WANTTOHIREALONDONBUS?LondonUni-优题课

George Gershwin, born in 1898, was one of America’s greatest composers. He published his first song when he was eighteen years old. During the next twenty years he wrote more than five hundred songs.
Many of Gershwin’s songs were first written for musical plays performed in theatres in New York City. These plays were a popular form of entertainment in the 1920s and 1930s. Many of his songs have remained popular as ever. Over the years they have been sung and played in every possible way — from jazz to country.
In the 1920s there was a debate in the United States about jazz music. Could jazz, some people asked, be considered serious music? In 1924 jazz musician and orchestra leader Paul Whiteman decided to organize a special concert to show that jazz was serious music. Gershwin agreed to compose something for the concert before he realized he had just a few weeks to do it. And in that short time, he composed a piece for piano and orchestra which he called Rhapsody in Blue. Gershwin himself played the piano at the concert. The audience were thrilled when they heard his music. It made him world-famous and showed that jazz music could be both serious and popular.
In 1928, Gershwin went to Paris. He applied to study composition (作曲)with the well-known musician Nadia Boulanger, but she rejected him. She was afraid that classical study would ruin his jazz-influenced style. While there, Gershwin wrote An American in Paris. When it was first performed, critics (评论家)were divided over the music. Some called it happy and full of life, to others it was silly and boring. But it quickly became popular in Europe and the United States. It still remains one of his most famous works.
George Gershwin died in 1937, just days after doctors learned he had brain cancer. He was only thirty-nine years old. Newspapers all over the world reported his death on their front pages. People mourned the loss of the man and all the music he might have still written.
Many of Gershwin’s musical works were ________ .

A．composed for Paul Whiteman

B．performed in various ways

C．played mainly in the countryside

D．written about New Yorkers

What do we know about the concert organized by Whiteman?

A．It attracted more people to theatres.

B．It made Gershwin leader of the orchestra.

C．It caused a debate among jazz musicians.

D．It proved jazz could be serious music.

What did Gershwin do during his stay in Paris?

A．He argued with French critics.

B．He studied with Nadia Boulanger.

C．He changed his music style.

D．He created one of his best works.

What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Many of Gershwin’s works were lost.

B．Brain cancer research started after Gershwin’s death.

C．A concert was held in memory of Gershwin.

D．The death of Gershwin was widely reported.

Which of the following best describes Gershwin?

A．Serious and boring	B．Talented and productive
C．Popular and unhappy	D．Friendly and honest

Your dog is as smart as any two year old, according to a new study. Dogs bring much happiness to their owners, and even improve human health. Most two year olds keep us busy in life — an important part of living a long and happy life. According to Stanley Coren, Ph.D.of the University of British Columbia, our dogs are smarter than we thought.
Dr.Coren reviewed many studies to find out that dogs are as smart as 2 to 2.5 year olds. Forget about one word orders — according to Coren, the smartest dogs can learn up to 250 words. Most dogs understand an average of 165 words. “The upper limit of dogs” ability to learn language is partly based on a study of a Border Collie (博得牧羊犬) named Rico who showed knowledge of 200 spoken words, and ‘fast-track learning’, which scientists believed to be found only in humans and language-learning apes(猿)。
Dogs are also great at tricking. During play, they have the ability to trick humans and other dogs in order to get treats. “And they are nearly as successful in tricking humans as humans are in tricking dogs, saysCoren.
Dogs can also count to four or five, which might explain how they know when their toys are missing. Coren explains,“Their astonishing flashes of smartness and creativity are reminders that they may not be Ensteins, but are sure closer to humans than we thought.”
Animals can do much to keep us happy, health, and protect us from harm. Stories of dog heroes can be found using a simple Internet search. Pets teach us sense of duty, keep us from loneliness, and can help with treatment of the disabled. Dogs are smarter than we thought — as smart as a two year old.
How do dogs bring happiness and health to humans according to the author?

A．By doing funny tricks.

B．By keeping humans busy.

C．By serving their owners.

D．By playing with their owners.

What makes Rico special?

A．He seldom uses one word orders.

B．He uses words like a 2.5 year old.

C．He is Corn’s favorite subject for study.

D．He shows a high level of language ability.

What does Dr. Coren say about a dog’s counting ability?

A．It is as good as an ape’s.

B．It is close to human’s.

C．It leaves a lot to be studied.

D．It helps them keep their toys.

For someone interested in knowing more stories about dogs, the author suggests that he.

A．train a dog

B．search the Internet

C．watch a two year old

D．visit a hospital for the disabled

While car sharing is a concept that’s catching on, old-fashioned carpooling where a group of people take turns driving each other to work has always faced a resistance (抗拒). In a study on traffic problems by ABC News, 84% of those who drive to work say that they still do it alone. More than half those lone riders insist that carpooling is just too inconvenient, and 18% say they simple don’t know anyone to share a ride with.
Now technology makes carpooling easier and more fun. NuRide, a company provided an online carpooling service last year, offers daily travelers in the Washington area not just a web-based list of would-be carpoolers but also a way to arrange a trip online. Here’s how it works: rider seekers enter the positions where their trip will begin and end, the time they want to leave and if they’re willing to drive or just ride in someone else’s car. The website’s search engine then looks for matches and makes lists of the names of traveling companions, along with the car model and the exact time and place to meet for each trip. People who want to share the ride can show their interest in joining in online and then meet their car mates when it’s time to go.
NuRide users aren’t riding with total strangers. They are required to provide the name of their employer and a work e-mail address, both of which need to be checked before being listed on the website.
To attract users, NuRide offers a frequent rider prize: anyone who shares a ride gets a $1 credit. So far, 2,300 people have signed up. NuRide CEO Rick Steele said that more than 50,000 rides have been arranged on the website, resulting in 1.4 million fewer miles driven and 650 fewer tons of automobile emissions (机动车排放).
What has the study found about people’s opinion on carpooling?

