Directions: Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main point(s) of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.
Britain’s Buses are Getting Emptier
In Britain, buses account for more public - transport trips than trains, tubes and trams put together. People love them, in theory: one poll by Transport Focus, a consumer group, found that 74% of young people think they are a good way of getting around and 85% believe it is important for a place to have a good bus service. There is just one problem. In practice, Britions are taking buses less and less.
Why are London buses emptier? One thing that has changed is young people’s behavior. The young are heavy bus users when they travel. But, increasingly, they do not travel. According to Transport for London, the average 17 - to 24-year-old took 2.3 transport trips per day in the year 2011- 12 but only 1.7 in 2018 - 19. The National Travel Survey confirms that no group has cut back harder on travel since the early 2000s than teenagers. Young people are more diligent these days, and stay in school for longer. They can do the things that young people love to do on their phones, without going out.
The other big bus users are the poor and the old, especially outside London, but both are turning away from buses to cars. Lower lending standards have made cars easier to acquire; a fuel-tax freeze and fuel - saving engines make them cheaper to run. Cars are ever more comfortable and easier to operate, with parking-assist technology and lane-drifting alerts to help starters. Outside London, the average free bus pass was used 90 times in the year 2010-11 but only 74 times in 2018-19, according to the Department for Transport.
Finally there is the gig economy(零工经济). Online shopping and Uber probably substitute of bus trips as well as private car journeys. And they put new vehicles on the roads, which slows everything down. The number of light-goods vehicles in London has risen by 28% since 2012. Tony Travers of the London School of Economics points out that bus speeds have fallen slightly in the capital, even though private cars have almost been cleared up from the city center. The average London bus now travels at 9.3 miles per hour. Just as people become less inclined to run after buses, they are becoming easier to catch.
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Directions: Read the following passage. Fill in each blank with a proper sentence given in the box. Each sentence can be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you need.
How the British and American Tell Children’s Stories
If Harry Potter and Huckleberry Finn were each to represent British versus American children’s literature, a curious situation would emerge : In a literary competition for the hearts and minds of children, one is a wizard(巫师)- in - training at a boarding school in the Scottish Highlands, while the other is a barefoot boy drifting down the Mississippi, bothered by cheats, slave hunters, and thieves. One defeats evil with a magic stick, the other takes to a raft(筏)to right a social wrong. 1.
The small island of Great Britain is an unquestionably powerhouse of children’s bestsellers: Alice in Wonderland, Harry Potter, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Significantly, all are fantasies. 2. Stories like The Call of the Wild. Charlotte’s Web, Little Women, and the Adventures of Tom Sawyer are more notable for their realistic portraits of day-to-day life in the towns and farmlands on the growing frontier. If British children gathered in the dim light of the kitchen fireplace to hear stories about magic swords and talking bears, American children sat at their mother’s knee listening tales with moral messages about a world where life was hard, obedience emphasized, and Christian morality valued. Each style has its virtues, but the British approach undoubtedly creates the kinds of stories that appeal to the furthest reaches of children’s imagination.
3. For one, the British have always been in touch with their pagan(异教徒的)folk traditions and stories, says Maria Tatar, a Harvard professor of children’s literature. After all, the country’s very origin story is about a young king tutored by a wizard. Legends have always been accepted as history, from Merlin to Macbeth. “Even as the British were digging into these magical worlds, Americans, much more realistic, always viewed their soil as something to exploit,” says Tatar.
American write fantasies too, but nothing like the British, says Jerry Griswold, a San Diego State University professor of children’s literature. He said, “4.” To prove it, he mentioned Dorothy, the heroine of Wizard of Oz(绿野仙踪)who unmasks the great and powerful Wizard as a cheat. Meanwhile, American fantasies differ in another way: They usually end with a moral lesson learned - for example, in Oz, Dorothy’s journey ends with the realization: “There’s no place like home.”
A.It all goes back to each country’s distinct cultural heritage.
B.American stories are rooted in realism; even our fantasies are rooted in realism.
C.Both boys are characterized by their unique roles, thus breathing life into the fancy stories.
