1 . It was nearly midnight when my wife Rita and I were driving home from the University of Illinois, where our son Randy was a freshman. Rita was asleep in the passenger seat. I headed north, wondering what on earth had made us take the afternoon off to drive to the university and back, a six-hour round trip. All for nothing.
For weeks Randy had been telling me how much fun he was having in football matches. I suddenly got the idea to show up and cheer my son, like we did in high school.
Just several hours earlier, Rita and I had met him on the field. We watched the young go on to the field, warm up, and then…there was something wrong. Randy ran over. “We cannot hold a competition today. The other team doesn't have enough players,” he said. It was not a big deal. I tried to comfort myself. But I'd just driven three hours to get here and I'd had my heart set on seeing my son in action. Instead, we took Randy out for pie and coffee.
As I was driving on the road, a memory rushed back to me when I was a Boy Scout (童子军). Our team made a canoe (独木舟) journey down the Fox River. My dad drove miles to see me. About a mile downriver we came to a bridge. I looked up and there he was. Dad was standing right on the bridge. He didn't shout like others. He simply waved until we passed underneath. But several miles later, on the next bridge, there he was again. And the one after that. And the next. My dad had taken the chance to show he was always with me.
At last I understood the most important thing I could do for my son — just be there, even if it meant driving a long way.
1. How did the author feel at first when he was driving home with his wife?| A．Hopeless. | B．Shocked. | C．Unhappy. | D．Worried. |
| A．To cheer their son on. | B．To watch a football match. |
| C．To have a meal with their son. | D．To encourage their son to study hard. |
| A．To show how his dad cheered him on. | B．To show he missed his dad very much. |
| C．To show he lived a happy life when young. | D．To show how his dad showed his love to him. |
| A．Be strict with his children. | B．Just be there with his children. |
| C．Have more patience with his children. | D．Do what he could to help his children. |
2 . In 2002, Huang Hui, a researcher of the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, went diving (潜水) near Xisha Islands. In addition to getting an irremovable suntan (晒黑), she was left with memories of a beautiful experience with clear water and masses of colorful corals reef (珊瑚礁). However, due to climate change and human activities, the coral reef is reducing at an alarming rate and much of the breathtaking view of this reef has disappeared. “We started to grow corals near the Xisha Islands in 2010, and restored more than 200, 000 square meters of coral reefs,” Huang said.
In 2004, when Huang was attending the 10th International Coral Reef Conference, she found herself the only person from the Chinese mainland. She said she felt sad but she made up her mind to strengthen communication with other countries to improve China’s level in coral research. She visited top coral research organizations in the US and Australia, establishing long-term partnership with some of the world’s top coral researchers. By far, Huang has worked on coral research and conservation for 22 years.
Huang believes that making people be more ware of coral conservation matters most to the conservation of the coral reefs. “I want to call on more people to love nature and take part in the protection of ocean,” Huang said. “I am 50, and when I become 60, I hope that not only a coral island will be built but a sustainable development pattern (模式) will also be created,” said Huang. “The ideal state is that the coral island should be able to support fishermen and preserve the ecosystem,” she added.
1. What impressed Huang most when going diving near Xisha in 2002?| A．A sunburn on her skin. | B．A mass of colorful corals. |
| C．A sweet memory of her childhood. | D．The sudden disappearance of corals. |
| A．China’s advances in coral protection. | B．Huang’s contribution to coral protection. |
| C．Huang’s concern over coral protection. | D．People’s ignorance of coral protection. |
| A．Introduction of advanced technology. | B．Tough laws banning reef exploitation. |
| C．Public awareness of coral protection. | D．Communication with foreign countries. |
| A．Corals in South China Sea are in danger. | B．Scientist plants corals to save ecosystem. |
| C．China is taking the lead in planting corals. | D．Measures are to be taken to protect corals. |
3 . The ability of music to evoke (唤起) specific, often powerful feelings is no secret to anyone who has listened to Gustav Mahler’s “Symphony No.5”, Billie Holiday’s “God Bless the Child”, the Ramones’ “I Wanna Be Sedated”, Lizzo’s “Good as Hell” or any of the other countless compositions that have found their way onto Western playlists in the past few centuries.
The emotional effects of music are the point, of course. They are also the subject of a fast-growing field of research around the world in which scientists are exploring the nature of the many “subjective experiences” — such as joy, sadness, anxiety and calmness — that music evokes.
