Visitors to Fiji enjoy not only some of the world's best lagoons, with beautiful blue waters and the famous Rainbow Reef,but also rich history and culture spanning thousands of years.While you'll surely spend plenty of time on the beach in Fiji, why not check out some of these cultural destinations to get a sense of traditional life in Fiji?
The Meke is a native dance performed by indigenous Fijians wearing leis and grass skirts.Although similar in importance to the hula dance of Hawaiian the Meke is like nothing you'll see on any other island.Experiencing this culturally and historically significant dance is something that visitors to Fiji simply must do.
Indigenous Fijians are very proud of their heritage,something you'll notice immediately upon walking into the National Museum.The Fiji Museum is located in the beautiful botanical gardens of Suva,the capital city of Fiji. There,you'll find an archaeological collection dating back thousands of years,evidence of Fiji's long history.The lengthy history of Fiji can also be seen in its buildings, including the Parliament Houses and Sri Siva Subramaniya, a Hindu temple.
While you're in Suva to visit the Fiji museum,take plenty of time to absorb the local culture. Suva offers a very active nightlife, including live bands and other forms of entertainment. If you're looking for a Meke show,Suva is a good bet on any night of the week. The city is also a popular destination for tourists looking for souvenirs,including carved Tiki masks and statues.
Like any tropical island vacation, Fiji offers white sandy beaches,palm trees,and beautiful blue skies .If you're planning a variation to Fiji,don’t forget to schedule plenty of time to visit cultural and historical sites,and to take in the parts of Fiji that truly can’t be found anywhere else in the world.The word”lagoons”(in Paragraph 1)probably refers to “ ”.
A.lakes | B.theatres | C.museums | D.stadiums |
Which of the following may be the main idea of the fourth paragraph?
A.Suva is a modern city in the world. |
B.Suva is a place well worth visiting. |
C.Fiji's nightlife is especially active. |
D.Fiji’s culture includes all kinds of art. |
This passage is most likely taken from .
A.an advertisement | B.a news report |
C.a research paper | D.a travel book |
When it comes to success in business and success in life, there are few qualities as important as confidence.
People naturally have different levels of confidence.Some have a higher level of confidence than others do, but even those whose confidence is lacking can learn to build their level of confidence and reach their most important goals.Increasing self confidence is one of the most common reasons people give for seeking the help of psychologists and other professionals.
One of the many places where a greater level of confidence is useful is in the workplace. We all know how difficult it can be, for instance, to ask the boss for a raise.This process can be extremely difficult for those who lack confidence in their own abilities.After all, if you are unsure about your own abilities, how will you ever convince your boss that you deserve more money for the work you do?
Even if you are not asking for that big raise, having plenty of confidence in your abilities is important to success.If you are certain of your abilities, chances are that those around you, whether they are your coworkers, your colleagues or your superiors, will see that confidence, and that will help to assure them that you aree the best at what you do.
Being thought of as the person to go to, and being seen as an expert in your chosen field, is naturally very important to success on the job.If you can make yourself the person people go to for guidance and advice, you will help to protect yourself from the ever present danger of downsizing(裁员).After all, if you are a recognized expert at the office, you will be regarded as an indispensable member of the team.
Having a high level of confidence, after all, does not mean overlooking the places where you could improve.Knowing what you do well and where you need help will help you enjoy increased success and confidence.What is the passage mainly about?
A.The influence of confidence on one's life. |
B.The difference of people's confidence.. |
C.The importance of confidence to success |
D.The judgment on one's confidence. |
Psychologists and other professionals can offer help to those ______.
A.who dream to be recognized experts |
B.who expect to give guidance to others |
C.who want to ask the boss for a raise |
D.who think their goals are hard to reach |
What does the underlined word "indispensable" in Paragraph 5 probably mean?
A.outgoing | B.attractive | C.important | D.energetic |
What message does the author want to convey(传递) in the last paragraph?
A.To overlook one's disadvantages. |
B.To make full use of one's advantages. |
C.To have great confidence in one's abilities. |
D.To make objective evaluations of one's abilities. |
Millions of girls grow up with the hope of becoming a famous singer. Some even win local talent competitions as children, but only a few such early successes and dreams turn into reality. Jessica Andrews is one of the few whose dreams have come true.
