The greatest recent changes have been in the lives of women, during the twentieth century there was an unusual shortening of the time of a woman’s life spent in caring for children. A woman marrying at the end of the 19th century would probably have been in her middle twenties, and would be likely to have seven or eight children, of whom four or five lived till they were five years old. By the time the youngest was fifteen, the mother would have been in her early fifties and would expect to live a further twenty years, during which custom, chance and health made it unusual for her to get paid work. Today women marry younger and have fewer children. Usually a woman’s youngest child will be fifteen when she is forty five and is likely to take paid work until retirement at sixty. Even while she has the care of children, her work is lightened by household appliances (家用电器)and convenience foods.
This important change in women’s way of life has only recently begun to have its full effect on women’s economic position. Even a few years ago most girls left school at the first opportunity and most of them took a full time job. However, when they married, they usually left work at once and never returned to it. Today the school leaving age is sixteen, many girls stay at school after that age, and though women tend to marry younger, more married women stay at work at least until shortly before their first child is born. Very many more afterwards, return to full or part-time work. Such changes have led to a new relationship in marriage, with both husband and wife accepting a greater share of the duties and satisfaction of family life, and with both husband and wife sharing more equally in providing the money and running the home, according to the abilities and interest of each them.According to the passage, around the year1990 most women married .
A.at about twenty five | B.in their early fifties |
C.as soon as possible after they were fifteen | D.at any age from fifteen to forty five |
We are told that in an average family about1990 .
A.many children died before they were five |
B.the youngest child would be fifteen |
C.seven of eight children lived to be more than five |
D.four of five children died when they were five. |
When she was over fifty, the late 19th century mother .
A.would expect to work until she died |
B.was usually expected to take up paid employment |
C.would be healthy enough to take up paid employment. |
D.was unlikely to find a job. |
Many girls, the passage says, are now likely to .
A.marry so that they can get a job |
B.Leave school as soon as they can |
C.give up their jobs for good after they are married |
D.continue working until they are going to have a baby |
According to the passage, it is now quite usual for women to .
A.stay at hone after leaving school |
B.marry men younger than themselves |
C.start working again later in life |
D.Marry while still at school |
Food sometimes gets poisoned(中毒) with harmful things. A person who eats such food can get
an illness called food poisoning. Food poisoning is usually not serious, but some types are deadly. The symptoms of food poisoning usually begin within hours of eating the poisoned food. Fever is one of
the most common symptoms. Certain microorganisms(微生物) cause most types of food poisoning. Bacteria and other microorganisms can poison eggs, meat, vegetables, and many other foods. After entering the body, these tiny living
things release(释放) poisons that make people sick.
Some chemicals(化合物) can also cause food poisoning. They are often added to food while it is being grown, processed, or prepared. For example, many farmers spray chemicals on crops to kill weeds and insects. Some people may have a bad reaction to those chemicals when they eat the crops.
Some plants and animals contain natural poisons that are harmful to people. These include certain kinds of seafood, grains, nuts, seeds, beans, and mushrooms.
When people handle food properly, the risk of food poisoning is very small. Microorganisms multiply rapidly in dirty places and in warm temperatures. This means that people should never touch food with dirty hands or put food on unwashed surfaces. Food should be kept in a refrigerator to stop microorganisms from growing. Meat needs to be cooked thoroughly to kill any dangerous microorganisms. People should also wash food covered with chemicals before eating it. Finally, people should not eat wild mushrooms or other foods that grow in the wild. Some of these foods may contain natural materials that are poisonous to humans. In addition, some types of fish can be poisonous.
Most people recover from food poisoning after a few day of resting and drinking extra water. If people eat natural poisons, they must go to the hospital right away to have their stomachs emptied.
Love, success, happiness, family and freedom—how important are these values to you? Here is one interview which explores the fundamental questions in life.
Question: Could you introduce yourself first?
Answer: My name is Misbah, 27 years old. I was born in a war-torn area. Right now I’m a web designer.
