Language changes all the time. The words used by young people in the UK can be very different to those used by adults. These extremely informal words and expressions are known as “slang”. Here are a few examples:
·Instead of using different tag question like isn’t it? Can’t you or don’t they? People use “innit”.e.g. It’s hot here, isn’t it?="It’s" hot here, innit!
·Instead of saying very, really or completely, they use “well”. e.g. I’m well tired.
· “Whatever” means “I don’t care”. e.g. A: But the teacher says we can’t leave until we’ve finished. B:Whatever. I’m going.
Nobody uses slang and not everybody likes it. A school in Sheffield, in the north of England, recently instructed its pupils to stop using slang words. The head teacher says that if young people learn to speak ‘correctly’ this will help them get a good job.
When British people use slang, it’s no surprise that some students say they can’t understand native speakers. But perhaps learners don’t need to worry about communicating with native speakers so much. Research shows that most of the English spoken in the world today is spoken between non-native speakers of the language. In fact, when we think about “International English”, there is no such thing as a native or non-native speaker.
How important is it to understand these slang words and expressions? If you watch films or TV, chat online in English, then understanding slang can be very useful. But you probably won’t see much slang in your English exam though. With over seven billion people living on our planet today, it’s easy to think one person’s actions won’t make a difference, however, from personal experience, I can say: each of us is capable of making a difference, however small, to someone’s life.Based on the slang mentioned above, what is the meaning of “I think you got me well wrong.”?
| A．I think you really hurt my feelings |
| B．I think you totally misunderstood me |
| C．I think you found the completely wrong person |
| D．I think you completely brought the wrong thing |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．It is essential to learn all the British slang |
| B．Native English speakers cannot understand each other well |
| C．English is used more between non-native speakers currently |
| D．Young people in Britain often use the same slang words as their parents |
In the author’s opinion, why shouldn’t English learners be concerned about slangs?
| A．British slangs can hardly come across to English learners |
| B．English learners won’t speak with the native speakers |
| C．English learners can make a difference in the world |
| D．There are more people who don’t use native slang to communicate |
The author may agree to the opinion that _______.
| A．individuals can play a part in others’ life |
| B．slang learning is an important part of language learning |
| C．one may express his doubt and disbelief by saying “Whatever” |
| D．English learners may feel difficult to communicate without slang |
Concepts from science and nature are filled with our language’s common phrases , idioms and spoken expressions. The unbelieving expression “Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle” has its origin in bitter disbelief over Darwin’s writings on evolution. These colourful expressions bring spice(趣味) to our language.
Yet certain well-used phrases from science are just plain wrong! Some are obvious, yet we use them anyhow. For example, a person who acutely shakes her head and says “ A watched pot never boils” while you are waiting second after tiring second for test results to arrive or job offers to come in knows that if she sat down and watched a pot containing water on a stove over high heat for long enough, the water will eventually boil.
However, a few phrases have less obvious scientific inaccuracies. Here are a few for you to consider.
Once in a blue moon: This poetic phrase refers to something that occurs extremely rarely. A blue moon is the term commonly used for a second full moon that occasionally appears in a single month of our solar-based calendars. The problem with the phrase, however, is that blue moons are not so rare. They happen every few years at least, and can even happen within months of each other when the 29.5-day lunar cycle puts the full moon at the beginning of any month but February. The usage of “blue moon” as the second full moon in a month dates back to a 1937 Marine Farmer’s Almanac . But before that, blue moons meant something slightly different. Typically, 12 full moons occur from winter solstice to the next winter solstice, but occasionally a fourth full moon in a season could be observed . In such a case, one of the four full moons in that season was known as “blue”
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire: The phrase means that if something looks wrong, it likely is wrong. But let’s step back. Do you always have to have fire if you see smoke? Answering that first requires defining ‘fire” , Merriam—Webster’s first definition of fire is “ the phenomenon of combustion manifested in light, flame and heat”. Combustion is the chemical reaction that occurs when fuel is burned in the presence of oxygen---denying a fire any of these three things will stop the fire; attempting to start a fire without any one of the three things will be impossible. In complete combustion---what occurs when you light a gas stove--- the fire produces no smoke. However, when most materials are burned, they have incomplete combustion, which means that the fire isn’t able to completely burn all of the fuel . Smoke, then, can be considered to be a product of pyrolysis (高温分解) rather than of fire itself. You’re probably thinking---so what? To get the smoke, a fire needed to be present at some point, right? Not always.
