IT is safe to say that George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), the Irish-born writer, is more famous for being George Bernard Shaw than he is for his writings today. Few of Shaw’s more than 60 plays, novels and essays are performed or read anymore. And yet Shaw genuinely helped make our modern world. Although you’d be lucky to get a chance to see one of his dramas today, in his time he turned the theater into a vehicle for the discussion of social issues, not only in Britain but on the stage of the world. In a way Shaw was someone who created the modern culture of Britain.
Where the theater had been dominated by entertainment, Shaw used it to teach people the importance of paying attention to the issues of their day. The plight (苦难) of the poor and the working class, the situation of women and the institutions of society, such as the education system ---- Shaw was among the most well-known figures making these topics central to public debate. His first play, Widowers’ Houses (1892), deals with the question of slum (贫民窟) housing. His Mrs Warren’s Profession (1893) brought a controversial topic to the stage.
Shaw was an important mover and shaker in new political movements too. He was an early member of the Fabian Society, which argued for the socialist cause in the UK. Shaw was also the founder (in 1895) of one of the now most famous colleges in the world, the London School of Economics.
If few of his works have really stood the test of time, many of his quotations have become part of the furniture of the English language. “Youth is wasted on the young,” he wrote. He also knew how to sum up a political philosophy(哲学) in a few memorable words. For instance: “A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.” Shaw’s influence on the modern world comes mainly from ______.
| A．the changes he brought to the British culture |
| B．his philosophies on the role of government |
| C．his awareness of social problems of his day |
| D．the support for the London School of Economics |
Widowers’ Houses is a play that mainly focuses on ______.
| A．the failure of the UK education system |
| B．the housing problems of poor people |
| C．robbery incidents in slum areas |
| D．socialist movements in the UK |
By describing Shaw’s quotations as “part of the furniture of the English language”, the author means that Shaw’s words ______.
| A．have become the best part of English |
| B．have greatly developed the English language |
| C．have made the English language philosophical |
| D．have become an inseparable part of the English language |
Which of the following about George Bernard Shaw’s works is TRUE?
| A．They should be adapted for modern readers. |
| B．They are mostly about the lives of working class. |
| C．They deal with important social issues of their day. |
| D．Most of them are still performed on the stage of the world today. |
While applying to college may seem easy, getting in can be tough! When you apply for college, you will have to be honest with yourself and do a bit of research to find the right fit. Here are three steps to take when applying to colleges for the best chances at getting into the best college for you.
Step l: Making a List of Colleges to Apply to
With over 6,000 colleges in the United States, the first step in applying to college is to do some research and make a college list. This process will be different for everyone. The number of colleges you apply to can vary, from applying to 1 school (not recommended) to 30 schools (not recommended), each applicant can choose how many colleges they apply to. Many limit the number because applications are accompanied by a fee.
Step2: Splitting the List into Target, Reach and Safety Schools
In general, students will want to apply to three types of schools: Target, Reach and Safety schools. It is up to you how many applications you send, but a good mix would be more target than reach, and at least one safety. You will need to take your list, and now decide which are your top picks, which are attainable for you academically, which are affordable for you only with aid, and refine (精炼) your broad list into a group of schools that gives you the best chance for success. Talk to an admissions counselor at your high school if you have questions about this.
Step 3: Completing and Sending Applications to Colleges
Once your list is complete you are ready to apply to college by completing and sending in applications! College applications take time to complete - you have to write essays, ask for recommendations and get test scores sent to schools - so stay organized! All colleges will require these types of application materials, so start thinking about these items well before October or December. Once you complete and send them, then you have successfully applied to college.It can be learned from the first paragraph that_______.
| A．you don't have to think twice before applying to college |
| B．you should be cautious to pick up the right college |
| C．once you apply to a college, you'll be admitted to it easily |
| D．each applicant should choose the best college for their ideal |
To make a list of colleges, you ________.
| A．needn't consider about your ability |
| B．are supposed to choose merely one most fit |
| C．had better take your academy into account |
| D．are required to pick out more than 30 colleges |
Which of the following statements is WRONG?
| A．One doesn't have to send his test scores to the intended college. |
| B．Refer to an admissions counselor at high school if necessary. |
| C．One should clarify the list according to one's abilities. |
| D．Teachers' recommendations are included in application materials. |
We can conclude from the text that ________.
| A．each applicant has the right to apply to any colleges for free |
| B．the more college one chooses, the more successful he will be |
| C．safety schools are those that don't have so many requirements |
| D．applicants should send required materials before the deadline |
The text is mainly about _________.
| A．how to succeed in life |
| B．how to apply to college |
| C．how to ask for information |
| D．how to do a research in college |
A baby mermaid was just born in Finland; Justin Bibber is getting married; iphone 6 is going to be released this year…We read rumors every day on the Internet. With the help of social media, rumors — no matter whether they are true or false — spread like wildfire, and sometimes we can’t be sure what to believe.
Now, an international group of researchers might be able to make it easier for us. They are working on a lie detector that could separate online truth from lies, Discovery news reported.
