Music died here last spring, or rather, it was killed by members of the school committee who ignored the importance of music and drama as part of the high-school curriculum.
The committee decided that teaching students how to take a standardized test is more important than a curriculum in which students can explore their interests in the arts as well as academics. Because the school system is running out of funding, it needs to make sure that students pass the mastery test or even more money will be lost. If students fail the state standardized test, it is not the fault of drama and music classes— they are failing because the “ academic” classes are not sufficient.
It is painful to think of how many students will be discouraged from singing, acting, and playing instruments because school programs are no longer offered. Many families cannot afford private music lessons, and many potential musicians and artists may not find their calling if they are not exposed to it in school. The fact that the school committee thinks the arts are not worth the investment will certainly make some students believe the arts are not worth their time or support and the cycle will continue.
Teaching for a test does not shape students into complete, well rounded people. It blocks the natural sense to create and express feelings through art— there is more to life than the analytical thinking that math and English provide. What happens after a test? Sure, a student might graduate, but they will have limited knowledge — certainly not a good preparation for the real world.Music and drama are not included in the high-school curriculum mainly because________.
| A．the school committee pays no attention to them |
| B．the school is afraid of losing financial support |
| C．the students are not interested in both of them |
| D．the state standardized test is more important. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The sufficiency of the classes determines students’ performance in the mastery test |
| B．students can be musicians and artists only if they can afford private music lessons |
| C．The school committee completely influences students’ attitude towards the arts |
| D．Quite a few students are discouraged from music and art in today’s school system. |
We can learn that music and art can ________.
| A．make students round-shaped people in future |
| B．provide students with analytical thinking |
| C．motivate students in creativity and expression |
| D．prevent students graduating from high school |
The best title of the passage can be ________.
| A．Who Killed Music and Drama? |
| B．Can Curriculum Go Without Music? |
| C．Why is Music So Important? |
| D．How To Prepare For the Real World? |
Dear Aunty,
After years of her crying, I finally gave in and allowed my daughter to have a cat. I now regret my decision. As someone needs to have a clean, tidy house, I no longer feel relaxed in my own home. If I tell her, “sorry, the cat has to go.” She will be heartbroken. What can I do?
-Feline Phobic
Dear Phobic,
I’m an animal lover and on your kid’s and cat’s side. Tell your daughter your problem. Ask her to help you come up with a plan. Perhaps you can agree to allow the cat only in certain areas of the house. This is a chance for your daughter to develop the sense of responsibility owning a pet requires.
Dear Aunty,
I got the highest grade on a biology test. Now the popular kids think I’m brainy, and want me in their lab group. I knew I was being used. Now, they want my homework. What should I do?
-Lily
Dear Lily,
Popularity can come at a price, but it’s no excuse to cheat. Offer to help new friends with their homework, but don’t give them yours.
Dear Aunty,
I’m one of six assistants in a dental (牙科的)office. But I’m new there just four months. I’ve tried to join conversations, but they just ignore me. They go shopping together. No one invites me. How can I break into the circle?
-Crystal
Dear Crystal,
Humans run in packs like dogs. When a new dog enters the pack, a lot of discovery goes on. So bring cookies for everyone! Then try making friends with one co-worker. Invite her to lunch. When you get familiar with each other, tell her how hard you’re finding the situation at work. Chances are, she’ll take you under her wing.Aunty thinks that Phobic should _____.
| A．try to persuade her daughter to give in |
| B．spend more time cleaning the house |
| C．ask her daughter to help tidy up |
| D．find a better way to keep the cat |
The underlined word “brainy” in the passage means _____.
| A．excited | B．friendly | C．intelligent | D．hard-working |
According to the passage, _____.
| A．Phobic can’t get along well with her daughter |
| B．Aunty is fond of animals like cats |
| C．Crystal’s coworkers are cheating her |
| D．Lily has no interest in lab experiments |
How to Be a Winner
Sir Steven Redgrave
Winner of 5 Olympic Gold Medals
“In 1997 I was found to have developed diabetes（糖尿病）. Believing my career was over, I felt extremely low. Then one of the specialists said there was no reason why I should stop training and competing. That was it — the encouragement I needed. I could still be a winner if I believed in myself. I am not saying that it isn’t difficult sometimes. But I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn't finished yet. Nothing is to stand in my way.”
