Today every independent country has a flag that gives them a unique identity．Usually there is a story and meaning behind each flag．The colours used on a national flag are not used simply because they look good－they usually symbolize something about the growth, values and culture of that country．Sometimes colours mean the same thing in different cultures, but they can often mean different things to people in different cultures．
The French flag, sometimes called the“Tricolore”, was first used in 1789, after the French Revolution The conclusion of the French Revolution led up to big changes throughout the country．Before the Revolution, there was great unrest because people did not have freedom and had often been treated unfairly．Many people died of starvation．After the Revolution, people had far more freedom, and people were considered equal, and large numbers of people were no longer starving．
The colours red, white and blue used on the flag represent the principles of the Revolution-liberty, equality and friendship．Red represents bravery, revolution, strength and blood．All these things were needed to change the country．Blue stands for liberty and justice while white represents peace．
Strengthened by the Revolution, France became a different country soon after, and today, it is still guided by those beliefs．That France's revolution which was successful in ridding society of inequality had a big effect on many other countries, especially in Europe．Some countries elected to substitute their flags with tricolor flags, after the French．In this way, the French Tricolor has become one of the most influential national flags in history．
The USA was also born from revolution, and its flag, the“Stars and Stripes”, represents this．The USA was originally an area owned and occupied by Britain．At that time, there were thirteen states, which is far fewer than the fifty that make up today's USA．Some people are very unhappy with the bureaucratic way Britain ruled the country, and were quite outspoken about this．American taxpayers could no longer tolerate that they had no say in the government．They desired independence, but the British opposed this．The Americans saw that their freedom was no longer optional and that their independence would not be won by being passive．On 4 July 1776, the American Declaration of Independence was signed．With this, the USA split from Britain and became an autonomous nation with a federal government．
The colours red, white and blue and the stars and stripes on the American flag are all very symbolic．Red represents strength and bravery; white represents purity and innocence; blue stands for hard work and justice．There are fifty stars on the American flag, one for each state．The thirteen stripes represent the original thirteen states that joined together to fight for independence．
Each year, on 4 July, the USA celebrates Independence Day when the Stars and Stripes“can be seen all over the country, lit by fireworks in the night sky．”
(1)
If a country is newly born in Europe from revolution, how would it be likely to design its national flag?
[ ]
A．
In three colours, after the USA
B．
With stars and stripes．
C．
In three colours with stars and stripes．
D．
In three colours, following France．
(2)
French Tricolore has become one of the most influential nationals in history because ________．
[ ]
A．
there are three different colors on the flag．
B．
the French Revolution influenced many countries, especially those in Asia．
C．
France was a strong country in history．
D．
the French Revolution influenced many countries, some of which choose to substitute flags with tricolor flags．
(3)
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
[ ]
A．
Red represents bravery and strength both in France and the USA
B．
Blue stands for liberty and justice in the USA but hard work and justice in France．
C．
Colours on national flags usually stand for special things of the countries．
April 22,2010 will be the 18th celebration of the annual Take Our Daugluers to Work Day(TOD), a project the National Ms．Foundation for Women of America(NFW)developed to expose girls to expanding opportunities for women in the workplace．
The program offers, millions of girls a first - hand view of the many career opportunities available in their futures．Now that women make up 46 peroent of the U．S．workforce, girls can find role models in every occupational field-from politics to molecular biology to professional athletics, to name just a few．TOD encourages girls to focus on their abilities and opportunities, not just their appearance．
The NFW developed the project more than a decade ago to address the self-esteem problems that many girls experience when they enter adolescence．At school, boys often receive more encouragement in the classroom, especially in math．science and computer science, the academic fields that tend to lead to the highest salaries．Women receive on average only 73 cents for every dollar that men are paid．and remain vastly underrepresented(数量不足)in top executive positions and technology fields．TOD aims to give girls the confidence and inspiration they need to develop successful careers, particularly in non-traditional fields．
Perhaps because the program had become so widespread and successful, TOD had been criticized for excluding boys．and it was expanded in 2003to include boys．The program's official website states that the program was changed in order to provide both boys and girls with opportunities to explore careers at an age when they are more flexible in tenns of gender stereotyped roles．"We should also show boys that becoming a child care provider is as acceptable a choice as becoming a police officer or CEO," added Sara K．Gould．executive director of the NFW．
(1)
The purpose for having a Take Our Daughters to Work Day is ________
[ ]
A．
to encourage girls to get top paying jobs
B．
to let girls spend more time with their mothers
C．
to show girls possibilities for work and careers
D．
to give girls a chance to visit their mothers' offices
(2)
Why are women underrepresented in some fields such as technology?
[ ]
A．
They are not interested in these fields．
B．
They are not encouraged to work in these fields．
C．
They are not paid the same as men in these fields．
D．
They are not allowed to be educated in these fields．
(3)
TOD was criticized because some people ________．
[ ]
A．
thought it was not fair to boys
B．
did not like having children at work
C．
did not have daughters to take to work
D．
would rather have their daughters stay at home
(4)
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
[ ]
A．
Boys are now included on Take Our Daughters to Work Day．
B．
Women and men have always been treated equally at work．
C．
Homemaking and raising children are jobs for girls only．
D．
Girls grow up receiving more attention than boys．
(5)
What can we learn from Sara K．Gould's words?
[ ]
A．
Boys are sometimes more careful and responsible than girls．
B．
It is most suitable for women to look after children at home．
C．
Aboy's life ambition should be to become an officer or CEO．
D．
It is also acceptable for boys to do what girls are supposed to．
