YOUR mom might cook a 
bowl of noodle for you on birthday. But in the US, a mom makes a cupcake for her children on their birthday.
Cupcakes are small, round cakes topped with frosting. It has been an American tradition that moms bring cupcakes to celebrate their child’s birthday.
But recently some doctors have called for this to be banned. They believe cupcakes contribute to child obesity.
Despite their good intentions, however, some people believe that experts are interfering with American culture. The cupcakes is seen as American as apple pie only prettier.
According to Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition at New York university, the cupcakes is the most democratic of desserts. As they are small enough for one person, you don’t have go share your cupcake with anyone –it’s all yours. They are also all the same size, so there can’t be any cries of “she got the bigger piece!”
Each bite can taste different depending on how much icing you have. It is a lesson in self determination. Some people eat only a little of the frosting every time, other have it all in just one bite.
In recent years, eating a cupcake has become as trendy as having a cup of Starbucks coffee.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton jokingly promised on a talk show that if she was elected president, a he would give everyone a cupcake on her birthday.
Ruth Reichl, editor---in----chief of gourmet magazine, explains that the rise of the cupcake is very much about going buck to American national identity in food, which is all about comfort. “People want to about when they and their country were innocent,” she said.
1. According to the passage, it has been an American tradition that_______.
A. a party for children is held on their birthday
B. A mom cooks a bowl of noodles for her children on their birthday
C. A mom makes a cupcake for her children on their birthday and brings it to the classroom
D. parents go traveling with their children on their birthday
2. Why do doctors ask people to ban cupcake on children’s birthday?
A. Because they themselves don’t like cupcake
B. Because they think cupcakes are not so delicious
C. Because they believe cupcakes will cause cries of “she got the bigger piece”.
D. Because they believe cupcakes are one of the causes to make children become fat.
3. The following are true according to Marion Nestle expect that ______
A. the cupcake is more democratic than any other deserts in the US
B. the cupcake is too small to share with others
C. the sizes of cupcakes are the same so it is equal to everyone
D. cupcakes will lead to child obesity so they should be banned
4. Why did the writer mention Hillary Clinton and Ruth Reichl?
A. To arouse the readers’ attention
B. To show that cupcakes are becoming a popular to show kindness and comfort.
C. To make a comparison between them
D. To give readers a general idea of cupcakes
January 1 — January 31
You are charming and intelligent．You are actually quite ambitious．You like to go to parties and chat with your friends．On the other hand, you are friendly, but you are also a very private person．
February 1 — February 28
You are determined and hard working．You are born under the sign of loyalty and evenness （公平）．You like parties and enjoy a lot of friends．On the other hand, you are quite famous for your courage．You really like to explore and you are an adventurer．
March 1 — March 31
You are very loyal, independent, and open-minded．You are a born leader, and when you set a goal, you go to it．You adore challenges and competitions．You are most likely to be the one who calls out, "Let's go!" you are always in a circle of friends．You love animals．You are like a roller coaster．
April I—April 30
You are artistic, well-mannered, intelligent, and diplomatic．You are usually sweet and kind, of course．You are sometimes famous for your artistic sense and good taste．You love throwing grand parties．Vacations and routines are very important to you．You are also fairly popular．
Mayl — May 31
You are talented, sincere, and most of all, enthusiastic．You are the master of ceremonies． You shine in the crowd．When you walk into a room, heads turn, and you hear whispers and gasps．You have a strong will to defeat any challenge in your way．You have a hunger for fashion．
June 1 — June 30
You are very elegant, wise, and compassionate(有同情心的)．You are very attractive and people are attracted to you．Your friends rely on you for advice．You will be someone like Jacqueline Onassis．You are also very lucky in many ways．
Julyl — July 31
You are mostly agreeable, energetic, and popular．You like to try new things wherever you go．You know how to dress and you always look your best．You are talented and you love sports． You are always one step ahead of anyone else．You adore freedom and independence．
August 1 — August 31
You are empathetic, easygoing, and compliant．You can get along with almost everyone． Many people admire you for your talent and creativity．On the other hand, you are sensitive and compassionate．You always like to dream．You enjoy peace and quiet at night．
September 1 — September 30
You are individualistic, sociable, and very entertaining．You are capable of anything．You have an excellent memory．You like long, friendly conversations with your closest friends．You turn boring things into the life of the party．
October 1 — October 31
You are thoughtful, intelligent, and the class comedian．You are also very popular, and nice around friends．You love to save the best for last．You are amusing and very fun to be around with．You love to spend hours each day reading and studying for final exams, when the school year has just started．You almost never turn on your friends．
November 1 — November 30
You are unselfish, knowledgeable, and friendly．You are loyal to your friends and family． You can see the difference between right and wrong．You are very honest and you speak out when you feel something has gone wrong．You are the person who likes trendy clothes．
December 1 —December 31
You are smart, optimistic, and willing to help others．You are like a rare diamond．You are intentionally the nicest while you are with friends．You are also very affectionate．You are too good to be true．Your friends trust in you easily．You are also popular in the "Being Nice" way．People born in the months of_______ are usually very fashionable．
| A．May, July and November |
| B．May, July and October |
| C．July, October, and November |
| D．April, May and October |
If you are born in March, the sentence "You are like a roller coaster" is probably linked with which of the following characteristics?
