One day an out of work mimic(滑稽演员) is visiting the zoo and attempts to earn some money as a street performer. As soon as he starts to draw the crowd,a zoo keeper grabs him and drags him into his office. The zoo keeper explains to the mimic that the zoo's most popular attraction,a gorilla(大猩猩),has died suddenly and the keeper fears that attendance at the zoo will fall off. He offers the mimic a job to dress up as the gorilla until they can get another one. The mimic accepts.
So the next morning the mimic puts on the gorilla suit and enters the cage before the crowd comes. He discovers that it's a great job. He can sleep all he wants,play and make fun of people and he draws bigger crowds than he ever did as a mimic. However,eventually the crowds tire of him and he tires of just swinging on wires. He begins to notice that the people are paying more attention to the lion in the cage next to his. Not wanting to lose the attention of his audience,he climbs to the top of his cage,crawls across a partition(隔离物),and dangles from the top to the lion's cage. Of course,this makes the lion very angry,but the crowd loves it.
At the end of the day the zoo keeper comes and gives the mimic a raise for being such a good attraction. Well,this goes on for some time-the mimic keeps taunting the lion,the crowds grow larger,and his salary keeps going up. Then one terrible day when he is dangling over the angry lion he slips and falls. The mimic is terrified.
The lion gathers itself and prepares to attack. The mimic is so scared that he begins to run round and round the cage with the lion close behind. Finally,the mimic starts screaming and yelling,“Help me,help me!”But the lion is quick and attacks. The mimic soon finds himself flat on his back looking up at the angry lion and the lion says,“Shut up,you idiot!Do you want to get us both fired?”The mimic visits the zoo to________.
A.take care of the dying gorilla | B.beg some money from the zoo keeper |
C.ask for a job there | D.perform and earn some money there |
The zoo keeper offers the mimic a job to act as the gorilla because________.
A.it is more expensive to hire a real gorilla |
B.the real gorilla died but the keeper does not want to lose its visitors |
C.he likes the mimic's performance |
D.he wants to help the mimic who is out of work |
What does the mimic feel about the new job at first?
A.He likes it because he has enough freedom in the job. |
B.He likes it but he prefers to working as a mimic. |
C.He doesn't like it for people do not respect him. |
D.He doesn't like it because he gets little pay. |
The mimic climbs to the lion's cage because________.
A.he finds it more interesting to climb the cage |
B.he wants to play with the lion |
C.he wants to attract the attention of his audience |
D.he has never seen a lion before |
What does the passage mainly tell us?
A.The mimic and his job | B.The mimic and his success |
C.The actor and the mimic | D.The mimic and his animals |
A recent study, while showing a generally positive attitude toward science, also suggests a widespread worry that it may be “running out of control”. This idea is dangerous.
Science can be a force for evil as well as for good. Its applications can be channeled either way, depending on our decisions. The decisions we make, personally or collectively, will determine the outcomes of science. But here is a real danger. Science is advancing so fast is so strongly influenced by businesses that we are likely to believe whatever decisions we come to will make little difference. And, rather than fighting for the best possible policies, we may step back and do nothing.
Some people go even further. They say that despite the moral and legal objections (反对), whatever is scientifically possible will be done ——somewhere, sometime. They believe that science will get out of control in the end. This belief is dangerous too, because it a fuels sense of hopelessness and discourages them from making efforts to build a safer world.
In our interconnected world, the lack of agreement in and of the world of science can lead to the failure to control the use of science. Without a common understanding, the challenges of “controlling” science in this century will be really tough. Take human cloning for example. Despite the general agreement among scientists on its possible huge impact (影响) on traditional moral values, some countries still go ahead with the research and development of its related techniques. The outcomes are hard to predict.
Therefore, discussions on how science is applied should be extended far beyond scientific societies. Only through the united efforts of people with hope, can we be fully safe against the misuse of science and can science best serve mankind in the future.What can we conclude from the recent study?
A.People think highly of science. |
B.People hold mixed opinions about science. |
C.Science is getting dangerously out of control. |
D.Science is used for both good and bad purposes. |
According to the passage, what will happen if we hold that science is getting beyond control?
A.The development of science will hopelessly slow down. |
B.Businesses will have even greater influence on science. |
C.The public will lose faith in bringing about a bright future. |
D.People will work more actively to put science under control. |
The discussion should reach beyond scientific societies because __________.
A.scientists have failed to predict the outcomes |
B.the ties between different areas need strengthening |
C.united efforts are necessary for the development of science |
D.people need to work together to prevent the bad use of science |
What is the main idea of the passage?
A.Science and its applications bring us many dangers. |
B.The development of science mostly lies in people’s attitudes. |
C.Mankind can largely take control of science with their efforts. |
D.The future of science will be influenced by the dangerous ideas. |
Liverpool, my hometown, is a unique city. It is so unique that in 2004 it became a World Heritage (遗产) Site.
