Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963—February 11, 2012)was an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Often referred to as the “Queen of Pop”or simply “the Voice”. Houston was the most awarded female actress of all time. According to Guinness World Record 22American Music Awards, among a total of 415 career award as of 2010. Houston was also one of the world’s best-selling music artists, artists, having sold over 170 million albums and singles worldwide.
Born in what was then a middle-income neighborhood in New Jersey, Houston began singing in a junior gospel choir at age 11.After she began performing alongside in night clubs in New York City, she was discovered by Arista Records head Clive Davis, who had an impact on her as a singer and performer.
Houston was the only artist to chart seven consecutive(连续) No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits. She was the second artist behind Elton John and the only female artist to nave two number-one Billboard 200 Album awards on the Billboard magazine year-end charts. How Will I Know enthralled her fans and audience and even several African-American female artists to follow in her footsteps. Houston's first acting role was as the star of the feature film The Bodyguard (1992). The film’s original soundtrack won the 1994 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Its lead single, I Will Always Love You became the best-selling single by a female artist in music history. Three years after the release of her fourth studio album. My Love Is Your Love (1998), she renewed her recording contract with Arista Records. She released her fifth studio album. Just Whitney, in 2002, and the Christmas-themed One Wish: The Holiday Album in 2003. In 2009. Houston released her seventh and final studio album. I Look to You.
Houston died of causes yet to be determined on February 11,2012. Later this year her film Sparkle will be released into theaters.Which of the following statements about Whitney Elizabeth Houston is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．She was born in a very wealthy family in New Jersey. |
| B．Her last film Sparkle was released before her death. |
| C．She was regarded as the most-awarded female actress of all time. |
| D．The reason why Houston died has been confirmed. |
The following topics related to Whitney Elizabeth Houston are mentioned EXCEPT her .
| A．awards | B．films |
| C．influence | D．family life |
The underlined word “enthralled” in Paragraph 3 probably means “ ”.
| A．allowed | B．attracted |
| C．developed | D．puzzled |
What is the author’s main purpose in writing the passage?
| A．To call on us to learn from Whitney Elizabeth Houston. |
| B．To tell us the truth of Whitney Elizabeth Houston’s death. |
| C．To tell us the truth of Whitney Elizabeth Houston’s singer. |
| D．To describe some negative sides of Whitney Elizabeth Houston. |
The children often play soccer in the garden and sometimes break Mr Black’s windows. One afternoon Mr Black is at home and reads a book. In a minute he closes his eyes and goes to sleep. At that time a little boy knocks at the door. Mr Black opens his door and asks, “Do you break my window again?”
“Oh, no,” says the boy, “Your window is open this time and our soccer ball is in your room. May I get it, please?”
根据短文内容，判断下列句子T（正确）还是F（错误）The children often play soccer in the park.
Sometimes the children break Mr Black’s windows.
Mr Black watches TV one afternoon.
The children’s soccer ball is in Mr Black’s room.
The children break Mr Black’s window again.
AAAGH! The Generation 90s is coming!
Wearing earphones, using complex Net language and constantly text messaging friends, the Gen-90s following the Gen-80s begin to make their world debut (初次登台).
Each generation or age group has its own symbols and lifestyle. Read on and judge for yourselves if you fit the Gen-90s group.
Earphones
These little devices seem to grow on the heads of the Gen-90s. They might lead to MP3, MP4 or MP101 players, giving these young people a plugged-in, cool and perhaps self-addicted look, of course, life is not always music to the ears.
Martian language
They have created their own code-like online language. It’s a mixture of English, Japanese and Chinese that perhaps only Martians can understand. This is an imaginative generation, though they need to be careful to keep it out of their term papers.
Self-Portrait
Saying “cheese” to their own digital cameras is usual for this generation. A little bit of narcissism (自恋) never hurts anyone. It helps them reflect a little on their own lives．But be aware of the risks of posting private photos online.
Text-messaging
They can type their mobile phones as fast as they can speak. This is a generation that respects efficiency. However, oral communication is important and will never go out of style.According to the passage, if you belong to the Gen-90s , you will _______ .
| A．just appreciate yourself and ignore others’ strengths. |
| B．have your own symbols and lifestyle. |
| C．have the same symbols and lifestyle of the Gen-80s． |
| D．like music and dance very much. |
According to the text, the writer will choose ______ as a good example to the Gen-90.
| A．Li Hua likes music and always wearing iPod |
| B．Zhang Chao is not only an imaginative boy but do everything efficiently. |
| C．Lily is a shy girl and she doesn’t like making friends. |
| D．Fangfang likes being taken photos and often posting them on line. |
According to this passage, which is FALSE?
| A．Not all teens are cautious about posting photos． |
| B．They type their mobile phones so fast that it can catch the speed of speaking. |
| C．The Gen-90s have a preference for some music players, and even regard them as a necessary part of life. |
| D．They don’t use the cool and complex online language in formal writing. |
The main idea of the passage is about________.
| A．the Gen-90s’ happy life |
| B．the difference between the Gen-80s and the Gen-90s |
| C．the Gen-90s’ unique lifestyle and some practical warnings |
| D．the similarities between the Gen-80s and the Gen-90s |
We have been providing performing arts information for over 14 years. Here you can search for plays, musicals, concerts and operas across the UK.
