1 . After two years of careful consideration, Robert McCrum has reached a conclusion on his selection of the 100 greatest novels written in English. Take a look at a few in his list.
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe (1719)
By the end of the 19th century, no book in English literary history had enjoyed more editions and translations. This world-famous novel is a complex literature that one cannot resist.
Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift (1726)
A great work that’s been repeatedly printed, Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels comes third in our list of the best novels written in English.
Clarissa by Samuel Richardson (1748)
Clarissa is a tragic heroine, pressured by her dishonorable family to marry a wealthy man she dislikes, in the book that Samuel Johnson described as “the first book in the world that shows the knowledge about the human heart.”
Tom Jones by Henry Fielding (1749)
Tom Jones is a classic English novel that gets the spirit of its age and whose characters are well-known since they have come to represent the society at that time.
Emma by Jane Austen (1816)
Jane Austen’s Emma is her most outstanding work, mixing the best parts of her early books with a deep sense of feelings.
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket by Edgar Allan Poe (1838)
Edgar Allan Poe’s only novel—a classic adventure story with supernatural elements—has fascinated and influenced generations of writers.
1. Which English book has got the most translations before the 20th century?| A．Tom Jones | B．Gulliver’s Travels | C．Robinson Crusoe | D．Emma |
| A．The human heart. | B．Quarrels in a family. |
| C．A love story. | D．The spirits of the time. |
| A．Their classic life styles. | B．Their representation of the society. |
| C．Their typical spirits of the age. | D．Their different nationalities. |
2 . Some of the world’s biggest companies — Apple, Amazon, Facebook — didn’t exist 30 years ago. So what firms are we working for in 2050? That’ s a question put forward by historian Yuval Noah Harari in his new book “21 Lessons for the 21st Century”.
He argues that because technology is changing so fast, it’ s one of the first times in human history when we don’t know what jobs will look like in the coming three decades. “So the best bet is to focus on emotional intelligence (EQ),” he said. “Information is the last thing the kids need. They have too much of it.”
In this book, he focuses on the various challenges facing us today. As he writes in the book’ s introduction: “What are today’s greatest challenges? What should we pay attention to? What should we teach our kids?” One area where these questions crop up is artificial intelligence (AI). Harari believes that AI will completely affect the job market for the next generation of workers.
His first two books — “Sapiens” and “Homo Deus” — became international bestsellers, selling more than 12 million copies worldwide. They were praised by the likes of Mark Zuckerberg, Barack Obama and Bill Gates. Harari’ s books, about the past and future of humanity, attract a great number of fans. Fellow Israeli, actress Natalie Portman, is a fan. So is American R&B star Janelle Monae.
As for Bill Gates, he might be Harari’s biggest fan. So when the New York Times asked him to review Harari’ s latest books, he jumped at the opportunity. “All the three books wrestle with some version of the same question: What will give our lives meaning in the decades and centuries ahead?” Gates wrote in his review. “So far, human history has been driven by a desire to live longer, healthier, happier lives. If science is eventually able to give that dream to most people, and large numbers of people no longer need to work, what reason will we have to get up in the morning?”
1. What is the best way to help students face the uncertain future according to Harari?| A．Teaching them advanced technology. |
| B．Providing them with more information. |
| C．Improving their emotional intelligence. |
| D．Reminding them of fierce competitions. |
| A．The bright future of the future workers. |
| B．Different challenges in face of people. |
| C．Lessons humans should learn from history. |
| D．The disadvantages of artificial intelligence. |
| A．He is Bill Gates’ good friend. | B．He has a deep understanding of AI. |
| C．He is highly thought of by everyone. | D．His books are well received in the world. |
| A．The desire to enjoy life. | B．The limitless opportunities in the future. |
| C．The driving force of human history. | D．The source of life meaning in the future. |
3 . The Peanuts Movie, which hits theaters today, brings to life one of the most popular comic strips(连环漫画) ever to appear in print. For decades, kids have found humor and comfort in Charlie Brown and his pet dog, Snoopy. The characters came from the pen of Charles M. Schulz, whose comic strip, Peanuts, first appeared in newspapers in 1950.
