One evening last summer, when I asked my 14 year old son, Ray, for help with dinner, his response shocked me."What’s a colander(漏勺)? " he asked.
I could only blame myself.In the family, nobody else’s hands went in the sauce except my own.But that night, as I explained with a touch of panic that a colander is the thing with holes in it, I wondered what else I hadn’t prepared Ray for.
As parents, while we focus on our sons’ confidence and character, we perhaps don’t always consider that we are also raising someone’s future roommates, boyfriends, husbands, or fathers.I wanted to know that I’d raised a boy who would never ask the woman in his life, "What’s for dinner?" So I came up with a plan: I would offer Ray a private home economics course.I was delighted to find that he didn’t say no.For two hours, three days a week, Ray was all mine.One day, as his tomato sauce reduced on the stove, he washed and seasoned a chicken for roasting.Then he rolled out the piecrust (馅饼皮) and filled it with apples, all while listening to my explanation on the importance of preheating an oven.
I knew that he would rather have been shooting hoops in the driveway than learning to mend socks with his mother—he tried to beg off sewing lessons, even though I insisted that one day, someone would find the sight of him fixing his own shirt very attractive— but it couldn’t be denied that he was learning, and more than just housekeeping."I appreciate what you do as a mom," he told me one day.Ray now understands the finer points of cooking, and more importantly, he realizes there’s nothing masculine (男子气概的) about being helpless.
Now, not only can he make his own dinner, but also he can make a big meal for his family.That’s what I call a man.I’m glad that I prepared so great a present for my future daughter in law.
Why was the author shocked at her son’s response?
A.Because he was not well behaved. |
B.Because he refused to help with dinner. |
C.Because he didn’t know the common kitchen tools. |
D.Because he was very curious about kitchen tools. |
In the author’s opinion, some parents pay little attention to _______.
A.building up children’s confidence |
B.telling kids what is right and wrong |
C.preparing children for their future life |
D.making children live a hard life |
After learning to do housework, Ray _______.
A.fell in love with sewing |
B.did other work in the house |
C.began to be more hardworking |
D.acknowledged his mother’s efforts |
We can infer from the text that Ray _______.
A.made great progress in cooking. |
B.always thought housework interesting. |
C.preferred sewing to cooking. |
D.was unwilling to learn cooking at first. |
What would be the best title for the text?
A.Useful education for boys |
B.The importance of housework |
C.Boys should be involved in housework. |
D.Cooking and sewing make boys masculine. |
Eight days for just¥12,000
Departs:May—October 2007
Includes:
● Return flights from 6 China’s airports to Naples
● Return airport to hotel transport
● Seven nights’accommodation at the 3-star Hotel Nice
● Breakfast
● The service of guides
● Government taxes
Join us for a wonderful holiday in one of the Europe’s most wonderful-Naples in Italy if you want to have a nice time in a beautiful small quiet place.The ancient Romans called the city“happy land”with attractive coastline,colorful towns,splendid views and the warm Mediterranean Sea.Your best choice for a truly memorable holiday!
Choose between the peaceful villages of Sant’ Agata,set on a hillside six miles away from Sorrento,or the more lively and well-known international resort(名胜) town of Sorrento,with wonderful views over the Bay of Naples.
Breathtaking scenery,famous sights and European restaurants everywhere.From the mysterious Isle of Capri to the hunting ruins of Pompeii,and from the unforgettable“Amalfi Drive”to the delightful resorts of Positano,Sorrento and Ravello,the area is a feast for the eyes! Join us,and you won’t be disappointed!
Price based on two tourists sharing a double room at the Hotel Nice.A single room,another¥2,000.A group of ten college students,¥10,000 for each.
Like to know more ? Telephone Newmarket Air Holidays Ltd on:0845-226-7788(All calls charged at local rates).All the following are included in the price of ¥12,000 EXCEPT ___________
A.transport between the airport and the hotel |
B.double rooms for every two tourists |
C.the service of guides to tourists |
D.telephone calls made by tourists |
If you don’t like sharing a room with others,you have to pay __________ in all for the trip?
A.¥12,000 | B.¥10,000 | C.¥14,000 | D.¥2,000 |
In which section of a newspaper can we see the ad?
