A woman renewing her driver’s license at the County Clerk’s office was asked to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.

“What I mean is,” explained the recorder, “do you have a job, or are you just a …”

“Of course I have a job,” said Emily. “I’m a mother.”

“We don’t list ‘mother’ as an occupation… ‘housewife’ covers it,” said the recorder.

One day I found myself in the same situation. The clerk was obviously a career woman, confident and possessed of a high sounding title.“What is your occupation?” she asked.

The words simply popped out. “I’m a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.”

The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozen in midair.

I repeated the title slowly, and then I stared with wonder as my statement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

“Might I ask,” said the clerk with new interest, “Just what you do in this field?”

Without any trace of panic in my voice, I heard myself reply, “I have a continuing program of research (what mother doesn’t), in the lab and in the field (normally I would have said indoors and out). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities (any mother care to disagree?), and I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most careers and rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.”

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk’s voice as she completed the form, stood up, and showed me out.

As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up (依托) by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants---ages 13, 7, and 3.

Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model (a 6 month old baby), in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.

I felt proud! I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable (不可缺少的) to mankind than “just another mother.”

Motherhood…What a glorious career! Especially when there’s a title on the door.

1.How did the female clerk feel at first when the author told her occupation?

A. curious B. puzzled

C. indifferent D. interested

2.How did the author feel when describing her job to the clerk?

A. calm B. funny C. worried D. cool

3.Why did the woman clerk show more respect for the author?

A. Because the author cared little about rewards.

B. Because she admired the author’s research work in the lab.

C. Because she thought the author did admirable work.

D. Because the writer did something she had little knowledge of.

4.What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?

A. To show how you describe your job affects your feelings toward it.

B. To argue that motherhood is a worthy career and deserves respect.

C. To show that the author had a grander job than Emily.

D. To show that being a mother is hard and boring work.

Children with autism(孤独症) have difficulty with social skills and communication. They often behave in restricted and repetitive ways and have what seem like abnormally intense interests.

Autism is more common in boys than girls. What causes it is not clear. Scientists are studying genes and possible environmental influences.

Doctors usually cannot confirm a diagnosis(诊断) of autism until a child is about three years old. Rebecca Landa is a researcher at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Maryland. Professor Landa wanted to find out what differences in development might be seen earlier. She led a new study that observed 235 babies between six and 36 months of age.

"At six months of age, the signs of some risk for developing communication and social delays, including autism, include motor delays. Like when you lay your baby on their back and you pull them by the arms gently into a seated position, the baby's head may nod back behind the shoulders, like poor head control. So that does not mean that the baby is going to have autism, but it does mean the baby needs to have some exercises to strengthen their body. And when they strengthen their body, they are better able to play with toys and engage with people, which then goes on to help them have better outcomes."

By the time a baby is one year old, signs of possible autism include difficulty in using words and not looking eye-to-eye or reaching out to other people. By 14 months, the baby might smile less and use language less. However, Professor Landa says these signs can be so small that they might be missed during a short health exam.

"It's important for parents to stay tuned into their children's development, and if a parent is concerned about a child's development, for professionals to listen to them."

The earlier parents notice delays, she says, the sooner they can begin doing simple things that may help improve their child's development. For example: talking to the child about what they are doing, commenting when the child shows them something, and playing simple games that keep the child's attention.

1.What is the best title of the passage?

A. Watching for Early Signs of Autism in Babies

B. How to Confirm a Diagnosis of Autism

C. Children with Autism Have Difficulty in Communication

D. Ways to Help Children with Autism to Recover

2. What can we learn form the third paragraph?

A. Landa has found ways to confirm a diagnosis of autism when a baby is about six months.

B.Landa tried to find autism earlier by comparing the differences as the baby grows up.

C.Now doctors can confirm a diagnosis of autism before a child is three years old.

D.Doctors observed 235 babies either 6 or 36 months of age under the guide of Landa.

3.When a baby with signs of possible autism is a year and two months, he may____.

A. avoid eye contact

B.have difficulty in raising his head

C.develop bad manners

D.hate to communicate with others

4.In which column could we find this passage?.

A. Education

B.Health

C.Economics

D.Entertainment

Napoleon, as a character in Tolstoy’s War and Peace, is more than once described as having “fat little hands”. Nor does he “sit well or firmly on the horse”. He is said to be “undersized”, with “short legs” and a “round stomach”. The issue here is not the accuracy of Tolstoy’s description-it seems not that far off from historical accounts but his choice of facts: other things that could be said of the man are not said. We are meant to understand the difference of a warring commander in the body of a fat little Frenchman. Tolstoy’s Napoleon could be any man wandering in the streets and putting a little of powdered tobacco up his nose-and that is the point.

It is a way the novelist uses to show the moral nature of a character. And it turns out that, as Tolstoy has it, Napoleon is a crazy man. In a scene in Book Three of War and Peace, the wars having reached the critical year of 1812,Napoleon receives a representative from the Tsar (沙皇) ,who has come with peace terms. Napoleon is very angry: doesn’t he have more army? He, not the Tsar, is the one to make the terms. He will destroy all of Europe if his army is stopped. “That is what you will have gained by engaging me in the war!” he shouts. And then, Tolstoy writes, Napoleon “walked silently several times up and down the room, his fat shoulders moving quickly".

Still later, after reviewing his army amid cheering crowds, Napoleon invites the shaken Russian to dinner. “He raised his hand to the Russian’s face,” Tolstoy writes, and "taking him by the ear pulled it gently. . . ". To have one’s ear pulled by the Emperor was considered the greatest honor and mark of favor at the French court. “Well, well, why don’t you say anything?” said he, as if it was ridiculous in his presence to respect any one but himself, Napoleon.

Tolstoy did his research, but the composition is his own.

1.Tolstoy’s description of Napoleon in War and Peace is__________.

A. far from the historical facts

B. based on the Russian history

C. based on his selection of facts

D. not related to historical details

2. Tolstoy intended to present Napoleon as a man who is__________.

A. ill-mannered in dealing with foreign guests

B. fond of showing off his iron will

C. determined in destroying all of Europe

D. crazy for power and respect

3. What does the last sentence of the passage imply?

A. A writer doesn’t have to be faithful to his findings.

B. A writer may write about a hero in his own way.

C. A writer may not be responsible for what he writes.

D. A writer has hardly any freedom to show his feelings.

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