【2015·上海】BTheCurseoftheWereRab-优题课

You might say that Barack Obama was elected President of the US because he knows how to give a good speech. In 2004, the little-known Obama gave a speech at the Democratic national Convention(民主党全国会议). It was a great speech---poetic, and inspiring. The people who heard it would remember it for a long time.
Since 2004, Obama has written and delivered thousands of speeches. These are usually praised for two reasons: he treats the audiences like intelligent adults, and he is able to express difficult ideas in a straightforward, natural way.
Before becoming President, Obama was a lawyer, a college professor, and a successful writer---his two memoirs have become best-sellers. The skills he needed to succeed in his previous jobs have also contributed to his success as a speechmaker.
As a lawyer, Obama learned how to make strong, convincing arguments. As a professor, he learned how to explain complex subjects in ways that helped students understand without boring them. As a writer, he learned how to use language to have a powerful influence on his audience.
Secret weapons of Obama
Writing team: Obama has a team of people who write his speeches. The writers chat with Obama for hours about what he wants to say. They listen to recordings of past presidential addresses and seek advice from advisers. Obama usually edits and rewrites the drafts several times.
Make fun of the guests: Obama starts his speech by gently making fun of his guests. His opening lines attract the audiences’ attention while giving them an opportunity to relax and laugh at themselves and each other.
Making fun of himself: Obama laughs at his past mistakes and is never afraid of showing them to the public.
Obama delivers speeches to audiences large and small. He can make his audiences laugh or cry. His speeches are always thoughtful, well written, and just right for each occasion.
.. The third and fourth paragraphs mainly talk about _____.

A．why Obama’s speeches are praised

B．how Obama acquired his speaking ability

C．what subjects Obama’s speeches about

D．Obama’s success as a writer and a lawyer

. When delivering a speech, Obama ______.

A．usually starts with some famous sayings	B．sometimes turns his speech into a song
C．sometimes shares a joke with the audience	D．is very strict most of the time

. What is the main idea of the passage?

A．Obama won the election campaign.	B．Obama is a brilliant speechmaker
C．Obama had taken a couple of jobs.	D．Obama is good at writing.

A group of students in Japan have created a realistic robot baby to motivate young people to start planning a family so as to increase the country’s birth rate. The automated (自动化的)doll developed at the University of Tsukuba, called Yotara, laughs and “wakes up” when a rattle is shaken.
He can become angry and sleep like a real baby and he smiles when his stomach is pressed. The robot can also sneeze and have a runny nose, thanks to a heated water pump system. The students of the Graduate school of Comprehensive Human Science at the university created the robot last year with touch sensors. A projector sends the facial features onto a warm silicon balloon which makes up Yotara’s face. The robot’s facial expression and body movements change according to pressure applied to different parts of its body.
The information collected through touch sensors（传感器）under the silicon skin is processed by a special programme. It then changes the baby’s expression projected onto the balloon-face from behind. There is a hat on the robot’s head and a colorful blanket covering the robot’s limbs which simulate wiggling(摆动) with the help of a geared motor. “We wanted to create a new type of robot that is soft, cuddly and cute,” said project leader Hiroki Kunimura.
“We’d like people to experience the innocent, joyful expressions typical of small babies. Through this experience, it would be great if some people started feeling that they wanted to have their own baby, if they started feeling that work is not everything.”
Japan’s birth rate is among the lowest in the developed world at 1.37%, compared to 2.12% in the United States and l.84%in Britain. Japan is facing serious economic consequences with over a quarter of its citizens expected to be aged over 65 by 20l5.The population is expected to reduce by a third within 50 years if the birth rate does not increase．
. What is the students’ purpose of creating such a baby?

A．To help old people who live alone．	B．To give small children some pleasure
C．To comfort lonely young people．	D．To increase the population of Japan．

What’s the new type of robot like in Hiroki Kunimura’s mind?

