一、

Many young people these days adore the advertised magazine body and become too focused on attaining this image instead of worrying more about what lasts and even grows over time. But could you imagine being considered beautiful for years, and suddenly being ugly after moving to another continent? It is a sad reality that people don't realize how __vacillating__ the idea of beauty can be from one country to another.

Think of the most typical American girl you know. Is she blonde－haired with white skin and light blue eyes, and does she love shopping or sports? Now place this girl in the heart of Africa, where beauty is placed on what you can control. The Maasai tribe in Kenya focuses on how clean people are, and how stylish their piercings (穿孔) are. This tribe's culture is to be a brave fighter, so they will cut their skin with patterns in it to show that they are strong. If you don't look fierce, you are not beautiful.

Other countries like North Korea and South Korea have their own unique views on beauty. In an interview, a woman who has lived in both North Korea and South Korea claims that beauty in North Korea is based more on your ability to be a good woman and wife. She says that women in North Korea are less concerned about fashion and beauty in the physical sense. She says they did have a time when big eyes were a big deal and everyone wanted to get double eyelid surgery. This is something extreme and could perhaps be influenced by Western culture. But don't you think the idea of getting surgery done to look more attractive is crazy?

1.What does the underlined word “vacillating” in Paragraph 1 probably mean？

A．Inconsistent. B．Reasonable.

C．Unusual. D．Similar.

2.The Maasai tribe in Kenya is mentioned to show that in their eyes ____ ____.

A．getting dirty is stylish

B．looking fierce is beautiful

C．Strong people cut their skin

D．American girls love shopping

解析：考查细节理解。根据第二段的“If you don't look fierce，you are not bea’tiful”可知，肯尼亚的Maasai部落认为看起来凶猛就是美丽的。故选B。

3.According to the woman interviewed, women in North Korea now ____ ____.

A．care a lot about their appearance

B．put the beauty of eyes in the first place

C．pay great attention to their ability

D．are crazy about double eyelid surgery

解析：考查细节理解。根据最后一段的“claims that beauty in North Korea is based more on your ability to be a good woman and wife”可知，朝鲜的女性现在更加关注她们成为好女人和好妻子的能力。故选C。

4.What does the text mainly tell us？

A．Inner beauty is of great importance.

B．Ideas of beauty vary among culture groups.

C．Different ways are needed to admire true beauty.

D．Fashion magazines easily influence young people.

二、

Years ago, my wife and I volunteered at a homeless shelter in downtown Los Angeles, the US, preparing meals for thousands of people. I got to talk with one of the guys in line, Albert. He said he liked my socks. “Want to see mine？” he asked, lifting his leg. He was barefoot. He said he had been meaning to buy a pair but he hadn't got around to it. I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach.xk-w

The next day, after work, I stopped at Ross and filled up a cart with socks. I stuffed my trunk with them. That next morning, I set my alarm for 5 a. m. and drove over to Santa Monica's Palisades Park, which is a common destination for homeless people.

I took one of the bags from my trunk. It was still dark out. I headed for a group of three men, standing around a tree, probably using it as a windbreaker. Two were asleep under heavy blankets, and the third was digging through his collection. As I walked toward him, he watched me, perhaps questioning my motives. “I thought you guys might need some fresh new socks，” I said, handing him a pair. He looked confused at first but took them and said, “Thank you.” I gave him two more pairs for his friends.

I moved on. An hour later, I had given out all the socks. Most people were sleeping, and I felt like Santa. I knew that when they woke up they would find a very meaningful present.

That was nine years ago. Every week I'll hand out as many socks as I can. If I'm on vacation or on a business trip for more than a week, I will bring a bag of socks with me and hand them out to the homeless on the streets in other states and countries.

It's extremely satisfying to operate “under the radar” to help make some people's lives a little bit easier. Part of me hopes to see Albert out there one of these days, but even if I don't, I like to think one of the pairs will find him.

5.What caused the author to hand out socks to the homeless？

A．Albert’s desire to get free socks.

B．The approach of Christmas Day.

C．His hard work at a homeless shelter.