Now, it’s time for some brief news items.

Teens Go Online

Some 13 million European children under 18 use the Internet for schoolwork, games and music according to research done by Nielsen’s “Net-rating”. The study covered Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Experts advised parents to limit the time their kids spend on line and keep them away from chat rooms.

Chat to the magic Mum

British author J. K. Rowling, mother of magic boy Harry Potter, will do an Internet interview about her new book “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” on June 26. Before the event, children are invited to send their questions about Harry to the website. The book will hit stores in the US and UK on June 21 and will arrive in China in August.

School Soldiers

Russian school students will have to do basic military training in their final year of school, the government has decided. The lesson will include learning to fire guns, marching drills and how to deal with a chemical, nuclear or biological attack. The activity is seen as part of a drive toward the education of their love for their country.

Is it hard for you to get up early and get ready for classes? Some students at Winter Park High School just roll out of bed in their pajamas (睡衣) and go to class in their own bedrooms, Of course, their teachers and classmates do not see them because all their class work is on the computer. The Florida High School, the state’s only online school, has 250 students who are taking classes at home by computer. Students in this first online program take classes in algebra (代數(shù)), American government, chemistry, computer, economics, and web-page design. They also have to go to regular school to attend other classes.

1.In the first news item, which country is NOT covered in the research?

A. Britain.                    B. France.          C. Sweden.                           D. Spain.

2.What is the second news item mainly about?

A. J. K. Rowling will have an Internet interview.

B. Children will meet Harry Potter’s mother.

C. The Harry Potter book will be available on the Internet.

D. The Harry Potter book will arrive in China in early June.

3.Why will Russian school students have basic military training?

A. To get ready for a military parade.

B. To learn to protect themselves.

C. To gain some military knowledge.

D. To develop their love for the country.

4.The news from Florida can be given a title “____________”.

A. Get up Late            B. Online School         C. Magical Computers            D. No Teachers  

I have learnt a lot about Chinese life and culture while teaching in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province and found them very interesting．

First, family life is quite   1   in China． In the USA, many young people   2   home after they finish their education and start working． However, in China, it is   3   for people to live with their parents until they get married．   4  , many of my Chinese friends told me that their  5   lived with them and helped take care of them when they were children． It seems that Americans think independence is more important   6   the Chinese think family relationships are more important．

Bargaining is another   7   that I have tried to learn． In the USA, prices are   8   and you can’t ask for a lower price． However in some small Chinese stores and tourist places, you are   9   to bargain． My Chinese friends taught me to ask for 40 percent or 50 percent   10   the original price． If the salesperson doesn’t agree to my price, I should   11   to leave and he might let me come back and sell me the item． It is a skill that you have to   12   if you live in China．

Tipping hasn’t been easier to   13  ． In the USA, many people in the service   14   want to get   15   money for serving customers． Tipping is not a part of Chinese culture．   16   I tried to tip a taxi driver． He looked a little   17   and refused to take the money．

In dinners, perhaps what surprises an American visitor most is that some of the Chinese hosts like to put food into the plates of their   18  ． Actually, this is a   19   of true friendship and politeness． My Chinese friend told me if I didn’t want to eat it, I should just   20   the food in the plate．

1.A． unique   B． different   C． private       D． harmonious

2.A． come      B． build C． leave          D． abandon

3.A． regular   B． true          C． common    D． usual

4.A． Also        B． However   C． Therefore D． Although

5.A． parents  B． relatives    C． babysitters         D． grandparents

6.A． while      B． since C． when         D． as

7.A． way             B． custom        C． lesson        D． habit

8.A． made      B． agreed       C． charged     D． set

9.A． expected        B． taught        C． suggested D． required

10.A． up             B． away  C． off           D． on

11.A． promise        B． pretend     C． decide       D． hope

12.A． tolerate        B． understand        C． practise     D． consider

13.A． adjust to       B． turn to       C． refer to     D． stick to

14.A． area         B． department         C． branch       D． industry

15.A． easy  B． extra C． pocket       D． prize

16.A． Often   B． Once        C． Sometimes       D． Before

17.A． excited         B． satisfied   C． frightened        D． confused

18.A． own           B． children    C． neighbors         D． guests

19.A． signal   B． mark        C． sign    D． feature

20.A． leave    B． remain     C． put         D． taste

Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B,C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.

I hadn’t even got a chance to enter the store before an African American woman approached me and asked if I would help her return an item. The item she has _____ was intended for her daughter, but she had already received a similar one. The lady _____ to exchange the item for something else in the store but she was told she needed an ID or the deal could not take place.

I went to the ____ with the woman so we could use my ID. The sales associate immediately started ______ her of asking the first random person she saw to help her. Although that was ___ , I didn’t understand why it mattered. After all, not everyone is given the opportunity to ____ an ID in this country.

Then, we asked to speak with a manager, who explained that there was no way to return the item without a receipt and then went on to say the woman could not ______ she purchased the item.

“If I , a young white female, were to enter the store and request you to make an exchange without a receipt, I would not be _____ the privilege--- as I have proof from the past.” I said. He must have realized at that moment what he had done, because he _____ to exchange the item.

There are many valuable lessons in the story. The first is to help a stranger in need. I hesitated when the woman asked for my help, but ______ in my hand I asked myself, “ Why not? What valid reasons do I usually have?” I had none, so I helped her.

