In high school, “cool” is the rule, so teenagers will do anything to avoid possibly embarrassing situations.
But not Samantha Elton, 15. She seeks them out. And if she can make a fool of herself as in the process, well, that’s even better.
For the past two years, Elton, has been a practitioner of improvisation, doing things that others would be embarrassed to consider.
Elton is a member of High School Jesters, a group that teaches improvisation techniques to students. The group was founded two years ago by Nicholas Kopatich, himself a keen improviser.
“I was sitting in my dorm room and some friends were having chats about comedy and improvisation,” Kopatich recalls. They asked for lessons after Kopatich told them he had improvisation experience. The small group turned out to be pretty good at it, so they did a show for the dorm. And things snowballed.
While even her mother marvels at Elton’s ability to get up in front of audience without a script to fall back on, the teen enjoys such opportunities. Performing improvisation comes with a certain freedom that theater doesn’t provide.
“What I like about it the most is that I don’t have to be a certain character or a certain way, and because of that I can’t get anything wrong,” Elton says, “I get to write the story while I’m doing it.”
Monica Elton, Samantha’s mom, thinks the workshops are a valuable outlet that a lot of students may not get in their schools. High school kids don’t usually like to act silly or look uncool, she says, but improvisation teaches them that it’s OK to have flaws.
“I like to think we give kids positively that allows them to gain confidence,” says Brent Mukai, a High School Jesters instructor. The great thing about improvisation is that it is an art form that is open to anyone. But there’s more to it than getting up in front of audience and telling jokes or acting silly.
“You don’t need to be the most amazing actress to be an improviser,” Samantha Elton says, “It’s really a place where I can show people my creativity. I can paint pictures for people and entertain others.”
It’s really free.What do we know about improvisation?
| A．Performers act as a certain character. |
| B．Performers need a script to act on. |
| C．Performers intend to make audience embarrassed. |
| D．Performers develop the story as they are playing. |
According to Monica, practicing improvisation made Elton _______.
| A．treat flaws as normal things |
| B．accept cool as the rule |
| C．avoid doing embarrassing things |
| D．care about what others comment on her |
It can be inferred that Kopatich formed High School Jesters _______.
| A．on purpose | B．by accident |
| C．for business | D．out of curiosity |
The passage mainly tells us that ________.
| A．teens make a fool of themselves |
| B．teens perform improvisation to be cool |
| C．teens express creativity through arts |
| D．teens gain confidence in the improvisation |
Global financial big dogs are no match for China's "Da Ma", or housewives, who have crowded into gold stores across China, buying up 300 tons of gold over the past two weeks. No wonder gold prices have steadied after taking a dive.
During the May Day holiday, gold stores were crowded with mostly female customers. Most of them are middle-aged "Chinese housewives". This group of buyers has risen to fame recently. They are big spenders and are desperate to get their hands on a bargain. "I bought some gold jewellery and kept them as a gift for my son when he gets married," said a buyer from Shanghai.
The gold business is skyrocketing. "Our sales are growing by the day. Yesterday we sold more than ten million yuan of gold products," a gold store salesperson said. The gold rush in China started about two weeks ago thanks to a decline in global gold prices. Media reports suggest that Chinese housewives have spent about 100 billion yuan, or about 16 billion US dollars, purchasing 300 tons of gold since mid-April. That has helped support gold prices.
"Gold prices depressed since the middle of last month but have risen gradually. That is mainly due to the strong demand from Asian markets," said foreign trader Zhang Chen from Industrial & Commercial Bank of China. "Some people even joked that Chinese housewives have beaten Wall Street analysts." For Chinese people, with limited investment options, the only thing better than buying gold is buying gold at discount prices.What does the author mean by the underlined sentence of the first paragraph?
| A．The global big dogs can’t match with Chinese housewives. |
| B．China's "Da Ma" help a lot to support the global economic crisis. |
| C．Chinese housewives spend a great deal of money on gold. |
| D．Chinese housewives have a better consumption idea than global financial big dogs. |
The whole passage mainly developed_______ ?
| A．by comparison | B．by contrast | C．by quotation | D．by time order |
We can infer about the gold rush in China from the passage?
| A．The Chinese housewives are most willing to spend money in buying gold. |
| B．China's "Da Ma" crowded into stores to get gold as the best gifts for sons when they get married. |
| C．China's "Da Ma" are bigger spenders and cleverer than global financial big dogs. |
| D．China’s "Da Ma" become the largest gold buyers due to a decline in global gold prices. |
The author’s description about the passage is ______.
| A．negative | B．subjective | C．doubtful | D．objective |
InChina, people usually set off firecrackers to celebrate Spring Festival. But this year seemed very quiet. It was really different. A man called Zhang Wei was asked by a reporter in an interview. He said that his friends and he hadn’t set off a single firecracker.
