JK Rowling, the Harry Potter author, has signed a deal with Little, Brown and Company, to publish her first ever novel for adults, which is set to become one of the most anticipated (期望的) book in years.
The deal means that Rowling’s long-standing relationship with Bloomsbury, the London-based publisher that launched (发行) the Harry Potter books, has come to an end, at least in terms of new works by the author.
Rowling is keeping her fans guessing about the characters and plot of her new book. She only said that the new novel will be nothing like the Harry Potter series, which was sold over 30 million copies in the UK alone. She thought that with the move from children’s to adult fiction, a switch to a new publisher seemed like a natural and reasonable step.
She said, "Although I've enjoyed writing it every bit as much, this book will be very different from the Harry Potter series. The freedom to explore a new field is a gift that Harry’s success has brought me."
Ian Rankin, the Edinburgh-based author whose highly-successful detective novels are also set in the city, suggested Rowling’s book will be a crime novel.
"Wouldn’t it be funny if JK Rowling’s first novel for adults turned out to be a crime story set in Edinburgh?" he said.
Industry insiders guessed that the deal is worth more than ￡5 million and the new book is expected to come out later this year.
A spokesman said, "JK Rowling’s audience is vast and her position is unique. Harry Potter books were a global success and her fans are very loyal. Children that were eight, nine, or ten when the books first came out in the 1990s are now in their 20s. Plenty of adults, loved the books regardless of whether they had children, so the potential market for her is huge."What does the text mainly tell us?
| A．JK Rowling has signed a deal with a new publisher. |
| B．JK Rowling's new book will be more successful than her Harry Potter series. |
| C．JK Rowling’s first book for adults will be published later this year. |
| D．JK Rowling has to switch to a new publisher in order to publish her new book. |
JK Rowling’s new book for adults .
| A．has been sold 30 million copies in the UK alone |
| B．is poorly thought of by the London-based publisher Bloomsbury |
| C．has nothing in common with the Harry Potter series |
| D．is expected to bring her more money than the Harry Potter series |
The author used Ian Rankin’s words in order to .
| A．tell us that some famous novelists offer to give Rowling some advice |
| B．show that many readers are curious about Rowling’s new book |
| C．tell us that many readers prefer to read detective or crime novels |
| D．prove that a crime story set in Edinburgh is sure to be successful |
We can learn from the text that .
| A．Little, Brown and Company is specialized in publishing adult books |
| B．the author has no doubt about the success of Rowling’s new book |
| C．JK Rowling will be a crime novelist as good as Ian Rankin |
| D．it was in Edinburgh that Ian Rankin got to know JK Rowling |
The Weekly Radio Concert
Date / Time: Sept. 5th, 2010 10:30 (Sun.)
Venue(地点）: Shanghai Concert Hall
Ticket Price (RMB): 50, 40, 30 yuan
Ticket State: On Sale Now
Booking Office: No. 272 Fengxian Road
Booking Hotline: 62172426, 62173055
Conductor: Chen Shouchang
Programme
1. Jasmine (Jiangsu folk song) Arranged by Chen Dan
2. Under the Silver Light (Xinjiang folk song) Arranged by Yang Hua
3. Wish good luck (Tibetan folk song) Arranged by Shu Yong Gang
4. Arirang Theme and Variations (North Korean folk song) Arranged by John Barnes Jones
5. No.5 Wind Suite (Various countries Dance) Arranged by Alfred Reed
Ⅰ. Square dance (USA)
Ⅱ. Sarabande (France)
Ⅲ. Yamabushi Kagura (Japan)
Ⅳ. Hora (Israel / Romania)
6. Red River Valley (American / Canadian folk song) Arranged by J. D. Proyhal
JAZZ STARS — Cantaloup Island
Date / Time: Sept. 8th, 2010 19:30 (Wed.)
