Some things never change. And when it comes to parental love, you can be sure it will stand the test of time. It doesn’t matter whether it is human parents or parents deep in the sea among the fishes.
Disney’s latest cartoon, “Finding Nemo”, tells a moving story of a father fish called Marlin and his son Nemo.
Marlin loses his wife and a whole family of unhatched（未孵化的）eggs to a huge shark（鲨鱼）. Only one fish egg remains: Nemo. Marlin will protect his young son at all costs. So, Marlin becomes afraid of almost everything in the ocean. That makes him overprotective.
But all children grow up, and overprotection always comes at a price. Marlin’s nagging（唠叨）makes Nemo feel that he doesn’t need his dad telling him what to do. So on his first day of school, Nemo and some friends swim to the edge of their coral reef, a place Marlin always thinks is very dangerous. When Marlin shouts at Nemo to come back, Nemo refuses to listen to him and swims out to a boat in the distance. Suddenly, he gets caught by some divers.
So begins Marlin’s journey to find Nemo, who ends up in an aquarium（鱼缸）in an office in Australia. Soon, the worried father runs into Dory, a forgetful blue fish, who promises to help Marlin find his son. Meanwhile, Nemo misses his father terribly. He soon hears that he will be given to an eight－year－old girl who likes to kill fish.
Can Marlin find his son before it’s too late?
Marlin overcomes his shyness and anxieties and Nemo discovers his own, and his father’s hidden strengths. It celebrates the relationship between fathers and their sons. Parents’ wish to protect their children can drive them away. And no matter how much children want independence, they still need their parents.
“Finding Nemo” was released（放映）in the US on May 30．Earning about US$70.6 million in just three days, it has set a new opening record for a cartoon．
1．The passage is mainly about______.
A．how the cartoon was produced
B．why the cartoon was so popular
C．how great parental love is
D．a father’s journey to find his son Nemo
2．Marlin is afraid of almost everything because _________.
A．he is very shy by nature
B．he doesn’t want to be killed like dead wife
C．he doesn’t like his son at all
D．losing his wife and the other children makes him very frightened.
3．What does Nemo like?
A．He likes living in an aquarium．
B．He wants to be independent from his father.
C．He loves playing and hates going to school.
D．He likes trying adventurous things.
4．The following are mentioned in the passage EXCEPT_______.
A．how Nemo gets caught．
B．how to be a sensible father and son.
C．whether Marlin successfully saves his son.
D．that the cartoon was very popular in the USA.
We are all called upon to make a speech at some points in life, but most of us don’t do a very good job. This article gives some suggestions on how to give a good speech.
So, you have to give a speech－and you’re terrified. You get nervous, you forget what you want to say, you stumble over words, you talk too long, and you bore your audience. Later you think, “Thank goodness, it’s over. I’m just not good at public speaking. I hope I never have to do that again.”
Cheer up! It doesn’t have to be that bad. Here are some simple steps to take the pain out of speech making. Ask yourself the purpose of your speech. What is the situation? Why are you speaking? Then, gather as many facts as you can on your subject. Spend plenty of time doing your research. Then spend plenty of time organizing your material（材料）so that your speech is clear and easy to follow. Use as many examples as possible, and use pictures, charts, and graphs if they help you make your points more clearly. Never forget your audience. Don’t talk over their heads, and don’t talk down to them. Treat your audience with respect.
Just remember: be prepared. Know your subject, your audience, and the situation. Be brief. Say what you have to say and then stop. And be yourself. Let your personality come through so that you make person－to－person contact with your audience.
5．Paragraph 2 suggests_____________.
A．many people are afraid of giving a speech.
B．many people are happy to give a speech.
C．many people do not prepare for a speech.
D．many people talk too long.
6．All of the following are true EXCEPT that________.
A．few people know how to make good speeches
B．a speaker does not need to organize his speech.
C．research is important in preparing a speech.
D．there are simple steps you can take to improve your speaking ability
7．The title for this passage may be_______.
A．Do Not Make a Long Speech
B．Try to Enjoy a Speech
C．How to Prepare For a Speech
D．How to Give a Good Speech
答案：1—4 C D B C 5—7 A B D
