A name is more than just a word. It carries the weight of a person’s whole identity. A name can represent a person’s ethnicity (种族身份) and culture, or show respect for their ancestral roots. A self-given name may represent a person’s beliefs or chosen identity.
Everyone has the right to have their name pronounced correctly. It is a sign of respect for a person’s individuality. “A person’s name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language,” Dale Carnegie writes in his book How to Win Friends and Influence People. Behind each name is a story, and when a name is anglicized (英语化), mispronounced, or ignored, that story is dismissed.
A name mispronounced for a long time can negatively impact a person’s attitude toward their own identity. It can create feelings of shame or embarrassment because they are made to feel like a burden. In the long term, this might cause someone to distance themselves from their roots. They may begin shying away from their native language, culture, and family for the sake of fitting in.
In order to avoid this, many international students living in the U.S. choose English names. People shouldn’t have to ignore their identities for the sake of someone else’s convenience.
Everyone makes mistakes, and not everyone can get a name right on the first try. Mispronouncing a name repeatedly, however, shows a lack of effort. It is not okay to be comfortable with mispronouncing names, and being unfamiliar with a language is no excuse.
If you’re unsure whether you’re pronouncing a name correctly, just ask. Think of it as a way to expand and strengthen understanding, both personally and culturally. When meeting someone for the first time, make sure that you heard the name correctly. It doesn’t take a lot to simply repeat the name back. Spell it out. Write it down. Do whatever you have to do to get the name right. Making the effort to correctly pronounce someone’s name is an essential part of cultural competency (文化素养). Without this, we cannot expect to show respect and tolerance for our diverse community.
1.What may a person’s name tell us?
A. His cultural background. B. His physical appearance.
C. His favorite sound. D. His attitude to life.
2.What’s the long-term influence of mispronouncing ones name?
A. The feeling of shame may be caused.
B. The person may feel over-burdened.
C. The character of the person may change.
D. The person may try to hide his roots.
3.What does the writer think of mispronouncing a name repeatedly?
A. It is unavoidable. B. It is unacceptable.
C. It strengthens friendship. D. It shows discrimination.
4.What’s the last paragraph mainly about?
A. How to show our respect for others. B. How to avoid mispronouncing names.
C. How to improve our pronunciation. D. How to live harmoniously in a community.
This year marks the 170th anniversary of Paul Gauguin’s birth. He lived for just 54 years but he packed his brief life with activity.
The French painter spent his early childhood in Peru before returning to France. As an adult, he continued to travel a lot. Most famously, he spent much of the last decade of his life in Tahiti, an island in southern Pacific Ocean. Indeed, Gauguin is best known for his colorful paintings of Tahitians and their culture.
The restlessness of this great painter has been normal among modern artists since the middle of the 19th century. They’re never satisfied for long with a certain style or way of life. Once something becomes conventional, it’s turned down.
The artistic culture that Gauguin developed from was that of Impressionism (印象派). Painters like Claude Monet had wanted to paint how they saw the world, not how their teachers taught them it should be seen. Gauguin, and similar artists like his friend Vincent van Gogh, moved even further away from “respectable” art than the Impressionists. For them, it was not simply a matter of seeing the world differently, but feeling and thinking about it differently, too.
Gauguin saw, felt and thought differently from most members of European society. He thought that European culture was too fancy and not spontaneous. This is why he turned to the traditions of other parts of the world, like Africa, and, eventually, Tahiti. Artists like Gauguin used the word “primitive” for these cultures, but not as a negative term. For him, Europe, in becoming modem, industrial and scientific, seemed less natural than other parts of the world.
In truth, Gauguin’s paintings may be unconventional but they are certainly not “primitive”. They are the work of a painter with great awareness of what he was doing. It was this awareness that made him such an important painter for those that came after, in the 20th century. When we look closely at the works of Gauguin we begin to understand Pablo Picasso, and especially Henri Matisse, a little better.
1.What can we infer about Gauguin’s life?
A. He had an unhappy childhood. B. He lived most of his life in Peru.
C. He enjoyed painting in Tahiti. D. He preferred a traditional life style.
2.What’s the main purpose of Paragraph 4?
A. To explain why Gauguin’s works were popular.
B. To point out where Gauguin’s inspiration came from.
C. To show Gauguin’s different understanding of painting.
D. To compare Gauguin’s painting style with Vincent van Gogh’s.
3.Which of the following best explains “spontaneous” underlined in Paragraph 5?
A. Natural. B. Modern. C. Industrial. D. Scientific.
4.The author mentions Picasso and Matisse in the last paragraph to show ________.
A. their styles are different from Gauguin’s B. great artists share many similarities
C. they are as important as Gauguin D. Gauguin’s influence on their works
Nurses are required in all areas of the medical field from hospitals and nursing homes to schools and the armed forces, leading to a great need of certified nurses. Here are some best universities for a degree in nursing.
Simmons College
Simmons College is a private women’s college founded in Boston in 1899. Nursing is the top-ranked major at the school as well as the most popular. The nursing graduates from Simmons make about $58,000 every year.
Villanova University
Villanova University is a research university located in Radnor Township, Pennsylvania. Named after Saint Thomas of Villanova, the school is the oldest Catholic university in Pennsylvania. Nursing is a popular major and is offered as an online degree as well. The nursing graduates from Villanova make about $63,000 every year.
University of California, Los Angeles
The UCLA School of Nursing is known for its excellent education provided by a group of leaders in the medical field. The four-year program allows students to be qualified nurses through classroom learning and clinical training. A nursing degree from UCLA leads to positions in many hospitals and clinics, with a yearly income of about $84,000.
New York University
New York University attaches great importance to real-world experience. Along with taking classes in school, students mainly work in the health care environment receiving technical training Additionally, NYU College of Nursing students have the chance to study in Abu Dhabi, China and other countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America. The education from NYU will prepare students to help doctors treat patients, earning a yearly income of about $86,000.
1.If Nora has to look after her children at home, which university can she choose to get a nursing degree?
A. Simmons College. B. Villanova University.
C. University of California. D. New York University.
2.What makes the UCLA School of Nursing famous?
A. Its high-quality teaching. B. Its four-year program.
C. The clinical training it offers. D. The yearly income of graduates.
3.NYU College of Nursing focuses more attention on students’ ________.
A. future income B. learning environment
C. practical training D. chance to study abroad
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.How many brothers and sisters did Jin have?
A. Two. B. Six. C. Seven.
2.What was Jin’s first wuxia novel?
A. The Book and the Sword.
B. The Deer and the Cauldron.
C. The Smiling, Proud Wanderer.
3.When did Jin start working at a film company?
A. In1955. B. In1957. C. In1959.
4.Where did Jin receive his Doctor’s degree?
A. In Soochow University.
B. In Cambridge University.
C. In the Central University of Political Affairs.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Why did the man arrive late?
A. He got stuck in the traffic.
B. He couldn’t find a parking space.
C. He had to take a different route.
2.What was the weather like in the morning?
A. Rainy. B. Sunny. C. Cloudy.
3.What event did the man miss?
A. A sports event. B. A food fair. C. A music performance.
4.Where are the speakers?
A. At a park. B. At a stadium. C. At a television station.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What is the man banned from doing in school?
A. Wearing jeans. B. Carrying a phone. C. Using a computer.
2.What time of the year is it?
A. Fall B. Winter. C. Spring.
3.What homework does the woman have for the holiday?
A. Finishing an English report.
B. Studying for a geography test.
C. Reading chapters from her science textbook.
