英语专业大一泛读（刘乃银版）附加阅读练习（带答案）

Passage 1 (Unit 1, Book I: Love. Short story. Family. Love)

After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She said, \spend some time with you.\

The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my MOTHER, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally. That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie. \are you well?\surprise invitation is a sign of bad news.

\of us.\

That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up, I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary. She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel's. \friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed,\into the car. \

We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only read large print. Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips.

\\

During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation - nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other's life. We talked so much that we missed the movie.

As we arrived at her house later, she said, \invite you.\

\\

A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn't have a chance to do anything for her. Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place mother and I had dined. An attached note said: \bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two plates - one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you, son.\

At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: \our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till \

1. When the mother heard it was the son‘s call, she was __________.

A. worried B. surprised C. suspicious D. puzzled

2. The mother‘s friends were most impressed by __________.

A. the memorable date between the mother and the son B. the mother‘s realization of her long-awaited dream C. the son‘s love for his mother D. the mother‘s pride in her son

3. When the mother took the author‘s arm into the restaurant, she __________.

A. looked like the First Lady B. was treated like the First Lady C. was as important as the First Lady D. felt as proud as being the First Lady

4. What did the mother mainly talk about to the author during the dinner?

A. Her life after the author‘s marriage. B. Her life since the author‘s last visit. C. Her memory about the author as a child. D. Her expectation about future reunions.

5. The mother insisted on inviting the author to dinner because __________.

A. she was going to die soon B. she wanted to show her love C. she did not expect the heart attack D. she intended to thank him and his wife

6. The passage intends to teach us how to cherish __________.

A. our parents B. love

C. our family D. life

Passage 2 (Unit 2, Book I: Little house in the Big Woods. Autobiography)

I start from my home in the quiet little suburb of Forest Hills, Long Island. Here , surrounded by green lawns, trees, and flowers, are neat little houses, happy with the voices and movements of wives and children, havens of peaceful rest for men who toil in the city. I drive across the lacy structure of steel which spans the East River, and I get a new and startling vision of the power and ingenuity of the mind of man. Busy boasts chug and scurry about the river - racy speed boat, stolid, snorting tugs. If I had long days of sight ahead, I should spend many of them watching the delightful activity upon the river.

I look ahead, and before me rise the fantastic towers of New York, a city that seems to have stepped from the pages of a fairy story. What an awe-inspiring sight, these glittering spires. These vast banks of stone and steel-structures such as the gods might build for themselves! This animated picture is a part of the lives of millions of people every day. How many, I wonder, give it so much as a second‘s glance? Very few, I fear, their eyes are blind to this magnificent sight because it is so familiar to them.

I hurry to the top of one of those gigantic structures, the Empire State Building, for there, a short time ago, I \my fancy with reality. I am sure I should not be disappointed in the panorama spread out before me, for to me it would be a vision of another world.

Now I begin my rounds of the city. First, I stand at a busy corner, merely looking at people, trying by sight of them to understand something of their life. I see smiles, and I am happy. I see serious determination, and I am proud, I see suffering, and I am compassionate.

I stroll down Fifth Avenue. I throw my eyes out of focus, so that I see no particular object but only a seething kaleidoscope of colors. I am certain that the colors of women's dresses moving in a throng must be a gorgeous spectacle of which I should never tire. But perhaps if I had sight I should be like most other women -- too interested in styles and the cut of individual dresses to give much attention to the splendor of color in the mass. And I am convinced, too, that I should become an inveterate window shopper, for it must be a delight to the eye to view the myriad articles of beauty on display.

From Fifth Avenue I make a tour of the city-to Park Avenue, to the slums, to factories, to parks where children play. I take a stay-at-home trip abroad by visiting the foreign quarters. Always my eyes are open wide to all the sights of both happiness and misery so that I may probe deep and add to my understanding of how people work and live. My heart is full of the images of people and things. My eye passes lightly over no single trifle; it strives to touch and hold closely each thing its gaze rests upon. Some sights are pleasant, filling the heart with happiness; but some are miserably pathetic. To these latter I do not shut my eyes, for they, too, are part of life. To close the eye on them is to close the heart and mind.

