Most Chinese people expect to relax and enjoy themselves during the Golden Week. But for those trying to go someplace,it may seem more disappointment than pleasure. This year, the severe traffic jam resulted in a roadside wedding.
The suffering of being stuck in traffic was possibly most strongly felt by Lv Kangzhou and his bride Yan Mengxia. By tradition, the groom drove early in the morning to the bride's home in Zhejiang province in East China to pick her up along with her family and take them to his family's hometown for the wedding. By 4 p.m., Lv's wedding was 90 minutes away, but his car had not moved an inch for a long time. Lv contacted the local radio to explain his difficult situation and ask for a traffic forecast. The radio host told Lv there was no way he could hold his wedding on time and offered to hold their wedding on the air. At 5:30 p.m., Lv and his bride said their vows on the side of the road while Lv's family and friends witnessed the ceremony while listening to the radio.
Lv wasn’t the only person stuck in the Golden Week crowds. According to the state news agency Xinhua, 11.7 million people traveled by train Wednesday. It calculated that 120,000 people gathered at Tiananmen Square in Beijing to watch the flag raising ceremony. Last year, the Forbidden City in Beijing hosted 175,000 tourists on a single day during Golden Week, and the number is expecting to be even bigger this year.
Chinese internet users routinely complain about the Golden Week holiday every year. As internet user Tuzhi said on Sina Weibo: “On the Great Wall, I’m holding your hand, but I cannot see your face.” What does the text mainly intend to tell us?
A.A successful roadside wedding during the Golden Week. |
B.The popularity of traveling around during the Golden Week. |
C.The crowded situation in China during the Golden Week. |
D.The cause of the heavy traffic in China during the Golden Week. |
Lv, the groom, called the local radio because he wanted ________.
A.to ask for help |
B.to hold their wedding on the air |
C.to complain about the traffic conclusion |
D.to find someone to pick them up |
By tradition, the wedding was supposed to take place ________.
A.in Zhejiang Province | B.in a hotel |
C.in the bride’s hometown | D.in the groom’s hometown |
Where does this text probably come from?
A.A newspaper. | B.A textbook. |
C.A travel brochure. | D.A TV interview. |
I got my first driver’s license (执照) in 1953 by taking driver education in my first year at Central High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. Four years later when it was time to renew my license I was a married woman. Henry and I were living in Baltimore, Maryland. Two weeks before my 20th birthday, Henry drove me to the motor vehicle office on a hot July afternoon. When I got to the office and showed to the man behind the counter my North Carolina driver’s license,ready to renew, the man told me that I was under age by Maryland law since I was not yet 21. “Mr. Henry Smith, your husband, will have to sign for you,” he said.
I argued, pointing to a very large belly (肚子) of mine, “I am married. I am having a baby. Why should I have to have someone sign for me to drive?” He answered coldly, “It’s the law, madam.”
Henry encouraged me to calm down, just go ahead and get the license and be done with it. “No,” I said. I refused to have him sign for me. So I left without a Maryland license.
I called the North Carolina Motor Vehicle Office and renewed my NC license by mail — using my name Susan Brown. And thus it was for the next twelve years. Since Henry was in the army I could drive under my home state license. By the time Henry left the army we were once again living in Maryland, and I had to take the Maryland driver’s exam. Since then I just go in and renew every four years—sign the name Susan Brown, have my new picture taken, and walk out with a license to drive.Susan got her first driver’s license _________.
A.before she got married to Henry |
B.when she was twenty years old |
C.after she finished high school |
D.when she just moved to Maryland |
We can infer from the text that in the U.S. _________.
A.American males should serve in the army |
B.different states my have different laws |
C.people have to renew their licenses in their home states |
D.women should adopt their husbands’ family names after marriage |
Howling is a behaviour commonly observed among a wolf pack. As pack animals, wolves work together to hunt and rely on howling as an important means of communication among each other. There are different explanations of a wolf’s howl and it appears that there may be more to discover.
One theory is that wolves howl to bond better together. It’s almost as if howling together helps the pack stay together. Perhaps something similar to people feeling a sense of involvement with each other when singing a song together. But this theory may be wrong, explains Fred H. Harrington, a professor who studies wolf behaviour.
Indeed, there have been times when wolves have been seen one moment howling in a chorus, and the next, quarreling among each other. It appears that usually the lowest-ranking members of the pack may actually be “punished” for joining in the chorus at times. So is howling a way to strengthen a social bond or just a way to reconfirm status among its members? —Why do wolves howl for sure?
