1 . Morris, a well-known English violinist, had been exhausted from a day of recording at Abbey Road Studios when he exited the Southeastern Railway from London late last month. He was so tired that he didn’t even realize that he had left his beloved violin on the train until the following morning.
The violin is one of the few surviving instruments made by Roman craftsman David Tecchler in 1709. Not only is the violin worth$320,000,but Morris has also been playing the instrument for 15 years.
Feeling panic, Morris contacted the British Transport Police to see if it had been returned; unfortunately, officers checked the footage(录像) and saw that the violin had been picked up by another train passenger. Morris then created social media accounts to beg for the return of his instrument. The footage was shown in the news, and the person responsible for taking the violin was treated as a suspect.
Several days later, Morris received a phone call from someone who recognized the man on the train. Morris was then put in contact with the man who took the violin—and he had apparently been very eager to return the instrument. After promising the man that he wouldn’t be arrested, Morris met him in a parking lot so he could reunite with his beloved instrument.
The man apologized sincerely, saying he wanted to hand it to Morris in person. Morris found the instrument and the contents of its case were still in consummate condition. To his surprise, it was even still in tune(音调准确). Morris was excited and deeply grateful for its return.
“I’m still getting over the shock of its coming back,” Morris admitted in an interview afterwards. Then he played a breathtaking piece of music Amazing Grace on his 310-year-old violin in front of the reporters.
1. What can we learn about the lost violin?| A．It’s valuable and important. | B．It’s a gift from David Tecchler. |
| C．It’s the only violin Morris owns. | D．It’s the oldest violin in the world. |
| A．He spoke to reporters about it. | B．He turned to the police for help. |
| C．He described his situation online. | D．He returned to the train to look for it. |
| A．He knew the violin was unique. | B．He got in touch with Morris directly. |
| C．He was unwilling to return the violin. | D．He felt afraid to be punished for his act. |
| A．Unusual. | B．Poor. | C．Perfect. | D．General. |
2 . Writing letters to relatives was once what most children did before Christmas and birthdays. Surprisingly, half of teenagers have never written a thank-you letter. They think they have no need to write when they communicate with family and friends on e-mails or social media. Most of teenagers complain handwriting is too slow and 17 per cent insist it is outdated. People are worried that the decline could mean the art of handwriting may one day die out even though many still consider it a key skill.
Yet most say that their relying on social media has a negative impact on their writing. More than two thirds of teenagers admit that using their smartphones and social media is, in fact, detrimental to their writing. Meanwhile, some believe typing on a phone makes spelling worse — and seven per cent say their grammar suffers. And a further 7 per cent confess that using text speak in messages means they find writing normally harder as a result. Of those who have actually written a letter,30per cent say they last did so purely because a teacher made them do. Meanwhile, more than one in ten concede it was because his parents forced them to do so. This may seem surprising given the study showing that many believe a handwritten letter is more heartfelt. Almost two thirds say receiving a handwritten letter would mean so much more.
It is showed that, outside of school, many don’t even have the means to write at home. Nine per cent do not own a pen. And 56 per cent do not have letter paper at home. However, 73 per cent have an iPad and 89 per cent own a smartphone.
The government has now launched a Just Write campaign, aiming to encourage people of all ages to pick up a pen and start writing. Handwriting is one of the most creative abilities we must have. Youngsters should be encouraged to put pen to paper.
1. Why aren’t the teenagers fond of writing?| A．Because their way of communication has greatly changed. |
| B．Because they are not fond of Christmas and their birthdays. |
| C．Because they don't consider it an important skill to master. |
| D．Because the writing will make people think of good things. |
| A．Helpful. | B．Cool. |
| C．Harmful. | D．Careful. |
| A．It is tiring. | B．It is moving. |
| C．It is troublesome. | D．It is frightening. |
| A．The children have written too much at school. |
| B．The children are very busy with smartphones. |
| C．The children think that writing is out of date. |
| D．The children don't have the tools to write with |
3 . I was waiting for a phone call from my agent. He had left a message the night before, telling me that my show was to be cancelled. I called him several times, but each time his secretary told me that he was in a meeting and that he would call me later. So I waited, but there was still no call. Three hours passing by, I became more and more impatient. I was certain that my agent didn’t care about my work, and he didn’t care about me. I was overcome with that thought. I started to shout at the phone, “Let me wait, will you? Who do you think you are?”
At that time, I didn’t realize my wife was looking on. Without showing her surprise, she rushed in, seized the phone, tore off the wires, and shouted at the phone, “Yeah! Who do you think you are? Bad telephone! Bad telephone!” And she swept it into the wastebasket.
I stood watching her, speechless. What on earth…?
