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Author Walter Dean Myers died at the age of 76 after a brief illness. Walter Dean Myers was the author of more than 100 books for children and young adults and received many top awards.
The prolific author was loved for his vivid description of the lives of African American children, and for writing books for young people that covered different subjects. “Myers has written about all those subjects with deep understanding and a hard-won, qualified sense of hope,” said Leonard S. Marcus in 2008.
He was born in 1937 and was adopted by Florence Dean and Herbert after his mother died while giving birth to his younger sister. They loved him very much and his mother read to him from a very young age. Reading pushed him to discover worlds beyond his landscape.
He began writing at an early age. He wrote well in high school and an English teacher recognized this and advised him to keep on writing no matter what happened to him. “It’s what you do,” she said.
He dropped out of high school at 17 and joined the army. After finishing his service, he entered a dark period in his life. Myers began writing at night to pull himself through that miserable time.
In an essay published in The New York Times earlier this year, Myers described how a short story by James Arthur Baldwin helped change his course of life. “I didn’t love the story, but I drew inspiration from it,” he wrote, “for it took place in Harlem, and it was a story concerned with black people like those I knew. By humanizing the people who were like me, Baldwin’s story also humanized me. The story gave me a permission that I didn’t know I needed, the permission to write about my own landscape, my own map.”
“I write books for the troubled boy I once was,” he wrote, “and for the boy who lives within me still.”
1.What does the second paragraph mainly talk about?
A.How popular Myers was.
B.How Myers became successful.
C.What people think of Myers’ books.
D.What makes Myers’ works popular.
2.What does the underlined word “prolific” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
A.Optimistc. B.Unfortunate.
C.Productive. D.Humorous.
3.Who discovered Myers’ writing talent?
A.James Arthur Baldwin. B.His mother.
C.Leonard S. Marcus. D.One of his teachers.
4.Why was the short story by James Arthur Baldwin so important to Myers?
A.It helped him survive the dark period.
B.It inspired him to pursue his writing career.
C.He learned many writing techniques from it.
D.The author of the story permitted him to write.
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Hawking was perhaps the most famous scientist in the world when he died in 2018 at age 76.His 1988 book，A Brief History of Time，sold ten million copies and made him an unlikely superstar even to people who sweated through high school science.
Humor was always a big part of Hawking’s effort to bring physics to the masses.In his 2010 book，The Grand Design，for instance，he recounts how，in 1277，the Catholic Church declared scientific laws such as gravity to be wrong，since they seemed against God's idea.“Interestingly，”the text adds jokingly，“Pope John was killed by the effects of the law of gravity a few months later when the roof of his palace fell in on him.”
Hawking was only 21 when he was diagnosed with the disease ALS.For most people，the condition would have been a disaster.But Hawking rolled over hardship as if it were just a pebble under his wheelchair.“Life would be tragic，”he once said，“if it weren’t funny.”He kept smiling even though he spent more than 50 years in a wheelchair.
“He loved adventure and fun，”says Mlodinow，who once took Hawking on a punt-boat trip down the fiver Cam in Cambridge，England，despite the obvious danger of the boat turning over.“You know about when he went on the Vomit Comet? It’s a plane that flies in a parabolic(抛物线的)path so you are weightless，like you are in space.A lot of people vomit，but he loved that sort of thing.”And he was 65 at the time.
Hawking’s greatest hit，humor-wise，was probably the cocktail party he threw in 2009.It was a“welcome reception for future time travelers，”he said，so naturally，he sent out the invitations the day after the party.No one showed up yet.“Maybe one day someone living in the future will find the information and use a wormhole time machine to come back to my party，proving that time travel will one day be possible，”Hawking explained.And if that happens，don’t be surprised if Hawking is there too.After all，he never missed a chance to have fun.
1.What does the text mainly tell us about Hawking?
A. He related physics to humor closely.
B. He made great contributions to physics.
C. He went through many funny experiences.
D. He was optimistic about the future of science.
2.What can we learn about Pope John?
