1 . What is talent? Are you born with it? Or does it seem to develop over time? Before I start, I’d like to say that one thing everyone agrees on is that the most skilled musicians have worked hard to get there.
While it’s true that a few of us had enough “talent” to avoid extra practice to do just as well as those who did, those who worked hard easily beat us. It is, in fact, very likely that if some of us “talented ones” had actually been practicing and improving our skill, we would have achieved a whole different level.
Another aspect of talent seems to be heart and passion (酷爱). The people I see who are the most talented musicians are crazy about music. They eat, breathe, and live music and they make an extraordinary effort to make it part of their lives. As Remus Badea said, desire for the musician-to-be is significant for them to be successful. This desire is easily found in those considered to be talented. When you want and love something so bad, it drives you and your entire character can be shaped around it. Such determined passion seems to produce incredible skill and talent.
The third aspect (方面) of talent is having talent around you. When surrounded by talented musicians, it only seems natural that you start to catch up to their level Take a look at almost any group of musicians in history. The more talented people in the group the more talented the group is as a whole. A great example of this is the relationship between audio producer and artist. The artist turns up to the studio with their song, and as they work through recording it, the audio producer will often suggest various changes to the song to make it better.
1. What can we learn from Paragraph 2?A.Pride goes before a fall. |
B.It’s never too old to learn. |
C.Practice contributes to talent. |
D.Talent determines achievements. |
A.Passion. | B.Character . | C.Skill. | D.Talent. |
A.To introduce what real talents are. |
B.To explain how a song is composed. |
C.To prove talents need team spirit. |
D.To show the benefits of being with talents. |
A.Music has no limits. |
B.Musicians are born with talent. |
C.Music favors the talented. |
D.Musicians are created, not born. |
2 . My 12-year-old daughter, Lauren, came home from school yesterday, proudly waving her grade book to me. She had been awarded A-1 in most subjects such as mathematics, language arts and science—a great achievement! Then she sadly pointed out that her perfect score was damaged by a B-1 in French and a C-1 in Physical Education.
I asked her what the scores meant. She said that the letter showed the achievement(成绩) and the number showed the effort. That moment I realized that the grades were misleading. I reached out my hands and gave her a big hug and told her in my mind she had a perfect score. It didn’t matter that her grade in French was a “B”—the “l” showed that she had tried her best. That is something to make any parent proud.
Everybody is different. Everybody has different potential(潜能). Not all of us will become linguists(语言学家) or sports stars. But without 100%effort no potential can be achieved. If I see a salesperson fail at sales, the first thing I want to examine is the effort being put in. If there is a problem with effort, the salesperson has no future. But if I see a salesperson isn’t successful with l00%effort, he or she is worth my effort in helping. Maybe a bit of training or some advice from a more successful person will help. I know that 100%effort, focus in the right direction, will always bring a result whether that is an “A” or a “C”. As long as you make 100%effort, you are great.
1. The author’s daughter was weak in _______.A.maths. | B.science. | C.chemistry. | D.physical education. |
A.High grades make parents proud. |
B.Grades are important to children. |
C.People hold a wrong idea of grades. |
D.High grades show great achievements. |
A.will give him training. |
B.is willing to offer help. |
C.will find an easy way for him. |
D.may think he has no future. |
A.trying his or her best. |
B.achieving good grades. |
C.having different potential. |
D.giving other people useful advice. |
3 . Narasimha Das is on his way to feed 169,379 hungry children. Das is in charge of a kitchen in Vrindaban. The town is about a three-hour drive from India’s capital, New Delhi. Das gets to work at 3:00 a.m. Thirty workers are already working to make tens of thousands of rounds of bread. It will be brought to 1,516 schools in and around Vrindaban.
A Growing Problem
Going to school is difficult for more than 13 million children in India. They must go to work instead, or go hungry. That’s why India began the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, the largest school-lunch program in the world. A free lunch encourages children to come to school and gives them the energy they need for learning. The program began in the 1960s.