She stepped to the doorway and shouted at the rest of the house, “Now hear this! All objects in this room – if you do anything to upset my husband, out you go!” Then she turned to me, kissed me and said calmly, “Honey, you just have to learn how to take control.” With that, she left the room.
After watching a crazy woman rushing in and out, shouting at everything in sight, I noticed that something in my mood(情绪) had changed. I was laughing. How would I have trouble with that phone? Her antics helped me realize I had been driven crazy by small things. Twenty minutes later my agent did call. I was able to listen to him and talk to him calmly.
1. Why did the author shout at the telephone?| A．He was mad at the telephone. |
| B．He was angry with his agent. |
| C．He was anxious about his wife |
| D．He was impatient with the secretary. |
| A．She said nothing | B．She shouted at him. |
| C．She called the agent | D．She threw the phone away |
| A．His own behavior. | B．His wife’s suggestion |
| C．His changeable feelings | D．His wife’s sweet kiss. |
| A．Smart words | B．Unusual actions |
| C．Surprising Looks | D．Anxious feelings |
4 . Wearing ties was originally the mark of Britain's most powerful classes, which made the tie itself a symbol of power and respect. And that led it to be adopted by a much larger tribe—the business tribe.
You cannot wear a tie if you work with machinery. So wearing a tie became a sign that you were a man who used your brain to make a living, rather than your hands. It showed you were serious. It showed you were a professional. It meant that everyone who wanted a job in business had to wear one. It was just impossible to take seriously a man who didn't wear a piece of colored silk around his neck. This is how millions of people came to be wearing ties across the world. They are part of the uniform of business.
“Ties offer a point of indifference,” says John Milne, head of the British Guide of Tie Makers. “They give a chance to say something about their own personality.”
So if you happen to meet a man with a very brightly colored tie, there is a good chance that he is the office joker. There is also a good chance that he will be wearing brightly colored socks.
Is there a future for ties? The signs are not promising. Tie wearing seems to be rare among the new bread of entrepreneurs(企业家) in the Internet and new technology industries. Many political leaders, including British Prime Minister Tony Blair, now go without ties. This shows they are men of the people—but not the people wearing ties.
Up until around 1960, it was common for men across the Western world to wear hats as part of their business uniform. That changed with the election of John F. Kennedy to the presidency of the United States. Kennedy never wore a hat in fact his nickname was “hatless Jack”. Seeing that the most powerful man in the world did not have to wear a hat, millions of other men decided that they did not have to, either. Hats simply vanished across the Western world. Perhaps “tieless Tony” (UK Prime Minister Tony Blair) will have the same effect as “hatless Jack”．
1. In Britain, ties were first used as a sign to show a person’s ________.| A．Personality | B．job |
| C．social position | D．favorite hobby |
| A．it showed you were a brain worker |
| B．it showed you got a good salary |
| C．it showed you were an employer |
| D．it showed you were well-trained |
| A．Blair is the best leader in the world |
| B．Kennedy is the best leader in the world |
| C．millions of people will go to work without a tie |
| D．people will wear hats instead of ties |
| A．Sold | B．washed |
| C．Disappeared | D．appeared |
5 . Salvador Dali wasn’t exactly modest (谦逊的). And he’ll tell you so, too, face to face at the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida. Here, the Spanish surrealist (超现实主义者) is alive and well, ready to talk to you in person about his art.
Well, sort of. This Dali is brought to life through the magic of artificial intelligence (人工智能). It’s a newly opened exhibition (展览) called "Dali Lives", and it is spread across the whole Dali Museum, which houses more than 2,000 Dali works in about 20,000 square feet of exhibit space. Three video boards showing a life-size Dali, standing 5’8” tall, form the exhibit — one at the museum gate, one on the third floor by the main exhibits (including Dali’s paintings and photographs, two technologically treated paintings allowing visitors to put themselves inside the paintings, and a special experience of "walking" through Dali’s 1934 painting "Archeological Reminiscence of Millet’s Angelus") and one in the gift shop on the way out. Each one offers a different experience when you push a doorbell on the board to get Dali’s attention.
The most surprising thing about "Dali Lives" is that you’re dealing with a version (版本) of the artist himself. It looks like Dali, it sounds like Dali, it is Dali. The museum worked together with the San Francisco advertising agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners to achieve this, feeding hundreds of news interviews and words from his written works into an artificial intelligence system to recreate the artist. The result was a living, moving version of Dali ready to converse with anyone there, answering their questions.
"Dali himself was at the forefront of technology and was always experimenting with and trying new things,"says Beth Bell, marketing director at the Dali Museum. "We think he would have loved these types of things. It’s in the spirit of Dali himself."
