It’s really true what people say about English politeness: it’s everywhere. When squeezing past someone in a narrow aisle, people say “sorry”. When getting off a bus, English passengers say “thank you” rather than the driver. In Germany, people would never dream of doing these things. After all, squeezing past others is sometimes unavoidable, and the bus driver is only doing his job. I used to think the same way, without questioning it, until I started traveling to the British Isles and came to appreciate some more polite ways of interacting (交往) with people.
People thank each other everywhere in England, all the time. When people buy something in a shop, customers and retail assistants in most cases thank each other twice or more. In Germany, it would be exceptional to hear more than one “thank you” in such a conversation. British students thank their lecturers when leaving the room. English employers thank their employees for doing their jobs, as opposite to Germans, who would normally think that paying their workers money is already enough.
Another thing I observed during my stay was that English people rarely criticize others. Even when I was working and mistakes were pointed out to me, my employers emphasized (强调) several times that none of their words were intended as criticism. It has been my impression that by avoiding criticism, English people are making an effort to make others feel comfortable. This is also shown in other ways. British men still open doors for women, and British men are more likely to treat women to a meal than German men. However, I do need to point out here that this applies to English men a bit more than it would to Scottish men! Yes, the latter (后者) are a bit tightfisted.What is the author’s attitude towards English politeness?
| A．He appreciatesit. | B．He gives no personal opinion. |
| C．He thinks it is unnecessary. | D．He thinks it goes too far. |
What can we learn about customers and retail assistants in Germany?
| A．A customer never says thank you to a retail assistant. |
| B．They may say thank you only once. |
| C．It’s always a retail assistant who says thank you. |
D．They always say  thank you to each other. |
We can learn from the last paragraph that Scottish men __________.
| A．are not so willing to spend money for women |
| B．are more polite than English men |
| C．treat women in an impolite way |
| D．are more likely to be involved in a fighting |
The author develops the text through the method of ____________.
| A．giving reasons | B．telling stories | C．giving comments | D．making comparisons |
It's an annual argument. Do we or do we not go on holiday? My wife says no because we have no savings to save us. I say you only live once and we work hard and what's the point if you can't go on holiday. The joy of a recession (不景气) means no argument next year - we just won't go.
Since money is known to be one of the things most likely to bring a relationship to its knees, we should be grateful. For many families the recession means more than not booking a holiday A YouGov survey of 2, 000 people found 22% said they were arguing more with their partners because of concerns about money. A recent research shows arguments about money were especially damaging to couples.
Kim Stephenson, an occupational psychologist, believes money may be different things to men and women. “People can say the same things about money but have different ideas of what it's for.” he explains. “They'll say it's to save, to spend, for security, for freedom, to show someone you love them.” He says men are more likely to see money as a way of buying status and of showing their parents that they've achieved something.
“The biggest problem is that couples assume each other know what's going on with their finances, but they don't. There seems to be more of a taboo (禁忌) about talking about money than about death. But you both need to know what you're doing, who's paying what into the joint account and how much you keep separately. In a healthy relationship, you don't have to agree about money, but you have to talk about it.”What does the author say about going on holiday in Paragraph 1?
| A．It will cost them too much money. |
| B．Few people can afford it without working hard. |
| C．It makes all the hard work worthwhile. |
| D．It is the chief cause of family quarrels. |
According to the text, what does Kim Stephenson believe?
| A．Money is often a symbol of a person's status. |
| B．Money means a great deal to both men and women. |
| C．Men and women spend money on different things. |
| D．Men and women view money in different ways. |
The author suggests that couples should ______ .
| A．put their money together instead of keeping it separately |
| B．discuss money matters to maintain a healthy relationship |
| C．make efforts to reach agreement on their family budgets |
| D．avoid arguing about money matters to remain romantic |
Do you know the following expressions?
