It’s not so surprising that US First Lady Michelle Obama has called Modern Family her favorite TV series. September saw the fun, heartwarming sitcom take home the Best Comedy Series award at the 2013 Emmys. This is the fourth year in a row that the series has won that title. The show features three families who move in and out of each other’s lives. The first one is a typical American family: the working dad Phil, stay-at-home mom Claire and their three children.
The second family is made up of Jay, his young Hispanic wife and her son Manny. Jay, 65, is the father of Claire. He is 30 years older than his wife and everyone mistakes the two for being father and daughter.
The third family is made up of a gay couple, Mitchell and Cameron, and their adopted daughter Lily. Mitchell is Jay’s son.
On Sept 25, the show started its fifth season, in which Claire makes a big change – she returns to work. The other big storylines include Jay’s stepson Manny starting high school and Mitchell and Cameron looking for a primary school for Lily. Will things go right for the three families?
Modern Family has no spies, aliens or vampires (吸血鬼); it’s just about ordinary people. So what has made it such a hit?
According to the Los Angeles Times, its “presentation of contemporary US society” contributes to its success. The show presents what a typical “nuclear family” is like in the US: two parents, a big house and two or three children. When there’s a fight between their kids, Phil wants to be the “cool dad” while traditional mom Claire lives by the saying “an eye for an eye”. She always forces Phil to punish the troublemaker.
The show also touches upon developments in interracial relations in the US by focusing on Hispanic communities. This makes sense, as “by 2040, America will no longer be a majority-white country, with the fastest growth rate among Hispanics…” BBC pointed out.
In addition, according to BBC, 40 percent of Americans say they have a gay friend or relative. By including Mitchell and Cameron, Modern Family reflects the changing status of gay people in the US.
“The US is a melting pot … so the family has come to reflect that diversity.” commented The Hartman Group, a US research firm.Which of the following is TRUE about the characters in Modern Family?
| A．There are always fights between Phil and Claire because of their different ways of raising kids. |
| B．Jay, Claire and Mitchell make up a typical American family. |
| C．Mitchell and Cameron are a gay couple and they adopted a boy. |
| D．Jay and his wife are often not thought of as a couple because their ages are so far apart. |
What’s new in Modern Family’s fifth season?
| A．Lily is entering kindergarten. |
| B．Jay’s grandson Manny starts high school. |
| C．Phil loses his job. |
| D．Claire goes back to work. |
Why is Modern Family so popular?
| A．It reflects current US society. |
| B．It presents what a typical “nuclear family” is like in the US. |
| C．It includes developments in interracial relations in the US. |
| D．It reflects the changing status of gay people in the US. |
Which of the following best shows the structure of the article?
WASHINGTON(Reuters)‑People who drink two or more sweetened soft drinks a week have a much higher risk of pancreatic cancer (胰腺癌), an unusual but deadly cancer, researchers reported on Monday.
People who drank mostly fruit juice instead of sodas did not have the same risk, the study of 60,000 people in Singapore found.
“Sugar may be to blame but people who drink sweetened sodas regularly often have other poor health habits,” said Mark Pereira of the University of Minnesota, who led the study.
“The high levels of sugar in soft drinks may be increasing the level of insulin(胰岛素) in the body, which we think contributes to pancreatic cancer cell growth,” President said in a statement.
Writing in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, Pereira and his colleagues said they followed 60,524 men and women in the Singapore—Chinese Health Study for 14 years.
Over that time, 140 of the volunteers developed pancreatic cancer. Those who drank two or more sweetened soft drinks a week had an 87 percent higher risk of being among those who got pancreatic cancer.
Pereira said he believed the findings would apply elsewhere.
“Singapore is a wealthy country with excellent healthcare. Favorite pastimes(消遣) are eating and shopping, so the findings should apply to other western countries.” he said.
But Susan Mayne of the Yale Cancer Center at Yale University in Connecticut was cautious.
“Although this study found a risk, the finding was based on a relatively small number of cases and it remains unclear whether it was a causal(因果的) connection or not.” Said Mayne, who serves on thee board of the journal, which is published by the American Association for Cancer Research.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest form of cancer, with 230,000 cases globally. In the United States, 37,680 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in a year and 34, 290 die of it.We can infer from Pereira’s word that_________
| A．the healthcare in Singapore should be greatly improved |
| B．2 soft drinks a day are considered harmful to health |
| C．87 out of 140 volunteers developed pancreatic cancer |
| D．sugar might not be the only cause of pancreatic cancer. |
How does Susan seem to feel about the findings of the study?
| A．Satisfied | B．Doubtful | C．Worried | D．Hopeful |
The best title of the text might be_______
| A．The Deadliest Forms of Cancer |
| B．Drink Fruit Juice Instead of Sodas |
| C．A Study in University of Minnesota |
| D．Sugary Soft Drinks Lead to Cancer |
The Universal Autograph (名人签名) Collectors Club(UACC) has been serving the collector for over 25 years. Founded in 1965, the UACC began as a small group of Long Island. New York autograph collectors and has grown to be the largest collector’s organization of its kind.
