1 . Northeastern University in Northeast China's Liaoning Province said it will remove 52PhD students who failed to finish their studies within the permitted study period. One often has been studying for their PhD for 18 years and another two for 17 years, according to an announcement made by the university's College of Information Science and Engineering on Tuesday.
The students were admitted to the college from 2002 to 2012, a list on the college's official website showed. About 78 percent of them have been studying for their PhD at the college for over a decade. The study period for doctoral students in the university is three years, however, and the maximum length of schooling is six years with suspensions included, according to the management rules of the university.
Chinese universities have been seen clearing those postgraduate or PhD students who fail to graduate at the correct time in recent years. Xidian University in Xi'an of Northwest China, for example, removed 33 PhD students in August, some of whom had been studying for 15 years. Yanbian University in Northeast China's Jilin Province announced on November29, 2019, that it would delist 136 graduate students, including 14 PhD students.
A staff member of the university said that some of the students left without telling the school or going through the correct procedures. The difficulties in PhD study and the improving requirements for academic achievements have been found to be the main reasons resulting in students dropping out, experts said. Yang Liu, an associate professor who graduated with a PhD four years ago from a key university in Shanghai, told the Global Times that it is not strange for some PhD students to drop out under the strict academic review process. He also said that some may be scared off by the economic pressure of long-term schooling.
1. What is the permitted study period for a PhD at most?| A．A decade. | B．7 years or so. | C．6 years. | D．Within 3 years. |
| A．The long term of schooling. | B．The increasing requirements for study. |
| C．The economic pressure of schooling. | D．The mixed procedures for leaving universities. |
| A．The difficulties in PhD study scare off many students |
| B．Students fail to graduate from their universities |
| C．University in China's northeast delists over 50 PhD students |
| D．Chinese University is considering clearing some PhD students |
| A．Objective. | B．Worried. | C．Critical. | D．Hopeful. |
Douban rating: 7.3
IMDb rating: 7.0
Set in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, the story happens between a farm boy Isa and his friend Kalbinur. Isa's mother, deaf and dumb, depends on her son to look after her. Kalbinur, though a smart Uyghur girl at school, finds the Chinese language hard to master at the village school. Isa reads a story called A First Farewell in school, and although he does not fully understand the idea of farewell, he will soon experience it himself.
The film won the Asian Future Best Film Award at Tokyo International Film Festival in2018 and a Crystal Bear at the 2019 Berlinale.
Sheep Without a Shepherd
Douban rating: 7.7
IMDb rating: 6.7
Li Weijie and his wife, A Yu, have lived in Thailand for 17 years and raised two daughters. At the age of 40, Li runs an internet company and is well liked by the townspeople. However, the family's peaceful life is suddenly interrupted by an unexpected guest. In this town filled with drug trafficking, fairness comes into a critical testing moment.
The Pursuit of Happiness
Douban rating: 9.1
IMDb rating: 8.0
This film is based on a true story about a man named Christopher Gardner. Gardner has invested heavily in a device known as a “bone density scanner”. However, the devices do not sell. As Gardner works to make ends meet, his wife leaves him and he loses his apartment. Forced to live out on the streets with his son, Gardner takes on an unpaid internship as a stockbroker, with few chances for advancement to a paid position. Before he can receive pay, he needs to survive in the competition through six months of training, and to sell his devices to pay off debts.
Ne Zha
Douban rating: 8.5
IMDb rating: 7.5
The Primus(天尊) makes a Mixed Yuan Bead(珠) into a spirit bead and a demon bead. The spirit bead can be re-incarnated in a human to help King Zhou set up a new dynasty, the demon bead will create a devil and harm humans. Ne Zha is the one who should be the spirit bead hero but he becomes a devil incarnate, because the spirit bead and the demon bead are switched.
