Too Much Happiness was written by Alice Munro,winner of the 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature,one of our greatest contemporary writers of fiction and the owner of the Man Booker Price for Fiction.Her stories have appeared in The New Yorker,The Atlantic Monthly,and other publications,and her collections have been translated into thirteen languages.
The main character is Sophia Kovalevsky,a great Russian mathematician,writer and advocator拥护者)of women’s rights in the late nineteenth century. After visiting her lover Maxsim Kovalevsky in Riviera,she travels in Europe,ending up in Sweden,where she teaches at the only university in Europe willing to employ a female mathematician.The book writes about her journey from Riviera to Sweden.
The story tells the typical struggle of an intellectual(知识分子)woman to achieve success and happiness.However,when she is going to die,Sophia says“too much happiness”.I think it’s irony(讽*11的).As reading the story,she has too many mental problems·First,as a woman mathematician,she was born in a wrong time .She was married to Vladimir Kovalevsky without love,called“a white marriage”.She explained that“no a young Russian woman who was unmarried could leave the country.”She satisfied her marriage to seek her career.
Furthermore,when she sees a man look like Maxsim in the station,she says to herself,“of course,it would not be Maxsim,what could he be doing in Paris?”She doesn’t want to face the fact because she doesn’t want to lose her hope.She believes they will marry in spring.And in her letter to Julia she says:“it is to be happiness after all,happiness after all.Happiness.”She is cheating herself. In fact,the man does not want to marry her,and the happiness she expected doesn’t take place at all.
Finally, I conclude that the end must be a tragedy(悲剧).From the very first pages the atmosphere is gloomy黯淡的)and threatening.“One of us will die this year.”“Because we have gone walking in a graveyard(墓地)on the first day of the New Year.”Some pages further,“a black cat across their path”all reflect it will be a bad ending.Not because she had some problems with her lung,but because her life does not bring her happiness,and because of these disharmony things that happen in her life.We can infer from the passage that__·
A.Sophia was born in a wrong time and was mentally ill |
B.women were not fairly treated in Europe in Sophia’s time |
C.Sophia loved travelling around Europe to meet `different people |
D.unmarried women were forbidden to learn mathematics at that time |
The underlined phrase“the fact”in Paragraph 4 most probably refers to the fact that
A.her husband refuses to divorce | B.she can’t teach in university |
C.she falls in love with Maxsim | D.Maxsim doesn’t want to marry her |
Why does the author name this book Too Much Happiness?
A.It is used to suggest that the story must be a comedy. |
B.It’s a phrase repeatedly used by Sophia herself to her friend. |
C.It’s used in an ironic way to show that Sophia isn’t happy at all. |
D.It’s to show Sophia is very happy to achieve success in her career. |
What can we conclude from Sophia’s experience?
A.It’s hard for an educated woman to achieve success in Europe at that time. |
B.Russian women were not allowed to go abroad without a white marriage. |
C.Married women could travel freely across Europe in the late nineteenth century. |
D.Seeing a black cat across the path would bring people to death in the end. |
In a newspaper,this passage is most probably in the section of____.
A.Entertainment | B.Travel | C.Career | D.Culture |
Running like the wind, roaring (咆哮) like thunder, tigers have long been feared and respected as a king of the animal world.But last week a report said that there are no more than 30 wild tigers left in south China.
This was the conclusion of a team of scientists from China's State Forestry Administration and the World Nature Fund.
The South China tiger, also known as the Chinese tiger, is native to southern China.In the 1950's, there were over 4000 tigers found in mountain forests in the country.But due to the destruction of their natural habitat (栖息地) and uncontrolled hunting, it has been pushed on to the list of the world's top ten most endangered species.
Sixty-six of the big cats can be found in the cages of a dozen zoos around China.But they are nothing like their wild cousins.They have lost their natural skills such as hunting and killing.If they were set free they could not look after themselves.
"Breeding has damaged the quality of the species", said Pei Enle, deputy director of the Shanghai Zoo.
To reintroduce the species into the wild, the country started a programme to send five to ten young tigers to South Africa.Four of them have already arrived.Progress has been made as two elder tigers have recovered some of their instincts(本能) and can hunt wild animals by themselves at the African base.
" South Africans are very experienced in reintroducing big animals to the wild.The country has very good natural conditions for the tigers to learn in", said Lu Jun, office director of the National Wildlife Research and Development Center." We tried in Fujian Province, but it was not successful as there was not a complete eco-chain(生物链) and there was a lack of space."
