Dear Mummy,
This last trip to India with you has brought home to me a few hard facts- facts that I wanted to avoid seeing for some time. As you well know, you and I have had a few arguments and several days of tension during the trip. I must admit sometimes I really do not know how to communicate to you what I really feel. Words seem to fail on both sides. That's why I am writing this letter. Perhaps it will be a bit easier. ①
As I approach my seventeenth year, I suddenly ask myself where I belong.1 know this is the usual teenage identity crisis. You came to this country when you were slightly older than I am and married my father. You admired the American lifestyle and tried to be an American as much as you could. I am the daughter of you, a mother who is Indian, and a father who is American. Of course, I am American. Except for a few trips to India I have little to do with India outwardly. But I feel how much you would like me to become Indian sometimes. I cannot explain it with examples. But I feel it in my bones. The India that you never quite shake off comes back to you now and you want to see your daughter live it, at least partly. ②
Yes, Mummy, I know I am wrapped up in many superficial (肤浅的) things, things my friends indulge in (沉迷于) and I can understand your need to protect me. But I am part of them and in order for me to be accepted by my friends, sometimes I need to do things which do not always please me either. I need their approval and I want to be like them sometimes. But your good intentions to teach me those good Indian things then clash. Although I dislike the superficiality of my friends, I cannot move back to your culture just because it is better for you or more ancient or deep. ③
My dearest mother, I cannot be protected by you. Forgive me if I remind you of something you related to me many times. You could not be protected by my grandparents (your parents) when you decided to embrace this culture along with my father. ④ Nor can you protect me despite the fact that we are not separated by physical distance. Perhaps we are separated by something else and I suspect that is India.
I have never written a letter like this before in my short life. I feel good about writing this and would like to hear what you have to say, Ma, perhaps you and I can still be friends in a way that you and your mother could not be. Let’s try. I love you.
Yours,
Rita
1.What can we learn from this letter?
A.Rita and her mother had a pleasant trip in India.
B.Rita always asks herself where she belongs.
C.Rita wants to be accepted by her friends.
D.Rita's mother allows her freedom to do as she wishes.
2.This sentence “Let me live the life I am surrounded by and suffer as I wish.” can be best placed at ______.
A.① B.②
C.③ D.④
3.The underlined word “clash” in Paragraph 3 probably means ______
A.come into existence B.come into disagreement
C.come into view D.come into effect
4.Which words can best describe Rita's personality?
A.Hesitant and ignorant. B.Thoughtful and generous.
C.Ambitious and humorous. D.Independent and communicative.
5.Which kind of social problem can be reflected from this private letter?
A.Politics. B.Race.
C.Religion. D.Identity.
6.What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A.Rita expects more protection from her mother.
B.Rita expects more Indian cultural influence from her mother.
C.Rita expects more communication and respect from her mother.
D.Rita expects more attention and care from her mother.
"Our coffee is loved by millions worldwide." Do you often see this kind of advertising in your country? Statements like these that no one can prove are called puffery. Puffery is legal, even though it cannot be proved. In fact, puffery has been called "a license to lie", as it is regarded as an opinion rather than an objective statement.
Using puffery to raise awareness of products and to increase sales, is a common advertising method. Some people, however, worry about puffery. One of the concerns is whether consumers are misled by false advertising. Therefore, advertisements containing puffery sometimes can be tested in the courts, and the decisions that are made help to tell the difference between acceptable puffery and illegal advertising.
On the one hand, if a company tells the public that it sells the country's best-loved" or favorite product, this is thought to be puffery, rather than an objective description of market share. Similarly, the company does not have to produce proof that such puffery is actually supported by numbers or facts. In other words, advertisements such as the world's best cup of coffee" are impossible to prove. They are too good to be true and thus it is expected that any consumer will understand how subjective they are. Such advertisements are therefore not thought of as misleading. In fact, puffery like this in these advertisements is often considered to add to the entertainment value.
On the other hand, a company that states their products is the safest" or cheapest" needs to show proof, because statements that are objective need to be supported by proof or statistics. Consumer rights organizations can run tests to examine whether or not such statements agree with the fact. Companies should thus be very careful when making factual statements about a product.
