Speak confidently and think logically. Year 13 schoolboy Arunabh Prakash can't agree more. Anmabh is one of the five students that will represent New Zealand at the 26th World Schools Debating Championships (WSDC) to be held in Thailand from August 5 to l5 this year.
"You've got to be persuasive, regardless of the fact that you believe in a topic or not," says the 17-year-old.
"There are a lot of speakers who are eloquent (雄辩的) but find it difficult to think logically and then there are those who have a good argument but can't deliver."
Endurance (忍耐) is another quality he says one must have in the heated arena (赛场) of expressing opinions and ideas.
"There are times when you have to debate for five hours at a go and are completely exhausted. It's quite intense. You must have the energy to debate for long hours," says Arunabh, who began debating in year 10.
The WSDC is a debating competition in the world for high school students from different countries. It involves four prepared debates and four impromptu debates — debates without specific preparations.
To gain selection for the national team for the global final, Arunabh had to compete with regional teams. Despite the mounting pressure, he says he was confident of winning.
"We didn't loose a debate in the first two days. And we had a very strong team. We were confident of our ability to win," he says.What can we know about Arunabh from the text?
| A．He started debating at the age of ten. |
| B．He is on his country's national debating team. |
| C．He argues only on the topics that he believes in. |
| D．He is unsure of winning the debating competition. |
According to Arunabh, what are important in debating?
| A．Eloquence and logic thinking. | B．Confidence and dreams. |
| C．Endurance and experience. | D．Talent and teamwork. |
The WSDC is a debating competition ______.
| A．based in Thailand |
| B．for young New Zealanders |
| C．with prepared and unprepared debates |
| D．lasting for five days |
Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
| A．The Skills of Debating |
| B．Growing from the Regional Team |
| C．Schoolboy to Compete on the International Stage |
| D．The 26th World Schools Debating Championships |
Phillip Island Penguins(企鹅)
The Little Penguin has called Phillip Island home for untold generations. Get to Phillip Island in plenty of time to watch s summer sunset at Summerland Beach – the stage is attractively set to see the little Penguin leave water and step onto land.
·Leave Melbourne at 5:30 pm for a direct journey to Phillip Island.
·See the Gippsland area – Guinness Book of Records place for the world’s longest earthworm(蚯蚓)
·Journey along the coastal highway around the Bay with French Island and Churchill Island in the distance
·Cross the bridge at San Remo to enter Phillip Island – natural home for Little Penguins and many animals
·Take your place in special viewing stands(看台) to watch the daily evening performance of the wild Little Penguins
Ultimate Penguins (+U)
Join a group of up to 15. This guided tour goes to an attractive, quiet beach to see Little Penguins. You can see penguins at night by wearing a special pair of glasses.
Adult(成人) $60.00 Child $30.00
Viewing Platform Penguin Plus (+V)
More personalized wildlife viewing limited to 130 people providing closer viewing of the penguin arrival than the main viewing stands.
Adult $25.00 Child $12.50
Penguin Skybox (+S)
Join a group of only 5 in the comfort of a special, higher-up viewing tower. Gain an excellent overview of Summerland Beach.
Adult 16yrsWhat kind of people is the text mainly written for?
| A．Scientists. | B．Students | C．Tourists. | D．Artists. |
We can learn from the text that Little Penguins__________.
| A．have been on Phillip Island for years |
| B．keep a Guinness record for their size |
| C．are trained to practice diving for visitors |
| D．live in large groups to protect themselves |
How much would a couple with one child pay for a closer viewing tour?
| A．$37.50. | B．$62.50. | C．$180.00. | D．$150.00. |
Many years ago, when I was fresh out of school and working in Denver, I was driving to my parents' home in Missouri for Christmas. I stopped at a gas station(加油站)about 50 miles from Oklahoma City, where I was planning to stop and visit a friend. While I was standing in line at the cash register(收款台), I said hello to an older couple who were also paying for gas.
I took off, but had gone only a few miles when black smoke poured from the back of my car. I stopped and wondered what I should do. A car pulled up behind me. It was the couple I had spoken to at the gas station. They said they would take me to my friend's We chatted on the way into the city, and when I got out of the car, the husband gave me his business card.
I wrote him and his wife a thank-you note for helping me. Soon afterward, I received a Christmas present from them. Their note that came with it said that helping me had made their holidays meaningful.
Years later, I drove to a meeting in a nearby town in the morning. In late afternoon I returned to my car and found that I'd left the lights on all day, and the battery(电池)was dead. Then I noticed that the Friendly Ford dealership - a shop selling cars - was right next door. I walked over and found two salesmen in the showroom.
"Just how friendly is Friendly Ford?" I asked and explained my trouble. They quickly drove a pickup truck to my car and started it. They would accept no payment, so when I got home, I wrote them a note to say thanks. I received a letter back from one of the salesmen. No one had ever taken the time to write him and say thank you, and it meant a lot, he said.
