I credit my typing skill to so many hours of chatting online. Unfortunately, as my typing speed increased on the Internet, all grammatical rules went out of the window. You see instant messages have their own shorthand language and grammar isn’t important, of which even a newbie (新手) is aware. They can leave out articles, subjects (主语), pronouns, etc. They can misspell or “respell” almost any word. They often ask “A/S/L” when they first chat. Abbreviations (缩写) and capitalizations (大写) are particularly important. English-speaking instant messengers also refuse to burden themselves with punctuation and capitalization.
After I came back China, I discovered not one but two instant messaging crazes. The first, which brought back memories of my previous addiction to the computer, was QQ. I can see evidence that the Chinese have the same kind of separate instant messaging language, even when they chat in English. My first word in this language, for example, was “ft”. This abbreviation for “faint” is used whenever there is a need to express surprise. I also discovered that Chinese use the same kind of abbreviation for a laugh. And there is an extraordinary number of smileys (表情符) to the “vomit” and “army soldier” smileys. There is even a SARA smiley.
After QQ, there is another, perhaps more widespread messaging trend. You guessed it --- cell phone text messaging. I now understand how useful text messaging is and why it is so common. I admit that I have been guilty of sending text messages while walking outside or sitting on the subway. Who hasn’t ? No matter where I go, I see people on their cell phones, messaging. In fact, it’s rare to see someone actually talking on their phone!
So it looks as if there is no escape from the instant messaging crazes, no matter where in the world I go. And that’s plainly not going to change. In the end, though, I can’t complain: instant messaging is quick, it’s cheap, it’s easy and it’s extremely fun too. And after all, everyone’s doing it.The underlined phrase “went out of the window” in Paragraph 1 probably means .
| A．increased | B．occurred | C．disappeared | D．changed |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．Grammar and correct spelling are very important while chatting online. |
| B．There are enough smileys and icons to express yourselves while chatting on line. |
| C．The writer is skilled at typing and once was addicted to online games. |
| D．It is impolite to leave out some unimportant words or letters while chatting online. |
The writer believes that instant messaging is .
| A．full of fun but time-consuming |
| B．widespread but unnecessary |
| C．quick but difficult to do |
| D．common, used and cheap |
Which might be the main idea of the passage?
| A．Who can escape QQ and cell phone text messaging? |
| B．Why is instant messaging so popular? |
| C．Chatting online is good for your typing skill. |
| D．Chatting on QQ is natural for people. |
In choosing a friend, one should be very careful. A good friend can help you study. You can have fun together and make each other happy. Sometimes you will meet fair-weather friends. They will be with you as long as you have money or luck, but when you are down, they will run away. How do I know when I have found a good friend? I look for certain qualities (品质) of character, especially understanding, honesty and reliability (可靠).
Above all else, I look for understanding in a friend. A good friend tries to understand how another person is feeling. He is not quick to judge. Instead, he tries to learn from others. He puts himself in the other person's place, and he tries to think of ways to be helpful. He is also a good listener.
At the same time, however, a good friend is honest. He does not look for faults (过错) in others. He notices their good points. In short, a friend will try to understand me and accept me.
Another quality of a friend is reliability. I can always depend on (信赖) a good friend. If he tells me he will meet me somewhere at a certain time, I can be sure that he will be there. If I need a favor, he will do his best to help me. If I am in trouble, he will not run away from me.
There is a fourth quality that makes a friend special. A special friend is someone with whom we can have fun. We should enjoy our lives, and we would enjoy our friendship. That is why I especially like friends who are fun to be with. A good friend likes the same things I like. We share experience (经验) and learn from each other. A good friend has a good sense of humor (幽默), too. He likes to laugh with me. That is how we share in the joy of being friends. And I know that he is looking for the same quality in me.
