Jonathan Agnew recently described “unofficial interviews” as those where you agree that it’s “between you and I”. And a Times journalist wrote about someone who had “made Jenny and I feel so welcome”. They are both intelligent people with the ability to express ideas fluently and logically. And yet they wrote “I” where they meant “me”.
It’s happening more and more. We are scared of the mistake like “Terry and me went to the pub”. We’ve all been taught that it should be “Terry and I went to the pub”. Plus we’ve heard the Queen say “my husband and I” a lot. So we begin to use “and I” even when it should be “and me”.
But my point here is not to support the correct usage. It’s the opposite: I want to reject the idea that there’s such a thing as “correct” English at all. Language isn’t like maths, where you can show that two plus two is four. Language has no fundamental rights and wrongs, only conventions. You cannot definitively prove that any are “right” and others “wrong”.
Sometimes correct language sounds absurd. Look at Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills) who came up with a new rule. Primary school children now have to be taught that “inverted commas” is right, while “speech marks” is wrong. You and I know that those terms are interchangeable. And the child who looks at those marks on the page can see that both make perfect sense. That’s because a primary school child is more intelligent than the Ofsted turkey who came up with this rule.
As the teacher who told me about the ludicrous rule pointed out, there is no doubt that in a few years’ time, the “incorrect” term will become the “correct” one. But the truly horrible thing about an education system like this is that it destroys children’s love of language. It tells them they have to worry about rules, instead of encouraging them to read and write for its own sake. Let them read for fun and they’ll absorb the rules — or conventions — anyway. Have them shaking in fear about English tests, and you’ll increase their insecurity about getting language “right”.
Then one day that insecurity will have them saying “and I” even though they mean “and me”.
1.Why do people use “and I” when it should be “and me” according to the text?
A.The Ofsted sets a rule.
B.“and I” is the correct English.
C.The Queen makes a similar mistake.
D.People feel insecure about using “and me”.
2.What can we learn from paragraphs 3 and 4?
A.Rules benefit children’s language learning.
B.Language learning is more complicated than maths.
C.Language is based on commonly accepted rules.
D.A primary school child is smarter than the Ofsted.
3.What does the underlined word “ludicrous” in Paragraph 5 mean?
A.Influential. B.Particular.
C.Conventional. D.Ridiculous.
4.Which of the following best describes the author’s attitude towards the correct English?
A.Critical. B.Objective.
C.Favourable. D.Indifferent.
In 1992, Teen Talk Barbie was released with the controversial voice fragment, “Math class is hard.” While the toy's release met with strong public reaction, this underlying assumption persists, spreading the myth that women do not thrive in science, technology, engineering and mathematic (STEM) fields due to biological inadequacies in math aptitude. However, in 2019 Jessica Cantlon at Carnegie Mellon University led a research team that comprehensively examined the brain development of young boys and girls and found no gender difference in brain function or math ability.
Cantlon and her team conducted the first neuroimaging study to evaluate biological gender differences in math aptitude of young children. Her team used functional MRI（核磁共振）to measure the brain activity in 104 young children (3-to-10-year-old; 55 girls) while watching an educational video covering early math topics, like counting and addition. The researchers compared scans from the boys and girls to evaluate brain similarity. In addition, the team examined brain maturity by comparing the children's scans to those taken from a group of adults (63 adults; 25 women) who watched the same math videos.
After numerous statistical comparisons, Cantlon and her team found no difference in the brain development of girls and boys. In addition, the researchers found no difference in how boys and girls processed math skills and were equally engaged while watching the educational videos. Finally, boys' and girls' brain maturity were statistically equivalent when compared to either men or women in the adult group.
Cantlon said she thinks society and culture are likely steering girls and young women away from math and STEM fields, as previous studies show that families spend more time with young boys in play that involves spatial cognition（空间认知）. “Typical socialization can make worse small differences between boys and girls that can snowball into how we treat them in science and math,” Cantlon said. “We need to be aware of these origins to ensure we aren't the ones causing the gender inequities.”
However, this project is focused on early childhood development using a limited set of math tasks. Cantlon wants to continue this work using a broader scope of math skills, such as spatial processing and memory, and follow the children over many years.
1.What can we infer about the toy’s release?
A.It has raised a storm of applause.
B.Girls perform no worse than boys in math.
C.Math is a subject difficult to every one of us.
D.Women are born with insufficient math abilities.
2.What can we learn from the study conducted by Cantlon?
A.Boys process math skills more quickly than girls.
B.Boys and girls have similar brain in math abilities.
C.Boys and girls have similar interest in math.
D.Adults have better brain than children in math.
3.What will Cantlon most likely agree with?
A.Parents should lengthen the time spent with girls.
B.Society is causing a greater gender difference in math abilities.
C.Culture plays a leading role in children’s brain development.
D.We should cultivate boys’ and girls’ math abilities equally.
4.How will Cantlon further her research?
A.By using a wider range of math skills.
B.By involving a broader scope of subjects.
C.By increasing the complexity of math tasks.
D.By following the children until their adulthood.
A cloudless Southern California sky looms over the Pro Park Course for the Pro Skate Park Series. Here to compete are some of the top female skaters in the world. The women skaters range in age from early adolescence to early 30s, but in a sport that embraces youth, there is one who stands out. At 8 years old, Sky Brown, would be the youngest skater, male or female, ever to compete at this series.
She is known to some — a minor star of the viral age. When her first video was posted to YouTube, Sky initially gained a little internet fame as a premature and level-headed 4-year-old — highly intelligent, well-spoken beyond her years, hugely talented, and yet grounded. Four years later, it was announced that she would be competing at Huntington Beach. Still, the question remains: Is she truly ready, or will this be another case where reality comes crashing down hard on all the hype?
