Traditional Marriage Ceremonies
Belgium
The groom comes to the bride's house and gives her flowers. They go to the church and the man is inside when the bride's father brings her to her future husband. When they come out, the family throws rice on them.
Germany
Some days before the wedding, friends and relatives bring old porcelain (瓷器) and kitchenware to throw on the ground in front of the bride and groom. This is supposed to grant them a happy, lucky life; that's why this evening event is called Polterabend — the evening with lots of broken porcelain. The Polterabend often develops into an informal and casual party.
El Salvador
When a wedding is celebrated, the wedding ceremony service starts without the bride. The groom and all the people who have been invited to the ceremony are waiting for her during the service. A group of seven men goes to the bride's home. The bride and her family are waiting for seven white cars which accompany the bride's car until they arrive at the church.
Japan
The couple drinks Japanese rice wine in front of a priest (牧师). First, the bride drinks the wine from a small cup. Next, the bride passes the cup to the groom and he also drinks the wine from the cup. They drink three times. This means that they make a commitment to love each other forever.
Turkey
When a girl gets married, all her female friends write their names inside her bridal shoes. After the wedding ceremony, if someone’s name has been rubbed off and can’t be read anymore, it means this person is going to get married next.
1.Why do people throw porcelain before the wedding ceremony in Germany?
A.To enjoy a casual party.
B.To respect the guests present.
C.To wish the couple good luck.
D.To kick off the wedding party.
2.In which country does the wedding ceremony start while the bride isn't there?
A.belgium. B.Germany.
C.El Salvador. D.Turkey.
3.What ceremony implies the new Japanese couple's promise of a life-long love?
A.Drinking wine three times.
B.Throwing rice to their guests.
C.Writing their names in the shoes.
D.Going to the church first with a priest.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
P.S. 139, in Brooklyn, New York, has a school garden where students grow their favorite fruits and vegetables. It also has a school cookbook filled with recipes that use those foods, as well as a technology club, a soccer club, an artists' club, and a teachers’ lounge.
All of this is partially thanks to a process called PB. Through PB, students, parents, teachers, and P. S. 139 staff decide each year how to use some of the school’s money. Over the past three years, P. S. 139 has spent nearly $50,000 this way. Usually, only school leaders get to decide how to distribute a budget, but PB lets others weigh in. Shari Davis is one of the heads of the PB Project, a nonprofit group based in New York and California. '' PB opens the door and invites folks to participate in decisions. People who are closest to the problems in a community are often also closest to settling them. '' she told TIME for Kids.
To start the PB process, members of a school community think about changes they’d like to see. Then they submit their ideas to a committee. It organizes the ideas into complete proposals (议案), which include the cost of each project. Lastly, every member votes for the winning projects that will be supported financially.
PB Project co-founder Josh Lerner helped bring the approach to P. S. 139. He finds that leaders are pleasantly surprised by the winning projects, which help them '' better understand what their communities need'', he says.
PB isn't just for schools. It’s also used by city and state governments around the world. New York City has been using PB since 2011. New Yorkers have spent more than $210 million this way. They've provided money for playgrounds, dog parks, and trees for city sidewalks, among other projects.
1.What is special about PB?
A.It allows ordinary people to play a role in decisions.
B.It accepts money from local government.
C.It helps P S. 139 build a school garden.
D.It focuses mainly on public schools
2.What is the first step for the PB process?
A.Applying to the head master. B.Putting forward project ideas.
C.Gathering members to vote. D.Making a specific budge.
3.How do the leaders in P.S. 139 feel about the agreed projects?
A.Proud. B.Shocked.
C.Delighted. D.Embarrassed.
4.What is the author' s purpose in writing the text?
A.To introduce the PB approach. B.To bring up a social problem.
C.To offer proposals to communities. D.To help leaders make better preparation.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
There are as many kinds of careers (职业) as there are people. They vary greatly in the type of work involved (涉及) and in the ways they influence a person's life. The kind of career you have can affect your life in many ways. By making wise decisions concerning your career, you can help yourself build the life you want. To do that, you need as much information as possible. The more you know about yourself, the better able you will be to choose a satisfying career.
What do people hope to obtain from a career? Some people desire a high income. Some hope for fame. Others seek for adventure. Still others intend to serve people and make the world a better place. Before you begin to explore career fields, you should determine your values. your interests, and your aptitudes that will make you competent for your future work. Most people are happiest in jobs that fit their values, interests,and skills. Each person has many values, which vary in strength. For example, money is the strongest value for some people—that is, wealth is more important to them than anything else. As a result, they focus their thoughts, behaviour, and emotions on the goal of earning a high income. Other values include devoting to religion, taking risks, spending time with family, and helping others.
