1 . Pullman is a superb writer and Seagull is a brilliant communicator. They had a debate after Seagull posted a question on his social media platform: “When you were trying to create an environment for learning, what were your best pieces of classical music to listen to?” He received hundreds of suggestions — and one negative reply, from Pullman: “That’s not what classical music is for. Treat it with respect.”
That did it! Everyone — professional musicians, students, teachers — weighed into the argument, and the majority supported Seagull and were criticizing Pullman.
It’s easy to see why people are annoyed. We all want classical music to be as accessible as possible, especially to the young. If some of them are using Bach or Schubert as a tool to help them study, what’s the problem? They may also develop an attachment to classical music.
So is Pullman ridiculous and supercilious by objecting to classical music being used as background music? At first sight, his idea seems stuffy and extreme. By suggesting that classical music should be “treated with respect” and not used as background music, Pullman seems to be closing classical music of to millions of people.
It’s worth pointing out, however, that he isn’t the first to express concerns about classical music being devalued by becoming too commonplace in today’s technologically shaped world. In Benjamin Britten’s 1964 speech, the composer expressed exactly the same worries as Pullman. Britten suggested, “The true musical experience demands some preparation, some effort, a journey to a special place, saving up for a ticket, some homework perhaps”. In short, it demands as much effort from listeners as from composers and performers.
I don’t agree with such an extreme viewpoint, but I do think it touches on a reality. You will never fully grasp the beauty of classical music if you half-hear it only in the background. That doesn’t necessarily matter. Music can be enjoyed on many levels. What Pullman and Britten are really saying is that, in a drive for “accessibility”, we shouldn’t deny the emotional and intellectual complexity underpinning (构成) much classical music.
1. What did Seagull’s posting result in?A.Great admiration for Seagull. |
B.Public criticism of classical music. |
C.A discussion about learning environments. |
D.An argument over the role of classical music. |
A.Self-important. | B.Open-minded. | C.Impatient. | D.Considerate. |
A.To show his affection for classical music. |
B.To introduce young people to classical music. |
C.To demonstrate classical music is demanding. |
D.To support Pullman’s idea over classical music. |
A.Favorable. | B.Doubtful. | C.Objective. | D.Uninterested. |
3 . The cost of living crisis is causing suffering for millions this winter. One in five people are worried about where their next meal will come from. Parents who live near you are burdened with anxiety about how they will afford to feed their children. Families are struggling and don’t know where to turn. Yet while people go hungry, three million tonnes of surplus(剩余的) food is being wasted every year.
Fare Share is a national charity working to get that food to people who are struggling—but we need your help. A gift of £90 could provide three meals a day to a family of four for a whole month. Plus, you may be entitled to recover 25p of tax on every £1 you give as gift money.
Your gift will help us redistribute food to our network of 8,500 local charities and community groups across the UK. You’ll also help people to access other services and support through these groups, strengthening communities and easing loneliness through food.
WILL YOU DO YOUR FARESHARE? PLEASE HELP PEOPLE GOING HUNGRY THIS WINTER | |||
How could your £90 help feed a family in your community? | surplus food is received from suppliers. | FareShare redistributes the food to local charities helping people in need. | People and families can get healthy meals at day centres, youth groups and community cafes. |
We’d love to keep you up to date on Fare Share’s work including fundraising updates. Please get in touch by calling us on 0300 302 3677 or emailing fundraiser@fareshare.org.uk
To give online, please visit fareshare.org.uk/community 1. For more information please scan the QR code.
1. What is the primary focus of FareShare?A.Providing gifts for families. | B.Redistributing surplus food. |
C.Organizing festival events. | D.Offering tax recovery services. |
A.They will receive a tax refund. |
B.They will help run the local charities. |
C.They will be recognized as organizers. |
D.They will receive free meals for themselves. |
A.A travel blog. | B.A news report. |
C.A community noticeboard. | D.An entertainment magazine. |
Patrick Sommier, a French theater director, is dovoted to passing on the true meaning of Chinese operas to the French public.
On the occasion of the
Recalling his first cooperation with the Chinese team, Sommier says he was impressed by the actors’ makeups, costumes,
Sommier began exploring into different performance forms and suggested introducing Chinese operas
5 . For most of December, Adele Adkins had the top-selling album in Australia, followed by Ed Sheeran, and then there was a collection of songs that took everyone by surprise.
