A mother of a cheerful five-year-old just returned from a meeting of the National Organization for Women. Inspired by exciting dreams for the possibilities of womanhood, she asked her daughter what she wanted to be when she grew up. Little Lisa quickly answered, “A nurse.”
There was a time when nursing was thought of as a woman’s job and the answer somehow seemed not to be satisfied. She had, after all, just returned from a new meeting.
“You can be anything you want to be,” she reminded her daughter. “You can be a lawyer, a doctor, a banker, president of the country — you can be anything.”
“Anything?” Lisa asked.
“Anything!” her mother smiled.
“I know,” Lisa said. “I want to be a horse!”
Lisa’s dream may need some improvement, but there is plenty of time for that. When do we give up dreaming about the future? When do we resign (听任) ourselves to simply replaying dreams from the past?
Maybe her dream needs to mature (成熟) a bit, but would you rather have the optimism (乐观) of a five-year-old girl who wants to be a horse, or the pessimism (悲观) of an adult who says in despair, “I can’t be anything at all”？
Teddy Roosevelt said, “Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground.” I believe that is the way to make those dreams come true. It begins with looking up and dreaming of something beautiful.What did the girl really want to be when she grew up?
| A．A nurse. | B．A horse. |
| C．A banker. | D．A lawyer. |
How did the mother feel when hearing her daughter’s first answer?
| A．Satisfied. | B．Puzzled. |
| C．Disappointed. | D．Excited. |
The lesson we can learn from the passage is that we should ______.
| A．stop children dreaming of something strange |
| B．advise parents how to educate children |
| C．encourage adults to learn from children |
| D．help children to set up a big goal |
The true meaning of the underlined sentence in the last paragraph is “______”.
| A．Stand on the ground and watch the stars |
| B．Have a big dream and work hard |
| C．Protect your eyesight while working |
| D．Find a good way to watch the stars |
At first sight, you would think the collection of hundreds of colored shards（碎片）could be a work of abstract art. But the objects are the contents of the stomach of a sea turtle that lost its battle with plastic pollution.
Environmentalists examined the stomach of the turtle found off the coast of Argentina. What they found is the symptom of the increasing threat to sea turtles from a human addiction to plastic.
Sea turtles often mistake plastic items for jellyfish or other food. Ingesting（摄取）ocean pollution can cause a digestive blockage and internal cuts. The result can be dangerous, followed by death.
Humans produce 260 million tons of plastic a year. When those products are pulled into the sea’s currents, the plastics are just broken into smaller pieces which are consumed by marine life at the bottom of the food chain. An examination of a green turtle found off Florida discovered that, over the course of a month, the animal’s faeces（粪便）had contained 74 foreign objects, including “four types of balloons, different types of hard plastic, a piece of carpet--like material and two 2--4 mm tar balls.”
“The oceans have become a giant refuse bin for all manner of plastics. All sea turtle species may be seriously harmed, “according to the biologists Colette Wabnitz, from the University of British Columbia. ”The symptom of this growing crisis can be seen inside and on sea turtles as well as their oceanic and terrestrial habitats. It is urgently necessary to directly confront the source of plastic pollution, redesign packaging and rethink the very idea of ‘throwaway culture’.”
Almost all marine species, from plankton to whales, have ingested plastic. But, even in small quantities, plastic can kill sea turtles, the biologists said.
Fifty out of 92 turtles found dead, stranded on the shorelines of Rio Grande do Sul state in Brazil, had ingested a “considerable amount of man-made debris”.What’s tile passage mainly about?
| A．How to prevent the sea turtle from plastic. |
| B．Why plastic is dangerous to the sea turtle. |
| C．Protecting the sea turtle from being polluted. |
| D．Sea turtles suffering from plastic pollution. |
The author mentions the “throwaway culture” probably in a（n） _________ tone.
| A．praising | B．positive |
| C．ironic | D．comedic |
The underlined word in the last paragraph probably means _________.
| A．a kind of food | B．a kind of fish |
| C．pieces of cloth | D．pieces of rubbish |
The paragraph following the last one will probably talk about ________.
| A．the way the biologists examined the sea turtle |
| B．some tips on how to make sea turtles avoid plastic |
| C．how to prevent plastic pollution |
| D．the reason why we should protect the sea turtle |
Fucheng Garden Villas is situated along the North 4 th Ring Road , just 2 kilometres east away from the Asian Games Village with easy traffic connection. It is 5 kilometres from the Beijing Lufthansa Centre.
