If you watch British television on March 15, you might be surprised to see celebrities wearing funny red noses and joking; around. But don't worry. They're not mad. It's all part of a money raising event called Red Nose Day. Founded in 1985 by two British comedians, the aim of the event is to raise money to fight poverty and injustice in the UK and Africa. Celebrities and public figures support the event by making appearances on comic TV shows. For example, UK Prime Minister David Cameron once appeared in a music video by One Direction, which the band produced for the event. Britons don't just raise money for charitable causes on one day a year, but they do it all year round. One way of doing so is by shopping in charity shops. These small shops sell clothes, books and household goods just like any other shop except that it's all secondhand. There are nearly 10,000 charity shops in the UK. Their business model is simple: Anybody who has things they don't want anymore can donate them to a charity shop, where they are checked for damage, cleaned and priced. The money that is made by selling them is used for a charitable cause. The idea of buying used clothes may sound unpleasant, but for shoppers who have less spending money, it has been a welcome option. Now, shopping at charity shops is also becoming popular with young people looking for alternative fashion. "You can find very unique clothes for a very cheap price. It doesn't bother me that other people may have worn them. I simply wash them before I wear them." said Anne Marie, a 19-year-old from the US. So next time you spot a charity shop, why not go inside? Who knows, you might find a lovely dress for just a few pounds. Even better, you can enjoy wearing it in the knowledge tha t your money helped a good cause. Why did Cameron appear in One Direction's music video? A) To earn a living. B) To support the band. C) To help raising money. D) To entertain the audience.
C
Last week I talked with some of my students about what they wanted to do after they graduated, and what kind of job prospects they thought they had. Given that I teach students who are training to be doctors, I was surprised do find that most thought that they would not be able to get the jobs they wanted without "outside help". "What kind of help is that?" I asked, expecting them to tell me that they would need a or family friend to help them out. "Surgery ," one replied. I was pretty alarmed by that response. It seems that the graduates of today are increasingly willing to go under the knife to get ahead of others when it comes to getting a job . One girl told me that she was considering surgery to increase her height. "They break your legs, put in special extending screws, and slowly expand the gap between the two ends of the bone as it re-grows, you can get at least 5 cm taller!" At that point, I was shocked. I am short, I can't deny that, but I don't think I would put myself through months of agony just to be a few centimetres taller. I don't even bother to wear shoes with thick soles, as I'm not trying to hide the fact that I am just not tall! It seems to me that there is a trend towards wanting "perfection" , and that is an ideal that just does not exist in reality. No one is born perfect, yet magazines, TV shows and movies present images of thin, tall, beautiful people as being the norm. Advertisements for slimming aids, beauty treatments and cosmetic surgery clinics fill the pages of newspapers, further creating an idea that "perfection" is a requirement, and that it must be purchased, no matter what the cost. In my opinion, skills, rather than appearance, should determine how successful a person is in his/her chosen career. We can know from the passage that the author works as a_. A) doctor B) model C) teacher D) reporter
C
Q: "Let the world know China and let China know the world." I can't remember exactly where I have seen this slogan in Beijing. Considering the simple fact of the wish people have for learning foreign languages and the number of people going abroad each year, everyone can tell how hard China and Chinese people are trying to know the world. But I didn't know how equally important and urgent it is for the world to know China until I came to the UK. In the self-introduction during our first class in a PhD course, when I told them I wanted to finish the degree as soon as I could and then go back to China, the British students looked at me in both surprise and disbelief. Their idea is that everybody who comes to the UK, including the Chinese, will stay here to look for a better life and that this is the only place where one can find a better life. When I asked my friend for advice about buying a new car, she looked at me, asking in surprise, "A new car?" Later I found out that her surprise was because of the popular image of Chinese students: either too poor or too economical. When we Chinese students for the first time joined the monthly performance hour of the department and sang some traditional songs and gave a short humorous introduction, all the teachers and students were surprised. To them, Chinese students are so serious and shy. These ideas have been because of the fact that Chinese students are sometimes not seen among the students. So "let the world know China" should no longer remain an empty slogan. It is something we all should do, home and abroad, and something we should do with confidence and openness. The general image of Chinese students in British students' mind is _ . A) very rich B) very common C) very humorous D) very poor or economical
A: D
Q: Why is pink or purple a color1 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 color1 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 . People's choice of color1s is also influenced by their bodies' reactions toward them. Green is said to be the most restful color1. 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 stomach aches. Red can cause a person's blood pressure to rise and increase people's appetites . Many decorators will include different shades of red in the restaurant. Similarly, many commercial websites will have a red "Buy Now" button because red is a color1 that easily catches a person's eye. Blue is another calming color1. 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 color1 to decorate your room, think about the color1 carefully. Why will many commercial websites have a red "Buy Now" button? A) To relax people physically. B) To increase people's appetites. C) To cause a person's blood pressure to rise. D) To encourage people to make a purchase.
A: D