From a college designed specifically for high school students to one that doesn’t provide students with grades, here are some of the country’s most unique institutions.
●Berea College, Berea, Kentucky
The first interracial, co-educational college in the South, Berea specializes in attracting students who may be otherwise unable to afford a college education. Berea students come from families with an average household income of $30,000, which is why the school’s financial aid program is so important.
●Deep Springs College, Deep Springs, California
Deep Springs, formerly an all-male school, has one of the smallest student bodies in the country at 26. The college accepts only 10% of its applicants, and maintains its own cattle herd. Students enjoy the school’s isolated location — 45 miles away from the nearest established town. Electricity is produced mainly through solar power, and the college sometimes even sells electricity to Pacific Gas & Electric.
●The Evergreen State College, Olympia, Washington
At Evergreen, students don’t receive traditional letter grades. Instead, professors issue narrative (叙述的) evaluations of students’ work at the end of each term. The curriculum is structured around the "Coordinated Studies Program", which focuses on providing students with a well-rounded education across a number of different areas. The college sits on 1,000 breathtaking acres, a portion of it on Puget Sound.
●Hampshire College, Amherst, Massachusetts
Considered an "experimenting" college because of its constantly changing curriculum, Hampshire College doesn’t feature a traditional grading system. Instead, the school requires students to complete three different divisions, which feature different classes. Once the project is completed, it’s not given a grade, but a written evaluation, as other projects students complete throughout their time at Hampshire are.
1.Which of the following suits students from families with a lower income?
A. The Evergreen State College. B. Deep Springs College.
C. Hampshire College. D. Berea College.
2.What can we learn about The Evergreen State College?
A. It attaches great value to students’ different kinds of knowledge.
B. It’s most famous for its outstanding teaching quality.
C. It only provides examination scores for students.
D. It focuses on students’ hands-on experience.
3.How are the students judged in Hampshire College?
A. By receiving traditional letter grades.
B. By using a computer examination grading system
C. By evaluating their performance of three divisions.
D. By checking if they can design financial aid programs.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California is one of the world's most beautiful bridges. It is also one of the most visited places in the world. Vehicles cross the bridge an average of 41 million times each year. More than 1,800 hundred million vehicles have used the bridge since it opened more than 70 years ago.
The bridge was painted “International Orange” because that color went well with the natural surroundings. The color also is easier to see in the heavy fog that often covers the area. But the Golden Gate Bridge was not named for its orange color. It was named for the body of water that it crosses，the Golden Gate Strait.
The Golden Gate Strait is the entrance to the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. The Golden Gate Bridge links the city of San Francisco with Marin County, California.
Planning for the bridge began in the 1920s when the area around San Francisco was growing. People living in the area needed another way to get to the city besides small ferries．
Joseph Strauss was the chief engineer for the project. Work began in 1934. Mr.Strauss demanded the strongest safy protections in the history of bridge building. These included the first use of “hard hats” to protect the workers' heads and special glasses to protect their eyes.
A special safety net was suspended(挂) under the bridge. This net saved the lives of 19 men during the construction. However, 11 other workers were killed when they fell from the bridge through the net. Still, this was a new safety record for the time.
The Golden Gate Bridge opened in 1937. It extends 1,280 meters across the water. The total length is 2,737 meters. It was the largest suspension bridge in the world until 1964.That is when the Verrazano Narrows Bridge opened in New York City. Today, the Golden Gate Bridge is the ninth longest suspension bridge in the world.
1.The Golden Gate Bridge was named after ________.
A．the local climate
B．the color of a paint
C．the strait it crosses
D．its natural surroundings
2.The purpose of suspending a special safety net is to ________.
A．protect the environment
B．make construction easier
C．prevent workers from falling
D．save building materials from falling
3.What do we know about Joseph Strauss?
A．He attached importance to the workers' safety.
B．His safety measures were not of practical value.
C．He built the first suspension bridge in the world.
D．He demanded strong measures to ensure the safety of the bridge.
4.The passage is written to ________.
A．invite readers to San Francisco
B．introduce the Golden Gate Bridge
C．describe how the Golden Gate Bridge was built
D．tell the story of an engineer called Joseph Strauss
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
In today's world of smart phones and laptops, most people have at least one time-telling thing with them. Since these digital products are so common, is time running out for the 500-year-old watch? According to some consumers, the answer is yes. New Jersey teenager Charlie Wollman says a watch is “an extra piece of equipment with no necessary function.” Many young adults think so and use their smart phones to tell time. It is said that fewer young people wear watches today than ten years ago. As a result, some people say that the watch industry is at a crossroads.
However, watchmakers optimistically say that watches redeem（挽回） popularity when consumers reach their 20s and 30s. By then, they are willing to spend money on a quality watch that doesn’t just keep good time. Fifty years ago, watchmakers took pride in their products’ accuracy. But in recent years, the watch industry has changed itself into an accessory(配饰) business. And today, the image a watch conveys has become more important than the time it tells.
