1 . Voluntourism — a new trend (趋势) of volunteer tourism
Have you ever thought about going abroad to volunteer? Nowadays there’s a trend that more and more people are interested in volunteer tourism.
Making a difference in a country less lucky than your own is seen by most as a really good thing to do. More and more volunteers are seeking meaning and a sense of purpose in life. “They use their skills to help on projects abroad, such as building hospitals, teaching English in schools, looking after children in orphanages (孤儿院), etc.”
However, some people are against this so-called “voluntourism”. Volunteers take away jobs from locals who would have otherwise done that work. Yes, sometimes volunteers have specific knowledge which can benefit communities, such as IT skills or speaking English as a native language. But sometimes they are put to work on construction sites (建筑工地), for example, depriving (使失去) locals of a job on project.
Besides, many young travelers are untrained for the role. This could become a health and safety problem on construction sites or when caring for children. I volunteered myself last year in a library and school in Ghana. I helped to reshelve books, talked to the librarian about the running of the library and played games with the children. However, I’m not an experienced teacher or librarian, and I felt like the locals were far too trusting of my opinions and decisions, just because I come from a more developed country.
Furthermore, volunteer tourism is seen by some as just that-an industry, a way for companies to make money. About $2 billion was spent by volunteers in 2015.Surely it would be better if this money were directly given to places where it is needed the most. Instead, most of the money is going to tourism companies, while local communities only see a very small amount of it. I met some Danish girls who had paid €7,000 each to a company to volunteer at an orphanage, but very little was spent on the orphanage itself.
I think volunteering abroad helps us develop as a person, and is a shining addition to a CV. Volunteer projects are usually very valuable for communities, but often good for those who take part in voluntary work just as much, if not more, as those they are helping.
1. What do we learn about volunteers working abroad?A.They have no safety problems. |
B.They may cause the locals out of job. |
C.They become less willing to be volunteers. |
D.They would like to work in richer countries. |
A.Volunteer tourism has become an industry. |
B.Volunteers spend lots of money helping with the charity work. |
C.Some volunteer travelers are very experienced and suitable for the role. |
D.Volunteer tourism provides locals with more and more job opportunities. |
A.Voluntourism offers volunteers good jobs. |
B.Volunteering gives a lot to poor countries. |
C.Voluntourism brings volunteers advantages. |
D.The quality of volunteering needs improving. |
I:Introduction P:Point Sp:Sub-point (次要点) c:Conclusion
A. | B. | C. | D. |
2 . Sunday evening, October 30, 1938, was peaceful in New York City. Some people were returning home from a trip to the countryside, and others were sitting down to dinner. In those days, televisions were not very common. Most people listened to the radio for news and entertainment.
At eight o’clock that evening, there was a concert of dance music, but Suddenly, the programme was cut off by a news report: a large spaceship had landed in a field and an army of Martians (火星人) was moving towards New York City and then the radio went silent.
People felt worried. Some drove out of the city as quickly as possible, but soon the roads were crowded with cars. Some people put wet towels on their faces because they thought there was a gas attack. In New Jersey, some farmers went out with guns. Although it was dark, they found a large cylinder (圆柱体) standing in a field, and, thinking it was the Martian spaceship, the shot at it many times.
Many people were so frightened that they did not hear the next announcement on the radio: “Ladies and gentlemen, you are listening to a radio play called The War of the Worlds.”
A message was sent to police stations that there was no real Martian attack, and the police Offices soon returned calm to New York City.
Many people were very angry that they had been fooled by the play, and complained to the radio station. But what about the spaceship that the farmers found in the field? The next morning, they found that they had damaged a large water tank (罐)!
1. According to the news report, ___________.A.a Martian spaceship had landed | B.a spaceship was found at the airport |
C.there would be a concert that evening | D.there was a gas attack in New York City |
A.many people wanted to see the Martians |
B.the Martian army was standing in the way |
C.people were trying to get home from work |
D.many people were trying to leave New York City |
A.Policemen. | B.Firemen. | C.Dancers. | D.Farmers. |
A.it was fooled by a news reporter. |
B.It played a joke on the listeners. |
C.It called the police to catch the Martians. |
D.It often announced the news about spaceships. |
Once upon a time, in a small town lived a man
Unfortunately, in 1995 disaster
As you can see, the reason
6 . As I walked into the primary school, I looked down at my new black Mary Jane shoes — I wanted to be anywhere in the world but Fountain Inn Elementary School.
I stood at Mrs. Blackstone’s door. Before I tried the great escape, the wooden door suddenly opened to the singsong voice of Mrs. Blackstone, my new fifth grade teacher.
