1 . According to the majority of Americans, women are every bit as capable of being good political leaders as men. The same can be said of their ability to dominate the corporate boardroom. And according to a new Pew Research Center survey on women and leadership, most Americans find no difference between women and men on key leadership qualities such as intelligence and capacity for innovation, with many saying they’re stronger than men in terms of being passionate and organized leaders.
So why, then, are women in short supply at the top of government and business in the United States? According to the public, at least, it’s not that they lack toughness, management talent or proper skill sets.
It’s also not all about work life balance. Although economic research and previous survey findings have shown that career interruptions related to motherhood may make it harder for women to advance in their careers and compete for top executive jobs, relatively few adults in the recent survey point to this as a key barrier for women seeking leadership roles. Only about 20% say women’s family responsibilities are a major reason why there aren’t more females in top leadership positions in business and politics.
Instead, topping the list of reasons, about 40% Americans point to a double standard for women hoping to climb to the highest levels of either politics or business, where they have to do more than their male workmates to prove themselves. Similar shares say the electorate (选民) and American companies are just not ready to put more women in top leadership positions.
As a result, the public is divided about whether the imbalance in American companies will change in the foreseeable future, even though women have made major advances in the workplace. While 53% believe men will continue to hold more top executive positions in business in the future, 44% say it’s only a matter of time before as many women are in top executive positions as men. Americans are less doubtful when it comes to politics: 73% expect to see a female president in their lifetime.
1. What do we learn from previous survey findings about women seeking leadership roles?| A．They have unconquerable difficulties on their way to success. |
| B．They are lacking in confidence when competing with men. |
| C．Their failures may have something to do with family duties. |
| D．Relatively few are held back in their career advancement. |
| A．More and more women will sit in the boardroom. |
| B．Gender imbalance in leadership is likely to change. |
| C．The public is undecided about whether women will make good leaders. |
| D．People have opposing opinions as to whether they will have more women leaders. |
| A．A woman in the highest position of government. |
| B．More and more women actively engaged in politics. |
| C．A majority of women voting for a female president. |
| D．As many women in top government positions as men. |
| A．What do most Americans think of women leaders? |
| B．How to balance work and life for working women? |
| C．When can women achieve equality in the workplace? |
| D．Why are women leaders fewer in companies or governments? |
2 . There is a traditional view that a degree from top universities can in itself place you on the highest career path. If your career playing field is assessed purely by salary, then the data support this view: Oxford and Cambridge graduates have the highest median incomes of all employed graduates, five years after leaving university.
In any event, it is not just university choice that affects your career outcome. Sometimes, biases exist. For example, on Wall Street, male applicants form upper-middle-class backgrounds with an interest in team sports are particularly preferred.
Some employers are leveling the playing field, actively seeking graduates from other well-known universities, to increase diversity and perhaps because the courses at these universities offer their students advantages, including vocational elements. Other employers are trying out “background blind” admissions, removing from applications references to schools or universities.
While there may be peer or family pressure to study at certain universities, your long-term career success depends on more than the brand name, including what you can demonstrate in terms of technical and employability skills.
Research all leading universities to decide which course would suit you best, including the content, style and intensity of teaching, and examination methods. You may also consider which institution would provide the best extra-curricular (课程以外的) opportunities.
Even if Oxbridge doors close for you, other doors will open: employers will be impressed by what you do with the opportunities you actually had, not what might have been.
1. The word “biases” in Paragraph 2 most probably means| A．unexpected career outcomes | B．emphasis on culture awareness |
| C．common employing practices | D．tendencies to like someone better |
| A．one’s career outcome is affected by more factors than his university choice |
| B．it is better to apply to the companies that care less about educational backgrounds |
| C．well-known institutions prefer university graduates with proper vocational training |
| D．job applicants must provide potential employers with references to universities |
| A．your learning style | B．the brand name of the course |
| C．the way of examinations | D．the style of the teaching content |
| A．Coaches in playing field. | B．Teachers in certain universities. |
| C．Students in senior high schools. | D．Employers from famous companies. |
3 . At the start of every vacation, many parents spend their time wondering: What will the children do? When I was a child in the 1950s, the answer was easy. The children would play. We played feely with other children, in our own chosen ways, away from adults. When we got bored, we found ways to overcome it. We took up
During such play, we acquired knowledge and skills that couldn’t be taught to us in school. We learned how to take
Over the past 60 years, however, we’ve seen a huge
Our children love to play in moderately
Why is such play so
Researchers have found that when young rats or monkeys are deprived (剥夺) of play during critical periods in their development, the animals grow up as emotional cripples (跛者). They are
We have deprived children of free, risky play, probably for their own good. In the process we have denied them the opportunity to learn how to be
Our children need more freedom, not more adult control.