A.news | B.sports | C.life | D.book review |
A good modern newspaper is an extraordinary piece of reading. It is unusual for what it contains: the news from local crime to international politics, from sports to business to fashion to science, and the comments and special features(特写)as well, from editorial page to feature articles, from interviews to criticism of books, art, theatre, and music. A newspaper is even more unusual for the way one reads it never completely, never straight through, but always by jumping from here to there, in and out, glancing at one piece, reading another article all the way through, reading just a few paragraphs of the next.
A good modern newspaper offers a variety to attract many different readers, but far more than any one reader is interested in. What brings this variety together in one place is its topicality, that is, its immediate relation to what is happening in your world and your locality now. But this immediacy and the speed of production that goes with it also mean that much of what appears in a newspaper has no more than temporary value. For all these reasons, no two people really read the same paper: what each person does is to put together, out of the pages of that day’s paper, his own selection and order, his own newspaper. For all these reasons, reading newspapers efficiently which means getting what you want from them without missing things you need but without wasting time, demands skill and self-awareness(意识) as you change and apply the techniques of reading.What does the underlined word in the second paragraph mean ?
A.wide coverage | B.speed in reporting news |
C.various style | D.popularity among readers |
According to the passage, the reason why no two people really read the same newspaper is that ___________.
A.people are interested in the same kind of news |
B.different people prefer different newspapers |
C.people scan for the news they are interested in |
D.people have different views about what a good newspaper is |
A good newspaper offers “a variety” to readers because ___________.
A.readers like to read different newspapers |
B.it has to cover things that happen in a certain locality |
C.readers are difficult to please |
D.it tries to serve different readers |
The best title for this passage would be ___________.
A.The Characteristics of a Good Newspaper |
B.The Importance of a good Newspaper |
C.Good Newspapers and Bad Newspapers |
D.Some Advice on How to Read a Newspaper |
The young man arrived on the Massachusetts beach early carrying a radio, a shovel(铁锹), and a strange set of tools: a brick layer’s trowel, a palette knife, spatulas, spoons, and a spray bottle.
He walked down near the water — the tide(潮水) was out — and switched on the radio to listen to soft rock. Then he shoveled wet sand into a pile nearly four feet high and as many feet across. Then he created a square shape.
After that, he set to work with palette knife, spatulas, and spoons. He shaped a splendid tower, topped walls, fashioned beautiful bay windows, and carved (雕刻)out a big front gate.
The man knew his sand. He smoothly finished some surfaces and carved artistic designs on others. As the shapes began to dry, he gently kept them slightly wet with water from the spray bottle, in case they might break in the wind.
All this took hours. People gathered. At last he stood back, obviously satisfied with a castle worthy of the Austrian countryside or Disneyland.
Then he gathered his tools and radio and moved them up to drier sand. He had known for a while what many in the crowd still ignored: the tide was coming in. Not only had he practiced his art with confidence and style, he also had done so against a powerful, irresistible(不可抵抗的) deadline.
As the crowd looked on, water came at the base of the castle. In minutes it was surrounded. Then the rising flood began to eat into the base, walls fell, the tower fell, and finally the gate fell. More minutes passed, and small waves erased bay windows — soon no more than a small part was left.
Many in the crowd looked terribly sad; some voiced fear and discouragement. But the man remained calm. He had, after all, had a wonderful day, making beauty out of nothing, and watching it return to nothing as time and tide moved on.In this passage, why did the young man start early in the day?
A.He needed the sun to help dry the sand. |
B.It gave plenty of time for the crowd to gather. |
C.He knew the tide was out on this particular morning. |
D.It was easier to begin his work with only a few people around. |
In this passage, what does the incoming tide signal?
A.It is time to begin working. |
B.It is the end of a day’s work. |
C.It is the busiest time of the day. |
D.It is time for lookers-on to leave. |
How did the lookers-on react when the tide began to come in?
A.They were disappointed to see the art ruined. |
B.They tried their best to save the sand castle. |
C.They were nervous about their own belongings. |
D.They helped the artist finish the castle. |
We can tell that the young man’s reward for his work is ___________.
A.payment for his work | B.personal satisfaction |
C.popularity as an artist | D.attention from the crowd |
A father with Parkinson's disease was arrested as he watched the Olympic cycling road race because he failed to smile or look as if he was enjoying himself.
