The Enigma (谜)of Beauty

The search for beauty spans centuries and continents. Paintings of Egyptians dating back over 4,000 years show both men and women painting their nails and wearing makeup. In 18th-century France, wealthy noblemen wore large wigs (假发)of long, white hair to make themselves attractive. Today, people continue to devote a lot of time and money to their appearance.

There is at least one good reason for the desire to be attractive:beauty is power. Studies suggest that good-looking people make more money, get called on more often in class, and are regarded as friendlier.

But what exactly is beauty? It's difficult to describe it clearly, and yet we know it when we see it. And our awareness of it may start at a very early age. In one set of studies, six-month-old babies were shown a series of photographs. The faces on the pictures had been rated for attractiveness by a group of college students. In the studies, the babies spent more time looking at the attractive faces than the unattractive ones.

The idea that even babies can judge appearance makes perfect sense to many researchers. In studies by psychologists, men consistently showed a preference for women with larger eyes, fuller lips, and a smaller nose and chin while women prefer men with large shoulders and a narrow waist. According to scientists, the mind unconsciously tells men and women that these traits —the full lips, clear skin, strong shoulders —equal health and genetic well-being.

Not everyone thinks the same way, however. " Our hardwiredness can be changed by all sorts of expectations —mostly cultural, " says C. Loring Brace, an anthropologist at the University of Michigan. What is considered attractive in one culture might not be in another. Look at most Western fashion magazines:the women on the pages are thin. But is this "perfect" body type for women worldwide? Scientists' answer is no; what is considered beautiful is subjective and varies around the world. They found native peoples in southeast Peru preferred shapes regarded overweight in Western cultures.

For better or worse, beauty plays a role in our lives. But it is extremely difficult to describe exactly what makes one person attractive to another. Although there do seem to be certain physical traits considered universally appealing, it is also true that beauty does not always keep to a single, uniform standard. Beauty really is, as the saying goes, in the eye of the beholder.

1.People's ideas about beauty ________.

A. have existed since ancient times

B. can be easily described

C. have little influence on a person's success

D. are based upon strict criteria

2.In Paragraph 3, the babies in the study ________.

A. were rated for their appearance

B. were entered in a beauty contest

C. were shown photos of a group of college students

D. were able to tell attractive faces from unattractive ones

3.The underlined word “traits” in Paragraph 4 probably means ________.

A. qualities B. measurements

C. judgments D. standards

4.We can learn from the passage that ________.

A. the ideas of beauty vary as people grow up

B. the search for beauty is rooted in lack of confidence

C. the standards for beauty are based on scientific researches

D. the understanding of beauty depends on cultural backgrounds

King's College Summer School

King's College Summer School is an annual training program for high school students at all levels who want to improve their English. Courses are given by the teachers of King' s College and other colleges in New York. Trips to museums and culture centers are also organized. This year's summer school will be from July 25 to August 15.

More information is as follows:

Application date

Students in New York should send their applications before July 18, 2015.

Students of other cities should send their applications before July 16, 2015.

Foreign students should send their applications before July 10, 2015.

Courses

English Language

Spoken English: 22 hours

Reading and Writing: 10 hours

American History: 16 hours

American Culture: 16 hours

Steps

A letter of self-introduction

A letter of recommendation(推荐)

﹡ The letters should be written in English with all the necessary information.

Cost

Daily lessons: $200

Sports and activities: $100

Travels: $200

Hotel service: $400

﹡You may choose to live with your friends or relatives in the same city.

Please write to:

Thompson, Sanders

1026 King' s Street

New York, NY 10016, USA

E-mail: KC-Summer-School@ yahoo.com

1.You can most probably read the text in _______.

A. a textbook B. a travel guide

C. a newspaper D. a telephone book

2.Which of the following is true about King' s College Summer School?

A. Only top students can take part in the program.

B. Visits to museums and culture centers are part of the program.

C. King' s College Summer School is run every other year.

D. Only the teachers of King' s College give courses.

3.King’s College Summer School offers the following courses except _______.

A. English Language B. American History

C. American Culture D. American Geography

4.If you are to live with your relatives in New York, you will have to pay the school _______.

A. $200 B. $400 C. $900 D. $500

阅读下面短文,从短文后面各题所给的四个选项(A、 B、C 和 D)中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

Dawson was an old grouch (脾气坏的人), which everyone in town knew. Kids knew not to go into his yard to pick a delicious , even off the ground, because old Dawson, they said, would come after you with his gun.

One Friday, 12-year-old Jane and her friend Amy were on the way to Amy’s house, but as they got close Jane saw Dawson sitting on his front porch (前廊) and they cross over to the other side of the street. She was of the old man because of the stories she’d heard about him.

