British author JK Rowling was at the release of her latest Harry Potter book called “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” at the Natural History Museum in London, Friday July 20, 2007.

J.K. Rowling has been spotted at cafes in Scotland working on a detective novel, a British newspaper reported Saturday.

The Sunday Times newspaper quoted Ian Rankin, a fellow author and neighbor of Rowling's, as saying the creator of the "Harry Potter" books is turning to crime fiction.

"My wife spotted her writing her Edinburgh criminal detective novel," the newspaper quoted Rankin as telling a reporter at an Edinburgh literary festival.

"It is great that she has not abandoned writing or Edinburgh cafes," said Rankin, who is known for his own police novels set in the historic Scottish city.

Rowling famously wrote initial drafts of the Potter story in the Scottish city's cafes. Back then, she was a struggling single mother who wrote in cafes to save on the heating bill at home.

Now she's Britain's richest woman - worth $1 billion, according to Forbes magazine - and her seven Potter books have sold more than 335 million copies worldwide.

In an interview with The Associated Press last month, Rowling said she believed she was unlikely to repeat the success of the Potter series, but confirmed she had plans to work on new books.

"I'll do exactly what I did with Harry - I'll write what I really want to write," Rowling said.

1. What is JK Rowling famous for?

A. detective novelsB. crime fictionC. Harry Potter booksD. love stories

2. Which of the following is Not rue about Ian Rankin?

A. He is a writer famous for police novels.

B. Most of the stories in his novels happened in the historic Scottish city.

C. It was Rankin himself who witnessed JK Rowing writing her Edinburgh criminal detective novels.

D. He told the British newspaper The Sunday Times about JK Rowling’s novels.

3. Why did Rowling like to write the “Harry Potter stories” in the cafes?

A. Because she was a romantic woman and the atmosphere in the cafes gave her lots of inspiration.

B. Because she was a single mother at that time and she wanted to find a husband there.

C. Because her children were so naughty at home and she had to go to a quiet place for her writing.

D. Because she thought that writing in a cafes could help her save some money.

4. What can we learn from the passage?

A. The seven Harry Potter series made JK Rowling a success.

B. JK Rowling had made enough money so she decided to stop writing.

C. Rowling planned to write new books because Harry Potter was not exactly what she wanted.

D. Ian Rankin and his wife earned money by telling reporters news about JK Rowling.

5. What is the best title for the passage?

A. Harry Potter and JK RowingB. Ian Rankin, A Neighbour of JK Rowling

C. A Successful Woman JK RowlingD. JK Rowling writing Detective Novels

What can help you make a fortune in the future? Graduating from a top university might not be enough. A new study from the University of Essex in Britain has shown that the more friends you have in school, the more money you'll earn later.

The idea that popularity could have a serious impact on one's earning potential shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. The researchers noted that if you want to get ahead in life, social skills and networking are easily as powerful as talent and hard work.

“If a person has lots of friends, it means that he or she has the ability to get along with others in all kinds of different situations," said Xu Yanchun, 17, from Nantou High School in Shenzhen, who totally agreed with the recent finding. "Also, friends always help each other. They not only create wider social circles for you but lift your mood when you occasionally feel depressed," said Xu. She believed that all this helps you "earn a higher salary”.

Maybe that's why some people think the younger generations are in the age of Friendalholism (交友狂癥). A woman even complained that the networking website Face book's 5,000-friend limit was too low for her large reserve of social contacts.

But what does a friend mean? Should friends be regarded as a form of currency?

“Call me uncoil, but I think of a friend as an actual person with whom I have an actual history and whom I enjoy actually seeing. It seems, however, that this is no longer the definition (定義) of ‘friend',” said Meghan Daum, who works with The Los Angeles Times in the US.

1.The new study from the University of Essex in Britain shows that _________.

A. if you have more friends you will not live happily.

B. the more friends you have in school, the more money you'll earn in your late life.

C. the less friends you have, the poor lives you will live.

D. friends can make more money for you.

2.According to Xu Yanchun, when you have lots of friends, it means_____

A. You have the ability to earn more money.

B. You will not feel lonely.

C .You are quite content with your life.

