By today's standards, my mobile phone is pretty rubbish. It's a Nokia 1616. If that doesn't mean much to you (it's not the kind of phone you see advertised on television), all you need to know is that it's a small, not very heavy device with which you can send and receive telephone calls and text messages. It also has a very handy torch on the top for when you can't find your keys, or when you drop something on the floor in the cinema. Other than that, my phone doesn't do much. Well, it has an alarm, and it probably has a calculator and things like that, but it's nothing compared to a smartphone. Why would I want one of those?
I have often been told that the big advantage of having a smartphone is that "you can do everything with them!" But when was the last time you saw someone doing "everything" with a smartphone? Okay, so they may have an endless list of functions, but generally they are used for checking social networking sites, playing games, and receiving and replying to emails. I'm happy just doing all of those things at home on my laptop.
As far as I can tell, the best thing about having a smartphone is that you can be connected to the Internet all the time. Don't get me wrong, I love the internet, but I just don't see the point of constantly being online. I can't remember the last time I received a Facebook update which was so very urgent that I had to read it as soon as it appeared, and I can't imagine ever having a job which was so important that I would need to read work-related emails immediately. I would think that if someone needed me urgently, they would just ring me rather than send an email. And my trusty Nokia can manage that.
One of the most peculiar（独特的）effects of the smartphone is, in my opinion, the newly-found addiction to maps and navigation (导航) systems. Is there anything more boring than knowing exactly where you are all of the time?! How do you get to know an area if you don't get lost there a few times? And if you are dependent on online maps, what happens to those great places you find just by chance? You can't exactly find out from Google maps the journey from "here" to" that hidden cafe with the tasty-looking cakes" , or to "that pond next to the church which looks really pretty in the evening sun. " It is, of course, true that we all occasionally need to be pointed in the right direction, but I find that there are often real life humans you can ask.
There are many benefits of having a very basic mobile phone, like the fact that it cost me about twenty pounds, and that I don't have to worry too much about it being stolen .But the main benefit has to be the fact that it provides me with the word 'greatest excuse for my bad habits’. Whether it's turning up late to events ,or getting lost on a trip, or missing buses or trains ,or forgetting about an appointment at work ,I'm pretty sure I'm covered with the following explanation: “I’m really sorry, I don't have a smartphone."
The writer uses his Nokia 1616 mainly to _______.
| A．play online games |
| B．do calculating work |
| C．check social network sites |
| D．make calls and text messages |
It can be inferred from the above passage that_______.
| A．work-related emails should be answered immediately |
| B．a laptop and a smartphone share many functions |
| C．smartphones should always be connected to the net |
| D．a Facebook update is usually very important |
According to the passage, if you use navigation systems, you may _____
| A．miss some really wonderful places |
| B．find a boring trip actually exciting |
| C．be persuaded to eat in a certain café |
| D．be misled to a totally wrong place |
The writer’s purpose for writing this article is to______
| A．explain why he doesn’t want a smartphone |
| B．warn readers of the risks of using smartphones |
| C．complain about the troubles caused by smartphones |
| D．inform readers of the latest development of mobile phones |
Do we really know what dinosaurs looked like? Of course we do. We see them everywhere, not only in museums, but also in movies, magazines, and even in the toys we get from McDonald’s.
Since the days of early cinema, dinosaurs have captured our imaginations. They are often shown as scaly (有麟的) beasts with sharp horns (角) and crocodile-like bellies (肚子).
But the big screen dinosaurs are “a leap from what we know”, Mark Norell, who studies dinosaurs at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, told Discover magazine.
The reality of drawing dinosaurs for movie studios, magazines, or museums is that the artist often only has half of a skeleton to work with. Many existing and newly-discovered dinosaurs do not have a complete skeleton, which makes it difficult to tell what they looked like.
And even with a complete skeleton, there is a lot of room for interpretation. (诠释)
“Look at an elephant’s trunk (象鼻) and ears,” Jason Brougham, a dinosaur sculptor (雕塑师) at the American Museum of Natural History, told Discover magazine. “It’s impossible to guess those features by only looking at the skeleton.”
Researchers suggest that the dinosaurs of old could have had trunks like an elephant or even red necks like a turkey. They could have had colorful spots, stripes (条纹), and other interesting patterns on their bodies, just like snakes. Yet, with only a few fossilized (形成化石的) bones to study, it is impossible to know for sure.
Remember the cruel and quick-running velociraptors (速龙) in the US film Jurassic Park? Now experts believe that they were much smaller than in the movies, about the size of a large chicken, the BBC has reported.