The kitchen in Vrindaban is run by the Akshaya Patra Foundation. It is one of the lunch program’s biggest partners. “Just $11.50 can feed one child for an entire year,” said Madhu Sridhar, president of the Akshaya Patra Foundation.
Lunch Is Served!
The Akshaya Patra food truck arrives at Gopalgarh Primary School. Since the program started, the number of underweight children has gone down. The children get foods they need — as long as they finish what’s on their plates.
1. What does Narasimha Das do?A.A waiter. | B.A salesman. | C.A cook. | D.A shopkeeper. |
A.the poor | B.school children | C.college students | D.the old |
A.Because they have to work to make money. |
B.Because there are not enough schools. |
C.Because there are not enough teachers. |
D.Because their parents refuse to send them to school. |
A.It is to encourage children to go to school. |
B.It has been carried out for about 50 years. |
C.It is run by Narasimha Das. |
D.It is the largest school-lunch program in the world. |
4 . Avi Loeb, a scientist, believes that we are not alone in the universe. The belief fits with Loeb’s alien (外星的) spaceship theory that at least one alien spaceship might be flying over the orbit (轨道) of Jupiter, which won the international attention last year.
Astronomers in Hawaii found the first known interstellar (星际的) object in late 2017. It was a bit of light moving so fast past the sun that it could only have come from another star. Almost every astronomer on the planet was trying to figure out how the object, called “Oumuamua” got to our far-away, part of the Milky way galaxy. “One possibility is that ‘Oumuamua’ is debris (碎片) from an advanced technological equipment,” Loeb said. “Technology comes from another solar system just showed up at our door.”
“‘Oumuamua’ is not an alien spaceship,” Paul Sutter, another scientist wrote. He suggested Loeb was seeking publicity. Most scientists think “Oumuamua” is some sort of rock. They think it could be an icy wandering comet.
Loeb says that “Oumuamua’s” behavior, means it can’t be a block of rock shaped like a long photo. He thinks it's more likely an object that’s very long and thin, perhaps like a long pancake or a ship’s sail. Loeb says that if someone shows him evidence that contradicts his beliefs, he will immediately give in.
Loeb believes himself a truth-teller and risk- taker in an age of very safe, too-quiet scientists. “The worst thing that can happen to me is that I would be relieved of my management duties, and that would give me even more time to focus on science,” Loeb says. He said he wouldn’t mind giving up all the titles he had and returning to the Israeli farming village where he grew up.
1. What does Loeb say about “Oumuamua”?A.It is an icy comet. |
B.It looks like a long photo. |
C.It is actually some sort of rock. |
D.It may come from another alien civilization. |
A.Searches for. | B.Depends on. |
C.Turns to. | D.Goes against. |
A.He is foolish. |
B.He is unsatisfied with his titles. |
C.He is a firm believer in scientific truth. |
D.He is uncertain about his career future. |
A.Have Aliens Paid a Visit in Spaceships? |
B.Do We Really Know about Space Theory? |
C.Scientists Are Working on High Technology |
D.Astronomers Are Encouraging Space Travel |
5 . Each year, the women of Olney and Liberal compete in an unusual footrace. Dressed in aprons (围裙) and headscarves, they wait at both towns’ starting lines. Each woman holds a frying pan with one pancake inside. At the signal, the women flip (轻抛) pancakes and they’re off!
This “pancake racing” tradition is said to have started on Shrove Tuesday, 1445, in Olney. Shrove Tuesday is the day before the Christian season of Lent (大斋戒) begins. During Lent, many people decide to give up sugary or fatty foods.
Legend says that in 1445, an Olney woman was making pancakes to use up some of her sugar and cooking fats before Lent. She lost track of time and suddenly heard the church bells ring, signaling the beginning of the Shrove Tuesday service. Realizing that she was going to be late for church, she raced out the door still wearing her apron and headscarf and holding her frying pan with a pancake in it. In the following years, the woman’s neighbors imitated her dash to church, and pancake racing was born.
