I’ve loved my mother’s desk since I was just tall enough to see above the top of it as Mother sat doing letters. Standing by her chair, looking at the ink bottle, pens, and white paper, I decided that the act of writing must be the most wonderful thing in the world.
Years later, during her final illness, Mother kept different things for my sister and brother. “But the desk”, she said, “is for Elizabeth”.
I never saw her angry, never saw her cry. I knew she loved me, she showed it in action. But as a young girl, I wanted heart-to-heart talks between mother and daughter.
They never happened. And a gulf opened between us. I was “too emotional”(感情易激动的). But she lived “on the surface (表面)”
As years passed and I had my own family. I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family. I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive (原谅) me.
I posted the letter and waited for her answer. None came.
My hope turned to disappointment (失望), then little interest, finally, peace—it seemed that nothing happened. I couldn’t be sure that the letter had even got to Mother. I only knew that I had written it, and I could stop trying to make her into someone she was not.
Now the present of her desk told me, as she’d never been able to, that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work. I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers inside—a photo of my father and a one-page letter, folded (折叠) and refolded many times.
Give me an answer, my letter asks, in any way you choose, Mother, you always chose the act that speaks louder than words.The passage shows that__________.
| A．Mother wrote her daughter in careful words |
| B．Mother cared much about her daughter in words |
| C．Mother was too serious about everything her daughter had done |
| D．Mother was cold on the surface but kind in her heart to her daughter |
The word “gulf” in the passage means________.
| A．part of the sea going far in land |
| B．free talks between mother and daughter |
| C．different ideas between the mother and the daughter |
| D．deep understanding between the old and the young |
What did Mother do with her daughter’s letter asking for forgiveness?
| A．She had never received the letter. |
| B．She read the letter again and again till she died. |
| C．For years, she often talked about the letter. |
| D．She didn’t forgive her daughter although seeing it. |
What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．My letter to Mother | B．Mother and Children |
| C．My Mother’s Desk | D．Talks between Mother and Me |
Compulsive（强迫的）shoppers may have a new psychological excuse to blame for their wild shopping. Psychologists at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand are studying the “shop-till-you-drop” habit as a behavioral disorder similar to compulsive eating. Compulsive shoppers frequently buy more than they can afford or more than they need, and it causes them distress(苦恼).
“It becomes a problem when you are out of control,” psychology lecturer Neville Blampied said. “When you are feeling bad and blue, what do you do? Some people eat chocolate cake and ice cream. Some people take the credit card and go out to the shop.” Bank managers understand the problem because they have to deal with people who have to be persuaded to stop using their cards drawing money.
Compulsive shopping was first discovered in 1915, although it was then known as monomania. Few studies have been done on the problem.
An advertisement in a Christchurch paper, calling for people to take part in an experimental treatment program designed by Mr. Wilson, attracted 10 replies. But the problem, said Mr. Wilson, is “clearly not rare”. He thinks that compulsive shopping should be treated with drugs. “As psychologists we are interested in non-drug treatments for behavioral difficulties,” Mr. Wilson said.
Compulsive eaters or shoppers get a kick from their habit. “Both activities provide an immediate kind of kick and you feel a bit better,” he said. “You have long-term problems, but human beings are extremely good at not seeing long-term problems and are very sensitive to short-term benefits,” he said.
The aim of the treatment was to help people find better ways of managing their emotions. The program, consisting of 10 one-hour weekly lessons and two follow-up treatments, is loosely based on teaching stress management.
“You often have to start to get people to correctly recognize their emotions. Not being able to know what you really feel weakens your ability to solve the problems connected with what’s making you feel that way,” Mr. Wilson said.The compulsive shoppers will go shopping when ______.
| A．they have lots of money | B．they are taking drugs |
| C．they are feeling sad | D．they win a prize |
The underlined word “it” in the first paragraph most probably refers to __________.
| A．compulsive eating | B．a new psychological excuse |
| C．the study done by Blampied | D．the behavior of wild shopping |
Which of the following is considered important in treating compulsive shoppers?
| A．Teaching them to manage their money better. |
| B．Teaching them to understand their emotions. |
| C．Persuading them not to draw money from the bank. |
| D．Treating them with right drugs. |
When the writer says that compulsive shoppers get a kick from their habit, he means that they __________.
| A．feel distressed after their wild shopping |
| B．feel better after treatment from psychologists |
| C．are better able to deal with stress problems |
| D．have a feeling of excitement after shopping |
I began working in journalism when I was eight. It was my mother’s idea. She wanted me to “make something” of myself, and decided I had better start young if I was to have any chance of keeping up with the competition.