Since the 1990s, some well-preserved dinosaur fossils have been found in China’s Liaoning province. Thanks to that, we have known for a while that one group of dinosaurs was covered in feathers. And thanks to the recent discovery of a feathered plant-eating species in Russia, many scientists now believe more dinosaurs than we previously thought had feathers, much like a chicken.
Also, in 2007, scientists confirmed that the closest living relative of T-Rex, the most feared and famous of all the dinosaurs, is a chicken.
Now, who are you calling “chicken”?What is the main message of the first four paragraphs?
| A．A description of what dinosaurs usually look like in artwork or on the big screen. |
| B．Why dinosaurs are so popular that we can see their images everywhere. |
| C．The images of dinosaurs that we see are created purely out of our imaginations. |
| D．Dinosaurs didn’t look exactly like what we see in artwork or on the big screen. |
Jason Brougham used the elephant as an example to show that ______.
| A．some dinosaurs actually looked a little like ancient elephants |
| B．drawing a dinosaur takes much longer than people think |
| C．it is hard to know certain features of dinosaurs just by studying their fossils and skeletons |
| D．a dinosaur sculptor’s main job is to find out about the dinosaurs’ missing features |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the article?
| A．Dinosaurs used to have red necks and thick feathers. |
| B．Most dinosaurs are much smaller than we previously thought. |
| C．The chicken has been proven to be the closest living relative to the dinosaur. |
| D．Fossils are still our main source of knowledge about dinosaurs. |
The author mainly makes his point by ______.
| A．making contrasts | B．giving examples |
| C．quoting（引用） numbers | D．describing movie scenes |
Why it is difficult to tell what dinosaurs looked like?
| A．Many existing and newly—discovered dinosaurs do not have a complete skeleton |
| B．Researchers can’t agree with each other |
| C．Dinosaurs in early films have captured our imaginations. |
| D．No well-preserved dinosaur fossils are found |
Visitor’s Guide
KL HOP-ON HOP-OFF gives you an easy city tour that has 22 stops, which cover more than 40 attractions. All buses are equipped with 9 different languages to choose from and a friendly customer service officer will help you on the bus. KL HOP-ON HOP-OFF City Tour offers you a convenient way to discover Kuala Lumpur where tourists can either stay on the bus for the full tour circuit (线路), or get on or get off at any of the attractions.
2. The interval (间隔) between buses is around 20 to 30 minutes.
3. We operate 365 days per year including school holidays and public holidays.
4. Tickets can be bought from the bus itself, authorized (授权的) agents, authorized hotels and KL Hop-On Hop-Off counters.
5. Our counters are located at Jalan Bukit Bintang (main counter at stop number 6), Malaysian Tourism Centre at Jalan Ampang, at KL Sentral (arrival hall) and at Central Market.
6. We have 24-hour and 48-hour tickets to choose from.
7. Children below 5 years old do not have to pay any fees.
8. A child below the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
9. The Do’s & Don’ts:
◆ No littering on the bus
◆ No food and drink allowed inside the bus
◆ Visitors are not allowed to exchange tickets
◆ Visitors are welcome to take pictures
◆ Please use electronic devices (设备) with care
◆ No smoking allowed
10. Advice:
◆ Please avoid changing from one bus to another on during peak (高峰) hours usually from 4 PM to 6 PM. During that time you could take a rest and walk around the attractions.
◆ The weather is unpredictable in Kuala Lumpur. Delays may occur because of bad weather.
◆ Please buy vouchers only from authorized agents.
Ticket
Ticket Type: STANDARD ADULT TICKET
Price: RM45.00 Validity: 24 Hours
Price: RM79.00 Validity: 48 Hours
Ticket Type: CHILD, STUDENT & DISABLE TICKET
Price: RM24.00 Validity: 24 Hours
Price: RM43.00 Validity: 48 Hours
For 5 to 12 years oldWhich of the following is TRUE about the KL HOP-ON HOP-OFF bus service?
| A．The bus service is free of charge for foreign tourists. |
| B．The customer service officers can speak nine languages. |
| C．The bus service is not available during school holidays and public holidays. |
| D．Passengers don’t have to pay again when boarding other HOP-ON HOP-OFF buses |
during the time of their tickets’ validity.Suppose a couple is taking a two-day bus tour in the city, with two children at the age of 4 and 5. They have to spend at least ______ on bus tickets.
| A．RM114 | B．RM158 |
| C．RM201 | D．RM244. Which of the |
following is NOT allowed on the KL HOP-ON HOP-OFF buses?
| A．Taking the buses at rush hour or in bad weather. |
| B．Exchanging tickets with other passengers. |
| C．Using a personal electronic device on the bus. |
| D．Taking a pet with you. |
The text is mainly aimed at ______.
| A．students | B．tourists |
| C．local people | D．foreign families |
What does the word “voucher” probably mean?
| A．bus | B．ticket |
| C．food and drink | D．electronic device |
My grandmother was a master gardener. She could make anything bloom (开花). Even me. For most of her life, she lived on a farm in the mountains of North Carolina, where she raised four children, buried a husband, and watched the changing of the seasons.
