D
Sometimes you may have a strong desire to do something strange or terrible. However, chances are that you don’t act on your impulse (冲动), but let it pass instead. You know that to take the action is wrong in some way and that other people will not accept your behavior.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about the phenomenon of taboo behavior is how it can change over the years, how certain behavior and attitudes once considered taboo can become perfectly acceptable and natural at another point in time. Topics such as death, for example, were once considered so upsetting that it was a taboo to even talk about them. Now with the publication of important books such as On Death and Dying and Learning to Say Goodbye, people have become more aware of the importance of expressing feelings about death and, as a result, are more willing to talk about this taboo subject.
One of the newest taboos is the topic of fat. Unlike many other taboos, fat is a topic that people talk about constantly. It’s not taboo to talk about fat; it’s taboo to be fat. The “in” look is thin, not fat. In the work world, most companies prefer youthful-looking, slim manager to sell their image as well as their products to the public. The thin look is associated with youth, vigor, and success. The fat person, on the other hand, is thought of as lazy and lacking in energy, self-discipline and self-respect. After all, how can people permit themselves to become fat? In an image-conscious society, thin is “in”, fat is “out”.
It’s not surprising that millions of people have become obsessed (着迷) with staying slim and “in shape”. The pursuit of a youthful physical appearance is not, however, the only reason for people’s obsession with diet and exercise. Recent research has shown the importance of diet and exercise for personal health. As in most technologically developed nations, the life-style of people has changed since last century. Modern machines do all the physical labor. Cars and buses transport us quickly from point to point. As a result of inactivity and disuse, people’s bodies can easily become weak. In an effort to avoid such a fate (命运), millions of people are spending more of their time exercising. Parks are filled with joggers and bicyclists, and many companies are providing special exercise equipment for their employees to use during the work day.
67. What does the word “taboo” refer to in the passage?
A. A crime committed on impulse.
B. An unfavorable impression left on other people.
C. A strong desire to do something strange or terrible.
D. Behavior considered unacceptable to the society.
68. What does the underlined phrase “in”look probably mean?
A. The fashionable look. B. The hidden look.
C. The usual look. D. The inside look.
69. According to the passage, the common belief is that ______.
A. fat people are full of energy
B. thin people are more successful
C. fat people prefer to have fat bosses
D. thin people are less image-conscious
70. People pay more attention to diet and exercise because of ______.
A. their need to kill time B. their love for sports
C. their concern for health D. their belief in hard work
B
Australian scientists say an organic compound used by Indian women to paint dots or bindi on their foreheads could hold the key to a breakthrough in cancer treatment. Rose Bengal (玫瑰红)was first used in the early 1900s as a dye for food, textiles and cosmetics. But now it is proving to be a useful weapon in the fight against skin cancer.
Television advertisements constantly warn of the dangers of overexposure to the fierce sun. Among them is the possibility of the disease melanoma(黑瘤), a type of skin cancer. More than 1,200 Australians die every year from the disease.
Initial trials of a solution of Rose Bengal injected into some melanoma cells have had a 75 percent success rate in controlling the disease. Professor John Thompson, the director of the Melanoma Unit at the University of Sydney, says this organic dye could become a powerful cancer-fighting treatment.
“We believe it works by getting into the tumor(肿块) cells and causing them to self-destruct. But the exact mechanism by which it works is not totally clear. It’s not useful for people who have a primary melanoma. The treatment of primary melanoma is surgical excision(切除),”he said. “It’s useful to inject tumors for people who have recurrences; when the primary treatment has failed and when recurrence in the area, or at more distant sites has occurred.”
About 90 percent of Australians who develop melanoma survive thanks to early diagnosis and treatment. If left untreated, however, the disease can be fatal.
Convincing younger people in Australia about the dangers of overexposure to the sun is a battle campaigners are constantly waging.
Veronica Manock, a 21-year-old student, had two major operations to remove a cancerous tumor from her leg.
“I’ve had a lot of friends who just said ‘I thought it was just, you know, I’ll get a mole(痣) cut out and that’s it’, whereas I don’t think people realize how much danger they’re putting themselves into and how easy it is to stop something like this happening to you just from doing little things,”said Marock.
Other researchers in Australia are investigating genetic treatments to skin cancer. There is a pressing need for such research to produce effective treatments. Australians, the majority of whom are fair-skinned(浅肤色的), are four times more likely to develop a melanoma than people in Canada, the United States or Great Britain.Which can be the best title of the passage?
A.Rose Bengal—the cause of skin cancer. |
B.Rose Bengal—a tool to fight against skin cancer. |
C.Skin cancer—the first killer. |
D.Melanoma—the threat to health. |
What does the underlined word “fatal” mean?
A.Curable. | B.Serious. |
C.Deadly. | D.Self-healing. |
From what Veronica Manock said , we can know _______.
A.people haven’t realized overexposure to the sun is dangerous |
B.mole on the leg is dangerous. |
C.people can do nothing to protect themselves from melanoma |
D.nothing can be done to deal with the disease. |
Who are likely to develop a melanoma?
