If Confucius（孔子）were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. He’d need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.
While many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It’s nothing personal. Most Americans don’t even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.
But this doesn’t mean that Americans don’t care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.
In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually included Chinese art, history and philosophy（哲学）. Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantages of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks of Westerners philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.
So the old thinker’s ideas are still alive and well.
Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West. As for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.
1. The opening paragraph is mainly intended to ________| A．provide some key facts about Confucius |
| B．show great respect for the ancient thinker |
| C．attract the readers’ interest in the subject |
| D．prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations |
| A．Forgotten Wisdom in America | B．Huge Fans of the Chinese Language |
| C．Chinese Culture for Westerners | D．Old Thinker with a Big Future |
| A．a newspaper | B．a history paper |
| C．a philosophy textbook | D．a p biography |
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【推荐1】The traditional Chinese solar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Major Snow, the 21st solar term of the year, begins this year on Dec 7 and ends on Dec 21.
Snowy winter
The sow in North China may last a whole day, breaking tree branches and blocking the. Snowflakes fall and the world turns white.
Appreciating plum blossoms
Plum blossoms usually flower in mid-to-late December in some southern cities of China, and sometimes bloom even earlier.
Eating lamb
Lamb is a favorite food for Chinese people during Major Snow. It’s excellent for nourishing (滋养) the body and providing protection against the cold. People in Chongqing like to have potted lamb soup with their families and friends.
During Major Snow, Chinese people watch for outbreaks of illness, which can be prevented by wearing a scarf to protect the neck and properly drinking water. When it is getting drier and colder, people should drink more water; but do not drink too much at once or drink cold water after exercise.
| A．Drinking water. |
| B．Preventing illness. |
| C．It is valued in Chinese culture for its character during cold winters. |
| D．As the snow covers the ground, the low winter temperature kills pests |
| E．During the period, the snow becomes heavy and the temperature drops significantly. |
| F．In addition, eastern residents would prepare it with vegetables to make it more nutritious. |
| G．But even today, Chinese people are likely to refer to the solar terms when guidance is needed. |
【推荐2】“Most children,” Asher Svidensky says, “are a little afraid of golden eagles. However, Kazakh boys in western Mongolia start learning how to use the huge birds to hunt for foxes and hares at the age of 13.” Svidensky, a photographer and travel writer, shot five boys learning the skill as well as the girl, Ashol Pan. “To see her with the eagle was amazing,” he recalls. “She was a lot more comfortable with it, a lot more powerful with it and a lot more at ease with it.”
The Kazakhs in western Mongolia are the only people that hunt with golden eagles, and today there are around 400 practising eagle hunters. Ashol Pan, the daughter of a famous hunter, may well be the country’s only girl hunter.
They hunt in winter, when the temperatures can drop to -40℃. A hunt begins with days of traveling on horseback through a snow mountain or ridge (山脉) giving an excellent view of prey for miles around. Hunters generally work in teams. After a fox is discovered, riders rush to frighten it into the open, and an eagle is released (释放). If the eagle fails to make a kill, another is released.
“The skill of hunting with eagles,” Svidensky says, “lies in bringing an unexpected force of nature under control. You don’t really control the eagle. You can try and make her hunt an animal, and then it’s a matter of nature. What will the eagle do? Will she make it? How will you get her back afterwards?”
Svidensky describes Ashol Pan as a smiling, sweet and shy girl. “Ashol Pan stands for something about Mongolia in the 21st century,” says Svidensky. “Everything there is going to change and is going to be redefined (重新定义), and the possibility is amazing.”
