2014年江西八校联考英语试题及答案(4)

B. One can achieve nothing if he or she doesn’t have a dream.
C. We should stay positive and determined no matter what happens.
D. Those who have gone through unfortunate events tend to be optimistic.
64. What can be inferred from the article?
A. The author didn’t like Japanese food at all.
B. The author’s journey to Japan was easy for her the whole time.
C. The author didn’t enjoy herself in Japan because of the bad weather.
D. The author was impressed by the snow in Japan.
 C
VERA Wang, the queen of red-carpet dressing, didn’t go into the fashion business with stars in her eyes. She knew about its unglamorous (单调乏味的) side, the hard work and, especially, the risks. And she had plenty of doubts along the way.
　　But every time one person – and, she says, it really just takes one – figures out what she’s trying to express with a certain design, she’s reminded of the reason why she became involved in fashion, and why she’s still in it: there’s an indefinable payoff from helping a woman look and feel her best.
　　 Wang, 63, was honored with a lifetime achievement award by the Council of Fashion Designers of America in June 2013 at its prestigious  awards show, often called “the Oscars of fashion”.
　　“To all the women and men I have dressed, thank you for your trust,” she said when accepting the award from her mentor (导师) and former employer Ralph Lauren
　　 Her hit designs include the lavender (淡紫的) skirt actress Sharon Stone paired with a Gap shirt at the Oscars in 1998 and the crystal-waistband wedding gown that Chelsea Clinton wore in 2010. There’s rarely a Hollywood event or an A-list (重要的) wedding where Wang’s name doesn’t come up.
　　Wang also has two lower-priced lines. She’s developed a fragrance business and a home goods collection. And she even has a flower bouquet  business.
　　Wang wasn’t always sure this would be her path. She studied art history at Sarah Lawrence College and was a competitive figure skater in contention for a spot on the 1968 US Olympic team. Her family wasn’t initially supportive of fashion as a career path, and although they had financial means, they didn’t back her at first. So she went to work as an editor at Vogue, and then at Ralph Lauren, before launching  her company in 1990 as a bridal  brand. She earned fame and respect through her hard work.
　　Her mentor described Wang as “a unique young woman filled with a rare passion for fashion”. “In all the years since, I have watched her drive, dedication  and talent shape an entire world inspired by her own life – first as a bride, then as a wife and mother, but always as a strong and beautiful woman,” Lauren said.
　65. What can we conclude from the first two paragraphs?
A.Vera Wang was eager to go into the fashion business because she admired stars a lot.
B. Due to her talent, Vera Wang has had a smooth journey in the fashion business.
C. Vera Wang wasn’t very clear about what she expected when she first went into the fashion business.
D. Vera Wang felt a sense of achievement when her work was appreciated by even one person.
　　66. By mentioning Sharon Stone and Chelsea Clinton in the fifth paragraph, the author intends to _____.
A. show Wang’s influence in the fashion business
B. introduce designs that shot Wang to fame
C. show the typical characteristics of Wang’s work
D. explain why Wang is popular at a Hollywood event or an A-list wedding
　67. What other businesses does Wang invest in besides the fashion business?
a. the film industry       b. home goods collections c. the dining business     d. a fragrance business e. a flower bouquet business
A. a, b, c       B. a, d, e     C. b, c, d       D. b, d, e
　68. What is the second-to-last paragraph mainly about?
A. How Wang developed an interest in fashion.
B. How Wang established herself in the fashion business.
C. What inspired Wang to get into the fashion business.
D. How Wang’s family’s attitude toward her career changed.
　69. Which of the following best describes Wang according to the article?
A. Talented, devoted and determined.
B. Passionate, humorous and diligent. 
C. Frank, ambitious and particular.
D. Smart, traditional and obedient.
                                 D
When you think of the tremendous technological progress we have made, it’s amazing how little we have developed in other respects. We may speak insultingly of the poor old Romans because they enjoyed the orgies (狂欢，放纵) of slaughter （屠杀） that went on in their sport fields . We may look down upon them because they mistook these goings on for entertainment. We may forgive them condescendingly ( 屈尊地 ) because they lived 2000 years ago and obviously knew no better. But are our feelings of superiority really justified? Are we any less blood-thirsty? Why do boxing matches, for instance, attract such universal interest? Don’t the spectators who attend them hope they will see some violence? Human beings remains as blood-thirsty as ever they were. The only difference between ourselves and the Romans is that while they were honest enough to admit that they enjoyed watching hungry lions tearing people apart and eating them alive, we find all sorts of complicated arguments to defend sports which should have been banned long age; sports which are quite as cruel as, say, public hangings or bearbaiting.