A.Englishmen. | B.Canadians. |
C.Americans. | D.Australians. |
In which section of a newspaper does the passage possibly appear?
A.Economy. | B.Health. |
C.Agriculture. | D.Fashion. |
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
Noah McQueen is part of "My Brother's Keeper," a White House program aimed at young men of color.
His teen years have been rough, and include several arrests and a short period of being in prison. But last week, he was at the White House talking with President Obama.
"Growing up, I didn't have a stable household. I attended eight schools in three years," McQueen says.
McQueen adds his dad lives down the street from him, but he doesn't really have a relationship with him.
"That's one of the things we have in common," Obama says. "As I get older, I start reflecting on how that affected me. How do you think that affected you?"
"I think I learn right and wrong on my own terms." McQueen says.
"Obviously you've straightened yourself out and become successful as a black man. " Obama says. " But did you feel pressure to look back on the way you once acted?"
"Definitely, there's always pressure." McQueen says, "People will say, 'You are the success story,' but it's hard to always make the right decision and always be the leader."
"You shouldn't feel like you can't make mistakes.” Obama says. “You've discovered this strength inside yourself. If you stay true to that voice that clearly knows what's right and what's wrong, sometimes you're going to mess up, but you can steer back and keep going."
About his future plan, McQueen says" I want to do education because I want to work with kids," "You know, to see the beginnings, and to see where I was, to see the exact same kid doing the exact same thing. And it's like, we owe it to everyone and ourselves to come back and change that. That's like our duty.
"Yeah, and Noah, I just want to say how proud I am of you, man," Obama says. "It's not an easy thing to do what you've done. And I think you give others a lot of confidence and a sense of what's possible for them. And that makes me real proud. I know you're going to do great things."What doe the underlined words “steer back” possibly mean?
A.Stop to have a rest. |
B.Hesitate to go ahead. |
C.Turn to the right direction. |
D.Adapt to the environment. |
From the passage we can know Obama ____.
A.got along well with his father when young |
B.cares about the growth of the American youth |
C.hates the youth to make mistakes |
D.asks McQueen to work with kids |
Why does McQueen want to do education?
A.Because he wants to make a living. |
B.Because he is encouraged by Obama. |
C.Because he wants to help children grow healthily. |
D.Because there is a great need for teachers. |
Which is wrong about Noah McQueen ?
A.Heisa black boy. |
B.He did something wrong |
C.He is praised by the president. |
D.He founded “My Brother's Keeper”. |
What can be the best title?
A.You Have This Strength Inside Yourself. |
B.Mistakes are the best teacher. |
C.My Brother's Keeper—A Nice Program. |
D.Black People should be Treated Equally. |
E
Recreational tree climbing is taking root in the eco-tourism industry, and it’s sending guys like Tim Kovar to far off reaches of the globe. Kovar, a tree-climbing instructor, recently returned to the U. S. from Brazil, where he spent time developing a tree-climbing operation thanks to the“slow travel”movement.
Slow travel, is like the slow food movement, the practice of giving fast food in favor of homegrown cooking—the kind that takes hours to prepare and enjoy. Likewise, slow travel urges visitors to experience a place’s natural surroundings and learn about the ecology in a way not afforded by extreme games.
“Tree climbing is a slow activity, ” says Kovar. “It’s not something you do quickly and then you’re on to the next thing or event. ”There is no such thing as a quick climb, especially for beginners. This wasn’t a race against the clock or the fellow climbers. In fact, tree climbing is unlikely to ever become a feature of the extreme games. Many climbers refuse competition. There has already been so much competition in the world.
“When you stand below the tree, it can be amazing, ” Rusel DeMaria says, looking affectionately up at Michael’s Triumph, a 150-foot-tall tree. But reaching the treetop, he adds, is an entirely different feeling. Likewise, his wife, Viola Brumbaugh, kneels on the ground and asks Michael’s Triumph for permission to climb. “It goes a lot smoother that way, ”she says.
And climbing has been included into many educational programs. New Tribe offers guided climbs through its school, Tree Climbing Northwest, where “we teach enough tree biology and forest ecology to raise awareness in our students, ” says New Tribe president Sophis Sparks. “We know that the tree climbing experience deepens personal appreciation for trees. After climbing, people value trees more and are motivated to support preservation. This is not just to preserve their playground. ”
Perhaps that is why he struggles with the term “recreational tree climbing, ” saying, “I prefer to call it inspirational tree climbing. ”What do slow travel and the slow food movement have in common?
A.They take people a long time. |
B.They are related to the eco-tourism industry. |
C.They advocate protecting nature. |
D.They cost people little money. |
What do we know about tree climbing from the passage?
A.People compete to see who can climb to the top first. |
B.It favors the experience of enjoying nature. |
C.It is a kind of extreme sport and needs a lot of effort. |
D.People view it as a challenge to climb the tallest tree in a forest. |
Which one of the advantages is not mentioned about tree climbing from the passage?
