In many societies, there is often greater acceptance of light skin than dark skin. Light skin may be seen as a mark of beauty, intelligence and success. These beliefs can lead to social pressures even within the same racial or ethnic group, if some members are darker skinned than others.
The result is that skin lightening has become a common activity across Africa, Asia and other areas of the world. More and more people with dark s
kin are using skin-lightening products, even if it means they may face health risks.
They believe that having whiter skin will improve their lives. Many people think they will have a better chance of getting a job or marrying into a better family. Or they want to look like what their society generally considers beautiful.
Some beauty care products and soaps contain chemicals that make skin lighter. This is also called bleaching. But some of the chemicals are extremely dangerous. One of the most dangerous is hydroquinone(对苯二酚).
Hydroquinone has been banned in several countries. This chemical has been connected to kidney damage and some kinds of cancer. It also causes low birth weight in babies when mothers –to-be use it during pregnancy.
At first, bleaching products make the skin color lighter. But after long-term use they can cause problems. They could even make some skin darker.
The chemicals in the products block and break down the natural process that gives color to skin. The skin loses its natural barrier（障碍）to protect against sunlight. Then the skin can become thick and discolored. Usually the person will use more of the product in an effort to correct the problem, but this only makes it worse.
Fatimata Ly treats skin conditions in the Senegalese capital, Dakar. Doctor Ly says skin bleaching has become a problem throughout Senegal. She says the chemicals are now more dangerous because they are stronger. Some cases have resulted in blackened fingernails, infections and permanent（永久的）skin damage.
And these are not the only risks. Experts say some people who change their skin color suffer emotional damage. They feel regret and sadness. They feel that instead of risking their health, they should have learned to love and accept their skin color as it was.What is the text mainly about?
| A．The advantages of light skin | B．Introducing skin lightening products |
| C．The harmfulness of Hydroquinone | D．The health risks of bleaching |
What does the underlined word “bleaching” refer to?
| A．The process of removing the color |
| B．The process of making the skin whiter |
| C．The chemicals that make things white |
| D．The chemicals that protect skin against sunlight |
Why do people want to make their skin lighter?
| A．Because they all want to look more beautiful. |
| B．Because they all want to marry into better families. |
| C．Because they want to find better jobs. |
| D．Because they want to improve their lives. |
Skin bleaching may cause the problem of ______.
| A．emotional problems | B．kidney cancer | C．lighter skin |
D．low birth rate |
The author holds a/ an ______ attitude towards skin lightening.
| A．positive | B．negative | C．supportive | D．optimistic |
China news, Beijing, Feb. 9 – Housing price in China has always aroused heated discussions among property developers and ordinary Chinese. To many property developers and local government officials, housing price in China is still low compared with many developed countries. However, the average housing price in the United States is only 8,000 yuan per square meter, while in China, it is even higher than in the United States. This shows that there are some bubbles(泡沫) in Chinese real estate market
, the International Finance News reported.
Although the average price of residential houses in the United States, after converted to Renminbi, is about 8,000 yuan per square meter, the houses in US are not sold in terms of building area, as most Chinese property developers do when they sell their houses. If US property developers sell their houses according to the building area, then the housing price will be even lower than 8,000 yuan per square meter. In most big Chinese cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, houses are sold at a price even higher than those in the US.
The high housing sales price in large cities in China proves that Chinese real estate market does have some bubbles. Moreover, Chinese houses can not be compared with houses in US in terms of building quality, environment and supporting facilities. Furthermore, it should be noted that American people’s average income is several dozen times higher than that of Chinese people. How can the Chinese afford to buy a house which is even more expensive than that sold in US?
At the beginning of 2007, Chinese government issued a set of policies that aimed to benefit the public. Now in order to reduce the high housing prices, the government can regulate(控制) the real estate market by raising tax on property industry and controlling the release of loans and lands to property developers. At the same time, the government should allow people to build more houses through various fund-raising channels, such as funds collected from buyers or raised by working units. By applying these multiple means, it is expected that the high housing prices can be lowered. What is the average housing price per square meter in China?
| A．8000 yuan | B．10000 yuan | C．7000 yuan | D．It’s not mentioned here |
Which of the following does NOT support the idea that the average housing price in China
is even higher than in the United States?
| A．Chinese houses can not be compared with houses in US in terms of building quality, environment and supporting facilities. |
| B．American people’s average income is several dozen times higher than that of Chinese people. |
| C．The houses in US are not sold in terms of building area, as most Chinese property developers do when they sell their houses. |
| D．There are more people who need houses in China. |
What is the main idea of this passage?