Karen Pickering
Swimming World Champion
“I swim 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. I manage that sort of workload by putting it on top of my diary. This is the key to success — you can’t follow a career in any field without being well-organized. List what you believe you can achieve. Trust yourself, write down your goals for the day, however small they are, and you’ll be a step closer to achieving them.”
Kirsten Best
Poet & Writer
“When things are getting hard, a voice inside my head tells me that I can’t achieve something. Then, there are other distractions, such as family or hobbies. The key is to concentrate. When I feel tense, it helps a lot to repeat words such as ‘calm’, ‘peace’ or ‘focus’, either out loud or silently in my mind. It makes me feel more in control and increases my confidence. This is a habit that can become second nature quite easily and is a powerful psychological tool．”What does Sir Steven Redgrave mainly talk about?
| A．Difficulties influenced his career． |
| B．Specialists offered him medical advice． |
| C．Training helped him defeat his disease． |
| D．He overcame the shadow of illness to win． |
What does Karen Pickering put on top of her diary?
| A．Her sports career． |
| B．Her achievements． |
| C．Her daily happenings． |
| D．Her training schedule． |
What does the underlined word “distractions” probably refer to？
| A．Ways that help one to focus． |
| B．Words that help one to feel less tense． |
| C．Activities that turn one's attention away． |
| D．Habits that make it hard for one to relax． |
According to the passage, what do the three people have in common?
| A．Self-confidence． | B．Hard work． |
| C．Devotion． | D．Courage． |
It's great fun to explore (探索) new places—it feels like an adventure, even when you know you're not the first to have been there. But make sure not to get lost or waste time going round in circles.
● Do the map reading if you're being driven somewhere. It'll be easier if you keep turning the map so it follows the direction you' re traveling in. Keep looking ahead so that you can give the driver lots of warning before having to make a turn, or you'll have to move to the back seat.
● Get a group of friends together and go exploring. You'll need a good map, a compass (指南针), a raincoat, a cell phone to call for help in case you get lost, and a bit of spare cash for emergencies (应急现金). Tell someone where you're going before you set out and let them know what time you expect to be back. The test is in not getting lost, not in seeing how fast you can go, so always stick together, waiting for slower friends to catch up.
● See if your school or a club organizes orienteering activities, in which you need a map and a compass to find your way. This can be done as a sport, with teams trying to find the way from A to B (and B to C, etc. ) in the fastest time, or simply as a spare-time activity. Either way, it's not only good fun, but a great way to keep fit.Sitting beside the driver, you should ________.
| A．direct the driver when necessary |
| B．look ahead to see where there's a turn |
| C．move to the back seat if feeling uncomfortable |
| D．keep looking at the map to find a place to go to |
Why do you need to tell someone your exploration plan before setting out?
| A．To get information when in danger. |
| B．To be saved in case of an accident. |
| C．To share the fun with him/her in exploration. |
| D．To tell him/her what's going on with the group members. |
Orienteering activities can ________.
| A．make people work fast |
| B．help people stay healthy |
| C．help people organize other activities |
| D．make people get prepared for sports |
Maybelle said she wouldn't be coming with me to the library. I asked why, and she said she could get all the short stories she wanted off the Internet. Saved walking all the way to the library, and putting up with my long chat on the way there, and on the way back. Maybelle is very direct like that, always has been.
"But, Maybelle, we've been walking to the library every Monday for the last fifty years!"
She said," Why don't you get Internet'? We can send each other emails."
So I had to get Internet. I called the local high school. They said they'd send me a good student to tell me all about computers and such.
Evil thing, this Internet. Makes you lose old friends, forces you to learn new complex ideas, even if you're too old. But Maybelle said you have to be modern; otherwise, you're dead.
