T-shirts, so-called because when you lay them out they look like the letter T, are such a universal item of clothing that it is surprising to realize that no one wore them except as underwear until the second half of the 20th century.

American soldiers serving in Europe in the 1914—1918 War were equipped with heavy wool uniforms, which were extremely hot during the humid(潮湿的)summers. They noticed the French colleagues wore lightweight cotton shirts when the weather was hot. The nickname(绰号,诨名) “T-shirt” for this useful piece of clothing quickly caught on by the 1920s, it was already in Webster’s Dictionary of American English. By the time of the 1939—1945 war, it had become standard tissue clothing for USA soldiers.

At first, it was regarded as an undershirt, and was never worn as “outerwear”. However, the performances of two charming Hollywood movie stars, Marion Brando and James Dean, changed all this. The two actors are usually credited with making the T-shirt a stylish and desirable piece of clothing. Very soon, it was an indispensable fashion item for American young men.

The popularity of T-shirts rocketed during the 1970s, when rock and roll bands realized that they could make significant amounts of money selling their T-shirts. Professional sports teams also adopted the idea, and big companies began to produce T-shirts with their logo on the front and gave them away to their customers. Very soon, T-shirts carrying the brand names of international brands became commonplace.

60. Which of the following statements about T-shirts is true?

A. They originated (起源) in France in the early 1900s.

B. The original T-shirts were made of heavy wool.

C. All American soldiers wore them under their uniforms in the early 1900s.

D. They were worn only as underwear by men and women until the mid 20th century.

61. Who made the T-shirts a popular fashion shirt for men?

A. French soldiers who wore them in the early 1900s.

B. Rock and roll bands.

C. Two American film stars from the 1950s.

D. Sports professionals.

62. The underlined word “indispensable” in the third paragraph means

 ___________ .

A. you can’t buy it                                    B. you can't throw it away

C. you must have it                                          D. you must throw it away

63. What does the author mean by the expression “the popularity of T-shirts rocketed” in the fourth paragraph?

A. They were suddenly no longer popular.

B. They were suddenly very popular.

C. They gradually became more and more popular.

D. They were suddenly very expensive.

    Why are so many people so afraid of failure? Simply because no one tells us how to fail so that failure becomes an experience that will lead to growth. We forget that failure is part of the human condition and that every person has the right to fail.

Most parents work hard at either preventing failure or protecting their children from the knowledge that they have failed. One way is to lower standards. A mother describes her child’s poorly made table as “Perfect!” even though it doesn’t stand still. Another way is to shift (转移) blame. If John fails science, his teacher is unfair or stupid.

The trouble with failure-prevention ways is that they leave a child unequipped for life in the real world. The young need to learn that no one can be best at everything, no one can win all the time and that it’s possible to enjoy a game even when you don’t win. A child who’s not invited to a birthday party, who doesn’t make the honor list on the baseball team, feels terrible, of course. But parents should not offer a quick comfort, prize or say, “It doesn’t matter” because it does. The young should be allowed to experience disappointment — and be helped to master it.

Failure is never pleasurable. It hurts grown-ups and children alike. But it can make a positive contribution to your life once you learn to use it. Step one is to ask “Why did I fail?” Don’t blame someone else. Ask yourself what you did wrong and how you can improve. If someone else can help, don’t be shy about inquiring.

Success, which encourages repetition of old behavior, is not nearly as good a teacher as failure. You can learn from a bad party how to give a good one, from an ill-chosen first house what to look for in a second. Even a failure that seems definitive can create fresh thinking, a change of direction. After 12 years of studying ballet a friend of mine took an interview for a professional company. She was turned down. “Would further training help?” she asked. The ballet master shook his head. “You will never be a dancer,” he said, “You haven’t the body for it.”

In such cases, the way to use failure is to take assessment bravely and ask, “What have I left? What else can I do?” My friend put away her shoes and moved into dance treatment center, a field where she’s both able and useful. Failure frees one to take risks because there’s less to lose. Often there is recovery of energy— a way to find new possibilities.

