In ancient times the most important examinations were spoken, not written. In the schools of ancient Greece and Rome, testing usually was made up of saying poetry aloud and giving speeches.
In the European universities of the Middle Ages, students who were working for advanced degrees had to discuss questions in their field of study with people who had made a special study of the subject. This custom exists today as part of the process of testing candidates(应试者) for the doctor’s degree.
Generally, however, modern examinations are written. The written examination, where all students are tested on the same questions, was probably not known until the nineteenth century. Perhaps it came into existence with the great increase in population and the development of modern industry. A room full of candidates for a state examination timed exactly by electric clocks and carefully watched over by managers, looks like a group of workers at an automobile factory. Certainly, during examinations teachers and students are expected to act like machines.
One type of test is sometimes called an “objective” test. It is intended to deal with facts, not personal opinions. To make up an objective test, the teacher writes a series of questions, each of which has only one correct answer. Along with each question the teacher writes the correct answer and also three statements that look like answers to students who have not learned the material properly. The main idea of Paragraph Three is that ___________ .
| A．workers now take examinations | B．the population has grown |
| C．there are only written exams today | D．examinations are now written and timed |
The kind of exams where students must select answers are ___________ .
| A．objective | B．personal | C．spoken | D．written |
Modern industry m
ust have developed ____________ .
| A．around the 19th century | B．before the Middle Ages |
| C．in Greece or Rome | D．machines to take tests |
It may be concluded that testing __________ .
| A．should test only opinions | B．should always be written |
| C．is given only in factories | D．has changed since the Middle Ages |
Surfing—the art of riding a wave on a pointed board—is the wildest, fastest natural water sport known to man. In recent years, it has developed into a major sport around the world, from Australia to South Africa. Hawaiian experts risk(冒…之险) their lives on huge, thirty foot swells(浪涛) against the wind of Oahu; Californians of all ages go out the year-round.
In the winter, surf-riders put on life-suits to ride grave waves so cold that their flesh turns blue.Surfing is no sport for weak persons. Swimming a quarter of a mile or more and pushing a surfboard out to where the swells are just right for riding can be real work. Then, at exactly the right moment, you climb up the wave and go fast across the face of a powerful swell with the white water jumping at your feet. The huge wave bites at your shoulder, threatening(威胁) at any moment to smash your flat. In the next several seconds, a cool head and lightning—quick action back to the pressure of the attacking wave will bring your board under control for that great ride down the back of the great, green mountain of water. Once on the beach, you know why surfing is growing in popularity as an international sport, and you’re glad to be a member of this new water world.The first paragraph mainly tells us ______.
| A．people around the world go surfing all the year round |
| B．the definition(定义) of the sport |
| C．how to surf in the sea |
| D．where to surf around the world |
The author believes that surfing _______.
| A．is not an easy sport | B．can be done by anyone |
| C．should be done by everyone | D．does not require courage |
In order to experience what real surfing is, _______.
| A．you must first swim a quarter of a mile to warm your body |
| B．you will first ride on a board to reach the swells |
| C．you must first put on your life-suits before doing surfing |
| D．you must first swim to the swells with your board |
Hilton English Language Center
Information for New Students
CLASS TIME: 9:00a.m.---10:30a.m., 11:00a.m.---12:30p.m., 1:30p.m.---3:00p.m.. The Language Center is open from Monday to Friday. Each class has one afternoon free per week. On the first day, go to the lecture hall to check your timetable.
SELF-ACCESS: The language laboratory (Room 1110) is open Monday to Friday from 3:15p.m. to 5:00p.m. for all full-time students.
You can learn how to use computers for language games or word-processing（文字处理）. There are tapes for students to borrow to practice their English. Go in and ask the teacher to show you. If you plan to take public examinations, there are dictation（听写）and listening comprehension tapes for you to practice with. There are cloze exercises on the computers. Ask your class teacher for a list of past exam essays. Students can borrow tapes to take home but they must be returned after two days.
ATTENDANCE（出勤）：All students are expected to attend classes regularly. Students who do not attend classes will be reported to OSS. Eighty percent attendance is required for students to receive their certificates（证书）when they finish their courses. It is also required by OSS for an extension to your visa.
BOOKS: If students are given course books, the books are their responsibility. If a book is lost, the student will be expected to pay for it.
If students wish to buy books, there is a bookshop in the college specializing in English books (Room 3520). When do classes begin and end on a full day?
| A．9:00a.m. ---1:30p.m. | B．9:00a.m. ---3:00p.m. |
| C．9:00a.m. ---3:15p.m. | D．3:15p.m. ---5:00p.m. |
How many afternoons does a class meet each week?
| A．Two. | B． Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．No teachers are in the language lab. |
| B．90% attendance is required for the students. |
| C．Books can’t be taken out of the center. |
| D．Students can prepare for exams by listening to tapes. |
Timetable can be seen in _____.
| A．the lecture hall | B．Room 3520 | C．the classroom | D．Room 1110 |
Have you ever stayed up late? If so, you know that not getting enough sleep can leave you tired and grumpy . Not sleeping enough can also make it harder to think clearly the next day.
Sleep experts have long known that getting a good night’s sleep is important.
It helps kids perform their best during the day. A recent study shows that sleep helps improve problem--- solving skills and creative thinking.
