A severely handicapped teenager who cannot walk,talk or hold a paintbrush has won a place at Oxford to study fine art.

Hero Joy Nightingale,16,who communicates through hand movements,is to be given assistants to paint and sculpt on her behalf.Her mother Pauline Reid “translated for” her daughter during interviews for the place at Magdalen College.

The teenager is the most severely handicapped student ever to be granted a place at Oxford.She suffers from “locked-in syndrome”,a profound apraxia caused by brain damage that renders her body useless and her voice mute.

She is unlikely ever to be able to walk,feed or care for herself but,thanks to the efforts of her mother,she can communicate.When Hero was four,Pauline devised a complicated system of hand gestures that equate to the alphabet.

A spokesperson for Oxford said,“The university welcomes applications from students with disabilities.In cases where students are profoundly disabled,there may be many issues that need to be carefully addressed before an individual can take up a place,such as establishing how the student can best be taught and examined.”

Hero,who suffers almost daily epileptic fits and has a hole in her heart,has not attended school since she was six.She has been taught at home by her mother and father,the pro-vice chancellor of Kent University.

Peter Giles,her art tutor until last year,said she has a genuine talent for art.“She is ferociously gifted.We would sit together and her mother would grab her daughter’s hand and then we would begin work,”he said.

Together,they built several modern sculptures from plaster and metal.“The instructions would take a while to decipher.But eventually,they would come,and eventually make sense.”

Hero’s classes will be held at the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art.

Hero communicates with others _________.

A.through common hand movements

B.by typing words on computer

C.through a complicated system of hand gestures devised by her mother

D.by drawing pictures on a board

According to the passage,how does Hero paint or sculpt?

A.She instructs her assistants to paint or sculpt through hand movements.

B.She gives instructions,and her mother paints or sculpts following her instructions.

C.She paints or sculpts with her own hands.

D.She gives instructions,her mother “translates” them,and her assistants paint or sculpt according to the “translations”.

From the story we can infer _________.

A.Oxford welcomes any handicapped student who is good at fine art

B.Hero has not attended school since she was six

C.Hero is gifted in fine art

D.Hero is a strong-minded girl who loves life very much

Which of the following is NOT true?

A.Hero is the most seriously handicapped student ever to be admitted to Oxford.

B.Oxford will admit a disabled student without any requirements.

C.Hero has been taught by her parents at home for10 years.

D.Hero is not able to walk,talk or hold a paintbrush.

Each winter, the rugged North Shore serves up some of the largest and most impressive ocean waves on the planet.Giant waves make their long journey across the northern Pacific to the area’s shoreline.For many island residents, this means only one thing: surf up.

The exact origin of surfing is unknown, but most historians believe that the Polynesians were already very good at the sport by the time they migrated to the Hawaiian Islands some 2 000 years ago.Early Hawaiians called surfing “He’e nalu”, which literally translates to “wave sliding”.During this time, only high-ranking officials and nobles had access to the best surf spots.King Kamehameha himself was said to be a keen and skilled surfer.
Surfing really took off in the early 1990s.Riding boards made from redwood and balsa wood, early surfers risked their lives to take on these giant waves.
Today, thanks to a number of modern innovations and inventions, the surfing population on the North Shore has exploded.Wave riders and spectators from around the world gather here from November to February, hoping to catch that perfect wave.Winter wave heights can get as high as 20 feet, with faces up to 50 feet! This extreme surf is for experts only, and even then conditions are considered highly dangerous.
World-known surf contests are held here from early November to late December.The Van’s Triple Crown of Surfing, which includes the Vans Hawaiian Pro at Ali’ i Beach Park in Hale’ iwa, the Rip Curl Cup at Sunset Beach, brings together the world’s best professional surfers.Watching them surfing on the grand waves is really a feast for the eyes.
Although winter on the North Shore may not be the best time and place to learn how to surf, the summer months provide safer and more favorable conditions.
64.The passage is most probably from ________.
A.a guide book                                                     B.a magazine                 
C.a government report                                               D.a geography textbook
65.What can we learn from the passage?
A.High officials were the best surfers in the past.
B.Surfing dates back to at least 2 000 years.
C.The best time for surfing is from November to February.
D.Surfing is a sport for professionals and experts.
66.Which of the following is NOT true to the passage?
A.The Polynesians were among the earliest people who took up surfing.
B.Modern inventions make surf boards safer for the surfers.
C.It is a perfect chance for spectators to watch the competitions.
D.More and more people on the North Shore go in for surfing.
67.It’s suggested that a surf learner should ________.
A.make use of the summer time to learn how to surf
B.meet the challenge of the perfect waves on the North Shore
C.take the chance to win a prize in the world-known competitions
D.watch the professional suffers surfing whenever possible


