TOKYO (Reuters) – “Who played the father in the movie ‘Kramer versus Kramer’?” That’s one of the 50 questions Japanese men could face in a “daddy exam”, meant to raise awareness about fatherhood in a country where men tend to work long hours and leave their wives in charge of childcare and household work.
Even men who remember Dustin Hoffman struggling as a father in the movie may have a hard time answering questions ranging from baby food to politics.
Tetsuya Ando, director of Fathering Japan, a Tokyo non-profit organization that came up with the test and will offer it to eager dads from next March, said the exam was an attracting way to get fathers into parenting. “There just isn't enough information about parenting for fathers. Through the exam, we want men to realize that they don't know anything about bringing up kids,” he said.
For the price of 3,900 yen ($34), fathers can find out whether they qualify as a “Super Dad,” or are in need of more effort as a “Challenge Dad.”
“We have received inquiries(咨询) from fathers, single men, to-be-dads, grandfathers ... even an aunt who was concerned that her nephew is too busy with work to notice the fun of parenting,” Ando said. The image of fathers is gradually changing in Japan as younger men eschew their own dads’ hands-off way in favor of closer involvement, and a wave of new parenting magazines for male readers has been hitting newsstands. But it is still hard for Japanese fathers to cut down on their work hours and spend more time with their families. Only 0.5 percent of employed men in Japan took parental leave in 2011, compared with 14 percent in the United States and 12 percent in Britain in 2000.
1.The “daddy exam” is intended to .
A．test to – be – dads’ fatherhood knowledge
B．test Challenge Dad’s parenting knowledge
C．attract the whole society’s attention to parenting
D．have fathers realize their responsibility for their families
2.In the exam, the Japanese fathers may find that .
A．they almost know nothing about the questions
B．the questions only make sense to to – be – dads
C．there is ample information about parenting
D．it’s not a good way to get them into parenting
3.The underlined word “eschew” in the last paragraph can be replaced by the word “ ”.
A．avoid B．adopt C．improve D．admire
4.The magazines for male readers are popular most probably because many men .
A．long to know how to do household chores
B．become more concerned about parenting
C．want to get high scores in the 50 – question test
D．like to know whether they are Challenge Dads
5.From the whole report, it can be inferred that .
A．Japanese fathers show no interest in parenting
B．young Japanese men tend to set about parenting
C．young fathers value parenting less than their fathers
D．Japanese fathers value parenting more than British fathers
When Charles Strattion was five, he stopped growing. His mother took him to see the famous showman, P. T. Barnum, and thought a small person would be the perfect addition to his show. He hired Charles’ parents along with him, and they traveled around the world together.
He gave the two-foot-tall Charles a new name, general Tom Thumb. He taught Tom how to sing, dance, act, and tell jokes. When he felt Tom was ready to perform on stage, he made up ads. To stir up great interest, he said that Tom was eleven years old and had come from England.
Tom’s act was very popular and brought in a lot of money. By the time Tom was an adult, he had grown very rich. He had become a billionaire at the age of twenty-five.
Fortunately for Tom, Mr. Barnum added more little people to his show, and Tom became lucky in love as well. One of the little people was Lavinia Warren, a school teacher. Tom was able to win her love, and they married.
The ceremony and reception were the talk of the town. They were attended by many rich and famous people and by about two thousand guests. Crowds filled the street of New York to have a look at their tiny wedding carriage. The couple even met with President Abraham Lincoln on their honeymoon, just before going to live in Tom’s house in Connecticut.
Their wedding, which took place during the Civil War, provided a welcome escape from the sad problems of war. Not willing to let this bit of sunshine fade, communities throughout the country held Tom Thumb’s weddings. In these weddings, small boys and girls, all dressed up, went through marriage ceremony for fun.
1.“the talk of the town” means .
A．they were in the newspaper
B．people spread many rumors about them
C．they were the most popular things happening
D．they were discussed in a city meeting
2.What does the author think about Tom Thumb’s wedding?
A．People gave it too much of their attention.
B．It helped people cheer up in a dark time
C．It was funny and ridiculous
D．Tom and Lavinia were stupid.
3.Which of the following is the best description of the fact that Tom was smart?
A．He became a billionaire at twenty-five
B．He learned how to sing, dance, and act at a very young age.
C．He met with President Lincoln during his honeymoon
D．He married a school teacher.
4.It was very funny when Tom danced on a wooden plate held by a person who was eight feet tall because .
A．the wooden plate would make it sound as of Tom were tap dancing
B．it made Tom feel taller
C．the eight-foot-tall man was the only tall person Tom trusted
D．the difference between them would make Tom look even smaller
5.What does the author imply in the last paragraph?