I recently returned to my home city and my first stop was at a museum on the River Mersey. Blanketed in mist (薄雾), Victorian architecture rose from the banks of the river, responded to the sounds of sea-birds, and appeared unbelievably charming. When I headed toward the centre, I found myself surrounded by buildings that mirror the best palaces of Europe. It is not hard to imagine why, on first seeing the city, most visitors would be overpowered by the beauty of the noble buildings, which are solid signs of Liverpool's history.
As if stress its cultural role, Liverpool has more museums and galleries (美术馆) than most cities in Britain. At Walker Art Gallery, I was told that it has best collections of Victorian paintings in the world, and is the home of modern art in the north of England. However, culture is more than galleries. Liverpool offers many music events. As Britain's No.1 music city, it has the biggest city music festival in Europe, and its musicians are famous all over the world. Liverpool is also well-known for its football and other sports events. Every year, the Mersey River Festival attracts thousands of visitors, madding the city a place of wonder.
As you would expect from such a city, there are restaurants serving food from around the world. When my trip was about to complete, I chose to rest my legs in Liverpool's famous Philharmonic pub(酒馆). It is a monument to perfection, and a heritage attraction itself.
Being a World Heritage Site, my home city is certainly a place of "outstanding universal value". It is a treasure house with plenty of secrets for the world to explore.
1. |
Visitors who see the city for the first time would be deeply impressed by.
|
2. |
The third paragraph is developed mainly by.
|
3. |
The author uses the Philharmonic pub to prove that.
|
4. |
What is the passage mainly about?
|
Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses (球场) in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.
There are many environment-friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don’t have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be “green gyms”. They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it’s free.Which of the following is the author most probably in favor of?
A.Cycling around a lake. |
B.Motor racing in the desert. |
C.Playing basketball in a gym. |
D.Swimming in a sports center. |
How to Be a Winner
Sir Steven Redgrave
Winner of 5 Olympic Gold Medals
"In 1997 I was found to have developed diabetes (糖尿病). Believing my career (职业生涯)was over, I felt extremely low. Then one of the specialists said there was no reason why I should stop training and competing. That was it----the encouragement I needed. I could still be a winner if I believed in myself. I am not saying that it isn't difficult sometimes. But I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn't finished yet. Nothing is to stand in my way."
Karen Pickering
Swimming World Champion
"I swim 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. I manage that sort of workload by putting it on top of my diary. This is the key to success-you can't follow a career in any field without being well-organized. List what you believe you can achieve. "Trust yourself, write down your goals for the day, however small they are, and you'll be a step closer to achieving them."
Kirsten Best
Poet & Writer
"When things are getting hard, a voice inside my head tells me that I can't achieve something. Then, there are other distractions, such as family or hobbies. The key is to concentrate. When I feel tense, it helps a lot to repeat words such as 'calm', 'peace' or 'focus', either out loud or silently in my mind. It makes me feel more in control and increases my confidence. This is a habit that can become second nature quite easily and is a powerful psychological (心理的) tool."
1. |
What does Sir Steven Redgrave mainly talk about?
|
2. |
What does Karen Pickering put on top of her diary?
|
3. |
What does the underlined word "distractions" probably refer to?
|
4. |
According to the passage, what do the three people have in common?
|
I was waiting for a phone call from my agent. He had left at message the night before, telling me that my show was to be cancelled. I called him several times, but each time his secretary told me that he was in a meeting and that he would call me later. So I waited and waited, but there was still no call.
Three hours passing by, I became more and more and impatient. I was certain that my agent didn't care about my work, and he didn't care about me. I was overcome with that thought. I started to shout at the phone, "Let me wait, will you? Who do you think you are?"
At that time I didn't realize my wife was looking on. Without showing her surprise, she rushed in, seized the phone, tore off the wires, and shouted at the phone, "Yeah! Who do you think you are? Bad telephone! Bad telephone!" And she swept it into the wastebasket.
I stood watching her, speechless. What on earth...?
She stepped to the doorway and shouted at the test of the house, "Now hear this! All objects in this room----if you do anything to upset my husband, out you go!"
Then she turned to me. Kissed me and said calmly, "Honey, you just have to learn how to take control." With that, she left the room.
After watching a crazy woman rushing in and out, shouting at everything in sight , I noticed that something in my mood (情绪) had changed. I was laughing. How could I have trouble with that phone? Her aunties helped me realize I had been driven crazy by small things. Twenty minutes later my agent did call. I was able to listen to him and talk to him and talk to him calmly.
1. |
Why did the author shout at the telephone?
|
2. |
What did the author's wife do after she heard his shouting?
|
3. |
What made the author laugh?
|
4. |
What does the underlined word "aunties" refer to?
|