There are probably no people on Earth who like to gossip as much as the British. If prying into(打探) other’s lives were an Olympic sport, then Team GB would surely take the gold medal.
And when the British can’t watch the lives of real people, they have another source of entertainment to fall back on—the soap opera． British soap operas are very different to US TV dramas. For one, they are normally longer running. The two most popular, Coronation Street and East-enders, have been running for 48 and 24 years respectively. Both are broadcast several times a week, so remarkably there have been more than 7,000 episodes of Coronation Street.
The most obvious difference is that, unlike US dramas, the British soap operas focus on the real world． There is little glamour (魅力), the stars are rarely rich, and they normally have boring jobs. Perhaps the appeal is that the lives of the characters often mirror the lives of the audience—but with some drama added． This means the viewer can relate to the characters and feel the pain and happiness they go through on the show.
Because these soap operas last for decades, the cast is ever changing. The shows rarely focus on one or two main characters. Like the real world, people come and go all the time. However, there are exceptions. Coronation Street’s William Roach, 76, has played the role of Ken Barlow since the very first episode of the show in 1960, and he is still a regular.
The choice of which soap opera you follow is often cultural: People from the north of British tend to watch Coronation Street as it is set in Manchester. People from the south generally prefer East-enders, which is set in the east of London. The show is generally considered grittier and is aimed at a younger audience.What is the main difference between American dramas and British soap operas?
| A．American dramas are longer. |
| B．British soap operas are longer. |
| C．American dramas deal with dangerous things. |
| D．British soap operas deal with real people. |
Why do British people like to watch such operas?
| A．They can find their own life from the operas. |
| B．They can enjoy the operas in their free time. |
| C．They can watch the operas for many years. |
| D．They care about the fate of the characters in the operas. |
The underlined world “episodes” in the 2nd paragraph probably means ______.
| A．plays |
| B．pages |
| C．issues |
| D．parts |
One characteristic of British operas is that ______.
| A．the characters play the same role for a long time. |
| B．the characters in the play often change |
| C．people don’t know what will happen next |
| D．there is only one or two characters in them |
This might not sound so extraordinary, but I didn’t just read a book in print, on an e-reader or even on a mobile phone. Instead, I read a book on dozens of devices(设备). I was not trying to set a Guinness world record. I wanted to answer a question I often hear: which e-reader or tablet（平板）is the best for reading books? So I set out to try them all, reading a chapter on each: the Amazon Kindle, the first and second generation Apple iPads and mobile phones. To be fair, I also read a chapter in that old-fashioned form — an old print paperback.
The book I chose was The Alienist. For the first chapter, I turned to an Amazon Kindle. Shopping on Amazon for the Kindle is simple; you go to Amazon’s Web site and buy the book, which is then sent to any devices with Kindle software installed(安装). Reading on the Amazon Kindle is a joy in many aspects. The Kindle is light．Its six-inch screen is the perfect size for reading, and reading on its black and white E Ink display doesn’t harm your eyes. Battery life is outstanding; on average you charge the device only once a month. My only complaint with the Kindle design is the placement of the keyboard at the bottom of the device. Amazon’s CEO has noted during past product announcements that the keyboard is there to help people take notes or search. But to me，it seems like a waste of space.
Despite the small screen on a mobile phone, I find reading on one to be simple and satisfactory. All of the mobile phones on which I read chapters felt somewhat similar; although screen brightness and the size of the phone’s screen did vary.
If I had wanted to, I could have bought my book through dozens of e-book apps (应用程序) in the Apple App Store. Most are free and offer access to thousands of free e-books or paid versions. But the big downside for many is that you can read them only on Apple devices. Both iPads 1＆2 offer an immersive（沉浸式）reading experience. I found myself jumping back and forth between my book and the Web, looking up old facts and pictures of New York City. I also found myself being sucked into the wormhole of the Internet and a few games of Angry Birds rather than reading my book. For the last chapters of the book, I read the paperback, which is still my favourite choice.
Since we are comparing devices so I guess I need to choose one. In the end it might come down to Kindle. But if money is tight, go for print. My used paperback cost only＄4 from Amazon.If the writer were short of money, he would prefer ______.
| A．a print paperback | B．an Apple iPad |
| C．a mobile phone | D．an Amazon Kindle |
According to the passage, which of the following statements on the Amazon Kindle is NOT TRUE?
| A．Its battery can last for a long time. |
| B．Its keyboard is kept in the proper position. |
| C．It is easy to carry and the screen size is proper. |
| D．It is comfortable for eyes because of its E Ink display. |
A possible customer would not buy iPads 1 & 2 for reading because ______.
| A．most e-book apps must be downloaded first |
| B．only paid-version e-books can be read on it |
| C．much information is lost at times when reading |
| D．attention is easily taken away when reading on it |
The passage is developed in the form of ______.
