I wasn’t surprised when I read that actress Helen Hunt recently stated that she would never allow her young daughter to become a child star. Ms Hunt is the daughter of a Hollywood technical director, and grew up in Hollywood. Now in her late 40s, she started acting and modeling when she was eight and has probably seen a lot over those years in show business.
She has had a successful career. She earned four Golden Globes and four Emmys. She also attained the top honor of her profession when she won the Best Actress Academy Award for her role in the 1992 movie, As Good As It Gets. Given those accolades, Ms Hunt is successful. There is no doubt that her early experiences as a child star prepared her for what has been an outstanding adult career. Given those achievements, why would this star declare she’ll never allow her daughter, now at the age of six, to follow in her footsteps?
Everyone familiar with the entertainment scene is aware of the reasons for her attitude. Recent tabloid (小报) news headlines featuring the troubles of former child stars, among them Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears and the late Gary Coleman, may answer the question. Although Ms Hunt managed to become a successful grown-up star, she apparently believes she’s an exception.
What Ms Hunt may be suggesting is that many very young stars go through unnatural childhoods on movie and TV sets. While they’re earning big incomes, they’re so pampered (纵容) by directors and praised by fans; they may get false impressions that their lives will always be that way. Then, within a few years, when faced with reality, they’re hurt and confused. After all the overwhelming affection, they find they can’t deal with the problems. That’s often when drugs and alcohol take over their lives.
Helen Hunt has some other reasons why she doesn’t want her daughter to be in the entertainment business. Many child stars can never make a successful transition to meaningful adulthood. However, as with many Hollywood movies, I believe there are both good and bad scenes about how it can be played out in real life.According to the passage, Ms Hunt _________.
| A．started acting and modeling when she was a little girl |
| B．has been acting for about 30 years |
| C．is the daughter of a famous actor |
| D．started singing when she was eight |
The underlined word “accolades” in Paragraph 2 probably means “_________”.
| A．difficulties | B．awards |
| C．salaries | D．opinions |
The author thinks Helen Hunt’s success is mainly due to _________.
| A．her hard work |
| B．the help of a technicaldirector |
| C．her experiences as a child star |
| D．her talent and good luck |
Helen Hunt wouldn’t allow her daughter to become a child star because she thinks _________.
| A．child stars often take drugs and alcohol |
| B．being a child star may ruin her future |
| C．child stars aren’t able to solve their problems |
| D．it is difficult to succeed as a child actor |
From the passage we can conclude that _________.
| A．few child stars will succeed in the future |
| B．there is no way to save the entertainment business |
| C．the author has a different opinion about child stars |
| D．meaningful adulthood only belongs to non-child stars |
People who travel a lot fly with BA because they know they will get what they want and what they need. First of all, they want to go safely, and they also want to go quickly, across the country, across the sea, or right across the world — and they know BA will take them where they want to go, when they want to go. BA flies all the newest and fastest planes, to more towns and cities, in more countries of the world, than any other airline.
Do you want to go to Paris, Washington, or Beijing? BA will take you there, at all time of the day and night, right through the week. BA flies not only to the big cities, we also fly three or four times a week to towns and cities in the very heart of Asia, Africa and South America.
People who travel a lot fly with BA, because they know that they will leave on time, and arrive on time. They know the food they will receive and the films they will watch will be of the very best.
BA should be considered second to none. When you fly, fly with BA.The writer thinks that the most important thing for the passengers is ________.
| A．to fly freely | B．that the planes arrive on time |
| C．to fly at a fast speed | D．to travel safely |
BA flies to many big cities of the world ________.
| A．every day | B．every three days |
| C．twice a week | D．every other week |
The underlined sentence of the text means ________.
| A．BA is the second best | B．BA is the best of all |
| C．BA has a long way to go | D．BA is growing larger and larger |
If you fly with BA, ________.
| A．you’ll be the happiest one in the world |
| B．you’ll receive the best service |
| C．you’ll enjoy delicious meals that other airlines don’t have |
| D．you can travel to any place you like |
“Image is everything.” An entire industry has been built upon the assumption that image is everything, but when it comes down to it, an appealing image is not enough. If there is no substance(事实) behind the image, the product, service or person will fail eventually.
First of all, one should consider how important image is in the selling of products and services. Advertising agencies have raised the art of creating an image to a state of near perfection. Public concept of that product or service is certainly managed by the images created by the advertising agencies. But if the product or service does not live up to the image that was created, the customer will be very dissatisfied and possibly ask for their money back. For example, the Arthur Andersen accounting firm had spent decades building up an image of trustworthiness. But the recent scandal (丑闻) showed that behind that image, it cheated in business practices. Despite the previous positive image, the firm is being accused of criminal actions and it will probably not survive as a business unit. Although the image had been nearly perfect, the reality behind the image has led to the downfall of the world famous accounting firm.
