1 . Ireland has had a very difficult history. The problems started in the 16th century when English rulers tried to conquer (征服) Ireland. For hundreds of years, the Irish people fought against the English. Finally, in 1921, the British government was forced to give independence to the south of Ireland. The result is that today there are two “Irelands”. Northern Ireland, in the north, is part of the United Kingdom. The Republic of Ireland, in the south, is an independent country.
In the 1840s the main crop, potatoes, was affected by disease and about 750,000 people died of hunger. This, and a shortage (短缺) of work, forced many people to leave Ireland and live in the USA, the UK, Australia and Canada. As a result of these problems, the population fell from 8.2 million in 1841 to 6.6 million in 1851.
For many years, the majority of Irish people earned their living as farmers. Today, many people still work on the land but more and more people are moving to the cities to work in factories and offices. Life in the cities is very different from life in the countryside, where things move at a quieter and slower pace.
The Irish are famous for being warm－hearted and friendly. Oscar Wilde, a famous Irish writer, once said that the Irish were “the greatest talkers since the Greeks”. Since independence, Ireland has revived (复兴) its own culture of music, language, literature and singing. Different areas have different styles of old Irish songs which are sung without instruments. Other kinds of Irish music use many different instruments such as the violin, whistles, etc.
1. What does the author tell us in Paragraph 1?| A．How the Irish fought against the English. |
| B．How Ireland gained independence. |
| C．How English rulers tried to conquer Ireland. |
| D．How two “Irelands” came into being. |
| A．food shortages and a lack of work in the 1840s led to a decline in population |
| B．people are moving to the cities for lack of work in the countryside |
| C．it is harder to make a living as a farmer than as a factory worker |
| D．different kinds of old Irish songs are all sung with instruments |
| A．the Irish character | B．the Irish culture |
| C．Irish musical instruments | D．a famous Irish writer |
| A．Life in Ireland | B．A Very Difficult History |
| C．Ireland, Past and Present | D．The Independence of Ireland |
2 . King’s College Summer School
King’s College Summer School is an annual training program for high school students at all levels who want to improve their English. Courses are given by the teachers of King’s College and other colleges in New York. Trips to museums and culture centers are also organized. This year’s summer school will be from July 25 to August 15. More information is as follows:
| Application date ⚫ Students in New York should send their applications before July 18, 2023. ⚫ Students of other cities should send their applications before July 16, 2023. ⚫ Foreign students should send their applications before July 10, 2023. | Courses ⚫ English Language Spoken English: 22 hours Reading and Writing: 10 hours ⚫ American History: 16 hours ⚫ American Culture: 16 hours |
| Steps ⚫ A letter of self-introduction ⚫ A letter of recommendation The letters should be written in English with all the necessary information. | Cost ⚫ Daily lessons: $200 ⚫ Sports and activities: $100 ⚫ Travels: $200 ⚫ Hotel service: $400 You may choose to live with your friends or relatives in the same city. |
| Please write to: Thompson, Sanders 1026 King’s Street New York, NY 10016, USA E-mail: KC-Summer-School@yahoo.com | |
| A．Only top students can take part in the program. |
| B．Only the teachers of King’s College give courses. |
| C．King’s College Summer School is run every other year. |
| D．Visits to museums and culture centers are part of the program. |
| A．$200 | B．$400 | C．$500 | D．$900 |
| A．The program will last two months. |
| B．You can write to Thompson only in English. |
| C．You can get in touch with the school by e-mail or by telephone. |
| D．As a Chinese student, you can send your application on July 14, 2023. |
3 . Using too much water or throwing rubbish into our rivers are clear ways that humans can put our water supply in danger, but we also affect our water supply in less obvious ways. You may wonder how paving(铺砌) a road can lead to less usable fresh water. A major part of the water we use every day is groundwater. Groundwater does not come from lakes or rivers. It comes from underground. The more roads and parking lots we pave, the less water can flow into the ground to become groundwater.
Human activity is not responsible for all water shortages(缺乏). Drier climates are of course more likely to have droughts(干旱) than areas with more rainfall, but in any case, good management can help to make sure there is enough water to meet our basic needs .
Thinking about the way we use water every day can make a big difference, too. In the United States, a family of four can use 1.5 tons of water a day! This shows how much we depend on water to live, but there’s a lot we can do to lower the number.
