1 . What is culture? Culture is too complex to define in simple terms.
To understand the culture of a particular country or region, one could examine its components, among which are material culture, language, and social organization. Material culture includes the tools and symbols in a society, not including those physical things found in nature, unless they have undergone some change or have been given meaning by people.
Social organization differs somewhat from society to society. The primary kind of community association is based on blood ties.
Cultural analysis serves a variety of purposes. Understanding the various dimensions and their inter-relatedness helps promote cross-cultural awareness.
| A．Language is the most obvious difference between cultures. |
| B．Some scholars even suggest that it is useless to try. |
| C．The values represented within a culture can also change with the passing of time. |
| D．However, there are certain agreed-on fundamentals that can be easily identified. |
| E．In many developing countries, the extended family fulfils several social and economic roles. |
| F．For example, a mouse running on a street is not part of a culture, but the Mickey Mouse is. |
| G．It leads on to the promotion of goodwill, social and economic planning and harmony between social groupings or societies. |
1.学习的经历；
2.汉语美的具体体现；
3.你的看法。
注意：1.写作词数应为80左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Beautiful Chinese
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When Micah was a child, I used to do many things with her. Later, I got promoted and was always on constant business holidays. 3 years' devotion to work resulted in my absence from her life and now she was a teenage girl. Recently, I eventually managed to have abundant time to accompany her.
For the last few weeks, Micah had watched mockingbirds make a nest in a tree and lay eggs there. Sometimes, I came to accompany her without being invited. But whenever I made an attempt to break the ice, “I'm good” was about all she said to me. Code for “Leave me alone”.
“Why doesn't she want to do things with me?”I thought as I set the table for dinner one evening, hoping for an emotion bridge to reappear between us. Did she feel hurt with my long absence or feel ignored ? Lost in thought, I was seeking to mend the relationship.
“Mom!” Micah yelled suddenly. “Come quick!”
Surprised, I rushed out, only to find a little baby bird on the ground, weak and helpless. My eyes went to the branches above.
“The wind must have blown him out of the nest,”I said.
“No, it was Mr. Whiskers -our cat. You let him go outside!” Micah said, a bit annoyed.
Looking at the nest without the parents, “I'm sorry,”I said and put the bird in my palm cautiously and gently. She didn't respond, but did not refused my offer to help, either. Deciding to take care of the little baby till it became independent, I placed it in its nest. “What should we do next?” I asked. No response again. Instead, Micah went inside and hopped on her iPad. “Bird videos?” I asked. “Yes, I'm finding out what to feed it,” she said seriously.
注意：
1.续写词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1:
She was more focused than ever.
Paragraph 2:
Before long, the bird food was delivered and we fed the bird "Chance" at once.
On 30th September, the war epic The Battle at Lake Chang jin came to
With well-known directors and all-star cast, the 176-minute-long film follows Chinese People's Volunteers who joined the battle, which turned
In 1950, Chinese People’s Volunteers (CPV) Army
The Battle at Lake Chang jin has generated strong scores with Chinese film goers——9.5 on Maoyan and 7.6 on Dou ban,
5 . I developed a type of cancer when starting middle school. I couldn't walk well and wore a hat because my hair
Middle school was harder because students have to
One day, I was resting against a wall when the bell rang.The classroom doors
I had to make a(n)
Surprisingly, the next school day went more smoothly than usual. I had regained my
| A．passed out | B．took over | C．pulled over | D．fell out |
| A．overcome | B．understand | C．remember | D．treat |
| A．sweep | B．arrange | C．switch | D．decorate |
| A．leave | B．attend | C．skip | D．cut |
| A．broken | B．struck | C．pinned | D．swung |
| A．dive | B．breath | C．insight | D．drink |
| A．interest | B．hope | C．balance | D．temper |
| A．disappeared | B．remained | C．escaped | D．hid |
| A．shocked | B．defeated | C．moved | D．inspired |
| A．suggestion | B．appointment | C．difference | D．choice |
| A．registering | B．recovering | C．resisting | D．reuniting |
| A．temporary | B．impressive | C．attractive | D．ordinary |
| A．reputation | B．consciousness | C．confidence | D．fortune |
| A．spread | B．caused | C．conquered | D．missed |
| A．generous | B．close | C．allergic | D．true |
6 . Recently, I found myself anxious, mostly due to my repetitive schoolwork and staying indoors over the past months. Then spring break came around.
Climbing into my father's favorite pickup truck supplied with sleeping bags, tents and food, my parents and I left for the Morro Bay State Campground.
I took a moment to take in the sound of the nearby ocean waves crashing against the shore, while the salty breeze in the cool air added to the sense of peace. My parents unloaded our equipment from the truck. I began setting up the tents while my parents started a fire in the fire ring.
