Kataria is the founder of the worldwide laughter movement. The celebration of World Laughter Day is a positive activity for world peace and is intended to build up a global sense of brotherhood and friendship through laughter. The first “World Laughter Day” gathering took place in Mumbai, India, on 11th January, 1998. 12,000 members from India and international Laughter Clubs attended it. Now there are over 5,000 Laughter Clubs worldwide on all 5 continents.

“HAPPY—DEMIC” was the first World Laughter Day gathering outside India. It took place on 9th January, two years after the Mumbai gathering. In Copenhagen, Denmark, more than 10,000 people gathered at Town Hall Square. The event went into Guinness Book of World Records. “World Laughter Day” is now organized on the first Sunday of May every year. Hundreds of people gather worldwide on that day to laugh together.

Today, many people fear widespread international terrorism. The world has never faced so much unrest before. People are at war within themselves. Laughter is a universal language, which has the ability to unite humanity without religion. Laughter can build a common connection between various religions and create a new world order. The idea may sound over -ambitious(野心太大的), and maybe it is. But maybe it is not. It is our deep belief that laughter and only laughter can unite the world, building up a global sense of brotherhood and friendship.

Studies also say that laughter helps your body do the following: lower blood pressure; lighten depression; reduce stress; work out the heart, especially for those who are unable to perform physical exercise. So in life, when you can laugh, you should laugh loudly and with your entire body-because it’s good for you.

1.The purpose of celebrating World Laughter Day is ________.

A．to build up a global sense of brotherhood and friendship through laughter

B．to build a common connection between various religions

C．to reduce stress and lighten depression

D．to lower blood pressure

2.The first World Laughter Day gathering outside India took place________.

A．on 11th January, 1998                    B．on the first Sunday of May

C．on 9th January, 1996                     D．on 9th January, 2000

3.The author’s attitude towards laughter movement is ________.

A．positive           B．negative          C．uninterested       D．objective

4.The passage is mainly about ________.

A．World Laughter Day and its significance

B．the worldwide laughter movement

C．a universal language

D．laughter.

The world of the science-fiction 3-D film Avatar is so perfect that the line between fact and fiction has become somewhat blurred (模糊) .

Movie-goers have admitted being annoyed by depression at not being able to visit the planet Pandora. Set in the future when Earth's resources have been used up, director James Cameron's film tells the story of a company trying to exploit a rare mineral on a new planet. The humans clash with the natives — a peace-loving race of 7-foot-tall, blue-skinned creatures called the Na'vi, who exist in perfect harmony with nature.

Fans have flooded the Internet with their confused feelings. On the site Avatar Forums (论坛), the topic "Ways to deal with the depression of the dream of Pandora not being able to come true" has more than 1,000 posts. In a similar forum, Louis, one user, wrote: "When I woke up this morning after watching Avatar for the first time yesterday, the world seemed grey. It just seems so meaningless. I still don't really see any reason to keep doing things at all. I live in a dying world." On the Avatar site Naviblue, a fan calling himself Jorba has even asked others to join him in starting a real Na'vi tribe.

This fantasy world, with its wonderful plants and animal life, is brought to life by using impressive special effects. Many people believe that 2010 is the breakthrough year for the technology helped by 3-D movies such as Avatar. "It has taken the best of our technology to create this virtual world and real life will never be as perfect as it seems on screen. It makes real life seem more imperfect."

What is the best title of the text?   

A. A blockbuster movie: Avatar

B. The Avatar effect: movie-goers feel depressed after watching Avatar

C. 2010: a breakthrough year for. 3-D movies

D. Pandora: a perfect world

We can infer that Louis          after watching the film Avatar.  

A. will cherish his present life more

B. feels disappointed about the real world

C. will intend to create a real Na'vi tribe

D. is proud of living on the earth

Thanks to the success of Av'atar,         .  

A. 3-D technology will probably develop quickly in 2010

B. most people look forward to living on another planet

C. many more science-fiction films will be made in the coming years

D. people have become more realistic about life

The underlined word "virtual" probably means         .       

A. unreal   C. true B. perfect  D. practical

According to the passage the natives on the planet are         . 

A. not harmony with the nature  B. blue-haired race

C. peace-loving creatures   D. fond of fighting with human race

‘Student Voice’ is a student-run education conference discussing education in the 21st century. This event aims to gather the views and opinions of students not only in Victoria and Australia, but around the globe. On Sunday 29 July 2012 students will discuss a series of questions regarding the role of education in the 21st century. By the end of the day they will hopefully have comprehensive answers to be shared with schools around the state and maybe even the world.

