A woman renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk's office was asked to state her occupation.She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.
“What I mean is,”explained the recorder,“do you have a job, or are you just a…”
“Of course I have a job,”said Emily.“I'm a mother.”
“We don't list‘mother’as an occupation…‘housewife’covers it,”said the recorder.
One day I found myself in the same situation.The clerk was obviously a career woman, confident and possessed of a high sounding title.“What is your occupation?”she asked.
The words simply popped out.“I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.”
The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozen in midair.
I repeated the title slowly, and then I stared with wonder as my statement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
“Might I ask,”said the clerk with new interest,“Just what you do in this field?”
Coolly, without any trace of panic in my voice, I heard myself reply,“I have a continuing program of research(what mother doesn't), in the lab and in the field(normally I would have said indoors and out).Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities(any mother care to disagree?), and I often work 14 hours a day(24 is more like it).But the job is more challenging than most careers and rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.”
There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and showed me out.
As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up(依托)by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants-ages 13, 7, and 3.
Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model(a 6 month old baby), in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.
I felt proud!I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable(不可缺少的)to mankind than“just another mother.”
Motherhood…What a glorious career!Especially when there's a title on the door.
(1)
What can we infer from the conversation between the woman and the recorder at the beginning of the passage?
[ ]
A.
The woman felt ashamed to admit what her job was.
B.
The recorder was impatient and rude.
C.
The author was upset about the situation that mothers faced.
D.
Motherhood was not recognized and respected as a job by society.
(2)
How did the female clerk feel at first when the author told her occupation?
[ ]
A.
curious
B.
indifferent
C.
puzzled
D.
interested
(3)
How did the author feel when describing her job to the clerk?
[ ]
A.
calm
B.
panic-stricken
C.
confident
D.
cool
(4)
Why did the woman clerk show more respect for the author?
[ ]
A.
Because the author cared little about rewards.
B.
Because she admired the author's research work in the lab.
C.
Because she thought the author did admirable work.
D.
Because the writer did something she had little knowledge of.
(5)
What is the author's purpose of writing the passage?
[ ]
A.
To show how you describe your job affects your feelings toward it.
B.
To argue that motherhood is a worthy career and deserves respect.
C.
To show that the author had a grander job than Emily.
D.
To show that being a mother is hard and boring work.
If you can’t catch the bad guy, t’s game over-this is the rule of life for computer game players in cyber-world(网络世界).
But similar thoughts might be worrying US President George W.ush as he prepares for election year with the world’s most wanted man still out of his reach.
The hunt for Osama Bin Laden, eader of the AL-Qaida group, as been going on since the attack on New York’s World Trade Center on September 11,2001.Progress has been slow and, ith Democrat Senator John Kerry winning the race last Tuesday to challenge Bush in November’s presidential elections, he president needs results.f Osama Bin Laden can be caught before the presidential election, ush will gain an obvious advantage.
The American public’s support for the war in Iraq has been falling, specially as the Bush government cannot find the banned weapons(武器)that it said were in the country.ut the way the president’s popularity rose following the capture(捕获)of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in December shows how useful it would be if Bin Laden could be caught.
The latest polls suggest the election will be close, ith 48 per cent of Americans saying they will vote for Bush and 46 per cent backing Kerry.
In order to capture the Saudi Arabia-born AL Qaida leader, housands of US soldiers were moved from Iraq to Afghanistan earlier this week.urther efforts have been made to strengthen Afghanistan’s border(边境)area with Pakistan, ith soldiers inspecting nearby villages more frequently than before.
However, akistan has denied(否认)reports that US soldiers will be allowed to search for Bin Laden on its land.ush’s battles, oth at home and abroad, ill not be won easily.
(1)
Why does the writer mention the rule of life for computer game players in cyber-world?
[ ]
A.
Because catching Osama Bin Laden is another game.
B.
Because real life can be similar to life in cyber-world.
C.
Because this is also one of the rules in the American presidential election.
D.
Because a game like this has become a real life situation for Bush.
