Children today would rather toy with new technologies. The role of children has changed as well as that of teens. The world has truly evolved (进化）throughout the years.
Today，a typical day in the life of a five year old is entirely different from what it once was. A few decades ago children used to work. They did the kind of work parents do today. Today there are shows on which children are putting pounds of makeup on and have flashing things all over their bodies. This makes a child want to paper over all of their imperfections. They think they have to look perfect all the time.
Teens have changed as well. My grandma got married when she was thirteen. Girls who had an arranged marriage had no time to play because they were expected to cook, clean，take care of the kids, and do housework every single day. Today，we go to school every morning, maybe participate in some after-school activities, and possibly go to work for extra cash. Then we go home and do homework, and eat. After all of this we have to find the time to socialize by texting, talking on the phone, or logging on to social networking sites. We enjoy ourselves a lot.
The generation before us complains about how they did not have the things we have now. They say we are not appreciative and do not value life or just do not care about our futures anymore. Let's make a change! The youth have the power to work on whatever they believe in and make a difference in the world. Take advantage of your resources. It is never too late to make a positive change in our world.The role of children and teens has changed mainly because _____.
| A．new technologies are developing and widely used |
| B．they don't have to work hard as their parents did |
| C．their world has truly evolved |
| D．they look perfect all the time |
The underlined phrase (in the 2nd Para. ) probably means to _____.
| A．put up with | B．make up for | C．put aside | D．cover up |
We can learn from the text that nowadays teenagers _____.
| A．do housework as their parents did |
| B．are having a social life in richer ways |
| C．are seldom satisfied with what they have |
| D．don't appreciate and value life |
The author's attitude towards changes of teen’s life is _____.
| A．critical | B．neutral | C．optimistic | D．complaining |
To Whom It May Concern:
On March 5, 2012 , I bought a Perfect Muffin Kit(松饼粉 ) from your store at Midfield Shopping Center. The cashier who assisted me was George. George was very friendly and told me that the Perfect Muffin Kit would live up to the guarantee on the box: “Perfect Muffins Every Time!”.
Unfortunately, this product did not live up to what it promised . The muffins I made were far from perfect . I followed the directions in the package very carefully . First , I removed the bag of mix from the box. Then , I poured it into a bowl. Next, I added the correct amount of water to the mix and stirred it. According to the directions, after stirring the mixture , I added half a cup of dried prapes, nuts , berries, or another favorite ingredient(配料 ) . My favorite ingredient happens to be hot sauce (沙司 ). I find that a bit of hot sauce makes pizza and soup taste very delicious. So, continuing to follow the directions, I added half a cup of hot sauce to the mix and stirred it. Finally, I poured the mix into muffin tins and baked it in the baker at 350 degrees for exactly 20 minutes.
When the muffins finished baking, I was very excited to eat the “Perfect Muffins” as promised on the box. You can imagine my disappointment when, upon tasting the muffins, I discovered that they were not perfect. These muffins were , in fact , absolutely terrible. Not even my dog was interested in eating these supposedly “perfect” muffins.
I would appreciate a full refund(退款 ) of $3.99 for this product as soon as possible. Enclosed are the receipt, the empty box, and one of the un-perfect muffins so that you can experience it for yourself . Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely ,
Michelle BauerThis letter is most likely addressed to _______.
| A．a local storeowner |
| B．the owner of the muffin mix company |
| C．the clerk at a local muffin bakery |
| D．George, the cashier who sold the muffin mix |
The tone(语气 ) of the author can best be described as ________.
| A．embarrassed | B．hopeless |
| C．disappointed | D．disgusted |
the author was unhappy with the product because________.
| A．the directions of the product contained a mistake |
| B．it was not up to the promise made on the box |
| C．it was too difficult to follow the directions |
| D．it was worth less money than she paid for it |
The author’s main purpose in writing this letter is to ________.
| A．prevent others from making the same mistake |
| B．persuade the company to change the wording on their box |
| C．get back all the money paid from the shop |
| D．complain about how bad the muffins tasted |
London is one of the most popular sites in the world for tourists to visit. If you are planning a trip to London in the future, you’re lucky. There are a variety of attractions for you to enjoy.
One of the most popular tourist attractions in London is the Tower of London. Founded more than 900 years ago, the Tower of London is one of the world’s most famous towers and has changer a lot. Here, you can also find the seven raven（乌鸦）which live in the Tower. There is a story that says：If there are no ravens in the Tower, the Tower and the kingdom will fall. There are also lots of tours, exhibits and special events that you can enjoy throughout the year.
