A small supermarket is decorated with a lot of red lanterns. There are piles of red envelopes on sale, for filling with cash and handing out as gifts. Such festive trappings can be seen everywhere in China in the build-up to the Lunar New Year. But this is Yangon, the former capital of Myanmar, where Han Chinese are a mere 2.5% of the country's population. They are a sign that Chinese New Year is becoming a global holiday.
Several countries in Asia celebrate the Lunar New Year in their own way. But dragon and lion dances in Chinatowns over the world have helped make China's the most famous. In Tokyo, window cleaners dress up as the animals of the Chinese zodiac （生肖）.America, Canada and New Zealand have issued commemorative stamps for the Year of the Rooster. Last year New York City made the Lunar New Year a school holiday for the first time.
The spread of the Spring Festival, as China calls it, is partly due to recent emigration（移民）from China: 9.5 million Chinese people have moved abroad since 1978, many of whom are far richer than earlier waves of migrants. It also reflects the wealth and ambitions of China's new middle class: festivities in other countries are partly aimed at the 6 million Chinese who are expected to spend their week long holiday abroad this year.
It's hoped that the festival will promote Chin's cultural "soft power" abroad. So related events are welcomed, such as a display this year of martial arts in Cyprus and a traditional Chinese temple-fair in Harare, Zimbabwe. More and more Chinese are glad to see foreigners enjoy such festivities. Though there is a growing enthusiasm among Chinese for Western celebrations such as Christmas, Chinese New Year is a welcome chance to reverse（逆转）the cultural flow.
1.The scene in a supermarket shown in the first paragraph is to________ .
A.stress the importance of the Spring Festival
B.explain why the Lunar New Year is popular
C.present the popularity of Chinese New Year
D.show how other countries celebrate the Spring Festival
2.What are the best-known celebration activities for the Lunar New Year in Chinatowns?
A.Dragon and lion dances.
B.Eating dumplings and singing and dancing.
C.Dressing up as animals and dancing.
D.playing cards and letting off fireworks.
3.Some countries celebrate the Spring Festival in order to .
A.reflect on their own cultures
B.show respect to the Chinese traditions
C.promote the values of Chinese customs
D.attract Chinese to spend the holiday there
4.What's the best title for the text?
A.Celebrating Chinese Festivals Becomes a Trend.
B.Welcoming China's Cultural "Soft Power*',
C.China's Biggest Festival Is Going Global.
D.Foreigners' Love of China's Festivals.
Guide to what's worth watching
I Feel Bad
Don't let the depressing name of the show mislead you. Based on the novel I Feel Bad: All Day. Every Day. About Everything, this new half-hour situation comedy finds humor in the endless small failings of its heroine—a working mom in her 40s who depends on her parents for child-care help when she escapes her chaotic family life to manage an all-male team of much younger video-game developers. Sarayu Blue stars. Wednesday, Sept. 19, at 10 pm., NBC.
Dead Lucky
Among plenty of imported police crime dramas, Dead Lucky has one major edge: It has Rachel Griffiths as its lead. The Golden Globe-winning Australian actress plays a moody but gifted detective whose pursuit追捕）of a killer leads into comers of Sydney new to most American viewers. That, and co-star Brooke Satchwell, might be enough. Thursday, Sept 20, Sundance Now.
Art in the Twenty-First Century
Do you suffer from dandruff-like（如同有头屑一样的）symptoms when faced with contemporary art? The series that's long been a cure for such head-scratching returns with new episodes that will focus on innovative创新的）artists in Johannesburg, Berlin, and the San Francisco Bay Area, and on how place shapes the artists* work Friday, Sept 21, at 9 pm., PBS.
Maniac
Psychological dark comedies seem to be trending this fail. In this 10-part series, Emma Stoneand Jonah Hill co-star as unhappy strangers who develop a deep connection when they both volunteer for a drug trial. Saturday, Sept. 22, Netflix.
1.What can be learned about the program that is aired on NBC?
A.It is an amusing B.It is based on a true story
C.It is popular among children. D.It is a Golden Globe-winning series.
2.Which Program would you recommend to someone interested in detective stories?
A.Maniac. B.I Feel Bad.
C.Dead Lucky. D.Art in the Twenty-First Century.
3.On which day can you see a series about artists?
A.Saturday, Sept. 22. B.Friday, Sept. 21.