Venue: Shanghai Concert Hall
Ticket Price (RMB): 80, 50 yuan
Ticket State: On Sale Now
Booking Office: No. 272 Fengxian Road
Booking Hotline: 62172426, 62173055
Performance: Shanghai Jazz OrchestraYou can get the tickets for the two concerts ______.
| A．in about one week | B．at reduced prices |
| C．through the Internet | D．by calling |
Which of the following will be arranged by John Barnes Jones?
| A．A Jiangsu folk song. | B．A Xinjiang folk song. |
| C．A foreign folk song. | D．A Tibetan folk song. |
Sophie decides to buy two tickets for the second concert at a lower price. How much will she pay?
| A．60 yuan. | B．80 yuan. | C．100 yuan. | D．160 yuan. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The two concerts will start in the evening. |
| B．The two concerts will be held in different places. |
| C．Bob, a pop music lover, may go to the first concert. |
| D．Sam, a jazz music lover, may go to the second concert. |
Steve Fossett did not really look like an adventurer, but he reached some of the most difficult goals in sailing and flying.
Fossett was most proud of being the first person to fly around the world alone in a hot-air balloon. To make a trip around the world alone, it was necessary to have an improved autopilot (自动驾驶仪) device. Fossett had one of his team members develop a more advanced balloon autopilot that would allow him to sleep and do other tasks while flying safely.
Steve Fossett attempted the hot-air balloon trip around the world six times. This was not easy to do. He flew in the balloon’s capsule (密封舱) that was too small to stand upright. During his fourth attempt in 1998, he was almost killed during a storm off the coast of Australia. He fell 9,000 meters into the Coral Sea with his balloon’s capsule on fire. He was later rescued at sea.
Fossett successfully made the trip in 2002. The trip started and ended in Australia. He traveled more than 33,000 kilometers for more than 14 days. On this flight, Fossett set other records including a speed record of 322 kilometers per hour. One main problem with earlier balloon flights was the threat of dangerous storms. A team of weather experts e-mailed and talked to Fossett by a satellite telephone to help him avoid such weather.
Steve Fossett’s hot-air balloon is now at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. It is there as an example for other people to try and succeed in doing something important to them.What did Steve Fossett specially prepare for the trip around the world?
| A．He made the balloon’s capsule bigger. |
| B．He had an autopilot impvoved. |
| C．He formed a team to fly with him. |
| D．He improved the balloon’s engine. |
Steve Fossett solved the problem of bad weather on his trip by ______.
| A．communicating with experts |
| B．using his rich experience |
| C．inventing a satellite phone |
| D．consulting other adventurers |
We can learn from the text that Steve Fossett was ______.
| A．patient and careful | B．modest and easy-going |
| C．brave and determined | D．energetic and kind-hearted |
What can we learn about Steve’s flight in 2002?
| A．He was rescued during the trip. |
| B．He lost his way over the sea. |
| C．It lasted over three weeks. |
| D．He set a speed record of balloon flight. |
We all love our children and we all know how competitive the world is these days. What’s it going to be like when our children leave school? Will they have the skills they need to stay ahead of the competition?
All children need two basic skills to succeed. They must be able to read and they must be able to write. And with so much information available to them these days, they must be able to read quickly and accurately. That’s why your children need to be able to speed-read.
It’s ironic (讽刺的) that at this time of space-age technology, we’ve gone back to one of the earliest forms of mass communication—the written word. The Internet has introduced a revival (重新流行) of writing, and if you can’t keep up, you’ll be left behind. You certainly don’t want your children to be left behind.
You can help to make sure that your children are excellent writers—you can help them to learn how to use their language. Better still, you can learn with them!
You and your children can spend time together in a worthwhile pursuit (事业)—learning how to write. Forget the theme parks, the computer games, the expensive movies and interesting sports. If you want your children to have treasured memories of time spent with you, learn together.
For less than you would pay for tickets to a theme park, you can invest in your children’s future—help them learn to write well with my six-part writing course.
Don’t stand by while your child is left further and further behind. From the last two paragraphs, we can know the main purpose of the passage is_______
| A．To encourage students to be better prepared for the future. |
| B．To list the qualities children must have for their future success. |
| C．To persuade parents to choose a writing course for their kids. |
| D．To explain the difficult situation children have to face at present. |
In the author’s opinion, ______.
| A．speed-reading is the first step in a child’s formal education |
| B．children today waste too much time on games, movies and sports |
| C．children’s success depends much on good skills in reading and writing |
| D．writing helps people communicate more effectively in modern society |
What does the author think of writing as a form of communication now?
| A．Important. | B．Funny. | C．Informal. | D．Old-fashioned. |
What’s the advantage of children’s learning together with their parents?
| A．They will learn more quickly and accurately. |
| B．They will not be affected by games and sports. |
| C．It will encourage them to work for a higher pursuit. |
| D．They will have good memories of time spent with parents. |
Three years ago when I was still in the university, I also worked at a restaurant.
