Recently I spoke to some of my students about what they wanted to do after they graduated, and what kind of job prospects they thought they had.
Given that I teach students who are training to be doctors, I was surprised to find that most thought that they would not be able to get the jobs they wanted without “outside help”. “What kind of help is that?” I asked, expecting them to tell me that they would need a relative or family friend to help them out.
“Surgery(外科手术)”, one replied. I was pretty alarmed by that response. It seems that the graduates of today are increasingly willing to go under the knife to get ahead of others when it comes to getting a job. One girl told me that she was considering surgery to increase her height. “They break your legs, put in special extending screws, and slowly expand the gap between the two ends of the bone as it regrows, you can get at least 5cm taller!”
At that point, I was shocked. I am short, I can’t deny that, but I don’t think I would put myself through months of agony(痛苦) just to be a few centimeters taller. I don’t even bother to wear shoes with thick soles, as I’m not trying to hide the fact that I am just not tall!
It seems to me that there is a trend toward wanting “perfection”, and that is an ideal that just does not exist in reality.
No one is born perfect, yet magazines, TV shows and movies present images of thin, tall, beautiful people as being the norm. Advertisements for slimming aids, beauty treatments and cosmetic surgery clinics fill the pages of newspapers, further creating an idea that “perfection” is a requirement, and that it must be purchased, no matter what the cost. In my opinion, skills, rather than appearance, should determine how successful a person is in his chosen career.We can know from the passage that the author works as ______.
| A．a doctor | B．a model | C．a teacher | D．a reporter |
Many graduates today turn to cosmetic surgery to______.
| A．marry a better man or woman |
| B．become a model |
| C．get an advantage over others in job-hunt |
| D．attract more admirers |
According to the passage, the author believes that ______.
| A．everyone should pursue perfection, whatever the cost is |
| B．it’s right for graduates to ask for others to help them out in hunting for jobs |
| C．media are to blame for misleading young people in their seeking for surgery |
| D．it is one’s appearance instead of skills that really matters in one’s career |
What does the author think of his height?
| A．He hates to be called a short man. |
| B．He tries to increase his height through surgery. |
| C．He always wears shoes with thick soles to hide the fact. |
| D．He just accepts it as it is |
Eco-friendly Vauban,Germany,located in the southwest part of the country,is a city where less than 20 percent of the residents own automobiles.Most of the people get around the town by using bicycles and their feet,according to an article (with video) by ABCNews.com.Can an eco-friendly city like Vauban be a model for Americans to stop their over-reliance (过度依赖) on the automobile?
Anytime I watch a news report,what’s often in the back of my mind is what isn’t reported or stressed.While this eco-friendly city is inspiring in that it shows residents getting their exercise and more fresh air through the majority use of bicycles,rollerblades (轮滑鞋),as well as good old-fashioned walking,common sense would tell you that even for a place like Vauban it owes its existence to the automobile.
Do you think that bicycles were able to transport all the construction materials that were needed to build the eco-friendly homes and businesses in Vauban?Were rollerbladers able to move all the materials needed for the sidewalk and bicycle path construction?It took automobiles to help build this place.
I myself haven’t owned a car for more than 14 years.I mostly get around town via running,walking,and use of public transportation.Although I’m glad lots of walking and running has helped to keep me fit and healthier,there are times I wish I had an automobile because it would make things really easier.
In order for America to get even close to being like eco-friendly Vauban,we need to change the way we live,starting with huge investment (投资) in public transportation,etc.Yet ending Americans’ dependence on the automobile will be virtually impossible during my lifetime.At best,one will see more Vauban-like areas in the USA.
