No opera smells of the sea quite like Britten’s Peter Grimes. The music makes us constantly aware of the sea’s immensity, it’s potential for threat, and the play of light on its waves. But the sea isn’t just a special background, it weighs on the lives of the characters, offering them a living, but at a price. In the first act the laboured sound of the strings evokes (引起) the complete heaviness of the sailor’s work, as they haul(用力拉) the boats up the shingle (鹅卵石). Then a storm gathers which rages(肆虐) through the scene at the Inn, and stirs up an orchestral hurricane. Even when it’s calm and favorable, the sea is inescapable.
In the comfortable enclosed world of the opera house, this can only be suggested. In the production of Peter Grimes about to open at the Aldeburgh Festival, it will be really present, because the opera is taking place on the beach, the setting for much of the narrative of Britten’s opera, and also the poem by the Suffolk poet George Crabbe that inspired it.
This won’t be the first opera production to be set in the actual landscape in which the action takes place. There’s a well-known filmed production of Tosca shot in Castel Gandolfo in Rome, and a production of Donizetti’s Anna Bolena was once mounted in the moat(护城河) surrounding the Tower of London. But those were manageable urban landscapes, with comfortingly solid buildings to act as wind shields and acoustic blocks.
On the Aldeburgh beach there’s actually nothing, apart from a few boats, some whole, some wrecked. Here anything more complicated than walking the dog is hard to solve. The wind blows away one’s words, so conversation is hard, and anything not tied down tends to blow away. The sliding shingle turns one’s steps into a drunken stagger.
The idea of performing an opera in these conditions seems quite barmy — an accusation Aldeburgh director Jonathan Reakie takes cheerfully on the chin. Why has he done it? “Well, Grimes is the opera of Britten’s that’s most associated with Aldeburgh, but it’s never been produced at the Festival which he founded. There just isn’t the space for it. In his anniversary year we wanted to focus on Britten’s connection with Suffolk, and this seemed the boldest way to do it.”
Having had the mad idea, Reakie found his colleagues were not just accepting, but enthusiastic. “We spent a long time thinking about ways to do it. One idea we had was to do all the scenes at the right time of day. There’s one scene at dawn, another at midday, and a lot of action at night, but that was too complicated. Then we thought about doing a few scenes on the beach. But in the end, we thought hell, let’s just do the whole thing.”Which of the following can best describe the sailor’s work in the first act?
| A．Pleasant. | B．Hard. |
| C．Comfortable. | D．Attractive. |
How is Paragraph 2 mainly developed?
| A．By giving descriptions. | B．By following time order. |
| C．By analyzing causes. | D．By making comparisons. |
What does Paragraph 4 mainly tell us?
| A．The benefits of the actual landscape. |
| B．The actual landscape of Aldeburgh beach. |
| C．The location of the Aldeburgh beach. |
| D．The hardship of performing opera in Aldeburgh beach. |
The underlined word “barmy” (in Paragraph 5) is closest in meaning to ____.
| A．crazy | B．impossible |
| C．wonderful | D．terrible |
Reakie’s partners’ attitude towards his opera on a beach is ____.
| A．eager | B．cautious |
| C．doubtful | D．unfavorable |
If you’re travelling in the following cities, these exciting events may drag you out of the house.
CONCERTS
Mayday Noah’s Ark World Tour
Info: Jul 13, Xiamen; Jul 19/20, Shanghai; Aug 3, Shenzhen; Aug 17, Beijing
The rock band Mayday is about to bring their attractive tour to an end — and, as usual, it’s going to happen in a grand way. On Aug 17, they will rock the National Stadium, or the Bird’s Nest Stadium, and hold their last Noah’s(诺亚方舟) Ark concert in China, before heading to Europe in September.
Tanya Chua 2013 Concert Tour
Info: Aug 10, Shanghai; Aug 31, Beijing
In her music career of more than 15 years, the 38-year-old Singaporean singer-songwriter has never been short of popular songs that astonish the heart. Now, for the first time since 2008, when she played a small Christmas concert in Shanghai, Chua is visiting China as part of a concert tour.
THEATER
What is Success?
