Some people get pleasure from picnics and tours. Others like to discuss various topics and find pleasure in it. But the reading of books provides us with such pleasure as we do not get from any other activity.
Books are written by learned people. They contain the best experiences and thoughts of their writers. Writers put in their books not only their own ideas and feelings, but also what they observe and find in society.1.
If we are in a cheerful mood, our joy is increased by reading.2.They provide us with the best advice and guidance in our difficulties. Indeed, books are our best friends as they help us in our hour of need.
3.They entertain us in our spare moments. Good novels, books on poetry and short stories, give us great enjoyment. At times we become so absorbed in our books that we forget even our important arrangements. Loneliness is no trouble for a reader.
4.They give us sound moral advice. It is through the reading of books that we learn what to love and what to hate. The reading of good books develops and improves our character. It was the English author Bacon who said that reading makes a full man. No one can question the truth of this saying.
5.Some books are such that instead of doing any good, they do harm to the readers. So it is the reading of good books alone that presents us the greatest benefit.
A. Books keep us well-informed.
B. Books contain grains of wisdom.
C. When we are alone, books are our best friends.
D. Books enable us to know the best of the colorful world.
E. When we are in a depressed mood, books comfort our troubled minds.
F. But we cannot get full advantage from reading, if our choice is not good.
G. By reading books written by great thinkers, we come in contact with their minds.
There was a time when a trip to the supermarket in the United States often ended with a seemingly simple question from the cashier: “Paper or plastic?” Well, which type of bag would you choose?
While all types of bags have some influence on the environment, it has long been supposed that paper bags are kinder. They are made from a renewable source, break down easily, burn without giving off thick smoke and can be recycled. However, the producing process behind paper bags uses more energy than that of plastic ones. How can this be true?
Studies show that paper bag production requires four times as much energy as plastic bag production. And the amount of water used to make them is twenty times higher. Besides, the influence on forests is very serious. It takes about fourteen million trees to produce ten billion paper bags, which happens to be the number of bags used in the United States yearly. In terms of recycling, the idea that paper bags are more environment-friendly than plastic ones can be quickly discarded. Research shows it requires about 98% less energy to recycle plastic than it does paper.
Even though paper bags might be more harmful than plastic ones, plastic still seems to be considered by governments as the more harmful of the two. In Ireland, for example, a tax has been introduced to discourage the use of plastic bags. People have to pay 22 cents for every plastic bag, and as a result, their use has dropped quickly.
There’s no doubt that it makes more sense to reuse these bags. However, we don’t seem to be doing that at present. That may be because they fall apart quickly. If so, cloth bags are a better choice, but still, their production also has a bad influence on the environment. So what to do? How should we answer the question of “Paper or plastic?” It seems that we first need to ask ourselves one more general question: “What can I do to help the environment?”
1.The questions in Paragraph 1 are used to .
A. express the author’s doubts
B. tell readers how to save money
C. introduce points for discussion
D. show the kindness of the cashier
2.Compared with plastic bags, paper bags .
A. need more water to produce
B. require less energy to recycle
C. take more time to break down
D. have less influence on forests
3.The underlined word “discarded” in Paragraph 3 probably means “ ”.
A. shared B. given up
C. discussed D. put forward
4.Which question does the author probably hope the cashier will ask?
A. Paper or cloth? B. Paper or plastic?
C. A small bag or big one? D. A new bag or your own one?
Birds enjoy a relatively slow rate of extinction but a new study suggests that rate might be severely underestimated(低估). Even worse, if human actions continue, bird extinction rates could skyrocket and 12 percent of the known bird species(物种) could be dying out by the end of the century.
Presently there are 10,000 known bird species — most identified after 1850 — and an estimated 130 of those have become extinct since 1500, setting the extinction rate at about one species every four years.
But according to Stuart Pimm of Duke University, this rate fails to take into account three key points: The continual identification of extinct bird species from fossil remains; numerous "missing" species not yet declared extinct; and the fact that present extinction rates were not calculated using the proper baseline date for when the species was first described.
Taking these points into consideration, the extinction rate is closer to one bird species per year, says Pimm, the leading author of the study. And the rate could be three times as high as that if not for recent bird preservation efforts.
In previous centuries, bird extinctions took place mainly on islands as Polynesian peoples expanded into the Pacific or Europeans took over the Americas, wiping out birds along the way.
In recent years, scientists are seeing an increased number of extinctions on continents, again because of human activities. Habitat destruction, introduction of invasive species, and climate change combine to harm many bird species. Before human influence, the estimated rate of bird extinctions would have been only one species per hundred years, researchers estimate.
Bird extinction rates are slower than for most animals, mainly because humans do more harm to other species and people take special efforts to protect birds. Still, if the present trends continue, the researchers estimate that the bird extinction rate will continue to climb to as many as 10 species per year,
1.The underlined word "skyrocket" in the first paragraph means
A. fly high
B. appear soon
C. increase quickly
D. change regularly
2.According to Pimm, the extinction rate of birds is____________.
A. one species per hundred years
B. one species every year
C. three species per year
D. ten species every year
3.What can we infer from the fifth and sixth paragraphs?
