Grandma Moses is among the most famous twentieth-century painters of the United States, yet she did not start painting until she was in her late seventies. As she once said of herself: “I would never sit back in a rocking chair, waiting for someone to help me.” No one could have had a more productive old age.
She was born Anna Mary Robertson on a farm in New York State, one of five boys and five girls. At twelve she left home and was in domestic(家庭的) service until, at twenty-seven, she married Thomas Moses, the hired hand of one of her employers. They farmed most of their lives, first in Virginia and then in New York State, at Eagle Bridge. She had ten children, of whom five survived; her husband died in 1927.
Grandma Moses painted a little as a child and made embroidery(刺绣) pictures as a hobby, but only changed to oils in old age because her hands had become too stiff(硬的) to sew and she wanted to keep busy and pass the time. Her pictures were first sold at a local market and were soon noticed by a businessman who bought everything she painted. Three of the pictures exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art, and in 1940 she had her first exhibition in New York. Between the 1930s and her death she produced some 2,000 pictures: detailed and lively portrayals(描绘) of the country life she had known for so long, with a wonderful sense of colour and form. “I think really hard till I think of something really pretty, and then I paint it.” she said.According to the passage, Grandma Moses began to paint because she wanted to .
A.make herself beautiful | B.keep active |
C.earn more money | D.become famous |
The underlined word “survived” means .
A.graduated from college | B.examined the condition of the house |
C.lived longer than the other children | D.gave up themselves to the police |
From Grandma Moses’ description of herself in the first paragraph, it can be inferred that she was .
A.independent | B.pretty | C.rich | D.nervous |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A.Grandma Moses: Her Life and Pictures. | B.The Children of Grandma Moses. |
C.Grandma Moses: Her Best Exhibition. | D.Grandma Moses and Other Older Artists. |
A new hotel is set to open in a faraway village in northern Sweden,which intends to change the simple treehouse into a world—class hotel for travelers who enjoy special designs.
Treehotel,which lies in Harads about 60 km south of the Arctic Circle,will be made up of four rooms when it opens on July 17th:the Cabin,the Blue Cone,the Nest and the Mirrorcube.
Two more are due to open in October—the UFO and A Room With a View.
“Our goal in five years is to have 24 rooms from 24 different architects(建筑师),”says Treehotel co-founder Kent Lindvall,who came up with the idea along with his wife Bfitta.
The first six rooms were designed by five different architects. The Mirrorcube which stands four meters high and four meters wide has drawn widespread attention as it will be connected to a singletree.
‘‘It’s an interesting building.You cannot find anything like this in the world today.It’s really special,”says Lindvall,as he stands next to the room’s mirrored outer wall.
‘‘Everything will reflect(映照)in this—the trees,the birds,the clouds,the sun,everything.So it should be invisible nearly in the forest.’’
Lindvall says a special film will be put onto the glass which will be seen by birds。
‘‘This is untouched forest and—we want to leave it as it is."says Selberg,another co-founder.
She adds.’’If we’re lucky we might see a bear.I think what’s exciting here is that we’re just 60 km below the Arctic Circle which means there’s a good possibility to have the northern lights in the winter and during the during the summer of course you have the midnight sun.”
The aim of Treehotel is “feel free in a tree” and the experience will cost up to 4,200 Swedish crowns ($555,50)for two guests in the Mirrorcube, which is designed to hold up to four guests.
What do we know about Treehotel in Harads from the text?
A.The hotel will provide six rooms in July. |
B.It’s 60 km away from t11e Arctic Circle. |
C.It is specially designed by one architect. |
D.It was once all ordinary family treehouse. |
Why is the Mirrorcube kown by many people?
A.It will be joined to one tree only. |
B.It is in a distant village in Sweden. |
C.It’s designed by a famous architect. |
D.Its outer wall is covered with mirror. |
A special film will be used to
A.take in light | B.protect birds | C.seize animals | D.keep off bears |
What is the text mainly about?
A.A modem building. | B.A Swedish village. |
C.A faraway village. | D.A special treehouse. |
One Sunday morning in June 1959 my mother walked into my room. “Surprise!” she said, proudly holding up a yellow dress. “I made it just for you. What do you think?”
I bit my tongue. How could I tell Mom it was the ugliest dress I had ever seen?
“It’s perfect for church,” my mother continued delightedly.“I wish someone had made a dress like this for me.”
Too bad you can’t wear it, I thought. But I knew Mom had spent a lot of time on the dress. No one should refuse.
Unwillingly I put it on.