The second lesson is not to judge a book by its ______. The woman looked poor, but she _____ the same treatment as anyone else does.

1.A. purchased????????????? B. shown????????????? C. lost????????????? D. mended

2.A. managed????????????? B. wanted????????????? C. refused????????????? D. promised

3.A. counter????????????? B. department????????????? C. market????????????? D. window

4.A. warning????????????? B. informing????????????? C. reminding????????????? D. accusing

5.A. wrong????????????? B. true????????????? C. reasonable????????????? D. meaningful

6.A. leave????????????? B. pay????????????? C. find????????????? D. obtain

7.A. answer????????????? B. prove????????????? C. support????????????? D. admit

8.A. ordered????????????? B. asked????????????? C. denied????????????? D. given

9.A. agreed????????????? B. prepared????????????? C. failed????????????? D. remembered

10.A. totally????????????? B. gradually????????????? C. hardly????????????? D. quickly

11.A. design????????????? B. cover????????????? C. content????????????? D. price

12.A. deserved????????????? B. required????????????? C. received????????????? D. appreciated

E

Almost every day we come across situations in which we have to make decisions one way or another. Choice, we are given to believe, is a right. But for a good many people in the world. In rich and poor countries, choice is a luxury, something wonderful but hard to get, not a right. And for those who think they are exercising their right to make choices, the whole system is merely an illusion, a false idea created by companies and advertiser, hoping to sell their products.

The endless choice gives birth to anxiety in people’s lives. Buying something as basic as a coffee pot is not exactly simple. Easy access to a wide range of everyday goods leads to a sense of powerlessness in many people, ending in the shopper giving up and walking away, or just buying an unsuitable item(商品) that is not really wanted. Recent studies in England have shown that many electrical goods bought in almost every family are not really needed. More difficult decision-making is then either avoided or trusted into the hands of the professionals, lifestyle instructors, or advisors.

It is not just the availability of the goods that is the problem, but the speed with which new types of products come on the market. Advances in design and production help quicken the process Products also need to have a short lifespan so that the public can be persuaded to replace them within a short time. The typical example is computers, which are almost out-of-date once they are bought. This indeed makes selection a problem. Gone are the days when one could just walk with case into a shop and buy one thing; no choice, no anxiety.

What does the author try to argue in Paragraph 1?

  A. The exercise of rights is a luxury.       

  B. The practice of choice is difficult.

  C. The right of choice is given but at a price.

 D. Choice and right exist at the same time.

Why do more choices of goods give rise to anxiety?

  A. Professionals find it hard to decide on a suitable product.

  B. People are likely to find themselves overcome by business persuasion.

  C. Shoppers may find themselves lost in the broad range of items.

  D. Companies and advertisers are often misleading about the rage of choice.

By using computers as an example, the author wants to prove that    .

A. advanced products meet the needs of people

B. products of the latest design fold the market

C. competitions are fierce in high-tech industry

D. everyday goods need to be replaced often

What is this passage mainly about?

A. The variety of choices in modern society.

B. The opinions on people’s right in different countries

C. The Problems about the availability of everyday goods.

D. The helplessness in purchasing decisions

Almost every day we come across situations in which we have to make decisions one way or another. Choice, we are given to believe, is a right. But for a good many people in the world in rich and poor countries, choice is a luxury, something wonderful but hard to get, not a right. And for those who think they are exercising their right to make choices, the whole system is merely an illusion, a false idea created by companies and advertiser, hoping to sell their products.

The endless choice gives birth to anxiety in people’s lives. Buying something as basic as a coffee pot is not exactly simple. Easy access to a wide range of everyday goods leads to a sense of powerlessness in many people, ending in the shopper giving up and walking away, or just buying an unsuitable item(商品) that is not really wanted. Recent studies in England have shown that many electrical goods bought in almost every family are not really needed. More difficult decision-making is then either avoided or trusted into the hands of the professionals, lifestyle instructors, or advisors.

It is not just the availability of the goods that is the problem, but the speed with which new types of products come on the market. Advances in design and production help quicken the process. Products also need to have a short lifespan so that the public can be persuaded to replace them within a short time. The typical example is computers, which are almost out-of-date once they are bought. This indeed makes selection a problem. Gone are the days when one could just walk with ease into a shop and buy one thing; no choice, no anxiety.

What does the author try to argue in Paragraph 1?

A. The exercise of rights is a luxury.

B. The practice of choice is difficult.

C. The right of choice is given but at a price.

D. Choice and right exist at the same time.

Why do more choices of goods give rise to anxiety?

A. Professionals find it hard to decide on a suitable product.

B. People are likely to find themselves overcome by business persuasion.

C. Shoppers may find themselves lost in the broad range of items.

D. Companies and advertisers are often misleading about the rage of choice.

By using computers as an example, the author wants to prove that _______.

A. advanced products meet the needs of people

B. products of the latest design flood the market

C. competitions are fierce in high-tech industry

D. everyday goods need to be replaced often

What is this passage mainly about?

A. The variety of choices in modern society.

B. The opinions on people’s right in different countries

C. The Problems about the availability of everyday goods.

D. The helplessness in purchasing decisions