The tragic death of celebrity Wang Bei has made people aware of the risks of cosmetic surgery, which is becoming increasingly popular．

       A survey on the reaction to Wang's death, conducted by Tencent, which runs China's most popular instant-messaging service, received more than 600,000 responses, as of press time Monday．Forty-one percent of respondents expressed sorrow over her death, saying, "It's a pity she died at such a young age．" Some 31 percent said she should have been more cautious and less vain, while 10 percent were enraged at the hospital that conducted the surgery．The remaining 18 percent were indifferent．

       A common thread of online discussion is why someone considered beautiful was so dissatisfied with her looks．Some netizens said Wang was a victim of society's unrealistic ideal of beauty: double eyelids, an aquiline nose and the pointed chin typical of Western celebrities．Others said her death underscores the limits to which people will go to achieve fame and fortune．Young people, see cosmetic surgery as the key to wealth and love．

       "They want to improve their appearance to find better opportunities at work and in marriage," says Ding Xiaobang, a plastic surgeon with the Peking Union Medical College Hospital．"We're living in a highly competitive society．People regard appearance as a weapon and a means of empowerment…Most of them tell me, 'I don't care how much I spend, just make me look beautiful'．" In the past decade, Ding says he Has seen a growing number of patients, like Wang Bei, who are young and naturally good-looking．The surgeon attributes this trend to people becoming richer, the standards of beauty changing, competition and frustration．

       "Some are frustrated with life and use surgery as a way to try and recover," lie says．

       The surge in demand for plastic surgery has resulted in a rise in the number of unauthorized business establishments and surgeons conducting such procedures．

       Meanwhile, experts say, young and beautiful people who still seek plastic surgery need to address their self-awareness issues and be more accepting．

       “They’ve built their identity around the admiration of others and fail to establish a system to assess themselves," says Zhu Wenbo, a psychologist with Blue Bay Psychological Consulting Center in Chengdu．"People's opinions always change, so this is not a reliable way to evaluate oneself．"

Most people are       toward the death of Wang Bei according to the survey.

       A．sympathetic     B．indifferent       C．enraged    D．not mentioned

Why is there such a trend of having medical cosmetic surgery according to Ding Xiaobang?

       A．People become richer.

       B．The standard the beauty always changes.

       C．People suffer fierce competition and frustration now and then.

       D．All of the above.

What kind of people is regarded as a beauty nowadays?

       A．a person with single eyelid, an aquiline nose and a  pointed chin

       B．a person with double eyelids, an aquiline nose and a pointed chin

       C．a person with double eyelids, a snub nose and a pointed chin

       D．a person with double eyelids, a snub nose and a chubby chin

The purpose of the text is to           .

       A．inform us that cosmetic surgery becomes popular.

       B．emphasize that young people should re-evaluate themselves rationally.

       C．raise concerns about the risk of medical cosmetology industry.

       D．state that people’s standard of beauty always changes.

[1] Every year, whenever the Spring Festival arrives, a lot of Chinese people cannot wait to go home. They queue for long hours in front of the ticket offices in railway stations, or do whatever they can in order to get a ticket. They tolerate the long journey on the train only to want to ____________ with their near and dear ones.
[2] According to the Beijing Youth Daily, most Chinese celebrate the Spring Festival not only because they want to follow tradition, there are also some practical reasons to explain Chinese people's fever for the holiday. Compared with one's workplace, home provides a more humane environment for one to relax oneself.
[3] Society may do with or without you, but at home, you become unique and indispensable. You may be the father or mother, daughter or son, grandfather or grandmother in the family and the family will be incomplete if anyone is absent, because every member in the family is bound together, and everyone in the family is pleased with the feeling that he or she is unique and irreplaceable.
[4] In addition, family provides an ideal environment for one to fully relax oneself. At home, one can take one's time to do whatever he or she wants, and one can spend money whenever one likes. In society, however, one needs to do everything fast and with high efficiency, because society always requires efficiency and maximum profits. Such company principles make people merely a tool in modern society.
[5] Chinese people's strong desire for the Spring Festival shows that they feel oppressed and have a sense of predicament (困境) of existence in modern society. The Spring Festival provides a chance for them to escape from such anxiety and treasure the long-lost tradition of community spirit. With the Spring Festival, people can find back the warm, family atmosphere often seen in days gone by.
【小题1】What's the passage mainly talking about? (Please answer within 10 words.)
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【小题2】Fill in the blanks with proper words or phrases to complete the sentence.  (Please answer within 10 words. )
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【小题3】Which sentence in the passage can be replaced by the following one?
You may not be a necessary part in society, but in your family, you are very important and no one else can take the place of you.
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【小题4】Do you think home is important for Chinese to celebrate the Spring Festival?  Why or why not? (Please answer within 30 words.)
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【小题5】Translate the underlined sentence in the last paragraph into Chinese.
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Edinburgh Mela

Time: 25th – 31st August 2008

Tel / Fax: 0131 557 1400

E-mail: info@edinburgh-mela.co.uk

Website: www.edinburgh-mela.co.uk

Each year Edinburgh Mela is Scotland’s biggest multicultural（多文化的）arts festival that celebrates in Scotland. Although Edinburgh Mela’s roots are in South Asian cultures, this is a festival for everybody. Music, colour, dance, art, fashion, food, children’s activities, the Mela bazaar（集市）and much more!

