1 . Every week in China, millions of people will sit in front of their TVs watching teenagers compete for the title Character Hero, which is a Chinese-style spelling bee. In this challenge, young competitors must write Chinese characters by hand. To prepare for the competition, the competitors usually spend months studying dictionaries.
Perhaps the show’s popularity should not be a surprise. Along with gunpowder and paper, many Chinese people consider the creation of Chinese calligraphy(书法) to be one of their primary contributions to civilization. Unfortunately, all over the country, Chinese people are forgetting how to write their own language without computerized help. Software on smart phones and computers allows users to type in the basic sound of the word using the Latin alphabet. The correct character is chosen from a list. The result? It’s possible to recognize characters without remembering how to write them.
But there’s still hope for the paint brush. China’s Education Ministry wants children to spend more time learning how to write.
In one Beijing primary school we visited, students practice calligraphy every day inside a specially decorated classroom with traditional Chinese paintings hanging on the walls. Soft music plays as a group of six-year-olds dip brush pens into black ink. They look up at the blackboard often to study their teacher’s examples before carefully attempting to reproduce those characters on thin rice paper. “If adults can survive without using handwriting, why bother to teach it now?” we ask the calligraphy teacher, Shen Bin. “The ability to write characters is part of Chinese tradition and culture,” she reasons. “Students must learn now so they don’t forget when they grow up.” says the teacher.
1. What can we learn about the Character Hero?| A．It’s open to people of all ages and all walks. |
| B．It’s the most-viewed TV programs in China. |
| C．It aims to spread Chinese culture to the world. |
| D．It draws great public attention across the country. |
| A．Chinese people don’t refer to dictionaries very often. |
| B．Chinese people no longer use brush pens or practice calligraphy. |
| C．Chinese people are using the Latin alphabet instead of the characters. |
| D．Chinese people needn’t write by hand as often with the help of technology. |
| A．necessary for adults to survive in China |
| B．a requirement made by the Education Ministry |
| C．helpful to keep Chinese tradition and culture alive |
| D．an ability to be developed only when you are students |
| A．A news report. | B．A science report. |
| C．An advertisement. | D．Children’s literature. |
2 . Applying to Stellinga College
Why Stellinga?
Thank you for your interest in Stellinga International College. As an international student, we are sure you will find our college an exciting place to study, with like-minded and ambitious people.
Preparing and submitting your application
We have tried to make the application process as easy as possible for you, but there are a number of procedures you must follow.
All our courses are taught in English, so first of all you will probably need to submit evidence of your English language ability. We require an IELTS score of 6.5. You will also have to send us your secondary school diploma, so that we can evaluate it.
We will also require a personal statement. This is a text of up to 1,000 words in which you introduce yourself, explain your interest in our college, and why you want to study your chosen course.
If you are from outside the European Union (EU), it is important that you have an entrance visa before you come to study in the Netherlands, but we will apply for this for you.
We now only accept online applications, so please ensure that you have all your documents ready to upload before you begin. Any documents that are not in English originally will also need to be translated and the translation also uploaded.
You will need a passport photograph; a copy of your passport; copies of all your certificates and diplomas; your proof of language ability; and your personal statement in English.
What happens next?
Your application will then be considered. If your initial application is successful, you will be invited for an interview. This will be conducted in English via skype, over the phone or on site. You will talk to two or three members of staff for up to 30 minutes. We aim to inform you of our decision in writing, within 4 weeks. There are several possible outcomes: you may not have been successful; you may be offered a place on the waiting list. You will need to reply to any offers within two weeks, otherwise your place may be offered to somebody else.
Good luck with your application.
