My grandmother Adele loved culture and was generous with its gifts. When I was a child, she took me to museums, restaurants, dances. She showered me with gifts from her travels around the world. But I can only remember her giving me one book—a book that, to this day, I have not read. She presented me with her own favorite childhood book: Hans Brinker. My grandmother was happy to share this book with me. She even decorated the title page with her proud writing.
I tried to read it. I adored reading, and would dive into a new pile of books from the library all at once. But something about Hans Brinker just wouldn’t let me in. The story was set in Holland, a long time ago. It felt dull and unfamiliar—even though I was a fan of classics of other times and places. I simply read the first pages over and over. I could not progress.
Standing on a bookshelf in our living room, the book was like something I avoided. It scolded me for not being interested, for not trying hard enough, for disappointing my grandmother.
The book started to fit in, almost forgotten, until Adele asked. Had I read it? Did I like it? Always determined, she wanted to know the answer. I would make some kind of excuse, feel bad, and open it again, hoping for a new reaction. The book weighed on me.
Years passed and finally Adele and I both accepted that I would never read Hans Brinker. Eventually I cleared the book from the shelf. The Hans Brinker experience led me to set a rule that I’ve lived by ever since: Do not ask about a book given as a gift. Don’t ask, despite your desire to discuss it to grow closer. The desire for such connection is what gives book-giving with special meaning—and increases the owner’s possibility to be a letdown.
Guilt is basically the same as for all gifts, though. If the giver doesn’t have the pleasure of seeing or hearing about the gift being enjoyed, and asks whether it is, then the owner—unless she can truthfully say “yes”—either has to admit to not liking the present, or else lie on the spot. Neither is pleasant. So, don’t ask.When the author was a kid, his grandmother ________.
| A．took him to travel around the world a lot |
| B．loved to take him to museums and stores |
| C．shared her childhood stories with him |
| D．gave him many gifts |
What does the author think about the book his grandmother gave him?
| A．Boring. | B．Interesting. |
| C．Puzzling. | D．Disappointing. |
The underlined sentence “The book weighed on me” in Paragraph 4 probably means _______.
| A．the book is too heavy for the author to carry |
| B．the author feels stressful facing the book |
| C．the book is full of powerful viewpoints |
| D．the author keeps reading the book |
The author learns from the Hans Brinker’s experience that never________.
| A．give others books as gifts |
| B．lie to people who give you gifts |
| C．get close to others through gifts |
| D．talk about the books given as gifts |
The vast jungles of the Amazon rainforest are home to tribes (部落) mostly isolated from the outside world, whose way of life, largely unchanged for hundreds of years, is now increasingly threatened by modern civilization.
Now, scientists discover they can monitor these “uncontacted tribes” using satellites, which would allow inexpensive and safe tracking of these tribes in order to protect them from outside threats.
In order to help preserve these uncontacted Indians, researchers need accurate estimates of their populations. One way to collect this data involves flying over their villages, but such over-flights are both expensive and could fill these native peoples with fear. Another strategy involves meeting individuals on the ground, but among other risks, scientists could accidentally spread disease to members of the tribes.
Instead, scientists investigated whether satellite images could monitor uncontacted tribes. The result was inspiring. They confirmed their locations and measured the sizes of their village, houses and gardens. “We can find isolated villages with remote sensing and study them over time.” Walker told Live Science. “We can ask: Are they growing? Do they move?”
Surprisingly, based on the sizes of the houses and villages, the scientists find the population densities of these isolated villages are about 10 times greater, on average, than other villages of native Brazilian peoples. This may be due to the fact that they have to live closer together because they are not as good at clearing the forest, since they lack modern devices like chainsaws and tractors, the researchers said. The tribes may also be afraid of spreading out due to fear of being attacked by outsiders, Walker said.