My third day of sight is drawing to an end. Perhaps there are many serious pursuits to which I should devote the few remaining hours, but I am afraid that on the evening of that last day I should again run away to the theater, to a hilariously funny play, so that I might appreciate the overtones of comedy in the human spirit.

1. According to the first paragraph, the author is amazed at seeing __________.

A. the houses B. the bridge C. the boats D. the river

2. The author most probably thinks that the New Yorkers are __________ the ―glittering spires‖.

A. scornful of

B. overwhelmed by C. indifferent to

D. knowledgeable about

3. When the author sees the passers-by, she would like to __________.

A. share their emotions B. show sympathy to them C. enjoy the same life styles D. perceive their bosom feelings

4. When the author observes a woman‘s dress, she pays most attention to __________.

A. its designer and brand B. its style and cutting C. its color D. its price

5. What is the author‘s attitude towards her present life?

A. She wants to treat it like a comedy. B. She wants to change her life style. C. She enjoys her blindness. D. She is appreciative of life.

Passage 3 (Unit 3, Book I: Young Shakespeare. Biography)

Every person plans to run off to some tropical isle, but few do. Real life, family, work, and monetary limitations get in the way. Ian Fleming let none of these considerations stop him.

After the war, Fleming set down his schedule. The first week of January saw him leave England and travel to Jamaica. The first week of March saw his return. He accepted his job at Kemsley newspapers without compromise -- this portion of the year would be set aside for Jamaica or he would look elsewhere for employment.

For 6 years Fleming traveled each winter to Jamaica, lounging in paradise, romancing women, chasing the sunset, but it was not until he faced the pressure of a married woman who was pregnant with his child did Fleming start the writer's journey which would change his life and popular culture forever. As Fleming waited in Jamaica for Anne's divorce to become final, he wrote the first draft of a novel, Casino Royale.

Fleming's career as a writer deserves more examination than can be offered here, but suffice it to say, over the next 12 years, Ian Fleming transformed his elite existence, his arrogance, his style, and his acid wit into some of the greatest thrillers ever written. Fleming incurred the respect of authors as diverse as Raymond Chandler, Kingsley Amis, and Edith Sitwell. His fans included John, Jackie, and Bobby Kennedy, and his social circle included Prime Minister Anthony Eden, Evelyn Waugh, and Somerset Maugham.

Fleming filled out the 12 years of Bond with great adventure journalism. Even in stories which had little action or pay off, such as his short non-fiction book, The Diamond Smugglers, the \proving a wonderful conduit for inside intelligence information, and clever rebukes.

Regardless of book sales or family obligations, Fleming managed to live the life he wanted. As the years passed, his passion for golfing increased so he took more time with it. Fleming's long-term fascination with America grew, so he traveled there more often.

Ian Fleming's full life caught up with him through his heart. It may be that years of drinking and smoking took their toll, or that the butter-rich cooking Fleming loved was the culprit. Or maybe it was just genetics. Whatever the cause, Fleming's health declined in the late 1950s. This plus anxieties in the marriage increased Fleming's depression. With the success of Bond, the world came knocking at Fleming's door, and he had a harder time shutting those out that he did not want in his life.

Nonetheless, Fleming fought the loosing battle of his weakening heart by throwing more fuel on the fire. He continued to drink and smoke, making some excuses but not many. He wrote books he wanted to read, and traveled the world with style and authority. By this time, Fleming had already earned his own fortune, created his own identity, and ruled his own literary empire.

1. According to the second paragraph, Fleming accepted the job offered by Kemsley newspaper __________.

A. and had to give up his yearly holiday plan to Jamaica

B. because he was offered to work in Jamaica every winter C. so that he wouldn‘t have to look for employment elsewhere D. on condition that he took two months off to Jamaica every year 2. When he began writing, Fleming never expected that __________.

