There is famous story about British poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge．He was writing a poem when he was interrupted by a knock at the door．
This was an age before telephones．Someone was delivering a message．When Colcridge got back to his poem, he had lost his inspiration．His poetic mood had been broken by the knock on his
door．His unfinished poem, which could otherwise have been a masterpiece, would now never be more than a fragment(碎片,片段)．
This story tells how unexpected communication can destroy an important thought, which brings us to the cell phone．
The most common complaint about cell phones is that people talk on them to the annoyance of people around them．But marc damaging may be the cell phone’s disruption of our thoughts．
We have already entered a golden age of little white lies about our call phones, and this is by and large a healthy, productive development．" I didn't hear it ring" or " I didn't realize my cell phone had shut off" arc among the lies we tell to give ourselves space where we’re beyond reach．
The notion or idea of being unreachable is not a new concept-we havoc "Do Not Disturb" signs on the doors of hotel rooms． So why must we feel guilty when it comes to cell phones? Why must we apologize if we decide to shut off the phone for a while?
The problem is that we come from a long-established tradition of difficulty with distance communication．Until the recent mass deployment of cell phones, it was easy to communicate with someone next to us or a few feet away, but difficult with someone across town, the country or the
globe．We came to take it for granted．
But cell phones make long-distance communication common, and endanger our time by ourselves．Now time alone, or conversation with someone next to us which cannot be interrupted by a phone, is something to be cherished．Even cell phone devotees, myself usually included, can't help at times wanting to throw their cell phone away, or curse the day they were invented．
But we don't and won't, and there really is no need．All that's required to take back our private time is a general social recognition that we have the right to it．
In other words, we have to develop a healthy contempt for the rings of our phones．Given the case of making and receiving cell phone calls, if we don-t talk to the caller right now, we surely will shortly later．
A cell phone call deserves no greater priority than a random word from a person next to us．Though the call on my cell phone may be the one-in-a-million from Steven Spielberg-who has finally read my novel and wants to make it his next movie．But most likely it is not, and I'm better
off thinking about the idea I just had for a new story, or the pizza I’ll eat for lunch．
1.What's the point of the anecdote about poet Coleridge in the first three paragraphs?
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A．To direct readers' attention to the main topic． |
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B．To show how important inspiration is to a poet． |
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C．To emphasize the disadvantage of not having a cell phone． |
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D．To encourage readers to read the works of this poet． |
2.What does the writer thinks about people telling "white lies" about their cell phones?
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A．It is a way of signaling that you don-t like the caller． |
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B．It is natural to tell lies about small things． |
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C．It is basically a good way to protect one's privacy． |
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D．We should feel guilty when we can't tell the truth． |
3.According to the author, what is the most annoying problem caused by cell phones?
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A．People get so bothered by the cell phone rings that they fail to notice anything else. |
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B．People feel guilty when they are not able to answer their cell phones. |
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C．Cell phones interrupt people’s private time. |
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D．With cell phones it is no longer possible to be unreachable. |
4.What does the underlined word “contempt” probably mean?
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A．Habit. |
B．Disrespect. |
C．Like. |
D．Value. |
5.What does last paragraph suggest?
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A．A person who calls us from afar deserves more of our attention. |
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B．Steven Spielberg once called the author to talk about the author’s novel. |
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C．You should always finish your lunch before you answer a call on the cell phone. |
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D．Never let cell phones interfere too much with your life. |
According to legend, the Bridge of Sighs in Venice, Italy, which connects the Palazzo Ducale to an ancient prison, got its name because the walk across it gave prisoners on their way to jail a final chance to appreciate the beauty of the city.
The view from the bridge today, however, is more likely to be of a giant billboard selling Bulgari or Coca – cola. Beyond the billboards, monuments are being restored. The money comes from advertising profits.
But when the Coke billboards went up this summer on buildings near the Piazza San Marco, which is at the historic heart of Venice, there was a public debate.
“We can’t commercialize everything,” said Alessandra Mottola Molfino, a Venetian. “The lesson that goes out is that a price is for everything.”
“We couldn’t stay quiet,” said Maria Camilla Bianchini d’Alberigo, president of a heritage protection association. “Too much is too much.”
There needed to be rules, she added, rules that prevent the advertising billboards clashing (冲突) with the monuments of the city.
City of officials, however, argue that without these ads, the city could not afford to maintain its heritage. Many have been damaged by centuries of wear and are even a threat to public safety.
“I can’t turn down the image of bottle when there are pieces of the Palazzo Ducale falling to the ground,” said Renata Codello, a Cultrue Ministry official.
The Culture Minister has a budget of about $ 47 million (315 million yuan) for restoration of monuments, but Italy has a rich architectural heritage, and funds are always tight．Of that amount,
$ 1.8 million was given to the entire Vector region, which includes Venice．
Two years ago, the city signed an agreement with the Dotter Group, a company responsible for the restoration of the Bridge of Sighs and the Palazzo Ducale．It allows it to sell ad space．
But there is a condition in the agreement: The ads should not offend public taste,
In August, Venice banned US actress Julianne Moore's Bulgrari ad from a billboard in the Piazza San Marco．
The photo shows a naked Moore covered with lion cubs, handbags and jewelry, Mayor Giorgio Orsoni called the image too racy (猥亵) and unsuitable for the Piazza San Marco．
"I take account of the fact that Venice is part of the real world… but we cannot accept these Hollywood-style images．There arc intelligent sponsors, and we need to come up with advertising that suits Venice, not Times Square," he said in a speech．
1.The article is mainly about in Venice
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A．restoration of cultural heritage |
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B．widespread commercialization |
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C．the conflict between ads and cultural heritage |
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D．the difficulty of restoring monuments |
2.In the first paragraph, the beautiful view from the Bridge of Sighs is mentioned to .
