Egypt: Bridging the Gap between School English and Real English
Teaching English in Egypt in general and in my town Damietta in particular, is mainly directed towards helping students to pass their final exams. Unfortunately, most teachers do not adopt a long -term approach that guarantees that their students will be able to use English outside the classroom. So students only concentrate on one skill which is writing. Thus their listening and speaking skills are disabled. What is important to them is to pass the exam which is primarily based on writing .Teachers are not only concentrated with providing their students with questions that are similar to those of the final exam, particularly General Secondary Education Certificate (GSEC) Examination, so students spend most of their time answering typical exam questions.
Most students' scores are high; a lot of students get full marks. However, few students are able to communicate in English because their role plays. As a result, a lot of students complain that they are unable to understand and talk fluently with native speakers of English.
To enable students to communicate freely and spontaneously(自然地) in English, I bring features of real communication into language practice, I always ask students about their own experiences, and suggest groups of students practice what they have learned outside the classroom. This helps lower-achieving students absorb language. Furthermore, role play is a very effective way to improve speaking skills particularly if it is connected to the experience of the students.Who probably write this passage?
| A．a teacher | B．a governor | C．a student | D．a reporter |
In Egypt, the students only concentrate on ------
| A．listening skill | B．speaking skill | C．reading skill | D．writing skill |
The teachers question their students based on -------
| A．what they learn in the class |
| B．What their parents expect |
| C．The questions that are similar to those of GSEC |
| D．The ability that will be used outside the classroom |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．Most of the students can't get high marks but can communicate with the native speakers of English. |
| B． Communicating skill is more important than writing skill. |
| C．Role play connected to the speaker's experience is more effective in improving his skill. |
| D．The lower--achieving students can do better in speaking skill than the upper achieving students. |
Who will responsible for the gap between school English and real English?
| A．Their parents | B．The students | C．The school | D．The education sys tem |
Beer and fried chicken — Thanks to a South Korean drama currently on air, Man From the Stars, this new mix-and-match junk food trend has become popular among young audiences, despite its unhealthy nature. Indeed, South Korean TV dramas, or K-drama for short, have been a major force in the South Korean pop-culture wave that has captured the hearts of young Chinese audiences. According to iQiyi, a video website that features Man From the Stars, by Feb 15, the number of views for the TV drama hit 370 million in China.
“It is interesting to explore what elements of those dramas appeal to audiences. It’s obviously more than just pretty faces,” says Yan Feng, a professor of Chinese literature at Fudan University. Reflected by audiences, culture critics and insiders of the industry, youth fantasy, creative storylines, cultural proximity, and well-organized production all add up to K-drama’s success, along with, of course, those handsome and cute faces dressed in the latest fashion trends.
“Everyone fancies a perfect partner, handsome or beautiful,” says Zhou Ying, a professor at Chongqing Technology and Business University. “The South Korean TV industry is feeding this need.” After Lee Min-ho appeared on CCTV’s annual Spring Festival gala, he became the most famous South Korean in China. Only weeks later, Kim Soo-hyun, lead actor in Man From the Stars, swept the country. Apart from pretty faces, fashion is another highlight of the series. Each time actors from the series wear a new set of outfits, similar clothes experience a sales boom online, according to Xiao Yi, a Taobao store owner.
As is known, with love triangles, incurable diseases, and Cinderella tales, storylines in South Korean dramas may seem a bit commonplace. While The Man From the Stars challenges this by putting aliens and time travel into these existing stories, Peng Sanyuan, a screenwriter, says a focus on detail is a key factor in the success of these dramas. “In order to accurately target audiences and find emotional reflections with them, more and more female writers are working in the industry,” says Peng about her experience of exchanging ideas with South Korean colleagues. According the experts, South Korean writers somehow make sense of these plots, no matter how unlikely it seems.Why has beer and fried chicken become so popular among Chinese young people at present?
| A．Because the food tastes very great. |
| B．Because they want to change the trend. |
| C．Because the food is good for their health. |
| D．Because they are deeply affected by the Korean TV drama. |
What’s the meaning of the underlined word “proximity” in paragraph 2?
| A．similarity | B．difference | C．conflict | D．curiosity |
According to the whole passage, how many elements can lead to the appeal of Korean dramas?
| A．Two | B．Four | C．Six | D．Seven |
After reading the third paragraph, which of the following is right?
| A．Lee Min-ho is the lead actor in Man From the Stars. |
| B．Kim Soo-hyun appeared on CCTV’s annual Spring Festival gala |
| C．The similar clothes worn by the Korean actors become very hot online. |
| D．Everyone has a perfect partner, who is handsome or beautiful. |
What makes Man From the Stars different from other K-dramas according to the last paragraph?
| A．Female writers | B．Creative stories | C．Pretty faces | D．Fashionable clothes |
New technology links the world as never before. Our planet has shrunk. It's now a "global village" where countries are only seconds away by fax or phone or satellite link. And, of course, our ability to benefit from this high-tech communication equipment is greatly improved by foreign language skills.
