I don’t really care how many claws the animal in a comic book (漫画书) has. I’m not overly concerned whether the bird is colored green or grey. In fact I don’t think comic book “collector” really applies to me at all. I’m probably more of a comic book “appreciator”. My interest has always been in what can be accomplished with the medium of “visual story - telling”. In the respect, comic books are the best thing going. And there are some great comics out there.

I’m not sure exactly where this interest of mine came from. I do know that as a child, comic books allowed me to improve my reading – skills. The Mighty Thor made me develop an interest in Norse legends; Challengers of the Unknown got me interested in science fiction. The combination of words and pictures was a perfect springboard (起点) for my childhood imagination.

So just how does one learn to appreciate comic book art? There is a classic example. Writer Scott Macloud was philosophical (达观的) about what makes a comic book stand out in his best – selling book Understanding Comics. The book, first published in 1994, has been translated into 13 languages and is practically useful for students studying graphic illustration (图示说明).

On the Internet there are some cool comic book sites to be found. More than a few are mainly about superheroes and the like. But there are some choice sites that I would describe as “literary (文学的),” in that you can find some great resources that discuss the comic book as an art form. Among them there is a great article and interview at www.rcharvey.com discussing the influence of several artists and writers in the field.

Check it out. Spend two dollars on a comic book and read it with your children. You may find yourself enjoying what you see and read. You may even find yourself wanting more.

And wanting to read more is a good thing!

53．According to Para. 1 the author is concerned about          .

A．the color of the characters in a comic book

B．how many comic books he has collected

C．what he can learn from a visual story

D．whether a story is true to life

54．What do we know about Scott Macloud’s best – selling book?

A．There are many classic examples if comic books in it.

B．It is helpful 1 for students studying science fiction.

C．It suggests what good comic books are like.

D．It is mainly intended for parents.

55．In the passage, the author encourages people to         .

A．follow the example of superheroes from comic books

B．join in the discussion at www.rcharvey.com

C．consider comic books to be literary.

D．buy and read more comic books

56．What is the best title for the passage?

A．Children’s favorite books

B．Well – known comic books

C．Comic books – cooler than you think

D．How to become a good comic book writer

Just 25 years ago, the top three career hopes for young people in Britain were teacher, banker and doctor. Now, they want to be sports star, pop star and actor, according to a survey by the Guardian newspaper.

    Rachel, a character in the popular TV show Glee, may be said to speak for British teenagers. “Nowadays being nobody is worse than being poor.” He said.

    Emma Brockes, a reporter with the Guardian, believes it is “the bad influence of celebrity(名人) culture”  that is to blame. “When children wanted to be doctor, it wasn’t because they were really more interested in the functions of human organs than they are now; you go where the respect is.” She wrote.

    It could explain why there has been such an increase in levels of anxiety and depression. Dr Carlo Stranger, of Tel Aviv University, studied the sense of self for his new book The Fear of Insignificance: Searching for Meaning in the 21^st Century. He told the Daily Mail that young people now are “affected by the close connection to the global entertainment network, which has turned ranking and rating people according to wealth and celebrity into an obsession(痴迷).”

    “As humans, we naturally measure ourselves to those around us, but now we live in a global village. We are comparing ourselves with the most ‘important’ people in the world and finding ourselves wanting…” he said. Today, even high achievers constantly fear that they are insignificant when they compare themselves to success stories in the media.

    The way out? Simply stop measuring your achievement through a fantasy of wealth and celebrity. Dr Strenger said that it is a process called “active self-acceptance through a constant search for self-knowledge through life.”

    “The fear of insignificance can only be overcome through strong individual and cultural identity over and above measurable achievement,” he said.

1..Nowadays, young people in Britain want to         .

    A．choose jobs based on interests       B．become famous

    C．be teacher, banker and doctor        D．earn more money

2..．According to Emma Brockes, what causes the increasing level of anxiety?

    A．Choices of future careers.           B．Access to the global network.

    C．Bad influences of celebrities.       D．Endless comparison with others.

3..．Which of the following is true of Dr Carlo Strenger?

    A．He is a newspaper reporter.          B．He is the spokesman of teenagers.

    C．He tells success stories on TV.      D．He is against ranking people with wealth.

4..．Dr Carlo Strenger suggests that young people should         .

