Inside the Rain Room

The Rain Room has arrived and local art lovers are taking notice. Is it worth the wait? Yes, I assure you it is. Once inside, visitors find a long, dark room with a high ceiling. A single bright light shines through heavy rain falling around visitors. The mist. The damp air. The noise. It feels like a mighty storm is pouring down. But the storm is inside. And visitors aren’t getting wet. Instead, visitors wander in awe, admiring the rain and the artists who created it.

The Rain Room was created to highlight the connection between humans, nature and technology. With a tracking system that senses movement and stops the rain wherever visitors move, it does just that. Light and sound produce an experience that feels both natural and foreign. The exhibit is moving on to Atlanta next month. I urge you to visit before then. It’s time to experience the Rain Room for yourself!

Welcome to the Rain Room

• The Rain Room features falling water. Please be aware you may get slightly wet. However, visitors wearing raincoats will be turned away.

• This exhibit features advanced technology. To ensure its effectiveness, please avoid wearing dark or reflective clothing.

• Visitors are welcome to take photographs of the exhibit.

• Children must be accompanied by an adult.

• For the convenience of all guests, visits are limited to 10 minutes.

1.What’s the purpose of the text?

A. To attract visitors to a new art exhibit.

B. To explain how an exhibit has been created.

C. To describe the technology used in the exhibit.

D. To promote the artists taking part in an exhibit.

2.What’s the function of the exhibit’s tracking system?

A. To keep visitors from getting wet.

B. To protect the exhibit from water damage.

C. To time how long visitors are in the room.

D. To count the number of visitors in the room.

3.What must you do when visiting the Rain Room?

A. Wear a raincoat.

B. Wear dark clothing.

C. Leave your camera outside.

D. Pass through within 10 minutes.

Dujiangyan is the oldest man-made water system in the world, and a wonder in the development of Chinese science. Built over 2,200 years ago in what is now Sichuan Province in Southwest China, this amazing engineering achievement is still used today to irrigate over 6,000 square kilometres of farmland, take away floodwater and provide water for 50 cities in the province.

In ancient times, the region in which Dujiangyan now stands suffered from regular floods caused by overflow from the Minjiang River. To help the victims of the flooding, Li Bing, the region governor, together with his son, decided to find a solution. They studied the problem and discovered that the river most often overflowed when winter snow at the top of the nearby Mount Yulei began to melt as the weather warmed.

The simplest fix was to build a dam, but this would have ruined the Minjiang River. So instead Li designed a series of channels built at different levels along Mount Yulei that would take away the floodwater while leaving the river flowing naturally. Better still, the extra water could be directed to the dry Chengdu Plain, making it suitable for farming.

Cutting the channels through the hard rock of Mount Yulei was a remarkable accomplishment as it was done long before the invention gunpowder and explosives. Li Bing found another solution. He used a combination of fire and water to heat and cool the rocks until they cracked and could be removed. After eight years of work, the 20-metre-wide canals had been carved through the mountain.

Once the system was finished, no more floods occurred and the people were able to live peacefully and affluently. Today, Dujiangyan is admired by scientists from around the world because of one feature. Unlike modern dams where the water is blocked with a huge wall, Dujiangyan still lets water flow through the Minjiang River naturally, enabling ecosystems and fish populations to exist in harmony.

1.What are the benefits of Dujiangyan according to the first paragraph?

A. Reducing flooding and watering farmland.

B. Protecting the mountain and reducing flooding.

C. Watering farmland and improving water quality.

D. Drying the river and supplying cities with water.

2.What was the main cause of the Minjiang Rivers flooding?

A. Heavy rains. B. Melting snow.

C. Low river banks. D. Steep mountains.

3.How was Li Bing able to break through the rocks of Mount Yulei?

A. By using gunpowder.

B. By flooding the rocks with water.

C. By applying a heating and cooling technique.

D. By breaking the rocks with hammers and spades.

4.Why is Dujiangyan greatly admired by scientists today?

A. It preserves much of the natural river life.

B. It took very little time to complete the project.

C. The building techniques used were very modem.

D. It has raised the living standards of the local people.

Bill Gates recently predicted that online learning will make place-based colleges less significant, and five years from now, students will be able to find the best lectures in the world online. I applaud Mr. Gates. But what’s taking us so long?

As early as 1997, MIT(麻省理工) decided to post videos of all university lectures online. for free, for all people. But today, how many students have you met who mastered advanced mathematics or nuclear physics from an MIT online video? Unfortunately, the answer is not many. The problem is the poor quality of online education websites and the experience they provide to students. Those who go to the MIT website and watch courses online are surely very smart people, but it’s not like playing a video game such as World of Warcraft. Only the most ardent students, those who are highly motivated, will devote themselves to studying these boring online videos.

