1 . There are so many expressions in American English that sound good but actually are not.
“Face the music” is a good example. When someone says they have to face the music, it does not mean they are going to a musical show or a concert. To “face the music” means accepting the bad results of behavior.
Imagine a friend asks you to take care of her beautiful red sports car. She gives you the keys and says, “Thanks so much for watching my car while I’m away. But please do not drive it. It is a very fast car and you are not on the insurance (保险).” But you do not listen. You want to show it to some friends and pretend (假装) the car is yours. So, you drive it around town one night. As bad luck would have it, you lose control of the car and drive it into a stop sign. The damage is serious. When your friend returns, you must tell her what you have done and “face the music”. The “music” here is the result of your behavior. It could be losing her friendship or paying for repairs to her sports car or both. Whatever the “music” is, you must face it.
There are other American expressions that mean the same as “face the music”.
“Take your medicine” means accepting the results of something bad you have done. And if someone says, “You made your bed. Now lie in it.” He means you created a bad situation and now you will experience the results, or as we say in American spoken English, you must deal with it!
“Pay the piper” also means the same as “face the music”. But that expression has its own very interesting beginning. We will talk about that in the next Words and Their Stories.
1. What’s the main idea of this passage?| A．To invite a friend to go to a musical performance. |
| B．To tell people how to deal with a bad situation. |
| C．To give people a lesson on an action. |
| D．To introduce some expressions. |
| A．You broke the traffic rules and were liable to a fine. |
| B．You worked hard but failed in the exam. |
| C．You caught a cold and took some medicine. |
| D．You moved to a new city and lost touch with your old friends. |
| A．Face the music. | B．Take your medicine. |
| C．Make your bed. | D．Pay the piper. |
| A．other words and their stories | B．the beginning of “pay the piper” |
| C．the wider use of “face the music” | D．an example of “take your medicine” |
2 . Overview
Explore the best that Key West has to offer on this narrated, hop-on hop-off trolley (电车) tour. Visit more than 100 points of interest among Key West’s top attractions, with an expert guide who takes you through the history of the city. Select from an unlimited 1-or-2-day pass to suit your schedule.
What’s Included
√ Narrated tour × Tips
√ Local taxes × Food and drinks
√ Ages 0-3 free × Tour closed October 23-24
What To Expect
Get to know Key West and its top attractions on this comprehensive, guided hop-on hop-off tour. Learn about the history and happenings of Key West — stories of pirates, Indians and the Civil War — as the trolley rolls along from one location to the next. Hop off at any of the attractions for a closer look, then hop back on when it’s convenient.
Discover the legends of the Calusa Indians, who gave the city its first name, Cayo Hueso, the Island of Bones.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes (full tour)
Operating Schedule: Tours depart from boarding locations about every 30 minutes. Tourists with tickets can board at any Old Town Trolley boarding location. Wheelchair accessible locations are Stops # 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Open daily 10 am — 4:30 pm.
Confirmation will be received at time of booking.
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund (退款).
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted. Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
1. What can be known about the trolley tour?| A．It’s seasonally free of charge. |
| B．Its last stop is at the city center. |
| C．It contains all top attractions of Key West. |
| D．You can get on or off at any attraction of it. |
| A．11:00 am. | B．12:00 am. | C．3:00 pm. | D．4:00 pm. |
| A．A middle school student goes on the trolley tour for free. |
| B．A 7-year-old boy jumps up and down repeatedly on the trolley. |
| C．A physically disabled tourist wants to board the trolley at Stop 5. |
| D．An old man canceling his tour 30 hours in advance wants his money back. |
3 . Art and science may seem like opposite things. One means the creative flow of ideas, and the other means cold, hard data-some people believe. In fact, the two have much in common. Now, a study finds art can help students remember better what they have learned in the science class.
Mariale Hardiman, an education specialist at Johns Hopkins University, noticed that students who used art in the classroom listened more carefully. They might ask more questions. They might volunteer more ideas. What’s more, students seemed to remember more of what they had been taught when their science lessons had involved(涉及) art. To prove that, Hardiman teamed up with some researchers and six local schools.
