Some people believe that international sports create goodwill between the nations and that if countries play games together they will learn to live together. Others say that the opposite is true: that international competitions encourage false national pride and lead to misunderstanding and hatred. There is probably some truth in both arguments, but in recent years the Olympic Games have done little to support the view that sports encourage international brotherhood. Not only was there the tragic incident involving the murder of athletes, but the Games were also ruined by lesser incidents caused mainly by minor national competitions.
One country received its second-place medals with visible indignation(愤慨)after a hockey final. There had been noisy scenes at the end of the hockey match, the loser’s objection to the final decision. They were sure that one of their goals should not have been disallowed and that their opponents’ victory was unfair. Their manager was very angry and he said, “This wasn’t hockey. Hockey and the International Hockey Federation are finished.” The president of the Federation said later that such behavior could result in the suspension(停赛)of the team for at least three years.
The American basketball team announced that they would not give up the first place to Russia, after a disputable end to their competition. The game had ended in disturbance. It was thought at first that the United States had won, by a single point, but it was announced that there were three seconds still to play. A Russian player popped the ball into the basket. It was the first time the USA had ever lost an Olympic basketball match. An appeal jury discussed the matter for four and a half hours before announcing that the result would stand. The American players then voted not to receive the silver medals.
Incidents of this kind will continue as long as sports are played competitively rather than for the love of the game. The suggestion that athletes should compete as individuals, or in non-national teams, might be too much to hope for. But in the present organization of the Olympics there is far too much that encourages aggressive patriotism(爱国主义).According to the author, recent Olympic Games have ________.
A.caused national pride for athletes |
B.created goodwill between the nations |
C.hardly showed any international friendship |
D.led to less misunderstanding between countries |
What did the manager mean by saying “Hockey and the International Hockey Federation are finished”?
A.His team would no longer take part in international games. |
B.There should be no hockey matches organized by the Federation. |
C.Hockey and the Federation are both ruined by the unfair decisions. |
D.The International Hockey Federation should be dismissed forever. |
By taking the basketball game for example, the author wants to prove that ________.
A.too much patriotism was displayed in the games |
B.the announcement to prolong the match was wrong |
C.the appeal jury was too hesitant in making the decision |
D.the team was right in refusing to accept the silver medals |
What conclusion can be drawn from the passage?
A.Sports should be played for the love of one’s nation. |
B.Unfair decisions are common in the Olympic Games. |
C.International competitions will lead to misunderstanding. |
D.The organization for the Olympic Games must be reformed. |
A new study by a Penn State College of Medicine research team found that honey is a better and safer treatment for children than cough medicines.
Ian Paul, the study’s lead researcher, was motivated to test honey because treating coughs in children has recently become a sticky subject. Coughing is the body’s way of clearing irritated (受刺激的) airways to help you breathe. But too much coughing can irritate your lungs and throat even more. It can also make it tough to get the sleep your body needs to heal. Hoping to ease the suffering of their children, parents often give them cough medicines.
But there have never been any good studies showing that they work. Cough and cold medicines may also cause serious side effects. Hundreds of kids die in the hospital each year after receiving too much cough medicine by mistake. Last October, the US Food and Drug Administration suggested that parents should not give cough medicines to children under 6.
In order to search for a different solution, Paul designed a study that involved 105 kids who were sick with coughs and other cold conditions. At bedtime, the kids took buckwheat (荞麦) honey, honey-flavored (蜂蜜味的) DM (one of the most common ingredients in cough medicines), or no treatment. Parents and kids in the no-
-treatment group knew they weren’t getting anything, but the other two groups weren’t told which treatment they were getting.
The surveys showed that kids who swallowed about 2 teaspoons of buckwheat honey before bedtime coughed less and slept better than kids in the other groups. “When parents want something for their kids to take,” Paul says, “honey seems like the best option”.
But what gives honey its healing power? Substances called antioxidants (抗氧化剂) may be part of the answer. All honey contains antioxidants that protect our cells from damage. Studies show that antioxidant levels in the body rise after someone swallows honey.Which of the following can be the best title for this passage?
