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The 2010 Eustace Tilley Contest

This marks our third annual contest soliciting(征求) readers' opinions on Eustace Tilley, the magazine's iconic dandy(花花公子), who appeared on the cover of the first issue of  The New Yorker and on almost every anniversary issue since.

In celebration of our upcoming 85th anniversary, we invite you to create your own version of The New Yorker's dandy.

Entries to our third annual Eustace Tilley contest will be accepted from December 17th through January 18th.

Winners will be featured on Newyorker. com.

Visit newyorker.com/go/tilley2010 to enter and for complete contest rules

Open to legal US and Canada residents (except Quebec) age 18 and over.

Video Conversations with James Surowiecki

Watch the author of The Financial Pagse column in discussion with policymakers, business leaders, and economists.

This month, James Surowiecki speaks with Dan Vasella, the chairman and CEO of Novartis, about drug prices, health­care, reform, and the appearance of China in the pharmaceutical(制药的) industry.

Visit www.newyorker. com/go/vasella today.

The Big Apple Circus Clown Care Program

The Big Apple Circus Clown Care Program brings joy and laughter to young patients in seven New York City pediatric(儿科的) facilities, and 11 more across the country. 90 specially trained professional “clown doctors” visit nearly 250 000 bedsides a year, interacting with the children, family members and staff.

The Clown Care Program is a part of the healing process for children who come to New York Presbyterian. The clown unit provides a unique way to reduce the stress associated with being in a hospital. Being able to bring a smile to the face of a sick child clearly complements(辅助) the excellent care provided by our doctors and nurses. We are thrilled to include The Clown Care Program as part of our team.

Please help continue this important work by making a financial contribution today at bigapplecircus. org.

9. Whose entry will be accepted by The New Yorker?

A. Richard, a post­graduate from Quebec, Canada, who sent his design on Dec.20.

B. Amy, a 28­year­old Asian­American teacher, who sent her design on Jan. 20.

C. Jessie, a 16­year­old student from New York, who sent her design on Dec. 29.

D. John, a 68­year­old retired engineer from San Francisco, who sent his design on Jan. 10.

10. Which of the following is NOT true about James Surowiecki?

A. James Surowiecki is the author of The Financial Page column.

B. James Surowiecki usually has discussions with people from different fields.

C. James Surowiecki speaks with a chairman about issues of medicine this month.

D. Visiting newyorker. com/go/vasella, you can watch the conversation of this month between James and an economist.

11. ________ can be provided by The Big Apple Circus Care Program for sick children.

A. Excellent treatment and care  B. Trained professional doctors and nurses

C. Unique methods to relieve stress   D. Special pediatric facilities

12. Which of the following can be used by The Big Apple Circus Clown Care Program to promote itself?

A. We help all children live happy lives.

B. Our doctors jump through rings to cure the blues.

C. Every life deserves world class care.

D. Work together for a healthier world.

Lots of people have hobbies. Some people collect old coins or foreign stamps; some do needlework; others spend most of their spare time on a particular sport.

A lot of people enjoy reading. But reading tastes differ widely. Some people only read newspapers or comics, some like reading novels, while others prefer books on astronomy, wildlife, or technological discoveries.

If I happen to be interested in horses or precious stones, I cannot expect everyone else to share my enthusiasm. If I watch all the sports programs on TV with great pleasure, I must put up with the fact that other people find sports boring.

Is there nothing that interests us all? Is there nothing that concerns everyone—no matter who they are or where they live in the world? Yes, dear Sophie, there are questions that certainly should interest everyone. They are precisely the questions this course is about.

What is the most important thing in life? If we ask someone living on the edge of starvation, the answer is food. If we ask someone dying of cold, the answer is warmth. If we put the same question to someone who feels lonely and isolated, the answer will probably be the company of other people.

But when these basic needs have been satisfied—will there still be something that everybody needs? Philosophers think so. They believe that man cannot live by bread alone. Of course everyone needs food. And everyone needs love and care. But there is something else—apart from that—which everyone needs, and that is to figure out who we are and why we are here.

Being interested in why we are here is not a “casual” interest like collecting stamps. People who ask such questions are taking part in a debate that has gone on as long as man has lived on this planet. How the universe, the earth, and life came into being is a bigger and more important question than who won the most gold medals in the last Olympics.

