1 . J. K. Rowling frequently shows there is magic every day. Her Harry Potter series has helped people through times of stress and depression and she is always there to deliver wise words of encouragement.
She is one celebrity who is very active on Twitter. So when a single dad named Matt Burke sent her a message thanking her for the series, she noticed. Her series had helped strengthen his relationship with his 9yearold daughter Bailey.
He included a link to his article titled Being a Broke Parent. He explained how he hadn’t found a level of financial stability that allowed him to pay bills on time and take his daughter on more activities and events. The family also doesn’t have the Internet or TV, which means there’s no “digital babysitter” and he has to rely on his own creative ways to bond with his daughter. Since he received the series, the main thing that has occupied them these days is reading books together.
Burke admits that he thought he was “too cool” for the books when they first came out and he was in his twenties, but he’s loving reading them now. “We switch off chapter by chapter reading them out loud,“Burke explains.” This not only allows her to get more used to reading aloud in front of someone, but it gets me directly involved in something she loves, and it gives me the chance to be very dramatic when I read my chapters and bring myself into the characters in the book, which has proven to be a ton of fun.”
After hearing Burke’s story, Rowling said how honored she was when Harry Potter was a part of his family’s life and offered Burke more books. Besides, people are also offering to send Burke more books as gifts. For Burke, this experience, far more than gifts, will be what he treasures.
1. Why did Burke thank J. K. Rowling according to the text?A.She guided him how to write a good story. |
B.She encouraged him when he was in trouble. |
C.Her books helped him through times of confusion. |
D.Her books helped him improve his bond with his daughter. |
A.He has found it interesting to read the series. | B.He was too old to understand the series better. |
C.He has chosen a better way of reading the series. | D.He hopes to play a role in the drama in the future. |
A.Useless. | B.Normal. | C.Valuable. | D.Boring. |
A.J. K. Rowling chooses to help improve kids’ health. |
B.J. K. Rowling gives a magical gift to a single father. |
C.J. K. Rowling has a deep influence on others’ growth. |
D.Burke comes to know J. K. Rowling through her series. |
2 . If you are crazy about paintings, you shouldn’t miss the following four famous masterpieces which have stood the test of time.
The Arnolfini Portrait
Jan van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait, an oil painting on wood produced in 1434, in which a man and a woman hold hands with a window behind him and a bed behind her, is undoubtedly one of the masterpieces in the National Gallery, London. This painting is as visually interesting as it is famed. It is also an informative document in fifteenth-century society, through Van Eyck’s heavy use of symbolism—while husbands went out to engage in business, wives concerned themselves with domestic duties.
The Starry Night
Vincent van Gogh painted The Starry Night, oil on canvas, a moderately abstract landscape painting of an expressive night sky over a small hillside village, during his 12-month stay at the mental hospital near Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France between 1889 and 1890. When the Museum of Modern Art in New York City purchased the painting from a private collector in 1941, it was not well known, but it has since become one of Van Gogh’s most famous works.
The Harvesters
The Harvesters is an oil painting on wood completed by Pieter Bruegel the Elder in 1565. It depicts the harvest time which most commonly occurs within the months of August and September. Nicolaes Jonghelinck, a merchant banker and art collector from Antwerp, commissioned this painting. The painting has been at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City since 1919.
Guernica
Guernica, a large black-and-white oil painting, was painted by the Cubist Spanish painter, Pablo Picasso in 1937. The title “Guernica” refers to the city that was bombed by Nazi planes during the Spanish Civil War. The painting depicts the horrors of war and as a result, has come to be an anti-war symbol and a reminder of the tragedies of war. Today, the painting is housed at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofaí in Madrid.
1. Which of the following paintings was produced earliest?A.The Arnolfini Portrait. | B.The Starry Night. |
C.The Harvesters. | D.Guernica. |
A.It was painted on wood in oil. |
B.It wasn’t widely recognized before 1940s. |
C.It described the painter’s life in hospital. |
D.It was given away to the museum by a private collector. |
A.Pieter Bruegel the Elder. | B.Vincent van Gogh. |
C.Jan van Eyck. | D.Pablo Picasso. |
3 . Common Mistakes New Runners Make
Running is a great way to get in shape and just about everyone can do it. However, many make a number of common mistakes, which can interfere (妨碍) with training or lead to injury.
·Doing too much too soon
One of the biggest mistakes new runners make is doing too much too soon. Slowly easing into a training program will help reduce the risk of injury, so you can continue on with your new running routine
·
Beginners might think they need to run every day (or nearly every day) to meet their fitness or weight-loss goals, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Running is a high-impact activity which can be really hard on your body. So it’s important to give your body a rest between workouts.
