Face masks are commonly used in ceremonies and performances. They not only hide the real face of the mask wearer but they often evoke powerful emotions in the audience—danger, fear, sadness, joy. You might think, because so many things vary cross-culturally, that the ways in which emotions are displayed and recognized in the face vary too. Apparently they do not. Recent research on masks from different cultures supports the conclusion that masks, like faces, tend to represent certain emotions in the same ways. We now have some evidence that the symbolism used in masks is often universal.
The research on masks builds on work done by anthropologists, who used photographs of individuals experiencing various emotions. These photographs were shown to members of different cultural groups who were asked to identify the emotions displayed in the photographs. Emotions were identified correctly by most viewers, whatever the viewer’s native culture.
Coding schemes were developed to enable researchers to compare the detailed facial positions of individual portions of die face (eyebrows, mouth, etc.) for different emotions. What exactly do we do when we scowl? We contract the eyebrows and lower the corners of the mouth; in geometric terms, we make angles and diagonals (斜线) on our faces. When we smile, we raise the corners of the mouth; we make it curved.
Psychologist Joel Arnoff and his colleagues compared two types of wooden face masks from many different societies—masks described as threatening versus masks associated with nonthreatening functions. As suspected, the two sets of masks had significant differences in certain facial elements. The threatening masks had eyebrows and eyes facing inward and downward and a downward-facing mouth. In more abstract or geometrical terms, threatening features generally tend to be angular or diagonal and nonthreatening features tend to be curved or rounded, a face with a pointed beard is threatening; a baby's face is not. The theory is that humans express and recognize basic emotions in uniform (一致的) ways because all human faces are quite similar, skeletally and muscularly.What does the passage mainly discuss?
| A．The techniques for comparing facial expressions across cultures. |
| B．The photography of faces. |
| C．Cultural variations in mask. |
| D．The uniformity of facial expressions in revealing emotions. |
According to the passage, masks are used in performances to _______.
| A．disguise the real emotions of the performers |
| B．cause members of the audience to have strong emotions |
| C．remind the audience that an illusion is being created |
| D．identify the cultural background of the performers |
What does the author mean by stating, "the symbolism used in masks is often universal"?
| A．Masks are sometimes used to hide emotions. |
| B．Performers often need help conveying emotions to an audience. |
| C．Not all societies use masks in their rituals. |
| D．People from different cultures generally express certain emotions in similar ways. |
The passage mentions "baby’s face" in the last paragraph as an example of a _______.
| A．typical human face |
| B．source of inspiration in the creation of masks |
| C．nonthreatening face |
| D．face that expresses few emotions |
After years of hearing drivers complain about scratches on their cars, Japan’s Nissan Motor Company has officially announced the next big thing— a paint that not only resists scratches and scrapes, but actually repairs itself within a few days.
The new material, developed by Nippon Paint Company, contains an elastic rubbery-like resin (弹性树脂) that is able to heal minor marks caused by car wash equipment, parking lot encounters, road debris (石头碎片) or even on-purpose destruction.
The automaker admits its results vary depending on the temperature and the depth of the damage, but adds this is the only paint like it in the world, and tests prove it works.
Minor scratches, the most common type, are said to slowly fade over about a week. And once they’re gone, there is no trace that they were ever there.
The special paint is said to last for at least three years after it is first applied, but there is no word yet on whether more can be added after that period.
Nissan claims car washes are the worst offenders for this type of damage, accounting for at least 80 percent of all incidents.
But the complete auto-healing won’t come without scratching your wallet. The vehicle maker notes the special paint adds about $100 US to the price of a car.
