I left university with a good degree in English Literature, but no sense of what I wanted to do. Over the next six years, I was treading water, just trying to earn an income. I tried journalism, but I didn’t think I was any good, then finance, which I hated. Finally, I got a job as a rights assistant at a famous publisher. I loved working with books, although the job that I did was dull.
I had enough savings to take a year off work, and I decided to try to satisfy a deep-down wish to write a novel. Attending a Novel Writing MA course gave me the structure I needed to write my first 55,000 words.
It takes confidence to make a new start — there’s a dark period in-between where you’re neither one thing nor the other. You’re out for dinner and people ask what you do, and you’re too ashamed to say, “Well, I’m writing a novel, but I’m not quite sure if I’m going to get there.” My confidence dived. Believing my novel could not be published, I put it aside.
Then I met an agent（代理商）who said I should send my novel out to agents. So, I did and, to my surprise, got some wonderful feedback. I felt a little hope that I might actually become a published writer and, after signing with an agent, I finished the second half of the novel.
The next problem was finding a publisher. After two-and-a-half years of no income, just waiting and wondering, a publisher offered me a book deal — that publisher turned out to be the one I once worked for.
It feels like an unbelievable stroke of luck — of fate, really. When you set out to do something different, there’s no end in sight, so to find myself in a position where I now have my own name on a contract（合同）of the publisher — to be a published writer — is unbelievably rewarding（有回报的）.What does the underlined part in Paragraph 1 mean?
| A．I was waiting for good fortune. |
| B．I was trying to find an admirable job. |
| C．I was being aimless about a suitable job. |
| D．I was doing several jobs for more pay at a time. |
The author decided to write a novel ______ .
| A．to finish the writing course |
| B．to realize her own dream |
| C．to satisfy readers’ wish |
| D．to earn more money |
How did the writer feel halfway with the novel?
| A．Disturbed. | B．Ashamed. | C．Confident. | D．Uncertain. |
What does the author mainly want to tell readers in the last paragraph?
| A．It pays to stick to one’s goal. |
| B．Hard work can lead to success. |
| C．She feels like being unexpectedly lucky. |
| D．There is no end in sight when starting to do something. |
When there are some strangers in front of us, which of them will we trust?
According to a new study in the online PLOS One, people make their decisions to trust others largely based on their faces．Your appearance can do a lot for you, especially if you are in the financial industry．The more trustworthy you look, the more likely people will buy what you’re selling．
Researchers from Britain’s University of Warwick Business School, University College London, and Dartmouth College, US, did a number of experiments．
The research team used computer software to make 40 faces, from the least to the most trustworthy-looking．
The study said that the difference between a trustworthy face and one that isn’t as trustworthy comes from features that look slightly angry or slightly happy, even when the face is at rest．However, a slightly happy face is more likely to be trusted．
Researchers gave participants some money and asked them which face they trusted to invest the money for them．Then researchers gave some good and bad information about the people with these faces, and asked the participants again whom they trusted．
The results showed that even if they got different information, the participants didn’t change their choices．They were still more likely to invest their money with the more trustworthy-looking faces．
Chris Olivola, one of the study’s authors, said in the University of Warwick’s press release: “It seems we are still willing to go with our own instincts about whether we think someone looks like we can trust them．The temptation to judge strangers by their faces is hard to resist．”Which of the following can be a proper title for this passage?
| A．What kind of face do you trust? |
| B．Who did the experiments? |
| C．Why do you trust him or her? |
| D．Why did they do the experiments? |
According to the study, which of the following faces is most likely to be trusted?
| A．A sad face． | B．A smiling face． |
| C．A crying face． | D．An angry face． |
Which of the following about the experiment is TRUE?
| A．The trustworthy faces were given good information． |
| B．Researchers took photos of the 40 people’s faces in college． |
| C．Most participants gave their money to the trustworthy-looking faces． |
| D．Participants liked to choose the faces with good information． |
What did the researchers learn from their experiment?
| A．People can’t refuse temptations． |
| B．People always do things with their instincts． |
| C．People don’t trust strangers with sad faces． |
| D．People often judge strangers by their faces． |
Reducing the amount of salt in our diets could save nearly 20,000 lives in the UK every year, according to researchers.
