Sweetest Day in America is always the third Saturday in October. This holiday is much more important in some regions than in others (Detroit, Cleveland and Buffalo being the biggest Sweetest Day cities). It is a holiday that is gaining in popularity every year throughout the country.
Sweetest Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in October as a day to make someone happy. It is an occasion which offers all of us an opportunity to remember not only the sick, aged, and orphaned, but also friends, relatives and associates whose helpfulness and kindness we have enjoyed.
Over 60 years ago, a man in Cleveland, believing that the city’s orphans and shut-ins (卧病在床的人) too often felt forgotten and neglected, thought of the idea of showing them that they were remembered. He did this through the distribution of small gifts. With the help of his friends and neighbors, he distributed these small remembrances on a Saturday in October. During the years that followed, other Clevelanders began to participate in the celebration ceremony, which came to be called “Sweetest Day”. In time, the Sweetest Day idea of spreading cheer to the underprivileged was broadened to include everyone, and became an occasion for remembering others with a kind act or a small remembrance. And soon the idea spread to other cities all over the country.
Sweetest Day is not based on any single group’s religious affection or on a family relationship. It is a reminder that a thoughtful word or deed enriches life and gives it meaning.
Because for many people remembering takes the form of gift-giving, Sweetest Day offers us the opportunity to show others that we care, in a practical way.We can learn from the first paragraph that Sweetest Day is ________.
A. sometimes the third Saturday in October
B. hardly celebrated in Detroit
C. of equal importance in every part of the USA.
D. getting increasingly popular in the USASweetest Day was originally intended to remember ________.
| A．the young and disabled | B．friends and relatives |
| C．orphans and shut-ins | D．the sick and aged |
We can infer from the passage that the birthplace of Sweetest Day is ________.
| A．Detroit | B．Cleveland |
| C．Buffalo | D．Washington |
Now on Sweetest Day gifts are given to those ________.
| A．we care | B．we admire |
| C．in need of help | D．in trouble |
There are some strange driving laws in different countries.
| Countries |
Laws |
Vietnam |
If you’re in Vietnam without a Vietnamese driver’s license, you risk a prison sentence of up to three years. |
Russia |
In Moscow, if your car is dirty enough to draw dust art, you will be fined about 2,000 rubles (about US $55). Worse yet, it’s illegal to wash your car by hand in public places — forcing you to take it to one of the few car wash facilities. |
Thailand |
Drivers —male or female — can’t drive shirtless, whether it’s a car, a bus, or a tuk-tuk cab. |
France |
France requires its drivers to carry a portable breathalyzer(酒精测量仪) at all times when driving a car. The one-time breathalyzer cost around US$5, and if you don’t have one, you will be fined US$15. |
Cyprus |
Raising your hands in the car can get you fined of US$35. The law states a driver can be fined if the person “is in an irregular position inside the car or raises his hand from the steering wheel unnecessarily. |
Where should you go to wash your car when you are in Moscow?
| A．The car wash facilities | B．Any public place |
| C．Your home | D．The forest |
What can get you fined for in Cyprus?
| A．Forgetting to carry a portable breathalyzer |
| B．Not having a Cyprus driver’s license |
| C．Putting your hands above your head when you are driving |
| D．Driving without a shirt |
If you are fined thousands of dollars in Japan, you may have been ____.
| A．in an irregular position in your car |
| B．sitting in a car with a drunk driver |
| C．splashing a person with mud |
| D．impolite to other drivers |
This text can most likely be found in _______.
| A．a law document |
| B．a fashion magazine |
| C．an international newspaper |
| D．a column on interesting cultures |
I log onto a computer at the doctor's office to say I have arrived and then wait until a voice calls me into the examination room.
There, a robotic nurse directs me onto a device and then takes my blood pressure. Some time later, in steps the doctor, who is also a robot. He notes down my symptoms and gives me a prescription (处方). I pay for my visit using a credit card machine and return home without having met another human being.
When I call my dentist's office and actually get a human being on the line, I am thrilled. And when I see the introduction of yet more self-service checkout stations at the grocery store, I feel like shouting, "When it comes to cashiers, make mine human, please!"
