高中英语新闻报道阅读阅读理解

LONDON, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- A four-year-old child’s ability to draw could be an indicator of intelligence at age 14, according to a study published on Tuesday in the British journal Psychological Science.
The researchers from King’s College London (KCL) studied 7,752 pairs of identical and non-identical twins, and found that the link between drawing and later intelligence was influenced by genes.
At the age of 4, children were asked by their parents to complete a ‘Draw-a-Child’ test. Their drawings were rated from 0 to 12, based on the presence and correct number of body-parts, like arms, legs, head, eyes and nose.
The children were also given verbal and non-verbal intelligence tests at ages 4 and 14. According to researchers, the test was devised in the 1920’s to assess children’s intelligence, so it’s not surprising that the test correlated with intelligence at age 4.However, they found that higher scores on the test were also moderately associated with higher scores of intelligence at 14.
The researchers also measured the heritability of figure drawing. Identical twins share all their genes, whereas non-identical twins only share about 50 percent. Overall, at age 4, drawings from identical twin pairs were more similar to one another than drawings from non-identical twin pairs.
Therefore, the researchers concluded that differences in children’s drawings have an important genetic link. They also found that drawing at age 4 and intelligence at age 14 had a strong genetic link.
“Drawing is an ancient behaviour, dating back beyond 15,000 years ago,” Dr. Rosalind Arden, lead author of the paper from KCL, said that: “This capacity to reproduce figures is a uniquely human ability and a sign of cognitive ability, in a similar way to writing, which transformed the human species’ ability to store information, and build a civilisation.”
According to the passage, which of the following statement about ‘Draw-a-Child’ test is true?

A．The test was devised in the 1920’s.

B．7,752 identical and non-identical twins took part in it.

C．The test was set to assess children’s intelligence.

D．The children took the test at four.

Which of the following words is closest in meaning to the underlined word “devised” in the 4th paragraph?

A．changed

B．formed

C．taken

D．designed

What do we know about the twins from the passage?

A．Those who could draw better at 4 tend to be more intelligent at 14.

B．Twins who look similar to each other draw better pictures.

C．They were chosen to take the drawing test by the researchers.

D．They were tested on how smart they were once.

From the last paragraph, we can infer that ___________.

A．human society develops because of the ability to draw figures

B．drawing helps improve humans’ ability to study

C．one’s intelligence is related to his ability to draw pictures

D．only human beings are able to draw pictures

How do you design a pay plan that motivates people to do their best work? A new study by three Harvard researchers suggests a novel answer: Shortly after you hire new workers, give them a raise.
"Previous research has shown that paying people more than they expect may elicit reciprocity(相互作用) in the form of greater productivity," notes Deepak Malhotra, a Harvard business-administration professor who worked on the study. What he and his colleagues found, however, was that the connection between more pay and extra effort depends on presenting the increase "as a gift—that is, as something you've chosen to do purely as a nice gesture, with no strings attached."
Malhotra and his team studied 267 people hired by oDesk, a global online network of freelancers, to do a one-time data-entry project for four hours. All of the new hires were people in developing countries, for whom hourly wages of $3 and $4 were higher than what they had been making in previous jobs.
The researchers split the group up into three equal parts. One group was told they would earn $3 an hour. A second group was initially hired at $3 an hour but, before they started working, they got a surprise: The budget for the project had expanded unexpectedly, they were told, and they would now be paid $4 an hour. The third group was offered $4 an hour from the start and given no increase.
Even though the second and third groups were eventually paid the same amount, the second group worked harder and produced more—about 20% more—than either of the other two. People in the second group also showed the most stamina, maintaining their focus all the way through the assigned task and performing especially well toward the end of the four hours. Interestingly, the more experienced employees in the high-performing group were the most productive of all, apparently because their previous work experience led them to appreciate the rarity of an unexpected raise.
Contrary to conventional wisdom, Malhotra points out that higher pay, in and of itself, didn't promote productivity: People who made $4 an hour from the beginning worked no harder than those who were hired at $3 and were then paid $3.
To get the most impact from their pay plans, he adds, companies might consider not only what to pay new hires, but when to pay it.
"The key thing is how you present [the reason for an increase]," he says. Doling out extra money could promote productivity most "if you make it clear that the pay raise is something you're choosing to do just because you can. Our theory is that people will reciprocate. If you do something nice, they'll do something nice back."   
What does the underlined word “stamina” most probably mean?

