Change is a natural part of language development. The words you like to use are probably a little different from those that your grandparents used when they were young. A study carried out by a British company found that the use of e-mail has had a bad influence on the standard of written English.
According to the research, computer users today are too busy to hit the “shift” buttons on their keyboards — e-mails are often written in lower case, that is to say, with no capital letters (大写字母) for names or the beginning of sentences. Spelling mistakes are generally accepted even in formal e-mails. And nouns are often used as verbs (e.g. Please bookmark this site).
With the development of the Internet, e-mail and mobile phone messages, a new language has developed within just a few years — we call it Weblish. The latest Oxford English Dictionary has included many new words showing the changes in our communication culture.
While some language experts are concerned about the future of English and want to do something, John Simpson, chief editor of the dictionary says,“The standards may be different now but it has certainly encouraged writing and communication, which means a faster development of language change. There are a large number of words that either come from the Internet or have been given new meanings by the Internet.”
1. According to the research, people often write e-mails in lower case to _____.| A．save time | B．show kindness | C．make fun | D．be different |
| A．the mistakes found in English e-mails |
| B．the reason why people use e-mails |
| C．the changes in English used in e-mails |
| D．the side effects of the use of e-mail |
| A．Spelling mistakes are not allowed in today’s e-mails. |
| B．The Internet develops new words as well as new meanings to some old words. |
| C．Weblish is only used in e-mails. |
| D．We cannot find Weblish in a dictionary at present. |
| A．the use of e-mail stops the development of language |
| B．mistakes in e-mails are very important to English |
| C．the Internet has brought great changes to English |
| D．everyone should learn to write e-mails in Weblish |
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【推荐1】Languages are renewed (更新) by people, stories and topical events everyday. The same situation goes with English. Although English is not as old as Chinese, it is spoken by many people around the world every day. English speakers are always creating new words, and we are often able to know where most words come from.
Sometimes, however, no one may really know where a word comes from. Did you ever think about why hamburgers are called hamburgers, especially when they are not made with ham? About a hundred years ago, some men went to America from Europe. They came from a big city in Germany called Hamburg. They did not speak good English, but they ate good food. When some Americans saw them eating round pieces of beef, they asked the Germans what it was. The Germans did not understand the question and answered, “We come from Hamburg.” One of these Americans owned a restaurant, and had an idea. He cooked some round pieces of beef like those which the men from Hamburg ate. Then he put each between two pieces of bread and started selling them. Such bread came to be called “hamburgers”. Today “hamburgers” are sold in many countries around the world. It became the signature dish in fast food restaurant such as McDonald and KFC. The word and the food spread widely in the world.
Whether this story is true or not, it certainly is interesting. Knowing why any word has a certain meaning is interesting, too. This reason, for most English words, can be found in any large English dictionary. Others lie in the words of mouth of folks from different countries.
1. What can we learn about English in the first paragraph?| A．English has the same history as Chinese. |
| B．English has a larger vocabulary than other languages. |
| C．English vocabulary is in the continuous development. |
| D．It is difficult to know where a new English word comes from. |
| A．A city in Germany. | B．A round piece of beef. |
| C．A kind of fast food. | D．The name of a village. |
| A．Where all the new words come from. |
| B．Where those Germans came from. |
| C．The reason why a word has a certain meaning. |
| D．The reason why English is spoken around the world. |
| A．The European. | B．The British. | C．The Germans. | D．The Americans. |
| A．Creative English Speakers | B．Interesting Origin of English Words |
| C．The Beginning of Hamburgers | D．Americans’ Love of Hamburgers |
【推荐2】Every year, hundreds of hopeful students arrive in Washington, D. C., in order to compete in the National Spelling Bee, which has been held every year since 1925.
In the competition, students under 16 take turns trying to properly spell words. The champion is the only remaining student who does not make a mistake. American students are familiar with the competition because it is practiced in many schools throughout the country. The National Spelling Bee, however, is a much bigger setting and showcases only the best spellers from all parts of the nation. Winning the competition nowadays requires the ability to perform under much pressure against so many talented students in front of a large audience. A student who wins the event in the twenty-first century will experience a much different challenge than the first winner, Frank Neuhauser, did in 1925 when he defeated only nine other competitors.
