On 8^th March this year, events marking International Women’s Day (IWD) were held in many countries around the world. In most countries the events have a political tone: they tend to celebrate the advances women have made towards economic, social and political equality with men, and to press for change in those areas of life where there is still progress to be made.

In other countries, meanwhile, 8^th March is traditionally more about expressing an appreciation of women: it is a day on which men give presents to their wives, girlfriends and mothers, and it therefore has some similarities with St Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.

Back in 1911, the first IWD events in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland were certainly political. They were protests by women against forms of gender discrimination that would now be unthinkable in most parts of the world: almost nowhere were women allowed to vote, and Finland was the only country with any female members of a national parliament. The general expectation worldwide, across different continents and cultures, was that women would spend their lives largely in the home, devoting themselves to looking after their husbands and children. The proportion of women who had paid employment was far lower than today, and when women did go out to work they typically earned very little, meaning they were economically dependent on men.

A century later, gender inequality in employment – particularly pay inequality – is still one of the issues IWD tries to draw attention to: it remains common, of course, for women to earn less than men for doing exactly the same job.

Limited educational opportunities (there are many countries in which girls generally stay fewer years in school than boys) and domestic violence towards women have also been highlighted by events surrounding IWD in recent years.

And yet, as the IWD website notes, ____________________. As just one example, to return to the issue of women elected to office, the change over the last hundred years has been significant. Since 1911, when the small group of women in the Finnish parliament (nineteen of them, to be precise) were the only females in public office worldwide, the governments of more than fifty different countries have been led by women. In 2011, at least one country in every continent has a female leader, including high-profile examples such as Brazil (Dilma Rousseff), Germany (Angela Merkel) and Australia (Julia Gillard).

72.　 The underlined word in paragraph 3 “discrimination” probably means _____.

A. equality　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. unfairness

C. difference　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. imbalance

73.　 100 years ago, it was widely considered that women’s main task was to _____.

A. fight for economical independence　　　　 B. get the right to vote

C. fulfill their domestic responsibilities　　　　 D. gain educational opportunities

74.　 Which of the following is the missing sentence in the first line of the last paragraph?

A. distinctive differences do exist between men and women

B. women expect too much of their political power

C. it’s impossible to realize the true equality between the two genders

D. alongside the ‘negatives’ there are plenty of ‘positives’

75.　 We can conclude from the passage that _____.

A. Much has been achieved in gender equality, but still there is space for improvement

B. The concept of equal pay for equal work is completely accepted in practice.

C. One or two female leaders can’t stand for women’s social status on the whole.

D. The progress in gaining equality in the last century seems to be too slow.

Appleton County Library　 　　　　

Your Source for Knowledge

TITLE |AUTHOR |ADVANCED SEARCH | HELP

Welcome to Access Info: an online database for all the materials in the library! Please follow the steps below for finding your sources.

Search by Title

? If you know the title of the publication for which you are searching, select TITLE from the taskbar and type in the name. then, select FORMAT. Your format choices are book, magazine, film, music score, and audio book. If you do not have a preference, select ALL. Then click SEARCH.

If the title is available, the search results tell you the call number and the department in which it can be found. Departments in our library include Fiction, Nonfiction, Reference, Paperback, Periodical, and Electronic. Write down the call number and location. If you need further help, please ask a librarian.

? If the search result says “unavailable/waiting,” this means you may choose to be placed on a waiting list. Select Reserve and enter your 10-digit library card number in the pop-up-box. Click ENTER. You will be notified by email when the publication becomes available. If you prefer to be notified by phone or mail, please enter this request in the notes section of the box.

? If the search result says “unavailable/transfer,” this means that the publication is currently unavailable at our location but can be transferred from another library. If you wish to choose this option, select TRANSFER and enter your 10-digit library card number in the pop-up box. You will be notified by email when the publication becomes available. If you prefer to be notified by phone or mail, please enter this request in the notes section of the box.

Search by Author

If you wish to search by author, select AUTHOR from the taskbar and type in the author’s name, starting with the last name. Then select from the following choices: works by author, biographical information about the author, statistical information about the author, and critical analysis of the author. Finally, click SEARCH. When you find the publication, write down the call number and information.

Search by Subject

If you wish to search by subject, select ADVANCED SEARCH from the taskbar. Type in the search words you wish to use and then select either MATCH EXACT PHRASE or ANY OF THESE WORDS. If you select MATCH EXACT PHRASE, the computer searches for the text exactly as you input it. For example, if you type “ballparks in California,” you receive information only on ballparks in California. If you select ANY OF THESE WORDS, you receive information on ballparks everywhere as well as information on California in general. It is best to start with a specific search and broaden your search terms from there.

