SECTION E MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
In this section there are four passages followed by ten multiple-choice questions. For each multiple choice question, there are four suggested answers marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that you think is the best answer.
PASSAGE ONE
Ruth Handier invented something in 1959 which became so quintessentially American as to be included in the official "America"s Time Capsule" buried at the celebration of the Bicentennial in 1976: the Barbie doll.
In the early 1950s, Handler saw that her young daughter, Barbara, and her girlfriends enjoyed playing with adult female dolls as much or more than with baby dolls. Handler sensed that it was just as important for girls to imagine what they themselves might grow up to become as it was for them to focus on what caring for children might be like.
Inspired by her daughter"s fascination with adult paper dolls, Ruth Handler suggested making a three-dimensional doll through which little girls could act out their dreams. In 1959, Mattel introduced the Barbie doll (named after the Handlers" daughter), a pint-sized model of the "girl next door." Soon enough Barbie sprouted a coterie of friends and family. Ken (named for the Handlers" son), Barbie"s boyfriend, appeared in 1961.
Meanwhile, the longtime Southern California resident defied prevailing trends in the toy industry of the late 1950s when she proposed an alternative to the flat-chest baby dolls then marketed to girls. "I believed it was important to a little girl"s self-esteem," Handler has said, "to play with a doll that has breasts." Barbie, a teenage doll with a tiny waist, slender hips and impressive bust, became not only a best-selling toy with more than 1 billion sold in 150 countries, but a cultural icon analyzed by scholars, attacked by feminists and showcased in the Smithsonian Institution.
"My whole philosophy of Barbie was that through the doll, the little girl could be anything she wanted to be," Handler wrote in her 1994 autobiography. "Barbie always represented the fact that a woman has choices." Ruth Handler undeniably invented an American icon that functions as both a steady cynosure for girls" dreams and an ever-changing reflection of American society.
By 1966, Handler was 50 and Mattel ruled the highly competitive toy world: it controlled 12% of the $2-billion toy market in the United States. By 1970, however, her world began to unravel. Handler was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy. New corporate managers began to diversify Mattel away from toys, and their machinations ultimately resulted in the Handlers" ouster from the company they had founded.
Although best known for her pivotal role as Barbie"s inventor, Handier devoted her later years to a second, trailblazing career: manufacturing and marketing artificial breasts for women who had undergone mastectomies.
Herself a breast cancer survivor, she personally sold and fitted the prosthesis and crisscrossed the country as a spokeswoman for early detection of the disease in the 1970s, when it was still a taboo subject. The Nearly Me prosthetic breast was made of liquid silicone enclosed in polyurethane and had a rigid foam backing. Her goal was to make an artificial breast so real that "a woman could wear a regular brassiere ( =bra) and blouse, stick her chest out and be proud." She said of the prosthetics business. "It sure rebuilt my self-esteem, and I think I rebuilt the self-esteem of others." By 1980, sales of the Nearly Me artificial breast had surpassed $1 million. In 1991, Handler sold the company to a division of Kimberly-Clark. She died on April 27th, 2002. The family has asked that any memorial donations be made to the Stop Cancer Organization.
PASSAGE TWO
If you"d like to add a slice of your heritage to your wedding ceremony, you"re not alone. Millions of couples are embracing their ancestry and choosing to incorporate some of the best traditions from around the world in their ceremonies here at home. Here are some of the most interesting wedding traditions you might find if you attended a wedding in a Scandinavian country. If you or your family are from one of these countries, why not try adding some phrases from your ancestor"s native tongue in your wedding vows for a truly memorable touch?
Origin of the original Britons, the Vikings, and Hamlet, Scandinavia is a cluster of countries with a unique set of wedding customs. In Denmark, an arch of pine limbs called a Gate of Honor is built in front of the bride"s home. At some point in the reception, the groom will leave the room and all the male guests will get to kiss the bride. When he returns, she will depart and the female guests will kiss the groom.
In Viking times, the groom would pay a price for the bride, and the bride"s family would provide a dowry. These combined funds were then given to the couple at the end of the marriage ceremony in order to provide a starting point for the newlyweds. Today, the parents will tuck money into the bride"s shoes. The father contributes silver to the left shoe and the mother contributes gold to the right shoe. Also, the shoes are left untied in belief that this will ensure easy childbirth in the future.
Truly traditional Viking weddings are always held on Friday, which was considered the day of Frigga and therefore sacred. The couple is often sanctified at the beginning of the ceremony with a sprinkling from a fir bough dipped in wine. Rings may be presented by the bride and groom to each other on the tip of a ceremonial sword, and vows are often recited while both hands hold the hilt, re-minding the couple that marriage is a lifelong commitment that is equally binding on both male and female.
Chris Simeral is the creator of The Ultimate Wedding Vow Toolkit, the wedding-coordinator—approved home—study course for couples personalizing or renewing their wedding vows. Sign up for the free wedding vow mini-course at http://www.weddingvowtoolkit.com.
PASSAGE THREE
With the breakneck speed at which today"s businesses move, there"s one mantra we"d all do well to remember: change is constant. Even so, few businesses equip their employees with strategies for dealing with change. It"s often up to savvy employees to negotiate changes on their own.
Few companies can guarantee they won"t need to redeploy workers or have them work a different shift. In fact, a quick search of the jobs on Yahoo! Hot Jobs found that 977 contained the words "subject to change."
