From the first use of the rocket to carry satellites into space to the setting up of space stations， human beings have been putting great effort into space research． And so far， we have achieved many successes． But there are still numerous tasks in front of us and we should not stop trying to progress．
The international space station （ISS） is an important step we should take in space exploration． It is not only helpful but also essential． It provides a proper space environment for many experiments that we have wanted to do for a long time． It is also a base for the observations of the earth and the universe． It could also be an important base for later travel to the moon and Mars． In a word， if we want to explore space more， the first thing we should do is to set up a space station．
As the space station costs a lot of money， it is hard for one country alone to establish one． The USA seem to be the only country that has the ability to build a space station alone， and it has tried to do so， but not very successful． So it aggregated many other countries to work on it together． Though it is still extremely expensive， it is much cheaper than doing it alone． It is really a job that needs everyone's effort and will benefit everyone．
Led by the U．S． and Russia， the ISS is a joint project between six space agencies involving 16countries． Called the greatest achievement in human cooperation， the ISS has come to the end of a ten﹣year's hard work in construction． China has applied for participation in （taking part in） the project many times． Unfortunately all the applications were rejected， which drove China onto the path of independent development． As the Long March Ⅱ﹣F/T1 carrier rocket blasted off （leave the ground） and successfully carried the Tiangong﹣1into space on September 29， 2011， China takes a big step toward its Space Station Era．
Some West media suggested that the successful launch of Tiangong﹣1 would disturb the balance of global space power， raising concerns about "China threat"． China's space project is not designed for military purpose but for developing space technology to explore space resources and make use of them for mankind's well﹣being．
1.From Paragraph 2we learn that ．
A. the necessity of building the international space station is not realized now
B. many experiments have been done in the international space station
C. the international space station is necessary for people to explore space more
D. people have traveled to Mars from the international space station
2.Which of the following is NOT a reason for countries' cooperation in building the international space station？
A. That it requires a lot of money．
B. That it needs everyone's effort．
C. That it will benefit every participating country．
D. That it is too far away from the earth．
3.The underlined word "aggregated" in Paragraph 3 can be replaced by " "．
A. united
B. scolded
C. allowed
D. forbade
4.China wants to build its space station in order to ．
A. break the balance of global space power
B. show that China can build space station alone
C. raise international concerns about "China threat"
D. make use of space peacefully for mankind's well﹣being
More students than ever before are taking a gap year（间隔年） before going to university．It used to be the"year off"between school and university．The gap﹣year phenomenon originated（起源） with the months left over to Oxbridge applicants between entrance exams in November and the start of the next academic year．
This year，25310 students who have accepted places in higher education institutions have put off their entry until next year，according to statistics on university entrance provided by the University and College Admissions Service （UCAS）．
That is a record 14.7% increase in the number of students taking a gap year．Tony Higgins from UCAS said that the statistics are good news for everyone in higher education．"Students who take a well﹣planned year out are more likely to be satisfied with，and complete，their chosen course．Students who take a gap year are often more mature and responsible，"he said．
But not everyone is happy．Owain James，the president of the National Union of Students （NUS），argued that the increase is evidence of student hardship﹣young people are being forced into earning money before finishing their education．"New students are now aware that they are likely to leave university up to￡15，000 in debt．It is not surprising that more and more students are taking a gap year to earn money to support their study for the degree．NUS statistics show that over 40% of students are forced to work during term time and the figure increases to 90% during vacation periods，"he said．
1.What do we learn about the gap year from the text？
A. It is flexible in length．
B. It is a time for relaxation
C. It is required by universities
D. It is increasingly popular
2.According to Tony Higgins．students taking a gap year ．
A. are better prepared for college studies
B. know a lot more about their future job
C. are more likely to leave university in debt
D. have a better chance to enter top universities
3.How does Owain James feel about the gap﹣year phenomenon？
A. He's puzzled
B. He's worried
C. He's surprised
D. He's annoyed
4.What would most students do on their vacation according to NUS statistics？
A. Earn money for their education
B. Make plans for the new term
C. Attend additional courses．
D. Prepare for their graduate studies．
Barbara McCintock was one of the most import scientists of the twentieth century．She made important discoveries about genes（基因） and chromosomes （染色体）．
Barbara McClintock was born in 1902 in Hartford，Connecticut．Her family moved to Brooklyn area of new York City in 1908．Barbara was an active child with interests in sports and music． She also developed an interest in science．
