When my family moved to America in 2010 from a small village in Guangdong, China, we brought not only our luggage, but also our village rules, customs and culture. One of the rules is that young people should always respect elders. Unluckily, this rule led to my very first embarrassment in the United States.
I had a part-time job as a waiter in a Chinese restaurant. One time, when I was serving food to a middle-aged couple, the wife asked me how the food could be served so quickly. I told her that I had made sure they got their food quickly because I always respect the elderly. As soon as I said that, her face showed great displeasure. My manager, who happened to hear what I said, took me aside and gave me a long lecture about how sensitive(敏感) Americans are and how they dislike the description “old”. I then walked back to the table and apologized to the wife. After the couple heard my reason, they understood that the problem was caused by cultural differences, so they laughed and were no longer angry.
In my village in China, people are proud of being old. Not so many people live to be seventy or eighty, and people who reach such an age have the most knowledge and experience. Young people always respect older people because they know they can learn from their rich experience.
However, in the United States, people think “growing old” is a problem since “old” shows that a person is going to retire or that the body is not working well. Here many people try to keep themselves away from growing old by taking exercise, and women put on makeup, hoping to look young. When I told the couple in the restaurant that I respect the elderly, they got angry because this caused them to feel they had failed to stay young. I had told them something they didn’t want to hear.
After that, I changed the way I had been with older people. It is not that I don’t respect them any more; I still respect them, but now I don’t show my feelings through words.Jack brought the couple their food very fast because _______.
| A．the manager asked him to do so |
| B．he respected the elderly |
| C．the couple wanted him to do so |
| D．he wanted more money |
When Jack called the couple “elderly”, they became _______.
| A．nervous | B．satisfied |
| C．unhappy | D．excited |
In Jack’s hometown, _______.
| A．people dislike being called “old” |
| B．young people can learn from old people’s experience |
| C．many people reach the age of seventy or eighty |
| D．the elderly are the first to get food in restaurants |
After this experience, Jack _______.
| A．lost his job in the restaurant |
| B．made friends with the couple |
| C．no longer respected the elderly |
| D．changed his way with old people |
Which of the following is TRUE?
| A．The more Jack explained, the angrier the couple got. |
| B．Jack wanted to show his feelings through words after his experience. |
| C．The manager went back to the table and apologized to the couple. |
| D．From this experience, Jack learned more about American culture. |
（Published March 30, 2011）Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity might have a few mistakes—and Jake Barnett has set out to prove it. Between attending college classes at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and tutoring his fellow students, Jake is also working on a new theory about the creation of the universe. He happens to be 12 years old.
From an early age, Jake showed an extraordinary interest in stars. When he was 3, his parents took him to a space observatory. He tried to learn as much as he could about astronomy. Jake’s IQ measured remarkably high at 170.
As a baby, Jake was found out with Asperser’s syndrome, a form of autism (孤独症). Autism causes difficulties in communication and social abilities. People with autism may also have strong interests—like Jake’s interest in the stars at a young age.
The symptoms of autism can range from mild to extremely severe. Asperser’s is one of the milder forms of autism. Sometimes people with Asperser’s, like Jake, develop extremely advanced skills in science, music or art.
When Jake was in elementary school, his parents worried that the effects of his Asperser’s were worsening. He became quiet. And he was withdrawing from people. So a doctor recommended that Jake’s parents let him study more advanced subjects, like math and physics.
Jake’s mother asked an astronomy professor to let Jake sit in on his class. Now, Jake studies advanced sciences like electromagnetic physics at IUPUI.
But Jake thinks it’s important to have a normal life too. He likes to play Guitar Hero with his friends and watch science fiction movies. He also enjoys playing classical music on the piano.But for Jake, studying physics is the most important thing. Jake’s professor, John Ross, is working on getting a large sum of money for him to do research at the university.
Doctors have said Jake’s autism symptoms have lessened over time. Still, Jake proudly refers to himself as an “Aspy”, or someone with Asperser’s. In an interview with his university student newspaper, he said, “I think the autism is the reason I’m even at IUPUI.”What did Jake want to do at IUPUI?
| A．Get a degree in astronomy. |
| B．Put forward his own theory in physics. |
| C．Become an Albert Einstein in the future. |
| D．Teach his fellow students Theory of Relativity. |
Which of the following is the correct order of the events that happened to Jake?
a. He set out to disprove Einstein’s theory.
b. He was interested in astronomy.
c. He began to study math and physics.
d. He was found out with a mild form of autism.
| A．b-d-c-a | B．d-b-c-a | C．b-a-c-d | D．d-c-b-a |
The underlined sentence in the passage means ______.
| A．he was unable to help others |
| B．he was impolite to other people |
| C．he was afraid of seeing other people |
| D．he was only concerned about learning |
In the eyes of Jake, autism is something ______.
| A．not worth worrying about |
| B．annoying |
| C．not necessary to know about |
| D．embarrassing |
In the past, if a person wanted to see the national treasures of a country, one had to go there in person. Therefore, very few people were able to enjoy some of history’s most important and interesting artifacts (手工艺品). This has changed with an increase in the number of traveling museum exhibitions.
