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I used to think of myself as a fairly open person, but my bookshelves told a different story. Apart from a few Indian novels and the Australian and South African book, my literature collection consisted of British and American titles. Worse still, I hardly ever read anything in translation. My reading was limited to stories by English-speaking authors.
So, at the start of 2012, I set myself the challenge of trying to read a book from every country in a year to find out what I was missing. As I was unlikely to find publications from nearly 200 nations on the shelves of my local bookshop, I decided to ask the planet’s readers for help. I created a blog called A Year of Reading the World and put out an appeal for suggestions of titles that I could read in English.
The response was amazing. Before I knew it, people all over the planet were getting in touch with ideas and offers of help. Some posted me books from their home countries. Others did hours of research on my behalf. In addition, several writers sent me unpublished translations of their novels, giving me a rare opportunity to read works otherwise unavailable to the 62% of the British who only speak English. Even so, selecting books was no easy task. With translations making up only around 4.5 percent of literary works published in the UK and Ireland, getting English versions (版本)of stories was difficult.
But the effort was worth it. I found I was visiting the mental space of the storytellers. These stories not only opened my mind to the real life in other places, but opened my heart to the way people there might feel.
And that in turn changed my thinking. Through reading the stories shared with me by bookish strangers around the globe, I realised I was not alone, but part of a network that spread all over the planet.
1.Which of the following might be found on the blog A Year of Reading the World?
A. Lists of English version books.
B. Research on English literature.
C. Unfinished novels by British writers.
D. Comments on English literature.
2.Why was it hard for the author to select the right books to read?
A. The author had a busy schedule.
B. The author was only interested in a few topics.
C. The author could only read books written in English.
D. Most books recommended are not available in local bookshops.
3.The author is probably from_________.
A. America B. the UK C. Australia D. Canada
4.Which of the following words can best describe the author’s experience?
A. fast and effortless B. challenging but rewarding
C. hopeless but beneficial D. meaningful but fruitless
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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My oldest child, Emma, just returned to campus after a long holiday break to finish up her last period of college. These days, friends and family have begun flooding me with one question: What is she going to do after graduation?
The job market is, after all, awfully tough. Just this month the Federal Reserve Bank published a study showing that “recent graduates are increasingly working in low-paid jobs or working part-time.” The bright spot, according to the study, is for students who majored(主修) in STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — areas in which recent graduates “have tended to do relatively well”.
But Emma is a student of the humanities(人文) at a small college. She’s an American Studies major with a focus on the politics and culture of food. For quite a while, I think her field of study is so fashionable right now that I’m not the least bit worried she will find a good job. Yet the more I’ve thought about it, the more I’ve decided to be honest. “I’m not sure what Emma is going to do,” I now say. “But she’s gotten a great education and has really found her interest. — and I know those things will serve her well over the course of her life.”
Nowadays, more and more universities and colleges are being measured by the salaries of their recent graduates. In this climate, encouraging your kid to study the humanities, seems, at best, unwise or, at worst, unconcerned with earning a living. But a college is not a vocational(职业) school. And promoting STEM subjects should not be society’s only answer to helping the next generation grow in a competitive world.
From the beginning, we never urged Emma to pick a college or a major with an eye on its expected return on money, as more and more families are doing. To Emma, what really matters will be something that we may not be able to measure for quite a long time: Emma’s contribution to the world and how happy she is in it.
1.The author’s friends and family_________.
A. are worried about Emma’s safety
B. have been worrying about the flood
C. are concerned about Emma’s future
D. are worried about the job market
2.What can we learn from Paragraph 2?
A. The number of the graduates is increasing.
B. STEM graduates can be better employees.
C. STEM graduates are in relatively greater demand.
D. More and more graduates like to do a part-time job.
3.Why did Emma choose a major in the humanities?
A. Because she is interested in it.
B. Because her mother told her to.
C. Because it is increasingly popular.
D. Because she wants further education.
4.According to the author, what matters most in choosing a major is that_________.
