1 . Salvador Dali (1904-1989) was one of the most popular of modern artists. The Pompidou Centre in Paris is showing its respect and admiration for the artist and his powerful personality with an exhibition bringing together over 200 paintings, sculptures, drawings and more. Among the works and masterworks on exhibition the visitor will find the best pieces, most importantly The Persistence of Memory. There is also L’Enigme sans Fin from 1938, works on paper, objects, and projects for stage and screen and selected parts from television programmes reflecting the artist’s showman qualities.
The visitor will enter the World of Dali through an egg and is met with the beginning, the world of birth. The exhibition follows a path of time and subject with the visitor exiting through the brain.
The exhibition shows how Dali draws the viewer between two infinities (无限). “From the infinity small to the infinity large, contraction and expansion coming in and out of focus: amazing Flemish accuracy and the showy Baroque of old painting that he used in his museum-theatre in Figueras,” explains the Pompidou Centre.
The fine selection of the major works was done in close collaboration (合作) with the Museo Nacional Reina Sofia in Madrid, Spain, and with contributions from other institutions like the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg.
1. Which of the following best describe Dali according to Paragraph 1?A.Optimistic. | B.Productive. |
C.Generous. | D.Traditional. |
A.One of his masterworks. | B.A successful screen adaptation. |
C.An artistic creation for the stage. | D.One of the beat TV programmes. |
A.By popularity. | B.By importance. |
C.By size and shape. | D.By time and subject. |
A.Artworks. | B.Projects. |
C.Donations. | D.Documents. |
2 . The oddness of life in space never quite goes away. Here are some examples.
First consider something as simple as sleep. Its position presents its own challenges. The main question is whether you want your arms inside or outside the sleeping bag. If you leave your arms out, they float free in zero gravity, often giving a sleeping astronaut the look of a funny ballet(芭蕾)dancer. “I’m an inside guy,” Mike Hopkins says, who returned from a six-month tour on the International Space Station. “I like to be wrapped up.”
On the station, the ordinary becomes strange. The exercise bike for the American astronauts has no handlebars. It also has no seat. With no gravity, it’s just as easy to pedal violently. You can watch a movie while you pedal by floating a microcomputer anywhere you want. But station residents have to be careful about staying in one place too long. Without gravity to help circulate air, the carbon dioxide you exhale(呼气)has a tendency to form an invisible(隐形的)cloud around your head. You can end up with what astronauts call a carbon-dioxide headache.
Leroy Chiao, 54, an American retired astronaut after four flights, describes what happens even before you float out of your seat. “Your inner ear thinks you’re falling. Meanwhile your eyes are telling you you’re standing straight. That can be annoying-that’s why some people feel sick. “Within a couple of days truly terrible days for some-astronauts’ brains learn to ignore the panicky signals from the inner ear, and space sickness disappears.
Space travel can be so delightful but at the same time invisibly dangerous. For instance, astronauts lose bone mass’ That’s why exercise is considered so vital that National Aeronautics and Space Administration(NASA)puts it right on the workday schedule. The focus on fitness is as much about science and the future as it is about keeping any individual astronaut healthy. NASA is worried about two things: recovery time once astronauts return home, and, more importantly, how to maintain strength and fitness for the two and a half years or more that it would take to make a round-trip to Mars’
1. What is the major challenge to astronauts when they sleep in space?A.Deciding on a proper sleep position. |
B.Choosing a comfortable sleeping bag. |
C.Seeking a way to fall asleep quickly. |
D.Finding a right time to go to sleep. |
A.they circle around on their bikes |
B.they use microcomputers without a stop |
C.they exercise in one place for a long time |
D.they watch a movie while pedaling |
A.their senses stop working |
B.they have to stand up straight |
C.they float out of their seats unexpectedly |
D.their brains receive contradictory messages |
A.how much exercise they do on the station |
B.how they can remain healthy for long in space |
C.whether they can recover after returning home |
D.whether they are able to go back to the station |
3 . As Internet users become more dependent on the Internet to store information, are people remember less? If you know your computer will save information, why store it in your own personal memory, your brain? Experts are wondering if the Internet is changing what we remember and how.
In a recent study, Professor Betsy Sparrow conducted some experiments. She and her research team wanted to know the Internet is changing memory. In the first experiment, they gave people 40 unimportant facts to type into a computer. The first group of people understood that the computer would save the information. The second group understood that the computer would not save it. Later, the second group remembered the information better. People in the first group knew they could find the information again, so they did not try to remember it.
