1 . Dragon Head Raising Day: time for a haircut
China is a country with many colorful days and festivals. The Dragon Head Raising Day (Longtaitou) is one of them.
This special day is on the second day of the second month in the Chinese lunar calendar (阴历). It stands for (代表) the start of spring and farming. This year, the day fell on March 10.
The dragon is important in Chinese culture. We Chinese people call ourselves the “descendants (传人) of the dragon”. Therefore, people celebrate theDragon Head Raising Day with many customs about dragons.
On the day in ancient times, people put ashes (灰) in the kitchen. This was to “lead the dragon into the house”. People believed that with the help of the dragon, they could have a good harvest (收成) in autumn.
Also, people eat special foods on that day. The foods are usually named after dragons. For example, people eat “dragon whisker (细须)” noodles and dumplings called “dragon teeth”.
Today, many customs have faded away (消退). But one that has remained is the cutting of hair. It was said that a haircut during the first lunar month may bring bad luck to the mother’s brothers. So many people have their hair cut on the Dragon Head Raising Day.
1. The Dragon Head Raising Day is one of the ______ festivals.| A．English | B．French | C．American | D．Chinese |
| A．March 10 | B．February 2 | C．March 4 | D．March 8 |
| A．Because the dragon liked the ashes. |
| B．Because the ashes led the dragon into the house. |
| C．Because the ashes stood for the harvest. |
| D．Because the ashes could bring good luck. |
| A．the dragon boating | B．to eat Zongzi |
| C．the cutting of hair | D．to eat mooncakes |
If you are living for a long period of time in China, chances are you will want to purchase your own bicycle so that you can use it whenever you want for transportation or just for the enjoyment of riding. Even if you don’t use a bicycle for everyday transportation, owning one can be a great way of enjoying some of the trails in the rural areas, just for fun. However, if you are just visiting China, renting a bicycle can be a more convenient choice.
It is important to choose the correct bicycle for your use. You’ll find that in China, the one-speed style of bicycle is extremely popular. These bicycles are great if you want to ride around in the city to see the sights. They are quite comfortable and easy to ride. You can often rent a bicycle for an entire day for around $15.
However, if you wish to ride on some of the rural paths, a mountain bike style would be a better choice. They are great for different kinds of road surfaces, providing for a safer ride. If you are planning to have a desire to tour and still be able to carry packages with you, then a touring bike would be the best choice. These are generally the most expensive to rent, but are extremely handy for carrying packages and even some of your luggage along with you.
1. The opening paragraph probably tells us that .
| A．riding bicycle is very popular to Chinese people |
| B．Chinese people use bicycles only for transportation |
| C．Americans use bicycles only for sport and exercise |
| D．Riding bicycles is the main means of transportation |
| A．buy a bike | B．borrow a bike |
| C．steal a bike | D．rent a bike |
| A．It’s worth at least 15 dollars |
| B．You can’t ride it in the countryside. |
| C．It is easy for you to travel in the city |
| D．You have to return it the next day. |
| A．you have to ride on the road in the countryside |
| B．you have some packages to carry while traveling |
| C．you want to enjoy the sights in the big cities |
| D．it is suitable for all kinds of road surfaces |
Our International Exchange Department requires one part-time bilingual secretary for our office. He/She must be native Mandarin with excellent English competence （better with Japanese）. We ask for 8 hours a week （from Monday to Saturday）, and working schedule is negotiable. However, English corners are arranged on Thursdays, and therefore we need you to be on site from 3pm to 5pm. Attractive salary and good benefits package. including chances to exchange to foreign countries, are offered to junior and senior year students with excellent secretarial skills, the ability to communicate, an outgoing personality and a strong sense of responsibility.
Please hand in applications with photo, and email to uniied@gmail.com, or call 400-800-100 during office hours to get further information.
International Exchange Department
Advanced Math Teaching Assistants in Need
The Mathematics Department is looking for two Advanced Math teaching assistants. The job is mainly to help freshmen students to deal with math assignments and projects, as well as prepare them for final exams in Week 16.
We hope those applying for the position could meet the following requirements. First, it's necessary for the applicants to be skilled at math. Second, he/she should have at least 2 As in math-related courses with GPA no less than 4.0. Third, the job asks for excellence in both professional skills and patience.
For those who are interested in the position, please send your resume to unimd@gmail.com before September 15th.
Dr. Jessica Smith
Mathematics Department
Part-time Job Recruitment
Technology Support Department lacks several assistants to work at its help desk.
Contents: A customer service job—answering questions, helping people solve their computer problems, providing basic teaching to new users, elc.