A. he would change popular culture B. he could get over the pressure C. Anne would have a divorce D. Anne would keep his child

3. Fleming‘s thrillers reflected his __________.

A. sense for popular culture B. relationship with Anne C. own personalities D. life at Jamaica

4. The fact that ―Fleming filled out the 12 years of Bond with great adventure journalism‖ shows that __________.

A. Fleming took up journalism when he finished Bond‘s adventures B. Fleming put Bond through many thrilling adventures C. Fleming described Bond as an adventurous journalist

D. Fleming experienced Bond‘s adventures when he was a journalist 5. According to the passage, Fleming died of __________.

A. an unidentified reason B. a disease of the heart

C. an unknown family disease D. over drinking and smoking

Passage 4 (Unit 4, Book I: Migratory Birds and Coffee. Informational. Biology)

Scrub jays can trick you, researchers say. Monkeys kick themselves for mistakes in judgment. And at least one parrot figured out something close to the mathematical concept of zero. In study after study over the past decade, they've shown abilities previously thought to exist only in humans.

Take the scrub jays. A few years ago, Cambridge University professor Nicky Clayton, PhD, found that these birds can be surprisingly cunning, remembering not only what foods they've hidden but where, how long ago, and whether anyone else might have noticed. \another bird was watching, they'd wait until that bird was gone and then move the food,\

Even more interesting, not all jays protected their food that way-only those that had previously raided other birds' stores. \

Another recent experiment hints that monkeys experience regret when they make the wrong choice: Researchers say brain scans suggest the animals were having \would‘ve, should‘ve\

\knew monkeys were smart, but I didn't think they were that smart,\says Michael Platt, PhD, the Duke University neurobiologist who led the study.

But perhaps no animal has done more to challenge conventional notions than Alex, an African gray parrot, a 30-year research subject for scientist Irene Pepperberg, PhD. He was constantly being tested; when he was tired of it, he would tell Pepperberg, \

cage. If the request annoyed her, Alex would say, \grasp of something only humans and a few apes had been known to understand: the notion of zero.

Pepperberg had a tray of different-colored balls; she wanted Alex to count each group. Using their shorthand, she asked, \floor instead. Then, finally, he said, \anything on the tray. So Pepperberg asked, \

Alex said, \

Not only had the bird figured out an abstract mathematical concept, he had manipulated Pepperberg into asking the question so he could prove it. \

1. Which of the following kinds of scrub jays are ―surprisingly cunning‖?

A. Those that were stolen of their food. B. Those that learned from parents to steal. C. Those that stole other birds of their food. D. Those that observed other birds steal.

2. The \

A. feel regretful B. feel angry

C. be conscientious D. be objective

3. The author thinks that it is most beyond imagination that Alex could __________.

A. understand numbers B. interact with humans C. show various emotions D. grasp the concept of zero

4. Alex manipulated Pepperberg into asking the question ―what color five?‖ by __________.

A. mentioning the number ―five‖

B. disregarding the researcher‘s question C. showing boredom about constant tests D. throwing the balls on the floor

5. Which paragraph best sums up the main idea of the passage?

A. Paragraph 1. B. Paragraph 2. C. Paragraph 4. D. Paragraph 6.

Passage 5 (Unit 5, Book I: Cheating. Short story. Growing up. Schooling)

I started for school very late that morning and was in great dread of a scolding, especially because Mr. Hamel had said that he would question us on participles, and I did not know the first word about them. For a moment I thought of running away and spending the day out of doors. It was so warm, so bright! The birds were chirping at the edge of the woods; and in the open field back of the sawmill, the Prussian soldiers were drilling. It was all much more tempting than the rule for participles, but I had the strength to resist, and hurried off to school.

When I passed the town hall there was a crowd in front of the bulletin-board. For the last two

years all our bad news had come from there—the lost battles, the draft, the orders of the commanding officer—and I thought to myself, without stopping: ―What can be the matter now?‖

Then, as I hurried by as fast as I could go, the blacksmith, Wachter, who was there, with his apprentice, reading the bulletin, called after me: ―Don‘t go so fast, boy; you‘ll get to your school in plenty of time!‖

I thought he was making fun of me, and reached Mr. Hamel‘s little garden all out of breath. Usually, when school began, there was a great bustle, which could be heard out in the street, the opening and closing of desks, lessons repeated in unison, very loud, with our hands over our ears to understand better, and the teacher‘s great ruler rapping on the table. But now it was all so still! I had counted on the commotion to get to my desk without being seen; but, of course, that day everything had to be as quiet as Sunday morning. Through the window I saw my classmates, already in their places, and Mr. Hamel walking up and down with his terrible iron ruler under his arm. I had to open the door and go in before everybody. You can imagine how I blushed and how frightened I was.

