In his lowest days when few people bought his records, Taiwan singer Steve Chou lived alone in Canada and did little. One day, he passed by a local CD store and heard a song that greatly attracted him.
“My heart tells me that music is the thing I truly want to do, not for fame or money,” Chou said. That’s how we luckily have such a music genius, who has since then composed lots of hits for the pop music charts (排行榜).
“Sometimes we need to get close to nature to look deeply into our souls and see what we really want to follow,” he said.
Recently he has made public his latest work Lovers Genesis. In this album he explores human relationships in the Internet age.“Technology itself is a good thing, but it depends on how you’re going to use it,”is Chou’s advice to teenagers.
Chou often gets his music ideas from trips. He has traveled to many places around the world and believes that learning a country’s language is the fastest way of experiencing the culture behind it.
Chou has worked hard on learning English to push forward his music career. He has flown to the UK to attend months-long English training schools three times. There he lives with local families and practices daily conversations.
“So I could easily read the English instructions on recording machines and communicate with the local music producers,” said Chou, “The music reviews of the US or British singers that I appreciate could help me learn and grow with them.”Which of the following about Steve Chou is the correct order?
a. He made public his work Lovers Genesis.
b. He passed by a local CD store and heard a song that greatly attracted him.
c. He composed lots of hits for the pop music charts.
d. Few people bought his records.
| A．abcd | B．dbca | C．acbd | D．dacb |
Why has Chou flown to the UK to learn English?
| A．Because he wants to live in the UK. |
| B．Because his record company asks him to. |
| C．Because he wants to sell his album in the UK. |
| D．Because he thinks it will be helpful for his music career. |
Steve Chou may agree with the following except that __________.
| A．taking trips gives him some ideas of music |
| B．what we really want to follow is the most important |
| C．music is a thing that can bring him fame and money |
| D．in International age, technology itself is not a bad thing |
What is Steve Chou like according to the passage?
| A．Kind and helpful. | B．Proud and confident. |
| C．Active and hard-working. | D．Calm and disappointed. |
Do you know how to tell a story? The following are some tips:
Who Will Listen?
Will you tell your story to children of your own age? Will they be friends or young people you haven’t met before? Perhaps you will tell it to younger children．Or, will it be an audience of adults? Will it be just a few people, a small group, or a large audience?
Why Are You Telling It?
There are many reasons for telling a story．Knowing why you are telling it may be the most helpful reason for choosing a story for a particular audience．
Many storytellers choose tales just to entertain （娱乐）．They tell jokes or silly stories．Others want to teach something, such as how to be kinder to animals, the environment, or other people．One storyteller likes to encourage his listeners to try new things．Some babysitters tell stories to help children feel not afraid of thunder, lightning or scary shadows in their rooms．Others want to make people think or to help people remember．Some like to frighten their audiences with ghost stories．
Where Will You Speak?
How you tell your story and what story helpers you use depend on where you will be speaking．Will you be talking at an evening party, in your classroom, in a library storytelling program, at a family dinner, at a museum, at a storytelling festival, or during a religious program?The author mainly shows his ideas by ______．
| A．listing questions | B．describing |
| C．comparing | D．giving examples |
According to the author, when telling a story, you should pay attention to ______．
①the hobbies of the audience
②the jobs of the audience
③the age of the audience
④the size of the audience
⑤the reason for telling a story
| A．①②③ | B．②③④ | C．③④⑤ | D．①③④ |
The purpose of knowing why you are telling a story is to ______．
| A．choose stories suitable for a certain audience |
| B．do something good to animals, the environment or other people |
| C．decide what can help you |
| D．satisfy different listeners |
A long time ago, there was a seed and because he was only a seed, nobody noticed him．Thus, feeling inferior （低等的）, the seed gave no importance to his existence （存在）．
Then one day, a wind picked him up and threw him on an open field under the sun．Later, he was given rain．
Years later he saw a traveler sitting by his side．“Thank God for this．I really need some rest,” he heard the traveler say．
“What are you talking about?” the seed quickly asked．He thought the man was making fun of him．No one ever spoke to him like that．
“Who just spoke?” the shocked man asked．
“It is me．A seed．”
`“A seed?” The man looked at the big tree．“Are you joking? You are not a seed．You are a big tree!”
