Stage fright or performance anxiety is the anxiety, or fear which may occur in an individual by the requirement to perform in front of an audience. It is most commonly seen in school situations, like stand-up projects and class speeches. It has numerous forms: heart beating fast, trembling hands and legs, sweaty hands, dry mouth etc.
In fact, most of the fear occurs before you step on stage. Once you’re up there, it usually goes away. Thus, it is a phenomenon that you must learn to control. Try to think of stage fright in a positive way. It heightens your energy, adds color to your cheeks. With these good side effects you will actually look healthier and more physically attractive.
Many of the top performers in the world get stage fright so you are in good company. Stage fright may come and go or decrease, but it usually does not disappear permanently. You must concentrate on getting the feeling out and present what you have prepared calmly.
Remember “Nobody” ever died from stage fright. But, according to surveys, many people would rather die than give a speech. If that applies to you, and you are an unlucky guy who is with stage fright the whole time, try out some of the strategies(策略) as follows to help get yourself under control. Realize that you may never overcome stage fright, but you can learn to control it, and use it to your advantage.
Strategies are as follows when the program begins:
1) If legs are trembling, lean on table or shift legs or move.
2) Don’t hold notes. The audience can see them shake. Use three-by-five cards instead.
3) Use eye contact. Look at the friendliest faces in the audience.
Remember nervousness doesn’t show one-tenth as much as it feels. Before each presentation, make a short list of the items you think will make you feel better. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different combinations. You never know which ones will work best until you try. Use these steps to control stage fright so it doesn’t control you. Once you are used to stage fright, you will find you on the road to a great speech-maker.Someone may be most likely to suffer from stage fright when he/she is ______.
| A．attending an English class |
| B．standing in a classroom |
| C．watching a performance |
| D．talking in front of people |
By thinking of stage fright in a positive way, one could ______.
| A．learn to control stage fright |
| B．get rid of stage fright |
| C．calm down before stepping on stage |
| D．become more physically attractive |
Which of the following is true?
| A．Top performers usually suffer from stage fright. |
| B．Stage fright may stay with a person for a life time. |
| C．Nobody would rather die than give a speech. |
| D．No one can overcome or control stage fright. |
The author advises people with stage fright to ______.
| A．show one-tenth of their nervousness |
| B．experiment with different kinds of stage fright |
| C．refer to the strategies whenever they feel the need |
| D．use one of the strategies each time |
The passage mainly talks about ______.
| A．how to deal with stage fright |
| B．what stage fright is like |
| C．when stage fright occurs |
| D．why people have stage fright |
Dear Dr.Servaas,
I was diagnosed with histoplasrnosis（组织胞浆菌病）30 years ago ．At that time， my doctor told me that it was lung fungus（真菌）that could affect my eyesight.This has happened·Can it affect other organs of the body？
F．Buongiorne
Delta Junction，Arkansas，
Most people have no symptoms resulting from the lung infection，explains histo expert Dr.L.Joseph Wheat，when symptoms do develop，they are usually mild and will disappear without treatment
In some cases，however，histo can spread from the lungs and cause more serious problems．
“Histo is more severe in persons with diseases that reduce thcir immunity or who are receiving immunosuppressive（免疫抑制）medications,”says Dr.Wheat，"In such cases，histo can spread from lungs to other parts of the body．Patients with this type of histoplasmosis usually have constant fever，sweats，and weight loss·Excellent tests are available to diagnose this type of histo，and the treatment is highly effective·”
As mentioned by our Arkansas reader，eye problems accompanied by vision loss have been reported long after the first infection．
"Histo is thought by some to be a cause of spots on the back of the eye，called ‘histo spots’，”notes Dr·Wheat．“These injuries cause no problems in some patients， while in others they cause visual loss．There is no proof that histo causes these spots， however，as the organism is not found in the injured parts，and treatment for histo is not effective for the eye spots．”
People catch histoplasmosis by breathing extremely small spores（孢子）of the histoplasma fungus into their lungs·This fungus is commonly found in areas polluted by bird or bat droppings such as caves，chicken cages，barns（谷仓），and under bridges．It will spread through the air during construction or whenever plowing，sweeping，or digging disturbs the soil．What’s the problem with F．Buongiorne？
| A．He has recently been diagnosed with his to． |
| B．He is having difficulty in breathing． |
| C．He is worried about his health． |
| D．He has become totally blind． |
Which of the following is Dr．Wheat’s opinion about“histo"？
| A．The disease is equally harmful to all people． |
| B．The disease will make people put on weight． |
| C．The disease won’t cause serious problems and no medicine is effective for it· |
| D．The disease doesn’t，t necessarily have a serious effect on every patient with it· |
How is“histo" related to“histo spots"？
| A．"Histo spots" may not be caused by“histo"． |
| B．Patients with“histo" will have“histo spots"． |
| C．"Histo spots" will cause visual loss to all patients． |
| D．“Histo spots" can be cured by the same medicine as cures“histd |
We can infer from the passage that＿ ．
| A．“histo" spreads through water |
| B．"histo" originates from animals |
| C．you may have the disease by eating affected chicken |
| D．workers in a close office are most likely to have“histo" |
It has happened to all of us．You want to talk about an object，but you forgot the name of it．Or you never knew the name at all．Maybe you are not even sure there is a word for it．
For example，that thing, that you need to fix your bicycle．Or perhaps it is something you need for your computer·Or that part on your motorcycle that never，ever seems to work．
What are these things?
