It’s such a happy-looking library, painted yellow, decorated with palm-tree stickers and sheltered from the Florida sun by its own roof. About the size of a microwave oven, it’s pedestrian-friendly, too, waiting for book lovers next to a sidewalk in Palm Beach Country Estates, along the northern boundary of Palm Beach Gardens.
It’s a library built with love.
A year ago, shortly after, Janey Henriksen saw a Brian Williams report about the Little Free. Library organization, a Wisconsin-based nonprofit that aims to promote literacy and build a sense of community in a neighborhood by making，books freely available, she announced to her family of four, “That’s what we’re going to do for our spring break!”
Son Austin, now a 10th-grader, didn’t see the point of building a library that resembles a mailbos. But Janey insisted, and husband Peter unwillingly got to work. The 51-year-old owner of a ship supply company modified a small wooden house that he’d built years earlier for daughter Abbie’s toy horses, and made a door of glass.
After adding the library’s final touches(装点), the family hung a signboard on the front, instructing users to “take a book, return a book,” and making the Henriksen library, now one of several hundred like it nationwide and among more than 2,500 in the world, the only Little Free Library in Palm Beach county.
They stocked it with 20 or so books they’d already read, a mix of science fiction, reference titles, novels and kids’ favorites. “I told them, keep in mind that you might not see it again,” said Janey s stay-at-home mom.
Since then, the collection keeps replenishing(补充) itself, thanks to ongoing donations from borrowers. The library now gets an average of five visits a day.
The project’s best payoff, says Peter, are the thank-you notes left behind. “We had no idea in the beginning that it would be so popular.”
In what way is the library “pedestrian—friendly”?
| A．It owns a yellow roof. |
| B．It stands near a sidewalk. |
| C．It protects book lovers from the sun. |
| D．It uses palm-tree stickers as decorations. |
Janey got the idea to build a library from .
| A．a visit to Brian Williams |
| B．a spring break with her family |
| C．a book sent by one of her neighbors |
| D．a report on a Wisconsin-based organization |
What can we infer about the signboard?
| A．It Was made by a user of the library. |
| B．It marked a final touch to the library. |
| C．It aimed at making the library last long. |
| D．It indicated the library was a family property. |
Here’s something to think about the next time you ask your teacher for help：trying hard to do schoolwork on your own can help you learn．According to a recent study，the more you try while you are learning new information，the better you can remember it later．
This might surprise you．When teachers are presenting new information，they often give students lots of help．But a new study shows this may not be the best way to support learning．“Don’t be too quick to get help when learning something new，”education expert Manu Kapur said．“Try to work on it yourself even if it means trying different ways．’’
Kapur came up with the idea that trying hard can lead to better learning．Then he tested it out on students in Singapore．He separated students into two groups．In the first group，students were asked to solve math problems with the teacher’s help．In the second group，students were asked to solve the same problems by helping one another，instead of getting help from the teacher．
With the teacher’s help，students in the first group were able to find the correct answers．Students in the second group did not solve the problems correctly．But they did come up with a lot of good ideas．
The students were then tested on what they had 1earned．The group without any help from a teacher scored much higher than the group who had help．Kapur said working to find the answers helped students understand the process(过程)，not just the solution．
Kapur’s advice for kids is to put a 1ot of effort(努力)into learning something new rather than going to your teacher for help．“Simply doing a little work or nothing at all won’t work.”says Kapur．“Try to solve a problem in as many ways as possible．’’What is the best title for the text?
| A．Work Your Mind |
| B．Practice Makes Perfect |
| C．The Best Way to Learn |
| D．Teachers’ Role in Schoolwork |
Manu Kapur holds that _______．
| A．it’s necessary for students to ask for teachers’ help |
| B．students should try to solve problems by themselves |
| C．students with teachers’ help have more good ideas |
| D．students in the first group are cleverer than those in the second group |
The author develops the text mainly by _________ ．
| A．presenting research findings |
| B．comparing different opinions |
| C．showing scientific information |
| D．setting down general rules |
Even though Brisbane is all about sun and surfing during the summer, spring time still brings a nice change to the place. That entire region is known as the gold coast, and it extends miles and miles of beaches with some of the best surfing condition in the world. In fact, you would be more pressed for time if you are just visiting, because there is so much for the nature buffs to see. They can see the wild animals and quiet and beautiful environment, and there are many interesting activities for them to do.
