When you grow up, could you imagine your parents choosing your husband or wife for you? Besides, can you imagine not setting eyes on him or her until your wedding day? This situation is common in India, the Middle East and many parts of Africa. Marriage customs around the world often differ from our own. We don’t realize that people in other places often get married in very different ways—and with different motives.
In many countries, marriage is a practical matter. A marriage provides a safe and stable home for the husband and wife. It also joins two families, which benefits the couple’s parents and makes them happy. Marriage also brings children, making sure the couple will be taken care of in old age. Because marriage is important for the whole family, some cultures don’t let young people choose whom to marry.
Just as there are many different reasons for marriage, there are also many different wedding rituals. Every culture has its own ways of bringing good luck to the happy couple. In a typical Western wedding, the bride seeks good luck by wearing “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.” Something old represents the past. Something new represents success in the future. Something borrowed reminds the bride she can get help from her friends and family. And something blue reminds her to be true to her husband.
In Poland, one wedding tradition is not only lucky, but also very practical. The wedding guests pin money to the bride’s dress while she is dancing. The money is meant to bring luck and to help the young couple build their new life. In Bermuda, the young couple plant a tree in the yard of their new home. Once they move in, they take good care of the tree and make it grow. The planting of the tree is a good metaphor（比喻） for marriage. A truly good marriage is something that grows with care.
1.Which of the following statements does NOT support the idea “marriage is a practical matter”?
A. The husband or wife may have a safe and stable home.
B. A marriage brings children to take care of the couple when they are old.
C. A marriage benefits both the couple’s families.
D. Parents have no duty to help their children get married.
2.The underlined word “ritual” means .
A. methods B. ceremonies
C. behaviors D. performances
3.What can be the subject of this passage?
A. People across the world get married in different ways and for different reasons.
B. Every culture had its own ways of bringing good luck to the young couple.
C. A truly good marriage is something that grows with care.
D. In many countries, marriage is a practical matter.
4.Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. Parents choose a husband or wife for their child in India.
B. In many countries, some cultures don’t let young people choose whom to marry.
C. In Bermuda, the wedding guests pin money to the bride’s dress while she is dancing.
D. Something blue reminds the bride to be true to her husband in western wedding.
“Mind over matter” is an English saying meaning that we can control our bodies with our minds. Now scientists are finding increasing evidence that our mind can have a great effect on our physical health. Since our mind influences how we feel, it’s not true to say if someone is ill just because he feels ill.
The influence of the mind on how well we feel is the basis of what is known as the placebo effect. A placebo (which is Latin for “I shall please”) is a harmless, inactive substance. Patients are sometimes given placebo pills and begin to feel better because they believe that they have been given real drugs and expect to respond to them. The placebo effect is very strong: research on pain suggests that up to 30% of the effect of most painkillers is a placebo effect.
So if it is so powerful, why don’t doctors use it today?
According to Dr Persaud, they really do. “All these things like seeing a doctor, going to a hospital, and being scanned(扫描) have a very strong placebo effect,” he says.
1.According to the first paragraph, if you feel ill.
A. you don’t need to see a doctor
B. it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re physically ill
C. you are in good condition
D. it is obvious that you suffer from a serious disease
2.The English saying “mind over matter” means that .
A. a sound mind is less important than a good health
B. our mind has a strong effect on our body
C. our physical health has nothing to do with our mind
D. mental health mainly depends on our physical health
3.According to the passage, placebos .
A. may make patients feel worse
B. are not effective pills
C. are not real drugs
D. can relieve all kinds of pains
4.From the passage it can be seen that there will be no placebo effect if a patient .
A. is dressed in white B. has a physical exam
C. takes placebo pills D. sees a doctor
“If it rings one more time, I’ll hang up,” Amy thought hopefully, as she waited for someone to answer. Apologizing wasn’t an easy thing to do.
“Hello,” a woman’s voice said. There was no backing out now.
“May I speak to Missy, please?”
“Just a minute.”
In much less than a minute, Missy was on the phone. “Hi, who’s calling?” asked the cheerful voice.
