(2013·辽宁，B)Goinggreenseemstobe-优题课

When families gather for Christmas dinner, some will stick to formal traditions, that is, their tables will be set with the good dishes and silver bowls. But now in many other homes, this china-and-silver elegance (优雅)has given way to a stoneware (粗陶) and informality, with dresses in an informal and ordinary look. For hosts and guests, the change means greater simplicity and comfort. For makers of fine china in Britain, it means economic hard times.
Last week Royal Doulton, the largest employer in Stoke-on-Trent, announced that it is removing 1,000 jobs -- one-fifth of its total workforce. That brings to more than 4, 000 the number of positions lost in 18 months in the pottery (陶瓷) field. Wedgwood and other pottery factories made cuts earlier.
Although a strong pound and weak markets in Asia play a role in the downsizing, the layoffs（失业） in Stoke have their roots in great social changes. A spokesman for Royal Doulton admitted that the company "has been somewhat slow in catching up with the trend(潮流)" toward informal dining. Families eat together less often, he explained, and more people eat alone, either because they are single or because they want to eat in front of television. Even dinner parties, if they happen at all, have gone informal. In a time of long work hours and busy family schedules, busy hosts insist, rightly, that it's better to share a takeout pizza on paper plates in the family room than to wait for the perfect moment or a "real" dinner party. Too often, the perfect moment never comes. Iron a fine-patterned tablecloth? Forget it. Clean the silver bowls ? Who has time?
Yet the loss of formality has its down side. The fine points of etiquette (礼节) that children might once have learned before at the table by observation or instruction from parents and grandparents (" Chew with your mouth closed." "Keep your elbows off the table. ") must be picked up else-where. Some companies now offer etiquette courses for employees who may be able professionally but inexperienced socially.
71. In many homes nowadays, people tend to ______________________
A. stick to formal traditions when they dine
B. set their tables with the good dishes and silver bowls
C. have dinner informally
D. buy many sets of fine china
72. Why do people tend to follow the trend towards informal dining?
A. Family members need more time to relax.
B. Busy schedules leave people no time for formality.
C. People prefer to live a comfortable life.
D. Young people won't follow the etiquette of the older generation.
73. It can be learned from the passage that ‘Royal Doulton’ is .
A. a store of steel tableware B. a store of stoneware
C. a store of pottery chainD. a producer of fine china
74. The main cause of the layoffs in the pottery industry is .
A. the increased value of the pound B. the worsening economy in Asia
C. the change in people's way of life D. the fierce competition at home and abroad
75. In the last paragraph, we can find that formal table manners, though less popular than before in present social life, .
A. are still a must on certain occasions B. are certain to return sooner or later
C. are still being taught by parents at home D. can help improve personal relationships

NOT all memories are sweet. Some people spend all their lives trying to forget bad experiences. Violence and traffic accidents can leave people with terrible physical and emotional scars. Often they relive these experiences in nightmares.
Now American researchers think they are close to developing a pill, which will help people forget bad memories. The pill is designed to be taken immediately after a frightening experience. They hope it might reduce, or possibly wipe out, the effect of painful memories.
In November, experts tested a drug on people in the US and France. The drug stops the body releasing (释放) chemicals that fix memories in the brain. So far the research has suggested that only the emotional effects of memories may be reduced, not that the memories are wiped out. They are not sure to what degree people’s memories are affected.
The research has caused a great deal of argument. Some think it is a bad idea, while others support it.
Supporters say it could lead to pills that prevent or treat soldiers' troubling memories after war.
They say that there are many people who suffer from terrible memories.
"Some memories can ruin people's lives. They come back to you when you don't want to have them in a daydream or nightmare. They usually come with very painful emotions," said Roger Pitman, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. "This could relieve a lot of that suffering."
But those who are against the research say that maybe the pills can change people’s memories and
changing memories is very dangerous because memories give us our identity (特质). They also help us all avoid the mistakes of the past.
"All of us can think of bad events in our lives that were terrible at the time but make us who we are. I'm not sure we want to wipe those memories out, "said Rebecca Dresser, a medical ethicist.
66. The passage is mainly about .
A. a new medical invention B. a new research on the pill
C. a way of wiping out painful memories D. an argument about the research on the pill
67. The drug tested on people can .
A. cause the brain to fix memories
B. stop people remembering bad experiences
C. prevent body producing certain chemicals
D. wipe out the emotional effects of memories
68. We can infer from the passage that.
A. people doubt the effects of the pills
B. the pill will certainly stop people's emotional memories
C. taking the pill will do harm to people's physical health
D. the pill has already been produced and used by the public in America
69. Which of the following does Rebecca Dresser agree with in the last paragraph ?
A. some memories can ruin people's lives.
B. people want to get rid of bad memories.
C. experiencing bad events makes us different from others.
D. the pill will reduce people's sufferings from bad memories.
70. You may probably read the passage in __________
A. a guidebook B. a textbook C. a medical magazine D. a science fiction

