Arthur Miller (1915—2005) is universally recognized as one of the greatest dramatists of the 20th century. Miller's father had moved to the USA from Austria-Hungary, drawn like so many others by the “Great American Dream”. However, he experienced severe financial hardship when his family business was ruined in the Great Depression of the early 1930s.
Miller's most famous play, Death of a Salesman, is a powerful attack on the American system, with its aggressive way of doing business and its insistence on money and social status as indicators of worth. In Willy Loman, the hero of the play, we see a man who has got into trouble with this system. Willy is “burnt out” and in the cruel world of business there is no room for sentiment: if he can't do the work, then he is no good to his employer, the Wagner Company, and he must go. Willy is painfully aware of this, and at a loss as to what to do with his lack of success. He refuses to face the fact that he has failed and kills himself in the end.
When it was first staged in 1949, the play was greeted with enthusiastic reviews, and it won the Tony Award for Best Play, the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It was the first play to win all three of these major awards.
Miller died of heart failure at his home in Roxbury, Connecticut, on the evening of February 10, 2005, the 56th anniversary of the first performance of Death of a Salesman on Broadway.Why did Arthur Miller's father move to the USA?
| A．He suffered from severe hunger in his home country. |
| B．He was attracted by the “Great American Dream.” |
| C．He hoped to make his son a dramatist. |
| D．His family business failed |
What can we learn about Willy Loman?
| A．He treats his employer badly. |
| B．He runs the Wagner Company. |
| C．He is a victim of the American system. |
| D．He is regarded as a hero by his colleagues. |
After it was first staged, Death of a Salesman________.
| A．achieved huge success |
| B．won the first Tony Award |
| C．was warmly welcomed by salesmen |
| D．was severely attacked by dramatists |
What is the text mainly about?
| A．Arthur Miller and his family. |
| B．The awards Arthur Miller won. |
| C．The hardship Arthur Miller experienced. |
| D．Arthur Miller and his best-known play. |
You probably know you should say "please" and "thank you" at restaurants. You probably know the rules of a library. You know you should respect and be nice to your classmates. But do you have music manners?
Keep It Down! You have to notice the volume of your music. You should not play your music so loud that everyone around you can hear it. Some people might even get angry. Usually, when you play the music loud on an MP3 player, other people can't hear the words of the song. They just hear a loud sound. No one wants to listen to this. Very loud music can also be bad for your ears. So even if you are alone when listening to our MP3 players, you shouldn't turn it up too high.
Take Them Off! You need to know when to turn your MP3 off and put it away. Libraries, and schools don't allow MP3 players. There are other places, like museums, that don't have rules, but it would be rude to have your MP3 player on. Sometimes, it doesn't make sense to listen on your MP3 player at event. Why would you listen to music at a play, a movie or a sporting event? You would miss what is going on and others would wonder why you even came.
Take One Out! Once in a while it's okay just to take out one earphone and not other. Imagine you are listening on your MP3 player when someone asks you the way. It would not be rude to take out one earphone, tell him the way, and put back the earphone and continue listening. You can also do this when you order food at a fast-food restaurant or when you answer the telephone and it's not for you.
It's Your Choice! There are times when you need to decide what is best. F or example, some people can listen to music on their MP3 players when reading books, while others think it is disturbing. In cases like this, you need to do what seems right for you.The underlined word "volume" in Paragraph Two probably means "_________."
| A．the type of music | B．the length of a song |
| C．the amount of a sound | D．the colour of an MP3 player |
We should turn down the mu sic when we are alone because loud music_________.
| A．is not enjoyable | B．hurts our ears |
| C．is bad for MP3 players | D．makes us tired |
If we listen to our MP3 player a t a play, _________.
| A．we will miss part of the play | B．the actors will get angry |
| C．others won't hear the play well | D．the theatre won't allow it |
We can take one earphone out when we _________.
| A．have dinner with our parents | B．talk to friends on the phone |
| C．watch a sporting event | D．show others the way |
What can be the best title of this passage?
| A．Music Lovers | B．MP3 Players |
| C．Music Manners | D．MP3 Earphones |
Young people can have problems with their minds. Some students become worried because they have to study very hard. Others have trouble getting on well with people like their parents and classmates.
Li Wen, a junior 2 student from No. 2 Middle School, could not understand his teacher and was doing badly in his lessons. He became so worried about it that he started to cut his finger with a knife.
Another student, 16-year-old Yang Fang from No. 1 Middle School, was afraid of exams. She got very worried in one, and when she looked at the exam paper, she couldn't think of anything to write.
A recent report from Jiefang Daily says about 18% of Shanghai teenagers have mental problems. Their troubles include being worried and very unhappy, and having problems in learning and getting on with people. Many students who have problems won't go for advice or help. Some think they will look stupid if they go to see a doctor. Others don't want to talk about their secrets.
Liang Yuezhu, an expert on teenagers from Beijing Anding Hospital has the following advice for teenagers:
Talk to your parents or teachers often.
Take part in group activities and play sports.
