Top lists are lecturing people on everything from"100 books to read ".Aren't you just tired of being told what to do with your time?
Now you have a list to end all lists!
Take a look at the following two examples from the list of "101 things not to do":
Swim with Dolphins（海豚）?
Swimming with dolphins is one of the world’s most profitable tourist activities.However, every dolphin will welcome having their busy, tiring day interrupted by tourists screaming pushing around them in the water.Worse yet, when dolphins get too near to the boats loaded tourists, they could get caught up in ropes and killed by propellers(螺旋桨).
Here’s a little secret.Dolphins look like smiling at you, but actually they’re just opening mouths.
Go to See the Mona Lisa?
There must be something about the mysterious(神秘的) smile.The 6 million people who visit the lady in the Louvre every year can’t all be wrong after all.But they can be quite annoying standing in front of you, holding up their cameras to prevent you from seeing anything.In fact, it is hard for you to see the painting clearly because you have to stay away from it for security reasons.After queuing for hours, many tourists can remain in front of the painting only for 15 seconds most.
If the mysterious lady in the picture knew her fate, she wouldn’t just be smiling, she laughing.
So, still long to see the Mona Lisa? If you want to find out more about the list, read 101 Tings NOT to Do Before You Die.Visit www.not2dobeforeidie.co.uk and buy the book at a 20% discount.According to the passage, swimming with dolphins________.
| A．is the world’s most popular tourist activity |
| B．gives fun to both tourists and dolphins |
| C．will make tourists busy and tired |
| D．can cause danger to dolphins |
what does the author think about going to see the Mona Lisa?
| A．It is wrong to go and see the mysterious smile. |
| B．It is not as satisfying as expected. |
| C．Fifteen seconds in front of the painting is enough. |
| D．Queuing for hours is worthwhile. |
The list of “101 things not to do” is made most probably because its author_______.
| A．thinks it boring to do the things suggested by other lists |
| B．believes other lists are not humorous enough |
| C．intends to persuade people to read more lists |
| D．wants to provide a list different from other lists |
What is the main purpose of the passage?
| A．To advertise a book |
| B．To introduce a website |
| C．To comment on popular lists |
| D．To recommend tourist activities. |
We live in a technological society where most goods are mass-produced by unskilled labor. Because of this, most people think that craft no longer exists.
One of the ways these people wrongly support their view is by pointing to 100-year-old homes which are still solid, and arguing that it is the craftsmanship that is responsible for their durability, “Homes in those days were well-built.” they say. No doubt these homes were well-built, but what these people have done is mix up the quality of material used in the house with the quality of the craftsmanship.
Homes today could be built to last just as long as those old homes if people were willing or able to pay the price. For example, most people can no longer afford solid oak stairways, although they were once fairly common in older homes. Nor can they afford the high labor cost of employing a carpenter to build the stairway. Yet if someone can pay the high cost, there are still plenty of carpenters around able to make those stairway. And not only would these carpenters know how to build them, they would probably do a better job than carpenters of old.
One thing the modern carpenter has which enables him to do a better job is much more advanced tools. Such tools as laser beams and power planes help them lay out a house better and make more precision cuts on the wood. Also, it is not uncommon any more to find carpenters with college degrees and carpenters with a sold knowledge of mathematics, which would enable them to deal with more difficult house designs.
The problem of modern quality, then, really boils down to the problem of material, for the modern carpenter is just as able to produce craftsmanship as the carpenter of fifty yeas ago, but only if given proper material.Compared with the carpenters in the past, modern carpenters are ________ .
| A．more learned | B．more successful |
| C．more imaginative | D．more hardworking |
What does the underlined word “they” (paragraph 2) refer to?
| A．Carpenters who are fond of oak stairways. |
| B．People who think highly of carpenters of old. |
| C．Carpenters who have college degrees. |
| D．People who think that modern material is of low quality. |
What dose the third paragraph mainly discuss?
| A．People in the past preferred to use oak to build stairways. |
| B．It is now expensive to employ a carpenter. |
| C．Good carpenters still exist in modern times. |
| D．Modern houses last as long as the old ones. |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Carpenters Today and Yesterday |
| B．Craft, Back to Life? |
| C．History of Craftsmanship |
| D．Is Craft Dead? |
Be aware of those who use the truth to deceive. When someone tells you something that is true, but leaves out important information that should be included, he can create a false impression. For example, someone might say, “I just won a hundred dollars on the lottery. It was great. I took that dollar ticket back to the store and turned it in for one hundred dollars!” This guy’s a winner, right? Maybe, or maybe not. We then discover that he bought two hundred tickets, and only one was winner. He’s really a big loser! He didn’t say anything that was false, but he omitted important information on purpose. That’s called a half-truth. Half-truths are not technically lies, but they are just as dishonest.
Untrustworthy candidates in political campaigns often use this tactic. Let’s say that during Governor Smith’s last term, her state lost one million jobs and gained three million jobs. Then she seeks another term. One of her opponents runs an advertisement, saying “During Governor Smith’s term, the state lost one million jobs!” That’s true. However an honest statement would have been, “During Governor Smith’s term, the state had a net gain of two million jobs.”
Advertisers will sometimes use half-truths. It’s against the law to make false claims so they try to mislead you with the truth. An advertisement might boast, “Nine out of ten doctors recommend Yucky Pills to cure nose pimples(粉刺).” It fails to mention that they only asked ten doctors and nine of them work for the Yucky Corporation.
