American writer A.N.DEVERS was at a rare-book fair in New York City in 2015 when she noticed a Joan Didion title selling for just $25. Then she saw the price tag of a novel by the equally famous Cormac McCarthy: about $600. “I realized we don’t value women’s work the same way we do men’s,” Devers says. “It’s depressing. But it’s also exciting, because I can do something about it.”
Three years later, after moving to London and joining the U.K.’s booming rare-book trade, Devers opened the red doors of her new bookstore, the Second Shelf. Located in a quiet courtyard off the busy streets of London’s Soho, the store almost exclusively stocks rare books by women (alongside a handful of male-authored books about women). The focus is modern fiction: Elizabeth Bowen novels, romances by Rosamunde Pilcher, poetry by Ntozake Shange.
Devers’ skill for finding overlooked jewels was polished during a childhood of Visits to yard sales in towns across the U.S., a result of her family’s following her father’s Air Force job. Some of her most sought-after recent finds were works by Miriam Tlali, the first black woman to publish a novel in South Africa. Devers hit on her 1975 debut in a charity store and quickly sourced and sold 15 more Tlali books.
In collecting these works, the Second Shelf is correcting a historical imbalance that has allowed women’s literary achievements to be eclipsed. Bookdealers have tended to be men; much of the trade’s early material was collected by “country gentlemen who ran estates and amassed libraries of books to show their wealth and intelligence,” Devers says. She argues that they’ve been like their peers in other male-led creative industries — including television, film and the news media — in that “they focus on themselves.”
That past contributes to a plain absence of women’s work among the books considered to be valuable cultural objects. In January, the Second Shelf went viral (走红) on Twitter after Devers pointed out that only nine books by women appeared in a list, produced by a trade website, of the 500 biggest sales at auction in the books-and-paper field last year. Even among more recently published works, a 2018 study found, titles by women are on average priced 45% lower than books by men.
In recent years, calls have gone out to read only books by women for a year and for universities to expand their curriculums. The observance of Women’s History Month in the U.S. has also made March a time for publishers to suggest fitting reading lists. Devers’ shop is the physical site of that movement challenging the current situation. “We’ve been taught to find value in something really narrow,” she says. “It’s time to explore something different.”
1.The first paragraph tells the readers _________.
A.why Devers named her shop the Second Shelf
B.how Devers was exposed to rare book trade
C.what motivated Devers to open the Second Shelf
D.where Devers first came across women’s literary works
2.The underlined word “eclipse” in the fourth paragraph means_________.
A.fully exposed
B.partially concealed
C.seriously treated
D.roughly explained
3.Which may explain the absence of the great literary works by women?
A.The trade used to be dominated by men.
B.Women writers’ ideas conflict with the bookdealers’.
C.Males tend to be productive in the creative industry.
D.The majority of male readers don’t read modern fiction.
4.What can be inferred from the passage?
A.In recent years, university curriculums have emphasized books by women.
B.Women’s History Month has pushed women writers to be more productive.
C.More physical bookstores like Devers’ are needed to change the situation.
D.The Second Shelf is helping turn a page for women in literature.
Definition of adult learning vary, but according to the European Commission, it is defined as all forms of learning undertaken by adults after having left initial education and training, however far this process may have gone.
Education and training are important factors in achieving the strategic goal of raising economic growth, competitiveness and social inclusion. However, with some expectations, implementation(实现，履行) remains weak. Most education and training system still largely focus on the education and training of young people and limited progress has been made in changing systems to mirror the need for learning throughout the life span. An additional 4 million adults would need to participate in lifelong learning. Recent research confirms the importance of investing in adult learning. Research on older adults indicates that those who engage in learning are healthier, with a consequent decrease in health care costs.
Europe’s key economic challenge is to raise its growth and employment performance while preserving social cohesion(凝聚力). Rapid progress in other regions(地区) of the world shows the importance of innovative (创新的), advanced and quality education and training as a key factor in economic competitiveness. General levels of competence must increase, both to meet the needs of the employment market and to allow citizens to function well in society.
