For Western designers, China and its rich culture have long been an inspiration for Western creative.
“It’s no secret that China has always been a source(来源) of inspiration for designers,” says Amanda Hill, chief creative officer at A+E Networks, a global media company and home to some of the biggest fashion(时尚) shows.
Earlier this year, the China Through A Looking Glass exhibition in New York exhibited 140 pieces of China-inspired fashionable clothing alongside Chinese works of art, with the aim of exploring the influence of Chinese aesthetics(美学) on Western fashion and how China has fueled the fashionable imagination for centuries. The exhibition had record attendance, showing that there is huge interest in Chinese influences.
“China is impossible to overlook,” says Hill. “Chinese models are the faces of beauty and fashion campaigns that sell dreams to women all over the world, which means Chinese women are not just consumers of fashion — they are central to its movement.” Of course, not only are today’s top Western designers being influenced by China—some of the best designers of contemporary fashion are themselves Chinese. “Vera Wang, Alexander Wang, Jason Wu are taking on Galliano, Albaz, Marc Jacobs—and beating them hands down in design and sales,” adds Hill.
For Hill, it is impossible not to talk about China as the leading player when discussing fashion. “The most famous designers are Chinese, so are the models, and so are the consumers,” she says. “China is no longer just another market; in many senses it has become the market. If you talk about fashion today, you are talking about China—its influences, its direction, its breathtaking clothes, and how young designers and models are finally acknowledging that in many ways.”
1.What can we learn about the exhibition in New York?
A.It promoted the sales of artworks. B.It attracted a large number of visitors.
C.It showed ancient Chinese clothes. D.It aimed to introduce Chinese models.
2.What does Hill say about Chinese women?
A.They are setting the fashion. B.They start many fashion campaigns.
C.They admire super models. D.They do business all over the world.
3.What do the underlined words “taking on” in paragraph 4 mean?
A.learning from B.looking down on C.working with D.competing against
4.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A.Young Models Selling Dreams to the World
B.A Chinese Art Exhibition Held in New York
C.Differences Between Eastern and Western Aesthetics
D.Chinese Culture Fueling International Fashion Trends
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
South Africa is the water-lovers' paradise. Whether you want to be by the sea, on the sea or even under it, there are countless ways to get your ocean experience. Almost all of them are located on South Africa's east coast, where the Indian Ocean keeps water warm.
Thompson's Bay, Ballito
Drive 40 minutes north of Durban to reach the unique coastal town of Ballito. Popular with holidaymakers, Ballito has a choice of pretty beaches—and the best for swimming is Thompson's Bay. This scenic cove （小海湾）is sheltered from the wind and characterized by its calm waters, interesting rocky outcrops and a fascinating geological hole-in-the-wall. There's a walled tidal pool for those who are nervous to swim in the open ocean, making this spot a particularly good choice for families.
Umhlanga Rocks, Durban
Located a 20-minute drive from central Durban, the resort town of Umhlanga is a proper getaway for people
with good incomes and visitors in the know(知内情的). The main Umhlanga Rocks beach boasts safe swimming waters and endless golden sands, again protected by lifeguards and shark nets. A paved walkway provides direct access to the town's beachfront shops, restaurants and bars.
Gonubie Beach, East London
The coastal town of Gonubie is seen by many as a suburb of East London, one of the largest cities of the Eastern Cape. Its picture-perfect beach offers great swimming areas in the open sea. The Gonubie River reaches the sea at this point, too, and offers another bathing spot on days when the surf in the sea is bigger than usual. All along the river's green banks, you'll find a series of shaded spots perfect for summer picnics and barbecues.
Kelly’s Beach, Port Alfred
Further south on the Sunshine Coast, the laid-back town of Port Alfred is home to Kelly’s Beach, which was awarded Blue Flag status for 2017-2018. A 400-meter stretch of pale brown sand, the beach and its waters are exceptionally clean. Two viewing decks come in handy during whale-watching season, or for admiring spectacular sunrises and sunsets.
1.If you are planning a family trip to South Africa, which beach suits you best?
A.Thompson's Bay, Ballito. B.Umhlanga Rocks, Durban.
C.Gonubie Beach. East London D.Kelly's Beach, Port Alfred.
2.What's special about Umhlanga Rocks in Durban?
A.It is free for children. B.Its target crowd is the rich.
C.It has a walled tidal pool. D.It has pale brown sand.
3.What could you do when meeting violent waves on Gonubie Beach?
A.Go swimming in the open sea. B.Go bathing at another bathing spot.
C.Go surfing in the open sea. D.Go camping by the riverside.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
In 1971 a young man who grew up very poor was traveling across the country, trying to make a new start for himself. Along the way he had completely run out of money and was forced to spend the night in his car. This continued until one morning, after a week of sleeping in his car, he walked nervously into a restaurant and ordered a big breakfast.
