Antinuclear Demonstration

       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,” “Sun-power, 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.

What were the demonstrators protesting about?

A Private profits.     B Nuclear Power Station.

C The project of nuclear power construction.   D Public peril.

Who had gas-masks?

A Everybody.    B A part of the protestors.

C Policemen.    D Both B and C.

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.

With whom were the jails and courts overloaded?

A With prisoners.        B With arrested demonstrators.

C With criminals.        D With protestors.

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

A stubborn.       B insistent.     C insolvable.        D remissible.

To Chinese immigrants, in the mid-1800s, California was “The Land of the Golden Mountain.” In their homeland they had heard the words, “There’s gold in California.” They sailed 7,000miles to join the gold rush and strike it rich. Between 1849 and 1882, more than 30,000 Chinese came to California. Most were men. They had been farmers in China. They came here to be miners and laborers. They ended up doing many other jobs, too.

Like many other immigrants, they did not plan to stay in America. They came because of their ties to their homeland and their families. They planned to return to China with their fortunes and help their families.

Only a few Chinese gold miners struck it rich. Most picked over the areas that had been mined already. But still, white miners resented the Chinese. Slowly, they drove the “yellow peril” from the mining camps.

By the end of the 1850s, many Chinese returned home. Those who stayed found other jobs.

Few women had come west in the gold rush. The Chinese saw a good business opportunity. They began doing the jobs women would have done. Many became house servants. Many more opened laundries.

The Chinese opened restaurants. Chop suey and show mein are popular Chinese-American dishes. The Chinese probably created these dishes to serve to the white miners.

Other Chinese became fishermen, farmers, and even cigar makers.

Why did Chinese go to America in the mid-1800s?

A. Because they could find good jobs there.

B. Because they had found gold there.

C. Because they could open laundries and restaurants there.

D. Because they heard there was gold there.

The underlined word “resented” mean “________”.

A. liked          B. helped        C. hated         D. served

of the following was NOT mentioned in the passage?

A. Some Chinese became drivers.

B. Many Chinese opened shops to help wash clothes.

C. Many Chinese picked gold around the old mines.

D. Many Chinese returned to China by the end of the 1850s.

should be the title of the passage?

A. Early Chinese immigrants in America

B. Dream to strike it rich

C. The difference between men and women

D. Gold miners in America

Vicious(劇烈的)and Dangerous Sports Should be Banned by Law

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 hungry 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 ourselves.

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.

The income gap between China's rural and urban residents(居民) has continued to widen during the past few years in spite of rapidly rising rural incomes, Agricultural Minister Sun Zhengcai said here on Wednesday.

    The income ratio(比率) between urban and rural residents was 3.28:1 in 2006, against 3.23:1 in 2003, said Sun in his report on the promotion of building a new countryside in 2007. Sun also said the net income of rural residents in different regions also varied widely. The income gap is only one of several problems in rural areas, according to Sun's report. While listing the achievements in rural areas in recent years, Sun believed that rural development still followed behind urban development.

    "We have bigger pressure to ensure the supply of major agricultural products such as grain," he said. "China's urbanization(都市化) has been speeded up and more rural residents have gone to urban areas," he said.

    "In this case, more agricultural producers become farm produce consumers, which created more pressure for supply," he said.

    Another problem facing China's agricultural development is inadequate application of science and technology.

    "Only 30 percent of scientific and technological achievements have been applied to agricultural production, which is 40 percentage points lower than developed countries," he said.

    Despite increased government spending in rural areas, the infrastructure(基礎下部組織) is still poor and easily hit by disasters.

    According to Sun, the government spent 431.8 billion yuan ($59.15 billion) on agriculture, rural areas and farmers this year, an increase of 80.1 billion yuan over the previous year.

    China set aside 11.38 billion yuan to promote a new rural cooperative medical care system and 27.98 billion yuan to support the new compulsory education mechanism in rural area to ensure that all citizens shared the fruits of China's reform and opening-up, Sun said.

Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?

   A. Because of the rapidly rising rural incomes, the income gap between China's rural and urban residents will disappear this year.

   B. The net income of rural residents in different regions is the same.

   C. The government has taken measures to develop the economy in the rural areas.

   D. Because of the rapidly rising rural incomes, the supply of major agricultural products is enough.

Can you infer the meaning of the underlined words in paragraph 5?

   A. be made full use of

   B. be made little use of

   C. be not made full use of

   D. be made good use of

How much is spent on agriculture, rural areas and farmers the previous year?

