A Chilean(智利) soap-opera star, a beauty from Ancient Pompeii and a freckled (雀斑的)boyish girl hardly make an average beauty show line-up.

The first world-wide digital beauty contest to the surprise of many online fans was won by a woman who is virtually(虛擬) real flesh and bones. “Virtual models are not the anti-real, they are a different representation of reality,” said Franz Cerami, the organiser of Miss Digital World (數(shù)字世界小姐).

Each of the contestants had to provide the charming photo of high degrees, with date of birth and body measurements.

Chilean Rodolfo Perez Ayala decided that no figure of his imagination could beat the beauty of his wife, Katty Kowaleczko, so he hired artist Flavio Parra to recreate her. Kowaleczko, who plays Paula Sandoval in the popular Latin American soap opera Tentacion, was transformed into Katty-ko and won the digital contest with more than 17,000 online votes.

“I’m so happy Katty-ko won. I think her strength is her similarity to a real woman-not too luxurious or exposed”, Kowaleczko, 40, told reporters. “Her beauty is in her simplicity.” Kowaleczko was not afraid of being replaced by her 3D clone in movies or theatres, but hoped she would become “a sort of ambassador(使者) of Chilean beauty”.

Cerami said Latin American interest in Miss Digital World had greatly increased since Katty-ko joined the contest, which attracted about 3600 entries from countries from Iran to Australia and even from the ancient Roman empire.

“Pompea” was the digital reconstruction of a young woman killed by the outbreak of Vesuvius in 79 AD. “She was a slave, but also a rich man’s lover. When her body was discovered, many jewels and a bangle(手鐲) with the writing ‘from the master to his servant girl’ were found” said Genny Tortora, a professor at the University of Salerno who led Pompea’s creative team.

Other contestants included Kaya, the most realistic model with digital freckles, pouty (噘起的) lips and upturned nose.

Now, Cerami’s dream is to manage a form of virtual beauties, introducing them for calendars, games, ads, and movies. One is even reported to be heading for Playboy’s front page.

8.The winner in the first Miss Digital World contest was ________.

A. a star who performed in some soap operas

B. a beauty who came from Chilean

C. a beauty who was from the ancient Roman empire

D. a made-up beauty based on a real woman.

9. Which group of the following are the names for the digital beauties mentioned in the passage?

A. Katty-ko, Pompea, Kaya.   B. Katty Kowaleczko, Pompea, Playboy.

C. Flavio Parra, Genny Tortora, Franz Cerami.

D. Rodolfo Perez Ayala, Pompea, Franz Cerami

10. The digital beauty “Pompea” was created by ________.

A. Genny Tortora   B. a group of people  C. by a young woman    D. a rich man

11. What the organiser of Miss Digital World wants to do next is ________.

A. sell pictures of beauties for calendars     B. hold another contest

C. put the digital beauties into practical use.  D. start an ads company

While the factors driving the modern family are many and complex－from the explosion of technology to the influx(涌入) of mothers into the workforce－parental fear may be at the heart of today's rushed(匆忙的) approach to child－rearing(養(yǎng)育孩子), some experts say.

Parents fear everything from media exposure to violence to peer pressure, says Alan Mirabelli, executive director of Ottawa think tank. Perhaps most of all, there's the fear that their kids won't be equipped to compete in the future.

Some might argue that today's parents are micromanagers because, unlike those who raised families during the Depression and World War Ⅱ， they don't have enough real worries. But Mirabelli says it comes down to a different context and a different set of challenges.

He notes that while parents 25 or 30 years ago had the modest goals of providing their offspring with more than they had, the current driving force is the desperation to equip kids for a dog－eat－dog world.

They demand tougher schools, a heftier(容量更大的) curriculum and standardized testing to measure performance. Outside the school system, they fill in the gaps with tutoring, music lessons, art classes, gymnastics and hockey. For those who can't afford it,_there's the additional stress and fear that their kids don't stand a chance.

David Elkind, a renowned child psychologist and author of The Hurried Child, says hyper－parenting is a reaction to a world changing so fast and we have no idea how to prepare kids for it. Parents can't envision the society their kids will inhabit as adults, so they try to cover all the possibilities, cramming in as much as possible and operating on the principle that earlier is better. “This works against the notion of let children be children，”said David Elkind.

