When Mary Moore began her high school in 1951, her mother told her, “Be sure and take a typing course so when this show business thing doesn't work out, you'll have something to rely on.” Mary responded in typical teenage fashion. From that moment on, "the very last thing I ever thought about doing was taking a typing course," she recalls.
The show business thing worked out, of course. In her career, Mary won many awards. Only recently, when she began to write Growing Up Again, did she regret ignoring her mom, “I don't know how to use a computer,” she admits.
Unlike her 1995 autobiography(自传), After All, her second book is less about life as an award-winning actress and more about living with diabetes (糖尿病). All the money from the book is intended for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), an organization she serves as international chairman. “I felt there was a need for a book like this,” she says. “I didn't want to lecture, but I wanted other diabetics to know that things get better when we're self-controlled and do our part in managing the disease.”
But she hasn't always practiced what she teaches. In her book, she describes that awful day, almost 40 years ago, when she received two pieces of life-changing news. First, she had lost the baby she was carrying, and second, tests showed that she had diabetes. In a childlike act, she left the hospital and treated herself to a box of doughnuts (甜甜圈). Years would pass before she realized she had to grow up ---again---and take control of her diabetes, not let it control her. Only then did she kick her three-pack-a-day cigarette habit, overcome her addiction to alcohol, and begin to follow a balanced diet.
Although her disease has affected her eyesight and forced her to the sidelines of the dance floor, she refuses to fall into self-pity. “Everybody on earth can ask, 'why me?' about something or other,” she insists. “It doesn't do any good. No one is immune (免疫的) to heartache, pain, and disappointments. Sometimes we can make things better by helping others. I've come to realize the importance of that as I've grown up this second time. I want to speak out and be as helpful as I can be.”Why did Mary feel regretful?
| A．She didn't achieve her ambition. |
| B．She didn't take care of her mother. |
| C．She didn't complete her high school. |
| D．She didn't follow her mother's advice. |
We can know that before 1995, Mary __________.
| A．had two books published |
| B．received many career awards |
| C．knew how to use a computer |
| D．supported the JDRF by writing |
Mary's second book Growing Up Again is mainly about her__________ .
| A．living with diabetes | B．successful show business |
| C．service for an organization | D．remembrance of her mother |
When Mary received the life-changing news, she_____________ .
| A．lost control of herself | B．began a balanced diet |
| C．tried to get a treatment | D．behaved in an adult way |
What can we know from the last paragraph?
| A．Mary feels pity for herself. |
| B．Mary has recovered from her disease. |
| C．Mary wants to help others as much as possible. |
| D．Mary determines to go back to the dance floor. |
If you’re a male and you’re reading this, congratulations: you’re a survivor. According to statistics, you are more than twice as likely to die of skin cancer as a woman, and nine times more likely to die of AIDS. Assuming you make it to the end of your natural term, about 78 years for men in Australia, you’ll die on average five years before a woman.
There are many reasons for this--typically, men take more risks than women and are more likely to drink and smoke--but perhaps more importantly, men don’t go to the doctor.
“Men aren’t seeing doctors as often as they should,” says Dr. Gullotta. “This is particularly so for the over-40s, when diseases tend to strike.”
Gullotta says a healthy man should visit the doctor every year or two. For those over 45, it should be at least once a year.
Two months ago Gullotta saw a 50-year-old man who had delayed doing anything about his smoker’s cough for a year.
“When I finally saw him it had already spread and he has since died from lung cancer,” he says. “Earlier detection and treatment may not have cured him, but it would have prolonged his life.”
According to a recent survey, 95% of women aged between 15 and early 40s see a doctor once a year, compared to 70% of men in the same age group.
“A lot of men think they’re undefeatable,” Gullota says. “They only come in when a friend drops dead on the golf course and they think, ‘Geez, if it could happen to him, …’”
Then there’s the ostrich approach. “Some men are scared of what might be there and would rather not know,” says Dr. Ross Cartmill.
“Most men get their cars serviced more regularly than they service their bodies,” Cartmill says. He believes most diseases that commonly affect men could be addressed by preventive check-ups.
