Some people believe that international sport brings about good will between the nations and that ff countries play games together they will learn to live together. Others say that the opposite is true: that international contests encourage false national pride and lead to misunderstanding and hatred. There is probably some truth in both arguments, but in recent years the Olympic Games have done little to support the view that sport encourages international brotherhood. Not only was there the terrible incident with the murder of athlets, but the Games were also ruined by those incidents caused mainly by minor national contests.
One country received its second - place medal with great anger after the hockey final. There had been noisy scenes at the end of the hockey match, the losers objecting to the final decisions. They were certain that one of their goals should not have been dismissed and that the opposite side's victory was unfair. Their manager was angry when he said: "This wasn't hockey. Hockey and the International Hockey Society are finished. "The president of the society said later that such words could result in the pause of the team for at least three years.
The American basketball team announced that they would not give away first place to Russia, after a fighting end to their contest. The game had ended in quarrel. It was thought at first that the United States had won, by a single point, but it was announced that there were three seconds still to play, A Russian player then threw the ball from one end of the court to the other, and another player beat it into the basket. It was the first time the USA had ever lost an Olympic basketball match. The judges discussed the matter for four and a half hours before announcing that the result would stand. The American players then decided not to receive the silver medals.
Incidents of this kind will continue as long as sport is played for honors or money rather than for the love of the game. The suggestion that sportsmen should compete as individuals , or in non national teams, might be too much to hope for. But in the present organization of the Olympics there is far too much that encourages dangerous nationalism.
According to the author, recent Olympic Games have ________.
A.brought about goodwill between the nations |
B.made only false national pride |
C.hardly showed any international friendship |
D.led to more and more misunderstanding and hatred |
What did the manager mean by saying, "... Hockey and the International Hockey Society are finished"? ________.
A.His team would no longer take part in international games |
B.Hockey and the society are both ruined by the unfair decisions |
C.There should be no more hockey matches organized by the society |
D.The society should be dismissed |
What conclusion can be drawn from the passage? ________.
A.The organization of the Olympic Games must be improved |
B.Athletes should compete as individuals in the Olympic Games |
C.Sport should be played competitively rather than for the love of the game |
D.International contests lead to misunderstanding between nations. |
Researchers have found more evidence that suggests a relationship between race and rates of lung cancer among smokers. A new study shows that black people and Native Hawaiians are more likely to develop lung cancer from smoking. It compared their risk to whites, Japanese, Americans and Latinos.
The study, however, found almost no racial or ethnic differences among the heaviest smokers. These were people who smoked more than thirty cigarettes each day.
Other comparisons have shown that blacks are more likely than whites to get lung cancer from smoking. But the scientists say few studies have compared the risks among Native Hawaiians, Asians and Latinos.
Researchers at the University of Southern California and the University of Hawaii did the new study. The New England Journal of Medicine published the findings.
The eight-year study involved more than 180,000 people. They provided details about their tobacco use and their diet as well as other information. They included current and former smokers and people who never smoked. Almost 2,000 people in the study developed lung cancer.
Researchers say genetics might help explain the racial and ethnic differences. There could be differences in how people’s bodies react to smoke. But environmental influences, including the way people smoke, could also make a difference.
African-Americans and Latinos in the study reported smoking the fewest cigarettes per day. Whites were the heaviest smokers. But the scientists note that blacks have been reported to breathe cigarette smoke more deeply than white smokers. This could fill their lungs with more of the chemicals in tobacco that cause cancer.
Many researchers disagree not only about the effect of race on the risk of disease, but even about the meaning of race. Yet scientists know that some diseases affect different groups differently. And some drug companies have begun to develop racially targeted medicines.
Last June, the United State Food and Drug Administration approved a drug designed to treat heart failure in black patients. The name is BiDil. The agency called it “a step toward the promise of personalized medicine”. Which of the following orders is right from higher to lower risk of having lung cancer?
A.Whites---Native Hawaiians. |
B.African-Americans---Latinos |
C.Asians---Native Hawaiians |
D.African-Americans---Hawaiians |
From the passage, researchers agree that it is _______ that may probably determine blackpeople’s risk of lung cancer.
