Harriet Tubman lived a life filled with adventure.Tubman worked with the Underground Railroad. She helped many slaves reach freedom in the North. She was a scout(侦察员)in the Civil War. She also worked as a nurse during the war.
Life in the Old South was very hard for slaves. Most slaves lived in small houses.They had large families, and even the children had to work in the fields.Most slaves dreamed of getting to the north.They wanted to be free.
One day Harriet saw a slave trying to run away. Then she saw the keeper running after him with a whip.Harriet stood in the keeper's way.The keeper took a weight and threw it at the slave.He hit Harriet above her eyes.It almost killed her. The scar(伤疤)on Harriet's head was an emblem(向征)of her will to fight for what she believed in.
The Fugitive(逃亡)Slave Law made Harriet's job harder.The law said that slaves could be caught even in the North. Harriet began leading slaves all the way into Canada.There they were safe.The law couldn't hurt them there.
When Harriet came for her mother and father,they were very old.Harriet was afraid they might not be able to make the trip.She got a horse.She and a friend made a wagon.She helped her mother and father ride to freedom.The story mainly tells us about______.
| A．life of the slaves in the Old South |
| B．life of Harriet Tubman |
| C．Harriet Tubman's fight for freedom for the slaves |
| D．the Civil War |
According to the story,which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?______.
| A．Harriet Tubman used to work as a nurse during the Civil War. |
| B．The weight hit Harriet in the head and left a scar on her head. |
| C．Harriet led slaves to Canada where the law couldn't hurt them. |
| D．The Fugitive Slave Law protected running slaves in the North. |
The Fugitive Slave Law______.
| A．protected running slaves |
| B．set slaves free |
| C．offered good jobs for slaves |
| D．made Harriet's job more difficult |
We can infer from the story that the author______.
| A．was in favor of slavery |
| B．was supportive about Harriet's work |
| C．thought the Fugitive Slave Law was good |
| D．thought slaves were treated well in the North |
“The Boxtrolls”
From Laika Entertainment, the animation house behind “Coraline” and “ParaNorman” comes, “The Boxtrolls,” adapted from the children’s book “Here Be Monsters!” by Alan Snow. The movie, about a boy who is raised by unusual creatures, features the voices of Ben Kingsley, Simon Pegg and Elle Fanning. Opens Sept. 26. Area theatres.
“Awake and Sing!”
Olney presents the 1935 comic drama by Clifford Odets about a Brooklyn family struggling through the Great Depression. Step. 24 through Oct. 19. Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Rd., Olney. 301-924-3400.www.olneytheatre.org. $38.50-63.50.
Fiesta DC
Celebrate the city’s Latino culture with a parade, dance, music and more. Sept. 21. Parade: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Constitution Avenue from Seventh Street NW to 14th Street NW. Festival: Noon to 7 p.m. Pennsylvania Avenue, between Ninth and 14th streets NW. 202-489-7141.www.fiestadc. org.
“On Paper: Alternate Realities”
The 26 pieces by American artists, including Raymond Pettibon and lona Rozeal Brown, take inspiration from popular culture, using art to explore dark themes. Through April 12. Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr., Baltimore. 443-573-17000. www. artma. org.
“Untitled: The Art of James Castle”
A self-taught artist from rural Idaho, Castle used whatever was available-newspaper, coal, sticks-to create buildings, landscapes, people and more. Sept.26 through Feb.1. American Art Museum, Eighth and F streets NW. 202-633-1000. www. americanart. si. edu.
Neo-impressionism at the Phillips
“Neo-impressionism and the Dream of Realities: Painting, Poetry, Music” displays works by artists such as Georges Seurat, who presented stylized landscapes and people. Sept. 27 through Jan. 11. Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW. 202-387-2151. www. phillipscollection. org. $ 12; $ 10 for students and senitors; free for age 18 and younger.
“Driving Miss Daisy”
Ford’s Theatre starts its season with the Pulitzer Prize winner about the decades-long relationship between an aging woman and her black driver in Atlanta. Washington stage actors Nancy Robinette and Craig Wallace perform in this beloved classic. Sept. 26 through Oct. 26. Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th St. NW. 202-347-4833. www. fordstheatre. org. $20-$62.Which of the following may attract kids most?
| A．“The Boxtrolls.” |
| B．“Awake and Sing!” |
| C．“Driving Miss Daisy.” |
| D．“On Paper: Alternate Realities.” |
If you want to observe a cultural festival, you can go to ______.
| A．Area theatres on Sept. 26 |
| B．Ford’s Theatre on Sept. 26 |
| C．Constitution Avenue before 10 p.m. on Sept. 21 |
| D．Pennsylvania Avenue on the afternoon of Sept. 21 |
We can infer that the text is ________.
