“A very disruptive(扰乱型的)six-year old child kicked my legs and clawed at my hand.” said one teacher. “I broke up a fight but was kicked,” said another. Many people have heard stories like this. But the situation is more worrying still and it involves(涉及) parents.
Every child, regardless of(不管) the surroundings into which they are born,has the right to achieve their potential. And we recognize that, as a nation,it is a long way to achieve this goal. But rights come with responsibilities and what worries people is that we are in danger of ignoring the latter.
Far too many children are behaving badly at school,even to the point of being violent to teachers. This is terrible enough,but it is hard to be surprised since many children are just mirroring the behavior of their parents. Too many are starting school unable to hold a knife and fork, unused to eating at a table,and unable to use the toilet properly.
We are in danger of becoming a nation of families living separate lives under one roof. The bedroom, once a place to sleep,has become the living space for the young. Spending hours in front of computer screens, on social networking sites or being addicted to computer games, children and young people spend little time with their parents. Parents are unable to monitor just what their children are watching.
Schools cannot right the wrongs of society and teachers cannot become substitute (代替)parents. Both parties need to work together. Parents must be helped and given confidence to take back control. They are responsible for setting limits to their children’s behavior and sticking to those limits when things get tough(困难). They are responsible for setting a good example to their children and for devoting that most precious of resources---time---so that children come to school ready and willing to learn.
In the opinion of the writer, what problem do people ignore?
A.The school violence. |
B.The pressure of students’ learning. |
C.The right to achieve students’ potential. |
D.the responsibilities of the students. |
The writer’s attitude to the behaviors of parents may be ________.
A.dissatisfied | B.unconcerned | C.understanding | D.tolerant(容忍的) |
The underlined part in Para 4 may means__________.
A.parents and children live in their separate rooms |
B.parents care little about children’s life at home |
C.children don’t live with their parents in the same room |
D.children spent little time with their parents at home |
From the last paragraph, we can infer that______.
A.schools can’t correct the wrongs that society does to teachers |
B.teachers have no responsibility for playing the role of parents |
C.parents should spend time with children making them ready to learn |
D.students are responsible for making themselves known in society |
If women are mercilessly exploited year after year, they have only themselves to blame. Because they tremble at the thought of being seen in public in clothes that are out of fashion, they are always taken advantage of by the designers and the big stores. Clothes which have been worn only a few times have to be put aside because of the change of fashion. When you come to think of it, only a woman is capable of standing in front of a wardrobe packed full of clothes and announcing sadly that she has nothing to wear.
Changing fashions are nothing more than the intentional creation of waste. Many women spend vast sums of money each year to replace clothes that have hardly been worn. Women who cannot afford to throw away clothing in this way, waste hours of their time altering the dresses they have. Skirts are lengthened or shortened; neck-lines are lowered or raised, and soon.
No one can claim that the fashion industry contributes anything really important to society. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with vital things like warmth, comfort and durability. They are only interested in outward appearance and they take advantage of the fact that women will put up with any amount of discomfort, as long as they look right. There can hardly be a man who hasn’t at some time in his life smiled at the sight of a woman shaking in a thin dress on a winter day, or delicately picking her way through deep snow in high-heeled shoes.
When comparing men and women in the matter of fashion, the conclusions to be drawn are obvious. Does the constantly changing fashion of women's clothes, one wonders, reflect basic qualities of instability? Men are too clever to let themselves be cheated by fashion designers. Do their unchanged styles of dress reflect basic qualities of stability and reliability? That is for you to decide.
The writer would be less critical if fashion designers placed more stress on the of clothing
___ .
A.comfort | B.appearance | C.cost | D.suitability |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A.Fashion designs should not be encouraged since they are only welcomed by women. |
B.The constant changes in women's clothing reflect their strength of character. |
C.The fashion industry makes an important contribution to society. |
D.New fashions in clothing are created for the commercial exploitation of women. |
By saying “the conclusions to be drawn are obvious”, the writer means that _____.
A.women’s inconstancy in their choice of clothing is often laughed at |
B.women are better able to put up with discomfort |
C.men are also exploited greatly by fashion designers |
D.men are more reasonable in the matter of fashion |
How often one hears children wishing they were grown up, and the old wishing they were young again! Each age has its pleasure and its pains, and the happiest person is the one who enjoys what each age gives him without wasting any time in useless regrets.