·Not wearing the right equipment
•Running through pain
A.Not taking rest days |
B.If you’re just starting out |
C.Comparing yourself to others |
D.Running can be uncomfortable at times |
E.It’s important not to use the same muscles |
F.While it may be true that you don’t need expensive equipment to take up running |
G.Experts suggest increasing your running distance by no more than 10% each week |
4 . Is It Worth Buying Organic Food?
Organic food, grown without artificial chemicals, is increasingly popular nowadays. Consumers have been willing to pay up to twice as much for goods with organic labels (标签). However, if you think paying a little more for organic food gets you a more nutritious (有营养的) and safer product, you might want to save your money. A study led by researchers at Stanford University says that organic products aren’t necessarily more nutritious, and they’re no less likely to suffer from disease-causing bacteria, either.
The latest results, published in the Annuals of Internal Medicine, suggest that buyers may be wasting their money. “We did not find strong evidence that organic food is more nutritious or healthier,” says Dr. Crystal Smith-Spangler from Stanford. “So consumers shouldn’t assume that one type of food has a lower risk or is safer.”
For their new study, Smith-Spangler and her colleagues conducted a review of two categories of research, including 17 studies that compared health outcomes between consumers of organic against traditional food products, and 223 studies that analyzed the nutritional content of the foods, including key vitamins, minerals and fats.
While the researchers found little difference in nutritional content, they did find that organic fruit and vegetables were 20% less likely to have chemicals remaining on the surfaces. Neither organic nor traditional foods showed levels of chemicals high enough to go beyond food safety standards. And both organic and traditional meats, such as chicken and pork, were equally likely to be harmed by bacteria at very low rates. The researchers did find that organic milk and chicken contained higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, a healthy fat also found in fish that can reduce the risk of heart disease. However, these nutritional differences were too small, and the researchers were unwilling to make much of them until further studies confirm the trends.
Organic food is produced with fewer chemicals and more natural-growing practices, but that doesn’t always translate into a more nutritious or healthier product. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) states that “Whether you buy organic or not, finding the freshest foods available may have the biggest effect on taste.” Fresh food is at least as good as anything marketed as organic.
1. The new research questions whether organic food ________.A.should replace traditional food |
B.has been overpriced by farmers |
C.is grown with less harmful chemicals |
D.is really more nutritious and healthier |
A.organic food could reduce the risk of heart disease |
B.traditional food was grown with more natural methods |
C.both organic and traditional food they examined were safe |
D.there was not a presence of any forms of bacteria in organic food |
A.Organic chicken and pork. |
B.Organic milk and chicken. |
C.Traditional chicken and pork. |
D.Traditional fruit and vegetables. |
A.Doubtful. | B.Positive. | C.Unconcerned. | D.Approving. |
5 . The Silk Road is the name of different roads that long ago connected Europe, Africa and Asia. People reached these different places along these roads. Scientists believe people began to travel the Silk Road about 3000 years ago. By the time the Chinese silk trade became important in the world, the Silk Road covered almost 6500 kilometers. It spread from Rome to China, which is from the West to the Far East.
Traders travelling along the Silk Road carried silk, of course. They also carried and traded spices (香料), cloth, valuable stones and gold.
There is a famous old story along the old road. It is said that Roman soldiers travelled through central Asia. They started to live somewhere near the ancient Chinese village of Liqian. Sortie of these Romans married local Chinese women and the story of blue-eyed villages of China was started.
During its busiest period, the Silk Road allowed people from many different cultures and countries to meet each other and mix. The Silk Road allowed the sharing of valuable goods and new ideas. These included people and trading goods from the Mediterranean, Persian, Magyar, Armenian, Bactrian, Indian and Chinese areas. All these peoples travelled the Silk Road, and they shared goods, stories, languages, and cultures.
In modern times, the old Silk Road routes (路线) are still used, but now they are crossed by trains instead of camels and horses. There is even a Silk Route Museum in Jiuquan in China. It has over 35,000, objects from all along the Silk Road. In this way, China protects the history of many countries and peoples.
1. How many kilometers did the Silk Road cover?A.About 3000. | B.Nearly 6500. | C.Almost 2000. | D.Over 35,000. |
A.Silk. | B.Cloth. | C.Gold. | D.Tea. |
A.Valuable things could not be sold along the Silk Road. |
B.The Silk Road allowed people from different countries to mix. |
C.Ancient Chinese along the Silk Road maybe able to speak different languages. |
D.The objects in the museum in Jiuquan in China are from all along the Silk Road. |
A.History and Geography. | B.Sports World. |
C.Man and Animals. | D.Popular Science. |
6 . Think mind reading is science fiction? Think again.
Scientists have used brain scanners to detect and reconstruct the faces that people are thinking of, according to a study accepted for publication this month in the journal NeuroImage.
