Every day we are exposed to images, videos, music and news.In this age of visual and aural hyper-stimulation, the medium of radio is making a great comeback.

“We’re at the beginning of a golden age of audio,” said US-based podcaster Alex Blumberg in an article in The Sydney Morning Herald. In the last month alone, 15 percent of US adults listened to a radio podcast (播客).These statistics, released by Edison Research, show the successful evolution of traditional radio broadcasts to the present day’s digital podcast format.The term “podcast” was invented in 2004, but the trend only started gaining mainstream popularity in recent years.With the sharp increase in consumer demand for smartphones and tablets, podcast sales have jumped.

The appeal of the podcast partly lies in its multiplatform delivery and on-demand capabilities (功能).You can listen during those extra minutes of the day when you’re walking to the shops, waiting in a queue or riding the subway.Similar to television shows, podcasts are generally free to download and most offer new content every week.

Donna Jackson, 22, Sydney University media graduate, listens to podcasts two or three times a week, via iTurns.“I listen while I’m wandering around the house doing something else.It makes completing a boring task much more enjoyable… And it’s an easy way of keeping in touch with what’s going on in the rest of the world,” she said, “I mainly listen to BBC podcasts, but recently I’ve also been listening to This American Life and Serial.They have a special skill to really draw you in.”

Unlike television and music, the audio format has the potential to create a deep impression on readers.Blumberg says this owes to the podcast’s ability “to create close relationship and emotional connection.” Sydney University undergraduate Hazel Proust, majoring in social work and arts, agrees.“When you’re listening, it feels as if the voice of the podcast’s storyteller is talking directly to you.It’s comforting, ” said Proust.

It seems the age-old tradition of verbal storytelling is very much alive and well.

1.From the first two paragraphs, we can learn that ________.

A. traditional broadcast has come back

B. Americans love listening to the radio

C. podcasts have become very popular today

D. smartphones sell well because of podcasts

2.The writer mentions Donna Jackson mainly to ________.

A. tell how young people relax themselves

B. explain why young people like podcasts

C. introduce what programs podcasts are presenting

D. show how popular podcasts are presenting

3.Paragraph 5 is mainly about ________.

A. the influence of radios

B. the advantage of podcasts

C. readers’ impression on radios

D. people’s reaction to the medium

4.What is probably the best title of the passage?

A. Return of Radio

B. Opinions of Podcast

C. Features of Radio

D. Technology of Podcast

阅读下列短文,从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

The Owl Count

Annie slept in the front of the seat with her father drove through the darkness. ”We’re almost there!” Dad announced cheerfully. “Soon well be observing and counting owls at the state park.” Yawning, Annie nodded and smiled. The time was 4:30 a.m. Looking out into the darkness, Annie remembered learning in school that most owls are active at night,when they hunt for food. During the day they sleep in hard-to-find spots.

“Dad, why do you need to count owls?” she asked. “It’s important for the scientists to have current information about bird populations,” he explained. “We want to know which birds have decreased in number and whether any new kinds of birds are coming into a certain area. You and I will write down the kinds of birds that we see today and keep a record of how many times we see each kind. The we’ll send out a report to a scientific organization that is collecting about birds from people all over the county.”

Dad pulled into the parking lot of the state park. Then,with flashing in hand,they began their hike into the woods. Annie zipped up her coat and tried to keep from trembling. She had not expected the morning to be so frigid. Luckily her gloves were in her pocket.

Suddenly Annie’s father stooped and gestured for her to be still. Obeying,Annie did not take another step. She thought she heard a low crying up head. “That’s certainly a screech owl,” her father whispered. “Let’s get a look at it.” After looking more closely,Annie could see that it was a small owl. Sensing danger,the owl narrowed its eyes and pulled its feathers tightly against its body. Annie carefully wrote down in her notebook that they had seen a screech owl.

Walking a little farther,they came to a tall oak tree. “This looks like a perfect spot to attract owls,” Dad said. “I’m going to play a recording of common call of the barred owl. Maybe we can get one to answer.’ Annie could hardly believe her ear. The recorded all sounded as if the bird were asking,“who cooks for you?” Moments later Annie thought she heard a return call in distance. She held her breath and waited. Suddenly a huge bird landed very quietly on a branch above them.

Annie had long forgotten how cold it was. She stood in wonder,shining her flashlight on the bird and studying it carefully. The barred owl was nearly tow feet tall. Gray feathers surrounded its dark eyes. The bird did not matter. Annie would never forge the image of the powerful barred owl.