Children is a time when there are few duties to make life hard. If a child has good parents, he is fed, looked after, and loved whatever he may do. It’s impossible for him to be given so much again in his life without having to do anything in return. Besides, life is always giving new things to the child. A child finds pleasure in playing in the rain, or in the snow. His first visit to the seaside makes him wild. But a child has his pains; he is not so free to do as he wishes. He is continually being told not to do this, not to do that, or being punished for what he has done wrong. His life is therefore not perfectly happy.
When the young man starts to make his own living, he becomes free from the rules of school and parents; but at the time he is forced to accept duties. He can no longer expect others to pay for his food, his clothes and his room, but has to work for them if he wants to live comfortably. If he spends most of his time playing about in the way that he used to as a child, he will go hungry and suffer. And if he breaks the law of society as he used to break the laws of his parents, he may go to prison, lf, however, he works hard, keeps out of trouble, and has good health, he can have the great happiness of seeing himself make steady progress in his job and of building up his own position in society and enjoy success and good reputation..
Old age has always been thought of as the worst age to be, but it is not necessary for the old to be unhappy. Old age has its own happiness. They can have the joy of seeing their children making progress in life; they can watch their grandchildren growing up around them and, perhaps, best of all, they can, if their life has been a useful one, feel the happiness of having come through the battle of life safely and of having reached a time when they can lie back and rest, leaving others to continue the fight.
The main reason children wish they were grown up, and the old wish they were young again is that ______.
A.both aren’t satisfied with the weak points at their ages |
B.both enjoy the strong points at the other age by looking back or looking forward |
C.the human beings should be like this |
D.they don’t think both ages are acceptable |
“Enjoy what each age gives him without wasting time in useless regrets” means ______.
A.Enjoy what is given to him by people at his age, feeling regrets |
B.Enjoy himself at his own age, feeling regrets for a waste of time |
C.Make full use of the time he is given at his age instead of regretting having no achievements |
D.Enjoy his own age and look down on the people at other ages |
“Children is a time when there are few duties to make life hard” means “______”.
A.Children shouldn’t be made to live a hard life |
B.All the children won’t have to work for their own living |
C.Children shouldn’t answer for the hard life they are leading |
D.A child bas few duties to try hard to make a living for himself or for his seniors |
According to the passage, what is a child’s greatest dissatisfaction?
A.He thinks he has not got the equal freedom as his seniors. |
B.He thinks he knows less about things than the older do. |
C.He thinks it easy for him to do something wrong. |
D.He thinks the society doesn’t believe in him. |
Be honest. That’s all you have to do on Honesty Day. It would be great if we were all honest every day of the year. It’s good that there is a day to encourage honesty. M. Hirsh Goldberg started Honesty Day. He chose the last day of April because the first day is April Fool’s Day, which celebrate lies. On Honesty Day, anyone may ask you any question and you should give a true and honest answer. That means that you have knowledge of Honesty Day.
M. Hirsh Goldberg wrote a book on telling lies. He said in his book that almost all person lie about 200 times a day. In our daily life, a typical(典型的)life for a man is “I did not drink that much” and for a woman is “Nothing is wrong, I’m fine.” It is found that nurses are the most honest people, while sales people and politicians(政客)are the biggest liars.
Every Honesty Day, M. Hirsh Goldberg hands out prizes to honest people.
M. Hirsh Goldberg started Honesty Day to ______.
A.celebrate lies | B.encourage honesty |
C.ask questions | D.hand out prizes |
Which of the following is Honesty Day?
A.April 1st | B.April 10th |
C.April 20th | D.April 30th |
According to the passage, ______ are the most honest people.
A.nurses | B.sales people |
C.politicians | D.all men |
The underlined word “liars” probably means “______”.
A.获利者 | B.说谎者 |
C.影响着 | D.领导者 |
Do you know of anyone who uses the truth to deceive (欺骗)? When someone tells you something that is true, but leaves out important information that should be included, he can give you a false picture.
For example, some might say, “I just won a hundred dollars on the lottery (彩票). 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, maybe not. We then discover that he bought $200 worth of tickets, and only one was a winner. He’s really a big loser!
