The playwright George Bernard Shaw once said humorously, “England and America are two nations divided by a common language. If he were writing today, he might add ‘divided by a common technology--- e-mail’”.
Two completely different styles of e-mail have formed on either side of the Atlantic-Euromail and Amerimail. Americail is informal and chatty. It’s likely to begin with a “Hi” and end with a “Bye”. The chances of Amerimail containing a smiley face or an “xoxo” are disturbingly high. We Americans are unwilling to dive into the meat of an e-mail. We feel we have to first inform recipients (收信人) about our vacation on the island which was really excellent except the jellyfish were biting and the kids caught a cold, so we had to skip the whale watching trip, then about that investors（投资者）’ meeting in New York. Amerimail is a bundle of contradictions, casual and yet direct, respectful yet over proud. In other words, Amerimail is America.
Euromail is stiff and cold often beginning with a formal “Dear Mr. X” and ending with a simple “Sincerely”. You won’t find any mention of kids or the weather or jellyfish in Euromail. It’s all business. It’s also slow. Your correspondent might take days even weeks to answer a message. Euromail is exactly like the Europeans themselves.
Recently about 100 managers were asked on both sides of the Atlantic whether they noticed differences in e-mail styles. Most said yes. Here are a few of their observations:
“Americans tend to write (e-mail) exactly as they speak.”
“Why don’t you just call me instead of writing five e-mails back and forth?”
“Europeans are less interested in checking e-mail”.
“In general, Americans are much more responsive to e-mail—they respond faster and provide more information.”
So which is better, Euromail or Amerimail? I realized it’s not popular these days to suggest we have anything to learn from Europeans, but I’m fed up with an inbox filled with casual, barely meaningful e-mails from friends and colleagues. If the alternative is a few earnestly written, carefully worded bits of Euromail, then I say, “Bring it on.”
1.What did George Bernard Shaw mean by saying “England and America are two nations divided by a common language”?
A. There is sharp difference between England and America despite their common language.
B. Both England and America speak the common language, so they are much the same.
C. Either England or America is a divided nation, though they share a common language.
D. There is not much difference between British English and American English.
2.Which of the following is most likely to be the “meat” of an Amerimail?
A. The jellyfish were biting.
B. We had an excellent vacation on the island.
C. We were to attend the investors’ meeting in New York.
D. We had to skip the whale watching trip.
3.On receiving an e-mail, Europeans tend to __________.
A. respond to it immediately and earnestly
B. never respond to it all
C. respond by calling up their correspondent
D. take more time than Americans to respond to it
4.What are characteristics of Amerimail?
A. Stiff and cold
B. Casual and indirect
C. Informal and chatty
D. Formal and direct
5.We can conclude from the passage that __________.
A. the different e-mail styles do much harm to the relationship between the two sides on Atlantic
B. the writer doesn’t like either e-mail style as both have their own shortcomings
C. Euromail always impresses the writer as something more pleasant to read
D. Amerimail is more appreciated by the writer for being informative and casually written
Attitude isn’t quite everything when it comes to being successful, but attitude plays a part in every stage of your life. A poor attitude gets more people fired than any other single factor, and a good attitude gets people jobs and helps them keep those jobs more than any other factor.
Your attitude affects many people, from your family to the stranger on the street corner. Your attitude is particularly important when you face seemingly hopeless situations. Losing a job or a friend because of a poor attitude is unfortunate—especially because a bad attitude can be fixed.
You can find at least two ways to look at everything. A pessimist looks for difficulty in the opportunity, while an optimist looks for opportunity in the difficulty. A poet of long ago put the difference between optimism and pessimism(悲观主义) this way: two men looked out of the prison bars—one saw mud while the other saw stars.
Unfortunately, many people look only at the problem and not at the opportunity that lies within the problem. Many employees complain about the difficulty of their jobs, for example, not realizing that if the job was simple, the employer would hire someone with less ability at a lower wage. A small coin can hide even the sun if you hold the coin close enough to your eye. So when you get too close to your problems, to think objectively(客观地) about them, try to keep in mind how your vision（视觉）can be obstructed. Take a step back, and look at the situation from a new angle.
You can’t do anything to change the fact that a problem exists, but you can do a great deal to find the opportunity within that problem. You’re guaranteed a better tomorrow by doing your best today and developing a plan of action for the tomorrows that lie ahead. Just remember to maintain a positive mental attitude.