If you are going there to relax then it’s probably safe to say that you want your hotel with a quiet and relaxing environment. You may even want to stay at a place like Urban Hotels located in Brisbane. You have everything you need right there in the hotel. A trip to Brisbane should not be spent indoors, especially during spring time when you have all of that natural beauty that surrounds you. The Botanical(植物) Gardens is a must to see during spring because plants have come to life from the cold weather and you get to see more flowers after a boring and cold winter. There are plenty of sports sites for you to visit, where you can do some climbing, boating and cycling. You can enjoy the fresh spring air and get some exercise at the same time. If you are in the mood for a bit of culture, then you can visit some of the galleries and museums located throughout the city. You can even go on a cruise(乘船游览) up the river.
It’s not quite the right time for surfing in spring, but surfing is still good in some places if you are brave enough to hit the water.The region of Brisbane is famous for .
| A．miles and miles of beautiful beaches |
| B．its gold coast and the surfing condition |
| C．wild animals and the botanical gardens |
| D．the quiet and beautiful environment |
What does the underlined word “buffs” in paragraph 1 mean?
| A．Fans of something. |
| B．Plants that are special. |
| C．Animals that are special. |
| D．People who live there. |
The writer advises you to visit the galleries and museums .
| A．when you have plenty of time |
| B．when you want to have a rest |
| C．if you are interested in art and culture |
| D．if you want to learn more about Brisbane |
The text is written mainly to tell readers that .
| A．it is wonderful to surf in Brisbane |
| B．Brisbane has many attractions to see |
| C．it is good to visit Brisbane in spring |
| D．there are many sports sites in Brisbane |
Verbier language school
Beginner? Fluent? Young? Young at heart? VLS can help you learn or improve your language skills in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere with fun, professional teachers.
What we offer:
·Individual (个人) and group French, English, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian and Swedish lessons for children and adults.
·Exam preparation for TEFL, TOEFL, IELTS, Common Entrance, GCSE.
·Summer course.
·Translation services.
·Summer immersion (浸泡式) camps—language and activities including cooking, performances, art and crafts, walking, biking, various sports etc. 9am—4pm (lunch included)
·Winter immersion camps—language and skiing. 9am—4pm (lunch included)
Course + prices (Prices shown are for 1 hour lessons, per student):
| Private lessons |
90 dollars |
| Semi-private (2 people) |
50 dollars |
| Group lessons (3-6 people) |
30 dollars |
Private—one-to-one tuition focusing on the individual needs of the student.
Group—learn in a relaxed and fun environment.
Maximum of 6 students per group so there are still plenty of chances to ask questions.
Children—learning with fun and games in private or group lessons.
Corporate—arrange private or group classes for your company aimed at your specific needs.
Conditions
·If registering by phone and email, classes are not confirmed(确认) until a deposit(定金) has been received via the bank or Paypal. Please contact us for bank details.
·Payment for the classes must be paid in full in advance or at each lesson.
·Students must complete a test at their first lesson to make sure of their level.
Contact us
By post: Verbier Language School, Centre de l’Etoile, Case Postal 475, Rue de M dran 6, 1936 Verbier, Switzerland
By phone: + 41 (0) 79 653 22 27
By email: info@verbierlanguageschool.comIn the first paragraph, “Young at heart” refers to ___________.
| A．happy people |
| B．people with a strong heart |
| C．old professional teachers |
| D．the elderly people |
It can be inferred that IELTS is _________.
| A．a language course | B．a language test |
| C．a sports competition | D．a summer camp |
John and his father both attend the Group lessons to learn German. They learn two hours each day. How much do they need to pay per day?
| A．200 dollars | B．180 dollars |
| C．120 dollars | D．60 dollars |
In their first lesson, students are required to _______.
| A．report their interest | B．take an exam |
| C．complete a form | D．pay by credit card |
We were standing at the top of a church tower. My father had brought me to this spot in a small town not far from our home in Rome. I wondered why.
“Look down, Elsa,” father said. I gathered all my courage and looked down. I saw the square in the center of the village. And I saw the crisscross (十字形) of twisting, turning streets leading to the square. “See, my dear,” father said gently. “There is more than one way to the square. Life is like that. If you can’t get to the place where you want to go by one road, try another.”