Diamonds are forever: Thanks to the DeBeers slogan , decorating your honey’s neck, wrists and fingers with diamonds means true and timeless love. Of course, no object that you can hold in your hand can last forever. But diamonds have a special reason for being incapable of timelessness. Without the extreme pressures of the deep Earth where they formed, a diamond will slowly turn back into graphite(石墨), which is why the older a diamond is, the more inclusions it’s likely to have.
What common phrases push your buttons when viewed under the microscope of science? Are you curious about the hidden knowledge of some “ big” phrases ? Or perhaps you have the ability to uncover the secret of some unscientific phrases? Let us know!According to the passage, the blue moon _________.
| A．appears at the beginning of a month |
| B．gains its modern meaning before 1937 |
| C．presents itself quite frequently sometimes |
| D．can never be seen by people in February |
What can be concluded from the passage?
| A．the older a diamond is, the more valuable it’s likely to be. |
| B．Fire is not necessarily causing smoke |
| C．Smoke is a product of complete combustion |
| D．the less obvious scientific inaccuracies of some phrases make them more useful |
The underlined phrase “push your buttons” in the last paragraph means “_______”.
| A．impress you a lot | B．frighten you much. |
| C．surprise you greatly | D．make you lose your interest |
The author’s attitude towards the scientific inaccuracies of the phrases is ________.
| A．indifferent | B．objective |
| C．critical | D．favourable |
Money matters, no matter who or where you are. So when China’s currency the yuan was devalued (贬值) against the US dollar for three straight days in mid-August, the world felt the effects. As CNN put it: “If China sneezes, the world catches a cold.”
Why does it matter so much?
The exchange rate is the term for the comparison of two currencies. It says how much one currency is worth in terms of (换算) the other.
“Exchange rates play an important role in a country’s level of trade. It is one of the most important determinants (决定因素) of a country’s relative level of economic health,” wrote Jason Van Bergen of Forbes.com. A higher currency makes a country’s exports more expensive and imports cheaper, and vice versa (反之亦然).
Devaluation means the same amount of RMB can be exchanged for fewer USD. For example, on Aug 11, the exchange rate of RMB to USD was 6.23, which meant $1 was worth the same as 6.23 yuan. Two days later, the rate changed to 6.4, meaning the value of RMB had dropped by 2.7 percent.
So what does a weaker currency mean for our lives?
It first affects those who want to travel to, or study in, the US. If your former classmate is leaving for a preparatory (预科) school in the US at the end of August, it now costs about 1,800 yuan more to exchange currency for 10,000 US dollars than it did earlier this month. However, since many currencies have decreased in value, the value of yuan is still relatively high despite the recent devaluation. This means it costs 1,200 yuan less to get 10,000 Canadian dollars now than it did in March.
Even if we don’t have plans to travel abroad, though, we could still be affected. For example, your mother will have to pay more if she buys directly from overseas websites with US dollars. And chances are that imported chocolate and potato chips will soon be a bit more expensive in your local supermarket.
However, the weaker yuan is good news for Chinese exporters. It makes Chinese exports less expensive and it could boost the overseas sales that have been among the main reasons for China’s economic growth during its rise over the past 30 years.
Just as Erik Britton of Fathom, a London-based economic consulting firm, told The Guardian: “We’re all going to feel it: we’ll feel it through commodities (商品), not just from China but from everywhere that has to compete with it; and we’ll feel it through wages.”