A．The quality of being intelligent or clever.

B．The quality of doing something difficult or dangerous.

C．The physical or mental energy needed to do a tiring activity for a long time.

D．A particular method of doing an activity, usually involving practical skills.

Why did the second group produce more than the other two groups?

A．Because they thought they were better paid than the other groups.

B．Because they were experienced employees from developing countries.

C．Because an unexpected raise reminded them of their previous work.

D．Because they felt they were nicely treated and tried best to repay it.

What can we infer from this passage?

A．No pains, no gains.

B．It matters not what we give but how.

C．Honesty is the best policy.

D．Actions speak louder than words.

Phil White has just returned from an 18,000-mile, around-the-world bicycle trip. White had two reasons for making this epic journey. First of all, he wanted to use the trip to raise money for charity, which he did. He raised £70,000 for the British charity, Oxfam. White's second reason for making the trip was to break the world record and become the fastest person to cycle around the world. He is still waiting to find out if he has broken the record or not.
White set off from Trafalgar Square, in London, on 19th June 2004 and was back 299 days later. He spent more than l,300 hours in the saddle（车座）and destroyed four sets of tyres and three bike chains. He had the adventure of his life crossing Europe, the Middle East, India, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the Americas. Amazingly, he did all of this with absolutely no support team. No jeep carrying food, water and medicine. No doctor. Nothing! Just a bike and a very, very long road.
The journey was lonely and desperate at times. He also had to fight his way across deserts, through jungles and over mountains. He cycled through heavy rains and temperatures of up to 45 degrees, all to help people in need. There were other dangers along the road. In Iran, he was chased by armed robbers and was lucky to escape with his life and the little money he had. The worst thing that happened to him was having to cycle into a headwind on a road that crosses the south of Australia. For 1,000 kilometres he battled against the wind that was constantly pushing him. This part of the trip was slow, hard work and depressing, but he made it in the end. Now Mr. White is back and intends to write a book about his adventures.
When Phil White returned from his trip, he________.

A．broke the world record	B．collected money for Oxfam
C．destroyed several bikes	D．travelled about 1,300 hours

What does the word "epic" in Paragraph l most probably mean _____.

A．Very slow but exciting.	B．Very long and difficult.
C．Very smooth but tiring.	D．Very lonely and depressing.

During his journey around the world, Phil White _______.

A．fought heroically against robbers in Iran

B．experienced the extremes of heat and cold

C．managed to ride against the wind in Australia

D．had a team of people who travelled with him

Which of the following words can best describe Phil White?

A．Imaginative.

B．Patriotic.

C．Modest.

D．Determined.

Gunman Adam Lanza shot and killed 20 children in two classes of Grade One in Sandy Hook Elementary School. The only survivor(幸存者) is a six-year-old girl. She escaped by lying on the floor pretending to be killed.
After the accident , she ran out of the school building covered from head to feet with blood (血). The first thing she said to her mother was, “ Mommy, I was OK, but all my friends were dead,” Pasrtor(牧师) Jim Solomon told the ABC news’s Lara Spencer this weekend , “I thought it was impossible for her to escape from being killed without others’ help. She could behave so calmly in such a dangerous and frightening situation. She has wisdom beyond her age, for sure.”
The girl, whose name is not being written out for special reasons, was the first student to run out of the accident place at Sandy Hook, Solomon said. He said the young girl described the gunman to her mother in a way that only a young child could. “Well, she saw someone who she felt was angry, and someone who she felt was mad,” Solomon said. “Somehow, at that moment, thank God, she was able to act as if she were already dead and saved herself. And that is very unusual and admirable (令人钦佩的) for so young a girl.” she said.
There were 20 students killed on Friday in Sandy Hook Elementary School, eight boys and 12 girls. Six teachers were also killed. “Her parents told me that they couldn’t stand the feeling of a survivor’s guilt（ 负罪）, because so many of their friends no longer have their children but they have theirs.” Solomon said.
“I think you can understand their feelings as well,” he said how the girl’s mother and father were feeling about the disaster. “I don’t know whether I would have the kind of feeling that they have if the same thing happened to me.”
How did the six-year-old girl escape from being killed?

A．By fighting against the killer

B．By pretending to be killed

C．By running away quickly

D．By getting protection from teachers

According to the passage, which word can best show the quality of the girl?

