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Usually, a wedding's main focus is on the bride and groom. However, one couple were upstaged by a huge brown bear that they invited to be a part of their special day.
Denis and Nelya, both 30, from Moscow, Russia, hired 21-stone Stepan to play the role of ringbearer — and he even turned up to their ceremony wearing a black bow tie.
The bear, which stands seven-foot tall, was very involved with the ceremony, even posing for photos with both bride and groom.
At one point he even acted as the registrar and joins paws with the couple as they professed their love for each other. Standing underneath a cream fabric canopy(华盖) and surrounded by greenery, flowers and fruit, Stepan helped the couple on their wedding day.
Denis said, “We both knew Stepan is a very kind bear but still it is a huge, unpredictable animal so we were a bit scared, but still happy to be able to make our dream come true. It was a fantastic experience to have this photo shoot with Stepan. We will absolutely remember this day forever.”
Stepan the bear first found fame in May 2016, when a series of photos of the tame animal were published. He was adopted by Russian couple Svetlana and Yuriy Panteleenko aged just three months after being discovered by hunters in the forest, having lost his mother.
Svetlana said, “Stepan likes nothing more than to cuddle up with us on the sofa at night while we're watching television. He absolutely loves people and is a really sociable bear — despite what people might think, he is not aggressive at all. We have never been bitten by Stepan.”
1.The underlined word “upstage” in paragraph 1 probably means ________.
A. attract B. over-drop C. bite D. surprise
2.What do we know about Stepan?
A. Stepan is not happy at all at the wedding ceremony.
B. Stepan was discovered by Denis and Nelya.
C. Stepan is popular since he was born.
D. Stepan caught the guests’ attention.
3.Where might the passage be taken from?
A. A travel brochure. B. A newspaper.
C. A science fiction. D. A popular novel.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
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Our mission is to give a world-class education to everyone, everywhere, regardless of gender, income or social status.
EdX offers MOOCS from the world’s best universities, online courses from MIT, Harvard, Berkeley, UT and many other universities. Topics include biology, business, chemistry, computer science, economics, finance, electronics, engineering, food and nutrition, history, and more. EdX is a non-profit online website created by founding partners of Harvard and MIT.
Today, edX.org provides hundreds of thousands of people from around the globe with access to free education. We offer amazing quality classes by the best professors from the best schools. We enable our members to find out a new passion that will transform their lives and their communities.
Around the world — from coast to coast, in over 192 countries, people are making the decision to take one or several of our courses. As we continue to grow our operations, we are looking for talented, passionate people with great ideas to join the edX team. We aim to create an environment that is supportive, diverse, and as fun as our brand. If you’re hardworking, dedicated and ready to contribute to an unparalleled (无比的，空前的) member experience for our community, we really want you to apply.
As part of the edX team, you’ll receive:
•Competitive compensation
•Generous benefits package
•Free lunch every day
•A great workplace where everyone cares and wants to change the world (no, we’re not kidding).
While we appreciate every applicant’s interest, only those under consideration will be contacted. We regret that phone calls will not be accepted. We promise that every applicant will be treated fairly.
All positions are located in our Cambridge offices.
1.What does edX mainly do?
A. Studying people’s learning habits.
B. Discovering people’s new passion.
C. Providing free courses.
D. Researching the trend of education.
2.According to the text, edX ________.
A. aims to change the world
B. tries to build more schools
C. has schools in nearly 200 countries
D. teaches people how to choose their courses
3.Which of the following statement is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Only males will be admitted.
B. The edX team members must pay for all their three meals a day.
C. You can call to ask about details about the application.
D. EdX doesn’t aim to make money.
4.What’s the aim of the text?
A. To give an introduction to edX.
B. To encourage people to join edX.
C. To predict the future of education.
D. To advise us to choose quality education.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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I am 26. I’m clear that I’m never going to catch up with Mother Teresa. But I want to do something to help people every single day like her.