If your family is thinking of getting a pet, consider adopting from an animal shelter. Animal shelters are full of dogs, cats, rabbits, and more animals, all in need of loving homes. Some may come with emotional or behavioral issues, but most are happy, healthy, and ready for a loving home. Here are some tips for you to find great animals.
Make some decision.
Think about what you want in a pet and remember that all pets have different personalities. Cats tend to be more independent and need less affection, but kittens need lots of attention. Cats don’t need to be walked, but you need to clip their nails and play with them. Dogs need to be walked at the very least twice a day. However, they are usually great companions and love to spend time with their family.
Visit the shelter.
Set aside at least a few hours to visit shelters in your area—remember that you may need to visit more than one visit. Try to bring along everyone who will be living with a new pet. Ask the shelter staff lots of questions. And never adopt an animal because you feel sorry for it—be patient so you find a pet who is truly a good match for your family.
Get everything ready.
Buy all necessary supplies and food well before the animal comes home. Make sure that the entire household is in agreement about rules and responsibilities—will the dog be allowed on the couch? Who will clean the litter box? Put it in writing before the pet arrives.
Bring your new friend home!
You’ll probably be excited when your new pet arrives, but be sure to give them space and time to get adjusted to a new home and a new family. The pet may act differently once they leave the shelter. Interact（交流）with your pet a lot and get them used to a routine, and soon you’ll be one big happy family !Which of the following is the first important factor should be considered when adopting a pet?
| A．Think twice about the adoption. |
| B．Get detailed information about the pets. |
| C．Make full preparations for the coming pet. |
| D．Try to make the pet your family member. |
According to the article, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Both cats and dogs need walking and attention. |
| B．Both cats and dogs are human’s good partners. |
| C．All the animals in the shelter are in good condition. |
| D．It’s necessary to talk a lot with your new pets every day. |
Before a new pet comes home, we’d better ______.
| A．show concern for the animals |
| B．set down an agreement on paper |
| C．bring all the members to visit the shelter |
| D．get it adjusted to a new environment immediately |
The article is most likely intended for ______.
| A．animal shelters | B．shelter staff |
| C．pet lovers | D．pet protectors |
A well-developed class website can save teachers a lot of time in the long run, improving both student-teacher and parent-teacher communication while providing a repository(储藏室) of all classroom documents for future use. Although some extra time during the school year is required, once the site is up it needs just minor adjustments each new year. Have a question? Get an answer from online technology support now.
Decide which type of software you will use to create a class website. Microsoft has many applications that can be used to create websites, such as Publisher, Word and Expression Web. Some web hosting sites also have simple editing tools you can use instead of a formal program.
Find a place to host your class website. Your Internet provider often provides about some small space for a personal website for free, and many other free website hosting companies are on the Internet.
Consider using a template（模版）for your first attempt at website design. Most templates also come with a selection of color and graphics already in place so you can concentrate on content instead of design. It will contain basic sections with your specific class information.
Add content to your website. You need to have announcement sections for both parents and students, a syllabus or class rules area, homework assignments or a calendar, and maybe a links section for learning more about in-class topics and playing educational games.
Decorate your website with graphics, clip art, background, cool fonts（字体）and other decorative items. It’s best to find a theme you like, such as ducks or fire hydrants, and make your design elements all stick with your theme. If you think that is too attractive, go for an abstract look. Remember to keep it simple since too much color and graphics make a site look busy and detract from its usability.According to the article, a class website is of great help in ______.
| A．playing computer games |
| B．storing class documents |
| C．communicating between students and teachers |
| D．reducing the teachers’ time to run the website |
When you first create your class website, you are advised to ______.
| A．buy a small space for the website |
| B．put all the class information on it |
| C．make it as appealing and colorful as possible |
| D．focus more on some details rather than design |
The best title could be ______.
| A．Advantages on Setting up A Class Website |
| B．Reasons for Setting up A Class Website |
| C．How to Decorate A Class Website |
| D．How to Create A Class Website |
The article is probably taken from a ______.
| A．novel | B．poster | C．magazine | D．guidebook |
Ning Zetao has become China’s new swimming star due to his amazing performance at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon(仁川), South Korea.
