Dear Betty,
My roommate’s family wants me to celebrate Thanksgiving Day with them in their home. I accepted the invitation, and I’m excited about going, but I’m a little nervous about it, too. The social customs in my country are different from those here, so I’m a little worried about making mistakes.
Should I bring a gift, such as candy or flowers? Should I arrive on time or a little late? At the dinner table, how can I know which fork or knife to use? How can I let the family know that I’m thankful for their kindness?
Yours,
Knowing Nothing
Dear Knowing Nothing,
It’s a good idea to bring a gift when you go to a dinner party. Flowers are always welcome, or you can bring a bottle of wine if you know the family drink it.
You should arrive on time or five to ten minutes late. Don’t get there early. If you are going to be more than fifteen minutes late, you should call and tell them.
Try to relax at the dinner table. If you don’t know how to use the right fork, knife or spoon, just watch the other guests, and follow them. If you still have no idea of what to do, don’t be shy about asking the person next to you; it’s better to ask them than to be silently uncomfortable and nervous.
If you like the food, say so. Of course, you’ll thank the host and hostess for the meal and for their kindness. It’s also a good idea to send a card to thank them the day after.
Yours,
Betty
| A．tell Betty some good news | B．ask for some advice |
| C．answer some questions | D．invite her to dinner |
| A．can only bring some flowers |
| B．can’t bring wine |
| C．should arrive on time or five to ten minutes late |
| D．should arrive twenty minutes late |
| A．relax at the dinner table | B．watch the other guests |
| C．ask the person beside him | D．keep silent at table |
Climate change could affect food supplies, water resources, human health and homes.
If greenhouse gas emissions keep increasing at the current rate, global temperature is expected to rise between 2°C and 6°C by 2100. This doesn’t sound much, but a 5°C change is the difference between the current warm period and an ice age.
Global warming leads to other changes in the climate: melting ice, more evaporation(蒸发), changes in geographical patterns of rainfall, heavier downpours separated by longer dry spells, more frequent heat waves, more intense hurricanes, and sea level rise.
These changes could affect crop growth as drought, increased evaporation and shrinking glaciers（冰川）disrupt water supply. Some crops could suffer heat stress. While there may be benefits in some regions, overall climate change is likely to have a negative impact on global food supplies. The impacts of climate change on agriculture will vary widely around the world. A global temperature rise of 1–2 °C is expected to increase food production in some regions, particularly mid-latitude areas. But in tropical regions even a small amount of warming could reduce crop yields. A temperature rise of 3 °C or more could threaten global food resources, as all regions are likely to experience negative impacts overall.
Freshwater resources could also diminish, especially in tropical regions, as rain patterns change and evaporation speeds up. Some communities could lose essential melt water as glaciers disappear, while more intense rainfall and hurricanes could cause more flooding, leading to water pollution and bacterial diseases such as cholera（霍乱）becoming more widespread.
Climate change could lead to a variety of health impacts – both positive and negative. On the negative side, scientists anticipate more cases of malnutrition, heatstroke and waterborne diseases such as cholera. Although some populations will benefit from a reduced risk of cold-related illnesses such as hypothermia, overall a warming world is likely to have negative effects on human health.
Scientists also expect damage to homes and buildings from more intense hurricanes, heavier rainfall and rising sea levels. Climate change is likely to affect infrastructure by increasing the risk of both coastal and inland flooding around the world, owing to a combination of heavier rainfall, rising sea levels and increased storm damage. Homes and buildings could also be affected by the thawing of frozen ground and greater risk of forest fires.
The consequences of climate change will have an impact on people around the world. With global temperature increased by 1–2 °C, _______.
| A．crops yields could be increased in tropical regions |
| B．food production could rise throughout the world |
| C．chances are that food resources would be threatened overall |
| D．mid-latitude areas are likely to experience positive impacts |
The underlined word “hypothermia” in Paragraph 6 possibly means a serious medical condition caused by_______.
| A．lower temperature than normal |
| B．higher temperature than normal |
| C．more cases of malnutrition |
| D．cases of waterborne diseases |
According to the passage, climate change has both positive and negative effects on ______.
| A．food supplies and buildings |
| B．freshwater resources and homes |
| C．human health and food supplies |
| D．human health and homes |
The passage is mainly meant to tell us _______.
| A．how global warming leads to changes in the climate |
| B．how climate change affects people worldwide |
| C．why climate change affects our crop growth |
| D．why climate change contributes to all bad results |
There has been much discussion recently about reducing the weight of English in China's high-stake tests such as the national college entrance examination. It is argued by some applauding the recent change to reduce the importance of English in tests so that it will lead students to focus more on learning Chinese. The TV program Writing in Chinese has exposed the problem that students and the general public cannot write in Chinese as they used to do.