Director: Edward Lam
Performers: Chu Hung-chang, Ethan Wei, Shi Yi-hsiu
Info: Aug 9-10, Guangzhou; Aug 16-17, Chongqing; Aug 29-Sept 1, Beijing
In Part Three of Edward Lam’s Four Great Classics Series, which looks back at Luo Guanzhong’s novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, it is sure to give you a surprise. Will it be true? Find out for yourself!
To Live
Director: Meng Jinghui
Performers: Huang Bo, Yuan Quan
Info: Jul 30-Aug 4, Beijing; Aug 6-7, Tianjin; Aug 9-11, Hangzhou; Aug 13-18, Shanghai
After their world show in September, theater director Meng Jinghui and his team are back for another tour around China. While audiences can renew their memories of Yu Hua’s new realism works, film stars Huang Bo and Yuan Quan will also impress audiences with their excellent performance.
EXHIBITIONS
Andy Warhol: 15 Minutes Eternal(永恒)
Info: Apr 29-Jul 28, Shanghai
Launched in 2012 — the 25th anniversary of the pop artist Andy Warhol’s death — the exhibition brings the largest ever collection of Warhol’s work to Asia. It includes more than 300 paintings, photographs, drawings and 3-D art, including his works such as Marilyn Monroe, Mao, Campbell’s Soup and Self-Portrait.You may find the above advertisements ____.
| A．in a newspaper | B．in a school magazine |
| C．in a store window | D．on a company notice-board |
The rock band Mayday is going to give concerts in ____ after they perform in Beijing.
| A．Australia | B．Japan |
| C．Europe | D．the USA |
Tanya Chua 2013 Concert Tour is her ____ concert in China.
| A．third | B．Fourth |
| C．first | D．second |
Travelling in Hangzhou on Aug 10, you can watch film star Huang Bo’s works ____.
| A．What is Success | B．To Live |
| C．Campbell’s Soup | D．Self-Portrait |
The main purpose of the advertisements is to tell you ____ when you are in these cities.
| A．how to enjoy these activities | B．how to improve your artistic level |
| C．how to amuse yourselves | D．what to enjoy |
Educating Girls Is a Real Lifesaver
Clare Short knows it. Every developing economist knows it. The World Bank knows it. The education of girls is the surest way to reduce poverty.
The reason is simple. All the evidence shows that taking girls out of the fields and homes, and putting them behind desks, raises economic productivity, lowers infant and maternal(产妇) death rates, reduces birth rates, and improves environmental management.
Why, then, are 90 million primary school-age girls around the world not in school? For the same reason that when Charles Dickens was writing David Copperfield 150 years ago girls were absent from the British education system: Men in power mostly prefer it that way, or are not interested enough in changing the situation to commit energy and money to doing so.
The countries with the poorest record for having women in positions of power or influence have the worst figures for girls’ education. High-profile intervention(介入) by organizations such as the World Bank has begun successfully with several countries, and more of the same will probably be needed to bring change in conservative, male-run states.
Even if there were no development payoff from gender equality in schools, the education of girls would still be a cause worth fighting for. Education is a human right, and the denial of it to girls is a scar on the community in the twenty-first century.
To be born a girl in a rural area in Nepal, Pakistan, Indonesia, Morocco, Togo, or Sudan — half a dozen of the most shameful performers — means being condemned to a life without school, education, or clean water, marriage and babies coming too early, too many births, children who die of preventable diseases, backbreaking work in the fields, subordination(从属) to husband and his family, and an early death.
Every year, almost 12 million children under the age of five needlessly die of infectious diseases associated with poverty. But each additional year spent by their mothers in primary school lowers the risk of premature child deaths by about 8 percent. In Pakistan, an extra year of school for 1,000 girls could prevent sixty infant deaths.
