Regarded as one of the English language's most gifted poets, John Keats wrote poetry that concentrated on imagery, human nature, and philosophy. Although Keats didn't receive much formal literary education, his own studies and passion brought him much success. Additionally, his own life situation influenced his poetry greatly.
Growing up as a young boy in London in a lower, middle-class family, the young John didn't attend a private school, but went to a public one. His teachers and his family's friends regarded him as an optimistic boy who favored playing and fighting much more than minding his studies. After his father's death in the early 1800s, followed by his mother's passing due to tuberculosis (肺结核), he began viewing life differently. He wanted to escape the world and did so by reading anything he could get his hands on.
At around the age of 16, the teenage John Keats began studying under a surgeon so that he too might become a doctor. However, his literary appetite had taken too much of his fancy, especially with his addiction to the poetry of Ehmund Spenser. He was able to have his first full poem published in the Examiner in 1816, entitled O Solitude! If I Must With Thee Dwell. Within two months in 1817, Keats had written an entire volume of poetry, but was sharply criticized by a magazine. However, the negative response didn't stop his pursuit of rhythm.
John Keats' next work was Endymion, which was published in May 1818. The story involves a shepherd who falls in love with the moon goddess and leads him on an adventure of one boy's hope to overcome the limitations of being human. Following Engymion, however, he tried something more narrative-based and wrote Isabella. During this time, John Keats began seeing his limitations in poetry due to his own limit in life experiences. He would have to have the "knowledge" associated with his poems. His next work was Hyperion that would attempt to combine all that he learned. However, a bout (发作) with tuberculosis while visiting Italy would keep him from his work and eventually take his life in 1821.John Keats' attitude towards life changed because of________.
A.his early education from school |
B.the criticism of a magazine |
C.Edmund Spenser's poetry |
D.the deaths of his parents |
What is the common thing between John Keats and his mother?
A.They read many books. |
B.They died of the same disease. |
C.They had a bad childhood. |
D.They showed strong interest in poetry. |
What do we know from the passage?
A.Keats once had a chance of becoming a doctor. |
B.Keats received little education at school. |
C.In 1816 Keats spent two months writing a poem. |
D.Endymion was about a real love story. |
While pursuing his dream of becoming a poet at first, John Keats was________.
A.knowledgeable | B.experienced |
C.determined | D.impatient |
What can we infer from the passage?
A.The poem Hyperion wasn't completed by Keats. |
B.Edmund Spenser was the greatest poet in Keats' time. |
C.It is likely that Keats rewrote his poem Isabella. |
D.Keats' family must have been very poor when he was young. |
Hilton English Language Center
Information for New Students
CLASS TIME: 9:00a.m.---10:30a.m., 11:00a.m.---12:30p.m., 1:30p.m.---3:00p.m.. The Language Center is open from Monday to Friday. Each class has one afternoon free per week. On the first day, go to the lecture hall to check your timetable.
SELF-ACCESS: The language laboratory (Room 1110) is open Monday to Friday from 3:15p.m. to 5:00p.m. for all full-time students.
You can learn how to use computers for language games or word-processing(文字处理). There are tapes for students to borrow to practice their English. Go in and ask the teacher to show you. If you plan to take public examinations, there are dictation(听写)and listening comprehension tapes for you to practice with. There are cloze exercises on the computers. Ask your class teacher for a list of past exam essays. Students can borrow tapes to take home but they must be returned after two days.
ATTENDANCE(出勤):All students are expected to attend classes regularly. Students who do not attend classes will be reported to OSS. Eighty percent attendance is required for students to receive their certificates(证书)when they finish their courses. It is also required by OSS for an extension to your visa.
BOOKS: If students are given course books, the books are their responsibility. If a book is lost, the student will be expected to pay for it.
If students wish to buy books, there is a bookshop in the college specializing in English books (Room 3520). When do classes begin and end on a full day?
A.9:00a.m. ---1:30p.m. | B.9:00a.m. ---3:00p.m. |
C.9:00a.m. ---3:15p.m. | D.3:15p.m. ---5:00p.m. |
How many afternoons does a class meet each week?
