The Americans have been voted the world’s “funniest nationality” ---the one “best at making people laugh” ---in a global poll (民意调查), which also names the Germans the “least funny” nationality and the British “not as funny as they think”.
30,000 people across 15 countries were asked to name both the “funniest” and “least funny” nationality in a poll conducted by Badoo.com, the world’s largest social network for meeting new people, with 119 million users worldwide.
The Americans were voted the funniest nationality, ahead of the Spanish --- the funniest Europeans --- in second, Italians in third and British in seventh.
The voting for the “least funny” nationality confirmed the view of America’s Mark Twain that “a German joke is no laughing matter”. The Germans won, ahead of the Russians and Turks. The stereotype of German humourlessness is believed to derive from their reputation for efficiency, punctuality and rationality(理性). Examples of German jokes include: “Yesterday, I met my friend Horst at the hospital. He’d swallowed a sponge. He says it doesn’t hurt but he’s always thirsty.”
“When we meet someone new, one of the first things we notice is whether they make us laugh”, says Lloyd Price, Badoo’s Marketing Director. “America is a worthy poll winner”, says Price. “It’s the world’s only comedy superpower.”
The British pride themselves on their humour but learn from the poll that they’re not as funny as they think. They placed just seventh of 15 --- behind the Brazilians, French and Mexicans.According to the poll, which is the right order from the funniest nationality to the least funny one?
| A．Spanish, Americans, French, Mexicans, British |
| B．Americans, Spanish, Italians, Brazilians, French |
| C．British, Mexicans, Brazilians, Spanish, Americans |
| D．Italians, French, British, Mexicans, Brazilians |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．The poll was conducted among 119 million people by Badoo. com. |
| B．Spanish are the funniest nationality in Europe. |
| C．That Germans are named the “least funny” nationality is because of Mark Twain. |
| D．Some people think that British are funny while others think the opposite in the poll. |
Which can be the substitute of the word “derive” in the fourth paragraph?
| A．acquire | B．suffer | C．translate | D．accomplish |
What is the author’s purpose of telling us a German joke?
| A．The author wants to show that Germans are good at telling jokes. |
| B．The author wants to confirm what Mark Twain said. |
| C．The author wants to prove that Germans are not funny at all. |
| D．The author just wants to say that swallowing a sponge is no harm. |
It seems that the best title for this passage is ______.
| A．The Funniest Nationality |
| B．A Global Poll Conducted by Badoo.Com |
| C．Americans Won the Funniest Nationality |
| D．Americans Voted “Funniest Nation”, Germans “Least Funny” |
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I've read online about your amazing customer service, and I must say I'm now a true believer. --- B.L. How long does it take the battery to charge up an iPhone?
| A．15 minutes. | B．30 minutes. |
| C．1.5 hours. | D．3 hours. |
What is special about the battery?
| A．It is built in an iPhone. |
| B．It is the smallest of its kind. |
| C．It can also be used as a charger. |
| D．It keeps power for about 30 days. |
Who mentions the transporting of the battery?
A. P.S. B. B.L. C. M.C. D. T.K.The customer comments on the battery are mainly about its _____.
| A．quality | B．service | C．function | D．shopping |
Dear March - Come in -
How glad I am -
I hoped for you before ...
Who knocks? That April –共和国广告广告
Lock the Door -
I will not be pursued -
He stayed away a year to call -
When I am occupied -
But trifles(琐事) look so trivial(不重要的) -
As soon as you have come ...
This lovely poem was written by Emily Dickinson, who is considered a major American poet, though she was not accorded (符合) this honor until well after her death.
Emily Dickinson was born on December 10, 1830, in Amherst, Massachusetts. She attended school for only one year. Throughout her life, she seldom left her home and visitors were few. She lived in almost complete isolation(隔离) from the outside world.
She admired the poetry of Robert and Elizabeth Barren Browning, as well as John Keats. Though she was dissuaded (劝阻) from reading the poetry of her contemporary Walt Whitman by rumors of its disgracefulness, the two poets are now connected by the distinguished place they hold as the founders of a uniquely American poetic voice.
While Dickinson was extremely prolific (多产的) as a poet, she was not publicly recognized during her lifetime. Upon her death, Dickinson's family discovered forty hand-bound volumes of nearly 1,800 poems. Her younger sister began to share the enormous body of work that Emily left behind.
Emily's odd punctuation, capitalization(大写), and formatting(格式) did not meet with standard publishing "approval" for earlier editions. There is a whimsical (古怪的) nature to many other poems, as the subject of death was the most frequent theme. In the poem, the poetess was speaking to ______.
| A．a little girl | B．a long-lost family member |
| C．a nice season | D．a cute animal |
What is a feature of Emily Dickinson's poems?
| A．They do not pay attention to rhymes. |
| B．They resemble those of Walt Whitman. |
| C．They have a strange format. |
| D．They reflect her personal and social life. |
According to the text, Emily Dickinson _______.
| A．was completely homeschooled and had a talent for writing poems |
| B．was greatly influenced by four of her contemporary poets |
| C．is regarded as a leading poet in American literature |
| D．published a large number of poems during her lifetime |
I was waiting for a phone call from my agent. He had left a message the night before, telling me that my show was to be cancelled. I called him several times, but each time his secretary told me that he was in a meeting and that he would call me later. So I waited and waited, but there was still no call. Three hours passing by, I became more and more impatient. I was certain that my agent didn't care about my work, and he didn't care about me. I was overcome with that thought. I started to shout at the phone, "Let me wait, will you? Who do you think you are?"