A．Strong	B．Friendly
C．Wise	D．Curious

From the passage, we can know that___________________.

A．all students in Sandy Hook were killed

B．Solomon didn’t remember the name of the girl

C．eight other children escaped the accident

D．people didn’t know the six-year-old girl’s name

Why did the girl’s parents feel guilty?

A．Because they had some relationship with the gunman.

B．Because they didn’t tell the skills of escaping to other children.

C．Because their daughter survived while their friends didn’t.

D．Because they didn’t report the terrible accident ahead of time.

When scientists accidentally killed what turned out to be the world’s oldest living creature, it was bad enough. Now, their mistake has been worsened after further research found it was even older – at 507 years.
The ocean quahog, a type of deep-sea clam, was dredged (捕捞) alive from the bottom of the North Atlantic near Iceland in 2006 by researchers. They then put it in a fridge-freezer, as is normal practice, unaware of its age. It was only when it was taken to a laboratory that scientists from Bangor University studied it and concluded it was 400 years old.
The discovery made it into the Guinness Book of World Records. However, by this time, it was too late for Ming the Mollusc(软体动物), named after the Chinese dynasty when its life began. Unfortunately researchers who calculated Ming’s age killed it instantly by opening its shell.
The researchers opened the ancient clam up to judge its age by counting growth rings inside. But the rings were so close together that scientists ended up having to count the rings on the outside to be accurate, leading CBS journalists to point out that if scientists had just started there, Ming could have lived on. Now, after examining the quahog more closely, using more advanced methods, the researchers have found the animal was actually 100 years older than they first thought.
Dr Paul Butler, from the University’s School of Ocean Sciences, said: “We got it wrong the first time and maybe we were a bit hasty publishing our findings back then. But we are absolutely certain that we’ve got the right age now.” The mollusc was born in 1499 – just seven years after Columbus discovered America and before Henry VIII had even married his first wife, Catherine of Aragon in 1509.
A quahog’s shell grows by a layer every year, in the summer when the water is warmer and food is plentiful. It means that when its shell is cut in half, scientists can count the lines in a similar way that trees can be dated by rings in their trunks.
Jan Heinemeier, associate professor at the University of Denmark, who helped date Ming, told Science Nordic: “The fact that we got our hands on a 507-year-old animal is incredibly fascinating, but the really exciting thing is of course everything we can learn from studying the mollusk.”
At first, the scientists found that _____________.

A．The ocean quahog got a deadly disease

B．The growth rings inside were so close together

C．it was accurate to count the growth rings outside

D．The ocean quahog was 400 years old

Why did the scientists open the ancient clam up?

A．To count the growth rings outside of the clam.

B．To study how old the clam was.

C．To see the structure of it.

D．To give an immediate operation on it.

The sixth paragraph is mainly about_____________. 

A．How to calculate the age of a tree

B．Why a quahog’s shell grows by a layer each year

C．How to calculate the age of a quahog

D．Why a quahog likes it when the water is warmer

Which of the following is NOT true?

A．The researchers have got the right age of the ocean quahog.

B．The mollusc was born after Columbus discovered America.

C．The ocean quahog was named after the Chinese dynasty.

D．A quahog’s shell grows by a layer every season.

Where does the text probably come from?

A．A magazine of marine life.	B．A travel brochure.
C．A biography.	D．A science fiction.