In another experiment, the researchers gave people facts to remember, and told them where to find the information on the Internet. The information was in a specific computer folder (文件夹). Surprisingly, people later remember the folder location (位置) better than the facts. When people use the Internet, they do not remember the information. Rather, they remember how to find it. This is called “transactive memory (交互记忆)”
According to Sparrow, we are not becoming people with poor memories as a result of the Internet. Instead, computer users are developing stronger transactive memories; that is, people are learning how to organize huge quantities of information so that they are able to access it at a later date. This doesn’t mean we are becoming either more or less intelligent, but there is no doubt that the way we use memory is changing.
1. The passage begins with two questions to ________.A.introduce the main topic | B.show the author’s attitude |
C.describe how to use the Internet | D.explain how to store information |
A.Sparrow’s team typed the information into a computer. |
B.The two groups remembered the information equally well. |
C.The first group did not try to remember the formation. |
D.The second group did not understand the information. |
A.keep the information in mind |
B.change the quantity of information |
C.organize information like a computer |
D.remember how to find the information |
A.We are using memory differently. |
B.We are becoming more intelligent. |
C.We have poorer memories than before. |
D.We need a better way to access information. |
“I come out here to tell them that God loves them and I love them and that someone is concerned about them,” Chase said.
Chase has given away cash and blessings every Sunday at the same corner for 24 years. Several hundred people wait for him every week.
He makes a point of coming on Thanksgiving and Christmas, too, but this is the first year he spent his birthday in the downtown neighborhood where people live mainly in shelters and on dirty sidewalks.
“It’s the place that makes me the happiest.I just love it,” said Chase. “I look forward to coming here.”
The money comes from donations he receives from rich and famous people he met during his work as assistant to the president of Loyola Marymount University.
The crowd broke into choruses of “Happy Birthday” several times. Some people presented him birthday cards, to his delight.
Travis Kemp, a 51–year–old disabled man with long black hair, was one of the lucky 20 to receive $ 100. He said he had no special plans for spending the money. “He has a lot of respect from me,” Kemp said. “I know I couldn’t do it.”
1. Which of the following makes Chase feel the happiest?
A.Celebrating his birthday with his neighbours. |
B.Working in Loyola Marymount University. |
C.Celebrating Christmas with the people he has helped. |
D.Going to Los Angeles’ gutter to help people there. |
A.All his savings. |
B.His earnings as a Catholic priest. |
C.Donations from the wealthy and celebrities. |
D.Donations from Loyola Marymount University. |
A.he was the luckiest person on that day. |
B.the disabled need to be taken care of. |
C.Chase is greatly appreciated by the needy. |
D.even old people came to celebrate Chase’s birthday. |
A.Every recipient could get $100 in cash from Father Maurice Chase. |
B.Father Maurice Chase gave the cash away not only on his birthday but also on other occasions. |
C.Although Father Maurice Chase gave the cash away on his birthday, he didn’t receive anything in return. |
D.Father Maurice Chase earned a lot of money as assistant to the president of Loyola Marymount University. |
Then their good relationship broke. It began with a small thing, then bitter words, and then weeks of silence. One morning Farmer John woke up to find a stream between the two farms. “It must be Bob,” John thought.
Then one day there was a knock on John’s door. He opened it to find a carpenter (木匠) standing at the doorway.
“I’m looking for a few days’ work,” the carpenter said.
“I do have a job for you,” John said. “Look across the stream at that farm. That’s my neighbour Bob. He dug a stream between the two farms. I want you to build a fence—an 8-foot fence. I don’t want to see his place or his face any more. I don’t have such a neighbour!”
The carpenter said, “I think I know what to do, sir, and I’ll be able to do a job that pleases you.”
Farmer John helped the carpenter get the materials (材料) ready and then he was off for the day.
About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer’s eyes opened wide. There was no fence there at all!
It was a bridge! And the neighbour, Bob, was coming across, with his hand outstretched (伸出). “Hi, John! You’re quite a fellow to build this bridge!”
Then they met in the middle, taking each other’s hands. “I’m terribly sorry for what I have said and done. We should be good to each other.” said Farmer Bob.
Then they turned to see the carpenter, who was ready to go. “No, wait! Stay a few days. I have a lot of other jobs for you,” said Farmer John. “I’d love to stay,” the carpenter said, “but I have more bridges to build.”