What is clear, however, is that howling is often used among packmates to locate each other. Hunting grounds are distant and it happens that wolves may separate from one another at times. When this happens, howling appears to be an excellent means of gathering.
Howling, interestingly, is a contagious behaviour. When one wolf starts to howl, very likely others will follow. This is often seen to occur in the morning, as if wolves were doing some sort of “roll call” where wolves all howl together to report their presence.What is the possible similarity between wolves’ howling together and humans’ singing in chorus?
A.The act of calling each other. | B.The sense of accomplishment. |
C.The act of hunting for something. | D.The sense of belonging to a group. |
Why does Harrington think the “social bond” theory may be wrong?
A.Wolves separate from each other after howling. |
B.Wolves tend to protect their huntin![]() |
C.Wolves sometimes have quarrels after howling together. |
D.Wolves of low rank are encouraged to join in the chorus. |
Researchers are sure that wolves often howl to ______.
A.show their ranks | B.find their companions |
C.report the missing ones | D.express their loneliness |
“Howling… is a contagious behaviour” (in the last paragraph) means _______.
A.howling is a signal for hunting |
B.howling is a way of communication |
C.howling often occurs in the morning |
D.howling spreads from one to another |
In today's world of cell phones, mini laptops and MP3 players, most people have at least one time-telling tool with them. Since these devices are so common, is time running out for the 500-year-old watch? According to some consumers, yes. New Jersey teenager Charlie Wollman says a watch is "an extra piece of equipment with no necessary function." Many young adults agree ─ and use their cell phones to tell time. Louis Galie, a senior vice president at Timex, said that fewer young people wear watches today than five years ago. As a result, some people claim that the watch industry is at a crossroads.
However, watchmakers optimistically say that watches regain popularity when consumers reach their 20s and 30s. By then, they are willing to spend money on a quality timepiece that doesn't just keep good time. Fifty years ago, watchmakers boasted(自夸) about their products' accuracy. But in recent years, the watch industry has transformed itself into an accessory(附件,配件) business. And for many today, the image(外形) a watch communicates has become more important than the time it tells.
"Complications" ─ features that go beyond simple timekeeping ─ are an important part of a watch's image. Today's watches offer a host of features that suit almost any personality. These features include altitude trackers(追踪器), compasses(指南针), lunar calendars, USB drives, and even devices that measure the effectiveness of golf swings!
Creativity is also a key element in today's watches. For example, Japanese watchmaker Tokyoflash makes watches that don't even look like watches. The company's popular Shinshoku model uses different color lights to tell the time. It looks more like a futuristic bracelet(手镯) than a watch. Another Japanese watchmaker, EleeNo, makes a "handless" watch. Using a ring of circles to keep time, this watch makes an excellent conversation piece.
Whether a watch communicates fashion sense, creative flair or a love of sports, consumers want their timepieces to stand out. Nowadays, everyone has the same kind of gadget in their bags, so people want to make a statement with what's on their wrists(手腕). Will this interest in wrist fashion last? Only time will tell!Why aren’t watches popular with young people as before?
A.Because watches cannot keep good time as cell phones, mini laptops and MP3 players. |
B.Because watches are featured by the disadvantages of simple function |
C.Because watches are too expensive to afford. |
D.Because watches don’t have beautiful appearance as other modern time telling tools. |
What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 mean?
A.Watching-making is facing a survival crisis challenge. |
B.Watching-making is faced with the developing opportunity. |
C.Watching-making becomes the sun rising industry. |
D.Watching-making has a specific development target. |
It can be implied that ____________________.
A.people will gradually lose interest in watches as they grow older |
B.watchmakers hardly change the development strategy for watches |
C.today’s watches are better than those in the past in quality |
D.customers used t![]() |
The following qualities can make a watch popular EXCEPT _________.
A.multifunction | B.accuracy | C.nice design | D.low price |
What’s the best title of the passage?
A.Watches and Teenagers | B.The History of Watches |
C.The Accuracy of Watches | D.Watches Tell More Than Time |
Americans are proud of their variety and individuality,yet they love and respect few things more than a uniform,whether it is the uniform of an elevator operator or the uniform of a fivestar general. Why are uniforms so popular in the United States?