D.Meanwhile, the United States, also a major player in children’s classics, deals much less in magic.
E.Britain’s time-honored countryside, with ancient castles and restful farms, lends itself to fairy-tale invention.
F.Both orphans took over the world of children’s literature, but their stories unfold in noticeable different ways.
Changing the Game
On a warm September evening in London, The Arch climbing wall, just south of the River Thames, is packed. Scores of people wander around on the thick crash pads, chatting, waiting their turn and offering the odd shout of encouragement to those clinging on to the colourful climbing walls.
Rock climbing was once classified as an “extreme sport”. But indoor centres like The Arch, which offer climbing without the need for rocks, are bringing it into the mainstream. The British Mountaineering Council estimates there are at least 248 public climbing walls in Britain, a number that has risen by 30% since 2010. In 2020 the sport’s governing bodies are hoping to see an even bigger increase in interest. Along with skateboarding, surfing and karate(空手道), rock climbing will be making its first appearance as an Olympic sport at the summer games in Tokyo.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is frank about the ambition to appeal to a younger crowd who may be less familiar with longer-standing sports such as athletics and weightlifting. The crowd at the Arch is exactly what the IOC has in mind: mostly young professional letting off steam after work, who see climbing as a more engaging ans sociable alternative to jogging on running machines or pumping iron in a gym. Between them, the new sports will mean another 18 events and 474 athletes at the Tokyo games.
Officially, all four sports are delighted with their new status. But with the exception of karate, all of them have counter-cultural, anti-establishment roots. Some stars have wondered whether accepting the Olympic torch means going against their beliefs. Owen Wright, a famous surfer, has said that surfing is more art form than sport, and therefore not suitable for the games - though he has since gone back on his word, and hopes to represent Australia in Tokyo.
Adam Ondra, a Czech who is one of the world’s climbers, said he might steer clear of the games because of the format. The eventual Olympic champion will have to master all the three disciplines including bouldering (climbing without a rope, low to the ground, with a focus on hard, gymnastic moves), lead climbing (roped climbing up a tall wall of increasing difficulty) and speed climbing. Bouldering and lead climbing feature new routes in each stage of a competition, in an effort to imitate the variety of real rock. But speed climbing takes place on a standard, unvarying course. Because of this, said Mr. Ondra, “speed is a kind of artificial discipline ... and this is against the soul of climbing.”
Skateboarders, also notably rebellious, can be strikingly young. Sky Brown is set to become Britain’s youngest Olympian and has settled down to training. By the time of the Tokyo games, she will have turned 12.
1.Which of the following statements is true about rock climbing？
A.It originated in The Arch, a sports centre on the River Thames.
B.It has evolved from a mainstream sport into an extreme sport.
C.Spectator’s encouragement contributes to its rapid expansion.
D.The increase in climbing walls reflects a growing interest in it.
2.IOC introduced rock climbing into the Olympics in order to _________
A.familiarize the global population with the new sport
B.attract young people who lack interest in traditional sports
C.enable the young to let off their energy after work
D.challenge the dominant status of traditional sports
3.What can you infer from the star athletes’ responses according to the passage?
A.Surfers are expected to strike a balance between art and sport in the Olympics.
B.Rock climbers must be self-disciplined if they are to win the championship.
C.Adam believes that the soul of climbing consists in its harmony with nature.
D.Strikingly young skateboarders have an advantage over other opponents.
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A.With the addition of new Olympics sports, stars are divided on whether to participate.
B.Rock climbing, skateboard, surfing and karate are accepted as Olympics sports.
C.Extreme sports athletes rebel against traditions while training for the Olympics.
D.The appeal of a new sport event consists is changing for format of this game.
FREE Homeschooling
If you are reading this page you are looking into homeschooling. YAHOO! So proud of you for taking the road less traveled for your kids. It may not always be easy, but it is rewarding! 123 Home-school4Me is here to help you on your journey! We’ve got lots of tips, resources, and over a million pages of FREE Home-school worksheets, games and lesson plans to help you provide a solid, fun, and affordable education for your kids!