When approached with changing roles and responsibilities, resist the urge to protest by pointing to your original job description. Employers expect their employees—unless they are under an employment contract—to be flexible, tackling whatever task they"re given with zeal.
It"s OK to be concerned that you may lack some of the key skills and experiences required for the new position. If so, consider asking for additional training at a local college or other professional development organization. If classes are not in the budget, ask if you can expense instructional books related to the new job or visit your local library.
Part of the fun of writing this newsletter is hearing all your stories. One came across my desk recently that I think gets to the heart of today"s tip.
An employee was told that her company was adding a new managerial position that she would report into. Initially undaunted, she decided to interview for the managerial job (good for her), but when notified that she didn"t get the job, she shut down (bad for her).
When I say "shut down", I"m being literal. She no longer speaks to co-workers. She does what her job description says—but nothing else.
Having been a manager for more than a decade, I can tell you that this employee has forced herself into a dead end. It"s not enough to do your job while sending the message that you"d rather be "anywhere but here". Companies don"t stop and tend to bruised egos. The only way to win in this employee"s situation is to come to terms with the circumstances and adopt a professional demeanor, or move on.
In fact, change can happen because you"re the best. Companies often redeploy star performers in an attempt to turn around problem areas. Management may also hope that a star employee"s good habits will rub off on others.
Companies sometimes impose change on a strong performer expressly for that employee"s benefit. Smart executives move star employers to give them broader experience of operations and departments and to help groom them for senior management roles.
Try not to focus on why you were tapped to change, but how you will turn it to your advantage. Don"t dwell too long on the topic or complain. The key is to be curious without appearing to be resistant. Convey that you"re eager to learn new skills and take on new challenges—and that more information will help you be more effective. Embrace your new role with enthusiasm and optimism. Re-member that change is ultimately what you make of it.
PASSAGE FOUR
The Battle of Normandy was fought during World War Ⅱ in the summer of 1944, between the Allied nations and German forces occupying Western Europe. More than 60 years later, the Normandy Invasion, or D-Day, remains the largest seaborne invasion in history, involving nearly three million troops crossing the English Channel from England to Normandy in occupied France.
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Allied invasion of northwest Europe. The assault phase, or the establishment of a secure foothold, was known as Operation Neptune. Operation Neptune began on D-Day (June 1,1944) and ended on June 30, when the Allies had established a firm foothold in Normandy. Operation Overlord also began on D-Day, and continued until Allied forces crossed the River Seine on August 19.
The battle began months before the invasion, when Allied bombers began to pound the Normandy coast and farther south, to destroy transportation links, and disrupt the German army"s build-up of their military strength. More than 300 planes dropped 13000 bombs over Normandy in advance of the invasion. Six parachute regiments, with more than 13000 men, also went ahead to cut railroad lines, blow up bridges, and seize landing fields. Gliders also brought in men, light artillery, jeeps, and small tanks.
With the invasion of Normandy, General Dwight D. Eisenhower faced a task of magnitude and hazards never before attempted. He would have to move his forces 100 miles across the English Channel and storm a heavily fortified coastline. His enemy was the weapon-and-tank-superior German army commanded by Erwin Rommel, one of the most brilliant generals of the war. Less than 15 percent of the Allied forces coming aboard the ships had ever seen combat.
An invading army had not crossed the unpredictable and dangerous English Channel since 1688. Once the massive Allied force set out, there was no turning back. The Allies boasted a 5000-vessel armada that stretched as far as the eye could see, transporting both men and vehicles across the channel to the French beaches. In addition, the Allies had 4000 smaller landing craft and more than 11000 aircraft.
By nightfall on June 6, more than 9000 Allied soldiers were dead or wounded, but more than 100000 had made it ashore and secured French coastal villages. Within weeks, supplies were being unloaded at Utah and Omaha beachheads at the rate of more than 20000 tons per day. By June 11, more than 326000 troops, 55000 vehicles, and 105000 tons of supplies had been landed on the beaches. By June 30, the Allies had established a firm foothold in Normandy. Allied forces crossed the River Seine on August 19.
Military intelligence was an important part of the Normandy invasion. British and American cryptographers working in London deciphered coded messages that the German believed to be unbreakable. Messages could quite often be delivered to Eisenhower within two and a half hours of the time the Germans had sent it. In addition, reconnaissance teams took infrared pictures of Omaha Beach while avoiding German patrols.
There is no official casualty figure for D-Day. It is estimated that more than 425000 Allied and German troops were killed, wounded, or went missing during the battle. That figure includes more than 209000 Allied casualties. In addition to roughly 200000 German troops killed or wounded, the Allies also captured 200000 soldiers. Captured Germans were sent to American prisoner-of-war camps at the rate of 30000 per month, from D-Day until Christmas 1944. Between 15000 and 20000 French civilians were killed during the battle.
In the end, the invasion of Normandy succeeded in its objective by sheer force of numbers. By July 1944, some one million Allied troops, mostly American, British, and Canadian, were entrenched in Normandy. During the great invasion, the Allies assembled nearly three million men and stored 16 million tons of arms, munitions, and supplies in Britain.
The occupation of Normandy was crucial for the Western Allies to bring the war to the western border of Germany. If the Normandy invasion had not occurred, there could conceivably have been a complete possession of northern and western Europe by Soviet forces.