“It’s Amy. I just wanted to tell you that I’m sorry about what I said to you. I didn’t really mean it.” Amy paused, trying to think of what to say next.
“Thank you, Amy. No hard feelings.”
“Missy, you’re a very nice person. You’re a lot nicer than I am!”
Missy laughed. “You’re not so bad, Amy. By the way, I’ve got some great news. Mr.Grumbell said that you were the only candidate for class president. He talked me into being a candidate, too. Isn’t that cool?”
Amy didn’t think the news was cool. Missy was very popular; she’d get a lot of votes. Fortunately, Amy was in a gracious(亲切的) mood. “You’ll be a tough opponent（对手）, Missy,” she said. “May the best woman win.”
“Thanks, Amy,” Missy replied. “But you might even win.”
Amy had to laugh. “Hey, I’m the one who’s supposed to make comments like that!”
1. Amy called Missy on the phone to .
A. tell her that she was happy
B. tell her she needed a help
C. apologize to her
D. ask her to run for president
2.Amy was hoping that no one would answer the phone because .
A. she was too tired to talk
B. she felt uncomfortable when making apologies
C. she was afraid she had dialed the wrong number
D. she was wearing pajamas
3.Missy let Amy know that she wanted something that Amy wanted. What was it?
A. She wanted to have the most friends.
B. She wanted her own telephone.
C. She wanted mushrooms on her pizza.
D. She wanted to be class president.
Most people need hear those “three little words”—I love you. Once in a while, they hear them just in time.
I met Connie the day she was to the ward(病房), where I worked as a(n) . Her husband, Bill, stood nearby as she was transferred to the hospital bed. Although Connie was in the final stages of her fight cancer, she was alert(机敏的) and cheerful. We got her . I finished marking her name on all the hospital supplies she would , and then asked if she needed other things.
“Oh, yes,” she said, “Would you please me how to use the TV? I enjoy the soaps so much and I don’t want to get behind on what’s happening.” As we became , she told me how 44 it was to be married for 32 years to a man who often called her “a silly woman”.
“Oh, I know Bill loves me,” she said, “but he has been one to say he loves me, or send cards to me.” She . “I would give anything if he’d say ‘I love you,’ but it’s just not in his .”
Bill visited Connie every day. In the , he sat next to the bed while she was the soaps. Later, when she began more, he paced up and down the hallway outside her room. Soon, when she no longer watched television and had waking moments, I began spending more of my volunteer time with Bill.
A few days later, when I knew from the head nurse that Connie , I went into the room to say my own to Connie. There, on the table, was a large Valentine card from Bill that says, “To my wonderful ... I love you.”
1.A. admitted B. entered C. forced D. asked
2.A. partner B. volunteer C. doctor D. assistant
3.A. excitedly B. nervously C. calmly D. hurriedly
4.A. for B. with C. against D. of
5.A. settled up B. settled on C. settled for D. settled in
6.A. be used B. be useful C. be using D. make use
7.A. give B. show C. make D. take
8.A. peaceful B. familiar C. strange D. happy
9.A. frustrating B. warm C. happy D. angry
10.A. never B. ever C. always D. seldom
11.A. read B. sighed C. smiled D. cried
12.A. nature B. characteristic C. feature D. quality
13.A. first B. end C. beginning D. top
14.A. watching B. using C. making D. talking
15.A. watching B. talking C. sitting D. sleeping
16.A. little B. less C. few D. fewer
17.A. was dying B. had died C. was dead D. died
18.A. goodbye B. hello C. sorrow D. missing
19.A. bedside B. above C. behind D. front
20.A. friend B. son C. wife D. Teacher
Whenever and wherever we are, keep in mind that we should listen more to others.
It’s wrong to express ourselves without thinking. Just as we all know, _______.
A. a good beginning makes a good ending
B. a still tongue makes a wise head
C. a great hope makes a great man
D. a good husband makes a good wife
The minute he heard someone shouting for help, out_______ to see what was happening.
A. had he rushed B. did he rush
C. he rushed D. rushed he