He didn’t say anything that was false, but he left out important information on purpose. That’s called a half-truth. Half-truths are not technically lies, but they are just as dishonest.
Some politicians often use this trick. 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(对手) says, “During Governor Smith’s term, the state lost one million jobs!” that’s true. However, and honest statement would have been, “During Governor Smith’s term, the state had a net gain of two million jobs.”
Advertisers(广告商) will sometimes use half-truths. It’s against the law to make false statements so they try to mislead you with the truth. An advertisement might say, “Nine out of ten doctors advised their patients to take Yucky Pills to cure toothache.” It fails to mention that they only asked ten doctors and nine of them work for the Yucky Company.
This kind of deception happens too of often. It’s a sad fact of life: Lies are lies, and sometimes the truth can lie as well.
How much did the lottery winner lose?
A.One hundred dollars. | B.Two hundred dollars. |
C.Three hundred dollars. | D.Four hundred dollars. |
We may infer that the author believes people should _______.
A.buy lottery tickets |
B.make use of half-truths |
C.not take anything at face value |
D.not trust the Yucky Company |
What do the underline words “net gain” in Paragraph 5 mean?
A.final increase | B.big advantage | C.large share | D.total saving |
What can we know from the example of the Yucky Pill advertisement?
A.False statements are easy to see through. |
B.Half-truths are often used to mislead people. |
C.Doctors like to act in advertisements. |
D.Advertisements are based on facts. |
Many people say pennies are not worth saving. After all, a penny is only worth a cent. But one unusual penny turned out to be worth a lot more when a coin collector paid $1.7 million for it earlier this month.
The coin is one of a kind. It is the only penny that the Denver mint(铸币厂) made out of copper, instead of steel, in 1943. Because it is unique, it is also very valuable. No penny has ever sold for so much money.
The Changing Penny
The Lincoln penny first appeared in 1909. For 34 years, the one-cent coin was made out of copper. Then, in 1943, the penny changed. World War II was going on, and copper was needed for equipment. So for one year, pennies were made out of steel instead. At least most of them were.
Only a few coins were made out of unused copper. There are three main mints, or places where coins are made, in the United States. Of the known copper pennies from 1943, twelve were made in the Philadephia mint, and five were made in the San Francisco mint. Only one was made in the Denver mint.
Nobody knows for sure why a copper penny was made at the Denver mint in 1943, coin dealers Andy Skrabalak told Time for Kids. “There is a rumor that a mint employee made the coin in the middle of the night.”
A Special Set
The coin collector who bought the $1.7 million penny wants to remain unknown. But the reason for the trade is known. He already had two copper pennies from 1943 – one from the San Francisco mint and one from the Philadephia mint. To complete the set, he needed the Denver penny. The three coins will go on display at a coin exhibition in Tampa, Florida.
The collector who sold the penny is also keeping his name a secret. It took four years to convince him to give up the rare coin. Now that he has finally donating all of the money to charity.
Why is the Lincoln penny worth over one million dollars?
A. Because it has a history of thirty-four years.
B. Because it was made out of a rare material.
C. Because it was made on one night of 1943 by the Denver mint.
D, Because it was the only coin Denver mint made out of copper in 1943.
Before the Lincoln penny was sold, people thought one-cent coins __________.
A.were worth collecting for selling later |
B.were surely valuable if not made out of steel |
C.wouldn’t be sold for large amounts of money |
D.were only useful for some coin museums |
At least how many copper coins were made in 1943?
A.Five | B.Twelve | C.Seventeen | D.Eighteen |
What can we learn about the collector who sold the penny?
A.He already had two copper pennies from 1943. |
B.He wanted to complete the set of copper pennies. |
C.He didn’t want to sell his penny in the beginning. |
D.He was a well-known coin dealer in Tampa, Horida. |
In the professional world, oral communication skills in the workplace, which is the art of using speech to convey information, thoughts and feeling to others, is important for the success of any organizations.
The 21st century has been considered to be an era of communication. The way we convey our thoughts is of great importance in building relationships. In the workplace, there are employees of diverse cultural and educational backgrounds. This makes team working on a difficult task, but with a clear understanding of the task to be achieved, all members work towards the same goal. Misunderstandings, conflicts and differences in opinions are easily managed when there is a clear flow of communication between team members.
