Just 25 years ago, the top three career hopes for young people in Britain were teacher, banker and doctor. Now, they want to be sports stars, pop stars and actors, according to a survey by the Guardian newspaper.
Rachel, a character in the popular TV show Glee, may be said to speak for British teenagers. “Nowadays being nobody is worse than being poor.” He said.
Emma Brockes, a reporter with the Guardian, believes it is “the bad influence of celebrity(名人) culture” that is to blame.“When children wanted to be doctor, it wasn’t because they were really more interested in the functions of human organs than they are now; you go where the respect is.”She wrote.
It could explain why there has been such an increase in levels of anxiety and depression. Dr Carlo Stranger, of Tel Aviv University, studied the sense of self for his new book The Fear of Insignificance: Searching for Meaning in the 21st Century. He told the Daily Mail that young people now are “affected by the close connection to the global entertainment network, which has turned ranking and rating people according to wealth and celebrity into an obsession(痴迷).”
“As humans, we naturally measure ourselves to those around us, but now we live in a global village. We are comparing ourselves with the most ‘important’ people in the world and finding ourselves wanting…” he said. Today, even high achievers constantly fear that they are insignificant when they compare themselves to success stories in the media.
The way out? Simply stop measuring your achievement through a fantasy of wealth and celebrity. Dr Strenger said that it is a process called “active self-acceptance through a constant search for self-knowledge through life.”
“The fear of insignificance can only be overcome through strong individual and cultural identity over and above measurable achievement,” he said.Nowadays, young people in Britain want to _______.
| A．choose jobs based on interests |
| B．become famous |
| C．be teacher, banker and doctor |
| D．earn more money |
According to Emma Brockes, what causes the increasing level of anxiety?
| A．Choices of future careers. |
| B．Access to the global network. |
| C．Bad influences of celebrities. |
| D．Endless comparison with others. |
Which of the following is true of Dr Carlo Strenger?
| A．He is a newspaper reporter. |
| B．He is the spokesman of teenagers. |
| C．He tells success stories on TV. |
| D．He is against ranking people with wealth. |
Dr Carlo Strenger suggests that young people should _______.
| A．seek active self-acceptance |
| B．stick to their own dreams |
| C．make great achievements |
| D．search for the secret of wealth |
The text is mainly written to _______.
| A．talk about job choices |
| B．analyse a social phenomenon |
| C．encourage celebrity culture |
| D．introduce three famous people |
"I didn't hear them call my name," explained Shelley Hennig to Active Teens (AT) as she talked about that exciting moment on national television when she won the honor of Miss Teen USA 2004. "Are you ready?" is what she heard. Then she said, "I shook my head no, and then they said ‘yes’ and it was announced again."
It was four days after that life changing moment for the seventeen-year-old high school student from Destrehan, Louisiana----she was still on cloud nine．
"I was so shocked! I never believed that it could actually really happen." Present in the audience（观众）that day were: her mother and father, older brother, her friends, and her dance teacher.
Understanding why members of her family and her friends would be there, AT asked why her dance teacher had traveled so far to see her compete（比赛）．"She's always been my role model．I've danced with her since I was six. She's been through so many difficulties and came through them all. I've learned to get over bad life's experiences and learned how to move on because of her."
One of those bad life's experiences for Shelley happened three years ago when her brother Brad was killed in a drunk driving accident. He was 18. She found writing helped her get through the rough days. She said, "I write a lot about my brother. I write a lot, a lot, a lot...”
As Miss Louisiana Teen, she traveled around the state speaking to teens（青少年）about the dangers of drinking and driving. In her role as Miss Teen USA, Sheiley will continue to speak to youth about safe driving, in addition to many other things to help the youth.
When AT asked Miss Teen USA if she had any advice for our readers, she said, "Don't let anyone change you. Hang out with people that make you feel good about yourself. That way, it is easy to be yourself."What do the words “on cloud nine” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
| A．frightened | B．very happy | C．troubled | D．very angry |
Shelley takes her dance teachers as a role medel mainly because she is .
| A．strict | B．friendly | C．determined | D．experienced |
How many children did the Hennigs have according to the text?
| A．1. | B．2. | C．4. | D．3 |
What did Shelley often do after she became Miss Louisiana Teen?
| A．She visited drunken drivers. | B．She gave dance performance. |
| C．She helped other teens with their studies. | D．She made speeches on safe driving. |
What suggestion does Shelley give to the teens?
| A．Go easy on yourself and others. | B．Meet friends whenever possible. |
| C．Be yourself with the support of friends. | D．Have a good role model. |
"Everybody loves a bargain．" One person’s useless, ugly, or broken object can be another person's bargain．That is why so many Americans do not throw things away．They put them outside their houses．They put on a "For Sale" sign．And, as simple as that, they have a yard sale.
