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The trip to the United Stated opened my eyes to the fact that there are a lot of similarities as well as differences between American youth and French youth.
The first difference is in appearance. Going around in the U.S., I found that American youth do not really care about their appearance. In the morning, they choose something in their closet and wear it with another thing, often of different colors and styles, without wondering whether their choices make them look strange. The reason behind this is that they don’t care what people look like, but are just interested in their ideas. I think it’s great, but it also causes problems. Since they don’t care about their appearance, they don’t really care about their weight. Often they get fat without realizing it.
There are differences in relationships too. When the American youth fall in love, they don’t really think of the future. Also, there are differences in the rules concerning behavior that is allowed. In some respects, the French are more accepting. For example, in America it is generally unacceptable to make physical display of love. Lovers, in theory, can’t kiss or hold each other everywhere they want. People think that not showing love in public places is a way to respect others. On the contrary, the French youth can do almost everything they want.
With regard to other types of relationships, there are also big differences. Americans act differently from French people in front of unknown people. When an American girl, for example, arrives in front of people she has never met before, she will talk with them, trying to create a kind of bond（联系）between her and this new circle of people. The French girls will just think about rather than really do this kind of thing because they are too shy and lacking in self-confidence.
To finish, I noticed that in American classes, when pupils want to say or ask something, they just do it. In general, they don’t really care how the others will judge them. In France, it’s not the same case. If somebody wants to ask something, he/she will think about it before speaking up. I appreciate the freedom in Americans’ behavior, ideas, and ways of expressing themselves.
1.American young people _______.
A. are just interested in people’s clothes
B. show more interest in people’s ideas
C. care more about their weight
D. are more concerned about appearance
2.When American youth fall in love with each other, they _________.
A. will not hold each other
B. will always think about their future
C. will rarely display their love in public
D. will kiss wherever they like
3.When meeting with strangers, American girls will not _______.
A. try to establish a type of relationship with them
B. have faith in themselves
C. start to create a conversation
D. behave in a way similar to French girls
4.It can be inferred from the passage that French youth may think more about ______.
A. their relationship’s future
B. their public images
C. their physical displays
D. their lover’s ideas
5.The passage is mainly about the______ between American youth and French youth.
A. similarities B. friendship
C. differences D. differences and the similarities
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Most of us know about the Nobel Prize(诺贝尔奖) especially the Nobel Peace Prize, but few of us know anything about the man who set them up. His name was Alfred Nobel. He was a great scientist and inventor himself. Besides, he had a big business. His business may surprise you. He made and sold explosives. His companies even made and sold weapons. Isn’t this something that surprises you? The man who made money from weapons should set up the Peace Prize?
Though Alfred Nobel had a lot of money from weapons, he hated war. He hoped that there would be no war in the world. He was one of the richest in Europe. When he died in 1896, he left behind him a lot of money and his famous will. According to his will, most of his money was placed in a fund. He wanted the interest(利息) from the fund（资金） to be used as prizes every year. We know them as the Nobel Prizes. The Nobel Prizes are international（国际的）. Alfred Nobel wanted the winners to be chosen for their work, not the country they came from.
Alfred Nobel had given his whole life to his studies and work and to the benefits of mankind. He made money all by his own efforts, but he left the world share his wealth. His inventions and wealth stay with the world for ever.
1.Alfred’s business was _____.
A. making and selling explosives
B. not making and selling weapons
C. making explosives and selling weapons
D. making weapons and selling explosives
2.Nobel wanted to set up the Nobel Peace Prize because _____.
A. he made enough money
B. he hated war
C. he wanted to get more interest from the fund
D. he liked to live in a peaceful world
3.Nobel Prizes come from _____.
A. all Nobel’s money in the fund
B. all Nobel’s money in his company
C. all the interest from the fund
D. some of the interest in the fund
4.Nobel was a (an) _____ person in the world.
A. interesting B. unselfish
C. kind-hearted D. richest
5.Which statement of the following is Right according to the passage?
A. Nobel set up his company to sell clothes.
B. Most of Nobel’s money was used for the world Wars.
C. Nobel Prizes are only for some people from some special countries.
D. Nobel worked hard in his life and saved lots of money for the world to share.
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Animal moms are great moms. You might be surprised at some of these moms.
Octopuses(章鱼)
The octopus mother lays about 50,000 eggs. For about 300 days, she stays with the eggs, cleans them and protects them. She does not leave to feed. However, this animal mom dies as soon as the eggs are hatched (孵化).
Crocodiles(鳄鱼)
A crocodile mother puts a lot of time and effort into raising her babies. She starts by building a nest(巢),which she guards for over two months! When the eggs are ready to hatch, the young crocodiles call out to their mother, who digs them out and helps them hatch. She then carries them in her mouth down to the water, where she will guard them for several weeks or months until they learn to hunt on their own.
Bats
Bats become moms by hanging head up in a cave, giving birth. Catching the youngster before it can fall to the ground below, she puts it in a pouch(育儿袋).Bat moms may carry babies with them when feeding for the first few days. As the little bats get bigger and heavier, moms help them hang on the wall of their caves and return often to feed them. It continues for about three weeks, until the babies are grown up and able to fly on their own.
Koalas
This animal mom gives birth after a pregnancy(怀孕期) of only 35 days. The hairless baby climbs into its mother’s pouch and lives there for another five months. When the little koala is between five and eight months old, it leaves the pouch for short periods of time but returns for safety. Once it is too big to return to the pouch,it will climb onto its mother’s back and ride there until it is about 12 months old.
1.How many animal moms are mentioned in the passage.
A. Two B. Three C. Four D. Five
2.Which animal mom dies when their babies are born?
A. Octopus. B. Crocodile. C. Bat. D. Koala.
3.A crocodile mother usually carries her babies to the water .
A. in her mouth B. on her back
C.in her pouch D. by her tail
4.A bat mom .
A. gives birth by lying in the nest
B. gives birth by hanging in a cave
C .leaves its babies in the pouch for months
D. lets its babies live on their own after birth
5.How long does a young koala usually stay in its mother’s pouch at least?
A.35 days. B.5 months.
C.8 months. D.12 months.