Deeply involved with this new technology is a kind of modem businesspeople who have a growing respect for the economic value of doing business abroad. In modern markets, success overseas often helps support home business efforts.
Overseas assignments are becoming increasingly important to advancement within executive ranks (管理层). The executive stationed in another country no longer need fear being "out of sight and out of mind." He or she can be sure that the overseas effort is central to the company's plan for success, and that promotions often follow or accompany an assignment abroad. If an employee can succeed in a difficult assignment overseas, superiors will have greater confidence in his or her ability to cope back in the United States where cross-cultural considerations and foreign language issues are becoming more and more popular.
Thanks to a variety of relatively inexpensive communication devices with business applications, even small businesses in the United States are able to get into international markets.
English is still the international language of business. But there is an ever-growing need for people who can speak another language. A second language isn't generally required to get a job in business, but having language skills gives a candidate the edge when other qualifications appear to be equal.
The employee posted abroad who speaks the country's official language has an opportunity to fast-forward certain negotiations, and can have the cultural insight to know when it is better to move more slowly. The employee at the home office who can communicate well with foreign partners over the telephone or by fax machine is an obvious asset（资产）to the firm.What is the author's attitude toward high-tech communications equipment?
| A．Negative. | B．Positive. | C．Prejudiced. | D．discontented. |
With the increased use of high-tech communication equipment, business people ________.
| A．are eager to work overseas |
| B．have to get familiar with modem technology |
| C．are attaching more importance to their overseas businesses |
| D．are gaining more economic benefits from domestic businesses |
In paragraph 3, "out of sight and out of mind" (Line 2-3) probably means ________.
| A．leaving all care and worry behind |
| B．being totally out of touch with business at home |
| C．being unable to think properly for lack of insight |
| D．missing opportunities for promotion when abroad |
According to the passage, what is an important consideration of international corporations in employing people today?
| A．Ability to speak the customer's language. |
| B．Connections with businesses over seas |
| C．Technical know-how. |
| D．Business experience. |
The advantage of employees having foreign language skills is that they can _________.
| A．fast-forward their proposals to their bosses. |
| B．better control the whole negotiation process |
| C．easily make friends with business people abroad |
| D．easily find new approaches to meet market needs |
There is a story about a man who lost his legs and left arm in an accident. After the accident, only a finger and thumb on his right hand remained.
He was a brilliant, creative, and educated man. He had gained a lot of experience while traveling around the world, so he became very depressed after his accident. He was afraid that he would spend the rest of his life suffering and would no longer be able to spend his life in a meaningful way. Then, he realized that he still had partial function of his right hand and could still write even though it was very difficult. An idea occurred to him. "Why not write to other people who need encouragement?"
He wrote to the prison ministry about sending letters to the prisoners. The prison minister replied, "Writing to the prisoners is acceptable, but your letters will not be answered."
Filled with excitement, the man knew he could write his letters. He began sending one-way messages of God’s love, hope, strength, and encouragement. He wrote twice a week, testing his strength and ability to the limit. He poured his heart and soul into his words and shared his experience, sense of humor, optimism, and faith.
It was difficult to write those letters, especially without hope of a reply. One day he received a letter from the prison ministry. It was a short note from the officer who monitored and checked the prison mail.
The letter said, "Please write on the best paper you can afford. Your letters are passed from cell to cell until they literally fall to pieces!"
No matter what circumstances life may present, we all have unique experiences, abilities, and God-given talents. We can discover ways to reach others who desperately need messages of encouragement and strength. Before the man had the accident, he ________.
| A．had toured around the world |
| B．had visited local prisons |
| C．had tried doing exercise to recover himself |
| D．had been friends with the prison minister |
In order to live in a meaningful way, the man began to ________.
| A．receive the school education |
| B．write to other people who needs encouragement |
| C．meet the people who are depressed |
| D．help other people lost arms and legs |
According to the prison minister, ________.
| A．the man was not allowed to write to the prisoners |
| B．the man couldn’t go to see the prisoners himself |
| C．the prisoners were not allowed to answer the letters |
| D．he was not sure if the prisoners liked receiving the letters |
From the officer’s short note we are told that ________.
| A．the man would be offered free paper to write letters on |
| B．some of the prisoners were not satisfied with his letters |
| C．the prisoners eagerly wanted to write back to the man |
| D．his letters were very popular among the prisoners |
What can be the best title for the passage?
| A．Stories about a humorous Person |
| B．Popularity of Special Letters |
| C．Special letters of Encouragement |
| D．Relationship between writers and prisoners |
Whether we should allow marine (海洋的) parks to stay open has been widely debated in our community recently. A variety of different arguments have been put forward about it.
Smith, a sociologist, argued that dolphin parks provide the only opportunity for much of the public to see marine mammals. As this argument goes, most Australians live in cities and never get to see these animals. Marine parks allow the average Australian to appreciate our marine wildlife. However, in fact, there are many places where they can be seen in the wild. Moreover, these places do not charge an overpriced entry fee — they are free.
