"Opinion" is a word that is used carelessly today. It is used to refer to matters of taste, belief ,and judgment. This casual use would probably cause little confusion if people didn't attach too much importance to opinion. Unfortunately, most attach great importance to it. "I have as much right to my opinion as you to yours," and "Everyone has the right to express his opinion, " are common expressions. In fact, anyone who would challenge another's opinion is likely to be branded intolerant (不容异己的，偏执的).

Is that label accurate? Is it intolerant to challenge another's opinion? It depends on what definition of opinion you have in mind. For example, you may ask a friend "What do you think of the new Ford cars?" And he may reply, "In my opinion, they're ugly." In this case ，it would not only be intolerant to challenge his statement, but foolish. For it's obvious that by opinion he means his personal preference, a matter of taste. And as the old saying goes, "It's pointless to argue about matters of taste."

But consider this very different use of the term. A newspaper reports that the Supreme Court has delivered its opinion in a controversial (有争议的）case. Obviously the justices did not share their personal preferences, their mere likes and dislikes. They stated their considered judgment ,carefully arrived at after thorough investigation and consideration.

Most of what is referred to as opinion falls somewhere between these two extremes. It is not an expression of taste. Nor is it careful judgment. Yet it may contain elements of both. It is a view or belief more or less casually arrived at, with or without examining the evidence.

Is everyone free to express his opinion? Of course, this is not only permitted, but guaranteed .We are free to act on our opinions only so long as, in doing so, we do not harm others.

49.  Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the author?

A. Everyone has a right to hold his own opinion.

B. Free expression of opinions often leads to confusion.

C. Most people tend to form their opinions carelessly.

D. Casual use of the word "opinion" often causes quarrels.

50. According to the author, who of the following would be regarded as intolerant?

A. Someone who turns a deaf ear to others' opinions.

B. Someone who can't put up with others' tastes.

C. Someone who values only their own opinions.

D. Someone whose opinion harms other people.

51. The new Ford cars are quoted as an example to show that ______.

A. it is foolish to criticize a famous brand

B. one should not always agree to others' opinions

C. personal tastes are not something to be challenged

D. it is unwise to express one's likes and dislikes in public

52. Considered judgment is different from personal preference in that ______.

A. it is stated by judges in the court

B. it reflects public like and dislikes

C. it is a result of a lot of argument

D. it is based on careful thought

Being beautiful means a lot to teenage girls. Once it did to me too. I was the vainest person in the world, but that all changed one December night.
It was a Thursday, and I was getting ready for the wrestling tournament the following day. I was so excited; it was going to be my first tournament as a cheerleader. I walked past the mirror and stopped to check my appearance. I noticed my eyebrows were a little bushy, and that’s when my vanity kicked in. The brows could be easily fixed with the waxing kit I had purchased. I put the jar of wax in the microwave. But instead of heating the wax for 30 seconds, I pressed too many zeros and heated it for three minutes. As I reached for the jar, I dropped it, spilling it all over myself.
My mother came running when she heard my screams. The hot wax was rolling down my face and arm. My mom took a wet washcloth and tried to wash the wax off my face. This proved to be a bad idea, because the wax was honey based, and it pulled my skin off with the wax.
The 15-mile drive to the emergency room seemed to take hours. When we finally arrived, the nurse didn’t waste any time. They took me straight to a doctor and gave me extra-strength painkillers, so my mind was in confusion. The doctor explained how severe my burns really were: my arm was a combination of first-, second- and third-degree burns, and needed to stay bandaged. My face was first- and second-degree burns. If the wax had gotten any closer to my right eye, I would have lost my sight. I was covered in multi-colored “goop(药膏)”, wrapped, and sent home to recover.
I got up the next morning and the first thing I wanted to do was wash off the remaining wax. I unwrapped the bandages and “degooped”, letting warm water gently remove the rest of the wax. The next step was to do a self-evaluation of the damage. I couldn’t believe how horrible I looked. A horror-movie monster stared back at me from the mirror. All I could think was, my life is over. For someone as vain as me, this was very true. I thought I was going to be horribly disfigured(毁容的)for the rest of my life! All I could do was cry.
My mom made it worse by forcing me to go out in public. She dragged me to the grocery store and wherever else she felt like taking me. Everywhere we went, people had a million questions, none of which I wanted to answer. Then my mom declared she was going to put me through even more torture—I had to go to school on Monday. School only led to more questions from more people.
Now, two years later, my wounds have healed, leaving a few scars. I still feel self-conscious if I don’t wear make-up, and I’ve discovered that three-quarter length sleeves are wonderful for covering the scars on my arm.
After spending several months adjusting to this injury, I realized how vain I was. I had made beauty important, but it never was or will ever be that important. It took this event to teach me that no matter how much you change on the outside, you’re still the same person on the inside. 