You can take steps to save water in your home. To start with, use the same glass for your drinking water all day. Wash it only once a day. Run your dishwasher only when it is full. Help your parents fix any leaks(滴水) in your home. You can even help to keep our water supply clean by recycling batteries instead of throwing them away.
1. Which of the following is most likely to lead to less groundwater?| A．Using river water. | B．Throwing batteries away. |
| C．Throwing rubbish into lakes. | D．Paving parking lots. |
| A．All water shortages are due to human behavior. |
| B．It takes a lot of effort to meet our water needs. |
| C．There is much we can do to reduce family size. |
| D．The average family in America makes proper use of water. |
| A．show us how to fix leaks at home |
| B．tell us how to run a dishwasher |
| C．prove what drinking glass is best for us |
| D．suggest what we do to save water at home |
| A．how human activity affects our water supply |
| B．how much we depend on water to live |
| C．why droughts occur more in dry climates |
| D．why paving roads reduces our water |
4 . When I was a child, I often dreamed of the time when I could leave home and escape to the city. We lived on a farm and, in the winter especially, we were quite cut off from the outside world. As soon as I left school, I packed my bags and moved to the capital. However, I soon discovered that city life has its problems too.
One big disadvantage is money---it costs so much to go out, not to mention basics like food and housing. Another disadvantage is pollution. I suffer from asthma(哮喘), and at times the air is so bad that I am afraid to go outside. Then there is the problem of traveling round. Although I have a car, I seldom use it because of the traffic jams. One choice is to go by bicycle, but that can be quite dangerous.
Of course there are advantages. First, there is so much to do in the city, whatever your tastes in culture or entertainment. Besides, there are wonderful jobs and greater chances of moving to a more important job or position. Finally, if you like shopping, the variety of goods is very surprising --- and , what is more, shops are often only a short walk away.
Is life better then, in the city? Perhaps it is , when you are in your teens or twenties. However, as you get older, and especially if you have small children, the peace of the countryside may seem preferable. I certainly hope to move back there soon.
1. What was the writer always thinking about when he was a child?| A．Staying on the farm. | B．Leaving home for the city. |
| C．Moving to the countryside. | D．Running away from the school. |
| A．He lives in the city now. | B．He is in good health. |
| C．He prefers driving a car. | D．He is very old now. |
| A．persuade the reader to live in the city |
| B．express his opinions about ways of life |
| C．show an interest in the outside world |
| D．describe his life in the countryside |
| A．By inferring. | B．By giving explanations. |
| C．By listing examples. | D．By comparing. |
5 . When I begain planning to move to Auckland to study, my mother was worried about a lack of jobs and cultural differences. Ignoring these
Determined to do this
One afternoon, I walked into a building to ask
I was a little surprised, but had a
It seems that the world always
| A．doubts | B．concerns | C．instructions | D．reasons |
| A．Even if | B．Every time | C．Now that | D．Soon after |
| A．of | B．at | C．for | D．with |
| A．on my own | B．on my way | C．by any chance | D．by the day |
| A．any | B．much | C．some | D．little |
| A．why | B．wherever | C．whether | D．whenever |
| A．director | B．attitude | C．language | D．manner |
| A．answer | B．work | C．leave | D．refuse |
| A．for ever | B．at any time | C．as usual | D．for a while |
| A．returned | B．hesitated | C．passed | D．regretted |
| A．silent | B．busy | C．positive | D．comfortable |
| A．pick out | B．search for | C．take on | D．give up |
| A．dull | B．good | C．guilty | D．general |
| A．made use of | B．taken care of | C．run out of | D．become tired of |
| A．stopped | B．knocked | C．glanced | D．appeared |
| A．right | B．more | C．former | D．different |
| A．pressures | B．agreements | C．impressions | D．suggestions |
| A．lonely | B．funny | C．disappointed | D．satisfied |
| A．call | B．tip | C．present | D．report |
| A．turns off | B．goes over | C．gives back | D．looks up |
6 . George Prochnik would like the world to put a sock in it. He makes his case in a new book, listenning for Meaning in a World of Noise, Here he explains himself (using his indoor voice):
“We’ve become so accustomed to noise, there’s about almost a deep prejudice against the idea that silence might be beneficial. If you tell someone to be quiet, you sound like an old man. But it’s never been more important to find continuing quiet. Silence focuses us, improves our health, and is a key to lasting peace and satisfaction.”