1. What does the sentence “You’re quite a fellow to build this bridge!” mean?
A.John was great to build this bridge. |
B.John was not good at building bridges. |
C.John was foolish to build such a bridge. |
D.John should build the bridge earlier. |
A.Shy. | B.Wise. | C.Proud. | D.Careless. |
A.What a Big Fence! | B.A Strong Bridge |
C.Three Kind Men | D.A Fence or a Bridge? |
I have grown up in a town where there were few Asians, so I stuck out in the crowd. I made friends quickly and they treated me just like anyone else. You may ask if anyone made fun of my appearance. Well, of course, I met that' kind of person. I just shrugged it off.
As an adopted child, I have something that others don't have. I have had the benefit of two families. I'm lucky to have got a chance to start a new life. But we must try never to forget our past. Someday I will go back to Korea to find out what kind of culture I left behind.
There is only one thing that I regret about being adopted. When I argue with my parents and they realize they are losing the argument, they sometimes wonder what I would be doing if I were back in Korea. I don't understand this because I thought the purpose of adopting someone was to give them a better chance of growing up in a family. Some day when I am older, I want to adopt a girl and raise her the way my parents have raised me, but I would do it better, for I know what went well and what did not.
1. We learn that when the writer was on the way to his new family,______.
A.he was with his own parents |
B.he was very happy and excited |
C.he was about ten years old then |
D.he didn't know he was going to be adopted |
A.is very good-looking |
B.is very kind-hearted |
C.is easily noticed by others |
D.is disliked by others |
A.was deeply hurt |
B.wanted to go back to Korea |
C.didn’t care about it that much |
D.tried to make friends with them |
A.The writer wants to forget his past. |
B.The writer isn't sad about being adopted. |
C.The writer isn't interested in Korean culture. |
D.The writer aren't know anything about Korea. |
A.Go back to live with his parents in Korea. |
B.Tell his parents what they have done wrong. |
C.Find out how to raise children in a better way. |
D.Adopt a girl and raise her in a good way. |
7 . Meeting people from another culture can be difficult. From the beginning, people may send the wrong signal. Or they may pay no attention to signals from another person who is trying to develop a relationship.
Different cultures emphasize the importance of relationship building to a greater or lesser degree. For example, business in some countries is not possible until there is a relationship of trust. Even with people at work, it is necessary to spend a lot of time in “small talk”, usually over a glass of tea, before they do any job. In many European countries, like the UK or France, people find it easier to build up a lasting working relationship at restaurants or cafe rather than at the office.
Talk and silence may also be different in some cultures. I once made a speech in Thailand. I had expected my speech to be a success and start a lively discussion, instead there was an uncomfortable silence. The people present just stared at me and smiled. After getting to know their ways better, I realized that they thought I was talking too much. In my own culture, we express meaning mainly through words, but people there sometimes feel too many words are unnecessary.
Even within Northern Europe, cultural differences can cause serious problems. Certainly, English and German cultures share similar values, however, Germans prefer to get down to business more quickly. We think that they are rude. In fact, this is just because one culture starts discussions and makes decisions more quickly.
People from different parts of the world have different values, and sometimes these values are quite against each other. However, if we can understand them better, a multicultural environment will offer a wonderful chance for us to learn from each other.
1. What’s the probable meaning of the underlined word “emphasize”?A.To draw special attention to. | B.To ignore. |
C.To laugh at. | D.To get close to. |
A.the English prefer to make long speeches |
B.too many words are of no use |
C.people from Thailand are quiet and shy by nature |
D.even talk and silence can be culturally different |
A.By sharing different ways of life. | B.By accepting different habits. |
C.By recognizing different values. | D.By speaking each other’s languages. |
A.Multicultural Environment. | B.Cross-Cultural Differences. |
C.How to Understand Each Other. | D.How to Build Up a Relationship. |
Foreign tourists are often confused(困惑的)in Japan because most streets there don’t have names. In Japan, people use landmarks(地标)in their directions instead of street names. For example, the Japanese will say to travelers, “ Go straight down to the corner. Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market. The post office is across from the bus stop.”
In the countryside of the American Midwest, there are not usually many landmarks. There are no mountains, so the land is very flat. In many places there are no towns or buildings within miles. Instead of landmarks, people will tell you directions and distances. In Kansas or Iowa, for example, people will say, “ Go north two miles. Turn east, and then go another mile.
