Taking exams in a large group setting can be stressful for students and for the staff members who are watching over them.
When classrooms are crowded and desks are close together, cheating might be tempting.
One university in Thailand came up with an anti-cheating hat that makes it almost impossible for students to see other students’ papers． A photo of the students wearing the anti-cheating hats made its way to the Internet, and the university was criticized for making students wear those ridiculous looking homemade hats． The hats were made by stapling pieces of paper onto a headband, one to each side of the head.
After being criticized, senior academic staff at Kasetsart University in Bangkok, Thailand, released a statement saying that the hats idea came from students． They said that in a bid to prevent cheating they asked the students for ideas on how to prevent cheating in the upcoming exam, which was being taken by almost one hundred students． Students came up with different ideas, then the paper hat idea was selected by them as the most suitable.
The university claimed that no one was forced to use the hat, but they all chose to do so．“When wearing the hat during the exam, students felt more relaxed, ”Nattadon Rungruangkitkrai, a lecturer at the university said．“It was not meant to indicate that Kasetsart students often cheat on exams． I apologize if the photo makes other people look at my students in a negative way, ”Rungruangkitkrai added.
According to the text, in which case cheating will become easy?
| A．When desks are crowded into a classroom. |
| B．When students are too stressful. |
| C．When too many students are sitting in a classroom. |
| D．When the staff members who are watching over them are not responsible. |
Why was the university criticized?
| A．The university was too strict. |
| B．The university made students wear strange looking hats. |
| C．The university prevented students cheating. |
| D．The students chose to use the hats. |
What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?
| A．The students are not forced to wear the hats when taking the exam. |
| B．The senior academic staff at the university made the paper hat idea. |
| C．The students felt more stressful when wearing the hat during the exam. |
| D．The students don’t like wearing the hats when taking the exam. |
What’s the best title of the text?
| A．How to make the anti-cheating hat |
| B．Anti-cheating hat was criticized |
| C．Anti-cheating hat was considered the most suitable choice |
| D．Anti-cheating hat |
Benin is one of the smallest African states. It lies in West Africa on the Gulf (海湾) of Guinea, to the south of Burkina Faso and Niger, between Togo on the west and Nigeria on the east.
Benin used to be called Dahomey and was controlled and ruled by France from 1893 to 1960, when it became independent. In 1963 the army general Soglo overthrew (推翻) the first president Maga. Soglo set up an army government and called himself head of state in 1965, but was overthrown and replaced by a civilian (非军人) government in 1967. In December 1969 Benin had another change of power with the army again taking over. In May 1970, Maga and two other men set up a new government, with each of them acting as president in turn for two years. However, half a year after Maga turned over power to the second man Ahomadegbe, the three-man government was overthrown by the army once more and General Kerekou became president. In November 1975 Kerekou changed the name of the nation from Dahomey to Benin, Benin being the name of a 17th century kingdom covering the same place. Kerekou also announced that Benin would be a People’s Republic based on Marxism-Leninism.Which of the following maps shows rightly the positions of Benin and its neighbouring countries?
Bn="Benin;"
Tg="Togo;"
Nr="Niger;"
BF="Burkina" Faso;
Na="Nigeria;"
GG="Gulf" of GuineaFor how long was Benin an independent state before it became a People’s Republic?
| A．30 years. | B．25 years. | C．20 years. | D．15 years. |
Choose the right order in which the following people ruled in Benin. (Ah="Ahomadegbe;" Ke="Kerekou;" Ma="Maga;" So=Soglo)
| A．Ma, So, Ma, Ke, Ah | B．So, Ma, Ah, Ma, Ke |
| C．Ma, So, Ma, Ah, Ke | D．So, Ma, Ke, Ma, Ah |
When and how did Benin get its two names — Benin and Dahomey?
| A．Benin was its oldest name. The name Dahomey was used later, but has been replaced by Benin again. |
| B．Dahomey was its oldest name, but it has been replaced by Benin. |
| C．Dahomey was its oldest name. The name Benin was used later, but has been replaced by Dahomey again. |
| D．Benin was its oldest name, but it has been replaced by Dahomey. |
Dear Michelle,
My Dad hates my Mom. He tells me that she is a liar and that I should not trust her. Of course, they are divorced but they have “joint custody” (共同监护). What a joke! I am 15, my brother is nine, and we have a life of hell, frankly.