D. You have the ability to get along with others in various situations.

3. What’s the main idea of the passage ?

A. The passage mainly tells us something about the friendship.

B. Friends plays an more important part in our daily life than anything else.

C. Friends are currency.

D. Friends give you success.

4. We can learn from the passage that _________.

A. If you have more friends, you can make a fortune in the future.

B. Graduating from college means that you can make a fortune in the future.

C. Friends means a form of currency.

D. Friends can make you wider social circle and make you feel better when you feel depressed.

Police fired tear gas and arrested more than 5,000 passively resisting protestors Friday in an attempt to break up the largest antinuclear demonstration ever staged in the United States. More than 135,000 demonstrators confronted police on the construction site of a 1,000-megawatt nuclear power plant scheduled to provide power to most of southern New Hampshire. Organizers of the huge demonstration said, the protest was continuing despite the police actions. More demonstrators were arriving to keep up the pressure on state authorities to cancel the project. The demonstrator had charged that the project was unsafe in the densely populated area, would create thermal pollution in the bay, and had no acceptable means for disposing of its radioactive wasters. The demonstrations would go on until the jails and the courts were so overloaded that the state judicial system would collapse.

Governor Stanforth Thumper insisted that there would be no reconsideration of the power project and no delay in its construction set for completion in three years. “This project will begin on time and the people of this state will begin to receive its benefits on schedule. Those who break the law in misguided attempts to sabotage the project will be dealt with according to the law,” he said. And police called in reinforcements from all over the state to handle the disturbances.

The protests began before dawn Friday when several thousand demonstrators broke through police lines around the cordoned-off construction site. They carried placards that read “No Nukes is Good Nukes,” “Sunpower, Not Nuclear Power,” and “Stop Private Profits from Public Peril.” They defied police order to move from the area. Tear gas canisters fired by police failed to dislodge the protestors who had come prepared with their own gas masks or facecloths. Finally gas-masked and helmeted police charged into the crowd to drag off the demonstrators one by one. The protestors did not resist police, but refused to walk away under their own power. Those arrested would be charged with unlawful assembly, trespassing, and disturbing the peace.

1.What were the demonstrators protesting about?

[A] Private profits.

[B]Nuclear Power Station.

[C] The project of nuclear power construction.

[D] Public peril.

2.Who had gas-masks?

[A] Everybody.

[B]A part of the protestors.

[C] Policemen.

[D] Both B and C.

3..Which of the following was NOT mentioned as a reason for the demonstration?

[A] Public transportation.

[B]Public peril.

[C] Pollution.

[D] Disposal of wastes.

4..With whom were the jails and courts overloaded?

[A] With prisoners.

[B]With arrested demonstrators.

[C] With criminals.

[D] With protestors.

5.What is the attitude of Governor Stanforth Thumper toward the power project and the demonstration?

[A] stubborn.

[B]insistent.

[C] insolvable.

[D] remissible.

Vocabulary

1.tear gas                  瓦斯

2.passively resisting protestor      不抵抗的抗議者

3.stage                  發(fā)起，舉行，上演

4.break up                       驅(qū)散，終止

5.cordon                  警戒線，警戒

6.nuke                  （美俚）核武器，核電站

7.defy                  公然蔑視/反抗

8.canister            罐，筒，榴霰彈筒

9.islodge                  趕走

10.charge                  沖鋒，向前沖

11.trespass            非法侵入，擾亂

YOUR mom might cook a bowl of noodles for you on your birthday. But in the US, a mom makes a cupcake for her children on their birthday.

Cupcakes are small, round cakes topped with frosting (糖霜). It has been an American tradition that moms bring cupcakes to the classroom to celebrate their child’s birthday.

But recently some doctors have called for this to be banned. They believe cupcakes contribute to child obesity.

Despite their good intentions, however, some people believe that experts are interfering (妨礙) with American culture. The cupcake is seen as American as apple pie — only prettier.

According to Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition at New York University, the cupcake is the most democratic (民主的) of desserts. As they are small enough for one person, you don’t have to share your cupcake with anyone — it’s all yours. They are also all the same size, so there can’t be any cries of “she got the bigger piece!”

Each bite can taste different depending on how much icing you have. It is a lesson in self-determination. Some people eat only a little of the frosting every time, others have it all in just one bite.

In recent years, eating a cupcake has become as trendy as having a cup of Starbucks coffee.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton jokingly promised on a talk show that if she was elected president, she would give everyone a cupcake on her birthday.