Mark Thompson, the BBC’s director general, is expected to announce on Thursday that the BBC will quit its entire west London home -- possibly selling the land to Chelsea football club -- as part of main plans that will see more staff moved out of the capital to Salford and elsewhere．
The move is at the heart of the BBC’s long-awaiting cost-cutting strategy（策略）which will see nearly 2,000 more jobs going at the public broadcaster, and some original programming，such as daytime shows on BBC2, eliminated to save money．
Several thousand people are employed at the west London sites，including Thompson himself and the bosses of all the BBC’s television channels．The employees are expected to be relocated（重新安排）to Broadcasting House in central London, Salford, or elsewhere．
The BBC has been broadcasting at various locations in the Shepherd’s Bush area since moving into Lime Grove in 1949．It then switched to the Television Centre in 1960，and more modern offices at nearby White City．But it is now open to selling the site, and the broadcaster has had talks about attracting Premier League clubs Chelsea or Queen’s Park Rangers as buyers．Both clubs are looking for new homes．
Earlier leaks（透露）suggest that the BBC will seek to cut spending on sports where the corporation has already decided to share coverage of Formula 1 with Sky TV -- and imports，such as Mad Men and The Killing．BBC4 is expected to focus on “arts and archive（档案）”, but Thompson has long ruled out closing any channels or radio stations．BBC1 and Radio 4 will be protected，but there are expected to be some cuts to local radio programs, which will see stations share shows outside breakfast and drive-time hours．
The corporation is already committed to remove TV Centre by 2015, but because parts of the building are listed, the football clubs have expressed an interest in the BBC’s White City offices instead，which could be knocked down. The White City building is where Thompson and the broadcaster's commercial division, BBC Worldwide, are based．
BBC sources say the 2,500 job losses being proposed（提议）include the 650 cuts to the World Service already announced, with up to l,000 coming from BBC News．It is understood that some staff who have only just made the move to Salford could see their jobs at risk. Salford is now home to Radio5 Live, children’s programs such as Blue Peter, and sports output including Match of the Day．
Why is the BBC planning to quit its west London home?

A．The BBC wants to earn more money．

B．The BBC would like to support British football sport．

C．The BBC is planning to save money for new programs．

D．The BBC has to cut down its cost．

The underlined word “eliminated” in the second paragraph means“_________”．

A．set aside

B．cut out

C．sold out

D．put on

What will happen if the BBC moves its home ?

A．Some original programmes will be adjusted．

B．All the BBC staff will have to work outside London．

C．More people will be employed for new programs．

D．Some TV channels or radio stations will be closed．

From the passage，we can learn that ________．

A．the BBC will cover Formula 1 on its own as usual

B．the football clubs are likely to buy some of the BBC’s offices

C．the BBC’s commercial division will be open to selling the sites

D．the BBC’s offices are all in the White City of London

Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage.
A
Chinese and Nigerian media should pay more attention to their own growing roles and strive to present a reliable image of China to African audiences and vice versa(反之亦然). Agreement on this important step in ongoing cooperation between the two sides was reached by media representatives attending a media forum on September 19 in Abuja, Nigeria.
The agreement comes in the wake of increasing attention being paid by the international community on Africa's deepening relationship with China. "This presents an important opportunity for media in China, Nigeria and other African countries. We should seize the moment to expand cooperation between Chinese and Nigeria media, increase our say, and contribute to cooperation between China, Nigeria and Africa as a whole," said Li Wufeng, Vice Minister of the State Council Information Office at the China-Nigeria Media meeting.
The media meeting was jointly held by the State Council Information Office, the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, and the Federal Ministry of Education, Nigeria. It formed part of the "Experience China" program, which aims to increase cultural exchanges and mutual understanding between China and other parts of the world.
In the past, due to poor communication facilities, China and African countries could only learn about each other through third parties, in particular Western media, which may have given rise to and perpetuated misunderstandings.
"China is still not a constant feature or subject on the front page and prime time in the news media in Nigeria unless there are disasters and alleged human rights abuses to be reported," said Martins Oloja, Editor of The Guardian.
Major Western media continue to promote a Cold War mentality and view Sino-African ties through the lens of geopolitics, framing everything as competition between East and West, Chinese and Nigerian media professionals said at the forum. Some Western media outlets accuse China of ignoring mutually beneficial solutions or sustainable development of African people, while robbing the continent of its natural resources.
"Nigerians cannot expect Aljazeera or BBC to report on Africa, and indeed Nigeria and China relations, the way we want," said Oloja.
Mutually objective coverage will generate more cooperation and better understanding between China and Nigeria, said Li Xiaohua, a representative from China. org.cn, a leading multi-language website in China.
What is the purpose of this media forum on September 19 in Abuja?

A．More international community should pay attention to Africa’s deepening relationship with China.

B．People should seize the moment to expand cooperation between China and African countries.

C．Chinese and Nigerian media should pay more attention to their own growing roles and strive to present a reliable image to each other.

D．Let more Chinese people know about the culture of Africa.

What’s the meaning of the underlined word in paragraph 4?

A．defeated	B．continued
C．disappeared	D．decreased

Which of the following is right?

A．The State Council Information Office and "Experience China" program attended this China-Nigeria Media meeting.

B．In the past, China and African countries could learn about each other very well.

C．Chinese people and Chinese events has been well reported through African media.

D．Nowadays, some African media still cannot give the true stories of China.

