“My work is done.” Those words were some of the last penned by George Eastman. He included them in his suicide note. They mark an ignoble end to a noble life, the leave taking of a truly great man. The same words could now be said for the company he left behind. Actually, the Eastman Kodak Company is through. It has been mismanaged financially, technologically and competitively. For 20 years, its leaders have foolishly spent down the patrimony of a century’s prosperity. One of America’s bedrock brands is about to disappear, the Kodak moment has passed.
But George Eastman is not how he died, and the Eastman Kodak Company is not how it is being killed. Though the ends be needless and premature, they must not be allowed to overshadow the greatness that came before. Few companies have done so much good for so many people, or defined and lifted so profoundly the spirit of a nation and perhaps the world. It is impossible to understand the 20th Century without recognizing the role of the Eastman Kodak Company.
Kodak served mankind through entertainment, science, national defense and the stockpiling of family memories. Kodak took us to the top of Mount Suribachi and to the Sea of Tranquility. It introduced us to the merry old Land of Oz and to stars from Charlie Chaplin to John Wayne, and Elizabeth Taylor to Tom Hanks. It showed us the shot that killed President Kennedy, and his brother bleeding out on a kitchen floor, and a fallen Martin Luther King Jr. on the hard balcony of a Memphis motel. When that sailor kissed the nurse, and when the spy planes saw missiles in Cuba, Kodak was the eyes of a nation. From the deck of the Missouri to the grandeur of Monument Valley, Kodak took us there. Virtually every significant image of the 20th Century is a gift to posterity（繁荣） from the Eastman Kodak Company.
In an era of easy digital photography, when we can take a picture of anything at any time, we cannot imagine what life was like before George Eastman brought photography to people. Yes, there were photographers, and for relatively large sums of money they would take stilted（不自然的） pictures in studios and formal settings. But most people couldn’t afford photographs, and so all they had to remember distant loved ones, or earlier times of their lives, was memory. Children could not know what their parents had looked like as young people, grandparents far away might never learn what their grandchildren looked like. Eastman Kodak allowed memory to move from the uncertainty of recollection, to the permanence of a photograph. But it wasn’t just people whose features were savable; it was events, the sacred and precious times that families cherish. The Kodak moment, was humanity’s moment.
And it wasn’t just people whose features were savable; it was events, the precious times that families cherish. Kodak let the fleeting moments of birthdays and weddings, picnics and parties, be preserved and saved. It allowed for the creation of the most egalitarian art form. Lovers could take one another’s pictures, children were photographed walking out the door on the first day of school, the person releasing the shutter decided what was worth recording, and hundreds of millions of such decisions were made. And for centuries to come, those long dead will smile and dance and communicate to their unborn progeny（子孙）. Family history will be not only names on paper, but smiles on faces.
The cash flow not just provided thousands of people with job, but also allowed the company’s founder to engage in some of the most generous charity in America’s history. Not just in Kodak’s home city of Rochester, New York, but in Tuskegee and London, and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He bankrolled（资助） two historically black colleges, fixed the teeth of Europe’s poor, and quietly did good wherever he could. While doing good, Kodak did very well. Over all the years, all the Kodakers over all the years are essential parts of that monumental legacy. They prospered a great company, but they – with that company – blessed the world.
That is what we should remember about the Eastman Kodak Company. Like its founder, we should remember how it lived, not how it died. History will forget the small men who have scuttled this company. But history will never forget Kodak.According to the passage, which of the following is to blame for the fall of Kodak?
| A．The invention of easy digital photography |
| B．The poor management of the company |
| C．The early death of George Eastman |
| D．The quick rise of its business competitors |
It can be learnt from the passage that George Eastman .
| A．died a natural death of old age. |
| B．happened to be on the spot when President Kennedy was shot dead. |
| C．set up his company in the capital of the US before setting up its branches all over the world. |
| D．was not only interested in commercial profits, but also in the improvement of other people’s lives. |
Before George Eastman brought photography to people, .
| A．no photos has ever been taken of people or events |
| B．photos were very expensive and mostly taken indoors |
| C．painting was the only way for people to keep a record of their ancestors. |
| D．grandparents never knew what their grandchildren looked like. |
The person releasing the shutter (Paragraph 5) was the one .
