Mo Yan's Nobel Prize in Literature soon aroused public curiosity of the 57-year-old Chinese writer: Why was it he that was favored by the Swedish Academy? Chinese media seemed to be 36 as some journalists were reported to be on their way overnight to Gaomi City, Shandong, Mo's 37 where he stayed with his family.
Born in 1955 into a rural family, Mo 38 out of school and became a farmer when he was a(n) 39. He joined the military and devoted himself to 40 after Chinese literary circles started rethinking deeply the Cultural Revolution.
Mo's novel "Big Breasts & Wide Hips" tells a story of a mother who struggled and suffered 41 and tangled (缠结的) fates with Chinese people in the 20th century. His more recent work "Frog" more directly 42 China's one-child family policy, which helped 43 the country's population explosion 44 brought tragedies to farmers in the past 60 years.
"I think the reason why I could win the 45 is that my works present lives with unique Chinese 46 , and they also tell stories from a viewpoint of 47 human beings, which goes beyond differences of nations and races," Mo said to Chinese journalists. Mo also said many 48 arts originated from his hometown, such as clay sculpture, paper cuts, traditional new-year paintings, have 49 and influenced his novels.
Mo's prize may give powerful encouragement to the country's writers as the more 50 of Chinese lives their works are, the more possible they 51 as a world literature.
As the world's fast-developing country with a long history, China will 52 meet conflicts with western civilizations.__53_, the country faces internally a wide gap between the rich and the poor, 54 environment pollution and an aging population. Paying more attention to such 55 , Chinese writers may create more works that record the nation's journey to rejuvenation(复兴).With more Chinese writers like Mo, the world could learn a more real China. Perhaps, this is another reason for the Swedish Academy's choice. (words:338)
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The weather is getting hotter. You are thirsty（口渴的） playing basketball or riding home from school. A cold drink may be just the thing. But be careful what you are drinking. Something that looks cool may not be good for your health. There are plenty of “energy drinks” on the market. Most of them have beautiful colors and cool names. The lists on them tell you they are helpful to your health. Sounds great!
But after a careful check you may find that most energy drinks have lots of caffeine(咖啡碱)in them. These drinks are especially aimed at young people, students, busy people and sports players. Makers sometimes say their drinks make you better at sports and can keep you awake. But be careful not to drink too much. Caffeine makes your heart beat fast. Because of this, the International Olympic Committee(IOC)（国际奥委会） has limited its use. Caffeine in most energy drinks is at least as strong as that in a cup of coffee or tea. Possible health dangers have something to do with energy drinks. Just one box of energy drink can make you nervous, have difficulty sleeping and can even cause heart problems. Scientists say that teenagers should be discouraged from taking drinks with a lot of caffeine in them.Which of the following can be the best title of the passage? ______
| A．What’s the Use of Energy Drinks? |
| B．Who Can Drink Energy Drinks? |
| C．What’s that in Energy Drinks? |
| D．Why Can’t We Buy Energy Drinks? |
The underlined word “discouraged” can be replaced(替换) with ______.
| A．disliked | B．helped | C．stopped | D．encouraged |
From the passage we can know that ______.
| A．energy drinks are especially aimed at teenagers |
| B．energy drinks are helpful to teenagers’ study |
| C．sports players need to drink a lot of energy drinks |
| D．advertisements are important in getting people to buy energy drinks |
Many people like drinking energy drinks because of the following EXCEPT that ______.
| A．they have beautiful colors and cool names |
| B．they have lots of caffeine |
| C．they can keep them awake and better at sports |
| D．they are said to be helpful to health |
February has long been a month of romance（浪漫）. With the sweet smell of roses in the air, romantic films hit cinemas and love stories fill newspapers and magazines.
On the 14th day, it is a custom for a boy to take his girlfriend out to dinner, buy her flowers and chocolates, write poems, sing to her or even spell out her name with rose petals! This is what you see on Valentine’s Day, a day named after Valentine who was a priest（牧师） in the third century Rome. When the emperor (皇帝) decided that single men could become better soldiers than those with wives, he didn’t allow marriage. But Valentine continued to perform（主持） marriage ceremonies（典礼） for young lovers in secret. When his actions were discovered, the emperor sentenced him to death. While in prison（监狱）, it is said that Valentine fell in love with the daughter of his prison guard. Before his death, he wrote her a letter, which he signed （签名）“From your Valentine”, an expression that is still in use today. Valentine died for what he believed in and so he was made a Saint (圣徒), as well as becoming one of history’s most romantic characters.
Nowadays, Valentine’s Day is also popular among Chinese young people. Some students are planning to make Valentine’s cards for parents, teachers and friends. Others want to hold parties at which they will exchange small gifts and eat heart-shaped（心形的） cakes. The idea is to have fun and encourage people to share in the spirit of St. Valentine. Why did the emperor in Rome not allow marriage in his country?
| A．Because there were few women in his country at that time. |
| B．Because he wanted to control the birth rate. |
| C．Because there wasn’t enough food for so many people. |
| D．Because he thought men without wives could be better soldiers. |
Valentine was put into prison because ______.
| A．he killed one of the soldiers |
| B．he didn’t obey the emperor’s order |
| C．he stole a lot of food |
| D．he didn’t want to be a soldier |
The last paragraph mainly tells us ______.
| A．students in China send cards to their teachers |
| B．Valentine’s Day is also popular in China now |
| C．it is interesting to celebrate Valentine’s Day in China |
| D．it is a good idea to celebrate Valentine’s Day in China |
The best title for this passage should be ______.
| A．Valentine’s Day in China | B．A Brave Priest |
| C．Valentine’s Day | D．A Romantic Man |
Several years ago, I worked as a truck driver for a company. On Saturdays I usually spent several hours doing something to keep my truck in good condition.
