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Almost anywhere in the world, you can probably see graffiti (涂鸦画). Although it’s usually more common in big cities, it can be found in almost any community, big or small.
The problem with graffiti art is the question of whether it’s really art. This isn’t always an easy question to answer, simply because there are so many different types of graffiti. While some simply consists of collections of letters, known as tags, with little artistic value, such examples are easy to find, especially on larger spaces such as walls.
If it weren’t for the fact that most graffiti is placed on private property without permission, it might be more commonly recognized as a legal form of art. Most graffiti, however, annoys the property owner, who is more likely to paint over it or remove it than accept it as art.
Many ways of removing graffiti have been developed, such as paints that dissolve graffiti paint, or make it easy to remove. Community groups and government departments often organize graffiti-removal teams.
It hardly makes sense to encourage artists to deface (丑化) private or public property; but perhaps there are ways to work with them rather than just oppose them. Graffiti artists can, for example, create murals (壁画) for property owners, and get paid for them.
Maybe we need to start at a very basic level, and find a way to encourage the creation of graffiti art on paper or canvas rather than on walls. After all, who would remember Monet or Picasso if they’d created their masterpieces on walls, only to have them painted over the next day? Finding a solution to such a complex problem is never going to be easy, but with more and more graffiti art being recognized in galleries around the world, we do need to try.
What would be the best title for this passage?

A.How to Be a Good Graffiti Artist.
B.Stop Removing Graffiti!
C.Do You Like Graffiti?
D.Is Graffiti Art?

The reason why people remove graffiti is that it ______.

A.makes buildings ugly B.has no artistic value at all
C.robs private property D.takes up too much space

In Paragraph 4, the underlined word "dissolve" is closest in meaning to ______.

A.change B.flow C.remove D.freeze

The example of Monet and Picasso are mentioned in the passage to indicate that ______.

A.they are world-famous artists
B.they are good at graffiti
C.walls are right places to keep their masterpieces
D.their works, if painted on the wall, might not be kept long

The writer’s attitude toward graffiti is that graffiti ______.

A.should be removed by more countries
B.should be saved on larger spaces
C.should be created only on paper or canvas
D.may be accepted as art
科目 英语   题型 阅读理解   难度 中等
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This is an open letter to the three people who stole my handbag from the department store I am employed as a shop assistant .
When you took my bag, I don't know what you thought you were going to get.With my wages, there's not much left on a Tuesday.I hope the £5 was useful to you .I have informed the social security office so you won't be able to cash the child benefit next week .I hope that won't leave you too short.But if you really need a couple of pounds, I suppose you could always cash one of the two checks left in my check book.Of course,I phoned the bank right away and the check-casing card is no longer valid, so it won’t be much use to you .
Actually I don't mind about the money too much.We single parents who work to support our families understand only too well what it means to be short of cash .However, I don’t suppose it went very far among the three of you.Sorry about that!
I wish you had left the bag behind and just taken the wallet and check book.There were all kinds of papers in it, and notes and things that I really need.I really think that was very inconsiderate of you .I mean, how would you like something like that to happen to you?
Well, perhaps the bag will turn up.It wasn't even an expensive one.just a plain, old brown leather shoulder bag.You probably dumped it in the nearest rubbish bin or threw it into the bushes. We've looked around, of course, but no one saw which way you went after you left the shop.
I'm not really angry with you.I know how the pressures of modern living can affect us, but I am sad at the loss of my personal things.I feel violated and helpless.The police were very icy, and they just shrugged(耸) their shoulders."It happens all the time," they told me .Some small comfort, I suppose.But I've lost just a little more faith in human nature.And as my young son said when I told him what had happened, "Why? Mummy, why us?" I couldn't answer that question.I wonder if you can.
In writing Paragraph 2, the writer wants to

A.describe the contents of the bag in detail.
B.give some suggestions to the three thieves
C.tell the thieves hardly any money was available
D.state the fact that she was careless with the money

Which of the following is the most valuable to the writer?

A.The cash in her bag. B.The papers and notes in the bag.
C.The handbag itself. D.The check books in the bag.

What can we conclude about the police?

A.They have doubts about human nature.
B.They show sympathy for the woman.
C.They think the case quite common.
D.They are unable to find the thieves.

Why does the author write the letter?

A.To give the thieves a serious warning.
B.To complain about the fall of morality.
C.To call people’s attention to their belongings.
D.To express her affection for her valuable bag.