1. The first paragraph tells us ______.

       A. the reason why so many people are afraid of failure

       B. the reason why we don’t know how to fail

       C. failure is very natural for every person

       D. one should be ready to face failure at any time

2. The second paragraph tells us ______.

       A. how a mother praised her children

       B. two ways of failure prevention most parents used when their children fail

       C. how to shift blame

       D. parents should blame their children at the proper time

3. According to the author, what should a child know in the real world?

       A. Ways to avoid failure.

       B. No one can be best all the time at everything.

       C. No parents should offer quick comforts.

D. He can get pleasure as well as success.

Why are so many people so afraid of failure? Quite simple because no one tells us how to fail so that failure becomes an experience that will lead to growth. We forget that failure is part of the human condition and that every person has the right to fail.

   Most parents work hard at either preventing failure or protecting their children from the knowledge that they have failed. One way is to lower standards. A mother describes her child’s hastily made table as “Perfect!” even though it doesn’t stand still. Another way is to shift(转移)blame. If John fails science, his teacher is unfair or stupid.

   The trouble with failure prevention is that they leave a child unequipped for life in the real world. The young need to learn that no one can be best at everything, no one can win all the time and that it’s possible to enjoy a game even when you don’t win. A child who’s not invited to a birthday party, who doesn’t make the honour roll on the baseball team, feels terrible, of course. But parents should not offer a quick comfort, prize or say “It doesn’t matter.” because it does. The young should be allowed to experience disappointment and be helped to master it.

Failure is never pleasurable. It hurts grownups and children alike. But it can make a positive contribution to your life once you learn to use it. Step one is to ask “Why did it fail? Don’t blame someone else. Ask yourself what you did wrong, how you can improve. If someone else can help, don’t be shy about inquiring. Success, which encourages repetition of old behaviour, is not nearly as good a teacher as failure. You can learn from a bad party how to give a good one, from an ill-chosen first house what to look for in a second. Even a failure that seems definitive can cause fresh thinking, a change of direction. After twelve years of studying ballet, a friend of mine applied for a professional company. She asked. That ballet master shook his head. “You will never be a dancer,” he said,” you haven’t the body for it.”

In such cases, the way to use failure is to take stock bravely asking “What have I left? What else can I do?” My friend put away her shoes and moved into dance treatment center, a field where she’s both able and useful. Failure frees one to take risks because there’s less to lose. Often there is recovery of energy — a way to find new possibilities.

1.The first paragraph tells us ______.

  A. failure is very natural for every person

  B. the reason why we don’t know how to fail

  C. the reason why so many people are afraid of failure

  D. one should be ready to face failure at any time

2.How many preventions may parents use when a child fails according to the passage?

