It would be very exciting to be a reporter on a newspaper．As soon as a reporter’s boss gives him a story to write，the reporter is on the job．He keeps his mind on what he is going to do．He does not begin writing the story until he knows what he should find out．He must know why he should write the story．
At times a reporter must search hard to find all of the facts he needs for a story．The facts may not be right under his nose．To find the facts，he has to recognize important details．While gathering information for a story，he asks himself questions：Should I use this information? Is this an important fact?
A reporter writes the story as fast as he can，so it can go right away into the newspaper．The story also needs a headline，which tells very quickly what the news story is about and is printed bigger and blacker than the rest of the news story．
Every big newspaper has many reporters，because many stories are needed in the newspaper．Would you like to be one？A reporter writes the story as fast as possible because ．
| A．he wants it to go into the newspaper quickly |
| B．people prefer to buy today’s newspaper |
| C．he wants to have a rest |
| D．he is good at writing it |
Which statement is true according to the passage?
| A．Being a reporter is a tiring job． |
| B．It is easy for a reporter to find the facts． |
| C．The headline must tell the details of the news story． |
| D．A reporter begins to write when knowing what he should find out． |
Which is the writer’s opinion?
| A．A reporters boss is usually very hard to his men． |
| B．The job of a newspaper reporter is exciting but not easy． |
| C．Everyone can write a good news story． |
| D．No one likes to be a reporter． |
The passage is about ．
| A．the job of a news reporter |
| B．big newspapers in the world |
| C．how to write the headline of all article |
| D．how to gather information for a news story |
We all have ideas about what kinds of foods are good to eat. We also have ideas about what kinds of foods are bad to eat. As a result, people from one culture often think the foods that people from another culture eat are nauseating(令人作呕的).When the famous boxer Muhammad Ali visited Africa, for example, one member of his group became quite sick when he saw someone pick up a butterfly and eat it. Many people would find it disgusting to eat rats, but there are forty-two different cultures whose people regard rats as appropriate food.
Food likes and dislikes do not always seem related to nutrition. For example, broccoli is first on a list of the most nutritious common vegetables, but it is twenty-first on a list of vegetables that Americans like most to eat. Tomatoes are sixteenth on the list of most nutritious vegetables, but they are first on the list of vegetables that Americans like most to eat.
But dislike is not the only reason why some cultures will not eat a certain food. In some cultures, certain foods are taboo. Some foods are taboo in certain religions, but there are also other food taboos that are not connected to a religion. We do not usually think about why certain things are taboo in our culture. We may not even know why they are taboo. Anthropologists(人类学家) try to discover the hidden reasons for taboos.
Anthropologists believe that most food likes and dislikes are a result of the ways of life of different people. Some people live in areas where there are both large animals and many insects. It is difficult for these people to kill large animals, and it requires a lot of energy. It is easier for them to use insects for food because it is not difficult to catch insects and it does not require a lot of energy. Nomadic(游牧的) people who move around will not want to keep pigs for food. People will not eat pets such as dogs. Americans eat a lot of beef because there is plenty of land for raising cattle and the me
at can be shipped cheaply for long distances by railroads. What’s the main topic of this passage?
| A．Food and religion. | B．Food and culture. |
| C．Nutrition of different foods. | D．Different ways of life. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE about food likes and dislikes?
| A．They are seldom related to nutrition. |
| B．They are mostly associated with people’s taste. |
| C．They are mostly connected with people’s life styles. |
| D．They are usually related to cultures or religions. |
The underlined word “taboo” (Line 3, Para. 3) refers to _____.
| A．something undiscovered | B．certain religions |
| C．something forbidden | D．certain foods |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．It is believed that brcoccoli is more nutritious than tomatoes. |
| B．Americans prefer tomatoes to beef. |
| C．People in Inner Mongolia would probably like to keep pigs for food. |
| D．The famous boxer Muhamm Ali would like to eat rat rather than butterfly. |
Why do Americans prefer to eat beef?
| A．Because beef provides a lot of energy people require. |
| B．Because beef is on the list of the most nutritious foods. |
| C．Because they have the ideal condition to keep and ship cattle. |
| D．Because cattle are large animals. |
PALO AITO, California—“Switching off the television may help prevent children from getting fatter—even if they do not change their diet or increase the amount they exercise,” US researchers said last week.