A: My parents used to take us to hunt birds, climb tress, and play in the fields. For me it was like a holiday, because we were going to have fun all day long. Those are my great memories.
Q: Does your childhood mean a lot to you?
A: Yes. As life was very hard, I used to work to help bring money in for the family. I spent my childhood working, with responsibilities beyond my age. However, it taught me to deal with problems all alone. I learnt to be independent.
Q: What changes would you like to make in your life?
A: If I could change something in my life, I’d change it so that my childhood could have taken place in another area. I would have loved to live with my family in freedom. Who cares whether we have much money, or whether we have a beautiful house? It doesn’t matter as long as I can live with my family and we are safe.
Q: How do you get along with your parents?
A: My parents supported me until I came of age. I want to give back what I’ve got. That’s our way. But I am working in another city. My only contact with my parents now is through the phone, but I hate using it. It filters(过滤) out your emotion and leaves your voice only. My deepest feelings should be passed through sight, hearing and touch.In Misbah’s childhood,.
A.he was free from worry |
B.he liked living in the countryside |
C.he was fond of getting close to nature |
D.he often spent holidays with his family |
What did Misbah desire most in his childhood?
A.A colorful life | B.A beautiful house |
C.Peace and freedom | D.Money for his family |
How would Misbah prefer to communicate with his parents?
A.By chatting on the Internet | B.By calling them sometimes |
C.By paying weekly visits | D.By writing them letters |
If there were only one question left, what would it most probably be?
A.What was your childhood dream? | B.What is your biggest achievement? |
C.What is your parents’ view of you? | D.What was your hardest experience in the war? |
American cities are similar to other cities around the world: In every country, cities reflect the values of the culture, American cities are changing, just as American society is changing.
After World War II, the population of most large American cities decreased; however, the population in many Sun Belt cities increased. Los Angeles and Houston are cities where population shifts(转移)to and from the city reflect the changing values of American society. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, city residents(居民) became wealthier. They had more children so they needed more space. They moved out of their apartments in the city to buy their own homes. They bought houses in the suburbs(郊区).
Now things are changing. The children of the people who left the cities in the 1950s are now adults. Many, unlike their parents, want to live in the cities. They continue to move to Sun Belt cities and older ones of the Northeast and Midwest. Many young professionals are moving back into the city. They prefer the city to the suburbs because their jobs are there; or they just enjoy the excitement and possibilities that the city offers.
This population shift is bringing problems as well as benefits. Countless poor people must leave their apartments in the city because the owners want to sell the buildings or make apartments for
sale instead of for rent. In the 1950s, many poor people did not have enough money to move to the suburbs; now many of these same people do not have enough money to stay in the cities.
Only a few years ago, people thought that the older American cities were dying. Some city residents now see a bright, new future. Others see only problems and conflicts. One thing is sure: many dying cities are alive again.What does the author think of cities all over the world?
A.They are alive | B.They are hopeless |
C.They are similar | D.They are different |
Why did American city residents want to live in the suburbs after World War II?
A.Because older American cities were dying |
B.Because they were richer and needed more space |
C.Because cities contained the worst parts of society |
D.Because they could hardly afford to live in the city |
According to the 4th paragraph, a great many poor people in American cities.
A.are faced with housing problems | B.are forced to move to the suburbs |
C.want to sell their buildings | D.need more money for daily expenses |
We can conclude from the text that.
A.American cities are changing for the worse |
B.people have different views on American cities |
C.many people are now moving from American cities |
D.the population is decreasing in older American cities |
Why play games? Because they are fun, and a 1ot more besides. Following the rules…planning your next move...acting as a team member…these are all “game” ideas that you will come across throughout your life.
Think about some of the games you played as a young child, such as rope-jumping and hide-and-seek. Such games are entertaining and fun. But perhaps more importantly, they translate life into exciting dramas that teach children some of the basic rules they will be expected to follow the rest of their lives, such as taking turns and cooperating (合作) .