She studied science at Cornell University in Ithaca， New York． Barbara was among a small number of undergraduate students to receive training in genetics in 1921． Years later， she noted that few college students wanted to study genetics．
Barbara McClintock decided to study botany， the scientific study of plants， at Cornell University． She completed her undergraduate studies in 1923． McClintock decided to continue her education at Cornell． She completed a master‘s degree in 1925． Two years later， she finished all her requirements for a doctorate degree．
McCintock stayed at Cornell after she completed her education． She taught students botany． The 1930s were not a good time to be a young scientist in the United States． The country was in the middle of the great economic Depression． Millions of Americans were unemployed． Male scientists were offered jobs． But female geneticists were not much in demand．
An old friend from Cornell， Marcus Rhoades， invited McClintock to spend the summer of 1941working at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory． It is a research center on Long Island， near New York City． McClintock started in a temporary （临时的） job with the genetics department． A short time later， she accepted a permanent （永久的） position with the laboratory． This gave her the freedom to continue her research without having to teach or repeatedly ask for financial aid．
By the 1970s， her discoveries had had an effect on everything from genetic engineering to cancer research． McClintock won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1983for her discovery of the ability of genes to change positions on chromosomes． She was the first American woman to win an unshared Nobel Prize．
1.When did McClintock receive a doctorate degree？
A. In 1921．
B. In 1923．
C. In 1925．
D. In 1927．
2.During the great economic Depression in the US， ．
A. young scientists had trouble finding a job
B. female geneticists were not wanted at all
C. male geneticists were in great demand
D. male scientists were out of job
3.McClintock was awarded a Nobel Prize because of ．
A. her research in botany
B. her contribution to genetic engineering
C. her discoveries about genes and chromosomes
D. her unshared work in the laboratory
4.The text is likely to appear in
A. a biography
B. a history paper
C. a newspaper
D. a philosophy textbook
In the coming months, we are bringing together artists from all over the globe, to enjoy speaking Shakespeare’s plays in their language, in our Globe, within the architecture Shakespeare wrote for. Please come and join us.
National Theatre Of China Beijing｜Chinese
This great occasion(盛会) will be the National Theatre of China’s first visit to the UK. The company’s productions show the new face of 21st century Chinese theatre. This production of Shakespeare’s Richard III will be directed by the National’s Associate Director, Wang Xiaoying.
Date & Time: Saturday 28 April, 2.30 pm & Sunday 29 April, 1.30 pm & 6.30 pm
Marjanishvili Theatre Tbilisi｜Georgian
One of the most famous theatres in Georgia, the Marjanishvili, founded in 1928, appears regularly at theatre festivals all over the world. This new production of As You Like It is helmed(指导) by the company’s Artistic Director Levan Tsuladze.
Date & Time: Friday 18 May, 2.30 pm & Saturday 19 May, 7.30 pm
Deafinitely Theatre London｜British Sign Language(BSL)
By translating the rich and humourous text of Love’s Labour’s Lost into the physical language of BSL, Deafinitely Theatre creates a new interpretation of Shakespeare’s comedy and aims to build a bridge between deaf and hearing worlds by performing to both groups as one audience.
Date & Time: Tuesday 22 May, 2.30 pm & Wednesday 23 May, 7.30 pm
Habima National Theatre Tel Aviv｜Hebrew
The Habima is the centre of Hebrew-language theatre worldwide. Founded in Moscow after the 1905 revolution, the company eventually settled in Tel Aviv in the late 1920s. Since 1958, they have been recognized as the national theatre of Israel. This production of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice marks their first visit to the UK.
Date & Time: Monday 28 May, 7.30 & Tuesday 29 May, 7.30 pm
1.Which play will be performed by the National Theatre of China?
A. RichardⅢ. B. Lover’s Labour’s Lost.
C. As You Like It. D. The Merchant of Venice.
2.What is special about Deafinitely Theatre?
A. It has two groups of actors. B. It is the leading theatre in London.
C. It performs plays in BSL. D. It is good at producing comedies.
3.When can you see a play in Hebrew?
A. On Saturday 28 April. B. On Sunday 29 April.
C. On Tuesday 22 May. D. On Tuesday 29 May.
假定你是李华，你的美国朋友Jack下学期将作为交换生来你校学习，他想学习传统中国画。请你写封邮件给他建议。内容包括：
1. 选修你校开设的中国画课程；
2. 上课时间和地点；
3. 工具和材料：毛笔、墨和宣纸等；
参考词汇： 选修课 optional course 中国画 Chinese Painting 毛笔 Chinese brush
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（＼）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1．每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2．只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Last month, my good friend Mark got an expensive watch as his birthday present. He showed to everyone in my class proud. I really envied him and every day I ask my mum to buy me an expensive present. However, to my disappointment, I only got a second-hand bike at that special day. So one day while I was riding my “dear” bike back home from school, I passed the shop that my mum worked. I saw a familiar figure kneeling down in the front of it cleaned the outside steps of the shop. It was my mum! She worked so harder to raise me! Tear in my eyes, I got off the bike and worked together with her.
