On the first day of class, a graduate student from Xi’an Jiaotong University reminded me that, especially in China, “There are always two sides of a coin.” Experiencing China’s May 12 earthquake while living in Xi’an, Shanxi Province just north of the earthquake’s epicenter (地震的震中) in Sichuan with our two daughters, we have indeed seen both sides of what is beginning to be called China’s 5·12 disaster coin.
On television, in newspapers and through the Internet, we learned about the extent (巨大，重要性) of the destruction, and the statistics were hor
rific – over 69,000 confirmed (确认) dead, some 18,000 missing and more than 374,000 injured.
When we turn off the television and discuss what we as a family have learned from the events of the last several weeks, we find ourselves marveling (觉得惊奇) at how the Chinese are confidently but quietly dealing with this unprecedented tragedy – a disaster that continues with every aftershocks, mudslide and potential flood.
It seems like every school, organization and business is raising money for Sichuan, and young people all over the country a
re out in the streets looking for donations or giving blood at the many mobile blood vans that are out in full force.
Those who cannot give, like the 75-year-old woman from Sichuan, are volunteering or giving in other ways. An impressive example is the Sichuan policewoman with a newborn child who was nursing many infants whose mothers were killed in the quake.
The national concern over the fate of affected children has been moving. On May 22, there were 1697 orphans, but on June 24, the number dropped to 558; and rest assured, there are more people willing to adopt than there are orphans from Sichuan.
So, while no country or person ever welcomes tragedy, especially something of this magnitude (程度), the earthquake has taught us a great deal about China’s true character and its people’s resilience (韧性). It has also reminded us that the other side of even a dark coin may hold the promise of a brighter future,
(The author is an American Professor of International Relations at Xi’an Jiaotong University.)
When the 5·12 earthquake happened, the author and his family were ________.
| A．in Sichuan province | B．near the earthquake epicenter |
| C．in Xi’an Jiaotong University | D．in their own country |
How many orphans had been adopted from Sichuan by June 24, 2008?
| A．1139 | B．1697 | C．558 | D．We don’t know. |
The author quoted “ There are always two sides of a coin.” In the passage. Here “ two sides” refers to ________.
| A．a dark side and a bright one of a coin |
| B．the unprecedented tragedy and China’s true character |
| C．the dead and the victims in the earthquake |
| D．the destruction and the donations |
Which of the following statements is NOT right according to the passage?
| A．The whole world has seen all about China’s 5·12 disaster in the news media. |
| B．A policewoman fed her breast milk to many babies who lost their mothers. |
| C．Even a 75-year-old woman gave blood at the mobile blood vans. |
| D．The earthquake brought other natural disasters at the same time. |
I was brought up in the British,stiff upper lip style. Strong feelings aren’t something you display in public. So, you can imagine that I was unprepared for the outpouring of public grief at a Chinese funeral.
My editorial team leader died recently after a short illness. He was 31. The news was so unexpected that it left us all shocked and upset. A female colleague burst into tears and cried piteously at her desk. Somehow we got through the day's work. The next day was the funeral.
Our big boss stepped forward to deliver a eulogy(悼词) and was soon in tears. She carried on, in Chinese of course, but at the end said in English: "There will be no more deadlines for you in heaven." Next came a long-term colleague who also dissolved in tears but carried on with her speech despite being almost overcome by emotion. Then a close friend of the dead man paid tribute, weeping openly as he spoke. Sorrow is spreading. Me and women were now sobbing uncontrollably. Finally, the man's mother, supported between two women, addressed her son in his coffin. She almost collapsed and had to be held up. We were invited to step forward to each lay a white rose on the casket. Our dead colleague looked as if he was taking a nap. At the end of the service I walked away from the funeral parlor stunned at the outpouring of emotion.
In theUK, families grieve privately and then try to hold it together and not break down at a funeral. Here inChinait would seem that grieving is a public affair. It strikes me that it is more cathartic to cry your eyes out than try to keep it bottled up for fear of embarrassment, which is what many of us do in the West.