A The hous
ing price in China is so high that the government should do something useful to
prevent it.
B. There are some bubbles in Chinese real estate market
C. The average housing price in China is even higher than in the United States
D. Chinese government issued a set of policies that aimed to benefit the public. How many measures are mentioned in the last paragraph in order to reduce the high housing
prices?
| A．Four | B．Three | C．Five | D．Two |
Dear Cassy,
Thanks for reminding me by e-mail that you want to baby-sit our children. In spite of the fact that you are only 15 years old, my wife and I would be willing to consider your application if you can meet a few modest requirements:
1. Submit three letters from teachers who will prove that you have never failed to follow directions perfectly in class and never failed to hand in the homework on time.
2. Submit a note from two doctors which says that you are in perfect health, have never been sick, and will never be sick.
3. Submit a document (文件) from your physical education teacher or team coach that proves that you can do each of the following: Run two miles in less than nine minutes, climb an oily rope to a height of twenty feet in thirty seconds while balancing a glass of water on your nose, and walk in bare feet over hot coals and broken glass without complaint or injury.
4. Submit letters from at least two mental health experts saying that you have never had a bad thought towards any living being or not living object.
5. Play and defeat five expert chess players with your eyes covered after going without sleep for 48 hours.
6. Wait patiently for two years while we make sure that all your documents are true.
Your loving and trusting friends,
The SmithsFrom the letter we can know that ______.
| A．Cassy wrote to the Smiths twice | B．Cassy loves children very much |
| C．Cassy will be in perfect health | D．Cassy does very well in her studies |
Which of the following can most probably replace the underlined word “submit”?
| A．write | B．report | C．hand in | D．recommend (推荐) |
What can we infer from this text?
| A．Their children are hard to baby-sit. | B．Their children are well educated. |
| C．Cassy is good at doing many things. | D．Cassy won't get the job as a baby-sitter. |
Which of the following words can best describe the Smiths?
| A．Humorous. | B．Patient. | C．Honest. | D．Kind-hearted. |
He only finished fourth in this year's Super Boy talent show. But it didn't stop him capturing (俘获) the hearts of thousands of fans. He can hit high notes with ease. And he is very modest. Zhang Jie,25,shed(流) sweat and tears all the way through the competition, but he never gave up.
“No matter how life treats him, he always fights back bravely ,”said Wu Chunyan, a Senior 2 student in Hubei. “He has never lost his dream of being a singer.” The road to fame is always rocky, and Zhang is no exception
. As a college student he was majoring in tourism. He was considering becoming a tourist guide after graduation until he entered a singing competition.
His life changed after he competed in My Show. He won first place and signed with a record company. “I was very excited and regarded it as a way to take me closer to my dream,” he said. But the company gave him little money to make music and slowly began to ignore him. Zhang even borrowed money to buy costumes. “Life has its ups and downs. But the tough (艰难的) reality only makes me stronger,” he said.
He forgot he was once a champion of a talent show and joined Super Boy. His decision got support from his family who worked hard to make ends meet. His mother sold rice noodles on a street in his hometown, but she said she would “support him forever.”
