| Passage One |
| They may be one of Britain’s most
successful exports and among the world’s most popular TV shows, ranking
alongside the World Cup Final and the Olympic Games opening ceremony in terms of
audience. But, in Britain, beauty competitions are unfashionable. To most
people, beauty contests seem as out-dated as bowing. Nicolas Barker, a lawyer in
London, said that "As much as I think it’s fine for women to do it. I don’t
think it’s interesting and in fact. I think they’re irrelevant to today." Last
year, Miss World was broadcast to 142 countries, but it wasn’t even shown in
this country where it started in 1951. It wasn’t always this way in Britain. Once, beauty queens dated footballers, traveled the world and were guaranteed fame, fortune and fun. Now, they open new supermarkets, are sponsored by dry-cleaning companies and, if the A. bringing huge benefits for the country B. as popular as the World Cup Final C. no longer popular in the country D. widely protested in the country [单项选择]Passage One
Parkinson’s disease, first described in the early 1800s by British physician James Parkinson as "shaking palsy", is among the most prevalent neurological disorders. According to the United Nations, at least four million people worldwide have it; in North America, estimates run from 500,000 to one million, with about 50,000 diagnosed every year. These figures are expected to double by 2040 as the world’s elderly population grows; indeed, Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative illnesses common in the elderly (such as Alzheimer’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) are on their way to overtaking cancer as a leading cause of death. But the disease is not entirely one of the aged: 50 percent of patients acquire it after age 60; the other half are affected before then. Furthermore, better diagnosis has made experts increasingly aware that the disorder can attack those younger than 40.
So far researchers and clinicians have found no way to slow, stop or prevent
A. Parkinson’s disease will become one of the leading causes of death for the old people. B. Parkinson’s disease is not entirely one of the aged, as half of the patients are young people. C. Parkinson’s disease first appeared in the 19th century. D. Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder, but not yet a neurodegenerative illness. [单项选择]Passage One
Jack’s friend Tony had recently gotten a tattoo （文身）., and Jack was so impressed by Tony’s bravery and his tattoo that he decided to get one too. Why do a lot of young people in North America get tattoos today Peer pressure, media influence, and personal expression are some of the common reasons.
The desire to be part of a group to be accepted by one’s friends or peers can have a great influence on what a person does. Sometimes, wearing a tattoo can be a sign that you belong to a certain group, Gangs often use special clothes and tattoos to identify their particular group. For example, in one gang all the members may wear green army jackets and have large “Xs” tattooed on their arms. It is not only gangs that have this type of special “uniform”. Young people often belong to a certain group of friends. Some of these groups wear only brand-name clothes. Others wear tattoos. When a person’s friends are all doing something, such as getting a tattoo, that person is mo
A. the influence of friends B. the influence of the media C. a desire to express himself D. a desire to be fashionable [单项选择] {{B}}Passage One{{/B}}
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