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?

Roughly speaking, teachers in traditional education may feel that students are too young to know much about the world, and have to be told what to do most of the time. By contrast, open education offers teachers quite different feelings. Students are expected to be responsible for their own education—to discover subjects by themselves instead of being made to study them. This way of teaching allows the students to grow independently and to develop their own interests in many subjects. Some students who do badly in a traditional classroom will be happier in an open classroom and enjoy learning. They will not have to worry about grades or rules at all.
However, many students won’t do well in an open classroom. For these students, they will do little in school if there are too few rules. They will not make good use of open education, which is so different from traditional class, because they may have a problem getting used to making so many choices on their own. For them it is important to have some rules to direct them. They may worry about the rules even when there are no rules. In addition to that, some traditional teachers do not believe in open education and do not like it either.
Since both of some good points and bad points of the open education have been explained clearly, you may have your own opinion on the issue. Personally, I think that the concept of open education is good only in theory. In actual fact, it may not work very well in a real class or school. I believe, most students, but of course not all students, need some structure in their classes. They may want and need to have rules.
In some cases, they must be made to study some subjects. Many students are pleased to find subjects they have to study interesting. They would not study those subjects if they did not have to.
【小题1】Open education allows the students to_________________.

B

Imagine this: your child has just been involved in an emergency (紧急事件). You call 911. The medical workers rush in and begin asking you questions as they work to rescue your chilD．But they also ask questions about your child’s medical history. It’s hard to think clearly. You begin to answer and then end up saying, “I don’t remember. I don’t know.” So, many doctors suggest that parents keep a record of their children’s important health facts handy. This can often help the medical team make a better and more rapid diagnosis (诊断) of a problem at a time when time really counts.

The most important information to know is the child’s allergies (过敏). It is especially crucial if the child is allergic to any medicine---penicillin, for example. Food allergies can come into play, too, so make note of those as well. Children who have been hospitalized in the past may have developed latex (胶乳) allergies. Often this information can help emergency workers find a cause for problems like breathing difficulties.

Keep a list of any medicine, including what your child is now taking. Some medicines can cause an adverse reaction when they are taken together, so the doctors need this information before they give your child anything. You’ll need to know when the child took the medicine last and how much was taken.

It is also important to tell emergency workers about any health problem or illness your child has haD．These pre-existing conditions can have a huge effect on the type of tests and treatment in an emergency.

Consider having any child who has a health problem wear a tag around his neck. This kind of rapid notice can help doctors who are providing emergency care, especially if your child suddenly becomes ill at day care, school, or a friend’s house.

63．How many types of allergies are mentioned in Paragraph 2?

A．One.        B．Two. C．Three.             D．Four.

64．The underlined word “adverse” in Paragraph 3 probably means __________.

A．beneficial B．harmful    C．physical           D．emotional

65． Which of the following is the main idea of this passage?

A．Everybody should learn something about first aid.

B．Children can easily develop allergies.

C．Doctors usually have difficulty saving a child in an emergency.

D．Parents should keep a record of their children’s health facts.

If you don’t explain clearly, you will just _______ the reader.

My name is Amanda LaMunyon. I have Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism (自闭症). I don’t see myself as a person with a disability. I share who I am when I paint, sing and write.
I started writing poetry because I wanted to tell people what it was like to have Asperger’s syndrome. I don’t know how my life would be different without Asperger’s, but I know I look at the world differently than most people. I’m also learning that you don’t have to be like everybody else. You just have to be confident in who you are.
I discovered I could paint when I was 7. My math teacher Mrs. Brock loved one of my paintings so much that she hung it on the wall in her bedroom. I was so encouraged by her and since then my life has changed greatly.
Soon after, people asked me to show my art for charity events. I began to donate prints of my work for charity auctions (拍卖). I was glad that I really made a difference. I learned that when you give, you receive happiness.
I think it is very important for teens to express themselves. It’s a way to know yourself more clearly. You can turn your thoughts and feelings into a piece of artwork or a poem.
For example, when you paint, colors can help you express different emotions. When you write a poem, you have to get really honest with yourself and not be afraid to write down what you feel.
Creativity makes you unique and sets you apart from others. Creative ideas also help you make your dreams come true. They help you look at things in a new way.
I hope my story helps people to believe they can overcome their challenges and achieve their dreams. I like to encourage others. I know what encouragement has meant to me.
【小题1】The author mentions Mrs. Brock because she ______.