Afterwards, a Chinese colleague told me that the lamenting at the funeral had been restrained(克制) by Chinese standards. In some rural areas, she said, people used to be paid to mourn noisily. This struck me like something out of novel by Charles Dickens. But we have all seen on TV scenes of grief-stricken people inGazaand the West Bank, inAfghanistan,Iraqand the relatives of victims of terrorist bombings around the world. Chinese grief is no different. I realized that it's the reserved British way of mourning that is out of step with the rest of the world.At the funeral, ________.
| A．five individuals made speeches |
| B．the boss’s speech was best thought of |
| C．the writer was astonished by the scene |
| D．everyone was crying out loudly |
According to the writer, people in the West ________.
| A．prefer to control their sadness in public |
| B．cry their eyes out at the public funeral |
| C．are not willing to be sad for the dead |
| D．have better way to express sadness |
It is implied that ________.
| A．Chinese express their sadness quite unlike other peoples |
| B．the English might cry noisily for the dead in Dickens’ time |
| C．victims of terrorist bombings should be greatly honored |
| D．English funeral culture is more civilized than the others |
This passage talks mainly about_______.
| A．an editor’s death | B．funeral customs |
| C．cultural differences | D．western ways of grief |
We walked in so quietly that the nurse at the desk didn't even lift her eyes from the book. Mum pointed at a big chair by the door and I knew she wanted me to sit down. While I watched mouth open in surprise, Mum took off her hat and coat and gave them to me to hold. She walked quietly to the small room by the lift and took out a wet mop. She pushed the mop past the desk and as the nurse looked up, Mum nodded and said, "Very dirty floors."
"Yes, I'm glad they've finally decided to clean them, "the nurse answered. She looked at Mum strangely and said, "But aren't you working late?"
Mum just pushed harder, each swipe(拖一下)of the mop taking her farther and farther down the hall. I watched until she was out of sight and the nurse had turned back to writing in the big book.
After a long time Mum came back. Her eyes were shining. She quickly put the mop back and took my hand. As we turned to go out of the door, Mum bowed politely to the nurse and said, "Thank you."
Outside, Mum told me, "Dagmar is fine. No fever. "
"You saw her, Mum?"
"Of course I told her about the hospital rules, and she will not expect us until tomorrow. Dad will stop worrying as well. It's a fine hospital. But such floors! A mop is no good. You need a brush."When she took a mop from the small room what Mum really wanted to do was .
| A．to clean the floor | B．to please the nurse |
| C．to see a patient | D．to surprise the story-teller |
When the nurse talked to Mum she thought Mum was a_____.
| A．nurse | B．visitor |
| C．patient | D．cleaner |
From the text we know that Dagmar is most likely
| A．the story-teller's sister | B．Mum's friend |
| C．the story-teller's classmate | D．Dad's boss |
Is your family interested in buying a dog? A dog can be a good friend to your family, but if you choose the wrong kind of dog, it can cause you a lot of trouble.
Families should sit down and discuss the problems before buying a dog．Even if the children in your family are the ones who want the dog，the parents are the ones who are really responsible(有责任的) for seeing that the animal is properly cared for．If you don’t know much about dogs，it’s a good idea to go to the library for books about different kinds of dogs，as well as books about how to train a young dog. Dogs of different kinds change in popularity as the years go by. One of the most popular dogs these days is the German shepherd(牧羊犬). This is because it provides protection. The family should be warned that these dogs grow up to be very big, and may he too powerful for children, If your house is not big, a toy dog may be a good choice(选择). These dogs are very small and easy to train. They don’t need to be walked daily.According to the passage, who should take care of the dog?
| A．Children. | B．Parents. |
| C．Family. | D．Friends. |
The writer suggests one can get information about the different kinds of dogs.
| A．by reading books about dogs |
| B．by buying a dog from a pet shop |
| C．by watching dogs in a zoo |
| D．by asking some friends |
The passage is mainly about.
| A．how to take care of dogs |
| B．different kinds of books about dogs |
| C．how to choose the right dogs for family pets |
| D．different kinds of dogs |
"Can I see my baby?" asked the happy new mother. When the baby was in her arms, she couldn't believe her eyes. The baby was born without ears.
