E
Thirty years ago, when the movie version of my novel Jaw was published, few people including me knew very much about great white sharks. For hundreds of generations, we humans have been taught to fear and hate sharks, and the movie touched a nerve of horror.
Now something long thought impossible has happened. A great white shark was successfully held in capacity for several months. In August last year a very young female great white shark was caught accidentally in a fisherman's net off Huntington Beach, California, and then kept in an ocean pen (栏栅) for 25 days. After being moved to the Monterey Bay Aquarium (水族馆), she grew well in the million-gallon Outer Bay Exhibit. She was so lovely that people all liked her very much. Perhaps she was too young to understand that the big tank was not her natural environment, because she didn't hit her head against the walls in an attempt to swim away as others of her kind have done. And she began to feed almost immediately on small fish offered to her on a pole. In the months that followed, the shark suffered no serious injuries, caught no diseases, and grew noticeably larger, breaking all records for great white sharks in capacity. The longest that any other great white shark had been held was 16 days.
Until February 23, that is, when she hit and killed a soup fin shark (翅鲨) , as she grew bigger and her behavior grew more aggressive, officials at the Aquarium knew the time had come. On March 31, after 198 days in the aquarium, the great white shark was released into the Pacific.
Scientists still have a lot to learn about sharks, especially great white sharks which are now considered to be in danger. Scientists do know that sharks are necessary to ocean health. Remove any significant animal from the sea food chain and you will risk destroying the balance of nature.
72. We can see that in the film Jaw the shark was once described as______.
A. a pet of children B. a horror to human beings
C. a friend of the aged D. a guard of its owner
73. Different from the others of her kind, the young female great white shark was somewhat _____in the beginning.
A. terrible and dangerous B. fierce and cruel C. loyal and friendly D. gentle and lovely
74. By saying that "officials at the aquarium knew the time had come", the writer probably means that the female great white shark______.
A. had to be killed B. escaped from the big tank
C. had to be set free D. began to hit and kill other animals
75. What conclusion can be drawn from the text?
A. We should protect great white sharks as well as other ocean animals.
B. The female great white shark will be attacked by some other animals.
C. Great white sharks are becoming more and more
D. We should kill the enemies of white sharks in the oceans.
Don’t drive your kids to school. Let them ride a bike to school.
In England 8.3 million children travel to school every day. It is reported that only a small number of pupils cycle to school (under 2%), although one in three children would actually like to.
Experts say that to stay healthy, children need at least one hour of moderate (适度的) exercise every day. But only six out of ten boys and four out of ten girls get that. One of the reasons is that parents have developed a habit of driving their children to school when they could just walk or ride a bike to school.
Teachers often say that children who walk or ride a bike to school are more ready to listen to their classes, ask and answer questions in class than those driven by car, and the school journey is a good chance for children to learn about road safety and other life skills. Also, for many children, riding a bike is more fun than going to school by car.
Most parents know the benefits (益处). Then what’s stopping them from letting their kids ride a bike? Safety is the number one worry for them. But actually riding a bike is not as dangerous as parents think it is.
When you decide to buy a bike, you should be aware(意识到) that a bike that is too big or too small is dangerous. Don’t try to get a bike that your child will “grow into”. Get the right size in good working order. Generally, 20-inch wheels are on bikes for 5-8 year olds; 24-inch wheels are for 9-11 year olds; 26-inch wheels are suitable for those over 11, and some older children should even take bikes with 28-inch wheels, but the main thing is that the bike fits your child. This passage is mainly written for ________.
A.teachers whose students have asked their parents to drive them to school |
B.children who have asked their parents to drive them to school |
C.parents who drive their children to school |
D.parents who drive to work |
Which of the following benefits of cycling to school is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A.It will help children keep healthy |
B. It will make children more active in class. |
C.It will make children feel freer |
D.It will be more fun for children. |
Parents don’t allow their children to ride a bike to school mainly because ________.
A.their children don’t want to. |
B.they are worried about their children’s safety. |
C.they don’t know what size bike to choose |
D.They haven’t enough money to buy a bike. |
Generally, what size bike is suitable for a 10-year-old child?
A.A bike with 20-inch wheels | B.A bike with 24-inch wheels |
C.A bike with 26-inch | D.A bike with 28-inch wheels |
Mother stayed at home cooking and cleaning while Father left for work. Two or more children took the bus to school. In the evening, all the family members got together at home again. This is what a traditional family was like twenty years ago. But now great changes have happened in British families.
As many as 2 out of 3 marriages now end in divorce(离婚), and many children have to live with one parent and only see the other at weekends or during holidays.