| A．who took the photograph |
| B．who wanted to have a photo taken |
| C．whose decisions shaped the Eastman Kodak Company |
| D．whose smiles could long be seen by their children |
What is the writer’s attitude towards the Eastman Kodak Company?
| A．Disapproving | B．Respectful | C．Regretful | D．Critical |
Which do you think is the best title for the passage?
| A．Great Contributions of Kodak |
| B．Unforgettable moments of Kodak |
| C．Kodak Is Dead |
| D．History of Eastman Kodak Company |
Animal Conservation
Many animal and plant species have become extinct（灭绝的）and many more are in critical danger. Finding ways to protect the earth's wildlife and conserve（保护）the natural world they inhabit（居住）is now more important than ever.
Dodo
The Dodo is a classic example of how human caused damage to the earth's biology. The flightless Dodo was native to the Island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. It lived off fruit fallen from the island's trees and lived unthreatened until humans arrived in 1505. The easily controlled bird became a source of food for sailors and was attacked by animals introduced to the island by humans such as pigs, monkeys and rats. The population of Dodos rapidly decreased and last one was killed in 1681.
Rhinos
The Rhino (犀牛) horn is a highly prized item for Asian medicine. This has led to the animal being hunted in its natural habitat. Once widespread in Africa and Eurasia, most rhinos now live in protected natural parks and reserves（保护区）. Their numbers have rapidly decreased in the last 50 years, and the animals remain under constant threat from poachers（偷猎者）.
The Giant Panda
The future of the World Wildlife Fund's symbol is far from certain. As few as 1000 remain in the wild． The Chinese government has set up 33 panda reserves to protect these beautiful animals and made poaching them punishable with 20 years in prison. However, The panda's distinct black and white patched coat fetches a high price on the black market and determined poachers still pose（造成）one of the most serious threats to the animals continued existence.
Whales
The International Whaling Commission is fighting to ensure the survival of the whale species. Despite the fact that one-third the world's oceans have been declared whale sanctuaries（保护区）, 7 out of 13 whale species remain endangered． Hunted for their rich supply of oil, their numbers have decreased to just 300. Collisions（碰撞）with ships, poisonous pollution and being caught in fishing nets are other major causes of whale deaths.
Tigers
The last 100 years has seen a 95% reduction in the numbers of remaining tigers to between 5000 and 7000 and The Bali, Javan, and Caspian tigers are already extinct. The South China tiger is precariously close to disappearing, with only 20 to 30 still alive. Like the Rhino horn, tigers’ bones and organs are sought after for traditional Chinese medicines. These items are traded illegally along with tiger skins.It implies that _______.
| A．The Dodo lacked the ability to protect itself from other animals |
| B．Sailors to the Island of Mauritius lived mainly on the Dodo |
| C．The Dodo used to be a strong animal that liked fighting. |
| D．The Dodo, pigs, monkeys and rats were the natives to the Island of Mauritius |
Which group of the following animals has already ceased to exist according to the text?
| A．The Dodo, Rhino and Giant Panda． |
| B．The Rhino, Whale and South China Tiger. |
| C．The Rhino, Panda, Whale and Tiger. |
| D．The Dodo and the Bali, Javan, and Caspian tigers. |
______ can serve as a cure for certain diseases.
| A．The whale’s rich oil |
| B．The panda's black and white patched coat |
| C．The Rhino horn and tigers’ bones and organs |
| D．The Dodo’s delicious meat |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．The number of South China tigers has reached crisis point. |
| B．Many animals are threatened with extinction as a result of human activity. |
| C．People hunt for the endangered animals for high profit. |
| D．The Whale is the representing mark for the World Wildlife Fund． |
The United States is trying to improve an edueation system that produces millions of citizens who cannot read, write, or add—let alone finding their country on a map.
