Britain’s government is to introduce a law making it a legal requirement for the first time for every public sector (部门) worker in a public-facing role to speak English fluently, the Cabinet Office announced Sunday. The Cabinet Office said it will mean all public sector organisations must ensure staff can communicate effectively with the public, at what will be similar to a language skill good enough to pass a high-level high college exam.
A spokesman for the Cabinet Office said: “This requirement would increase depending on the nature of the role and profession. Doctors, for example, are already required to have a much higher level of English.”
“Organisations including the National Health Service (NHS), armed forces and state-funded schools will all be bound by a new code (法规) of practice which will be produced following a consultation in the autumn. The law and code of practice will apply to both existing and new employees working in public-facing roles.”
Hancock said: “We are controlling immigration (移民) for the benefit of all hard-working people. That includes making sure that foreign nationals employed in customer-facing public sector roles are able to speak English of a high standard. We have already introduced tough new language requirements for migrants, now we will introduce new law in the coming Immigration Bill to deliver the commitment (承诺) made by Prime Minister David Cameron to go further.”
The new primary law will be used to extend the same level of language control to every public sector worker in a customer facing role. It will include police officers, social workers, teaching staff and assistants, and local government employees. Added Minister Hancock: “This will be the first time there has been an approach to enforcing (强制实施) fluent English across the public sector and will create a consistent experience for taxpayers, while promoting integration (整合；一体化) and British values in the United Kingdom.”
1.In public sectors, the English requirement .
A.is going to apply only to new employees
B.will be different for different jobs
C.is the hardest for doctors
D.aroused a heated debate
2.Which of the following may Hancock agree with?
A.People in Britain will have to work harder.
B.There are too many migrants in Britain.
C.It will be harder for foreigners to be Englishmen.
D.The requirement can help promote employment.
3.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that .
A.the new law will involve many public sectors
B.it may be hard to carry out the new law
C.many public sector workers can’t use English well
D.the new law may change British values
4.What does the text mainly tell us?
A.English is more and more popular and important in the world.
B.Fluent English will be a requirement in public sectors in Britain.
C.English can make a difference in effective communication at work.
D.A new primary law on immigration has been made in Britain.
Fascinating Venice
Located in the northeast of Italy, Venice is well-known for its cultural treasures, romantic atmosphere and unusual living-on-water experience. The city spreads out over 118 islands, which are linked by more than 400 bridges, in the Venetian Lagoon.
Venice’s historical center consists of six regions. Italy in the south, the busiest main regions, are linked by the Rialto Bridge. The famous stone arch bridge (拱桥) crosses Venice’s main waterway — the Grand Canal. When night falls, many tourists enjoy dinner at the outside tables by the Grand Canal while watching colorfully lit boats going by.
Near the end of the S-shaped Grand Canal lies St. Mark’s Basilica, a must-see. Inside, beautiful mosaics (镶嵌图案) tell stories of Bible figures. Nearby are the Doge’s Palace and the Bridge of Sighs. These were made famous by Lord Byron, “I stood in Venice on the Bridge of Sighs, a palace and prison on each hand.” The story has it that if a couple passes under the bridge, their love will last forever.
In the square outside the Basilica, lovers of literature can sit at Caffe Florian, regarded as the oldest coffee house in Europe. Charles Dickens, Henry James as well as Lord Byron enjoyed the aromatic (芳香的) drink here.
Art lovers should buy a museum pass and visit some of the city’s museums. They can view works by Venetian masters like Giovanni, Titian and Tintoretto.
On five small islands in the Venetian Lagoon, Murano has been home to glass-makers since 1291. Tourists can visit factories, studios and the Glass Museum. Glass artists produce everything from simple souvenir pieces to beautiful works of contemporary art. Only glassworks made using traditional methods on Murano can be called Murano Glass. The nearby island of Burano is famous for lace (蕾丝 )making and colorful houses. Looking at the colorful houses and kaleidoscopic (万花筒似的) streets makes people feel as if they were walking in the fairy tale.
The City of Water promises beauty of all kinds, and it definitely lives up to its promise.
1.Why does the author mention Lord Byron’s words?
A.To introduce the famous British poet.
B.To explain why the two places are famous.
C.To show why St. Mark’s Basilica is a must-see.
D.To compare the Doge’s Palace and the Bridge of Sighs.
2.Where should you go in Venice if you love art?
A.Caffe Florian. B.The city’s museums.
C.St. Mark’s Basilica. D.The Bridge of Sighs.
3.What is Murano well-known for?
A.Bridges. B.Lace making.
C.Glassworks. D.Colorful houses.
4.How does the author think of Murano Glass?
A.It’s simple. B.It’s too traditional.
C.It’s colorful. D.It’s very special.
I looked down, immediately closed my eyes and hung to the wall of rock with fear. Fifty feet below me, the brightly colored helmets of my team spread across the rocky floor. I looked behind me and my stomach rolled as I thought of the dangerous large rock.
Backpacking in Death Valley for a month exposed me to a number of new experiences. Out there I was pushed, challenged, and dared to be something bigger than myself. Death Valley removed all my barriers so I could reach out freely to find that deeper meaning I could be truly passionate about.
More than anything else, the unexpected aspects of the desert inspired me to appreciate the wonders of life. The first night out there, I was astonished by the brilliance of the stars. Out in the desert these extremely small winks of light were brighter and more wonderful than I had ever seen them before. After that, I started to notice small beauties: the rose, the patterns in the walls of Marble Canyon.