A. Humans have started destroying bird habitat in recent years.
B. Humans are doing more harm to animals than to birds.
C. Humans have made no effort to protect birds.
D. Humans are responsible for the bird extinctions.
4.What might be the best title for the passage?
A. Humans' Fighting against Bird Extinction
B. Humans' Responsibilities for Bird Protection
C. Bird Extinction Rates Far Worse Than Realized
D. Bird Extinction Occurring on Islands and Continents
When I graduated with a degree in English Literature from Exeter University, my head was filled with ideas about what I wanted to do next. Work experience helped me narrow down my choices to a top two: publishing and teaching. The only problem was deciding which one to choose!
Eventually, I applied for a job at a local magazine. It was a small team so I had the opportunity to get connected with all aspects of magazine publishing from editorial to advertising. I was promoted to assistant editor and enjoyed the mix of creativity and business skills necessary for the role.
When I started to consider my next career move, my thoughts turned to educational publishing. I loved working at the magazine, but I wanted to do something which combined my love of education too. I spotted the job opportunity for the Cambridge University Press Graduate Programme.
The recruitment (招聘) process for the Graduate Programme was certainly strict, including a spoken reasoning test, a personality test, a phone interview and an assessment day. The best advice I can give to anyone applying for a programme like this is to be yourself and don't be afraid to show your personality.
I was excited when I found out that I'd got the job. During the programme, I got the opportunity to work on our latest digital products, travel to book fairs abroad, visit schools to meet our customers, manage our social media accounts and sign off books to be published. I received fantastic support from colleagues at the Press, not just from my line manager and tutor, but everyone I met along the way.
Working in lots of different departments around the Press helped me identify where I wanted to end up and now I have a role which fits my interests and skills, working on content development in the Cambridge Learning for Schools team.
It's been a brilliant experience and I can fully recommend the Cambridge University Press Graduate Programme. Even if it's been a couple of years since you left university, the programme is a great way to get into publishing and progress your career, so go for it!
1.Why did the author apply for the Cambridge University Press Graduate Programme?
A. She desired to do something more creative and challenging.
B. She wanted to do a job combined with her love of education.
C. She needed different jobs to improve her business skills.
D. She longed for better education to get further promoted.
2.What is talked about in Paragraph 4?
A. Advice on the programme application.
B. Types of work in the press company.
C. Support of colleagues and tutors.
D. Experiences in changing jobs.
3.What is the author's attitude towards the programme?
A. Cautious. B. Uninterested.
C. Doubtful. D. Supportive.
The Nutcracker
Time: May 5
Place: Wuhan Theater
Enjoy a fairy tale come to life with this amazing production, presented by the famous Russian State Ballet. The ballet tells the story of a little girl who receives a nutcracker as a present on Christmas Eve. Suddenly, it transforms into a little prince, and he takes the girl on a voyage through the Land of Snow. This production is a superb performance which lived up to the mystery of the charming Russian classic.
Hello Sadness
Time: Ongoing until May 1
Place: Shanghai Art Theater
This play is adapted from the 1954 French novel Bonjour Tristesse, written by Francoise Sagan when she was only 18. The story is about a 17-year-old girl, Cecile, who lives with her father Raymond. When Raymond finally decides to settle down with a woman, Cecile worries about how her life will change, and she tries to destroy the marriage. Be prepared for a sad ending.
Rain Zone
Time: Ongoing until June 19
Place: Zhujiang Party Pier Beer Culture & Art Zone, Guangzhou
If you have wondered what it is like to walk in the rain without getting wet, this is an exhibition you shouldn’t miss. This artistic equipment allows visitors to walk through falling water, but sensors make sure that the water stops falling wherever a person is standing. The experience will provide you with the interesting feeling that you’re controlling the rain.
Claude Monet
Time: May 1 to Aug 31
Place: Beijing World Art Museum
If you are an art fan who also enjoys modern technology, you should make time for this multimedia exhibition. The high-tech art show displays about 400 copies of Claude Monet’s work and records the life of the artist himself. The exhibition takes you through Monet’s artistic career. With the help of 3-D technology, visitors can also travel to Monet’shometown to see how his masterpieces were created.
1.Which place may satisfy a dance fan in May?
A. Wuhan Theater.
B. Shanghai Art Theater.
C. Zhujiang Party Pier Beer Culture & Art Zone.
D. Beijing World Art Museum.
2.What can we learn about the play Hello Sadness?
A. It’s produced by a teenager. B. Cecile’s father treats her badly.
C. It’s an adaptation from a novel. D. Cecile’s family live in harmony.
3.Which can you still enjoy in July?
A. Hello Sadness. B. The Nutcracker.
C. Rain Zone. D. Claude Monet.
4.What do the last two events have in common?
A. They are exhibitions of paintings.
B. They depend on modern technology.
C. They are held in memory of different artists.
D. They allow visitors to control the equipment.
同学们，再过几个月，我们即将进入新学校， 开始新生活，对此你一定有许多想法吧！请以New School，New Life为题，用英文写一篇80词左右的短文，谈一谈你的新学校、新生活、新打算.
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