| A．a research report |
| B．a going out guide |
| C．a review of different arts |
| D．an introduction to famous works |
As you are probably aware, the latest job markets news isn’t good: Unemployment is still more than 9 percent, and new job growth has fallen close to zero. That’s bad for the economy, of course. And it may be especially discouraging if you happen to be looking for a job or hoping to change careers right now. But it actually shouldn’t matter to you nearly as much as you think. That’s because job growth numbers don’t matter to job hunters as much as job staff-turnover(人员流动)data. After all, existing jobs open up every day due to promotions, resignations(辞职), and retirements. (Yes, people are retiring even in this economy.)In both good times and bad, staff-turnover creates more openings than economic growth does. Even in June of 2014, when the economy was still booming along, job growth was only 132，000, while staff-turn over was 4.7 million!
And as it turns out, even today—with job growth near zero—over 4 million job hunters are being hired every month.
I don’t mean to imply that overall job growth doesn’t have an impact on one’s ability to land a job. It’s true that if total employment were higher. It would mean more jobs for all of us to choose from(and compete for). And it's true that there are currently more people applying for each available job opening, regardless of whether it’s a new one or not.
But what often distinguishes those who land jobs from those who don’t is their ability to stay motivated. They’re willing to do the hard work of identifying their valuable skills; be creative about where and how to look；learn how to present themselves to potential employers; and keep going, even after repeated rejections. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that 2.7 million people who wanted and were available for work hadn’t hunted for it within the last four weeks and were no longer even classified as unemployed.
So don’t let the headlines fool you into giving up．Four million people get hired every month in the U.S. You can be one of them.The author tends to believe that high unemployment rate____.
| A．takes job opportunities from people |
| B．prevents many people from changing careers |
| C．does not mean the U.S. economy is worsening |
| D．should not stop people from looking for a job |
What does the author say about overall job growth?
| A．It increases people’s confidence in the economy. |
| B．It doesn’t have much effect on individual job seekers. |
| C．It gives a ray of hope to the unemployed. |
| D．It doesn’t mean greater job security for the employed. |
What is the key to finding a job according to the author?
| A．Education | B．Intelligence |
| C．Experience | D．Persistence |
What do we learn about The Bureau of Labor Statistics unemployment data?
| A．They clearly indicate how healthy the economy is. |
| B．They don’t include those who have stopped looking for a job. |
| C．They provide the public with the latest information. |
| D．They warn of the structural problems in the economy. |
We are all interested in equality, but while some people try to protect the school and examination system in the name of equality, others, still in the name of equality, want only to destroy it.
Any society which is interested in equality of opportunity and standards of achievement must regularly test its pupils. The standards may be changed—no examination is perfect—but to have tests or examinations would mean the end of equality and of standards. There are groups of people who oppose this view and who do not believe either in examinations or in any controls in school or on teachers. This would mean that everything would depend on luck since every pupil would depend on the efficiency, the values and the purpose of each teacher.
Without examinations, employers will look for employees from the highly respected schools and from families known to them －a form of favoritism will replace equality. At the moment, the bright child from an ill-respected school can show certificates to prove he or she is suitable for a job, while the lack of certificate indicates the unsuitability of a dull child attending a well-respected school. This defending of excellence and opportunity would disappear if examinations were taken away, and the bright child from a poor family would be a prisoner of his or her school’s reputation(声誉), unable to compete for employment with the child from the favored school.
The opponents of the examination system suggest that examinations are an evil force because they show differences between pupils. According to these people, there must be no special, different, academic class. They have evensuggested that there should be no form of difference in sport or any other area all jobs or posts should be filled by unsystematic selection. The selection would be made by people who themselves are probably selected by some computers.The word “favoritism” is used to describe the phenomenon that _____.
| A．children from well-respected schools tend to have good jobs |
| B．bright children also need certificates go get satisfying jobs. |
| C．poor children with certificates are favored in job markets |
| D．children attending ordinary schools achieve great success |
What would happen if exams were taken away according to the author?
| A．Schools for bright children would lose their reputation. |
| B．There would be more opportunities and excellence. |
| C．Children’s job opportunity would be affected by their school reputation. |
| D．Children from poor families would be able to change their schools. |
The opponents of the examination system will agree that _____.
| A．computers should be selected to take over many jobs |
| B．jobs should not be assigned（分配）by systematic selection |
| C．special classes are necessary to keep the school standards |
| D．schools with academic subjects should be done away with |
The passage mainly focuses on _____.
| A．examination and equality | B．schools and certificates |
| C．opportunity and employment | D．standards and reputation |
A tender woman, or an independent one, which one would you prefer? Arecent research shows that most people would choose the latter.
