Last December, I performed 30 shows in 11 days. I knew it would be a tiring tour before I set off, but I just wanted to be there to support our men and women.
From the minute I walked onstage the afternoon I arrived at the army, the soldiers were cheering， singing along at the top of their voices. I had done hundreds of concerts, but it was my first time to perform for troops. Looking at the smiling faces of these soldiers—some of them only teenagers—I felt great joy moving through me. They were the loveliest fans I had ever met. Then，from out of nowhere , words came into my head. “I want to play you something new. ”a song just came in my head minutes ago. It's called Here With Me, ” I told them. Cheers rang out. As I sang, I could see the tears in some of the soldiers' eyes. I finished to thunderous applause.
At the autograph (亲笔签名)part afterward，one of the soldiers took out a picture of a high school student. “This is my girl. You know, I miss her so much,”he said. “That new song you sang meant so much to me. Those were the words I've always wanted to tell her. ”
I realized that the song wasn't about me and that it was, in fact，a gift for these men and women. I played it in every concert after that, always with the same unbelievable reaction.
On the long plane ride home I kept thinking about the soldiers I'd met. They risked their lives every day to defend our country, yet they were grateful for a simple concert. I decided to record the new song to thank our men and women in uniform (制服). Which of the following words can best take the place of the word "troops"in the second paragraph?
| A．Officials. |
| B．Teenagers. |
| C．Soldiers. |
| D．Students. |
When the author performed on the stage, he felt __________.
| A．pleased |
| B．nervous |
| C．confident |
| D．worried |
What might be the topic of the new song?
| A．The tiring army life. |
| B．The danger of being a soldier. |
| C．The excitement of going to a concert. |
| D．The family one misses. |
Scrooge looked around him angrily. It was Christmas and his only friend Jacob Marley, had been dead for seven years. What was there for him to celebrate? He listened with growing anger to the people calling out greetings in the street and growled at his nephew Bob Cratchit, who was just ready to go home. “Merry Christmas, uncle,” called Bob as he hurried out of the door.
Scrooge sighed. He might just as well go to bed. Aware that he should not waste his candle, he quickly undressed and climbed into bed. But no sooner had he done so than the ghost of Marley, covered in chains, appeared. “What’s the matter, Jacob?” he asked. “There are the chains I made in my life,” answered the ghost. “I’m forced to wander around with no rest and no peace. I have come here to warn you that if you do not change, this too will be your fate. You will be visited by three spirits. Expect the first one tomorrow when the clock strikes one. Expect the second and the third on the following nights at the same hour.” With that Marley vanished. “Nonsense!” he said and going back to bed, fell fast asleep.
When Scrooge awoke it was dark. The clock struck one. At the sound, light flashed into the room and there stood a young boy. “Who are you?” asked Scrooge in an unsteady voice. “I’m the spirit of Christmas past,” replied the spirit. “Come with me.” “Do you remember this?” he asked. Scrooge did. He heard the happy cries of people, and looking around he found himself, as he used to be, sitting on a chair and reading. It was a Christmas. Suddenly Scrooge watched his younger self joined in a band, dancing and laughing. “Strange,” said the spirit, “that such little things should make people so happy.” The ghost let him go and Scrooge sank down into a deep sleep.
When he awoke again the second night, the clock sounded one again. Before he doubted the second spirit already turned up. The fat and jolly spirit was smiling,“I’m the spirit of Christmas present.”Again Scrooge grasped the spirit’s hand and was transported to a small house filled with a number of children and their mother. “Why, it’s my nephew Bob’s house,” cried Scrooge in astonishment. His surprise increased when the door opened and in came Bob carrying a small, sick boy, Tiny Tim. “Sit down,” cried Bob to his family. “Let’s have the best Christmas dinner!” They all began to eat eagerly. Scrooge watched at the happiness and contentment of his poor nephew’s family. “A Merry Christmas to us all!” cried Bob. “God bless us everyone!” added Tiny Tim, who sat very close to his father and Bob held his thin hand tightly. “No, not for the uncle, but for you and the children. Nobody knows better than you how mean that man is.” exclaimed Bob’s wife. “Spirit,” cried Scrooge. “Will Tiny Tim live?” “If the future remains the same,” said the spirit, “there will be an empty chair next year.” Again the spirit moved Scrooge away, and he fell asleep as he fell back into his bed.
The third night he woke and waited for the hour and the third spirit. This time the spirit didn’t come in a flash of light but arrived quietly wearing a black cloth that covered its face and form. “I’m the spirit of Christmas that is to come.” The spirit pointed and led him to a large stone. It was at the foot of a grave(坟墓) that was clearly neglected. Scrooge looked closer with trembling fingers and with horror read his own name on the stone. “Oh, spirit, no, no!” The spirit’s finger remained steady pointing at the grave. “I will honour Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year,” cried Scrooge in terror. He reached out to hold the spirit’s hand, but it slipped away. Scrooge looked around him. he saw he was in his own bed with his own thing around him.