The UACC by its purpose is primarily an educational fellowship(联谊会) where knowledge and resources are shared with not only the membership, but also the public at large. By joining the UACC, you will be introduced to the fastest growing hobby in the world today.
Autographs have been called “frozen moment in time” by some people. Probably the most personal thing that one person can give is his or her signature.
In 1843, former President James Madison sent an autograph for a collection which the Princess Victoria was making. The future British Queen was only 15 years old at the time. Financier J.P. Morgan, Sr. began collecting when he was 16, and his son continued adding to the father’s collection. As the daughter of the Mayor of Boston, Rose Fitzgerald collected autographs, as did her son, John F. Kennedy. Franklin Roosevelt, Malcolm Forbes and Glenn Ford are a few more well-known autograph collectors. By collecting autographs, you become a curator(馆长) of history.
Here are some of the best reasons to join the UACC.
The UACC publishes The Pen and Quill, the highly regarded 64-page bimonthly journal with articles and news in all fields of autograph collecting. UACC members may place free ads in The Pen and Quill to express their wants or just swap with other members.
Writing for autographs to famous living people can also be interesting. The more interesting the letter, the better chance for an interesting reply.
The UACC also offers its members the opportunity to buy uncommon autographic materials at low prices. Meanwhile, it publishes low-cost reference works for its members.
Once you join the UACC, you will be added to our mailing list and will receive catalogs(目录) of autographs for sale by dealer members. The UACC has nearly 200 of the world’s most professional dealers as members. Each member provides contact information on our website, including mailing address, telephone numbers, e-mail-addresses, website address, etc. We always try to promote our dealer program and encourage collectors to always buy from these dealers.Paragraph 4 is presented to inform you that __________.
| A．autographs might be the most personal thing that one can give |
| B．the hobby started as early as the 19th century |
| C．autographs have a long history and was popular even among great people |
| D．autographs reflect history and sometimes change history |
What does the underlined word “ swap” probably mean?
| A．write for autographs | B．exchange autographs |
| C．mail autographs | D．sign autographs |
Which of the following about the service offered by the UACC is NOT right?
| A．It offers member a good way in which they can get what they need much easily. |
| B．A magazine is published every two months to help you know about the world’s hobby. |
| C．It offers collectors great deals on unusual autographs at reasonable prices. |
| D．It offers Internet service to make extra profits. |
This passage is mainly__________
| A．to encourage you to join the UACC |
| B．to tell you how interesting autograph collecting is |
| C．to tell you the fast development of the autograph collecting |
| D．to inform you where you can get an autograph |
There are many dimensions(维) to football's allure（诱惑）and appeal: top-class moves, thrilling goals, majestic star players, thunderous encounters and passionate fans. Football stirs the emotions all over the globe, brings people from contrasting cultures together, and promotes solid virtues such as fairness, team spirit and tolerance. All these facts will emerge in their most intense form at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil next summer.
Millions of people will be transfixed（让…出神）by this unique festival of sport and friendship. We are thoroughly looking forward to football of the highest quality. We're delighted to welcome the biggest names in the sport as well as those nations set to appear at the finals for the first time. And we're looking forward to greeting fans from all over the world as they fill our cities with even more colour and life. A heartfelt welcome to everyone!
Brazil is a cosmopolitan（四海一家的）country with a passion for football. The people will devote themselves to the job of ensuring the 2014 FIFA World Cup is an unforgettable experience, a fact demonstrated by the thousands of ordinary folk who have come forward as volunteers.
Brazil is well prepared to host the FIFA World Cup. We have finished constructing our new, modern stadiums and an outstanding transportation system. The organization is in the enormously capable hands of the Organizing Committee headed by RonaldoLuiz Nazario de Lima. The slogan "A time to make friends" perfectly describes our intention to ensure everyone delighted in a secure and peaceful festival of football.
The FIFA World Cup is a unique opportunity for Brazil to present herself as a hospitable, joyful and modern nation bursting with ideas. I am convinced that the flames of passion and togetherness engendered by the FIFA World Cup in Brazil will spread to the entire world.
I'm personally looking forward to a festival of goals, excitement and fair play. We Brazilians will be right behind our national team, but our aim is to act as welcoming hosts and friends to every team and their fans. Passionate and cosmopolitan Brazil is delighted to welcome visitors to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.The charm of football includes all except .
| A．thrilling goals | B．the players |
| C．violence | D．the fans |
The underlined word “engendered ” (in Para. 5) is closest in meaning to ______.
| A．brought about | B．handed over |
| C．turned into | D．passed down |
In order to host the World Cup ,Brazil ____
| A．has organized groups of passionate fans |
| B．sets up a national team |
| C．has constructed new , modern stadiums |
| D．tries to take a friendly disguise |
This passage can be classified as ____
| A．a news report | B．a feature story |
| C．greeting speech | D．an advertisement |
The light from the campfire brightened the darkness, but it could not prevent the damp cold of Dennis’s Swamp (沼泽地) creeping into their bones. It was a strange place. Martin and Tom wished that they had not accepted Jack’s dare. They liked camping, but not near this swamp.
