Liu Qian, a magician from Taiwan, cast his spell(魔法)over an audience of thousands on the CCTV Spring Festival Show. Die-hard fans are still trying to work out the secrets behind many of the tricks he performed.
But Liu, 32, when asked, laughed off the idea that there might be an “answer” to his magic. “The most fascinating things about magic is the puzzling process. People enjoy how magicians make the impossible come true,” said Liu.
Few people today believe in the possibility of real magic. They also often fail to consider magicians’ devotion to their art. It can take a magician years’ of practice to perfect a trick before he performs it on stage.
Part of Liu’s star appeal is his astonishing skill. However, when he began in the industry, he was embarrassingly clumsy. “I could practice thousands of times for one single act. It wasn’t much fun,” he said.
No magician’s supernatural powers on stage extend to their life off stage. Liu says his life was no easier or funnier because he was a magician.
He developed an interest in magic at a young age, but didn’t consider making a living out of it until he graduated from university. He had studied Japanese language and found himself unable to find a job. “My parents never considered being a magician as a proper job. To begin with, I had little confidence I would be doing this in the long term,” he said.
Yet Liu felt a powerful calling to become a magician. “For many people, magic somehow means a miracle, which is something we all secretly wish for no matter how hard-bitten or cynical (愤世嫉俗的)we become,” he said.
Liu may be right. A popular modern dream is of the fairy godmother, who waves her magic wand (棒) and makes our dreams come true. But according to Liu, we all have the power to create magic in our lives. As Liu puts it: it’s not the magic that makes it work；it’s the way we work that makes it magic.
1. According to the passage, we can tell that ________.
A. being a famous magician, Liu Qian leads a comfortable life
B. it is a hard job for magicians to perform magic tricks well
C. Liu Qian’s parents supported his wish of earning a living by being a magician
D. Liu Qian showed great talents in performing magic tricks when he first took it up
2. As to whether there’s real magic, Liu Qian believes ________.
A. there is no real magic and what counts in our life is the way we work
B. if we secretly wish for something, mag
ic will turn out to be a miracle
C. the puzzling process of performing magic tricks is the answer to magic
D. there exists a fairy godmother waving her magic wand to make our dreams come true
3. Which of the following sayings is similar to the underlined sentence in meaning?
A. All roads lead to Rome. B. Easier said than done.
C. Actions speak louder than words. D. Where there is a will, there is a way.
4. What is the best title for the passage?
A. Magic in our lives B. The answer to magic
C. A popular magician from Taiwan D. The way to become a successful magician
Someone telephoned me today asking if I would be willing to bring food to a family in need. The mother was having a major operation and would be lying down for several weeks. Of course, I responded with an immediate “Yes!”. As I planned the meal in my head, I reflected on how many times over the years I had been asked to prepare food. I have done so countless times with a very open heart.
But the truly amazing thing is that I have received double over the course of my life. When my mother passed away, our house was filled with fresh dinners for weeks. A woman from the church of our community stopped by each evening with some food. The gift of food was her small way of trying to ease our pain.
Later in my life, when I was on bed rest during my pregnancy with twins, women of the church again stepped in to help. They arranged babysitting for my two-year-old daughter, and brought lovely dinners to our house. Even when I was put in the hospital, my husband would bring cooked meals to my hospital room. How we relied on these dinners to feed my tired husband and young daughter.
Food is all about comfort. It feeds our bodies, but it can also feed our souls. When you hear people talking about their favorite holidays, it usually includes their feelings connected with sharing food. I know I’ll have many more chances in my lifetime to prepare food for others. It is truly a gift I want to prepare and deliver to someone in need.We can learn from the first paragraph that the author _____.
| A．was tired of preparing food. |
| B．was glad to be able to lend a hand. |
| C．knew the family in need very well. |
| D．had to stay in bed for several weeks. |
The author has given lots of food to others because _____.
| A．she has received others’ food. |
| B．she is friendly to others. |
| C．she is a church member. |
| D．she is poor at cooking. |
What do we know about the author’s family?
| A．Her husband isn’t good at cooking. |
| B．Her family is too poor to buy enough food. |
| C．She has a babysitter taking care of her twins. |
| D．Her family lives not far from a church. |
Which of the following is TRUE about the author?
| A．She didn’t get enough food during her pregnancy. |
| B．Her mother died when she was in hospital. |
| C．She received food along with comfort in her hard times. |
| D．She thinks offering food is the best way to show love. |
Which of the conclusion can we get according to the article?
| A．Every man has his faults. |
| B．Actions speak louder than words. |
| C．A good beginning makes a good ending. |
| D．One good turn deserves another. |
Of all the websites, one that has attracted attention recently is myspace.com. Most of this attention has come from the media and tells every reason why the website should be shut down. The danger of internet predators(窃掠者) is indeed a tough reality, but shutting down the site is not the answer. If myspace.com were shut down, another site would quickly take its place. Therefore, the right way is to teach teens how to use the site safely and educate them about who may be predators and how to avoid them.
