Kites have been around for a long time.The Chinese invented kites over 2000 years ago. A determined man named Mo Zi had an idea as he watched hawks(鹰) fly. He spent three years making a wooden hawk“kite”. It broke after one flight! Mo Zi and his Chinese friends did not give up. Soon they perfected the art of creating kites.
Kites became part of many Chinese festivals. Pictures of kites were also on vases and in paintings. But kites were meant to fly in places other than China! Marco Polo visited China in the 13th century and brought kites back to Europe with him. Europeans loved them, and the art of kiting“took off”!
Many kites have stories behind them. One Chinese novel, called Journey to the West, was written around 1400 AD. In the story, a priest(僧侣) traveled with three students. One student was a monkey. The second student was a man with pig ears. The third student was a former river monster. These characters often appear on Chinese kites. Another splendid Chinese kite is the dragon kite. A dragon kite is made of many round discs strung together. Often the dragon is bright red, with fat horns and white teeth. The dragon is the king of beasts in Chinese myths. It represents goodness, even though it looks scary. Two kinds of kites have pictures of birds on them. One kite is called the phoenix(凤凰) bird kite. The phoenix bird symbolizes peace. Another kite shows the red-headed crane. The crane represents happiness, good fortune, and a long life.
Kites come in all shapes and sizes. Flat or bowed kites have a simple shape, such as a diamond or a rectangle(长方形). Delta(三角形) kites are triangular. Rokkaku kites are six sided and often bear a striking image. Sometimes these kites“flight”each other until one kite drops from the sky. The other kite then wins the“battle”.Who introduced Chinese kites to Europe?
| A．A foreigner from Europe. |
| B．Three students in Journey to the West. |
| C．The priest in Journey to the West. |
| D．A Chinese artist. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．The novel Journey to the West mainly talks about the art of kiting. |
| B．The characters in the novel Journey to the West are often painted on kites. |
| C．The dragon kite represents happiness, good fortune and a long life. |
| D．A phoenix bird is a main character in the novel Journey to the West. |
Which statement expresses an opinion rather than a fact?
| A．Kites became part of many Chinese festivals. |
| B．There are many different kinds of kites. |
| C．The dragon kite is the most splendid Chinese kite. |
| D．Kites were invented 2000 years ago. |
Which kind of kite is NOT used to fight“battles”in the air?
| A．Flat. | B．Delta. | C．Dragon. | D．Rokkaku. |
We all know what it is like to be unable to turn your head because of a cold in the muscles of your neck, or because an unexpected twist has made your neck ache and stiff. Your whole body feels tight. The slightest move makes you jump with pain. Nothing could be worse than a pain in the neck. That is why we use phrase to describe some people who give you the same feeling. We have all met such people.
One is the man who always seems to be clapping his hands—often at the wrong time—during a performance in the theater. He keeps you from hearing the actors.
Even worse are those who can never arrive before the curtain goes up and play begins. They come hurrying down to your row of seats. You are comfortably settled down, with your hat and heavy coat in your lap. You must stand up to let them pass. You are proud of your self-control after they have settled into their seats…Well, what now…Good God, one of them is up again. He forgot to go to the men’s room, and once more you have to stand up, hanging on to your hat and coat to let him pass. Now, that is “a pain in the neck.”
Another, well-known to us all, is the person sitting behind you in the movies. His mouth is full of popcorn; he is chewing loudly, or talking between bites to friends next to him. None of them remain still. Up and down, back and forth, they go for another bag of popcorn, or something to drink.
Then, there is the main sitting next to you at a lunch counter smoking a smelly cigar. He wants you to enjoy it too, and blows smoke across your food into your mouth.
We must not forget the man who comes into a bus or subway car and sits down next to you, just as close as you will let him. You are reading the newspaper and he leans over and stretches his neck so that he can read the paper with you. He may even turn the paper to the next page before you are ready for it.
We also call such a person a “rubberneck”, always putting out his neck to where it does not belong, like neighbors who watch all your visitors. They enjoy invading your privacy. People have a strong dislike for rubbernecks. They hate being spied upon.Where can you find this passage?
| A．Medicine dictionaries. | B．A travel guide. |
| C．Social science books. | D．Students text books. |
How do you feel when late comers walk back and forth in front of you in a cinema?
| A．Disturbed. | B．Ignored. | C．Bored. | D．Relaxed. |
A “rubberneck” often .
| A．says bad words behind people |
| B．quarrels face to face with neighbors |
| C．bargains the price with sales women |
| D．asks about other people’s business |
Which of the follow is “a pain in the neck”?
| A．Someone who helps you find your seat in a movie theatre. |
| B．Someone who smokes in a smoking section on a train. |
| C．Someone who throws trash out of his car window on the highway. |
| D．Someone who goes to the doctor for his severe pain on the neck. |
Many of Nalade Resorts’ hotels have Kids Club with special facilities for young children, making holidays more relaxing for parents and undoubtedly more pleasant and interesting for youngsters!