1.| A．expeditions | B．adventures | C．violence | D．disasters |
| A．figured out | B．looked over | C．made for | D．turned out |
| A．measures | B．action | C．initiative | D．risks |
| A．created | B．pursued | C．captured | D．demonstrated |
| A．addictions | B．predictions | C．expectations | D．careers |
| A．increase | B．amount | C．decline | D．demand |
| A．depression | B．obesity | C．digestion | D．cancer |
| A．friendly | B．funny | C．risky | D．learned |
| A．dangerous | B．frustrating | C．striking | D．appealing |
| A．strengthened | B．eliminated | C．multiplied | D．identified |
| A．psychologically | B．physically | C．medically | D．biologically |
| A．devote | B．stick | C．adapt | D．seek |
| A．identical | B．modest | C．miserable | D．unfamiliar |
| A．missing | B．involving | C．lacking | D．showing |
| A．obedient | B．adaptable | C．optimistic | D．practical |
近来，国家发布防止青少年沉迷网络游戏的禁令，规定所有网络游戏企业不得在周一至周四向青少年提供游戏服务。作为一名高中生，你是支持还是反对这一禁令？请表明观点，并阐述理由。
（沉迷于 be addicted to......）
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| A. physical B. practical C. popular D. capable AB. range AC. blame AD. return BC. concerns BD. dropped CD. shared ABC. improvements |
Born and raised in a digital age, today’s young people are generally tech savvy （技术娴熟的). But when it comes to basic life skills, they are less
According to a recent study by YouGov, a UK-based market research firm, 69 percent of 18-24-olds in the UK have no idea how to bleed a radiator (暖气片换水). About 35 percent of them don’t know how to sew on a button, while about 11 percent don’t understand how to change a light bulb or iron clothes.
In fact, the problem is
Technology may be to
Indeed,
However, this change has raised
That’s why there’s an increasing call for the
6 . Over the last decade, demand for the cosmetic surgery has increased by more than 400 percent. According to Dr. Dai Davies, of the Plastic Surgery Partnership in Hammersmith, the majority of cosmetic surgery patients are not chasing physical perfection. Rather, they are driven to improve their appearance by a desire to look normal. “What we all crave is to look normal. The advertising media give us a perception(概念)of what is physically acceptable and we feel we must look like that.”
In America, the debate is no longer about whether surgery is normal; rather, it centres on what age people should be before going under the knife. New York surgeon Dr. Gerard Imber recommends “maintenance” work for people in their thirties. “The idea of waiting until one needs a heroic transformation is silly,” he says. “By then, you've wasted 20 great years of your life and allowed things to get out of hand.” Dr. Imber draws the line at operating on people who are under 18, however. “It seems that someone we don't consider old enough to order a drink shouldn't be considering plastic surgery.”
In the U. K. cosmetic surgery has long been seen as the exclusive domain(领土)of the very rich and famous. But the cost of treatment has fallen considerably, bringing all but the most advanced laser technology within the reach of most people. Dr. Davies says, “Of course, ￡3,000 for an operation is a lot of money. But it is also an investment for life which costs about half the price of a good family holiday.”
Dr. Davies suspects that the increasing sophistication(精密)of the fat injecting and removal techniques that allow patients to be treated with a local anesthetic(麻醉)in an afternoon has also helped promote the popularity of cosmetic surgery. One woman who recently paid f2, 500 for liposuction to remove fat from her thighs admitted, “Going into the clinic was so low key and effective that it whetted my appetite. Now I don't think there's any operation that I would rule out having if I could afford it.”
