1 . Foreign visitors to the UK might be disappointed when they learn that not everyone there speaks like Harry Potter and his friends. Usually, there’s an assumption by many non-Brits that everyone in Britain speaks with what’s known as a Received Pronunciation (RP,标准发音) accent, also called “the Queen’s English”. However, while many people do talk this way, most Britons speak in their own regional accents (口音).
Scouse, Glaswegian and Black Country — from Liverpool, Glasgow and the West Midlands — are just three of the countless non-RP accents that British people speak with. There are even differences in accents between towns or cities just 30 kilometers apart. What is even more disappointing is that not speaking in a RP accent may mean a British person is judged and even treated differently in their everyday life.
In a 2015 study by The University of South Wales, videos of people reading a passage in three different UK accents were shown to a second group of people. The group then rated how intelligent they thought the readers sounded. The lowestrated accent was Brummie, native to people from Birmingham, a city whose accent is considered working class.
However, there is no need to be disappointed though you are not speaking in a RP accent. In fact, doing the opposite may even give you strength.
Kong Seongjae, 25, is an Internet celebrity from Seoul. After studying in the UK, he picked up several regional accents. He’s now famous for his online videos, where he shows off the various accents he’s learned. “British people usually get really excited when I use some of their local dialect words, and they become much friendlier. I think it makes a bit of bond between local people and foreigners to speak in their local accent,” he said.
So if you’re working on perfecting your British accent, try to speak like someone from Liverpool, Glasgow or Birmingham. You may not sound like Harry Potter, but you are likely to make more friends.
1. What can we infer from Paragraph 1?A.Non-Brits usually hold that all Britons speak in a RP accent. |
B.Only “the Queen’s English” is accepted in the UK. |
C.Foreign visitors are disappointed at their on spoken English. |
D.Any Received Pronunciation around the world is also called “the Queen’s English”. |
A.Favored by foreign visitors to the UK. | B.Closest to the RP accent. |
C.Smart and easy to understand. | D.Spoken by people of lower class. |
A.Speaking in a RP accent. | B.Speaking in regional accents. |
C.Speaking the Brummie accent. | D.Speaking like Harry Potter. |
A.A study about the most intelligent accent in Britain. |
B.A comparison between different British accents. |
C.How much British people value the RP accent. |
D.The influence of regional accents on people’s lives. |
2 . Afroz Shah, a lawyer in Mumbai, hasn’t had a weekend off in four years. But he hasn’t spent this time preparing for
His mission? Saving the world’s oceans from
It’s a calling he found in 2015 after moving to a community in Mumbai called Versova Beach. He had played there as a child and was
“The whole beach was like a
In October 2015, Shah began
For Shah, the work has always been a
He’s now spent 209 weekends on this mission,
“This world talks too much. I think we must talk
A.teaching | B.court | C.housework | D.cleaning |
A.river | B.soil | C.plastic | D.oil |
A.upset | B.excited | C.delighted | D.hesitant |
A.grown | B.changed | C.reserved | D.protected |
A.pure | B.golden | C.shiny | D.visible |
A.carpet | B.curtain | C.painting | D.photograph |
A.temporary | B.permanent | C.ugly | D.pretty |
A.sticks to | B.keeps off | C.gives back | D.ends up |
A.killer | B.cleaner | C.guest | D.decoration |
A.sweeping | B.attacking | C.visiting | D.beautifying |
A.pulling | B.thinking | C.picking | D.looking |
A.came | B.failed | C.went | D.spread |
A.involved | B.lived | C.stuck | D.paid |
A.easy | B.tough | C.personal | D.general |
A.known | B.regarded | C.decided | D.honored |
A.cause | B.case | C.position | D.fame |
A.requiring | B.rejecting | C.inviting | D.inspiring |
A.originally | B.finally | C.politically | D.theoretically |
A.fewer | B.less | C.better | D.worse |
A.honor | B.beauty | C.hope | D.love |
3 . Styrofoam, or polystyrene, is a light-weight material, about 95 percent air, with very good insulation (隔热) properties, according to Earthsource.org. It is used in products from cups that keep your drinks hot or cold to packaging material that protects items during shipping. With the above good features, Styrofoam still enjoys a bad reputation. It cannot be recycled without releasing dangerous pollution into the air. The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency says it is the fifth-largest creator of harmful waste.