Clearly, the 90 years of the National Spelling Bee’s existence proves the importance of spelling in the English language. However, struggles with spelling English words go back much more than 90 years. The charming thing about spelling correctly in English is that it is in many ways without rules. English language can absorb new words from other languages and in doing so make them “English” words. Because of this, the number of words in English is much higher than any other languages. Thus, spelling in many other languages has fewer words and fewer strange exceptions to rules. It turns out that a spelling bee in most other languages would be a waste of time. Why is that? Well, without so many exceptions to common vocabulary, there would be very few words that everyone didn’t already know.
1. How is today’s competition different from the first National Spelling Bee?| A．It produces more winners. | B．It draws more talented audience. |
| C．It attracts more competitors. | D．It tests more strange words. |
| A．To introduce the new rules of the competition. | B．To gather students from other countries. |
| C．To explain the difficulty in English spelling. | D．To show the strict rules of written English. |
| A．Unfavorable. | B．Supportive. | C．Responsible. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．Ways to win a Spelling Bee. | B．The most difficult language. |
| C．The best spellers. | D．A competition about spelling. |
【推荐3】At a Loss for Words
Imagine a friend is heading out to face a difficult task. As a last word before they disappear, you want to encourage them. What might you say? If you are speaking English, the likeliest choice is “good luck”.
If you stop to think about it, that is a little odd. Though you might indeed hope luck smiles on your friend, neither they nor you can do much about the probability.
English does not allow you to pair any old adjective with any old noun in a fixed expression. You may wish someone “good morning”, “good afternoon” or “good night”, but not “good weekend”.
It is tempting to draw deep cultural conclusions from the presence of this or the absence of that in a language.
| A．Special occasions are another way in which languages differ. |
| B．It is natural to be critical of languages that lack expressions you think necessary. |
| C．What you really want to wish them is courage not fortune. |
| D．Having no English equivalent is annoying for those who are used to it. |
| E．You can say that phrase if you like, but your neighbour would look at you strangely. |
| F．But not having a word for something doesn’t mean you can’t coin one—or borrow it. |
【推荐1】Flip-flops (人字拖) are the most popular type of shoe in the world. They’re comfortable, they’re easy to wear and they’re inexpensive. Unfortunately, most of them are also terrible for the environment. In Kenya, this is a huge problem, and around 90 tons of flip-flops wash up on its shores annually.
In the late 1990s, when Julie Church was working as a marine (海洋的) conservationist in Nairobi, she found an entire beach “just covered in flip-flops”. Around that time, Church also noticed children making toys out of the thousands of flip-flops that had made their way to the country’s beaches. She began working with the kids’ mothers to encourage them to not just collect the shoes, but also turn them into artworks. The families could then sell this art at local markets, providing another means of income.
The idea took off, and in 1998, Church founded Ocean Sole as a nonprofit. This year alone, the organization has upcycled more than 750,000 flip-flops and collected more than 47,000 kilos of waste. Additionally, Ocean Sole directly impacts more than 1,000 Kenyans, many of whom work as flip-flop collectors or artists, and contributes 10% to 15% of overall income to career and educational programs for residents, as well as beach cleanup and conservation efforts.
Ocean Sole is continuously growing and looking to keep waste off Kenya’s beaches and out of its water. When it comes to growing the Ocean Sole organization, Church has three “mantras (真言)”: trust to trade, trade to awareness, and awareness to protection. Church would like to put together toolkits and other resources to bring this concept to other places around the world that have similar problems. Ocean Sole is also encouraging companies to use more eco-friendly materials when making flip-flops. “I think it’s time for us to start looking for an alternative shoe, or an alternative material, to fit that kind of fashion need,” Church has said. “Our products need to develop.”
1. What was the main reason for founding the nonprofit?| A．To help Kenyans get healthy. |
| B．To develop children’s hands-on skills. |
| C．To protect Kenya’s marine environment. |
| D．To provide children with artistic flip-flops. |
| A．It is growing in a controlled way. |
| B．It has a smaller impact than expected. |
| C．It is running for profit since founded. |
| D．It has achieved many things with one move. |
| A．Lead the fashion trend. | B．Advance their products. |
| C．Practice her three “mantras”. | D．Develop global cooperation. |
| A．Environmental challenges in Kenya. |
| B．Flip-flops are out of date in Kenya. |
| C．Ocean Sole turns flip-flops into art. |
| D．Ocean Sole develops a new national art. |
【推荐2】Films to see during the summer holiday
Chang’an
The film Chang’ an takes its title from the ancient name of Xi’an in Shaanxi province, which served as capital of the Tang Dynasty for over 280 years.
