150 Years of Cool

Look in the bedrooms of young people around the world. You will probably find a pair of blue jeans in each room. Jeans are very popular all over the world.

Jeans give you the feeling of comfort, youth and energy. They have long been liked by every person.

Levi Strauss is an American company. It first made blue jeans. The company was founded in 1853 by 24-year-old Levi Strauss. Twenty years later, he made the first blue jeans in the world. The jeans were used as working trousers for the cowboys of the American West. During the Second World War, American soldiers brought blue jeans to Europe and Asia. People there began to wear jeans. Little by little, they become cool.

People from different countries like different styles of jeans. Americans like to wear simple and single-colored jeans, but many Chinese like to wear jeans with lots of different colors.

Jeans now can be seen everywhere: However, in many places, it’s not always good to wear jeans. No matter how good they may look, or what color they are, it’s often not right to wear jeans in formal places. But, when you are out, relaxing and having fun, jeans are the best choice.

1.The story is talking about_____________.

A. Levi Strauss               B. young people           C. cool        D. jeans

2.Levi Strauss made the first blue jeans_____________.

A. when he was 44            B. when he was 24         C. in 1853     D. in 1924

3.___________ wore jeans after they were first made.

A. American soldiers          B. American cowboys     

C. Levi Strauss               D. The people in Europe

4.Jeans can be cool for nearly 150 years because _____________.

A. they have different styles                      

B. they have different colors

C. they make us feel youth, comfort and energy      

D. they are working trousers.

5.When you _____________, you’d better not wear a pair of jeans.

A. go to an important meeting       B. go on a trip

C. have a party                    D. are having fun

Many people say that they are working too many hours. They don’t have enough time to relax or to stay with their family.

   Work hours are different from one country to another. In France, people spend about 1,646 hours a year at work. In Japan, however, people work about 2,159 hours a year. That means a Japanese worker works 513 more hours a year than a French worker.

   Why do people work so many hours? Some people work extra hours because they want to make more money. However, many companies don’t pay overtime. Their workers don’t get more pay for more work. Some people think it’s their duty to work more hours. Some are afraid of losing their jobs if they don’t work more hours.

   Many people say that their vacations are too short. In France, people get five weeks of paid vacation a year. In Germany, they get four to six weeks, and in the United States, two weeks. One study shows fewer than half of workers used all their vacation days. In Great Britain, there is a saying, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” If that is true, there must be a lot of dull people in the world.

1. A Japanese worker works __________ more hours a year than a French one.

A. 513          B. 1,646           C. 2,159         D. 3,805

2.The word “overtime” in Paragraph 3 means _____________.

A. 税费          B. 加班费                  C. 学费          D. 冷饮费

3.People in ________ get only two weeks of paid vacation a year.

A. France            B. Germany        C. the United States       D. Great Britain

4.Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. No companies offer vacations to their workers.

B. Many people say they have enough time to relax.

C. Not all companies pay their workers for more work.

D. More than half of workers use all their vacation days.

5.What can we infer(推断) from the passage?

A. Many workers have to work long hours.

B. Many people have vacations long enough.

C. Work hours are the same around the world.

D. There are a lot of dull people in the world.

Many people say that they are working too many hours. They don't have enough time to relax or to stay with their family.

     Work hours are different from one country to another. In France, people spend about 1,646 hours a year at work. In Japan, however, people work about 2,159 hours a year. That means a Japanese worker works 513 more hours a year than a French worker.

     Why do people work so many hours? Some people work extra hours because they want to make more money. However, many companies don't pay overtime. Their workers don't get more pay for more work. Some people think it's their duty to work more hours. Some are afraid of losing their jobs if they don't work more hours.

     Many people say that their vacations are too short. In France, people get five weeks of paid vacation a year. In Germany, they get four to six weeks, and in the United States, two weeks. One study shows fewer than half of workers used all their vacation days. In Great Britain, there is a saying, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull (迟钝的) boy." If that is true, there must be a lot of dull people in the world.

1.A Japanese worker works __ more hours a year than a French one.

A. 513              B. 1,646             C. 2,159              D. 3,805

2.The word "extra" in Paragraph 3 means ".

A. 正常的   B. 额外的      C. 有用的      D. 少量的

3.People in ________ get only two weeks of paid vacation a year.

A. France          B. Germany

C. the United States    D. Great Britain

4.Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. No companies offer vacations to their workers.

B. Many people say they have enough time to relax.

C. Not all companies pay their workers for more work.

D. More than half of workers use all their vacation days.

5.What can we infer from the passage?

A. Many workers have to work long hours.

B. Many people have vacations long enough.

C. Work hours are the same around the world.

D. There are a lot of dull people in the world.

1.Let’s go home, ______ _______? (完成反意疑问句) 

2.They are working carefully. (改为感叹句)

_____ ______ they are working.

3.I’m feeling terrible now .(划线提问)

___________  ___________ you feeling now?

4.The old man is very tired. He can’t walk on. （同义句）

The old man is __________ tired ___________ walk on.

5.I think. The boys aren’t good at basketball. (合并为一个句子)

I ______ ______ the boys ______ good at basketball.

Scientists find that hard-working people can live longer than idle(不工作的) people. Career women are healthier than housewives. Evidence shows that the jobless are in poorer health than the job-holder. A report shows that whenever the unemployment rate(失业率) increases by 1%, the death rate increases by 2%. All this comes down to one point: work is helpful to health.

Why is work good for health? It is because work keeps people busy, away from loneliness. Researches show that people feel unhappy, worried when they have nothing to do. Instead, the happiest are those who are busy. Many high achievers who love their careers feel that they are happiest when they are working hard. Work serves as a bridge between man and reality(现实). By work, people come into contact with each other. By taking part in some activities, they find friendship and warmth. This is helpful to health. The loss of work means the loss of everything. It affects man in spirit and makes him easy to get ill.

Besides, work gives one a sense of fulfillment(充实感) and a sense of achievement. Work makes one feel his value in society. When a writer finishes his writing or a doctor successfully operates on a patient or a teacher sees his students grow, they are happy beyond words.

From the above we can come to the conclusion that the more you work, the happier and healthier you will be. Let us work hard and study well and live a happy and healthy life.

1.Who can live longer, hard-working people or idle people?

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2.How do people feel when they don’t have anything to do?

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3.How can we find friendship and warmth in our daily life?

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4.Why can career women be healthier than housewives? (请根据文章内容，自拟1句话作答)

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5.What do you think hard work can bring us? (请根据自己的想法，自拟1-2句话作答)

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