The wedding took place in a Birmingham hotel.The bride and her father arrived in a new black American sport car.Her father looked nervous and uncomfortable in front of the cameras.The bride wore a silk wedding dress.She smiled nervously at the waiting photographers and went to a room on the first floor where she met her future husband for the very first time.
Carla Germaine and Greg Cordell were the winners of a radio station’s competition.The aim of the competition was to find two strangers prepared to marry without having met each other.Miss Germaine, 23, is a model.Mr.Cordell, 27, is a TV salesman.They were among the two hundred people who entered a peculiar “experiment” organized by BMRB radio in Birmingham, England, Greg, and Carla were among eight finalists who were interviewed live on a radio.They took a lie detector(测谎仪) test and the station also spoke to their friends and family about their personalities.The competition judges include an astrologer(占星家) who declared that they were suited.
The couple celebrated their wedding with a wedding breakfast and a party for 100 guests in the evening, but not everyone shared their joy.Miss Germaine’s mother looked anxious throughout the wedding and Mr.Cordell’s parents are reported to be less than delighted.
Organizations, including the marriage guidance Service Relate, have criticized the marriage.As one person put it, “We have enough problems getting young people to take marriage seriously without this.Marriage should always be about love.”
The couple are now on a Caribbean honeymoon followed by journalists.Their other prizes include a year’s free use of a wonderful apartment in the center of Birmingham, and a car.But will it last?
56.How did the couple’s parents react to the wedding?
A.The bride’s mother shared their joy.
B.The bride’s father felt uncomfortable about the wedding.
C.The bridegroom’s parents were quite delighted.
D.The bridegroom’s parents were not that joyful.
57.Some experts believe that _____.
A.marriage without the couple’s meeting each other first ends up in divorce
B.young people nowadays are too careless about marriage
C.taking a lie detector test can not solve all the marriage problems
D.most young people take marriage seriously except this couple
58.One of the prize for the couple is _____.
A.to spend their honeymoon wherever they like
B.to use an apartment free for some time
C.to have a wedding dress free
D.to own an American sports car
59.Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
A.Two strangers and a wedding B.A wedding based on love
C.A short-lived marriage D.A well-matched couple
The largest-ever chariot pit (战车坑) of relics with carts and horse bones has been discovered in Henan Province. It may lead to the uncovering of chariot pit groups that could be a key to understanding Chinese civilizations that existed more than 2,000 years ago.
Experts said the relics are dated more than 300 years earlier than the famous warriors (武士) in Shaanxi Province. What excited the experts were two other projects that located two huge pits with similar features.
“It is absolutely a miracle. These relics indicate that there could be a tomb group in this area, which is likely to be important for China’s archaeological (考古学的) studies,” said Ma Juncai, a leading relic researcher in the province.
In ancient China, carts, sheep, spoons and so on were buried to ensure that dead people had a happy afterlife. The number and quality of the sacrifices indicated the social status of the dead. The custom was carried into the Qin Dynasty. Emperor Qinshihuang’s tomb, located near Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi Province, is accompanied by thousands of wood or clay figures of warriors and horses. The tomb is probably the most well-known.
The discovered pit measures 10.4 meters long, 8.4 meters wide and 5 meters deep. It holds 20 carts in different sizes. The smallest one is 1.05 meters long and 1.3 meters wide.
Experts think that 40 horses are likely to be found as well. Careful plans need to be made to deal with the demanding uncovering. “The clay is very weak and a small misstep can destroy the whole project. That’s why we need to take every step very carefully to protect these cherished cultural relics,” Ma said. What’s the passage mainly about?
A.The dead people’s sacrifices in ancient China. |
B.China’s archaeological studies. |
C.The discovery of a large chariot pit in Henan. |
D.The history of Chinese civilizations. |
According to Ma Juncai, the uncovering of the three pits is a miracle because _______.
A.it shows there may be a tomb group there |
B.it’s helpful in discovering Emperor Qinshihuang’s tomb |
C.the relics are dated such a long time ago |
D.the relics are more than 300 years older than the ones in Shaanxi |
It can be inferred from Paragraph 4 that ______.
A.all dead people had sacrifices in ancient China |
B.the discovered pit is the most well-known in the world |
C.the discovered pit dates back to the Qin Dynasty |
D.Emperor Qinshihuang wanted to maintain his power after death |
Careful plans for the uncovering are needed because ______.
