People who put a smiley face at the end of a message, in an attempt to show feeling, show no feeling. I wish there was a symbol for two fingers in the air.
I had some bad news this week. My manager informed me of this news via email. It was like hearing about the death of a loved one via pigeon. Bad news should only ever be delivered face to face or voice to voice.
We seem to celebrate our numerous methods of communication, but really there is no communication at all. I talk to my plants more than I talk to my neighbors, I get text messages that take me three hours to read because they’re written like this: “Hi, I ope you av a gr8 day. Call me La8tr.” I had an email from someone this week that read, “Da ut ov 2day are really annoying me!” Ut? I had to say this 20 times before I understood it. Youth has now become ut. Haven’t we taken enough from them—now we have to take their letters?
I had an email recently from a girl who used to live over the road from me as a child. She wrote, “Hi Shazia, howz u? Im sure u used 2 live across the road from me. We sumtimes played tennis 2 gever at the park and you was in your eliment. I am married now wif 3 daughters.” Then, to my horror, she ended the email with: “Im now teachin in Leeds. Luv Clare.”
Teaching? With English like this. It’s like saying you’re a train driver when you’ve never seen a train. It was like reading modern Morse code.
Getting bad news via email makes it seem so much worse than it actually is. Just a few lines, no emotion, no comfort, not really an explanation. Just a few cold hard words. It’s an excuse. Just write a few words and the problem of delivering it is no longer yours. A close friend recently told me she was very happy to announce she was getting married—and made the announcement by email. I don’t know how she didn’t fall off her chair with excitement while writing it. If you are really happy or really sad to announce something important, wouldn’t you like a human reaction? Some euphoria, elation, tears, a punch in the face?
I receive long text messages every day with information and explanations that I don’t bother reading. They’re boring, and annoy me. In the time it took someone to write me three laborious texts, they could have called, spoken to me, made some tea. People who put a smiley face at the end of a sentence, in an attempt to show feeling, show no feeling. I wish there was a symbol for two fingers in the air, because that’s the one I’d send back.
The telegram has been responsible for reporting world-shattering events when there were very few other options(选择权). Now we have options, and people opt for the least humane one. My mum, in an attempt to get down with the ut of today, asked me to teach her to text. Now she constantly texts me in block capitals, so it looks as if she is still angry and annoyed with me after all these years.
People don’t even write by hand any more. My doctor prints out prescriptions from his computer; even my mechanic prints out a receipt. I get typed Christmas cards and my friends send me emails. I get very excited when hand-written letters come through my door, only because they rarely do.
When I was at school, the girls used to write letters to each other, even though we sat side by side and spoke to one another all day. I think it was a way of expressing private things we were afraid to say when we were 14 and too shy. We used to write things like, “You are my best friend, can’t wait to sit next to you in math.”
I miss the personal method of communication. Once the pen was mightier than the sword, now it seems the keyboard is mightier than the pen.We can learn from paragraph 3 and paragraph 4 that the writer wants to say ________.
| A．the spelling mistakes in the messages make her very annoyed |
| B．only writing letters will bring friends and neighbors much closer |
| C．she talks to plants more because no one shares her joys and sorrows |
| D．gestures and the pen can express a lot more than the cold keyboard |
According to the writer, which of the following can support her opinion?
| A．She has been separated from all his classmates many years. |
| B．No doctors write prescriptions by hand because of computers. |
| C．In communication, we should write more letters than send messages. |
| D．Less shy than school girls, boys rarely write letters to their friends. |
According to the passage, we can conclude that ________.
| A．the writer is a person full of emotions and treasures friendship and affections |
| B．the writer becomes excited when she gets priceless gifts from other people |
| C．her classmates would write to each other because they couldn’t send messages |
| D．people put a smiley face at the end of a message just to show they are happy |
What message is conveyed in the passage?
| A．The writer wastes much time in reading many rubbish text messages every day. |
| B．Few people can write letters well in modern society owing to texting messages. |
| C．Now people are too busy to communicate with each other face to face often. |
| D．The writer prefers personal communication rather than electronic equipment. |
Why does the writer mention the telegram?