A．It can do everything for humans．	B．It is clever, humorous and loyal．
C．It is gentle, lovely and smart．	D．It makes humans unhappy．

. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Many young people in Japan don’t want to get married．

B．There may be a lack of workers in Japan in the future．

C．The lifespan(寿命)of Japanese people will decrease in the future．

D．The birth rate in Japan will start to increase slowly soon．

If you are looking for a summer camp job opportunity, the following are some summer camp jobs available for 2011 summer.
1. Fishing
Male 21----Teach fishing and fly-tying(飞钓) techniques. Live with 6-8 campers and instructors, teach basic outdoor skills, lead backpacking trips and assist with canoe trips．
Salary：$2,400.00一$3,000.00Roaring Brook Camp Camp for Boys
480 Roaring Brook Road
Bradford, Vermont 05033, USA Contact: Dr. Candice Raines at (800) 802-747-0282
2. Athletic Trainer
International Sports Training Camp is a specialized sports camp located on a private 100- acre lake in the scenic Pocono Mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania. We are renowned for our outstanding facilities, innovative programs and friendly staff.
We are looking for both students and certified athletic trainers. Great working environment caring for kids sports injuries.
Salary: $2,500.00- $2,500.00
International Sports Training Camp
1100 Twin Lake Road
Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania 18360,USA Contact: Kara Klaus Major at(570)6202267
3. Head Cook
Will manage kitchen staff of 4,order food and prepare meals and snacks for 50-60 campers and staff daily, during sessions and training periods．
Salary: $3,000.00-$4,000.00
Burgundy Center for wildlife Studies
HC 83.Box 38DD
Capon Bridge, West Virginia 26711, USA Contact: Vini Schoene at(540)465-1516
4. Drama Department Head
Spend an unforgettable summer doing what you love in the outdoor setting! Work with talented staff and children on exciting plays, musicals and improv!
Camp Airy (for boys)is seeking an experienced individual with a theater background and experience in directing children’s productions.Supervise counselor staff and direct two major productions in our 600 seat Outdoor Theatre．
Our summer season runs from June 17 to August 18. Be sure to visit our outstanding web site at www.airylouise.org.
Salary: Depends on Experience
Camp Airy &Camp Louise
14938 Old Camp Airy Road
Thurmont, Maryland 21788,USA Contact: Steve Goldklang at (410)466-9010
Who would be most interested in the text?

A．College students.

B．General readers.

C．Holiday goers.

D．Job seekers.

Mr. Smith always finds pleasure in fly fishing, which telephone might he dial?

A．(570)6202267

B．(570)6202267

C．(800)802-747-0282

D．(410)466—9010

The underlined word “improv” probably means _______.

A．formal performance	B．unprepared performance
C．normal practice	D．dancing and singing

. Which of the following statements about athletic trainers is TRUE?

A．College graduates are preferred．	B．Only professional athletes can apply
C．They can earn as much as $3,500.00
D．Their job includes taking care of the injured kids

. Which of the following organizations offers a flexible salary?

A．Camp Airy &Camp Louise.	B．International Sports Training Camp．
C．Roaring Brook Camp Camp for Boys.	D．Burgundy Center for wildlife Studies

The whole world was talking about Octopus(章鱼)Paul Allen since it had a 100％correct prediction record of the matches，including Germany in the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2010.The question was whether there be a prediction of the grand final, since it did not include Germany.
The answer to that much awaited question is yes. Celebrity Octopus Paul Allen does have a winner. It has picked Spain over Holland to lift the wishful prize. In a live television show all over Europe, Paul picked out a mussel(蚌)from the tank with the Spanish flag, ignoring the tank that had the Dutch flag. This means the prediction is that Spain will be FIFA World Cup 2010 champion．Regarding the place 3 and 4 playoff, Octopus Paul A11en has predicted that Germany will beat Uruguay to take the 3 rd place, which was right.
Octopus Paul Allen has become a worldwide celebrity after it has predicted with 100％ accuracy all of Germany’s World Cup games’ outcomes. It even stopped critics and experts when it correctly predicted a Serbia win over the strong Germans. Much to the sorrow of German fans，it also rightly predicted Spain having an advantage over Germany in the semifinals. And when this came true，there were many calls from angry and sad Germans fans to kill and eat it．Now let’s wait and see if this final prediction by Octopus Paul Allen comes true and its 100％accuracy record stays the same．It goes without saying. Spain will be smiling, at least right now!
Octopus Paul Allen became a hot topic because__________.