Let me walk you through some homeschooling basics and how 123Homeschool4Me can help you home-school!
Why Homeschooling
For some it is a better education, impact of being socialized at school, passing on your faith, spending more time with your kids, helping your child with a special need, making learning fun, or any number of other reasons. Keep reminding yourself WHY you choose to home-school and make that your primary focus.
How to Home-school
* Decided to Home-school after much careful research and thought
* 25 Reasons Why We Love Homeschooling
* Find out the legal requirements to home-school in your state -- every state has different requirements that you must follow to home-school legally - Homeschooling Laws in your State
* Follow any and all legal requirements to home-school legally (see above)
* Pick a curriculum - you have tons of choices to fit your family and children
* How to Choose a Home-school Curriculum
* Our Curriculum Choices
* Plan your school year - with any state regulations in mind, pick when your school will start end, take breaks, what days of the week you will meet and for how long, and what pace you need to go through your curriculum to finish in a year.
* Use these Free Home-school Forms to organize your year
* How to Home-school in 15 Hours a Week
* Don’t Home-school alone! Just becuase you aren’t sending your kids to public or private school doesn’t mean they won’t be with others from outside your family.
* Getting Social in Your Home-school
* Start teaching your child - Your taught your child how to use the bathroom and put on their shoes. You can do this! Just dive in!
Okay, so that was super simplified, I know! But really that is all you need to start with.
Make sure to read the links above for more information on each point.
How to Start Homeschooling
Make Home-school FUN and Affordable! This is where123Homeschool4Me.com comes in! Mom leaves little time to think of fun, creative educational activities that make concepts stick. Plus the cost to buy cool games and additional worksheets for every little skill can be unacceptable!
We’ve got you covered! This site is filled with thousands of creative ideas and 1,000,000+ FREE educational print-ables to make learning fun!
1.According to the above material, 123Homeschool4Me is probably _________.
A.a website B.a counselor C.a magazine D.an advertisement
2.Which of the following might be a reason for parents to choose homeschooling?
A.Restoring the child’s faith. B.Getting social in the home-school
C.Challenging the road less traveled. D.Tailoring the courses to kids’ needs.
3.123Homeschool4Me is likely to be quite appealing to the readers due to _________.
A.simplified lesson plans and fun activities
B.interesting games and affordable worksheets
C.free teaching resources and practical suggestions
D.detailed curriculum plans and free homeschooling
To Be a Deaf DJ
I was born in England with perfect hearing. In 1990, when I was five, my family moved to the United States. I started getting ear infections every three months or so. We didn’t have health insurance at the time, and when I got a third infection, my parents couldn’t afford the treatment. I went deaf in my right ear and was left with 50 percent hearing in my left. Over time, my remaining hearing dropped to 20 percent, where it is today. My doctors predicted that I would be thoroughly deaf by now, so I think I’m doing pretty well.
There was always music on in my house in my childhood. I loved listening to Metallica, Led Zeppelin, Michael Jackson. My dad was a DJ, so he played disco, folk, rock, and music from other countries. For my 18th birthday, my dad asked me to deejay at the restaurant be owned. After doing that for a few weeks, I was hooded. I desired to learn more. I e-mailed DJ Shiftee, a distinguished New York City DJ, when I was 25: “I know you like a challenge. How about teaching a deaf person to deejay?” He wrote back the next day; “Challenge accepted.” He tutored me twice a week for two years, helping me develop correct technique. I practiced four hours a day.
Now when I’m performing, muscle memory takes over. When I started, I wouldn’t tell the club managers that I was deaf. I would just show up, introduce myself, and start playing music. At the end of the night, someone would say, “Oh, here’s the check.” And I’d say, “What? Oh, I can’t hear.” They were always so astonished. Sometimes I would bring doctor’s notes because they wouldn’t believe me. It was reassurance that they were giving me opportunities to perform because I was brilliant, no out of sympathy. Eventually people started calling me “that deaf DJ,” and the name stuck.