The kid came the next day. Tall skinny black kid, by the name of Arsenius, said his work would cost more.
I said, "All right. As long as I get Internet."
"You need a computer, then you need to get hooked up," he said.
"Let's buy a computer and get hooked up, then."
"How much you want to spend?"
"Whatever it takes."
"How many rams you want?"
I wasn't going to show him my ignorance, so I said, "Whatever it takes."
"Let's go to the mall. You got a car?"
"In the garage."
When I opened the garage door, he gasped. Daddy's car is still there, a'57 Chevy. I never drive it. Walk everywhere.
I said," Let's walk. It's only a mile or so."
He said," Let's drive, or you will faint on me in this heat."
"Young man, I don't faint, never have. We're walking."
"I get paid by the hour," he said. "Walking will cost you a lot more. Also, you feel like carrying a computer a mile or so?"What kind of person is Maybelle?
| A．She always says what she means in an honest way. |
| B．She no longer likes reading in her old age. |
| C．She doesn't want to be friends with the writer any more. |
| D．She doesn't want to keep up with the time. |
Why does the writer want to have Internet at his place?
| A．Because the writer believes that one is never too old to learn. |
| B．Because the writer thinks that it is better late than never. |
| C．Because of the pressure from people of his age. |
| D．Because of the convenience the Internet will bring. |
Arsenius gives _________ reasons for driving to the mall.
| A．two | B．three | C．four | D．five |
Inside the pleasingly fragrant cafe, So All May Eat(SAME) in downtown Denver ,the spirit ofgenerosityis instantly noticeable :donation box stands in place of a cash register. Customers here pay only what they can afford, no questions asked.A risky business plan, perhaps, but SAME Café has done one unchangeable thing in the Mile High City for six years: Open only at midday, the restaurant allows poor local customers who cannot pay to work as volunteers instead. They can act as waiters and waitresses, and dishwashers, or look after the buildings and equipment for the cafe.
It’s based on trust, and it’s working all right”, says co-owner Brad Birky, who started the café in 2006. Previously volunteering at soup kitchens, the Birkys were dissatisfied with the often unhealthy meals they served there. “We wanted to offer quality food in a restaurant where everyone felt comfortable, regardless of their circumstances,” Birky says. SAME’s special lunch menu changes
daily and most food materials are natural and grown by local farmers. The café now averages 65 to 70 customers (and eight volunteers) a day. And the spirit of generosity behind the project appears to be spreading. In early 2007,one volunteer who had cleared snow for his meals during t he long
winter said goodbye to the Birkys, He said he was going to New Orleans to help with the hurricane clearing up,” says Birky. What can we learn about the soup kitchens the Birkys previously worked for?
| A．They refused to have volunteers. |
| B．They offered low quality food. |
| C．They provided customers with a good environment. |
| D．They closed down because of poor management. |
According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．The customers who cannot pay can work as volunteers instead. |
| B．More volunteers will go to new Orleans for the hurricane cleanup. |
| C．Many new cafes will be opened to offer free lunches in the town. |
| D．The lunch menu has remained the same since the café was started. |
The author’s attitude towards running such a café is_______
| A．unfavorable | B．doubtful | C．cautious | D．approving |
Make the most of college
Dear Daughter,
As we drove off from Columbia, I wanted to write a letter to you to tell you all that is on my mind.
First, I want to tell you how proud we are. Getting into Columbia is a real testament（ 证明）of what a great well-rounded student you are. You should be as proud of yourself as we are.
Your college years will be the most important of your life. It is in college that you will discover what learning is about. This will be the period when you go from teacher-taught to master-inspired, after which you must become self-learner. So do take each subject seriously, and even if what you learn isn’t extremely impotant for your life, the learning skills you gain will be something you will cherish（怀念） forever.
Follow your passion in college. Take courses you think you will enjoy. Don’t be trapped by what others think or say, but make up your own mind.
Most importantly, make friends and be happy. College friends are often the best in life. Pick a few friends and become really close to them – pick the ones who are sincere and honest to you. Don’t worry about their hobbies, grades, looks or even personalities.