A.another 40 horses are likely to be found as well |
B.the whole uncovering could be destroyed easily |
C.experts are too busy to spare time for it |
D.the government hasn’t agreed to it |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A.The discovery has drawn the leading experts’ attention. |
B.A lot of cultural relics have been discovered in Henan. |
C.40 horses have been discovered together with the chariot pit. |
D.The discovered carts in the chariot pit are similar in size. |
The Baima is a minority group of about 1,400 people. They have lived in Northern Sichuan and Southern Gansu Provinces for centuries. They have long depended on the forests as their main source of income. But since a ban on cutting down forests was introduced in the late 1990s to fight yearly flooding, the villagers have had to look for other means of earning a living.
Several are now in the process of developing a small tourism industry as their lands are rich in forests and natural scenery and are the home of the giant pandas. Xiangshujia, in particular, is becoming a popular bed and breakfast centre for tourists heading to Wanglang to see the giant pandas. Visitors are also starting to take notice of the Baima people themselves.
As our jeep stopped in the courtyard of a house, we were greeted by the village leader Li Qin and young Baima girls dressed in traditional costumes with white feathers in their hair. As we took our places on wooden benches near an open fire, the girls began to sing traditional songs as they served us.
“The number of tourists is growing,” said Li Qin. “We realize that to attract visitors we have to show our culture by offering more traditional singing and dancing and ensuring our houses are built in the traditional way.”
Relations between the Baima people and the reserve were once tense following the ban on cutting down forests. Villagers had to make a new living. They entered the Wanglang Nature Reserve to collect wild mushrooms and herbs (药草), often at the expense of disturbing the pandas’ habitat. But things greatly improved as villagers started receiving training in how to sell things to tourists.
“Our aim was to deter the villagers, because they often disturbed the pandas’ habitat, and to ensure they could have a long-lasting means of earning a living,” emphasized Chen Youping, director of the Wanglang Nature Reserve. “All the money from the reserve goes back into the community and conservation projects,” said Chen. “We take into consideration first the animals and then tourism.”From Paragraph 1 we learn that ________.
A.the Baima has the longest history among all the minority groups in China |
B.the Baima people live in most areas of Sichuan and Gansu Provinces |
C.forests are the main source of firewood for the Baima people |
D.in order to fight floods, the Baima people are forbidden to cut down forests |
We can infer that the Baima girls wore their traditional costumes to greet visitors mainly because _______.
A.they wanted to look more beautiful |
B.their leader Li Qin asked them to do so |
C.it was a way to show their culture to attract visitors |
D.it was necessary before they sang traditional songs |
Which of the following was NOT an effect of the ban on cutting down forests?
A.The Baima people had a tense relationship with the reserve. |
B.Villagers had to look for other means of making a living. |
C.The pandas’ habitat was often disturbed by villagers. |
D.Villagers stopped selling things to tourists. |
The underlined word “deter” in the last paragraph can be replaced by “________”.
A.punish | B.stop | C.encourage | D.threaten |
Wine drinkers tend to buy healthier food than beer drinkers, according to a Danish study published on Tuesday on the website of a weekly medical magazine.
People who bought wine at the store were also more likely to buy fruit, vegetables, fish, lean meat (瘦肉) and milk than beer buyers did, said the study.
Beer buyers were more likely to buy frozen dinners, cold cuts, pork, sugary products, and soft drinks.
The study was conducted by four researchers from the National Institute of Public Health over the course of six months.
Alcohol researchers Erik Schulenburg and Marten Greenback and two other doctors collected 3.5 million receipts from 98 stores. The customers at the stores represented a large number of Danish people, they said.
“Our results confirm international studies which show that wine drinkers tend to eat more fruit, vegetables and fish and rarely eat fats, compared to those who like other kinds of alcoholic drinks,” they concluded.
Wine buyers also tended to have higher education levels, higher earnings and be in better mental health, they added.
Their interest in consumers’ shopping bags followed a series of studies in the Danish media. The studies suggested that wine drinkers ran a lower risk of cardiovascular (心血管的) disease and some types of cancer than beer drinkers.The passage mainly tells us that wine drinkers ______.
A.eat more vegetables than beer drinkers |
B.usually buy healthier food than beer drinkers |
C.are mostly healthier than beer drinkers |
D.run a lower risk of diseases than beer drinkers |
According to the passage, beer buyers are less likely to buy ______.
A.cold cuts | B.pork | C.soft drinks | D.vegetables |
The researchers did the study mainly by means of ______.