In his first State of Union message since taking office a year ago, President George Bush promised to wipe out illiteracy(文盲) in the next decade and declared that“by the year 2008, U.S students must be first in the world in math and science achievements. ” They have a long way to go. American students were placed 14th in a recent general science test conducted in 16 countries. In a separate survey of chemistry students, the United States came 12 out of 14. In a mathematics test, they were last. According to Bush, there are 17 million illiterates in this country of 245 million people. Other estimates put the number as high as 23 million. In percentage terms, that ranks the United States alongside Niearague and below Cuba. “This nation,”Bush said in his State of the Union address, “will not accept anything but excellent in education.” Bush, who has declared himself “Education president”, and senior officals of his administration are warning that the United States will be unable to compete in the world without an educated workforce.
How to increase educational standards is a matter of debate in a country whose schools have no uniform national curriculum and are subject to a confusing variety of state and local controls. Most experts think that the problem lies at the elementary and high school'levels rather than with universities-but even their graduates show huge gaps in general knowledge. Among the root causes most frequently mentioned in education debates is the low respect in which U.S. society holds teachers-in contrast to Japan and Germany. In Japan teaching is a profession of high prestige(威望) and high pay. In the United States teachers are near the bottom of the society.By“the United States came 12 out of 14”(Para. 2), the author means .
| A．the United States ranked 12th not 14th in the chemistry test |
| B．the United States ranked 12th in the chemistry test conducted by 14 countries |
| C．the United States progressed from 14th to 12th in the chemistry test |
| D．the United States ranked 12th in chemistry test and 14th in general science test |
The cause of low educational level in America include the following EXCEPT that .
| A．some problems exist in primary and secondary education |
| B．society keeps teachers in low respect |
| C．America pays more attention to economy instead of education |
| D．America has no uniform national courses |
Which of the following statements can be inferred from the passage?
| A．President Bush carried out his promise made in his first State of Union message. |
| B．The education in Japan and Germany is in higher level. |
| C．According to Bush, the number of illiterates accounts for 9% of the total. |
| D．Teachers in the United States enjoy good treatment and great respect. |
Which of the following is the right order of the least-first of the percent of illiterates?
| A．Germany, Cuba, Nicaragua. | B．Germany, Nicaragua, Cuba. |
| C．Nicaragua, Japan, Cuba. | D．Cuba, Japan, Nicaragua. |
What do literary greats Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Robert Burns have in common? They both lived and wrote in Edinburgh, along with many other big names in the field of literature. This fact helped UNESCO (联合国教科文组织) award the city the title of world's first City of Literature on October 14.
Edinburgh left a lasting impression on Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930). Although he was born there he went to school in England but returned home for medical school. After graduating he moved to London and began writing his Sherlock Holmes stories. His inspiration for the character came from one of his professors at university. Holmes' methods were so clever that they actually furthered the advance of the study of criminology (犯罪学).
Robert Burns (1759-1796) is still regarded as Scotland's national poet, more than 200 years after his death. He is celebrated all over the world through translations of his work and the annual Burns Night supper on his birthday. One of his songs, "My Love is Like a Red Red Rose" ranks among the finest love songs ever written and "Auld Lang Syne" (友谊地久天长) is sung all around the world．
As one of the first literate societies in Europe, the Scottish Parliament passed the world's first compulsory (义务) education law in 1496. By the 1790s, almost all Scots could read． Visitors to Scotland often observed that even the lowest members of society had copies of Burns' poems and other books.Edinburgh was awarded the title of world's first City of Literature because _____.
| A．the first award ceremony of literature was held there |
| B．many literary greats like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Robert Burns were born there |
| C．it left a deep impression on many literary greats like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle |
| D．many literary greats like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Robert Burns often wrote about it |
Arthur Conan Doyle was remembered mainly for his _____.
| A．detective stories | B．love poems and songs |
| C．contribution to the study of criminology | D．clever writing skill |
In honour of Robert Burns, _____.
| A．"My Love is Like a Red Red Rose" and "Auld Lang Syne" are sung all around the world |
| B．his works are translated into many languages every year |
| C．a celebration is held more than 200 years after his death |
| D．a celebration is held every year on his birthday |
In the last paragraph, the writer mainly discussed _____.
| A．the impression of visitors to Scotland |
| B．how Burn’s poems are popular in Scotland |
| C．the possible history reasons for many literary greats in Scotland |
| D．how the world’s first compulsory education law was made |
Most people agree that the direct, assertive(过分自信的) American personality is a virtue, but it sometimes surprises foreigners. In many cultures, respect for older people or those in positions of authority keeps others from expressing their true feelings. But in the U.S, children often argue with their parents, students may disagree with their teachers, and citizens may express opposition to the actions of the government. If the soup has a fly in it or the meat is too tough to chew, the diner can complain to the waiter, if the boss makes a mistake, an employee will politely point it out.
