Wednesday, October 29,2008.
The United States federal government had two young men in the state of Tennessee arrested on October 22 on unknown charges.
In court documents published on Monday, it came to light that the men had discussed attacking an African – American school and killing 14 of them.
Another crime was about planning to murder Presidential candidate Barack Obama. According to their affidavits (口供), the suspects’ “final act of violence” would be like this: when
they attacked Obama they would wear white suits and top hats and drive “their vehicle as fast as they could toward Obama shooting at him from the windows.”
The two suspects are Paul Schlesselman, 18, of West Helena, Arkansas and Daniel Cowart, 20, of Bells, Tennessee. According to the court papers, they met last month over the Internet through a friend. Schlesselman and Cowart are believed to share “very strong views” about White Power.
Schlesselman listed “being racist” as his occupation on his MySpace page. He further wrote: “I'm white. I'm proud. I get angry. I like guns.”
Cowart also had a MySpace page on which photos of guns were presented under a heading of “My Guns”. On his page he wrote, “Better to die quick fighting on your feet than to live forever begging on your knees.”
Some have questioned the pair's ability to carry out the charged plan, but authorities have been very concerned about Obama as the first black presidential candidate from a major party.
“We honestly don't know if they had the ability or the skill to carry out the kind of plan that they talked about.” said Malcolm Wiley, of the United Satates Secret Service in an interview with The New York Times. “But we take any threat seriously no matter how big or how small it is.”
Cowart and Schlesselman are scheduled to appear before a judge on Thursady. The passage is mainly about____________.
| A．Americans’ attitudes towards Barack Obarma | B．two young men planning to commit violence |
| C．the violence in the United States | D．the disadvantages of the Internet |
From the passage, we can know that the two young men_________.
| A．shot 14 students in an African – American school | B．came from the state of Tennessee |
| C．were proud of Barack Obama | D．have not been sentenced yet |
Which of the following shows the right order of the events?
a．The two suspects were arrested.
b．The two suspects will be tried in the court.
c．Cowart set up his MySpace page on the Internet.
d．Malcolm Wiley was interviewed by The New York Times.
| A．a; b; c; d | B．d; c; b; a | C．c; a; d; b | D．c; a; b; d |
What can we infer from the news?
| A．Most of the white people in the United States don’t like Barack Obama. |
| B．The two young men planned to shoot President Barack Obama. |
| C．The two young men were innocent in fact. |
| D．The two young men strongly believed that the president should be a white man |
You put a great deal of effort into reaching the college of your choice. It’s time to get started. But what’s next? Beginning college can be an exciting but awkward time. Follow these tips to adjust to your new life rapidly and make the most of your college experience.
● To save time and money, use the college’s bus system. Taking the bus to school is quick, easy and free in most college towns. You won’t have to locate or afford a place to park either. It’s also a good way to be environmentally aware.
● Save pennies on books by waiting until class starts. You might not even need all of the recommended books. New textbooks cost an arm and a leg. Try buying used textbooks — it’s a surefire way to save money and serves the purpose as well.
● Do never look at college life as an endless series of parties and social activities. But there is a whole lot more to college if you’re serious about graduating. Having a good college experience is all about balancing work and fun.
● Be aware that your living environment can largely affect your academic success. If the dorm doesn’t suit you, consider living at home with your family or renting your own apartment. The best location for your studies isn’t always your dorm. Find a quiet area, like the library, to do your work. Alternatively, buy some headphones that block out noise.
● Be mindful of your diet. Make healthy food choices and watch what you eat. Avoid foods that are processed or high in sugar. The “freshman 15” is real. Many college students gain at least 15 pounds during their freshmen year.
● While electives (选修课) can be helpful when figuring out your major, you shouldn’t entirely rely on them. Clubs and other organizations exist around. Get involved. Make sure, though, that you still have time to study. Having too much on your plate can hurt your grades. Which of the following ideas can be financially wise?
| A．Driving your own car. | B．Buying used books. |
| C．Renting an apartment. | D．Attending activities. |
In the text, freshmen are repeatedly warned against ______.
| A．academic failures | B．physical problems |
| C．traffic accidents | D．social activities |
The “freshman 15” tells the fact that some freshmen ______.
| A．attend limited activities on campus |
| B．have little regular physical exercise |
| C．focus less on their academic work |
| D．take relaxed attitudes to their diets |
The underlined phrase “having too much on your plate” in the last paragraph probably refers to ______.
| A．using too much money for meals |
| B．eating too many unhealthy foods |
| C．taking part in too many after-class activities |
| D．taking an elective that has too many students |
They will be here in a minute, surely. I’ll just stare at my shoes a little while longer to pass the time. Wish I’d brought a book. Hang on, though, what if I’ve got the wrong day? The wrong place? Have the clocks gone back? No, damn it, I’m off home. Whoever I’m waiting for clearly lives in a different time zone from me.
I am always 10 minutes early, so if you’re 10 minutes late, I’ve been foot-tapping for 20 minutes. I know it’s not fair to hold the first 10 against you, but I just can’t help myself. I never wait more than 20 minutes beyond the meeting time we decided upon, not for anyone, ever.