A. He was not in favor of God.
B. He was a scientist like Hawking.
C. He was opposed to the law of gravity.
D. He was killed due to the discovery of gravity.
3.What drove Hawking to go on the Vomit Comet?
A. His fondness of adventure.
B. The invitation from his friend.
C. The requirements of his work.
D. His desire for recovery from ALS.
4.What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A. The cocktail party was a great success.
B. The possibility of time travel was not proved.
C. Hawking was a man who enjoyed holding parties.
D. The wormhole time machine was used at that time.
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The Danish (丹麦) architect of the iconic Sydney Opera House, Jorn Utzon, has died at the age of 90, after suffering a heart attack.
Mr. Utzon, an award-winning architect, put "Denmark on the world map with his great talent," said Danish Culture Minister Carina Christensen. Having won a competition in 1957 to design the building, he left the project before it opened in 1973. Mr. Utzon never visited the completed landmark, after disputes about costs. He had quarreled with the Australian client and the costs overran by 1,000%. Even decades later, he declined invitations to return to Australia, but did design, with his son, a new wing which opened in 2006. In 1998 he said, "It's part of education–I can't be bitter about anything in life."
Most of the interior（内部）of the opera house was not completed according to his plans after government-appointed architects took over the job.
The Sydney Opera House planned to dim the lights on the sail-shaped roof on Sunday to mark Mr. Utzon's death.
The chairman of Sydney Opera House Trust, Kim Williams, said, "Jorn Utzon was an architectural and creative genius who gave Australia and the world a great gift. Sydney Opera House is core to our national cultural identity and a source of great pride to all Australians. It has become the most globally recognized symbol of our country."
Mr. Utzon also designed the National Assembly of Kuwait and several prominent buildings in Denmark.
Danish Minister of Culture Carina Christensen paid tribute to him, saying, "Jorn Utzon will be remembered as one of the Danes who in the 20th century put Denmark on the world map with his great talent."
Mr. Utzon won several international awards, including the Alvar Aalto Medal for architecture and France's Legion of Honour.
In 2003 he won the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize for his design of the opera house.
1. Which of the following is true about Mr. Jorn Utzon?
A．He was born in Demark and worked in Australia.
B．He left Australia before his design was completed.
C．He refused to go back to visit the Opera House all his life.
D．He disagreed with the government client on the building materials.
2.From the above passage we may NOT know ______.
A．what Mr. Utzon has contributed to the world
B．the exact time of Mr. Utzon’s birth and death
C．whether he had a family or not
D．when Opera House was completed
3. What did the Opera House plan to do to mark its designer’s death?
A．A memorial party would be held on Sunday.
B．Another award would be given out to Mr. Utzon’s son.
C．The lights on the roof of Opera House would become less bright.
D．Another wing would be designed to remember Mr. Utzon.
4. The most proper title of the above passage might be ______.
A．Sydney Opera House architect dies
B．Life of Mr. Utzon, a Great architect
C．Designer and builder of Opera House
D．Awards of the Opera House Architect
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Since 1989, Dave Thomas, who died at the age of 69, was one of the most recognizable faces on TV. He appeared in more than 800 commercials for the hamburger chain named for his daughter. “As long as it works”, he said in 1991, “I’ll continue to do those commercials.”
Even though he was successful, Thomas remained troubled by his childhood. “He still won’t let anyone see his feet, which are out of shape because he never had proper fitting shoes,” Wendy said in 1993. Born to a single mother, he was adopted as a baby by Rex and Auleva Thomas of Kalamazoo in Michigan. After Auleva died when he was 5, Thomas spent years on the road as Rex traveled around seeking construction work. “He fed me,” Thomas said, “and if I got out of line, he’d beat me.”