Students from Preshill would like to invite a group of 5-10 students from your school to participate in this free forum（讨论）. The event is being held on Sunday 29 July 2012 from 10am-2.30pm at the Hawthorn Town Hall, 360 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn. They are inviting students who are enthusiastic on any of our topics of discussion to present a keynote speech on the day.

If you can’t make the day, they welcome your written or recorded thoughts on our questions, which will be on display at the event.

The topics for discussion:

Key Question: What is the ideal 21st century education?

1. Is it a school’s place to teach ethics, values, morals, confidence, self-esteem?

2. What are the effects of a uniform national curriculum(课程)?

3. How can we make education more engaging?

4. Should students be compared and ranked against each other?

5. What is the place of social networking and new media technology in education?

6. What is the best way to determine student knowledge?

Visit their Facebook page (see below) for updates, to communicate with organizers and other participants, and to indicate your interest in making a keynote speech.

The Student Voice Organizing Committee Facebook Page URL:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Student-Voice-The-Student-Education-Conference/101834233239391?sk=info

1.What is the aim of the Student Voice Conference?

2.Who can participate in the Student Voice conference?

3.Which of the following topics will be discussed in Student Voice conference?

4.How can you communicate with the organizers ?

Often we take for granted the many household items we use every day. It is difficult to imagine there was a time in the past when these inventions did not exist. Actually, several of the most common inventions have been with us for quite some time. Inventions like toothbrush, contact lenses（隐形眼镜）, and credit cards came into use long ago.

   The first toothbrush was introduced in China in the late 1400s but it was only 300 years later that this simple tool came into common use in Europe. By the nineteenth century, a variety of paste and powder cleaners were available throughout Europe as dental(牙齿的) care became more widespread. The first tube of toothpaste hit the market in Great Britain in 1891.

 There is evidence to show that the first contact lenses were actually suggested by an astronomer, Sir John Herschel, in 1827. However, SirJohn Herschel was never able to create a working model of his idea. It was not until 1887 that a Swiss doctor from Zurich, Dr. Eugen Frick, came up with a workable process for producing precision (精密)lenses. Dr. Frick designed a new method for producing contact lenses,and the Zeiss factory in Germany  began to produce contact lenses.

Never argue with one's own understanding.

The whisper of intelligence is always there, whatever you do.

If you create a time lag (隔绝层) between the whisper of intelligence and understanding in you and your action, then you are preventing the brain from growing into a new size. When you argue with intelligence, when you postpone acting according to understanding then there is confusion, the brain gets confused.

The voice of understanding, the voice of intelligence has insecurity about it. How do you know that it is the right thing?

So we tend to ignore it. Instead we accept authority. We obey.

But the brain cannot be orderly, competent, accurate and precise if you do not listen to it, if you have no respect. We are so busy with the outside world and its force that the world that is inside us does not command that respect and reverence (敬重), that care and concern from us.

So one has to be a disciple (信徒) of one's own understanding, and look upon that understanding as the master.

Sometimes one may commit a mistake, it might be the whim (念头) of the ego and we might mistake the whim, the wish of the ego for the voice of silence and intelligence, but that we have to discover. Unless you commit mistakes, how do you learn to discriminate between the false and the true? In learning there is bound to be a little insecurity, a possibility of committing mistakes. Why should one be terribly afraid of committing mistakes?

So instead of accepting the authority of habits and conditionings, while one is moving one watches, and when there is a suggestion, do not neglect, ignore, or insult the whisper from within and from one's own intelligence.

1.What will happen if you refuse to follow your own understanding according to the above passage?

A．Your brain will become smaller.

B．You will never get help from authority.

C．You will hardly know the world.

D．Your own intelligence will stop growing.

2.What is the function of committing mistakes from the view of the author?

A．Mistakes can make one practical.

B．Mistakes can make one know the facts.

C．Mistakes can allow one more time to develop.

D．Mistakes can improve one’s judgment.

3. The whole passage is developed by ______.

A．facts and ideas                         B．reasoning and explaining

C．scientific experiments                    D．arguing and debating

4.The best title of the passage might be ______.

A．Never argue with your own understanding

B．Never believe any authority while arguing

C．Never neglect whispers from around you

D．Never stop training yourself.