The Wall Street Journal Asia Edition (U.S.), the Globe and Mail (Canada), the Guardian (U.K.), among other foreign news agencies, have recently published articles on China's earthquake relief. They have all praised the earthquake relief efforts made by the Chinese government.
The Wall Street Journal Asia Edition published an article on May 21 saying that on the eighth day of the most serious natural disaster to hit China in decades, the main task of rescuing survivors from the ruins had been quickly replaced by the great challenge of helping them. The article said that people overseas have been deeply impressed by earthquake relief efforts by the Chinese government.
The Associated French Press (AFP) reported on May 21 that China has become more open in the whole rescue action.
Aircraft loaded with relief supplies from Ukraine, Russia, the United States, Singapore and many other countries have arrived in disaster areas in southwestern China.
The Associated Japanese Press (AJP) published an article on May 21 reporting that China is making great efforts to deal with a formidable task caused by the earthquake how to provide temporary shelter for so many people. The article said that many tents have been built; and food and medical care are provided to the people whose lives have been completely disrupted(搅乱)by the earthquake.
The Global and Mail of Canada published an article on May 20 that said the rapid earthquake relief work in Sichuan shows China's powerful economic strength.
An article carried in the British Guardian said that one week after the Sichuan earthquake, China began a three-day national mourning(哀悼) period at 14:28 on May 19, and all Chinese people stood in silence for three minutes in memory of the victims.
The ongoing search and rescue action are still encouraged by one unexpected survivor after another. Chinese officials said that, so far, no epidemic(流行病) had occurred after the earthquake.
61. How many press media are mentioned in the article?
A. 3 B. 4 C. 5 D. 6
62. what is the possible meaning of the underlined word formidable in paragraph 4 ?
A. difficult B. quick C. light D. heavy
63. According to the passage, what is the most difficult and important task in the earthquake-hit areas for the present ?
A. rescuing survivors B. providing temporary shelter and food for the victims
C burying dead bodies D. clearing away the ruins
64. What is the best title of the passage?
A. Foreign media praise China's earthquake relief
B. The rapid earthquake relief work in Sichuan shows China's powerful economic strength
C. The most serious natural disaster to hit China in decades
D. Tens of thousands of people’s lives have been completely disrupted by the earthquake.
65. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage ?
A. Chinese government made great efforts to relieve the people after the earthquake
B. many countries in the world provide China with the relief sup C. in the earthquake-hit areas, people’s lives have been completely disrupted by the earthquake
D. the ongoing search and rescue action have completely stopped at the present time