“I have learned from the past, present and the future,” he rushed to the window and shouted to the boys below: “What day is it today?” “Why, it’s Christmas Day,” they replied in amazement. “Wonderful,” cried Scrooge. He rushed to his office to wait for Bob. When he entered, Scrooge pretended to look angry. “Do you know what day it is, my boy?” he asked Bob. “I’m not going to stand for this any longer,” he continued, “and so I’m going to raise your salary.” Bob looked amazed. “A Merry Christmas, Bob,” cried Scrooge slapping him on the back. “I want to help you and your family. Let’s talk about it this very afternoon.”What do the underlined words “growled at” mean in the first paragraph?
| A．said happily to | B．said calmly to |
| C．said slowly to | D．said angrily to |
From the second paragraph, we can learn that ________.
| A．Scrooge was even mean to himself |
| B．Scrooge believed what his friend told him |
| C．Marley lived with chains before his death |
| D．Marley came to say “Merry Christmas” to Scrooge |
When did Scrooge meet three spirits?
| A．At Christmas Eve. |
| B．On the 3 different nights before Christmas. |
| C．On Christmas Day. |
| D．On the 3 different days before Christmas. |
Which is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Scrooge died the next year. |
| B．Bob’s son, Tiny Tim, died the next year. |
| C．There is more than one child in Bob’s family. |
| D．The third spirit showed Scrooge his well-cared-for grave. |
What do you think Scrooge would be in the following years?
| A．Kind and poor. | B．Kind and generous. |
| C．Happy and mean. | D．Miserable and mean. |
Which of the following saying best describes the passage?
| A．No pains, no gains. |
| B．Actions speak louder than words. |
| C．A friend in need is a friend indeed. |
| D．It will pay to be kind to others. |
Pupils remember more and behave better when 3D images are used in lessons, research suggests. They are quicker to learn and absorb new concepts, and display higher levels of concentration.
Professor Anne Bamford studied the effectiveness of 3D content in 15 schools across seven countries. In each school, one class studied science in 2D classes and another did the same lesson using 3D resources. Pupils in 3D classes could remember more than those in 2D classes after four weeks, improving test scores by an average of 17 percent compared with 8 percent for 2D lessons.
The researchers commented that the pupils in the 3D groups had deeper understanding, increased attention span, more motivation and higher engrossment in the lessons.
One teacher in the study said, “ In class with 3D you have the ‘wow’ effect. The pupils are too interested to be disruptive(制造混乱的). They get involved and forget to be naughty.” Another said, “The class certainly pay more attention to the learning in the 3D classes. They are more focused. That is important in this class --- eight out of the 26 pupils in this class have attention problems, so I am thrilled with the impact of 3D. They are really attentive.” The study also found that teachers could use the 3D animations without specific training. Schools would need 3D-enabled projectors(放映机), laptops with good graphic capabilities, 3D software and glasses for children to introduce animations into classrooms.
But Danny Nicholson, from the Association of Science Education, said the technology would be impractical to use in schools and could be too expensive. He said, “While I think the idea of 3D technology is very interesting --- and I’m speaking as a fan of interactive whiteboards and projectors as a technology in the classroom --- I worry that 3D is a bit of an expensive gimmick (小玩意儿). There are a few cases where a true 3D image might help, but a lot of the time, good 2D models that can be moved, would be just as effective.”
In Colorado, the US, one school district is already in the process of having 1,000 3D projectors installed in classrooms. And the University of California, which carries out scientific research into the Lake Tahoe Basin, has used 3D presentations with Grade Six pupils. Those who watched the 3D presentations were more engaged and reported a general increase in their interest in science compared with students who watched the 2D version.What method did Professor Bamford use to prove the advantages of 3D lessons?
| A．Argument. | B．Description. |
| C．Comparison. | D．Narration. |
What does the underlined word “engrossment” in the third paragraph probably mean?
| A．Encouragement. | B．Concentration. |
| C．Contribution. | D．Consequence. |
Teachers think pupils in 3D classes ____________.
| A．find it hard to concentrate on the lesson |
| B．are too naughty to get involved in 2D classes. |
| C．have less motivation and lower engagement in the lesson |
| D．have deeper understanding and increased attention span |
Which of the following statement is TRUE?
| A．3D presentations have been used with Grade Six pupils throughout the US. |
| B．3D technology would replace 2D models in the future. |
| C．Teachers would use the 3D technology by training. |
| D．Many pupils are now more interested in science than before. |
What can we learn from Paragraph 5?