Ruth Reichl, editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine, explains that the rise of the cupcake is very much about going back to American national identity in food, which is all about comfort. “People want to think about when they and their country were innocent,” she said.

1. According to the passage, it has been an American tradition that ___________.

A. a party for children on their birthday

B. A mom cooks a bowl of noodles for her children on their birthday

C. A mom makes a cupcake for her children on their birthday and brings it to the classroom

D. parents go travelling with their children on their birthday

2. Why do doctors ask people to ban cupcakes on children’s birthday?

A. Because they themselves don’t like cupcakes.

B. Because they think cupcakes are not so delicious.

C. Because they believe cupcakes will cause cries of “She got the bigger piece”.

D. Because they believe cupcakes are one of the causes to make children become fat.

3. Which of the following is Not true according to Marion Nestle?

A. The cupcake is more democratic than any other deserts in the US.

B. The cupcake is too small to share with others.

C. The sizes of cupcakes are the same so it’s equal to everyone.

D. Cupcakes will lead to child obesity so they should be banned.

4.The underlined word “trendy” in paragraph 7 probably means ________.

A. popularB. gentleC. deliciousD. different

5. Why did the writer mention Hillary Clinton and Ruth Reichl?

A. To arouse the readers’ attention.

B. To show that cupcakes are becoming a popular to show kindness and comfort.

C. To make a comparison between them.

D. To give readers a general idea of cupcakes.

Usually, when your teacher asks a question, there is only one correct answer. But there is one question that has millions of current answers. That question is “What’s your name?” Everyone gives a different answer, but everyone is correct.

Have you ever wondered about people’s names? Where do they come from? What do they mean?

People’s first names, or given names, are chosen by their parents. Sometimes the name of a grandparent or other member of the family is used. Some parents choose the name of a well-known person. A boy could be named George Washington Smith; a girl could be named Helen Keller Jones.

Some people give their children names that mean good things. Clara means “bright”; Beatrice means “one who gives happiness”; Donald means “world ruler”; Leonard means “as brave as a lion”.

The earliest last names, or surnames, were taken from place names. A family with the name Brook or Brooks probably lived near brook(小溪)；someone who was called Longstreet probably lived on a long, paved road. The Greenwood family lived in or near a leafy forest.

Other early surnames came from people’s occupations. The most common occupational name is Smith, which means a person who makes things with iron or other metals. In the past, smiths were very important workers in every town and village. Some other occupational names are: Carter — a person who owned or drove a cart; Potter —a person who made pots and pans.

The ancestors of the Baker family probably baked bread for their neighbors in their native village. The Carpenter’s great-great-great-grandfather probably built houses and furniture.

Sometimes people were known for the color of their hair or skin, or their size, or their special abilities. When there were two men who were named John in the same village, the John with the gray hair probably became John Gray. Or the John was very tall could call himself John Tallman. John Fish was probably an excellent swimmer and John Lightfoot was probably a fast runner or a good dancer.

Some family names were made by adding something to the father’s name. English-speaking people added –s or –son. The Johnsons are descendants of John; the Roberts family’s ancestor was Robert. Irish and Scottish people added Mac or Mc or O. Perhaps all of the MacDonnells and the MacDonnells and the O’Donnells are descendants of the same Donnell.

1. Which of the following aspects do the surnames in the passage NOT cover?

A. Places where people lived. B. People’s characters.

C. Talents that people possessed. D. People’s occupations.

2. According to the passage, the ancestors of the Potter family most probably _______.

A. owned or drove a cart B. made things with metals

C. made kitchen tools or contains D. built houses and furniture

3.Suppose and English couple whose ancestors lived near a leafy forest wanted their new-born son to become a world leader, the baby might be named _______.

A. Beatrice Smith B. Leonard Carter

C. George Longstreet D. Donald Greenwood

4. The underlined word “descendants” in the last paragraph means a person’s _____

A. later generations B. friends and relatives

C. colleagues and partners D. later sponsors

Usually, when your teacher asks a question, there is only one correct answer. But there is one question that has millions of current answers. That question is “What’s your name?” Everyone gives a different answer, but everyone is correct.

Have you ever wondered about people’s names? Where do they come from? What do they mean?

People’s first names, or given names, are chosen by their parents. Sometimes the name of a grandparent or other member of the family is used. Some parents choose the name of a well-known person. A boy could be named George Washington Smith; a girl could be named Helen Keller Jones.