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A．introduce other monuments of the ancient city |
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B．show how much many ancient structures need restoring |
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C．indicate that the view is blocked by huge ads |
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D．create interest in the famous city |
3.From the article we can conclude that Rcnata Codello the advertising．
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A．is in favor of |
B．is worried about |
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C．objects to |
D．doesn't mind |
4.Why do many Venetians complain about the ads?
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A．They are intolerant of commercialization． |
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B．They feel the ads are damaging the city． |
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C．The ads are usually racy and in an American style． |
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D．The ads don't present a traditional view of Venice, |
5.It can be inferred from the passage that
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A．Hollywood stars' ads cannot go up in Venice |
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B．the mayor of Venice is expecting new advertising |
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C．the Dotter Group may stop its restoration work for lack of funds |
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D．people can buy Bulgaria or Coca-cola on the Bridge of Sighs |
The story of Madame Tussaud is as fascinating as that of the exhibition itself. From a housekeeper's daughter to a successful business woman, her life has all the marks of a Hollywood blockbuster.
Madam Tussaud was born in 1761 and named Marie Grosholtz. Her father was killed in battle only two months before Mane's birth. For the first five years of her life, Marie lived in Berne with her mother, who worked as housekeeper for Dr Philippe Curtius. A doctor, with a talent for wax modeling, Curtius became her teacher.
It was Curtius who opened the original wax exhibition in Paris in 1770 and introduced Marie to some famous people. At only 17, she modeled the famous writer Francois Voltaire, followed by a portrait of American statesman Benjamin Franklin when he was in Paris as US ambassador. Both figures are still on display at Madame Tussaud's, London today.
Her work at Curtius successful wax exhibition led to an invitation to the court of Louis XVI and his queen. For nine years she lived at the palace of Versailles guiding the artistic education of the king's sister. Meanwhile the French Revolution was about to erupt. Aware of the political nrest,Philippe Curtius called Marie back to Paris. Marie7 s connection with the royal family made her guilty. Both she and her mother were arrested. After she was set free, Marie was forced to make death masks (a death mask is a model of a dead person's face, made by coving their face with a soft substance and letting it become hard) of executed (被处决的) nobles. Many were former friends at court, including her former employers, the king and queen.
By 1800 Marie was married with two young children and a poor business inherited from Curtius. Madame Tussaud made the decision to take her exhibition on tour. In 1802, she left France. For the next 33 years, Madame Tussaud traveled the British Isles, exhibiting her growing collection of portraits. In those pre-television days, this was the only way most people had direct contact with the famous people of the time. The exhibition became permanently based in London in 1835, moving to its present site in Marylebone Road in 1884. Her last work, a remarkable self – portrait that is still on show, was completed only eight years before her death aged 89.
1.The underlined part in Para. 1 implies that Madame Tussaud’s life was .
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A．complicated |
B．successful |
C．peaceful |
D．lonely |
2.Marie got a job at that court of Louis XVI because of .
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A．Curtius’ recommendation |
B．her gift for wax modeling |
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C．her mother’s help |
D．her friendship with the king’s sister |
3.Marie was arrested during the French Revolution because .
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A．she had worked for Dr Philippe Curtius |
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B．she had modeled the French royal family |
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C．she had worked at the place of Versailles |
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D．she had refused to make death masks |
4.The last paragraph is mainly about .
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A．how Marie’s was modeling business became successful |
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B．how Marie balanced her family and work |
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C．the establishment of Madame Tussaud’s, London |
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D．the popularity of Madame Tussaud’s wax exhibition |
5.According toe the passage, how many of the following statements about Marie are TREU?
a. She hadn’t seen his father since she was born.
b. She modeled the portrait of Francois Voltaire.
c. She modeled the portrait of Francois Voltaire.
d. She guided the artistic education of the king’s daughter.
e. In 1842, she completed her last work.
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A．2 |
B．3 |
C．4 |
D．5 |
Complete the following passage by filling in each blank with one word that best fits the context.
If you plan to remain in the United States for any length of time, you will soon find 1.too expensive to stay in a hotel and will want to find another place to live. 2. is true in cities very where in the world, the 3.you live outside the city, generally the lower the rents will be. However, travelling to and 4.the city by bus, car or train may make it as expensive as living in the city. Naturally, it is easier to join in the life of a city 5.one is close to the center. 6.this reason, you may prefer to live as close to the center of the city as possible. Or, may prefer to rent a place for only a month or two until you become more familiar with 7.area.
Growing old is something that nobody can understand until they experience it for themselves．I may not be "old" but I am certainly beginning to 36 it? turned 18 just over a week ago．I am now an adult．
As a child you 37 adults—or "grown-ups" as I used to call them—to always be in control．to know what is right and wrong． 38 as a teenager, I thought that when I reached 18 I would be far more 39 in many aspects of life．But now that I am 18, 1 know that is not true．
It is clear to me now that you do not 40 learning when you are 18．Every day you learn
something 41 , no matter what your age．However, I do understand when you become an adultyou have to 42 more responsibility．
Whereas before I seldom had to clean the dishes, set the table or help out around the house, now I do all of those．I have already 43 myself the nickname "housekeeper"．
I can even drive now, which is pretty 44 , because of the frequency of accidents．But that's not to say that 18 is not 45 to be．Not only can I drink alcohol, but I can also 46 ．In fact, being 18 has made me really interested in politics because it now means that I can change things on 47 Day．More and more of my friends want to become politicians, and it is great to
think that they can change things for the better．
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Always remember it is none of your business _____ other people think about you．Just believe in yourself．
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A．how |
B．what |
C．which |
D．when |
