Almost everyone accepts the fact that crime can never be wiped out entirely. Thus control of crime becomes the focus of police and government around the world. The question lawmakers must answer is, “Which system of criminal punishment works best for society?” Each country has developed its own ideas for solution to this question, and these solutions then determine how criminals are punished under different systems. However, none of the current system in use has proved 100 percent effective.
There are many ideas about punishment of criminals. Some systems look only to get retribution（严惩）against criminals. These systems work to frighten criminals away from repeating a crime in the future. These systems also try to deter（威慑）others in society by using the criminal as an example of what can happen to a person if he or she is caught committing crimes. Rehabilitation（改造）is another philosophy by which many systems of punishment operate. The goal of these systems is to return a former criminal to society after a required period of treatment and training, usually in prisons. The idea is to help change the person’s behavior so that he or she becomes a law-abiding citizen.
Capital punishment is another form of punishment which systems use in extreme criminal cases, sometimes involving such crimes as a murder, rape, and violent theft. In these cases, the person is put to death. Today, capital punishment is used in relatively few countries. Many countries have done away with it. In other words, capital punishment remains only in officially law books but is rarely used. However, capital punishment remains in use in some countries including the United States.
When looking at the number of crimes committed, the effectiveness of any of these forms of punishment comes into question. In the United States, for example, 80 percent of the people arrested each year are male, and the majority of these are young men or boys. One-third of all auto thefts, robberies, and burglaries are committed by young men under the age of 18. Generally, young people have less responsibility in society, so they risk losing little if they are caught in a criminal activity. However, it can also be argued that today’s youthful criminals do not fear the punishment they receive if caught by police. Current methods of criminal punishment do not serve the purpose of deterring young criminals in the United States.
A major problem with the current system of rehabilitation in the United Stated is that most criminals return to crime after they have supposedly been rehabilitated. Two-thirds of those caught by police each year are repeat criminals. As a result of this fact, many people feel that rehabilitation of criminals is a lost cause. Since the late 1970s, many see retribution as a preferred punishment in criminal cases in the United States.
1.What is the passage mainly about?
A. Capital punishment B. Prison system
C. Young criminals D. Control of crime
2.What is the main purpose behind retribution?
A. To satisfy the victim B. To create repeat offenders
C. To frighten future criminals D. To take criminals out of society
3.Many crimes in the United States are committed by _________.
A. leaders B. teenagers
C. factory workers D. street wanders
4.According to the passage, which is true of the legal system in the United States?
A. Capital punishment is not allowed
B. Few young people commit crimes
C. The majority of criminals will not repeat crimes
D. Many people see retribution as the preferred punishment
5.What is a big problem with the system of rehabilitation ?
A. Prisons are full B. Criminals repeat crimes
C. The crime rate is going up D. Young men are going to prison
Imagine that someone in your neighborhood broke the law, and the judge put the whole neighborhood under suspicion. How fair will that be? Well, it happens every day to high schoolers. Just because some students have stolen things in shops, all of us are treated like “shoplifters”. Even though I’d never steal, store employees looked at me like I’m some kind of hardened criminal mastermind.
For example, during one lunch period, my friend Denny and I went to the Grab “n” Go on Tuesday. We arrived to find a line of students waiting outside. A new sign in the window told the story:“ NO MORE THAN TWO STUDENTS AT A TIME.” After 15 minutes, we finally got in. But the store manger laid the evil eye on us. I asked him about the new sign, and he said, “You kids are lifting too much stuff.” You kids? Too much stuff? Not only were we considered to be shoplifters, but brilliant, greedy shoplifters.
The Grab “n” Go isn’t an isolated case. Earlier this year, a department store worker told me to leave my backpack at the front of the store. When I asked who was going to keep an eye on my stuff, she said, “Don’t worry. It isn’t going anywhere.” In other words, I had to risk losing my stuff so that the store wouldn’t have to risk losing theirs. “Don’t worry,” I replied, “I don’t need to shop here.”
The most annoying thing, though, is the way employees watch my friends and me. It’s almost strange and frightening. Once, at a drug store, I went down an aisle and found a guy standing on a box, stocking the shelves. He was watching my hands, which were empty. He got down off his box and rushed off, as if he was going to get the store manger. How crazy is that?
You know, this kind of prejudice can go both ways. I work at the CD Crib, and every day I see adults commit a terrible crime. They put on a set of headphones and sort of dance to the music. Talk about bad! Tomorrow, I’m going to put a sign in the window: “ NO MORE THAN TWO ADULTS LISTNENING TO MUSIC AT A TIME.”
1.“ Shoplifters” ( Paragraph 1) refers to _____________.
A. the neighbor B. thieves
C. employees D. store owners
2.The manager of the Grab “n” Go thought that _______________________.
A. people might be angry about the lining up
B. the shop might be over-crowded
C. students might steal things
D. kids should be accompanied by their parents
3.What is the tone of the writer?
A. Angry B. Sad
C. Pleased D. Excited
4.By saying “this kind of prejudice can go both ways”, the writer intends to _______________.