After eating his first good meal in weeks, he found himself lying to the waiter, telling him he had lost his wallet. The waiter, who was also the owner, walked behind the chair where the young man had been sitting. He bent down, and came up with a $ 20 bill that looked as if it had fallen on the floor. “Sir, you must have dropped this, ” the owner said. The young man couldn't believe his luck! He quickly paid for the breakfast, left a tip, bought gas with the change, and headed West.
On the way out of town, he began to understand what that fellow did. “Maybe nobody dropped the money at all. Maybe that fellow just knew I was in trouble and he helped me in a way that didn't embarrass me. So I just made a promise to help other people if I can. ”
Later, he worked very hard and became a rich man. Now, he lives near Kansas City. Each year he gives away thousands of dollars. He is known as the “Secret Santa” because at Christmas time each year, he personally hands money out to those on the street and at restaurants. Last year, he gave more than $ 50,000 away in Kansas City.
1.The young man was traveling across the country in 1971 probably to _____ .
A.improve his life B.hand out gifts to passers-by
C.look for a good restaurant D.show his new car to others
2.On the way out of town, the young man got to know that ___.
A.it was very honest of the owner to return his money
B.he could probably find himself a job in the restaurant
C.the owner helped him in a way that didn't hurt his feelings
D.another man who had breakfast in the restaurant lost the money
3.From this text we can infer that ___.
A.the man raised money for the poor B.the man did carry out his promise
C.Santa gives the man money each year D.the man was not successful in the end
4.The best title for the text may be __.
A.Secret Santa of Kansas City B.The Key to Success
C.A kind Waiter in the Restaurant D.Never Give Up
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
Is It Worth Buying Organic Food? Organic food, grown without artificial chemicals, is increasingly popular nowadays. Consumers have been willing to pay up to twice more for goods with organic labels (商标). However, if you think paying a little more for organic food gets you a more nutritious and safer product, you might want to save your money. A study led by researchers at Stanford University says that organic products aren't necessarily more nutritious, and they're no less likely to suffer from disease-causing bacteria, either.
The latest results, published in the Annuals of Internal Medicine, suggest that buyers may be wasting their money. "We did not find strong evidence that organic food is more nutritious or healthier," says Dr. Crystal Smith-Spangler from Stanford. "So consumers shouldn't assume that one type of food has a lower risk or is safer."
For their new study, Smith-Spangler and her colleagues conducted a review of two categories of research, including 17 studies that compared health outcomes between consumers of organic against traditional food products, and 223 studies that analyzed the nutritional content of the foods, including key vitamins, minerals and fats.
While the researchers found little difference in nutritional content, they did find that organic fruit and vegetables were 20% less likely to have chemicals remaining on the surfaces. Neither organic nor traditional foods showed levels of chemicals high enough to go beyond food safety standards. And both organic and traditional meats, such as chicken and pork, were equally likely to be harmed by bacteria at very low rates. The researchers did find that organic milk and chicken contained higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, a healthy fat also found in fish that can reduce the risk of heart disease. However, these nutritional differences were too small, and the researchers were unwilling to make much of them until further studies confirm the trends.
Organic food is produced with fewer chemicals and more natural-growing practices, but that doesn't always translate into a more nutritious or healthier product. The U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) states that "whether you buy organic or not, finding the freshest foods available may have the biggest effect on taste." Fresh food is at least as good as anything marketed as organic.
1.The new research questions whether organic food __________.
A.should replace traditional food B.has been overpriced by farmers
C.is grown with less harmful chemicals D.is really more nutritious and healthier
2.Smith-Spangler and her colleagues found that __________.
A.organic food could reduce the risk of heart disease
B.traditional food was grown with more natural methods
C.both organic and traditional food they examined were safe
D.there was not a presence of any forms of bacteria in organic food
3.Which of the following is relatively healthier according to the passage?
A.Organic chicken and pork. B.Organic milk and chicken.
C.Traditional chicken and pork. D.Traditional fruit and vegetables.
4.What is the author’s attitude toward organic food?
A.Sceptical B.Neutral
C.Unconcerned D.Approving
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Forgiveness
To forgive is a virtue, but no one has ever said it is easy. When someone has deeply hurt you, it can be extremely difficult to let go of your hate. However, forgiveness is possible, and it can be surprisingly beneficial to your physical and mental health. People who forgive show less sadness, anger and stress and more hopefulness, according to a recent research.
1. Try the following steps：
Calm yourself. 2. You can take a couple of breaths and think of something that gives you pleasure: a beautiful scene in nature, or someone you love.