Europe is facing unheard-of demographic changes that will have a major impact on society and on the economy and consequently on education and training provision and needs. The European population is aging: over the next 30 years the number of younger Europeans(up to 24 years old)will fall by 15%. One in three Europeans will be over 60 years old, and about one in then will be over 80.
Raising the overall level of skills of the adult population by offering more and better learning opportunities throughout adult life is important for both efficiency and equity reasons given the challenges identified above. Not only does adult learning help make adults more efficient workers and, better-informed and more active citizens, it also contributes to their personal well-being.
1.What dose the author say about adult learning?
A.It reduces health care costs greatly.
B.The young need take it seriously.
C.It hasn’t been given enough attentions.
D.More adults have realized its importance.
2.What must we do to do well in today’s society ?
A.Upgrade(提高) general levels of our abilities
B.Face various challenges bravely.
C.Copy what other regions have done.
D.Be sensitive to the labour market.
3.What does the underlined part in Paragraph 4 refer to?
A.Change in the education system B.Changes in the job market
C.Changes in the population D.Changed in society
The story of chocolate begins with the discovery of America in 1492. Columbus was the first European to come into contact with cacao. Columbus was struck by how much value the Indians placed on them as he did not know the beans were used by currency. It is unlikely that Columbus brought any of these beans back to Spain and it was not until about 25 years later that Cortez grasped the commercial possibilities when he found the Aztecs using the beans to make the royal drink “chocolatl”.
The Spanish, in general, were not fond of the bitter drink so Cortez and his followers made it more palatable by adding sugar and later cinnamon(肉桂) and vanilla(香草) were added. Spanish monks( 僧侣) let the secret out back home and, although the Spanish hid it from their neighbors for a hundred years, finally chocolate’s popularity grew until it was their fashionable drink at the French court(宫廷) and the wise choice of customers at London meeting houses.
The cacao tree is strictly a tropical plant only in hot, rainy climates. Thus, its cultivation (培育 ) is limited to countries not more than 20 degrees north or south of the equator ( 赤 道 ). The cacao tree is very delicate and sensitive. It needs protection from the wind and requires a fair amount of shade under most conditions. This is true especially in its first two or three years of growth. A newly planted young cacao tree is often sheltered by a different type of trees. It is normal to plant food crops for shade such as bananas, or coconuts. Rubber trees( 橡胶树) and forest trees are also used for shade. Once established, however, cacao trees can grow in full sunlight, provided there are fertile soil conditions and intensive farming. With cutting and careful cultivation, the trees of strains will begin bearing fruit in the fifth year. With extreme care, some strains can be stimulated to produce good crops in the third and fourth year.
The process of turning cacao into chocolate hasn’t changed much since the late 1800s, when the Swiss learned to make fine unsweetened chocolate. Mixed with cocoa butter and other ingredients and then “purified”, the finished result is shaped, cooled, packaged by machine, distributed, sold and of course, eaten!
1.Why didn’t Columbus bring beans back to Spain at once when he found cacao?
A.Because he couldn’t afford to buy the cacao bean.
B.Because he didn’t know how to turn cacao bean into chocolate.
C.Because he was not aware of the commercial value of cacao bean then.
D.Because Spaniards then didn’t favour the chocolate that the Aztecs originally drank.
2.The underlined word “palatable” in paragraph 2 probably means _______.
A.affordable B.agreeable
C.patent D.portable
3.Which of the following is correct about cacao tree?
A.Cacao trees require hot, rainy climates and adequate sunlight.
B.Cacao trees need a lot of looking after to be used commercially.
C.Cacao trees won’t produce fruit until the fifth year.
D.Cacao trees can grow well in all continents.
单句语法填空
1.We examine the wording ________ detail before deciding on the final text.
2.I feel it’s your husband who is ________ (blame) for the spoiled child.