OK, that’s not strictly true. I have, on occasion, hung around anxiously and heart-brokenly for up to an hour, but the bitter anger that follows is never a pretty sight. If you’ve made me wait that long, you will wish you hadn’t bothered turning up at all.
How come some people are always late and some are always on time? If I can manage to be punctual, why can’t you? Because I left a hot cup of coffee at home while you sat down to roll another cigarette. Because I spilled jam on my pants and quickly wiped it off whereas you took time to change your whole outfit. Because I switched off midway through a TV series, but you had to ride out the end, didn’t you? And don’t even think about blaming the traffic. How do you think I got here? By flying carpet? Only carelessness or arrogance (傲慢) can explain a habit of lateness.
Some people are always late because they can’t make realistic calculations about how long it takes to do things. There are 60 seconds in a minute and 60 minutes in an hour. Just deal with it. Painful as it may be, you have to accept that, as you’ve agreed to meet at eight and it’s now a quarter to, you don’t have time to phone your girlfriend.
Much worse, though, are those with big egos (自我). Being late is just rude. Being late on purpose really means that you hate the person you are meeting.
Of course, there are some perfectly lovely latecomers out there. I just never wait long enough to find out.Which of the following words best describes how the author feels in the first paragraph?
| A．Anxious. | B．Curious. |
| C．Thankful. | D．Joyful. |
What does the author think contributes to people always being late?
a. Their big egos.
b. Traffic jams.
c. Their carelessness.
d. Being picky when choosing clothes.
e. Their realistic calculations of how long it takes to do things.
| A．a, b | B．a, c | C．b, d, e | D．c, d, e |
We can learn from the article that the author ___________.
| A．is tolerant of people being late |
| B．has missed lots of meetings |
| C．has trouble getting along with others |
| D．has a strong preference for good timekeeping |
According to the author, people should ____________.
| A．be patient when waiting for a latecomer |
| B．keep in mind that being late is rude and selfish |
| C．always arrive 10 minutes early for an appointment |
| D．ask people around them to remind them about an appointment |
When introducing American universities, some of the first institutions to mention are the Ivy League schools. Originally, the Ivy League was an athletic conference made up of 8 private institutes of higher learning in northeastern United States. However, as time went on, these schools also became known for their excellence in academics besides athletics. Until now, these 8 schools have been recognized as some of the best colleges and universities in the United States.
Harvard University is a private institution located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The university includes a number of graduate and professional schools, as well as a college for undergraduates. In 2012, Harvard ranked number one in US News’ ranking of national universities again. Founded in 1636, Harvard is the oldest institute of higher education in the United States. It can be said that first there was Harvard, then the United States of America. Also, Harvard’s library contains the oldest collection of books in the United States as well as the largest private collection in the world. Harvard has also been described by Forbes Magazine as one of the “billionaire universities” as of their recent list of 469 billionaires, 50 received a degree from Harvard.
Harvard College (the institute for undergraduate students) is one of the most famous schools in the United States. It offers over 40 undergraduate fields of study, including astrophysics, mathematics, neurobiology(神经生物学), etc. And the financial aid program there is amazing. Even though the tuition is about 37,576, and there are other expenses throughout the year, about 70% of undergraduate students received financial aid. Out of those students, over 90% of them had their full need met. And the policies for international students are the same for U.S. citizens.
Harvard College is very selective, as it only admits about 6% of their applicants. For admission into Harvard College, it is required that students take the SAT or the ACT, as well as 2 SAT Subject Tests. Harvard will also look at other factors during admission such as your application essay, high school transcript, recommendations, and most importantly, your character and personal qualities.
What are the Ivy League schools famous for?
| A．Athletics and location. | B．Academics and history. |
| C．Financial aid and training. | D．Athletics and academics. |
Harvard University includes .
| A．only one college |
| B．a number of colleges for undergraduates |
| C．a kindergarten, a middle school and a college |
| D．many graduate and professional schools and a college for undergraduates |
Why is Harvard called one of the “billionaire universities”?
| A．Because people can get a lot of money from Harvard. |
| B．Because there are 50 billionaires in Harvard. |
| C．Because nearly one ninth of the billionaires once studied in Harvard. |
| D．Because 469 billionaires sponsor Harvard. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．90% students in Harvard have their full need met. |
| B．About 70% of undergraduate students received financial aid. |
| C．Harvard College is the institute for graduate students. |
| D．The policies for international students are different for U.S. Citizens. |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中选出最佳选项。
奥朗德
President Normal
(2012年洛阳二模)BEFORE Nicolas Sarkozy became French president，he was asked if he thought about presidency when he looked in the mirror while shaving(刮胡子)．“Not just when I'm shaving，”he answered.
When Francois Hollande，now presidentelect(总统当选人)of France，was asked the same question，he replied：“Do I see myself as president？No，I am a presidential candidate.A candidate must not think himself president；he must give hope that he becomes president.”
Hollande has promised to be a“normal(普通的) president”－something Sarkozy certainly was not.Sarkozy celebrated his election in 2007 at a worldclass Parisian restaurant.He took holidays on the yachts(游艇)of wealthy businesspeople.Hollande，by contrast，was still going around Paris on his threewheeled motorbike at the start of this year.One member of his party said he looked“more like a pizza delivery man”than the next president.
