Young women who take part in beauty contests are helping to keep alive an outdated opinion of women that a woman's most important value is how she looks. Women have been working very hard through the years to change their image. They have been trying to prove that the value of a woman does not lie only in her beauty. The world is just beginning to recognize that women are as smart, wise and strong in personality as men are, and that there are qualities more important than looks when judging people. When women take part in beauty contests for top prizes, they encourage people to value them for their beauty alone. It is unfair to say that beauty alone determines one's worth. Beauty contests not only encourage spectators to judge women by their appearance, but they encourage this idea in the contestants as well. These young women spend months losing weight to be the "right" size and learning how to dress, wear makeup, and walk just right so that some judges will consider them beautiful. I think it's great for a woman to feel good about her appearance, but looks shouldn't be sought after in an extreme or unreasonable way. There are too many other, more important, things in a young woman's life: learning, developing friendships and preparing for their future work and perhaps a family. As long as there are beauty contests, women won't be fully recognized as well-rounded human beings. According to the text, women have tried to change their image by _ . A) proving they are as good as men B) paying attention to their clothes C) winning more beauty contests D) encouraging people to value their beauty
A
(Question)
The first time we started using it, we thought it would just be a bit of fun, a one-time thing. _ A _ "Let's just give it a try," my fiancee said. I was a bit nervous, but I knew some of our friends were already into it, and they said it was fine and that I should relax because everyone was doing it."OK," I agreed, convinced it would be harmless. _ B _ Before long, we were using it once a week. Then it became twice a week. We went from using it after work to using it in the mornings, and then at lunchtime, too. Suddenly we reached a point where we were using it every day. Even when I wasn't using it, I was thinking about using it. _ C _ That's when I realized the terrible truth. We couldn't stop. Dear readers, it shames me to admit it, but I am an addict of online shopping site Taobao. And I don't think I'm the only one. _ D _ I see the telltale signs every where: People with bags under their eyes, clearly exhausted after staying up late browsing items they might one day need (but probably won't),like the 1940s leather aviator cap I bought in the event I ever need to become an aviator in the 1940s. I see co-workers furtively sneaking down to the mailroom, eyes darting around suspiciously. I know what's going through your mind as you read this. "This isn't me," you're thinking, "I can stop anytime I want." But can you? In China you can get same day delivery for just about anything you buy online. In Australia, my home country, the same item would take weeks to arrive. "It's the convenience," I said to my fiancee. "That's why we're hooked." But is that convenience worth the risk of waking up one morning to discover you've been buried alive in masses of brand new women's shoes? In my case it's probably not, especially because I suspect my fiancee won't realize I'm missing until weeks later, when my credit card stops working and I've long since expired. So what can you do to battle this terrible addiction? Never fear, dear readers, because I've created a special five-step list to help you stop online... The author concludes this passage with a tone of _ . A) confidence and optimism B) disappointment and disapproval C) uncertainty and humor D) confusion and sympathy
(Answer)
C
The French word renaissance means rebirth. It was first used in 1855 by the historian Jules Michelet in his History of France,then adopted by historians of culture,by art historians,and eventually by music historians,all of whom applied it to European culture during the 150 years spanning 1450-1600.The concept of rebirth was appropriate to this period of European history because of the renewed interest in ancient Greek and Roman culture that began in Italy and then spread throughout Europe. Scholars and artists of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries wanted to restore the learning and ideals of the classical civilizations of Greece and Rome. To these scholars this meant a return to human--as opposed to spiritual values. Fulfillment in life--as opposed to concern about an afterlife--became a desirable goal,and expressing the entire range of human emotions and enjoying the pleasures of the senses were no longer frowned on. Artists and writers _ turned to secular as well as religious subject matter and sought to make their works understandable and appealing. These changes in outlook deeply affected the musical culture of the Renaissance period--how people thought about music as well as the way music was composed,experienced,discussed,and circulated. They could see the architectural monuments,sculptures ,plays,and poems that were being rediscovered,but they could not actually hear ancient music--although they could read the writings of classical philosophers,poets,essayists,and music theorists that were becoming available in translation. They learned about the power of ancient music to move the listener and wondered why modern music did not have the same effect. For example,the influential religious leader Bernardino Cirillo expressed disappointment with the learned music of his time. He urged musicians to follow the example of the sculptors,painters,architects,and scholars who had rediscovered ancient art and literature. The musical Renaissance in Europe was more a general cultural movement and state of mind... What is the passage mainly about? A) The musical compositions that best illustrate the developments during the European Renaissance. B) The musical techniques that were in use during the European Renaissance. C) The European Renaissance as a cultural development that included changes in musical style. D) The ancient Greek and Roman musical practices used during the European Renaissance.
C