Minimalism (简约主义) is a term that describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is reduced to its most basic features.
As for me, minimalism functions well not in art or design, but in my daily life.
When I was packing for university, I found it extremely difficult to let go of some of the things I owned. I knew I couldn’t take everything with me, but I kept asking myself “how could I possibly throw this away?”, “what if I need it one day?”, and “what about all of the memories?” Now that I’ve moved, and left that stuff behind, I don’t even miss it. Whether or not I got rid of it, it barely makes a bit of difference to me now.
I’ve learned that over time people forget, or their need for a particular object eventually disappears. Either they store it away or they get rid of it.
You might think nostalgically（怀旧的） about the toys you cared about when you were a child, but what is making you smile now is not the thing itself but the memory of it. I’ve heard it a hundred times, “you don’t need things to make you happy.” It takes something life-changing like moving across the country to realize how true this is.
Speaking of which, for a lot of people, minimalism is about able to move. It’s about being able to go almost anywhere at any time because you don’t have many possessions to carry. When you keep things you don’t need they become a burden that ties you to a place. Moving to university was a good time to let go of a lot of stuff. And when I visit for the holidays, I’ll probably get rid of even more, to lighten the burden.
Of course there are exceptions. There are some things that are irreplaceable, very rare or expensive or we simply love and cherish for some reason or another, since we are humans. But after we keep those, how much is left that we don’t really need?
Hence, minimalism. And why does minimalism bring happiness? That was a bit of a roundabout way of saying that, it’s because what really makes me happy is freedom. And the key to freedom is minimalism because minimalism reduces our attachment to things.
Attachment to too many objects creates a great mess and can severely hold back our freedom to do whatever we want, while minimalism helps us start new projects, move, travel, learn new things, work, expand, be debt-free, be healthy – really living life to our full potential.
I left the nest to fly onwards and upwards, I can’t do it with old things weighing me down. And that is why I have adopted minimalism with open arms. In paragraph l, the writer gives the definition of minimalism to
| A．introduce a topic | B．present his own background |
| C．describe a scene | D．offer an argument |
Many people don’t want to let go of some of their belongings because
| A．they haven’t had any life-changing experiences |
| B．they fear their memories will be gone with the thrown-away stuff |
| C．they hope to live life to their full potential by storing things away |
| D．they may have to change their lifestyle because of the loss of them |
Which of the following is NOT the reason why the writer favors “minimalism” in life?
| A．It takes the burden off her while she is moving. |
| B．It reduces her attachment to her personal things. |
| C．It enables her to gain the freedom that she desires. |
| D．It helps her to realize how true life is. |
What’s the main idea of the passage?
| A．Minimalism brings happiness. |
| B．Minimalism is applied in many fields. |
| C．Minimalism makes people think nostalgically. |
| D．Minimalism is about able to move. |
Calling the future
When American inventor Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876，it was a revolution in communication. For the first time, people could talk to each other over great distances. Over the last two decades a new means of spoken communication has appeared ：the mobile phone.
The mobile phone is like a two-way radio. But the two-way radio is a limited means of communication. As soon as the users move out of range of each other's broadcast area, the signal is lost. In the 1940s, researchers experimented with the idea of using a number of radio masts（无线电杆）to pick up signals from two-way radios. A caller would always be within range of one of the masts. When he or she moved too far away from one mast, the next mast would pick up the signal. （Scientists referred to each mast's reception area as being a "cell". This is why in many countries mo-bile phones are called "cellphones".）
However，1940s, technology was just at the beginning. The "mobile phones" were huge boxes. They had to be moved by car.
The first real mobile telephone call was made in 1973 by Dr Martin Cooper. As soon as his invention was complete, he tested it by calling a rival （竞争对手）scientist to announce his success. Within a decade, mobile phones became available to the public.
They have changed the way we do a lot of things. One powerful feature is: the short message service（SMS） or text message. It's the perfect communication method for the busy modern lifestyle. The text message has changed the way we write in English. The language construction became more lax （松散的）. Traditional rules of grammar and spelling are much less important.
