I was stuck in O'hare airport on an extremely long weather delay, pacing up and down the waiting hall for some exercise, when I passed a wine bar for the twentieth time or so. But this time there was a young woman behind the piano, playing what I could only describe as absolutely beautiful classical music. She had not been there ten minutes earlier when I passed.

I sat down at an empty table for four very near the piano, and began to be warmed by her music and a bit by the wine! She played so effortlessly and with such beauty in every note. Her music immediately brought a huge smile to my face!

Soon, on a break, I thanked her and she told me that after a long day traveling, and now also facing long weather delays, she "just needed to blow off some steam." Wow! Her version of blowing off steam was a gift to get.

As I sat alone drinking my wine, absorbed in this young woman's celebration of her musical passion, two women approached my table and asked if they could join me. I invited them to sit and we immediately began sharing our love of music and celebrating the happiness the piano music was bringing us at that moment.

The two women and I began to talk about our travels, life journeys, and passions. Hearing that unbelievable piano music, and then meeting such interesting women, who generously shared with me their wisdom, perspectives, and feelings of love for each other, was truly joyous. Faced with an 11-hour travel day — to get what normally takes 45 minutes — could have been physically and emotionally exhausting. Rather, by accident of walking by a wine bar at the right moment, and having a couple of seats open at my table, my life was filled with joy.

I will cherish those moments for some time to come. This experience highlights (突出) the critical need in our lives to stop and listen to the music, to invite others to sit at your life table, to open yourself up to a stranger or two, sharing some of your deepest perspectives and experiences. Be open to noticing, absorbing, and also contributing to the joy around you!

1.What does the underlined phrase “blow off some steam” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A. Reduce anger.

B. Relax herself.

C. Make full use of time.

D. Breathe fresh air.

2.How long was the author’s travel supposed to take without weather delay?

A. 10 minutes.B. 20 minutes.C. 45 minutes.D. 11 hours.

3.How did the author feel about the experience in the airport?

A. Happy and meaningful.

B. Lonely but unforgettable.

C. Boring and meaningless.

D. Long and tiring.

4.The author writes the text in order to encourage people _______.

A. to make the acquaintance of strangers

B. to share your experiences with others

C. to communicate with others more often

D. to notice and enjoy the happiness around you

After years of planning and months of expectations, the 2016 Summer Games finally began in Brazil on August 5. Over 10,000 athletes from 207 countries marched across Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium, proud to represent their respective nations at the world’s most famous sporting event.

The road to the Olympics, however, is not easy for any athlete. It has been particularly hard for Yusra Mardini, who is a member of the world’s first “Olympic Refugee (难民)Team.” The 19-year-old always dreamed of swimming for Syria at the Olympic Games. However, in August 2015, after losing her home in the conflict that has involved Syria since 2011, she and her sister decided to flee the country. The sisters along with a few other Syrian nationals made their way to Turkey via Lebanon. They then set sail on a small boat to their final destination — Greece.

Unluckily, thirty minutes after leaving Turkey, the motor on the ship which was meant to hold six passengers but was instead carrying twenty, failed. Yusra, her sister Sarah, and the only two other strong swimmers aboard the boat had no choice but to dive into the ocean and use their superior swimming skills to push the boat and its passengers all the way to Lesbos, Greece – A journey that took three hours.

While her dream of representing her country was ruined, Yusra did not give up her desire to compete in the Olympics. In March 2016, she was one of ten athletes selected and funded by the Olympic Committee to form the first-ever “Refugee Team.” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach believes that Yusra and her teammates, who have also had to flee their countries, “Will show the world that despite the unimaginable tragedies they have faced, anyone can compete, anyone can contribute to society through their talent, skill, and strength of the human spirit.”

1.What do we know about Yusra’s fleeing journey to Greece?

A. It was very hard.

B. It took three hours.

C. It was a failure.

D. It was very smooth.

2.What is the right order of the events related to Yusra?

a. She became a member of the world’s first “Olympic Refugee Team”.

b. She dreamed of swimming for Syria at the Olympic Games.

c. She lost her home.

d. She fled Syria to Greece with her sister Sarah and a few other Syrians

A. b, a, c, d B. a, b, c, d C. a, d, c, b D. b, c, d, a

3.Thomas Bach’s attitude to Yusra is _______.

A. disapproving B. tolerant C. supportive D. resistant

4.What is the best title for the text?

