1 . People from East Asia tend to have more difficulty than those from Europe in distinguishing facial expressions — and a new report published online in Current Biology explains why.
Rachael Jack, University of Glasgow researcher, said that rather than scanning evenly (均匀的) across a face as Westerners do, Easterners fix their attention on the eyes.
“We show that Easterners and Westerners look at different face features to read facial expressions,” Jack said. “Westerners look at the eyes and the mouth in equal measure, whereas Easterners favor the eyes and neglect (忽略) the mouth.”
According to Jack and her colleagues, the discovery shows that human communication of emotion is more complex than previously believed. As a result, facial expressions that had been considered universally recognizable cannot be used to reliably convey emotion in cross-cultural situations.
The researchers studied cultural differences in the recognition of facial expressions by recording the eye movements of 13 Western Caucasian and 13 East Asian people while they observed pictures of expressive faces and put them into categories: happy, sad, surprised, fearful, disgusted, angry, or neutral. They compared how accurately participants read those facial expressions using their particular eye movement strategies.
It turned out that Easterners focused much greater attention on the eyes and made significantly more errors than did Westerners. “The cultural difference in eye movements that they show is probably a reflection of cultural difference in facial expressions,” Jack said. “Our data suggest that whereas Westerners use the whole face to convey emotion, Easterners use the eyes more and mouth less.”
In short, the data show that facial expressions are not universal signals of human emotion. From here on, examining how cultural factors have diversified these basic social skills will help our understanding of human emotion. Otherwise, when it comes to communicating emotions across cultures, Easterners and Westerners will find themselves lost in translation.
1. The discovery shows that Westerners_______.| A．consider facial expressions universally reliable |
| B．pay equal attention to the eyes and the mouth |
| C．observe the eyes and the mouth in different ways |
| D．have more difficulty in recognizing facial expressions |
| A．To classify some face pictures. | B．To get their faces impressive. |
| C．To make a face at each other. | D．To observe the researchers’ faces. |
| A．The researchers of the study. | B．The participants in the study. |
| C．The errors made during the study. | D．The data collected from the study. |
| A．do translation more successfully |
| B．study the mouth more frequently |
| C．examine the eyes more attentively |
| D．read facial expressions more correctly |
| A．is a student in University of Glasgow |
| B．studies the fields related to biology or cultures |
| C．has published a new report on human rights |
| D．shows that facial expressions are universal signals of human emotion |
| A．The Eye as the Window to the Soul |
| B．Effective Methods to Develop Social Skills |
| C．How to Increase Cross-cultural Understanding |
| D．Cultural Differences in Reading Emotions |
2 . Every year, the Palace of Fine. Arts Theatre in San Francisco fills up with dance lovers. They come to take in experimental works of art that all have one thing in common — hip hop. This weekend the San Francisco International Hip Hop DanceFest, the mission of which is to encourage the evolution of hip hop dance culture while preserving its legacy, celebrates 20 years of presenting exciting hip hop performances.
Each DanceFest has diversity of style and group size, and a balance of local and out-of-town companies. The festival has drawn impressive international talents. In fact, outstanding technical dance skills are only a basic standard that the festival organizers are looking for. They look for much more groups or solo artists that think outside the box. Artists that use hip hop in a theatrical way or use it to address social issues are sure to stand out. For instance, the 2010 performance “Tables and Chairs” served to highlight the negative effects of alcoholism on society, warning people against the addiction to alcohol.
It would be terribly irresponsible not to mention the founder, Micaya, in any introduction to DanceFest. A popular hip hop dance instructor, Micaya began producing high energy dance shows in the heart of San Francisco in 1993. Students love her classes so much that a San Francisco newspaper once called her “Best Dance Instructor”.
However, Micaya was concerned about the doubtful reputation of hip hop. She made it her goal to get hip hop the same recognition and respect as other dance forms. In 1999 she started DanceFest. It was the first festival of its kind to honor the creativity of hip hop dance in a non-competitive atmosphere. To Micaya, competitive formats leave little room for the magic that comes from true expression. One review said, Micaya's festival challenges us “to reconsider just how diverse ... and embracing hip hop can now be.” Indeed, Micaya brings out the best in dancers, and has given San Francisco one of its finest festivals.
