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A Bullying can take a variety of forms, from the verbal—being taunted or called hurtful names—to the physical—being kicked or shoved—as well as indirect forms, such as being excluded from social groups. A survey I conducted with Irene Whitney found that in British primary schools up to a quarter of pupils reported experience of bullying, which in about one in ten cases was persistent. There was less bullying in secondary schools, with about one in twenty-five suffering persistent bullying, but these cases may be particularly recalcitrant.
Bullying is clearly unpleasant, and can make the child experiencing it feel unworthy and depressed. In extreme cases it can even lead to suicide, though this is thankfully rare. Victimized pupils are more likely to experience difficulties with interpersonal relationships as adults, while children who persistently bully are more likely to grow up to be physically violent, and convicted of anti-social offenses.
Until recently, not much was known about the topic, and little help was available to teachers to deal with bullying. Perhaps as a consequence, schools would often deny the problem. “There is no bullying at this school” has been a common refrain, almost certainly untrue. Fortunately more schools are now saying: “There is not much bullying here, but when it occurs we have a clear policy for dealing with it.”
Three factors are involved in this change. First is an awareness of the severity of the problem. Second, a number of resources to help tackle bullying have become available in Britain. For example, the Scottish Council for Research in Education produced a package of materials, Action Against Bullying , circulated to all schools in England and Wales as well as in Scotland in summer 2012, with a second pack, Supporting Schools Against Bullying , produced the following year. In Ireland, Guidelines on Countering Bullying Behavior in Post-Primary Schools was published in 2013. Third, there is evidence that these materials work, and that schools can achieve something.
This comes from carefully conducted “before and after” evaluations of interventions in schools, monitored by a research team. In Norway, after an intervention campaign was introduced nationally, an evaluation of forty-two schools suggested that, over a two-year period, bullying was halved. The Sheffield investigation, which involved sixteen primary schools and seven secondary schools, found that most schools succeeded in reducing bullying.
1. A recent survey found that in British secondary schools _______.
A. there was more bullying than had previously been the case
B. there was less bullying than in primary schools
C. cases of persistent bullying were very common
D. indirect forms of bullying were particularly difficult to deal with
2. Children who are bullied _______.
A. are twice as likely to commit suicide as an average person
B. find it more difficult to associate with adults
C. may have difficulty forming relationships in later life
D. are less likely to be violent in later life
3. The writer thinks that the declaration “There is no bullying at this school” _______.
A. is no longer true in many schools
B. was not in fact made by many schools
C. reflected the school's lack of concern
D. reflected a lack of knowledge and resources
4. Which is not the reason for changes of schools' attitude toward bullying?
A. Schools are awareness of the severity of school bullying.
B. There are some resources to help to tackle bullying in Britain.
C. The government has taken compulsory measures.
D. Schools can make progress in dealing with bullying.
5. What were the findings of research carried out in Norway?
A. Bullying declined by 50% after an anti-bullying campaign.
B. Twenty-one schools reduced bullying as a result of an anti-bullying campaign.
C. Two years is the optimum length for an anti-bullying campaign.
D. Bullying is a less serious problem in Norway than in the UK.
As Michael Jackson made the unfortunate transition from pop-music icon to tabloid staple, one of the most common lines of attack was on his ever-changing appearance, the way his skin dramatically lightened in color, and his face altered in structure.
What's most tragic about Jackson's death, aside from the fact that it comes as he was mounting a comeback to include a sold-out 50-show residence at London's O2 Arena, is that what people will remember about him is his changing face. What they should remember: the way he changed the face of pop music.
Jackson first came to prominence as the nucleus of his family band, the Jackson 5. He quickly became the focal point of the group because of his popular cuteness and, of course, that voice. What was so remarkable about the young Michael was his ability to communicate youthful innocence or premature wisdom, or sometimes both at the same time. It was no small feat for the same pre-teen to deliver stories of love and loss like “I Want You Back” and “The Love You Save”, as well as he carried off “ABC” and “Rockin' Robin”. He led the group to four No.1 singles.
But his watershed moments came after he came out of his awkward teenage years. At 20, Jackson starred in the film version of The Wiz , at which point he met Quincy Jones, who agreed to produce his fifth solo album, Off the Wall . The record was a mature, sexy blend of pop soul with a heavy, danceable disco. Having spent his earlier years trying to straddle vocal adolescence, he effortlessly became an adult. It certainly helped that Jackson was so skillful at using that voice, and that he had a set of amazing songs to work with, among them “Don't Stop Until You Get Enough” and “Rock With You”, in which Jackson sings lyrics that perfectly describe his own gifted foot work: “When you dance, there's a magic that must be love.”
