In the 1960s, many young Americans were dissatisfied with American society. They wanted to end the Vietnam War and to make all of the people in the U.S. equal. Some of them decided to "drop out" of American society and form their own societies. They formed utopian communities, which they called “communes”, where they could follow their philosophy of “do your own thing”. A group of artists founded a commune in southern Colorado called "Drop City." Following the ideas of philosopher and architect Buckminster Fuller, they built dome-shaped houses from pieces of old cars. Other groups, such as author Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters, the followers of San Francisco poet Steve Gakin, and a group that called itself the Hog Farm, lived in old school houses and traveled around the United States. The Hog Farm became famous when they helped organize the Woodstock Rock Festival in 1969. Steve Gaskin’s followers tried to settle down on a farm in Tennessee, but they had to leave when some members of the group were arrested for growing marijuana.
Not all communes believed in the philosophy of “do your own thing”. However, Twin Oaks, a commune founded in Virgiania in the late 1960s, was based on the ideas of psychologist B.F.Skinner. The people who lived at Twin Oaks were carefully controlled by Skinner’s “conditioning” techniques to do things that were good for the community. In 1972, Italian architect Paolo Soleri began to build Arcosanti, a utopian city Arizsona where 2500 people will live closely together in one large building called an “archeology”. Soleri believes that people must live closely together so that they will all become one.
Why did some young Americans decide to “drop out” of society during the 1960s?
A.They were not satisfied with American society. |
B.They wanted to grow marijuana. |
C.They wanted to go to the Vietnam War. |
D.They did not want all people to be equal. |
Where did the members of the Hog Farm commune live?
A.In dome-shaped house. | B.In old school houses. |
C.On a farm ![]() |
D.In an archeology in Arizona. |
Who gave the people of Drop City the idea to build dome-shaped house?
A. Paolo Soleri. B. B.G.Skinner.
C. Steve Gaskin. D. Buckminster Fuller. What was the Twin Oaks commune based on?
A.The philosophy of “do your own thing”. |
B.Virginia in the late 1960s. |
C.The ideas of psychologist. |
D.The belief that people must live closely together. |
What is an “archeology”?
A.A person who studies archaeology. |
B.A large building where people live closely together. |
C.A city in Arizona. |
D.A technique to control people. |
Dr. Julie Coulton, a British psychologist, focuses her research on the extraordinary function of the play in the physical and spiritual development of children and Martti Bergson from the University of Helsinki shows that playing outside, in the open air, contributes to a better development of the brain.
Thus parents must encourage their children to spend as much time as possible in the open air, and at the same time, to ask schools and kindergartens to assure the small a playground outside. Recent statistics (数据) and studies show an alarming increase of the number of hours spent by children in front of the TV and the computer and a decrease of the time spent outside.
As a consequence more and more children suffer from eye problems and have to wear glasses. Also the problem of fatness among children concerns many parents who don't know what to do anymore to make their children eat healthy and balanced.
Children need a space where to develop their creativity mid parents should encourage them all the time. Too many rules hold back the child's personality and creativity and prevent them to develop the desire to know, to find out, to learn.
If you tell your child so many times: "Don't do that, don't mess the room, don't go there ...", he will lose the desire to do something, anything. Parents must watch their children without suffocating (窒息) them. Should you consider they mustn't do that or this, you have to logically explain them your reasons and they will understand.
Through playing a child learns how to communicate, how to take decisions. Playing is connected to the intellectual, emotional and social progress of the child. Playing lets your children learn how to express his feelings.What is worrying the scientists is that ______.
A.most parents pay no attention to their children's playing |
B.most schools and kindergartens have no playgrounds |
C.most parents encourage their children to watch TV or go surfing |
D.most children spend more time on TV or tile Internet than on playing outside |
Children who watch TV or surf the Internet too much may suffer all the following EXCEPT .
A.eye problems | B.weight problems |
C.lack of creativity | D.lack of interest in their lessons |
The author advises us ______.
A.to allow children to do whatever we want them to do |
B.never to forbid children to do anything they want to do |
C.to explain why when you don't let children do something |
D.to watch children playing anytime to ensure their safety |
Which would be a best title for this passage?
A.How to develop the brain of your children better |
B.Playing is good for your children in many aspects |
C.Teaching your children what and how to play |
D.Don't forbid your children to do anything |
Shanghai-More Shanghai people are renting cars to travel over the coming National Day holiday, Tom reported today.
