题目内容
There are the usual questions about coping with celibacy and the restrictions that this puts on personal relationships. But there is real curiosity, too, about why an "otherwise normal" person would take on such a life.
"There is a genuine interest in the whole area of spirituality and the spiritual life," Harper says, "The contrast has never been greater than it is now between the religious and secular paths. " Many young people head for a life in the church, he says, after attending Catholic schools where the emphasis is placed on religious observance, ritual and the importance of obedience and personal humility. But in today's world it is becoming increasingly difficult for such young people to ignore what is happening in the secular world behind the church. Many priests and nuns have left the safety of the ordered religious life in the past couple of decades. But they have not done so without a struggle. Harper can identify with the experience of those who leave.
"It is so much easier to join up than it is to quit," he says, "It's like in personal relationships, they're easy enough to get into, but extricating yourself from one that's not working or that you're not happy with can be very difficult indeed. "
Steven Mc Callanan, a parish priest, is frank about his life in church. He sums it up: "If you are prepared to see life in all its color then go ahead, take orders. But don't think it will be easy. I face problems every day. "
Harper believes the religious life attracts a true cross-section of people, from the extrovert to the shy and retiring, although many are drawn by the church's emphasis on ritual and performance. If one were to generalize, though, most priests have the kind of artistic temperaments that would "I know some brilliant men and women in the church, then I know some tried and disillusioned ones and some who are struggling with their own kind of personal demons," says Harper. He says it is a shame that the Catholic community has traditionally put priests on a pedestal, "up there with God", whereas in fact they are just like everyone else: flawed and vulnerable, make them good actors or performance poets-and social drinkers.
"Being a priest just happens to be a career, admittedly a specialized one and one that demands a certain range of qualities. But priests are just as frail and weak as the rest of us."
Harper has made a television programme about priests, monks and nuns in the Catholic Church. The message he gave to those who took part in his documentary was: "We are not trying to trip you up or make you appear strange or foolish. We are just trying to answer what we think are some generally asked questions about your attitudes, your dilemmas, and the kinds of lives you lead. "It makes fascinating viewing.
People are always curious about ______.
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PART C
Directions: You will hear three dialogues or monologues. Before listening to each one, you will have 5 seconds to read each of the questions which accompany it. While listening, answer each question by choosing A, B, C or D. After listening, you will have 10 seconds to check your answer to each question. You will hear each piece ONLY ONCE.
听力原文： Jean Brown has been married for 12 years. She has 3 children, and lives in the suburb outside Columbus, Ohio. When her youngest child reached school age, Jean decided to go back to work. She felt that she should contribute to the household finances. Her salary could make a difference between the financial struggle and secure financial situation for her family. Jean also felt bored and frustrated in her role as a homemaker and wanted to be more involved in life outside her home. Jean was worried about her children’s adjustment to this new situation. But she arranged for them to go stay with the woman nearby after school each afternoon. They seem to be happy with the arrangement. The problem seems to be between Jean and her husband, Bill. When Jean was at home all day, she was able to clean the house, go grocery shopping, wash the clothes, take care of the children and cook or 3 meals each day. She was very busy of course. But she succeeded in getting everything done. Now the same things need to be done, but Jean has only evenings and early mornings to do them. Both Jean and Bill are tired when they arrive home at 6 p. m. Bill is accustomed to sitting down and reading the paper or watching TV until dinner is ready. This is exactly what Jean feels like doing. But some one has to fix the dinner and Bill expects it to be Jean. Jean has become very angry at Bill's attitude. She feels that they should share the household jobs. But Bill feels that everything should be the same as it was before Jean went back to work.
Why did Jean want to go back to work.？
Why is the area surrounding Mount Etna in Italy the most densely populated region on the whole island of Sicily？
For one brief moment in April, Larry Ellison came within a few dollars of being the richest man in the world. The computer tycoon was holding a global conference call on a Wednesday morning, when the value of his company surged.
It was the moment he almost overtook Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, as the wealthiest on the planet. For a few seconds, as share of traders marked Microsoft down and Oracle up, Ellison came within US $ 200,000 of Gates. The self-proclaimed "bad boy" of Silicon Valley found himself worth more than US $ 52 billion, up from a mere US $10 billion this time last year. Then Microsoft's share price, which had plunged in recent weeks, recovered and the moment passed.
Once, Ellison, founder of the software company Oracle, would have danced around his desk cursing like a pirate at failing to bring down Gates, a rival he had constantly made fun of in public. But Silicon Valley insiders said he remained calm, and muttered: "One day, one day very, very soon." He knew his moment was close.
Unlike Gates, he is not big on charity, preferring to spend his money his way. He has his own private air force, a military-style. crew based at San Jose airport near Redwood City, to help him fly his Gulfstream V jet (with two marbled bathrooms), a Marchetti fighter plane imported from Italy, and a handful of other aircraft, including a trainer for his son. He also plans to import a Russian Mig-29 fighter (capable of 1,500 mph). Why does he want one？ So that, he joked, he can blast Gates' home near Seattle. Cars are cheap and cheerful by comparison. He has a relatively modest Porsche Boxster, two specially altered Mercedes and a US $ 900,000 silver McLaren.
In San Francisco he owns a magnificent house in Pacific Heights, one of Western America's most expensive stretches of real estate. The house is a technical marvel. When he inserts his key, the opaque glass door turns transparent, revealing a Japanese garden in the middle of the house. For reasons he knows best, Ellison is obsessed with Japanese culture. Though he says he once briefly dated the actress Sharon Stone, Ellison is better known for the number than the fame of his wives. It is said he introduced himself with: "Can I buy you a car？" In one year he gave at least four US $ 50,000 cars to young ladies.
While Gates comes from a strong family, Ellison still does not know who his father was. He was born to an unmarried mother and adopted by his Russian uncle and aunt. A brilliant but unpredictable self-promoter, he dropped out of college, drove to California in a battered Thunderbird car and ended up working with computer technicians at a bank. "He always had a champagne lifestyle. on beer money," his first wife said.
He set up Oracle in 1977 as a super-salesman with 3 programmers, creating software for businesses. It almost collapsed when it promised more than it could deliver, but since then its fortunes have soared. Now it employs 43,000 people and has designed data-processing systems used by Britain's M15 spy service as well as big western companies. Oracle's software is more Internet- friendly than Gates' Windows, one factor behind the company's recent share price rise.
Since his company got big, Ellison has promised shareholders that he will spend more time in the office. But can he escape being the thrill-seeker he is at heart？ As summer approaches, he may find it hard to resist the lure of his yachts, Sakura, one of the longest in the world, and Sayonara (Japanese for "see you later"), which he races furiously. It is dangerous sport, even for guests. Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch once nearly lost a finger when he grabbed a rope during a race onboard the Sayonara. Ellison joked at least he could "still wrote checks".
Regardless of distractions, Ellison will not give up in his battle against Gates. He hates to lose. Ellison declares that any
According to Brian Harper, to quit being a priest ______.
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