Songs Of Disappearance is a collection of calls from endangered Australian birds. Last month, it briefly reached No.3 on the country’s top 50 albums chart (排行榜) — ahead of Taylor Swift.
Anthony Albrecht, a PhD student at Charles Darwin University, produced the album with Professor Stephen Garnett. “I knew it was a crazy thing to suggest. But Stephen’s a little bit crazy like me and he let me do it,” Albrecht said.
Songs Of Disappearance was published with a university report which found that 1 in 6 Australian bird species are now threatened. The album records 53 of those species.
“Some sing what you might think of as bird songs, but not all of them,” said SeanDooley, who represents the conservation organization Bird life Australia. “Songs from the golden bowerbird sound like a death cry from some sci-fi series. And the love songs from Christmas Island frigate bird, which has a piece of skin hanging under its mouth that caninflate (膨胀) like a huge red balloon, sound as bizarre as its unusual looks.”
There’s also the Christmas Island pigeon. When people hear that pigeon, they might think that it’s a human making silly noises, Dooley added.
The Charles Darwin University and Bird life Australia report does document successes in protecting endangered birds, the hope being that the album will protect more species.
“The increased awareness can make a difference,” Dooley said. “When we have a community on board, that brings pressure to the government to do the right thing. We know that these conservation actions do work.”
1. Whose album reached No.1 on the chart in December?A.Taylor Swift’s. |
B.Adele Adkins’. |
C.Ed Sheeran’s. |
D.Anthony Albrecht’s. |
A.About 53 bird species are threatened in Australia. |
B.It has not found success in protecting endangered birds. |
C.One sixth of Australian bird species are now endangered. |
D.Music is very powerful in encouraging people to protect birds. |
A.Strange. |
B.Beautiful. |
C.Loud. |
D.Sharp. |
A.Crazy. |
B.Amusing. |
C.Uncreative. |
D.Helpful. |
6 . It is frequently said that the best camera is the one you already have with you. Amazingly, the cameras on modern phones can take killer images without a professional camera. But if you’re struggling to get the quality you want, try a few of these helpful tips.
Pick the right time of day
There are a variety of lighting options that change throughout the day.
Pay attention to lighting
Look for subjects with natural motion like a waterfall, stream, flowers in the wind, etc., and set your shutter speeds to 20 seconds or more. It is vital to have a small secure support to ensure your camera is as perfectly still as possible during the shot.
Photo editing apps
Don’t limit your photos to what you can capture straight out of camera (SOOC).
A.Long exposure |
B.Consider composition |
C.Try to have access to many creative apps |
D.You can control whether the background is in focus |
E.Photography is often referred to as painting with light |
F.It provides an attractive tone for your subject and scenery |
G.Golden hour is the hour just after sunrise or just before sunset |
7 . It has been more than 40 years since anyone spotted a Japanese river otter (水獭). And the once common Tangtze River dolphins have either disappeared or are very rarely seen.
A huge challenge scientists and conservationists encounter is tracking species facing extinction in order to help them.
In Brazil, AI quickly analyzed over 150, 000 satellite images, revealing that the world’s largest tropical wetlands lost 74 percent of its surface water.
The use of AI has helped to accelerate action and increase conservationists’ ability to protect the natural world for generations to come.
A.Give animals on the edge of extinction a fighting chance to survive |
B.In Zambia’s Kafue National Park, home to more than 6, 000 elephants |
C.Not until that revelation (揭露) were authorities aware of how desperate the situation was |
D.Saving them was challenging because their whereabouts (行踪) were relatively unknown |
E.These are just a few of the species that have been listed as extinct or locally extinct in recent years |
F.However, because of weather conditions, researchers knew next to nothing about their winter behavior |
G.This is where AI has brought about a revolution in the way data on these species is collected and analyzed |
8 . Mathea Allansmith isn’t your typical grandmother. She’s the oldest woman in the world to have completed a marathon. She was 92 years 194 days old when she crossed the finish line at the 2022 Honolulu Marathon, setting the record for the oldest female to complete a marathon.
Mathea, now 94, of Koloa, Hawaii, USA, stays in shape all year round by running seven days a week, no matter what the weather is. Come rain or shine, she covers 36 miles every week, even when she’s on holiday. The retired doctor didn’t take up running until she was 46 years old —after a friend suggested running two miles per day.
