On his bench in Madison Square Soapy moved uneasily, and he realized the fact that the time had come for him to provide against the coming winter.
The winter ambitions of Soapy were not of the highest. In them there were no dreams of Mediterranean voyages or blue Southern skies. Three months on the Island was what his soul desired. Three months of assured board and bed and good company, safe from north winds seemed to Soapy the most desirable thing.
Just as the more fortunate New Yorkers had bought their tickets to Palm Beach each winter, Soapy had made his arrangements for his annual journey to the Island. And now the time had come.
There were many institutions of charity in New York where he might receive lodging and food, but to Soapy’s proud spirit the gifts of charity were undesirable. You must pay in humiliation of spirit for everything received at the hands of mercy. So it was better to be a guest of the law.
Soapy, having decided to go to the Island, at once set about accomplishing his desire. He left his bench and went up Broadway. He stopped at the door of a glittering cafe. He was shaven and his coat was decent. If he could reach a table in the restaurant, the portion of him that would show above the table would raise no doubt in the waiter’s mind. A roasted duck, with a bottle of wine, a cigar and a cup of coffee would be enough. Such a dinner would make him happy, for the journey to his winter refuge.
But as Soapy entered the restaurant door, the head waiter’s eye fell upon his shabby trousers and old shoes. Strong hands pushed him in silence and haste out into the street.
Some other way of entering the desirable refuge must be found.
At a corner of Sixth Avenue Soapy took a stone and sent it through the glass of a glittering shop window. People came running around the corner, a policeman at the head of them. Soapy stood still, with his hands in his pockets, and smiled at the sight of the policeman.
“Where is the man that has done that?” asked the policeman.
“Don’t you think that I have had something to do with it?” said Soapy, friendly.
The policeman paid no attention to Soapy. Men who break windows don’t remain to speak with policemen. They run away. He saw a man running and rushed after him, stick in hand. Soapy, disgusted, walked along, twice unsuccessful.
On the opposite side of the street was a restaurant for people with large appetites and modest purses. Soapy entered this place without difficulty. He sat at a table and ate beefsteak and pie. And then he told the waiter he had no money.
“Go and call a cop,” said Soapy. “And don’t keep a gentleman waiting.”
“No cop for you,” said the waiter. “Hey!”
Then Soapy found himself lying upon his left ear on the pavement. He arose with difficulty, and beat the dust from his clothes. Arrest seemed a rosy dream. The Island seemed far away.
After another unsuccessful attempt to be arrested for harassing a young woman, Soapy went further toward the district of theatres.
When he saw a policeman standing in front of a glittering theatre, he thought of “disorderly conduct”. On the sidewalk Soapy began to sing drunken songs at the top of his voice. He danced, cried, and otherwise disturbed the peace.
The policeman turned his back to Soapy, and said to a citizen, “It is one of the Yale boys celebrating their football victory. Noisy, but no harm.”
Sadly, Soapy stopped his useless singing and dancing. The Island seemed unattainable. He buttoned his thin coat against the north wind.
In a cigar store he saw a well-dressed man who had set his silk umbrella by the door. Soapy entered the store, took the umbrella, and went out with it slowly. The man with the cigar followed hastily.
“My umbrella,” he said.
“Oh, is it?” said Soapy. “Well, why don’t you call a policeman? I took your umbrella! Why don’t you call a cop? There stands one on the corner.”
The umbrella owner slowed his steps. Soapy did likewise. The policeman looked at them curiously.
“Of course,” said the umbrella man, “well, you know how these mistakes occur…if it’s your umbrella I hope you’ll excuse me – I picked it up this morning in a restaurant – if it’s yours, I hope you’ll…”
“Of course it’s mine,” said Soapy.
The ex-umbrella man retreated. The policeman hurried to help a well-dressed woman across the street.
Soapy threw the umbrella angrily. He was angry with the men who wear helmets and carry clubs. They seemed to regard him as a king who could do no wrong.
At last Soapy stopped before an old church on a quiet corner. Through one window a soft light glowed, where, the organist played a Sunday anthem. For there came to Soapy’s ears sweet music that caught and held him at the iron fence.