C.Thursday, Sept. 20. D.Wednesday, Sept. 19.
Being able to find high quality healthcare at an affordable price is a problem to be solved in many countries. In the United States, Walmart, a large chain store, is trying to help. It is offering something new to its employees: cutting the cost of a doctor’s appointment(预约) to only $4 instead of the usual $40 for the same service.
Walmart is the latest major business in the United States to push its workers toward a high-tech way to be examined and treated by doctors. Thanks to telemedicine (远程医疗), people can talk with medical experts from the privacy of their own homes, often using a secure video connection.
Supporters say online visits make it easier for patients to see an expert or quickly find help for problems considered non-emergencies. Some healthcare needs are well-suited for telemedicine. It can help people seek treatment for insect bites or skin conditions. Patients who have had medical treatments and cannot move around easily can use telemedicine for their follow-up visits. Also, people seeking help for mental health issues can benefit from the privacy that telemedicine gives.
But still, many people do not use telemedicine, they continue to go to the doctor’s office when they are sick. 80 percent of middle-size and large U.S. companies offered telemedicine services to their workers in 2018. However, only 8 percent of its employees used telemedicine at least once in 2017. Compared with seeing a real doctor in person, some people may think the quality of telemedicine is not as good. Parents, for example, may feel they are not giving their child the best care if they use a virtual doctor appointment. Another reason some adults may not use telemedicine services is trust. Tom Hill, aged 66, says he has no plans to ever use telemedicine. He says, for him, it is important to look at his doctor in the eye and shake hands.
However, for some people, especially young people and busy students, telemedicine might be a good choice. It can cut down on the time away from work. It can also cut down on the cost of doctor visits.
1.What do we know about telemedicine?
A.It is increasingly popular with people in America.
B.It is an online service provided by most companies.
C.It enables the patients to see a doctor at home for free.
D.It makes it easier for people to receive medical treatment.
2.Who is most likely to use “telemedicine”?
A.Robert, a grandfather who fell off a bike and got injured.
B.Katherine, a shy woman who suffers from mental illness.
C.Jackson, a firefighter who got seriously burnt in a big fire.
D.Susan, a mother whose kid is suffering from a strange disease.
3.What is the author’s attitude towards “telemedicine”?
A.Positive. B.Concerned.
C.Uncertain. D.Doubtful.
How cool can libraries be in an era(时代) of iPods and Kindles? More than you think. Only if you now where to go.
Central Library: Seattle, Washington, United States
The Central Library in Seattle is modern and fashionable and has tourists from around the world paying visits and taking tours. It was designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and American designer Joshua Ramus. Tours began in 2006, two years after its opening.The library holds various art exhibitions, book signings and other events, while visitors can stop by the chocolate cart for a coffee and scan through the gift shop anytime.
Trinity College Library: D.ublin, Ireland
The Trinity College Library in Dublin is the oldest library in Ireland, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I. It is the largest single library in the world, also known as the Long Room, which contains more than 200,000 of the library’s oldest books. The Long room houses one of the oldest harps (竖琴) in Ireland. Dating to the 15th century, the old harp is the model for the symbol foreland.
Geisel Library: University of California, San Diego, United States
At first glance, it looks like a spaceship. Architect William Pereira, who helped design actual space launch facilities at Cape Canaveral in Houston, Texas, designed the library in 1970. It has been featured in sci-fi films, short stories and novels. The library hosts “Dinner in the Library,” which invites readers for cocktails, and also a special speech from well-known authors.
Bishan Public Library: Singapore
Located in the heart of Bishan, the award-winning Bishan Community Library spans 4,000 square meters. It was designed to look like a tree house. The colorful pods (吊舱) that stick out of one side of the building represent books sticking from a bookshelf. Inside the library, these pods offer private spaces for reading. Its ceiling-high glass windows also make it fun to watch people walking and reading from inside the building.
1.If you want to enjoy a movie, you can go to ________.
A.Central Library B.Geisel Library
C.Bishan Public Library D.Trinity College Library
2.What makes Bishan Public Library different from the others?
A.It has very large glass windows. B.It has ever won a prize for its size.
C.Queen Elizabeth I founded the library. D.It is the largest single library in the world.
3.What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?
A.To encourage readers to visit these libraries.
B.To make an advertisement about these libraries.
C.To offer some information about these libraries.
D.To tell readers the importance of visiting libraries.