In the experiment, the researchers worked with teachers in 16 fifth-grade classrooms. They provided traditional science lessons and art-focused ones. In a traditional science class, for example, students might read aloud from a book. In the art-focused one, they might sing the information instead.
The team randomly assigned(随机分配) each of the 350 students to either a traditional science classroom or an art-focused one. Students then learned science using that way for the whole unit-about three weeks. When they changed to a new topic, they also changed to the other type of class. This way, each student had both an art-focused class and a traditional one. Every unit was taught in both ways, to different groups of students. This enabled the researchers to see how students did in both types of classes.
The team found that students who started off in a traditional class performed better after they moved into an art-focused class. But those who started off in an art-focused class did well even when they went back to a traditional science class. These students appeared to use some of the art techniques(技巧) after going back to a traditional class. Classroom teachers reported that many students continued to sing the songs that they learned after finishing the unit. “The more we hear something, the more we retain it,” Hardiman says. “It suggests that the arts may help students apply creative ways of learning on their own.”
1. Why did Mariale Hardiman do the study?| A．To prove the importance of art at school. |
| B．To see if art might improve science learning |
| C．To find a way to help her students learn better. |
| D．To know how to encourage students to ask questions. |
| A．Take two types of classes. | B．Learn three units in total. |
| C．Learn two topics for three weeks. | D．Choose what they’d like to learn. |
| A．Finish. | B．Express. | C．Improve. | D．Memorize. |
| A．Art helps students develop creativity. |
| B．Art-focused classes interest students a lot. |
| C．Art can make science easier to remember. |
| D．Art has something in common with science. |
4 . Do Yao Ming, Liu Xiang or Guo Jingjing have anything in common with people like us? You will probably answer “NO!” It seems that top athletes live in a world that is totally different from ours. They don’t have to worry about homework or exams. There are fans everywhere they go, constantly cheering them on. However, if we could see into their minds, it would be clear that they are actually just like us.
We may not all be sports stars, but we have to face similar problems. We set goals and seek self- development. We have to manage our fears before important exams. We worry about our relationships with classmates... Like sportspeople, we try to be mentally strong and do our best on a daily basis.
However, how an athlete becomes a success teaches all of us a lesson. To achieve their goals, sportspeople not only have to prepare physically, but also mentally. They have to get to know themselves, highlight their strong points, manage stresses and develop their powers of concentration. Here is some advice on how to achieve success from China’s top athletes.
China’s top woman badminton player Zhang Ning shows us the importance of motivation. It’s the first step to success. It is her love of badminton and sense of responsibility that contribute to her success.
Teng Haibin’s experience shows that “planning” exactly what should be done in your mind is as important as physical preparation. Give yourself a few minutes before a speech contest, for example. Close your eyes and picture things like your posture. It helps a lot!
How important is concentration? Hurdling star Liu Xiang knows. Focus is not only important for Liu Xiang, but for you too. If you can’t focus in class, you won’t get good grades.
A clear objective encourages a person to pursue their dream. Diving star Xiong Ni won a silver and a bronze in two Olympics. But his goal of winning an Olympic gold medal drove him on.
Top athletes show us that success isn’t simply down to chance and that all people can steer their life’s journey.
1. According to the passage, to achieve their goals, sportspeople should do the following EXCEPT________.| A．get to know themselves well | B．manage stresses |
| C．develop powers of concentration | D．stop being tough with themselves |
| A．success of top athletes largely depends on chance |
| B．ordinary people don’t need to become strong-minded |
| C．one needs to be physically and mentally prepared to achieve success |
| D．sportspeople have similar fears before important exams |
| A．medal | B．goal | C．dream | D．decision |
| A．Top athletes’ stories of success. |
| B．Problems that ordinary people have in common with top athletes. |
| C．The importance of physical and mental health. |
| D．Lessons drawn from top athletes’ success. |
5 . While the cool weather and bright clear sky may make us want to go outside, the world’s major museums are offering amazing exhibitions to draw us inside. We have selected two must-see museum exhibitions in the city this autumn. Take a look.
Picasso Sculpture, Modern Art Centre
Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) is one of the most famous painters the world has ever known. But right now, at the Modern Art Centre, it’s his sculptures that are taking centre stage.