King Tutankhamen Artifacts
A traveling exhibition of artifacts from the tomb of King Tutankhamen, popularly known as “King Tut”, toured the United States from November 1976 to April 1979. The 55 objects were shown in six cities and were seen by around eight million museum-goers. The second touring exhibit was started in 2007, this time with 130 artifacts and stops in London and three different American cities. However some objects, like the king’s golden face mask, are too valuable or too delicate to be transported long distances, so “replicas” (exact copies of something) are on show.
Japanese Color Woodblock Prints
The Art Museum at University of Virginia, in Charlottesville, Virginia, has an extraordinary collection of Japanese color woodblock prints (木刻版画). These prints document the period from about 1850 to 1900, a time when Japan was opening itself to Western influences. Before this point, Japan was a closed society that had little communication with the world outside of its borders. These works of art beautifully show the feeling of change and the trend toward modernization. The museum has put together a traveling exhibition of 60 of these prints, which can be borrowed and exhibited worldwide for periods of eight weeks or more.
Face-to-face with “Lucy”
One of the world’s most famous archaeological (考古学的) finds in history are the 3.2 million-year-old bones of a 106-centimeter-tall female found in the Ethiopian desert in 1974. Lucy, a name given to her by the discovery team, is a “hominid”, or a creature that scientists believe is the earliest ancestor of modern human beings. Rarely is an artifact this valuable allowed to travel widely, but Lucy has been taken to several museums in the U.S. while a detailed replica remains at the Ethiopian Natural History Museum.What do we learn about King Tutankhamen’s artifacts?
| A．The artifacts were shown in London first. |
| B．The artifacts were on show in the United States once. |
| C． The second touring exhibit showed more artifacts than the first one. |
| D．The king’s golden face mask was also shown in the traveling exhibitions. |
What do the Japanese woodblock prints show about the society from 1850 to 1900?
| A．Japan had little communication with other countries. |
| B．The whole country refused changes in the society. |
| C．Japan was opening itself up to Western ideas. |
| D．Japan achieved modernization. |
Who is Lucy according to the passage?
| A．An archaeologist. |
| B．The ancestor of modern human beings. |
| C．A 106-centimeter-tall female who died in 1974. |
| D．The first woman who visited the Ethiopian desert. |
A Japanese company has ordered its employees to get the same hairstyles--- to help save energy.
Tokyo-based Maeda Corporation has announced the move as part of a national campaingn to cut energy use.
Since Fukushima nuclear plant was destroyed in the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in March, 2011, the county’s government has asked its people to slash their energy consumption.
Men are expected to sport a short back-and-sides, slightly longer on the top, while women have been asked to wear short hair with a fringer (刘海) that can be swept to one side.
Chizuru Inoue, a spokesman for Maeda Crop, said: “Our company is very devoted to protecting the environment and we encourage our staff to adopt many environment-friendly actions.”
“We are not sure of the data yet, but we believe if people have short hair they do not need to use their hairdryers for so long and they will use less water. If all our staff do this, then it may save a lot of power.”
There is another advantage for employees of the construction firm, Ms. Inoue added, as it is easier to make short hair neat again after staff had been wearing hard hats. She said a lot of staff had been calling for information on where they can get their hair cut in the correct style.
Following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in March, Japan has been struggling to produce enough electricity for the tsunami ended production at the Fukushima plant. The disaster resulted in a review of the country’s energy policy that now means less than a quarter of its remaining nuclear plants are in use. The government has talked about a move away from nuclear energy towards more sustainable (可持续性的) technologies. Many government institutions have taken measures to save power, including a reduced use of air-conditioning in offices and schools.What does the underlined word ”slash” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
| A．Stop | B．Maintain |
| C．Change | D．Reduce |
According to Chizuru Inoue, there are ____ advantages for the employees to have short hair.
| A．2 | B．3 | C．4 | D．5 |
What can we infer from the last paragraph?
| A．Japan can provide enough electricity for its people. |
| B．The present situation of Japan’s energy is worrying. |
| C．Sustainable technologies are replacing nuclear energy. |
| D．One fourth of Japan’s nuclear plants are out of order. |
What’s the main idea of the text?
| A．Japan takes steps to protect the environment. |
| B．Japan is moving towards sustainable technologies. |
| C．A Japanese company takes measures to save energy. |
| D．Japan starts a campaign to save energy across the country. |
“I can’t live without my mobile phone!” is what I often hear people say as they talk about how mobiles have become an essential part of their lives.
