In the middle of a hot July afternoon, I became a thief of some sort — a thief of music.
For the first time, I created an original piano arrangement of one of my favorite songs. Using only my ears and iPad, I transformed a mix of sounds and melodies into the tones of a single instrument; I created complex harmonies (和声) and voices into something I could perform with only two hands. No help, no guide — I did it on my own.
I've been a pianist since my hands grew big enough to touch the piano. With my father as a musician, I was all but born on the piano bench. For many years, my musical identity was defined by the notes that others had written in the past centuries: elegant lines of neatly printed notes stamped across the sheet music became the script I had to perform. I valued classical music — adored it — but I felt such performances were shallow. I had nothing of my own to contribute to the masterful compositions of Bach or Rachmaninov.
This was why, when I put the finishing touches to my piano version of a modem song, my pride was glorious: this arrangement was mine. What I'd done seemed magical: an ability to take what had already existed — to "steal" a song from my favorite band — and to change it into something different all on my own. I was a thief but I was also an artist.
In music, as in other aspects of life, I believe that true originality rarely exists. Almost everything has been done before, in one form or another. The most passionate romance novel may be a slightly changed version of a play written by Shakespeare, which in turn was borrowed from the writers of Ancient Greece: the same themes, different characters, and different circumstances. But the novel no less deserves praise just because its uniqueness is compromised.
The gift of creativity is just like the ability to do what I did on the piano: to find out something beautiful, to analyze and change it and lose yourself in the mystery of its composition, and then to make it new. Such an act is not copying; it is finding inspiration and having the strength and the innovation to use it as fuel for your own masterpiece.
1.Why did the author create the piano arrangement?
A.Because he was not satisfied with the old one.
B.Because he wanted to create music of his own.
C.Because he was tired of his father's music-teaching method.
D.Because he wanted to show respect for Bach and Rachmaninov.
2.By mentioning Shakespeare, the author wants to tell us______.
A.there is no true creativity in music.
B.Shakespeare9s plays are totally original.
C.many of Shakespeare,s plays deserve no praise.
D.originality is connected with what has already existed.
3.We can conclude from the passage that______.
A.creativity is to find something beautiful.
B.adaptation has nothing to do with creativity.
C.a masterpiece can be a changed version of an existed work.
D.common people don't have the ability to create something new.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
When you start working on something but don't finish it, thoughts of the unfinished work continue to jump into your mind even when you've moved on to other things. Psychologists refer the phenomenon as the Zeigamik effect. The effect was first observed by a Russian psychologist named Bluma Zeigamik. While sitting in a busy restaurant in Vienna, she noted the waiters had better memories of unpaid orders. Once the bill was paid, however, the waiters had difficulty remembering the exact details of the orders.
In one of her studies, participants were asked to complete simple tasks such as putting together puzzles, or solving math problems. Half of the participants were interrupted halfway through these tasks. After an hour-long delay, Zeigamik asked the participants to give an account of what they'd been working on. She discovered that those who had their work interrupted were twice as likely to remember what they had been doing as those who had actually completed the tasks.
We can use this effect to our advantage. For example, if you're struggling to memorize something important, momentary interruptions might actually work to your advantage. Rather than simply remember the information over and over again, review it several times and then take a break. While you're focusing on other things, you'll find yourself mentally returning to the information you were studying.
We often put off tasks until the last moment, only completing them in a rush at the last possible moment. Unfortunately, this tendency can lead to heavy stress and even poor performance. One way to overcome this is to put the Zeigamik effect to work. Start by taking the first step, no matter how small. Once you have begun — but not finished — your work, you'll find yourself thinking of the task until, at last, you finish it. You might not finish it all at once, but each small step you take puts you closer to your final goal.
1.What does the Zeigamik effect refer to?
A.Waiters tend to have good memories.
B.Once interrupted, one will forget things easily.
C.Most people can't focus on one thing for a long time.
D.People remember unfinished tasks better than completed ones.
2.How should we study according to the Zeigamik effect?
A.Repeat over and over again.
B.Divide our study session.
C.Focus on several tasks at a time.
D.Have enough rest before studying.
3.What’s the main idea of the last paragraph?
A.How to get rid of heavy stress.
B.Why we should set a final goal.
C.How to break the habit of delaying work.
D.Why we always complete tasks in a rush.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
With smart technology increasingly influencing all aspects of our lives, it is only a matter of time before someone invents “smart” shoes—ones that can be made based on personal needs. Called “ShiftWear”, the sneakers are the brainchild of a team of businessmen, and engineers led by New York-based designer David Coel.
