Recently a Beijing father sent in a question at an Internet forum (论坛) asking what “PK” meant.
“My family has been watching the ‘Super Girl’ singing competition TV programme. My little daughter asked me what ‘PK’ meant, but I had no idea,” explained the puzzled father.
To a lot of Chinese young people who have been playing games online, it is impossible not to know this term. In such Internet games, “PK” is short for “Player Kill”, in which two players fight until one ends the life of the other.
In the case of the “Super Girl” singing competition, “PK” was used to refer to the stage where two singers have to compete with each other for only one chance to go up in competition ranking (排名).
Like this father, Chinese teachers at high schools have also been finding their students’ compositions using Internet jargons which are difficult to understand. A high school teacher from Tianjin asked her students to write compositions with simple language, but they came up with a lot of Internet jargons that she didn’t understand.
“My ‘GG’ came back this summer from college. He told me I’ve grown up to be a ‘PLMM’. I loved to ‘FB’ with him together; he always took me to the ‘KPM’,” went one composition.
“GG” means Ge Ge (Chinese pinyin for brother). “PLMM” refers to Piao Liang Mei Mei (beautiful girl). “FB” means Fu Bai (corruption). “KPM” is short for KFC, Pizza Hut and McDonald’s.
Some specialists welcome Internet jargons as a new development in language.
If you do not even know what a Kong Long (dinosaur, referring to an ugly looking female) or a Qing Wa (frog, referring to an ugly looking male) is, you will possibly be regarded as a Cai Niao! By writing the article, the writer tries to ________.
| A．explain some Internet language | B．suggest common Internet language |
| C．laugh at the Beijing father | D．draw our attention to Internet language |
What does the writer think about the term “PK”?
| A．Fathers can’t possibly know it. | B．The daughter should understand it. |
| C．Online game players may know it. | D．“Super Girl” shouldn’t have used it. |
The examples of the Beijing father and the Tianjin teacher are used to show that Internet jargons ________.
| A．are used not only online | B．can be understood very well |
| C．are welcomed by all the people | D．cause trouble to our mother tongue |
The underlined word “jargons” probably means ________.
| A．expressions | B．phrases | C．letters | D．spellings |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．A puzzled father | B．Do you speak Internet jargons? |
| C．Keep away from Internet jargons | D．Kong Long or Qing Wa? |
Hiring a self-drive car really adds to the enjoyment of your holiday. There are so many interesting places to visit and if you enjoy seeing more than just the city center there is no better way to travel than by car.
|
| A．The city center is the best place for us to visit |
| B．Traveling by car is our first choice |
| C．To travel we must hire a car |
| D．Going sightseeing outside the city is not so interesting as visiting the city center |
If the car that has been hired breaks down on the way, whose duty is it to pay for its repairs?
| A．The driver that has hired the car. | B．The car-lending company. |
| C．The representative at the hotel. | D．Both the driver and the company. |
Which is not true according to the passage?
| A．The hirer must be responsible for the insurance against injury to the driver. |
| B．The company must answer for the insurance against damage to the car. |
| C．The cost of oil should be paid by the company. |
| D．The rates for car hire are especially cheap when two days are booked． |
Where can you probably read this passage?
| A．In a dictionary. | B．In a travel guide. | C．In a company. | D．In a newspaper. |
Everyone has good days and bad days.
Sometimes, you feel as if you're on top of the world．But occasionally you feel horrible, and you lose things and you cannot focus on your schoolwork.
For more than 20 years, scientists have suggested that high self-esteem (自尊) is the key to success. Now, new research shows that focusing just on building self-esteem may not be helpful. In some cases, having high self-esteem can bring bad results if it makes you less likeable or more upset when you fail at something.
"Forget about self-esteem," says Jennifer Crocker, a psychologist (心理学家) at the University of Michigan, US. "It's not the important thing."
Feeling good
Crocker's advice may sound a bit strange because it is good to feel good about yourself.
Studies show that people with high self-esteem are less likely to be depressed, anxious, shy, or lonely than those with low self-esteem.
But, after reviewing about 18,000 studies on self-esteem, Roy Baumeister, a psychologist at Florida State University, has found that building up your self-esteem will not necessarily make you a better person.
He believes that violent and wicked (邪恶的) people often have the highest self-esteem of all. He also said: "There's no evidence that kids with high self-esteem do better in school."
