Magic is a form of entertainment that is based on pretending to do things that are impossible. The magician is a specially trained actor. He tries to make the audience believe that he has the power to do things which are against the laws of nature.
Magic shows are entertaining as long as the audience does not discover how the tricks are done. The magician usually depends on his skill with his hands, on his knowledge of psychology, and, sometimes, on mechanical devices(机械装置). Since magic performance is meant to trick people, the use of psychology is important. The magician must keep people from noticing all the movements of his hands and from thinking about the secret parts of his equipment. He must also lead the audience to draw false conclusions. The magician's success depends on the fact that many things seen by the eye are not the things that matter.
Two basic magic tricks are making objects seem to appear and making objects seem to disappear. A combination of these two tricks makes for some interesting effects. For example, the magician puts a small ball under one of several cups. The ball then seems to jump from one cup to another or to change colour. What actually happens is that the magician, employing quick hand movements or a mechanical device, hides one ball. While doing this he talks to the audience and waves a brightly coloured cloth with one hand. The audience is too busy watching the cloth and listening to the magician's words to notice that his other hand is hiding the ball.
Another favourite trick is to cut or burn something, and then make it appear whole again. What actually happens is that the magician makes the cut or burned object disappear by quickly hiding it while the audience watches something else. Then he “magically” makes it appear whole again by displaying(展示)another object that has not been cut or burned.
1. What is the author's main purpose in writing the text?| A．To promote a magic show. | B．To teach people to be magicians. |
| C．To explain the art of magic. | D．To praise the talents of magicians. |
| A．Moving stage equipment. | B．Directing the audience's attention. |
| C．Applying high technology. | D．Keeping the performance in secret. |
| A．Providing examples. | B．Making a summary. |
| C．Drawing comparisons. | D．Explaining a concept. |
| A．Mechanical devices are expensive. | B．Most magicians employ assistants. |
| C．It takes practice to perform magic. | D．Small objects are magicians' favourite. |
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【推荐1】Children have their own rules in playing games. They seldom need a referee and rarely trouble to keep scores. They don't care much about who wins or loses, and it doesn't seem to worry them if the game is not finished. Yet, they like games that depend a lot on luck, so that their personal abilities cannot be directly compared. They also enjoy games that move in stages, in which each stage, the choosing of leaders, the picking-up of sides, or the determining of which side shall start, is almost a game in itself.
Grown-ups can hardly find children's games exciting, and they often feel puzzled at why their kids play such simple games again and again. However, it is found that a child plays games for very important reasons. He can be a good player without having to think whether he is a popular person, and he can find himself being a useful partner to someone of whom he is ordinarily afraid. He becomes a leader when it comes to his turn. He can be confident, too, in particular games, that it is his place to give orders, to pretend to be dead, to throw a ball actually at someone, or to kiss someone he has caught.
It appears to us that when children play a game they imagine a situation under their control. Everyone knows the rules, and more importantly, everyone plays according to the rules. Those rules may be childish, but they make sure that every child has a chance to win.
1. What is true about children when they play games?| A．They can stop playing any time they like. |
| B．They can test their personal abilities. |
| C．They want to pick up a better team. |
| D．They don't need rules. |
| A．play well | B．wait for his turn |
| C．be confident in himself | D．be popular among his playmates |
| A．They are not interested in games. |
| B．They find children's games too easy. |
| C．They don't need a reason to play games. |
| D．They don't understand children's games. |
| A．Because he can be someone other than himself. |
| B．Because he can become popular among friends. |
| C．Because he finds he is always lucky in games. |
| D．Because he likes the place where he plays a game. |
【推荐2】Opened in September 2005, Hong Kong Disneyland is the second Disney Park in Asia. It experienced a difficult time upon its opening. The Park, as well as two themed hotels, was built on Lantau Island.
The Park opened to strong competition in the form of Ocean Park. Hong Kong Disneyland is one of only two parks in Hong Kong, which has become one of the world's leading cities in recent years. It kept Chinese cultural traditions in mind when they built the Park to avoid a cultural backlash (抵制). Designers added to the custom of Feng Shui.
Disney and Hong Kong announced the Park in 1999, and construction began in 2003. The Park had one of the shortest construction periods in Disney history. Disney actually announced that the opening of the Park would be brought forward, from 2006 to September 2005.