“We need to excite people about the sounds you start to hear if you merely quiet things down a little. During a Japanese tea ceremony, the smallest sounds becomes a kind of art—the spoons making a light ringing sound on a bowl, the edges of a kimono（和服）brushing against the floor.”
“Dear people are very attetice（专注的）in almose every aspect of life. If two deaf people are walking together, using sign language, they constantly watch out for each other and protecet each other by paying steady attention to the other. They are connected yet also fully aware of their surroundings. Even deaf teenagers! We in the hearing world can learn from them. If we remove the powerful blasts（一阵阵）of noise, we become aware of an extraordinarily rich world around us—of little soft sounds and the sound of footsteps, of bird songs and ice cracking（开裂声）. It’s astonishing how beautiful things sound when you can really listen. ”
1. What does the phrase “to put a sock in it” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．to be quiet | B．to be colorful |
| C．to be full of love | D．to be attentive to someone |
| A．We are used to quietnesss |
| B．We have to put up with noise |
| C．We do not think silence to be beneficial |
| D．We do not believe lasting peace to be available |
| A．We need more sounds in our lives |
| B．There is nothing to be learned from the deaf |
| C．We are not aware how rich the world around us is |
| D．There is too much noise at a Japanese tea ceremony |
| A．we can benefit a lot from old people |
| B．it is a good idea to use sign language |
| C．there is no escape from the world of sound |
| D．it is possible to find how beautiful things sound |
7 . Think about the different ways that people use the wind. You can use it to fly a kite or to sai1a boat. Wind is one of our of our cleanest and riches power source(来源) ,as well as one of the oldest . Evidence shows that windmills(风车) began to be used in ancient Iran back in the seventh century BC .They were first introduced to Europe during the 1100s,when armies returned from the Middle East with knowledge of using wind power .
For many centuries ,people used windmills to grind(磨碎)wheat into flour or pump water from deep underground when electricity was discovered in the 1ate 1800s,people living in remote areas began to use them to produce electricity. This al1owed them to people in almost all1 areas of the United States, windmills were rarely used. During the course 1970s, people started becoming concerned about the pollution that is created when coal and gas are burned to produce electricity. People also realized that the supply of coal and gas would not last forever. Then, wind was rediscovered, though it means higher coasts. Today, there is a global movement to supply more and more of our electricity through the use of wind .
1. From the text we know that windmills_________.| A．were invented by European armies. |
| B．have a history of more than 2800 years. |
| C．used to supply power to radio in remote areas. |
| D．have rarely been used since electricity was discovered. |
| A．Sailing a boat. |
| B．Producing electricity. |
| C．Grinding wheat into flour. |
| D．Pumping water from underground. |
| A．wind power is cleaner. |
| B．it is one of the oldest power sources. |
| C．it was cheaper to creat energy from wind . |
| D．the supply of coal and gas failed to meet needs. |
| A．The advantage of wind power. |
| B．The design of wind power plants. |
| C．The worldwide movement to save energy. |
| D．The global trend towards producing power from wind. |
8 . Welcome to your future life!
You get up in the morning and look into the mirror. Your face is firm and young-looking. In 2035, medical technology is better than ever. Many people at your age could live to be 150, so at 40, you’re not old at all. And your parents just had an anti-aging(抗衰老的) treatment. Now, all three of you look the same age!
You say to your shirt, “Turn red.” It changes from blue to red. In 2035, “smart clothes” contain particles(粒子) much smaller than the cells(细胞) in your body. The particles can be programmed to change your clothes’ color or pattern(样式).
You walk into the kitchen. You pick up the milk, but a voice says,“ You shouldn’t drink that!” Your fridge has read the chip (芯片) that contains information about the milk , and it knows the milk is old . In 2035, every article of food in the grocery store has such a chip.
It’s time to go to work. In 2035, cars drive themselves. Just tell your “smart car” where to go. On the way, you can call a friend using your jacket sleeve. Such “smart technology” is all around you.
So will all these things come true? “For new technology to succeed,” says scientist
Andrew Zolli ,“it has to be so much better that it replaces what we have already.” The Internet is one example—what will be the next?
