ItseemsthatGreatWallistheplace-优题课

Since my family were not going to be helpful about my taking a cooking job, I decided I would look for one all by myself and not to tell them about it till I’d got a permanent one.
I had seen an agency advertised in a local paper, so as soon as there was no one about to say “Where are you going?” I rushed out of the house in search of it. I was wildly excited, and as nervous as if I were going on the stage. Finding the place quite easily, I tore up three flights of stairs, and swung breathlessly through a door which said “Enter without knocking, if you please.”
The simple atmosphere of the office calmed me, and I sat down on the edge of a chair. The woman at the desk opposite looked carefully at me. Then she questioned me in a low voice. I answered softly and started to feel helpless. She wondered why I was looking for this sort of job, so I felt I had to give her the idea of a widowed mother struggling against poverty. But I felt more helpless when she told me that it would be difficult to get a job without experience or references. Suddenly, the telephone on her desk rang. While having a mysterious conversation, she kept looking at me. Then I heard her say:
“In fact, I’ve got someone here who might suit.” She wrote down a number, and my spirits rose as she held out the paper to me, saying: “Ring up this lady. She wants a cook immediately. Cook a dinner for ten people tomorrow. Could you manage that, I wonder?”
“Oh, yes,” say I—never having cooked for more than four. Then I rushed out and called the lady, Miss Cathy. I said confidently that I was just what she was looking for. “Are you sure?” she kept saying. Anyway she decided to employ me and a permanent position if I carried out the promise of my self-praise. I asked her what tomorrow’s menu was to be.
“Just a small, simple dinner: lobster cocktail, soup, turbot Mornay, fruit salad and a savory.” In a rather shaken voice I promised to turn up in good time tomorrow and rang off.
What did the author feel on her way?

A．Excited but worried.

B．Nervous and excited.

C．Easy and curious.

D．Helpless but excited.

Why didn’t the woman give the author the job at first?

A．Because the woman found that the author didn’t respect her.

B．Because the woman realized that the author made up a story.

C．Because the author hadn’t been a cook before or got a reference.

D．Because the woman had already hired a more suitable cook.

According to the passage, what would the author most probably do after the call?

A．Read some cookery book.

B．Call her family and tell them the news.

C．Go to the woman’s house.

D．Buy what the woman told her at once.

The small number of newborn babies, which has been caused by high prices and the changing social situation of women, is one of the most serious problems in Asia. When people talk about it, you can hear a word invented in Japan, “DINKS”, which means Double Income No Kids.
In many major Asian cities like Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo, the cost of a house is extremely high. A young couple who want to buy their own house may have to pay about $3000,000 (though prices have fallen). For a flat with one bedroom, one dining-room, a kitchen, and a bathroom, the couple will pay about $900 a month. What’s more, if they want to have a child, the child’s education is very expensive. For example, most kindergarten charges are at least $5,000 a year. In such a situation, it’s difficult to afford children.
The number of married women who want to continue working increases rapidly because they enjoy their jobs. However, if they want to have children, they immediately have serious problems. Though most companies allow women to leave their jobs for a short time to have a baby, they expect women with babies to give up their jobs. In short, if they want to bring up children properly, both parents have to work, but it is hard for mothers to work. Indeed, women who want to continue working have to choose between having children or keeping their jobs.
In a word, Asian governments must take steps to improve the present situation as soon as possible.
What is the main problem being discussed in the passage?

A．The small number of newborn babies.

B．The changing social situation of women.

C．The high prices of houses and education.

D．The necessary steps of Asian government.

According to the passage, which of the following is true?

A．It is easy for a couple to afford a child in Asia.

B．The prices of houses in Asia are quite low now.

C．Fewer and fewer married women want to have a job.

D．The word “DINKS” appeared in an Asian country.

To buy a flat and send a child to kindergarten, how much will a couple pay each year?

A．$5,000.	B．$5,900.
C．$10,800.	D．$15,800.

The writer seems to believe that Asian governments should ________.

A．let women stay at home and have a baby

B．allow only one of the parents to go out to work

C．care for the growing needs of women for jobs

D．punish the companies that permit women to leave

Are you sometimes a little tired and sleepy in the early afternoon? Many people feel this way after lunch. They may think that eating lunch is the cause of the sleepiness. Or, in summer, they may think it is the heat. However, the real reason lies inside their bodies. At that time – about eight hours after you wake up – your body temperature goes down. This is what makes you slow down and feel sleepy. Scientists have tested sleep habits in experiments where there was no night or day. The people in these experiments almost always followed a similar sleeping pattern. They slept for one long period and then for one short period about eight hours later.
In many parts of the world, people take naps(小睡) in the middle of the day. This is especially true in warmer climates(气候), where the heat makes work difficult in the early afternoon. Researchers are now saying that naps are good for everyone in any climate. A daily nap gives one a more rested body and mind and therefore is good for health in general. In countries where naps are traditional, people often suffer less from problems such as heart disease.
Many working people, unfortunately, have no time to take naps. Though doctors may advise taking naps, employers do not allow it! If you do have the chance, however, here are a few tips about making the most of your nap. Remember that the best time to take a nap is about eight hours after you get up. A short sleep too late in the day may only make you feel more tired and sleepy afterward. This can also happen if you sleep for too long. If you do not have enough time, try a short nap – even ten minutes of sleep can be helpful.
Why do people feel sleepy in the early afternoon according to the text?

