After a lot of weightlifting and 25 exhausting days training, a 52-year-old woman recently became the first female “gripman” on San Francisco’s historic cable cars.
Fannie Barnes passed her written test and completed a final run under the watchful eye of a supervisor, Municipal Railway spokesman Alan Siegel said.
Deep calluses(茧) are already forming at the base of her fingers and there is a hole in her glove. Two other women quit after a single day with injured muscles. “Now they’re going to have to change the word from gripman to grip person, just because of me,” Barnes said earlier, “I’m so excited.”
After almost a year of serious workouts, Barns can pull more than 61 kilos, only 23 kilos less than her body weight. And she’ll need the muscle, for this is no modern, push-button technology. Every time a car starts up again after making a stop, the gripman must haul back on a lever controlling a device that grips the cable, which runs continuously at 14 kilometers per hour. If the grip slips, so does the car. A second person operates the brakes.
In addition to having to throw her weight around on the job, she’s got to throw out some attitude to men who were hard to convince. The city employs 76 men in the job.
“A lot of men said mean things to me and didn’t want to help train me. But I would like to thank the guys who were against me because they gave me even more inspiration to do it.” she said.
Not all the men were against her. Many of the male colleagues yelled out support as she did her training runs. One of her biggest tests was drizzly December morning. She first went down the Hyde Street Hill, considered the most dangerous incline on the cable car routes. “I had to have the will and I had to believe I could do it,” she said. “It was scary, but as I started going down full grip and felt that I was in control, I knew I was on my way,” Barnes already is a pioneer of sorts. She started working as a cable car conductor six years ago, collecting fares and assisting on the back brake. She is one of only three women to have that job. But she said she always wanted the job up front on the car. (400)
1. What is unusual about Fannie Barnes getting a job as a gripman?
A. She is the oldest one to work as a grpman.
B. She is the first women to work as a gripman.
C. She is the fattest women to work as a gripman.
D. She is the most suitable one to work as a gripman.
2. What did the 52-year-old woman do when she first began working on the city’s cable car?
A. As a gripman. B. As a conductor. C. As a brakeman. D. As a supervisor.
3. It can be inferred from the passage that Fannie Barnes is ________.
A. strong and easy-going B. strong-willed and self-confident
C. popular and humorous D. considerate and quick-tempered
People think what I do is so wonderful because I interview stars.And I have to admit that when I first started working at Sassy in 1987 I was excited about that part of my job for the first couple of months，anyway.Then I noticed how stars would fool me around for months.I could never get enough time with a star to find out anything interesting，and some acted just simply rudely.I started hating the way I was treated，and I was really disappointed to see that these people I had worshipped (崇拜) before were pretty ordinary.So I decided I would just tell the truth instead of keeping up their myths (神秘)．If the star was a bad guy，I would say so.If I thought anyone was stupid，I did not hold back that information.
I thought readers would appreciate that kind of honesty.Surprisingly，many of them hated me for it.I have gotten so many attacks on my character.In their eyes，being famous is everything，even more desirable that being truly creative and talented.
Why do we need stars？In fact，the media created stars to satisfy our basic need for gossip (闲聊)．Over time，talking about people we have never met and we are never likely to meet has become what we are crazy about.Thus，some people are more interested in the personal lives of the stars than in the lives of their own family and their own friends.That is why it is so ridiculous when a star wants to discuss only his or her work in an interview—as we care.We want the dirt on their personal lives.
There is another reason we worship stars.As a whole，our society is not as religious as it once was.It seems that people need something to fulfill them the way religion once did.Star worship exists as an unfulfilling desire for true heroes.
We make them stars，but then their reputation makes us feel unimportant，and we truly feel better about ourselves when they die.I am part of this whole process.No wonder I feel soiled at the end of workday.What are the stars like according to the author?
| A．They always treat others rudely. |
| B．They always talk about something dull. |
| C．They are actually ordinary people. |
| D．They are usually honest and polite. |
We worship stars because ________.
| A．we need true mental heroes to support us |
| B．we can learn something useful from famous stars |
| C．we concern about the stars，family and friends |
| D．we like talking about the star's dressing styles |
When the author is writing this article，his tone sounds ________.
| A．excited | B．angry |
| C．worried | D．calm |
What is the main purpose of the author writing the passage?
| A．To show the disadvantages of working with stars. |
| B．To remind us not to worship famous stars blindly. |
| C．To laugh at the failures of stars he has interviewed. |
| D．To talk about the reasons why we worship stars. |
Bad teeth can be painful and even be deadly. Infections of the gums(牙龈) and teeth can release bacteria into the blood system. Those bacteria can increase the chance of a heart attack or stroke and worsen the effects of other diseases. And adults are not the only ones at risk. For example, a 12yearold boy died when a tooth infection spread to his brain in 2007 in Washington. Experts said it might have been prevented had he received the dental care he needed.