“We’ve been waiting on you!” she said in an unusually high voice. With a smile my mom walked away and I was left standing in the center stage in front of a group of students.
Over the next few days, Mrs. Blackstone made it her job to find me a new best friend and help me join a choir. During history lessons, as I didn’t want to speak in front of the class she would not only call on me but have me stand up to address my classmates. She laughed at my nervousness when I wouldn’t get in line to sharpen my pencil for fear of being embarrassed. Her silliness made me smile and finally feel much more relaxed in the new environment.
One spring afternoon, Mrs. Blackstone asked me to stay after class.
“I’d like to speak with you, Amanda”
My mind raced. Had I made a bad grade? Had I hurt someone’s feelings?
“Are you enjoying your new school?” She sat comfortably behind her desk.
“I want to tell you something, between you and me, not to be shared with anyone else.”
“Okay.” My throat all of a sudden felt very dry.
With her eyebrows raised she said. “I see something special in you. The way you communicate with others, the kindness you show — I think you have great potential to be something very important.”
I listened attentively to every word.
“I’ve been a teacher for over twenty-five years; I can see it. But you must believe in yourself. That’s very important. Remember that and you will go far.”
She then hugged me and said, “See you tomorrow.”
Her singing voice was music to my ears that day. I walked out of her class, not staring at my Mary Jane shoes, but looking straight ahead with my head high. My teacher saw something special in me!
1. What can we know about the author from the first two paragraphs?A.She went to school unwillingly. | B.She liked the new school very much. |
C.She was afraid of her new teacher. | D.She liked her teacher’s singing. |
A.To tell her about her grades. | B.To encourage her to be confident. |
C.To help her realize her mistakes. | D.To make her feel cared and loved. |
A.A Teacher for Every Child | B.An Unforgettable Lesson |
C.Magical Words | D.Special Treatment |
7 . The Sydney Opera House has become, with the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney’s best-known landmark and international symbol.
The base for the building was started in 1959 — years before the designs were finished. It took four years to design by Danish architect Jorn Utzon and by 1962 the designs were finalized and construction began. In total, it took 14 years to build and was officially opened on the 20th of October 1973 by Queen Elizabeth II.
The Sydney Opera House is a fascinating building and heart of the city’s cultural scene. It opened with a concert hall, an opera theatre, a drama theatre and a recital (音乐演奏会) hall, as well as restaurants and bars. A fifth theatre was added within the structure in 1998.
The Sydney Opera House cost some $160 million to build and was paid for by the public who bought $10 tickets in a series of lotteries with a first prize of $1million.
More information about the Sydney Opera House:
Conducts 3,000 events each year
Provides guided tours to 200,000 people each year
Has an annual audience of 2 million for its performances
includes 1,000 rooms
Is 185 metres long and 120 metres wide
Has 2.194 pre-cast concrete sections as its roof
Has roof sections weighing up to 15 tons
Has roof sections held together by 350 kms of tensioned steel cable
Has over 1 million tiles on the roof
Uses 6,225 square metres of glass and 645 kilometres of electric cable
1. When were the designs of the Sydney Opera House started?A.In1960. | B.In1962. | C.In1958. | D.In1973. |
A.a drama theatre | B.an opera theatre |
C.a concert hall | D.a reception hall |
A.The Sydney Opera House has an audience of 2 million per year for its performances. |
B.There are about 3,000 events held in the Sydney Opera House each year. |
C.The Sydney Opera House is made up of more than 1,000 rooms. |
D.The roof of the Sydney Opera House is made of concrete and steel. |
8 . In high school I had a math teacher, Mrs. Davies, who took her job seriously and expected her students to put forth the same degree of commitment (付出). Strict but fair, she held our attention with her great method. One of her classes was for students who were more advanced academically. I chose to
One Friday we were tested
Our test papers were handed back the following Monday. Everyone received a “C” except for me. To my surprise, I received an “A”. I
My teacher would have been justified (合理的) in giving me a
A.run | B.take | C.teach | D.like |
A.compared | B.struggled | C.connected | D.argued |
A.on | B.at | C.in | D.for |
A.tired | B.curious | C.lost | D.satisfied |
A.effect | B.end | C.answer | D.interest |
A.hoped | B.assumed | C.declared | D.dreamed |
A.angrily | B.regretfully | C.disappointedly | D.nervously |
A.Since | B.Unless | C.Though | D.Because |
A.friendly | B.failing | C.corrected | D.wrong |
A.learn | B.survive | C.inspire | D.manage |
China is
The gesture for “OK” has different meanings in different cultures. In Japan, someone