Running from 14 February to 7 September, the exhibition shows around 140 pieces created from 1902 to 1964. Large or small, the sculptures made from every kind of material can be found — bronze, steel, wood, and even cardboard.
For those who have never seen Picasso’s art before, this is the place to go, claims the centre’s curator (博物馆馆长). According to him, through this exhibition, people can clearly feel the way Picasso wanted to try new things and how he did it.
The World Goes Pop, Williamson Gallery
You may think of pop art as a way to show US materialism — advertising, television, cola bottles, and soup cans. But Williamson Gallery’s autumn exhibition, held from17 September to 24 January, shows what pop art looks like in different countries. “I’m surprised to find that many of pop art’s famous qualities — flat, bright colours, graphic design, and a playful way of showing stars — went right round the world,” said one visitor after seeing the exhibition.
And the exhibition doesn’t just offer an international view of pop art’s style. It also corrects the idea that pop art is just for men by including 25 female artists, many of whom have never had their work shown in a gallery before.
1. Which place will you choose if you want to see bronze statues created by Picasso?| A．Modern Art Centre. | B．Williamson Gallery. |
| C．Both A and B. | D．Neither A nor B. |
| A．Modern Art Centre. | B．Williamson Gallery. |
| C．Picasso Sculpture. | D．The World Goes Pop. |
| A．There are only two exhibitions in the city this autumn. |
| B．Picasso Sculpture might be too complicated for visitors who have never seen Picasso’s art before. |
| C．Visitors can see artworks of some female artists shown for the first time. |
| D．The exhibition at Williamson Gallery this autumn shows US materialism. |
| A．In a comment on artworks. |
| B．In a brochure for tourists. |
| C．In a collection of short stories. |
| D．On a popular science website. |
6 . Movies and TV shows see dolphins as helpful, playful creatures. “The world loves a good dolphin story,” Blake Morton, a scientist who studies animal behavior, told TIME. “And I think one reason for that is we see a lot of ourselves reflected in their behavior.”
Morton used scientific methods to test this. The result of this work is a new report showing that humans and dolphins share certain personality traits (个性特点).
The study included 134 bottlenose dolphins in eight countries. Each dolphin was observed and rated by several people, using a “dolphin personality questionnaire (调查表).” The questionnaire had more than 40 items. It included adjectives such as “playful” and “intelligent”. Scientists gave every dolphin a score from 1 to 5 for each item, based on how well it described the animal’s behavior.
From these ratings, Morton and his team were able to find personality traits that are common in dolphins. The results show that dolphins and humans have some similar personality traits. Most obviously, the two species (物种) share traits related to curiosity and sociability.
Morton’s dolphin study and others like it help us learn about other species. But they also help us learn about ourselves. “My kind of work comes from the spirit of trying to understand what made humans the way we are,” Morton says. “One way we can do that is to compare our behavior to other species.”
Scientists around the world are researching different animal species. Their research raises important questions that future scientists will work to answer. “It’s all a big puzzle (迷宫),” Morton says. “It takes thousands of careful papers being printed before you start to see the puzzle coming together.” He compares scientific research to pointillism. That’s a painting style in which an artist makes a picture using lots of tiny dots (点). “If you take a step back and look at all those little single points of work,” Morton says, “you’ll see a big picture come into view.”
1. What did Morton’s dolphin study find?| A．Dolphins are more popular in TV shows than other animals. |
| B．Dolphins have personality traits very similar to humans. |
| C．Dolphins are helpful and playful creatures. |
| D．Dolphins are more curious than humans. |
| A．The importance of studying dolphin behavior. |
| B．Why Morton’s team created the questionnaire. |
| C．How Morton’s team carried out the study. |
| D．The methods of observing dolphins. |
| A．Finding the similarities between dolphins and humans. |
| B．Having a deeper understanding of humans. |
| C．Protecting dolphins more scientifically. |
| D．Learning about other animals. |
| A．Progress in science is made little by little. |
| B．Scientific research should be taken seriously. |
| C．Art plays an important role in scientific research. |
| D．Scientists around the world should work together. |
7 . In her new book, Kate Leaver explores modern friendship. If the Internet is the cause of loneliness, she writes, it’s also the cure (解决方法).
