Most of the 20th century has been a development on the Industrial Revolution taken to an extreme: people now own more products than ever before; there are enough unclear weapons to destroy the earth several times over; there is hardly any forest left and pollution has got to the point where we buy water. Within a few years I predict you will be able to buy air. (There once was a time when you didn’t need to buy food or shelter either.)
Important developments in the last century are the breading down of the class structures left over from the Industrial Revolution stage, bringing with it the empowerment of the “common man ”: the working day is set by law to only 8 hours a day, everyone has the vote, the media has less obvious government control, people have landed on the moon, sent spacecrafts to Mars and so on. Families have also shrunk drastically（强烈地）; the nuclear family came about, and especially in the last half of the 20th century, one-parent families are becoming more common. This shrinking in the size of the family shows the increased independence of people—once upon a time people had to live in large groups to survive.
As humans have “become the gods”, they have realized their individuality and independence and taken their control of the world to an extreme. In many countries the land is almost completely used in the land is almost completely used in the production of food and as living space and they live in small cities which are entirely human constructed, made from materials which are also entirely human constructed(concrete, bricks) with hardly any remains of nature. Weeds are poisoned because they are messy; even parks have trees grown in tidy lines; grass is mowed to keep it short and so on. I think the massive drug “problem” troubling people is a result of too much of this influence, humans needing to escape the stark world they have created by entering fantasy worlds.
Over the last 100 years, the 20th century consciousness has spread throughout the world; most of Asia has been thoroughly “Westernized”, and most of the Third World is being overrun by western ways of doing things and living.
1.What’s the author most concerned about?
A．The influence of pollution.
B．Strong effects of development.
C．Changed positions of humans as gods.
D．The process of the Industrial Revolution.
2.What is the author’s attitude towards the changes of the 20th century?
A．Objective. B．Tolerant. C．Vague. D．Negative.
3.What does the underlined word “stark” in Paragraph 3 mean?
A．Unfair. B．Illegal. C．Dull. D．Violent.
4.What can be inferred from the passage?
A．Men’s individuality is over controlled.
B．People have damaged nature too much.
C．Men’s independence is partially limited.
D．People show concern for nuclear families.
Visitors were still paying 20 yuan to hug Lele and have their photos taken yesterday despite a ban that forbids any such sontact with a wild animal. The ban was introduced more than a week ago.
“The city zoo broke the law and should be prohibited,” said an official at the State Forestry Administration.
The administration notice last Monday clearly bans contact with wild or captive animals, the abuse of wild or captive animals for performance purposes and any improper business related to wild animal products.
“Close contact with the chimp is the only bit that breaks the ban and we will end that soon,” said Beijing Zoo spokeswoman Ye Minxia yesterday.
“The chimpanzee performance can’t stopped overnight as we have a contract with a company scheduled to terminate at the end of this year,” she said.
“The zoo is negotiating with the company in the hope of terminating it sooner,” Ye said. She refused to answer directly whether the chimp photo sessions were still ongoing yesterday, instead, saying. “It’s very likely we will cancel it tomorrow.”
Zoo staff confirmed photos were taken yesterday, one employee saying 2-year-old Lele “works” form 10am to 3pm daily, according to the Leagl Mirror.
Such activities not only damage the mental and physical health of the animals, but also risk the safety of visitors, according to the official website of the State Forestry Administration where the notice was released.
“A pet male chimpanzee bit and attacked 55-year-old Chala Nash, causing serious injuries to her face, neck and hands at her friend’s home in Stamfor, Connecticut on February 16th last year,” CNN reported. The friend, Sandra Herold, called the police, who shot 14-year-old Travis many times after he also attacked an officer.”
“Putting a blue T-shirt on a wild animal and training it to bare its teeth and parade for visitors might not enhance that already-troubled image of Chinese animal protection,” the State Forestry official warned. “Some zoos even hit animals and promote themselves with commercials involving animal abuse, ” he said.