“The devalued yuan will force China’s Asian rivals (竞争对手), such as Indonesia and South Korea, to compete even harder,” wrote Heather Stewart, economics editor of The Guardian. “The result may be cheaper Christmas presents.”
According to the passage, it can be learned from the passage EXCEPT___________
| A．The higher China’s currency is , the less expensive potato chips from America become. |
| B．In March people spent 1,200 yuan more to get 10,000 Canadian dollars than they do today because Canadian dollars increased in value. |
| C．China’s currency’s devaluation against the US dollar in mid-August makes students studying in America pay more school fees. |
| D．People who work in Fathom will be greatly affected on account of the weaker yuan. |
The passage implies that ___________.
| A．The yuan’s devaluation contributes a lot to China’s economic growth . |
| B．Exchange rates are the most important factor determining a country’s relative level of economic health |
| C．The yuan’s devaluation has a great impact on all the countries in the world. |
| D．Chinese exports sell well overseas because of their high quality |
If the exchange rate of RMB to USD increased from 6.5 to 6.7, how much more percent would you pay when you bought a bag worth $100?
| A．2.7 | B．5.4 | C．20.0 | D．3.1 |
Masterclasses---Researching your novel
When it comes to fiction, research skills are as important as writing skills. Whatever your theme or setting, research skills are an invaluable resource for any writer.
On this course, novelist Alex Preston will show you how to use various research sources to write convincing , powerful stories. You’ll explore online horizons far beyond Wikipedia, and access vast resources of the un-sohuable.
Course description
Through a mix of talks and practical exercises, you’ll learn how to weave
professional-standard research into the fiction writing process to improve all aspects of your work.
Topics include
Resources for research ---using the Internet , libraries and media to enrich your story
Backgrounds---how to use your research to make your story interesting
Shortcuts ---how to research on a tight budget
Writing the past and the present --- how to use detail to bring the world of your story to life
Theories of research--- from Laurent Binet to Hilary Mantel, looking at how the masters work
Practical exercises--- a series of writing exercises designed to inspire and instruct
This course is for you if …
You are an experienced writer currently writing or planning a novel which requires more research than you’ve previously undertaken
You are a new fiction writer struggling with building a convincing world.
You are currently having plotting or structural problems with a novel
Tutor profile
Alex Preston is a prize-winning novelist and journalist. He appears regularly on BBC television and radio and writes for The Observer and GQ Magazine
Details
Date: 21 December 2015
Times: 10 am-5 pm. Check-in begins 30 minutes before the start time.
Location: The Guardian, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU
Price:
Early bird special￡199 ( limited in number)
Regular price ￡229
( all prices include VAT, booking fee, lunch and refreshments)
Event capacity: 16
Tickets may be paid back if you contact us at least 7 days before the course start date.
Book now and join our masterclasses ASAP!If you want to make your story real and vivid, you should focus on “_______”
| A．Backgrounds |
| B．Practical exercises |
| C．Resources for research |
| D．Writing the past and the present |
The course is targeted at those who _________
| A．are trying their best to work out ideal characters in a story |
| B．are popular writers with several works completed |
| C．write for famous magazines regularly |
| D．lack enough persuasive writing skills |
Which of the following is Not true according to “Details” ?
| A．Only less than twenty people can be admitted into the course. |
| B．The favourable price includes lunch and desserts. |
| C．Those who book in advance can get a 15% discount |
| D．The whole course lasts seven hours. |
Jeanne Calment, a French woman, became a record breaker on 17 October of 1995, when at the age of 120 years and 238 days, she became the longest-lived human being on record. A Japanese man died in 1986 at the age of 120 years and 237 days.
Jeanne Calment lives in a small old people’s home in the south of France; her husband, her only child and her grandson have all died. She is nearly blind and deaf and is always in a wheelchair, but her doctor describes her as being more like a 90-year-old in good health than someone of 120. She still has a lively sense of humor. When asked on her 120th birthday what she expected of the future, she replied: A very short one. She also remarked that she thought the good Lord had forgotten all about her.