Start planning early – what would you like to do? Where would you like to live? What would you like to learn? I think your plan to study fashion is good, and you should decide where you want to be, and get onto the right courses.
Whether it is summer-planning, or coursework planning, or picking a major, or managing your time, you should take control of your life. I will always be there for you, but the time has come for you to be in the driver’s seat – this is your life, and you need to be in control. Being in control feels great. Try it, and you’ll love it!
College is the four years where you have:
l The greatest amount of free time
l the first chance to be independent
l the most flexibility（灵活性）to change
l the lowest risk for making mistakes
So please treasure your college years – make the best of your free time, become an independent thinker in control of your destiny（命运）, be bold（敢于冒险的） to experiment, learn and grow through your successes and challenges.
May your years at Columbia be the happiest of your life, and may you become just what you dream to be.
Love,
Dad (&Mom)What does the author think college life holds in store for his daughter? ______
| A．Uncertainty |
| B．Pure enjoyment. |
| C．Successes and challenges. |
| D．Experimentation with life. |
What does the author advise his daughter to do in college?______
| A．Plan everything. |
| B．Party with friends in her free time. |
| C．Ignore what others think or say. |
| D．Treasure and make the best of her college years. |
Which of these pieces of advice is given in the article?_____
a. think and live independently
b. learn how to learn
c. choose friends with similar personalities
d. be genuine and sincere
e. try new things
| A．abc | B．bce | C．cde | D．abe |
From the text, we can conclude the father ______.
| A．is worried about his daughter |
| B．is optimistic about his daughter’s future |
| C．is strict with his daughter |
| D．is sad that his daughter is leaving home |
They may be small and not able to speak, but babies are proving their amazing cleverness. Scientists began finding infants’ skills are more than they are supposed to be.
_________
Speaking of music, babies can’t seem to resist it. Not only are their ears turned to the beats, babies can actually dance to the music.
To test babies’ dancing ability, the researchers played recordings of classical music, rhythmic beats and speech to infants, and recorded the results. They also invited professional dancers to analyze how well the babies matched their movements to the music. The babies moved their arms, hands, legs feet and heads in response to the music, much more than to the speech. The finding suggests this dancing ability is innate(与生俱来的) in humans, though the researchers aren’t sure why it becomes weaker later in their life.
Learning Quickly while Sleeping
Babies can learn even while asleep, according to a 2011 study. In experiments with 26 sleeping infants, each just 1 to 2 days old, scientists played a musical tone followed by a puff of air to their eyes 200 times over the course of a half-hour. 124 electrodes(电极) stuck on the head and face of each baby recorded brain activity during the experiments. The babies rapidly learned to foretell a puff of air upon hearing the tone, showing a four-time increase on average in the chances of tightening their eyelids in response to the sound by the end of the experiments.
As newborns spend most of their time asleep, this newfound ability might be crucial to rapidly adapting to the world around them and help to ensure their survival, researchers said.
Judging Characters Well
Judging another person helpful or harmful is crucial when choosing friends. And that ability starts early. Kiley Hamlin of Yale University showed both 6-and 10-month-olds a puppet(木偶) show, in which one character helped another climb a hill. In another scene a third character pushed the climber down. The little ones then got to choose which character they preferred. For both age groups, most babies chose the helper character. This character-judging ability could be baby’s first step in the formation of morals, Hamlin thought.Which of the following subtitles can fill in the underlined blank?
| A．Dancing to Music |
| B．Babies’ Amazing Abilities |
| C．Learning to Dance Quickly |
| D．Born to Dance |
The underlined word “it” in the third paragraph refers to______.
| A．the finding |
| B．the dancing ability |
| C．the response |
| D．the baby |
The experiment with 26 sleeping infants prove that_______.
| A．babies can learn even while asleep |
| B．babies can respond to the world around them |
| C．babies can tighten their eyelids in response to the sound |
| D．babies can communicate with others while asleep |
In the last experiment, most babies chose the helper character, showing that________.
| A．babies can judge a person helpful or harmful |
| B．babies love to see a puppet show |
| C．babies were born to help others |
| D．babes have learned to help others |
Opened in 1971, the Magic Kingdom was the first theme park at Walt Disney World. All Disney World theme parks are open 365 days a year, although opening and closing times for each park are different from day to day. If you are traveling without kids, try to visit it on a school day to avoid the largest crowds. If you need to visit it during a school vacation, try at least to avoid the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day and the Fourth of July.
