Sometimes you may have a strong desire to do something strange or terrible. However, chances are that you don't act on your impulse (冲动 ), but let it pass instead. You know that to take the action is wrong in some way and that other people will not accept your behavior.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about the phenomenon of taboo behavior is how it can change over the years, how certain behavior and attitudes once considered taboo can become perfectly acceptable and natural at another point in time. Topics such as death, for example, were once considered so upsetting that it was a taboo to even talk about them. Now with the publication of important books such as On Death and Dying and Learning to Say Goodbye, people have become more aware of the importance of expressing feelings about death and, as a result, are more willing to talk about this taboo subject.
One of the newest taboos is the topic of fat. Unlike many other taboos, fat is a topic that people talk about constantly. It's not taboo to talk about fat; it's taboo to be fat. The "in" look is thin, not fat. In the work world, most companies prefer youthful-looking, slim manager to sell their image as well as their products to the public. The thin look is associated with youth, vigor, and success. The fat person, on the other hand, is thought of as lazy and lacking in energy, self-discipline and self-respect. After all, how can people permit themselves to become fat? In an image-consciOU6 society, thin is "in", fat is "out".
It's not surprising that millions of people have become obsessed(着迷) with staying slim and "in shape".The pursuit of a youthful physical appearance is not, however, the only reason for people's obsession with diet and exercise. Recent research has shown the importance of diet and exercise for personal health . As in most technologically developed nations, the life-style of people has changed since last century. Modern machines do all the physical labor. Cars and buses transport us quickly from point to point.As a result of inactivity and disuse, people's bodies can easily become weak. In an effort to avoid such a fate, millions of people are spending more of their time exercising.Parks are filled with joggers and bicyclists, and many companies are providing special exercise equipment for their employees to use during the work day.What does the word "taboo" refer to in the passage'?
| A.A crime committed on impulse . |
| B.An unfavorable impression left on other people. |
| C.A strong desire to do something strange or terrible. |
| D.A behavior considered unacceptable to the society. |
What does the underlined phrase "in" look in paragraph 3 probably mean?
| A.The fashionable look. | B.The hidden look. |
| C.The usual look. | D.The inside look. |
According to the passage, the common belief is that .
| A.fat people are full of energy | B.thin people are more successful |
| C.fat people prefer to have fat bosses | D.thin people are less image-conscious |
People pay more attention to diet and exercise because of ,
| A.their need to kill time | B.their love for sports |
| C.their concern for health | D.their belief in hard work |
What's the main purpose of this passage?
| A.To advertise. | B.To inform |
| C.To educate. | D.To compare |
Long ago in a small town, there was a place known as the House of 1,000 Mirrors. A small, happy little dog learned of this place and decided to visit.
When he arrived, he bounced(跳) happily up the stairs to the doorway of the house. He looked through the doorway with his ears lifted high and his tail wagging as fast as it could. To his great surprise, he found himself staring at 1,000 other happy little dogs with their tails wagging just as his. He smiled a great smile, and was answered with 1,000 great smiles just as warm and friendly. As he left the house, he thought to himself, “ This is a wonderful place. I will come back and visit often.”
In this same village, another little dog, who was not quite as happy as the first one, decided to visit the house. He slowly climbed the stairs and hung his head low as he looked into the door. When he saw the 1,000 unfriendly looking dogs staring back at him, he growled at them and was horrified to see 1,000 little dogs growling back at him. As he left, he thought to himself, “This is a horrible place, and I will never go back there again.”
All the faces in the world are mirrors. What kind of reflections do you see on the faces of the people you meet?Why did the first dog like the house?
| A.Because there were 1,000 mirrors in the house. |
| B.Because he thought he could keep himself warm in the house. |
| C.Because he liked everything presented to him. |
| D.Because he felt he was welcome here. |
The underlined word “ growl” probably means ______.
| A.make an unfriendly noise | B.smile |
| C.say hello | D.stare |
The passage tells us ________.
| A.we must look at ourselves in a mirror as often as possible |
| B.we must look at ourselves in a mirror like the first little dog |
| C.We can see ourselves in the faces of the people we meet |
| D.we are treated in the same way as other people |
Which of the following is the most suitable title for the passage?
| A.A Small happy Little Dog |
| B.The House of 1,000 Mirrors |
| C.The Wonderful Place and the Horrible Place. |
| D.Two Little Dogs |
For the most part, you are probably only exposed to the music that is played on your favorite radio stations and TV shows, music Web sites, or the music that your friends and family members enjoy. While you probably know a lot about your favorite type of music, it can be a rewarding experience to enlarge your horizons (眼界), discovering artists and types of music that you’re not familiar with. Who knows, you might discover you like certain types of music you never even considered.
