Why is pink or purple a color for girls and blue or brown for boys?
The answer depends largely on cultural values as well as personal experiences. To the Egyptians, green was a color that represented the hope and joy of spring, while for Muslims, it means heaven. Red is a symbol of good luck in many cultures. In China, children are given money in a red envelope to bring good fortune in the New Year. For many nations, blue is a symbol of protection and religious beliefs. Greek people often wear a blue necklace hoping to protect themselves against evils (灾祸).
People’s choice of colors is also influenced by their bodies’ reactions (反应) toward them. Green is said to be the most restful color. It has the ability to reduce pain and relax people both mentally and physically. People who work in green environment have been found to have fewer stomachaches.
Red can cause a person’s blood pressure to rise and increase people’s appetites (食欲). Many decorators will include different shades of red in the restaurant. Similarly, many commercial (商业的)websites will have a red “Buy Now” button because red is a color that easily catches a person’s eye.
Blue is another calming color. Unlike red, blue can cause people to lose appetite. So if you want to eat less, some suggest that eating from blue plates can help.
The next time you are deciding on what to wear or what color to decorate your room, think about the color carefully.
1.Muslims regard green as a symbol of heaven mainly because of their .
A. cultural values
B. commercial purposes
C. personal experiences
D. bodies’ reactions to the color
2.Why will many commercial websites have a red “Buy Now” button?
A. To relax people physically.
B. To increase people’s appetites.
C. To encourage people to buy the goods.
D. To cause a person’s blood pressure to rise.
3.What color might help lose weight according to the text?
A. Red B. Green. C. Blue. D. Purple.
4.Which of the following would be the most proper title for the text?
A. Colors and Human Beings
B. The Cultural Meaning of Color
C. Colors and Personal Experiences
D. The Meaning and Function of Color
Like most July days, it was hot. I stepped into a tiny ice-cream shop to cool off with a chocolate ice-cream. It was an old-time store with little round tables and chairs.
As I entered, I found a very old woman bent over a table near the door. Her back was so badly twisted by some sadness that her face nearly touched the table top. I sat down facing her several tables away.
“Poor woman,” I thought. “What does she get out of life? Why God let people live so long past their prime?”
As I thought, another aged lady entered the shop and sat down with her. Soon the two of them were talking about childhood days. They talked of how little the shop had changed in 70 years… In minutes, the two of them were trembling with laughter.
I looked again at the first woman, then in the mirror on a nearby wall, catching a picture of myself.
I was wearing a dirty shirt. She was well dressed in white, her hands shining with gold rings.
I was gloomy(愁闷的). She was laughing, smiling.
I was putting the pieces of my life together. She had millions of wonderful memories to recall.
I sat alone. She was sharing the day with a good friend.
I was secretly worried about getting old. She was old, but it wasn’t hurting her.
As I left the shop, I thought of my foolish question about God letting people live past their prime. Why, that woman was more alive, more sensitive to life than I was. Age has not bent her spirit.
1.The word “prime” in paragraph 3 means ______.
A. old age B. middle
C. childhood D. greatest period of life
2.Which of the following is the main idea of the passage?
A. To tell us the life of old people.
B. To show the difference between the old and the young.
C. To show that old age does not mean going short of spirit.
D. To make the reader have a pity on the old people.
3.Which of the following is the conclusion the writer made about the old lady?
A. She was to be pitied for her old age.
B. She considered the young man pitiable.
C. She was more alive and sensitive to life than the writer.
D. People should not be allowed to live when they are too old.
完形填空
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从1~20各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Some people are afraid of starting a casual(随意的) conversation with a stranger because of a fear of not having anything interesting to say. Fear of refused is also a _________ for keeping silent. Small talk in a conversation can _________ as a way of warming up and getting to _________ each other. Most people, no matter _________ successful they are at work, will find the process of _________ small talk uncomfortable, even meaningless. _________ , you will have a pretty small world _________ you refuse to let others in. Starting off with a casual comment or question will make others _________, and even just greeting them with a simple “hello” will often be enough.
Once you have made the first _________ , there is no turning back. You need to keep things _________ before you can politely say goodbye. Think about what you would like to _________ with a new friend and that is what you can ask the other person about. Work, family, hobbies or interests are some _________ points of discussion. To keep the ball rolling, you can show that you are really _________in what they are saying. Once you find common _________ of interest, things will certainly _________ off from there.
Small talk can _________ out to be a pleasant experience. The conversation _________ be brief and casual without turning into a long and boring discussion. Do not let yourself _________ the conversation. Stop worrying about how big of a fool you may appear to be. You may _________ find out later on that you have the “ _________ ” of getting people to open up to you by engaging them in small talk.
1.A. right B. reason C. result D. sign
2.A. take B. use C. mean D. act
3.A. know B. learn C. recognize D. realize
4.A. what B. whether C. why D. how
5.A. giving B. leaving C. making D. forcing
6.A. So B. Instead C. However D. Besides
7.A. unless B. until C. if D. Though
8.A. comfortable B. upset C. nervous D. satisfied
9.A. decision B. plan C. wish D. move
10.A. changing B. rising C. improving D. going
11.A. know B. share C. do D. show
12.A. private B. present C. important D. general
13.A. careful B. surprised C. interested D. encouraged
14.A. ideas B. experiences C. points D. senses
15.A. take B. put C. get D. set
16.A. come B. turn C. find D. figure
17.A. should B. can C. will D. may
18.A. start B. complete C. consider D. control
19.A. still B. even C. ever D. almost
20.A. right B. advantage C. talent D. habit
We celebrated the special occasion __________ the people who helped the survivors and made great efforts to rebuild the city.
A. in charge of B. in time of
C. in place of D. in honor of
Tom’s new watch ________ hands are made of gold is quite expensive.
A. that B. which C. whose D. of which
It is one thing to enjoy listening to good music, but it is quite _________ to perform skillfully yourself.
A. other B. another
C. the other D. others
