Passage 3

Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following passage:

About 70 million Americans are trying to loss weight. That is almost 1 out of every 3 people in the United States. Some people go on ideas. This means they eat less certain foods, especially fats and sugars. Other people exercise with especial equipment, take diet pills, or even have surgery. Losing weight is hard work, and it can also cost a lot of money. So why do so many people in the United States want to lose weight?

Many people in the United States worry about not looking young and attractive. For many people, looking good also means being thin. Other people worry about their health. Many doctors say being overweight is not healthy. But are Americans really fat? Almost 30 million Americans weight at least 20 percent more than their ideal weight. In fact, the United State is the most overweight country in the wild. “The stored fat of adult Americans weight 2.3 trillion pounds,” says University of Massachusetts anthropologist (人类学家) George Armelagos. He says burning off that stored energy would produce enough power for 900,000 cars to go 12,000 miles.

Losing weight is hard work, but most people want to find a fast and easy way to take off fat. Bookstores sell lots of diet books. These books tell readers how to lose weight. Each year, dozens of new books like these are written. Each one boasts to help people to get rid of fat.

11. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a way of losing weight?

A. To eat less fats and sugars. B. To work hard.

12. Many Americans are trying to lose weight because .

A. they want to look attractive B. they are misled by doctors

C. they want to keep fit D. both A and C

13. The figures given in the second paragraph suggest that .

A. Americans are dependent on cars B. cars consume a lot of money

C. Americans need lose weight D. excess of fat can be a source of energy

14. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that .

A. diet books are not always effective B. diet books are usually helpful

C. there are lots of ways of losing weight D. bookstores are keeping their promises

15. It can be concluded from the passage that .

A. people think too much of their appearance

B. there is not a sure way of losing weight as yet

C. surgery is the fastest way of losing weight

D. going on diet is a safe way of losing weight

That radio company is so big that it has a lot of ____ in foreign countries.

He gave us a good ____ of his experience.

I certainly didn ’t intend to _____ your plans.

Passage3

Questions11to15arebasedonthefollowingpassage:

TheideaofaspecialdaytohonormotherswasfirstputforwardinAmericain1907.twoyearslaterawoman,Mrs.JohnBruceDodd,inthestateofWashingtonproposedasimilardaytohonortheheadofthefamily—thefather.Hermotherdiedwhenshewasveryyoung,andherfatherbroughtherup.Shelovedherfatherverymuch.

InresponsetoMrs.Dodd’sideathatsameyear—1909,thestategovernorofWashingtonproclaimed(宣布)thethirdSundayinJuneFather’sDay.TheideawasofficiallyapprovedbyPresidentWoodrowWilsonin1916.in1924,PresidentCalvinCoolidgerecommendednationalobservanceoftheoccasion“toestablishmoreintimate(亲密)relationsbetweenfathersandtheirchildren,andtoimpressuponfathersthefullmeasureoftheirobligations.”TheredorwhiteroseisrecognizedastheofficialFather’sDayflower.

Father’sDaytooklongertoestablishonanationalscalethanMother’sDay,butastheideagrainedpopularity,tradesmenandmanufacturersbegantoseethecommercialpossibilities.Theyencouragedsonsanddaughterstohonortheirfatherswithsmallthank-youpresents,suchasatieorpairofsocks,aswellasbysendinggreetingcards.

DuringtheSecondWorldWar,AmericanservicemenstationedinBritainbegantorequestFather’sDaygreetingcardstosendhome.ThisgeneratedaresponsewithBritishcardpublishers.ThoughatfirsttheBritishpublicwasslowtoacceptthisratherartificialday,it’snowwellcelebratedinBritainonthethirdSundayinJuneinmuchthesamewayasinAmerica.

Father’sDayseemstobemuchlessimportantasoccasionthantheMother’sDay.Notmanyofthechildrenoffertheirfatherssomepresents.ButtheAmericanfathersstillthinktheyaremuchbetterfatedthanthefathersofmanyothercountries,whohavenotevenadayfortheirsakeinnameonly.

11.WhendidFather’sDayofficiallybegintohavenationalpopularity?

A.1907B.1909C.1916D.1924

12.WhofirststartedtheideaofholdingtheFather’sDay?

A.Mrs.JohnBruceDoddB.Mrs.JohnBruce’sMother

C.ThegovernmentofWashington.D.Somebusinessmen.

13.WhatflowerwillbepopularonFather’sDay?

A.LilyB.WaterLilyC.RedroseorwhiteroseD.Sunflower.

14.Whichstatementistrue,aaccordingtothispassage?

A.IttookevenlongerforMother’sDaytogainnationalpopularity.

B.ThebusinessmenhelpedtomakeFather’sDaypopular.

C.Father’sDayisonlycelebratedinAmerica.

D.Father’sDayisonlyatrickofthebusinessmentomakemoney.

15.WhatwasthefirstreactionoftheBritishpublishingtowardsFather’sDay?

A.Theythoughthighlyofitandaccepteditatonce.

B.Theyjustaccepteditatoncewithoutanyhesitation.

C.Theyjustthoughtitajoke.

D.Theythoughtitwastooartificialandtookalongtimetoaccept.