Sometimes people around you can change your life. The change may not be sudden or ____, but little habits can produce big ____ that make you think about what is important in your life. The person who changed my life is Julia Masi. She has ____ me so many things that I will carry with me ____ my life.
One thing I've learned from Julia is how to balance ____. Julia has shown me how to ____ ahead so that I can finish all my school work, enjoy sports and ____ have time for my friends. She has taught me that you can do anything if you are ____ and if you never give up. I've also learned that you can find anything fun or ____ if you connect it with something that you enjoy.
Last year I hated studying vocabulary, but I loved playing on my computer. Julia ____ the two and showed me a website called “freerice.com” where you can ____ a word game that gives you 5 grains of rice to donate to the poor with every correct word. She ____ me to learn a hundred new ____ by filling up the rice bowl. I liked playing the game so much that I ____ about 1,000 words in just one month.
Julia has always ____ me to try new hobbies. She showed me that going to the theater could help me become a better writer. ____, she taught me that discussing a play can excite an interest in reading.
___ it wasn't for Julia I probably wouldn't have ____ how easy it is to help the poor. There are so many ways that one person can ____. I've learned to be more appreciative of what I own. I am ____ for the opportunities that I have been given. I will continue to think of ways to help those less fortunate for the rest of my life.
1.A. simple B. impressive C. necessary D. slight
2.A. results B. problems C. ideas D. decisions
3.A. taught B. served C. offered D. bought
4.A. for B. of C. throughout D. into
5.A. work B. money C. career D. time
6.A. plan B. get C. move D. stay
7.A. never B. seldom C. yet D. still
8.A. excited B. determined C. careful D. patient
9.A. important B. easy C. possible D. interesting
10.A. shared B. remembered C. combined D. separated
11.A. watch B. play C. raise D. improve
12.A. challenged B. invited C. permitted D. reminded
13.A. lessons B. skills C. words D. stories
14.A. learned B. read C. used D. spelled
15.A. allowed B. warned C. forced D. encouraged
16.A. Therefore B. Besides C. However D. Otherwise
17.A. Unless B. Since C. Although D. If
18.A. realized B. noticed C. imagined D. dreamed
19.A. turn away B. make a difference C. show off D. make a mistake
20.A. ready B. sorry C. thankful D. anxious
Communication
People learn and share information through communication. All forms of communication have one thing in common: the sending and receiving of a message. Using different kinds of communication, people can pass along their ideas and feelings to just one person or to millions.
1. Animals communicate through sounds, scents (气味), and acts. Computers communicate with other computers through electronic networks.
People communicate through language, both spoken and written. 2. Written language includes books, newspapers, and e-mail.
People also communicate without words. Body and face movements show feelings. Deaf people use hand movements called sign language.
The arts are also a form of communication. 3.
The first modern humans appeared about 200,000 years ago. They likely used sounds, movements, and then speech. About 30,000 years ago humans started making paintings and sculptures on the walls of caves.
Humans invented writing more than 5,000 years ago. The ancient Sumerian people developed the first known script (文字), called cuneiform (楔形文字). Then the ancient Egyptians developed a picture-based writing called hieroglyphics (象形文字). The invention of the printing press in the 1400s was a major advance in written communication. 4.
Telecommunication is communication over long distances. In ancient times pigeons carried written messages. Before trains and cars, messengers on foot or on horseback carried letters. 5. Since then, telecommunication has become faster thanks to television, telephones, and the Internet.
A. It let printers quickly make copies of a text.
B. Communication is not only a human activity.
C. Public postal services started in the 1500s and 1600s.
D. Spoken language includes conversations and speeches.
E. Spoken communication is dependent on a number of factors.
F. Photographs, paintings, music, and movies can communicate feelings as well as facts.
G. Modern technologies for long-distance communication usually involve electrical technologies.
Single-sex schools are better than mixed schools
Message 1 — posted by Jane, Amsterdam
I think mixed-sex schools are the only way for children to learn, because it's natural. In higher education and their working life, they will be mixed so it makes sense for them to be mixed at school. School should reflect the real world.
