learning how to see Words

    Each time we see the familiar or same thing,we should see something new.

    In high school,I had a teacher who made me aware of this concept,although it took many years before I appreciated it fully.

    One day,Mrs. Lambert,my English teacher,brought in several baskets filled with all kinds of stuff. Each of us took something and wrote a composition about it for homework. The next day,the baskets reappeared,and we were instructed to select the same object. This time we had to write a composition about the object without repeating anything from the first one.

    Over the next few days the same thing happened,with each day bringing an increasing sense of (失意) as we tried to see something new in a familiar object. I will never forget the last piece I wrote about my blue and white Delft fisher boy. After struggling to find something different to say,I got inspired to write a poem. It allowed me to see beyond the porcelain ( figure and into the 從sence (本质) of the character. Mrs. Lambert had shown me how to use my own eyes and creativity to see what I otherwise would have looked at and dismissed.

    Fifty years later,as I remember Mrs. Lambert,I wonder,are schools today showing kids how to use their own eyes to see beyond the superficial and into the essence of things? This,I believe,is the most important lesson a child can take into adulthood.

True (T) or False (F) :

1. Mrs. Lambert used to give her students too much homework.()

2. It can be inferred from the text that the author is thankful to Mrs. Lambert. ()

             D ★★★☆☆

    Kit-ken Lim,a student from Taiwan,China,is studying in Chicago. The following excerpts (摘录) are taken from her diary during her first three months in the United States.

August 31 

    People often refer to Taipei as “The Sleepless City^, but I didn't understand why until I got to . Chicago. I was shopping wkh another student this evening when suddenly the store owners along the street started pulling down their gates and locking their doors,even though it was still light out. This is something I’ve never seen in Taiwan,where the busiest streets “stay awake” all night. You can go out to restaurants,stores,and movies even long after midnight. 

September 5 

    After the first week of class,I’ve found some differences between Chinese students and American students. Whenever a teacher asks a question,my classmates give their answers almost immediately. And some of them interrupt the teacher. In Taipei,we’ re usually quiet in class so the teacher can finish on time. We tend to ask the teacher questions afterward. I don’t know whether it's acceptable here for students to ask teachers questions after class. October 6

    I met a really interesting local girl in my neighborhood café. I was writing a letter to my mother,and she asked me what language I was writing in. We ended up talking for about an hour!People in Chicago seem very comfortable with each other. It seems quite natural for two people to just start talking in a café. This is something that doesn’t happen in Taipei. At home,I would never just start chatting with a stranger. I like that because it's easy to meet new people here.

13. What happened when the author was shopping in Chicago?

   A. She got lost in the city.

   B. A store owner drove her out. 

    C. She met an old classmate.

    D. Stores in the street started to close.

14. By saying “the busiest streets‘stay awake’ all nigh”,the author means .

   A. there is usually much traffic on the streets

   B. shops in the streets have long business hours

    C. it is always light out in the streets in the evening   

    D. people living near the streets don’t sleep until midnight 

15. According to the text,students in Chicago .

   A. are active in class

   B. behave badly in class

    C. like walking around in class   

    D. ask teachers questions after class

16. From Lim’s diary on October 6 ,we know that.

   A. the girl in the café was annoying

   B. the author often writes to her mother

    C. it's easier to run a café in Taipei than in Chicago. 

    D. people in Chicago seem more outgoing than those in Taipei 

★★★★☆

In this classroom,laughing is encouraged. In :fact,learning a hearty ho-io-hi cAwcA:/e (fe 笑) is;required. Best Santas,a program in Denver,teaches men and women to become the best Mr. and Mrs. i Clauses possible. “We teach our Santas that being Santa is so much more than putting on a red suit and making sure your beard is white/' Jim Coleman,the owner of Best Santas,said. “Their focus must be on serving children and sharing the magic of Christmas — happiness."

Coleman started the school after receiving professional Santa training in Canada. Wanting to spread the cheer,he founded ^est Santas and shared his ideas with a fresh new team of hopeful Santas. aWe wanted to teach Santas how to do things differently than they,re usually done/' -Coleman said. “In so many cases you’ 11 find Santas who sit on their chair,half asleep. That's no fun and most certainly not magical!We knew there had to be a better way."

