C
My mom has eyes in the back of her head. She also taught me from an early age to be suspicious of strange men, especially when they give you presents. One day, a “nice man” bearing flowers managed to steal 20 euros from her purse, while she was holding it in her hands. “He said he was collecting for a church charity so I pulled out a euro,” she explains, “He said ‘no, no, that’s too much’ and offered to look in my purse to find a smaller coin. He must have slid out that 20 euro note at the same time. I did not even notice until an hour later. I felt so stupid.”
According to neuroscientists, the key requirement for a successful pickpocket is not having nifty (熟练的) fingers, it’s having a working knowledge of the loopholes (漏洞) in our brain. The most important of these loopholes is the fact that our brains are not set up to multi-task. Most of the time that is a good thing — it allows us to filter (过滤) out all but the most important features of the world around us. But a good trickster can use it to against you. This kind of trick involves capturing all of somebody’s attention with other movements. Street pickpockets often use this effect to their advantage by manufacturing a situation that can not help but overload your attention system. Other strategies are more psychological. Pickpockets tend to hang out a “beware of pickpockets” sign, because the first thing people do when they read it is check they still have their valuables, helpfully giving away where they are. And in my mom’s case, the thief’s best trick was not coming across like a pickpocket. “He was a very nice guy and very confident. Not someone that would cause you to suspect,” she says. Apollo Robbins, a stage pickpocket, said smart move, like moving your hand in an arc motion rather than a straight line, is another popular strategy employed by tricksters.
At last, it should be pointed out that most thefts are opportunistic. The skill level of most thieves is far less than you think. But they are opportunistic enough to keep up with new technology.What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 2 refer to?
A.People’s brains are not designed to multi-task. |
B.People’s brains can filter out all but the most important features. |
C.Somebody’s attention can be distracted by a certain trick. |
D.Somebody’s overload attention system. |
How did the pickpockets manage to cheat the mother ?
A.He had such smart motion that she didn’t notice that. |
B.He looked so reliable that she didn’t suspect him. |
C.He made her focus her attention on what he said instead of being cheated . |
D.All the above. |
In the author’s opinion, _________.
A.people’s brains have many loopholes |
B.thieves are more skillful than opportunistic |
C.signs reminding people of pickpockets can play a negative role in protecting valuables |
D.his mom’s losing money is nothing but a by-accident experience |
What will the author probably talk about next?
A.Mom’s another suffering |
B.Pickpockets concerning new technology |
C.Pickpockets’ tricks |
D.Apollo Robbins’ stage pickpockets |
Transportation and communication networks bring people together. Yet sometimes people themselves create barriers to transportation and communication. In some countries, laws stop people from moving freely from place to place.
Over the centuries, many groups of people have been denied the freedom to travel because of their race, religion, or nationality. In the Middle Ages, for example, Jews were often forbidden to move about freely within certain cities. South Africa's government used to require black Africans to carry passes when they travel within the country. Some governments require all citizens to carry identification papers and to report to government officials whenever they move.
Countries set up Customs posts at their borders. Foreign travellers must go through a Customs inspection before they are allowed to travel in the country. Usually travellers have to carry special papers such as passports and visas(签证). Some countries even limit the number of visitors to their country each year. Others allow tourists to visit only certain areas of the country, or they may require that travellers be with an official guide at all times during their stay.
Many of those barriers to travel also act as barriers to communication. When two governments disagree with each other on important matters, they usually do not want their citizens to exchange news or ideas freely. Countries often try to keep military or industrial information secret.
Today, people have the ability to travel, to communicate, and to transport goods more quickly and easily than ever before. Natural barriers that were difficult or dangerous to cross a hundred years ago can now be crossed easily. The barriers that people themselves make are not so easy to overcome. But in spite of all the different kinds of barriers, people continue to enjoy travel and the exchange of goods and ideas.The examples in paragraph 2 are used to tell the readers that _______
A.Customs posts are necessary at the borders of the countries |
B.people have been allowed to travel freely within the country |
C.people have not been permitted to travel freely for various reasons |
D.travellers have to carry special papers such as passports and visas |
Some governments limit the freedom of communication because___
A.they think such freedom will lead to wars |
B.they more often than not agree with each other on important matters |
C.they intend to keep their national secrets unknown to others |
D.they want to show their authority over communication |
We may learn from the passage that _______
A.people do not care about the removal of barriers between countries. |
B.people can not remove the obstacles made by themselves |
C.barriers should be taken for granted as they always exist |
D.man-made barriers are sometimes harder to overcome than natural ones |
Which of the following can serve as the best title of the passage?