I had looked forward to this day for a long time.Finally I, Kirsty Sturart, would stand on the top of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Europe.Although I climbed often in my native Scotland, this was my first trip to the Alps.My companions—Jean Pierre Barton, Maurice Gautier, and Mary Sargent—and I left our camp early and planned to reach the top by late morning.
As we neared the top, large clouds gathered and it began to snow.We found shelter and decided to wait for the snow to stop.After three hours, however, we decided to go back and try again the next day.We started down the mountain in the thick snow.Jean-Pierre forgot his sunglasses and went back to look for them.As he was returning to us, he started to fall.
His fall started an avalanche(雪崩) and it was falling towards us! I was swept away by the heavy snow. Jean-Pierre hurried down to me.“Are you OK?” he asked.
“I think I broke my leg,” I answered.
“I’d better radio for help!” he said.“Where are the others?” We couldn’t see Maurice or Mary anywhere.
Jean-Pierre called the emergency radio number, and the police said they would send help right away.It seemed like hours, but only minutes later we heard the welcome sound of a helicopter. The helicopter couldn’t land on the mountainside, so they lowered two men, two dogs, and a stretcher(担架).One man ran to me, but I told him to search for the others.The dogs were trained for avalanche rescue and soon began to dig crazily in the snow.
Bernardo, the lead dog, found Mary’s scarf and led the rescuers to her.Maurice was nearby.The men gave us hot drinks and warm blankets and then prepared to lift us into the helicopter.Two men inside the helicopter pulled us up with the ropes.I went first on the stretcher.
Once we were safely inside, the helicopter flew to the hospital in Chamonix.Our poor rescuers and their dogs had to climb all the way back down the mountain.Later we would find these brave men and thank them for saving our lives.
What prevented the climbers from reaching the top?

A.The terrible weather.
B.The loss of the sunglasses.
C.The injury of the team members.
D.The unexpected height of the mountain.

How did the writer break his leg?

A.The road was covered with snow.
B.His companion knocked into him.
C.The heavy clouds blocked his view.
D.The avalanche caused a fall for him.

How did the writer feel while waiting for help?

A.Anxious. B.Crazy. C.Sorry. D.Annoyed.

What do we learn from the passage?

A.Mary was the leader of the team.
B.The team was upset about their failure.
C.It was several hours before the rescue team arrived .
D.The writer was excited thinking of climbing Mount Blanc.

Destiny and Personal Responsibility
One important variable affecting communication across cultures is destiny(命运)and personal responsibility. This refers to the degree to which we feel ourselves the masters of our lives, contrary to the degree to which we see ourselves as subject to things outside our control. Another way to look at this is to ask how much we see ourselves able to change and act, to choose the course of our lives and relationships. Some have drawn a parallel between the personal responsibility in North American settings and the view itself. The North American view is vast, with large spaces of unpopulated land. The frontier attitude of “King” of the wilderness, and the expansiveness of the land reaching huge distances, may relate to generally high levels of confidence in the ability to shape and choose our destinies.
In this expansive land, many children grow up with a heroic sense of life, where ideas are big, and hope springs forever. When they experience temporary failures, they encouraged to redouble their efforts, to “try, try again.” Action, efficiency(效率), and achievement are valued and expected. Free will is respected in laws and enforced by courts.
Now consider places in the world with much smaller land, whose history reflects wars and tough struggles: Northern Ireland, Mexico, Israel, Palestine. In these places, destiny’s role is more important in human life. In Mexico, there is a history of hard life, fighting over land, and loss of homes. Mexicans are more likely to see struggles as part of their life and unavoidable. Their passive attitude is expr4essed in their way of responding to failure or accident by saying “ni modo”(“no way” or “tough lick”), meaning that the failure was destined.
This variable is important to understanding cultural conflict. If someone believing in free will crosses paths with someone more passive, miscommunication is likely. The first person may expect action and accountability. Failing to see it, he may conclude that the second is lazy, not cooperative, or dishonest. The second person will expect respect for the natural order of thins. Failing to see it, he may conclude that the first is forcible, rude, or big headed in his ideas of what can be accomplished or changed.
The author thinks that one’s character is partly determined by.

A.physical senses B.general attitude
C.financial background D.geographic characteristics

According to the passage, Mexicans would think that Americans are.

A.impractical B.dishonest C.ambitious D.hesitant

The underlined word “subject” in Paragraph 1 probably means.

A.a topic of a discussion B.a branch of knowledge
C.a person being experimented on D.a person under the power of others

The author would probably agree that.