What is the attitude of the major western media towards the Sino-African relationship?

A．They think highly of it.

B．They report it as it is.

C．They view it through the angle of geopolitics.

D．They view it as a competition between two countries.

What is the best title for this passage?

A．Having a bigger say

B．A Media Forum between China and Nigeria

C．Helping the African Media

D．Improving our report in Africa

The Sewol ferry (渡船) was carrying 476 people, most of whom were students from a high school near Seoul, when it sank off South Korea's southern coast on April 16. Only 174 survived, including 22 of the 29 crew members. The sinking left more than 260 people dead with about 40 others still missing.
On Tuesday, one ordinary diver(潜水员）died at a hospital, government spokesman Ko Myung-seok said. He is the first death among divers organized following the ferry's sinking, according to the coast guard.
The 53-year-old diver was pulled to the surface by his teammates after losing communication about five minutes after he began underwater searches, Ko said. It was his first search attempt, Ko added. Despite his death, divers are continuing their searches for the remaining missing people. Ko said that divers had searched all those 64 areas at least once and plan to visit them again to look for more victims. Darkness, floating rubbish, bodies, and cabins on board have made the search difficult, and divers entered the last three unopened areas on Monday night, Ko said.
Investigators have made their first arrests of people who were not on board the Sewol when it sank. The three people arrested on Friday and Sunday are accused of failure to handle of cargo on the ferry well. In all, 19 people have been arrested in the investigation(调查), 15 of whom were crew members accused of abandoning passengers. A leader was arrested on suspicion of malpractice(玩忽职守) related to company finances.
Improper stowage(载货) and overloading of cargo is suspected as a possible reason why the ferry sank. The ferry was carrying about 3,608 tons of cargo, more than three times what it could safely carry. A ferry loaded too heavily could lose its balance making even a small turn.
The sinking has caused a national sadness. On Sunday 1.1 million people paid respects at 131 memorial sites around the nation, according to a governmental funeral support committee set up for the ferry victims. Monday was a holiday for Children's Day, but various events were canceled or put off because of the ferry's sinking. Tuesday was also a national holiday in South Korea for Buddha's Birthday, and more people are expected to visit those mourning stations.
We learn from the passage that the number of survivors except the crew members is ______.

A．145

B．152

C．174

D．260

According to the investigation, the main causes of the ferry's sinking are ______.

A．malpractice and wrong operations.

B．wrong direction and sharp turning around

C．too many students and crew members

D．improper stowage and overloading of cargo

Because of the national sadness, various events were canceled except ________.

A．activities on Children's Day

B．celebrating Buddha's Birthday

C．enjoying a national holiday

D．paying respects at the memorial sites

You can find this passage on the __________ section of a newspaper.

A．sports

B．business

C．news

D．entertainment

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The purpose of the advertisement is ________.

A．to help parents with their daily life

B．to collect more money for charity

C．to attract more subscribers

D．to introduce a new product

Where can we most probably read the ad?

A．On a website.	B．In the newspaper.
C．In a supermarket.	D．In a library.

A reader subscribed(订阅)Parents® 3 months ago，but now he finds the magazine
dissatisfying. What can he do?

A．He can cancel without getting his money back.

B．He can cancel and get all his money back without answering any questions.

C．He can email them to access his bank account to get all his money back.

D．He can cancel after answering a series of questions.

From Parents® magazine，we can get the following things EXCEPT ________.

A．advice from child experts

B．toys developing readertested products

C．suggestions on taking care of the children from doctors

D．tips on good habits of children's learning English

Tiangong -- 1（or．Heavenly Palace）space module（舱）is the first step toward China’s plan to build a space station around 2020．Its launch（发射）by China has upset some countries，which are asking why China did not add on to the International Space Station that has been in place since 1998. After all, the Americans，Russians，Europeans and Japanese are using one platform to experiment in space．
Questions have also been asked about China’s final purpose in space and suggestions made that there is something as unpleasant as the theme in a James Bond movie，in which Chinese-looking enemies were at the root of some evil（邪恶的）plot to control the world．
Chinese don’t see themselves that way, and never in history have they been flag-planting settlers．Most Westerners are educated in the adventures of the great European explorers，headed by Christopher Columbus and James Cook，and followed closely by the groups of culture egotists（自大者）with a mix of guns，gold and the Bible in their hands．
In comparison，Zheng He，the great Chinese sailing master，took groups of ships to Africa and the Middle East to promote goodwill, with gifts of chinaware and art．No flags claiming（宣称） possession of distant areas．But this is strange to Western society．
In this century，it is clear that space cannot be claimed by one nation．Yet advantage of technology in space does seem to be on some minds．Former US president Ronald Reagan caused shocks and worries with his Star Wars program．So when China shot down its own satellite as a test in January 2010 there were anxieties in the West about Star Wars 1ike scenario（剧本）becoming reality in the near future．
The launch of Tiangong -- 1 __________．

