Chinese media and Internet users on Monday condemned a lack of morals in society after a toddler was struck twice by two different vans and left bleeding on the road as more than a dozen bystanders did nothing to help the seriously injured girl.
The incident, captured by a surveillance camera and aired by Southern Television Guangdong (TVS), showed the two-year-old girl was knocked down and run over by a white van on a narrow market street on the afternoon of Oct. 13, in Foshan City of Guangdong Province.
The driver fled the scene of the accident, leaving the girl to bleed on the sidewalk. Over the next six minutes, more than a dozen people walked by the girl, yet not one individual did anything to help her. The girl was then hit a second time by another van before an elderly trash collector came to her aid and brought the attention of the girl’s mother, according to the video and eyewitnesses.
Doctors said that the girl, who was put on life support after being hospitalized, remains in a deep coma. The girl's parents, who are migrants living in the city, are now with her.
Police said the drivers of both vehicles have been arrested. However, the apathy of the bystanders shown in the video has shocked the public, as Internet forums have seethed with anger, and people are questioning the morality of society.
High moral standards were once triumphed as national pride in China where individuals known for selflessly helping others were adored by the public.
But in recent years, the perception of a decline of morals has become a hot topic as profit and materialism are perceived to be affecting society’s values.
On Sept. 2. an 88-year-old man in central China collapsed, his face striking the pavement. Yet, no one came to his aid, and he ended up choking to death on the blood from his nose.
Some have linked the absence of good models to a previous case in which a man trying to help an elderly woman who fell was accused of harming her.
A strong chorus of opinion on the Internet says laws should exempt(免除)models from responsibility, yet laws themselves cannot solve society’s morality dilemma.
Cao Lin, a China Youth Daily commentator, said in a signed article published on Monday that the worry of responsibility should not be an excuse for not helping, and this case exposes the decline of humanity in Chinese society.From the passage, what would happen if someone helped others selflessly in the past?
A.He/she would be condemned by the public. |
B.He/she would be awarded by the government. |
C.The public would feel proud of him/ her and showed love and respect for him/ her |
D.He/she would have to worry about liability. |
Which of the following is TRUE about this passage?
A.Nobody helped the girl who was struck twice by two different vans. |
B.The toddler died immediately after she was hit a second time. |
C.High moral standards were once regarded as national pride in China. |
D.Journalists from TVS captured the incident by using a camera. |
In recent years, society’s values is believed to be affected by .
A.people’s perceptions | B.profit and materialism |
C.the apathy of bystanders | D.the morals of society |
According to Cao Lin, what is the fundamental reason for not helping the girl?
A.The worry of responsibility. |
B.Lack of laws that exempt role models from responsibility. |
C.The decline of humanity in society. |
D.The other two cases mentioned in the article--the case of an 88-year-old man and the case where a man trying to help an elderly woman who fell was accused of harming her. |
Where is the article probably taken from?
A.A fashion magazine. | B.A news report. |
C.A science fiction. | D.An education column. |
Dieters are often advised to stop drinking alcohol to avoid the extra calories lurking in a glass of wine or a favorite cocktail. But new research suggests that women who regularly consume moderate(适度的) amounts of alcohol are less likely to gain weight than nondrinkers and are at lower risk for obesity (fatness).
The findings, reported this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine, are based on a study of 19,220 United States women aged 30 to 40 who fall into the “normal weight” based on their body mass index. Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston tracked the women’s drinking habits over 13 years. About 60 percent of the women were light or regular drinkers, while about 40 percent reported drinking no alcohol.
Over the course of the study, 41 percent of the women became overweight. Although alcohol is packed with calories, the nondrinkers in the study actually gained more weight over time: nine pounds, on average, compared with an average gain of about three pounds among regular moderate drinkers. The risk of becoming overweight was almost 30 percent lower for women who consumed one or two alcohol drinks a day, compared with nondrinkers.
The findings are certain to be confusing for women who continue to receive conflicting messages about the health benefits and risks of alcohol. Although moderate drinking is associated with better heart health, regular drinking also increases breast cancer risk.
The trend toward less weight gain among drinkers doesn’t appear to hold true for men. A 2003 study of British men showed that regular drinkers gained more weight than nondrinkers. Studies suggest that drinking alcohol has different effects on eating habits among men and women. Men typically add alcohol to their daily caloric intake, whereas women are more likely to substitute(替代)alcohol for food. In addition, there may be differences in how men and women metabolize(代谢)alcohol. Metabolic studies show that after men drink alcohol, the
y experience little if any metabolic change. But alcohol appears to slightly speed up a woman’s metabolism.
