the use of English abbreviations such as GDP, WTO or CPI.
His proposal also noted that a law or regulation should be introduced to serve as a guideline for the use of foreign words in domestic publications, and that a national translation committee should be set up to translate foreign names and technical terms, which can then be published on a website.
The restricted use of English abbreviations on Chinese television programs has provoked a debate among scholars.
"It makes no sense to introduce a regulation to prevent the use of English in the Chinese language in the face of globalization," Liu Yaoying, a professor at the Communication University of China, said on Tuesday. "It is cultural conservatism."
"If Western countries can accept some Chinglish words, why can't the Chinese language be mixed with English?"
The Singaporean newspaper New Straits Times and London's Daily Telegraph both used Chinese Pinyin Lianghui in their reports about the annual meeting of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, rather than using English to paraphrase the proceedings.
Governments of some Western countries have also attempted to preserve the purity of their languages.
For example, France is a country known for its linguistic pride. Its government outlaws advertising in English and mandates a 40 percent quota of French songs on the radio, according to a Christian Science Monitor report.
56. Who issued the ban on English abbreviation?
A. China Central Television. B. Beijing Television.
C. an authority department. D. a number of national political advisors.
57. The purpose for which was the ban proposed was __________.
A. to preserve the purity of the Chinese language
B. to improve our international communication
C. to standardize the functioning of radio and TV stations
D. to prevent foreign languages interfere with teach of Chinese in schools
58. By calling the regulation “cultural conservatism”, Mr Liu Yaoying meant to show his _________ for the move.
A. approval B. criticism C. appreciation D. disappointment
59. The most likely opinion of the writer of this news report tends to be _________ towards the newly introduced regulation.
A. critical B. positive C. negative D. neutral
SOUTHPORT, ENGLAND—A British teaching union famous for strange ideas has supported a proposal to employ dogs as classroom assistants.
At the annual conference of the Professional Association of teachers in Southport, northwest of England, one person suggested properly trained dogs be able to keep order in primary schools. They can round up lost children and protect those who experience unfortunate “accidents”. Wendy Dyble, a Shetland Islands woman who teaches children up to age seven, made it clear to her fellow friends that she was not “barking mad”. They obviously believed her, supporting her idea by 16 votes to 13, with a total of 63 abstentions(弃权票).
She said big dogs could help round up children, keep them in line, lick up the milk they spill on the floor and provide the extra eyes that a teacher needs to keep order. “A big dog would also be helpful for breaking up fights and look for lost property, like gym shoes or dolls,” Dyble said at the conference. “The dog will also be useful in sniffing out smells that children do not own up to,” she added. “It would be nice for the teacher not to have to go round sniffing each child to find the culprit（犯过者）.”
The idea was greeted by the Dog Defense League but less so by bigger teaching unions. A spokesman for Education Secretary David Blunkett, who is blind, said his guide dog was always popular with pupils when he visited schools. The Professional Association of Teachers, with around 35,000 members, is the smallest teaching union in Britain. It has an honour for occasional strange ideas.
Earlier this week, its annual conference here suggested stopping exams because they lead to stress and introducing selection at the age of 12 based on physical coordination and manual skill in the use of hand.
51. According to the writer's opinion, to employ dogs as classroom assistants________
A. is a wonderful idea
B. can improve the relation between children and animals
C. is beyond ordinary people's minds
D. can make some teachers lose jobs
52. The phrase “own up to” in the third paragraph means_________
A. admire B. admit C. dislike D. interest
53. What Dyble said at the conference___________.
A. gained some support from the members B. frightened everyone at the conference
C. interested everyone at the conference D. caused some trouble to trained dogs
54. A spokesman for Education Secretary .
A. once used a dog as classroom assistant B. sang high praise for Dyble's idea
C. would employ dogs as teachers D. benefited from dogs more than others
55. The last paragraph of this passage .
A. has nothing to do with the topic of this passage
B. shows there are too many exams in British school
C. provides further facts about the teaching union
D. shows the writer's anger to the union
It was the summer of 1965. Deluca, then 17, visited Peter Buck, a family friend. Buck asked Deluca about his plan for the future. “I’m going to college, but I need a way to pay for it,” Deluca recalls saying. “Buck said, ‘you should open a sandwich shop.’ ”
That afternoon, they agreed to be partners. And they set a goal: to open 32 stores in ten years. After doing some research, Buck wrote a check for $ 1,000. Deluca rented a storefront (店面) in Connecticut, and when they couldn’t cover their start-up costs, Buck kicked in another $1,000.
