In 2008, the main candidates ( 候选人 ) for President each used this expression ：You can put lipstick ( 口红 ) on a pig, but it is still a pig.” This means that it is a waste of time to change something from ugly or unpleasant-looking to beautiful.
There are other expressions about improving a pig’s appearance, like this one: “ A hog in a silk waist coat is still a hog.” Hogs are similar to pigs, only bigger. Americans use many other expressions about pigs, hogs and female hogs called sows, like this one, “ You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.” This means you cannot create something valuable from something that has no value. Then there is the expression “ Cast pearls before swine ( 猪 ).” That means wasting something valuable on someone who will not be thankful or care about it.
Hogs which are very large animals, take up a lot of space but people should not take up more than their share. If one of your children is taking up too much space sitting in front of the television, other children might say : “ Do not hog the couch.” And a road hog is a driver who uses more than his share of the road. Such a driver increase dangers for other drivers.
Pigs terms are also used in American politics. Farmers mark their pigs’ ears to identify them. In politics, earmarks are money set aside for projects in a congressman’s ( 议员 ) home state.
In many areas, pigs provide ham, bacon and other pork products to eat. All Americans want to be able to bring home the bacon because they want to earn enough money to provide the necessities of life. Experts say this term was first used in the 1920s. But it is believed to come from the much older game of catching a greased ( 涂了油的 ) pig. This was a popular event at country fairs in which the winner was awarded the pig.
66.The author writes this passage mainly to ________________.
A.express his support for the President Election
B.criticize ( 批评 ) the bad influence caused by expressions about pigs
C.discuss some problems caused by expressions about pigs
D.introduce some expressions used in American daily life
67.If you give a good book to a person who can’t read, which of the following is the most suitable to describe it?
A.Cast peals before swine.
B.You can put lipstick on a pig, but it is still a pig.
C.A hog in a silk waistcoat is still a hog.
D.You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
68.A driver who takes up too much space on the road is often referred to as ________________.
A. a greased pig B. a couch hog C. a road hog D. a road earmark
69. How many words which refer to the same animal are mentioned in this passage?
A. Six B. Four C. Five D. Three
70. Which of the following expressions are similar to “ You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.?
A. When pigs fly! B. To eat like a pig.
C. To sell a pig in a pork. D. To sweat like a pig.
With their weakening bodies, advanced age or increasing pressure of work or study, people have been advised and usually persuaded to have health care products. Do you remember your first time to take a nutritional supplement(营养补充品)? What was your first impression?
Posted by Amy, Dec.23, 2010 8∶05 P．M.
Madeline on Dec.24, 2010 7∶25 P．M.
Years ago, as a young mom with two small children, I struggled to keep up with the demands of a busy life. One day, I woke up feeling so tired that I knew something had to change! A friend gave me some Royal Jelly—an amazing substance(物质)from the beehive(蜂房).I was doubtful, but desperate...so I tried it! In time, I began to experience renewed energy like never before! Now, over two decades later, I travel all round the country, sharing my lifechanging experience. I’m grateful for the energy to keep up and love to share this wonderful discovery with others.
Blanca on Dec.25, 2010 7∶02 P．M.
Ten years ago, when I was 73, my mind wanted to be busy and useful, but my body didn’t. I became very tired. That’s when my daughter Madeline tried to persuade me to try her special Royal Jelly. It made great difference in her life, so she was sure it could help me too! Hesitating for 2 days, I gave in. She was right! I no longer felt worn out. I had a new, youthful eagerness for life and I’ve been OK—thanks to Royal Jelly!
Lori on Dec.25, 2010 10∶27 P．M.
When my mom Madeline was introduced to Royal Jelly, it affected my life, too! Mom gave me some of her fantastic Royal Jelly. Boy, things did turn around! I had more energy and vitality and was finally able to keep up with high school and, eventually, college activities. Today, I’m a busy mom in my mid thirties with two active boys and a new business! I have enough energy to do it all! I’m glad I took my Mom’s advice.
From the text, we learn that ____________.
| A．Madeline was more than willing to take Royal Jelly at the very beginning |
| B．Royal Jelly is a product that can help renew a person’s energy and vitality |
| C．Amy has benefited from Royal Jelly so she posted a topic about the product |
| D．Lori was grateful because Royal Jelly helped him improve his schoolwork |
Which of the following is TRUE of Blanca?
| A．She replied to the topic on Christmas Eve. |
| B．She tried Royal Jelly without hesitation. |
| C．She was the second one to reply to the topic. |
| D．She’s now supposed to be in her seventies. |
The underlined word “vitality” probably refers to the state of feeling ___.
| A．impressive | B．energetic |
| C．relaxed | D．exhausted |
What’s the relationship between the Royal Jelly takers?
| A．Lori and Blanca are Madeline’s grandchildren. |
| B．Blanca is Lori and Madeline’s great grandmother. |
| C．They have no blood relationship but friendship. |
| D．Madeline is Blanca’s daughter and Lori’s mother. |
Where can we most probably read this text?
| A．In a health club. |
| B．On an Internet page. |
| C．In a book review. |
| D．In a health report |
(NEW YORK) A French tourist highly praised for rescuing a two-year-old girl in Manhattan said he didn’t think twice before diving into the freezing East River.
