Britain’s symbolic red phone boxes have become out of date in the age of the mobile, but villages across the country are stepping in to save them, with creative intelligence. Whether as a place to exhibit art, poetry, or even as a tiny library, hundreds of phone boxes have been given a new life by local communities determined to preserve a typical part of British life. In Waterperry, a small village near Oxford, the 120 residents have filled the phone box next to the old house with a pot of flowers, piles of gardening and cooking magazines, and stuck poems on the walls.
They took control of the phone box when telecoms operator BT said it was going to pull it down, an announcement that caused such dissatisfaction that one local woman threatened to chain herself to the box to save it. “I’d have done it, “ insisted Kendall Turner. “It would have been heartbreaking for the village. “ Local councilor Tricia Hallam, who came up with the idea for the phone box’s change, said quite a few people would have joined her, adding, “ We couldn’t let it go because it’s a British symbol.”
Only three feet by three feet wide, and standing 2.51-meter tall, the phone boxes were designed by Giles Gilbert Scott in 1936 for the 25th anniversary of the reign of King George V. Painted in “Post Office red” to match the post boxes, they were once a typical image of England and the backdrop(背景) to millions of tourist photographs.
Eight years ago there were about 17,000 across Britain, but today, in a country where almost everybody has a mobile phone, 58 percent are no longer profitable and ten percent are only used once a month. “On average, maintaining them costs £800 a year per phone box-about £44 million annually,” said John Lumb, general manager for BT Payphones.Some red phone boxes in Britain have been used for ____.
a. selling flowers b. cooking c. reading d. exhibiting art or poetry
A.a, b | B.c, d | C.a,b,c | D.b,c,d |
Why do the villagers want to keep the red phone boxes?
A.Because millions of people visit Britain to see the red phone boxes. |
B.Because the local people could earn a lot of money from the red phone boxes. |
C.Because the red phone boxes have already become a symbol of Britain. |
D.Because the red phone boxes may be useful for some people in emergency. |
What is the color of the British post boxes according to the passage?
A.Green | B.Red | C.Black | D.Yellow |
What is John Lumb’s attitude towards pulling down the red phone boxes?
A.supportive | B.Opposed | C.Neutral | D.Indifferent. |
Everyone gathered around and Paddy read out loud, slowly, his tone growing sadder and sadder. The little headline said: BOXER RECEIVES LIFE SENTENCE.
Frank Cleary,aged 26,professional boxer. was today found guilty of the murder of Albert Cumming , aged 32, laborer ,last July. The jury (陪审团)reached its decision after only ten minutes, recommending the most severe punishment the court could give out.It was, said the judge,a simple case. Cumming and Cleary had quarreled violently atthe Harbour Hotel on July 23rd and police saw Cleary kicking at the head of the unconscious Cumming.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 knewwhat to do. "Justdon't tell my mother, "saidFee numbly. "And no one did!Oh. God! My poor, poor Frank!"
Paddy wiped the tears from his face and said. 'Fee, dear, 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'tgo ." 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, but not for Frank; 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 happenings for Fee . Frank took it away. But Paddy's love for her was as deep and impossibile to wipe out as hers was for Frank.
So he said, " Well, Fee, we won'tgo. 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?
The eyes didn't liven ,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"
1.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.
2. Paddy didn't cry for Frank because he thought_______.
A. Frank did kill someone and deserved the punihment
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
3."She half-rose before sinking back…" (in 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 betwccn wanting to See Frank and respecting his wish
4.What is Fee's probable relationship with Frank and Paddy?
A Son and brotherB Son and husband
C Brothcr and lover D Lover and husband
第二部分阅读理解(共两节,满分45分)
第一节(共20小题;每小题2分,满分40分)
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,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Matt Scott, who was born with spina bifida (脊柱裂),grew up in Detroit, Michigan, where he participated in a variety of sports alongside his healthy friends. Now as a member of University of Wisconsin -Whitewater wheelchair basketball team, Scott has won four national championships, and has recently been selected to the Paralympic team for the second time. The 23- year--old college senior owes his achievements to his hard work and the support of his friends and family, who never allowed him to use his disability as an excuse. "My mother was always great. Whenever I felt giving up, she had no sympathy. She really helped me build my independence by not babying me the way other mothers would have." Scott says.