1.What does the author mean by saying the first sentence in Paragraph 1?
A. If you have a good attitude, you will be successful.
B. Your attitude makes a great influence on your life.
C. Your attitude has nothing to do with your success.
D. Your success is very important to your life.
2.In Paragraph 3, the writer shows us ________.
A. two ways to look at everything
B. the ways to look for opportunity
C. the explanation of pessimist and optimist
D. the ways to look out from prison bars
3.The writer mentions the example of many employees in Paragraph 4 to tell people to ______.
A. ignore the problem
B. make their jobs easy to do
C. wait for the problem to be solved
D. look for opportunity in the problem
4.The underlined word “obstructed” in Paragraph 4 probably means ________.
A. dropped B. blocked C. improved D. shared
5.Who can be the target(目标) readers of the passage？
A. teachers B. students C. bosses D. Officers
A team of researchers from Oxford University has demonstrated a self-driving car that is different from such cars being tested by Audi, Ford, etc. It’ s much cheaper because it’s based on off-the-shelf(现成的) technology and controlled by an ordinary iPad. Instead of using GPS to understand the location, the car learns routes when a person is driving, and then asks after it’s got it down, if the driver would like the computer to take over.
As time passes, it’s becoming very clear that people believe computers would be better drivers than humans. This has been proven by extensive research that indicates that computers are able to react more quickly to driving conditions, make smarter decisions, don’t take risks, and don’t make mistakes in concentration. They don’t drink either, of course, which means accidents due to drunk driving could be reduced dramatically if the computer could take over when someone needs to get home from the bar. And the team says drivers don’t need their cars to know everything about every road, condition or possible danger. Instead, they just need to know how to get from one point to another, and to do a good job of it when asked.
To that end, the researchers have added cameras, lasers, a central computer to process information and a regular iPad. In practice, the car would learn how to get to and from places that the driver frequents, such as their work place, the local pub or grocery store. Once it has it down, the computer asks the driver if they’ d like a rest. If so, they simply tap the iPad, and the car takes over.
It’ s very simple and doesn’t require nearly the same number of devices as those being tested by other car companies. The researchers say people might be able to get the total price of the system below a hundred dollars. And of course, the iPad can be lifted out and carried away for other purposes when not being used as a driver assistant.
1.The car tested by Oxford University are different from others in that they ________.
A. use available low-cost technology
B. depend on GPS to understand the location
C. can choose the places for their owners to visit
D. can develop a good relationship with their owners
2.Computers are believed to be better drivers than humans mainly because they ________.
A. are more likely to take risks
B. are more familiar with every road
C. become more skilful at avoiding dangers
D. can respond to new situations more quickly
3.We can infer from the passage that the iPad __________.
A. cannot be removed from cars when it’s not used
B. has replaced cameras, lasers and a central computer
C. needs to be specially designed for a self-driving car
D. acts as a tool for drivers to control their self-driving cars
4.What best describes the author’s tone in this passage?
A. Objective. B. Worried.
C. Serious D. Subjective.
5.In which column of a newspaper can we find this passage?
A. Opinion B. Fashion C. Technology D. Education
Every year, I tell my sons what I'd like for Mother's Day: a letter, something written from the heart and offered freely rather than bought from a store and wrapped neatly. I don't always get my wish, nor do I always take the time to write to my own mother.
This year, my boys will be in two different states on Mother's Day. My mom and dad will be away together, and I'll be driving home from a writer's workshop in Massachusetts. Thinking of the fact that many friends have already lost their mothers and that a few have lost children, I am deeply grateful that what separates us, for now at least, is merely distance. It won't always be so, and there is no way to prepare for that fact other than to appreciate the moment that is. My sons know that they can please me on Sunday with a phone call or an e-mail, and that is enough as I love their words. The very best gift they can possibly give me is their own happiness, the very fact of their busy, full and well-lived lives.
Still, knowing that my years of staying with my sons are over, I do feel doleful. The truth is, I miss being the center of the universe to two little boys. And this holiday can be a bit painful.
I wonder if my own mother ever felt nostalgic (怀旧的，乡愁的) for the passing of my childhood. I wonder if she realizes that she is still at the center of my universe and always has been. I don't often pause to think about it, but of course she is the one who has been right there, at my side from the moment I drew my very first breath. How to ever fully appreciate the woman whose presence and love and example have shaped me into the adult I am? How to describe even a small part of the sharing, sacrificing, and support she has given me over the years?