Dinner, of course, was delicious. Afterwards, my parents enjoyed a walk on the beach as I returned to my tent and quickly fell asleep.
| A．I had had much experience outdoors. |
| B．We drove north on California's iconic freeway. |
| C．Food should be the kinds that would not spoil easily. |
| D．There were tents that could be opened up like umbrellas. |
| E．I told my parents how a new adventure could be just what I needed. |
| F．Our three-day stay at the campground was just what I needed to recharge. |
| G．Its yummy smell started to drift through the campground, stimulating our appetite. |
7 . An international team of researchers led by Stanford University have developed rechargeable batteries that can store up to six times more charge than ones that are currently commercially available.
The advance, detailed in a new paper published on Aug. 25 in the journal Nature,could accelerate the use of rechargeable batteries and puts battery researchers one step closer toward achieving two top stated goals of their field: creating a high-performance rechargeable battery that could enable cellphones to be charged only once a week instead of daily and electric vehicles that can travel six times farther without a recharge.
The new so-called alkali metal-chlorine batteries(碱金属氯电池），developed by a team of researchers led by Stanford chemistry Professor Hongjie Dai and doctoral candidate Guanzhou Zhu, rely on the back-and-forth chemical transition from sodium chloride (Na/C12) or lithium chloride (Li/C12) to chlorine. When electrons travel from one side of a rechargeable battery to the other, recharging makes the chemistry return to its original state to await another use. Non-rechargeable batteries have no such luck. Once running out, their chemistry cannot be restored. “A rechargeable battery is a bit like a rocking chair. It tips in one direction, but then rocks back when you add electricity,” Dai explained. “What we have here is a high-rocking rocking chair.”
The researchers imagine their batteries one day being used in situations where frequent recharging is not practical or desirable, such as in satellites or remote sensors. Many otherwise usable satellites are now floating in orbit, failing to function due to their dead batteries. Future satellites equipped with long-lived rechargeable batteries could be fitted with solar chargers, extending their usefulness many times over.
For now, though, the first working design they've developed might still be suitable for use in small everyday electronics like hearing aids or remote controls. For consumer electronics or electrical vehicles, much more work remains to engineer the battery structure, increase the energy density (密度）， scale up the batteries and increase the number of cycles.
1. Why does the author mention “two top stated goals” in paragraph 2?| A．To clarify the cause of the research. |
| B．To describe the process of the research. |
| C．To explain the purpose of the research. |
| D．To illustrate the significance of the research. |
| A．By listing figures. |
| B．By giving an example. |
| C．By making a comparison. |
| D．By drawing a conclusion. |
| A．New rechargeable batteries have been put to use. |
| B．New rechargeable batteries will likely be used in remote sensors. |
| C．Non-rechargeable batteries can return the chemistry to its original state. |
| D．Solar chargers are of no benefit to rechargeable batteries in future satellites. |
| A．Objective. |
| B．Unconcerned. |
| C．Doubtful. |
| D．Ambiguous. |
8 . One of our most valuable firefighting friends has always remained overlooked: The beaver（河狸）。For decades, scientists have recognized plenty of ecological benefits beavers provide, by building dams, forming ponds, and digging canals. However, researchers have long suspected that beavers' activities offer yet another important service: slowing the spread of wildfires.
A recent study led by Emily Fairfax, an ecohydrologist(生态水文学家）at California State University Channel Islands, and his colleague Andrew Whittle, chose major wildfires that had occurred since 2000 in five U.S. states, and searched satellite images for nearby beaver dams and ponds. In beaver-dammed stream sections, Fairfax and Whittle found, plants remained more than three times lusher(葱翠的；丰富的）as wildfire raced over the stream. A green,water-heavy plant, of course, is less easily burnt than a dried, fragile one. And that's what makes the ecosystems so fireproof. “It doesn't matter if there's a wildfire right next door,” says Emily Fairfax, “Beaver-dammed areas are green and happy and healthy-looking.”
In addition, beavers may help an ecosystem recover from a wildfire. In northern Washington State,Alexa Hipple,the director of the Methow Beaver Project, found that beavers promoted the recovery of native species, like willow and aspen. Beaverless streams, by contrast,were more likely to be occupied by foreign plants after a burn. Hipple also found that beaver ponds improved water quality by capturing the phosphorus-laden(含磷的）deposit that runs off hillsides.
Despite all the good that beavers do, thousands of them are killed every year for flooding roads, cutting down trees, and causing other damage to human property. Employing smarter, more humanistic policies- using not life-threatening flood-prevention devices like “Beaver Deceivers”， for example, and moving trouble-making individuals instead of killing them-could heal our relationships with beavers and wildfire alike. “Strategically embracing beavers in local watersheds could provide a guarantee that you have wet soils and wet plants around your town,” Fairfax says.