    A．seek active self-acceptance          B．stick to their own dreams

    C．make great achievements              D．search for the secret of wealth

5..The text is mainly written to         .

    A．talk about job choices               B．analyse a social phenomenon

    C．encourage celebrity culture          D．introduce three famous people

B
Ed Viesturs grew up in Rockford, Illinois, where the tallest thing on the horizon was the water tower. But on Thursday, Viesturs became the only American to climb to the top of the world’s 14 highest mountains.
His last hike was up Mount Annapurna, in Asia’s snow-capped Himalayas. At 26, 545 feet, its peak is the 10th highest in the world. It is the mountain that inspired him to start climbing.
“It tends to be the trickiest, the most dangerous, ” said Viesturs, “There’s no simple way to climb it. There are threatening avalanches (雪崩) and ice falls that protect the mountain.”
In high school, Viesturs read French climber Maurice Herzog’s tale of climbing the icy Annapurna. Herzog’s story was of a lot of difficulty and near-death experiences. Viesturs was hooked right away.
Viesturs got his start on Washington’s Mount Rainier in 1977, guiding hikes in the summer. Fifteen years ago, he set out to walk up to the world’s highest peaks. Finally, he’s done.
The pioneering climber talks about mountains as if they were living creatures that should be treated with respect. “You have to use all of your senses, all of your abilities to see if the mountain will let you climb it,” said Viesturs. “If we have the patience and the respect, and if we’re here at the right time, under the right circumstances (情况), they allow us to go up, and allow us to come down. ”
What’s next for a man who can’t stop climbing? “I’m going to hug my wife and kids and kind of kick back and enjoy the summer. ” says Viesturs. But for a man who’s climbed the world’s 14 tallest mountains, he will probably soon set off on yet another adventure.
59. What record has Ed Viesturs set?
A. He has succeeded in climbing to the top of the world’s 14th highest mountain.
B. He has become the first American to climb to the top of the world’s 14 highest mountains.
C. He has become the first to climb to the height of 26, 545 feet.
D. He has become the first man to climb to the top of 14 highest mountains in the world.
60. The underlined word “hooked” in Paragraph 4 can be replaced by “__________”.
A. frightened               B. discouraged                 C. interested              D. upset
61. The author used Viestures’ words in Paragraph 6 to support a view that __________.
A. mountain climbing is a dangerous sport
B. mountains should be regarded as living creatures
C. mountain climbing needs more strength than skills
D. those who like mountain climbing won’t stop climbing
62. What’s the next probable plan of Viestures?
A. Stopping climbing and staying with his family.
B. Climbing to the top of the world’s 14 tallest mountains again.
C. Meeting other challenges.
D. Writing down the experiences about his adventure.                   

Your teen is falling asleep in class

Teens have a busy morning schedule as they need to wake up and get moving very early in order to catch a bus and get to school by the required time. This means teens need to get their rest the night before or they will be too tired to learn anything at school.   1.  

When a teen falls asleep in class, two things happen: he/she misses what is being taught and he/she loses the respect of the teacher. He/She may also receive a consequence from the school, depending on the classroom discipline policy.   2. 

To prevent your teen from being sleepy in class, try these three tips:

* Set a time for “lights out” on school nights. This is never be any later than 10 p. m. and preferably 9 p.m.   3.  Soft music can be on and used to help calm your teen.                          

* Help your teen develop a nighttime routine that involves activities that slow them down for the end of the day.   4.  Turning off the computer and disconnecting from friends and the excitement of the day an hour before bedtime will also help your teen relax.

* 5.  This will reinforce（增强）what it feels like to be rested and capable of accomplishing what he/she wants.

A．What’s worse, they may even fall asleep in class.

B．Taking a bath and reading are two activities that work well.

C．Set a good example and show him/her your love for learning.

D．Point out the positives after your teen has had a good night’s rest.

E. “Lights out” means the computer, television, lights and cell phone should be off.

F. All of these things affect your teen’s academic success and can be avoided.

G. While your teen keeps his/her goals in line with your expectations, he/she may have his/her own goals.

Liuxiang earned the respect from the whole world as he hopped down the track to the finishing line, ____the last hurdle.

A. kissed         B. to kiss              C. kissing           D. having kissed