Making an advertisement for television often costs more than a movie. For example, a two-hour movie costs $6 million to make. A TV commercial（广告节目）can cost more than $6000 a second. And that does not include cost of paying for air time. Which is more valuable, the program or the ad? In terms of money-and making money is what television is all about-the commercial is by far the more important.
Research, market testing, talent, time and money—all come together to make us want to buy a product．No matter how bad we think a commercial is, it works．The sales of Charm went up once the ads began．TV commercials actually buy their way into our head．We, in turn, buy the product.
And the ads work because so much time and attention are given to them．Here are some rules of commercial ad making．If you want to get the low middle-class buyer, make sure the announcer has a tough, manly voice．Put some people in the ad who work with their hands．If you want to sell to upper-class audience, make sure that the house, the furniture, and the hair style are the types that the group identifies with(认同)．If you want the buyer feel superior to the character selling the product, then make that person so stupid or silly that everyone will feel great about himself or herself.
We laugh at commercials．We don’t think we pay that much attention to them．But facts show we are kidding ourselves．The making of a commercial that costs so much money is not kid stuff（非常简单的事物）．It’s a big, big business．And it’s telling us what to think, what we need, and what to buy．To put it simply, the TV commercial is a form of brainwashing.TV commercials are more important than other programs to television because _______.
| A．they bring in great profits |
| B．they require a lot of money to make |
| C．they are not difficult to produce |
| D．they attract more viewers than other programs |
The purpose of all the efforts made in turning out TV commercials is _______.
| A．to persuade people to buy the product |
| B．to show how valuable the product is |
| C．to test the market value of the product |
| D．to make them as interesting as TV movies |
From the rules set for making commercial ads, we can see that_______.
| A．the lower-middle-class buyer likes to work with his hand |
| B．the more stupid the characters, the more buyers of the product |
| C．ad designers attract different people with different skills |
| D．an upper-class buyer is more interested in houses and furniture than a lower-middle-class |
buyerIt is believed by the writer that_______.
| A．few people like to watch TV commercials |
| B．TV commercials are a good guide to buyers |
| C．TV commercials often make people laugh |
| D．people do not think highly of TV commercials |
The scientific world continues to be amazed by the speed of the development of cloning. Some scientists now suggest that the cloning of humans could occur in the near future. Despite the benefits of cloning, however, certain ethical (道德的) questions concerning the possible abuse (滥用) of cloning have been raised. At the heart of these questions is the idea of humans influencing life in a way that could harm society, either morally or in a real physical sense. Some people object to cloning because it allows scientists to "act like God" in the handling of living organisms.The cloning of Dolly raised the debate over this practice to a whole new level. It has become obvious that the technology for cloning Dolly could also be used to clone humans. A person could choose to make two or ten or a hundred copies of himself or herself by the same techniques used with Dolly. An active debate about the morality of cloning humans arises. Some people see benefits from the practice, such as providing a way for parents to produce a new child to replace one dying of a fatal disease. Other people worry about humans taking into their own hands the future of the human race.At the beginning of the twenty-first century, many scientists say the controversy over the ethics of cloning humans is overstressed because of the unpredictability (不可预测性) of cloning in general. While scientists have cloned animals such as sheep, mice, cows, pigs, and goats, fewer than 3 percent of all those cloning efforts have succeeded. The animal clones that have been produced often have health problems. Scientists believe the rapid reprogramming in cloning can introduce random (任意的) errors into a clone’s DNA. Those errors have altered individual genes in minor ways, and the genetic defects (缺陷) have led to the development of major medical problems. Some scientists say this should make human cloning out of the question, but others argue that cloning humans may actually be easier and safer than cloning animals. Whatever, I agree that further research in the field of cloning is needed.Some people are against cloning of humans because they think _________.
| A．the practice takes too much time and money |
B．the cloning technology is still not mature |
C．humans control the future of the human race |
D．the population in the world will be too large |
Some scientists think the debate over ethics of cloning humans is overstressed because ____.
| A．cloning of human beings is completely impossible |
B．the result of cloning can’t be predicted in general |
C．cloning of animals is a failure |
D．there are big errors in a clone’s DNA |
We can learn from the text that _______.
| A．cloning of humans is a very controversial issue |
B．the cloning of Dolly begins to raise the debate over cloning of humans |
C．there are medical problems in cloning animals |
D．cloning humans is easier and safer than cloning animals |
The text is mainly about _______.
| A．the benefits of cloning |
B．the ethics of cloning |
C．the history of cloning |
D．the defects of cloning |
While you may be doing everything right, ignoring just one or two steps in the process may keep you from getting a job, especially in this fierce market. Here is a checklist that covers some of the major links in the job-search chain.