With women and girls being the main farmers in Africa and southern Asia, their education offers a chance to develop more efficient farming practices, improve output, and raise awareness of the ecological needs of the land with tree planting and farming. Therefore, the world community cannot afford to ignore this avenue of change.Which is Not the reason why educating girls reduces poverty?
| A．It improves environmental management. |
| B．It raises economic productivity. |
| C．It creates more children. |
| D．It lowers maternal death rates. |
What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 3 refer to?
| A．The poor economy at that time. |
| B．Girls’ absence from school. |
| C．Energy and money. |
| D．The education of girls. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The countries where women have great influence and are in power always do worse in girls’ education. |
| B．Some organizations such as the World Bank haven’t taken the lead in girls’ education. |
| C．Some girls in Sudan and Indonesia are bound to live a life without education when they are born. |
| D．Each extra year of school for girls has nothing to do with the birthrate and maternal deaths. |
How many more infants will survive when 100 girls stay in school for another year?
| A．5 | B．6 | C．8 | D．12 |
What does the author think of girls’ education?
| A．essential | B．terrible |
| C．indifferent | D．helpless |
Grown-ups are often surprised by how well they remember something they learned as childrenbut have never practicedeversince. A manwhohas not had a chance to go swimmingfor years canstill swim as well asever whenhe gets backin the water. He can get on a bicycle after many years andstill ride away. He can play catch and hit a ball as well as his son. A mother who has not thought aboutthe words for years can teach her daughter the poem that begins "Twinkle, twinkle, little star"orremember the story of Cinderella or Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
One explanation is the law ofoverlearning,which can be stated as follows: Once we have learnedsomething, additional learning trials(尝试)increase the length of time we will remember it.
In childhood we usually continue to practice such skills as swimming, bicycle riding, and playingbaseball long after we have learned them. We continue to listen to and remind ourselves of words suchas "Twinkle, twinkle, little star" and childhood tales such as Cinderella and Goldilocks. We not onlylearn but overlearn.
The multiplication tables(乘法口诀表)are an exception to thegeneral rule that we forget rather quickly the things that we learn in school, becausetheyare another of the things we overlearn inchildhood.
The law of overlearning explains why cramming(突击学习)for an examination,though it mayresult in a passing grade, is not a satisfactory way to learn a college course. By cramming, a studentmay learn the subject well enough to get by on the examination, but he is likelysoon toforget almosteverything he learned.Alittle overlearning,on the other hand, is really necessary for one's futuredevelopment.What the main idea of Paragraph 1
| A．People remember well what they learned in childhood. |
| B．Children have a better memory than grown-ups. |
| C．Poem reading is a good way to learn words.“ |
| D．Stories for children are easy to remember. |
The author explains the law of overlearning by
| A．presenting research findings |
| B．setting down general rules |
| C．making a comparison |
| D．using examples |
According to the author, being able to use multiplication tables is
| A．a result of overlearning |
| B．a special case of cramming |
| C．a skill to deal with math problems |
| D．a basic step towards advanced studies |
What is the author's opinion on cramming?
| A．It leads to failure in college exams. |
| B．It's helpful only in a limited way. |
| C．It's possible to result in poor memory. |
| D．It increases students' learning interest. |
About twenty of us had been fortunate enough to receive invitations to a film-studio（影棚）to take part in a crowd-scene. Although our "act" would last only for a short time, we could see quite a number of interesting things.
We all stood at the far end of the studio as workmen prepared the scene, setting up trees at the edge of a winding path.Very soon, bright lights were turned on and the big movie-camera was
wheeled into position. The director shouted something to the camera operator and then went to speak to the two famous actors nearby. Since it was hot in the studio, it came as a surprise to us to see one of the actors put on a heavy overcoat and start walking along the path. A big fan began blowing tiny white feathers down on him, and soon the trees were covered in "snow". Two more fans were turned on, and a "strong wind" blew through the trees. The picture looked so real that it made us feel cold.
The next scene was a complete contrast(对比).The way it was filmed was quite unusual. Pictures taken on an island in the Pacific were shown on a glass screen. An actor and actress stood in front of the scene so that they looked as if they were at the water's edge on an island. By a simple trick like this, palm trees, sandy beaches, and blue, clear skies had been brought into the studio!