1. What can we know about Dali from the text?| A．He was a modest surrealist. | B．He once lived in St. Petersburg. |
| C．He produced lots of works of art. | D．He came up with the idea of “Dali Lives”. |
| A．Learn painting skills. | B．Get a surprising gift from Dali. |
| C．Watch lots of interviews with Dali. | D．Enjoy the magic of modern technology. |
| A．Live. | B．Talk. | C．Play. | D．Work. |
| A．The use of artificial intelligence. | B．The works of Salvador Dali. |
| C．An exhibition called “Dali Lives.” | D．The life of Salvador Dali. |
The turning point came in 2007, after Graham was arrested yet again for possession. Wendy got a call from the Montana Drugs Project, which works with local law enforcement（强制执行） to keep track of youth-related crimes so it can help families in trouble. Following a counselor’s advice, Wendy hired two men to come to her home in the middle of the night, tie Graham and take him to a treatment program in Thompson Falls, Montana. “I was high when they came and really angry with my mom,” he said, “But if she hadn’t done that, drugs would have killed me.” After six months of treatment, Graham, now 19, came back to Kalispell, where he’s grown close to Wendy once again. “I still have the desires every day and attend support meetings every night,” he said, “But life is worth living again. My mom thinks that’s a miracle. I guess she is right.”
1. The underlined phrase “shoot up” in paragraph 1 probably means_________.
| A．increase very quickly and suddenly |
| B．put illegal drugs into the body by using a needle |
| C．kill or injure someone by using a gun |
| D．try to achieve a particular aim |
| A．had just taken drugs and was in the state of excitement. |
| B．was sleeping in a high bed above the ground. |
| C．had just taken drugs and was in the state of suffering. |
| D．was quarrelling with his mother. |
| A．Graham is still using drugs now. |
| B．Graham hates his mother very much. |
| C．Graham thinks he can’t be saved. |
| D．Graham has come off drugs now. |
7 . There are probably no people on Earth who like to gossip as much as the British. If prying into (打探) other’s lives were an Olympic sport, then Team GB would surely take the gold medal.
And when the British can’t watch the lives of real people, they have another source of entertainment to fall back on — the soap opera. British soap operas are very different to US TV dramas. For one, they are normally longer running. The two most popular, Coronation Street and East-enders, have been running for 48 and 24 years respectively. Both are broadcast several times a week, so remarkably there have been more than 7,000 episodes of Coronation Street.
The most obvious difference is that, unlike US dramas, the British soap operas focus on the real world. There is little glamour (魅力), the stars are rarely rich, and they normally have boring jobs. Perhaps the appeal is that the lives of the characters often mirror the lives of the audience — but with some drama added. This means the viewer can relate to the characters and feel the pain and happiness they go through on the show.
Because these soap operas last for decades, the cast is ever changing. The shows rarely focus on one or two main characters. Like the real world, people come and go all the time. However, there are exceptions. Coronation Street’s William Roach, 76, has played the role of Ken Barlow since the very first episode of the show in 1960, and he is still a regular.
The choice of which soap opera you follow is often cultural: People from the north of British tend to watch Coronation Street as it is set in Manchester. People from the south generally prefer East-enders, which is set in the east of London. The show is generally considered grittier and is aimed at a younger audience.
1. What is the main difference between American dramas and British soap operas?| A．American dramas are longer. |
| B．British soap operas are longer. |
| C．American dramas deal with dangerous things. |
| D．British soap operas deal with real people. |
| A．They can find their own life from the operas. |
| B．They can enjoy the operas in their free time. |
| C．They can watch the operas for many years. |
| D．They care about the fate of the characters in the operas. |
| A．plays |
| B．pages |
| C．issues |
| D．parts |
| A．the characters play the same role for a long time. |
| B．the characters in the play often change |
| C．people don’t know what will happen next |
| D．there is only one or two characters in them |
8 . It’s common for children to grow up being told to minimize daydreaming, and instead to focus on lessons and class work. Historically, daydreaming students who go off on their own thoughts, rather than focusing on the teachers, the blackboard, or their class work, are often encouraged to stop allowing their attention to wander and to bring themselves back into the present moment. They’re described as uninterested in school work and their future. Traditionally, daydreaming is seen as a practice that results in bad consequences.
But recent studies are beginning to renounce those common beliefs by pointing out the potential benefits that daydreaming may provide. PsychCentral reports that Mary Smith, a psychological scientist and researcher, recently examined scientific writings and studies to gain a better understanding of the role of a reflective brain. These studies have shown that the brain has a network that is active when a person is daydreaming and that brain network can help memory and learning.
Though paying attention in school is important, these results suggest that there should be time for students to daydream, too. Giving them the chance to reflect and daydream can help improve learning and development. Research also indicates that when students are permitted to daydream, they experience less anxiety and become more motivated. On the other hand, if students are warned against daydreaming, their knowledge of themselves and the world around them may suffer.
