People fell in love with Elizabeth Taylor in 1944, when she starred in National Velvet-the story of Velvet Brown, a young girl who wins first place in a famous horse race, At first, the producers of the movie told Taylor that she was too small to play the part of Velvet. However, they waited for her for a few months as she exercised and trained—and added three inches to her height in four months! Her acting in National Velvet is still considered the best by a child actress.

Elizabeth Taylor was born in London in 1932. Her parents, both Americans, had moved there for business reasons. When World War II started, the Taylor moved to Beverly Hills, California, and there Elizabeth started acting in movies. After her success as a child star, Taylor had no trouble moving into adult(成人)roles and won twice for Best Actress: Butterfield 8 (1960) and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf ? (1966)

Taylor’s fame(名声)and popularity gave her a lot of power with the movie industry, so she was able to demand very high pay for her movies. In 1963, she received $1 million for her part in Cleopatra—the highest pay received by any star up to that time.

Elizabeth Taylor is a legend (传奇人物) of our time. Like Velvet Brown in National Velvet, she has been lucky, she has beauty, fame and wealth. But she is also a hard worker. Taylor seldom acts in movies any more. Instead, she puts her time and efforts into her businesses, and into helping others—several years ago, she founded an organization that has raised more than $40 million for research and education.

1.The producers didn’t let Taylor play the part of Velvet at first because they thought she ____.

A．was small in size

B．was too young

C．did not play well enough

D．did not show much interest

2.What Elizabeth Taylor and Velvet Brown had in common was that they were both _____.

A．popular all their lives	B．famous actresses
C．successful when very young	D．rich and kind-hearted

3.Taylor became Best Actress at the age of          .

A．12

B．28

C．31

D．34

4.In her later life, Elizabeth Taylor devoted herself to             .

A．doing business and helping others

B．turning herself into a legend

C．collecting money for the poor

D．going about research and education work

 

56­year­old becomes 1st woman to swim Atlantic

(AP)－Jennifer Figge pressed her toes into the Caribbean sand, excited and exhausted as she touched land this week for the first time in almost a month. Reaching a beach in Trinidad, she became the first woman on record to swim across the Atlantic Ocean—a dream she'd had since the early 1960s,when a stormy trans­Atlantic (飞越大西洋) flight got her thinking she could wear a life vest and swim the rest of the way if needed.

The 56­year­old left the Cape Verde Islands off Africa's western coast on Jan.12,2009, swimming 19 out of 25 days battling waves of up to 30 feet.The distance from Cape Verde to Trinidad is about 700 miles.Crewmembers are still computing exactly how many miles she swam.

The original plan was for her to swim to the Bahamas—a distance of about 2,100 miles—but inclement (恶劣的) weather forced her to change her plans and she arrived at Trinidad on Feb.5.She now plans to swim from Trinidad to the British Virgin Islands,ending her voyage at the Bitter End Yacht Club in late February.

Her journey came a decade after French swimmer Benoit Lecomte made the first known solo trans­Atlantic swim,covering nearly 4,000 miles from Massachusetts to France in 73 days.No woman on record had made the crossing.

Figge wore a red cap and wet suit,with her only good­luck charm (护身符) underneath:an old,red shirt to guard against chafing (磨痛),signed by friends,relatives and her father,who recently died.The other cherished (珍惜) possession she kept onboard was a picture of Gertrude Ederle,an American who became the first woman to swim across the English Channel.“We have a few things in common,”Figge said,“She wore a red hat and she was of German descent (血统).We both talked to the sea,and neither one of us wanted to get out.”

1.When did Jennifer Figge want to swim across the Atlantic Ocean？

A．After she reached a beach in Trinidad.

B．After she pressed her toes into the Caribbean sand.

C．After her stormy trans­Atlantic flight in the early 1960s.

D．After her graduation from a university.

2.Jennifer Figge had to change her plans 　　　　.

A．because she wanted to shorten her voyage

B．because of bad weather conditions

C．because she wanted to end her voyage in late February

D．because she wanted to set a new world record

3.When did Benoit Lecomte probably make the first known solo trans­Atlantic swim？

A．In 1999.          B．In 1988.           C．In 1978 .          D．In 1968.

4.For what purpose did Jennifer Figge keep a photo of Gertrude Ederle？

A．Figge would like to follow her example.

B．She had the same red cap as Figge always wore.

C．Figge also wanted to swim across the English Channel.

D．They were both born in Germany.

 

C

Conjoined twins lead separate but active lives.

Lori and Reba have never been alone and they want to keep it that way.

The 40-year-old conjoined twins in Pennsylvania,US,have read about others locked together by an accident of birth who have been medically separated.But they insist only death can part them.

“We’ve never imagined a life divided,”Lori said.

Lori and Reba are joined together at the side of their heads,facing in opposite directions.Their blood supply is partly linked,but each has a separate brain.

Reba suffers from a disease which has left her completely dependent on her sister.

Lori wheels her everywhere they go in different professional directions.Lori worked in a laundry room at a hospital for six years before giving that up to allow Reba to try to become a country singer.

Her first song is called “The Fear of Being Alone”,which was inspired by Reba and Lori’s desire for togetherness.