| A．Being loyal． |
| B．Being open-minded． |
| C．Loving animals． |
| D．Adoring challenges and competitions． |
Who is the combination of very different characteristics?
| A．A person born during April 1 — April 30． |
| B．A person born during August 1 — August 31． |
| C．A person born during January 1 — January 31． |
| D．A person born during February 1 — February 31． |
Which of the following is most likely to have the combination of very different characteristics?
| A．July — having an excellent memory． |
| B．October — loving to save the best for last． |
| C．September — enjoying peace and quiet at night． |
| D．August @ being always one step ahead of anyone else． |
You have signed on for months of hard work．You're far from home．The pay is bad．The food is worse．You find rare comfort in the simple songs that you and your work mates sing．
This is what a sailor's life was like in the 1800s．The songs sung aboard ships were called sea shanties．You have probably heard a shanty or two yourself．Many of these songs have lasted through the years．They can often be found in surprising places today．
Sea Shanties Then ．．．
Sea shanties were valuable friends to sailors．Some shanties, such as "Blow the Man Down," had lively words and melodies．They broke up the boredom of long trips．Other shanties, including one called "Oh, Shenandoah," had a sadder tone．They helped seafarers express longing and loneliness．Still other shanties, such as "Leave Her, Johnny," let sailors complain about their hard lives．
But the first job of the sea shanty was to help the men work as a team．Ships had sails that were controlled by a system of moving ropes．For many jobs, all of the sailors had to pull on the ropes at once．
When faced with such a job, the shantyman, or song leader, began a tune．The crew joined in on the chorus, and it might have sounded like a playful sing-along．But when the sailors came to a certain beat, they knew it was the signal to pull together with all their might．
Raising or lowering the anchor called for a rhythm with a slow, steady motion．Then, the shantyman would choose a shanty with a slow, steady beat to match the job．Each duty on the sailing ship had its own rhythm and its own kind of song．
．．．and Sea Shanties Now
Sea shanties have been passed down to us in much the same way as folk stories．Long ago, someone came up with a memorable idea and melody．Others repeated the shanty, often adding changes along the way．
Over time, people saw the sea shanty for the treasure it was．Like any treasure, shanties were collected．Many were written down in books．
Where do the old shanties appear now? Today's musical artists love the fun, beauty, and history of these songs．Many musicians, including Bob Dylan and Harry Belafonte, have their own versions of "Oh, Shenandoah．" One group, the Robert Shaw Chorale, recorded a collection of shanties．
In Hollywood, shanties serve as a symbol of the sea．A fisherman sings the shanty "Spanish Ladies" in the film Jaws．The cartoon character Woody Woodpecker whistles "Blow the Man Down" when he finds himself aboard a pirate's ship．
Today, shanties tell us about shipboard life more than one hundred years ago．They help us understand what the working sailor sang and perhaps thought about．
So the next time you're doing a boring task, try making up a tune to go along with it．Time may pass more quickly, and your job may seem easier．Also, you may understand why sailors loved those old songs of the sea．The main purpose of the sea shanty in the 1800s was________．
| A．to communicate with passing ships |
| B．to help sailors work together as a team |
| C．to allow sailors to complain about the food |
| D．to give sailors an opportunity to record their music |
Today, sea shanties are mainly used________．
| A．to provide material for musical artists to record |
| B．to provide a source of music for Hollywood films |
| C．to help sailors work together aboard modem ships |
| D．to help people understand the lives of sailors of the past |
The author uses two subheadings(小标题) within the article in order to_______．
| A．compare sea shanties to modem sailing songs |
| B．describe how popular sea shanties are with musicians |
| C．compare how sea shanties have been used over the years |
| D．describe how sea shanties have influenced Hollywood films |
Which of these topics would most probably be included in this article?
