The popular US drama series “House of Cards”, which has already started its second season, features Chinese elements in its storyline. Traditional heroes are no longer sought after anymore. Today, it’s unconventional leading figure -like Francis J. Underwood from “House of Cards” who are winning audiences’ hearts.
The political drama, which airs on the Internet service Netflix, has won the applauses of viewers around the world since its debut(首次亮相) on February 1, 2013. And it has caught the attention of real politicians, including US President Barack Obama.
Kevin Spacey plays Francis J. Underwood, a cold-blooded Democrat who moves his way up the political ladder by any means necessary. He often uses his under-exposure in media to carry out misdeeds that will later benefit him.
The revenge(报仇) theme plays a heavy role throughout the storyline, Underwood, who had high hopes for an appointment as Secretary of State in the first season, was betrayed by the US President and his former colleagues. He and his wife then conducted a plan of revenge and swore to unseat those who turned their backs against him. Through their plan, Underwood’s own hunger for power grew and empowered him to get rid of whoever stood in his Way.
The release of the trailer(预告片) of the second season excited millions of viewers around the world, including US President Barack Obama, who has been a loyal fan since the series debuted. Obama expressed his admiration for Underwood. “This guy’s getting a lot of stuff done,” he said. Although the President is anxious to watch the story unfold, he’d like to do it at his own pace. After the release of the second season on February 14, 2014, Obama sent words on his Twitter account, “Tomorrow: @HouseOfCards. No spoilers , please.”
The second season has promised to be darker, with more unexpected turnouts, and is to include more Chinese elements. “Perhaps the team, including myself, has realized that in the next decade, Asia will be an extensively important region, and China will play an active role in its transition and change,” says Spacey.
1.The second season is different in that _____.
A. it is a political drama
B. more Chinese elements are involved
C. it has caught the attention of US President Barack Obama
D. Kevin Spacey, a cold-blooded Democrat, plays Francis’J. Underwood
2.The 3rd and 4th paragraph mainly deal with ______.
A. the plot of the drama series
B. the background of the drama series
C. the characters of the drama series
D. the popularity of the drama series
3.The author may agree that ______.
A. the second season is expected to be darker with more deaths
B. audiences lose their heart to traditional heroes in the drama
C. the drama is the reflection of politics of America in real life
D. the drama has won the recognition of viewers since its first season
4.The message sent by Obama on his Twitter account proves that he_______.
A. doesn’t wish to be told what to do as a drama fan
B. adores the drama so much that he wants to watch it in advance
C. doesn’t want to be disturbed while watching the drama
D. hopes nobody will inform him of the plot of the drama in advance
The English test will be removed from China’s college entrance exam by 2020, according to details of exam and admission reform revealed by the Ministry of Education. The national college entrance exam, known as the “Gaokao” has been used to evaluate Chinese students for three decades. The Ministry of Education has worked out a plan for reforming exams and enrollment. The Ministry will solicit(征求) public opinions before its release. Instead, tests will be held several times a year to allow students to choose when and how often they sit the exam so as to alleviate study pressure and change China’s once-in-a-lifetime exam system.
The plan and suggestions for its implementation will be announced in the first half of next year. It will be piloted in selected provinces and cities and promoted nationwide from 2017. A new exam and admission system will be established by 2020, according to the education ministry.
The decision has aroused a heated discussion among Shanghai educators and parents who doubted the reform would reduce the burden of learning English or if the substitute test could reflect a student’s English skills and help students learn English better.
“The reform shows China is learning from the West to give students more test-taking chances. But more chances might become more of a burden since Chinese students are likely to repeat the test until they get the highest score,” said Cai Jigang, a professor at Fudan University’s College of Foreign Languages and Literature and chairman of the Shanghai Advisory Committee for College English Teaching at Tertiary Level.
Yu Lizhong, chancellor of New York University Shanghai, where classes are in English and students are required to have a high standard of English, said the most important aspect of the reform lay in what to test and how to test.
“ As far as I see, the reform doesn’t mean English is no longer important for Chinese students after it will be excluded from the unified college entrance exam,” Yu said. “In a way, English is even more important than before since the test would only serve as reference, while every college and university, even every major, can have different requirements of a student’s English skills under a diverse evaluation system. ”
Yu said some students will have their study pressure reduced if the major they choose doesn’t need excellent English while others still need to study hard if they want to be among the best students.
The education ministry said the reform would not affect students attending the college entrance exam over the next three years.
1.What can we learn from the first paragraph?