A.vast land may lead to a more controllable desire
B.heroic sense of life roots deeply in a small country
C.living in limited space contributes to an accepting attitude
D.fighting over land may help people gain high levels of confidence

We’ve all seen them: perfectly toned famous people on late-night television telling us that we too can develop rock-hard abdominal muscles(腹肌). It’s easy! Just pay $149.99 for the Torso Track or $149.75 for the Ad-Doer and watch those unwanted inches leave your waist. Americans spend tens of million of dollars on various products to firm up their fat around the waist.
And did they work? Not necessarily. Independent studies have concluded that most of these products-no matter who approved them or how expensive they are-shape your midsection no better than old-fashioned stomach crunches(仰卧起坐). Some can even cause injury-like the $518.99 Body Shaper-Q8SP, which left electrical burns on some researchers at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. Others, like the popular Ab-Doer, trpically burn less energy than a gentle walk, according to a study to be published in September by the American Council on Exercise.
The fact is that many Americans don’t have the biological makeup to develop an obvious abdominal muscles. They are either unable to get the necessary muscle mass or they can’t lose enough fat to make a difference. Even if the underlying muscles are well developed, and it takes to hide it is one-sixteenth of tan inch of fat. That’s enough to dismiss most healthy women as well as plenty of guys who do crunches every day.
So what works best? In its new study, the exercise experts researched on the results of the popular Ab-Doer. A lengthy TV advertisement promises that just 10 minutes a day performing such movements as “Body Boogies” and “Good Mornings” will “help form those muscles the fun and easy way without diets.” Steven Loy, professor at California State University, Northridge, tested the promise by measuring the electrical activity produced by the abdominal muscles during three Ab-Doer movements. He and his colleagues then compared the results with those produced during traditional exercises. They determined that the muscles were no more active, and in some cases less so, when exercisers were using the Ab-Doer.
Taking a broader approach, researchers at San Diego State University compared 13 abdominal exercises for their ability to develop the central abdominal muscles. They concluded, in a report published in May, that the most effective exercises kept turning the body and worked the muscles the entire time. Among the winners: the bicycle movements-so called because it looks as if you are riding a bike while lying flat on the floor-and exercises performed on the “Captain’s Chair”, a product typically found in gyms that helps hold the body in the air while you raise your legs up toward your chest. Researchers suggested that a varied routine of the different exercises could deliver the best results.
Which of the following is the most effective in building abdominal muscles?

A.Torso Track. B.Ab-Doer.
C.Captain’s Chair. D.Body Shaper-Q8SP.

According to the author, it’s difficult for many Americans to get visible firm abdominal muscles mainly because.

A.they do not put in enough efforts
B.injuries interrupt their exercise frequently
C.they change their exercise routine regularly
D.how big their muscles will be is determined by birth

The author convinces the readers by.

A.describing successful eases B.offering professional connects
C.presenting findings of researches D.comparing advertisements of products

What’s the main purpose of this passage?

A.To research and develop in order to create the perfect stomach and exercise machine.
B.To promote proven exercise techniques and to advise against false advertisements.
C.To indicate that diet and exercises are necessary factors for a fit midsection.
D.To sponsor rich healthy lifestyle based on advanced product research.

Count Me Out
Call me old-fashioned. Call me old. Call me what you want, but refuse to become part of this new Internet world.
I do not possess a computer at home or at the office. Actually, I stopped going to an office 35 years ago, when all communications were done with a pen, a typewriter, or, if the matter was of world-shaking importance, over the telephone. Likewise, if you like something advertised in a newspaper or magazine, you visited the shop selling it at the given address, or you phoned, the number shown. Then you spoke to the fellow and asked for further details.
Tell me what you think of the following ad that appeared the other day in the newspaper. It was for a cure for cancer and this is what it said: “Awareness is the key. Visit spfulford. com at the awareness site.” There was no address or telephone number for the site. So what do unfortunate people without a computer do it they are seeking a cure for their illness?
There are, I am told, certain advantages in having access to the Internet. You can, for example, send love messages across the world or even get married to someone that you meet online. This bit doesn’t interest me; I have been happily married for 60 years. There are, of course, other activities for Internet users besides finding love. They can pay bills, order groceries, or discuss with their doctors.
And this is by no means all. More amazing things are yet to come in the near future. I read a newspaper report recently that quoted Stephen Hawking, an important British scientist. “The complexity of a computer as it exists today is probably less than the brain of an earthworm,” he said. “But, as technology advances, computers will become more complex, and a time may come when the Internet may develop ‘consciousness.’ In other words, the Internet will be able to think, have feelings, and may well be able to act on its own.”
If Professor Hawking is right, I may change my attitude about conjurers. As I grow older each day, I would like one of those that not only thinks for me but also accepts responsibilities for all my mistakes.
What’s the meaning of the title “Count Me Out”?

A.Get me out of the Internet world.
B.Computers are trying to take control of life.
C.Modern technology pushes old people away.
D.Do not expect me to be a supporter of the Internet.

According to Paragraph 2, the author thinks computers are.

A.unnecessary B.convenient C.expensive D.advanced

What might the author like about the future computer?

A.Taking blames. B.Curing illnesses.
C.Delivering messages. D.Responding to emotions.

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