The January fashion show, called Future Fashion, exemplified how far green design has come. Organized by the New York-based nonprofit Earth Pledge, the show inspired many top designers to work with sustainable fabrics for the first time. Several have since made pledges to include organic fabrics in their lines.
The designers who undertake green fashion still face many challenges. Scott Hahn, a cofounder with Gregory of Rogan and Loomstate, which uses all-organic cotton, says high-quality sustainable materials can still be tough to find. “Most designers with existing labels are finding there aren’t comparable materials that can just replace what you’re doing and what your customers are used to,” he says. For example, organic cotton and non-organic cotton are virtually indistinguishable once woven into a dress. But some popular synthetics, like stretch nylon, still have few eco-friendly equivalents(等同物).
Those who do make the switch are finding they have more support. Last year the influential trade show Designers & Agents stopped charging its participation fee for young green entrepreneurs who attend its two springtime shows in Los Angeles and New York and gave special recognition to designers whose collections are at least 25% sustainable. It now counts more than 50 green designers, up from fewer than a dozen two years ago. This week Wal-Mart is set to announce a major initiative aimed at helping cotton farmers go organic: it will buy transitional cotton at higher prices, thus helping to expand the supply of a key sustainable material. “Main-stream is about to occur,” says Hahn.
Some analysts are less sure. Among consumers, only 18% are even aware that eco-fashion exists, up from 6% four years ago. Natalie Hormilla, a fashion writer, is an example of the unconverted consumer. When asked if she owned any sustainable clothes, she replied, “Not that I’m aware of.” Like most consumers, she finds little time to shop, and when she does, she’s on the hunt for “cute stuff that isn’t too expensive.” By her own admission, green just isn’t yet on her mind. But thanks to the combined efforts of designers, retailers and suppliers—one day it will be.What is said about Future Fashion?
| A．It inspired leading designers to start going green. |
| B．It showed that designers using organic fabrics would go far. |
| C．It served as an example of how fashion shows should be organized. |
| D．It convinced the public that fashionable clothes should be made durable. |
According to Scott Hahn, one big challenge to designers who will go organic is that ________.
| A．much more time is needed to finish a dress using sustainable materials |
| B．they have to create new brands for clothes made of organic materials |
| C．customers have difficulty telling organic from non-organic materials |
| D．quality organic replacements for synthetics are not readily available |
We learn from Paragraph 3 that designers who undertake green fashion ________.
| A．can attend various trade shows for free |
| B．are readily recognized by the fashion world |
| C．can buy organic cotton at favorable prices |
| D．are gaining more and more support |
What is Natalie Hormilla’s attitude toward eco-fashion?
| A．She doesn’t seem to care about it. |
| B．She doesn’t think it is sustainable. |
| C．She is doubtful of its practical value. |
| D．She is opposed to the idea very much. |
What does the author think of green fashion?
| A．Green products will soon go main stream. |
| B．It has a very promising future. |
| C．Consumers have the final say. |
| D．It will appeal more to young people. |
You need to be of a certain age to understand why so many people in Hollywood are caring about the possible closing down of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (米高梅电影公司)．For the past 40 years, its output has been good, but now it is on the ropes, with debts of $ 3.7 billion and will have to sell off its most valuable assets.
In its golden time, MGM stood for something．If Warner Brothers meant social dramas and gangster movies, and Disney meant cartoon films, then MGM was healthy fantasy．This business model found its most glorious expression in its musicals of the post-war era．It also featured such many famous stars as Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly and Judy Garland.
But MGM had always put its hopes on the quality of stars it could attract．From the time MGM became a company in 1924, the studio and his associate proved themselves good at creating big names.
For 35 years, this worked well enough, but the growing power of television disturbed Hollywood．MGM continued to throw money into making gorgeous-looking musicals, but despite some big successes audiences gradually started to drift away．Throughout the sixties, MGM's decline set in．Things went from bad to worse．In 1973, MGM stopped distributing its own films．Since then, the Lion's roar has been reduced to a whimper (呜咽).