A．They eat too much for lunch.

B．They sleep too little at night.

C．Their body temperature becomes lower.

D．The weather becomes a lot warmer.

If you get up at 6:30 am, what is the best time for you to take a nap?

A．About 12:30 pm.	B．About 1:30 pm.
C．About 2:30 pm	D．About 3:30 pm

What would be the best title for the text?

A．Just for a Rest

B．All for a Nap

C．A Special Sleep Pattern.

D．Taking Naps in Warmer Climate.

Photographs are everywhere. They decorate (装饰) the walls of homes and are used in stores for sales of different goods. The news is filled with pictures of fires, floods, and special events. Photos record the beauties of nature. They can also bring things close that are far away. Through photos, people can see wild animals, cities in foreign lands, and even the stars in outer space. Photos also tell stories.
Reporting the news through photos is called photojournalism. At times photojournalists tell their stories through a single picture. At other times, they use a group of pictures to tell a story. Each picture is like a chapter in a book, which can do more than record the facts. It can also be a strong force for social change.
Jacob Riis was among the first photojournalists. He took pictures of parts of New York City where the poor lived. Riis believed that poverty(贫穷) caused crime, and he used photos to help him prove his point. A few years later, the photos of small children working in factories by Lewis Hine shocked the public. Hine’s pictures helped bring about laws to protect such children.
Hundreds of pictures may have to be taken in order to get one or two really good photos. It takes science to have the photo come out clearly and art to make a photo that has a good design and expresses feeling. Photojournalists make an actual record of what they see. A photo, however, can be both a work of art and an actual record. It can record an important event as a beautiful or exciting picture.
As historical and artistic documents(文献) , photos can become more important over time. Today photojournalists still have their pictures appear in newspapers and magazines. They also publish(发表) them in books and on the Internet.
The underlined word “They” in the first paragraph refers to .

A．beauties

B．photos

C．goods

D．events

The photos of the small children by Hine show us that photos .

A．are also works of art

B．are popular ways of reporting news

C．often shock the public

D．can serve as a force for social change

What can we learn from the passage?

A．News with pictures is encouraging.

B．Photos help people improve.

C．News photos mean history in a sense.

D．People prefer reading news with pictures.

The text is mainly about .

A．telling the story through pictures

B．decorating the walls of homes

C．publishing historical papers

D．expressing feeling through pictures

Louis Armstrong had two famous nicknames (绰号). Some people called him Bagamo. They said his mouth looked like a large bag. Musicians often called him Pops, as a sign of respect for his influence on the world of music.
Born in 1901 in New Orleans, he grew up poor, but lived among great musicians. Jazz was invented in the city a few years before his birth. Armstrong often said, “Jazz and I grew up together.”
Armstrong showed a great talent for music when he was taught to play the cornet (短号) at a boy’s home. In his late teens, Armstrong began to live the life of a musician. He played in parades, clubs, and on the steamboats that traveled on the Mississippi River. At that time, New Orleans was famous for the new music of jazz and was home to many great musicians. Armstrong learned from the older musicians and soon became respected as their equal. In 1922 he went to Chicago. There, the tale of Louis Armstrong begins. From then until the end of his life, Armstrong was celebrated and loved wherever he went. Armstrong had no equal when it came to playing the American popular song.
His cornet playing had a deep humanity (仁爱) and warmth that caused many listeners to say, “Listening to Pops just makes you feel good all over.” He was the father of the jazz style and also one of the best-known and most admired people in the world. His death, on July 6, 1971, was headline news around the world.
Armstrong was called Pops because he .

A．looked like a musician

B．was a musician of much influence

C．showed an interest in music

D．traveled to play modern music

The third paragraph is developed .

A．by space	B．by examples
C．by time	D．by comparison

Which statement about Armstrong is true?

A．His tale begins in New Orleans.

B．He was born before jazz was invented.

C．His music was popular with his listeners.

D．He learned popular music at a boy’s home.

Which would be the best title for the text?

A．The Invention of the Jazz Music

B．The Father of the Jazz Style

C．The Making of a Musician

D．The Spread of Popular Music