Since it was our turn next, we were left wondering what scene would be prepared for us. For a full three minutes in our lives we would be experiencing the excitement of being film ”Stars”!Who is the author?
| A．A cameraman. | B．A film director. |
| C．A crowd-scene actor | D．A workman for scene setting |
What made the author feel cold?
| A．The heavy snowfall. | B．The man-made scene. |
| C．The low temperature. | D．The film being shown. |
What would happen in the "three minutes" mentioned, in the last paragraph?
| A．A new scene would be filmed. |
| B．More stars would act in the film. |
| C．The author would leave the studio. |
| D．The next scene would be prepared. |
Honey from the African forest is not only a kind of natural sugar, it is also delicious.
Most people, and many animals, like eating it. However, the only way for them to get thathoney is to find a wild bees' nest and take the honey from it. Often, these nests are high up intrees, and it is difficult to find them. In parts of Africa, though, people and animals looking forhoney have a strange and unexpected helper - a little bird called a honey guide.
The honey guide does not actually like honey, but it does like the wax in the beehives (蜂房). The little bird cannot reach this wax, which is deep inside the bees' nest. So, when it finds a suitable nest, it looks for someone to help it. The honey guide gives a loud cry that attracts the attention of both passing animals and people. Once it has their attention, it flies through the forest, waiting from time to time for the curious animal or person as it leads them to the nest. When they finally arrive at the nest, the follower reaches in to get at the delicious honey as the bird patiently waits and watches. Some of the honey, and the wax, always falls to the ground, and this is when the honey guide takes its share.
Scientists do not know why the honey guide likes eating the wax, but it is very determined in its efforts to get it. The birds seem to be able to smell wax from a long distance away. They will quickly arrive whenever a beekeeper is taking honey from his beehives, and will even enter churches when beeswax candles are being lit.Why is it difficult to find a wild bees' nest?
| A．It's small in size. | B．It's hidden in trees. |
| C．It's covered with wax. | D．It's hard to recognize. |
What do the words "the follower" in Paragraph 2 refer to?
| A．A bee. | B．A bird. |
| C．A honey seeker. | D．A beekeeper. |
The honey guide is special in the way.
| A．it gets its food | B．it goes to church |
| C．it sings in the forest | D．it reaches into bees' nests |
What can be the best title for the text?
| A．Wild Bees | B．Wax and Honey |
| C．Beekeeping in Africa | D．Honey-Lover's Helper |
Are you looking for some new and exciting places to take your kids to? Try some of these places:
Visit art museums. They offer a variety of activities to excite your kids’ interest. Many offer workshops for making hand-made pieces, traveling exhibits, book signings (签名) by children’s favorite writers, and even musical performances and other arts.
Head to a natural history museum. This is where kids can discover the past from dinosaur models to rock collections and pictures of stars in the sky. Also, ask what kind of workshops and educational programs are prepared for kids and any special events that are coming up.
Go to a Youtheater. Look for one in your area offering plays for child and family visitors. Pre-show play shops are conducted by area artists and educators where kids can discover the secret about performing arts. Puppet (木偶) making and stage make-up are just a couple of the special offerings you might find.
Tryhands-on science. Visit one of the many hands-on science museums around the country. These science play-lands are great fun for kids and grown-ups alike. They’ll keep your child mentally and physically active the whole day through while pushing buttons, experimenting, and building. When everyone is tired, enjoy a fun family science show, commonly found in these museums.If a child is interested in the universe, he probably will visit
| A．a Youtheater | B．an art museum |
| C．a natural history museum | D．a hands-on science museum |
What can kids do at a Youtheater?
| A．Look at rock collections. | B．See dinosaur models. |
| C．Watch puppet making. | D．Give performances. |
What does "hands-on science" mean in the last paragraph?
| A．Science games designed by kids. |
| B．Learning science by doing things. |
| C．A show of kids' science work. |
| D．Reading science books. |
Where does this text probably come from?