A primary function of advertising is to create product awareness. As consumers, we need to know -about competing products, so we can make wise decisions on which one to buy. While it is important that advertisers are monitored to ensure they do not mislead consumers, it can be argued that puffery is a good way of raising awareness of new products. As long as there are effective ways of monitoring advertisements to prevent deliberate deception (欺骗) in safety and quality, it seems that most puffery is relatively harmless. Rather, it has become part of advertising, which most consumers can laugh at rather than being misled.
1.By “ Our coffee is loved by millions worldwide", the passage intends to ______.
A.describe a fact B.introduce the topic
C.present an argument D.provide background information
2.The function of puffery is mainly to help______ .
A.describe products' market share B.raise awareness of new products
C.test the advertisement in the courts D.run tests to examine the new products.
3.What does the author think of puffery?
A.It is acceptable with effective monitoring.
B.It is misleading for it uses the false information.
C.It is harmful for it plays tricks on consumers.
D.It is convincing for it helps consumers to choose wisely.
4.Which can be the best title of this passage?
A.Functions of Advertising B.Puffery in Advertising
C.Consumers and Advertising D.The Art of Advertising
I was taking in the breathtaking view from the top of Sydney Harbor Bridge when I sensed I was about to witness something even more dramatic right in front of me. Although we were all tied to lines running along the steel girders, a fellow climber called Mike had somehow managed to drop onto bended knee and turn to face his girlfriend, Wendy. I knew what was coming. “Wendy, will you marry me?” he asked. There was a quick smile and an attempted kiss and then a big beam. Mike had the answer he hoped for and all of us burst into a round of applause.
Apparently more than 2,000 couples have become engaged ( 订 婚 ) at the summit since 1998, when it became possible to climb it in organized tour groups. The bridge, perhaps the most recognized symbol of this beautiful city, opened in 1932. It's still the world's largest steel-arch bridge.
We returned to the fantastic view: the famous Sydney Opera House, ferries and sailboats making their way through the harbor, the city skyline — but I had to force myself to look down. We had climbed 1,423 steps to the top of the bridge and I didn't know whether to be delighted or scared.
Nicole Kidman has done it. So have Bruce Springsteen, Prince Harry and scores of other celebrities. But climbing to the top clearly isn't just for the rich and famous. On the contrary, Australian youngsters do it to celebrate their 12th birthdays. (You have to be at least 12 years old to do the climb.) A 100-year-old woman climbed it and told guides it was on her list of things to do before she died.
You can climb during the day, at twilight, or even after dark with headlamps. People climb in all weathers except when there's lightning in the area. In fact, over two million people have made the three-and-a-half-hour climb to the top of the famous bridge—an adventure that cannot be done anywhere else in the world on a bridge this big. That's probably why this climb has won a lot of tourism awards. Today, the climb is firmly on the "to-do" list for locals as well as tourists.
1.What can we learn on the bridge is quite rare?
A.Getting engaged on the bridge is quite rare.
B.People climb the bridge on climbers’ age.
C.There are no limitations on climbers’ age.
D.Many famous people have done the climb.
2.How did the author feel when he climbed to the top of the bridge?
A.Bored and tired B.Fearful and confused
C.Excited and nervous D.Relived and relaxed
3.What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?
A.To introduce the popularity of the bridge.
B.To emphasize the importance of the bridge
C.To explain the functions of the bridge.
D.To describe the fantastic view from the bridge.
Piazzale degli Uffizi 650122Florence, Italy
Phone +39 055 294883Email： infouffizi@benicultuali.it
We wish to inform visitors that the Uffizi Galleries’ museums, along with their Library as well as their Historic Archive and Research Dept, have been closed since an order was given by the Italian Prime Minister in March. All the museums of the Uffizi Galleries will remain closed until 3 May 2020.
According to the above order, the Garden of the Scuderie Reali of Porta Romana, belonging to the Uffizi Galleries, is also closed.
Besides, those who have already bought tickets through our official channel, which is valid (有效的) between 8 March and 3 April 2020, for the Uffizi Galleries’ museums, can exchange them for new tickets by directly sending their tickets to our sellers or writing e-mails to paypren@operalaboratori.com. The sellers are to deliver a new one equal in value to the sum paid within the following 30 days. The new ticket is to be used within one year from its delivery date.
