When TV news programmers report wars or diseases, the editors rarely use the most horrifying pictures of dead or wounded victims because they don’t want to upset their viewers. Even so, viewers are usually warned in advance that they“may find some of these scenes disturbing”, so they can look away if they choose. But the men and women whose job is to record those scenes, the TV cameramen, have no such choice. It is their duty to witness the horrors of the world and record them, no matter how unpleasant they may be. As a result, it is one of the most dangerous, exposed and emotionally taxing jobs the world has to offer.
Today, the demand for their work is rising. The explosion of satellite broadcasting and 24hour news in recent years has created an almost insatiable（不能满足的）demand for TV information. But major broadcaster sand the TV news agencies（部）, such as Reuters and WTN, have never had enough staff（人员）to meet thje worldwide demand for up-to-date pictures, so increasingly they turn to freelance（自由职业的）TV cameramen.
These freelance cameramen are independent operators tied to no particular organization. They will work for any company which hires them, for just a few hours or for several weeks in a war zone. But if the freelance cameraman is injured in the course of the job, the TV company is not responsible for him. The freelance must survive on his own.
“TV will always need hard, vivid and moving pictures which are fresh, but these companies feel uncomfortable with large numbers of employees on their books.”Explains Nik Cowing, once a foreign editor for Britain’s Channel 4 news and now a BBC news presenter.
“By hiring freelancers, they can buy in the skills they need only when they need them. It also enables them to reduce the risk.”He says.In the last sentence of the first paragraph,“taxing”most probably means“ ”.
| A．depressing | B．satisfying |
| C．demanding | D．encouraging |
TV news agencies turn to freelance cameramen in order to .
| A．save expense and avoid（避免）risks |
| B．buy pictures which are the most stimulating（剌激的）to the senses |
| C．look for pictures that are of fine qualities |
| D．get first-hand information and pictures |
The freelance cameramen .
| A．have better skills than other cameramen |
| B．are tied to many TV news agencies |
| C．have to take great risks in the course of work |
| D．need to reduce risks of work for TV companies |
It is implied in the passage that .
| A．TV cameramen have to witness disasters and killings whether they like them or not |
| B．TV cameramen are a special group of people who enjoy horrifying pictures |
| C．TV cameramen should be given greater choice of work |
| D．the development of TV resulted in the growing demand for TV cameramen’s work |
The main idea of the first paragraph is .
| A．TV programs are reducing the use of horrible pictures of death and wound |
| B．it is a requirement of work for TV cameramen to disregard people’s feelings |
| C．it is the duty of TV cameramen to record horrifying scenes |
| D．TV cameramen’s job is extremely dangerous and emotionally taxing |
Our “Mommy and Me” time began two years ago. My next-door neighbor and fellow mother, Christie, and I were out in our front yards, watching seven children of age 6 and under ride their bikes up and down. “I wish I could take one of my children out alone,” said Christie.
Then we worked out a plan: When Christie takes one of her children out, I’ll watch her other three. And when she watches two of mine, I’ll take someone out.
The children were extremely quick to accept the idea of “Mommy and Me” time. Christie’s daughter, McKenzie, went first. When she returned, the other children showered her with tons of questions. McKenzie was smiling broadly. Christie looked refreshed and happy. “She’s like a different child when there’s no one else around,” Christie shared with me quickly. With her mother all to herself, McKenzie didn’t have to make an effort to gain attention.
Just as Christie had noticed changes in McKenzie, I also discovered something different in each of my children during our alone times. For example, I am always surprised when my daughter, who is seldom close to me, holds my hand frequently. My stuttering（口吃的）son, Tom, doesn’t stutter once during our activities since he doesn’t have to struggle for a chance to speak. And the other son, Sam, who’s always a follower when around other children shines as a leader during our times together.