1. Which of the following have researchers long been doubtful about?| A．Beavers can help control wildfires. |
| B．Beavers can build dams and form ponds. |
| C．Beavers can benefit the ecology of the earth. |
| D．Beavers can offer every vital service humans need. |
| A．They analyzed the number of beavers. |
| B．They observed satellite images. |
| C．They measured the size of the plants. |
| D．They recorded the changes of ecosystems. |
| A．Foreign species recovered. |
| B．Water quality became better. |
| C．The phosphorus-laden deposit ran off hillsides. |
| D．Plants would more likely occupy streams with beavers. |
| A．Reasons why humans kill beavers. |
| B．Damage humans cause to beavers. |
| C．Ways humans have wet soils and wet plants. |
| D．Suggestions humans should follow to protect beavers. |
9 . When I was a boy, we lived 4 miles outside of town. We lived next to the forest and I would spend hours every day playing in it with the oak (橡树) and maple trees as my companions. I would climb up their limbs, sit in their shade, and feel their peace.
That is why it was so hard for me when I found myself to be a lumberjack as a young man. It wasn't just the back breaking work, the long hours, and the low pay. It was also seeing day after day beautiful trees that had grown for half a century being sawed (锯) up and cut into flooring. Still, I couldn't help but think that they looked a lot more lovely as living trees reaching up to Heaven than as dead flooring lying under my feet.
One afternoon after a long day's work, I was feeling particularly down and depressed.I decided to take a walk in the woods like I had as a boy in hopes of lifting my spirits and calming my soul. As I walked along with my aching back and tired body, I longed for those happy childhood days. I dropped my head frustratedly and looked down at the dirt. That is when I saw it: a single, red oak acorn (橡子) that had somehow survived the hungry deer and squirrels all winter long.Then I remembered something I'd read once: “Eventually an acorn becomes a forest!” I smiled, bent down, dug up a handful of dirt, and planted that little acorn, feeling peace and joy warming my heart. Then I walked back home happy once again to be a part of God's green earth.
In this life we all start out as an acorn, but whether we become a forest or not is up to us. God gives us this glorious life here to grow, learn, laugh, love,share, smile, and help others to do the same.Embrace this gift of life. Use it to every day stretch your soul towards Heaven and create a mighty forest of love.
1. Which of the following can best describe the author's childhood?| A．Carefree |
| B．Dull. |
| C．Plain. |
| D．Miserable. |
| A．A person who plants trees. |
| B．A person who waters trees. |
| C．A person who cuts trees. |
| D．A person who protects the forest. |
| A．He climbed up an oak tree. |
| B．He planted a little oak acorn. |
| C．He came across a book he had ever read. |
| D．He found some hungry deer and squirrels. |
| A．Accepting the gift of life. |
| B．Taking a walk in the woods. |
| C．Experiencing a typical working day. |
| D．Refreshing the unforgettable memory. |
10 . Amazing royal palaces in the world
Palace of Versailles,France
It is the most popular palace in France, located in Southwest region of Paris. Originally, it was built as a hunting house in 1624. In 1682, King Louis XIV expanded it into the largest palace in the country as his permanent living place, featuring 700 rooms, more than 1,200 fireplaces and 60 staircases.Palace of Versailles has huge gardens covering an area of about 2,000 acres with 50 fountains and different mile-long canals.
Forbidden City,China
Located in Beijing, China, Forbidden City is the world's largest palace complex. This palace
complex spreads across an area of 72 hectares, featuring 980 buildings with 8,707 different rooms. It was built from 1406 to 1420, decorated with stone animals, rails, arches and dragons. Forbidden city became UNESCO's world heritage site in 1987, and millions of tourists visit it every year.
Alhambra Palace, Spain
Alhambra Palace is situated in the city of Andalusia in Spain. The first part of this palace was constructed in the 9th century. Experiencing a long course of damage, ignorance and renovation(翻修），it was eventually transformed into the current palace in 1333. The whole sections of Alhambra Palace were whitewashed, and today it appears reddish because of centuries of baking in sunlight. The Alhambra Palace is located at the hilltop, with a view over the city.
Mysore Palace,India
Located in the city of Mysore, Mysore Palace is known as City of Palaces, in South India. It was built by different kings in different centuries, which resulted in a mixture of Indo-Saracenic Hindu, Muslim, Rajput and Gothic styles of architecture used for its construction. It was also surrounded by large gardens, lit by more than 10,000 bulbs (灯泡）during the Dasara Festival in the month of September.
1. What can visitors do in Palace of Versailles, France?| A．Go wildlife hunting. |
| B．Admire stone animals. |
| C．Explore reddish palaces. |
| D．Appreciate huge gardens. |
| A．Palace of Versailles. |
| B．Forbidden City. |
| C．Alhambra Palace. |
| D．Mysore Palace. |
| A．It has large gardens. |
| B．It was built by kings in a century. |
| C．It is in mixed architectural styles. |
| D．It is lit by over 10,000 bulbs in October. |
