On Saturday, millions of people around the world will celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day, which honors Patron Saint (or main religious figure) of Ireland. Communities across the United States will host parades, parties, and other festivities to mark the occasion.
This year, cities like Boston, New York, and Chicago have organized massive events celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day. In New York City, hundreds of thousands of people will gather to watch the Saint Patrick’s Day parade—the nation’s largest. It is one of the most watched parades in the world. Last year, almost 2 million spectators（观众） and more than 150,000 participants （参与者）filled the streets. The parade, first held in 1776, is also one of the oldest.
Chicago also throws a big celebration. Every year, the Chicago River, which crosses the city, glows green as event organizers dump about 40 pounds of fluorescence, a powerful dye(染料), into the water.
Boston keeps its parade rolling for three hours or more. It is the nation’s second-largest parade. The city will also salute one of its most famous former residents, President John F. Kennedy, by opening the exhibit “A Journey Home: John F. Kennedy and Ireland,” at his official library.
Patron Saint lived in Britain in the early fifth century, when it was still part of the Roman Empire. He was captured （抓捕）and sold into slavery（卖为奴隶） in Ireland when he was only 16．He eventually escaped slavery and turned to a life of religious devotion. He trained to become a minister（牧师） and set out to spread Christianity throughout Ireland. After 30 years as a religious leader, Patrick died on March 17, 1461．Saint Patrick’s Day is always celebrated on March 17．In Ireland, it is an official holiday.
1．What’s the best title of the passage?
A．History of Saint Patrick’s Day                  B．An Official Holiday in US
C．The Largest Parade in the World                D．Celebrations across the Country
2．What do you think is the official color of St. Patrick’s Day?
A．Green                  B．Red.                    C．Black.                  D．Yellow.
3．The last paragraph is mainly about _____.
A．the cruel slave trade.                        B．Saint Patrick’s contribution.
C．activities during Saint Patrick’s Day       D．Ireland’s Patron Saint
4．Which of the following is not correct according to the passage?
A．Parade is a most important event to observe Saint Patrick’s Day.
B．Saint Patrick’s Day is a religious holiday.
C．Saluting the former president has become a main event on the occasion.
D．The Saint Patrick’s Day parade has a history of over two centuries.

B
Dior was born in Normandy in 1905, and his family’s original plans for him included a career in the diplomatic service, but by the time he was twenty-three, with his parents’ money, he opened a small art gallery in Paris. By 1931, the money had been used up. Dior’s friends in the art gallery asked him to draw and he took his first step at designing and drawing. His first job was with Lucien Lelong from whom Dior learned his craft（手艺）.
In February, 1947, Dior started the New Look in his first major Paris collection. He was backed by a famous textile producer, Boussac, who looked after the dollars, while Dior looked after the fashions. Dior knew nothing about cutting and sewing, but he was good at fashion design.
The New Look started an entirely different look to costume, with a tiny waist, a rounded shoulder and a shapely bust（胸围）, usually with a low-cut neckline and a long full skirt. To women who had lived through the war years, the femaleness of the New Look was a great success, for people were tired of the extremely plain, wartime restrictive fashions.
It is said that dresses by Dior were “constructed like buildings”, but young people were attracted to his design, and all over the western world, manufacturers plunged into（投入）the production of his new style. Dior’s revolutionary designs lighted up a whole cycle of fashion - rounded, gentle, feminine - a delight in elegance. A New kook House of Dior opened in 1948, followed by one in London. Considered as King of Couture （Women’s clothing） for years, the Dior Empire grew until it covered every country in the western world, and included furs, jewelry, perfumes, men’s wear and so on. Over 1,000 people worked at the Paris headquarters then.
His sudden death in 1957 when he was 52 years old did not stop the growth of the House of Dior. Even now, so many years after his death, his name is closely connected with fashion throughout the world, and indeed is one of the most recognized names in the world. His first great New Look, with its long skirts, was an expression of freedom in the late 1940s.
60. Which of the following designs is close to Dior’s?

61. According to the passage, in Dior’s life, he did not _________.
A. make creative fashion designs
B. work in a diplomatic service
C. learn craft as his first job
D. open a New Look House
62. We can infer from the passage that ________.
A. Dior and his supporter had different interests in business
B. Dior’s New Look had little influence on people then
C. Dior is only a brand of women’s fashion
D. Dior’s fashion was not accepted at first
63. What is probably the best title for the passage?
A. The History of the New Look
B. The Growth of the Dior Empire
C. An Expression of Freedom - Dior
D. The Founder of the New Look - Dior

A couple of years ago I took the family on a winter vacation to New York City to experience the holiday atmospheres. The longest lines that week weren’t in the Empire State Building, at the Statue of Liberty Ferry or any of the Big Apple’s other landmarks (地标) , but at Fifth Avenue and 58th Street, where people crowded into FAO Schwarz.

It was not until I got inside that it became clear how only one toy store could provide everything else that Manhattan offers between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Far more than a shopping experience, the hour we spent wandering along the aisles(通道) at FAO Schwarz was more like visiting a museum of everything that children care for very much. And for me — and all of the other bright-eyed grownups — it was a trip down my memory lane to the toys we knew as kinds.

America’s most unique toy stores are found from coast to coast, in big cities and also in small towns. Let’s have a look at some others.