Message 2 — posted by Hans, Germany
My reaction to this is very clear. For me, single-sex schools are much better, and the statistics show that they get better exam results, particularly at secondary level. Anything which helps children pass exams must be a good thing.
Message 3 — posted by Bill, USA
Boys and girls learn in very different ways. I feel that they should be educated separately so teachers can focus on their different needs. The way I see it is that if you have a zoo, you don't put the lions in with the zebras!
Message 4 — posted by Martin, London
My view on this is that it doesn't really matter. What is important is the curriculum (课程), and keeping students interested. I was a teacher and we had a lot of truancy (逃学) to deal with, and problems with students missing lessons because they found them boring. Never have a timetable with Maths as the first class on Monday morning!
Message 5 — posted by Emily, Sydney
I don't think there is any question that mixed schools are better. There is too much competition at single-sex schools, which often means that students don't make enough progress. I also think there is more bullying (欺凌) at single-sex schools, where children are picked on because of the increased competition. Single-sex schools lead to a “dog eat dog” situation.
1.What is Jane's attitude towards single-sex schools?
A. Negative. B. Favorable.
C. Objective. D. Unconcerned.
2.Both Hans and Bill hold that _____.
A. boys and girls should be taught separately
B. teachers should meet students' different needs
C. schools should focus on students' exam results
D. mixed schools are better than single-sex schools
3.Martin stresses the importance of _____.
A. school management
B. students' time awareness
C. training students to obey rules
D. exciting students' interest in courses
4.Emily uses “dog eat dog” to show _____.
A. her support for single-sex schools
B. students' determined effort to succeed
C. the fierce competition in single-sex schools
D. the better education results in single-sex schools
Valcamonica has one of the largest collections of rock drawings in the world. There have been about 200,000 figures and symbols carved into the rocks over a time period of approximately 8,000 years. Valcamonica's pictures show various scenes and are connected through common themes like magic, war, navigation and agriculture.
The rock drawings discovered in Valcamonica were the first prehistoric symbols of their kind recognized anywhere in the world. UNESCO first recognized the drawings in 1979 when about 140,000 were discovered, however, since then many more have been uncovered.
These drawings are spread all across the valley. The carvings began to taper off during the Iron Age and fewer appeared after that. The last period has been attributed to (归功于……) the Camunni people. Still there are drawings that have been identified as being from the 19th century. Many of these were created using the technique of engraving (雕刻).
Some of the figures discovered in Valcamonica have been superimposed (叠印) without any order, but in most cases they appear in logical orders and also explain the relationship between each picture or symbol to tell a story.
The first known modern report of the rock carvings was in 1909 when Walther Laeng happened upon two decorated rocks in Capo di Ponte. Scholars only took interest in the drawings in the 1920s. More rocks with engravings were soon found in the areas nearby and research into their history began. In the 1930s comprehensive study campaigns were undertaken.
It was after the Second World War that the cataloging and mapping of the engravings began. This task was taken up by various teams of experts from Italy and other countries that were led by Laeng. In 1955 preservation work on the rocks began.
In 1968, a large series of conferences were held where scholars from all over the world met to discuss the rock drawings, which give us some idea of what various societies of the past might have been like.
1.What do we know about Valcamonica's pictures?
A. They tell a long whole story.
B. They are interrelated in some ways.
C. They were carved 8,000 years ago.
D. They were first discovered in 1979.
2.The underlined part “taper off” in Paragraph 3 can best be replaced by “_____”.
A. turn up B. go up C. die out D. stand out
3.What is Paragraph 5 mainly about?
A. The history of the rock drawings.
B. The features of the rock drawings.
C. The discovery of the rock drawings.
D. The formation of the rock drawings.
4.Studies of the rock drawings _____.
A. show us the development of art
B. started after the Second World War
C. were conducted by scholars from UNESCO
D. help us know something about societies of the past
Meet Ben Saunders: adventurer, athlete, motivational speaker. Ben, at the age of 23, was the youngest man to ski solo (单人滑雪) to the North Pole. He dragged a 180-kilogramme sledge (雪橇) over 1,420 miles through the worst Arctic conditions. This year, as well as planning a return to the Arctic, Ben plans to ski solo from the Antarctic coast to the South Pole and back in the autumn, carrying all his supplies on his sledge.