Schulz, who died in 2000, was one of the most influential cartoonists in history. His son, Craig Schulz, has reinvented the Peanuts characters for a new generation of kids who may only be familiar with the holiday specials on TV. Craig co-wrote the screenplay for The peanuts Movie with his own son, Bryan.
Director Steve Martino created the computer-animated 3D characters for the movie. Even though he used new technology, he wanted to stay true to Charles Schulz’s original drawings. “I love to draw, I love to tell stories, and I got to do it in a big movie like this,” Martino said. “My hope was to bring these characters to life in a bigger way than we’ve ever seen, but be truthful to who they’ve always been.”
11-year-old Noah Schnapp voices the character of Charlie Brown. “It was a bit difficult at the beginning,” Noah said. “But once I got into it, I had so much fun.” Alex Garfin, 12, is the voice of Linus, Charlie’s friend. Alex has words of wisdom not just for Charlie, but also for kids who want to work on the entertainment industry. “If you don’t succeed, try again,” he said. “You may not succeed 99 percent of the time, but that 1 percent probability will bring you something.” Francesca Capaldi, 11, who voices the Little Red-Haired Girl, agrees.
“Dream big,” she said. “If you really want something, just go for it.”
1. What can we know about The Peanuts Movie?| A．It is more popular than the comic strip Peanuts |
| B．it was changed into TV specials by Craig Schulzz. |
| C．It has more characters than the comic strip Peanuts |
| D．Charles Schulz’s son and grandson wrote the screenplay. |
| A．bring the main characters to life. |
| B．make the movie fit for today’s kids. |
| C．develop the movie using new technology. |
| D．keep the characters what they’ve been like |
| A．3 |
| B．4 |
| C．5 |
| D．6 |
| A．A computer-animated movie brings Peanuts to life |
| B．The Peanuts Movie helps you realize your dream. |
| C．Charles Schulz and his comic strip Peanuts. |
| D．The Schulzs give you humor and comfort. |
In any society, shared definitions of personal space govern how we interact with other people. People living in densely(密集地) populated cities like Mumbai, Beijing, or Mexico City tend to require less personal space than people living in sparsely(稀少地) populated places within the country. In America, New Yorkers often have smaller requirements than residents of western states, like Montana, Shenandoah and Wyoming. Because everyone has different standards, gestures that are innocent in one place can be interpreted as opposite in another, especially in Britain.
As the British etiquette(礼仪) website Debrett puts it, as a British person, somebody standing too close may make you "focus less on what somebody is saying than on how close they are to you". Simple acts like putting an arm around someone you don't know may seem friendly in China, but they can make us very uncomfortable. People from many European countries such as France and Spain kiss each other on the cheek when they meet, yet to British person, this seems too friendly and "touch-freely". The website explains! "The British are not backslappers(拍人后背的人) and generally do not show affection in public".
Are British people unfriendly? Far from it. The website adds that they are not as "stand-offish and aloof' as they may seem, but very friendly and helpful to foreigners. However, remember not to be too close. If you are going to come closer than an arm's length, please let them know.
1. According to the passage, if you were meeting a British for the first time, it would be polite of you to ________.
| A．kiss him/her on the cheek |
| B．keep an arm's length away from him/her |
| C．put an arm around him/her |
| D．slap his/her back |
| A．People living in Beijing and people living in Mexico City. |
| B．People living in Mumbai and people living in Shenandoah. |
| C．People living in Wyoming and people living in New York. |
| D．People living in Wyoming and people living in Montana. |
| A．cold and indifferent |
| B．modest and cool |
| C．gentlemanly and kind-hearted |
| D．independent and strong-willed |
| A．British people like to sit next to other people on empty buses. |
| B．British people usually kiss strangers on the cheek to greet them. |
| C．British people are helpful though they may not appear to be. |
| D．British people are delighted to show affection in public. |
Few Americans stay in one place for a lifetime. We ________ from the city to the suburbs, from high school to college in a different state, from a job in one region to a better job ________, from the home where we ________ our children to the home where we plan to live in ________. With each move we are ________ making new friends, who become part of our new life.
