Invisible Dialogues and Invented Languages
·July 13, 2018
This discussion will examine self-taught artists who use coded or invented languages in their work. Artists include Melvin Edward Nelson, and Carlo Keshishian. Exploring the relationship between language and visual expressions, it seeks to find out how some unreadable words, letters, and symbols communicate meaning.
·6:30 pm-8:00 pm
·$10 members, students, seniors; $12 non-members
Art and Storytelling
·July 20, 2018
Artist Ernesto Caivano will discuss the connection of drawing and stories in his work, while examining how his explorations of storytelling relate to his previous works.
Another activity includes conversations with artists and scholars, providing a good opportunity to engage with the central themes and histories found in the artwork.
·6:30 pm-7:30 pm
·$5members, students, seniors; $8 non-members
Self-Taught Genius
·July 27, 2018
Sponsor Sarah Suzuki will discuss selected drawings and prints on view in the exhibition Highlights from Self-Taught Genius in a guided gallery tour.
The program is held together with the exhibition Highlights from Self-Taught Genius at the newly opened Self-Taught Genius Gallery in Long Island City, Queens.
·6:00 pm-7:00 pm
·$5 members, students, seniors; $8 non-members
Gender, Politics, and Textiles（纺织品）
·August 3, 2018
Art historian Julia Bryan-Wilson will present an illustrated overview of her publication Fray: Art and Textile Politics. Julia will explore the relationship between textiles, gender, and war. A book signing will follow the discussion.
·6:30 pm-8:00 pm
·$8 members, students, seniors; $10 non-members
1.Who will talk about drawing and stories?
A. Ernesto Caivano. B. Sarah Suzuki.
C. Melvin Edward. D. Julia Bryan-Wilson.
2.Which of the activities is available in August, 2018?
A. Self-Taught Genius.
B. Art and Storytelling.
C. Gender, Politics, and Textiles.
D. Invisible Dialogues and Invented Languages.
3.What is the purpose of the text?
A. To advertise some activities. B. To introduce some artists.
C. To publicize some looks. D. To sponsor some events.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
It’s not just kids who are overdoing screen time. Parents are often just as guilty of spending too much time checking smart phones and emails. And the consequences for their children can be troubling.
Dr. Jenny Radesky is a pediatrician（儿科医生）specializing in child development. When she worked at a clinic in a high-tech Seattle neighborhood, Radesky started noticing how often parents ignored their kids in favor of a mobile device（装置）. Radesky was so concerned that she decided to study the behavior.
After relocating to Boston Medical Center, she and two other researchers spent one summer observing 55 different groups of parents and young children eating at fast food restaurants. “Many of the caregivers pulled out a mobile device right away,” she says. “They looked at it, scrolled on it and typed for most of the meal, only putting it down occasionally.”
This was not a scientific study. Radesky is quick to point out. It was more like anthropological（人类学的）observation, complete with detailed field notes. Forty of the 55 parents used a mobile device during the meal, and many, she says, were more absorbed in the device than in the kids.
Radesky says that’s a big mistake, because face-to-face interactions are the primary way children learn. “They lean language, they learn about their own emotions, and they learn how to regulate them,” she says. “They learn by watching us how to have a conversation, and how to read other people's facial expressions. And if that is not happening, children are missing out on important development milestones（里程牌）.”
In research for her book, Steiner-Adair interviewed 1,000 children between the ages of 4 and 18, asking them about their parents’ use of mobile devices. The language that came up over and over and over again, she says, was “sad, mad, angry and lonely.” Steiner-Adair says we don’t know exactly how much these mini moments of disconnection between a parent and child affect the child in the long term. But based on the stories she hears, she suggests that parents think twice before picking up a mobile device when they’re with their kids.
1.What did Dr. Jenny Radesky find in a Seattle neighborhood?
A. Parents ignored their kids in favor of a mobile device.
B. High technology made people’s life more convenient.
C. Children took a much keener interest in smart phones.
D. Parents were worried about their children’s development.
2.How did Radesky do her research?
A. By interviewing the caregivers. B. By analyzing data from a clinic.
C. By classifying parent’s behaviors. D. By observing parents and children.
3.What does the underlined word “that” in Paragraph 5 probably refer to?
A. Learning about their own feelings. B. Reading others’ facial expressions.
C. Watching their parents’ talking. D. Communicating face to face.
4.What does Steiner-Adair advise parents to do?
A. Comfort their children as often as possible.
B. Put down their smart phones while with their kids.
C. Reflect on their own influence on their children.
D. Allow their kids to use mobile devices somehow.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
The San Francisco Giants added a special pitcher（投球手）for the day. It was small—yet fierce—Hailey Dawson, who has a 3D-printed hand.
The energetic 8-year-old from Nevada was invited to throw out the first pitch at the Giants game on Sunday. Dawson was born with Poland syndrome（综合症）, a disorder in which affected individuals are born with missing or underdeveloped muscles on one side of the body. It affected her hand.