The film, which provides an invaluable opportunity to research deeper into the ancient Tang Dynasty. It also breathes life into some famous figures of that era and feature s a selection of modern-day well-known poetry verses.
Never Say Never
Never Say Never, which was shot in the hilly city Chongqing, is adapted from real-life events of a movie star Wang Baoqiang. As a fight coach, he determined to assist a group of poor rural children to seek a better life. Wang said the movie mirrors his own personal life journey. It has not only helped him get out of a dilemma but also holds significant meaning for his own life.
Oh My School
Since its release on July 14, Oh My School has earned a remarkable 175 million yuan and gained a rating of 8 points out of 10 on Douban, a popular review platform, second only to Chang’ an.
Set in a junior high school in Changchun, the film tells the amusing story of Wang Qiang, a struggling student who unexpectedly exchanges bodies with Shi Miao’na, a strict teacher, leading to a series of comedic misfortunes.
The White Storm 3: Heaven or Hell
For fans of Hong Kong or action film, this one is a must-see. The film describes a strike on drug trade in Southeast Asia’s well-known Golden Triangle region.
What makes this film truly exceptional is the details in its production. A grand 50,000-square-meter set was constructed to reflect a true Golden Triangle’s environment at full scale. Some scenes involved the use of real guns and explosions, heightening the movie’s action and intensity.
1. As a poem lover, which film will you prefer?| A．Chang’ an | B．Never Say Never |
| C．Oh My School | D．The White Storm 3: Heaven or Hell |
| A．It told about Wang’s achievements in film-making. |
| B．It’s about the hard life of Wang being a coach. |
| C．It filmed a real rural scene of Chongqing. |
| D．It’s about Wang’s earlier life experiences. |
| A．The story was set in ancient China. |
| B．The hero of the film is a rural poor child. |
| C．It got the highest point on Douban platform. |
| D．It focused on the production of the real scene effect. |
【推荐3】Like most people living in the suburb, Janice Monkowski, who lives some 30 miles east of San Francisco, gets around mainly by car. For much of her life, public transportation was not even an afterthought. That changed recently when Monkowski, a self-described technophobe (技术恐惧者), discovered Moovit. When she goes to San Francisco to meet friends, the smart-phone app let her plan bus and train trips down to the minute. “Moovit tells me where to walk and how long it might take to catch a bus to get to the train station,” Monkowski says.
Much like the navigation app Waze, which follows its users on the road to determine the best driving routes. Moovit collects location data of nearby users to show how to travel along the way with less time and energy between two locations. Nir Erez who cofounded Moovit says, “Most commuters (每天长途上班的人)don’t know when a bus might arrive, let alone how it might connect with another transit service, or when walking or bicycling might be faster.”
In just several years Moovit has had 100 million users. Moovit is available in 44 languages and 82 countries, and commuters in more than 2,500 cities rely on it to get to and from work. In 2016 Moovit became the official transit app for the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. In 2018, Moovit was also chosen as the official mobility app of the Asian Games. When public transit doesn’t get a user all the way to where they want to go, Moovit may connect her to bike-share programs or services like Uber.
As Moovit has grown to 100 employees, with headquarters (总部)near Tel Aviv and offices in big cities such as San Francisco, Athens and Rio, Moovit can provide better, more up-to-date information at a lower cost. Best of all: It’s all built one data point at a time by people like Monkowski. When you go to San Francisco and don’t want to drive before the city’s “terrible” parking and traffic, Moovit can give you another option. It’s very simple.