When I meet someone who is reliable, honest, and understanding, I know I've found a friend!Which of the following qualities the writer thinks is the most important in choosing a friend?
| A．understanding. | B．honesty. |
| C．reliability. | D．a sense of humor. |
If you have fair-weather friends, ______ .
| A．they will give you all that they have when you need help |
| B．you will be refused when you get into trouble |
| C．you will become rich |
| D．you can be sure that you get real friends |
Good friends need to ______.
| A．always point out each other's mistakes |
| B．be helped with money |
| C．understand each other's feelings |
| D．have money or luck |
This passage mainly discuss ______ .
| A．the qualities of a friend |
| B．where to choose friends |
| C．how to get along with friends |
| D．the importance of having a friend |
The African elephant, the largest land animal remaining on the earth, is of great importance to African ecosystem(生态系统). Unlike other animals, the African elephant is to a great extent the builder of its environment. As a big plant-eater, it largely shapes the forest-and-savanna(大草原) surroundings in which it lives, therefore setting the terms of existence for millions of other animals that live in its habitat.
It is the elephant’s great desire for food that makes it a disturber of the environment and an important builder of its habitat. In its continuous search for the 300 pounds of plants it must have every day, it kills small trees and underbushes, and pulls branches off big trees. This results in numerous open spaces in both deep tropical forests and in the woodlands that cover part of the African savannas(热带草原). In these open spaces are numerous plants in various stages of growth that attract a variety of other plant-eaters.
Take the rain forests for example. In their natural state, the spreading branches overhead shut out sunlight and prevent the growth of plants on the forest floor. By pulling down trees and eating plants, elephants make open spaces, allowing new plants to grow on the forest floor. In such situations, the forests become suitable for large hoofed plant-eaters to move around and for small plant-eaters to get their food as well.
What worries scientists now is that the African elephant has become an endangered species. If the elephant disappears, scientists say, many other animals will also disappear from vast areas of forest and savanna, greatly changing and worsening the whole ecosystem. What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Disappearance of African elephants. |
| B．Forests and savannas as habitats for African elephants. |
| C．The effect of African elephants’ search for food. |
| D．The eating habit of African elephants. |
What does the underlined phrase “setting the terms” most probably mean?
| A．Fixing the time. | B．Worsening the state. |
| C．Improving the quality. | D．Deciding the conditions. |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．The African elephant is the largest animal on the earth. |
| B．African elephants have 300 pounds of plants every day, including small trees and underbushes. |
| C．The African elephant is in a way the builder of the environment like other land animals. |
| D．If the African elephant disappears, the whole ecosystem won’t be affected. |
The passage is developed mainly by .
| A．showing the effect and then explaining the causes |
| B．pointing out similarities and differences |
| C．describing the changes in space order |
| D．giving examples |
One night about nine o’clock, Dr. Eyck, a surgeon, had a phone call from Dr. Haydon at the hospital in Clens Falls. The surgeon was asked to go there at once to operate on a very sick boy who shot himself while playing with a gun.
The doctor was soon on his way to Clens Falls. It was 60 miles away. And it was snowing heavily in the city. The surgeon thought he could get there before 12 o’clock.
A few minutes later, the doctor was stopped by a man in an old black coat. Gun in hand, the man ordered the doctor to get out. Then the man drove the car down the road, leaving the doctor in the falling snow.
It was after 2 o’clock in the morning when the doctor arrived at the hospital in Clens Falls. Dr. Haydon told him that the boy had died an hour before.
The two doctors walked by the door of the hospital waiting room. There sat the man in the old black coat with his head in his hands.
“Mr. Cuninghan,” said Dr. Haydon to the man, “This is Dr. Eyck. He is the surgeon who walked all the way from Albany to save your boy.”Dr. Haydon asked Dr. Eyck to come to Clens Falls because _____.
| A．Dr. Eyck knew the boy was wounded by a shot |
| B．The boy needed the help of a surgeon |
| C．Dr. Eyck was the boy’s father |
| D．Dr. Eyck was Haydon’s friend |
The surgeon was late because ________.
| A．he was stopped by the police |
| B．the weather was rather terrible |
| C．Clens Falls was too far from Albany |
| D．his car was taken away |
Choose the right order of the following events given in the story.
a. Dr. Eyck was asked to come to the hospital in Clens Falls.
b. Dr. Eyck arrived at the hospital.
c. The boy shot himself. d. The boy died.
e. The man in an old coat reached the hospital. f. Dr. Eyck was robbed of his car.
| A．c, e, f, a, b, d | B．a, c, f, d, b, e |
| C．c, a, f, e, d, b | D．a, c, f, e, d, b |
The boy could have been saved if ______.
| A．he had not been sent to the hospital |
| B．his father hadn’t arrived in time |
| C．Dr.Eyck had arrived earlier than the man |
| D．Dr. Eyck had arrived there two hours earlier |
TheUnitedStateshasaround475,000schoolbuses.Eachdaytheycarrymorethan25million children,halfofalltheschoolchildreninthecountry.