6. The biggest fear of parents is that their children________.

A. will change for the worse because of media influence

B. will get involved in violence

C. will fall behind in future competition

D. will compare themselves with peers

7. David Elkind holds the view that________.

A. parents should equip their kids for a changing world

B. parents shouldn't worry too much about their children

C. parents shouldn't destroy the childhood of their children

D. it's better for parents to foresee the future society

8. We can conclude from the text that________.

A. children today can't enjoy a real childhood

B. children today are better equipped for the future

C. parents today actually have no real worries

D. parents today face more challenges actually

9. What would be the BEST title for the text?

A. Modern family is becoming complex

B. The harm of rushed approach to child－rearing

C. How to equip children for the future

D. The parents are worried, so the children are hurried

10. The underlined word “it” in the fifth paragraph probably refers to________.

A. the tough education

B. a good environment

C. a colourful after－school activity

D. a rich and happy life

A HOUSE WITH A HISTORY

Foulsham House is a fine,stone house of the 1790s.It stands by the River Byre,in twenty－five hectares（公頃）of the best farmland in the southwest.

Smithson built the house,and the story goes back to George,the young Prince of Wales,who fell in love with the beautiful lady Kitty Wake,at one of the first Lord Foulsham’s wild woods parties.In the past many great men rode on the hills about Foulsham House,and many fine ladies took tea in the Green Room.

The house has eight bedrooms,three bathrooms,two living－rooms and a dining room with a real Adam fire－place（壁爐）.The gentleman’s library has a view over the park and the river.All rooms are light and airy（空氣通暢的）,with wood,high windows,and wood floors.

At the back of the house,where the third Lord Foulsham kept the horses,there is garage－space（停車的地方）for four cars.In many other ways,this house of the 1790s meets the needs of the 2000s.

　　If you wish to know more about Foulsham House,write to:

Harvey,Platt,Longford & Sons,

6,Castle Green,Gilham,Byreside.

The writer writes this passage to ________.

A.persuade people to buy it

B.give some information about Foulsham House

C.tell a love story

D.describe the beauty of a best farmland

People say that ________.

A.Smithson built the house for Lord Foulsham’s wild parties

B.Prince George fell in love with Kitty Wake at Foulsham House

C.Prince George and Kitty Wake fell in love with the Green Room

D.Lord Foulsham fell in love with a lady in Wales

The library ________.

A.has a fine view of the park and the river

B.is where great men and fine ladies took tea

C.has an Adam fire－place,and a real wood floor

D.has eight bedrooms,three bathrooms and two living－rooms

53We are going to discuss the way of reading works ____ it is used for real life purposes, and this should give you a better understanding of it.

    A. that     B. which     C. where     D. when

William Franklin came to my class half a year ago. But from his first day here, he   36   himself in his own world and he never spoke to others. As his teacher, I tried to start a talk with him but   37  . It seemed as if he just didn’t want to break his   38  .

After the Thanksgiving holiday, we received the news of the   39   Christmas collection of money for the   40   in our school. “Christmas is a season of   41   ,” I told my students. “Some poor students in our school might not have a   42   holiday. By giving a little money, you will help   43   some toys, food and clothing for these needy students. We will   44   the collection tomorrow.”

The next morning,   45   , I found out almost everyone had   46   this matter except Willard Franklin. He came up to my desk with his head down.   47   , he dropped two coins into the small box. “I don’t need milk for lunch,” he said in a   48   voice.

After school I couldn’t help sharing what had   49   in the morning with our headmaster. “I may be wrong, but I   50   Willard might be ready to become part of our class.” “ I am   51   to hear that,” he nodded. “And I just received a list of the poor families in our school who most need   52  . Here, take a look at it.”

As I sat down to   53   , I found Willard Franklin was at the top of the list. At that moment, I felt I really   54   Willard for the first time: a cold face with a warm heart. From this   55   , I also learnt that whether rich or poor, every child has a kind heart.

A. taught          B. shut  C. left          D. controlled

A. failed     B. stopped     C. interrupted           D. changed

A. record          B. promise     C. sadness     D. silence

A. daily      B. weekly     C. monthly    D. yearly

A. young    B. sick    C. poor   D. shy

A. giving    B. enjoying    C. receiving   D. spending

A. real        B. happy       C. usual        D. long

A. find       B. make       C. buy    D. gather

A. prepare         B. finish       C. start   D. continue

A. though    B. however    C. otherwise         D. thus

A. forgotten       B. considered        C. learnt       D. realized

A. Quickly        B. Suddenly         C. Proudly     D. Carefully

A. sweet      B. loud   C. low    D. polite

A. appeared        B. planned    C. happened         D. collected

A. hope      B. wonder      C. doubt  D. believe

A. glad       B. sorry C. curious      D. lucky

A. education       B. advice       C. rescue D. help

A. rest        B. read    C. work   D. study

A. knew      B. liked   C. understood D. recognized

A. project      B. experience       C. event              D. accident