We live one week on and one week off. This was the brilliant idea of both of my parents, which was fair to them but ruining my life. I cannot get away from his voice and his putting my mom down. Sometimes I think about running away.
A Hopeless Ant
Dear Hopeless Ant,
First, thank you for trusting me with your problem. If all you said is correct, then there are several things that you can and should do to help yourself, your brother, and oddly enough, your parents.
You need a family counselor. Such a person could listen to each family member alone and then meet together to talk about the situation.
If refused, you need to talk to a counselor in your school. You need to be heard, and you need an adult who will listen. A school counselor can organize a meeting with your parents.
Perhaps you need to write to your mother. Writing things down allows people to go over it more than one time.
I cannot imagine that she will stand passively by and do nothing at all to help once she reads how you feel. Your father needs a letter as well. He may not realize the destructive effect that it has on his children.
Lastly, have a plan in mind when all else fails that is not self-destructive. Life passes very quickly, sweetheart, and you will grow up and have your own life.
Until then, you need to keep yourself safe. Never doubt that it will get better. Write back and let me know how everything is going.
MichelleThe Hopeless Ant wrote the letter to ________.
| A．express dissatisfaction with his parents |
| B．ask for advice seriously |
| C．make his father punished |
| D．just make a joke |
The Hopeless Ant hated his father because ________.
| A．his father always told a lie |
| B．his father wasn’t friendly to his mother |
| C．his father divorced his mother |
| D．the Hopeless Ant couldn’t stay with his parents |
According to the text, which of the following is the Hopeless Ant in need of at present?
| A．Keep himself/herself away from danger. |
| B．Have a talk with his/her parents. |
| C．Have his/her own family plan. |
| D．Write letters to families. |
In which part of a magazine will the text probably appear?
| A．Entertainment | B．Advertisement | C．Life | D．Education |
Chinese writer Mo Yan has won the 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature, announced the Swedish Academy in Stockholm on Thursday. The win makes Mo Yan the first Chinese citizen to win the Nobel in its 111-year history. Informed of his win today, the author, who was having dinner at home, was “overjoyed and scared”.
Born in 1955 to parents who were farmers, Mo Yan — a pen name for Guan Moye, grew up in Gaomi, Shandong province in eastern China. At the age of 12, he left school to work, first in agriculture, later in a factory. In 1976 he joined the army and during this time began to study literature and writing.
He published his first book in 1981, but found literary success in 1987 with Hong Gaoliang Jiazu, which was successfully filmed in the same year, directed by famous Chinese director Zhang Yimou. In his writing, Mo Yan draws on his youthful experiences and on settings in the province of his birth and his works show the life of Chinese people as well as the country’s unique culture and folk customs. Mo Yan is known as a productive writer. In addition to his novels, he has published many short stories and essays on various topics. Despite his social criticism, he is seen in his homeland as one of the most famous contemporary authors. Dozens of his works have been translated into English, French, Japanese and many other languages.
The awarding ceremony will be held on December 10. The winner will win a medal, a personal diploma and a cash award of about $1 million. How did Mo Yan feel when he was told about the news?
| A．Excited and proud. | B．Worried and cautious. |
| C．Happy and surprised. | D．Uncertain and shocked. |
One of Mo Yan’s characteristics of writing is that he ________.
| A．writes about topics he is familiar with |
| B．focuses on social problems in the country |
| C．describes his characters in a unique way |
| D．explains difficult matters in simple words |
What’s the best title for this passage?
| A．How Mo Yan Gets Nobel Prize |
| B．An Introduction to Nobel Prize |
| C．Mo Yan Wins Nobel Prize in Literature |
| D．A World Famous Writer, Mo Yan |
Mandara seemed to know something big was about to happen. So she let out a yell, caught hold of her 2-year-old daughter Kibibi and climbed up into a tree. She lives at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.
And on Tuesday, August 23rd, witnesses say she seemed to sense the big earthquake that shook much of the East Coast before any humans knew what was going on. And she’s not the only one. In the moments before the quake, an orangutan (猩猩) let out a loud call and then climbed to the top of her shelter.