For the study, two groups of volunteers answered a math problem. The group that slept for eight hours solved the problem correctly more often than the group that did not get enough sleep.
While you sleep, your brain is busy doing its “homework”. It sorts out information from your day. Getting enough sleep each night can boost your brainpower. That will help you do your best in school. Experts say that, in return, can lead to better grades.What is the best title for the passage?
| A．Too Much Sleep | B．It’s Homework Time |
| C．Sleep to Succeed | D．Math Problems |
The underlined word “boost” in paragraph 5 means ________.
| A．reduce | B．improve |
| C．disturb | D．worsen |
Why is sleep important?
| A．It can improve problem-solving skills and creative thinking |
| B．It will help you do your best in school |
| C．It helps your brain sort out information from your day. |
| D．All of the above |
What did the results of a recent sleep study show?
| A．People who sleep enough are good at math |
| B．Sleep is important for learning |
| C．If you get enough sleep, you don’t have to do your homework |
| D．Adults need more sleep than kids |
CONGRATULATIONS
We’ve organized the following information to help you prepare for your arrival at Boston College. Please feel free to contact our Admissions Office at any time over the coming months with any questions.
Your First Steps…
Please return the Acknowledgment Form sent with your acceptance letter to Dean Robert Howe, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, McGuinn Hall 221,140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467.
■For Ph. D. Acceptances and Master’s Acceptances with funding, we ask you to reply by April 25, 2008.
■For Master’s Acceptances without funding and Non-degree Acceptances, we ask you to reply by May 31, 2008.
■You should also contact your department to receive any department information.
Over the Coming Months…
Get informed about services around campus. We have provided links for you to the following offices.
■Student Services
After you return your Acknowledgment Form, you should receive a letter containing your BC Username and Eagle ID number. With this information you can reach email and Agora. In Agora, BC’s online community, you can update your student information, check your student account, and register (登记) for classes.
The Office of Student Services issues (发行) your BC Eagle One Card. This ID card acts as your campus library card and meal card.
Student Services’ website offers a complete listing of courses for the school year, as well as student forms and other important student information. The Office of Student Services also handles billing.
■Housing
…CLICK HERE for more information.
If we can be of any more help to you, just contact us. Congratulations again! We look forward to you joining our University!The above page can most probably be read ________.
| A．on the Boston College website |
| B．in the Boston College newspaper |
| C．on BC Eagle One Card |
| D．at Student Services |
The information above is particularly useful for those ________.
| A．who want to apply for Boston College |
| B．who want to know about Boston College |
| C．who’ve been admitted to Boston College |
| D．who’ve decided to pay a visit to Boston College |
If you want to study for your master’s degree with funding, you will have to ________.
| A．return your Acknowledgment Form by May 31, 2008 |
| B．send back your Acknowledgment Form by April 25, 2008 |
| C．email your Acknowledgment Form to Admissions Office by May 31, 2008 |
| D．return your Acknowledgment Form to Student Services by April 25, 2008 |
If you want to decide what courses for the school year you’d better ________.
| A．call up the Office of Student Services |
| B．get in touch with the Admissions Office |
| C．read your acceptance letter |
| D．visit Student Services’ website |
Dr. Sylvia Earle wants you to stop eating fish. It’s not because fish are endangered, though wild fish stocks in many oceans are very low. It’s not because they’re bad for you, though fish in many areas are exposed to poisonous substances in the water. It’s because they’re smart.
“Fish are sensitive, they have personalities,” says the marine biologist. For Earle, eating a fish would be like eating a dog or a cat. “I would never eat anyone I know personally.”
There’s a lot more to fish than meets the eye: they talk to each other, they like to be touched, and they engage in behavior that can seem very human. They can remember things and learn from experience. Earle and a growing number of animal rights activists see these as strong arguments against eating fish altogether.
The activists also point out that fish feel pain and fish suffer horribly on their way from the sea to the supermarket. “While it may seem obvious that fish are able to feel pain, like every other animal, some people think of fish as swimming vegetables,” says Dr. Lynne Sneddon. “Really, it’s kind of a moral question. Is the enjoyment you get from fishing (or eating fish) more important than the pain of the fish?”
Fishermen and (fried) fish lovers are doubtful. “I’ve never seen a smart fish,” says Marie Swaringen as she finishes off a plate of fish at a Seattle seafood restaurant. “If they were very smart, they wouldn’t get caught.”
“For years, everyone’s been telling us to eat fish because it’s so good for us,” says another diner. “Now I’ve got to feel guilty while I’m eating my fish? What are they going to think of next? Don’t eat salad because cucumbers have feelings?” Dr. Sylvia Earle discourage people from eating fish because _____________.
| A．there are not that many wild fish in the ocean |
| B．fish actually are sensitive and have personalities |
| C．some ocean fish contain poisonous substances |
| D．fish are like dogs or cats that people know personally |
We can infer from the passage that _____________.
| A．all people don’t agree with the idea to stop eating fish |
| B．people will be persuaded not to eat fish in the future |
| C．stopping eating fish will lead to people’s not eating vegetables |
| D．we shouldn’t care too much about the feeling of fish |
By saying “There’s a lot more to fish than meets the eye,” the writer means ____________.
| A．there are far more fish than other animals in the world |
| B．there are more fish in the world than people can see |
| C．people can see more fish if they pay more attention |
| D．fish are not that simple as they appear to people’s eyes |