Have you ever wondered about the history and influences of your favorite types of music? For example, did you know that rock ’n’ roll originated (起源) from the blues, and that the blues began as a form of musical expression for African Americans during slavery(奴隶制度)? Did you know that most hip-hop is heavily influenced by early rhythm blues and jazz?
There are many fun ways to learn about different musical styles and their historical roots. For example, if you like hip-hop, listen to some of your favorite CDs and take note of the samples the performers used to create the songs. There is a possibility that the artist used parts of older songs to create the music. You can go to the library or online to learn more about the artists and listen to more of their music by checking out CDs from the library or downloading songs online for a small fee.
You can learn so much about culture and history just by paying attention to different types of music and what is being expressed in the songs. There are so many different styles of music to learn about, and you owe (欠) it to yourself to make an effort to listen to and learn about them.The main topic of this passage is _______.
| A.creating music |
| B.performing music |
| C.enjoying your favorite music |
| D.learning about music |
What music did African Americans use to express their feelings of being slaves?
| A.Rock ’n’ roll. | B.The blues. |
| C.Hip-hop. | D.Jazz. |
How can you learn about culture and history through music?
| A.By writing down the names of the music |
| B.By creating music from older songs yourself. |
| C.By caring about what is being expressed in music. |
| D.By keeping a record of fees after downloading songs online. |
By saying the underlined sentence in the last paragraph, the author probably means that _______.
| A.you should try harder to learn about music |
| B.you should return something to music |
| C.you should borrow music CDs from others |
| D.you should buy music CDs yourself |
When women sit together to watch a movie on TV, they usually talk simultaneously(同时的)about a variety of subjects, including children, men, careers and what' s happening in their lives. When groups of men and women watch a movie together, the men usually end up telling the women to shut up. Men can either talk or watch the screen -- they can' t do both -- and they don' t understand that women can. Besides, women consider that the point of all getting together is to have a good time and develop relationships -- not just to sit there like couch potatoes staring at the screen.
During the ad breaks, a man often asks a woman to explain the plot and tell him where the relationship between the characters is going. He is unable, unlike women, to read the subtle body language signals that reveal how the characters are feeling emotionally. Since women originally spent their days with the other women and children in the group, they developed the ability to communicate successfully in order to maintain relationships. For a woman, speech continues to have such a clear purpose: to build relationships and make friends. For men, to talk is to relate the facts.
Men see the telephone as a communication tool for sending facts and information to other people, but a woman sees it as a means of bonding. A woman can spend two weeks on vacation with her girlfriend and, when she returns home, telephone the same girlfriend and talk for another two hours.
There is no convincing evidence that social conditioning, the fact that girls' mothers talked them more, is the reason why girls talk more than boys. Psychiatrist Dr Michael Lewis, author of Social Behaviour and Language Acquisition, conducted experiments that found mothers talked to and looked at, baby girls more often than baby boys. Scientific evidence shows parents respond to the brain bias of their children. Since a girl’s brain is better organized to send and receive speech,we therefore talk to them more. Consequently, mothers who try to talk to their sons are usually pointed to receive only short grunts in reply.While watching TV with others, women Usually talk a lot because they
| A.are afraid of awkward silence with their families and friends |
| B.can both talk and watch the screen at the Same time |
| C.think they can have a good time and develop relationships |
| D.have to explain the plot and body language to their husbands |
After a vacation with her girlfriend, a woman would talk to her again on the phone for hours in order to .
| A.experience the happy time again |
| B.keep a close tie with her |
| C.recommend her a new scenic spot |
| D.remind her of something forgotten |
What does the author want to tell us most?