After all, human cashiers sometimes give you a store coupon (优惠券) for items you are buying. Even more than that, real-life cashiers often take an interest in particularly cute children, which can brighten a young mother's day. A cashier may also show compassion (同情)for an elderly person struggling to get that last penny out of her purse.
What technological device would do any of this? I don't want to go back to the Stone Age, but I'm also worried about a world run by machines. Sometimes when you're chatting with someone, you discover things you need to know. Maybe a receptionist needs prayers said for a sick child. Maybe a salesperson can offer a bit of encouragement to a customer who is feeling tired.
Machines can be efficient and cost-effective and they often get the job done just fine. But they lack an element so important to everyday life.
Call it the spirit, the soul or the heart. It is something no machine will ever have. It is being human that prompts us to smile at others, which may be what they need at that moment.What's the author's purpose in writing the first two paragraphs?
| A．To indicate high technology can make our future life very easy |
| B．To describe a possible future scene where robots take control of our life |
| C．To warn readers of the possible dangers of robotic nurses and doctors |
| D．To predict how technology can affect the way we see a doctoring the future |
Why does the author prefer being served by humans rather than by robots?
| A．Robots are indifferent and emotionless |
| B．Robots can't provide efficient services |
| C．Robots don't offer to give store coupons |
| D．Robots are unable to do a job as well as humans |
What's the author's attitude towards machines?
| A．He wishes one day they would come to life |
| B．He is absolutely against their existence in his life |
| C．He doesn't like they get involved in his life too much |
| D．He is afraid they would take the place of human beings |
Forget wearing your heart on your sleeve. It’s your hair that reveals what you’re really like.
If you want to show your goal-set side, go for a high ponytail. People with this hairstyle tend to be results-driven and logical, according to Jean Haner, a US expert in face reading who wrote The Wisdom of Your Face. When she first came out as an actress, Li Bingbing’s looks were often described as fragile, partly because of her long locks. But now, her polished high ponytail has convinced everyone that she is unstoppable and will go to any lengths to achieve her goals.
Wavy hair is attractive to many. But if you have curly hair and all you want to do is straighten it, this usually means your life is too chaotic（混乱） and you need to calm down. US singer Taylor Swift is a perfect example of this kind. By making hair straight, she’s controlling its intensity and giving herself a sense of calmness, according to Cosmopolitan magazine. She may have decided to enjoy herself for a moment after all the ups and downs in her love life.
Want to have more fun in your life? Curly hair may give you away. For those who have straight hair that is always curled, it can mean they’re craving for a more interesting life. The theory is that curly hair is more interesting than straight hair and will lead to more exciting experiences. If you don’t believe it, take US singer Beyonce Knowles’ case as an example. Her curly hairdo presents a more positive and fun image to the world.
If you have a super short wash-and-go hairstyle, you must be super confident. Miley Cyrus is one of those types. Long gone are the days when she was the lovely Disney star who had long wavy strands. Now she has a super short wash-and-go hairdo that is as rebellious as her personality. As she told E! Online, by keeping her hair short, she is speaking on behalf of girls everywhere, breaking the stereotype of more traditional hairstyles.How does the author develop the passage?
| A．By giving examples | B．By making comparison |
| C．By making assumption | D．By quoting wise words |
What’s the meaning of the underlined phrase“give you away”in para4？
| A．Stop you having fun | B．Show your inner secret |
| C．Bring more money | D．Attract more fans |
According to the passage, we can infer .
| A．High ponytail means being more logical |
| B．Taylor Swift used to be a lovely Disney star |
| C．US singer Beyonce Knowles likes straight hairstyle |
| D．Li Bingbing experienced ups and downs in her love life |
If you want to show your super confidence, you are advised to have .
| A．a high ponytail | B．a straight hair |
| C．a curly hair | D．a short wash-and-go hairdo |
When Rebecca Saxon was diagnosed with cancer at the young age of 27, she thought her life was over. But in her darkest hour, inspiration struck and she found a way of turning her disaster into advantage.
Following her cancer treatment, Rebecca launched a successful business 'Something Blue Bridal Shoes，which is about wedding shoes for brides.
Rebecca, from London, England, says: 'I started doing sketches of wedding shoes with blue soles when I was halfway through my cancer treatment. I had a hit a real low and was going through that whole "Will I live or die?" situation. But I decided that I was going to pick myself up and fight this cancer. The sketches were my release and the way I got through the many hours spent in a hospital room.