“So,” Martin asked as they sat watching the hot coals. “How did this place get its name ? ”
“Are you sure you want to hear it ? It’s a scary story,” warned Jack.
“Of course!” cried out Tom. “If there were anything to be scared of, you wouldn’t have chosen this place!”
“Ok, but don’t say I didn’t warn you,” said Jack, and he began this tale.
“Way back in time, a man called Dennis tried to start a farm here. He built that cottage over there to live in . In those days, the area looked quite different ---- it was covered with tall trees and the swamp was a crystal-clear river. After three hard years, Dennis had cleared several fields and planted crops. He was so proud of his success that he refused to listen to advice.
“ ‘You are clearing too much land, ’ warned one old man. ‘ The land is a living thing. It will hit back at you if you abuse it. ’
“ ‘ Silly fool,’ said Dennis to himself. ‘If I clear more land, I can grow more crops. I’ll become wealthier. He’s just jealous!’”
“Dennis continued to chop down trees. Small animals that relied on them for food and shelter were destroyed. He was so eager to expand his farm that he did not notice the river flowing slowly towards his door. He did not notice salt seeping to the surface of the land. He did not notice swamp plants choking all the native plants.”
“What happened? ” Martin asked. It was growing colder. He trembled, twisting his body closer to the fire.
“The land hit back ---- just as the old man warned, ” Jack shrugged. “Dennis disappeared Old folks around here believe that swamp plants moved up from the river and dragged him underwater. His body was never found.”
“What a stupid story, ” laughed Tom. “Plants can’t …” Before he had finished speaking, he screamed and fainted (晕倒). The other two boys jumped up with fright, staring at Tom. Suddenly, they burst out laughing. Some green swamp ivy (常春藤) had covered Tom’s face. It was a while before Tom could appreciate the joke.The underlined word “dare” in Paragraph 1 is closed in meaning to ________.
| A．courage | B．assistance | C．instruction | D．challenge |
Why did Jack tell Tom and Martin the story?
| A．To frighten them. |
| B．To satisfy their curiosity. |
| C．To warn them of the danger of the place. |
| D．To persuade them to camp in the swamp. |
Why did Dennis ignore the warning of the old man?
| A．The old man envied him. |
| B．The old man was foolish |
| C．He was too busy to listen to others. |
| D．He was greedy for more crops. |
Why did Tom scream and faint?
| A．He saw Dennis’s shadow |
| B．He was scared by a plant |
| C．His friends played a joke on him. |
| D．The weather became extremely cold. |
What lesson can we learn from the story of Dennis?
| A．Grasp all, lose all. |
| B．No sweat, no sweet. |
| C．It is no use crying over spilt milk. |
| D．He who makes no mistakes makes nothing. |
LONDON---A British judge on Thursday sentenced a businessman who sold fake（假冒的）bomb detectors（探测器）to 10 years in prison, saying the man hadn’t cared about potentially deadly consequences.
It is believed that James McCormick got about $ 77.8 million from the sales of his detectors---which were based on a kind of golf ball finder---to countries including Iraq, Belgium and Saudi Arabia.
McCormick, 57, was convicted（判罪）of cheats last month and sentenced Thursday at the Old Bailey court in London.
“Your cheating conduct in selling a great amount of useless equipment simply for huge profit promoted a false sense of security and in all probability materially contributed to causing death and injury to innocent people,” Judge Richard Hone told McCormick. “You have neither regret, nor shame, nor any sense of guilt.”
The detectors, sold for up to $ 42, 000 each, were said to be able to find such dangerous objects as bombs under water and from the air. But in fact they “lacked any grounding in science” and were of no use.
McCormick had told the court that he sold his detectors to the police in Kenya, the prison service in Hong Kong, the army in Egypt and the border control in Thailand.
“I never had any bad results from customers,” he said.Why was McCormick sentenced to prison?
| A．He sold bombs. | B．He caused death of people. |
| C．He made detectors. | D．He cheated in business. |
According to the judge, what McCormick had done .
| A．increased the cost of safeguarding |
| B．lowered people’s guard against danger |
| C．changed people’s idea of social security |
| D．caused innocent people to commit crimes |
Which of the following is true of the detectors?
| A．They have not been sold to Africa |
| B．They have caused many serious problems. |
| C．They can find dangerous objects in water. |
| D．They don’t function on the basis of science. |
It can be inferred from the passage that McCormick .
| A．solo the equipment at a low price |
| B．was well-known in most countries |
| C．did not think he had committed the crime |
| D．had not got such huge profit as mentioned in the text |
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