1.　　　 Which of the following developed the earliest, according to the text? 　A. Hip-hop and rap. 　B. Breakingdance. 　C. Rock. 　D. Jazz.

3.　　　 In the last paragraph but two, Quant jokingly meant _____. A. some girls like to show off their legs B. she wasn't creative enough C. mini skirts would enjoy popularity anyway D. the mini skirts then were not short enough

Passage24　 Western teens share their top tunes

Have you ever wondered what kind of music kids across the Pacific Ocean are listening to? Are they crazy about Britney Spears? Do they love the Backstreet Boys? Or do they dance to Eminem? 　　 Well, nearly 6,000 teens have taken part in a Teens & Music study, conducted by USA Weekend Magazine last autumn. And the results show what type of music is hot and what is not. 　　 It comes as no surprise that hip-hop (街舞音乐) and rap (说唱乐) are the most popular types of music among American teenagers. They began in the mid-1970s, with young black kids in New York, taking music onto the streets. Hip-hop and rap are well-known for the breakdancing (霹雳舞) that goes with them. 　　 The word "rap" comes from a 1960s slang (俚语) word for conversation. It is a rapid, slangy rhyme (韵律) that is spoken rather than sung. 　　 Eminem is among the most popular rappers ever to hit the US. His first album "The Marshall Mathers LP" topped the American music chart (排行榜) in May 2000. Although about a third of teens in the US showed their support for him, almost as many said that his music was so offensive that they couldn't listen to it. 　　 Compared with Eminem, actor-rapper Will Smith is more of a star for the kids. He was awarded the Wannabe Award, on April 12 at Nickelodeon's 16th Annual Kids' Choice Awards. It is an award given to a celebrity whom kids most want to be. 　　 Pop music, such as Brittney Spears and the Backstreet Boys has always suited the tastes of the general public. It continues to enjoy support among teens and is second most popular after rap. 　　 Third is rock - music with exciting dance beats (节拍) and simple lyrics that speak loudly of social problems. The melodies (旋律) are led by electric guitars. Rock became popular in the US in the early 1950s. American singer Elvis Presley and British group the Beatles became world-famous rock artists. 　　 　The study also showed that jazz is least loved by American teens. It developed in the latter part of the 19th century from a mixture of African work songs and hymns (赞美诗). Jazz tends to be the type of music that people enjoy more as they get older.

2.　　　 What does the phrase "catch the eye of…" in the last paragraph but three (倒数第四段) mean? A. Affect. B. Attract. C. Be popular with. D. Be a topic of argument.

1.　　　 In what city did miniskirts probably first appear? A. Paris. B. Singapore. C. New York. D. London.

3.　　　 We can conclude from the text that: ________

A.　　　　 The company will have to deal with a lot of information.

B.　　　　 If you want to be well-known, you may turn to the company publishing the books.

C.　　　　 The other companies will use the same method

D.　　　　 Americans like “do it yourself”

Passage23　　 Sexy skirts

WHAT'S the hottest item on sale this summer? To find out, look no further than the recent spring-summer 2003 fashion shows held in Milan and Paris. 　　 The catwalks (天桥) were filled with miles of legs, sticking out from beneath miniskirts and hotpants (热裤). 　　 "After last season's longer skirts, the return of the mini is a welcome one," said Singapore fashion designer David Wang. 　　 It's not the first time miniskirts have travelled down the catwalks and filled the shops. This year, the small piece of material is celebrating its 40th anniversary. 　　 The sexy skirt was created by London designer Mary Quant in 1963. Quant was an amateur(业余爱好者) with an art background. She had been designing and producing her own clothes since the late 1950s for a new youthful market. 　　 Quant came to the conclusion that fashion should not only exist for the rich, but for everyone, and especially for the young. 　　 "I had always wanted young people to have a fashion of their own," she wrote in a book in 1966. 　　 The miniskirt captured the world's imagination. And it has continued to catch the eye of women, and men, ever since. 　　 "If I didn't make them short enough, the girls who had wonderful legs would get out the scissors and shorten the skirts themselves," Quant joked.

When the mini first arrived in the US in the mid-1960s, it was reduced to a tiny piece of material about 12cm long, which hardly covered a girl's bottom. 　 　　Today's minis are a more modest 25 to 30cm and reach just below the bottom. But designer David Wang said he would have his minis up to 45cm long, a length which sits comfortably above the knee. "The length should be more acceptable for the general public," he explained.

Tips on wearing a mini: * If you're not comfortable wearing a very short skirt, try going just above the knee. * A skirt should never be wider than it is short. * Remember that in a mini, everything is a challenge - getting into a taxi, picking up something you dropped. Best Looks * Hotpants with jackets. * Short skirts worn with patterned tights (紧身衣) * Good shoes: from flat sandals to knee-high boots.

2.　　　 The books will develop the children’s interest in reading by _______

A.　　　　 the interesting stories in them.

B.　　　　 meeting natural desire of children’s

C.　　　　 the computers’ well using

D.　　　　 fairies.

1.　　　 Why do the children like the “me-books”?

A.　　　　 Because the main characters are Jenny, her dog, her cat her three playmates.

B.　　　　 Because the company that publishes the books is unusual

C.　　　　 Because in the U.S.A. “do it yourself” is a way of life.

D.　　　　 Because the children will see familiar names in the books

4.　　　 In the writer’s opinion, Chinese people should turn their efforts towards developing ________.

A. a good public transportation system

B. cars housing conditions

C.　　　 household

D. appliances

Passage 22　　　 Me-Books

In America, where labour costs are so high, “do-it-yourself” is a way of life. Many people repair their own cars, build their own houses. Soon they may also be writing their own books. In Hollywood there is a company that publishes children’s books with the aid of computers. Although other companies also publish that way, this particular company is very unusual. It “personalizes” the books by having the computer make the reader the leading character in the story. Here is how they do it. Let us say your child is named Jenny. She lives on Oak Drive in St Louis, has a dog named Spot, a cat named Tabby, and three playmates whose names are Betsy, Sandy, and Jody. The computer uses information to fill out a story that has already been prepared and illustrated, The story is then printed with standard equipment as a hardcover book. A child who receives such a book might say, “This book is about me”; the company therefore calls itself the “Me-book Publishing Company”.

Children like the me-books very much because they like to see in print their own names and the names of their friends and their pets. But more important, “personalization” has been found to be an important tool in developing enthusiasm for reading. Me-books are thus helping a child to learn how to read, by appealing to that natural desire to see his own name in print.

3.　　　 In today’s China owning a car is seen as a symbol of _________.

A.　　　　 wealth

B.　　　　　 success

C.　　　　　 maturity

D.　　　　 both A and B

2. Many of people want to own a car without considering _________.

A.　　　 this is a dream

B.　　　　 money

C.　　　　 the problems related to the mass ownership of private autos

D.　　　 comfort