Thesebuses,onaverage,use4litersofdiesel(柴油)fueltotravellessthan16kilometers. When theschoolyearbeganlastfall,dieselaveraged55centsaliternationally.Thepricenearlydoubledby theendofschool inJune.
BobRileyisthespokesmanfortheAmericanSchoolBusCouncil.Hesaysfuelpricesnegotiated(商议) for schools arenot lower thanothers have to pay. Asaresult,schoolsarelookingfor waystoreducetransportationcosts.Busroutesarebeing redrawnor,insomecases,canceled.Someareas arebuyingbusesthatuse naturalgas orother alternativefuels.
Otherstepsincludefewerfieldtrips andlesstravel bysports teams.Someschool districtsmayend any busservicenotrequiredby law.
Studiesshowthatschoolbusesarethesafestform oftransportationtoandfrom school.
The AmericanSchoolBus Councilsayscutsinbus serviceare badfor childrenandpossiblythe environment.Itsaysremovingbusesfromtheroadwillmeananincreaseinothervehiclestransporting students. Spokesman Bob Riley saysanotherconcern is thatreducing busservicemightreduce attendance.
It couldalso getmorechildren to walkor bicycle to school.That wouldsurely makepeople happy attheNationalCenterforSafeRoutestoSchool.Morekidswalkingorbikingsafelytoschoolisthe aimofa3-year-oldfederal program,partofaninternationalmovement.Thegoalis toincreasephysical activity and reduce air pollution.Inthesecondparagraph,theauthorwantsto provethat .
| A．toomany schoolchildren takebuses every day |
| B．thecost offuelhasincreased |
| C．theschoolbusesconsumemorefuelthanaverage |
| D．the school busesusuallygoon long routes |
Inthe thirdparagraph,what doesBobRiley mean'?
| A．Thefuel pricesforschool busesneed to be negotiated again. |
| B．High fuelprices are also affecting the efficiency of their services. |
| C．The fuelprices for school are much higher thanothers pay. |
| D．TheAmericanSchool BusCouncilshould workforstudents’benefit. |
Whatistheadvantage ofreducingschoolbusserviceaccordingto thepassage?
| A．Morefuelwillbesaved. |
| B．Studentscangotoschool inasaferway. |
| C．Studentscanexercisebywalkingorriding toschool. |
| D．Trafficjams willbereducedduringrushhour. |
Whatisthesixth paragraphmainly about?
| A．Bob Riley's concern about the resultsof reducing school buses. |
| B．Theconvenience brought by school buses. |
| C．Thebad effectsofreducingschool buses. |
| D．Thestudiesabout students'choicescarried out by theAmericanSchool BusCouncil. |
Work Your Mind
Here’s something to think about the next time you ask your teacher for help: struggling with schoolwork on your own can help you learn. According to a recent study, the more you struggle while you are learning new information, the better you can remember it later.
This theory might surprise you. When teachers are presenting new information, they often give students lots of help. But a new study shows this may not be the best way to support learning. “Don't be too quick to get help when learning something new,” education expert Manu Kapur told TFK. “Try to work on it yourself even if it means trying different ways.”
Kapur came up with the idea that struggling can lead to better learning. Then he tested it out on students in Singapore. He separated students into two groups. In the first group, students were asked to solve math problems with the teacher’s help. In the second group, students were asked to solve the same problems by helping one another, instead of getting help from the teacher.
With the teacher’s help, students in the first group were able to find the correct answers. Students in the second group did not solve the problems correctly. But they did come up with a lot of good ideas. The students were then tested on what they had learned. The group without any help from a teacher scored much higher than the group who had help. Kapur said working to find the answers helped students understand the process, not just the solution.