单选题 Little girls like Barbara want to ---|||________|||--- have a doll to their dreams. (PASSAGE ONE)

单选题 What is the main reason for Ruth Handler"s leaving the company? (PASSAGE ONE)

单选题 Which of the following is CORRECT according to the last paragraph? (PASSAGE ONE)

单选题 We can learn from the passage that one"s wedding can be enriched by ---|||________|||---. (PASSAGE TWO)

单选题 The passage is intended to ---|||________|||---. (PASSAGE TWO)

单选题 The best title for the passage can be ---|||________|||---. (PASSAGE THREE)

单选题 Why did the woman employee force herself into a dead end? (PASSAGE THREE)

单选题 "Eisenhower faced a task of magnitude and hazards" because ---|||________|||---. (PASSAGE FOUR)

单选题 The massive Allied force included 5000 ---|||________|||---. (PASSAGE FOUR)

单选题 The cryptographers contributed to the Normandy invasion by ---|||________|||---． (PASSAGE FOUR)

填空题 SECTION F SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
In this section there are five short answer questions based on the passages in Section E. Answer the questions with NO more than TEN words.
Why is Barbie doll so attractive to girls? (PASSAGE ONE)

填空题 What do the parents mean to tuck money into the bride"s shoes? (PASSAGE TWO)

填空题 According to the passage, who should face and respond to the changes? (PASSAGE THREE)

填空题 What is the main idea of the last paragraph of the passage? (PASSAGE THREE)

填空题 Before the Battle of Normandy, by whom was Normandy occupied? (PASSAGE FOUR)