But nothing happened. Mr. Hamel saw me and said very kindly: ―Go to your place quickly, little Franz. We were beginning without you.‖

I jumped over the bench and sat down at my desk. Not till then, when I had got a little over my fright, did I see that our teacher had on his beautiful green coat, his frilled shirt, and the little black silk cap, all embroidered, that he never wore except on inspection and prize days. Besides, the whole school seemed so strange and solemn. But the thing that surprised me most was to see, on the back benches that were always empty, the village people sitting quietly like ourselves; old Hauser, with his three-cornered hat, the former mayor, the former postmaster, and several others besides. Everybody looked sad; and Hauser had brought an old primer, torn at the edges, and he held it open on his knees with his great spectacles lying across the pages.

While I was wondering about it all, Mr. Hamel mounted his chair, and, in the same grave and gentle tone which he had used to me, said: ―My children, this is the last lesson I shall give you. The order has come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The new master comes tomorrow. This is your last French lesson. I want you to be very attentive.‖

1. The author was afraid of the particle quiz because __________.

A. he wasn‘t interested in learning particles at all B. he was absent from the first lesson on particles C. he didn‘t know any particles the teacher had taught D. he forgot the first few particles the teacher had taught

2. On the bulletin-board, ―the draft‖ was most probably meant to __________.

A. enlist more soldiers to serve the army B. impose more taxes on the townspeople C. announce an effective battle plan D. withdraw troops from the front line

3. In order to get into the classroom without being notice, the author used to __________.

A. slip in from the back door

B. take advantage of the noise and bustle C. wait until the teacher turned his back D. sneak in during the break

4. The author didn‘t feel the strange atmosphere until __________.

A. he heard the blacksmith calling after him B. he heard it would be the last French lesson C. he saw the village people on the back benches D. he saw Mr. Hamel on his most beautiful clothes 5. What do we know about old Hauser?

A. He came to inspect the school. B. He was a respectable villager. C. He had an old textbook with him. D. He came for the school open day.

Passage 6 (Unit 6, Book I: Fool’s Paradise. Fable)

In the south of Spain, there was a small village whose people were very joyful and lucky. The children played under the shade of trees in the gardens of their home. A shepherd boy whose name was Nasir, stayed near the village with his father, mother and grandmother. Early morning each day, he takes his herd of goats up the hills to find a suitable place for them to graze. In the afternoon he would return with them to the village. At night his grandmother would tell him a story. As usual, on one of these days, as Nasir was watching his herd and playing his flute he suddenly saw a wonderful light behind the flower bush. When he came towards the branches he saw a transparent and most beautiful crystal ball.

The crystal ball was glittering like a colorful rainbow. Nasir carefully took it in his hand and turned it around. With surprise suddenly he heard a weak voice coming from the crystal ball. It said; \he had actually heard a voice. But he became so engrossed in his thoughts for he had so many wishes but he must wish for something which was impossible like the wish to be able to fly. He said to himself, if I wait till tomorrow I will remember many things. He put the crystal ball in a bag and gathered the herd, happily returned back to the village. He decided that he would not tell anyone about the crystal ball. On the following day also, Nasir could not decide what to wish for, because he really had everything he needed.