A. it should be among the STEM
B. it should be fashionable and interesting
C. it should allow a good job and a high salary
D. it should bring achievements and happiness
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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Recently a study, led by Pedro Hallal of the Federal University, suggests that nearly a third of adults, 31%, are not getting enough exercise. That rates of exercise have declined is hardly a new discovery. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, technology and economic growth have helped to create a world in which taking exercise is more and more an option rather than a necessity. But only recently have enough good data been collected from enough places to carry out the sort of analysis Dr Hallal and his colleagues have engaged in.
There are common themes in different places. Unsurprisingly, people in rich countries are less active than those in poor ones, and old people are less active than young ones. Less obviously, women tend to exercise less than men—34% are inactive, compared with 28% of men. But there are exceptions. The women of Croatia, Finland, Iraq and Luxembourg, for example, move more than their male countrymen.
Malta wins the race for most slothful country, with 72% of adults getting too little exercise, and Swaziland and Saudi Arabia are in close behind, with 69%. In Bangladesh, just 5% of adults fail to exercise enough. Surprisingly, six Americans in ten are active enough according to Dr Hallal’s study, compared with fewer than four in ten British.
These high rates of inactivity are worrying. Human beings seem to have evolved(进化) to benefit from exercise while deliberately avoiding it whenever they can. In a state of nature it would be impossible to live a life that did not provide enough of it. But that is no longer the case. Actually lack of enough activity these days has nearly the same effect on life span(寿命) as smoking.
1.We may learn from Paragraph 1 that_________.
A. the decline of exercise rates is newly discovered
B. the study suggests 31% of female adults get too little exercise
C. the good enough data has been collected from only one country
D. the industrial revolution has changed the way people live to some degree
2.According to the study, women of Luxembourg_________.
A. have little time to exercise
B. hate to get regular exercise
C. take more exercise to lose weight
D. exercise more than men in their country
3.The underlined word “slothful” in Paragraph 3 most probably means_________.
A. powerful B. rich C. lazy D. unpopular
4.What can be the best title for the text?
A. Worldwide Lack of Enough Exercise
B. New Health Discovery
C. Evolvement of Human Beings
D. Benefits of Taking Exercise
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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Welcome to Arundel Castle which is situated in West Sussex, England. The castle has a history of nearly 1000 years and has welcomed visitors traveling from all over the world. Arundel Castle also plays a starring role in many films.
The Gardens
The White Garden is planted with soft white Iceberg Roses, and Snow White Lilies.
The Rose Garden is newly planted with lovely old-fashioned English roses that are at their very best in June and July.
The Organic Kitchen Garden produces a wide range of seasonal fruit and vegetables, pears, cherries and apples.
The Castle Shop
In the Castle Shop, you will discover a wide and interesting range of gift ideas for everyone. It offers gifts and souvenirs designed to appeal to all tastes and pockets. Foods, china, books, and stationery (文具)are all available. Many are sold in this Castle Shop only.
At Arundel Castle we pride ourselves on supporting local suppliers and actively encourage environmentally friendly products.
The Arundel Festival 2014
Saturday 16th to Monday 25th August
The annual Arundel Festival gets bigger and better every year. It is one of the most amazing, diverse and easily accessible arts festivals in the UK, offering a mix of visual arts, music, theatre and street entertainment.
Parking
Coaches and mini-buses can drop off at the main Castle entrance in Mill Road and park in the main town car park that is opposite the Castle entrance. Please inform us when making your booking of how many parking permits are required.
1.When visiting the castle, you can____________.
A. get old-fashioned English roses as gifts
B. buy eco-friendly products in the Castle Shop
C. get seasonal fruit and vegetables for free
D. see how the local gifts are being made2.How long does the Arundel Festival last this year?
A. 10 days B. One week C. 16 days D. One month
3.Where can you park the coach?
A. In Mill Road B. Inside the Castle
C. In the main town car park D. At the main Castle entrance
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