A plane crash in Western Russian killed Polish President Lech Kaczynski and the other 96 political and military officials on board on April 10. The accident has led to huge national mourning in Poland. But it may provide an opportunity for reconciliation (和解) between Poland and Russia, countries that have a troubled relationship.
Many from the political elite were lost in the crash. Beside the president, the dead include the army chief of Staff, the head of National Security Bureau, the national bank president, the deputy foreign minister and other members of parliament.
The Polish delegation was heading to Russia to mark the 70 th anniversary of the Katyn Massacre (屠杀) when the accident occurred. In 1940, about 22,000 Polish soldiers, intellectuals, and officials captured after the Soviet Army invaded Poland in 1939, were killed secretly by Soviet police in the forest of Russia’s Katyn.
The Katyn Massacre had been a sensitive topic between the countries. The former Soviet Union always denied responsibility for the massacre. It was not until 1992 that Russian released archived documents about the killing.
Katyn is merely a short chapter in Poland and Russia’s long and troubled history. In the 18 th century, along with Prussia, (then an important part of Germany) and Austria. Russia participated in three carve – ups of Poland. In 1795, after the third carve – up, the country was erased from the map of Europe. It was in 1918 that Poland regained its independence. But in 1939, at the beginning of the World War II, it was invaded by Germany and the Soviet Union under a secret pact. After the war, Poland became a communist country with close ties to the Soviet Union.
In 1989, Poland switched to capitalism and pursued a pro – West position. The most recent tension between the two countries was in 2008. That year, Poland decided to have a US missile shield (导弹防御系统) on its soil, while neighboring Russia threatened to aim missiles at Poland.
But the plane crash has created a chance for reconciliation, with Russia sharing the sadness of Poland. Russia has declared April 12 a day of mourning for the victims. Flags flew at half – mast in Moscow. And earlier on April 7, Russia Prime Minister Vladimir Putin became the first Russian leader to mark the anniversary of the massacre.
“I think it should improve relations between the two countries, as Russians feel our grief,” said Radek Sikorski, Pland’s foreign minister.
66.Put the following events in order of time.
①The Katyn Massacre
②Poland switched to capitalism.
③Russia divided Poland with Austria and Prussia.
④Poland became a communist country.
⑤Poland was invaded by the Soviet Army.
A.③①④⑤② B.③⑤①④②  C.①③⑤④②  D.①⑤②④③
67.After the accident, which of the following did Russia do to share the sadness of Poland?
A.Flags were lowed to half – mast in the capital city of Russia.
B.Russia threatened to aim missiles at Poland.
C.Russia declared the day when the accident happened a day of mourning for the victims.
D.Vladimir Putin marked the anniversary of the massacre.
68.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.The Katyn Massacre was the very beginning of Poland and Russia’s trouble relationship.
B.In 1939 about 22,000 Polish soldiers, intellectuals, and officials were killed by Soviet police in the forest of Russia’s Katyn.
C.Altogether 96 political and military officials were killed in the accident.
D.The relationship between Poland and Russia has not always been tense since the three carve – ups of Poland in the 18 th century.
69.It can be conclude from the article that        .
A.the relationship between Poland and Russia will be even tenser than before
B.Poland will cancel its plan to mark the anniversary of the Katyn Massacre
C.no Russian leaders have marked the anniversary of the massacre before, though Russia released the truth in 1992.
D.Poland will forgive Russians, for they showed great sympathy after the accident.
70.What would be the best title for the passage?
A.The troubled relationship between Russia and Poland.
B.Poland and Russia united by tragedy.
C.The 70 th anniversary of the Katyn Massacre.
D.A plane crash killing Polish president.