Don’t wait for an apology. Many times the person who hurt you does not intend to apologize. They may have wanted to hurt you or they just don’t see things the same way. 3. Keep in mind that forgiveness does not necessarily mean becoming friends again with the person who upset you.
Take the control away from your offender (冒犯者). Rethinking about your hurt gives power to the person who caused you pain. Instead of focusing on your wounded feelings, learn to look for the love, beauty and kindness around you.
4. If you understand your offender, you may realize that he or she was acting out of unawareness, fear, and even love. You may want to write a letter to yourself from your offender’s point of view.
Don’t forget to forgive yourself. 5. But it can rob you of your selfconfidence if you don’t do it.
A．Why should you forgive?
B．How should you start to forgive?
C．Recognize the benefits of forgiveness.
D．Try to see things from your offender’s angle.
E．For some people, forgiving themselves is the biggest challenge.
F．To make your anger die away, try a simple stressmanagement technique.
G．If you wait for people to apologize, you could be waiting an awfully long time.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
I was driving my newly-acquired motorcycle across the vastness of North Dakota. Suddenly, it broke____on the highway. Later I found it was because something had got stuck into the front tyre.
Anyway, I sat on the __ of the highway for a long time. I tried keeping calm, but it didn’t ___. Finally, a young man____and offered me a ___. However, he already had two motorcycles in the black of his truck, he could____take me along.
He____me to the next town, where I asked to be dropped off, but he waited____while I asked around if anyone could help me to go and pick up my motorcycle. One elderly____was working and said that I could use his pickup！Could you____that? A stranger gave the key to his pickup.
It was quite an____, I must say. So, as I drove back 20 miles to get my____, the young man who first ___to help me followed me. We both put the bike in the back of the truck, and then I followed him another 50 miles or so and____we arrived at his place. We both____the bike there to repair. Then, he followed me back to the small____so I could return the man's truck. I wanted to give the man some cash for using his truck, but he ___.
Two strangers helped____me from spending the night on the side of the road. I don't recall their names, but I value this experience as if it were yesterday. I felt so____. Thank you, strangers. It's you that____my day.
1.A.up B.in C.down D.out
2.A.side B.end C.middle D.back
3.A.matter B.help C.occur D.exist
4.A.took on B.turned down C.pulled over D.cut in
5.A.truck B.solution C.way D.ride
6.A.only B.even C.still D.also
7.A.guided B.drove C.led D.carried
8.A.nervously B.eagerly C.anxiously D.patiently
9.A.passer-by B.driver C.gentleman D.repairman
10.A.imagine B.guarantee C.prove D.acknowledge
11.A.expression B.impression C.adventure D.experience
12.A.bag B.car C.bike D.key
13.A.determined B.hesitated C.planned D.stopped
14.A.naturally B.eventually C.directly D.normally
15.A.unloaded B.fixed C.sold D.returned
16.A.garage B.town C.village D.shop
17.A.promised B.accepted C.declined D.confirmed
18.A.prevent B.rescue C.protect D.block
19.A.reliable B.considerate C.relieved D.grateful
20.A.make B.forget C.break D.pass
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
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。
Traditional Chinese culture, 1. (fantastic), is beginning to capture the attention of the world. Kung fu, in particular, has had a great impact 2.the millions of people who first learned about China through 3.. From that, they may come to China and learn about some other 4.(aspect) of this culture. Other Asian nations have long known about the greatness of ancient Chinese culture. Their own cultures are 5.mix of native ones and those Chinese characteristics. Confucianism(孔子学说), which was adopted long ago by Korea and Japan, still 6.(continue) today even as it is challenged by pop culture.
This strength comes from the ideas 7. (give) in the Four Books of Confucianism, which built upon the ideas of an even 8.(much) ancient period codified (编纂) in the Five Classics. From them, the West learns 9.is uniquely Chinese, for example, Feng shui. So far China has taken steps 10.(further) this spread of its culture by establishing Chinese Cultural Centers in such places as the United States and Europe.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
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、删改或修改。
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。
It was Monday morning, and the writing class had just begin. Everyone was silent, wait to see who would be called upon to read his and her paragraph aloud. Some of us were confident and eager take part in the class activity, others were nervous and anxious. I had done myself homework but I was shy. I was afraid that to speak in front of a larger group of people. At that moment, I remembered that my father once said, "The classroom is a place for learning and that include learning from textbooks, and mistake as well." Immediate, I raised my hand.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你是李华，你的英国朋友 Tim 想要在暑假时到中国旅游，发邮件向你征求建议。请你回复一封邮件，内容包括：
1. 推荐一个城市。
2. 给出推荐理由。
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Tim,
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours
LiHua
难度: 简单查看答案及解析