The Park attracted 5.2 million visitors in its first year, below the expected 5.6 million. There was a lack of attractions, with Fantasyland opening with just one dark ride. Summer Passes were announced to increase the number of tourists. Autopia, Stitch Encounter and it's a Small World opened between 2006 and 2008 to offer more attractions at the Park.
The number of tourists dropped in 2007 to just over 4 million, so Disney planned a big expansion (扩大) project to attract more tourists and bring the Park back to its normal level. In July 2009, the Legislative Council of Hong Kong passed a three-land expansion of Hong Kong Disneyland, and in 2010, Toy Story Land opened.
These new attractions have certainly paid off, with the Park earning record profit (盈利) in 2013. In that year, over 7 million guests entered the Park.
With enough room for a second Park and the promise of more attractions to come, it seems that there is indeed a great beautiful tomorrow for Hong Kong Disneyland.
1. What do we know about Hong Kong Disneyland upon its opening?| A．It was the best Disney Park in Asia. | B．It wasn't very successful at first. |
| C．It didn't face much competition. | D．It was against Chinese culture. |
| A．is much smaller in size | B．has more customs to consider |
| C．had a longer preparation for opening | D．had a shorter period of time for construction |
| A．Hopeful. | B．Worried. |
| C．Uninterested. | D．Doubtful. |
【推荐3】Guinness World Records Set by Kids
◆The youngest club DJ
Oratilwe AJ Hlongwane likes putting in more efforts when playing music for a crowd. In 2012, he became the youngest club DJ — he was five when he played a one-hour set to 100 people at a bar in South Africa. Known in the business as DJ Arch Jnr, he broke the record previously held by a six-year-old in Japan.
◆The most viewed video game — unboxing video
Kids love watching someone unbox a new purchase — especially if it’s something they can’t get themselves. Maybe that’s why more than 25 million people have watched video websites. What’s really cool about Evan is that he usually donates most of the toys to those in need. He also uses his popular video website channel to draw people’s attention to worthy organizations for helping the poor.
◆The youngest drummer
The rules of Guinness World Record say a drummer must record a real song and be paid for his skills and that the drummer must give at least 20 concerts of 45 minutes or longer within five years. At the age of just four Julian Pavone met all those qualifications.
◆The fastest assembly (组装) of 10,000 Lego pieces and the longest Lego chain
A group of school kids in New Jersey went for their world record to increase public awareness of a fellow student Jamesy Raffone who is suffering from a rare and deadly disease. The group put together 10,000 Lego pieces in just three hours, breaking the old one by five hours. They also set the record for the longest Lego chain, which ended up at 947 meters, beating the old record by 40 meters.
1. Who is devoted to charity?| A．Evan. | B．Jamesy Raffoe. |
| C．Julian Pavone. | D．Oratilwe AJ Hlongwane. |
| A．He has recorded 20 real songs. |
| B．He gave less than 20 concerts at five. |
| C．He must earn a lot of money by recording. |
| D．He was qualified for the Guinness World Records at four. |
| A．To inspire team spirit. | B．To prevent a rare disease. |
| C．To raise money for their friend. | D．To help a sick schoolmate. |
【推荐1】Organizers of Paris 2024 have suggested that breakdancing(霹雳舞) should be included as a new sport in the Olympic sports. The committee is pleased with the suggestion as it is in line with its aim of rejuvenating the Olympics. But, what is breakdancing on earth?
Breakdancing is not simply a style of dance. It’s a unique culture with its own history. Popularized by African Americans and US Latinos, breakdancing is an energetic form of dance including stylized footwork and moves such as spinning on the head, hands or knees. It arose in New York City during the late 1960s and early 1970s from martial arts moves. The moves, originally learned as a form of self-defence eventually developed into the complex and athletic moves of today’s breakdancing.
Breakdancing is largely improvisational(即兴的) without standard moves or steps. The key is on energy, movement, creativity and certain danger. The people who perform this style of dance are known as b-boys or b-girls. They are also called breakers.
From those early roots, breakdancing began to add different moves to their routines, such as “pops” and “locks”, which brought a robotic quality to the dance. That style was popularized in the early 1970s by artists of the time. In the 1980s breakdancing reached a greater audience when it was adopted by mainstream artists like Michael Jackson. Jackson’s moonwalk, a step that involved sliding backward and lifting the soles of the feet so that he appeared to be sliding or floating, caused huge excitement among teens of all races.
