Rock Climbing as Sport and Art
An estimated（估计）nine million people rock climb in the United States. Millions more take part in the activity around the world. 1. Others compete. Rock climbing can be dangerous. But there are many methods and protective devices（装置）that can increase a climber’s safety.
2. Climbers have to pull themselves straight up the face of very high rocks or walls. So they have to be strong enough to carry their own weight. And climbers sometimes have to hold on to rocks with only their fingers or toes.
There are several kinds of rock climbing. Traditional rock climbing is done outside. Climbers wear ropes and attach devices to the rocks as they climb many hundreds of meters up. They also connect their ropes to the devices. 3. Sport climbing is similar. However, in those cases the protective devices are permanently(永久地) placed in the rock. There is also indoor climbing. Rock walls made of wood or concrete have places for the climber’s hands and feet.
4. People climb glaciers or frozen waterfalls instead of rocks. They use special equipment for the ice.
And then there is bouldering（巨石攀岩）- climbing rocks between three and seven meters high. 5. Many climbers like bouldering because they can use less equipment. Climbers often need only special shoes and chalk. All climbers use chalk to keep their hands dry.
A. Ice climbing is exactly as it sounds.
B. Some do it just for personal interest.
C. Some go climbing at weekends or in holidays.
D. It is a quicker and more intense（剧烈的）kind of climbing.
E. If a climber slips, a rope can stop him from falling.
F. Climbing takes strength, control and good balance.
G. It is more challenging and dangerous, but also more fun.
Specialists（专家） say it is not easy to get used to life in a new culture. “Culture shock” is what these specialists use when talking about the feelings that people have in a new environment. There are three stages of culture shock, say the specialists. In the first stage, the newcomers like their new environment. Then, when the fresh experience dies, they begin to hate the city, the country, the people, and everything else. In the last stage, the newcomers begin to get used to their surroundings and, as a result, enjoy their life more.
There are some evident factors（因素）in culture shock. The weather may be unpleasant. The customs may be different. The public service systems-the telephones, post office, or transportation－may be difficult to work out. The simplest things seem to be big problems. The language may be difficult.
Who feels culture shock? Everyone does in this way or that. But culture shock surprises most people. Very often the people having the worst culture shock are those who never had any difficulties in their own country. Coming to a new country, these people find they do not have the same positions they have back home. They find themselves without any identify. They have to build a new self－image.
Culture shock gives rise to a feeling of helplessness. This feeling may be homesickness. When homesick, people feel like staying inside all the time. They want to protect themselves from the strange environment, and create an escape inside their room for a sense of security（安全）. This escape does solve the problem of culture shock for the short time, but it does nothing to make the person familiar with the culture. Getting to know the new environment and gaining experience－these are the long-term solutions to the problem of culture shock.
1.When people move to a new country, they _________.
A. will get used to their new surroundings with difficulty
B. have well prepared for the new surroundings
C. will get used to the culture of the country quickly
D. will never be familiar with culture of the country
2.According to the passage, factors that give rise to culture shock include all of the following except __________.
A. language communication B. weather conditions and customs
C. public service systems D. homesickness
3.According to the passage, the more successful you are at home, ________.
A. the fewer difficulties you may have abroad
B. the more difficulties you may have abroad
C. the more money you will earn abroad
D. the less homesick you may feel abroad
4.The writer tells us that the best way to overcome culture shock is to _______.
A. protect ourselves from unfamiliar environment
B. develop a strange sense of self-protection
C. get familiar with new culture
D. return to our own country
One night, Pilar was in a deep sleep when she was woken by her cat Inti. Inti was meowing wildly outside Pilar’s bedroom and throwing himself against the closed bedroom door. When Pilar opened her eyes, she saw that her bedroom was filled with smoke. As she escaped her house with Inti in her arms, she saw that a fire was burning in her kitchen. Pilar could easily have lost her life, but Inti would not let that happen. Even though Inti could have escaped the house through a cat door, he wouldn’t leave Pilar.
As amazing as this story is, it is not as uncommon as you may think. Take the example of Charlotte Lee and her horse, Thunder. One summer night, the whole family was asleep with the windows open. It was normally very quiet where they lived. Suddenly, there was a loud noise. Charlotte woke up from her sweet dream, and the noise continued. Then she heard a horse running fast towards the house. The next thing she saw was Thunder standing outside her window, neighing(嘶叫) and shaking his head. She knew something was wrong. Charlotte quickly got everyone out of the house before the earthquake hit. Thunder has saved her life.
There are also stories of wild animals coming to the rescue of humans. One animal known to be a friend of humans is the dolphin. Once, Todd Endris was surfing with his friends when he was attacked by a 13-foot(4-meter) shark. In the middle of the attack, a group of dolphins came to his rescue by forming a protective ring around Endris until he could get safely to shore. Without the help of the dolphins, there is little chance that Todd could have escaped.
