A Beautiful Mind

    A mathematician who goes mad is not a subject most directors consider commercially attractive, but then Ran Howard isn’t among most directors. Despite an impressive list of credits, A Beautiful Mind is his most successful work to date, combining a psychological drama with a moving love story to produce a film that is as interesting as it is entertaining.

    The Oscar winning Russell Crowe has put himself in line for further honors with his acting John Nash, the Nobel Prize winning mathematician troubled by schizophrenia (精神分裂症). A Beautiful Mind pictures Nash as an unusual hero,not just because of his academic achievements but also because of the courage he displays while battling his illness.

    In 1947, Nash was one of many great young minds at Princeton. “To find a truly original idea is the only way to distinguish myself,” the proud and determined student declared. His exploration of such an idea afforded him little time for the normal socializing. His shyness and straight forward approach brought him few friends.

    After finally hitting on a revolutionary new idea, Nash’s career took off and his reputation as secured. He balanced research work with teaching, which is where he met the bright and beautiful student Alicia (played by Jennifer Connelly). Things in his life were going well when his talent for code breaking brought him to the attention of the military that employed him during the early stage of the cold war with Russia. However, the stress of his work made Nash’s illness develop.

    Crowe’s performance is perfect. He and Connelly ignite (make something exciting) the film’s passionate love story and Connelly’s wonderful performance makes the audience moved by Alicia, whose courage, strength and faith in her husband are the primary reasons for his recovery.

This passage is most probably ________.

    A. a book review        B. a movie review       C. a movie poster       D. an advertisement

Which can replace the underlined phrase “hitting on” in the fourth paragraph?

    A. coming up with       B. coming on            C. putting on           D. putting up with

The following statements are true EXCEPT that _______.

    A. John Nash did not go mad totally

    B. Ran Howard is an outstanding director

    C. the stress of the academic work caused Nash’s illness

    D. Nash’s concentration on his work and his shyness brought him few friends

We can infer from the text that _______.

    A. John Nash volunteered to serve in the army in spite of his illness

B. John Nash gave up his career when troubled by schizophrenia

    C. Russell Crowe won another Oscar Award after this movie

    D. without Alicia, John Nash wouldn’t have recovered from his illness

The insanely popular song from South Korean recording artist PSY has just become the most watched video on YouTube ever, gaining more than 808 million views on the popular media site.

The record was previously held by another pop heavyweight, Justin Bieber, whose song“Baby”had a little more than 804 million views at press time. PSY made the announcement early today.
Since its release,the song has outshone such other popular videos as Jennifer Lopez’s“On the Floor.”and Eminem’s“Love the Way You Lie”.
And in September,“Gangnam Style”also became the most liked video on YouTube,now with nearly 5.4 million thumbs up.
At the time of the announcement, the Guinness Book of World Records released a statement saying: “In years past it was unthinkable that something would be viewed a hundred million times, and now Gangnam Style has achieved more than twice this figure in just three months on YouTube. PSY,your certificate is waiting here at our office,come and pick it up any time!”
Despite its massive popularity, the video shows no signs of slowing down, and it even has a shot at becoming the first video to get more than one billion views.
If it maintains its current rate of around six million new views per day, “Gangnam Style”would be in line to break that record by the end of the year.
It has found its way to the tops of music charts in more than 30 countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain and Canada, while providing material for thousands of parody videos.
It became a staple in the 2012 presidential elections with the now ramous “Mitt Romney Style” video and was even used by the North Korean government in propaganda(宣传)films promoting their supreme leader. Meanwhile, such influential figures as President Obama, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt have all made mention of the hit song.
【小题1】Which of the following ranks second in views on YouTube?

A.Gangnam Style.B.Baby.
C.On the Floor.D.Love the Way You Lie.
【小题2】Which statement about Gangnam Style on YouTube is wrong?
A.It has become the most watched video.
B.It has become the most liked video.
C.It has won more than 5.4 million thumbs down.
D.It has more than two hundred million views in three months.
【小题3】What does the statement made by the Guinness Book of World Records suggest?
A.Some video gained more views than Gangnam Style.
B.It is impossible that Gangnam Style should have 100 million views.
C.Guinness Book of World Records has recognized Gangnam Style’s achievements.
D.Guinness Book of World Records won’t believe Gangnam Style’s achievements.
【小题4】 Gangnam Style is to _______ if it keeps its current rate.
A.get more than one billion views
B.get more than two billion views
C.get more than 808 million Views
D.get one hundred million views
【小题5】What can we learn about Gangnam Style from the last paragraph?
A.It is especially popular in developing countries.
B.It has played a part in the US presidential elections.
C.Few influential figures know it.
D.The supreme leader of North Korea has ever performed it.