THE RESUME --- Make sure it is up-to-date and tailored to the types of jobs you are seeking for. Have someone else look at your resume. If you cannot afford a career coach, give your resume to friends or family members to scrutinize. Have copies of your resume printed so that you are ready to hand them out at interviews.
COVERING LETTERS---Maybe you’ ve set up a few basic styles in advance, but that’s not enough. Each covering letter should be designed to suit the job for which you are applying.
THE WARDROBE(衣橱)---Check your wardrobe to ensure that you have the appropriate professional dress, including shoes, ready for interview.
NETWORKING---Don’t isolate yourself from others for days. Network through e-mail messages, phone calls, appointments and meetings keep you in touch with the outside world and prevent you from becoming depressed.
APPLICATION---A glance at huge online job sites isn’t usually the best way to find a job. You are more likely to succeed through the people you know via networking.
THE FOLLOW—UP---It is quite common to apply for job and never hear back from the company. Take measures, such as following up with a phone call a week or so after you apply. If you know someone at the company, check whether that person will put in a good word for you.
INTERVIEWS----If you’ ve got plenty of interviews but no return calls or job offers, take a look at your interviewing skills. This is one area where investing in a career coach may pay off. But if you can’t afford one, try to find a job group or service that conducts free mock(模拟) interviews.
SUPPORT SYSTEMS---Finally, recognize that looking for job is rather difficult. Even at the best of times, a job hunt is often about rejection, and that can be hard to endure. Staying in touch with family, friends, professional networks and fellow job seekers can help you to maintain a positive attitude and a sense of perspective.It is implied in the text that__________.
| A．people often pay no attention to writing their resume |
| B．the interview is the most difficult step for interviewees |
| C．a career coach often offers free mock interviews to interviewees |
| D．your social network may help you a lot in your job hunt |
Cheektowage Central Middle School can be a lot of fun. It has game nights and student dances, after-school activities, and sports teams. However, students at the school must earn the right to join in the fun. If they don’t do their homework, participate in class, and behave at all times, they’re banned(禁止) from participating in after-school activities.
Students and parents say the threat of being excluded(排除在外) appears to be working. Kenny T. of Reno, Nev., says it taught him that actions have consequences: “I learned that I need to be balanced in both my work and athletics to be rewarded for working hard.” Parent Sondra LaMacchia told The New York Times that her 14-year-old daughter is learning responsibility at Cheektowaga Central. The teen used to perform poorly in her studies, but then she was banned from a school dance. The message got through loud and clear. “It’s nobody’s fault but hers,” LaMacchia said.
Although exclusion may help teach responsibility, some psychologists say it can also be threatening, especially for students who often cause, or may cause, trouble in school. They might become more aggressive and antisocial, which is exactly what schools like Cheektowaga Central want to prevent.
Should schools exclude students from activities to get them to behave? I believe teens need school activities and that inclusion can be the answer. For some troubled students, activities can be their motivation to stay in school. “Activities such as sports may be the only thing keeping certain students in school,” says Duace Wood, a teacher at Mohonasen High School in Rotterdam, N.Y. Getting involved in after-class activities keeps troublesome students in class. Even if they don’t do as well as their classmates, they are still learning. The more time they spend at school, the less time they have to even think about starting trouble. Teams also provide support and role models, and they help build the confidence that students need to succeed. If students who don’t behave are banned from activities, they might give up on school altogether.Paragraph 2 is developed by _______.
| A．analyzing causes | B．giving examples |
| C．examining differences | D．following the time order |
Parent Sondra LaMacchia supports the policy of exclusion because _______.
| A．it provides role models |
| B．her daughter is aggressive |
| C．her daughter hates taking exercise |
| D． it helps teach responsibility |
In Paragraph 3 and 4, the author mainly talks about________.
| A．students who are good at sports |
| B．students who often cause trouble |
| C．teens who do well in their studies |
| D．teens who always behave themselves |
What is the author’s attitude towards the school’s policy of exclusion?
| A． Negative | B．Sympathetic | C．Satisfied | D．Supportive |
Growing up on a tobacco farm, Emma Avery was used to hard times. When she was seven, her family’s farmhouse burned to the ground. Her father made a temporary (临时的) shelter, where eight people had to sleep in two beds. As soon as Emma and her four brothers and two sisters were big enough, they were out in the fields.