Some people give their children names that mean good things. Clara means “bright”; Beatrice means “one who gives happiness”; Donald means “world ruler”; Leonard means “as brave as a lion”.

The earliest last names, or surnames, were taken from place names. A family with the name Brook or Brooks probably lived near brook(小溪)；someone who was called Longstreet probably lived on a long, paved road. The Greenwood family lived in or near a leafy forest.

Other early surnames came from people’s occupations. The most common occupational name is Smith, which means a person who makes things with iron or other metals. In the past, smiths were very important workers in every town and village. Some other occupational names are: Carter — a person who owned or drove a cart; Potter —a person who made pots and pans.

The ancestors of the Baker family probably baked bread for their neighbors in their native village. The Carpenter’s great-great-great-grandfather probably built houses and furniture.

Sometimes people were known for the color of their hair or skin, or their size, or their special abilities. When there were two men who were named John in the same village, the John with the gray hair probably became John Gray. Or the John was very tall could call himself John Tallman. John Fish was probably an excellent swimmer and John Lightfoot was probably a fast runner or a good dancer.

Some family names were made by adding something to the father’s name. English-speaking people added –s or –son. The Johnsons are descendants of John; the Roberts family’s ancestor was Robert. Irish and Scottish people added Mac or Mc or O. Perhaps all of the MacDonnells and the MacDonnells and the O’Donnells are descendants of the same Donnell.

1.Which of the following aspects do the surnames in the passage NOT cover?

A. Places where people lived. B. People’s characters.

C. Talents that people possessed. D. People’s occupations.

2. According to the passage, the ancestors of the Potter family most probably _______.

A. owned or drove a cart B. made things with metals

C. made kitchen tools or contains D. built houses and furniture

3. Suppose and English couple whose ancestors lived near a leafy forest wanted their new-born son to become a world leader, the baby might be named _______.

A. Beatrice Smith B. Leonard Carter

C. George Longstreet D. Donald Greenwood

4. The underlined word “descendants” in the last paragraph means a person’s _____

A. later generations B. friends and relatives

C. colleagues and partners D. later sponsors

The past ages of man have all been carefully labeled by anthropologists. Descriptions like ‘ Palaeolithic Man’, ‘Neolithic Man’, etc., neatly sum up whole periods. When the time comes for anthropologists to turn their attention to the twentieth century, they will surely choose the label ‘Legless Man’. Histories of the time will go something like this: ‘in the twentieth century, people forgot how to use their legs. Men and women moved about in cars, buses and trains from a very early age. There were lifts and escalators in all large buildings to prevent people from walking. This situation was forced upon earth dwellers of that time because of miles each day. But the surprising thing is that they didn’t use their legs even when they went on holiday. They built cable railways, ski-lifts and roads to the top of every huge mountain. All the beauty spots on earth were marred by the presence of large car parks. ’

The future history books might also record that we were deprived of the use of our eyes. In our hurry to get from one place to another, we failed to see anything on the way. Air travel gives you a bird’s-eye view of the world – or even less if the wing ofthe aircraft happens to get in your way. When you travel by car or train a blurred image of the countryside constantly smears the windows. Car drivers, in particular, are forever obsessed with the urge to go on and on: they never want to stop. Is it the lure of the great motorways, or what? And as for sea travel, it hardly deserves mention. It is perfectly summed up in the words of the old song: ‘I joined the navy to see the world, and what did I see? I saw the sea.’ The typical twentieth-century traveler is the man who always says ‘I’ve been there. ’ You mention the remotest, most evocative place-names in the world like El Dorado, Kabul, Irkutsk and someone is bound to say ‘I’ve been there’ – meaning, ‘I drove through it at 100 miles an hour on the way to somewhere else. ’

When you travel at high speeds, the present means nothing: you live mainly in the future because you spend most of your time looking forward to arriving at some other place. But actual arrival, when it is achieved, is meaningless. You want to move on again. By traveling like this, you suspend all experience; the present ceases to be a reality: you might just as well be dead. The traveler on foot, on the other hand, lives constantly in the present. For him traveling and arriving are one and the same thing: he arrives somewhere with every step he makes. He experiences the present moment with his eyes, his ears and the whole of his body. At the end of his journey he feels a delicious physical weariness. He knows that sound. Satisfying sleep will be his: the just reward of all true travellers.