In the study, scientists hooked participants up to an MRI (功能性核磁共振成像) brain scanner—which determines activity in different parts of the brain by measuring blood flow—and showed them images of faces. Then, using only the brain scans, the scientists were able to create images of the faces the people were looking at.
“It is mind reading,” said Alan S. Cowen, a graduate student at the University of California Berkeley who co-authored the study with professor Marvin M. Chun from Yale and Brice A. Kuhl from New York University.
The study says it is the first to try to reconstruct faces from thoughts. The photos above are the actual photos and reconstructions done in the lab.
While the reconstructions based on 30 brain readings are blurry, they approximate the true images. They got the skin color right in all of them, and 24 out of 30 reconstructions correctly detected the presence or absence of a smile.
The brain readings were worse at determining gender and hair color. About two-thirds of the reconstructions clearly detected the gender, and only half got hair color correct.
“There’s definitely room for improvement,” Cowen said, adding that these experiments were conducted two years ago, though they only recently were accepted for publication. He said he and others have been working on improving the process in the interim.
“I’m applying more advanced models to the brain scan results, so the results should get better,” he said.
To test out faces based on brain activity, the scientists showed participants in the study 300 faces while recording their brain activity. Then they showed the participants 30 new faces and used their previously recorded patterns to create 30 images based only on their brain scans.
Once the technology improves, Cowen said, applications could range from better understanding mental disorders, to recording dreams, to solving crimes.
“You can see how people perceive faces depending on different disorders, like autism—and use that to help diagnose therapies,” he said.
1. What is the possible meaning of the underlined word “blurry” in Paragraph 6?A.confusing | B.amazing | C.unclear | D.Incomplete |
A.300 participates were involved altogether. |
B.The scan results will be better in the future. |
C.The study was based on Professor Marvin’s theory. |
D.Researchers got the study of the experiment published recently. |
A.It can help analyzing dreams |
B.It can help cure deadly diseases. |
C.It can help improve one’s memory. |
D.It can scan other parts of the human body as well. |
A.Technology of Face Recognition | B.Application of Brain Scanning |
C.A Way to Read Minds | D.Approaches to Solving Crimes |
7 . Produced by Hunan Satellite TV, Where Are We Going, Dad? invites five male celebrities from different fields and their children to spend quality time together in new environments while accomplishing various survival tasks.
Since it first aired in January, 2013, Where Are We Going, Dad? has been sweeping the whole nation and has become Chinas most popular show averaging more than 600 million viewers each week and 640 million downloads online. Even the China Daily, the official mouthpiece of the Chinese government praised its success, “The deep affection on display in the show is heart-warming. But what accounts for the show’s popularity?
Part of the appeal is the chance to peek into the lives of popular Chinese celebrities and their children. Audiences are delighted to watch the failed attempts of celebrity dads making dinner, combing hair, and disciplining children. At the same time, the cute kids themselves and their authentic and entertaining behaviors are very impressive and attractive.
“Another reason for the success of the show lies in the fact that it is a reexamination of the father’s role in traditional Chinese culture,” said the general director of the show. In a society. Still influenced by the concept that “men rule outside and women inside”, many Chinese fathers are poor at expressing their feelings toward their children. Usually they appear strict and distant. But on the show, we see fathers are much gentler on their kids and more involved in their upbringing. This show raises an important question for modern Chinese society — what is the role of fathers in today’s China?
A fascinating part of the show is that you can see many parenting styles. The five fathers on the show all have very diverse parenting styles, which is great because it shows people there isn’t just one way to raise a child. But Chinese parents increasingly realize that discussing and respecting their children’s choices may be a more appropriate way to prepare them for modern society. Meanwhile, the show can remind adults of their own childhood and the love of father. For those parents, they will rethink their own responsibility as parents and understand their kids better.
1. The chief function of the underlined sentence (in Paragraph 2) is ________.A.to sum up the main idea of the paragraph |
B.to introduce a new topic |
C.to arouse reader’s interest |
D.to express strong feelings |
A.Traditionally children are not to be brought up by mothers alone in China. |
B.Modern Chinese fathers wonder how to treat their children. |
C.The role of fathers is changing in China. |
D.More and more mothers go out to work. |
A.People are curious about the celebrities’ life and their kids. |
B.The show makes people reconsider father’s role in today’s China. |
C.The show displays various parenting styles. |
D.The audience think highly of the celebrities parenting styles on the show. |
A.Why Is Where Are We Going, Dad? So Popular? |
B.The Celebrities in Where Are We Going, Dad. |
C.What Is the Role of Fathers in Today’s China? |
D.Various Parenting Styles in China |
8 . University degrees represent a significant financial investment. So, from the very beginning we encourage you to take a long-term review and to think about what you want to do after you graduate. That way, you can construct the most appropriate combination of courses in order to acquire the required knowledge and skills.