Similarly, personal advisers can build up a public image for politicians and movie stars. Putting out positive news releases, making sure that only the best photographs are published, and ensuring that the person is seen in all the right places can build up a very positive image in the view of the general commons. But once again, history is filled with examples of both politicians and movie stars that fell from grace like the story of the Hollywood actor giving in to the pressures of fame and fortune. With people, just as with products and services, image is certainly important, but without positive substance behind the image, failure is close.
To summarize, it is clear that an appealing image is extremely important to success, whether that image is related to selling a product or service or to the “selling” of a person. But image is only half of the equation. What lies behind that image is every bit as important as the image itself —— the person or product must deliver on that image or there is little chance for long-term success.The downfall of the Arthour Andersen accounting firm is due to ________.
| A．its dishonesty in business | B．its previous images |
| C．its bad management | D．its poor service |
Why did some famous people fall from grace?
| A．Their images were not well built up | B．They failed to live up to their images. |
| C．They felt much pressure from the public | D．They paid little attention to fame and fortune. |
The structure of the passage is ________.
A: Argument P: Point C: ConclusionThe author tries to argue that _________.
| A．image creates everything | B．image is the key to success |
| C．truth is unlikely ever to be equalled | D．truth and image are equally important |
Gauri Nanda sees a wearable computer as a handbag—one that’s built out of four-inch squares and triangles of fiber, with tiny computer chips embedded(嵌入) in it. It looks, feels and weighs like your typical leather purse.
That’s where similarities end: This bag can wirelessly keep track of your belongings and remind you, just as you’re about to leave the house, to take your wallet. It can review the weather report and suggest that you grab an umbrella. This purse can even upload your favorite songs onto your scarf.
Sure, a computing purse and scarf set may seem like the stuff of science fiction. But these devices, part of next generation of wearable computers, could become commonplace within a few years. DuPont created new super strong fibers that can conduct electricity and can be woven into ordinary-looking clothes. And the chipmaker developed chip packaging allowing wearable computers to be washed, even in the heavy-duty cycle.
As a result, these new wearable devices are different from the heavy and downright silly versions of the recent past, which often required users to be wrapped in wires and type on their stomachs. Unlike their predecessors, these new wearable computers also make economic sense. When her bag becomes commercially available in two to three years, Nanda expects it will cost around $150, which is the price of an average leather purse.
Here’s how the bag works: You place a special radio-signal-transmitting chip on to your wallet. A similar radio in your purse picks up the signal and notifies you that you’ve forgotten to take your wallet. In turn, sensors on your purse’s handles will notify the computer that you’ve picked up the purse and are ready to go.
Already, these new kinds of wearable devices are being adopted for use in markets like auto repair, emergency services, medical monitoring—and even, increasingly, for consumers at large. Indeed, more people will want to cross that bridge in the coming years--- making for a booming market for wearable computers that don’t like something out of science fiction.Which of the following describes a wearable computer?
| A．It can be washed in a washing machine. | B．It is much heavier than a leather purse. |
| C．It can download songs from the Internet. | D．It is made of clothes conducting electricity. |
According to the passage, these new wearable computers ______.
| A．require users to operate on the stomach |
| B．pick up the signals through wires and chip |
| C．are being applied in some different areas now |
| D．are smarter but more expensive than the old ones |
What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph mean?
| A．These new wearable computers have become fashionable. |
| B．People would like to learn more about these new computers. |
| C．These new wearable computers promise to sell well in the future. |
| D．The idea of these purse-like computers comes from science fiction. |
The purpose of the passage is ______.
| A．to introduce a new kind of computer | B．to explain the function of computers |
| C．to compare different types of computers | D．to show how high technology affects our life |
In November of 2007, NBC Universal launched its first official Green Week. Throughout the week, NBC Universal presented over 150 hours of environmentally themed content across multiple platforms.
Now, NBC Universal is proud to present Green Week 2009. With a new theme and message of "Green Your Routine," Here at NBC and NBC.com we celebrate our talent in the "The More You Know" PSA campaign, presenting green-themed tips in several of our daytime life, among several other features here on the "Green Your Routine" site.
Fashion & Beauty
Throw a clothes swap party! Dying for that sweater your friend wore the other day? Well, maybe she'll trade for that old T-shirt you have. Here's a website that helps you organize a swap party (www.swapstyle.com), or just plan your own!
