When 47yearold volunteer Susan Boyle stepped onto the stage of Britain's Got Talent and announced she was unemployed, had never been married and “never been kissed, actually”， few in the audience would have wondered why. This Ms Boyle, looking unfashionable, from a village in Scotland, shocked the three judges and the audience with the song I dreamed a dream on a show of Britain's Got Talent.
She couldn't hide the awkwardness when walking to the center of the stage in a house dress, and everyone — including the judges — seemed laughing at her when she said she wanted to be as successful as Elaine Paige. As soon as she began singing, however, everyone in the hall fell silent, then rose within seconds to admire her wonderful voice as the celebrity judges sat openmouthed, and remained standing to the end.
After her performance, one of the judges Piers Morgan said，“Without doubt that was the biggest surprise I've had in three years of this show. When you stood there everyone was laughing at you. No one is laughing now. That was amazing.” Actress Amanda Holden followed，“I'm so thrilled because I know that we everybody were against you. I honestly think that we were all being very cynical (愤世嫉俗的) and I think that's the biggest wakeup call ever.”
Susan obviously won over the hearts of millions around the world with success spreading across the Atlantic. Hollywood actor Ashton Kutcher, who has nearly 1.5 million followers, speaks highly of her. Kutcher posted a link to the video clip (片段). The Scottish talent made her live American show via satellite connection on CBS's The Early Show, doing an interview and singing live from her room. And she already accepted an invitation from talk show hostess Oprah Winfrey.
Now Boyle has become one of the world's hottest celebrities. The video clip of her performance has been viewed more than 50 million times on Youtube, becoming a hit on the Internet.
We learn from the passage that Susan Boyle ________.
| A．rose from a low social class |
| B．had an unhappy marriage |
| C．lived with a dog alone on a farm |
| D．won the championship in the Britain's Got Talent show |
At the beginning of the show, almost everybody ________.
| A．looked forward to her wonderful performance |
| B．was attracted by her beautiful dress |
| C．looked down upon her |
| D．placed great hope on her |
The 4th paragraph is mainly about ________.
| A．how Susan Boyle achieved her success |
| B．the comment made by American actor Ashton Kutcher |
| C．Susan Boyle's influence in the USA |
| D．Oprah Winfrey's invitation to Susan Boyle |
Almost every day we come across situations in which we have to make decisions one way or another. Choice, we are given to believe, is a right. But for a good many people in the world, in rich and poor countries, choice is a luxury, something wonderful but hard to get, not a right. And for those who think they are exercising their right to make choices, the whole system is merely an illusion, a false idea created by companies and advertisers hoping to sell their products.
The endless choice gives birth to anxiety in people's life. Buying something as basic as a coffee pot is not exactly simple. Easy access to a wide range of everyday goods leads to a sense of powerlessness in many people, ending in the shopper giving up and walking away, or just buying an unsuitable item that is not really wanted. Recent studies in England have shown that many electrical goods bought in almost every family are not really needed. More difficult decision-making is then either avoided or trusted into the hands of the professionals, lifestyle instructors, or advisors.
It is not just the availability of the goods that is the problem, but the speed with which new types of products come on the market. Advances in design and production help quicken the process. Products also need to have a short lifespan so that the public can be persuaded to replace them within a short time. The typical example is computers, which are almost out-of-date once they are bought. This indeed makes selection a problem. Gone are the days when one could just walk with ease into a shop and buy one thing: no choice, no anxiety. What does the author try to argue in Paragraph 1?
| A．The exercise of rights is a luxury. |
| B．The practice of choice is difficult. |
| C．The right of choice is given but at a price. |
| D．Choice and right exist at the same time. |
Why do more choices of goods give rise to anxiety?
| A．Professionals find it hard to decide on a suitable product. |
| B．People are likely to find themselves overcome by business persuasion. |
| C．Shoppers may find themselves lost in the broad range of items. |
| D．Companies and advertisers are often misleading about the range of choice. |
By using computers as an example, the author wants to prove _______.
| A．advanced products meet the needs of people |
| B．products of the latest design flood the market |
| C．competitions are fierce in high-tech industry |
| D．everyday goods need to be replaced often |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．The variety of choices in modern society. |
| B．The opinions on people's right in different countries. |
| C．The problem about the availability of everyday goods. |
| D．The helplessness in purchasing decisions. |
It was the summer of 1965. DeLuca, then 17, visited Peter Buck, a family friend. Buck asked DeLuca about his plans for the future. “I’m going to college, but I need a way to pay for it,” DeLuca recalls saying. “Buck said, ‘You should open a sandwich shop.’”
