EnglishLanguageandCultureProgr-优题课

On October 19, 1959, the first Special English program was broadcast on the Voice of America. It was an experiment. The goal was to communicate by radio in clear and simple English with people whose native language is not English. Experts said the goal was admirable, but the method would not work. They were proved wrong. The Special English programs quickly became some of the most popular on VOA. And they still are.
Forty years later, Special English continues to communicate with people who are not fluent in English. But during the years its role has expanded. It also helps people learn American English. And it provides listeners, even those who are native English speakers, with information they cannot find elsewhere.
Today, Special English broadcasts around the world seven days a week, five times a day. Each half-hour broadcast begins with ten minutes of the latest news followed by 20 minutes of feature programming. There is a different short feature every weekday about science, development, agriculture and environment, and on the weekend, about news events and American idioms.
Three elements make Special English unique. It has a limited vocabulary of 1500 words. Most are simple words that describe objects, actions or emotions. Some are more difficult. They are used for reporting world events and describing discoveries in medicine and science. Special English is written in short, simple sentences that contain only one idea. No idioms are used. And Special English is spoken at a slower pace, about two-thirds the speed of Standard English. This helps people learning English hear each word clearly. It also helps people who are English speakers understand complex subjects.
Through the years, Special English has become a very popular tool for teaching English, even though it was not designed as teaching program. It succeeds in helping people learn English in a non-traditional way. Individuals record the programs and play them over and over to practice their listening skills. In countries around the world, English teachers assign Special English to their students. They praise it for improving their students' ability to understand American English and for the content of the programs. Universities and private companies in many countries produce packages of Special English materials for student use.
At the beginning, Special English program was.

A．well received

B．rejected by native people

C．doubted by some professionals

D．intended for teaching English

What kind of English is spoken on Special English?

A．British English.

B．American English.

C．Both British and American English.

D．Not certain.

Which of the following are the elements that make Special English unique?
a．limited vocabulary
b．short simple sentences
c．good communication method
d．slow speed
e．interesting feature programming

A．a, b, c

B．a, c, d

C．a, b, d

D．b, d, e

From the last paragraph we can infer that.

A．listening to Special English can be a student’s homework

B．listening to Special English can improve the content of the program

C．some student record the Special English material for sale

D．learning English from VOA is a traditional way for English learner.

How could we possibly think that keeping animals in cages in unnatural environments－mostly for entertainment purposes－is fair and respectful?
Zoo officials say they are concerned about animals. How ever, most zoos remain “collections” of interesting “things” rather than protective habitats (栖息地). Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to keep animals bored, lonely, and far from their natural bones.
Zoos claim to educate people and save endangered species(物种), but visitors leave zoos without having learned anything meaningful about the animals’ natural behavior, intelligence, or beauty. Zoos keep animals in small spaces or cages, and most signs only mention the species’ name, diet, and natural range(分布区). The animals’ normal behavior is seldom noticed because zoos don’t usually take care of the animals’ natural needs.
The animals are kept together in small spaces, with no privacy and little opportunity for mental and physical exercise. This results in unusual and self-destructive behavior called zoochosis. A worldwide study of zoos found that zoochosis is common among animals kept in small spaces or cages. Another study showed that elephants spend 22 percent of their time making repeated head movements or biting cage bars, and bears spend 30 percent of their time walking back and forth, a sign of unhappiness and pain.
Furthermore, most animals in zoos are not endangered. Captive breeding(圈养繁殖)of endangered big cats, Asian elephants, and other species has not resulted n their being sent back to the wild. Zoos talk a lot about their captive breeding programs because they do not want people to worry about a species dying out. In fact, baby animals also attract a lot of paying customers. Haven’t we seen enough competitions to name baby animals?
Actually, we will save endangered species only if we save their habitats and put an end to the reasons people kill them. Instead of supporting zoos, we should support groups that work to protect animals’ natural habitats.
How would the author describe the animals’ life in zoos?

A．Dangerous.

B．Unhappy.

C．Natural.

D．Easy.

In the state of zoochosis, animals _________.

A．remain in cages

B．behave strangely

C．attack other animals

D．enjoy moving around

What does the author try to argue in the passage?

A．Zoos are not worth the public support.

B．Zoos fail in their attempt to save animals.

C．Zoos should treat animals as human beings.

D．Zoos use animals as a means of entertainment.

The author tries to persuade readers to accept his argument mainly by _____.

