Romanian-born German writer Herta Mueller won the 2009 Nobel Prize in literature yesterday, honored for work that "with the concentration of poetry and the frankness of prose, describes the landscape of the dispossessed(被流放者)," the Swedish Academy said.
The 56-year-old author, who immigrated to Germany from Romania in 1987, first gained public attention in 1982 with a collection of short stories titled Niederungen, or Lowlands in English, which was promptly censored(审查通过) by her government.
In 1984 an uncensored version was smuggled to Germany where it was published and her work describing life in a small, German-speaking village in Romania was popular with the readers there. That work was followed by Oppressive Tango in Romania.
"The Romanian national press was very critical of these works while, outside of Romania, the German press received them very positively," the Academy said. "Because Mueller had publicly criticized the dictatorship(独裁) in Romania, she was prohibited from publishing in her own country.” In 1987 she immigrated to Germany with her husband two years before dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was toppled from power.
Mueller's parents were members of the German-speaking minority in Romania and father served in the Waffen SS during World War II. After the war ended, many German Romanians were deported(放逐) to the Soviet Union in 1945, including her mother, who spent five years in a work camp in what is now Ukraine.
Most of her works are in German, but some works have been translated into English, French and Spanish, including The Passport, The Land of Green Plums, Traveling on One Leg and The Appointment.
Mueller has given guest lectures at universities, colleges and other venues in Paderborn, Warwick, Hamburg, Swansea, Gainsville (Florida), Kassel, Gottingen, Tubingen and Zurich among other places. She lives in Berlin. Since 1995 she has served as a member of Deutsche Akademie fur Sprache und Dichtung, in Darmstadt."
Mueller is the 12th woman to win the literature prize. Recent female winners include Austria's Elfriede Jelinek in 2004 and British writer Doris Lessing in 2007.
The award includes a $1.4 million prize and will be handed out on December 10
1.Herta Mueller was awarded Nobel Prize in literature because of____________.
A.her public criticism upon the dictatorship in Romania
B.her works with the concentration of poetry and the frankness of prose
C.her works describing the life of the dispossessed in Germany
D.the popularity of her works with the readers in the German-speaking village
2.Which of the following statements is mentioned by the author?
A.German Romanians were treated unfairly in Germany in the 1940s.
B.Her parents were dispossessed to Ukraine after the World War II.
C.Her first work was published in Germany in the early 1980s.
D.Her works were all translated into versions in different languages.
3.It can be inferred from the fourth paragraph that _____.
A.people then in Romania had the right to say whatever was true.
B.Herta Mueller left her home country after the dictatorship was ended.
C.Herta Mueller immigrated to Germany together with her parents.
D.Romanian citizens lived a hard life without democracy in the 1980s.
4.According to the passage, which of the following works has an English version?
A.Lowlands in English B.Oppressive Tango in Romania.
C.Traveling on One Leg D.The Land of Green Plums
5.What is the passage mainly about?
A.Mueller made great contribution to literature through hard work
B.Mueller won the Nobel Prize for her great literature works.
C.Mueller gained great popularity by describing dictatorship.
D.Mueller was treated badly in Romania and immigrated to Germany.
U.S. airlines are seeing a major interruption because of hundreds of flights canceled due to the ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano, but European flight companies will face the biggest losses.
The airline business has been tough: The decline dramatically slowed traffic; February heavy snow forced U.S. airlines to cancel thousands of flights; and now the ashes from the volcano stopped all traffic in and out of northern Europe for days.
"For U.S. flight companies, it'll be a relatively short-term hit," said Michael Boyd, president of Boyd Group International, an aviation (航空学) consulting firm. "We think right now they're down about $80 million in terms of lost income, and they're down domestically about 80,000 passengers that would have been flying domestically but aren't because they can't get here."
Delta announced that volcano-related interruption grounded about 400 flights until Monday at a cost of $20 million in lost revenues. But compare that to the recent snowstorms, when the airline canceled 7,000 flights and lost $65 million in revenue.
The disruption has created uncertainty for customers, but analysts say U.S. airlines won't face as many costs as you might think. They are not flying in extra planes to handle the passengers in trouble because, airline analyst Robert Mann said, companies simply don't have them.
"Airlines run a very lean operation now," Mann said. "So, since there are no spare aircraft or crews, the airlines will attempt to maximize loads on every one of their aircraft that do fly. But it may take days, or in some cases a week or so, to get some of these customers to where they want to go."