Requirement: The Advanced Computer Test certificate; good interpersonal skills; enthusiasm. Work hours:
from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m.
early mornings (6 a.m-9 am.): 2 persons; mornings (9 a.m.- 12 a.m.): 1 person afternoons (12 p.m.- 6 pm): (full)
evenings (6 p.m. - 11 p.m.): (full)
late nights: (11 p.m.-2 a.m.): 2 persons; weekends: 3 persons
If you are interested, please come to Luking Library 2F (East Side) Room 213 and fill in the forms. An interview will be arranged afterwards. New position for the next semester will be released in December.
Mr. Luke Johnson
Technology Support Department
1. If you get the position as a secretary, you____.| A．have to assist in English comer |
| B．have a tight schedule during the week |
| C．have the chance to be an exchange student in foreign universities anytime during university |
| D．must be a native English speaker who can speak fluent Chinese |
| A．Because the interview is challenging. |
| B．Because applicants have to fill in complicated forms. |
| C．Because applicants have to work irregular hours. |
| D．Because you have to help other people all the time. |
| A．The advertisements can be found on the school website. |
| B．Call for further information of math teaching assistants before September 15th. |
| C．More job vacancies in the Mathematics Department will be available in December. |
| D．The International Exchange Department needs a communicative and responsible secretary. |
4 . I wanted to be a journalist. But my parents reminded me that math makes money, so off to engineering school I went In my post-university young-adult life, I've managed to become ^traditionally successful." As a female engineer, I worked for a big oil company and owned a home. My life was laid out in front of me. and I didn't like what I saw.
So, I did what any respectable 24-year-old would do and left my life behind. I said goodbye to my boyfriend and pulled out my suitcase. I threw myself alone into the world with the grace and beauty of a baby deer taking its first steps with skateboards under its feet. I bloodied my knees mountain biking through the red rocks of Utah. I spent four days struggling through Yellowstone with 50 pounds on my back. Two Peruvian women along my Andean journey taught me how to roast coffee and helped me practice Spanish. It wasn't Vienna's cultural museums; it was a sunny piece of grass beside the Danube river with someone from my hostel （青年旅社） who quickly became a friend. It wasn't Yellowstone's Old Faithful geyser （间歇喷泉）launching into the air; it was charging through Montana's ordinary landscape playing music so loud that the car windows shook. The truth is, I didn't actually need to be abroad to have almost any of my favorite experiences. They were just small everyday moments that happened to happen abroad, leading me to realize that the true value of my flight tickets were not the landmarks, but rather becoming an active participant in my own life.
I now spend less time online shopping and more time lying alone on the floor listening to an album cover — to — cover. I ask my friends how they're doing. Sometimes I surprise them with flowers to see them smile. I tell everyone to have a good day.
1. What can we learn, about the author from Paragraph 1 ?| A．She found her work challenging. |
| B．She was dissatisfied with her life. |
| C．She preferred math to journalism. |
| D．She dared not talk back to her parents, |
| A．To prove the importance of travel. |
| B．To express her joy with new friends. |
| C．To show what she learned from the travelling. |
| D．To introduce the landmarks she was interested in, |
| A．She has become more independent. |
| B．She begins to enjoy her daily life more. |
| C．She begins to value her family's opinion. |
| D．She has become more interested in foreign cultures. |
| A．We shouldn't think life is better elsewhere. |
| B．Interest is the best teacher in choosing jobs. |
| C．Travel is the best way to spend your holidays. |
| D．The importance of travel |
5 . From driving to landing on moon, more and more human tasks are being taken over by artificial intelligence(AI-人工智能). It will make everyday tasks easier and bring benefits to different industries.
And yet, like any other technology, AI will also bring risks and dangers. When people mention that AI could be dangerous, they think of the situation in films where an AI program decides to kill or enslave all humans. While this possibility is unlikely for now, there are many other dangers that AI could bring to mankind.
In February 2018, a group of AI experts got together to discuss the possible misuse of AI. What they found was that “Every AI advance by the good guys is an advance for the bad guys, too”. Their main worry was that criminals could use AI for many bad purposes, including using AI to create websites that could steal people’s personal information. Another possible risk was faster hacking(黑客)—AI programs could be taught to find weaknesses in software and break into computer systems. Some other risks were as dramatic as the ones we see in books and movies. For example, long-distant attacks could be made easier through the use of AI. And, finally, there were some worries on imitating voices as well. It is possible that AI could be used to make false photos and videos. In china, tech giant Baidu has developed a program called Deep Voice that can “clone” anyone’s voice by studying a 3.7-second audio sample (声音样本).
Many people in the tech world have expressed worry about AI. People like US businessmen Bill Gates and Elon Musk have called for the industry to be more strictly controlled, as there are few laws currently governing the use of AI. Famous British Physicist Stephen Hawking even thought AI could finally cause the end of mankind. “Once humans develop artificial intelligence, it will take off and redesign itself at an alarming rate. Humans…couldn’t compete and would be replaced.”