1. How does Moovit help Janice Monkowski ?| A．By helping her have a comfortable trip. |
| B．By helping her learn advanced technology. |
| C．By helping her balance her tight travel budget. |
| D．By helping her arrive at where she wants to go. |
| A．It provides more good services. | B．It involves more simple orders. |
| C．It predicts the most efficient trip. | D．It stores more available information. |
| A．The exact location of Moovit. | B．The bright future of Moovit. |
| C．The development of big cities. | D．Some special opinions on public transportation. |
| A．The wide use of Moovit | B．The unique development of Moovit |
| C．The historical development of Moovit | D．The obvious advantage of Moovit |
【推荐1】People travel for a lot of reasons. Some tourists go to see battlefields or religious shrines ( 宗教圣殿). Others are looking for culture, or simply want to have their pictures taken in front of famous places. But most European tourists are looking for a sunny beach to lie on.
Northern Europeans are willing to pay a lot of money and put up with a lot of inconveniences for the sun because they have so little of it. Residents (居民) of cities like London, Copenhagen, and Amsterdam spend a lot of their winter in the dark because the days are so short, and much of the rest of the year in the rain. This is the reason the Mediterranean has always attracted them. Every summer, more than 25 million people travel to Mediterranean resorts and beaches for their vacation. They all come for the same reason: sun!
The huge crowds mean lots of money for the economies of Mediterranean countries. Italy’s 30,000 hotels are booked solid ( 全部客满) every summer. And 13 million people camp out on French beaches, parks, and roadsides. Spain’s long sandy coastline attracts more people than anywhere else. 37 million tourists visit yearly, or one tourist for every person living in Spain.
But there are signs that the area is getting more tourism than it can handle. The Mediterranean is already one of the most polluted seas on earth. And with increased tourism, it’s getting worse. The French can’t figure out what to do with all the garbage left by campers around St. Tropez. And in many places, swimming is dangerous because of pollution.
None of this, however, is spoiling anyone’s fun. The Mediterranean gets more popular every year with tourists. Obviously, they don’t go there for clean water and solitude (清净自在). They tolerate traffic jams and seem to like crowded beaches. They don’t even mind the pollution. No matter how dirty the water is, the coastline still looks beautiful. And as long as the sun shines, it’s still better than sitting in the cold rain in Berlin, London, or Oslo.
1. The writer seems to imply that Europeans travel mostly for the reason that _____.| A．they want to see historic remains or religious spots |
| B．they are interested in different cultural traditions and social customs |
| C．they wish to escape from the cold, dark and rainy days back at home |
| D．they would like to take pictures in front of famous sites |
| A．to tell us how wealthy their residents are |
| B．to show that they are not good cities in terms of geography and climate |
| C．to suggest that these cities lack places of historic interest and scenic beauty |
| D．to prove that they have got more tourism than they can handle |
| A．all the 37 million people living in Spain are tourists |
| B．every Spanish is visited by a tourist every year |
| C．every person living in Spain has to take care of a tourist |
| D．every year almost as many tourists visit Spain as there are people living in that country |
| A．Rainy weather | B．Polluted water | C．Traffic jams | D．Crowded buses |
【推荐2】Tai chi, a centuries-old Chinese martial art and an internationally popular form of exercise, has been added to the cultural heritage list of the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).
As its initial (最初) application was turned down in 2008, for more than 10 years, China has been trying to have Tai chi — also known as taijiquan — recognised officially by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (联合国教科文组织人类非物质文化遗产代表). At the time, judges told China it had applied for too many listings for Tai chi to be considered for a place. China was told to reduce its applications from listings, which included tai chi, Shaolin kung fu, Peking opera and acupuncture (针灸).
According to the Mayo Clinic in the United States, doing Tai chi can reduce stress, anxiety and depression, improve energy and stamina (耐力), strengthen the immune system (免疫)and reduce joint pain. “It is not just a sport to make people fit, but also contains Chinese culture and philosophy,” researcher Yan Shuangjun also told Xinhua News Agency. The application started in 2008 and now we made a victory, which will help this sport to reach more places.
Tai chi has a massive, devoted global following. Millions of elderly Chinese people practise it every day in city parks. Each year, tens of thousands of people from other counties come to China to learn it. Gisele Bundchen, one of the highest-paid models in the world, makes Tai chi into her daily life. Others who have been attracted by its use in their lives include actors Terence Stamp and Paul Adrian, Bollywood star Kunal Kapoor, and musician RZA of the Wu Tang Clan — to say nothing of its importance to martial artists such as Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee and Jet Li.