Andrews, first taste of success came at the age of 10. She won a talent competition in her home town of Huntingdon, Tennessee, singing I Will Always Love You, originally sung by Whitney Houston. Houston's version of the song appeared on The Bodyguard sound track, which happened to be the first album Andrews ever bought.
Within two years, talk of Andrews had spread to Nashville and caught the attention of producer Byron Gallimore, whose credits include work with Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, and Jo Dee Messina. With Gallimore signed on to produce, Andrews soon had a recording contract (合同)with Dream Works' Nashville label.
Andrews' professional career was launched with 1999's Heart Shaped World, recorded when she was 14 years old. The album included the country hit I Will Be There For You, which also appeared on The Prince Of Egypt. She followed up the release of the album by touring as a support act for such country superstars as Faith Hill and Trisha Yearwood.
With the release of 2001's Who I Am, Andrews became a star in her own right. The album was certified (证明)gold for sales of 500,000 copies. Andrews returned in April 2003 with Now, an album that she promised would show a new side of the young artist. "This album has a very different feeling for me," she said. "It's a lot more personal and there's a confidence that wasn't quite there on the first two. I feel especially connected to this group of songs." What's the meaning of the underlined word “launched" in the fourth paragraph?
A.Aimed. | B.Sent. | C.Started. | D.Set. |
Which of the following statements is WRONG according to the passage?
A.The Bodyguard was the first album Andrews ever bought. |
B.After Andrews sang Who I Am, she became a star in her own right. |
C.I Will Always Love You was originally sung by Whitney Houston. |
D.Now expresses a new feeling of Andrews. |
Which of the following may NOT be Andrews' album?
A.Now. | B.Heart Shaped World. |
C.The Prince of Egypt. | D.Who I Am |
Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
A.Jessica Andrews' Life | B.Jessica Andrews' Dream |
C.Jessica Andrews' Songs | D.Jessica Andrews' Success as a Singer |
Usually, when your teacher asks a question, there is only one correct answer. But there is one question that has millions of correct answers. That question is “What’s your name?” Everyone gives a different answer, but everyone is correct.
Have you ever wondered about people’s names? Where do they come from? What do they mean?
People’s first names, or given names, are chosen by their parents. Sometimes the name of a grandparent or other member of the family is used. Some parents choose the name of a well-known person. A boy could be named George Washington Smith; a girl could be named Helen Keller Jones.
Some people give their children names that mean good things. Clara means “bright”; Beatrice means “one who gives happiness”; Donald means “world ruler”; Leonard means “as brave as a lion”.
The earliest last names, or surnames, were taken from place names. A family with the name Brook or Brooks probably lived near brook(小溪);someone who was called Longstreet probably lived on a long, paved road. The Greenwood family lived in or near a leafy forest.
Other early surnames came from people’s occupations. The most common occupational name is Smith, which means a person who makes things with iron or other metals. In the past, smiths were very important workers in every town and village.Some other occupational names are: Carter---a person who owned or drove a cart; Potter---a person who made pots and pans.
The ancestors of the Baker family probably baked bread for their neighbors in their native village. The Carpenter’s great-great-great-grandfather probably built houses and furniture.
Sometimes people were known for the color of their hair or skin, or their size, or their special abilities. When there were two men who were named John in the same village, the John with the gray hair probably became John Gray. Or the John was very tall could call himself John Tallman. John Fish was probably an excellent swimmer and John Lightfoot was probably a fast runner or a good dancer.
Some family names were made by adding something to the father’s name. English-speaking people added –s or –son. The Johnsons are descendants of John; the Roberts family’s ancestor was Robert. Irish and Scottish people added Mac or Mc or O. Perhaps all of the MacDonnells and the McDonnells and the O’Donnells are descendants of the same Donnell.Which of the following aspects do the surnames in the passage NOT cover?
A.Places where people lived. | B.People’s characters. |
C.Talents that people possessed. | D.People’s occupations. |
According to the passage, the ancestors of the Potter family most probably _______.
A.owned or drove a cart | B.made things with metals |
C.made kitchen tools or containers | D.built houses and furniture |
Suppose an English couple whose ancestors lived near a leafy forest wanted their new-born son to become a world leader, the baby might be named _______.
A.Beatrice Smith | B.Leonard Carter |
C.George Longstreet | D.Donald Greenwood |
The underlined word “descendants” in the last paragraph means a person’s _____.
