It has been described as art by some people, but to others it’s an ugly part of modern life. What is it? Graffiti (涂鸦), of course. Look around cities in the UK today and you can see graffiti on buildings, walls, doors and even on buses or trains that have stayed in one place for too long. But where modern technology creates a problem, it also finds a way to deal with it. Last week, The Weekend West was shown around the factory of a small but successful company, Hubdean.
Hubdean’s achievement is a series of special paints which are graffiti-resistant. How do they work? It couldn’t be simpler. Take any graffiti-covered surface. First, a treatment called Agproclear is used. Then, using a very hot pressure jet (压力喷嘴), this treatment is taken away and the graffiti disappears at the same time. Now you have a clean wall. But before this clean wall can be painted on by graffiti lovers, a new product, Agproshield, is used. This paint has a special surface which gives it two important advantages. Firstly, spray paint (喷雾颜料) won’t stick to the surface very well, and secondly, the whole surface can be cleaned very easily, just using water. Once the surface is painted, no specialist equipment is needed to keep the area clean and graffiti-free.
Not surprisingly, Hubdean’s products are used by both local governments and private companies all over the UK, and now orders are being received from around the world. This brings the company a problem, however. Can they increase production to satisfy the needs? Of course, they can build a second factory or work with a large international company to make their products. The future is looking good for Hubdean!
1.What does the underlined word “graffiti-resistant” in Paragraph 2 mean?
A.Painting graffiti. B.Keeping graffiti.
C.Preventing graffiti. D.Changing graffiti.
2.When should Agproshield be used?
A.Before Agproclear is used.
B.When the wall is still clean.
C.When Agproclear doesn’t work.
D.After graffiti is painted on the wall.
3.What can we learn about Hubdean?
A.There is a good market for its products.
B.A large company is going to buy its products.
C.It is developing more new and better products.
D.Most of its business comes from private companies.
4.What would be the best title for the text?
A.Is Hubdean successful? B.Is graffiti art? Of course not!
C.Hubdean a high-tech company? D.Graffiti a problem? Just wash it off!
I did some research and examined how British English and American English changed between the 1930s and the 2000s. Take spelling, for example towards the 1960s it looked like the UK was going in the direction of not using the “u” in “colour” and writing “centre” as “center”. But since then, the British have become more confident in some of their own spellings. In the 2000s, the UK used an American spelling choice about 11% of the time while Americans use a British one about 10% of the time. There is also no need to worry too much about American words, such as “vacation”, “liquor” and “lawmaker” entering British English. There are a few examples of this kind of vocabulary change but they are mostly uncommon words and are not likely to change British English too much. The British are still using “mum” rather than “mom” and “petrol” rather than “gas”.
But when we start thinking of language more in terms of style than vocabulary or spelling, a different picture appears. Some of the bigger trends (趋势) in American English are moving towards a freer use of language. American sentences are usually one word shorter in 2006 than they were in 1931.
Americans also use a lot more apostrophes (撇号) in their writing than they used to, which has the effect of turning the two words “do not” into the single “don’t”. “The hand of the king” becomes the shorter “The king’s hand”.
However, in all these ways Brits are changing too—and in the same way as Americans. They’re just about 30 years behind the trend that Americans seem to be leading.
So this raises a question, is British English actively following American English or is this something that is simply a natural trend in language use? Perhaps the British would have gone in that direction even if America had been discovered? I'd like to agree with the second idea but because of the fact that British people learn plenty of American language through different ways, I think the first is more correct.
1.What did the British do in the 1960s?
A.They use some American spellings.
B.They built up confidence in their language.
C.They did research on language difference.
D.They went in the direction of harder spellings.
2.What does the author try to show by using examples like “petrol”?
A.British English has changed a lot.
B.Some uncommon words are used less often.
C.American words are entering British English.
D.American spelling won’t change British English too much.
3.Which of the following is a trend of American English?
A.It is using shorter words.
B.It is turning to proper grammar.
C.It is trying to make sentences simpler.
D.It is avoiding using apostrophes.
4.Which of the following is the author’s opinion about the languages?
A.American English is going the wrong way.
B.British English is following American English’s example.
C.American English is borrowing a lot from British English.
D.Languages wouldn’t change much if America was not discovered.
Like any new ninth-grader on the first day of school, Joemar Class had ninth-grader- emotion (情绪). He’s not used to school in Hartford. He’s used to going to school in his home town of Florida, used to seeing his friends, used to having class in Spanish.
“Nervioso,” he said in Spanish.
We first met Joemar in mid-October in the San Juan Airport. His father, Guillermo Class, had sold his car to buy plane tickets to get his kids and fly them up from Puerto Rico. The island was almost destroyed (毁坏) by the deadly storm—Hurricane Maria.
Now, they are settling into their new home in Hartford's South End. A week later, and, using his wife's car, Class drove 16-year-old Joemar to his first day at Bulkeley High School. After a short ride, he got out in front of his new school. Inside, he met Gretchen Levitz—the school's program director.
“I see you have new uniform (校服),” Levitz said. “You look great. Are you ready for a good first day?”
Then he met couple of teachers.
“Hello,” they each said in Spanish. They asked where he's from, and told him they were happy to see him. Then Levitz took him on a quick tour of the school before classes began—to her office the school store, the library, and the dining hall.
A total of 19 languages are spoken in Bulkeley High School. “We have so many new students coming here from other countries every single day,” Levitz said. “So it's not like he's the only one who has that feeling.”