“We all suffered from last month’s smog(雾霾). If we don’t call an end to the firecracker, the environment will get worse and worse during the holiday.” Said Zhang Wei. He put up a notice in his community inJinan, the capital of ShandongProvince. In the notice, he called on more people to set off fewer firecrackers during this year’s Spring Festival holiday.
Lots of parents agreed with Zhang Wei’s idea. They said that they hated the noise of firecrackers. The noise used to wake up their babies too early. The babies really needed quiet mornings,
More Chinese looked forward to celebrating the holiday in a greener way. They decided not to set off firecrackers. They also decided not to waste food. They said that the new celebrations sounded fashionable.
“My family didn’t buy any fireworks this year. Instead, we donated the money to charity. It’s good for the environment and charity as well.” Internet user “Fighter” wrote on Sina Weibo.How do people usually celebrate Spring Festival inChina?
| A．By setting off firecrackers. |
| B．By donating the money to charity. |
| C．By not wasting food. |
| D．By putting up a notice. |
Lots of parents hated the noise of firecrackers because____.
| A．they couldn’t afford to buy them. |
| B．firecrackers were too expensive. |
| C．the noise might wake up their babies. |
| D．firecrackers might cause fire |
More people decided _____.
| A．not to get together |
| B．not to set off firecrackers |
| C．not to throw away more food |
| D．to call an end to all the celebrations |
What’s the best title for the passage?
| A．Don’t Waste Food | B．Spring Festival Celebrations |
| C．Spring Festival Goes Green | D．Firecrackers and Noise |
Winter is a very special time in Northern Norway. Winter also means skiing, and Narvik can offer some of the best skiing in Norway. The view and light change frequently and no two days are the same. For many people, the northern lights are an unforgettable sight, and in Narvik the sky is especially clear and great for watching at night.
The tourist season lasts from February to April, although May can be fascinating too, often with fantastic dry snow and an unbelievable light lasting well into the evening.
Ski hire
It is possible for adults and children to hire skiing equipment such as snowboards. All equipment is prepared for us. If you would like to book your equipment, please email Narvikfjellet.
Cross-country skiing
There are 12 kilometers of cross country ski run in Narvik. You need to bring your own skis as there is no cross-country hire. However, equipment can be bought at local sports shops in and around Narvik.
Off-piste skiing（非场地滑雪）
In order to explore Narvik’s off-piste opportunities you need to know the dangers when choosing routes. It is suggested that you bring necessary equipment such as a shovel（雪铲）and a GPS locator. Ask Narvikfjellet for an experienced guide. With a guide you can explore Narvik’s special off-piste areas in a safe manner.
Sometimes it is nice to do something different and not everybody enjoys skiing. Then you can go horse-riding, or visit the local museums.
Price examples for the 2012--2013 season
Time Children(8-15years) Adults
1 day NOK 230 NOK 325
3 days NOK 590 NOK 835
5 days NOK 815 NOK 1,170
7 daysNOK 970 NOK 1,375
Children 0-7 years can enjoy the service for freeIn Northern Norway, the tourist season may last ______.
| A．one month | B．two months | C．three months | D．four months |
What can we know from the passage?
| A．You can book skiing equipment through the Internet. |
| B．You are provided with skiing equipment for free. |
| C．Narvik is located in the south of Norway. |
| D．Narvik is open to adults and children over eight. |
If Mr. and Mrs. Smith stay in Narvik with their six-year-old daughter for three days in 2012,they should pay ______.
| A．NOK 1,160 | B．NOK 1,425 |
| C．NOK 1,670 | D．NOK 2,260 |
My Garden
-----by Nelson Mandela
In early 1977, the authorities (当局) announced the physical labour and arranged some kind of work for us to do in the courtyard. The free time also allowed me to hunt what became two of my favorite hobbies in Robben Island---gardening and tennis.