A.Functions of Communication | B.Barriers Made by People |
C.Restrictions on Transportation | D.Progress of Human Society |
Language is a major problem for the European Union (EU). The agreement or treaty (条约) which created the organization that eventually became the EU, the Treaty of Rome, stated that each country's language must be treated equally. The original six countries had only three languages between them: French. German and Dutch/Flemish. However, there are now 15 countries in the EU, with a total of 12 languages. EU documents must be translated into all these languages, and at official meetings the speeches must be translated into all the languages by interpreters.
All this translating is very expensive and time-consuming (费时的). it is said that nearly half of all employees of the EU are engaged in translating documents and speeches, and nearly half of the EU's administrative(管理方面的) costs are spent on this task. In the near future it is probably that several more countries, most of them having their own languages, will join the EU, thus making the situation even worse.
The problem is not just cost: there are practical difficulties as well. With 12 languages, there are 132 possible "translation situations" that might be needed. It is often' difficult to find people in the right place at the right time who can translate from (for example) Danish into Greek, or Dutch into Portuguese, at a high professional standard.
In practice the problem has been made less serious by the use of English in many contacts between EU officials, since almost all of them speak some English. However, any move to reduce the number of official languages (perhaps to four or five) would be a blow to the pride of the smaller countries. Another commonly suggested solution is to make English the official language for all EU business. However, powerful member countries like France and Germany are strongly against it.What's the main purpose of this passage?
A.To give a solution to a problem. |
B.To discuss a problem and show how serious it is. |
C.To criticize the European Union for inefficiency(效率低). |
D.To show that the problem cannot be solved. |
According to the writer, the use of English in contacts among EU officials has ________.
A.angered the officials who don't speak English |
B.reduced the number of official languages |
C.made the problem less serious |
D.been opposed by powerful member countries |
In paragraph three, the writer mentions "Danish into Greek" as an example of ________.
A.a situation that might be difficult to deal with |
B.a situation that occurs often |
C.one of the 12 situations that requires an interpreter |
D.languages that are easy to translate |
The writer suggests that if the number of official languages was reduced _______.
A.the EU would not know which official languages to choose |
B.countries whose languages were not used officially would be unhappy |
C.only languages that are easy to translate would be used officially |
D.the smaller member countries would be pleased |
The information below is taken from a dictionary page.
jaguar: n. a type of large, yellow-colored cat with black markings found in the southwestern region of the U. S. and in Central and South America.
jargon: 1. n. speech that doesn’t make sense.
2. n. an unknown language that seems strange or impossible to understand.
3. n. a language made up of two or more other languages: His jargon was a mixture of French and English.
4. n. the special vocabulary of a field or profession: Her report on computers was filled with jargon.
jaunt: 1. n. a trip taken for fun.
2. v. to go on a brief pleasant trip: We jaunted to the country last Saturday.
javelin: 1. n.. a spear(矛) most commonly used as weapon or in hunting.
2. n. a light metal or wooden spear that is thrown in track-and-field sport events.
3. n. the event in which a javelin is thrown.
4. v. to strike, as with a javelin.
jazz: 1. n. a type of music that originated in New Orleans and is characterized by rhythmic beats.
2. n. popular dance music influenced by jazz.
3. n. empty talk.
4. ad. of or like jazz: a jazz band, jazz records.
Jennet: n. a small Spanish horse.
jest: 1.n. thing said or done to cause amusement; joke.
2. (idiom) in jest: as a joke ; in fun; not seriously.
3.v.make jokesWhich meaning of the word javelin is used in the sentence below?
At the competition, Jack drew his arm back and threw the javelin 50 yards.
A.Definition (定义) 1 | B.Definition 2 |
C.Definition 3 | D.Definition 4 |
Which meaning of the word jargon is used in the sentence below?
Doctors often speak in medical jargon.
A.Definition 1 | B.Definition 2 |
C.Definition 3 | D.Definition 4 |
What does the word jazz mean in the following sentence?
Don’t give me that jazz, for I am a practical person.
A.rhythmic beats | B.a type of music |
C.a kind of dance | D.meaningless talk |
Which word is needed to fill in the following sentence?
His reply was taken half seriously, half in_________.
A.javelin | B.jest | C.jaunt | D.jargon |
What Is a Boy?
Between the innocence of babyhood and the seriousness of manhood we find a delightful creature called a “boy”. Boys come in different sizes, weights, and colors, but all boys have the same belief: to enjoy every second of every minute of every hour of every day and to fill the air with noise until the adult males send them off to bed at night.