Many children’s games have a practical side. Children around the world play games that prepare them for work they will do as grown-ups. For instance, some Saudi Arabian children play a game called bones, which sharpens the hand-eye coordination(协调)needed in hunting.
Many sports encourage national or local pride. The most famous games of all, the Olympic Games, bring athletes from around the world together to take part in friendly competition. People who watch the event wave flags, knowing that a gold medal is a win for an entire country, not just the athlete who earned it. For countries experiencing natural disasters or war, an Olympic win can mean so much.
Sports are also an event that unites people. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. People on all continents play it—some for fun and some for a living. Nicolette Iribarne, a Californian soccer player, has discovered a way to spread hope through soccer. He created a foundation to provide poor children with not only soccer balls but also a promising future.
Next time you play your favorite game or sport, think about why you enjoy it, what skills are needed, and whether these skills will help you in other aspects of your life.
Through playing hide-and-seek, children are expected to learn to ________.
A.obey the basic rules | B.be a team leader |
C.act as a grown-up | D.predict possible danger |
The underlined part in Paragraph 2 most probably means that games can________.
A.describe life in an exciting way |
B.make learning life skills more interesting |
C.turn real-life experiences into a play |
D.change people’s views of sporting events |
Iribarne’s goal of form
ing the foundation is to _______.
A.bring fun to poor kids |
B.provide soccer balls for children |
C.give poor kids a chance for a better life |
D.appeal to soccer players to help poor kids |
What can be inferred from the passage?
A.Sports increase a country’s competitiveness. |
B.Sports can get all athletes together. |
C.People are advised to play games for fun. |
D.Games benefit people all their lives. |
The Mother Goose Stories, so well known to children all over the word, are commonly said to have been written by a little old woman for her grandchildren. According to some people, she lived in Boston, and her real name was Elizabeth Vergoose. Her son-in-law, a printer named Thomas Fleet, was supposed to have published the famous stories and poems for small children in 1719. However, no copy of this book has ever been found, and most sc
holars doubt the truth of this story—and doubt, moreover, that Mother Goose was ever a real person. They point out that the name is a direct translation of the French “Mere I’ Oye.” In 1697 the Frenchman Charles Perrault published the first book in which this name was used. The collection contains eight tales, including “Sleeping Beauty,”“Cinderella,” and “Puss in Boots.” But Perrault did not originate these stories; they were already quite popular in his day, and he only collected them.
In 1729 there appeared an English translation of Perrault’s collection,Robert Samber’s Histories or Tales of Past times, Told by MotherGoose(London,1729), which introduced “Sleeping Beauty”, “Little Red-hood”, “Puss in Boots”,”Cinderella” and other Perrault’s tales to English-speaking audiences. These were fairy tales(童话)。 John Newbery published a book of English rhymes,Mother Goose’s Melody, or Sonnets for the Cradle( London, undated,1765), which switched the focus from fairy tale to nursery rhymes, and in English this was until recently the primary meaning for Mother Goose.A book of poems for children entitled Mother Goose’s Melody was published in England in1781, and the name “Mother Goose” has been associated with children’s poetry ever since.What is supposed to have happened in 1719?
A.Elizabeth Vergoose wrote the first Mother Goose Stories. |
B.The Mo![]() |
C.Thomas Fleet published the Mother Goose Stories. |
D.Charles Perrault published the first Mother Goose Stories. |
Most scholars consider Mother Goose to be _________.
A.a real person | B.a translation from French |
C.a collection by Elizabeth Vergoose | D.a book written by a little old woman |
When Perrault published the first book in 1679, _______.
A.no story of the book had been known to people |
B.some stories of the book were already well known |
C.few people were interested in the stories of the book |
D.stories like “Sleeping Beauty” and “Cinderella” became popular |
The name used in the first book published in 1679 is supposed to have been _______.
A.Mother Goose | B.Charles Perrault | C.Elizabeth Vergoose | D.Mere I’ Oye |
When people talk about Mother Goo
se, they refer to,___________
A.a printer of Boston | B.a kind of animal |
C. children’s poetry | D.the French “Mere L’oye |