As a result, educators are encouraged to promote a balance between outward and inward attention. A little bit of daydreaming to break up the hard focus on school activities can be beneficial, and it may help students become better, active learners.
As for students, the lesson here is not to be afraid of doing some daydreaming. Sure, you want to pay attention to the vital information conveyed to you during your classes, but don’t get discouraged if your mind wanders. A little bit of daydreaming is healthy.
1. What do people usually think of daydreaming students?| A．They live in the future instead of in the moment. |
| B．They pay too much attention to their own thoughts. |
| C．They care about neither their studies nor their future. |
| D．They go off on their own thoughts to avoid bad results. |
| A．Disapprove. | B．Encourage. | C．Promote. | D．Inspire. |
| A．The more we daydream, the better. |
| B．Students should stay fully focused in class. |
| C．Daydreaming reduces students’ motivation. |
| D．We shouldn’t always say no to mind-wandering. |
| A．Causes of Daydreaming |
| B．Benefits of Daydreaming |
| C．Ways to Reduce Daydreaming |
| D．Attitudes towards Daydreaming |
The earthquake affected the students of the destroyed areas in many ways:losing parents,being scared and feeling lonely.How can we help them?Teens reporter talked with Lin Dan,the program director of the Sunshine in Your Heart Project at the Red Cross Society of China.
How will the earthquake affect the teenagers mentally?
They’ll have feelings of fear,anger and feel they are not safe.They will find it hard to focus.They will tend to cry,shout and tremble.And they might be afraid to be alone.
What will happen if they are not helped?
The teenagers will find it hard to live in a balanced way.If things get worse,they might not be able to focus on their studies.They might give up on life.
How can we help them overcome these problems?
The first thing is to build up trust with them.Show your sympathy and sadness,and be their friends.Then you have to give them a sense of safety.Tell them that there’s a solution to every problem.Thirdly,try to satisfy their psychological needs. Some of us were not directly affected by the quake but have seen images on TV and feel scared.What should we do?
Talk with an adult or share your feelings with someone who might feel similar.If this doesn’t help,then you should see a doctor for professional help.
1. What’s the BEST title of the passage?
| A．The scare caused by the earthquake |
| B．Dealing with the pain left behind after the earthquake |
| C．How to get a sense of safety |
| D．The psychological needs |
| A．They’ll tend to cry,shout and tremble. |
| B．They may be afraid to be alone. |
| C．They’ll feel unsafe. |
| D．They’ll feel sympathetic. |
| A．mental | B．physical |
| C．material | D．professional |
| A．the scare caused by the earthquake can be relieved quickly |
| B．seeing a doctor is the most important measure to deal with the problems |
| C．the images on TV can also affect people and even cause problems |
| D．to help them overcome these problems,we should always talk with them |
10 . It feels like every time my mother and I start to have a conversation, it turns into an argument. We talk about something as simple as dinner plans and suddenly, my mother will push the conversation into World War III. She’ll talk about my lack of a bright future because I don’t plan to be a doctor. And much to her disappointment, I don’t want to do any job related to science, either. In fact, when I was pushed to say that I planned to major(主修) in English and communications, she nearly had a heart attack.
“Why can’t you be like my co-worker’s son?” she bemoans all the time. Her co-worker’s son received a four-year scholarship and is now earning 70,000 dollars a year as an engineer. I don’t know what to answer except that I simply can’t be like Mr. Perfect as I’ve called the unnamed co-worker’s son. I can’t be like him. I’m the type of person who loves to help out in the community, write until the sun goes down, and most of all, wants to achieve a career because I love it, not because of fame (名声) or salary.
I understand why my mother is worried about my future major. I’ve seen my mother struggle to raise me on her small salary and work long hours. She leaves the house around 6:30 am and usually comes home around 5 pm or even 6 pm. However, I want her to know that by becoming a doctor, it doesn’t mean I’ll be successful. I’d rather follow my dreams and create my own future.
1. Which of the following topics does the writer’ mother mainly want to talk about?| A．The writer’s studies. | B．The writer’s future job. |
| C．Dinner plans. | D．Wars around the world. |
| A．doesn’t want the writer to major in English. |
| B．doesn’t think the writer should be a doctor. |
| C．gets along very well with the writer. |
| D．doesn’t think working in the science field is a good idea. |
| A．scholarship. | B．reputation. |
| C．money. | D．power. |
| A．He wants to be like his mother’s co-worker’s son. |
| B．He wants to find a job in his community in the future. |
| C．He doesn’t think his mother’s co-worker’s son is perfect. |
| D．He wants to do something he really likes in the future. |
