Competition between international universities is heating up, as China grows as one of the largest exporters of students aiming to study abroad. “Lots of universities are becoming more and more aggressive to attract Chinese students. Every day I receive contacts from universities in the US expressing the desire to come to China to recruit students,” said Frank Joseph, a commercial officer from embassy of the United States.
One key reason why more Chinese students are able to study abroad is the economy: With China’s boom within the past decade, more families have the financial wherewithal(资金) to send their children to international universities. There will be a total of 200,000 family-funded Chinese students studying overseas in 2009, up 20 percent from last year, said Wu Zaofeng, deputy secretary general of China Education Association for International Exchange.
International institutions, Joseph said, are also facing increasingly tough financial situation with a shortage of domestic students and a drop in government subsidies(补贴). Students, especially in the US are paying high tuition fees and living expenses. Chinese students with money to spend, according to experts, can fill up the gap. Students on average spend 150,000 yuan to 200,000 yuan every year studying in US, according to statistics from the US Institute of International Education. During 2007-2008, there were approximately 81,000 Chinese students studying in the US, up 19.8 percent from 2006.
Representatives from approximately 60 universities from the United States are planning to arrive in Beijing this weekend to attract more Chinese students at this year’s fair. Besides the US, many other countries are also vying(竞争) to enroll Chinese students.
Post-study work visa put out by British government allows all international students completing a UK degree qualification to apply for a visa to stay on and look for work in UK for up to 2 years. Being the third most popular destination for international students next to the US and the UK, France has set up two types of scholarships and has handed out an increase of 26 percent in scholarship funds to Chinese students in recent years.The reason for heating up competition between international universities is ___.
| A．that China has become one of the largest exporters of the students aiming to study abroad |
| B．that the students in China are becoming richer and richer |
| C．China’s boom, the students’ desire and foreign universities’ commercial motive |
| D．that the students in foreign countries do not want to go to universities |
Why are more Chinese students able to study abroad?
| A．Because they can’t go to the best universities at home. |
| B．Because their families have enough money to send them to international universities. |
| C．Because they want to win the scholarship of foreign universities |
| D．Because the Chinese students enjoy following others and they want to be independent. |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．There are fewer family-funded Chinese students studying abroad in 2008 than in 2009. |
| B．Chinese students are able to study abroad for their relatives overseas. |
| C．In 2009 there will be 200,000 state-funded Chinese students studying overseas. |
| D．In 2009 there will be 200,000 Chinese students studying in the US. |
From the passage we can learn that _____.
| A．the number of foreign students is becoming smaller and smaller |
| B．there were approximately 81,000 foreign students studying in the US during 2007-2008 |
| C．the international universities are short of money |
| D．the Chinese students are richer than the American students |
What does the UK do to attract the international students?
| A．Setting up two types of scholarships. |
| B．Handing out an increase of 26 percent in scholarship funds to Chinese students in recent years. |
| C．Allowing to look for work in their spare time in the UK for up to 2 years. |
| D．Permitting students to have a visa to stay on and look for work for 2 years after completing the degree. |
A glass a day keeps obesity at bay. Alcohol has always been thought to cause weight gain because of its high sugar content, but new research suggests a glass a day could form part of a diet. Looking at past studies they found that, while heavy drinkers do put on weight, those who drink in moderation can actually lose weight.
A spokesman for the research team at Navarro University in Spain says, “Light to moderate alcohol intake, especially of wine, may be more likely to protect against, rather than promote, weight gain”. The International Scientific Forum on Alcohol Research reviewed the findings and agreed with most of the conclusions, particularly that current data do not clearly indicate if moderate drinking increases weight.
Boston University’s Dr. Harvey Finkel found that the biologic mechanisms (生物学机制) relating alcohol to changes in body weight are not properly understood. His team pointed out the strong protective effects of moderate drinking on the risk of getting conditions like diabetes(糖尿病)，which relate to increasing obesity. Some studies suggest that even very obese people may be at lower risk of diabetes if they are moderate drinkers.
The group says alcohol provides calories that are quickly absorbed into the body and are not stored in fat, and that this process could explain the differences in its effects from those of other foods. They agree that future research should be directed towards assessing the roles of different types of alcoholic drinks, taking into consideration drinking patterns and including the past tendency of participants to gain weight.
For now there is little evidence that consuming small to moderate amounts of alcohol on a regular basis increases one’s risk of becoming obese. What’s more, a study three years ago suggested that reveratrol, a compound present in grapes and red wine, destroys fat cells.
