WHEN an Iraqi journalist threw a shoe at former US President George W.Bush at a news conference last December,the president’s bodyguards quickly moved to protect him.

Those bodyguards were from the US Secret Service.Their job is to protect the president.Now America’s first black president Barack Obama also has the same people at his side.Here are some details about these mysterious men and women.?

History?

       ◇The Secret Service is known today for protecting public officials and their families.

However,when it began in 1865,it was started to protect money.A third to a half of all US money during the Civil War was fake (假的).President Abraham Lincoln created the United States Secret Service to find those responsibly.?

      ◇The first 25 presidents had no special protection.That changed after President William Mckinley was murdered in 1901.?

Who gets protection?

       About 30 people get full-time protection in the United States (more in an election year).

Included are:?

      ◇Presidents and vice-presidents and their wives,for up to 10 years after leaving office,and their children up to age 16.Anyone can decline protection after leaving office.Richard Nixon did.?   ◇Candidates for president and vice-?president,their wives and children at a cost of $500,000 a month for 30-plus special agents (特工).?

◇The Secretary of State,National Security Adviser and others.The Secret Service also protects 80 to 200 visiting foreign political leaders every year.?

       Getting around?

        Rules for president

      ◇Limousines (豪华轿车) that can withstand a missile are used.?

      ◇Entering and exiting are never done on a street.?

      ◇Exact travel plans are kept secret.?

      ◇Bulletproof reading stands for speeches are used.

Agent’s task

     ◇Teach the president how to wave and move.

     ◇Test his food for poison.?

     ◇Use special radio channels for the police and the Secret Service.?

     ◇Use X-ray checks before allowing entry to secure areas,and search bags.?

     ◇Check lists of hundreds of people known to be dangerous.?

     ◇Keep files on thousands of people who have made even vague threats.?

     ◇Be part of counter-sniper (反狙击) teams.

What’s the purpose of writing the passage??

    A. To tell us how to be a bodyguard.?

    B.To introduce the US Secret Service to us.?

    C.To give us some information about US

        presidents.?

    D.To inform us of the incident at a news

        conference. ?

  Which is the special agent’s task according to

    the US Secret Service??

    A. Have dinner with the president’s family.?

    B.Teach the president to behave politely in

        public.?

    C.Keep a record of possible murderers.?

    D.Check people carrying bags with X-ray.  

What do you know about the US Secret

    Service from the passage??

    A. It is made up of 30 people.?

    B.It protects only US presidents.?

    C.It is responsible for the safety of all

       Americans.?

    D.It was created to protect money.

   Which of the following can be inferred from

    the passage??

    A. The bodyguards from the US Secret

         Service have no privacy.?

    B.The US Secret Service bodyguards’ job is

       full of challenges.?

    C.No one knows the exact travel plan of

        presidents.?

    D.Every president in American history has a

        bodyguard. ?

Dancing the night away

    It is a measure of how little control I have over my own life that in middle March I am escorting （护送） a pretty young redhead to a debutante ball．（A formal presentation of young ladies when they reach the age of maturity．This is originally used in the past to introduce young ladies to society so that they could meet a possible marriage partner, so it was for the upper class．At a debutante ball，the expensively-dressed girls stand in a line to be introduced individually．Their fathers then walk them，arm-in-arm around the dance floor, followed by a waltz．）

    “Daddy, you OK?”she asks．

    “Never better”I lie．

    “Good．”she says，hugging my shoulder and giggling（咯咯笑）

    Generally, deb balls belong to the upper class，and that is decidedly not us The other day, I was trying to decide which to buy-a garage door opener, or a DVD player Both were broken．yet we could afford to replace only one．That’s how“upper class”we are．

    So it’s a mystery how we ended up at this deb ball, Two mothers are checking for alcohol．making sure the debs aren’t drinking．

    Anyway, they won’t let the dads eat dinner till we“present”the girls．which means we have to escort our daughters around the dance floor one by one．as the mistress of ceremonies reads out the young lady’s accomplishments．

    “Trish plans to attend Stanford where she will study molecular（分子）engineering．”“Dorothy hopes to grow food on Mars．”…

    After the introductions we finally get to the Big Waltz．For the last month，the dads and daughters have all been taking lessons for the Big Waltz under the direction of the widow（遗孀）of Otto．Her gentle directions have worked miracles Suddenly, on this night．we are a well-organized team of 27 father-daughter dance pairs

    The relative success of this Big Waltz comes as a huge relief to the mothers who have been planning this ceremony for six years and have been a little tense lately．

    In the end，everything turned out OK at the deb ball．The 27 dads developed into a fairly supportive fellowship．And the little red-haired girl? She hugged my shoulder and giggled happily．making it all-the waltz lessons，the rental tuxedo（男士礼服），the l4 years of coaching softball-worth every awful-wonderful moment．