1.The author mainly wants to tell us through the first paragraph that_______.
A. she hopes to get her son's letters very much
B. her sons don't often write to her on Mother's Day
C. Mother's Day is the very date that she longs for most
D. Children are often careless about their parents’ s request.
2.The author is deeply grateful for the present life because_______.
A. her sons don't live far away from her home
B. her parents and children are still alive
C. her parents are coming to her house to spend Mother's Day
D. her sons can please her on Sunday with a phone call
3.According to the author，_____________________.
A. young people nowadays tend to ignore their parents
B. parents should not give their children too much freedom
C. children's happiness and success are the biggest comfort to parents
D. parents are not the center of their children's universe when children grow up
4.What does the underlined word "doleful" in Paragraph 3 mean?
A. sad B. excited C. guilty D. uncomfortable
5.What will the author probably tell about after the last paragraph?
A. She'll tell the reader about her mother's present situation.
B. She'll talk about how her mother educated and cared for her.
C. She'll describe the reunion of her family on Mother's Day.
D. She'll tell the reader about her mother's achievements in her career.
Why do people travel? Well, many people travel ____1.____ they want to see other countries and visit places __2.___ are famous, interesting or beautiful. People also travel to meet their friends, to taste new kinds of food, to experience life in other parts of the world, ___3.___ simply get away from cold weather. Yet there are other reasons why people travel. Adventure travel is becoming more and more popular. Here is a quick look at two popular ___4.__ (active): hiking（远足） and rafting（漂流）.
Instead of ___5._____ (spend) your vacation on a bus, in a hotel or sitting on the beach, you may want to try hiking. You will get close to nature and take exercise at the same time. The basic equipment you need for hiking is simple: strong shoes, clothes and ____6.___ backpack(背包). You can hike in the mountains, in a forest or ___7.____ a river.
Hiking is fun and exciting, but you should never forget safety. Here are some tips for a successful hiking:
● Don’t hike alone.
● Tell someone where you ____8.____(go).
● Bring a mobile phone if you have __9.____.
● Watch out for dangers, _10.___ spiders, snakes and poisonous plants.
The first Christmas I spent away from home happened to be in England. At that time, shops in Poland were still ______ bare and decorations didn’t appear in the shop windows until about a week before the actual celebration of Christmas. Therefore, I was _______ to see so many English shops _______ decorated from top to bottom as early as November. I was enchanted(喜悦) and I loved it. By the middle of December, however, it had started to _______ me and when I could hear Christmas carols in every ______ I went to, I started to feel sad and ______. Never mind, I thought, as I was really looking forward to ________ Christmas the English way.
I spent Christmas Eve with an English family. The house was tastefully ______, there was a Christmas tree and roaring fire in the fireplace. My first ________ on that day came when instead of going to church, everybody went to the local pub. Surely, I thought, there can’t be anything ______ about it as they go there every Friday, Saturday and ______ in the middle of the week. So I missed our Polish special moments that happen on Christmas Eve, our traditional supper, breaking the bread and ________ each other only good things.
At first I thought that I ______ spending Christmas the way we do it in Poland but looking back, I know that it was a(n) _______ experience. Now, whenever I happen to spend Christmas in England, the thing I ______ most is the way it differs from the Polish way of celebrating Christmas.
1.A. pretty B. hardly C. somehow D. unexpectedly
2.A. excited B. surprised C. pleased D. worried
3.A. actively B. surprisingly C. strangely D. beautifully
4.A. displease B. puzzle C. interest D. frighten
5.A. school B. church C. restaurant D. shop
6.A. angry B. homesick C. heartbroken D. astonished
7.A. experiencing B. accepting C. touching D. making
8.A. built B. celebrated C. decorated D. arranged
9.A. shock B. story C. sadness D. happiness
10.A. interesting B. ordinary C. special D. important
11.A. even B. often C. never D. seldom
12.A. explaining B. introducing C. wishing D. congratulating
13.A. regretted B. forgot C. complained D. missed
14.A. useful B. unforgettable C. unpleasant D. unfortunate
15.A. experienced B. enjoyed C. hated D. Disagreed