With already two gold medals in hand, the 21-year-old clocked 47.70 seconds in the 100m freestyle, setting a new Asian record. This result has been recognized by FINA as the world’s third best time this year, fast enough to have won a gold medal in last year’s Barcelona World Championships.
“It is my first international event,” said Ning, who later won a fourth gold medal in Incheon. “I am happy that my results are pretty close to my personal best.”
Born in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou，Ning entered the local team at the age of 11 and joined the navy team in 2007．He first caught people’s attention in 2009 when he finished eighth in the 200m individual medley at the National Games.
Nevertheless, Ning suffered from bone infection in both knees for a long time, which made him unable to train hard on his kicks.
He also had an indigestion problem and had to eat “soft” food which is easy to digest. His poor stomach even made it impossible for him to complete week-long full time training.
But the young swimmer never gives up. His idol is the great Russian swimmer Alexander Popov, who continued to win Olympic gold medals after he was stabbed on a street. Ning said, “He was a real fighter and I need to learn from him.”
Taken better care of by coaches and doctors, Ning can now train as normally as others. And that is why he can get today’s achievements.
The gold medals at the Asian Games also boosted the confidence of the new swimming star, who hopes to enter the national team and compete for China in more international events.
“Chinese men’s swimmers have never been placed among top eight in the short-distance freestyle,” he said. “I hope I can do it, just like what Sun Yang did in the mid-long distance freestyle.”
The best title could be ______.
| A．Ning Zetao, a world famous swimmer |
| B．Ning Zetao, a promising rising star |
| C．Ning Zetao, a strong-will soldier |
| D．Ning Zetao, a world gold medalist |
We can learn from the passage that ______.
| A．the results Ning got in Incheon are his best |
| B．Ning is good at both 100m and 200m freestyle |
| C．Ning broke an Asian record at the 2014 Asian Games |
| D．Ning has already got 5 gold medals in the international event |
It can be inferred from the passage that ______ .
| A．some health problems have little effect on Ning’s training |
| B．being well cared of is the main reason for Ning’s achievements |
| C．the Chinese swimmers have never got into the top eighth in the world event |
| D．gold medalist as Ning is, he is not yet a member of National Swimming Team |
The underlined word “boost” in the last but one paragraph probably means ______.
| A．increase | B．weaken |
| C．lack | D．encourage |
A firm handshake could be a sign of a longer life expectancy (预期寿命), according to British researchers. Scientists at the Medical Research Council found that elderly people who could still give a firm handshake and walk at a quick pace were likely to outlive their slower peers.
They found simple measures of physical capability like shaking hands, walking, getting up from a chair and balancing on one leg were related to the life expectancy, even after accounting for age, sex and body size. The study is the first to provide a comprehensive (综合的) view of the existing data from 33 studies. “These measures have been used in population-based research for quite a long time,” said Rachel Cooper of the Medical Research Council’s Unit for Lifelong Health and Aging. “They may be useful indicators for subsequent health.”
Cooper, whose study appears in the British Medical Journal, said more studies are needed to clarify whether the measures would be helpful to doctors as a screening tool. “I wouldn’t suggest that we roll them out into clinical practice tomorrow, but it is possible that they could be used in the future,” she told the media.
The researchers examined 33 studies involving tens of thousands of people, most of whom were aged over 60 but living in the community rather than in hospital or care homes. The researchers found that those with the strongest hand grasps tended to live longer than those with weak grips. The death rate over the period of the studies for people with weak handshakes was 67 percent higher than for people with a firm grip.
The slowest walkers were nearly three times more likely to die during the study period than swifter walkers. The people who were slowest to get up from a chair had about double the death rate compared to the quick risers.
“Those people in the general population who have higher physical capability levels are likely to live longer,” Cooper said. Which of the following are measures of physical capability according to the passage?
a. shaking hands
b. balancing
c. getting up
d. weight lifting
e. walking
| A．a, b, c, e |
| B．a, c, d, e |
| C．b, c, d, e |
| D．a, b, d, e |
What does Cooper think about the measures of physical capability?
| A．They are of little help to doctors. |
| B．They can’t be used as a screening tool. |
| C．They can be applied to medical practice. |
| D．They are potentially beneficial to people. |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．People who walk quickly and shake hands firmly have a lower death rate. |
| B．People with the strongest hand grasp are more outgoing. |
| C．Most of the people who received the study live in the community. |
| D．People who always sit are more likely to die than those who stand. |
In which part of a newspaper would you most probably find this passage?
| A．Sports. |
| B．Health. |
| C．Economics. |
| D．Culture. |