Experts say good dental care starts at birth. Breast milk, they say, is the best food for the healthy development of teeth. Breast milk can help slow bacterial growth and acid production in the mouth. But dentists say a baby's gums and early teeth should be cleaned after each feeding by using a cloth with a little warm water. Experts say if you decide to put your baby to sleep with a bottle, give only water.
When baby teeth begin to appear, you can clean them with a wet toothbrush. Dentists say it is important to find soft toothbrushes made especially for babies and to use them very gently. The use of fluoride(氟化物) to protect teeth is common in many parts of the world. For example, it is often added to drinking water supplies. The fluoride mixes with enamel(釉质), the hard surface on teeth, to help prevent holes from forming.
But young children often swallow toothpaste when they brush their teeth. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry notes that swallowing fluoridated toothpaste can cause problems. So young children should be carefully watched when they brush their teeth. And only a small amount of fluoridated toothpaste, the size of a pea, should be used.
Parents often wonder what effect finger sucking might have on their baby's teeth. Dental experts generally agree that this is fine early in life. Most children stop sucking their fingers by the age of four. If it continues, experts advise parents to talk to their children's dentists or doctors. Because it could interfere_with the correct development of permanent teeth.
Dentists say children should have their first dental visit at least by the time they are one year old. They say babies should be examined when their first teeth appear—usually at around six months.According to the passage，what is the function of fluoride?
| A．Making the surface on teeth much cleaner. |
| B．Protecting gums from being infected. |
| C．Keeping holes on teeth from forming. |
| D．Slowing down bacterial growth and acid production. |
The underlined phrase “interfere with” in Para.5 probably means “________”．
| A．do harm to | B．account for |
| C．contribute to | D．stand for |
What is the purpose of the author in writing the passage?
| A．To warn us of the deadly infections of gums and teeth. |
| B．To introduce the advantages of fluoridated toothpaste. |
| C．To draw our attention to the dental care of young children. |
| D．To present the research results about dental care. |
No one knows for sure when advertising first started. It is possible that it grew out of the discovery that some people did certain kinds of work better than others did them. That led to the concept of specialization, which means that people would specialize, or focus, on doing one specific job.
Let's take a man we'll call Mr. Fielder, for example. He did everything connected with farming. He planted seeds, tended the fields, and harvested and sold his crops. At the same time, he did many other jobs on the farm. However, he didn't make the bricks for his house, cut his trees into boards, make the plows(犁), or any of the other hundreds of things a farm needs. Instead, he got them from people who specialized in doing each of those things.
Suppose there was another man we shall call Mr. Plowright. Using what he knew about farming and working with iron, Mr. Plowright invented a plow that made farming easier. Mr. Plowright did not really like farming himself and wanted to specialize in making really good plows. Perhaps, he thought, other farmers will trade what they grow for one of my plows.
How did Mr. Plowright let people know what he was doing? Why, he advertised, of course. First he opened a shop and then he put up a sign outside the shop to attract customers. That sign may have been no more than a plow carved into a piece of wood and a simple arrow pointing to the shop door. It was probably all the information people needed to find Mr. Plowright and his really good plows.
Many historians believe that the first outdoor signs were used about five thousand years ago. Even before most people could read, they understood such signs. Shopkeepers would carve into stone, clay, or wood symbols for the products they had for sale.
A medium, in advertising talk, is the way you communicate your message. You might say that the first medium used in advertising was signs with symbols. The second medium was audio, or sound, although that term is not used exactly in the way we use it today. Originally, just the human voice and maybe some kind of simple instrument, such as a bell, were used to get people's attention.
A crier, in the historical sense, is not someone who weeps easily. It is someone, probably a man, with a voice loud enough to be heard over the other noises of a city. In ancient Egypt, shopkeepers might hire such a person to spread the news about their products. Often this earliest form of advertising involved a newly arrived ship loaded with goods. Perhaps the crier described the goods, explained where they came from, and praised their quality. His job was, in other words, not too different from a TV or radio commercial in today's world.What probably led to the start of advertising?
| A．The discovery of iron. |
| B．The specialization of labor. |
| C．The appearance of new jobs. |
| D．The development of farming techniques. |
To advertise his plows, Mr. Plowright ________.
| A．praised his plows in public |
| B．placed a sign outside the shop |
| C．hung an arrow pointing to the shop |
| D．showed his products to the customers |
The writer makes up the two stories of Mr. Fielder and Mr. Plowright in order to ________.
| A．explain the origin of advertising |
| B．predict the future of advertising |
| C．expose problems in advertising |
| D．provide suggestions for advertising |
In ancient Egypt, a crier was probably someone who ________.
| A．owned a ship |
| B．had the loudest voice |
| C．ran a shop selling goods to farmers |
| D．functioned like today's TV or radio commercial |
The last two paragraphs are mainly about ________.
| A．the history of advertising |
| B．the benefits of advertising |
| C．the early forms of advertising |
| D．the basic design of advertising |
When I was young I wanted to be a model，so when a national contest was staged，I convinced my parents to take me for an audition (试演)．I was selected and told I had potential.They said that for only $900 I could attend a weekend event which dozens of the most prestigious (有声望的) modeling agencies from around the world would attend.At 13，my hopes of fame and fortune clouded all judgement and I begged my parents to let me go.We have never been rich，but they saw my enthusiasm and agreed.
