HE was killed 40 years ago.Since then his memory has been clouded by dark tales of affairs with the likes of Marilyn Monroe(玛莉莲·梦露), and links with the Mafia(黑手党).
But the myth(神话)of John F.Kennedy, the 35th President of the US, will not disappear.As America marked the anniversary of his death in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963, questions were still being asked.
The official conclusion was that Lee Harvey Oswald, who worked at a Dallas book storehouse, murdered Kennedy.But all kinds of other ideas have been put forward as to what happened and why.
Some people believe Oswald was a madman, who spent some time in Russia and was an admirer of Fidel Castro, president of Cuba.It is said he was inspired by the James Bond spy novels and killed Kennedy as a gift for Castro.
But Oswald's brother thought he was a sad and lonely man who murdered the president to get attention and show off his shooting skills.
Meanwhile, some experts say that Oswald was really aiming for Texas Governor John Connally.He is said to have been angry with Connally, who was also secretary of the navy, over how he had been forced to leave the service.
A large number of people think the truth has been covered up on purpose; even now, surveys show that more than half of Americans believe that Oswald was not working alone.An investigation(调查)found that four shots were fired, with one shot coming from the building that Oswald was in.
But two days after the murder, Oswald himself was killed by Jack Rubinstein, a nightclub owner.Rubinstein had Mafia connections and this has led to the theory that they were actually responsible for killing Kennedy.
Lyndon Johnson, who became president after Kennedy, has also been accused of being behind it all.According to reports, Johnson was sworn in(宣誓就职)even before Kennedy's death was announced."We have a really tough decision that we don't want to face.There was a conspiracy(合谋)and people want an answer," said Barr McClellan, who has written a book about the murder.
"The myth is very powerful." said Robert Dallek, a historian at Boston University, who has just published a book about Kennedy."He was the first president to appear on television.He is frozen in our minds aged 46, forever young, energetic and charming."
(1)
Why does the writer mention the dark tales about Kennedy?To show that ________.
[ ]
A.
though he is popular, he wasn't perfect
B.
even though he wasn't perfect, he is still popular
C.
rumours
(谣言)are human nature
D.
in America, presidents don't have much privacy(隐私)
(2)
Which of the following was the major question being asked on the 40th anniversary of Kennedy's death?
[ ]
A.
What has made Kennedy an American myth?
B.
Why was he linked to the Mafia?
C.
Did Oswald murder him?
D.
Who killed Kennedy?
(3)
Which of the following can be used to replace the phrase“put forward”in Paragraph 3?
[ ]
A.
made up
B.
designed
C.
suggested
D.
inspired
(4)
Which of the following statements about Lee Oswald is wrong?
[ ]
A.
He only fired one shot.
B.
One shot fired at Kennedy was from the sixth floor of the building he was in.
C.
He was an employee of a book storehouse in Dallas, Texas.
D.
He once served in the American navy, but he was forced to leave.
(5)
Which of the following will the writer probably write about following the last paragraph?
[ ]
A.
What he achieved as a president.
B.
What else makes Kennedy a mythical figure.
C.
What happened after his death.
D.
His affairs with the likes of Marilyn Monroe and the Mafia.
NEW YORK-America has been experiencing the longest economic increase in its history.Incomes have risen, unemployment has fallen,and cities such as New York are bursting with new office buildings.
But just a short walk from Manhattan’s skyscrapers,George Brown sits on the sidewalk,cooking a lunch of rice and bits of fish over a can of cooking fuel.
Brown is homeless-one of the 2.3 million people in the US who end up on the street.
During the day,Brown collects aluminium cans and sells them for five cents a piece.At night, he sleeps on the street.
“I have been on the street about eight or nine years, something like that,” said the 62-year-old former construction worker.
Brown admits he’s had problems with alcohol and has smoked cocaine,but he said he still wants a more stable(not likely move)housing arrangement.
He could afford it just with the money he earns collecting cans and small pieces of metal,if only truly low-in-come housing were available.
However,he sees no hope of finding affordable housing in New York.