The Dinosaur Farm in South Pasadena, Calif.: Former rock musician Dave Plenn opened the shop in 1994, a year after “Jurassic Park” brought the creatures back into the spotlight again. But he says his wife ---who was then working for the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles— rather than the big movie proved the inspiration for the dinosaur store.

Mild Zone: A more traditional specialty store, which sells model cars like Matchbox, Hot Wheels and Johnny Lightning. “It’s such an addicting (上瘾的) hobby,” says Burke, who admits that he originally created the store as a means to feed his own toy car collection. “Once you buy your first, you can never stop.” The store has around 30,000 cars. Mile Zone’s customers are from kinds with a wish for speedy toys to grown-ups who view the model cars as time travel back to their youth.

59. The author wrote the first paragraph mainly to show _________.

A. the poor traffic condition in New York      B. the nice holiday atmosphere in New York

C. the popularity of toy stores in New York   D. the charming landmarks in New York

60. Walking into FAO Schwarz gave the author a chance to ___________.

A. recall his life of childhood  B. visit a most special museum

C. study the history of Manhattan   D. learn the way of producing toys

61. Dave Plenn was inspired to open the Dinosaur Farm by ________.

A. his wife       B. “Jurassic Park”  C. his research on nature       D .rock music

62. We can infer from the passage that ______.

A. dinosaur toy stores are more popular than traditional ones

B. some unique toys have been displayed in local museums

C. some popular toy stores have become new landmarks

D. customers of toy stores are more than children

The Hollywood Reporter on Friday named Oprah Winfrey the most powerful woman in entertainment on its annual “Power 100 List”.
Winfrey, whose “Oprah” talk show began in national syndication 22 years ago, played a role in the victory of President-elect Barack Obama by praising him early in his run and by supporting him throughout the campaign.
Elizabeth Guider, editor of The Hollywood Reporter, remarked on Winfrey’s “great cultural influence” and said she could be “the most influential woman in America”.
Winfrey, 54, jumped from the No.6 spot on the entertainment trade paper’s 2007 list to No.1 this year. The Hollywood Reporter noted that a study by University of Maryland economists found Winfrey’s support for Obama won him more than l million votes nationwide.
Winfrey’s production company, Harpo Inc., made $ 345 million last year. She manages an empire that includes her TV show, a magazine and an online’ store.
Anne Sweeney, president of Disney-ABC Television Group, was given the No.2 spot on the list after coming in top a year ago. Sweeney manages her company’s news, entertainment and daytime divisions, along with its cable and publishing branches.
Amy Pascal, chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group, won the No.3 spot on the list.
Other women listed included actress Angelina Jolie, at No.24, who has strengthened her public image with charity efforts; comedian Tina Fey, No.51, in part for playing Sarah Palm, the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, in wildly popular TV impersonations (扮演) during the election campaign; and 16-year-old pop star Miley Cyrus, who rounded out the list at No.100.
59. What did Elizabeth Guider think of Oprah Winfrey?
A. She played a great part in helping Obama winning the election.
B. She deserved to be the most powerful woman in politics.
C. She made a great contribution to American culture.
D. She managed her company’s news and entertainment programs very well.
60. Which of the following is true about Winfrey?
A. Her support for Obama helped him greatly in his winning the election.
B. She was once chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group.
C. She rose to No. 2 on the entertainment trade paper’s 2007 list.
D. She was a Hollywood reporter 22 years ago.
61. What is Tina Fey famous for?
A. She supported pop star Miley Cyrus.
B; She played Sarah Palm in popular TV programs.
C. She made great efforts to help the needy.
D. She took over an empire that includes TV show, a magazine and an online store.
62. Which of the following can best summarize the main idea of the passage?
A. The Hollywood Reporter chose its 100 most powerful women.
B. How Hollywood helped Obama and Sarah Palm.
C. Harpo Inc, made $ 345 million last year.
D. Oprah Winfrey, the most powerful woman in entertainment.

As the world watched the twin towers of the World Trade Center come under attack, a common phrase was repeated:” It looks like a movie.”
But this time there was no superman to save the people or the famous building. The attack destroyed one of the world's highest skyscrapers and left 5,000 people dead or missing.
Movie fans have become used to such events after years of Hollywood films showing disasters, terrorism and danger. The Empire State Building, the White House, New York City and even the American president himself have all been threatened(威胁) by terrorist attacks in these exciting films. The film” True Lies”, released in 1994, is considered to be a good example of this kind of movie. The special effects, including explosions and missiles, make the action look like a real thing.
　“Independence Day” in 1996 took this type of movie one step further by blowing up the White House. This science fiction(科幻) movie is about a war between human beings and aliens from another planet. In the movie, the World Trade Center towers are destroyed.
Violence has become a major part of Hollywood movies. And this is what people enjoy. Soon after the attacks, many famous film companies stopped the planned releases of some of their new movies, especially if their films showed terrorist attacks or plane crashes. “Swordfish” was top of the American box office in June. But the movie's story was frighteningly similar to the Sept. 11 disaster. The film would have been stopped in American and British cinemas after the attack. But it's unlikely that Hollywood will stay quiet for long. It is already waiting for the feeling in America to calm down.
【小题1】What is the main subject of the newspaper article?