After a meeting shortly before the winter break, I walked through the halls of floor3 in Meta Forum, ready to leave the building, when I heard a voice call out my name. It was a friend with whom I shared a connection that is quite rare around this campus — both of us are from Slovakia. Extremely happy to hear my native language after so long, I joined him in the room that he booked to study in.
During our conversation, he revealed to me that first-year committees exist within the study association GEWIS and that he belongs to one. Long story short, he took me to the GEWIS room where I started the process of joining one committee. Not only did GEWIS give me a social life during the pandemic, but it also presented me with countless exciting activities and opportunities. Unfortunately, most of my international friends cannot relate.
During the summer break, I got a text from Jort who is now our chairman. He said that there were plans to start a committee to get more internationals involved in GEWIS. Jort is a local student. I was surprised to see him taking such an initiative. I appreciated the sympathy for the difficulty that internationals deal with, so I joined the first meeting.
Fast forward to today we are a committee containing 8 different nationalities. You might see us on campus wearing our iconic light-green and purple T-shirts with the word “GeLOBAL”on it. With our diverse team, there is no shortage of ideas for making GEWIS more international-friendly, and for fun activities.
On the 25th of October, we kicked things off with our first official GEWIS activity — Around The Globe With GeLOBAL. The people who joined took part in a fun yet educational pub quiz involving trivia questions from all around the world. They also got the opportunity to learn useful phrases (such as pick-up lines) from a wide pool of languages. There were snacks and drinks — including foreign ones, of course. There was a welcoming, inclusive energy in the air.
1. Why does the author have a rare relationship with his friend?| A．They come from the same country. | B．They connect in a special way. |
| C．They seldom see each other. | D．They don’t know each other very well. |
| A．To make himself their leader. | B．To teach them different languages. |
| C．To help them adapt to life there. | D．To involve them in international affairs. |
| A．Grateful. | B．Tolerant. | C．Resistant. | D．Critical. |
| A．GEWIS: Welcome You | B．GEWIS: the Platform |
| C．The Internationals | D．The Campus Life Abroad |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Exciting screams of joy from two happy little girls rang across the beach. But I walked along, barely aware of them. I’d come to this remote beach on my sailboat, a place to escape. My marriage was in trouble I worried about the harm to my two boys. But I didn’t know how to make things better.
“Help! Help!” The girls screamed. I saw one girl was at the edge of the surf, yelling. I charged into the waves, swam to her and seized her. “But where is the other girl?” I looked across the water and saw a small head after a big wave. I shifted the girl I’d rescued to my back. She told me the other girl was her sister. For a moment I thought of my boys. How much they loved each other? How much I loved them?
I quickened my swimming and held the second little girl. We were at least 50 yards from land. No way could I swim that far, not with two girls hanging on to me. But there was no time to wait. I swam as hard as could, but the weight of the girls grew heavier with every minute. My lungs burned. I opened my mouth to take a breath but instead swallowed water. I choked. Couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t swim. From behind me I felt an unbelievable force, lifting.
“Mommy!” The cry pierced my consciousness. I looked up. An elderly man was trying to drag me out of the water. Two women were swimming toward shore. “Thank you,” one of the women cried. “You saved my daughters.” My efforts and my struggles had paid off. I thought of that big wave, lifting me and pushing me. When my body had failed me, and when all hope was disappearing, I was given the strength I needed.
I stood up. My family were waiting for me. There were things I could do. I just needed to make an effort. The strength would be given to me.
1. Why did the author turn a deaf ear to the laughter of the two girls?| A．Because the sound of sea waves was too big. |
| B．Because he was trapped in his own problems. |
| C．Because he couldn’t wait to go sailing. |
| D．Because he was lost in missing his wife. |
| A．He got his spirits from God. | B．He was swallowed by the wave. |
| C．He managed to swim to the shore. | D．He lost his breath after swallowing water. |
| A．Efforts to Save the Family. | B．Struggles to Fight Sea Waves. |
| C．The Adventurous Surfing. | D．The Magical Wave. |
【推荐2】When the news came that my mother was hospitalized for a heart attack, I was in Peru on a hiking trip. That evening, before I could board the plane to Italy, I was informed that she had passed away. Sadness and the feeling of not being there for my mother when she needed me most broke all excuses Id made up to stay away trying to make it as a “travel writer”. There wasn’t much I could do to stop that urge to denounce myself.
My mother Tundra stayed in her northern Italian world most of her life, where I always stood out as a freak and the one doing worthless silly things. But my stories from distant places aroused her curiosity and brought her comfort. To her, I was a courageous adventurer, and her words towards my achievements which are in sign if cant now pushed me forward on that unconventional path.
After handling my mother’s affairs in Italy, I decided to leave for Penang Island, one of the most visited places in Penang, Malaysia. With all the international travel I’d done, in truth I’d always treated it more like as top for necessary and urgent breaks, rather than a proper destination. Yet then, I missed its atmosphere that made me feel at home somehow.
