There seems never to have been a civilization without toys, but when and how they developed is unknown. They probably came about just to give children something to do.
In the ancient world, as is today, most boys played with some kinds of toys and most girls with another. In societies where social roles are strictly determined, boys pattern their play after the activities of their fathers and girls after the tasks of their mothers.This is true because boys and girls are being prepared, even in play, to step into the roles and responsibilities of the adult world.
What is remarkable about the history of toys is not so much how they changed over the centuries but how much they have remained the same. The changes have been mostly in terms of skill, mechanics, and technology. It is the universality of toys with regard to their development in all parts of the world and their insistence to the present that is amazing. In Egypt, the US, China,Japan and among the Arctic peoples, generally the same kinds of toys appeared. Variations depended on local customs and ways of life because toys reflect their surroundings.Nearly every civilization had dolls, little weapons, toy soldiers, tiny animals and vehicles.
Because toys can be generally regarded as a kind of art form, they have not been affected by technological quick development that characterize inventions for adult use. The progress from the wheel to the ox-cart to the automobile is a direct line of ahievement. The progress from a rattle(拨浪鼓) used by a baby in 3000 BC to one used by a baby today, however, is not characterized by inventiveness. Each rattle is the product of the artistic tastes of times and subject to the limtations of available materials.. The reason why the toys most boys play with are different from those that girls play with is that_________.
| A．their social roles are strictly determined |
| B．most boys would like to follow their fathers’ professions |
| C．boys like to play with their fathers while girls with their mothers |
| D．they like challenging activities |
. Which of the following is the author’s view on the historical development of toys？
| A．The making skills in toys has remained essentially unchanged. |
| B．Toys have remained basically the same all through the centuries. |
| C．The toy industry has witnessed great improvement in technology in recent years. |
| D．Toys are playing an increasingly important role in shaping a child’s character. |
. Regarded as a kind of art form, toys________.
| A．follow a direct line of achievement |
| B．also appeal greatly to adults |
| C．are not characterized by technological progress |
| D．reflect the pace of social progress |
. The author uses the example of a rattle to show that________.
| A．in toy-making there is a continuity in the use of materials |
| B．even the simplest toys can reflect the progress of technology |
| C．it often takes a long time to introduce new technology into toy-making |
| D．even a simple toy can mirror the artistic tastes of the time |
Does Fame Drive You Crazy?
Although being famous might sound like a dream come true, today's stars, feeling like zoo animals, face pressures that few of us can imagine. They are at the center of much of the world's attention. Paparazzi(狗仔队) camp outside their homes, cameras ready. Tabloids(小报) publish thrilling stories about their personal lives. Just imagine not being able to do anything without being photographed or interrupted for a signature!
According to psychologist Christina Villarreal, celebrities—famous people—worry constantly about their public appearance. Eventually, they start to lose track of who they really are, seeing themselves the way their fans imagine them, not as the people they were before everyone knew their names. “Over time，” Villarreal says, “they feel separated and alone.”
The phenomenon of tracking celebrities has been around for ages. In the 4th century B．C., painters followed Alexander the Great into battle, hoping to picture his victories for his admirers. When Charles Dickens visited America in the 19th century, his soldout readings attracted thousands of fans, leading him to complain(抱怨) about his lack of privacy. Tabloids of the 1920s and 1930s ran articles about filmstars in much the same way that modern tabloids and websites do.
Being a public figure today, however, is a lot more difficult than it used to be. Superstars cannot move about without worrying about photographers with modern cameras. When they say something silly or do something ridiculous, there is always the Internet to spread the news in minutes and keep their “story” alive forever.
If fame is so troublesome, why aren't all celebrities running away from it? The answer is there are still ways to deal with it. Some stars stay calm by surrounding themselves with trusted friends and family or by escaping to remote places away from big cities. They focus not on how famous they are but on what they love to do or whatever made them famous in the first place.
Sometimes a few celebrities can get a little justice. Still, even stars who enjoy full justice often complain about how hard their lives are. They are tired of being famous already.It can be learned from the passage that stars today ________.
| A．are often misunderstood by the public |
| B．can no longer have their privacy protected |
| C．spend too much on their public appearance |
| D．care little about how they have come into fame |
What is the main idea of Paragraph 3?
| A．Great heroes of the past were generally admired. |
| B．The problem faced by celebrities has a long history. |
| C．Wellknown actors are usually targets of tabloids. |
| D．Works of popular writers often have a lot of readers. |
What makes it much harder to be a celebrity today?
| A．Availability of modern media. |
| B．Inadequate social recognition. |
| C．Lack of favorable chances. |
| D．Huge population of fans. |
What is the author's attitude toward modern celebrity?
| A．Sincere. | B．Sceptical. |
| C．Disapproving. | D．Sympathetic. |
Whenever anyone measures educational success, East Asian countries are always top scorers. But in a recent league table, a European country, Finland, was top of the class. South Korea was still in second place, though. Britain was at number 6.