1.Why did Annie and her father go to the state park?

A. To take a hike in the woods.

B. To record the call of barred owl.

C. To collect information about birds.

D. To protect the environment for wildlife.

2.The underline word “frigid” in paragraph 3 probably means .

A. dark

B. clear

C. cold

D. nice

3.In paragraph 4,why did Annie’s father stop her suddenly?

A. He noticed a screech owl.

B. He heard somebody crying.

C. He sensed they were in danger.

D. He reminded her to take down note.

4.How did Annie feel when she saw the barred owl?

A. bored

B. Relaxed

C. Frightened

D. Amazed

完形填空

“Where’s the light?” My dad used to ask me that when I was little. It’s one of those questions that parents use to how smart their young children are. During my teenage years, my dad told me that he thought I was going to be foolish because I at him whenever he asked me where the was.

I consider myself to be a “Daddy’s girl”. Dad never me, but he did buy me nice things---dolls and shoes---for my birthday. I am now 28, and I live with my parents in Baguio, Philippines. my father is always very busy, we still time with each other. We go for a drive in the country. Most girls of my would rather go out with their friends than be with their family, but my family has always felt a bit .

Looking at my father now, I can see he is a(n) 28 man. So many difficulties were in his life, but his dream of a better life kept him . At 14, he began working at his high school to .himself.

During his life, my father has overcome a lot of difficulties and he always education. When we were , he would tell my brother and me to seek improvement in ourselves through .

Like a light, he shines with respect, but he sends out the brightest light for our family as a unit with love and faith as its . There are times when my dad makes jokes and asks me, using my childhood nickname, “Sasi, where’s the light?” I just smile, and point at him.

1.A. secret B. address C. way D. question

2.A. look for B. find out C. take in D. give away

3.A. jokingly B. sadly C. surprisingly D. calmly

4.A. shouted B. laughed C. pointed D. knocked

5.A. doll B. gift C. light D. family

6.A. spoiled B. taught C. cheated D. missed

7.A. never B. still C. suddenly D. finally

8.A. Because B. Unless C. When D. Though

9.A. waste B. divide C. gain D. spend

10.A. ever B. even C. later D. soon

11.A. age B. height C. style D. kind

12.A. happy B. puzzled C. different D. strange

13.A. strict B. broadminded C. independent D. easy-going

14.A. going B. coming C. smiling D. waiting

15.A. enjoy B. support C. behave D. control

16.A. worries B. provides C. receives D. values

17.A. young B. helpless C. proud D. busy

18.A. working B. speaking C. learning D. reading

19.A. showing B. keeping C. imagining D. starting

20.A. tool B. basis C. goal D. trick

Weird Homes We All Wish We Live in

Your home is one of the biggest purchases you’re going to make in your entire life, but that doesn’t mean you can’t live somewhere you enjoy. If you’re looking for the weird, the wonderful, or just odd, then these houses are the top of the list.

Upside Down

Like the previous upside down home, this is the type of concrete house that is more interesting to really see from the outside than it is to actually live there. The door is near the top. If you want to live here, you are going to have to deal with the crowds exploring daily.

Satellite Home

Having an entire side of your house made of glass is just asking for a rock to be thrown by the local children. However, it also offers the best view surrounding the scenic home. The inside appeared to be separated into multiple tiers, with each tier broken down into various rooms.

UFO House

This home is located within Taiwan at present. For those who have wondered what it would be like to be kidnapped by aliens and forced to live within their ship for a few years, this house should offer some similar experience.

New Age Tree Fort

If you grew up a flower child, then chances are you either adapted that lifestyle into your own or would prefer to forget it. If it’s the former, then the tree fort-style home would be perfect to live within. It’s centered perfectly in the middle of a forested area, supported by metal beams, and built from strong wood.

1.Why can Satellite Home offer the best view around itself?

A. Because its outside is very interesting.

B. Because one side of this house is made of glass.

C. Because viewers can stand on its door near the top of the house.

D. Because it is centered in the middle of a forest.

2.The underlined word “kidnapped” probably refers to “___________”.

A. taken away B. let down

C. helped out D. brought up

3.What building materials are used for these weird homes according to this passage?

① Concrete ② Rock ③ Metal ④ Wood

A. ①②③. B. ①③④. C. ②③④. D. ①②④.

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