The Nobles are the originals, of course. Alfred Nobel, the man who invented deadly explosives, decided to try and do something good with all the money he earned, and gave prizes to people who made progress in literature, science, economics and-- perhaps most importantly--peace.
Not all rewards are as noble as the Nobles. Even though most countries have a system of recognizing, honoring and rewarding people who have done something good in their countries, there are now hundreds of awards and award ceremonies for all kinds of thing.
The Oscars are probably the most famous, a time for the (mostly) American film industry to tell itself how good it is and an annual opportunity for lots big stars to give each other awards and make tearful speeches. As well as that there are also the Golden Globes, evidently for the same thing.
But it’s not only films -- there are also Grammies Brits. the Mercury prize and the mtv for music. In Britain. a writer who wins the Booker Prize can expect to see their difficult, literary novel hit the bestseller lists and compete with the Da Vinci Code for popularity. The Turner Prize is an award for British contemporary artists -- each year it causes controversy by apparently giving lots of money to artists who do things like displaying their beds, putting animals in glass cases or -- this year -- building a garden shed.
Awards don’ only exist for arts. There are now awards for Sports Personality of the Year, for European Footballer of the Year and World Footballer of the Year. This seems very strange -- sometimes awards can be good to give recognition to people who deserve it, or to help people who don’t make a lot of money carry on their work without worrying about finances, but professional soccer players these days certainly aren’t short of cash!
Many small towns and communities all over the world also have their own award ceremonies, for local writers or artists, or just for people who have graduated from high school or, got a university degree. Even the British Council has its own awards for “Innovation in English Language Teaching”.
Why have all these awards and ceremonies appeared recently? Shakespeare never won a prize, nor did Leonardo Da Vinci or Adam Smith or Charles Dickens.
It would be possible to say, however, that in the past, scientists and artists could win “patronage” form rich people -- a king or lord would give the artists or scientists money to have them paint their palaces or help them develop new ways of making money. With the change in social systems across the world, this no longer happens. A lot of scientific research is now either funded by the state or by private companies.
Perhaps award ceremonies are just the most recent phase of this process.
However, there is more to it than that. When a film wins an Oscar, many more people will go and see it, or buy the DVD. When a writer wins the Nobel Prize, many more people buy their books. When a group win s the/MTV awards, the ceremony is seen by hundreds of thousands of people across the world. The result? The group sells lots more records.
Most award ceremonies are now sponsored by big organizations or companies. This means that it is not only the person who wins the award who benefits - but also the sponsors. The MTV awards, for example, are great for publicizing not only music, but also MTV itself!
On the surface, it seems to be a “Win-win” situation, with everyone being happy, but let me ask you a question -- how far do you think that publicity and marketing are winning here, and how much genuine recognition of achievement is taking place?
1.What is the author’s tone when he mentions awards such as the Oscars the Golden Globes and Grammies?
A.Amused B.Appreciative.
C.Sarcastic. D.Serious.
2.According to Para. 4, what would happen to award winning writers?
A.They would enjoy a much larger readship.
B.They would turn to popular novel writing.
C.They would continue non-fiction writing.
D.They would try controversial forms of art.
3.Which of the following statements best sums up para. 6?
A.Awards ceremonies are held for local people.
B.Awards ceremonies are held on important occasions.
C.Awards ceremonies are held in certain professions.
D.Awards ceremonies are held for all sorts of reasons.
4.One difference between scientists and artists in the past and those at present lies in ________.
A.nature of work B.personal contact
C.source of funding D.social status
I had a teacher who used to wake up in class by shouting: “The early bird gets the worm!” I say “let him have the worm”. I hate food that doesn’t stay still, and avoid Japanese restaurants for that very reason. Anyway, I stopped eating worms at the age of three, switching to regular breakfasts of cereal(谷物), to which I would add extra sugar.
Recently I was thinking about early birds and the competitive spirit after receiving a letter from a reader in Malaysia: ”My son deliberately throws away marks because he doesn’t like to be top of the class. What shall I do?” Give him a round of “applause” for being smart! Actually many children in Asia tend to be the focus by performing better.
Placed into a very competitive class when I was 11, I quickly learned the ideal position was second to last. The top three performers and the very last person are highlighted; the second-to-last contestant is INVISIBLE. And it’s an easy position to get—just deliberately underperform at every test. I could do that. I once came second to last in eight straight sports day races. No one suspected anything. I was so invisible that I could have robbed a bank in my street and no one would have noticed.
At the London Olympics a few months ago, badminton pairs from three Asian countries deliberately tried to lost matches to draw good lots in later rounds. It was funny to watch, but they were all thrown out for poor sportsmanship. What they really needed were acting lessons, their moves were so unconvincing. “Oops, I hit the ball in entirely the wrong direction.”
The other day, I took the children out and they raced for the car. “I’m first,” said one. The second said: “First is worst, second is best.” Together they sang at the last one: “And third’s the one with a hairy chest.”
It struck me that the organizers of sports matches could use this song when people deliberately lost matches. “I lost,” the delighted loser will say. The judges could still declare them winners, pointing to a new, optional regulation: “First is worst, second is best, third’s the one with a hairy chest.”
1.Why did the author dislike Japanese restaurant?
A.Its food was served raw. B.Its food contained worms.
C.He was tempted by cereal. D.He was affected by the saying.
2.How did the author manage to be invisible in a competitive class?
A.He highlighted the top three students.
B.He came to second in sports races.
C.He hid himself in a bank skillfully.
D.He intentionally underperformed.
3.What can be learned from the passage?
A.The judge is encouraged to eliminate the dishonest players.
B.Players disqualified from Olympic doubles for using drugs.
C.Children’s song praises the dramatic acting skills of athletes.