Scientists have done studies that suggest a connection between social media and loneliness. But even they have to admit (承认) we do not know what came first: loneliness or social media. Does Twitter make us lonelier, or do we pick up our phones when we’re already lonely, looking for some kind of connection?
I’ve spoken to many people, both my own friends and strangers from the Internet, who would simply not have the same social life without social media. I know a woman who met all three of her bridesmaids ( 伴 娘 ) on Twitter. She says she feels her most real self when she’s online and the friends she’s made there are her closest friends. I met the woman on Twitter, did this interview online and now we’re also friends.
This is perhaps exactly the point: we can no longer quite so easily tell our online selves from what we’d call our in-real-life selves. We are becoming confident enough to put our online and offline selves together as we realise that using social media is an important way to develop friendships.
My best friends in the world live in Melbourne, New York, Los Angeles and New Orleans. I am, at any time, at least 5, 000 km away from them. Catch-ups (谈论近况) over dinner are not possible for us. And so, we spend most of our friendship exchanging stories and emojis on WhatsApp and Facebook.
Our group has become home to career advice and moral support (精神支持). I am saddened by anyone who would suggest our largely online friendship is in any way less important than people who have the chance to sit in the same room. We live in a world where technology is everywhere. So embrace it and you’ll get more than you expect.
1. What is the purpose of paragraph 1?| A．To explore the reasons for loneliness. |
| B．To introduce Kate Leaver’s new book. |
| C．To bring up the topic of modern friendship. |
| D．To discuss the negative influence of the Internet. |
| A．She helps her online friends find their true selves. |
| B．She considers her social life very different. |
| C．She has lots of short-term online friends. |
| D．She speaks highly of online friendship. |
| A．She tries hard to have face-to-face catch-ups. |
| B．She pays more attention to her online friends. |
| C．She uses the Internet to maintain friendships. |
| D．She writes stories to stay in touch with her friends. |
| A．Stop. | B．Accept. |
| C．Change. | D．Discover. |
8 . Here is the information about the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Series.
Annual Pass
Cost: $80 annual pass Available for: Everyone How to purchase:
In person: Purchase at a local federal recreation site. Online: Buy from the USGS store.
By phone: Call 1-888-275-8747. Additional Information:
This pass is non-transferable to another person.
Senior Pass
Cost: $80 Lifetime Senior Pass;$20 Annual Senior Pass
Available for: U. S. citizens or permanent residents ages 62 or over. How to purchase:
In person: Purchase at a local federal recreation site. Online:Buy from the USGS store.
Additional Information:
The Senior Pass may provide a 50 percent discount on some fees charged for facilities and services such as camping, swimming, boat launch, and special services.
Volunteer Pass
Cost: Free annual pass
Available for: Volunteers with 250 service hours with federal agencies that participate in the Interagency Pass Program
How to get: Volunteers should contact their volunteer coordinator (协调员) for more information.
Additional Information:
The Volunteer Pass is available for 12 months from the date of issue.
Access Pass
Cost: Free lifetime pass
Available for: U. S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities. Applicants must provide documentation of permanent disability and residency or citizenship.
How to get:
In person: Purchase at a local federal recreation site. Online: Buy from the USGS store.
Mail: Purchase using an application form that can be exchanged through mail. Note: Processing and shipping fees will be charged for online and mail orders. Additional Information:
The Access Pass generally does not cover or reduce special recreation permit fees or fees charged by concessioners.
Golden Access Passports are no longer sold. However, these passes are still honored according to the provisions of the pass.
Passes may not be purchased as gifts.
1. Which pass can be ordered by phone?| A．Annual Pass. | B．Senior Pass. | C．Volunteer Pass. | D．Access Pass. |
| A．$0. | B．$20. | C．$40. | D．$80. |
| A．It can be bought and given to others as a present. |
| B．All forms of purchase don’t charge processing fee. |
| C．It has replaced Golden Access Passport completely. |
| D．A discount in other related fees can be enjoyed with it. |
9 . A popular saying goes, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” However, that’s not really true. Words have the power to build us up or tear us down. It doesn’t matter if the words come from someone else or ourselves — the positive and negative effects are just as lasting.
