Here is an unusual story: a diamond ring was recently found in an egg. The magician, Liu Qian, discovered it, in front of an audience of millions at CCTV`s Spring Festival Gala. Liu`s magic tricks have made the centuries-old art of magic fashionable (时髦的)once again, and made him the hottest magician in China.
As a seasoned (老练的) young magician from Taiwan, Liu is popular worldwide for his magic shows. Countries he has performed in include the United States, Japan, South Korea and the UK.
Witnessing (目击)something impossible happen right before your eyes is the root of people`s love for magic.
Liu is known for his interaction(互动) with his audiences. He has a special understanding of performing skills.
“It is actually thinking , rather than one`s performing skills, that is more important to achieve a successful magic show. We think carefully about how to design the shows creatively，to make them appear more attractive.” Liu said.
Liu Qian`s success dates back to his childhood. Born in 1976 in Taiwan, he found himself attracted to a magic toy in a shop when he was seven years old. At the age of 12, he won Taiwan`s Youth Contest, which was judged by the great American magician, David Copperfield.
Yet, Liu never planned on becoming a professional magician. He studied Japanese literature at university and only hoped to be an amateur (业余的) magician in his spare time. However, his failure to find a decent (体面的) job after graduation pushed him towards magic as a career.
To improve his performing skills, he has performed on streets, roads and fields, for passers-by, policemen and farmers.
“Street shows are the biggest challenge for us magicians. We have to deal with unexpected situations and tough(难对付的) crowds.” Liu said.The story is about _________.
| A．how Liu Qian became China`s hottest magician |
| B．why people love magic |
| C．what magic tricks are |
| D．what fashionable magic is |
People love to watch magic because __________.
| A．they can`t figure out the secret of magic |
| B．it arouses their curiosity |
| C．they love watching magicians make the impossible happen |
| D．it is a centuries-old art |
Which of the following is the key reason that Liu Qian decided to make magic his career?
| A．He was interested in magic when he was little |
| B．He had won Taiwan`s Youth Magic Contest |
| C．He became an amateur magician in his spare time |
| D．He couldn`t find a decent job after graduation |
From the story, we know that________.
| A．Liu Qian competed in many magic competitions |
| B．Liu Qian often invites audiences to be in his magic shows |
| C．Liu Qian performs on streets in order to increase his fame |
| D．Liu Qian does street shows to make money |
Imagine a training course that helps you in your specific job. Imagine tools and techniques that are so closely connected with your work that you can apply them directly to it. Imagine receiving an Open University (OU) certificate (证书) in a course which states what you have studied and achieved.
It may sound fantastic, but it’s a reality at the Open University’s CCPD, which is making learning while you work more flexible (灵活的) than ever before.
The courses are starting to change workplace learning completely. Paige, who took CCPD’s courses, said the study had changed her whole way of thinking. “It was excellent for so many reasons,” she said. “It developed me as a person and as an employee and taught me particular techniques. I was always able to bring what I’d learned into the office the next day and apply it to my job.”
Even better news for Paige was that her employer paid the full cost of her study. She became one of thousands of OU students whose fees were paid by employers who recognized the value of an OU education.
“These courses are designed for CCPD rather than as part of a formal certificate,” said Kathy, an OU teacher. “We pay more attention to development rather than assessment (评估). Our role is to give them personal developmental advice, not a mark.”
Paige is just one of 200,000 students who are learning at OU. CCPD itself is just a part of an organization that offers courses and qualifications in 360 subjects and has so far helped to develop the skills and knowledge of more than two million people.
“Education does not stop with getting a degree,” said Charles Edwards, CCPD’s director. “In a fast-moving economy you cannot afford to rely on the degree you got some time ago. You must keep updating your knowledge.”
For details on CCPD’s courses and to register with the 10% discount available to members, visit www.open.ac.uk.According to the passage, CCPD’s courses are ________.
| A．required courses for formal academic qualifications |
| B．training courses for professional development |
| C．special courses for a master’s degree |
| D．elective courses for university students |
The example of Paige is given to show ________.
| A．the benefits of lifelong learning |
| B．how completely learning has changed |
| C．the value of CCPD’s courses of the OU |
| D．the importance of hard work |
It can be inferred from Paragraph 4 that ________.
| A．Paige has got promoted after learning CCPD’s courses |
| B．an OU education has been accepted by many employers |
| C．Paige is the best employee in her company |
| D．most employers care for their employees |
According to the passage, CCPD’s courses focus on ________.
| A．assessment of learners |
| B．learners’ personal development |
| C．the academic knowledge of learners |
| D．classroom learning |
Listening to music can help me focus better. Since I discovered it two years ago, I’ve used music to get through boring work or to focus creatively. I’ve found that it can make even the dullest jobs enjoyable and help clear mental blocks to creativity.