Over the last few years mobiles have become more and more advanced. We have seen the introduction of cameras, global positioning system and Internet access.
Alexander Graham Bell would be surprised if he could see how far the science of the telephone has developed in less than 150years. If he were around today, he might say ： " That's gr8! But I'm v busy rite now. Will call U 2nite. " The article is written to __________.
| A．warn people of the possible risks in using mobile phones |
| B．inform readers of the history and development of mobile phones |
| C．convince people of the uses of mobile phones |
| D．predict the applications of mobile phones |
What's the CORRECT time order about the development of communication?
a. the telephone invented by Alexander Graham Bell
b. "mobile phones" with very large boxes
c. mobile telephone call made by Dr Martin Cooper
d. mobiles with cameras, GPS and Internet access
| A．a, c，b, d |
| B．b, a，c, d |
| C．a, c，d, b |
| D．a, b，c, d |
The last sentence of the whole passage "That's gr8 ！ But I'm v busy rite now. Will call U 2nite. " may probably mean __________.
| A．That's great! But I'm very busy right now. （I）Will call you to-night |
| B．It's eight now. I'm very busy. （I） Will call you tonight |
| C．That's great! But I'm busy writing now. （I） Will call you at two tonight |
| D．"8" is great! But I'm very busy right now. （I） Will call it "U" to night |
What do you think of the author according to the last paragraph?
| A．Humorous |
| B．Ironic |
| C．Kind |
| D．Worried |
What will power your house in the future? Nuclear, wind, or solar power? According to scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology（MIT） in the US, it might be leaves-but artificial（人造的）ones.
Natural leaves are able to change sunlight and water into energy. It is known as photosynthesis（光合作用）. Now researchers have found a way to imitate this seemingly simple process.
The artificial leaf developed by Daniel Nocera and his colleagues at MIT can be seen as a special silicon chip with catalysts（催化剂）. Similar to natural leaves, it can split water into hydrogen and oxygen when put into a bucket of water. The hydrogen and oxygen gases are then stored in a fuel cell, which uses those two materials to produce electricity, located either on top of a house or beside the house.
Though the leaf is only about the shape of a poker card, scientists claimed that it is promising to be an inexpensive source of electricity in developing countries. "One can imagine villages in India and Africa not long from now purchasing an affordable basic power system based on this technology，" said Nocera at a conference of the American Chemical Society.
The artificial leaf is not a new idea. The first artificial leaf was invented in 1997 but was too expensive and unstable for practical use. The new leaf, by contrast, is made of cheap materials, easy to use and highly stable. In laboratory studies, Nocera showed that an artificial leaf prototype （原型）could operate continuously for at least 45 hours without a drop in activity.
The wonderful improvements come from Nocera's recent discovery of several powerful, new and inexpensive catalysts. These catalysts make the energy transformation inside the leaf more efficient with water and sunlight. Right now, the new leaf is about 10 times more efficient at carrying out photosynthesis than a natural one. Be-sides, the device can run in whatever water is available; that is, it doesn't need pure water. This is important for some countries that don't have access to pure water.
With the goal to " make each home its own power station" and" give energy to the poor"，scientists believe that the new technology could be widely used in developing countries, especially in India and rural China. Which of the following orders correctly shows how the artificial leaf is used to produce electricity?
a. artificial leaves split water into hydrogen and oxygen
b. the hydrogen and oxygen gases are stored in a fuel cell
c. the artificial leaves are put in water
d. the fuel cell uses hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity
| A．c, b，a, d |
| B．c, a，b, d |
| C．b, c，a, d |
| D．c, a，d, b |
The purpose of the scientists at MIT in developing the new artificial leaf is to __________.
| A．build up more power stations in the world |
| B．provide cheaper energy for developing countries |
| C．offer people in developing countries access to pure water |
| D．gain a deeper understanding of the photosynthesis process |
The main idea of this passage is __________.
| A．an introduction to the history of artificial leaves |
| B．an invention copying photosynthesis |
| C．giving energy to the poor |
| D．mixture of water power and solar energy |
The underlined word " imitate" in Paragraph 2 can be replaced by "__________".
| A．produce |
| B．hold |
| C．prevent |
| D．copy |
Today, we complete our story about the influential English writer William Shakespeare. He wrote plays and poems during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries, which remain very popular today.