If you are not staying at a Disney World hotel, avoid visiting the Magic Kingdom on its Extra Magic Hours days. The hotel guests get into the park early on those days, increasing the waiting time for visitors who arrive at the normal opening time.
Buy your Walt Disney World tickets online at Disney World’s website. There will be some advice on picking the right ticket. See the guide to Disney World tickets. You will also need to call in advance to make lunch or dinner reservations (预订). Disney accepts reservations, through 1-407-WDW-DINE, up to 180 days in advance. Time does pass quickly, so you should call six months before your trip to get a lunch reservation in the castle. We suggest you should have your lunch at Cinderella’s Royal Table for your tour. If you can’t get the reservation, ask for the Liberty Tree Tavern instead.
Keep in mind that to reach the Magic Kingdom, you must park at Disney World’s Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) parking lot, take a tram (有轨电车), and then take a boat across the Seven Seas Lagoon to the Magic Kingdom. We learn from the passage that ______.
| A．children are not allowed to visit Disney World on New Year’s Day |
| B．Disney World theme parks have the same opening and closing times |
| C．a single adult had better visit the Magic Kingdom on a school day |
| D．the Magic Kingdom was the earliest theme park in the world |
If you want to have dinner in the Walt Disney World, you can ______.
| A．see the guide to Disney World tickets to reserve a table |
| B．make a call to reserve a table for dinner in advance |
| C．use 1-407-WDW-DINE to reserve about 3 months in advance |
| D．go to Cinderella’s Royal Table or the Liberty Tree Tavern at any time you like |
Which of the following is TRUE according to passage?
| A．Disney World theme parks will be closed on Christmas Day. |
| B．The only way to get Walt Disney World tickets is to buy them online. |
| C．Visitors have to reach the Magic Kingdom by tram and then boat. |
| D．The Magic Kingdom has Extra Magic Hours every day. |
What would be the best title for this passage?
| A．The History of the Magic Kingdom |
| B．A Brief Introduction to the Magic Kingdom |
| C．Advice on Making a Trip to the Magic Kingdom |
| D．The Most Important Theme Park at Walt Disney World |
The 2012 London Olympics had enough problems to worry about. But one more has just been added -- a communications blackout caused by solar storms.
After a period of calm within the Sun, scientists have detected the signs of a flesh cycle of sunspots that could peak in 2012, just in time for the arrival of the Olympic torch in London.
Now scientists believe that this peak could result in vast solar explosions that could throw billions of tons of charged matter towards the Earth, causing strong solar storms that could jam the telecommunications satellites and interact links sending five Olympic broadcast from London.
"The Sun's activity has a strong influence on the Earth. The Olympics could be in the middle of the next solar maximum which could affect the functions of communications satellites," said Professor Richard Harrison, head of space physics at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire.
At the peak of the cycle, violent outbursts called coronal mass ejections (日冕物质抛射) occur in the Sun's atmosphere, throwing out great quantities of electrically-charged matter. "A coronal mass ejection can carry a billion tons of solar material into space at over a million kilometres per hour. Such events can expose astronauts to a deadly amount, can disable satellites, cause power failures on Earth and disturb communications," Professor Harrison added. The risk is the greatest during a solar maximum when there is the greatest number of sunspots.
Next week in America, NASA is scheduled to launch a satellite for monitoring solar activity called the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), which will take images of the Sun that are 10 times clearer than the most advanced televisions available.
The Rutherford Appleton Laboratory helped to make the high-tech cameras that will capture images of the solar flares (太阳耀斑) and explosions as they occur.