In a recent set of experiments, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and their colleagues sought to determine if the feelings that people experience when listening to music “show evidence of universality”. They compared and analyzed how more than 2,800 U. S. and Chinese study participants responded to 2,168 (mostly Western) samples of instrumental music. The team identified 13 distinct and very specific feelings that the Chinese and U. S. subjects shared when listening to music, despite their cultural differences.
The music used in the research, described in the paper as “the richest set of Western music samples ever studied,” included classical, pop, rock, indie, hip-hop, R&B, country, film soundtracks, and more. An additional 189 sample of traditional Chinese music was also used. In all, the researchers gathered 375,230 judgments of the samples from the study participants.
In the first experiment, subjects listened to Western music samples (each of which was just five seconds long) and reported on the specific feelings they evoked, choosing responses from a list of 28 “categories of subjective experience” provided by the researchers. Terms on the list included “victorious/heroic”, “sad/depressing”, “joyful/cheerful”, “awe-inspiring/amazing” and “dreamy”. The team then used data-driven statistical modeling to identify the 13 shared experiences. The second experiment, which included the Chinese music, involved broad evaluations of the samples by participants—such as whether the subjects liked or disliked them or found them exciting or not. A central finding of the study, the researchers write, is that specific feelings “drive the experience of music” more than the broader features.
1. Why does the author mention these songs in the first paragraph?| A．Because they all have strong musical emotional effects. |
| B．Because their loop playback rates are very high. |
| C．Because they have all become world-renowned songs. |
| D．Because they have won countless awards. |
| A．Music can directly express people’s true emotions. |
| B．Music should have a variety of styles. |
| C．Music will easily ease people’s various emotions. |
| D．Music can produce significant emotional effects. |
| A．People’s taste in music. |
| B．Differences in Chinese and Western Music. |
| C．The universal feelings of different music. |
| D．The great influence of music on people. |
| A．In the first experiment, people shared their experiences with each other. |
| B．In the first experiment, people chose how they felt from a list provided by the researchers. |
| C．In the second experiment, people need to write down the types of songs. |
| D．In the second experiment, people need to sing the songs. |
4 . Depending on your view, the recorder (竖笛) is an instrument of “incredible functions” or a tool of annoyance that has bothered primary schools for too many generations. But now, it faces extinction, with one of the UK’s top music schools reporting an 80% decline in the number of young people playing it in the last 10 years.
The instrument’s future is so imperilled that the European Recorder Teachers Association is trying to bring it back to life again so it does not go the way of the lute. The ERTA argues that if the recorder was good enough for the Beatles, it has a place in modern music today. Tom Redmond, the principal of Chetham’s school of music in Manchester, said only three of its pupils practised the recorder, compared with 15 a decade ago. “More pupils were taking up the piano or other instruments,” said Redmond. “The ones that became really popular are the ones students spend more time playing alone. With the instruments being more socially or orchestral based, there has been a decline.”
Redmond also said that this problem extended “beyond the recorder itself” and was a mirror of the future of music. “Like removing any plant or animal from an ecosystem, removing the recorder has a huge ripple effect (连锁反应) beyond just the instrument. You need these instruments to create the inspiration for music, and without that, there is less excitement for it and to learn music,” he said. Chris Orton, a recorder tutor and chair of the ERTA, is leading the fight against the instrument’s extinction. He said, “The recorder is increasingly overlooked by students, and yet it has a rich history and incredible attractions. As well as making beautiful sounds, it’s an accessible instrument in that it is low-cost compared to other woodwind instruments, and it’s light and easy to carry.”
1. What does the underlined word “imperilled” in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Bright. | B．Distant. | C．Confusing. | D．Endangered. |
| A．The piano is easier to learn than the recorder. |
| B．Music education is necessary for all students. |
| C．The recorder plays an important role in music. |
| D．Nature is a rich source of inspiration for musicians. |
| A．It needs to be improved. | B．It is very difficult to play. |
| C．It deserves more attention. | D．It is a top choice for students. |
| A．The Recorder is Heading for Extinction | B．Music is Increasingly Influencing the Youth |
| C．Technology Brings New Life to Instruments | D．The UK Fights Against the Recorder’s Fate |
5 . Born in a musical family in 1925in New Orleans, Renald Richard spent his childhood filled with music. At the age of 13, he went to see a band perform at a church where he fell in love with trumpet (小号). So he started lessons on it, and later played it in the high school band. After high school, he was sent into military service and played his trumpet in the United States Navy Band. After ending up studying music at Xavier University of Louisiana, he played clubs on the famous Bourbon Street and also toured with many bands.
In 1954, Richard was approached by Jeff Brown, the manager of musician Ray Charles. He invited Richard to join Ray Charles’ new band. “To be selected by Ray Charles was an honor to me. Ray Charles was exacting,” said Richard. “He was a perfectionist and was rather demanding about his music.”
