My father came to the United States as a Ukrainian immigrant (移民) when he was 14 years old. Unable to speak English but willing to do anything to succeed, he learned the language, became a barber, and opened up his own business in a small town. He put my sister and me through college during a time when most people thought that women didn’t need an education and that they should be satisfied with getting married and having children. He gave us values and ambition. But this story didn’t really start until my father was 60 years old.
I was preparing to get married and my father was attempting to practice the polke, a must at any Ukrainian wedding. But he just couldn’t do it! He had lost mobility in his leg and was diagnosed with a brain tumor (肿瘤). After surgery, this energetic, hard-working man was forced to retire as a result of significant paralysis (瘫痪) in his right arm and leg. My dad had always worked two jobs and spent his spare time working around the house. Now that kind of life came to a sudden stop. Yet never once did he complain. He bought rubber balls and spent his days trying to regain his hand mobility by squeezing those balls over and over.
After his last operation, he chatted with me pleasantly in the hospital room until a nurse flew into the room, waving her finger at me, and yelling, “You’d better tell your father to stay in bed. He is paralyzed and will never walk again. He needs to stop trying to get out of bed and accept the fact that he can’t walk now or ever. I am sick of picking him up and you’d better warn him to stay put!” My father smiled. He spent a great deal of time on the floor that year, but he eventually got up and walked.
My father lived nineteen more years after that operation. He bought himself a motor scooter (小型摩托车) and spent years zipping around the streets of Philadelphia. He was proud, free, and always smiling. In what way w
as the author’s father different from most other people in his times?
| A．He succeeded in migrating to the U.S. |
| B．He learned the new language easily and quickly. |
| C．He achieved his life goal by working as a barber. |
| D．He had his daughters educated. |
The underlined word “polke” in Paragraph 2 probably refers to .
| A．a song | B．a dance | C．a musical instrument | D．a tool for painting |
The author’s father used the rubber balls to .
| A．kill his too much spare time | B．relieve himself from work pressure |
| C．get his hand’s function back | D．recover from his operation |
Which of the following can be used to describe the author’s father?
| A．Perfect. | B．Strong-minded. | C．Creative. | D．Impractical. |
What can we learn from the text?
| A．Love can do wonders. | B．Failure is the mother of success. |
| C．A father’s love is most valuable. | D．Never give up on your life. |
She's rarely seen without an elegant handbag on her arm, but the question of what the Queen keeps inside it has long remained a mystery. Now a new book claims to cast light on the contents of the royal matriarch's main possession.
What's In The Queen's Handbag: And Other Royal Secrets reveals that though the 81yearold British monarch(君主)doesn't carry cash, keys or passport—since she doesn't own one—her bag is far from empty. Inside are a collection of little presents from her children, a makeup case, some family photos, and a camera sometimes. There's also an sshaped metal hook that she places on the dinner table's edge to hang her bag from so that it doesn't touch the floor.
Should you ever meet the Queen, it's not what's in her bag but what she does with it that should concern you. She uses her bags, of which she has about 200 made by Londonbased firm Launier, to send signals to her staff.
Before dining with the Queen, a point is made to inform guests that dinner will end in about five minutes after she places her bag on the table top.
On walkabouts, she holds the bag to one side to show she intends to move on, at which point a ladyinwaiting joins the conversation, allowing her to slip away without causing offence.
When at a banquet, if the Queen's bag is placed on the floor, then it's a sign that she's not finding the conversation interesting, and wants nothing more than to escape. However, if the royal bag is dangling happily from the crook of her left arm, she is happy and relaxed.What does the article tell us about the Queen's handbag?
| A．She seldom has it with her. |
| B．She always carries the same handbag. |
| C．It used to be thought empty. |
| D．Its contents are not the same as ours. |
When is it necessary for the Queen to convey her intention with her bag?
| A．When she is with guests. |
| B．When she eats outside. |
| C．When she has her staff around. |
| D．When she is tired of speaking. |
The Queen gives no signal when she________.
| A．hangs her bag on the metal hook |
| B．hangs her bag from her left arm |
| C．places her bag on the floor |
| D．puts her bag on the table top |
By holding her bag to one side, the Queen shows she wants to________.
| A．talk to her ladyinwaiting |
| B．start a conversation |
| C．stop to continue her walk |
| D．go on with the talk |
The high-protein, low-carbohydrate (碳水化合物) diets many people turn to for weight loss might have potentially harmful long-term effects on the colon, a small study indicates.
In the study, UK researchers found that a protein-heavy, low-carb diet created certain changes in the colon that could contribute to colon cancer risk The study itself does not show whether high-protein diets really raise the risk of any colon diseases, but the findings raise that possibility.