Most cars in large local car-rental companies such as Yongda, Anji and Dazhong are leased(出租)so far with the Buick Sport Utility Vehichle (SUV) in high demand.
Santana and Jetta were previously the most popular car models rented by Shanghai people for travel, while the high-end Buick models have generated great interest among locals renting cars these years. However, the rent on a Buick GL or GS model is between 650 yuan and 750 yuan a day, nearly double those of the Santana and Jetta cars.
Compared with Santana, Buick looks better, has greater capabilities and is safer and more comfortable, said a car leaser. “I don’t mind paying a higher cost for a Buick to enjoy the holiday,” he said.
SUV cars are very popular in the car renting market, according to some car rental firms.
“All the 31 Buick GL8SUV cars were leased out several days ago,” said an employee with the Shanghai Yongda Car Rental Co.
Local people are more inclined (倾向于) to go travel with groups of friends, so SUV cars are a better choice, said an industry analyst (分析家). Moreover, SUV car are safer on rugged and rough roads, the analyst said.
According to the data, most people rented cars for seven days; a less number rented them for two or three days.What’s the best title for the passage ?
A.How Shanghai People Spend Their Holidays |
B.Why So Many Shanghai People Rented Cars for Holidays |
C.More Shanghai Rent Cars for Holidays |
D.Shanghai Rent SUV Instead of Santana and Jetta |
According to the passage we can see SUV is ________.
A.the name of a car-rental company | B. the name of an expensive car |
C.the name of an ordinary car | D. the place for the holiday |
At present for how much money can you rent a Santana or Jetta for a day ?
A.Between 650 yuan and 750 yuan. | B. Between 350 yuan and 380 yuan. |
C. About 450 yuan. | D. Less than 300 yuan. |
Why do many people choose SUV cars for their holidays ?
A.Because they are cheaper. |
B.Because they are convenient on rugged and rough roads. |
C.Only because they can run on bugged and tough roads. |
D.Because no Santana and Jetta can be rented now. |
The number of speakers of English in Shakespeare’s time is estimated(估计) to have been about five million. Today it is estimated that some 260 million people speak it as a native language, mainly in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. In addition to the standard varieties of English found in these areas, there are a great many regional and social varieties of the language as well as various levels of usage that are employed both in its spoken and written forms.
In fact, it is impossible to estimate the number of people in the world who have acquired an adequate(足够的) working knowledge of English in addition to their own languages. The purpose for English learning and the situations in which such learning takes place are so varied that it is difficult to explain and still more difficult to judge what forms an adequate working knowledge for each situation.
The main reason for the widespread demand for English is its present-day importance as a world language. Besides serving the indefinite needs of its native speakers, English is a language in which some of important works in science, technology, and other fields are being produced, and not always by native speakers. It is widely used for such purposes as meteorological and airport communications, international conferences, and the spread of information over the radio and television networks of many nations. It is a language of wider communication for a number of developing countries, especially former British colonies. Many of these countries have multilingual populations and need a language for internal communication in such matters as government, commerce, industry, law and education as well as for international communication and for entrance to the scientific and technological developments in the West. What would be the best title for this passage?
A.The Difficulties of Learning English | B.International Communications |
C.The Standard Varieties of English | D.English as a World Language |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A.Some 260 million people in the world have an adequate working knowledge of English. |
B.There are some 260 million native speakers of English in the world. |
C.It is almost impossible to estimate the number of people with an adequate working knowledge of English. |
D.People learn English for a variety of reasons. |
According to the passage, what is the main reason for the widespread use of English?
A.It was popular during Shakespeare’s time. | B.It is used in former British colonies. |
C.It serves the needs of its native speakers. | |
D.It is a world language that is used for international communication. |
What forms an adequate working knowledge of English?
A.The ability to read a newspaper. | |
B.It is difficult to judge because it differs for each situation. | |
C.Being able to speak several languages. | D.Being a native speaker. |
What type of developing countries would be most likely to use English?
A.Those geographically close to the United States. |
B.Those interested in the culture of the United States. |
C.Former colonies of Great Britain. |
D.Countries where international conferences are held. |
Many people who work in London prefer to live outside it, and to go in to their offices or schools every day by train, car or bus, even though this means they have to get up early in the morning and reach home late in the evening.
One advantage of living outside London is that houses are cheaper. Even a small flat in London without a garden costs quite a lot to rent. With the same money, one can get a little house in the country with a garden of one’s own.
