1 . Have you ever heard of Nollywood? Nollywood is the name of the Nigerian (尼日利亚的) film industry. Nigeria is one of the largest film industries in the world based on the quantity of films produced, placing them right below India’s Bollywood and above USA’s Hollwood!
Born in around 1992. Nollywood is the youngest compared with the other two “woods”, and uses new forms of financing and production. Now it’s in adulthood. and bigger productions have become more regular. However, this was not always the case. Although movie theaters were rare in Nigeria during earlier period, original stories were not. Despite lack of funds and experience, self-made directors began to use commercial video cameras to shoot their movies and sold them for home viewing. Even though this resulted in movies with low production value, the original stories instantly made them a hit. Today, the film industry is the largest employer after agriculture and makes up 5% of Nigeria’s GDP.
Nigeria is a big player in the industry and it is constantly improving its craft, taking on new challenges. Nollywood is known mainly for its comedies and dramas, but we are increasingly seeing horror movies and musicals.
Although sometimes heavily criticized for low production values. Nollywood continues to grow fans worldwide. Nigerian movies now make up 11% of Nigeria’s non-oil exports! The average movie is produced in 7-10 days on a budget between ￡7,000-12,000 (Hollywood’s average is around ￡60 million per movie with one year production time).This is changing, however, as more filmmakers are receiving proper training and are aiming to make films up to the international standard.
1. What is the advantage of Nollywood?| A．Commercial support. | B．Original stories. |
| C．Dominant comedies. | D．Fast production. |
| A．Bollywood produces more films than the other two “woods”. |
| B．Nollywood is known as the youngest among the three “woods”. |
| C．Hollywood’ s budget for an average movie is much less than Nollywood’s. |
| D．It takes much less time to produce a Nollywood film than a Hollywood one. |
| A．Nollywood’s contribution to Nigera’s GDP is second only to agriculture |
| B．Nollywood makes fewer comedies and dramas than horror movies and musicals |
| C．movies made by Nollywood occupy more than 11% of Nigeria’ s export industry |
| D．more filmmakers in Nollywood are attempting to improve the quality of its films |
| A．films worth enjoying in Nigeria. |
| B．major differences among the “woods”. |
| C．promising future of Nollywood. |
| D．features and changes of Nollywood. |
2 . A technology company is developing a lie detector app for smartphones that could be used by parents, teachers and Internet daters.
The app measures blood flow in the face to assess whether or not you are telling the truth. Its developers say that it could be used for daters wanting to see if somebody really is interested in them. Parents could use it on their children to see if they are lying and teachers could work out which of their pupils are truthful.
The app is being developed by Toronto startup NuraLogix and the software is called Transdermal-Optical Imaging.
The idea is that different human emotions create different facial blood flow patterns that we have no control over. These patterns change if we are telling the truth or telling a lie. Using footage from the smartphone camera, the software will see the changes in skin color and compare them to standardized results. A study found that anger was associated with more blood flow and redness while sadness was associated with less of both.
Kang Lee, who has been researching the field for 20 years, said that the lie detector test will let you find out the truth “non-invasively, and remotely, and sometimes it can be covertly”
He said, “It could be very useful, for example, for teachers. A lot of our students have math anxiety but they do not want to tell us, because that’s embarrassing.”
Lee added that the technology would not replace lie detectors used in a court of law. He said, “They want the accuracy to be extremely high, like genetic tests, and a one-in-a-million error rate. Our technique won’t be able to achieve an extremely high accuracy level, and because of that I don’t think it’s useful for the courts.”
He added that it will be a few years before the dating app is available to consumers.
1. How does the app work?| A．By monitoring the heartbeat. |
| B．By analyzing the blood flow in the face. |
| C．By measuring one’s blood pressure. |
| D．By checking the words one says. |
| A．A consumer buying a smartphone. |
| B．A student working on a math problem. |
| C．A judge in court. |
| D．A parent concerned about his child. |
| A．violently | B．artificially |
| C．secretly | D．confidently |
| A．it takes some time for the dating app to be put to use |
| B．it has been proved that the app is more effective in court than at school |
| C．the app matches genetic tests in accuracy |
| D．the app comes from the idea that we can control our facial blood flow patterns |
3 . The market investigation is indispensable to sales promotion. They are closely related as the lips and teeth, so to speak. What you produce is for sale on the market. It would be impossible to succeed in selling a product without first investigating the market.
