Dear all,

Please read Professor Hume's email about his next lecture on Rosa Parks.

Susan Miller

Secretary

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Dear Susan,

Please forward this message to students of my history class.

Besides the life story of Rosa Parks in the textbook, the students are also required to read the passage below and some related stories that can be borrowed from the school library.

Ted Hume

The early experiences of Rosa Parks(1913-2005), long known as the “mother of the civil rights movement, ”were not different from those of many African-Americans at that time. The black woman, however, turned the course of American history in December 1955 when she refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man. “By sitting down, ”remarked John Lewis, “she was standing up for all Americans. ”

Among the numerous awards Parks received in her life were the Presidential Medal of Freedom(1996)and the Congressional Gold Medal(1999).

Parks died on Oct. 24, 2005. At St. Paul A. M. E. Church in Montgomery, a large crowd including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice celebrated her life. Rice said she and others, who grew up when the political activities of Parks held public attention, might not have realized her impact(影响)on their lives, “but I can honestly say that without Mrs. Parks, I probably would not be standing here as Secretary of State. ”

After her casket(灵柩)was placed at the Capitol, U. S. President Bush, members of Congress and ordinary Americans paid their respects. In American history Parks is the first woman to lie in state at the Capitol, a very high regard usually reserved for Presidents of the United States.

What is the main purpose of Susan’s email?

A. To make arrangements for Professor Hume's class. B. To introduce to the students Rosa Parks.

C. To help the students organize a lecture.         D. To answer Professor Hume's last email.

What does the underlined word “forward” mean?

A. Explain.              B. Send.             C. Take.                 D. Read.

The political impact of Rosa Parks lies in the fact that she .

A. helped Condoleezza Rice achieve political success

B. joined the civil rights movement at a young age

C. made racial equality a common value in American society

D. set a good example in her early life for other black Americans

How was Rosa Parks treated after her death?

A. She was named “mother of the civil rights movement. ”

B. She was received by President Bush at the Capitol.

C. She was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

D. She was honored to lie in state at the Capitol.

   Since my retirement(退休) from teaching music in 2001, I have spent a good deal of time painting as an artist. I actually began drawing again in the summer of 1995 when my father died, so perhaps I was trying to recover from the loss of my father, or maybe it was just that it brought back memories of him. In any case, I drew pen and ink animals and landscapes(风景画) much influenced(影响) by Krenkel and St. John for five years.

For some strange reason, I had been waiting until my retirement to start doing watercolors again, but as soon as I walked out of the school door for the last time I picked up my brushes and rediscovered Andrew Wyeth, who quickly became my favorite artist. I had looked through all the art books I had on my shelves and found his watercolors to be the closest to how I thought good watercolors should look. So I painted landscapes around Minnesota for three years and tried out many other types of painting. However, watercolors remained my first choice, and I think I did my best work there, showing my painting at a number of art exhibitions.

Art is now together with my piano playing and reading. There is a time for everything in my world, and it is wonderful to have some time doing what I want to do. As Confucius once said, “At seventy I can follow my heart’s desire.”

69.What is the text mainly about?

       A.Learning to paint in later life.                 B.How to paint watercolors.

       C.An artist-turned teacher.                       D.Life after retirement

70.The author started drawing again in 1995 because ___________.

       A.he hoped to draw a picture of his father

       B.he couldn’t stop missing his father

       C.he had more time after retirement

       D.he liked animals and landscapes

71.We can infer from the text that the author ____________.

       A.had been taught by Krenkel and St. John

       B.painted landscapes in Minnesota for 5 years

       C.believed Wyeth to be the best in watercolors

       D.started his retirement life at the age of seventy

72.How does the author probably feel about his life as an artist?

       A.Very enjoyable.                                    B.A bit regretful.

       C.Rather busy.                                        D.Fairly dull.

September can be a depressing month. The summer holidays are over, it’s time to go back to work or school and Christmas is four months away. However, for some people it’s the perfect time to get away.
These days more and more people are taking their holidays late in the year and for good reasons. Holidays in autumn can be cheaper, the resorts are less crowded and the weather isn’t as extreme as it is in the summer. So, where are the best places to go? Here are our top tips.
Sardinia (in Italy) has an average temperature of 27℃ in September. It also has “Autunno in Barbagia” (Autumn in Barbagia) a series of festivals that take place in 27 villages in Barbagia, a mountainous region of inland Sardinia. The festivals continue from September to December, so there’s always something happening. There are street markets, craft workshops and there’s lots of eating and drinking (This is Italy, after all).
Dubrovnik Croatia has become very popular in summer but it’s quieter and more pleasant once the crowds have left. The weather is still warm but less humid. You can take a ferry to the popular beaches on the islands of Sunj and enjoy it with locals.
Dahab Egypt, is extremely hot in the summer with temperatures up to 38℃. However, the autumn is cooler while the sea is still warm. This makes Dahab the perfect place for snorkeling and windsurfing. There are also interesting historical sites to visit such as the Coloured Canyon, with its dramatic rock formations, and St Catherine’s Monastery, at the foot of Mount Sinai.
Kas is a relaxed fishing village on the Lycian coast in southern Turkey. There are plenty of things to do and the temperature has dropped (so you can actually enjoy doing them!) Kas is a good place to stay if you want to walk part of the Lycian way: a long-distance footpath that stretches for 500km from Fethiye to Antalya through the ancient land of Lycia. There are also watersports, of course. The best time to go diving is supposed to be after the first rains of autumn (usually between late September and early October) when the fish become most active.
Marrakech Morocco is another good destination. The city itself is a fascinating place to spend a few days. When you have had enough of that, go to Tigmi, a beautiful hill town about 20 kilometers away. There’s a hammam (a Turkish bath) and a large heated pool, which makes it the perfect place to relax.
Wherever you go this autumn – have fun!
【小题1】Here are the good reasons for people to take holidays in autumn except that _______.