The days passed as usual, and Nasir appeared to be very cheerful that the people around him were amazed to see his cheerful disposition. One day a boy followed Nasir and his herd and hid behind a tree. Nasir as usual sat in one corner, took out the crystal ball and for a few moments looked at it. The boy waited for the moment when Nasir would go to sleep. Then he took the crystal ball and ran away. When he arrived in the village, he called all the people and showed them the crystal ball. The citizens of that village took the crystal ball in their hand and turned it around with surprise. Suddenly they heard a voice from inside the crystal ball, which says, \your wish.\the ball and said loudly, \

Some of them wished that they would have their own palace with grand door made from pure gold instead of their old houses. Some also wished for bags full of jewelry, but nobody asked for gardens in their palaces. All their wishes were fulfilled but still the citizens of the village were not happy. They were jealous because the person that had a palace had no gold and the person that had the gold had no palace. For this reason, the citizens of the village were angry and were not speaking to each other. There was not even one garden which existed in the village where the

children could play. The patience of the children was running out and they were uncomfortable. Nasir and his family were happy and pleased. Every morning and afternoon he would play the flute.

The children could not wait anymore and decided to return the crystal ball to Nasir. The parents and neighbours went to him. The children said to Nasir; \all were happy and joyful.\expensive palaces and jewelry only bring us pain. When Nasir saw that the people were really regretful, he said I have not wished till now, if you really want everything to return to its own place, then I will wish for it. Everyone happily agreed. Nasir took the crystal ball in his hand turned around and wished that the village become the same as it was before. Everyone quickly turned towards the village and saw it became the same old village with gardens full of trees and fruits. Once again the people started to live happily and the children played under the shade of trees. From the next day and everyday at sunset the sound of Nasir's flute could be heard in the village.

1. The details in the story are organized in the pattern of __________.

A. cause and effect B. chronological order C. spatial order D. exemplification

2. When Nasir heard the voice from the crystal ball, he didn‘t answer immediately because __________.

A. he wanted to save the wish for his family B. he was too happy to remember anything C. he was shocked by the talking ball D. he didn‘t know what wish to make

3. The boy followed Nasir in order to __________.

A. prove that Nasir was hiding something good B. take the ball and share with the villagers C. find out why Nasir was cheerful D. steal the ball when Nasir slept

4. ―Nasir and his family were happy and pleased‖ because __________.

A. only their family had a garden

B. their life was not disturbed by the ball C. they saw the trouble caused by the ball D. they only wished for a happy life

5. The story may well illustrate the proverb ―__________‖.

A. A contented mind is a continual feast. B. A little learning is a dangerous thing. C. Every advantage has its disadvantage. D. God helps those who help themselves.

Passage 7 (Unit 7, Book I: The Call of the Wild. Novel. Classical.) 215 FERGUSSEN HALL

24th September

Dear Kind-Trustee-Who-Sends-Orphans-to-College,

Here I am! I travelled yesterday for four hours in a train. It's a funny sensation, isn't it? I never rode in one before.

College is the biggest, most bewildering place--I get lost whenever I leave my room. I will write you a description later when I'm feeling less muddled; also I will tell you about my lessons. Classes don't begin until Monday morning, and this is Saturday night. But I wanted to write a letter first just to get acquainted.

It seems queer to be writing letters to somebody you don't know. It seems queer for me to be writing letters at all--I've never written more than three or four in my life, so please overlook it if these are not a model kind.

Before leaving yesterday morning, Mrs. Lippett and I had a very serious talk. She told me how to behave all the rest of my life, and especially how to behave towards the kind gentleman who is doing so much for me. I must take care to be Very Respectful.

But how can one be very respectful to a person who wishes to be called John Smith? Why couldn't you have picked out a name with a little personality? I might as well write letters to Dear Hitching-Post or Dear Clothes-Prop.

I have been thinking about you a great deal this summer; having somebody take an interest in me after all these years makes me feel as though I had found a sort of family. It seems as though I belonged to somebody now, and it's a very comfortable sensation. I must say, however, that when I think about you, my imagination has very little to work upon. There are just three things that I know: I. You are tall. II. You are rich. III. You hate girls.

I suppose I might call you Dear Mr. Girl-Hater. Only that's rather insulting to me. Or Dear Mr. Rich-Man, but that's insulting to you, as though money were the only important thing about you. Besides, being rich is such a very external quality. Maybe you won't stay rich all your life; lots of very clever men get smashed up in Wall Street. But at least you will stay tall all your life! So I've decided to call you Dear Daddy-Long-Legs. I hope you won't mind. It's just a private pet name we won't tell Mrs. Lippett.