After program participants complete a full background check,the schooling begins. The Denver Clau? course includes CT?rá加i c?r?/s (圣诞颂歌) and jingles,developing a perfect,hearty chuckle aná learning cookie recipes. ^SanHa must learn how to walk,gesture,control his body language,project his voice,and read the crowd. Above all,he can engage the crowd immediately with his bigger-than-life presence and delighted ho-ho-ho!” Coleman said.

Once the characterization is complete,and graduates receive their Bachelor of Santa diploma (-^ 业证书) ，the Santas will be sent out on various special events including holiday parties. They are booked at a rate of $195 per hour. Some Santas are even coupled with assistants that help with face painting and balloon art.

“There is just something so completely magical about Santa Claus,” Coleman said. “And it's not just for the children. Adults light up at the site of Santa just as much as the children do. I think it reminds them of those warm memories of their childhood."

9. What's the purpose of Coleman's program?

   A. To teach Santas how to dress.

   B. To train Santas to spread the joy of Christmas,

    C. To help Santas with face painting.

   D. To tell children how to celebrate Christmas.

10. In Coleman's opinion,Santas should

   A. help those in need

   B. be hopefill about life

    C. follow the latest fashion   

    D. act differently from usual ones

11. After attending Coleman’s course,students might

   A. get a high-paid job

   B. be invited to Canada

    C. become famous in a short time   

    D. receive further professional training

12. Which word can best describe Coleman?

   A. Generous.  B. Creative.

    C. Optimistic.  D. Determined.

       B   ★★★★☆

    American restaurants have been talking about abolishing tipping for years. Now a major New York City restaurant group has announced a no-tip policy. The debate is starting to boil.

    When Danny Meyer,the boss of the restaurant group,talks,people listen. He's been right before. When he (禁止) smoking at Union Square Cafe,he was told he’d go out of business. However,his business improved. Ten years later,smoking in restaurants was against the law. Starting in November 2015,tipping began to be abolished at his 13 restaurants,the first major restaurant group to do this. It's been all over the news and everyone has an opinion. “Why not earlier?” some say. “Americans will not,” others insist.It’s clear that tipping is just the tip of the iceberg (冰山) .Beneath the surface are questions of pay fairness,labor law and rising costs. Tipping was borrowed from Europe more than a century ago and has been abolished there. But here,it's a deep-rooted American cultural practice.

    Usually,servers know there’s a higher chance that they’11 get a bigger tip on a bigger check,so they may push for more expensive items on the menu. Or they may rush customers out quickly to make room for new diners (and more tips!) . Basically,they may adjust accordingly to serve only the people they think will be the best tippers. Therefore,it is bad for customers.

    Besides,many servers puKtips together,so your reward is shared. Tips provide  large part of their income. But that money can't be shared legally with the un-tipped,low-paid kitchen workers. No wonder there's a growing labor shortage in restaurant kitchens. Meyer tried to abolish tipping 20 years ago,but the waiters disagreed. Is the time right now? The dining world will listen and watch.

5. We can learn from Danny Meyer’s story that

   A. people suggested he run more restaurants

   B. his ban on smoking succeeded beyond expectations

    C. his business failed because of his ban on smoking   

    D. he was threaten to shut his business

6. According to Paragraph 3 ,tipping .

   A. is quite popular in Europe

   B. is against labor law in America 

    C. spreads from Europe to America

   D. is disliked by most people in America

7. What is Paragraph 4 mainly about?

   A. How customers tip.

   B. What servers do to get tips,

    C. How tipping came about.

   D. What customers think of tips.

8. Why are kitchen workers in short supply?

   A. They can't get tips.

.   B. Their income isn’t fixed,

    C.They can't see customers.

   D. Their work is very boring.

              A  ★★★☆☆

    Last summer I was fortunate enough to be able to spend a month in France. It was the most exciting time of my life. I stayed with a family in Montpellier. It was very different from my life in the United States. Every morning we bought fresh bread from the bakery (面包店) and had coffee in a bowl instead of a cup. The milk came in bottles fresh from the dairy (牛奶场) .These differences were skin-deep,however,I soon discovered other more important ones.

    Back home in Winnetka,Illinois,I wouldn’t think anything of taking a ten-minute shower every day,or even twice a day in summer. In my French host family,we showered only once every two days and used far less water. First you turn the water on to get wet,then turn it off and soap yourself up,then you turn it on again to rinse the soap off,so the water is only on for about maybe two minutes. Although it was pretty hot there in summer,I’d never taken showers in cold water!I couldn’t imagine what it was like in winter.