Problems
All types of people have problems. People with high self-esteem can have big egos (自我) that can make them less likeable to their peers (同龄人), said Kathleen Vohs, a psychology professor at Columbia University.
People with high self-esteem tend to think more of themselves, Vohs says. People with low self-esteem are more likely to rely on their friends when they need help.
What to do
Researchers say it is best to listen to and support other people. Find positive ways to contribute to society. If you fail at something try to learn from the experience. "The best therapy (药方) is to recognize your faults," Vohs says. "It's OK to say, 'I'm not so good at that,' and then move on."The new research comes to the conclusion that high self-esteem ______.
| A．is not important at all | B．has taken on a different meaning |
| C．may not be the key to success | D．does not help you do better at school |
One of the conclusions of the new research is that ______.
| A．feeling good about oneself doesn’t mean you lead a happier life |
| B．people with high esteem usually do not seek other’s help |
| C．people with high esteem tend to be proud |
| D．people with low esteem are often more popular |
The underlined part “a better person” in the passage probably means a person who is ______.
| A．helpful and supportive | B．gentle and modest |
| C．likable and successful | D．friendly and kind |
From the text, we can infer the best therapy mentioned in the last paragraph is mainly for
people _______.
| A．with high self-esteem | B．with low self-esteem |
| C．of all kinds | D．who are focusing on building self-esteem |
A Chilean(智利)soap-opera star, a beauty from Ancient Pompeii and a freckled (雀斑的)boyish girl hardly make an average beauty show line-up.
The first world-wide digital beauty contest to the surprise of many online fans was won by a woman who is virtually(虚拟) real flesh and bones. "Virtual models are not the anti-real, they are a different representation of reality," said Franz Cerami, the organizer of Miss Digital World (数字世界小姐).
Each of the contestants had to provide the charming photo of high degrees, with date of birth and body measurements.
Chilean Rodolfo Perez Ayala decided that no figure of his imagination could beat the beauty of his wife, Katty Kowaleczko, so he hired artist Flavio Parra to recreate her. Kowaleczko, who plays Paula Sandoval in the popular Latin American soap opera Tentacion, was transformed into Katty-ko and won the digital contest with more than 17,000 online votes.
"I'm so happy Katty-ko won. I think her strength is her similarity to a real woman - not too luxurious or exposed", Kowaleczko, 40, told reporters. "Her beauty is in her simplicity." Kowaleczko was not afraid of being replaced by her 3D clone in movies or theatres, but hoped she would become "a sort of ambassador(使者) of Chilean beauty".
Cerami said Latin American interest in Miss Digital World had greatly increased since Katty-ko joined the contest, which attracted about 3600 entries from countries from Iran to Australia and even from the ancient Roman empire.
"Pompea" was the digital reconstruction of a young woman killed by the outbreak of Vesuvius in 79 AD．"She was a slave, but also a rich man's lover. When her body was discovered, many jewels and a bangle(手镯) with the writing 'from the master to his servant girl' were found" said Genny Tortora, a professor at the University of Salerno who led Pompea's creative team.
Other contestants included Kaya, the most realistic model with digital freckles, pouty (噘起的) lips and upturned nose.
Now, Cerami's dream is to manage a form of virtual beauties, introducing them for calendars, games, ads, and movies. One is even reported to be heading for Playboy's front page.The winner in the first Miss Digital World contest was ______.
| A．a star who performed in some soap operas |
| B．a beauty who came from Chilean |
| C．a beauty who was from the ancient Roman empire |
| D．a made-up beauty based on a real woman. |
Which group of the following are the names for the digital beauties mentioned in the passage?
| A．Katty-ko, Pompea, Kaya. |
| B．Katty Kowaleczko, Pompea, Playboy. |
| C．Flavio Parra, Genny Tortora, Franz Cerami. |
| D．Rodolfo Perez Ayala, Pompea, Franz Cerami |
The digital beauty “Pompea” was created by ______.
| A．Genny Tortora | B．a group of people |
| C．by a young woman | D．a rich man |
What the organizer of Miss Digital World wants to do next is ______.
| A．sell pictures of beauties for calendars | B．hold another contest |
| C．put the digital beauties into practical use. | D．start an ads company |
When most people think of tropical islands, lined with white sandy beaches and bright blue seas, it is often the Caribbean or South Pacific that comes to mind．But for Chinese tourists who want a taste of paradise on Earth there is a new place to consider.
