1 . Frank Lloyd Wright probably is the greatest architect that the United States has ever produced. He was very gifted and had a natural ability to design buildings. His buildings were not only beautiful, but they were also practical and useful. They fit their purposes very well. Wright’s churches, for example, make people feel like thinking and praying. His office buildings make people enjoy working, and his houses make people feel comfortable at home. However, Frank Lloyd Wright’s beautiful, practical and useful buildings are not the only reason that he is famous. There is another reason.
Frank Lloyd Wright is called the greatest American architect because he started an American style in architecture. Most of the architecture in the United States before Wright was really European, not American. Wright’s buildings do not look like old European buildings. They have their own style. Wright’s ideas about style are still used in the United States and in other parts of the world.
The most important idea in Frank Lloyd Wright’s Style of Architecture is that a building must fit its purpose and the land around it. His houses are often called “grass-land houses” because their lines are similar to the lines on the grassland. Both the lines of the grassland and the lines of Wright’s house are parallel (平行的) to the horizon, the place where earth and sky seem to meet. They are horizontal lines. Most European style houses, in contrast, have many vertical lines that form 90°angles with the horizon.
1. Which of the following best describes the character of the houses that Wright designed?| A．They were very large and beautiful. |
| B．They could be used as churches. |
| C．They were beautiful and fitted their purposes. |
| D．They were beautiful in design but not practical in use. |
| A．learned from some European countries |
| B．not only used in the U.S. |
| C．no longer popular |
| D．somewhat similar to the European style |
| A．Architectural design should match natural surroundings. |
| B．A building must have grassland around it. |
| C．American style in architect should be different from the European’s. |
| D．Design should be more important than use. |
| A．The lines of “grass-land houses” are similar to lines on the grassland. |
| B．The lines of “grass-land houses” are horizontal. |
| C．The color of the lines of “grass-land houses” is green. |
| D．They are different from European style houses. |
| A．How to Make Your Houses More Beautiful |
| B．“Grass-land” houses Designed by Wright |
| C．The Differences Between the American and European Styles in Architecture |
| D．The Style of Wright’s Buildings and his Influence on American Architecture |
2 . “There may be no more powerful method of learning than through music, and no more important lessons for children than those that focus on character and social and emotional skills,” according to clinical psychologist (临床心理学家) and author Don MacMannis, Ph.D., who is a music director and songwriter for the hit children’s series Jay Jay the Jet Plane.
MacMannis has developed over 40 songs in a variety of types that help kids with everything from being confident and managing their feelings to respecting others and understanding responsibility.
To test the 40 songs’ effects on school kids, a study involved 320 first and secondgrade students from 16 classrooms at schools in Santa Barbara and Goleta, California. Kids were given a CD, and then received nine lessons using songs and activities from trained college students. The themes were: Friendship and Reaching Out, Respect and Caring, Celebrating Differences, Expressing and Managing Feelings, Communication and Conflict, Positive Thinking, Dealing with Fears, Best Effort, and Manners and Review.
To test the efficiency of the intervention (介入), teachers completed the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BESS) for each child four times in one year along with other assessments about the classroom. The college students who taught the lessons, the school’s principal and the children’s parents all provided feedback as well.
Both first and second graders showed a variety of improvements, including “approaching peers, understanding and using the Golden Rule, settling conflicts by talking out feelings, staying on tasks and having a positive attitude,” according to MacMannis. Second graders also “showed improvements on concentration and selfcontrol.”
Music is a great way to engage your kids in powerful lessons, such as teaching them social and emotional skills. “Music makes complex concepts more accessible and enjoyable. It assists the progress of language learning. Cheerful or inspirational music also may improve cognitive (认知的) abilities. Music appears to light up various regions of the brain related to language, hearing and motor control,” MacMannis said.
1. What do we know about MacMannis?| A．He shows great musical talent. |
| B．He often plays music for patients. |
| C．He has published many children’s books. |
| D．He works as a parttime elementary teacher. |
| A．They generally belong to the same type. |
| B．They will be played in children’s series. |
| C．They aim to improve children’s music skills. |
| D．They will benefit children’s emotional development. |
①writing songs for the kids
②giving lessons with songs to the kids
③recording the teaching process on the CD
④providing information about the kids’ performance
| A．①② | B．②③ | C．③④ | D．②④ |
| A．It’s a valuable teaching tool. | B．It’s a skill requiring much effort. |
| C．It benefits primary students most. | D．It relies on language development. |
1. 最伟大的幻想小说之一；由英国作家菲利普·普尔曼创作；
2. 1995年出版，已销售1,800万册，翻译成40多种文字；
3. 主人公分别是女孩Lyra、男孩Will；
4. 你对该书的评价。
注意：1.可适当增添细节，以使行文连贯；
2. 词数80左右。
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Helping your teens adjust to their new high school
Switching peer groups, adjusting to a new academic schedule, and leaving behind old friends can be very hard for adolescents. Use these strategies to help your teen adjust to a new school.
