B
South Korea has offered about 10,000 tons of corn to North Korea, in what would be the first official aid to its hungry neighbor for almost two years.The South also offered 20 tons of milk powder and medicine for children, pregnant women and other vulnerable people, its unification ministry said.The proposed shipmen would be through the Red Cross.It would be the first official one since a conservative government came to power in Seoul in February 2008.The South Korean administration of President Lee Myung-bak has linked major assistance to progress on denuclearisation.
However, after months of bitter hostility, the communist North began making peace overtures(提议,提案) to the South in recent months.Persistent media reports have also said the two sides have held preliminary talks about a possible summit.
The amount of food aid on offer is tiny relative to the needs in what the United Nations recently described as the famine-hit North.A third of North Korean women and young children are malnourished(营养不良的) and the country will run short of almost 1.8 million tons of food this year, the United Nations World Food Program said in a report last month.The unification ministry admitted it was far less than needed but said the North must mend relations before shipments could be increased.
"We cannot say 10,000 tons is sufficient in view of North Korea's food shortage and other conditions," said ministry spokeswoman Lee Jong-Joo."We are providing purely humanitarian aid," she said.
"There is no change in our position that massive food aid depends on how relations between the two Koreas develop," she said.North Korea has yet to respond to the latest offer, made through the Red Cross.But Yonhap news agency said it was likely co-ordinated in advance before the announcement.
Last year the South offered 50,000 tons of corn, but the North rejected the shipment amid high tensions.
North Korea has relied on food aid from China, South Korea and aid agencies to feed millions of its people since a famine in the 1990s resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands.
50.How would North Korea be offered about 10,000 tons of corn from South Korea?
A.North Korea would buy corn from South Korea.
B.North Korea would exchange with South Korea.
C.The offer would be through the Red Sea..
D.The offer would be through an international organization
51.About whether South Korea would go on offering assistance, we can infer from the passage that________________.
A.they would go on without any condition
B.they would go on if there was a famine in North Korea
C.it depended on how their relation would develop
D.it depended on whether North Korea needed it
52.How did North Korea survive since a famine in the 1990s?
A.They depended on the international aid from all other countries
B.They developed their agriculture to increase the production
C.They expanded the agricultural land
D.They relied on food aid from China, South Korea and aid agencies
53.What is the main idea of the passage?
A. It’s about the aid to South Korea from North Korea
B.It tells about the help between South Korea and North Korea
C.It’s about the help to the Poor
D.It tells about an action of the Red Cross
GREENWICH—Recently, a group of concerned Greenwich residents gathered to discuss how they could help those who may be alone during the holiday season.Armed with plenty of ideas and a sincere desire to do good, this group now refers to themselves as "A Random Act of Kindness".As members of this group, we are to put together a Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving Day that will provide a free meal to those who are alone or can't provide for themselves.This task will require many resources to make it successful.We are gathering a small army of volunteers to devote their time to helping prepare, cook, serve, clean, organize and promote this event.We hope that you can help us.The following is what we have planned to do;
·A 2 - hour free dinner that will take place at the Greenwich VFW with 2 seatings, one from 1 p.m.to 2 p.m.and the other from 2: 30 p.m.to 3: 30 p.m.by reservation only on Thanksgiving Day.
·Amy McPhail and Julie Carroll are accepting names of volunteers as well as food donations for the cause; Amy can be contacted (联络) at 692 -7841 for donations and Julie can be contacted if you'd like to volunteer at 884 -0658.
·A bank account has been created through Glens Falls National Bank to accept money donations and checks can be made payable to "A Random Act of Kindness" and sent to Glens Falls National Bank c/o Dan Flynn.
·Ellen Pemrick ( Caterer) .Beth Anthony ( Beth's Cafe) and David Hughes (Glens Falls Hospital) will be consulted to make sure the highest quality of food can be served.
·We are looking to serve between 150 and 250 people at this event.We are serving the following: turkey gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, stuffing rolls, pumpkin pie, apple pie.Beverages will include: milk, water, coffee & apple cider.
