C
Parties and social gatherings no longer excite us the same way they once did. This is not due to a lack of desire to socialize, but the smartphone.
At parties, more people are on their smartphones than on their drinks. According to a recent International Data Corporation study, well over half of all Americans have a smartphone and reach for it the moment they wake up, keeping it in hand all day. In addition, too much of society is using smartphones while driving and as a result getting into car crashes. 34 percent of teens admit to text while driving, and they confirm that text messaging is their number one driving interruption. People's attachment to their smartphones is unbelievably becoming more important than the lives of themselves and others.
Just as drivers dismiss the importance of focusing while on the road, many people also fail to recognize the significance of human interaction. When with their friends, some people pointlessly check or send text messages in the presence of a friend, which sends a message to that friend the person I am texting is more important than you. In addition, relying on our smartphone to make friends does not give us the same advantage as being able to make new friendships in the real world. Face-to-face conversations will give us much stronger communication skills in the long run.
As many people risk their lives and the lives of people around them just to send a text or mindlessly check their massages, smartphones are in many ways more dangerous to people. The quality of this technology is de-advancing societal achievements and weakening the value of communication. Not only is the smartphone affecting our desire to interact (交流) face-to-face but it is also lowering society's ability to communicate.The purpose of this text is to ______.
| A．call for an end to use the smartphone while driving |
| B．appeal to us to pay attention to communication skills |
| C．express concern about the overuse of the smartphone |
| D．advise us to be cautious about the addiction to the smartphone |
The second paragraph is developed by ______.
| A．giving examples |
| B．listing figures |
| C．comparing facts |
| D．analyzing the effects |
The author advocates us to make new friends ______.
| A．by using smartphones |
| B．in a face-to-face way |
| C．in different ways |
| D．under a free circumstance |
Over dependence on the smartphone leads to the fact that ______.
| A．parties and gatherings limit their social circle |
| B．people are more and more narrow-minded |
| C．people's communication skills are weakened |
| D．face-to-face communication becomes less important |
Today, roller skating is easy and fun. But a long time ago, it wasn't easy at all. Before 1750, the idea of skating didn't exist. That changed because of a man named Joseph Merlin. Merlin's work was making musical instruments. In his spare time he liked to play the violin. Joseph Merlin was a man of imagination, ideas and dreams. People called him a dreamer.
One day Merlin received an invitation to attend a fancy dress ball. He was very pleased and a little excited. As the day of the party came near, Merlin began to think how to make a grand entrance at the party. He had an idea. He thought he would get a lot of attention if he could skate into the room.
Merlin tried different ways to make himself roll. Finally, he decided to put two wheels under each shoe. These were the first roller skates. Merlin was very proud of his invention and dreamed of arriving at the party on wheels while playing the violin.
On the night of the party Merlin rolled into the room playing his violin. Everyone was astonished to see him. There was just one problem. Merlin had no way to stop his roller skates. He rolled on and on. Suddenly, he ran into a huge mirror that was hanging on the wall. Down fell the mirror, breaking to pieces. Nobody forgot Merlin's grand entrance for a long time!The text is mainly about ________.
| A．a strange man |
| B．an unusual party |
| C．how roller skating began |
| D．how people enjoyed themselves in the 18th century |
People thought Merlin was a dreamer because he ________.
| A．often gave others surprises |
| B．was a gifted musician |
| C．invented the roller skates |
| D．was full of imagination |
Merlin put wheels under his shoes in order to ________.
| A．impress the party guests |
| B．arrive at the party sooner |
| C．test his invention |
| D．show his skill in walking on wheels |
What is the main point that the writer tries to convey(表达) in the last paragraph?
| A．The roller skates was dangerous and harmful. |
| B．The party guests thought Merlin was a fool. |
| C．Merlin succeeded beyond expectation. |
| D．Merlin should never do that again. |
We were standing at the top of a church tower. My father had brought me to this spot in a small town not far from our home in Rome. I wondered why.
