A Book Review-The Snake-Stone by Berlie Doherty
The setting: Urban England (the cities), but also rural England (the countryside) including remote English villages.
The theme: The main theme is a teenage search of self-discovery, in this case the search for a mother from whom the hero was separated at an early age. Its other concerns are love, getting on with others, being persistent and courageous and trying to deal with doubts, troubles and worries. As the book moves to a close, James' swimming coach says to him: "You are not like a kid obeying instructions any more. You are diving like a young man who knows where he is going."
The characters: James is the hero of the story. He is a championship diver, and has a comfortable life with his foster parents (养父母). Yet he also has the qualities to take him on a long journey to find his birth mother. The other characters in The Snake-Stone, James' parents, his diving instructor, best friend, the villagers, people he meets on his journey, are pictured realistically.
The turning point: The turning point in the story comes while James' foster parents are away in London, and he wonders about the identity of his birth mother. The only clue he has is a fossil, "the snake stone" which she left behind along with a note on which she had written: "Take good care of Sammie. It was written on a torn envelope with parts of an address still there.
The journey: Instead of going to London, James decides to find his birth mother. With help from his geography teacher, James sets out for the remote country village where his mother might be found. James has painful, challenging, but also humorous and happy travels. The mother he finally meets, Anne, has a minor yet powerful voice in the novel. He comes to understand why she left him at a stranger's door fifteen years before. Although the meeting is not long, it leaves him with a feeling of completeness. As a journey of self-discovery The Snake-Stone also provides its readers with a happy ending. Its hero says, on returning to his foster parents, "I was home."
| 1． |
What is the main theme of the novel?
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| 2． |
What do the coach's words in Paragraph 2 suggest?
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| 3． |
The snake stone in the novel is.
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| 4． |
Which of the following is true about the novel?
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| 5． |
It can be concluded that James' journey is.
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Change Has Come to America
November, 04, 2008, Barack Obama
Hello, Chicago.
If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen.
A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Sen. McCain. Sen. McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he's fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.
I congratulate him; I congratulate Gov. Palin for all that they've achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.
I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.
And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation's next first lady Michelle Obama.
Sasha and Malia I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the new White House.
To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you've given me. I am grateful to them.
And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe, the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best -- the best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America.
To my chief strategist David Axelrod who's been a partner with me every step of the way.
To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.
But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you. Why did Sen. McCain make a phone call to the writer?
| A．To inform the writer of something important. |
| B．To share his happiness with the writer. |
| C．To congratulate the writer on his success. |
| D．To give him some good ideas on making a successful speech.. |
If Sen. McCain won the election, What would Palin do?
| A．She would be a governor. |
| B．She would be the vice president-elect of the United States. |
| C．She would be the nation's next first lady. |
| D．She would be the campaign manager of Sen. McCain’s. |
How many people did the writer thank in his speech?
| A．5 | B．6 | C．7 | D．8 |
What did the writer imply by saying “I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to?”
| A．He is a failure rather than a success. |
| B．He still doesn’t know who this victory truly belongs to. |
| C．He thinks highly of his supporters. |
| D．He considers his success as people’s victory. |
Thai authorities have been urged to see to it that condominiums (公寓), apartment houses and other lodgings available to tourists throughout the country will be of higher quality than today, a leading tourism businesswoman has said.
Piyaman Techapaibul, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, called on the Ministry of Tourism & Sports as well as other government agencies concerned to have those places and accommodations for tourists improved and upgraded to meet international standards because, she said, today's tourists from around the world have more money to spend and prefer quality lodgings as well as quality services and accommodations at those places.
"Added by condos and apartment houses currently opening for daily rent, the number of lodgings for tourists throughout the country has increased over the years, but not the qualities. Many of today's tourists are so affluent and selective that they'd prefer quality places where personnel should be very responsible and experienced in taking care of them while security should be constantly and effectually maintained," she said.
Employees and staff in charge of providing accommodations to tourists should be expert in communicating with the foreigners, service-minded and speak fluent English, according to the council leader.
Thailand is seen to receive up to 23.1 million tourists from other countries around the world next year, compared to about 21.7 million, who have reportedly visited the country throughout this year, about 2.6 million of whom from China, while as much as two trillion baht (US$66.6 billion) is expected to be earned from tourist industry by 2015, compared to about one trillion baht (US$33.3 billion) this year.
Thailand's most favorite destinations for tourists include the world-famous beach resorts of Pattaya and Phuket, the Andaman Sea archipelagos of Krabi and Surat Thani and the capital city of Bangkok.
The council leader made her comments in response to news reports that the government might deregulate (撤销管制) businesses of running condominiums and apartment houses to the extent that they might not only serve as a place which collects monthly rent from the tenants but as a hotel where guests pay the room rates on a daily basis.