Professor Richard Harrison, the lab's director, said that the SDO should be able to provide early warning of a solar flare or explosion big enough to affect satellite communications on Earth "If we have advanced warning, we'll be able to reduce the damage. What you don't want is things switching off for a week with no idea of what's caused the problem," he said. The phrase "communications blackout" in paragraph 1 most probably refers to____________ during the 2012 Olympics.
| A．the extinguishing of the Olympic torch |
| B．the collapse of broadcasting systems |
| C．the transportation breakdown in London |
| D．the destruction of weather satellites |
According to the passage, scientists are convinced that __________.
| A．the sun’s activities have little to do with the earth |
| B．the London Olympic broadcasting will be possibly influenced by the 2012 peak of sunspots |
| C．the 2012 Olympic Games are during the solar maximum of throwing out greatest number of sunspots |
| D．solar explosion will cause strong storms on the earth |
What can be inferred about the solar activity described in the passage?
| A．The most fatal matter from the corona falls onto Earth. |
| B．The solar storm peak occurs in the middle of each cycle. |
| C．It takes several seconds for the charged matter to reach Earth. |
| D．The number of sunspots declines after coronal mass ejections. |
According to the passage, NASA will launch a satellite to _________.
| A．take images of the solar system |
| B．provide early warning of thunderstorms |
| C．keep track of solar activities |
| D．improve the communications on Earth |
Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?
| A．Solar Storms: An Invisible Killer |
| B．Solar Storms: Earth Environment in Danger |
| C．Solar Storms: Threatening the Human Race |
| D．Solar Storms: Human Activities to Be Troubled |
If there is one thing I’m sure about, it is that in a hundred years from now we will still be reading newspapers. It’s not that newspapers are a necessity. Even now some people get most of their news from television or radio. Many buy a paper only on Saturday or Sunday. But for most people reading a newspaper has become a habit passed down from generation to generation.
The nature of what is news may change. What basically makes news is what affects our lives — the big political stories, the coverage（报导）of the wars, earthquakes and other disasters, will continue much the same. I think there will be more coverage of scientific research, though. It’s already happening in areas that may directly affect our lives, like genetic（基因）engineering. In the future, I think there will be more coverage of scientific explanations of why we feel as we do — as we develop a better understanding of how the brain operates and what our feelings really are.
It’s quite possible that in the next century newspapers will be transmitted（传送） electronically from Fleet Street and printed out in our own home. In fact, I’m pretty sure that how it will happen in the future. You will probably be able to choose from a menu, making up your own newspaper by picking out the things you want to read — sports and international news, etc.
I think people have got it wrong when they talk about competition between the different media. They actually feed off each other. Some people once foresaw that television would kill off newspapers, but that hasn’t happened. What is read on the printed page lasts longer than pictures on a screen or sound in the air. And as for the Internet, it’s never really pleasant to read something just on a screen. What is the best title for the passage?
| A．The Best Way to Get News. |
| B．The Changes of Media. |
| C．Make Your Own Newspaper. |
| D．The Future of Newspaper. |
In the writer’s opinion, in the future, _______.
| A．more big political affairs, wars and disasters will make news |
| B．newspapers will not be printed in publishing houses any longer |
| C．newspapers will cover more scientific researches |
| D．more and more people will prefer watching TV to reading newspapers |
From the passage, we can infer _______.
| A．newspapers will win the competition among the different media |
| B．newspapers will stay with us together with other media |
| C．television will take the place of newspaper in the future |
| D．the writer believes some media will die out |
The phrase “feed off” in the last paragraph means ______.
| A．depend on | B．compete with | C．fight with | D．kill off |
Dear Teresa Silva,
The official of the university has reported to us that you are an English major who meets the high standards for membership in Sigma Tau Delta. As is known, Sigma Tau Delta was founded in 1924 at Dakota Wesleyan University. It is an international collegiate honor society for students of English. It presently has over 850 chapters in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and the Caribbean. Over 9,000 new members are admitted into the organization annually.