For many of us the ________ is a special time for forming new friendships. Today, millions of Americans go on vacation ________, and they go not only to see new sights but also — in those places where they do not feel too ________— with the hope of meeting new people. No one really ________ a vacation trip to produce a close friend, but the beginning of a friendship is possible. Surely in every country people ________ friendship.
The word “friend” to American people can be ________ to a wide range of relationships — to someone one has known for a few weeks in a new place, to a close business companion, to a childhood playmate, to a man or woman, to a ________ colleague. There are real ________ among these relations for Americans — a friendship may be ________, casual, situational or deep and lasting. But to a European, who sees only our surface behavior, the differences are not clear.
As Europeans see it, all kinds of “friends” flow ________ of Americans' homes with little ceremony. They may be parents of the children's friends, house guests of neighbors, members of a committee, business associates from another town or even another country. ________ as a guest into an American home, the European visitor finds no ________ differences. The atmosphere is ________. Most people, old and young, are called ________ first names. Americans’ characteristic openness to different styles of relationship makes it possible for us to find new friends abroad with whom we feel ________.1.
| A．drive | B．commute | C．move | D．settle |
| A．abroad | B．elsewhere | C．somewhere | D．nowhere |
| A．deliver | B．protect | C．educate | D．raise |
| A．retirement | B．death | C．illness | D．sadness |
| A．mostly | B．mainly | C．rarely | D．forever |
| A．winter | B．summer | C．spring | D．autumn |
| A．along | B．freely | C．together | D．abroad |
| A．alone | B．strange | C．scared | D．remote |
| A．allows | B．desires | C．expects | D．imagines |
| A．form | B．develop | C．ignore | D．value |
| A．used | B．applied | C．stuck | D．dedicated |
| A．kind | B．generous | C．trusted | D．helpful |
| A．differences | B．varieties |
| C．distinctions | D．diversities |
| A．informal | B．reliable | C．shallow | D．fragile |
| A．in and out | B．on and on | C．by and by | D．up and down |
| A．Moving | B．Flowing | C．Going | D．Coming |
| A．obvious | B．heavy | C．explicit | D．strong |
| A．weird | B．stressed | C．relaxed | D．strange |
| A．with | B．on | C．for | D．by |
| A．at best | B．at home | C．at heart | D．at hand |
All of London's major museums are free, but most offer some special exhibitions for a fee. My favorite is the Museum of Londonwhere you can learn the history of London from Roman times to today. And I love theGeffrye Museumwhich shows English domestic interiors and helps bring to life what it was really like to live in London.
I regularly hear people tell me theQueen Mary's Rose Gardens in Regent's Parkis their favorite spot in London, and who am I to argue? I would also recommend St. James's Park as it offers one of the best views ofBuckingham Palace. Hyde Park is enormous and Kensington Gardens nearby includes the ever popular Diana Memorial Playgroundand thePeter Pan Statue.
No visit to London is complete without seeing this military tradition. The Queen's Guard in London changes in the Forecourt inside the gates ofBuckingham Palaceat 11.30am every day in the summer and every other day in the winter. Get there early and view the spectacle from outside the front gates.
Trafalgar Square is one of Britain's greatest visitor attractions and was designed by John Nash in the 1820s and constructed in the 1830s. This iconic square has many sights to see including Nelson's Columnand theNational Gallery. It is both a tourist attraction and the main focus for political demonstrations. Every December, Norway donates a marvelous Christmas tree, to thank Britain for liberation from the Nazis.
1. Where can visitors find thePeter Pan Statue?
| A．in Regent's Park. | B．in St. James's Park. |
| C．in Hyde Park. | D．in Kensington Gardens. |
| A．In theGeffrye Museumvisitors can learn the history of London from Roman times to today. |
| B．The Queen Mary's Rose Gardens is in Buckingham Palace. |
| C．There is the Queen's Guard change inside the gates ofBuckingham Palaceat 11.30 am every day all year around. |
| D．Trafalgar Square is both a tourist attraction and a place for political demonstrations. |
| A．compare some free places in London. |
| B．advertise some free places in London. |
| C．recommend some free places in London. |
| D．expose some free places in London. |
7 . I recommend flying to Washington D.C., our nation’s capital. Like Beijing this is the heartbeat of America. While in Washing D.C. you should check out the White House, the presidential monuments, Ford’s Theatre where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated(暗杀) and the US Capital building, which is the home of the US government.