But now the common worms which are usually disgusting can come to the rescue, specifically, mealworms. Scientists from the U. S. and China have discovered that mealworms can digest plastic. One mealworm can digest a pill-sized amount of plastic a day. Study co-author Wei-Min Wu says that in 24 hours, the plastic is turned into carbon dioxide.
Since Styrofoam has no nutrition at all, are the worms hurt by eating plastic? Much to the scientists’ surprise, the study found that worms eating Styrofoam were as healthy as worms eating bran (谷糠). The researchers will study the worm’s eating habits and digesting system, looking to copy the plastic breakdown but on a larger scale. Once the way can be put into practice, it will make a revolutionary difference to the disposal of plastic.
“Solving the issue of plastic pollution is important”, says Wu, a Stanford University environmental engineering instructor. After all, our earth is small and landfill space is becoming limited with too much garbage waiting to be dealt with, he says.
About 33-million tons of plastic are thrown away in the United States every year. Plastic plates, cups and containers take up 25 percent to 30 percent of space in America’s landfills. One Styrofoam cup takes more than 1 million years to recycle in a landfill, according to Cleveland State University.
1. What do we know about Styrofoam?A.It can be used to cool drinks. |
B.It is a weightless material. |
C.It is harmful when recycled. |
D.It is usually used on ships. |
A.Mealworms have amazing digesting power. |
B.Mealworms are not bad in their nature. |
C.Mealworms can rescue people’s lives. |
D.People misunderstood mealworms in the past. |
A.To find ways to help mealworms grow larger. |
B.To imitate their ways of breaking down plastic. |
C.To help develop their digesting ability. |
D.To make sure of their safety after eating plastic. |
A.by raising amounts of mealworms |
B.by environmental engineering instructors |
C.using a method inspired by eating mealworms |
D.without sending out dangerous pollution |
A.Styrofoam is widely used in daily life. |
B.Mealworms are genius at eating plastic. |
C.Plastic recycling may be no more a problem. |
D.Plastic can be turned into carbon dioxide. |
4 . Martin was returning to work in his London office after spending two weeks with his brother in New York. He was coming back with a heavy heart. It was not just that it was the end of a wonderful holiday; it was not just that he invariably suffered badly from jet lag(时差); it was that Monday morning always began with a team meeting and , over the months, he had grown to hate them.
Martin was aware that colleagues approached these meetings with hidden agenda(会议议 程); they indulged in(沉溺于)game playing ; and he knew that people were not being honest and open. The meetings themselves were bad enough---there was all the moaning afterwards at the meeting like “I could have improved on that idea, but I wasn’t going to say.”
As this morning’s meeting began, Martin prepared himself for the usual dullness and boredom. But, as the meeting progressed, he became aware of a strange background noise. At first, he thought that he was still hearing the engine noise from the aircraft that had brought him back to London. But as he concentrated on the noise, it became a little clearer.
He realized, to his amazement, that he could actually hear what they were thinking at the same time as they were speaking. What surprised him, even more than the acquisition of this strange power, was that he discovered that what people were saying was not really what they were thinking. They were not making clear their reservations. They were not supporting views which they thought might be popular. They were not contributing their new insights. They were not volunteering their new ideas.
Martin found it impossible not to respond to his new knowledge. So he started to make gentle interventions (干涉), based more on what he could hear his colleagues thinking than on what he could hear them saying. “So, John, are you really saying.....” “Susan, do you really think that?” “Tom, have you got an idea on how we could take this forward?” They looked at him, puzzled. In truth, he felt rather proud of his newly -acquired talent.
As the meeting progressed, it was clear to him that each member of the meeting was learning how to hear the thoughts of the others. The game playing started to fall away; people started to speak more directly; views became better understood; the atmosphere became more open and trusting.
The meeting ended. As people left the room, Martin found that he could still hear what they were thinking. “That was the best meeting we’ve ever had.” “All meetings should be like that,” “ In future, I’m going to say what I think.”