1. The statement “draws the line at operating on people” (Paragraph 2) is closest in meaning to ________.| A．removing wrinkles from the face | B．helping people make up |
| C．enjoying operating | D．refusing to operate |
| A．cosmetic surgery, though costly, is worth having |
| B．cosmetic surgery is too expensive |
| C．cosmetic surgery is necessary even for the average person |
| D．cosmetic surgery is mainly for the rich and famous |
| A．it is wise to have cosmetic surgery under 18 |
| B．cosmetic surgery is now much easier |
| C．people tend to abuse cosmetic surgery |
| D．the earlier people have cosmetic surgery, the better they will be |
| A．the advantage of having cosmetic surgery |
| B．what kind of people should have cosmetic surgery. |
| C．the reason why cosmetic surgery is so popular. |
| D．the disadvantage of having cosmetic surgery |
7 . Forget Cyclists, Pedestrians are Real Danger
We are having a debate about this topic. Here are some letters from our readers.
★Yes, many cyclists behave dangerously. Many drivers are disrespectful of cyclists. But pedestrians are probably the worst offenders.
People of all ages happily walk along the pavement with eyes and hands glued to the mobile phone, quite unaware of what is going on around them. They may even do the same thing while crossing a road at a pedestrian crossing or elsewhere. The rest of us have to evade（避让）them or just stand still to wait for the unavoidable collision（碰撞）.
The real problem is that some pedestrians seem to be, at least for the moment, in worlds of their own that are, to them, much more important than the welfare of others.
——Michael Horan
★I love the letter from Bob Brooks about cyclists（Viewpoints, May 29）. I am afraid they seem to think they own the roads.
I was walking across Altrincham Road one morning when a cyclist went round me and on being asked what he was doing he shouted at me.
The government built a cycle lane on the road but it is hardly used.
The police do nothing. What a laugh they are!
The cyclists should all have to be made to use the cycle lanes and wear helmets, fluorescent（发荧光的）jacket and lights at night and in the morning they should pay some sort of tax and be fined for not wearing them.
——Carol Harvey
★Cyclists jump on and off pavements（which are meant for pedestrians）, ride at speed alone the pavement, and think they have a special right to go through traffic lights when they are on red.
I was almost knocked down recently by a cyclist riding on the pavement when there was a cycle lane right next to him.
Other road users, including horse riders, manage to obey the rules so why not cyclists?
It's about time they had to be registered and insured, so when they do hi a pedestrian or a vehicle, or cause an accident, at least they can be treated and there might be an opportunity to claim compensation.
——JML
Write to Viewpoints of the newspaper.
1. Michael Horan wrote the letter mainly to show that ________.| A．drivers should be polite to cyclists |
| B．road accidents can actually be avoided |
| C．some pedestrians are a threat to road safety |
| D．walking while using phones hurts one's eyes |
| A．be provided with enough roads |
| B．be asked to ride on their own lanes |
| C．be made to pay less tax for cycling |
| D．be fined for laughing at policemen |
| A．Very few drivers are insured. |
| B．Horse riders disrespect other road users |
| C．Pedestrians go through red traffic lights. |
| D．Cyclists ride fast on pavements. |
8 . Each year, backed up by a growing anti-consumerist movement, people are using the holiday season to call on us all to shop less.
Driven by concerns about resource exhaustion, over recent years environmentalists have increasingly turned their sights on our “consumer culture”. Groups such as The Story of Stuff and Buy Nothing New Day are growing as a movement that increasingly blames all our ills on our desire to shop.
We clearly have a growing resource problem. The produces we make, buy, and use are often linked to the destruction of our waterways, biodiversity, climate and the land on which millions of people live. But to blame these issues on Christmas shoppers is misguided, and puts us in the old trap of blaming individuals for what is a systematic problem.
While we complain about environmental destruction over Christmas, environmentalists often forget what the holiday season actually means for many people. For most, Christmas isn’t an add-on to an already heavy shopping year. In fact, it is likely the only time of year many have the opportunity to spend on friends and family, or even just to buy the necessities needed for modern life.