“That is the key to Hollande's success because the election is turning into a sort of referendum(公民投票)for or against Nicolas Sarkozy，”Eric Dupin，a journalist and political observer(观察员)told Global Post.“Francois Hollande is the one who appears not only as his main opponent(对手)politically，but also as his complete opposite psychologically(心理上)．”
When he was the Socialist party leader，Hollande was nicknamed“the marshmallow(软糖)”because he hated fights.Sarkozy，by contrast，is known to be loud and aggressive(好斗的)．
When faced with Sarkozy's verbal attacks during the election，Hollande stayed calm.This sometimes annoyed even his own supporters.“I wish he would just let go and savage(用暴力对付)Sarko，”one Hollande voter said to the Guardian.
But Hollande still knows how to fight.Stéphane Le Foll，a Sicialist MEP who has been one of Hollande's closest advisors for 17 years and is codirecting his campaign，said Hollande had quietly planned his presidential bid(投标) for 10 years.“I think we all underestimated(低估)this guy，”Alain Minc，one of Sarkozy's closest friends and advisers，told Reuters.
Hollande was born in 1954 into a middleclass family.He lived through the 1968 protests(抗议)that nearly overthrew(推翻)the French government.“They shocked him，but also politicized him，he said in a recent interview，making him understand that change was possible，”reported the New York Times.When Hollande was 15，he told friends he expected to become president.
“I didn't come to the first rank either by chance or by obsession(执迷)，”Hollande said in an interview with Reuters.“I got there because I put myself in this situation，and because I deserved (值得的；应受的)it.”By citing Hollande and Sarkozy's replies to the same question，the author intends to show ________.
| A．Sarkozy is more confident than Hollande |
| B．Hollande is more modest than Sarkozy |
| C．Hollande is less ambitious than Sarkozy |
| D．Sarkozy is more humorous than Hollande |
What is the key to Hollande's success in the presidential election according to Eric Dupin?
| A．His dislike of fights. |
| B．His careful plan for the presidential bid. |
| C．How different he is form Sarkozy. |
| D．The gentle way in which he ran his campaign. |
How did Hollande react to Sarkozy's verbal attacks according to the article?
| A．He fought back violently. |
| B．He got annoyed on the spot. |
| C．He didn't say anything. |
| D．He dealt with them calmly. |
What did Hollande think he owed his success to，according to the article?
| A．His good luck. |
| B．His devotion and efforts. |
| C．His obsession with politics. |
| D．His personality and experience. |
What is the purpose of the article?
| A．To show what kind of person Hollande is. |
| B．To compare the differences between Hollande and Sarkozy |
| C．To show what French people think of Hollande. |
| D．To explain why Sarkozy lost the election. |
Tang Zhou and his wife are planning to have their second child, a test-tube baby. His wife had a natural delivery when she was 34 and their first child, a boy, is now 7. The couple are now hoping to have a daughter through a surrogate mother in the US. “My wife couldn’t bear another delivery because of her heart condition and her age. Surrogacy helps avoid the risks to older mothers,” Tang said, “Moreover, our second child will be born in the US and become a citizen there. That is not a bad choice.”
The couple spent weeks researching their move, looking for a reliable agency that provides surrogacy services overseas. Surrogacy is still illegal in many countries, including China. “We will be taking much higher risks by relying on a surrogate mother in China because we are not protected by any regulation or law. You pay a lot of money but may meet with many problems,” Tang said. “You might not even get your baby back.”
Tang and his wife are part of an increasing number of Chinese couples who are turning to surrogacy services. Tang also considered surrogacy in Thailand but dropped the idea after recent reports about a baby with Down Syndrome(唐氏综合症) who was delivered through surrogacy and said to have been deserted in Thailand by the biological parents from Australia. Instead, Tang chose the California Surrogacy Center agency as his first option after reading the detailed introduction on its website. Compared with many other agencies that he could contact only via e-mail, the center has a consulting office in Beijing, Tang said.
The center is in San Diego, California, and has satellite offices in Los Angeles and Beijing. According to Liu, the center has been operating for more than eight years, and about 100 surrogate mothers live in California.“A surrogate mother” refers to a mother who _______.
| A．acts as a baby-sitter |
| B．nurses another woman’s baby |
| C．offers service to a new mother |
| D．gives birth to a baby for another woman |
Which of the following is True according to the passage?
| A．Chinese couples prefer to have a test-tube baby. |
| B．Couples face no risks in surrogacy services. |
| C．A sick test-tube baby was deserted in Thailand. |
| D．Unhealthy test-tube babies can be legally abandoned. |
Tang and his wife turned to overseas surrogacy services because _______.
| A．surrogacy remains illegal in China |
| B．they call for less money |
| C．it is more convenient to contact them |
| D．most of them are experienced |
The passage mainly tells us that ________.
| A．an old woman can take a risk of delivering a baby |
| B．more Chinese couples are turning to surrogacy |
| C．it’s not a bad choice to have a baby born overseas |
| D．biological couples may fail to get their babies back |