1 . Of all the changes that have taken place in English-language newspapers during the past quarter-century, perhaps the most far-reaching one has been the inevitable decline in the scope and seriousness of their arts coverage.

It is difficult to the point of impossibility for the average reader under the age of forty to imagine a time when high-quality arts criticism could be found in most big-city newspapers. Yet a considerable number of the most significant collections of criticism published in the 20th century consisted in large part of newspaper reviews. To read such books today is to marvel at the fact that their learned contents were once considered suitable for publication in general-circulation dailies.

We are even farther removed from the unfocused newspaper reviews published in England between the turn of the 20th century and the eve of World War II, at a time when newsprint was dirt-cheap and stylish arts criticism was considered an ornament (装饰) to the publications in which it appeared. In those far-off days, it was taken for granted that the critics of major papers would write in detail and at length about the events they covered. Theirs was a serious business, and even those reviewers who wore their learning lightly, like George Bernard Shaw and Ernest Newman, could be trusted to know what they were about. These men believed in journalism as a calling, and were proud to be published in the daily press. “So few authors have brains enough or literary gift enough to keep their own end up in journalism,” Newman wrote, “that I am tempted to define ‘journalism’ as ‘a term of contempt applied by writers who are not read to writers who are’.”

Unfortunately, these critics are virtually forgotten. Neville Cardus, who wrote for the Manchester Guardian from 1917 until shortly before his death in 1975, is now known solely as a writer of essays on the game of cricket. During his lifetime, though, he was also one of England’s foremost classical-music critics, a stylist so widely admired that his Autobiography (1947) became a best-seller. He was knighted in 1967, the first music critic to be so honored. Yet only one of his books is now in print, and his vast body of writings on music is unknown save to specialists.

Is there any chance that Cardus’s criticism will enjoy a revival? The prospect seems remote. Journalistic tastes had changed long before his death, and postmodern readers have little use for the richly upholstered Vicwardian prose in which he specialized. Moreover, the amateur tradition in music criticism has been in headlong retreat.

1. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the first two paragraphs?

A．English-language newspapers with more arts coverage sell well.

B．Young readers nowadays enjoy reading high-quality arts criticism.

C．The criticism published in the 20th century lacked learned contents.

D．There were more arts reviews in English-language newspapers in the past.

2. Based on the third paragraph, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．The newsprint was too cheap to make profits.

B．Not all writers were capable of journalistic writing.

C．Arts criticism was removed from the print newspapers.

D．Writers are likely to be tempted into journalism.

3. Why was Cardus’s criticism no longer popular?

A．Because he mainly wrote essays on the game of cricket.

B．Because people cast doubt on his reputation as a knight.

C．Because his music criticism failed to appeal to readers nowadays.

D．Because his works were quite amateur rather than professional.

4. Which of the following is the best title for this passage?

A．The Distinguished Critics in Memory	B．The Lost Horizon in Newspapers
C．The Shortage of Literary Geniuses	D．The Newspapers of the Good Old Days

4 . Directions: Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main point(s) of the following passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.

With the arrival of the age of “information economy”, intellectual work is becoming a more important source of wealth than manufacturing. Organizations in all walks of life are doing more to spread their information. So people of the Public Relations are hired to speak for them. A lot of our news is actually collected from press releases and reports of events intentionally staged for journalists. In the information age, journalists spend their time, not investigating, but passing on the words of a spokesperson.

There is a joke in the novel Scoop about the newspaper's owner, Lord Copper. The editors can never disagree with him. When he's right about something they answer “definitely”, and when he's wrong they say “to some extent, Lord Copper.” It seems reasonable to suppose that, in the real world, the opinions of such powerful people still influence the journalists and editors who work for them.

In countries where the news is not officially controlled, it may be provided by commercial organizations who depend on advertising. The news has to attract viewers and maintain its audience ratings. I suspect that some stories get air-time just because there happen to be exciting pictures to show.

There is an argument that with spreading access to the Internet and cheap technology for recording sound and images we will all be able to find exactly the information we want. People around the world will be able to publish their own eye-witness accounts and compete with the widely-accepted news-gatherers on equal terms.

Maybe the time has come to do something about it, and I don't just mean changing your choice of TV channel or newspaper. In a world where everyone wants you to listen to their version, you only have two choices: switch off altogether or start looking for sources you can trust.

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5 . Directions: Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main point(s) of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.

For many well-educated travelers, buying a copy of Lonely Planet is the first task before taking a vacation abroad. Founded in 1973, Lonely Planet is the biggest guidebook series in many countries. It’s published in 11 languages including Chinese.

But when the BBC confirmed on March 19 that it had sold the entire Lonely Planet series to a US billionaire at a significant deficit(赤字), many commented that the deal sang the swan song for the printed guidebook.