1. Which is unnecessary for people inside the EU when submitting applications?| A．A personal statement. | B．An entrance visa. |
| C．Evidence of English ability. | D．A secondary school diploma. |
| A．You will have an interview in English. | B．You will get the reply over the phone. |
| C．You should make a decision within 4 weeks. | D．You should reply to the offer the moment you get it. |
| A．In a science magazine. | B．In a tourist brochure. |
| C．In an English teaching book. | D．On a university’s website. |
3 . Organic food is very popular. It is also expensive. Some organic food costs twice as much as non-organic food, but new parents and pet owners are willing to pay up to 200% more for organic food. However, there are people who think it is a waste of money.
There is one main difference between organic and non-organic food. Organic farms do not use agricultural chemicals, such as pesticides. In many countries organic foods have special labels. These guarantee that the products are natural.
Some people think organic means locally grown. Originally this was true. Over time organic farming became more difficult. The demand for organic food grew larger than the supply. Small companies had to sell out to large companies. There weren't enough organic ingredients, such as grain and cattle. This made it difficult for many organic companies to stay in business. Today, many large companies have an organic line of products.
Is organic food more nutritious? This is part of the debate. Many farmers and consumers believe it is. They think agricultural chemicals cause health problems such as cancer. Many health professionals disagree. Few studies prove that organic foods prevent health problems. Health specialists worry more about bacteria, such as E.coli and salmonella. These can get into contact with organic and non- organic food. Doctors recommend washing produce very carefully. Handling meat carefully is important too.
Most people agree that naturally grown food tastes better. Is tastier food worth the extra money? This is a matter of opinion. Whether it is healthier or not may require more research. However, organic consumers argue it is better to be safe than sorry.
1. What is probably the major concern of organic food consumers?| A．Price. | B．Safety. |
| C．Freshness. | D．Variety. |
| A．Grow your own food. | B．Reduce the use of pesticides. |
| C．Make sure the food is clean. | D．Buy large companies’ products. |
| A．It tastes better. | B．It is easier to grow. |
| C．It contains more fat. | D．It is more nutritious. |
| A．A recipe book. | B．A chemistry paper. |
| C．A medical report. | D．A health magazine. |
4 . The baby is just one day old and has not yet left hospital. She is quiet but alert (警觉的). Twenty centimeters from her face researchers have placed a white card with two black spots on it. She stares at it carefully. A researcher removes the card and replaces it by another, this time with the spots differently spaced. As the cards change from one to the other, her gaze(凝视) starts to lose its focus—until a third, with three black spots, is presented. Her gaze returns: she looks at it for twice as long as she did at the previous card. Can she tell that the number two is different from three, just 24 hours after coming into the world?
Or do newborns simply prefer more to fewer? The same experiment, but with three spots shown before two, shows the same return of interest when the number of spots changes. Perhaps it is just the newness? When slightly older babies were shown cards with pictures of objects (a comb, a key, an orange and so on), changing the number of objects had an effect separate from changing the objects themselves. Could it be the pattern that two things make, as opposed to three? No again. Babies paid more attention to squares moving randomly(随意地)on a screen when their number changed from two to three, or three to two. The effect even crosses between senses. Babies who were repeatedly shown two spots became more excited when they then heard three drumbeats than when they heard just two; likewise(同样地) when the researchers started with drumbeats and moved to spots.
1. The experiment described in Paragraph 1 is related to the baby's ________.| A．sense of hearing | B．sense of sight |
| C．sense of touch | D．sense of smell |
| A．the size of cards | B．the colour of pictures |
| C．the shape of patterns | D．the number of objects |
| A．To reduce the difficulty of the experiment. |
| B．To see how babies recognize sounds. |
| C．To carry their experiment further. |
| D．To keep the babies' interest. |
| A．Science fiction. | B．Children’s literature. |
| C．An advertisement. | D．A science report. |
5 . Why do Americans struggle with watching their weight, while the French, who consume（消耗） rich food, continue to stay thin? Now a research by Cornell University suggests how life style and decisions about eating may affect weight. Researchers concluded that the French tend to（往往，倾向于） stop eating when they feel full. However, Americans tend to stop when their plate is empty or their favorite TV show is over.