| A.Women' s brains are better organized for language and communication |
| B.Women love to talk because they are more sociable than men. |
| C.Men do not like talking because they rely more on facts. |
| D.Social conditioning is not the reason why women love talking. |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
| A.Women Are Socially Trained to Talk |
| B.Talking Maintains Relationships |
| C.Women Love to Talk |
| D.Men Talk Differently from Women |
When you grow up, could you imagine your parents choosing your husband or wife for you? Besides, can you imagine not setting eyes on him or her until your wedding day? This situation is common in India, the Middle East and many parts of Africa. Marriage customs around the world often differ from our own. We don’t realize that people in other places often get married in very different ways—and with different motives.
In many countries, marriage is a practical matter. A marriage provides a safe and stable home for the husband and wife. It also joins two families, which benefits the couple’s parents and makes them happy. Marriage also brings children, making sure the couple will be taken care of in old age. Because marriage is important for the whole family, some cultures don’t let young people choose whom to marry.
Just as there are many different reasons for marriage, there are also many different wedding rituals. Every culture has its own ways of bringing good luck to the happy couple. In a typical Western wedding, the bride seeks good luck by wearing “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.” Something old represents the past. Something new represents success in the future. Something borrowed reminds the bride she can get help from her friends and family. And something blue reminds her to be true to her husband.
In Poland, one wedding tradition is not only lucky, but also very practical. The wedding guests pin money to the bride’s dress while she is dancing. The money is meant to bring luck and to help the young couple build their new life. In Bermuda, the young couple plant a tree in the yard of their new home. Once they move in, they take good care of the tree and make it grow. The planting of the tree is a good metaphor(比喻) for marriage. A truly good marriage is something that grows with care.Which of the following statements does NOT support the idea “marriage is a practical matter”?
| A.The husband or wife may have a safe and stable home. |
| B.A marriage brings children to take care of the couple when they are old. |
| C.A marriage benefits both the couple’s families. |
| D.Parents have no duty to help their children get married. |
The underlined word “ritual” means .
| A.methods | B.ceremonies |
| C.behaviors | D.performances |
What can be the subject of this passage?
| A.People across the world get married in different ways and for different reasons. |
| B.Every culture had its own ways of bringing good luck to the young couple. |
| C.A truly good marriage is something that grows with care. |
| D.In many countries, marriage is a practical matter. |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A.Parents choose a husband or wife for their child in India. |
| B.In many countries, some cultures don’t let young people choose whom to marry. |
| C.In Bermuda, the wedding guests pin money to the bride’s dress while she is dancing. |
| D.Something blue reminds the bride to be true to her husband in western wedding. |
“Mind over matter” is an English saying meaning that we can control our bodies with our minds. Now scientists are finding increasing evidence that our mind can have a great effect on our physical health. Since our mind influences how we feel, it’s not true to say if someone is ill just because he feels ill.
The influence of the mind on how well we feel is the basis of what is known as the placebo effect. A placebo (which is Latin for “I shall please”) is a harmless, inactive substance. Patients are sometimes given placebo pills and begin to feel better because they believe that they have been given real drugs and expect to respond to them. The placebo effect is very strong: research on pain suggests that up to 30% of the effect of most painkillers is a placebo effect.
So if it is so powerful, why don’t doctors use it today?
According to Dr Persaud, they really do. “All these things like seeing a doctor, going to a hospital, and being scanned(扫描) have a very strong placebo effect,” he says.According to the first paragraph, if you feel ill.
| A.you don’t need to see a doctor |
| B.it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re physically ill |
| C.you are in good condition |
| D.it is obvious that you suffer from a serious disease |
The English saying “mind over matter” means that .
| A.a sound mind is less important than a good health |
| B.our mind has a strong effect on our body |
| C.our physical health has nothing to do with our mind |
| D.mental health mainly depends on our physical health |
According to the passage, placebos .
| A.may make patients feel worse |
| B.are not effective pills |
| C.are not real drugs |
| D.can relieve all kinds of pains |
From the passage it can be seen that there will be no placebo effect if a patient .
| A.is dressed in white | B.has a physical exam |
| C.takes placebo pills | D.sees a doctor |