In the international market, goods on sale are coming from different countries and suppliers are always facing keen competition. Under such circumstances, they will try everything possible to familiarize themselves with the market conditions. In making investigations, we ought to get information about what similar items the competitors are offering on the market, what prices they are quoting (报价) , what features their products have, who are their regular customers, etc. Then, how can we obtain such information?
There are many channels that we can, make use of in doing this sort of work. The commercial counselor’s offices of our embassies stationed abroad can help us in making market investigations. Nowadays, our import and export corporations send their trade groups abroad every now and then. One of their purposes is to make market surveys on the spot.
Certainly, face-to-face talks with foreign businessmen are also important channels to get market information. The Chinese Export Commodities Fairs, and some other fairs of similar nature as well as visits of foreign businessmen provide us with such opportunities. Of course, there are some other ways of making market investigations.
1. In making market investigations, one should _________ .| A．get enough information concerned | B．advertise his products |
| C．produce high quality goods | D．visit the competitors |
| A．successful | B．necessary |
| C．advisable | D．available |
| A．Every producer is faced with fierce competition. |
| B．The market investigation plays a big role in promoting sales. |
| C．Goods on sale are numerous because of globalization. |
| D．The investigation offers many job opportunities. |
| A．to contact the commercial counselor’s offices of our embassies stationed abroad |
| B．to improve the quality of the products and achieve high production efficiency |
| C．to send trade groups abroad every now and then |
| D．to have face-to-face talks with foreign businessmen |
4 . Americans are proud of their variety and individuality, yet they love and respect few things more than a uniform, whether it is the uniform of an elevator operator or the uniform of a five-star general. Why are uniforms so popular in the United States?
Among the arguments for uniforms, one of the first is that in the eyes of most people they look more professional than civilian clothes. People have become conditioned to expect superior quality from a man who wears a uniform. The television repairman who wears uniform tends to inspire more trust than one who appears in civilian clothes. Faith in the skill of a garage mechanic is increased by a uniform. What easier way is there for a nurse, a policeman, a barber, or a waiter to lose professional identity than to step out of uniform?
Uniforms also have many practical benefits. They save on other clothes. They save on laundry bills. They are tax-deductible (可减税的). They are often more comfortable and more durable than civilian clothes.
Primary among the arguments against uniforms is their lack of variety and the consequent loss of individuality experienced by people who must wear them. Though there are many types of uniforms, the wearer of any particular type is generally stuck with it, without change, until retirement. When people look alike, they tend to think, speak, and act similarly, on the job at least.
Uniforms also give rise to some practical problems. Though they are long-lasting, often their initial expense is greater than the cost of civilian clothes. Some uniforms are also expensive to maintain, requiring professional dry cleaning rather than the home laundering possible with many types of civilian clothes.
1. It is surprising that Americans who worship variety and individuality ________.| A．still judge a man by his clothes |
| B．hold the uniform in such high regard |
| C．enjoy having a professional identity |
| D．respect an elevator operator as much as a general in uniform |
| A．suggests quality work | B．rejects his social identity |
| C．appears to be more practical | D．looks superior to a person in civilian clothes |
| A．provide practical benefits to the wearer |
| B．make the wearer catch the public eye |
| C．inspire the wearer’s confidence in himself |
| D．provide the wearer with a professional identity |
| A．Uniforms and Society | B．Uniforms - A Part of Growing up for People |
| C．Uniform Policy in America | D．Strong and Weak Points of Uniforms |
Learning English video Project |
| 1. Encounters in the UK(17 minutes) Watch | Comments Encounters in the UK is the first film in this documentary mini-series. It tells the story of four girls from different countries who travel to Cambridge in England to study English and stay with local families in what is called a “homestay”arrangement. For the four girls the homestay arrangement is a positive experience. As one of the homestay hosts explains:“It’s going to be a great experience, not only in terms of learning English, but in learning about life. ” Watch with: Subtitles | Transcript. | No subtitles | Comments |
| 2. Stories from Morocco(16 minutes) Watch | Comments Set in Casablanca, Morocco, this film features footage and ‘interviews focusing on key questions such as“Why are people learning English？”and“What tips and advice can learners offer?” Staff and learners discuss the advantages and challenges of English language learning in Morocco. Interviewees touch on a variety of topics including British vs: American accents, multi-level classrooms, and the similarities of English to French and Spanish. Watch with: Subtitles | Watch without Subtitles | Comments |
| 3. Thoughts from Brazil. (17 minutes) Watch |Comments Like Insights from China, Thoughts from Brazil also looks at modern trends in learning English, especially for children and teens. It will be of particular interest, to all those who long for a learning experience that is more interactive and communicative. Teens and young adults will find new ideas for combining personal interests such as music, gaming and social media with self-study. As Daniel Emmerson talks to learners and teachers of English in Sao Paulo, Brazil, he discovers that many of, them have found for themselves the principle of learning by doing and have readily adapted it to the Internet, era. Watch with: Subtitles | Watch without Subtitles. | Comments |
