1 . Distance or Face-to-Face Learning: What’s the Difference?
Although many people think it is a modern phenomenon, distance learning has been around for at least 200 years in one form or another.
When comparing the two systems, the first and most obvious area to focus on is the way that learning is delivered. Distance learning is heavily dependent on technology, particularly the internet.
In conclusion, it is difficult to state whether one form of learning is better than another, as they cater for different audiences. What is important to understand is the different ways in which they operate, and that there are strong similarities between the two systems, which can both produce positive results.
A.Historical examples of long-distance learning include students being sent a series of weekly lessons by post. |
B.On the contrary, distance learning can happen at any time and in any location, since the learning is not restricted by geography. |
C.On a face-to-face course, students may only require a computer for the purpose of writing an essay. |
D.The technological advances of the past 20 or so years have meant that distance learning is now able to rival face-to-face learning as a credible alternative. |
E.For many students, interaction with their peers is one of the best aspects of university education. |
F.In terms of the teacher-student relationship, the core principles remain the same. |
Let it go
Song: Let it Go(2013)on Disney’s Frozen soundtrack
Meaning: If you “let go” of a bad feeling or memory, you stop thinking about it or being upset by it; literally, if you “let go” of something, you stop holding onto it with your hands.
Example: I know you are upset that she left you, but you have to let it go and get on with your life.
Turn the page
Song: Turn the Page(1973) on the album Back in '72 album by Bob Seger
Meaning: If you “turn the page”, you forget about the past and start your life again after a bad period. Literally, if you “turn the page” while reading, you go to the next page in a book and start reading that one.
Example: “Six months after her divorce, she decided to turn the page and start a new relationship.”
Rock the boat
Song: Rock the boat(1974)on the album Freedom for the Stallion by the Hues Corporation
Meaning: If you “rock the boat”, you do or say something that might upset people or cause problems or trouble. Literally, if you “rock a boat” (a small one), you move if from side to side, often to frighten other people.
Example: during the dinner, I didn’t want to rock the boat, so I kept quiet about the terrible money situation.
Let your hair down
Song: Let your Hair down(2014) on the album Don’t kill the Magic by Magic.
Meaning: If you “let your hair down”, you act more freely than usual and really enjoy yourself. Literally, if someone with long hair “lets their hair down”. they untie it and let it fall freely.
Example: “Come on, this is a party!Let your hair down and have some fun!”
Poker face
Song: Poker face(2008) on the album The Fame by Lady Gaga.
Meaning: If you have a “poke face”, you have a neutral expression on your face that doesn’t show an emotion, and which doesn’t let other people know that what you are thinking or feeling. Literally, during a game of poker ,players often have a “poker face” (a neutral expression),so they do not give other players any information about which cards they might have.
Example: “It is often useful to keep a poker face during business negotiations.”
1. One can comfort a friend who has failed an exam by saying “_____ ,” as quoted in a 1970s song.
A.let it go | B.let your hair down | C.turn the page | D.keep a poker face |
A.The diners were likely to be short of capital. |
B.The restaurant chef was probably in heavy debt. |
C.The speaker was confident of an economic boom. |
D.The boat owner threatened to withdraw his funds. |
A.Magic of English Idioms in Animations |
B.Idioms-Inspiration for Popular Music |
C.Cheer Yourself up in the World of Music |
D.Useful Idioms from Popular Song Titles |
A. stems B. insecure C. squeezed D. individual E. glued F. spreading G. head H. simply I. distracting J. spacious K. originally |
You’ll Often Walk Alone
There has been a quiet pandemic (流行病) developing while most people’s attention has been on Covid-19. The lockdown has worsened a problem that has been
Part of the problem
Perhaps loneliness relates to human history. Mass urbanization is a relatively recent development; if the history of human existence was
Some changes in behavior are owing to
4 . Women are still underrepresented in top academic positions. One of the possible explanations for this is the increasing importance of obtaining research funding. Women are often less successful in this than men. Psychology researchers Dr. Romy van der Lee and professor Naomi Ellemers investigated whether this difference also occurs at the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) and examined potential explanations.
The researchers were assigned by NWO to carry out this study as part of the broader evaluation of NWO’s procedures and its gender diversity policy. The aim was to gain more insight into the causes of the differences in awarding rates for male and female applicants for research funding. The analysis addressed an important “talent programme” of NWO, the Veni grant. “Whoever receives this grant has a greater chance of obtaining an important appointment at a university, ” says Naomi Ellemers.
Van der Lee and Ellemers investigated all the applications submitted by male and female researchers over a period of three years: a total of 2823 applications. Under the direction of NWO these applications were assessed by scientific committees consisting of men and women. The results demonstrate that the awarding rates for female applicants (14.9%) are systematically lower than those for male applicants (17.7%). “If we compare the proportion of women among the applicants with the proportion of women among those awarded funding, we see a loss of 4%,” said Ellemers.
The study reveals that women are less positively evaluated for their qualities as researcher than men are, “Interestingly the research proposals of women and men are evaluated equally positively. In other words, the reviewers see no difference in the quality of the proposals that men and women submit,” says Romy van der Lee.