The ten o'clock bell is going to ring in two minutes. Our day is divided into sections by bells. We eat and sleep and study by bells. It's very enlivening; I feel like a fire horse all of the time. There it goes! Lights out. Good night.

Observe with what precision I obey rules--due to my training in the John Grier Home.

Yours most respectfully, Jerusha Abbott

To Mr. Daddy-Long-Legs Smith

1. Jerusha felt ―muddled‖ because __________.

A. she had never written to the trustee before B. she was not familiar with the college yet C. she could never find the way to her room D. she had never traveled on a train before

2. Jerusha thought that she couldn‘t be very respectful to ―John Smith‖ because __________.

A. he was a total stranger to her

B. she was sure it was a fake identity C. the name was not distinctive enough D. nobody would like to be called that name

3. According to Jerusha, knowing about the trustee‘s being rich was __________.

A. superficial B. unimaginable C. rumorous D. insulting

4. The fact that her day ―is divided into sections by bells‖ makes Jerusha feel __________.

A. as busy as a fire horse B. restricted by rules C. pressed for time D. full of vitality

5. Jerusha decided to call the trustee Dear Daddy-Long-Legs __________.

A. in order to show her respect for him

B. because it was one of his internal qualities C. in order to make them feel closer to each other D. because she had always wanted a father

Passage 8 (Unit 8, Book I: Two boxes of Gold. Different Careers)

My job is to provide relevant, factually accurate information that is interesting, useful and entertaining to my readers, be they Brainstorm or ITWeb readers.

My job is not to get your corporate message across. If you want to get your corporate message out to the market take an advertisement, or, failing that, do a good enough job that your clients get your message and spread it for you, then you wouldn‘t be so desperate that you have to attempt to force me to do it.

Secondly, my job is to take information from any sources as I feel are relevant or necessary, and process it into one smooth, seamless story that makes sense, and is easy and pleasant to read. It is not my job to print every single word of jargon and marketing waffle that spews from your lips. Should you choose to spew jargon and marketing waffle during an interview, it will not be used. Try plain, simple English in future.

What my job reminds me of is to use comments and quotes that provide knowledge and insight, not to use anything you have said merely because you have said it. What I use and what I do not use in a story is my privilege. Should I choose not to use your quote there is nothing you can do about it.

Further, my job is to write stories that my readers want to read, thus keeping the magazine or website‘s ideas alive and kicking, and thus providing advertisers with an audience to advertise to. Should I write what you want me to write my readers will stop reading and you will have no vehicle for your marketing and advertising.

Additionally, should you have a hissy fit and threaten to pull your ads, or never advertise again, because I ran a story you did not like, or did not use your quotes, or looked at you funny when you were having a bad day, you are not going to get a sympathetic response. You will get a positive and professional response. Nice people will kindly attempt to explain to you about press freedom, and what is enshrined in SA‘s constitution, and that ―really, really, we‘re sorry but

advertising people have no control over what those journalists do‖.

What you will get from me is the pleasure of never being interviewed by me again. I will not be blackmailed. I will not be bullied. And I most certainly will not interview you again, knowing that if you happen to take an ad for that feature you will assume I am running your quotes to keep you happy. Conversely, I will not do an interview knowing that if I do not run your quotes you will assume it is because you have not taken an ad.

So the next time you have the urge to ask me if you can approve copy, or tell my sales team that you will not take an ad unless you are guaranteed editorial, remember the above and think about what you are actually doing. You are asking me to compromise my ethics, credibility, reputation, integrity and – ultimately – my career and I will not do that – for you or anyone.

