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 |
GAOMI, Shandong, Oct．11（ Xinhua）—Chinese writer Mo Yan said last Thursday that he was "very surprised" at winning the Nobel Literature Prize．
Speaking to reporters at a hotel in his hometown Gaomi city in east China's Shandong Province, Mo said, "（I was）very surprised upon winning the prize because I felt I was not very senior in terms of qualification（among Chinese writers）．There are many good writers and my ranking was not so high．"
"I am very happy," he said．"I was having dinner when I received the news．I was surprised．”
"Thank you for coming all the way to Gaomi．This should be a season of red sorghum, but no such crop is planted any more．I believe none of you have seen the crop," he said．
"The Nobel Literature Prize is a very important literature prize, but not the top award．It represents the opinions of the jury（评审团 ）．I am satisfied with my major works and I still keep writing by hand．My works are Chinese literature, which is part of world literature．They show the life of Chinese people as well as the country's unique culture and folk customs．Meanwhile, my novels described human beings in the broad sense．I wrote in the perspective of a human being．These works stand beyond regions and ethnic groups," he said．
"The folk arts and folk culture accompanied my growth and I was influenced by the cultural elements I witnessed through my childhood．When I picked up the pen for literature creation, the folk cultural elements inevitably entered my novels and affected and even determined the artistic styles of my works," he added．
Mo's win brought joy to other writers and readers throughout the country as he is the first Chinese national to win the Nobel Literature Prize in its century--long history．
Born into a farmer's family in a village in Gaomi, Mo has been known since the late 1980s for his novels such as Big Breasts and Wide Hips and Red Sorghum, which was later adapted into a film by director Zhang Yimou．Mo Yan was surprised at winning the Nobel Prize because he felt．
| A．he was not the best writer in China |
| B．he was not as famous as other writers |
| C．he was born in a farmer's family |
| D．he didn't have good education |
By reading Mo Yan's works, we can．
| A．increase our sense of national pride |
| B．learn a lot about the Chinese folk culture |
| C．form a vivid picture of his childhood |
| D．learn more about the history of the Nobel Prize |
Which of the following words can best describe Mo Yan?
| A．romantic | B．self--confident |
| C．modest | D．humorous |
Where might you find the article?
| A．In a novel． | B．In a travel book． |
| C．In a student book． | D．In a newspaper． |
London taxis, with their friendly drivers who actually know where they are going, are ranked best in the world, according to an annual taxi survey.
The survey by travel website hotels.com found London taxis, despite being the most expensive, beat rivals（对手）across the globe to head the list for the third consecutive（连续的）years, scoring a total of 59 percent in votes on several categories by travelers.
London taxi drivers were voted both friendliest and most knowledgeable. Drivers in the English capital must pass a rigorous examination called The Knowledge to earn their taxi license.
New York's yellow taxis came second in the list, scoring 27 percent which was up 10 percentage points from last year even though Manhattan's cab drivers tied （打成平局）with Parisian taxi drivers as the rudest.
Travelers said New York had the most convenient taxis.
Taxi drivers in Rome were voted the worst drivers in the world with almost one in 10 travelers thinking the Italian capital had the world's worst taxi drivers when it came to the quality of driving.
"Traveling by taxi is one of the first experiences that many travelers have upon arrival in a new city. In fact, the research found that cabs are by far the most popular method of traveling from the airport to their hotel," a spokesman for hotels.com said in a statement.
The global survey scored city based taxis for their levels of cleanliness, value, quality of driving, knowledge of the area, friendliness, safety and convenience.
Rounding out the top five were Tokyo with a total score of 26 percent, Berlin with 17 percent, and Bangkok famed for its tuk-tuks scoring 14 percent.
The survey for hotels.com, part of the Expedia group, was conducted among over 1,900 travelers between May 11-28 this year.Which of the following about London’s taxi drivers is wrong?
| A．They are the friendliest. | B．They are the most knowledgeable. |
| C．They charge the most money. | D．They drive fastest. |
What does the underlined word “rigorous” mean in the third paragraph? .
| A．strict | B．important | C．official | D．lawful |
The writer introduced the result of the study by ___________.
| A．interviewing city leaders | B．interviewing the taxi drivers |
| C．listing the ranks of cities concerned | D．reading forms concerned |
Rome’s taxi drivers are lack of __________.
| A．good manners | B．driving skills |
| C．the sense of cleanliness | D．the sense of safety |
President Barack Obama has complained about the loss of privacy that comes with being leader of the United States, regretting the loss of simple pleasures such as a long walk or a trip to the car wash or supermarket.
"I just miss – I miss being unknown," he said. "I miss Saturday morning, rolling out of bed, not shaving, getting into my car with my girls, driving to the supermarket, squeezing the fruit, getting my car washed, taking walks. I can't take a walk."
His dream, he said, was to "go through Central Park and watch folks passing by ... spend the day watching people – I miss that".
Faced with criticism for playing more golf than most previous occupants of the White House, he explained that the sport was simply the best way of getting relaxed.