The rules are simple. Racers must wear the traditional headscarf and apron. They must flip their pancakes twice - once before starting and once after crossing the finish line. After the race, there are Shrove Tuesday church services. Then Liberal and Olney connect through a video call to compare race times and declare a winner.
In both towns, the races have grown into larger festivals. Olney’s festival is an all-day event starting with a big pancake breakfast. Liberal’s festival lasts four days and includes a parade, a talent show, and contests that feature eating and flipping pancakes. Although the women’s race is still the main event, both towns now hold additional races for boys and girls of all ages.
1. How did pancake racing start?A.A woman in Olney created it. |
B.Women made pancakes before Lent. |
C.A woman dashed to church with a pancake. |
D.People followed the suit of an interesting incident. |
A.They can wear fashionable headscarves and aprons. |
B.They must flip their pancakes once in the race. |
C.They must flip their pancakes at the beginning of the race. |
D.They can flip their pancakes in the middle of the race. |
A.People can show their talent in Olney festival. |
B.People can enjoy a one-day holiday in Liberal. |
C.The race is not only intended for women now. |
D.People can have a big pancake breakfast in both towns. |
A.The origin of pancake racing. |
B.The history of pancake racing. |
C.The development of pancake racing. |
D.The introduction to pancake racing. |
6 . It was in my first year of work as a doctor. My mouth was dry, my palms sweaty and my voice trembling. The only thing that kept me focused was the thought that things were so much worse for the family I was talking to.
A woman in her early twenties had been brought in after a road traffic accident. She had suffered multiple injuries and had been rushed up to theatre. The surgeons had been unable to save her life and she died on the table. Ashen-faced, the consultant (会诊医生) told the woman's family the news. “Tom, I think it would be nice if it came from you,” my consultant said.
I stared blankly. “What?” I asked.
“About organ donation,” he replied. I swallowed hard. Surely this would be the last thing they'd want to talk about. It felt acutely awkward and ill-timed to be considering this kind of conversation while they were being engulfed in grief. But the problem with organ donation is that every minute counts. The clock is ticking because the sooner organs can be transplanted, the better the chance they will survive in the recipient's (接受者) body.
I began to feel sick. I opened the door and sat opposite them, convinced that I was only going to make things worse for them.
“It's what she'd have wanted,” the mother said before I'd even finished. The father nodded. “She was always so generous,” her father added.
As my consultant and I left them, it occurred to me that I'd been wrong in thinking it would be an awkward conversation. Nothing could take away the pain of having lost their daughter. Yet this last, final act had comforted them and helped them feel that the spirit of their daughter lived on m this act of generosity. Strangely, it is one of the most heart-wanning conversations I have ever had.
1. The first two paragraphs suggest________.A.the woman died on the scene |
B.it was hard for the author to face death |
C.the author witnessed the traffic accident |
D.the woman's death was told by the consultant |
A.He was caught in a dilemma. | B.He was seriously ill at that time. |
C.He failed to transplant the organ. | D.The woman's chance of survival was slim. |
A.To do the author a favor. | B.To show respect for the doctor. |
C.To follow then daughter’s will. | D.To end the awkward conversation. |
A.The consultant’s assistance. | B.The author’s consideration. |
C.The donor’s kindness. | D.The recipient’s appreciation. |
7 . Arguing with your parents is totally natural for teens. From your hairstyle to your friends, to your marks at school, to your television habits, to your future plans, it might just seem like you argue with your parents about everything. While this is not generally a pleasant state of affairs, it is normal and it will most likely pass.