A.No cough medicines to children |
B.Sweet solution to kids’ coughing |
C.Best treatment for your cold |
D.Cough medicines don’t work |
We can learn from Paragraph 2 that coughing ______.
A.sometimes does good to people |
B.can cure lung and throat diseases |
C.is more harmful to children |
D.helps improve children’s diet |
During Paul’s experiment, the kids who received treatment ______.
A.seemed much worse than before |
B.knew they weren’t getting anything |
C.coughed less and slept better |
D.had no idea what they swallowed |
I once heard someone say, “We don’t remember days; we remember moments.” However, in today’s busy life we often forget to enjoy small pleasures while we make big plans.
In the race to be better or best, we sometimes lose sight of “just being”. And just being and enjoying a beautiful moment can provide some of life’s greatest pleasures. A fire on a cold winter night, a good book, an impressive sunset, a great meal, or a timeless moment with your child or a friend ... these moments, if we stop long enough to enjoy, are the essence (本质) of life.
I love to fish, especially for large-mouth bass (鲈鱼). About three years ago I was watching television late at night and got this crazy idea to go fishing in the lake behind my house. Of course, my wife thought I was nuts. It was almost midnight! I told her I was fine and took off.
I walked out to a warm summer breeze and looked up at the starry sky and breathtaking full moon. I allowed my senses to soak (浸泡) in every second — the sweet smell of flowers, the sound of every cricket (蟋蟀), the moon’s reflection dancing off the water — it was a perfect night.
After walking across a small field, I took out a flashlight, and selected a lure (饵). On my first cast I got a bass weighing over five pounds, one of the largest I had ever caught. I gently put it back into the water and continued my midnight adventure. During the next two hours I caught seventeen bass, all between two and five pounds. Although I’ve fished for almost fifty years, no fishing memory can top that night.
But that night provided far more than a fishing memory. It was a life memory. It provided me a picture of what life could be like if I just slowed down enough to enjoy the moments. On my way back to the house, as I walked through the tall grass, I took one last look at the sky and stopped to say, “Thank you, God, for giving me this night.”The purpose of the passage is to ______.
A.suggest people should make big plans |
B.tell people to do what they like |
C.advise people to enjoy beautiful moments |
D.encourage people to follow their dreams |
What does the underlined word “nuts” in Paragraph 3 mean?
A.Determined. | B.Ill. | C.Tired. | D.Crazy. |
The fourth paragraph is mainly about ______.
A.the description of the night |
B.the author’s fishing experience |
C.the author’s attitude towards life |
D.what the author did that night |
We can learn from the passage that night the author ______.
A.caught fewer fish than before |
B.enjoyed real small pleasures |
C.went to bed around 1:00 am |
D.went fishing with his wife |
What’s On?
Macau Neighborhood Festival 2008
Various celebratory activities will be hosted by the General Union of Neighbors Association of Macau from July 9 to 31 in celebration of the “Macau Neighborhood Festival”. A live performance and picture exhibition will be mounted (组织开展) on July 9. Visitors and local residents are welcome.
Time: 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm Free admission
Venue: Courtyard of Lok Yeung Garden, Fai Chi Kei
Telephone enquiries: (853) 333 614
Lao Man Chau Photography Exhibition 2 to 9 Jul.
Throughout his travels to various natural beauty cities, Lao Man Chau had plenty of opportunities to indulge(满足) his passion for painting, music, calligraphy (书法) and philosophy. He is to share the delights of photography in his seminar on July 2 at 3:30 pm. All are welcome to come and share the experience.
Opening hours: 11:00 am to 7:00 pm Free admission
Venue: Millennium Gallery, Av. da Praia Grande, No. 599
Telephone enquires: (853) 557 672 www.mdpa.org.mo
Permanent Activity — San Kio Fair
San Kio Fair is specially designed to offer entertainment, culture and shopping to visitors. Different stalls (摊位) will be set up outside the Lin Kai Temple to provide visitors with toys, garments and food. Cantonese Operas are held on Saturday and Sunday nights.