The passage is mainly for those ______.
| A．who produce wine | B．who are eager to lose weight |
| C．who go on a diet | D．who have a drinking habit |
The underlined phrase “in moderation” in the first paragraph means ______.
| A．properly | B．carefully |
| C．excitedly | D．frequently |
Why has alcohol been thought to cause weight gain?
| A．Because its calories are stored in fat. |
| B．Because it is rich in sugar. |
| C．Because it changes drinking patterns. |
| D．Because it increases the risk of diabetes. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．The specific roles of different types of alcoholic drinks are very clear. |
| B．Resveratrol is proved to increase the risk of becoming fat. |
| C．The research found moderate drinking has a strong protective effect. |
| D．Current data clearly show that moderate drinking increases weight. |
What is most likely to be discussed in the paragraph that follows?
| A．How to do some easy experiments. |
| B．How to prove the finding mentioned above. |
| C．How to make wine in a healthy way. |
| D．How to reduce the calories contained in wine. |
In my first week as a graduate student at Cambridge University in 1964 I met with a fellow student, two years ahead of me in his studies; he was unsteady on his feet and spoke with great difficulty. This was Stephen Hawking. I learned that he had a bad disease and might not live long enough even to finish his PhD degree.
But, amazingly, he has reached the age of 73. Even mere survival would have been a medical miracle, but of course, he didn’t merely survive. He has become arguably the most famous scientist in the world for his brilliant research, for his bestselling books, and, above all, for his astonishing victory over hardship.
Stephen received his “death sentence” in 1964, when I thought it was hard for him to go on with his study. Stephen went from Albans School to Oxford University. He was said to be a “lazy” undergraduate, but his brilliance earned him a first-class degree, an “entry ticket” to a research career in Cambridge and a uniquely inspiring achievement. Within a few years of the burst of his disease he was wheelchair-bound, and his speech was so unclear that it could only be understood by those who knew him well. But his scientific career went from strength to strength: he quickly came up with a series of insights into the nature of black holes (then a very new idea) and how the universe began. In 1974 he was elected to the Royal Society at the exceptionally early age of 32.
The great advances in science generally involve discovering a link between phenomena that were previously conceptually unconnected — for instance, Isaac Newton realized that the force making an apple fall to earth was the same as the force that holds the moon and planets in their orbits. Stephen’s revolutionary idea about a link between gravity and quantum(量子) theory has still not been tested. However, it has been hugely influential; indeed, one of the main achievements of string theory(弦理论) has been to confirm and build on his idea. He has undoubtedly done more than anyone else since Einstein to improve our knowledge of gravity and he is one of the top-ten living theoretical physicists.
What impressed the author most about Stephen Hawking?
| A．His brilliant research. |
| B．His bestselling books. |
| C．His serious disease. |
| D．His defeating hardship. |
What made Stephen Hawking start his research career at Cambridge?
| A．His death sentence. |
| B．His “lazy” attitude. |
| C．His above-average talent and ability. |
| D．His rich experience. |
It can be inferred that Stephen Hawking was born ________.
| A．in the early 1940s |
| B．in the late 1940s |
| C．in the early 1930s |
| D．in the late 1930s |
What can we learn from the text?
| A．Hawking’s theory was proved years ago. |
| B．Hawking was not as successful as Newton. |
| C．String theory built on Hawking’s idea. |
| D．Hawking’s theory has had little influence on others. |
Which of the following is Not True according the passage?
| A．He achieved one success after another in his career despite his disease. |
| B．He couldn’t walk when the author first met him at Cambridge. |
| C．He not only survived his disease but contributed greatly to science. |
| D．He is among the greatest scientists to improve the knowledge of gravity. |
Sina Weibo, one of the country’s most popular micro-blogging sites,
has launched a paid service. For a 10 yuan ($ l.57) monthly fee, users get a membership on their Sina Weibo accounts.
According to Xu Yuanyuan, a member of the marketing team at Sina, the
move is to guarantee a more convenient and safer environment for users. But despite the company’s efforts to increase income, it seems that most of its 300 million users still prefer the free version.
The premium membership (高级会员) plans ,announced by the company on Monday, brought about negative comments from its users .
“The current service is good enough for me”, said a Beijing-based micro-blogger. “I don’t really need those value-added services and it might be a waste of money. I might consider paying for it if some more features are added.”
Dong Xu, an analyst with consulting firm Analysys International, said that Sina shouldn’t expect a great increase in income brought by the new services. The free services are enough for most users, Dong said. “The company has been making attempts at different profit models since last year. A potential source of income could be gaming. Games and advertisements are so far the two biggest sources of income.” she said.
Other micro-blogging service providers have not yet followed suit. Fang Gang, vice-president of rival Sohu, said via e-mail on Tuesday that Sohu’s micro-blogging service will never charge users. “It’s good news for us. Users can come to our website if they have to pay for services (at Sina).” Fang said.
Most of Sina Weibo’s users______.
| A．aren’t satisfied with its free version |
| B．show no interest in its paid services |
| C．are looking forward to new services |
| D．think highly of its new paid version |
What’s Dong Xu’s attitude towards Sina Weibo’s new services increasing income?
| A．Negative. | B．Confident. |
| C．Indifferent. | D．Positive . |
Why did Fang Gang consider Sina Weibo’s charging its users good news?
| A．Because Sina will make more money. |
| B．Because Sina will lose the whole Weibo market. |
| C．Because Sohu will attract more users. |
| D．Because Sohu will offer free services. |
What can be inferred from the text?
| A．Most of Weibo websites will charge their users. |
| B．Sina Weibo’s new move will be a great success. |
| C．Sina Weibo’s users will enjoy more services. |
| D．A large number of Weibo users like playing games. |
What can be the best title for the text?
| A．Sina Weibo Faces Great Challenges |
| B．Sina Weibo Launches Paid Services |
| C．Sina Weibo Expects Income Increase |
| D．Sina Weibo Becomes More Convenient |
The Best of Alaska
Nothing evokes(唤起)Alaska like a whale exploding out of the water or an eagle pulling a silver fish from the river. Combine these images with high mountains, brilliant icebergs and wonderful meals and you really do have the Best of Alaska! Join us for an unforgettable 7-day excursion(远足)to the last frontier!