A. A Hard Road to the Olympic Games

B. Yusra Mardini — Refugee Team Swimmer

C. Yusra’s Strong Will to Compete in the Olympics

D. Athlete To Watch At The 2016 Rio Summer Olympics

While your pet fish may appear to be ignorant of your presence, chances are that it knows you extremely well and can probably even identify you from a crowd of human faces! At least, that is the conclusion reached by scientists the University of Oxford in the U.K. and the University of Queensland in Australia, following an extensive study of the archerfish (喷水鱼), a species of tropical fish that can be found all the way from India to Indonesia, the Philippines, and Australia.

The ability to distinguish between human faces is a complex task. That’s because we all have the same basic features — two eyes sitting above a nose and a mouth. It’s only the subtle differences that make humans distinct from one another. Since this requires a combination of both visual sense and memory, researchers had always assumed that it was a skill possessed only by those with complicated brains, i.e., humans, a few select animals — such as horses, cows, dogs, monkeys and some birds, like pigeons.

To test if this assumption was accurate, a team of scientists led by Dr. Cait Newport, Marie Curie Research Fellow in the Department of Zoology at Oxford University, decided to study fish. The aquatic (水生的) animals have small brains that lack the neocortex(大脑新皮层), or neocortex-like structure, believed to help recognize the subtle differences between human facial features.

The team began by presenting four archerfish with images of two human faces. Initially, the fish spat randomly at both. However, they soon learned that pouring water at the one selected by the researchers earned them a food treat. After that, they focused primarily on that image. The researchers then took the experiment one step further, by introducing 44 other human faces to the mix.

To the researcher’s astonishment, the trained archerfish were able to recall the learned image almost 81% of the time. And this accuracy improved to 86% when the researchers made the identification even harder, by replacing the colored photos with a set of black and white images and hiding the shape of the head.

1.What is the conclusion of the study made by the scientists from the universities?

A. Some fish may ignore your presence.

B. Some fish can recognize your faces.

C. Some fish have complicated brains.

D. Some fish have large brains.

2.What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A. The ability to distinguish between human faces.

B. A combination of visual sense and memory.

C. The ability of memorizing complicated things.

D. The ability of telling beasts from birds.

3.In the experiment, the researchers trained the archerfish _______.

A. by taking photos of fish

B. by improving people’s images

C. by rewarding them with food

D. by covering their heads

The best UK cottages for Christmas and New Year

Victorian gatehouse, County Antrim

It’s a solid little Victorian gatehouse outside Ballycastle. It has an association with Irish nationalist Roger Casement. Close to the Causeway Coast, the closest beach is five minutes’ drive away. It is a good choice for those who want to avoid stairs, since all the main rooms are on the ground floor.

Sleeps 2 adults + 2 children, £730 a week at Christmas or New Year (three nights from £389), 353 1 670 4733, irishlandmark.com

Lindisfarne retreat, Northumberland

It is located in a peaceful island, where a priory (修道院) was built 1,400 years ago. Guests at Coastguard’s Cottage, the latest addition to English Heritage’s portfolio (代表作品集)of holiday houses, can explore the priory ruins. The attractive whitewashed house is decorated with calming tones and contemporary furnishings and has views of Lindisfarne Castle.

Sleeps 6, £1,600 a week from 19 Dec, 0370 333 1187, english-heritage.org.uk

Wildlife sanctuary, East Sussex

It sits on a 350-acre private nature reserve. Surrounded by woodlands, wetlands and wild meadows, it’s a heaven for wildlife. You might meet a few animals on a walk around the reserve. Built by local craftsmen using natural materials, it is a light-filled living space with huge windows, a woodburner (燃炉) and other essential for winter evenings — a home cinema system.

Sleeps 6, £1,430 a week from 29 Dec, 01580 720770 kentandSussexcottages.co.uk

Farmhouse kitchen, Suffolk

In snowy winter, the quiet 16th-century cottage near Stowmarket is like a perfect picture on Christmas cards. The inside is also appealing, with a big farmhouse kitchen, antique furniture, comfortable carpets and an impressive fireplace. A good selection of films, music and books are provided. Approached via a single track lane, the cottage sits in three acres of wild meadow, surrounded by plenty of farmland.

Sleeps 5, £1,003 a week from 30 Dec (three nights £725), 01787 211115, grove-cottages.co.uk

1.How much will be charged if a couple with two children stay in Victorian gatehouse for a week at Christmas?

A. £389.B. £730.C. £1,430.D. £1,600.

2.Who will probably book the cottage in Northumberland?

A. Disabled people in a wheelchair.

B. Those who want to explore some ruins.

C. Those who are interested in wildlife.

D. Those who enjoy the scenery of farmland.

3.Which cottage will you be advised to book if you are a zoologist?