Argue fairly
Arguments between teens and parents generally come about when both parties believe that they know what is best for the teen. Parents have been caring for their teens for over a decade, but teens are quickly becoming adults and believe that they are able to take care of themselves. If you must agree with them, argue fairly by: Allowing each person to speak their mind. Refusing to interrupt others when they are speaking. Sticking only to the topic at hand.
Argue respectfully
No matter how heated things may get during an argument, try to remember that your parents still are worthy of your attention, respect and love. During arguments, be respectful by: Keeping your voice lowered at all times and refusing to shout. Sitting still and staying calm. Refusing to engage in angry actions such as kicking, throwing or hitting anything. Reasonably explaining the reasons for your opinions.
________________
There is a thin line between having a discussion and engaging in an argument, but smart teens know that keeping their interactions with their parents at the discussion level practically guarantees that they will be taken more seriously. No one likes to argue, and the parents of teens can be especially weary of it, so keeping things at the discussion level will work to everyone's advantage.
Arguing with parents is practically a sign of the teenaged years, but out-of-control arguments don't serve anyone well. Before arguing with your parents, decide what type of teen you want to be and what compromises (妥协) you are willing to make in order to achieve your goals. You never know, you might just avoid an argument all together.
1. This passage mainly tells teens ________.A.arguments don't solve any problem | B.arguing with parents may hurt them |
C.some tips on arguing with parents | D.how to avoid arguing with parents |
A.make up your mind not to give in | B.show your respect for them |
C.express your opinions through actions | D.make full preparations for it |
A.Take discussion seriously. | B.Argue seriously. |
C.To be smart teens. | D.Argue only when needed. |
A.be proud of | B.be interested in | C.be tired of | D.be satisfied with |
A.normal | B.practical | C.shameful | D.impolite |
8 . The Internet brings us many advantages. With the Internet, people can send and receive emails. On the Internet, people can skim over news. Using the Telnet, the user anywhere on the Internet can log into any other machine on which he has an account. It is possible to use the FTP program to copy files from one machine on the Internet to another.
But the Internet also brings us troubles.
Internet use seems to cause a fall in psychological (心理的) health, according to research at Carnegie Mellon University. Even people who spent just a few hours a week on the Internet experienced more depression and loneliness than those who logged on less often, the twoyear study showed. And it wasn't that people who were already feeling bad spent more time on the Internet, but that using the Net actually seemed to cause the bad feelings.
Researchers are puzzled over the results, which were completely opposite to what they had expected. They expected that the Net would prove socially healthier than television, since the Net allows users to choose their information and to communicate with others.
The fact that Internet use reduces time used for family and friends may be the reason for the drop in health, researchers said. Faceless, bodiless “virtual” (虚拟的) communication may be less psychologically satisfying than actual conversations, and the relationships formed through it may not be so deep. Another possibility is that exposure to the wider world through the Net makes users less satisfied with their lives.
“But it’s important to remember this is not about the technology; it’s about how it is used,”said one of the researchers. “It really points to the need for considering social factors (因素) when you design new inventions.”
1. The writer mainly wants to tell us that ________.A.the Internet can bring people many advantages |
B.the Internet use may cause psychological problems |
C.the Internet users are not satisfied with their lives |
D.we shouldn't use the Internet |
A.Because the results were completely different from what they had thought. |
B.Because the Net proved socially healthier than television. |
C.Because the Internet users were all healthier. |
D.Because the Internet users experienced less depression and loneliness. |
A.Internet use reduces time used for family and friends. |
B.Virtual communication is less psychologically satisfying than actual conversations. |
C.Exposure to the wider world through the Net makes users less satisfied with their lives. |
D.All of the above. |
9 . Suppose you want to go abroad and learn about the foreign exchange in culture in different countries. Here is some information you may need.
