There seems never to have been a civilization without toys, but when and how they developed is unknown． They probably came about just to give children something to do．
In the ancient world, as is today, most boys played with some kinds of toys and most girls with another． In societies where social roles are rigidly determined, boys pattern their play after the activities of their fathers and girls after the tasks of their mothers． This is true because boys and girls are being prepared, even in play, to step into the roles and responsibilities of the adult world．
What is remarkable about the history of toys is not so much how they changed over the centuries but how much they have remained the same． The changes have been mostly in terms of craftsmanship, mechanics, and technology． It is the universality of toys with regard to their development in all parts of the world and their persistence to the present that is amazing． In Egypt, the Americas, China, Japan and among the Arctic （北极的） peoples, generally the same kinds of toys appeared． Variations depended on local customs and ways of life because toys imitate their surroundings． Nearly every civilization had dolls, little weapons, toy soldiers, tiny animals and vehicles．
Because toys can be generally regarded as a kind of art form, they have not been subject to technological leaps that characterize inventions for adult use． The progress from the wheel to the oxcart to the automobile is a direct line of ascent （进步）． The progress from a rattle used by a baby in 3,000 BC to one used by an infant today, however, is not characterized by inventiveness． Each rattle is the product of the artistic tastes of the times and subject to the limitations of available materials．
1.Which is a major factor leading to the different variations of toys?
A． Scientific advances and technological progress
B． Different local customs and lifestyles of different peoples
C． Craftsmanship, mechanics, and technology
D． The artistic tastes of the times and the limitations of available materials
2.Why do boys and girls play with different kinds of toys?
A． Because they are intended for different social roles and responsibilities．
B． Because boys like to invent and girls imitate．
C． Because boys play with their fathers while girls their mothers．
D． Because they will take up different jobs when they grow up．
3.One amazing aspect about the “universality of toys” is______．
A． They appeared all over the world almost at the same time in history．
B． They have not changed except in craftsmanship, mechanics, and technology．
C． Having existed for thousands of years, toys are still found all over the world today．
D． They are a kind of art form, which has been promoted by inventiveness．
The rise of multinational corporations （跨国公司）, global marketing, new communications technologies, and shrinking cultural differences have led to an unparalleled increase in global public relations or PR．
Surprisingly, since modern PR was largely an American invention, America’s relations is being threatened by PR efforts in other countries． Ten years ago, for example, the world’s top five public relations agencies were American-owned． In 1991, only one was． The British in particular are becoming more sophisticated and creative． A recent survey found that more than half of all British companies include PR as part of their corporate （公司的） planning activities, compared to about one-third of U．S． companies． It may not be long before London replaces New York as the capital of PR．
Why is America lagging behind in the global PR race? First, Americans as a whole tend to be fairly provincial and take more of an interest in local affairs． Knowledge of world geography, for example, has never been strong in this country． Secondly, Americans lag behind their European and Asian counterparts （相对应的人） in knowing a second language． Less than 5 percent of Burson—Marshall’s U．S．employees know two languages． Ogilvy and Mather have about the same percentage． Conversely, some European firms have half or more of their employees fluent in a second language． Finally, people involved in PR abroad tend to keep a closer eye on international affairs． In the financial PR area, for instance, most Americans read the Wall Street Journal． Overseas, their counterparts read the Journal as well as the Financial Times of London and The Economist, publications not often read in this country．
Perhaps the PR industry might take a lesson from Ted Turner of CNN （Cable News Network）． Turner recently announced that the word “foreign” would no longer be used on CNN news broadcasts． According to Turner, global communications have made the nations of the world so interdependent that there is no longer any such thing as foreign．
1.Compared with the American PR personnel, what is/are an advantage（s） of the non-Americans involved in PR?
A． They tend to be more internationally minded
B． They speak more and better foreign languages．
C． They usually pay more attention to global financial situation．
D． Both A and B．
2.What is the immediate cause of the downfall of America’s public relations?