Regular check-ups for men would inevitably place strain on the public purse, Cartmill says. “But prevention is cheaper in the long run than having to treat the diseases. Besides, the ultimate cost is far greater: it is called premature death.”Why does the author congratulate his male readers at the beginning of the passage?
| A．They are more likely to survive serious diseases today. |
| B．Their average life span has been considerably extended. |
| C．They have lived long enough to read this article. |
| D．They are sure to enjoy a longer and happier life. |
What does the author state is the most important reason men die five years earlier on average than women?
| A．Men drink and smoke much more than women. |
| B．Men don’t seek medical care as often as women. |
| C．Men aren’t as cautious as women in face of danger. |
| D．Men are more likely to suffer from fatal diseases. |
Which of the following best completes the sentence ‘Geez, if it could happen to him, …’ (Line 2, Para.8)?
| A．it could happen to me, too |
| B．I should avoid playing golf |
| C．I should consider myself lucky |
| D．it would be a big misfortune |
What does Dr. Ross Cartmill mean by “the ostrich approach” (Line 1, Para.9)?
| A．A casual attitude towards one’s health conditions. |
| B．A new therapy for certain psychological problems. |
| C．Refusal to get medical treatment for fear of the pain involved. |
| D．Unwillingness to find out about one’s disease because of fear. |
What does Cartmill say about regular check-ups for men?
| A．They may increase public expenses. |
| B．They will save money in the long run. |
| C．They may cause psychological strains on men. |
| D．They will enable men to live as long as women. |
What is the first thing you notice when you walk into a shop? The products displayed at the entrance? Or the soft background music?
But have you ever noticed the smell? Unless it is bad, the answer is likely to be no. But while a shop’s scent may not be outstanding compared with sights and sounds, it is certainly there. And it is proving to be an increasingly powerful tool in encouraging people to purchase.
A brand store has become famous for its distinctive scent which floats through the fairly dark hall and out to the entrance, via scent machines. A smell may be attractive but it may not just be used for freshening air. One sports goods company once reported that when it first introduced scent into stores, customers’ intention to purchase increased by 80 percent.
When it comes to the best shopping streets in Paris, scent is just as important to a brand’s success as the quality of its window displays and goods on sale. This is mainly because shopping is a very different experience to what it used to be.
Some years ago, the focus for brand name shopping was on a few people with sales assistants’ disproving attitude and don’t-touch-what-you-can’t-afford displays. Now the rise of electronic commerce (e-commerce) has opened up famous brands to a wider audience. But while e-shops can use sights and sounds, only bricks-and-mortar shops (实体店) can offer a full experience from the minute customers step through the door to the moment they leave. Another brand store seeks to be much more than a shop, but rather a destination. And scent is just one way to achieve this.
Now, a famous store uses complex man-made smell to make sure that the soft scent of baby powder floats through the kid department, and coconut scent in the swimsuit section. A department store has even opened a new lab, inviting customers on a journey into the store’s windows to smell books, pots and drawers, in search of their perfect scent.According to the passage, what is an increasingly powerful tool in the success of some brand stores?
| A．Friendly assistance. |
| B．Unique scent. |
| C．Soft background music . |
| D．Attractive window display. |
E-shops are mentioned in the passage to ________.
| A．show the advantages of brick-and-mortar stores |
| B．urge shop assistants to change their attitude |
| C．push stores to use sights and sounds |
| D．introduce the rise of e-commerce |
What does the underlined word “destination” in Paragraph 5 mean?
| A．A platform that exhibits goods. |
| B．A spot where travelers like to stay. |
| C．A place where customers love to go. |
| D．A target that a store expects to meet. |
Which statement would the writer agree with?
| A．Put different scents on the products on display. |
| B．Ask every shop assistant to wear light perfume. |
| C．Place fragrant flowers in the shop. |
| D．Expose some coffee bean to air inside a coffee shop. |
The main purpose of the passage is to ________.
| A．compare and evaluate | B．examine and assess |
| C．inform and explain | D．argue and discuss |
Every one of the gymnasts who went to National Qualifiers (国家冠军赛资格赛) showed up with that goal in mind. Everyone gave it their all.