Among the arguments for uniforms,one of the first is that in the eyes of most people they look more professional than civilian(百姓的)clothes. People have become conditioned to expect superior quality from a man who wears a uniform. The television repairman who wears a uniform tends to inspire more trust than one who appears in civilian clothes. Faith in the skill of a garage mechanic(技工) is increased by a uniform. What easier way is there for a nurse,a policeman,a barber,or a waiter to lose professional identity(身份)than to step out of uniform?
Uniforms also have many practical benefits. They save on other clothes. They save on laundry(洗衣店)bills. They are taxdeductible(可减税的).They are often more comfortable and more durable than civilian clothes.
Primary(主要的) among the arguments against uniforms is their lack of variety and the consequent loss of individuality experienced by people who must wear them. Though there are many types of uniforms,the wearer of any particular type is generally stuck with it,without change,until retirement. When people look alike,they tend to think,speak,and act similarly,on the job at least.
Uniforms also give rise to some practical problems. Though they are longlasting,often their initial(最初的)expense is greater than the cost of civilian clothes. Some uniforms are also expensive to maintain(维持,维护),requiring professional dry cleaning rather than the home laundering(洗涤) possible with many types of civilian clothes.It is surprising that Americans who worship variety and individuality______.
A.still judge a man by his clothes |
B.hold the uniform in such high regard |
C.enjoy having a professional identity |
D.will respect an elevator operator as much as a general in uniform |
People are accustomed to think that a man in uniform ____.
A.suggests quality work | B.discards(丢弃)his social identity |
C.appears to be more practical | D.looks superior to a person in civilian clothes |
The chief function of a uniform is to ____.
A.provide practical benefits to the wearer | B.make the wearer catch the public eye |
C.inspire the wearer ' s confidence in himself | D.provide the wearer with a professional identity |
According to the passage, people wearing uniforms ____.
A.are usually helpful | B.have little or no individual freedom |
C.tend to lose their individuality | D.enjoy greater popularity |
The best title for this passage would be ____.
A.Uniforms and Society | B.The Importance of Wearing a Uniform |
C.Practical Benefits of Wearing a Uniform | D.Advantages and Disadvantages of Uniforms |
Phys ed (physical education) is making a comeback as a part of the school core curriculum(核心课程),but with a difference. While group sports are still part of the curriculum, the new way is to teach skills that are useful beyond gym class. Instead of learning how to climb a rope, children are taught to lift weights, balance their diets and build physical endurance(忍耐力). In this way,kids are given the tools and skills and experiences so they can lead a physically active life for the rest of their life.
Considering that 15 percent of American children aged 6 to 18 are overweight, supporters say more money and thought must be put into phys ed curriculum. In many cases, that may mean not just replacing the old gym-class model with fitness programs but also starting up phys ed programs because school boards often "put P.E. on the chopping block (砧板), cutting it entirely or decreasing its teachers or the days it is offered," says Alicia Moag-Stahlberg, the executive director of Action for Health Kids. The difference in phys ed programs is partly due to the lack of a national standard. "Physical education needs to be part of the core curriculum," she added.
The wisdom of the new approach has some scientific support. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin have showed how effective the fit-for-life model of gym class can be. They observed how 50 overweight children lost more weight when they cycled and skied cross-country (越野)than when they played sports. The researchers also found that teaching sports like football resulted in less overall movement, partly because some reluctant(不情愿的)students were able to sit on the bench.
Another problem with simply teaching group sports in gym class is that only a small percentage of students continue playing them after graduating from high school. The new method teaches skills that translate to adulthood.According to the passage, what is usually taught in the old gym class?
A.Lift weights | B.Climb a rope | C.Cycle | D.Have a balanced diet |
What does Alicia Moag-Stahlberg mean by saying “some school boards put P. E. on the chopping block”?
A.Schools do not pay enough attention to P. E.. |
B.Schools welcome P. E. but do not have time for it. |
C.Schools put P.E. in the first place. |
D.Schools cut down other subjects’ time for P. E.. |
Which is NOT the reason to carry out phys ed programs according to the passage?
A.More teenagers are overweight. |
B.Traditional group sports teaching is not effective. |
C.Students need to learn some skills to help them lead a physically active life. |
D.Phys ed programs need less money to support. |
How many problems are mentioned in the passage with simply teaching group sports?
A.Two | B.Three | C.Four | D.One |
What’s the difference between the come-back phys ed and the ordinary gym-class model?
A.The Phys ed teaches group sports. |
B.The Phys ed provides more fitness programs. |
C.The Phys ed teaches tools and skills which could be used in the future life. |
D.The Phys ed has more support from the government. |