The researchers now plan to focus on 29 more isolated villages to “look at their ecology— that is, distance from rivers and roads—and use this to model where else we can find more isolated villages,” Walker said.Scientists don’t want to meet the Indians on the ground due to the fear that ______.
| A．they can’t get accurate data |
| B．they could pass disease to the Indians |
| C．they will be attacked by the Indians |
| D．they will catch disease from the Indians |
According to the passage, which of the following about the Indian tribes is NOT true?
| A．They lack modern tools to cut forests. |
| B．Their life styles remain unchanged. |
| C．They live closer together for defense. |
| D．They are contacting the outside world. |
What can we learn from the last paragraph?
| A．More isolated tribes are yet to be discovered. |
| B．Scientists are able to find 29 Amazon tribes in total. |
| C．It’s easy for scientists to find isolated villages. |
| D．More roads should be built for the tribes. |
Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
| A．The Disappearing of the Ancient Amazon Tribes. |
| B．Discovery of Indian Tribes in Remote Mountains. |
| C．The Threatening of Modern Civilization to Tribes. |
| D．Research of Isolated Tribes with Modern Devices. |
Ask a group of elderly people what it was about their lives that made them happiest overall, and they’ll probably mention some warm relationships with family and friends. If you’re satisfied with your social life, according to psychologists, you tend to be satisfied with life in general.
From the point of my 50s, I’d say that sounds about right. Some of my happiest moments are the ones I spend with my husband, a few close relatives, and a handful of very good friends who know me well and like me anyway. But the more I read about how social media are interfering with (干扰) good old-fashioned friendship, creating virtual bonds that can’t quite take the place of real ones, the more I wonder just how today’s 20-somethings will look back on their own lives when they’re my age.
After all, much crucial relationship building work is done in the 20s. According to research by the late Bernice Neugarten of the University of Chicago, who helped launch the academic study of human development, people choose most of their adult relationships, both friends and lovers, between the ages of 22 and 28. The friends we make in our 20s are not only best friends forever; they’re also our first truly chosen friends. And choosing how to commit to these friendships is an essential psychological task of the 20s.
But with so much of friendship in this age group now being developed online, an essential question is what the effect of that interaction is. A study, conducted in 2010 by Craig Watkins and Erin Lee of the University of Texas at Austin, investigated the Facebook habits of 776 young people between the ages of 18 and 35. “Whether it is a wall post, a comment, or a photo,” they wrote, “young people’s engagement with Facebook is driven, primarily, by a desire to stay connected to and involved in the lives of friends who live close by, far away, or have just entered into their lives.”
This kind of constant contact can be efficient, but it can also be upsetting. For one thing, it adds a new layer of concern to a young person’s already-heightened awareness of social ranking, giving appearance-conscious young people yet another thing to worry about. “I see other 20-somethings feeling pressured to constantly keep up a public image, especially a public image online,” wrote Ariana Allensworth on the group blog. “Folks are always keeping the world informed one way or another about what they’re up to, where they’re at, what projects they’re working on. It can be a bit much at times.” Not the most fertile ground for real-world friendship.According to the passage, the 20s is an age for people to _____.
| A．have a good public image |
| B．keep themselves informed |
| C．look back on their own lives |
| D．develop critical relationships |
Which of the following is a disadvantage of making friends online?
| A．It makes people pay less attention to social ranking. |
| B．It robs people of the happy moments spent with friends. |
| C．It keeps people away from their family and close relatives. |
| D．It prevents people from keeping in contact with their friends. |
What was the aim of the study conducted by Craig Watkins and Erin Lee?
| A．To know about the 776 young people’s Facebook habits. |
| B．To find out how social media affect real-world social life. |
| C．To help young people stay connected to the lives of friends. |
| D．To investigate what kind of people prefer online interactions. |
The author may agree that _____.