Sigma Tau Delta’s purpose is to promote literature and writing and to advance the study of the written word. Members gather annually in the spring at the international meeting to present papers and share experiences and ideas within the English subject. The Society offers tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships, awards, as well as publication chances in its journals The Rectangle and The Sigma Tau Delta Review.
It is our pleasure if you can complete the application for Sigma Tau Delta membership. If you would like to be included in this spring’s induction (入会) ceremony, please complete the application form, and include amount to cover both local and international fees. Your completed form must be received by date to be considered for the upcoming induction ceremony.
We congratulate you on your outstanding academic record and hope you will join us as a Sigma Tau Delta member. If you want to get more information, please visit our website www.sigmataudelta.org, or give us a call. The phone number is 583-2864.
Sincerely,
Emily Lister According to the passage, Sigma Tau Delta ______.
| A．deals with language learning |
| B．opens its door to all the students of English |
| C．changes its members every year |
| D．mainly takes charge of scientific publications |
At the annual meeting, members of Sigma Tau Delta have the chance to ______.
| A．meet all the chapter leaders |
| B．receive tens of thousands of dollars |
| C．share experiences and views |
| D．choose a particular subject as a major |
This passage is basically a letter of _____.
| A．introduction | B．congratulation | C．thanks | D．invitation |
Have you ever wished that you could make your little sister’s teddy bear talk to her? Or have you ever wanted to bring a puppet (木偶) to life? If so, you may be interested in learning the art of ventriloquism (腹语术). A ventriloquist can make an ordinary object seem to be alive by giving it a personality, movement, and speech.
Your object can be a puppet, or a doll. Give your new “friend” a name, and then decide on the personality that he will have. The next step is to give your friend movements that agree with the personality you have chosen.
Now you can learn to make your “friend” talk. A ventriloquist will control his mouth and lips so that it will appear that his voice is coming from the object he is using. This will take practice, but you can do it.
First, decide on a voice that is different from your own. It could be higher or lower than yours, or could even have a special accent. Then, find a clean teaspoon and hold the handle between your front teeth. Now, using the voice you created for your friend and holding the handle of the teaspoon tightly between your teeth, look into a mirror and talk. Practicing with the spoon in your mouth will help you learn to keep your mouth from moving. Now try telling a joke in your normal voice and have your friend speak in his voice. Practice those words until you can say them without your lips moving at all.
Ventriloquism is fun. It also requires hard work to become good at it. The most important thing to do is practice. But if you are willing to take the time to give your friend an interesting personality, to practice lively movements, and to work on good mouth control, then you will be well on your way to becoming a ventriloquist!According to the text, a ventriloquist .
| A．is a person who can make puppets |
| B．needs to work with another person |
| C．can speak without using his mouth |
| D．can make an object seem to speak |
You need to hold the handle of a teaspoon between your front teeth so that .
| A．your voice will change |
| B．your mouth won’t move |
| C．you can look humorous |
| D．you can feel your mouth’s movements |
If you want to be good at ventriloquism, you .
| A．need to spend much time practicing |
| B．must learn from famous ventriloquists |
| C．should learn at least one special accent |
| D．must have a great doll to practice with |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．How to tell jokes |
| B．How to make puppets |
| C．Secrets of ventriloquism |
| D．Tips on making friends |
Imagine that you are in school, giving a speech to your class. Now think what it feels like when stammering (口吃) makes it a struggle to communicate your thoughts and feelings to other people.
The King’s Speech, which won the best picture at the Academy Awards in March, 2011, focuses on stammering along with other speech-related problems. The movie tells the story of Britain’s King George VI, who became king after his brother Edward VIII gave up the crown to marry an American woman.
As a result of British actor Colin Firth’s performance, people are starting to realize that stammering can damage a person’s self-confidence and cause him or her to escape from life.
“The serious problem is unseen and unheard,” said Norbert Lieckfeldt, an expert at the British Stammering Association, in an interview with a news reporter.
“Stammering masks your ability,” he said. “It's a serious disability.”
Most stammerers face bullying (欺负) in school, something that is “usually carried over into the workplace”.