1. What makes Asher Svidensky much surprised?| A．The colorful and powerful eagles. |
| B．The special way of hunting by the Kazakhs. |
| C．The wonderful performance of Ashol Pan. |
| D．The young age of Kazakh eagle hunters. |
| A．The scenery to be enjoyed. |
| B．The creature to be caught. |
| C．The option to be argued. |
| D．The future to be expected. |
| A．Man can overcome nature. |
| B．All efforts will pay off one day. |
| C．Making use of existing resources is important. |
| D．Never think about controlling others. |
| A．A photographer and travel writer’s traveling experience. |
| B．A girl eagle hunter in Mongolia. |
| C．The true life of the eagle hunters in Mongolia. |
| D．The future of the traditional way of eagle hunting. |
【推荐3】In a foreign country, a man visited a local restaurant. He didn’t speak their language. He ordered something indecipherable off the menu. When the waiter brought him a plate of delicious looking fried noodles, he smiled and made an OK sign at the waiter with his thumb and forefinger linked in a circle. Looking angry, the waiter then picked up the dish and thrown it to his lap. What he did wrong, he wondered. Well, nothing is quite as it seems when it comes to using hand gesture in another country.
Gestures have been used to replace words in many countries, and they are often specific to a given culture. Gesture may mean something complimentary in one culture, but is highly offensive in another.
The gesture “thumb-up” is commonly misinterpreted. In English, it is popularly known as ‘thumbs up’, despite the fact that the action is commonly performed with only one hand. English-speaking Caucasians use it to signal ‘OK’, which is the same meaning as O.K. ring gesture. The two can in fact be used almost interchangeably.
Avoid using this gesture in Southern Sardina or Northern Greece unless you want to invite a fight. While American, British and Australian would use the thumb up to signal hitch-hiking to the drivers, this message will not encourage a Greek driver or motorist to stop to give them a ride.
There are no right or wrong signals, only cultural differences. Lack of cultural understanding will lead to disharmony among people from different cultures. When we know what to look for, such encounters with other cultures are actually very interesting, fascinating and fun. It is certainty a great topic to discuss over a cup of coffee and cakes.
1. What did the man in the first paragraph do wrong?| A．He misunderstood the waiter. | B．He made the signal in a rude way. |
| C．He ordered something off the menu. | D．He didn’t realize cultural differences. |
| A．Full of aggression. | B．Full of admiration. |
| C．Full of complexity. | D．Full of certainty. |
| A．He will stop to give you a lift. |
| B．He will ask you to give him a HA. |
| C．He will get annoyed and fight against you. |
| D．He will make the same signal toward you. |
| A．To tell stories about different cultures. |
| B．To advise us to have an understanding of cultural differences. |
| C．To explain the meaning of different gestures. |
| D．To persuade people from different countries to live in harmony. |
【推荐1】Chancelor Bennett has surprises in store for educators during Teacher Appreciation Week. The Grammy Awards-winning artist is hosting his virtual award show “The Twilight Awards” to surprise 10 teachers and recognize them for their work. He’ll also donate $300,000 to these teachers.
“Most artists want to do the Grammys, but everybody wants to do ‘Sesame Street’,” he said. “It’s because when you’re a kid, you create long-lasting memories of it. Sesame Street’ teaches kids how to count or spell a certain word and influences them forever.” He said the same goes for the work teachers do for children. “The true superstars are these people.”
Chancelor first developed the idea in 2017, after working with educators in Chicago Public Schools. That year he donated $1 million to the school system, and started a fund in Chicago classrooms through one initiative of SocialWorks, a nonprofit he established. The award show was named in honor of American educator Alexander Twilight, the first African American known to graduate from an American college.
Chancelor didn’t have the best educational experience. He was kind of written off by some of his teachers due to the Fs on his report card, but it caused him to have a deeper gratitude to the ones that didn’t abandon him. “When I could have gotten kept back or kicked out of school or any number of things, there were quite a few teachers that helped keep me on track,” he explained.
Aliamer from Sayre Language Academy is among the first educators to be honored. “I asked them a couple of times on the phone if an error was committed,” said Aliamer. The 25-year-old has only been teaching for two years. “I don’t think any credit goes to me. It brings me optimism that people are learning to be more empathetic and understanding.”