I saw the part I had played in this group. I looked back at myself, the stranger I had been merely days before, and became aware of how self-absorbed (自恋的) I was. I never truly saw the impact I had on my environment because of the constant flow of material goods. Camping with limited resources made evident that waste of water, space, and material goods ignores our responsibilities to our earth. Understanding that this planet is affected negatively or positively by the things we do convinced me to become involved in conservation efforts for the rest of my life. It is this passion for environmental sustainability (可持续性) that I brought back from Death Valley. In sharing what I saw, I hope to influence others to act to take care of our environment.
Hours later, I looked back at the steep rock I had covered. It was this kind of natural beauty, that first inspired me. I feel a greater bond with them now that they have arisen as the basis of my lifelong goal.
1.We can replace the underlined word “passionate” in the second paragraph with “ “.
A.considerate B.enthusiastic C.optimistic D.curious
2.Which of the following best describes the feeling of the author in the third paragraph?
A.Stressed. B.Grateful. C.Regretful. D.Confused.
3.According to the text, what is the author’s lifelong goal?
A.To offer to build a harmonious society.
B.To overcome all difficulties with great determination.
C.To develop a strong sense of responsibility for his behavior.
D.To devote the rest of his life to protecting the environment.
4.The author thinks the trip .
A.frightened him a lot B.made him braver and cleverer
C.let him learn to enjoy desert D.helped him learn much
Today:
A chilly (寒冷的) and frosty start for many this morning, followed by a day of sunshine and local showers. The showers will be slow moving and heavy at times, particularly in the east with a risk of thunder.
Tonight:
Showers will ease this evening and clear spells (一段时间) will develop causing a widespread frost. However, rain will push into the northwest during the early hours, turning heavy at times.
Friday:
Rain, locally heavy, will continue southeastwards through the day with strong winds. Elsewhere, it’ll be bright with some sunshine.
Outlook for Saturday to Monday:
Rain across central parts on Saturday will ease and move northwards. Largely dry elsewhere with some misty sunshine. Mixture of sunshine and showers on Sunday and Monday, turning warmer.
Updated at: 0404 on Thu 31 Mar
UK 6-30 days
UK outlook for Tuesday 5 Apr to Wednesday 13 Apr:
A generally unsettled picture is likely next week, with showers or longer spells of rain affecting the majority of the UK, but with some drier and sunnier interludes (间歇). Temperatures will probably be around normal for most, but central and southeastern areas may see some warmer air moving up from the continent at times. The week after next will probably continue to be changeable with showers or longer spells of rain crossing the UK, but with some brighter and drier interludes in between. Temperatures may become rather low across the north and northwest later next week.
Updated at: 1236 on Wed 30 Mar
UK outlook for Thursday 14 Apr to Saturday 30 Apr:
It is likely to be changeable with a mixture of sunny spells and showers. However, some longer drier spells are also likely, particularly in northwestern areas. Overall temperatures will remain around normal for the time of year but with some warmer spells developing at times.
Updated at: 1237 on Wed 30 Mar
1.Which of the following may best describe today’s weather in general?
A.Cold but fine. B.Cold and rainy.
C.Showers and thunder. D.Frosty and rainy.
2.The weather of tonight is similar to Friday in that .
A.it has strong winds B.it has frost
C.it has heavy rain. D.it is mainly sunny.
3.What will the weather be like in Britain from April 5 to 13?
A.It will be quite dry. B.It will be rather cold.
C.It will be generally rainy. D.It will be hot in the north.
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
Ten-year-old Sami loved to visit his grandfather's house. The house was near the beautiful blue sea. At the seaside stood thick and tall palm trees with green coconuts hanging from them. When the coconuts fell down, Sami would break them open and drink the coconut water. Sami liked to play under the trees. It was always great fun to spend the holidays at Grandpa's place.
This winter vacation, Sami was surprised when he came to his grandfather's village. There were hardly any trees left. He saw houses built near the sea. People had cut down many palm trees and there was hardly any greenery left.
Grandpa's house was different. He never allowed his trees to be cut. He hugged each palm tree in his courtyard. He also named the two big trees near the front door--one was Petu, and the other Betu. He had planted them with his own hands and today they had become large, massive trees with thick trunks. They were tall and green and gave the sweetest, juiciest coconuts.
One night, Sami was awakened by a strange sound. He could not sleep. He tossed (辗转) and turned in bed. Suddenly, the ground shook as if the earth was splitting. He sat up straight and then ran to Grandpa. He clung (附着) to his grandpa tightly. Grandpa cried out, “It's an earthquake! It's an earthquake!" They ran outside the house. They thought that would be safe.
Suddenly, there was a loud sound; the earth was not splitting but the sea was roaring. People were shouting, screaming and crying, “The sea is rising! The sea is rising." The villagers started running away from the beach. Sami watched dumbstruck (呆若木鸡).
The waves were rising higher and higher. Sami thought, “How big the waves are!" He went into the house again and saw water coming in from all sides. He was scared.
Sami remembered his mother telling him long ago, “You must always get out of the house if the floods come too near." He ran outside the house with Grandpa. But the water came surging (汹涌) in.
Waves about twelve meters high came rushing in, drowning everything. Water was all around and everywhere.
注意：1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2. 至少使用5个短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
3. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；
4. 续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1:
Grandpa held Sami's hand tightly but a huge wave separated them.
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Paragraph 2:
“Sami, Sami!” Grandpa cried. “Don't be scared, little one, come to me, quickly.”
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假定你是李华，得知你校外籍教师Peter计划在暑假回国，他想送给母亲可以代表中国文化特色的礼物，请给他写一封邮件，向他推荐礼物。内容包括：
1. 推荐礼物；
2. 推荐原因；
3. 表达祝愿。
注意：1. 词数80左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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