A.later generations | B.friends and relatives |
C.colleagues and partners | D.later bosses |
In ancient Egypt,the pharaoh(法老)treated the poor message runner like a prince when he arrived at the palace, if he brought good news. However,if the exhausted runner had the misfortune to bring the pharaoh unhappy news,his head was cut off.
Shades of that spirit spread over today's conversations. Once a friend and I packed up some peanut butter and sandwiches for an outing. As we walked light-heartedly out of the door,picnic basket in hand,a smiling neighbor looked up at the sky and said,"Oh boy,bad day for a picnic. The weatherman says it's going to rain." I wanted to strike him on the face with the peanut butter and sandwiches. Not for his stupid weather report,for his smile.
Several months ago I was racing to catch a bus. As I breathlessly put my handful of cash across the Greyhound counter,the sales agent said with a broad smile,"Oh that bus left five minutes ago." Dreams of head-cutting!
It’s not the news that makes someone angry. It’s the unsym pathetic attitude with which it’s delivered(递送). Everyone must give bad news from time to time, and winning professionals do it with the proper attitude. A doctor advising a patient that she needs an operation does it in a caring way . A boss informing an employee he didn’t get the job takes on a sympathetic tone. Big winners know, when delivering any bad news, they should share the feeling fo the receiver.
Unfortunately,many people are not aware of this. When you're tired from a long flight,has a hotel clerk cheerfully said that your room isn't ready yet?When you had your heart set on the toast beef,has your waiter merrily told you that he just served the last piece?It makes you as traveler or diner want to land your fist right on their unsympathetic faces.
Had my neighbor told me of the upcoming rainstorm with sympathy(同情),I would have appreciated his warning. Had the Greyhound salesclerk sympathetically informed me that my bus had already left,I probably would have said,"Oh,that's all right I'll catch the next one." Big winners,when they bear bad news,deliver bombs with the emotion the bombarded(被轰炸的)person is sure to have.In Paragraph 1,the writer tells the story of the pharaoh to ____.
A.make a comparison | B.introduce a topic |
C.describe a scene | D.offer an argument |
In the writer's opinion,his neighbor was ___.
A.friendly | B.warm-hearted | C.not considerate | D.not helpful |
From "Dreams of head-cutting!"(Paragraph3),we learn that the writer___.
A.was mad at the sales agent |
B.was reminded of the cruel pharaoh |
C.wished that the sales agent would have had dreams |
D.dreamed of cutting the sales agent's head that night. |
What is the main idea of the text?
A.Delivering bad news properly is important in communication. |
B.Helping others sincerely is the key to business success. |
C.Receiving bad news requires great courage. |
D.Learning ancient traditions can be useful. |
The weather predictions for Asia in 2050 read like a story from a doomsday movie.
Many experts and green groups fear they will come true unless there is a united global effort to hold back greenhouse gas outpouring. In the decades to come, Asia---home to more than half the world’s 63 billion people-will change from one climate extreme to another, with tired farmers battling droughts, floods, disease, food shortages and rising sea levels.
“It’s not a pretty picture,” said Steve Sawyer, climate policy adviser with Greenpeace in Amsterdam. Global warming and changes of weather patterns are already occurring and there is more than enough carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere to drive climate change for decades to come.
Already, changes are being felt in Asia but worse is likely to come, Sawyer and top climate bodies say, and could lead to mass migration and widespread human disasters. According to predictions, icebergs will melt faster, some Pacific and Indian Ocean islands will have to evacuate(疏散) or build sea defenses, storms will become more intense and insect and water-borne diseases will move into new areas as the world warms.
All this comes with rising populations and demand for food, water and other resources. Experts say environmental worsening such as deforestation and pollution will probably enlarge the results of climate change.
In what could be a sign of the future, Japan was hit by a record of 10 typhoons and tropical storms this year, while two-thirds of Bangladesh, parts of Nepal and large areas of northeastern India were flooded, affecting 50 million people, destroying livelihoods and making tens of thousands ill.
The year before, a winter cold struck and a summer heat wave killed more than 2,000 people in India.This passage is mainly about.
A.what kind of weather we like best |
B.the weather predictions for Asia in the future and the reasons |
C.how to improve our environment |
D.that the world will not be suitable for us to live in |
In the future the Asian farmers will have to face the following except.
A.food shortages | B.droughts | C.wars | D.floods |
The underlined word “doomsday” may give us the feeling of.
A.happiness | B.sadness | C.peace | D.excitement |