第五节阅读理解
On May 29, 1973, Thomas Bradley, a black man, was elected mayor of Los Angeles. Los Angeles is the third largest city in the United States, with a population of three million. About sixteen percent of the city’s population are black.
News of this election appeared on the front pages of newspapers everywhere in the United States. Here is how one major newspaper reported the event.
LOS ANGELES ELECTS BRADLEY MAYOR UNSEATING YORTY
BLACK WINS 56% OF VOTES
Bradley called his victory over Yorty “ the fulfillment of a dream ”. During his childhood and youth, people had kept telling him , “You can’t do this, you can’t go there, because you are a Negro. ” Nevertheless he had won a decisive victory over a man who had been won 43.7 percent.
Los Angeles voters have had many opportunities to judge. Thomas Bradley had to form an opinion of him, The son of a poor farmer Texas, he joined the Los Angeles police force in 1940. During his twenty-one years on the police force he earned a law degree by attending school at night. He was elected to the city council years ago.
At the time of the Los Angeles election, three other American cities already had black mayors, but none of these cities had as large a population as Los Angeles. Besides, the percentage of blacks in those other cities was much larger. Cleveland, Ohio, had thirty-six percent black when Carl Stokes was elected mayor of Cleveland in 1967. In the same year Richard Hatcher was elected mayor of Cary. In Newark, New Jersey, sixty percent of the population were black when Kenneth Gibson was elected in 1970. Thus election of a black mayor in those cities was not very surprising .
In Los Angeles, thousands of white citizens voted for Thomas Bradley because they believed he would be a better mayor than the white candidate. Bradley had spent forty-eight of his fifty-five years in Los Angeles. Four years ago, Bradley lost mayoral election to Yorty. This time Bradley won.
56. People kept telling Bradley not to “go there” in his childhood because ____________
A. he was too young B. he was a black boy
C. he came from a poor farmer’s family D. he himself hated the whites
57. In the author’s opinion, It was surprising that _______________
A. the whites would vote for a black mayor
B. the black mayor lost his mayor election to Yorty four years ago
C. the black mayor came from a poor farmer’s family
D. there would be so many black mayors
58. From the passage, we can learn that people _______________
A. voted for Bradley because of his black color
B. cared much about his color when they voted
C. voted for him to give a chance to fulfill his dream
D. voted for him because they trusted him
59. Bradley hit the front page headline, for ________________
A. he was the first black mayor in history
B. he once served in the Los Angeles police force
C. he was the first black mayor of one of the largest cities in the USA
D. a poor farmer’s son could also win an important election
60. From Bradley’s victory in the election we can see that ____________
A. blacks had equal rights as whites in the USA
B. black people’s situation began to be improving much more than before
C. one can be successful through hard work in the USA no matter what color he is
D. it is certain that someday the USA will have a black president

Many banks are still not lending. They worry that they will not have enough capital to cover losses, but the situation does not allow many businesses to have the money they need to operate, and further slows a struggling economy. In the United States, the government has so far provided almost 150 billion dollars to banks, mainly through buying shares. Yet this may not be enough to save some major banks. By some estimates, banks have at least one trillion dollars in losses that they have not yet reported.
The new administration of President Barack Obama is considering ways to save banks.
One possibility is to expand federal guarantees against losses on some troubled financial assets(资产). The government has already offered guarantees to Bank of America and Citigroup. But the cost of this kind of insurance could be huge.
Another possibility is to create a so-called bad bank. It would take questionable securities held by other banks. The idea would be similar to the Resolution Trust Corporation set up by the government in 1989. It was formed to sell assets from failed savings and loan banks.
But it is difficult to put a price on trouble securities. Taxpayers would lose money if the government pays too much. And if it pays too little, banks could still fail.
Some people see nationalization(国有化) as the answer. That is when a government takes ownership of a private business, often with the idea of selling it back to investors later. Existing shares become worthless.
In the early 1990s, Sweden nationalized some banks and later sold their troubled assets, recovering some costs. But a similar effort in the United States, the world’s biggest economy, could take years. And experts warn that lending and politics do not mix.
Coming up with a plan to fix the banks and the financial system is now the job for Tim Geithner. The Senate confirmed his this week to replace Henry Paulson as Treasury Secretary. Tim Geithner’s last job was head of the New York Federal Reserve Bank.
Supporters said he is the best person to deal with the financial crisis. But one-third of the Senate, mostly Republicans, voted against him.
He face rebuke for his failure to pay 34,000 dollars in taxes when he worked for the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He owed it to “careless mistakes”. As Treasury Secretary he is the nation’s chief tax collector.
51. What is the passage mainly about?
A. The financial crisis in the United States.
B. Possible ways to save US banks.
C. President Barack Obama’s financial policy.
D. The problems US banks are facing now.
52. We can learn from the passage that _________.
A. all the banks in the US have stopped lending money now.
B. American banks have lost less than one trillion dollars
C. the US government has taken some measures to save the banks
D. the American economic situation is getting much better
53. Which of the following is NOT a possibility to help the banks out of trouble?
A. Expanding federal guarantees against losses on some troubled financial assets.
B. Creating a bad band to take questionable securities held by other banks.
C. Nationalizing the banks and selling them back to investors later.
D. Confirming Tim Geithner as Treasury Secretary to replace Henry Paulson.
54. The underlined word “rebuke” in the last paragraph most probably means “_________”.
A. judgment B. sympathy C. assessment D. blame
55. It can be concluded from the passage that _________.
A. Barack Obama’s government has taken effectively measures to save their banks.
B. Tim Geithner is the best person to deal with the financial crisis
C. each possible way mentioned in the passage has its disadvantage
D. nationalization may be the best way to save US banks