Fucheng Garden Villas occupies an area of 34.7 hectares, over 80% of which is covered by trees and green, just like a garden in the city.
All the 108 villas were designed by American Company IDI, in American style, luxurious besides comfortable.
All materials of the construction and decoration as well as equipment are famous American products.
From now to July 31st, preferential（优惠）prices for sale and rent are offered. You can move into Fucheng Garden Villas on signing an agreement.
Bank will provide a 50％ mortgage（抵押）for 5 years.
Overseas sales License: NO. 124.
Developer: Beijing Hongda Read Estate Co. Ltd.
60East, North 4th Ring Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing.
Tel:（8610）64967050 64967049
Fax:（8610）64933575
（From Wednesday, June 25, 1997 CHINA DAILY）The advertiser is _________.
| A．Fucheng Garden Villas | B．American Company--IDI |
| C．Beijing Hongda Road Estate Co. Lid | D．The Beijing Luftthansa |
How many hectares is Fucheng Garden Villas covered by trees and greens?
| A．6.94 | B．More than 27.76 |
| C．27.76 | D．80% |
According to the advertisement, which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．From June 25 to July 31, 1997, you can buy or rent the Fucheng Garden Villas with a low price. |
| B．You can’t move into Fucheng Garden Villas before signing agreement |
| C．If you haven’t got enough money at the moment, you can’t buy the Villas |
| D．Not only equipment but also all materials of the construction and the decoration are made in America |
The wedding took place in a Birmingham hotel. The bride and her father arrived in a new black American sports car. Her father looked nervous and uncomfortable in front of the cameras. The bride wore a silk wedding dress. She smiled nervously at the waiting photographers and went to a room on the first floor where she met her future husband for the very first time.
Carla Germaine and Greg Cordell were the winners of a radio station’s competition. The aim of the competition was to find two strangers prepared to marry without having met each other. Miss Germaine, 23, is a model. Mr. Cordell, 27, is a TV salesman. They were among the two hundred people who entered for a particular “experiment” organized by BMRB radio in Birmingham, England. Greg and Carla were among eight finalists who were interviewed live on radio. They took a lie detector （测谎仪）test and the station also spoke to their friends and family about their personalities. The competition judges included an astrologer（占卜家）who declared that they were suited.
The couple celebrated their wedding with a wedding breakfast and a party for 100 guests in the evening, but not everyone shared their joy. Miss Germaine’s mother looked anxious through-out the wedding and Mr. Cordell’s parents are reported to be less than delighted.
Organizations, including the marriage guidance service Relate, have criticized the marriage. As one expert put it, “we have enough problems getting young people to take marriage seriously. Marriage should always be about love.”
The couples are now on a Caribbean honeymoon followed by journalists. Their other prizes include a year’s free use of a wonderful apartment in the centre of Birmingham, and a car. But will it last?How did the couple’s parents react to the wedding?
| A．The bride’s mother shared their joy. |
| B．The bridegroom’s parents were not that joyful. |
| C．The bridegroom’s parents were quite delighted. |
| D．The bride’s father felt uncomfortable about the wedding. |
Some experts believe that ________.
| A．marriage without the couple’s meeting each other first ends up in divorce. |
| B．most young people take marriage seriously except this couple. |
| C．taking a lie detector test can not solve all the marriage problems. |
| D．young people nowadays are too careless about marriage. |
One of the prizes for the couple is ________.
| A．to use an apartment free for some time. |
| B．to spend their honeymoon wherever they like. |
| C．to have a wedding dress free. |
| D．to own an American sports car. |
Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
| A．A Wedding Based on love. | B．Two Strangers and a Wedding. |
| C．A Short--lived Marriage. | D．A Well--Matched Couple. |
According to legend, the Bridge of Sighs in Venice, Italy, which connects the Palazzo Ducale to an ancient prison, got its name because the walk across it gave prisoners on their way to jail a final chance to enjoy the beauty of the city. The view from the bridge today, however, is more likely to be of a giant billboard selling Bulgari or Coca-cola.
But when the Coke billboards went up this summer on buildings near the Piazza San Marco,which is at the historic heart of Venice, there was a public debate.
"We can't commercialize everything, " said Alessandra Mottola Molfino, a Venetian.
"We couldn't stay quiet, " said Maria Camilla Bianchini d'Alberigo, president of a heritage protection association.
City of officials. however, argue that without these ads, the city could not afford to maintain its heritage. Many have been damaged by centuries of wear and are even a threat to public safety.
"I can't turn down the image of a bottle when there are pieces of the Palazzo Ducale falling to the ground, " said Renata Codello, a Culture Ministry official.
