Why People Get Tattoos
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. His friend Tony had recently gotten a tattoo, and Jack was so impressed by it that he decidedto 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 thing.
The media is another big influence behind the popularity of tattoos in North America. A wide variety of media images (人物,图像) 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 colorful 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.
45. Jack has got tattoos in order to ______.
A. show his great bravery B. gain a special experience
C. make himself more healthy D. be different from others
46. According to the passage, media images are linked to ______.
A. traditional lifestyle B. social position C. cultural background D. public interest
47. We can infer from the passage that ______.
A. some people get tattoos out of pressure
B. tattoo is related to religious belief
C. getting tattoos costs a lot of money
D. most people with tattoos are artists
48. Which of the following shows the structure of the passage?
![]() |
CP: Central Point P: Point Sp: Sub – point (次要点) C: Conclusion
For the last couple of weeks , I had been stuck in front of my computer working on a project that was very important to me . My every waking hour was consumed by the project and although I imagined that I would feel happy after completing parts of the project, I was confused to find that instead , I was feeling rather depressed . I tried a range of methods to help cheer myself up. I had a relaxing bath, cooked a delicious meal to enjoy with my family and even watched a lighthearted movie,but to no avail. It was only when I turned to meditation(沉思) for a solution that the answer came to me : turn to nature!
The very next day , I grabbed my camera and a bottle of water and set off to spend a few hours walking in a nature reserve , even though it was pouring with rain . Within a couple of minutes I felt alive again.To be honest . I felt like a young school girl again and had to stop myself from hopping along the path singing , “I’m singing in the rain.”a song I used to sing when I was a child . I think as adults we often try too hard to control our inner children and as a result we restrain(限制)our own spirits , which only leads to depression and stress.
Interestingly,it has been shown that people who spend 40 minutes walking in a nature reserve have a drop in their blood pressure levels. But this does not happen when they spend a similar amount of time walking in a busy city centre .
If you feel a little low in spirit and know that you have spent too much time indoors , relax completely , remove your shoes and let your inner child come out and play.The author felt depressed because she.
A.couldn’t consume her waking hour |
B.had not seen a film for a long time. |
C.had not finished her work on time |
D.had worked on a hard job for too long |
The author walked in a nature reserve in the rain in order to.
A.take photos | B.find a solution to the project |
C.hop along the path | D.cheer herself up |
The underlined part“to no avail” in Paragraph 1 probably means“”.
A.unsuccessful | B.unrelated | C.uninteresting | D.unexpected |
In the author’s opinion,.
A.a bath can make people relaxed |
B.depression is usually caused by hard work |
C.walking in a busy city centre harms people’s health |
D.adults should express their inner feelings freely |
The last paragraph mainly serves as a(n).
A.explanation | B.suggestion | C.introduction | D.reminder |
So much to do, so little time.So much information, so little time to read.In this age there is more information than ever before.There is not enough time to read everything we want to read.However, you can take in and understand more information in shorter time through speed-reading.This article will not make you read 3,000 words per minute, but it will show you how to increase your speed greatly.You will also learn the basic techniques of speed reading, along with the dos and don’ts of speed-reading.
When you first learned to read, you would say the word out loud and sound it out.Then you might whisper the word because people can become annoyed when you read aloud.The stage you are now at is saying the word in your head.Most people tend to read this way.Saying the word in your head will cut your reading speed tremendously (极大的).
How do you calculate your reading speed? The speed is measured by how many words per minute you can read.Get some reading material, preferably a book.Find out how many words are on the page.Time yourself one minute.Start your timer and start reading.When the timer sounds, stop at once.If you counted 500 words on the page and you read half of the page, then you are probably reading at 250 words per minute.
The first thing about speed-reading is looking at the word and recognizing it.Don’t say the word in your mind, just look at it and recognize its appearance.Later you will recognize groups of four words or more to increase your speed.This is the first and most important step in speed-reading.
