Speak, speak, speak!
Practise speaking as often as you can. Speaking to yourself is good practice.
Try recording yourself whenever you can.
Compare your pronunciation with the master version（原版）to see how you can do better and have another go. If you do this several times, you will find that each time is better than last.
Why not learn with someone else?
It helps if you can learn with someone else. If you can persuade a friend or family member to study with you, it will make you keep working.
Don't get stuck by a word you don't know.
Practise improving ways of getting your meaning across when speaking spontaneously（本能地），even if you don't know the exact words or phrases. Think of things you might want to say whenever you have spare time. Use facial expressions, hand movements, anything to make yourself understood.
Language learning is also about intuition（直觉）．
Guesswork is an important way to learn a new language. When listening to recorded material, you aren't expected to understand everything first time round. If you play the same piece several times, you will most probably understand something new each time.
Build up your vocabulary.
A wide vocabulary is the key to successful language learning but don’t try to learn too much at once. It’s best to study frequently, for short periods of time. Take at most six or seven items of vocabulary and learn them. Put them into sentences to fix them in your mind, and then come back to them later.
And above all, have fun! What’s the purpose of this passage?
| A．To tell us the importance of practicing speaking as often as we can. |
| B．To tell us a few tips to help us learn a new language well. |
| C．To tell us that guesswork is an important way to learn a new language. |
| D．To tell us that a wide vocabulary is the key to successful language learning. |
What’s the meaning of the underlined phrase in the first part?
| A．Have another try or attempt. |
| B．Move away from a place to another. |
| C．Enter a certain state or condition. |
| D．Follow or take a certain course. |
To learn English well, we shouldn’t _______ according to the passage.
| A．practice speaking as often as possible |
| B．study frequently, for short periods of time to build up our vocabulary |
| C．try to understand everything and stop when we meet a new word |
| D．try to persuade a friend or family member to study with us |
According to the passage, to learn a new language well, the most important thing is ______.
| A．speaking as much as possible | B．having fun |
| C．a wide vocabulary | D．guesswork |
Energy independence has a nice ring to it. Doesn’t it? If you think so, you’re not alone, because energy independence has been the dream of American president for decades, and never more so than in the past few years, when the most recent oil price shock has been partly responsible for kicking off the great recession.
“Energy independence” and its rhetorical (修辞的) companion “energy security” are, however, slippery concepts that are rarely though through. What is it we want independence from, exactly?
Most people would probably say that they want to be independent from imported oil. But there are reasons that we buy all that old from elsewhere.
The first reason is that we need it to keep our economy running. Yes, there is a trickle（涓涓细流）of biofuel（生物燃料）available, and more may become available, but most biofuels cause economic waste and environmental destruction.
Second, Americans have basically decided that they don’t really want to produce all their own oil. They value the environmental quality they preserve over their oil imports from abroad. Vast areas of the United States are off-limits to oil exploration and production in the name of environmental protection. To what extent are Americans really willing to endure the environmental impacts of domestic energy production in order to cut back imports?
Third, there are benefits to trade. It allows for economic efficiency, and when we buy things from places that have lower production costs than we do, we benefit. And although you don’t read about this much, the United States is also a large exporter of oil products, selling about 2 million barrels of petroleum products per day to about 90 countries.
There is no question that the United States imports a great deal of energy and, in fact, relies on that steady flow to maintain its economy. When that flow is interrupted, we feel the pain in short supplies and higher prices. At the same time, we obtain massive economic benefits when we buy the most affordable energy on the world market and when we engage in energy trade around the world.What does the author say about energy independence for America?
| A．It sounds very attractive. |
| B．It ensures national security. |
| C．It will bring oil prices down |
| D．It has long been everyone’s dream. |
Why does America rely heavily on oil imports?
| A．It wants to expand its storage of crude oil(原油). |
| B．Its own oil reserves are quickly running out. |
| C．It wants to keep its own environment undamaged. |
| D．Its own oil production falls short of demand. |
What does the author say about oil trade?
| A．It proves profitable to both sides. |
| B．It improves economic efficiency. |
| C．It makes for economic prosperity. |
| D．It saves the cost of oil exploration. |
Chimpanzees, long considered reluctant to share, apparently can display selfless tendencies, revealing one more key way our closest living relatives are like humans, scientists find. These findings could shed light on the evolution of altruism in humans.