A study of 192 third and fourth grades, generally aged eight and nine, found that children who cut the number of hours spent watching television gained nearly two pounds(0.91 kg) less over a one-year period than those who did not change their television diet.
“The findings are important because they show that weight loss can only be the result of a reduction in television viewing and not any other activity,” said Thomas Robinson, a pediatrician(儿科专家) at Stanford University.
“American children spend an average of more than four hours per day watching television and videos or playing games, and rates of childhood being very fat have doubled over the past 20 years,” Robinson said.
In the study, presented this week to the Pediatric Academic Societies’ annual meeting in San Francisco, the researchers persuaded about 100 of the students to reduce their television viewing by one-quarter to one-third.
Children watching fewer hours of television showed a significantly smaller increase in waist size and had less body fat than other students who continue their normal television viewing, even though neither group ate a special diet nor took part in any extra exercise.
“One explanation for the weight loss could be the children unstuck to the television may simply have been moving around and burning off calories,” Robinson said.
“Another reason might be due to eating fewer meals in front of the television. Some studies have suggested that eating in front of the TV encourages people to eat more,” Robinson added.The purpose of the first two paragraphs is ______.
| A．to report the time children spend watching TV |
| B．to show that more TV time leads to getting fatter |
| C．to tell us the best way to reduce weight |
D．to int roduce the background of the research |
According to the passage, the time American children usually spend on watching TV ____.
| A．is more than four hours a day | B．is less than four hours a day |
| C．doubled in the last twenty years | D．is more than on any other activities |
The time the 100 children spend on TV every day is about _______ in the study.
| A．a quarter of an hour | B．four hours | C．three hours | D．one hour |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage ?
| A．Weight increase owes to the result of a reduction in TV viewing. |
| B．The percentage of children getting fatter has doubled in the last 20 years. |
| C．Children usually eat less while watching TV. |
| D．Children usually eat nothing while watching TV. |
The main idea of the passage would be ______.
| A．less TV time helps reduce children’s weight |
| B．fewer meals is a must in reducing children’s weight |
| C．the less you eat, the thinner you will be |
| D．more exercise is of great benefit to reduce weight |
In England three foreign gentlemen came to a bus stop. They studied the information on the post sign and decided which bus to take. About five minutes later the bus they wanted came along. They prepared to get on. Suddenly people rushed onto the bus and tried to push them out of the way. Someone shouted insulting remarks about the foreigners. The bus conductor came rushing down the stairs to see what all the trouble was about. The three foreign gentlemen looked puzzled and ashamed. No one had told them about the British custom of lining up for a bus so that the first person who arrived at a bus-stop is the first person to get on the bus.
Learning the language of a country isn’t enough. If you want to ensure a pleasant visit, find out as much as possible about the manners and customs of your hosts. You will probably be surprised just how different they can be from your own. A visitor to India would do well to remember that people there consider it impolite to use the left hand for passing food at table. The left hand is supposed to be used for washing yourself. Also in India, You might see a man apparently shaking his head at another and assume (认为) that he is disagreeing. But in many parts of India a rotating (旋转) movement of the head is a gesture that express agreement or acceptance. Nodding your head when offered a drink in Bulgaria is likely to leave you thirsty. In that country you shake your head to express “yes” — a nod means “no”.
In Europe it is quite usual to cross your legs when sitting, talking t
o someone, even at an important meeting. Doing this when meeting an important person in Thailand, however, could cause offence (冒犯). It is considered too informal an attitude for such an occasion. Also when in Thailand avoid touching the head of an adult — it’s just not done.
