C

On May 8, last Thursday morning, the Olympic flame was lit on the top of Mount Qomolangma! It was a historic moment for China exactly three months ahead of the Beijing Games.

 

 

Tibetan female climber Cering Wangmo reached the summit with a special extreme-altitude Olympic torch. This event is what China has promised to the world as the high point of the torch relay, the longest and most challenging of all time.

Five torchbearers(火炬手) finished the highest relay ever—three of the climbers are Tibetan athletes.

Team members said “Beijing welcomes you!” in Chinese, English and Tibetan, as they stood at the summit celebrating, with the event broadcast on national television.

“I finally fulfilled the last dream of my husband,” said Gyigyi with tears in her eyes. She was the first torchbearer. Her husband lost his life in an attempt to climb all 14 mountains in China more than 8,000 meters three years ago.

“We are on top of the world! One world, one dream,” shouted Nima Cering, at the top of his voice. He said that although he had climbed the peak（峰顶）several times, this was the most significant ascent(登高). “As a Tibetan and a Chinese I pray for the success of Beijing 2008,” he added.

The special torch is different from the one currently touring the Chinese mainland, after an around-the-world relay. Officials organizing the trek up the peak had earlier set an April 26 target to begin the ascent, but high winds and heavy snow had delayed the mission.

The Xinhua News Agency said that the Qomolangma leg of the torch relay represents the Olympic motto, “higher, faster and stronger,” in practice and will promote unity among all 56 ethnic groups in China.

1.It was a historic moment because ______.

   A. some Tibetan torchbearers took part in it

   B. it was lit three months before the Olympic Games were held 

C. it was the first time that the Olympic torch had been lit on the top of Mount Qomolangma

D. it was the longest attempt in history

2.Which is RIGHT according to the whole passage?

A. All the five torchbearers are men.

B. Only the five torchbearers reached the summit. 

C. Team members said “Beijing welcomes you!” in their native language.

D. At least two of the five torchbearers are females.

3. What does the word “leg” underlined in the last paragraph refer to?

A. One part of a journey or race.

B. One of the long parts that connect the feet to the rest of the body.

C. The leg of an animal, especially the top part, cooked and eaten.

D. The part of a pair of trousers that covers the leg.

4. What would be the best title for the text?

A. One world, one dream

B. Torch relay reaches its highest point

C. Qomolangma, the highest summit in the world

D. A special torch 

5. Where can you read about this passage?

A. In the English textbook.         

B. In the newspaper.

C. In the science report.              

D. On the street wall.

 

Flexible working hours, homeworking opportunities and cover for emergencies or school holidays are the top concerns for working mothers, according to a British survey on Thursday.

The survey of 1,677 people by specialist employment advice website workingmums.co.uk showed that despite a tougher job climate, in which redundancies(裁员) had risen dramatically during the crisis, mothers demanded for a more flexible schedule.

Flexible hours for full-time jobs came top of the list for 85 percent of respondents who were asked what they thought made for a family-friendly employer. That came just ahead of homeworking opportunities.

“Flexibility is really key and able to help achieve an element of work/life balance,” workingmums.co.uk founder Gillian Nissim told reporters.

She said the crisis had not reduced the urgency of this issue for working mums and that employers who want to be prepared for the eventual upturn would do well to listen to them rather than risk losing them to more forward-thinking rivals.

Many women said they had considered setting up their own business as a way around the flexibility problem and nearly half (45 percent) of respondents said they had looked into it.

Nissim said the workingmums.co.uk database alone showed that on average working mums have more than 15 years of work experience and a range of valuable skills picked up in the workplace and from their parenting experiences.

“So the benefits to employers of being able to accommodate (适应) a degree of flexibility is significant,” she said.

Part-time work, flexibility around emergency cover or school holidays were the next highest concerns with extended maternity （产假） pay as well on the list of concerns.More than half (54 percent) of respondents said they would accept a less well-paid job in return for flexibility, with 40 percent prepared to consider this option.

1.The passage mainly discuss the problem of _______.

A．working mothers requiring flexible working hours.

B．working mothers planning to set up their own businesses.

C．well-paid jobs.

D．unemployment at the time of financial crisis.

2. Flexibility of working hours can help women _______.

A．to have an extended maternity.

B．to have opportunities to operate their own companies.

C．to strike a balance between work and life.

D．to pick up a range of valuable skills.

3.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that _____.

A．40 percent of the respondents are ready to have less-paid jobs instead of full-time jobs.

B．more than half of the respondents would accept a less well-paid job if they were given a job of flexible hours.

C．the highest concern of working mums is about part-time work.

D．women were more concerned about extended maternity pay than school holidays.

4. If you are the editor of a newspaper, which column will you fit this article in?

A．Advertisements.

B．People.

C．Education.

D．Career.

 

Flexible working hours, homeworking opportunities and cover for emergencies or school holidays are the top concerns for working mothers, according to a British survey on Thursday.

    The survey of 1,677 people by specialist employment advice website workingmums.co.uk showed that despite a tougher job climate, in which redundancies(裁员) had risen dramatically during the crisis, mothers demanded for a more flexible schedule.

    Flexible hours for full-time jobs came top of the list for 85 percent of respondents who were asked what they thought made for a family-friendly employer. That came just ahead of homeworking opportunities.

   “Flexibility is really key and able to help achieve an element of work/life balance,” workingmums.co.uk founder Gillian Nissim told reporters.

She said the crisis had not reduced the urgency of this issue for working mums and that employers who want to be prepared for the eventual upturn would do well to listen to them rather than risk losing them to more forward-thinking rivals.

