1 . What are two things that make humans different from animals? One is language and the other is music. It’s true that some animals can sing. However, the songs of animals like birds are very limited. It’s also true that humans, not animals, have developed musical instruments.
Music is a strange thing. It’s clearly distinct from language. However, people can use music to communicate things — especially their emotions. When music is combined (组合) with speech in a song, it’s a very powerful form of communication.
If music is truly different from speech, then we should process music and language in different parts of the brain. The scientific evidence suggests that this is true. For example, Vissarion Shebalin, a Russian composer, had a stroke (中风) in 1953. It injured the left side of his brain. He could no longer speak or understand speech. He could, however, still compose music until his death ten years later. On the other hand, sometimes strokes cause people to lose their musical ability, but they can still speak and understand speech.
By studying the physical effects of music on the body, scientists have also learnt a lot about how music influences the emotions. But why does music have such a strong effect on us? That is a harder question to answer.
Geoffrey Miller, a researcher at University College, London, thinks that music and love have a strong connection. Music requires special talent, practice and physical ability. That’s why it may be a way of showing your fitness to be someone’s mate. For example, playing a musical instrument requires fine muscular control. You also need a good memory to remember the notes. And playing those notes correctly suggests that your hearing is in excellent condition. Finally, when a man sings to the woman he loves, it may be a way of showing off.
However, Miller’s theory still doesn’t explain why certain combinations of sounds influence our emotions so deeply. For scientists, this is clearly an area that needs further research.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?| A．Music is a common language. | B．Humans are advanced animals. |
| C．Music is closely related to humans. | D．Animals can use music to communicate. |
| A．Different. | B．Direct. | C．Free. | D．Far. |
| A．Music is another form of language. |
| B．Music can inspire people’s creativity. |
| C．Gifted people have more opportunities to succeed. |
| D．’The brain processes music and language separately. |
| A．It was advanced at that time. | B．It made a valuable contribution. |
| C．It sill needs to be improved. | D．It will be confirmed by younger scientists. |
2 . When someone is homeless or trying to recover from a natural disaster, they are in great need of everyday goods. While people are often encouraged to donate canned goods, not everyone is thinking about things like shoes.
Of course, you can’t go looking for a new job or a home, if you have no shoes to walk in. One woman in Hays, Kansas took this into consideration, and found a great way to help hundreds of people.
Payless stores were going out of business, and shoes were selling for as little as $1 per pair, so a woman named Addy Tritt bought out all the remaining shoes at the Hays Payless store — more than 200 pairs and donated them to flood victims in Nebraska.
Those shoes were then sent to farmers in Nebraska by Fort Hays State University (FHSU). Tritt, who recently graduated from FHSU, wanted to “pay it forward”.
“I have been so lucky,” she said. “There have been so many great people in my life who have inspired me. I see so many terrible things in the news. So many people have helped me when I was down. They influenced me so much that I want to help if I can.”
Tritt has a history of kind acts. She has donated more than 60 bags of school supplies to Hays students, and organised a baby clothes drive and two supply drives for the animal shelter.
“I really feel I have been directed and guided to help people,” she said. “If you can do something for someone else, you need to find a way even if it is a pair of shoes.”
1. How did Tritt help flood victims?| A．By buying shoes for them. | B．By sending some food to them. |
| C．By helping them find new jobs. | D．By selling shoes to raise money for them. |
| A．Get extra support. | B．Share news with others. |
| C．Pass on kindness. | D．Put forward a plan. |
| A．FHSU’s education. | B．Flood victims’ situations. |
| C．Other people’s kindness to her. | D．Payless stores’ going out of business. |
| A．Brave. | B．Easy-going. |
| C．Clever. | D．Caring. |
3 . Amazing Ancient Forests Around the World
A visit to one of these long-lived woodlands is an excellent experience. Here’s where to see some of the oldest forests on Earth.
The Takayna/Tarkine Forest Australia
Tasmania’s Takayna/Tarkine Forest gives an experience of what life on Earth looked like 300 million years ago. This rainforest in Australia is home to the second oldest living tree species on the planet: the amazing 3, 000-year-old Huon pines. To explore this fantastic area blanketed with trees, waterfalls, rivers, caves, hills and moorlands, book a tour with Tarkine Trails.