People in Los Angeles, California, have no idea of distance on the map. They measure distance in time, not miles. “ How far away is the post office?” you ask. “ Oh,” they answer, “ it’s about five minutes from here.” You say, “ Yes, but how many miles is it?” They don’t know.
It’s true that a person doesn't know the answer to your question sometimes. What happens in such a situation? A New Yorker might say, “ Sorry, I have no idea.” But in Yucatan, Mexico, no one answers “ I don't know”. People in Yucatan believe that “I don't know” is impolite. They usually give an answer, often a wrong one. A tourist can get very, very lost in Yucatan!
1. When a tourist asks the Japanese the way to a certain place, they usually _______ .
A.describe the place carefully |
B.show him a map of the place |
C.tell him the names of the streets |
D.refer to recognizable buildings and places |
A.New York. | B.Los Angles. |
C.Kansas C. Iowa |
A.in order to save time | B.as a test |
C.so as to be polite | D.for fun |
A.It’s important for travelers to understand cultural differences. |
B.It’s useful for travelers to know how to ask the way properly. |
C.People have similar understanding of politeness. |
D.New Yorkers are generally friendly to visitors. |
9 . “In only six days I lost seven pounds of weight.”
“Two full inches in the first three days!”
These are the kinds of statements used in magazine,newspaper, radio and television ads, promising new shapes and new looks to those who buy the medicine or the device. The promoters of products say they can shape the legs, slim the face, smooth wrinkles, or in some other way to add to beauty or desirability.
Often such products are nothing more than money-making things for their promoters. The results they produce are questionable, and some are dangerous to health.
To understand how these products can be legally promoted to the public, it is necessary to understand something of the laws covering their regulation. If the product is a drug, FDA(Food and Drug Administration)can require proof under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act that is safe and effective before it is put on the market. But if the product is a device, FDA has no authority to require premarketing proof of safety or effectiveness. If a product already on the market is a danger to health, FDA can request the producer or distributor to remove it from the market voluntarily, or it can take legal action, including seizure(查封)of the product.
One notable case a few years ago involved an electrical device called the Relaxacisor, which had been sold for reducing the waistline. The Relaxacisor produced electrical shocks to the body through contact pads. FDA took legal action against the distributor to stop the sale of the device on the grounds that it was dangerous to health and life.
Obviously, most of the devices on the market have never been the subject of court proceedings(法律诉讼),and new devices appear continually. Before buying, it is up to the consumer to judge the safety or effectiveness of such items.
1. It can be inferred that the ads mentioned in the text are . .A.objective | B.costly | C.unreliable | D.illegal |
A.The court is in charge of removing dangerous products. |
B.New products are more likely to be questionable. |
C.The production of a device must be approved by FDA. |
D.The promoters usually just care about profits. |
A.if it is a drug |
B.if it is a device |
C.if its consumers make complaints |
D.if its distributors challenge FDA’s authority |
A.a product which was designed to produce electricity |
B.a product whose distributor was involved in a legal case |
C.a successful advertisement of a beauty product |
D.an example of a quality beauty product |
A.make consumers aware of the promoters’ false promises |
B.show the weakness of the law on product safety |
C.give advice on how to keep young and beautiful |
D.introduce the organization of FDA |
Everyone knows that the Frenchmen are romantic, the Italians are fashionable and the Germans are serious. Are these just stereotypes or is there really such a thing as national character? And if there is, can it affect how a nation succeed or fail?
At least one group of people is certain that it can. A recent survey of the top 500 entrepreneurs (企业家) in the UK found that 70% felt that their efforts were not appreciated by the British public. Britain is hostile (敌意的) to success, they said. It has a culture of jealousy (嫉妒).
Scientists at Warwich University in the UK recently tested this idea. They gathered a group of people together and gave each an imaginary amount of money.
“It is not really success that the British dislike,” says Carey Cooper, a professor of management at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. “It’s people using their success in a way that seems proud or unfair or which separates them from their roots.”
A.This seems to prove that the entrepreneurs were right to complain. |
B.The one who owns most money in the end is the winner. |
C.As a result, the survey said, entrepreneurs were “unloved, unwanted and misunderstood.” |
D.It is not true that British people are born jealous of others` success. |
E.Some were given a little, others a great deal. |
F.But instead of being happy they complain that nobody loves them. |
G.Perhaps it is the entrepreneurs who are the problem. |