With proper communication, a close relationship and trust build among the employees, therefore promoting excellent working conditions. An atmosphere of support and cooperation is promoted by properly conveying expectations of the management team to the employees and vice – versa (相反的情况). Therefore, developing oral communication skills is important to success in life ahead.
How to improve oral communication? In the business world, individuals are expected to be confident about their beliefs and ideas. Therefore, they must include words like “in my opinion”, “as far as I know”. While improving skills on oral communication, people in a workplace must learn the art of listening. In addition, one must also have a positive body language during conversations. A person with a smiling face and positive attitude can raise the spirits of everyone around him. When we’re talking to someone, we must give the other person an opportunity to talk as it improves our listening ability.
Communication is an art and it can be improved by working on it constantly. Since it is not an overnight work, one needs to learn it by observing people who are good at it.
Title |
Oral communication skills in the workplace |
_______ |
The art of using speech to convey information, thoughts and feelings to others. |
Importance |
●The way we convey our thoughts plays a major ____in building relationships. ●Understanding the task __makes employees work towards the same goal. ●A clear flow of communication can easily ______ the misunderstandings, conflicts and differences in opinions. ●Good relationships and trust among the employees built with proper communication can _______ excellent working conditions. ●Conveying expectations can promote support and cooperation. |
______ to improving oral communication |
●Use words like “in my opinion” to show your ____ about your beliefs and ideas. ●Learn to be a good _______ in the workplace. ●Avoid using a_______ body language during conversations ●Smile and be positive to delight the people around you. ●Give the other person a chance to talk in a conversation. |
Conclusion |
Communication can be improved with______effort and we should learn from those who are good at it. |
China has become Volvo's third largest market, with more of its car models to go on sale in the world's largest auto(汽车) market this year, Chief Executive Office (CEO) of Volvo Cars China said in Tianjin.
Alexander Klose, CEO of Volvo Cars China, told Xinhua at the Ninth Tianjin International Automobile Trade Show, being held from Friday to Wednesday.
Klose said Volvo Cars had entered a new time of fast development, adding that its sales volume in China roared in 2010.
Up to the end of September, Volvo's global sales volume was up 12.5 percent year on year(同年比), compared with 52 percent year-on-year rise in China, he said.
Two new Volvo sales centers opened in Beijing within merely one week in early October, about two months after east China's ZhejiangGeely Holding Group Co acquired(购得)the Swedish brand from the US auto giant Ford for $1.5 billion in early August.
Klose said he was confident of seeing tremendous(巨大的) growth in China's auto market in the next five years. "As the Chinese government has increased the tax rate for large displacement (排量)cars already, we now have a lot of cars below three liters(升), and I think we'll stick to that strategy, as you can see now the XC60 which was introduced today is just two liters," he said.
"As the technology advances, we'll probably even see 1.6 liter engines or 1.5 liter engines in the future," he added.
Volvo Cars is not the only automaker hoping to take advantage of China's rapidly growing auto market.
Bentley, the famous British luxury(豪华) carmaker, will open a new sales center in China at Tianjin Thursday, which is the 11th one in China, according to a press release(新闻发布) by Shanghai-based Zenith Integrated Communications Corp (Zenith) Saturday at the auto show.
Zenth is the public relations agent of Bentley in China. The automaker has sold 421 limousines(大型豪华轿车) to China in 2009, and the goal for 2010 is 777, the release said.
The word underlined in the third paragraph would probably be___.
A.shouted loudly | B.increased in large numbers |
C.reduced rapidly | D.burned brightly |
From this passage we can infer that ___.
A.The Ninth Tianjin International Automobile Trade Show was held from Friday to Wednesday. |
B.Volvo Cars is a world-famous carmaker in Britain. |
C.Of all the auto sales volume Volvo sales volume is only number one in China |
D.Volvo sales centers are developing very fast in China recently |
The text is mainly about____.
A.China Becomes Volvo's 3rd largest market |
B.Volvo Cars in China |
C.Volvo Sales Volume in China |
D.Carmakers in China |
How many carmakers are mentioned in this passage which opened and will open new sales centers in China recently?