The “Mommy and Me” time allows us to be simply alone and away with each child ---talking, sharing, and laughing, which has been the biggest gain. Every child deserves（应得到）to be an only child at least once in a while. What is the text mainly about?
| A．The experience of the only child being with mother. |
| B．The advantage of spending time with one child at a time. |
| C．The happy life of two families. |
| D．The basic needs of children. |
Right after McKenzie came back, the other children were _____________.
| A．happy | B．curious | C．regretful | D．friendly |
What is one of the changes the author finds in her children?
| A．The daughter acts like a leader. | B．Sam holds her hand more often. |
| C．The boys become better followers. | D．Tom has less difficulty in speaking. |
The author seems to believe that ___________.
| A．having brothers and sisters is fun | B．it’s tiring to look after three children |
| C．every child needs parents’ full attention | D．parents should watch others’ children |
Early people had very little effect on the environment. They lived in caves in very small “clan” groups. They collected or killed only enough for the clan’s survival. Early clans were nomadic, which mean that they didn’t stay in one place. Instead, they moved around, following the animals that were their main food source and seeking areas where seasonal plants grew wild. Moving around seasonally helped to protect the environment. The land had time to recover and animals had time to breed (繁殖)before the clan returned for the next season..
As time went by, these small family clans joined with others to form larger groups for protection. Joining with other clans gave them more hunters and more women to help cut up the meat and share it between families. Eventually, people tamed(驯养)wild animals such as dogs and horses. People settled around rivers and fertile plains to share responsibilities and duties. Then, people began to plant crops instead of moving to areas where the plants grew. This development changed the environment.
Traditional forms of work also changed. Some people were better at performing a particular task than other clan members, so then began to specialize in things they were good at doing. This also meant that they began to exchange their goods for things that others produced.
People began to communicate with distant tribes. Land was cleared for roads. Foreign plants and animals were transported to places where they had not existed before. Specialization also give people more free time. So art ,dance and music became important ways of expressing feelings and thoughts. This was how many great civilizations started.
Compared to the past, modern civilization has experienced many changes to become the highly developed society that exists today. Populations have increased rapidly. Forests have been cleared for farms. Inventions and technology have made work easier.
However, pollution and other serious problems have also resulted from human progress. As concerned citizens, it is up to us to learn from past mistakes and to help maintain and improve our environment.Early tribes didn’t have much effect on animal population because_____
A .they kept animals for themselvesB they ate only vegetables
C they loved animals D they killed only enough for foodThe main purpose for small clans to join together was_____
A to hurt animals B to seek safety
C to share cavesD to protect environmentAccording to the passage ,we can learn that_____
A early people moved to new places looking for new sources of food
B modern civilization began when people started to live together in big groups
C modern advancements are always good for the environment
D people began to exchange goods because they didn’t have enough money It can be concluded from the passage that_____
A human progress has brought civilization to the society
B civilization has improved traditional forms of work
C early people understood environmental protection
D our environment has been affected by human progress
Almost every child is scared of something, from monsters in the cupboard to dogs in the park. But the fact that such fears are common and normal doesn’t mean they can be taken lightly. Kids experience fears and phobias (恐惧症) much more strongly than adults. And the influence of the fear can be physical as well as psychological (心理的). It can build up so they almost seem scared of everything-a kind of childhood anxiety. Dr. Creswell says:"Your child may always seem to expect the worst to happen and lack confidence in his or her ability to deal with any challenge.” So don’t make the same old mistake of treating them as if they’re silly for being “a scared cat”（胆小鬼）. Handing the fears is essential.
Children can be born nervous and., if you have such a baby, you’ll tend to prevent them from getting worried. So if they fear dogs, you’ll keep them away from dogs, but in fact that can just confirm to the child that dogs are scary. What is worse, keeping your child away from what they fear can turn that feeling into a phobia. Instead, you should encourage them to get in touch with the thing they fear, in a safe and supportive environment. Dr. Andy Field, a researcher of childhood fears, says: “You shouldn’t force, for example, a dog anxious child to go up to a dog. But you can approach it yourself, show them there is nothing to be afraid of, stroke (抚摸) it, and talk about the dog being friendly. Once your child dares to stroke a dog-one that’s good with children, of course-then you should encourage them to carry on until they feel calmer, and reward them for ‘being brave’.” Children’s fears are usually taken lightly because .
| A．they will not develop into phobias |
| B．their influence is psychological |
| C．they exist widely in the world |
| D．they will disappear gradually |
If we fail to help children to overcome fears, they will .
| A．make the same old mistake |
| B．overcome them by themselves |
| C．experience the worst of things |
| D．grow up lacking self-confidence |
According to Dr. Andy Field, if a child is afraid of a cat, parents should .
| A．tell the child not to be afraid of it |
| B．show the child how to approach it |
| C．keep the child away from it |
| D．ask the child to stroke it |
A study involving 8,500 teenagers from all social backgrounds found that most of them are ignorant when it comes to money. The findings, the first in a series of reports from NatWest that has started a five-year research project into teenagers and money, arc particularly worrying as this generation of young people is likely to be burdened with greater debts man any before.