1. Which negative consequences mentioned in the passage did the disasters cause?
A. coldness, pollution and airlines’ losses
B. airport damage, pollution and slow traffic
C. passenger delay, coldness and airport damage
D. passenger delay, airlines’ losses and slow traffic
2. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. The fewest airplanes will fly the trapped passengers to their destinations.
B. All the customers are sure to be sent to their destinations in time.
C. The U.S. and U.K. airlines suffered the same losses in the natural disasters.
D. The volcano eruption reduced the traffic to and from northern Europe.
3. What does the last paragraph mainly tell us?
A. the troubles that the airlines will face after the ash cloud disappears
B. the measures that the airlines will take to maximize their profit
C. the present situation of the airlines and their plan to deliver the passengers
D. the reasons why the airlines run a fine operation
4. Why will it take a long time for airlines to send the passengers to their different destinations?
A. Because the passengers enjoy staying in airports to talk with one another.
B. Because the airlines don’t have spare planes or employees to serve.
C. Because the airlines don't have enough financial support after the disaster.
D. Because the passengers are asking for full refund from the airlines.
5. The passage is most probably from_______.
A.a novel B.a news report C.a magazine D.a thesis
Ⅲ 阅读 (共两节,满分40分)
第一节 阅读理解 (共15小题;每小题2分,满分30分)
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
For most pregnant women, exercise is the last thing on their minds. After all, keeping slim while you’re expecting isn’t exactly the top priority— rather, it’s making sure your baby gets enough nutrients to grow. But in a small new study, researchers at the University of Auckland in New Zealand report that a mother’s regular aerobic exercise may be good for a growing fetus’ health — and may even help a baby get a healthier start in life.
The finding is a bit surprising, because exercise is known to lower the risk of insulin resistance(胰岛素抵抗),a condition eventually leading to diabetes(糖尿病). Although insulin resistance is a detriment in healthy adults, it turns out to be helpful for proper fetal(胎儿)development. In pregnant women, this condition means nutrients get shunted to the growing baby.
The question is: could a mother’s exercise put her developing baby’s food supply at risk? Past studies looking at the effect of exercise on birth weight have been inconclusive, and none have really investigated the influence of exercise on the mother’s sensitivity to insulin. So the University of Auckland’s Dr. Paul Hoffman and his team decided to study 84 first-time mothers, who were of normal weight on average, and track any effects aerobic exercise(有氧运动) might have on their insulin sensitivity and, ultimately, on their babies’ birth weight. Researchers asked some women to exercise on a stationary bicycle for at least 40 minutes per session, up to five times each week, starting in the 20th week of pregnancy; the other women were not specifically asked to exercise. When the two groups and their babies were compared, the team found that women who bicycled regularly gave birth to babies who were on average 150g lighter than those born to the non-exercising mothers. In both groups, however, the babies were of healthy weight, and there was no difference in the mothers’ weights.
Generally speaking, babies on the lower end of the normal weight range are considered healthier and less prone to developing diabetes and obesity than heavier ones, so this was an encouraging result. Even more reassuring was that regular exercise did not seem to affect the flow of nutrients to the growing babies in the womb.
1. According to the new study, a pregnant woman’s regular exercise may _______.
A. bring benefits to a baby’s growth
B. lower the risk of insulin resistance
C. put her baby’s food supply at risk
D. help her keep slim and healthy
2. What does the underlined word “detriment” mean in the second paragraph?
A. Something that brings good.
B. Something that brings damage.
C. Something that brings obstacles.
D. Something that brings development.
3. What is the purpose of the experiment carried out by Dr. Paul Hoffman?
A. To investigate the influence of exercise on pregnant women.
B. To find out what aerobic exercise can benefit a baby’s growth.
C. To make sure of the effects exercise may have on babies’ birth weight
D. To compare the differences between mothers who exercise and who don’t
4. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. Lighter babies are generally believed to be healthier than heavier ones.
B. Non-exercising mothers will definitely give birth to heavier babies.
C. No studies have looked at the effect of exercise on birth weight before.
D. Some women studied were asked to exercise regularly while some don’t.
5. Which of the following may be the best title for the passage?
A. All mothers should take aerobic exercise.
B. Moms who exercise give birth to lighter babies。
C. Exercise reduces the risk of insulin resistance.
D. Heavier babies are more likely to develop diabetes.
第二节 语法填空 (共10小题,每小题1.5分,满分15分)
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,并将答案填写在答题卡标号为31~40的相应位置上。
BEIJING - High school graduates from quake-hit Yushu county, Qinghai province will have greater opportunities to enter college due to favorable policies from the Ministry of Education.