D
As I was reading a recent story in Slate on 20-somethings complaining about how the economy was ruining their life plans, I couldn’t help but think the 20-somethings sounded like a bunch of spoiled children who grew up expecting everything to be easy for them. As a 20-something myself, I certainly share their disappointment: my husband and I probably won’t be able to buy a house until we’re in our 40s, and we too are burdened by student loans(贷款). But why should it be any different? Being young persons in America, shouldn’t they take up all of the challenges and opportunities that this country offers?
Consider some of these views shared in the Slate story: Jennifer, 29, owner of a two-bedroom apartment with her husband, worries that she won’t be able to have children for at least a decade because they can’t afford to buy a house yet.
I read that, and I thought, what planet is she living on where you need to own a house in order to have kids? Has she ever visited a developing country, or even downtown areas in this one? Home ownership is a luxury(奢华), not a fertility requirement.
A 26-year-old in the story despairs(绝望) that he can’t afford to get a Ph.D. in literature. Well, that sounds a bit like expressing disappointment that no one will pay you to write poetry on the beach in Thailand for five years.
Yes, it’s sad that these young people feel so lost. But I think the problem is their extremely high expectations, not economic reality. Beth Kobliner, author of Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties, says that she thinks people’s expectations are slowly adjusting, but today’s 20-somethings grew up at a time when everyone’s wealth appeared to be expanding. Their parents probably saw their home values rise along with their investments. “So you have people who have grown up in an environment where people had great expectations of what living well means,” says Kobliner.
This recession(衰退) will certainly play a role in forcing those expectations into more realistic group. In the meantime, it seems a lot better for our mental health to focus on being grateful-for our one-bedroom apartments, for living in modern cities, or perhaps just for being able to eat three meals a day-than on longing for some kind of luxury life.
67.What makes the author think the 20-somethings sound like a bunch of spoiled children?
A.They expect everything to be easy for them.
B.They complain that the economy is spoiling their life plans.
C.They are reluctant to face all of the challenges.
D.They are burdened by student loans.
68.The underlined word “fertility” in Paragraph 3 probably means       .
A.baby production                             B.pleasant       
C.baby comfort                           D.essential
69.Which of the following is not one of the complaints of the 20-somethings?
A.They can’t have children for at least a decade to buy a house.
B.They have only one-bedroom apartment to live in.
C.They can’t buy a house until 40 because of student loans.
D.They despair at not being able to afford a Ph.D. in literature.
70.What is the author’s purpose of writing this passage?
A.To tell us what the author’s attitude towards the 20 – somethings.
B.To explain why young people can’t afford to buy a house.
C.To suggest what we should do when young people’s high hopes create despair.
D.To explain what the 20 – something’s high expectations are.


“What’s in a name?”According to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet,there is not too much.“That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”But Shakespeare may have been wrong.In most cultures,names matter a great deal.
Americans choose names for their children with care.Parents usually think about the impression a name gives,not its meaning.Most Americans would consider a“Jennifer”more attractive than a “Bertha”,for example.The last name,or,surname,must also be considered when choosing a first and middle name.A name like Lester Chester Hester would sound poetic,but odd.Parents would avoid names that remind them of people they don’t like.On the other hand,people might name their children after a respected elderly relative or even a famous person.The popularity of certain names can change with each new generation.Names that were once common,like Fanny or Elmer,sound old-fashioned today.But other names—like John and David,Mary and Sarah—have stood the test of time and continue to be favorites.
People in Ameica don’t always call their friends and relatives by their given names.Instead,they often use nicknames.Sometimes nicknames are short forms of a longer name.For instance,a girl named Elizabeth may be called Lisa,Beth or Betsy.As children grow up,they may decide for themselves which nickname they wish to be called.Some people just go by the initials of their first and middle names,like B.J.or R.C.And of course,people may call their children or their sweethearts other special nicknames.Often they have a “sweet” flavor,like Honey or Sugar.What’s in a name? A world of significance.So if you’re choosing an English name for yourself,take care to choose a good one.Amade-up name could sound strange to native English speakers.And a translation of your Chinese name may not make an appropriate name,either.But a good name can leave a positive and lasting impression.As an American politician once said,“In real life,unlike in Shakespeare,the sweetness of the rose depends upon the name it bears.”
1.What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 2 mean?
A.People change names in order to be popular with the new generation.
B.Names will change by themselves in order to be popular.
C.Some names may no longer be popular among the new generation.
D.No names can stand the test of time.
2.When choosing names,you should stick to the following principles except that_________.
A.the impression a name gives is more important than its meaning
B.you can name after a well-known person
C.surname should be paid attention to
D.you can create a name that is special
3.The word “initial” in paragraph 3 probably means_________.
A.nickname            B.the first letter        C.short form        D.title
4.The author will name a newly born baby girl             .
A.Bertha               B.Fanny             C.Yunyun          D.Elizabeth
5.What is the main idea of this passage?
A.Names have great significance to Americans.    
B.Names change when time goes by.
C.Chinese people should be careful when choosing their English names.
D.Roses smell sweet by any other name.

根据短文内容,从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中的两项为多途选项。

Empathy

Last year, researchers from the University of Michigan reported that empathy, the ability to understand other people, among college students had dropped sharply over the past 10 years. __1__ Today, people spend more time alone and are less likely to join groups and clubs.

Jennifer Freed, a co-director of a teen program, has another explanation. Turn on the TV, and you’re showered with news and reality shows full of people fighting, competing, and generally treating one another with no respect. __2__

There are good reasons not to follow those bad examples. Humans are socially related by nature. __3__ Researchers have also found that empathetic teenagers are more likely to have high self-respect. Besides, empathy can be a cure for loneliness, sadness, anxiety, and fear.

Empathy is also an indication of a good leader. In fact, Freed says, many top companies report that empathy is one of the most important things they look for in new managers. __4__ “Academics are important. But if you don’t have emotional intelligence, you won’t be as successful in work or in your love life,” she says.

What’s the best way to up your EQ (情商)? For starters, let down your guard and really listen to others. __5__

To really develop empathy, you’d better volunteer at a nursing home or a hospital, join a club or a team that has a diverse membership, have a “sharing circle” with your family, or spend time caring for pets at an animal shelter.

A.Everyone is different, and levels of empathy differ from person to person.

B.Having relationships with other people is an important part of being human—and having empathy is decisive to those relationships.

C.Humans learn by example—and most of the examples on it are anything but empathetic.

D.“One doesn’t develop empathy by having a lot of opinions and doing a lot of talking,” Freed says.

E. Empathy is a matter of learning how to understand someone else—both what they think and how they feel.

F. Good social skills—including empathy—are a kind of “emotional intelligence” that will help you succeed in many areas of life.

G. That could be because so many people have replaced face time with screen time, the researchers said.

 

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