Another popular place to visit is Westminster Abbey. It was set up in 1065 by Edward the Confessor. Visitors to Westminster Abbey can enjoy its beautiful special Gothic architecture（哥特式建筑）. There are also lots of memorials of Kings and Queens to enjoy. Excellent transportation is available here by bus or tube from many locations in London.
Buckingham Palace is another place with a rich history to discover. It’s the official London residence（住处） of Queen Elizabeth II. During August and September, you can visit the State Rooms and see the Changing of the Guards. The Queen’s Gallery is opened to the public daily. Checking the official timetable before you make sure to visit the Palace is a must, because it is not open year round.
If you’re expecting to enjoy one of London’s most beautiful landscapes, Hyde Park is the place for you. There are many activities available here to enjoy, including guided walking tours, swimming, tennis, and horse riding. In addition, many concerts are performed in Hyde Park. There’s also a playground available for the kids.
Tourist attractions in London
| The Tower of London |
*Built （71） __________900 years ago, the Tower of London is world-famous. * There are many ravens living in the Tower. （72） __________to an old story, if there are no ravens in the Tower of London, the Tower and the kingdom will fall. * During the （73） __________year, you can enjoy lots of tours, exhibits and special events. |
| Westminster Abbey |
（74） __________in 1065, Westminster Abbey is famous for its beautiful special Gothic architecture and memorials of Kings and Queens. |
| Buckingham Palace |
* With a rich （75） __________to discover, Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of Queen Elizabeth II. *（76） __________August to September, you can visit the State Rooms and see the Changing of the Guards. The public can get （77） __________to the Queen’s Gallery every day. * It’s （78） __________to check the official timetable before you visit the Palace. |
| Hyde Park |
As one of London’s most beautiful landscapes, Hyde Park is the palace for you to walk, play tennis, （79） __________and ride horses. In addition, you can go to a （80） __________that is performed in Hyde Park. |
Robert Frost was one of America’s best known and most honored serious writers. But his fame came late in his life.
He was born in San Francisco, California in 1874. He lived in California during his early childhood. He was named after the chief Southern general in America’s Civil War. The general’s name was Robert Edward Lee. The poet was named Robert Lee Frost, because his father wanted to honor the general.
Someone once asked another American writer, Ernest Hemingway, how to become a writer. The best thing, he said, was to have an unhappy childhood. If this is true, Robert Frost’s childhood was unhappy enough to make him a very good writer. Robert Frost’s father was a reporter who wanted to be a politician. He often drank too much wine and became angry. Robert was the victim of his anger.
Robert Frost finished high school in 1891. After high school, Robert’s grandfather offered to pay his costs at Dartmouth College. But Robert left the school after a few months. He did not like it. He spent the next few years working at different jobs. At one time, he worked in a factory. Later, he repaired shoes. He was a teacher. He was a reporter. Always, he wrote poetry.
Robert Frost attended Harvard University for two years. After that, he returned to the many jobs he held before. For a while, Frost tried to take care of a farm in the state of New Hampshire. He was not a successful farmer. And he continued to write poetry. He said that until 1930, he earned only about ten dollars a year from writing.
In 1912, he decided to try to make a new start. He took his family to Britain. The cost of living was low. In Britain, Frost found a publisher for his first book of poems. The book was called A Boy’s Will. When it appeared in 1913, Frost received high praise from British readers. Praise was something he had not received in his own country.
Ezra Pound, another American poet living in Britain, read the poems and liked them very much. He wrote a magazine article about Frost. He also helped get Frost’s second book of poems published in America. That book was called North of Boston. The followings are writers EXCEPT __________.
| A．Robert Edward Lee | B．Robert Lee Frost |
| C．Ernest Hemingway | D．Ezra Pound |
The passage wrote about Hemingway in order to show that __________.
| A．he had great influence on Frost’s poetry and life |
| B．Frost’s poetry style was the same as Hemingway’s |
| C．Frost was unhappy because he was the victim of his father |
| D．Frost spent his childhood unhappily |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Once Frost’s first book was published he gained great praise in his country. |
| B．After leaving Harvard University, he began to learn to write poetry. |
| C．Frost was found lo have a gift in poetry while he studied in high school. |
| D．Robert Frost’s father was angry and drank a lot because he didn’t realize his dream. |
What’s the passage mainly about?
