题目内容
Those brave men died, but their spirits ___.
A. left B. stayed C. kept on D.remained
D
Since the end of World War I (WWI) in 1918,Canadians, and millions of others around the world have paused at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month to honour the sacrifices our soldiers have made in different wars, fighting for the freedoms that we all enjoy today.
Known as Remembrance Day, the day originated as a tribute to the soldiers of WWI, a dark period for our young country, which claimed the lives of over 60,000 military personnel and civilians and over 16 million dead worldwide.
As there are no more surviving soldiers of WWI,today we rely on the wisdom and words of those soldiers who fought in the wars that followed,and this day now also recognizes their heroic contribution.
They tell us to always remember what those brave souls fought for, and all they ask in return is that we never forget.
That’s why we wear the red poppy (罂粟花);that’s why when we see a soldier in uniform we should stop him or her and say “Thank you” ; that’s why we take a pause from our busy lives for two short minutes today to honor that request.
Yet this message is fading away, year after year.
Take for example the terrible decision to allow parents to excuse students from Remembrance Day ceremonies at school.
Not only is this disrespectful, it distances the student from his or her classmates.
It is difficult to understand why any Canadian parent would want to remove their child from the time-honored tradition of reading the poem In Flanders Fields, while a wreath of poppies is laid.
It is more important than ever to teach school-aged children about our history,no matter how violent it was. Sheltering them from the realities of war is a great disservice.
Understanding why conflicts happened, or happen today, can help shape choices and decisions they make as adults.
Of course, because we live in a free society, we cannot force an individual to do something. It is unfortunate, but some parents now have their child “opt-out” of the services. These people should be reminded they are free to make such choices only because of the men and women the rest of us are remembering.
【小题1】Which of the following is true about Remembrance Day?
A. It’s only held in Canada. |
B.Its ceremony lasts 11 hours. |
C.It falls on November 11th each year. |
D.It’s to celebrate the country’s independence. |
A.Stopping at 11a.m. to remember the war dead. |
B.Listening to stories told by WWI soldiers. |
C.Wearing a red poppy to show respect. |
D.Showing gratitude to soldiers in uniform. |
A.War history is too violent for school children. |
B.The writer was once a soldier in the Canadian army. |
C.Few students are willing to take part in Remembrance Day ceremonies. |
D.More parents are keeping their children away from frightening war stories. |
A.the death of so many soldiers in wars |
B.the fact that there were so many wars after WWI |
C.people’s ungratefulness for the freedom they have |
D.removing children from Remembrance Day events |
A.the sacrifice of the soldiers should always be remembered |
B.Remembrance Day is becoming less important for soldiers |
C.schools - no longer think Remembrance Day is necessary |
D.people should be forced to learn about the realities of war |
I received pictures of my daughter floating (漂浮) on a lake in California. Right there under the sun during the hottest time of the day, she has only her swimsuit to cover her.
When I showed it to my students, it was as if I had shown them scenes from a horror (恐怖) movie.
“But she will get dark,” they said.
“That’s what she wants,” I told them. “We think darker skin (肤色) is beautiful.”
They looked at me in disbelief. It was as if I came from the moon.
For years, American girls spend their summer trying to get as tanned (晒黑) as possible. In China, on the other hand, girls use umbrellas all year round.
What in the world is going on?
The pale skin we think looks unattractive (不漂亮) is what Asian women want. Both groups want to meet their culture’s standard (标准) of beauty.
In the US, if you can afford to go on vacation in the summer, you head for a river, a lake or a beach, where you try to get as much sun as possible. If you are rich you take a winter vacation in some sunny spot. Your winter tan shows your wealth.
In China, once upon a time, the few wealthy were the ones who didn’t have to work out in the hot sun. So the whiter the skin, the richer the woman. The folk opera performers who play these ladies wore lots of white makeup (妆容). The tradition survives to this day.
So it comes naturally that none of my students wishes to follow the Western ways in this regard.
But now I am noticing that a new business – the tanning booth (美黑店) – started up in China. I admire those brave enough to define(给…下定义)their own idea of beauty, but I do wonder what their grandmothers would have to say to them about it!
【小题1】The students were shocked at the picture the writer showed them because ______.
A.they thought it shameful for a girl only to wear a swimsuit |
B.the writer’s daughter was wearing very little while out in the sun |
C.it is dangerous for a girl to be out on a lake alone |
D.with the powerful sunlight the writer’s daughter would have got a suntan |
A.Women with blond hair. | B.Women with a slim figure. |
C.Women with tanned skin. | D.Women with pale skin. |
A.is hard-working | B.doesn’t have to work |
C.has a lot of money and spare time | D.is from a very poor family |
A.is not interested in | B.doesn’t understand |
C.doesn’t like | D.has mixed feelings about |