Boxing is a fist fighting sport between two matched combatants (对手) wearing padded gloves. A boxer’s primary aim is to land as many blows as possible to the head and torso (躯干) of the opponent, using strength and speed to dominate the contest. One of the oldest sports still practiced, boxing dates back to thousands of years ago. Today the sport is popular in many parts of the world and encompasses (包括) both amateur and professional matches.
For most of the 20th century boxing attracted huge fan and media attention in the United States. Some boxing champions became legendary, larger-than-life figures, such as Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, and Muhammad Ali. Criticized to varying degrees throughout its history for its violent nature and high injury rate, boxing has somehow always managed to survive——and even thrive——as a sport.
Modern boxing regulations are based upon the 12 rules set out by British boxing officials in the mid-19th century. These rules became known as the Marquess of Queensberry Rules, named after the 8th Marquess of Queensberry, John Sholto Douglas, who sponsored and published them. In addition to in-the-ring rules, modern boxing also has specific regulations regarding eligibility for the fighters themselves.
The modern rules for professional and amateur boxing differ, but both types of contests are divided into time periods called rounds. In professional boxing, each round lasts three minutes; in amateur boxing, two minutes. A one-minute rest period between rounds is standard. Amateur contests consist of three rounds; professional contests may consist of up to 12 rounds. A bell is usually sounded by a timekeeper to begin and end each round.
A key step in making boxing safer and more respectable was the introduction of gloves, ending brutal bare-knuckle competition. Boxing gloves are heavily padded to soften the impact of the blow and to protect the hands of the boxer. As an added protection, the hands are taped before being placed in the gloves, which are essentially huge mittens. Professional gloves usually weigh between 170 and 226g; amateur gloves average 226 to 340g.
1.Which of the following is true according to the information in the passage?
A. Boxing is a violent sport with high injury rate.
B. People enjoy boxing because of its brutal nature.
C. Only professional players are allowed to attend boxing matches.
D. Boxing is a popular sport with a history of only 200 years.
2.Boxing has always managed to survive as a sport. In the author’s opinion, __________.
A. this is because many people can participate in this popular sport
B. this is because boxing is a sport which can bring good business
C. the reason for this cannot be fully explained
D. this is because there are many legendary boxers
3.Which of the following facts about boxing is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A. The time set for a round. B. The weight of gloves.
C. The size of boxing rings. D. The signal to begin and end each round.
4.The author’s purpose in writing this passage is __________.
A. to give a general introduction to the sport of boxing
B. to advertise a band of boxing-related product
C. to discourage people from enjoying this violent sport
D. to get support for a sport with long tradition
5.Which of the following statements can best describe the sport of boxing as a whole?
A. It is a brutal and violent sport, with little popularity in modern times.
B. It is a traditional sport, with little room for improvement.
C. It is a controversial sport, which nevertheless enjoys great public support.
D. It is strictly professional sport with rigid and exclusive rules.
The Internet will open up new vistas (前景), create the global village——you can make new friends all around the world. That, at least, is what it promised us. The difficulty is that it did not take the human mind into account. The reality is that we cannot keep relationships with more than a limited number of people. No matter how hard the Internet tries to put you in communication, its best efforts will be defeated by your mind.
The problem is twofold（双重的）. First, there is a limit on the number of people we can hold in mind and have a meaningful relationship with. That number is about 150 and is set by the size of our brain. Second, the quality of your relationships depends on the amount of time you invest in then. We invest a lot in a small number of people and then distribute what’s left among as many others as we can. The problem is that if we invest little time in a person, our engagement with that person will decline until eventually it dies into “someone I once knew”.
This is not, of course, to say that the Internet doesn’t serve a socially valuable function. Of course it does. But the question is not that it allows you to increase the size of your social circle to include the rest of the world, but that you can keep your relationships with your existing friends going even though you have to move to the other side of the world.
In one sense, that’s a good thing. But it also has a disadvantage. If you continue to invest in your old friends even though you can no longer see them, then certainly you aren’t using your time to make new friends where you now live. And I suspect that probably isn’t the best use of your time. Meaningful relationships are about being able to communicate with each other, face to face. The Internet will slow down the rate with which relationships end, but it won’t stop that happening eventually.
1.The number of friends we can keep relationships with is decided by__________.
A. the Internet B. the time we have C. the place we live D. the mind
2.The underlined word “engagement” in the second paragraph probably means “__________”.
A. appointment B. connection C. interview D. agreement
3.The author holds the view that___________.
A. the Internet helps to keep in touch with friends far away
B. the Internet determines the quality of social relationships
C. the Internet greatly increases the size of social circles
D. the Internet is of no value in social communication
4.What will the author encourage us to do?