Moving out on his own at 15, Thomas worked, first as a waiter, in many restaurants. But he had something much better in mind. “I thought if I owned a restaurant,” he said, “I could eat for free.” A 1956 meeting with Harland Sanders led Thomas to a career as the manager of a Kentucky Chicken restaurant that made him a millionaire in 1968.
In 1969, after breaking with Sanders, Thomas started the first Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers, in Columbus, Ohio, which set itself apart by serving made-to-order burgers. With 6,000 restaurants worldwide, the chain now makes $ 6 billion a year in sales. Although troubled by his own experience with adoption, Thomas, married since 1954 to Lorraine, 66, and with four grown kids besides Wendy, felt it could offer a future for other children. He started the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption in 1992.
In 1993, Thomas, who had left school at 15, graduated from Coconut Creek High School in Florida. He even took Lorraine to the graduation dance party. The kids voted him Most Likely to Succeed.
“The Dave you saw on TV was the real Dave,” says friend Pat Williams. “He wasn’t a great actor or a great speaker .He was just Joe Everybody.”
1.What is the article mainly about?
A. The life of Dave Thomas.
B. The dream of Dave Thomas.
C. The schooling of Dave Thomas.
D. The growth of Dave Thomas’s business.
2.What do we know about his childhood?
A. He lived a poor life.
B. He had caring parents.
C. He stayed in one place.
D. He didn’t go to school.
3.Choose the right time order of the following events in Thomas’s life.
a. graduated from high school
b. started his own business
c. became a millionaire
d. started a foundation
e. met Harland Sanders
A. e, b, c, d, a B. a, e, c, b, d
C. e, c, b, d, a D. a, e, b, c, d
4.“He was just Joe Everybody” (in the last paragraph) means_________.
A. Dave was famous
B. Dave was shy
C. Dave was showy
D. Dave was ordinary
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The American newspaper publisher Arthur Sulzberger Sr died at the age of 86.Mr Sulzberger led The New York Times for more than three decades，before passing the business to his son.He took over the paper in 1963 when it was in financial trouble，and transformed it into the heart of a multibillion dollar media empire.
His family announced he had died at his home in Southampton，New York State，after a long illness.His son，Arthur Sulzberger Jr，said in a statement that his father，whom he referred to by his childhood nickname of Punch，was “one of our industry’s most admired executives”．“Punch，the old Marine captain who never backed down from a fight，was an absolutely fierce defender of the freedom of the press，” he said.
The New York Times was bought by Mr Sulzberger Sr’s grandfather Adolph Ochs in 1896.During Mr Sulzberger’s tenure，The New York Times won 31 Pulitzer prizes.
Born in New York City,5 February 1926，Sr served in Marine Corps during World War Ⅱ and Korean War，joined The New York Times in 1951 after graduating from Columbia College，took over as publisher in 1963 after his brotherinlaw died suddenly，stepped down in 1997 and passed stewardship to his son，Arthur Sulzberger Jr.
He oversaw a huge circulation boost at the paper，and increased its parent company’s annual revenues (年收入) from $100m in 1963 to $1.7bn by the time he stepped down in 1997.He also led the paper through highlevel clashes with the political establishment.In 1971，The Times published a series of stories saying that politicians had systematically lied over the US involvement in Vietnam.The source was thousands of leaked government documents known as the Pentagon Papers.The Nixon administration demanded that the paper stop publishing the stories on grounds of national security.But the paper refused，and then won the subsequent court case by arguing that the First Amendment of the US Constitution (宪法) guaranteed free speech.The case is seen as a landmark in the history of free speech in the US.Mr Sulzberger said he read more than 7,000 pages of the Pentagon Papers before personally deciding to publish them.
His family still holds a controlling stake (控股权) in The New York Times.He was a strong believer in family ownership of newspapers.He once joked：“My conclusion is simple.Nepotism works.”
1.When did Arthur Sulzberger Sr die?
A．In 1997. B．In 2012.
C．In 1963. D．In 1971.
2.Punch，the old Marine captain was actually________.
