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F. Scott Fitzgerald, born on September 24, 1896, an American novelist, was once a student of St. Paul Academy, the Newman School and attended Princeton. University for a short while. In 1917 he joined the army and was posted in Alabama, where he met his future wife Zelda Sayre. Then he had to make some money to impress her.
His life with her was full of great happiness, as he wrote in his diary:“ My own happiness in the past often approached such joy that I could share it even with the person dearest to me but had to walk it away in quiet streets and take down parts of it in my diary.”
This side of paradise, his first novel, was published in 1920. Encouraged by its success, Fitzgerald began to devote more time to his writing. Then he continued with the novel the Beautiful and Damned (1922), a collection of short stories Thales of the Jazz Age (1922), and a play The Vegetable (1923). But his greatest success was The Great Gatsby, published in 1925, which quick brought him praise from the literary world. Yet it failed to give him the needed financial security. Then, in 1926, he published another collection of short stories All the Sad Young Men.
However, Fitzgerald’s problems with his wife Zelda affected his writing. During the 1920s he tried to reorder his life, but failed. By 1930, his wife had her first breakdown and went to a Swiss clinic. During this period he completed novels Tender Is the Night in 1934 and The Love of the Last Tycoon in 1940. while his wife was in hospital in the United States, he got totally addicted to alcohol. Sheila Graham, his dear friend, helped him fight his alcoholism.
1.How many novels written by Fitzgerald are mentioned in the passage?
A. 5 B. 6 C. 7 D. 8
2.Which of the following is the correct order to describe Fitzgerald’s life according to the passage?
a. He became addicted to drinking.
b. He studied at St. Paul Academy.
c. He published his first novel This Side of Paradise.
d. The Great Gatsby won high praise.
e. He failed to reorder his life.
f. He joined the army and met Zelda.
A. f-c-e-a-b-d B. b-e-a-f-c-d C. f-d-e-c-b-a D. b-f-c-d-e-a
3.We can infer from the passage that Fitzgerald .
A. had made some money when he met Zelda in Alabama.
B. was well educated and well off before he served in the army
C. would have completed more works if his wife hadn’t broken down
D. helped his friend get rid of drinking while his wife was in hospital
4.The passage is probably followed by a concluding paragraph about.
A. Zelda’s personal life
B. Zelda’s illness and treatment
C. Fitzgerald’s friendship with Graham
D. Fitzgerald’s contributions to the literary world
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Forget Twitter and Facebook, Google and the Kindle. Television is still the most influential medium around. Indeed ,for many of the poorest regions(地区)of the world, it remains the next big thing——finally becomes globally available. And that is a good thing, because the TV revolution is changing lives for the better.
Across the developing world, around 45% of families had a TV in 1995; by 2005 the number had climbed above 60%. That is some way behind the U.S. , where are more TVs than people, and where people now easily get access to the Internet. Five million more families in sub-Saharan Africa will get a TV over the next five years. In 2005 , after the fall of the Taliban（塔利班）,which had outlawed TV, 1 in 5 Afghans had one. The global total is another 150 million by 2013——pushing the numbers to well beyond two thirds of families.
Television’s most powerful effect will be on the lives of women. In India, researchers Robert Jensen and Emily Oster found that when TVs reached villages, women were more likely to go to the market without their husbands’ approval and less likely to want a boy rather than a girl. They were more likely to make decisions over child health care. TV is also a powerful medium for adult education. In the Indian state of Gujarat, Chitrageet is a popular show that plays Bollywood songs with words in Gujarati on the screen. Within six months, viewers had made a small but significant(有意义的) improvement in their reading skills.
Too much TV has been associated with violence, overweight and loneliness. However, TV is having a positive influence on the lives of billions worldwide.
1.The underlined word “outlawed” in paragraph 2 probably means “________”.
A. allowed B. banned C. offered D. refused
2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Americans used to get access to the Internet easily.