At that time I didn't realize my wife was looking on. Without showing her surprise, she rushed in, seized the phone, tore off the wires, and shouted at the phone, "Yeah! Who do you think you are? Bad telephone! Bad telephone!" And she swept it into the wastebasket.
I stood watching her, speechless. What on earth?
She stepped to the doorway and shouted at the rest of the house, "Now hear this! All objects in this room -- if you do anything to upset my husband, out you go!"
Then she turned to me, kissed me, and said calmly, "Honey, you just have to learn how to take control." With that, she left the room.
After watching a crazy woman rushing in and out, shouting at everything in sight, I noticed that something in my mood had changed. I was laughing. How could I have trouble with that phone? Her antics helped me realize I had been driven crazy by small things. Twenty minutes later my agent did call. I was able to listen to him and talk to him calmly.Why did the author shout at the telephone?
| A．He was mad at the telephone. |
| B．He was angry with his agent. |
| C．He was anxious about his wife. |
| D．He was impatient with the secretary. |
What did the author's wife do after she heard his shouting?
| A．She said nothing. | B．She shouted at him. |
| C．She called the agent. | D．She threw the phone away. |
What made the author laugh?
| A．His own behavior. |
| B．His wife's suggestion. |
| C．His changeable feelings |
| D．His wife's sweet kiss. |
What does the underlined word "antics" refer to?
| A．Smart words. | B．Unusual actions. |
| C．Surprising looks. | D．Anxious feelings. |
Let us suppose it is now about A.D. 2060. Let's make believe it is about 47 years from now. Of course, things have changed and life is very different.
Voyages to the moon are being made every day. It is as easy to take a holiday on the moon today as it was for the people in 1960 to take a holiday in Europe. At a number of scenic spots on the moon, many hotels have been built. In order that everyone can enjoy the beautiful scenery on the moon, every room has at least one picture window. Everything imaginable is provided for entertainment of young and old.
What are people eating now? People are still eating food. They haven't yet started to take on heir(继承) supply of energy directly as electrical current or as nuclear power. They may some day. But many foods now come in pill form, and the food that goes into the pill continues to come mainly from green plants.
Since there are several times as many people in the world today as there were a hundred years ago, most of our planet's surface has to be filled. The deserts are irrigated with water and crops are no longer destroyed by pests. The harvest is always good.
Farming, of course, is very highly developed. Very few people have to work on the farm. It is possible to run the farm by just pushing a few buttons now and then.
We are healthier both in our bodies and in our minds, and we know the causes and cure of disease and pain, and it is possible to get rid of diseases. No one has to be ill any more.
Such would be our life in 2060.When was the passage written?
A. In about A.D. 2060 B. In about 1960
C. In about 2013 D. In about 2014According to the passage, what will be on the moon in about A.D. 2060?
A. Many other animals. B. Many plants.
C. Many tourists. D. A sea.The passage tells us that in 2060, ________ on the earth than now.
| A．there are more pests |
| B．the crops are getting better |
| C．there are fewer people |
| D．there is less water |
Beginning college is exciting: new ideas to explore, new challenges to be met and many decisions to be made; your future begins here.
However, you will find college life is different from your previous school environment. Many of us can be easily defeated by the details of running a well-balanced life. While some of us may have the know-how, I guess there are more of us who can benefit from learning about the experiences of others who have walked the college halls before you.
The following you may find useful about life on campus:
• Plan well. There are so many new things to do at a new college or university. Give yourself time to make new friends and became familiar with the campus, but don’t forget why you are there. Give some time for social activities and manage your time wisely.
• If you don’t have a “system” for planning your time now (like a day timer, a potable data book), get one. Most of all, don’t depend on your memory.
• Don’t miss the guidelines. The restrictions, rules and regulations of all kinds can usually be found in your student’s handbook. Consider them well-balanced food for thought. What dates are important? What pieces of paper need to be handed in? What can / can’t you do in your student residence (住处)? Who has the right for what? What do you need to complete to graduate?
• Write the word “STUDY” on the walls of your bedroom and bathroom, and maybe it will help to write it on a piece of paper and stick it on the telephone, TV and the kitchen table. Consider this — you are paying thousands of dollars for your course. You pay every time you have to repeat or replace a course.
• Build your identity. This is the time for you to decide what to do and what not to do. Take as much time as you need to explore new ideas. Do not be afraid of the beyond. This is learning to make good choices. What is the main purpose of the passage?
| A．To explain why college life is exciting. |
| B．To persuade you to go to college. |
| C．To describe the importance of college life. |
| D．To offer advice on college life. |
According to the passage, why is it exciting to begin college life?
| A．Because you will learn a lot of knowledge. |
| B．Because you will no longer be afraid of challenges. |
| C．Because you will make important decisions. |
| D．Because you get yourself prepared for your future career and life there. |
The underlined word “know-how” refers to _________.
| A．an understanding of college regulations. |
| B．a brand-new environment. |
| C．practical knowledge concerning college life. |
| D．college rules and regulations. |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．college students should know what they have fought for on campus. |
| B．college students should spend as much time as possible on social activities. |
| C．college students needn’t learn from those who went to college before them. |
| D．college students don’t need to pay if they repeat or replace a course. |