The Danish (丹麦) architect of the iconic Sydney Opera House, Jorn Utzon, has died at the age of 90, after suffering a heart attack.
Mr. Utzon, an award-winning architect, put "Denmark on the world map with his great talent," said Danish Culture Minister Carina Christensen. Having won a competition in 1957 to design the building, he left the project before it opened in 1973. Mr. Utzon never visited the completed landmark, after disputes about costs. He had quarreled with the Australian client and the costs overran by 1,000%. Even decades later, he declined invitations to return to Australia, but did design, with his son, a new wing which opened in 2006. In 1998 he said, "It's part of education–I can't be bitter about anything in life." 
Most of the interior（内部）of the opera house was not completed according to his plans after government-appointed architects took over the job.
The Sydney Opera House planned to dim the lights on the sail-shaped roof on Sunday to mark Mr. Utzon's death.
The chairman of Sydney Opera House Trust, Kim Williams, said, "Jorn Utzon was an architectural and creative genius who gave Australia and the world a great gift. Sydney Opera House is core to our national cultural identity and a source of great pride to all Australians. It has become the most globally recognized symbol of our country."
Mr. Utzon also designed the National Assembly of Kuwait and several prominent buildings in Denmark.
Danish Minister of Culture Carina Christensen paid tribute to him, saying, "Jorn Utzon will be remembered as one of the Danes who in the 20th century put Denmark on the world map with his great talent."
Mr. Utzon won several international awards, including the Alvar Aalto Medal for architecture and France's Legion of Honour.
In 2003 he won the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize for his design of the opera house. Which of the following is true about Mr. Jorn Utzon?
| A．He was born in Demark and worked in Australia. |
| B．He left Australia before his design was completed. |
| C．He refused to go back to visit the Opera House all his life. |
| D．He disagreed with the government client on the building materials. |
From the above passage we may NOT know ______.
| A．what Mr. Utzon has contributed to the world |
| B．the exact time of Mr. Utzon’s birth and death |
| C．whether he had a family or not |
| D．when Opera House was completed |
What did the Opera House plan to do to mark its designer’s death?
| A．A memorial party would be held on Sunday. |
| B．Another award would be given out to Mr. Utzon’s son. |
| C．The lights on the roof of Opera House would become less bright. |
| D．Another wing would be designed to remember Mr. Utzon. |
The most proper title of the above passage might be ______.
| A．Sydney Opera House architect dies |
| B．Life of Mr. Utzon, a Great architect |
| C．Designer and builder of Opera House |
| D．Awards of the Opera House Architect |
I was reading these interesting stories behind a group of great logos in the world. Personally Nike is my favorite one – it’s so simple. And I liked the stories behind them, which made me forget all other things. McDonald’s, Apple, Mercedes Benz and Adidas own great logos as well, and they are among my favorites.
Nike
In the Greek myth, Nike is the goddess of victory and the source of inspiration for soldiers. This logo represents the wing in the famous statue of the Greek goddess. Nike’s logo was designed by Carolyn Davidson in 1971 for $ 35, and was registered as a trademark in 1995.
McDonald’s
The logo was designed in 1962 by Jim Schindler to resemble the archshaped(拱形的) signs on the side of the company’s then walk-up hamburger stand. Later on, the two golden arches were combined together to form the M. The McDonald’s name was added to the logo in 1968.
Apple
There are different stories behind Apple’s logo. The first logo was a reference to the religious story of Adam and Eve, in which the apple represented the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. One year later, the second logo was designed in 1977 by Steve Jobs and Ronald Wayne, and it described Sir Isaac Newton sitting under an apple tree. This logo didn’t stay long. One year later it was replaced almost immediately by graphic designer Rob Janoff’s “rainbow apple”, a rainbow-colored silhouette(轮廓)of an apple with a bite taken out of it. And then the rainbow-colored apple was replaced by the one-colored logo in 1998. It has not been changed so far.
Mercedes Benz
The Mercedes Benz logo, which was originally created by Gottlieb Daimler in 1909, consists of a simple description of a three-pointed star that represents its rule of the land, the sea and the air. The company was founded by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach. Mercedes is the name of Maybach’s elder daughter, while Benz came as a result of a combination with Benz, Cie and DMG in 1926.
Adidas
The Adidas logo, which was created by the founder of the company Adi Dassler, represents mountains, pointing towards the challenges that are seen ahead and goals that can be achieved. The logo was used for the first time in 1967.What does the author think of the stories of the great logos?
| A．They are attractive. | B．They are practical |
| C．They are boring. | D．They are out of date |
What does Nike’s logo stand for?
| A．The statue of the Greek goddess. |
| B．The wing of the Greek goddess. |
| C．The goddess of victory. |
| D．The source of inspiration for soldiers. |
We can learn that Apple’s present logo is ______.
| A．Newton’s sitting under an apple tree |
| B．the rainbow-colored bitten apple |
| C．the religious story of Adam and Eve |
| D．a bitten apple with only one color |
______ stands for the rule of the land, the sea and the air.
| A．The Mercedes logo | B．The Adidas logo |
| C．Nike’s logo | D．Apple’s logo |
Which of the following time orders describes the births of the great logos?
| A．McDonald’s – Apple – Nike – Mercedes Benz. |
| B．Nike– Mercedes Benz – McDonald’s – Apple. |
| C．Mercedes Benz –McDonald’s – Nike – Apple. |
| D．Nike– McDonald’s – Apple – Mercedes Benz. |
BEIJING, March, 17th --The Japanese automaker Toyota will recall some 4,400 units of FJ Cruiser cars in China over seat belt flaws, China's consumer quality watchdog said Saturday.