B. The world’s TV sets will total 150 million by 2013.
C.45% of families in the developing countries had a TV in 2005.
D. Over two thirds of families in the world will have a TV by 2013.
3.The author intends to ________.
A. stress the advantages of TV to people’s lives
B. persuade women to become more independent
C. encourage people to improve their reading skills
D. introduce the readers some websites such as Google
4.What would be the best title for the passage?
A.TV Will Rule the World B.TV Will Disturb the World
C.TV Will Better the World D.TV Will Remain in World
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Businesses are witnessing a difficult time, which has in turn produced influence on consumers’ desire to go green. However, shoppers are still laying stress on environmental concerns.
Two thirds of customers say that environmental considerations inform their purchases to the same degree as they did a year ago, while more than a quarter say that they are now even better aware of the environmental effect on what they buy.
This may help to influence how shops store goods on their shelves. And the companies should still make efforts to become more environmentally friendly. Two out of three people think it is important to buy from environmentally responsible companies, with about one in seven saying that they had even decided to take their custom elsewhere if they felt a company’s environmental reputation was not good enough.
Harry Morrison, chief executive（主管）of the Carbon Trust, sympathizes：“I understand this situation where survival is very important now. But from environmental considerations, the clock is ticking—we don’t have much time. In addition, cutting carbon has an immediate effect as costs drop and a medium-term benefit for the brand.”
Larger companies have an extra motivation to look at reducing their carbon footprint, as new rules next year will require businesses to buy carbon allowances to make up for their emissions（排放）. Those that have taken early action will have a head start. More than two thirds of consumers are not clear about which companies are environmentally responsible. This suggests that firms that are able to relay clearly their message to the public will be in a pole position to attract shoppers.
The Carbon Trust believes that it can help by informing customers about the good work companies are doing. “When companies are granted（授予）the standard, they can use a logo（标识）in all their marketing which makes it clear that they are working towards cutting emissions,” Mr. Morrison said.
1.What’s the main idea of the passage?
A．Businesses are finding ways to send their message to the shoppers.
B．Companies will soon get information about cutting carbon emissions.
C．Firms are making efforts to encourage customers to keep goods at home.
D．Firms are urged to cut carbon emissions by shoppers’ environmental awareness.
2.The underlined word “inform” in Paragraph 2 probably means“________”.
A．affect B．change C．disturb D．reject
3.According to Harry Morrison, businesses ________.
A．will benefit from cutting carbon emissions
B．should buy carbon allowances for shoppers
C．are required to make up for their carbon emissions
D．have encouraged shoppers to take their custom elsewhere
4.We can learn from the passage that businesses will________.
A．have a strong desire to reduce costs
B．use the same logo in their marketing
C．gain advantages by taking early action
D．attract more shoppers by storing goods
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Columbus College , 241 Queen Elizabeth Drive ,Kowloon City
Memo
To: All Staff
From: Jakie Mok , Secretary; Sports Development Committee
Date: May 20, 2010
A week ago, “Sports for Life” programme was sent to the parents, requiring them to select a sport they wanted their child to play. Since then, our staff have received lots of calls from parents asking for more information about it . Here is a memo (备忘录) for your reference when you answer the phones.
Sports 1:Basketball.
We expect that this will be the most popular of the four sports. Therefore, students should be advised to sign up as soon as possible . Students will take a private bus to and from Kwun Tong Sports Park .To cover the cost of hiring a bus , each student will have to pay ＄10 each time. There will be four basketball courts available for our use with one teacher watching over each game.
Sports 2:Gym
We will be using St. Peter’s Memorial Park. There are two reasons for choosing this park. First, it is not very busy and crowded before 6:00 pm. Second, it has lot of trees with plenty of shade. Students must bring along two bottles of water to prevent thirst. Three activities, skipping , jogging , outdoor aerobics (有氧运动),all of which are free of charge, will be arranged. And there will be a teacher on duty for each of the activities.