A． The number of US public relations agencies had greatly decreased by 1991．
B． Other countries have increased their efforts in public relations．
C． On the global scale, cultural differences have significantly shrunk．
D． The British companies are becoming especially sophisticated and creative in public relations．
3.It could be inferred that the author of the passage is______．
A． an American B． a Briton
C． Ted Turner D． an Asian
4.The underlined word “provincial” in paragraph 3 could possibly mean “ ”．
A． strict in thinking B． like people from rural areas
C． limited in outlook D． interested in geographical knowledge
For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D． Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context．
Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, to serve some sort of 1 , teach you a lesson, or to help you figure out who you are or who you want to become． You 2 know who these people maybe （possibly your roommate, neighbor, co-worker, long lost friend, lover, or even a complete stranger）, but when you lock eyes with them, you know at that very moment they will affect your life in some 3 way．
And sometimes things happen to you that may seem horrible, painful． and unfair at first, but __4__you find that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential, strength, willpower, or heart．
Everything happens for a reason． Nothing happens5 or by means of good luck． Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul． 6 these small tests whatever they may be, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere． It would be safe and comfortable, but dull and utterly 7 ． The people you meet who affect your life, and the success and downfalls you experience, help to create who you are and who you become．
Even the 8 experiences can be learned from． In fact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones． If someone hurts you, 9 you, or breaks your heart, forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious when you open your heart． If someone loves you, love them back 10 , not only because they love you, but because in a way, they are teaching you to love and how to open your 11 and eyes to things．
Make every day count． 12 every moment and take from those moments everything that you possibly can for you may never be able to experience it again． Talk to people that you have never talked to before, and actually listen． Let yourself fall in love, break free, and set your sights high． Hold your head up because you have 13 right to． Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don’t believe in yourself, it will be hard for others to believe in you． You can make of your life anything you wish． Create your own life and then go out and live it with absolutely no 14 ．
Most importantly, if you LOVE someone, tell him or her, for you never know what tomorrow may have 15 ． And learn a lesson in life each day that you live．
That’s the story of life．
1.A． people B． purpose C． intention D． advantage
2.A． already B． sometimes C． should D． never
3.A． limited B． strange C． other D． profound
4.A． in reflection B． in reality C． in addition D． in a way
5.A． on purpose B． by any chance C． by accident D． on principle
6.A． Despite B． With C． For all D． Without
7.A． bored B． pointless C． undeserved D． meaningful
8.A． good B． different C． bad D． pleasant
9.A． betrays B． loves C． appreciates D． understands
10.A． in turn B． moderately C． unconditionally D． in a way
11.A． mouth B． mind C． heart D． emotion
12.A． ComprehendB． Appreciate C． Expect D． Evaluate
13.A． every B． each C． proper D． exact
14.A． ambition B． hatred C． belief D． regrets
15.A． in the futureB． in stock C． in store D． in pursuit
Complete the following passage by using the words in the box． Each word can only be used once． Note that there is one word more than you need．
|
A． best-selling B． influenced C． tragic D． canceled AB． in peace AC． used to AD． given BC． focus BD． comeback C D． concentration |
A year ago, at the annual pre-Grammy party, Whitney Houston, the great diva（女歌手）, walked on stage and closed the evening with a brilliant performance．
Last Saturday, Houston was once again the 1 of the showcase before the Grammys, but her presence was a posthumous（死后的）one．
Earlier that day, pop music’s former queen was found dead in her hotel room． She was 48．
This, no doubt, is sad news to the whole music industry and her fans all over the world, __2__ what a legendary life and remarkable career that she once had．
At her peak, Houston was the golden girl of the music world． From the mid-1980s to the late 1990s, she was one of the world’s 3 artists． She strongly impressed the audiences with effortless, powerful and peerless vocals．
Besides multi-million record sales, Houston made countless hits such as The Greatest Love of All, I Have Nothing, and the mostly famous I Will Always Love You．
She also 4 a generation of younger singers, from Christina Aguilera to Mariah Carey．
But by the end of her career, it was a 5 fall for this superstar． Houston has been addicted to drugs． Her album sales plummeted and the hits stopped coming． Her once calm and peaceful image was shattered by a wild manner and unusual public appearances, and her once natural voice became rough and hoarse, unable to hit the high notes as she 6 ．
“The biggest devil is me． I’m either my best friend or my worst enemy,” Houston told the ABC in an interview in 2002．
In 2009, Houston staged what seemed to be a successful 7 with the album I Look To You, which debuted on top of the charts．
But hoarse voice, 8 concerts, and continuous illness–Houston’s comeback trail wasn’t smooth at all． In an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2009, Houston confessed: “It （show business） is too much． So much to try to live up to, to try to be, and I wanted out．”
Now that Houston has finally taken a break from all the chaos, may she rest 9 ．
—What a beautiful girl your daughter is!
—______．
A． So she is and so are you B． So is she and so are you
C． So she is and so you are D． So she is and so you are
Since time began, it seems, people have been putting off______they______have done today, scolding themselves in the meantime．
A． that, must B． that, should C． what, could D． what, would