With a traditional prosthetic（假肢）potentially costing thousands of dollars, Hailey’s mom, Yong Dawson turned to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for help. She emailed UNLV engineering, and they accepted the challenge. Brendan O’Toole, chairman of the mechanical engineering department, said he and his team had got a lot of requests, “but this one was different.” They got to work using a 3D-printer.Several prototypes（原型）and fittings later, Dawson got her first hand about four years ago.
Hailey’s mother said the hand had given her daughter a wonderful lift. “When she puts this robotic hand on, it changes her personality and confidence level,” Yong Dawson told CBS San Francisco. “I love seeing that. I just wanted her to have an even playing field.”
When she arrived at AT&T Park on Sunday, Hailey got to hang out with players in the shelter at the side of the sports field. They even let her try on their World Series rings.
Using her 3D-printed hand, Dawson threw out the perfect first pitch. Then with a wave and a smile, she headed into the stands to cheer on her newfound friends on the Giants.
1.What caused the function loss of Hailey’s hand?
A. A serious brain disorder. B. A born physical problem.
C. An awful game accident. D. An unexpected infection.
2.Why did Yong Dawson ask the University of Nevada for help?
A. She couldn’t find a suitable hospital.
B. She knew it had the advanced 3D-printer.
C. She couldn’t afford a traditional prosthetic.
D. She was forced to accept the tough challenge.
3.What is Hailey’s mother’s attitude towards the 3D-printed hand?
A. Skeptical. B. Positive.
C. Ambiguous. D. Cautious.
4.Which of the following is the best title for the text?
A. Mother’s love makes a huge difference
B. A talented young pitcher gets a great future
C. The 3D-printing technology is changing our life
D. A girl with a3D-printed hand throws her first pitch
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Babies teach their older brothers and sisters empathy（移情）, according to a new research. Empathy means understanding and entering others’ feelings. Until now, younger kids have generally been regarded to learn plenty from their older brothers or sisters but don’t give back much. But this study, published in Child Development confirms that younger siblings（兄弟姐妹）ensure their big brothers and sisters don’t grow into disgusting people—no easy task.
“Although it’s assumed that older siblings and parents are the primary socializing influences on younger siblings’ development but not vice versa, we found that both younger and older siblings positively contributed to each other’s empathy over time,” study co-author Marc Jambon said in a statement. Prior sibling studies have focused on the influence of older brothers and sisters, probably because their impact is most obvious. As one review of literature notes, studies have shown that older siblings influence everything from their younger siblings’ motor development to their risk of smoking later in life. And although separated studies have tried to pin down effects that younger siblings have on their older siblings, the influence of baby brothers and sisters remains unclear.
For this new study, Jambon and his colleagues recruited（招募）a diverse group of 452 Canadian sibling pairs between the ages of 18 months and four years. At the start of the study, individual researchers assessed children’s baseline empathy levels by visiting the kids at home and then pretending to hurt themselves or break a valuable item. Eighteen months later, they found small but significant increases in empathy.
One unexpected exception—older sisters did not appear to experience increased empathy after 18 months living with their little brothers, specifically. The researchers aren’t sure why this exception appeared, and they recommend that future studies dive into more complex phenomena.
1.What has been found in the new research?
A. Young kids could show more sympathy on others.
B. Young siblings know more about empathy than the older.
C. Younger siblings could contribute to their older ones’ empathy.
D. Younger kids can learn a lot from their older brothers or sisters.
2.What does Marc Jambon say about kids’ empathy development?
A. Siblings influence each other in a positive way.
B. Parents play a more important role than teachers.
C. Older siblings have far more obvious influences.
D. Younger siblings make much smaller contribution.
3.What does the underlined words “pin down” in Paragraph 2 mean?
A. Assess. B. Limit.
C. Confirm. D. Reduce.
4.What can we infer about the research from the last paragraph?
A. It offers no exceptions. B. It appears to be under control.
C. It is recognized to be scientific. D. It needs to be carried out further.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Critical（批判的）thinking is the art of using reason to analyze ideas and dig deeper to get to our true potential. It doesn’t mean you’re thinking harder or longer. 1. Here are some tips and ideas to help you build a foundation for critical thinking.
Question your assumptions. We make a lot of assumptions about almost everything. It’s how our brain processes certain pieces of information, and how we get along in everyday life. You could say they are the foundation of our critical framework. 2. Then the whole foundation needs to be rebuilt, from the bottom up.
Don’t take information on authority until you've investigated it yourself. Instead of double-checking everything anyone says, we tend to label information as either coming from a trustworthy or not trustworthy source. This keeps us from double-checking every piece of information that comes our way, saving time and energy. But it also keeps us from getting to the bottom of things we think of as coming from a trustworthy source, even when they don’t. 3.
Put yourself in other people’s shoes. Empathy can also help you develop your critical thinking skills. 4. You may find that a little understanding facilitates a deeper insight into other people and their behavior. The deeper your insight into yourself and others, the wiser your decisions will be.