I first noticed the good effects of music while playing video games. It was a few days before Christmas in 2005 and I was playing online video games. My parents had just given me a new MP3, so I decided to listen to music through the headphones while I played. After a few minutes I noticed a great change in my style of play. I was playing more naturally. The music relaxed me, and, to a certain extent, distracted me from the game, allowing my subconscious (潜意识的) talent to come through. The music also helped me block out the outside world. With those headphones on I was like a machine, moving from one task to the next without unnecessary thoughts or actions.
Music can also have a great effect on mood. If I’m in a bad mood at work, I’ll listen to some of Bob Marley’s and get down to business. It always takes my mind off what I’m doing and makes me a happier person. The same is true for classic rock. One summer, I did a boring job collecting bottle openers by hand. Without a radio playing classic rock in the background, I would have hated life.
Listening to music with relaxing rhythms and a positive message helps you forget your work and think happy thoughts. But the results you see will depend heavily on your personal tastes. Experiment with the types of music you listen to during certain tasks. By trial and error you’ll finally discover your best choice. I’m always looking for new concentration aids, so I’d love to know what type of music works best for me. We can infer that the passage was written in __________.
| A．2005 | B．2006 | C．2007 | D．2008 |
The author first discovered the effects of music __________.
| A．from his parents | B．by chance |
| C．at work | D．when he was a child |
Which of the following statements is NOT an effect of music for the author?
| A．It helps him block out the outside world. |
| B．It arouses his subconscious talent. |
| C．It helps his mind relax. |
| D．It makes him work without any thought. |
The author mentions the experience of collecting bottle openers in Paragraph 3 to ________.
| A．tell us that life is dull |
| B．prove that music affects mood |
| C．tell us how to seek happiness |
| D．tell us bad mood can affect work |
In order to get the greatest effect of music, you are advised to ________.
| A．listen to some of Bob Marley’s |
| B．only choose relaxing music |
| C．test all kinds of music |
| D．listen to classic rock |
What is freedom? It seems like such a simple question. Freedom is being able to do what you want to do. Allow me to explain it.
I’m tired of working for a living. I’d rather collect taxes. So that’s what I’m going to do: collect a kind of tax. You are ordered to estimate your income from the past 12 months, and write me a check for 1%. I have provided a mailing address for this purpose on my contact page …
What? You have a problem with my plan? Oh, I see. If you have to send me a check for the tax, then I have hurt your freedom to spend that money as you see fit. We have a conflict! And our basic problem is: we cannot enjoy freedom at the same time; we must settle for a limit. But what limit?
Libertarians (自由论者) believe freedom should be based on self-control. They describe freedom as being able to do what you want to do as long as it doesn’t influence the equal right of others to do what they want to do. That is, freedom is being able to do what you like as long as you do not harm another person’s life, liberty or property.
You can build a set of legal and ethical (道德的) rules on the principle of self-control, and libertarians do. Their request for self-control often becomes more important than common sense, or even freedom itself.
The definition rules out the freedom to steal, murder, and so on. Otherwise, you can do whatever you want. There is no problem until you realize that taxation is theft, that war is murder, and that national service is a form of slavery. Since only the government has a legal right to use force, libertarians focus on making the government smaller, or even going without it. The libertarians’ definition of freedom is thus freedom from the government. Isn’t it ridiculous?According to the first three paragraphs, the author’s idea of collecting taxes is _________.
| A．reasonable | B．responsible | C．unacceptable | D．understandable |
The author takes tax-collecting as an example in the passage to prove that freedom is _________.
| A．unreal | B．unbelievable | C．achievable | D．limited |
In the opinion of libertarians, freedom is realized mainly by _________.
| A．the law | B．self-control | C．ethical rules | D．common sense |
Which of the following statements is supported by libertarians according to the passage?
| A．National service should be canceled. |
| B．People can do whatever they want. |
| C．The government should have more power. |
| D．They should be governed by the government. |
The key to a good interpersonal relationship is simple once you understand the role that needs play in making a relationship weak, moderate, average, or strong.