  A. only two  B. no more than three  C. less than three  D. more than three

3. Which statement below does the writer support?

  A. Failure is as good an experience as success.

  B. Failure is the mother of success.

  C. Failure is far from a good teacher like success.

  D. Definitive failure gives us nothing but fresh thinking.

4. We can learn from the last paragraph that _______.

  A. failure is the recovery of energy

  B. failure makes one free to do something dangerous

  C. failure should be forgotten in our life

  D. failure is likely to do us good in life

Why are so many people so afraid of failure? Quite simple because no one tells us how to fail so that failure becomes an experience that will lead to growth. We forget that failure is part of the human condition and that every person has the right to fail.
Most parents work hard at either preventing failure or protecting their children from the knowledge that they have failed. One way is to lower standards. A mother describes her child’s hastily made table as “Perfect!” even though it doesn’t stand still. Another way is to shift(转移)blame. If John fails science, his teacher is unfair or stupid.
The trouble with failure prevention is that they leave a child unequipped for life in the real world. The young need to learn that no one can be best at everything, no one can win all the time and that it’s possible to enjoy a game even when you don’t win. A child who’s not invited to a birthday party, who doesn’t make the honour roll on the baseball team, feels terrible, of course. But parents should not offer a quick comfort, prize or say “It doesn’t matter.” because it does. The young should be allowed to experience disappointment and be helped to master it.
Failure is never pleasurable. It hurts grownups and children alike. But it can make a positive contribution to your life once you learn to use it. Step one is to ask “Why did it fail? Don’t blame someone else. Ask yourself what you did wrong, how you can improve. If someone else can help, don’t be shy about inquiring. Success, which encourages repetition of old behaviour, is not nearly as good a teacher as failure. You can learn from a bad party how to give a good one, from an ill-chosen first house what to look for in a second. Even a failure that seems definitive can cause fresh thinking, a change of direction. After twelve years of studying ballet, a friend of mine applied for a professional company. She asked. That ballet master shook his head. “You will never be a dancer,” he said,” you haven’t the body for it.”
In such cases, the way to use failure is to take stock bravely asking “What have I left? What else can I do?” My friend put away her shoes and moved into dance treatment center, a field where she’s both able and useful. Failure frees one to take risks because there’s less to lose. Often there is recovery of energy — a way to find new possibilities.
【小题1】The first paragraph tells us ______.

A．Failure is as good an experience as success.

B．Failure is the mother of success.

C．Failure is far from a good teacher like success.

D．Definitive failure gives us nothing but fresh thinking.

I’ve written 14 movies. My characters smoke in many of them, and they look cool and glamorous doing it. Smoking was an integral（必需的） part of many of my screenplays because I was a heavy smoker. It was part of a bad-boy image I’d cultivated for a long time— smoking, drinking, partying, rock ’n’ roll.

       Smoking, I once believed, was every person’s right. The second-hand smoke was non-existent problem invented by professional do-gooders. I put all these views into my plays.

       Remembering all this, I find it hard to forgive myself. I have been an accomplice （帮凶） to the murders of untold numbers of human beings. I am admitting this only because I have made a deal with God. Spare me, I said, and I will try to stop others from committing the same crimes I did.

Eighteen months ago I was diagnosed with throat cancer, the result of a lifetime of smoking. I am alive but disabled. Much of my larynx （喉） is gone. I have some difficulty speaking; others have some difficulty understanding me.

       I haven’t smoked or drunk for 18 months now, though I still take it day by day and pray for help. I believe in prayer and exercise. I have walked five miles a day for a year, without missing even one day. Quitting smoking and drinking has taught me the hardest lesson I’ve ever learned about my own weakness; it has also given me the greatest affection and empathy（同感） for those still addicted.

      I don’t think smoking is every person’s right anymore. I think smoking should be as illegal as heroin. I’m no longer such a bad boy. I go to church on Sunday. I’m desperate to see my four boys grow up. I want to do everything I can to undo the damage I have done with my own big-screen words and images.

       Screen writers know, too, that some movie stars are more likely to play a part if they can smoke —because they are so addicted to smoking that they have difficulty stopping even during the shooting of a scene.

       My hands are bloody; so are Hollywood’s. My cancer has caused me to attempt to cleanse me. I don’t wish my fate upon anyone in Hollywood, but I beg that Hollywood should stop putting it upon millions of others.

1．The main idea of this passage probably is _________.

       A．the writer is ashamed of the bad effects his screenplays have had on human beings

       B．the writer’s smoking experience nearly killed himself

       C．the bad effects that Hollywood screenplay have brought to children

       D．the determination of the writer to overcome his illness

2．How do you think the writer has realized his mistake?

       A．So many people have found the habit of smoking due to his plays.

       B．His plays have brought great harm to teenagers.

       C．He himself suffered greatly from smoking.

       D．His screenplays have been doing more and more harm to human beings.

3．What is the writer determined to do in future?

       A．He has made up his mind to give up smoking forever.

       B．He will try his best to prevent others from writing screen plays encouraging smoking.

       C．He will try his best to bring up his four children.

       D．He has decided to write his screenplays without smoking scenes.

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

       A．the writer will soon be recovered from his illness thanks to his exercise

       B．the writer will soon die because of his deadly disease

       C．smoking will be got rid of in all Hollywood films

       D．smoking in Hollywood films is still doing great harm to human beings