As stunning an artistic statement as Off the Wall was, it did little to prepare anyone for the cultural phenomenon that was his subsequent album, Thriller . Jackson's goal was to create an album in which every song was a hit. He didn't quite accomplish that, but he did create a classic pop album that fans zealously snatched up (to the tune of an estimated 100 million copies worldwide to date) and that solidified his status as the King of Pop. Debate still rages about whether Off the Wall or Thriller is stronger as an album. But the great change Jackson created with Thriller had less to do with the music than with the medium. As the height of MTV, Jackson became the first black artist to create a fan base using his image rather than in spite of it. His grasp of performance and presentation remains without parallel.
Jackson's subsequent albums failed to reach the heights of Thriller . But Jackson retained his skill for spectacle. Every music video he released was a major event, which is why MTV's lifetime-achievement statue at its annual awards show still bears his name. As a singer, as a songwriter, as a performer, as a dancer, Jackson remains among the most gifted, imaginative, larger-than-life musician of any race that has ever come along. Whatever changed about him over the years, that certainly didn't.
1. According to the author, Michael Jackson ______.
A. had sold out 50-show tickets at London's O2 Arena
B. had altered the structure of his face
C. thought tabloid staple was better than pop-music icon
D. had influenced pop music deeply
2. “I Want You Back” and “The Love You Save” are mentioned in Para. 3 to ______.
A. show Michael Jackson's ability in delivering stories of love and loss
B. demonstrate that they were no small feat for any preteen
C. stress Michael Jackson was the core of his family band
D. reveal his talent in communicating youthful innocence and premature wisdom
3. According the text, which of the following does NOT belong to Jackson's songs?
A. “I Want You Back” and “The Love You Save”.
B. “The Wiz” and “Off the Wall”.
C. “ABC” and “Rockin' Robin”.
D. “Don't Stop Until You Get Enough” and “Rock With You”.
4. According to Para. 5, which of the following statements is true?
A. Fans were not well prepared for Jackson's subsequent album after Off the Wall .
B. Jackson was recognized as the King of Pop after Thriller .
C. Black artists might lose its appeal to a great extent if they use their own images.
D. Off the Wall had gone out of fashion after Thriller was released.
5. Which of the following could be the most appropriate title for the text?
A. Michael Jackson, King of Pop
B. Michael Jackson, a successful singer
C. Michael Jackson, the most gifted musician
D. Michael Jackson, a talented dancer
There was yet another mass demonstration against globalization in June, this time in Barcelona. Although the World Bank had decided weeks ago to turn its planned meeting into a virtual conference, this didn't stop the protesters.
The word “globalization” seems to embody all that anyone can find wrong with the state of the world in all its forms. From American fast food and pop music to unemployment, child labor and environmental decay, everything is laid at the door of globalization. While using an ill-defined concept as an umbrella to assemble malcontents of all people may get world attention, the lack of clarity about the “G” word cannot help the opponents in the long run. However, despite the ridiculous behavior of some protesters, they have raised many important issues that need to be addressed.
What exactly is globalization? The International Monetary Fund defines it as “the growing economic interdependence of countries worldwide through the increasing volume and variety of cross-border transactions in goods and services and of international capital flows, and also through the more rapid and widespread diffusion of technology.” This is good enough a definition of the phenomenon today, but it is extremely narrow and non-historical. The fact is that globalization is a phenomenon as old as humans. One can say that globalization began when the precursors of Homo sapiens started moving in search of better food and safety. That movement has never stopped.
In every respect, what we are today, what we eat, how we live and what we believe in is the result of an amazing fusion of products and ideas exchanged over the centuries. What we consider to be traditional was not always so. The traditional chili-hot Asian food did not become “tradition” until Columbus brought to Europe the chili plant from the Caribbean and then this New World plant gradually diffused to the Old World of Asia. There was no outcry in Asia against the invasion of the fiery chili threatening their culinary tradition, because it was not brought there too rapidly.
Like the chili, there are countless products and ideas in our lives that we claim to be ours but which actually come from elsewhere. Human interactions over the continents imperceptibly continue to shape our lives. As a historical phenomenon, globalization has affected human existence the way the earth's surface has been sculpted by weather. Eternal dissatisfaction with one's condition and the perpetual effort to improve one's lot has led to inventions and movements changing human life the world over.
