1 . Some years ago, I was hired by an American bank. I received a letter from the head of the Personnel Department that started, “Dear John, I am quite pleased that you have decided to join us.” That “quite” saddened me. I thought he was saying “we’re kind of pleased you decided to join us although I wish we had hired someone else.” Then I discovered that in American English “quite” sometimes means “very”, while in British English it means “fairly”.
So the first lesson about working in other countries is to learn the language and by that I don’t just mean the words people speak. It is body language, dress, manners, ideas and so on. The way people do things highlights many of the differences we see between cultures.
Some of the differences may be only on the surface——dress, food and hours of work——while others may be deeper and take longer to deal with. Mostly, it is just a question of getting used to the differences and accepting them, like the climate, while getting on with business.
Some of the differences may be an improvement. People are more polite; the service is better; you ask for something to be done and it happens without having to ask again. However, other differences can be troubling, like punctuality. If you invite people to a party at 7 o'clock your quests will consider it polite to turn up exactly on time in Germany, five minutes early in the American Midwest, an hour early in Japan, 15 minutes afterwards in the UK, up to an hour afterwards in Italy and some time in the evening in Greece. I prefer not to use the word “late” because there is nothing wrong with the times people arrive. It is simply the accepted thing to do in their own country.
1. The author was unhappy as mentioned in paragraph 1 because he thought ________| A．The American bank didn’t think much of him. |
| B．The American bank might hire another person. |
| C．It’s difficult to get used to American culture. |
| D．It’s easy to understand Americans. |
| A．encourages | B．helps to narrow |
| C．increase | D．stress |
| A．Ask the native people for help. | B．Understand and accept them. |
| C．Do things in our own ways. | D．Do in-depth research. |
| A．Italians | B．Germans |
| C．Greeks | D．the British |
2 . Last week my youngest son and I visited my father at his new home in Tucson, Arizona. He moved there a few years ago, and I was eager to see his new place and meet his friends.
My earliest memories of my father are a tall, handsome, successful man devoted to his work and his family, but uncomfortable with his children. As a child I loved him. He seemed unhappy with me unless got straight A’s and unhappy with my boyfriends if their fathers were not as “successful” as he was. Whenever I went out with him on weekends, I used to struggle to think up things to say, feeling on guard.
On the first day of my visit, we went out with one of my father’s friends for lunch at an outdoor cafe. We talked along that afternoon, did some shopping, ate on the street table, and laughed over my son’s funny facial expressions Gone was my father’s critical (挑别的) air and strict rules. Who was this person I knew as my father, who seemed so friendly and interesting to be around? What had held him back before?
The next day dad pulled out his childhood pictures and told me quite a few stories about his own childhood. Although our times together became easier over the years, I never felt closer to him at that moment. After so many years, I’m at last seeing another side of my father. And in so doing, I’m delighted with my new friend. My dad, in his new home in Arizona, is back to me from where he was.
1. Why did the author feel bitter about her father as a young adult?| A．He did not love his children. |
| B．He expected too much of her. |
| C．He was too proud of himself. |
| D．He was silent most of the time. |
| A．nervous | B．sorry |
| C．tired | D．safe |
| A．More critical. | B．More talkative. |
| C．Gentle and friendly. | D．Strict and hard-working. |
| A．the cafe owner | B．the author’s son |
| C．the author’s father | D．the friend of the author’s father |
3 . We certainly look different. The most obvious differences between boys and girls are our bodies, inside and out. For example, can men have babies? Can women grow beards?
In the 1800s, scientists developed a theory called craniology (头骨学), which said that intelligence could be measured by skull size. Men have bigger skulls than women. So men must be smarter, people thought.
In the 1950s, psychologists gave girls and boys science tests to see if they could tell who was smarter. On average, the girls did worse than the boys.
As scientists continue to investigate, they have discovered that boys do seem to be better than girls at something called spatial rotation (空间转动）. Girls，on the other hand, do better on some tests of vocabulary and language. Why?
| A．But how different are we really? |
| B．Therefore, women were treated differently. |
| C．This influenced how well boys learned and how poorly girls did. |
| D．If our bodies differ, what does that say about our intelligence and skills? |
| E．Naturally，researchers concluded that boys are smarter than girls in science. |
| F．Studies have shown that parents treat boys and girls differently as soon as they’re born. |
| G．According to psychologists, girls were less intelligent than boys in many aspects. |
4 . The Best and Worst Things to Buy in March
Frozen food
Grocery store ads aren't the only places to find deals on freezer-section treats. To take advantage of the deepest discounts, combine coupons (优惠券) from sponsoring brands, such as Dole, Green Giant and Tyson Foods, with grocery store sales. Plus, look for printable savings on Coupons. com and EasyHoreMeals.com. Brands participating in National Frozen Food Month will offer more than 180, 000 coupons that make frozen food among the best things to buy in March.