    Many women said they had considered setting up their own business as a way around the flexibility problem and nearly half (45 percent) of respondents said they had looked into it.

    Nissim said the workingmums.co.uk database alone showed that on average working mums have more than 15 years of work experience and a range of valuable skills picked up in the workplace and from their parenting experiences.

    “So the benefits to employers of being able to accommodate (适应) a degree of flexibility is significant,” she said.

Part-time work, flexibility around emergency cover or school holidays were the next highest concerns with extended maternity （产假） pay as well on the list of concerns.More than half (54 percent) of respondents said they would accept a less well-paid job in return for flexibility, with 40 percent prepared to consider this option.

The passage mainly discuss the problem of _______.

A. working mothers requiring flexible working hours.

B. working mothers planning to set up their own businesses.

C. well-paid jobs.

D. unemployment at the time of financial crisis.

Flexibility of working hours can help women _______.

A. to have an extended maternity.

B. to have opportunities to operate their own companies.

C. to strike a balance between work and life.

D. to pick up a range of valuable skills.

It can be inferred from the last paragraph that _____.

A. 40 percent of the respondents are ready to have less-paid jobs instead of full-time jobs.

B. more than half of the respondents would accept a less well-paid job if they were given a job of flexible hours.

C. the highest concern of working mums is about part-time work.

D. women were more concerned about extended maternity pay than school holidays.

If you are the editor of a newspaper, which column will you fit this article in?

   A. Advertisements.  B. People.    C. Education.   D. Career.

The rumors had been spreading for months but it still came as a shock when the hospital would be closing. It had served this poor neighborhood for nearly 100 years but it would close because of the health care crisis.

The day after the announcement co-workers found out that pretzels(椒盐饼干) had been eliminated. Soft pretzels are the lifeblood of this city. So losing access to soft pretzels is no small matter.

I said, “I only have $6. I’m not sure how many pretzels I need. You see, I work at a hospital and it’s closing and they stopped selling pretzels.” The man’s smile disappeared. “What hospital?” “Oh, Northeastern Hospital.”

The guy looked deeply shocked. “I used to sell medical supplies and that was one of my hospitals.” Then he turned around and grabbed a box of 25 pretzels and slid them across the counter.

I was surprised by his generosity and started to reach for my wallet, “Oh I can pay. Please let me …” The guy smiled, “Just tell them Joe Sullivan said to do something nice for someone else.”

And so that day everyone in medical records was treated to a soft pretzel. Word spread fast as people came asking, “Is it really true?” It was as if I’d carried in a box of gold. It mattered to them that a stranger cared.

1.The underlined word “eliminated” in Paragraph 2 means _____.

A. highly priced      B. added        C. overcooked   D. removed

2.Why did the author decide to buy pretzels for his co-workers?

A. To show his generosity.                B. To make them feel less sad.

C. To show his thanks to them.                D. To encourage them to work hard.

3.To buy 25 pretzels, the author should pay ____.

A. $25                B. $12.5            C. $12          D. $50

4.According to the passage, Joe Sullivan used to be a ____.

A. cook               B. doctor       C. shopkeeper   D. salesman

5.What can be the best title of the passage?

A. A nice treat                          

B. The rumor that came true

C. Tell them Joe cared                   

D. Northeastern Hospital is closing down

 

1 

MAINE

by J. Courtney Sullivan, fiction, $26

The Kellehers are a big, disorderly family who sometimes seem to have only one thing in common: love for their beach house in Maine. Lie there with this novel and listen to a summer’s worth of secrets, quarrels, and misunderstandings.

WHAT I LEARNED WHEN I ALMOST DIED

by Chris Licht, nonfiction, $23

The energetic co-creator of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” was unprepared for the pain, fear, and helplessness he felt after suffering a brain bleed. But as he detailed in this outspoken, thoughtful book, the lessons he took from the event surprised him the most.

FIRE AND RAIN

by David Browne, nonfiction, $26

This book transports you back to a year — the 1970 of Apollo 13, the first Earth Day — and the turning point of albums by the Beatles, James Taylor, and Crosby, Stills and Nash that provided the sound for a new decade. Rolling Stone contributing editor Browne artfully describes the creation of these classic songs.

LONG DRIVE HOME

by Will Allison, fiction, $22

A moment of anger has life-and-death consequences in this beautifully written novel. Being angry with a speeding teenage driver, Dad Glen Bauer makes a turn of his car in response, causing an accident in which the other driver dies. It’s a story about guilt, responsibility, and how mistrust can tear a loving family apart.

JESSICA LOST

by Bunny Crumpacker and J.S. Picariello, memoir (回忆录)，$25

Two authors — a woman who gave up a baby for adoption and the child herself — write alternating chapters in this memoir, which takes readers on a 50-year journey through their separate lives, their meeting, and their following relationship. Its account is both original and heartbreaking.

1. Which of the following is TURE according to the text?

A. MAINE talks about a loving happy family. 

B. WHAT I LEARNED WHEN I ALMOST DIED is a novel. 

C. JSSICA LOST is about a mother and her daughter. 

D. LONG DRIVE HOME is written in the first person.

2.. Which of the following may be favored by music lovers?

A. MAINE.                                                                           B. FIRE AND RAIN.             

C. LONG DRIVE HOME.                                        D. JESSICA LOST.

3.The text is most probably a(n) _______.

A. advertisement.                                                              B. literary research report.   

C. Collection of novels                                                        D. book review