It can be hoped that Americans will consider using their feet more to get around when possible,which would cut down on some pollution and provide some health benefits via exercise.The first paragraph serves as a(n) .
| A．explanation |
| B．introduction |
| C．comment |
| D．background |
According to Para.2,the author believes that .
| A．Vauban is not so eco-friendly as the media says |
| B．automobiles will disappear in Vauban soon |
| C．residents in Vauban still need automobiles |
| D．life in Vauban is not comfortable and convenient |
From Para.4 we learn the author seems to stress .
| A．the great value of walking and running |
| B．the disadvantages of owning a private car |
| C．the benefits of using public transportation |
| D．the need of allowing automobiles to exist |
Which of the following opinions would the author accept?( )
| A．American cities can become as eco-friendly as Vauban soon. |
| B．It is unnecessary for Americans to depend on bicycles. |
| C．Americans are still heavily dependent on automobiles. |
| D．The model of Vauban suits American cities very well. |
The 1900 house
The bowler family was one of more than 400 families who applied to 1900 house, a reality TV shout which took a typical family back a hundred years to se how people lived in the days before the internet, computer games and even electricity.
The bowler family spent three months in a London home without a telephone, computers, TV, or fast food. The bowlers wore clothes from 1900, are only food available in English at that time, and cooked their meals on a single stove. Paul bowler still went to work every day in a then uniform. The children changed their clothes on the way to and from school and their classmates didn’t know about then unusual home life. Joyce stayed at home, cooking and cleaning like a typical housewife of the time, though everything took three times as long.
So does Joyce think that people’s lives were better in the old days?
“I think people in the old days had just ad many troubles and worries,” Joyce said.
And I don’t think their life was better or worse, there were lots of things back then that
I’m happy I don’t have to deal with nowadays, but on the other hand life was simpler.” “We had a lot more time with our family, and it was hard being nice to each other all the time,” eleven-year-old Hilary said.
So what did the Bowler family miss most about modern life while living in the 1900 house?
Paul, 39:” telephone and a hot shower”
Joyce, 44:” a quick cup of tea from a kettle you could just turn on”
Hilary, 11:” rock CD”
Joseph, 9:” hamburger and computer games”While the Bowler family was living in 1900 house, _____.
A the mother spent more time on housework
B the two children wore the then clothes for school
C they prepared their meals together on a stove
D they ate simple foods they had never seen According to Paragraph 4, what’s Joyce’s opinion about life in 1900?
A There were fewer problems for the family
B Life was simpler but worse than it is now
C There were things she liked and disliked
D The family had more time to stay together What would Hilary expect most from modern life in the three months?
A To play computer games
B. To make phone calls
C To listen to music
D. To chat on the Internet
Brave Frenchman Found Half-way Around the World
(NEW YORK) A French tourist highly praised for rescuing a two-year-old girl in Manhattan said he didn’t think twice before diving into the freezing East River.
Tuesday’s Daily News said 29-year who left the spot quickly after the rescue last Saturday.
He lifted the little girl out of the water after she fell off the bank at the South Street Scaport museum. He handed the girl to her father, David Anderson, who had dive in after him.
“I didn’t think at all,” Duret told the Daily News. “It happened very fast. I reacted very fast.”
Duret, an engineer on vacation ,was walking with his girlfriend along the pier(码头)when he saw something falling into the water .He thought it was a doll, but realized it was a child when he approached the river. In an instant ,he took off his coat and jumped into the water.
When he reached the girl, she appeared lifeless, he said . Fortunately, when she was out of the water, she opened her eyes.
Anderson said his daughter slipped off the bank when he was adjusting his camera. An ambulance came later for her, said Duret, who was handed dry clothes from cookers. Duret caught a train with his girlfriend shortly after.
The rescue happened on the day before he left for France. Duret said he didn’t realize his tale of heroism he was leaving the next morning .
“I don’t really think I’m a hero,” said Duret. “Anyone would do the same ting.”Why was Duret in New York?
| A．To meet his girlfriend |
| B．To work as an engineer |
| C．To spend his holiday |
| D．To visit the Andersons. |
What did Duret do shortly after the ambulance came?
| A．He was interviewed by a newspaper |
| B．He asked his girlfriend for his dry clothes |
| C．He went to the hospital in the ambulance |
| D．He disappeared from the spot quickly |
Who divide after Duret into the river to save the little girl?
| A．David Anderson |
| B．A passer-by |
| C．His girlfriend |
| D．a taxi driver. |
When was duet most probably found to be the very hero?
| A．The day when he was leaving for home. |
| B．A couple of days after the girl was rescued |
| C．The first day when he was in New York |
| D．The same day when he was interviewed. |
Too many people want others to be their friends，but they don’t give friendship back.That is why some friendships don’t last long.To have a friend，you must learn to be one.You must learn to treat your friend the way you want your friend to treat you.Learning to be a good friend means learning three rules：be honest；be generous；be understanding.
