To us it seems so natural to put up an umbrella to keep the water off when it rains, But actually the umbrella was not invented as protection against the rain, Its first use was as a shade against the sun! Nobody knows who first invented it, but the umbrella was used in very ancient times. Probably the first to use it were the Chinese in the eleventh century BC.
We know that the umbrella was used in ancient Egypt and Babylon as a sunshade. And there was a strange thing connected with its use: it became a symbol of honor. In the Far East in ancient times, the umbrella was allowed to be used only by those in high office.
In Europe, the Greeks were the first to use the umbrella as a sunshade. And the umbrella was in commonly used in ancient Greece. But it is believed that the first persons in Europe to use the umbrella as protection against the rain were the ancient Romans.
During the Middle Ages, the use of the umbrella practically disappeared. Then it appeared again in Italy in the late sixteenth century. And again it was considered as a symbol of power. By 1680, the umbrella appeared in France and later in England.
By the eighteenth century, the umbrella was used against rain throughout most of Europe. Umbrellas have not changed much in style during all this time, though they have become much lighter in weight. It wasn’t until the twentieth century that women’s umbrellas began to be made, in a whole variety of colors.According to this passage, the umbrella was probably first invented in ancient__________.
| A．China |
| B．Egypt |
| C．Greece |
| D．Rome |
Which of the following statements is not true about the umbrella?
| A．No one exactly knows who the inventor of the umbrella was |
| B．The umbrella was first invented to be used as protection against the sun. |
| C．The umbrella changed much in style in the eighteenth century |
| D．In Europe, the Greeks were the first to use the umbrella as a sunshade. |
A strange feature of the umbrella’s use is that it was used as__________.
| A．protection against rain |
| B．a shade against the sun |
| C．a symbol of honor and power |
| D．women’s decoration (装饰) |
In Europe, the umbrella was first used against the rain_____________.
| A．during the Middle Ages |
| B．by the eighteenth |
| C．in Rome |
| D．in Greece |
This passage talks mainly about_______________.
| A．when and how the umbrella was invented |
| B．why the umbrella was so popular in Europe |
| C．the development of the umbrella |
| D．The history and use of the umbrella |
B
The Hunan Satellite TV(HNTV) show “Where are we going, Dad?” is a big hit. Many famous stars brought their children to a strange village alone, and they had to spend 72 hours with their children there. The program fully showed us a modern version of the “how to be a good father”. As the young parents today are too busy to take care of their children, this new form of “Lost on the way” played by nanny Daddy and cute kids triggered（触发）a lot of people’s emotional resonance（共鸣）. Both the kids and their parents will find that their hearts are being drawn closer. But this kind of feeling has just proved that there is a big spiritual barrier between the modern parents and children.
The TV shows like “Children are hard to support!”, “Where are we going, Dad?”, “hot mom” and “cute kids” are becoming more and more popular. All of these show the new parents’ confusion in children’s education and the appeal for the balance between career and family.
In real life, on the one hand the young parents feel helpless because they are too busy to accompany their children under the pressures of work and life; on the other hand they continue to do so. The data collected by HNTV shows that nearly two-thirds of their audience are female, among whom 36% are aged from 25 to 34.We can imagine such a scene that one evening a young mother is watching the show with her young children, while her husband is still at work or trapped in socializing, or maybe is just playing computer games in the bedroom. The story of a child without the company of father is still going on. In fact, it is sometimes the same to mothers. In a modern family, it is often the old who take the responsibility of raising a child. The participation of mother in the children’s education is also very low.
It is just this kind of confusion where the parents have gone in the modern family education, and where the parents will guide their children to go that “Where are we going，Dad?” shows us. If a child wants to grow up healthily and safely into a modern citizen with independent personality and free spirit, it is very important for him or her to follow the parents who serve as their first teacher. Maybe this is the real reason why such kind of TV programs could get hot. The truth is that children will go where their parents go; and society will go where the children go.In raising a child in modern society, parents should ________.
| A．play computer games with their children |
| B．keep their children at home to avoid socializing |
| C．balance well between family and career |
| D．break down the barrier between children and teachers |
Which of the following can be inferred in the passage?
| A．Parents shouldn’t entirely leave the education of children to the old. |
| B．36% of the audience of the program are female aged from 25-34. |
| C．The program shows us the confusion where the parents and children will go to play. |
| D．In a modern family it is often mothers who are responsible for raising a child. |
Which one is the best title of the passage?
| A．Confusion Behind “Where are we going, dad?” |
| B．Modern Education is Important |
| C．Nanny Daddy and Cute Kids |
| D．New problems in Modern Children’s Education |
What attitude towards modern family education does the author express in the second paragraph?
| A．Proud. | B．Worried. |
| C．Optimistic. | D．Indifferent. |
A
Here are a few tips to help you, the workaholic, re-focus and get the best out of life.
EIGHT HOURS OF SLEEP! Make it a point to get at least eight hours of sleep and plenty of rest. Don't believe that you can always "catch some sleep or rest later." Your body cannot make up for lost sleep or rest time because it is not physiologically possible.