1. From the passage we can conclude that “Learning English Video Project”is most probably ______.
| A．an online language learning course | B．audio documents on language learning |
| C．a series of short video programs | D．a set of films on English—speaking countries |
| A．Encounters in the UK | B．Stories from Morocco |
| C．Thoughts from Brazil | D．Insights from China |
| A．Classroom teaching is more interactive and communicative |
| B．Homestay arrangement provides positive experience for learners |
| C．The Internet and games play a major role in language learning |
| D．The principle of, learning by doing is widely accepted by learners . |
6 . If you think a high-factor sunscreen (防晒霜) keeps you safe from harmful rays, you may be wrong. Research in this week’s Nature shows that while factor 50 reduces the number of melanomas (黑素瘤) and delays their occurrence, it can’t prevent them. Melanomas are the most aggressive skin cancers. You have a higher risk if you have red or blond hair, fair skin, blue or green eyes, or sunburn easily, of if a close relative has had one. Melanomas are more common if you have periodic intense exposure to the sun. Other skin cancers are increasingly likely with long-term exposure.
There is continuing debate as to how effective sunscreen is in reducing melanomas — the evidence is weaker than it is for preventing other types of skin cancer. An Australian study of 1,621 people found that people randomly selected to apply sunscreen daily had half the rate of melanomas of people who used cream as needed. A second study, comparing 1,167 people with melanomas to 1,101 who didn’t have the cancer, found that using sunscreen routinely, alongside other protection such as hats, long sleeves or staying in the shade, did give some protection. This study said other forms of sun protection — not sunscreen — seemed most beneficial. The study relied on people remembering what they had done over each decade of their lives, so it’s not entirely reliable. But it seems reasonable to think sunscreen gives people a false sense of security in the sun.
Also many people don’t use sunscreen properly — applying insufficient amounts, failing to reapply after a couple of hours and staying in the sun too long. It is sunburn that is most worrying — recent research shows sunburn on Episode 5 in the teenage years increases the risk of all skin cancers.
The good news is that a combination of sunscreen and covering up can reduce melanoma rates, as shown by Australian figures from their slip-slop-slap campaign. So if there is a heat wave this summer, it would be best for us, too, to slip on a shirt, slop on (抹上) sunscreen and slap on a hat.
1. What does the research in Nature say about a high-factor sunscreen?| A．It is ineffective in preventing melanomas. |
| B．It is ineffective in case of intense sunlight. |
| C．It is ineffective with long-term exposure. |
| D．It is ineffective for people with fair skin. |
| A．Sunscreen should be applied alongside other protection measures. |
| B．High-risk people benefit the most from the application of sunscreen. |
| C．Irregular application of sunscreen does women more harm than good. |
| D．Daily application of sunscreen helps reduce the incidence of melanomas. |
| A．It misleads people to rely on sunscreen for protection. |
| B．It helps people to select the most effective sunscreen. |
| C．It is not based on direct observation of the subjects. |
| D．It confirms the results of the first Australian study. |
| A．Using both covering up and sunscreen. |
| B．Staying in the shade whenever possible. |
| C．Using covering up instead of sunscreen. |
| D．Applying the right amount of sunscreen. |
7 . A young man has just returned from a terrific first date. He wants to send flowers to let his date know he enjoyed being with her, but he's not sure what to send. A dozen red roses? No, too formal for a first date. A bouquet of wild flowers, perhaps? Still not sure, he picks up the phone and calls a florist for advice. The next day his date calls, thanking him for the beautiful yellow roses.