What fascinates me about deejaying is the creativity. I use software that turns the music into lines of color on a computer screen. I’m visually hearing the music. The next time you go dancing, cover your ears, and you’ll start seeing that you’re able to hear the music in a different way. Music is not all about hearing. I pay all sorts of get-togethers now, from college parties to corporate events. I also go to elementary schools for the deaf and talk to the students about motivation and believing in themselves. I’m big on talking to the parents. I tell them, “My advice to you is let your kids chase their dreams. I’m a deaf DJ, so why not?”
1.Which of the following might result in the author’s hearing loss?
A.Monthly ear infection. B.Moving to the U. S.
C.Family financial hardship D.The doctors’ prediction.
2.How did DJ Shiftee help the author during his youth?
A.He taught him correct skills. B.He discovered his talent for DJ.
C.He played at the restaurant for him. D.He cultivated his taste for foreign music.
3.The underlined expression in Paragraph 3 “the name stuck” probably means that _________.
A.the author was in low spirits B.the author impressed people deeply
C.the audience felt disappointed by the player D.the audience looked down upon the player
4.We can conclude from the passage that the author loves deejaying because _________.
A.working as a DJ involves innovation
B.music helps him to see the world virtually
C.he motivates the kids to realize their dream
D.he desires to challenge something impossible
Communication, One Major Part of the Scientific Method
Scientists may feel it their duty to share their guesses, methods, and findings with the rest of the scientific community. This sharing serves two _______. First, it supports the basic deal of skepticism(怀疑论)by making it possible for others to say, “Oh, yeah? Let me check that.” It tells others where to see what the scientist saw, and what techniques and tools to use. Second, it gets the word out so that others can use what has been discovered. This is essential because science is a(n) _______ efforts. People who work thousands of miles apart build with and upon each other’s discoveries.
The communication of science begins with “peer review”, a process of _______ an author’s scholarly work, research or ideas to the inspection of other experts. It typically has three stages. The first occurs when a scientists seeks funding - from government agencies, foundations, or other _______ -- to carry out a research program. He or she must prepare a report describing the intended work, laying out background, hypotheses(假设), planned experiments, expected results, and even the _______ impacts on other fields. Committees of other scientists then _______ the report to see whether the scientist knows his or her area, has the necessary abilities, and is realistic in his or her plans.
Once the scientist has the needed _______, has done the work, and has written a report of the results, that report will go to a scientific journal. Before publishing the report, the journal’s editors will show it to other workers in the same or _______ fields and ask whether the work was done adequately, the conclusions are justified, and the report should be published.
The third stage of peer review happens are publication, when the broader scientific community gets to see and _______ the work.
This three-stage quality-control process can, of course, be faulty. Any scientist with independent wealth can ________ the first stage quite easily but such scientists are much, much rarer today than they were a century or so ago. Those who remain are the object of envy. ________ , it is fair to say that they are not disapproved as were those who avoid the latter two stages of the “peer review” mechanisms by using press conferences.
On the other hand, it is certainly possible for the standard peer review mechanisms to ________. By their nature, these mechanisms are more likely to ________ ideas that are not different from what the reviewers think they already know. Yet the un-traditional or unconventional ideas are not ________ wrong, as Alfred Wegener proved when he tried to gain ________ for the idea of continental drift in the early twentieth century. It was not until the 1960s that most geologists accepted his ideas as genuine insights.
1.A.purposes B.duties C.interests D.needs
2.A.innovative B.prospective C.cooperative D.plain
3.A.accustoming B.addicting C.restricting D.subjecting
4.A.projects B.sources C.unions D.departments
5.A.stronger B.more limited C.more dramatic D.broader
6.A.Look up B.go over C.long for D. call for
7.A.funds B.fields C.impacts D.experiments
8.A.different B.chosen C.related D.academic
9.A.substitute B.create C.judge D.undertake
10.A.reach B.mark C.hold D.skip
11.A.Similarly B.Contrarily C.Surely D.Therefore
12.A.fail B.function C.evolve D.work
13.A.convey B.overlook C.reject D.approve
14.A.necessarily B.particularly C.dramatically D.terribly
15.A.confidence B.acceptance C.strength D.weight
