Mass media are tools of communication. They allow us to record and pass information rapidly to a large, scattered audience. They extend our ability to each other by helping us overcome limits caused by time and space. Mass media can be divided into two groups: print media and electronic media. By print media, we mean books, newspapers and magazines. Electronic media include television, radio and movie.

There are a number of ways in which mass media make daily life easier for us. First, they inform and help us keep a watch on our world. They gather and pass on information we would be unlikely or unable to gain on our own.

Second, mass media help us to arrange our time and life. What we talk about and what we think about are greatly influenced by the media. When people get together, they tend to talk about certain happenings on the newspapers or on TV. Because we are provided with differing points of view through different kinds of media every day, we are able to comment on all sides of a certain issue.

Third, mass media help us to connect with various groups in society. Through mass media, we are able to keep in contact with politicians in the world; with famous actors and actresses, and with our beloved singers.

Fourth, the media help to socialize us. We learn about the preferred behavior and values from the people we meet as well as from the media. Through portrayals of people, the media tell us what proper behaviors are. By doing so, they teach us standards of behavior and values, and help us in our daily life.  

Fifth, the media are used to persuade people. A good example is advertisements through the media. Newspapers, magazines and TV are filled with all kinds of colorful, persuasive advertisements. Though many advertisements may not say openly that they want you to buy a certain product, they describe their products in such a way that you may want to but them.

Sixth, the media entertain. All of the media make some effort trying to entertain their audience. For example, even though the newspaper is a main medium of information, it also contains entertainment features. Many newspapers offer their readers at least some of the following: comics, fiction books and puzzle games, televisions and magazines are devoted mainly to entertainment. It is guessed that in the future, the entertainment function of mass media will become even more important than it is now.

They underlined word “scattered” in paragraph 1 means______.

  A. faraway      B. nearly     C. a small number of      D. small and far apart

The underlined word “portrayal” in Paragraph 5 means ______.

  A. photograph   B. words     C. description      D. clothes

According to the passage, which of the following statements isn’t true about medium?

  A. Mass media have an effect on our speech and thoughts.

  B. Mass media keep us informed and connected.

  C. Mass media persuade us into buying what we don’t need at all.

  D. Mass media help us spend time with others in a friendly way.

Which of the following isn’t included about mass media in the passage?

  A. entertainment   B. sports    C. famous people      D. advertisements

______ is an old form of mass media now.

  A. Mobile phone   B. Computer    C. Radio      D. Television

Use your American Express Card to enjoy one-day privileges at four of America’s greatest museums. Note the participating museums, and their exciting special exhibitions that you will not want to miss, listed below.

Boston

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Chairs

February 11 — May 8, 2005

Italian furniture expert Fausto Calderai and Indian photographer Dayanita Singh present an exhibition of chairs from the museum’s collection and “chair photographs” from around the world presented in a Venetisan-style hall housing world-famous masterpieces.

For more information：www.gardnermuseum.org

New York    

The Noguchi Museum

Noguchi and Graham

December 1, 2004 — May 1,2005

Noguchi’s long-term collaboration with dancer Martha Graham is regarded by many as a high point in the history of both modern dance and art. The exhibition highlights nine of the sets created through this collaboration.

For more information：www.noguchi.org

Philadephia

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

In Full view：American Painting (1720 — 2005)

January 11 — April 10, 2005

Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy has been home to America’s artists for 200 years. The Academy collects and exhibits the works of famous American artists, and is well-known for training fine artists. 2005 at the Academy begins with the largest exhibition of the Academy’s distinguished American collection in the institution’s history.

For more information：www.pafa.org

Seattle

Seattle Museum of Glass

Murano：glass from the Olnick Spanu Collection

Through November 7, 2004

This exhibition includes over 200 pieces of beautiful glass from Murano, the island of glassblowers near Venice, Italy. Watch live glass-blowing shows in the Hot Shop and see other modern glass exhibitions.

For more information：www.museumofglass.org

Which of the following websites offers information about the furniture show?

A. www.pafa.org                                              B. www.museumofglass.org

C. www.noguchi.org                                         D. www.gardnermuseum.org

We learn form the text that Martha Graham is ______.

A. a dancer                                                      B. a glassblower

C. a painter                                                      D. a photographer

If you want to know the history of American painting, you may visit ______.