1. How does Chancelor show the importance of teachers in paragraph 2?| A．By telling a story. | B．By making a comparison. |
| C．By giving examples. | D．By explaining reasons. |
| A．His own experience at school. | B．Teacher Appreciation Week. |
| C．The request of Alexander Twilight. | D．The activity of his nonprofit. |
| A．He often skipped class. | B．He was treated unfairly. |
| C．He did poorly in school. | D．He was popular with teachers. |
| A．Amazed. | B．Proud. | C．Touched. | D．Mixed. |
【推荐2】Traci Ruble, a psychotherapist (心理治疗师), felt worried that people today were experiencing loneliness and a shortage of personal connections. She understood that with busy lives and challenging jobs, people were unable to make these connections.
So on a spring day in 2015, Ruble and a small number of volunteers set up chairs on sidewalks in 12 locations around San Francisco, California and invited people passing by to sit for a few minutes and chat. This was the beginning of Sidewalk Talk, an organization whose mission is to create public spaces of connections where the people are.
Today, the organization has more than 4,000 volunteers in 40 cities. Around 25 percent of the volunteers are licensed therapists (持证治疗师). They come from different backgrounds and are a mixed group. Volunteers receive training from the organization.
Listening activities are held several times a month along with other organizations. In San Francisco, Sidewalk Talk partners with Lava Mae, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that brings mobile showers to homeless people.
Sidewalk Talk gives people a chance to speak and be listened to but it is not therapy, according to Ruble. “I’m not interacting as a therapist out there. I’m not there to solve someone’s problems,” she said. “I’m there to practice being human.”
Ruble stressed that therapy is one-sided and that therapists are taught to avoid self-disclosure(自我表露) but by “being human” she could carry out interactions by sharing her own life and showing empathy (同感) with the people she talks with.
According to a report, 31 percent of all Americans experience serious loneliness including 61 percent of young adults. To fix that, rebuilding community relationships is very important. While listening activities will not solve the loneliness problem, these chats could help someone have a brighter day. Knowing that there are empathetic people who are willing to fully listen and share your feelings could make all the difference to a lonely person.
1. What can we learn about Sidewalk Talk?| A．It is largely made up of licensed therapists. |
| B．It encourages people to share and reconnect. |
| C．It was set up with the help of other organizations. |
| D．It aims to improve people’s language expression ability. |
| A．It leads to a healthier life. |
| B．It helps people solve problems. |
| C．It makes chats go more smoothly. |
| D．It allows people to receive support. |
| A．The power of good community relationships. |
| B．The seriousness of the loneliness problem. |
| C．The results of being an empathetic person. |
| D．The need for Sidewalk Talk’s activities. |
| A．Taking listening to the streets |
| B．Dealing with loneliness by volunteering |
| C．Building powerful connections between people |
| D．Enjoying having deep conversations with strangers |
According to the World Bank’s education specialist, Harry Patrinos, this include: improving the quality of teachers and making sure that teachers are highly regarded; providing information to make schools accountable and giving autonomy to schools and head teachers.
This matters not only for individual pupils but also for the well-being of countries, he says, because improving educational performance has a direct impact on improving economic performance.
China’s education performance — at least in cities such as Shanghai and Hong Kong — seems to be as spectacular as the country’s fast growing economy.
Certainly both these open and outward-looking cities consider education to be important and are willing to adopt the best educational practices from around the world to ensure success. In Hong Kong, education accounts for more than one-fifth of entire government spending every year.
“Shanghai and Hong Kong are small education systems, with a concentration of ideas, manpower and resources for education,” says Prof Cheng.
Under the banner “First class city, first class education”, Shanghai set about systematically re-equipping classroom, upgrading schools and improving the curriculum in the last decade.
It got rid of the “key schools” system which concentrated resources only on top students and top schools. Instead staff were trained in more interactive teaching methods and computers were brought in. About 80% of Shanghai school leavers go to university compared to an overall average of 24% in China.
Meanwhile, dynamic Hong Kong was forced into educational improvements as its industries moved to cheaper mainland Chinese areas in the 1990s.Its survival as a service and management hub depends on upgrading knowledge and skills.
In the last decade Hong Kong has concentrated on closing the gap for all students, says a report by McKinsey management consultants.
The report, How the World’s Most Improved School Systems Keep Getting Better, rated Hong Kong’s education system among the best in the world.