Kapur’s advice for kids is to put a lot of effort into learning something new rather than going to your teacher for help. “Simply doing a little work or nothing at all won’t work,” says Kapur. “The struggle needs to be a genuine attempt to figure out or solve a problem in as many ways as possible.” When you have doubt on schoolwork, you’d better ____________.
| A．ask your teacher for help |
| B．make it clear by yourself |
| C．ask your classmates to help you |
| D．ask your parents for help |
What’s Manu Kapur educational idea on learning new knowledge?
| A．Give students much help as soon as possible. |
| B．Let students learn it on themselves in one way. |
| C．Let students learn it by themselves in the same way. |
| D．Let students learn it for themselves in different ways. |
How did Kapur check his idea on better learning?
| A．By asking questions. |
| B．By solving art problems. |
| C．By group comparations. |
| D．By solving science problems. |
What is most important in learning knowledge?
| A．Getting the teacher’s help. |
| B．Getting the student’s help. |
| C．Grasping the learning course. |
| D．Receiving the final solution. |
"We do look very different; we're older. Leo's 38, I'm 37. We were 21 and 22 when we made that film. You know, he's fatter now -- I'm thinner.". So says Kate Winslet, who is thrilled at the 3-D re-release of Titanic to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the ship's demise. “ It happens every time I get on any boat of any kind." She recalls. There are all the people who want her to walk to the front of the ship and re-create her famous pose, arms flung wide. Most people remember the tragedy: The British passenger ship -- said to be unsinkable -- hit an iceberg and sank on April 15, 1912, during its maiden voyage from England to New York City. More than 1,500 people died. But little known is what the world learned from the sinking to prevent future incidents.
Probably the greatest deficiency （不足）of the Titanic was that she was built 40 years before the widespread use of the wonderful invention radar(雷达). Her only defense against icebergs and hidden obstacles was to rely on manned lookouts. On that fateful night the eyesight of trained lookouts only provided 37 seconds of warning before the collision.
Traveling at nearly 30 miles an hour the Titanic was moving far too fast to avoid the huge iceberg. The warning did prevent a head-on collision as the officer on the bridge managed to turn the ship slightly.
The last ship to send a warning was the California. She was within ten miles of the Titanic during the disaster, but her radio operator went to bed at midnight and never received any of the SOS messages from the Titanic. That was one of the important lessons learned from the catastrophe, the need for 24-hour radio operators on all passenger liners.
Another lesson learned was the need for more lifeboats. The Titanic remained afloat(漂浮) for almost three hours and most of the passengers could have been saved with enough lifeboats.
1,500 passengers and workers died in the 28 degree waters of the Atlantic. Out of the tragedy, the sinking did produce some important maritime reforms. The winter travel routes were changed to the south and the Coast Guard began to keep an eye on the location of all icebergs. The new rules for lifeboats were obvious to all. There must be enough lifeboats for everybody on board.
The most important lesson learned was that no one would ever again consider a ship unsinkable- no matter how large or how well constructed. Never again would sailors place their faith in a ship above the power of the sea. The text mainly tells us ______.
| A．the reason why the Titanic sank in the Atlantic Ocean |
| B．how the unsinkable ship of Titanic sank in the Atlantic Ocean |
| C．the lessons that we could learn from the accident of theTitanic |
| D．the things we should do to protect the lives on the ship |
According to the passage, which of the following could we infer?
| A．If the captain had been more careful, he could have had the chance to save the Titanic. |
| B．If radar had existed 40 years ago, the Titanic would have never disappeared from the world. |
| C．If the lookout had had much more experience, he could have had the time to save the Titanic. |
| D．If there had been enough lifeboats on the Titanic, the Titanic would not have sunk in the Atlantic. |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Lessons from the Titanic | B．Technology is Important |
| C．Demands of Passengers | D．Power of Sea |
What’s the sailors’ attitude towards the ships after the tragedy?
| A．They think there really exists the unsinkable ship. |
| B．They think ships could eventually defeat the sea. |
| C．They think there is no power that could control the sea. |
| D．They think the bigger the ship is, the safer it is. |
Every Friday we have a fire alarm test at nine o'clock sharp, and even though the sound is very noisy, I am so happy because when I heard that it reminded me today is Friday and tomorrow is weekend, it is the last working day of the week and I have two days off, it’s so excited!Sometimes we have a fire drill, when you hear the fire alarm, everybody have to run out through the fire exit.