In Korea the school day is long—typically 7 or 8 hours, followed by hours of private tutoring in the evenings. All_this_hothousing leaves Korean students so tired, they sometimes fall asleep in class next day. Worries about the effects of late night cramming(考试的突击准备) led the government to force cramming schools to close by 10 p．m. Finnish children spend the least time in class in the developed world, often finishing just after lunch, with about one hour of homework a day. Private tuition is uncommon. The British and American school day is quite long in comparison, around 6 hours, and secondary school pupils do 2 or 3 hours of selfstudy a night.
The Korean education system, like many in Asia, is intensely competitive, with students even competing to get into the best cramming schools, to help them get ahead. Finnish education is far less cutthroat. Classes are all mixed ability, and there are no league tables. British schools again occupy the middle ground, with quite high levels of competition for places at university, and schools and universities battling to come top of league tables for everything from exam results to student satisfaction. Korea and Finland both do well, yet their education systems are so different.
However, there are some similarities between Korea and Finland. In those countries, teachers have high status in society, and education is very highly valued. Those attitudes can't change quickly. But it can be done. They might be the star pupils now, but until the 1970s, Finland's education system was poor. Their thoroughly different approach to schooling has taken them to the top in just a generation.The students spend the least time in school in ________.
| A．the UK | B．Finland | C．the USA | D．Korea |
According to the text, we think in Korea ________.
| A．students spend more time in studying |
| B．students are tired of studying in class |
| C．students leave their school early |
| D．students are always top scorers |
The underlined phrase “All this hothousing” in Paragraph 2 probably refers to ________.
| A．private evening tutoring | B．selfstudy at home |
| C．longhour study | D．school study |
From Paragraph 3, we can know that ________.
| A．Finnish students are less stressed in study |
| B．there're also many cramming schools in Britain |
| C．students in Korea are the most competitive in Asia |
| D．British schools are less competitive than universities |
According to the author, the key to improving education is ________.
| A．the attitude | B．the schooling time |
| C．star pupils | D．new teaching approach |
Rockwatch—The Best Club on Earth
If you are young and interested in geology(地质学), then Rockwatch is the club for you. When you apply for membership, you'll receive a Rockwatch Rox file each. It has the information and top tips you will need to start enjoying geology. It's designed to serve as your own field notebook as well.
In it you will find your
·membership card
·fullcolour minimap
·thumbsup guide
·fact cards
Rockwatch Magazine
Our lively magazine is mailed to members three times a year. They can read reports and news from around the world, and articles on everything from diamonds to dinosaurs, earthquakes to erosion(侵蚀)．
Rockwatch Events
With each magazine you will receive a Rockwatch events calendar. Rocky activities suitable for families are listed and include road shows and guided walks.
The Rockwatch Rock Artist
Are you an artist, or a photographer? This is your chance to turn Rockwatch Rock Artist of a year and win amazing prizes in our annual competition.
Special Offer
Rockwatch members can have specially discounted Wildlife Watch membership. Wildlife Watch is the biggest environmental action club for young people, with 100 groups across the country. You can join both clubs together by filling in the boxes in the membership form.Rockwatch Magazine mailed to its members tells about things related to ________.
| A．geology | B．agriculture |
| C．politics | D．economics |
What activities are specially arranged for Rockwatch members interested in photography?
| A．Guided walks. | B．Rocky activities. |
| C．Yearly competitions. | D．Academic workshops. |
When applying for Wildlife Watch membership, a Rockwatch member can enjoy ________.
| A．free membership | B．a special discount |
| C．a Rock Artist prize | D．guided road shows |
You may join both Rockwatch and Wildlife Watch clubs by ________.
| A．calling the two clubs | B．providing references |
| C．applying separately | D．filling in one form |
They can be seen more frequently than ever before on college campuses, wearing flannel(法兰绒) and thickframed glasses while listening to music. One might find them playing unusual musical instruments, shopping at secondhand stores or expressing themselves in other unique ways.