Previously, a belief was widely held that human altruism evolved only after humans split from their ape cousins about 6 million years ago. In recent years, however, research has revealed just how much chimpanzees have in common with us. They can hunt with spears, play with dolls and mourn their partners’ death.
"Most of the earlier studies had presented the apes with a complex implement that helped them deliver food to themselves or others, often so complicated that the experiments tested tool skills rather than social tendencies," De Waal told Live Science. "Ours is the first study that uses no such implement at all."
In addition to using complex food-delivery systems, past experiments often placed the chimpanzees so far apart that they might not have realized how their actions benefited others. In these new, simplified experiments, two apes were housed next to each other with a screen through which they could see each other. Then, one chimpanzee had to choose between two differently colored tokens (币) from a bin, one of which represented a pro-social (亲社会的) option, the other a selfish option. The pro-social option would cause both chimpanzees to receive a piece of banana wrapped in paper. The selfish option only rewarded the ape who made the choice.
In a study with seven adult female chimps placed into various pairs, the scientists found all the apes showed a definite preference for the pro-social option. "For me, the most important finding is that like us, chimpanzees take into account the needs and wishes of others," researcher Victoria Horner, said.
The chimpanzees behaved especially altruistically toward partners who either patiently waited or gently reminded them that they were there by drawing attention to themselves. They were less likely to reward partners who pressured through making a fuss, begging persistently or spitting water at them. This is opposite to a long-standing view that the chimpanzees only share food under pressure.The word "altruism" (paragraph 1) is closest in meaning to ______.
| A．selfishness | B．selflessness |
| C．willingness | D．reluctance |
Recent researches are performed with less complicated implements mainly to ______.
| A．show that chimps are only good at using implements |
| B．see whether chimps are willing to share food with others |
| C．find out if chimps are likely to reward partners |
| D．test chimps’ social tendencies instead of tool skills |
Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?
| A．Evolution History of Altruism in Humans |
| B．Similarities between Chimps and Mankind |
| C．Chimps Do Show Selfless Behavior |
| D．Chimps Only Share Food under Pressure |
Many theories regarding the causes of juvenile delinquency (crimes committed by young people) focus either on the individual or on society as the major contributing influence. Theories on the individual suggest that children criminal behavior before they were not sufficiently for previous misbehaviors or that they have learned criminal behavior through interaction with others. Theories focusing on the role of society suggest that children commit crimes in to their failure to rise above their socioeconomic status or as a rejection of middle-class values.
Most theories of juvenile delinquency have focused on children from families, the fact that children from wealthy homes also commit crimes. The latter may commit crimes for lack of adequate control from parents. All , however, are uncertain or unimproved and are of course challenged with criticism.
Changes in the social structure may indirectly juvenile crime rates. For example, changes in the economy that to fewer job opportunities for youth and rising unemployment make gainful employment increasingly difficult to obtain. This results in among youths and may in lead more youths into criminal behavior.
Families have also experienced these years. More families consist of one parent households or two working parents; , children are likely to have less supervision at home than was common in the traditional family . This lack of parental supervision is thought to be an influence on juvenile crime rates. Other noticeable of offensive acts include experience or failure in school, the availability of drugs and alcohol, and the growing phenomenon of child abuse and child neglect. All these conditions tend to increase the of a child committing a criminal act, a direct cause and effect relationship has not yet been established.
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With the World Cup always held in the European off-season in June and July, when the tiny nation of Qatar beat out USA Australia, Japan and South Korea, as the venue（地点）of the 2022 World Cup Soccer, there were gasps of surprise from the fans – it was not just because of the size of the competitors, but also the fact that Doha sees an average top temperature of 41 degrees Celsius in June and July with the possibility of top temperatures as high as 50°C.
Since the World Cup cannot be moved to the ‘cooler’ season in January or to a neighboring country with milder weather, Qatar has to figure out a solution to make the game more comfortable. A team of engineering scientists from Qatar University (QU) have taken a more high-tech approach to solving the problem – they've reportedly developed a type of artificial "cloud" designed to float above the World Cup venues and provide fans and players with relief from the blazing sun.