“You could tell he's little worried," Guillermo said as we left.” But, at the same time, he's looking forward to it.”
1.What kind of feeling did Joemar have on his first day of school?
A.Angry. B.Excited.
C.Nervous. D.Relaxed.
2.Why did Joemar leave Florida?
A.His town was hit by a terrible storm. B.His old school closed down.
C.He wanted to see his mother. D.He expected to have a new life.
3.What did Joemar do before he walked into his new classroom?
A.He had a long talk with his father. B.He learned some simple Spanish words.
C.He said hello to some of his classmates. D.He had a short look around his new school.
4.What can we learn about Bulkeley High School?
A.It has no library. B.It is an international school.
C.It plans to open Spanish classes. D.It requires all students to wear uniforms.
1.How many students are there in a speaking class?
A.10 at most. B.20 at most.
C.30 at most. D.50 at most.
2.How much will a group of four students pay for a writing course?
A.￡30. B.￡95.
C.￡120. D.￡125.
3.What time does the school open on Sunday?
A.At 5 p.m. B.At 8 p.m.
C.At 9 a.m. D.At 10 a.m.
Visitors to Britain may find the best place to enjoy local culture is in a traditional pub. A team of researchers have revealed（揭示）some of the unknown__________ of British pubs-starting with the________ of getting a drink. Most pubs have _________ waiters--- you have to go to the bar to buy_________. A group of Italian young people had waited for 45 minutes before they___________ they would have to fetch their own. This may sound not__________, but there is a hidden meaning.
Pub culture is formed to improve sociability（社会交往）in a society ________for its coldness. Standing at the bar for service allows you to________ with others who are waiting to be _______ . The bar counter is possibly the only__________ in the British Isles where friendly talk with strangers is considered__________proper and really quite normal behaviour. "If you haven't been to a_________ , you haven't been to Britain." This__________can be found in a booklet, Passport to the Pub：The Tourists' Guide to Pub Etiquette（礼仪）, a customers' rule of conduct for___________who want to enjoy "a central part of___________ life and culture".
The trouble is that ___________ you do not follow the local rules, the experience may fall flat（一无所获）. For example, if you are in a big group, it is _________for one or two people to go to buy the drinks._________makes the regular customers and bar staff angry more than a group of strangers_________ all passages to the bar while they chat and hesitate about what to__________ .
1.A.history B.development C.culture D.future
2.A.difficulty B.convenience C.quickness D.easiness
3.A.a few B.many C.a little D.no
4.A.newspapers B.booklets C.drinks D.maps
5.A.suggested B.required C.decided D.realized
6.A.nervous B.lucky C.willing D.convenient
7.A.excited B.known C.surprised D.satisfied
8.A.chat B.quarrel C.fight D.work
9.A.found B.served C.supplied D.benefited
10.A.way B.reason C.time D.place
11.A.nearly B.hardly C.entirely D.partly
12.A.supermarket B.square C.pub D.school
13.A.warning B.advice C.notice D.promise
14.A.they B.these C.those D.them
15.A.Italian B.American C.British D.European
16.A.although B.if C.because D.unless
17.A.best B.smartest C.most convenient D.most important
18.A.Something B.Anything C.Everything D.Nothing
19.A.finding B.showing C.blocking D.making
20.A.do B.say C.order D.serve
There are lots of attractions in St. Petersburg. If you’re short of time to visit all of them, or if you just want to make sure to hit the highlights(最精彩的部分),the following are the top must- see sights in St. Petersburg.
The Hermitage Museum
The Hermitage Museum is one of the most important sights to see for any visitor to St. Petersburg. There you can see lots of different paintings painted by the old masters. Prepare to come face to face with many of the western classical artists.
Kizhi Island
Kizhi Island is an open-air museum of wooden buildings from the Karelia region of Russia. These impressive structures are made without any nails(钉子).Can you imagine how the wood fits together? Come and see for yourself!
Peterhof
Peterhof is as beautiful as it is fun. You’ll be charged for admission(门票),but if you go to Peterhof when the fountains(喷泉) are working—during the day in summer—the admission will be worth it.
Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
Love it or hate it, Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in St. Petersburg is a real must-see sight. This beautiful building will truly surprise you, and the paintings inside the church will make you say “Wow!”
The Bronze Horseman Statue
The so-called Bronze Horseman is a part of Russian culture and is a symbol of St. Petersburg. Made famous by Alexander Pushkin, this statue of Peter the Great sitting on his horse truly shows Peter the Great’s influence on the Russian idea of greatness.
1.If you are interested in paintings, you’d better go to _________.
A.The Hermitage Museum and Kizhi Island
B.The Bronze Horseman Statue and Kizhi Island
C.Kizhi Island and Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
D.The Hermitage Museum and Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
2.What can we learn about Kizhi Island?
A.Kizhi Island is an indoor museum.
B.Visitors can find nails in the structures there.
C.The buildings on Kizhi Island are made of wood.
D.The wooden buildings are connected with wires.
3.We can learn from the text that__________.
A.visitors can visit Peterhof free of charge
B.The Hermitage Museum has lots of modern western arts
C.The fountains in Peterhof can be seen by visitors all year round
D.The Bronze Horseman Statue is a symbol of St. Petersburg
4.The author wrote the text to_________.
A.attract tourists to visit St. Petersburg
B.show the wonderful history of Russia
C.persuade artists to go to St. Petersburg
D.introduce the famous buildings of Russia