A. English will become less and less important in the stage of compulsory education.
B. It has been 30 years since English became one subject of national college entrance exam.
C. China’s once-in-a-lifetime exam system is unacceptable at all.
D. The system that tests are held several times does more good than once-in-a-lifetime exam system.
2.According to the passage, Shanghai educators and parents argue that _____.
A. the new exam and admission system will make no difference
B. English shouldn’t be removed from China’s college entrance exam
C. the reform may accomplish the very opposite
D. Western educational system does not apply to China
3.What does the passage try to express in the underlined sentence?
A. Students needn’t lay a good foundation during the period of high school.
B. Whether students should study hard English may depend on their major.
C. Students can constantly strive for perfection only in their major.
D. English must be close to full mark.
4.What’s the purpose of the passage?
A. To advise students not to devote themselves to English.
B. To call on Education Department to remove English from “Gaokao”.
C. To support the act of Ministry of Education.
D. To encourage students to do as they have planned.
In December 2008, Caroline Kennedy — daughter of the late U.S. President John F. Kennedy—sat down, as a frontrunner for the Senate seat in New York, for a televised interview that helped decide the future of her campaign. The result was a disaster.
Her performance wasn’t well received, in part because her speech was full of filler words—“ums,” “ahs” and “you knows.” One listener counted 27 “ums” and 38 “you knows” in the space of five minutes. A few weeks after the interview, Kennedy ended her Senate campaign.
Filler words may seem natural in everyday speech, but they can be deadly in formal presentations. “Using excessive fillers is the most annoying speech habit,” said Susan Ward, a speech specialist. “They take your listener’s attention away often to the point that he doesn’t hear anything you say. Your message is entirely lost.”
Many speakers are afraid of pause. They believe their audience will think they are inarticulate (不善于表达) if they pause to think of what to say next, so they use filler words to avoid the silence. However, a pause is actually more impressive than a filler word. Listeners know that the speaker is thinking, trying to find the right word. Sometimes a pause can actually improve a speech, as when an actor uses a dramatic pause to hold the attention of his audience. A speaker shouldn’t be afraid to pause occasionally during a speech; it shows self-confidence.
It takes some work to cut out filler words. You can begin by taking a few seconds to think about what you want to say the next time you are asked a question. This pause will help you begin powerfully, and it will help you avoid using a filler word.
The same public speaking technique applies when you are shifting from one idea to another. While you may be tempted to fill the silence between ideas with a filler word, remember to allow yourself to pause and think about what you want to say next.
If you need help overcoming your “um” problem, consider asking a family member or a friend to point out when you use filler words. You also could record an upcoming presentation and then watch yourself in action. You may be amazed at how often you say “um” or “uh”!
Although we live in a fast-paced society that seemingly demands instant answers, we must use the pause to our advantage. Finally, we should only speak when we are ready.
1.In the first two paragraphs of the article the writer intends to ______.
A. introduce Caroline Kennedy to readers
B. illustrate how deadly filler words can be in the public speech
C. explain what filler words are
D. remind readers that they should count filler words used in public speeches
2.The reason why filler words are considered annoying by speech specialist is that ______.
A. they prevent the listener from focusing on what the speaker is saying.
B. they convey the speaker’s superiority to the listener.
C. they mean the speaker is not articulate at all.
D. they make the speaker appear self-confident.
3.When used properly, pauses in speeches can actually ______.
A. give the speaker more credibility
B. hold the attention of the audience
C. show the speaker’s deep insight
D. help the audience relax
4.Which of the following is NOT suggested as a way to get rid of filler words?
A. To have mental training in order to think faster.
B. To ask someone else to point out when you use filler words.
C. To watch a recording of your own speech.
D. To practice thinking for a moment before answering a question.
The owner of an Alabama Chinese restaurant named “Good Friend” shot at a customer who complained about a fly in her eggroll Thursday night. The bullet narrowly missed 20-year-old Birmingham resident Jatari Walker who told the Daily News she is scarred by the entire experience.
“I can’t sleep,” she said Saturday afternoon. “And since it happened I’ve had no appetite.”
Walker ordered a combination platter（大浅盘）and eggroll from the Good Friend Chinese and Seafood Restaurant on Dennison Ave. Thursday evening. After paying her $7 bill she went back to her car and discovered a fly inside. “I thought I need to take this back,” she said.
The customer went back and asked for a repayment and said the owner Chun HinChing, 52, was unhappy with her because she announced her discovery in front of other customers. After an argument he repaid the money and Walker — who is now a former frequent customer of the business — turned and walked to the exit.