Time: 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm Free admission
Venue: In front of Lin Kai Temple
Telephone enquires: (853) 324 622
4th Macau Pop Music Festival
Major local music event Macau Pop Music Festival acts as a platform for bands and singers from Hong Kong and Macau to exchange musical genres (类型). This year, performers will stage two concerts in Sai Van Lake Square on July 16 at 7:30 pm and Macau Forum on July 23 at 8:30 pm.
Admission: MOP $80
Telephone enquires: (853) 9884 130, 9884 000If you plan to leave Macau at 8:00 pm on July 9, how many activities can you take part in at most?
A.Four. | B.Three. | C.Two. | D.One. |
The 4th Macau Pop Music Festival is different from the other three in that ______.
A.it requires admission charges |
B.it lasts for more than one week |
C.you can enjoy a performance there |
D.you can go there in the evening |
From the passage we can know that ______.
A.singers from different countries can take part in Macau Pop Music Festival |
B.if you want to know more about the culture of Macau, you should go to Sai Van Lake Square |
C.Lao Man Chau is a photographer of many talents |
D.you can enjoy a live performance at Courtyard of Lok Yeung Garden from July 9 to 31 |
The main purpose of announcing the above is to give information about ______.
A.some bands and singers | B.some activities for July |
C.a famous photographer | D.celebratory activities |
Everyone likes to feel that he or she is special.
Unfortunately, many of us grow up believing that we’re not special at all. We wish that we could be better at sports or more attractive. We wish we had nicer clothes or more money. Like the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, or the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz (《绿野仙踪》), we believe we’re not good enough just as we are. In the movie, the Scarecrow wishes that he had a brain. The Tin Man wishes he had a heart, and the Lion wants courage. In the end, each of them realizes that he already has what he needs.
Most parents want us to be the best we can be. They sometimes try to encourage us to do better by comparing us to others. They mean well, but the message we often get is that we’re not good enough. We begin to believe that the only way we can be special is by being better than someone else, but we are often disappointed. There will always be someone out there who is better than we are at something. There are plenty of people around who may not be as smart as we are but who are better at sports. Or they may not be as good-looking, but they have more money. It is impossible for us to be better than everyone else all the time.
Like the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion, we all want what we believe will make us better people. What we don’t realize is that often we already have inside us the very things that we seek. Parents sometimes forget to tell us that we are special, that we are good enough just as we are. Maybe no one told them that when they were growing up, or maybe they just forgot. Either way, it’s up to us to remind them from time to time that each of us, in our own way, is special. What we are ... is enough.This passage is most likely written by a ______.
A.teenager | B.parent | C.teacher | D.coach |
According to the author, it seems improper for parents to ______.
A.compare their children with others now and then |
B.give no pressure to their children |
C.remind their children frequently they are special |
D.praise their children too much |
By discussing the characters in The Wizard of Oz, the author mainly wants to show ______.
A.we are not good enough just as we are |
B.we already have inside us what we want |
C.it is impossible for us to be better than others |
D.there is always someone who is better than us |
What does the author of this passage believe?
A.Not everyone can be special. |
B.Smart people are more special than others. |
C.The richer you are, the better you are. |
D.We are all good enough just the way we are. |
English nowadays is widely used in science, business, the media and popular culture. For example, 80% of e-mails on the internet are in English. But where will English be at the end of the 21st century?
One view is that English is going to become even more important as a global language, being most widely used in trade and media while some other languages will become less important or just disappear. Another view is that English is already breaking up into several separate languages. There are already dictionaries of the “New Englishes”, such as Australian English, full of words that a British English speaker would not recognize.
Hopefully, neither of these things will happen. Although different varieties of English will continue to develop around the world, standard English will survive for international communication. However, it is impossible for one language to totally control the world. Already, other languages are fighting back against the control of English on the net. Governments around the world are also starting to protect smaller languages and recognize the importance of keeping a variety of cultures and languages. English will probably stay in control for a long time, but it certainly won’t become the only language in the world. According to the situation, how many people do you think speak English now?
A.200 million | B.300 million | C.500 million | D.a billion |
At present, what is the most important language in the world?
A.Chinese | B.English | C.French | D.German |
What is the best title of the passage?
A.The Change of English | B.Different Varieties of English |
C.The Future of English | D.The Cause of English Change |