China is a big old country and it has a history of more than five thousand years. We are proud of1. (it) culture and part of the culture even influences the world 2. (great), for example, the thought of Confucius. As Chinese economy develops very fast and plays 3. important role in the world, more and more 4.(foreign) learn Mandarin (普通话) in Confucius institutions. The Chinese traditional culture can be tested by the time. It unites the whole nation and no matter 5.kind of disaster comes, we will fight together for the country’s future. Today, many young people lose 6. (faithful) in traditional culture and they are crazy 7.the western culture. They follow the western fashion, 8.(think) we are the old style. But someday, they 9.(realize) they are wrong 10.(abandon) traditional culture.
A Good Man
It’s a late Saturday afternoon in early March, and I am sweating in search of the only gift my son wants from Los Angeles: a ______ to the homes of the stars such as Brad Pitt and Jet Li.
A cheerful taxi driver says, “No problem. Map sellers are everywhere!” When the taxi stops, a fellow____with a thin folded sheet and says: “Ten dollars.”
Ten dollars! With absolute______, I inform him, “That’s too much.” The map man leaves. I begin walking, certain I’ll find a(an)______star map soon.
I am______. There’s hardly anybody on the street. There don’t seem to be many real stores, just cars and bars. No maps. No stars. Blocks pass. The sun begins to sink. At the edge of West Hollywood, ______ fellow wanders ahead, selling star maps to some teenage girls.
Ten dollars ______. Forget it. My son will ______.
That night, I call my wife. “Did you get one of those maps to the stars? He’s been talking about______ else.”
This______is hard to ignore. It’s late. At all-night markets: no maps. I head back to the hotel. Morning is coming. There will be one last______. After I check out, I take a taxi. But at nine in the morning, map sellers are______to be found.
“You know,” says the driver, “The guys with the maps just ain’t up yet!” He’s right.
“ Forget it. Let’s go to the airport.”
“ Well,” says the driver, “ I could______you one if you like.”
Sure. Trust this guy? I might as well throw cash onto the freeway. But exiting the taxi, I______my last chance. I hand him $13 and my business card. Three weeks pass. I’ve______on the star map. My son has stopped mentioning it.
Then one afternoon, sticking out from under piles of flyers, there it is: a big white envelope. There is a small note. I can hardly read it,______I make out a few phrases—“forgive______,” “taxi’s been down” and, finally, “here’s map for your son.” There’s no return address. It’s signed, “kind regards, M.”
I hold the note in my hand,______what my son said to me when I got back from Los Angeles.
“ Did you meet any______, Dad?” he asked.
Now I know what to tell him.
“ Yes, I did. I met a guy named M.”
If you never ______ anybody, you’ll never find the good guys.
1.A. decoration B. map C. book D. symbol
2.A. argues B. requests C. competes D. approaches
3.A. assurance B. permission C. anxiety D. bargain
4.A. perfect B. inexpensive C. proper D. detailed
5.A. shocked B. confused C. impatient D. wrong
6.A. one B. some C. another D. either
7.A. still B. even C. almost D. yet
8.A. believe B. regret C. understand D. admit
9.A. anything B. everything C. something D. nothing
10.A. idea B. news C. change D. reason
11.A. try B. journey C. action D. minute
12.A. everywhere B. somewhere C. anywhere D. nowhere
13.A. give B. mail C. show D. spare
14.A. create B. recognize C. deserve D. blow
15.A. given up B. thrown doubts C. refused offers D. dropped in
16.A. and B. or C. but D. for
17.A. fault B. delay C. carelessness D. rudeness
18.A. remembering B. reminding C. reviewing D. realizing
19.A. admirers B. friends C. stars D. heroes
20.A. look up to B. turn to C. have faith in D. agree with
“Sorry seems to be the hardest word”— that is one of Elton John's most popular songs. But not every public figure seems to find it so tough to say that powerful five-letter word.