However, for tickets purchased through a private agency, it is necessary to contact the agency itself.
We wish to inform people owning the Uffizi Galleries' yearly membership card that can still be used on the day 8 March 2020, that their effective period will be extended (延期) for a duration equal to the days missed during the period of the Uffizi Galleries’ museums' closing until their re-opening.
1.What can we learn from the passage?
A.The Uffizi Galleries are located in Rome, Italy.
B.The Uffizi Galleries will remain closed because of COVID-19 emergency.
C.Historic Archive and Research Dept. of the Uffizi Galleries will stay open.
D.Whoever has bought tickets for the Uffizi Galleries can have their money back.
2.If you have bought a ticket on the official website of the Uffizi Galleries, how could you keep it valid?
A.By sending it to the sellers of the Uffizi Galleries.
B.By writing an e-mail to infouffizi@beniculturali.it .
C.By contacting a private agency by calling +39 055 294883.
D.By visiting the ticket office of the Uffizi Galleries.
One of the biggest complaints in modern society is being over-scheduled. Ask people how they are and the answer usually is “super busy,” “crazy busy” . _______ is just “fine” any more.
When people aren’t super busy at _______, they are crazy busy exercising, entertaining or parenting. And if there is ever a still moment for thoughts—for example, while waiting _______ at the supermarket or sitting in traffic—out come the mobile phones. So it’s worth noting a study published last month in Science, which shows how _______ people will go to avoid the examination for our thoughts.
“We had noted that we are so dependent on our mobile phones that people seem to find any _______ they can to keep busy,” said Timothy Wilson, a psychology professor at the University of Virginia. In his experiments involving 700 people, the majority found it _______ to be alone with their thoughts for just 6 to 15 minutes.
It could be because human beings, as problem solvers and meaning makers, when _______, tend to think about what’s wrong in their lives. When we aren’t _______ our Facebook page, the things we haven’t figured out appear in our minds—_______ relationships, professional failures, health concerns, etc. Unless there is a solution, these thoughts just ________ themselves in our heads.
But you can’t solve problems ________ you don’t allow yourself time to think about them. It has actually been ________ by our culture, which values doing more than thinking and believes answers are in your hand ________ in your head. “We all fell that busyness is ________ but it’s really harmful,” said Timothy. “There’s a widespread belief that thinking will only slow you down and get ________, but it’s the opposite.” ________ negative feelings only makes them more powerful, he said. Allowing and ________ the flow of thoughts is part of the solution itself, such as meditation(冥想).
Negative feelings are sometimes hard, but they are part of everyone’s life, ________ if you are busy. It is those deep and troubling feelings, and how you ________ them, that make you who you are. While busyness may seem to prevent the flow of sadness, it may also limit your ability to be filled with ________.
1.A.Nobody B.Somebody C.Everybody D.Anybody
2.A.home B.work C.school D.hospital
3.A.in order B.in line C.in panic D.in public
4.A.far B.long C.often D.much
5.A.place B.reason C.excuse D.solution
6.A.uncertain B.unfair C.unpleasant D.unwise
7.A.left out B.left off C.left behind D.left alone
8.A.deleting B.uploading C.updating D.downloading
9.A.close B.healthy C.difficult D.harmonious
10.A.recover B.repeat C.regain D.recycle
11.A.unless B.while C.though D.if
12.A.ignored B.invited C.invented D.interrupted
13.A.apart from B.more than C.except for D.rather than
14.A.normal B.necessary C.regular D.ordinary
15.A.all the way B.by the way C.in your way D.on your way
16.A.Holding on B.Holding out C.Holding back D.Holding up
17.A.banning B.tolerating C.removing D.reducing
18.A.especially B.hopefully C.similarly D.specially
19.A.meet with B.get away with C.keep pace with D.deal with
20.A.joy B.relief C.anxiety D.sorrow
假如你是李华，几天前你去万达影院看电影。在观影过程中，你发现了一些问题，请你用英语给影院经理写封信反映如下情况并请及时整改。
1.广告太多
2.影片音质不好
3.出口标示不清晰
注意:1.词数100左右
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯
出口标示:the EXIT signs
Dear Manager,
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours faithfully
LiHua