Kids Club in Beau Rivage (9 a.m. to 10 p.m.)
The club has a lovely atmosphere, with a large room for activities and a fenced, grass play-area outside. The qualified hostesses really know how to get on with children, as they look after and entertain youngsters from 3 to 12.
Activities are adapted according to children’s ages and talents and include:
●Glass-bottom boat trips to see the brightly colored games
●Drawing and painting
●Making things and a whole host of indoor games
●Learning how to snorkel and water-ski
A baby sitting service is also available on request, for a fee. Children’s dinner is served in the main restaurant at 6:30 p.m.
Kids Club in Legends (9 a.m. to 10 p.m.)
Three qualified hostesses entertain youngsters from 3 to 11 years old. For children under 3, a baby sitting service is also available on request, for a fee.
Children’s lunch is served between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m. in the main restaurant or in the Kids Club depending on the day. The children have dinner in the main restaurant between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.
Kids Club in Les Pavillons (9:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.)
Friendly, experienced, well-trained staff keep youngsters from 3 to 11 happy and occupied throughout the day and evening. Activities include:
●Learning the local dance, the Sega
●Gathering crabs on the beach by torchlight
●Making things and a whole host of indoor games
●Learning to play a traditional musical instrument
A special children’s dinner is served from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Baby sitting service can also be provided, for a fee.
Kids Club in Diva
The ideal arrangement for both parents and their youngsters! Qualified staffs look after children aged from 3 to 11 from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily and organize a whole range of activities to keep them busy and happy.
Children have dinner between 6 and 7 p.m. A baby sitting service is also available, for a fee.If you have a 12-year-old child, you can choose ______ for your Family holidays.
| A．Diva | B．Legends | C．Beau Rivage | D．Les Pavillons |
Children may have two meals in ______.
| A．Legends | B．Beau Rivage | C．Les Pavillons | D．Diva |
According to the activity lists, children can learn some water sports in the Club of ______.
| A．Les Pavillons | B．Beau Rivage | C．Diva | D．Legends |
We know from the passage that ______.
| A．the staff in all hotels can get along well with the youngsters |
| B．all the hotels open daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. |
| C．all the hotels provide baby-sitting service for fee |
| D．parents have to play with their children in the activities |
It’s become part of the restaurant table setting: knife, fork, napkin and cell phone.
Distracted (思想不集中的) dining is the new concern with customers constantly texting friends, uploading a Weibo photo of the meal they’re about to chew down or emailing the boss. For many smart-phone users, it’s hard just to focus on the meal and company at hand.
Now, one restaurant in Los Angeles is giving diners a reason to turn off the digital world, by offering customers willing to check (寄存) their phones at the door a 5-percent discount on their bill. Owner and chef Mark Gold of Eva Restaurant, located on Beverly Boulevard near N. Gardner Street, hopes this gives customers a way to truly sit back and relax, enjoy their meal and actually talk with friends and family in person.
“For us, it’s really not about people disturbing other guests. Eva is home, and we want to create that environment of home, and we want people to connect again,” he explained. “It’s about two people sitting together and just connecting, without the distraction of a phone, and we’re trying to create an atmosphere where you come in and really enjoy the experience and the food and the company.”
Gold said applying the suggestion reminds him to avoid cell phone usage, too. “I’m guilty of it as well. When my wife and I go to dinner it seems like the cell phone is part of the table setting now. Every table you look at, it’s a wine glass, the silverware and the cell phone,” he joked.
The husband and wife team runs Eva, a 40-person space with European flair. Gold said a little less than half take advantage of the deal, and no one has gotten upset about it.
“I think once the server approaches the table and they’re presented with the offer, they like the idea of actually talking to each other again,” he said.When having meal in Eva Restaurant, we are not offered on the table.[学,
| A．forks | B．cellphones | C．napkins | D．knives |
Why does Gold think people should not use cellphones at table?
| A．Because it can cause health problems. |
| B．Because it will disturb other customers. |
| C．Because it can get a 5-percent discount on the customers’ bills. |
| D．Because it may prevent people communicating with their companions. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Many people would like to upload a photo of their food before they eat nowadays. |
| B．People are forbidden to use cellphones in Eva Restaurant. |
| C．More than half of the customers in Eva Restaurant have enjoyed the discount. |
| D．People can easily connect with each other anytime without using cellphones. |
What can be the best title of the passage?
| A．No Cellphone at Table! |
| B．Focus on Your Cellphone! |
| C．Eva Restaurant – Home to Customers. |
| D．Talk Face to Face. |
Military training has long been considered a ritual(仪式) that freshmen must go through in order to officially start their college lives. While some question the necessity of such training. Many students see military training as a campus tradition that should be maintained.