A.Two. | B. Three. | C.Four. | D.Five. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A.No teachers are in the language lab. |
B.90% attendance is required for the students. |
C.Books can’t be taken out of the center. |
D.Students can prepare for exams by listening to tapes. |
Timetable can be seen in _____.
A.the lecture hall | B.Room 3520 | C.the classroom | D.Room 1110 |
Have you ever stayed up late? If so, you know that not getting enough sleep can leave you tired and grumpy . Not sleeping enough can also make it harder to think clearly the next day.
Sleep experts have long known that getting a good night’s sleep is important.
It helps kids perform their best during the day. A recent study shows that sleep helps improve problem--- solving skills and creative thinking.
For the study, two groups of volunteers answered a math problem. The group that slept for eight hours solved the problem correctly more often than the group that did not get enough sleep.
While you sleep, your brain is busy doing its “homework”. It sorts out information from your day. Getting enough sleep each night can boost your brainpower. That will help you do your best in school. Experts say that, in return, can lead to better grades.What is the best title for the passage?
A.Too Much Sleep | B.It’s Homework Time |
C.Sleep to Succeed | D.Math Problems |
The underlined word “boost” in paragraph 5 means ________.
A.reduce | B.improve |
C.disturb | D.worsen |
Why is sleep important?
A.It can improve problem-solving skills and creative thinking |
B.It will help you do your best in school |
C.It helps your brain sort out information from your day. |
D.All of the above |
What did the results of a recent sleep study show?
A.People who sleep enough are good at math |
B.Sleep is important for learning |
C.If you get enough sleep, you don’t have to do your homework |
D.Adults need more sleep than kids |
CONGRATULATIONS
We’ve organized the following information to help you prepare for your arrival at Boston College. Please feel free to contact our Admissions Office at any time over the coming months with any questions.
Your First Steps…
Please return the Acknowledgment Form sent with your acceptance letter to Dean Robert Howe, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, McGuinn Hall 221,140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467.
■For Ph. D. Acceptances and Master’s Acceptances with funding, we ask you to reply by April 25, 2008.
■For Master’s Acceptances without funding and Non-degree Acceptances, we ask you to reply by May 31, 2008.
■You should also contact your department to receive any department information.
Over the Coming Months…
Get informed about services around campus. We have provided links for you to the following offices.
■Student Services
After you return your Acknowledgment Form, you should receive a letter containing your BC Username and Eagle ID number. With this information you can reach email and Agora. In Agora, BC’s online community, you can update your student information, check your student account, and register (登记) for classes.
The Office of Student Services issues (发行) your BC Eagle One Card. This ID card acts as your campus library card and meal card.
Student Services’ website offers a complete listing of courses for the school year, as well as student forms and other important student information. The Office of Student Services also handles billing.
■Housing
…CLICK HERE for more information.
If we can be of any more help to you, just contact us. Congratulations again! We look forward to you joining our University!The above page can most probably be read ________.
A.on the Boston College website |
B.in the Boston College newspaper |
C.on BC Eagle One Card |
D.at Student Services |
The information above is particularly useful for those ________.
A.who want to apply for Boston College |
B.who want to know about Boston College |
C.who’ve been admitted to Boston College |
D.who’ve decided to pay a visit to Boston College |
If you want to study for your master’s degree with funding, you will have to ________.
A.return your Acknowledgment Form by May 31, 2008 |
B.send back your Acknowledgment Form by April 25, 2008 |
C.email your Acknowledgment Form to Admissions Office by May 31, 2008 |
D.return your Acknowledgment Form to Student Services by April 25, 2008 |
If you want to decide what courses for the school year you’d better ________.
A.call up the Office of Student Services |
B.get in touch with the Admissions Office |
C.read your acceptance letter |
D.visit Student Services’ website |
Dr. Sylvia Earle wants you to stop eating fish. It’s not because fish are endangered, though wild fish stocks in many oceans are very low. It’s not because they’re bad for you, though fish in many areas are exposed to poisonous substances in the water. It’s because they’re smart.
“Fish are sensitive, they have personalities,” says the marine biologist. For Earle, eating a fish would be like eating a dog or a cat. “I would never eat anyone I know personally.”