The tigers should return to China in 2007 when the reservations in Fujian are ready.What is the main reason for the South China tiger becoming one of the world's top ten most endangered species?
A.Because it has lost its natural instincts. |
B.Because there is not a complete eco-chain. |
C.Because there is no space for it. |
D.Because uncontrolled hunting has destroyed its natural living conditions. |
How is the programme of sending several tigers to South Africa getting on?
A.Its effect still remains to be seen. |
B.Two tigers can already compete with their wild cousins. |
C.Some of the tigers are already on the road to recovering their natural skills. |
D.The tigers should be able to recover their instincts completely by 2007. |
By saying " but they are nothing like their wild cousins", the writer means that ______.
A.they are no longer feared by other wild animals |
B.they don't know how to hunt or kill |
C.a complete change has resulted in the species because of breeding |
D.to reintroduce them into the wild has become an urgent task |
What is the purpose of sending young tigers to South Africa?
A.To help the tigers recover their ability to live in the wild. |
B.To provide them with a better environment. |
C.To get the tigers to go on a tour. |
D.To find a complete eco-chain for them. |
Which one is not the reason for South Africa being chosen as the training place?
A.Because the tigers can hunt wild animals by themselves at the African base. |
B.Because South Africans are skilled at dealing with the tigers. |
C.Because there is a complete eco-chain and enough space there. |
D.Because the country has good natural conditions for the tigers to learn in. |
Why is setting goals important? Because goals can help you do, be, and experience everything you want in life.Instead of just letting life happen to you, goals allow yourself to make your life happen.
Successful and happy people have a vision of how their life should be and they set lots of goals(both short-term and long-range)to help them reach their vision.By setting goals you are taking control of your life.It’s like having a map to show you where you want to go.Think of it in this way.There are two drivers.One has a destination in mind(her goal) which is laid out for her on a map.She can drive straight there without any wasted time or wrong turns.The other driver has no goal or destination or map.She starts off at the same time from the same place as the first driver.But she drivers aimlessly around, never getting anywhere , just using up gas and oil.Which driver do you want to be?
Winners in life set goals and follow through on them.They decide what they want in life and then get there by making plans and setting goals.Unsuccessful people just let life happen by accident.Goals aren’t difficult to set, and they aren’t difficult to reach.It’s up to you to find out what your goals,ideals and visions really are.You are the one who must decide what to pursue and in what direction to aim your life.
Research tells us that when we write a goal down we are more likely to achieve it.Written goals can be reviewed regularly, and have more power.Like a contract (合同) with yourself, they are harder to neglect or forget.
Also when you write your goals in a particular way you are able to make yourself continuously aware of situations that will bring you nearer to your goals.The author gave the example of two drivers to show_______.
A.the foolishness of the first driver |
B.the importance of having a map and right direction |
C.the foolishness of the second driver |
D.the importance of setting goals |
According to this text, the most important thing in realizing one's ideal is to _____.
A.try to be realistic about one's ability |
B.have a clear understanding of what he or she wants in life |
C.let others understand him or her first, then work together with them |
D.let others help him or her to make his or her dream come true |
If people want to reach their goals, they should ______.
A.write down their goals |
B.sign a contract with other people |
C.face the difficulties in front of them |
D.discuss with others and ask for their help |
If you want to succeed, you must _____.
A.study hard | B.have a goal and achieve it |
C.live happily | D.sleep well |
Packaging is an important form of advertising.A package can sometimes motivate someone to buy a product.For example, a small child might ask for a breakfast food that comes in a box with a picture of a TV character.The child is more interested in the picture than in breakfast food.Pictures for children to color or cut out, games printed on a package, or a small gift inside a box also motivate many children to buy products or to ask their parents to buy for them.
Some packages suggest that a buyer will get something for nothing.Food products sold in reusable containers are examples of this.Although a similar product in a plain container might cost less, people often prefer to buy the product in a reusable glass or dish, because they believe the container is free.However, the cost of the container is added to the cost of the product.The size of a package also motivates a buyer.Maybe the package had “Economy Size” or “Family Size” printed on it.This suggests that the larger size has the most product for the least money.But that is not always true.To find it out, a buyer has to know how the product is sold and the price of the basic unit.
The information on the package should provide some answers.But the important thing for any buyer to remember is that a package is often an advertisement.The words and pictures do not tell the whole story.Only the product inside can do that.From the passage we know the buyer pays more attention to __________.
