On June 15th,2012,millions of people watched as 33yearold Nik Wallenda walked across one of the world's greatest waterfalls on a tightrope(钢丝).What made the 25-minute walk that was televised live and watched by over 13 million people worldwide even more amazing,is that it was done over the Niagara Falls-An action that had never been attempted before.
Even though Nik was wearing a harness(保护带),a safety measure provided by ABC,the television network that broadcast the event,his action to keep his balance against the strong winds made for some heart-stopping(令人担忧的) moments for the audience.
Nik,however,never slowed down for even one moment.Wearing special shoes made by his mother,he remained totally focused on the job at hand.It was only when he got to the last stretch near Canada's Table Rock that he knelt down on one knee and finally broke into a smile.Waving and blowing kisses to the cheering audience,he knew he had accomplished a great task,which most people had thought impossible.
While he described the whole experience as peaceful and relaxing,Nik said his biggest challenges came from a totally unexpected source-his 40 pound balancing pole.The balancing pole was so heavy that he could hardly carry it on the tightrope.
One would think that now that Nik has realized his lifelong dream he would be ready to hang up his “balancing pole”.However,the adventurer who already has seven Guinness World Records under his belt,is just getting started-Next up? A 5,000-foot tightrope walk across the Grand Canyon.While the one across the Niagara Falls took years of planning because he had to convince the US and Canadian officials,this one should happen in the very near future.That's because,the Florida resident has already been granted(授予) a permit by the Canyon officials.Why did so many people fix their attention on the event?
A.Because it was done by Nik Wallenda.
B.Because nobody had done it there before.
C.Because it was broadcast live by ABC.
D.Because it was impossible to do the event.What made the audience hold their breath during Nik's performance?
A.How Nik managed to cross the Niagara Falls with safety measure. |
B.What Nik would do when he lost his balance on the tightrope. |
C.How Nik kept his balance against the strong winds. |
D.How long Nik will take to finish the event. |
What was the greatest difficulty for him to face in Nik view?
A.The supplied tightrope. | B.The safety belt. |
C.The balancing pole. | D.The audience's noise. |
What does the last paragraph mainly talk about?
A.Nik will go on with his dream. |
B.Nik's life dream is changing. |
C.Permission of governments is important. |
D.The Grand Canyon is a dream for Nik. |
Imagine being the only person in the Forbidden City. You could stay there all day without swarms of people crowding around. You'd be able to look at the ancient treasures without worrying about other visitors pushing you for a better view. Well, in two years time you'll be able to have such an experience, just like the former emperors used to. The only difference is that your Forbidden City fun will be online.
Thanks to new technology, a virtual tour of the Forbidden City will be available online by 2008. The project - jointly driven by the Palace Museum and computer company IBM - aims to help teenagers around the world become more interested in Chinese culture. The project will offer an interactive, three-dimensional view of the palace. The virtual tour will provide images from all over the 780,000-square-metre palace.
"The Palace Museum is a big book; there are always places you haven't read about," said Hu Chui from the museum. There are many rooms closed for protection. But the virtual platform breaks the boundaries of time and space, meaning visitors can see whatever they want. "The interaction and games content in the virtual tour will attract more young people to understand and love our cultural heritage," added Hu.
In the virtual tour, historical figures will actually talk to visitors and answer their questions. The stories behind the buildings and treasures will also be told. "The online environment, presented in both Chinese and English, enables visitors to experience the culture and stories of the museum," said James Yeh, an IBM official. If you visit the Forbidden City now, which of the following won’t be the case you’ll have?
A.It is crowed with a lot of visitors. | B.Visitors are pushing you for a better view. |
C.You are the only person in it. | D.You can see some ancient treasures in it. |
Which of the following is not the advantage of the virtual tour of the Forbidden City?
A.Visitors can see whatever they want. |
B.Visitor can ask and talk to historical figures. |
C.Visitors can get to know the cultural heritage by playing games. |
D.Visitors can walk around the Forbidden City with your family. |
The “project” underlined in paragraph 2 refers to ______.
A.a virtual tour of the Forbidden City |
B.a new “Forbidden City” to be built by the Palace Museum and IBM computer company |
C.an Internet cafe to be built in the Palace Museum |
D.a big book to be published to introduce Chinese culture |
What attracts teenagers most to the virtual tour is _____.
A.the visible pictures in the place |
B.the interaction and game playing |
C.the online environment presented in English |
D.the platform without the boundaries of time and space |
Women, Race & Class
Angela Y Davis
£7.99
Analysing the differences and similarities between the experiences of black and white women, Davis casts new light on the struggle for human rights.