The New York Times announced Wednesday that it intended to charge frequent readers for access to its Web site, a step being debated across the industry that nearly every major newspaper has so far feared to take.

Starting in early 2011, visitors to NYTimes.com will get a certain number of articles free every month before being asked to pay a flat fee for unlimited access. Subscribers(订阅者) to the newspaper’s print edition will receive full access to the site.

But executives(执行主管) of The New York Times Company said they could not yet answer fundamental questions about the plan, like how much it would cost or what the limit would be on free reading. They stressed that the amount of free access could change with time, in response to economic conditions and reader demand.

Still, publishers fear that income from digital subscriptions would not compensate for the resulting loss of audience and advertising revenue.

NYTimes.com is by far the most popular newspaper site in the country, with more than 17 million readers a month in the United States, according to Nielsen Online, and analysts say it is easily the leader in advertising revenue, as well. That may make it better positioned than other general-interest papers to charge — and also gives The Times more to lose if the move backfires.

The Times Company has been studying the matter for almost a year, searching for common ground between pro- and anti-pay camps — a debate mirrored in dozens of media-watching blogs — and the system will not go into effect until January 2011. Executives said they were not bothered by the prospect of absorbing barbs(冷嘲热讽) for moving cautiously.

“There’s no prize for getting it quick,” said Janet L. Robinson, the company’s president and chief executive. “There’s more of a prize for getting it right.”

1.The first paragraph serves as a __________.

A. conclusion        B. comment      C. lead-in      D. background

2. We may know from the passage that __________.

A. non-paying readers will get no access to NYTimes.com

B. readers will be charged more to read more articles on NYTimes.com

C. visitors to NYTimes.com frequently will get more free online articles

D. subscribers to the print edition will enjoy free access to the site as well

3. Which of the following best describes The Times Company's attitude towards its announcement?

A. rude B.  serious C. hurried      D. doubtful

4. The passage is mainly about_________.

A. the Times to offer free access to its web site

B. the Times to increase audience to its web site

C. the Times to attract advertisement to its web site

D. the Times to charge for frequent access to its web site

 

 

The New York Times announced Wednesday that it intended to charge frequent readers for access to its website, a step being debated across the industry that nearly every major newspaper has so far feared to take.

Starting in early 2011, visitors to NYTimes.com will get a certain number of articles free every month before being asked to pay a standard and fixed fee for unlimited access. Subscribers to the newspaper’s print edition will receive full access to the site.

But executives of The New York Times Company said they could not yet answer fundamental questions about the plan, like how much it would cost or what the limit would be on free reading. They stressed that the amount of free access could change with time, in response to economic conditions and reader demand. Still, publishers fear that money from digital subscriptions would not make up for the resulting loss of audience and advertising income.

NYTimes.com is by far the most popular newspaper site in the country, with more than 17 million readers a month in the United States, according to Nielsen Online, and analysts say it is the leader in advertising income, as well. That may make it better positioned than other general-interest papers to charge—and also gives The Times more to lose if the move produces an opposed result.

 

 

 

The Times Company has been studying the matter for almost a year, searching for common ground between pro-and-anti pay campaigns—a debate mirrored in dozens of media-watching blogs-- and the system will not go into effect until January 2011. Executives said they were not bothered by the possibility of absorbing barbs(挖苦) for moving cautiously.

 “There’s no prize for getting it quick,” said Janet L. Robinson, the company’s president and chief executive. “There’s more of a prize for getting it right.”

1. What’s the function of the first paragraph?

       A. It servers as a comment.

       B. It serves as a background

       C. It serves as a lead-in

       D. It serves as a conclusion.

2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

       A. Non-paying subscribers will get no access to NYTimes.com.

       B. Readers will be charged more to read articles on NYTimes.com.

       C. Readers will get more free online articles to log on NYTimes. com more often.

       D. Subscribers to the paper’s print edition will also enjoy full access to the site.

3.Which of the words can best describe The Time Company’s attitude towards its announcement?

A. Unwilling.       

B. Serious.                  

C. Hasty               

D. Doubtful

4. What is the main idea about the passage?

       A. The Times to offer free access to its web site.

       B. The Times to increase audience to its web site.

       C. The Times to attract advertisement to its web site

       D. The Times to charge for frequent access to its web site.

 

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