Doomed beauties such as Cleopatra and Manilyn Monroe were far from alone in their misery. Very attractive people tend to form partnerships that are less stable and satisfying than those enjoyed by plain Janes.

According to research by Dr John Blaine of the University of Southern California, relationships between people whose professions largely depend on their appearances, such as models or actors, tend to end much faster than those between lawyers, doctors or students.

Blaine said the beautiful felt different from childhood. They are treated as special, which may create both arrogance(傲慢) and insecurity. All too often, beauty can be used as an alternative to education. Often they are pushed out of their class or town, told to go off and make their fortune in Hollywood or London and, when the majority fail, they have few talents(才能) to make a living.

Blaine added that beautiful people score poorly on the “big five” — the key factors American experts consider when helping distressed couples. These are neuroticism(神经过敏), including anger and anxiety; extroversion(性格外向); openness to new experiences; agreeableness; and conscientiousness, or sticking by agreements they have made. Attractive people often see no reason to try to change until their looks start to fade.

Krista Sutherland, of the University of California Los Angeles, said partnerships that appeared to be perfect from the outside, such as the former “dream teams” of Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise or Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley, where backgrounds and aspirations(抱负) are often shared, did not necessarily lead to happiness.

What does the underlined sentence “Doomed beauties such as Cleopatra and Manilyn Monroe were far from alone in their misery. ” means?

A. Beautiful women always felt lonely.

B. Beautiful women always were alone.

C. Many beautiful women didn’t end up with a happy life.

D. Beautiful women always lived a happy life. 

The underlined phrase “plain Janes” in the passage refer to ________.

A. ordinary-looking women         B. women called Jane

C. common people                      D. attractive women 

We can infer in the passage that ________.

A. Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley were a couple

B. Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise were very satisfied with their life

C. When they fail in Hollywood, the beautiful have little trouble in making a living

D. The marriage of the beautiful often last long  

Which of the following is the best title?

A. Five key factors affecting the partnership       B. Beauties are doomed to fail in love

C. Beauties or common?                            D. The beautiful are different.

For years Tom Anderson’s life was withered up(枯萎) by the memory of his part in a fraternity(友爱,互助会) adventure that resulted in the death of one of his classmates. He and his wife separated after six years of marriage. Then the news about Tom changed. His wife Betty came back; he earned a fine position. One day he told me what had changed his life. “I used to think, ‘Nothing can undo what I have done.’ The thought of my guilt would stop me in the middle of a smile or a handshake. It put a wall between my wife and me.”

“Then I had an unexpected visit from the person I was most afraid to see — the mother of the college classmate who died. ‘Years ago’, she said, ‘I found it in my heart, through prayer, to forgive you. Betty forgave you. So did your friends and employers.’ She paused, and then said seriously, ‘You are the one person who hasn’t forgiven Tom Anderson. Who do you think you are to stand out against the people of this town and the Lord Almighty?’ I looked into her eyes and found there a kind of permission to be the person I might have been if her boy had lived. For the first time in my adult life I felt worthy to love and be loved.”

It is only through forgiveness of our mistakes that we gain the freedom to learn from experience. But forgiving our shortcomings doesn’t mean denying that they exist. On the contrary, it means facing them honestly, realistically.

Can a person be all-forgiving and still be human? A scientist I know spent four years as a slave laborer in Germany. His parents were killed by Nazi street bullies; his younger sister and older brother were sent to the gas chambers. This is a man who has every reason to hate. Yet he is filled with a love of life that he conveys to everyone who knows him. He explained it to me the other day: “In the beginning I was filled with hatred. Then I realized that in hating I had become my own enemy. Unless you forgive, you cannot love. And without love, life has no meaning.” Forgiveness is truly the saving grace.