That afternoon, they agreed to be partners. And they set a goal: to open 32 stores in ten years. After doing some research, Buck wrote a check for $1000. DeLuca rented a storefront (店面) in Connecticut, and when they couldn’t cover their start-up costs, Buck kicked in another $1000.
But business didn’t go smoothly as they expected. DeLuca says, “After six months, we were doing poorly, but we didn’t know how badly, because we didn’t have any financial controls.” All he and Buck knew was that their sales were lower than their costs.
DeLuca was managing the store and going to the University of Bridgeport at the same time. Buck was working at his day job as a nuclear physicist in New York. They’d meet Monday evenings and brainstorm ideas for keeping the business running. “We convinced ourselves to open a second store. We figured we could tell the public, ‘We are so successful, we are opening a second store.’” And they did—in the spring of 1966. Still, it was a lot of learning by trial and error.
But the partners’ learn-as-you-go approach turned out to be their greatest strength. Every Friday, DeLuca would drive around and hand-deliver the checks to pay their suppliers. “It probably took me two and a half hours and it wasn’t necessary, but as a result, the suppliers got to know me very well, and the personal relationships established really helped out,” DeLuca says.
And having a goal was also important. “There are so many problems that can get you down. You just have to keep working toward your goal,” DeLuca adds.
DeLuca ended up founding Subway Sandwich, the multimillion-dollar restaurant chain.DeLuca opened the first sandwich shop in order to ______.
| A．support his family |
| B．pay for his college education |
| C．help his partner expand business |
| D．do some research |
What can we learn about their first shop?
| A．It stood at an unfavorable place. |
| B．It lowered the prices to promote sales. |
| C．It made no profits due to poor management. |
| D．It lacked control over the quality of sandwiches. |
They decided to open a second store because they _______.
| A．had enough money to do it |
| B．had succeeded in their business |
| C．wished to meet the increasing demand of customers |
| D．wanted to make believe that they were successful |
What contribute most to their success according to the author?
| A．Learning by trial and error. |
| B．Making friends with suppliers. |
| C．Finding a good partner |
| D．Opening chain stores. |
King's College Summer School
King's College Summer School is an annual training program for high school students at all levels who want to improve their English. Courses are given by the teachers of King' s College and other colleges in New York. Trips to museums and culture centers are also organized. This year's summer school will be from July 25 to August 15.
More information is as follows:
| Application date Students in New York should send their applications before July 18, 2015. Students of other cities should send their applications before July 16, 2015. Foreign students should send their applications before July 10, 2015. |
Courses English Language Spoken English: 22 hours Reading and Writing: 10 hours American History: 16 hours American Culture: 16 hours |
| Steps A letter of self-introduction A letter of recommendation(推荐) ﹡ The letters should be written in English with all the necessary information. |
Cost Daily lessons: $200 Sports and activities: $100 Travels: $200 Hotel service: $400 ﹡You may choose to live with your friends or relatives in the same city. |
| Please write to: Thompson, Sanders 1026 King' s Street New York, NY 10016, USA E-mail: KC-Summer-School@ yahoo.com |
You can most probably read the text in _______.
| A．a textbook | B．a travel guide |
| C．a newspaper | D．a telephone book |
Which of the following is true about King' s College Summer School?
| A．Only top students can take part in the program. |
| B．Visits to museums and culture centers are part of the program. |
| C．King' s College Summer School is run every other year. |
| D．Only the teachers of King' s College give courses. |
King’s College Summer School offers the following courses except _______.
| A．English Language | B．American History |
| C．American Culture | D．American Geography |
If you are to live with your relatives in New York, you will have to pay the school _______.
| A．$200 | B．$400 | C．$900 | D．$500 |
Let us suppose it is now about A.D. 2060. let’s make believe it is about fifty years from now. of course, things have changed and life is very different.
