Fifty-three years ago Barbie Millicent Roberts first appeared in the world of toys. Since then, Barbie doll, as everyone called her, has become the most successful toy doll in history. Her parent, the Mattel Company, said that 90% of all American girls between 3 and 10 have at least one Barbie at home.
However, Barbie is facing some trouble at present(现在). There are many similar dolls on the market in competition with her. Another doll named Bratz, for example, came to life thirteen years ago. She looks more like today's pop stars with heavy makeup(浓妆) and miniskirts. And her company offers more kinds of clothes too.
It seems that Barbie has lost her magic among older girls. 'For younger girls, playing with a Barbie is much fun. But when you get older, you want something smarter and more modern,' says Vera Shepherd, a shop assistant in a New York toy store.
It is good news that on the international market, Barbie is still No. 1. Although Mattel is selling fewer barbie in the United States these years, sales in other countries are still going up. In January 2009, Mattel opened its first Barbie store in Shanghai, where girls can shop, eat, drink or even become fashion designers for their own Barbies.
Mattel is planning big celebrations for Barbie's 53rd birthday. She has called Fashion designers from all over the world to make new dresses for Barbie. How long will Barbie stay popular in the world of toy dolls? It is hard to say, but 53 is surely not the age to retire(退休).
1.Barbie's trouble is that_______.
A. it wears heavy makeup and miniskirts
B. other dolls are more popular with little girls
C. other dolls are trying to beat her in the market
D. it has become less popular in the international market
2.Girls can do the following in the first Barbie shop in Shanghai except_______.
A. going shopping B. having food
C. drinking juice D. taking photos
3.What's the meaning of the underlined words 'fashion designers' in the passage?
A.珠宝设计师 B.发型设计师
C. 舞台设计师 D. 时装设计师
4.What is the best title of the passage?
A. First Barbie shop in Shanghai
B. Barbie's past and present
C. Barbie's 53rd birthday party
D. Barbie lost her magic
阅读理解
1.If you want to visit Big Ben(大本钟), you should travel to ______
A. Rome B. London C. Beijing D. Canberra
2.From the form(表格), you can find ________ in Western Europe.
A. one country B. two countries
C. three countries D. four countries
3.Which of the following is TRUE according to the information in the form?
A. Australia and Britain aren’t English—speaking countries.
B. Rome is a city in Southern Europe.
C. Canberra is the capital of Italy.
D. China is a country with the smallest population.
Steven Jobs, the designer（设计者）of Apple Computer, was not clever when he was in school. At that time, he was not a good student and he always made troubles with his schoolmates. When he went into college, he didn’t change a lot. Then he dropped out（退学）. But he was full of new ideas.
After he left college, Steven Jobs worked as a video game designer. He worked there for only several months and then he went to India. He hoped that the trip would give him some new ideas and give him a change in life.
Steven Jobs lived on a farm in California for a year after he returned from India.
In 1975, he began to make a new type of computer. He designed the Apple Computer with his friend in his garage（汽车库）. He chose the name “Apple” just because it could help him to remember a happy summer he once spent in an apple tree garden.
His Apple Computer was such a great success that Steven Jobs soon became famous all over the world.
1.Steven Jobs was not a good student in school because he ________.
A. never did his lessons
B. was full of new ideas
C. always made troubles with his schoolmates
D. dropped out
2.Steven Jobs designed his new computer ________.
A. in India B. with his friend
C. in an apple tree garden D. by himself
3.Steven Jobs was famous for his ________ all over the world.
A. new ideas B. apple
C. Apple Computer D. video games
完形填空
There was a lovely vegetable patch (菜园). A large tree _______ there. Both the patch _______ the tree gave the place a wonderful look, and _______ were the pride of the gardener. But _______ knows that the vegetables and the _______ couldn’t stand (忍受) each other. The vegetables hated the tree’s shadow (阴影) , _______ it left them only just enough light to live. The tree, on the other hand, _______ the vegetables because they drank nearly all the_______ , leaving him just enough to live.
The situation became _______ serious that the vegetables decided _______ up all the water in the ground so that the tree would die. The tree answered back by not protecting the vegetables _______ the hot sun, so they began to dry up. Soon the vegetables were really weak, and the tree was drying up.
The gardener wondered why and stopped_______ them. When he did that, both the tree and the vegetables _______ that it was better to help each other. They learned how to live in harmony with those around them. So they decided to work together, using both the shade and the water to grow well. After seeing how well they were _______ , the gardener gave the _______ care to the vegetable patch, watering and fertilizing (施肥) it better than any other patch for miles around.
1.A. grow B. grows C. grew D. grown
2.A. and B. or C. but D. nor
3.A. they B. them C. their D. themselves
4.A. somebody B. anybody C. nobody D. everybody
5.A. gardener B. tree C. light D. leaves
6.A. when B. before C. if D. because
7.A. liked B. hated C. loved D. helped
8.A. shadow B. water C. soil D. sunlight
9.A. so B. such C. too D. very
10.A. used B. using C. to use D. use
11.A. from B. for C. by D. on
12.A. water B. watering C. to water D. waters
13.A. realized B. improved C. received D. remembered
14.A. do B. doing C. did D. done
15.A. good B. better C. best D. well
---Do you mind my smoking here? --- _________________. It’s a public place.
A. Better not B. Of course not
C. Not at all D. Certainly not.
--- ________ this today, everyone. --- Great. We can go home now.
A. Prepare for B. Talk about
C. So much for D. Think about