When you’re ready to leave Washing D.C., go to Chinatown and jump on a bus up to New York. These buses are really cheap and convenient.
New York is like a fantasy world where you can do almost anything! My friend from Thailand said the best Thai food she ever ate was in New York City. So eat as much as you can, see a show on Broadway and climb the stairs of the Statue of Liberty. If you really want an American experience, eat a hot dog while you watch a New York Yankee’s baseball game.
Now, because you are my friends, I will recommend to you one of the great secret places in America: New Hampshire. Even though this is my home state, I am not biased(偏爱). New Hampshire is one of the most beautiful places in the world. In the fall, hike the White Mountains and be surprised at the bright red, yellow and orange leaves on the trees. In the winter, drink a warm glass of hot chocolate before you ski through freshly fallen snow. And in the summer take a boat out of Lake Winnipesauke and enjoy crystal(水晶般的) clear water.
Actually, you’ll have a good time just about anywhere.
1. The writer thinks visitors should take a bus to New York because ______.| A．the distance is short | B．the trains are crowded |
| C．buses are really cheap and convenient | D．New York is like a fantasy world |
| A．seeing a show on Broadway |
| B．eating a hot dog while watching a baseball game |
| C．eating as much as you can |
| D．climbing the stairs of the Statue of Liberty |
| A．New York | B．Houston | C．Washington D. C. | D．New Hampshire |
| A．writers | B．visitors | C．readers | D．the writer’s friends |
| A．autumn | B．spring | C．summer | D．winter |
(2015 • 江西调研）Call all poets! Time For Kids (TFK) has a challenge for you: write a funny, rhyming poem. It must be an original poem that does not copy another poet’s work. Enter it in the Time for Kids Poetry Contest! As fewer and fewer children are interested in writing poetry of their own, Time For Kids decides to organize and sponsor such a contest to change the situation.
Contest Rules
1. How to enter This contest begins at 12:01 am on March 6, 2015 and ends at 11:59 pm on July 24, 2015. To enter, mail the following information to 1271 Avenue of the Americas, 32nd Floor, New York, New York 10020: (a) an original and previously unpublished poem that is humorous and has a rhyme scheme; (b) entrant’s first name only and a parent’s mail address. Limit one entry per person. When entering, entrant promises that the entry is original, and has not been published in any medium and has not won an award.
2. Judging All entries will be judged by poet Kenn Nesbitt, based on the following criteria: creativity and originality (50%), use of language and rhyme (25%) and appropriateness to the theme of the contest (25%). The length of the entry will not be taken into consideration.
3. Prizes Our judge will select four semi-finalists (半决赛选手) from which one grand prize winner and three finalists will be chosen. The one grand prize winner will receive an online class visit from Children’s Poet Laureate Kenn Nesbitt and a signed copy of his newest book of poetry, The Armpit of Doom: Funny Poems for Kids, approximately value at $ 275. The three finalists will each get a signed copy of Nesbitt’s newest book of poetry, The Armpit of Doom: Funny Poems for Kids, and both their poems and that of the grand prize winner will be published at timeforkids.com.
4. Eligibility (参赛资格) Open to legal citizens of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are primary school students and are 8 to 13 years old at time of entry.
5. Winner’s list For names of the winner and finalists, visit timeforkids.com (after August 1, 2015, available for a period of 10 days).
1. The purpose of the contest is to .| A．encourage children to learn from other poets |
| B．help children realize the dream of poetry writing |
| C．encourage children’s interest in poetry writing |
| D．encourage children to read more original poems |
| A．Being creative and original. |
| B．Using a proper number of words. |
| C．Using proper language and rhyme. |
| D．Being appropriate to the contest theme. |
| A．They will get a great deal of money. |
| B．Their poems can be read at timeforkids.com. |
| C．They will receive an online class visit from Nesbitt. |
| D．Their poems will appear in Nesbitt’s newest book of poetry. |
| A．poems can be sent to the organizers by e-mail |
| B．all children have the right to take part in the contest |
| C．the number of one entrant’s poems to enter the contest is not limited |
| D．the result of the contest will be unknown before August, 2015 |
9 . Four cinemas in the UK
The Kinema, Lincolnshire
It’s a wooden building on the outside and a two-screen cinema on the inside, all nesting among pine trees in a tiny village. The Kinema showed its first film in 1922 and the first six rows were deckchairs (折叠帆布躺椅). Today, it’s more richly decorated.
