President Barack Obama's speeches are proving a best-seller in Japan -- as an aid to learning English. An English-language textbook, "The Speeches of Barack Obama," has sold more than 400,000 copies in two months, a big hit in a country where few hit novels sell more than a million copies a year.
Japanese have a fervor for learning English and many bookstores have a corner dedicated (专门用于) to dozens of journals in the language, many of them now featuring the new U.S. leader's face.
"Speeches by presidents and presidential candidates(候选人) are excellent as listening tools to learn English. Obama's are especially so. His speeches are so moving, and he also uses words such as 'yes, we can,' 'change' and 'hope' that even Japanese people can memorize," said Yuzo Yamamoto of Asahi Press, which produced the best-selling text book.
Speeches by George W. Bush and former nominee(提名) John Kerry's four years ago did not have the same interest, however, and nor do those made by Japanese politicians. “We have to turn to a foreign president for someone in whom to place our hopes”, Yamamoto said.
The 95-page paperback features Obama's speeches in English from the 2004 Democratic National Convention and during the Democratic Party primaries(初选), in which he defeated Hillary Clinton. They are accompanied by Japanese translations.
The 1,050 yen ($12) book, which includes a CD of the speeches, tops the bestseller list on bookseller Amazon's Japanese Website, http://www.amazon.co.jp/. He said lawmakers from Japan's main opposition Democratic Party had bought the book to study Obama's speeches.
Following Obama's inauguration(就职典礼), Asahi Press plans to issue a sequel(续集) that includes his inaugural address, as well as President John F. Kennedy's 1961 inaugural speech. It will also feature a reading of President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg address of 1863.
64. Speeches by presidents and presidential candidates are excellent as listening tools to learn English because ________.the speakers are all great
B. the speakers have high speech skills
C. the language is full of humor
D. the contents are good and the words are easy to catchWhy do Japanese place their hopes in a foreign president?
| A．Because they don’t have politicians who have such a positive influence. |
| B．Because they have the same attitude as the foreign presidents. |
| C．Because they have never made a political speech. |
| D．Because they hope to have a foreigner as their leader. |
Which is true about “The Speeches of Barack Obama”?
A. It contains all Obama’s speeches .
B. It has 1,050 pages with a CD.
C. It includes his inaugural address.
D. It is an especially popular book in Japan.Which of the following can best describe the main idea of the passage?
| A．Japan speaks highly of Obama president . |
| B．Japan learns English from Obama speeches textbook . |
| C．Obama gains his fame from his election speeches. |
| D．Obama gives Japanese speeches on how to learn English. |
Art is sometimes divided into two kinds, high art and popular art. High art attracts a much smaller population than popular art，but the number is large and growing. People who enjoy high art go to the opera and symphony concerts ； they read serious books and go to serious plays ； they keep up with art exhibitions. Popular art is mainly a kind of amusement. Some TV programs are meant to be watched today and forgotten tomorrow. Many popular songs are hits for a few weeks ； then they disappear. Other songs remain popular for such a long time that they become classics. The line between high and popular art is not always clear，however. Many people believe that rock music, for example, is a real art form. Many films are also taken seriously ，while others disappear as nothing more than amusement. Many more people like popular art than high art because __________.
| A．popular art is better than high art |
| B．high art is not a real art form |
| C．popular art will be loved for a longer time than high art |
| D．popular art is a kind of amusement |
According to the passage,__________ belong to popular art.
| A．operas |
| B．art exhibitions |
| C．TV programs |
| D．some songs popular for a short time |
High art is always regarded as an art __________.
| A．not being so popular |
| B．not easily forgotten |
| C．of real value |
| D．loved by most people |
In the passage the underlined word “ classics ” means“__________”.
| A．不朽之作 |
| B．过时的作品 |
| C．通俗作品 |
| D．消遣作品 |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．It is difficult to tell high art from popular art. |
| B．The number of those who enjoy high art is growing larger. |
| C．All people believe that rock music and films are high art. |
| D．People have different ideas on the line between high art and popular art. |
Leadership is the most significant word in todays competitive business environment because it directs the manager of a business to focus inward on their personal abilities and style．Experts on leadership will quickly point out that“how things get done”influences the success of the outcomes and indicates a right way and a wrong way to do things．When a noted leader on the art of management，Peter Drucker,coined the phrase“Management is doing things right；leadership is doing the right things，”he was seeking to clarify the distinctions he associates with the terms．
When Stephen Covey,founder and director of the Leadership Institute，explored leadership styles in the past decade，he focused on the habits of a great number of higllly effective individuals．His Seven Habits of Highly Effective People became a popular bestseller very quickly. His ideas forced a reexamination of the early leadership example，which centered on the feature that was found in the character ethic(道德)and the personality ethic．The former ethic suggested success was founded on modesty,loyalty,courage，patience，and so on. The personality ethic suggested it was one’s attitude，not behavior,that inspired success, and this ethic was founded on a belief of positive mental attitude．In contrast to each of these ideas，Covey advocates that leaders need to understand universal principles of effectiveness，and he highlights how vital it is for leaders to first personally manage themselves if they are to enjoy any hope of outstanding success in their work environments；To achieve a desired vision for your business，it is essential that you have a personal vision of where you are headed and what you value．Business leadership means that managers need to“put first things first,” which implies that before leading others，you need to be clear on your own values，abilities，and strengths and be seen as trustworthy．What does Peter Drucker’s phrase infer?