University tuition fees (学费) are currently capped at £3,000 annually, but this will be reviewed next year and the Government is under enormous pressure to raise the ceiling.
In the research, the teenagers were presented with die terms of four different loans but 76 per cent failed to identify the cheapest. The young people also predicted that they would be earning on average £ 31.000 by the age of 25, although the average salary for those aged 22 to 29 is just £ 17,815. The teenagers expected to be in debt when they finished university or training, although half said that they assumed the debts would be less than £ 10.000. Average debts for graduates are £ 12，363.
Stephen Moir, head of community investment at the Royal Bank of Scotland Group which owns NatWest, said. "The more exposed young people are to financial issues, and the younger they become aware of them, the more likely they arc to become responsible, forward-planning adults who manage their finances confidently and effectively."
Ministers are deeply concerned about the financial pressures on teenagers and young people because of student loans and rising housing costs. They have just introduced new lessons in how to manage debts. Nikki Fairweathcr. aged 15. from St Helens, said that she had benefited from lessons on personal finance, but admitted that she still had a lot to learn about money.
1. Which of the following can be found from the five-year research project?
A. Students understand personal finances differently.
B. University tuition fees in England have been rising.
C. Teenagers tend to overestimate their future earnings.
D. The students' payback ability has become a major issue.
2. The phrase "to raise the ceiling" in paragraph 2 probably means "______".
A. to raise the student loans B. to improve the school facilities
C. to increase the upper limit of the tuition D. to lift the school building roofs
3. According to Stephen Moir, students_______.
A. are too young 10 be exposed 10 financial issues
B. should learn 10 manage their finances well
C- should maintain a positive attitude when facing loans
D. benefit a lot from lessons on personal finance
4. What can we learn from the passage?
A. Many British teenagers do not know money matters well
B. Teenagers in Britain are heavily burdened with debts.
C. Financial planning is a required course at college.
D. Young people should become responsible adults.
This was no ordinary class. The students who came together were all science or engineering professors at Cornell University. They had interrupted their research to accept an invitation to take part in an unusual experiment: “an interesting week of poetry.” This class was part of a study to answer the questions: Why is science difficult for many non-science students? What can teachers learn about teaching if they take a class that is not in their field?
The students in the poetry class listened to lectures and took notes. They had reading tasks and had to write three short papers. All students noticed one thing – the importance of spoken words. In science and engineering classes, the instructors put tables and drawings on the blackboard. But in this poetry class, the instructors just talked. They didn’t write anything on the board.
The scientists and engineers noticed one similarity between science and poetry. In both subjects, students need to find layers (层次) of meaning . Some layers are simple, clean, and on the surface; other layers are deeper and more difficult. This search for different levels of meaning doesn’t happen much in undergraduate(本科) science classes, but it is important later, in graduate school. And it is always important in humanities(人文科学).
Both the poetry instructors and their students learned something about teaching from this experience. One poetry instructor, for example, now sees the importance of using informative as he teaches. Most of the scientists agreed on several points. First, humanities classes might help science students to see patterns and decide which information is important. Second, the poetry class was fun. One engineer decided, “We need to change the way we teach engineering to make to make it an enjoyable experience for students.”
But perhaps the most important result of the experience was this; All of the professors began to think about how they teach and how they cam teach better.What do we know about this unusual class?
| A．The teachers did lots of writing on the board |
| B．The teacher were invited to attend several lectures. |
| C．The student were professors from a university |
| D．The students were studying science and humanities. |
The experiment was designed to find out
| A．how to teach the students in the science class |
| B．whether poetry is difficult for science students |
| C．what to be taught in the humanities class |
| D．why many humanities students find science hard. |
Finding levels of meaning is .
| A．important for graduate students in humanities |
| B．difficult for graduate students in humanities |
| C．common for undergraduate students in science |
| D．easy for undergraduate students in science. |
What did the science professors learn after the experiment?
| A．They should change the way they teach |
| B．A poem could be explained in clear definitions. |
| C．A poetry class could be more informative. |
| D．Their teaching was an enjoyable experience. |