With the growing popularity over the years, breakdancing has gone from a street phenomenon to one that is accepted by the wider culture.
Breakdancing is universal and it is popular with more than one million b-boys and b-girls in France. We hope the energetic dance is to be in the Olympic Games.
1. Which of the following best describes breakdancing?| A．Unique and defensive. | B．Standard but dangerous. |
| C．Energetic and creative. | D．Improvisational but simple. |
| A．Its features and history. | B．Its birthplace and audience. |
| C．Its changes and culture. | D．Its moves and complexity. |
| A．It took on a robotic look. | B．It caused excitement among teens. |
| C．It involved pops and locks. | D．It was adopted by mainstream artists. |
| A．To popularize breakdancing worldwide. |
| B．To explain what breakdancing is on earth. |
| C．To promote breakdancing to an Olympic sport. |
| D．To introduce the development of breakdancing. |
Now a group of psychologists from Yale University say they have found the reason why, and that crying tears of joy may well be the body’s way of keeping emotional balance. “They seem to take place when people are overtaken by strong positive emotions, and people who do this seem to recover better from those strong emotions,” Oriana Aragon, the lead researcher said.
Aragon and her fellow psychologists looked at hundreds of participants’ emotional responses to different things, including happy reunions and cute babies. Many participants said they would react in a negative or aggressive way to the positive things —— to cry at happy moments and want to pinch(捏)a cute baby’s face or even tell them “I want to eat you up!” But then researchers found that these people were able to calm down from strong emotions more quickly.
There are many other examples of times when people respond to a positive experience with a negative emotional reaction. At an exciting concert, fans scream at their idols(偶像). People who have just had a big lottery win are often in floods of tears. “These findings advance our understanding of how people express and control their emotions, which is importantly related to mental and physical health, the quality of relationships with others, and even how well people work together.” said Aragon．
1. What have professors from Yale University found in their research?
| A．The reason why people cry with tears. |
| B．Crying tears of joy helps to balance emotions. |
| C．Strong negative feelings are useful to people. |
| D．People recover slowly from strong emotions. |
| A．Crying at good news. |
| B．Crying at a failure. |
| C．Kissing a cute baby. |
| D．Laughing at happy reunions. |
| A．A science fiction novel. |
| B．A psychological science journal. |
| C．A popular biology book. |
| D．An adolescent literature book. |
【推荐3】One young lady is being praised for perfect manners for an apology note she wrote to the National Park, after she reportedly took a rock home as a souvenir (纪念品).In expressing her regret, the girl also returned the stolen rock to the park and even gave a donation.
On Aug, 17, the National Park shared the tale of the note to their Facebook page, where it has since been liked over 5, 200 times, and shared about 700.
“Dear Park Ranger( 护林员), Deep Creek was awesome! I especially liked Tom Branch Falls,” the youngster, named Karina, began her letter, “ I loved it so much, I wanted to have a souvenir to come home with me.”
“So I took a rock. I’m sorry, and I want to return it, " she said. " Also, here’s a donation!”
Lucky for Karina, the park rangers were moved by her sincere apologies for the petty theft, and even wrote back.
“Dear Karina, Thank you so much for returning the rock! It has made its way back to Tom Branch Falls. We are so glad you enjoyed your visit, "the park officials wrote in their Facebook post.
“Already, you are becoming an amazing steward( 35) for the park. Thank you for recognizing that what is in the park should stay in the park. If every visitor took a rock home, that would mean 11 million rocks would be gone from the park every year! "they shared.
The park rangers went on to explain the importance of rocks in the Natural Park as homes for “hundreds” of creatures, including salamanders.
“Now that you know to leave nature the way you find it, we hope you will help share this message with others,” the officials concluded, "It is always a good thing to give another the chance to discover!”
