1 . The cultural products we create reflect the times we live in. “Works of popular culture, we reasoned, should reflect the extent to which nature occupies our collective consciousness (集体意识), ” says psychologist Dr Selin Kesebir. “If novelists, songwriters or filmmakers have fewer encounters with nature these days than before, or if they don’t expect their audiences to respond to it, nature would feature less frequently in their works.”
The researchers drew up a list of 186 nature-related words belonging to four categories: general words relating to nature such as cloud, or sunrise; names of flowers; names of trees; and birds’ names. Then they analyzed how often these occurred in the output of popular culture. They looked at English-language fiction, pop songs and film plots, each of which featured thousands of examples.
The results were consistent across books, songs and movies. “The space taken by nature has been decreasing in the collective imagination and cultural conversation since the 1950s. Nature features significantly less in English popular culture today than it did in the first half of the 20th century” says Dr Kesebir.
Why? Some people suggest it’s the growth of cities that has fuelled the change. “Urbanization swallows up natural areas and cuts people off from their natural surroundings,” says Dr Kesebir. But, she goes on, the growth rate of cities over the 20th century is gradual, but the data shows a marked change from the 1950s onwards. So it’s not just the fact that fewer of us are living in rural areas that explains the decline (减少).
More likely, she believes, we’re seeing the impact of technological change leading to more indoor recreational activities. Yes, TV, video games and the Internet are to blame. “These technologies may well have been substituted for nature as a source of joy, recreation and entertainment.”
Books, songs and films shape our culture as well as reflecting it, says Dr Kesebir. “The declining cultural attention to nature means a muting of the message that nature: is worth paying attention to and talking about. It also means a loss of opportunities to awaken curiosity, appreciation and awe for nature.”
1. How did the researchers conduct their study of popular culture?| A．By having interviews. | B．By doing field research. |
| C．By analyzing collected data. | D．By referring to previous studies. |
| A．It highlighted fictional stories. | B．It caught the public’s imagination. |
| C．Its nature elements were greatly reduced. | D．Its focus shifted from fiction to conversations. |
| A．Technology. | B．The population. |
| C．City development. | D．The environment. |
| A．Explanation. | B．Silence. | C．Exchange. | D．Emphasis. |
1. 调查结果的描述；
2. 简单评论；
3. 你的建议。
注意：
1. 词数 80 左右;
2. 短文的题目和首句已为你写好。
How would you use the smart phone?
A survey on how students would use the smart phone has been conducted recently.
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3 . When I made the decision to quit my full-time employment, I never thought that I could get involved in an increasing global trend. I had to leave my relatively high-profile position for an unexpected move that hurt my pride and prevented me from getting promoted. Yet, I excused my departure by saying “I wanted to spend more time with my family”.
Curiously, after around two and a half years, my experience in what Americans refer to as “downshifting” has turned my excuse into an absolute reality. I have been transformed from a passionate advocate of Linda Kelsey’s “have it all” concept, which she has been promoting for the past seven years in the pages of She magazine, into a woman who is content to accept a little bit of everything.
I have discovered that abandoning the idea of “juggling your life” and adopting the alternative strategy of “downshifting” has benefits that go far beyond financial success and social status. Nothing could convince me to go back to the lifestyle Kelsey used to promote and which I had previously enjoyed: 12-hour workdays, tight deadlines, the terrifying pressure of office politics, and the demand of being a parent on “quality time”.
After the widespread layoffs (裁员) brought on by cost-cutting in the late 1980s, America started to move toward a simpler, less materialistic way of life as a response to the economic downturn. In America, simplifying one’s life is frequently done for financial reasons, but in Britain, at least among the middle class I know, we have different motivations for doing so. For the women of my generation who were encouraged to keep juggling, downshifting is not so much a search for a mythical (虚无的) good life—growing your own organic vegetables, and risking turning into one—as a personal recognition of your limitations.