| Bob the Builder—Spud’s Big Mess at Apollo Theatre Children will be happy to see and sing along with their favorite characters. Bob, with his hard-working team, builds a new eco-centered wind farm in Sunflower Valley. This show is full of fun, and provides an educational message to help children learn about caring about the environment, recycling and, of course, teamwork. [Kids show] Dates: From 1st November, 2009 to 8th May, 2010, at 19:00. Price information:￡20.00 to ￡40.00 |
| The Lion King at Sunny Theatre It is taken from an African story. A young lion grows up and learns that taking over the pride requires wisdom. [Musical] Dates: From 24th September, 1999 to now. Tuesday to Saturday at 14:00. Sunday at 15:00. Not on show on Monday. Price information:￡22.5 to￡65.00 |
| Mother Courage and Her Children at National Theatre Mother Courage sells food and clothing to soldiers and tries to keep her business and children alive at all costs during the war. Her encouraging story is told through humor and song. [Play] Dates: From 9th September, 2009 to 8th December, 2009 Price information:￡10.00 |
| Duke Bluebeard’s Castleat Coliseum Theatre Full of curiosity, Judith persuades her husband to give her the keys only to discover a glowing jewel house, a garden of flowers, a kingdom, and a lake of tears. But what is behind them? [Opera] Dates: From 6th November, 2009 to 28th November, 2009 Nov 6, 10, 12, 20, 25 at19:30. Nov 14, 28 at 18:30 Price information: ￡22.00 to ￡50.00 |
The main purpose of the text is to inform readers of____.
| A．film posters |
| B．performance information |
| C．the theatre’s advice |
| D．picture exhibitions |
Which performance will be on show for the shortest period of time?
| A．Bob the Builder—Spud’s Big Mess |
| B．The Lion King |
| C．Mother Courage and Her Children |
| D．Duke Bluebeard’s Castle |
What can we learn from the text?
| A．The first three shows are inspiring. |
| B．The shows are intended for children. |
| C．All of them have won many awards. |
| D．The characters in the shows are brave. |
A quarrel at home may result in your falling ill. Don’t laugh, it’s true. Family matters including living habits and even the way we speak have a big effect on our health, doctors say.
Wang Xiaoyu, a Senior 2 girl from Xichang, Sichuan Province, fainted (晕倒) in class when she heard her classmates quarrel at the top of their voices. Quarrels between her parents also put the girl into a coma. It is because she is suffering from depression (抑郁症), caused by bad relations at home, doctors explained.
“We don’t get sick or stay well by ourselves,” says Dr Robert Ferrer from the US. Ferrer shows that family forces may explain up to a quarter of health problems, in his recent research. The genes you get from your family may cause illness. If one of your parents has a heart attack, your risk of being affected may double. But effects on health are not only written in our DNA.
Unrelated people who live under the same roof also get similar problems. Diet, lifestyle and environment affect our health, too. Ferrer’s research also found that if teenagers feel they are ignored or unimportant at home they are more likely to get sick.
We may never fully understand all the effects that families have on our health. But just as individual (个别的) problems can have effects on others, a small improvement can have big benefits, Ferrer said. Which of the following can best explain why Wang Xiaoyu fainted in class?
| A．Because her classmates often quarreled in class. |
| B．Because her parents used to quarrel. |
| C．Because of her depression caused by bad family relations. |
| D．Because her classmates shouted loudly at her. |
According to Dr Ferrer, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．We get sick or stay well by ourselves. |
| B．Only the genes we get from our family have a big effect on our health. |
| C．Our health has nothing to do with diet, lifestyle and environment. |
| D．Teenagers who are ignored at home get sick more easily than those who are not. |
The underlined word “coma” in Paragraph2 probably means ________.
| A．surprise | B．faint | C．tiredness | D．sadness |
The best title for this passage is ________.
| A．Family relations. | B．The reasons why we get sick. |
| C．Family---- another cause to health | D．A research about health. |
When I was fifteen months old．I fell on a glass rabbit which cut my eye badly enough to blind it．And as I grew，this sightless eye , in so many ways controlled me that I walked with my face looking at the floor so people would not see the ugly me．
Yet Mama would hold me in her arms and stroke my hair and say，“If you hold your head up high，it will be OK．And people will see your beautiful soul．”She continued this message whenever I wanted to hide．
As a little child，I thought Mama meant，“Be careful or you will fall down or bump into something because you are not looking．”As a teenager, I found that my mama’s words helped me begin to realize that by letting people look at my face，I let them recognize the intelligence and beauty behind my eyes．
In high school I was successful both academically and socially．I was even elected class president，but inside me I still felt like a freak(畸形人)．When things got really bad，I would cry to my mama and she would look at me with loving eyes and say, “Hold your head up high and face the world．Let them see the beauty that is inside．”
When I met the man who became my partner for life，we looked each other straight in the eye，and he told me I was beautiful inside and out．Mama’s love and encouragement were the spark that gave me the confidence to overcome my own doubt．
“Hold your head up high” has been heard many times in my home．Each of my children has felt its invitation．The gift my mama gave me lives on in another generation．What is TRUE of the writer’s eyes?
| A．She was blind in one eye when she was born． |
| B．Her blindness was caused by a traffic accident． |
| C．She became blind in one eye because of a fall． |
| D．She lives unhappily because of her blindness． |
When the writer was a high school student，she ________ ．
| A．was proud of her beauty that was inside |
| B．was active in taking part in social activities |
| C．was filled with doubts and worries about her sightless eye |
| D．was good at her study but sometimes lacked confidence |
What does the underlined word “invitation” mean?
| A．encouragement | B．advantage | C．warmth | D．weight |
What’s the author’s purpose in writing the passage?
| A．To show the power of confidence． |
| B．To express her attitude to her mom． |
| C．To explain how to build confidence． |
| D．To inspire people to face difficulties |