1. Which film is best received by viewers?| A．A First Fareveell. | B．Sheep Without a Shepherd. |
| C．The Pursuit of Happiness. | D．Ne Zha. |
| A．It won a Future Best Film Award in 2019. | B．It was highly recognized. |
| C．It tells of a story about a businessman. | D．It was first shown in Xinjiang province. |
| A．A First Farewell. | B．Sheep Without a Shepherd. |
| C．The Pursuit of Happiness. | D．Ne Zha. |
3 . If you want to explore European towns, here is a look at the most beautiful small towns in Europe.
Manarola
Manarola, Italy, is filled with rainbow-colored homes along the Mediterranean (地中海) coast. This attractive fishing town is famous for its wine and paintings. There are no cars here, no traffic lights, and no traffic noise. You can drive to it, but you have to park outside the town and then take a shuttle bus or walk in on foot.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, is a fascinating mountain town. Once two separated towns, Roman and Teutonic, were forced to become one because of the 1936 Winter Olympics, though the two sides still have different features. The town dates back to 15 AD, filled with narrow, cobble- stoned streets lined with historic buildings painted with religious scenes.
Marsaxlokk
The energetic trading port of Marsaxlokk, Malta, was built in 900 BC. Today, this picture-like town is the main supplier of fish to the island nation that sits in the Mediterranean Sea. It has no modern buildings to ruin its attractiveness. With such quiet surroundings, including the traditional fishing boats, it’s a particularly charming place to visit.
Portmagee, Ireland
In a country filled with beautiful towns, Portmagee sits on the southwest coast of Ireland. This postcard-perfect seaside fishing town has brightly colored buildings with a rich and colorful history. At the Bridge Bar, you’ll find live music along with nice food and a fine glass of beer.
1. In which town are tourists not allowed to go sightseeing by car?| A．Manarola. | B．Garmisch-Partenkirchen. |
| C．Marsaxlokk. | D．Portmagee. |
| A．wine and paintings | B．religious scenes |
| C．fish and old buildings | D．rich history and live music |
| A．have special interest in traditional fishing boats |
| B．prefer enjoyment in an old coastal fishing town |
| C．want to stay on a Mediterranean island |
| D．need to be refreshed in a mountain town |
4 . Do you look for something to read while in London? If so, you’re lucky. The British capital happens to have an incredible collection of bookshops.
Foyles
If you will, dig the picture: four miles of shelves holding up to 200, 000 books. Let’s hope you have some time to read books when travelling in Foyles. This bookshop is impossible to leave empty-handed. It was once listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest bookshop on the planet.
Location: 107 Charing Cross Rd
Hatchards
In the year 1797, Thomas Paine published Agrarian Justice. It’s also the year this London bookshop, the oldest in the city today, first turned on its lights. It stocks an excellent selection of fiction, nonfiction, history and other sorts.
Location: 187 Piccadilly St
Libreria
This bookshop is one of the most pleasing of its kind in London. The yellow bookshelves add a touch of color and mystery and, well, you kind of just want to grab a book and a seat and stay a while. Mobile phone usage is strongly banned here.
Location: 65 Hanbury St
London Review Bookshop
This wonderful bookshop that opened in 2003 comes from the smart people of the London Review of Books. As you’d expect, there is an excellent selection of history, philosophy, politics, new fiction and many other sorts here. Plus, there’s a nice cafe in which you can have something to drink and start reading.
Location: 16 Bury PI
1. Where can you find the oldest bookshop in London?| A．16 Bury PI. | B．187 Piccadilly St. |
| C．107 Charing Cross Rd. | D．65 Hanbury St. |
| A．It has various books. | B．It is located in London. |
| C．It has yellow bookshelves. | D．It is the biggest one. |
| A．Foyles. | B．Hatchards. |
| C．Libreria. | D．London Review Bookshop. |
5 . Welcome to your Music City vacation planning center, where you can make online reservations for various activities. You can catch today's hottest stars and country music legends at the Grand Ole Opry and cruise the Cumberland aboard the General Jackson Showboat.