Mark Worsfold, a martial arts trainer and former soldier, claims that he was thrown to the floor and handcuffed just as cyclists passed by. His worried wife Nicola only found out he was being held after she reported him missing when he did not turn up for their daughter's ninth birthday party. The 54yearold man had his fingerprints, DNA and mugshot taken before being questioned about why he did not appear to be enjoying the event on July 28. Police said Mr. Worsfold, who was held for over five hours, was arrested because of his manner,his state of dress and his being too near to the course. A spokesman added that the arrest was necessary to avoid a breach(破坏) of the peace because he was standing near a group of protesters(抗议者).
But Mr. Worsfold, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2010, said that one of the symptoms of the disease is muscle rigidity, which can cause his face to become expressionless. “I was sitting minding my own business”, he told a local newspaper. “Before I knew anything the police grabbed me off this sevenfoot wall, threw me to the floor and handcuffed me, so all I saw of the cycle race was between the feet of people from the pavement. It could have been done better. I was arrested for not smiling. I have Parkinson's disease.”
Mr. Worsfold has since asked for a letter of not being guilty from police. The officers who made the arrest have apologized to him.Which word can be used to replace the underlined word “mugshot” in the second paragraph?
A.Clothes. | B.Photos. | C.Measures. | D.Tools. |
Which statement is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Worsfold's wife was immediately informed of his being arrested by the police. |
B.Worsfold was arrested because he was extremely dangerous. |
C.Worsfold enjoyed the cycle race though he saw it between the feet of people from the pavement. |
D.Worsfold was arrested because of his clothes as well as his facial expression. |
What can we infer from the passage?
A.The officers must have been punished for Worsfold's arrest. |
B.Worsfold has an expressionless face and probably looks strong. |
C.The officers apologized to Worsfold after one day's arrest. |
D.Worsfold was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease four years ago. |
They can be seen more frequently than ever before on college campuses, wearing flannel(法兰绒) and thickframed glasses while listening to music. One might find them playing unusual musical instruments, shopping at secondhand stores or expressing themselves in other unique ways.
They call themselves hipsters. Being “hip” used to mean following the latest fashion. But gradually the word has become a sign of “being cool, unique and unusual”.
Hipsters value independent thinking, progressive politics, an appreciation of creativity and intelligence. Hipsters take pains and pride in not being mainstream. However, their culture has become quite trendy. This irony(讽刺) is central to their culture and offers an interesting conflict.
“I do take things in the mainstream with a positive attitude,” says Ben Polson, a college student at Brown University. “But sometimes I also question what determines popularity, especially regarding music.” Polson represents many hipsters.
When lessknown bands become popular, they often lose their former fan base in exchange for a new one. There is a famous hipster saying that goes, “I used to like that band before it got popular,” Polson quoted.
According to Polson, bands' music changes when they go mainstream. They become less experimental, doing things just to save popularity and fans. The original elements that we were drawn to slowly disappear for the sake of popularity.
Many young adults have started to view hipsters' outlook as cool and they are adopting hipsters' antimainstream culture mind to themselves. This has led to specialized brands, stores and music for the hipster consumers. But on the other hand, some such stores, including clothing labels Urban Outfitters and American Apparel, have gained mainstream popularity. This has seemingly made the antimainstream culture become weaker.
“A lot of people that are selfdefined hipsters aren't really hipsters. They're just trying to act as hipsters to seem cooler,” says Amanda Leopold, a college student from Oberlin College, US. Although Leopold has many unusual tastes and seems quite individualist, she refuses to classify herself as a hipster.In the passage, hipsters refer to people ________.
A.who are fans of pop music |
B.who study in different colleges |
C.who appear cool and unusual |
D.who try to attract others |
According to the author, ________.
A.hipsters are the pioneers of the mainstream |
B.hipsters are unhappy with the mainstream |
C.hipsters' culture exists mainly in music field |
D.hipsters' culture can also become popular |
What is the main idea of the seventh paragraph?
A.Urban Outfitters and American Apparel are famous clothing labels. |
B.Hipster consumers have more specialized brands, stores and music. |
C.Antimainstream culture can gain mainstream popularity. |
D.The culture of hipsters is becoming more and more terrible. |
When describing hipsters, the author speaks ________.
A.in an ironic voice | B.in an objective voice |
C.in an angry voice | D.in a funny voice |