So what is the key to a long life? According to some doctors, diet, exercise and no smoking are the three important factors. Jeanne Calment has followed two of the tips. She has always eaten a healthy diet, and she used to do exercise every day until she broke her leg at the age of 115. However, until recently she drank two glasses of strong red wine a day, and she does smoke (now only a little). Besides, Jeanne Calment might have got very good genes from her parents. Her father lived to the age of 94 and her mother to 86.
A local lawyer bought her house when she was 80 under an agreement that he would pay her some money every year until her death. It must have seemed a good move at the time, but so far the lawyer has paid her at least three times the value of the house. Every year on her birthday Jeanne Calment sends him a card saying:
Sorry, I’m still alive!How does Jeanne Calment feel about her old age?
| A．She is miserable and unhappy. |
| B．She is cheerful and humorous. |
| C．She would like to live much longer. |
| D．She feels she is going to die very soon. |
Jeanne Calment owes her good health and long life to _______.
| A．smoking only a little every day |
| B．her giving up smoking and drinking |
| C．drinking two glasses of strong red wine every day |
| D．the good genes from her parents, a healthy diet and some exercise |
Which of the following could best replace the word “move” in the fourth paragraph?
| A．deal | B．trick | C．march | D．sport |
Why does Jeanne Calment say “Sorry, I’m still alive” to the local lawyer every year on her birthday?
| A．Because she had an agreement at 80 with the lawyer which was to her advantage. |
| B．Because she has asked the lawyer to pay her more rent than they first agreed. |
| C．Because the lawyer has paid her much more money than the value of the house. |
| D．Because the house she sold to the lawyer isn’t worth the money he has already paid. |
Dolphins(海豚) live in a dark underwater world. It’s often impossible to see each other or anything else around them, so sound plays an important role in their survival. To communicate with each other, dolphins produce all kinds of sounds.
Only other dolphins understand what the sounds mean. Scientists haven’t uncovered their secret communication, except for one kind of whistle. It might last less than a second, but this whistle is a big deal. Why? Because these whistles are actually names of dolphins - and every dolphin has one. Scientists call these sounds a “signature whistle.” When other dolphins hear the whistle, they know which dolphin is calling.
Dolphins often hunt by themselves but still need to stay connected to the group. Since they can’t always see each other, dolphins use their signature whistles to check in with other dolphins hundreds of yards away. “In coastal areas, dolphins exchange whistles even when they’re a third of a mile apart,” says Greg Campbell, who studies animals. That means dolphins shout out to group members that might be nearly five football fields away.
What’s amazing is who names the baby dolphin. Not the mother. Not an auntie dolphin or another group member. Scientists believe the baby dolphin itself comes up with the signature whistle. Like human babies, a baby dolphin plays with sounds throughout its first year. While testing its sound skills, a baby dolphin is doing something amazing. It’s creating or figuring out its signature whistle. How or why it chooses its signature whistle is not clear. Studies show that most of the time the signature whistle is nothing like its mother’s or group members’ whistles.
When the baby dolphin is about a year old, its signature whistle is set. It repeats it often so the other dolphins learn to recognize it.
Deciphering(破译) dolphin names is just the beginning of figuring out what dolphins communicate about. Do they chat about sharks? Discuss the tides? Maybe they even have a name for people. Someday scientists are to decipher the rest of dolphins’ communication.Sound is important for dolphins because of ______.
| A．their poor sense of direction |
| B．their living environment |
| C．their strong enemies |
| D．their big groups |
The dolphin’s signature whistle ______.
| A．lasts along time |
| B．can travel long distances |
| C．is especially helpful in hunting |
| D．can be recognized by other animals |
The author writes the text mainly to _____.
| A．encourage readers to study dolphins |
| B．tell readers how dolphins communicate |
| C．show how lovely and clever dolphins are |
| D．introduce a special sound made by dolphins |
A baby dolphin gets its name ______.
| A．soon after it was born | B．according to its size |
| C．all by itself | D．with the help of its group |
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