A．Arthur Sulzberger Jr
B．Adolph Ochs
C．Arthur Sutzberger Sr’s father
D．Arthur Sulzberger Sr
3.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A．Arthur Sulzberger Sr took over The New York Times from his brotherinlaw.
B．Arthur Sulzberger Jr’s grandfather bought The New York Times.
C．Arthur Sulzberger Sr resigned when The New York Times was in financial trouble.
D．Arthur Sulzberger Jr took over The New York Times after graduating from Columbia College.
4.In the political case in the 1970s，Mr Sulzberger________.
A．failed the case in the end
B．lost the controlling stake in The New York Times
C．gave in to the government
D． succeeded in guarding free speech of the paper
5.What does the underlined word “Nepotism” probably refer to?
A．Friendship. B．Politics.
C．Family ownership D．Freedom of speech.
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Former Hollywood child star Shirley Temple died at the age of 85.
The actress became famous 1. a young girl in the 1930s in films like Bright Eyes, Stand Up and Cheer and Curly Top.
She died on Monday at home in Woodside, California, 2. natural causes. "She was surrounded by her family and caregivers," a statement said.
Born in 1928, 3. sweet-faced, curly-haired Temple was 4. of the most popular child stars in Hollywood history, getting her first film role at the age of three.
Her singing, dancing and acting won over fans worldwide. She was given a special teenage Oscar in 1935, 5. she was just six years old. To this day, she is still the 6. person to receive an Academy Award because nobody else got it at such a young age.
Temple starred in a total of 43 feature films — but found 7. difficult to maintain her career in adulthood 8. retired from Hollywood in 1950.
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Cuba's former leader, Fidel Castro，died at the age of 90，according to a November 25 announcement on Cuban state television. The death marks the passing of a controversial figure who made a major impact on international affairs during his long rule.
The Cuban government declared nine days of official mourning. On Monday, thousands of Cubans lined up near Havana’s Plaza of the Revolution to pay their final respects to their leader. On Wednesday，Castro’s ashes will begin a three-day journey across Cuba to Santa Ifigenia cemetery in Santiago de Cuba.
Castro was born into a middle-class family on August 13 1926. He spent his childhood alongside the laborers on his father’s plantation (种植园）. In 1945, Castro entered the University of Havana as a law student. He later joined groups that sought to end dictatorships in Latin-American countries.
On July 26. 1953，Castro staged an unsuccessful revolt(叛乱) against Batista’s government. He and his brother Raul were captured and imprisoned for two years. After they were freed, the brothers went into exile in Mexico, On November 25, 1956，Castro set out once again to overthrow Batista. His revolution grew in strength. On New Year s Day 1959, Batista fled from Cuba. Castro took absolute power on January 8.
The U.S. viewed Castro's relationship with the Soviet Union as a threat. In 1961，President John F. Kennedy approved the invasion of Cuba by 1,500 Cuban exiles. They landed on April 17 at the Bay of Pigs, but with little U. S. military support. Cuban troops smashed the attack within a few days.
In October 1962，Castro confronted Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis， during which he allowed the Soviet Union to place nuclear-capable missiles in Cuba. By that time, the U. S. had cut all relations with Cuba.
After the Soviet Union collapsed(崩溃）in 1991，Cuba lost its economic support. To fuel the economy, the Cuban government allowed outside investment in hotels and resorts, but that created inequality. Meanwhile, Castro continued to crack down on any opposition. After undergoing intestinal surgery in 2006，Castro handed Cuba's presidency to Raul. The transition of power became official in 2008.
1.Where did many Cubans line up to pay their final respects to Fidel Castro on Monday?
A. In Cuban Television Station.
B. Near Havana’s Plaza of the Revolution.
C. In Santa Ifigenia cemetery.
D. Along the streets of Santiago de Cuba.
2.When did Fidel Castro control the power of Cuba completely?