    I also noticed that although the'family had a car,they hardly ever used it. The father took the bus to work in the morning and the mother rode her bicycle when going on short trips. The family was well-off rather than poor,but they tried to drive less. As Americans,however,we are quite used to taking long showers and driving everywhere,using much more energy than French people.

    Living in Montpellier and seeing people’s frugal life there,I get angry thinking of the resources wasted in the United States. When I came home,I was much more energy-conscious. I didn't drink coffee out of a bowl anymore,but I started riding my bike to school and turning the thermostat down at night.

1. According to Paragraph 1 ,Americans and the French are different in

   A. their eating habits

   B. their morning exercises 

    C. the way of cooking

   D. their attitude to breakfast

2. What can we learn about taking showers in Montpellier?

   A. People take showers every day.

   B. People use a small amount of water.

    C. People usually spend ten minutes showering.

   D. People are used to taking cold showers.

3. We know from Paragraph 3 that the French family

   A. lived a poor life

   B. made full Use of their car 

    C. enjoyed taking short trips

   D. had environmental awareness

4. The underlined word “frugal” in the last paragraph probably means .

   A. quiet   

    B. simple

    C. busy   

    D. private 

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：缺词处加一个漏词符号(∧) ,并在其下面写出修改后的词。

删除: 把多余的词用斜线( \ ）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。

    A boy about 20 year old looted out of the train window and shouted excited, Dad,the trees are going behind.M The father smiles. I looked at the big boy's childish behavior in pity.Suddenly,they shouted again, “Dad,the clouds are running with us!” I couldn’t help ask the father, “Why not to take your son to a good doctor,sir?” The old man said, “I did and we had just come from the hospital. My son was blind from birth but he just got his eyes today.” “Oh,I see!” I felt really happy for the big boy and at same time said sorry to the father and his son.

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。

    Two years ago I lived in Dublin. One evening I went to a supermarket after a long day's work. It was 21 (crowd) and I had to wait in line to pay 22 my items.

    While waiting,I noticed 23 elderly lady. She was in 24 eighties. She had just joined another long line next to 25 I was standing. Without any thought I went over to her and told her that she could take my spot.

    First she didn’t accept,26 (say) , “Oh!dear. It's a long line. I don’t want to trouble you." I smiled and said ,“No worries,madam. It is not a problem for me." Then she thanked me and 27 (join) the line.

    Within seconds,a couple of people 28 (stand) in the line started to offer me their spots. I ended up standing next to that elderly lady. For a moment it felt like that place was filled with 29 (kind) . It was so good an experience 30 I will never forget.

            D  ★★★☆☆

    Project Night Night

What is a Night Night Package?

    Our purpose is to provide free Night Night Packages to homeless children from birth to pre-teen who need childhood (必需品) during this important time. Each Night Night Package contains a new blanket,a children's book,and a toy anilftal — all placed inside a new bag.

    Project Night Night works with tens of thousands of persons each year who volunteer their time and talents to make our world a better place. Voted the aBest Children s Charityi,by San Francisco Magazine,Project Night Night has become a leading provider of nighttime comforts for homeless children. To learn more,please download our PRESS KIT.

How can I help?

    Project Night Night has set up a foundation. This meaningful,hands-on volunteer opportunity allows volunteers of all ages to create Night Night Packages that will benefit their own communities Join today!Come on!

Volunteer in your own community 

    Project Night Night wants your volunteer effort to be as successful as possible. With that in mind,we have developed a program that allows.you to benefit homeless children in your local area.

1. Determine the number of Night Night Packages to complete.

2. Order the bags from Project Night Night at $3. 50 each (this covers the cost of the bag and shipping to you)

3. Fill each bag with a new blanket,a new /like-new toy animal,and a new / like-new children's book. 

4. Deliver your ready Night Night Packages to ? shelter on our list. We can help!

5. Make sure that the homeless children in your community feel special!

    Due to privacy (隐私) concerns,most volunteer deliveries (递送) will not be sent to the homeless children directly.

    For more information,please visit our Help page and view our “how to”video.