Emma would find her comfort in school, even as a C student, thanks to one teacher. When she moved on to middle school, Emma was alarmingly far behind her classmates. She kept her head down, trying not to be noticed, struggling to catch up, and feeling like an outsider.
Then one day, when Emma was 16, a teacher named Mr. Potts changed everything. Looking his students in the eye, Mr. Potts said, "Being a C student does not mean you do not have a valuable contribution to make. Some of you have to work in the fields in the evening and do not have time to study. But if you do your best, you have a gift to give."
The teacher’s words made Emma believe she could do well, and she worked harder. In the end she won a scholarship to St. Paul’s College, graduated with a degree in elementary education in 1967, and got a job in the public-school system. Then, at George Washington University, she received a master’s in education in 1970, and afterwards in the same year she married Ron Smothers.
Over the next six years, Emma taught in public schools in Miami. In 1976, after saving $10,000, she opened her first restaurant in Los Angeles. Eventually Emma stopped teaching, and her business expanded (扩展) to six restaurants.
In gratitude (感激) for what she has been able to achieve, Emma donates a lot. She has no idea how much money she’s given away. She says, "Those I want to help are the C students who just need help, direction and confidence."The first paragraph serves to show that Emma ______.
| A．was poor and had no time to study |
| B．was born on a tobacco farm |
| C．was sad to lose her house |
| D．was kind enough to help support the family |
From the text we learn that Emma ______.
| A．won a scholarship to George Washington University |
| B．was unsuccessful as a businesswoman |
| C．was thankful to Mr. Potts |
| D．disliked teaching, and gave up the job |
From the second paragraph we can infer that Emma was ______.
| A．unintelligent | B．unconfident | C．hard-working | D．Considerate |
The text mainly wants to tell us ______.
| A．confidence is the first step to success |
| B．memory of the past is the teacher of the future |
| C．something attempted, something done |
| D．nothing is impossible to a willing heart |
Societies all over the world name places in similar ways. Quite often there is no official naming ceremony but places tend to be called names as points of reference by people. Then an organized body steps in and gives the place a name. Frequently it happens that a place has two names: One is named by the people and the other by the government. As in many areas, old habits died hard, and the place continues to be called by its unofficial name long after the meaning is lost.
Many roads and places in Singapore are named in order that the pioneers will be remembered by future generations. Thus we have names such as Stamford Road and Raffles Place. This is in keeping with traditions in many countries —in both the West and the East.
Another way of naming places is naming them after other places. Perhaps they were named to promote friendships between the two places or it could be that the people who used to live there were originally from the places that the roads were named after. The mystery is clearer when we see some of the roads named in former British bases. If you step into Selector Airbase you will see Piccadilly Circus —obviously named by some homesick Royal Air Force personnel.
Some places were named after the activities that used to go on at those places. Bras Basah Road is an interesting example, “Base Basah” means “wet rice” in Malay（马来语）. Now why would anyone want to name a road “Wet Rice Road”? The reason is simple. During the pioneering days, wet rice was laid out to dry along this road.
A few roads in Singapore are named by their shapes. There is “Circular Road” for one. Other roads may have part of their names to describe their shapes, like “Paya Lebar Crescent”. This road is called a crescent（月牙） because it begins on the main road, makes a crescent and comes back to join the main road again.What does the underlined phrase “die hard” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?
| A．Change suddenly. |
| B．Change significantly. |
| C．Disappear mysteriously. |
| D．Disappear very slowly. |
Which of the following places is named after a person?
| A．Raffles Place. | B．Selector Airbase. |
| C．Piccadilly Circus. | D．Paya Lebar Crescent. |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．Some place names in Singapore are the same as in Britain. |
| B．Some places in Singapore are named for military purposes. |
| C．The way Singaporeans name their places is unique. |
| D．Young Singaporeans have forgotten the pioneers. |