67. Tom Anderson and his wife separated after six years of marriage probably because ______.

   A. he had killed one of his classmates

   B. he had cared more for his adventure than for his wife

   C. his wife looked down upon his poor position

D. his life had been made in a great mess by his deep guilt

68. The key reason for which Tom’s life changed back to normal may be that ______.

   A. his wife Betty came back to him

   B. the mother of his college classmate asked Betty to forgive him for his guilt

   C. he eventually learned to face his guilt honestly, realistically and forgave himself

   D. he earned a fine position and finally made a lot of money

69. The underlined part in the second paragraph means that ______.

   A. the mother of my college classmate permitted me to be a real person

   B. even my college classmate would permit me to be what I used to be

   C. I wouldn’t be a person unless my college classmate permitted me to

   D. I might have been a successful person if my college classmate had lived

70. The best title for this passage could be ______.

A. Forgiveness: the saving grace                                          B. Hatred: unrealistic way of living

C. Love: a meaningful worthy life                                         D. Guilt: unforgivable mistake

When Charles Strattion was five, he stopped growing. His mother took him to see the famous showman, P.T.Barnum, and thought a small person would be the perfect addition to his show. He hired Charles’ parents along with him, and they traveled around the world together.
He gave the two-foot-tall Charles a new name, general Tom Thumb. He taught Tom how to sing, dance, act, and tell jokes. When he felt Tom was ready to perform on stage, he made up ads. To stir up great interest, he said that Tom was eleven years old and had come from England.
During the show, Tom fought battles pretendedly with tall people. He also danced upon a wooden plate held by a person who was eight feet tall.
Tom’s act was very popular and brought in a lot of money. By the time Tom was an adult, he had grown very rich. He had become a billionaire at the age of twenty-five.
Fortunately for Tom, Mr. Barnum added more little people to his show, and Tom became lucky in love as well. One of the little people was Lavinia Warren, a school teacher. Tom was able to win her love, and they married.
The ceremony and reception were the talk of the town. They were attended by many rich and famous people and by about two thousand guests. Crowds filled the streets of New York to have a look at their tiny wedding carriage. The couple even met with President Abraham Lincoln on their honeymoon, just before going to live in Tom’s house in Connecticut.
Their wedding, which took place during the Civil War, provided a welcome escape from the sad problems of war. Not willing to let this bit of sunshine fade, communities throughout the country sponsored “Tom Thumb” weddings. In these weddings, small boys and girls, all dressed up, went through marriage ceremony for fun.
【小题1】“the talk of the town” means _________ .

A.they were in the newspaper
B.people spread mean rumors about them
C.they were the most popular things happening
D.they were discussed in a city meeting
【小题2】What does the author think about Tom Thumb’s wedding?
A.People gave it too much of their attention.
B.It helped people cheer up in a dark time.
C.It was funny and ridiculous.
D.Tom and Lavinia were stupid.
【小题3】Which of the following is the best clue to the fact that Tom was smart?
A.He became a billionaire at twenty-five.
B.He learned how to sing, dance, and act at a very young age.
C.He met with President Lincoln during his honeymoon.
D.He married a school teacher.
【小题4】 It was very funny when Tom danced on a wooden plate held by a person who was eight feet tall because ________ .
A.the wooden plate would make it sound as if Tom were tap dancing
B.it made Tom feel taller
C.the eight-foot-tall man was the only tall person Tom trusted
D.the difference between them would make Tom look even smaller
【小题5】What does the author imply in the last paragraph?
A.Weddings always make people feel full of sunshine.
B.People are always disappointed during wartime.
C.Entertainment can serve an important purpose.
D.People should be married even if they are small.

Ms. Robson, Hilary, Rose and Tom each want to decide on a holiday for their students. Read the following descriptions and help them make proper choices.

_________1. Ms. Robson’s students are studying French and German. She would like them to speak both the languages while they’re away.

_________ 2. Hilary’s students are 14 years old. Some of them learn French, so she wants to find a holiday course which can offer individual language lessons for those who would like to improve their French.

_________ 3. Rose has a small group of students. They all want to sail but unfortunately some of them are unable to swim, although they’re eager to learn.

_________ 4. Tom’s class have just started to learn German and he wants a holiday which mixes studying the language with plenty of free time to explore the foreign country.

Summer in France

All our courses take place at the university in Marsellie. Morning classes are held in German, evening lectures are in French. We offer an exciting program of evening activities including music, dance, etc.

Greek Sailing Holidays

Arrive by air and then hire one of our boats with all the latest equipment to sail around the Greek islands. These boats sleep up to twenty students and teachers. Trained sailing staff are available but you must be able to swim.

Summer Courses in Finland

If you love water sports you’ll love our one-week sports holiday on the Finnish lakes. There are opportunities to swim, sail and water ski. Lessons are available if you need them. There is also a chance to learn Finnish at no extra cost! Everyone is welcome.

Holiday Programs in Germany

We offer morning classes in the German language at all levels from beginners upwards. In the afternoon you are free to join in our mountain walks or to go shopping in the nearby town. In the evening we organize a full program of entertainment. All ages are welcome!

Summer Schools in France

Opportunities to speak French. We offer summer schools for students between the ages of 12-16. Live with a French family and choose from a range of different activities including horse riding, indoor hockey, football, swimming and dry skiing. Private language lessons are arranged if requested.

 

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