That’s when Ching drew a handgun and fired a single shot over her head.
“He just shot the gun at me and I ran,” she said, adding she could feel the bullet whiz past her head.
Birmingham Police Department spokesman Lt. Sean Edwards told the News the owner was charged with attempted murder and was transported to Jefferson County Jail on $100,000 bail（保释金）.
Police believe Ching intended to hit Walker with the bullet and missed, Edwards said. The bullet hit the top of the door frame of the take-out business.
Ching did not tell police why he fired at Walker, Edwards said.
Edwards said he did not recall any previous problems at the business. He said Ching did not say why he had a weapon but added it was not uncommon for stores in that neighborhood.
“No one was injured from the gunshot”, Edwards said.
Calls placed to the restaurant Saturday afternoon were not answered.
1.What happened on Thursday night in Good Friend Chinese and Seafood Restaurant?
A. A fire broke out but luckily no one was injured.
B. The restaurant owner refused to repay the money.
C. The egg rolls caused sickness among some customers.
D. A young woman narrowly escaped being killed by a bullet.
2.Why did Walker go back to the restaurant after buying the food?
A. Because she left her car key in the restaurant.
B. Because she discovered a fly in the egg roll.
C. Because she forgot to take the combination platter.
D. Because she found the owner charged her too much.
3.The restaurant owner fired on Walker when ______.
A. she was about to leave
B. she was arguing with him
C. she asked for a repayment
D. she announced her discovery
4.We can learn from the passage that ______.
A. this is the first time for Walker to buy food from Good Friend Restaurant
B. the owner was unhappy with the complaint and refused to repay the money
C. it is common for a restaurant owner in that neighborhood to have a weapon
D. if someone had been hit, Ching would have been charged with attempted murder
A few years ago, my younger brother and I went to Norfolk, Virginian by plane. , before we took off, we heard the pilot’s voice throughout the plane, “sorry, ladies and gentlemen. We have no on the plane. We have a generator(发电机), and we are going to the engines with it. We will in the air and head to Norfolk, and see what happens. ”
See what happens? We are going to get up in the air, and see what happens? At this point, one woman started crying. “Oh, no! We are going to ！” There were sighs of desperation and spreading throughout the plane, and we hadn’t even yet. Thirty minutes passed and we were still there. Then the voice of the pilot came over again,“ Ladies and gentlemen, I know you are , so we are. We only have one engine going right now, and it is working double time. ”
There was crying we had walked into grave. But, the pilot told us our one engine was working double time, and his was to get up in the air and see what happens! Then we did. We got up in the air and happened. We arrived in Norfolk and everyone for still being alive.
Although I do sincerely like to have a plan “see what happens”, which really isn’t such a bad life strategy, all too often, I would see people pursuing their goals with inaction just because they don’t have success. Actually, success will never be guaranteed. The thing that you can do is just get up in the air, and see what happens.
If you are planning to learn a new skill, get up in the air, and see what happens! It might not be as as you thought. You might be smarter than you thought. It could be ! So don’t stay there trying nothing just because there is no of guaranteed success.
1.A. HopefullyB. ExcitedlyC. UnfortunatelyD. Thankfully
2.A. serviceB. powerC. waterD. fuel
3.A. shutB. fixC. changeD. start
4.A. get upB. pack upC. light upD. speed up
5.A. waitB. delayC. crashD. suffer
6.A. rumorB. anxietyC. diseaseD. smoke
7.A. looked overB. gone outC. got acrossD. taken off
8.A. sittingB. checkingC. watchingD. boarding
9.A. puzzledB. patientC. desperateD. embarrassed
10.A. even ifB. as ifC. what ifD. only if
11.A. commentB. complaintC. promiseD. plan
12.A. everythingB. somethingC. nothingD. anything
13.A. escapedB. cheeredC. sighedD. praised
14.A. less thanB. other thanC. better thanD. more than
15.A. frozenB. annoyedC. concernedD. satisfied
16.A. realisticB. organizedC. potentialD. guaranteed
17.A. sameB. commonC. bestD. last
18.A. interestingB. challengingC. surprisingD. encouraging
19.A. funB. painC. sorrowD. trouble
20.A. meaningB. sighC. actionD. reward
Thanks to a South Korean drama currently on air, Man From the Stars, this new mix — match junk food trend has become popular among young audiences, _____its unhealthy nature.
A. in favor of B.in terms of C. in case of D.in spite of