Recently, as I watched my son Nathan play basketball for his school team, I was feeling sorry for myself and for him. His team was facing adversity(困境) on the court, trailing for three quarters of the game. As for me, I had just been dismissed from my job.
As I watched what my son was experiencing, I recalled the events earlier in the day—packing up everything in a box and saying goodbye to my colleagues. During the drive home, I kept telling myself that I will find work again—I am confident in my experience and abilities, but self-doubt was still sticking its foot in the door.
The game entered the fourth quarter with Nathan’s team still trailing. I saw the determination on his back to not only tie the game, but then go ahead by three points. Then, a player from the other team made an unbelievable shot to tie the game up again. With a tie game and seconds on the clock, Nathan found himself with the ball and with skill and confidence, he made the basket with a defender hanging all over him. The other player was called for a foul(犯规).
As Nathan stood preparing for a shot that would put his team up by three points, I saw the focus and determination on his face, with no room for self-doubt. After he made the free throw, his team managed to stop the other team from scoring, winning the game and moving on to the finals.
As I sat there, my heart bursting with pride, it dawned on me. I had taught him perseverance(毅力) in the face of adversity, and he had just taught me the same lesson. That brief moment of self-doubt and feeling sorry for myself was blown away by the actions of my son on the basketball court. He will play in the finals, but it doesn’t matter if he wins or loses. At this moment, we both won.
1.We can learn from the text that ________.
A.I lost my job for lack of experience and abilities.
B.Nathans team won a narrow victory in the basketball game.
C.I was proud of Nathan because he won the game in the finals.
D.Nathan had never doubted himself whenever he was in trouble.
2.The underlined word “trailing” in the first paragraph probably means ________.
A.losing B.falling behind
C.being defeated D.winning
3.What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A.My son would win in the finals and I would find a job soon.
B.I had once taught my son face to face that we should never give up.
C.It was my encouragement and help that made my son win the game.
D.I would become more confident about my future after this experience.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.An Inspiring Game B.A Moment of Self-doubt
C.Lesson from My Son D.An Unforgettable Experience
Medical developments and discoveries often provide the best things for controversies (争论).This is because whenever a new discovery or theory is proposed, there is always disagreement. Only via objective scientific evidence can such arguments be cleared. But, as is often the case, a clear solution is not instantly found. However, once the technology catches up with the area of the discovery, it shows exactly how valid the theory is. Since this is a slow process and can take years, the development of controversies is unavoidable.
Over the years, various such controversies have been developed, examined, and either rejected, or proved right for the good of mankind. Now read the following examples.
Firstly, cancer was largely regarded as an incurable disease, since its exact cause was unknown. Later, professors and doctors came up with various theories regarding the cause. Some claimed it was the result of chemical processes, while others believed it was a sort of poison. After a few decades, a doctor proposed that cancer was caused by the inhalation (吸入) of pollutants, in the form of smoke, gas, etc. His claim was rejected by many researchers and doctors. However, due to various scientific studies, this claim is now clearly common knowledge, though there may be other causes.
Many people worry that the use of cell phones can cause cancer. Recent studies suggest that this common threat is actually quite true. Numerous studies indicate that the long usage of cell phones (at least an hour per day) increases the risk of developing brain tumors.
After the discovery of X-rays, they were widely used, from doctors' clinics to shoe stores to see the fit of shoes. People thought they could offer the benefit of visualizing the skeleton (骨骼) of a person without causing any danger to the person. However, in 1956, the National Academy of Science reported the harmful effects of these rays on the human body, and the practice was then given up. Presently, we all know that exposure to X-rays may lead to radiation poisoning, tissue breakdown, and even death.
1.What may stop the scientific evidence of a theory being found quickly?
A.Agreement among scientists. B.The lack of professional researchers.
C.Technological limitations. D.The lack of motivation for investigating.
2.Different scientific studies have proved that _________.
A.cancer is not an incurable disease. B.cancer is caused by chemical processes.
C.air pollution is becoming more serious. D.air pollution is one of the causes of cancer.
3.How is the passage mainly developed?
A.By giving examples. B.By making comparisons.
C.By following time order. D.By making classifications.
4.What is the purpose of the passage?
A.To remove people’s misunderstanding of medicine.
B.To report the most recent medical development.
C.To find good solutions to medical problems.
D.To stress the development of controversies.