The moon was shining; cars and pedestrians were few; birds twittered sleepily under the roof. And the anthem that the organist played cemented Soapy to the iron fence, for he had known it well in the days when his life contained such things as mothers and roses and ambitions and friends.
The influence of the music and the old church produced a sudden and wonderful change in Soapy’s soul. He thought of his degraded days, dead hopes and wrecked faculties.
And also in a moment a strong impulse moved him to battle with his desperate fate. He would pull himself out of this pit; he would make a man of himself again. Those sweet notes had set up a revolution in him. Tomorrow he would be somebody in the world. He would…
Soapy felt a hand on his arm. He looked quickly around into the broad face of a policeman.
“What are you doing here?”
“Nothing.”
“Then come along,” said the policeman.
“Three months on the Island,” said the Judge the next morning.
1.Soapy regarded the Island as his winter ambition because _____.
A. he wanted to go on Mediterranean voyages and enjoy blue Southern skies
B. he wanted to spend the cold winter somewhere warm other than New York
C. he wanted to be put into prison to survive the coming winter
D. he wanted to buy a ticket to the Island to spend the cold winter
2.Which of the following is the reason for Soapy’s not turning to charity?
A. His pride gets in the way.
B. What the institutions of charity offer isn’t what Soapy needs.
C. He wants to be a citizen who obeys the law.
D. The institutions of charity are not located on the island.
3.How many times did Soapy try to accomplish his desire?
A. 4. B. 5. C. 6. D. 7.
4.From the passage, we can see what the two restaurants have in common is that _____.
A. they are both fancy upper class restaurants
B. neither of them served Soapy
C. they both drove Soapy out of the restaurant after he finished his meal
D. neither of them called cops
5.Hearing the Sunday anthem at the church, Soapy _____.
A. was reminded of his good old days and wanted to play the anthem again
B. was reminded of his unaccomplished ambition and was determined to get to the Island
C. was reminded of his disgraceful past and determined to transform himself
D. was reminded of his rosy dream and wished to realize it
6.By ending the story this way, the author means to _____.
A. show that one always gets what he/she wants with enough efforts
B. make a contrast and criticize the sick society
C. surprise readers by proving justice was done after all
D. put a tragic end to Soapy’s life and show his sympathy for Soapy
Australian scientists say an organic compound(复合物) used by Indian women to paint dots or bindi on their foreheads could hold the key to a breakthrough in cancer treatment. Rose Bengal was first used in the early 1900s as a dye for food, textiles and cosmetics. But now it is proving to be a useful weapon in the fight against skin cancer.
Television advertisements constantly warn of the dangers of overexposure to the fierce sun. Among them is the possibility of the disease melanoma(黑瘤), a type of skin cancer. More than 1,200 Australians die every year from the disease.
Initial trials of a solution of Rose Bengal injected into some melanoma cells have had a 75 percent success rate in controlling the disease. Professor John Thompson, the director of the Melanoma Unit at the University of Sydney, says this organic dye could become a powerful cancer-fighting treatment.
“We believe it works by getting into the tumor(肿块) cells and causing them to self-destruct. But the exact mechanism by which it works is not totally clear. It’s not useful for people who have a primary melanoma. The treatment of primary melanoma is surgical excision(切除),”he said. “It’s useful to inject tumors for people who have recurrences; when the primary treatment has failed and when recurrence in the area, or at more distant sites has occurred.”
About 90 percent of Australians who develop melanoma survive thanks to early diagnosis and treatment. If left untreated, however, the disease can be fatal.
Convincing younger people in Australia about the dangers of overexposure to the sun is a battle campaigners are constantly waging.
Veronica Manock, a 21-year-old student, had two major operations to remove a cancerous tumor from her leg.
“I’ve had a lot of friends who just said ‘I thought it was just, you know, I’ll get a mole(痣) cut out and that’s it’, whereas I don’t think people realize how much danger they’re putting themselves into and how easy it is to stop something like this happening to you just from doing little things,”said Marock.
Other researchers in Australia are investigating genetic treatments to skin cancer. There is a pressing need for such research to produce effective treatments. Australians, the majority of whom are fair-skinned(浅肤色的), are four times more likely to develop a melanoma than people in Canada, the United States or Great Britain.