A. The Noguchi Museum                   B. Seattle Museum of Glass

C. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum      D. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

In 1990 a report was published about what the earth might be like 20 years from then on. The report was a result of a three-year ___1___.

according to the report, the picture of the earth in the year 2010 is not a ___2___ one. The world will be more ___3___ because the population will continue to grow. The population could be ___4___ 6 300 million, almost 2 150 million more than in 1985. More people would move into cities, especially cities in ___5___ countries. Cities like Cairo and Jakarta probably would ___6___ have 15 million by then.

Food production will ___7___, but not enough to feed all the people. Farmers will grow 90% more food than they did in 1985, ___8___ most of the increase would be in countries that ___9___ produce enough food for their people. Little increase is ___10___ in South Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Poor farming ways are ___11___ large areas of crop land, changing farms into deserts. More farmland is ___12___ as cities become larger and more houses are built. ___13___ will get worse as industrial countries burn more coal and oil. Many of the world’s ___14___ could disappear as more and more trees are cut down. Energy will continue to be a serious problem. The experts say their picture of the earth for the year 2010 ___15___. They only carried out the situation that ___16___ today. By changing the situation, by ___17___ the problems, the picture can be changed. There is ___18___ time for the nations of the world to work ___19___ a plan of action. But they warned that ___20___ too long to make decisions would greatly reduce the chances of success.

1. A. learning          B. project                 C. notice                  D. study

2. A. pleased            B. pleasant               C. safe                     D. blue

3. A. dangerous        B. beautiful              C. crowded              D. terrible

4. A. no more than  B. as many as          C. as much as          D. as large as

5. A. developing      B. developed            C. big                      D. mountainous

6. A. none               B. each                    C. all                       D. neither

7. A. insist               B. reduce                 C. increase               D. continue

8. A. so                   B. but                      C. or                       D. however

9. A. already            B. hardly                  C. partly                  D. never

10. A. wanted          B. lacked                  C. found                  D. expected

11. A. destroying     B. protecting            C. disturbing　         D. interrupting

12. A. saved            B. lost                      C. discovered           D. used

13. A. Air pollution B. Water pollution    C. Some diseases      D. All farmland

14. A. animals         B. plants                  C. forests                 D. people

15. A. must be true B. will come true         C. can’t be true  D. may be wrong

16. A. happens         B. develops              C. exists                   D. appears

17. A. settling          B. working out         C. answering            D. dealing

18. A. no                 B. still                    C. less                     D. plenty of

19. A. about            B. in                      C. out                      D. for

20. A. working        B. suggesting            C. spending              D. waiting

“The first and best of victories is for a man to conquer himself; to be conquered by himself is, of all things, the most shameful,” says Plato. Self-control is at the root of all the advantages. Let a man give in to his impulses and feelings, and from that moment he gives up his moral freedom.

A single angry word has lost many a friend. When Socrates found in himself any temper or anger, he would check it by speaking low in order to control himself. If you are conscious of being angry, keep your mouth shut so that you can hold back rising anger. Many a person has dropped dead in great anger. Fits of anger bring fits of disease “Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad.” “Keep cool,” says George Herbert, “for fierceness makes error a fault.”

To be angry with a weak man is to prove that you are not strong your self. “Anger,” says Pythagoras, “bring with folly and ends with regret.” You must measure the strength of a man by the power of the feelings he conquers, not by the power of those which conquer him.

Self-control is man’s last greatest victory.  

If a man lacks self-control he seems to lack everything. Without it he can have no patience, no power to govern himself; he can have no self-confidence, for he will always be controlled by his strongest feeling. If he lacks self-control, the very backbone and nerve of character are lacking also.

What does the reader learn from the first paragraph ?

The greatest victory for a man is to conquer everything except himself.

One’s moral freedom is based on the control of himself.

To control oneself is the most difficult in one’s life.

If a person is too stubborn, he will feel most shameful.

What is the correct interpretation of “Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad”?

If the gods want to kill you, they make you crazy first.

If you always lose your temper, you will soon be finished.

If you cannot control yourself, you will become crazy.

If you are mad, you will be punished by the gods.