A person who fails in a relationship is someone who neglects the needs of his or her partner. So the first step to establish a successful relationship is to find out what needs the other person has. It is also very important to understand your own needs so that you can help the other person in the relationship to meet your needs.
Unfortunately, not only do many people fail to see or to understand their partner’s needs, but they do not understand their own. Children have wonderful relationships with their parents as long as their needs are being satisfied. When the needs are not satisfied, the relationship changes and problems arise. As a child grows, needs change; it is necessary that parents recognize these changes. As it is with the child to the parents, it is also with the parents to the child.
The way to recognize the needs of other people is by their responses to you. When you do or say something and you get a positive response, you are well on the way to being recognized. The same goes for you. What is it that you respond to in a positive manner? What do you feel good about getting and about doing? What are you totally guiltless about? What can you do with complete confidence and fearlessness? What emotional scene can you control without fear or guilt? Look in these areas for your needs and you will in all probability find your answers.
As stated, our own needs are often hidden. The techniques covered in the power of self-mind control will allow you to discover your needs and show you who you are in regard to interpersonal relationships. Your effectiveness in influencing and dealing with people will greatly increase the power of self-mind control.From the passage we learn that ________.
| A．it is hard to make good interpersonal relationships |
| B．there are several levels of relationships among people |
| C．the success of different interpersonal relationships can be measured by needs |
| D．the first step to establish a successful relationship is to know your own needs |
According to Paragraph 2, the most important factor in dealing with people is to ________.
| A．be kind to them and help them |
| B．only think of their needs |
| C．find out both your needs and theirs |
| D．learn some interpersonal techniques |
Which of the following statements is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．A child’s needs change with his growth. |
| B．A child should also know his parents’ needs. |
| C．It’s easier to find your own needs than to find others’. |
| D．You can learn what others need by their responses to you. |
The last two paragraphs are written mainly to tell us ________.
| A．why some people fail in a relationship |
| B．how to increase the power of self-mind control |
| C．why our needs are often hidden |
| D．how to recognize others’ needs and yours |
It is an exciting start to the college football season. A team that many people never heard of defeated one of the best in the country. If you follow American sports, then you know we are talking about the Michigan-Appalachian State game, which took place on September 1st at Michigan Stadium, in front of more than 100,000 people.
Appalachian State University is in Boone, North Carolina. Its team often plays in a stadium that holds about 25,000 people. Also, Appalachian State plays in the Football Championship Subdivision. Michigan is in the newly named Football Bowl Subdivision, the top level of college football. So the Mountaineers of Appalachian State and the Wolverines of the University of Michigan normally do not even play each other.
But they decided to meet for the first time. Michigan agreed to pay Appalachian State 400,000 dollars, win or lose. Teams like Michigan need victories, even a victory over a lower division team, to get into big, nationally broadcast bowl games. These games are worth millions of dollars at the end of the season.
Fans expected an easy Michigan win. After all, in the preseason, sports experts had considered Michigan the fifth best college football team in the country. But Appalachian State is a two-time national champion at its own division level. Its players wanted to show they could play well against a nationally ranked team. And they did. The final score was Appalachian State thirty-four, Michigan thirty-two. The game quickly became known as one of the greatest upsets in college football history.
The win has brought national attention to Appalachian State. Local stores reported a huge increase in orders for college clothing and other items. And the university official head expects more students to seek admission next year. Last Saturday, at home, Appalachian State defeated another North Carolina school, Lenoir-Rhyne College, forty-eight to seven.The Michigan-Appalachian State game ________.
| A．is a regular competition held in the US every year |
| B．is a state competition held for the football championship |
| C．is part of a national competition held on September 1st every year |
| D．was an occasional football competition between two universities |
Michigan wanted to play with Appalachian State because Michigan ________.
| A．needed money to support its development |
| B．wanted to test the skills of Appalachian State |
| C．was a new football team without experience |
| D．needed victories to enter nationally broadcast bowl games |
After the game, the Appalachian State University got _________.
| A．much economic support from the government |
| B．much national assistance |
| C．national recognition |
| D．many applicants for admission |