“I have the dream to buy a large house for my parents, where my mom can get a large window sill (窗台) to grow flowers,” said Zhang.Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
A．An easy way to success |
B．A rocky path to success |
| C．A clever boy | D．A successful boy |
From the passage, we can know that _________.
| A．he once won the first place in Super Boy talent show. |
| B．he finished fourth in My Show. |
| C．he is an exception on his way to fame. |
| D．after signing with a record company, he didn’t get much money. |
When he met with difficulty in a record company, he decided to _______.
| A．join Super Boy | B．tell the others he was a champion |
| C．give up on his way to success | D．quarrel with the boss |
Before he joined in a singing competition, his dream was to become________.
| A．a great scientist | B．a good college student |
| C．a famous singer | D．a tourist guide |
With the Indian economy predicted to grow by 7．5 percent this year, experts say it could be time for Western CEOs to learn some lessons from Indian CEOs．The key differences between Indian and Western bosses are:
Social purpose
One of the most important things is that Indian leaders lead with a sense of social purpose．Every leader in India gave a specific social purpose as being the goal of their business．Those purposes ranged from improving healthcare to getting cell phones to people who didn't have access to communication tools．Having a social purpose motivates workers．
Invest in employees
Indian firms invest an enormous amount in their employees' training and development．IT firms typically offer 60 days of formal training for newly hired workers and they even spend months training experienced workers．A study said that Western firms have largely abandoned investing in employees, seeing it as a waste if they quit．But Indian bosses believe that investing in employees ensures the quality of those who stay at the company．
Take the long view
Indian bosses stress far less on shareholders than it is typical at Western business．As a result they're more able to take a long-term view．Western companies can't just ignore their shareholders, but their CEOs can do more to protect their -employees from short-term financial pressures, letting them get on with their jobs．
Work fromtheir strengths
Western companies often think about strategy in terms of chasing customers or pursuing market opportunities, but Indian firms will more often start by identifying their strengths and customers’ needs, and then try to meet those needs．
Act as a role model
Being a personal role model for their employees is an amazing thing for a CEO．If Western bosses could think of themselves as role models, it would have a real impact on their workers．Indian CEOs use their sense of social purpose to _________．
| A．improve the workers' healthcare system |
| B．provide cell phones to people in need |
| C．motivate and encourage their employees |
| D．promote the development of communication systems |
Western firms have largely abandoned investing in employees’ training and development because _______．
| A．it takes too long to complete the formal training of newly hired workers |
| B．they often hire experienced workers who don't need much training |
| C．they are afraid of the losses brought about by the resignation of employees |
| D．they don't care about the quality of the employees in their firms |
Which of the following is TRUE about Western bosses?
A．They stress on workers more than shareholders． |
| B．They always act as role models for employees． |
| C．They are good at identifying their own strengths． |
| D．They pay closer attention to market opportunities． |
It takes courage to stand up at work．Now more and more people are standing up when they are working on something important．Standing up is in fashion．Medical researchers have found that people who stand at work tend to be much healthier than those who sit．But I wasn't just looking for better health — standing would also improve how I work and relax my body．
In recent years, many office supply companies have begun to sell adjustable desks．These so-called "sit / stand" models are equipped with an electric motor that lets them shift from chair height to person height at the push of a button．Unfortunately, sit / stand desks tend to be expensive, hard to find and not very easy to test in person．
I discovered that when I worked standing up, my mind was clearer and new ideas kept coming to me．I suspect that this is because when you're standing, you feel a bit unchained from your desk．If I got stuck on a word or sentence as I wrote it, I found myself shaking my arms, bouncing （跳） on my feet or stepping away from the desk for a bit — things I couldn't do in a chair．Often, standing up seemed to relax my mind enough for me to get over creative barriers．
There's another thing about standing for a long time: I tend to get hungrier than I do when I sit on a chair．That feels like confirmation（证实） of the stand-up advocates’ belief that you burn more calories when you stand than when you sit．For this reason alone, I' m hoping that one day mass-market furniture companies can make many low-priced versions of sit / stand desks．We could all work with a bit more standing up．The author likes standing up while working because __________．
| A．he wants to show that he has a lot of courage |
| B．researchers say standing makes one healthier |
| C．he intends to catch up the fashion trend |
| D．he hopes to improve his work and relax himself |
It can be inferred from the text that ________．
| A．adjustable desks are mass-produced now |
| B．adjustable desks are easy to operate |
| C．cheaper adjustable desks will soon be available |
| D．adjustable desks can be tried out easily |
What is the main idea of the text?
| A．Standing up at work is a better choice． |
| B．Standing up at work takes courage． |
| C．Standing up at work burns more calories． |
| D．Standing up at work will replace traditional sitting． |