This kind of deception happens too often. It’s a sad fact of life: Lies are lies, and sometimes the truth can lie as well.Which statement is true according to the article?
| A．Whenever people tell the truth, they may lie |
| B．The truth can be used in dishonest ways. |
| C．All governors help their states. |
| D．You cannot trust lottery agent. |
The author clearly wants people ___________.
| A．not to trust any politician |
| B．to vote for female candidates |
| C．not to believe advertisements of any kind |
| D．to think carefully about what they read and hear |
Governor Smith’s opponents wanted __________.
| A．to beat her in the campaign |
| B．to make her a liar |
| C．to get jobs in the government |
| D．to detect her lie |
The city of Rome has passed a new law to prevent cruelty to animals. All goldfish bowls are no longer allowed and dog owners must walk their dogs.
This comes after a national law was passed to give prison sentences to people who desert cats or dogs.
“The civilization of a city can be measured by this,” said Monica Carina, the councilor behind the new law.
The newspaper reported that round bowls don’t give enough oxygen for fish and may make them go blind.
“Rome has tried to protect fish more than anywhere else in the world. It stands out for recognizing that fish are interesting animals that deserve over respect and pity every bit as much as dogs and cats and other animals,” said Karin Robertson, a director of the People for the Ethical treatment of Animals.
Lat year a law was passed in Italy that gives people who desert pets big fines and prison sentences. Since then local governments have added their own animal protection rules.
The northern city of Turin passed a law in April to give pet owners fines of up to $598 if they do not walk their dogs three times a day.
The new law in Rome also says that owners mustn’t leave their dogs in hot cars or cut their dogs’ tail to make them look lovelier. The law also gives legal recognition to the “cat ladies” who feed homeless cats. The cats live all over the city from ancient ruins to modern office car parks.The new law passed in Rome will _________.
| A．guarantee better conditions for goldfish |
| B．help improve fishing environment |
| C．stop people from catching goldfish |
| D．discourage keeping goldfish at home |
People in Rome believe that the civilization of a city can be judged by _________.
| A．exchanges with other cities |
| B．Protection of ancient ruins |
| C．recognition of animal lovers |
| D．awareness of animal protection |
People may break the law in Turin if they _____________.
| A．keep their dogs or cats in cars |
| B．shut their dogs home all day long |
| C．raise their cats near ancient ruins |
| D．feed homeless animals in car parks |
In early autumn I applied for admission to college. I wanted to go nowhere but to Cornell University, but my mother fought strongly against it. When she saw me studying a photograph of my father on the sports ground of Cornell, she tore it up.
“You can't say it's not a great university, just because Papa went there.”
“That's not it at all. And it is a top university.” She was still holding the pieces in her hand. “ But we can't afford to send you to college.”
“I wouldn't dream of asking you for money. Do you want me to get a job to help support you and Papa? Things aren't that bad, are they？”
“No，” she said. “I don't expect you to help support us.”
Father borrowed money from his rich cousins to start a small jewellery shop. His chief customers were his old college friends. To get new customers, my mother had to help. She picked up a longforgotten membership in the local league of women, so that she could get to know more people. Whether those people would turn into customers was another question. I knew that my parents had to wait for quite a long time before their small investment (投资) could show returns. What's more, they had not wanted enough to be rich and successful; otherwise they could not possibly have managed their lives so badly.
I was torn between the desire to help them and change their lives, and the determination not to repeat their mistakes. I had a strong belief in my power to get what I wanted. After months of hard study I won a full college scholarship (奖学金). My father could hardly contain his pride in me, and my mother eventually gave in before my success.The author was not allowed to go to Cornell University mainly because______.
| A．his father graduated from the university |
| B．his mother did not think it a great university |
| C．his parents needed him to help support the family |
| D．his parents did not have enough money for him |
The father started his small shop with the money from ______.
| A．a local league | B．his university |
| C．his relatives | D．his college friends |
Why did the mother renew her membership in the league?
| A．To help with her husband's business. |
| B．To raise money for her son. |
| C．To meet her longforgotten friends. |
| D．To better manage her life. |
Most people know that Marie Curie was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize, and the first person to win it twice. However, few people know that she was also the mother of a Nobel Prize winner.
Born in September, 1897, Irene Curie was the first of the Curies' two daughters. Along with nine other children whose parents were also famous scholars, Irene studied in their own school, and her mother was one of the teachers. She finished her high school education at the College of Sévigné in Paris.
Irene entered the University of Paris in 1914 to prepare for a degree in mathematics and physics. When World War I began, Irene went to help her mother, who was using Xray facilities (设备) to help save the lives of wounded soldiers. Irene continued the work by developing Xray facilities in military hospitals in France and Belgium. Her services were recognized in the form of a Military Medal by the French government.
In 1918, Irene became her mother's assistant at the Curie Institute. In December 1924, Frederic Joliot joined the Institute, and Irene taught him the techniques required for his work. They soon fell in love and were married in 1926. Their daughter Helene was born in 1927 and their son Pierre five years later.
Like her mother, Irene combined family and career. Like her mother, Irene was awarded a Nobel Prize, along with her husband, in 1935. Unfortunately, also like her mother, she developed leukemia because of her work with radioactivity (辐射能). Irene JoliotCurie died from leukemia on March 17, 1956.Why was Irene Curie awarded a Military Medal?
| A．Because she received a degree in mathematics. |
| B．Because she contributed to saving the wounded. |
| C．Because she won the Nobel Prize with Frederic. |
| D．Because she worked as a helper to her mother. |
Where did Irene Curie meet her husband Frederic Joliot?
| A．At the Curie Institute. |
| B．At the University of Paris. |
| C．At a military hospital. |
| D．At the College of Sévigné. |
When was the second child of Irene Curie and Frederic Joliot born ?
| A．In 1932. | B．In 1927. |
| C．In 1897. | D．In 1926. |
In which of the following aspects was Irene Curie different from her mother?
| A．Irene worked with radioactivity. |
| B．Irene combined family and career. |
| C．Irene won the Nobel Prize once. |
| D．Irene died from leukemia. |
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