Midas was a powerful king, both rich and greedy. Once he did a great favor for Bacchus, the god of wine. Bacchus offered Midas his choice of a reward. Midas answered at once. He asked that whatever he touched be turned into gold. Bacchus agreed, though he was sorry that Midas had not made a wiser choice.
Midas was eager to put his newly gained power to the test. He pulled a branch from a tree. The branch became gold in his hand. He picked up a stone; it turned to gold. He touched the grass, it, too, turned to gold.
Midas was overjoyed. Returning home, he ordered his servants to prepare a magnificent meal. But when he picked up some bread, it turned to gold. He lifted a glass of wine to his lips. But before he could taste it, it turned to gold.
Midas wished to free himself of his power. He hated the gift he had so recently hoped for. He raised his arms and begged and prayed for Bacchus to take away his deadly gift.
Bacchus showed pity. “Go,” he said. “to the River Pactolus. There dip yourself in. Wash away your greed and its punishment. ”Midas did so. Hardly had he touched the waters, before the gold-making powers passed into them. The river sands changed into gold. And they remain golden to this day.What is the moral of this story?
| A．There is more to life than riches. | B．Gold is more important than food. |
| C．You can’t trust your friends. | D．You must make a wiser choice. |
When everything he touched turned to gold, Midas felt ______
| A．happy and joyful | B．sad and disappointed |
| C．excited and angry | D．powerful and satisfied |
What was Midas’ wish after he could have nothing to eat?
| A．To have a big meal. | B．To gain power to turn things to gold. |
| C．To have his power taken away. | D．To wash himself in the water. |
Today when we say that a person has the “Midas Touch”, we mean that ______
| A．the person is very poor |
| B．gold is the most important thing to that person |
| C．everything that the person does makes money |
| D．the person has the power to do everything |
Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad has been retired. But he didn’t go quietly. In his final speech, he blamed the Jewish people for the problems between Israel and the Palestinians.
“The Jews have taken land of the Muslims,” he said. “What if part of America was given to the Jews as Israel? Would the Americans let it happen? Of course not.”
His words angered many western governments, but Mahathir doesn’t care. “I like to speak my mind,” the 77-year-old explained. “Sometimes people don’t like it. But that is what leadership is all about.”
Loved by some and disliked by others, his 22 years in power have seen great changes in Malaysia. He has taken it from being one of Asia’s poorest countries to the world’s 18th largest trading nation. It is also a peaceful country with native Malaysians living alongside minority groups. Chinese make up a quarter of the population, while a further 7.4 percent are of Indian origin. Teenage girls wearing Muslim① headscarves happily walk around large stores as ethnic Chinese play mah-jong② in nearby cafes.
But Mahathir has made enemies at home and abroad and some people will be glad he has gone. The US was unhappy when he often blamed it for globalization. Meanwhile, critics say that he has limited the freedom of the Malaysian people in order to stay in control of the country. Despite this, he is a hero to leaders in Southeast Asia as well as those in the Islamic③ world. “He marked out the path to success for developing nations in the region to follow,” said Thai President Thaksin Shinawatra.
Now he just wants to enjoy his retirement and insists that he will not take on a special role in government. “I’m a nobody,” he said. But many Malaysians do not agree with this.
Notes:
①Muslim adj. 穆斯林的
②mah-jong n. 麻将
③Islamic adj. 伊斯兰教的
Choose the best answers according to the above:What does Mahathir probably mean by saying “But that is what leadership is all about.”?
| A．The Jews have taken land of the Muslines by strong power of their leadership. |
| B．America should give part of its land to Israel though its leadership is powerful. |
| C．Leadership has the obligation to speak up what you think is right or wrong. |
| D．As a leader of a country, you have the right to teach those in other countries what to do and how. |
Which is NOT true about the following?
| A．Malaysia was no longer poor after Mahathir came into power. |
| B．Malaysia is a country with natives and other minorities like Jews living alongside peacefully. |
| C．Malaysia developed a lot within Mahathir’s power but freedom of Malaysians was limited. |
| D．Mahathir’s role in the world is both a hero to leaders in Southeast Asia but also a possible enemy of some countries. |
The best title of this passage would be _________.
| A．A Religion Enthusiast | B．Mahathir’s Political Policy |
| C．Mahathir Is Malaysia | D．Hero of the World |
This year some twenty-three hundred teenagers（young people aged from 13 —19）from all over the world will spend about ten months in U. S. homes. They will attend U.S. schools, meet U.S. teenagers, and form impressions of the real America. At the same time, about thirteen hundred American teenagers will go to other countries to learn new languages and gain a new understanding of the rest of the world.
Here is a two-way student exchange in action. Fred, nineteen, spent last year in Germany with George’s family. In turn, George’s son Mike spent a year in Fred’s home in America.
