Question

For years people have enjoyed following the life of Garfield the cat. Garfield is a popular comic book character, known for being lazy and fat. But the cat was back in the news recently for something you might not expect.

A man in the United States changed the gender (性別) of Garfield to “none” on the cat’s Wikipedia (維基百科) page. After that lots of people got angry and kept changing Garfield’s Wikipedia page. They argued about whether the cat was a boy, girl or neither.

Wikipedia finally locked the page to stop people editing it. Jim Davis, Garfield’s creator, settled (解決) the argument.

“Garfield is male (男性),” he simply told the Washington Post. The 71-year-old artist said he liked working with animals because they didn’t have to be old, young, boys or girls. He was angry that some people cared so much about Garfield’s gender.

It seems like quite an unnecessary argument to have. But it is not the only recent example of argument about gender.

To celebrate International Women’s Day in Australia earlier this year, the city of Melbourne made 10 traffic lights with a figure (人形) dressed in a skirt. They were designed to celebrate women and give them more confidence in public.

But not everyone thinks the idea is necessary. Some people think it is important for women to be treated fairly in Australia, but that this idea is silly.

“I’m all for doing anything we can for gender equity (公平), but really?” Melbourne mayor (市長(zhǎng)) Robert Doyle told the Herald Sun. The mayor said this idea is more likely to be laughed at than bring respect to women.

1.What put Garfield the cat back in the news recently?

A. The cat’s lazy character.

B. Being included in Wikipedia.

C. The cat’s image being changed on Wikipedia.

D. The cat’s gender being changed on Wikipedia.

2.According to Jim Davis, _____.

A. Wikipedia should lock the page about Garfield

B. Garfield can be a boy or a girl, and young or old

C. artists don’t care about animals’ age or gender

D. it’s unnecessary to take Garfield’s gender seriously

3.Why did Melbourne make 10 traffic lights with a figure dressed in a skirt?

A. To laugh at women in public B. To celebrate International Women’s Day

C. To bring more chances to women D. To treat women fairly in Australia

4.What did Melbourne mayor Robert Doyle think of the traffic light idea?

A. It would give women more confidence in public.

B. It would help women be treated fairly in Australia.

C. It would bring respect to women.

D. It was not a good idea for gender equity.

Answer 1