D

Americans are pound of their variety- and individuality(多样性与个性), yet they love and respect few things more than a uniform（制服）, whether it is the uniform of an elevator operator or the uniform of a five-star general. Why are uniforms so popular in the United States?

Among the arguments for uniforms, one of the first is that in the eyes of most people they look more professional than civilian (百姓的) clothes. People have become conditioned to expect superior quality from a man who wears a uniform. The television repairman who wears uniform tends to inspire more trust than one who appears in civilian clothes. Faith in the skill of a garage mechanic is increased by a uniform. What easier way is there for a nurse, a policeman, a barber, or a waiter to lose professional identity (身份) than to step out of uniform ?

Uniforms also have many practical benefits. They save on other clothes. They save on laundry bills. They are tax-deductible (可减税的). They are often more comfortable and more durable than civilian clothes.

Primary among the arguments against uniforms is their lack of variety and the consequent loss of individuality experienced by people who must wear them. Though there are many types of uniforms, the wearer of any particular type is generally stuck with it, without change, until retirement. When people look alike, they tend to think, speak, and act similarly, on the job at least.

Uniforms also give rise to some practical problems. Though they are long-lasting, often their initial expense is greater than the cost of civilian clothes. Some uniforms are also dear to maintain, requiring professional dry cleaning rather than the home laundering possible with many types of civilian clothes.

1.It is surprising that Americans who worship variety and individuality________.

A．still judge a man by his clothes

B．hold the uniform in such high regard

C．enjoy having a professional identity

D．will respect an elevator operator as much as a general in uniform

2. People are used to thinking that a man in uniform________.

A．suggests quality work

B．discards his social identity

C．appears to be more practical

D．looks superior to a person in civilian clothes

3.The chief function of a uniform is to________.

A．provide practical benefits to the wearer

B．make the wearer catch the public eye

C．inspire the wearer’s confidence in himself

D．provide the wearer with a professional identity

4.According to the passage, people wearing uniforms________.

A．are usually helpful

B．have little or no individual freedom

C．tend to lose their individuality

D．enjoy greater popularity

【小题1】.The United Kingdom, which has four countries with one government, is off the northwest
coast of c____________ (大陆) Europe.
【小题2】. Paris, s____________ (位于) in the river Seine, is the capital and largest city of France.
“I____________” (居民) is the word used to describe those who live in a particular place.
【小题3】. The five countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa —known as “Brics (金砖国家)”, share some s____________ (相似之处) in developing their economies and improving the people’s living conditions.
【小题4】. Natural d____________ (灾难), such as earthquakes, volcanoes, and hurricanes, kill hundreds
of thousands of people every year.
【小题5】 Usually, fires caused by earthquakes did the most d____________(损失).
【小题6】. A mass c____________ (运动) has started in China to help protect the environment.
【小题7】.Sandstorms appear to have increased in China recently as a result of “d _________ (沙漠化)”.
【小题8】. Weather experts have f____________ (预报) another big sandstorm in a week’s time.
【小题9】. For many years, Mencius travelled from state to state, teaching the p____________ (原则) of Confucius.
【小题10】.Philosophers are people whose ideas are very i____________ (有影响力) .
【小题11】.It is my r____________ (责任) to make sure that all the lights are turned off when we leave
the classroom.
【小题12】.One of Barcelona’s most famous l____________ (地标) is the Church of the Sagrada Familia, which was designed by an architect called Antonio Gaudi.
【小题13】.The lawyer acted as her r____________ (代表) in the hearings.
【小题14】.The US government will have to meet the c____________ (挑战) of rising unemployment.

Having one of those days—or weeks—when everything seems to annoy you? Even if you do nothing about it, your bad mood(心情) will probably go away after some time. But with a little effort, you can forget it much faster—often within a day or two.
Walk it off
Exercise is the most popular bad­mood buster. A person who's in a bad mood has low energy and high tension. Taking a fast ten­minute walk, or doing some quick  exercises can do wonders towards changing the bad mood.
Tune it out
Listening to your favorite music for a while can also make tension go away quickly, because music starts connection with past positive experiences we've had.
Give yourself a pep talk
Stop and listen to what's on your mind. Bad moods are often started by too many negative thoughts. Write them all down on paper, the pessimistic(悲观的) messages you've been giving yourself, and then give optimistic answers. (“I still don't have a job.” vs “I have two interviews next week.”)
Reduce your stress
Relaxation techniques are wonderful mood­lifters. These include deep breathing, stretching and visualizing, all of which sound complicated(复杂的) but aren't. One easy way to visualize: close your eyes and picture a favorite place, such as the beach. Another simple way to distress is to make a to­do list. One reason for being in a bad mood is feeling you have no options. By taking control over certain areas,  you realize you're not helpless. You can make changes in your mood and life.
Avoid things that won't improve your mood
TV may not help much: you need to increase your energy level and stimulate(刺激) your mind—something that the TV show “Neighbors” won't do. And before you reach for that piece of cake and coffee, think about how mood and food are linked. Sugar and caffeine contribute to depressed moods. The better choice? Research shows that carbohydrates, such as potatoes and pasta(面食), produce calming effects in people who have a desire for them.
【小题1】Which of the following may help us stop a bad mood?