1. 1.

   After the accident, the writer has come to realize that ________.

   1. A.
      teenage girls care too much about their appearance
   2. B.
      loving beauty will necessarily make one disfigured
   3. C.
      we can never judge a person merely by one’s looks
   4. D.
      sometimes being beautiful can cost you something
2. 2.

   Which of the four statements is a fact?

   1. A.
      The severe damage to her sight and face weren’t recovered.
   2. B.
      The mother wished the writer to face her misfortune bravely.
   3. C.
      From the lesson we conclude that “once bitten, twice frightened”.
   4. D.
      The severe burns were caused by her mother’s lack of first-aid.
3. 3.

   The underlined sentence in the last paragraph is closest to ________.

   1. A.
      beauty is not everything
   2. B.
      a student shall not make up
   3. C.
      beauty is not important
   4. D.
      loving beauty will spoil you
4. 4.

   The author develops her composition by ________.

   1. A.
      offering accurate facts
   2. B.
      giving contrast and comparison
   3. C.
      using logical arguments
   4. D.
      representing own experiences
5. 5.

   Which of the following can be the best title?

   1. A.
      The Price of Vanity
   2. B.
      An Unexpected Ending
   3. C.
      A Disfigured Girl
   4. D.
      Beauty Ruins Everything

E
"Opinion" is a word that is used carelessly today. It is used to refer to matters of taste, belief, and judgment. This casual use would probably cause little confusion if people didn’t attach too much importance to opinion. Unfortunately, most do attach great importance to it. "I have as much right to my opinion as you to yours, '' and ''Everyone’s entitled(授予…权利) to his opinion, '' are common expressions. In fact, anyone who would challenge another's opinion is likely to be branded intolerant.
Is that label（标签）accurate? Is it intolerant to challenge another's opinion? It depends on what definition of opinion you have in mind. For example, you may ask a friend ''What do you think of the new Ford cars?" And he may reply, "In my opinion, they're ugly." In this case, it would not only be intolerant to challenge his statement, but foolish. For it's obvious that by opinion he means his personal preference, a matter of taste. And as the old saying goes, ''It's pointless to argue about matters of taste."
But consider this very different use of the term, A newspaper reports that the Supreme Court has delivered its opinion in a controversial case. Obviously the justices did not state their personal preferences, their mere likes and dislikes. They stated their considered judgment, painstakingly arrived at after thorough inquiry and careful consideration.
Most of what is referred to as opinion falls somewhere between these two extremes. It is not an expression of taste. Nor is it careful judgment. Yet it may contain elements of both. It is a view or belief more or less casually arrived at, with or without examining the evidence.
?? Is everyone entitled to his opinion? Of course, this is not only permitted, but guaranteed. We are free to act on our opinions only so long as, in doing so, we do not harm others.
72. Which of the following statements is TRUE, according to the author?
A. Everyone has a right to hold his own opinion.
B. Free expression of opinions often leads to confusion.
C. Most people tend to be careless in forming their opinions.
D. Casual use of the word "opinion" often brings about quarrels.
73. According to the author, who of the following would be labelled as intolerant?
A. Someone who turns a deaf ear to others' opinions.
B. Someone who can't put up with others' tastes.
C. Someone who values only their own opinions.
D. Someone whose opinion harms other people.
74. The new Ford cars are mentioned as an example to show that ________.
A. it is foolish to criticize a famous brand
B. one should not always agree to others' opinions
C. personal tastes are not something to be challenged
D. it is unwise to express one's likes and dislikes in public
75. Considered judgment is different from personal preference in that ________.
A. it is stated by judges in the court
B. it reflects public like and dislikes
C. it is a result of a lot of controversy (争论，争议)
D. it is based on careful thought