1. The author suggests that corporate message should be sent to the consumers primarily by __________.

A. committing to advertising B. improving product quality C. spreading public praise D. attracting more readers

2. According to the author, jargon and marketing waffle are __________.

A. irrelevant B. unintelligible C. professional D. monotonous

3. The author writes most probably in order to chiefly satisfy __________.

A. his desire B. the editors C. the media D. his readers

4. When the author refuses to take the clients‘ quotes, he doesn‘t expect them to think __________.

A. that he is being blackmailed

B. it is because they have taken an ad C. it is because they have pulled their ads D. that he is being professional

5. It can be assumed that the author is __________.

A. a novelist B. an advertiser C. a journalist C. an interviewer

Passage 9 (Unit 9, Book I: Mona Lisa’s Smile. Informational. Art)

Self-Portrait with Straw Hat (1887), a van Gogh self-portrait done in Paris, is one of his most intriguing yet most neglected works. The artist‘s gloomy eyes stare out from his face in half-profile, facing to the left, and the world-weary expression initially appears to support the view of critics such as James Risser, who explains van Gogh‘s self-portraits as a sustained search for

identity.

Self-Portrait with Straw Hat (1887) initially appears to comply with Risser‘s evaluation. In this work, the painter depicted himself wearing a jumper of intense blue before a background done almost entirely in gray but with noticeable blurs of blue—most notably in the top right corner. Overall the painting appears to be unfinished, a hastily done portrait that the painter abandoned to create more lasting works.

In its incomplete state we can precisely read ―an unfinished life,‖ and in the wild strokes of casual blue in the background and splashed across the artist‘s garments we are instantly confronted with the sense of growing ―more and more out of control.‖

But is this an accurate evaluation? On the one hand, Risser seems to have legitimate cause for envisioning van Gogh‘s self-portrait as psychological self-analysis, a painting that ―reveals an emotional intensity hiding beneath the surface‖. But is the chaotic surface effect of the blue in this painting actually a form of self-criticism, the artist‘s own intense and emotional despair over his loss of control—or is it representative of an underlying aesthetic whose focus is not the painter himself? An intriguing alternative exists: van Gogh may not have painted the self-portraits as psychoanalytical evaluations of himself, but instead merely as experiments in technique. The artist often stated that he painted himself only because he lacked other models, a view found in the critical work of both Richard Kendall and T.J. Shackelford. Perhaps, then, van Gogh was not trying to learn about himself but about art as a whole while painting these portraits and hence we ought to read the self-portraits as a series of statements about art itself. The key to this analysis may be a careful exploration of the special color symbolism van Gogh attached to the color blue. Unlike our everyday association of blue with melancholy or boredom, the artist imagined blue as a symbol for the infinite or the limitless. Such a view calls into question the idea that self-portraits such as van Gogh‘s Self-Portrait with Straw Hat (1887) were a psychological profile of the artist‘s melancholy or despair. Instead, when we consider blue‘s special symbolic role as the infinite in van Gogh‘s Paris self-portraits, we discover a new narrative describing the painter‘s own aesthetic: his insistence that the future of art lay in expressive rather than realistic methods.

1. What does James Risser think of van Gogh‘s self-portraits?

A. Different self-portraits represent van Gogh‘s different attitude towards life. B. Many of his self-portraits have been neglected by critics. C. Van Gogh sought for identity through all his self-portraits.

D. Van Gogh expressed his weariness of the world in most of his self-portraits.

2. Which description is mentioned in the second paragraph about van Gogh‘s Self-portrait with a Straw Hat?

A. The painting is not well done. B. The painting mainly used gray.

C. The painter used blue but erased it later. D. The portrait showed a depressed emotion.

3. Who felt that the self-portrait showed ―an unfinished life‖?

A. Van Gogh himself. B. Risser‘s opponents. C. The author. D. James Risser.

4. According to Richard Kendall and T.J. Shackelford, the Self-portrait with a Straw Hat may not have anything to do with __________.

A. van Gogh‘s painting technique B. the symbolism of color

C. the psychological analysis of the painter D. the painter‘s aesthetic

5. According to van Gogh himself, his self-portraits were intended to be __________.

A. narrative B. expressive C. analytic D. artistic

Passage 10 (Unit 10, Book I: London. Informational. British customs and culture.)

Scottish customs and traditions cover a very wide range of topics. Everything from kilts to golf, bagpipes to whisky, Celtic crosses to Protestant missionary work, the \sight\to Nessie.