1. The World Bank’s survey about education mainly concentrates on .| A．what has made some education systems successful |
| B．China’s education system and competitive exams |
| C．how to relieve Chinese students of their heavy schoolwork |
| D．the relationship between education and economic development |
| A．to give autonomy to all teachers to educate students freely in class |
| B．to let students attend after-school tutoring and do more exercises |
| C．to improve teachers’ abilities and give schools free performance right |
| D．to make school education directly serve the economy of the country |
| A．the “key school” system is the key to many schools’ failure |
| B．students in Shanghai and Hong Kong work the hardest |
| C．Hong Kong’s educational performance isn’t as good as Shanghai’s |
| D．Shanghai and Hong Kong’s economic performance will improve |
| A．Negative. | B．Positive. |
| C．Neutral. | D．Critical. |
【推荐1】Splash (落水声)! Did you hear that? Can you guess what it is? Can you figure it out? If you guessed the ocean, then you’re correct! I believe that my organization, Reef Check, is the most worthy of receiving the Chocolate Heart money. Do you want to know why? Well, soon you’ll find out.
First of all, Reef Check needs the money to repair and clean coral reefs (珊瑚礁) which are home to millions of sea animals. Reef Check hopes to educate the public about the value of reef ecosystems (生态系统) and the danger that sea animals and plants are facing. Based in Los Angeles, Reef Check has volunteer teams in more than 90 countries, making community volunteers, businesses, universities, and other non-profit organizations work together. It works to create a worldwide network of volunteer teams trained in Reef Check’s scientific methods that survey coral and rocky reefs and report on reef health. Also, Reef Check takes action to protect remaining ancient reefs and repair reefs in danger worldwide.
For example, imagine you are a poor sea animal, whose home just got destroyed or wasn’t clean. What would you do? What could you do? Nothing much, really. But that’s exactly Reef Check’s job! To clean and protect these homes for many sea animals!
Furthermore, in 1997, Reef Check carried out the first-ever survey of coral reef health that provided scientific evidence that our coral reefs were in danger because of overfishing, illegal fishing, and pollution. The results surprised many biologists who had not realized the seriousness of human influence on reefs. In August 2002, Reef Check presented its report, The Global Coral Reef Crisis - Trends and Solutions, at the World Summit in South Africa. The report warned that there was no reef in the world that remained untouched by human influence, such as overfishing, pollution, and climate change.
In short, everyone should have a home including animals from the sea. So don’t leave them out! Be generous and give them a home!
1. What do we know about Reef Check?| A．It is a team of scientists. |
| B．It mainly studies sea animals. |
| C．It is a non-profit organization. |
| D．It is run by the US government. |
| A．To show the role of Reef Check. |
| B．To show the importance of reefs. |
| C．To show how poor sea animals are. |
| D．To show the seriousness of sea pollution. |
| A．Reefs would die out in the near future. |
| B．Humans and reefs depended on each other. |
| C．Overfishing influenced the oceans seriously. |
| D．Reefs were at risk because of human activities. |
| A．To describe what Reef Check is. |
| B．To introduce a dangerous but important job. |
| C．To explain why Reef Check needs support. |
| D．To educate the public to care for the environment. |
【推荐2】Pacific Science Center Guide
◆Visit Pacific Science Center’s Store
Don’t forget to stop by Pacific Science Center’s Store while you are here to pick up a wonderful science activity or souvenir to remember your visit. The store is located (位于) upstairs in Building 3 right next to the Laser Dome.
◆Hungry?
Our exhibits will feed your mind, but what about your body? Our café offers a complete menu of lunch and snack options, in addition to seasonal specials. The café is located upstairs in Building 1 and is open daily until one hour Pacific Science Center closes.
◆Rental Information
Lockers are available to store any belongs during your visit. The lockers are located in Building 1 near the Information Desk and in Building 3. Pushchairs and wheelchairs are available to rent at the Information Desk and Denny Way entrance. ID required.