A.Holidays in autumn can be cheaper
B.the scenery in autumn is more attractive
C.the resorts in autumn are less crowded
D.The weather is neither too hot nor too cold
【小题2】We can infer from Paragraph 3 that _______________.
A.visitors can take part in a series of festivals in October in Barbagia
B.Barbagia in Egypt is surrounded by mountains
C.the festivals continue from September to November
D.the temperature in Sardinia in September is always below 27℃
【小题3】For someone who enjoys walking, __________ is the best choice.
A.KasB.MarrakechC.DahabD.Dubrovnik
【小题4】Which of the following places may not be close to sea?
A.DubrovnikB.DahabC.KasD.Marrakech

When you are in Nanoko, be sure to stay at the Garden Hotel, whether you come on business or on holiday you will find everything as comfortable and convenient as you would expect in a first class international hotel.
Every bedroom has its own bathroom, telephone, and colorful modern materials and furniture in the local style. In the Mistu Restaurant, you can choose your meals from a lot of dishes, both Eastern and European, as you will find anywhere in the country. In the Beach Bar, you can drink with your family and friends in air-conditioned comfort, listen to the music of internationally known artists. Or you can take your drink outside into the beautiful garden that gives the hotel its name, or to the tables that surround the swimming pool. Throughout the motel, you will find the service is both friendly and efficient.
By day the pool is alive with the holiday spirit and the happy shouting of children and by night, soft light and music make it a perfect place for a party, or simply for an after-dinner drink and conversation.
The Garden Hotel has its own minibus service. Give us a ring and we will arrange to collect you at the airport or in the city center.
If you prefer, we can arrange for you to visit the wainiri Islands that lie just off the coast. Here you can swim in peace; or you can fish there. As it is well known, Wainiri is really a good place for people going fishing. The Garden Hotel is right on the beach, only five minutes from Nanoko’s modern shopping center. Here you will find all that money can buy, at prices you can afford.
【小题1】Every bedroom at the Garden Hotel _____.

A.has a bathroom
B.has a colorful telephone in the local style
C.is colorful and modern with local style
D.is in an international style, comfortable and convenient.
【小题2】The hotel arranges for the visitors to _____.
A.go fishing off Cape St. Cermain near wainiri
B.go across to the Wainiri Islands to swim or fish
C.see amounts of sea lives off the coast of Wainiri
D.go by bus to the Wainiri Islands for peach
【小题3】You will find the Garden Hotel _____.           
A.on the beach not far from Nanoko’s excellent shops
B.on the beach where you will find all that money can buy
C.close to shops where everything is cheap and famous
D.just off the coast, five minutes from the shops

A study by St.. Louis University has found that a lovable dog named Sparky and a robotic dog, AIBO, were about equally effective at reducing the loneliness of nursing home residents. The study confirmed previous findings that dogs have a good effect on nursing home residents.

Dr. Andrew Smith led the Stanford University team that built a home-assistance robot. “If humans can feel an emotional tie with robots, some day they could be not just our assistants, but also our companions,” he said.

To test whether residents responded better to Sparky, a trained dog, or the Sony-made robotic dog, researchers divided 38 nursing home residents into three groups at three long-term care centers in St. Louis.

One group had weekly 30-minute one-on-one visits with Sparky; another group had similar visits with AIBO; a control group had no contact with either dog. The groups’ respective levels of loneliness were tested by having them answer a number of questions at the beginning and near the end of the visits.

After two months, both groups that had contact with the dogs were less lonely and more attached. Most of the elderly regarded Sparky, a 9-year-old dog, as an audience for their life stories, said investigator Marian Banks.

“He listened attentively, wagged his tail, and allowed them to pet him,” said Banks, who adopted and trained Sparky after finding him in a street behind her home seven years ago.

Those who were together with AIBO took a little longer to warm to the robotic creature. Over time, however, they grew comfortable with him, and petted and talked to him. He would respond by wagging his tail, vocalizing, and blinking his lights..

“AIBO is charming once you start to interact with him,” said the study’s author, Dr. William Banks, “He’s an attractive sort of guy. He gives a feeling of being personal, not just a robot.”

1.Before the new study, it was known that ____.

A.robots were effective at reducing people’s loneliness

B.robots could build close connection with humans

C.dogs could help get rid of old people’s loneliness

D.dogs and robots were equally effective at reducing loneliness

2.Those who had contact with the robotic dog found that ___.

A.they didn’t feel comfortable with it

B.it was hard for them to interact with it

C.they weren’t comfortable with it at first

D.the robot’s vocalizing and blinking confused them

3.The findings of the researchers tell us that___.

A.robots are better at caring for old people than nurses

B.robots can to some degree replace dogs as companions for old people

C.it’s easy for people to become close with robots

D.every home will have a robot assistant one day

4.What would be the best title for the passage?

A.Robots Serve People Better Than Thought

B.No More Lonely Old Age with Emotional Robots

C.Advanced Technology Used to cheer up the Elderly

D.Robots and Dogs Can Equally Cheer up the Elderly

 

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