No parking lots or hotel-operating licenses might be legally required at such places nationwide only if they were practically turned into daily hotels or guesthouses.What can we learn from paragraph 1?
| A．Thai started to take measures to have the accommodations improved in the past. |
| B．Tourism is the leading industry in Thailand. |
| C．The accommodations in Thailand are of poor quality. |
| D．Tourists prefer hotels to apartment houses in Thai. |
What does the underlined word “affluent” in paragraph 3 mean?
| A．particular | B．prosperous | C．sensitive | D．restricted |
According to the passage, how many people went to Thailand for a trip except China this year?
| A．about 23,1 million | B．about 21.7 million |
| C．about 2.6 million | D．about 19.1 million |
Why did the authorities in Thai need to have the lodgings improved?
| A．Because tourists prefer better service and better living condition |
| B．Because tourists have plenty of money. |
| C．Because they want to meet the international standards |
| D．Because the condominiums in Thai are inferior to those in any other country. |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is not true?
| A．Piyaman advocated the authorities not to limit the development of the condos. |
| B．Bangkok is one of the most attractive destinations for tourists |
| C．Thailand has earned about one trillion baht from tourist industry this year. |
| D．Staff in condos should speak English fluently. |
“Who is that?” When watching the movie, Silver Linings Playbook, at the Toronto International Film Festival in early September, the woman sitting next asked me.
It seemed to be a strange question. I wanted to ask if she ever saw a little movie called The Hunger Games, or the Oscar-nominated movie Winter’s Bone. Instead, I just answered, “Jennifer Lawrence.” But I wondered how a moviegoer does not recognize Lawrence! As Silver Linings Playbook continued to unfold and Lawrence revealed herself as a wonderful comic actress, it hit me: this woman probably has never seen Jennifer Lawrence smile before. That is the thing throwing her.
Audiences will have the opportunity to watch Lawrence’s performance in Silver Linings Playbook when the film opens in limited release before a Thanksgiving weekend blowout expansion. The 22-year-old actress heads this year’s lead actress Oscar race by a country mile. Here’s an early main list of some competitors in this category.
1. Jennifer Lawrence in Silver Linings Playbook
2. Quvenzhane Wallis in Beasts of the Southern Wild
3. Marion Cotillard in Rust and Bone
3. Helen Mirren in Hitchcock
5. Emmanuelle Riva in Amour
6. Jessica Chastain in Zero Dark Thirty
Chastain, playing a CIA agent in Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty, is the wild card here and, quite possibly, the only candidate capable of replacing Lawrence from the top spot. The cruelty in Rust and Bone will put off sensitive academy members, making Cotillard lose chances for a second Oscar. Wallis makes for a wonderful story, but it is too early for her to be awarded a lead actress. Riva will need a push to win the nomination of lead actress.
Mirren, as the Alfred Hitchcock’s wife and unsung partner, Alma Reville, might pose the biggest threat to Lawrence. Older academy members will love the historical Hollywood seen in Hitchcock, and Mirren’s role as the unsung wind beneath Hitch’s wings should find appreciation within creative circles. It’s not “The Queen”. but this year, it might be enough. What’s the purpose of the first paragraph?
| A．To introduce Silver Linings Playbook |
| B．To get us out of the topic. |
| C．To tell us a specific story |
| D．To bring out the topic of the passage |
The underlined sentence implies that ?
| A．Jennifer Lawrence doesn’t like smile. |
| B．Jennifer Lawrence’s smile can impress you all greatly. |
| C．The woman has never seen comic films featured by Jennifer Lawrence. |
| D．The woman hates to see Jennifer Lawrence’s films. |
Which of the following statements is true, according to the passage?
| A．Cotillard once won the best actress Oscar. |
| B．Jennifer Lawrence was nominated because of The Hunger Games. |
| C．Mirren is the only one who can take the place of Jennifer Lawrence. |
| D．We cannot see the film Silver Linings Playbook before Thanksgiving. |
According to the last two paragraphs, who are likely to replace Jennifer Lawrence to become the best actress?
a.Quvenzhane Wallis b.Marion Cotillard c.Helen Mirren
d.Emmanuelle Riva e. Jessica Chastain f. Alma Reville
| A．c, e | B．a ,c ,f | C．d, f | D．c, e, f |
The most suitable title of the passage is ?
| A．Silver Linings Playbook, the best movie |
| B．A 22-year-old actress |
| C．My favorite movie |
| D．Jennifer Lawrence takes the lead |
Some American parents might think their children need better educations to compete with China and other countries. But how much do the parents themselves need to change?
A new book called Battle Hymn(圣歌) of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua has caused a debate about cultural differences in parenting. Ms. Chua is a professor at the Yale Law School in New Haven, Connecticut, and the mother of two daughters. She was raised in the American Mid-west by immigrant Chinese parents.
In the Chinese culture, the tiger represents strength and power. In her book, Ms Chua writes about how she demanded excellence from her daughters. For example, she threatened to burn her daughter’s stuffed animals unless she played a piece of music perfectly. She would insult her daughters if they failed to meet her expectations.