They are called“doohickies"·A doohickey is a word you use when you do not know，or you have forgotten，the real name of an object·
The MacMillan Dictionary defines doohickey as“something such as a small object or tool that you cannot remember the name of"·The American Heritage Dictionary says it is“something，especially a small device or part，whose name is unknown or forgotten"．
Language experts say the word first started being used in the United States in the early 1900s· But other experts say they have seen examples of words like that in writings from the middle 1800s．
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary for Learners of American English gives this example of how native speakers might use doohickey：“I need one of those doohickeys，you know，with the long handle．”
Merriam-Webster adds that doohickey may be a combination of two other words：“doodad" and“hickey" ．Strange as it may be，both of these words mean the same as doohickey．The dictionary lists a lot of strange words as.synonyms for doohickey．The most common are whatchamacallit，whatnot and whatsit．
You will probably never see these words in official documents or newspaper reports·But you might hear them in informal American English，when people are talking to each other·
“Hey，what does this doohickey do，anyway?”
"Dude，bring me that thingamajig，willya·”
"Janine，can you get me one of those whatchamacallits?”
Most Americans will know what you are talking about if you use one of those words.Just point at the object，use one of these words，and they will bring it to you·When people need a doohickey it means they need something＿＿·
| A．which can be used to repair a bicycle |
| B．which can be used to fix a computer |
| C．whose name is forgotten |
| D．whose handle is very long |
The words similar to doohickey were most likely to be seen in＿＿for the first time．
| A．1800 | B．1850 | C．1900 | D．1950 |
You are sure to find the word whatchamacallit in＿＿
| A．the Macmillan Dictionary |
| B．the American Heritage Dictionary |
| C．an Official document or a newspaper report |
| D．the Merriam-Webster Dictionary for Learners of American English |
The above，passage is mainly about＿＿·
| A．a special word |
| B．American English dictionaries’ |
| C．the development of American English |
| D．the way to learn and use American English |
Are you ready to take off? Launch into the adventure of a lifetime when you join the ranks of Space Camp where explorers train to live and work in space．This is your opportunity to command，navigate（航行）and contribute to an advanced space mission simulation（模拟）．
Space Camp is located at the U.S.Space＆Rocket Center，the Official Visitor Center for NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center．The program encourages trainees to pursue science，technology，engineering and math disciplines through, exciting，hands-on educational activities．
During the five-night program，trainees participate in two，one-hour simulated missions．Our trainers guide participants through the past，·present and future of space exploration with the help of high-fidelity（高保证的）test articles or actual rockets and shuttles．visitors explore the first rocket that put an American in space-the real National Historic Landmark Saturn V moon rocket-and actual capsules earlv
astronauts used during their missions·Trainees experience walking on the moon in the 1/6th gravity chair to feel what it's like to work in a frictionless environment．
Space Camp trainees also climb the tallest mountain on the red planet with the Mars Climbing Wall and experience four times the gravity of Earth with the takeoff force of the Space Shot simulator．They get an astronaut's view of Earth while watching amazing films in the IMAX Spacedome Theater and Digital Theater．
Space Camp begins on Sunday afternoon and graduation is on Friday morning.Parents and family members are encouraged to attend the graduation ceremony。
There is no other camp like it！
Whom is the Space Camp intended for?
| A．Tourists. | B．Students. |
| C．Astronauts | D．Scientists. |
How long will the Space Camp last?
| A．About a day | B．About three days． |
| C．About six days | D．About twelve days. |
Space Shot simulator will let the trainees know＿·
| A．the takeoff force of a rocket |
| B．the highest mountain on mars |
| C．the history of space exploration |
| D．the feeling of being in the 1/6th gravity environment |
Picking a university is a tense period of asking yourself which institution is most relevant. That's why university rankings play such an important role in students searching for their next academic direction. Rankings are also an inescapable part of the reputation and brand image of universities. "No university website is complete without the claim to be in the top 100 for something or other," reported the BBC. The reason is simple: Rankings help them to attract students, staff and research investment.