1. Why is the San Francisco International Hip Hop DanceFest held?| A．To attract international talents. |
| B．To encourage people to play hip hop. |
| C．To show the diversity of hip hop style. |
| D．To promote the development of hip hop dance culture. |
| A．Handle. | B．Discuss. |
| C．Recognize. | D．Record. |
| A．She was a popular hip hop composer in 1993. |
| B．She made hip hop dance less diverse in 1999. |
| C．She popularizes hip hop dance through the DanceFest. |
| D．She contributes to the increasing competition of hip hop dance. |
| A．The Rise and Fall of Hip Hop | B．A Unique Hip Hop DanceFest |
| C．A Famous Hip Hop Dancer | D．The Development of Hip Hop DanceFest |
(1) “中医”有着悠久的历史，经过了数千年的实践和发展；
(2) “中医”也是一门科学，它的优点正得到越来越广泛的认可；
(3) 你自己对“中医”的看法。
注意：(1)词数不少于 100；
(2)可适当加入细节，使内容充实、行文连贯；
(3)开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
参考词汇：“中医” Traditional Chinese Medicine（TCM）
Dear Chris,
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Jin
4 . Each country has its own secret to happiness, If "pyt", which closely means “don't worry about it and stuff happens", explains a relaxed attitude of Danish people, "niksen" will reveal how Dutch people combat （对抗）stress and burnout in a fast-paced lifestyle.
The term "niksen" origins from the Dutch word "niks", which refers to "nothing'', Mindfulness, another welcome subject to help people have a peaceful mind. But unlike mindfulness, niksen is not about concentrating on the present moment. It's about letting yourself do nothing, and allowing your mind to run free without expectation.
In practice, this means "hanging around, looking at your surroundings, or listening to music as long as it's without purpose” according to Time Magazine.
Niksen sounds contrary to the advice we were all given as kids. Nowadays, we're constantly told to stay busy and work harder than everyone else. But niksen opposes that mentality( 心态). It offers the chance to "deliciously do nothing", as Carolien Hamming, a coach at CSR Centrum, an organization devoted to fighting stress and burnout in the Netherlands, told Time.
She thinks that niksen is essential to staying healthy, since it’s a form of mental relaxation and healing. Just as a wild animal lies in wait for their prey, niksen seems to be a natural state of being.
For some people, niksen can mean more than just stress reduction. It's also a means to imagine new ideas or plans. As an early adopter（尝试者）of niksen, Jenny Holden, a communications expert in the UK, adds it to her daily lunch breaks. “Within 10 minutes of doing nothing - just staring and listening to myself - my head began to clear and sort out my work and home to-do lists,” she told the MetroUK.
Above all, niksen is a suggestion for balancing work and rest. As Dutch-bom writer Ogla Mecking wrote in US-based Whoolly Magazine, niksen is the "thorough enjoyment of life’s pauses".
Everyone is encouraged to embrace your niksen moments. They revitalize （使恢复元气） you and give you the strength needed to face everyday challenges.
1. What does niksen means?| A．Living in the moment. |
| B．Leading a healthy lifestyle. |
| C．Being free and doing nothing. |
| D．Using your wildest imagination. |
| A．how niksen improves one's mental health |
| B．niksen is closely related to stress reduction |
| C．niksen can shorten the distance between people |
| D．niksen helps people come up with new thoughts |
| A．long | B．full |
| C．unexpected | D．quiet |
| A．The introduction to a special Dutch lifestyle. |
| B．Suggestions on how to balance work and rest. |
| C．The importance of allowing time to pause life. |
| D．An explanation of some Danish words about life attitudes. |
| A．people can restrengthen themselves to face challenges by niksen |
| B．a wild animal usually lies in wait for their prey just as niksen advices |
| C．Danish people are stressful and tired because of their special lifestyle |
| D．Carolien Hamming thinks niksen is the most important way to keep fit |
One of the most fun and fulfilling things during the season is to throw a Halloween party and boogie through the night with friends and family. When pumpkins, witch's hats and spiders make their annual appearance you can tell Halloween is approaching.
