Many Christmas customs are based on the birth of Christ, such as giving presents because of the Wise Men, who brought presents to the baby Jesus（耶稣）Singing Christmas carols is based on the scene of the birth with figures of shepherds, the Wise Men and animals surrounding the baby Jesus.
The origin of Santa Claus begins in the 4th century with St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, an area in the present-day Turkey. By all accounts St. Nicholas was a generous man, particularly devoted to children. After his death around 340 A. D. he was buried in Myra, but in 1087 Italian sailors were believed to steal his remains and removed them to Italy, greatly increasing St. Nicholas’ popularity throughout Europe.
His kindness and reputation for generosity gave rise to claims that he could perform miracles and devotion to him increased. St. Nicholas became the patron（保护神）saint of Russia, where he was known by his red cap, flowing white beard, and bishop’s mitre. In Greece, he was the patron saint of sailors; in France, he was the patron of lawyers, and in Belgium, the patron of children and travelers. Thousands of churches across Europe were dedicated（供奉的）to him and sometime around the 12th century an official holiday was created in his honor. The Feast of St. Nicholas was celebrated on December 6 and the day was marked by gift-giving and charity.
After the Reformation, European followers of St. Nicholas declined, but the legend was kept alive in Holland where the Dutch spelling of his name Sint Nikolass was eventually transformed to Sinterklaas. Dutch children would leave their wooden shoes by the fireplace, and Sinterklaas would reward good children by placing treats in their shoes. Dutch colonists brought this tradition with them to America in the 17th century and here the English name of Santa Claus appeared.Why, as is believed, is Santa Claus so popular in Europe?
| A．Because of his reputation for generosity. |
| B．Because he died in Italy. |
| C．Because of the deed of the Italian sailors. |
| D．Because of his devotion to Italian children. |
What was the Feast of St. Nicholas held for?
| A．Celebrating Christ’s birthday. |
| B．Giving thanks to churches. |
| C．Marking a holiday. |
| D．Honoring St. Nicholas. |
What does “Sinterklaas” in the last paragraph refer to?
| A．European followers. | B．Santa Claus. |
| C．Jesus. | D．The Dutch. |
Which of the following can best describe Santa Claus?
| A．Generous, devoted and honored. |
| B．Dedicated, kind and alive. |
| C．Well-known, traditional and lovely. |
| D．Popular, famous and creative. |
The Swedish Academy in Stockholm on Thursday named Mo Yan winner of the Twenty-Twelve Nobel Prize in Literature.
The academy praised the Chinese writer for what it called his “hallucinatoty realism (魔幻现实主义)”. It noted his ability to combine folk stories, history and modern events in his works.
An academy official said Mister Mo was “overjoyed and sacred” when he learnt he had won the award. He will receive his Nobel diploma, a medal and more than one million dollars at the ceremony in Stockholm in December.
Mo Yan is a leading author of modern Chinese novels. He often writes from memories of his youth. He also sets many of his stories in the area where he was born—Shandong Province in northeastern China.
Mister Mo’s 1987 book Red Sorghum is an example. It is about the extreme violence in rural eastern China during the Communist Revolution in the 1920’s and 1930’s. The story describes the criminal culture of the time, Japan’s occupation and the terrible conditions faced by farm workers. Red Sorghum was later made into a movie.
Mo Yan’s other major works include Big Breasts and Wide Hips, Republic of Wine and Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out.
The Royal Swedish Academy compared him to two 20th century writers: American William Faulkner and Colombia Gabriel Marquez.
Mo Yan’s real name is Guan Moye. Mo Yan means “Don’t speak.” The writer said he chose the name to remember to stop his tongue from getting him in trouble.
China is celebrating the victory of his native son. Minutes after the award was announced, millions of Chinese expressed pleasure and pride for Mo Yan on social media websites.How many books of Mo Yan are mentioned in this passage?
| A．Three. | B．Four. | C．Five. | D．Six. |
It can be inferred from the passage that _____.
| A．many people in China showed their respect for Mo Yan by letters. |
| B．Mo Yan is just a pen name. |
| C．he was very glad to win the Nobel Prize. |
| D．Red Sorghum was once made into a film. |
Which of the following can be the best title for this passage?
| A．Mo Yan, the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. |
| B．The origin of Mo Yan’s work. |
| C．The true meaning of Mo Yan. |
| D．Bookstore created by Mo Yan. |
The Graduate School of University of Florida welcomes you to apply for one of the highest quality and most affordable graduate education opportunities available today.
