This year marks 45 years since Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon,taking“one small step for man and one giant leap for mankind.”Overall,12 American astronauts have walked on the lunar landscape,the last doing so in 1972.

Enthusiasm for space travel has always increased and decreased.In 2010,President Barack Obama cut funds for a NASA mission that would haveput humans back on the moonby 2020.“I understand that some believe that we should attempt a return to the surface of the Moon first,as previously planned.But I just have to say here:We’ve been there before,”said Obama.NASA Administrator Charles Bolden has alsothrown cold wateron the idea of a return mission to the moon.

But others believe there are benefits to going back to the moon.“It’s the closest future body to us,making it the least challenging to explore all the planets,moons and asteroids(小行星)in our solar system,”wrote Gene R.Grushfrom NASA Johnson Space Center.Richard Vondrak,deputy(代理的)director of the Solar System Exploration Division at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center,said,“Astronauts can accomplish scientific exploration that is beyond the capability of robotic explorers.”

And then there’s the private sector.In the last few years,several private companies have launched rockets of their own,ending the public sector’s monopoly(垄断)on space flight.Meanwhile,Buzz Aldrin,the second person to walk on the moon,believes that there’s amuch better goalfor exploration:Mars.“We’ve walked on the moon,so we understand it better than anything else,”Aldrinsaid.“We’ve got to start thinking of long-term investments.”

1.What can we know about Neil Armstrong’s walking on the moon?

A. He stepped on the moon in 1972. B. It is highly thought of in the world.

C. It took astronauts 45 years to do that. D. He did it together with 11 astronauts.

2.What can we learn about Gene R.Grush?

A. He hopes to use robots to explore the moon.

B. He thinks the moon is the easiest to explore.

C. He thinks we should explore all the stars.

D. He’s the deputy director of NASA.

3.Who supports exploring the Mars?

A. Charles Bolden. B. Richard Vondrak. C. Buzz Aldrin. D. President Obama

4.What can be the best title of the text?

A. Should we go back to the moon? B. How can we return to the moon?

C. What can we find in the universe? D. Should we do a research on space?

At the end of every year, Time picks the best 25 inventions that are “making the world better and smarter”. Here we have picked three of this year’s inventions that could be a part of your life in the near future.

The levitating(悬浮的) lightbulb

This special lightbulb was invented by US artist and scientist Simon Morris. He got the idea of making a lightbulb float from hoverboards(悬浮滑板),which he used to dream of having as a kid.

But the floating is not the most amazing part. The rejection force between the opposite ends of the magnets(磁铁),which were put in the bottom of the bulb and in the wooden base, does the job. What’s new here is a technology called induction (电磁感应). It allows the lightbulb to get power from the base even they are not in contact.

Shoes that tie themselves

They’re not what you think-shoelaces that tie themselves in the way we tie them. Instead, the new shoes have small motors that control their laces. When you step in them, your feet will hit a sensor(传感器)in the shoes and the motor will automatically tighten the laces.

But the shoes weren’t just designed for lazy people’s needs. They could actually give athletes an advantage during competition. They are also useful for people who cannot move their arms or fingers easily.

The no-touch thermometer

Taking your body temperature usually means putting a thermometer (体温计) in your armpits (腋窝) and staying still for minutes. It may be easy for you, but it’s an impossible task for little kids.

Now, with the new thermometer, users can simply put it 2.5 centimeters from a patient’s forechead and press the button, and it can get the reading in two seconds.

1.The levitating lightbulb is special in that ________.

A. floating is the most amazing part of the levitating lightbulb

B. the inventor of the levitating lightbulb is more than a scientist

C. it makes use of the rejection force between opposite ends of magnets

D. induction allows the lightbulb to get power even when unconnected with the base

2.How is the no-touch thermometer different from other ones?

A. It makes it easier to take kid’s temperature.

B. You need wait two minutes for the reading.

C. You don’t need to press the button.

D. It should be put in one’s armpit.

3.In which part of a newspaper can you possibly read this text?

A. Education. B. Sports. C. Science. D. Entertainment.

British Women Writers in different periods of time

The English Renaissance

The English Renaissance began in the later part of the fifteenth century and lasted until the 1660s. Among the most famous women writers of this period is Aphra Behn, who is seen as the first professional woman writer in English. Aphra Behn's works include also the plays The Amourous Prince, The Town Fop, The Dutch Lover and her only tragedy, Abdelazer.

The neoclassical period

Among the well-known women in British literature during the neoclassical period, from 1660 to the end of the eighteenth century, is Anne Finch. She wrote poetry and tried to express all that she saw and experienced. Another woman was recognized for her contribution to neoclassical British literature: Mary Astell. Mary Astell was a philosopher and a feminist writer. She is best known now for her theories on the education of women.

The Romantic period

Jane Austen is one of the most famous women writers that worked during the Romantic period (1798-1832). Her works include several novels, most of which focus on marriage as a way for young women to secure social standing and economic security. Her most famous novels are Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Emma.