(2)
We can learn from the passage that Osama Bin Laden ________
[ ]
A.
was born in Afghanistan and lives in Saudi Arabia
B.
is sure to be captured since Saddam Hussein has been caught
C.
must be found so that 48% of the Americans will back Bush
D.
is probably hidden in the border area of Afghanistan and Pakistan
(3)
The underlined word “inspecting”(Paragraph 6)can be replaced by ________
[ ]
A.
seeking
B.
searching
C.
bombing
D.
visiting
(4)
It can be inferred from the passage that ________
[ ]
A.
the Bush government has great difficulty in seizing Bin Laden
B.
Kerry is more likely than Bush to win the coming presidential election
C.
more and more people are supporting the war in Iraq
D.
Pakistan will allow US soldiers to search for Bin Laden on its land
阅读理解
Three in ten Americans commit" financial infidelity(出轨)W by lying to their partners about money, sometimes suffering consequences such as separation or divorce(离婚), according to a new survey.
The Harris Interactive online poll of 2019 adults released on Thursday showed 31 percent of American couples who have combined finances were not truthful about issues such as hiding cash or a bank account or about debt or earnings.
"Financial infidelity may be the new normal," said Forbes.com, which performed the survey with the National Endowment(基金会)for Financial Education.
One-third of respondents(响应者)also say they have been cheated, and both sexes lie to their partners about money in equal numbers."These unwise behaviors cause great damage, to the relationship, which is really not worthwhile.We must consider how important a family is to all of us.We must be honest to our partners in everything including money," said Ted Beck, chief executive of the National Endowment for Financial Education.
Sixteen percent of couples affected by financial infidelity said the cheat led to a divorce and 11 percent said it caused a separation.Sixty-seven percent said it led to an argument and for 42 percent it lessened(减少的)trust in the relationship.What a great damage it is to the family members!
The most common lie, at 58 percent, was hiding cash.Fifty-four percent of respondents admitted hiding a minor purchase, 30 percent hid a bill, 16 percent did not disclose a major purchase and 15 percent hid a bank account.
Eleven percent lied about debt and an equal number were untruthful about earnings, the survey showed.It is suggested that all the couples should learn a lesson from this matter.
(1)
What does Ted Beck think of Americans' committing financial infidelity?
[ ]
A.
Rewarding.
B.
Unlawful.
C.
Unwise.
D.
Unfair.
(2)
What does the fifth paragraph mainly tell us?
[ ]
A.
The harm of financial infidelity.
B.
The meaning of financial infidelity.
C.
The explanation for financial infidelity.
D.
The percentage of Americans' committing financial infidelity.
(3)
What does the underlined word"lessened" mean in the fifth paragraph?
[ ]
A.
Raised.
B.
Dropped.
C.
Harmed.
D.
Reduced.
(4)
Most Americans lie to their partners about _________.
[ ]
A.
hiding cash
B.
bank account
C.
debt
D.
earnings
(5)
What is the best title of the passage?
[ ]
A.
Americans like to lie most
B.
Three in ten Americans commit financial infidelity
C.
Americans have the largest percentage of divorce
D.
Americans like to hide their partners' cash
阅读理解
Recently, another study has been carried out about who is the greatest American president.Sixty-five presidential historians took part in it and they judged the past forty-two American leaders based on ten qualities of leadership, which include public persuasion, crisis(危机)leadership, the management of economy, moral leadership and international relations.The historians also looked at administrative(行政的)ability, relations with Congress, goal setting and pursuit(追求)of equal justice for all.Finally, the experts considered performance based on the historical period in which the president lived.
The historians chose Abraham Lincoln as America’s greatest president.He had also been named best president in a similar study in 2000.Abraham Lincoln was the only president in American history to lead the nation during the Civil War in the 1860s.He united the nation at last.And he took the first steps that detroyed the institution of slavery in America.
Edna Medford is a professor of history at Howard University in Washington, D.C.She was an adviser on this study and the ealier one.She says Abraham Lincoln is seen to represent the values that the nation most honors like truthfulness, moderation(温和)and respect for human rights.
The historians named America’s first president, George Washington, as second on the list of greatest presidents.Franklind.Roosevelt, theodore Roosevelt and Harry Truman are next in that order.John F.Kennedy, the coutry’s first Roman Catholic president, is sixth on the list.Like Abraham Lincoln, John F.Kennedy was murdered while in office.
