As computers become all the more popular in China, Chinese people are increasingly depending on computer keyboards to input Chinese characters. But if they use the computer too much, they may end up forgetting the exact strokes (笔画) of each Chinese character when writing on paper. Experts suggest people, especially students, write by hand more.
Do you write by hand more or type more? In Beijing, students start using a computer as early as primary school. And computer dependence is more widely spread among university students. Almost all their assignment and essays are typed on a computer.
All the students interviewed say they usually use a computer.
It’s faster and easier to correct if using a computer. And that’s why computers are being applied more and more often to modern education. But when people are taking stock in computers increasingly, problems appear.
“When I’m writing with a pen, I find I often can’t remember how to write a character, though I feel I’m familiar with it.”
“I’m not in the mood to write when faced with a pen and paper.”
Many students don’t feel this is something to worry about. Now that it’s more convenient and efficient to write on a computer, why bother to handwrite?
Many educators think differently. Shi Liwei, headmaster of a famous primary school in the capital said, “ Chinese characters enjoy both practical and aesthetic (审美的) value. But those characters typed with computer keyboards only maintain their practical value. All the artistic beauty of the characters is lost. And handwriting contains the writer’s emotion. Through one’s handwriting, people can get to know one’s thinking and personality. Beautiful writing will give people a better first impression of them.”
To encourage students to handwrite more, many primary schools in Beijing have made writing classes compulsory(必修的)and in universities, some professors are asking students to turn in their homework and essays written by hand.The underlined expression “taking stock in” in paragraph 4 probably means___.
A.getting bored with |
B.getting dependent on |
C.becoming crazy about |
D.getting curious about |
The students interviewed prefer to write using a computer mainly because____.
A.computers have become a trend and fashion in China |
B.they are usually asked to e-mail their homework and essays |
C.they find it not easy to remember how to write a character |
D.they can correct the mistakes they make quickly and conveniently |
Which of the following statement is NOT true of the advantage of handwriting?
A.Handwriting contains the writer’s emotions. |
B.Chinese characters enjoy both practical and aesthetic value. |
C.Handwriting can impress people well and build one’s self-confidence. |
D.The writer’s thinking and personality are shown in his or her handwriting. |
Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage?
A.To Type or to Handwrite. |
B.The Importance of Handwriting and Typing. |
C.Writing by Computer Will Replace Writing by Hand. |
D.Practical and Aesthetic Value of Chinese Characters. |
How many coins have you got in your pocket right now? Three? Two? or One?
With a phonecard you can make up to 200 calls without any change at all.
1. What do you do with it?
Go to a telephone box marked “Phonecard”. Put in your card to start, make your call and when you have finished, a screen tells you how much is left on your card.
It costs no extra for the cards, and the calls cost 10p per unit, the same as any other pay-phone call.
You can buy them in units of 10, 20, 40, 100 or 200.
2. Now appearing in a shop near you
Near each phonecard place you will find a shop where you can buy one. They’re at bus, train and city tube stations.
At many universities, hospitals and clubs, restaurants and gas stations on the highway and shopping centers.
At airports and seaports.
3. No more broken payphones
Most broken payphones are like that because they’ve been damaged. There are no coins in a cardphone to excite thieves’ interest in it. So you’re not probably to find a broken one.
Get a phonecard yourself and try it out. Or get a bigger wallet.The passage is most probably .
A.a warning | B.a notice |
C.an advertisement | D.an announcement |
There are three sections in the passage. Which one do you think is about why phonecards are good?
A.Section 1 | B.Section 2. | C.Section 3. | D.none. |
Which statement of the following is right by inference(推断)?
A.Using a phonecard will cost you less money than payphone call. |
B.Phonecards are easier to carry. |
C.If a thief steals your phonecard, he can’t use it any more. |
D.When you finish your call, take out your card first and then you will see how many calls you can still make. |
From Monday until Friday most people are busy working or studying, but in the evenings and on weekends they are free to relax and enjoy themselves. Some watch TV or go to the movies; others take part in sports. It depends on individual interest. There are many different ways to spend our spare time.
Almost everyone has some kind of hobby. It may be anything from collecting stamps to making model airplanes. Some hobbies are very expensive, but others don’t cost anything at all. Some collections are worth a lot of money; others are valuable only to their owners.
I know a man who has a coin collection worth several thousand dollars. A short time ago he bought a rare fifty-cent piece worth $250!He was very happy about his purchase (buying) and thought the price was reasonable. On the other hand, my youngest brother collects matchboxes. He has almost 600 of them but I doubt if they are worth any money. However, to my brother they are extremely valuable. Nothing makes him happier than to find a new matchbox for his collection.
That’s what a hobby means, I guess. It is something we like to do in our spare time simply for the fun of it. The value in dollars is not important, but the pleasure it gives us is.The word “individual” in the first paragraph most probably means .
A.different | B.strange | C.secret | D.one’s own |
According to the passage, most people are from Monday until Friday.
A.free to relax and enjoy themselves | B.busy working or studying |
C.free to take part in sports games | D.busy watching TV and going to the cinema |
Something that one enjoys doing in one’s spare time is a .
A.job | B.pleasure | C.hobby | D.contribution |
In the writer’s opinion, .