The recommended maximum daily intake for adults is 6g in the UK, although just month the World Health Organization (WHO) revised this down to 5g. Yet according to figures from the British Heat Foundation, men consume around 9.7g a day, while women have 7.7 g.
| Fast food |
Salt Content |
| Original chicken |
2.9g per portion (份) |
| Spicy crayfish |
3.5g per portion |
| Large chips |
1 per portion |
| McDonald’s Big Mac |
2.1 per portion |
Not researchers at three universities, including Harvard Medical School, have revealed the dramatic effect reducing salt could have on death rates by using computer models. They estimated that reducing salt intake to 6g would save 500,000 to 850,000 lives in the US over the next decade.
British doctor Ian Campbell, medical director of charity Weight Concern, told Mail Online: Salt is a big problem in the UK, too. It’s a silent killer. Over time consuming too much of it increases the risk of high blood pressure, which can lead to heart attacks. About 80 percent of our salt intake comes from processed foods, so it can be difficult to avoid.
Many people are unaware of where salt is hidden, such as bread, soups, ready meals, and even breakfast cereals (麦片). The government approach has been to encourage food companies to cut the amount of salt in their products. There has been a reduction but it is taking too long. The Food Standards Agency should consider setting compulsory maximum levels for salt.
Victoria Taylor, Senior Dietitian at the British Heat Foundation, added: Eating too much salt may raise your blood pressure and having high blood pressure increases your risk of developing heart disease.
The government has worked with the food industry to reduce the amount of salt in our food and make labels clearer. But there is still work to be down by everyone because the majority of Brits are still consuming more salt than they would be.Which of the following in the table reaches the daily maximum amount of salt recommended by the WHO?
| A．A large chips and a McDonald’s Big Mac. |
| B．A spicy crayfish and a large chips. |
| C．An original chicken and a spicy crayfish. |
| D．A McDonald’s Big Mac and an original chicken. |
According to the passage, when people eat processed food they ________.
| A．needn’t add salt |
| B．should add a little salt |
| C．may ruin their health |
| D．can have risk of heart attacks |
To solve the problem of eating too much salt, Ian Campbell advises ________.
| A．having healthier breakfast |
| B．punishing the illegal food companies |
| C．reducing the amount of processed food |
| D．making laws about maximum levels for salt |
The last paragraph emphasizes the importance of ________.
| A．making food tables clearer |
| B．monitoring the food industry |
| C．promoting the awareness of salt content |
| D．strengthening the government’s functions |
Rock Junket is The Original Rock n’ Roll Walking Tour of New York City. Rock Junket founder Bobby Pinn is an author, former rock radio personality, rock historian and he’s spent 17 years as a music executive (总监). Read the reviews, book the best and forget the rest!
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 Check availability and buy tickets online: |
| East Village Rock Tour - #1 seller - Monday thru Saturday Greenwich Village Rock Tour\ - Sunday Union Square Rock Tour - Tuesday and Thursday Beatles Tour Customized (定制的) Tours Advance purchase required as Tours sell out quickly Purchase by phone at (212) 290-3370 |
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| Group and Private Tours Available – for details click here or call (646) 515-7874 |
Rock Junket Walking Tours are not only the perfect way to dig deep into New York’s rock scene but also learn about art, fashion, rock n’ roll clothing stores and great local bars and restaurants. The East Village Rock Tour is very popular as we demonstrate how the neighborhood went from poor to being the birthplace of punk rock. On The Greenwich Village Rock Tour we’ll look at the influence Bob Dylan had on the Village plus sites about Jimi Hendrix and The Animals. We cover lost of clubs also including Café Wha, Bitter End, and other. The Union Square Rock Tour details the immoral behavior of Max’ Kansas City, Webster Hall. Andy Warhol and his 2nd and 3rd Factory, a famous Clash album cover and much more. The Beatles Tour takes us through Midtown and Uptown as we explore the sites that gave birth to Beatlemania (披头士狂热). Our Customized Rock Tours have been booked and loved by schools, universities, writers, museum curators (馆长) and many others.From the passage, we know Rock Junket is ________.
| A．a travel agency | B．a famous museum |
| C．a website for music lovers | D．a survey company |
If you want to join in the Rock Junket’s activities, you must ________.
| A．has a gift for music |
| B．read online reviews |
| C．wear rock n’ roll clothes |
| D．buy a ticket in advance |
Which of the following is most popular among student groups?
| A．The East Village Rock Tour |
| B．Greenwich Village Rock Tour |
| C．Customized Rock Tours |
| D．Union Square Rock Tour |
What is so amazing about giving blood?