1. Why did the young lady take the rock home from the natural park?| A．Because it's valuable. |
| B．Because she liked Tom Branch Falls and wanted to have a souvenir. |
| C．Because it looks nice. |
| D．Because Deep Creek was so awesome that she wanted to have a souvenir. |
| A．Return the stone and give a donation | B．Become a steward for the park |
| C．Share the note to her Facebook page. | D．Take the stone back to Tom Branch Falls |
| A．Not all the visitors can take a rock from the natural park. |
| B．The salamanders are a kind of rare plants. |
| C．when we go to the natural park, we should leave nature the way we find it. |
| D．It's always a good thing to share messages with others. |
| A．A pretty thief | B．A Rock from the Natural Park |
| C．A Girl Who Have Perfect Manners | D．An Apology Note |
【推荐1】From San Francisco, Las Vegas is about 600 miles away and can easily be reached by taking a plane or traveling by bus or car. There’s no direct train service between cities, but travelers in search of a fun road trip have the choice of taking a few scenic detours (弯路).
The Best Time to Travel to Las Vegas
With summer temperatures frequently exceeding (超过) 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius), you won’t find too many people visiting this desert city between the months of June and August. Wintertime is actually considered high season, since this is when travelers from around the U.S. usually come to escape the colder temperatures in other parts of the country. Hotels are usually booked up. For the best weather and the smallest number of crowds, a visit during the spring or fall months is ideal.
The Most Scenic Route to Las Vegas
The scenic route to Las Vegas will add a few hours to your trip, but it’s a lot more entertaining and you can see some beautiful landscapes along the way. Your choices are to move north to Lake Tahoe, which will add about three hours of driving to your trip, or go through Yosemite and Death Valley National Parks, which will add about four to six hours of driving. If you’re taking the scenic route, you may consider camping overnight.
What to Do in Las Vegas
You don’t have to be the gambling (赌博) type to have a good time in Las Vegas. The city offers plenty to entertain travelers of all kinds, from headlining shows from world-class performers, to beat-pumping nightclubs and family-friendly attractions like the thrill rides at Stratosphere Tower.
1. If you want the cheapest way to get from San Francisco to Las Vegas, which kind of transportation is best?| A．Take a bus there. | B．Fly there. | C．Drive a car. | D．Go there by train. |
| A．visit the city in summer |
| B．book the hotel in advance in high season |
| C．go outside when the temperature exceeds 100 degrees Fahrenheit |
| D．consider camping overnight in the city if the hotels are full |
| A．Gambling. |
| B．Beat-pumping nightclubs. |
| C．The thrill rides at Stratosphere Tower. |
| D．Headlining shows from world-class performers. |
【推荐2】Bike Share Toronto is the city’s official bike share program, designed to give locals and visitors a fun, affordable and convenient alternative to walking, taxis, buses and the subway. There are 200 Bike Share Toronto stations and 2,000 bikes across the city, making Bike Share the most accessible way to get around and explore.
How it works
●Become an Annual Member or buy a day Pass to access the system.
●Find an available bike nearby, and get a ride code or use your member key to unlock it.
●Take as many short rides as you want while your pass or membership is active.
●Return your bike to any station, and wait for the green light on the dock(停靠点)to make sure it’s locked.
Choose a plan
●For visitors
Day Pass: $7. Unlimited 30-minute rides in a 24-hour period.
3-Day Pass: $15. Unlimited 30-minute rides in a 72-hour period.
●For locals
Monthly Pass: $25. Unlimited 30-minute rides for a month.
Annual Membership: $90. Unlimited 30-minute rides for a whole year. The Annual Membership is the best deal for locals of Toronto and other frequent riders.
The first 30 minutes of each ride is included with the membership or pass price. Avoid extra fees by dropping off your bike every 30 minutes at any other station. If you keep a bike out for longer than 30 minutes at a time, you will be charged an extra $1.50 for the first 30 minutes over, $4 for the next 30 minutes, and $7 for each additional 30 minutes after that.
Contact us
●Customer Service: (855)898-2388
●Repair Service: (855)-2378
●Corporation Partners: (855)898-2398
●Employment Opportunities: (855)898-2498
1. Which is the most suitable choice for locals in Toronto?| A．Day Pass | B．3-Day Pass |
| C．Monthly Pass | D．Annual Membership |
| A．$5.5 | B．$9.5 |
| C．$12.5 | D．$15.5 |
| A．(855)898-2399 | B．(855)898-2378 |
| C．(855)8989-2398 | D．(855) 898-2498 |
| A．A member can get a code or a key to the bike |
| B．Bike Share Toronto is a non-profit organization |
| C．Shared bikes have taken the place of other vehicles |
| D．The green light on the dock shows the bike is unlocked |
【推荐3】Suppose you’re in a rush, feeling tired, not paying attention to your screen, and you send an email that could get you in trouble.