◆Support Pacific Science Center
Since 1962, Pacific Science Center has been inspiring a passion (热情) for discovery and lifelong learning in science, math and technology. Today, Pacific Science Center serves more than 1.3 million people a year and brings inquiry-based science education to classrooms and community events all over Washington State. It’s an amazing accomplishment and one we cannot achieve without generous support from individuals, corporations, and other social organizations. Visit pacificsciencecenter. org to find various ways you can support Pacific Science Center.
1. Where can you buy a souvenir at Pacific Science Center?| A．In Building 3. | B．In Building l. |
| C．At the Laser Dome. | D．At the Denny Way entrance. |
| A．You can have lunch there. | B．The exhibits there will feed your mind. |
| C．There is no place to store your belongs. | D．Pushchairs and wheelchairs are available to rent. |
| A．Train science teachers. | B．Take science to the classroom. |
| C．Inspire scientific research. | D．Distribute science books. |
| A．To tell about the Center’s history. | B．To advertise coming events. |
| C．To introduce special exhibits. | D．To encourage donations. |
【推荐3】The more you know about how colleges in the United States choose their students, the better chance you will have to get in. If you understand how to evaluate yourself, how to research schools, and how to see differences between one college and another, your chances will be very great.
You will be choosing 10 or 12 colleges that you must get to know very well. You can read about them, research them online, and find other Chinese students at the school. You can email them about campus life. Find the email address of the admissions office on the college website and ask for the names and email addresses of other Chinese students.
Try hard to keep an open mind, as you research the hundreds of colleges in the US. The more you learn what a particular college is like, even if you have never heard of it before, the more informed choices you will be able to make.
That means collecting information from many sources(来源).It's easy to believe what others say, things like “Someone told me that Colorado College is too small,” and “Someone told me that Michigan is too big.” The truth is that every college has something for someone. There is no college that is wonderful for everyone. Not even the Ivy League schools(常春藤盟校)!Just because you have heard the name of a college does not mean it will be a good place for you. Just because you have not heard the name of a college does not mean that you will not like it.
Look at four-year accredited(鉴定合格的) residential(住宿的) colleges where at least 75 percent of the students live on campus. You must apply to some that are easier to get into than others. The typical residential college of 2,000 students feels different from a state university of 20,000 students. Most colleges of 2,000 are communities where everyone gets to know each other, and professors spend a lot of time with the students.
1. What is the author's main purpose in writing this article?| A．To recommend some US colleges. |
| B．To give tips on choosing US colleges. |
| C．To tell readers how to get into Ivy League schools. |
| D．To introduce some sources of information on US colleges. |
| A．learn about as many colleges as you can |
| B．compare US colleges with Chinese ones |
| C．do a careful research before making a decision |
| D．contact admissions officers for information about teachers |
| A．Ivy League schools |
| B．four-year accredited residential colleges |
| C．state universities of around 20,000 students |
| D．residential colleges with lots of Chinese students |
【推荐1】One of the best things you can do for your health is to drop a few pounds. Or maybe more than a few pounds.
Being overweight increases your danger of heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and the list seems almost endless. You'd better find several simple things you can do on a daily basis — such as making rules of eating more vegetables and less fat and getting more physical activities.
After breakfast, make water your primary drink. At breakfast, go ahead and drink orange juice. But throughout the rest of the day, focus on water instead of juice or soda. The average American consumes (消耗) an extra 245 calories a day from soft drinks. That's nearly 90,000 calories a year — or 25 pounds! An research shows that neither the calories nor sugary drinks give you a sense of fullness the way that food does.
People take only 2,000 to 3,000 steps a day. Adding 2,000 steps will help you keep your present weight and stop gaining weight. Adding more than that will help you lose weight.
Eat five or six small meals or snacks a day instead of three large meals. A 1999 South African study found that when men ate parts of their morning meal at intervals over five hours, they consumed almost 20 percent fewer calories at lunch than when they ate a single breakfast.