George VI’s stammer took away his confidence as a speaker. But Samantha Mesango, a speech coach based in the UK, believes that speech problems are more common than most people realize. “Some simply don’t like the sound of their own voice; others are scared of speaking in public,” she said.
Travis Treats from St．Louis University praised The King’s Speech. He said it shows that “how one’s speech does not mean what one is inside”. He also added that people who stammer need to be heard and our society should recognize that they have a lot to give to the world. The author writes the first 3 paragraphs to .
| A．show how harmful stammer is for common people |
| B．introduce a famous movie winning great awards |
| C．tell the story of the king who suffers from stammer |
| D．draw readers’ attention to the problem of stammer |
We learn from the passage that .
| A．stammerers face bullying in school but not in the workplace |
| B．Edward VIII gave up his crown because he was a stammerer |
| C．stammerers should be understood and can contribute to the world |
| D．the sufferings caused by stammer haven’t been found yet |
According to Norbert Lieckfeldt, ．
| A．the voice of stammering people cannot be heard |
| B．people who stammer do better in work than school |
| C．there are a lot of things that stammering people can give to us |
| D．the serious problem of stammering remains unseen and unheard |
The paragraph that follows the last will probably talk about ．
| A．the success the king made by overcoming stammer |
| B．the medical treatments given to the stammerers |
| C．doctors’ opinions upon the serious stammer problem |
| D．how popular the movie The King’s Speech will become |
In cities with rent control, the city government sets the maximum rent that a landlord (房东) can charge for an apartment. Supporters of rent control argue that it protects people who are living in apartment. Their rent cannot increase; therefore, they are not in danger of losing their homes. However, the critics say that after a long time, rent control may have negative effects. Landlords know that they cannot increase their profits. Therefore, they invest in other businesses where they can increase their profits. They do not invest in new buildings which would also be rent-controlled. As a result, new apartments are not built. Many people who need apartments cannot find any. According to the critics, the end result of rent control is a shortage of apartments in the city.
Some experts argue that the minimum wage law can cause problems in the same way. The federal government sets the minimum that an employer must pay workers. The minimum helps people who generally look for unskilled, low-paying jobs. However, if the minimum is high, employers may hire fewer workers. They will replace workers with machinery. Therefore, other things being equal, the number of workers that employers want decreases. Thus, critics hold the opinion that an increase in the minimum wage may cause unemployment. Some poor people may find themselves without jobs instead of with jobs at the minimum wage.
Supporters of the minimum wage say that it helps people keep their dignity. Because of the law, workers cannot sell their services for less than the minimum. Furthermore, employers cannot force workers to accept jobs at unfair wages.
Economic theory predicts the results of economic decision, such as decisions about farm production, rent control, and the minimum wage. The predictions may be corrected only if “other things are equal”. Economists do not agree on some of the predictions. They also do not agree on the value of different decisions. Some economists support a particular decision while others criticize it. Economists do agree, however, that there are no simple answers to economic questions.There is the possibility that setting maximum rent may________.
| A．cause a shortage of apartments |
| B．worry those who rent apartments as homes. |
| C．increase the profits of landlords. |
| D．encourage landlords to invest in building apartments. |
We can safely say that rent control_________.
| A．will always benefit those who rent apartments. |
| B．is unnecessary. |
| C．will probably bring inactive effects in the long run. |
| D．is necessary under all conditions |
There will be the problem of unemployment if ________________.
| A．the minimum wage is set too high.. |
| B．the minimum wage is set too early. |
| C．the workers are unskilled. |
| D．the maximum wage is set for poor workers. |
The passage tells us about _______________.
| A．the relationship between supply and demand. |
| B．the possible results of government controls. |
| C．the necessity of government control. |
| D．the urgency of getting rid of government control. |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．The results of economic decisions cannot always be predicted. |
| B．Minimum wage cannot always protect employees. |
| C．Economic theory can help predict the results of economic decision if other factors are not changing. |
| D．Economists usually have the same prediction about an economic decision. |
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