1. What can we learn about the applications in 2008?| A．The first application of tai chi was accepted. |
| B．Tai chi is a Chinese martial art with a short time. |
| C．China applied for acupuncture and Peking opera. |
| D．China thought itself had applied for too many listings. |
| A．Help people think more quickly. |
| B．Reduce headache and promote sleep. |
| C．Lead to some depression and severe joint pain. |
| D．Help people build up energy and reduce stress. |
| A．Healthy. | B．Hard to learn. | C．Welcomed. | D．Time-taking. |
| A．Culture. | B．Life style. | C．Education. | D．Custom. |
【推荐3】Paired up in the right setting, dogs and horses can have their fair share of fun—at times even playing together and mimicking each other's facial expressions, new research suggests. These findings, published in the journal Behavioural Processes, mark the first example of so-called rapid facial mimicry occurring between play partners of different species, and indicate the existence of a universal language of play. Though the purpose behind play remains unclear, scientists believe the behavior arises to help animals improve hunting and social skills, relieve stress or develop relationship with each other, study author Elisabetta Palagi says, an animal behaviorist at the University of Pisa in Italy.
Learning more about the contexts in which different animals play around—especially across branches of the tree of life—could tell researchers a lot about play's origins and evolution. But apart from a handful of studies featuring humans and their pets, scientists haven't had many chances to analyze examples of interspecies play.
In 2018, when someone sent Palagi a YouTube video featuring a dog and a horse playing together, she took the chance to research further. The two species, she noted early on, were especially good research objects of interspecies friendship, because they had both been shown to recognize facial expressions in other animals.
Putting together a team of research students, Palagi began to collect and analyze hundreds of other videos with dogs and horses partnering in play. Only 20 videos ended up meeting the team's requirements: showing animals freely playing on their own, without human interference, for at least30 seconds.
Several common themes quickly arose. When playing, dogs and horses often mirrored each other's moves, jumping and pushing at each other. They also rolled on their backs and showed their throats and stomachs—a strong sign that they were at ease and even communicating their friendly intentions. Despite millions of years of evolution between them, the two species had found common ground for the only purpose of fun, said Palagi.
The two animals also frequently copied each other's facial expressions, both using the relaxed, open mouths—behayior that had never been noted between a pair of animals of different species. Horses and dogs may look and behave in extremely different ways, says Barbara Smuts, a behavioral ecologist at the University of Michigan who wasn't involved in the study. But fun is perhaps a language that doesn't need to be taught. Two very dissimilar animals, Smuts says, can still discuss how to play in a way that's comfortable for both.
1. What do scientists find about dogs and horses?| A．They share similar facial expressions. | B．They can build up a lasting relationship. |
| C．They often share hunting and social skills. | D．They have a special way to communicate. |
| A．By playing with dogs and horses together. | B．By pairing up dogs and horses in a setting. |
| C．By watching videos showing their play scene. | D．By recording their play for 30 seconds every day. |
| A．Feeling relaxed. | B．Looking similar. | C．Getting smart. | D．Turning sociable. |
| A．It can help humans get along with animals. | B．It studies interspecies play for the first time. |
| C．It explains animals' way of communicating. | D．It analyzes animals' facial expressions in detail |
【推荐1】When I was a boy, my parents and I traveled from New York City to the Pennsylvania countryside for a week-long taste of rural life. We stayed in a guesthouse on a farm, joining in the daily routines and eating meals with the farmer and his family. We got up early to see the cows as they were milked. I even tried my hand at milking one, then joined the farmer as he released the cows into the field afterward.
Decades later I still have vivid memories of that trip, which made me realize the value of a vacation, of seeing new things, meeting new people and sharing memorable experiences with family members. To this day, I still consider that family trip when I plan my approach to planning and taking time off with my wife and kids. Vacations are a time for resting and connecting. As a bank manager, I spend much of my workday encouraging my customers to save their money. One of the reasons I give is that we should all have enough money for a family vacation every year. In our busy lives, family is what we should be saving our money and time for.
For my family, our vacation starts when we begin planning the trip. We talk about destinations and our budgets ahead of time. Involving the kids in planning the vacation makes sure that they have a great vacation too. While I prefer to visit historical sites and museums, they love to fish and swim. So I build in some relaxation time for us all so that the vacation works for everyone.