Everybody thinks we just serve food and soda. The safety training is serious and stressful. Caring for 49 people in a business class in 90 minutes is not easy. I had a roommate who was a waitress; she just left a candle and a table cloth burning, and I used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire. If something goes bad at her job, she calls the police. But if something happens up in the air, it’s up to us.
I’m single and have no kids. I’ve flown every Christmas since 1995. If I fly, someone else can be with their kids. Christmas in an airport can be depressing, but it’s the little things that make a difference.
We’re not robots. It’s hard to put on a smile and just pretend everything is great when it isn’t. I’ve seen co-workers lose a family member the day before a trip and just pull themselves together (take control of their feelings and behave in a calm way). At the end of a 14-hour flight, it’s like, “It was really nice to help
you, but I’m ready for you to get off the plane.” Those last 15 minutes can be the longest 15 minutes of your life. You can’t wait to turn off the flight attendant’s voice and get something to eat without anyone saying “Excuse me.”
Sometimes I go all day and never hear a “please” or a “thank you” when you say “thank you”, it’s huge. It makes us feel like you actually see us as fellow humans. We’re up there together at a height of 30,000 feet, enjoying the miracle of the modern flight.
1.What’s the author’s attitude towards Mother Teresa?
A. Grateful. B. Fearful. C. Admiring. D. Doubtful.
2.How did the author like her roommate’s job?
A. It was the same as hers.
B. It was more interesting than hers.
C. It was easier than hers.
D. It was more serious than hers.
3.Why does the author fly every Christmas?
A. Because she has nowhere to go.
B. Because she’s trying to be a helpful co-worker.
C. Because she owes her co-workers some favors.
D. Because she’d like to earn more money.
4.What does the author imply by saying the underlined sentence “We’re not robots”?
A. Flight attendants are not stronger than robots.
B. Flight attendants also experience emotions.
C. Flight attendants get tired while robots don’t.
D. Flight attendants need to rest now and then.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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Being physically active three times a week reduces the odds of being depressed by about 16%, according to new UCL research carried out as part of the Public Health Research Center.
The study, published in JAMA Psychiatry, found a two-way relationship between depression and physical activity. People who increased their weekly activity reported fewer depressive symptoms but those with more depressive symptoms were less active, particularly at younger ages.
Researchers followed 11,135 people born in 1958 up until the age of 50, recording depressive symptoms and levels of physical activity at regular intervals in adulthood. They found that each additional activity period per week reduced odds of depression by 6%. In England 19% of men and 26% of women are currently classed as “inactive”, and this study suggests that activity could significantly improve their mental as well as physical health.
“Assuming the association is causal, physical activity has a protective effect against depression. If an adult between their twenties and forties who isn’t physically active became active 3 times per week, they would reduce their risks of depression by about 16%.” says Dr Snehal of the UCL Institute of Child Health, lead author of the study.
Professor Mark, Director of the Public Health Research Center, said, “Many people are already aware of the benefits of physical activity on their general health, but now we are seeing more evidence that suggest it also has a positive effect on a person’s mental well-being. The latest research highlights just how important it is to ensure that people are working and living in environments that allow them to be both physically active and mentally healthy.”
1.What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage?
A. To tell us a fun story about how to protect us against depression.
B. To introduce a research on the link between activity and depression.
C. To persuade readers to increase their weekly activity.
D. To describe the disadvantages of physical activity.
2.According to the second paragraph, if people increase their weekly activity, ________.
A. their depressive symptoms will be fewer
B. their depressive symptoms will be more
C. they will become much younger
D. they will become more depressive
3.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Dr. Snehal thinks it important to be both physically and mentally healthy.
B. The research shows men are more active in physical activities than women.
C. Adults who insist on physical activity will reduce depression completely.
D. Increasing physical activities can free people from depression in a way.
4.The author shows his view mainly by ________.
A. doing research
B. comparing and contrasting
C. trying on himself
D. discussing and summarizing
难度: 中等查看答案及解析