About l.5 billion people speak English around the world. But for more than l.1 billion of them, English is their second language-often with a noticeable accent.
“Someone's accent really reveals a lot about who they are and their identity. It will tell people what their native language is and probably where they come from,”says Marc Pell, a communications professor at McGill University in Montreal. And according to Pell, one reaction to it can be a bias(偏见) against that person.
Previous research that has been done elsewhere showed that people who have an accent tend to be trusted less, simply because they have an accent. But accents aren't the only thing we listen for when we have to decide if we trust another person. Tone of voice also plays a role. Pell and his team wanted to know if people would trust a confident tone, even if it came from someone with an accent.
The researchers had Canadian English speakers listen to different versions of people saying neutral(无明显特性的) statements like “she has access to the building” while they were getting a brain scan in an MRI(磁共振成像) machine. Subjects heard someone say it with a confident tone with a Canadian English accent, an Australian accent or a French accent. Participants also heard the sentence with the three accents spoken in a doubtful or neutral tone.
The MRI scans showed that the participants had to use more brain power to decide if they could trust the statements said with the non-native accents. When the study participants heard the Australian or French accents, blood flow increased to the part of the brain that we use to process sound. They seemed to have to analyze that perhaps more carefully, or for a longer period of time to make this decision about whether they truly believed the speaker, especially when the speaker sounded doubtful. When asked, the participants reported not trusting either Australian or French accents-except when the statements were said confidently. It seems that confidence speaks for itself.
1.What does the underlined word "it" in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A. A person's accent. B. A person's identity.
C. A person's hometown. D. A person's native language.
2.What did Pell's team want to know?
A. Why some people trust others less.
B. Which parts of the brain deal with sound.
C. What can cause a bias against non-natives.
D. Whether a non-native's confident tone can gain trust.
3.For the study participants, which of the following might demand the most brain power?
A. A Canadian speaking English in a friendly way.
B. A French person speaking English neutrally.
C. An American speaking English confidently.
D. An Australian speaking English doubtfully.
4.Where does this text most probably come from?
A. A research plan. B. A health magazine.
C. An academic journal. D. A language-learning guide.
Jamey Turner often performs to large crowds in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. You can find him playing an unusual musical instrument, the glass harp(竖琴) , near Alexandria's historic waterfront.
A glass harp is made up of different-sized drinking glasses, each filled with water. Turner makes music by running his fingers over the tops of the glasses. By doing so, each glass makes a different musical sound.
Turner is 78 years old now. He became interested in playing the glass harp at the age of six, when he heard his father playing with a glass of water at the dinner table. He has been playing it for 50 years.
Today Turner puts together his instrument by placing 60 different glasses on a wooden soundboard. He holds the glasses in place with rubber bands, which keeps them from breaking. He then adds different amounts of water to each one to create different musical notes. Adding or taking away just a little water will change the sound. Adding water to a glass will make a lower sound. The smaller bowls of water produce a higher sound, while the larger ones produce a lower, deeper sound.
Turner always uses low-priced glass because it sounds better than costly crystal(水晶) and he has more control over the sound. Before buying new glasses, he will test them in stores.
The glass harp was popular 300 years ago when composers like Wolfgang Mozart wrote music for the instrument. There have been about 400 pieces of music written just for the glass harp. But Turner plays all kinds of music, even popular music from China. Few people play the glass harp these days, but Turner says he sees videos of people experimenting with the instrument on YouTube. He hopes the next generation will continue making their music.
1.What do we know about Turner?
A. He began playing the glass harp at six.
B. He often teaches glass harp lessons online.
C. He is a great master of the Chinese language.
D. He was inspired by his father to learn the glass harp.
2.What does the author say about the glass harp?
A. Its inventor is Wolfgang Mozart.
B. It is made up of glasses of the same size.
C. It appears to be gaining in popularity today.
D. Its sounds are affected by the water in the glasses.
3.Why does Turner prefer to use cheap glass?
A. To save money.
B. To produce better sounds.
C. To help recycle drinking glasses.
D. To increase difficulty in performing.
4.What would be the best title for the text?
A. Musician Pleases Crowds by Playing Glasses
B. Playing the Glass Harp: a New Trend
C. Jamey Turner's Dream Coming True
D. Wonderful Music Has No Borders
CROSS IT OFF YOUR BUCKET LIST!
Any time is the right time to visit Grand Central Terminal! Located at the intersection of Park Avenue and 42nd Street, the terminal is easily accessible on foot, by subway, by bus and by Metro-North train.
Please note that the terminal does not offer luggage storage. Please plan ahead.
Plan your visit & things to do
·Take a tour! You can see the most famous terminal.
·Head upstairs if you're looking for dinner under the stars at Cipriani Dolci or Michael Jordan's The Steak House N. Y. C. or a cocktail at The Campbell.
·Head downstairs if you're looking for a quick bite in the Dining Concourse. Shake Shack burger or a memorable meal at the historic Oyster Bar & Restaurant, anyone?
·Head to Grand Central Market if you're looking for a unique shopping experience. Enjoy a great meal at local vendors(摊贩)like Murray' s Cheese, Eli Zabar's Farm to Table and Pescatore Seafood Company.
Accessibility: The terminal is accessible to visitors with disabilities, but does not provide wheelchair rentals.
Audio (声音的 ) tours
Orpheo's state-of-the-art audio device(设备) and headset comes with a map of the terminal for just $9 per adult and $7 discounted(seniors, military, students, kids).
The audio tour is also available seven days a week(closed only on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day) at the tours office in the Graybar Passage. Hours are 9 am to 6 pm, but may be extended during the holidays. The self-guided tour can last as short as 30 minutes to just over an hour.
Docent-led (有讲解员带领的) tours
The tour lasts 75 minutes. The cost is $30 for adults or $20 for seniors(65+) , students and kids. Hours are 9 am to 6 pm, but may be extended during the holidays. Space is limited.
1.Where can tourists go when visiting Grand Central Market?
A. The Campbell. B. Cipriani Dolci.
C. Eli Zabar's Farm to Table. D. The historic Oyster Bar & Restaurant
2.What can be offered by the terminal?
A. Luggage storage. B. Free audio devices.
C. Wheelchair rentals. D. Travel discount for students
3.What do audio tours and docent-led tours have in common?
A. Each of their tours is self-guided.
B. Each of their tours lasts less than an hour.
C. They are normally available for 9 hours each day.
D. They can be booked in advance during the holidays.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.When does the exchange program probably start?
A. In March. B. In November. C. In December
2.How was the school life in France different from that in England?
A. They had shorter lunch breaks.
B. They had more subjects.
C. They had longer school days.
3.What does the speaker think is the most important thing?
A. Staying with the host family.
B. Improving the language skills.
C. Enjoying a different lifestyle.
4.Why does the speaker give the talk?
A. To advertise a program.
B. To share his experience.
C. To compare different school lives.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What does the woman' s job involve?
A. Making the guest list. B. Preparing the clothing C. Booking the photographer
2.Why do most people hire a planner for their weddings?
A. To save time. B. To lower the costs. C. To make it organized
3.What did the woman do before?
A. She ran a restaurant.
B. She planned the open-air event.
C. She volunteered for an organization.
4.How did the woman attract customers?
A. By taking wedding courses.
B. By presenting beautiful pictures,
C. By showing them written references.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Which pile will the woman put the old toys with?
A. The books. B. The letters. C. The records
2.How will the woman deal with the old letters?
A. By keeping them. B. By throwing them away C. By giving them away
3.Who will use the baseball bat?
A. The woman's kid. B. The woman's nephew. C. The woman's neighbor