Returning there, I reconnected with backwoods by going on hikes. It was hard to put my feelings into words, but the rainforest held something uniquely comforting. This experience was similar to stepping into an ancient, purer world that made one consider human nature and problems. Besides, the sound of strange insects was almost like a language, whispering to me that I should let go of the past, and only focus on current life. Like an oil leak, that suffering fell out of me and into every footprint left.18 months passing, I look back on the time spent in the natural world and timeless environment, knowing I’ve pulled through.
1. What does the underlined word “denounce” mean in the first paragraph?| A．Blame. | B．Support. | C．Doubt. | D．Encourage. |
| A．Worried. | B．Favorable. | C．Disapproving | D．Excited. |
| A．A special second home. | B．A hard-to-reach destination. |
| C．A distant tourist attraction. | D．A much-needed resting place. |
| A．Hiking builds up his confidence. | B．Penang is a good place to restart. |
| C．Nature helps him overcome sorrow. | D．It’s important to live in the moment. |
【推荐3】A new TV documentary is being made which charts the lives of three children who are making a home in Britain. In each case, the children have travelled to the UK alone to join their mothers after a separation of several years.
Imran is 11 and lived in Pakistan with his grandmother before coming to a village near Peterborough in the East Midlands to join his mother and his new stepfather, whom he had not met before. He speaks Urdu and Punjabi, but not a word of English. Imran soon gets into trouble at school because he is at a disadvantage among his confident English-born classmates. The other children tease him because they think he is not cool, so he covers up his awkwardness by playing the fool. After school he sits drawing a picture of himself with tears on each cheek.
Like Imran, 10-year-old Altynay from Kyrgyzstan, spoke no English when she arrived at her new home in Penistone, Yorkshire, but she was lucky to have Kanykei, who has lived in England for three years, to interpret for her. Even so, this little girl, who was the head girl at her old school, found her first few months here very hard. Early in the film she is shown laughing and dancing with Kanykei, while later she appears to be homesick and disappointed by the language barrier at her village school. But that was a few months ago. Kanykei confirms that Altynay is happier now because she has learned more English.
Compared with the two, Marshal has a huge advantage, having been educated at English-language schools in Zimbabwe. He is also outgoing. When asked if settling into a new country is hard for him, he shakes his head, “No, it was not hard for me. I am a brave person.” But his new life is not without difficulties. “It is his reading I am worried about, ” says his mother Josephine. “He didn’t have my support when he needed it.”
1. What concerns Imran in the UK?| A．His foolish classmates. |
| B．His poor drawing skills. |
| C．His bad relationship with his stepfather. |
| D．His unpleasant experience at his new school. |
| A．She is adapting to the new life speedily. |
| B．She finds it easy to learn a new language. |
| C．She is experiencing a positive change now. |
| D．She has become the top student in her new class. |
| A．He is good at reading. |
| B．He lacks parental love. |
| C．He has fewer difficulties in language. |
| D．He faces more challenges in his new life. |
| A．A Lonely Life in a New Country | B．Breaking the Barrier |
| C．Great Expectations | D．Happy life in the UK |
【推荐1】I’m losing my hair. Don’t feel sorry. It will not be an explanation on how depressing it is that my body is submitting to the damages of time. It’s just a fact, and, honestly, I’m fine with it. Don’t get me wrong: had this happened when I was 25, I would have rushed to an Istanbul clinic with credit cards faster than you could say “Elton”. I would have had a baseball cap glued to my scalp (头皮). But I’m 40 now.
Hairdressers used to praise me on my “thick hair”, however, they’d make no obvious difference to my lion-like hairs. Therefore, this raises a question: why am I still spending £50 getting my hair cut? The answer to this is, I suppose, “habit”. But if the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that even our fundamental behaviors can be transformed when necessary. For decades, I’ve frequented salons (美发厅). I enjoyed the air conditioning and the coffee. But really, all I require these days is a short back and sides. So, for the first time, I’ve started going to my local barbershop. And… it’s great! For one thing, you don’t need to book an appointment.
The two guys are friendly, yet also business-like. Best of all, the cut costs £15, and my hair looks exactly the same as when it was done in the salon. The first time my barber placed a wet towel over my nose and mouth, I’ve come to appreciate the feeling of a freshly-shaved jaw. So yes, my hair is thinning: I am older. But also, I believe, wiser.
1. What do we know about the author from paragraph1?| A．He has a lot of credit cards. |
| B．He is fine with his thinner hair now. |
| C．He feels upset about losing his hair. |
| D．He likes gluing a baseball cap to his scalp. |
| A．Because the salons charge too much. |
| B．Because he wants to change his hairstyle. |
| C．Because the hairdressers make his hair lion-like. |
| D．Because he has no habit of making appointments. |
| A．Inspiring. | B．Challenging. |
| C．Satisfying. | D．Disappointing. |
| A．It’s wise to accept changes owing to aging. |
| B．The old are more likely to have thinner hair. |
| C．Crucial behaviors can be changed if necessary. |
| D．Salons and barbershops make no big difference. |
【推荐2】I had not hugged a friend or a family member for more than two years until recently when my sister-in-law flew in for a brief visit. For everyone’s safety, we met outside. Despite the wintry weather, her hug warmed me from the inside out. It’s strange, but only now do I truly realize how much I’ve missed embracing loved ones-- the warmth that remains long after our arms have loosened.