Some blame the design of the curriculum for giving English an equal or greater amount of emphasis, which might have contributed to the failure in teaching Chinese. But this is probably not a fair accusation since children in English speaking countries cannot spell either.
I doubt that studying English in itself hurts the study of Chinese. In fact, high achievers in English or another foreign language are more likely to be high achievers in Chinese. It has been proved many times in recent Chinese history that those capable of using a foreign language are also masters in their mother tongue. Qian Zhongshu, Lu Xun and Lin Yutang are just a few examples.
Another trend of thought for curriculum reform is related to the perception of "worth". It is true that English is one of the subjects that students do spend too much time on, with pitiful results. This makes some doubt if it is worth giving it priority. But this is not a sound argument either as students still need to study things that matter more to their future in spite of challenges learning English presents to them.
Improvements in Chinese language education should not be achieved by sacrificing another important subject. There should be a robust(健康的) foreign language education program, as a foreign language improves a student's future job prospects. Bashing(抨击) English education as a waste of time or using it as a goat for failures in Chinese education are both harmful tendencies.
To be constructive, we ought to start a dialogue on ways to make improvements in learning outcomes so that students' time learning English is spent more effectively. There are a few things that could improve English education, such as assessment design，learner motivation and teaching style，
I am sure there are many other areas where changes can greatly improve the effectiveness and efficiency of English learning. The public discourse at present is a little oversimplified. People are arguing for or against English having less weight in major tests, when the dialogue should be taken a step further, to the improvement of learning or teaching methods that may benefit the teaching of other subjects as well, Chinese included.In paragraph 3 Qian Zhongshu, Lu Xun and Lin Yutang are mentioned to _____.
| A．show respect for their capabilities of learning languages |
| B．prove English and Chinese are not contradictory |
| C．confirm the importance of learning English in China |
| D．tell the readers English Education is to blame |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is right?
| A．The TV program Writing in Chinese is very popular at present. |
| B．Good results of learning English are not worth so much time. |
| C．Some are in favor of attaching less importance to English in exams. |
| D．Sacrificing English can improve Chinese language education. |
In the writer’s opinion, what should be done to solve the argument?
| A．Increasing time spent in learning Chinese. |
| B．Increasing time spent in learning English. |
| C．Reducing the weight of English in examinations. |
| D．Improving the learning outcomes effectively. |
Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage?
| A．English education is still important in China. |
| B．Chinese education is more important in China. |
| C．English contributes to the failure in teaching Chinese |
| D．Ways to make improvements in learning Chinese. |
BJCP-1: 4 Days Beijing Post-Olympic Memories
| Highlights of this Package Experience the most popular historical city to see both ancient civilization and modern progress. Walk on the largest Square in the world. Review 29th Olympic Games at Olympic Park This Tour Departs: Daily This Tour is Best for: City sightseeing Family holidays Spring Summer Autumn Affordable luxury Honeymoon Solo traveler Parents & Children Museum lovers Olympic sites Cultural Shopping First Time Visit Customer Reviews on...Martin Fried : 8/9/2013 3:49:08 PM Dear James, Hilda and I would like to express our overall satisfaction as concerns our recent four days’ trip in Beijing as arranged by you and your colleagues at China Travel Depot. Our tour guide, Frank, and the driver, Mr. Li, each did a very good job. They both showed kindness and consideration in helping Hilda walk up and down the difficult pathways of Beijing. Frank's knowledge of Beijing was impressive and we were particularly pleased at the time spent at the Tiananmen Square and the Olympic Park in Beijing…More… |
Featured cities & attractions Tian'an men Square Olympic Games Sites  Beijing Olympic Park, also called Olympic green is an Olympic park conducted for 2008 Olympic Games in Chaoyang district. It is located at the North end of Beijing centre axis and covers 680 hectar in total. The park is well equipped with a complete transportation net and advanced facility. Beijing national stadium, Beijing National aquatic center and other sports center are inside the park. Among all the stadium and sports centers, National stadium (the nest) and national aquatics center (water cube) are worldwide famous for their design. After the 2008 Olympic Games they are now used also for citizens and some big activities. Great Wall of China The huge military project to protect the Chinese Empire against intrusions by various northern nomadic... Temple of Heaven… The Temple of Heaven is … Summer Palace… The summer Palace … |
The travel agency presents Customer Reviews here to _______.
| A．express the visitor’s thanks | B．introduce Frank and Mr. Li |
| C．convey their satisfaction | D．promote Four Days Tour |
Tourists can enjoy the following EXCEPT_______.
| A．sightseeing all year round | B．affording a luxurious tour |
| C．visiting on their own | D．different cultures |
What are the focuses of the Four Days Tour?
| A．The huge military project and the nest. |
| B．The First Time Visit and Temple of Heaven. |
| C．The modern progress and ancient civilization. |
| D．Beijing Olympic Park and Summer Palace. |
For many students in the UK today, deciding whether or not to go to university can be as much about affordability as it is about ambition and aspiration.
