Even before they start school, many young girls worry that they are fat. But a new study suggests watching a movie starring a stereotypically(模式化地)thin and beautiful princess may not increase children’s anxieties.
Nearly half of the 3 to 6 year old girls in a study by Professor Stacey Tantleff-Dunn and doctoral student Sharon Hayes said they worry about being fat. About one-third would change a physical feature, such as their weight or hair color.
The number of girls worried about being fat at such a young age concerns Tantleff-Dunn because of the potential effects later in life. Studies have shown young girls worried about their body image are more likely to suffer from eating disorders when they are older.
The encouraging news for parents is that taking their young daughters to see the new Disney film “The Princess and the Frog” isn’t likely to influence how they see their bodies.
“The media have a great effect on how young girls see their bodies. That’s why it’s important for parents to use movies such as ‘The Princess and the Frog,’ to start conversations with their children about weight, skin color and their views of beauty. They can explain that princesses’ tiny waists are not realistic for girls and that children don’t need Cinderella’s golden hair or Snow White’s porcelain(瓷制的) skin to look good,” Tantleff-Dunn said.
“We need to help our children challenge the images of beauty, particularly thinness, that they see and idolize, and encourage them to question how much appearance should be part of their self-worth,” said Tantleff-Dunn. “We should help them build a positive self-image with an appreciation for many different types of body features.” And as their children’s most important role models, parents also should avoid criticizing their own bodies.
1. Tantleff-Dunn worries that young girls caring too much about their appearance may .
A. have diet trouble in the future
B. cause trouble when they are older
C. have mental problems later in life
D. have difficulty in communication
2. What is especially considered as beauty by girls according to the passage?
A. Having black hair. B. Having a slim body.
C. Having golden skin. D. Having big bright eyes.
3.Parents can help kids build a positive self-image by .
A. encouraging kids to act as role models
B. preventing kids seeing beautiful models
C. telling kids the importance of appearance
D. avoiding complaining of their own bodies
4. The writer writes the passage mainly to
A. explain the meaning of beauty
B. introduce a new research finding
C. stress the influence of media on girls
D. teach girls how to become a princess
Boom boom!( I’m here, come to me!)
Krak krak!( Watch out, a leopard (豹)！)
Hok hok hok!( Hey, crowned eagle!)
Very good — you’ve already mastered half the basic vocabulary of the Campbell’s monkey, which lives in the forests of the Tai National Park in Ivory Coast. The adult males have six types of call, each with a specific meaning, but they can mix two or more calls together into a message with a different meaning.
Having spent months recording the monkeys’ calls in response to both natural and artificial stimuli (刺激物), a group led by Klaus Zuberbuhler of the University of St. Andrews in Scotland argues that the Campbell’s monkeys have a certain form of syntax(句法).
This is likely to be controversial because despite great effort to teach chimpanzees(大猩猩) language, they showed little or no ability to combine the sounds they learned into a sentence with a larger meaning. Syntax, basic to the structure of language, uniquely belongs to humans.
“Krak” is a call that warns of leopards in the neighborhood. The monkeys give it in response to real leopards and to leopard shouting broadcast by the researchers. The monkeys can vary the call by adding “-oo”: “Krak-oo” seems to be a general word for hunter, but one given in a special context – when monkeys hear but don’t see a hunter, or when they hear the alarm calls of another species.
The “boom-boom” call invites other monkeys to come toward the male making the sound. Two booms can be combined with a series of “krak-oos”, with a meaning entirely different to that of either of its single parts. “Boom boom krak-oo krak-oo krak-oo” is the monkey’s version of “Timber!” – it warns of falling trees.
If Zuberbuhler is correct, the Campbell’s monkeys can both vary the meaning of specific calls by adding something and combine calls to make a different meaning.
1.What is the passage mainly about?
A. A group of scientists. B. Calls of Campbell’s monkeys.
C. The lifestyle of monkeys. D. The importance of language.
2.According to the passage, chimpanzees .
A. don’t communicate by sounds
B. only understand simple sentences
C. fail to learn language from humans
D. are not related to the Campbell’s monkeys
3.If the Campbell’s monkeys hear a lion’s shouting, they will call “ ”.
A. Krak B. Boom C. Boom boom krak-oo krak-oo krak-oo D. Krak-oo
4. According to the passage, it seems that .
A. Zuberbuhler has spent years in the forests
B. the writer isn’t sure of Zuberbuhler’s opinions
C. the Campbell’s monkeys are cleverer than other animals
D. the Campbell’s monkeys can express six meanings by calls
Ricochet, a 19-month-old golden retriever（金毛寻回犬）, was bred(饲养) to be a service dog but never made it. Now, she has found her role in the ocean, surfing with a disabled teen.
Patrick Ivison, 15, suffered a severe injury in a car accident when he was 14 months old. He has been disabled since, but the Californian boy never gave up on the goal of walking. He recently took his first steps. When Ivison first met Ricochet, the two immediately hit it off. To raise money for Ivison’s physical therapy(治疗), which is not covered by insurance, it was suggested that the pair take up surfing. Ivison said that when he first heard the idea he thought, “We are completely out of our minds.”
But from the start, the two took to surfing naturally. With the help of his mom, Jennifer Kayler, and friends, who carry Patrick to the ocean and guide the extra-large surfboard into the waters, Ivison rides the waves with his pal standing on the back. “It’s kind of like a grand performance out there,” Ivison said of the group of people who help him out. The dog helps to balance out the board The teen remembered one pass when “we were about to flip over and then she stepped on that side of the board and helped us out.”