Faustian bargain
According to most stories, Faust was a German scholar who was rather unhappy with his life．The devil（魔鬼）, Mephistopheles, promises him that in return for his soul．he will give Faust unlimited power and knowledge．Faust agrees and experiences all kinds of pleasures, but, in the end, his soul goes to the hell．A “Faustian bargain” therefore is a deal that finally results in one's ruin．It means a bargain made for temporary gain without taking future consequences into consideration．
A three-ring circus
When you refer to a situation as being a three-ring circus, you are saying that it is a situation of complete confusion．There are so many activities taking place all together that they leave you confused or annoyed．The expression comes from the world of entertainment—the circus．The area where the artists perform their acts is called the “ring”．In the past, some of the circuses were so large that they had three acts taking place meanwhile in three different “rings”．The audience had to decide which “ring” they wanted to focus on．
In the swim（of things）
When someone is in the swim of things, he is actively participating in the things happening around him, as in “I've been ill, but soon I'll be back in the swim of things.” In the world of fishing, fishermen use the word “swim” to refer to the section of the lake/river where fish can be found in plenty．So, if you are a fish man and wish to catch a lot of fish, where would you be? You would be “in the swim”!If a person makes a Faustian bargain, _____．
| A．he might come to a bad end |
| B．he would be considered clever |
| C．his life would become satisfying |
| D．he would gain power and knowledge |
In the past, why did a circus perform different acts at the same time ?
| A．It was the audience’s requirement. |
| B．The time was limited. |
| C．The circus was very big. |
| D．They wanted to earn more money. |
What do we learn about the expression “in the swim（of things）”?
| A．It means having a lot of things to do． |
| B．It has nothing to do with swimming． |
| C．Originally it was used to refer to "going fishing"． |
| D．Patients use it to express their desire for health. |
What is the text mainly about?
| A．The development of English phrases |
| B．Some old and interesting stories |
| C．Some phrases' meanings and origins |
| D．Some misunderstandings about words |
Renata Di Pietro was studying to be an opera singer. But at 23, while on a music scholarship at the University of Iowa in 1976, her sight began to fail. Soon, it became increasingly difficult to read scores and pick up hand signals from conductors, and the gifted singer was forced to drop out.
After moving to Cleveland, Georgia in 2005, Di Pietro relied on guide dogs to get around. Over the years, she became depressed when she’d lose one of the dogs, who had become her best friend, to old age or death. “It’s very painful, because you love each one,” she says.
In 2009, Di Pietro was intrigued by information from a friend that miniature horses typically live for at least 30 years and make calm and strong guides. She started with a male horse, but he was too hard to control. Angel came next, a mini white female horse Di Pietro has mostly trained herself. “Horses have the ability to avoid the things in the way,” she says. “If I am about to run into something, she slides her body in front of me.”
Di Pietro, now 59, has taught her guide horse to make some sounds with her hoof (马蹄)when she comes to stairs. “Angel can find a chair and locate the nearest door for me,” Di Pietro says. Currently, she’s training Angel to pull her wheelchair and to fetch.
Despite her disability, Di Pietro still sings, performing with her husband, musician Carl Hummer, at special events. Angel is always by her side. “I fight a battle every day to take courage to engage the world,” Di Pietro says. “Angel is my warhorse. We fight that battle together.”Why did Di Pietro have to give up her studying in the university?
| A．She disliked her major in music. |
| B．She failed to get high scores. |
| C．She couldn’t understand hand signals from conductors. |
| D．She found it difficult to see things clearly. |
What does the underlined word “intrigued” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?
| A．Puzzled. | B．Interested. | C．Satisfied. | D．Frightened. |
Angel can do a lot of things for Di Pietro now EXCEPT_________.
| A．supporting her in case of her falling |
| B．helping her find a chair to sit on |
| C．keeping her company every day |
| D．fighting with her against others |
Which of the following can best describe the author?
| A．Caring and strong-minded. | B．Honest and responsible. |
| C．Kind and helpful. | D．Ambitious and sensitive. |
March 22, 2011---Most restaurants in the United States offer their customers a glass of tap water at no charge with their meal, but this week many restaurants are asking dinners to pay a dollar, or more, for a glass of water. Cards on their tables explain that this small amount helps bring clean water to children around the world. It’s called the UNICEF Tap Project.
