Spanish explorers called them Las Encantadas, the Enchanted Isles, and Charles Darwin used his studies of the islands as the foundation for his theory of natural selection. The Galapagos are among the world's most important scientific treasures, a group of volcanic islands surrounded by deserted beaches and inhabited by unique varieties of giant tortoise, lizards, and birds.
Yet life on this United Nations world heritage site has turned sour. Battles have broken out between fishermen and conservationists. Ecuador, which owns the islands, has sent a naval patrol (海军巡逻队) to put down disturbances.
The controversial director of the Galapagos National Park—which controls 97 percent of Galapagos land and the reserve extending to 40 miles offshore—has been fired, while an air of uneasy tension hangs over the islands, as the islanders prepare for election when they pick their representatives in Ecuador’s national assembly.
“It’s a very tense situation,” said Leonor Stjepic, director of the London-based Galapagos Conservation Trust, which raises money to help projects on the islands. “We are watching it with concern.”
The violence has been triggered by an alarming growth in the islands’ population. Puerto Ayora, on Santa Cruz island, housed just 45 inhabitants in the 50s. Today there are more than 10,000, while the islands' total population is more than 19,000 and growing by 6 percent a year, despite recently introduced a law to limit waves of immigrants fleeing the poor areas of Ecuador for a life “in paradise (天堂)”. On top ofthis, more than 100,000 tourists visit the islands every year.
Such numbers have put the islands, special ecology under intense pressure. Conservationists backed by the Ecuador government, have replied by exercising strict controls to protect the islands* iguanas, blue-footed boobies, and giant tortoises.
These moves have angered many local people, however. They want to exploit (开发利用) the islands’ waters and catch its protected species of sharks, lobsters and sea cucumbers, which can fetch high prices in Japan and South Korea.
Angry fishermen surrounded the Charles Darwin research station on Santa Cruz last February, threatened to kill Lonesome George—the last surviving member of the Pinta Island species of the Galapagos giant tortoise.
The situation got improved after the Ecuador government made concessions (让步) by increasing fishing quotas (配额), which angered conservationists. “It is tragic, the short-term gain of a few fishermen versus the long-term survival of the Galapagos,” said John McCosker of the California Academy of Sciences. “They are killing the golden goose.”
Then, the Ecuador government appointed Fausto Cepeda as the national park's new director, a post that has become a political football for the mainland government. There have been nine directors in the past 18 months.
This appointment was particularly controversial, however. Cepeda was known to have close ties with the fishing industry, and the rangers (管理员),who run the national park and reserve, rebelled.
More than 300 staged a sit-in at the park’s headquarters and prevented Cepeda from taking up his post. A battle broke out, and at least two people suffered serious injuries. Eventually, Cepeda—with the fishermen’s help- entered the park. “I am in office, i am in control. And I am trying to lower the tension,” he announced.
The Ecuador government took no chances, and sent a patrol boat to maintain the peace. A few days later, Ecuador Environment Minister Fabian Valdivicso met representatives of rangers. After discussions, he told newspapers that he had decided to remove Cepeda from the post.
However, as the population continues to rise, the long-term pressures on the islands are serious and will not disappear that easily.
“We have to balance its special environment with the needs of local people. In that sense, it is a microcosm (缩影) for all the other threatened parts of the world. So getting it right here is going to be a very, very important trick to pull off,” said Stjepic.What does the underlined word “this” in Paragraph 5 refer to?
| A．The island’s swelling population. |
| B．The law to limit waves of immigrants. |
| C．A life in paradise. |
| D．The tourists’ visiting the islands every year. |
How significant were the islands for Charles Darwin?
| A．He based his theory on his studies there. |
| B．He built the Charles Darwin research center there. |
| C．He advocated the balance between ecology and people there. |
| D．He found the last surviving giant tortoise there. |
What is the primary contributing factor to the conflict between conservationists and fishermen?
| A．The dismissal of the previous director of the Galapagos National Park. |
| B．The exploitation of the islands. |
| C．The government's support of Galapagos Conservation Trust. |
| D．Cepeda’s close tie with the fishing industry. |
We can learn from the passage that _______.
| A．the projects of Galapagos Conservation Trust on the islands are profitable |
| B．conservationists get angry when fishermen are killing a goose |
| C．politicians from the mainland government play football on the islands |
| D．the government is trying to ease the tension |
In Paragraph 13, what does the author mean by “The Ecuador government took no chances”?
| A．The government did not seize opportunities. |
| B．The government made no compromises. |
| C．The government did not run risks. |
| D．The government shrank from responsibilities. |
Students and Technology in the Classroom
I love my blackberry — it’s my little connection to the larger world that can go anywhere with me. I also love my laptop computer，as it holds all of my writing and thoughts. Despite this love of technology, I know that there are times when I need to move away from these devices（设备）and truly communicate with others.