Reba’s career has taken her across the United States,Europe and parts of Asia.

While the twins receive some money from the government,the earning from Reba’s concerts go to AIDS and cancer charities(慈善机构).

The sisters have set goals for themselves.Reba looks forward to a successful career as a country singer,while Lori says she hopes to get married and have children.Lori said,”So when it comes,it comes.Meanwhile,I live wonderfully from day to day.”

46.When Lori said “We’ve never imagined a life divided”,she meant that      .

A.they don’t wish to be made separate        

B.they think their case is beyond medical help

C.independent life would be too good to think of 

D.they would die once separated

47.By leading separate lives,the topic means that       .

A.either of the two can look after herself   B.the twins do different things

C.they face in opposite directions         D.they are no longer conjoined now

48.When Reba gives performances as a country singer,Lori       .

A.works in a hospital                   B.continues her college education

C.brings up her children      D.looks after her sister

49.The twins lead active lives because they       .

A.are tired of staying at home doing nothing 

B.need more money  

C.want to prove themselves as useful citizens

D.have to earn their own bread

50.From the last paragraph we can understand that Lori       .

A.thinks it’s too late for her to have children 

B.is sure she’ll get married and have children

C.prefers to have things go naturally     

D.would rather not change her way of life

 

Heather Mills McCartney lives an admirable life, attending celebrity parties, meeting regularly with the rich and famous and doing meaningful work for charity. All who work with her admire and respect her. But Heather’s life hasn’t always been so easy. When Heather was only 9 years old, her mother abandoned her and her two brothers. At the age of 13, she ran away from home and ended up living on the streets in London. Eventually, however, her exceptional beauty led to a career in modeling. At that time, Heather also began helping with the war relief efforts in former Yugoslavia. Through her modeling and relief work, she soon became famous.

But in August 1993, at age 25 her life changed once again. She was crossing the street in London when a motorcycle crashed into her. She was so badly injured that the doctors had to cut off her left leg. After that, she discovered she frequently needed to change her artificial limbs. It was expensive and she felt it was a waste to just throw away the old one. It occurred to her to set up an organization that could deliver used artificial limbs to Yugoslavia and other war-torn countries. It was through her charity （慈善）work that she met her husband Paul McCartney.

Throughout her life, Heather has risen above problems and focused on helping others. Her work with artificial limbs even earned her a nomination(提名) for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996. Heather’s persistence and determination are what impresses anyone who knows her. Heather believes anyone can make a positive difference in the world.

1.This passage is mainly about _________.

A．Heather’s miserable life	B．Heather’s contribution to the world
C．Heather’s success in her work	D．Heather’s belief in life

2.Heather began her modeling career _________.

A．due to her mother’s encouragement

B．after her brothers abandoned her

C．because of her excellent intelligence and performances

D．because she was especially beautiful

3.Which of the following is Not true according to the passage?

A．Heather won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996.

B．Heather began her charity work while working as a model.

C．Her artificial limbs had to be replaced continuously.

D．Heather has never been defeated by her problems.

4.From the passage we can infer that people admire and respect Heather because _________.

A．she had a lot of misfortunes during her childhood.

B．she was a world-famous model

C．she is determined and never gives in

D．she made a great difference in the world

 

The United States is one of the few countries in the world that has an official day on which fathers are honored by their children. On the third Sunday in June, fathers all across the United States are given presents, treated to dinner or otherwise made to feel special.

　However, the idea for creating a day for children to honor their fathers began in Spokane, Washington.  A woman by the name of Sonora Smart Dodd thought of the idea for Father's Day while listening to a Mother's Day sermon(说教) in 1909. Having been raised by her father, Henry Jackson Smart, after her mother died, Sonora wanted her father to know how special he was to her.

　It was her father that made all the parental sacrifices(牺牲) and was, in the eyes of his daughter, a selfless and loving man. Sonora's father was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father's Day celebration in Spokane, Washington on the 19th of June, 1910.

　In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge declared the third Sunday in June as Father's Day.  Roses are the Father's Day flowers: red to be worn for a living father and white if the father has died.

　When children can't visit their fathers or take them out to dinner, they send a greeting card. Traditionally, fathers prefer greeting cards that are not too sentimental(伤感的, 忧伤的). Most greeting cards are too special so fathers laugh when they open them. Some give heartfelt thanks for being there whenever the child needed Dad.

1.The United States is special in Father's Day because ______.

A．many people celebrate the day             B． only America celebrates the day

C．America makes it an official day             D． all men are honored in America

2.At first, Father's Day was fixed on June 19th because ______.

A．Sonora honored her father on her father's birthday

B．Sonora's birthday was June 19

C．it was decided by the president at that time

D．her mother died on June 19

3.How many years has passed before Father's Day became an official day since the father's day was celebrated?

A． 4               B． 10              C． 14              D． 24

4.According to the passage, on Father's Day, ______.

A．people will wear the same flowers to honor their fathers

B．only daughters wear red flowers to honor their fathers

C．children must go home to honor their fathers

D．fathers are often honored in different ways

5.According to the passage, we can infer that Henry Jackson Smart ______.

A．was very kind to anyone

B．did a lot for his daughter

C．was the first father honored in 1924

D．always help others by giving money