Whether it's a party for children or just one for adults, there are so many great treats, games, music and activities that you can enjoy yourselves in the city.
Dark Mirror-themed Party
With a scary theme - Dark Mirror (黑暗之镜), Lan Kwai Fong Chengdu this year will host a big Halloween party on October 31st with these elements: Ghost Parade, Haunted House, Costume Contest and so on. Participants could enjoy live music show, dance and play “trick or treat” games in the public outdoor area.
Venue：Lan Kwai Fong Chengdu, 1 Shuijing Street
Halloween Carnival Party
The Chengdu Happy Valley Amusement Park is to host a Halloween Carnival Party that features magic performances, live rock bands performance and lots of wicked events for participants. The Halloween season in the park will last till November 11 with admission from 80 to 150 yuan.
Venue: 16 Xihua Avenue
Beer Nest Halloween Party
The Beer Nest I and Beer Nest II will be decorated in a haunted (闹鬼的) house style and there will be scary movies playing on the big screens of the Beer Nest II. Entertaining activities, such as food & drink specials, live DJs, cool music and Spooky Kids Workshops, will be held and a professional markup artist from Sweden will be there for those who want to make an impression Halloween night.
Halloween E-sports Night Party
The Halloween E-sports Night to take place on October 31 is one of the highlights of the E-sports Cartoon and Animation Festival to be held in Chengdu Eastern Suburb Memory on October 31-November 1. It will offer relevant activities including cosplay showcases, e-sports competition and live music shows as a platform to communicate with celebrated anime artists and cartoon lovers.
Venue：4 Mid-section，South Jianshe Road
1. How can we tell Halloween is approaching?| A．People are eating pumpkins. | B．Witch's hats are sitting on the head. |
| C．Spiders are weaving nets at the corner. | D．Families or friends are getting together. |
| A．Dark Mirror-themed Party. | B．Beer Nest Halloween Party. |
| C．Halloween Carnival Party. | D．Halloween E-sports Night Party. |
| A．Cosplay. | B．Food. |
| C．Music. | D．Magic. |
| A．Make cartoon shows. | B．Attend E-Game competitions. |
| C．Learn to arrange cosplay shows. | D．Exchange ideas with anime artists. |
| A．The party will be held in two places one after another. |
| B．Scary movies will be played in the public outdoor area. |
| C．A Sweden artist is expected to bring joy to the party. |
| D．The party will be decorated in a traditional Chinese way. |
6 . People in most western countries celebrate Valentine's Day (情人节) on February 14th. It is a special time to send greeting cards called valentines to their sweethearts, friends, parents and other family members.
Esther A. Howland of Worcester, Massachusetts, became one the first American manufacturers (生产者) of valentines in 1847. She saw several British valentines and decided to make her own. She used ribbons, lace, flowers and painted leaves on her cards. Today valentines are sold in many stores all over the world and may have messages of love or be very humorous. People also send flowers, candy and gifts to the people they want to remember on Valentine’s Day.
Children in America decorate their classrooms with paper hearts and cupids (丘比特的画), and many hold classroom parties to celebrate Valentine’s Day with their classmates and teachers. Older students may have dances at their schools on Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day in Europe is celebrated in many ways. Children in England sing special songs and receive gifts, candy and money. People may bake special bread with plums (葡萄干) in them. In Denmark, people send pressed white flowers called snowdrops to their friends.
However you decide to celebrate on Valentine’s Day, take some time to tell your friends and family that you love them.
