1 . Traveling to a foreign country can make you frightened if you don't know the local language.Mr.Thibault has a number of tips to help travelers manage in a destination when they don't speak the native tongue, based on his own experience.Here are a few of them.
Download a Language Translation App
Mr.Thibault tends to rely on Google Translate and suggests that travelers find an app that works for them.Ideally, find one that specializes in the language you need to translate especially if the language uses a character set you’re not familiar with, or have difficulty pronouncing.
Speak with Your Hands and Head
Pointing with your hands and nodding or shaking your head, Mr.Thibault said, are easy ways to communicate with locals in the country you’re in.“Gestures are all universally understood，” he said.
Learn a Few Key Words
Knowing basic words and phrases like "hello""thank you” and “I’m sorry，I don’t speak your language.Do you speak English?” is a must, Mr.Thibault said.Showing that you care enough to learn some of the language before you go, and at least enough to acknowledge that you don’t know more, is a form of respect and will make you go a long way to be liked by locals.
Work with a Local Travel Agent
If you feel particularly uncomfortable in the country you’re heading to, and you have to go anyway, relying on a local travel agent who knows both your and your destination's languages can be incredibly useful.
Hire a Local Tour Guide
A tour guide can help you get a better grasp of the local language and is a good person to practice words and phrases with.Whenever Mr.Thibault visits a new country, he books a sightseeing tour with a guide on the first day of his trip.“I use this day to learn about my destination and get familiar with the language,”he said.
1. In what situation should a language translation app be applied while traveling abroad?| A．When you have trouble pronouncing the words. |
| B．When you want to acknowledge your ignorance. |
| C．When you want to practice the local language. |
| D．When you feel uncomfortable in the country. |
| A．Downloading a language translation app. |
| B．Learning a few key words. |
| C．Using body language. |
| D．Working with a guide. |
| A．By speaking with your hands and head. |
| B．By learning a few key words. |
| C．By downloading a language translation app. |
| D．By hiring a local tour guide. |
2 . More than a billion people around the world have smart phones, almost all of which come with some kind of navigation app such as Apple Maps or Amap. This raises the age-old question we meet with any technology: What abilities is our brain losing to these apps? But also, importantly: What abilities are we gaining?
Talking with people who are good at finding their way around or good at using paper maps, I often hear a lot of annoyance with digital maps. North/south direction gets messed up, and you can see only a small section at a time. I can really understand that it may be quite disturbing for the already skilled to be limited to a small phone screen.
But consider what digital navigation aids have meant for someone like me. Although being a frequent traveler, I'm so terrible at finding my way that I still use Apple Maps almost every day in the small town where I have lived for many years.
In many developed nations, street names and house numbers can be meaningful, and instructions such as go north for three blocks and──then west’’ make sense to those familiar with these rules. In Istanbul, however, where I grew up, none of those hold true. For one thing, the locals seldom use street names. Besides, the city is full of winding and ancient alleys(小巷) that cross with newer avenues at many angles. In such places, you’d better turn to the locals. In the countryside, however, there is often nobody outside to ask. In fact, along came Apple Maps, like a fairy grandmother whispering directions in my ear. Since then, I travel with a lot more confidence, and my world has opened up.
Which brings me back to my original question: While we often lose some skills after depending on new technology, this new equipment may also allow us to gain new abilities. Maybe when technology closes a door, we should also look for the doors it opens.
1. Why do people who are skilled at reading paper maps feel upset?| A．They are interested in reading paper maps, |
| B．They don’t know how to use navigation, apps. |
| C．They are limited to a single smart phone app. |
| D．They are confused by digital maps’ direction. |
| A．Asking local people the way. |
| B．Following the navigation app. |
| C．Getting familiar with the city rules. |
| D．Looking for street names and house numbers. |
| A．Cautious | B．Ambiguous |
| C．Favorable | D．Critical |
| A．Benefits of Navigation Apps |
| B．Disadvantages of Navigation Apps |
| C．My World Opens Up by New Technology |
| D．Have Navigation Apps Worsened Our Brain? |
3 . We humans love to stare into our smart devices. We gaze for hours-about 10 hours and 39 minutes a day-at our computers, smartphones,tablets and televisions. Is all this staring bad for us? It might be mainly because as we stare at our devices we are exposing ourselves to blue light.
Blue light is a type of electromagnetic(电磁的) radiation with a very short wavelength that produces a high amount of energy. While it’s true that light can damage our eyes under certain circumstances, there’s no scientific evidence suggesting that blue light is harmful to our eyes. But many people still think it is, which is why blue-light-blocking glasses are so popular. So do the glasses work?
“Everyone is very concerned that blue light may be causing damage to the eye, but there’s no evidence that it may be causing serious damage,” Dr. Rahul Khurana, clinical spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology,told Business Insider.