1. What can we learn from paragraph 1?| A．The writer didn’t take pride in her original job. |
| B．Full-time employment is a new international trend. |
| C．The writer was eager to spend more time with her family. |
| D．The writer was forced to resign due to an external factor. |
| A．The writer abandoned her high social status for downshifting. |
| B．Downshifting allowed the writer to make her dream come true. |
| C．The writer changed her way of thinking through downshifting. |
| D．The writer accepted the concept of She magazine because of downshifting. |
| A．Settling for a bit of everything. |
| B．Choosing to live a simple life. |
| C．Adopting a busy and stressful lifestyle. |
| D．Staying away from a materialistic way of life. |
| A．It is never too late to pursue your dream. |
| B．Downshifting results in a more satisfactory and simpler life. |
| C．There is a difference between the American and British cultures. |
| D．People should adopt downshifting to search for mythical experiences. |
4 . Carlos Slim’s proposal that we work a three - day week sounds crazy. But many, in 1922, thought Henry Ford crazy when he announced that his staff would work a five - day week.
Our working week seems normal to us because it is what we all always do. He certainly could be for those he was most concerned about when he made his three - day - week statement at a business conference in Paraguay: the workers who are not ready to retire. As Mr. Slim said, it no longer makes sense for people to stop working in their fifties or sixties when they may still have up to a third of their lives ahead of them. “People are going to have to work for more years, until they are 70 or 75, and just work three days a week - perhaps 11 hours a day.” he said.
Keeping older employees at work makes sense for societies, especially those with a diminishing number of young people who are expected to support long - living retirees.
He appeared to be suggesting that these short - week workers earn the same as they did full - time. That is what happens at Telmex, his Mexican fixed - line phone company, where those qualified for retirement can choose to work four - day weeks on full pay.
Older workers elsewhere might prefer shorter weeks on reduced pay - and eight or nine - hour days rather than 11. Their companies might value keeping their experience while saving money on their salaries. What about everyone else? There are those who are unemployed, or in unstable jobs, who would be delighted to have three secure, well - paid days of work a week.
Shorter weeks don’t work in every job, but they work in more jobs than most tradition - bound managers think. Agreeing to them requires two shifts in management thinking. The first is the realization that much of the time spent in offices is wasted anyway. Second, senior executives need ro understand that the best way to measure people is by the work they produce - not by how much time they spend at their desks.
People living longer, in better health, are changing working life too. Mr. Slim’s idea is in tune with the times.
1. According to paragraph 2 why did Mr. Slim think it unwise for people in their fifties or sixties to retire ?| A．Because they have longer life to live in their future. |
| B．Because they have children and old parents to support |
| C．Because they have much interest in their present work. |
| D．Because they have more experience than young workers. |
| A．The decision of working five days a week by Ford was considered normal in the past. |
| B．Old people continuing working can reduce young people’s pressure to support their old parents |
| C．Some companies don’t want their old workers to go on working because they can save money. |
| D．Much time spent at work is wasted if managers don’t agree to reduce old employees’working time. |
| A．Different from. | B．Superior to. |
| C．Far from. | D．Consistent with. |
| A．Retire Or Not, This Is A Question! |
| B．Shorter Weeks Is Welcome By All |
| C．Working Three Days A Week: A Great Idea |
| D．Carlos Slim - Crazy For More Resting Time |
假设你是李华，你的英语老师把你班同学分成几个小组来调查班里患近视(short-sightedness)的同学的人数和原因。你们小组调查后做了如下图所示的统计，请分析下面的饼状图，并谈谈你的看法及建议。
注意：
1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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6 . Since Peter Singer published Animal Liberation in 1975, animal rights activists thought animals should be granted the same rights as humans. Referring to scientific studies showing animals
The line of reasoning in favor of granting animals equal rights to humans
The truth is,
There is a strong reason for
The system that defends our rights is the fact that other people are obliged by
If it is my claim to live freely on my property without being bothered, my neighbor’s duty prevents him from violating my right to property and life. Suppose, however, he breaks in and damages my property. He will then be held responsible in a court of law, for he has
If we assume that animals are granted the same legal status as humans,
| A．acquiring | B．desiring | C．displaying | D．respecting |
| A．explores | B．challenge | C．overlooks | D．emphasizes |
| A．treat | B．associate | C．deal | D．bear |
| A．considering | B．despite | C．instead of | D．according to |
| A．conclusions | B．performances | C．experiments | D．messages |
| A．in return | B．for instance | C．therefore | D．however |
| A．denying | B．maintaining | C．recognizing | D．suggesting |
| A．approve | B．demand | C．ensure | D．reserve |
| A．contracts | B．possession | C．faith | D．duties |
| A．profit | B．keep | C．learn | D．result |
| A．afford | B．claim | C．pretend | D．determine |
| A．assigned | B．declared | C．failed | D．fulfilled |
| A．dangers | B．questions | C．charges | D．obstacles |
| A．agreement | B．justice | C．criticism | D．frustration |
| A．open | B．addicted | C．subject | D．relevant |
7 . How do you usually spend your spare time? Many people choose to be couch potatoes, but not Luo Han, a 9-year-old from Changsha, Hunan.