| A．A science textbook. | B．A tourist map. |
| C．A museum guide. | D．A news report. |
为了激发大家学习英语的热情，学生会要组织一次英语讲座。假设你是学校的广播员，请根据下面的表格提示的内容，写一份英语广播稿，通知全校学生。
| 讲座主题 |
学习英语的重要性 |
| 主讲人 |
北京大学李博教授 |
| 时间 |
7月10日，星期四下午3：00 |
| 地点 |
学校报告厅 |
| 注意事项 |
散会后回教室就报告内容开展讨论,并制定出各自的英语学习计划。 |
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 要点齐全，符合英语口语特点；
There is no doubt that to study abroad gives you an excellent opportunity to learn things which are very helpful in your career building. Today, Canada has earned a good name in providing quality education and safe healthy environment for its students. That is why more than 130,000 international students enroll(注册) every year in famous Canadian universities. It is an ideal education destination and gives students a unique experience of education and its versatile (多样的) arts and culture. Canada spends a lot on education and is ranked the highest in G-8 countries.
To study in Canada is very cost effective. These universities are affordable compared to other universities in the world such as in the US, New Zealand and UK where cost of education and living is very high. According to a survey in 2006, “Canada offered the lowest tuition fees for foreign students compared to UK and Australia.”
The low rate of crimes and the peaceful safe environment of the country also attract lots of international students to Canadian universities. Canada has 92 universities and 175 community colleges and university degrees have three levels-Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral.
A Bachelor's degree in Canada is for three or four years' full-time study depending upon the nature of the program you are doing. On the other hand, a Master's degree consists of two years of study. For a Doctoral program in Canadian university, you require a minimum of three to four or sometimes five years of research and study.
You can also find many diploma(学位证书) and certification (证明) programs in Canadian universities where the time is generally one year. Some of the Canadian universities are well-regarded worldwide and the degree and diploma obtained from these Canadian universities are recognized globally and promise bright future. After the completion of studies, a person could also find great job offers in Canada itself. International students require a work permit to work on campus.How long will you spend at least in total if you want to finish your Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral degrees in Canada?
| A．7 years. | B．8 years. |
| C．9 years. | D．11 years. |
What advantages does Canada have to attract foreign students according to the passage?
①Quality education.②Safe environment.
③Versatile culture.④Bright job future.
⑤High scholarships.⑥Low tuition fees.
| A．①②③④⑥ | B．①②④⑤⑥ |
| C．①②③⑤⑥ | D．①③④⑤⑥ |
What's the author's attitude towards studying in Canada?
| A．Oppositive. | B．Doubtful. |
| C．Supportive. | D．Not mentioned. |
What's the best title for the passage?
| A．Canadian culture |
| B．The life in Canada |
| C．Study in Canada — a unique Experience |
| D．Benefits of studying Abroad |
Born on April 4, 1928, Maya Angelou had a hard childhood. Her parents got divorced(离婚) when she was very young. She was a single mother and being a single mother was very hard on her.
It was finally in 1949 that she started to find her place in the world when she changed her name to show her Calypso dance performances at the night club where she worked. It was there that she won a scholarship and trained in African dance and modern dance. She formed a group and they traveled all over Europe with an opera production. As she traveled, she studied different languages and became excellent in several of them. During this time, she made her first album, Miss Calypso, and it was a success.
In the 1950s, she moved to New York and started to work more on her writing. She heard Dr Martin Luther King speak in 1960 and began organizing different benefits for Civil Rights(人权). In 1961, she began to play a large role in the Civil Rights Movement and is remembered for her work around the country.
She later moved to Ghana with her son and worked in the University of Ghana’s School of Music and Drama. It was there that she became close friends with Malcolm X. She returned to the US in 1964 to help Malcolm X with a new Civil Rights movement. Shortly after she returned to the US, Malcolm X and Dr King were both assassinated(暗杀). To deal with the deaths of her friends, she wrote her first book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which finally made her famous around the world. The 1970s were some of her most productive years as a writer, poet, as well as a singer.What’s the main idea of this passage?
| A．Maya Angelou: a life of hard work and success |
| B．Maya Angelou: a life of bad luck and sadness |
| C．The hard and terrible life of Maya Angelou |
| D．Some Unknown facts about Maya Angelou |
What finally made Maya Angelou well known around the world?
| A．Her friendship with Martin Luther King. |
| B．The books I know Why the Caged Bird Sings. |
| C．The books and poems she wrote in the 1970s. |
| D．Her unbelievable work as a Civil Rights protector. |
From the passage, we know that Maya Angelou was a .