If you are interested in donating any of the above items, please drop off your donations at the VFW in Greenwich any evening between November 14 and November 24.If you have any problems dropping any items off during that time, please contact George Perkins at either 692 -2367 or 573 -8115.Any non-perishable food donalions not used for the dinner will be donated to the local Greenwich Food Pantry.
Any help you can provide for us would be gready appreciated.Everyone's generosity to the Greenwich community and its residents is very much appreciated.Reservations for dinner are now being accepted by calling Pal Perkins at 692 -2367 until November 13.If you want to be a volunteer for this Thanksgiving dinner, you may call _____.
A.884-0658 | B.692-2367 | C.573-8115 | D.692-7841 |
How many people will probably be served at the Thanksgiving dinner?
A.500. | B.400. | C.300. | D.200. |
Which of the following will be included in the dinner?
A.Apples and milk. | B.Pumpkins and water. |
C.Coffee and stuffing rolls. | D.Potatoes and cranberry pie. |
As a volunteer for this Thanksgiving dinner, you can ______.
A.contact Julie to make sure of the quality of food |
B.help make some arrangements for this event |
C.drop off your donations at the VFW anytime |
D.donate some money to Glens Falls National Bank |
The purpose of this passage is to _____.
A.describe a Thanksgiving celebration |
B.introduce a Thanksgiving volunteer group |
C.call on people to participate in a Thanksgiving event |
D.persuade people to donate for a Thanksgiving dinner |
Everyone gathered around and Paddy read out loud, slowly, his tone growing sadder and sadder. The little headline said: BOXER RECEIVES LIFF SENTENCE.
Frank Cleary, aged 26, professional boxer, was today found guilty of the murder of Albert Gumming, aged 32, laborer, last July.The jury (陪审团) reached its decision after only ten minutes, recommending the most severe punishment to the court.It was, said the Judge, a simple case.Cumming and Cleary had quarreled violently at the Harbour Hotel on July 23rd and police saw Cleary kicking at the head of the unconscious Gumming.When arrested, Cleary was drunk but clear-thinking.
Cleary was sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour.Asked if he had anything to say, Cleary answered, "Just don't tell my mother."
" It happened over three years ago," Paddy said helplessly.No one answered him or moved, for no one knew what to do."Just don't tell my mother," said Fee numbly (麻木地)."And no one did! Oh,God' My poor, poor Frank!"
Paddy wiped the tears from his face and said."Fee, pack your things.We'll go to see him."
She half-rose before sinking back.her eyes in her small white face stared as if dead."I can't go," she said without a hint of pain, yet making everyone feel that the pain was there."It would kill him to see me.I know him so well—his pride, his ambition.Let him bear the shame alone, it's what he wants.We've got to help him keep his secret.What good will it do him to see us?"
Paddy was still weeping, not for Frank, but for the life which had gone from Fee's face, for the dying in her eyes.Frank had always brought bitterness and misfortune, always stood between Fee and himself.He was the cause of her withdrawal from his heart and the hearts of his children.Every time it looked as if there might be happiness for Fee, Frank look it away.But Paddy's love for her was as deep and impossible to wipe out as hers was for Frank.
So he said, "Well, Fee, we won't go.But we must make sure he is taken care of.How about if I write to Father Jones and ask him to look out for Frank?"
There was no excitement in the eyes, but a faint pink stole into her cheeks." Yes, Paddy, do that.Only make sure he knows not to tell Frank we found out.Perhaps it would ease Frank to think for certain that we don't know."Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Frank was found guilty of murder because he was a professional boxer. |
B.The family didn't find out what happened to Frank until three years later. |
C.The jury and the judge disagreed on whether Frank had committed murder. |
D.Frank didn't want his family to find out what happened because Paddy disliked him. |
Paddy cried because he thought ______.
A.Frank did kill someone and deserved the punishment |
B.Frank should have told Fee what had happened |
C.what had happened to Frank was killing Fee |
D.Frank had always been a man of bad moral character |
The underlined sentence "She half-rose before sinking back…" ( Paragraph 6) shows that.