How far MGM has fallen can be shown by its recent releases．This was a studio that for years offered a reliable supply of first-class films．Yet last year its total output was three．To make it worse, all were co-produced with other studios．And this year? Only one so far, and maybe the last.
What now? MGM will probably be sold, though recent buyers have been cautious about a price thought to be around $ 2 billion.MGM is becoming the focus in Hollywood because it _______．
| A．has more supporters | B．has produced good films |
| C．might be closed down | D．has lost all its assets |
What can we learn about MGM from the text?
| A．It has been sold out for around $ 2 billion. |
| B．The Internet was a factor causing its decline. |
| C．It only produced three films by itself last year. |
| D．It made a wrong decision for its development. |
What's the main idea of the text?
| A．The past glories of MGM． | B．The musicals made by MGM. |
| C．The decline of MGM． | D．A historical decision by MGM |
Fluency(流利) in another language is one of the most important aims of a newcomer to another country. In addition, understanding the culture and learning to communicate comfortably with people of that culture are as important as learning the rules of the language. Language learning and culture learning go together and may take a long time.
Sometimes people feel that they understand a culture after a few weeks or months. People do learn a lot when they first begin living in another culture, but this is only the first stage of learning. It usually involves(含包) things like learning everyday activities and some basic customs.
To really understand another culture, people have to go beyond the first stage, this is challenge(挑战) because it is often difficult to know what to learn. Much of what we call “culture” is hard to see.
Culture is like an iceberg(冰川). Picture in your mind a huge iceberg in the ocean. The only part of the iceberg that you see is the tip. You don’t see the rest of the iceberg because it is hidden from sight in the water. It is easy to forget that it is there. Most of the iceberg is deep within the ocean, just as much of a culture is deep within its people.
When you meet someone from another culture, certain culture differences are obvious: You hear another language or you hear your own language spoken with an accent. You see different foods, clothes and sometimes physical characteristics of people. You observe new customs or habits, such as the use of chopsticks, and, bowing or kissing on both cheeks as a greeting. These differences are interesting and important, but they are usually not too difficult to understand. They are visible so they are seen easily and quickly.
The part of culture that is like the underwater part of the iceberg consists of assumptions(设想), communication styles, values, and beliefs about what is right and wrong. The hidden part of culture affects much of a person’s way of thinking and communicating. It is the meaning behind his or her verbal (言语的) and nonverbal language. Learning to communicate well with people from another culture involves becoming aware of the hidden part of culture.What’s the subject of this passage?
| A．Learning about culture. | B．Language learning. |
| C．The hidden part of the iceberg. | D．Fluency in another language. |
What is learning about culture?
| A．Learning the hidden part of the iceberg, which is underwater. |
| B．Learning everyday activities and some basic customs. |
| C．Learning the culture of an iceberg. |
| D．Learning the visible as well as the hidden differences of culture. |
The underlined phrase “consists of” can be replaced by “______”.
| A．lies in | B．is made up of | C．agrees with | D．is different from |
What conclusion can we draw after reading this passage?
| A．Values and beliefs are like the tip of the iceberg. |
| B．People often become aware of the hidden part of culture. |
| C．The tip of the iceberg is larger than the hidden part. |
| D．The hidden part of culture has a great effect on people’s communication styles. |
SPECIAL EVENTS(事件)
THIS WEEKEND
Captain Goodfellow
Do your children enjoy interesting stories, funny games, and exciting dances? Captain Goodfellow will be ready to teach all these things to children of all ages at the City Theatre on Saturday morning at 10:00, free.
Walking Tour of the Town
Forget your worries on Saturday morning. Take a beautiful walk and learn about local history. Meet at the front entrance of City Hall at 9:30. Wear comfortable shoes!
Films at the Museum
Two European films will be shown on Saturday afternoon at the Museum Theatre. See Broken Window at 1:30. The Workers will be at 3:45. For further information, call 4987898.