   A. 431.8 billion yuan   B. 511.9 billion yuan 

   C. 351.7 billion yuan   D. 80.1 billion yuan

Which is NOT the problem in rural areas?

   A. The income gap

   B. The inadequate application of science and technology

   C. The supply of major agricultural products

   D. China's urbanization

Odland remembers like it was yesterday working in an expensive French restaurant in Denver. The ice cream he was serving fell onto the white dress of a rich and important woman.

Thirty years have passed, but Odland can’t get the memory out of his mind, nor the woman’s kind reaction(反應).She was shocked, regained calmness and, in a kind voice, told the young Odland. “It’s OK. It wasn’t your fault.”When she left the restaurant, she also left the future Fortune 500 CEO(總裁) with a life lesson: You can tell a lot about a person by the way he or she treats the waiter.

Odland isn’t the only CEO to have made this discovery. Rather, it seems to be one of those few laws of the land that every CEO learns on the way up. It’s hard to get a dozen CEOS to agree about anything, but most agree with the Waiter Rule. They say how others treat the CEO says nothing. But how others treat the waiter is like a window into the soul.

Watch out for anyone who pulls out the power card to say something like,“I could buy this place and fire you.”or “I know the owner and I could have you fired.”Those who say such things have shown more about their character(人品) than about their wealth and power.

The CEO who came up with it, or at least first wrote it down, is Raytheon CEO Bill Swanson. He wrote a best-selling book called Swanson’s Unwritten Rules of Management.

“A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter, or to others, is not a nice person,” Swanson says. “I will never offer a job to the person who is sweet to the boss but turns rude to someone cleaning the tables.” 

What happened after Odland dropped the ice cream onto the woman’s dress?

A. He was fired.

B. He was blamed.

C. The woman comforted him.

D. The woman left the restaurant at once.

Odland learned one of his life lessons from _______.

A. his experience as a waiter     B. the advice given by the CEOs

C. an article in Fortune      D. an interesting best-selling book

According to the text, most CEOs have the time opinion about _______.

A. Fortune 500 companies     B. the Management Rules

C. Swanson’s book       D. the Waiter Rule

From the text we can learn that _______.

A. one should be nicer to important people

B. CEOs often show their power before others

C. one should respect others no matter who they are

D. CEOs often have meals in expensive restaurants

There are many theories about the beginning of drama in ancient Greece. The one most widely accepted today is based on the assumption that drama evolved (演化) from ceremony. The argument for this view goes as follows.

       In the beginning, human beings viewed the natural forces of the world -even the seasonal changes - as unpredictable, and they sought through various means to control these unknown and feared powers. Those measures which appeared to bring the desired results were then kept and repeated until they hardened into fixed ceremonies. Eventually stories arose which explained the mysteries of the ceremonies. As time passed some ceremonies were abandoned, but the stories, later called myths, remained and provided material for art and drama.

       Those who believe that drama evolved out of ceremony also argue that those ceremonies contained the seed of theater because music, dance, masks, and costumes were almost always used. Furthermore, a suitable site had to be provided for performances and when the entire community did not participate, a clear division was usually made between the "acting area" and the "auditorium " . In addition, there were performers, and, since considerable importance was attached to avoiding mistakes in the performing of ceremonies, religious leaders usually took that task.. Wearing masks and costumes, they often acted other people, animals, or supernatural beings, and imitated the desired effect -- success in hunt or battle, the coming rain, etc. as an actor might. Eventually such dramatic representations were separated from religious activities.

      Another theory traces(追溯) the theater's origin from the human interest in storytelling. According to this view, tales (about the hunt, war, etc) are gradually developed, at first through the use of action and dialogue, and then through the assumption of each of the roles by a different person. A closely related theory traces theater to those dances that are primarily rhythmical and gymnastic or that are imitations of animal movements and sounds.

Which is the best title of the passage?

        A. Religious activities in ancient Greece.        B. The ceremonies in ancient Greece.

        C. Drama theories.                          D. The origin of Greek Drama.

According to the passage, drama_______________.

        A. was played in memory of ancient Greek ceremonies

        B. was a form of ceremony played by ancient Greeks to control unknown powers

        C. evolved out of ancient Greek ceremonies with time passing by

        D. is one of the measures Ancient Greeks took to view natural forces

What do drama and ancient ceremonies have in common according to the passage?

        A. Both of them were performed in theaters.

        B. Music, dance, masks, costumes and so on were contained in both of them.

        C. Religious leaders were in charge of both of them.

        D. Both of them were concerned about natural power.

In tracing the beginning of drama, which of the following is not mentioned?