And I hate admitting it, but I was an exception. I did not do my best. Not for the ribbon exercise, nor for the club exercise. Knowing that I could have reached a little further to catch my ribbon, focused a little more so the stick wouldn’t slip through my fingers, tried a little harder to clean up those errors, but I didn’t, still bothers me.
After my disappointing competition, I tried my best to keep my eyes dry. But soon tears burned the edges of my eyes, and as I blinked, the first tear rolled down my cheek. Even though I angrily wiped my tears away before she looked at me, the evidence of my self-pity session presented itself clearly in the form of dirty makeup and reddened eyes.
My mom hated to see me cry, especially because I had no right or reason to. I had messed up--that wasn’t anyone’s fault but mine--and crying wouldn’t help at all. “Why are you crying, Amanda?” she asked, perhaps more pointedly (尖刻地) than intended, but I heard the concern in her voice. Unable to form all the emotions into words, I just looked away and avoided her questions.
“Tell me now why you’re crying.” Her voice this time wasn’t as gentle as it was before; it was filled with frustration and impatience. “Why are you crying?” she whispered again, but this time her voice was shaky and flooded with pain. This was the first time I’d ever seen my mom cry; my mom, who was always so strong and was there to encourage me through the roughest times, was now crying, and I was the reason for it. Finding my voice, I tentatively asked, “Why are you crying?”
She looked at me and answered exactly what I was afraid to hear, “I hate to see you hurting yourself.” So it was my fault. I had put those tears in her eyes. I had filled her with pain, with helplessness and with sadness.
I’ll never forget her pained expression. It forced me to realize how shortsighted and close-minded I’d been. I decided that no matter what happens in the future, I will never lose myself to regret.Why did Amanda feel regretful after the competition?
| A．Because she wasn’t admitted to the club. |
| B．Because she dropped her ribbon suddenly. |
| C．Because she broke the rule of the competition. |
| D．Because she didn’t try her best to compete. |
What did Amanda try to hide on the way back?
| A．Her silent tears. |
| B．The disappointing scores. |
| C．Her dirty makeup. |
| D．The evidence of failure. |
Which words reflect the change of the mother’s emotions?
| A．Painful--impatient—concerned |
| B．Concerned--frustrated--painful |
| C．Satisfied--painful—frustrated |
| D．Frustrated--angry--painful |
What did Amanda determine to do?
| A．Never cry in face of her mom. |
| B．Never compete as a gymnast. |
| C．Never involve herself in self-pity. |
| D．Never make up before games. |
The best title of the passage is probably _________.
| A．My painful experience as a gymnast |
| B．The tears I wiped away for my mother |
| C．The fiercest competition I lost |
| D．The worst thing I ever felt: regret |
Michael J. “Crocodile Dundee” (also called Mick), played by Paul Hogan, is the main character in the fictional Crocodile Dundee film series consisting of Crocodile Dundee, Crocodile Dundee II, and Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles. The character is a crocodile hunter, hence the nickname.
In the first film, Crocodile Dundee, Mick is visited by a New York reporter, Sue Charlton, who travels to Australia to investigate a report she heard of a crocodile hunter, who had his leg bitten off by a crocodile in the outback. The hunter supposedly walked more than a hundred miles back to civilization and miraculously survived his injuries. However, by the time she meets him, the story turns out to be a somewhat exaggerated legend where the “bitten-off leg” turns out to be just being some bad scarring on his leg; a “love bite” as Mick calls it. Still interested by the idea of “Crocodile Dundee”, Sue continues with the story. They travel together out to where the incident occurred, and follow his route through the bush to the nearest hospital. Despite his old-fashioned views, the pair eventually become close, especially after Mick saves Sue from a crocodile attack.