Each year, setting aside vacation time to spend together is especially important to us. A relaxing environment opens the doors to all kinds of conversations - deep, silly or meaningful. There’s no pressure from the usual everyday tasks.
What matters is that everyone is having a great time.
1. Why did the author go to the countryside when he was a boy?| A．To milk the cow. | B．To meet his parents. |
| C．To experience country life. | D．To enjoy the scenery. |
| A．The author learned to milk and fish. |
| B．The author understood the value of vacations. |
| C．The author met new people and learned things during the trip. |
| D．The trip helped the author understand the significance of vacations better. |
| A．The author had a good time in the countryside. |
| B．The author tried to let family members enjoy the holidays. |
| C．The author advised others to spend vacations with their families. |
| D．The author realized the value of family vacations and put it into practice. |
【推荐2】Babysitter Wanted
Do you like children? Do you have free time in the afternoon? We need a babysitter for our son.He is five years old. Hours are 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm from Monday to Friday. Sometimes you have to work on the weekend. Pay (薪水) is $10 each hour.
For the job, you will: Watch our son. Read to him. Play with him.
You will work at our house. We live in Fourth Road, near Huaxing Clothes Store.
Please call Mr. Wang at 010-58899333.
1. On Friday, the babysitter will ________.| A．not work | B．get $10 |
| C．live there | D．work three hours |
| A．Cooking for the child | B．Working at the child’s house |
| C．Taking care of the child | D．Reading books to the child |
| A．The child is less than ten years old. |
| B．The babysitter must be a college student. |
| C．The babysitter must work six days a week. |
| D．The babysitter can get more pay on weekends. |
【推荐3】FIRE plays an important role in maintaining woodland ecosystems but fire introduced to undergrowth too often destroys too much; as humans remain the leading cause of wildfire, the responsibility to minimize the damage done falls on our shoulders. Here are four man-made fires that highlight the mission to fight fire and help to replant the world’s forests to counter the effects of deforestation.
Heilongjiang Fire—China, 1987
One of the largest fires ever to occur in history, the Heilongiiang Fire devoured three million acres of forest in the Greater Khingan Range. Reports attributed the fire’s easy spread to dry conditions in the area-but it was excessive logging activity without any effort to let the forest regrow that really let it rage unhindered. 34,000 soldiers were deployed to put the fire out, and 33,000 people were left homeless.
Wallow Fire—USA, 2011
Still the largest wildfire in Arizona’s history, Wallow got its name when two men accidentally started it while camping in the Bear Wallow Wilderness. Their campfire blew out of control and burned through over half a million acres of land, costing $72 million to extinguish, and a further $37 million to clean up and rebuild after the damage. More than 6,000 people had to be evacuated.
Uttarakhand fires—India, 2016
Throughout the year, man-made fires plagued the pine forests of the Uttarakhand Region. Widespread media coverage eventually spurred the government on to intervene, sending Indian Air Force helicopters to put them out. It’s suspected that these increased numbers could be the result of honey or seed collectors trying to frighten off animals.
Brandenburg Fire—Germany, 2018
Largely thanks to longer, dryer summers than usual—the forested area of Brandenburg, Germany, caught alight. Results of investigation suggested that evidence pointed to arson (纵火). Brandenburg lost nearly 1,000 acres of its forested land and three nearby villages had to be evacuated. A choking, smoky haze drifted twelve miles to Berlin, causing residents to have to shut themselves in their home.
1. The underlined word “counter” in the first paragraph has the closest meaning to ________.| A．reverse | B．multiply |
| C．achieve | D．enhance |
| A．The dry condition of the Greater Khingan Range was mainly responsible for the rage of Heilongjiang Fire. |
| B．A total of $72 million was poured in putting out the Wallow Fire alone. |
| C．Uttarakhand fires claimed so many lives that Air Force helicopters came to the rescue. |
| D．Excessive heat from the Brandenburg Fire confined the residents nearby to their homes. |
| A．hot weather setting the globe on fire |
| B．forest blazes caused by human hands |
| C．forest fires consuming people and money |
| D．uncontained forest fires raging worldwide |