Voyages to the moon are being made every day. It is as easy to take a holiday on the moon today as it was for the people in 1960 to take a holiday in Europe. At a number of scenic spots on the moon, many hotels have been built. The hotels are air-conditioned, naturally. In order that everyone can enjoy the beautiful scenery on the moon, every room has at least one picture window. Everything imaginable is provided for entertainment of young and old.
What are people eating now? People are still eating food. They haven’t yet started to take on heir(继承) supply of energy directly as electrical current or as nuclear power. They may some day. But many foods now come in pill form, and the food that goes into the pill continues to come mainly from green plants.
Since there are several times as many people in the world today as there were a hundred years ago, most of our planet’s surface has to be filled. The deserts are irrigated(灌溉) with water and crops are no longer destroyed by pests. The harvest is always good.
Farming, of course, is very highly developed. Very few people have to work on the farm. It is possible to run the farm by just pushing a few buttons now and then.
People are now largely vegetarians(素食者). You see, as the number of people increases, the number of animal decreases. Therefore, the people have to be vegetarians and we are healthier both in our bodies and in our minds, and we know the causes and cure of disease and pain, and it is possible to get rid of diseases. No one has to be ill any more.
Such would be our life in 2060. According to the text, what will be on the moon in about A.D.2060?
A. Many other animals. B. Many tourists.
C. Many plants. D. A sea. What will people eat in 2060 according to the text?
| A．Foods in pill form. | B．Foods in gas form. |
| C．Biscuits in pill form. | D．Foods in water form. |
Why are people largely vegetarians in 2060?
| A．There are fewer animals existing on earth. |
| B．People don’t like to eat meat. |
| C．People no longer need food. |
| D．People are healthy enough. |
The Enigma (谜）of Beauty
The search for beauty spans centuries and continents. Paintings of Egyptians dating back over 4,000 years show both men and women painting their nails and wearing makeup. In 18th-century France, wealthy noblemen wore large wigs (假发）of long, white hair to make themselves attractive. Today, people continue to devote a lot of time and money to their appearance.
There is at least one good reason for the desire to be attractive：beauty is power. Studies suggest that good-looking people make more money, get called on more often in class, and are regarded as friendlier.
But what exactly is beauty? It's difficult to describe it clearly, and yet we know it when we see it. And our awareness of it may start at a very early age. In one set of studies, six-month-old babies were shown a series of photographs. The faces on the pictures had been rated for attractiveness by a group of college students. In the studies, the babies spent more time looking at the attractive faces than the unattractive ones.
The idea that even babies can judge appearance makes perfect sense to many researchers. In studies by psychologists, men consistently showed a preference for women with larger eyes, fuller lips, and a smaller nose and chin while women prefer men with large shoulders and a narrow waist. According to scientists, the mind unconsciously tells men and women that these traits —the full lips, clear skin, strong shoulders —equal health and genetic well-being.
Not everyone thinks the same way, however. " Our hardwiredness can be changed by all sorts of expectations —mostly cultural, " says C. Loring Brace, an anthropologist at the University of Michigan. What is considered attractive in one culture might not be in another. Look at most Western fashion magazines：the women on the pages are thin. But is this "perfect" body type for women worldwide? Scientists' answer is no; what is considered beautiful is subjective and varies around the world. They found native peoples in southeast Peru preferred shapes regarded overweight in Western cultures.
For better or worse, beauty plays a role in our lives. But it is extremely difficult to describe exactly what makes one person attractive to another. Although there do seem to be certain physical traits considered universally appealing, it is also true that beauty does not always keep to a single, uniform standard. Beauty really is, as the saying goes, in the eye of the beholder.People's ideas about beauty ________.
| A．have existed since ancient times |
| B．can be easily described |
| C．have little influence on a person's success |
| D．are based upon strict criteria |
In Paragraph 3, the babies in the study ________.
| A．were rated for their appearance |
| B．were entered in a beauty contest |
| C．were shown photos of a group of college students |
| D．were able to tell attractive faces from unattractive ones |
The underlined word “traits” in Paragraph 4 probably means ________.
| A．qualities | B．measurements |
| C．judgments | D．standards |
We can learn from the passage that ________.
| A．the ideas of beauty vary as people grow up |
| B．the search for beauty is rooted in lack of confidence |
| C．the standards for beauty are based on scientific researches |
| D．the understanding of beauty depends on cultural backgrounds |