A.the bigger amount of smoking than the white |
B.the living style or habit of the blacks to form |
C.the depth of cigarette smoke into their lungs |
D.the physical strength to react to cigarette smoke |
The subjects that the smoking researchers investigate are made up of _______.
A.heavy smokers in America |
B.the black and white people |
C.the Asians and Hawaiians |
D.smokers and non-smokers |
The production of BiDil is referred to in the last paragraph in order to _______.
A.explain different races react to some diseases differently |
B.tell the readers that racial differences exist in smokers |
C.show a big step people have taken in the medicine area |
D. support the idea that it is easy for blacks to have cancers |
Uncle Tom gave little Vicki Black a birthday gift one week before her birthday. He told her not to open it until her birthday. She knew her mother wouldn’t tolerate any disrespect to the kind man who helped them out after Vicki’s father passed away. Besides, Vicki didn’t want Uncle Tom to get angry. But little Vicky didn’t want to just hold it and guess what was in it. After all, she looked forward to his coming to show her interesting things, like how to turn an old sock into a doll.
All the day, Vicki couldn’t stop thinking about the gift. While her teacher was giving a lecture¸ Vicki sat still in her seat, drawing paper dolls inside the box. When school was done, she raced home. Walking into the room, again, she shook the present, but she heard nothing. Holding her breath, she opened the box and looked inside. Seconds later, she cried. When Mrs. Black saw the box, she said angrily, “Didn’t I tell you to leave it alone?” Vicki sobbed and said, “Mommy, you don’t understand.”
“Don’t cry to me. You have missed everything now, just because you couldn’t wait,” Mrs. Black accused. “What will Uncle Tom think now?”
“Uncle Tom gave me nothing,” Vicki cried and handed the empty box to her mother. “He played a trick on me.”
Mrs. Black said doubtfully, “Uncle Tom is not like that. You must have dropped it.”
Vicki kept crying. Only a rapid knock on the door made the house quiet. It was Uncle Tom. He looked at the empty box. “You have already done it? I told you to wait for your birthday.”
“You didn’t give me a gift.” Fresh tears filled her eyes.
“I try to give you something. I know your birthday is a special day. I tell myself to give you something valuable to last your whole life. I think hard and get the idea to give you an important lesson. If you open it on birthday, I see you learn. Then I will make a big party to celebrate. Maybe next year you listen and then you will understand the gift better.
Vicki’s cheeks flushed.We can learn from the text that Vicki_______.
A.often received gifts from her father |
B.expected Uncle Tom to give her a doll |
C.was sad because of her father’s death |
D.liked and respected Uncle Tom |
What do the underlined words “done it” refer to?
A.Guessed the result |
B.Opened the box |
C.Realized Uncle Tom’s purpose |
D.Known what her birthday gift was |
What kind of person is Uncle Tom?
A.Thoughtful | B.Humorous | C.Mysterious | D.Funny |
What did Uncle Tom want to teach Vicki?
A.How to respect others | B.The meaning of gifts |
C.How to deal with gifts | D.The value of a promise |
We like to consider ourselves the superior race, and we are. It’s true that we are getting to know more and more, and we actually live in “the information age”. Our human vanity(虚荣心) makes us believe that we really have to know everything! Surprisingly, we do not have this ability. The question “what is happening in the Bermuda Triangle” is the very proof.
Where is the Bermuda Triangle located? The mysterious triangle is believed to be situated between Florida, Bermuda and Puerto Rico, where too many unusual events have happened.
On December the 5th 1945, five U.S. military planes took off from Florida on a clear day only to disappear over Bermuda. Furthermore, some other disappearances took place; in 1947, an American C54 plane simply disappeared at 100 miles from Bermuda; at 80 miles, a Star Tiger plane disappeared in 1948.
Even Columbus had trouble in Bermuda. Some of his journals were about the strange happenings there: “the waters are changing their colors” and “compasses are going wild”.
Maybe it’s why it is called the Devil’s triangle or the Atlantic cemetery.
Many hypotheses were stated in order to explain the strange events. In spite of these attempts, the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle remains unsolved.