Boxed chocolates
If you desire to give a gift to a friend in March, consider chocolate. Two minor holidays in March provide the perfect excuse: National Chocolate Caramel Day on March 19 and National Chocolate-Covered Raisin Day on March 24. You can discover chocolate deals online as well as in stores. Head to sites like RetailMeNot.com to find discount coupons for boxed chocolate savings of 10 percent or more.
New cars
With the latest car models filling dealers' lots, you'll have a hard time finding discounted models from the year before. Car dealerships are less motivated to offer steep discounts from March through May. Instead, plan to buy your car during the fall or winter. You should also research the auto you want at TrueCar before heading for the dealership. The site offers information on how much the previous buyers paid for the vehicles you want.
Spring clothing
When warm weather makes you want to head outdoors, resist the urge to do so wearing the latest fashions. You won't find March deals on swimsuits, Easter dresses or other spring items. To find discounts on clothes of this spring, hold off until Memorial Day weekend. You can also look for online and in-store savings at Amazon, Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue and other retailers.
1. Which things offer discounts in March?| A．Frozen food and new cars | B．Boxed chocolates and new cars. |
| C．Frozen food and boxed chocolates. | D．Boxed chocolates and spring clothing. |
| A．Register on a site in advance. | B．Get discounts from car dealers. |
| C．Consult some previous buyers. | D．Make purchases at the right time. |
| A．A journal | B．A guidebook | C．A catalogue | D．An advertisement |
5 . This month, Germany’s transport minister, Alexander Dobrindt , proposed the first set of rules for autonomous vehicles(自主驾驶车辆）.They would define the driver’s role in such cars and govern how such cars perform in crashes where lives might be lost.
The proposal attempts to deal with what some call the “death valley” of autonomous vehicles: the grey area between semi-autonomous and fully driverless cars that could delay the driverless future.
Dobrindt wants three things: that a car always chooses property(财产）damage over personal injury; that it never distinguishes between humans based on age or race; and that if a human removes his or her hands from the driving wheel — to check email, say — the car’s maker is responsible if there is a crash.
“The change to the road traffic law will permit fully automatic driving,” says Dobrindt. It will put fully driverless cars on an equal legal footing to human drivers, he says.
Who is responsible for the operation of such vehicles is not clear among car makers, consumers and lawyers. “The liability(法律责任）issue is the biggest one of them all,” says Natasha Merat at the University of Leeds, UK.
An assumption behind UK insurance for driverless cars, introduced earlier this year, insists that a human “ be watchful and monitoring the road” at every moment.
But that is not what many people have in mind when thinking of driverless cars. “When you say ‘driverless cars”, people expect driverless cars.” Merat says “You know — no driver.”
Because of the confusion, Merat thinks some car makers will wait until vehicles can be fully automated without operation.
Driverless cars may end up being a form of public transport rather than vehicles you own, says Ryan Calo at Stanford University, California. That is happening in the UK and Singapore, where government-provided driverless vehicles are being launched.
That would go down poorly in the US, however. “The idea that the government would take over driverless cars and treat them as a public good would get absolutely nowhere here,” says Calo.
1. What does the phrase “death valley” in Paragraph 2 refer to?| A．A place where cars often break down. | B．A case where passing a law is impossible. |
| C．An area where no driving is permitted. | D．A situation where drivers’ role is not clear. |
| A．stop people from breaking traffic rules. | B．help promote fully automatic driving. |
| C．protect drivers of all ages and races. | D．prevent serious property damage. |
| A．It should get the attention of insurance companies. |
| B．It should be the main concern of law makers. |
| C．It should not cause deadly traffic accidents. |
| D．It should involve no human responsibility. |
| A．Singapore | B．the UK | C．the US | D．Germany |
6 . While many people dream of mermaids（美人鱼），few people actually try to become one.How can someone become a mermaid if they don’t exist?Just ask Dana Richardson,who is a professional mermaid in Hawaii!
“As a child,I always felt very connected to the ocean and played mermaids in the water,”says Dana.“My love of the ocean took me to different types of work such as a lifeguard,swim instructor,boat crew member,underwater photographer,boat captain and surfer.I just decided to take it to the next level and grow a tail.”
Dana doesn’t mean literally（照字面地）.In 2008 she began making mermaid tails from materials including shiny fabric（织物）that she wears while free-diving in the waters around Kona,Hawaii.Free-diving means diving without any protective equipment.It requires you to hold your breath while swimming deep underwater.As she dives in,Dana not only like a mermaid;she experiences what it is like to swim like one too.