Ms. Chua told NBC television that she had a clear list of what her daughters, Sophia and Louisa, were not permitted to do.
“Attend a sleepover, have a playdate, watch TV or play computer games, be in a school play, get any grade less than an ‘A’.”
Many people have criticized Amy Chua. Some say her parenting methods were abusive. She even admits that her husband, who is not Chinese, sometimes objected to her parenting style. But she says that was the way her parents raised her and her three sisters.
Ms. Chua makes fun of her own extreme style of parenting. She says she eased some of the pressure after her younger daughter rebelled and shouted, “I hate my life! I hate you!”
Ms. Chua says she decided to retreat when it seemed like there was a risk that she might lose her daughter. But she also says American parents often have low expectations of their children’s abilities.
“One of the biggest differences I see between Western and Chinese parenting is that Chinese parents assume strength rather than fragility.”
Stacey DeBroff has written four books on parenting. “I think that the stirring of intense debate has to do with what it means to be a successful parent and what it means to be a successful child.”
Ms. DeBroff says Amy Chua’s parenting style is not limited to Chinese families. She says it represents a traditional way of parenting among immigrants seeking a better future for their children.
But she also sees a risk. When children have no time to be social or to follow their own interests, they might not develop other skills that they need to succeed in life. Stacey DeBroff advises parents to develop their own style of parenting and not just repeat the way they were raised.According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE about American parents?
| A．Some of them expect their children to be competitive. |
| B．Some of them need to educate themselves better. |
| C．They should learn from Chinese parents. |
| D．They care their kids more than Chinese. |
What can we learn about Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother?
| A．It is a list of things for children to do. |
| B．It is a book about cultural differences. |
| C．It is a heated debate about parenting. |
| D．It is a book about how to raise children. |
Based on the passage, Ms. Chua’s parenting is exposed to the following EXCEPT
| A．pressure | B．management | C．recreation | D．compromise |
Which of the following agrees with Ms. DeBroff?
| A．Different cultures have different concepts of values. |
| B．Chua’s parenting is followed by many American families. |
| C．Immigrants are always bitterly struggling abroad. |
| D．Parents had better raise their children in person. |
What’s the author’s attitude towards Ms. Chua’s parenting?
| A．Positive | B．Inactive | C．Indefinite | D．Negative |
Eleven top universities are joining the Open University to launch free Internet courses. King’s College London, along with the Universities of Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, East Anglia, Exeter, Lancaster, Leeds, Southampton, St Andrews and Warwick, has partnered with FutureLearn, a company set up by the Open University that will offer free and non-credit bearing courses to Internet-users around the world.
The courses are modeled on the US phenomenon “Massive open online courses” ( Moocs ), which have attracted millions of users around the world and are especially popular in emerging economies.
FutureLearn will improve UK institutions for international students, said Prof Martin Bean, voice-chancellor of the Open University. “At the moment, foreign students’ perception of UK Universities is: wonderful history, great tradition, really good teaching, but a bit boring.”
Leeds University says the partnership will benefit students studying on campus. “Students will have access to a rich set of resources from both Leeds and our partners. They can also broaden their education beyond their main subject areas.”
The UK higher education industry stands among the top five export earners for Britain Moocs have grown rapidly in the US over the past year, with two providers leading the field. Coursera offers courses from 33 Universities, including Princeton, Brown, Columbia and Duke, and has reached more than 1.7 million users, EdX, a nonprofit start-up from Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology courses this autumn.
Simon Nelson, one of the key architects of BBC Online, will head FutureLearn as launch CEO. “It’s really meaningful for these universities to come together –we’ll punch much harder collectively than any other university will individually,” he said.
Partner Institutions will be responsible for their own content while the OU, which has been providing distance-learning courses since 1971, will assist with course delivery and infrastructure. Details of further universities will be revealed next year, as will the courses on offer. What does the underlined word “perception” in paragrah3 mean?
| A．expectation | B．view | C．dream | D．proposal |
We can learn from the passage that
| A．Coursera, one of the two providers, leads the online courses in the US. |
| B．Economics is the most popular subject among these online courses. |
| C．FutureLearn is only set up for the Internet-users. |
| D．About 1,7million users are taking the free courses launched by UK. |
What is implied in Simon’s words?
| A．It’s really meaningful for these universities to cooperate. |
| B．Single university can’t do the work very well. |
| C．These universities will compete with each other. |
| D．Joint efforts by these top universities will help the program go more smoothly. |
All of the following statements are true except
| A．Internet-users don’t need to get credit for the courses. |
| B．UK may top the list of online education one day. |
| C．The UK higher education industry stands among the top five export earners for England. |
| D．Some foreign students may think UK universities are not so satisfying. |
In which magazine would you most likely find this passage?
| A．Entertainment | B．Science | C．Education | D．Business Week |
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