This type of woman is called a nühanzi (“tough woman”). Experts believe these characteristics have social and psychological roots among young femalesin China. Su Hao’s friends all call her a tough woman, because she can finish tough tasks usually carried out by men. For example, she carries 10-litre water to her dormitory on the 5th floor. “I depend on no one but myself,” she says.
According to a recent survey by China Youth Daily, tough women have become rather common in society. Of the 21,265 respondents, 78.5 percent said they are familiar with a tough woman. About 50 percent said they like women with tough characteristics, while less than 29 percent expressed the opposite view.
Why are tough women gaining popularity? Shen Meng, a psychological consultant, believes the fierce competition in society is contributing to this trend. “Women are often in a disadvantaged position compared to men,” Shen says. “In order to survive, they have to be independent, strong and tough.” Liu
Xiao lin, professor of psychology at Wuhan Mental Health Center, believes tough women are brought up this way. They are often on close relationship with their fathers, who teach their daughters to be brave and decisive,” he says. As a result, these women are more likely to be psychologically healthy and more tolerant to stress, according to Liu.
Though Liu believes that this is a good trend, Hu Shenzhi, a psychologist at the Guangdong Sunflower Counseling Center, says the popularity of tough woman indicates an unclear line between gender identities, which can lead to relationship problems. “Some women with characteristics that differ from the traditional female image may have a difficult time finding Mr Right,” he says.“Even if they get married, their manly characteristics might cause family conflicts.Which of the followings does NOT belong to the characteristics of a tough woman?
| A．She is soft and tender to others. |
| B．She is independent of others in daily life. |
| C．She is more tolerant to stress. |
| D．She can solve problems usually for men. |
How many respondents like tough women?
| A．about 16,700. | B．21,265. |
| C．about 6,200 | D．about 10,600. |
Why are there more tough women nowadays?
| A．Because tough women are more lovely. |
| B．Because of the fierce competition in society. |
| C．Because more women want to be independent. |
| D．Because girls often love fathers more. |
What problems may tough women have in their life?
| A．It’s difficult for them to be friends. |
| B．They often suffer gender confusion. |
| C．They may have difficulty with marriage. |
| D．They have different characteristics form traditional female images. |
In the hit film The Bucket List, Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman meet in hospital in California after they have been diagnosed with cancer. Between them they cook up(虚构) a “bucket list” ------ a to-do list of all they want to do before they kick the bucket. The movie makes you wonder what would be on your bucket list. So let’s pack up some and see what it would cost to go out and have a little fun.
THE PYRAMIDS, GIZA, EGYPT
On to the pyramids, surely on anyone’s bucket list. Exotik Tours can take you there on a variety of trips, including their popular Egypt Express which includes three nights in Cairo and a three-night Nile Cruise (乘船游览). From$1,384, including four-and five-star accommodation, 12 meals and a ton of sightseeing.
www.exotiktours.com 416-646-3347
TAJ MAHAL, AGRA, INDIA
One of the world’s most fascinating images, India’s Taj Mahal makes even Nicholson and Freeman look calm. Toronto’s Goway Travel has many suggestions for India, including a three-day independent visit to Agra. Stay at the attractive Oberoi AmarVilas overlooking the Taj. Include two breakfasts,touring and airport transfer from $1,420.
www.gowaytravel.com 416-322-1034
THE GREAT WALL, CHINA
If the Great Wall of China is on your bucket list, check into Tour East Holiday’s four-day Amazing Beijing Tour for $580 per person, four-star
accommodation, sightseeing including the Forbidden City and the Great Wall,breakfasts and two lunches, transportation and guide.
www.toureastholidays.com 416-929-0888
THE HIMALAYAS, NEPAL
And on to the Himalayas. Talk about something truly majestic (壮丽的).See the top of the world on GAP Adventures’ Everest Adventure tour, a 15-dayexploration including Everest Base Camp, teahouse lodge stays, and walking through Sherpa villages. Incredibly affordable at just $665 plus local payment of $250. GAP Adventures warns that this is a physically demanding trip.
www.gapadventures.com 416-260-0999The underlined phrase “kick the bucket” in Paragraph 1 means ____.
| A．play a game | B．pass away |
| C．list interesting places | D．come to life |
According to the passage, where can you enjoy a view of the whole Taj Mahal?
| A．At Oberoi AmarVilas | B．Near the Forbidden City |
| C．Through Egypt Express | D．In Sherpa village. |
If you take on the Everest Adventure tour, you should be aware that _____.
| A．the sights may not be so good. |
| B．you may not be used to the food there |
| C．it is a tiring trip. |
| D．it is an expensive trip |