All through church I prayed(祈祷),Lord, let me get out of here without anyone seeing me. Especially Dennis Pearce, the boy I had a crush on, one of the coolest boys at Neptune High School. Although we were in some of the same classes, Dennis had never taken any notice of me. Every time I got near him, I became tongue-tied.
At the end of the service I rushed for the door. But I had to wait on the steps while my parents chatted with their friends. Just a little while longer…Then out of the corner of my eye I saw the Pearces coming near. Before I could escape, Dennis was right beside me.
I started talking, hoping if I kept it up he wouldn’t notice my ugly dress. “I’m going to college in September,” I said.
“That’s great,” Dennis replied “I got accepted to police academy(学院).”
“Wow!” I said. Somehow I kept the conversation going. The next thing I knew Dennis had asked me out on a date!
We courted(恋爱)through college, and eventually got married. Months after our wedding I asked Dennis if he remembered the day he had first asked me out.
“Certainly I do,” he said.“You were always quiet in school. I didn’t think you’d be much fun. But you were so lively when we talked on the church steps, I wanted to get to know you better.” Maybe that yellow dress wasn’t what I would have chosen, but that day it was the perfect dress for me.Why did she accept such a dress?
A.She was fond of its new pattern. |
B.Her Mom just brought it for her. |
C.It was proper to go to church in it. |
D.She understood her Mom’s love. |
The author tried to carry the dialog on,hoping .
A.she would catch other boys’ attention |
B.Dennis would get her out for a date |
C.Dennis wouldn’t take notice of her dress |
D.she could be noticed by Dennis’s parents |
The underlined part“had a crush on’’ in Paragraph 6 probably means:“”.
A.10ved deeply | B.met by chance | C.100ked down on | D.worried about |
What would be the best title for the text?
A.An Ugly Dress | B.A Perfect Dress |
C.A Dress for the Church | D.A Dress for the Date |
Cyberspace, data superhighway, multimedia, for those who have seen the future, and the linking of computers, televisions and telephones will change our lives for ever. Yet for all the talks of a forthcoming technological utopia, little attention has been given to the implications of these developments for the poor. As for all the new high technology, the West concerns itself with the “how”, while the question of “for whom” is put aside once again.
Economists are only now realizing the full extent to which the communication revolution has affected the world economy. Information technology allows the extension of trade across geographical and industrial boundaries, and transnational corporations take full advantage of it. Terms of trade and exchange, interest rates and money movements are more important than the production of goods. The electronic economy made by information technology allows the haves to increase their control on global markets — with a destructive impact on the havenots.
For them the result is unstable. Developing countries which rely on the production of a small range of goods for export are made to feel like small parts in the international economic machine. As “futures” are traded on computer screens, developing countries simply have less and less control of their destinies.
So what are the options of regaining control?One alternative for developing countries is to buy in the latest computers and telecommunications. Yet this leads to long-term dependency and perhaps permanent constraints ( 束缚,限制) on developing countries’ economies.
Communication technology is generally exported from the US, Europe or Japan;the patents, skills and ability remain in the hands of a few industrialized countries. It is also expensive, therefore imported products and services must be bought on credit usually provided by the very countries whose companies stand to gain. From the passage we know that the development of high technology is in the interests of________.
A.the rich countries | B.scientific development |
C.the local government | D.the world economy |
It can be inferred from the passage that________.
A.international trade should be expanded |
B.the interests of the poor countries have not been given enough consideration |
C.the exports of the poor countries should be increased |
D.communication technology in developing countries should be modernized |
Why does the author say that the electronic economy may have a destructive impact on developing countries?
A.Because it enables the developed countries to control the international market. |
B.Because it destroys the economic balance of the poor countries. |
C.Because it violates the national boundaries of the poor countries. |
D.Because it constrains the industrial growth of developing countries. |
The development of modern communication technology in developing countries may _____.
A.make their industrial production difficult |
B.cause them to lose control of their trade |
C.force them to reduce their share of exports |
D.cost them their economic independence |
The author’s attitude towards the communication revolution is________.
A.positive | B.critical |
C.indifferent | D.tolerant |
The ChinaDaily newspaper group is looking for English-language senior business editors, senior copy editors, copy editors and graphic designers to strengthen its international team. We offer a competitive salary package, free accommodation with utilities paid for, 90 per cent medical reimbursement, a seven-day paid leave, eleven-day public holidays and a return ticket to the country of residence.