Feeling there is still more to the story, Sue invites Mick back to New York with her, as his first trip to a city (or “first trip anywhere,” as Dundee says). The rest of the film depicts Dundee as a “fish out of water,” showing how, despite his expert knowledge of living outdoors, he knows little of city life. Mick meets Sue’s boyfriend, Richard, but they do not get along. By the end of the film, Mick is on his way home, lovesick, when Sue realizes she loves Mick, too, and not Richard. She runs to the subway station to stop Mick from leaving and, by passing on messages through the packed-to-the-gills crowd, she tells him she won’t marry Richard, and she loves him instead. With the help of the other people in the subway, Mick and Sue have a loving reunion as the film ends.Which of the following statements is true about Mick?
| A．He is a crocodile hunter living in Los Angeles. |
| B．He is based on a real person in Australia. |
| C．He wrote a film series about himself. |
| D．He got his nickname because of his job. |
In the film Crocodile Dundee, Mick ______.
| A．pretends he was bitten by a crocodile |
| B．urges Sue Charlton to write his life story |
| C．shows Sue Charlton around the town he lives in |
| D．hasn’t been abroad before his trip to America |
When in New York, Mick ______.
| A．makes friends with Richard |
| B．makes full use of his bush skills |
| C．doesn’t know how to fit into city life |
| D．feels excited about living in a big city |
No one knows for sure when advertising first started. It is possible that it grew out of the discovery that some people did certain kinds of work better than others did them. That led to the concept of specialization, which means that people would specialize, or focus, on doing one specific job.
Let’s take a man we’ll call Mr. Fielder, for example. He did everything connected with farming. He planted seeds, tended the fields, and harvested and sold his crops. At the same time, he did many other jobs on the farm. However, he didn’t make the bricks for his house, cut his trees into boards, make the plows (犁), or any of other hundreds of things a farm needs. Instead, he got them from people who specialized in doing each of those things. Suppose there was another man we shall call Mr. Plowright. Using what he knew about farming and working with iron, Mr. Plowright invented a plow that made farming easier. Mr. Plowright did not really like farming himself and wanted to specialize in making really good plows. Perhaps, he thought, other farmers will trade what they grow for one of my plows.
How did Mr. Plowright let people know what he was doing? Why, he advertised, of course. First he opened a shop and then he put up a sign outside the shop to attract customers. That sign may have been no more than a plow carved into a piece of wood and a simple arrow pointing to the shop door. It was probably all the information people needed to find Mr. Plowright and his really good plows.
Many historians believe that the first outdoor signs were used about five thousand years ago. Even before most people could read, they understood such signs. Shopkeepers would carve into stone, clay, or wood symbols for the products they had for sale.
A medium, in advertising talk, is the way you communicate your message. You might say that the first medium used in advertising was signs with symbols. The second medium was audio, or sound, although that term is not used exactly in the way we use it today. Originally, just the human voice and maybe some kind of simple instrument, such as a bell, were used to get people’s attention.
A crier, in the historical sense, is not someone who weeps easily. It is someone, probably a man, with a voice loud enough to be heard over the other noises of a city. In ancient Egypt, shopkeepers might hire such a person to spread the news about their products. Often this earliest form of advertising involved a newly arrived ship loaded with goods. Perhaps the crier described the goods, explained where they came from, and praised their quality. His job was, in other words, not too different from a TV or radio commercial in today’s world.What probably led to the start of advertisement?
| A．The discovery of iron. |
| B．The development of farming techniques. |
| C．The specialization of labor. |
| D．The appearance of new jobs. |
The writer makes up the two stories of Mr. Fielder and Mr. Plowright in order to __________.
| A．explain the origin of advertising |
| B．predict the future of advertising |
| C．provide suggestions for advertising |
| D．expose problems in advertising |
In ancient Egypt, a crier was probably someone who __________.
| A．functioned like today’s TV or radio commercial |
| B．owned a ship |
| C．had the loudest voice |
| D．ran a shop selling goods to farmers |
The last two paragraphs are mainly about __________.
| A．the basic design of advertising |
| B．the early forms of advertising |
| C．the benefits of advertising |
| D．the history of advertising |