The findings don’t mean women should rush to drink alcohol to lose weight. Other research shows that once a person is already overweight, her alcohol metabolism is more efficient, and so an overweight woman may gain more weight from alcohol than a lean(瘦的) woman. The data do, however, suggest that for many women facing weight problems, the extra calories are probably not coming from alcoholic drinks.According to the study, which of the following regular drinker is less likely to gain weight than nondrinkers?
A B CDThat men regular drinkers gained more weight than women regular drinkers is due to the following except ______.
A.women are more likely to substitute alcohol for food. |
B.men drink alcohol much faster than women. |
C.men and women metabolize alcohol differently. |
D.men have different effects on eating habits with women. |
The underlined word “whereas” may probably mean _______.
A.so | B.in order that | C.but | D.and then |
What can a dieter probably do before reading this passage?
A.Rush to drink alcohol to lose weight |
B.Add alcohol to his or her daily caloric intake. |
C.Face the weight problems alone. |
D.Try to stop drinking any alcohol or wine. |
The Writers' Strike:Making the Best of the Worst
By now you are probably feeling the effects of the TV writers’ strike---the decision of television writers to stop working. With few new TV shows, I present to you a list of shows available on DVD worth your viewing time to keep you going during this painful period.
Arrested Development is one of the funniest and most clever shows ever to have appeared on network TV. With a most perfect cast(全体演员), the show sets out to cover the daily happenings of the Bluth family, a group of selfish staff who manage to still put family first.
For more comedy goodness, I recommend one of the sharpest comedies to have ever broadcast, 30 Rock. Starring Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin, two stars with impressive comic timing, the show gives you a glimpse into the making of a sketch show (幽默短剧),similar to Saturday Nigth Live, from the funny writers to the self-centered cast all the way up to the boss.
If you are looking for something more serious, or perhaps Friday Night lights might be more to your liking. If you are a fan of football, this show is probably for you. If you are a fan of great drama, both soapy and serious, this show is probably for you, If you are a fan of good-looking people, this show is definitely for you .
If those shows were not enough for you, might I recommend a show with a more heart-pounding excitement? The Amazing Race, after twelve seasons, still remains one of the most exciting shows on TV. Teams of two travel the globe with little to no money and experience far-out adventures in an attempt to remain the last team standing. If you are fond of soapy TV shows, you will probably choose to watch.
A.Friday Night Lights | B.30 Rock |
C.the Amazing Race | D.Saturday Night Live |
From the DVD shows listed above, we can learn that .
A.two teams won the amazing race |
B.football fans enjoy the Amazing Race |
C.the Bluths care about their family though selfish |
D.30 Rock and Saturday Night Live have nothing in common |
The author writes the passage to tell us that.
A.the effects of the TV writers’ strike are great |
B.the strike puts TV shows in the worst situation |
C.watching DVD is a good choice during the strike |
D.we should choose DVD shows according to our tastes |
The passage is most probably taken from.
A.a book review | B.a newspaper | C.a film poster | D.a DVD menu |
Dior was born in Normandy in 1905, and his family’s original plans for him included a career in the diplomatic service, but by the time he was twenty-three, with his parents’money, he opened a small art gallery in Paris. By 1931, the money had been used up. Dior’s friends in the art gallery, asked him to draw and he took his first step at designing and drawing. His first job was with Lucien Lelong from whom Dior learned his craft(手艺).
In February,1947, Dior started the New Look in his first major Paris collection. He was backed by a famous textile producer, Boussac, who looked after the dollars, while Dior looked after the fashions. Dior knew nothing about cutting and sewing, but he was good at fashion design.
The New Look started an entirely different look to costume, with a tiny waist, a rounded shoulder and a shapely bust(胸围), usually with a low-cut neckline and a long full skirt. To women who had lived through the war years, the femaleness of the New look was a great success, for people were tired of tile extremely plain, wartime restrictive fashions.
It is said that dresses by Dior were “constructed like buildings”, but young people were attracted to his design, and all over the western world, manufacturers plunged(投入) into the production of his new style. Dior’s revolutionary designs lighted up a whole cycle of fashion, rounded, gentle, feminine, a delight in elegance. A New Look House of Dior opened in 1948, followed by one in London. Considered as King of Couture(women’s clothing)for years, the Dior empire grew until it covered every country in the western world, and included furs, hosiery, jewelry, perfumes, men’s wear and on and on. More than 1,000 people worked at the Paris headquarters then.
His sudden death in 1957 when he was 53 years old did not stop the growth of the House of Dior. Even now, so many years after his death, his name is closely connected with fashion throughout the world, and indeed is one of the most recognized names in the world, His first, great New Look, with its long skirts was an expression of freedom in the late 1940s. Which of the following designs is close to Dior’s?