The Araucaria Forest Chile
The Chilean pine tree that spans (横跨) the country’s Lake District is thought to have developed its strange paintbrush shape to defend against dinosaurs during the Jurassic period. However, the forest is most attractive set against the backdrop of surprisingly blue lakes and snowcapped volcanoes in Conguillio National Park. Por those who want to take their time, campsites are available within the park and currently taking reservations (预定) .
The Yakushima Forest Japan
This forest was considered so beautiful by Japan’s 17th-century royalty (王室) that the landscape was recreated in a garden on the mainland, and in 1993, the Yakushima Forest was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. Once on the Yakushima Island, there is a range of accommodation options, including the expensive Sankara Hotel &Spa (from $750/night, expedia. com ) .
The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest California
The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is home to some of the oldest living trees on Earth. The most ancient among the protected forest’s bristlecone pines— which are characterized by their unusual-looking twisted forms-is Methuselah, a tree estimated to be 4, 841 years old. Grandview Campground ($5 per night, first come first serve) is the closest to the Bristlecone Pine Forest.
1. Which forest is the home of Huon pines?| A．The Araucaria Forest. | B．The Yakushima Forest. |
| C．The Takayna/Tarkine Forest. | D．The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. |
| A．It is set against snowcapped volcanoes. | B．It was recreated by Japan’s royalty. |
| C．It is a UNESCO World Heritage site. | D．It offers beautiful scenery. |
| A．Visitors can stay in expensive hotels. |
| B．Visitors can admire the oldest living trees. |
| C．Visitors can experience the Jurassic period. |
| D．Visitors can camp while enjoying the beauty of nature |
4 . How to communicate complex information?
Did you ever have to read a presentation where you felt like you’re lost in confusing terms, data and concepts? Are you giving others this same experience?
Use interactive content. It gets the readers more involved in your presentation by letting them play an active part.
Narrate your content.
Use examples and fables. They can help explain clearly the complexity of ideas for they are what we’ve already known and understood.
| A．Show, don’t tell |
| B．Make every word count. |
| C．This makes the complex concepts less new and more familiar |
| D．If you don’t sound excited, the listeners won’t feel excited either |
| E．Storytelling is another powerful tool for communicating complex concepts. |
| F．Communicating complex information is a common challenge in presentations |
| G．For example, allow them to choose the content route they wish to take and control the pace. |
5 . Your neighbors are probably the first line of defense in case of any problematic situation.
The first step is introducing yourself when you move to a new neighborhood or when a newcomer moves in. Leave them a note under their door to introduce yourself.
Be respectful of your neighbors. It’s in poor taste to have regular insensitive parties at your place causing disturbances. Before your party, it’s good practice to notify your neighbors. Besides, avoid chatting them up for hours on end, which may be inconvenient, especially if you don’t know their schedules.
As Emma Seppälä put it, “social connectedness generates a positive feedback loop (圈) of social, emotional and physical well-being.” It feels so easy to just stay home without having to engage with your neighbors but connecting with them is worth the effort.
| A．Remember every small gesture counts. |
| B．A crisis is a test of communication skills. |
| C．It can actually boost your mood in the long run. |
| D．Slipping it in their mailbox further solidifies friendship. |
| E．It’s essential to ensure you maintain decent relationships with them. |
| F．Alternatively, you can give them a gift while making yourself known to them. |
| G．Only by establishing healthy boundaries will you achieve peaceful coexistence. |
6 . Jim Thorpe is one of the greatest athletes of all time. He had amazing athletic abilities and was well-known during his lifetime, yet that did not make Thorpe a stranger to adversity.
Thorpe was an American Indian from Oklahoma who developed his extraordinary athletic skills in his youth through hard labor. It was also in his youth that he learned to endure hardship brought upon by racial prejudice. Many would say his childhood was not easy. He grew up poor and at age 9 his twin brother passed away and a few years later he lost both of his parents.
But that did not stop him from doing what he loved and pursuing his dreams. Nothing seemed to stop him, not even stolen shoes. Just hours before Thorpe was going to compete in the 1912 Olympics, somebody stole his shoes. Thorpe improvised (临时拼凑) by getting shoes out of the garbage. The shoes were two different sizes. He wore an extra pair of socks on one foot to even them out.
He still went on to win two gold medals—winning each event he competed in except for one, the javelin (标枪). The javelin was the only event he didn’t win, probably because he had never competed in that event before. It is interesting to note that Thorpe had tried to throw the javelin once before in the Olympic trials. At the time, he didn’t know that he could throw it with a running start. He threw it standing still and was placed second.