Some straight talk about the American character must include the admission that Americans have their faults. The extremely competitive nature of Americans is probably their worst fault. Of course, competition isn’t always bad. As a matter of fact, it promotes excellence by encouraging individuals and businesses to try to do their best. But the desire to get ahead of others sometimes causes people to do things that are unkind and even dishonest. Also, Americans admire what is practical, fast, efficient, and fresh. Sometimes they fail to understand and appreciate practices that have greater respect for more traditional, leisurely ways of doing things. On the other hand, people from other cultures may dislike the practical, challenging American lifestyle.
Despite culture differences, most foreigners give Americans credit for their virtues. Americans are generally viewed as friendly, adaptable, energetic, and kindhearted. Most newcomers to the U.S. like Americans, and the feeling is usually mutual. Perhaps the greatest American virtue is a deep interest in new ideas and new people. In a nation of immigrants, the foreigner does not remain an outsider for long.In order to show the respect for older people,. .
| A．people from some other cultures will always express their true feeling |
| B．people from some other cultures may sometimes hide their true feeling |
| C．Americans always show their true feelings |
| D．Americans usually argue with them |
Why is the extremely competitive nature considered as one of American faults?
| A．Because people from other cultures fear competition. |
| B．Because only American people own it. |
| C．Because it will make people forget leisure. |
| D．Because it may sometimes urge people to do something bad. |
It can be inferred from the passage that . .
| A．American people are more critical of everything than people from other cultures |
| B．the author believes that American character has more faults than virtues |
| C．the author admires American virtues as they are viewed as competitive and anti traditional |
| D．it is difficult for newcomers to get on with Americans |
The passage mainly talks about . .
| A．American virtues | B．American characters | C．American faults | D．American lifestyles |
Almost 55,000 people who have had a major impact on British society are profiled in a new 60-volume book that has taken 12 years to compile.
It has cost more than ￡25million and taken 10,000 writers to update the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
Murder victims Stephen Lawrence and James Bulger are among those joining the likes of Queen Victoria and Gandhi.
The new version of the dictionary, which was founded in 1882, costs ￡7,500 and takes up 12 feet of shelf space.
Projects director Robert Faber said Stephen Lawrence was included because his death triggered "dramatic developments in British policing and social policy".
Women make up 10% of the entries - double the previous share - and include Queen Elizabeth I, Dusty Springfield, Linda McCartney and Virginia Woolf, whose father compiled the first edition.
Alongside the famous names are lesser known individuals such as the inventor of snooker, army reservist(预备役军人)Neville Chamberlain.
Stephen Lawrence and James Bulger were both included because of the "overwhelming soul-searching(真挚的自我反省、深思)and examination of education and social policy" which followed their deaths.
Mr Faber said: "These are not just people who were killed but people who had an impact. Jill Dando is there as much for her career but also because her death became a public event.
"So many of these people have seized the public imagination and have contributed to public debate." How much does a volume of the new version cost on average?
| A．More than ￡25million. | B．More than ￡400, 000. |
| C．￡7, 500. | D．￡125. |
How many women are profiled in the New Oxford Dictionary of National Biography?
| A．About 5. | B．About 55. | C．About 550. | D．About 5500. |
It can be inferred that Jill Dando _____.
| A．died in a case of murder which drew the public much attention |
| B．isn’t included in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography |
| C．is the director of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography |
| D．is included in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography only for her death |
_____ are collected in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
| A．Those who were murdered in history | B．Those who have shaped Britain |
| C．Those who are famous all over the world | D．Those who live in Britain |