The rise of the Internet and the prevalence of smartphones have become a burden on the print media. Why would travelers bring a heavy guidebook when they can download the apps to their smartphone in an instant? Furthermore, alternative and free travel content is readily available on the Internet, from Wikivoyage to TripAdvisor which provide excellent guidance on your trips.

But the Internet is not the only reason that guidebooks are in decline. It is also widely accepted that the physical guidebook has such complete content that can kill any sense of personal exploration. With the guide books, all those backpacker feet ended up following routine trade routes, and in those routes was little room for initiative.

It’s also pointed out that the guidebook is not exactly good for tourism. Often the shops and restaurants that thrived on a recommendation in the guidebook relaxed and discovered that it didn’t matter: the legions of eager travelers keep on coming anyway.   They gradually become uncompetitive.

And yet, despite the rise of new media, it’s believed there is still a place for printed guidebooks, at least for the time being as books still offer readers the kind of feeling that virtual tools can’t provide, more of a compelling, touchable interaction.

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6 . Questions are based on the following passage.
1.

A．Children looking for future husband and wife for their parents.

B．Children trying to earn wedding fund for their parents.

C．Children making plans for their parents’ wedding day.

D．Children taking part in their parents’ wedding ceremony.

2.

A．Wedding dress.	B．Wedding style.
C．Food for wedding banquet.	D．Honeymoon destination.

3.

A．The difficulties modern marriage meets.

B．The good relationship between British children and parents.

C．The unconventional weddings in modern Britain.

D．The new marriage concepts combined with traditions.

7 . When considering housing options at the University of Waterloo in Canada, Nigerian undergraduate student Ayooluwa Solaja chose a Living Learning Community, a residential house focused on a theme or academic interest area. Solaja lived on campus with 10 to 1s other students in the Arts and Business LLC.

Three reasons may account for the prospective international stadents willingness

to consider LLCS.

1. Connect with like-minded students: Prospective international students can choose an LLC to fully experience college life in a new country and find immediate support among residents: Unlike other housing arrangements, LLCS can provide a built-in community of like-minded individuals

Solaja says a highlight of her experience in the LLC was"forming relationships with upper-year students in my program. This peer leader provided her with everything from academic support to guidance on how to survive Canadian winters. Many LLCS have upper-division students who serve as peer leaders.

Australian Natasha Fitzpatrick says she's happy to share her love for travel and cultural exploration. "A group of us hired a car and traveled down to North Carolina sightseeing.”

2. Participate in community activities: For those worried about being on the outside as a new international student, LLCS encourage participation through various on-and off-campus activities. For example, students in a fashion LLC have attended Toronto Fashion week

Through LLCS, international students will have more opportunities to interact with domestic students, faculty and staff members outside classrooms,"says Shijuan Laurel Liu, assistant professor of Chinese and a partner with the Global Awareness LLC. In a Chinese New Year celebration associated with the LLC, for instance, students from her language and culture courses worked with Chinese students to introduce Chinese culture to the community

Solaja says coming from a different education system in Nigeria with sometimes unapproachable professors, she enjoyed LLC on-campus events like when she played board games with Waterloo professors and academic advisers.

3. Network for job opportunities: International students who plan to gain work experience in the country they study in can benefit from LLCS that are associated with campus departments and staff. This can provide them with chances to network and inquire about work opportunities.

Liu says when Chinese tutoring positions and graduate assistantships became available, she thought of international students from the Global Awareness LLC who previously helped her organize events. She also wrote reference letters for those students when they applied to graduate school.

Robert C. Demezzo, director of residence life at Southern Connecticut State University, says LLCS "help many international students secure employment on campus.

Solaja says her year living in Waterloo's Arts and Business LLC was one of her best decisions." You get what you put into the program," she says.

1. What impressed Solaja most in the LLC?

A．A group of students in the LLC rented a car to travel together

B．She got a reference letter when she applied to graduate school.

C．The peer leaders shared their experience both in study and daily life

D．They celebrate the Chinese New Year together with an assistant professor

2. Who are more likely to get Job opportunities?

A．Students who have participated in more on-campus events.

B．Students with better language skills especially in Chinese.

C．Students who have global awareness and interest in network.

D．Students with more working experience through LLCs.

3. Which of the following statements is FALSE?

A．Various activities help international students get oriented to the new life

B．Individuals with similar minds will have the same career prospect.

C．Each LLC focuses on a particular theme or academic interest area,

D．LLCS Provide opportunities of communicating with domestic students

4. Which of the following CANNOT be inferred from the passage?

A．The teachers in Nigeria seldom participate in off-campus activities

B．Many overseas students are not accustomed to the winter in Canada

C．The campus staff offer international students some academic support.

D．LLCS help many international students find jobs after graduation

8 . Although it is difficult to make direct year-to-year comparisons because of increase in viewing on digital devices, the trend over the past decade is clear in numerous studies, including the Nielsen ratings. The average age of those who watch nationally televised Major League Baseball games has been _____ these years. Asked in a survey whether they _____ baseball, nearly two-thirds of those ages 18 to 36 said no.