“UNICEF’s Tap Project is really all about bringing attention to the fact that over 900 million people around the globe do not have access to good, clean, healthy drinking water,” says Cary Stem, who heads the US Fund for UNICEF. She adds that water-borne illness is the second-highest cause of preventable childhood death in the world.
“Each and every day approximately 4,100 children die just because they don’t have that access - 4,100 every single day.”
The public service campaign encourages people to help change that statistic with a simple, affordable action: paying a dollar to get a glass of tap water at a restaurant.
“One dollar buys enough good, clean water for a child for 40 days,” Stem says.
“The tap project has expanded since it began five years ago with 300 restaurants in New York City. This year, Stem says, about 3,000 restaurants across the country are participating in the campaign. We raised about $2.5 million over the last five years of this campaign,” says Stem. “Last year, we raised over $1 million for the first time. This year we’re hoping to top that.”
Stem credits the continued success of the campaign to an army of volunteers who support the tap project and raise money in their communities.
The UNICEF Tap Project is promoting its efforts with a simple motto: when you take water, give water. Currently, UNICEF works in more than 100 countries around the world to improve access to safe water and sanitation facilities in schools and communities.
Stem hopes that, by participating in the project, more Americans will realize that what they often take for granted is a precious and scarce resource in many other parts of the world.Restaurants began to charge for tap water to _______.
| A．increase their profit |
| B．urge customers to save water |
| C．raise people’s awareness of the world water problem |
| D．collect money for those without access to safe water |
We can learn from the text that the Tap Project ________.
| A．began in New York City |
| B．was started by volunteers |
| C．is hoping to collect $2.5 million this year |
| D．provides help for 1,000 countries in the world |
It can be learned that _______.
| A．the Tap Project began in 2006 |
| B．America suffers a serious problem |
| C．4,100 children die of water pollution every year |
| D．water-borne illnesses are the biggest killer of children |
How does Cary Stem feel about the work of the Tap Project?
| A．Concerned | B．Hopeful | C．Disappointed | D．Angry |
Mid-IB at a glance
The summer vacation is the time to consolidate（巩固）your learning and prepare for the year ahead. In July and August Oxford Study Courses will once again hold its Mid-IB Summer School for students half way through their IB Diploma（国际预科证书）.
We’ll be back giving another generation of IB students a unique opportunity to sample a way of life enjoyed by students at famous universities.
Students who have completed the first year of their IB Diploma can join us and we can help them prepare for their important second year.
Students can choose how many subjects they study. Each subject is studied for one week. You can attend up to 5 weeks.
The Mid-IB Summer School is held at Cambridge University in the UK （between June 20th and August 1 st） and at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology （MIT）in Boston, USA （between July 6th and July 25th）.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------
Student comments
◆ “The classes have shown me new approaches to learning. I have also learned how to approach exam questions and now feel confident in doing so.”
◆ “It was cool creating tight and close relationships with other students from around the world, realizing we all had a connection to each other.”
◆ “I really enjoyed the level of independence, although I felt like people were watching out for us. I also felt like an Oxford student!”
◆ “I have enjoyed the learning style and the course work has been extremely beneficial（有益处的）academically.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------
Enjoy the summer
Our Summer School gives you an action-packed social scene with visits to the fun places in the area, organized sports and social events, and advice on how to enjoy your free time in these amazing cities with your new friends. Welcome to contact us at ose@ose-ib.com or on +44（0）1865 521802!The Mid-IB Summer School is intended for the students who ________.
| A．have finished their first year of college |
| B．intend to apply for Oxford University |
| C．don’t know how to spend their summer vacation |
| D．have completed the first year of their IB Diploma |
What can be inferred from the text?
| A．Students will visit many fun places around the world. |
| B．A student can at most choose 5 subjects. |
| C．Only students from England and America have access to the school. |
| D．Students can obtain their IB Diploma when they finish their studies. |
Which of the following about the Mid-IB Summer School is true?
| A．It begins in July. |
| B．It provides only academic courses. |
| C．It is held in three universities. |
| D．Students attending will study for 5 weeks. |
The text is most probably a（n）_________.
| A．news story | B．speech | C．travel guide | D．advertisement |