3.You are _______ liberty to say what you like.
4.Take some change _______ case you should need it.
5.________ you can sleep well, you will lose the ability to focus, plan and stay motivated after one or two nights.
6.________ seat belts save lives has been proven once and again.
7.A high mountain range runs from east to west, _________(cut) the continent in two.
8.One cannot help being old but one can resist _______( be ) aged.
9.Allen was found guilty and lost his job in consequence________it.
10.To promote the learning efficiency, students should have a _________(balance) diet.
11.I have no idea ________ the new treaty will take effect next month or not.
12.________(owe) to your timely help, all guests were served well in the party.
13.When she is put in a situation _________ she has to remark on others, she always changes the topic.
14.Fruits that are abundant in vitamin can be greatly_________ ( benefit )to our health.
15.Don’t read such books _________ you can’t understand with great effort.
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。
The Mid-Autumn Festival is also called the Moon Festival or the Moon cake Festival. It has a long history 1. (date) back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It 2. (traditional) falls on the 15th day of the 3.(eight) month of the lunar calendar. Since ancient times, customs of the Mid-Autumn Festival 4. (include) appreciating the moon, eating moon cakes 5. drinking wine. The full moon on Mid-Autumn night symbolizes family reunion 6. Chinese culture because the moon is round and the 7. (bright) of the year on this day. With the full moon hanging above in 8. sky, people 9. are far away from their 10.(hometown) might miss families while looking at the beautiful moonlight.
Jeremy Locke, 25, has his own roofing company in Bridgeport, Nova Scotia. For a couple of years before he began his _______, he would drive past the home of Jeanette MacDonald, noticing the _______ state of her roof. He was _______ —not just for the elderly woman but also for the children living with her. So Locke _______ to lend a helping hand.
The young man knocked on MacDonald's door and _______ to fix her roof for nothing, "I didn't know who the woman was, but I wanted to _______ this for her and her grandchildren," he explained to The Chronicle Herald. However, despite his kind _______ , the woman politely turned him down.
MacDonald and her _______ left an impression on Locke. He saw _______ between the woman and his own grandmother, and couldn't bear to see her in this ________ . He had also grown up without much and felt that he should use his skills to ________ .
A year after Locke set up his own roofing company, seeing that the roof was ________ in a state of disrepair, Locke returned to MacDonald's home and asked MacDonald if she wanted to enter a raffle (抽奖) his company was doing for a ________ roof. The 70-year-old woman ________ the chance, but little did she know that there was no ________ .
MacDonald's relief ________ Locke's kindness is immeasurable, "I could win $1 million but it wouldn't make me as ________ as knowing I'm getting a new roof on. Jeremy is ________something. He's a guardian angel (守护天使) sent from God."
The________ should cost about $ 9,000 in terms of materials and manpower. However, the only thing Locke wants in return is a home-cooked meal for his staff from the woman who ________ him of his grandmother.
1.A.journey B.business C.research D.curiosity
2.A.average B.unexpected C.unique D.terrible
3.A.frightened B.embarrassed C.concerned D.convinced
4.A.decided B.complained C.agreed D.happened
5.A.declined B.offered C.managed D.pretended
6.A.catch up with B.take care of C.get rid of D.put up with
7.A.application B.reaction C.theory D.intention
8.A.hesitation B.shame C.regret D.difficulty
9.A.symbols B.conditions C.similarities D.beliefs
10.A.situation B.occupation C.incident D.direction
11.A.respond B.seek C.help D.transform
12.A.still B.even C.already D.just
13.A.temporary B.delicate C.random D.free
14.A.appealed to B.jumped at C.laughed off D.looked into
15.A.competition B.cheating C.dilemma D.potential
16.A.comparing B.withdrawing C.following D.contradicting
17.A.fragrant B.lucky C.happy D.rich
18.A.partly B.consequently C.generally D.really
19.A.room B.work C.meal D.decoration
20.A.reminds B.warns C.convinces D.informs