There has been a great increase in the number of working women with children. Many women have to work to support themselves and their children. Even in the family where there is no divorce, both parents have to work in order to survive.
Also women are no longer happy to stay at home taking care of children. Many of them have jobs and some of them can even make more money than men, the traditional breadwinners.
What’s more, the increasing number of single-parent families have caused an increase in the crime rate (犯罪率) among children in a way. It is thought that if a child doesn’t have a father, he or she will be harmed.
However the changes may be good for some people. For women it’s now much easier to have well-paid jobs. Although it is difficult to be a working mother, it is no longer seen as a bad thing for children.
As for some children, they learn how to solve problems by themselves at an early age.Which of the following statements is TRUE about a traditional family in Britain twenty years ago?
A.Both the mother and the father had to work to support the family. |
B.The father stayed at home taking care of the children. |
C.The mother didn’t need to work. |
D.A family had only one child. |
Which of the following things is NOT mentioned in the passage ?
A.The increasing number of divorces. |
B.The increasing number of fathers who stay at home. |
C.The increasing number of working mothers. |
D.The increasing crime rate among children. |
According to the passage, a “breadwinner” refers to a person who ________.
A.has got some bread | B.is good at making bread |
C.stays at home raising children | D.works to support the family |
From the passage we can learn that ________.
A.In a family where the parents are not divorced in Britain,the mother doesn’t have to work. |
B.Children whose parents are divorced have to start working early. |
C.The father is very important to a child’s growth. |
D.The changes in British families do no good to people. |
Several years ago, I had to replace a receptionist for my unit. Before I advertised for the position, I was approached by another manager, and asked if l would consider a transfer from his staff instead of opening a new competition. My natural question was to ask who he wanted me to consider and why.
It appeared from his description of this employee, Maria, that she was having a lot of problems performing her duties, and had difficulties with her boss, and did not appear to respond to any attempts he, the manager, had made to settle the issues. Now, after listening to his explanation, I really had severe doubts. What crossed my mind, after this discussion, was that he wanted me to take a problem off his hands.
I told him I would think about it and would let him know the next day. As promised, after thinking more about this potential performance issue, I decided that I would agree to speak with Maria privately before I made any decision.
And, what I found out during this interview, left me deep in thought. As it turned out, the performance issue appeared to result from working for a boss who never extended a good morning greeting, never gave a word of encouragement, and was constantly changing the work load and routines. The end result was a totally ruined employee who was unconfident, hated to see a new work day start.
I decided to accept her transfer to my unit. What started out as a shy, withdrawn and frightened employee turned out to be one of the most productive and loyal employee that I had ever worked with. Maria couldn't do enough and was constantly asking for more and for more responsibility. I was more than happy to give her what she needed-praise for work well done, respect as a person, and encouragement for doing well in anything she dealt with.
Sometimes, we are guilty of holding others back from accomplishing or doing or developing as they should or could. It may be a wise idea that we all look in the mirror, from time to time, to see what we are really like.What can we learn about the writer from the first paragraph?
A.He is a manager in the company. |
B.He doesn't like his receptionist. |
C.He likes to compete with others. |
D.He wants to find another position. |
After hearing his colleague's description of Maria, the writer thought that Maria_______.
A.attempted to settle the issues |
B.was a problem to her boss |
C.shouldn't stay in the company |
D.could get on well with others |
Why did Maria fail to perform well in her previous job?
A.Her previous job was not suitable for her. |
B.She had difficulty responding to her manager. |
C.Her boss didn't inspire her working enthusiasm. |
D.Her boss showed no trust in her ability. |
The writer accepted Maria's transfer to unit probably because he thought that________.
A.she was a ruined employee |
B.she would need his protection |
C.she would turn out to be a good employee |
D.she was a shy and frightened employee |
The writer probably believes that a good boss should________.
A.praise and award his employees a lot |
B.respect, praise and encourage his employees |
C.greet his employees and give them much work |
D.always give his employees guidance in working |
Do you know the open-air art gallery in London's Blackall Street? Probably -not. Not many Londoners know it either, but Henri does and he is willing to show it to you.
Henri used to sleep in parks until he met a charity(慈善机构) that helps homeless people get back on their feet by becoming tour guides.
Rather than show traditional London sights, “Unseen Tours" take people off the beaten track. Henri has been teaching tourists about the history and architecture of Shoreditch, where he slept on public benches for three years.
When he felt separated from the society, contact with the volunteer network "The Sock Mob" gave Henri hope. "Not everyone just looked down on me," he said. The tours aren't the only actions trying to help those who have suffered a misfortune to stand tall again.