Before making a career decision, you can ask yourself what is most important to you and examine your beliefs to better know your values. For example, is it important to you to work as a member of a team? Or would you rather be in charge or work alone? If working alone or being in charge is important to you, independence is probably one of your primary values.
1.How can we make a wise career decision?
A.We learn more about ourselves. B.We stick to our beliefs more firmly.
C.We change our interest more often. D.We find more career opportunities.
2.What does the underlined word ''aptitude'' mean in paragraph 2?
A.Experiences. B.Abilities.
C.Feelings. D.Families.
3.According to the writer, a satisfying career is one that ________.
A.brings huge wealth
B.meets inner demands
C.develops interests and skills
D.contributes to forming values
4.What does the writer convey to us in the last paragraph?
A.The contents of our values.
B.The foundations of our values.
C.The places to achieve our values.
D.The ways to understand our values.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
Apple has filed a patent for ''a wearable electronic ring'' that could let you control your other devices (设备) without touching them. The file includes drawings of the potential design and lists intend functions like a rechargeable power source (电源). The ring is designed to be worn on one finger and doesn't appear to be a stand-alone product. Instead, it aims to improve the user experience of bigger devices like iPhone and iPad. Apple also throws attention onto the potential safety functions of the ring by stating that the light given off by some touchscreen devices could be ''inappropriate in certain social environments or even dangerous if it gives away the position of a user who is in danger''.
The tech giant (巨头) explains in the patent that touchscreen devices we are using now can be seen as ''burdensome, inconvenient, or useless for certain tasks and applications''. It suggests that holding an iPhone or iPad for too long could tire some users and obviously, Apple can’t ignore such situations! It says the Apple Ring could be a more effective way to control those devices from a distance.
Apple isn't alone with this ''smart ring'' idea.
Amazon recently put the Echo Loop on the market, a smart ring that uses Alexa. The device is similar to the smart speaker but is worn on your finger instead. It’s currently only available in the US and has an introductory price of $129. 99 (￡100). Google recently presented its Pixel 4 smartphone and one of the top new functions is called Project Soli, which provides a '' Motion Sense'' effect. It lets you control the Pixel 4 without actually touching it. You can wave your hands in the air to pause or skip songs, alarms and phone calls, and more.
As with all patents, we can’t know for sure if Apple is going to bring out a smart ring device until official word is given.
1.What can Apple's smart ring do potentially?
A.Work as a mobile phone.
B.Charge itself automatically.
C.Promote users own security.
D.Stop viruses attacking phones.
2.What made apple develop the wearable product?
A.The drawbacks of its touchscreen devices.
B.The huge marketing potential of touchscreens.
C.The fierce competitions from across the country.
D.The introduction of other companies’ technology.
3.What do we know about the Echo Loop?
A.It's popular with users.
B.It's under development.
C.It's not sold internationally.
D.It's not accepted by Apple.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.The Tech Firms' Smart Rings
B.Apple's New Device Patent
C.The Future of Touchscreen Devices
D.New Technologies, New Products
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Music festivals are, for many people, the purest and most enjoyable way to experience live music. 1. But you can always spot an experienced festival goer; they're the clean, relaxed, non-sunburned ones with the hammock (吊床), the Nalgene water bottle, and the highlighted schedule. Take their example, and you'll have more fun than you've ever had.
2. Most music festivals that charge money has graduated pricing, where tickets are sold at ''Early Bird'' prices, advance prices and gate prices. You can save yourself a fat chunk of change if you get the early bird tickets. Also, at festivals that sell camping, get your camping tickets early. If they sell out, you’ll be stuck staying off-site. Take care of other reservations early, too: plane tickets, car rental reservations, etc.
3. Music festivals generally publish a schedule well before the event. Print one out off the festival's website and highlight your ''must-see'' bands. But remember: be careful not to be too rigid! Spontaneous (即兴) jam sessions, great bands you’ve never heard of, festival stages running late and so on can interrupt your plans. This is not a bad thing! It just helps to have a game plan going in.
Know the Rules. 4. This can save yourself some money. If a festival doesn't allow glass, it'd be an unhappy experience to have to pour out all of your expensive microbrews (微酿啤酒). If a music festival doesn't allow pets, know this in advance, so you don t show up to the gate with Fido and get a surprise. So knowing the rules is beneficial. 5.