The Redneck Comedy Bus Tour Nashville
Reviews:★★★★★Based on 491 Guest Review
Description: If you're looking for a trip that will show you all of Nashville's most famous and historic sites without being a bore, the Redneck Comedy Tour is for you. Morning tours are 2 hours. Afternoon tours are 90 minutes. The Christmas adventure lasts about 2 hours. Suitable for All Ages.
Grand Ole Opry
Reviews:★★★★★Based on 2798 Guest Review
Description: Due to COVID-19, masks must be worn inside the music show venue at all times.
Details: The show lasts about 2 hours. Suitable for All Ages.
Dancing Lights of Christmas Nashville Christmas Drive Thru
Reviews:★★★★★ Based on 257 Guest Reviews
Description: Bring the entire family along and celebrate the Christmas season with an unforgettable Music City Christmas tour. The drive-thru lasts about 30 minutes and most people spend about an hour at Santa's Village. Suitable for All Ages. Handicap Accessible.
Nashville Nightlife Dinner Theater
Reviews:★★★★Based on 162 Guest Reviews
Description: Mix together cool country music and hot home cooking, add a dash of Nashville flair, and you' I1 have the fantastic Nashville Nightlife Dinner Theater dinner show! The show lasts about 2. 5 hours. Show, buffet, and drinks all included in price. Suitable for All Ages. Handicap Accessible. Cameras are Permitted.
1. According to the tourists' reviews, which activity is the least popular one?| A．Grand Ole Opry. |
| B．Nashville Nightlife Dinner Theater. |
| C．The Redneck Comedy Bus Tour Nashville. |
| D．Dancing Lights of Christmas Nashville Christmas Drive Thru. |
| A．People who are crazy about historic sites. |
| B．People who want to catch today's hottest stars. |
| C．People who want to spend Christmas with family. |
| D．People who want to enjoy food and music meanwhile. |
| A．Lecture. | B．Textbook. | C．Website. | D．Report. |
6 . Stephane Borie, Sarah Francis and Kathryn Francis, owners of the Checkers restaurant in Wales, announced they had returned the desirable star rating — regarded as the peak for any restaurant — before publication of the 2019 edition of the Michelin Guide on 1 October.
Sarah Francis and her partner, Stephane Borie, have three young children while Kathryn Francis has two.
“I don’t know how we’ve done it for all these years, juggling (同时处理) the kids with working split shifts and late hours,” said Sarah Francis. “It has been a joy to have the star and the most amazing news when we got it. It was great for trade and brilliant for the town. But more for us, it’s about taking the business in a new direction and putting our family first. It means we can work in the day and have our evenings to ourselves.
The restaurant will relaunch in November as Checkers Pantry, and will open for breakfast and lunch with drinks and cakes available throughout the day. Borie will continue to cook at the Checkers but also plans to add more dishes to his menu for private customers across Europe.
A top French restaurant, Le Suquet, stepped away from the listings last year, having held a three-star rating for nearly two decades. The chef Sebastien Bras said he no longer wanted to cook at his restaurant under the "huge pressure” of being judged by the inspectors. Michelin said it was the first time a French chef had asked to be dropped from its restaurant guide in this way.
Simon Wright, restaurateur, food writer and former AA food guide editor, said decisions such as that by the Checkers were “often a reflection of the enormous pressure and additional expectation that comes with a Michelin star".
1. From the passage, we can know the Checkers _________.| A．changed its partnership |
| B．came back to the Michelin Guide |
| C．came out among the top restaurants |
| D．first appeared in the 2019 Michelin guide |
| A．To make more profits. |
| B．To travel across Europe. |
| C．To rebuild the restaurant. |
| D．To spend more time with their families. |
| A．The chef didn’t cook well. |
| B．It gave up its Michelin star rating. |
| C．It was opened about twenty years ago. |
| D．It refused Michelin guide inspectors’ visit. |
| A．quality food and service |
| B．a privilege for a restaurant |
| C．a guarantee for better business |
| D．huge pressure and greater expectations |
7 . Every year on my birthday, from the time I turned 12, a white gardenia was delivered to my house. No card came with it. Calls to the flower-shop were not helpful at all. After a while I stopped trying to discover the sender’s name and just delighted in the beautiful white flower in soft pink paper.