A.One | B.Two | C.Three | D.Four |
Do you know soon eleven biggest food and drink companies of the nations will adopt new rules to limit advertising to children under the age of 12, a move that restricts ads for products such as McDonald’s Happy Meals and the use of popular cartoon characters.
The companies announced their new rules ahead of a Federal Trade Commission hearing on Wednesday that steps up pressure on the companies to help solve the growing child obesity problem through more responsible marketing. The self-given rules include promises by seven companies who will no longer use licensed characters, such as those made popular through movies or TV shows, to advertise online or in print media unless they’re promoting their healthier products. Four other companies said they do not advertise at all to children under 12.
“I think this is a very good step forward. It’s not the end of the journey but it’s a good way down the road,” said Margo Wootan, Nutrition Policy Director at the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest.
Since the FTC first publicly raised the issue in 2005, many of the companies have started selling products with better nutrition in mind. The companies hope their self-regulation efforts — organized through the Council of Better Business Bureaus — will fend off any new and more strict federal regulation.
Parents are happy to see new rules that restrict the use of cartoon characters such as Shrek, Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob SquarePants. “It catches their eyes when you’re shopping,” said Josephine Thomas, a mother of three boys who lives in Manhattan. “As soon as they see a Shrek or Mickey Mouse, they automatically look at that and they don’t see what they really need. That’s one of the biggest problems when you go shopping.” That’s one reason the food companies have said they will now only use licensed characters to advertise their “better for you” products.
The reason why the food and drink companies will take action is that they want to___________
A.promote sales across the country |
B.limit advertising to children under the age of 12 |
C.meet increasing demands from kids |
D.adapt to the new federal regulations |
What can we learn from the text that the seven companies ____.
A.may still use cartoon characters in advertising |
B.are going to stop advertising to children under 12 |
C.Would like to continue the cooperation with entertainment media |
D.will make food and drink specially for fat kids |
What of the following can best describe the underlined words “fend off”?
A.prevent ... from happening | B.draw up or work out |
C.pay attention to | D.give a warm welcome to |
What does Josephine Thomas advise in the last paragraph?
A.kids spend too much on unhealthy food |
B.parents are strict about their kids’ food choice |
C.“better for you” products are popular with kids |
D.ads with cartoon characters mislead kids |
TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010
Frequently Asked Questions
What is TEENSGIVING?
TEENSGIVING is an exciting yearly event where hundreds of New York City teens gather together annually for a remarkable day of community service. This year, TEENSGIVING in SRING 2010 participants will once again better New York City and impact thousands of lives!
When is TEENSGIVING in SPRING2010?
SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 2010
Where is TEENSGIVING?
All over New York City. Everyone will meet at the 92nd Street Y (92nd and Lexington) at 9:00 AM for the event kick-off. Then, all TEENSGIVING volunteers will disperse across the city to work with our partnering agencies where they will make a HUGE difference and have fun!
Who participates in TEENSGIVING?
Hundreds of teenagers from around the city. Teens come from the 92nd Street Y, various city schools, youth groups, and organizations in the area. In addition, many adult volunteers (aged 21 and older) will donate their time to TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010.
What projects do participants do at the agencies?
Sample projects include painting park benches, planting gardens, visiting and playing with underprivileged children, assembling craft kits for children in hospitals, assisting at animal shelters, working at soup kitchens, delivering meals and celebrating with families at homeless shelters.
Do I get anything for participating in TEENSGIVING?
Yes! Everybody benefits! Teen volunteers will receive *6 hours* of community service credit, good towards honor society, high school graduation and college application requirements. Adult volunteers will be “thanked” with a light breakfast, a gift certificate for their troubles, and the satisfaction of helping our city’s youth contribute to their community. In addition, all teen and adult volunteers will receive a cool TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010 T-shirt.
This sounds awesome! How do I register for TEENSGIVING in SPRING2010? Interested teens and/or adults should e-mail the TEENSGIVING Coordinator Josh Hyman at jhyman@92Y.org(subjet:TEENSGIVING) to receive more information and to register for this fantastic event!
**Teens can also contact their school’s Community Service Advisor**
TEENSGIVING is sponsored by the 92nd Street Y.