A．pointing out the faults in what zoos do

B．using evidence he has collected at zoos

C．questioning the way animals are protected

D．discussing the advantages of natural habitats

Canada, the world’s second-largest country, has a massive Atlantic coastline (海岸线). So, the best way to experience it is by car.
★ One week
Cross over to Wolfville and the Bay of Fundy via HWY 12. Spend a day criss-crossing the country roads and grassy hills of Cape Blomidon to catch some of the most impressive views of the Fundy tides (潮水).
The next day, drive east, stopping at wineries (酿酒厂) and shopping for unique jams and other local foods at Tangled Garden, where you can also cool down with a herb-flavored ice cream.
Drive through the rural roads and maybe get lost on the way to Maitland to sign up for a day of white-water rafting, which can be relaxing and one of the most exciting experiences in your life.
On the last day, head back to Halifax via east coast Martinique Beach, one of the longest beaches in Nova Scotia, a beautiful place for stretching legs and bird watching.
★ Two weeks
With more time, you can go directly up to Cape Breton, along the circuitous (迂回的) roads of the “Cabot Trail”, over high sea vista points, where you have to watch for moose (驼鹿) on the road.
Those with more time can go to Newfoundland and continue on the “Viking Trail” that links the Gros Morne National Park with Leif Eriksson’s historic Viking settlement.
★ When to go
Outside of June to October the coast will be extremely cold and most businesses will be shut.
★ Where to stay
● Lennox Inn 1791 (Lunenburg): Canada’s oldest continually operating hotel.
● The Olde Lantern Inn & Vineyard (Grand Pre): in the heart of winery and Fundy tide country.
★ Where to eat
● Fleur de Sel (Lunenburg): widely considered this coast’s finest restaurant.
● Hall’s Lobster Pound (Hall’s Harbour): pick your lobster, get it boiled and enjoy it on a park bench.
If choosing the one-week tour, you are advised to start from .

A．Wolfville	B．Maitland
C．The Bay of Fundy	D．Halifax

If you intend to go for a drive along the coast in Canada, you should go there .

A．in January

B．in May

C．in July

D．in November

We can infer from the passage that .

A．white-water rafting is quite exciting

B．moose can be seen in large numbers in Newfoundland

C．people can be easily lost along the roads of the “Cabot Trail”

D．Lennox Inn 1791 is Canada’s oldest hotel

If you have no friends around you, it’s time that you should know about your neighborhood. Not all of your neighbors out there are friendly, but at least you need to communicate with them. It is common that when you are new to the neighborhood, your neighbors might actually greet you in an inspiring way.
In other words, they are pleased to welcome you in their neighbor-hood. Both you and your neighbors may start in getting known to each other by introducing yourselves. This is a sign that you and your neighbors are actually friends. Instead of watching television and playing computer games all the time, you also need to take a break and have some fun talking with your neighbors. But if you want to make friends with them, you need to do something that might please them. The only problem for this situation is that you are afraid to approach and greet them in a nice way.
This is a challenge that you or your fellow neighbors must be aware of. You need to get as many friends as possible in your neighborhood, and one of them is to get closer with the unfriendly. If you want to get closer with him but he refuses to be friends with you, don’t force him anymore. Treat him with some respect if you don’t like to create any more problems. However, if he agrees to be your friend, you are lucky and start treating him like a friend. It is very tough to approach a person in your neighborhood, but it is a good challenge. This is how important for you to get closer with your neighbors, even if they’re unfriendly. This is better than sticking yourself alone at home and not having time for social interactions (交往) with real people.
The passage is mainly about ______.

A．the importance of friendship in our life

B．how to build good neighborhood relations

C．methods to communicate effectively with people

D．how to get rid of misunderstandings with neighbors

Which of the following statements does the writer agree with according to the passage?

A．It’s just natural that all our neighbors are not friendly.

B．Neighbors are usually unwilling to greet newcomers.

C．Television and online games help reduce one’s loneliness.

D．Making friends with the unfriendly neighbors needs patience.

What’s the most difficult in making friends with neighbors?

A．Staying away from television and games.

B．Knowing more about neighbors’ situations.

C．Getting known to each other by introducing.

D．Getting close with the unfriendly neighbors.

The main purpose of the passage is to ______.

A．share experience	B．provide facts
C．give advice	D．compare opinions

I really love my job because I enjoy working with small children and like the challenges and awards from the job. I also think my work is important. There was a time when I thought I would never have that sort of career.
I wasn’t an excellent student because I didn’t do much schoolwork. In my final term I started thinking what I might do and found I didn’t have much to offer. I just accepted that I wasn’t the type to have a career.
I then found myself a job, looking after two little girls. It wasn’t too bad at first. But the problems began when I agreed to live in, so that I would be there if my boss had to go out for business in the evening. We agreed that if I had to work extra hours one week, she’d give me time off the next. But unfortunately, it didn’t often work out. I was getting extremely tired and fed up, because I had too many late nights and early mornings with the children.
One Sunday, I was in the park with the children, and met Megan who used to go to school with me. I told her about my situation. She suggested that I should do a course and get a qualification if I wanted to work with children. I didn’t think I would be accepted because I didn’t take many exams in school. She persuaded me to phone the local college and they were really helpful. My experience counted for a lot and I got on a part-time course. I had to leave my job with the family, and got work helping out at a kindergarten.
Now I’ve got a full-time job there. I shall always be thankful to Megan. I wish I had known earlier that you could have a career, even if you aren’t top of the class at school.
What is the author’s present job?

A．Working part-time in a college.

B．Taking care of children for a family.

C．Helping children with their schoolwork.

D．Looking after children at a kindergarten.

When staying with the two girls’ family, the author ________.

A．was paid for extra work

B．often worked long hours

C．got much help from her boss

D．took a day off every other week

Why did the author leave her first job?

A．She found a full-time job.

B．She was fed up with children.

C．She decided to attend a part-time course.

D．She needed a rest after working extra hours.

What has the author learned from her own experiences?

A．Less successful students can still have a career.

B．Qualifications are necessary for a career.

C．Hard work makes an excellent student.

D．One must choose the job she like.

A．a newspaper reporter	B．a university student
C．a businessman	D．a high school student