| A．Leaders should be good at making right decisions． |
| B．Leaders should be good at doing things right． |
| C．Leaders should be good at ignoring distinctions． |
| D．Leaders should be skilled in predicting future． |
Under what condition are people likely to succeed，in terms of what the personality ethic suggests?
| A．When people have little determination，they will be successful． |
| B．When people have good behaviour，they will gain success． |
| C．If people have positive mental attitude, they are likely to succeed． |
| D．If people have negative mental attitude，they are certain to succeed． |
How Can leaders enjoy outstanding success in their work environments，according to Stephen Covey?
| A．Firstly they have to think highly of themselves． |
| B．They are supposed to benefit themselves． |
| C．They can not adjust themselves． |
| D．First they must manage themselves． |
What is the meaning ofthe underlined word “vision”?
| A．Bright future． | B．Good beginning． |
| C．Good scenery． | D．Pretty background． |
To be good leaders．what must managers Pay close attention to?
| A．Universal principles of effectiveness． |
| B．Values，abilities and strengths． |
| C．Good qualities such as modesty． |
| D．Courage as well as patience． |
Global warming happens when greenhouse gases trap heat and light from the sun in the earths atmosphere, which increases the temperature. This is like when heat is trapped in a car. On a hot day, the car gets hotter when it is out in the parking lot. This is because the heat and light from the sun can get into the car, by going through the windows，but it can’t get back out. This is what the greenhouse effect does to the earth .The heat and light can get through the atmosphere, but it can’t get out. As a result，the temperature rises.
Sometimes the temperature can change in a way that helps us. The greenhouse effect makes the earth appropriate for people to live on. Without it，the earth would be freezing，or it would be burning hot. It would be freezing at night because we would not get the sun’s heat and light .During the day, especially during the summer, it would be burning because the sun would be up with no atmosphere to filter(过滤)it，so people，plants，and animals would be exposed to all the light and heat.
Although the greenhouse effect makes the earth able to have people living on it，if there gets to be too many gases，the each can get unusually warmer, and many plants，animals．and people will die. Plants would die because they would not be able to take the heat .This would cause us to have less food to eat,and it would also limit the food that animals have. With less food for the animals that we need to survive we would even have less food. Gradually,people，plants，and animals would all die of hunger．
People are doing many things to try to stop global warming .One thing is carpooling—driving with someone to a place that you are both going to. Another thing is being more careful about leaving electrical devices turned on. Now,more people are even riding buses or bikes to lower the amount of greenhouse gases in the air .Although adults do many things to help stop global warming,kids call do just as much. By the example given in Paragraph l, the author wants to__________.
| A．explain how global warming happens. |
| B．show his feeling in a car in hot summer. |
| C．tell us cars are causes of greenhouse gases. |
| D．say that I there are greenhouse gases in every car. |
The underlined wordit in Paragraph 2 refers to__________.
| A．light | B．greenhouse effect |
| C．temperature | D．heat |
What is the effect of atmosphere?
| A．It only traps the heat of the sun. |
| B．It does great harm to humans. |
| C．It makes the earth neither too hot nor too cold. |
| D．It prevents all the light from the sun shining on the earth. |
What is the main idea of the third paragraph?
| A．lf there is greenhouse effect,all the plants will die |
| B．Human beings are likely to disappear from the earth |
| C．Crops can ′t take in the heat lf there is greenhouse effect |
| D．Although greenhouse effect is necessary,too much of it will cause us to die. |
What will the author most probably discuss in the paragraph that follows?
| A．What kids can do to help stop global warming. |
| B．Who should be responsible for the environmental problems. |
| C．What global warming is doing to the environment. |
| D．Why cars and buses pollute the air a lot. |
Researchers are finding new ways to save snakebite victims.Experts discussed the latest findings during a recent conference.