Attitudes to women vary considerably around the world. In Japan, for example, it is quite usual for men to plan evening entertainments for themselves and leave their wives at home.
Knowing about customs and attitudes is useful when you are travelling, but you also need to know the language used to express different degrees of formality (礼节).The three foreign gentlemen looked puzzled and ashamed because ________.
| A．they didn’t know the English language |
B．the bus conductor told them to jump the queue |
| C．they didn’t know the custom of lining up for a bus |
D．th ey thought they were looked down upon |
What’s the meaning of the underlined word “insulting” in Para. 1?
| A．Modest. | B．Entertaining. | C．Misunderstanding. | D．Rude. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to this passage?
| A．In Europe, using the left hand is considered less respected. |
| B．In India, the left hand is not used as a sign of respect to others. |
| C．In Thailand, you’d better cross your legs when sitting or talking. |
| D．In Japan, it is considered bad manners to touch the head of an adult. |
The underlined sentence “Nodding your head when offered a drink in Bulgaria is likely to leave you thirsty” means in Bulgaria _______.
| A．you are probably thirsty if you nod your head |
| B．you’re possibly eager to have a drink if you nod your head |
| C．you probably refuse to drink when you nod your head |
| D．you’d like to have a cup of tea because you nod your head |
We can infer from the passage that _________.
| A．in Asian countries, women are equal to men in every field |
| B．learning a language well is a necessity before going abroad |
| C．attitudes to women vary from country to country |
| D．in Japan, men are still the centre of the family |
I sitatmykitchentable, while mydaughter,Anna,sitsnexttomymother. On the wall hangsa photo of my father.
“WhenisRickgoingtobehere?” Mymotherasks,referringtomyhusband.
“Idon’tknow,Mom,”Ianswerpatiently.“He’llbeherefordinner.”
Isighandgetupfromthetable.Thisisatleastthetenthtimeshehasaskedthatquestion.
Whilemymotheranddaughterplay,Ibusymyselfmakingasalad.
“Don'tputinanyonions,”Momsays.“YouknowhowDaddyhatesonion.”
“Yes,Mom,”Ianswer.
Iscrub(洗擦)offacarrotandchopitintobite-sizepieces.
“Don'tputanyonionsinthesalad,”sheremindsme.“YouknowhowDaddyhatesonion.”
ThistimeIcan’tanswer.
Mymotherhadbeenbeautiful.Shestillis.Infact,mymotherisstilleverythingshehas
been,justabitforgetful.
Icutofftheendofthecucumberandrubittotakeawaythebitterness. Cutandrub.This
isatrickIhavelearnedfrommymother,alongwithatrillionotherthings: cooking,sewing,
dating,laughing,thinking.Ilearnedhowtogrowup.
AndIlearnedthatwhenmymotherwasaround,Ineverhadtobeafraid.
SowhyamIafraidnow?
Istudymymother'shands.Hernailsarenolongerabrightred,butpaintedalightpink.
Almost nocoloratall.AndasIstareatthem,IrealizeIam feelingthemastheyshapedmy
youth.Handsthatpackedathousandlunchesandwipeda milliontearsoffmycheeks.
Now myhandshavegrownintothoseofmymother's.Handsthathavecookeduneaten
meals,heldmyowndaughter'sfrightenedfingersonthe firstdayofschoolanddriedtears
offherface.
Igrowlighthearted.Icanfeelmymotherkissmegoodnight,checktoseeifthewindowis
locked,thenblowanotherkissfromthedoorway.ThenIammymother,blowingthatsame
kisstoAnna.
Outsideeverythingisstill.Shadowsfallamongthetrees,shapedlikepiecesofapuzzle.
Somedaymydaughterwillbestandinginmyplace,andIwillrestwheremymothernowsits.
