“Can I see my baby?” asked the happy new mother. The bundle(婴儿包)was placed in her arms and when she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she held her breath-the baby has been born without ears. Time, however, proved that the baby’s hearing was perfect except his appearance.
One day when he rushed home from school and threw himself into his mother’s arms, he cried out bitterly, “A boy, a big boy… called me a f-…freak.” She sighed, knowing that his life was to be endless of heartbreaks.
He grew up, handsome for his misfortune. A favorite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that. He developed a gift for literature and music.
The boy’s father had a talk with the family doctor. Could nothing be done? “I believe we could graft(移植)on a pair of outer ears, if they could be donated(捐献),”the doctor decided. So the search began for a person who would make such a sacrifice a young man. Two years went by. Then, “You’re going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But it’s a secret,” said the father.
The operation was a brilliant success. His talents blossomed (开花)into genius. School and college became a series of successes. Later he married and entered the diplomatic(外交)service. “But I must know!” he urged his father. “Who gave so much for me? I could never do enough for him.”
“I do not believe you could,” said the father, “but the agreement was that you are not to know….not yet.” The years kept the secret, but the day did come…. one of the darkest days that ever pass through a son. He stood with his father over his mother’s casket(棺材).Slowly and tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish-brown hair to let out the secret.
60.The story is mainly about .
A.how a boy had new ears through an operation
B.what a devoted parent privately did for the child
C.how a disabled boy turned into a useful person
D.why a donator made a sacrifice to a bright boy
61.From the first paragraph we know that the mother .
A.was determined to donate her ears to perfect her son.
B.kept her husband unknown about the baby’s situation
C.felt shocked and disappointed to see her new baby
D.complained of her bad luck to have a disabled child
62.We can infer from her passage .
A.the agreement was between the donator and the family
B.the boy was so popular that he was made class president
C.finally the boy came to know who the donator was
D.the mother donated her ears to her son after she died
63.What moral lesson can we draw from this reading?
A.True beauty lies only in the heart not in appearance.
B.It is a virtue for young generations to learn to be grateful
C.It is up to parents to help their children heart and soul.
D.Real love lies in what is done unknown rather than what is done known.
Sparrow is a fast-food chain with 200 restaurants. Some years ago, the group to which Sparrow belonged was taken over by another company. Although Sparrow showed no sign of declining, the chain was generally in an unhealthy state. With more and more fast-food concepts reaching the market, the Sparrow menu had to struggle for attention. And to make matters worse, its new owner had no plans to give it the funds it required.
Sparrow failed to grow for another two years. Until a new CEO, Carl Pearson, decided to build up its market share. He did a survey, which showed that consumers who already used Sparrow restaurants were extremely positive about the chain, while customers of other fast-food chains were unwilling to turn away from them. Sparrow had to develop a new promotional campaign.
Pearson faced a battle over the future of the Sparrow brand. The chain’s owner now favored rebranding Sparrow as Marcy’s restaurants. Pearson resisted, arguing for an advertising campaign designed to convince customers that visits to Sparrow restaurants were fun. Such an attempt to establish a positive relationship between a company and the general public was unusual for that time. Pearson strongly believed that numbers were the key to success, rather than customers speeding power. Finally, the owner accepted his idea.
The campaign itself changed the traditional advertising style of the fast-food industry. The TV ads of Sparrow focused on entertainment and featured original songs performed by a variety of stars. Instead of showing the superiority of a specific product, the intension was to put Sparrow in the hearts of potential customers.
Pearson also made other decisions which he believed would contribute to the new Sparrow image. For example, he offered to lower the rent of any restaurants which achieved a certain increase in their turnover (营业额).
These efforts paid off, and Sparrow soon became one of the most successful fast-food chains in the regions where it operated.Which was one of the problems Sparrow faced before Pearson became CEO?
A.The number of its customers was declining |
B.Its customers found the food unhealthy |
C.It was in need of financial support |
D.Most of its restaurants were closed |
What does the underlined word “them” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A.customers of Sparrow restaurants |
B.Sparrow restaurants |
C.customers of other fast-food chains |
D.other fast-food chains |
For what purpose did Pearson start the advertising campaign?