A．Weddings always make people feel full of sunshine
B．People are always disappointed during wartime
C．Entertainment can serve an important purpose
D．People should be married even if they are small
The managing editor is usually the person in charge of the day-to-day editorial process of a newspaper. He or she makes sure that the newspaper comes out on time each day and that costs are kept within a budget. He or she is usually responsible for hiring and firing newsroom staff, and serves as the spokesperson for the newspaper. The managing editor may also be involved in story, photo and graphics selection, assignments, laying out pages, and editing copy and writing headlines.
The news editor is in charge of the news pages of the newspaper. He or she makes decisions on which stories are used and which are not. The news editor and his or her assistants also lay out pages of the paper.
The copy editor edits wire and local stories and writes headlines. The copy editor is often the last person to see a story before it actually appears in print.
The city editor makes sure that the news in the city is covered and that as many local stories as possible get into each edition. The city editor monitors the local general assignment, beat and specialty reporters.
The state editor supervises reporters who cover communities and areas outside the city but still within the circulation (流通) area of the newspaper.
The national editor supervises reporters in bureaus in cities outside the circulation area of the newspaper. Most newspapers rely on the wire services for national news, but some have correspondents(通信员) who work in other cities and report to the national editor.
1.If you want to apply for a job in a newspaper newsroom, you are likely to be interviewed by _____.
A．the news editor B．the national editor
C．the state editor D．the managing editor
2.From the passage, we can learn that _________.
A．the managing editor is mainly responsible for laying out pages of the paper
B．the news editor determines which stories are used
C．the copy editor is often the first person to see the story
D．the state editor supervises the local general assignment, beat and specialty reporters
3.The national news is mostly sent to the national editor by all of the following ways EXCEPT _____.
A．by e-mail B．by fax
C．by letter D．by telephone
4.The underlined word “supervises” in the last paragraph can be replaced by ________.
A．is in favor of B．is in honor of C． is in charge of D．is in need of
5.What is mainly discussed in this passage?
A．How newspapers are made.
B．People in a newspaper newsroom.
C．How news is collected and edited.
D．People in charge of the newspaper industry.
Recently I had completely changed my views about life after a talk with one of my friends. He told me despite being 31 , he was happy and 32 that it was because of something he saw in Thailand.
A few years ago he was 33 feeling sad and was touring Thailand. He said right in front of his very eyes, he saw a mother 34 her child's right hand with a knife. The helpless 35 in the mother's eyes and the scream of the 36 four-year-old child still remained in his mind.
The 37 mother made the child handicapped (disabled) 38 he could go out on the streets to beg. 39 by the scene, he dropped a small piece of bread he was eating.
And almost at once, several children 40 around this small piece of bread covered with sand, 41 bits from one another. It was the 42 reaction of hunger. He then went to the nearest bakery and bought every single loaf of bread. 43 he gave out the bread to the children (mostly handicapped), he 44 cheers and bows from these 45 children. For the first time in his life, he understood 46 people could give up their 47 for a loaf of bread. He came to 48 how fortunate he was to be able to have a sound body, have a job, have a family, have the chance to 49 about food that didn't taste good, and have the many things that these people in front of him 50 dreamed of having. Perhaps life wasn't bad at all.
1. A．in poor health B．on a diet C．in debt D．out of work
2. A．mentioned B．recalled C．explained D．insisted
3. A．certainly B．absolutely C．seriously D．really
4. A．took off B．cut off C．put out D．put off
5. A．impression B．appearance C．expression D．anger
6. A．unbelievable B．troublesome C．terrified D．painful
7. A．angry B．upset C．crazy D．hopeless
8. A．unless B．in case C．so that D．because
9. A．Puzzled B．Shocked C．Wondered D．Attracted
10. A．turned B．looked C．sat D．gathered
11. A．offering B．taking C．sharing D．giving
12. A．natural B．physical C．mental D．emotional
13. A．Since B．Until C．As D．If
14. A．accepted B．received C．heard D．rejected
15. A．unfortunate B．polite C．energetic D．greedy
16. A．whom B．what C．when D．how
17. A．honor B．identity C．dignity D．belief
18. A．think of B．conclude C．realize D．recognize
19. A．argue B．comment C．complain D．decide
20. A．even B．never C．ever D．hardly
----- How do you find the concert last night?
----- ___________ .
A．With a map. B．I don’t think much of it.
C．By taking a taxi. D．I couldn’t agree more.
Many workers are out of ______ condition. Therefore, the union fights ______ better working conditions.
A．a, against B．/, for C．/, with D．the, for