Name: Susan Lane Age: 22 Place: Reykjavik, Iceland, 1994. Cost: $7,000 Organization: AFS Experience: I think it was a turning point in my life. I began to understand more about my own culture by experiencing another culture and seeing how other people live.” |
Name: Sara Small Age: 23 Place: Crivitz, Germany, 1996. Cost: $8,000 Organization: EF Foundation Experience: “I love the traveling and I made a lot of friends. I found the European school system to be hard but I am fluent now in German so it is worth it. I did miss my family and friends in Australia but I would love to do it again.” |
Name: David Links Age: 16 Place: Stuttgart, Germany, 1996. Cost: $4,500 Organization: Southern Cross Cultural Exchange Experience: “I wanted to try something that was very different in culture. In Germany everything was different but I soon got settled. The family I was with was great and I really feel as though I have a second family.” |
Name: Tom Jennings Age: 21 Place: Conflans, France, 1995. Cost: $7,000 Organization: Southern Cross Cultural Exchange Experience: “There were times when it was difficult but I liked it, experiencing a different culture.” You just have to adapt to each situation as it comes. If there is one thing you learn when you are on a student-exchange program it is how to take care of yourself.” |
Name: Linda Marks Age: 19 Place: Chonburi Province, Thailand, 1994. Cost: $3,500 Organization: Rotary International Experience: “There are lots of ups and downs, but you always come back for more. I had a few problems but there was always someone to turn to and that was great.” |
1. According to the information, taking part in a foreign exchange program can cost ________.
A.from $4,500 to $8,000 | B.from $3,500 to $8,000 |
C.anything from $3,500 | D.no more than $7,000 |
A.Susan Lane and Sara Small |
B.Linda Marks and David Links |
C.Tom Jennings and Linda Marks |
D.Susan Lane and Tom Jennings |
A.Iceland and America | B.Thailand and France |
C.Germany and Iceland | D.Germany and Thailand |
10 . Where to eat and drink at museums
Museums, like department stores and airports, are now counting food among their attractions. The following museum restaurants would be worth a meal even if not surrounded by masterpieces. Most of them can be visited independently of the museums.
Met Breuer
Flora Bar
The food from a brief menu is anything but: refined, excellent and pleasantly served. It begins with breakfast when it pays to arrive before the famous cinnamon buns run out.
Open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3: 30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays;
Dinner from 5: 30. p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 5: 30 p. m. to 9 p. m. Sundays (reservations, no museum admission required).
646-558-5383
Asia Society
Garden Court Café
Here Steamed Chinese Dumplings served in bamboo baskets share the menu with Indian samosas, Koran Japchae Glass Noodles and a Japanese bento box assortment. Wine and beer are served.
Open daily from l: 30 a.m. to 3 p.m., except Mondays (reservations, no museum admission required).
212-570-5202
EI Museo del Barrio
Side Park Café
Mexican street food, done with some refinement, is the order of the day.
Open from 8 a. m. Mondays through Fridays, and 11 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays, until 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and 6 p.m. Sundays through Tuesdays (no reservations, no museum admission required).
212-831-7272
Museum of Arts and Design
Robert
Crowd-pleasing food includes crab cakes, Wagyu beef sliders and duck breast.
Lunch: 11:30 a. m. to 2: 30 p. m. Mondays through Fridays;
Dinner: 5 p. m. to 11 p. m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays through Tuesdays (reservations, no museum admission required).
212-299-7730
1. How long does the lunch last at Flora Bar?A.For 2 hours. | B.For 3 hours. |
C.For 4 hours. | D.For 5 hours. |
A.212-570-5202. | B.212-831-7272. |
C.212-299-7730. | D.646-558-5383 |
A.It is known for its delicious duck breast. |
B.It requires advance reservations. |
C.It offers museum-goers discounts. |
D.It opens seven days a week. |
A.Flora Bar. | B.Garden Court Cafe. |
C.Side Park Cafe. | D.Robert. |
A.At 10 a.m. Mondays. | B.At 11 a. m. Tuesdays. |
C.At 9:30 p.m. Wednesdays. | D.At 10:30 p.m. Sundays |