Edinburgh International Book Festival

Time: 9th – 25th August 2008

Tel: 0131 718 5666

Fax: 0131 226 5335

E-mail: admin@edbookfest.co.uk

Website: www.edbookfest.co.uk

Edinburgh International Book Festival is the world’s biggest book festival. We present different programs for both adults and children including discussions, lectures, debates and workshops, all in one of Edinburgh’s most beautiful spaces, Charlotte Square Gardens.

Edinburgh International Festival

Time: 8th – 31st August 2008

Tel: + 44 (0) 131 473 2000

Fax: +44 (0) 131 473 2002

E-mail: eif@eif.co.uk

Website: www.eif@eif.co.uk

Each year the Edinburgh International Festival stages one of the greatest celebrations of the arts, attracting audiences from around the world to the city’s exciting atmosphere. The festivities offer a special opportunity to experience the excitement of live performance by internationally well-known artists as well as the joy of discovering new and unfamiliar works.

Edinburgh International Science Festival

Time: 25th March-5th April 2008

Tel: 0131 558 7666                                

Fax: 0131 557 9177

E-mail: esf@scifest.demon.co.uk

Website: www.sciencefestival.co.uk

The UK’s largest Science Festival is back with one of the most exciting line-ups in the Festival’s 16-year history. The Science Festival is an unbelievable place for everyone, with events at all levels, all ages and all purses. On offer are 10 days of non-stop shows workshops, presentations, hands-on activities, exhibitions and tours designed to amuse and entertain. Call our ticket hotline on 0131 557 5588.

According to the passage, the four festivals         .

A. are all about arts                                                 B. all happen in 2008 only

C. are all celebrated in Edinburgh                      D. are all mainly for children

What do we know about Edinburgh Mela?

A. It is deeply rooted in Edinburgh.                   B. It is a place to buy and sell things.

C. It shows kinds of cultures in Scotland.            D. It offers a chance for you to buy books.

How many ways are available for you to get the information about each festival?

A. Only one.                 B. Two.                 C. Three.               D. Four.

If you want to book tickets to Edinburgh International Science Festival, you’d better dial       .

A. 0131 557 5588                                            B. 0131 558 7666         

C. + 44 (0) 131 473 2000                                  D. 0131 557 1400

My secret for staying young is simple. Put all attention to the part of you---your brain and keep it young and growing. Keep your mind awake and you’ll stay young all over. These are exciting time. Take an interest in the world around you, and stick to(坚持) learning at least one new thing every day.

No matter how old you are, it’s not too late to make your life more interesting. I know a housewife with no knowledge before who made herself into a famous industrial engineer(工业工程师).I know a retired(退休) electrical engineer who has became a highly-paid ceramin (陶器的) artist.

Get over the idea that you are ever too old to go back to school. I know a man who entered a medical college at 70.He got his degree with honor and became a doctor. Another man went to law school at 71 and now is an active lawyer(律师).Staying young is easy for those, old or young, who live in the future. You can do it if you care enough to try. Keep you mind awake and active: that’s the only elixir(万验灵丹)

41.The statement that brain to people of all ages, remains young and growing is_____.

A.impossible                                         B.a scientific fact(科学事实)

Ｃ.supposed(或许) to be true                   D.a wrong conclusion( 错误结论)

42.It is wrong to______.

think oneself too old to go back to school  B.keep one’s mind awake

try to stay young                      D.get one’s degree with honors

43.The passage tells that the man who entered college at 70 became_____.

A.an active lawyer                               B.an electrical engineer

C.a famous doctor                               D.a highly-paid ceramic artist

44.The only youth elixir is______.

to go back to school                            B.not to think about one’s age

to live in the future                        D.to keep one’s mind awake and active

45.According to the writer,you should_____learning at least one new thing every day.

A.take care of           B.start               C.begin              D.keep on

Some people think that as more and more people have televisions in their homes, fewer and fewer people will buy books and newspapers. Why read an article in the newspaper, when the TV news can bring you the information in a few minutes and with pictures? Why read the life story of a famous man, when a short television program can tell you all that you want to know?

   Television has not killed reading, however. Today, newspapers sell in very large numbers. And books of every kind are sold more than ever before. Books are still a cheap way to get information and enjoyment. Although some books with hard covers are expensive, many books are printed today as paperbooks (平装本), which are quite cheap. A paperback collection of short stories, for example, is always cheaper than an evening at the cinema or the theater, and you can keep a book for ever and read it many times.

Books are a wonderful provider of knowledge and pleasure and some types of books should be in every home. Every home should have a good dictionary. A good encyclopedia (百科全书), though expensive, is useful, too, because you can find information on any subject. Besides, you can have such books as history books, science textbook, cookbooks, and collections of stories and poems. Then from time to time you can take a book of poems off your shelves and read the thoughts and feelings of your favorite poets.

1. It can be inferred from the passage that ________.

     A. TV programs are a chief provider of knowledge.

     B. cinemas are the best choice in getting information.

     C. reading is a cheap way of learning and having fun.

     D. newspapers are an expensive way to enjoy oneself.

2.What does the sentences “Television has not killed reading, however ” underlined in the second paragraph suggest?

A. People only need reading, though.      

B. Reading is still necessary today.

C. Reading is more fun than television.     

D. Watching television doesn’t help reading.

3.What can we learn from the passage?

     A. Fewer and fewer people will buy books.

     B. A good dictionary should be kept in every home.

     C. Books with hard covers sell better than paperbooks.

     D. More people like TV programs about famous men.