50 years ago Barbie Millicent Roberts first appeared in the world of toys. Barbie, as everyone called her, has become the most successful toy in history. According to Barbie’s parents, the Mattel Company, 90% of all American girls between 3 and 10 have at least one Barbie at home.
In today’s world, however, Barbie is facing an identity crisis. There are many rivals on the market. For example, Bratz dolls, which are very popular among older girls, came to life seven years ago. They look more like today’s pop stars with heavy make-up（浓妆）and fashionable miniskirts. Today Bratz is a challenge for Barbie, because the company offers a wide variety of clothing, too.
It seems that Barbie has lost her appeal to older girls. “For younger girls playing with a Barbie is much fun, but when you get older you want something chic, says Alina Foley, a shop assistant in a New York toy store. Indeed, sales have been going down over the past year, partly because of the world’s economic crisis.
Barbie still has a lot going for her. More and more doll lovers all over the globe have become collectors. They trade Barbies or buy them on eBay. Others look for special and rare Barbie dolls, like Scarlett O’Hara from “Gone with the Wind”.
On the international market, Barbie remains number one. Although Mattel has been selling fewer Barbies in the United States over the past year, sales in other countries have been going up. In January Mattel opened its first Barbie store in Shanghai, where girls can shop, eat or even become their own fashion designer.
Barbie has changed her image many times over the past decades. Originally she worn blond pony tails and had bright red lips. In the 80s she changed to a more colorful new look.
For her 50th birthday Mattel is planning some big events. Fashion designers from all over the world have been called to make new clothes for Barbie. She is also scheduled to be a big star during the New York Fashion Week.
How long will Barbie stay on as a celebrity（名人）in the world of toy dolls? Hard to say, but 50 is definitely not the age to retire.The author mentions Bratz in Paragraph 2 in order to show that __________.
| A．even pop stars have their own favorite toy dolls |
| B．Barbie is facing tough competition on the market |
| C．clothing plays the key role in the design of toy dolls |
| D．the toy market has been expanding greatly over the years |
The underlined word “chic” in Paragraph 3 probably means “__________”.
| A．valuable | B．scientific |
| C．complex | D．fashionable |
We can learn from the text that Barbie __________.
| A．plays a role in a film directed by Scarlett O’Hara |
| B．is most popular with girls under the age of ten |
| C．has rarely changed its image since its birth 50 years ago |
| D．has long lost its leading position on the market of toy dolls |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Barbie Turns Fifty |
| B．Hottest Toys for Girls |
| C．Mattel’s Barbie Sales |
| D．Play with Bratz Toys |
Every human being has a unique① arrangement of the skin on his fingers and this arrangement is unchangeable. Scientists and experts have proved the uniqueness of finger-prints and discovered that no exactly similar pattern is passed on from parents to children, though nobody knows why this is the case.
The ridge structure on a person’s fingers does not change with growth and is not affected by surface injuries. Burns, cuts and other damage to the outer part of the skin will be replaced in time by new one, which bears a reproduction of the original② pattern. It is only when the inner skin is injured that the arrangement will be destroyed. Some criminals make use of this fact to remove their own finger-prints but this is a dangerous and rare step to take.
Finger-prints can be made very easily with printer’s ink. They can by recorded easily. With special methods, identification③ can be achieved successfully within a short time. Because of the simplicity and economy of this system, finger-prints have often been used as a method of solving criminal case. A suspected man may deny a charge but this may be in vain. His finger-prints can prove who he is even if his appearance has been changed by age or accident.
When a suspect leaves finger-prints behind at the scene of a crime, they are difficult to detect with the naked eye. Special techniques are used to “develop” them. Some of the marks found are incomplete but identification is possible if a print of a quarter of an inch square can be obtained.
Notes:
① unique adj. 唯一的，独特的
② original adj. 最初的，原始的
③ identification n. 辩认，鉴定 Scientists and experts have proved that the pattern of a human being’s finger skin ________.
| A．is similar to his mother’s |
| B．is valuable to himself only |
| C．is like that of others with the same type of blood |
| D．is different from that of all others |
If your fingers are wounded by knife, fire or other means, the structure of skin will ________.
| A．be changed partly | B．be replaced by a different one |
| C．be the same when the wound is recovered | D．become ugly |
Some criminals remove their own finger-prints by ________.
| A．using printer’s ink | B．injuring the inner skin |
| C．damaging the outer skin | D．damaging the colour |
Finger-prints have often been used as a method of solving criminal case because it ________.
| A．is complicated but reliable | B．is simple and not expensive |
| C．is expensive but easy to do | D．can bring a lot of money |
Athens Olympic 110m hurdle champion Liu Xiang felt so relieved to return to racetrack after getting out of the great number of social activities.