“Really?”
“Yes! Why else do you think people come here?”
“What do they come here for?”
“To feel your shade （树荫）! Don’t tell me you didn’t know you had grown over time．”
A moment passed before the traveler’s words brought him pride．
The seed thought and smiled for the first time in his life．The years of torture （折磨） by the sun and the rain finally helped him grow up．
“Oh! That means I’m not a little seed anymore! I was actually born to make people feel comfortable．Wow! That’s great!”The seed didn’t realize the importance of his existence because ______．
| A．nobody looked after him | B．he was thrown into the open air |
| C．he was such a small seed | D．he didn’t believe in himself |
The traveler sat by the seed’s side to ______．
| A．escape from the rain |
| B．thank God for offering him a tree |
| C．have a rest and enjoy the shade |
| D．talk with the big tree |
The author’s purpose of writing the passage is to ______．
| A．tell us that we should help each other |
| B．praise the seed for his strength |
| C．teach us not to laugh at others |
| D．tell us never to lose hope |
Where does the passage most probably come from?
| A．A history book． | B．A science book． |
| C．A storybook． | D．A novel． |
Driving in a foreign country is always different in at least some ways from driving in your own country. Here are some general points regarding driving in New Zealand.
Visitors wishing to drive in New Zealand do not require an international driver’s license but are required to carry their local driver’s license whenever driving.
Vehicles drive on the left-hand side of the road as they do in Britain, Australia, and Japan. Most rental vehicles will have a sticker reminding you of this important fact.
When the traffic light is red, you must stop. There is no left turn rule as in North America.
New Zealand road rules follow international standards but please note that in New Zealand vehicles turning left must give way to traffic turning right.
In general, if you are turning left (where there are give-way signs or no signs), give way to vehicles that not turning. In all other situations, give way to vehicles crossing or coming from your right.
Seat belts must be worn at all times while driving in New Zealand. This stands for the driver and passengers. The driver is responsible for ensuring all passengers are wearing their seatbelts.
Do not drink alcohol before driving in New Zealand—drinking and driving laws are strictly enforced.
Speed limits are in kilometres per hour (kph), not miles per hour (mph).
Speed conversion: 1 kph equals 0.621 mph; 1 mph equals 1.61 kph.
The speed limit on the open road is 100km/h. In towns and cities the speed limit is 50km/h. Be sure to obey all school crossing speed reductions as speed cameras operate regularly throughout New Zealand.
For further information and up to date road conditions visit: http://www.transit.govt.nzWhat can be learned from the passage?
| A．A passenger’s not wearing the seat belt has little to do with the driver. |
| B．There will be a reminder for drivers to remember to drive on the left side. |
| C．Cars passing a school in towns should drive at a speed of less than 31 mph. |
| D．A foreign driver is expected to have a driving license issued by New Zealand. |
Which of the following statements correctly explains road rules in New Zealand?
A. In Figure 1, Car B must give way to Car A.
B. In Figure 2, Car B must give way to Car A.
C. In Figure 3, Car B must give way to Car A.
D. In Figure 4, Car B must give way to Car A.
 |
This passage is most likely ____________.
| A．a travel brochure for locals |
| B．a website travel introduction |
| C．an advertisement of travel |
| D．a travel column in a geographical magazine |
Charlie Chaplin was born on April 16, 1889 in London. Both his father and mother were entertainers and although not of big names, they were doing very well. While the family was by no means rich, the music hall provided the Chaplins with a comfortable living. Unfortunately happy life didn’t last long. Father’s alcoholism was slowly, but surely destroying his marriage. Finally it ended in divorce. His mother managed to keep Charlie and his brother Syney clean and warm, clothed and fed. She would sit at the window watching the passers-by and guess at their characters from the way they looked and behaved, making up tales to delight Charlie and Syney. Charlie took in her skills and went on using them all his life.
Charlie had always believed, even in the worst times, that he had something special locked away inside him. He took his courage and went to one of the top theater agents. With no experience at all, he was offered a plum part (意外得到的好角色) in a new production of “Sherlock Holmes”, which opened on July 27, 1903 at the famous “Pavilion Theatre”. Charlie seemed to change overnight. It was as if he had found the thing he was meant to do. By 1910, Charlie had become “one of the best pantomime (哑剧) artists ever seen ”.