Early in February, the Ministry of Education issued a new regulation that colleges and universities should carry out a minimum of 14 days compulsory military training for freshmen.
In a report by Beijing Evening News, Hou Zhengfang, a Beijing-based education PhD, questioned the benefits of military training. “The training routine does little to improve students’ physical fitness over only two weeks’ time. Maybe some disaster prevention training, such as earthquake survival or escaping from fires would be of greater benefit.”
Meng Yang, a 19-year-old freshman at Guangxi University, fainted during training. She said that many students, especially girls, are willing to train under direct sunshine. “For me, military training is physically challenging and even damages my health.”
According to Li Jian from the student affairs office of Guangzhou University, feeling dizzy happens frequently during military training and the school has received a lot of complaints from both students and parents: “But I still think military training is a good thing. Students are easier to manage after the military training. They became more positive about their new environment after the training.”
Although autumn is fast approaching Beijing, the noon heat burns 3300 freshmen on Tsinghua University’s campus. Chu Jinjing, a freshman majoring in medicine, did feel some discomfort while training in sweaty clothes in the glaring heat, the 18-year-old still enjoyed being part of group going through strict exercises. “By going through this tough training, students bond faster and a sense of belonging to the school can be formed. I’ve made a lot of friends already.”
According to the Ministry of Education, the purpose of military training is to teach students discipline, the spirit of teamwork and endurance. But in reality, according to Xiong Bingqi, deputy director of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, the effect is not satisfying. “Such goals require long-term development. It is unrealistic to expect military training to make a difference in only 14 days.” He thus suggests that it should be up to schools to conduct military training in a way that best suits their students.
However, Wang Wenhui, an 18-year-old freshman from Xi’an Jiaotong University, sees military training as a tradition that reaches beyond character building. “From junior and senior high school to college, we join military training to start a new journey. I would feel a bit incomplete without it.”How many people expressing their opinions are mentioned in this passage?
| A．4 | B．5 | C．6 | D．7 |
According to Hou Zhengfang, it seems much more beneficial to give freshmen_____________.
| A．survival skills |
| B．military training |
| C．the spirit of teamwork and endurance |
| D．strict exercises |
What is the author’s attitude towards military training?
| A．Supportive | B．Subjective | C．Objective | D．Rejective |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．A Policy Made by the Ministry of Education |
| B．Military Training under Fire |
| C．A New Journey |
| D．A Best Way to Teach Students Discipline |
What is a lifestyle and how is that different from a life? A lifestyle is about brand names and buying identity or fame. Lifestyle gives a false sense of peace and acceptability that comes from others recognizing what you’ve bought into (as well as bought). If your car, clothes, and home are expensive, you’re sophisticated(世故的) and stylish. If you have the right kind of job or go to the right social gatherings, then you receive the insincere approval of others. This means that your self-esteem(自尊) is always at the mercy of others, with no appreciation of you as an individual.
A life, on the other hand, is very different. A life is what you lead when you know what matters most to you. It is very simple and comes from being connected to what you know is important and being willing to put that first, no matter what others may think. When you create a life vs. a lifestyle, your self-esteem comes from what’s inside you, not what others think about you.
Lifestyle is expensive financially and personally, because it costs a great deal to keep up appearances and do what you think is socially acceptable. A life is not expensive. Rather than using personal or financial resources, a life generates energy and staying power. It’s about liberating yourself from the mindless consumption that society expects. It is about making the choices that are in line with your values, instead of using up your bank account or energy for no heart-driven reason.
How can you make the change? Understand the difference between a life and a lifestyle. Analyze your current lifestyle to see what is costing you in money, time, stress, and energy to maintain it. Let go and make room for what is really important to you, what supports you and brings you joy. Remember who you are from within, not what you own!Which of the following examples best explains “what is life about”?
| A．We work long hours in a job that we do not enjoy. |
| B．We focus on what we wear, or what kind of car we drive. |
| C．We find out what our true beliefs and values are and choose to live by these. |
| D．We think that how others see us is more important than what we think of ourselves. |
What method does the author use to explain his opinion in the third paragraph?
| A．Making comparison. |
| B．Giving an example. |
| C．Giving a definition. |
| D．Giving a reason. |
To make the change, we need to______________________.
| A．be directed from within |
| B．be directed from outside |
| C．be driven by social values |
| D．be driven by others’ opinions |
What is the author’s purpose of writing this passage?
| A．To describe what life is. |
| B．To introduce what lifestyle is. |
| C．To promote life instead of lifestyle. |
| D．To tell the differences between life and lifestyle. |