STRICTLY FAMILY ON WEEKENDS! Resolve to make Saturdays and Sundays strictly for family time. And stick to this! Mondays until Fridays you make an excuse not to relax and spend time with your family because it's work time, why not make a similar excuse for Saturdays and Sundays? "I can't work today because I'm spending time with my family."
GET SOME FOOD IN! Make sure you get food in your stomach. Workaholics are known to be food-skippers. If you can't afford to get off your desk or from doing paperwork, have food delivered to you. It's always a good idea if you have crackers on your drawer to ease the hunger pangs.
CONFINE WORK! Resolve to confine work in your office. Don't bring work to your home! Keep those files in your office desk where they belong. Practice working only within your working hours. If you have an eight-to-five working schedule, stick to it.
WORK UP THOSE MUSCLES! Exercise, exercise, exercise! Set aside at least an hour each day or every other day for exercise. You body needs to be conditioned, and working non-stop isn't going to give it the proper physical conditioning it needs. Since most workaholics tend to have their behinds stuck on their chairs, it's even more important that you get some exercise.
MAKE A PLAN! Plan your day. Work on only one or two things at a time. It's much easier to work on something and finish it first and then move on to the next rather than do a number of things all at the same time and never finish or accomplish anything at the end of the day. Make out a list of priorities. Write down things that need to be worked on immediately or are urgent, keeping the least ones at the bottom of your list. After you've done this, be guided by this list. Turning this activity into a habit will also help you manage your time better, be more organized, and accomplish more. The passage is intended for ________.
| A．those who are hardworking |
| B．those who consider work the center of their life |
| C．those who keep themselves healthy and alive |
| D．those who live a busy, successful and happy life |
According to the passage, which of the following is not mentioned as a practical tip for a
workaholic?
| A．Don’t be food-skippers |
| B．Don’t have your behinds stuck on your chairs |
| C．Make up for lost sleep whenever possible |
| D．Make sure of time available for your family |
By making a plan, the author mean ________.
| A．working on only one or two things each day |
| B．finishing a number of things at once |
| C．organizing your time and finishing urgent things first |
| D．accomplishing as much work as possible at any given moment |
The underlined word “confine” in paragraph 5 possibly means ________.
| A．give up | B．start |
| C．practice | D．restrict |
If there were one more tip, it could be ________.
| A．WORK TO LIVE |
| B．LIVE TO WORK |
| C．MAKE WORK YOUR LIFE |
| D．STOP TO ENJOY WORKING |
C
Chinese media and Internet users on Monday condemned（谴责） lack of morals in society after a toddler（学步的幼儿） was struck twice –by two different vans-and left bleeding on the road as more than a dozen bystanders did nothing to help the seriously injured girl．
The incident, captured by a surveillance camera and broadcast by Southern Television Guangdong （TVS），showed the two-year-old girl was knocked down and run over by a white van on a narrow market street on the afternoon of Oct.13, in Foshan City of Guangdong Province．
The driver fled the scene of the accident，leaving the girl to bleed on the sidewalk．Over the next six minutes，more than a dozen people walked by the girl，yet not one individual did anything to help her．The girl was then hit a second time by another van before an elderly trash collector came to her aid and brought the attention of the girl’s mother, according to the video and eyewitnesses．
Doctors said that the girl, who was put on life support after being hospitalized，remains in a deep coma．The girl’s parents，who are migrants living in the city，are now with her．
Police said the drivers of both vehicles have been arrested．However，the apathy of the bystanders shown in the video has shocked the public，as Internet forums have seethed with anger， and people are questioning the morality of society．
High moral standards were once triumphed as national pride in China where individuals known for selflessly helping others were adored by the public．
But in recent years，the perception（观念）of a decline of morals has become a hot topic as profit and materialism are perceived to be affecting society’s values．
On Sept.2 an 88-year-old man in central China collapsed，his face striking the pavement．Yet，no one came to his aid, and he ended up choking to death on the blood from his nose．
Some have linked the absence of good Samaritans （模范人物）to a previous case in which a man trying to help an elderly woman who fell was accused of harming her．
A strong chorus of opinion on the Internet says laws should exempt（免除）Samaritans from liability（责任）, yet laws themselves cannot solve society’s morality dilemma．
Cao Lin, a China Youth Daily commentator，said in a signed article published on Monday that the worry of liability should not be an excuse for not helping, and this case exposes the decline of humanity in Chinese society．
According to the passage，what would happen if someone helped others selflessly in the past?
| A．He/ she would be condemned by the public． |
| B．He/ she would be awarded by the government． |
| C．He/ she would have to worry about liability． |
| D．The public would feel proud of him/ her and thus showed love and respect for him/ her |
Which of the following is TRUE about this passage?