But business didn’t go smoothly as they expected. Deluca says, “After six months, we were doing poorly, but we didn’t know how badly, because we didn’t have any financial controls.” All he and Buck knew was that their sales were lower than their costs.
Deluca was managing the store and to the University of Bridgeport at the same time. Buck was working at his day job as a nuclear physicist in New York. They’d meet Monday evenings and brainstorm ideas for keeping the business running. “We convinced ourselves to open a second store. We figured we could tell the public, ‘ We are so successful, we are opening a second store.’” And they did — in the spring of 1966. Still, it was a lot of learning by trial and error.
But the partners’ learn-as-you-go approach turned out to be their greatest strength. Every Friday, Deluca would drive around and hand-deliver the checks to pay their supplies. “It probably took me two and a half hours and it wasn’t necessary but as a result, the suppliers got to know me very well, and the personal relationships established really helped out,” Deluca says.
And having a goal was also important. “There are so many problems that can get you down. You just have to keep working toward your goal,” Deluca adds.
Deluca ended up founding Subways Sandwich, the multimillion-dollar restaurant chain. Deluca opened the first sandwich shop in order to ________.
| A．support his family | B．pay for his college education |
| C．help his partner expand business | D．do some research |
Which of the following is true of Buck?
| A．He put money into the sandwich business. |
| B．He was a professor of business as ministration. |
| C．He was studying at the University of Bridgeport. |
| D．He rented a storefront for Deluca. |
What can we learn about their first shop?
| A．It stood at an unfavorable place. |
| B．It lowered the prices to poor management. |
| C．It made no profits due to poor management. |
| D．It lacked control over the quality of sandwich. |
They decided to open a second store because they _________.
| A．had enough money to do it |
| B．had succeeded in their business |
| C．wished to meet the increasing demand of customers |
| D．wanted to make believe that they were successful |
What contributes most do their success according to the author?
| A．Learning by trial and error. | B．Making friends with supplies. |
| C．Finding a good partner. | D．Opening chain stores. |
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。
Get a reward for every bug you bring to live in new science museum exhibit.
In a city with trillions of American cockroaches(蟑螂), the Houston Museum of Natural Science has agreed to pay a quarter per bug－up to 1,000－as it seeks to populate a new insect exhibit alongside its Cockrell Butterfly Center.
Nancy Greig, the museum’s director insists the public payday for roaches isn’t just a marketing ploy(炒作).
“Absolutely, this wasn’t devised as a joke,” Greig said. “We needed more roaches for the exhibit, so I sent this message out to everyone in the museum asking people to bring them in. Well, someone decided to tell the press, and all hell has broken loose.”
“But we really do need cockroaches.”
“One might be forgiven for never considering how to catch a live cockroach. But it’s simple enough to fool them,” Greig said, “and even easier to catch them.” American cockroaches are the most common kind in Texas, measuring up to 2 inches long and invading homes.
Despite their less-than-attractive reputation, cockroaches actually aren’t that dirty. Greig even went so far as to call them “fastidious” saying they don’t enjoy rooting(用嘴拱食) in waste. They’re only dirty if, say, they used a sewer(下水道)line to gain access into a home.
The roaches collected by the museum will become part of a display in a new exhibit that showcases insects such as cockroaches, dung beetles and termites.
There’s more to like about roaches, too. They don’t bite, and they don’t carry diseases like a mosquito, so they’re generally safe to handle.
56．For what does the museum pay for cockroaches?
A．For a marketing ploy. B． It’s devised to make fun.
C．People really need them. D． For a new exhibit.
57．The underlined word “fastidious” probably means extremely ________.
A．clean B．dirty C．unpleasant D．fast
58．What do we know about American roaches?
A．It’s not easy for people in Houston to collect roaches.
B．They all measure 2 inches and are often found in homes
C．They don’t bite and they are free of disease.
D．We have reasons to like them.
59．Which of the following can serve as the best title for the passage?
A．The Houston Museum of Natural Science
B．A new exhibit
C．Quarters for cockroaches
D．A cockroach is lovely
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