On occasion, I teach a course called History Matters for a group of higher education managers. My goals for the class include a full discussion of historical themes and ideas. Because I want students to thoroughly study the material and exchange their ideas with each other in the classroom, I have a rule — no laptop, iPads, phones ,etc .When students were told my rule in advance of the class, some of them were not happy.
Most students assume that my reasons for this rule include unpleasant experiences in the past with students misusing technology. There’s a bit of truth to that. Some students assume that I am anti-technology. There’s no truth in that at all. I love technology and try to keep up with it so I can relate to my students.
The real reason why I ask students to leave technology at the door is that I think there are very few places in which we can have deep conversions and truly engage complex ideas. Interruptions by technology often break concentration and allow for too much dependence on outside information for ideas. I want students to dig deep within themselves for inspiration and ideas. I want them to push each other to think differently and make connections between the course the material and the class discussion.
I’ve been teaching my history class in this way for many years and the evaluations reflect student satisfaction with the environment that I create. Students realize that with deep conversation and challenge, they learn at a level that helps them keep the course material beyond the classroom.
I’m not saying that I won’t ever change my mind about technology use in my history class, but until I hear a really good reason for the change, I’m sticking to my plan. A few hours of technology-free dialogue is just too sweet to give up.Some of the students in the history class were unhappy with _______.
| A．the course material |
| B．others’ misuse of technology |
| C．discussion topics |
| D．the author’s class regulations |
The underlined word “engage ”in paragraph 4 probably means _______.
| A．explore | B．accept | C．change | D．reject |
According to the author, the use of technology in the classroom may _______.
| A．keep students from doing independent thinking |
| B．encourage students to have in-depth conversations |
| C．help students to better understand complex themes |
| D．affect students’ concentration on course evaluation |
It can be inferred from the last paragraph that the author _______.
| A．is quite stubborn |
| B．will give up teaching history |
| C．will change his teaching plan soon |
| D．values technology-free dialogues in his class |
Until recently, women in advertisements wore one of three things — an apron, an attractive dress or a frown. Although that is now changing, many women still feel angry about offending advertisements. “This ad degrades women.” they protested（抗议）.Why does this sort of advertising exist? How can advertisers and ad agencies still produce, sometimes, after months of research, advertising that offends the consumer?
The ASA, the body which deals with complaints about print media, is carrying out research into how women feel about the way they are pictured in advertisements. Its conclusions are likely to be what the advertising industry already knows: although women are often annoyed by the ads, few feel strong enough to complain.
Women are not the only victims of poor and boring stereotypes（老套）— in many TV commercials men are seen either as useless, childish fools who are unable to perform the simplest household tasks, or as inconsiderate fellows, always on the lookout for an escape to the pub. But it is women who seem to suffer more from the industry’s inability to put people into an authentic present-day situation. Yet according to Emma Bennett, director of a London advertising agency, women are not aggressive or extremely angry about those stereotypes and sexist （歧视妇女）advertising. “They just find it annoying or tiresome.”
She says that it is not advertising’s use of the housewife role that bothers women, but the way in which it is handled. “The most important thing is the advertisement’s tone of voice. Women hate being insincerely praised or given desperately down-to-earth common-sense advice.”
In the end, the responsibility for good advertising must be shared between the advertiser, the advertising agency and the consumer. Advertising does not set trends but it reflects them. It is up to the consumer to tell advertisers where they fail, and the process of change will remain slow until people on the receiving end take the business seriously and make their –feelings known.Despite recent changes in attitudes, some advertisements still fail to.
| A．change women’s opinions of themselves |
| B．show any understanding of consumers’ feelings |
| C．persuade the public to buy certain products |
| D．meet the needs of the advertising industry |
According to the writer, the commonest fault of present-day advertising is to.
| A．condemn the role of the housewife |
| B．ignore protests about advertisements |
| C．present a misleading image of women |
| D．picture the activities of men wrongly |
Emma Bennett suggests that advertisement ought to.
| A．give further emphasis to practical advice |
| B．change their style rather than their content |
| C．use male images instead of female ones |
| D．sing higher praise for women than before |
We can learn from the passage that advertising industry should.
| A．take its job more eagerly |
| B．do more pioneering work |
| C．take notice of the public opinion |
| D．concentrate on the products advertised |
We would probably all be amazed if we watched a videotape of ourselves performing basically unconscious acts as we go about the business of the day. These unconscious acts consist of all the little personal habits that we don’t even think about, but definitely should. These are some of the things that present an image of who we are to others, and if we are careless in performing them, this image may well be other than we would like it to be.
Parents who insist that their children practice good manners and habits at home are doing them a great service, for these habits then become lifelong and the natural way they do things. It proves true that their unconscious actions will reflect a well-mannered person.
People who, for example, eat with both arms on the table at home will likely do so when out. Those who are lazy and slow in private will certainly be so in public. Children who are permitted to be disrespectful to their parents will follow suit with other adults, and will, most likely, become adults who are disrespectful of others. This is an area where the saying “practice makes perfect” may be applied.