The sellers put a paid announcement in a local newspaper．It tells, when and where the yard sale will take place．These sales are very popular during weekends in spring, summer, and autumn．Early in the morning, all the things to be sold are carried out of the house．Then they sit all day in the sunlight—like tired guests at a party—waiting for someone to take them home．
Just about anything can be sold at a yard sale．Sometimes, there are more clothes than anything else．Cooking equipment is also popular．So are old toys, tools, books, tables and chairs．
Then there are objects called "white elephants"．A white elephant is something you think is extremely ugly or useless．It may be an electric light shaped like a fish．You feel a sharp pain whenever you look at it．To someone else, however, it might be a thing of beauty and joy．
Some people go to yard sales to find a special thing that they collect．It may be old toy trains, for example, or paintings of dogs．Experts say more Americans are collecting old things now than ever before．Most people who go to yard sales, however, are not looking for anything special．They might buy an object simply because it costs so little. They enjoy negotiating（谈判）over prices, even if they really do not need the object．Later, they may hold their own yard to sell all the things they have bought．What kind of things will go to a yard sale?
| A．Things people no longer use． | B．Things of great, value． |
| C．Things out of season． | D．Things of beauty and joy． |
A white elephant refers to something _____．
| A．that can cause a feeling of pain |
| B．disliked by the owners while appreciated by others |
| C．that looks like a golden fish |
| D．sold at the lowest prices in the old newspaper |
Which of the following is NOT true about a yard sale?
| A．It is held outdoors． | B．It may not be held on a cold day. |
| C．It can last for a whole day． | D．It is usually held with a party． |
Every American family has its own traditions on Thanksgiving Day, and mine is no difference. Once the national holiday arrives, my mom rises early to make the meal. She puts a turkey in the oven, chops carrots and bakes pies. I’m sorry to say that the men in the family – my dad, my younger brother and myself – rarely pitch in to help. Our job is to wash the mountain of dirty dishes after the meal is over.
Around 2 pm every Thanksgiving Day, family members seat themselves around the kitchen table. Plates of turkey, vegetables, salad, rolls and pies cover it. At this point, we can hardly keep ourselves from drooling (流口水) all over our fancy clothes, but it’s not yet time to eat.
First, we must bow our heads, close our eyes and say a prayer of thanks aloud to God for giving us everything we have. Under normal circumstances, I would have no problem making a list of things I am thankful for. I grew up in a loving family. My parents, who aren’t wealthy, took out loans to help me pay for university.
But, the funny thing is, every time I sit down for Thanksgiving dinner and try to say a prayer of thanks, my mind usually goes blank. I think it has something to do with my growling (咕咕叫) stomach and all of that food sitting right there under my nose.
Eventually, though, we all finish our short prayers and dig in. To be sure, the day includes other highlights – visiting with family and watching football. But usually around 6 pm we are all ourselves stuffed like turkeys and thankful to have a nice warm bed to sleep in. The purpose of the text is to ________.
| A．tell what the family do for Thanksgiving Day |
| B．tell how the family spends Thanksgiving Day |
| C．introduce foods served on Thanksgiving Day |
| D．introduce the American Thanksgiving Day |
On Thanksgiving Day the author’s family do the following except ________.
| A．watching a movie | B．making visits |
| C．having a big meal | D．watching football |
Why does the author’s mind usually “go blank” when saying a prayer of thanks?
| A．He is too thankful to say a word. | B．His mind is on the food before him. |
| C．He feels too excited to speak. | D．He is shy to speak in public. |
The underlined phrase “dig in” in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to “________”.
| A．chat with others | B．make a hole |
| C．mix things up | D．start eating |
The UK has a wellrespected higher education system and some of the top universities and research institutions in the world. But to those who are new to it all, sometimes it can be confusing．
October is usually the busiest month in the college calendar. Universities have something called Freshers’ Week for their newcomers. It’s a great opportunity to make new friends, join lots of clubs and settle into university life．
However, having just left the comfort of home and all your friends behind, the prospect（前景）of meeting lots of strangers in big halls can be nervewracking（令人头痛的）. Where do you start? Who should you make friends with? Which clubs should you join?