It plans to use its new chemical mixture only on its X-Trail SUVs in Japan for now, as it looks for a more widespread presentation. And while plans to offer the feature overseas haven’t been made yet, if it’s a hit there, you can be almost sure market forces will drive it to these shores, as well.From the article, we can find that _________.
| A．the paint has already been used on cars by now |
| B．it beats other products of its kind in its lengthy effect |
| C．car damage is mainly caused by scratches and scrapes |
| D．marketing this paint in Europe is not under way |
The paint used on cars can _________.
| A．last 3 years before it is reapplied again |
| B．fade only in a few days |
| C．help to protect minor paint damage |
| D．reduce car scrape incidents to 20 percent |
What does the underlined part refer to?
| A．certain models of Nissan | B．name for one kind of paint |
| C．somewhere in Japan | D．a word standing for a car-dealer store |
What can be inferred from the article?
| A．The paint was developed by Nissan Motor Company. |
| B．The paint might work better in summer than in winter. |
| C．The mark on the car could disappear as soon as the pain is applied. |
| D．The paint is very popular in Japan. |
Along a long path we came to a deep valley, on the far side of which the path led into some very thick bushes. Rather than push through up again and rejoin the path on the far side of the bushes.
As I climbed down into the valley a bird flew off h rock on which I had put my hand. On looking at the spot from which the bird had risen, I saw two eggs. They were the kind that I did not have in my collection, so I placed them carefully in my bag, wrapped in a little dry grass.
As we went further down the valley the sides became steeper and not far from where I had entered. It came to drop of about twelve to fourteen feet. The water that rushed down all these small valleys in the rainy season had worn the rock as glass. As it was too deep to climb down, I handed my gun to one of the men and slid down it. My feet had hardly touched the sandy bottom when the two men jumped down, one on each side of me. They quickly gave me the gun and asked me if I had heard the tiger. In fact, I had heard nothing; possibly because of the noise I made sliding down the rock. The men said they had heard a tiger growling somewhere nearby, but they did not know from which direction the noise had come.According to the text we know that __________.
| A．the writer decided to push through the thick bushes |
| B．the writer decided to walk along the valley |
| C．the writer wanted to stop climbing |
| D．the writer tried to find two eggs |
When the writer found the eggs, he ________.
| A．wrapped them in dry grass and put them aside |
| B．wrapped them in dry grass and took them with him |
| C．tried to find the bird |
| D．made the bird fly off |
At the end of the story, the writer knew that ____________.
| A．a tiger had run away | B．a tiger was close to them |
| C．the men had seen a tiger | D．a tiger had seen them |
Which of the following orders is RIGHT about what happened in their travel?
| A．hear the sound of tiger→find eggs→push through the bushes→climb down into the valley |
| B．climb down into the valley→push through the bushes→hear the sound of tiger→find eggs |
| C．push through the bushes→climb down into the valley→find eggs→hear the sound of tiger |
| D．find eggs→climb down into the valley→hear the sound of tiger→push through the bushes |
In the last 500 years, nothing about people — their clothes, ideas, or languages—has changed as much as what they eat. The original chocolate drink was made from the seeds of the cocoa tree(可可树)by South American. Indians. The Spanish introduced it to the rest of the world during the 1500’s. And although it was very expensive, it quickly became fashionable. In London, shops where chocolate drinks were served became important meeting places. Some still exist today.
The potato is also from the New World. Around 1600, the Spanish brought it from Peru to Eu¬rope, where it soon was widely grown. Ireland became so dependent on it that thousands of Irish peo¬ple starved when the crop failed during the "Potato Famine (饥荒)" of 1845—1846, and thousands more were forced to leave their homeland and move to America.
There are many other foods that have traveled from South America to the Old World. But some others went in the opposite direction. Brazil is now the world’s largest grower of coffee, and coffee is an important crop in Colombia and other South American countries. But it is native to Ethiopia, a country in Africa. It was first made into a drink by Arabs during the 1400’s.
according to an. Arabic legend, coffee was discovered when a person named Kaldi noticed that his goats were attracted to the red berries on a coffee, bush. He tried one and experienced the " wide-awake" feeling that one third of the world’s population now starts the day with.
1. according to the passage, which of the following has changed the most in the last 500 years?