TEENSGIVING is an event which is held ______.
A.fromtimetotime | B.onceeveryyear |
C.everytwoyears | D.twiceayear |
Teenagers may do all the following in the event EXCEPT ____
A.wateringflowers |
B.cooking |
C.cleaningstreets |
D.takingcareofanimals |
An adult volunteer may get ____ for his time devoted to TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010.
A.communityservicecreditandaT-shirt |
B.ahighschoolcertificateandalightbreakfast |
C.aT-shirtandagiftcertificate |
D.agiftcertificateandcommunityservicecredit |
The writer’s purpose in writing this passage is to _______.
A.informreadersofsomefrequentlyaskedquestions |
B.introduceTEENSGIVINGinSPRING2010toreaders |
C.encouragereaderstoaskmorequestionsaboutTEENSGIVING |
D.callonreaderstoparticipateinTEENSGIVINGinSPRING2010 |
The first part of a new science-fiction series (系列剧)was shown on NBC last night. Star Trek is about a spacecraft(宇宙飞船)which travels faster than the speed of light. The show is developed from three ideas about the 22nd century. First, we’ll find other life forms great tools which will make amazing things possible.
Let’s think about these predictions. If we find life forms on other planets, will they be intelligent? I hope so. But we human beings might not be friendly – I don’t think we’ll believe in the idea of peace one hundred years from now. But this is science fiction, so we can be optimistic! And Star Trek’s idea of life in the future is ‘communicators’. And we will be ablt to have conversatins with people who are on because you’ll have an electronic notebook. And if you get ill, the doctor won’t have to examine you – a machine will ‘read’ your body. The strangest manchine includes a ‘teleport’ which will take people to a different placein a second!
The ideas are interesting, and in my opinion there’s only one problem with star trek: the acting. The TV company (公司)will have to get better actors. If they do that, the show might be a success. If the acting doesn’t improve, Star Trek won’t last for more than one series. Of course, my prediction may be wrong. I can’t see into the future!
What is Star Trek?
A.A TV play. | B.A popular song. |
C.A spacecraft. | D.An alien. |
What does the underlined word “optimistic” mean?
A.Lucky and happy. | B.Hopeful and confident. |
C.Helpful and creative. | D.Thankful and popular. |
What’s the writer’s opinion about Star Trek?
A.The life forms on other planets are stupid. |
B.Interesting ideas make a new series popular. |
C.The new series might not be successful without better actors. |
D.Our life in the future might be different with the help of aliens. |
Which would be the best title for the passage?
A.Aliens on Other Planets. | B.The Idea of Human Life. |
C.A Science Fiction. | D.A New Series about Future. |
Violent winds swept the ocean, and waves thundered to shore, shaking the lookout tower at Pea Island Rescue Station. Surfman Theodore Meekins was on watch that evening of 11 October 1896. A hurricane had struck the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and the tide was so strong that beach patrols(巡逻)had been canceled. Still, Meekins paid close attention to the horizon. This was the type of weather that could blow ships hundreds of miles off course.
Offshore, the ship E.S. Newman was caught in the storm. The captain, whose wife and child were on the ship, feared the Newman would soon break up. He made the decision to beach his ship, then fired a signal, praying that someone onshore would see it.
Meekins, whose eyes were trained to cut through rain and surf mists, thought he saw the signal, but so much spray (水雾) covered the lookout windows that he could hardly make sure. Still, he took no chances. After summoning (召集) the station keeper, Captain Richard Etheridge, Meekins set off a coston signal, a signal made by using lamps of different colors. Together, the two men searched the darkness for a reply. A few moments later, they saw a flash of light to the south and knew a shop was in distress (遇险). Even before the return signal burned out, Etheridge had summoned his men and begun rescue operations.
For the lifesavers, the rescue of the Newman was nothing unusual. Over the years, so many ships had foundered off the Outer Banks that sailors called the region the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Noting the dangerous surf and wind conditions, Captain Etheridge quickly decided the surf boats would be impossible to control. Instead, he decided to use another way to help the survivors.
The crew set off on the long journey down the beach to the scene of the wreck (海滩). Captain Etheridge hoped to fire a line from a gun to the ship’s mast (船桅). After the ship’s crew dragged the line onboard, the surfmen would fire a second line and carry survivors safely to shore.
