Jack lay, quiet and unmoving, for thirty minutes while a stranger repeatedly stabbed（刺）him with sharp needles, causing blood to pour steadily out of his leg. Jack was getting a tattoo（纹身）. His friend Tony had recently got a tattoo, and Jack was so impressed by Tony’s bravery and his tattoo that he decided to get one, too. Peer pressure, media influence and personal expression are some of the common reasons for wearing tattoos today.
The desire to be accepted by one’s friends or peers can have a great influence on what a person does. Sometimes, wearing a tattoo can be a sign that you belong to a certain group. Gangs often use special clothes and tattoos to identify their particular group. Some of these groups wear only brand-name clothes. Others wear tattoos. When a person’s friends are all doing something, that person is more likely to do the same．
The media is another big influence behind the popularity of tattoos in North America．A wide variety of media images show tattoos－people appearing in commercials selling expensive cars， famous sports heroes with tattoos in magazines，fashion models wearing designer clothes that show their bodies tattooed with detailed and colourful patterns．These media images link tattoos to ideas of wealth．success and status． As a result，many people decide to get a tattoo for its fashion and status value．
Many people decide to wear tattoos in order to express their artistic nature，their beliefs or their feelings－in other words，to show their individuality（个性）．A musician in a rock band may get a tattoo of a guitar on the arm．Some environmentalists may tattoo pictures of endangered animals on their shoulders．A tattoo can be a public sign to show what is important in a person's life.
As you can see．there are many reasons why young North Americans get tattoos. A tattoo can be part of a group’s uniform，a sign of fashion or an expression of individuality．The decision to get a tattoo is most often a result of the influence of friends or media or the desire to express oneself．For Jack．it was a mixture of all three．
68．Jack has got a tattoo in order to_________________.
A．show his great determination B．gain a special experience
C．make himself more healthy D．be different from others
69．According to the passage，media images are linked to_____________.
A．traditional lifestyles B．social positions
C．cultural backgrounds D．public interests
70．We can infer from the passage that______________．
A．some people get tattoos out of pressure B．a tattoo is related to religious belief
C．getting tattoos costs a lot of money D．most people with tattoos are artists
71．Which of the following shows the structure of the passage?
CP：Central Point P：Point Sp：Sub-point（次要点） C：Conclusion
Almost Human
Scientists are racing to build the world’s first thinking robot. This is not science fiction: some say they will have made it by the year2020. Carol Parker reports.
Machines that walk, speak and feel are no longer science fiction. Kismet is the name of an android which scientists have built at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Kismet is different from the traditional robot because it can show human emotions. Its eyes, ears and lips move to show when it feels happy, sad and bored. Kismet is one of the first of a new generation of androids—robots that look like huamn beings—which can imitate human feelings. Cog, another android invented by the MIT, imitates the action of a mother. However, scientists admit that so far Cog has the mental ability of a two-year-old.
The optimists say that by the year 2020 we will have created humanoids with brains similar to those of an adult human beings. these robots will be designed to look like people to make them more attractive and easier to sell to the public. What kind of jobs will they do? In the future, robots like Robonaut, a humanoid invented by NASA, will be doing dangerous jobs, like repairing space stations. They will also be doing more and more of the household work for us. In Japan, scientist are designing androids that will entertain us by dancing and playing the piano.
Some people worry about that future holds: will robots become monsters? Will people themselves become increasingly like robots? Experts predict that more and more people will be wearing micro-computer, connected to the internet, in the future. Proplr will have micro-chips in various parts of their body, which will connect them to a wide variety of gadgets. Perhaps we should not exaggerate the importance of technology, but one wonders whether, in years to come, we will still be falling in love, and whether we will feel pain. Who knows?Kismet is different from traditional robots because ______?
| A．it thinks for itself |
| B．it is not like science fiction |
| C．it can look after a two-year-old |
| D．it seems to have human feelings |
What makes Cog special?
| A．it looks like a mother |
| B．it behaves like child |
| C．it can imitate the behavior of a mother |
| D．it has a huge brain |
In about 10 years’ time from now, robots ______.
| A．will become space designers |
| B．will look like monsters |
| C．will behave like animals |
| D．will think like humans |
In the future robots will also______.
| A．explore space |
| B．entertain people |
| C．move much faster |
| D．do all the housework |
What is the writer’s attitude to robots in the future?
| A．Critical |
| B．Hostile |
| C．Objective |
| D．Enthusiastic |
Students are being forced to take additional exams to get into leading universities because good A-levels do not always indicate the brightest candidate.