“It’s very different from their normal call,” said Brandie Smith, the zookeeper. “The lemurs (monkey-like animals of Madagascar) will sound an alarm call if they see or hear something highly unusual.”
But you can’t see or hear an earthquake 15 minutes before it happens, can you? Maybe you can — if you’re an animal. “Animals can hear above and below our range of hearing,” said Brandie Smith. “That’s part of their special abilities. They’re more sensitive to the environment, which is how they survive.”
Primates weren’t the only animals that seemed to sense the quake before it happened. One of the elephants made a warning sound. And a huge lizard (蜥蜴) ran quickly for cover. The flamingoes (a kind of bird) gathered before the quake and stayed together until the shaking stopped.
So what kind of vibrations were the animals picking up in the moments before the quake? Scientist Susan Hough says earthquakes produce two types of waves — a weak “P” wave and then a much stronger “S” wave. The “P” stands for “primary”. And the “S” stands for “secondary”. She said she thinks the “P” wave might be what set the animals off.
Not all the animals behaved unusually before the quake. For example, Smith says the zoo’s giant pandas didn’t jump up until the shaking actually began. But many of the other animals seemed to know something was coming before it happened. “I’m not surprised at all,” Smith said.Why did Mandara act strangely one day?
| A．Because it sensed something unusual would happen. |
| B．Because its daughter Kibibi was injured. |
| C．Because it heard an orangutan let out a loud call. |
| D．Because an earthquake had happened. |
According to Brandie Smith, _____.
| A．many animals’ hearing is sharp |
| B．earthquakes produce two types of waves |
| C．primates usually gather together before a quake |
| D．humans can also develop the ability to sense a quake |
Which word in the passage has a close meaning to the underlined word “cover”?
| A．vibration | B．shelter | C．quake | D．range |
Which animal seems unable to sense a quake?
| A．A giant panda. | B．A flamingo. | C．A lemur. | D．A lizard. |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．How animals survive a quake. |
| B．How animals differ from humans. |
| C．How animals behave before a quake. |
| D．How animals protect their young in a quake. |
If English is not your first language, it is a good idea to take English language classes to improve your written and spoken communication skills. There are many ways to learn English. You can learn from a book, a DVD, on the Internet or by attending classes. One of the most successful ways to improve your English is to join a course in a country where English is widely spoken. The more you practice, the more you will learn. But why learn the English language? English is an important language for anyone who is planning to travel or become involved in business.
Many people love travelling, but if their English is poor, it can be difficult to understand signs, read directions and make themselves understood. Before travelling, it is important to understand the culture and customs of the places you visit. Learning basic English before you travel will help you to understand these customs and avoid mistakes that could be embarrassing. When you are travelling, you will also enjoy meeting new people. If you can speak English, you will have a better chance of being able to communicate with the people you meet. Many of your new friends will speak English and others will have English as a second language. Without English, your friendships will be limited as you travel around the world.
If you are involved in business, it is important to be able to communicate in English. The Internet, world travel and modern communication systems have made the world seem like a much smaller place. These days business people interact with customers and other business people from all over the world. That makes your English language skills more important than ever. There are many English language courses that major in business communications. Improving your English skills is one of the best things you could ever do to increase your chances of business success. What kind of people is English important to according to the passage?
| A．Travelers. | B．Teachers. | C．Students. | D．Language experts. |
Which of the following is the best way to learn English well?
| A．Travelling around the world with English-speakers. |
| B．Taking a course in an English-speaking country. |
| C．Learning from all kinds of books or DVDs. |
| D．Learning on the Internet by yourselves. |
According to the passage, which of the following is NOT the aim of learning basic English?
| A．To research the causes of cultural differences. |
| B．To understand the customs of your destination. |
| C．To avoid embarrassing mistakes on your journey. |
| D．To have more opportunities to communicate with others. |
What is the main idea of the third paragraph?
| A．The more you practice, the more you will learn. |
| B．Doing business helps to improve your communication skills. |
| C．English is important for anyone who is involved in business. |
| D．The Internet has made the world become smaller and smaller. |
We can infer from the passage that _____.
| A．learning English well will make you achieve goals more easily |
| B．learning English only aims at achieving business success |
| C．without learning English, your friendships will be limited wherever you are |
| D．you needn’t learn English if you don’t want to travel |