The Culture Minister has a budget of about $ 47 million (315 million yuan) for restoration of monuments. but Italy has a rich architectural heritage, and funds are always tight. Of that amount, $ 1. 8 million was given to the entire Veneto region, which includes Venice.
Two years ago, the city signed an agreement with the Dottor Group, a company responsible for the restoration of the Bridge of Sighs and the Palazzo Ducale. It allows it to sell ad space.
But there is a condition in the agreement: The ads should not offend public taste.
In August, Venice banned US actress Julianne Moore's Bulgrari ad from a billboard in the Piazza San Marco.
The photo shows a naked Moore covered with lion cubs. handbags and jewelry. Mayor Giorgio Orsoni called the image too racy (猥亵) and unsuitable for the Piazza San Marco.
"l consider the fact that Venice is part of the real world_ but we cannot accept these Hollywood-style images. There are wise sponsors. and we need to come up with advertising that suits Venice. not Times Square, " he said in a speech.The article is mainly about__________in Venice.
| A．restoration of cultural heritage |
| B．widespread commercialization |
| C．the conflict between ads and cultural heritage |
| D．the difficulty of restoring monuments |
In the first paragraph, the beautiful view from the Bridge of Sighs is mentioned to__________.
| A．introduce other monuments of the ancient city |
| B．show many ancient structures need repairing |
| C．indicate that the view is blocked by huge ads |
| D．attract readers' interest in the famous city |
From the article we can conclude that Renata Codello__________ the advertising.
| A．is in favor of | B．is worried about |
| C．objects to | D．doesn't mind |
Why do many Venetians complain about the ads?
| A．They support commercialization. |
| B．They feel the ads are damaging the city. |
| C．The ads are usually racy and in an American style. |
| D．The ads don't present a traditional view of Venice. |
It can be inferred from the passage that
| A．Hollywood stars' ads cannot go up in Venice |
| B．people can buy Bulgari or Coca-cola on the Bridge of Sighs |
| C．the Dottor Group may stop its restoration work for lack of funds |
| D．the mayor of Venice is expecting new advertising |
I have always known my kids use digital communications equipment a lot. But my cellphone bill last month really grabbed my attention. My son had come up to nearly 2,000 incoming text messages, and had sent nearly as many. Of course, he was out of school for the summer and communicating more with friends from a distance. Nevertheless, he found time to keep a summer job and complete a college course in between all that typing with thumb.
I was even more surprised to learn that my son is normal. "Teenagers with cellphones each send and receive 2,272 text messages a month on average, " Nielsen Mobile said.
Some experts regret that all that keyboard jabber(键盘闲聊) is making our kids stupid, unable to read non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, gestures, posture and other silent signals of mood and attitude. Unlike phones, text messaging doesn't even allow transmission of tone of voice or pauses, says Mark Bauerlein, author called The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future.
Beyond that, though, I'm not sure I see as much harm as critics of this trend. I' ve posted before on how I initially tried to control my kids' texting. But over time, I have seen my son suffer no apparent ill effects, and he gains a big benefit, continuing contact with others.
I don't think texting make kids stupid. It may make them annoying, when they try to text and talk to you at the same time. And it may make them distracted. when buzzing text message interrupt efforts to noodle out a math problem or finish reading for school.
But I don't see texting harming teens' ability to communicate. My son is as accustomed to nonverbal cues as any older members of our family. I have found him more engaged and easier to communicate with from a great distance. because he is constantly available by means of text message and responds with faithfulness and speed.What is Mark Bauerlein ' s attitude to texting?
| A．It is convenient for teens to communicate with others. |
| B．It is likely to cause trouble in understanding each other. |
| C．It is convenient for teens to text and call at the same time. |
| D．It will cause damage to the development of teens' intelligence. |
What would be the best title for this passage?
| A．For Teens, Texting Instead of Talking |
| B．For Parents, Caring Much for Their Kids |
| C．Disadvantages of Texting |
| D．The Effect of Communication |
What does the underlined word "distracted" in the fifth paragraph mean?
| A．Confused. | B．Absent-minded. |
| C．Comfortable. | D．Bad-tempered. |
The author's attitude to texting is ___________ .
| A．objective | B．opposed |
| C．supportive | D．doubtful |
According to the passage, which of the statements is NOT true?
| A．It is normal for a teen to send or receive 60 text messages per day. |
| B．Texting is a very popular way of communication among teens. |
| C．The writer limited his son to send or receive messages at first. |
| D．When texting, teens don't mind talking with you. |