The key to staying safe on the Internet is to make sure that your profile(个人资料) is secure. The simplest way is to change the privacy setting on your profile to “private”, which protects your information so that only the people on your friend list can view it. Although this is effective, it is not perfect. Predators can find ways to view your profile if they really want to, whether through hacking(非法侵入) in or figuring out their way onto your friend list. Thus, you should never post too much personal information. Some people actually post their home and school addresses, date of birth, and other personal information, often letting predators know exactly where they will be and when. The safest information is your first name and province. Anything more is basically inviting a predator into your life.
Another big problem is photos. I suggest completely skipping photos and never posting a photo of a friend online without asking permission.
Most importantly, never, under any circumstances, agree to a real-life meeting with anyone you meet online. No matter how well you think you know this person, there are no guarantees that they have told the truth. But you could feel free to chat with people you meet on the site, but just remember that not everyone is who they say they are. Hopefully, the next time you edit your profile, you’ll be more informed about the dangers of Internet predators and take the steps to defend yourself.
Lastly, do not send money to anyone you meet online. A common scam among Internet criminals is to request to pay for “expensive Internet charges” or “unreasonable Internet cafe fees”. While it is indeed true that many countries in Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and South America do not yet have Internet service readily available in all cities and towns, a sincere friend from one of these countries will be more than happy to pay their own Internet charges. Never, under any circumstances, should you send money to a stranger from another country(or within your own country for that matter) who claims monetary assistance is required to continue their contact with you.Kids can avoid web predators successfully by________.
| A．attracting more public attention |
| B．shutting down the “myspace.com” |
| C．learning different ways to try other sites |
| D．recognizing and getting away from them |
We can learn from the text that________.
| A．everybody you meet online isn’t honest and reliable |
| B．it is not acceptable to post a photo of a friend online |
| C．it is not safe to chat with grown-ups on the website |
| D．only you and your friends can view your personal profile |
What does the underlined word “scam” in the last paragraph mean?
| A．A thing that you can have two choices. |
| B．An unpleasant task that tests one’s ability. |
| C．A possibility of something happening. |
| D．An illegal plan for making money. |
What could be the best title of this passage?
| A．Personal Safety. | B．Web Safety for Teens. |
| C．Web Hackers in the past. | D．Predators’ Tricks. |
It is often said that man has become the enemy of our planet. This is no exaggeration(夸张), for reports show that man’s greed has done much to destroy the earth. Man, in his greedy desire for financial growth, has polluted the air, land and water, and has robbed our valuable natural resources. Man’s industrial plants pour out poisonous waste that pollutes the sea and puts life in the sea under the threat of dying out; at the same time, they release alarming amounts of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other pollutants. Small wonder that the air now is much warmer and more impure than ever before.
Of course, this is not just because of man’s greed—it is man’s pressing need as well. For instance, in developing countries, huge financial foreign debts have forced governments to approve the cutting of forests for agriculture or ranching. As a result, forests are cut down just to meet man’s immediate needs.
Perhaps unknowingly，man has changed the make-up of the earth's atmosphere. Scientific studies have shown that CFCs used in refrigerators and industrial cleaners are fast destroying the ozone layer—a protective layer in the atmosphere that protects us against the harmful effects of the sun’s ultraviolet (紫外线)rays. In fact, documented reports have shown a terrible fact that there are “holes” in the ozone layer over the Antarctic. And they appear to be expanding.
Faced with these environmental problems, world leaders have shown deep concern. The UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) has arranged international agreements like the Vienna convention of 1985 and the Montreal Protocol of 1989 to preserve the ozone layer by controlling the production, use and trade of destructive chemicals.
There may be some doubt as to how effectual these agreements may be, given that some countries still maintain an “I-don’t-care” attitude. Their attitude is probably due to their failure to grasp the importance of the problem. Then, there is no doubt that environmental education on an international scale（规模）is greatly needed, so that all countries, great and small—the “haves” and the “have nots”—may realize their responsibilities for our planet.