A. In 1956. B. In 1959. C. In 1991. D. In 2008.
3.What did the Cuban Missile Crisis result in directly?
A. Batista fled from Cuba.
B. The U. S. cut all relations with Cuba.
C. The U. S. viewed the Soviet Union as a threat.
D. President John F. Kennedy approved an invasion of Cuba.
4.What is the last paragraph mainly about?
A. The end of Fidel Castro’s Era.
B. The transition of power in Cuba.
C. Fidel Castro’s economic policies.
D. The collapse of the Soviet Union.
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LOS ANGELES, Nov. 12 (Xinhua)—Legendary comic book writer Stan Lee has died at the age of 95, according to media reports on Monday.
Lee, born in Stanley Lieber on Dec. 28th, 1922, began his career in 1939 and joined the Marvel Comics in 1961.
He is considered as one of the most legendary names in the history of comic books and the leading creative force behind the rise of Marvel Comics. He co-created iconic fictional characters such as Spider-Man, X-Men, the Avengers, and many more.
Lee’s characters often have super powers, but they also have weaknesses. They were humans, not gods. They not only struggled to save the world, but also to pay their bills, make friends, and hold jobs. This made Marvel comic book heroes stand apart from its competitor DC, which produced the seemingly perfect heroes like Superman and Wonder Woman. Those superheroes have been adapted into blockbuster films, most of which were made after Disney acquired Marvel in a 4-billion-dollar deal in 2009.
In a statement, Bob Iger, chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company said Stan Lee was as extraordinary as the characters he created.
Marvel also praised Lee on its website by putting on one of Lee’s famous quotes, which goes, “I used to be embarrassed because I was just a comic-book writer while other people were building bridges or going on to medical careers. And then I began to realize: entertainment is one of the most important things in people’s lives. Without it, they might go off the deep end. I feel that if you’re able to entertain, you’re doing a good thing. ”
Praise from his Hollywood peers and colleagues was generous. President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige appreciated Lee’s unparalleled impact on the industry. “No one has had more of an impact on my career than Stan Lee,” Feige said. “Our thoughts are with his family and the millions of fans who have been forever touched by Stan’s genius, charisma and heart.”
1.How do Lee’s characters differ from those of DC?
A. They are perfect heroes.
B. They often have super powers.
C. They are not humans, but gods.
D. They have human shortcomings.
2.We can learn from Lee’s statement in Paragraph 6 that ________.
A. it is embarrassing to be a comic-book writer
B. a taste of entertainment is necessary in people’s lives
C. entertainment is the most important thing in the world
D. you can do everything well if you are able to entertain
3.According to the passage, we could know that ________.
A. Lee influenced Kevin Feige’s career a lot
B. Lee joined the Marvel Comics in his forties
C. Lee created the fictional characters all by himself
D. The superheroes were adapted into films before Disney acquired Marvel
4.What can be the best title for the passage?
A. Comics Legend—the Marvels and DC
B. The Superheroes in Stan Lee’s Comics
C. Marvel’s Comics Legend Stan Lee Dies at 95
D. The Life Story of Marvel Comics Legend Stan Lee
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America's child movie star Shirley Temple Black died late Monday evening at the age of 85. Her fans in China are also deeply saddened. Temple is just one example of movie stars that China adored, and still adores. Here's our editor's pick of the top movie stars who have influenced China.
1. Sylvester Stallone
Oh, Rambo! The first strong American man that China knew. His accented English, easily recognizable even for someone who doesn't speak English, and his eyes that never seemed to smile, makes him someone whom cannot be forgotten. He represented the strong American image, and even stirred a boxing and bodybuilding fever in China.
2.Charlie Chaplin (April 16, 1889 – December 25, 1977)
In the 20th century, it is not too much to say that Einstein made the greatest contributions to science, and not many would disagree that Chaplin did the same for film. He was the first actor that introduced comedy to most Chinese viewers, and politically, he was also a close friend of China’s. His silent films broke the barrier of language and his form of art was recognized by all. It will be a difficult task to find a person in China who does not recognize Chaplin, even today.