The surfmen crossed three miles of sand to reach the ship Newman. The water was freezing, and the men often sank up to their knees in sand. Captain Etheridge noted in his diary that “the voice of gladdened hearts greeted the arrival of the station crew,” but that “it seemed impossible for them to do anything under such circumstances. The work was often stopped by the sweeping current.”
Even when the rescue equipment proved useless, Etheridge refused to give up. Choosing two of his strongest surfmen, he tied rope lines around their waists and sent them into the water. The two men, holding a line from shore, walked with huge effort as far as they could before diving through the waves. Nearly worn out while swimming against the tide, they finally made it to the shore.
The first to be rescued were the captain’s wife and child. With the two passengers tied to their backs, the surfmen fought their way back to shore. Taking turns, Etheridge and his crew made ten trips to the Newman, saving every person onboard. It was 1:00 a.m. when the crew and survivors finally made it back to the station.
That night, as the exhausted survivors lay sleeping and his lifesaving crew rested, Captain Etheridge picked up his pen, and in the light of an oil lantern, wrote with satisfaction that all the people onboard had been saved and were “sheltered in this station”—words he would remember for many years to come.
The beach patrols were canceled because ________.
A.Meekins paid enough attention to the horizon |
B.there was too much spray on the windows |
C.the winds and tide were too strong |
D.there was no ship near the station |
The underlined word “foundered” in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to “___________”.
A.stopped | B.sank | C.sailed | D.arrived |
What was the author’s main purpose in writing the passage?
A.To warn sailors of the dangers of hurricanes. |
B.To create a story describing a rescue at sea. |
C.To inform people about Richard Etheridge. |
D.To record the details about the Newman. |
What is the main idea of the passage?
A.The newman was very dangerous before Richard Etheridge and his team members saw the signal. |
B.A terrible hurricane took place off the coast of North Carolina and threatened the lives of many sailors. |
C.At no other time in American history have so many shipwrecked passengers survived such a violent storm. |
D.All the passengers of a shipwreck were rescued because of heroic the efforts of a special leader and his crew. |
If you exhibit positive characteristics such as honesty and helpfulness, the chances are that you will be thought as a good-looking person, for a new study has found that the perception (认知) of physical attractiveness is influenced by a person's personality.
The study, which was led by Gary W.Lewandowski, has found that people who exhibit negative characteristics, such as unfairness and rudeness, appear to be less physically attractive to observers.In the study, the participants viewed photographs of opposite-sex individuals and rated them for attractiveness before and after being provided with information about their personalities.
After personality information was received, participants also rated the probability of each individual' s becoming a friend and a dating partner.Information on personality was found to significantly change the probability, showing that cognitive (认知的) processes modify (修改) judgments of attractiveness.
"Thinking a person as having a desirable personality makes the person more suitable in general as a close relationship partner of any kind," said Lewandowski.
The findings show that a positive personality leads to greater expectation of becoming friends, which leads to greater expectation of becoming romantic partners and, finally, to being viewed as more physically attractive.The findings remained consistent regardless of how "attractive" the individual was formerly thought to be or of the participants' current relationship status.
"This research provides a positive outcome by reminding people that personality goes a long way toward determining your attractiveness; it can even change people's impressions of how good-looking you are," said Lewandowski.
In the study the participants were required to _____.
A.try to make friends with each other |
B.try to prove positive characters make people more attractive |
C.exhibit negative characters such as unfairness and rudeness |
D.rate one's attractiveness by photos before and after knowing her or his personality |
What's the CORRECT order of how cognitive processes modify judgments of attractiveness?
a.find a person with a positive personality
b.view the person more physically attractive
c.want to make friends with the person
d.want to be his/ her romantic partner
A.a→c→d→b | B.d→c→b→a | C.c→b→a→d | D.a→d→c→b |
Which of the following is WRONG according to the passage?
A.The research reminds people to pay more attention to the personality. |
B.Personality can change people's impressions of one's appearance. |
C.The judgment of one's attractiveness always stays unchanged. |
D.Positive personality may lead to more friends. |
The passage is written in a(n) _____ tone.