The National Blood Service, which covers all of England and North Wales, needs nearly two and a half million blood donations each year. When you give blood, you’ll be doing one of the most amazing things anybody could dream of — saving a life.
___________________________
All types of blood are needed —not just rare ones. In fact, the commoner the blood type, the more are needed. So even if your blood is one of the most common types — group O for example — you can be sure that by donating three times a year, you really are doing something amazing.
What is the donation process?
The donation will last about an hour in all. When you arrive, you will be asked a few questions about your health. Then a drop of blood will be taken and tested just to make sure you’re not anemic(贫血). If all is well, your donation will be taken.
This only takes about ten minutes, during which time 470ml of blood will be collected. Most people hardly feel a thing. After a short rest, a drink and biscuits, you’ll be up and ready to go. All equipment used in the collection of your blood is new and is never reused, so you don’t have to worry about risks to your health in the collection of your blood.
Who can become a blood donor?
Becoming a blood donor really is very simple. As long as you’re in good health and aged between 17 and 60, you can become a blood donor. If you would like more information or advice, or you want to become a blood donor, ring the donor helpline on 0845 7711. The donor helpline is open 24 hours a day — every day of the year.Which is the subtitle (副标题) of Paragraph 2?
| A．Why should you donate blood? |
| B．What should you consider before donation? |
| C．What types of blood are needed? |
| D．How many times a year can you donate blood? |
Before giving blood, you will ________.
| A．take a blood test | B．wait for one day |
| C．fill in a form | D．rest for a while |
What does the passage tell us about the donation process?
| A．It takes many hours. |
| B．It’s done on computer. |
| C．It doesn’t need equipment. |
| D．It won’t affect donors’ health. |
The purpose of the writing is to _______.
| A．introduce the National Blood Service |
| B．call on people to donate blood |
| C．show the importance of donation |
| D．remind people of the danger |
Strange Baby-Naming Laws
Germany Parents are banned by law from using last names and the names of objects and products as first names. A child’s first name must clearly indicate his or her sex, and all names must be approved by the office of vital statistics in the area in which the child was born.
Iceland The country’s naming committee consults the National Register of Persons to determine if a name is acceptable. If parents want to go off-list, they must apply for approval and pay a fee, and the name must contain only letters in the Icelandic alphabet.
New Zealand The country’s Births, Deaths, and Marriages Registration Act of 1995 prohibits parents from choosing a name that “ might cause offense to a reasonable person; is unreasonably long; or is, includes, or resembles an official title or rank,” including, apparently, Adolf Hitler and Yeah Detroit—both names recently rejected.
Denmark If Danish parents prefer a moniker not on the list of 7,000 preapproved baby names, they must get permission from local church and government officials. Fifteen to 20 percent of the 1,100 reviewed names—including creative spellings of common names, last names as first names, and unusual names—are rejected each year.You can tell whether a baby is a girl or a boy according to the first name in _____.
| A．Germany | B．New Zealand |
| C．Iceland | D．Denmark |
In Iceland, the names should _____.
| A．be approved by the office of vital statistics. |
| B．be accepted by the National Register of Persons. |
| C．contain only letters in the Roman alphabet. |
| D．be paid for some money. |
Which name is accepted in New Zealand?
| A．Bin Laden | B．Talula Does The Hula |
| C．John Smith | D．Keenan Got Lucky |
According to the passage, which of the following is true?
| A．Parents should pay a fee for babies’ names if the names are rejected. |
| B．Each year about 150-200 reviewed names are rejected in Denmark. |
| C．Adolf Hitler is banned in Iceland. |
| D．Danish babies’ names should be on the list if parents can’t get the permission. |
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