We all talk to ourselves sometimes. We’re usually too ashamed to admit it, though. In fact, we really shouldn’t be because more and more experts believe talking to ourselves out loud is a healthy habit.
This “self-talk” helps us motivate ourselves, remember things, solve problems, and calm ourselves down. Be aware, though, that as much as 77% of self-talk tends to be negative. So in order to stay positive, we should only speak words of encouragement to ourselves. We should also be quick to give ourselves a pat on the back. The next time you finish a project, do well in a test, or finally clean your room, join me in saying “Good job!”
Often, words come out of our mouths without us thinking about the effect they will have. But we should be aware that our words cause certain responses in others. For example, when returning an item to a store, we might use warm, friendly language during the exchange. And the clerk will probably answer in a similar manner. Or harsh(刻薄的) and critical language will most likely cause the clerk to be defensive.
Words have power because of their lasting effect. Many of us regret something we once said. And we remember unkind words said to us! Before speaking, we should always ask ourselves: Is it loving? Is it needed? If what we want to say doesn’t pass this test, then it’s better left unsaid.
Words possess power: both positive and negative. Those around us receive encouragement when we speak positively. We can offer hope, build self-esteem(自尊) and motivate others to do their best. Negative words destroy all those things. Will we use our words to hurt or to heal? The choice is ours.
1. The main idea of the first paragraph is that ________.| A．not sticks and stones but words will hurt us |
| B．encouraging words give us confidence |
| C．words have a great effect on us |
| D．negative words may let us down |
| A．almost everybody has the habit of talking to themselves |
| B．it does no harm to have “self-talk” when we are alone |
| C．talking to ourselves always gives us courage |
| D．talking to ourselves can have a positive effect on us |
| A．remind ourselves | B．praise ourselves |
| C．make ourselves relaxed | D．give ourselves happiness |
| A．it is better to think twice before talking to others |
| B．negative words may stimulate us to make more progress |
| C．people tend to remember friendly words |
| D．encouraging words are sure to lead to kind offers |
10 . The sky began to show red in the early morning as we drove across the Minnesota state line to New York for my new PhD program. The move was good for me professionally, but I worried about my husband and daughters. I also feared that I wouldn’t be able to give my kids the childhood they deserved.
Anne, our first daughter, came into the world when I was a junior majoring in biology in college. It was challenging to balance classes, work schedules, and being a mom. But I got through it, finding moments of joy along the way. On the nights when I was home, I’d read my class notes out loud with my daughter. She’d respond by asking questions, such as “Mom, what are bacteria (细菌)?” It helped us both learn.
After I graduated, I knew that I would need a PhD to land the kind of job I wanted. I arrived in New York feeling more than the usual new-graduate-student anxiety. I also suffered from a more personal fear that I was being selfish—that my decision to invigorate my career was going to have long- term bad impacts on my kids. So, I made a rule to never be visibly upset about my work in front of my children.
Over the past year, though, I’ve started to let go of some of this worry. I’ve realized that we have not only adapted to our new situation, but things are getting better. My husband landed a job that he is happy with. Anne dreams of becoming a biologist. Recently, while driving past the cancer institute I work at, Anne said, “Thinking about people having cancer is so sad, but I feel better knowing that you are researching it to help.”
Pursuing academic career as a young mother is hard, but it’s also rewarding. My kids are learning to look at the world through science, and watching their mom succeed inspires them. I look forward to seeing them follow my footsteps, whatever path they choose.
1. How did the author feel about the move for her PhD program at first?| A．It was fruitful but boring. | B．It was hopeful but challenging. |
| C．It was the last thing she would do. | D．It was promising for the whole family. |
| A．Advocate. | B．Escape. | C．Evaluate. | D．Prioritize. |
| A．She is proud of her mother. | B．She is interested in biology. |
| C．Her mother takes her job seriously. | D．She is ready to help patients with cancer. |
| A．Ups and Downs in Life | B．Like Mother Like Daughter |
| C．Double Gains of Mom’s Pursuit | D．Generation Gap Narrowed by Love |
