About one hundred years ago many educated people learned and spoke French when they met people from other countries.Today most people speak English when they meet foreigners. 1. There are more people who speak English as a second language than people who speak English as a first language.Why is this?
2. One of them is that English has become the language of business.Another important reason is that popular American culture(like movies，music，and McDonald’s)has quickly spread throughout the world.3.
Is it good that English has spread to all parts of the world so quickly? 4. It’s important to have a language that the people of the earth have in common.Our world has become very global and we need to communicate with one another.On the other hand，English is a fairly complicated language to learn and it brings its culture with it.Do we really need that?
Scientists have already tried to create an artificial language that isn’t too difficult and doesn’t include any one group’s culture.It is called Esperanto.5. Maybe the popularity of English won’t last that long either.Who knows? There are more people in the world who speak Chinese than any other language.Maybe someday Chinese will be the new international language.
A.People like English.
B.But it hasn’t become popular.
C.It has brought its language with it.
D.There is no doubt about the question.
E.This is why English was widely spoken.
F.It has become the new international language.
G.There are many reasons why English has become so popular.
Can I talk about salary at work? In a word:yes.As HR company Insperity put it in a recent blog post:Can your employees discuss their salaries or wages with their co-workers? Yes.Even if you have a company policy against it? Yes.
The freedom to discuss your salary at work is a protected right under federal labor law.The National Labor Relations Act of 1935 protects your right to discuss the conditions of your employment，including issues related to safety and pay，even when you're not protected by a union.
Talking about salary with colleagues can be uncomfortable，since there's such a taboo about discussing money matters，but it's an important step towards achieving equal pay for equal work.One barrier，however，stems from how we think of our own financial worth.Too many people I talk to wrongly consider their salary a reflection of their worthiness，a statement about their skills，experience，or value.At the end of the day，if we can all separate our self-worth from our salaries a bit more，it'll become easier to talk frankly with our colleagues.
Asking about money outright can be tough，so one trick I've picked up along the way is to ask for your colleagues to confirm or deny.For instance，you might volunteer your salary first and ask“Does that sound about right to you?”by way of comparison.Or，let's say you're interviewing for a promotion to become a manager.You might ask a fellow manager about the kind of salary you should expect by saying，“I'm seeing salaries for this kind of position ranging from $65，000 to$70，000—does that seem accurate to you?”This way，even if your colleague isn't comfortable sharing their salary outright，they can help you identify if your expectations are on point or way off.
1.What makes co-workers uncomfortable to talk about salaries?
A. The safety issue.
B. The federal 1abor law.
C. The wrong idea about salaries.
D. The reflection of their worthiness.
2.What does“taboo”underlined in Paragraph 3 refer to?
A. A prohibited practice.
B. A religious belief.
C. A general agreement.
D. A social custom.
3.What is mainly talked about in Paragraph 4？
A. One of my interview experiences.
B. My way of asking about money.
C. The method of raising questions.
D. An example of getting promoted.
4.What can be the best title for the text?
A. How to Discuss Salaries at Work
B. Ways of Talking about Salaries
C. Do Salaries Stand for Self-worth?
D. Can Salaries be Talked about at Work?
We humans love to stare into our smart devices.We gaze for hours—about 10 hours and 39 minutes a day—at our computers，smartphones，tablets and televisions.Is all this staring bad for us? It might be，mainly because as we stare at our devices we are exposing ourselves to blue light.
Blue light is a type of electromagnetic radiation with a very short wavelength that produces a high amount of energy.While it's true that light can damage our eyes under certain circumstances，there's no scientific evidence suggesting that blue light is harmful to our eyes.But many people still think it is，which is why blue light—blocking glasses are so popular.So do the glasses work?
“Everyone is very concerned that blue light may be causing damage to the eye，but there's no evidence that it may be causing serious damage，”Dr.Rahul Khurana，clinical spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmologists，told Business Insider.
Blue light exposure is nothing new.In fact，the sun is the largest source of blue light.Moreover，blue light is also present in LED light.But if blue light isn't harmful，then why are we constantly rubbing our eyes when we’re looking at our screens? The answer is eyestrain(眼疲劳):More than 60 percent of people experience eye problems associated with digital eyestrain.And blue light，it seems，isn't the cause.Instead，our eyes are so strained because most of us blink less when we stare at our digital devices.So if eyestrain is the real issue，blue light-blocking glasses are probably of little use.
1.What do we know about blue light?
A. It is a kind of nuclear radiation.
B. It has the shortest wavelength.
C. It may come from electronic devices.
D. It consumes a great deal of energy.
2.What causes the popularity of blue light-blocking glasses?
A. Evidence of their benefits to eyes.
B. Belief in blue light's harmful effect.
C. Widespread use of smart devices.
D. Scientific understanding of blue light.
3.What can be inferred from Paragraph 4?