Senior Business Editor
You must:
assist the business editor in setting goals and working on achieving them;
be an excellent team person who can generate ideas and think creatively and be able to rewrite totally if needed and mentor junior staff;
ideally have been working or have worked in a position of responsibility and understand what leadership entails;
have had at least five years’ editing experience working on editing the Business Desk and be familiar with industry software.
Senior Copy Editor
You must:
work on shifts in the Business Desk and usually have the last word before the page is sent to print;
edit or rewrite copy and give snappy headlines and captions;
have had at least two years’ editing experience working on editing desks and be familiar with industry software.
Copy Editor
You must:
be good at editing or rewriting copy and writing snappy headlines and captions;
be able to work on shifts for different pages, and usually have the last word before the page is sent to print;
have two years of editing experience working on copy desks, and be familiar with industry software.
Graphic Designer
You must:
have excellent skills in information graphics;
be good at illustrations and freehand drawings;
be experienced in newspaper or magazine layouts;
have a good sense of typography;
have good news judgment;
be well-versed with Macintosh software, including InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop;
be fluent in English.
For enquiries or to apply, write to job @ chinadaily.com.cn.What is the purpose of this passage?
A.To describe the positions of the ChinaDaily newspaper group. |
B.To describe the working conditions of the ChinaDaily newspaper group. |
C.To advertise for recruiting some good employees. |
D.To tell you how to become part of this group. |
What is not required about Graphic Designer?
A.Be well-versed with Photoshop. |
B.Have excellent skills in information graphics. |
C.Having a good sense of typography. |
D.Writing snappy headlines and captions. |
How many positions need editing experience?
A.2. | B.1. | C.3. | D.4. |
Which can be the title of the advertisement?
A.ChinaDaily:New Employees Wanted |
B.ChinaDaily:Newspaper |
C.ChinaDaily:An International Team |
D.ChinaDaily:The Best Working Condition |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.The employees have to pay for their own food and lodging. |
B.The workers there can enjoy a seven-day leave without pay. |
C.The employees have the right to enjoy eleven-day public holidays. |
D.The senior business editor’s only job is to help the business editor to set goals. |
Kids will often ignore your requests for them to shut off the TV, start their chores (杂事), or do their homework as a way to avoid following your directions. Before you know it, you’ve started to sound like a broken record as you repeatedly ask them to do their assignments, clean their room, or take out the trash. Rather than saying “Do your chores now.” you’ll be more effective if you set a target time for when the chores have to be completed. So instead of arguing about starting chores, just say, “If chores aren’t done by 4 pm, here are the consequences.” Then it’s up to your child to complete the chores. Put the ball back in their court. Don’t argue or fight with them, just say, “That’s the way it’s going to be.” It shouldn’t be punitive(惩罚性的) as much as it should be persuasive. “If your chores aren’t done by 4 pm, then no video game time until chores are done. And if finishing those chores runs into homework time, that’s going to be your loss.” On the other hand, when dealing with homework, keep it very simple. Have a time when homework starts, and at that time, all electronics go off and do not go back on until you see that their homework is done. If your kids say they have no homework, then they should use that time to study or read. Either way, there should be a time set aside when the electronics are off.
When a kid wears his iPod or headphones when you’re trying to talk to him, make no bones about it;he is not ignoring you, he is disrespecting you. At that point, everything else should stop until he takes the earplugs out of his ears. Don’t try to communicate with him when he’s wearing headphones — even if he tells you he can hear you. Wearing them while you’re talking to him is a sign of disrespect. Parents should be very tough about this kind of thing. Remember, mutual respect becomes more important as children mature.According to the passage, it seldom happens that ________.
A.kids turn a deaf ear to their parents’ requests |
B.parents’ directions sound like a broken record |
C.children are ready to follow their parents’ directions |
D.parents are unaware of what they are repeating to their kids |
Parents will be able to deal with their children more effectively if they ________.
A.avoid direct ways of punishment | B.make them do things at their request |
C.argue and fight with their children | D.allow their children to behave in their own way |
When the kid is doing his homework, parents ________.
A.should provide him with a good learning environment |
B.can do whatever they like |
C.can stay aside watching TV |
D.must switch off the power |
It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
A.parents should take off his headphones when trying to have a talk with their child |
B.it will make no difference that a kid is wearing his earplugs while talking to his parents |
C.parents shouldn’t give in to their kid when he shows no sign of respect |
D.kids’ purposely talking to their parents with iPod gives them a sense of power and control |
The main idea of the passage is ________.
A.that respecting each other is more important than anything else |
B.how kids behave to ignore and disrespect their parents |
C.that children should make choices and decisions on their own |
D.how parents can deal with their kids’ behavior effectively |