But to acknowledge globalization as a secular trend of human history does not mean accepting the unfairness, injustice and inequality that have come in its wake. Today's protesters are right to draw attention to these negative aspects. Certainly, the pernicious aspects of globalization need to be addressed and prudently remedied. However, protesters are wrong to think that the restless movement of people and ideas across the globe can be arrested, and by so doing solve its marginal ill effects. To be sure, fix globalization. But to demand a stop to globalization is to demand that life as we know should cease.
1. The World Bank thought that ________.
A. there would be a protest against globalization in Barcelona
B. it could prevent protesters by changing the meeting style
C. globalization is a word anyone can find wrong with
D. the protesters should be arrested
2. What's the author's definition of Globalization?
A. It is the growing economic interdependence of countries worldwide.
B. It means more rapid and widespread diffusion of technology.
C. It's a wide topic and should be studied historically.
D. It means transactions in goods and services.
3. How did chili plant flow to Asia?
A. It flowed from Caribbean to Asia.
B. It was brought to Asia by Columbus.
C. It flowed from Europe to Asia.
D. It flowed from the New World to Asia.
4. The author's attitude towards protesters is ________.
A. objective
B. subjective
C. negative
D. positive
5. Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
A. Fixing Globalization Is Urgent
B. Globalization in the Modern World
C. Eternal Human Dissatisfaction Changes Life
D. Globalization: You Can't Stop Life
In some countries where racial prejudice is acute, violence has so come to be taken for granted as a means of solving differences, that it is not even questioned. There are countries where the white man imposes his rule by brute force; there are countries where the black man protests by setting fire to cities and by looting and pillaging. Important people on both sides who would in other respects appear to be reasonable men, get up and calmly argue in favor of violence—as if it were a legitimate solution, like any other.
What is really frightening, what really fills you with despair, is the realization that when it comes to the crunch, we have made no actual progress at all. We may wear collars and ties, but our instincts remain basically unchanged. The whole of the recorded history of the human race, that tedious documentation of violence, has taught us absolutely nothing. We have still not learnt that violence never solves a problem but makes it more acute. The sheer horror, the bloodshed, the suffering mean nothing. No solution ever comes to light the morning after when we dismally contemplate the smoking ruins and wonder what hit us.
The truly reasonable men who know where the solutions lie are finding it harder and harder to get a hearing. They are despised, mistrusted and even persecuted by their own kind because they advocate such apparently outrageous things as law enforcement. If half the energy that goes into violent acts were put to good use, if our efforts were directed at cleaning up the slums and ghettos, at improving living-standards and providing education and employment for all, we would have gone a long way to arriving at a solution.
Our strength is weakened by having to mop up the mess that violence leaves in its wake. In a well-directed effort, it would not be impossible to fulfill the ideals of a stable social programme. The benefits that can be derived from constructive solutions are everywhere apparent in the world around us. Genuine and lasting solutions are always possible, providing we work within the framework of the law.
Before we can even begin to contemplate peaceful co-existence between the races, we must appreciate each other's problems. And to do this, we must learn about them: it is a simple exercise in communication, in exchanging information. “Talk, talk, talk,” the advocates of violence say, “all you ever do is talk, and we are none the wiser.” Its rather like the story of the famous barrister who painstakingly explained his case to the judge. After listening to a lengthy argument, the judge complained that after all this talk, he was none the wiser. “Possible, my lord,” the barrister replied, “none the wiser, but surely far better informed.” Knowledge is the prerequisite to wisdom: the knowledge that violence creates the evils it pretends to solve.
1. What is the best title for this passage?
A. Advocating Violence
B. Violence Can Do Nothing to Diminish Race Prejudice
C. Important People on Both Sides See Violence As a Legitimate Solution
D. The Instincts of Human Race Are Thirsty for Violence
2. Recorded history has taught us ______.
A. violence never solves anything
B. everything
C. the bloodshed means nothing
D. nothing
3. It can be inferred that the truly reasonable men ______.
A. have difficulty in advocating law enforcement
B. are looked down upon
C. are persecuted
D. can't get a hearing
4. “He was none the wiser” means ______.
A. He was not at all wise in listening
B. He was not at all wiser than before
C. He gained nothing after listening
D. He made no sense of the argument
5. According the author the best way to solve race prejudice is ______.
A. law enforcement
B. knowledge
C. violence
D. Mopping up the violent