A．Most people think it is inconvenient.

B．Only 18% can find their road mates.

C．Some people consider it dangerous.

D．Half of the people accept the idea..

What can NuRide do for you when you use the service?

A．Decide a car model for you to drive.

B．Help you arrange a shared car trip.

C．Find your car matestrue names.

D．Give you a list of car owners.

One who wants to share a ride with NuRide users must.

A．give information about his interest

B．meet his car mates before the trip

C．offer the name of his employer

D．provide his home address

We may infer that NuRide has helped in.

A．improving air quality

B．reducing driving speed

C．promoting safety of driving

D．increasing job opportunities

McEvan’s Supermarket to Mark its Twentieth Anniversary(纪念日)
on October 24!
We would like you to join us on October 24. On this special day, we will be giving you even more ways to save. And there will be music, some free food, and games for children throughout the day. There are more reasons than ever to come to McEvan’s on October 24.
We will offer:
great discounts on hundreds of things from nearly every department, including the bakery, the dairy (奶制品) farm, fruit corner, the vegetable garden and electronics center.
Discount vouchers (代金卷) for $10.00, $15.00, or $20.00 to the first 100 customers.
McEvan’s Supermarket games for children whose parents are shopping that include free T-shirts and other giveaways.
To learn more about the special events planned for October 24, go to our website at www.mcevan-supermarket.com or ask any one of our 200 employees for more information.
Please tear the voucher out.

Happy 20th!
McEvan’s Supermarket
October 24 only
$20.00 discount
Please present to cashier at time of shopping
Title
First Name Last Name
Mailing Address (including apt. number)
City StateZip Code
Would like to Receive Mail from McEvan’s? Yesno
Specials and information through E-mail?Yes no
E-mail Address
We promise to keep your information to ourselves.It will not be sent to any third party. In the event that your own information changes, please call us at (520)555-0318 or email us at info@mcevansupermarket.com.

What is the text about?

A．A supermarket sale.	B．A thank-you party.
C．A food exhibition.	D．A new product.

How can a customer receive a voucher?

A．He is the winner of the game on October 24.

B．He has been shopping at McEvan’s for 20 years.

C．He has been an employee of the shop for 20 years.

D．He is one of the first 100 customers on October 24.

What can children get at McEvan’s for free?

A．Electronic products.	B．Vegetable
C．T-shirts	D． Milk.

Whatwould you do if you were a fifth grader facing a huge homework load every night, and you found out that there was a machine that would do all the work for you? That’s the situation presented to Sam, Kelsey, Judy and Brenton in Dan Gutman’s entertaining new book for young readers, The Homework Machine.
The four children, all fifth graders in Miss Rasmussen’s class at Grand Canyon School, are as different as any four 11-year-olds could be, but they have one thing in common — all are somewhat separated from their classmates. Sam is a newcomer and has had his share of school trouble before; Kelsey quietly carries her pain at losing her father; Judy’s sense of justice (正义感) always annoys others; and Brenton…well, he is another story entirely. Brenton is easily the smartest child in school, so smart that even his parents and teachers have trouble keeping up with him. When Brenton and his three classmates are put into the same study group by their teacher, the others discover that Brenton has made a time-saving gadget (装置) to do his homework for him. While the boy genius(天才) is perfectly able to do the homework himself, Sam, Kelsey and Judy could use the help.
Having perfect grades is something new for these three, and as they meet every day to “do homework”, they find that they’re learning a lot — about each other. Such a good thing can’t last though, and when a secret man starts trying to get in touch with them, the children begin to get nervous. Soon there’s an even more frightening problem — why can’t the Homework Machine be turned off?
Told in different voices (as all the children make statements to the Grand Canyon Police), the story develops in an interesting fashion. Gutman is a gifted who has written dozens of children’s books, each with a funny and impressing tale that should be equally liked by boys and girls.
What type of text is it?

A．A book review.	B．A school report
C．A science story	D．A student’s diary

What is one common thing that all four children have to deal with at school?

A．Getting along with classmates.

B．Overcoming sad feelings.

C．Following school rules.

D．Keeping good grades

What can we learn about Brenton?

A．He is careless.	B．He is clever.
C．He is brave.	D．He is quiet.

Why did the children get frightened?

A．They had no idea how to stop the machine.

B．They lost the connection with each other.

C．They were questioned by a strange man.

D．They were tracked down by the police.

A．being newly produced	B．a fully trained driver
C．a PA system	D．carrying up to 70 guests

A．A Routemaster.	B．A Double Decker bus.
C．A Single Decker bus.	D．A horse-tram.

A．In a local newspaper.	B．In a traffic handbook
C．In a magazine.	D．On a website.