| A．writer, salesgirl, teacher and dancer |
| B．singer, painter, dancer, poet and writer |
| C．writer, poet, singer, dancer and Civil Rights protector |
| D．singer, publisher, Civil Rights activist and writer |
Being green is everywhere these days, whether it is in the school, factory or anywhere on the Internet. This is because our planet is in danger, losing resources, polluting resources and destroying ecosystems(生态系统). Different species are dying because we can’t take care of our home. Now ask yourself why you don’t want a green healthier lifestyle and to save animals. Keep that in mind as you read on.
There are many ways to be green, first of all, everyone should recycle; it’s something easy and helps our planet in many ways. All you’d have to do is put recycling in recycling and garbage in garbage. Another popular thing is to try your best not to drive a car. Sometimes you can just walk, bike, or take a subway. This ensures that our air won’t be polluted, which in turn helps our lungs and everything else on our planet. Next thing is saving energy. We can do this by not using too much heat or air conditioning in summer or winter. It’s not preferable because it’s hard, but you can try and put your washing machine on cold whenever possible and try to keep electronics out of the rubbish. What’s more, remember to stop drinking from plastic bottles because plastic can only be used once and if used many times, it will become unhealthy. So you’d better use a glass or buy a reusable water bottle. The last and most important thing is, spread this news to the world and tell them what’s happening in our world. I’ve only listed a small part of the endless possibilities to save this world. The least you can do is do the simple ones.What does the underlined word “that” in Paragraph 1 refer to?
| A．The importance of being green. |
| B．The question asked in this paragraph. |
| C．The present situation of the Earth. |
| D．The reader’s contribution to the Earth. |
How many ways to be green are mentioned in the passage?
| A．Two. | B．Three. |
| C．Four. | D．Five. |
According to the passage, the most important way to be green is to .
| A．call on others to protect our Earth |
| B．recycle what we have used |
| C．try our best to stop driving cars |
| D．save as much energy as possible |
The passage is intended to .
| A．tell us the importance of protecting our Earth |
| B．Help us to cut down the pollution on our Earth |
| C．teach us some knowledge about our health today |
| D．guide us to some ways of protecting our Earth |
In ninth grade, I thought Jennifer Fever, the dark-haired girl who sat behind me in classroom, was an alien(外星人). Our class organized an activity to raise money for the library, and in one month, Jennifer read 34 books. I couldn’t believe it. Surely, she was from some faraway planet where creature lived and they didn’t own television sets. How could a human being, a 13-year-old girl, read 34 books in one month?
I had read three books. And by “read”, I mean skimmed. I mean opened and placed them on my lap while watching cartoons.
Who had time to read? In addition to my favorite cartoons, I had a basketball that required playing, a baseball that required throwing, and a volleyball that required volleying. And it wasn’t as if my bike could ride itself.
Besides, reading was boring. And if I wanted to be bored, it would be much easier just to pay attention during Mr. Kearly’s social studies class.
After senior high school, my education had become very narrow: computer engineering, mathematics, physics, and not much else.
Years later, I realized something: I had not memory of ever reading a book for pleasure. But there was a world of knowledge outside science and engineering, and I was tired of being ignorant(无知的)of it, so I decided I would become a reader. I dived into book after book. In short, the bookworm within me had awakened.
Today, I carry a book(if not two or three) with me wherever I go. An hour-long waiting for the bus is not trouble; rather, it’s a chance to enjoy a few chapters of Malcolm Gladwell’s latest works. Sometimes, I wish my waiting was longer. From the first paragraph, we learn that Jennifer Fever .
| A．was an alien | B．couldn’t believe me |
| C．organized an activity | D．was my classmate |
What used to make the author bored?
| A．Watching cartoons. |
| B．Reading. |
| C．Playing basketball. |
| D．Riding her bike. |
Which of the following is TURE according to the passage?
| A．My education had become very narrow after high school. |
| B．A 13-year-old girl could also read 34 books in one year. |
| C．I skimmed my three books while reading in the library. |
| D．I was still tired of reading during my study in the university. |
We can infer from the passage that the author .
| A．enjoyed some faraway planet very much |
| B．felt surprised to study computer engineering |
| C．loved reading very much after growing up |
| D．became wise and rich after high school |
Feeling blue about the world? “Cheer up,” says science writer Matt Ridley. “The world has never been a better place to live in, and it will keep on getting better both for humans and for nature.”