A.To build a good relationship with the public. |
B.To stress the unusual tradition of Sparrow. |
C.To learn about customers’ spending power. |
D.To meet the challenge from Marcy’s restaurants. |
What was Pearson’s achievement as a CEO?
A.He managed to pay off Sparrow’s debts. |
B.He made Sparrow much more competitive. |
C.He helped Sparrow take over a company. |
D.He improved the welfare of Sparrow employees. |
Will Nanfang University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen announce a new beginning for China’s higher education reform? It’s too early to answer. But its presence is challenging the Ministry of Education. Even without the approval of the ministry it seems that the school is determined to move forward and enroll 50 students, so-called child prodigies(奇才), to begin classes on March l, 2011.On graduating in 2015, these students will receive a diploma unauthorized by the Ministry of Education----unlike the students of their age from the state-run universities.
The school is committed to modeling itself on Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, but if the government will not approve the school, the situation could cause a lot of trouble for those 50 students if they want to do graduate studies at other higher learning institutions. Other schools could turn their applications down for their unauthorized diplomas.
The difficulties, however, have not frightened students and their parents away. On Dec.18, 2010 more than 1,000 students and their parents visited Nanfang University of Science and Technology for interviews.
Private investment marks the school out from other higher learning institutions in the nation. Not a penny comes from the government. So the government will have no voice in how the school will be run.
The Ministry of Education has published a comprehensive plan for education reform and development between 2011 and 2020.The goal is to make China’s higher education internationally competitive. To accomplish this goal, the government should have the courage to let the educators who have big ideas try them out. The ministry should have applauded the independence. The school in Shenzhen has shown and encouraged more to do likewise.
Education reform in China has reached a new and crucial stage. Nanfang University of Science and Technology has a long way to go to prove itself competitive rather than a diploma mill.Over 1,000 students and parents visited the school because _________.
A.they believe that the school will have a bright future |
B.they believe the government is sure to approve the school |
C.the school models itself on Hong Kong University successfully |
D.they will never do graduate studies at other higher learning institutions |
The trouble the students in the school may have is that ________.
A.the government will have no voice in the school |
B.they won’t receive any diploma when graduating from the school |
C.other schools are unlikely to accept their diploma from the school |
D.they will not learn how to be competitive |
What does the author think of Nanfang University of Science and Technology?
A.It is another kind of diploma mill. |
B.It’s impossible for the school to be competitive. |
C.It will never get the approval from the Ministry of Education. |
D.Its independence from the government may benefit the education reform. |
What is the best title of the passage?
A.University of New Style. |
B.China’s Education Reform. |
C.Modeling Hong Kong University. |
D.Authorized or Not? |
Nine years ago, after Leo had died, people said to me. "I never knew he was your stepfather." You see, I never called him that. At first, he was no one special in my life. Then he became my friend. In time, I felt he was also my father.
Leo married my mother when I was eleven. Two years later we moved into a house in a new suburban development, where we put down roots. At first our lawn was just a mud with wild grass, but Leo saw bright possibilities. "We'll plant trees there to give us shade as well as some flowers," he said. And just these little touches made our house different from all the others. More important, a real family was forming. Leo was becoming a full-time parent, and I was learning what it meant to have a father.
Weekday mornings when the weather was bad, Leo often drove me to school. Having a father drop you off may have been something my classmates took for granted, but I always thought it was wonderful. Saturday mornings, we went to the hardware shop, then stepped into the five-and-ten, buying a sports magazine or something else. Some people might think that doing shopping together is nothing special, but I, who had ever before spent my childhood watching other families do their everyday activities, experienced them now with extreme delight. Looking back, I realized that Leo gave me what I needed most—the experience of doing ordinary things together as a family.
Soon after we moved to the suburbs, one of our new neighbors introduced herself to me. She had already met my mother and Leo. "You know," she said, "you look just like your father." I knew she was just making conversation--but even so... "Thank you", I said. Why tell her anything different?The writer's purpose in writing this passage is _______.
A.to show his pride to have a good stepfather |
B.to show how interesting a person Leo was |
C.to remind us of our parents |
D.to explain why they moved to the suburbs |
The phrase “put down roots”in the second paragraph means _______.