If a man lacks self-control, he lacks all of the following EXCEPT _________.

the very backbone and nerve of character

the patience and power to control himself

strong feelings

self-confidence

The author’s main purpose in writing this article is to ___________.

explain that self-control is the key to success

teach people how to control everything in order to make a great success

distinguish all kinds of self-control and suggest ways for keeping it

advise people not to lose temper so as to make and keep more friends

One event that helps educate young people about things they can do for others is National Youth Service Day (NYSD). Every year on this day, organizations all over the country celebrate young volunteers, educate young people about how they can help their country, and invite them to participate in service projects. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell said, “National Youth Service Day honors young volunteers and is an invitation to others to join hands and do our part as Americans.”

Founded in 1988, NYSD originally took place on a Tuesday. Now the event lasts from Friday until Sunday so that more people can participate in it. More than 200 organizations work together to create thousands of projects each year. Millions of young people across the United States take part in these service projects.

Long before the event, people, community groups, schools, and nonprofit organizations think of ways to meet their communities’ needs. Then, they plan projects for young volunteers. Projects include bringing food to hungry people, tutoring younger children and helping senior citizens. During the event, young people from the community do things like planting neighborhood gardens and cleaning up local parks.

The organizations that contribute to NYSD believe that volunteering and community service are important activities for people of all ages, but especially for young people. Young people who volunteer are more likely to do well in school, vote, and contribute to charities. More important, they help other people and make the world a better place for everyone.

The aim of National Youth Service Day is to _______.

A. educate young people on responsibility

B. invite young people to meet each other

C. encourage young people to serve others

D. celebrate the growth of young people

On National Youth Service Day, young volunteers will _______.

A. do some cleaning in public places

B. prepare food for hungry people

C. plant vegetables and fruit

D. help old people to learn

The purpose of writing this passage is to _______.

A. warn young people not to affect their schooling during volunteering

B. keep a record of how young people celebrate their festival

C. introduce an event — National Youth Service Day

D. advise young people to be cooperative when volunteering

For hundreds of years humans have dreamt of finding life on distant planets. Now the hope of discovering real evidence of life has greatly increased

NASA’s Mars detector (探測(cè)器), Opportunity, succeeded in finding signs that water once existed on the planet. Opportunity landed on Mars in January. Scientists now believe that the planet could once have supported life.

This discovery was chosen by Science, one of the world’s leading magazines, as the most important scientific achievement of 2004 last Friday

“This little, wheeled, one-armed box went around another planet and has done something no human has ever managed,” according to Science. “It has discovered another place in the universe where life could once have existed.”

“Although we still can’t say that life could have existed in this environment, it is now certain that there was water on Mars,” said Steve Squyres, one of the scientists working on the Mars mission. The evidence comes from pictures and chemical readings taken by Opportunity. It includes marks on rocks like those caused by flowing water on Earth and salty chemicals like those found in dried-out sea-beds. Scientists said the new evidence proved beyond doubt that water has been existed on Mars. But it is still unknown whether the water on Mars was like an ocean or just ice.

While Opportunity has not found any signs of life, the presence of water means life is possible. “In everything we know about life on Earth, there is no example without liquid water,” Squyres said. “So water is important for the search for life on Mars.”

Researchers agree that a future mission (任務(wù)) should bring back physical samples (樣品). But some scientists worry about the risk that this could introduce dangerous foreign creatures to Earth. “The problem here is how to get the samples back,” Squyres replied. “I think it is our responsibility to limit any risk.”

1. ________ prove that water existed on Mars.

A. The physical samples with salty chemicals            

B. The marks on rocks and salty chemicals

C. Scientific achievements of 2004                          

D. Creatures from Mars

2. Which of the following is true according to the text?

A. It is now certain that there was water on Mars.             

B. The water on Mars was like an ocean.

C. Evidence of life on Mars has been found.                    

D. Search for life on Mars is a great risk to humans.

3. How did scientists draw the conclusion that there was water on Mars?

A. The world’s leading magazine has announced the fact.

B. Scientists have taken many pictures and chemical readings on the Mars.

C. Astronauts have got some rocks from Mars.

D. Scientists have made a study of the pictures and readings sent back by Mars detector.

4. It can be inferred that, if the creatures from Mars came to Earth, ________.

A. they would be kind to humans                   

B. they would be cruel to humans

C. they would be a great danger to Earth

D. it would be hard to say whether it would be a good news or bad news

Jim suffered heart problems. In conversation he expressed little joy and it seemed that his life was drawing to a close.