“The Honolulu Marathon is my favorite marathon mainly because it doesn’t close the gate at a certain time, which allows even the slowest runner to finish the race,” she said. “It’s one of the best races. Fantastic registration (注册), set-up and management make it a joy to run the race.”
Mathea, who doesn’t allow her age to slow her down, thinks she is the happiest person when she’s on the road. She enjoys running for miles and waving and saying hello to the people she passes. To stay in shape, Mathea keeps a steady training routine (惯例) . “I train all year round but increase the mileage 18 weeks before a marathon,” she said.
Mathea said it was her career as a doctor that allowed her to understand how her body and mind respond to diet and exercise. “I see the direct relation between moving and health,” she said. “It is important to reduce stress rather than ignoring it without a plan on how to do so. Of course, exercise of any kind is a natural stress reducer.”
Mathea thought getting through the finish line and winning a Guinness World Record title was the excitement of her life. “My family completely surprised me after the 2022 Honolulu Marathon, in which I achieved the world record, by wearing matching T-shirts stating my achievements,” she said.
1. What do we know about Mathea from the first two paragraphs?A.She used to be in poor health. |
B.She is the oldest to win a marathon. |
C.She runs daily regardless of the weather. |
D.She was encouraged by her patient to run. |
A.It gives winners the best awards. |
B.It provides runners with quality service.. |
C.It has no time limit for runners to finish. |
D.It allows runners to set a world record easily. |
A.Her professional experience. | B.Her training courses. |
C.Her views on stress in life. | D.Her hobby from young. |
A.Practice makes perfect. |
B.Interest is the best teacher. |
C.Age is no barrier to success. |
D.Ups and downs make one strong. |
9 . Being minimalist is about intentionally reducing your possessions to the items you value most and increasing the amount of time you spend on the people and activities you truly enjoy. It can take many forms.
Try clearing away your possessions
If you think hard, you will realize that the physical things you own are not the most important parts of your life. In this case you can clear away all but the most essential things in sweeps. Focus on keeping things that you value deeply.
You must have many friends, but how many of them are people who motivate and inspire you to grow and learn? Becoming minimalist means that you evaluate how well they fit into your ideal life and maximizing your social time spent on people who lift you up. Then you can also free up more time to spend on other priorities in life.
Take time for introspection
Introspection, which means you sitting with your own thoughts, is what people are terrified of in so “busy” a world.
Even though everyone embraces minimalism differently, each path leads to the same place: a more meaningful life with more time and more freedom. Hopefully you will get there.
A.Have less possessions to enjoy more |
B.Anyway, you should make space to think |
C.People are eager for another way of living |
D.Consider your lifestyle around relationships |
E.Get rid of things that you don't need any longer |
F.It’s worth focusing your time on people that matter |
G.The important part is to figure out your flavor of minimalism |
For most people, adopting (收养) a pet is one of the best decisions that they can ever make in their lives. In addition to giving an animal a home and a loving family, the owner will find the company of a pet brings more happiness than expected.
For someone like Maria, having a pet was very suitable. She was all alone after moving to a new apartment in Brazil, which made her feel lonely.
So when she found a cute black puppy named Chips, she knew she had to take him home. Maria thought that Chips would be able to fill the emptiness that she had been experiencing from living all alone.
Maria was right. Once she took the puppy home, they immediately bonded. However, as Maria had to work during the day, she was worried about leaving Chips home alone in her apartment. She was also worried that his crying would upset her neighbors.
One night, when she returned home, outside her door was a package with a folded note attached to it. Maria knew that she was in trouble. She hoped that she would not be evicted (驱逐) from her new apartment because of Chips. She loved Chips so much, and she was afraid that she might have to get rid of him because he made too much noise whenever she was away. Maria was frightened and wondered who could have left it at the door because she had little contact with the people in the building except her neighbor, Angelia. In fact, they only said hello few times.
However, when she noticed the names on the folded note, she found that it wasn’t addressed to her but to her dog, Chips, and that it was “written” by another dog named Corote. Maria opened the package first and found a few toys for pets.
注意:续写词数应为150个左右。Curious, Maria opened the note and started reading it.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________With Chips following her, Maria knocked at Angelia’s door.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________