I imagined being signed by some famous model companies.For months，any boredom or disappointment I faced was pushed aside because I knew I would soon have the chance to be real model.I thought I would grace the covers of famous magazines!
Of course，I wasn't signed，but what hurt the most was being told that if I grew to 5′9″(about 1.75 metres) I could be a success.I prayed for a growth spurt (冲刺) because I could not imagine giving up my dream.I made an appointment with a local modeling agency and the agent demanded $500 for classes.$500 for a photo shoot，and $300 for other expenses.My parents only agreed after hours and hours of my begging.
The agency sent me out on a few auditions，but with every day I didn't receive a call，I grew more depressed.The_final_straw came in July after I had decided to focus on commercial modeling.There was an open call in New York City.We spent hours driving and another few hours waiting，only to be told that I was too short.I was devastated (极度不安的)．
Years later，I realized that the trip to New York was good as it made me notice I didn't actually love modeling，just the idea of it.I wanted to be special and I was innocently determined to reach an impossible goal.The experience has made me stronger and that will help me in the future.What's the main reason why the author wanted to be a model?
| A．She won a national contest. |
| B．She wanted to get reputation and wealth. |
| C．She was urged by some modeling agencies. |
| D．She had full potential to be a successful model. |
What's the author's parents' attitude toward her dream?
| A．Encouraging. | B．Worried. |
| C．Doubtful. | D．Enthusiastic. |
What was it that made the author end her attempt to become a model?
| A．Her parents were strongly against it. |
| B．She realized that it was impossible for her. |
| C．Even a local modeling agency turned her down. |
| D．She realized that she didn't actually love the idea of modeling. |
The underlined phrase “The final straw” probably means ________.
| A．the last in a series of bad things that happen to make someone very upset，angry，etc... |
| B．the final result that she was admitted by the model company. |
| C．the final audition given by the agency. |
| D．the decision that she made at last not to be a model any more. |
What did the author learn from her experience of struggling to be a model?
| A．Where there's a will there's way. |
| B．Being a model is not that easy. |
| C．We should have our own judgement and should not just follow others. |
| D．We might set unpractical goals but the experience can help us grow. |
If you see a group of people dancing and singing on the street or in the railway station, you don't need to feel surprised. They are a flash mob(暴民). Who are they? Are they mobs? Don't be confused by their name. Actually, a flash mob is a group of people who gather suddenly in a public place, do something unusual for a brief period of time, and then quickly disappear.
They are usually organized with the help of the Internet or other digital communications networks. The messages may be sent to friends, who send to more people. At a predetermined time, they gather and perform some activities such as exchanging books, coming together to look at the sky, waving their hands and yelling something at the top of their voice for 30 seconds. Then, they quickly disappear before the police can arrive. Using mobile phones, the flash mob can change its place if the first one has been cancelled for any reason.
Bill Wasik, senior editor of Harper's Magazine, organized the first flash mob in Manhattan in May 2003 and the first successful flash mob gathered on June 3,2003. Wasik claimed that he created the flash mob as a social experiment designed to laugh at fashion seekers and stress the cultural atmosphere of wanting to be an insider or part of “the next big thing”．
Flash mob gatherings can sometimes shock people. Such an activity might seem amusing and magical, but it also might frighten people who are not aware of what is taking place. Undoubtedly, flash mob can serve as good political tools and have great potential, such as using to advertise a product.
The flash mob is now becoming more and more popular. People use it to do many things. Flash mobs give people from all walks of life an opportunity to come together to create a memory.What is NOT the feature of the flash mob?
| A．It can get together quickly. |
| B．It can change its place freely. |
| C．It can do activities suddenly. |
| D．It can injure people seriously. |
How do flash mobs inform one another?
①By using the Internet.②By writing letters.③By yelling.④By waving hands.⑤By using mobile phones.
⑥By holding a meeting.
| A．③④ | B．①⑤ | C．②⑥ | D．⑤⑥ |
Why did Bill Wasik create the flash mob?
| A．To advertise some products. |
| B．To help people make friends. |
| C．To laugh at fashion seekers. |
| D．To create some memories. |
What can we learn about the flash mob from the passage?
| A．Bill Wasik organized the first successful flash mob in May, 2003. |
| B．People are encouraged to take a more active part in an activity. |
| C．Flash mobs tend to do something illegal for a short time. |
| D．Flash mob gathering can frighten all the people present. |
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