Scientists in Australia have shown that a chemical called nitric oxide could increase the chances of surviving a poisonous snakebite.The scientists injected rats with a deadly amount of snake venom.Then they rubbed an ointment(软膏)containing nitric oxide on the skin around the injection site.The study found that the rats lived about one-third longer than if nitric oxide had not been used.But the treatment had to be started very quickly.
Dirk van Helden led the research.He says the nitric oxide ointment also showed promise in humans.The study appeared earlier this year in the journal Nature Medicine.Scientists say the findings could help save many lives.A recent study found that poisonous snakes cause as many as ninety-four thousand deaths worldwide each year.But Ulrich Kuch of the Biodiversity and Climate Research Center in Frankfurt,Germany,says that number appears to be low.
Mr Kuch says many deaths could be prohibited if snakebite victims are treated correctly,but they often go to traditional healers or do not seek any help at all.He said,“Sometimes it’s because there is no treatment available—no antivenom(抗蛇毒血清),which is the specific(特殊的)drug to treat snakebites—or health care staff do not know how to treat snakebites,and sometimes its because transportation to get to a health facility is not available or too expensive.
Here is no single antivenom that can be used to treat all snakebites.The antivenom must be specific to the kind of snake that bit the person.In some countries the treatment is costly,while in others there is no such treatment.What is this passage mainly about?()
| A．Snakebite deaths around the world. |
| B．Progress in fighting snakebite deaths. |
| C．Snakebite treatment around the world. |
| D．The chances of surviving a poisonous snakebite. |
After being rubbed an ointment containing nitric oxide,the rats .
| A．suffered no pain |
| B．died immediately |
| C．lived a little longer |
| D．started feeling uncomfortable |
What does Paragraph 3 suggest?()
| A．The number of deaths caused by snakebites is becoming lower each year. |
| B．The nitric oxide ointment has saved thousands of people’s lives. |
| C．It is very important to find an effective way to treat snakebites. |
| D．The number of deaths caused by snakebites worldwide is low. |
What does the underlined word “prohibited” in Paragraph 4 mean?()
| A．caused. | B．considered. |
| C．examined. | D．prevented. |
What is implied in the last paragraph?()
| A．Antivenom can be made very easily. |
| B．It’s very important to use the correct antivenom to treat snakebite victims. |
| C．Antivenom is extremely expensive all over the world. |
| D．A person bitten by a snake will survive as long as there is antivenom. |
Two Chinese living in South Africa were killed in a robbery (抢劫) on February 5, bringing the total number of Chinese killed in the country to four in less than a month.
Chen Jianqing, 35, from Southeast China's Fujian Province, who ran a shop with her husband in a small town 45 kilometers away from South African capital Johannesburg, was shot dead.
"One of her business partners died later in the hospital," the Chinese consulate (领事馆) officials in Johannesburg said yesterday. "Local police are trying to find more information about the case. And we have told the victims' (遇难者的) relatives and are helping them come to Johannesburg," Consul Wu Gang told China Daily. Chen's husband was injured during the robbery but did not suffer seriously, said Wu.
The robbery happened at about 5:45 pm local time and the armed robbers ran away after taking more than 50,000 South African rand (US $8,200) and some jewelry, Xinhua News Agency reported.
The killing happened just three days after Chen Jingmin, a 23-year-old man from Qingdao, Shandong Province, was shot dead north outside Johannesburg by armed robbers. On January 10, a Hong Kong businessman was attacked and robbed at his home in Johannesburg and died the next day in the hospital. All these happened just in less than a month.
According to records, there were more than 40 robberies attacking Chinese in South Africa last year, in which eight were killed. More than 100,000 Chinese are doing various kinds of businesses in South Africa, according to a Chinese official in the country. An increasing number of them are becoming targets (目标) of robbers after buying big houses or luxury cars, the official said.The passage is probably ______.
| A．a business story | B．a scientific article |
| C．a newspaper report | D．an official document |
Who were killed on February 5 in a small town near Johannesburg?
| A．Chen Jianqing and her husband. |
| B．Chen Jianqing and one of her partners. |
| C．Chen Jingmin and a Hong Kong businessman. |
| D．Chen Jingmin and one of his relatives. |
How many Chinese were killed in South Africa since January?
| A．2 | B．4. | C．5. | D．8. |
_______are more likely to be robbed in South Africa.
| A．Those Chinese who depend too much on local police. |
| B．Those Chinese who live near the capital of South Africa. |
| C．Those Chinese who open shops selling Chinese goods. |
| D．Those Chinese who leave others the impression of being rich. |