Luo Han completes at least two hours of outdoor activities every day and has raised a wave of discussion online. Although he is in primary school, he has already mastered sports like kayaking and paddling. His aptitude for outdoor sports is from his father Luo Ge, who actively encourages him to enjoy nature, rather than focusing only on his learning. After noticing that Luo Han did not go out for enough exercise after school, his father took him to do outdoor activities every day.
Many applauded them. “Exercise can ease brain fog and improve memory. Many students feel stressed about school work, so outdoor activities can help us keep our moods uplifted and improve our learning efficiency.” said Liu Yu, 18, a university freshman. Wang Tao, a parent of a 16-year-old, showed her support for the father. “It’s more than a way to relax. It’s a training of willpower,” she said. Her son He Xin, from Hefei Thomas School, Anhui, is a fan of outdoor sports. Although facing increasing pressure in his studies, he has joined the school’s athletic programs.
However, some have also expressed their concerns. “Two hours isn’t too much for a 9-year-old, but it might be difficult for high school students to guarantee this block of time when school becomes more demanding,” said Huang Xi, 16, from Liyang High School of Jiangsu province.
Ms. Zhu, who has a daughter in middle school, also agreed that two hours is too much for the majority of parents, especially on weekdays. “When I am off duty, I need to do housework. After my daughter finishes her homework, she prefers to watch TV. Neither of us would think of going outside for exercise,” Zhu said.
Other parents are concerned about the safety of outdoor activities. Zhang Zhijin has a son in high school. “Sometimes, teenagers can do crazy and risky things. We worry about accidents,” Zhang said.
1. Which of the following is true?| A．Liu Yu thinks outdoor activities can improve our learning. |
| B．Outdoor playing is only good to relaxation. |
| C．Luo Han ’s father thinks learning is more important than exercising. |
| D．Luo Han’s father thinks exercise on campus is enough for him. |
| A．annoyed | B．excited | C．anxious | D．frightened |
| A．Huang Xi | B．Liu Yu | C．Wang Tao | D．Luo Han |
| A．Please go out for exercise | B．Daily outdoor play and working |
| C．People’s concerns | D．Parent’s views on after-class work |
8 . Most children now chat daily either online or through their mobile phones. They are connecting to a huge number of other children all over the world. Some are shy "in real life" but are confident to communicate with others online; others find support from people of their own age on relationship problems, or problems at home.
Sometimes the online world, just like the real world, can introduce problems, such as cheating or arguments. Going online is great fun, but there are also a few people who use the Internet to do bad things. Children must know that there are both the good things and the dangers on the Internet.
To keep children safe ,your management must cover the family computer. Just as you decide which TV programs are suitable, you need to do the same for the websites and chatrooms your children visit. Remind your children that online friends are still strangers and there are dangers too.
Computer studies are part of schoolwork now, so it's likely that your children may know more than you do. We get left behind when it comes to the interactive areas of websites, like chatrooms and message boards, which are especially strange. The language of chat is strange to many parents, too. Chatters love to use abbreviations (缩写) such as: atb—all the best, bbfn—bye bye for now, cul8er—see you later, gr8—great, Idk—I don't know, imbl—it must be love, kit—keep in touch, paw—parents are watching, lol—laugh out loud, xlnt—excellent!