One Monday at nine o’clock, the alarm was sounded and I was working behind the fish house and didn’t hear it. The department manager and staff were looking for me thoroughly, finally they found me and asked me to stop my job and follow them went out.
"I am busy, No problem! You leave, I work." I said.
"No, this is the law, everybody has to leave." The manager said.
I understood that if I insisted not to leave, they must carry me out. I went out with them together finally, no choice.
One afternoon, when I was working outside, the fire alarm cropped up（突然出现） sounding wildly, nobody knew what’s happening, some were standing and looking around, some were asking questions, some were running, I knew this wasn’t a test or drill, must be a real one. At that moment, one lady called me from a distance:"Jinglebell: leave your job, go out quickly."I joined the crowded flow of customers and staff going out. I asked somebody what's happened? And they told me this is a real one as there was some smoke on the shop floor.Finally I found out, actually there was no problem, that it was an electrician who used the equipment for the carpet and made a little smoke.
After that I asked somebody how to deal with the customer’s food in the restaurant in that case, because they went out to leave because of the fire, but hadn't finished their food. They told me that the customers who had bought food or drinks there could get a new one.
I don't understand, if in China, under that situation, everybody must carry a bucket（桶） or some other water containers to the fire spot, to fight the flames.
I agree with the English emphasis the human right, but maybe a very small problem could become a big problem while everybody had withdrawn from the shop, because the fire fighters could not come at once.
I was just thinking.Despite the noise from the fire alarm, the author still feels happy because _____.
| A．the noise lasts too long |
| B．the noise is not too loud |
| C．the noise reminds the author of the coming of weekend |
| D．the author often ignores it when working |
If there is a fire breaking out in a restaurant, what will happen in China?
| A．people will go out to leave |
| B．people will scream and cry in panic |
| C．people will not leave until they finish their food |
| D．people will carry a basket or some water containers to help put out the flames |
What’s the author’s attitude to the human right?
| A．Approval |
| B．Rejection |
| C．Neutral |
| D．Not mentioned |
Why does the author think that a very small problem may become a big one while everybody had withdrawn from the shop?
| A．Because the author thinks the fire is dangerous |
| B．Because the author thinks the fire spreads fast |
| C．Because the author thinks the fire fighters could not come at once |
| D．Because the author thinks the human right is important |
阅读下面短文并回答问题，然后将答案写到答题卡相应的位置上(请注意问题后的字数要求)。
Each and every one of us is responsible for the greenhouse nts should the need arise-as it almostpected, and is prepared to tion, something comes along to gases we give out in our daily actions and choices．Therefore，combating climate change is going to take the combined efforts of everyone on the planet．
The average household carbon footprint in China is 2.41 tons of carbon dioxide annually．That's enough to fill half an Olympic swimming pool．
Surprised? Well,．here's how you can work to reduce it：
1．Take showers rather than baths and reduce your shower time by two minutes．This will save water and give you an extra two minutes in bed．
2．Don't purchase unnecessary clothes，and be careful about the materials you buy．Wool and cotton have a really high greenhouse gas impact．Manmade fibers are a better choice．
3．Try to buy high-quality，long-lasting products even though they ．A laptop is more efficient than a desktop，and a small screen TV is better than a big flat-screen．
4．Only turn the water heater on when necessary，and adjust temperature controls to avoid overheating．Put a lid on a pan when boiling water．
5．When using the washing machine，be sure there's a full load and turn the temperature down if it's not really dirty．
6．The greediest home device along with the washing machine is the fridge．Make sure it's as efficient as possible by keeping it out of direct sunlight and away from the oven or heater．Don't put food in when it's still warm．
7．Only buy the amount of food you need and if there are leftovers，get creative．For instance，make them into a soup．Ask to take food home from restaurants if there's some left，but remember to take your own container to avoid using a disposable carton．How does the author introduce the topic of the text?(no more than 5 words)
Fill in the blank in Paragraph 6 with proper words．(no more than 5 words)
Why do we keep the fridge out of direct sunlight?(no more than 5 words)
What does the author say about leftovers?(no more than 14 words)
What is the main idea of the text?(no more than 6 words)
Among various programs, TV talk shows have covered every inch of space on daytime television. And anyone who watches them regularly knows that each one is different in style(风格). But no two shows are more opposite in content, while at the same time standing out above the rest, than the Jerry Springer and the Oprah Winfrey shows.