The history of the bagpipes takes us a long way back from today and far away from Scotland. Everyone thinks about Scotland when they hear the word ―bagpipe‖, but this instrument is so old that true age and origin are unknown. In some historical documents it is written that the pipes were first played somewhere around Asia Minor in 1000 BC. Also, it is said, by some, that \Nero played the \many European countries but in Scotland they have become an integral part of the country's culture. Scotland is the ancestral home of the \Highland Bagpipes\known to all as the \

A Pipe band is one thing that every visitor of Scotland wants to see. These are groups of men (in modern times it can be both men and women); each group has matching skirts, fancy jackets and strange little hats. They march around squeezing the air out of big tartan bags (known as bagpipes) and blowing it in again through a pipe attached to the bag. This results in a racket known as \indistinguishable from the noise made by the haggis during the mating season. These pipe bands often turn out to be Australians, not Scots at all!

The tartan kilt has long been the most recognizable cultural tradition of the Highland Scots, but just like the other symbols, kilts have also an unknown origin. One sure fact is that the wearing of the kilt has been developed in the 19th century during the reign of Queen Victoria. It had been created for some rational reasons: men who wore it could make very quick moves, wade through rivers and shelter in huts, woods and rocks, etc.

There is a question which will always linger next to the word ?kilt‘ and that is: Do people who wear kilts have underwear or not? Even though there are lots of people who consider this immoral, the tradition says that underwear should not be present if one is dressed in a kilt, the only exception being the participation to some sportive games and the presence of women. In the 50‘s, soldiers were verified if they wore underwear by their sergeants who used a long stick that had in the top a mirror.

Other two reasons for which Scotland is famous are its traditional food and of course, whisky. No one could argue that traditional Scottish cooking has produced one of the great cuisines of the

world. The quality of the ingredients has always been excellent: the world's finest seafood including shellfish, lobster and crabs, and varieties of fish too numerous to mention; succulent lamb and beef; soft fruit including raspberries, strawberries and blackberries and a host of locally produced types of cheese, including cheddar from Ayrshire and Galloway. The national dish is the haggis, a type of food that combines mutton with other ingredients and which is served with turnip and potatoes.

Whisky has been produced in Scotland for hundreds of years. It is well known that the Irish created this alcoholic drink, but the Scots were the ones who brought it to the form that we drink today. Whisky refers to a broad category of alcoholic beverages that are distilled from grains and aged in oak casks. The name means water of life.

1. Emperor Nero was mentioned to illustrate __________.

A. the legendary origin of bagpipes

B. the relation between bagpipes and Minor Asia C. the higher importance of bagpipes over fiddles D. the cultural significance of bagpipes

2. Which of the following descriptions is suitable for the bagpipe performance?

A. Bagpipe bands used to consist of male Australians only. B. Bagpipes are played to imitate the noise of mating haggis. C. Bagpipe bands must dress in specific performance costumes. D. Bagpipes are too heavy to carry around during the performance. 3. A lot of people consider it ―immoral‖ to __________.

A. ask whether people who wear kilts have underwear B. wear a kilt without having underwear C. have underwear when wearing a kilt

D. set up such a privacy-violating rule of kilt-wearing

4. Ayrshire and Galloway are most probably famous for __________.

A. their excellent fruit B. their cheese production C. the national dish, the haggis D. the traditional Scottish cooking

5. The author chose to only introduce bagpipes, kilts, food and whisky because __________.

A. the author had greatest delight in them B. the author was best-informed about them

C. they are more interesting than other customs and traditions D. they are more famous than other customs and traditions

Passage 11 (Unit 11, Book I: The All-American Slurp. Informational. American customs and culture.)

―Please pass the turkey and dressing.‖ What does this simple request make you think about? If you are an American, you think about Thanksgiving. A turkey dinner symbolizes Thanksgiving for Americans. What does Thanksgiving remind Americans of? Their families. Thanksgiving is a family time. On this holiday, families gather to gobble up the gobbler and stuff themselves with stuffing. Family members enjoy watching parades and football games on TV and just being

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