There is an article about the actress, Audrey Hepburn, known for her beautiful carriage and posture. According to her biographer, her grandmother tied her neck to the back of her chair, at table, so that she would not drop down suddenly over her food, but rather would learn to put only small amounts of food on her spoon or fork and bring them to her mouth. This is a rather extreme “at home” method for the development of erect (直立的) posture, but it does illustrate the effectiveness of practicing good habits so that, when in public, they are instinctive.Which of the following expresses the main idea of the passage?
| A．Parents should be responsible for their children’s good habits. |
| B．The actress is well known for her beautiful posture. |
| C．We should always be aware of our manners. |
| D．Without good manners, one can never be perfect. |
Those who eat with both arms on the table at home ______.
| A．will probably change the habit when eating out with their relatives |
| B．will probably have the same habit when they have meals in the restaurant |
| C．will feel embarrassed when having meals with so many strangers in public |
| D．will always put their arms on the table no matter where they eat |
The meaning of “practice makes perfect” in the third paragraph is ______.
| A．the more practice one has, the better job he will do |
| B．the more perfect one is, the more practice he needs |
| C．if one has enough practice, he will become perfect |
| D．perfect makes a person practice more |
Which of the following are NOT true?
| A．If we are not careful about our unconscious acts, the images of ourselves presented to others will be quite undesirable. |
| B．The good habits formed in one’s childhood will benefit him throughout his life. |
| C．If parents do not care about the disrespectful attitude adopted by their children towards themselves, their children might be disrespectful to others. |
| D．It is unlikely that a well-mannered person will not embarrass himself in public. |
People use their mouths for many things. They eat, talk, shout and sing. They smile and they kiss. In the English language, there are many expressions using the word “mouth.”
For example, if you say bad things about a person, the person might protest and say “Do not bad mouth me.” Sometimes, people say something to a friend or family member that they later regret because it hurts that person’s feelings. Or they tell the person something they were not supposed to tell. The speaker might say: “I really put my foot in my mouth this time.” If this should happen, the speaker might feel down in the mouth. In other words, he might feel sad for saying the wrong thing.
Another situation is when someone falsely claims another person said something. The other person might protest: “I did not say that. Do not put words in my mouth.”
Some people have lots of money because they were born into a very rich family. There is an expression for this, too. You might say such a person, “was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.” This rich person is the opposite of a person who lives from hand to mouth. This person is very poor and only has enough money for the most important things in life, like food.
Parents might sometimes withhold sweet food from a child as a form of punishment for saying bad things. For example, if a child says things she should not say to her parents, she might be described as a mouthy child. The parents might even tell the child to stop mouthing off.
But enough of all this talk. I have been running my mouth long enough.In what kind of situation will a person say “Do not bad mouth me.” ?
| A．When he feels down. |
| B．When he feels regretful. |
| C．When he is spoken ill of. |
| D．When he feels innocent. |
If a person feels sorry for what he has said, he might say “.”
| A．Do not bad mouth me |
| B．I really put my foot in my mouth this time |
| C．Do not put words in my mouth |
| D．Stop mouthing off |
If a person lives from hand to mouth, it implies.
| A．he is badly – off |
| B．he is hard – working |
| C．he is well – off |
| D．he has enough to eat |
By saying, “I have been running my mouth long enough”, the speaker means “”.
| A．I have run a long way |
| B．I have been a mouthy person |
| C．I have learned a lot |
| D．I have talked too much |
The customs in different countries are rather different. If I have dinner with a Chinese host, he always puts more food onto my plate as soon as I have emptied it. That often discomforts me greatly. I have to eat the food even if I do not want to, because it is considered bad manners in the west to leave one’s food on the plate. I have also noticed that when a Chinese sits at an American’s dinner party, he often refuses the offer of drink though he’s in fact still hungry or thirsty. This might be good manners in China but it is not in the west at all. In the United States, it is impolite to keep asking someone again and again or insist on his accepting something. Americans have a direct way of speaking. If they want something, they will ask for it. If not, they will say, “No, thanks.” When an American is served with beer by the host, for example, he might say, “No, thanks. I’ll take some orange juice if you have it.” That is what an American will do. So when you go to the United States, you’d better remember the famous saying: “when in Rome, do as the Romans do.”From this passage we can see that the writer is .
| A．a Chinese | B．a Roman |
| C．an American | D．a European |
When a Chinese host kept putting more food onto his plate, the writer felt .
| A．very happy | B．sad | C．angry | D．uneasy |
In the west, people consider it bad manners .
| A．to refuse an offer |
| B．to ask for something directly |
| C．to eat at a dinner party |
| D．to keep asking someone to accept something |
A guest at an American’s dinner party should show his politeness by .
| A．putting more food onto his plate as soon as he emptied it |
| B．refusing the offer of food or drink though he is still hungry or thirsty. |
| C．asking for things directly if he wants them |
| D．not eating all the food offered |