        A. Planting.                         B. Religious ceremonies.

        C. Gymnastic.                       D. Storytelling.

It can be inferred from the passage that____________________.

        A. human beings loved to tell stories

        B. people could do nothing about nature

        C. religious leaders tried to develop the effective form of drama

        D. religious activities played a very important role in the evolvement of drama

It seems that Great Wall is the place to rock. There will be two parties held on the Great Wall this month.

Great Wall Ⅰ

The latest Great Wall party is sponsored(主辦)by the Club and electrobeat and held at Jinshanling. Local DJ Mark ,as well as guest Slab from Australia ,Usami and Bobby from Hong Kong will spin the sounds. All drinks are priced at 20 yuan(＄2.4).

Tickets:200 yuan(＄24), including bus ride there and back plus entrance fee to the Great Wall.

T/D: 8 p.m. to 2 a. m., Sept.20.

Pre-sale tickets are available at: Public Space: 6416-0759 Neo Lounge: 6416-1077

Location: Buses leave at 5 p.m. on Saturday ,Sep. 20 from Neo Lounge, 99 Xinfuncun Zhonglu, Sanlitun, Chaoyan District.

For more info: www. elektrobeat.com

Great Wall Ⅱ

The other party at the end of this month at Jinshanling will be kick-started with live performances by Askar, Brain Failure, Longkuan, Supermarket, Mr.Zhou, Beijing Talking and the Yi band.

Dance till dawn to the groovy(絕妙的)sounds of DJs Ben ,Mickey Zhang ,Will, Cheese, Gao Hu and Huang Weiwei.

T/D: 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. ,Sept. 27.

Tickets: 350 yuan(＄42)or 300 yuan(＄36) for groups of 10 or more, 500 yuan (＄60) at the door and VIP tickets 800 yuan(＄72), transportation included..

Location: Buses depart from the north gate of Workers, Stadium at noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m., Sept. 27.

For more info: contact Li Zhenhua at lzh@msgp.org or call 133-2119-1731.

Which is true according to the text?

A. You have to pay extra money for entering the Great Wall with a ticket.

B. You have to use a computer to get the details about Great Wall Rock.

C. You have to pay extra money for bus ride with a ticket.

D. It is at least 4 hours, ride from Neo Lounge to Jinshanling.

What day of the week is September 27?

A. Saturday .       B. Sunday.       C. Weekday.       D. It can’t be known.

A dozen people want to attend Great Wall Ⅱ.They should pay at least _________ for the tickets.

A. ＄504         B. ＄432        C. ＄720         D. ＄864

If you want to go Great Wall Rock , _______________________.

A. you’ll have to get up early to catch the bus

B. you’ll have to spend a whole day on the bus

C. you can take a bus at any time from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

D. you can’t take a morning bus to get there

—How about going out for a picnic on Sunday morning?

         —Hmm．___．The weather is very good these days．

         A．Yes, why not     B．Well, no way      C．Oh, never mind D．Sure, no matter

Most people want to know how things are made. They honestly admit, however, that they hard??ly know a thing when it comes to understanding how a piece of music is made. Where a composer （作曲家） begins, how he manages to keep going - in fact, how and where he leams his trade -all are covered in complete darkness. The composer, in short, is a man of mystery. （神秘）.

One of the first things the common man wants to know about is the part inspiration （靈感） plays in a composer' s work. He finds it difficult to believe that composers are not much interested in that question. Writing music is as natural for the composer as eating or sleeping for all. Music is something that the composer happens to have been born for.

The composer, therefore, does not say to himself: "Do I feel inspired?" He says to himself:

"Do I feel like working today?" And if he feels like working, he does. It is more or less like saying to himself: "Do I feel sleepy?" If you feel sleepy, you go to sleep. If you don't feel sleepy, you stay up. If the composer doesn' t feel like working, he doesn' t work. It' s as simple as that.

What would be the best title for the text?

A. Composer: a man of mystery                     

B. Practice makes good music

C. Relation between sleeping and music             

D. Music: product of nature

The words "covered in complete darkness" underlined in Paragraph I most probably mean

A. difficult to be made     

B. without any light     

C. black in color     

D. not known

Most people seem to think that a composer _______ .

A. finds it difficult to write music       

B. considers it important to have a good rest

C. should like to talk about inspiration 

D. never asks himself very simple questions

The author will most probably agree that composers _______

A. are born with a gift for music                

B. are people full of mystery

C. work late at night for their music           

D. know a lot about eating and sleeping