| A．2D will be replaced by 3D because it is neither interesting nor effective. |
| B．Danny Nicholson tends to think that 3D is only a bit of gimmick. |
| C．3D would be impractical to use in schools because of finance problem. |
| D．Danny Nicholson doesn’t like to use whiteboards and projectors in the classroom. |
What is the article mainly about?
| A．How schools can make full use of 3D technology. |
| B．Pupils behave better when 3D images are used in classes. |
| C．2D models are always more effective than 3D images. |
| D．The differences between 3D and 2D images. |
Top 8 food and beverage（饮品）companies in China
No 1 COFCO Group
COFCO Group is the largest company of various products and services in the agricultural products and food industry in China. It is devoted to providing healthy and nutritious food, as well as contributing to improvement of people’s living standards and social development.
No 2 Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co Ltd
Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co Ltd is a dairy company. It is engaged in processing and producing milk products, including ice cream, milk powder, milk tea powder and fresh milk under “Yili”brand. It is headquartered（总部位于）in Hohhot. The company was an official sponsor of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
No 3 Shuanghui Group
Shuanghui Group is a privately-owned meat processing company headquartered in Luohe, Henan, China. The company’s businesses include pig raising, consumer meat products, and so on. It is the largest meat producer in China. On May 29, 2013, Shuanghui announced it would sell American pork producer Smithfield Foods Inc.
No 4 China Mengniu Dairy Co Ltd
China Mengniu Dairy Co Ltd is a producing company of dairy products and ice cream in China. The company is based in Inner Mongolia and produces dairy products under the Mengniu brand.
No 5 Bright Food (Group) Corp Ltd
Bright Food (Group) Co Ltd is a food and beverages company headquartered in Shanghai. Bright Food has four listed branches, Bright Dairy & Food Co Ltd, Shanghai First Provisions Store Co Ltd, Shanghai Maling Aquarius Co Ltd and Shanghai Haibo Co Ltd. The company got a 60 percent stake in the British breakfast cereals producer Weetabix Ltd in 2012 and agreed to acquire a 56 percent stake in the Israeli Dairy producer Tnuva in 2014.
No 6 Hangzhou Wahaha Group Co Ltd
Hangzhou Wahaha Group Co Ltd is a private company, and the largest non-alcoholic beverage producer in China. The company is headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.
No 7 Wuliangye Yibin Co Ltd
Wuliangye Yibin Co Ltd is a Chinese alcoholic beverage company. It specializes in producing baijiu, and is best known for Wuliangye. Headquartered in Yibin, Sichuan Province, the company sells its products all over the market at home and abroad.Wuliangye reportedly ranks first in terms of market share compared with other baijiu brands.
No 8 Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd
Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd is China’s largest company to produce beer. It was founded in 1903 by a German. The beer is produced in Qingdao in Shandong province and it gets its name from the city’s name. The beer’s present-day logo displays an image of Zhan Qiao, a famous pier on Qingdao’s southern shore.Which company was set up by a foreigner?
| A．Bright Food (Group) Corp Ltd. |
| B．Wuliangye Yibin Co Ltd. |
| C．Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd. |
| D．Shuanghui Group. |
Which two companies produce the similar products?
| A．Hangzhou Wahaha Group Co Ltd & Bright Food (Group) Corp Ltd |
| B．Wuliangye Yibin Co Ltd & COFCO Group |
| C．Shuanghui Group & Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd |
| D．Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co Ltd & China Mengniu Dairy Co Ltd |
What is the underlined word “pier” related to?
| A．a person | B．a place |
| C．a beer | D．a picture |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．Bright Food (Group) Corp Ltd got a 56 percent stake in the British breadfast cereals producer Weetabix Ltd in 2012. |
| B．Headquartered in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co Ltd was an official sponsor of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. |
| C．Hangzhou Wahaha Group Co Ltd is the largest state company producing non-alcoholic beverage. |
| D．Wuliangye Yibin Co Ltd, headquartered in Yibin, Henan, sells its products all over the world. |
One day, a young man was cleaning out his late grandfather’s belongings when he came across a bright red envelope. Written on the front were the words, “To my grandson.” Recognizing his grandfather’s handwriting, the young man opened the envelope. A letter inside read:
Dear Ronny,
Years ago you came to me for help. You said, “Grandpa, how is it that you’ve accomplished so much in your life? You’re still full of energy, and I’m already tired of struggling. How can I get that same enthusiasm that you’ve got?”
I didn’t know what to say to you then. But knowing my days are numbered, I figure that I owe you an answer. So here is what I believe.
I think a lot of it has to do with how a person looks at things. I call it “keeping your eyes wide open”.