In recent days public figures, from politicians to stars, have all publicly expressed remorse. But with so much remorse, how can we tell a forced apology from a heartfelt expression of remorse?
Specifically, saying sorry should be a realization that something you have said or done has hurt someone and you want to make amends (弥补). "People want the response to be personal to them. They want to feel that they're being listened to and taken seriously," says Martin Stone.
Firstly, it is important to show that you understand. It is vital that any group or a person making an apology understands the focus — is it sorry for the way it's acted or is it sorry that the complainant feels the way they do? Watch out for the speed of response. The quicker the apology comes, the better it indicates that the person making it has felt an immediate sense of guilt.
If sincere, the person making the apology will be looking for clues (线索) to see if he or she is being understood, such as eye contact and facial expressions. Performed apologies always have a sense of being "acted out", and are often accompanied by too many unnatural gestures.
For a sincere apology, it is also important to avoid promises that can't be kept. Don't say that you'll make sure that this will not happen again if you're not confident that it won't. It could come back to bite you. And do remember that the use of "but" can hugely change the tone (语气) of an apology. As Stone points out, "I'm sorry but..." sounds like you are making excuses and aren't actually taking any form of responsibility.
1.What is the purpose of the text?
A. To explain what a good apology is.
B. To discuss how to give a formal apology.
C. To show why we should apologize in life.
D. To teach us how to tell if an apology is sincere
2.Which of the following indicates it's a "performed" apology?
A. Swearing it will not happen again.
B. Avoiding eye contact with the listener.
C. Showing you understand his/her feelings.
D. Paying attention to the listener's reaction.
3.What is stressed in the last paragraph?
A. The attitude.
B. The tone of voice.
C. The body language.
D. The choice of language.
The secret to happiness is keeping busy, research has found. Keeping the mind occupied(被占据) with tasks—no matter how meaningless—keeps off negative emotions, the study found.
However, the bad news is that humans are seemingly born to be lazy in order to save energy, according to Professor Christoper Hsee, a behavioral scientist at Chicago University.
In a study, 98 students were asked to complete two surveys. After they had completed the first, they were made to wait 15 minutes to receive the next one. They were given a choice of either handing in the first survey nearby or a more distant location they had to walk to. Whichever option they chose, they received a chocolate bar. It turned out that about two-thirds(68students) chose the lazy option. Those who had taken the walk reported feeling happier than those who had stayed put.
Professor Hsee concluded that keeping busy helped keep people happy. He said the findings, reported in the journal Psychological Science, had policy implications.( 暗示)
“Governments may increase the happiness of idle(闲散的) citizens by having them build bridges that are actually useless,” he proposed.( 提议)
At the individual level, he advised, “Get up and do something. Anything. Even if there really is no point to what you are doing, you will feel better for it.” He added,, “Incidentally, thinking deeply or engaging in self-reflection counts as keeping busy, too.”
“You do not need to be running around. You just need to be engaged, either physically or mentally.”
1.Keeping busy can make people happy because_____________.
A. it can help people get rid of laziness
B. it can make people sleep better
C. it can help get rid of negative emotions
D. it can give people a sense of achievement
2.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. The finding may contribute to politics.
B. The officials have taken Pro.Hsee’s advice.
C. In the study half students handed in the first survey nearby.
D. Governments can increase citizens’ happiness by building bridges.
3.What can we infer from the passage?
A. Everybody is born to be lazy.
B. Only by keeping working all the time can you gain happiness.
C. Pro. Hsee’s finding was published in Psychological Science.
D. Keeping busy can add to the possibility of being happy.
4.What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?
A. To explain what happiness is
B. To advise people not to sit around
C. To advise people to do what they like to
D. To show people how to take life correctly
New Zealand’s government is hoping to make the nation greener by planting 100 million trees each year, ensuring the electricity grid（电网） runs entirely from renewable energy, and spending more money on cycle ways and rail transport. The government’s plan is to reduce its net greenhouse gas emission to zero by the year 2050.