International Picnic
Are you tired of eating the same food every day? Come to Central Park on Saturday and enjoy food from all over the world. Delicious and not expensive. Noon to 5:00 p.m.
Take Me out to the Ballgame
It’s October, and tonight is your last chance to see the Redbirds this year. Get your tickets at the gate. It might be cold… Don’t forget sweaters and jackets.
Do you want to hear “The Zoo”?
“The Zoo, a popular group from Australia, will give their first U.S. concert tomorrow night at 8 at Rose Hall, City College.You can probably eat Chinese, Italian, and Arab food ________.
| A．at the front entrance of City Hall | B．at the Ballgame |
| C．at 5:00 p.m. | D．at Central Park on Saturday |
If you are going on the Walking Tour, don’t forget ________.
| A．your worries | B．your beautiful walk |
| C．your learning about local history | D．your comfortable shoes |
You may see this passage in ________.
| A．a British newspaper | B．an American newspaper |
| C．a British magazine | D．an American magazine |
A good way to pass an examination is to work hard every day in the year. You may fail in the examination if you are lazy for most of the year and then work hard only a few days before the examination. A few days before the examination you should start going to bed early. Do not stay up late at night learning things. Before you start the examination, read carefully over the question paper. Try to understand the exact meaning of each question before you pick up your pen to write. When you have at last finished your examinations, read over your answers. Correct any mistake that you see and make sure that you have not missed anything out. “Stay up late at night” here means .
| A．sleeping in bed | B．just sitting up without doing anything |
| C．walking about in the room | D．working far into the night |
The first thing to do after you get the question paper is to .
| A．start to answer questions | B．work the difficult problems |
| C．have a look at the titles | D．read it very carefully |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage？
| A．You must not hand in the examination paper before you check your answers. |
| B．You must wait till others point out mistakes in your paper. |
| C．You must first hand in your paper then correct the mistakes. |
| D．You must be the last to hand in your paper. |
Ireland has had a very difficult history. The problems started in the 16th century when English rulers fried to conquer(征服) Ireland. For hundreds of years, the Irish people fought against the English. Finally, in 1921. The British government was forced to give independence to the south of Ireland. The result is that today there are two “Irelands”. Northern Ireland. In the north, is part of the united kingdom. The republic of Ireland. In the south. Is an independent country.
In the 1840s the main crop, potatoes ,was affected by disease and about 750,000 people died of bunger. This, and a shortage (短缺) of work , forced many people to leave Ireland and live in the USA, the UK, Australia and Canada. As a result of these problems, the population fell from 8.2 million in 1841 to 6.6 million in 1851.
For many years, the majority of Irish people earned their living as farmers. Today, many people still work on the land but more and more people are moving to the cities to work in factories and offices. Life in the cities is very different from life in the countryside, where things move at a quieter and slower pace.
The Irish are famous for being warm-hearted and friendly, Oscar Wilde, a famous Irish writer, once said that the Irish were “the greatest talkers since the Greeks”, Since independence, Ireland has revived(复兴) its own culture of music, language, literature and singing. Different are as have different styles of old Irish song which are sung without instruments. Other kinds of Irish music use many different instruments such as the violin, whistles, etc.what does the author tell us in paragraph 1 ?
| A．how the Irish fought against the English. |
| B．how Ireland gained independence. |
| C．how English rulers tried to conquer Ireland. |
| D．how two ”Irelands” came into being. |
we learn from the text that in Ireland____________.
| A．food shortages in the 1840s led to a decline in population |
| B．people are moving to the cities for lack of work in the countryside |
| C．it is harder to make a living as a farmer than as a factory worker |
| D．different kinds of old Irish songs are all sung with instruments |
the last paragraph is mainly about____________.
| A．the Irish character |
| B．Irish culture |
| C．Irish musical instruments |
| D．a famous Irish writer |
what can be the best title for the text?
| A．Life in Ireland | B．A very difficult history |
| C．Ireland, past and present | D．the independence of Ireland |