13. What do we know about Project Night Night?

   A. It offers food to homeless children.

   B. It sells cheap childhood essentials.

    C. It was founded by San Francisco Magazine.

   D. It aims to improve the life of homeless children.

14. Which of the following can be put in a Night Night Package?

15. If you want to join Project Night Night,you .

   A. must buy some new books

   B. should donate some clothes 

   C. need to buy the standard bags

   D. can connect with the poor directly

16. Where are you most likely to see the text?

   A. In a newspaper. 

    B. In a magazine,

   C. On a website.   

    D. In a textbook.

                 C ★★★★★

    Over the past decade,there have been many scientific studies on the digital (数字的) activity of people,such as making mobile calls,texting,e-mailing,and posting on social media. Nearly all human behavior leaves a digital footprint. Therefore,scientists can use such digital activity as a way to track human activity. For example,they can study differences between cultures in sleep patterns,work schedules,and spare time activities.

    Researchers from Finland and Denmark use a completely new approach to study digital rhythms (规律) .Previous studies focused on general patterns across large numbers of people. However,this time researchers focus. on pronounced,long-term differences in rhythm between inid?viduals. They show that people tend to have their personal rhythm of digital activity. It is stable like a personal signature 。(签名)

    “Each individual follows their own daily rhythm ,” says Talayeh,who led the research. “In almost every case,the patterns differ strongly from the average behavior,for example by increased calling frequency during mornings,mid-days,or evenings ,” says Talayeh. What drives these individual differences is not yet clear. Geographical and cultural differences clearly play a role. “There could also be an effect of (生理学) .We see this research as the first step to understand how activity patterns are related to other people's characteristics,such as personality and mobility behavior,” say Talayeh.

    This finding could also have medical use. Digital rhythms could be monitored for patients with mental health problems. Sudden changes in patients’digital rhythms could be a sign that treatment may be necessary. “Combining this research with Big Data may also bring new ways of research in sleep studies ,” concludes Talayeh.

9. What do scientists use the digital activity of people to do?

   A. To make their research easier.

   B. To know about people's behavior.

   C. To aid the development of social media.

   D. To reduce people's dependence on mobile phones.

10. Which of the following can best describe digital rhythms?

   A. Natural but casual.

   B. Personal and fixed.

   C. Different but unclear.

   D. Changeable and mysterious.

11. According to Talayeh,digital rhythms .

   A. have nothing to do with personality

   B. have a great effect on everyday habits 

   C. may have something to do with culture   

    D. can help ?ie development of physiology 

12. What is the use of digital rhythms in the medical field?

   A. They can help avoid patients’ sleep problems.

   B. They will change the ways doctors do their work,

   C. They could free people of mental problems.

   D. They may tell whether a patient is well.

           B  ★★★★☆

    Sperm whles (抹香鲸) talk to each other in (短而尖的声音) .“There's a lot of debate if culture is exclusive to humans or if you can find it in animals,too,” says Mauricio Cantor,a biologist. Earlier research has suggested that dolphins,birds and a few other wild animals have it too.

    Sperm whales can make som? of the deepest dives among all the animals in the sea. They usually swim in small units of 12 or so,moms,grandmas,aunts and friends. These units are part of larger groups of 30 to 300 whales,or a clan (家族) . Individuals in each clan talk to each other using different patterns of clicks. These varying patterns are similar to dialects in human speech. Females do most of the talking.

    Cantor and his colleagues wanted to know how the whales got their unique dialects. They recorded the whales’s behavior. Back in their lab,the scientists loaded all of these data into a computer. The research showed that the whales had to learn their dialects from other whales around them. 

    Scientists refer to this as social learning. a Social ;learning is the foundation(基础) of culture,” Cantor says. Because sperm whales learn their dialects from their families,there are cultural differences between  clans .

    Luke Rendell in Scotland points out that the new findings are based on a computer model of how the sperm whale dialects come to be. "Like all models,they may be wrong,but the?v,are also usefill. They may help improve more researchN on cultural processes in non-human societies,” he says.

5. The underlined word “exclusive” in Paragraph 1 means

   A. important 'v   B. limited 

    C. meaningful   D. common

6. What do we know about sperm whales from Paragraph 2 ?

   A. Males talk a lot.

   B. They fail to understand each other,

    C. They can understand human speech.

   D. Each family has its own communicative pattern.

7. How do sperm whales get their dialects?

   A. They copy other whales.

   B. They are bom with them.

    C. They create them themselves.

   D. They learn them from visitors.

8. What does Rendell think of the new findings?

   A. They are inspiring. 

    B. They are successful,

    C. They are misleading. 

    D. They are meaningless.