Students who sit this year's college entrance examination in Yushu will receive additional test points and colleges ___31___ (instruct) to give preference to students from the area ___32___ they meet minimum admission requirements, the ministry said in a notice published on ___33___ website on Saturday.
Even for those who fail this year's exam, the education department in Qinghai will offer the students ___34___ (vary) opportunities to continue their education ___35___ receive vocational training, according to the ministry.
In China, the college entrance exam ___36___ (hold) in early June every year. About 1,000 students from Yushu's senior high schools are expected to sit this year's exam along with students from ___37___ the country.
___38___ 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit Yushu of Qinghai on April 14, killing at least 2,200 people and leaving some 13,000 ___39___ (injure).
On Saturday, Premier Wen Jiabao paid his second visit to Yushu ___40___ the quake and presided over a meeting on reconstruction work.
Ⅱ 语言知识及应用(共两节,满分35分)
第一节 完形填空 (共10小题; 每小题2分, 满分20分)
阅读下面短文,掌握其大意,然后从21-30各题所给的A、B、C和D项中选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
The Squirrel and the Lion
A squirrel, merrily leaping on the branches of an oak tree, accidentally missed its hold and fell upon a lion who lay sound asleep at the trunk. His Majesty awoke in ___21___, and displayed his terrific teeth to the ___22___ squirrel, who, in the most humble manner, begged __23___ for the intrusion. “I grant you your life,” said the lion, “but on condition that you tell me the reason why you are always so lively and __24___, while my time passes so boringly.”
“Yes, sire,” replied the squirrel, “I will, in return for your mercy, tell you the secret. But he who speaks the truth ought to stand higher than he who ___25___ it; permit me, therefore, to jump up the tree.”
The lion agreed to this and when the squirrel was out of his ___26___ he thus addressed him: “You seek to know how I am always merry. ___27___ gives me a joyous mind, but sire, you are just lacking in it. Think of the many crimes and cruelties you have___28___. How many animals have you killed, while I have been ___29___ in carrying nuts to help my folks! You hate, and I love! Believe me, there is great meaning and truth in these words, and often have I heard my father observe when young: “Son, let your happiness be founded in virtue, and pleasure will be the constant ___30___ of your heart.”.
21. A. anger B. silence C. surprise D. hunger
22. A. thrilling B. skipping C. trembling D. frightening
23. A. explanation B. understanding C. forgiveness D. consideration
24. A. lovely B. interesting C. athletic D. happy
25. A. witnesses B. answers C. analyzes D. hears
26. A. sight B. reach C. mind D. catch
27. A. Nature B. Wealth C. Conscience D. Knowledge
28. A. made B. committed C. performed D. accomplished
29. A. employed B. required C. interested D. devoted
30. A. tendency B. desire C. companion D. assistant
第二节读写任务(共1小题,满分25分)
阅读下面的短文,然后按照要求写一篇150词左右的英语短文。
When I was a teenager, my dad did everything he could to advise me against becoming a brewer(啤酒制造者). He didn’t even want me anywhere near a vat(酿酒用的桶). So I did as he asked. I got good grades and went to Harvard.
In the second year, I began to realize that I’d never done anything but go to school. So, at 24 I decided to drop out (辍学)for some time. Obviously, my parents didn’t think this was a great idea. But I felt strongly that one can’t wait till he is 65 to do what he wants to in life. Having worked for 2 years, I went back to Harvard to continue my study.
After graduation, I got a highly-paid job in Boston. After working there five years, I wondered, “Is this what I want to be doing when I’m 50?” At that time, Americans spent good money on beer in low quality. Why not make good beer for Americans? I thought.
I decided to quit my job to become a brewer. When I told Dad, he was astonished, but in the end he supported me. Six weeks later, at the Great American Beer Festival, my Sam Adams Boston Lager(淡啤酒) won the top prize for American beer. In the end I was destined(注定) to be a brewer. My advice to the young is simple: decide by yourselves not your seniors what you should do for a life when you are young.
【写作内容】
1.用大约30个词概括原文内容。
2.然后用大约120个词表达自己对如何解决“孩子的个人志向与家长愿望之间的矛盾”的看法,内容包括:
(1)说明家长尊重孩子志向的重要性。
(2)用自己或他人的事例说明应该如何解决孩子的个人志向与家长愿望之间的矛盾。
【写作要求】
1.作文中可使用自己亲身经历或虚构的故事支持你的观点,也可以参照阅读材料的内容,但不得直接引用原文中的句子;
2.作文中不能出现真实姓名和学校名称。
【评分标准】概括准确,语言规范,内容合适,篇章连贯。