My summer hols wr CWOT. B4, we usd 2 go 2 NY 2C my bro, his CF & thr 3:-@ kids FTF ILNY, its gr8.
Can you understand this sentence? If you can't, don't feel too bad: neither could the middle school teacher in England who received this as homework. This is Netspeak: the language of computerized communication found on Internet or cellphones. To newcomers, it can look like a completely foreign language. So, what is the "translation" of the sentence above? My summer holidays were a complete waste of time. Before, we used to go to New York to see my brother, his girlfriend, and their three screaming kids face to face. I love New York; it's great.
Schoolteachers and parents say this new form of writing is harming(破坏)the English language. Increasing spelling and grammatical mistakes cxan be seen in students' writing. They fear the language could become corrupted(面目全非的).
Everyone should just relax, say linguists(语言学家). They believe Netspeak is in fact more of a good thing. David Crystal, from the University of Wales, argues that Netspeak and Internet create a new language use and the almost lost art of diary writing has been picked up again. Geoffrey Nunberg, from Stanford University, agrees. "People get better at writing by writing," he says, "Kids who are now doing text messaging, e-mail, and instant messages will write at least as well as, and possibly better than, their parents."
Linguist James Millroy says, for centuries, it is believed without exception that young people are harming the language. And you can bet your bottom dollar that when today's teenagers become tomorrow's parents, they too will think this way. Milroy argues that languages do not and cannot become "corrupted"; they simply change to meet the new needs.
However, Netspeakers do agree that it is important to teach young people how to speak and write Standard English. Cynthia McVey says, "I can understand Netspeak worries teachers and it's important that they get across to their pupils that text messaging is for fun, but that learning to write proper English is a must for their future."
Perhaps we should give teenagers a little more trust anyway. Erin, age 12, says, "I wouldn't use text language in my homework. Texting is just for fun"
What is the main purpose of the first paragraph?
A.To give an example of a foreign language. |
B.To show an example of creative methods. |
C.To express worries about using Netspeak. |
D.To lead in the topic of Netspeak. |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A.Cynthia McVey points out teenagers can deal with Netspeak properly. |
B.Geoffrey Nunberg believes Netspeakers can write Standard English. |
C.David Crystal thinks Netspeak helps develop the habit of writing. |
D.James Milroy says that language is changing and improving. |
The expression "bet your bottom dollar" in Paragraph 5 means ______.
A.be fairly sure | B.be greatly surprised |
C.think it a pity | D.find it interesting |
What can be the best title for the passage?
A.Netspeak: A Widely-Used Language on Internet |
B.Is Netspeak Harming the English Language? |
C.Is Netspeak Helpful in Language Learning? |
D.Netspeak: Advantages and Disadvantages |
The world uses about a thousand million (百万) tons of water a day. Water is a human right and everyone should have their share. Yet more than 700 million people around the world have trouble getting clean, safe water.
Treating wastewater is a good way to provide fresh water for us. And it also helps the environment by keeping waste out of rivers and oceans. 80% of wastewater around the world is not treated at all, and it is running into oceans.
But now we have got the technology to treat and reuse the wastewater.
While 75% of our planet is covered with water, only about 2% is fresh water﹣that comes from rivers, lakes, ice and snow. The rest, 98% of the water, is in seas and oceans. It is too salty to drink. Then desalinationbusinesses come in. More than 19.000 factories have been built around the world, mostly in coastal countries. They process(加工) more than 92 million tons of water every day. But the technology they use requires a lot of energy.
Scientists are working to create a less costly technology. They want to produce 20 times more clean water and make sure everyone has enough. But for now, the world still faces each day with not having enough water for everyone.
(1)How many people have trouble in getting clean water around the world?
A. Under 10 million.
B. Only 19 million.
C. About 92 million.
D. Over 700 million.
(2)Treating waste water helps the environment by .
A. storing waste in ice and snow
B. letting waste run into oceans
C. keeping waste out of rivers and oceans
D. sending waste to coastal countries
(3)What does the underlined word "desalination" in Paragraph 3 mean?
A. 远洋运输
B. 潮汐发电
C. 食盐销售
D. 海水淡化
(4)At present, the technology to process water .
A. needs much energy
B. saves much money
C. satisfies everyone
D. causes pollution
(5)What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A. Water should be a human right.
B. The water problem is still serious.
C. Our planet is covered with water.
D. Everyone has enough clean water.
Like many high school graduates, Maggie Doyne didn't go straight to college. She decided to travel and arrived in western Nepal in 2006. A war had just ended there and left many children living on the streets. They were often forced
to work at hard physical jobs for little money.
One day, while walking down a country road, Doyne saw a little girl breaking up rocks. She soon learned that 7﹣year﹣old Hima sold the rocks to support her family. With deep sadness, she decided to pay Hima's tuition(学费) for school. Encouraged by the changes in the child, Doyne thought, "If we can help one child, why not 10?"
Doyne felt that the street children's greatest need was a home. She found a piece of land for sale and bought it with $5,000 she saved from years of babysitting (当临时保姆). In 2008 the Kopila Valley Children's Home was set up. With the help from the community, another goal was reached in 2010﹣the Kopila Valley School. Over 350 children now attend the school and over 50 live in the home.