Now I understood why I was there. Earlier that day I had begged my mother to do something about the awful lunches that were served at school. But she refused because she could not believe the lunches were as bad as I said.
When I turned to father for help, he didn’t say anything. Instead, he brought me to this high tower to give me a lesson. By the time we reached home, I had a plan.
At school the next day, I secretly poured my lunch soup into a bottle and brought it home. Then I asked our cook to serve it to mother at dinner. The plan worked perfectly. She swallowed one spoonful and sputtered（喷溅出） “ The cook must have gone mad！” Quickly I told her what I had done, and Mother stated firmly that she would take up the matter of lunches at school the next day!
In the years that followed, I often remembered the lesson father taught me. I began to work as a fashion designer two years ago. I wouldn’t stop working until I tried every possible means to my goal. Father’s wise words always remind me that there is more than one way to the square.The author’s father took her to the top of a church tower to ____________.
| A．enjoy the beautiful scenery of the whole town |
| B．find out how many ways lead to the square |
| C．inspire her to find out another way to solve her problem |
| D．help her forget some unpleasant things earlier that day |
What did the author want her mother to do earlier that day?
| A．Do something delicious for lunch. |
| B．Taste her awful lunch. |
| C．Dismiss the mad cook. |
| D．Speak to the school about lunch. |
The underlined sentence in the fifth paragraph suggests that_____________.
| A．the cook agreed to serve the soup to the writer’s mother |
| B．the author’s mother was angry with the cook |
| C．her father persuaded her mother successfully |
| D．the method the author thought of was effective |
By sharing her own experiences, the author tries to tell us ____________.
| A．when one road is blocked, try another |
| B．how bad the lunch of her school is |
| C．how wise her father is |
| D．about the church tower near her home |
Since the 1970s, scientists have been searching for ways to link the brain with computers. Brain-computer interface (BCI) technology could help people with disabilities send commands to machines.
Recently, two researchers, Jose Millan and Michele Tavella from the Federal Polytechnic School in Lausanne, Switzerland, demonstrated（展示）a small robotic wheelchair directed by a person's thoughts.
In the laboratory, Tavella operated the wheelchair just by thinking about moving his left or right hand. He could even talk as he watched the vehicle and guided it with his thoughts.
“Our brain has billions of nerve cells. These send signals through the spinal cord (脊髓) to the muscles to give us the ability to move. But spinal cord injuries or other conditions can prevent these weak electrical signals from reaching the muscles.” Tavella says. “Our system allows disabled people to communicate with external world and also to control devices.”
The researchers designed a special cap for the user. This head cover picks up the signals from the scalp（头皮）and sends them to a computer. The computer interprets the signals and commands the motorized wheelchair. The wheelchair also has two cameras that identify objects in its path. They help the computer react to commands from the brain.
Prof. Millan, the team leader, says scientists keep improving the computer software that interprets brain signals and turns them into simple commands. “The practical possibilities that BCI technology offers to disabled people can be grouped in two categories: communication, and controlling devices. One example is this wheelchair.”
He says his team has set two goals. One is testing with real patients, so as to prove that this is a technology they can benefit from. And the other is to guarantee that they can use the technology over long periods of time.BCI is a technology that can ________.
| A．help to update computer systems |
| B．link the human brain with computers |
| C．help the disabled to recover |
| D．control a person's thoughts |
How did Tavella operate the wheelchair in the laboratory?
| A．By controlling his muscles. |
| B．By talking to the machine. |
| C．By moving his hand. |
| D．By using his mind. |
Which of the following shows the path of the signals described in Paragraph 5?
| A．scalp → computer → cap →wheelchair |
| B．compute → cap → scalp →wheelchair |
| C．scalp → cap → computer →wheelchair |
| D．cap → computer → scalp →wheelchair |
The team will test with real patients to ________.
| A．make profits from them |
| B．prove the technology useful to them |
| C．make them live longer |
| D．learn about their physical condition |
Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
| A．Switzerland, the BCI Research Center |
| B．New Findings About How the Human Brain Works |
| C．BCI Could Mean More Freedom for the Disabled |
| D．Robotic Vehicles Could Help to Cure Brain Injuries |