Jerry Springer could easily be considered the king of “rubbish talk”. The contents on his show are as surprising as can be. For example, the show takes the ever-common talk show titles of love, sex, cheating, and hate, to a different level. Clearly, the Jerry Springer show is about the dark side of society, yet people are willing to eat up the troubles of other people’s lives.
Like Jerry Springer, Oprah Winfrey takes TV talk show to its top. But Oprah goes in the opposite direction. The show is mainly about the improvement of society and different quality(质量) of life. Contents are from teaching your children lessons, managing your work week, to getting to know your neighbors.
Compared to Oprah, the Jerry Springer show looks like poisonous waste being poured into society. Jerry ends every show with a “final word”. He makes a small speech about the entire idea of the show. Hopefully, this is the part where most people will learn something very valuable.
Clean as it is, the Oprah show is not for everyone. The show’s main viewers are middleclass Americans. Most of these people have the time, money, and ability to deal with life’s tough problems. Jerry Springer, on the other hand, has more of a connection with the young adults of society. These are 18-to-21-year-olds whose main troubles in life include love, relationship, sex, money and drug. They are the ones who see some value and lessons to be learned through the show’s exploitation.Compared with other TV talk shows, both the Jerry Springer and the Oprah Winfrey are ______.
| A．more interesting. | B．very popular. |
| C．more detailed. | D．more formal. |
Though the social problems Jerry Springer talks about appear unpleasant, people who watch the shows ______.
| A．remain interested in them. |
| B．are ready to face up to them. |
| C．remain cold to them. |
| D．are willing to get away from them. |
Which of the following is likely to be a topic of the Oprah Winfrey show?
| A．A new type of robot. | B．Nation hatred(憎恨). |
| C．Family income planning. | D．Street accident. |
We can learn from the passage that the two talk shows ______.
| A．have become the only ones of its kind. |
| B．exploit the weaknesses in human nature. |
| C．appear at different times of the day. |
| D．attract different people. |
How to Beat On-line Credit-card Thieves
The Internet has led to a huge increase in credit-card fraud. Your card information could even be for sale in an illegal web site.
Web sites offering cheap services should be regarded with care. On-line shoppers who enter their credit-card information may never receive the goods they thought they bought.
The thieves then go shopping with your card number--- or sell the information over internet.
Computers hackers（黑客） have broken down security（安全） systems raising questions about the safety of cardholder information. Several months ago, 25,000 customers of CD Universe, and on-line music retailer（批发商）, were not lucky. Their name, addresses and credit-card numbers were posted on a web site after the retailer refused to pay US $157,828 to get back the information.
Credit-card firms are now fighting against on-line fraud. Master-card is working on plans for Web-only credit card, with a lower credit limit. The card could be used only for shopping on-line. However, there are a few simple steps you can take to keep from being cheated.
Ask about your credit-firm’s on-line rules. Under British law, cardholders are responsible for the first US $78 of any fraudulent spending.
And shop only at secure sites: Send your credit-card information only if the web site offers advanced secure system. If the security is in place, a letter will appear in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen. The web site address may also start the extra “s” stands for secure.
If you still have any doubt, give your credit-card information over the telephone.