A.all hobbies are very expensive | B.some hobbies don’t cost anything |
C.hobbies are worthless | D.hobbies are valuable to everybody |
I moved to this area seven years ago. For years I have had noisy neighbours. Ever since I moved into this flat, I’ve had to put up with noise during the night. I decided I’d had enough and I’ve been looking for a new flat since the beginning of the year. I haven’t found anything till now. Every week I go to the estate agent’s(当地房地产代理人的)office, but it’s the same story. “I might have something by the end of the week” he says, or, “Wait till next week. I think I might have a few flats by then.” I’ve seen a few flats during my search, but I don’t like any of them. One flat I saw has been empty for two years. “It’s got a busy road on one side and a railway on the other!” I said loudly, “I want peace and quiet.” Last week I visited the agent again. “I won’t leave till you show me something,” I said. “I’ve got just the flat for you.” I went to see it and I was frightened. “But it’s next to a cemetery!” I cried. “But you won’t have noisy neighbours,” my agent said. “It’s exactly right for peace and quiet!”The writer has had to bear the noise in this area for years.
A.about seven | B.six | C.nine | D.four |
The writer decided to move away because .
A.he had been looking for a new flat | B.his neighbours were not friendly |
C.he could no longer stand the noise | D.he wanted to sell his old flat |
Which of the following is NOT true?
A.The writer would like a quiet place to live in. |
B.The agent didn’t want to help the writer at all. |
C.The writer has seen several flats already. |
D.It seemed rather difficult to rind a fight flat. |
The main idea of the passage is .
A.how the agent tried to help the writer find a flat |
B.why the writer was satisfied with the agent’s service |
C.how difficult it was to find a new flat |
D.you can depend on the estate agents for a nice flat |
The Writers’ Strike:Making the Best of the Worst
By now you are probably feeling the effects of the TV writers’ strike-the decision of television writers to stop working. With few new TV shows, I present to you a list of shows available on DVD worth your viewing time to keep you going during this painful period.
Arrested Development is one of the funniest and most clever shows ever to have appeared on network TV. With a most perfect cast, the show sets out to cover the daily happenings of the Bluth family, a group of selfish staff who manage to still put family first.
For more comedy goodness, I recommend one of the sharpest comedies to have ever aired-30 Rock. Starring Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin, two stars with impressive comic timing,the show gives you a glimpse into the making of a sketch show(幽默短剧), similar to Saturday Night Live, from the funny writers to the selfcentered cast all the way up to the boss.
If you are looking for something more serious, or perhaps more juicy, Friday Night Lights might be more to your liking. If you are a fan of football, this show is probably for you. If you are a fan of great drama,both soapy and serious,this show is probably for you. If you are a fan of goodlooking people, this show is definitely for you.
If those shows were not enough for you, might I recommend a show with a more heartpounding excitement? The Amazing Race, after twelve seasons, still remains one of the most exciting shows on TV. Teams of two travel the globe with little to no money and experience farout adventures in an attempt to remain the last team standing.If you are fond of soapy TV shows, you will probably choose to watch________.
A.Friday Night Lights |
B.30 Rock |
C.The Amazing Race |
D.Saturday Night Live |
From the DVD shows listed above, we can learn that________.
A.two teams won the amazing race |
B.football fans enjoy The Amazing Race |
C.the Bluths care about their family though selfish |
D.30 Rock and Saturday Night Live have nothing in common |
The author writes the passage to tell us that________.
A.the effects of the TV writers’ strike are great |
B.the strike puts TV shows in the worst situation |
C.watching DVD is a good choice during the strike |
D.we should choose DVD shows according to our tastes |
The passage is most probably taken from
A.a book review | B.a newspaper | C.a film poster | D.a DVD menu |
When Callie Rogers won almost 1.9 million pounds on the lottery(彩票) at 16, she hoped it would help her put her troubles behind her. The teenager came from a broken home, had dropped out of school and was living in local authority care.
Rogers, from Cumbria, England, won the National Lottery in 2003. Then she began spending her money wildlly, buying four homes for her family, flash cars and designer clothes, partying and having some cosmetic (整容的) surgery. Two weeks after her win, she married and had two children. But then she spent 250, 000 pounds on cocaine (可卡因) and suffered depression. Earlier this year she lost the right to take care of her children because of her mental state.
She became addicted to drugs and attempted suicide three times as her life unraveled. She says the money brought her only misery. Now she is down to her last 100 000 pounds, but she has never been happier.
Now 22, she said:“Just a few months ago I was taking too many drugs and hated myself. I simply did not want to live any more. But now I have a new man and am finally becoming the woman I want to be. And it's only after I've spent most of my fortune that this has finally happened.”
“I need to get my act together and make my kids proud, and for the first time I really do think that's possible.” She credits her new boyfriend with giving her the stable home life she has always longed for and she now hopes to go to college and eventually become a counselor. “After all I've experienced, I think I have a lot of advice to offer,” she said.Why was Rogers not allowed to look after her children?
A.She was in a bad mental state. | B.She was addicted to using drugs. |
C.She was not responsible for them. | D.She was too poor to support them. |
What can we learn about Rogers from Paragraph 3?
A.Being addicted to drugs cost her everything. |
B.Money didn't bring her happiness as expected. |
C.Rogers felt much happier with her money gone. |
D.Too much money allowed her to do what she wanted. |
What caused Rogers to change and start a new life?
A.The loss of money. | B.Her bitter past. |
C.Her husband and children. | D.Her new boyfriend. |
Why does Rogers hope to go to college?
A.She intends to find a good job. | B.She expects to become a professor. |
C.She longs to improve her situation. | D.She wants to offer advice for others. |