Over 70% of our graduate students attain a graduate level position six months after graduating.
What guidance will I receive?
Together with Career Services, we will help you
● find out about the career opportunities available
● choose the most suitable options for you
● make effective job applications
● plan and manage your future career.
What skills will I learn ?
Employers will be looking for highly skilled recruits. A language study course does not just teach you facts, but also a range of skills, for example:
● the practical skills of carefully listening to and transcribing(转录) languages
● the analytical skills of describing and comparing languages or styles of languages
● the intellectual skills of examining and evaluating theories
● various changing skills
Our graduates are well prepared for careers which use these skills and others based on them, such as problem-solving, critical evaluation of evidence, attention to detail.
Lancaster Award
Achieve the Landscape Award, a certificate developed in partnership with employers to help you make the most of your time at Lancaster and to demonstrate the skills you have developed along the way. The Lancaster Award will help you stand out from the crowd and improve your future employment prospects.
What do students go on to do with a degree from our department?
Here are some typical areas that will be of interest to you once you’ve taken a degree from our department:
● Education: teaching in schools, colleges and universities in Britain, and teaching English as a foreign language abroad
● Journalism and media, public relations
● Publishing
● Management
● Higher degrees and research
1. What is the purpose of the Careers Service?A.To introduce their career courses and level positions. |
B.To present a significant financial investment |
C.To help graduates plan and manage future career. |
D.To make readers interested in their career service |
A.It will make the graduate earn more money later. |
B.It will help the graduates have a brighter future in career. |
C.It will show the graduate’s communicative skills. |
D.It will keep your work going more easily. |
A.High income and management. |
B.Education and employment prospects. |
C.Future employment prospects. |
D.Higher degrees and research. |
9 . How to Get Teens to Establish Sleeping Habits
Although you might not be able to control all of the factors that interfere (干预) with your sleep, you can adopt habits that encourage better sleep. Start with these sleep tips.
1.
2. Keep electronic gadgets(设备) out of your teen’s bedroom. Have your teen leave her phone and other devices in the living room or kitchen when she goes to bed. If your teen brings her phone or tablet to bed with her, she might stay up late checking her social media pages or sending texts.
3. Set up a pre-bedtime schedule.
4. Make your teenager’s room ideal for sleep by keeping it dark and cool.
A.After this, she will sleep soundly. |
B.Create a sleep schedule with your teenager. |
C.Sleeping well is very important for teenagers. |
D.Stick to the sleep schedule, even on weekends. |
E.Hang up curtains or blinds to block out light from the windows. |
F.The bright light from the screen also makes it difficult for people to fall asleep. |
G.About an hour before a teenager goes to bed, turn off the television, computer and other gadgets. |
10 . The Internet has led to a huge increase in credit card (信用卡) fraud. Your card information could even be for sale in an illegal web site. Web sites’ offering cheap goods and services should be regarded with care. Online shoppers who enter their credit card information may never receive the goods they thought they bought. The thieves then go shopping with your card number or sell the information over the Internet.
Computers hackers have broken down security systems, raising questions about the safety of cardholder information. Several months ago, 25,000 customers of CD Universe, an online music retailer (零售商) , were not lucky. Their names, addresses and credit card numbers were posted on a Web site after the retailer refused to pay US $157,828 to get back the information.
Credit card companies are now fighting against online fraud. MasterCard is working on plans for Web-only credit card, with a lower credit limit. The card could be used only for shopping online.
However, there are a few simple steps you can take to keep from being cheated.
Ask about your credit card company’s online rules: Under British law, cardholders have to pay the first US $78 of any fraudulent spending.
And shop only at secure sites; Send your credit card information only if the Web site offers advanced secure system.
If the security is in place, a letter will appear in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen. The Web site address may also start https: //--the extra “s” stands for secure. If in doubt, give your credit card information over the telephone.
Keep your password safe: Most online sites require a user name and password before placing an order. Treat your passwords with care.
1. What do most people worry about the Internet according to this passage?A.A lot of stolen credit-cards were sold on the Internet. |
B.Fraud on the Internet. |
C.Many Web sites are destroyed. |
D.Many illegal Web sites are on the Internet. |
A.Cheating. | B.Sale. | C.Payment. | D.Safety. |
A.The customers give them the information. |
B.The thieves steal the information from Web sites. |
C.The customers sell the information to them. |
D.The thieves buy the information from credit-card firms. |
A.Four. | B.Three. | C.Five. | D.Six. |
A.Order the TV set at once. |
B.Do not buy the TV set on this site. |
C.E-mail the site your credit card information. |
D.Tell the site your password and buy the TV set for you. |