They call themselves hipsters. Being “hip” used to mean following the latest fashion. But gradually the word has become a sign of “being cool, unique and unusual”．
Hipsters value independent thinking, progressive politics, an appreciation of creativity and intelligence. Hipsters take pains and pride in not being mainstream. However, their culture has become quite trendy. This irony(讽刺) is central to their culture and offers an interesting conflict.
“I do take things in the mainstream with a positive attitude，” says Ben Polson, a college student at Brown University. “But sometimes I also question what determines popularity, especially regarding music.” Polson represents many hipsters.
When lessknown bands become popular, they often lose their former fan base in exchange for a new one. There is a famous hipster saying that goes, “I used to like that band before it got popular，” Polson quoted.
According to Polson, bands' music changes when they go mainstream. They become less experimental, doing things just to save popularity and fans. The original elements that we were drawn to slowly disappear for the sake of popularity.
Many young adults have started to view hipsters' outlook as cool and they are adopting hipsters' antimainstream culture mind to themselves. This has led to specialized brands, stores and music for the hipster consumers. But on the other hand, some such stores, including clothing labels Urban Outfitters and American Apparel, have gained mainstream popularity. This has seemingly made the antimainstream culture become weaker.
“A lot of people that are selfdefined hipsters aren't really hipsters. They're just trying to act as hipsters to seem cooler，” says Amanda Leopold, a college student from Oberlin College, US. Although Leopold has many unusual tastes and seems quite individualist, she refuses to classify herself as a hipster.In the passage, hipsters refer to people ________.
| A．who are fans of pop music |
| B．who study in different colleges |
| C．who appear cool and unusual |
| D．who try to attract others |
According to the author, ________.
| A．hipsters are the pioneers of the mainstream |
| B．hipsters are unhappy with the mainstream |
| C．hipsters' culture exists mainly in music field |
| D．hipsters' culture can also become popular |
What is the main idea of the seventh paragraph?
| A．Urban Outfitters and American Apparel are famous clothing labels. |
| B．Hipster consumers have more specialized brands, stores and music. |
| C．Antimainstream culture can gain mainstream popularity. |
| D．The culture of hipsters is becoming more and more terrible. |
When describing hipsters, the author speaks ________.
| A．in an ironic voice | B．in an objective voice |
| C．in an angry voice | D．in a funny voice |
Angry Birds has become a worldwide gaming mega hit but how did this game come into existence? Rovio is the name of the company that created angry birds, however, it's not the first game they developed. Surprisingly they have been creating games for several years but had just never broken through into the mainstream the way they did with angry birds. The idea for the game came about in 2009 when the company was looking at different ideas for games which they thought could become popular. It was a simple idea spawned from some sketches(素描) of wingless and legless birds which were angry.
The sketches caught on among the staff who in turn created a unique design which became angry birds. The pigs were added into the game later in the development as an enemy. During this period of development, pig flu was being heavily reported in the news which is where the idea for the pigs appeared.
The basis of the game is very simple and is not unique to angry birds but has been seen in many other games previously. It's a simple physics/puzzle game. The player is given a slingshot and a limited supply of angry birds with different characteristics. Some birds are faster than others while others can be split into multiple birds. You control the trajectory(轨迹) of the birds with the slingshot which launches them towards rickety structures containing your main enemy, the pigs. In order to advance to the next level you must eliminate(消灭) all of the pigs before your birds run out.
Rovio has released several different versions of the game at this point. The original, Seasons, and Rio. Seasons is a collection of holiday themed versions of the game while Rio was a movie tie in for the movie Rio. All versions continue to be updated with new levels which are free to those who have previously purchased the game.What's the meaning of the underlined word in the first paragraph?
| A．Turned. | B．Played a role. |
| C．Changed. | D．Came into being. |
In the game, the birds ________.
| A．have different kinds that only include faster birds and slower birds |
| B．have to be controlled to kill all of the pigs before your birds run out |
| C．are the enemy of the pigs which have been infected with pig flu |
| D．lose their temper for the pig flu so they try to kill the pigs |
According to the text, the game players ________.
| A．must pay for this game—angry birds one level by one level |
| B．only pay for once and then it will be updated freely |
| C．should control angry birds to kill all the animals with pig flu |
| D．will become angry easily for playing the game too much |
Which one is the best title of the passage?
| A．The Unknown Game—Angry Birds |
| B．Facts and Hints About the Game Angry Birds |
| C．Rovio Created Famous Games |
| D．Pigs and Angry Birds |
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