Fred, a lively young man, knew little German when he arrived, but after two months’ study, the language began to come to him. The school was completely different from what he had expected — much harder. Students rose respectfully① when the teacher entered the room. They took fourteen subjects instead of the six that are usual in the United States. There were almost no outside activities.
Family life, too, was different. The father’s word was law, and all activities were around the family rather than the individual. Fred found the food too simple at first. Also, he missed having a car.
“Back home, you pick up some friends in a car and go out and have a good time. In Germany, you walk, but you soon learn to like it.”
At the same time, in America, Mike, a friendly German boy, was also forming his idea. “I suppose I should criticize② American schools,” he says. “It is far too easy by our level. But I have to say that I like it very much. In Germany we do nothing but study. Here we take part in many outside activities. I think that maybe your schools are better in training for citizens. There ought to be some middle ground between the two.”
Notes:
①respectfully adv. 尊敬地，谦恭地
②criticize vt. 批评，责备
Choose the best answers according to the above:This year __ teenagers will take part in the exchange programme between America and other countries.
| A．twenty-three hundred | B．thirteen hundred |
| C．over three thousand | D．less than two thousand |
The whole exchange programme is mainly to __.
| A．help teenagers in other countries know the real America |
| B．send students in America to travel in Germany |
| C．let students learn something about other countries |
| D．have teenagers learn new languages |
What is particular in America schools is that __.
| A．there is some middle ground between the two teaching buildings. |
| B．there are a lot of outside activities |
| C．students usually take fourteen subjects in all |
| D．students go outside to enjoy themselves in a car |
After experiencing the American school life, Mike thought __.
| A．a better education should include something good from both American and Germany |
| B．German schools trained students to be better citizens |
| C．American schools were not as good as German schools |
| D．the easy life in the American school was more helpful to students |
Having finished her homework, Ma Li wants some music for relaxation①. As usual, she starts her computer and goes to Baidu.com to download music files. But this time she is surprised when an announcement about protecting songs’ copyright bursts onto the screen. The age of free music and movie downloads may have come to an end as Web companies like Baidu are accused of pirating copyright. Lawsuits② have been filed against four websites offering free downloads. In September 2005, a Beijing court ordered Baidu to pay recording company Shanghai Push compensation for their losses. Baidu was also told to block the links to the pirated music on the website. This caused a heated discussion on Interact file sharing.
“Baidu’s defeat in the lawsuit shows it is not right to get copyrighted songs without paying. Downloaders may face lawsuits or fines,” said an official.
Like many teens, Huang Ruoru, an 18-year-old girl from Puning in Guangdong Province, doesn’t think that getting music from websites is wrong. She always shares her favourite songs downloaded from Baidu with her friends. When told about the lawsuit, she began to feel a little guilty about obtaining others’ work without paying.
However, other teenagers have different ideas. Wang Yafei, a Senior 2 girl from Jinan, Shandong Province pointed out that file sharing is a good way to promote pop singers. “If I download a song and really like it, I will buy the CD,” she said. “So what the recording companies really should concentrate on is improving their music, rather than pursuing③ file-sharers.”
Notes:
①relaxation n. 娱乐
②lawsuit n. 诉讼
③pursue vt. 追赶，追击
Choose the best answers according to the above:Which of the following best describes the passage?
| A．Music on the Internet is of better quality. | B．Downloading material can be illegal. |
| C．It’s good to get free music on the Internet. | D．Baidu is a popular web company. |
The four web companies were put to court because _________.
| A．they got copyrighted songs without paying |
| B．they downloaded copyrighted music for people |
| C．they make copyrighted files for free downloads |
| D．they offer free music on line |
How do some of the teenagers feel while downloading free music after the lawsuit?
| A．A bit guilty. | B．A little sad. | C．Extremely angry. | D．Awfully sorry. |
What’s the advantage of tile sharing for recording companies?
| A．Getting more money from web companies. |
| B．Enabling people to download favorite songs. |
| C．Helping to improve the music. |
| D．Making pop singers more popular. |
It can be inferred from the text that _________.
| A．Web companies are still ignoring the copyright laws. |
| B．Teenagers haven’t got money to buy CDs. |
| C．Teenagers are probably still downloading free music. |
| D．Teenagers prefer CDs with copyright to pirated music. |
An epic① love story, set against the sweeping landscapes of Wyoming and Texas, that tells the story of two young men — a ranch-hand and a rodeo cowboy — who meet in the summer of 1963 while driving cattle on a mountain range. They unexpectedly develop a lifelong connection, one whose complications②, joys and tragedies provide a testament to the endurance and power of love.