A. Food. B. Clothing. C. Ideology. D. Language.
2. The word "some" in the last sentence of the first paragraph refers to________.
A. some cocoa trees B. some chocolate drinks.
C. some shops D. some South American Indians
3. Thousands of Irish people starved during the " Potato Famine" because________
A. they were so dependent on potatoes that they refused to eat anything else
B. they were forced to leave their homeland and move to America
C. the weather conditions in Ireland were not suitable for growing potatoes
D. the potato harvest was bad
4. according to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. One third of the world’s population drinks coffee.
B. Coffee is native to Colombia.
C. Coffee can keep one awake.
D. Coffee drinks were first made by Arabs.
It gives me great pleasure today to say a few words in praise of a man we will all miss very much. To be honest, I can’t imagine we will do without him when he’s gone. Bill Masters almost single-handed built up our sales force in the Houston area and developed the market position that we enjoy today. In only six years, he has brought the firm from a very low fifth position in the area sales to the point where we now outsell all but one of our competitors. Not only have we got 37 per cent of the market under Bill’s leadership; we are increas¬ing our share with each passing month.
As you know, the company has moved Bill to northern California to work his sales magic in one of this company’s competitive areas. But we know that if anyone can do it, Bill Masters can, and I know you all join me in wishing him the best of luck in his new work.
1. The speech was made ________.
A. at a welcome meeting B. after someone died
C. when somebody was leaving D. when they had a new manager
2. How long did Masters work there?
A. 37 years. B. Less than 5 years.
C. About six years. D. Since he began to work.
3 When Bill started to work in Houston area, he had to help him.
A. many people B. nobody C. about 37 people D. very few people
4. Bill increased the company’s sale________.
A. by 37 per cent every month B. to the second largest in the area
C. to be the fifth largest in the area D. five times as much as before
People living on parts of the south coast of England face a serious problem. In 1933, the owners of a large hotel and of several houses discovered, to their surprise that their gardens had disappeared overnight. The sea had eaten into the soft limestone cliff (悬崖) on which they had been built. While ex¬perts were studying the problem, the hotel and several houses disappeared altogether, sliding down the cliff and into the sea.
Erosion (侵蚀) of the white cliffs along the south coast of England has always been a problem but it has become more serious in recent years. Dozens of homes have had to be aban¬doned as the sea has crept farther and farther inland. Experts have studied the areas most affected and have drawn up a map for local people, forecasting the year in which their homes will be eaten up by the hungry sea.
Angry owners have called on the Government to erect sea defenses to protect their homes. Government surveyors have pointed out that in most cases, this is impossible. New sea walls would cost hundreds of millions of pounds and would merely make the waves and currents further along the coast, shifting the problem from one area to another. The danger is likely to continue, they say, until the waves reach an inland ar¬ea of hard rock, which will not be eaten as limestone is. Mean¬while, if you want to buy a cheap house with an uncertain fu¬ture, apply to a house agent in one of the threatened areas on the south coast of England. You can get a house for a knock¬down price but it may turn out to be a knockdown home.
1. What is the cause of the problem that people living on parts of the south coast of England face?
A. The rising of the sea level.
B. The experts’ short of knowledge.
C. The washing-away of limestone cliff.
D. The disappearance of hotels, houses and gardens.
2. The erosion of the white cliffs in the south of England ________.
A. will soon become a problem for people living in central England
B. has now become a threat to the local residents
C. can be stopped if proper measures are taken
D. is quickly changing the map of England
3. The experts’ study on the problem of erosion can ________.
A. warn people whose homes are in danger
B. provide an effective way to slow it down
C. help to its eventual solution
D. lead to its eventual solution
4. It is not feasible to build sea defenses to protect against erosion because ________.
A. house agents along the coast do not support the idea
B. it is too costly and will endanger neighboring areas
C. the government is too slow in taking action
D. they will be easily knocked down by waves and currents
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