Liu arrived in hometown Shanghai Wednesday night and was about to resume① training shortly after.
“I am so exhausted② from so many social activities, which made me even more tired than training,” said the 21-year-old Liu, who wrote a new chapter in China’s Olympic history by winning the country’s first ever athletics short-distance running title in the men’s 110m hurdles in Athens in August.
“I am happy that I will resume my training soon back in Shanghai,” said the Shanghai native. He turned into an instant national hero with the Olympic glory③ and one of the most popular Olympic gold medalists, taking part in scores of celebration activities since he returned to China early September.
“My regular training has been interrupted for such a long time that I think I can only run at about 13.5 seconds now,” said Liu, who clocked a world record-tying time of 12.91 to clinch the title.
“I would rather forget what I have achieved in the past and try my best to realize a higher goal,” he said.
Liu already missed the Berlin Golden League Series on Sunday and won’t be able to catch the IAAF Grand Prix final slated for September 18-19 in Monaco.
He plans on attending an IAAF all-star tournament in Japan at the end of this month.This passage mainly talks about ________.
| A．victory of Liu Xiang |
| B．Liu Xiang’s resumption to the racetrack |
| C．dream of Liu Xiang |
| D．Liu Xiang’s high aim |
From the passage we can see ________.
| A．Liu Xiang is content to go back to training |
| B．Liu Xiang will win Golden League Series on Sunday |
| C．Liu Xiang wasn’t good at social activities |
| D．Liu Xiang was refreshed after so many social activities |
The underlined word “relieved” means ________.
| A．sad | B．glad | C．worried | D．disappointed |
Which of the following is NOT wrong?
| A．Liu Xiang has had a quiet life for as long as half a month. |
| B．Liu Xiang has missed two races because of his social activities. |
| C．Liu Xiang has made up his mind to stop his social activities. |
| D．Liu Xiang has deserted his present career. |
US college students are burdened, with credit card (信用卡)debt, according to a study published Tuesday, and the problem can be serious－ranging from more drop-outs, to future employment problems and even self-murder. The study, by Georgetown University sociologist (社会学家) Robert Manning, blamed credit card issuers for actively targeting students and colleges for allowing them to do so. "The unrestricted selling of credit cards in universities or colleges is so aggressive that it now forms a greater threat than alcohol or sexual diseases," Manning told a news conference in Washington. "If we do not quickly deal with this serious problem, the matter will continue to get worse, with social consequences far more tragic (悲剧的) than mere dollars and cents. "
Based on hundreds of face-to-face interviews and surveys with students, Manning concluded both the number with credit card debt and their indebtedness had been "underreported" in previous studies－which failed to reflect the "survival strategies" many used to deal with their debts. These included the use of federal student loans to pay off credit cards, effectively shifting the debt, appealing to parents for loans, reducing course work hours to increase time at paid jobs, or even dropping out altogether to work full time.
"Official drop-out rates include growing numbers of students who are unable to cope with the stress of their debts and / or part time jobs for servicing their credit cards, " the study said. "Students credit card debts are examined during the employment process and may be an important factor in evaluating future employees," it noted. O’Donnell and Manning agreed students should bear some responsibility for reckless use of credit, but said credit card companies also had to be held responsible for making it so easy for them to get into debt. Manning said one of the most troublesome aspects of the student credit card issue was "the seduction (诱惑) of college and university officials by the credit card industry".
Sociologist Robert Manning's study shows that .
| A．the number of American college students using credit cards on campus is increasing |
| B．more and more American college students meet with credit card debt problems |
| C．more and more American colleges encourage students to use credit cards to make profits |
| D．credit card issuers will run into debt for encouraging college students to use credit cards |
The author's feeling towards college students with credit card debts is __.
| A．discouraged and negative | B．pitiful and critical |
| C．indifferent and disapproving | D．negative and doubtful |
The author implies all of following should be responsible for this problem EXCEPT .
| A．credit card issuers | B．college authorities |
| C．parents of the students | D．students themselves |
The word "reckless" in Paragraph 3 can be replaced by .
| A．inconsiderate | B．frequent | C．careful | D．regular |
Insurance companies provide a service to the community by protecting it against expected and unexpected disasters. Before an insurance company will agree to insure anything, it collects accurate figures about the risk. It knows, for example, that the risk of a man being killed in a plane accident is less than the risk he takes in crossing a busy road. This enables it to quote(报价) low figures for travel insurance. Sometimes the risk may be high, as in motor-racing or mountaineering. Then the company charges a much higher price. If too many climbers have accidents, the price rises further. If the majority of climbers fall off mountains, the company will refuse to insure them.