Sports 3: Hiking
Hiking(远足)will take place at Kowloon Peak. The activity will start at 2:30 pm and finish 90 minutes later. Three teachers will accompany the students, and a hiking instructor will accompany each group of 15 hikers . Each instructor will cost ＄75/hr. Students are advised to bring plenty of water and sunscreen.
Sports 4:Swimming
The Kowloon City Aquatic Centre is a 10-minute walk from our school. Four teachers will go to the pool and conduct the goings-on from the poolside. We will only be able to reserve the pool for one hour (i.e. 2:45pm to 3:45pm).Only students skilful at swimming can take up this activity. The pool will have two lifeguards present. Girls must wear a swimming suit. The cost is ＄10 per visit.
1.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Students selecting basketball had better register early.
B. Students participating in gym should arrive at 6:00 pm.
C. Hiking usually begins at 2:30 pm and lasts 2 hours.
D. Students having swimming suits can take up swimming.
2.It can be inferred from the passage that________
A. students taking part in basket ball will walk to the courts.
B. every student can gain admission to one of the four sports
C. hiking students can have a regular rest in the shade of trees
D. students taking up the four sports should bring bottles of water
3.It can be concluded that ________
A. each sport will take only on hour sports
B. students will be charged for the four sports
C. all the sports will take place at Kowloon Peak
D. teachers will accompany students on each sport
4.The purpose of the memo is to ________
A. attract students’ interest in the programme
B. require the parents to select a sport for their child
C. help the staff explain the programme to the parents
D. remind teachers and lifeguards to be present on time
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In the United States, there were some well-constructed houses for native Indians, ranging from the simple brush shelter to the five-storied pueblo.
In the eastern United States, one of the existing types was that commonly know under the Algonkian name of wigwam in which the Iroquois Indians lived. The wigwams were of wagon-top shape with straight sides and ends, made by bending young trees to form the round shape. Over this shape pieces of tree bark were laid to protect the Indians from bad weather. Over the bark dried grass was added. A small hole allowed smoke to escape from the top. Doorways at each end served also as windows, The Iroquois Indians built trunk walls all around their villages. The wall had only one opening, They could quickly close this opening if their enemies came near.
Interestingly, the Choctaw Indians in Mississippi also lived in a wigwam of a most primitive(原始的) construction, but different from those of the Iroquois Indians. The Choctaw Indians’ wigwams, made from mud, cane and straw, were in the form of a bee-hive. The covering was made of a long, tough grass. A post in the centre supported the roof. A hole in the top admitted the light, and allowed the smoke to pass out.
The tipi tent-housing of the upper lake and plains area was put up with poles set lightly in the ground, tied together near the top, and covered with bark and grass in the lake country. It was easily portable, and two women could set it up or take it down within an hour.
The Pawnee, Mandan and other Indian tribes (部落) along the Missouri built solid ring-shaped structures of trunk, covered with earth and dried grass, housing a dozen families.
The Wichita and other tribes of the Texas border built large ring-shaped houses covered with dried grass.
Apart from the regular housing, almost every tribe had some style of housing.
1.Which of the following pictures shows the house for the Iroquois Indians？
2.According to the passage, the Pawnee Indians built their houses _____.
A. with openings in the trunk walls B. large enough for several families
C. in a ring shape with bark and mud D. by bending young trees to form the shape
3.All the native Indian houses described in the passage were_____.
A. of the same shape B. covered with grass
C. built with a post in the centre D. built with doorways at each end
4.The passage suggests that ________
A. all the native Indians built trunk walls all around their houses
B. all the native Indian houses were built with poles tied together
C. the Iroquois Indians took safety into account while building their wigwams
D. the Choctaw Indians in Mississippi built their wigwams with straight sides and ends
Born in America , I spoke English ,not Chinese , the language of my ancestors . When I was three, my parents flashed cards with Chinese1at my face , but I pushed them 2. My mom believed I would learn 3I was ready . But the 4never came.