Florists enjoy helping people express themselves with flowers. Flowers can help, people share all sorts of feelings. For instance, flowers help people say "Congratulations!" to a friend who gets promoted. Flowers can also express feelings hard to put into words. They help say "I'm sorry" to the wife whose husband forgot her birthday. From birth to death, and the holidays in between, flowers add color and meaning to life. That's why florists' services are always in demand.
In the past, florists just sold flowers to customers, who arranged them on their own. But today's florists are skilled designers, arranging flowers in ways that best express their customers' feelings.
Formerly, florists learned on the job. Today, however, many florists earn diplomas in floral design in as few as 75 hours of classes. They gain a knowledge of flower varieties and develop an artist's touch. These skills help florists make arrangements that fit customers' tastes and meet their budgets.
Compared to most start-up businesses, opening a flower shop takes little money. As a result, many florists open up their own shops soon after earning their diplomas.
One of their first priorities is establishing good customer service. Their customers have come to expect same-day delivery. So florists must be able to work quickly, especially during holiday rushes. But florists don't mind. For them, the more arrangements they make, the more people they touch-with flowers.
1. Compared with florists today, florists in the past___________.| A．arranged flowers as customers requested |
| B．didn't just sell flowers to customers |
| C．didn't necessarily have diplomas in floral design |
| D．had a better knowledge of flower varieties |
| A．Congratulations. | B．Apology. |
| C．Deep love. | D．Good impression. |
| A．A florist delivers flowers within the same day of ordering. |
| B．A florist arranges flowers with an artistic touch. |
| C．A florist understands customers' needs and fits their tastes. |
| D．A florist helps customers express their feelings through flower language. |
8 . Finding the Real You
Psychometric testing—personality testing—has been very popular nowadays as studies show their results to be three times more accurate in predicting your job performance. These tests are now included in almost all graduate recruitment（招聘）and are widely used in the selection of managers.
The most popular of these personality tests is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator（MBTI）. It is based on the theory that we are born with a tendency to one personality type which stays more or less fixed throughout life. You answer 88 questions and are then given your “type”, such as Outgoing or Quiet, Feeling or Thinking.
Critics of personality testing raise doubts about “social engineering”. Psychologist Dr. Colin Gill warns that the “popular” personality traits（特性）have their disadvantages. “People who are extremely open to new experiences can be butterflies, going from one idea to the next without mastering any of them.” However, the psychometric test is here to stay, which may be why a whole sub-industry on cheating personality tests has sprung up. “It's possible to cheat,” admits Gill, “but having to pretend to be the person you are at work will be tiring and unhappy and probably short-lived.”
So can we change our personality? “Your basic personality is fixed by the time you're 21,” says Gill, “but it can be affected by motivation and intelligence. If you didn't have the personality type to be a doctor but desperately wanted to be one and were intelligent enough to master the skills, you could still go ahead. But trying to go too much against type for too long requires much energy is actually to be suffered for long. I think it's why we're seeing this trend for downshifting—too many people trying to fit into a type that they aren't really suited for.”
Our interest in personality now exists in every part of our lives. If you ask an expert for advice on anything, you'll probably be quizzed about your personality. But if personality tests have any value to us, perhaps it is to free us from the idea that all of us are full of potential, and remind us of what we are. As they say in one test when they ask for your age: pick the one you are, not the one you wish you were.
1. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is based on the belief that _______ .| A．certain personality traits are common |
| B．personality is largely decided from birth |
| C．some personality types are better than others |
| D．personality traits are various from time to time |
| A．Employers often find the results unclear. |
| B．They may have a negative effect on takers. |
| C．People can easily lie about their true abilities. |
| D．The results could be opposite to what. employers want. |
| A．It's impossible in your childhood. |
| B．It's easy if you have great motivation. |
| C．It's difficult before the age of 21. |
| D．It's unlikely in your adult life because it requires much energy. |
| A．They are not really worth doing. |
| B．They may encourage greater realism. |
| C．They are of doubtful value to employers. |
| D．They can strengthen the idea we have of our abilities. |
I am the Phantom, the Ghost Who Walks, in the dorm, in class, all around the school. People don't notice that I exist any more. I like it that way. Sometimes they look at me with sympathy, or say or do something kind, like offering me a bite of a Mars bar. At those times they use the sort of voice people have when they're talking to little children, or pet puppies. Other times they get angry at me and yell. Other times they're cruel and make jokes about me. Mostly it's Sophie, but I don't want to make her sound like she's evil or anything. She just likes people who are loud and funny and noisy. I know it must be awful for them, having me in their dorm. But I did not steal her money. What would I want with money?
Today Cathy got fed up with me, for no particular reason that I know of. She came into the dorm in a bad mood, swearing at everyone and complaining about everything. Then she found some of my undies on her bed, where I'd put them while I was sorting my laundry. She got mad and threw them at me and said: "And don't think we're going to keep feeling sorry for you all year." I was scared and very very sick inside me but I didn't run away like I normally do.
Now we're in Prep again and she has sent me a note:
I'm sorry about yelling at you. I was in a foul after Science, because Hardcastle virtually accused me of cheating. It wasn't anything you did. I'm sorry —I think you're nice and I want to be friends.
Cathy
It's about 20 minutes since she sent it to me. I cannot look at her. I cannot move. I have spent the whole time with my head down, looking at this page. Now I have just started writing again. I want to die or hide or run away. I am scared to look at her. I can handle, have handled, most things in my life, but not this.
From So Much To Tell You…by John Marsden
1. At school, the writer who kept the diary felt ____________.| A．bored | B．excited |
| C．nervous | D．alienated |
| A．The writer made a mess of her bed. |
| B．She didn't do well in her Science test. |
| C．She was blamed for cheating by her teacher. |
| D．She supposed the writer had stolen her money. |
| A．They are sympathetic and kind to her. |
| B．They are selfish and unhelpful. |
| C．They are loud and bad-tempered. |
| D．They are distant and difficult to understand. |
10 . Through the centuries, artists have told stories through songs. In 1904, Italian composer Giacomo Puccini created an opera based on the story Madame Butterfly. Set in Japan, the opera is a poignant narrative of loyalty, deception (欺骗), and cultural differences.
A Japanese woman, Cio-Cio-San, marries an American, Lieutenant Pinkerton. But Pinkerton does not take the marriage seriously and thinks it can be cancelled easily. He abandons Cio-Cio-San and marries an American woman. When Pinkerton returns to Japan, he discovers that Cio-Cio-San has borne a son. He takes the child from her; and Cio-Cio-San, overcome with great sadness, takes her own life. The opera contains a beautiful aria (歌剧中的咏叹调) in which Cio-Cio-San expresses her love for Pinkerton and her hope that "one fine day" they will be together.
Miss Saigon, first performed in 1989, is a musical loosely based on the opera Madame Butterfly. Set in the final days of the Vietnam War, it brings together Kim, who lives in poverty in Saigon, and Chris, an American soldier. In 1975, the two are separated. Back in the United States, Chris marries. When he revisits Asia a few years later, he learns that he has a son, Tam. Kim wants Chris to take Tam back to the United States with him so that Tam will have an opportunity for a good life. Chris wants the child to remain with Kim, so Kim kills herself to ensure Tam's future.
1. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word "poignant" underlined in Paragraph 1?| A．charming | B．joyful | C．heart-breaking | D．shocking |
| A．Madame Butterfly presents an accurate picture of life in the nineteenth-century Japan. |
| B．Pinkerton did not regard his marriage to Cio-Cio-San as a real marriage. |
| C．Kim values her son's future more than her own life. |
| D．Both Cio-Cio-San and Kim are victims in the tragic stories. |
| A．criticize the cruel and destructive force of war in ruining human relationships |
| B．explore the sad consequences of cultural misunderstanding |
| C．discuss women's inferior role in love and marriage |
| D．prove the failure of cross-cultural relationship and marriage |
