ASK LASKAS

YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS. SHE'S GOT ANSWERS

Q: My problem is computer gaming. I do it day and night, averaging four hours of sleep. I can't control of this, and I don't know where to go for help. Do you?                                 —Player

A: Dear Player,

You have an addiction. For some people playing video games releases dopamine, a powerful brain chemical that makes you feel good. You'd toss your cigarettes if you were ready to quit, right? To kick the habit, get help from a health professional. And don't look for help on line; that would be like an alcoholic going to the bar for advice.

Q: My brother's wife just had triplets(三胞胎). This is such a joy! Yet every time I share the news with co-workers, they ask me if she was on fertility pills. I think this is rude—or has society just become so talk-show numbed (麻木的)that you can ask anyone anything?                    —No Show Host

A: Dear Host,

Yes. Our society has become increasingly disrespectful of privacy. But don't blame it all on the talk-shows. Continue to celebrate and greet impolite questions with stony silence. Their fertility history is nobody's business but their own.

Q: I work at an amusement park, and my manager steals supplies. She has a catering business on the side, and we've seen her load up her van at the back gates. The big bosses think she is the best thing since buttered bread, and we're all afraid that if we say anything, we'll lose our jobs. What can we do?        —Righteous

A: Dear Righteous,

Be sure you're right. You must have evidence about what and why things are going out the back gates. Once you know for certain, it's time to go to the bosses and report what you have seen.

Q: My stepson's wife sometimes leaves their eight-year-old home alone for "a short run to the store." That may be an hour or so. I believe by law we should report it. What do you think?

—The In-laws

A: Dear Laws,

I don't know what the child-protection laws in your state are, but I do know that children need care and attention. This child may be able and unafraid, but kids aren't always careful. It also sounds like there is stress in your family relationship. One thing you can do to help this situation is offer to baby-sit when Mom needs to step out.

1.Which of the following statements is true?

A. Dopamine is a powerful brain chemical good to our health.

B. Looking for help on line is like getting help from a health professional.

C. Player is a video game addict who smokes and sleeps few hours.

D. Player is advised to stay clear of the screen.

2.According to the Q&A,        .

A. Host's colleagues are insensitive

B. The talk-show is to blame

C. Somebody's business is everybody's

D. Host's sister-in-law was on fertility pills

3.What we can infer from the Q&A is       .

A. The Mom is not to blame because she needs a short run to the store

B. Children need care and attention, though not for all of them

C. Laws, the old lady, wants to report what she sees to the child's father

D. Laskas doesn't seem to approve of Laws' trying to report what she sees

4.Which Q&A mentioned transport?

A. The first             B. The second.         C. The third.       D. None.

第二节：完形填空（共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分）
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题纸上将该选项标号涂黑。
There once was a little boy who wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he   36   his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of root beer and he started his   37.
When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old woman. She was   38   in the park just staring at some pigeons（鸽子）. The boy sat down next to her and opened his  39_. He was about to take drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old lady looked   40  ,so he offered her a Twinkie . She   41    accepted it and smiled at him. Her   42   was so pretty that he boy wanted to see it   43   , so he offered her a root beer. Once again she smiled at him. The boy was   44   !
They sat there all   45   eating and smiling, but they never said a word .
As it grew dark , the boy realized how   46   he was and he got up to leave , but before he had gone more than a few steps , he   47   around , ran back to the old woman and gave her a hug . She gave him her  48   smile ever .
When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was   49  by the look of joy on his face .
She asked him, “What did you do today that made you so happy?”
He replied, “I had   50   with God. ” But before his mother could respond, he added, “You know  51  ? She’s got the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen!”
Meanwhile, the old woman , also radiant（容光焕发的）with   52   , returned to her home .
Her son was shocked by the look of   53   on her face and he asked, “Mother, what did you do today that made you so happy?”
She replied, “I   54   Twinkies in the park with God.” But before her son responded, she added, “You know, he’s much   55  than I expected.”
36．A．packed     B．carried     C．delivered D．arranged
37．A．game       B．journey  C．car    D．work
38．A．standing   B．playing    C．sitting       D．waiting
39．A．suitcase    B．bag   C．beer  D．map
40．A．worried    B．pale C．hungry     D．poor
41．A．willingly  B．joyfully   C．respectfully      D．gratefully
42．A．face  B．skirt  C．smile D．ring
43．A．again B．often C．further      D．soon
44．A．satisfied    B．delighted C．moved      D．shocked
45．A．morning   B．day   C．night D．afternoon
46．A．happy       B．tired  C．bored       D．thirsty
47．A．turned      B．looked     C．walked     D．jumped
48．A．commonest      B．biggest     C．weakest    D．trickiest
49．A．surprised  B．terrified   C．impressed D．attracted
50．A．a talk       B．a walk    C．fun    D．lunch
51．A．why  B．who C．what  D．where
52．A．joy    B．fear C．anger D．content
53．A．victory     B．regret       C．peace D．surprise
54．A．sold  B．baked      C．drank       D．ate
55．A．nobler      B．taller       C．wiser D．younger

ASK LASKAS

YOU’VE GOT QUESTIONS. SHE'S GOT ANSWERS

My children go to a primary school where they are not allowed to play football in the playground for fear that a child might be hurt. Besides, now the school says there must be no homework because the local secondary school can't keep up with the amount of homework given in the primary school. Can the school do this?    Puzzled Dad

It can't if enough parents do something about it. It is not just schools. We live in a society which wishes to get rid of risk. However, schools should have a little common sense and courage. Children need risk if they arc to grow up self-sufficient and confident. They need homework, too, if they are to fulfill their academic potential. Complain, loudly.

