Canada Day
Since 1982, July 1st has been officially known as Canada Day. Canadians of all ages take part in this festival across the country.
Canada Day is the year’s biggest national party. In many towns and cities, the government organizes a lot of events, often outdoors. These include parades（游行）, concerts, festivals, firework displays and ceremonies for new Canadian citizens（公民）.The celebrations often have a patriotic mood. Canada’s national flag, a symbol for Canada Day, can be seen everywhere and a lot of people paint their faces red and white, which are Canada’s national colors. The celebrations in Ottawa, Canada’s capital city, are especially grand and exciting.
In the province of Quebec, many home rentals（租赁）start on July 1st and last for exactly one year, and many people in Quebec spend Canada Day moving from one house to another. So in Quebec, Canada Day is also known as Moving Day.
Many organizations, businesses and stores are closed this day. Only some bookstores, hospitals and gas stations may be open. Post offices are closed, too. As Canada Day falls in the Canadian summer holiday period, all schools are closed as well. In some areas, special services are provided for large events. The concerts, parades and festivals may cause some traffic jams.
According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．Canada Day falls on the first day of June. |
| B．Canada Day was celebrated before 1982. |
| C．Canada Day is celebrated throughout Canada. |
| D．Canadians except new citizens celebrate Canada Day. |
The underlined word “patriotic” means _____ in Chinese.
| A．温馨的 | B．爱国的 |
| C．肃穆的 | D．紧张的 |
Canada Day is known as Moving Day in Quebec because on this day _____.
| A．people think it lucky to move to new houses |
| B．people look for houses from one place to another |
| C．people like moving from house to house to visit friends |
| D．people move home when new home rentals go into effect |
From Paragraph 4, we know that on Canada Day _____.
| A．no student goes to school |
| B．traffic jams happen everywhere |
| C．all Canadians stop working |
| D．few businesses and stores are closed |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned about Canada Day?
| A．Background | B．Symbol. |
| C．Public life. | D．Events and activities. |
According to legend, the Bridge of Sighs in Venice, Italy, which connects the Palazzo Ducale to an ancient prison, got its name because the walk across it gave prisoners on their way to jail a final chance to enjoy the beauty of the city. The view from the bridge today, however, is more likely to be of a giant billboard selling Bulgari or Coca-cola.
But when the Coke billboards went up this summer on buildings near the Piazza San Marco,which is at the historic heart of Venice, there was a public debate.
"We can't commercialize everything, " said Alessandra Mottola Molfino, a Venetian.
"We couldn't stay quiet, " said Maria Camilla Bianchini d'Alberigo, president of a heritage protection association.
City of officials. however, argue that without these ads, the city could not afford to maintain its heritage. Many have been damaged by centuries of wear and are even a threat to public safety.
"I can't turn down the image of a bottle when there are pieces of the Palazzo Ducale falling to the ground, " said Renata Codello, a Culture Ministry official.
The Culture Minister has a budget of about $ 47 million (315 million yuan) for restoration of monuments. but Italy has a rich architectural heritage, and funds are always tight. Of that amount, $ 1. 8 million was given to the entire Veneto region, which includes Venice.
Two years ago, the city signed an agreement with the Dottor Group, a company responsible for the restoration of the Bridge of Sighs and the Palazzo Ducale. It allows it to sell ad space.
But there is a condition in the agreement: The ads should not offend public taste.
In August, Venice banned US actress Julianne Moore's Bulgrari ad from a billboard in the Piazza San Marco.
The photo shows a naked Moore covered with lion cubs. handbags and jewelry. Mayor Giorgio Orsoni called the image too racy (猥亵) and unsuitable for the Piazza San Marco.
"l consider the fact that Venice is part of the real world_ but we cannot accept these Hollywood-style images. There are wise sponsors. and we need to come up with advertising that suits Venice. not Times Square, " he said in a speech.The article is mainly about__________in Venice.
| A．restoration of cultural heritage |
| B．widespread commercialization |
| C．the conflict between ads and cultural heritage |
| D．the difficulty of restoring monuments |
In the first paragraph, the beautiful view from the Bridge of Sighs is mentioned to__________.
| A．introduce other monuments of the ancient city |
| B．show many ancient structures need repairing |
| C．indicate that the view is blocked by huge ads |
| D．attract readers' interest in the famous city |
From the article we can conclude that Renata Codello__________ the advertising.
| A．is in favor of | B．is worried about | C．objects to | D．doesn't mind |
Why do many Venetians complain about the ads?
| A．They support commercialization. |
| B．They feel the ads are damaging the city. |
| C．The ads are usually racy and in an American style. |
| D．The ads don't present a traditional view of Venice. |
It can be inferred from the passage that
| A．Hollywood stars' ads cannot go up in Venice |
| B．people can buy Bulgari or Coca-cola on the Bridge of Sighs |
| C．the Dottor Group may stop its restoration work for lack of funds |
| D．the mayor of Venice is expecting new advertising |
I have always known my kids use digital communications equipment a lot. But my cellphone bill last month really grabbed my attention. My son had come up to nearly 2,000 incoming text messages, and had sent nearly as many. Of course, he was out of school for the summer and communicating more with friends from a distance. Nevertheless, he found time to keep a summer job and complete a college course in between all that typing with thumb.