1. What cannot possibly be done by AI right now?| A．Driving cars. | B．Landing on moon. |
| C．Playing games. | D．Ruling all humans. |
| A．Every coin has two sides. | B．Prevention is better than cure. |
| C．Risk nothing, gain nothing. | D．One’s meat is another’s poison. |
| A．One. | B．Two. |
| C．Three. | D．Four. |
| A．To show Hawking’s perfect prediction. |
| B．To strengthen the high position of Hawking. |
| C．To help readers understand the serious situation. |
| D．To introduce the famous scientist--Stephen Hawking. |
| A．Risks and dangers of AI. | B．Guidance of AI usage. |
| C．Advantages and disadvantages of AI. | D．Development of AI industry. |
Too much TV-watching can harm children’s ability to learn and even reduce their chances of getting a college degree, new studies suggest in the latest effort to examine the effects of television on children.
One of the studies looked at nearly 400 northern California third-graders. Those with TVs in their bedrooms scored about eight points lower on math and language arts tests than children without bedrooms TVs.
A second study, looking at nearly 1,000 grown-ups in New Zealand, found lower education levels among 26-year-olds who had watched lots of TV during childhood. But the results don’t prove that TV is the cause and don’t rule out that already poorly motivated youngsters(年轻人) may watch lots of TV.
Their study measured the TV habits of 26-year-olds between ages 5 and 15. Those with college degrees had watched an average of less than two hours of TV per weeknight during childhood, compared with an average of more than 2.5 hours for those who had no education beyond high school.
In the California study, children with TVs in their rooms but no computer at home scored the lowest, while those with no bedroom TV but who had home computers scored the highest.
While this study does not prove that bedroom TV sets caused the lower scores, it adds to accumulating findings that children shouldn’t have TVs in their bedrooms.
1. According to the California study, the low-scoring group might ________.| A．have watched a lot of TV | B．not be interested in math |
| C．be unable to go to college | D．have had computers in their bedrooms |
| A．Poorly motivated 26-year-olds watch more TV. |
| B．Habits of TV watching reduce learning interest. |
| C．TV watching leads to lower education levels of the 15-year-olds. |
| D．The connection between TV and education levels is difficult to explain. |
| A．More time should be spent on computers. |
| B．Children should be forbidden from watching TV. |
| C．TV sets shouldn’t be allowed in children’s bedrooms. |
| D．Further studies on high-achieving students should be done. |
| A．Computers or Television |
| B．Effects of Television on Children |
| C．Studies on TV and College Education |
| D．Television and Children’s Learning Habits |
7 . Summer is the most popular season to visit Texas since there is so much to see and to do. While visiting the Lone Star State this summer, don’t miss visiting some of these attractions and taking part in some of Texas’ best summer vacation activities.
Visit SeaWorld
There are sea life shows，adventure camps，thrilling rides and a water park. A great many activities are waiting for you at SeaWorld.
Windsurf at South Padre
With miles of shallow (浅的)，calm water in the Lower Laguna Madre and strong winds conning off the Gulf of Mexico，South Padre Island is a windsurfer’s dream.
Swim at Barton Springs
Barton Springs is in the famous Zilker Park. It was formed when Barton Greek was built. Since its opening, Barton Springs has become one of the most popular swimming pools in the state.
Take part in an outdoor adventure
In the scenic Texas Hill Country, Lake Buchanan Adventures offers different kinds of activities, including boating, hiking, camping and more.
Camp and hike in Big Bend Park
Big Bend offers a great number of outdoor activities in an old way. Backpacking, mountain biking, fishing, boating, hiking, nature watching and camping - you name it. If it can be done outdoors, it can be done in Big Bend.
Enjoy saltwater fishing
Saltwater fishing in Texas is as good as anywhere else in the USA. More and more fishermen have been discovering this in recent years and packing their bags and rods (鱼竿)to make good use of Texas, world - class saltwater fishery.
1. The underlined phrase “the Lone Star State” in Paragraph 1 is another name for .| A．Texas | B．San Antonio | C．South Padre | D．Gulf of Mexico |
| A．sea life shows | B．adventure camps |
| C．climbing | D．exciting rides |
| A．San Antonio. | B．South Padre. |
| C．Barton Springs. | D．Texas Hill Country. |
8 . Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your choice of sport might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses(高尔夫球场) in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortages in some local areas.
In fact, there are many environment friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don't need any special equipment except a pair of good shoes; and you don't have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk can regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and control your weight better.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be "green gyms". They are better replacements(代替物) for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it's free.