“Look down, Elsa,” father said. I gathered all my courage and looked down. I saw the square in the center of the village. And I saw the crisscross (十字形) of twisting, turning streets leading to the square. “See, my dear,” father said gently. “There is more than one way to the square. Life is like that. If you can’t get to the place where you want to go by one road, try another.”
Now I understood why I was there. Earlier that day I had begged my mother to do something about the awful lunches that were served at school. But she refused because she could not believe the lunches were as bad as I said.
When I turned to father for help, he didn’t say anything. Instead, he brought me to this high tower to give me a lesson. By the time we reached home, I had a plan.
At school the next day, I secretly poured my lunch soup into a bottle and brought it home. Then I asked our cook to serve it to mother at dinner. The plan worked perfectly. She swallowed one spoonful and sputtered（喷溅出） “ The cook must have gone mad！” Quickly I told her what I had done, and Mother stated firmly that she would take up the matter of lunches at school the next day!
In the years that followed, I often remembered the lesson father taught me. I began to work as a fashion designer two years ago. I wouldn’t stop working until I tried every possible means to my goal. Father’s wise words always remind me that there is more than one way to the square.The author’s father took her to the top of a church tower to ____________.
| A．enjoy the beautiful scenery of the whole town |
| B．find out how many ways lead to the square |
| C．inspire her to find out another way to solve her problem |
| D．help her forget some unpleasant things earlier that day |
What did the author want her mother to do earlier that day?
| A．Do something delicious for lunch. |
| B．Taste her awful lunch. |
| C．Dismiss the mad cook. |
| D．Speak to the school about lunch. |
The underlined sentence in the fifth paragraph suggests that_____________.
| A．the cook agreed to serve the soup to the writer’s mother. |
| B．the author’s mother was angry with the cook. |
| C．her father persuaded her mother successfully. |
| D．the method the author thought of was effective. |
What did the author’s mother think of her lunch soup after she tasted it?
| A．It was delicious. |
| B．It wasn’t so bad as the author said. |
| C．It is terrible. |
| D．It was as good as her cook did. |
People in the United States honor their parents with two special days: mother’s day, on the second Sunday in May, and Father’s day, on the third Sunday in June. These days are set aside to show love and respect for parents. They raise their children and educate them to be responsible citizens. They give love and care. These two days make us think about the changing roles of mothers and fathers. More mothers now work outside the home. More fathers must help with child care.
These two special days are celebrated in many different ways. On Mother’s Day people wear carnations. A red one symbolizes a living mother. A white one shows that the mother is dead. Many people attend religious services to honor parents. It is also a day when people whose parents are dead visit the cemetery(墓地). On these days，families get together at home, as well as in restaurants. They often have outdoor barbecues for Father’s Day. These are days of fun and good feelings and memories.
Another tradition is to give cards and gifts. Children make them in school. Many people make their own presents. These are valued more than the ones bought in stores. It is not the value of the gift that is important, but it is “the thought that counts”. Greeting card stores, florists, candy makers, bakeries(面包师), telephone companies, and other stores do a lot of business during these holidays.Which of the following is NOT a reason for children to show love and respect for parents?
| A．Parents bring up children. |
| B．Parents give love and care to children. |
| C．Parents educate children to be good persons. |
| D．Parents pass away before children grow up. |
On Father’s Day, what do people often do?
| A．They wear carnations. |
| B．They have outdoor barbecues. |
| C．They attend religious services to honor parents. |
| D．They visit the cemetery. |
What do you think “florists” do? _________.
| A．They sell flowers. |
| B．They make and sell bread. |
| C．They offer enough room for having family parties. |
| D．They sell special gifts for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. |
NEWS BRIEF
●Prime Minister Tony Blair faced new allegations (指控) on Thursday that he misled Parliament and the public in making the case for the war in Iraq after he disclosed his chief legal adviser's written opinion raising questions about the legality (合法) of the war.
●US Forest Service officials are reminding people to stay off Forest Service roads that are closed. The fine for disobeying the rule of road closures is a maximum of $ 5, 000 fine and/or six months in prison. Those who enter the area and cause road damage may also be required to pay for repairs.