One Saturday, as I was cleaning my truck, I noticed the boss’s elderly father came out to ask his grandson to take him fishing after work. The grandson told him all about how much he would love to do that, but he just couldn’t because he had other plans already. The old man hobbled (蹒跚) off to the house.
Then I heard the grandson telling his dad, "I’m not taking that old man fishing! It’s worse than taking a kid."
That just broke my heart.
I quit working immediately and went home to fetch my fishing gear (渔具) and a chair. Then I came back and invited the old man to go fishing. He accepted happily.
When we got to the river, I let him sit in the chair at the edge of the water. It wasn’t long before he got a fish. He got one fish after another. His eyes were shining like a child. About half an hour later, he told me he was tired and needed to go home. So I took him and the fish home.
Two weeks later, the old man died. His family told me later that all he talked about during that time was his fishing trip. I am satisfied that I have taken an old man on his last fishing trip, but I am sorry that his family have lost their last chance. Whenever you get the chance, don’t forget about taking Grandpa fishing. Someday, you may be in the same place and you’ll want your family to care about you, too.The writer wrote the passage mainly to ________.
| A．tell us something about his work |
| B．tell us about a fishing experience |
| C．persuade us to take Grandpa fishing |
| D．persuade us to care about the elderly |
The old man’s Grandson refused to fish with him because ______.
| A．he had something more important to do that day |
| B．he didn’t like to fish with an old man |
| C．he was tired of his job and he wanted to rest |
| D．he preferred fishing with a child |
What’s the possible meaning of the underlined word "quit"?
| A．start | B．stop | C．imagine | D．try |
According to the passage, we can infer（推断） that the author is _______.
| A．willing to make his boss happy |
| B．in need of care from his family |
| C．prefers fishing to his work |
| D．kind and warm-hearted |
The world’s oldest person, Ms. Baines, died. She celebrated her 115th birthday with congratulations from Barack Obama, President of the United States. Over her life she lived through the terms of 21 US presidents.
Gertrude Baines passed away(去世) peacefully in her sleep at the Western Convalescent Hospital in Los Angeles, where she had lived for her last ten years. Emma Camanag , the hospital’s leader ，said she was a respectable lady. "It is really an honor for the hospital to take care of her over the last 10 years and we will greatly miss her. It is just like we have lost a relative（亲戚）," said Emma.
Ms. Baines, who was born in Shellman, Georgia, in 1894, had no living relatives. She grew up in the southern US during difficult times. During that time, African American people were required to use separate, often poor, public services. She married young and later divorced (离婚). Her only child, a daughter, was born in 1909 and died of a terrible disease at the age of 18. Ms. Baines worked as a maid (女佣) in Ohio before moving to Los Angeles where she lived on her own until she was well over 100.
She once told an interviewer（记者）, "As for the secrets of long life, I do not have any disappointments（失望） in my own life."
She gained some fame when she voted for Mr. Obama in the US presidential election（总统大选）, saying she supported him "because he’s for the colored people". It was only the second time in her life she had voted, the first time being for John F. Kennedy.
Ms. Baines became the world’s oldest person in January. Japanese woman, Kama Chien, 114, has now taken over the title.It was an honor for the hospital to take care of Ms. Baines because ________.
| A．she was a respectable lady |
| B．she was a relative of the hospital’s leader |
| C．she lived in the hospital for years |
| D．she voted for Mr. Obama in the election |
Ms. Baines voted for Mr. Obama because he ________.
| A．was very popular in the hospital |
| B．did even better than John F. Kennedy |
| C．did good things for African Americans |
| D．congratulated her on her birthday |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Ms. Baines used to serve others in Ohio. |
| B．Ms. Baines died in a hospital in Los Angeles. |
| C．Ms. Baines and her husband had only one child. |
| D．Ms. Baines liked to live alone. |
The passage is mainly about ________.
| A．the world’s oldest person, Ms. Baines |
| B．why Ms. Baines voted for Mr. Obama |
| C．how Ms. Baines lived for so long |
| D．Ms. Baines and President Obama |
One’s style of the dress reveals the human obsession with both novelty and tradition. People use clothing to declare their membership in a particular social group; however, the rules for what is acceptable dress for that group may change. In affluent societies, this changing of the rules is the driving force behind fashions. By keeping up with fashions, that is, by changing their clothing style frequently but meanwhile, members of a group both satisfy their desire for novelty and obey the rules, thus demonstrating their membership in the group.
There are some interesting variations (变种) regarding individual status. Some people, particularly in the West, consider themselves of such high status that they do not need to display it with their clothing. For example, many wealthy people in the entertainment industry appear in very casual clothes, such as the worn jeans and work boots of a manual laborer. However, it is likely that a subtle but important signal, such as an expensive wristwatch, will prevail over the message of the casual dress. Such an inverted (颠倒的)status display is most likely to occur where the person’s high status is conveyed in ways other than with clothing, such as having a famous face.According to the author, fashions serve all the following purposes EXCEPT
| A．satisfying an interest in novelty |
| B．signaling a change in personal beliefs |
| C．displaying membership in a social group |
| D．following traditional rules |
Why does the author discuss individual status in paragraph 2?
| A．To state that individual’s status is not important in the West |
| B．To argue that individuals need not obey every fashion rule |
| C．To contrast the status of entertainers with that of manual laborers |
| D．To explain how high status may involve an inverted status display |
What’s the meaning of the underlined word?
| A．newness | B．convention | C．nobleness | D．benzene |