1.Anthorpologists label nowaday’s men ‘Legless’ because

     A   people forget how to use his legs.

     B   people prefer cars, buses and trains.

     C   lifts and escalators prevent people from walking.

     D   there are a lot of transportation devices.

2.Travelling at high speed means

     A   people’s focus on the future.

     B   a pleasure.

     C   satisfying drivers’ great thrill.

     D   a necessity of life.

3.Why does the author say ‘we are deprived of the use of our eyes’ ?

     A   People won’t use their eyes.

     B   In traveling at high speed, eyes become useless.

     C   People can’t see anything on his way of travel.

     D   People want to sleep during travelling.

4.What is the purpose of the author in writing this passage?

     A   Legs become weaker.

     B   Modern means of transportation make the world a small place.

     C   There is no need to use eyes.

     D   The best way to travel is on foot.

5.What does ‘a(chǎn) bird’s-eye view’ mean?

     A   See view with bird’s eyes.

     B   A bird looks at a beautiful view.

     C   It is a general view from a high position looking down.

     D   A scenic place.

VOCABULARY

Palaeolithic 舊石器時代的

Neolithic   新石器時代的

escalator   自動電梯，自動扶梯

ski-lift        載送滑雪者上坡的裝置

mar        損壞，毀壞

blur       模糊不清，朦朧

smear        涂，弄臟，弄模糊（尤指畫面、輪廓等）

evocative   引起回憶的，喚起感情的

El Dorado  (由當時西班牙征服者想象中的南美洲)黃金國，寶山，富庶之鄉(xiāng)

Kabul        喀布爾（阿富汗首都）

Irkutsk     伊爾庫茨克（原蘇聯(lián)亞洲城市）

難句譯注與答案詳解

The only way to travel is on foot  旅游的唯一方法是走路

難句譯注

Air travel gives you a bird’s-eye view of the world – or even if the wing of the aircraft happens to get in your way.

【參考譯文】飛機旅行，你只可俯視世界――如果機翼碰巧擋住了你的視線，就看得更少了。

When you travel by car or train a blurred image of the country-side constantly smears the windows.

【參考譯文】如果乘車或火車旅行，郊外模糊朦朧的景象不斷地掠過窗口。

寫作方法與文章大意

文章以因果寫作方法，寫出了由于種種現(xiàn)代化交通設(shè)施、人們不需用腳走路，甚至也不需要用眼看景，出門就坐汽車、公交車、地鐵、飛機……，車、機速度飛快，外邊的景物難以看清，最終導(dǎo)致人們忘記用腳、用眼成為“無腳之人”。一切都經(jīng)歷不到。作者建議最佳的旅游方法是徒步――經(jīng)歷現(xiàn)實。

It is reported that conservation groups in North America have been arguing about the benefits and dangers of wolves. Some groups believe wolves should be killed. Other people believe wolves must be protected so that they will not disappear from the wilderness (荒野)

For Killing Wolves

In Alaska，the wolf almost disappeared a few years ago，because hunters were killing hundreds of them for sport. However．1aws were established to protect the wolves from sportsmen and people who catch the animals for their fur．So the wolf population has greatly increased. Now there are so many wolves that they are destroying their own food supply．

A wolf naturally eats animals in the deer family. People in the wilderness also hunt deer for food．Many of the animals have been destroyed by the very cold winters recently and by changes in the wilderness plant life．When the deer can’t find enough food，they die．

If the wolves continue to kill large numbers of deer，their prey(獵物)will disappear some day．And the wolves will．too．So we must change the cycle of life in the wilderness to balance the ecology．If we killed more wolves，we would save them and their prey from dying out．We’d also save some farm animals．

In another northern state，wolves attack cows and chickens for food．Farmers want the government to send biologists to study the problem．They believe it necessary to kill wolves in some areas and to protect them in places where there is a small wolf population．

Against Killing Wolves

If you had lived long ago，you would have heard many different stories about the dangerous wolf．According to most stories，hungry wolves often kill people for food．Even today，the stories of the “big bad wolf'＂will not disappear．

But the fact is wolves are afraid of people．and they seldom travel in areas where there is a human smell．When wolves eat other animals，they usually kill the very young．or the sick and injured .The strongest survive .No kind of animal would have survived through the centuries if the weak members had lived．And has always been a law of nature.