"It's the only excuse I have to get outside for four hours," he told Hearst magazines.
Though he said he enjoyed his life in the White House, he felt disillusioned（醒悟的，幻想破灭的） with the some of the ways of Washington, which he has failed to change, such as the "kabuki dance（日本歌舞）" among political parties before serious policy discussions begin. His comments may be seen as excuse by critics who have accused him of appearing too detached（漠然）, and being slow to engage in important issues such as Libya and the near shutdown of the US government last week.
Since arriving at the White House in January 2009, Mr Obama has already racked up（打）60 rounds of golf in office, more than George W Bush did in his eight years.
In terms of ability, Golf Digest magazine has ranked Mr Obama eighth out of the 18 presidents who played the game since it became established in the early 20th century.What do the second paragraph and the third paragraph mainly tell us? .
| A．Obama wishes to enjoy simple pleasures. |
| B．Obama likes going shopping with his girls. |
| C．Obama likes to take a walk. |
| D．Obama likes to watch folks passing by. |
According to Obama, he plays golf to ___________.
| A．avoid criticism |
| B．show his ability |
| C．get relaxed |
| D．show his advantage over the former presidents |
What does the underlined word “It” refer to in the fifth paragraph?
| A．Playing golf. | B．Getting relaxed. |
| C．Changing some ways of Washington. | D．Watching people |
What is the best title of the passage?
| A．Obama complains about lack of privacy as president |
| B．Obama can’t live a normal life |
| C．Obama is often criticized |
| D．Obama likes to play golf |
Think about the last time you felt a negative emotion—like stress, anger, or frustration. What was going through your mind as you were going through that negativity? Was your mind cluttered with (充斥) different kinds of thoughts? Or was it paralyzed, unable to think?
The next time you find yourself in the middle of a very stressful time, or you feel angry or frustrated, stop. Yes, that’s right, stop. Whatever you’re doing, stop and sit for one minute. While you’re sitting there, completely immerse yourself in the negative emotion.
Allow that emotion to consume you. Allow yourself one minute to truly feel that emotion. Don’t cheat yourself here. Take the entire minute—but only one minute—to do nothing else but feel that emotion.
When the minute is over, ask yourself, “Am I willing to keep holding on to this negative emotion as I go through the rest of the day?”
Once you’ve allowed yourself to be totally immersed in the emotion and really feel it, you will be surprised to find that the emotion clears rather quickly.
If you feel you need to hold on to the emotion for a little longer, that is OK. Allow yourself another minute to feel the emotion.
When you feel you’ve had enough of the emotion, ask yourself if you’re willing to carry that negativity with you for the rest of the day. If not, take a deep breath. As you exhale, release all that negativity with your breath.
This exercise seems simple—almost too simple. But, it is very effective. By allowing that negative emotion the space to be truly felt, you are dealing with the emotion rather than stuffing it down and trying not to feel it. You are actually taking away the power of the emotion by giving it the space and attention it needs. When you immerse yourself in the emotion, and realize that it is only emotion, it loses its control. You can clear your head and proceed with your task.What should you do when you are into negativity according to the article?
| A．Listen to some music. |
| B．Ignore it and do something else. |
| C．Just do nothing and truly feel that emotion. |
| D．Think about it and try to deal with it immediately. |
The underlined word “immerse” (Paragraph 2) most probably means _____.
| A．break down | B．get rid of | C．cut off | D．throw into |
What’s the best title of this text?
| A．Clear Your Mental Space. |
| B．Deep Breath, Trouble Away. |
| C．Try to Avoid the Negative Emotion. |
| D．Keep Holding on to This Negative Emotion as Long as Possible. |
The author’s opinion towards negative emotion is _____.
| A．doubtful | B．optimistic | C．frightened | D．confused |
Strange things happen when you travel, because the earth is divided into twenty-four zones. The time difference between two zones is one hour. You can have days with more than twenty-four hours and days with fewer than twenty- four hours. You can have weeks with more than seven days and weeks with fewer than seven days.
If you make a five-trip across the Atlantic Ocean , your ship come into a different time zone every day. As you come into each zone, the time changes one hour. If you travel west, you set your watch back. If you travel east, you set it ahead. Each day of your trip has either twenty-five or twenty-three hours.
If you make a trip by ship across the Pacific Ocean , you cross the International Date Line. This is the point where a new day begins when you cross the line, you change one full day. If you travel east, today becomes yesterday, if you travel west it is tomorrow.Something interesting will happen to the time if you travel because ______.
| A．a day has always fewer than twenty-four hours |
| B．a day has always more than twenty- four hours |
| C．a day has more or fewer than twenty-four hours, |
| D．some time zones are large and some time zones are small |
The time difference between two time zones is ______.
| A．twenty-four hours | B．one hour |
| C．two hours | D．twenty-three hours |
If we travel east across the International Date Line on July 5th, the date becomes July ____.
| A．3rd | B．4th | C．5th | D．6th |