During earlier times, people would probably have learned several ancient Roman and Greek plays. It was not unusual for writers to produce more current versions of these works. For example, in Shakespeare’s play “The Comedy of Errors”, Shakespeare borrowed certain details from the ancient Roman writer Plautus. For his play “Macbeth”, Shakespeare most likely used a work on Scottish history by Raphael Holinshed for information. Shakespeare might have borrowed from other writers, but the intensity（强度）of his imagination and language made the plays his own. While many plays by other writers of his time have been forgotten, Shakespeare and his art live on.
Shakespeare was also influenced by the world around him. He described the sights and sounds of London in his plays. His works include observations about political struggles, the fear of diseases, and the popular language of the city’s tradesmen. Shakespeare’s knowledge of the English countryside is also clear. His works include descriptions of deep forests, local flowers, and the ancient popular traditions of rural people.
It would be impossible to list all of the ways in which Shakespeare’s works have influenced the world culture. But the first and greatest example would be his great influence on the English language. During his time, the English language was changing. Many new words from other languages were being added. Shakespeare used his sharp mind and poetic inventiveness to create hundreds of new words and rework old ones. For example, he created the noun forms of “critic”, “mountaineer” and “eyeball”. Many common expressions in English come from his plays, including “pomp and circumstance（装腔作势）” from “Othello”, “full circle（绕圈子地）” from “King Lear”, etc. The list of cultural creations influenced by Shakespeare is almost endless. From paintings to television to music and dance, Shakespeare was well represented. Shakespeare’s plays have been translated into every major language in the world.
Shakespeare became a wellknown writer during a golden age of theater. His years of hard work paid off. From the passage, we can see that ________.
| A．Shakespeare was hardworking when he was a student |
| B．many of Shakespeare’s works were influenced by earlier writings |
| C．the experience of living in London had no effect on Shakespeare’s works |
| D．Shakespeare became rich later because of the popularity of his works |
Why could Shakespeare’s works survive his time?
| A．Because there were so few people writing plays in his time. |
| B．Because he produced too many works that nobody else could do. |
| C．Because his works were rich in imagination and language. |
| D．Because he was a rich and influential person of his time. |
Shakespeare’s greatest influence should be on .
| A．paintings |
| B．television |
| C．the English language |
| D．music and dance |
The passage is mainly about .
| A．an introduction to Shakespeare’s life and his works |
| B．the main features and styles of Shakespeare’s plays |
| C．Shakespeare’s greatest influence on the world culture. |
| D．how culture influenced Shakespeare and he influenced culture. |
I was reading these interesting stories behind a group of great logos in the world. Personally Nike is my favorite one – it’s so simple. And I liked the stories behind them, which made me forget all other things. McDonald’s, Apple, Mercedes Benz and Adidas own great logos as well, and they are among my favorites.
Nike
In the Greek myth, Nike is the goddess of victory and the source of inspiration for soldiers. This logo represents the wing in the famous statue of the Greek goddess. Nike’s logo was designed by Carolyn Davidson in 1971 for $ 35, and was registered as a trademark in 1995.
McDonald’s
The logo was designed in 1962 by Jim Schindler to resemble the archshaped(拱形的) signs on the side of the company’s then walk-up hamburger stand. Later on, the two golden arches were combined together to form the M. The McDonald’s name was added to the logo in 1968.
Apple
There are different stories behind Apple’s logo. The first logo was a reference to the religious story of Adam and Eve, in which the apple represented the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. One year later, the second logo was designed in 1977 by Steve Jobs and Ronald Wayne, and it described Sir Isaac Newton sitting under an apple tree. This logo didn’t stay long. One year later it was replaced almost immediately by graphic designer Rob Janoff’s “rainbow apple”, a rainbow-colored silhouette(轮廓)of an apple with a bite taken out of it. And then the rainbow-colored apple was replaced by the one-colored logo in 1998. It has not been changed so far.