“Complications” — features that go beyond simple timekeeping — are an important part of a watch’s image. Today’s watches offer lots of features that meet almost any personality. These features include compasses, USB drivers, and even other functions that measure the effectiveness of golf swings!
Creativity also plays a key role in designing today’s watches. For example, Japanese watchmaker Tokyoflash makes watches that don’t even look like watches. The company’s popular Shinshoku model uses different color lights to tell time. It looks more like a fashionable bracelet（手镯） than a watch.
Whether a watch conveys fashion sense, creative talent or a love of sports, consumers want their watches to stand out. Nowadays, everyone has the same kind of little things in their bags, so people want to make a statement with what’s on their wrists. Will this interest in wrist fashion last? Only time will tell!
1.What can we know from the first paragraph?
A. As most people see, watches are out of fashion.
B. Some people feel that watches have been of no use.
C. The watch industry will close down sooner or later.
D. There are so many choices of watches for teenagers today.
2.According to the passage, what image does a watch convey nowadays?
A. It simply tells time.
B. It appeals to many teenagers.
C. It has many complex functions.
D. It has an impact on creativity and imagination.
3.Japanese watchmaker Tokyoflash is mentioned in Paragraph 4 to _________.
A. show why Shinshoku watches are popular
B. advertise Shinshoku watches made by Tokyoflash
C. make a comparison between watches and bracelets
D. tell that today’s watches need more imagination
4.What may be the best title for the passage?
A. Watches Tell More Than Time
B. Japanese Watches Stand Out
C. Watch Industry Is in a Bad Situation
D. Watches Are Becoming Less Popular
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Writers used to approach publishers to have their work read by the public. Now they can simply post them and find millions of instant audience.
After breaking up with her boyfriend, Bao Jingjing started “making up” a love story simply to distract (转移) her attention. Her story of a girl suffering the pain like hers progressed quickly, attracting many readers.
When Bao stopped writing as she reunited with her boyfriend, she was urged to continue, as readers wanted to know what happened next. Bao finished it soon. It became so popular that it was turned into a best-seller. To cap it all off, Bao’s novel was later adapted into a successful movie.
Bao’s story is only one of many Internet novels that have landed deals for physical books, TV shows and films. Unlike traditional writers who buried themselves in their books for years, some young writers like Bao have got readers rapidly online and find overnight success.
Bao admits her success was unexpected. She still remembers how surprised her parents were when she proudly gave them her copyright earnings. Online literature forums are platforms for grassroots writers to succeed.
In recent years, Zhang Wei, known as “Tangjiasanshao”, has earned 177 million yuan by his fingers though working as an author was beyond his dreams. He topped the list of wealthiest Chinese Internet novelists twice and was the only online writer to be listed on the 2014 Forbes “Chinese Celebrity List”.
He admits that he is one of the few writers at the top of the pyramid while most online writers remain unknown. However, he urged that his success can be achieved by others, as long as “they write hard enough”.
1.According to the passage, we know that ________.
A. Bao Jingjing’s parents didn’t want her to be a writer
B. Bao Jingjing didn’t really expect her success overnight
C. Bao Jingjing didn’t finish her first online love story
D. Bao Jingjing’s first online story was turned into a TV show
2.The underlined words “to cap it all off” in Paragraph 3 probably means ________.
A. in turn B. in conclusion C. in time D. in addition
3.The author mentioned Zhang Wei’s example mainly to ________.
A. introduce another online writer to the readers
B. show the example of another online writer’s success
C. encourage readers to become online writers
D. express his admiration for online writer Zhang Wei
4.What can we infer from what Zhang Wei says in the last paragraph?
A. Few words, many deeds.
B. First try, and then trust.
C. Harm set, harm get.
D. No pains, no gains.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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 set goals
Whether you have small dreams or great expectations, setting goals allows you to plan how you want to move through life. Some achievements can take a lifetime to attain. 1. No matter what goals you are setting, getting started can be difficult, but we’ll show you how to build up to even the biggest dream.
Determine your life goals. 2. What you want to achieve: today, in a year, in your lifetime? The answer to this question can be as general as “I want to be happy,” or ” I want to help people”. A career life goal might be to open your own business. A fitness goal might be to become fit. These goals can be amazingly broad.
Set priorities(优先的事物). At any given moment, you probably have a number of goals all in different states of completion. 3. If you find yourself with too many goals, you’re going to feel lost and are less likely to accomplish them.
Keep track of your progress. Writing in a journal is a great way to keep track of both personal and professional progress. Acknowledging the progress made towards a certain goal is key to staying motivated. 4. Asking a friend to keep you on track can also help you stay focused.
5. Once you have achieved goals---even major life goals—you will want to continue to grow and set new goals for yourself. Once you run your marathon, you should assess what you’d like to do next. Do you want to run another marathon, but improve your time? Or do you want to run longer distance?