D.players purposefully failed for easier lots in the following rounds.
4.Which saying might the author possibly support?
A.Great minds think alike. B.God favors those who are prepared.
C.Honesty is the best policy. D.A bird in hand is worth two in the bush
When discussing the causes of animal endangerment, it is important to understand that individual species are not the only factors involved in this difficult situation. Endangerment is a broad _________, one that involves the habitats and environments where species live and interact with one another. Although some measures are being taken to help specific cases of endangerment, the universal problem cannot be solved until humans _________ the natural environments where endangered species live. There are many reasons why a particular species may become endangered, but habitat destruction is on top.
Our planet is continually changing, causing habitats to be altered and modified. Natural changes tend to occur at a(n) _________ pace, usually causing only a slight _________ on individual species. However, when changes occur at a fast pace, there is little or no time for individual species to _________ and adjust to new situations. This can create disastrous results, and for this reason, rapid habitat loss is the primary cause of species endangerment. The strongest _________ in rapid habitat loss are human beings. Nearly every region of the earth has been affected by human activity, particularly during this past century. The loss of microbes in soils that _________ supported tropical forests, the extinction of fish and various aquatic species in polluted habitats, and changes in global climate brought about by the _________ of greenhouse gases are all results of human activity.
It can be difficult for an individual to _________ the effects that humans have had on specific species. It is also hard to identify or ____________ human effects on individual species and habitats, especially during a human lifetime. But it is quite ____________ that human activity has greatly contributed to species endangerment. ____________, although tropical forests may look as though they are thick and healthy; they are____________ highly susceptible (易受影响的) to destruction. This is because the soils in which they grow ____________ nutrients. It may take centuries to re-grow a forest that was cut down by humans or destroyed by fire, and many of the world’s severely threatened animals and plants live in these forests. If the current rate of forest ____________ continues, huge quantities of plant and animal species will disappear.
1.A.remark B.issue C.project D.experiment
2.A.worsen B.protect C.seek D.ignore
3.A.extreme B.favorable C.gradual D.rapid
4.A.command B.spirit C.impact D.expectation
5.A.react B.boost C.express D.announce
6.A.sports B.meanings C.forces D.crimes
7.A.usually B.formally C.freely D.formerly
8.A.escape B.goal C.release D.origin
9.A.update B.recognize C.cover D.remind
10.A.predict B.devote C.struggle D.transfer
11.A.obvious B.vital C.contemporary D.selfish
12.A.In short B.In a word C.As a result D.For example
13.A.naturally B.completely C.fully D.actually
14.A.contain B.lack C.reduce D.limit
15.A.growth B.loss C.extension D.planting
Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.
This was no ordinary dog. Dyngo, a ten-year-old Belgian Malinois, 1. (train) to move his 87-pound body toward people, locking his jaws around them. He 2. (serve) three tours in Afghanistan and had saved thousands of lives. I had traveled across the country to retrieve Dyngo 3. he could live out his remaining years with me in civilian retirement.
That first Arizona night, Dyngo sat on my hotel bed 4. (wait) for me. 5. I drifted off to sleep, I felt his body twitch, and I smiled: Dyngo is a dog who dreams. The next morning, I gave him a toy and went to shower. When I emerged from the bathroom, it was like stepping into a henhouse 6. feathers floated in the air In the middle of the bed was Dyngo, panting over a pile of shredded pillows. On the flight home, 7. (sit) at my feet in the roomy first row, Dyngo soon had bouts of vomiting in between his attempts to shred the Harry Potter blanket I’d brought. The pilot announced 8. military status, inspiring applause from the whole cabin.
I met Dyngo in 2012 at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio and had heard about how Dyngo had saved many lives in Afghanistan. In early 2011, Kitts and Dyngo boarded a helicopter on their way 9. a remote outpost in Afghanistan. Dyngo wore a wide choke chain and a vest that said MWD Police K-9 to indicate 10. he was a military-working dog.
Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.
England became England, the land of English-speaking people, at the beginning of the Middle Ages. 1. that it had been the home of Iron Age Tribes known as Celts, and for a time, part of the Roman Empire. Then beginning in the 400s AD, tribes from the north, known as the angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes, 2. (move) in.
The most famous leader of this time period in England was Alfred the Great. Alfred lived in Wessex, the kingdom of the West Saxons, which 3. (locate) in the southern part of England. He was a good leader 4. made his kingdom stronger. He created a system of defenses (防御), 5. (call) burhs, across the country. He reorganized the army so that his men 6. have time to fight and time to farm. Alfred s efforts protected his people from the Vikings and allowed Wessex to grow. Eventually the rulers of Wessex would rule all of England.
Alfred also made other improvements. He made laws for his people. He encouraged learning and translated several important books 7. his Saxon language. This was 8. modern people think of as the start of the language we call English today.
Two important pieces of literature from that time period are the anglo-Saxon Chronicle and Beowulf, both 9. (write) in old English. Old English lasted through most of the Middle Ages. Middle English came in during the late Middle ages and modern english began about the time of the renaissance.
England and English got their names, not from the Saxons, but from one of the other tribes, and Angles. The original name of England must have been 10. like Angle-land (only in old English of course).
假定你是李华，最近你在当地报纸上看到一则游泳培训班的广告，称其有称职教练，一周包会。考虑到大学要开设游泳课，而你还不会，所以想在暑假参加训练。请你写一封咨询信了解相关情况，要点如下：
1. 训练的具体时间和地点；
2. 课程大概内容和费用；
3. 其他注意事项。
相关词汇：教练instructor
注意：1. 开头和结尾已为你写好，不计入总词数；
2. 词数100左右；
3. 可适当增加细节，使行文连贯。
Dear Sir or Madam,
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