It seems like another language, and it is!
1. The passage is meant for .| A．children | B．teachers |
| C．parents | D．Net bar owners |
| A．not allow them to use the Internet | B．surf the Internet together with them |
| C．teach them to use correct Net words | D．choose suitable websites and chatrooms for them |
| A．bbfn | B．1ol | C．cul8er | D．paw |
| A．The chat language is strange to adults. | B．The Internet is not good for children. |
| C．Children can chat so much online. | D．The Internet is a good place for children. |
9 . In the past ten years, many scientists have studied the differences between men and women. And they all got the same answer: The sexes (性别) are different, because their brains are different. And this, the scientists say, makes men and women see the world in different ways.
Boys, for example, generally are better than girls at mathematical ideas. Boys also generally are better than girls at the kind of hand and eye movements necessary for ball sports. Girls, on the other hand generally start speaking earlier than boys. And they generally see better in the dark than boys and are better at learning foreign languages.
What makes men and women better at one thing or another? The answer is the brain. The brain has two sides connected by nerve (神经) tracks. The left side generally is used for mathematics, speech and writing. The right side is used for artistic creation (创造) and the expression for emotions (情感). In men and women, different areas in each side of the brain develop differently. In boys, for example, it’s the area used for mathematics. In girls, it is the area used for language skills. Another interesting difference is that the two sides of a man’s brain are connected by a smaller number of nerves than the two sides of a woman’s brain are.
1. Which of the following is the best title of the article?| A．Research on the Brain |
| B．Men and Women are Different in Brain |
| C．People’s Different Brains |
| D．Who Are Better, Boys or Girls |
| A．The different brains make |
| B．Sex makes |
| C．The different experiences make |
| D．The influences (影响) of society make |
| A．mathematics | B．physics |
| C．English | D．chemistry |
| A．The left side of brain in boys generally develops better than that in girls. |
| B．The left side of brain in girls generally develops better than that in boys. |
| C．Men are better than women in all things. |
| D．The area in girls used for language skills develops better. |
The fire started on Sunday morning in the house of the King's baker in Pudding Lane. The baker, with his wife and family, was able to get out through a window in the roof. A strong wind blew the fire from the bakery into a small hotel next door. Then it spread quickly into Thames Street. That was the beginning.
By eight o'clock three hundred houses were on fire. On Monday nearly a kilometer of the city was burning along the River Thames. Tuesday was the worst day. The fire destroyed many well-known buildings, old St Paul's and the Guildhall among them.
Samuel Pepys, the famous writer, wrote about the fire. People threw their things into the river. Many poor people stayed in their houses until the last moment. Birds fell out of the air because of the heat.
The fire stopped only when the King finally ordered people to destroy hundreds of buildings in the path of the fire. With nothing left to burn, the fire became weak and finally died out.
After the fire, Christopher Wren, the architect, wanted a city with wider streets and fine new houses of stone. In fact, the streets are still narrow; but he did build more than fifty churches, among them was new St Paul's.
The fire caused great pain and loss, but after it London was a better place: a city for the future and not just of the past.
1. It seems that the writer of the text was most sorry for the fact that ______.
| A．many famous buildings were destroyed |
| B．the birds in the sky were killed by the fire |
| C．some people lost their lives |
| D．the King's bakery was burned down |
| A．Because Pepys was among those putting out the fire. |
| B．Because Pepys also wrote about the fire. |
| C．To give the reader a clearer picture of the fire. |
| D．To show that poor people suffered most. |
| A．Houses standing in the direction of the fire were pulled down. |
| B．All the wooden houses in the city were destroyed. |
| C．People managed to get enough water from the river. |
| D．The king and his soldiers came to help. |
(a) There was a strong wind.
(b) The streets were very narrow.
(c) Many houses were made of wood.
(d) There was not enough water in the city.
(e) People did not discover the fire earlier.
| A．(a) and (b) | B．(a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) |
| C．(a), (b), (c) and (d) | D．(a), (b) and (c) |