Have you ever wished you could solve complex math problems without thinking? What about learning to play the piano in just three days? Or mastering several foreign languages within a month?

Eddie Morra, the main character in the movie Limitless can do all these things. But he isn’t Superman or Harry Potter. Eddie has taken pills called NZT.

Thriller Limitless came out in China on October 13. In the movie, Eddie is faced with “writer’s block”. He hasn’t written a single word of a novel, and his deadline has passed. And there’s more bad news: his girlfriend breaks up with him. By chance, Eddie runs into a relative who is a drug dealer. He gives Eddie some pills called NZT that allow people to make use of 100 percent of their brains. With the magic pills, Eddie’s life changes completely. He can recall everything he has ever read, seen or heard. He gains a sixth sense that allows him to predict future events. He even becomes a kungfu master by simply memorizing actions in Bruce Lee’s movie.

Before long he has finished his novel, won back his girlfriend and stepped into the financial world. He becomes rich incredibly quickly and is soon employed by a powerful Wall Street company. However, bad side effects are just around the corner. The effects of the pill last for only one or two days, and Eddie has to find more supplies of the pills. Meanwhile, the pills start to have other effects on him. Eddies’ mind loses the ability to control the actions of his body. What does destiny hold for him? Will he be able to go back to his normal life?

“Eddie’s fate turns out to be a barbed （讽刺的） joke… a sharp-eyed comic fable for an age of greed (贪婪)and speed.” writes A. O. Scott, a movie critic with the New York Times.

The drug isn’t real-----yet, some researchers say such memory-enhancing drugs might not be far off. Would you take such a pill despite its side effects? Is the ability to remember everything a blessing or a curse?

1.Which of the following happened to Eddie after he took the pill?

2.What’s A. O. Scott’s opinion of the movie?

A. The movie can help slow our pace in life.

B. The movie turned out to be only a joke.

C. The movie can help invent a memory-enhancing drug.

D. The movie aims to show something is wrong with our society.

3.What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

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

People want action on noise, a recent public meeting in Brisbane showed. Some want technical improvements such as quieter air conditioners or better sound barriers around major roads. Others want tougher laws to restrict noise from building sites or to require owners to take responsibility for barking dogs. But the highest priority was a noise complaints system that works.

Brisbane City Council receives more complaints about noise than all other problems put together. So it conducted a survey and found that about half its residents are upset by noise in one form or another –traffic, mowers, pool pumps, air conditioners or loud parties. This inspired the Council to bring together more than 100 citizens one evening to talk through a range of options.

    The meeting found the present regulatory system bizarre. Depending on the problem, responsibility for noise can lie with the Council, the Environment Protection Authority, one of three government departments or even the police. So complainants often feel they are getting the run-round. When the people at the forum were asked to vote for changes, the strongest response was for a 24-hour noise hotline to be the first port of call for all complaints.

    The forum also favored regulatory measures, such as tougher minimum standards for noise in appliances like air conditioners. This even makes economic sense, as noise is a waste of energy and money. Other measures the meeting supported were wider buffer (缓冲) zones around noisy activities and controls to keep heavy traffic away from residential areas.

    But there are obvious conflicts. Many people like to have a bar within walking distance if they feel like a drink, but they don’t want a noisy pub keeping them awake when they want an early night. Most people want to live near a major road providing good access to other parts of the city, but they don't’ want the problem of road noise.

    I was most interested by the proposals aimed at behavioral change. There was strong support for measures to reduce traffic: better public transport, cycle ways and footpaths, even charges for road use. Many people optimistically thought industry awards for better equipment would stimulate the production of quieter appliances. It was even suggested that noise from building sites could be alleviated (减轻) if Brisbane adopted daylight saving, thus shifting the working day and providing longer, quieter evenings.

1.According to the recent public meeting in Brisbane, what was the first step to take in order to reduce noise pollution?

         A．Produce quieter air conditioners.

         B．Provide better sound barriers around major roads.

         C．Establish a noise complaints system.

         D．Make stricter laws to require owners to take responsibility for barking dogs.

2.It can be inferred from the passage that _______.

         A．the Brisbane residents were satisfied with the present noise regulatory system

         B．many people in Brisbane preferred to live near a pub to which they have easy access

         C．nearly all the inhabitants in Brisbane were bothered by noise in one form or another

         D．noise pollution is the most serious among pollution complaints in Brisbane

3.Brisbane City Council brought together citizens to talk through solutions to the noise problem mainly due to        .

         A．the result of the survey carried out by itself

         B．a noise complaints system that works

         C．people asking for tougher laws on noise

         D．requirements of an effective noise complaints system

4.What does the word “run-round” (Para. 3) mean?

         A．Unfair treatment.                                        

         B．Quick response.

         C．Delaying action in response to a request.        

         D．Full attention.

5.How could noise from building sites be alleviated if Brisbane adopted daylight saving?

         A．If daylight saving was adopted, the daytime would be prolonged and the night would become quieter.

         B．If daylight saving was adopted, the working hours during the daytime would be shortened

while the night would be extended and thus quieter.

         C．If daylight saving was adopted, the night would be shortened and thus quieter.

D．If daylight saving was adopted, both the daytime and the night would be shortened and the

noise would be reduced.