Among recent presidents, Ronald Reagan was named the tenth best president.Bill Clinton was rated fifteenth.And the historians rated former president George W.Bush as number thirty-six.His fathter, George H.W.Bush, did much better.He was rated as number eighteen.
(1)
Abrahm Lincoln was chosen as America’s greatest president mainly because _________.
[ ]
A.
he led the people to end slavery and united the nation
B.
he caused the Civil War and fought against slavery
C.
he was the only president to join in a civil war
D.
he owned the ten qualities of leadership
(2)
According to the recent study, a good president wouldn’t _________.
[ ]
A.
persuade the public to follow some rules
B.
take measures to deal with an economic crisis
C.
start a war between countries
D.
run after equal justice for the people
(3)
Which of the following presidents did worst when he was in power according to the recent study?
[ ]
A.
John F.Kennedy.
B.
George Washington
C.
Bill Clinton
D.
George W.Bush
(4)
According to the passage, the greatest American president from Mo.1 to No.6 should be _________.
[ ]
A.
Abraham Lincoln→George Washington→Franklind.Roosevelt→Theodore Roosevelt→Harry Truman→John F.Kennedy
B.
Abraham Lincoln→George Washington→Theodore Roosevelt→Franklind.Roosevelt→John F.Kennedy→Harry Truman
C.
George Washington→Abraham Lincoln→John F.Kennedy→Theodore Roosevelt→Harry Truman→Franklins.Roosevelt
D.
Abraham Lincoln→John F.Kennedy→GeorgeWashington→TheodoreRoosevelt→Harry Truman→Franklind.Roosevelt
阅读理解
This is What a REAL Silver Dollar Looks Like
If you trust in the yen, the euro, and the dollar…stop reading.
Because this is a story about the silver coin EVERYBODY wants.
You read the headlines.You know that troubled economic times have put global currency on a rollercoaster(ride.But millions have found a smarter way to build long-term value with high-grade collectable silver.And right now, those people are lining up to secure some of the last 2012 U.S.Mint Silver Eagles, America's Newest Silver Eagle Dollars.Today, you can graduate to the front of that line.Buy now and you can own these brilliant uncirculated Silver Dollars for only $38.95!
You Can't Afford to Lose
Why are we releasing(发行)this silver dollar for such a remarkable price? Because we want to introduce you to what hundreds of thousands of smart collectors and satisfied customers have known since 1984-New York Mint is the place to find the world's finest high-grade coins.That's why we're offering you this Brilliant Uncirculated 2012 U.S.Silver Eagle for as little as $37.45(plus s/h).
Timing is Everything
Our advice? Keep this to yourself.Because the more people who know about this offer, the worse it is for you.Demand for Silver Eagles in 2011 broke records.Experts predict that 2012 Silver Eagles may break them all over again.Due to rapid changes in the price of silver, prices may be higher or lower and are subject to(受...影响)change without notice.Supplies are limited.Call immediately to add these Silver Eagles to your holdings before it's too late.
Offer Limited to 40 per household 2012 American Silver Eagle Coin
Your cost 1-4 Coins $38.95 each+s/h
5-9 Coins $38.45 each+s/h
10-19 Coins $37.95 each+s/h
20-40 Coins $37.45 each+s/h
Note: $10 s/h(shipping and handling)for each purchase
For fastest service, call toll-free 24 hours a day
1-888-201-7143
Offer Code(代码)ASE177-04
Please mention this code when you call.
New York Mint 14101
Southcross Drive W., Dept.ASE177-04
Burnsville, Minnesota 55337
www.NewYorkMint.com
(1)
What is stressed in the ad?
[ ]
A.
The coin is of high quality and worth collecting.
B.
The coin can be circulated as a currency.
C.
Limited supplies guarantee a stable price of the coin.
D.
Demand for the coin is bound to break records.
(2)
If you buy six 2012 U.S.Mint Silver Eagles by post, you should pay at least ________.
[ ]
A.
$230.7
B.
$233.7
C.
$240.7
D.
$243.7
(3)
The ad strongly encourages people to purchase the silver coins by ________.