Growing up through war in my hometown of Sarajevo, Bosnia, every moment was full of danger. On one peaceful morning. I had begged my mom to let me go outside after spending weeks wilting (蔫) indoors. She finally agreed. I was outside for only 10 minutes when I was caught in an explosion. I ran to my neighbor’s house for safety and threw my arms around her neck just as my legs collapsed underneath me. She hugged me with both arms and dragged me into her house. I was still in her arms when the ambulance arrived.
Thankfully. I made a full physical recovery, but the emotional scars never left me. Years later there was another explosion near my house. I was safely inside, but my father had left to buy a loaf of bread. He had only just missed the blast. When he came back inside, I gave him the biggest hug imaginable. I was caked in tears as I held him tight.
That same night my parents managed to arrange my escape from our war-torn city. They desperately wanted at least some of my childhood to be normal. I was 16 and came to America on my own. A generous host family took me in and I began learning English and going to school. They had a large dog called Oscar. Over the next several months, I secretly struggled with feeling homesick and worried about my family back home. Despite managing quite well at school, I couldn’t express my feelings. The only way I shared how I felt was by giving Oscar a big hug.
It is yet another sad aspect of our pandemic lives that hugging a stranger is the last thing on our minds. For many of us, even hugging a relative or a friend comes with stress and anxiety over risks and precautions (防范). Perhaps we have undervalued the impact of a simple hug. As I look back on my past, I count myself truly lucky to have been held, shielded and encouraged at some of the most key moments of my life by the almost super power of a hug. I pray that in the not-so-distant future we can safely hold one another again - a friend, relative, or even a stranger.
1. Why did the author mention her sister-in-law’s visit at the beginning?| A．It reminded the author of her past hugs. |
| B．It encouraged the author to hug strangers. |
| C．It made the author think of her large family. |
| D．It made the author forget the pandemic temporarily. |
| A．Her leg collapsed in an explosion. |
| B．Her mother loved her too much to send her to America. |
| C．She was warmed by her neighbor’s hug. |
| D．She recovered quickly from the wounds of the war. |
| A．Frightened | B．Relieved | C．Embarrassed | D．Astonished |
| A．She was treated badly by her host family. |
| B．She couldn’t catch up with her classmates at school. |
| C．She couldn’t adapt to the new environment. |
| D．She missed and worried about her family members. |
| A．To express how she feels about war. |
| B．To share how important hugs are to her. |
| C．To introduce the ups and downs in her life. |
| D．To complain about the impact of the pandemic. |
【推荐3】 With a good shopping position and the right amount of money, any educated person ought to be able to make a living out of a bookshop. It is not a difficult trade to learn and the large chain-stores can never force the small bookseller out of existence as they have done to the corner shop. But the hours of work are very long — I was only doing a part-time job, but my boss put in a seventy-hour week, besides regular journeys out of shopping hours to buy books.
The real reason why I should not like to be back in the book trade for life, however, is that while I was in it I lost my love of books. A bookseller cannot always tell the truth about his books, and that gives him a dislike for them. There was a time when I really did love books — loved the sight and smell and feel of them — if they were fifty or more years old, that is. Nothing pleased me quite so much as to buy a bargain lot of them on sale for several pounds. There is a peculiar flavor about the unexpected books you pick up in that kind of collection: little-known eighteenth-century poets, or out-of-date geography books. For occasional reading — in your bath, for example, or late at night when you are too tired to go to bed — there is nothing as good as a very old picture story-book.
But as soon as I went to work in the bookshop I stopped buying books. Seen in a mass, five or ten thousand at a time, books were dull and even a little tiresome. Nowadays I do buy one occasionally, but only if it is a book that I want to read and can’t borrow, and I never buy rubbish.
1. According to the passage, ________ is one of the necessary conditions to run a bookshop.| A．an educated shop-owner |
| B．a good position at a street corner |
| C．a regular journey out of the shop |
| D．the force of large chain-stores |
| A．he hated his job of selling books |
| B．selling books was only a part-time job |
| C．the books in the shop gave him a dislike |
| D．he was unable to be honest about the books he sold |
| A．stories making readers sleepless |
| B．valuable ones bought on sale |
| C．peculiar ones with great expectation |
| D．geography ones from the eighteenth century |
| A．if he feels dull and tired |
| B．after he gives up his job as a bookseller |
| C．which are interesting but hard to borrow |
| D．when he throws away old ones |