The real question is why we aren’t spending more to develop better online education platforms. Where is the Avatar of education? Think about this. The market for Hollywood films per year is worth around 30 billion USD. Education in the world is a trillion-dollar-a-year market, hundreds of times bigger than Hollywood movies. Yet the most expensive digital learning system ever built cost well under 100 million dollars.

Bill Gates’ prediction is going to happen. There is no doubt about it. But it will only happen when we create high level educational content and experiences that engage and excite more than has ever been possible in the real world.

1.What has Bill Gates forecast about online learning?

A. It will concentrate on physics lectures

B. It will completely replace real universities

C. It will help to make universities more successful

D. It will play an increasingly important role in education

2.What does the underlined word “ardent” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A. Creative B. Enthusiastic

C. Well-behaved D. Experienced

3.According to the author, what is holding back the popularity of online learning?

A. The lack of lectures available online

B. The high cost of access to the websites

C. The low standard of educational websites

D. The competition with online computer games

4.Why does the author mention Hollywood?

A. To show that Hollywood produces many successful movies

B. To prove that education is more profitable than entertainment

C. To argue that movie directors should produce educational content

D. To urge that more money be spent developing educational websites

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

We’ve all experienced peer pressure (同伴压力). It happens to everybody. However, people have different reactions. Confident people refuse to do things they don’t want to do, but shy and anxious people often give in. It may be because they want to be liked. It may be because they worry that their friends will make fun of them, or perhaps they’re just curious about trying something new. 1.

It’s hard being the only one who says no and the question is: how do you do it? 2. If you think that missing maths, or smoking, or going somewhere you know your parents wouldn’t like is a bad idea then the answer is simple: don’t do it. It’s your decision, nobody else’s. You don’t need to be aggressive. You don’t need to shout and scream, but you must be confident and you must be firm. You need to say, “No thanks. I don’t want to do that.”

Being on your own against everybody else is very hard, so it can really help to have at least one other peer, or friend, who will say no too. 3. You want friends who will support you when you’re in trouble. You don’t want people who will always agree with the majority. Remember, the most popular people aren’t always the most trustworthy.

4. — You can learn a lot from people your own age. They can teach you great football skills or the best way to do your maths homework. They can recommend music and advise you on fashion. And don’t forget you can tell them things too, and that always feels great. So, find friends who have similar interests. And remember, friendship isn’t about feeling depressed and guilty. 5.

A. Choose your friends carefully.

B. Firstly, you must decide what you believe in.

C. It’s about sharing experiences and having fun.

D. Of course, peer pressure isn’t completely bad.

E. It may be because they were all born to be stubborn.

F. Depression and guilt will surely give you peer pressure.

G. Whatever the reason, some people end up doing things they really don’t want to.

Sarah lived on a farm with her family. She was _______ to learn to track, to identify each person and where they were going by the marks they left on the ground. And if her father couldn’t teach her, she’d teach herself.

To the _________ of her family, she borrowed all their _________ and taught herself to recognize everyone’s footprints in the sand. More than once her father came outside shouting, “Sarah, bring me _________ my boots. ”

Sarah developed the habit of walking around with her eyes fixed on the ground, _________ the comings and goings of every _________in the place.

She also developed the annoying habit of _________ everyone. What were you doing down at the dam, Jack? You’re not ___________ to play there. ” “Did you find what you were _________ in the garage, Auntie?” and “Who was the stranger visiting today wearing size ten boots, Mum?”

After she’d ____________ every pair of shoes that everyone __________, she turned to the farm’s animals. By this time __________ her victims had to admit, __________, that she was good.

Her best ____________ came one evening when she said the horse’s front foot was __________. Her father said that the horse was __________ fine. Sarah ______________ that its hoof (蹄）had a split. Sarah’s father __________ the horse’s hoof.

“You’re ______________. The hoof is split. How did you know?”

“You can see it in its ____________. ’’ Sarah moved the horse away. “Look, it’s plain in the sand. ’’

“If you can tell it has a split hoof from that sand, you’re pretty good,” said her father.