Blue light exposure is nothing new. In fact,the sun is the largest source of blue light. Moreover, blue light is also present in LED light. But if blue light isn’t harmful, then why are we constantly rubbing our eyes when we’re looking at our screens? The answer is eyestrain(眼疲劳): More than 60 percent of people experience eye problems associated with digital eyestrain. And blue light, it seems, isn’t the cause. Instead, our eyes are so strained because most of us blink less when we stare at our digital devices. So if eyestrain is the issue, blue-light-blocking glasses are probably of little use.
1. What do we know about blue light?| A．It is a kind of nuclear radiation. |
| B．It has the shortest wavelength. |
| C．It may come from electronic devices. |
| D．It consumes a great deal of energy. |
| A．Evidence of their benefits to eyes. |
| B．Belief in blue light's harmful effect. |
| C．Widespread use of smart devices. |
| D．Scientific understanding of blue light. |
| A．Blue light exposure is hardly avoidable. |
| B．Eye problems are not easy to deal with. |
| C．Blue light may connect with tired eyes. |
| D．Rubbing eyes makes people strained. |
| A．tiring | B．harmful |
| C．useless | D．beneficial |
4 . Unlike China, where the majority of society belongs to the Han ethnic group, the United States is home to people from many different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, creating great diversity within its lively society.
However, historical events that created this diversity also led to racial disputes and prejudice that have lasted until today. Around days like Martin Luther King Day, people in the US are especially sensitive to racist comments and behavior.
Recently, a Facebook message posted by a white student at my boarding school started a wave of anger among African American students and started heated conversations about minority groups at the school.
The students posted an article written by someone else who stated that Robert E. Lee, a Confederate general during the US Civil War, should be commemorated(纪念). As the Confederates broke from the Union in order to keep slavery in their states, they were usually seen as racists. The post received a flood of comments from both white and black students within minutes, and conversation about the topic spread across campus quickly.
A fishbowl conversation was organized the evening the article was posted, and students and faculty (学院) members talked about their feelings and opinions. During the discussion, students from minority groups, including African American, Jewish, Asian and Indian students, spoke up about how they felt about living in a society mainly made up of people who are different from them. It turned out that many people felt isolated because of their differences from other people.
The diversity of society can open up interesting opportunities, but the great differences between people can also create huge gaps and misunderstandings if they are not treated carefully. Thus, effective communication is essential.
After the fishbowl conversation, the atmosphere in the school seemed to be changing, at least from my point of view. Students seemed to be talking and acting more freely than before, and the expressions of judgement were seen less on their faces.
1. The main purpose of Paragraph 1 is to ______.| A．draw attention to the fact that racial problems still exist in America. |
| B．show that the United States has a wonderfully diverse culture. |
| C．explain how sensitive people in the US are to racist comments and behavior. |
| D．point out the differences between American culture and those of other countries. |
| A．The post was offensive to black students. |
| B．The post was aimed at African American students. |
| C．The author of he post was strongly in favor of slavery. |
| D．The author of the post held a negative attitude toward minority groups. |
| A．figure out whether the article should be posted or not. |
| B．educate students on how to express their opinions appropriately. |
| C．improve the lives of people who belongs to minority groups on campus. |
| D．get people to communicate how they felt and thought about the post. |
| A．We should learn to live with others’ differences. |
| B．We should always feel free to share our feelings. |
| C．Effective communication is very important in a diverse society. |
| D．If there is no difference, then there is no misunderstanding. |
5 . Body language is the “silence language” of every culture. It is important to know the body language of every country, or we may be misunderstood.
In the United States, people greet each other with a handshake in a formal introduction. The handshake must be firm. If the handshake is weak, it is a sign of weakness or unfriendliness. Friends may place a hand on the other’s arm or shoulder. Some people, usually women, greet a friend with a hug.
Space is important to Americans. When two people talk to each other, they usually stand about two or a half feet away and at an angle, so they are not facing each other directly. Americans get uncomfortable when a person stands too close. They will move back to have their space. If Americans touch another person by accident, they say “Pardon me” or “Excuse me”.
Americans like to look the other person in the eye when they are talking. If you don’t do so, it means you are bored, hiding something, or are not interested. But when you stare at someone, it is not polite.
Learning a culture’s body language is sometimes confusing. If you don’t know what to do, the safest thing to do is to smile.