Keep your password safe: Most on-line sites require a user name and password before placing an order. Treat your password with care. What do most people worry about the Internet according to this passage?
| A．fraud on the Internet | B．computer hackers |
| C．illegal web site | D．shopping on line |
How many pieces of advice does the passage give to you?
| A．1 | B．2 | C．3 | D．4 |
You are shopping on the web and you want to buy a TV set, what does this article suggest doing?
| A．You can go to the website and buy it without doubt. |
| B．Send your credit card information as soon as the web asks you to do so. |
| C．Give your credit card information over telephone if you have doubt. |
| D．Don’t pay money until your TV set is sent to you. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Computer hackers sold the retailer’s information to a web site to get money. |
| B．A reliable website offers you an advanced secure system. |
| C．You can depend on the password to protect your information. |
| D．The on-line credit-card thieves stole your credit-card and paid with it. |
Disease, poverty, hate, love—Charles Dickens’ stories opened his readers eyes to the most important themes of his age. Two hundred years on, his stories still speak volumes across the world, proving that Dickens’ legacy(遗产) was far greater than just “great literature”
February 7 marks the 200th anniversary of the writer’s birthday. To mark this date, BBC writer Alex Hudson listed six things Dickens gave the modern world. Let’s take a look at two of them.
A white Christmas
Dickens is described as “the man who invented Christmas”—not the religious festival, but the cultural aspects that we associate with the festive season today. In the early 19th century, Christmas was barely worth mentioning, according to critic and writer Leigh Hunt. The committee which ran the Conservative Party even held ordinary business meetings on Christmas Day – unthinkable in the West nowadays, when everyone but the most necessary workers takes at least three days off.
Many people believe that Dickens’ popular descriptions of the festive period became a blueprint for generations to come. In his classic novel, A Christmas Carol, he not only put forward the idea of snow at Christmas, but also painted a picture of glowing warmth –“ home enjoyments, affections and hopes”.
In his biography of Dickens, Peter Ackroyd wrote: “ Dickens can be said to have almost single-handedly created the modern idea of Christmas.”
“Dickensian” poverty
Dickens was one of the first to take an honest look at the underclass and the poor of Victorian (the period during British Queen Victoria’s reign from 1837 to 1901) London.
He helped popularize the term “red tape” to describe situations where people in power use needless amounts of bureaucracy（官僚作风） in a way that particularly hurts the weaker and poorer members of society.
“Dickensian” has now become a powerful word for describing an unacceptable level of poverty. In 2009, when the president of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers in the UK wanted to talk about deprivation in some areas of Britain, she did not use words like “terrible” or “horrific”, but rather described it as “life mirroring the times of Dickens”. What is the main idea of the article?
| A．An introduction to Charles Dickens’ classic novels. |
| B．Charles dickens’ impact on the world. |
| C．Charles Dickens’ amazing characters. |
| D．Why Charles Dickens is popular across the world. |
Why is Dickens called “the man who invented Christmas”?
| A．Because he created the religious festival. |
| B．Because many of his novels have something to do with Christmas. |
| C．Because one of his novels helped to shape Christmas celebrations. |
| D．Because he was the first man to have proposed celebrating Christmas. |
According to the article, the phrase “red tape” refers to _______.
| A．rules or procedures that are required to accomplish a task |
| B．a situation in which poor members of society are hurt. |
| C．conflict between people in power and weaker people |
| D．pointlessly time-consuming official procedures |
I was walking along the main street of a small seaside town in the north of England looking for somewhere to make a phone call．My car had broken down outside the town and I wanted to contact the AA Company．Low grey clouds were gathering across the sky and there was a cold damp wind blowing off the sea which nearly threw me off my feet every time I crossed one of the side streets．It had rained in the night and water was dropping from the bare trees that lined the street．I was glad that I was wearing a thick coat．
There was no sign of a call box, nor was there anyone at that early hour whom I could ask．I had thought I might find a shop open selling the Sunday papers or a milkman doing his rounds, but the town was completely dead．The only living thing I saw was a thin frightened cat outside a small restaurant．
Then suddenly I found what I was looking for．There was a small post office, and almost hidden from sight in a dark narrow street．Next to it was the town’s only public call box, which badly needed a coat of paint．I hurried forward, but stopped in astonishment when I saw through the dirty glass that there was a man inside．He was fat, and was wearing a cheap blue plastic raincoat．I could not see his face and he didn’t raise his head at the sound of my footsteps．
Carefully, I remained standing a few feet away and lit a cigarette to wait for my turn．It was when I threw the dead match on the ground that I noticed something bright red trickling from under the box call door．At what time was the story set?