A. Get your tickets early.
B. Know the schedule in advance.
C. Check out three types of ticket prices.
D. However, they can be physically and mentally tiring
E. If a music festival allows you to bring your food and water, do it.
F. Music festivals aren't just about music, but they re about togetherness, too.
G. If its website is unclear about their rules, get in touch and ask for clarification!
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
It was the morning before I was presenting a paper at an academic conference in Paris. Unexpectedly, the babysitter I’d _________ for to watch my daughter texted to say she couldn’t _________ it. Worried I’d have to cancel the _________, I asked the organizers, two men, if they knew of any last-minute babysitters.
“_________ her!” they said. “We’ll watch her well.”
So, with uncertainty and anxiety, I did. While I presented my _________ in a theater hall, they entertained my daughter by letting her draw on the whiteboard and _________ on the walls. During the Q&A, my daughter demanded to be _________. As she sucked, her diaper (尿布) leaked onto my trousers. Afterward, several people came up to me to _________ me for my bringing her. A woman said that one of her favorite _________ was bringing her daughter to her workplace.
Unfortunately, my experience is not the ____________ practice. For most working women, bringing their children to work or having a flexible ____________ is not an option. When flexibility is offered, it comes with a huge ____________: advancement to higher positions is less likely for parents, usually mothers, who ____________ flexibility. In 2016, only 200 companies had official ____________ allowing children to ____________ at a workplace during working hours. ____________, bringing children to work is a rising phenomenon.
__________, in bringing this generation of children to working events or offices, I’m sure we’re teaching them a valuable lesson about work-life ____________. My hope is that, when these children become leaders, they’ll ____________ we didn’t shut them out of work spaces. ____________, they will build the policies for a fairer and more enjoyable workplace.
1.A.arranged B.looked C.care D.provided
2.A.change B.like C.make D.plan
3.A.conference B.presentation C.announcement D.conversation
4.A.Accompany B.Support C.Comfort D.Bring
5.A.dream B.life C.work D.choice
6.A.just B.even C.yet D.still
7.A.sheltered B.fed C.freed D.amused
8.A.forgive B.thank C.praise D.blame
9.A.memories B.requirements C.challenge D.preparations
10.A.unique B.rare C.random D.common
11.A.schedule B.gathering C.body D.entertainment
12.A.decision B.idea C.attitude D.risk
13.A.invent B.request C.ignore D.understand
14.A.policies B.predictions C.explanations D.assumptions
15.A.grow up B.wake up C.show up D.cheer up
16.A.Lastly B.Instead C.Thus D.However
17.A.Eventually B.Personally C.Differently D.Gradually
18.A.balance B.competition C.outcome D.interest
19.A.conclude B.expect C.remember D.question
20.A.In other words B.On the other hand C.In a similar way D.As a result
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
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。
Alice Pang from Hong Kong always liked dressing well and looking elegant, but never 1. (actual) considered a career (职业) in modelling. But her granddaughter always thought she had a gift 2. it, so when she saw an online ad for senior models over 65, she sent in Alice's pictures and she was selected for a photo shoot.
Though 3. ( know) nothing about modelling, Alice Pang had all the natural qualities and succeeded. Today, she 4. (recognize) as one of the best senior models in Asia, as well as the oldest.
'' What I was worried about was 5. I did not have the slightest idea of how to model. But my manager taught me a lot and those girls helped me with my makeup. I gradually developed an interest in modelling and got 6. (good) at it, '' Alice said in an interview.
'' I entered 7. industry when I was 93 and this is my third year working as a model, '' she added.
While most people praise her for her 8. (act) lifestyle and the courage to start a whole new career in her nineties, Alice Pang is not without her critics (批评). She chooses 9. (ignore) them, though, saying that her personal 10. (happy) is all that counts.
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。
My friend Frank is one of the most amazing peoples I have ever met. He just never seemed to suffer from any kind of stress, even when he faces unexpected difficulties. To everyone's surprised, he has never failed an exam. Frank believes that exams are just exams but that it is unnecessary worry about them all the time. He is an optimistic person by nature and I real admire his way of thinking. That makes me ashamed is that I am always nervous facing the exams. For an example, I can not concentrate to my studies before the exams. It is time to learn from her now.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你是李华，你的加拿大朋友 Peter打算暑假来中国，希望与你一起去学习中国古琴（Chinese Guqin）。请给他写封邮件，内容包括：
1. 表示欢迎；
2. 学习安排。
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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难度: 中等查看答案及解析