In the past, students in the UK could apply to a university or college. They were sure that even if they came from a low income family, their tuition fees and some of their living (or maintenance) costs would be covered by a local authority grant(拨款). A university education was, in a financial sense, open to all and the number of students attending university grew yearly.
Sadly, it seems, those days are long gone. The turning point came in 1998, when the Labour Government introduced tuition fees of ￡1,000 a year and, instead of giving students a maintenance grant, asked them to cover their own living expenses with a repayable student loan. Only students on the lowest incomes were entitled to a grant.
The flood gates had been opened. As time passed, the ceiling on tuition fees rose, and although applicants from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales still qualified for varying levels of subsidy(补贴), by 2009/10 students in England often found themselves facing tuition fees over￡3,000 a year.
In 2011 the Government announced that, from 2012, universities could charge fees of up to ￡9,000 a year. Although the Government sweetened the pill by stating that postgraduates did not have to begin repaying their student loans until they were earning more than ￡21,000 a year, the news created over-dissatisfaction. Many students argued that it was unfair that students should have to begin their work life loaded with huge debt, while others complained that the changes would bring back a class divide to university education. These views were reflected in the number of students applying for a university place, which by January 2012 fell by more than 22,000. The Universities Minister, David Willetts, stood by the decision to increase tuition fees, saying that they would not “put universities’ finance on a bearable footing” and that they would accelerate “a stronger focus on high quality teaching.”From the first paragraph, we can infer that _____ in attending university.
| A．affordability plays more important roles than ambition and aspiration |
| B．ambition and aspiration are more important than affordability |
| C．affordability is as important as ambition and aspiration |
| D．ambition and aspiration make a greater difference |
We can put the sentence “But the biggest change was still to come” at the beginning of Paragraph _____.
| A．2 | B．3 | C．4 | D．5 |
The underlined part “sweetened the pill” in the last paragraph possibly means_____.
| A．made a sweet pill | B．made the change appear good |
| C．increased the pill | D．reduced the pill |
The writer _____ the change about university education fees.
| A．is in favor of | B．is opposed to |
| C．takes no notice of | D．is neither for nor against |
After record increase in over 40 countries, Universal Robots’ lightweight robotic arms are now making their US debut (首次露面) at this year’s International Manufacturing Trade Show (IMTS) in Chicago.
The UR5 robotic arm made by Universal Robots has been announced officially “The world’s most innovative (创新的) robot” by The International Federation of Robotics and IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Robotics and Automation Society. The US audience will now see the award-winning robot — along with its big brother UR10 — for the first time.
The UR5 and UR10 robotic arms are aimed at small-sized companies that thought robots were too expensive and hard to operate in existing production. The robotic arms are easily moved around the production area and present a simple user interface (界面) which lets workers quickly operate them.
Esben Ostergaard, founder and CTO (Chief Technical Officer) at Universal Robots, explains how the robots were designed to be as user⁃friendly as possible:
“We decided to make programming easy by developing a user interface worked together with a “teaching function” allowing the user to simply took hold of the robot arm and show it how a movement should be done. The robot can work in any production process very quickly. Our experience shows this is generally done in a few hours.”
The robots weigh as little as 40 pounds, making it possible for them to be moved around the production area to do different tasks. The UR5 can handle a load of up to 5 kilos (11 pounds), the UR10, 10 kilos (22 pounds). As soon as a worker touches the robot arm and uses a force of at least 150 Newton, the robot arm will automatically stop operating. According to the text, the UR5 robotic arm _____.
| A．was designed by IEEE |
| B．is aimed at small companies |
| C．has won a number of awards |
| D．made its appearance in 40 countries |
The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 4 refers to _____.
| A．the programme | B．the user interface |
| C．the robot arm | D．the “teaching function” |
What’s the text mainly about?
| A．An introduction to Universal Robots’ new robots. |
| B．The difference between the UR5 and the UR10. |
| C．Why the UR5 and the UR10 were invented. |
| D．How to operate the UR5 and the UR10. |