1 . In Shakespeare’s HAMLET, Polonius asks the prince, “What are you reading, my Lord?” Hamlet replies, “Words, words, words.” Either, as is likely, Hamlet wasn’t interested in what he was reading, or, less likely, he didn’t understand the words he was reading. In this case, Polonius should have lent Hamlet a good dictionary.
Dictionaries are essential tools for people who like to read. There are so many words in English that even the most educated person will sometimes meet an unfamiliar word and have to look it up. Languages keep changing, too, with new words constantly being added and new meanings being applied to old words. For example, the 12th edition of Xinhua Dictionary, the most popular dictionary in China, has added new words such as “chu xin” “fen si” “er wei ma” etc. As for new meanings, “girl” once meant “a small child of either sex”. And “naughty” didn’t mean you were “enjoying playing tricks”; it meant you were poor.
A printed dictionary can’t keep pace with all the changes, which is why most dictionaries have websites and apps to help you keep up-to-date. However, I still prefer printed dictionaries because they give you more definitions and more examples of how a word is used. Even a simple word, such as “set”, has 430 meanings (the most of English words) but an online dictionary would only offer two or three. A printed dictionary also gives you the opportunity to discover new words as you run your finger down the page looking for the word you want.
There is no “official” English dictionary, but the Oxford English Dictionary is considered to be the best. For English language learners, however, I would recommend the Collins COBUILD Dictionary for Advanced Learners. Hamlet, by the way, was Danish and a college student. He would have appreciated the Collins Dictionary to help himself with his words, words, words. This dictionary has over 40,000 words and gives you full-sentence definitions with good examples of how words are used.
1. What’s the function of paragraph 1?| A．To introduce the topic. |
| B．To let the readers know more about HAMLET. |
| C．To arouse readers’ interest in Shakespeare. |
| D．To explain when it’s necessary to use a dictionary. |
| A．To show how powerful Xinhua Dictionary is. |
| B．To support the idea: languages keep changing. |
| C．To prove new words are being added to dictionaries. |
| D．To imply “girl” also means “boy” in some cases. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Ambiguous. | C．Negative. | D．Critical. |
| A．To introduce the history of dictionaries. |
| B．To call on learners to use dictionaries. |
| C．To recommend Collins Dictionary. |
| D．To explain why Hamlet likes Collins. |
2 . Gold Coast Suns VS. North Melbourne
Venue: Metricon Stadium
Date and time: Sunday, 30 August, 2021, 6:10 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Gates open: 5 p.m.
Important information
Nerang Station shuttles will operate for this game. Make sure you don’t miss the opening bounce at 6:10 p.m. Plan your journey and arrive well before the match starts.
Scheduled services
Use the journey planner to find out which scheduled bus and train services travel to and from Metricon Stadium. Check for current and upcoming service changes.
Metricon Stadium is close to Nerang station, and bus stops on Nerang-Broadbeach Road and Birmingham Road (approximately 470 metres away).
Major track closure — Northern lines Saturday 29 & Sunday 30 August
Timetabled rail buses will operate, but please allow extra time when heading to the game.
Additional services
Trains
No additional trains will operate for this event.
Buses
No additional buses will operate for this event.
Boowaggan Road and Broadbeach South station shuttles will not operate for this event.
Ticket and fare information
Free travel with Surfside Buslines and Queensland Rail.
If you have a pre-purchased game ticket or Suns membership card, you can travel free to and from the game on all regular Queensland Rail City Network trains and Surfside Buslines services.
Free travel begins 4 hours before and concludes 4 hours after the event ends.
Event information
Visit the Metricon Stadium website or call 5510 6000 for more information.
1. When will the stadium open?| A．At 6:10 p.m. | B．At 8:30 p.m. | C．At 5:00 p.m. | D．At 8:10 a.m. |
| A．Rail buses. | B．Trains. | C．Shuttles. | D．Queensland Rail. |
| A．Businessmen. | B．Audiences. | C．Passengers. | D．Tourists. |