A.subjective | B.objective | C.sceptical | D.negative |
Who are the intended readers of this passage?
A.People with positive characteristics. |
B.Good-looking people. |
C.People with negative characteristics. |
D.General people. |
Paparazzi, or "paps", are photographers who take pictures of famous people when they are not at the center of public attention. Paps are different from professional photographers or journalists because they never take ordinary photos.
The goal for paparazzi is to get pictures that no one else will get and then sell the pictures to the buyer who offers the most money —normally a small newspaper, magazine or website.
There is no law against paparazzi taking pictures in public places. However, there are laws that protect certain individuals. For example, child protection laws stop improper (不合适的) pictures of anyone under 16 from being published.
There is also no law that stops paparazzi from following celebrities (名人) and taking their pictures either. However, if paps are secretly following them and taking pictures of their faces, they could get into trouble.
Most paparazzi hang out on streets and hot spots for celebrities, waiting for the opportunity to take a picture of a star. Many stay on the streets until the early hours of the morning when celebrities are leaving nightclubs and looking a little worse for wear. However, some have other ways to make sure they get pictures. Many paps are in contact with "informers" who know the locations of celebrities at any given time. They then pass the information on to paparazzi. An informer could be anyone —from a restaurant waiter to a salesman.
Most of the time, paparazzi get a bad reputation for following celebrities. But sometimes stars or their managers will contact paps themselves and tell them exactly where and when they will go.
What a love-hate relationship between paparazzi and celebrities!
Which of the following things paparazzi might do would be against the law?
A.Taking pictures of famous people in public places. |
B.Getting unsuitable pictures of a 10-year-old actress published. |
C.Following a famous woman singer secretly and taking her pictures. |
D.Hanging out at the places where celebrities often appear. |
In order to earn big money a pap has to ________.
A.get the only first-hand pictures |
B.sell the pictures to a big newspaper |
C.make friends with famous people |
D.know the locations of celebrities |
The fifth paragraph mainly tells us ________.
A.how paparazzi get the pictures |
B.how dangerous paparazzi’s job is |
C.how much paparazzi pay for the pictures |
D.how paparazzi contact informers |
What can we infer from the passage?
A.Paparazzi always take pictures when famous people are tired. |
B.Stars hate paparazzi and don’t want to be followed. |
C.Paparazzi and famous people rely on each other sometimes. |
D.Informers might get paparazzi into trouble. |
Mom and Dad are two of the most important people in your life. You probably see at least one of them every day. If your dad worships(崇拜) the Pittsburgh Stealers, you are likely to grow up being a big fun of that football team. And if your mom loves to read you just might grow up carrying everywhere you go, just like she does.
Here are four ways you can stay close and build a strong relationship with your parents.
1. Spent time together. How much time do you spend just enjoying each other’s company? Instead of playing a computer game or watching TV, maybe you can ask your mom and dad to play with you. Go outside together, try a board game, or read a book out.
2. Share your feelings and ask for help. Your mom or dad may not know that you are having a problem. Tell a parent if you are sad or struggling with something.
3. Show your care. Some families are always kissing, hugging, and saying “I love you”. It’s important to show that you care for each other. In addition to kisses and hugs, kids and parents show their love by respecting each other, being caring, polite, and thoughtful.
4. Whatever you do, do your best! You don’t have to be perfect, but when you do your best, you make your parents proud. It makes them happy to see how you are turning into such a great kid. Why? Because it lets them know they’re doing a good job.
The first paragraph mainly tells us___________.
A.the Pittsburgh Stealers is a famous football team |
B.the kid will like reading if his or her mother likes |
C.parents influence(影响) their kids greatly. |
D.we should follow our parents’ hobbies. |
In the third paragraph, the author suggests that ____________.
A.you keep your parents company all the time |
B.you stay at home with your parents |
C.you do something together with your parents. |
D.you enjoy games when your parents watch TV |
The underlined part “they’re doing a good job” means_____________.
A.they have very good jobs |
B.their jobs can bring the family much money |
C.they make you become a great kid |
D.they make you find a good job. |
The text intends to(旨在)tell us______________.
A.parents are important to everyone |
B.how we get along with our parents |
C.to respect our parents |
D.to share feelings with our parents |