Sixth-formers applying to courses such as medicine and law are being asked to sit American-style aptitude tests, which are designed to assess thinking skills, among fears that too many A-level candidates are getting top grades. Last year, almost one in six students applying to universities such as Oxford and Cambridge from independent schools had to sit additional tests to secure a place.
Head teachers criticized the move, which they said would pile more pressure on schools and students. But universities insisted that the reforms were unavoidable, because A-level exams were no longer an accurate barometer of ability.
In 1986, 40 percent of students starting at Oxford achieved straight as at A-level. Mike Nicholson, its admissions director, said that this year almost every candidate offered a place would get perfect grades. It meant the university had to stage additional tests to identify the most able candidates. “The ability to achieve three A grades is no longer the endpoint the admission process,” he said. “The potential to achieve three A grades will allow them to enter the race for a place.”
Oxford is not the only university turning to aptitude tests. At Cambridge, the number of students taking the university’s Thinking Skills Assessment shot up 26 percent to more than 3000. A survey of 16830 sixth formers applying to higher education from private school last year showed that 2860 had to sit at least one exam.
Earlier this year, the National Foundation for Educational Research recommended that most sixth formers should sit SAT tests—a standard reasoning exam widely used in American colleges—to make it easier to pick out the best candidates.What is the attitude of head teachers to the reform?
| A．Approving |
| B．Doubtful |
| C．Opposed |
| D．Neutral |
Which British university first started to use aptitude tests to pick out the best candidates?
A.Harvard
B.Oxford
C.Cambridge
D.Washington D.CWhat can we know about the A-level system?
| A．It can indicate the brightest candidates. |
| B．It was designed to assess students’ thinking skills. |
| C．It is no longer an accurate way to assess students’ abilities. |
| D．It was recommended by the National Foundation for Education Research. |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．The reform is more popular in America colleges than the British ones. |
| B．The reform will be applied by all universities in the future. |
| C．Universities used to depend on the A-level system to choose the best students. |
| D．Passing additional tests will allow the student to enter Oxford, regardless of whether he or she gets as. |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．How to get into leading universities. |
| B．The disadvantages of the A-level system. |
| C．Different ways to identify students’ abilities. |
| D．Universities using extra exams to choose students. |
Choose your Virginia
Rock House Museum
Rock House Museum. Take a journey through history with a visit to the exciting museum and historic sites of Wytheville. The Rock House Museum offers glimpses into daily life in the 19th century. The museum is part of the 50 structures featured in the Wytheville’s Historic Walking Tour. 540/223-3330.
Natural Bridge of Virginia
Natural Bridge of Virginia, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Caverns of Natural Bridge, guided tours of underground wonders; Natural Bridge Inn and Conference Center, Indoor Heated Pool, Largest Gift and Souvenir Shop in the east. Information 800/533-1410.
Grand Caverns
Grand Caverns is America’s Oldest showcave. Beautiful and massive formations. Union troops visited the caverns. Thomas Jefferson visited— you should too! Open weekends in March, daily April—October, 9 a.m.—5p.m. Hour tour leave every 30 minutes. 703/249-5705.
The Museum
The Museum in Arlington, the world’s only interactive museum of news. Visitors can be reporters or television newscasters, see today’s news as it happens on a block-long video news wall, and be taken behind the scenes to see how news is made. The Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10a.m.—5p.m. 888/NEWSEUM.www.Newseum.Org.
Kenmore Plantation and Gardens
Kenmore plantation and Gardens, visit over two hundred years of history from Revolutionary War, Civil War and into 21st century. Home of Betty Washington, George Washington’s only sister, and Pariot Col. Fielding Lewis. Explore this historic building and city block of restored gardens. Tea and ginger cookie served. 540/373-3381.
Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach offers 11000 hotel/motel rooms, plus cottages and camp grounds. Enjoy miles of clean beaches and a variety of family attractions. Fine restaurants, various shopping areas, exciting nightlife, and special events are offered through out the year. 800/822-3224.What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?
| A．To attract tourists to Virginia. |
| B．To encourage people to settle in Virginia. |
| C．To introduce historic sites in Virginia. |
| D．To give people a general description of Virginia. |
What way is the Newseum defferent from Rock House Museum?
| A．It is larger |
| B．It is more exciting. |
| C．Visitors can act in it. |
| D．Visitors can see more in it. |
If you want to enjoy yourself in the evening, you may go to ______.
| A．The newseum |
| B．Kenmore plantation and Gardens |
| C．Grand Caverns |
| D．Virginia Beach |
Which of the following places is not open in the winter months?
| A．Natural Bridge of Virginia |
| B．Grand caverns |
| C．Virginia Beach |
| D．Kenmore plantation and Gardens |
Which of the following is NOT true about the Virginia Beach?
| A．Tourists can camp in the open air. |
| B．Tourists can enjoy special events there. |
| C．Tourists can not go there in their own cars. |
| D．Tourists can enjoy themselves on the clean beach. |
What makes a gift special? Is it the price you see on the gift receipt? Or is it the look on the recipient's face when they receive it that determines the true value? What gift is worth the most?