Dr. Alison Lane, the director of the Cairns Marine Science Institute, insists that we need marine parks for scientific research. She argues that much of our knowledge of marine mammals comes from studies which were undertaken at marine parks. The knowledge which is obtained at marine parks can be useful for planning for the preservation of marine mammal species. However, Jones, a zoologist, explains that park research is only useful for understanding captive animals and is not useful for learning about animals in the wild. Their diets are different, they have significantly lower life lengths and they are more likely to have a disease. In addition, marine mammals in dolphin parks are trained and this means that their patterns of social behaviour are changed.
The Marine Park Owners Association holds that marine parks attract a lot of foreign tourists. This position goes on to state that these tourists spend a lot of money, increasing our foreign exchange earnings and assisting our national balance of payments. However, foreign tourists would still come to Australia if the parks were closed down. Indeed, surveys of overseas tourists show that they come here for a variety of other reasons and not to visit places like Seaworld. Tourists come here to see our native wildlife in its natural environment and not to see it in cages and concrete pools. They can see animals in those conditions in their own countries.
In a word, perhaps an agreement cannot be reached now. However, a question does deserve our consideration: If we continue with our past crimes against these creatures, how will our future generations view us?Who support(s) the idea of closing marine parks?
| A．Most Australians. | B．Alison Lane. | C．Smith. | D．Jones. |
What does the author intend to tell us in Paragraph 3 ?
| A．The results from studies are valuable in animal preservation. |
| B．Scientific research at the marine parks has its limitations. |
| C．Captive animals have biology changes in marine parks. |
| D．Human behavior causes harmful effects on the animals. |
Which is NOT the reason to keep marine parks?
| A．For entertainment purpose. | B．For scientific research purpose. |
| C．For economic purpose. | D．For political purpose. |
The author tries to persuade readers to accept his argument mainly by .
| A．pointing out the problems with keeping the marine parks |
| B．using evidence he has collected at the marine parks |
| C．discussing the advantages of animals' natural homes |
| D．questioning the way the animals are studied |
Now Hear This
What do former American president Bill Clinton and rock musician Pete Townshend have in common.'? Both men have hearing damage from exposure to loud music, and both now wear hearing aids as a consequence. As a teenager, Clinton played saxophone in a band. Townshend, who has the more severe hearing loss, was a guitarist for a band called the Who. He is one of the first rock musicians to call the public's attention to the problem of hearing loss from exposure to loud music.
Temporary hearing loss can happen after only 15 minutes of listening to loud music. One early warning sign is when your ears begin to feel warm while you listen to music at a rock concert or through headphones. One later is that an unusual sound or a ringing is sometimes produced in your head after the concert.
"What happens is that the hair cells in the inner ear are damaged, but they're not dead," says physician and ear specialist Dr. Sam Levine. According to Dr. Levine, if you avoid further exposure to loud noise, it's possible to recondition the cells somewhat. However, he adds, "Eventually, over a long period of time, hair cells are permanently damaged." And this is no small problem.
What sound level is dangerous? According to Dr. Levine, regular exposure to noise above 85 decibels (分贝) is considered dangerous. The chart below offers a comparison of decibel levels to certain sounds. Here's another measurement you can use. If you're at a rock concert and the music is so loud that you have to shout to make yourself heard, you' re at risk for hearing loss. That's when wearing protective devices such as earplugs becomes critical.
The facts are pretty frightening. But are rock bands turning down the volume.'? Most aren't. "Rock music is supposed to be loud," says drummer Andrew Sather. "I wouldn't have it any other way. And neither would the real fans of rock. "
Continued exposure to loud music and the failure to wear earplugs can lead to deafness, according to Dr. Levine. He states, "There's no cure for hearing loss. Your ears are trying to tell you something. That ringing is the scream of your hair cells dying. Each time that happens, more and more damage is done. "
| Levels of Common Noises Normal conversation 50 — 65 dB Food blender 88 dB Jet plane flying above a person standing outside 103 dB Rock band during a concert 110 — 140 dB |
From Paragraph 1, we can learn that .
| A．loud music is a major cause of hearing loss |
| B．famous people tend to have hearing problems |
| C．teenagers should stay away from school bands |
| D．the problem of hearing damage is widely known |
In Paragraph 3, the underlined word "recondition" means .
| A．not to be seen | B．to fill with sound |
| C．to become larger in size | D．to make good again |
The purpose of the chart at the end of the article is to show .
| A．a list of harmful sounds |
| B．the effect of rock concerts |
| C．the noise levels of familiar sounds |
| D．relationship between daily activities and hearing loss |
Which of the following statements will Dr. Sam Levine probably agree?
| A．When your ears feel warm, your hair cells are dead. |
| B．Drummer Andrew Sather gives good advice. |
| C．Many are taking the risk of losing hearing. |
| D．Doctors know how to cure hearing loss. |
粤公网安备 44130202000953号