Named after the Greek goddess Pheme, famed for spreading bad rumors, the system is far from a traditional lie detector, which works by attaching a machine to a potential liar. Instead, Pheme analyzes the rumor directly.
When a rumor comes out, on a micro blog, for example, Pheme can trace the source of information to see if it was released by reliable sources like experts or news agencies. If it wasn’t, Pheme then examines the history and background of the account to identify whether it was created just to spread rumors — whether it’s what’s called an “Internet bot.”
After finding the source of the rumor, the system can keep a close eye on how other users react to the rumor — either confirming or denying it — to help analyze and further determine the reliability of the information.
Some people might find the Pheme system unnecessary based on the idea that false rumors never survive for long and people always get to the truth over time. While that’s a fair point, there is a certain class of rumors, such as “a tiger is at large” or “an asteroid (小行星) is about to hit the Earth”, that can cause panic among people and thus lead to serious consequences.
These are cases when we need to be able to check for accuracy quickly. “Our system aims to help with that, by tracking and verifying information in real time,” lead researcher Kalina Bontcheva, at the University of Sheffield, UK, told the BBC.
According to Bontcheva, Pheme is still under development and won’t be ready for another 18 months.
Until then, there’s an old fashioned technique that you can use to protect yourself from false information — ask questions, check sources and don’t believe any claim until you’ve seen the evidence for it.What is the article about?
| A．Tips on how to deal with rumors online. |
| B．Factors that make rumors so easy to spread. |
| C．A new device that can check whether online rumors are true or not. |
| D．An introduction to some types of lie detectors. |
By writing the first paragraph, the writer intends to ________.
| A．share with readers some exciting news |
| B．warn readers not to trust anything on the Internet |
| C．tell readers rumors are out of control |
| D．introduce the topic of the passage |
What makes Pheme different from a traditional lie detector?
| A．It works by attaching a machine to a potential liar. |
| B．It examines a statement’s truthfulness directly. |
| C．It can identify a rumor and prevent it from spreading. |
| D．It is controlled by what is called an “Internet bot” |
How does the Pheme system determine the reliability of a piece of information?
| A．Based on the reliability of its sources and the history of its authors. |
| B．Based on how the majority of people react to it. |
| C．By collecting and examining relevant information to further confirm it. |
| D．By making use of an “Internet bot” to track and verify the information. |
Which of the following statements might the author agree with?
| A．The Pheme system is not very helpful because all rumors eventually die down. |
| B．The Pheme system will be ready to help social networks become more accurate by the end of 2014. |
| C．The Pheme system can identify almost all kinds of rumors on social networking sites. |
| D．The Pheme system aims to respond to rumors quickly so as to reduce the impact of false ones. |
Plan on traveling around the USA this summer．If you need help in arranging the trip，or want ideas about where to go and what to do, there are a number of outstanding websites that can make your American dream come true．
http：//byways．org
The National Scenic Byways Program covers 150 memorable roads．Some are natural routes，such as Route l along the California coast．Others focus on history(such as Route 6) or man-made attractions (the Las Vegas Strip)．For each, you are provided with a map，told the route’s length and how long is allowed，and given detailed suggestions on sights and stop-offs．
www．oyster．com
This is the best website for reviews of hotels in US cities and resorts．The reviews are impressively thorough--covering locations，rooms，cleanliness，food and so on．Importantly，these are not promotional photos by the hotels，but more honest and revealing ones taken by inspectors．Search facilities are excellent．From the 243 hotels reviewed in the New York，you can narrow down what you are looking for by locations，facilities and styles，or just pick out a selection of the best．
www．101usaholidays．co．uk
This is the latest offering that features 101 holiday ideas to the USA．It’s an impressively diverse selection，ranging from touring in the footsteps of Martin Luther King to a golfing break in Arizona and a cycling and wine—tasting trip in California’s Napa Valley．Narrow down what you are looking for--whether by price，region，theme and who will be traveling--and then just the photos of the relevant holidays remain on view．It’s a really clever design．
www．mousesavers．com
Walt Disney World in California can make dreams come true，but the price is not affordable for the majority of people．
So turn to long established Mousesavers．com，dedicated to giving big discounts on tickets，hotels and dining at Walt Disney World．The website also offers general money—saving tips，suggestions for cheap and free stuff and brief coverage of other Florida and California theme parks．If you are going to the USA for the man-made attractions，you can drive along________
| A．Route l | B．Route 6 |
| C．the Las Vegas Trip | D．the California coast |
Why are the photos of the hotels in US cities and resorts real in WWW．oyster．com?
| A．Because they were taken by customers who once lived there． |
| B．Because there are comments of customers on each photo. |
| C．Because there are qualifications of the authority． |
| D．Because they are taken by inspectors of the website． |
Travel ideas for a big family’ with kids and the old are available at ．
| A．http：／／byways．org |
| B．www．oyster．com |
| C．www．101 us holidays．co．uk |
| D．www．mouse savers．com |
What can be inferred from the passage?
A．WWW.mouse savers.com is a newly established website．
B．Discounted tickets of Walt Disney World are not available for everyone．
C．California’s Napa Valley is famous for its wine.