The all so common sight of heads bent, eyes staring at mobile screens and fingers busy tapping away repeats itself across major cities around the world. Whenever there is a moment to spare while on the train, taxi or waiting in a queue, people busy themselves with their mobile phones.
Some people believe our unhealthy obsession(着迷) with mobile phones is destroying how we appreciate the little things in life or miss the moments that matter. The truth is that technology overall should be seen as just a tool to improve our lives.
Mobile phones have certainly had a great influence on our lives, but I truly believe it is for the better.
It’s changed the way we communicate, whether for work or play. We are now less constrained(限制)by time and geographical location. With my mobile phone, I can dial into conference calls while stuck in a traffic jam, or reply to urgent e-mails while on the go. I can send a text message or share photos and videos with friends who aren’t living in the same country. My phone calendar keeps my life organized, and even Facebook, Twitter, and instant messaging are now accessible from mobile phones!
The mobile revolution isn’t just changing the lives of urbanities (都市人) like myself. I know of a young Bangladeshi woman named Shompa Akhter who is crazy about fashion and design. She dreamt about starting her own business and she did just that, opening a shop in Kushtia featuring her own creations. Dealing with supplies in different towns was a problem for Shompa --- purchase orders had to either be hand delivered or mailed out to supplies. Shompa also found it tough publicizing her business to potential customers outside her town. But once she learnt to operate the mobile phone, she was addicted. The 25-year-old businesswoman now stays in touch easily with her suppliers. Mobile e-mail is a blessing in her life.
Who would have thought that mobility could bring about such enormous change? It shouldn’t really be a surprise though.In the first two paragraphs, the author wants to show ____.
| A．mobile phones make people communicate less |
| B．mobile phones make people’s life more enjoyable |
| C．people’s health is greatly affected by mobile phones |
| D．people become addicted to mobile phones in daily life |
What’s the author’s attitude towards mobile phones? .
| A．Doubtful | B．Supportive |
| C．Critical | D．Uninterested |
Paragraph 5 is mainly about__________.
| A．New functions of mobile phones |
| B．New changes in Information Age |
| C．The advantages of mobile phones |
| D．The author’s personal experiences |
How is the text mainly developed?
| A．By inferring. | B．By analysing causes. |
| C．By giving examples. | D．By comparing different ideas. |
If you are interested in animals, you probably heard about the tragedy at Seaworld Orlando. On February 24, Tillicum, a six-ton orca(虎鲸)，was performing with his trainer, Dawn Brancheau, who stood on a platform by his pool.
They had done the same show together many times before, without incident. This time, though, events took a terrible turn. Without warning, Tillicum leaped from the water, took hold of Branchcheau by her hair, and dragged her deep below the water’s surface. Before other trainers could react, Brancheau drowned.
Although known as killer whales, orcas are the largest member of the dolphin family. They are easy to train, and performances like Tillicum’s have been done safely thousands of times. Yet Dawn Brancheau’s death was a shocking reminder of what can happen when human being act together with wild animals. People began to ask, “Should orcas be kept in captivity(囚禁)”
Yes
Worldwide, only 42 orcas are being kept by humans. Scientists know very little about these huge sea animals, which are difficult to study in the wild. However, they do know that orcas are easily harmed by pollution. As our oceans become ever more damaged by human activity, observing orcas up close helps us understand them and do a better job of protecting them in nature.
“I think that some dangerous animals, such as killer whales, should be kept in captivity because it raises awareness about them and educates people about wild animals,” says Lauren, 12, a 6-grader from Colorado. “Keeping some in captivity will help protect their species.”
No
Enclosed habitats can be painful to wild animals, and make them act in unpredictable even harmful ways.
“It is wrong to keep these animals in captivity”, says Prathm, 12. The 7th-grader from New Jersey, adds, “They should live in their own habitats, not be used as entertainment slaves.”
Richard Ellis, a marine conservationist in New York, agrees. “It is part of human nature to keep wild animals in small spaces and train them to do tricks,” he says. “I’ m against it because I think it humiliates the animals.”Why does the author tell the tragedy of Dawn Brancheau?
| A．To introduce the topic. |
| B．To express his sympathy. |
| C．To describe the human-animal relationship. |
| D．To warn people of the danger of keeping animals. |
What can we infer from the text?
| A．It is hard to train orcas. |
| B．Orcas are rare sea animals. |
| C．Orcas’ habitat is being destroyed. |
| D．Many orcas are hunted each year. |
The underlined word ”humiliates” in the last paragraph most probably means “ _____”.
| A．makes somebody less intelligent |
| B．makes somebody feel ashamed |
| C．makes somebody physically weak |
| D．makes somebody feel threatened |
The text is mainly about_______.
| A．how to help animals live a better life |
| B．how to develop friendship with animals |
| C．whether killer whales should be protected |
| D．whether animals should be kept in captivity |