There’s a lot more to fish than meets the eye: they talk to each other, they like to be touched, and they engage in behavior that can seem very human. They can remember things and learn from experience. Earle and a growing number of animal rights activists see these as strong arguments against eating fish altogether.
The activists also point out that fish feel pain and fish suffer horribly on their way from the sea to the supermarket. “While it may seem obvious that fish are able to feel pain, like every other animal, some people think of fish as swimming vegetables,” says Dr. Lynne Sneddon. “Really, it’s kind of a moral question. Is the enjoyment you get from fishing (or eating fish) more important than the pain of the fish?”
Fishermen and (fried) fish lovers are doubtful. “I’ve never seen a smart fish,” says Marie Swaringen as she finishes off a plate of fish at a Seattle seafood restaurant. “If they were very smart, they wouldn’t get caught.”
“For years, everyone’s been telling us to eat fish because it’s so good for us,” says another diner. “Now I’ve got to feel guilty while I’m eating my fish? What are they going to think of next? Don’t eat salad because cucumbers have feelings?” Dr. Sylvia Earle discourage people from eating fish because _____________.
A.there are not that many wild fish in the ocean |
B.fish actually are sensitive and have personalities |
C.some ocean fish contain poisonous substances |
D.fish are like dogs or cats that people know personally |
We can infer from the passage that _____________.
A.all people don’t agree with the idea to stop eating fish |
B.people will be persuaded not to eat fish in the future |
C.stopping eating fish will lead to people’s not eating vegetables |
D.we shouldn’t care too much about the feeling of fish |
By saying “There’s a lot more to fish than meets the eye,” the writer means ____________.
A.there are far more fish than other animals in the world |
B.there are more fish in the world than people can see |
C.people can see more fish if they pay more attention |
D.fish are not that simple as they appear to people’s eyes |
Nobel, who was born in Stockholm, is a great scientist famous for his dangerous experiments.
Nobel studied in the USA and then Russia between 1850 and 1859. After his return, he started researching into bombs. As is known, bomb is dangerous to life, but Nobel was working under that condition. Once a big explosion in his lab completely destroyed the lab and caused some deaths. After that he had to experiment on a boat in a lake. He received criticism and satire(讽刺), but he proceeded with the work rather than losing heart. From 1860s to 1880s, Nobel made many achievements and his inventions were first used in building roads and digging tunnels. Most of the bombs were safer and more possible to be controlled. Even at the end of the 20th century, we still used his methods.
Nobel had many patents in Britain and other European countries. He was quick to see industrial openings(机会) for his scientific inventions and built up over 80 companies in 20 different countries. Indeed his greatness lay in his outstanding ability to combine the qualities of an original scientist with those of a forwardlooking industrialist.
But Nobel’s main concern was never with making money or even with making scientific discoveries. Seldom happy, he was always searching for a meaning to life, and from his youth, he had taken a serious interest in literature and philosophy. His greatest wish, however, was to see an end to wars, and thus peace between nations, and he spent much time and money working for this cause. To follow his will, a fund was set up to encourage people to make great progress in physics, chemistry, physiology(生理学), medicine, literature and peace. That’s the Nobel Prize which means great honor to a scientist.Through his early experimental work, it is evident that ________.
A.Nobel was a man of strong will |
B.Nobel was a man of gift |
C.Nobel seldom got on well with his work |
D.Nobel had his heart in his work |
In fact, his inventions were first used in ________.
A.a war to kill and injure his fellow men | B.building roads |
C.digging tunnels | D.both B and C |
Based on the passage, Nobel, as a scientist, ________.
A.took a single interest in science |
B.took a serious interest in money |
C.took no interest in literature |
D.took a serious interest in literature as well as in science |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A.His wonderful will surely provided other scientists with a large sum of money. |
B.In leaving behind a wellmeant will, Nobel succeeded in setting up a permanent monument for his interests and ideals. |
C.Nobel made a glorious will so that he might be remembered and respected after his death. |
D.Nobel expressed his wish in his will that a monument should be put up in memory of him. |