Keep a positive attitude
The adjustment period begins before your teen ever steps foot into the new school. Offer a balanced outlook by acknowledging the challenges of moving, but also recognizing that a new school may offer exciting new opportunities. Point out the new opportunities that’ll be available.
Avoid saying things like, “Oh, you’ll make new friends right away, so don’t worry about it,” or “It’s not a big deal. I used to change schools all the time.” Instead, say things like, “I understand you’re worried about how to stay in touch with your old friends.”
Listen to your teen’s concerns
Acknowledge that change can be hard. Comfort your teen by saying you know it will be hard for him/her to leave his/her school and friends.
Your teen might not express their feelings with words but you might see some changes in their behaviour that indicate they are stressed out about the move. Keep asking questions about their biggest concerns. Are they worried about new teachers? Do they doubt their ability to make the basketball team?
Learn about the new school ahead of time
Carry out as much research as possible about the new school before your teen starts attending. Get your teen involved in finding out about the size of the school, the types of classes offered, and extra-curricular opportunities etc. Most schools have websites that offer a wealth of information.
Talking to a guidance counsellor or coach ahead of time can also be helpful. If possible, arrange for your teen to have a tour of the school too.
If at all possible, help your teen meet some students from the new school before the first day. Seeing a familiar face or two when they are the “new kids” can go a long way towards helping them settle in.
Life is full of changes. Someday, your teen will likely need to adjust to a new job, a new home, a new boss, and living with a partner. So changing schools can be a good practice for embracing changes.
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5 . Culture is a way to bring harmony to society via exchange of knowledge and thoughts, and also the respect of others’ belief and cultural heritage. Before I came to China to study business, my only information about the country was what I had read in our school books, TV shows on Pakistan national TV, and Chinese movies.
But once I arrived in China, my view changed. China has made great leaps in development, keeping a strong link to their ancestors’ heritage, hard work and courage. The announcement of the Belt and Road Initiative (倡议) (BRI) by President Xi Jinping in 2013 has provided trade opportunities for participating countries, and can also be a meeting place for the exchange of ideas, thoughts, knowledge and culture.
Being a combination of diverse cultural and traditional systems, the BRI promotes harmony, and through the heritage of the Silk Road, these diversified cultures can treat one another with respect and exist together peacefully. China can play a leading role to maximize identity, cohesion (凝聚力) and creativity of the diverse cultures, nations and people to combine resources along the belt and road and ensure all the countries involved receive mutual (相互的) benefit.
International students coming to China and Chinese students going abroad for studies are cultural ambassadors. They learn the language, local customs, arts and exchange thoughts. The BRI is a chance for the Chinese dream to become reality. China has a lot to share with the BRI countries. China has a rising number of Chinese language learners around the world. Confucius Institutes are non-profit public institutions affiliated with the Chinese Ministry of Education whose stated aim is to promote Chinese language and culture, support local Chinese teaching internationally and facilitate cultural exchanges. As of 2014, there were over 480 Confucius Institutes in dozens of countries on six continents. The Ministry of Education estimates 100 million people overseas are learning Chinese, and the program is expanding rapidly and aims to establish 1, 000 Confucius Institutes by 2020. These institutes are playing an important role for local students to learn Chinese, meaning more job opportunities for BRI projects.
Since ancient times, the Silk Road culture has supported diversity. Accordingly, China needs to maintain relationships with the countries of the ancient Silk Road civilization.
A discussion meeting on how to better carry out the BRI Cultural Development Action Plan was held in Beijing by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Through cooperation and exchanges between countries, the BRI can revitalize (振兴) traditional Silk Road culture by opening up overseas markets, introducing advanced ideas to every participating country.
1. The change in the author’s understanding of China corresponds with the saying, “__________”.| A．Seeing is believing. |
| B．Actions speak louder than words. |
| C．One is never too old to learn. |
| D．There is no royal road to learning. |
| A．will remove cultural barriers |
| B．may achieve a win-win result |
| C．will join hands in resource protection |
| D．may keep peace with other countries |
| A．To acquire more knowledge about China today. |
| B．To communicate with Chinese-speaking people. |
| C．To gain benefit from the Belt and Road Initiative. |
| D．To serve as cultural ambassadors in BRI countries. |
| A．need to restore their ancient civilization via the BRI |
| B．have a long tradition of respecting different countries |
| C．will spread their traditional culture to other countries |
| D．are eager to exchange advanced ideas with each other |
| A．it’s a non-profit public institution affiliated by the Chinese Ministry of Education |
| B．it can promote Chinese language and culture |
| C．it supports local Chinese teaching internationally and facilitate cultural exchanges |
| D．it supplies more job opportunities for BRI projects |
| A．Monument | B．Figure | C．Statue | D．Shadow |
| A．steered clear of | B．offered a window into |
| C．cast a shadow on | D．struck a chord with |
| A．Even | B．Although | C．No matter | D．Now that |
| A．though | B．as long as | C．as though | D．as soon as |
| A．shadows | B．shuttles | C．telescopes | D．particles |
