学业考试-初中英语-上海-2010(8)

10% don’t even know their names. In fact, one million people in Britain would like to because they don’t get along well with their neighbours.

According to the survey, the problem is noise. Many of the complaints about noise came from people who live in flats and old houses. These places often have thin walls which can’the noise from next door.

The other main problems are disagreements (不和) about car parking spaces, and old people complaining about the young. Some disagreements last a time. In one case, people who live in the same building haven’t talked to each other for fifteen years. Sometimes the disagreements end in violence. In one of the worst cases, a man killed a neighbour because he kept parking in “his space”.

Another survey shows that 90% of the neighbours never share a meal, 80% have never had a drink and 20% have never even spoken. However, when neighbours become each other’One solution to such problems is to talk about them with a professional organization and, if necessary, to sign a written agreement. Now people can get this service in more and more towns. （269字）

E.Answer the questions (根据短文内容回答下列问题): (14分)

Mary Donaldson is worried about her 16-year-old daughter, Sophia. Six months ago, Sophia came back from a party, upset and unhappy. From then on, she thinks of nothing but how to lose weight and become beautiful. She refuses to eat and keeps on doing exercise. Sophia had always been a little heavy, so when she decided to go on a diet, Mary encouraged her. She felt that her daughter would look more attractive if she lost 10 kilograms. However, Sophia has lost over 20 kilograms until now. Her eating and exercising habits are having a harmful effect on her health. She is too thin and is often sick.

Her mother is trying to prevent her from going on a diet and losing weight, but Sophia thinks that she is still too heavy and refuses to start eating as usual. Sophia’s mind is full of the idea of looking like a model (模特). Every day she goes to a club to do exercise. When she is not there, she spends her time reading magazines like Fashion & Beauty (《时尚与美》). The models in these magazines are very thin and beautiful. Sophia says, “If I look like these models, I will be happy and all the boys will like me.”

Mary doesn’t know how to help her daughter. She feels sorry for having encouraged her at first, because Sophia no longer feels good or pleased with her body. She’s afraid that Sophia will never be happy if she keeps comparing herself with the models in the magazines. Mary tries to tell Sophia that tree beauty comes from within. Common people are not supposed to look like models. The most ordinary face becomes beautiful when the person behind it is filled with confidence (自信), wisdom and the joy of life. （299字）

99.When did Sophia decide to lose weight?