A．is appreciated by countries like the USA and Japan

B．will bring trouble to the western countries in space

C．is part of China’s plan to set up a station in space

D．will help China be a member of the Space Station

It is most probable that the US，Russia，Europe and Japan ________．

A．are competing against one another in space wars

B．feel anxious about China’s setting up a space station

C．are cooperating to compete against China in space

D．have warned the world of China’s final purpose

The author of the passage mentions Zheng He _________．

A．to tell people China’s will never be enemies of world peace

B．to compare him to the great European explorers like Columbus

C．to indicate that he is the pride of the Chinese people

D．to show that the Chinese people are as great as other peoples

From the last paragraph，we can infer that _________．

A．China’s shooting down its satellite made the scenario become reality

B．some countries are trying to be ahead of the others in space exploration

C．China will be in control of the world if she starts space exploration

D．if a nation has a better technology in space，it will start a star war

A Smashing tradition: MIT Students Drop Piano
One of the highlights of the school year at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology only lasts a few seconds but has a big influence. Residents of an MIT dormitory dropped an upright piano from their roof on 26^th April to celebrate the last day students can drop classes without having them appear on their college report.
About 200 onlookers watched as the piano crashed into a second piano, a baby grand, positioned on the ground six stories below for a better smash. People scrambled (争先恐后) for souvenir pieces-keys, hammers, strings and splinters. The tradition began in 1972 at the Baker House dormitory and has been observed irregularly until 2006 when it became an annual event.
Crafton Family Comes Back Home after 7 Years at Sea
While most of us will love to go on a vacation for a week or two on a small private sailboat, without doubt, spending seven precious years on sea is something most of us will never imagine or dare to do. However, that is what an American family has done. Tom Crafton and Kathy Crafton along with their three children have traveled across the world on their 43-foot sailboat named Nueva Vida. Over the past seven years the family had sailed 30,000 miles and visited more than 20 different countries. The family has recently come back to their homeland.
_____________________________________________

Living in the limelight（聚光灯）can be difficult but as these splendid pictures show for one bear the tourist train never stops. This arctic animal loves nothing more than an audience and will even climb out of his snowy bed to give the crowd a wave. The funny poses(姿态) of the friendly polar bear were caught on camera by Swedish photographer, Hams Strand.
Which of the following is true about the first incident?

A．The typical style of celebration has been kept alive every year since1972.

B．Another small piano on the ground is meant to hold the falling one.

C．The students dropped the piano in celebration of their graduation.

D．The tradition became an annual event for MIT students several years ago.

The writer thinks Crafton family’s seven-year sailing is ______.

A．unusual

B．strange

C．common

D．doubtful

What would be the best subtitle for the third incident?

A．The Limelight Makes Polar Bear Live Hard

B．Splendid Pictures of Polar Bear Attract Tourists

C．The Tourist Train Would Stop without Polar Bear

D．Polar Bear Says Hello to Tourists with a Friendly Wave

The passage is probably taken out of ______.