1.The information about Rose Bengal is wrong EXCEPT that .
A. it is no longer used as a dye
B. it is used to cure skin cancer
C. it is a special kind of rose planted in Australia
D. it can be effective in treating skin cancer
2.The main reason for Australia’s high rate in skin cancer is .
A. the overuse of cosmetics
B. overexposure to the sun
C. the color of their skin
D. the lack of prevention
3.From the passage we can learn that .
A. skin cancer is incurable
B. some young people seem to know little about the danger of overexposure to the sun
C. about ninety percent of Australians are likely to develop melanoma
D. all moles should be cut out to prevent skin cancer
4.According to Professor John Thompson, the best way to deal with primary cancer is .
A. injecting tumors
B. taking some medicine
C. getting genetic treatment
D. having surgical excision
5.The passage was intended for .
A. general readers
B. people who like taking sun-bathing
C. doctors and researchers
D. children at school
“Just take a deep breath.” “Don’t think about it.” “You’re more likely to die in a car wreck on the way to the airport than you are in a plane crash.” These are just some words given to people with a fear of flying. But as Tom Cruise, playing Lt. Daniel Kaffee in the movie A Few Good Men, said, “I get sick when I fly because I’m afraid of crashing into a large mountain. I don’t think Daniel will help.”
But there’s a new application that just may. Today, the VALK Foundation, a Dutch group that’s a partnership between KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and the University of Leiden, launches the app in the US. The VALK Foundation was one of the first centers for research and fear-of-flying treatment in the world and is the organizer of three world conferences on fear of flying.
The foundation said the app, called Flight App VALK, is the first scientifically-developed, web-based treatment for people who suffer from mild to moderate fear of flying.
“The fear of flying application we have created aims to transfer all of the knowledge we have developed through our program into a mobile application that will help ease travelers’ fears,” said Dr. Lucas van Gerwen, director of the VALK Foundation. Dr. van Gerwen is also a psychologist and professional pilot with more than 30 years experience.
The foundation said up to 30% of adults are fearful fliers. The Flight App is designed to help relax passengers before and during flights by educating users about flight safety and turbulence. It explains the sounds and sensations they can expect during departure, flight and landing. And, if a passenger’s flight stress reaches a panic level, they press a special panic button which provides audio and written information to help decrease stress levels. Most importantly, the Flight App can be used during the flight in the airplane mode. Once downloaded, the program does not require Internet connection in the air.
1.By saying the words at the beginning of the passage, people are expected to ______.
A. decrease their fear of flying
B. get rid of their doubt about plane
C. have a good time on their flight journey
D. use some medicine to cure their fear of flying
2.Flight App VALK is aimed to ______.
A. help passengers experience the fear of flying
B. help relax passengers before and during flights
C. treat people who suffer from mild fear of flying
D. teach people the basic knowledge of taking flight
3.According to the passage, the VALK Foundation ______.
A. is a group focusing on psychology on the flight
B. was the first center to do research into fear of flying
C. organize the world conferences on fear of flying annually
D. focuses on researching and offering treatment on fear of flying
4.What does the last paragraph mainly tell us?
A. Many adults are suffering from fear of flying
B. It’s convenient for people to use the Flight App
C. Many planes will be installed with the Flight App.
D. The Flight App can decrease stress levels effectively
5.In which column of a newspaper can we read this passage?
A. Culture B. Entertainment C. Technology D. Education
Folklore is the branch of the study of man which deals with local customs, tales and traditions. Everybody is a storehouse of folklore, though not everybody realizes it. Often, in deed, those who have never heard the word folklore have the greatest store of it, for the people with least book education commonly cherish most firmly old ideas and superstitions (迷信) which have been passed on by word of mouth for generations. Everyone has heard stories of ghosts, witches, fairies, and giants. We all know some proverbs and have come across such ideas as, for example, that it is lucky to see black cat and unlucky to see a single magpie (喜鹊). We keep certain seasons of the year as festivals, such as Christmas, and we are familiar with the special customs connected with weddings and funerals. All such things are of interest to those who study folklore.