“ I had no idea what was going to happen to me. But I knew I had to be positive if I was going to overcome this treatment. I told myself this was not going to be the end for me. I decided to channel my negative feelings and start drawing.
“I had always loved fashion and when I was younger. Several of my friends were getting married at the time so weddings were very much in the air. So initially, I would be drawing designs for bridal gowns and other garments.
“But then I started sketching wedding footwear - designing shoes with distinctive, blue soles which were super comfy too. I thought it would be a lovely way of integrating the 'something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue' tradition.
“Drawing really helped me deal with my treatment. Rebecca was given the all-clear in August 2011.
With the encouragement of her entrepreneur boyfriend, Mike Bandar, she then turned her dreams into her reality and set up 'Something Blue Bridal Shoes'. Each brand shoe from the collection has a blue sole, predicting the age-old tradition of what a bride should wear at her wedding for good luck.When did Rebecca feel when she knew her illness first?
| A．Indifferent | B．Disappointed | C．Hopeful | D．Curious |
Rebecca specially designed shoes for .
| A．patients in hospital | B．married couple |
| C．brides in the wedding | D．homeless people |
What can we know from the passage?
| A．Rebecca designed shoes during her cancer treatment. |
| B．Rebecca’s boyfriend parted with her because of her cancer. |
| C．Rebecca wanted to be a bride wearing the shoes she designed herself. |
| D．Rebecca’s friends wear Blue Bridal Shoes during the wedding. |
What’s the meaning of the underlined phrase“ was given the all-clear”？
| A．gave up the treatment |
| B．was announced incurable |
| C．broke away from dangerous period |
| D．was operated on again |
In the US and Britain, the slogan around colleges was “Save water. Shower with a friend.” Now, Wuhan University has come up with another system for the campus bathhouse. It charges students for the amount of time in a shower. Before entering the bathhouse, students pay for the amount of time they want in the shower with cash or their student ID card. The clock starts ticking the minute the tape is turned on. It pauses when a button is pressed for soap. An integrated circuit(IC) card reader at each tap shows the time. No money, no water. The benefits of the new system can be seen with the old system, which charged 1 Yuan for each person regardless of time in the shower. The university used about 320 tones of water daily under the old system, but only 160 tons now.
Many students use the new system but opinions on it are divided. Some students say it is bad because bathing had become a sort of race. Many people using it for the first time are not sure how long they need to shower. Some might be embarrassed if their time is up and they’re still covered in soap. They have to ask the bathhouse worker to help them buy extra time.
“It’s a flaw in the system that you can not buy extra time on the ID card,” said Ren, a freshman in Wuhan University. The university is also considering some students’ suggestions that they be allowed to pay after they’ve finished the shower. Not surprisingly, some are complaining about losing the hour shower. But many students say the move helps them develop a water-saving sense.
Without the time limits, most students tended to shower for 30 to an hour in the bathhouse.
Some even used the hot water to wash their clothes. “In my experience, 10-20 minutes is enough,” said Dai Zhihua, a third-year student who usually takes 8 minutes.
A similar system has been installed in other universities. Shanghai Normal University introduced it at its Fengxiang Campus in September. The bathing fee there is 0.2 Yuan per minute. One male student responded by setting a record with a two-minute shower.According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Students pay for the amount of time they want in the shower. |
| B．The clock times all through while the student is bathing except when the bather paused for soap. |
| C．If money runs out, there will be no water. |
| D．Having finished bathing, the student has to pay for it. |
The underline word “flaw” (Paragraph3) most probably means______.
| A．perfection | B．advantage | C．pity | D．fault |
Since the new system has performed, ______ of water can be saved.
| A．a quarter | B．one third |
| C．one half | D．two thirds |
It can be inferred from the passage that______.
| A．the new operation can solve the water crisis. |
| B．The new operation can raise students’ environmental awareness. |
| C．a similar operation has been set in other universities. |
| D．The university has saved a lot of water by using the new system. |
In which column can you find this passage?
| A．People. | B．Society |
| C．Campus Life. | D．Lifestyle. |