| A．An early winter morning． | B．A cold winter afternoon． |
| C．An early summer morning． | D．A windy summer afternoon． |
Which of the following words best describe the writer’s impression of the town?
| A．Cold and frightening． | B．Dirty and crowded． |
| C．Empty and dead． | D．Unusual and unpleasant． |
The underlined word “trickling” in the last paragraph means _____．．
| A．rushing out suddenly | B．shining brightly |
| C．flowing slowly in drops | D．appearing slowly |
Why didn’t the man raise his head when the writer came near?
| A．He was annoyed at being seen by the writer． |
| B．He was angry at being disturbed by the writer． |
| C．He was probably fast asleep． |
| D．He was probably murdered． |
People are talking about the “new economy.” It’s very different from the “old economy”.
In the old economy, people travel to walk. They buy things in stores. They use the post office, the fax and the telephone to send information. They see people face-to-face at their jobs or in stores. People get information from newspapers, radio, television, books and libraries.
In the new economy, people do business through the “net,” which is a connection of millions of computers everywhere in the world. In the new economy, workers often work at home. They can get information online. They can communicate with employers and co-workers by e-mail. Businesses have “virtual stores”. They are websites on which customers can see the products. Businesses can sell to customers anywhere in the world.
In the new economy, people live a fast paced, convenient and colorful life. The whole world develops more quickly than before. But the new economy is a double-edge sword. Its disadvantage is also obvious. For example, the Internet has led to a huge increase in credit card cheating. Some illegal websites offer some cheap or banned goods or services. Online shoppers who enter their credit card information may never receive the goods they want to buy and their card information could even be for sale in an illegal website. So people in the new economy should be smarter and knowledgeable.The cause of the differences between the new economy and the old economy is ____.
| A．the change of people’s idea | B．the business people do |
| C．the use of the Internet | D．the change of people’s life |
In the old economy, people can do the following things EXCEPT____.
| A．getting information from books |
| B．communicating with friends by telephone |
| C．meeting people face to face |
| D．shopping online |
“But the new economy is a double-edge sword ” in the last passage means_____.
| A．The new economy is as sharp as a sword |
| B．The new economy has advantages and disadvantages |
| C．The new economy is better than the old economy |
| D．Both the new economy and the old economy have disadvantages |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．People can get all kinds of information on the Internet. |
| B．Telephone, radio, television, newspapers and so on will disappear in the new economy. |
| C．People in the new economy should have high quality. |
| D．Life in the new economy is more comfortable than the one in the old economy. |
Facial expressions carry meaning that is determined by situations and relationships. For example, in American culture (文化) the smile is in general an expression of pleasure. Yet it also has other uses. A woman's smile at a police officer does not carry the same meaning as the smile she gives to a young child. A smile may show love or politeness. It can also hide true feelings. It often causes confusion (困惑) across cultures. For example, many people in Russia smiling at strangers in public to be unusual and even improper. Yet many Americans smile freely at strangers in public places (although this is less common in big cities). Some Russians believe that Americans smile in the wrong places; some Americans believe that Russians don't smile enough. In Southeast Asian culture, a smile is frequently used to cover painful feelings. Vietnamese people may tell a sad story but end the story with a smile.
Our faces show emotions (情感), but we should not attempt to "read" people from another culture as we would "read" someone from our own culture. The fact that members of one culture do not express their emotions as openly as do members of another does not mean that they do not experience emotions. Rather, there are cultural differences in the amount of facial expressions permitted. For example, in public and in formal situations many Japanese do not show their emotions as freely as Americans do. When with friends, Japanese and Americans seem to show their emotions similarly.
It is difficult to generalize about Americans and facial expressiveness because of personal and cultural differences in the United States. People from certain cultural backgrounds in the United States seem to be more facially expressive than others. The key is to try not to judge people whose ways of showing emotion are different. If we judge according to our own cultural habits, we may make the mistake of "reading" the other person incorrectly.
| 1． |
What does the smile usually mean in the U.S.?
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| 2． |
The author mentions the smile of the Vietnamese to prove that smile can.
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| 3． |
What should we do before attempting to "read" people?
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| 4． |
What would be the best title for the test?
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