The two participated Sunday in the Surf City Surf Dog contest as a fund-raiser(募集资金者). They wowed the cheering crowd during their exhibition. The event raised $8,200. About $2,000 will go toward a service dog for Ivison, and the rest will go toward his “Help Patrick Walk” therapy fund.
1. Ivison got disabled when .
A. he drove to the seaside B. he began to learn surfing
C. he suffered a severe disease D. he was over one year old
2.Ivison decided to take up surfing in order to .
A. collect money for his treatment B. set an example for the disabled
C. realize his dream of being a surfer
D. develop courage and positive attitudes
3.What did Ivison think about the idea of going surfing in the beginning?
A. Easy. B. Interesting. C. Crazy. D. Exciting.
4.In what way does Ricochet help Ivison surf?
A. She keeps on cheering Ivison on.
B. She keeps the balance of the surfboard.
C. She gives signals when huge waves come.
D. She pulls the board back if Ivison falls off.
In 1987, while serving as the public affairs officer at Fort Bragg, I would frequently visit the local high schools to speak to the students about the Army. As a lieutenant colonel(中校), I found it particularly rewarding to talk with the teenagers about the benefits of military service, if only for a few years of their lives.
During one of these visits, I reported to the secretary in the principal’s office to let her know that I was here for the third-period class. I was a little surprised when she told me. “The principal would like to see you before you go to the class.”
As I entered his office, I was greeted by a gentleman who appeared to be in his late thirties, and he welcomed me with a smile and a handshake. “You don’t remember me, do you?” he said.
I looked closely at the face again and could not recall where we may have met before.
“You were my company commander in basic training at Fort Jackson in 1970,” the principal said.
“Let me help you out,” he suggested. “You gave me a three-day pass to go home and see my newborn baby.” I immediately remembered the incident!
“Yes,” I said. “I remember now.” It was the only three-day pass I had issued because the soldiers were on their way to Vietnam immediately after they finished training. But I knew if I did not let him go home to see his son and something happened to him, I would regret denying the opportunity he had to be with his family.
“Come on, Colonel. I’d like to introduce you to ‘the baby’. He’s in your third-period class. By letting me go see him, you gave me a reason to stay focused and to come home safe from that war. Thank you , sir.”
It was the most rewarding class I had ever given, and I had no problem in telling the students about the bonds of friendship and the values that Army life can provide…and that can last a lifetime.
1. In the writer’s opinion, talking to teens about the Army is .
A. a forced task B. a pleasant thing
C. an unavoidable duty D. an embarrassing experience
2. Why did the principal want to see the writer?
A. He wanted to send his son to the Army.
B. He felt sorry for causing the writer trouble.
C. He was disappointed at the writer’s lecture.
D. He intended to express his thanks to the writer.
3.The underlined part in the text suggests that .
A. the son may die B. the son may become ill
C. the soldier may die in the war D. the soldier may be hurt in the training
4. What might be the most suitable title for the text?
A. A soldier remembers. B. A principal thinks
C. A baby grows D. A lecture continues
Once a wise man was traveling with some of his disciples（门徒）. They 36 to pass a lake and they stopped there for a 37 . The man told one of his disciples,“ I’m
38 . Do get me some water from that lake.”
Just as the disciple reached it, a cart started 39 the lake. As a result, the water became very 40 and muddy. The disciple thought, “ 41 can I give this water to my teacher to drink!” So he came back and said, “The water is very muddy. I don’t think it is 42 to drink.”
After half an hour, the wise man asked the 43 disciple to get him some water. The disciple obediently（顺从地） went back and found the lake was 44 muddy. He returned and 45 the wise man that the water was unfit to drink.
After another hour, the man again asked the disciple to get him a 46 . The disciple reached the lake to find it calm and still. The mud had 47 and the water was clean and clear. So he 48 some water and brought it to the wise man.
The wise man looked at the water, saying, “See what you 49 to make the water clean. You let it be — The 50 settled down on its own and you got the clear water. Our 51 is also like that! When it is disturbed, just let it be, Give it a little 52 . It will settle down on its own.”
So remember, the next time a(n) 53 has you all frazzled （精疲力竭的）, just let it be; don’t 54 immediately. Let the Mud settle and come back to the situation 55 .
1.A. demanded B. wanted C. struggled D. happened
2.A. discussion B. sleep C. rest D. preparation
3.A. thirsty B. sick C. tired D. worried
4.A. covering B. crossing C. cleaning D. filling
5.A. salty B. fresh C. heavy D. dirty
6.A. Where B. How C. When D. Why
7.A. fit B. convenient C. dangerous D. cheap
8.A. clever B. different C. same D. strong
9.A. indeed B. even C. also D. still
10.A. warned B. informed C. showed D. promised
11.A. drink B. chance C. pot D. hand
12.A. taken off B. settled down C. broken down D. gone off
13.A. stored B. found C. collected D. left
14.A. heard B. discovered C. noticed D. did
15.A. leaf B. water C. mud D. dust
16.A. mind B. sight C. sense D. diet
17.A. room B. time C. money D. care
18.A. accident B. danger C. situation D. disaster
19.A. act B. admit C. fail D. advance
20.A. now B. first C. recently D. later
If the weather had been better, we could have had a picnic. But it all day.
A. rained B. rains C. has rained D. is raining