When his heart problems led to operation, Jim went through it successfully, and a full recovery was expected. Within days, however, his heart was not beating properly. Jim was rushed back to operation, but nothing was found to explain the cause of his illness. He died on the operating table on the day before his 48th birthday

Dr. Bruce Smoller, a psychologist, had had many conversations with him, and the more he learned, the stranger he realized Jim's case was. When Jim was a child, his father, a teacher, suffered a heart attack and stayed home to recover. One morning Jim asked his father to look over his homework, promising to come home from school at noon to pick it up. His father agreed, but when Jim returned his father had died. Jim's father was 48. 

“I think all his life Jim believed he killed his father,” Dr. Smoller says. “He felt that if he had not asked him to look at his homework, his father would have lived. Jim had been troubled by the idea. The operation was the trial he had expected for forty years. “ Smoller believes that Jim willed himself not to live to the age of 48.

Jim's case shows the powerful role that attitude plays in physical health, and that childhood experiences produce far-reaching effect on the health of grown-ups. Although most cases are less direct than Jim's, studies show that childhood events, besides genes, may well cause such midlife diseases as cancer, heart disease and mental illness.

1. Jim was sent back to operation because ________.

A. his heart didn't work well                    B. he expected a full recovery

C. his life was drawing to a close                   D. the first one wasn't well performed

2. What made Dr. Smoller feel strange about Jim's case?

A. Jim died at a young age 

B. Jim died on the operating table.

C. Both Jim and his father died of the same disease.

D. Jim's death is closely connected with his father's.

3. From Smoller's words, we can infer that ________.

A. Jim's father cared little about his study

B. Smoller agreed that Jim did kill his father

C. Jim thought he would be punished some day

D. Smoller believed Jim wouldn't live to the age of 48

4. Which of the following could have strong effect on one's physical health according to the text?

 a. One’s genes.       b. One’s life in childhood.     c. One’s physical education.

  d. The date of one’s birthday.      e. The opinions one has about something.

A. a, b, d               B. a, b, e               C. a, c, e               D. b, c, d

5. Which of the following is true?

A. Both Jim and his father died at the age of 48.  

B. Jim often asked his father to do his homework.

C. Jim was believed to kill his father.

D. Most childhood events can cause cancer, heart disease and mental illness

BRISBANE—Australian Olympic chief John Coates has said Greek athlete Katerina Thanou should not be awarded the Sydney Olympics 100 metres gold medal handed back by Marion Jones.

Jones, who this week admitted to steroid（類固醇）use in the build up to the Sydney Games, has returned the three gold medals and two bronzes she won in 2000.

But Thanou, the silver medalist in Sydney, was herself banned for two years after she failed to appear for a drug test at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

“I’d like to think that Katerina Thanou would not be awarded the gold medal,” Coates told the Australian Associated Press on Tuesday, “but there may be some legal difficulties for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to overcome in order to reach that conclusion.”

Jamaica’s Tayna Lawrence won the 100m bronze medal in Sydney behind Jones and Thanou.

Coates also said he expected the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) to hand back the medals won by the women's 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams.

Two of Jones’s team mates in the 4x100m team which finished third in Sydney, Torri Edwards and Chryste Gaines, have also served doping（興奮劑）bans.

The U.S. women’s 4x100m relay team won the gold medal ahead of Jamaica and Russia.

“On the relays, it’s my expectation that the United States Olympic Committee will be required to also hand back the medals won by the other ladies who competed with Jones in the two relays,” Coates said.

“That is normal practice.”

The United States Olympic Committee (USCO) has publicly apologized to the organizers and competitors of the 2000 Sydney Games and the Australian public for Jones’s actions.

As part of the USOC’s apology, president Peter Ueberroth promised that the U.S. would send a clean team to next year’s Beijing Olympics.