A. To keep in touch with old friends when we have moved away.
B. To chat with friends often on the Internet.
C. To make more new friends face to face.
D. To stop using the Internet to make new friends.
5.What is the author’s attitude towards the use of the Internet to strengthen relationships?
A. He thinks it useless B. He is hopeful of it.
C. He approves of it. D. He doubts it.
Paula Radcliffe, chasing a third London marathon title, says she has became a stronger person after her terrible experience at the 2004 Athens Games.
Radcliffe, who failed to complete the Olympic marathon and the 10,000m last August, said: "Athens made me a stronger person and it made me care less about criticism"
"In the past I wanted to please everyone, but now I am going to listen even more to the people around me."
She didn't care about criticism made at the weekend by Liz McColgan, who felt Radcliffe should have rested and let her body recover after her failure in Athens.
"Liz is someone I look up to but she hasn't spoken to me since last year and if she really cared for me, I'm sure she would have contacted me."
Instead Radcliffe won the New York City marathon just 11 weeks after Athens.
"In New York I wasn't in my best state but I did know I was good enough to win the race."
Radcliffe insisted her only goal in Sunday's race would be winning a third title and not chasing world records.
However, Radcliffe has not ruled out in the future chasing her "final" world record time and questioned sayings that marathon runners have the ability in their career to produce only four or five world-class times.
"I don't think that ——although I can't put a number on it," said. Radcliffe. "That changes from person to person."
Radcliffe is sure she can better her winning London 2003 performance at some point in the future. Following a successful three-month training period in the United States, the 31-year-old will chase a third title on Sunday after her first victory in 2002 and again 12 months later.
Radcliffe clocked a time of 2:18:56 in her first 42.2-kilometre race three years ago.
Afterwards she set a "mixed course" mark of 2:17:18 five months later in Chicago before lowering that to a time of 2:15:25 in the 2003 London event.
1.Radcliffe’s failure in Athens made her___________.
A. develop respect for Liz B. love people around her more
C. rest for five months D. face criticism calmly
2.Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. Radcliffe broke the world record in the New York City marathon.
B. Radcliffe didn’t fully recover before the New York City marathon.
C. Radcliffe won her first marathon title in the New York City marathon.
D. Radcliffe had a 3-month training before the New York City marathon.
3. By saying “I can’t put a number on it,” Radcliffe means she’s not sure ___________.
A. if she has the ability to set a new world record
B. if she can win another race though she has won many times
C. how many times a marathon runner can set the world record
D. if she has the ability to produce four or five world-class times
4. According to the text, Radcliffe has won ___________ London marathon title(s).
A. one B. two C. three D. four
5.What can we learn from Radcliffe’s story?
A. Practice makes perfect. B. Well begun is half done.
C. Where there is a will, there is a way. D. A friend in need is a fried indeed.
Roy wasn't the only one to receive his call-up（入伍）papers．Stephen Napier's call-up came at the beginning of February and he was pleased to find that he would be going into the Royal Air Force (RAF)．
His father was not so pleased and made his feelings known as he and Stephen were on their daily walk. It was the first step in his plans for Stephen to take over the estate（地产）when the time came, and although Stephen was well aware of this, he could think of no reason not to accompany him.
"Thought you'd forgotten that nonsense. Still, I dare say I could pull a few strings to get you to the Army..."
"No, Father! I have told you I want to learn to fly. What chance would I have to do that in the Army? I'd be better off in the Navy——at least they've got the Fleet Air Arm. But I have been put in the RAF and that's where I want to be, so let's leave it at that." His face went red. Sent to his father's school and then to Cambridge, much to his satisfaction, he had never had to defend his own desires and his father was a hard man to oppose.
The father glared at Stephen, "No, I won't leave it at that. I want to know what other ridiculous ideas are in your head. For a start, what's all this about America?"
"America?"
"Yes. All those books I saw in your room the other day. Brochures about emigration（移民）．"
The big, silvered head lowered, like that of a bull about to charge．"Don't trouble to deny it."
"I won't, Father. Some men at Cambridge have been talking about it. They want people like us here, mathematicians and scientists, for all kinds of research——the sort of research I could do．It would be a worthwhile life for me."
The father responded exactly as his son had known he would．"You've got a worthwhile life here！You've got an estate to run！"
"No, Father. You've got an estate to run. I never asked for it. Why not ask Baden to do this stuff? He perhaps can make a good job of it, but I..."
"If he were here, I might think about this silly idea of yours——only think about it, mind you but..."
1.If Father wanted Stephen to take over the estate, the first thing he did would__________．
A .take a walk with Stephen as usual B. wait till his son graduated from Cambridge
C. persuade Stephen not to go into RAF D. send Stephen to the Army instead of RAF
2.Which statement is NOT true according to the passage?
A . Stephen preferred to go into the Navy rather than the Army.