A.Fee was so heart-broken that she could hardly stand up |
B.Fee didn't want to upset Paddy by visiting Frank |
C.Fee couldn't leave her family to go to see Frank |
D.Fee struggled between wanting to see Frank and respecting his wish |
Which of the following suggests that Fee was deeply shocked by what happened to Frank?
A."Her eyes in her small white face stared as if dead." |
B."Let him bear the shame alone, it's what he wants." |
C."Every time it looked as if there might be happiness for Fee, Frank took it away." |
D."There was no excitement in the eyes, but a faint pink stole into her cheeks." |
What is Frank and Paddy's probable relationship with Fee?
A.Son and brother. | B.Son and husband. |
C.Brother and lover. | D.Lover and husband. |
Four years ago my sweet mom went to be with her Lord.She did it her way.
I got the call at work, and 1 headed home quickly.Mom and Dad lived on a small farm that they had owned since I was seven.I hated going there every weekend.There was nothing for a young girl to do but watch the one station on the old TV set, if the weather allowed reception.
My mom, on the other hand, loved the peace and quiet of the land and loved to work in the garden among her flowers and vegetables.The place was rustic (乡下的), with no indoor heat.We had a big wood stove in the kitchen that did its best to heat the little farmhouse, but it always seemed cold and too quiet to me.
In the evenings, my mom and I would sit for hours singing in the little kitchen.I sang the melody and Mom larmonized.Her favorite song was "Moon River" and we sang it over and over. Momtold me stones about how when I was a little girl, I could sing before I could talk.She loved to tell how my playpen (婴儿圈栏) sat in the kitchen next to the radio and there was one song I particularly loved called "Ivory Tower".
As time passed, I had my own children and went to visit them every week or two.The kids loved the farm and the tractor rides with my dad.But I still hated the silence of the farm.While my mom loved to sit at her kitchen table and look out at her garden and flowers and retell all the old stories, I missed the hustle and bustle (喧闹) of my life at home.But I sat there listening quietly as she reminisced.
Now, I sat back in the silence and the silence was deafening so I finally leaned over to turn on an old radio.Music always comforted me,
My heart skipped a beat."Moon River" was playing on the radio.I sat there, with a tear running down my cheek, as I listened to every familiar note.
Then the radio announcer of this old station came on." Here's one we haven't heard in a while," and an unfamiliar song began.I began to cry harder as I heard the words sung over the airwaves."Come down; come down from your Ivory Tower…"The writer didn't like staying in the farm for the following reasons EXCEPT that ______.
A.it was too cold and quiet |
B.she could only sing one song in the small farm |
C.there was nothing more that could make her excited |
D.The place was rustic, with no indoor heat |
From the First paragraph, we know that the writer's mother ______.
A.died four years ago | B.left the small farm with Lord |
C.left for Lord to live her own way | D.preferred to be with Lord |
The underlined word reminisced in Paragraph 5 probably means ______.
A.recalled | B.comforted | C.shouted | D.sighed |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage _____.
A.The writer was able to dance before she could speak. |
B.The writer preferred to live a quiet life in the country. |
C.The writer was still quite familiar with the song "Ivory Tower", |
D.The writer forgot all her childhood memories in the small farmhouse. |
Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
A.Two English songs | B.My happy childhood |
C.Our small farmhouse | D.Mom's music |
Many people write to newspapers and magazines to express their opinions. Letters to the editor must carry the writer’s full name, address and telephone number, although the information is not necessary for publication. This requirement to provide personal particulars is a clear indication that writers are responsible for what they say. When a writer wants his voice heard, he needs to claim ownership of his voice. Responsibility is the name of the game.
“People today prefer living together to putting their signatures on a marriage certificate because they refuse to accept responsibility for the relationship,” said social worker Ken Yip, “and this is what is causing a lot of family problems.” When we sign a
paper, for example, a business contra
ct or a bank document, the signature is a seal of consent, an agreement to take the matter seriously. Most governments and many organizations will not process written complaints if they do not bear the writer’s signature. The absence of a signature, they explain, tells us that the writer cannot be too serious and therefore does not deserve a reply.