Boys are found everywhere – on top of, under, inside of, climbing on, swinging from, running around, or jumping to. Mothers spoil them, little girls hate them, older sisters and brothers love them, and God protects them. A boy is TRUTH with dirt on its face, BEAUTY with a cut on its finger, WISDOM with chocolate in its hair, and the HOPE of the future with a snake in its pocket.
When you are busy, a boy is a trouble – maker and a noise. When you want him to make a good impression, his brain turns to jelly or else he becomes a wild creature destroying the world and himself with it.
A boy is a mixture – he has the stomach of a horse, the digestion (消化) of stones and sand, the energy of an atomic bomb, the curiosity of a cat, the imagination of a superman, the shyness of a sweet girl, the brave nature of a bull, the violence of a firecracker(鞭炮), but when you ask him to make something, he has five thumbs on each hand.
He likes ice cream, knives, saws, Christmas, comic books, woods, water (in its natural habitat), large animals, Dad, trains, Saturday mornings, and fire engines. He is not much for Sunday schools, company, schools, books without pictures, music lessons, neckties, barbers, girls, overcoats, adults, or bedtime.
Nobody else is so early to rise, or so late to supper. Nobody else gets so much fun out of trees, dogs, and breezes. Nobody else can put into one pocket a rusty knife, a half eaten apple, a three-feet rope, six cents and some unknown things.
A boy is a magical creature – he is your headache but when you come home at night with only destroyed pieces of your hopes and dreams, he can mend them like new with two magic words, “Hi, Dad!”The whole passage is in a tone (语气) of _________.
A.humor and love | B.anger and disappointment |
C.hope and expectation | D.confidence and imagination |
What’s the meaning of the underlined sentence?
A.He has altogether five fingers. |
B.He is slow, foolish and clumsy. |
C.He becomes clever and smart. |
D.He cuts his hand with a knife. |
According to the writer, boys appreciate everything in the following except _________.
A.ice cream | B.comic books |
C.Saturday mornings | D.Sunday schools |
What does the writer feel about boys?
A.He feels curious about their noise. |
B.He is tired of these creatures. |
C.He is amazed by their naughtiness. |
D.He feels unsafe staying with them. |
Lifeguard, sportscaster, movie star, governor, president——there wasn’t much Ronald Reagan didn’t do in life.
“The world was a vast opportunity for him,” Lou Cannon wrote in his biography(传记) of the former US president, who died on June 5,2004, aged 93.
Reagan’s final years saw him fight a losing battle against Alzheimer’s disease(老年痴呆症). But his positive attitude toward life has given hope to many people.
Born in 1911 to a poor family in a small town in Illinois, his father was a failed salesman who drank too much. It was in these difficult times, though, that Reagan developed the powerful optimism(乐观) that would serve him so well. He always believed better times lying ahead, and this was reflected in his high school yearbook entry. “Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music,” he wrote.
As a teenager, Reagan spent summers working as a lifeguard at a local beach, saving 77 lives in seven years. He graduated from college in 1932 with a degree in economics and sociology. But America was still in the middle of the Great Depression, and jobs were hard to find. Reagan finally found work as a radio sports announcer and this road led him to Hollywood in 1937.
During the 20---year film career, he never became a leading star. As in his lifeguard days, Reagan loved to play the hero and only took the role of a bad guy once in more than 50 films.
A talented speaker who was always able to connect with his audience, Reagan became involved in politics in the 1950s. This popular touch led to him being elected the governor of California in 1967.
All the while Reagan was in California, he had his eye on the White House. In 1980, aged 69, he became the oldest man ever elected president.
He held office from 1981 to 1989, the first president to serve two complete terms after World War Ⅱ. When he left, aged 77, he held the highest popularity rate of any retiring president in US history.
He remained positive even when he discovered he had an illness that would destroy him. “I will leave with the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal(永恒的optimism(乐观) for its future,”he wrote.Reagan can be best described as a man with ______.
A.firmness | B.humour | C.optimism | D.talent |
What didn’t Reagan do in his life time?
A.Playing the role of a bad guy. |
B.Being a leading star of the film. |
C.Saving people’s lives. |
D.Working as a radio sports announcer. |
Which is the correct order of events described in the passage?
a. Reagan fought a losing battle against Alzheimer’s disease.
b. Reagan became an actor.
c. Reagan worked as a lifeguard.
d. Reagan graduated from college.
e. Reagan was elected the governor of California.
A.a, c, d, e ,b | B.e, c, d, b, a |
C.b, a, c, d, e | D.c, d, b, e, a |
When the writer of Reagan’s biography says “The world was a vast opportunity for him,” he really means that _______.
A.Reagan achieved much in his whole life |
B.Reagan could have done much better |
C.Reagan did much for America and the world |
D.Reagan was a very lucky man |