A．a novel

B．a magazine

C．a diary

D．a report

Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.
People use their mouths for many things. They eat, talk, shout and sing. They smile and they kiss. In the English language, there are many expressions using the word mouth. But some of them are not so nice.
For example, if you say bad things about a person, the person might protest and say “Do not bad mouth me.”
Sometimes, people say something to a friend or a family member that they later regret because it hurts that person’s feelings. Or they tell the person something they were not supposed to tell. The speaker might say: “I really put my foot in my mouth this time.” If this should happen, the speaker might feel down in the mouth. In other words, he might feel sad for saying the wrong thing.
Another situation is when someone falsely claims another person said something. The other person might protest: “I did not say that. Do not put words in my mouth.”
Information is often spread through word of mouth. This is general communication between people, like friends talking to each other. “How did you hear about that new movie?” someone might ask. “Oh, by word of mouth.” A more official way of getting information is through a company or government mouthpiece. This is an official spokesperson. Government-run media could also be called a mouthpiece.
Sometimes when one person is speaking, he says the same thing that his friend was going to say. When this happens, the friend might say: “You took the words right out of my mouth!” Sometimes a person has a bad or unpleasant experience with another person. He might say that experience “left a bad taste in my mouth.” Or the person might have had a very frightening experience, like being chased by an angry dog. He might say: “I had my heart in my mouth.”
Some people have lots of money because they were born into a very rich family. There is an expression for this, too. You might say such a person, “was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.” This rich person is the opposite of a person who lives from hand to mouth. This person is very poor and only has enough money for the most important things in life, like food.
Parents might sometimes withhold sweet food from a child as a form of punishment for saying bad things. For example, if a child says things she should not say to her parents, she might be described as a mouthy child. The parents might even tell the child to stop mouthing off.
But enough of all this talk. I have been running my mouth long enough.
Which of the following can best describe his or her feeling if a speaker feels down in the mouth?

A．Delighted	B．Regretful
C．Disappointed	D．Respectful

When your car was close to knocking into a truck, you might say “_______”

A．I really put my foot in my mouth this time.

B．I had my heart in my mouth.

C．I live from hand to mouth.

D．I get to know it by word of mouth.

According to the passage, which behavior is surely Not welcome?
a. bad mouthing somebody
b. mouthing off about something
c. putting words in somebody’s mouth
d. taking the words right out of somebody’s mouth

A．abc

B．abd

C．bcd

D．acd

What do “I” probably (in the last Para.) do?

A．A host	B．A journalist
C．A director	D．A listener

This year the selfie earned its place as the Oxford English Dictionary’s 2013 Word Of The Year. It has taken over our culture --- and our smartphones. The rise of the selfie has become universal–between presidents, celebrities(名人) and citizens alike–and the trend is only continuing to grow.

A recent survey conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that 54 percent of Internet users have posted original photos online. And of those hundreds of millions of photos, many are of selfie photos.
For example, currently there are nearly 62 million posted selfie photos on Instagram, the social media tool that has significantly contributed to the personal photo’s popularity. That figure, which continues to rise every day, doesn’t even begin to include the selfies shared on Facebook and Twitter.
What makes the selfie so attractive -- and why do we feel it a must to take one? According to Dr. Pamela Rutledge, psychologist and director of the Media Psychology Research Center, the desire to take, post and get “likes” on selfies goes back to a biological behavior of all humans.
“I think it influences our sense of social connection in the same way as it does when you go to a party and people say ‘Oh I love your dress,’” Rutledge told The Huffington Post. “Biological, social recognition is a real need and there is even an area of the brain that contributes to social activity.”
There is a way to adapt to the growing selfie culture. Whether you’re a selfie novice or an advanced poster, there are always things to be mindful of when you’re posting, Rutledge advises.
She offered two main principles to follow when it comes to posting on social media:
1. The Grandmother Rule
“Don’t post anything online, whether text or visual, that you don’t want grandmother or future employer to see,” Rutledge said. “Selfies especially.”
2. The Elevator Rule
“You wouldn’t say something in an elevator that you or no one else wants to hear -- the whole world of social media is an elevator,” Rutledge said. “Be aware of the breadth (宽度) of platform. It’s easy to think you’re sharing a photo with a few people, but Instagram is public and people can come across things.”
What’s the main idea of the first paragraph?

A．The selfie is taking the lead.

B．Many people are fond of smartphones.

C．The selfie will take over everything.

D．The selfie is an important new word.

According to the passage, people like “selfie” so much, because they ___________.

A．want to show off their new dresses

B．need to be acknowledged in social life

C．desire to share good things

D．mean to amuse the public

The underlined word “novice” in Paragraph 6 probably means “________”.

A．greenhand

B．publisher

C．novelist

D．celebrity

When it comes to posting on social media, Rutledge advises people to ______.