Realisation will probably set in seconds after you’ve clicked “send”. You freeze in horror and burn with shame.
What to do? Here are four common email accidents, and how to recover.
Clicking “send” too soon
Don’t waste your time trying to find out if the receiver has read it yet. Write another email as swiftly as you can and send it with a brief title explaining that this is the correct version and the previous version should be ignored.
Writing the wrong time
The sooner you notice, the better. Respond quickly and briefly, apologising for your mistake. Keep the tone measured: don’t handle it too lightly, as people can be offended, especially if your error suggests a misunderstanding of their culture(i.e. incorrect ordering of Chinese names).
Clicking “reply all” unintentionally
You accidentally reveal(透露)to the entire company what menu choices you would prefer at the staff Christmas dinner, or what holiday you’d like to take. In this instance, the best solution is to send a quick, light-hearted apology to explain your awkwardness. But it can quickly rise to something worse, when everyone starts hitting “reply all” to join in a long and unpleasant conversation. In this instance, step away from your keyboard to allow everyone to calm down.
Sending an offensive message to its subject
The most awkward email mistake is usually committed in anger. You write an unkind message about someone, intending to send it to a friend, but accidentally send it to the person you’re discussing. In that case, ask to speak in person as soon as possible and say sorry. Explain your frustrations calmly and sensibly—see it as an opportunity to clear up any difficulties you may have with this person.
1. If you have written the wrong name in an email, it is best to ________.| A．apologise in a serious manner | B．tell the receiver to ignore the error |
| C．learn to write the name correctly | D．send a short notice to everyone |
| A．Try offering other choices. | B．Avoid further involvement. |
| C．Meet other staff members. | D．Make a light-hearted apology. |
| A．By promising not to offend the receiver again. |
| B．By seeking support from the receiver’s friends. |
| C．By asking the receiver to control his anger. |
| D．By talking to the receiver face to face. |
【推荐1】Carl Jones' love for animals began in his childhood. As a boy, he rescued injured wild creatures. In the 1970s, when the 24-year-old biologist learned that the Mauritius kestrel(红隼) is dying out, he decided to do his part.
He arrived on the island in an age of extinction. Even his employers of BirdLife International instructed him to “pull out elegantly” and leave the kestrel-saving to Mauritius government officials. That actually meant closing it down, because the Mauritians didn’t have the resources or ability.
Despite various difficulties, Jones holds the belief that all species are savable and humans need to live closely with other species. He has done so all his life and developed his hands-on approach to saving species.
Jones challenges the classic conservation wisdom that we must first understand the reasons for a species, decline and restore its habitat. Instead, he argues that scientists must identify the limiting factors on a species' population—food, nesting sites, competition, killing, disease—with practical fieldwork. “If there's a shortage of food, you will start feeding. If there's a shortage of nesting sites, you will put up nesting boxes. You don't need endless PhD students studying a species for 20 years. ” Conservation science, he argues, is often too remote. “Do you sit back and monitor a sick patient or do you treat them and see what works? A lot of species have been studied to extinction. ”
In Mauritius, Jones has preserved many plant species and nine animals. Without Carl Jones, the world might have lost the Mauritius kestrel, the pink pigeon and more.
1. What did BirdLife International want Carl Jones to do?| A．Live closely with other species. | B．Do his part in an age of distinction. |
| C．Co-operate with the local government. | D．Give up his decision to save the Mauritius kestrel. |
| A．Working on specific factors. | B．Getting necessary resources. |
| C．Analyzing reasons for a species' decline. | D．Following the classic conservation wisdom. |
| A．It's a waste of time. | B．It's an impractical approach. |
| C．It should be done in remote areas. | D．It takes highly educated personnel. |
| A．It is based on abundant research. | B．It has produced beneficial results. |
| C．It received the government’ support. | D．It is against the basic laws of fieldwork. |
【推荐2】The Summer Food Service Program(SFSP)provides children in low-income areas with healthy meals and snacks for free.By this means children can get the nutrition necessary for learning, playing, and growing when they are out of school for summer vacation.