At the Olympics，he also took part in the decathlon (十项全能运动). He finished first in two events, third in four events, and fourth in two more. Thorpe ended up finishing third in the world. He was undoubtedly a dominating force that couldn’t be stopped and just kept on going.
I think Paul Dughi said it best, “It’s hard to imagine now that pro athletes get paid millions of dollars just to wear a particular brand of shoes. For Jim Thorpe, it didn’t matter what kind he wore.”
1. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 mean?| A．The adversity Thorpe met with led to his success. |
| B．Thorpe’s success was no guarantee of a better life. |
| C．Thorpe’s career brought him both gains and losses. |
| D．Thorpe suffered many hardships despite his success. |
| A．To prevent the foot from injury. | B．To make the shoe fit the foot. |
| C．To stop the shoe from being stolen. | D．To show his problem-solving skills. |
| A．Loss of his own sports shoes. | B．A casual attitude towards the event. |
| C．Lack of experience in the event. | D．A shortage of talent for the event. |
| A．Loyal and enthusiastic. | B．Genuine and creative. |
| C．Tough and strong-minded. | D．Selfless and good-tempered. |
7 . Health and fitness help a person live a good and healthy life. Often due to various pressures, we tend to ignore our health. This makes our body suffer and we will catch other diseases. It is the fitness level of our body that helps us fight these diseases.
Health and fitness are interrelated to each other. We need to be fit to have a healthy body.
Similarly, if we are healthy we shall naturally be attracted towards maintaining the fitness of our body. Health is the state of our body at a given time. We may not have any disease but still have a weak body, which is ready to be targeted by viruses. For instance, we may have a tendency to catch a cold easily. This does not definitely mean that we are not healthy. It means the fitness level is not in accordance with our age and the climatic conditions we live in.
It is important for everyone to devote some time to health and fitness. There are some activities which everyone should do in our life. For instance, we must exercise daily regardless of our age and working style. There are different levels of exercises for different age groups and we must do them according to our own health and age.
Additionally, it is important to relax our body. We should have at least six to eight hours of sleep every day. It helps in improving our immune(免疫) system and protects us against diseases. It also helps in keeping us calm and relaxes our mind. This, in turn, gives us new goals of health and fitness.
1. According to the passage, what will be the result of ignoring our health?| A．Our body will fight disease more easily. |
| B．Viruses will attack our body easily |
| C．We will be under great pressure |
| D．Our immune system will work for us. |
| A．in control of.. | B．at the sight of | C．in agreement with | D．in favour of |
| A．Health and fitness are related to our age and working style. |
| B．It is important to keep the fitness of our body. |
| C．Health are closely connected with fitness. |
| D．Health and fitness help people live a good life. |
| A．New goals of health and fitness |
| B．Ways to fight discase |
| C．Work out on a daily basis |
| D．Health and fitness |
8 . Camping tips: Which overnight wilderness experience is right for you?
If you’re an experienced backpacker, read no further. This article is for camping rookies, those who have never slept beneath the stars or haven’t pitched a tent since their youth but are seriously thinking about overnighting in the wilderness.
Car camping
At its most basic, car camping involves packing a tent, sleeping bag, fold-up chair, cooler and camp stove into your vehicle and staying at a drive-up campground. Nearly every national park, and many state and county parks and private facilities, offer drive-up campgrounds with restrooms, potable water, fire rings or pits, and maybe even hot showers. So there are lots of choices.
The downside of car camping is the fact that these campgrounds are often packed with other campers. Not a lot of privacy, they can be noisy, and possibly hinder your quest of communing with nature.
Backpacking
No vehicle required; just your feet and a good pair of hiking boots or shoes to get you to the next overnight spot. A multi-day hiking trip is without doubt the most immersive way to experience the great outdoors.
Different from maybe car camping, it requires the least expense and equipment. All you really need are a backpack, sleeping bag, water bottle, small first-aid kit, enough food to last the entire travel. It can be done just about anywhere on the planet.
Boat Camping
While this does involve owning or renting a watercraft or using a ferry or water taxi service to reach the overnight site, camping via canoe, kayak, raft or boat offers a similar get-away-from-it-all adventure as backpacking.
Experienced paddlers and boaters usually prefer to camp on their own along a secluded shoreline. But many adventure or wilderness outfitters offer guided trips that can last anywhere from a couple of days to two or three weeks. With a boat, you can sometimes camp places that not even backpackers can reach.