1.A. determined B. forced C. appointed D. encouraged

2.A. expectation B. annoyance C. disappointment D. delight

3.A. shoes B. books C. socks D. tools

4.A. up B. outside C. over D. back

5.A. guiding B. hearing C. studying D. predicting

6.A. vehicle B. person C. animal D. season

7.A. surprising B. criticising C. questioning D. challenging

8.A. prepared B. invited C. qualified D. allowed

9.A. calling for B. looking for C. waiting for D. fighting for

10.A. worn B. collected C. destroyed D. memorised

11.A. owned B. borrowed C. tried D. bought

12.A. yet B. even C. also D. still

13.A. guiltily B. approvingly C. merrily D. unwillingly

14.A. performance B. trick C. magic D. idea

15.A. tied B. lost C. injured D. stolen

16.A. safely B. extremely C. hardly D. perfectly

17.A. doubted B. wondered C. insisted D. discovered

18.A. inspected B. split C. treated D. fastened

19.A. lying B. joking C. right D. crazy

20.A. boots B. tracks C. jumps D. hoofs

My doorbell rings at 11 am. On the step, I find an elderly Chinese lady holding the hand of a little boy. In her other hand 1.(be) a paper bag. She is the little boy’s grandmother, and her daughter, Nicole, bought 2. house next door last October. Nicole has 3.(obvious) told her mother that I am having a heart operation shortly, and the result is that her mother has decided 4.(supply) me with meals.

I know what is inside the paper bag — a bottle of hot soup and a 5.(contain) with a meal of rice, vegetables and meat. It’s become a daily occurrence.

Communication 6. us is somewhat difficult because she doesn’t speak English and all I can say in Chinese is hello. Once, she brought an iPad as well as the food. She pointed to the screen, 7.showed at message from her daughter telling me that her mother wanted to know 8. the food was all right for me.

So here we are, two grandmothers, neither of 9.(we) able to speak the other’s language but communicating one way or another (with some help from technology). The doorbell keeps 10.(ring) and there is the familiar brown paper bag, handed smilingly to me.

假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。

增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。

删除：把多余的词用斜线( \ )划掉。

修改：在错词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。

注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；

2. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。

Getting rid of the bad habit of procrastination (拖延症) is now my goal in life. My first step was to set small targets what can be reached realistically. For example, I plan to set a timetable for my study. So after school, I will put finishing homework in the last place. Additionally, I will make a list of my important task including their due dates but follow my schedule strictly. I will avoid find excuses for putting them off. At same time, I will ask for my friends and parents to help me. By achieving this small targets, I have confident that I will overcome procrastination.

假定你是李华。你是学生会主席。你校将于5月25—30日在广州沙面举行龙舟赛 (Dragon Boat Race)。请根据以下内容给姐妹学校剑桥中学（Cambridge High School)写一封邀请信。

(1)写信目的

(2)活动时间、地点和意义

(3)回复时间：2017年4月15日前 

注意：

1.词数100左右；

2.可以适当增加细节, 以使行文连贯；

3.开头语已为你写好。

At a click of mouse consumers can purchase the goods and service they need at online shops. What they have to do is waiting for the goods sent to their homes. We shall all be grateful to the pioneers of online shopping for bringing us such convenience.

Michael Aldrich（the UK）

Online shopping was invented and pioneered by Michael Aldrich in the UK. In 1979 he connected a television via a telephone line to a real-time multi-user transaction(交易)processing computer. He sold mainly Business-to-Business systems. There were a number of significant world firsts with new applications in several business fields.

Jeff Bezos（the USA）

Jeff Bezos defined online shopping and rewrote the rules of commerce. Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web server and browser（浏览器）in 1990. In 1994, Jeff Bezos read an article about how the World Wide Web was growing by 2,300 percent a year. He knew he had to tap into such a great potential for commerce. On July 6, 1995, Bezos launched Amazon.com, which operated out of the garage of his two bedroom home in suburban Seattle, Washington. With almost no publicity, sales took off immediately. The company has now expanded into dozens of product categories, forcing the world’s biggest retailer（零售商）to rethink their business models, and finally changing the way people shop.

Jack Ma（China）

As a child, Jack Ma was bad at maths but fascinated by English. He travelled to the United States in 1995 as a translator to help a Chinese firm recover payment. The attempt failed. But a friend in Seattle showed Ma the Internet, and an idea began brewing.

In 1999, Mr Ma gathered 17 friends and founded Alibaba in his apartment in Hangzhou. Alibaba’s model was simple: allow small and medium-sized Chinese companies to find global buyers they would otherwise only be able to meet at trade shows. It works brilliantly. Alibaba’s sales are now more than those of eBay and Amazon combined.

1.What made Amazon.com a success?

A. Business-to-Business systems. B. The World Wide Web server and browser

C. Commercial publicity. D. Help from retailers.

2.How did Jack Ma have the idea of founding Alibaba?

A. A translator helped him. B. A Chinese firm inspired him.

C. lie was introduced to the Internet. D. lie was funded by some companies.

3.What do the pioneers have in common?

A. They have improved computers.

B. They have sold goods worldwide.

C. They have enlarged product categories.

D. They have contributed to online shopping.