There are people who wish to remain anonymous(匿名的) for various reasons. Multi-billionaire Mr. King donates generously to charity several times a year. He gives simply because he wants to help but not for the publicity his donations may bring, and he doesn’t want his good deeds to make news. In other cases, people insist on anonymity because they are afraid of the consequences of revealing their identity. Crime witnesses may be willing to assist the police, but most are unwilling to give their names when reporting a crime.
Name or no name? The answer is very personal and lies in how much we want to get involved. We all have a name. It is a matter of responsibility to use it when we make a statement, a claim or an accusation. We all want to honor our own name, and it is only by stamping our expression of an opinion with our name that we honor what we say.What does the writer mean by saying “Responsibility is the name of the game”?
A.Writers should be responsible for their names. |
B.Writers need to provide their personal information in the game. |
C.Names are required to indicate writers’ responsibility for what they say. |
D.Publications must bear the writer’s full na![]() |
The second paragraph suggests that a paper without a signature may______.
A.not get a reply | B.be accepted all the time |
C.become a family problem | D.help to end a relationship |
Some people don’t want their names known because they are_______.
A.ready for involvement | B.hesitant to make a donation |
C.afraid of an accusation | D.unwilling to draw public attention |
The passage is mainly about_____.
A.honor and writers | B.signature and responsibility |
C.identity and sign![]() |
D.anonymity and signature |
Over the last 70 years.researchers have been studying happy and Unhappy people and finally found out ten factors that make a difference.Our feelings of well-being at any moment are determined to a certain degree by genes.However of all the factors,wealth and age are the top two.
Money can buy a degree of happiness.But once you can afford to feed,clothe and house yourself, each extra dollar makes less and less difference.
Researchers find that,on average,wealthier people are happier.But the link between money and happiness is complex.In the past half-century, average income has sharply increased in developed countries,yet happiness levels have remained almost the same.Once your basic needs are met,money only seems to increase happiness if you have more than your friends,neighbors and colleagues.
“Dollars buy Status(社会地位),and status makes people feel better,” conclude some experts,which helps explain why people who can seek status in other ways-scientists or actors,for example-may happily accept relatively poorly-paid jobs.
In a research,Professor Alex Michalos found that the people whose desires-not just for money,but for friends,family, job,health-rose furthest beyond what they already had,tended to be less happy than those who felt a smaller
gap(差距).Indeed,the size of the gap predicted happiness about five times better than income alone.“The gap measures just blow away the only measures of income,”says Michalos.
Another factor that has to do with happiness is age.Old age may not be so bad.“Given all the problems of aging,how could the elderly be more satisfied?” asks Professor Laura Carstensen.
Why are old people happier? Some scientists suggest older people may expect life to be harder and learn to live with it,or they're more realistic about their goals,only setting ones that they know they can achieve.But Carstensen thinks that with time running out,older people have learned to focus on things that make them happy and let go of those that don't.
“People realize not only what they have,but also that what they have cannot-last forever,” she says.“A goodbye kiss to a husband or wife at the age of 85,for example,may bring far more complex emotional responses than a similar kiss to a boy or girl friend at the age of 20.”According to the passage,the feeling of happiness _________.
A.has little to do with wealth | B.increases gradually with age |
C.is measured by desires | D.is determined partly by genes |
Some actors would like to accept poorly-paid jobs because the jobs_________.
A.make them feel much better | B.provide chances to m![]() |
C.improve their social position | D.satisfy their professional interests |
Aged people are more likely to feel happy because they are more_________.
A.optimistic | B.p![]() |
C.successful | D.emotional |
Professor Alex Michalos found that people feel less happy if__________.
A.the gap between reality and desire is bigger |
B.they have a stronger desire for friendship |
C.their income is below their expectation |
D.the hope for good health is greater |