It was Scott' s independent nature and strong will, along with his on - the - court skills, that attracted the attention of America's most influential sports apparel (衣服)company, Nike. Nike was searching for an athlete with a disability to represent its "Just Do It " trademark. A handful of superstar athletes with disabilities came to audition for the role, but the company picked Scott to star in the 30--second commercial.
"I think that they were looking for the prettiest face in America, and found me," Scott jokes about the selection process.
After being picked, Scott flew to California to film the commercial with Oscar - winning documentary director Errol Morris. The ad gave Scott celebrity (名人)status in the community of disabled athletes. He's been asked to speak at a number of disability - related events, and feels it's his duty to use the media to draw attention to those with disabilities. "I've been given a voice, and I want to do whatever I can to break down the social barriers that are still faced by disabled athletes, and make people realize that they have a very high athletic level," Scott says.
1.When Scott was young,
A.he only played basketball with other disabled children
B.he became disabled during a basketball match
C.his friends looked down upon him during basketball matches
D.his mother didn't give him special treatment
2.Nike chose Scott to star in its commercial for his .
a. pretty appearance b. independent nature
c. strong will d. excellent basketball skills
e. status in the community of disabled athletes
A. b c e B. a d e C. a b d D. b c d
3.The underlined phrase "audition for " in the second paragraph means " ".
A. try out for B. look out for C. take on D. pick out
4.Which of the following about Scott is TRUE?
A.He has graduated from the University of Wisconsin ― Whitewater.
B.He thinks it's unwise for the disabled to use disability as an excuse.
C.He starred in a commercial together with Errol Morris.
D.He thinks it's important to have many goals.
E
If you are afraid of the dark,it’s not a big deal.It’s perfectly normal to feel afraid. After all,animals do too. “Fear matters,”says Karen Warkentin,an ecologist.“It’s a good thing,” she adds, “because fear makes you do things that keep you alive.”
Like kids,many animals experience fear and they respond to the feeling in a variety of ways.A frightened turtle pulls its head and legs inside its shell.A small fish will swim away when a big,hungry fish approaches.
Some animals respond to fear in ways you might not expect.The first example is that the fear of being eaten can scare some frogs right out of their eggs. Warkentin made the surprising discovery while studying red—eyed tree frogs in Costa Rica.
In this species,female frogs attach jellylike clumps(果冻一样的块状物)of their eggs to the undersides of leaves.The leaves hang on branches that dangle(悬挂)over ponds.After they hatch from the eggs,the tadpoles(蝌蚪)then fall into the water,where they eventually grow into adult frogs.
Tree frog eggs usually grow for 6 days before hatching.If they sense that a hungry snake is about to attack,however,they can hatch up to 2 days ahead of schedule. As the snakes are unable to swim,by falling into the water early,the tadpoles can escape.
If hatching early helps protect red—eyed tree frogs from snakes,you might wonder why their eggs don’t always hatch sooner.It turns out that hatching early brings its own danger.Once tadpoles land in the water,hungry fish and other animals like to eat them too.Staying in their eggs for a full 6 days, then, allows frog embryos(胚胎)to grow big and strong.This extra growth improves their chances of surviving in the water.
1.It can be inferred from the passage that fears________.
A.help animals grow bigger and stronger
B.are less common among young animals
C.help animals move a lot to fit the environment
D.are more or less important in order for animals to survive
2.We are told in the passage that tree frogs_______.
A.face danger both inside their eggs and in the water
B.will grow fast if they fall into the water later
C.are surprisingly clever when inside their eggs
D.stay in their eggs longer if they are frightened
3.What do you think would be discussed in the following paragraph?
A.Further explanations as to why tree frogs hatch ahead of schedule.
B.How the unborn frogs know when a snake is about to attack them.
C.Another example of animals that responds to fear in an unexpected way.
D.How tree frogs improve their chances of survival before falling into the water.
If you are a male and you are reading this ,congratulations: you are a survivor .According to statistics, you are more than twice as likely to die of skin cancer than a woman ,and nine times more likely to die of AIDS. Assuming you make it to the end of your natural term, about 78 years for men in Australia, you will die on average five years before a woman.
There are many reasons for this-typically, men take more risks than women and are more likely to drink and smoke but perhaps more importantly, men don’t go to the doctor.