1. What is the main idea of this writing?| A．Valentine’s Day is celebrated on Feb.14th. |
| B．How valentines are made. |
| C．Valentine’s Day is a special holiday for friends and family. |
| D．Why Valentine’s Day is a special time. |
| A．In Oregon. | B．In Massachusetts. |
| C．In Michigan. | D．In Florida. |
| A．Have dances at school. |
| B．Receive gifts of fruit, candy and money. |
| C．Hold classroom parties. |
| D．Send pressed snowdrops to their friends. |
| A．School children celebrate Valentine’s Day in many ways. |
| B．People in Denmark send flowers called snowdrops to their friends. |
| C．All valentines are funny or humorous. |
| D．Valentine’s Day is not only celebrated by sweethearts. |
7 . The term “graffiti” is an Italian word meaning scratching or scribbling(乱涂). It entered the English language in the 1850s, specifically to describe the casual wall writing that experts found in Pompeii and the Roman tombs. Originally a term used only in ancient scribbling, the word has undergone considerable expansion of meaning in the past 75 years so that it now refers to any written message on a wall. Graffiti are characterized by their casualness; if they were more formal, they would be known as inscriptions(铭文).
The first piece of graffiti was found on one of the walls of the city Pompeii, which was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. It was one of 1,600 pieces of graffiti uncovered in Pompeii during a dig in the 19th century. Not surprisingly, there is much evidence of graffiti writing on the pyramid and temples of ancient Egypt. It is likely that ever since people have had walls and materials to scratch or paint with, they have been engaged in this simplest form of communication.
The writing of graffiti gives people a unique opportunity to achieve some kind of public audience. Thus short poems, declarations of love, pieces of political and revolutionary polemic(论战), and criticisms of institutions and people form a significant part of graffiti.
Apart from its usefulness in terms of self-expression, graffiti is also a valuable source for historians. There is always the possibility that historical events may be recorded by the presence of graffiti. Perhaps the most interesting example of this is the graffiti relating to the gladiatorial(角斗士) contests held in Pompeii. Graffiti can also give us a unique view into the daily life and customs of a people, for its casual expression encourages the recording of details that more formal writing would tend to ignore.
In the late 1970s, graffiti became popular. A thought written on a toilet wall in Wolverhampton can now be read in Chicago or Adelaide. In its own way, this is probably the most fascinating example of McLuhan’s concept of “the global village”. We now have a worldwide toilet wall.
1. According to the first paragraph, graffiti________.| A．is another name for “inscription” |
| B．got its name from the English language |
| C．was born in the 1850s |
| D．Mainly refers to casual writing or pictures on walls |
| A．Graffiti has a long history. |
| B．Graffiti is an attractive form of art. |
| C．Graffiti made the ancient city Pompeii famous. |
| D．Graffiti was ancient Egyptian’s main way of communication. |
| A．Graffiti’s great value. |
| B．Graffiti’s features. |
| C．Graffiti’s way of expression. |
| D．Graffiti’s connection with people’s daily life. |
| A．graffiti can show people’s customs |
| B．graffiti can provide valuable historical evidence |
| C．graffiti was mainly used to record important events |
| D．graffiti can provide more detailed information than formal writing |
| A．the presence of graffiti makes the world closely connected |
| B．the concept of “the global village” is famous worldwide |
| C．graffiti has become very popular all over the world |
| D．people like using toilet walls to share their graffiti |
(1)写信的目的； (2)介绍春节和春节习俗。
注意:
(1)词数不少于100； (2)可适当加入细节，使内容充实、行文连贯；
参考词汇:Gala 晚会。
Dear Mr. Hall,
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Your sincerely,
Li Hua
1. What does the man think of skiing?
| A．Enjoyable. | B．Thrilling. | C．Frightening. |
| A．A small village in Norway. | B．The capital of Norway. |
| C．The host city of the 1994 Winter Olympic Games. | |
| A．He enjoyed his holiday. | B．He likes cold weather. |
| C．He should be more careful. | |
1. What can we know about the first Earth Day?
| A．It was in the middle of the 1970s. |
| B．It attracted little attention from the public. |
| C．It aimed at raising people’s awareness of environmental problems. |
| A．Land use. | B．Air pollution. | C．Animal extinction. |
| A．It is celebrated on the third weekend of April. |
| B．Now over 175 countries celebrate it. |
| C．Celebrations have greatly changed. |
| A．People who like traveling around the world. |
| B．People who want to know more about Earth Day. |
| C．People who care a lot about endangered animals. |