Go natural with organic make-up. Applying unnatural products directly on your skin wasn't exactly what nature intended. Try switching to a line of organic make-up and cosmetics for a different way to bring out your natural beauty.
Home
Drop a brick in your toilet tank! Literally! According to the EPA, flushing makes up 30 percent of a household's water use (about three to six gallons per flush). By placing a brick in your toilet tank, you can help to conserve the amount of water used during each flush.
Wash clothes efficiently. 90 percent of the energy used in washing clothes is to heat the water. You can reduce your energy bill by washing in cold water and hanging items to dry.
Work
Print smarter. Printing and copying can be one of the most costly operations in any office. To save on ink and paper costs, print double-sided and try to fit more than one page on a sheet. More printing tips can be found here: lifehacker.com
Turn off your computer. Do you leave your computer on overnight? If so, you're using up a good amount of electricity. When you can, try turning off your computer and the power strip it's connected to. If you can't, at least shut off your monitor. Remember, screen savers don't save energy.
Transportation
Organize a carpool. There are many benefits to carpooling. You save on gas, reduce wear and tear on your car, and you get to ride in the HOV lanes. Get connected with your neighbours and co-workers to start sharing rides and check out this website for more tips: www.erideshare.com.
Lose the car, get a bike. If you live close to where you work, try taking a bike instead of driving. You'll keep in shape and save on gas!
Every small step and effort makes a difference! Be sure to GREEN YOUR ROUTINE!NBC Universal holds Green Week activities ___________.
| A．in a university | B．in a park | C．in an office | D．on the internet |
This year, Green Week welcomes ____________.
| A．advice on how to improve the website |
| B．suggestions about how to make their activities more interesting |
| C．tips on what to do to make our life greener |
| D．opinions on whether we should have campaigns |
If you want to carpool with somebody, you can find more advice and information at______.
A. www.swapstyle.com B. www.erideshare.com
C. www. lifehacker.com D. www. NBC.comWhich is NOT recommended(推荐) by Green Week this year?
| A．Using things like cucumbers to beautify your skin. |
| B．Reducing the room of your toilet tank to save water when flushing. |
| C．Giving away your old clothes to those in need of them. |
| D．Printing and using computers in an economical way. |
If you struggled to get up for work on Wednesdays, there could be a good reason--it is the day our mood reaches its lowest point. Monday has traditionally been thought of as the most depressing day of the week but according to psychologists, midweek gives more cause for concern in reality. Wednesday represented the lowest point in the week as people were furthest away from the weekend that has either just gone or is coming up and often feel too tired to go on with work.
However, psychologists have found that, on average, people's moods remain about the same on each day throughout the week.
To start their research, the University of Sydney scientists asked around 200 people what they thought their mood would be on each day of the week.
Most said their worst moods were on Monday mornings and evenings but they became increasingly cheerful as the week went on, with their best moods falling on Friday and Saturday mornings and evenings.
When asked why they believed that Friday and Saturday were best, respondents said they saw them as less-structured days when they could choose how to spend their time.
The psychologists then asked a further 350 people how they felt each day.
They found that, on average, people's moods remained about the same on each day throughout the week.Mondays were not as depressing as they had feared and Fridays and Saturdays were not as exciting as predicted.
Professor Charles Areni, who led the study, said the day-of-the-week stereotypes (陈词滥调) stem from a cultural belief that people are generally happier when they are free to choose their activities compared to when they are engaged in paid work.
In reality, he said, weekends do not often see moods change because they are frequently dominated by productive activities that may require large amounts of energy and begin to feel tired like work."Day-of-the-week stereotypes like Monday morning blues and Thank God It's Friday are largely illusions," he said. _________ has always been thought as the unhappiest day of a week.
| A．Monday | B．Wednesday | C．Friday | D．Sunday |
People don’t like Wednesday because ________.
| A．work seems to be endless on Wednesday |
| B．it is the most-structured day of a week |
| C．they have just had their weekend |
| D．weekend is still a couple of days’ away |
Which of the following is the finding of the research mentioned in the passage?
| A．All of the people asked admitted that on Monday they had the worst moods. |
| B．Saturday and Sunday were the best because people could plan their time freely. |
| C．There was no sharp difference in people’s moods between each day of the week. |
| D．Different people had different ideas about which day was the worst in a week. |
Charles Areni believes that the day-of-the-week stereotypes results from________.
| A．the productive activities requiring a large amount of energy |
| B．the cultural belief that doing paid work is usually less pleasant than doing freely chosen work |
| C．the illusions of day-of-the-week stereotypes |
| D．the days in a week when our mood reaches its lowest points |