13. This text is most probably taken from ________.

A. a research paper  B. a course schedule

C. a personal letter  D. a book review

14. Which of the following best states the main idea of the passage?

A. Philosophical questions are as interesting as collecting stamps.

B. Thinking about philosophical questions is a serious interest.

C. Figuring out who we are and why we are here is man's basic needs.

D. Philosophy has universal appeal and concerns everybody in nature.

15. The author believes that ________.

A. no existing subject can interest everyone in the world

B. different people may have different interests and concerns

C. everyone has to figure out who we are and why we are here

D. people in modern society pay more attention to philosophical questions

Forty-three years seems like a long time to remember the name of a mere acquaintance. I have forgotten the name of an old lady, who was a customer on the paper route in my home town when I was a twelve-year-old boy. Yet it stays in my memory, for she taught me a lesson of forgiveness that I shall never forget.

On a winter afternoon, a friend and I were throwing stones onto the leaning roof of the old lady's house from a spot near her backyard. The object of our play was to observe how the stones changed to missiles as they rolled to the roof's edge and shot out into the yard. I found myself a perfectly smooth rock and threw it out. The stone, however, slipped from my hand and headed straight for a small window on the old lady's back porch. At the sound of fractured glass, we knew we were in trouble. We ran as fast as possible.

I was too scared about getting caught to be concerned about the old lady with the broken window in winter. However, a few days later, when I was sure that I hadn't been discovered, I started to feel guilty for her misfortune. She still greeted me with a smile each day when I gave her the paper, but I was no longer able to act comfortably in her presence.

I made up my mind that I would save my paper delivery money, and after three weeks I had the seven dollars that I thought would cover the cost of her window. I put the money in an envelope with a note explaining that I was sorry for breaking her window and hoped that the seven dollars would cover the cost. I put the letter through the letter slot in her door. My soul felt redeemed and I could have the freedom of, once again, looking straight into the old lady's kind eyes. The next day, I handed the old lady her paper and was able to return the warm smile that I was receiving from her. She gave me a bag of cookies. I thanked her and felt an envelope in it. When I opened the envelope, inside it were the seven dollars and a short note reading, "I'm proud of you."

4. The underlined word “redeemed” is closest in meaning to “______”.

A. excited      B. relieved         C. disappointed         D. delighted

5. What’s the best title for this passage?______________.

A. An old lady           B. My first job       

C. My childhood     D.An unforgettable incident

Paul received an automobile from his brother as a Christmas present. On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office, a street boy was walking around the shiny new car, admiring it. “Is this your car, Mister?” he asked.

Paul nodded. “My brother gave it to me for Christmas.” The boy was astonished. “You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn’t cost you anything? Boy, I wish....” He hesitated. Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the kid said made Paul quite surprised.

“I wish,” the boy went on, “that I could be a brother like that.” Paul looked at the boy in astonishment, and then impulsively he added, “Would you like to take a ride in my automobile?”

“Oh, yes, I'd love that.”

After a short ride, the boy turned and with his eyes shining, said, “Mister, would you mind driving in front of my house?" Paul smiled a little. He thought he knew what the he wanted. He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big automobile. But Paul was wrong again.

“Will you stop where those two steps are?” the boy asked. He ran up the steps. Then after a little while Paul saw him coming back, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled brother. He sat him down on the bottom step, then sort of squeezed up against him and pointed to the car. “There she is, Buddy, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn't cost him a cent. And some day I'm going to give you one just like it... then you can see for yourself all the pretty things in the Christmas windows that I've been trying to tell you about.”

Paul got out and lifted the kid to the front seat of his car. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began a memorable holiday ride.

That Christmas Eve, Paul learned that it was more blessed to give....

6. Why did what the boy said surprise Paul?________________.

A. Because he didn’t say what Paul had expected.

B. Because he didn’t say that he wanted a ride.

C. Because he said something impolite.

D. Because he said something improper.

7. Which of the following is FALSE according to the passage?___________.

A. The boy had a brother who was disabled.

B. Paul’s brother gave him a car at Christmas.

C. Paul had thought the boy were wishing for a brother like his.

D. The boy wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride in a big car.

8. What does “she” refer to in paragraph 7?_____________.

A. The steps.    B. The automobile. C. The girl.     D. The woman.

9 Which of the following best describes the boy?____________.

A. Kind-hearted and generous.       B. Kind-hearted and thoughtful.

C. Honest and generous.             D. Honest and hardworking.

10. What can we learn from the passage? ______________.

A. Having a rich brother is important.

B. It’s unlucky to have a disabled brother.

C. It’s better to give than to receive.   

D. God helps those who help themselves.