The world is a colorful landscape of different languages, skin colors, and different cultures. It’s important to have a good understanding of different cultures in order to become a well-rounded person1.
One way is to read hooks written by authors from a particular culture. Reading works by authors who have a close relationship with a particular culture allows people to gain an authentic glimpse into the food, music, language, religion, and way of a life of a particular group of people.
2.
Another way to learn about different cultures is to try to learn a foreign language.3.A person can choose a language she has always wanted to learn and locate learning programs to help her master the language. Besides, one can enroll in a foreign language class in order to learn in a more formal setting. One can also try to visit areas of the city to establish social connection with native speakers of the language.
4.Seek out restaurants that feature authentic food from a variety of countries. Food is an important part of different cultures and allows people to gain deep understanding into a particular cultural group’s way of life.
Communicating with people from other countries through email or snail mail is another useful way to become familiar with different cultures.5.Various websites offer pen pal services, offering to connect individuals with pen friends around the world.
A. Stories based on a local culture expose one to a different culture.
B. Trying authentic food from a specific cultural group is also a great idea.
C. There are several ways to become knowledgeable about different cultures.
D.A variety of language-learning books, software, and audio programs is available,
E. The Internet has made it possible to communicate with others from different countries.
F. Making contact with native speakers of the language allows one to gain firsthand knowledge.
G. One way to develop this appreciation is to try to team about other cultures around the world.
For many, music is as important to the human experience as eating and breathing. We hear music everywhere—at home, the gym, parties and stores. But what kind of music do we prefer to listen to, and when and why do our musical preferences change?
The relationship between the change of seasons and musical preferences was the focus of a study led by psychologist Terry Pettijohn. He and his team based their research on a previous study that examined the relationship between popular music preferences and the Environmental Security Hypothesis(假设). The results showed that over time, when social and financial conditions were more risky, the songs of the year that were slower, longer, more comforting and serious were most popular. And during periods in which social and financial conditions were generally stable, the result was opposite.
Building on these findings, Pettijohn and his team wondered if the Hypothesis could also be applied to the change of seasons. For college students, the participants in this study, autumn begins at the start of the school year. Gone are the carefree days of summer, when school is out. Winter means colder temperatures, shorter days, and, in many places in the country, snow. Spring, however, is a different story. It represents a fresh start and when clocks spring forward, we gain an extra hour of daylight. As students walk into summer, they’re absorbed in the sunshine and social activities—and enjoy a break from school.
But do changing seasonal conditions influence musical preferences? To answer this question, the researchers designed two studies. What did they find? Both groups of college students favored more serious music during the seasons of fall and winter, and more active and energetic music during the spring and summer seasons. And these findings, Pettijohn argues, have practical significances.
1.The purpose of the question raised in Paragraph 1 is to ________.
A. present a different opinion on music
B. prove where to listen to music matters
C. stress the importance of music to humans
D. introduce the topic on musical preferences
2.What influences a person’s choice of music types according to the previous study?
A. Whether one has enough free time.
B. Whether one lives in a stable situation.
C. Whether one is exposed to sunlight.
D. Whether one chooses to change his life.
3.What does Paragraph 3 imply?
A. Students aren’t fond of school in any season.
B. Spring has a special meaning to people.
C. The Hypothesis disagrees with Pettijohn’s studies.
D. The length of summer time is longer than that of winter time.
4.How does Pettijohn feel about the findings of his studies?
A. It’s unexpected. B. It’s humorous.
C. It’s discouraging. D. It’s significant.
It’s easy to think that the globe’s vast oceans would be effective barriers to the movement of land animals. An elephant can’t swim across the Pacific, after all. But it turns out that plenty of plants and animals have unintentionally floated across oceans from one continent to another. Now comes evidence that tiny, trapdoor spiders (蜘蛛) made such a journey millions of years ago.
Moggridgea rainbowi spiders can be found on Kangaroo Island, which sits off the south coast of Australia. These spiders build a silk-lined hole in the ground, notes Sophie Harrison, a biologist in Australia. The hole and trapdoor provide these spiders with shelter and protection. It also provides them an out-of-sight spot from which to wait for approaching creatures.
There is evidence, though, that the ancestors of them might have traveled millions of meters to get to Australia from Africa. That isn’t as unlikely as it might at first seem. Australia used to be connected to other continents, long ago, as part of a supercontinent called Gondwana. And humans have been known to transport species all over the planet. But there’s a third option. The spiders might have rafted (乘筏) long distances across the sea.
To figure out which story was most likely true, Harrison and her colleagues looked at the spider’s genes. They looked at the genes in seven Moggridgea rainbowi spiders from Kangaroo, and five species of Moggridgea spiders from South Africa. The Australian and African spiders split off from a common ancestor some 2 million to 16 million years ago, the genes showed.
If a large swatch of land washes into the sea, filled with arachnids (蛛形纲动物), the spiders may be able to hide themselves throughout the journey. Plus, they can “hold their breath” and survive on stored oxygen during periods of temporary flooding, the researchers note.