B. Stephen also received his call-up papers as Roy.
C. The father didn't like Stephen's idea of going to America.
D. Stephen was eventually forced to stay to run the estate．
3.After reading this passage, we can infer that__________．
A. Stephen had never had to defend his desires before
B. Baden might be one of Stephen's family members
C. Stephen wanted to fly in RAF and become a pilot in America
D. if somebody took over the estate, Stephen could realize his dream
4.What do we learn from the underlined sentence?
A. It looked as if the father was angry when mentioning the brochures.
B. The father was very angry and wanted to beat his son Stephen．
C. Stephen was annoyed when his father referred to the brochures.
D. A big red bull was about to charge at Stephen.
5.Which would be the best title for this passage?
A . RAF——a better choice than the Army B. A talk between Father and Son
C. The dreams of a Cambridge student D. Conflict between Father and Son
阅读下面短文，按照句子结构的语法性和上下文连贯的要求，在空格处填入一个适当的词或使用括号中词语的正确形式填空。
Over years, I’ve been teaching children about a simple 1. powerful concept——the ant philosophy. They have an amazing four-part philosophy. First, ants never quit. They’ll climb over, they’ll climb under, and they’ll climb around. They keep looking for another way. What a neat (了不起的) philosophy it is to never quit 2. (look) for a way to get 3. you are supposed to go! Second, ants think about winter and summer. That’s 4. important attitude. You can’t be so naïve(幼稚的)as to think summer will last forever. People who have a little experience are clear about this. So ants are gathering their winter food in the middle of summer. It’s important to be realistic. You have got to think about rocks as you enjoy the sand and sun. Think ahead. The third part is 5. ants think about summer all winter. During the winter, they remind 6. , “This won’t last long; we’ll soon be out of here.” And 7. the first warm day, the ants are out. If it 8. (turn) cold again, they will dive back down. But they come out again if it is warm. They can’t wait 9. (get) out. Last, how much will an ant gather during the summer to prepare for the winter? All that it 10. (possible) can. What a great philosophy to have —— the ant philosophy: never give up, look ahead, stay positive and do all you can.
Our thoughts, words, and actions often cause harm to others and to us. Without reconciliation (和解), we cannot deepen our understanding and only cause more suffering. "Beginning Anew" is a(n) 1 of reconciliation. It involves three steps —— sharing appreciation, expressing 2 , and expressing hurt and difficulties.
In the first step, we share appreciation. We acknowledge the 3 qualities of the other person. The second step——expressing regret, is to 4 with the other person our regrets for the things we have done or said that might have caused him or her 5 . This requires humility (谦逊), and the 6 to let go of our own pride. In the third step, we express our own hurt with mindful and loving 7 without blaming or criticizing. We speak in such a way that the other person can listen and 8 our words. If we blame the other person, his heart will 9 and he will not be able to hear us. We ask the other person to help us to understand why he has spoken and acted as he has, causing us so much pain. Perhaps, later, he can share his feelings so that we can understand him more deeply. If a strong 10 arises in us while we are expressing our suffering, we should simply 11 and come back to our breathing until the emotion becomes 12 . The other person can 13 us by following his breathing until we are ready to continue. We can enjoy practicing "Beginning Anew" with our partner, our family, or our friends 14 . By doing this, we will 15 misunderstandings from accumulating. Rather, we will take care of them as they arise, as we take care of our children.
|
1. |
A. |
method |
B. |
practice |
C. |
example |
D. |
experience |
|
2. |
A. |
concern |
B. |
belief |
C. |
regret |
D. |
sympathy |
|
3. |
A. |
positive |
B. |
poor |
C. |
confident |
D. |
selfish |
|
4. |
A. |
chat |
B. |
compare |
C. |
debate |
D. |
share |
|
5. |
A. |
pain |
B. |
anxiety |
C. |
confusion |
D. |
loss |
|
6. |
A. |
willingness |
B. |
kindness |
C. |
happiness |
D. |
weakness |
|
7. |
A. |
speech |
B. |
letter |
C. |
story |
D. |
question |
|
8. |
A. |
choose |
B. |
accept |
C. |
spread |
D. |
change |
|
9. |
A. |
open |
B. |
close |
C. |
beat |
D. |
melt |
|
10. |
A. |
emotion |
B. |
responsibility |
C. |
value |
D. |
interest |
|
11. |
A. |
continue |
B. |
stop |
C. |
leave |
D. |
repeat |
|
12. |
A. |
quieter |
B. |
warmer |
C. |
deeper |
D. |
stronger |
|
13. |
A. |
forget |
B. |
support |
C. |
hate |
D. |
remember |
|
14. |
A. |
quickly |
B. |
carefully |
C. |
regularly |
D. |
willingly |
|
15. |
A. |
prevent |
B. |
protect |
C. |
separate |
D. |
forbid |