If at any time you need additional information, select HELP from the taskbar, or locate a librarian who will be happy to assist you.

Home

Access Info>

Library hours

Book Clubs

Library events

69.　　 What is the first step in beginning a search in the online database?

A. Choose a type of search from the taskbar.

B. Type in the search words you wish to use.

C. Type in the author’s name, starting with the last name.

D. Choose to be notified by mail, phone, or email.

70.　 According to the passage, what is the BEST way for a user to find an audio book?

A. Search by title, then select TRANSFER.

B. Search by subject, then select ADVANCED SEARCH.

C. Search by title, then select FORMAT.

D. Search by author, then write down the call number.

71.　 According to the passage, what should a user do after searching for an item and finding that it is available?

A. Click the HELP button on the taskbar.

B. Write down the call number and location.

C. Ask a librarian if the item is checked out.

D. Enter the user’s 10-digit library card number.

Life is different in Anchorage, Alaska, at the beginning of March. Every year at this time, the downtown streets become crowded with people. But these are not just regular pedestrians. In addition to the people walking through the streets, there are hundreds of dogs. It is time for the Iditarod—the famous dogsled race of Alaska.

The name of the race comes from the name of an Alaska gold rush town, Iditarod. It means “distant” or “distant place.” It comes from one of the languages of native Alaskans.

More than sixty sled teams begin the race in Anchorage. When the teams reach the outskirts of town, they get a taste of Alaska’s wilderness. For about two weeks, they will ?ght the unbearable cold, wind, snow, and ice to ?nish the race. The temperature on the trail is often well below zero degrees.

The Iditarod trail stretches for about a thousand miles. It has many rendezvous points. At these meeting places, race teams “check in” to let of?cials know how they are doing. Some teams get into trouble along the way. Of?cials will stop them on the trail and give them the help they need. For example, of?cials might stop a team’s progress to give ?rst aid or to collect an injured or tired dog. These dogs are cared for and reunited with their owners after the race.

The Iditarod trail is an important part of Alaska’s history. A part of the trail was used by some heroic dogs and humans in 1925. In Nome, Alaska, many people were catching the deadly disease diphtheria. The whole town was in quarantine, or isolation, in order to stop this disease. The only way to get medicine to Nome was by dogsled. About twenty “mushers,” or dogsled drivers, offered to help. They wanted to save the people of Nome from this terrible trouble.

Today the Iditarod race honors this heroic journey and all of the journeys on the famous trail. As the race organizers say, the Iditarod is “the last great race on Earth.”

65.　 Which of the following is TRUE about the Iditarod race?

　　　 A. It is held every year in the downtown streets in Anchorage.

　　　 B. It usually lasts about two weeks in freezing cold weather.

　　　 C. It is held to honor the gold seekers who once lived in Iditarod.

　　　 D. Its trail is totally different from the one used by some heroic dogs

66.　 In the race, it’s possible for a seriously injured dog _____.

　　　 A. to finish the race unnoticed　　　　　　　　　 B. to meet its owner again

　　　 C. to work for a new owner 　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. to get timely treatment

67.　 When a town is in quarantine (in paragraph 4), people in the town _____.

　　　 A. can get whatever they want easily

　　　 B. have to exchange gold for medicine

C. are not allowed to go out freely 　　

D. will be remembered as heroes

68.　 The passage is mainly about _____.

　　　 A. life in Alaska　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. a dogsled race of Alaska

　　　 C. a period of Alaska’s history　　　　　　　　　 D. heroic dogs and people in Alaska

Directions: For each blank in the following passages there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.

The Human Development Report, published annually since 1990, seeks to __50__ “human development” around the world and calculates a “Human Development Index” (HDI 人類(lèi)發(fā)展指數(shù)) for 169 countries. The HDI is __51__ on average income, life expectancy, and level of education. __52__, rich countries tend to have higher HDIs than poor countries, but there are interesting __53__ in human development among countries with similar levels of economic development, because some have better health and education systems than others.

Almost every country in the world has a higher HDI than in 1990, despite the fact that since the 2008 financial crisis the total number of people living in extreme __54__ has increased. The report concludes that most people are healthier, live longer, are more __55__, — and that even in countries with severe economic problems, people’s health and education have generally __56__. Although sub-Saharan African countries are at the bottom of the pile __57__ human development, some of them have made significant progress since 1990. The report is __58__, however, of the fact that economic inequality has increased significantly in the last twenty years, both within and between countries.