The next step is technique.As with any other skill, speed-reading requires technique.You should first be sitting up straight with your book on a horizontal (水平的) surface, such as a table or desk.Next, should be able to see the entire page.This is necessary if you want to recognize clumps of words.Lastly, you should be focused.It’s hard to read with a lot of noise.Find a quiet place to read.This will help your understanding of the text.You need something to guide your eyes while reading.Then right, you should use your hand.Remember when you were little, you would read using your finger.That is a great technique, only now you’re using your hand to underline each line.Move your finger smoothly across page.No need to go rush, start out slow.Keep your eyes focused on words as you recognize them while using your hand as a guide.This will increase your speed.
The third step is practice.Practice makes perfect.Set time intervals.Read using different techniques,
but make sure you understand what you’re reading.Which of the following statements is true according to the text?
A.Now there is limited information than ever before. |
B.Now conditions ask people to use less time to know more information. |
C.Now people can read what they like. |
D.The less you read, the more time you will spend. |
The underlined sentence “you should be focused” in the fifth paragraph means that ______.
A.a person should devote his attention to it while reading |
B.your feelings will be hurt while reading |
C.a person should smooth away difficulties while he reads |
D.you should pay attention to your faults while you are reading |
To speed up your reading, you should_________.
A.sit up straight with your book flat and use something to guide your eyes |
B.say every word out loud and sound it out |
C.know it is necessary to read quickly |
D.underline some important words while you say them |
Beijing—(13, July) China sent up a new data relay satellite(数据中继卫星), Tianlian I-02, on Monday at the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in South-western Sichuan province.The new satellite will promote the country’s satellite communication network for space docking(对接).
The satellite was launched on a Long-March-3C carrier rocket at 11:41 p.m., sources at the centre told Xinhua News Agency.The satellite separated from the rocket 26 minutes after its launch and was then successfully delivered into a geostationary transfer orbit (地球同步转移轨道).
Developed by the China Academy of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the satellite is the country’s second data relay satellite.The first, Tianlian I-01, was launched on April 25.2008.
The two satellites will form a network to improve communications between China’s spacecraft and bases on Earth, according to the centre.They will also be used to help the nation’s first space docking, scheduled for the second half of this year.
As planned, China will launch space module Tiangong-I, which was designed as a platform that will dock with an unmanned spaceship, Shenzhou, for the county’s first space-docking mission this year.
Two more Shenzhou spaceships will dock with Tiangong-I next year, and one will be manned by two or three astronauts, according to China Manned Space Engineering Office, which was the main user of the Tianlian I series data relay satellites.
“The new satellite can cover a greater area to track and command the country’s space vehicles in low-Earth orbits, such as manned spacecraft and remote sensing satellites, from a higher position in outer space.Only three satellites of this kind are needed to form a global communication network, and China has two now.” Pang Zhihao, a researcher and deputy editor-in-chief of Space International, said.
The satellite could also equip astronauts with real-time communications, which will benefit the country’s future manned space flights, he said.What is the main purpose to send up Tianlian I-02 ?
A.To test the function of a Long-March-SC carrier rocket. |
B.To carry some astronauts into space to do some research. |
C.To send more information and clearer pictures to mobile phones on the earth. |
D.To promote the country’s satellite communication network for space docking. |
From the passage we know.
A.one more such satellite is needed to form a global communication network |
B.the satellite was developed by China Manned Space Engineering Office |
C.it was less than three years since China launched its first date relay satellite of this kind |
D.the satellite could help track and command space vehicles in orbits because it’s lower in position |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the news report?
A.Shenzhou Ⅷ is a manned spaceship. |
B.Tiangong-I will dock with three Shenzhou spaceships next year. |
C.the satellite is of great importance to China’s space exploration. |
D.china’s first space docking will be done in the second half of next year. |
The best title of the passage could be___________.
A.China Launched a New Space Shuttle |
B.China’s Plan for Space Exploration |
C.China’s Progress in China’s Space Exploration |
D.New Satellite Helps China’s Space Exploration |
October 15th is Global Handwashing Day.Activities are planned in more than twenty countries to get millions of people in the developing world to wash their hands with soap.