“Men aren’t seeing doctors as often as they should, ” says Dr. Gullotta, “This is particularly so for the over-40s,when diseases tend to strike.” According to a recent survey, 95%of women aged between 15 and early 40s see a doctor once a year, compared to 70% of men in the same age group.
“A lot of men think they are invincible (不可战胜的),”Gullotta says. “They only come in when a friend drops dead on the golf course and they think, Geez, if it could happen to him……”
Then there is the ostrich(鸵鸟) approach, “ Some men are scared of what might be there and would rather not know, ” says Dr. Ross Cartmill.
“Most men get their cars serviced more regularly than they service their bodies,” Cartmill says .He believes most diseases that commonly affect men could be addressed by preventive check-ups. “Prevention is cheaper in the long run than having to treat the diseases. Besides, the final cost is far greater, it is called premature death.”
1.Why does the author congratulate his male readers at the beginning of the passage?
A. Their can live longer than they expected.
B. They are sure to enjoy a longer and happier life.
C. They have lived long enough to read this article.
D. They are more likely to survive serious diseases today.
2. Which of the author’s statements is the most important reason that men die five years earlier on average than women according to the passage?
A. Men drink and smoke much more than women.
B. Men don’t seek medical care as often as women.
C. Men are more likely to suffer from deadly diseases.
D. Men aren’t as cautions as women in face of danger.
3. Which of the following best completes the sentence “Geez, if it could happen to him,…’?
A. it could happen to me, too
B. it would be a big misfortune.
C. I should avoid playing golf.
D. I should consider myself lucky.
4. What does Dr. Ross Cartmill mean by “the ostrich approach”(in para.5)
A. A casual attitude towards one’s health conditions.
B. A new theatment for certain psychological problems.
C. Refusal to get medical treatment for fear of the pain involved.
D. Unwillingness to find out about one’s disease because of fear.
5. What does Cartmill say about regular check-ups for men?
A.They may increase public expenses
B.They will save money in the long run
C.They may cause psychological strains on men
D.They will enable men to live as long as women
The Harvard Student-led Walking Tour
Let a student show you Harvard … on a free walking tour.
We welcome our neighbors to stop by the Harvard University Events & Information Center, located in the Holyoke Center Arcade at 1350 Massachusetts Avenue in the heart of Harvard Square in Cambridge.
Let a student take you and your family,school,or organization on an engaging,hour-long free historical tour of the Harvard campus.The tours leave from the Events & Information Center. Not only will you discover the location of fascinating exhibitions and programmes on campus,you will also see Harvard’s rich sampling of American history and architecture from the Colonial period to the present.
Schedule of Tours
Tours leave the Events & Information Center at 10 am and 2 pm Monday through Friday, and at 2 pm on Saturday through the academic year(February 4 through May 2;September 23 through December 16). Summer tours(June 24 through August 15)are offered at 10 am,11:15 am,2 pm,and 3:15 pm Monday through Saturday.Reservations for special tours of 20 or more people may be made by calling the Events & Information Center at(617)495—1573 or emailing icenter@camail. Harvard. edu. Tours are stopped March 23 through April 2 for Spring break,May 3 through June 23 for Spring intercession(祷告), and August 16 through September 22 for Summer intercession.
NOTE:Prospective(未来的)students may take tours originating at the Harvard Admissions Office,located at Byerly Hall on 8 Garden Street in Cambridge.The Admissions staff will conduct information sessions.For more information,please call at(617)495—1551.
Harvard University Events & Information Center
Location:Holyoke Center Arcade,1350 Massachusetts Avenue,Cambridge MA 02138
Phone:(617)495—1573
1.If you want to join in a tour,you can go on______.
A.May 2 B.June 23 C.August 20 D.September 1
2.How can you book special tours of 20 people?
A.By calling at(617)495—1573
B.By calling at(617)495—1551
C.By visiting the Harvard Admissions Office.
D.By calling the Events & Information Center any time.
3.A student who wants an information session may_________for more information.
A.call(617)495—1573.
B.call(617)495—1551
C.email icenter@camail. Harvard.edu
D.go to the Events & Information Center
4.The above ads is mainly intended for__________.
A.foreign visitors B.high school students
C.new students in the university D.those living near Harvard University