Then, in the country one can rest from the noise and hurry of the town. Even though one has to get up earlier and spend more time in trains or buses, one can sleep better at night and during weekends and on summer evenings, one can enjoy the fresh, clean air of the country. If one likes gardens, one can spend one’s free time digging, planting, watering and doing the hundred and one other jobs which are needed in a garden. Then, when the flowers and vegetables come up, one has the reward of one who has shared the secret of Nature.
Some people, however, take no interest in country things: for them, happiness lies in the town, with its cinemas and theatres, beautiful shops and busy streets, dance-halls and restaurants. Such people would feel that their life was not worth living if they had to live it outside London. An occasional walk in one of the parks and a fortnight’s (two weeks) visit to the sea every summer is all the country they want: the rest they are quite prepared to leave to those who are glad to get away from London every night.Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A.People who like country things prefer to live outside the city. |
B.People who work in London prefer to live in the country. |
C.Because of certain disadvantages of living outside London, some people who work in London prefer to live inside London. |
D.Because of certain advantages of living outside London, many people who work in London prefer to live outside London. |
One can use the same money for ________ to buy a little house with a garden in the country.
A.getting a small flat with a garden | B.having a small flat with a garden |
C.renting a small flat without a garden | D.buying a small flat without a garden |
When the flowers and vegetables in the garden come up, those _______ have the reward of one who has shared the secret of Nature.
A.who live in the country |
B.who have spent time working in the garden |
C.who have a garden of their own |
D.who have been digging, planting and watering |
People who think happiness lies in the town would feel that _______ if they had to live it outside London.
A.their life was meaningless | B.their life was invaluable |
C.they didn’t deserve a happy life | D.they were not worthy of their happy life |
The underlined word rest in the last paragraph refers to ________.
A.the rest time | B.the rest people |
C.the rest of the country | D.the rest of the parks and of the sea |
The famous director of a big and expensive movie planned to film a beautiful sunset over the ocean, so that the audiences could see his hero and heroine in front of it at the end of the film as they said goodbye to each other for ever. He sent his camera crew(摄影组) out one evening to film the sunset for him.
The next morning he said to the men, “Have you provided me with that sunset?”
“No, sir,” the men answered.
The director was angry. “Why not?” he asked.
“Well, sir,” one of the men answered, “we’re on the east coast here, and the sun sets in the west. We can get you a sunrise over the sea, if necessary, but not a sunset.”
“But I want a sunset!” the director shouted. “Go to the airport, take the next flight to the west coast, and get one.”
But then a young secretary had an idea. “Why don’t you photograph a sunrise,” she suggested, “and then play it backwards? Then it’ll look like a sunset.”
“That’s a very good idea!” the director said. Then he turned to the camera crew and said, “Tomorrow morning I want you to get me a beautiful sunrise over the sea.”
The camera crew went out early the next morning and filmed a bright sunrise over the beach in the middle of a beautiful bay. Then at nine o’clock they took it to the director. “Here it is, sir,” they said, and gave it to him. He was very pleased.
They all went into the studio. “All right,” the director explained, “now our hero and heroine are going to say goodbye. Run the film backwards so that we can see the ‘sunset’ behind them.”
The “sunset” began, but after a quarter of a minute, the director suddenly put his face in his hands and shouted to the camera crew to stop.
The birds in the film were flying backwards, and the waves on the sea were going away from the beach. One evening, the director sent his camera crew out _________.
A.to film a scene on the sea | B.to find an actor and an actress |
C.to watch a beautiful sunset | D.to meet the audience |
Why did the director want to send his crew to the west coast?
A.Because he changed his mind about getting a sunset. |
B.Because he was angry with his crew. |
C.Because he wanted to get a scene of sunset. |
D.Because it was his secretary’s suggestion. |
The director wanted to film a sunset over the ocean because ______.
A.it went well with the separation of the hero and heroine |
B.when they arrived at the beach it was already in the evening |
C.it was more moving than a sunrise |
D.the ocean looked more beautiful at sunset |
After the “sunset” began, the director suddenly put his face in his hands ______.
A.because he was moved to tears |
B.as he saw everything in the film moving backwards |
C.as the sunrise did not look as beautiful as he had imagined |
D.because he was disappointed with the performance of the hero and heroine |
Which of the following is NOT true?
A.The crew had to follow the secretary’s advice. |
B.If you want to see a sunrise, the east coat is the place to go. |
C.The camera crew wasn’t able to film the scene the first day. |
D.The director ordered his crew to stop filming the “sunset”. |