In search for a possible cause for the differences in awarding rates and evaluations, the researchers also investigated the language use in the instructions and forms used to assess the quality of applications. This clearly revealed the occurrence of gendered language. The words that are used to indicate quality are frequently words that were established in previous research as referring mainly to the male gender stereotype (such as challenging and excellent). Romy van der Lee explains: “As a result, it appears that men more easily satisfy the assessment criteria, because these better fit the characteristics stereoty-pically associated with men.”
In response to the results of this research, NWO will devote more attention to the gender awareness of reviewers in its methods and procedures. It will also be investigated which changes to the assessment procedures and criteria can most strongly contribute to more equal chances for men and women to obtain research funding. This will include an examination of the language used by NWO. NWO chair Jos Engelens said, “The research has yielded valuable results and insights. Based on the recommendations made by the researchers we will therefore focus in the coming period on the development of evidence-based measures to reduce the difference in awarding rates.”
1. Van der Lee and Ellemers carried out the research to find out whether _________.A.women are less successful than men in top academic positions |
B.female applicants are at a disadvantage in getting research funding |
C.NOW’s procedures and gender diversity policy enhance fair play |
D.there are equal chances for men and women to be admitted to a university |
A.grant receivers were more likely to get appointments at universities |
B.men applicants for research funding outnumbered women applicants |
C.the research proposals of women are equally treated with those of men |
D.the reviewers have narrow, prejudiced conceptions of women candidates |
A.The words used in the instructions and forms. |
B.The reviewers’ preference to applications. |
C.The methods and procedures for evaluation. |
D.The vague and unclear assessment criteria. |
A.Eliminate possibilities for difference in awarding rates. |
B.Design a language examination for all the reviewers. |
C.Emphasize the importance of gender awareness. |
D.Improve the assessment procedures and criteria. |
5 . The Old Man and The Sea
The old man took one look at the great fish as he watched the shark close in.
The shark closed fast on the boat and when he hit the fish the old man saw his mouth open and his strange eyes and his sharp teeth as he drove forward in the meat just above the tail. The old man could hear the noise of skin and flesh ripping on the big fish when he threw the fishing spear(叉)into the shark’s head at a place where the line between his eyes crossed with the line that ran straight back from his nose. There were no such lines.
The shark turned over and the old man saw his eye was not alive and then he turned over once again, wrapping himself in the rope.
A.Finally, he wanted to give up because of lack of strength. |
B.It was hard for me to escape from the shark but I will try. |
C.But that was the location of the brain and the old man hit it. |
D.The old man knew that he was dead but the shark would not accept it. |
E.I cannot keep him from hitting me, he thought, but maybe I can get him. |
F.The shark lay quietly for a little while on the surface and the old man watched him. |
6 . 1. Blood is blue inside your body.
Human blood is the same color inside your body as it is outside: red. Our veins look blue because the tissue covering them changes the way light is absorbed and scattered, which affects our perception of their color.
2. Paul Revere shouted “The British are coming!”
You can thank Henry Weds-worth Longfellow and his poem “Paul Revere’s Ride” for spreading that tale. No one knows what, if anything. Revere shouted through the streets of Lexington, Massachusetts, though we don know he told one guard that “the regulars are coming out.”
3. The hottest part of a chill pepper is the seeds
Capsaicia, a chemical compound that binds to the pain receptors on our nerves to produce that very heat, is most concennrated in the inner white rib of the chili pepper. The seeds don’t actually contain any capsaicin, but they may be coated in it because they touch the rib.
4. Jesus Christ was born on December 25.
The Gospels of Matthew and Luke never mention the date of Jesus’s birth. So why do we celebrate December 25 as the day that Christ was born? It could be because of a Roman Catholic historian from the third century, Sextus Julios Africanus, who believed Jesus was conceived on March 25 - nine months before what is now Christmas Day.
5. The Sahara is the world’s largest desert.
Technically, Antarctica is. The U. S. Geological Survey defines a desert as “arid land with meager rainfall [usually less than ten inches per year] that supports only sparse vegetation and a limited population of people and animals.” Antarctica averages only six inches of rain a year (mostly as snow) and is almost 5.5 million square miles. The Sahara is only 3.3 million square miles.
6. Chameleorts can change their coloring to match any background.
The lizards do adjust their skin tone to camouflage themselves in certain environments, but their color range is limited. The really vibrant hues you see on TV and in books aren’t usually meant for tricking predators. Those chameleons are trying to attract a mate or defend their territory. Male chameleons have even been known to change their colors to appear female, which helps them sneak by other males without the threat or fight.