After my parents divorced(离婚), my dad moved back to the farm. I visited on weekends or holidays. While my dad ate my grandmother’s vegetables, I breathed in her flowers. I was a skinny kid, but her flowers filled a thousand hungry places in my soul. When my regular farm tasks were done, I was free to climb the mountain, singing songs and gathering flowers. Sometimes the plants scratched (划伤) me. My grandmother would say: “Beauty has a price. I hope it was worth it.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I’d say. “It was.” Then I’d scratch some more. I loved gathering flowers on my own. But what I loved best was gathering them with her. I walked behind her like a sponge (海绵) with legs, trying to soak (吸收) it all up. At the end of the day, we’d sort the flowers and make bouquets (花束): One for the living room, one for the kitchen, and three for the bedrooms. Even then, as a child, I knew what I needed most from my grandmother was not her flowers, but her time.
She’s been gone for years, but sometimes, when I reach down to pick a flower or pull a weed, I see her hand, not mine. I thought I’d grow up to be a gardener too. I told myself, someday, when my children had children, I’d be a gardening grandma. Then the grandbabies started showing up, and I discovered I’d much rather chase after them than go digging. The truth is, I’m no gardener. I’m a picker, not a planter.
I differ from my grandmother in lots of ways, but this: I will always carry within me a heart she made from her own. They don’t need to plant a garden. My children are my flowers. Delight and complete me with a beauty that is worth any price.
All I need to do is care for them with time, water them with love, and hope that someday, when they hold their first grandchild, they might see my hand.The author liked gathering flowers with her grandmother mainly because ______.
| A．her grandmother taught her everything about flowers |
| B．her grandmother would never let the flowers scratch her |
| C．spending time with her grandmother was good for her emotional needs |
| D．her grandmother let her decide where to put the flowers in the house |
We can infer from the article that the author ______.
| A．has always dreamed of a flower garden of her own |
| B．had great fun planting flowers with her own grandchildren |
| C．often helped with the farm work when she visited her grandmother |
| D．started to live with her grandmother after her parents got divorced |
How did the author feel when she found out that she was a picker rather than a planter?
| A．Angry. | B．Disappointed. |
| C．Calm. | D．Worried. |
In the author’s eyes, her grandmother was mostly ______.
| A．wise and humorous | B．inspiring and caring |
| C．hardworking and brave | D．tough and stubborn |
What does the article mainly talk about?
| A．The qualities that make the author different from her grandmother. |
| B．The wonderful time the author spent with her grandmother in her childhood. |
| C．The efforts the author made to become as great a gardener as her grandmother. |
| D．The author’s memories of her grandmother and how she influenced the author. |
One day a student went to see his teacher. He had been given an important position and now was coming to say goodbye to his teacher. The old man asked him how he would live among high officials. The student answered, " I will be all right. I have prepared a hundred high hats, one for each official I will meet. I am sure I will succeed.” The teacher got angry on hearing this. “What?” he cried. “Is this what ten years of my teaching has made of you? Nothing but flatterer(拍马屁的人)?” “Excuse me, honored master,” the student rose to his feet and apologized hurriedly. “But you have always been buried in your studies and don’t know how vulgar(庸俗的) the world has come to be. There are few men in the world who are above flatterers like you.” "There is something true in what you said,” the teacher nodded, smiling with one of the student’s "high hats” on.The student came to say goodbye to his teacher because_____________.
| A．he had got hundred hats to sell |
| B．he moved away to another city |
| C．he had got a fairly high position in society |
| D．he wanted to see his parents in his home town |
The student would live among high officials by___________.
| A．selling hats to them |
| B．flattering them |
| C．making a hundred hats for them |
| D．serving them |
The teacher was angry with__________.
| A．himself | B．the society |
| C．his student | D．high officials |
The underlined phrase “rose to his feet” means________.
| A．stood up | B．kicked with his feet |
| C．became quite excited | D．raised his feet |
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 lessons.
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) 796532227
By email:info@verbierlanguageschool.comIn the first paragraph, “Young at heart” refers to ___________.
| A．optimistic people |
| B．the elderly people |
| C．old professional teachers |
| D．people with a strong heart |
It can be inferred that IELTS is _________.
| A．a language course | B．a summer camp |
| C．a sports competition | D．a language test |
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 |