A．it predicted records of FIFA World Cup 2010 matches correctly

B．it was the mascot of FIFA World Cup 2010

C．it took part in the game with Germany and other teams

D．it lent a helping hand to Germany to win the game

From the second paragraph we know that the third place in FIFA World Cup 2010 was______.

A．Spain

B．Holland

C．Germany

D．Uruguay

. According to the passage, when this news is released,_______.

A．FIFA World Cup 2010 has come to an end

B．Spain has already beaten Germany in the semifinals

C．Spain has already won the World Cup 2010 champion

D．the sad German fans have killed Octopus Paul Allen

. By saying “It goes without saying”, the writer means_______.

A．Spain will be FIFA World Cup 2010 champion

B．Octopus Paul Allen won’t predict anything in the future

C．Octopus Paul Allen will surely leave

D．everything goes on well

The Japanese government has launched(发起)a campaign encouraging people to go to bed and get up extra early in order to reduce household carbon dioxide emissions(二氧化碳排放).
The Morning Challenge campaign，put forward by the Environment Ministry, is based on the idea that swapping late night electricity for an extra hour of morning sunlight could greatly cut the nation’s carbon footprint．
A typical family can reduce its carbon dioxide footprint by 85 kg a year if everyone goes to bed and gets up one hour earlier，according to the campaign．The amount of carbon dioxide emissions potentially saved from going to bed an hour early was equal to 20 percent of annual emissions from household lights，“Many Japanese people waste electric power at night time，for example by watching TV until very late,”a ministry spokesman told The Daily Telegraph.“But going to bed early and getting up early can avoid wasting electrical power which causes carbon dioxide emissions.” The campaign also proposes that people take advantage of an extra hour of morning sunlight by improving their lifestyles in general by running, doing yoga and eating a nutritious breakfast.
It is the latest action dealing with climate change by the Japanese environment ministry，which is faced with the challenge of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 25 percent from 1990 levels within the next decade．
It was the same government department that launched the Cool Business campaign five years ago, which encouraged workers to wear short—sleeved shirts and offices not to turn air conditioning lower than 28 degrees during the summer.
.Why are Japanese encouraged to go to bed and get up early?

A．Because it is of great benefit to their health．
B．Because Japan is a country without enough electricity.
C．Because it can give off less carbon dioxide．	D．Because it is a good habit．

.. The underlined word“swapping” means___________.

A．comparing

B．exchanging

C．turning

D．competing

.. In general，a Japanese family gives off _________of carbon dioxide every year.

A．85 kg

B．170 kg

C．425 kg

D．850 kg

.We can draw a conclusion that_________.

A．People can save energy and reduce emissions by changing their lifestyle

B．Japanese often don’t have nutritious breakfast

C．Japanese prefer to wear short—sleeved shirts in summer

D．Yoga is very popular with the old Japanese

.. What is the main idea of the passage?

A．The Japanese government has launched the Cool Business campaign．

B．What can we do to cut carbon emissions?

C．Change your lifestyle and you can become healthy．

D．Japanese are encouraged to go to bed an hour early to cut carbon emissions．

	The Curse of the Were-Rabbit(2005) is the first full-length feature film made by directors Nick Park and Steve Box with their amazing plasticine(粘土) characters Wallace and Gromit. It won an Oscar in 2006, and if you watch it, you’ll understand why. It’s an absolutely brilliant cartoon comedy.
	Cheese-loving inventor Wallace and his brainy dog Gromit have started a company to protect the town’s vegetables from hungry rabbits. However, just before the annual Giant Vegetable Competition, an enormous rabbit begins terrorising the town. It is attacking all the vegetables and destroying everything in its path. The competition organizer, Lady Tottington, hires Wallace and Gromit to catch the monster alive. But they will have to find the were-rabbit before gun-crazy hunter Victor Quartermaine who is desperate to kill it.
	The screenplay is witty and full of amusing visual jokes. As usual, the voice of Peter Sallis is absolutely perfect for the role of Wallace, and Gromit is so beautifully brought to life, he can express a huge range of emotions without saying a word. And both Helena Bonham-Carter, who plays the part of Lady Tottington, and Ralph Fiennes as Victor are really funny.
	To sum up, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is an amazing film which is suitable for both children and adults. If you liked Wallace and Gromit’s previous adventures and you appreciate the British sense of humour, you’ll love this film. Don’t miss it!