A.the size of a container |
B.a container with attractive picture |
C.a well-designed container |
D.a plain container with low cost |
What suggestion does the author give in the passage?
A.It’s not good to buy the product which is sold in a glass or dish. |
B.The quality of a container has nothing to do with the quality of the product. |
C.The best choice for a buyer is to buy a product in a plain package. |
D.A buyer should buy what he needs most rather than a well-designed package. |
What is the best title for the passage?
A.How to Package a Product. |
B.How to Make an Advertisement. |
C.How to Sell Product. |
D.How to Treat the Package Wisely. |
Parents whose children show a special interest in a sport feel very difficult to make a decision about their children’s careers.Should they allow their children to train to become top sportsmen and sportswomen? For many children it means starting schoolwork very young.And going out with friends and other interests have to take a second place.It’s very difficult to explain to a young child why he or she has to train five hours a day, even at the weekend, when most of his or her friends are playing.
Another problem is of course money, In many countries money for training is available from government for the very best young sportsmen and sportswomen.If this help can not be given, it means that it is the parents who have to find the time and the money to support their child’s development and sports clothes, transport to competitions, special equipment, etc.All can be expensive.
Many parents are worried that it is dangerous to start serious training in a sport at an early age.Some doctors agree that young muscles may be damaged by training before they are properly developed.Professional trainers, however, believe that it is only by training when young that you can reach the top as successful sports person.It is clear that very few people do reach the top, and both parents and children should be prepared for failure even after many years of training.Where can we most probably find this passage?
A.An advertisement. | B.A diary. |
C.A newspaper. | D.A notice board. |
What does the underlined phrase “to take a second place ”in the first paragraph mean?
A.to become less important |
B.To put it at another place |
C.To happen again |
D.They are the most important of all the things |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A.It’s easy to make a decision when your children want to take up sports. |
B.Most of the students may become top sports men after a long period of training. |
C.Early training may damage young muscles. |
D.It’s not very expensive for parents to support their children’s development in sports. |
There is a joke among flu researchers: “If you've seen one flu season, you've seen one flu season.” The joke is about the unpredictable nature of the flu virus.Every year it looks different, and every strain (类型) follows its own pattern — it's the reason why new strains like H1N1 are extremely difficult to predict.
Dr.Michael Osterholm is a former adviser to the U.S.Department of Health and Human Services.“I know less about influenza today than I did 10 years ago,” he says in a joking way.“Every stone we've turned over, we get more questions.”
The flu rectums every season and the world experiences terrible pandemics (全国或全世界范围流行的疾病), but researchers still do not understand why some strains infect people and others do not; they are not entirely sure about how the flu is transmitted; nor do they understand why some patients become seriously ill while others develop mild symptoms (症状).As a result, when a new strain shows up — like H1N1 — they often have little information to fall back on, and the lessons of previous pandemics are only somewhat helpful.While researchers are still putting together a complete picture of H1N1, for example, its most striking difference with the seasonal flu is that the elder1y are not the most vulnerable (易受攻击的) population.
Influenza's unpredictable nature makes it a moving target for researchers, says researcher Allison Aiello at the University of Michigan.“Even if we had complete seasonal flu data from the past, it wouldn't be much helpful for a new strain of influenza,” she explains.
Whi1e researchers are frustrated by the holes in their knowledge, they say, however, that the pub1ic--health community is generally doing a very good job responding to H1N1 with seasonal flu data that do exist.Studying influenza, says Osterholm, is “like looking through the windows of a house you can't get into because the door is locked.” Gathering the data researchers do have is like “looking through the windows to get a pretty good picture of what the inside looks like.”
One thing researchers do know for sure: the best way for people to protect against H1N1 is to get the vaccine once it becomes available to them.What do we learn about H1N1 from the passage?
A.In fact it is not a kind of influenza virus. |
B.It is quite possible to predict it in theory. |
C.Old people are more likely to contract it than kids. |
D.Receiving vaccines will be effective to protect against it. |
The underlined phrase
“fall back on” in Para.3 probably means .
A.rely on | B.pass on | C.col1ect | D.exchange |
What do we know about p
revious seasonal flu data?
A.It is useless to study them. |
B.It is still necessary to study them. |
C.They are misleading most of the time. |
D.They are much more helpful than expected. |
Which of the following could be the best title for the passage?
A.Outbreaks of the flu | B.Symptoms of the flu |
C.Mysteries of the flu | D.Risks of the flu |