Honesty is where a good friendship starts.Friends must be able to trust one another.If you do not tell the truth，people usually will find out.If a friend finds out that you haven’t been honest，you may lose the friend’s trust.Good friends always count on one another to speak and act honestly.
Generosity means sharing and sharing makes a friendship grow.You do not have to give your lunch money or your clothes.Naturally you will want to share your ideas and feelings.These can be very valuable to a friend.They tell your friend what is important to you.By sharing them，you help your friend know you better.
Sooner or later everyone needs understanding and helping with a problem.Something may go wrong at school.Talking about the problem can make it easier to solve.Turning to a friend can be the first step in solving the problem.So to be a friend you must listen and understand.You must try to put yourself in your friend’s place so you can understand the problem better.
No two friendships are ever exactly alike. But all true friendships have three things in common. If you plan to keep your friends，you must practice honesty，generosity and understanding. Some friendships don’t last very long because ________.
| A．there are too many people who want to make friends |
| B．some people receive friendship but don’t give friendship back |
| C．those who give others friendship receive friendship from others |
| D．they don’t know friendship is something serious |
According to the passage，honesty is ________.
| A．something countable |
| B．the base of friendship |
| C．as important as money |
| D．more important than anything else |
Which of the following isn’t mentioned in the passage?
| A．Always tell your friends the truth. |
| B．Sharing your mind with your friends is of great value. |
| C．Discussing your problems with your friends often helps to solve the problem. |
| D．A friend who gives you his lunch money is a true friend. |
The best title of this passage is_________.
| A．Honesty Is the Best Policy |
| B．A Friend in Need Is a Friend Indeed |
| C．How to Be Friends |
| D．Three Important Points in Life |
Young adult filmmakers all hope to show their works in international festivals like Sundance and Toronto. But what about really young filmmakers who aren’t in film school yet and aren’t, strictly speaking, even adults?
They are at the heart of Wingspan Arts Kids Film Festival, tomorrow, in a setting any director might envy: Lincoln Center. Complete with “red carpet” interviews and various awards, the festival has much in common with events for more experienced moviemakers, except for the age of the participants: about 8 to 18.
“Whats really exciting is that its film for kids by kids,” said Cori Gardner, managing director of Wingspan Arts, a nonprofit organization offering youth arts programs in the New York area. This year the festival will include films not only from Wingspan but also from other city organizations and one from a middle school in Arlington, Virginia. “We want to make this a national event,” Ms. Gardner added.
The nine shorts to be shown range from a Claymation biography of B. B. King to a science fiction adventure set in the year 3005.“A lot of the material is really mature,” Ms. Gardner said, talking about films by the New York City branch of Global Action Project, a media arts and leadershiptraining group.“The Choice is about the history of a family and Master AntiSmoker is about the dangers of secondhand smoke.”Dream of the Invisibles describes young immigrants’（移民）feelings of both belonging and not belonging in their adopted country.
The festival will end with an open reception at which other films will be shown. These include a music video and a fulllength film whose title is Pressures. Wingspan Arts Kids Film Festival.
| A．is organized by a middle school |
| B．is as famous as the Toronto Festival |
| C．shows films made by children |
| D．offers awards to film school students |
Which of the following is true of Wingspan Arts?
| A．It helps young filmmakers to make money. |
| B．It provides arts projects for young people. |
| C．It’s a media arts and leadership-training group. |
| D．It-s a national organization for young people. |
The underlined word “shorts” in Paragraph 4 refers to .
| A．short trousers |
| B．short kids |
| C．short films |
| D．short stories |
Movies to be shown in the festival.
| A．cover different subjects |
| B．focus on kidslife |
| C．are produced by Global Action Project |
| D．are directed by Ms. Gardner |
At the end of this film festival, there will be.
| A．various awards |
| B．“red carpet” interviews |
| C．an open reception |
| D．a concert at Lincoln Center |