With my load of magazines I headed toward Belleville Avenue. The crowds were there. There were two gas stations on the corner of Belleville and Union. For several hours I made myself highly visible, making sure everyone could see me and the heavy black letters on the bag that said THE SATURDAY EVENING POST. When it was suppertime, I walked back home.
“ How many did you sell, my boy?” my mother asked.
“ None.”
“ Where did you go?”
“ The corner of Belleville and Union Avenues.”
“ What did you do?”
“ Stood on the corner waiting for somebody to buy a Saturday Evening Post.”
“ You just stood there?”
“ Didn’t sell a single one.”
“ My God, Russell!”
Uncle Allen put in, “ Well, I’ve decided to take the Post.” I handed him a copy and he paid me a nickel. It was the first nickel I earned.
Afterwards my mother taught me how to be a salesman. I would have to ring doorbells, address adults with self-confidence, and persuade them by saying that no one, no matter how poor, could afford to be without the Saturday Evening Post in the home.
One day, I told my mother I’d changed my mind. I didn’t want to make a success in the magazine business.
“ If you think you can change your mind like this,” she replied, “ you’ll become a good-for-nothing.” She insisted that, as soon as school was over, I should start ringing doorbells, selling magazines. Whenever I said no, she would scold me.
My mother and I had fought this battle almost as long as I could remember. My mother, dissatisfied with my father’s plain workman’s life, determined that I would not grow up like him and his people. But never did she expect that, forty years later, such a successful journalist as me would go back to her husband’s people for true life and love.Why did the boy start his job young?
| A．He wanted to be famous in the future. | B．The job was quite easy for him. |
| C．His mother had high hopes for him. | D．The competition for the job was fierce. |
From the dialogue between the boy and his mother, we learn that the mother was _______.
| A．excited | B．interested | C．ashamed | D．disappointed |
What did the mother do when the boy wanted to give up?
| A．She forced him to continue. | B．She punished him. |
| C．She gave him some money. | D．She changed her plan. |
What is the text mainly about?
| A．The early life of a journalist. |
| B．The early success of a journalist. |
| C．The happy childhood of the writer. |
| D．The important role of the writer in his family. |
(CNN)-China will sometimes say “no” and the world should get used to it.
That message came through when China joined Russia in blocking action on Syria.
“Do not mistakenly think that because China takes a careful and responsible position on the Syria issue, China will not use its veto power (否决权) or will always abstain（弃权）,” said Cui Tiankai, China’s vice foreign minister, “When China must use its veto power to say no, it will surely use it.”
On Saturday, Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, called the vetoes “disgusting and shameful.”
He Wenping, director of African Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the veto shows China’s confidence in foreign affairs. “A country expressing its true opinion – that’s progress. China opposes the use of threat or force to achieve regime（政权）change in other countries. This agrees with China’s long-standing diplomacy principle. It is also not acceptable for China to rush a U.N. vote without sufficient discussion.”
So why did China use its veto this time?
China’s critics say China’s veto of the U.N. draft proposal(草案) was in part due to Beijing’s fear that allowing a regime change in Syria could encourage the spread of the Arab revolution and eventually threaten China.
He Wenping disagrees, “China has a completely different political system and economic development path. If someone in the international community thinks that the Arab Spring will happen in China, then I think they misjudge the situation in China, exaggerate(夸大) some problems in the Chinese society and underestimate the ability of the Chinese government to control the situation in China.”Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．China often uses its veto power on international issues. |
| B．China never uses its veto power on international issues. |
| C．China’s normal practice in the U.N. is to abstain rather than veto. |
| D．China should not have veto power in the U.N. |
What is the international reaction to China’s veto on the Syria issue?
| A．Russia supports China |
| B．The U.S. feels very unhappy. |
| C．The international community is used to it. |
| D．The Arab countries show no concern. |
Why did China use its veto power this time?
| A．Because Russia and China are friends. |
| B．Because China wants to hold an opposite stand against the U.S. |
| C．Because China is worried about a chain-action resulting from Syria’s revolution. |
| D．Because China opposes the use of threat or force to achieve regime change in other countries. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．China has a firm stand on international issues. |
| B．The U.N. asks the whole world to get used to China saying no on international issues. |
| C．CNN believed that China helped Syria to fight against the U.N. |
| D．All the member countries of the U.N. supported Susan Rice. |
Money, jewels and important documents are not the only valuable placed in banks these days. Some mothers store their breast milk in banks.
There’re ten breast banks set up across the United States, where mothers can donate their extra milk for other women’s babies. Experts say breast milk is the best food for babies. The World Health Organization says it is the only food babies should get during the first six months of life, in most cases. Breast milk is especially important for babies born too early. Sometimes these premature babies must stay in the hospital for many weeks.