5. There is no way to learn better than learning from your friends. If you only want to be a big fish swimming in the little pond just because your ego（自负）feels good, keep this part. If you are wondering about how to develop critical skills, make friends with smart people and throw away your ego.
A. Actually, it’s about thinking better.
B. Surround yourself with people smarter than you.
C. Be someone that people know that they can count on.
D. You should not judge others until you fully understand their situation.
E. But what if they turned out to be wrong, or at least not entirely truthful?
F. The reason is that understanding does not always go with the right action.
G. So what is published in a magazine or online doesn’t mean it’s necessarily true.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
Until a few years ago, I had what most people would call a good life. I had a _________ job that paid the bills; I had a good family that I was close to, and I had a place to live and money in the bank for trips and _________, and there was nothing much wrong in my life. _________, I was bored.
I wanted more. I wanted to live _________ and loudly and make sharp memories instead of the _________ ones of everyday life. But I was _________. I’ve never had any _________ in myself. As a child, even buying something in a shop caused me a great deal of _________, and even though I did get better as I got older, I never quite _________ that childhood shyness.
And I tried everything, like reading books about confidence. I took tiny steps leading to my goals. But none of them really __________.
So I __________ that the small steps weren’t enough. I signed up for an internship（实习期）teaching English in Vietnam, an __________ huge step, one that __________ me as much as it excited me. And then the day came and I left my home and my loved one. I was alone in a country where the food was __________ and the streets were dirty. I had no idea whether I would be able to __________ everything this very strange environment would __________ at me.
I spent five months in Vietnam, teaching and exploring and laughing. I’d learned to __________ myself, my skills, my abilities and my decisions. I returned home __________, even to myself, let alone to others. The __________ that had controlled my life and the self-doubt were completely __________.
That one big chance changed everything for me, and in me.
1.A. stable B. temporary C. difficult D. demanding
2.A. tips B. rewards C. treats D. fines
3.A. Thus B. Instead C. Otherwise D. However
4.A. easily B. brightly C. peacefully D. modestly
5.A. bitter B. clear C. gray D. sweet
6.A. proud B. innocent C. outgoing D. afraid
7.A. pride B. confidence C. interest D. shame
8.A. stress B. excitement C. confusion D. surprise
9.A. added to B. talked about C. got over D. suffered from
10.A. continued B. survived C. failed D. helped
11.A. decided B. promised C. predicted D. disagreed
12.A. equally B. impossibly C. unnecessarily D. occasionally
13.A. ignored B. impressed C. annoyed D. terrified
14.A. nice B. colorful C. strange D. adequate
15.A. doubt B. handle C. quit D. obtain
16.A. point B. throw C. shout D. aim
17.A. trust B. enjoy C. excuse D. forgive
18.A. unconcerned B. unsatisfied C. unchangeable D. unrecognizable
19.A. fear B. respect C. courage D. anger
20.A. picked up B. forgotten about C. worn away D. put off
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
Classical Chinese garden design aims to create a natural landscape on a small scale and emphasize the perfect harmony between man and nature.
A Chinese garden 1.(be) like a scroll（卷轴）painting, 2.(show) a series of carefully composed scenes. New views are revealed as one walks along the pathways. In the gardens, 3. most frequently meets the eye is winding paths that seemingly lead to nowhere. There, a path seems to end, but all of 4. sudden, a new world is rolled out before you: pavilions（亭子）, rock formations, spring waters—all combined to provide a pleasant surprise! At the 5.(enter) to a Chinese garden, there is usually a huge stone or wall 6.(use) to screen your view so as to later produce unimaginable delight when you turn around the wall. A Chinese garden may have windows on all 7.(it) four walls. And it is 8.(interest) that, through the windows, visitors may see different views at different angles, and thus the composition of the garden becomes enlarged.
A Chinese garden is where culture is both created and enjoyed. All plants mark the shift of the 9.(season). Similarly, water, a symbol of the ever-changing, 10. rocks, a symbol of the eternal（水恒的）, create a harmonious balance of nature's yin and yang.
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。
Our class organized visit to the Joy Nursing Home, that is next to our school, last Sunday. On our arrival, we begin to help the senior people do the cleaning. After that, some of my classmate put on interesting performances, but then we played games with them. All of them were amusing and laughed happily. We were such lost in the activities that we forgot the time .At noon, we were all had to say goodbye to them. And they were extreme grateful to us for their visit.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
书面表达（满分30分）
假定你是李华，你的美国朋友 Sarah打算暑期来北京旅游，来信询问改建后前门大街的情况。请你写封回信，简单介绍以下内容：
1. 简况：长800余米、600多年历史、300余家商铺；
2. 位置：天安门广场南面；
3. 交通：公共汽车17、69、59等路，地铁2号线；
4. 特色：步行街、当当车、茶馆、剧院等。
参考词汇：步行街 pedestrian street
当当车 trolley car
地铁 subway
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，请将完整的回信书写在答题卡上。
Dear Sarah,
Thank you for your letter asking about the rebuilt Qianmen Street. Here is something about it. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours, Lihua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析