But I never stopped imagining who the giver might be. Some of my happiest moments were spent daydreaming about the sender. My mother contributed to these imaginings. She’d ask me if there was someone for whom I had done special kindness. Perhaps it was the old man across the street whose mail I’d delivered during the winter. As a girl of seventeen, though, I had more fun imagining that it might be a boy whom I had met.
One month before my graduation, my father died of a heart attack. I felt so sad that I became completely uninterested in my upcoming graduation party.
The day before my father died, my mother and I had gone shopping for a party dress. We’d found an impressive one, but it was the wrong size. When my father died, I forgot about my dress.
But my mother didn’t. The day before the party I found that dress—in the right size—over the living room sofa. I didn’t care whether I had a new dress or not. But my mother wanted me to have one. She wanted her children to feel loved and lovable. In truth, my mother wanted her children to see themselves much like the gardenia—lovely, strong and perfect with perhaps a bit of mystery. My mother died ten days after I was married. I was 22. That was the year the gardenia stopped coming.
1. Why did the writer stopped trying to know who the sender was?| A．In no way could she find the sender. | B．The shop didn’t answer the phone. |
| C．There was no card with the flower. | D．She was only interested in the flower. |
| A．Her father. | B．Her mother. | C．An old man. | D．A boy. |
| A．12 times. | B．22 times. | C．10 times. | D．9 times. |
| A．A Party Dress | B．My Gardenia |
| C．A Mysterious Boy | D．The Death of My Parents |
8 . I was born with bad eyesight. At high school I couldn’t read the blackboard. By the time I got to the university of Bath to study Chemistry it had got to the point where I couldn’t really see images at all, only the difference between light and dark. And a few years later, once I was in the first year of my PhD, I was almost completely blind.
But climbing is my great passion. I started climbing when I was young. My dad taught me everything about climbing. When I was 11, I led my first climbing route outside. People are usually amazed when they discover that not only do I climb, but I also lead climbs.
At university I joined the Mountaineering Club and was able to climb much more frequently. We had regular trips to indoor walls and weekends away outdoors. I developed a great circle of climbing friends and went on several trips to Europe. After these I started Alpine climbing and ice climbing, too.
When my sight dropped to a level where I could no longer read, I thought I might have to give up leading. But I never thought I would stop climbing. I just learnt to adapt with the support of my friends.
People often ask me, “Why rock climbing? It doesn’t seem like a good activity for a blind person.”
But when I think about the danger, crossing the road is far more dangerous, and also, it’s something where I’m not in control.
It’s quite possible that I wouldn’t be such a good climber if I weren’t blind. If I didn’t have these challenges, it wouldn’t focus me. That determination is built through my disability.
When I reach the top of a climb, I don’t get to appreciate the view, but the feeling of achievement is extremely good.
Climbing is a way to prove my way of thinking in life — which is that I’m not disabled, I’ m blind and able.
1. When the author went to university, he .| A．couldn’t read the blackboard | B．couldn’t figure out light and dark |
| C．nearly couldn’t see images | D．was almost blind |
| A．He thought about quitting climbing. |
| B．He learnt to adapt with others’ help. |
| C．He continued leading climbs. |
| D．He went on several trips to Europe. |
| A．The author started climbing at the age of 11. |
| B．The author began ice climbing when he got his PhD. |
| C．The author is afraid of crossing the road. |
| D．The author views blindness in a positive way. |
| A．Nothing is impossible to a willing heart. |
| B．All things are difficult before they are easy. |
| C．Actions speak louder than words. |
| D．The eye is blind if the mind is absent. |
9 . When homework and tests keep you up late at night, you may plan to make up for your lost sleep during the weekends. But is it useful?
A study published in the journal Current Biology shows that the habit of sleeping in on weekends doesn’t fix the damage that has been done by a lack of sleep during the week. Even worse, it may damage your health.