1. What is the best title of the passage?

  A. Jones has returned the Sydney medals

  B. Thanou should not receive Sydney gold

  C. Steroid use at Sydney Olympics

D. The U.S would send a clean team to Beijing Olympics.

2. Thanou should not get the Sydney gold medal because________.

  A. she didn’t pass the drug test.

  B. she served doping ban at Sydney Olympics.

  C. she didn’t take the drug test at Sydney Olympics.

  D. she ran second at Sydney Olympics.

3. Which of the following statements is True?

  A. Jones has got five gold medals at Sydney Olympics.

  B. The USCO has returned medals in the two relays.

  C. Thanou should receive Sydney gold medal.

  D. Jones also took part in the women’s 4x100m relay race.

4. Why did Coates expect the USOC to hand back the medals won in the relay races?

  A. Because the IOC required them to do so.

  B. Because they didn’t take the first place in the relay races.

  C. Because some of the runners of the U.S served doping bans.

  D. Because they felt sorry for Jones’s actions.

5. What would probably happen next according to the passage?

  A. Thanou would receive Sydney gold.

  B. Jamaica’s Tayna Lawrence would receive Sydney gold.

C. Thanou wouldn’t be allowed to take part in the Beijing Olympics.

D. Fewer or no American athletes will serve doping drugs in Beijing Olympics.

Super- short tales of the unexpected, plus read- along tapes!

Twenty soft- cover 16-page mini books help students attain reading success through a high interest approach (方法). Audio cassettes, perfect for the ESL (English as a second Language) students, build listening skills by teaching pronunciation, giving oral directions, and presenting vocabulary words in context.

Each story is followed by four pages of short, simple comprehension and vocabulary exercises.

Price: $6.00 for each pack of books

(including five books).

$7.00 for each cassettes

(all together four cassettes).

Publisher: Shanghai Educational Publish House, Simon & Schuster.

5. The exercises following each story are bout ________.

A. vocabulary and comprehension       B. listening and speaking

C. comprehension and writing          D. listening and vocabulary

6. There are ________ packs of the books in this set.

A. 4            B. 5               C. 9                   D. 20

7. If you want to buy all the books plus read- along tapes, how much do you have to pay?

A. $ 24           B. 28              C. 58                  D. 52

When most people think of tropical islands, lined with white sandy beaches and bright blue seas, it is often the Caribbean or South Pacific that comes to mind. But for Chinese tourists who want a taste of paradise on Earth there is a new place to consider.

Mauritius, an island lying off the southeast of Africa in the Indian Ocean, has just been added to China’s list of tourist destinations. Rich in history, natural beauty and culture, the island has been a popular destination for the world’s tourists for many years.

On December 15 a total of eight African countries were added to the list. The others are Tunisia, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Seychelles.

The island has passed through the controlling hands of a number of European powers, including Dutch, French and British. In 1968, Mauritius won its independence.

At present, over half the population of Mauritius is Hindu and another fifth is Muslim. Both groups are descendants(后裔) from workers brought to the island from India by the British. Some Chinese were also brought over to work. There are also descendants of African slaves and Franco-Mauritians, the original settlers of the island.

One of the best things about the island is the food. There is a mouth-watering mix of European, Chinese and Indian flavours and seafood is very popular. A typical Mauritian dinner might have Indian chicken curry, Chinese pork, British roast beef and French-style vegetables. Boiled rice is served with just about everything. All that is washed down with a plentiful supply of local beer and rum(朗姆酒).

The pleasant tropical climate and scenery provide the perfect setting to enjoy everything. The sea is full of colorful life that lives around the coral reef. This makes Mauritius a wonderful place for swimming and diving. The large number of interesting fish means it is also an exciting place for those who like to go fishing. (from www.nmet168.com)

5. Which of the following can’t be used to describe Mauritius?

A. Tropical island, white sandy beach and bright blue sea.

B. Beautiful scenery, rich history and culture.

C. Most of the people in Mauritius are black.

D. Delicious food mixed with eastern and western flavours.

6. Which group of the following topics is not discussed in the text?

A. Food and history.                  B. Scenery and population.

C. Location and sports.               D. Natural resources and agriculture.

7. Which of the following is true?

A. Mauritius has something similar to the Caribbean or South Pacific.

B. Mauritius has a history of less than 40 years.

C. Mauritius has been a popular destination for Chinese tourists for many years.

D. The main food in Mauritius is local beer and rum.

8. The underlined word “This” in the last paragraph refers to ________.

A. Pleasant tropical climate        B. Beautiful scenery  

C. The sea with colorful life       D. The coral reef