1. What do we know about golf from the passage?| A．It is popular in Portugal and Spain. |
| B．It needs water and energy to keep its courses green |
| C．It pollutes the earth with chemicals and waste. |
| D．It causes water shortages around the world. |
| A．it uses fewer resources |
| B．it improves our health |
| C．it is an outdoor sport |
| D．it is recommended by experts |
| A．Playing basketball in a gym. |
| B．Motor racing in the desert. |
| C．Cycling around a lake. |
| D．Swimming in a sports center. |
| A．To show us the function of major sports. |
| B．To encourage us to go in for green sports. |
| C．To discuss the major influence of popular sports. |
| D．To introduce different types of environment friendly spors. |
9 . Living on mountainous La Gomera, one of Spain’s Canary Islands off West Africa, Juan Cabello takes pride in not using a mobile phone or the Internet to communicate. Like his father and grandfather, he uses Silbo Gomero, a language that is whistled (吹口哨), not spoken, and that can be heard more than two miles away.
“I use it for everything: to talk to my wife, to tell my kids something, to find a friend if we get lost in a crowd,” Cabello says. “I also make a living from Silbo, performing daily exhibitions at a restaurant.”
People throughout La Gomera are known to have used Silbo in the past as a way of communicating over long distances. A strong whistle saved farmers from walking over the hills to give messages or news to neighbors. Then came the phone. Nowadays, it’s hard to know how many people still use Silbo. In 1999, it was introduced as a compulsory subject (必修学科) in La Gomera’s primary schools, in an effort to prevent the language from going silent. Now 3,000 students are studying it, but only a few people are believed to be able to communicate fully in the whistling language.
“Silbo is said to be the most important cultural heritage (遗产) we have,” said Moises Plasencia, the director of the Canary Islands’ government’s historical heritage department.
In fact, little is known about Silbo’s origins. Silbo-like whistling has been found in parts of Greece, Turkey, China and Mexico, but none is as developed as Silbo Gomero. One study is looking for signs of Silbo in Venezuela, Cuba and Texas, all places to which Gomerans have gone in the past during hard economic times.
“Silbo has many historical and linguistic (语言学上的) values,” Plasencia said. And, as Cabello explains, “It’s good for just about anything except for romance: everyone on the island would hear what you’re saying!”
1. Juan Cabello uses Silbo Gomero _____.| A．in his daily life. | B．to learn computers. |
| C．just to make a living. | D．only when eating at restaurants. |
| A．It first started in Greece. | B．It is in danger of dying out. |
| C．It is helpful in keeping secrets. | D．It is the oldest way of communicating. |
| A．know the origins of Silbo Gomero. | B．find the values of Silbo Gomero. |
| C．have more cultural heritages. | D．protect Silbo Gomero. |
| A．A school’s subject. | B．A famous performer. |
| C．An unusual language. | D．A mountainous island. |
10 . Choosing where to live may be one of the biggest decisions you’ll make when you move to Sydney, but you’ll have plenty of help.
Temporary arrival accommodation
Before you move to Sydney, we recommend that you book a temporary place to stay. Once you get here, you can look for longer-term accommodation.
--sydney.edu.au/accommodation/short-term
On-campus-residential colleges (fully catered饮食全包的)
The University has eight residential colleges on the Camperdown/Darlington Campus, including International House, a residential community of global scholars. Colleges provide comfortable, fully furnished single rooms and daily meals, along with sporting, cultural, leadership and social programs. They also include on-site tutorials(辅导课) in addition to campus-based classes.
--sydney.edu.au/colleges
On-campus residences (self-catered饮食自理的)
The University has two self-run residences—Queen Mary Building (QMB) and Abercrombie Student Accommodation—on the Camperdown/Darlington Campus. Both just under a year old, they house up to 1000 students. These residences provide modern single-study rooms with large common living, learning and study spaces, shared kitchens, a theatre, gyms, soundproofed music rooms, art studios, sky lounges and rooftop gardens.
--sydney.edu.au/campus-life/accommodation/live-on-campus.html
Off-campus living
More than 90 percent of our students live off campus. The University is close to many dynamic and multicultural suburbs such as Annandale, Newtown, Chippendale and Glebe. A great place to search is our large online database of properties.
--sydney.edu.au/campus-life/accommodation/live-off-campus.html
1. Where can you find a place to live temporarily?| A．On “sydney.edu.au/colleges”. |
| B．On “sydney.edu.au/accommodation/short-term”. |
| C．On “sydney.edu.au/campus-life/accommodation/live-on-campus.html”. |
| D．On “sydney.edu.au/campus-life/accommodation/live-off-campus.html”. |
| A．Their own kitchens. |
| B．On-site tutorials. |
| C．Daily meals. |
| D．Gyms. |
| A．Living off campus. |
| B．Living in host families. |
| C．Living in self-catered flats on campus. |
| D．Living in fully catered houses on campus. |