And then, it turns out to be anything but. Sky goes out and presents one surprise after another. Commentators Neal Hendrix and Chris Pastras are left in awe, “Half of the pros can't do.” The only thing that makes the prodigy look like a kid is her size. In every other regard, she holds her own with skaters 10 and 20 years her senior. Before the competition at Huntington, Sky was a curiosity. After, she is a competitor.
Sky's first memory of a skateboard is seeing her father, Stuart, doing a few tricks in front of the family home. “It always looked really fun,” says Sky. “I just kept begging to try it.” Sky progressed quickly, although she never had a formal coach. Somehow she just had the knack. Every movement, every shift in weight, every push and pull of body on board, she absorbed. Then, she did it herself.
“You get so close to making it,” she says of her process, “and think you're about to land it, and then it takes you 100 more times. I'm always saying to my parents, 'Just one last try.'” If anyone was pushing, striving to get better, it was Sky herself, learning new tricks the same way everyone else does — by trying, failing, falling, and getting back up again.
1.What does the author intend to do in Paragraph 2?
A.To show Sky’s early experience.
B.To show Sky’s talents from varied aspects.
C.To show the public’s doubt about Sky’s competence.
D.To show the public’s recognition of Sky’s performances.
2.What do we know about Sky?
A.She equals the senior skaters in the competition.
B.She looks like a professional skater in terms of her figure.
C.She participates in a competition inappropriate for the young.
D.She has already become a household name before the competition.
3.What is the main reason for Sky’s achievements?
A.Her parents push her too hard.
B.She practices hard and never quits.
C.Her coach is very strict with her.
D.Her father exerts a strong influence on her.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.A Rocky Road Leads to Internet Fame
B.A Strong Competitor Stands out from Crowd
C.An 8-year-old Skater Amazes the World
D.A Wonder Shows at the Pro Skate Park Series
With all the attention Thanksgiving and Christmas get from travellers, it’s easy to overlook Halloween as a destination holiday. While a few cities provide a ghostly atmosphere all year round, annual festivals, theme park pop-up events and other haunted happenings elsewhere have helped make the holiday a travel mini-season all its own.
New Orleans
Home to year-round cemetery walks, New Orleans is among the cities that naturally harmonize with Halloween. Worth noting every October is the family-friendly Halloween parade, happening this year on Oct. 21, with floats devoted to themes like werewolves and vampires. Float riders throw locally made candies to the crowd. New Orleans hosts plenty of after-event-parties, but the procession itself draws all ages in costume.
Whitby, England
This picturesque town on England’s Yorkshire coast is considered to be the home of Dracula, though in a different way. Bram Stoker spent just a month in Whitby, but those four weeks in July and August 1890 were important in the creation of his most famous book, “Dracula”, which was published in 1897. Whitby celebrated the 125th anniversary of Stoker’s visit in 2015, but this year you can see the skeletal remains of Whitby Abbey illuminated throughout the final week of October.
Salem, Massachusetts
Home to the infamous witch trials of the early 1690s, it should come as no surprise that this town is a hotbed for Halloween activity. One way Salem builds on its spectral past is with the nearly month-long festival of the Dead. Events starting from mid-October this year include psychic readings, mourning-themed tea and on Halloween night, a witches gathering.
Orlando, Florida
The home of Disney World and Universal Studios goes all-out with huge Halloween events. Universal this year will hold its 27th Halloween Horror Night on Oct. 30, a seasonal pop-up featuring haunted houses and “scareactors” employed to frighten visitors. Plus, there are many other activities like trick-or-treating, Disney character encounters, a Halloween ball and fireworks.
1.Which of the following is most recommended for a family going together?
A.New Orleans. B.Whitby, England.
C.Salem, Massachusetts. D.Orlando, Florida.
2.Where do Halloween activities last the longest this year?
A.New Orleans. B.Whitby, England.
C.Salem, Massachusetts. D.Orlando, Florida.
3.What can you do in Orlando, Florida ?
A.Have mourning-themed tea. B.Enjoy dancing.
C.Watch Disney movies. D.See skeletal remains.
假如你是李华，你的美国朋友Miller对你的家乡南充很感兴趣。请你根据以下提示，写一篇100字左右的回信介绍南充。
位置 | 川东北 | 河流 | 嘉陵江 |
面积 | 12,000平方公里 | 人口 | 7, 500,000 |
产品 | 丝绸 | 旅游 | 阆中古城 |
注意：1.短文应包括所有要点。
2.可增加适当细节使行文连贯。
3.词数100左右。
4.开头和结尾 已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear Miller,
How's it going? I'm glad you are interested in my hometown Nanchong City.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Best wishes!
Yours,
Li Hua
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10 处错误，每句中最多有两处。错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。增加：在缺词处加一个漏 字符号(∧),并在其下面写出该加的词。删除：把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。修改：在错的词下划 一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；2.只允许修 改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。3.错误类型不涉及单词拼写。
Dear Paul,
It's time to say goodbye and it's time to recall those beautifully days we spent together. You are the very person who give me a hand when necessary. You are the most considerate person who knows exactly that I need.
Did you still remember that night two years ago? When I suddenly fell in ill, it was you who carried me on your back to a nearby hospital. You took good care of us while I had an injection. Later, you managed help me with my lessons. With your help, I would have failed in the examination.
I still have hundreds of story to share with you and have thousands of blessings for you. May all your dreams coming true! May our friendship last till the end of the universe!
Yours,
Tom