Highlights(集锦)：
JUNEAU: Juneau, the state capital, is rich in culture and scenic beauty. It is here that we start and end our trip.
HAINES: Haines is a small community located along the fjords（峡湾）. The natural beauty and expansive wilderness found here have made Haines a premier center for adventure in Alaska.
ALASKA INDIAN ARTS: Alaska Indian Arts is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to the preservation and continuation of traditional native craft and culture of the Northwest Native Tribes. We spend a few hours learning carving, native beading(玻璃珠)and culture from these master artists.
SKAGWAY: Skagway is a lively town, which still reflects its gold rush roots and contains colorful shops. In Skagway, we stop by the Klondike Gold Rush National Park Visitor’s Center and ride the White Pass Yukon Route Railway.
GUSTAVUS: Gustavus is the gateway to Glacier Bay National Park. We’ll stay at a comfortable lodge here for two nights. This will be the base for both the whale-watching excursion and a full day cruise(巡游) in Glacier Bay.
DATES/PRICES:
2014: May 16, June 20, July 18, August 15.
7 days—$3,500, including lodging, all meals, excursions, guides, park fees, sales taxes, and transportation between Juneau, Skagway, Haines, and Gustavus. Not included: Alcohol, personal items, airfare to and from Juneau.
Contact:
Email: info@alaskamountainguides.com
Call: 18007663396
Write: Alaska Mountain Guides & Climbing School
P.O. Box 1081, Haines AK 99827You can watch a whale exploding out of the water at ________.
| A．Glacier Bay National Park |
| B．the Klondike Gold Rush National Park |
| C．the White Pass Yukon |
| D．the fjords |
According to the advertisement, the participants of the excursion ________.
| A．will spend one day experiencing the local culture at Alaska Indian Arts |
| B．can contact Alaska Mountain Guides & Climbing School by email or fax |
| C．are able to experience some adventurous activities in Haines |
| D．can get lots of traditional native artwork free of charge |
Which of the following requires a participant to pay additional fees?
| A．Going from Gustavus to Juneau by train. |
| B．A full day cruise in Glacier Bay. |
| C．Having the last supper at Juneau. |
| D．Flying from Juneau to his hometown. |
It is known from the advertisement that________.
| A．the native culture of the Northwest Native Tribes is dying out |
| B．Juneau, as the state capital, is much more beautiful than Haines |
| C．Skagway was the richest town of Alaska in the past |
| D．Alaska is famous for its culture, history and natural beauty |
Do American children still learn handwriting in school? In the age of the keyboard, some people seem to think handwriting lessons are on the way out. 90% of teachers say they are required to teach handwriting. But studies have yet to answer the question of how well they are teaching it. One study published this year found that about three out of every four teachers say they are not prepared to teach handwriting. Some teachers are teaching handwriting by providing instruction for 10 to 15 minutes a day, and then other teachers who basically teach it for 60 to 70 minutes a day — which really for handwriting is pretty much.
Many adults remember learning that way — by copying letters over and over again. Today’ s thinking is that short periods of practice are better. Many experts also think handwriting should not be taught by itself. Instead, they say it should be used as a way to get students to express ideas. After all, that is why we write.
Handwriting involves two skills. One is legibility, which means forming the letters so they can be read. The other is fluency — writing without having to think about it. Fluency continues to develop up until high school.
But not everyone masters these skills. Teachers commonly report that about one fourth of their kids have poor handwriting. Some people might think handwriting is not important any more because of computers and voice recognition programs.
But Steve Graham at Vanderbilt says word processing is rarely done in elementary school, especially in the early years. American children traditionally first learn to print, and then to write in cursive, which connects the letters. But guess what we learned from a spokeswoman for the College Board, which administers the SAT college admission test. More than 75 percent of students choose to print their essay on the test rather than write in cursive.From Paragraph 1 we can learn ________.
| A．teaching handwriting is a basic requirement in teaching job |
| B．most teachers prefer to teach handwriting |
| C．teachers spend little time in teaching handwriting |
| D．a keyboard has taken the place of the handwriting entirely |
The underlined word “legibility” in Paragraph 3 means ________.
| A．being easy to read | B．being complex |
| C．being unexpected | D．being unreadable |
The best title for the passage is ________.
| A．How to improve handwriting in school |
| B．Right or wrong: the death of handwriting |
| C．Handwriting involves two skills |
| D．Handwriting lessons are on the way out |
The author’ s attitude towards whether still to learn handwriting in school is________.
| A．negative | B．objective |
| C．critical | D．optimistic |