A. put up a notice to prevent adults from committing a crime.
B. encourage adults to listen to CDs before they buy them.
C. stop adults from talking bad things when in CD stores.
D. accuse adults in the same way as they did towards the boys
5. How does the writer develop his argument?
A. By example B. By classification
C. By comparison and contrast D. By cause and effect
Celebrities(名人) have become a powerful influence on some people because of their social position and their economic situation.
First, some people admire and imitate stars because they allow themselves to be influenced by the media. Television, radio, and magazines invade(侵扰) the lives of audience with a variety of shows, information, and publications about stars and their lives. For instance, Britney Spears has become the target of paparazzi(狗仔队). In May, Britney appeared at the front page of the most popular magazines revealing that she married her best friend in Vegas, Nevada. Media also invade stars’ lives because reporters know they can get high profits from readers who buy and follow their favorite artists’ news.
Second, some mad audiences imitate their celebrities for their lack of confidence. Some people who are shy and lack personality may find that imitating others will cause a good impression. For example, my cousin Jenny, who lacks a social life because of her introverted(内向的) personality, believes that acting and dressing like Jennifer Lopez will make her popular in high school.
Finally, several fans of stars imitate them because of peer pressure. Since my niece’s girl friends formed an Antonio Banderas’ fan club, she had also joined the group. Although she wasn’t a huge fan of his, now she collects most of Banderas’ possessions. In fact, when I asked Arianna, my niece, why she was part of Banderas’ fan club, she replied with a doubtful tone that she did not wish to be rejected by the other teens.
In conclusion, it is true that celebrities play spectacular roles in their performances in Hollywood, which entertains many people all over the world; however, modern celebrities influence the audience to the point where their fans admire and try to imitate their lives.
1.What does the passage mainly tell us?
A. Why people are influenced by celebrities.
B. The harmful influence of celebrities.
C. What kind of people are influenced by celebrities
D. How to avoid the influence of celebrities.
2.We can infer from Paragraph 2 that ___________.
A. media are on the side of stars
B. stars know how to take advantage of media.
C. media can give wrong information about stars
D. media invade stars’ lives for their own good
3.Arianna joined the Antonio Banderas’ fan club to _____________.
A. seek encouragement from the star B. be accepted by other teens
C. become a real fan of the star D. learn more about the star
4.The author of the passage probably believes that ______________.
A. it’s easy for people to resist the influence of celebrities
B. all young people are easily influenced by celebrities
C. it’s no good for people to imitate celebrities blindly
D. people can improve their personality by imitating their favorite stars
It was a cold, wet day on June 6, when 14-year-old Wasana arrived at school. Waiting outside his classroom for his classmates to arrive, Wasana aimlessly at the pouring rain. Then his fell upon the hill that rose at the back of the classroom.
He noticed huge amounts of rainwater down the hill, and water was also bubbling at the base of a large rock on the hill. For a few , Wasana looked at the water, wondering __ it looked so familiar.
Then it him – the scene was surprisingly to the pictures he was shown during Disaster Management classes. a disaster was about to happen, Wasana waved at students, shouting “Run, run, don’t stay here! The rocks on the hill are going to on us!”
All the students and teachers ran to the open area that had been as an emergency gathering point. , they heard screams as the huge rock rolled down the hill, bringing sand, rock and mud. There was they could do as they watched the earth bury an entire school block.
Thanks to Wasana’s quick action and sharp , no one was hurt in the incident. The landslide two classrooms and caused heavy damage to six . “The financial damage is nothing compared to would have happened had there been children in the classrooms,” says the schoolmaster.
Wasana later received a Gold Star from the Foundation for Civilian Bravery, Sri Lanka. at the incident, he says, “I feel disaster management are important for everyone. We’ll never know when the will come in handy.”
1.A. stared B. nodded C. shoutedD. pointed
2.A. thoughtsB. eyesC. wordsD. voices
3.A. pullingB. jumpingC. slidingD. flowing
4.A. timesB. minutes C. hoursD. periods
5.A. howB. whereC. whyD. when
6.A. hitB. droveC. pushedD. stopped
7.A. strange B. rareC. terribleD. similar
8.A. RejectingB. Fearing C. ScaringD. Avoiding
9.A. angrily B. sadlyC. excitedlyD. wildly
10.A. beat B. move C. fall D. dive
11.A. put awayB. set aside C. brought forthD. taken apart
12.A. Just thenB. In shortC. In good time D. As a result
13.A. something B. much C. anything D. little
14.A. discoveryB. movementC. observationD. idea
15.A. destroyed B. toreC. injured D. overcame
16.A. another B. other C. others D. ones
17.A. those B. which C. that D. what
18.A. Looking back B. Looking around C. Looking throughD. Looking forward
19.A. exhibitionsB. lessons C. unitsD. examinations
20.A. conceptB. image C. knowledge D. situation
I would appreciate ___________, to be frank, if the goods could be delivered as soon as possible.
A. you B. this C. it D. myself
---- How did it __________ that you made such a silly mistake?
---- I myself haven’t figured it out yet.
A. come up B. come about
C. come across D. come on