I was even more surprised to learn that my son is normal. "Teenagers with cellphones each send and receive 2,272 text messages a month on average, " Nielsen Mobile said.
Some experts regret that all that keyboard jabber(键盘闲聊) is making our kids stupid, unable to read non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, gestures, posture and other silent signals of mood and attitude. Unlike phones, text messaging doesn't even allow transmission of tone of voice or pauses, says Mark Bauerlein, author called The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future.
Beyond that, though, I'm not sure I see as much harm as critics of this trend. I' ve posted before on how I initially tried to control my kids' texting. But over time, I have seen my son suffer no apparent ill effects, and he gains a big benefit, continuing contact with others.
I don't think texting make kids stupid. It may make them annoying, when they try to text and talk to you at the same time. And it may make them distracted. when buzzing text message interrupt efforts to noodle out a math problem or finish reading for school.
But I don't see texting harming teens' ability to communicate. My son is as accustomed to nonverbal cues as any older members of our family. I have found him more engaged and easier to communicate with from a great distance. because he is constantly available by means of text message and responds with faithfulness and speed.What is Mark Bauerlein ' s attitude to texting?
| A．It is convenient for teens to communicate with others. |
| B．It is likely to cause trouble in understanding each other. |
| C．It is convenient for teens to text and call at the same time. |
| D．It will cause damage to the development of teens' intelligence. |
What would be the best title for this passage?
| A．For Teens, Texting Instead of Talking |
| B．For Parents, Caring Much for Their Kids |
| C．Disadvantages of Texting |
| D．The Effect of Communication |
What does the underlined word "distracted" in the fifth paragraph mean?
| A．Confused. | B．Absent-minded. |
| C．Comfortable. | D．Bad-tempered. |
The author's attitude to texting is ___________ .
| A．objective | B．opposed | C．supportive | D．doubtful |
According to the passage, which of the statements is NOT true?
| A．It is normal for a teen to send or receive 60 text messages per day. |
| B．Texting is a very popular way of communication among teens. |
| C．The writer limited his son to send or receive messages at first. |
| D．When texting, teens don't mind talking with you. |
Normally a student must attend a certain number of courses in order to graduate, and each course which he attends gives him a credit which he may count towards a degree. In many American universities the total work for a degree consists of thirty-six courses each lasting for one semester. A typical course consists of three classes per week for fifteen weeks; while attending a university a student will probably attend four or five courses during each semester. Normally a student would expect to take four years attending two semesters each year. It is possible to spread the period of work for the degree over a longer period. It is also possible for a student to move between one university and another during his degree course, though this is not in fact done as a regular practice.
For every course that he follows a student is given a grade, which is recorded. and the record is available for the student to show to potential employers. All this imposes(增加) a constant pressure and stress of work, but in spite of this some students still find time for great activity in student affairs. Elections to positions in student organizations arouse much enthusiasm. The effective work of maintaining discipline is usually performed by students who advise the academic authorities. Any student who is thought to have broken the rules, for example, by cheating has to appear before a student court. With the enormous numbers of students. the operation of the system does involve a certain amount of activity. A student who has held one of these positions of authority is much respected and it will be of benefit to him later in his career.Normally a student would at least attend __________classes each week.
| A．36 | B．12 | C．20 | D．15 |
According to the first paragraph an American student is allowed
| A．to live in a different university |
| B．to change permanently his or her university |
| C．to live at home and drive to classes |
| D．to get two degrees from two different universities |
American university students are usually under pressure of work because__________.
| A．their academic performance will affect their future careers |
| B．they are heavily involved in student affairs |
| C．they have to obey university rules |
| D．they want to run for positions of authority |
Some students are enthusiastic for positions in student organizations probably because_________.
| A．they hate the constant pressure and stress of their study |
| B．they will then be able to stay longer in the university |
| C．such positions help them get better jobs |
| D．such positions are usually well paid |
The student organizations seem to be effective in__________.
| A．dealing with the academic affairs of the university |
| B．ensuring that the students observe university regulations |
| C．evaluating students' performance by bringing them before a court |
| D．keeping up the students' enthusiasm for social activities |
Play allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination and physical, cognitive (认知的), and emotional strength. Play is important to healthy brain development. Play allows children to create and explore a world they can master, conquering their fears while practicing adult roles. Undirected play allows children to learn how to work in groups, to share, to negotiate, and to resolve conflicts.