The Victorian period

The Victorian period, between the 1830s and 1900, was the time when the Bronte sisters, George Eliot and Elizabeth Gaskell lived and wrote. Charlotte Bronte, Emily Bronte and Anne Bronte produced many British literary classics. Mary Anne Evans adopted the male pen name George as she wanted to set herself apart from the feminine genre(女性主义流派) of cookbooks and domestic moral tales. Her most famous novel is The Mill on the Floss published in 1860.

1.According to the passage, Aphra Behn was famous for ________.

A. novels B. poetry C. plays D. cookbooks

2.According to the passage, why did Mary Anne Evans publish her stories under the name of George Eliot?

A. Women were forbidden to write novels then. B. Her works would be different.

C. It helped promote her works. D. It sounded more popular.

3.If a reader is interested in women’s education, whose works can be the best choice?

A. Anne Finch’s. B. Mary Astell’s.

C. Mary Wortley Montagu’s. D. Mary Shelley’s.

In China, if you are not married by the time you are 30, you are in for trouble: social blame and pressure from family and friends can get you down. And if you are a woman, it’s even worse.

Many young people get married simply to get other people off their backs (免受别人的指责) . This is a serious compromise. One ends up not marrying the ideal partner.

There are, however, a few young people who refuse to compromise: if they can’t find a good marriage partner, they say, they would rather not marry at all.

34-year-old Kate is a university lecturer in English. She said she would not describe herself as celibatarian (独身主义者) but simply a woman who hasn’t come across the right man yet. She has sharp comments for the way in which the old generation looks at marriage.

  “Many people think marriage is a duty---to your parents, family and society. Nobody cares if your marriage is happy or not, she said, I think this is very wrong and I intend to live and act according to my own will.”

Happily for her, her parents are open-minded and not lay stress on her. But the same does not apply to her friends. They are constantly trying to get her together with some young man or another. She always refuses politely.

1.The main idea of this passage is that _________.

A. marriage is a duty to society

B. people should get married before 30 years old

C. late marriage should be respected     

D. women should get married earlier than men

2.Miss Kate refuses to get together with some young man or another because ____.

A. she doesn’t think he is the right man she wants

B. he is either too old or too young

C. he is either important or little learned

D. he doesn’t have good manners

3.In the first paragraph the underlined words “in for” refer to _________.

A. interested in B. satisfied with

C. worried about D. likely to suffer

4.Which is NOT TRUE according to this passage?

A. In China,one may face social blame and family pressure if one hasn’t got married

by 30.

B. Miss Kate’s parents are always worried about her marriage.

C. Miss Kate won’t compromise if she can’t have her ideal marriage.

D. Miss Kate wants to marry a worthy young man.

Persuasion is the art of convincing someone to agree with you. According to the ancient Greeks, there are three basic tools of persuasion : ethos, pathos, and logos.

Ethos is a speaker’s way of convincing the audience that she is trustworthy, honest and reliable. One common way a speaker can develop ethos is by explaining how much experience or education she has in the field. After all, you’re more likely to listen to advise about how to take care of your teeth from a dentist than a fireman. A speaker can also create ethos by convincing the audience that she is a good person. If an audience cannot trust you, you will not be able to persuade them.

Pathos is a speaker’s way of connecting with an audience’s emotions. For example, a politician who is trying to convince an audience to vote for him might say that he alone can save the country from a terrible war. These words are intended to fill the audience with fear, thus making them support him. Similarly, an animal charity might show an audience pictures of injured dogs and cats, to make the viewers feel pity. If the audience feels bad for the animals, they will be more likely to donate money.

Logos is the use of facts, statistics, or other evidence to support your argument. An audience will be more likely to believe you if you have convincing data to back up your claims. Presenting this evidence is much more persuasive than simply saying “believe me”.

Although ethos, pathos, and logos all have their strengths, they are often most effective when used together. Indeed, most speakers use a combination of ethos, pathos, and logos to persuade their audiences. So, the next time you listen to a speech, watch a commercial, or listen to a friend try to convince you to lend him some money, be on the lookout for these ancient Greek tools of persuasion.

1.Why does the author say persuasion is an art?

A. They both entertain the audience.

B. They both require great skill to achieve.

C. They both demand full attention from the audience.

D. They were both common topics of ancient Greek writers.

2.How is a speaker able to show her ethos to the audience?

A. By expressing her sympathy with the audience.

B. By telling the audience about her personal preference.

C. By using beautiful language to make her statements attractive.

D. By showing her knowledge and experience relating to the topic.

3.What can we learn about the three aspects of persuasion?

A. Ethos is the most important aspect of persuasion.

B. Each aspect has a different effect on the audience.

C. Honesty is the key to making your arguments believable.

D. Political leaders mostly use pathos to persuade their audience.

4.An advertisement for washing powder which claims that M scientific tests show that our powder kills 95% of all bacteria” is mainly using _________.

A. ethos B. pathos C. logos D. a combination of all three

违法和不良信息举报电话:027-86699610 举报邮箱:58377363@163.com

精英家教网