Experts say people around the world wash their hands but very few use soap at so-called critical moments.These include after using the toilet, after cleaning a baby and before touching food.
Global Handwashing Day is the idea of the Public-private Partnership for handwashing with soap.The goal, they say, is to create a culture of handwashing with soap.The organizers say all soaps are equally effective at removing disease-causing germs.They say the correct way to wash is to wet your hands with a small amount of water and cover them with soap.Rub it into all areas, including under the fingernails.Then, wash well under running water.Finally, dry your hands with a clean cloth.
The Partnership says soap is important because it increases the time that people spend washing.Soap also helps to break up the dirt that holds most of the germs.And it usually leaves a pleasant smell, which increases the chances that people will wash again.
It also says that washing hands with soap before eating and after using the toilet could save more lives than any medicine.It could help reduce cases of diarrhea, which is the second leading cause of child deaths, killing more than one and a half million children a year, by almost half.What does the author intend to tell us in the passage?
A.To keep healthy by washing hands. | B.To wash hands with soap. |
C.To take action to wash hands. | D.To wash hands often. |
Which of the following is the right way to wash hands?
a.Washing hands well. b.Covering hands with soap. c.Drying hands.
d.Rubbing hands with soap.e.Wetting hands.
A.a--c--b--e--d | B.e--d--a--b—c |
C.a--c--b--d--e | D.e--b--d--a--c |
.Which fact can NOT explain why soap is important?
A.It gives people a longer handwashing time. |
B.It helps to remove a lot of germs from hands. |
C.It attracts people to do more handwashing. |
D.It gets all people into the habit of washing hands. |
According to the last paragraph, diarrhea is a disease that ________.
A.kills half of the kids in the developing countries a year |
B.causes the greatest number of child deaths |
C.can be prevented to some degree by washing hands with soap |
D.can’t be cured without washing hands |
When middle-aged Alex quit his job and made up his mind to become a self-employed writer, no one could tell for sure whether he would succeed or not.He found a cold storage room in a building, set up a used typewriter and settled down to work.
After a year or so, however, Alex began to doubt himself.He found it was difficult to earn his living by selling what he wrote.But Alex determined to put his dream to the test—even though it meant living with uncertainty and fear of failure.This is the shadowland(虚幻世界)of hope, and anyone with a dream must learn to live there.
One day Alex got a call, "We need an assistant, and we’re paying $ 6,000 a year.” $ 6,000 was real money in 1960.It would enable Alex to get a nice apartment, a used car and more.Besides, he could write in his spare time.As the dollars were dancing in Alex’s head, something cleared his senses.He had dreamed of being a writer? Full time."Thanks, but no," Alex said firmly and swiftly, "I’m going to stick it out and write."
After Alex got off the phone, he pulled out everything he had: two cans of vegetables and 18 cents.Alex put the cans and cents into a paper bag, saying to himself," There’s everything you’ve made of yourself so far.I’m not sure I ever felt so low."
Finally his work was published in 1970.Instantly he had the kind of fame and success that few writers ever experienced.The shadows had turned into focus of attention.
Then one day, Alex found a box filled with things he had owned years before.Inside was a paper bag with two cans and 18 cents.Suddenly he pictured himself working in that cold storage room.It reminds Alex, and anyone with a dream, of the courage and persistence it takes to stay the course in the shadowland.Why did Alex give up his job?
A.Because he didn’t like the working conditions. |
B.Because he couldn’t earn enough to make a living. |
C.Because he wanted to be a full-time writer. |
D.Because he felt he had no potential in his job. |
What did Alex express when he answered the call?
A.He refused the job offer. |
B.He was willing to give them a hand. |
C.He expected them to pay him more money. |
D.He would write in his spare time. |
What kind of person is Alex?
A.Determined. | B.Modest | C.Shy. | D.Brave. |
Which of the following can summarize the passage best?
A.Look before you leap. |
B.Two heads are better, than one. |
C.Hold on to your dream, and it will come true. |
D.A bird in hand is worth two in the bush. |