Ideally, much of play involves adults, but when play is controlled by adults, children acquiesce (顺从) to adult rules and concerns and lose some of the benefits play offers them, particularly in developing creativity, leadership, and group skills. In contrast to passive entertainment, play builds active, healthy bodies. In fact, it has been suggested that encouraging unstructured play may be an exceptional way to increase physical activity levels in children, which is one important strategy in the resolution of the obesity problem.
Children’s development is critically influenced by appropriate, affective relationships with loving and consistent caregivers as they relate to children through play. When parents observe their children in play or join with them in child-driven play, they are given a unique opportunity to see the world from their children’s vantage point as the child navigates a world perfectly created just to fit his or her needs. The interactions that occur through play tell children that parents are fully paying attention to them and help to build enduring relationships. Parents who have the opportunity to look at their children’s world learn to communicate more effectively with their children and are given another setting to offer guidance. Less verbal children may be able to express their views, giving their parents an opportunity to gain a fuller understanding of their perspective. Quite simply, play offers parents a wonderful opportunity to engage fully with their children.
Play is essential to the academic environment. It ensures that the school setting attends to the social and emotional development of children as well as their cognitive development. It has been shown to help children adjust to the school setting and even to strengthen children’s learning willingness. Social-emotional learning is best integrated (融合) with academic learning; it is concerning if some of the forces that enhance children’s ability to learn are improved at the expense of others. Play and unscheduled time that allow for peer interactions are important components of social-emotional learning.Compared with undirected play, play which is controlled by adults ________.
| A．doesn’t benefit the children at all |
| B．doesn’t help develop leadership and group skills |
| C．makes children become more active |
| D．helps increase physical activity levels |
The third paragraph mainly tells us that ________.
| A．play offers parents a good chance to establish good relationships with children |
| B．children’s development is greatly influenced by relationships with parents |
| C．play helps children better express their views |
| D．play offers parents a unique opportunity to see the world from a different perspective |
From the last paragraph, we know that ________.
| A．play can’t help children become adapted to the school setting |
| B．play makes social-emotional learning and academic learning separated |
| C．play is beneficial to social-emotional learning as well as academic learning |
| D．it is necessary to strengthen children’s academic development at the expense of others |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．Undirected play can help children develop team spirit. |
| B．Play can improve children’s willingness to learn. |
| C．Play helps adults gain a better understanding of the children’s thoughts. |
| D．Adults shouldn’t be involved in children’s play. |
High childcare costs are putting British mothers off going out to work. It really is that simple. Eurostat figures show that 66 per cent of mothers in the UK work, less than France (72 per cent), Denmark (86 per cent), the Netherlands (78 per cent) or Germany (69 per cent). This not only damages Britain’s economic prosperity—it limits women’s careers and squeezes family incomes. It would be fine if this is the choice parents want to make, but it isn’t. Half of those surveyed want to go to work and the expense of childcare is one of the key reasons they couldn’t.
Despite claims made by Labour (工党) about childcare, a forthcoming (即将到来的) report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) confirms the true legacy of their time in government. They left behind a childcare system with high costs to parents, variable quality and patchy (不均匀的) coverage, despite soaring government spending. British parents now face the highest childcare bills in the world after Switzerland.
In the Eighties and Nineties under Mrs Thatcher and John Major, the picture was very different. Mothers in England were more likely to go out to work than their Dutch or German counterparts. But the position has reversed, despite a huge rise in public spending.
So why does the British Government spend more on childcare than France or Germany, even though the costs given to parents are sky-high? As always, under the previous government, money was frittered away (浪费) without adequate focus on improving quality. Instead of clear and transparent funding, four separate funding streams were created, skewing (偏离) the market and confusing parents and providers alike. The majority of the money was given away in cash benefits; so much of it did not get through to the front line.
The IPPR report points out that continental systems, in countries such as Germany, France, Denmark and the Netherlands, manage to deliver better value for money. What all of these systems have in common is a focus on quality, with greater flexibility and autonomy given to local providers. They also see a much higher proportion of government money getting to the front line. Which of the following doesn’t belong to the disadvantages caused by the mothers prevented from going to work?
| A．Damaging Britain’s economic development. |
| B．Causing damage to women’s careers. |
| C．Decreasing the family incomes. |
| D．Causing childcare costs to go up. |
According to the second paragraph, we can infer that the former government of the Labour Party _______.
| A．was highly praised by British people |
| B．made British people face the highest childcare bills |
| C．left behind a childcare system full of problems |
| D．managed to decrease the government spending |
We can learn from the passage that _______.
| A．in the Eighties and Nineties, mothers in the UK were likely to work |
| B．there is a prejudice against mothers in the UK employment market |
| C．most of the mothers surveyed in the UK don’t want to work |
| D．the percentage of mothers who work in the UK is the lowest in the world |