| A．old-fashioned friendship can help create virtual bonds |
| B．there’s no need for young people to make online friends |
| C．real-world friendship is a better choice for young people |
| D．online friendship is an inevitable trend in the modern world |
Brio Leisure At the heart of life |
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Health & Fitness Memberships The Brio Health & Fitness Membership packages offer great value for money with no joining fee, no contract, flexibility and choice --- making your health and fitness goals both affordable and achievable. Choose the payment option to suit you, pay by Direct Debit (银行代扣)or save money by purchasing an annual membership. |
| 12 months for the price of 10 Pay annually and you'll get 12 months for the price of 10. See below for prices. Brio Premier Unlimited use of all Brio gyms Unlimited use of all fitness classes Unlimited casual swimming at all Brio pools Off peak racquet (球拍) sports Unlimited use of steam, sauna (桑拿浴) and jacuzzi (按摩浴缸) (where available) £32.00 per month / £320.00 annually Brio Premier - Single Centre Single centre membership allows you to use all the facilities at a single centre. Available at Christleton Sports Centre, Frodsham Leisure Centre and Neston Recreation Centre. Unlimited gym use Unlimited fitness classes Unlimited casual swimming (no pool provision at Frodsham Leisure Centre) Off peak racquet sports £28.00 per month / £280.00 annually Brio Premier - Off Peak Access from opening until 4.00pm and all time at weekends. Use of all Brio gyms Fitness classes Casual swimming Racquet Sports Steam, sauna and jacuzzi (where available) £22.50 per month / £225.00 annually Brio Swim This membership offers unlimited use of all Brio pools, perfect for regular swimmers! £21.00 per month / £210.00 annually Brio Local This membership offers unlimited use of the gym and fitness classes at a single centre. Available at Malpas Sports Centre, Hooton Golf Course, and Rudheath Leisure Centre. £15.00 per month / £150.00 annually |
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 Off peak racquets - Weekdays from centre opening until 5.00pm, and all day weekends. Sauna and steam room available at Northgate Arena. Sauna available at Moss Farm Leisure Complex. Sauna, steam room and jacuzzi available at Winsford Lifestyle Centre. To join online you will need: A valid email address so that you can receive your online booking details, payment and booking confirmations as well as important membership information. A valid UK bank account that accepts a Direct Debit arrangement if you wish to take out a Direct Debit membership. Memberships are valid for the account holder only. Credit card / Debit card may be required to make an up-front payment for Direct Debit option. |
Brio Leisure must be _____.
| A．a website | B．a health clinic |
| C．a sports club | D．an entertainment park |
Sam, who has a membership of Brio Premier at Frodsham Leisure Centre, can enjoy _____ at 6.00pm on Wednesday.
| A．fitness classes | B．casual swimming |
| C．racquet sports | D．steam and sauna |
Which of the following center suits Alice, who likes swimming and playing racquet sports and wants to enjoy jacuzzi afterwards?
| A．Christleton Sports Centre. | B．Rudheath Leisure Centre. |
| C．Neston Recreation Centre. | D．Winsford Lifestyle Centre. |
If Steven wants to use the Brio gym and swim at noon on weekdays, he needs to pay at least _____ for half a year’s membership.
| A．£112.50 | B．£135.00 | C．£140.00 | D．£168.00 |
Warner Brothers has announced more Harry Potter movies are on the way. The studio is working with Potter author J. K. Rowling to create a new franchise (特需经营权) of movies based on “Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them”, which is a fictitious textbook in the Harry Potter world. The story will also follow the adventures of the book’s author, Newt Scamander. Rowling, for the first time, will pen the screenplay.
It comes as no surprise that Warner Brothers is trying to keep the Harry Potter franchise going. The films alone have earned $7.7 billion at the box office. The franchise has probably almost doubled those earnings on home video and TV sales. Then there’s the many Harry Potter products that fans still snatch up.
But at some point, Harry Potter could seem old hat and that’s not something Warner Brothers wants to see happen. So executives had three choices: restart the franchise, come up with continuations or spin off part of the Potter world into a new movie.
Without books to support the new stories, the upcoming movies could be a tougher sell for Warner Brothers. Harry and friends won’t appear at all in the new movies which will be set in New York 70 years before Harry Potter heads to Hogwarts.