When you meet up with challenges, welcome them. They’ll leave you wiser, stronger, and more capable than you were the day before. When you make a mistake, be grateful for the things it taught you. Resolve to use that lesson to help you reach your goals.
And always follow the rules, even the little ones. When you follow the rules, life works. If you think you ever really get by with breaking the rules, you’re only fooling yourself.
It’s also important to decide exactly what you want. Then keep your mind focused on it, and be prepared to receive it.
But be ready to end up in some new places, too. As you grow with the years, you’ll be given bigger shoes to fill. So be ready for endings as well as challenging beginnings.
Sometimes we have to be brave enough to move from the familiar to the unfamiliar. Life isn’t just reaching peaks. Part of it is moving from one peak to the next. If you rest too long in between, you might be tempted to quit. Leave the past in the past. Climb the next mountain and enjoy the view.
Remember that your choices will create your successes and your failures. So consider all the pathways ahead, and decide which ones to follow. Then believe in yourself, get up, and get going.
And be sure to take breaks once in a while. They’ll give you a renewed commitment to your dreams and a cheerful, healthy perception of the things that matter the most of you.
Most important of all, never give up on yourself. The person that ends up a winner is the one who resolves to win.Give life everything you’ve got, and life will give its best back to you.
Love always,
GrandpaThe young man’s grandpa wrote this letter to __________.
| A．recall his whole life |
| B．tell his grandson how great he was |
| C．explain how to keep passion |
| D．show how to succeed |
The underlined part “But knowing my days are numbered” implies that __________.
| A．grandpa could count days |
| B．grandpa’s each day was important |
| C．grandpa knew he was dying |
| D．grandpa was eager to tell the young man |
According to the passage, ____________.
| A．learning to give up is very important |
| B．we’d better stay in the familiar situation |
| C．obeying few rules doesn’t matter |
| D．taking breaks once in a while is good to us |
The young man’s grandpa may agree _____________.
| A．how a person looks at things has nothing to do with one’s future |
| B．we should be thankful for what mistakes teach us |
| C．successful life is just reaching peaks |
| D．it’s not so important to decide exactly what you want |
MOOCs, an acronym(缩写)for “massive open online courses,” mark an important, possibly revolutionary, development in education. These courses are online, free of charge, and open to anyone in the world who has a laptop and an Internet connection. Moreover, they are mainly offered by elite universities like Standford, Berkeley, Harvard and Columbia.
The courses, like normal college courses, are sequenced(按顺序排好)by difficulty, enabling students to progress from beginners to the advanced. The courses cover not only a broad range of technical subjects such as math and computer science, but also courses in the social sciences and the humanities (人文学科).
Though MOOCs are not offered for credit and degree, many students enroll in the courses for real skills or knowledge which they can put to some practical use. Some students even form online study groups, or in-person groups with students who live nearby.
The format seems superior to the traditional school class. The average quality of the lecturer is much higher, because students do not have to stick with a mediocre(平庸的) lecturer.
Besides, students can scroll back or forward—in short, they can go at their own learning speed, which they cannot do in a live lecture. And, of great importance, they do not have to travel anywhere to attend an online lecture. One can obtain a first-class American college education wherever he or she lives and however little money he or she has.
There is a problem of asking questions of the lecturer in a class of ten thousand students, but some MOOCs have solved it by allowing students to post questions online for a vote, and only the most popular questions are put to the lecturer.
In a knowledge era, lifelong learning is not confined to a traditional classroom. Of course, students enrolling in MOOCs cannot be compared with those who are in traditional universities, but we need to rethink what a “students” is.
Students in MOOCs are very clever, have work experience, and in many cases, have already developed a set of core competences. Moreover, they also offer unique international perspectives that would be the envy of any school classroom.Which of the following statements is NOT true about MOOCs?
| A．The word “MOOCs” is an acronym for “Massive open online campuses.” |
| B．Anyone who has a computer and an Internet connection can take MOOCs. |
| C．MOOCs are usually offered by first-class universities in the world.. |
| D．MOOCs may be a breakthrough in the development of education. |
Students enroll in MOOCs mainly for ________.
| A．credits | B．degrees | C．skills | D．study groups |
MOOCs seem to have an advantage over traditional school classes because________.
①the average quality of the lecturer is higher
②students can travel to many places when taking MOOCs
③students can learn at their own study pace
④there is a problem of asking questions in traditional classes
| A．①② | B．②③ | C．①③ | D．②④ |
Which word is the best to describe students enrolling in MOOCs?
| A．Mediocre | B．Creative |
| C．Practical | D．Competent |
Which of the following words does not have the same meaning as the underlined word “perspectives”in the last Paragraph?
| A．Vision | B．View |
| C．Outlook | D．Scenery |