1. It is _________ that essentially make(s) the pepper taste spicy.A.the concentration of capsaicin | B.the coating of the seeds |
C.the pain receptors on our nerves | D.the size of the inner rib |
A.The Sahara isn’t seen as the world’s largest desert because it receives less rain than Antarctica. |
B.Chameleons change their coloring to serve purposes other than fooling their enemies. |
C.Wads-worth witnessed Paul Revere shout “The British are coming” with his own eyes. |
D.The absorption of light by the tissue changes the blood inside our body from red into blue. |
A.Discoveries That Are Amazing | B.Facts That Are Misleading |
C.Findings That Are Significant | D.Myths That Are Unknown |
Hi, everyone.
Traditionally,
Of course, the events of 2020 haven’t shown a lot of respect for our traditions. In a year of so much tragedy, it can be tough to give thanks when you’re doing your best to get by. And far too many of us will have to gather around a table with an empty chair, if we were able to gather together at all.
One thing, though, we can say about 2020 is that it forced us all to cherish what is most important, what’s most meaningful in our lives. To stop taking things for granted,
Throughout this challenging year, I’ve been moved, again and again, by the sacrifices so many were willing to make on behalf of others. The healthcare professionals who risked their lives to save ours. The workers who have kept our lights on and our shelves stocked, always essential to our economy, but finally
These are exactly the leaders Michelle and I started our Foundation to support. We always thought they
What we learned in 2020 is that these emerging leaders aren’t just building a brighter future, they’re safeguarding our present. In hard times, they are the ones who’ve given me solace. It’s
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everybody.
—Quoted from Barack Obama’s Christmas speech in 2020
8 . Intrigued by Maya civilization from a very young age, 15-year-old Canadian William Gadoury thought he had made an incredible discovery from his study of ancient star charts. Through comparison, he found that the locations of the 117 known Maya cities correspond to the positions of the stars. Based on this, he believed he had spotted an unknown Maya city buried deep in the jungle.
It isn’t difficult to see why. Extending south from parts of what we now know as Mexico into Central America, Maya civilization has been surrounded by mystery since its rediscovery in the 19th century. The Maya built impressive palaces and temples, including their representative step pyramids. What is most extraordinary about these complex structures is how they were built without the use of wheels, metal tools or even animal power. The Maya’s understanding of mathematics and astronomy was also quite amazing.
The fact that Maya society was technologically primitive makes its achievements all the more incredible and mysterious.
Why Maya civilization collapsed remains a mystery. Was it a natural disaster? A deadly disease? Conflicts between cities? Or was it a combination of several different factors?
Whatever the reasons, Maya civilization largely disappeared within the deep jungle. Its once—great cities fell into ruin, leaving various mysteries for later people to solve.
A.Research suggests that those natural disasters may have led to the decline of the Maya. |
B.But the greatest mystery of all is what caused the Maya to abandon most of their great cities. |
C.It turned out that the lucky boy hit the jackpot and the Maya city was eventually brought to light. |
D.Some research seems to indicate that the Maya people themselves may have played a part in their downfall. |
E.Although his theory has been dismissed by scholars, it shows how powerful the secrets of Ancient Maya civilization are among people. |
F.They applied this understanding to the Maya calendar, which was accurate to within 30 seconds per year. |
9 . No Guts, No Glory? The Fear and Attraction of Risky Winter Sports
Once I went flying off the side of a mountain on skis. Certainly, I didn’t mean to. Before I
The Winter Olympics are here, and I’ll be astonished with my heart in my mouth, watching ski-jumping and people hurtling downhill at
It
Eric Brymer and Robert Schweitzer asked people who had been doing an extreme sport for many years, to reflect
For me, reading what the research participants said was
I have an almost total lack of mastery of winter sports. The contrast between my enthusiasm and lack of skill
Perhaps the best
A.left | B.hit | C.flew | D.lost |
A.short-lived | B.mind-numbing | C.break-neck | D.long-drawn-out |
A.turns | B.hangs | C.takes | D.bursts |
A.applauded | B.prohibited | C.recommended | D.challenged |
A.interest | B.respect | C.priority | D.price |
A.simple | B.straightforward | C.complicated | D.close |
A.swiftly | B.deeply | C.intensely | D.temporarily |
A.identify | B.dread | C.treasure | D.conduct |
A.experience | B.society | C.fear | D.environment |
A.enlightening | B.distressing | C.entertaining | D.confusing |
A.Hence | B.Furthermore | C.Rather | D.However |
A.scene | B.picture | C.odds | D.straw |
A.stands for | B.accounts for | C.checks out | D.points out |
A.belt | B.helmet | C.protection | D.blade |
A.take-away | B.carry-out | C.take-off | D.try-out |
A. celebrated B. ideals C. currently D. enlarged E. formerly F. incomparable G. laid H. referred I. restored J. scale K. seat |
If you only had an afternoon to experience London on a grand
A royal palace was said to have existed at the site under the Danish king of England Canute. The building, however, spoken of by William Fitzstephen as a(n) “
Sir Charles Barry, assisted by A.W.N. Pugin, designed the present buildings in the Gothic Revival style. Construction was begun in 1837, the cornerstone was
The Palace is one of the centers of political life in the United Kingdom; “Westminster” has become a metaphor for the UK Parliament and the British Government. The Elizabeth Tower, in particular, often