A. | B. | C. | D. |
According to the passage. in Dior’s life, he did NOT___________.
A.make creative fashion designs | B.work in a diplomatic service |
C.1earn craft as his first job | D.open a New Look House |
We can infer from the passage that _________.
A.Dior and h![]() |
B.Dior’s New Look had ![]() |
C.Dior is only a brand of women’s fashion |
D.Dior’s fashion was not accepted at first |
What is probably the best title for the passage? .
A.The History of the New Look | B.The Growth of the Dior Empire |
C.An Expression of Freedom—Dior | D.The Founder of the New Look—Dior |
Most people know that a wedding ring is symbolic of the bond(连结物) of love and commitment(承诺) between two people. But not everyone knows about the history behind this small yet powerful symbol. The history of the wedding ring goes back not just hundreds but thousands of years. No other currently practiced wedding tradition has been around as long.
The Egyptians were the first recorded civilization to use the wedding ring. In Egyptian hieroglyphics(象形文字) a circle represented eternity. Once a woman accepted the ring she became the “property” of the person who gave it to her and she was in a sense “his.” The first wedding ring could have been made of braided grass or hay (which would have been changed often), ivory, bone, or leather. Eventually, metal was used, but the first wedding bands were crude(未加工的) and rough. However, the sentiment(情感) remained the same-eternal commitment and love.
The Egyptians wore the wedding ring on the left hand because it was believed that a vein(静脉) in the left hand went straight to the heart. This tradition is still commonly practiced today in most parts of the world largely for practical purposes (most people are right handed.)It is worn on the fourth finger of the left hand. But there are some countries and groups which do not follow this tradition. In the Jewish faith, the wedding ring is put on the index finger. Roman Catholics traditionally wore their wedding band on the right hand, and in many countries and regions in Europe some people still follow this tradition.
It is interesting to note that in the long history of the wedding ring that it is only in the last century that men have begun to wear them. However, now both men and women show their love and commitment by exchanging rings on their wedding day.
Once you begin shopping for rings you may be amazed by the choices that await you. There are several different types of metals: traditional gold, white gold, platinum, and titanium. You can have an inscription(刻字) put on the inside of the band(镶边) if you like. Some people are even choosing a tattoo(刺花) band. The styles vary from a simple, yet elegant(优雅的) band to an elaborate(精致的) ring covered with jewels. If you do not buy the wedding and engagement rings as a set you will want to be sure the styles are compatible(一致的). Choose carefully because this choice will need to stand the test of eternity.What would be the best title for this passage?
A.History of rings | B.Interesting facts about rings |
C.Different beliefs about rings | D.The meaning of the rings. |
What may the word “eternity” in paragraph 2 probably mean?
A.Elegance | B.Marriage | C.Wedding | D.Foreverness |
Which is NOT true according to the passage?
A.The meaning of the rings remained unchanged. |
B.One should be careful of choosing a ring in a shop from different kinds. |
C.Jewish are so faithful to their beliefs to wear rings on the fourth finger. |
D.Now most people in the world still follow Roman Catholics traditionally. |
What can we infer from the passage?
A.Men were looked upon by women for thousands years. |
B.Only women have the right to make themselves beautiful. |
C.women wore rings thousands of years earlier than men. |
D.You can have an inscription put on the inside the band. |
A young man went to a town and worked there. He did not have a wife and a servant did the work in his house.
The young man liked laughing a lot. He nailed the servant’s shoes to the floor on Monday, and then laughed, because he put his feet in them and fell down. The servant was not angry, but smiled.
Then the young man put brushes in his bed on Tuesday. The servant got into bed and hit the brushes with his feet. He was afraid. The young man laughed loudly again. Again the servant was not angry, but smiled.
Then on Wednesday the young man said to his servant, “You’re a nice, kind man. I am not going to be unkind to you again.”
The servant smiled and said, “And I’m not going to put any more mud from the street in your coffee.”He played a joke on the servant because.
A.he hated him |
B.he was not satisfied with the food the servant prepared for him |
C.he wanted to get pleasure |
D.he liked to show off himself |
When the young man played a joke on him, the servant was not angry but smiled because _____.
A.he liked the young man’s action | B.making the young man laugh is his job |
C.he was afraid to be fired | D.he thought he shouldn’t be angry with a child |
What did the servant do in return to the young man?
A.He stole something from the house. | B.He gave a smile to the young man. |
C.He had a fight with him. | D.He put mud into the young man’s coffee. |
Why did the young man stop playing jokes on the servant? Because ___.
A.the servant showed kind and nice behaviour to him |
B.the servant told him the truth |
C.he wanted to be a good man |
D.his father told him to do so |