An old man named Mr. Candido Filio was one of our regular customers at the restaurant. He was one of the most intelligent people I’ve ever known.
Every Sunday the Philippine Star Newspaper had a special page for word puzzles and among his peers (同龄人), Mr. Filio held the record for solving all the puzzles in less than five minutes. He encouraged me to solve them too and for months and months, I did my best to beat him but failed.
Then one Sunday, I did it! I was able to complete them before anyone else. Everyone cheered for me. He came up to me with a smile and said, “No one has ever beaten me before. You’re the first. I’ll have a prize for you tomorrow.”
The next day, he gave me a special Scrabble (拼字游戏) set. I would have never been able to afford one like that by myself. Then he said to me, “Kate, what do you think is man’s final goal in life? Happiness, isn’t it? You are happy and that should be considered as a success. Many people spend a lifetime searching for that. Be thankful that you have found it.” I looked at him and knew that my life had changed, probably forever. He must have known that I always felt sad about not having much money.
He encouraged me to learn the game and love words. And true to his words, I was never able to beat him again. We can learn from the text that Mr. Filio ______.
| A．was generous to young people |
| B．was good at word puzzles |
| C．lived quite near the restaurant |
| D．won a prize from the Philippine Star Newspaper |
The author got a gift because ______.
| A．Mr. Filio was thankful for her help |
| B．Mr. Filio was satisfied with her service |
| C．she was the first person to beat Mr. Filio |
| D．she was the new record keeper in the restaurant |
After she heard what Mr. Filio said, the author probably felt ______.
| A．amazed | B．excited | C．touched | D．inspired |
What would be the best title of the text?
| A．Happiness is also a success |
| B．Interest is the best teacher |
| C．Scrabble makes a difference |
| D．His words change my life |
The concept of solar power satellites, or SPS, first put forward in the 1960s, is still not widely known by the general public. For example, at many public exhibitions about energy, SPS is not even mentioned. This is mainly because very little money has been spent on SPS research
There are people who claim that SPS is unrealistic － because launch costs are much too high today; or because it is too far away. So why do we believe that it is important to continue to do researches on SPS? The reason is very simple.
Humans are going to need huge amounts of electric power in coming decades. Within 50 years the world population is expected to double, while economic growth will continue around the world, especially in the poorer countries. But existing energy sources already face serious problems. They are limited; they are polluted; they are dangerous. So 50 or 100 years from now, where is our power going to come from? Nobody knows. And so we believe that new large-scale possibilities should be studied further.
We must remember that humans have some choices concerning our future. To some extent we can choose the direction in which our civilization develops. And choices that are made in the coming decades － such as the energy sources that we will or will not use, will have major, long-term meaning for human life on earth. We believe that if research continues to show that SPS is environmentally and economically attractive, SPS will open the door to a much more attractive future for human civilization than any ground-based energy source, and one that the public will support and that young people will find challenging and exciting. Furthermore energy from SPS can be readily used in developing countries, as the SPS 2000 project will show, thus aiding economic development worldwide. In addition, by creating large commercial fund for space engineering, SPS will open the frontier of space to economic development, thus creating a limitless new field for the growth of the world economy.Which of the following may be the best title for the passage?
| A．The Future Energy－ SPS | B．The Concept of SPS |
| C．Humans and SPS | D．Advantages of SPS |
Which of the following statements about SPS is TRUE?
| A．The research on SPS started in the 1960s is still not appreciated by the public. |
| B．The research is showing SPS can benefit environment and economy at present. |
| C．The energy from SPS is now being used in some developing countries. |
| D．The public don’t know about SPS because little time is devoted to the research. |
Paragraph 3 mainly talks about ______.
| A．the present serious energy problems |
| B．where to get energy sources in the future |
| C．the importance of controlling world population |
| D．the need to explore new energy sources |
The writer’s attitude towards the research can best be summarized by the saying “______”.
| A．In time of peace prepare for war |
| B．Put the cart before the horse |
| C．One man’s meat is another man’s poison |
| D．Easier said than done |