WillIrememberthenhowitfelttobebothmotheranddaughter?WillIaskthesame
questiontoomanytimes?
Iwalkoverandsitdownbetweenmymotherandhe
rgranddaughter.
“WhereisRick?”mymotherasks,restingherhandonthetablenexttomine. Andinthat
instantIknowsheremembers.Shemayrepeatherselfalittletoomuch.Butsheremembers.
“He’llbehere,”Ianswerwithasmile.What’s wrong with the writer’s mother?
| A．She is very old. | B．She suffers forgetfulness. |
| C．She is absent-minded. | D．She is eager to see Rick. |
What can we learn about the writer’s father according to the passage?
| A．He might have passed away for years. |
| B．He goes out for a walk by himself. |
| C．He is out doing something with Rick. |
| D．He loves the writer’s mother deeply. |
The underlined sentence “IrealizeIam feelingthemastheyshapedmyyouth” probably means that ______.
| A．Mother’s hands witnessed my growth as a youth |
| B．Mother’s hands are similar to mine as a youth |
| C．I like to feel mother’s hands when she was young |
| D．I realize her hands were exactly like those in her youth |
Which of the following words best describe the writer’s mood towards her mother?
| A．Content. | B．Disappointed. | C．Loving. | D．Considerate. |
The best title for the passage would be ______.
| A．Mother’s beauty | B．My father hates onion |
| C．Hard-working mother | D．Mother’s hands |
The dream of flying like Buzz Lightyear never dies. For years, space-age inventors have tested one wearable jet pack after another. And time after time, the designs have been grounded by dangerous fuels, excessive weight, or very loud noise levels. Now a Canadian inventor has sidestepped those weaknesses with an aquatic jet pack. Designed for travel over lakes or oceans, it’s driven by pressurized water, not burning rocket fuel.
When Raymond Li first told the idea for the aquatic jet pack to his friends, they said he must be nuts. How could a jet pack carry that much water? Its thrust-to-weight rate would be so low and it would never become airborne. Thrust-to-weight rate is a measure of the forward force produced compared with the weight of the vehicle. A vehicle with a low thrust-to-weight rate is relatively heavy for the amount of force it generates.
Li's genius idea was to place the jet pack’s engine and its water pump in a separate boat. The pump would draw water from the lake the boat was floating on. It would then force the water under pressure through a hose connected to the jet pack. The hose would be long enough to let the pack go up as high as 8.5 meters (28 feet) in the air.
Today, Li's invention, the Jetlev-Flyer, is ready to go into production. The pack itself, complete with jet nozzles （管嘴） and handlebars, weighs just 14 kilograms. The 
boat is a floating pod. To take off, the operator hits a trigger on a handlebar, which starts the pump, and then turns the throttle. Two streams of high-velocity water shoot through the hose and out the nozzles, lifting the operator into the air. The operator hovers there or pushes down on the handlebars, zooming forward at speeds of up to 64 kilometers per hour, pulling the pod behind.All the following factors contribute to the failure of inventing a wearable jet pack EXCEPT ______.
| A．excessive water | B．unbearable noise | C．unsafe fuels | D．too much weight |
The underlined word “sidestepped” in Para. 1 most probably means ________.
| A．improved | B．reduced | C．avoided | D．solved |
Raymond Li’s friends found his idea for the aquatic jet pack was ________.
| A．exciting | B．crazy | C．realistic | D．creative |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．His friends encouraged him to do the invention. |
| B．He put the engine and its water pump in the same boat. |
| C．The success of his invention lies in his bravery. |
| D．His invention finally succeeded and will go into production. |
Which is the right order to make the Jetlev-Flyer take off?
a. The throttle is turned. b. The operator is lifted into the air.
c. A trigger is hit. d. Two streams of water shoot out.
The pump is started.
| A．c, e, a, d, b | B．c, e, a, b, d | C．e, c, d, b, a | D．e, a, c, d, b |