A.There are many educational programs in tree climbing. |
B.It favors the experience of enjoying nature. |
C.After climbing, people value trees more. |
D.Tree climbing is another travel. |
Sophia Sparks prefers the term “inspirational tree climbing” because it .
A.provides people with more chances to play outside |
B.makes people realize they should protect trees |
C.deepens personal love between each other |
D.brings a lot of pleasure to life |
What’s the best title for the passage?
A.Tree-climbing travelling |
B.Slow travel movements |
C.Dangers of climbing |
D.Respect for nature |
D
The Hawaiian people did not celebrate Christmas before the arrival of Captain Cook in 1778. It was, however, the protestant missionaries(传教士)from New England who first arrived in 1820 that first introduced Christmas to the Hawaiian people.
The missionaries reduced the Hawaiian language to written form, enabling the Hawaiian people to read and write in their own language. Many words for which there were no clear Hawaiian language equivalents(对应词)were translated phonetically.
Let’s look at some key phrases that you may hear in Hawaii during the Christmas and New Year’s Day holiday season.
•Mele Kalikimaka—Merry Christmas. The words “Mele Kalikimaka” are a phonetic translation. When the missionaries and other Westerners first brought the custom of Christmas to the islands, the Hawaiians had difficulty pronouncing “Merry Christmas” and turned it into words that rolled more easily off their tongues.
•Hau’ oli Makahiki Hou—Happy New Year. The western Christmas and New Year fell during this same time of the year when the Hawaiians traditionally honored the earth for giving them plenty to eat. This period of resting and feasting was called Makahiki (mah-kah-HEE-kee). It lasted for 4 months, and no wars or conflicts were allowed during this time. Because makahiki also means “year”, the Hawaiian phrase for “Happy New Year” became “Hau’ oli(happy) Makahiki (year) Hou (new)”.
•Mele Kalikimaka me ka Hau’ oli Makahiki Hou—Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
•Mahalo Nui Loa—Thank you very much. When you receive a nice gift or are treated to a special meal or beautiful song, you’ll want to express your appreciation for the kindness.Who made the greatest contribution to Hawaiian language according to the passage?
A.Captain Cook | B.The missionaries |
C.Westerners | D.The Hawaiian people |
The underlined word “phonetically” in Paragraph 2 probably means“ ”.
A.by sound | B.by meaning |
C.by appearance | D.by form |
Makahiki is a traditional time for the Hawaiian people to .
A.celebrate the New Year | B.show thanks to God |
C.show thanks to the earth | D.go for holidays |
What is the text mainly about?
A.How the Hawaiian people celebrate their holidays. |
B.The development of the Hawaiian language. |
C.How Christmas was brought to the Hawaiian people. |
D.Some phrases used in Hawaii during festivals. |
C
Robots that can chat,find misplaced glasses,draw aeroplanes and play with your children are attracting thousands of visitors during an expo in Tokyo as Japan adapts to changes in society.
Robots,such as the sound.sensitive Chapit,answer simple questions and even joke with people to help them fight loneliness and stay alert in old age.
Japan has one of the world’s fastest-aging societies and the government predicts that by 2050,the proportion of people over 65 will reach 40 percent.”Many older people in Japan live alone and have no one to talk to,”said Kazuya Kitamura representative of the expo organizer.“Communication robots accompany people and don’t mind listening to the same stories over and over again.”
Matsumoto’s“Personal Mobility Robot,”equipped with four cameras and a sensor to recognize the user's centre of gravity, is designed to help elderly move around without pressing buttons.using joysticks(操纵杆)or rotating wheels as in traditional wheelchairs.
The robot can also help find misplaced glasses by identifying them with a sensor.
Other robots,such as the award-winning “DiGRO” can support busy parents who have little time to play with their children.The robot can use the Internet to find a simple image and then draw pictures,keeping children company while parents work.
While Chapit,a relatively simple robot,managed to attract a corporate partner many researchers,such as Kiyoshi Matsumoto,a professor at the University of Tokyo,struggle to attract sponsors for more expensive projects.
“We have developed a robot that can assist many people,but we still haven’t found a sponsor,” said Matsumoto,who added that the cost of the machine,if mass-produced,would be comparable to that of a car.”In the current economic environment there are few companies willing to invest in such a costly project,”he said.It can be inferred from the text that_______.
A.many children lack love from parents |
B.robots helpful to the old will be in great demand |
C.robots are the most useful to children |
D.robots do better than people in healthcare |
It is difficult to find sponsors for robots because______.
A.Japan is suffering economy depression |
B.the robots are of poor design |
C.the production of robots costs a lot |
D.the future market is worrying |
What’s the purpose of the passage?
A.To attract people to visit the new kind of robot |
B.To find the investment of the robot. |
C.To persuade people to buy the robot. |
D.To introduce a new kind of robot. |