The artificial clouds system was invented by a team led by Dr Saul Abdul Ghani, Head of the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department at QU, who told Gulf News that the "clouds" would be made from a lightweight carbon structure carrying a giant envelope of material containing helium（氦）gas. The "cloud" would also feature solar panels on its upper surface to power engines that allow the cloud to be moved via remote control. While the country officials have promised to improve some of the issues with solar-powered stadiums capable of reducing the temperatures inside, to a comfortable 20℃, there is still concern of how the players will be able to function in the practice fields.
The system would initially cost around US$500,000, with prices coming down with commercial scale production. However, since Qatar needs to find a solution, the money is probably to the issue. The bigger question is, will this team of scientists actually be able to conjure up（兑现）something that they have promised? We will all find out in about eleven years!By mentioning “the European off-season”, the author tells us.
| A．why the World Cup is held |
| B．where the host countries of the World Cup are |
| C．where the World Cup is usually held |
| D．when the World Cup is held |
The artificial clouds system aims to.
| A．carry a giant envelope of material containing helium gas |
| B．air-condition the venues via artificial cloud system |
| C．feature solar panels on its upper surface |
| D．allow the cloud to be moved via remote control |
Which of the following is NOT promised for 2022 World Cup by Qatar?
| A．The tournament season. |
| B．The tournament venues. |
| C．The comfortable temperature for training grounds. |
| D．The comfortable temperature for the matches. |
About how much US dollars are estimated if four artificial clouds float above stadiums?
| A．$ 1,600,000 | B．$ 2,500,000 |
| C．$500,000 | D．$ 2,200,000 |
Which of the following can best serve as the title of this passage?
| A．Will the 2020 World Cup Be Held in the Middle East? |
| B．Qatar’s 2022 World Cup in High Temperature |
| C．Will Man-Made Clouds Provide Shade at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar? |
| D．Artificial Clouds at High Cost Promising Comfortable Season |
Susan Sontage（1933—2004）was one of the most noticeable figures in the world of literature. For more than 40 years she made it morally necessary to know everything---to read every book worth reading ,to see every movie worth seeing .When she was still in her early 30s, publishing essays in such important magazines as Partisan Review, she appeared as the symbol of American culture life ,trying hard to follow every new development in literature, film and art .With great effort and serious judgement. Sontage walked at the latest edges of world culture.
Seriousness was one of Sontage’s lifelong watchwords(格言), but at a time when the barriers between the well-educated and the poor-educated were obvious, she argued for a true openness to the pleasure of pop culture. In “Notes Camp”, the 1964 essay that first made her name ,she explained what was then a little-known set of difficult understandings, through which she could not have been more famous .“Notes on Camp”. she wrote, represents “a victory of ‘form’ over ‘content’, ‘beauty’ over ‘morals’”.
By conviction（信念）she was a sensualist（感觉论者）, but by nature she was a moralist （伦理学者）,and in the works she published in the 1970s and 1980s , it was the latter side of her that came forward. In illness as Metaphor —published in 1978, after she suffered cancer—she argued against the idea that cancer was somehow a special problem of repressed personalities（被压抑的性格）, a concept that effectively blamed the victim for the disease. In fact , re-examining old positions was her life long habit.
In America, her story of a 19th century Polish actress who set up a perfect society in California, won the National Book Award in 2000. But it was as a tireless all-purpose cultural view that she made her lasting fame. “Sometimes,” she once said，“I feel that, in the end, all I am really defending is the idea of seriousness, of true seriousness.” And in the end, she made us take it seriously too.The underlined sentence in paragraph 1 means Sontag_________.
| A．was a symbol of American cultural life |
| B．developed world literature, film and art |
| C．published many essays about world culture |
| D．kept pace with the newest development of world culture |
She first won her name through ___________.
| A．her story of a Polish actress |
| B．her book illness as Metaphor |
| C．publishing essays in magazines like partisan Review |
| D．publishing the essay “Notes Camp” |
As for Susan Sontag’s lifelong habit , she __________.
| A．misunderstood the idea of seriousness |
| B．re-examined old positions |
| C．argued for an openness to pop culture |
| D．preferred morals to beauty |
Susan Sontag’s lasting fame was made upon___________.
| A．tireless, all-purpose cultural view |
| B．her lifelong watchword----seriousness |
| C．publishing books on morals |
| D．enjoying books worth reading and movies worth seeing |
According to the passage, Susan Sontag__________.
| A．was a sensualist as well as a moralist |
| B．looked down upon the pop culture |
| C．thought content was more important than form |
| D．blamed the victim of cancer for being repressed |