New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern has set ambitious environmental policies to confront a warming planet. “We will absolutely focus on the challenge of climate change,” said Ardern. “That will include a zero carbon government policy. That will include an independent climate commission. That will include making sure that we have an all gases, all sectors emissions trading scheme,” she added. According to the Associated Press (AP), Arden said the goal of doubling the amount of trees the country plants each year is “absolutely achievable.”
Not everybody is happy with the plans. Many farmers are worried they will be required to pay more if they are absorbed into an emissions trading plan. “There is concern that if this should happen, New Zealand will become less competitive with other food-producing nations.” said Katie Milne, the president of Federated Farmers.
More than 80 percent of New Zealand’s electricity already comes from renewable resources. The AP reported that Ardern wants to increase it to 100 percent by 2035, in part by investing more in solar, which currently takes up only 0.1 percent of the country’s total renewable energy slice.
1.The New Zealand government’s plan will bring about the following benefits except ______.
A. The country will be covered with more green.
B. Most of the country’s electricity will come from fossil fuel.
C. Cycle ways and rail transportation will get more fund from the government.
D. It will contribute to cutting carbon emission.
2.Who may go against the plan?
A. Government officials B. the Electricity grid
C. Rail workers D. Farmers
3.The Prime Minister Arden holds the belief that _________.
A. The plan will affect the country’s competitiveness in food industry.
B. The farmers should apply themselves more to planting trees.
C. The government is to blame for the global warming.
D. The investment in solar energy should be raised.
4.Which column can we read the passage in the newspaper?
A. Environment B. Entertainment
C. Health D. Technology
A trip to Paris is not complete without a visit to the Eiffel Tower. To get the most out of your visit, read our tips below：
Visit at Night
Riding up the Eiffel Tower at night and looking out over the streets of Paris, you’ll see why Paris is known as the “City of Light”. At street level，the spotlights on the top of the Tower zoom across the Paris skyline, and the reflections of the Tower in the Seine are sights not to be missed.
Purchase Your Ticket in Advance Online
Bypass the long ticket lines at the Eiffel Tower by purchasing your ticket online from the Eiffel Tower website. You’ll pick a time to visit, and then select whether to print out the ticket or display it on your phone or iPad a convenient option if you buy your ticket in Paris without easy access to a printer.
Don’t Bring Valuable Objects with You
Before entering the Eiffel Tower, your bags will be examined by a security officer. If an item you are carrying sets off the metal detector, the officer will take you away from the line for further inspection. We’ve stood in line for hours behind people who missed their chance to go up the Eiffel Tower.
Have Drinks and Snacks at the Eiffel Tower
If you’re like us，after an exciting trip to the Eiffel Tower，you’ll be ready to rest your legs and have a relaxing snack and a drink in a Parisian cafe. Across the Seine in the Trocadero area, there are many elegant cafes. The atmosphere is great，but the prices are in the stratosphere. Actually, the perfect place for common visitors to eat and drink is on the Eiffel Tower itself.
1.Why does the author suggest visiting the Tower at night?
A. Because you can see the Seine as clear as possible.
B. Because you can avoid the crowds and enjoy it peacefully.
C. Because you can have a special sight of the city of Pairs.
D. Because you can stand on the top of the Tower.
2.What does the underlined word “Bypass” in Paragraph 3 mean?
A. Control. B. Avoid.
C. Stand. D. Remember.
3.Why did some people fail to go up the Eiffel Tower?
A. Because they had a quarrel with the officer.
B. Because they lost valuable objects.
C. Because they set off the metal detector.
D. Because they didn’t seize the chance.
4.What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A. The author recommends tourists have snacks at the Eiffel Tower.
B. You spend more if you have snacks at the Tower.
C. The author prefers to eat across the Seine.
D. The Eiffel Tower provides expensive foods and drinks.