James Cameron is a doctor who treats newborns at Lutheran Children’s Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He says breast milk is almost like medicine. Doctor James Cameron said, “The fact is that there are so many different proteins and specialized sugars in the breast milk that the mom’s able to make that help provide immunity. It’s very important for the health of the newborn.”
There are several reasons some mothers may not be able to breastfeed. Some are not able to produce enough milk. Others might be taking medicines or have medical problems that prevent the process.
Lucy Baur lives near Fort Wayne. She fed her milk to both her children and always had more milk than they needed. She wanted to donate to the Indiana Mothers Milk Bank in Indianapolis. But freezing and shipping milk can be costly. Then, a donor station opened near her home.
Milk donations in the United States work like this: Donors must be willing to provide almost three liters of breast milk. They freeze the milk and take it to the station. There, employees warm the milk and mix it with other mothers’ milk. Then, the milk is heated to kill bacteria. After that, the technicians test samples of all the milk to make sure it is safe and healthful. The milk is re-frozen and sent to the main milk bank. The milk bank transports the milk to hospitals to feed premature or sick babies. Donors are tested for diseases before any milk is accepted. They are not permitted to smoke tobacco, use illegal drugs or drink too much alcohol.The purpose of setting up breast milk banks is to_____.
| A．store extra fresh milk for school children |
| B．provide milk to children who go hungry |
| C．help mothers donate milk to other babies |
| D．offer free breast milk to premature babies |
The breast milk is important for newborns because_____.
| A．it protects them from any possible disease |
| B．it contains rich nutrients that they need |
| C．it is the only food that babies can eat |
| D．it benefits them as the best medicine |
The underlined word “they” in the last paragraph refers to____.
| A．milk bank employees | B．milk bank doctors |
| C．milk bank nurses | D．breast milk donors |
Which of the following shows the process of milk donations in the USA?
a. The mixed breast milk is heated to kill bacteria.
b. Breast milk is donated by mothers, frozen by them and sent to the stations.
c. The breast milk samples are tested for safety reason.
d. Different donors’ breast milk is warmed and mixed together by the station.
e. The milk is frozen again and sent to the main milk bank.
| A．bdace | B．bcdea | C．badec | D．cbaed |
Microblogging is a broadcast medium in the form of blogging. A microblog differs from a traditional blog in that its content is typically much smaller, in both actual size and aggregate file size. Microblogs “allow users to exchange small elements of content such as short sentences, individual images, or video links”.
As with traditional blogging, microbloggers post about topics ranging from the simple, such as "what I'm doing right now," to the thematic(主题的), such as "sports cars.” Commercial microblogs also exist, to promote (促进) websites, services and/or products, and to promote collaboration within an organization.
Some microblogging services offer features such as privacy settings, which allow users to control who can read their microblogs, or other ways of publishing rights besides entering the web-based interface.(界面) These may include text messaging, instant messaging, E-mail, or digital audio.
The first microblogs were known as tumblelogs. The term was invented in a blog post on April 12, 2005. However, by 2006 and 2007, the term microblog came into greater usage for such services provided by Tumblr and Twitter. Other leading social networking websites Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, and XING also have their own microblogging features, better known as status updates.
Several studies, especially by Harvard Business School have tried to analyze the usage behavior of Microblogging services. Many of these studies show that for services such as Twitter, there is a small group of active users contributing to most of the activity.
Twitter, Facebook and other microblogging services are also becoming a platform for marketing and public relations, with a sharp growth in the number of social media marketers. The Sysomos study shows that this specific group of marketers on Twitter is much more active than general user population, with 15% following more than 2,000 people. Why is a microblog different from a traditional blog?
| A．Because a microblog doesn’t include pictures, but a traditional blog does. |
| B．Because a microblog doesn’t include videos, but a traditional blog does. |
| C．Because a microblog has smaller contents than a traditional blog in actual and total file size. |
| D．Because a microblog can only be written on the cell-phones. |
What is the meaning of the underlined word “collaboration” in the second paragraph?
| A．Competition. | B．Discussion. | C．Tradition. | D．Cooperation |
Microblogging can protect the following privacy EXCEPT_______.
| A．deciding the readers of the microblogs |
| B．allowing readers to publish their views |
| C．readers’ deleting what a microblog says |
| D．deciding whether readers can enter it |
We can infer from the passage that______.
| A．microbloggers always post about the thematic topics instead of the simple ones |
| B．microblogging has developed so quickly and brought the owners more and more benefits. |
| C．microblogging protects both the owners’ and the readers’ privacy |
| D．the studies by Harward Business School have analyzed the usage of microblogging services |
粤公网安备 44130202000953号