D．The National Scenic Byways Proclaim covers all the roads in the USA．Where does the text probably come from?
| A．A news report． | B．A tourist brochure． |
| C．A culture journal． | D．A health column． |
A fellow speaker from California named Geri flew to Japan, in her favourite jeans and a casual jacket, to give her first speech. Fourteen hours later, four perfectly dressed Japanese gentlemen greeted her at Narita Airport. Smiling and bowing low, they handed her their business cards. With her bag in one hand, Geri took their cards with the other. She thanked them, glanced briefly at the cards, and put them into her jeans pocket quickly.
When the five of them arrived at the hotel, they invited Geri to tea in the lobby (大厅). While sipping tea, the gentlemen presented her with a small gift which she eagerly opened. She was thrilled with the gift and shouted excitedly, “Oh, it's beautiful！”
At this point, the four Japanese gentlemen stood up and, bowing only very slightly, said “Sayonara” and left immediately. Poor Geri was left astonished. What did she do wrong?
Everything! Her jeans were the first gaffe. Even if you're coming off a bicycle in Japan, you do not meet clients (客人) casually dressed. The second mistake was Geri's handling of their business cards rudely. In Japan, the business card is one of the most important communicative tools. It is always presented and accepted respectfully with both hands. However, Geri put their cards away much too quickly. In Japan, people use business cards as a conversation starter. You chat about each other's cards and work and do not put theirs away until they gently and respectfully place yours in safe keeping. Putting it carelessly into her jeans pocket was the ultimate disrespect.
Then, the fourth horror of horrors was that Geri should not have opened the gift in front of her clients. In a land where saving face is critical, it would be embarrassing to discover the gift they gave was not as nice as the one they received. What is worse, Geri hadn't even given them a gift!In the four Japanese gentlemen's eyes, Geri took their cards ________．
| A．disrespectfully | B．embarrassingly |
| C．politely | D．excitedly |
Why did the four Japanese gentlemen leave Geri suddenly?
| A．Because they had finished the task. |
| B．Because they couldn't bear Geri's behaviour any longer. |
| C．Because Geri had something more important to do. |
| D．Because Geri felt embarrassed. |
What does the underlined word “gaffe” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
| A．ignorance. | B．mistake. |
| C．sadness | D．carelessness. |
The third mistake Geri made was that she ________．
| A．used her own card as a conversation starter |
| B．took her clients' cards with one hand |
| C．met her clients in jeans |
| D．kept her clients' cards in a wrong place |
What lesson can we draw from this story?
| A．When in Rome, do as the Romans do. |
| B．Think twice before you take any action. |
| C．Honesty is the best policy. |
| D．Don't claim to know what you don't know. |
Fido was now his master's constant companion in his walks, playing and skipping round him, and amusing him by a thousand sportive tricks . He took care, however, not to be troublesome by leaping on him with dirty paws, nor would he follow him into the parlor(客厅), unless invited. He also attempted to make himself useful by a number of little services. He would drive away the sparrows as they were stealing the chickens' meat; and would run and bark with the utmost fury at any strange pigs or other animals that offered to come into the yard. He kept the poultry, geese, and pigs from straying beyond their bounds and particularly from doing mischief in the garden. He was always ready to alarm Towzer if there was any suspicious noise about the house, day or night. If his master pulled off his coat in the field to help his workman, as he would sometimes do, Fido always sat by it, and would not suffer either man or beast to touch it. By this means he came to be considered as a very trusty protector of his master's property.
His master was once confined to his bed with a dangerous illness. Fido planted himself at the chamber-door, and could not be persuaded to leave it even to take food; and as soon as his master was so far recovered as to sit up, Fido, being admitted into the room, ran up to him with such marks of excessive joy and affection, as would have melted any heart to behold.
One hot day, after dinner, his master was sleeping in a summer-house , with Fido by his side. The building was old and crazy; the dog comprehended the danger, and began barking to awaken his master; and this not sufficing, he jumped up, and gently bit his finger. The master upon this started up, and had just time to get out of the door before the whole building fell down. Fido, who was behind, got hurt by some rubbish which fell upon him. Thus his love and fidelity had their full reward.According to the first paragraph,we can get the information that ________.
| A．Fido is too cautious to satisfy his master. |
| B．Fido did so many little things as not to please its master. |
| C．Fido is a very trusty protector of his master’s property |
| D．Fido often plays with sparrows,geese and pigs |
Which of the following description is NOT mentioned in the text?
| A．Fido didn’t leave its sick master’s chamber-door even refused to take food until its master recovery. |
| B．Fido saved its master when his master was sleeping in an old house |
| C．Fido drove away the wolf to protect its master’s sheep. |
| D．Fido drove away the sparrows as they were stealing the chickens’meat. |
The text is developed ______.
| A．by inference | B．by examples |
| C．by comparison | D．by figures |
Which one is the best title for the text?
| A．Saving the Master |
| B．The Loyal Dog |
| C．Protecting the Master’s Possession |
| D．The Duty of a Little Dog |
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