Diets relatively high in protein and lower in carbs have been shown to help heavy people lose weight. "People should not be discouraged from losing weight," Dr Flint said. However, he added, they should make sure that any weight loss plan includes adequate amounts of fiber and a high protein intake over months to years might have ill effects on the colon.
The findings are based on 17 overweight men who followed three short-term diets: a one-week menu plan to keep their weight; a four-week high-protein diet with reasonable amounts of carbohydrates; and a four-week high-protein diet low in carbs.
On average, the study found when the men were on the high-protein diets, they had higher levels of substances known as N-nitroso compounds (亚硝基化合物) and other metabolites (代谢物) that have been linked to cancer. And when they were on the high-protein, low-carb diet, they had lowered amounts of fiber-originated compounds thought to be protective against cancer.
Exactly what those changes might mean for a person's health is not clear. But Flint said that the findings suggest that people should be cautious about consuming too much protein and too little fiber over a long period. In general, experts recommend that adults get about 28 grams of fiber per day-though it's not known whether that's enough for someone on a high-protein weight-loss diet. What is the best title of the text?
A Plan a Healthy Diet
B. Take Care of Your Colon
C. How to Lose Weight
D. How to Protect against Cancer The underlined word "colon" in Paragraph 1 probably refers to "_____".
| A．an organ |
| B．intelligence |
| C．a habit |
| D．behaviour |
The study shows that high-protein, low-carb diets may _____.
| A．affect your mood |
| B．lower cancer risks |
| C．harm your body |
| D．keep your figure |
It can be inferred from the text that _____.
| A．we shouldn't take the study seriously |
| B．weight problems are hard to solve |
| C．it is better to follow a low-carb diet |
| D．people should be cautious to lose weight |
The author is intended to _____.
| A．advise how to lose weight |
| B．introduce a scientific finding |
| C．describe a research process |
| D．talk about healthy diets |
In America it is common for children as young as four to participate in organized activities. Piano and ballet lessons, scouts meetings, soccer and softball practices surround their normal school schedules. However, one person is very important in the logistics of how these children are able to get from swimming practice to French lessons: The Soccer Mom. The Soccer Mom is a very important stereotype in American suburban life. The phrase Soccer Mom was first created in 1995 and broadly refers to a married middle-class woman who lives in the suburbs, works outside the home and has school age children. Much of her time is spent managing her children's schedules and transporting them to sporting events and other activities. The image of the Soccer Mom conjures a busy woman who drives a minivan large enough to contain her children, their friends and their sporting equipment. Once they arrive at the sporting event or other activity, the Soccer Mom will stay to watch, serving granola bars and juice to their children after their game or activity is finished.
In America, the roles of mother and of career woman demand opposite responsibilities from a woman. The role of a career woman is to work hard and climb the corporate ladder, while the role of mother often asks women to put her family's interests ahead of her own. The Soccer Mom attempts to straddle this divide, at once balancing her children and their activities with her own life outside her family. The Soccer Mom becomes overburdened with the weight of responsibilities. A 1999 poll states that being stressed out is one of the most frequently mentioned characteristics of a Soccer Mona. Yet without Soccer Moms, who would fill the responsibilities of getting children to where they needed to be? The best title for this passage is "_____".
| A．The Hectic Lifestyle of Suburban Children |
| B．The American Family |
| C．Minivans the Realm of the Soccer Mom |
| D．Soccer Moms in American Society |
The main role of Soccer Moms is _____.
| A．transporting their children |
| B．buying things for their children |
| C．pushing their children to achieve |
| D．a successful career |
Why are American mothers stressed out?
| A．Because they are very career centered. |
| B．Because they work and have children. |
| C．Because they push their children to achieve. |
| D．Because their husbands are lazy. |
What is a frequently mentioned characteristic of Soccer Moms?
| A．Overburdened. |
| B．Working outside the home. |
| C．Having young children. |
| D．Bringing juice to soccer games. |
What does "Climbing the corporate ladder" mean?
| A．Working. |
| B．Having a career as a woman. |
| C．Advancing your career. |
| D．Working in a ladder factory. |
The Chinese Antarctica(南极洲)expedition(探险队)returned to Shanghai on March 20 following a month living on the ice. It was the first time Chinese scientists had visited the Amery Ice Shelf—the longest ice shelf in the world.
The team collected ice samples and data on temperatures, which are necessary for research on global warming.
So far, about 27 countries have visited Antarctica for scientific research. Although the living conditions are very hard, many scientists have to stay there for long periods of time. So, how do they manage their lives on the ice?