Renald Richard toured all over the South and West with Ray Charles. Sitting in the back seat of the car on the way to a concert, Richard wrote the song “I Got a Woman” for Charles, which became Ray Charles’ first number one radio hit. In 1954, Renald Richard left Ray Charles’ band. However, he stayed friendly with Ray Charles over the years. He became the high school’s band director in his hometown until 1962. Four years later, he moved again to New York City. Over the years, Richard has written many other songs that have been recorded by artists including Joe Turner, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Elvis Presley, to name but a few. Living now in Southern Florida, Richard is still active at the age of 92. As you can see, Renald Richard’s musical days are by no means near an end.
That is today’s Celebrity Introduction. Any comments? Please write to us in the Comments Section on this page.
1. What inspired Richard to learn the trumpet?| A．His family background. | B．A band performance. |
| C．His high school band. | D．Support from his idol. |
①Start learning trumpet.
②Serve in the military.
③Tour around everywhere.
④Graduate from Xavier University of Louisiana.
| A．①③②④ | B．①④③② |
| C．①③④② | D．①②④③ |
| A．Terrified. | B．Nervous. |
| C．Honorable. | D．Uneasy. |
| A．Richard creates countless works all over his life. |
| B．Richard cooperates with many companies. |
| C．Richard is keen on public welfare and charity. |
| D．Richard has an inspiration when he fails. |
6 . The Longtaitou Festival, which means “dragon raises head” in Chinese, is a traditional Chinese festival held on the second day of the second month in the Chinese lunar calendar. So, it’s also called Eryue’er Festival. In Chinese culture, the dragon is an auspicious (吉利的) animal that dominates clouds and rains. The 2nd day of the 2nd lunar month is thought to be the day when dragon awakes and raises its head according to the Chinese folk legend. So the day is called Dragon Heads-raising Day. After the day, spring is coming and there will be more and more rain. People think these credits (功劳) go to the dragon. So the day is also called Spring Dragon Festival. Since the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), Chinese people have had the custom of spending the Spring Dragon Festival.
The most popular custom on the Dragon Heads-raising Day is cutting hair. Dragon is highly honored for its dignity (尊贵) and power for good. It is thought to be auspicious to cut hair on the Dragon Heads-raising Day. Luck and opportunities will always knock you in the year. So, on that day, barbershops’(理发店的) businesses are growing and full of customers.
The most common foods for celebrating the festival are popcorns, pancakes, noodles, dumplings, fired so y beans and pig’s head. People in different areas have different traditions about the food on the day. In Beijing, people eat Lvdagunr (Glutinous Rice Rolls with Sweet Bean Flour) and spring pancakes on the day. In Shanxi, people like to eat fried dough twists (油条) and pancakes. In Shandong, fried so y beans, noodles and dumplings are the festival food. In Fuzhou, the salted porridge made of glutinous rice, celery, scallion, garlic, fry dried shrimps and shredded meat is eaten. These show people’s hope to be blessed (保佑) with favorable weather and plentiful grain harvest by the dragon.
1. Which of the following names is Not consistent with the the Longtaitou Festival?| A．The Eryue’er Festival. |
| B．Dragon Heads-raising Day. |
| C．The Spring Dragon Festival. |
| D．The Double Ninth Festival. |
| A．It’s a day for dragons to awake and raise head. |
| B．It’s a day to celebrate the return of warm spring. |
| C．It’s a day to happily welcome the precious rain. |
| D．It’s a day to deeply thank the auspicious animal. |
| A．People’s desire for dignity and power. |
| B．People’s wish for luck and opportunity. |
| C．People’s expectation to grow more hair. |
| D．People’s satisfaction to own good health. |
| A．Chinese always share the similar food on that day. |
| B．The spring pancakes are the most popular in Shanxi. |
| C．The foods show the hope for good weather conditions. |
| D．The fried soya beans are not popular in Shandong. |
7 . I’m 62 now and always planned to
I started volunteering three years ago. My team of volunteers have
Working with my older neighbors is
As an area coordinator (协调人), I also help recruit (招募) and manage volunteers, without whom the work would be
I’ve met amazing people from all
| A．remind | B．belong | C．sell | D．volunteer |
| A．annoyed | B．puzzled | C．stuck | D．confused |
| A．picked up | B．set up | C．stepped up | D．held back |
| A．formally | B．extremely | C．likely | D．regularly |
| A．community | B．school | C．human | D．nature |
| A．rewarding | B．hardworking | C．embarrassing | D．disappointing |
| A．forgotten | B．found | C．judged | D．overcome |
| A．difference | B．comment | C．mistake | D．risk |
| A．delivering | B．announcing | C．writing | D．sharing |
| A．assumed | B．valued | C．proved | D．complained |
| A．common | B．convenient | C．impossible | D．strange |
| A．habit | B．energy | C．health | D．journey |
| A．suggestions | B．names | C．walks | D．opinions |
| A．enriched | B．realized | C．imagined | D．remembered |
| A．stress | B．understanding | C．loneliness | D．education |
8 . Trip 1: Three Days in The Country
There are many beautiful gardens. Take your camera and enjoy the wonderful sight in Hunter Valley. It is a good place for fishing and horse riding. You can also find different kinds of flowers here. This is also a great walk for bird-lovers.