1.What is the common belief about land animals according to the text?
A.They are sensitive to natural disasters.
B.They are unlikely to move across oceans.
C.They can’t make a long ocean voyage.
D.They float across oceans accidentally.
2.What does the underlined word “them” in Paragraph 3 refer to?
A.Biologists. B.Australians.
C.The spiders. D.The creatures.
3.How did the researchers conclude Australian and African spiders are from a common ancestor?
A.By comparing their genes.
B.By observing their living habits.
C.By making changes to their genes.
D.By studying their physical characteristics.
4.What could be the best title for the text?
A.These Spiders Traveled Globally to Hide Themselves
B.These Spiders Became More Adaptive When Traveling
C.These Spiders Crossed an Ocean to Australia for Survival
D.These Spiders Crossed an Ocean to Become Australians naturally
A dog spent the last four years of his life waiting at a crossroad in the Thai city of Khon Kaen as if waiting for someone. At first people thought the dog had been abandoned, but then realized that he looked healthy, so people asked around about him. It turned out that the dog had indeed been spending most of his time around that crossroad, but a woman had been coming round regularly to bring him food and water.
One day, while photographing the dog everyone called Leo, a reporter met the woman who had been taking care of him. She had come to drop off some food. After learning the story about the dog and the woman, the reporter decided to share the story on social media. The post soon went viral and the photos of Leo got shared hundreds of times. And the photos reached the eyes of Leo’s old owner.
Nang Noi Sittisarn, a 64-year-old woman from Thailand’s Roi Et Province, almost had a heart attack when her daughter showed her a photo of the beloved dog named BonBon she had lost during a car trip. When she learned that he had been waiting for her in the same spot for the last four years, her heart melted (融化).
Auntie Noi told her daughter to drive her to where the dog was waiting. When she got there and called his name. BonBon, the poor dog started wiggling (扭动) his tail and came to her, but when she tried to take him home with her, he was unwilling to follow. She didn’t want to force the dog to come with her so she agreed to leave him with his new master. However, she and her daughter will come to visit him regularly.
1.Why did the dog look healthy after separation from his former owner?
A.He walked around the crossroad constantly.
B.He was kept at a woman’s home all the time.
C.A local reporter brought him food and water.
D.A woman looked after him on a regular basis.
2.What does the underlined phrase “went viral” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
A.Changed surprisingly. B.Spread quickly.
C.Appeared gradually. D.Fell directly.
3.How did Nang Noi Sittisam feel about the dog’s waiting for her?
A.Shocked. B.Regretful. C.Touched. D.Proud.
4.What can we mainly learn from the story about the dog?
A.We need to learn to be faithful and thankful.
B.Unbelievable success is worth waiting for.
C.We should appreciate everyone we meet.
D.No one knows the result until the last minute.
Top Sites to See in New York
Central Park
For more than 150 years, visitors have come to Central Park’s 843 green acres in the heart of Manhattan. Since 1980, the Park has been managed by the Central Park Conservancy, in partnership with the public. You can visit the official website of Central Park to learn more about Park happenings and activities and to learn how to help Central Park.
Telephone: 212-310-6600
Location: 59th to 110th Street, Manhattan Borough, from Central Park West to 5th Avenue, New York City, NY10022
Open Hours: 06: 00-23:00
The National 9/11 Memorial Museum
The national 9/11 Memorial & Museum is a place of remembrance honoring those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The 9/11 Memorial Museum displays Monumental artifacts linked to the events of 9/11, while presenting stories of loss, sympathy and recovery that are central to telling the story of the 2001 attacks and the consequence. It also explores the global impact of 9/11 and its continuing significance.
Telephone: 212-312-8800
Location: 180 Greenwich St, World Trade Center, New York City, NY 10007
Open Hours: 09: 00-20: 00
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
At New York City’s most visited museum and attraction, you will experience over 5,000 years of art from around the world. The Met is for anyone as a source of inspiration, insight and understanding. You can learn, escape, play, dream, discover and connect.
Telephone: 212-535-7710
Location: 1000 5th Avenue, New York City, NY 10028-0198
Open Hours: 10: 00-17: 30
1.How can you get more information about the activities in Central Park?
A.By calling the park.
B.By visiting its website.
C.By consulting the staff.
D.By writing to the manager.
2.Where can you go if you’re interested in art?
A.59th to 110th Street.
B.180 Greenwich St.
C.World Trade Center.
D.1000 5th Avenue.
3.Where can you probably find the text?
A.An official report.
B.A popular magazine.
C.A tourist brochure.
D.A product handbook.
假定你是李华。你的爱尔兰网友Bob来信询问你今年春节假期的安排，请你给他回信，要点如下:
1.你的学习计划;
2.你的其他计划(如社会实践);
3.询问Bob的寒假安排。
注意:1.词数100左右;
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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