Being beautiful means a lot to teenage girls. Once it did to me too. I was the vainest person in the world, but that all changed one December night.
It was a Thursday, and I was getting ready for the wrestling tournament the following day. I was so excited; it was going to be my first tournament as a cheerleader. I walked past the mirror and stopped to check my appearance. I noticed my eyebrows were a little bushy, and that’s when my vanity kicked in. The brows could be easily fixed with the waxing kit I had purchased. I put the jar of wax in the microwave. But instead of heating the wax for 30 seconds, I pressed too many zeros and heated it for three minutes. As I reached for the jar, I dropped it, spilling it all over myself.
My mother came running when she heard my screams. The hot wax was rolling down my face and arm. My mom took a wet washcloth and tried to wash the wax off my face. This proved to be a bad idea, because the wax was honey based, and it pulled my skin off with the wax.
The 15-mile drive to the emergency room seemed to take hours. When we finally arrived, the nurse didn’t waste any time. They took me straight to a doctor and gave me extra-strength painkillers, so my mind was in confusion. The doctor explained how severe my burns really were: my arm was a combination of first-, second- and third-degree burns, and needed to stay bandaged. My face was first- and second-degree burns. If the wax had gotten any closer to my right eye, I would have lost my sight. I was covered in multi-colored “goop(药膏)”, wrapped, and sent home to recover.
I got up the next morning and the first thing I wanted to do was wash off the remaining wax. I unwrapped the bandages and “degooped”, letting warm water gently remove the rest of the wax. The next step was to do a self-evaluation of the damage. I couldn’t believe how horrible I looked. A horror-movie monster stared back at me from the mirror. All I could think was, my life is over. For someone as vain as me, this was very true. I thought I was going to be horribly disfigured(毁容的)for the rest of my life! All I could do was cry.
My mom made it worse by forcing me to go out in public. She dragged me to the grocery store and wherever else she felt like taking me. Everywhere we went, people had a million questions, none of which I wanted to answer. Then my mom declared she was going to put me through even more torture—I had to go to school on Monday. School only led to more questions from more people.
Now, two years later, my wounds have healed, leaving a few scars. I still feel self-conscious if I don’t wear make-up, and I’ve discovered that three-quarter length sleeves are wonderful for covering the scars on my arm.
After spending several months adjusting to this injury, I realized how vain I was. I had made beauty important, but it never was or will ever be that important. It took this event to teach me that no matter how much you change on the outside, you’re still the same person on the inside. 
【小题1】After the accident, the writer has come to realize that ________.

E

"Opinion" is a word that is used carelessly today. It is used to refer to matters of taste, belief, and judgment. This casual use would probably cause little confusion if people didn’t attach too much importance to opinion. Unfortunately, most do attach great importance to it. "I have as much right to my opinion as you to yours, '' and ''Everyone’s entitled(授予…权利) to his opinion, '' are common expressions. In fact, anyone who would challenge another's opinion is likely to be branded intolerant.

    Is that label（标签）accurate? Is it intolerant to challenge another's opinion? It depends on what definition of opinion you have in mind. For example, you may ask a friend ''What do you think of the new Ford cars?" And he may reply, "In my opinion, they're ugly." In this case, it would not only be intolerant to challenge his statement, but foolish. For it's obvious that by opinion he means his personal preference, a matter of taste. And as the old saying goes, ''It's pointless to argue about matters of taste."

    But consider this very different use of the term, A newspaper reports that the Supreme Court has delivered its opinion in a controversial case. Obviously the justices did not state their personal preferences, their mere likes and dislikes. They stated their considered judgment, painstakingly arrived at after thorough inquiry and careful consideration.

    Most of what is referred to as opinion falls somewhere between these two extremes. It is not an expression of taste. Nor is it careful judgment. Yet it may contain elements of both. It is a view or belief more or less casually arrived at, with or without examining the evidence.

?? Is everyone entitled to his opinion? Of course, this is not only permitted, but guaranteed. We are free to act on our opinions only so long as, in doing so, we do not harm others.

72. Which of the following statements is TRUE, according to the author?

   A. Everyone has a right to hold his own opinion.

   B. Free expression of opinions often leads to confusion.

   C. Most people tend to be careless in forming their opinions.

   D. Casual use of the word "opinion" often brings about quarrels.

73. According to the author, who of the following would be labelled as intolerant?

   A. Someone who turns a deaf ear to others' opinions.

   B. Someone who can't put up with others' tastes.

   C. Someone who values only their own opinions.

   D. Someone whose opinion harms other people.

74. The new Ford cars are mentioned as an example to show that ________.

   A. it is foolish to criticize a famous brand

   B. one should not always agree to others' opinions

   C. personal tastes are not something to be challenged

   D. it is unwise to express one's likes and dislikes in public

75. Considered judgment is different from personal preference in that ________.

   A. it is stated by judges in the court

   B. it reflects public like and dislikes

   C. it is a result of a lot of controversy (争论，争议)

   D. it is based on careful thought