The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) said on its website that Toyota China will recall these imported cars produced between December 2007 and March 2013.
Toyota is busy working on the solution to the flaw and will release improvement methods before April 15, according to the administration.
This marks Toyota's second recalling this year after the auto giant announced in January that it would recall 22,869 units of Lexus IS cars in China due to wiper arm problem.
China's private auto ownership reached 93.09 million units by the end of 2012, up 18.3 percent compared with the year before. Along with the fast expanding auto market, Chinese drivers grow more concerned about the quality of their cars.
Also on Saturday, the AQSIQ said in a statement on its website that its research has basically confirmed the German automaker Volkswagen's direct shift gearbox (DSG) transmission has defects which may cause engine power failures and urged Volkswagen to recall defective cars after China Central Television (CCTV) exposed Volkswagen's gearbox defect on Friday.
To better protect the interests of Chinese consumers, the AQSIQ announced late last year that it would formulate a guideline to regulate a recall system for faulty cars.What does underlined the word “recall” in the first paragraph probably mean?
| A．To bring something into one’s mind. |
| B．To ask people to return a product. |
| C．To ask someone to go back |
| D．To remember something from the past. |
According to the passage, Lexus IS cars were found to have .
| A．wiper arm problem | B．seat belt flaws |
| C．engine power failure | D．gearbox defect |
What is the purpose of regulating a recall system for faulty cars?
| A．For a better development of national automobile industry of China. |
| B．To limit the sales of imported cars in China. |
| C．For a better protection of rights and interests of Chinese consumers. |
| D．In order to show the authority and power of AQSIQ. |
What was China’s private auto ownership by the end of 2011?
| A．About 110 million units. | B．About 93 million units. |
| C．About 90 million units. | D．About 79 million units. |
Which of the following statements is probably NOT true according to the news?
| A．Chinese put more and more focus on the quality of their cars. |
| B．Toyota will release its improvements on faulty cars in less than a month. |
| C．It was AQSIQ that first exposed Volkswagen’s DSG defects. |
| D．You may get the information about faulty cars on the website of AQSIQ. |
Your peers are people your age or close to it who have experiences and interests similar to yours. You and your friends make dozens of decisions every day, and you influence each other’s choices and behavior. This is often ________ --- it’s human nature to listen to and learn from other people in your age group.
Sometimes, though, the stresses in your life can actually come from your peers. They may pressure you into doing something you’re uncomfortable with, such as shoplifting, doing drugs or drinking, or taking dangerous risks when driving a car.
The pressure to conform（随潮流） can be powerful and hard to resist. A person might feel pressure to do something just because others are doing it. Peer pressure can influence a person to do something that is relatively harmless--- or something that has more serious consequences.
People may feel pressure to conform, so they fit in or are accepted, or so they don’t feel awkward or uncomfortable. When people are unsure of what to do in a social situation, they naturally look to others for cues（暗示）about what is and isn’t acceptable.
The people who are most easily influenced will follow someone else’s lead first. Then others may go along, too --- so it can be easy to think, “It must be OK. Everyone else is doing it. They must know what they’re doing.” Before you know it, many people are going along with the crowd --- perhaps on something they might not otherwise do.
Responding to peer pressure is part of human nature --- but some people are more likely to give in, and others are better able to resist and stand their ground.
It’s not always easy to resist negative peer pressure. But when you do, it is easy to feel good about it afterwards. And you may even be a positive influence on your peers who feel the same way --- often it just takes one person to speak out or take a different action to change a situation.Which of the following is a kind of peer pressure?
| A．Your teachers give you a lot of homework. |
| B．Your parents expect high scores from you. |
| C．Your classmates persuade you to cut class. |
| D．Your relatives invite you to attend a party. |
Which is most likely to be filled in the blank in Paragraph 1?
| A．negative |
| B．impossible |
| C．positive |
| D．uncertain |
Most people tend to do what others are doing in order to _________.
| A．feel a sense of achievement |
| B．get a feeling of being accepted |
| C．set a good example for others |
| D．stand out in a crowd |
What can we know according to the author?
| A．Giving in to peer pressure is unavoidable. |
| B．Peer pressure usually leads to serious results. |
| C．Going along with the crowd usually means making a right choice. |
| D．Everyone can make a difference by resisting negative peer pressure. |
This passage is mainly about _______.
| A．thoughts on peer pressure |
| B．different types of peer pressure |
| C．ways to deal with peer pressure |
| D．the influence of peer pressure on people |
I’d always dreamed of exploring Africa, ever since I read my first Tarzan（《人猿泰山》）comic as a child. Finally, in 2004, to celebrate my 60th birthday, I went to Tanzania to experience a safari（东非游猎）and climb Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. Seated next to me on the flight was Tanzania’s minister of water and wildlife development. We talked for thousands of miles, and he arranged me to visit a school. When I toured the school, I was shocked. The leaky（漏的）roofs turned the dirt floors into mud during the rainy season, and the walls couldn’t keep out the heat, cold or bugs(小昆虫). The school was in need of all material goods, but the kids possessed great human spirit.