●In a second study presented at the meeting, scientists from the UK and Denmark showed that even a few days of high temperatures can severely reduce production of crops such as wheat, soybeans, rice and groundnuts, if it occurs when the plants are flowering.
●A bomb exploded in Thailand's mainly Muslin south on Sunday, killing two policemen and wounding three others, a day after Thailand' s queen condemned those behind a 15-month wave of violence (暴力).
●Mechanicsburg 3, West York l: Ken Stamper and Rusty Bowman had seven kills each, and Ryan Warfield had six to lead the Wildcats past the Bulldogs, 25-11, 25-15, 15-25, 25-23, in a non-league match.The news brief covers ____.
| A．war, law, violence, culture and agriculture |
| B．sports, war, violence, politics and climate |
| C．politics, culture, violence, climate and sports |
| D．violence, sports, politics, law and agriculture |
From the news brief, we can learn that ____.
| A．the Bulldogs defeated the Wildcats by 3-1 in a non-league match |
| B．Forest Service roads are closed for repairs before they are opened again |
| C．quite a few violent accidents happened in Thailand before the latest one |
| D．the British people think the decision made by Blair about the war is of legality |
According to the U. S. Forest Service officials, those who enter the area and damage the closed roads ____.
| A．shall have to pay a $ 5,000 fine for the repairs to them |
| B．shall be fined or put in prison, and may pay for the repairs |
| C．shall be fined $ 5,000 and kept in prison for six months |
| D．shall pay a fine and repair the roads as a punishment |
The study of the scientists from the UK and Denmark is about ____.
| A．the importance of climate and the growth of crops |
| B．the damage caused by high temperatures to some crops |
| C．the relationship between crops flowering and high temperatures |
| D．the effect of high temperatures on the production of some crops |
Eight Days from Just £ 299
Departs May October 2005
Includes:
●Return flights from 8 UK airports to Naples
●Return airport to hotel transport
●Seven nights’ accommodation at the 3 Hotel Nice
●The services of guides
●Government taxes
Join us for a wonderful holiday in one of Europe’s most wonderful comers. Long a favorite with holidaymakers—indeed the ancient Romans called the area “happy land”—this simply attractive coastline of colorful towns, splendid views and the warm Mediterranean Sea is a perfect choice for a truly memorable holiday!
Choose between the peaceful traditional village of Sant’ Agata, set on a hillside six miles from Sorrento, or the more lively and well-known international resort (旅游胜地) town of Sorrento, with wonderful views over the Bay of Naples.
Breathtaking scenery and famous sights everywhere. From the legendary Isle of Capri to the haunting 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! Should you choose to join us, we know that you will not be disappointed!
With a choice of hotels , and optional excursions(可选择的旅游路线) including Capri, Pompeii and the “Amalfi Drive” , this is a truly unmissable holiday.
·Price based on two tourists sharing a twin /double room at the Hotel Nice.
Like to know more? Then telephone Newmarket Air Holidays Ltd on: 0845-226-7766(A11 calls charged at local rates).All the following are included in the price of £299 EXCEPT____.
| A．transport between the airport and the hotel |
| B．telephone calls made by tourists |
| C．the services of guides to tourists |
| D．double rooms for every two tourists |
What is the purpose of the passage?
| A．To invite people to take a breath in the Bay of Naples. |
| B．To advise people to telephone Newmarket Air Holidays Ltd. |
| C．To persuade people to tour in the area of the Mediterranean Sea. |
| D．To attract people to go to Sant’ Agata or Sorrento for sightseeing. |
The underlined part “the area is a feast for the eyes” in the passage means ____.
| A．the area is pleasing to the eye |
| B．the area is really unforgettable |
| C．the area catches the tourists’ eye |
| D．the area is crowded with ^tourists |
After reading the ad, one will probably join in the tour because ____.
| A．the sights are attractive and the tour starts in May or October |
| B．the price is low for those intending to stay at the 3 Hotel Nice |
| C．the price offered is reasonable and the sights are beautiful |
| D．good services are offered to those intending to stay in double rooms |