The new stories will also net video games, products and enhance Rowling’s website.
Here’s Rowling on the upcoming franchise:
It all started when Warner Brothers came to me with the suggestion of turning “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” into a film. I thought it was a fun idea, but the idea of seeing Newt Scamander, the supposed author of “Fantastic Beasts”, realized by another writer was difficult. Having lived for so long in my fictional universe, I feel very protective of it and I already knew a lot about Newt. As Harry Potter fans will know, I liked him so much that I even married his grandson, Rolf, to one of my favourite characters from the Harry Potter series, Luna Lovegood.
As I considered Warners’ proposal, an idea took shape that I couldn’t get rid of. That is how I could express my own idea for a film to Warner Brothers.
Although it will be set in the worldwide community of wizards (巫师) where I was so happy for seventeen years, it is neither a previous work nor a continuation to the Harry Potter series, but an extension of the wizarding world. The laws and customs of the hidden magical society will be familiar to anyone who has read the Harry Potter books or seen the films, but Newt’s story will start in New York, seventy years before Harry gets underway.The phrase “snatch up” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to “_____”.
| A．rush to purchase | B．give up reluctantly |
| C．make profits from | D．take away by force |
What made Rowling accept Warner Brothers’ proposal?
| A．Her eagerness to try writing for the screenplay. |
| B．Her unwillingness to see others write the story. |
| C．The attraction of earning more at the box office. |
| D．The film company’s promise to enhance her website. |
It is implied in the passage that creating and selling the new movies may be _____.
| A．inspiring | B．embarrassing |
| C．disappointing | D．challenging |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Warner Brothers’ expanded partnership with Harry Potter author. |
| B．Warner Brothers’ success and development in Harry Potter series. |
| C．Rowling’s view on the upcoming franchise of Harry Potter movies. |
| D．Rowling’s creative ideas for the cooperation with Warner Brothers. |
Earth Day is on April 22nd．People say thanks to the Earth and learn ways to keep the Earth safe and clean．But saving the Earth is not just for grow-ups．Kids are also taking an active part in it.
The American writer and filmmaker Lynne made a film called Young Voices for the Planet．It lists a lot of stories about different kids who help to keep our environment clean.
Team Marine, US A group of students at Santa Monica High School started an organization called Team Marine．They tell people why plastic bags are bad for sea animals and environment．In 2011, they successfully made lawmakers （立法者） in their city stop people using plastic bags.
Felix, 15, Germany In 2007, a 9-year-old boy, Felix, started a club，Plant for the Planet．It encourages children around the world to plant trees in their own countries．Felix helped plant 25 million trees in Germany and 120 million trees worldwide.
Alec, 17, US When he was 12, Alec set up Kids VS Global （全球的） Warming．It teaches kids about weather change and ways to stop the world getting warmer and warmer．Alec travels widely to encourage people to help stop global warming．He has given more than 70 talks across the country.
Olivia, 13, US When Olivia was 11, she heard about the 2010 oil spill （漏油） in the Gulf of Mexico．She painted 500 pictures of birds to raise money for the clean-up．She raised more than $200,000 to protect （保护） birds and other wild animals.What is the purpose of setting up the “Earth Day” and who can do something for the Earth?
| A．To keep the earth peaceful and beautiful by adults and kids |
| B．To keep the earth balanced by adults only |
| C．To keep the earth safe and clean by adults and kids |
| D．To keep the earth safe and clean by kids only |
Young Voices for the Planet made by Lynne is ________.
| A．a book | B．a TV play |
| C．a film | D．a club |
According to the passage, we know ________ doesn’t agree to use plastic bags.
| A．Team Marine | B．Felix | C．Alec | D．Olivia |
Alec travels widely to encourage people to ________.
| A．raise money |
| B．plant trees |
| C．protect wild animals |
| D．help stop global warming |
The passage is mainly about how ________.
| A．kids are saving the Earth |
| B．parents are planting trees |
| C．students are raising money |
| D．grow-ups are using plastics bags |
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