| A．The work of sailors today． |
| B．The cost of sailing ships in the 1800s． |
| C．Other sailing duties that were made easier by sea shanties． |
| D．Some music studios where sea shanties are recorded today． |
45．According to information in the article, a movie director today would most likely use a shanty________．
| A．to make a scene about sailors more realistic |
| B．to give a musician a chance to record the song |
| C．to make the crew's daily chores pass more quickly |
| D．to express the loneliness of making a film away from home |
Do you want to live with a strong sense of peacefulness, happiness, goodness, and self- respect? The collection of happiness actions broadly categorized as "honor" help you create this life of good feelings.
Here's an example to show how honorable actions create happiness.
Say a store clerk fails to charge us for an item. If we keep silent, and profit from the clerk's mistake, we would drive home with a sense of sneaky excitement. Later we might tell our family or friends about our good fortune. On the other hand, if we tell the clerk about the uncharged item, the clerk would be grateful and thank us for our honesty. We would leave the store with a quiet sense of honor that we might never share with another soul.
Then, what is it to do with our sense of happiness?
In the first case, where we don't tell the clerk, a couple of things would happen. Deep down inside we would know ourselves as a type of thief. In the process, we would lose some peace of mind and self-respect. We would also demonstrate that we cannot be trusted, since we advertise our dishonor by telling our family and friends. We damage our own reputations by telling others. In contrast, bringing the error to the clerk's attention causes different things to happen. Immediately the clerk knows us to be honorable. Upon leaving the store, we feel honorable and our self-respect is increased. Whenever we take honorable action we gain the deep internal rewards of goodness and a sense of nobility.
There is a beautiful positive cycle that is created by living a life of honorable actions. Honorable thoughts lead to honorable actions. Honorable actions lead us to a happier existence. And it's easy to think and act honorably again when we're happy. While the positive cycle can be difficult to start, once it's started, it's easy to continue. Keeping on doing good deeds brings us peace of mind, which is important for our happiness. According to the passage, the positive action in the example contributes to our_________.
| A．self-respect | B．financial rewards |
| C．advertising ability | D．friendly relationship |
The author thinks that keeping silent about the uncharged item is equal to___.
| A．lying | B．stealing |
| C．cheating | D．advertising |
The phrase "bringing the error to the clerk's attention" (in para. 5) means___.
| A．telling the truth to the clerk |
| B．offering advice to the clerk |
| C．asking the clerk to be more attentive |
| D．reminding the clerk of the charged item |
How will we feel if we let the clerk know her mistake?
| A．We'll be very excited. |
| B．We'll feel unfortunate. |
| C．We'll have a sense of honor. |
| D．We'll feel sorry for the clerk. |
Which of the following can be the best title of this passage.
| A．How to Live Truthfully |
| B．Importance of Peacefulness |
| C．Ways of Gaining Self-respect |
| D．Happiness through Honorable Actions |
An increase in students applying to study economics at university is being attributed to (归因于)the global economic crisis (危机) awakening a public thirst for knowledge about how the financial system works.
Applications for degree courses beginning this autumn were up by 15% this January, according to UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. A spokesman for the Royal Economic Society said applications to do economics at A-level were also up.
Professor John Beath, the president of the society and a leading lecturer at St Andrews University, said his first-year lectures-which are open to students from all departments-were drawing crowds of 400, rather than the usual 250.
“There are a large number of students who are not economics majors, who would like to learn something about it. One of the things I have done this year is to relate my teaching to contemporary events in a way that one hasn’t traditionally done.” He said.