The greatest threat to HDI in the future, according to the report, is climate change. The way to increase average income in a country is through economic growth, which means increased production and __59__. However, if this __60__ to greater emissions (排放) of greenhouse gases, as has always been the case in the past, global warming will probably go faster, causing severe environmental problems in some parts of the world that will __61__ the livelihoods of huge numbers of people. The progress of the last twenty years, __62__, might not be sustainable (可持續(xù)的).

The only solution, according to the report, is to break the __63__ between economic growth and greenhouse gas emissions — which, __64__ to say, is easier said than done.

50.　 A. judge　　　　　　　　　　　 B. investigate　　　　 C. assess　　　　　　　　　　 D. justify

51.　 A. based　　　　　　　　　　　 B. focused　　　　　　 C. keen　　　　　　　　　　　 D. reflected

52.　 A. Unexpectedly　　 　　　 B. Unwillingly C. Unfortunately　　　　　 D. Unsurprisingly

53.　 A. variations　　　　　　　　 B. experiments 　　 C. signs　　　　　　　　　　　 D. mixtures

54.　 A. cruelty　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. poverty　　　　　　 C. emotion　　　　　　　　　 D. terror

55.　 A. talented　　　　　　　　　 B. disadvantaged　 C. determined　　　　　　　 D. educated

56.　 A. infected　　　　　　　　　 B. ignored　　　　　　 C. improved　　　　　　　　 D. impressed

57.　 A. to the extent of　　　　 B. on account of　 C. for the sake of　　　　 D. in terms of

58.　 A. critical 　　　　　　　　　 B. proud　　　　　　　 C. fond　　　　　　　　　　　 D. independent

59.　 A. administration B. consumption C. application D. concentration

60.　 A. objects　　　 　　　　　 B. sticks　　　　　　　 C. leads　　　　　　　　　　　 D. turns

61.　 A. threaten　　　　　　　　　 B. maintain　　　　　 C. concern　　　　　　　　　 D. guarantee

62.　 A. therefore　　　　　　　　 B. however　　　　　 C. otherwise　　　　　　　　 D. nevertheless

63.　 A. gap　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. record　　　　　　　 C. law　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. link

64.　 A. fearless　　　　　　　　　 B. needless　　　　　 C. careless　　 　　　　　 D. hopeless

Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. mirrored  B. adequate  C. sticking  D. processed  E. disorder  F. developing  G. associated  H. environmental  I. anxiety   J. extraordinary

Eating lots of fruit and vegetables could help protect teenagers from mental health problems, according to an Australian study published in an academic journal.

The study of 3,000 adolescents aged 11 to 18 found that those who had poor diets filled with junk and __41__ foods were more likely to suffer mental health problems such as depression and __42__.

The participants filled in questionnaires about their diets and psychological symptoms in 2005 and again in 2007. The study found that teenagers who ate healthy diets had fewer mental health problems than those with poor diets.

The study also found that improvements in diet quality were __43__ by improvements in mental health, while worsening diet quality was __44__with poorer psychological __45__.

Jacka said the finding suggested it could be possible to stop some mental health problems __46__ in adolescents by ensuring they ate healthy diets.

"Having good nutrition-rich foods is really important for adolescents because it's a time when they are growing rapidly and it's essential they have __47__ nutrition," Jacka said.

Studies show one in five Australian adolescents has some forms of mental health problems, caused by genes and __48__ factors such as stressful events in early childhood.

Jacka said parents could protect children against mental health problems by eating two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetables a day, as well as __49__ to wholegrain food and lean meats while avoiding junk food.

      People choose to have a haircut for a refreshing start on the second day of the second lunar month because it is the day _____ the dragon awakens and raises its head.

       A. that                                                      B. which

       C. when                                                   D. whose

Jeremy’s fans in China are going crazy about this 23-year-old Harvard graduate, _____ it’s a breakthrough in American basketball history.

　　　 A. saying　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. said

　　　 C. having said　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. to say

       I heard that some patients who had undergone laser eye surgery experienced sudden losses of vision, _____?

       A. didn’t I                                               B. hadn’t they

       C. didn’t they                                           D. isn’t it

　　　 There is no denying that it was drug use _____ badly damaged Whitney Houston’s voice and ruined her life.

A. which　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. that

　　　 C. what 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. /

_____ you are in a speech contest or you are giving a talk in class, a little preparation will make your presentation organized and dynamic.

　　　 A. Either　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. While

　　　 C. Whether　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. No matter