A. Victorian gatehouse, County Antrim.

B. Lindisfarne retreat, Northumberland.

C. Wildlife sanctuary, East Sussex.

D. Farmhouse kitchen, Suffolk.

4.If you want to book Farmhouse kitchen in Suffolk, you can go to the website _______.

A. irishlandmark.com

B. english-heritage.org.uk

C. kentandsussexcottages.co.uk

D. grove-cottages.co.uk

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。选项中有两项为多余选项。

How to Study for a Test

With exams approaching, how can you study for a test? The most important thing you can do is give yourself plenty of time to prepare. Then follow this simple plan:

Start early

Gather together all the material you’ve received during the term. You probably have handouts, notes, old assignments, and old tests. Don’t leave anything out.

Establish a study group or partner

__1.__. If you absolutely can’t get together, then exchange email addresses. Instant messages will work well, too.

Use old tests

Collect your old exams from the year or semester and make a photocopy of each one. White out (不透明) the test answers and copy each one again. __2.__. For best results, you should make several copies of each old exam and keep taking the tests until you score perfectly on each one.

___3._

Organize your notes by date. If you didn’t date your pages, make note of any missing dates/pages. Get together with a study partner or group to compare notes and fill in any missing material. After you organize your new set of notes, underline all key words, formulas, themes and concepts. Without referring to your notes, ask the members of your study group to test you. __4.___.

Old assignments

Gather any old assignments and re-do the exercises. __5.___. Review and do them again and again until you entirely master them.

A.Test yourself again

B.Use different textbooks

C.Build up your class notes

D.Then swap your roles with them

E.Every student should participate in class discussion

F.Many textbooks have exercises at the end of every chapter

G.Schedule at least one meeting time with a study partner or study group

阅读下面短文。从短文后各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

Have you ever really had a ________? One who saw you as a raw but ________ thing, a jewel that could be ________ to a proud shine? If you are lucky enough to find such teachers, you will always find your way.

My old professor’s death ________ came in 1994. Doctors guessed he had two years left. Morrie knew it was ________. Do I droop and disappear, or do I make the best of my time left? He had asked himself. ________ everyone was going to die, he could be ________ great value, right? He could be a human ________ for students to learn.

The last class of my old professor’s life had only ________ student. I was the student. The last class ________ once a week in his house, by a window in the study ________ he could watch a small plant shed its pink leaves. The subject was The Meaning of Life. You were ________ to respond to questions, and you were expected to raise questions of your own. You were also required to perform physical tasks now and then, such as lifting the professor’s head to a comfortable spot on the pillow or placing his glasses on the ________ of his nose. Kissing him good-bye earned you extra ________. Many topics were ________, including love, work, community, family, aging, forgiveness, and, finally, death.

I ________ sometimes at the person I was before I rediscovered my old professor. I want to talk to that person. I want to tell him to pay attention when your loved ones are speaking,as if it ________ the last time you might hear them. I know I cannot do this. None of us can ________ what we’ve done, or relive a life already recorded. But if Professor Morris Schwartz taught me anything, it was this: there is no ________ thing as “too late” in life. He was ________ until the day he said good-bye.

1.A. professorB. parentC. teacherD. tutor

2.A. preciousB. ripeC. usefulD. worthless

3.A. changedB. polishedC. madeD. turned

4.A. statementB. announcementC. condemnD. sentence

5.A. longerB. lessC. manyD. much

6.A. SinceB. AlthoughC. BeforeD. With

7.A. inB. ofC. withD. at

8.A. novelB. fictionC. classicD. textbook

9.A. fewB. a fewC. oneD. little

10.A. broke outB. took placeC. occurredD. happened

11.A. whereB. whenC. whichD. what

12.A. requestedB. demandedC. askedD. expected

13.A. faceB. bridgeC. eyebrowD. cheekbone

14.A. reputationB. moneyC. creditD. time

15.A. coveredB. containedC. preservedD. excluding

16.A. look upB. look downC. look aheadD. look back

17.A. isB. wasC. wereD. will be

18.A. doB. redoC. undoD. misdo

19.A. soB. so aC. such aD. such

20.A. changingB. livingC. lastingD. leaving

 0  134769  134777  134783  134787  134793  134795  134799  134805  134807  134813  134819  134823  134825  134829  134835  134837  134843  134847  134849  134853  134855  134859  134861  134863  134864  134865  134867  134868  134869  134871  134873  134877  134879  134883  134885  134889  134895  134897  134903  134907  134909  134913  134919  134925  134927  134933  134937  134939  134945  134949  134955  134963  151629 

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