| Production Status: Released Genres: Drama, Romance and Western Running Time: 2 hrs. 14 min. Release Date: December 9th, 2005 (NY/LA/SF) MPAA Rating: R for sexuality, language and some violence. Production Co.: Focus Features, River Road Entertainment Studios: Universal Pictures Filming Locations: Calgary, Canada Produced in: United States Cast and CreditsStarring: Linda Cardellini, Kate Mara, Jake Gyllenhaal, Heath Ledger, Michelle WilliamsDirected by: Ang Lee Produced by: Michael Costigan, Michael Hausman, Larry McMurtry ActorsLinda Cardellini Cassie CartwrightJake Gyllenhaal Jack Twist Heath Ledger Ennis Del Mar Michelle Williams Alma Anne Hathaway Lureen Randy Quaid Joe Aguirre |
WritersLarry McMurtry Screenplay (Adaptation)Diana Ossana Screenplay (Adaptation) E. Annie Proulx Source Material (from short story: “Brokeback Mountain”) Diana Ossana Screenwriter Show times (on Jan. 25)Embarcadero1 Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA, 9411112:00, 12:30, 2:00, 3:00, 3:30, 5:30, 6:30, 7:00, 8:30, 9:30, 10:00BAM Rose Cinemas30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 112174:15, 7:00, 9:45 Pacific’s The Grove Stadium 14189 The Grove Drive, Los Angeles, CA, 900361:25 Loews Dupont Circle 51350 19th St. NW, Washington, DC, 20036(2:00), (3:00), (5:00), 6:00, 8:00, 9:00 |
Notes:
①epic adj. 英雄的
②complication n. 复杂化According to the passage, Brokeback Mountain is mainly about ______.
| A．language study | B．love | C．violence | D．funny story |
The film Brokeback Mountain is mainly from short story by ______.
| A．Ang Lee | B．Michelle Williams | C．Diana Ossana | D．E. Annie Proulx |
According to the passage, the natural sights in Brokeback Mountain was filmed in ______.
| A．America | B．Canada | C．China | D．Mexico |
If you live in New York on Jan. 25, you’d better enjoy the film in ______.
| A．Loews Dupont Circle 5 | B．Pacific’s The Grove Stadium 14 |
| C．Embarcadero | D．BAM Rose Cinemas |
Zinedine Zidane, who dreams of leading France to its second World Cup title in a row next month, has always preferred to express himself with a football rather than with words.
Last Wednesday Zidane scored the decisive goal when Real Madrid of Spain won the Champions League final against Germany’s Leverkusen 2－1.
He became one of the world’s most expensive players when he joined Real Madrid from Italy’s Juventus for US $ 66 million. And he has been a national hero since he scored twice in the 3－0 defeat of Brazil in the 1998 World Cup Final.
But despite his success, Zidane has always kept his feet on the ground. He leads a quiet family life, there is hardly any gossip① about him and he avoids putting his wife and two children in the spotlight②.
“Just because I’m a public figure it doesn’t mean I have to express myself on everything. I don’t like to discuss some personal matters publicly.” he said.
Even as a child playing football in the slum area of Marseille, France, where he was raised by his Algerian parents, Zidane was shy.
He loved football even as a little kid. “I realized football is a wonderful mixture of a sharp mind and hard training rather than just talking,”he said.
Even when the match awards were just chocolate and bread, Zidane found that football made his poor childhood rich.
Before he was 10 years old, it was obvious that he could become a great footballer. He was offered his first professional contract③when he was just 20. Now, at the age of 29, he has already picked up two World Player of the year awards.
This quiet striker has not yet spoken of his hopes for the coming World Cup. But his fans across the world will be eagerly watching him to see what he’ll do this time.
Notes:
①gossip n. 流言蜚语
②spotlight n. 聚光灯
③contract n. 合同What did Zidane learn from his childhood football experience? He learned that _______.
| A．he could become a great footballer |
| B．he could become rich if he became a footballer |
| C．football is a mixture of a sharp mind and hard training but not just talking |
| D．football is a favorite sport in the future |
According to the article, what are Zidane’s main characteristics?
| A．He is a shy but successful man. |
| B．He loves his wife and children. |
| C．He doesn’t like to speak in public. |
| D．He is a quiet, down-to-earth person of few words. |
When the writer says “Zidane has always kept his feet on the ground”, he means that _______.
| A．Zidane spends more time standing than sitting most days |
| B．Zidane is a down-to-earth person |
| C．Zidane has spent most of his time training on the pitch |
| D．Zidane likes standing when he succeeds |
The sentence “Zidane found that football made his poor childhood rich” means ________.
| A．football made Zidane’s poor family wealthy when he was a child |
| B．Zidane knew that football could bring him fame and wealth even when he was a child |
| C．football brought happiness to Zidane when he was a child in a poor family |
| D．Zidane knew that if he wanted 10 be rich he must play football from childhood |