A. Blue light exposure is hardly avoidable.
B. Eye problems are not easy to deal with.
C. Blue 1ight may connect with tired eyes.
D. Rubbing eyes makes people strained.
4.According to the text，wearing blue light-blocking glasses may be_______.
A. tiring B. harmful C. useless D. beneficial
The United States Congress is responsible for making and approving federal laws—rules that everyone in the country must follow.But exactly how do those laws get made? The process is not easy，and it takes a long time.
A law begins when someone puts forward an idea.The idea can come from anyone，but it has to get to a U.S.lawmaker who wants it to become legislation.In time，the idea is further developed into a written proposal，called a bill.
Then，a member of Congress officially proposes the bill.After the bill is introduced，it is sent to a small group of lawmakers，called a“committee”.Sometimes committee members seek more information about the proposal by holding hearings.Sometimes the committee changes the bill.Sometimes it decides not to take any action.In that case，we say lawmakers“table”the bill，or let it“die in committee”.
But now and then，the bill is offered to lawmakers not on the committee.Those lawmakers debate the bill further.They might change the bill again.Finally，the full House or Senate votes on the bill.If it does not earn the majority of votes，the bill does not advance.
Finally，the agreed-upon bill is sent to the president.If the president signs it，the bill becomes a law.If the president does nothing and Congress is officially meeting，the bill becomes a law.But if the president does nothing and Congress is not in session，the bill does not pass.Or the president can officially reject the bill.If that happens，the bill is not stopped.Instead，it is returned to both the Senate and the House.If two-thirds of the senators and two-thirds of the House members approve the bill once again，even with the president objecting，they turn the bill into a law.
1.Who is the first to propose a bill?
A. A lawyer.
B. A citizen.
C. A member of Congress.
D. A committee member.
2.When does a bill finally become a law?
A. After it is sent to a committee.
B. When the president signs it.
C. After it returns to the Congress.
D. While Congress is not in session.
3.What can be inferred from the text?
A. Not every bill can be turned into a law.
B. Anybody can put forward a proposal.
C. If“tabled”，the bill has to be voted on.
D. Once proposed，the bill can't be changed.
New York Walking Tour
◆Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Walking Tour
Start this exciting guided 4-hour tour by getting early Reserve Line Access boarding on the ferry to Liberty Island.Once there，go inside the base of the statue and head to the observation decks for an awesome view of New York City and its surroundings.Then come back on the ferry to Ellis Island to learn about the history of immigration(移民)to America that took place here between 1892 and 1954.
◆Central Park Walking Tour
Walk through Central Park’s most picturesque highlights on a 2-hour tour with a professional photographer.Remember your New York City adventure with unforgettable images of you with family or friends as you circle the towers at Belvedere Castle，walk through paths with flowers in the Conservatory Garden，or feed the swans by the Loeb Boathouse.
◆New York City Architecture Walking Tour
Learn about the history of the buildings that define the New York City skyline on a 3-hour walking architecture tour.Walk down the famous 42nd Street corridor with a longtime New York resident(居民)and architectural expert，stopping along the way to learn about Midtown Manhattan’s most iconic structures like the Chrysler Building，Ford Foundation，Grand Central Station and the New York Public Library.
◆Greenwich Village Walking Tour
Greenwich Village is one of New York City’s most beautiful and famous neighborhoods.Take a guided 2-hour walking tour of this legendary Lower Manhattan space.Hear about the famous artists who once lived here，from Edgar Allan Poe to Bob Dylan，Jimi Hendrix and countless others.Walk the winding streets and visit popular Washington Square Park，reliving more than 200 years of history.
1.Why do tourists visit Ellis Island?
A. To know about American immigration history.
B. To explore the surroundings of the island.
C. To get a whole view of New York City.
D. To observe Statue of Liberty closely.
2.Who will go with tourists on Central Park Walking Tour?
A. An experienced guide.
B. An architectural expert.
C. A professional photographer.
D. A longtime New York resident.
3.Which tour takes the longest time?
A. Central Park Walking Tour.
B. Greenwich Village Walking Tour.
C. New York City Architecture Walking Tour.
D. Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Walking Tour.
4.What can tourists do on Greenwich Village Walking Tour?
A. Take unforgettable pictures.
B. Come across Bob Dylan.
C. Visit New York Public Library.
D. Learn about famous artists.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.What position will the speaker remain?
A. Chairman of the board.
B. CEO of the company.
C. Vice-president.
2.When did Quinn Constantine join the company?
A. 5 years ago. B. 15 years ago. C. 20 years ago.
3.What is the speaker’s attitude to Quinn Constantine?
A. Doubtful. B. Supportive. C. Negative.