Cinema was born in the same year as Charlie thought people still believed it was a passing fashion, and would never replace live shows. But after using several weeks to watch and to learn, he was determined to master this new medium. It offered him the chance of money and success—and it would set him free from the unpredictability of live audience.
Charlie’s first film, released in February 1914, was called “Making a living”. After that he made another ten. The public loved him and producers were demanding more and more Chaplin films. In an incredibly short time, Charlie had become a very important man in motion picture.Which of the following is NOT true about Charlie Chaplin?
| A．Mother had much influence on Charlie Chaplin’s career. |
| B．“Sherlock Holmes” made Charlie rise to fame overnight. |
| C．Charlie had been famous when the cinema became a fashion. |
| D．Charlie’s work in both the theater and the cinema was welcomed. |
What can you infer from the passage?
| A．Charlie Chaplin’s belief in his potential led to his success. |
| B．Charlie Chaplin got his first role in a film at 14. |
| C．Cinema was a form of art showing live performance. |
| D．Motion picture was a passing fashion lasting a short time. |
The underlined word “unpredictability” in Paragraph 3 means____________.
| A．low spirits | B．opposing attitude |
| C．successful performance | D．changing state |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Charlie Chaplin made the cinema industry popular. |
| B．Charlie Chaplin’s early success in his career. |
| C．Charlie Chaplin was a best pantomime artist. |
| D．Charlie Chaplin’s determination to do what he liked. |
Salem, the “City of Peace”, is a small city with a big history. It is the second established city in Massachusetts and the second oldest settlement in New England. While Salem has been long known as the “Witch City” due to the notable witch trials of 1692, Salem also played an important part in Revolutionary times and was an active leader of several Massachusetts’ industries, which is why you will find mansions (宅邸) of the country’s first millionaires there.
Salem is located approximately 16 miles (30 minutes) north of Boston and is bordered by Beverly, Danvers, Lynn, Marblehead, Peabody, Swampscott and the Atlantic Ocean. Boston & Maine Railroad serves Salem with transport service, and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority maintains a rail stop and bus service. Air service is available from Beverly Airport (5 miles away) and Logan International Airport (16 miles away). Access is also available on a ferry from Boston.
Salem has various restaurants including outdoor cafes, various restaurants and fine dining establishments. For shoppers there are malls and department stores, an open market, a waterfront village, as well as a downtown shopping district.
There are many local artists and musicians who have shops along the city streets. On a nightly basis, one can stop in a local restaurant or nightspot and listen to some of the most creative music. World famous artwork is displayed at the Peabody Essex Museum and the work of local artists can be found displayed in many downtown shops including Artist Row.
The City of Salem has long had a commitment to the promotion of art and culture. The Salem Cultural Council is a local agency of Salem residents that supports public programs and educational activities in the arts, sciences and humanities. Local artists and theaters, such as CinemaSalem, the Salem Theatre Company, the Salem State College Center for the Arts, the Griffen Theater and the Rebel Shakespeare Company provide entertainment and learning opportunities to residents and visitors alike. The Salem Arts Association, Inc. is an entirely volunteer-run nonprofit arts organization. The SAA seeks to bring art, in all its forms, to the community and bring the community, in all its diversity, to the arts in Salem, Massachusetts.What would be the best title of this passage?
| A．Salem, the Industry City |
| B．Salem, the Witch City |
| C．Salem, the City with a Big History |
| D．Salem, the City of Peace |
Which of the following statements is NOT true about Salem?
| A．It is the second established city in Massachusetts with Boston to the north. |
| B．It was developed in several of Massachusetts’ industries. |
| C．Every night local restaurants there entertain visitors with some music. |
| D．Salem is accessible by train, bus, plane and ferry. |
Visitors to Salem have a secure chance to appreciate first-class works of art in ____________.
| A．Artist Row | B．Peabody Essex Museum |
| C．the MBTA | D．the Salem Cultural Council |
After reading the passage, we may decide that ____________.
| A．Salem is a preferred city for millionaires now |
| B．the promotion of art and culture in Salem is totally government action |
| C．once an important industrial city, now Salem has a strong cultural atmosphere |
| D．visitors to Salem will find few choices in dining and shopping |