“People come here because it’s a fantastic experience,” says manager Philip Jones. “Many rooms in the Kinema are simple and not attractive, but we try to remain everything that makes it special.”
The Cube, Bristol
It’s not really a cinema. It is a not-for-profit cooperative run by volunteers, which has been operating for the last 15 years.
They are “unique for what we do, which is to operate seven nights a week and with no funding.” They make many things themselves, such as cola and yogurt.
The Broadway, Nottingham
A cinema has been here since the 1960s, when local fashion designer Paul Smith would come to see arty foreign films, which heavily influenced his career choice. Later, he designed the stripy(条纹的) sofas.
The Broadway was previously used as a church, but locals love it for its independent, art house, and DIY spirit. The Broadway also has a right-on restaurant, with locally sourced vegetables and salads, and even serves its own beer.
The Rex, Hertfordshire
It opened to the public in 1938 and has been named the most beautiful cinema in the UK. There’s a varied programme with different films every night. Hot dogs and popcorn are banned. And a real person answers the phone when you call.
People speak very highly of the Rex. So do go, if only once, to see just how a cinema should be run.
1. In Philip Jones’ opinion, the Kinema may attract people who ________.| A．live in the nearby villages | B．are fond of rich decorations |
| C．are interested in wooden structures | D．want to experience something special |
| A．was built in 1960 | B．owns a restaurant |
| C．is next to a church | D．was designed by Paul Smith |
| A．are nonprofit cooperatives | B．show arty foreign films |
| C．offer homemade drinks | D．use stripy sofas |
| A．The Kinema. | B．The Cube. |
| C．The Broadway. | D．The Rex. |
The cover was the only part of the book Steve Jobs wanted to control，writes Isaacson in his introduction.Though Mr Jobs pushed the biographer of Albert Einstein and Benjamin Franklin to write in his own way，generously allowing the writer more than 40 interviews，this book offers quite a different view of Mr Jobs，who won much praise from his fans after his death on October 5th at the age of 56.
As a biographer of Albert Einstein and Benjamin Franklin，Mr Isaacson knows how to celebrate longdead genius，but he claimed that Steve Jobs would not be entirely praiseful words.The picture he paints，particularly in the first half of this book，is not nice. Mr Jobs emerges as a controlling and often coldblooded character.A child of the 1960s counterculture (反主流文化)，he hated materialism and lived in simply furnished houses (in part because he was too particular about furniture)．But when Apple went public in 1980，he refused to give any share to Daniel Kottke，a longtime supporter and soul mate from college.“He has to abandon the people he is close to”，observes Andy Hertzfeld，an early Apple engineer.
Mr Jobs was undoubtedly possessing an extraordinary ability to attract others and inspire a kind of faith that could not be questioned.But also he could be cold and cruel. If he disapproved of an employee’s work，he often shamed him.“This is who I am，” he once said after being challenged，“and you can’t expect me to be someone I’m not.” This disgusting personality wasn’t always helpful，but it served a purpose，writes Mr Isaacson，many would “end their chain of horror stories by saying that he got them to do things they never dreamed possible”．
Mr Isaacson treats Steve Jobs as the biography of record，which means that it is a strange book to read so soon after its subject’s death.
1. The biography for Jobs is believed to have the perfect design because________.
| A．it follows Jobs’ style |
| B．its cover is entirely white |
| C．black and white are his favorite |
| D．it is designed by a famous biographer |
①cruel ②humorous ③particular ④generous
| A．①③ | B．②③ | C．①④ | D．③④ |
| A．Jobs is highly spoken of in the book |
| B．Isaacson doesn’t think Jobs a good man |
| C．Jobs didn’t care about the design of the book |
| D．all descriptions of Jobs are not nice in the book |
| A．a personal diary | B．a book review |
| C．a news report | D．a TV interview |