I have a beautiful teenage daughter who spends an hour making up her face in front of the mirror every day. I tell her to go easy. She just gets mad or bursts into tears. How can I make her understand she's beautiful the way she is.       Plain Mom

You can't. Your daughter is at the age when she's trying to look beautiful, trying on new masks. And if her friends all dress up as she does, you're in for an extra hard time. Support her and tell her she's beautiful — even if she looks ridiculous for now. Then invite her to join you for a day at a spa. Let her try various looks until she's comfortable in her own skin.

Why are the children not allowed to play football in the playground?

A. The school is afraid that children might be injured.

B. The school is not sensible and confident.

C. The children don't have enough time to do homework.

D. The children may fail to fulfill their academic potential.

What disturbs Plain Mom is that her daughter______.

A. becomes mad                                       B. cries a lot

C. spends much time before the mirror    D. is not beautiful enough

The solution to Plain Mom's problem is to______.

A. make her daughter look less ridiculous           B. let her daughter dress up like her friends

C. make her daughter go to a spa every week   D. let her daughter feel herself what beauty is

What does the underlined word spa mean?

A. a place where water with minerals in it           B. a place where people can relax

C. a beauty salon                             D. a swimming pool

Directions: Read the following four passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read.

(A)

ASK LASKAS

YOU’VE GOT QUESTIONS. SHE'S GOT ANSWERS

My children go to a primary school where they are not allowed to play football in the playground for fear that a child might be hurt. Besides, now the school says there must be no homework because the local secondary school can't keep up with the amount of homework given in the primary school. Can the school do this?  Puzzled Dad

It can't if enough parents do something about it. It is not just schools. We live in a society which wishes to get rid of risk. However, schools should have a little common sense and courage. Children need risk if they arc to grow up self-sufficient and confident. They need homework, too, if they are to fulfill their academic potential. Complain, loudly.

I have a beautiful teenage daughter who spends an hour making up her face in front of the mirror every day. I tell her to go easy. She just gets mad or bursts into tears. How can I make her understand she's beautiful the way she is.   Plain Mom

You can't. Your daughter is at the age when she's trying to look beautiful, trying on new masks. And if her friends all dress up as she docs, you're in for an extra hard time. Support her and tell her she's beautiful — even if she looks ridiculous for now. Then invite her to join you for a day at a spa (健康美容中心). Let her try various looks until she's comfortable in her own skin.

Why are the children not allowed to play football in the playground?

A. The school is afraid that children might be injured.

B. The school is not sensible and confident.

C. The children don't have enough time to do homework.

D. The children may fail to fulfill their academic potential.

What disturbs Plain Mom is that her daughter______.

A. becomes mad                                                            B. cries a lot

C. spends much rime before the mirror                            D. is not beautiful enough

The solution to Plain Mom's problem is to______.

A. make her daughter look less ridiculous      

B. let her daughter dress up like her friends

C. make her daughter go to a spa every week  

D. let her daughter feel herself what beauty is

Pride and Prejudice for the Modern Woman
Let us imagine how Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen's most famous work, might be updated, 200 years on.
Austen's popularity is rooted in her intelligence. But today she would certainly have had a very different life, as would her characters. Here's my own suggestion. . .
It is a truth finally and universally acknowledged that a single woman with brains deserves to have equal opportunities to men, however disadvantaged she may feel by sexism.
" My dear husband," said his hopeful wife one day, " have you heard that the local store, standing empty for so long, is taken over by a bright young businesswoman?"
Her dull and indifferent (漠不关心的) husband replied that he had not. "But it is, it is," she replied excitedly. Mr Dull-Husband made no reply.
"Don't you want to know her plans?" she cried with some impatience.
"Well, clearly you think it matters to your silly little head. .. so I'd better listen. "
"Well, my dear, the rumour (传言) is that she has already set up a string of successful businesses in northern England, though how a woman can know anything about that is beyond me. She will move in herself next month. " "What is her name?" "Bingley. "
"Is she married or single?"
"What a question! And none of your business. But her coming will be a fine thing for our five boys. " "How so? How can it possibly affect them? "
"My dear love; those lazy boys need something to wake them up. There are bound to be jobs going. "
" Is that her point in settling here? Surely as a woman she has simply taken a fancy to the place. "
" Nonsense, my love, how little you've noticed the world has changed. She's got a first-rate degree and some sort of business qualification, I'm told. She surely needs one of our boys! Perhaps you might give her a call. "
" Me? No. Perhaps you can take an interest. You still have your looks, after all. She may even offer you a job. " "Oh, that's not likely. These new chances belong to the younger generation. But now you mention it, I think I'll go along all the same. "
And Mrs Bennet went along. That was 10 years ago. She is now managing director of a FTSE-listed company.
... It would remain the case, of course, that Mrs Bennet would be one of very few women on the company board, that her salary would be lower than her male colleagues, her bonus of a more "female" dimension and her lifespan (年限) among the city's business leaders shorter than theirs. Still, she'd no doubt have enjoyed Davos—and might even have hobnobbed (攀谈) with influential figures.
【小题1】Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?