Ridley calls himself a rational optimist—rational, because he’s carefully weighed the evidence; optimistic, because that evidence shows human progress to be both unavoidable and good. And this is what he’s set out to prove from a unique point of view in his most recent book, The Rational Optimist . He views mankind as grand enterprise that, on the whole, has done little but progress for 100,000 years. He backs his findings with hard facts gathered through years of research.
Here’s how he explains his views.
1）Shopping fuels invention
It is reported that there are more than ten billion different products for sale in London alone. Even allowing for the many people who still live in poverty, our own generation has access to more nutritious food, more convenient transport, bigger houses, better cars, and, of course, more pounds and dollars than any who lived before us. This will continue as long as we use these things to make other things. The more we specialize and exchange, the better off we’ll be.
2) Brilliant advances
One reason we are richer, healthier, taller, cleverer, longer-lived and freer than ever before is that the four most basic human needs—food, clothing, fuel and shelter—have grown a lot cheaper. Take one example. In 1800 a candle providing one hour’s light cost six hours’ work. In the 1880s the same light from an oil lamp took 15 minutes’ work to pay for. In 1950 it was eight seconds. Today it’s half second.
3) Let’s not kill ourselves for climate change
Mitigating(减轻) climate change could prove just as damaging to human welfare as climate change itself. A child that dies from indoor smoke in a village, where the use of fossil-fuel(化石燃料) electricity is forbidden by well- meaning members of green political movements trying to save the world, is just as great a tragedy as a child that dies in a flood caused by climate change. If climate change proves to be mild, but cutting carbon causes real pain, we may well find that we have stopped a nose-bleed by putting a tourniquet(止血带) around our necks.What is the theme of Ridley’s most recent book?
| A．Weakness of human nature. |
| B．Concern about climate change. |
| C．Importance of practical thinking. |
| D．Optimism about human progress. |
How does Ridley look at shopping?
| A．It encourages the creation of things. |
| B．It results in shortage of goods. |
| C．It demands more fossil fuels. |
| D．It causes a poverty problem. |
The candle and lamp example is used to show that__________.
| A．oil lamps give off more light than candles |
| B．shortening working time brings about a happier life. |
| C．advanced technology helps to produce better candles. |
| D．increased production rate leads to lower cost of goods. |
What does the last sentence of the passage imply?
| A．Cutting carbon is necessary in spite of the huge cost. |
| B．Overreaction to climate change may be dangerous. |
| C．People’s health is closely related to climate change. |
| D．Careless medical treatment may cause great pain. |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is True?
| A．Matt Ridley doesn’t think the world is a good place to live in. |
| B．Climate change won’t cause a child’s death. |
| C．Matt Ridley based his unique point of view on his long-term research. |
| D．People will have more freedom for the development of the world. |
As a first –year teacher at a Christian school ,I was expecting my fifth grade students to be prefect , perfect in behavior , in attitude , and I even expected the home-life of each student to be nearly perfect . I found , of course , that these students were not different from the children I taught in public school .These kids had behavior problems , bad attitudes ,and some even had strikingly difficult family lives .
One of my students in particular stands out in my mind .I’ll call him Timothy for safety’s sake. During the first day of class , I noticed that Timothy was different .Not only in physical appearance , but he also spoke strangely , as though a 35-year-old man were trapped inside his tiny , weak body .On many occasions , I heard Timothy speak of hate, how he hated his family .
I observed Timohy for several months and read up on his background and searched for any clue that would lead me closer to understanding this child’s strange behavior .Finally I was directed to Timothy’s older brother’s cheating in an exam and had taken his anger out on Timothy at home .Timothy’s parents , in turn , had contacted the school, blaming them for Timothy’s problems.