A.farmed | B.planted | C.settled | D.worked |
In the writer's opinion, _______.
A.it is not easy to live with a stepfather |
B.not all the stepfathers are as good as Leo |
C.the husband and wife must think more about their children before they divorce |
D.in stepfamilies the love and friendship are extremely precious |
The last sentence “Why tell her anything different?”means that _________.
A.he should have told the truth |
B.he wouldn't tell her the truth |
C.he wanted to tell her something that had nothing to do with Leo |
D.he wanted to keep silence whenever he met the neighbors |
Popular music in America is what every student likes. Students carry small radios with earphones and listen to music before class, after class, and at lunch. Students with cars buy large speakers and play the music loudly as they drive on the street.
Adult drivers listen to music on the car radio as they drive to work. They also listen to the news about sports, the weather, and the life of American people. Most of the radio programs are music.
Pop or popular music singers make much money. They make a CD or tape which radio stations use in many places. Once the popular singer is heard all over the country, young people buy his or her tape. Some of the money from these tapes goes to the singer. Wherever the singer goes, all the young people want to meet him or her. Now the singer has become a national star.
There are other kinds of music that are important to Americans. One is called folk music. It tells stories about the common life of Americans. Another is called western or country music. This is started by cowboys who would sing at night to the cows they are watching. Today, any music about country life and the love between a country boy and his girl is called western or country music. This passage mainly talks about __________.
A.American music |
B.American popular music |
C.three sorts of music |
D.popular music singers |
The first three paragraphs mainly tell us _____________.
A.that Americans like folk music |
B.that popular music is an important kind of music in American |
C.how to become a national star as a pop singer in American |
D.popular music in America is what every student likes |
The underlined word “This” in the last paragraph refers to “__________”.
A.American music |
B.folk music |
C.country music |
D.the common life of Americans |
According to the passage, the song Country Road probably belongs to _________.
A.pop music |
B.folk music |
C.western music |
D.jazz |
No one should be forced to wear a uniform under any circumstance. Uniforms are controlling the human spirit and totally unnecessary in a democratic(民主的) society. Uniforms tell the world that the person who wears one has no value as an individual but only lives to function as a part of the whole. The individual in a uniform loses all self-worth.
There are those who say that wearing a uniform gives a person a sense of identification with a larger, more important concept. What could be more important than the individual himself? If an organization is so weak that it must rely on cloth and buttons to inspire its members, that organization has no right to continue its existence.
Others say that the practice of making persons wear uniforms, say in school, gets rid of all envy and competition in a matter of dress, such that a poor person who cannot afford good-quality clothing is not to be looked down upon by a wealthy person who wears expensive clothing. Those persons ignore the concepts as freedom of choice, motivation, and individuality. If all persons were to wear the same clothing, why would anyone struggle to be better? It is only a short step from forcing everyone to drive the same car, have the same type of food. When this happens, all motivation to improve one’s life is removed. Why would parents bother to work hard so that their children could have a better life than they had when they know that their children are going to be forced to have exactly the same life as they had?
Uniforms also hurt the economy(经济). Right now, billions of dollars are spent on the fashion industry yearly. Thousands of people are employed in designing, creating, and marketing different types of clothing. If everyone were forced to wear uniforms, artistic personnel would be unnecessary. Salesmen would be extra as well. Why bother to sell the only items that are available? The wearing of uniforms would destroy the fashion industry which in turn would have a wave effect on such industries as advertising and sales promotion. Without advertising, newspapers, magazines, and television would not be able to remain in business. Our entire information and entertainment industries would collapse.Why does the author discuss forcing everyone to buy the same car or eat the same food?
A.To show that freedom of choice is absolute in modern society. |
B.To suggest what would happen if uniforms became compulsory. |
C.To predict the way the society will be in the next few generations. |
D.To show that the government has too much control over people’s lives. |
The last word of the passage “collapse” probably means ________.
A.fail | B.rise | C.disappear | D.struggle |
The author’s primary purpose in writing this passage was to ________.
A.show that uniforms are not possible in a democratic society |
B.advise the government to change the rules of wearing uniforms |
C.advocate stronger governmental controls on the wearing of uniforms |
D.convince the reader that uniforms have more disadvantages than advantages |