Go to see a doctor if you feel unhappy or unwell. The students who often become worried or have trouble getting on with others may have ________.
| A．no parents | B．a headache | C．knife with them | D．mental problems |
Li Wen cut his finger with a knife because________.
| A．he was afraid of his teacher | B．he was so worried about his studies |
| C．he wanted to frighten his parents | D．his finger was badly hurt |
Yang Fang's problem happened when________.
| A．she had exams | B．she studied very hard |
| C．she talked with her parents | D．she thought of something |
Students who have problems won't ask others for help because________.
| A．they won't let others think they are stupid |
| B．they don't think doctors can help them |
| C．they don't want to talk about their secrets |
| D．both A and C |
Liang Yuezhu's advice tells us that ________.
| A．it's unnecessary for them to be with others |
| B．only group activities and sports can help them |
| C．it's better for the students who have mental problems to join others |
| D．teachers and parents can't do anything about mental problems |
No one can change the weather. Nobody can control the weather. But if we read correctly the signs around us, we can tell what the more important changes in the weather will be. This way of telling what the weather will be like on the following day or two is called weather forecasting(天气预报).
For many centuries and in all countries, people have studied the weather and tried to make weather forecasting. Rings around the sun are a sign of coming rain. That many people feel their joints(关节) hurt is a sign of wet weather. Some birds fly high if fine weather is coming, but they fly near the ground if rainy or stormy weather is on the way. If you see a rainbow during rainy weather, this is a sign that the weather will become clear and fine. Such rainbows come in the evening. If the stars twinkle clearly at night, then fine weather will continue. If a fog appears in the morning just above a river, then the day will be warm. If the sunset is mostly red in colour, then the following day will be fine. If a rainbow appears in the morning, rainy weather will probably come.
Most of the above sayings have been made by the people who have used their eyes and brains to make weather forecasting.Which is true about weather forecasting?
| A．Weather forecasting is a way of telling what the weather will be like. |
| B．Weather forecasting is a report about the weather. |
| C．Weather forecasting is a sign of coming rain. |
| D．People can change the weather forecasting. |
Which of the following can be used here to replace(取代) the underlined phrase "on the way"?
| A．away. | B．gone. | C．coming. | D．disappearing. |
When you see the stars twinkle clearly at night, the weather will be _______.
| A．clear and fine | B．warm | C．rainy | D．cold |
Which of the following signs can tell the weather will probably be rainy?
| A．Some birds fly high. |
| B．A rainbow appears in the morning. |
| C．The sunset is mostly red in colour. |
| D．Fogs appear in the morning just above a river. |
We must __________ to make weather forecasting.
| A．use our eyes and brains | B．study the weather hard |
| C．read correctly the signs | D．All of the above |
Many teenagers feel that the most important people in their lives are their friends. They believe that their family members, especially their parents, don’t know them as well as their friends do. In large families, it is often for brothers and sisters to fight with each other and then they can only go to their friends for advice. It is very important for teenagers to have one good friend or many friends. Even when they are not with their friends, they usually spend a lot of time talking among themselves on the phone. This communication is very important in children’s growing up, because friend can discuss something difficult to say to their family members.
However, parents often try to choose their children’s friends for them. Some parents may even stop their children from meeting their good friends. The question of “choice” is an interesting one. Have you ever thought of the following questions?
Who choose your friends?
Do you choose your friends or your friends choose you?
Have you got a good friends your parent don’t like?Many teenagers think their _______ know them better than their parents do.
| A．friends | B．teachers | C．brothers and sisters | D．classmates |
When teenagers stay alone, the usual way of communication is to _________.
| A．go to their friends | B．talk with their parents |
| C．have a discussion with their family | D．talk with their friends on the phone |
Which of the following is DIFFERENT in meaning from the sentence “Some parents may even stop their children from meeting their good friends.”?
| A．Some parents may even not allow their children to meet their good friends. |
| B．Some parents may even ask their children to stay away from their good friends. |
| C．Some parents may even not let their children meet their good friends. |
| D．Some parents may want their children to stop to meet their good friends. |
Which of the following sentences is TRUE?
| A．Parents should like everything their children enjoy. |
| B．In all families, children can choose everything they like. |
| C．Parents should try their best to understand their children better. |
| D．Teenagers can only go to their friends for help. |
The main idea of this passage is that ___________.
| A．Teenagers need friends |
| B．Friends can give good advice |
| C．Parents often choose their children’s friends for them |
| D．Good friends can communicate with each other |
A student is learning to speak British English. He wonders (想知道): Can I communicate with Americans? Can they understand me? Learners of English often ask: What are the differences between British and American English? How important are these differences?
Certainly! there are some differences between British and American English. ‘There are a few differences in grammar. For example, speakers of British English say “in hospital” and “Have you a pen?” Americans say “in the hospital!” and “Do you have a pen?”. Pronunciation is sometimes different. Americans usually sound theirs in words like “bird” and “hurt”. Speakers of British English do not sound theirs in these words. There are differences between British and American English in spelling and vocabulary. For example, “colour” and “honour” are British, “color” and honor” are American.
These differences in grammar, pronunciation, spelling and vocabulary are not important, however. For the most part, British and American English are the same language.According to this passage, a student who is learning to speak American English might be afraid that_______.
| A．British people cannot understand him |
| B．American people cannot understand him |
| C．the grammar is too hard for him |
| D．the spelling is too hard for him |
American English and British English are different in ________.
| A．spelling | B．pronunciation | C．grammar | D．all of the above |
What is not mentioned (提及) in the passage?
| A．Whether there are differences between British English and American English. |
| B．Whether British English and American English are one language or two. |
| C．How the differences between British English and American English came about. |
| D．How important the differences are. |
Most ________ say “Do you have a watch?”
| A．British people | B．Americans | C．children | D．teachers |
According to this passage, British people and Americans have _________ difficulty in understanding each other.
| A．little | B．much | C．some | D．great |