1. We can learn from the text that in the future__________.| A．people will never get old |
| B．everyone will look the same |
| C．red will be the most popular color |
| D．clothes will be able to change their pattern |
| A．Food in the grocery store will carry electronic information. |
| B．More drinks will be given for sale. |
| C．Milk in the grocery store will stay fresh much longer. |
| D．Milk will be harmful to health. |
| A．Cars will be able to drive automatically(自动地). |
| B．Fridges will know what people need. |
| C．Jacket sleeves can be used as a guide. |
| D．Nothing can replace the Internet. |
| A．Food and clothing in 2035 |
| B．The reason for the success of new technology. |
| C．Medical treatments of the future. |
| D．Future technology in everyday life. |
9 . “People are ruder today because they are rushed and more ‘time poor’ than ever before,” says Patsy Rowe, “ Manners have fallen off the radar(雷达).” Due to our strong attraction to electronic equipment it is a wonder that more people don’t wake up each morning and greet the singing birds with complaining about the noise. Here are some examples of rudeness.
Some people prefer to do almost everything over the Internet. To them, dealing with an actual human is like an evolutionary step backward. It feels very slow because humans don’t work at 4G speeds. When you have dinner with friends, you will often notice someone paying more attention to his mobile phone. We have programmed ourselves to think that every new message brings life-changing news, so taking calls and checking our texts are more important than talking to the people we are with. What is worse, some people even tend to send anonymous（匿名的）rude messages by email.
However, rudeness is never acceptable. Don’t assume it is OK to be rude if the person you’re in touch with won’t recognize you. If you have something awful to say, have the courage to face the person and say it, write a letter or email and sign it, or forget it. Upsetting people with unsigned messages is cruel and disgusting.
We shouldn’t blame technology for our shortcomings. Technology is here to help us, but we should not allow it to take over our lives. An important step is acknowledging our shortcomings. People spend a lot of time pointing out bad manners but it would be even more helpful if we’d publicly acknowledge good manners when we see them.
1. What can be inferred from the underlined sentence in Paragraph 1?| A．People care little about their behavior. |
| B．People can tell good from bad behavior. |
| C．Radar is able to observe human behavior. |
| D．Radar can be used to predict human behavior. |
| A．they are growing too independent |
| B．they have to handle many important messages |
| C．they are becoming less patient |
| D．they have to follow an evolutionary step backward. |
| A．disgusting | B．acceptable |
| C．Ridiculous | D．reasonable |
| A．We should applaud good behavior. |
| B．We should keep pointing out mistakes. |
| C．Technology will take over lives one day. |
| D．Technology can never be blamed |
Different cultures emphasize(强调)the importance of relationship building to a greater or lesser degree.For example,business in some countries is not possible until there is a relationship of trust.Even with people at work,it is necessary to spend a lot of time in “small talk”,usually over a glass of tea,before they do any job.In many European countries—like the UK or France—people find it easier to build up a lasting working relationship at restaurants or cafés rather than at the office.
Talk and silence may also be different in some cultures.I once made a speech in Thailand.I had expected my speech to be a success and start a lively discussion;instead there was an uncomfortable silence.The people present just stared at me and smiled.After getting to know their ways better,I realized that they thought I was talking too much.In my own culture,we express meaning mainly through words,but people there sometimes feel too many words are unnecessary.
Even within Northern Europe,cultural differences can cause serious problems. Certainly, English and German cultures share similar values;however,Germans prefer to get down to business more quickly.We think that they are rude.In fact,this is just because one culture starts discussions and makes decisions more quickly.
People from different parts of the world have different values,and sometimes these values are quite against each other.However,if we can understand them better,a multicultural environment(多元文化环境)will offer a wonderful chance for us to learn from each other.
1. In some countries,eating together at restaurants may make it easier for people to .
| A．develop closer relations | B．share the same culture |
| C．get to know each other | D．keep each other company |
| A．the English prefer to make long speeches |
| B．too many words are of no use |
| C．people from Thailand are quiet and shy by nature |
| D．even talk and silence can be culturally different |
| A．By sharing different ways of life. |
| B．By accepting different habits. |
| C．By recognizing different values. |
| D．By speaking each other’s languages. |
| A．Multicultural Environment |
| B．Cross-Cultural Differences |
| C．How to Understand Each Other |
| D．How to Build Up a Relationship |