1. It is known from the first paragraph that Martin_____.A.just came back from his business trip in New York |
B.was found to suffer from a serious heart disease during the trip |
C.had a good time during his fortnight’s stay in New York |
D.didn’t like his work in his London office |
A.Because it had to be held every Monday morning. |
B.Because he was tired of hosting such a meeting |
C.Because he couldn’t control the meeting that was out of order. |
D.Because the meeting atmosphere wasn’t open and trusting. |
A.still hear the engine noise of the plane though he was back |
B.clearly hear what the members of the meeting were saying |
C.actually control the thoughts of the members of the meeting |
D.express what the meeting members were thinking based on their words and their thoughts |
A.Martin made people say what they were thinking immediately the meeting began. |
B.Martin was angry at the dullness of the meeting at the beginning of the meeting.. |
C.Martin led people to express their real thoughts with the meeting progressing. |
D.Many members of the meeting played games and told lies at the meeting all the time. |
A.I was thinking of making a suggestion ---but I couldn’t be bothered. |
B.I have got an idea on how we could take this forward. I think we should... |
C.The usual people say the usual things, so I have no other new ideas. |
D.I could have imagined on that idea, but I wasn’t going to say. |
5 . Last spring, I was fortunate to be chosen to participate in an exchange study program. In my application letter, I was careful to
The moment I arrived in Paris, I was
I left France with many
A.discuss | B.express | C.announce | D.argue |
A.approved | B.knew | C.warned | D.denied |
A.stubborn | B.anxious | C.universal | D.interesting |
A.boring | B.upsetting | C.thrilling | D.promising |
A.expected | B.liked | C.doubted | D.feared |
A.greeted | B.witnessed | C.sponsored | D.supported |
A.since | B.until | C.when | D.while |
A.move | B.travel | C.walk | D.rush |
A.housekeeper | B.leader | C.colleague | D.roommate |
A.learn | B.appreciate | C.speak | D.master |
A.contrasted | B.evolved | C.placed | D.fitted |
A.added | B.introduced | C.devoted | D.adapted |
A.term | B.week | C.month | D.vacation |
A.dreams | B.suitcases | C.presents | D.stories |
A.concerned | B.disturbed | C.embarrassed | D.surprised |
A.exploring | B.analyzing | C.describing | D.investigating |
A.need | B.shall | C.must | D.can |
A.generous | B.independent | C.similar | D.distant |
A.but | B.or | C.and | D.so |
A.instructions | B.friendships | C.facts | D.data |
6 . The United States seems to have become extremely enthusiastic about competition. The famous Scripps National Spelling Bee—an annual spelling contest—now allows kids who last in regional competitions but whose parents agree to pay an entry fee (费用) along with their own food and accommodation to compete. And while some kids are working for what they call a spelling “career”, others are approaching chess competitions, dance competitions, cooking or other passions that previous generations developed somewhat later in life.
I’m disturbed by the phenomenon (现象), which seems to be getting worse and more intense.
My teacher always warned us that competition is a destructive quality; that the goal is never to beat anyone else. I think he’ll be cheered by author Peggy Noonan’s idea that a lot of us are running our own races, trying to rise to the occasion and beat some past and limited conception of ourselves by doing something great.
I heartily agree. Instead of paying attention to the accomplishments or possessions of others, we need to focus on our own potential, our own growth and take pleasure in our own particular set of circumstances. The battle for life is not against anyone else but against the darkness inside that tries to bring us down. I wish you only well. Your good doesn’t reduce mine. Your bad gives me no pleasure
Ms. Noonan also suggests that “you’re running your own race alongside others running theirs, and in the same direction. You’re doing something great together.” If we stop worrying about what our neighbor is earning or driving, the size of his house, the success of his marriage, the accomplishments of his children, we can sit back and enjoy our own lives. And if we all focus on what we each can achieve, regardless of anyone else, we have a chance of working as one, of actually being united.
Competition divides us. There are winners and losers. But that’s a very limited picture of reality. It may apply to spelling bees and soccer matches and even in some college classes, but life isn’t about triumphing (战胜) over someone else; it’s about triumphing over ourselves. The only acceptable competition is one where we encourage each other to be the best human being possible, and that’s the only game where “everyone is a winner”.