Well, during the summer, the temperature in Antarctica reaches about-20℃. It falls to about-60℃ in winter. So, even if there are 24 hours of sunshine, scientists must keep wearing all the correct clothes to protect them from the cold. These clothes include jeans, running shoes, jackets, long underwears, boots and woolen socks.
Although highly technical clothing provides much protection against the extreme cold, scientists often need to go outside when there is an icy wind blowing and the temperature is-30℃. Natural protection such as facial hair can also help.
“That’s why many researchers wear a beard. It really does keep you warm，”says German explorer Arved Fuchs.
Usually, the polar researchers have good meals. Some even have feasts(盛宴)on holidays like Christmas and New Year’s Day. Vegetables are always welcome and usually finished the quickest.
Life on the ice means living with other researchers in tight living space. Most people sleep in dorm(宿舍)style rooms. More remote field camps use separate tents. So, at least some researchers don’t have to put up with annoying snorers(打鼾者)．
But what do they do for fun in their spare time? There are actually a lot of things they can do. They watch movies, read tons of books, listen to music, have saunas(桑拿浴)，paint and ski. Some female researchers might even do some knitting.
It is important for a polar researcher to be in good physical condition. They can be required to climb to heights of more than 3, 000 meters. And the Antarctic atmosphere has less oxygen than that of any other continent. In which month of this year did the Chinese Antarctica expedition mentioned in the passage reach the Amery Ice Shelf?
| A．February. |
| B．March. |
| C．January. |
| D．December. |
Why do some polar researchers wear beards? Because _______.
| A．they have no time to shave(刮脸)their beards |
| B．beards are helpful to keep warm |
| C．beards will come out soon when they are shaved |
| D．they think beards will make them look handsome |
The underlined phrase “put up with” probably means _______.
| A．hear |
| B．turn down |
| C．let out |
| D．suffer from |
Which of the following do you think is the most important one to a polar researcher?
| A．Clothes. |
| B．Meals. |
| C．Tents. |
| D．Health. |
The best title of the passage is _______.
| A．The Antarctica |
| B．The Chinese Antarctica Expedition Explored the Antarctica |
| C．Life in Antarctica |
| D．The Exploration of Antarctica |
Just 25 years ago, the top three career hopes for young people in Britain were teacher, banker and doctor. Now, they want to be sports stars, pop stars and actors, according to a survey by the Guardian newspaper.
Rachel, a character in the popular TV show Glee, may be said to speak for British teenagers. “Nowadays being nobody is worse than being poor.” He said.
Emma Brockes, a reporter with the Guardian, believes it is “the bad influence of celebrity(名人) culture” that is to blame.“When children wanted to be doctor, it wasn’t because they were really more interested in the functions of human organs than they are now; you go where the respect is.”She wrote.
It could explain why there has been such an increase in levels of anxiety and depression. Dr Carlo Stranger, of Tel Aviv University, studied the sense of self for his new book The Fear of Insignificance: Searching for Meaning in the 21st Century. He told the Daily Mail that young people now are “affected by the close connection to the global entertainment network, which has turned ranking and rating people according to wealth and celebrity into an obsession(痴迷).”
“As humans, we naturally measure ourselves to those around us, but now we live in a global village. We are comparing ourselves with the most ‘important’ people in the world and finding ourselves wanting…” he said. Today, even high achievers constantly fear that they are insignificant when they compare themselves to success stories in the media.
The way out? Simply stop measuring your achievement through a fantasy of wealth and celebrity. Dr Strenger said that it is a process called “active self-acceptance through a constant search for self-knowledge through life.”
“The fear of insignificance can only be overcome through strong individual and cultural identity over and above measurable achievement,” he said.Nowadays, young people in Britain want to _______.
| A．choose jobs based on interests |
| B．become famous |
| C．be teacher, banker and doctor |
| D．earn more money |
According to Emma Brockes, what causes the increasing level of anxiety?
| A．Choices of future careers. |
| B．Access to the global network. |
| C．Bad influences of celebrities. |
| D．Endless comparison with others. |
Which of the following is true of Dr Carlo Strenger?
| A．He is a newspaper reporter. |
| B．He is the spokesman of teenagers. |
| C．He tells success stories on TV. |
| D．He is against ranking people with wealth. |
Dr Carlo Strenger suggests that young people should _______.
| A．seek active self-acceptance |
| B．stick to their own dreams |
| C．make great achievements |
| D．search for the secret of wealth |
The text is mainly written to _______.
| A．talk about job choices |
| B．analyse a social phenomenon |
| C．encourage celebrity culture |
| D．introduce three famous people |