Although some people say it is good sense to kill wolves，we say it is nonsense! Researchers have found wolves and their prey living in balance．The wolves keep the deer population from becoming too large, and that keeps a balance in the wilderness plant life．

The real problem is that the areas where wolves can live are being used by people．Even if wilderness land is not used directly for human needs．the wolves can’t always find enough food .So they travel to the nearest source, which is often a farm．Then there is danger．The “big bad wolf” has arrived! And everyone knows what happens next．

1. According to the passage，some people in North America favor killing wolves for all the following reasons EXCET that ．

A. there are too many wolves

B. they kill large numbers deer

C. they attack cows and chickens for food

D. they destroy the wilderness plant life

2. Some people are against killing wolves because ．

A. wolves help to keep the ecological balance in the wideness

B. there is too small a wolf population in the wilderness

C. there are too many deer in the wilderness

D. wolves are afraid of people and never attack people

3. According to those against killing wolves，when wolves eat other animals， ．

A. they never eat strong and healthy ones

B. they always go against the law of nature

C. they might help this kind of animals survive in nature

D. they disturb the ecological balance in the wilderness

4. The last sentence “And everyone knows what happens next” implies that in such cases .

A. farm animals will be in danger and have to be shipped away

B. wolves will kill people and people will in turn kill them

C. wolves will find enough food sources on farms

D. people will leave the areas where wolves can live

Disposing(處理)of waste has been a problem since humans started producing it.As more and more people choose to live close together in cities,the waste-disposal problem becomes Increasingly difficult.

During the eighteenth century,it was usual for several neighboring towns to get together to select a faraway spot as a dump site.Residents or trash haulers(垃圾拖運者)would transport household rubbish,rotted wood,and old possessions to the site.Periodically(定期的)some of the trash was burned and the rest was buried.The unpleasant sights and smells caused no problem because nobody lived close by.

Factories,mills,and other industrial sites also had waste to be disposed of.Those located on rivers often just dumped the unwanted remains into the water.Others built huge burners with chimneys to deal with the problem.

Several facts make these choices unacceptable to modern society.The first problem is space Dumps,which are now called landfills,are most needed in heavily populated areas.Such areas rarely have empty land suitable for this purpose.Property is either too expensive or too close to residential(住宅區(qū)的) neighborhoods.Long-distance trash hauling has been a common practice but once farm areas are refusing to accept rubbish from elsewhere,cheap land within trucking distance of major city areas is almost nonexistent.

Awareness(意識) of pollution dangers has resulted in more strict rules of waste disposal. Pollution of rivers,ground water,land and air is a price people can no longer pay to get rid of waste. The amount of waste,however,continues to grow.

Recycling efforts have become commonplace,and many towns require their people to take part.Even he most efficient recycling programs,however,can hope to deal with only about 50 Percent of a city’s reusable waste.

1.The most suitable title for this passage would be _______.

A.Places for Disposing Waste B.Waste Pollution Dangers

C.Ways of Getting Rid of Waste D.Waste Disposal Problem

2.During the 18th century,people disposed their waste in many ways EXCEPT for _______.

A.burying it B.recycling it

C.burning it D.throwing it into rivers

3.What can be inferred from the fourth paragraph?

A.Farm areas accept waste from the city in modern society.

B.There is cheap land to bury waste in modern society.

C.It is difficult to find space to bury waste in modern society.

D.Ways to deal with waste in modern society stay the same.

4.The main purpose of writing this article is to _______.

A.draw people’s attention to waste management

B.warn people of the pollution dangers we are facing

C.call on people to take part in recycling programs

D.tell people a better way to get rid of the waste

When you think of the tremendous technological progress we have made, it’s amazing how little we have developed in other respects. We may speak contemptuously of the poor old Romans because they relished the orgies of slaughter that went on in their arenas. We may despise them because they mistook these goings on for entertainment. We may forgive them condescendingly because they lived 2000 years ago and obviously knew no better. But are our feelings of superiority really justified? Are we any less blood-thirsty? Why do boxing matches, for instance, attract such universal interest? Don’t the spectators who attend them hope they will see some violence? Human beings remains as bloodthirsty as ever they were. The only difference between ourselves and the Romans is that while they were honest enough to admit that they enjoyed watching hungey lions tearing people apart and eating them alive, we find all sorts of sophisticated arguments to defend sports which should have been banned long age; sports which are quite as barbarous as, say, public hangings or bearbaiting.