The waters around Dana’s home in Kona are filled with wildlife,including dolphins and whales.Kona is by a sheltered sea where the waters are calm for swimming.For ten years Dana has been swimming with the creatures of Kona.Some of them have even learned to recognize her.
Dana knows how to swim with sea life because she is a trained marine(海洋的)naturalist.She understands the behavior of sea life and knows how to safely interact with it.Every morning when she swims with sea life she gets to experience her other“home”.“The ocean beneath the depths really is another world.Watching how the world works so gracefully in the circle of life underwater is a beautiful thing.”
For Dana Richardson being a mermaid just makes sense.“I always felt more comfortable underwater than on land,”she says.
Would you like to follow your dream,even if it seems impossible？Dana Richardson reminds everyone,“One person can truly make a difference.By following your heart and offering the world your unique gifts,you will inspire others to do so.The world needs you!”
1. What has been influencing Dana’s work experience most?| A．Her hobby | B．Her family |
| C．Her science teacher | D．Her swim instructor |
| A．She needs them to protect her. |
| B．She wants to swim like a mermaid. |
| C．She needs to make money with them. |
| D．She wants to take photos of mermaids. |
| A．get along well with sea life | B．discover her outstanding gifts |
| C．appreciate the beauty of other people | D．feel comfortable both underwater and on land |
| A．help those in need | B．love marine animals |
| C．try to realize their dreams | D．protect the marine environment |
7 . One rainy afternoon, I was on a crosstown bus when a young woman jumped on. She had a child with her who was about three or four years old. The bus was full, bumpy(颠簸的), and it soon got noisy, as her kid began crying — he was upset that he couldn't sit next to his mother. She looked embarrassed.
Then another woman, a little older, stood up and moved so that the mother and child could sit together. The mum smiled as a thank-you. And then three words came out of the older woman's mouth that raised the entire energy of that bus ride: “I've been there.”
Simple, undramatic, and honest. In that moment, it seemed to unite the diverse people of the city. Why? Because almost all experiences are shared human experiences. They're universal. We forget that as we go through life, focused on our own troubles and needs — which are actually less unique than we think.
Sometimes painful past experiences prevent us from wanting to open up to others because we don't want to revisit our own history. But a wonderful way to honor your past hurt is to help comfort another's current pain.
When I was a little girl, we lived on donations from local families and clothing from the " lost and found" baskets. It was shameful for me at the time — I lived in fear of being caught in a friend' s cast-off item.
Even when it was warmer, I refused to take off a layer in the classroom for this reason. Now I don't meet people who are in this exact situation, but I do notice when someone is struggling with financial shame or feels less than other people they meet. And I'm quick to say some version of, "I've been there."
Can the essence of these three words help you make a small difference right now? It can be as simple as volunteering your seat, sharing some helpful advice, or even lightening the mood with a joke when you notice that someone's uncomfortable — because we're all in this together.
1. What influence did the older woman's words have on the people around?| A．Causing discomfort. | B．Breaking long silence. |
| C．Creating a heated debate. | D．Inspiring common feelings. |
| A．They are mostly shared experiences. | B．They don't really matter to anyone' |
| C．They will be forgotten with time. | D．They are unique to each individual. |
| A．Because she had the same sweater with others. |
| B．Because she stole the sweater from someone' |
| C．Because she liked wearing the coat in summer. |
| D．Because she felt embarrassed wearing others' clothes. |
| A．Painful Experiences Are No Big Deal | B．The Best Way to Honor Your Past Hurt |
| C．True Happiness Comes from Helping Others | D．Three Little Words That Bring Us Together |
8 . According to the Study Abroad Trend Report for 2018, conducted by Chinese education website Eol. cn, the number of Chinese students who study abroad to gain a bachelor’s degree or below is rising, and the current group of Chinese overseas students is younger than those in the past years.
Du Xiying, a Beijing-based study-abroad agent, has first-hand experience working with this younger crop of students. “When I started this job some 10 years ago, almost all cases were filed by college graduates trying to apply for a master's degree in the US, UK, Australia and Canada,” said Du. “Now quite a number of my clients are high school graduates, and my company even transferred some experienced consultants to cover the increasing need of college-bound Chinese students.” However, in the eyes of Du, most of them are not ready to put themselves in a completely different context at such a young age. Although there are no statistics available, according to Du’s observations, college-bound high school graduates from China fall into two groups. There is a group of students from well-off families, with good grades and excellent command of English, and there is another group who did not do very well in their college entrance exams, so they seek to study abroad as a solution to their troubles. “In recent years, with the financial ability of Chinese families growing with the country's development, buying into college is very common,” said Du.
Complaints come from both destination schools in the US and parents of students. Going abroad at a young age needs a great deal of discipline(自律),and college students don't usually live at home-stays so they are free from management. A considerable quantity of students have ended with being dismissed(开除).