A.handing out papers with a list of questions |
B.collecting receipts from stores |
C.watching what customers bought at stores |
D.visiting some families throughout the country |
Which of the following is NOT a feature of wine drinkers according to the passage?
A.Rarely eating fats. | B.Being in better mental health. |
C.Exercising more. | D.Having higher education levels. |
Someday a stranger will read your e-mail without your permission or scan the Website you've visited,Or perhaps someone will casually glance through your credit card purchases or cell phone bills to find out your shopping preferences or calling habits.
In fact, it's likely that some of these things have already happened to you. Who would watch you without your permission? It might be a spouse, a girl friend, a marketing company, a boss, a cop or a criminal. Whoever it is, they will see you in a way you never intended to be seen ---- the 21st century replacement of being caught naked.
Psychologists tell us boundaries are healthy, that it's important to reveal yourself to friends, family and lovers in stages, at appropriate times. But few boundaries remain. The digital bread crumbs(碎屑) you leave everywhere make it easy for strangers to reconstruct who you are, where you are and what you like. In some cases, a simple Google search can reveal what you think. Like it or not, increasingly we live in a world where you simply cannot keep a secret.
The key question is: Does that matter?
For many Americans, the answer apparently is "no."
When opinion polls ask Americans about privacy, most say they are concerned about losing it. A survey found a strong bad feeling about privacy, with 60 percent of respondents saying they feel their privacy is "slipping away, and that bothers me."
But people say one thing and do another. Only a tiny part of Americans change any behaviors in an effort to preserve their privacy. Few people turn down a discount at tollbooths(收费站) to avoid using the EZ-Pass system that can track automobile movements. And few turn down supermarket loyalty cards. Privacy economist Alessandro Acquisti has run a series oftests that reveal people will give away personal information like Social Security numbers just to get their hands on a pitiful 50-cents-off coupon(优惠卷)。
But privacy does matter ---- at least sometimes. It's like health: When you have it, you don't notice it. Only when it's gone do you wish you'd done more to protect it.
51. What does the author mean by saying "the 21st century replacement of being caught naked"?
A) People's personal information is easily accessed without their knowledge.
B) In the 21st century people try every means to look into others' secrets.
C) People tend to be more frank with each other in the information age.
D) Criminals are easily caught on the spot with advanced technology.
52.What would psychologists advise on the relationships between friends?
A) Friends should open their hearts to each other.
B) Friends should always be faithful to each other.
C) There should be a distance even between friends.
D) There should be fewer arguments between friends.
53. Why does the author say "we live in a world where you simply cannot keep a secret"?
A) Modern society has finally developed into an open society.
B) People leave traces around when using modern technology.
C) There are always people who are curious about others' affairs.
D) Many search engines benefit from giving away people's identities.
54. What do most Americans do as for privacy protection?
A) They change behaviors that might disclose their identity.
B) They use various loyalty cards for business transactions(交易).
C) They rely most and more on electronic devices.
D) They talk a lot but hardly do anything about it.
55. According to the passage, privacy is like health because ___.
A) people will make every effort to keep it.
B) its importance is rarely understood
C) it is something that can easily be lost
D) people don't treasure it until they lose it
This is John Roberts reporting from Cardiff. The result of the match which finished at four this afternoon between France and Wales was a draw. Neither side scored. The Dutch referee(裁判)did not allow the one goal which France managed to kick. The reason for this was that a French player was unfortunately off side. So both teams went home disappointed with the game. They particularly admired the French forwards, who were always fast and often threatened the Welsh defense. Once it looked as if the Welsh goalkeeper was in serious trouble. He dived to his right to save a shot from the French centre forward and crashed his head against the goal post. A doctor examined him and he soon began to play again. Of course the large, friendly crowd cheered for him. Wales will certainly welcome another visit from this splendid team.This passage is__________.
A.a piece of sports news broadcast over radio |
B.a piece of sports news in a newspaper |
C.an advertisement about sports |
D.an essay about sports |
The underlined word “draw” in this passage means ?
A.An act of pulling. |
B.Taking money from a bank. |
C.A state in which neither side wins. |
D.Making pictures with a pencil or a pen. |
Which of the following sentence is NOT TRUE according to the passage?
A.The French team is a visiting team while the Welsh team is the home team. |
B.The French goalkeeper was brave and he didn’t quit the match even after he had his head seriously injured in the game. |
C.People liked the French forwards for they were very active on the field. |
D.A French player did kick a goal but the referee refused to admit it. |