The adaptable shoes can be customized by using a smart phone app. Shoe owners will have the option of selecting a design from a variety of HD pattern by famous artists or creating one themselves. The company’s founders imagine a marketplace where artists can not only share but also sell their designs to others. Despite being electronic, the designs are clearly visible even in the brightest sunlight. What’s even cooler is that by switching on a backlight, users can even show off their designs in the dark!
According to Coel, the sneakers will keep their charge “forever” if only images are displayed. Though they will need periodic recharging, active users have nothing to worry about. That’s because the shoes are equipped with special walk-n-charge technology that powers the shoes—with every step. Inactive users also have options of charging the sneakers without using wires.
The bottom part of the shoes is covered with Kevler fibers, a kind of strong material, reducing normal wear and tear. Even better? They are completely waterproof (not let water through) and can even be thrown into an ordinary laundry machine for a quick wash! The company predicts that the shoes will range the price from $150 to $1000 depending on the size of the E-panels where the designs are displayed.
This is not the first time that electronics and shoes have combined. Lithuania-based iShuh Technology has come up with a similar concept that connects e-reader panels to a smart phone app via the Bluetooth. Whether these smart shoes become as popular as our smart devices remains to be seen, though they surely are attractive.
1.What can we know about the smart shoes from the text?
A.The electronic designs can not be seen clearly at night.
B.The designers make sure every pair of sneakers are unique.
C.The bottom of the shoes can last longer due to special materials.
D.The shoes have to be washed by hand to protect the electronics.
2.What does Paragraph 3 mainly talk about?
A.How the sneakers are charged.
B.How the sneakers can work well.
C.What images the sneakers show.
D.What technology the sneakers carry.
3.The varied prices of the sneakers mainly depend on ________.
A.the length of the shoes
B.the size of their e-panels
C.the designers of the shoes
D.the materials of their bottoms
4.How does the author feel about the sneakers’ future market?
A.Negative. B.Anxious.
C.Uncertain. D.Confident.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Countless parents have kids who just want to eat chickens pasta, or macaroni and cheese, and definitely without any vegetables. So what’s a parent to do?1.. We reached out to experts on healthy eating for kids, and they had a ton of great advice.
Make food interesting. Lori Day, an educational psychologist, thought that if kids found it interesting, they would be more likely to try it. So Day let her daughter shell peas, count them, sort them by size and play with them before putting them in the pot.2.. "Make food interesting if your child is naturally curious and is willing to engage,” Day said.
3.. Several parents talked about how bringing their children with them to the farmers market or the grocery store and having them help with the cooking can get them more excited and invested in what they are eating. Kids can be inspired to eat healthy when they are part of the meal, said Margaret McSweeney, host of the podcast Kitchen Chat. "A trip to the local farmers market can connect them with the source of food."
Give kids choices. Amy, an infant-child psychologist said that from a young age, parents should let their kids choose foods and snacks they like, within reason. “Give them more room to choose as they get older,n she added. And never get into a power struggle with your kids about eating, she said. 4.
Model healthy eating. Our kids can be influenced to make better choices if they watch us doing the same.
Pam Moore, founder of the blog, whatever, says her kids always see her and husband eating healthy. 5.. I often keep sliced veggies washed, sliced and ready to eat for snacks. Our children will ask for bites as time goes on, as they like to copy what we do," said Moore.
A. First, don't stress.
B. Inspire kids to eat healthy.
C. Get the kids to be involved.
D. Her daughter loved eating them raw or cooked.
E. Make sure you are not over controlling or overeducating them.
F. Both my husband and I typically add greens to our eggs at breakfast.
G. We talk about food colors and how it is healthiest to make meals with various colors.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
An Amazon order starts with a tap of a finger. Two days later— or even in a matter of hours — the package arrives. It seems simple enough.
But to deliver Amazon_______and countless others from businesses that_______over the internet, the basic structure of major urban areas around the world is being_______. And New York City, where more than 1.5 million packages are delivered_______, shows that this push for_______is having impacts on traffic, roadway safety and pollution.
Delivery _______operated by UPS and FedEx double-park on streets,_______bus and bike lanes. They got more than 471,000 parking violations last year, a 34 percent increase from 2013. The main_______for packages into New York City, leading to the George Washington Bridge from New Jersey, has become the most ___________interchange in the country. Trucks heading toward the bridge____________at 23 miles per hour, down from 30 m.p.h. five years ago.
While the________of ride-hailing services like Uber has unquestionably caused more________, the sudden increase of trucks has________the problem.________, cars in the busiest parts of Manhattan now move just above a jogger ,s pace, about 7 m.p.h., roughly 23 percent________than at the beginning of the decade.