According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, a health expert, the French see eating as an important part of their life style. They enjoy food and therefore spend a fairly long time at the table, while Americans see eating as something to be squeezed（挤出） between the other daily activities. Mercola believes Americans lose the ability to sense when they are actually full. So they keep eating long after the French would have stopped. In addition, he points out that Americans drive to huge supermarkets to buy canned and frozen foods for the week. The French, instead, tend to shop daily, walking to small shops and farmers’ markets where they have a choice of fresh fruits, vegetables, and eggs as well as high-quality meats for each meal.
After a visit to the United States, Mireille Guiliano, author of French Women Don’t Get Fat, decided to write about the importance of knowing when to stop rather than suggesting how to avoid food. Today she continues to stay slim and rarely goes to the gym.
In spite of（尽管） all these differences, evidence shows that recent life style changes may be affecting French eating habits. Today the rate of obesity — or extreme overweight — among adults is only 6%. However, as American fast food gains acceptance and the young reject（拒绝） older traditions, the obesity rate among French children has reached 17% — and is growing.
1. In what way are the French different from Americans according to Dr. Joseph Mercola?| A．They go shopping at supermarkets more frequently. |
| B．They squeeze eating between the other daily activities. |
| C．They regard eating as a key part of their lifestyles. |
| D．They usually eat too much canned and frozen food. |
| A．Americans and the French |
B．life styl e and obesity |
| C．children and adults |
| D．fast food and overweight |
_____.| A．by contrast （对比） | B．by space | C．by process（变化过程） | D．by classification（分类） |
| A．A TV interview | B．A food advertisement |
| C．A health report | D．A book review（书评） |
6 . Welcome to SummerCamps.com; find and book the very best summer camps. Your children are precious so we offer the highest quality of camps that will meet each child’s needs and interests.
Catalina Sea Camp
Sea Camp offers three one-week sessions to boys and girls aged 8-13 and two three-week sessions to teens aged 12-17. Our hand-picked instructors create an atmosphere of fun and excitement while leading campers to a host of ocean adventures, marine(海洋的) biology, and social summer camp activities.
Address: Toyon Way, San Bruno, California 94066
Phone: 800-645-1423
Camp Cayuga
Camp Cayuga is a private summer camp for children aged 6 to 16. The camp is on a 350-acre land in the Pocono Mountains of Northeast Pennsylvania, just outside the village of Honesdale. It’s a 3-hour drive from New York City to Philadelphia.
Address: 321 Niles Pond Road-Suite ISC, Honesdale, Pennsylvania 18431
Phone: 908-470-1224
Camp Rockmont
Camp Rockmont is a Christian summer camp for boys, aged 6-16, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Rockmont’s duty of developing boys into healthy young men is accomplished through age-appropriate skills, activities, and challenges that help campers to know themselves better.
Address: 375 Lake Eden Road, Black Mountain, North Carolina 28711
Phone: 828-686-3885
Primitive Pursuits Overnight Camps
Primitive Pursuits Overnight Camps offer week-long Summer Adventure Overnight Camps in New York’s Finger Lakes to your children aged 11-15. Campers experience a week of nature-based skills training, inspiring challenges, and fun activities under the guidance of skilled instructors.
Address: 611 County Rd 13, Van Etten, New York 14889
Phone: 607-272-2292
1. If a boy is curious about sea creatures, which camp should he go to?| A．Catalina Sea Camp |
| B．Camp Cayuga |
| C．Camp Rockmont |
| D．Primitive Pursuits Overnight Camps |
| A．Toyon Way, San Bruno. |
| B．611 County Rd 13, Van Etten. |
| C．375 Lake Eden Road, Black Mountain. |
| D．321 Niles Pond Road- Suite ISC, Honesdale. |
| A．a magazine | B．the Internet |
| C．a textbook | D．a newspaper |
7 . Backcountry for beginners: the best destinations in Canada
When carried out safely, your first backcountry trip will leave you lifelong memories, opening a getaway into nature. But the leap from car camping to backcountry requires preparation and learning. Here are some recommended trips for backcountry beginners:
Grundy Lake Provincial Park
The park’s 9 backcountry sites are a 30-minute paddle (划船) away. Grundy Lake is motor-boat free. Your sites are quiet enough for a true backcountry trip. Each site comes equipped with a fire pit (坑) and a picnic table.