“Too much focus on the profits too often results in improper treatment of animals, contributing to their early and unnatural deaths,” the notice stated.
1.Where can people most probably find the article?
A．In research reports. B．In newspapers.
C．In science fictions. D．In book reviews.
2.What do we learn about Lele?
A．It’s used to make money. B．It is hit by the people.
C．It attacked its owners. D．It died unnaturally.
3.What would be the best title of the article?
A．Zoos Disobey National Ban B．Profit-making Zoos
C．Animals in Danger D．Animal Abuse
Has anyone noticed how, with the passage of time, one’s relationship with one’s grown-up daughters and sons becomes changed? I’ve been aware of this for some time but I’m not quite sure how to deal with it.
Take the kitchen sink for example.
Following a family get-together at my place, I walked into the kitchen to find Kate, my daughter carefully cleaning the sink.
“Don’t do that; what are you doing that for?” I said, unhappy about the hidden criticism.
“Mum,” she said, “you really ought to put your glasses on when you clean the sink. Behind the tap here was black!”
But it’s not just things like kitchen sinks. Another time Kate arrived to pick me up to lunch. She looked at me and then asked, “Mum, why do you use brown eyebrow pencil when your hair is grey?”
A sudden memory of her, aged 14, going to her first mixed party flooded back. She had come in to say goodbye. For a moment I thought she’d been an accident. Both eyes were black. I remember suggesting that perhaps a little less eye make-up might be more effective.
Now I told her, “My hair used to be brown.”
“It looks absurd.”
“Mrs. Menzies had dark eyebrows with grey hair.”
“Yes, but you’re not Mrs. Menzies, are you?” she said triumphantly, as if that proved her point.
But a recent event made me realize that something really must be done.
She had returned some for a few weeks before getting married. One evening I went out on a dinner date. By the time my companion left me at the front door, it was about 2am. As I stepped in, an angry figure in a white nightgown stopped me.
“Well, what time of night is this to be coming home?” she shouted. “Where have you been? I’ve been worried sick!”
Shades of the past come back to disturb me. But what should I do about all this? Nothing, probably. Maybe, after all, it’s only a stage young people are going through.
1.The daughter thought her mother didn’t clean the kitchen sink well because of her .
A．laziness B．carelessness C．unhappiness D．poor-quality glasses
2.From the passage we know the daughter .
A．didn’t want to help with the sink
B．didn’t like brown eyebrow pencils
C．had an accident when she went to her first party
D．shouted at her mum because she came home late
3.How does the mother feel after all these have happened?
A．Shocked. B．Proud. C．Envious. D．Confused.
4.The author writes the stories to prove that .
A．their relationship became stronger
B．their roles changed as time passed
C．her daughter very much cared about her
D．her daughter got upset as she grew up
Ride With The Leader
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Downtown Tour
Empire State Building. Chinatown.
World Trade Center Site. Wall Street.
United Nations. Rockefeller Center.
Departure Times: 7:45am—6:00pm, daily.
Departure Locations: 8th Ave. between 49th &50th Sts.,
Broadway between 47th &48th Sts., 7th Ave. &42th St.
◆Uptown Tour
Lincoln Center. Central Park.
Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Museum of Natural History.
Museum of Modern Art and more.
Departure Times: 9:00—5:00pm, daily.
Departure Locations: 8th Ave. between 42th &43th Sts., 8th Ave. & 52th St.
◆Night Tour
Enjoy and photograph the magnificent Manhattan skyline.
Enjoy view of Times Square, SoHo, Little Italy, Brooklyn
Bridge and more.
Departure Times: 6:30—8:00pm, 7 days a week.
Departure Locations: Broadway between 47th &48th Sts,, 7th Ave. & 42th St.
◆Shopping Day Trip
Enjoy the excitement of finding the world’s finest designer
labels for less at Woodbury Common Premium Outlet.
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Departure Location: Pot Authority Bus Terminal.
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daily.