Ben Saunders was fired after persuading the firm to support his disorganized first adventure. “Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. We were attacked by a bear. We started running out of food. It was just desperate. And we didn't get to the Pole; we didn't get there, so we had no media interest. No one heard about it: no book deal, and no speaking. I was so unhappy.”
People said it was impossible for me to get to the Pole. I said, “No, I can get there,” and I did. Self-belief, I see it as being a bit like a muscle — it's my belief that the more you stretch (伸展) yourself the stronger it gets. If you never do anything that's uncomfortable or risky then your self-belief gets weaker. So that's one of the lessons I've figured out along the way. The thing that I've stretched and tested is my self-belief.
“My Antarctic adventure is just practicable and that's what is exciting to me. If I knew it was possible, if I knew I could do it without too much bother, I wouldn't be interested.” Why? “Personally I'm attracted by the human performance element to it. Not that long ago, running a marathon was seen as the top point of human attempt, and now I wouldn't be that surprised if my mum said she was going to run one next year.”
People's horizons (见识) are changing. “I'm not particularly gifted, and I'm absolutely average. I've just chosen this one goal to achieve and I've been working hard to realize it. That's it. And that's the thing that attracts me: with enough training and enough determination, enough focus and preparation, how far can we go? And I don't think I've found out yet.”
1.What do we know about Ben Saunders' first adventure?
A. There was no press coverage.
B. It was supported by his company.
C. It was well planned and organized.
D. He actually reached the North Pole.
2.According to Ben Saunders, if you want to stretch your self-belief, you should _____.
A. often test your confidence B. try something adventurous
C. aim to reach the North Pole D. always stretch your muscles
3.Ben Saunders was excited about his Antarctic adventure because _____.
A. he liked running a marathon
B. he wanted to exercise his body
C. he knew it might be achievable
D. he was sure he could do it easily
4.What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A. We have to change our views about adventure.
B. We can never know our possibilities and energies.
C. We should have a reason for going on an adventure.
D. We have to be especially talented to have an adventure.
Lindha was a student at Kansas State University. She is here to tell us about her time in Kansas in the city of Manhattan.
What were the best things about it?
Manhattan has a great university feel to it. I loved going to the football games. We would spend the whole day tailgating (开车尾派对) outside the stadium, drinking beer and having a big barbecue.
What do you think of the people there?
People from Kansas are so friendly. However, I'd say that many Kansans are very sheltered and don't pay much attention to life outside the US. But as the grandma of my Kansan friend might say, “We're still sweet as pie.”
What were the worst things about being there?
It's very difficult to get around Kansas without a car. Everything's so spread out and there isn't really a public transportation system.
What was the funniest thing that happened while you were there?
I remember one trip I took with my friend to her grandparents' house. They had horses and asked me if I wanted to go for a ride. I had never ridden a horse before but I decided to have a try. I hopped (跳上) on and everything was fine for a minute. But then the horse went crazy. It started bucking (猛然弯背跃起) and making these crazy noises. I thought I was going to die. My friend eventually calmed the horse down but not before I had destroyed an entire section of the fence. I thought they would be mad but they were just in shock — they couldn't believe I had stayed on the horse for that long.
Did you have any other problems?
I'm Swedish, but my English is pretty good because my dad's English. But it took a little while to get used to the accent. The people from the cities don't have a strong accent, but the people from the country are hard to understand sometimes. You also have to be careful with the weather. In the winter it was absolutely freezing, and during the summer it was so hot I thought I might die. Of course, they have heating and air conditioning everywhere.
1.What's Lindha's impression about people in Kansas?
A. They are kind but unhappy.
B. They are nice but isolated.
C. They are patient and amusing.
D. They are honest and generous.
2.What do we know about Lindha's horse riding experience?
A. She fell off the horse's back.
B. She finally got the horse under control.
C. She was brave but destroyed part of a fence.
D. She had a wonderful and unforgettable experience.
3.We learn from the text that Lindha _____.
A. doesn't like the weather in Kansas
B. speaks English with a Swedish accent
C. speaks highly of the transportation system in Kansas
D. doesn't like the school life in Kansas State University