As to the dismissal issue, Du said it’s inevitable due to the large number of students crowding abroach. It’s just not easy to ensure quality. But she does think both students and parents should be responsible for their own investment of both time and money. “The worst case is that a family throws out 1 million yuan for their child to come home with nothing, not even fluent English,”said Du.
1. What change is mentioned in paragraph 1 and paragraph 2?| A．The age of Chinese students studying abroad is getting younger. |
| B．More Chinese students studying abroad are getting a master’s degree. |
| C．Excellent students prefer studying abroad to taking college entrance exams. |
| D．Chinese students’ grades are improving due to professional consultants’ help. |
| A．Most young students are qualified to study abroad. |
| B．Buying into schools could be a good solution to students’ problems. |
| C．Destination schools should be responsible for the management of students. |
| D．Parents and students should be cautious about the decision to study abroad. |
| A．They are not financially supported. |
| B．They are rejected by destination schools. |
| C．They can't live up to their parents’ expectations. |
| D．They can't live and study abroad independently. |
| A．Can’t be avoided. | B．Can’t be ignored. |
| C．Can’t be realized. | D．Can’t be predicted. |
9 . Best musicals and shows in London’s West End
Thriller-Live
See Thriller-Live, a musical in memory of Michael Jackson and the J acksons. The show joined London’s West End after three UK tours and popularity across Europe. Celebrate the career of the King of Pop during non-stop hits at this top London theatre show.
Prices from £32.72
The Phantom of the Opera
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s famous musical, The Phantom of the Opera, tells the tale of a shadowy character who attempts to make Christina the leading lady of the Paris Opera. With a fantastic plot and breathtaking scene, this long- running show is one of the must-see musicals in London.
Prices: from £30.75
The Book of Mormon
This comedy musical follows the plight of a pair of teenage Mormon missionaries sent to convert a village in a dangerous part of Uganda. The brainchild of South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, The Book of Mormon has won nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
Prices: from £24.60
Matilda The Musical
Be wowed by the Royal Shakespeare Company’s multi-award-winning production of Matilda The Musical. Roald Dahl’s celebrated story bursts into life in this West End musical by Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin. Children and adults alike will be delighted by the little girl with an extraordinary imagination.
Prices: from £24.00
1. What is The Phantom of the Opera special for?
| A．Its attractive story. | B．Its beautiful songs. |
| C．Its excellent costumes. | D．Its experienced actors. |
| A．Thriller-Live | B．Matilda The Musical |
| C．The Book of Mormon | D．The Phantom of the Opera |
| A．Evaluate musicals. | B．Criticize musicals. |
| C．Analyze musicals. | D．Advertise musicals. |
10 . Staying connected
When Central Bucks South became one of the first Philadelphia-area high schools to close because of the fear of novel coronavirus exposure in early March, 16-year-old sophomore Andrew Chen knew that things were not going to return to normal as quickly as some of his peers hoped.
But still, the change from seeing his friends on the swim team during daily practices to learning alone at home was jarring.
“I only have three years here at South, and it pains me to see one of them being wasted,” Chen said.
The coronavirus has changed everyone’s lives, but for students, the disruption feels particularly serious. Schools closed and graduation ceremonies were put off. Summer plans, such as camps, are up in the air.
But right now, many students are trying to stay connected, struggling with false information, and finding out the best ways they can help – through online method.
For Josh Harycki, 17, a senior student at the Shipley School in Philadelphia, the best way to help was to create a “social distancing promise” for young people.
“I saw a lot of young people not paying attention,” he said. “They were … still going out, hanging out with others. I thought that there had to be a way to reach younger people, who were possibly not watching the news.”
Harycki started a call to action on social media and then built a website with a map that followed and kept the locations of people who’d signed the promise. The site also shares links to accurate sources of information like the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Harycki knows that his peers are worried they can’t connected with their friends in the same way, so he created the social distancing promise to strengthen that although everyone might be physically distant, they’re still connected.
“Part of what we’re showing is that you might feel like you’re the only one taking this seriously, but our map shows that you’re not alone,” he said.
1. What does the underlined word “jarring” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．natural |
| B．necessary |
| C．worrying |
| D．reasonable |
| A．Friends who are worried and bored. |
| B．Young people not aware of the situation. |
| C．Younger students trying to help. |
| D．People taking the coronavirus seriously. |
| A．To order young people to stay at home. |
| B．To follow those infected with the coronavirus. |
| C．To tell young folks of latest news about the coronavirus. |
| D．To show young people that they are still connected. |
| A．To explain what worried students most when schools closed. |
| B．To show the different views of students toward the coronavirus. |
| C．To show how the coronavirus affected students’ lives. |
| D．To explain the proper reaction to the close of school. |