| How the Application Process Works ◆The UF Office of Admission, which determines your eligibility(合格) for admission to the university. ◆The department you want to major in, which determines your eligibility for its graduate program. ◆ If you are a non-US applicant, the UF International Center, which determines your eligibility for a student visa after you are admitted, on the basis of your reported pre-existing funds. Please note: The UF Graduate School is not involved in this process. Contact the department you are applying to if you have questions about your application. |
| 1. Read all the information and instructions on the UF Office of Admission’s graduate admission webpages. 2. Contact the department you want to major in to find out its application requirements and deadlines. 3. Fill out and submit your online application and application fee payment by clicking on the link. 4. Have your official test scores (FE, GMAT, GRE, IELTS, MELAB, TOEFL, TSE) and transcripts(文本)sent to UF Office of Admission( with official translations of them, if the originals are not in English). 5. Send these materials to the department you want to major in: ◆ Statement of purpose (letter of intention). ◆ Resume or curriculum vita. ◆ Recommendation letters. ◆A graduate fellowship/assistantship application. ◆ Transcripts (with official translations, if the originals are not in English). ◆ Any other materials required by the graduate program you are applying for. Please note: You can now choose to submit your statement of purpose, resume and recommendation letters online via the UF Office of Admissions online application system. Official test scores received at the UF Office of Admissions will automatically be made available to your department. 6. E-mail your department to let it know you have applied online and have sent it application materials. |
| Application Fee UF’s nonrefundable application fee is $30. You can pay online by credit card (for a $1.75 extra) or mail your payment (your name and UFID number on the check and a cover memorandum attached to the check) to the school address. |
| Test Score Codes The UF’s code for submission of GMAT, GRE, TOEFL and TSE scores is 5812. |
According to the passage, which of the following is true?
| A．The UF Office of Admission can decide whether you will be a qualified graduate. |
| B．The department you major in will determine whether you can graduate or not. |
| C．The UF International Center is in charge of checking your visa before the admission. |
| D．The UF Graduate School can answer all the questions about your application. |
Which of the following can be inferred from the poster?
| A．The transcripts must be written in one’s official language. |
| B．The application fee can be paid in cash if necessary. |
| C．You needn’t send the test score to your department in person. |
| D．You have to call to tell the department about your application. |
When you apply for the graduate education opportunity, you __________.
| A．need to send your exam papers yourself |
| B．have to pay $ 31.75 by mailing |
| C．should get a score of at least 5812 for any test |
| D．must state the reasons for application |
Dogs and millionaires have a lot in common. They are absolute opportunists (especially when it comes to rewards). They defend their territory(地盘). And in general, they don’t like cats. Perhaps that explains a new survey showing that millionaires are far more dog-friendly than the rest of Americans.
According to a study by Spectrem Group, 58% of millionaire pet owners have a dog. Only 37% own a cat. Only 3% keep fish, 2% birds and 2% have a horse. Similarly, 39% of U. S. households own a dog, compared to 33% of households owning a cat, released by the Humane Society.
Jennifer Cona, a trust and estates attorney(信托和资产律师) and partner with Genser Subow Genser & Cona in New York, does a lot of work on pet trusts. She said of all the pet trusts she’s worked on, 90% are for dogs and only 10% are for cats.
She said dogs provide one thing especially important for the wealthy: unconditional love.
“You don’t get that from a cat,” she said, “Dogs are like children for some families, except that they don’t mess up in college or run off with money. Sometimes it’s easy to see why dogs are the favorite children.”
Millionaires show their love for their dogs in part by their spending. One quarter of millionaire pet owners spend more than $1, 000 a year on their pets, the Spectrem study said, while more than half spend more than $500 a year.
Many would say those numbers are understated, given all the diamond-dog collars, dog foods and booming dog spas in evidence these days, not to mention the medical bills.
The survey showed 34% of pet owners spend money on decorating, while 6% spend on “sweaters, outfits and costumes.”
More than half of millionaire pet owners spend money on teeth cleaning for their pets. More than 16%, meanwhile, said they would spend money on reconstructive surgeries and “anti-anxiety, anti-depression” medication for their pets. What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Millionaires like dogs more than other Americans. |
| B．Keeping dogs as pets is quite popular among Americans. |
| C．Pet dogs help relieve their owners’ anxiety and depression. |
| D．Millionaires spend much money on teeth cleaning for their pets. |
From the survey by Spectrem Group, we can learn ___________.
| A．about one third of American households own a cat |
| B．more than half of millionaire pet owners have a dog |
| C．millionaire pet owners spend $1, 000 on their pets daily |
| D．34% of pet owners spend money on dog clothing |
What’s the main reason why millionaires show great love for their dogs?
| A．They can afford the high expense to raise pet dogs. |
| B．Pet dogs have never made a mess of things around. |
| C．Millionaires feel more secure in company of dogs. |
| D．Pet dogs show unconditional love for their owners. |
What does Jennifer Cona probably think of millionaires owning pet dogs ?
| A．Ridiculous. | B．Acceptable. | C．Negative. | D．Indifferent. |
When students and parents are asked to rate subjects according to their importance, the arts are unavoidably at the bottom of the list. Music is nice, people seem to say, but not important. Too often it is viewed as mere entertainment, but certainly not an education priority（优先）. This view is shortsighted. In fact, music education is beneficial and important for all students.