3. Shirley Temple ( April 23, 1928 – February 10, 2014)
When Chinese audiences saw this adorable child star for the first time on screen, Shirley Temple had already lived for more than half a century. In her movies, she was always alone or in trouble, but this adorable little blonde(金发女郎) could always resolve anything with her kindness, push away the fogginess and bring about light. The brand "Shirley Temple" was a product of the Great Depression. People watched her act to forget their hardships as Temple entertained the poor, the rich, adults and children alike. Several decades later, when her films were screened in China, the effects were the same.
4. Audrey Hepburn( May 4, 1929 – January 20, 1993)
She will forever be the princess in Chinese people's hearts. Even to this day, a large number of tourists go to Rome to visit the Mouth of Truth with their lovers and eat ice cream on the Spanish Steps. Her sense of style seems to never go out of style. When she was alive, she was living perfection. Even after her death, she has remained an icon. That's something that only Audrey Hepburn is capable of.
1.According to the passage, who was most known for comedy in China?
A. Sylvester Stallone B. Charlie Chaplin
C. Shirley Temple D. Audrey Hepburn
2. What can we learn from the passage?
A. Sylvester Stallone taught boxing and bodybuilding and caused a fever in China.
B. Charlie Chaplin was China’s close friend because he introduced comedy to China.
C. Audrey Hepburn’s movie made the Mouth of Truth and the Spanish Steps popular.
D. Shirley Temple’s works can only help Americans forget hardships and enjoy life better.
3. What does the underlined word “icon” mean in the passage?
A. symbol B. sign C. mystery D. heroine
4. In which part can we most probably read this passage?
A. Art B. Columns
C. Music & Theater D. Film &TV
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When my grandmother died at the age of 96, there were two things she left behind in abundance — nearly 100 photo albums documenting decades of travel and home life, and a dozen quilts, one of which my mother gave me.
Quilting is the process of sewing together fabric (布料) to make one large piece of fabric. In my family, quilting and sewing is a tradition that has been passed down through the generations. My mother says her great-grandmother would occasionally travel around New York State to sew clothing for other families.
In the United States, quilting was a craft (手艺) that started as a necessity and eventually became much more. In 1862, the U.S. government offered millions of acres of land to Americans who wanted to move west. This allowed families to settle on land that they could eventually own. They often built their own homes and lived off the vegetables in their gardens and the livestock they had. Sewing was very important for women because they were responsible for clothing their families and keeping them warm.
Quilting also became a chance for women to socialize with each other. They would gather for so-called “quilting bees”, where they would meet and work on one quilting project together. This provided a much-needed relief from the lonely life of living on a large piece of land.
Throughout history, the different patterns on American quilts have conveyed all kinds of information. From them, we can tell where a person lived, what region of the world they originated from, or sometimes a story is told in pictures on a quilt. Even today, women still gather to quilt together in a show of friendship and a love for the craft, just like the old days. My sister has tried quilting a few times, and hopefully, her two daughters may one day continue this family tradition.
1.What do we know about quilting?
A.It is a lost traditional craft.
B.It is a major means of making a living in the USA.
C.It is a craft that has become a cultural symbol.
D.It was a way to carry on the American history.
2.What does the author intend to do in paragraph 3?
A.Introduce a new topic for discussion.
B.Summarize the previous paragraphs.
C.Add some background information.
D.Praise the U.S. government’s policy.
3.What does the underlined word “this” in paragraph 4 refer to?
A.Working on the land. B.Participating in “quilting bees”.
C.Clothing the family. D.Designing a quilting project.
4.What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A.Quilting patterns can convey limited information.
B.Quilting can’t meet the need to socialize nowadays.
C.Quilting is not a tradition in the author’s family.
D.The author hopes quilting can be passed on to younger generations.
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