An innovative(创新的) college for homeless people in London, the first of its kind in the country, is attracting hundreds of students. The Recovery College, set up by St Mungo's charity, is providing courses designed to improve technical skills and life skills.
According to Andy Williams, who helps to organize the college, the most popular courses have proved to be about raising self-confidence and developing self-pride.
Steve, now in his 50s, told a reporter how much of a difference it makes to "have a bit of confidence". He had difficulty learning to read and had to leave school when he was 12. Because Steve's problem was not recognized at the time, he was "seen to be unable to read or write", and suffered with depression and alcohol addiction. He says the status of "student" is itself important for people who are used to being treated as outcasts(被遗弃者)
Some charities aim not only to help the homeless become independent but also to make them popular. The Homeless World Cup started ten years ago. Today the tournament draws teams from 48 countries made up of players-men and women-who are, or have been, living in the streets. It gives them a chance to become football heroes.The underlined part "take people off the beaten track" means "take people to______.”
A.famous galleries | B.traditional sights |
C.unusual places | D.public benches |
How does the Recovery College help the homeless people?
A.By training them to be guides |
B.By offering them different courses. |
C.By keeping in contact with them. |
D.By asking more students to help them. |
At the age of 12, Steve _______ .
A.wasn't treated as a normal student |
B.had much confidence in himself |
C.didn't want to study at school |
D.left school because of depression |
The purpose of the Homeless World Cup is to help the homeless people _______.
A.become football stars | B.improve life skills |
C.gain self-confidence | D.find proper jobs |
Which is the best title for the passage?
A.Confidence Back Now. | B.London Tour. |
C.The Popular Homeless. | D.Football Heroes. |
When Peng Liyuan stepped off the plane in Moscow, the whole world wanted to know who dressed the elegant first lady. The reporter released the secret—Ma Ke.
Peng Liyuan has been wearing Ma Ke's designs for more than a decade, a fact that was only highlighted recently when she was on her first state visit, accompanying her husband President Xi Jinping. The elegant and attractive Peng, formerly a popular singer, has been compared with the US’ first lady Michelle Obama and France’s Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, since stepping off the airplane in Moscow on March 22. Suddenly, everyone was curious to know more about the first lady’s wardrobe.
Even so, Ma prefers a low-key approach. “If you eat a tasty egg why would you want to see the hen?” she says of all the media attention.
Ma’s relationship with Peng began 10 years ago after a concert in Guangzhou when a reporter told Peng she knew the designer behind the label Exception de Mixmind. Peng asked for an introduction because she was a fan of Ma’s designs and had been wearing them for years.
The two naturally became friends. Ma says: “The painting reflects the painter, and clothes reflect both the designer and the wearer. Someone desires fame and wealth, or love and sympathy; what you have in your heart is reflected in the design. Those who don’t share my philosophy won’t buy my clothes. Peng is a caring person, devoted to charity and environmental protection, which is exactly what I’m doing now.”
However, regardless of the brand, Peng’s support of Chinese labels has surprised millions of Chinese who favor foreign fashion brands.
“Instead she presented a vision of Chinese fashion, desiring to bring Chinese designers to the world stage,” says a western designer.
The first lady’s double-breasted coat and her black leather handbag aren’t available at any of Exception’s shops, though Exception’s physical stores do have seen a rising number of visitors.The passage mainly discusses _________.
A.the designer of the first lady Peng Liyuan’s dress, Ma Ke |
B.the friendship between Peng Liyuan and her designer |
C.Peng Liyuan’s clothes on her first state visit |
D.the reactions to Peng Liyuan’s first visit to Moscow |
In the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3 Ma Ke mentioned “an egg and the hen” to show _________.
A.it is hard to explain “Which came first, the egg or the hen?” |
B.paying such great attention to her was unnecessary |
C.the outcome was more important than the process |
D.her dissatisfaction with the media attention on her dress |
What can be inferred from the passage?
A.First ladies compete with each other whenever they are together. |
B.Peng’s suits can be bought in Ma Ke’s clothes stores. |
C.Ma Ke offered to design the first lady’s clothes through her friends. |
D.Peng had liked Ma’s designs long before she got to know her in the flesh. |
In the passage, Peng Liyuan _________.
A.often reflects on what she has in her heart before choosing clothes |
B.is sympathetic and has a strong environmental consciousness |
C.always desires the exceptional charm of the brand |
D.is knowledgeable in philosophy |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A.Peng wears the dress designed by a Chinese designer probably to support Chinese brands. |
B.Many citizens found Peng Liyuan’s choice quite unexpected. |
C.Black leather handbags like Peng’s are widely sold in bag stores in big cities. |
D.After Peng Liyuan’s visit to Moscow Ma Ke’s clothes became more popular. |