In the study, which was conducted over 10 days, 36 healthy young men and women with different sleep requirements were divided into three groups. The first group were asked to sleep nine hours a night and the second group five hours a night. The members of the third group slept for five hours on weekdays but rested as long as they wanted on the weekend.
The researchers found that people who lacked sleep ate more snacks and gained weight quickly. However, this wasn’t the case for the first group.
That could be partially due to the shifting of the biological clock and changes to certain body hormones, especially hunger hormones. In order to catch up on their sleep during weekends, people in the third group would eat later as a habit. So their biological clocks shifted, which also changed the production of hunger hormones.
“The hormone leptin(瘦素) decreases appetite(胃口), while the hormone ghrelin(饿素) increases appetite,” explained US researcher Vsevolod Polotsky. “Sleep shortage causes leptin to drop and ghrelin to rise, so you’re hungry and eat more.”
And even if they tried to sleep for as long as they wanted to during weekends, according to researchers, it was still not enough because they found it difficult to fall asleep.
Moreover, short and insufficient sleep schedules will lead to an inability to change blood sugar and increase the risk of metabolic(新陈代谢) disease in the long term.
1. Which of the following is true about the study?| A．Participants were divided into two groups. |
| B．Researchers studied 36 children and adults. |
| C．It lasted for more than two weeks. |
| D．Each group follow different sleep requirements. |
| A．increasing | B．lacking | C．changing | D．shortening |
| A．They need to create more energy. |
| B．There is less leptin in their bodies. |
| C．They have a lower blood sugar. |
| D．Their bodies produce less hormones. |
| A．Appetite Affects our Sleep Quality |
| B．Sleeping in Causes Weight Loss |
| C．Catching up on Sleep Harms Our Body |
| D．Men and Women Sleep Differently |
10 . French poet Victor Hugo (1802-1885) once said, “To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelt out is a spark.”
Today, when we read books, road signs and posters, it’s probably hard to imagine that only half a century ago, about 40 percent of the world’s adults were still illiterate, according to data from UNESCO. This means that two out of every five adults could neither read nor write in the 1960s. In other words, the “sparks” that now light up our world failed to do the same for theirs.
In response to this situation, UNESCO decided to name Sept. 8 as International Literacy (读写能力) Day, starting from 1967. Every year, the day is celebrated to stress the importance of literacy and the progress that has been made, which itself is huge—in 2019, the global adult literacy rate rose to 86 percent, while the youth literacy rate was as high as 91 percent, according to UNESCO.
This raises a question: If the mission to promote literacy has basically been accomplished, why do we still celebrate this day?
The truth is that the definition of “literacy” keeps changing. For example, the theme for 2007 and 2008 International Literacy Day was “Literacy and health”, which targeted people’s ignorance of diseases like HIV and malaria (疟疾). For 2017, the emphasis was placed on “Literacy in a digital world”, because not knowing anything about the Internet in today’s world is just like lacking basic reading abilities in the 1960s—it’s the “new illiteracy”.
The focus for this year’s International Literacy Day is “Literacy and skills development”. But the skills in question are not job-specific skills, such as those required to be an electrician or a chef. Instead, the focus will be on “transferable skills”—communication, critical thinking, teamwork, and creativity, to name a few. These are the things that allow us to do our job well—any job.
1. Why did UNESCO set up International Literacy Day originally?| A．To encourage the young people to read more. |
| B．To help people read books, road signs and posters. |
| C．To increase literacy rate from 40 percent to 86 percent. |
| D．To improve people’s literacy by stressing its importance. |
| A．By using figures. | B．By giving examples. |
| C．By asking questions. | D．By comparing the details. |
| A．Job-specific skills. | B．Skills of a chef. |
| C．Thinking critically. | D．Making electricians. |
| A．Achievements in literacy. |
| B．International Literacy Day. |
| C．The development of UNESCO. |
| D．The reasons to promote literacy. |