Bon Echo Provincial Park
Many visitors don’t know about the 25 canoe-in campsites located on Joeperry and Pearson Lakes. A short canoe trip of 30-minute will get you to your campsite. At each campsite, you will find a picnic table, tent space and a toilet nearby.
Charleston Lake Provincial Park
Experience the best of the Canadian Shield, and hike or paddle your way to 10 backcountry campsites. Travel time can range from 10 minutes to 2 hours. All sites come equipped with elevated tent platforms, a picnic table, a fire grill, and a toilet.
Murphys Point Provincial Park
Paddle through Big Rideau Lake (part of the historic Rideau waterway) to access 14 backcountry campsites. Most are located 5-45 minutes away from the boat launch. You’ll find a picnic table, tent space, and a pit toilet nearby each site. Paddle back to visit Murphys’ piece of living history: the Mica Mine!
Remember: backcountry travel requires careful consideration of packing, route planning, meal planning, safety, and your skill level.
1. You can do the followings at Grundy Lake Provincial Park EXCEPT _______.| A．Paddling. | B．Having a picnic. | C．Cooking. | D．Taking a motor-boat. |
| A．Grundy Lake Provincial Park. | B．Bon Echo Provincial Park. |
| C．Charleston Lake Provincial Park. | D．Murphys Point Provincial Park. |
| A．Health. | B．Travel. | C．Education. | D．Science. |
8 . New streaming movies are coming to entertain you and your family during socially distanced times.
If you'd rather stick closer to home, here's a rundown of new movies hitting streaming and on-demand platforms, for every cinematic taste ：
Mulan
It's pretty easy to yell " Cash grab!" every time the Mouse House remakes one of its beloved animated films (动画片).But this version of “Mulan" actually improves a great deal on the fantasy fable of a young Chinese woman (Yifei Liu) who takes the place of her sick father (Tzi Ma) in the Imperial Army. Mulan is a warrior extraordinaire worth the emotional investment.
Where to watch： Disney+ (as a $30 premium add-on)
Love, Guaranteed
The film stars Rachael Leigh Cook as Susan, a glamorous lawyer. She's hired by a charming bachelor ( Damon Wayans Jr.) who wants to sue (起诉)a dating app for its “guarantee“ of love after 1,000 dates. But as the case heats up, so do Susan and Nick's feelings for each other.
Where to watch ： Netflix, Vudu
The 2nd
The thriller casts Phillippe as a Secret Service agent picking up his son (Jack Griffo) from college for holiday break when a hostage (人质)situation breaks out and a mysterious opponent ( Casper Van Dien) aims to catch the daughter ( Lexi Simonsen) of a Supreme Court Justice about to weigh in on an important gun-rights case.
Where to watch ： FandangoNOW, Google Play
The Mole Agent
While officially a documentary, the movie is ultimately a feel-good detective story. An 83-year-old named Sergio is hired to go undercover at a Chilean nursing home and look into claims of elder abuse. Instead, he becomes the life of the party as he befriends fellow oldsters and becomes an essential part of their community.
Where to watch： Apple TV, Vudu, FandangoNOW
1. Which film will you go to if you are interested in a romantic story?| A．Mulan. | B．The Mole Agent. |
| C．Love, Guaranteed. | D．The 2nd. |
| A．It's a beloved animated film. | B．It's about suing a dating app. |
| C．It's a heartbreaking spy story. | D．It's set in a nursing home. |
| A．Culture. | B．Entertainment. |
| C．Sports. | D．Science. |
9 . Almost everyone has heard the expression “the calm before the storm.” It is usually used to describe a peaceful period just before a very stressful situation or a tense argument.