| A．Because she thinks the annoyance of reading text messages is originated from it. |
| B．Because we have more options to keep in touch with each other than ever before. |
| C．Because advanced technology partly takes the blame for lacking the human touch. |
| D．Because she thinks humans today become colder with the development of society. |
Which of the following best describe the tone of this passage?
| A．Optimistic. | B．Critic. | C．Sympathetic. | D．Pessimistic. |
The sun is shining when I get on No. 151 bus. We passengers sit jammed together in heavy clothes. No one speaks. That’s one of the unwritten rules of Chicago commuting. Although we see the same faces every day, we prefer to hide behind our newspapers. The phenomenon is striking: people who sit so close together are using those thin sheets of newsprint to keep their distance.
As the bus approaches the Magnificent Mile, a voice suddenly rings out: “Attention! Attention!” Papers rattle (发出细小声). Necks crane (伸长). “This is your driver speaking.”
We look at the back of the driver’s head. His voice has authority.
“All of you put your papers down.”
The papers come down, an inch at a time. The driver waits. The papers are folded and placed on our laps.
“Now, turn and face the person next to you. Go ahead.”
Amazingly, we all do it. Still, no one smiles.
I face an older woman, her head wrapped tightly in a red scarf. I see her nearly every day. Our eyes meet. We wait, unblinking, for the next order from the driver.
“Now, repeat after me…” It is a command, delivered in the tones of a drill sergeant (操练军士). “Good morning, neighbor!”
Our voices are weak and timid. For many of us, these are the first words we have spoken today. But we say them at the same time, like schoolchildren, to the strangers beside us.
We smile and can’t help it. We have said it; the barrier has been broken. Good morning, neighbor. It is not so hard after all. Some of us repeat it. Others shake hands. Many laugh.
The bus driver says nothing more. He doesn’t need to. Not a single newspaper goes back up. I hear laughter, a warm sound I have never heard before on bus No. 151. This day is starting off better than most.On hearing the sudden utterance of “Attention!”, the passengers ___________.
| A．stopped reading and put down their newspapers immediately |
| B．looked up from the newspapers to see who was speaking |
| C．sat still without response |
| D．were frightened |
The underlined word “commuting” in Paragraph 1 most probably means ___________.
| A．daily traveling between home and work |
| B．long-distance ride |
| C．communication technology |
| D．behavior patterns |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．The passengers on the crowded bus were so absorbed in reading their newspapers that no one spoke. |
| B．The passengers were physically close together but mentally they kept each other at a terrible distance. |
| C．The passengers didn’t follow the driver’s instruction at first. |
| D．When the bus driver said nothing more, the passengers picked up and read their newspapers again. |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．The Warmth of Communication |
| B．The Exchange of Information |
| C．The Power of Observation |
| D．The Attitude to Loneliness |
The novelist Harriet Beecher Stowe, born 200 years ago, was a poor housewife with six children, who suffered from various illnesses. And yet, driven by a passionate hatred of slavery, she found time to write “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” which became the most influential novel in American history and aroused radical change both at home and abroad.
Today, however, the book has a different reputation, owing to the popular image of its character, Uncle Tom-whose name has become a saying for a cowardly black man who betrays his race.
But this view is wrong: The original Uncle Tom was physically and morally strong, an inspiration for blacks and other oppressed people worldwide.
Indeed, that’s why in the mid-19th century Southerners attacked “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” as a dangerously destructive book, while Northern reformers-especially blacks-often praised it.
The book was influential overseas, too.In Russia it inspired Vladimir Lenin, who recalled it as his favorite book in childhood. It was the first American novel to be translated and published in China, and it fueled antislavery causes in Cuba and Brazil.
The book’s progressive appeal was the character of Uncle Tom himself: a strong man who is notable because he does not betray his race; one reason he gave up escaping from his plantation is that he doesn’t want to put his fellow slaves in danger. And he is finally killed because he refuses to tell his master where two runaway slaves are hiding.
Unfortunately, these themes were lost in many of the stage versions of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”.