People who study folklore won’t criticize the old beliefs and practices they come across as silly, childish, or old-fashioned. Instead, they will try to collect accurate records of them and then see how these are connected with other ideas and customs of other places or times. By comparing with what is known of olden times or the folklore of other countries, they try to discover how certain beliefs and practices came into being, and what purpose they serve now or used to serve in the past.
Often we find that the beliefs which seem most peculiar and unreasonable, and the customs which appear least practical, are of the greatest interest and importance because they are commonly the oldest. Sometimes they were part of an ancient ritual (惯例) or served a useful purpose when people’s way of life was different from what it is now. So we not only learn about what people thought and did in the past but are better able to understand present customs. People often keep up customs when they have forgotten the original reason for them, and in the course of time a fresh reason gets attached to the custom. Thus, when some joker ties an old shoe to the back of the taxi taking the bride and bridegroom to the station for their honeymoon, he would say it was “for luck”, but actually a shoe is an old fertility (繁殖力) symbol and has a place in the wedding customs of China and Palestine.
1.The underlined word “they” (in Para.2) most probably refers to _________.
A. practices and beliefs B. customs and traditions
C. records and tales D. places or times
2.It is most unlikely for people who study folklore to _________.
A. collect as many records of old beliefs and practices as possible
B. compare the present customs with those of the olden times
C. criticize the old beliefs and superstitions as silly or childish
D. find out the purpose the certain beliefs and practices serve or used to serve
3.Which of the following statements is true about customs?
A. The customs which do not appear practical mean nothing to most people.
B. The reasons for certain customs may change in the course of history.
C. People who practice customs are quite familiar with their origins.
D. The wedding customs in China and Palestine are of great similarity.
4.What would be the best title for the passage?
A. What Does Folklore Really Mean?
B. How Do People Keep Up Customs?
C. Who Studies Tales And Traditions?
D. When Did Some Old Beliefs Begin?
A mother and daughter living in my community are two of the most unfriendly people I have ever come across in my life. They are totally , mixing with nobody. As they drive past neighbors they keep their eyes looking away and make no sign of . The only fame they have is making a nuisance (讨厌的人) of themselves to the local police station by music played too loud, dogs barking more than once a day and any other petty (琐碎的) little .
On moving into this neighborhood, I was of these two but decided I would make up my own mind. This proved quite a to me as more than once either the mother or the daughter would knock on my door and blast (猛烈抨击) me with some or other. I answered politely and made sure I as they went past my place and also made the effort now and then to make a kind about their garden or pets.
Time passed and in October, as part of the Kindness Rock Give, Maureen and I decided to place a kindness rock in their garden. Their remained unchanged, however, and I continued to be as friendly as possible. During the Easter give, we decided once again to these two unhappy ladies to our list and a packet of cookies on their gate. Imagine my when two days later they at my gate and jokingly said they were hanging their Christmas stocking on their gate, and they brought me a bunch of flowers!
So, my fellow gifters, do not on your random gifts of kindness. You may never know just what this to others, nor how many broken or hearted people you may just change a simple act of kindness.
1.A. protected B. depressed C. separated D. equipped
2.A. enthusiasm B. acknowledgement C. excitement D. entertainment
3.A. discussing B. requesting C. reporting D. rejecting
4.A. events B. issues C. incidents D. affairs
5.A. accused B. warned C. reminded D. convinced
6.A. challenge B. project C. task D. matter
7.A. quarrels B. opinions C. explanations D. complaints
8.A. seldom B. never C. always D. sometimes
9.A. waved B. stared C. noticed D. laughed
10.A. difference B. account C. gesture D. remark
11.A. smile B. attitude C. decision D. anger
12.A. add B. recommend C. reduced D. drove
13.A. shared B. took C. left D. fixed
14.A. interest B. anxiety C. surprise D. doubt
15.A. whispered B. stopped C. shouted D. wandered
16.A. imagining B. intending C. considering D. approaching
17.A. take in B. take up C. give in D. give up
18.A. refers B. means C. relates D. contributes
19.A. kind B. light C. hard D. warm
20.A. on B. over C. by D. with
—Do you know Henry didn’t win that speech contest?
—______? I thought for sure he would. He worked so hard on it.
A. Do I B. Don’t I C. Did he D. Didn’t he