| A．Nobody helped the girl who was struck twice by two different vans． |
| B．The toddler died immediately after she was hit a second time． |
| C．High moral standards were once regarded as national pride in China． |
| D．Journalists from TVS captured the incident by using a camera． |
In recent years，society’s values is believed to be affected by ．
| A．profit and materialism |
| B．people’s perceptions |
| C．the apathy of bystanders |
| D．the morals of society |
According to Cao Lin，what is the fundamental reason for not helping the girl?
| A．The worry of liability． |
| B．Lack of laws that exempt Samaritans from liability． |
| C．The decline of humanity in society． |
| D．The fear of being accused of harming her． |
Where is the article most probably taken from?
| A．A fashion magazine． |
| B．A news report． |
| C．A science fiction． |
| D．An education column． |
B
The image of a veiled（用面纱遮盖）bride walking down the aisle on her father's arm could become a thing of the past as a growing trend for 'feminist（女权主义者） weddings' has been detected among modern brides to be.
Doing away with the engagement ring, choosing not to be 'given away like property' and wearing a colour other than white are key themes gaining traction（牵引力） in the feminist wedding trend.
The findings, revealed in a survey of 200 brides to be, revealed that almost a quarter of women planned on keeping their maiden name after marriage, while one in 10 were planning to wear a colour other than white on their wedding day.
Traditions such as the wearing of an engagement ring are also increasingly being rejected by brides who feel it is anti-feminist - with such an obvious token（记号） to be worn on the finger marking the woman in question as 'taken'.
However, while there is undoubtedly a stirring among young brides to be, parents can take comfort in the fact that while some women are beginning to push back against the patriarchy（家长制）, the majority are still keen to uphold certain traditions, with 76 per cent of brides saying they really would like their father to walk them down the aisle.
Elki Parmar of Wedding Days.co.uk, who conducted the survey, said: “Some of the brides we have spoken to are doing things that they feel make their wedding more 'feminist'. That could be reflected by deciding not be given away, the idea being that one of the connotations of this tradition is that the woman is property to be given away. Other brides are choosing not to wear white on their wedding day as a woman’s white wedding dress traditionally carries connotations （含义）of virginal innocence whereas what the groom wears on his wedding day is not perceived（意识到） to be symbolic, creating somewhat of an imbalance from some feminist perspectives”.
Which of the following is not the symbol of traditional wedding?
| A．The bride wears bridal veil. |
| B．The bride walks down the aisle on her father’s arm. |
| C．The bride wears the engagement ring. |
| D．The bride wears a color other than white. |
Why do the brides reject to wear an engagement ring according to the passage?
| A．Because it is too cheap. |
| B．Because it is not made of gold. |
| C．Because they don’t want to marry their husband. |
| D．Because it makes the women I question as “taken”. |
What can we learn from the survey in Paragraph 2?
| A．More than 200 brides were investigated． |
| B．Half of the brides won’t change their last name after marriage to their husband. |
| C．10% of them prefer to wear a color other than white on their wedding day. |
| D．No one wants to wear an engagement ring. |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．The tendency mentioned in the passage is becoming more and more popular. |
| B．Some women are beginning to push back against their parents. |
| C．The majority of brides don’t like their father to walk them down the aisle. |
| D．Some brides regard wearing white on their wedding day as a symbol of unequal between men and women. |
A
Fat and shy, Ben Saunders was the last kid in his class picked for any sports team. "Football, tennis, cricket--- anything with a round ball, I was useless," he says now with a laugh. But back then he was the one always made fun of in school gym classes in Devonshire, England.
It was a mountain bike he received for his 15th birthday that changed him. At first he went biking alone in a nearby forest. Then he began to ride the bike along with a runner friend. Gradually, Saunders set up his mind on building up his body, increasing his speed and strength. At the age of 18, he ran his first marathon.
The following year he met John Ridgway and was hired as an instructor at Ridgway's school of adventure in Scotland, where he learnt about Ridgway's cold-water exploits. Greatly interested, Saunders read all he could about North Pole explorers and adventures, the decided that this would be his future.
In 2001, after becoming a skillful skier, Saunders started his first long-distance expedition towards the North Pole. It took unbelievable energy. He suffered frostbite, ran into a polar bear and pushed his body to the limit, pulling his supply-loaded sled up and over rocky rice.
Saunders has since become the youngest person to ski alone to the North Pole, and he's skied more of the North Pole by himself than any other British man. His old playmates would not believe the change.
Next October, Saunders, 27, heads south from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole and back, a 2900-kilometer journey that has never been completed on skis.
What change happened to Saunders after he was 15 years old?
| A．He became good at most sports. |
| B．He began to build up his body. |
| C．He joined a sports team |
| D．He made friends with a runner. |
The underlined word “exploits” (paragraph 3) is closest in meaning to ______.
| A．journeys | B．researches |
| C．adventures | D．operations. W |
What does the story mainly tell us abut Saunders?
| A．He is a success in sports. |
| B．He is the best British skier. |
| C．He is Ridgway's best student. |
| D．He is a good instructor at school. |
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