11．First lady Michelle Obama turns 50on Friday，Jan.17，2014．
Michelle Obama has spent the first half-century of her life breaking barriers and checking off a series of firsts．Now，as she reaches her milestone birthday Friday，the nation will be watching to see in what other areas she will leave her mark．
Five years after moving into the White House，and without a re-election campaign to worry about，she has more room to relax in her role and，political watchers say，possibly become more vocal （声音的） on political issues in the three years left in office．
So far，critics have complained about Michelle's silence on issues where they expected to hear her voice：Last year，at the start of her husband's second term，she disappointed advocates for tighter gun-control measures after she failed to push harder on the issue in response to the massacre （残杀） at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown，Conn．She also disappointed some feminists （女权主义者） who wanted her to defend their causes instead of falling back on her self-described role as the nation's"mom-in-chief．"Nor did she handle racial issues during her second term，as some had expected．
"The most important thing to remember is，whether you are black，white or Hispanic，you're the first lady and the president of all the people in the United States．That's a huge melting pot，so to reinforce （强化）that she's African American over anything else would not be wise，"said Anita McBride，who directs programming and national conferences on the legacies （遗产） of America's first ladies and their historical influence at American University．
Valerie Jarrett，a top White House adviser and a close friend of the Obamas，said the first lady doesn't want to "spread herself too thin．"
"She really wants to have a maximum impact and to do that in fewer areas，"Jarrett told the Associated Press．"That，she said，"is better than trying to take on every single possible cause．"
But Robert Watson，a Lynn University professor，said he expects Obama to"go a little harder at issues"over the next several years．"Second-term first ladies usually feel more at ease to speak more forcefully about issues close to their heart，"he said．
Myra Gutin，a Ryder University communications professor and frequent lecturer on first ladies，said she expects Obama to continue making both of them a priority in her remaining years in the White House，given their success．Michelle launched the"Let's Move"campaign in 2010．It in particular has gained widespread support，ranging from the National Football League to the Sesame Street franchise （特许），which even gave permission to the produce industry to use its licensed characters for free on fruits and vegetables．
"There's no such thing as a traditional first lady，not anymore in this technology-filled world．Is Mrs．Obama cutting edge？Is she an activist？No．As first ladies go，I think she's been politically careful because she does not want there to be a major flare-up that would require her husband to use his political capital to clean up，"she said．"But she's not exactly just sitting in the White House pouring tea and having receptions，either．"
28．Critics were disappointed with Michelle becauseD．
A．she didn't put gun-control measures into effect
B．she failed some feminists to stand out to be a career woman
C．she didn't solve some racial problems
D．she failed to voice her opinion on some issues
29．According to the professors or advisers，which of the following statements is NOT true？D
A．It's not wise to reinforce Michelle is African American over anything else．
B．It's better for Michelle to have a maximum impact than to take on every possible cause．
C．It's expected for Michelle to go a little harder at issues．
D．It's a tradition for first ladies to stay out of political issues．
30．What does the underlined phrase"spread herself too thin"in Paragraph 6mean？A
A．Try to do a lot of work at the same time．
B．Get very tired．
C．Try to improve physical fitness．
D．Move herself away from others．
31．In Paragraph 9，the campaign"Let's Move"might be aiming to help peopleC．．
a．gain widespread support
b．become more physically active
c．have access to healthier foods
d．raise awareness about gun control
A．a，c B．a，b
C．b，c D．c，d．
分析 本文主要讲述了第一夫人米歇尔．奥巴马在政治上对美国人民作出的一些贡献以及她在她丈夫任职期间对政治的看法，她并没有坐在白宫中喝茶，而是做出了对人民有益的事情，及人们对她的看法．
解答 28．D细节理解题，由第四段第一句可知So far，critics have complained about Michelle's silence on issues where they expected to hear her voice．人们对米歇尔失望是她在一些问题上没有发表意见，故选D
29．D理解推断题，由最后一段可知As first ladies go，I think she's been politically careful because she does not want there to be a major flare-up that would require her husband to use his political capital to clean up，"she said．"But she's not exactly just sitting in the White House pouring tea and having receptions，either．"第一夫人不是远离政治的，故选D
30．A理解推断题，由第六段及前文可知Valerie Jarrett，a top White House adviser and a close friend of the Obamas，said the first lady doesn't want to"spread herself too thin．"米歇尔想干很多事情，故选A
31．C细节理解题，由第九段可知Michelle launched the"Let's Move"campaign in 2010．It in particular has gained widespread support，ranging from the National Football League to the Sesame Street franchise （特许），which even gave permission to the produce industry to use its licensed characters for free on fruits and vegetables．是帮助人们更活跃，获得健康的食物，故选C
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