The Words to Say it
(an autobiographical novel)
Marie Cardinal
translated by Pat Goodheart
£7.99
Marie Cardinal's groundbreaking book was the first and remains the complete book about the personal experience of psychoanalysis (精神分析学). It reveals her traumatic (创伤的)childhood and institutionalisation(收容), followed by her escape to the cul-de-sac(死路)where her analyst(精神分析医师)lived. There, for many years, she made the journey towards recovery through Freudian psychoanalysis. A worldwide bestseller, translated into eighteen languages, it remains one of the most highly-praised books of our age.
Jade
Millie Murray
£4.99
Jade Wilson is smart, young, black and ambitious. And she's just been given the chance of a lifetime - a try-out for the Commonwealth Games swimming team. Jade lives with her mum, Jojo, a successful business woman. Jojo is overprotective of Jade, but she has her reasons. As a young model with a wonderful career ahead of her, she fell pregnant(怀孕) with Jade, and, much as she loves her daughter, she's determined not to let anything get in the way of Jade's success. So when Jade starts dating Dicey, there is hell to pay. Will Jade survive her Mum's constant nagging (唠叨)? And what if she were to get pregnant - would she, could she, do the same as Jojo and give up her career? As things start hotting up with Dicey, Jade is faced with some very tough choices... .
The book is very popular with people all over the world.Which of the following can prove the book The Words to Say it is very successful ?
A.It is the first book about psychoanalysis. |
B.It has a successful beginning and ending. |
C.It has translated into 18 languages. |
D.It remains the complete book about personal experiences. |
From the third part we can learn that ________about Jade Wilson’s mother, Jojo.
A.She didn’t care about Jade. |
B.She gave it up because of lack of interest in her career. |
C.She wouldn’t like Jade to be what she was. |
D.She was willing to accept Jade’s boy friend first. |
The sentence “there is hell to pay” in the third part probably means _____.
A.there are a lot of ghosts |
B.there is a lot of trouble |
C.the price has to be paid |
D.it cost too much to do something |
Which book do you buy if you want to read about women’s rights?
A.Women, Race & Class | B.Jade |
C.The Words to Say it | D.Marie Cardinal |
What is it that makes the book The Words to Say it different from two other books in writing style?
A.It is an autobiographical novel |
B.Its contents and writer |
C.Its translations |
D.The leading character in the book |
For £12 you can equip an entire classroom in Burkina Faso, for £31 you can equip a school football team in Sierra Leone and for £68 you can support the whole education of a Haitian schoolgirl.
The educational presents are the latest way on the trend of charitable(慈善的)giving for Christmas. Plan UK, an international children's charity, has made its gift list focusing on helping the world's poorest countries to improve their education conditions.
"Every year we rack our brains for the perfect present and too often end up with yet another pair of socks or a useless ornament," said Marie Staunton, Plan UK's chief executive.
"This year we are offering people in the UK the chance to give twice. Buying an alternative gift for a loved one could likely save the life of some of the world's poorest children."
Plan UK is working on projects in specific countries, such as Burkina Faso, which is one of the poorest countries in the world and has a primary school enrolment rate(入学率)of just 36%. A present of £12 will help equip a classroom in Burkina Faso with chairs, desks, books and pencils.
The educational presents are the latest addition to a list of other charitable presents, including vaccinations(接种)and clean water systems.
Football strips for schoolchildren in Sierra Leone are designed to help the children have fun while continuing with the psychological healing process following the country's civil war. The £31 gift will supply the team strip, a football and a whistle to a school in Sierra Leone.
Oxfam offers similar gifts. Its Back to School kits for five pupils is a bestseller in a catalogue(目录)which includes the £24 Christmas goat, the £30 lavatory and £12 for school dinners for up to 200 children. The first paragraph is written to tell us________.
A.the great differences between the rich and the poor. |
B.the general conditions of education in poor countries. |
C.the difficulty in getting good education in poor countries. |
D.the great meaning of a little money to children in poor countries. |
The underlined phrase “rack our brains” means _____in the third paragraph.
A.cause physical or mental hurt |
B.think very hard |
C.improve our intelligence |
D.make full use of |
Which of the following is Right according to the passage?
A.Plan UK is working on educational projects all over the world. |
B.The sufferings brought by war still have side effects on the children in Sierra Leone. |
C.The educational Christmas presents have been given to the children for many years. |
D.Its Back to School kits for five pupils is a bestselling book. |
The title for the passage would probably be ______.
A.A new way of Christmas shopping |
B.Give a helping hand to poor children |
C.Buy a child an education this Christmas |
D.Plan UK, an international children's charity |
Vancouver(温哥华)
Natural Resources
As a major centre for the global forestry industry, Vancouver is host to many international forestry conferences and events, and the natural home of the massive BC forestry business. Companies such as Canfor and West Fraser Timber Co., the second and third largest lumber(木材)producers in the world, are headquartered in Vancouver. Vancouver is also a major centre for the mining industry.