The play, seen by more people than those who read the book, remained popular up to the`1950s and still appears occasionally. But in the play Stowe’s revolutionary themes were drowned.
But it doesn’t have to be that way; indeed, during the civil rights era it was those who most closely resembled Uncle Tom-Stowe’s Tom, not the sheepish one of popular myth-who proved most effective in promoting progress. Both Stowe and Tom deserve our reconsideration and our respect.Harriet Beecher Stowe managed to write “Uncle Tom’s Cabin because __________.
| A．she wanted to earn money to support her family |
| B．she hated slavery from the bottom of her heart |
| C．she tried to set an example to her six children |
| D．she had the similar life experiences with Tom |
As for the influence of the book, __________.
| A．it was the first American novel to be translated into Russian |
| B．it was the most influential book for Vladimir Lenin in his life |
| C．it also gave rise to the causes of anti-slavery in the distant Africa |
| D．its character Tom inspired the blacks and other oppressed people in the world |
What is true of the character Uncle Tom in the book?
| A．He is a black man who betrays his race. |
| B．He manages to escape from the plantation. |
| C．He doesn’t put his fellow slaves in danger. |
| D．He kills himself instead of giving away the slaves. |
According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
| A．The theme on revolution and progress in the book were lost in the play. |
| B．The book “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” has more readers than the stage versions. |
| C．The play was very popular and nowadays it is still put on now and then. |
| D．It is the Uncle Tom in the book that promotes the progress of mankind. |
Last Sunday, Aron Ralston, an experienced hiker and mountaineer, set off to walk alone through the Bluejohn desert canyon (峡谷) in Utah. He was planning an eight-hour, 21–kilometer hike. While he was climbing through a narrow part of the canyon, a big stone weighing about 400 kilos fell and trapped his right arm.
When he failed to return to the mountain camp where he was staying that night, people simply thought he had decided to camp out somewhere in the canyon. When he still had not returned by Tuesday, the alarm was raised, A search party set out on Wednesday evening, but there we no sign and his family began to fear the worst.
In fact, Ralston, 27, was lying trapped in the canyon. By Tuesday, he had run out of water. By Thursday, he realized that he would not survive unless he took unusual action, so he used his pocket knife to cut his arm below the elbow (肘). He then climbed down to the bottom of the canyon. There he met two other hikers, who helped him back to safety. He received some help at a local hospital before being carried to St. Mary’s hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado for surgery.
Ralston’s astonishing survival brought equal amounts of praise and criticism. While praising the climber for his bravery and calm, experts also pointed out he had broken the first rule of outdoor pursuits. He had failed to leave words with anyone of where he was going that day.
This was in fact Ralston’s second near-death experience. In February, he was buried up to the neck in snow by an avalanche (雪崩) while skiing in the Colorado Rockies. Ralston not only managed to dig himself out but he also rescued his skiing companion, who had been completely buried in the snow. Ralton rescued himself and his friend in less than 15 minutes.According to the passage, a “hiker” is probably someone who _______.
| A．enjoys walking short distances |
| B．enjoys walking long distances |
| C．climbs rocks and mountains |
| D．likes adventure |
When a big stone trapped his right arm, ________.
| A．he went on climbing the canyon |
| B．he managed to return to the mountain lodge |
| C．he cut off part of his arm to survive |
| D．two other hikers helped him out |
Why did Ralston’s survival bring criticism?
| A．Because this was his second near-death experience. |
| B．Because he was brave and calm. |
| C．Because he told no one where he was going when he set off. |
| D．Because he amputated his arm below the elbow. |
Which of the following describes what happened to Aron Ralston?
a.A large heavy stone hit him and landed on his arm.
b.He had to cut off part of his arm to get it out
c.He was going through a narrow valley.
d.A search party set out to look for him
e.He climbed down to the bottom of the canyone.
| A．c,a,d,b,e | B．c,e,a,d,b |
| C．c,a,b,d,e | D．c,e,a,b,d |
If you’d like to go sightseeing, the following World Heritage Sites may be your best choices.
Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area
The Jiuzhaigou Valley, which lies in the northern part of Sichuan Province, reaches a height of more than 4,800 meters, with a series of different forest ecosystems (生态系统). There you can enjoy watching excellent waterfalls . Some 140 kinds of birds also live in the valley, as well as a number of endangered plants and animals, including the giant panda. For more information, please visit http: // whc, unesco, org// en/ list/637.
Khaml Ruins National Monument
The city of Khami, which developed after the capital of Great Zimbabwe had been given up in the mid-16th century, is of great archaeological (考古的) interest. The discovery of objects from Europe and China shows that Khami was a major centre for trade over a long period of time. For more information, please visit http:// whc, unesco, org/ en/ list/365.
Henderson Island
Henderson Island, which lies in the eastern South Pacific, is one of the few atolls (环礁)in the world whose ecology has not been touched by human beings It is especially famous for the ten plants and four land birds that can only be seen on the island. For more information, please visit http:// whc.unesco.org/ en/ list 487.
The Old City of Jerusalem
As a holy city for three different religions in the Middle East, Jerusalem has always been of great religious importance. It was given a World Heritage Status in 1981 and placed on the “List of World Heritage in Danger” the following year. For more information, please visit http:// whc. unesco.org/ en/ list 148.What can we know about the Jiuzhaigou Valley?
| A．It sits at the foot of a 4,800-meter high mountain. |
| B．It has different forest ecosystems |
| C．Most of China’s endangered plants can be found there. |
| D．In all about 140 kinds of birds and animals live there. |
The discovery of some of the objects in Khami shows that the city ____.
| A．had a very short history |
| B．was ruined in the mid-16th century |
| C．was once Great Zimbabwe’s largest city |
| D．once played a great role as a trade centre |
From the passage we can learn that Henderson Island ________.
| A．hasn’t been greatly influenced by human activities |
| B．isn’t suitable for humans to live on |
| C．has been open to visitors for years |
| D．is made up of a few large atolls |
If you are interested in religion, you should visit ______.
| A．http:// whc. unesco.org/ en/ list/ 148 |
| B．http:// whc. unesco.org/ en/ list 365 |
| C．http:// whc. unesco.org/ en/ list 487 |
| D．http:// whc. unesco.org/ en/ list 637 |
Some of my friends are making big decisions in their life: Which universities should they apply to? I also notice that many high school students in China are thinking of studying at universities abroad. Unluckily, from what I’ve seen, the information given by some websites and other media about studying abroad is very limited and sometimes even wrong.
There was once a Chinese girl who hoped that she could go to Columbia University in the US because she wanted to major in journalism. However, they have no journalism program at the undergraduate level! What’s more, in both Canada and the US, it’s not suggested that students throw themselves into journalism right after high school. School say that students should take in more knowledge about the world and writing before entering that field.
The University of Waterloo, a Canadian university famous for its engineering program, is another example. The emphasis (重视)of engineering in this school may go beyond your expectations. According to our teachers, this university spent millions of dollars building a library just for engineering students. The school’s computer science, mathematics and accounting are also great programs for students.
But, to be honest, according to my friends who have visited this university, the campus and the food are not very nice. Maybe this is because the school stresses its academic( 学术)strengths too much, thereby paying little attention to personal comforts.
Now you see, choosing a university is really not that easy. We need to do good research and consult as many people as possible before making a decision.For high school students it’s very important to __________.
| A．choose a proper university |
| B．study at American universities |
| C．learn the information about websites |
| D．supply the information about studying abroad |
Who can major in journalism program in Columbia University?
| A．Chinese girls. | B．Graduates. |
| C．Undergraduates. | D．High school students. |
From Paragraphs 3 and 4 we can learn in the University of Waterloo _______.
| A．engineering program is as famous as computer science |
| B．engineering students are the most intelligent |
| C．the campus is very small and dirty |
| D．the library for engineering students is very good |
What’s the best title for the passage?
| A．Choosing a university is not easy. |
| B．How to study at universities abroad. |
| C．A Chinese girl and Columbia University. |
| D．Academic strengths of the University of Waterloo. |