1. Who are the intended readers?| A．Red-blooded males | B．White-collar staff |
| C．Blue-blooded tourists | D．Green-hand campers |
| A．Backpacking allows you to communicate with nature deeply. |
| B．Car camping is the most economic way to experience nature. |
| C．The drive-up campgrounds provide people with private environment. |
| D．Boat camping offers the same adventures as backpacking. |
| A．Feature | B．Style | C．Travel | D．Entertainment |
9 . Two weeks ago, a 5-year-old girl named Sunshine Oelfke emptied out her piggy bank (存钱罐) onto the living room floor and immediately started counting. Her grandmother, Jackie Oelfke, thought she was playing as she carefully lined up the coins, but then she saw the girl put the coins into a plastic bag and place it in her backpack.
“What are you doing with that money?” Jackie asked her granddaughter.
“I’m taking it to school,” Sunshine replied. “I’m going to take it for milk money. My friend Layla doesn’t get milk— her mom doesn’t have milk money and I do.”
Jackie’s heart melted at Sunshine’s words. Choked with strong feelings, Jackie held her sweet granddaughter tightly in her arms.
Last week, Jackie and Sunshine met with her teacher, Rita Hausher, and handed her the $30 the kindergartner had saved. There are 20 kids in Sunshine’s class and about half don’t get milk. It costs $ 0.45 a carton (纸盒). The total adds up to about $180 a month for every child in the class to have milk every day.
After dropping Sunshine off at school, Jackie posted a tearful video on Facebook to explain her granddaughter’s plan. To her surprise, many people offered to donate toward the cause. Within a week, Jackie raised more than $1,000. Now every student in Sunshine’s class can get free milk for the rest of the year.
Jackie said Sunshine doesn’t see her kind act as a big deal. She was just trying to look out for her friends. “She doesn’t understand the effect she’s brought about,” Jackie said. “But now she knows she can do whatever she puts her mind to.”
1. Why did Sunshine empty her piggy bank?| A．She hoped to show off her savings in class. | B．She needed to train her counting skills. |
| C．She wanted to play with the coins. | D．She intended to pay for her friend’s milk. |
| A．Relieved. | B．Touched. | C．Curious. | D．Proud. |
| A．Two heads are better than one. | B．A friend in need is a friend indeed. |
| C．Nothing is impossible to a willing heart. | D．There’s no such thing as a free lunch. |
| A．Small Coins, Big Changes. | B．Jackie’s Piggy Bank. |
| C．Piggy Bank and Carton Milk. | D．A Moved Grandmother. |
10 . Everyone has their favourite Bond songs with the 007 movies offering so many different musical outings over the years from classic rock and pop to soul and even dance. Let us know in the comments.
Golden Eye — Tina Turner
Golden Eye (1995)
Golden Eye sees a cat-like Turner wandering about throughout its sound stage, flashing her claws where necessary. Its sweeping arrangement and sentimental brass (感伤的铜管乐) contribute to a powerful vocal performance. The strings are mixed with horns that sound like a passing train. This is effortless singing from Turner and her amazing control is a joy to hear.
Tomorrow Never Dies — Sheryl Crow
Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
This rock/pop little number has always felt rather clear to the listeners. It is a bit Bond-aping (邦德式模仿) rather than creating something new all by itself, which is what it should ideally be aiming for. Crow gives it her all with her soft voice.
You Know My Name — Chris Cornell
Casino Royal (2006)
Right from the brilliantly exciting intro, the whole track just sounds so strong, as if it was chiseled (镌刻) out of the very finest stone. A lot of this is down to Chris Cornell’s powerful and deeply rich voice. One of the greatest singers of his generation, he absolutely nails this track.
Writing’s On The Wall — Sam Smith
Spectre (2015)
The title theme that most people can’t actually remember. By all accounts, Sam Smith’s Writing’s On The Wall was written very quickly, and frankly, it shows. Far from being a terrible song, it just lacks basically everything that a Bond theme needs. Sure, it certainly feels empty.
1. Who gives an impression of joy to hear through his/her voice?| A．Tina Turner. | B．Sheryl Crow. |
| C．Chris Cornell. | D．Sam Smith. |
| A．Sweet. | B．Strong. | C．Gentle. | D．Terrible. |
| A．Golden Eye. |
| B．Tomorrow Never Dies. |
| C．You Know My Name. |
| D．Writing’s On The Wall. |