Some people get to say that maybe aliens are involved in it. Other imaginative scientists relate the happenings in Bermuda to Einstein’s theory, saying that the missing ships and planes are translated to another dimension of space and time and taken into another world.
Maybe we will just have to wait to go to Heaven and ask the One who made it. The answer will surely be a satisfying one!The writer may probably think that______.
A.humans have to and can know everything strange |
B.the missing ships are taken into another world |
C.humans can know more in “the information age” |
D.God created the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle |
Columbus’ journals told us that in Bermuda _______.
A.an American C54 plane disappeared |
B.there were some strange happenings |
C.the compasses were lost |
D.a cemetery was found |
The underlined word “hypotheses” in the 6th paragraph probably means______.
A.guesses | B.reports | C.places | D.stories |
The purpose of the writer is to______.
A.tell some stories about the Bermuda Triangle |
B.warn people not to travel to the Bermuda Triangle |
C.laugh at man’s vanity to know everything |
D.prove man does not have the ability to know all |
Once upon a time there was a wise man that used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.
One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought that someone would dance on the beach. So he began to walk faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn’t dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.
As he got closer he called out, “Good morning! What are you doing?”
The young man paused, looked up and replied, “Throwing starfish in the ocean.”“I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?”“The sun is up and the tide is going out, and if I don’t throw them in they’ll die.”
“But, young man, don’t you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it. You can’t possibly make a difference!”
The young man listened politely, then he bent down, picked another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said, “It made a difference for that one.”
There is something very special in each and every one of us. We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference. And if we can know that gift, we will gain through the strength of our visions the power to shape the future.
We must each find our starfish. And if we throw our starfish wisely and well, the world will be better.One day, the wise man saw the young man .
A.dancing along the beach | B.walking with a dancer |
C.picking up starfish for sale | D.trying to save as many starfish as possible |
Near the end of the passage, “something very special” refers to .
A.the gifts from friends | B.the strength of making decision |
C.our own starfish | D.the ability of shaping one’s own future |
From the last two paragraphs, we can learn that .
A.the wise man realized something new and important |
B.the wise man thought it was foolish of the young man to throw starfish into the ocean |
C.the young man had the ability to make a difference |
D.it is necessary for us to save starfish on the beach |
The writer told this story in order to show us .
A.how and where we can write a good article |
B.everyone can do something for the future |
C.wise men are sometimes stupid |
D.young people are actually wiser than old people |
Recently I paid a visit to Harvard University, where there are top class scientists and professors and the best academic system in the world.
I was pretty shocked when I first stepped onto the campus. Well, it’s not even really a campus. It’s more like a district in a small town.
Harvard’s main buildings are from the 18th century. They look very old and simple. You might even say they’re a little shabby. They don’t fit the modern idea of university at all. The buildings are surrounded by grass and trees, so I felt as if I had walked into a medieval castle. But when I looked across the street, busy shops and in-fashion students made me feel like I was in the 21st century again. It creates a strong contrast(对照) and brings a special atmosphere to the school.
Our tour guide Gary took us around and told us,“You see this grass field in the center of the school? Here is where they host their graduation ceremony. They just set up tents and benches and have a very simple ceremony. Unbelievable! Who would think the most talented students just graduate on the lawn?”
I saw some students put a blanket on the grass and lie down to read a book. When I listened to the soft sound of pages turning, along with the chirping(鸟叫声) of the birds, I felt very calm. There was no competitive feeling at all.
Harvard has the world’s first computer in its science center and there are hundreds of high-end computers too. Its religion and the literature departments are also among the best. It is the perfect mix of tradition and new technology. It makes Harvard a very attractive place to study in.
I hope one day I’ll attend my dream school---Harvard. The article is mainly about ______.
A.the author’s campus life in Harvard |
B.the author’s impression of Harvard |
C.Harvard’s old buildings |
D.the academic system at Harvard |
According to the article, in which fields is Harvard top in the world
A.Literature, art, and law |
B.Religion, law and arts |
C.Literature, arts and computer science |
D.Religion, computer science and literature |
Which word can be used to describe the Harvard campus?
A.Modern | B.Competitive | C.Peaceful | D.Splendid |