| A．Robert Frost’s unhappy childhood. |
| B．Robert Frost’ s first and second book. |
| C．Robert Frost’s family and jobs. |
| D．Robert Frost’s life and poetry. |
New York has taken the title of the world’s top fashion capital from Milan. The annual survey suggest that the top five fashion cities are facing competition from Asia and Australia. New York had been the top fashion city for five years, but Milan took the title in 2009. The survey was made by the Global Language Monitor, a US based organization. It tracks the frequency（频率） of words and phrases in the media, on the Internet and throughout the blog. With the US economy recovering, New York once again took the top title. Hong Kong took second place. It was followed by London, Paris and Los Angeles. The other top 10 cities were Milan, Sydney, Miami, Barcelona and Madrid.
“Because of the new economic situation, the global fashion centers have also changed a lot, ”said Bekka Payack. the Manhattan-based fashion reporter for the Global Language Monitor. “The new list shows that global fashion centers will change now and then. Compared with the traditional fashion cities, some new ones are performing better and better. ”She said that perhaps this is new trend, and it is the first sign that the traditional top five fashion cities——New York, Paris, London, Milan, and Rome——do not control global fashion any more.
The biggest changes in the list are Hong Kong, Madrid and Melbourne. The Group said that the top newcomers to the list include Amsterdam at number 17, Cape Town at 23, Johannesburg at 25 and Vienna at 27.
The following are the 10 top fashion cities of 2010 and the changes from 2009.
1. New York（up 1） 2. Hong Kong（up 5）
3. London（up 2） 4. Paris（down 1）
5. Los Angeles（up 1） 6. Milan（down 5）
7. Sydney（up 2） 8. Miami（up 5）
9. Barcelona（up 5） 10. Madrid（up 11）New York has regained the title of the world’s top fashion capital mainly because __________.
| A．the US economy has been recovering |
| B．Milan faced competition from other cities |
| C．few big cities took part in the competition |
| D．the survey was made by an American organization |
Compared with the 2009 list, which of the following has the greatest change?
| A．Hong Kong | B．Milan | C．Madrid | D．Barcelona |
We can infer from the text that __________.
| A．New York has lost the top title several times |
| B．all the traditional fashion cities are in the 2010 list |
| C．economic situations influence global fashion centers |
| D．new fashion cities have performed better than traditional ones |
The text is probably taken from a __________.
| A．science report | B．fashion magazine |
| C．geography textbook | D．history book |
Use your American Express Card to enjoy one-day visit at four of America’s greatest museums. Note the participating museums, and their exciting special exhibitions that you will not want to miss, listed below.
Boston
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Chairs
February 11-May 8, 2012
Italian furniture expert Fausto Calderai and Indian photographer Dayanita Singh present an exhibition of chairs from the museum’s collection and “chair photographs” from around the world presented in a Venetian-style hall housing world-famous masterpieces.
For more information：www. gardnermuseum. org
New York
The Noguchi Museum
Noguehi and Graham
December 1, 2011-May 1, 2012
Noguchi’s long-term collaboration（协作） with dancer Martha Graham is regarded by many as a high point in the history of both modern dance and art. The exhibition highlights nine of the sets created through this collaboration.
For more information：www. noguchi. org
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
In Full View：American Painting（1720—2012）
January 11--April 10, 2012
Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy has been home to America’s artists for more than 200 years. The Academy collects and exhibits the works of famous American artists, and is well-known for training fine artists. 2012 at the Academy begins with the largest exhibition of Academy’s distinguished American collection in the institution’s history.
For more information：www. pafa. org
Seattle
Seattle Museum of Glass
Murano：Glass from the Olnick Spanu Collection
Through November 7, 2011
This exhibition includes over 200 pieces of beautiful glass from Murano, the island of glassblowers near Venice, Italy. Watch live glass-blowing shows in the Hot Shop and see other modern glass exhibitions.
For more information：www. museumofglass. orgWhich of the following websites offers information about the furniture show?
| A．www. pafa. org |
| B．www. museumofglass. org |
| C．www. noguchi. org |
| D．www. gardnermuseum. org |
We learn from the text that Martha Graham is ___________.
| A．a dancer | B．a glassblower | C．a painter | D．a photographer |
If you want to know the history of American painting, you may visit ___________.
| A．the Noguchi Museum |
| B．Seattle Museum of Glass |
| C．Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum |
| D．Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts |
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