This Christmas was debating what to give my father. My dad is a hard person to buy for because he never wants anything. I pulled out my phone to read a text message from my mom saying that we were leaving for Christmas shopping for him when I came across a message on my phone that I had locked. The message was from my father. My eyes fell on a photo of a flower taken in Wyoming, and underneath a poem by William Blake. The flower, a lone dandelion standing against the bright blue sky, inspired me. My dad had been reciting those words to me since I was a kid. That may even be the reason why I love writing. I decided that those words would be my gift to my father.
I called back. I told my mom to go without me and that I already created my gift. I sent the photo of the cream-coloured flower to my computer and typed the poem on top of it. As I was arranging the details another poem came to mind. The poem was written by Edgar Allan Poe; my dad recited it as much as he did the other. I typed that out as well and searched online for a background to the words of it. The poem was focused around dreaming, and after searching I found the prefer picture. The image was painted with blues and greens and purples, twisting together to create the theme and wonder of a dream. As I watched both poems passing through the printer, the white paper colouring with words that shaded my childhood, I felt that this was a gift that shaped my childhood; I felt that this was a gift that my father would truly appreciate.
Christmas soon arrived. The minute I saw the look on my dad's face as he unwrapped those swirling black letters carefully placed in a cheap frame, I knew I had given the perfect gift.The idea for a special gift began to form when the author was _____.
| A．doing shopping |
| B．having a debate |
| C．reading a message |
| D．leaving for Wyoming |
The author’s inspiration for the gift came from _____.
| A．a photo of a flower |
| B．a story about a kid |
| C．a call from the mother |
| D．a text about Christmas |
The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 3 refers to a poem by _____.
| A．the father |
| B．the author |
| C．William Blake |
| D．Edgar Allan Poe |
The author made the gift by _____.
| A．searching for the poems online |
| B．drawing the background by hand |
| C．painting the letters in three colours |
| D．matching the words with pictures |
What is the main purpose of the passage?
| A．To show how to design images for gifts. |
| B．To suggest making gifts from one’s heart. |
| C．To explain how computers help create gifts. |
| D．To describe the gifts the author has received. |
You just think you know what will make you happy. Researchers in the new science of happiness know better. They have evidence that married people on average end up being no happier than they were before the wedding. Winning the lottery (彩票) will probably reduce your pleasure in ordinary events that used to make you happy. And being in good health isn't as much of a factor as the right genes when it comes to satisfaction.
Soligman and Diener studied 222 Illinois college students to find out what the happiest 10% had in common. It turned out they were extroverts (外向的人), had more friendships and romantic relationships, but didn't exercise more and didn't feel they had more good events in their lives than those who weren’t as happy.
Some of the results come as a surprise. A classic study of lottery winners and people with spinal (脊骨) cord injuries, for instance, found that neither event changed their lives as much as observers thought they would.
Gilbert is looking into how accurately people predict what will make them happy, he turns out, not accurately at all. What we think will ring us pleasure – a new car, the home team winning the NCAA championship, a move to California-usually doesn't bring us as much as we expected, and the positive impact doesn't last as long. The good news is that we also over estimate the impact of catastrophic (灾难性的) events. Even with data from research pouring in, scientists still don't have an easy answer to what we all want to know: How do I get long-term life satisfaction? The answers they do have are often the same ones that philosophers and priests have been giving us for centuries. It's just nice to have them backed up with hard data.What does the passage mainly discuss?
| A．A research on happiness. |
| B．The level of happiness. |
| C．The secrets of happiness. |
| D．The prediction of happiness. |
The happiest people have the following characters except that _____.
| A．they are rich |
| B．they are outgoing |
| C．they are very sociable |
| D．they don’t pay more attention to exercise |
According to the passage, we can know if the hurricane happens, it will cause _____.
| A．more suffering than people expect |
| B．as much suffering as people expect |
| C．less suffering than people expect |
| D．nothing is mentioned about it |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．We ourselves know what makes us happy the best. |
| B．The happiest 10% in the world have nothing in common. |
| C．People can predict the things that make them happy accurately. |
| D．We just need to do what the philosophers and priests tell us to keep happy. |