Tuesday’s Daily News said 29-year who left the spot quickly after the rescue last Saturday.
He lifted the little girl out of the water after she fell off the bank at the South Street Scaport museum. He handed the girl to her father, David Anderson, who had dive in after him.
“I didn’t think at all,” Duret told the Daily News. “It happened very fast. I reacted very fast.”
Duret, an engineer on vacation ,was walking with his girlfriend along the pier(码头)when he saw something falling into the water .He thought it was a doll, but realized it was a child when he approached the river. In an instant, he took off his coat and jumped into the water.
When he reached the girl, she appeared lifeless, he said. Fortunately, when she was out of the water, she opened her eyes.
Anderson said his daughter slipped off the bank when he was adjusting his camera. An ambulance came later for her, said Duret, who was handed dry clothes from lookers. Duret caught a train with his girlfriend shortly after.
The rescue happened on the day before he left for France. Duret said he didn’t realize his tale of heroism he was leaving the next morning.
“I don’t really think I’m a hero,” said Duret. “Anyone would do the same thing.”Why was Duret in New York?
| A．To meet his girlfriend |
| B．To work as an engineer |
| C．To spend his holiday |
| D．To visit the Andersons |
What did Duret do shortly after the ambulance came?
| A．He was interviewed by a newspaper |
| B．He asked his girlfriend for his dry clothes |
| C．He went to the hospital in the ambulance |
| D．He disappeared from the spot quickly |
Who dived after Duret into the river to save the little girl?
| A．David Anderson |
| B．A passer-by |
| C．His girlfriend |
| D．A taxi driver |
When was Duret most probably found to be the very hero?
| A．The day when he was leaving for home |
| B．Several days after the girl was rescued |
| C．The first day when he was in New York |
| D．The same day when he was interviewed |
A lot of people are afraid spiders（蜘蛛）–even the small ones. But a big tarantula（鸟蛛）is much more terrifying for many. Now, scientists in Sri Lanka have discovered a huge species of tarantula that’s about the size of a person’s face.
The first part of the spider’s scientific name, Poecilotheria rajaei, comes from the Greek words for “spotted”(poikilos) and “wild beast” (therion). Its species name, rajaei, comes from a local police officer who helped the team that discovered the creature. Poecilotheria rajaei has 8-inch long legs, and unusual spots colored gray, pink, and yellow.
Although it is very big, is there a real reason to be afraid of one? Maybe. This tarantula has enough poisonous fluid（毒液）to kill mice and small birds and snakes –but its bite wouldn’t cause the death of most humans.
Poecilotheria rajaei was first seen in 2009, when a villager in Sri Lanka found the body of a male and brought it to Ranil Nanayakkara, co-founder of Sri Lanka’s Biodiversity Education and Research organization.
An examination of the awesome creature proved that it was a type of tarantula scientists hadn’t seen before. So Nanayakkara carefully looked through the Sri Lankan forests to try to find more of the spiders.
It’s still too early to know whether this species is endangered. But researchers fear that the tarantulas’ natural habitat is slowly being destroyed.
“ They prefer old trees, but due to the widespread removal of trees the number has dropped,” Nanayakkara said in an interview.
Tarantulas have eight legs and two body parts. They are different from insects, which have only six legs but three body parts. Tarantulas have hairy bodies and are usually larger than other types of spiders. Some species of tarantulas can live up to 25 years.
While Poecilotheria rajaei is very big, the largest tarantula is the Goliath bird-eater (Theraphosa blondi). Found in the rainforests of South America, its legs can be up to 10 inches long. But don’t worry if you ever see one: Its poisonous fluid isn’t really dangerous to humans.According to the text, Poecilotheria rajaei _______.
| A．has unique spots |
| B．is mostly yellow |
| C．has 10-inch long legs |
| D．was first seen by the Greeks |
Which of the following is most likely to survive a bite from Poecilotheria rajaei?
| A．A little girl |
| B．A small bird. |
| C．A big mouse. |
| D．A small snake. |
The number of Poecilotheria rajaei has dropped because___________.
| A．the global climate has changed |
| B．they have too many natural enemies |
| C．some people are killing them illegally |
| D．more and more forests are disappearing |
Which of the following is TRUE about tarantulas?
| A．They are a kind of insect. |
| B．Most of them live in South America. |
| C．Their body is divided into three parts. |
| D．They are usually of bigger size than other spiders. |
Which section of a newspaper is the text most probably taken from?
| A．Life | B．Nature |
| C．Science | D．Business |
Erica McElrath calls herself “ The Happy Lady”. And by now, you may have caught her singing and dancing with her mp3 player on any of several city street corners. “ I don’t want money,” said McElrah, 40, of St. Louis. “ I come out here to make people smile.”