  1．We know from the passage that at the debutante ball_____．

    A．27 father-daughter dance pairs presented a successful waltz Show

    B．the mothers felt relieved after the ceremony began

    C．well-dressed girls were introduced to their future husbands

    D．the writer’s daughter a red-haired girl．was the focus of attention

  2．By saying“it s a mystery how we ended up at this deb ball”the writer suggests that____．

    A．the deb ball is usually held for rich families but his is not

    B．as a member from the upper class he can attend the ball

    C．it’s the first time for him to attend such a grand ceremony

    D．many families want to attend the ball so it wasn’t easy for him to get in

   3．The writer feels all his efforts were worthwhile because his daughter ______．

    A．showed her accomplishments at the ball

    B．was introduced into the upper class

    C．really enjoyed the experience

    D．had a chance to meet a good marriage partner

I used to believe in the American dream that meant a job，credit and success. I wanted it and worked toward it like everyone else, all of us separately chasing the same thing.
One year, through a series of unhappy events, it all fell apart. I found myself homeless and alone. I had my truck and $ 56. I searched the countryside for some place I could rent for the cheapest possible amount. I came upon a deserted cottage in a small remote valley.I hadn't been alone for 25 years. I was scared, but I hoped the hard work would distract and heal me.
I found the owner and rented the place for$ 50 a month.The locals knew nothing about me.  But slowly they started teaching me the art of being a neighbor. They dropped off blankets,  tools and canned deer meat and began sticking around to chat. They would ask if I wanted to meet cousin Albie or go fishing. They started to teach me a belief in a different American dream, not the one of individual achievement but of neighborliness. Men would stop by with wild berries, ice cream or truck parts to see if I was up for courting. I wasn't, but they were civil anyway.The woman on that mountain worked harder than any I'd ever met. They taught me how to store food in the stream and keep it cold and safe._I_learned_to_keep_enough_for_an_extra_plate_for_company.
What I had believed in, all those things I thought were necessary for a civilized life, were non­existent in this place.Up on the mountain, my most valuable possessions were my relationships with my neighbors.
After four years in that valley, I moved back into town. I saw a lot of people were having a really hard time, losing their jobs and homes. With the help of a real estate broker (房地产经纪人) I chatted up at the grocery store, I managed to rent a big enough house to take in a handful of people. It's four of us now，but over time I've had nine come in and move on to other places from here. We'd all be in shelters if we hadn't banded together.
The American dream I believe in now is a shared one. It's not so much about what I can get for myself; it's about how we can all get by together.
【小题1】Before a series of unhappy events happened, the writer________.

I used to believe in the American dream that meant a job，credit and success. I wanted it and worked toward it like everyone else, all of us separately chasing the same thing.

One year, through a series of unhappy events, it all fell apart. I found myself homeless and alone. I had my truck and $ 56. I searched the countryside for some place I could rent for the cheapest possible amount. I came upon a deserted cottage in a small remote valley.I hadn't been alone for 25 years. I was scared, but I hoped the hard work would distract and heal me.

I found the owner and rented the place for$ 50 a month.The locals knew nothing about me.  But slowly they started teaching me the art of being a neighbor. They dropped off blankets,  tools and canned deer meat and began sticking around to chat. They would ask if I wanted to meet cousin Albie or go fishing. They started to teach me a belief in a different American dream, not the one of individual achievement but of neighborliness. Men would stop by with wild berries, ice cream or truck parts to see if I was up for courting. I wasn't, but they were civil anyway.The woman on that mountain worked harder than any I'd ever met. They taught me how to store food in the stream and keep it cold and safe._I_learned_to_keep_enough_for_an_extra_plate_for_company.

What I had believed in, all those things I thought were necessary for a civilized life, were non­existent in this place.Up on the mountain, my most valuable possessions were my relationships with my neighbors.

After four years in that valley, I moved back into town. I saw a lot of people were having a really hard time, losing their jobs and homes. With the help of a real estate broker (房地产经纪人) I chatted up at the grocery store, I managed to rent a big enough house to take in a handful of people. It's four of us now，but over time I've had nine come in and move on to other places from here. We'd all be in shelters if we hadn't banded together.

The American dream I believe in now is a shared one. It's not so much about what I can get for myself; it's about how we can all get by together.

1.Before a series of unhappy events happened, the writer________.

A．had a well­paid job                  B．worked hard for his American dream

C．worked hard and liked to share       D．felt hopeless about his American dream

2.What does the underlined word “it” in the second paragraph refer to?

A．The house.                       B．The job.

C．The company.                     D．The American dream.

3.

4.