Currently there are numbers of university rankings, and each has its own list of criteria. But the main categories are the same: academic reputation, graduates' performance and faculty(全体员工) resources.
However, experts point out the ranking process isn't entirely reliable. Mark Kantrowitz, a US financial aid researcher, said university rankings were mostly just for show. He wrote in The New York Times. "It may give your parents better bragging（吹牛）rights, but that's about it. "
Moreover, it's not difficult to see the limitations of university rankings. Many rankings focus on the number of times research work is cited(引用) by other researchers. It helps British and US universities to dominate(控制) global rankings because English is the favored language of academia, John O'Leary, a member of the QS academic advisory board, told The Gunrdian,. Also, rankings such as QS mainly focus on the qualities of the university rather than its students. "Any university ranking is likely to help students make better decisions about where to study, but the need to balance them with other more human factors is also important," said Phil Moss, an education and admissions consultant. "Advice from graduates or current students can be as valuable in providing a genuine insight into the experience or quality of a particular degree program. It can also add an element that rankings can never convey the actual emotion of a university experience. "Why do universities consider rankings important?
| A．Rankings make them more appealing. |
| B．Rankings are students' only reference. |
| C．Rankings can increase their academic level. |
| D．Rankings help them complete their websites. |
What does the underlined "It" in paragraph 4 refer to?
| A．Academic research work. |
| B．The number of researches. |
| C．The way of ranking universities. |
| D．The limitation of university ranking. |
According to John O'Leary, what helps British and US universities rank well?
| A．The wide use of English in academia. |
| B．Their outstanding qualities. |
| C．Their graduates' excellent performance. |
| D．The academia's favor to them. |
Besides ranking, what does Phil Moss suggest you should refer to if you're picking a university?
| A．Investment in education. |
| B．Guidance from professors. |
| C．Information on websites. |
| D．Suggestions from students. |
Revenge is one of those things that everyone enjoys. People don’t like to talk about it, though. Just the same, there is nothing more satisfying or more rewarding than revenge. The purpose is not to harm your victims but to let them know that you are upset about something that they are doing to you. Careful planning can provide you with relief from annoying coworkers, gossiping friends or talkative family members.
Coworkers who make comments about the fact that you are always fifteen minutes late for work can be taken care of very simply. All you have to do is get up extra one day. Before the sun comes up, drive to each coworker’s house. Reach under the cover of your coworker’s car and disconnect the center wire that leads to the distributor（配电盘）cap, the car will be unharmed, but it will not start, and your friends at work will all be late for work on the same day. If you’re lucky, your boss might notice that you are the only one there and will give you a raise.
Gossiping friends at school are also perfect targets for a simple act of revenge. A way to trap either male or female friends is to leave false messages on their lockers(柜子). If the friend that you want to get is male, leave a message that a certain girl would like him to stop by her house later that day. With any luck，her boyfriend will be there. The girl won’t know what’s going on, and the victim will be so embarrassed that he probably won’t leave his home for a month.
When Mom and Dad and your sisters and brothers really begin to annoy you, harmless revenge may be just the way it makes them quiet down for a while. The dinner table is a likely place. Just before the meal begins, throw a handful of raisins (葡萄干) into the food. Wait about five minutes and, after everyone has begun to eat, cover your mouth with your hand and begin to make strange noises. When they ask you what the matter is, point to a raisin and yell. “Bugs!” They’ll throw their food in the dustbin, jump into the car, and head for McDonald’s. That night you’ll have your first quiet, peaceful meal in a long time.
A well-planned revenge does not have it hurt anyone. The object is simply to let other people know that they are beginning to bother you. According to the passage, a harmless revenge is ________.
| A．to amuse the victim |
| B．to hurt nobody emotionally |
| C．to react to those who bother you |
| D．to prevent one from disturbing others |
As a harmless revenge, you might come first and get a raise by ________.
| A．pleasing your boss |
| B．destroying your colleagues’ cars |
| C．making your colleagues come late |
| D．getting up earlier than your colleagues |
The family members threw their food in the dustbin because ________.
| A．they wanted to eat out |
| B．they didn’t like the food with raisins |
| C．they wanted to have a peaceful meal |
| D．they thought their food had been ruined |
The topic of the passage is how to ________.
| A．make a harmless revenge |
| B．silence gossiping friends |
| C．avoid talkative family members |
| D．deal with annoying coworkers |