I had written a letter to the administration asking that Timothy see a counselor(咨询师). The school was in the process of contacting a counselor when Timothy was transferred to another school. His father hurried around my room collecting Timothy’s things and left. That is the last we have seen or heard from Timothy. I was left with an empty desk and a broken heart. I cried for days afterwards. I felt as though I had done Timothy a disservice …I did not help him when he needed me. I still think about Timothy every day, and pray for him every morning. What was wrong with Timothy?
| A．He seemed to have deep emotional problems. |
| B．He seemed not to be getting along well with his classmates. |
| C．He mainly had behavior problems at school. |
| D．He wanted to transfer to another school. |
What was Timothy like during the first day of class?
| A．He looked old in appearance but lively in spirit. |
| B．He looked common but talked strangely. |
| C．He spoke strangely and looked weak in body. |
| D．He acted as if he were as experienced as a 35-year-old man. |
The reason why Timothy hated his family included that________.
| A．his father treated him differently from his brother. |
| B．his family didn’t care about what he was doing at school. |
| C．his father blamed the teachers for his problems. |
| D．his brother treated him in an unreasonable way. |
The underlined word “disservice” in the last paragraph probably refers to_______.
| A．something meaningless | B．something harmful |
| C．something secret | D．something funny. |
. From the passage we know that____________.
| A．Timothy’s father blamed the author for reading his son’s file. |
| B．The school didn’t approve Timothy’s seeing a counselor. |
| C．The author felt guilty for not helping Timothy in time. |
| D．Students at the Christian school don’t have family problems except Timothy. |
A world-famous Canadian author, Margaret Atwood, has created the world’s first long-distance signing device(装置), the LongPen.
After many tiring book-signing tours from city to city, Atwood thought there must be a better way to do them. She hired some technical experts and started her own company in 2004. Together they designed the LongPen. Here’s how it works: The author writes a personal message and signature on a computer tablet(手写板) using a special pen. On the receiving end, in another city, a robotic arm fitted with a regular pen signs the book. The author and fan can talk with each other via webcams(网络摄像机) and computer screens.
Work on the LongPen began in Atwood’s basement(地下室). At first, they had no idea it would be as hard as it turned out to be. The device went through several versions, including one that actually had smoke coming out of it. The investing finally completed, test runs were made in Ottawa, and the LongPen was officially launched at the 2006 London Book Fair. From here , Atwood conducted two transatlantic book signings of her latest book for fans in Toronto and New York City.
The LongPen produces a unique signature each time because it copies the movement of the author in real time. It has several other potential applications. It could increase credit card security and allow people to sign contracts from another province. The video exchange between signer and receiver can be recorded on DVD for proof when legal documents are used.
“It’s really fun”, said the owner of a bookstore, who was present for one of the test runs. “Obviously you can’t shake hands with the author, but there are chances for a connection that you don’t get from a regular book signing.”
The response to the invention has not been all favorable. Atwood has received criticism from authors who think she is trying to end book tours. But she said, “It will be possible to go to places that you never got sent to before because the publishers couldn’t afford it.”Why did Atwood decide to invent the LongPen?
| A．To set up her own company. |
| B．To win herself greater popularity. |
| C．To write her books in a new way. |
| D．To make book signings less tiring. |
How does the LongPen work?
| A．It copies the author’s signature and prints it on a book. |
| B．It signs a book while receiving the author’s signature. |
| C．The webcam sends the author’s signature to another city. |
| D．The fan uses it to copy the author’s signature himself. |
What do we know about the invention of the LongPen?
| A．It has been completed but not put into use. |
| B．The basement caught fire by accident. |
| C．Some versions failed before its test run. |
| D．The designers were well-prepared for the difficulty. |
How could the LongPen be used in the future?
| A．To draft legal documents. |
| B．To improve credit card security |
| C．To keep a record of the author’s ideas. |
| D．To allow author and fan to exchange videos |
What could be inferred from Paragraphs 5 and 6?
| A．Atwood doesn’t mean to end book tours. |
| B．Critics think the LongPen is of little use |
| C．Bookstore owners don’t support the LongPen |
| D．Publishers dislike the LongPen for its high cost. |
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