No one is sure why animals have so often come to our rescue. However, it is clear that humans and animals enjoy a close relationship. It is important that we care for them as much as we can.
1.Why did Inti throw himself against the door?
A. He was trying to wake up his owner.
B. He wanted to get out of the room.
C. He felt bored and was playing by himself.
D. He couldn’t find the way out because of smoke.
2.Before the earthquake hit, Charlotte ______.
A. closed the windows B. was sleeping deeply
C. ran to warn her neighbors D. got her horse out of the stable
3.Both Inti and Thunder _______.
A. were shy and quiet B. used to make noise at night
C. were brave and smart D. saved their owners several times
4.Which of the following is probably Todd’s feeling towards the dolphins?
A. Doubtful. B. Grateful.
C. Frightened. D. Bored.
There are so many expressions in American English that sound pleasant but are not. “Face the music” is a good example.
Imagine a friend asks you to take care of her beautiful red sports car. She gives you the key and says, “Thanks so much for watching my car while I’m away. But please, do not drive it. It is an extremely fast car.” But you do not listen. You want to show off and pretend the car is yours. So, you drive it around the town. As a result, you lose control of the car and drive it into a stop sign. The damage is serious. When your friend returns, you must tell her what you have done and “face the music.” That could mean losing her friendship or paying for repairs to her sports car or both. Whatever the music is, you must face it.
The expression is more than 150 years old. In 1851, the writer James Fenimore Cooper explained “face the music” as theatrical term. In a theater, the orchestra(管弦乐队) often sits in the front of the stage facing the musicians. Many actors are very nervous, a condition called stage fright. “Face the music” came to mean accepting stage fright and not giving in to it.
Word experts also say “face the music” may have come from the military. A soldier who did something terrible could be forced out of the army. When that happened, the army drummers would play slow, sad beat. The soldier would be led away seated backward on a horse and facing the music of the drums.
There are other American expressions that mean the same thing as “face the music.” If someone says, “You made your bed. Now lie in it,” they mean you created a bad situation and now you will experience the result.
1.What does the underlined part “the music” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A. The unpleasant music. B. The beautiful red sports car.
C. The music played by the orchestra. D. The bad result of your actions.
2.Which of the following is closest to the underlined word “fright” in meaning?
A. fear. B. violence.
C. cruelty. D. competition.
3.According to word experts, the term “face the music” may have come from _________.
A. sports B. the army
C. legal business D. artistic design
4.What is most likely to be discussed following the last paragraph?
A. The origin of “You made your bed. Now lie in it.”
B. Some other expressions similar to “face the music.”
C. The true meaning of “You made your bed. Now lie in it.”
D. Other examples to explain the meaning of “face the music.”
NEW YORK – On a quiet weekend at the box office, "Ralph Breaks the Internet" was No. 1 for the third straight week, while the upcoming DC Comics superhero film "Aquaman" made a huge splash in Chinese theaters.
With no new wide releases, Disney's "Ralph" again led in domestic (国内的) ticket sales with an estimated $16.1 million. The animated sequel has grossed more than $140 million in three weeks.
Another holdover, "The Grinch," with Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of Dr. Seuss' title character, trailed in second with $15.2 million in its fifth weekend.
But the weekend's biggest new arrival was in China, where "Aquaman" debuted with $93.6 million in ticket sales. That marked a new record for a DC title in China and ranks fourth all-time for superhero films.
Rounding out the top five: "Creed II," the latest in the "Rocky" series, starring Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed, finished third with $16.8 million. J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" prequel "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald" held in fourth with $11.2 million, while Queen biopic" Bohemian Rhapsody was fifth with $8.1 million.
1.What is the total earning of “Ralph Breaks the Internet” for the first three weeks?
A. $16.1 million. B. $140 million.
C. $15.2 million. D. $93.6 million.
2.Which film is a DC superhero film in the passage?
A. The Grinch. B. Fantastic Beasts.
C. Aquaman. D. Creed II.
3.The top five films are ranked (排名) based on their earnings during _________.
A. a weekend B. a week
C. three weeks D. a month
假设你是李华,你所在的城市成都为了提升国际形象,下个月将举行国际中文写作比赛。请你根据以下要点给曾在你班学习两年的美国同学 Tom 发封邮件,邀请他提供作品。
1.主题:我眼中的成都
2.截稿时间:2018 年 12 月 20 日
3.字数:不限
4.投稿邮箱 chengdu123@126.com
注意:1.词数:100 左右(开头和结尾已经给出,不计入总词数)。
2.可以适当增加细节,以使行文连贯。Dear Tom,
How is everything going? You must be happy back with your family.
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Yours,
Li Hua