1. Where is the passage probably taken from?| A．A travelling diary. | B．A story book. |
| C．A science magazine. | D．An English dictionary. |
| A．Eating more vegetables. |
| B．Getting more exercise. |
| C．Having less sugary drinks. |
| D．Having three large meals. |
| A．Healthy Eating Habits | B．Tips on Losing Weight |
| C．Daily Diet and Calories | D．Exercise Stops Diseases |
| A．Lots of diseases are related to being overweight. |
| B．Those who have a single breakfast eat less at lunch time. |
| C．Taking 4,000 to 5,000 steps a day can help you lose weight. |
| D．An average American consumes 25 pounds of soft drinks a year. |
【推荐2】If you want to become a better reader, what should you know about the speed of reading? Some people read very quickly, while others read very slowly. But which one is better?
The quick reader may be a good reader when he reads a storybook for fun. But he may not be able to slow down enough to read directions (说明书) carefully. He may read so quickly that he does not take time to understand fully the ideas and information which are important to remember.
The slow reader may be a good reader when he reads directions for making something. But he may spend too much time in reading a simple story which is meant to be enjoyed but is not important enough to be remembered.
So, you see, either a quick reader or a slow reader is not really a good one. If you wish to become a better reader, here are four important things to remember about the speed of reading.
First, knowing why you are reading will often help you to know whether to read quickly or slowly.
Second, some things should be read slowly throughout. Examples are directions for making or doing, something, science and history books, and math problems. You must read such things slowly or remember each important step and understand each important idea.
Third, some things should be read quickly throughout. Examples are simple stories for enjoyment, letters from friends and bits of news from hometown papers.
Finally, in some of your reading, you must change your speed from fast to slow and slow to fast, as you go along. You will need to read certain pages quickly and then slow down and do more careful reading when you come to important ideas.
1. What should be read quickly according to the passage?| A．Science and history books. |
| B．Math problems. |
| C．Storybooks, newspapers, personal letters, etc. |
| D．Directions for making something. |
| A．To read as fast as you can. |
| B．To keep your reading at a certain speed. |
| C．To read as slowly as possible. |
| D．To fit your reading speed to your needs. |
| A．textbook | B．story-book |
| C．dictionary | D．novel |
| A．What Books to Choose? | B．How to Be a Rapid Reader? |
| C．Why Reading is Important? | D．How to Read? |
【推荐3】If there was such things as perfect food，eggs would be one of them．They're readily available，easy to cook，affordable and packed with protein．
But for decades，eating eggs has also been controversial due to their high cholesterol（胆固醇）content．One egg contains around 185 milligrams of cholesterol，which is more than half of the 300mg daily amount of cholesterol that the US dietary guidelines recommended until recently．
Researchers haven't definitively linked consumption of cholesterol to an increased risk of cardiovascular（心血管的）disease．As a result，US dietary guidelines no longer have a cholesterol restriction；nor does the UK．Instead，emphasis is placed on limiting how much fat we consume，which can increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease．
Research published earlier this year，though，challenged the common opinion that eggs have no harm to our health．Researchers looked at data from 30，000 adults followed for an average of 17 years and found that each additional half an egg per day was significantly linked to a higher risk of heart disease and death．
Despite the study being one of the largest of its kind to address this specific relationship between eggs and heart disease，it was observational，giving no indication of cause and effect．
While researchers are a long way from understanding why eggs affect us differently，the vast majority of recent research suggests they pose no risk to our health，and are much more likely to provide health benefits．
Even so，having eggs for breakfast every day probably isn't the healthiest option，either—at least as it's recommended that we have a varied diet…rather than put all our eggs in one basket．
1. Which section on a newspaper could you probably find this article？| A．Society |
| B．Health |
| C．Travel |
| D．Fashion |
| A．Because they are readily available． |
| B．Because they are easy to cook． |
| C．Because they are affordable and packed with protein． |
| D．Because they contain much cholesterol． |
| A．Cholesterol has strong link to the increased risk of disease． |
| B．The UK dietary guidelines no longer have a cholesterol restriction． |
| C．Having two eggs per day would lead to health problems． |
| D．Eggs is not harmful to our health． |
| A．Having eggs everyday for breakfast． |
| B．Recommending our friends to have at least one egg per day． |
| C．Balancing our diet with different kinds of food． |
| D．Putting all eggs in one basket when your buy them． |