Amazon did not________a request for comment on the________of its deliveries on growing traffic jams in New York. Other companies, including FedEx and UPS, said they were using technology and taking other measures to make deliveries less________on crowded streets.
New York City officials say they have________to better manage truck traffic on the streets. “The city is experimenting with enforcement (强制) and ________management regulations to address this growing challenge.”said Polly Trottenberg, the city's transportation commissioner.
1.A.orders B.possessions C.symbols D.matters
2.A.put B.sell C.knock D.get
3.A.greeted B.transformed C.separated D.handled
4.A.shortly B.swiftly C.daily D.monthly
5.A.growth B.benefit C.progress D.convenience
6.A.goods B.workers C.trucks D.business
7.A.blocking B.protecting C.replacing D.damaging
8.A.entryway B.zone C.trip D.terminal
9.A.privileged B.complicated C.sacred D.jammed
10.A.drive B.twist C.travel D.kick
11.A.stress B.rise C.support D.restriction
12.A.traffic B.packages C.unrest D.targets
13.A.postponed B.improved C.worsened D.addressed
14.A.Consequently B.Initially C.Significantly D.Reliably
15.A.lower B.weaker C.steeper D.slower
16.A.refer to B.respond to C.give out D.put forward
17.A.effect B.development C.suspension D.basis
18.A.parallel B.alternative C.burdensome D.tiresome
19.A.made way B.taken a risk C.made contributions D.taken steps
20.A.creative B.important C.meaningful D.severe
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。
You can possibly see cats roaming around 1. you visit the Palace Museum. Now, the museum is reaching out to cat lovers. On Nov 4, the museum 2.(begin) selling cat-themed cartoon books which tell stories about the cats on the palace grounds as well as cultural and creative3.(produce) featuring the so-called "royal cats."
Now the Palace Museum has about 200 royal cats, most of 4. are descendants (后代) of the royal families’ pets. With the ending of the Qing Dynasty, many lost their owners and escaped 5. separate areas of the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City has 6. (mass) and well-preserved wooden buildings. To prevent these relics from 7. (damage) by rats, staff in the Palace Museum helped bring these cats back out of hiding and provided them with food. Wandering around the empty lanes of the palace at night, they keep the buildings 8. (protect) from rats and mice.
"9. is the natural mascots (吉祥物) for the Palace Museum, especially for millennials (千禧一代) that play an important role in interacting with young people and promoting the museum,”10. person working there said.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
假定你是李华，学校将于下周五举行英语演讲比赛，主题为“Doing things right or doing right things”, 请你代表学生会给外教老师Jack发一封邮件，邀请他来做裁判。内容包括：
1. 比赛相关细节；
2. 给参赛者点评；
3. 并对英语学习提些建议。
注意：1. 词数:80词左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
Thirteen-year-old Amy lost her mother in a car accident. She had no choice but moved from New Zealand to Canada to live with her father Thomas.
Thomas was an inventor, living on a farm. He brought Amy back to his messy house, which had not been cleaned up for years. Most of the rooms in the house were used for storing his gliders (滑翔机) and their parts.
One day, Amy happened to see Thomas testing his glider but he soon crashed in the surrounding field. Scared and unsure if her father was all right, Amy heard his father's shout of triumph. She couldn't understand her father strange behavior so that she barely talked with him. "My new life is absolutely miserable!" Amy thought with tears in her eyes.
It was not until Amy found the eggs that her life changed. While exploring the area around the farm, Amy discovered an abandoned nest of 16 goose eggs under a fallen tree. She gathered all of the eggs and brought them back to the bam where she took a heating lamp to provide light and warmth for them.
One afternoon after school, Amy was thrilled to discover all of the eggs had hatched. The baby geese and Amy looked at each other and a bond immediately formed. The geese assumed Amy, the first thing they saw, was their mother. Amy asked his father, “Can I keep the baby geese, please?" "Yes," Thomas agreed. Although he knew there would be a lot of challenges waiting for them, it might be a chance to improve their relationship.
Looking after the baby geese very carefully, Amy even named all of them like a real mother. Soon winter arrived, it was the time for migrant birds like geese to go south for the cold days. Thomas made a great many attempts to teach the geese to fly but none of them followed him. They just stuck close to Amy all the time.
注意：1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2. 应使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
3. 续写部分分为两段,每段的开头语已为你写好；
4. 续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1：
Frustrated, Thomas decided to teach Amy, their mother ", how to fly. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2：
Finally that day came, Thomas and Amy each flew a glider, leading the geese towards south. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
难度: 中等查看答案及解析