1. Suppose you are meeting a customer from United States, how will you greet him?| A．Greet him with a hug | B．Stare at him |
| C．Place a hand on his arm | D．Shake his hand firmly |
| A．face you directly | B．move back |
| C．Say “Pardon me” | D．stare at you |
| A．Americans stand side by side when talking with friends. |
| B．Americans show their respect by shaking hands weakly. |
| C．Americans say “Excuse me” to each other when talking. |
| D．Americans like to look the other person in the eye when talking. |
| A．listen carefully with no expression | B．hide your opinions |
| C．smile | D．stare at others |
6 . An earthquake is one of the most common natural disasters． It may cause great damage． So it is wise to learn some simple safety tips to protect yourself or your family members．
Fragile items， like those made of glass should usually be placed on a lower surface， near the ground instead of placing them on cupboards higher up． Never place them near your bed， sofas and other furniture where you would be sitting or lying down． When there is a strong movement，these pieces will fall on the floor directly and not on you．
There is a strong chance of short circuits （短路） and fire breakouts during an earthquake． Make sure you turn off electrical connections and gas immediately when an earthquake happens．
During an earthquake， lie beneath an object that is not easily damaged． Do not go near objects that could directly fall on you． Never use the elevator to go down． Stay inside until the shaking stops and it is safe to go outside． Research has shown that most injuries happen when people inside buildings try to go out． Use the staircases at all times．
If you are outdoors， do not take shelter under a tree， streetlights， electric poles or tall buildings． If you are driving， stop your car and stay in a safe place． Do not park your car under a tree or any tall object．
If trapped in debris （瓦砾堆）， cover your mouth with a handkerchief or clothing． Tap on a pipe or wall so rescuers can find you． Use a whistle （哨子） if one is available． Never shout for help． Shouting can cause you to breathe in dangerous amounts of dust． Do not light a match because you may burn yourself． Do not move about or kick up dust．
1. The purpose of the passage is to tell readers ．| A．the damage caused by earthquakes |
| B．the rescue work after earthquakes |
| C．what to do about earthquakes |
| D．how to prevent earthquakes |
| A．easily broken |
| B．easily found |
| C．expensive |
| D．heavy |
| A．go out the building at once |
| B．turn off power and gas immediately |
| C．take shelter under a tree |
| D．drive to a safe place |
| A．Cover their mouth with a handkerchief． |
| B．Tap on a pipe or wall for help． |
| C．Use a whistle for help． |
| D．Light a fire for help． |
| A．take shelter under a tree |
| B．stop your car and stay in a safe place |
| C．park your car under a tree |
| D．park your car under a tall object |
7 . Many people have tried to simplify （简化） the spelling of English words． Unlike other languages， English sometimes spells the same sounds in very different ways． For example， there is "light" but "white"，"loan"but"phone" ，and there are at least seven different ways of pronouncing "ough"： "though"， "through"， "bough"， "cough"， "enough"， "ought" and"thorough"．
The American President Theodore Roosevelt almost succeeded in simplifying English spelling． In 1906， Andrew Carnegie started the Simplified Spelling Board． He was one of the richest men in the United States of America． The board's plan was to make the spelling of words nearer to the way they sound． For example， the word "though" would be spelt "tho" and "through" would become "thru"． Other people on the board were Melvil Dewey， the head of the New York libraries， and Professor Brander Matthews of Columbia University． They explained their idea to President Roosevelt， who thought that it was indeed logical． He immediately asked the government printer to use simplified spelling in all government letters．
But people didn't like the change， even if it made life easier． So the new simpler spelling was not popular． More importantly， when the American politicians （政客） discussed the plan， they did not like it either． Because Roosevelt did not want to have any problems with the politicians， he changed his mind and told the printer to go back to the old way of spelling．
Since then no one in any government has dared to simplify English spelling． However， people do simplify some words， mainly in advertisements． For example， we often see "tonite"instead of"tonight"and"thru"instead of"through"．
1. Many people have tried to simplify English spelling because ．| A．English words are too long to remember |
| B．there are many mistakes in English words |
| C．lots of words are spelt in many different ways |
| D．sometimes the same sounds have different spellings |
| A．Andrew Carnegie． |
| B．Melvil Dewey． |
| C．Theodore Roosevelt． |
| D．Brander Matthews． |
| A．Worried． |
| B．Supportive． |
| C．Uncertain． |
| D．Doubtful． |
| A．failed in the end |
| B．proved quite successful |
| C．won wide support |
| D．influenced English greatly |
| A．Because people didn't like the change． |
| B．Because politicians did not like the new simpler spelling． |
| C．Because Roosevelt did not want to have any problems with the politicians． |
| D．Because Roosevelt did not like the new simpler spelling． |
8 . Many years ago mathematics was my enemy． I was afraid of it and I hated it so much that you could not imagine．
Then came a new teacher to our village． On the first day， he entered the classroom with huge steps， reached the blackboard in a few seconds， and wrote his name on the blackboard． Some letters were in higher places and some were in lower places； some were as big as the board itself and some were so small that we had to open our eyes a lot to see them； some were wide enough， but on the other hand some were too thin．
As he turned around， the class suddenly became still and silent， trying to make out what it was． As we read his name， we were all smiling， no laughing out loud． Soon we realized that he had a special and lasting sense of humor and we began to learn mathematics in a relaxed and happy mood （心情）．
As for my mathematics study， the barriers（障碍） began to turn into pieces， and the fear began to disappear slowly． What was dark and colorless suddenly became exciting， challenging， interesting and above all simply fun．There was some humor added to every sum （算术） and there was fun in every problem．
Thanks to this special teacher， math became the most enjoyable subject to me．
1. The writer thought mathematics was very before he met the new math teacher．| A．interesting |
| B．easy |
| C．boring |
| D．challenging |
| A．see |
| B．hear |
| C．write |
| D．feel |
| A．his parents |
| B．his teacher |
| C．his classmates |
| D．his friends |
| A．His name |
| B．A picture |
| C．A word |
| D．A sentence |
| A．A teacher made math fun |
| B．First day of my school |
| C．Math teacher's handwriting |
| D．The way to learn math |
9 . It is a long time since I took up teaching. During my teaching career, I often ask my students to read the text until they can recite them, and I tell them that recitation is an important part of their homework. However, some of my students are tired of doing so, thinking that it is both hard and useless. They argue that it takes a long time to recite a text from memory and text itself never appears in a test paper.