Michael Haupert, a professor of economics at the University of Wisconsin ----la Crosse who studies baseball as a business, explains why many young people might be _____ by what to an older and more knowledgeable fan is one of the most exciting experiences in sports: a no-hitter. ” Failure is more ______ than success,” he says. ”If my students get a third of the answers right on their test, they fail. However, if a ballplayer gets a hit a third of the time, he’s often one of the _____ .” But watch an NBA game for 15 seconds, and you will likely see one team score.

It is not surprising that ______ the length of games----about three hours in recent years-----and increasing the pace of action has become a subject of discussion among those who love baseball. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred is strongly ______ of both. For the 2018 season, the league issued a set of new rules designed to do just that. Mound visits are limited. A timer countdown is designed to shorten the break between innings(局).

No one knows if any of these changes will significantly shorten games. According to MLB, the average length of a nine-inning outing this season has been three hours---about five minutes shorter than the 2017 average, itself the longest mean on record.

All of those proposed changes seem to ______ the point. I interviewed at least 100 semi-fans in their late teens and early 20s for my recent book. All considered themselves fans to some degree, though they ______   watched more than snatches—on iPads or smartphones. They told me it made no difference whether a game lasted two or three hours: they would not pay attention for _____ amount of time.

The historic May 14 Supreme Court decision allowing all states to legalize sports betting could have an impact on all this. More people will soon be able to gamble on sports while watching a game on their couch. But whether ______ gambling will attract more young people to baseball is a huge unknown. Many already gamble, both legally and illegally, on fantasy sports, but legalization will provide yet another ______ during games in real time. Will some states allow betting reports in broadcasts? Will it make the young more likely to bet on baseball than on other sports? Stay tuned.

I don’t know what will hook young people on baseball. But abandoning the game’s unique selling proposition---the timelessness that provides both suspense and great conversationhe educated fan -----is not the ______ . Baseball, Clark told me, is like a game of chess---and too many ______ - changes might turn it into something “more similar to a game of checkers.” Baseball may survive in spite of its challenges, precisely because it stands out and stands up against the short ______ spans that negatively affect every aspect of our culture, including politics and education. As Casey Stengel is reported to have said,” Never make predictions, especially about the future. ”

1.

A．arising

B．declining

C．varying

D．rising

2.

A．followed

B．abandoned

C．secured

D．played

3.

A．Held up

B．taken up

C．picked up

D．fed up

4.

A．honorable

B．common

C．acceptable

D．worthwhile

5.

A．stars

B．losers

C．hitters

D．winners

6.

A．decreasing

B．extending

C．increasing

D．balancing

7.

A．disapproving

B．capable

C．supportive

D．independent

8.

A．miss

B．reach

C．deny

D．clarify

9.

A．frequently

B．sometimes

C．rarely

D．typically

10.

A．excessive

B．specific

C．either

D．total

11.

A．risky

B．organized

C．addictive

D．easy

12.

A．distraction

B．appeal

C．pastime

D．channel

13.

A．inspiration

B．answer

C．achievement

D．recreation

14.

A．overwhelming

B．simplifying

C．sweeping

D．underlying

15.

A．information

B．time

C．memory

D．attention

9 . Directions:Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main point(s) of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.

A “Robber” in Your Pocket

The final bell rings at a high school in downtown Los Angeles, and nearly every student walking out of the school gate studies a screen, with head bowed. Over the past decade, such scenes have become the norm — at least in the United States. Research reveals that American millennial (千禧一代的人) look at their phones 150 times a day on average.

In the meantime, the number of American teenagers reporting feelings of depression has grown significantly. While some people blame the increase on the Great Recession following 2008 and other social changes, a big new study suggests a different explanation — the rise of social media.

Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University, led the study. By taking a close look at national surveys, with data collected from more than 500,000 American teenagers, she found that those who spent lots of time on social media were more likely to agree with remarks such as “The future often seems hopeless.” Those who used screens less, spending time playing sport or socializing with friends in person, were less likely to report feelings of depression.

This, in fact, is not the first time scientists have found that social media can rob people of their happiness. One study published in 2016 asked a randomly selected group of adults to quit Facebook for a week. A control group continued using the social networking site as usual. Those who gave up Facebook reported feeling less depressed at the end of the week than those who continued using it.

Some research, however, suggests that social-networking sites can promote happiness if used to engage directly with other users, rather than just to feel jealous of happy moments someone shares online. This provides a reminder that it is users’ attitudes that shape their experiences on social media. “I often remind myself that it’s all filtered,” reflects Sarah, a junior at the high school in Los Angeles. “People only post what they want you to see, so it can seem that their life is better than yours.” Nicole, another junior, agrees. But when asked if she has ever considered deleting her social media accounts, Sarah looks confused. “No. I would feel lost.”

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