With the strong economy and unemployment down, beautiful housing is being built to meet demands.
US report shows the rent in New York City rose more than 27 percent between 1984 and 1999, from US $549 to US $700 a month.
One of the side effects of the strong economy is that rents have been going up.
The majority of people who experience homelessness really just need some affordable? housing help.
But few housing companies have been built for the poor.Many small apartments in the city now rent for US $1500 a month or more.
Brown,the homeless New Yorker,said he has a daughter who lives in the city but he rarely sees her.She is angry at his drinking and won’t allow it in her house.
Smiling,he said he also has seven grandchildren whom he’d like to see more often.
“All I’ve got to do is to clean up my act,” he said.
(1)
What kind of life does George Brown lead?
[ ]
A.
Homeless and dangerous.
B.
Homeless and childish.
C.
Homeless and miserable.
D.
Homeless and sleepless.
(2)
From George Brown’s experience we can find that _______.
[ ]
A.
old Americans lead a hard life
B.
old Americans want to live alone
C.
American cities are full of poor people
D.
bad habits play a role in poor people’s life
(3)
It can be inferred from this passage that _______.
[ ]
A.
America is short of housing companies
B.
housing companies can’t benefit from the poor
C.
poor people in America will become rich
D.
housing companies will build more houses for the poor
(4)
If this passage comes from a paper, which page may it be?
[ ]
A.
Society.
B.
People.
C.
Economy.
D.
Business.
(5)
What character does George Brown have?
[ ]
A.
Selfish.
B.
Lazy.
C.
Warm-hearted.
D.
Open-hearted.
阅读理解
Does Fame Drive You Crazy?
Although being famous might sound like a dream come true, today's star, feeling like zoo animals, face pressures that few of us can imagine.They are at the center of much of the world's attention.Paparazzi(狗仔队)camp outside their homes, cameras ready.Tabloids(小报)publish thrilling stories about their personal lives.Just
imagine not being able to do anything without being photographed or interrupted for a signature.
According to psychologist Christina Villareal, celebrities - famous people - worry constantly about their public appearance.Eventually, they start to lose track of who they really are, seeing themselves the way their fans imagine them, not as the people they were before everyone knew their names.“Over time,” Villareal says, “they feel separated and alone.”
The phenomenon of tracking celebrities has been around for ages.In the 4th century B.C., painters followed Alexander the Great into battle, hoping to picture his victories for his admirers.When Charles Dickens visited America in the 19th century, his sold-out readings attracted thousands of fans, leading him to complain(抱怨) about his lack of privacy.Tabloids of the 1920s and 1930s ran articles about film-stars in much the same way that modern tabloids and websites do.
Being a public figure today, however, is a lot more difficult than it used to be.Superstars cannot move about without worrying about photographers with modern cameras.When they say something silly or do something ridiculous, there is always the Internet to spread the news in minutes and keep their “story” alive forever.
If fame is so troublesome, why aren't all celebrities running away from it? The answer is there are still ways to deal with it.Some stars stay calm by surrounding themselves with trusted friends and family or by escaping to remote places away from big cities.They focus not on how famous they are but on what they love to do or whatever made them famous in the first place.
Sometimes a few celebrities can get a little justice.Still, even stars who enjoy full justice often complain about how hard their lives are.They are tired of being famous already.
(1)
It can be learned from the passage that stars today ________.
[ ]
A.
are often misunderstood by the public
B.
can no longer have their privacy protected
C.
spend too much on their public appearance
D.
care little about how they have come into fame
(2)
What is the main idea of Paragraph 3?
[ ]
A.
Great heroes of the past were generally admired.
B.
The problem faced by celebrities has a long history.
C.
Well-known actors are usually targets of tabloids.
D.
Works of popular writers often have a lot of readers.
(3)
What makes it much harder to be a celebrity today?
[ ]
A.
Availability of modern media.
B.
Inadequate social recognition.
C.
Lack of favorable chances.
D.
Huge population of fans.
(4)
What is the author's attitude toward modern celebrity?