An ordinary householder may wish to protect his home against fire or his property against burglary(入室行窃). A shopkeeper may wish to insure against theft. In normal cases, the company will check its statistics and quote a premium(保险费). If it is suspicious(可疑的), it may refuse to quote. If it insures a shop and then receives a suspicious claim, it will investigate the claim as a means of protecting itself against false claims. It is not unknown for a businessman in debt to burn down his own premises so that he can claim much money from his insurance company. He can be sure that the fire will be investigated most carefully. Insurance companies also accept insurance against shipwreck or disaster in the air. Planes and ships are very expensive, so a large premium is charged, but a reduction is given to companies with an accident-free record.
Every week, insurance companies receive premium payments from customers. These payments can form a very large total running into millions of dollars. The company does not leave the money in the bank. It invests (投资) in property, shares (股票) ,farms and even paintings and stamps. Its aim is to obtain the best possible return on its investment. This is not as greedy as it may seem since this is one way by which it can keep its premiums down and continue to make a profit while being of service to the community. The main idea of the first paragraph is that .
| A．insurance companies protect the community against disasters |
| B．insurance companies often collect accurate figures about the risk |
| C．insurance companies base their decisions on the risk involved |
| D．insurance companies charge different prices in the same cases |
The insurance company will usually investigate a suspicious claim to .
| A．refuse to quote the insurance fee | B．make sure that the claim is reasonable |
| C．decide how much the company should pay | D．find out when the accident happened |
The underlined word "premises" in Paragraph 2 most probably means" "
| A．land and buildings | B．insurance contract |
| C．debt papers | D．financial papers |
The author’s attitude towards customers’ premium payments being used by insurance companies is __
| A．critical | B．doubtful | C．neutral | D．positive |
The purpose of this passage is to __
| A．explain how insurance companies operate |
| B．encourage people to invest in insurance companies |
| C．persuade people to insure against unexpected disasters |
| D．advise people how to insure their life and property |
The storage of classified (分类的) research at all 24 labs run by the US Department of Energy was shut down this week after officials decided that the security (安全) problems recently found at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico might also exist elsewhere.
Several computer disks went missing at Los Alamos earlier this month, forcing Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham to stop all work at the lab until the problems are found out. As of 26 July, two missing disks had still not been found, and 15 employees had been suspended in connection with the disappearance.
Now all energy labs will stop doing classified research that involves(需要) removable storage devices --- such as computer disks --- until all the devices are given explanation for and new procedures are in place for monitoring their handling by laboratory employees.
"While we have no evidence that the problems being investigated are present elsewhere, we have a responsibility to take all necessary action to prevent such problems, "Abraham said on 23 July.
The shut-down isn't quite as dramatic（惊人的）as it sounds, experts say. Only two labs will be seriously affected: Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. Together with Los Alamos, these two labs conduct the most part of the country's nuclear weapon programmes. At Livermore, 876 employees will be suspended during the storage of some 12,000 items of classified removable material.
At other labs, far fewer people will be affected. "The impact (影响) should be the smallest," says Martha Krebs, former director of the energy department's science office.Why was the storage of classified research at all 24 labs shut down?
| A．Because the security problems might be present elsewhere. |
| B．Because the security problems existed elsewhere. |
| C．Because two missing computer disks had still not be found. |
| D．Because officials decided to stop doing such research. |
How many labs conduct the country's nuclear weapon programmes according to the text?
| A．About 24. | B．Only 2. | C．More than 2. | D．Over 15. |
The underlined word "suspended"in the second paragraph probably means "______”.
| A．hung from above | B．stopped from holding a position | C．doubted | D．fired |
It can be inferred from the text that _____.
| A．the computer disks must have been stolen by terrorists |
| B．the people living in the United States have little security |
| C．the United States is a country whose security is very bad |
| D．the missing of the computer disks caused great fear among Americans |
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