Music tells us who we are. Because music is an expression of the beings who create it, it reflects their thinking and values, as well as the social environment it came from. Rock music represents a lifestyle just as surely as does a Schubert song. The jazz influence that George Gershwin and other musicians introduced into their music is obviously American because it came from American musical traditions. Music expresses our character and values. It gives us identity as a society.
Music provides a kind of perception（感知）that cannot be acquired any other way. Science can explain how the sun rises and sets. The arts explore the emotive（情感的）meaning of the same phenomenon. We need every possible way to discover and respond to our world for one simple but powerful reason: No one way can get it all.
The arts are forms of thought as powerful in what they communicate as mathematical and scientific symbols. They are ways we human beings “talk” to each other. They are the language of civilization through which we express our fears, our curiosities, our hungers, our discoveries, our hopes. The arts are ways we give form to our ideas and imagination so that they can be shared with others. When we do not give children access to an important way of expressing themselves such as music, we take away from them the meanings that music expresses.
Science and technology do not tell us what it means to be human. The arts do. Music is an important way we express human suffering, celebration, the meaning and value of peace and love.
So music education is far more necessary than people seem to realize.According to Paragraph 1, students _________.
| A．regard music as a way of entertainment |
| B．disagree with their parents on education |
| C．view music as an overlooked subject |
| D．prefer the arts to science |
In Paragraph 2, the author uses jazz as an example to _________.
| A．compare it with rock music |
| B．show music identifies a society |
| C．introduce American musical traditions |
| D．prove music influences people’s lifestyles |
According to the passage, the arts and science_________.
A. approach the world from different angles
B. explore different phenomena of the world
C express people’s feelings in different ways
D. explain what it means to be human differentlyWhat is the main idea of the passage?
| A．Music education deserves more attention. |
| B．Music should be of top education priority. |
| C．Music is an effective communication tool. |
| D．Music education makes students more imaginative. |
When Debbie Parkhurst choked on a piece of apple at her Maryland home, her dog jumped in, landing hard on her chest and forcing the piece of apple to pop out of her throat. Debbie Parkhurst’s husband, Kevin, was at his job at a Wilmington, Del., chemical firm when she took a midday break from jewelry and bit into an apple. When the Keesling family of Indiana were about to be overcome by carbon monoxide(CO), their cat clawed(抓) at wife Cathy’s hair until she woke up and called for help.
For their timely acts, Toby, a golden 2 1/2-year-old dog, and Winnie, a gray-eyed American shorthair, were named Dog and Cat of the Year by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Neither Parkhurst nor Keesling could explain their pets’ timely heroics,though Parkhurst suggested it might have been guided by God intervention(干预). “That’s what our veterinarian(兽医) said,”she said. “He wasn’t making a joke; he’s very spiritual, and now I have to agree with him.”
But both pets were themselves rescued in baby, Toby as a 4-week-old baby thrown into a garbage bin to die, and Winnie as a week-old orphan hiding under a barn, so helpless that Keesling’s husband, Eric, had to feed her milk.
As the Keeslings recalled it, a gas-driven pump spread carbon monoxide through the house. By the time Winnie moved into rescue spot, the couple’s 14-year-old son, Michael, was already unconscious. “Winnie jumped on the bed and was clawing at me, with a kind of angry noise,” Cathy Keesling said. “When I woke up I felt like a T-bar had hit me across the head.”
State police and officers responding to her 911 call said the family was only minutes from death, judging by the amount of poisonous gas in the house.We can know Debbie Parkhurst _________.
| A．works in a Wilmington, Del.,chemical firm |
| B．was making jewelry when she had the accident |
| C．might have died but for her pet’s help |
| D．was unconscious when her pet found her |
Both pet’s heroic acts most probably connected with _________.
| A．God arrangements | B．their being once helped |
| C．their sense of danger | D．their veterinarians’ training |
Why did Winnie try to wake Cathy Keesling up?
| A．Because a T-bar was going to hit him. |
| B．Because he was hungry and wanted milk. |
| C．Because Debbie choked something in her throat. |
| D．Because there was danger in her house. |
From the passage we can infer that _________.
| A．if you love me love my animals |
| B．all pets are useful to people |
| C．we can’t never be too careful in our daily life |
| D．to help others sometimes can get reward |
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