Luckily, there will be thousands of others in the same boat as you worrying about starting their university social life on the right foot. So just take it all in slowly. Don’t rush into anything that you’ll regret for the next three years.
Here is some top advice from past students on how to survive Freshers’ Week：
●Learn rules. Make sure you know British social etiquette（礼节）. Have a few wine glasses and snacks handy for your housemates and friends.
●Be kind. Sometimes cups of tea or even slices of toast can give you a head start in making friends.
●Be sociable. The more active you are, the more likely you’ll be to meet new people than if you’re someone who never leaves their room.
●Bring a doorstop. Keep your door open when you’re in and that sends positive messages to your neighbors that you’re friendly.
So with a bit of clever planning and effort, Freshers’ Week can give you a great start to your university life and soon you’ll be passing on your experience to next year’s new recruits．Which of the following statements is FALSE according to the passage？
| A．October is generally the busiest month for universities． |
| B．It’s a good idea to have a doorstop. |
| C．A bit of planning can make Freshers’ Week easier. |
| D．The first week of your every year at university is called Freshers’ Week． |
The underlined word "recruits" in the last paragraph refers to__________．
| A．courses | B．freshers | C．neighbors | D．challenges |
We can infer from the 4th paragraph that ．
| A．the newcomers usually miss the days living at home |
| B．most of the students in the UK spend three years in universities |
| C．many freshers are worried about how to fit university life |
| D．all the new students will make new friends and join certain clubs |
Why does the author suggest having wine glasses and snacks handy？
| A．To pass the busy university life． |
| B．To help make friends with other freshers． |
| C．To show yourself a drinker as others． |
| D．To pass the time in a happy way． |
It's 10:30 pm, and 11-year-old Brandon Blanco is sound asleep at home. Suddenly, a loud noise wakes him up. Naturally, Brandon reaches for his cell phone. The message becomes clear: "R U awake?"
Brandon' s use of technology doesn' t stop there. He also has a computer, a TV and three video-game consoles (控制台 ) in his room. With so many choices, it' s no surprise that when he isn' t at school, he spends nearly every waking minute using one or more of these devices
Brandon is hardly alone. According to a recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, kids aged 8 to18 are spending more time than ever before using electronic devices. How much time? More than seven and a half hours a day on average, the study found.
The jump is the result of a huge explosion in mobile devices, says Victoria Rideout, the lead author of the study. Today, nearly seven out of ten kids have cell phones. Just five years ago, it was four out of ten.
Often, kids multitask, or use more than one device at a time. " If you’ve got a chance to do something on your computer and take a phone call and have the TV on in the background, why not?" media expert Cheryl Olson says.
Most experts agree technology has much to offer kids. But some worry the kids could be missing out on other activities like playing outside or hanging out with friends. " It' s a matter of balance," says Olson." You’ve got to work on it. "
Multitasking while doing homework is another concern. Some kids listen to music, watch TV or use the phone while doing their homework. "It' s important to make sure that you can stop and concentrate on one thing deeply, " says Rideout.
With new and exciting devices hitting stores every year, keeping technology use in check is more important than ever. " Kids should try," adds Rideout. " But parents might have to step in sometimes. "Why do children spend more time in using electronic devices?
| A．Because more electronic devices are available to them. |
| B．Because electronic devices are more exciting than before. |
| C．Because they have less other activities. |
| D．Because they have less homework to do. |
It is known from the passage that ____.
| A．Brandon Blanco feels very annoyed about his late-night text |
| B．the teenagers using mobile devices have increased by 30% in the past five years |
| C．Cheryl Olson is not surprised about kids' increasing use of mobile devices |
| D．most experts think teenagers should not use electronic devices for their studies |
Which of the following is an example of multitasking according to the passage?
| A．Watching TV while using the computer. |
| B．Talking on the phone while staying with others. |
| C．Playing video games on the Internet. |
| D．Listening to music while relaxing. |
According to the passage, Victoria Rideout would probably agree that ____.
| A．kids should do homework while surfing the Internet |
| B．kids should do homework in a place without disturbance |
| C．kids should spend more time on homework |
| D．kids should have more homework than before |
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