Mercedes Benz
The Mercedes Benz logo, which was originally created by Gottlieb Daimler in 1909, consists of a simple description of a three-pointed star that represents its rule of the land, the sea and the air. The company was founded by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach. Mercedes is the name of Maybach’s elder daughter, while Benz came as a result of a combination with Benz, Cie and DMG in 1926.
Adidas
The Adidas logo, which was created by the founder of the company Adi Dassler, represents mountains, pointing towards the challenges that are seen ahead and goals that can be achieved. The logo was used for the first time in 1967.What does the author think of the stories of the great logos?
| A．They are attractive. |
| B．They are practical. |
| C．They are boring. |
| D．They are out of date. |
What does Nike’s logo stand for?
| A．The statue of the Greek goddess. |
| B．The wing of the Greek goddess. |
| C．The goddess of victory. |
| D．The source of inspiration for soldiers. |
We can learn that Apple’s present logo is ______.
| A．Newton’s sitting under an apple tree |
| B．the rainbow-colored bitten apple |
| C．the religious story of Adam and Eve |
| D．a bitten apple with only one color |
______ stands for the rule of the land, the sea and the air.
| A．The Mercedes logo |
| B．The Adidas logo |
| C．Nike’s logo |
| D．Apple’s logo |
Which of the following time orders describes the births of the great logos?
| A．McDonald’s – Apple – Nike – Mercedes Benz. |
| B．Nike– Mercedes Benz – McDonald’s – Apple. |
| C．Mercedes Benz –McDonald’s – Nike – Apple. |
| D．Nike– McDonald’s – Apple – Mercedes Benz. |
Despite the fact that it has never been seen almost everyone is familiar with the legendary unicorn(独角兽). Descriptions of unicorns have been found dating from ancient times. The great philosopher Aristotle theorized that there were two types of unicorn--- the so-called Indian Ass and the Oryx, a kind of antelope. Unicorns are often used in the logo of a noble family, town council or university as their special sign. Even Scotland is represented by a unicorn.
According to the legend, anyone attempting to catch a unicorn had to be extremely careful as it was very fierce and dangerous. A clever trick suggested by unicorn-trappers, in order to catch this amazing animal without being hurt by its horn, was for the hunter to stand in front of a tree and then to move quickly behind it as the unicorn dashed angrily. Hopefully, the creature could then be caught when its horn was stuck in the tree.
When hollowed out and used as a drinking-cup, the unicorn’s horn was said to have the power to offer protection against person. It was believed that nobody could be harmed-by drinking the contents of a unicorn’s horn. Right up until the French Revolution in 1789, the French court was said to have used cups made of “unicorn” horn in order to protect the king. In addition, the horn was said to have medicinal value, so much so that it could be sold for more than ten times the price of the same weight of gold. What, then, was “unicorn” horn? We know at times the rhino was confused with this legendary creature. A drinking-cup supposedly made of “unicorn” horn was discovered to be made of the horn of a rhino.Which of the following is TRUE of the unicorn?
| A．It was not historically recorded. |
| B．Its horn was first used in France. |
| C．It was similar to the Indian Ass and the Oryx. |
| D．It could be the symbol of a university. |
To catch a unicorn, the unicorn-trappers had to try all of the following EXCEPT ____.
| A．attracting the unicorn to attack |
| B．making use of the tree as a defense |
| C．hiding quickly behind the unicorn |
| D．having the unicorn horn stuck in the tree |
The last paragraph is mainly about ____.
| A．the functions of the unicorn horn |
| B．the users of the unicorn horn |
| C．the price of the unicorn horn |
| D．the comparison between the unicorn horn and the rhino horn |
In the last paragraph, the word “unicorn ” is in quotation marks (引号)because _____.
| A．the cup is designed only for a royal family |
| B．the unicorn does not exist in reality |
| C．the unicorn is the rarest animal in the world |
| D．the medicinal value of the horn is appreciated |