Amy said not to worry, Mr. Dawson wouldn’t hurt anyone. , Jane was growing more nervous with each step to the man’s house. When they got close enough, Dawson looked up with his usual frown (皱眉), but when he saw Amy, a broad changed his entire face as he said, “Hello, Miss Amy. You’ve got a little friend with you today.”

Amy smiled back and told him Jane was staying overnight and that they were going to play games. Dawson said that sounded fun, and them each a fresh apple off his tree. They gladly accepted. Dawson had the best apples in town.

When they got Dawson’s earshot (听力范围), Jane asked, “Everyone says he’s the meanest man in town. he was so nice to us?”

Amy explained that at first he wasn’t friendly and she was afraid of him, but she he was wearing an invisible (看不见的) smile, so she always smiled at him. It took a while, but one day he -smiled back at her.

After some more time, he started smiling real smiles and then started to her. Just a “hello” at first, then more, and now always plus an apple.

“An invisible smile?” Jane.

“Yes. My grandma said if I pretended he was smiling an invisible smile at me and I smiled back, sooner or later he would really smile. Grandma says are contagious (传染的).”

We’re always trying to accomplish so much, getting groceries, cleaning the house, mowing the lawn… It’s so easy to get in everyday life that we forget how it can be to bring cheer to ourselves and others. Giving a smile away so little effort and time. Let’s make sure that we are not the one that have to pretend is wearing an invisible smile.

1.A. pear B. grape C. banana D. apple

2.A. suggested B. thought C. planned D. ordered

3.A. ashamed B. scared C. curious D. proud

4.A. Therefore B. Instead C. Moreover D. Still

5.A. closely B. faraway C. further D. closer

6.A. face B. mind C. smile D. heart

7.A. offered B. suggested C. supplied D. provided

8.A. within B. out of C. despite D. over

9.A. How come B. What if C. Why D. Now that

10.A. found B. realized C. pretended D. forgot

11.A. on B. back C. again D. after

12.A. really B. happily C. all D. half

13.A. talking B. looking C. waving D. nodding

14.A. questioned B. replied C. surprised D. laughed

15.A. feelings B. apples C. smiles D. talks

16.A. on the phone B. on the go C. in the way D. on one foot

17.A. beaten up B. cut down C. caught up D. picked up

18.A. necessary B. simple C. complicated D. scary

19.A. leaves B. makes C. takes D. leads

20.A. we B. one C. who D. others

完形填空(共1小题)

The two teachers were sitting in the teacher's room.For a moment there was_____.Then one of them, Miss Smith said, "I'm afraid I'd have to fail him."

"Now, Alice,” said her friend Mrs.Jackson, "is he _____ terrible student?"

"That's just the______,”the other woman replied."Tom is my best student.The problem is that he's now so lazy that he never gets his______done.He hasn't handed me______of his homework_______ three weeks and I'd be surprised if he did now."

____before had Mrs.Jackson seen Miss Smith look so unhappy." Have you______with him about it?" she asked.

"Why should I? He knows he has to prepare his lessons and do his homework.I_____that clear the first day for class.When the course started he did so_____that I considered ____ the school to give him a scholarship (奖学金) .But now he even _____ in class! I've never seen such a ______in a student!"

"You should have a______with him.Give him a chance to tell his side of the story."

Miss Smith spoke to Tom and ______all about it.He was studying all day and______most of the night in a factory to pay for his education.Of course he was tired in the______and sometimes could hardly keep______.Miss Smith soon arranged for him to have a_______and he was able to give up his________and concentrate(集中精力) on his studies.

1.A.distance B.silence C.pleasure D.delight

2.A.so a B.such a C.so D.such

3.A.lesson B.thing C.problem D.boy

4.A.homework B.housework C.cleaning D.washing

5.A.some B.plenty C.any D.lots

6.A.before B.for C.since D.till

7.A.Long B.Until C.Ever D.Never

8.A.quarreled B.talked C.dealt D.discussed

9.A.said B.thought C.required D.made

10.A.quickly B.often C.much D.well

11.A.asking B.ask C.asked D.to be asked

12.A.talks B.sleeps C.laughs D.walks

13.A.matter B.change C.habit D.way

14.A.lesson B.look C.talk D.meeting

15.A.studied B.got C.learned D.understood

16.A.sleeping B.working C.spending D.staying

17.A.morning B.afternoon C.evening D.class

18.A.silent B.clean C.warm D.awake

19.A.scholarship B.room C.teacher D.position

20.A.education B.study C.job D.pay

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