1. What does the author worry about?A.Youth competition is fierce. | B.Youth competition is expensive. |
C.Youth competition lacks fairness. | D.Youth competition lacks diversity. |
A.She’s also a student of the author’s teacher’s. |
B.She thinks competition is a destructive quality. |
C.She taught the author how to understand competition. |
D.She and the author’s teacher have similar views on competition. |
A.Know our competitors well. | B.Leave everything to chance. |
C.Get rid of the bad things inside us. | D.Learn from others’ successes and failures. |
A.People take turns to lead the race. |
B.People follow parallel paths to each other. |
C.One man’s loss is another man’s gain. |
D.No one goes in the same direction as anyone else. |
A.Your Real Competition Is With Yourself |
B.Everyone Is a Winner in the Battle for Life |
C.Competition Is a Good Thing, But Not to the Youth |
D.Through Competition, We Become Better Ourselves |
7 . Eradajere Oleita thinks she may have a partial solution for two of her country’s persistent (持续的) problems: garbage and poverty (贫困). It’s called the Chip Bag Project. The 26-year-old student and environmentalist from Detroit is asking a (n)
Chip eaters drop off their
It
Since its start in 2020, the Chip Bag Project has
Sure, it would be simpler to
And, of course, there’s the symbolism of recycling bags that would otherwise land in the
A.advice | B.question | C.favor | D.permission |
A.throw | B.track | C.leak | D.lock |
A.design | B.detect | C.digest | D.donate |
A.homeless | B.disabled | C.old | D.sick |
A.heavy | B.empty | C.luxury | D.full |
A.moments | B.decisions | C.locations | D.conclusions |
A.clean | B.load | C.soften | D.resolve |
A.dig | B.slice | C.lift | D.knock |
A.pays | B.takes | C.delays | D.wastes |
A.resulting in | B.figuring out | C.contributing to | D.depending on |
A.out | B.around | C.over | D.on |
A.reached | B.related | C.found | D.collected |
A.destroyed | B.repaired | C.compared | D.created |
A.lose | B.lend | C.raise | D.drop |
A.goal | B.income | C.profit | D.way |
A.risking | B.recommending | C.attaining | D.realizing |
A.driving | B.devoting | C.enjoying | D.encouraging |
A.store | B.trash | C.solution | D.family |
A.day after day | B.step by step | C.face to face | D.hand in hand |
A.generations | B.inspirations | C.connections | D.expectations |
8 . I can remember when my daughter Maggie, who is now six, used to crawl into my lap and say, “Daddy, read me a story.” Last year she announced, “Daddy, I’m going to read you a story.”
Maggie was a television child. When she first became conscious of anything beyond eating and sleeping, the TV set was right there, and it soon commanded her attention.
A few years ago, we were worried not only that we’d never get the children away from the set long enough to learn to read, but that we’d forget how to read ourselves. But in 1955 there was not only more reading than before TV, but more reading than ever before in history.
Clearly, reading has survived television as it has survived a lot of other things. When I was six, a wail went up about menaces (威胁) to reading at home: motor cars and cinema. When Maggie came along, there was television. The motorcar, the radio, the cinema and television do take up a lot of time.
Well, we’ve got more time. When my mother was a girl, people worked about 60hours a week. Now it’s 44. When Maggie grows up, it’ll be 30. And there’ll be numerous gadgets to do her housework. She’ll have to read. You can’t watch TV all day. At present Maggie is reading about Johnny Woodchuck. Ahead of her—and I’m a little envious—are her first brush with Black Beauty, Alice stepping through the looking glass, Huck and Jim drifting down the Mississippi, the emotional storms of Shakespeare, the spiritual agonies of Tolstoy. For reading isn’t all joy. Like life itself, it’s mixed with many moods, from ecstasy (狂喜) to despair. Maggie will learn to take the rough with the smooth, gathering from the ancient wisdom of long-dead genius a little fire to enrich her spirit.
And some day, if she’s lucky, she’ll get the biggest thrill of all, when a little girl climbs into her lap and announces, “Mummy, I’m going to read you a story.”