It really is incredible that in this day and age we should still allow hunting or bull-fighting, that we should be prepared to sit back and watch two men batter each other to pulp in a boxing ring, that we should be relatively unmoved by the sight of one or a number of racing cars crashing and bursting into flames. Let us not deceive ourselves. Any talk of ‘the sporting spirit’ is sheer hypocrisy. People take part in violent sports because of the high rewards they bring. Spectators are willing to pay vast sums of money to see violence. A world heavyweight championship match, for instance, is front page news. Millions of people are disappointed if a big fight is over in two rounds instead of fifteen. They feel disappointment because they have been deprived of the exquisite pleasure of witnessing prolonged torture and violence.

Why should we ban violent sports if people enjoy them so much? You may well ask. The answer is simple: they are uncivilized. For centuries man has been trying to improve himself spiritually and emotionally – admittedly with little success. But at least we no longer tolerate the sight madmen cooped up in cages, or public floggings of any of the countless other barbaric practices which were common in the past. Prisons are no longer the grim forbidding places they used to be. Social welfare systems are in operation in many parts of the world. Big efforts are being made to distribute wealth fairly. These changes have come about not because human beings have suddenly and unaccountably improved, but because positive steps were taken to change the law. The law is the biggest instrument of social change that we have and it may exert great civilizing influence. If we banned dangerous and violent sports, we would be moving one step further to improving mankind. We would recognize that violence is degrading and unworthy of human beings.

1.It can be inferred from the passage that the author’s opinion of nowadays’ human beings is

A.  not very high.                               B.  high.

C.  contemptuous.                        D.  critical.

2.The main idea of this passage is

A.  vicious and dangerous sports should be banned by law.

B.  people are willing to pay vast sums money to see violence.

C.  to compare two different attitudes towards dangerous sports.

D.  people are bloodthirsty in sports.

3.That the author mentions the old Romans is

A.  To compare the old Romans with today’s people.

B.  to give an example.

C.  to show human beings in the past know nothing better.

D.  to indicate human beings are used to bloodthirsty.

4..How many dangerous sports does the author mention in this passage?

A.  Three.            B.  Five.

C.  Six.            D.  Seven.

5.The purpose of the author in writing this passage is

A.  that, by banning the violent sports, we human beings can improve our selves.

B.  that, by banning the dangerous sports, we can improve the law.

C.  that we must take positive steps to improve social welfare system.

D.  to show law is the main instrument of social change.

Vocabulary

 relish                從……獲得樂處，享受

 orgy            狂歡，放縱

 arena             競技場，活動或斗爭的場所

 blood-thirsty        殘忍的，嗜血的

 bear-baiting        逗熊游戲

 bull-fight      斗牛

 batter            猛擊，連續(xù)地猛打/捶，亂打

 pulp                 成紙漿，成軟塊

 burst into flames      突然燃燒起來/著火

 grim            令人窒息的，簡陋的

 coop up            把……關(guān)起來

難句譯注

bear-baiting  逗熊游戲。這是一種十六、十七世紀流行于英國的游戲――驅(qū)狗去咬綁著的熊，很殘忍，后被禁止。

…two men batter each other to pulp in the boxing ring.

 【結(jié)構(gòu)簡析】batter one to pulp = beat one to a pulp 狠揍某人，打癱某人

 【參考譯文】兩個人在拳擊場內(nèi)彼此狠揍，知道一個人被打倒在地，爬不起來。

…unmoved by the sight of one or a number of racing cars crashing and bursting into flames.

 【參考譯文】眼見一輛或多輛賽車相互撞擊，突然燒起來而無動于衷。

A world heavy weight championship match is front page news.

 【參考譯文】世界重量級冠軍賽總是頭版頭條新聞。

寫作方法與文章大意

  作者采取先對比、后分析的寫作手法。先是今人和古羅馬人對暴虐體育上對此兩者都欣賞。后者坦率成人“欣賞暴力體育”，前者施以各種接口、實際都是嗜血成性者。第二段進一步剖析今人欣賞暴虐體育的種種實例，最后指出改善“暴虐”的根本嗜為改善法律采取積極的步驟，法律才能施以巨大的文明影響，否則人類很難改變。