Time: May 20-May 22; Tel: 63986432; Adult: $50.00; Child: $25.00
Trip 2: One Week in The Mountains
Bring your strong shoes and warm clothes for this walk in a beautiful area of the Green Mountains. You may go hiking or have a try of rock climbing. This is also a protection area for wild animals. You can find many kinds of animals living in this area.
Time: May 8-May 14; Tel: 64639818; Adult: $110.00; Child: $55.00
Trip 3: Flashlight Adventure
Put on your warm clothes, bring a flashlight, and come for a night walk along the Dungog Valley. It is a trip full of adventure. A guide will lead the tour. Many of the plants you will see on this trip can only be seen at night.
Time: May 16-May 18; Tel: 63875629; Adult: $30.00; Not for children
Trip 4: Five Day By The Sea
Wear you sun ha t and enjoy wonderful sunshine all the time from morning to evening. Our hotel is next to the sea. We have our own boats too. You can swim in the sea or in the swimming pool. Every day our boat will take you to different places for swimming.
Time: May 23-May 27; Tel: 67538293; Adult: $80.00; Child: $40.00
1. Which trip is advised for bird-lovers?| A．Trip 1. | B．Trip 2. |
| C．Trip 3. | D．Trip 4. |
| A．Watching special plants. |
| B．Climbing high mountains. |
| C．Wearing warm clothes. |
| D．Starting with a guide. |
| A．$30. | B．$220. |
| C．$100. | D．$160. |
9 . A few months ago, I got a terrible cold which ended in a cough that was hard to get rid of. No matter how many different medicines I tried, I
Then one day after class, a student came up to me and
A few minutes later, the treatment started to produce a
| A．still | B．even | C．also | D．certainly |
| A．upset | B．amazing | C．unusual | D．inconvenient |
| A．recommended | B．confirmed | C．adapted | D．treated |
| A．benefits | B．wonders | C．functions | D．ways |
| A．nervous | B．excited | C．doubtful | D．optimistic |
| A．Particularly | B．Gradually | C．Surprisingly | D．Immediately |
| A．shot | B．look | C．miss | D．break |
| A．ear | B．nose | C．tongue | D．teeth |
| A．hospitals | B．doctors | C．patients | D．machines |
| A．unsatisfied | B．frightened | C．attracted | D．injured |
| A．damaging | B．cooling | C．relieving | D．inspiring |
| A．pain | B．pressure | C．recovery | D．relaxation |
| A．strength | B．ability | C．behavior | D．condition |
| A．lessen | B．worsen | C．shorten | D．deepen |
| A．fine | B．gone | C．worthwhile | D．different |
10 . It never occurred to me to think about my future job till I entered high school. In the years before high school, I
I found my way to civil engineering
To achieve my ambition, I must
Over the years, I have learned to stick with things that I find right
| A．relied | B．depended | C．lived | D．concentrated |
| A．why | B．when | C．how | D．what |
| A．love | B．need | C．talent | D．pity |
| A．fortunately | B．accidentally | C．frequently | D．directly |
| A．pollutants | B．wastes | C．ruins | D．emissions |
| A．promised | B．decided | C．expected | D．managed |
| A．Observing | B．Completing | C．Designing | D．Understanding |
| A．expense | B．solution | C．trend | D．necessity |
| A．believe | B．admit | C．ensure | D．declare |
| A．Therefore | B．Thus | C．Moreover | D．However |
| A．bother | B．frighten | C．cheat | D．hurt |
| A．forced | B．pushed | C．limited | D．reminded |
| A．firmly | B．personally | C．easily | D．naturally |
| A．give off | B．pay off | C．turn off | D．get off |
| A．viewing | B．highlighting | C．shaping | D．saving |