In the meantime, the UNEP seems to have taken steps in the right direction, and it is hoped that in the not so distant future, all nations of the world will join hands in saving mother earth. Which of the following is a reason for the cutting and burning of forests?
| A．To build houses for more population. |
| B．To have land for agriculture. |
| C．To export trees to other countries. |
| D．To build industrial plants. |
The holes in the ozone layer are largely due to________.
| A．man’s research activities | B．the greenhouse effect |
| C．the ultraviolent | D．harmful chemicals |
Why don’t some countries care about the problem of the environment?
| A．They don’t want to put their lives in danger. |
| B．They just don’t know how to solve the problem. |
| C．They haven’t realized the seriousness of the problem. |
| D．They don’t want to break their international commitment. |
What is the author’s attitude towards the future of the environment?
| A．Hopeful. | B．Unconcerned | C．Doubtful | D．Objective |
New rules will let millions of Americans know where more of their food comes from. The law is known as COOL -- Country of Origin Labeling(标签).
American congress first passed the law in 2002. Stores have had to label seafood by country of origin since 2005. But industry pressure delayed other requirements until last week.
Products that must now be labeled include fresh fruits and vegetables, muscle meats and some kinds of nuts. But the rules are complex, and many foods are not included. For example, organ meats are free to be labeled. So are processed foods, including cooked or smoked foods.
The same food may sometimes have to be labeled and other times not. Fresh or frozen peas, for example, have to be labeled but not canned peas. Foods that are mixed with other foods are also excluded. Mixed nuts, for example, do not need to be labeled. The same is true of a salad mix that contains different things like lettuce and carrots. Or a fruit cup that combines different fruits. Also, the law doesn’t include restaurants and other food service organizations. Department of Agriculture officials say the law is really meant for larger grocery stores.
The United States has imported more and more food in recent years to save money and expand choices. Country-of-origin labeling has become more common lately but has still been limited in many stores.
Food safety is one reason why some shoppers pay close attention to where foods came from. For example, when a large number of people recently got sick from salmonella(沙门菌病), officials blamed peppers from Mexico. Yet the last big food scare involved spinach grown in California. But labeling is also a way for people to know they are getting what they want. Some want to buy local foods or foods from a particular country.
The country-of-origin labeling law gives stores 30 days to correct any violations(违反) that are found. Stores and suppliers that are found to be deliberately violating the law could be fined 1,000 dollars per violation. Federal inspectors are not to take action to enforce the law for six months to give time for an education campaign.
Some food safety activists say they are generally pleased with the law. They call it a good step that will give people more useful information. Why has more and more food been imported to the United States in recent years?
| A．It is economical and provides people with more choices. |
| B．Foreign food is of higher quality than native food. |
| C．Americans need more and more food recently. |
| D．The United States is short of food supply. |
Consumers are more concerned about where foods come from because________.
| A．they are curious about the origin of the food. |
| B．most of them are particular about the tastes |
| C．they are concerned about food safety |
| D．most of them are food safety activists |
The new rules of the country-of-origin labeling law will come into effect________.
| A．right now | B．in a month | C．in three months | D．in half a year |
Which of the following can be inferred from the text?
| A．Store owners are most likely to be the supporters of the law. |
| B．The government of America will possibly forbid importing peppers from Mexico. |
| C．Federal inspectors couldn’t take measures to enforce the law. |
| D．Most Americans prefer imported vegetables to the vegetables grown in local places. |
My favorite English teacher could draw humor out of the driest material. It wasn’t forced on us either. He took Samuel Johnson’s dictionary, Addison’s essays, and many other literary wonders from the eighteenth century and made them hilarious, even at eight o’clock in the morning. The thing that amazed me most was that the first time I read these works on my own, some of them seemed dead, but the second time, after his explanation, I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t seen the humor. The stories and poems and plays were suddenly filled with allusions(典故) and irony and hilarious moments. I learned more from him than from any other teacher.
My least favorite English teacher also made people laugh. Some students found him to be wonderfully funny. Many others did not. He assigned journals over a six-week period, to be written every day. At the end of the six weeks I had a notebook full of bits and pieces about my ideas, short stories, reactions to what we had read, and so on. Our teacher announced that we would be grading each other’s journals. Mine was passed to Joe, that class clown, who always behaved in a funny or silly way. He saw it fit to make a joke of and said, “This writing isn’t fit to line the bottom of a birdcage.” Our teacher laughed at that funny remark. It hurt me so much that the anger from it has driven my writing and teaching ever since.
So what makes the difference? Humor is one of the most powerful tools teachers or writers have. It can build up students and classes and make them excited about literature and writing, or it can tear them apart. It is true that humor is either productive or counter-productive and self-defeating. The passage mainly discusses ________.
| A．teaching | B．literature | C．humor | D．knowledge |
The underlined word “hilarious” in Paragraph 1 probably means ________.
| A．funny | B．tiring | C．inspiring | D．brilliant |
The English teacher the writer disliked most ________.
| A．was not able to make students laugh |
| B．hurt his student’s feelings |
| C．didn’t let his students do the grading |
| D．had no sense of humor |