Mauritius, an island lying off the southeast of Africa in the Indian Ocean, has just been added to China's list of tourist destinations. Rich in history, natural beauty and culture, the island has been a popular destination for the world's tourists for many years.
On December 15 a total of eight African countries were added to the list. The others are Tunisia, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Seychelles.
The island has passed through the controlling hands of a number of European powers, including Dutch, French and British. In 1968, Mauritius won its independence.
At present, over half the population of Mauritius is Hindu and another fifth is Muslim. Both groups are descendants(后裔)from workers brought to the island from India by the British. Some Chinese were also brought over to work. There are also descendants of African slaves and Franco-Mauritians, the original settlers of the island.
One of the best things about the island is the food．There is a mouth-watering mix of European, Chinese and Indian flavours and seafood is very popular. A typical Mauritian dinner might have Indian chicken curry, Chinese pork, British roast beef and French-style vegetables. Boiled rice is served with just about everything. All that is washed down with a plentiful supply of local beer and rum(朗姆酒).
The pleasant tropical climate and scenery provide the perfect setting to enjoy everything. The sea is full of colorful life that lives around the coral reef. This makes Mauritius a wonderful place for swimming and diving. The large number of interesting fish means it is also an exciting place for those who like to go fishing.Which of the following can’t be used to describe Mauritius?
| A．Tropical island, white sandy beach and bright blue sea. |
| B．Beautiful scenery, rich history and culture. |
| C．Most of the people in Mauritius are black. |
| D．Delicious food mixed with eastern and western flavours. |
Which group of the following topics is not discussed in the text?
| A．Food and history. | B．Scenery and population. |
| C．Location and sports. | D．Natural resources and agriculture. |
Which of the following is true?
| A．Mauritius has something similar to the Caribbean or South Pacific. |
| B．Mauritius has a history of less than 40 years. |
| C．Mauritius has been a popular destination for Chinese tourists for many years. |
| D．The main food in Mauritius is local beer and rum. |
The underlined word “This” in the last paragraph refers to ________.
| A．Pleasant tropical climate | B．Beautiful scenery |
| C．The sea with colorful life | D．The coral reef |
Beauty has always been regarded as something admirable. Almost everyone thinks attractive people are happier and healthier, have better marriages and have more respectable jobs. Personal consultants (顾问) give them better advice for finding jobs. Even judges are softer on attractive persons. But in the executive circle (政界), beauty can become a liability.
While attractiveness is a positive thing for a man’s rise, it is harmful to a woman. Handsome male executives were considered as having more honesty than plainer men; effort and ability were thought to be the reasons for their success. Attractive female executives were considered to have less honesty than unattractive ones; their success was attributed not to ability but to factors such as luck. All unattractive women executives were thought to have more honesty and to be more capable than the attractive female executives.
Why are attractive woman not thought to be able? An attractive woman is thought to be more feminine (女性的) and an attractive man more masculine (男性的) than the less attractive ones. Thus, an attractive woman has an advantage in traditionally female jobs, but an attractive woman in a traditionally masculine position appears to lack the "masculine" qualities required．
This is true even in politics. Anne Bowman recently published a study on the effects of attractiveness on political candidates (候选人). She asked 125 undergraduate students to rank two groups of photographs, one of men and one of women in order of attractiveness. The students were told the photographs were of candidates for political offices. They were asked lo rank them again, in the order they would vote for them.
The results showed that attractive males completely defeated unattractive men, but the woman who had been ranked most attractive always received the fewest votes.In traditionally female jobs, attractiveness _____.
| A．strengthens the feminine qualities required |
| B．makes women look more honest and capable |
| C．is of great importance to women |
| D．often enables women to succeed quickly |
Bowman’s experiment shows that when it comes to politics, attractiveness _____.
| A．turns out to be an obstacle to men |
| B．affects men and women alike |
| C．has as little effect on men as on women |
| D．is more of an obstacle than a benefit to women |
It can be inferred from the passage that people's views on beauty are often _____.
| A．practical | B．old-fashioned |
| C．prejudiced (偏见的) | D．serious |
The author writes this passage to _____.
| A．discuss the negative aspects of being attractive |
| B．give advice to job-seekers who are attractive |
| C．demand equal rights for women |
| D．emphasize the importance of appearance |