Sponsors
SFSP is run by local approved sponsors such as school districts, local government agencies, camps, or private non-profit organizations.These sponsors receive payments from the United States Department of Agriculture(USDA)through local agencies for the meals they serve and their documented operating costs.
Feeding locations
There are three kinds of feeding locations in New Jersey-open sites, enrolled sites, and camps.Open sites operate in low-income areas where at least 50% of the children come from families with incomes equal or less than 185% of the federal poverty level, which means they are qualified for free and reduced price meals.Meals are served free to any child at the open sites.
At most sites, children get either one or two reimbursable(可补偿的)meals per day.For locations primarily aiming to serve migrant children, they may be permitted to serve as many as three meals a day to each child.
Eligibility(资格)
Children aged 18 and under can receive free meals and snacks through SFSP.For those over 18, they are also eligible if they are disabled and participate in special school programs for people with mental or physical disabilities.
Enrolled sites provide meals to children participating in an activity program at the sites where at least half of them qualify for free and reduced price meals.Camps are also welcomed to join SFSP.They receive payments only for the meals served to children who are eligible for free and reduced price meals.
1. Which of the following will pay for the free meals?| A．SFSP | B．USDA. |
| C．Local government agencies. | D．Private non-profit organizations. |
| A．Only those who are aged 18 and under have across to the free meals. |
| B．No more than two meals a day are served to each child at all the sites. |
| C．SFSP offers children in low-income areas free food only on summer vacation. |
| D．Children with family incomes above the federal poverty level are unqualified. |
| A．To persuade children to get help. |
| B．To introduce a charity campaign. |
| C．To appeal to the public for donation. |
| D．To publicize the government's achievements. |
【推荐3】From a distance, they look like nothing more than thin red lines on the horizon, easily lost in the rough blue of the Atlantic Ocean. But get closer and the significance of the 140m-long tubes becomes apparent: they are the beginning of an entirely new industry in the hunt for clean power.
Yesterday, the red snake-like objects were laid as part of the world's, first wave-power station, off the coast of the northern Portuguese town of Agucadoura. The project marks the latest step in Portugal's moves to become a leader in developing renewable energy sources.
At the heart of the power station are three round wave energy converters(转换器), designed and built by a British company Pelamis Wave Power. Moving up and down on the endless supply of waves in the open sea, they change the motion into electricity, without sending out any of the carbon dioxide responsible for warming the planet.
The Pelamis wave machines will produce 2.25 Megawatt(MW兆瓦), enough for the annual needs of about 1,500 homes. Eventually, the station will be expanded with a further 25 Pelamis machines so that it can produce up to 21MW of power. That will save 60,000 tons of CO2 per year compared with a conventional fossil fuel plant.
“The future of wave energy starts today,” said ManuelPinho, Portugal's economics minister. “Portugal wants to be good in renewable energy. We are among the top five in the world, and we are just in the beginning of the process. We think this can create an industrial revolution and a lot of opportunities for jobs and research and we want to lead the trend.”
In addition to this flagship wave power, the Portuguese are spending large amounts of money on other renewable technologies. In the past three years, the country has enlarged 3 times its hydroelectric capacity and 4 times its wind power sources-northern Portugal has the world's biggest wind farm. They are already spending &250m on more than 2,500 solar panels to build the world's largest solar farm near the small town of Moura in eastern Portugal. It will have twice the area of London's Hyde Park and supply 45MW of electricity each year, enough to power 30,000 homes.
1. What are the tubes in the water used to do?| A．To decorate the coast. | B．To hunt for ocean animals. |
| C．To take advantage of the waves. | D．To prevent huge waves in the ocean. |
| A．There will be less unemployment. | B．Industry have been fast developed. |
| C．Fewer waves will damage the coast. | D．Carbon dioxide will be reduced. |
| A．Portugal is rich in new energy resources. |
| B．Portugal is short of renewable energy. |
| C．Portugal's solar plant will be as large as London's Hyde Park. |
| D．Portugal will bring in technologies to develop wave and solar energy. |
| A．The Future of Renewable Energy Starts Today | B．Portugal's Moves to Employ Ocean's Power |
| C．The Fossil Energy Is to Be out of Date | D．Clean Energy Is on Its Way in Portugal |