It broke my heart that these children had to struggle to survive, so I asked the headmaster what it would cost to feed them. As little as 20 cents per child per day, he told me. Immediately I got home, I founded Kids of Kilimanjaro. Since then we’ve grown to provide hot lunches for nearly 13,000 schoolchildren every day. The free lunch program has eased a major problem the youngsters face.
I know a good education could really make a difference in these children’s lives. My parents always stressed the importance of education. I paid my own way through college in Tokyo by teaching English to students and businesspeople. After attending university I moved to San Francisco, when I was 25 years old. In 1978 I realized my American dream when I founded my own company. My success all started with a good education.
It’s amazing that something as simple as a nutritious lunch can change and enrich so many lives. Giving young people a better, healthier life can inspire them to go all the way through college and lead a movement that transforms their country.Why did the author go to Tanzania to celebrate his 60th birthday?
| A．He was curious about what Africa was like. |
| B．He was concerned about the Africans’ miserable life. |
| C．He wanted to get an idea of the area’s wildlife. |
| D．He hoped to lead a movement that would transform his country. |
After his tour to the school, the author found that the kids there were ________.
| A．in need of help |
| B．not interested in studies |
| C．not used to the rainy season |
| D．in low spirits |
What is the main purpose of Kids of Kilimanjaro?
| A．To make sure the African kids are mentally healthy. |
| B．To spread knowledge among the African kids. |
| C．To build new schools for the African kids. |
| D．To protect the African kids from hunger. |
What is the correct sequence of the following events?
a.“I” founded “my” first company.
b.“I” founded Kids of Kilimanjaro.
c.“I” read “my” first Tarzan comic.
d.“I” moved to San Francisco.
| A．a, c, d, b |
| B．a, d, c, b |
| C．c, a, d, b |
| D．c, d, a, b |
The author believes education is important because __________.
| A．his parents always stressed the importance of education |
| B．a good education contributes to his success |
| C．he paid his own way through college by teaching English |
| D．he’s trying to realize his American dream |
Why does most of the world travel on the right side today? Theories differ, but there’s no doubt Napoleon was a major influence. The French have used the right since at least the late 18th century. Some say that before the French Revolution, noblemen drove their carriages on the left, forcing the peasants to the right. Regardless of the origin, Napoleon brought right-hand traffic to the nations he conquered, including Russia, Switzerland and Germany. Hitler, in turn, ordered right-hand traffic in Czechoslovakia and Austria in the 1930s. Nations that escaped right-hand control, like Great Britain, followed their left-hand tradition.
The U.S. has not always been a nation of right-hand drivers; earlier in its history, carriage and horse traffic travelled on the left, as it did in England. But by the late 1700s, people driving large wagons pulled by several pairs of horses began promoting a shift（改变）to the right. A driver would sit on the rear（后面的）left horse in order to wave his whip（鞭子）with his right hand; to see opposite traffic clearly, they travelled on the right.
One of the final moves to firmly standardize traffic directions in the U.S. occurred in the 20th century, when Henry Ford decided to mass-produce his cars with controls on the left (one reason, stated in 1908: the convenience for passengers exiting directly onto the edge, especially… if there is a lady to be considered). Once these rules were set, many countries eventually adjusted to the right-hand standard, including Canada in the 1920s, Sweden in 1967 and Burma in 1970. The U.K. and former colonies such as Australia and India are among the Western world’s few remaining holdouts(坚持不变者). Several Asian nations, including Japan, use the left as well--- though many places use both right-hand-drive and left-hand-drive cars.Why did people in Switzerland travel on the right?
| A．They had used the right-hand traffic since the 18th century. |
| B．Rich people enjoyed driving their carriages on the right. |
| C．Napoleon introduced the right-hand traffic to this country. |
| D．Hitler ordered them to go against their left-hand tradition. |
Of all the countries below, the one that travels on the right is_________.
| A．Austria |
| B．England |
| C．Japan |
| D．Australia |
Henry Ford produced cars with controls on the left __________.
| A．in order to change traffic directions in the U.S. |
| B．so that passengers could get off conveniently |
| C．because rules at that time weren’t perfect |
| D．though many countries were strongly against that |
According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．Before the French Revolution, all the French people used the right. |
| B．People in Britain and the U.S. travel on the same side nowadays. |
| C．The Burmese began to travel on the right in 1970. |
| D．All the Asian nations use the left at present. |
What would be the best title for this passage?
| A．Who made the great contribution to the shift of traffic directions? |
| B．How cars have become a popular means of transportation? |
| C．How Henry Ford produced his cars with controls on the left? |
| D．Why don’t people all drive on the same side of road? |
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