McElrah lost her full-time job in January. Since then, she has spent her days doing what she loves-dancing in the street. Her message to people in hard times: do something that you enjoy, no matter what your circumstances. “ Life isn’t that bad,” she said. “ If you’re working 40 hours a week, you shouldn’t be complaining.”
McElrah graduated from parkway Central High School and has spent the past 21 years working as a nursing assistant, She began singing and dancing publicly on her days off a few years ago to help her through the pain of her second divorce.
Her favorite spot is the northwest corner of Chouteau Avenue and South Grand Boulevard near St. Louis University. McElrah’s mp3 player is loaded with hundreds of classic rock hits and 80’s pop songs, including those by Joe Cocker, Tina Turner, Neil Diamond and Toto. But her favorite artist, by far, is Stevie Nicks.
Videos of McElrah have appeared on YouTube, a video-sharing website on which users can upload, share, and view videos. “People think I’m crazy, but I don’t care,” She said. “ I can dance a little. I just go with the music.” Even a rude gesture from a passing motorist doesn’t bother her either. “ I just smile and wave,” she said.
McElrah’s show of bravery recently earned her a job opportunity with Liberty Tax Service, which temporarily offered her a job as a dancer Statute of Liberty to promote a new place near Grand Center starting in January.
“ Just be happy and do what you love,” she said. “The money will come.”At first McElrah began singing and dancing in public in order to _____.
| A．make a living |
| B．entertain the public |
| C．rise to fame |
| D．encourage herself |
Erica McElrah’s actions are _______.
| A．popular with others |
| B．stopped by her family |
| C．supported by passers-by |
| D．laughed at sometimes |
Erica McElrah was offered a job because of _____.
| A．her beautiful voice |
| B．her positive behavior |
| C．her lively dancing |
| D．her competitive spirit |
Which of the following about Erica McElrah is TRUE？
| A．She doesn’t care others’ comments on her. |
| B．Her favorite artist is Joe Cocker. |
| C．She once worked as a doctor. |
| D．She has been divorced once. |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Ways To Be Happy |
| B．Learn To Do What You Love |
| C．Happy Lady’s Singing and Dancing Life |
| D．What Made The Happy Lady Famous? |
“Iris scan （虹膜扫描）, please,” the bank’s computer voice tells you. You step up and the computer reads your eye, comparing it to the stored file it has of your iris. The images had better match---otherwise, you won’t be able to get your money.
Iris scanning and other technologies, such as fingerprint and voice scanning, have appeared in many science fiction movies in the past. Today, these advanced technologies are part of the real world. They are common at work, the bank, the airport, and your local prison. The iris scan, fingerprint scan, and voice scan are all examples of biometrics(生物测定学), a fast developing area of automatic personal identification technology. Basically, biometrics uses various ways to verify a person’s identity, based on the individual’s unique characteristics, including fingerprints, signature, and so on.
Biometrics identification systems have a number of advantages over password systems. The primary advantage is that an individual has to be physically present in order to be identified. Another important advantage is that there are no passwords to remember, forget, lose, or steal.
The voice scan is the simplest and most affordable form of biometrics. It only requires a computer, a microphone, and the correct software. The software records a subject’s voice and then compares it to a stored voice sample for identification purpose.
For additional safety, fingerprint and handprint scans can also be employed. Fingerprint scans take the image of a fingerprint and compare it to a stored file of prints. Handprint scans identify the unique features of a hand.The first paragraph serves as a(n) ________.
| A．example | B．explanation |
| C．comment | D．conclusion |
The underline word “verify” in Paragraph 2 probably means “________”.
| A．protect | B．confirm |
| C．develop | D．change |
Which is the most accurate form of biometrics?
| A．The voice scan |
| B．The fingerprint scan |
| C．The iris scan |
| D．The facial scan |
What is the author’s attitude towards the future of biometrics?
| A．He is uncertain about it. |
| B．He feels doubtful about it. |
| C．He is worried about it. |
| D．He feels hopeful about it. |
What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?
| A．To explain the importance of identification technology. |
| B．To discuss the potential of biometrics systems. |
| C．To introduce the technology of biometrics. |
| D．To show the advantages of iris scanning. |
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