1. Which of the following things used to catch Maggie’s attention too much?A.The motorcar. | B.The radio. | C.The cinema. | D.The television. |
A.They face less working pressure. |
B.There is more time available for reading. |
C.Their parents encourage them more often. |
D.They have a stronger desire for knowledge. |
A.Her exposure to classic reading. | B.Her productive works in writing. |
C.Her wild imagination in daily life. | D.Her spiritual reflection on the books. |
A.Maggie has rich experiences. |
B.Maggie has a good plan for reading. |
C.Maggie will benefit a lot from reading. |
D.Maggie is on the road to becoming a genius. |
A.It is a blessing that reading can be passed down. |
B.More girls like Maggie enjoy telling stories. |
C.Maggie’s daughter brings her the biggest thrill. |
D.Reading makes Maggie a fortunate girl. |
9 . Homestay in Sydney, Australia
Linda: Our large house is in Sydney,about 200 meters from Macquarie University and 400 meters from the train station. The train ride is about 30 minutes to the CBD. Now we only have a small bedroom for a female student. The cost is $260 per week, which includes all meals when at home and laundering (洗烫) of clothes. Email:markalarms@optusnet.com.au |
John: I have a lovely single room for homestay (male, nonsmokers only). The apartment is located across the road from a bus station. A sports field is only a twominute walk away. The room is for both short and long stays. The cost is $220 per week, including breakfast and lunch on weekdays. There is no washing machine at home. Do your own laundry in the apartment block’s facilities. Email: ainsley_ gilkes@yahoo.com.au |
Eric: I live in the northern suburbs (郊区) of Sydney—quiet for studying and relaxing, yet close to Macquarie University & NCELTR & SIBT. The subway station is nearby. All facilities of the house including a living room with a TV can be used. Owners are very open and friendly, and treat students as part of the family. The prices include all meals (breakfast,lunch and dinner) and cleaning. The fee is $300 per week. Email: mineanny@hotmail.com |
Rose: Hi,everyone!I have one room for homestay (girl students only) in a house which is very close to Macquarie University (SIBT) & WSU in the northern district of Sydney. There is a bus station across the road. Travel time to the center of the city is 40 minutes by train. We only have one homestay at a time. Therefore, our family can take good care of you. The fee is $230 per week. We are looking forward to having you in our home. Email: cliqi9239@hotmail.com |
A.find suitable roommates |
B.advertise rooms for homestay |
C.find a suitable room in Sydney |
D.introduce some good hotels |
A.A male student studying in Macquarie University. |
B.A male student who doesn’t like cooking. |
C.Two girls who want to share a big room. |
D.A girl who often goes to the CBD. |
A.can smoke in the apartment |
B.can use John’s washing machine to wash clothes |
C.is provided with breakfast and lunch on weekdays |
D.has to walk a long way to get to the sports field |
A.mineanny@hotmail.com | B.markalarms@optusnet.com.au |
C.cliqi9239@hotmail.com | D.ainsley________gilkest@yahoo.com.au |
A.Linda | B.John | C.Eric | D.Rose |
10 . In today's world, online social media' has become more powerful and the most destructive thing over worldwide, although with time all generations have come to accept the changes social network has brought about, teenagers and young adults are the most enthusiastic users of these sites. According to various research studies in the field of online social networks, it has been revealed that these sites are impacting the' lives of the youth greatly. When using these sites such as Twitter, Facebook or Myspace, there are both positive and negative effects on the youth.
Firstly, social media helps the youth and any other user updated with what is happening around the world, and helps the teenagers stay connected and interact with each other even if they are many miles apart. This strengthens their relationship. Even if they finished school and moved to different locations, they stay connected and update one another.
In addition, social media sites have provided a platform whereby the youth can create groups and pages based on their common discipline and end up building connections and opportunities for their respective careers by updating different topics to discuss. Youth who have been interviewed say that social media has become their lifestyle and it makes their lives easier and more efficient.
While on the one hand social network sites seem to bring people together and stay connected, on the other hand it causes many physical and mental health problems such as eyes infection, back problems, etc. Other negative effects of social networking various people suggested included encouraging poor spelling and grammar, exposing underage to online predators (捕食者), allowing spread of misinformation that is seen as fact, decreasing productivity as those who are supposed to be working spend time in the sites to chat, providing a perfect platform for cyberbullying and providing details that increase risks of identity theft.
“The more social media we have, the more we think were connecting, yet we are really disconnecting from each other.” One researcher said.
In conclusion, social networking clearly portrays both positive and negative effects on the youth. It is the decision of individuals whether to use it in a right way or wrong.
1. One of the reasons why young people adopt the platform offered by social media sites is ________.A.to practice their debate skills | B.to change their way of living |
C.to improve their academic performance | D.to lay the foundation for their future careers |
A.put young people in danger | B.allow spread of information |
C.result in users' health problems | D.reduce the using of poor spelling |
A.The research on online social media. | B.The correct way to use online social media 2611. |
C.The introduction of online social media history. | D.The influence of online social media on the youth. |
A.Disapproving. | B.Objective. | C.Positive. | D.Indifferent. |