This is particularly, true for Boxing Day, often the target of the strongest derision(嘲弄) by anti-consumerists. While we may laugh at the queues in front of the shops, for many, those sales provide the one chance to buy items they’ve needed all year. As Leigh Phillips argues, “this is one of the few times of the year that people can even hope to afford such ‘luxuries’, the Christmas presents their kids are asking for, or just an appliance that works.”
Indeed, the richest 7% of people are responsible for 50% of greenhouse gas emissions. This becomes particularly harmful when you take into account that those shopping on Boxing Day are only a small part of our consumption “problem” anyway. Why are environmentalists attacking these individuals, while ignoring such people as Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who has his own￡1.5bn yacht with a missile defence system?
Anyway, anti-consumerism has become a movement of wealthy people talking down to the working class about their life choices, while ignoring the real cause of our environmental problems. It is no wonder one is changing their behaviours—or that environmental destruction continues without any reduction in intensity.
1. It is indicated in the 1st paragraph that during the holiday season, many consumers .| A．ignore resource problems |
| B．are fascinated with presents |
| C．are encouraged to spend less |
| D．show great interest in the movement. |
| A．has targeted the wrong persons |
| B．has achieved its intended purposes |
| C．has taken environment-friendly measures |
| D．has benefited both consumers and producers |
| A．madness about life choices |
| B．discontent with rich lifestyle |
| C．ignorance about the real cause |
| D．disrespect for holiday shoppers |
| A．anything less than a responsibility | B．nothing more than a bias |
| C．indicative of environmental awareness | D．unacceptable to ordinary people |
When you hear the final whistle
One of the hardest things for any sportsperson to do is to know when to retire. But even harder is finding the answer to the question “What am I going to do with the rest of my life?”
Some sportspeople go on playing too long. Perhaps they just can’t stand life without the “high” of playing professional sport. Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player of all time retired three times. He retired once from the Chicago Bulls, made a successful comeback with the Bulls, then retired again. His second comeback with an inferior team ended in failure and he retired forever at the age of 38. Jordan said, “There will never be anything I do that will fulfill me as much as competing did.”
Others can’t resist the chance of one last “pay day”. Muhammad Ali needed the money, but his comeback fight, at the age of 39, against Trevor Berbick, was one of the saddest spectacles in modern sport. After losing to Berbick, Ali retired permanently. Three years later he developed Parkinson’s disease.
For some people, the pain of retirement never leaves them. As Jimmy Greaves, an ex-England international footballer said, “I think that a lot of players would prefer to be shot once their career is over.” Many of them spend their retirement in a continual battle against depression, alcohol, or drugs.
But for the lucky few, retirement can mean a successful new career. Franz Beckenbauer is a classical example of a footballer who won everything with his club, Bayern Muaich. After retiring he became a successful coach with Bayern and finally president of the club. John McEnroe, the infamous “bad boy” of tennis, is now a highly respected and highly paid TV commentator. But sadly, for most sportspeople these cases are the exceptions.
According to an official report on youth violence.“In our country today, the greatest threat to the lives of children and adolescents is not disease or starvation or abandonment, but the terrible reality of violence.”Given that this is the case, why aren’t students taught to manage conflict the way they are taught to solve math problems, drive cars, or stay physically fit?
First of all, students need to realize that conflict is unavoidable. It is reported that most violent incidents between students begin with a relatively minor insult. For example, a fight could start over the fact that one student eats a peanut butter sandwich each lunchtime. Laughter over the sandwich can lead to insults, which in turn can lead to violence.
If the conflict occurs, students can practice the golden rule of conflict resolution: stay calm.
Once the student feels calmer. Once the student feels calmer. He or she should choose words that will calm the other person down as well. Rude words and accusations only add fuel to the emotional fire while soft words can put out the fire before it explodes out of control.
After that, they can use another key strategy for conflict resolution. Listening allows the two sides to understand each other. One person should describe his or her side: and the other person should listen without interrupting. Afterwards, the listener can ask non-threatening questions to clarify the speaker’s position. Then the two people should change roles.
Finally, students need to consider what they are hearing. An argument doesn’t mean trying to figure out the fault of the other person but means understanding what the real issue is. As the issue becomes clearer, the conflict often simply becomes smaller.(280 words)
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