University applications rose 7% last year, but there were rises above average in several subjects. Nursing saw a 15% jump, with people’s renewed interest in careers in the public sector(部门), which are seen as more secure in economic crisis.
A recent study showed almost two thirds of parents believed schools should do more to teach pupils about financial matters, and almost half said their children had asked them what was going on, although a minority of parents felt they did not understand it themselves well enough to explain.
Zack Hocking, the head of Child Trust Funds, said: “It’s possible that one good thing to arise from the downturn will be a generation that’s financially wiser and better equipped to manage their money through times of economic uncertainty.”Professor John Beath’s lectures are_______ .
| A．given in a traditional way |
| B．connected with the present situation |
| C．open to both students and their parents |
| D．warmly received by economics |
Careers in the public sector are more attractive because of their_________ .
| A．greater stability | B．higher pay |
| C．fewer applications | D．better reputation |
In the opinion of most parents, __________ .
| A．economics should be the focus of school teaching |
| B．more students should be admitted to universities |
| C．the teaching of financial matters should be strengthened. |
| D．children should solve financial problems themselves |
According to Hocking, the global economic crisis might make the youngsters_____________ .
| A．wiser in money management |
| B．have access to better equipment |
| C．confident about their future careers |
| D．get jobs in Child Trust Funds |
What’s the main idea of the text?
| A．Universities have received more applications. |
| B．Economics is attracting an increasing numbers students |
| C．College students benefit a lot from economic uncertainty |
| D．Parents are concerned with children’s subject selection. |
Some people bring out the best in you in a way that you might never have fully realized on your own. My mom was one of those people.
My father died when I was nine months old, making my mom a single mother at the age of eighteen. While I was growing up, we lived a very hard life. We had little money, but my mom gave me a lot of love. Each night, she sat me on her lap and spoke the words that would change my life, “Kemmons, you are certain to be a great man and you can do anything in life if you work hard enough to get it.”
At fourteen, I was hit by a car and the doctors said I would never walk again. Every day, my mother spoke to me in her gentle, loving voice, telling me that no matter what those doctors said, I could walk again if I wanted to badly enough. She drove that message so deep into my heart that I finally believed her. A year later, I returned to school — walking on my own!
When the Great Depression (大萧条) hit, my mom lost her job. Then I left school to support the both of us. At that moment, I was determined never to be poor again.
Over the years, I experienced various levels of business success. But the real turning point occurred on a vacation I took with my wife and five kids in 1951. I was dissatisfied with the second-class hotels available for families and was angry that they charged an extra $2 for each child. That was too expensive for the average American family. I told my wife that I was going to open a motel (汽车旅馆) for families that would never charge extra for children. There were plenty of doubters at that time.
Not surprisingly, mom was one of my strongest supporters. She worked behind the desk and even designed the room style. As in any business, we experienced a lot of challenges. But with my mother’s words deeply rooted in my soul, I never doubted we would succeed. Fifteen years later, we had the largest hotel system in the world — Holiday Inn. In 1979 my company had 1, 759 inns in more than fifty countries with an income of $ 1 billion a year.
You may not have started out life in the best situation. But if you can find a task in life worth working for and believe in yourself, nothing can stop you. What Kemmons’ mom often told him during his childhood was ______.
| A．caring | B．moving |
| C．encouraging | D．interesting |
According to the author, who played the most important role in making him walk back to school again?
| A．Doctors. | B．Nurses. | C．Friends. | D．Mom. |
What caused Kemmons to start a motel by himself?
| A．His terrible experience in the hotel. |
| B．His previous business success of various levels. |
| C．His mom’s support. |
| D．His wife’s suggestion. |
Which of the following best describes Kemmons’ mother?
| A．Modest, helpful, and hard-working. |
| B．Loving, supportive and strong-willed. |
| C．Careful, helpful and beautiful. |
| D．Strict, sensitive and supportive. |
Which of the following led to Kemmons’ success according to the passage?
| A．Self-confidence, hard work, higher education and a poor family. |
| B．Mom’s encouragement, clear goals, self-confidence and hard work. |
| C．Clear goals, mom’s encouragement, a poor family and higher education. |
| D．Mom’s encouragement, a poor family, higher education and opportunities. |
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