International trade
International trade is a key part for Vancouver's economy. The city has Canada's largest port and is one of North America's major gateways for Pan-Pacific(泛太平洋)trade. The Port of Vancouver ranks first in North America in total foreign exports and second on the West Coast in total goods volume.
Banking and Financial
The headquarters for HSBC Canada (汇丰银行)is located in the Financial District in downtown. Canada's third largest commercial entity(实体), Jim Pattison Group is also based in Vancouver.
International relation
Vancouver is a major centre for diplomacy(外交) and foreign relations. Most countries of the world have consulate(领事馆)or general offices in the Central Business District. In fact, many major diplomatic conferences are hosted by the city - including the world famous G7 summit with President Clinton, APEC, and the World Trade Organization. Greenpeace has its world headquarters in the city. Therefore, Vancouver was among the first North American cities to declare itself a Nuclear Weapons Free Zone.
Tourism
Tourism is a leading industry to Vancouver. The Whistler-Blackcomb Resort is among the most popular skiing resorts in North America, and will be the site of the downhill events of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Vancouver's beaches, parks, waterfronts, and mountain backdrops and its multi- cultural character attract more and more tourists.
Film
Vancouver was the source of the sobriquet(绰号)"Hollywood North", for hosting the production of about ten percent of Hollywood's movies. Many U.S. television and films series are shot exclusively in Vancouver. This has partly been because of the favourable Canadian dollar exchange rate. Which of the following description about Vancouver is NOT true according to the passage?
A.The Port of Vancouver ranks first in North America in total foreign exports |
B.Vancouver is a film production centre and called “Hollywood North". |
C.International forestry conferences and events were held in Vancouver. |
D.Vancouver is a leading centre for the global agriculture and industry. |
Which of the following organizations or events is not related to Vancouver?
A.Jim Pattison Group | B.WHO | C.Greenpeace | D.The 2010 Winter Olympics |
If you are a graduate from Shanghai Finance and Economics University, what is it that will probably attract you to visit Vancouver?
A.Its international trade. |
B.Its film industry |
C.HSBC Canada |
D.Its beautiful natural scenery |
We can infer______ from the part: International relation.
A.Vancouver is a major centre for foreign relations. |
B.Vancouver has hosted many major diplomatic conferences. |
C.APEC and WTO are headquartered in Vancouver |
D.Canada is a peace-loving country. |
The passage is probably taken from________.
A.a magazine | B.a geography book |
C.a newspaper | D.an entertainment book |
Do you blank out or feel so nervous in exams that you have trouble writing answers to questions that you knew just last night? If so, you likely have a case of test anxiety.
But, don't be afraid. By recognizing the problem, you are taking the first step towards overcoming it.
Believe it or not, a touch of nervousness can sharpen your mind, allowing you to perform more quickly. This is because under stress, the body releases (释放) the hormone adrenaline (肾上腺素), which prepares it for something important that will happen. However, too much anxiety can result in sleeplessness, loss of appetite(胃口)before tests, and poor performance. Some people might feel hot and tired. With great anger they often shout or complain for no reason.
If you worry a lot or are a perfectionist, you are more likely to have trouble with test anxiety. Those who have prepared poorly for a test or have had negative experiences taking tests may also experience test anxiety.
When you feel a storm of anxiety coming on, stop what you're doing and make your mind a blank. If possible, actually tell yourself to 'STOP!' This will get your mind off the stress.
Then think of being at a place of comfort and let your body relax. As you continue the test, find questions you know the answers to and answer them first. This will help restore your confidence.
Important of all, talk to yourself using positive language. Make it a habit to replace each negative thought with a logical reason. For example: "I've studied hard and I know the material, so I'm ready to do the best I can."
Another thing you can do is to learn to accept mistakes. In fact, they can be valuable learning opportunities.
Last but not least, start test preparation early - three to five days ahead of the quiz or test. After all, good study habits and skills - for example, time management and note-taking - will give you the feeling that you are in control. The best title of the passage is probably______
A.How to beat test anxiety. |
B.What is test anxiety. |
C.The effects of test anxiety. |
D.Experience test anxiety will help you. |
Those ______ more easily suffer from test anxiety.
A.who are not well prepared for a test. |
B.who wants everything to be perfect and highest. |
C.who have experiences of failure in exams. |
D.who do poorly in their study. |
The author mentions _____pieces of suggestions about how to get over test anxiety.
A.3 | B.4 | C.5 | D.6 |
What can we infer from the passage?
A.Mistakes sometime can be valuable and helpful. |
B.Those who have prepared poorly for a test cause test anxiety easily. |
C.Full test preparations will give you the feeling that you are in control. |
D.A touch of anxiety can have a positive effect. |
The underlined word “hot” in Paragraph3 means .
A.disappointed | B.angry | C.active | D.running a high body temperature |