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◆Escorted Day Trips
Professional tour guides accompany throughout.
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Walk the Boston Freedom Trail
Walk the Freedom Trail, which is 2.5 miles long with 16 historic sites. Decide the length of
walk you wish to take. Visit Boston Harbor. See the downtown financial district and cross the
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Philadelphia & Amish Country
See the Liberty Bell and Constitution Square. Continue to Lancaster Country, home of the
Amish people. Learn how Amish live without modern technology, electricity, running water or
phones.
Departure Time: 7:00am.
Departure Location: 125 Park Ave. between 42th & 41th Sts.
1.On which tour can you visit the United Nations?
A．Downtown Tour. B．Shopping Day Trip.
C．Uptown Tour. D．Night Tour.
2.Which of the following is the cheapest for adults?
A．Escorted Day Trips. B．Uptown Tour.
C．Shopping DayTrip. D．Night Tour.
3.What can you see on the Uptown Tour?
A．Different museums. B．Skyline of Manhattan.
C．World’s top designers. D．People living in old ways.
4.What do you have to do if you want to join the Escorted Day Trips?
A．Book before the trip. B．Start out at 9:30am.
C．Take the bus at 7th Ave.& 42nd St D．Walk the Freedom Trail all day long.
It was a cold winter morning. Half asleep at the train station, I stared into the distance, 36 for the train to take me to my 37 in Boston. The word was quiet. The very few people on the street kept to themselves, 38 their steaming cups of coffee.
Reaching into my pocket as the 39 was approaching, my numb hand searched for the $ 20 bill to pay my fare. The pocket was 40 ! I searched through my bag and then I felt 41 . Unless the money dropped from the sky, I’d be 42 there.
“What’s the matter?” A short, elderly man stood before me.
“Oh, nothing…. Well, I 43 my money and now I can’t pay for the ticket. I’m going to 44 my match class, and the train is leaving.”
“Here, use this.”
The man held a $ 20 bill. I looked up, 45 . People just didn’t do that anymore. Everyone worried about their own 46 , rarely stopping to think about others, especially teenage strangers.
“Thank you, but no, I can’t.”
“ 47 it – go!” The man pushed me 48 the train. I bought a round – trip ticket, and he refused the change I 49 to give him back. I did not know what to say – a million thoughts raced through my mind, yet I stood 50 .
For the train ride I was silent. I began to see the world through 51 eyes. That man made a difference with such a simple 52 .
A week later I was at the train station again, with an extra $ 20 53 I saw the man. And there he was.
“excuse me, sir, I believe I owe you this.” I 54 the money into his hand.
Failing to refuse, he said, “Just remember to do the same for someone in your shoes someday.” I smiled, content.
The elderly man is my hero. For many, heroes are famous, but my hero is a 55 stranger who taught me a lesson in life. I will never forget his kindness.
1.A．watching B．looking C．reaching D．arranging
2.A．home B．class C．office D．factory
3.A．serving B．carrying C．minding D．making
4.A．chance B．crowd C．driver D．train
5.A．deep B．empty C．messy D．tight
6.A．hopeless B．useless C．relieved D．dissatisfied
7.A．blocked B．drawn C．stuck D．tied
8.A．wasted B．counted C．spent D．lost
9.A．miss B．skip C．fail D．stop
10.A．frightened B．disturbed C．surprised D．concerned
11.A．problems B．complaints C．positions D．challenges
12.A．Seize B．Get C．Catch D．Take
13.A．in B．beyond C．toward D．on
14.A．offered B．managed C．happened D．attempted
15.A．unconsciously B．silently C．seriously D．uncomfortably
16.A．curious B．changed C．bright D．widened
17.A．task B．act C．example D．performance
18.A．so that B．even if C．now that D．in case
19.A．dropped B．pushed C．pressed D．placed
20.A．giving B．encouraging C．promising D．respecting
Cathy went to the hospital alone. If she had told me about it, I with her.
A．had gone B．would have gone C．would go D．went