A. Keep setting goals.
B. So be realistic about your goals.
C. It may even encourage you to work harder.
D. Others, however, can be completed in the course of a day.
E. Break the big picture down into smaller and more specific goals.
F. So deciding which goals are more important than others is important.
G. Ask yourself some important questions about what you want for your life.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
Many sports players have not only accomplished incredible acts of athleticism(运动能力), but also unbelievable acts of sportsmanship(体育精神). There were some ________ examples in 2014, and I have ________ two that inspired me.
One example of sportsmanship took place in the Sochi Olympics. Russian Anton Gafarov was hobbling(蹒跚而行) along the track, far ________ the rest of the skiers. One of his skis was broken. He had tried to ________ with the damaged equipment. Canadian ski coach Justin Wadsworth was the only one who had a(n) ________. Wadsworth didn’t want Gafarov to finish slowly, hobbling across the line. He wanted him to finish with ________. The Canadian skiers were already out of the race, giving Wadsworth two ________: Leave Gafarov to hobble across the line on one ski, or give him the spare one. Wadsworth gave him the extra ski, ________ Gafarov to get second place in the quarter-finals. ________, he came in sixth in the semi-finals. It was Wadsworth who helped Gafarov ________ his Olympic dream.
The other example took place in the 2014 World Cup quarter-final match between Brazil and Colombia. The game had just ended. Brazil had won, 2-1. Brazil was ________ on the sidelines, cheering and having a good time. Colombian midfielder James Rodriguez had just had his World Cup dream ________ despite scoring a record-breaking six goals in the competition. Brazil defender David Luiz walked over to him, pointed at him, and ________ the crowd to acknowledge him. He then declared his ________ for a game well played and ________ him for his wonderful World Cup performance. It made both the crowd and Rodriquez ________.
As an athlete, I know it’s easy to get caught up in the ________ of a game. But I also know that ________ is just as important as losing and winning.
Always remember to ________ your opposing team. Play hard, but play fair. And always be nice. It’s the right thing to do and it always ________.
1.A. amusing B. amazing C. interesting D. embarrassing
2.A. collected B. picked C. made D. created
3.A. behind B. off C. from D. back
4.A. walk B. go C. work D. continue
5.A. broken B. extra C. new D. temporary
6.A. determination B. kindness C. love D. pride
7.A. questions B. chances C. choices D. problems
8.A. allowing B. advising C. instructing D. wanting
9.A. Finally B. Specifically C. Particularly D. Gradually
10.A. share B. enjoy C. have D. complete
11.A. imagining B. reviewing C. celebrating D. training
12.A. achieved B. followed C. torn apart D. broken in
13.A. urged B. forced C. expected D. warned
14.A. surprise B. doubt C. curiosity D. appreciation
15.A. prepared B. recognized C. challenged D. interviewed
16.A. shy B. happy C. crazy D. tired
17.A. fun B. advantage
C. meaning D. competitiveness
18.A. sportsmanship B. championship
C. leadership D. friendship
19.A. respond to B. fight against
C. shake hands with D. keep up with
20.A. pays out B. pays back
C. pays off D. pays for
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面材料,在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。
Though Brazil is one of the richest countries in the world, much of it has not yet been developed. It was mainly for this reason 1. the Brazilian government decided to have a new city 2. (build) 600 miles north-west of Rio de Janeiro. Designed by the great architect Lucio Costa, the new city, Brasilia, 3. (replace) Rio de Janeiro as the capital of Brazil in 1960. Brasilia has been 4. (careful) planned for modern living. Its wide___5.__( road), which can take fourteen lanes of traffic, have been kept away from living areas. Children do not have to cross busy streets to go to school. Housewives can visit-shopping centres on foot, for in these specially designed areas, cars are 6. (necessary). At first, the government had great difficulty 7. (persuade) people to leave Rio and to settle in Brasilia. Since 1960, however, the population has been growing all 8. time. Brasilia has quickly established itself as the capital of the country. The idea 9. (have) the capital moved inland will have a great influence 10. the future of Brazil.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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：在错的词下划一横线，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。
I'd like to talking about my most memorable experience. It was a trip to Australia I had three years before with my dance group to participate in international dance festival. It was the first time I had travelled by plane in my life. My mum worried a lot, so everything went smoothly. I stayed there for two week and it was the happiest time in my life. Besides our performances there, we have much excitement. We spent on almost every morning sunbathing on the beautiful beach and swam in the blue sea. But warmly Australian nights were which I adored most of all. It was a time of joy，light，music and summer parties.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你是李华，你的英语老师在每堂英语课开始都要求学生进行3-5分钟的英语演讲，下周老师布置的演讲话题为“My Dream College”。请写一篇英语演讲稿，以便在班上和同学们分享。讲稿内容包括：
1. 简要描述你梦想的大学及选择它的原因；
2. 你准备如何为之奋斗。
注意：1. 词数100左右，开头语及结束语已为你写好，不计入总词数。
3. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
My Dream College
It’s my great honor to share my dream college with you._______________________
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Thank you for your listening!
难度: 中等查看答案及解析