"Thank you" - two powerful words. They're easy to say and mean so much.The author planned to stop at Oklahoma City_________.
| A．to visit a friend |
| B．to see his parents |
| C．to pay at the cash register |
| D．to have more gas for his car |
What happened when the author found smoke coming out of his car?
| A．He had it pulled back to the gas station. |
| B．The couple sent him a business card. |
| C．The couple offered to help him. |
| D．He called his friend for help. |
The battery of the author’s car was dead because_______.
| A．something went wrong with the lights |
| B．the meeting lasted a whole day |
| C．he forgot to turn off the lights |
| D．he drove too long a distance |
By telling his own experiences, the author tries to show______.
| A．how to write a thank-you letter |
| B．how to deal with car problems |
| C．the kind-heartedness of older people |
| D．the importance of expressing thanks |
Winter is dangerous for drivers because it’s so difficult to know what is going to happen and accidents take place easily. Bad weather can be waiting to meet you. Ice might be hiding under the snow, waiting to send you off the road. The car coming towards you might suddenly move across the road. Here are two rules for driving safely on icy roads:
Rule Number One is to drive smoothly. Irregular movements can make a car very difficult to manage. So each time you either turn the wheel, touch the brake or increase your speed, you must be as gentle and slow as possible. Just imagine you are driving with a full cup of hot coffee on the seat next to you. You should drive carefully enough in order that you wouldn’t get the coffee out of the cup.
Rule Number Two is to pay attention to what might happen. The more ice there is, the farther you have to look down the road. Test how long it takes to stop by gently braking. Remember that you may be driving more quickly than you think. Generally speaking, allow double your normal stopping distance when the road is wet, three times this distance on snow, and even more on ice. Try to stay in control of your car at all times, or you will get into trouble.Driving in winter is dangerous because _________.
| A．drivers usually have too much coffee |
| B．people drive three times faster than usual |
| C．unexpected things may often happen |
| D．people drive more gently and slowly |
Rule Number One mainly tells us _________.
| A．to drive fast on snowy roads |
| B．to increase the driving speed |
| C．to manage your car irregularly |
| D．to drive smoothly on icy roads |
Why does the writer mention “a full cup of hot coffee” in Paragraph2?
| A．To explain the importance of careful and smooth driving. |
| B．To enjoy the driving with a cup of coffee. |
| C．Because drinks are important for drivers. |
| D．Because he wants drivers to have a rest. |
Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?
| A．Winter Driving | B．Careless Driving |
| C．Traffic Accidents | D．Bad Weather |
Where do you think you might read such a passage?
| A．In dictionaries. | B．In cookbooks |
| C．In advertisements. | D．In magazine |
What is Kelly Chan going to do?
| A．To hold a concert. | B．To go on a diet. | C．To watch a game. | D．To make a dress. |
According to the news the player from ________ won the tennis match on Saturday.
| A．Russia | B．Japan | C．South Korea | D．America |
The medical group from America said last week that _________.
| A．America has too many good athletes |
| B．children shouldn’t have too many soft drink |
| C．schools should organize more picnics |
| D．most parents in America have health problem |
From the news we know that __________.
| A．Kelly Chan has been dancing with 40 people |
| B．Maria Sharapova has won the Japan Open 17 times |
| C．soft drinks and fast food are really good for children’s health |
| D．many American children have too much fast food and too little exercise |
Few students would dream of getting a job as a shoe shiner working along the street. College students, in their own eyes and in the eyes of the public, are expected to get at least a proper job, if not working in a high-income or white-collar position.
Cai Yong’s decision to work as a shoe shiner shocked not only his parents, who had high hopes for him, but also his girlfriend.
“It is right for young graduates to be ambitious (有抱负的). But they have to start in a solid and down-to-earth way,” Cai said. Cai is not alone in making such a choice. The company has got 12 college students in all.
“I come for the 800 yuan monthly pay,” said Xiao Ji, who is a student from Nanjing University. “I have grown up and no longer live on my parents,” he said.
“Working as shoe shiners can mean a bright future,” Cai said.
Not everyone can accept this job choice. Cai’s girlfriend left him because she felt ashamed to be with a shoe shiner, and Cai accepted the fact. “This is the price to be paid for a job,” he said.
A former shoe shiner, Zhong Haibo, from a medical college, believes it was a good training for the rest of his life. “There is nothing I can’t do after working as a shoe shiner,” Zhong said, meaning that such kind of experience in early life is helpful in a future job.Cai Yong decided to work as .
| A．a college teacher | B．a company manager | C．a shoe shiner | D．a medicine maker |
Why did Cai’s girlfriend leave him?
| A．They didn’t get along well with each other. |
| B．Her parents didn’t like him. |
| C．She found it a shame to marry a shoe shiner. |
| D．Cai had got a new girlfriend. |
Most people think Cai’s choice .
| A．unbelievable | B．nice | C．enjoyable | D．wonderful |
From the passage we know Zhong Haibo .
| A．doesn’t like college life |
| B．thinks highly of working as shoe shiners |
| C．is a middle school student |
| D．is still a shoe shiner at the moment |