In my opinion, it does take time to recite a text, but it is worth doing so. When you are able to recite a text, you are sure to be familiar with the words and expressions. When you need them in reading or writing or doing exercises, they will come to your mind quickly, and so you will give quick response to all kinds of language situation. How can we say that it is useless?
Besides, many students complain that they soon forget what they were once able to recite. This is true, but you don't need to worry. While you are reading and forgetting the texts, your language level is being raised. Sure you don't remember your Chinese texts that you once read in the primary school, but now you are able to read novels and newspaper. So , recitation of the texts will help you improve your language ability．
1. What do the students think about the teacher's advice? ______| A．The English teacher asks them to do something useless． |
| B．The English teacher is very kind to them． |
| C．The English teacher should let them study on their own． |
| D．The English teacher tries his best to help them with English． |
| A．The teacher thinks the students are too naughty to learn English well． |
| B．The students think they spend a lot of time in reciting the texts and get nothing． |
| C．The students say that they often forget the words． |
| D．The students take no interest in English． |
| A．often criticizes them |
| B．wants to give up his idea |
| C．patiently explains to them why they should recite the texts |
| D．is afraid that he is criticized by the headmaster． |
| A．Reciting the texts can greatly improve the classroom teaching． |
| B．Reciting the texts is the best way of learning English． |
| C．The students should remember all the texts that the teacher has taught them． |
| D．Reciting the texts can improve the ability of applying (应用)English． |
10 . For Western designers, China and its rich culture have long been an inspiration for Western creative.
“It’s no secret that China has always been a source(来源) of inspiration for designers,” says Amanda Hill, chief creative officer at A+E Networks, a global media company and home to some of the biggest fashion(时尚) shows.
Earlier this year, the China Through A Looking Glass exhibition in New York exhibited 140 pieces of China-inspired fashionable clothing alongside Chinese works of art, with the aim of exploring the influence of Chinese aesthetics(美学) on Western fashion and how China has fueled the fashionable imagination for centuries. The exhibition had record attendance, showing that there is huge interest in Chinese influences.
“China is impossible to overlook,” says Hill. “Chinese models are the faces of beauty and fashion campaigns that sell dreams to women all over the world, which means Chinese women are not just consumers of fashion — they are central to its movement.” Of course, not only are today’s top Western designers being influenced by China—some of the best designers of contemporary fashion are themselves Chinese. “Vera Wang, Alexander Wang, Jason Wu are taking on Galliano, Albaz, Marc Jacobs—and beating them hands down in design and sales,” adds Hill.
For Hill, it is impossible not to talk about China as the leading player when discussing fashion. “The most famous designers are Chinese, so are the models, and so are the consumers,” she says. “China is no longer just another market; in many senses it has become the market. If you talk about fashion today, you are talking about China—its influences, its direction, its breathtaking clothes, and how young designers and models are finally acknowledging that in many ways.”
1. What can we learn about the exhibition in New York?| A．It promoted the sales of artworks. | B．It attracted a large number of visitors. |
| C．It showed ancient Chinese clothes. | D．It aimed to introduce Chinese models. |
| A．They are setting the fashion. | B．They start many fashion campaigns. |
| C．They admire super models. | D．They do business all over the world. |
| A．learning from | B．looking down on | C．working with | D．competing against |
| A．Young Models Selling Dreams to the World |
| B．A Chinese Art Exhibition Held in New York |
| C．Differences Between Eastern and Western Aesthetics |
| D．Chinese Culture Fueling International Fashion Trends |