Time proved that the baby's hearing was perfect though he had no ears. He got on well with his classmates. But one day, he said to his mother, tears in his eyes, "A big boy called me a freak (畸形物)."
The boy's father asked the family doctor,"Could nothing be done?"
"I believe I could graft (移植) on a pair of outer ears if they could be gotten," the doctor said. They tried to find a person who would be helpful to the boy.
One day, his father said to the son, "You're going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have found someone who will donate the ears you need. But we must keep it a secret who the person is."
The operation was a great success, and a new person appeared. His cleverness and hard work made him a very successful person. He married and lived a happy life. He would ask his father, "Who gave me the ears? I could do enough for him or her."
"I can't tell you," said the father. "The agreement says that you are not allowed to know…not yet."
It was kept a secret for years, but the day did come. He stood with his father over his mother's body. Slowly, the father raised the thick, brown hair. To his surprise, the son found his mother had no outer ears. "Mother said she was glad she never had her hair cut," his father said in a low voice, "and nobody ever thought Mother less beautiful, did they?"The mother was surprised at the first sight of her baby because the baby ________.
| A．had no outer ears | B．was born without hair |
| C．was in her arms | D．could not hear her |
The sentence "…, and a new person appeared" means ________.
| A．a new baby was born in the hospital |
| B．a stranger came into the hospital |
| C．a new doctor took care of the baby |
| D．the boy came to live a new life |
Why did the boy's mother never have her hair cut?
| A．Because she liked her thick, brown hair. |
| B．Because her work didn't allow her to do that. |
| C．Because her hair was good for her health. |
| D．Because she wanted to keep the fact a secret. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The boy couldn't hear without ears at first. |
| B．The boy didn't know the truth until his mother died. |
| C．His parents often encouraged him to work hard. |
| D．His classmates were always making fun of him. |
Which is the best title for the passage?
| A．A Clever Boy | B．Kind Parents |
| C．Great Love | D．An Ear Operation |
Many animals recognize their food because they see it. So do humans. When you see an apple or a piece of chocolate you know that these are things you can eat. You can also use other senses when you choose your food. You may like it because it smells good or because it tastes good. You may dislike some types of food because they do not look, smell or taste very nice. Different animals use different senses to find and choose their food. A few animals depend on only one of their senses, while most animals use more than one sense.
Although there are many different types of food, some animals spend their lives eating only one type. The giant panda（大熊猫）eats only one particular type of bamboo（竹子）. Other animals eat only one type of food even when given the choice. A kind of white butterfly（蝴蝶）will stay on the leaves of a cabbage, even though there are plenty of other vegetables in the garden. However, most animals have a more varied diet（多样化饮食）. The bear eats fruits and fish. The fox eats small animals, birds and fruits. The diet of these animals will be different depending on the season.
Humans have a very varied diet. We often eat food because we like it and not because it is good for us. In countries such as France and Britain, people eat foods with too much sugar. This makes them overweight, which is bad for their health. Eating too much red meat and animal products, such as butter, can also be bad for the health. Choosing the right food, therefore, has become an area of study in modern life.We can infer from the text that humans and animals _________.
| A．depend on one sense in choosing food |
| B．are not satisfied with their food |
| C．choose food in similar ways |
| D．eat entirely different food |
Which of the following eats only one type of food?
| A．The white butterfly. | B．The small bird. |
| C．The bear. | D．The fox. |
Certain animals change their choice of food when ___________.
| A．the season changes |
| B．the food color changes |
| C．they move to different places |
| D．they are attracted by different smells |
We can learn from the last paragraph that __________.
| A．food is chosen for a good reason |
| B．French and British food is good |
| C．some people have few choices of food |
| D．some people care little about healthy diet |