Today, Doyne lives in the home and is "mum" to the kids.
(1)When did Maggie Doyne travel to western Nepal?
A. In 2006.
B. In 2007.
C. In 2008.
D. In 2010.
(2)Why did Hima break up the rocks?
A. To do physical exercise.
B. To build a new school.
C. To get money for her family.
D. To repair the country road.
(3)What can we learn from Paragraph 3?
A. The street children once worked as babysitters.
B. Doyne got some support from the community.
C. Doyne borrowed much money from the government.
D. Over 5,000 children attend the Kopila Valley School.
(4)Which of the following might be the best title for the text?
A. Maggie Doyne﹣﹣﹣A Lonely Traveller
B. War in Western Nepal
C. Maggie Doyne﹣﹣﹣Mum to More Than 50
D. A Girl Lived on Her Own
Have you tried to run or walk for exercise and then given up? If you answered yes, you should try a new kind of exercise: aquatic (水中的) exercise. Aquatic exercise is like exercise on land, but you do it in a swimming pool. More and more people are trying aquatic exercise.
Aquatic exercise feels easier than exercising on land. Why? You weigh about 90% less in the pool. It is better for your knees than running or walking. Water is about 1, 000 times thicker and heavier than air. To move through the water, your body has to work four times as hard. As a result, you can burn more calories (卡路里).
In fact, most people say they feel more relaxed in the water. They stop thinking about the things that make them worried. They feel in control of their bodies. The cool, quiet environment makes them feel good.
But what if you are afraid of the water? No problem! There is nothing to worry about. Aquatic exercise is safe and
easy to learn. It doesn't require any special skills. You don't even need to know how to swim. Aquatic exercise is for everyone.
(1)What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?
A. Difference between air and water.
B. Weight change of one's body.
C. The advantages of aquatic exercise.
D. The ways to do aquatic exercise.
(2)What do most people think of aquatic exercise?
A. Relaxing.
B. Worrying.
C. Challenging.
D. Boring.
(3)According to the text, aquatic exercise is .
A. done in groups
B. fit for everyone
C. difficult to learn
D. done with special skills
(4)In which part of a magazine can we read the text?
A. Culture.
B. Health.
C. Nature.
D. Travel.
It is expected that Pacific Island countries will become popular with Chinese tourists in 2019. Which one should you choose for your summer holiday?
Country |
What you need to know |
Language |
What you need to do |
Papua New Guinea |
It is the largest one of the Pacific Island countries. Both the mainland and its islands are perfect for deep sea diving (潜水). |
English & Tok Pisin |
Go deep sea diving in the Solomon Sea. |
Kingdom of Tonga |
Tonga is ahead of the rest of the world: it's the first country in the world to start a new day. |
English & Tongan |
Visit the Royal Palace of Tonga. |
The Republic of Vanuatu |
It sits between Hawaii and Australia. In Vanuatu, you'll find the world's only underwater post office in the capital, Port Villa. |
English, French & Bislama |
Send a postcard from the underwater post office. |
Fiji |
Fiji is one of the world's best﹣known places for your holidy. The island's blue sea, white﹣sand beaches and the forests are well worth seeing. |
Fijian & English |
Go diving on Mana Islan. |
(1)Which country is the first one to start a new day?
A. Papua New Guinea.
B. Kingdom of Tonga.
C. The Republic of Vanuatu.
D. Fiji.
(2)People go to Fiji for their holidays mainly because .
A. things there are well worth seeing
B. the underwater post office is exciting
C. they want to stay in the Royal Palace
D. it is the largest Pacific Island country
(3)Which language is spoken in all the four Pacific Island countries?
A. Tok Pisin.
B. French.
C. Bislama.
D. English.
(4)What is the purpose of the text?
A. To ask for some help.
B. To introduce languages.
C. To answer a question.
D. To offer holiday choices.
Mr. Reynolds, my teacher, hand us a list of thoughts, and asked us to write a paper on one of those thoughts. I chose the topic "I wonder why things are the way they are."
I wrote down all the questions that puzzled(困扰)me about life. I realized that many of them were hard to answer, and perhaps others could not be answered at all. When I handed in my paper, I was afraid that I might fail because I did not answer the question.
The next day, Mr. Reynolds handed me the paper and asked me to read it for the class. The other students became quiet as I began to read my story:
Mum, why are the roses red? Why is the grass green and the sky blue? Why do I have to graduate(毕业)? Why do I have to grow up? Why do I have to be called "Grandma" ,one day?…
Dad, why can't I stay out until 12: 00? Why do I miss my old friends? Why do I miss being at home? Why do you love me so much?..
Mum, Dad, why did you have to leave me? I need you.
At the end of my story, I looked at Mr. Reynolds, and I saw a tear slowly coming down his face.Then I realized that life is not built on the answers we receive, but on the questions we ask.
(1)Why was the writer afraid that she might fail?(不超过10个词)
(2)What did the teacher ask the writer to do for the class?(不超过15个词)
(3)What did the writer realize at the end of the story?(不超过15个词)