To survive in prison, one must develop ways to take satisfaction in one's daily life. One can feel fulfilled (充实) by washing one's clothes so that they are particularly clean. Just as one takes pride in important tasks outside of prison, one can find the same pride in doing small things inside prison. Almost from the beginning of my sentence on Robben Island, I asked the authorities for permission to start a garden in the courtyard. For years, they refused without offering a reason. But finally they gave in, and we were able to cut out a small garden in the prison.
The soil in the courtyard was dry and rocky. In order to start my garden, I had to remove a great many rocks to allow the plant room to grow.
The authorities supplied me with seeds. At first, I planned tomatoes and onions, because these plants did not require rich earth or constant care. The early harvests were poor, but they soon improved.
I began to order books on gardening. I studied different gardening techniques and types of fertilizers (肥料). For a time, I tried to grow peanuts, and used different soils and fertilizers, but finally I gave up. It was one of my few failures.
A garden was one of the few things in prison that one could control. The processes of planting a seed, watching it grow, taking care of it and then harvesting it offered a simple but long-lasting satisfaction. The sense of being the owner of the small patch of earth offered a small taste of freedom.Mandela's hobbies on Robben Island were ____.
| A．hunting and physical labour |
| B．gardening and tennis |
| C．washing his clothes |
| D．gardening techniques and types of fertilizers |
When did Mandela ask the prison authorities for the permission to start a small garden?
| A．Soon after 1997. |
| B．Some time in early 1977. |
| C．Almost as soon as he went to prison there. |
| D．Long after he went to prison there. |
Why did Mandela wash his clothes especially clean although he was in prison?
| A．To show he could do it as well as others. |
| B．To get some sense of pride and satisfaction from it. |
| C．To show others that he preferred to be clean. |
| D．To gain the authorities' permission to start a garden. |
Hard as he tried, he failed ____ at last.
| A．to get a sense of satisfaction and freedom |
| B．to grow tomatoes and onions |
| C．to grow peanuts |
| D．to get the same pride inside prison. |
Studies show farmland in Africa is often lacking in important nutrients. But researchers say combining different farming methods may help.
Since the world food crisis several years ago, researchers have directed more of their attention to small farms. Most farms in areas south of the Sahara Desert are only about one or two hectares. One of the goals is to increase production without necessarily clearing more land to grow additional crops.
American researchers say that can happen with greater use of an agricultural system called perennation. It mixes food crops with trees and perennial plants – those that return year after year.
Mr. Reganold, who is with Washington State University, says poor soil may have resulted from years of weathering that washed away many nutrients. He says some farmers may have done more harm than good.
He estimates that up to two billion dollars worth of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium is lost from African soil each year.
The scientist says the word perennation defines three systems that are already used in Africa. The oldest of the three is called evergreen agriculture. This is where farmers plant trees with their crops. John Reganold says farmers in Africa have been doing this for sixty years, but it seems to be growing in popularity.
The method is gaining widespread use in countries such as Niger, Burkina Faso, Malawi and Zambia. The trees are planted among maize, millet or sorghum crops. They not only add nitrogen to the soil through their roots, but also through their leaves when they fall off and break down. At other times of the year, the trees can protect plants from strong sunlight.
Mr. Reganold was one of three researchers who wrote a report about perennation. It was published in the journal Nature.Farmland in Africa ________.
| A．is often small in size |
| B．can produce more than enough crops for Africans |
| C．is short of important nutrients |
| D．has got the attention of scientists around the world |
Researchers focused their attention on small farmlands for the reason that ________.
| A．Africa was going through a food crisis |
| B．most farms in areas south of the Sahara Desert are small |
| C．there are not enough farmlands |
| D．farmers may grow additional crops on farmland |
The word“perennation”mentioned in this passage ________.
| A．is a farming method of planting food crops with trees |
| B．is a new farming method |
| C．can help African people produce more food than they need |
| D．is gaining widespread use around the world |
We can infer from the passage that ________.
| A．perennation will be widely used by farmers in Africa |
| B．American government will help African countries increase food production |
| C．African countries is short of farmland |
| D．some farmers are destroying their farmland in Africa on purpose |
This report is mostly likely to be a journal of ________.
| A．food | B．environment | C．agriculture | D．gardening |