British sailors coined the phrase in the late 1600s; they noted that before certain storms the seas would seem to become still and the winds would drop.
Science has given us the reason. According to US website HowStuffWorks, a calm period occurs because many storms, tornadoes and hurricanes draw in all the warm and humid(湿热的) air from the surrounding area. As this air rises into the storm clouds, it cools and acts as “fuel for the storm, like petrol in a car”. Once the storm has taken all the energy it can from the air, it is pushed out from the top of the storm clouds and falls back down to ground level. As the air goes down, it becomes warm and dry. Warm and dry air is stable, so once it covers an area, it causes a calm period before the storm. This same process also causes the “eye of the storm” in hurricanes and tornadoes. In these conditions, the calm occurs in the center of the storm because of the strong rotating (旋转的) winds.
The Weather Network has a tip for working out how far away a storm is. First count how many seconds there are between a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder, roughly three seconds equal one kilometer. So, for example, if you count nine seconds, the storm is about three kilometers away. A good method is that if your count is below 30 seconds, you should seek shelter straight away.
However, due to the complexity of storm system, not all storms take place after calm. Given the right conditions, some storms announce themselves with heavy rain and fierce winds.
So, your best bet is to keep yourself updated with weather reports for any predictions regarding a coming storm in your area. That's the most reliable way to predict the next display(展示) of nature's temper (脾气).
1. What is the function of Paragraph 3?| A．To describe how the eye of the storm comes into being. |
| B．To stress why tornadoes and hurricanes are destructive. |
| C．To explain why a peaceful period occurs before some storms. |
| D．To remind how dangerous a storm can be in certain situations. |
| A．one kilometer away | B．three kilometers away |
| C．four kilometers away | D．five kilometers away |
| A．Heavy storms don't usually last long. |
| B．It is not always quiet before a storm. |
| C．Storms have a big influence on our life. |
| D．Weather reports often fail to predict a storm. |
| A．A travel journal. | B．A science fiction. |
| C．A literature review. | D．A geography magazine. |
10 . Got 48 hours to relax yourself? You’ll make full use of your timeand have great fun at these amazing destinations.
Alabama: Gulf Shores
For relaxing weekend getaways in Alabama, head south to the white-sand beaches of Gulf Shores. Get on the water for some deep-sea fishing. History lovers can get a lesson in the Civil War along a 90-mile path with more than a dozen historic sites.
Alaska: Homer
How does fresh seafood sound? You’ll find it in Homer, located in south-central Alaska, which is either a short flight or a great four-hour scenic drive on the Seward Highway from Anchorage. Get your fill of fishing in Kachemak Bay, explore local trails and enjoy exceptional birding in this remote natural setting.
Arizona: Sedona
Adventurous types can get their fill in the magical red rocks of Sedona, which is said to be the location of healing centers of energy. People flood to the area to meditate, practice yoga and more. Sedona also offers fantastic hiking, off-roading, biking, and even climbing.
Arkansas: Hot Springs
Relax and renew in Arkansas’ hot waters in Hot Springs, an art community with Art Deco architecture that is also the home of Hot Springs National Park. Make time for a visit to Bathhouse Row, a National Historic Landmark of eight bathhouses, and Superior Bathhouse Brewery, which produces beer made of the hot spring water inside the National Park. Don’t miss these National Parks that are off the beaten path.
1. Which activity can be found in both Gulf Shores and Homer?| A．Going fishing. | B．Taking a flight. |
| C．Enjoying beautiful birds. | D．Visiting historic sites. |
| A．Its bathhouses. | B．Its paths. |
| C．Its self-made beer. | D．Its architecture. |
| A．A diary. | B．A survey. | C．A novel. | D．A magazine. |