A．share photos only on Instagram

B．talk about your photos in an elevator

C．be cautious in posting things online

D．follow rules set by your grandmothers

If you have a bad habit of losing things, a new device that can be connected to any item that you might lose may be the way to solve your problem. The Tile, a small square linked up to your iPhone or iPad via Bluetooth, lets you see how close you are to the missing item, within a 50-to 150-foot range . If the item goes out of your phone’s 150-foot range, it can still be detected (发现) on other smartphones with the same app.
When you log into the app on your phone, it shows you, with green bars that increase or decrease, how far away you are from the Tile. You can also program it to make a sound when you get close to the Tile. And you can link up your phone with up to ten Tiles. And if your lost item — a dog, for example, or a stolen bike — goes out of your own phone’s 150-foot Bluetooth range, you can set it as a “lost item”. If any of the phones with the Tile app comes within the range of your lost item, a message will be sent to your own phone, reminding you of its position. The Tile app also has the function to remember where it last saw your Tile, so that you can easily find where you left it.
Since the Tiles use Bluetooth rather than GPS, they never run out of battery or need to be charged, and they last for one year before needing to be replaced. The app, which will come into the market this winter, works with iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, iPad Mini, iPad 3rd and 4th generation, and iPod 5th generation.
The Tile app can help you     .

A．find your missing items

B．use your phone more wisely

C．save your phone’s battery power

D．connect something to your phone

Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．The Tile needs to be charged after a year of use.

B．One smartphone can only be linked up to one Tile.

C．The Tile cannot work when linked up to a phone without Bluetooth.

D．A missing item can’t be found if it goes out of the needed range.

What does the second paragraph mainly tell us?

A．What the Tile app is.

B．How the Tile app works.

C．The advantages of the Tile app.

D．Why the Tile app was invented.

Where does this passage probably come from?

A．A science fiction novel.

B．An advertisement.

C．A personal diary.

D．A news report.

The kindly “Chinese Fortune Grandpa” wearing Han Chinese clothing and holding a fortune bag debuted(亮相) at the Imperial Ancestral Shrine in Beijing on the day after Christmas. The final image of the Chinese gift-giver was selected through a global design competition that cost millions of yuan. Its debut seems to be a sign of competition against “Santa Claus”, according to a report by Guangming Daily.

Many Chinese cities have been filled with Christmas neon lights, Christmas songs, Christmas trees, and the images of “Santa Claus” in recent days. As a matter of fact, foreign festivals are becoming more popular than certain traditional Chinese festivals among the Chinese people, particularly the youth. “Certain traditional festivals have died out because people have forgotten their spiritual meanings,” said noted writer Feng Jicai. More and more Chinese people are beginning to exchange gifts on Valentine’s Day and Christmas. However, many of them know nothing about Chinese New Year pictures or sugarcoated figurines(小糖人), and have never heard suona music. Certain folk customs on the Dragon Boat Festival, Tomb Sweeping Day, and other traditional festivals have gradually disappeared. Under such circumstances, even the “Chinese Fortune Grandpa” is unlikely to defeat “Santa Claus”.
However, it is not a bad thing to some extent. It constantly reminds people to restore the “true face” of traditional festivals. China has listed traditional Tomb Sweeping Day, Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival as legal holidays, which brings more paid leaves to the public, and helps to awaken the public awareness of traditional festivals.
In modern society, festival is a carrier of culture and its meaning largely depends on their understandings and usages by people. Compared with foreign festivals, traditional Chinese festivals are not inferior(次于) in cultural meanings, but lack of fashion sought by modern people. If people do not appreciate the historical culture contained by traditional festivals, and only take pleasure-seeking as the most important, the significance of traditional festivals will fade away and the inheritance(继承) of fine traditional culture will be cut off.
The second paragraph implies that______________.

A．traditional festivals should co-exist with foreign festivals

B．all the Chinese festivals are disappearing in the near future

C．western festivals are constantly impacting on our festivals

D．Chinese people have the public awareness of traditional festivals

We can learn from the passage that _________.

A．an image design by Chinese people will be displayed

B．many foreigners know nothing about Chinese Festivals

C．the Chinese gift-giver was intended to symbolize traditional culture

D．the Chinese are beginning to exchange gifts on the Mid-Autumn Festival

Many Chinese youth dislike traditional festivals because they think _________.

A．traditional festivals are out of fashion now

B．the historical culture is more difficult to understand

C．western festivals contain more cultural meanings

D．the inheritance will cut off their contact with western festivals

What would be the best title of the passage?

A．Gone are Chinese Traditional Festivals

B．True Face of Chinese Traditional Culture

C．Foreign Festivals Popular with Chinese

D．Chinese Fortune Grandpa VS. Santa Claus