As the new term starts, freshmen around the world are asking the same question: how can I make the best of four years at college? The New York Times received suggestions recently from PhD students and seniors at some of the top universities . Here is their advice.

“Many young people today are raised in a protective cocoon(茧)”, wrote Tim Novikoff, a PhD student at Comell. “College is a time to explore the world beyond and a chance to learn new things about yourself. Take classes in different subjects. Try lots of different clubs and activities.”

Remember also to take some time away from campus, suggested Willie Lin, a student at Washington University. “If you spend all of your time in school, then it becomes too easy to let criticism from an unkind professor or a conflict with a roommate take up large proportions.”

Try to find work assisting a researcher or a professor---this is the advice from Aman Singh Gill, a PhD student at Stony Brook University. And he also said, “With a window into the world of research, you will find yourself thinking more critically, accepting fewer states at face value and perhaps developing a brave sense of what you can accomplish.”

Many young people can’t imagine even a single day without devices such as computers and cell phones. But try to keep yourself off them, cautioned Christine Smallwood, a PhD student at Columbia University.

Start by scheduling a few Internet-free hours each day, with your phone turned off. It’s the only way you’ll be able to read anything serious. “This will also have the benefit of making you harder to reach, and thus more mysterious and fascinating to new friends and acquaintances(熟人),” she suggested.

1.The underlined sentence in Paragraph 3 means we should _________.

A．spend more time at school                B．take some time out of school

C．listen to criticism more                   D．not argue with roommates

2.Who thinks it is important to consider something critically?

A．Aman Singh Gill                         B．Christine Smallwood

C．Tim Novikoff                           D．Willlie Lin

3.As for modern information devices, the last two paragraphs mean to tell us ________.

A．to keep ourselves off them forever not to use them

B．to turn them off

C．to make a schedule to use them

D．not to use them

4.This passage is mainly about _________.

A．tips from some students for college life

B．ways to read something serious regularly

C．days without cell-phones and computers

D．chances to go to university you really like

 

用词组的恰当形式填空.

in vain   wipe out   come up     at  random   go through,  equip  with

stop sth in its tracks   at any rate  at all costs   straight away 

1.The government succeeded in __________ the epidemic _____________.

2.What you said was ________ since he didn’t listen to you.

3.If you have any question, ask the assistants ___________.

4.John is so casual that he throws things ___________.

5.After typhoon, we can see houses _________ everywhere.

6.He will keep his promise ___________.

7.He always __________ late at the meeting.

8.It’s his habit to ___________ the newspaper before work.

9.The school will meet students’ requirement of study ___________________.

10. The school is ___________________ advanced machines.

 

Is it wrong to use someone else’s wireless (Wi-Fi) connection? Just recently, a man was arrested for doing just that. At that time, he was sitting in the street with a laptop(便携式电脑) and using an unsecured(无安全保护措施) wireless connection to surf the Net. What do you think about this topic? Listen to the following different views on it.

For a start, if someone is using your Internet service or downloading, this will affect your speed of access or download limit. Also, it’s bad for Internet service providers. They will suffer in the long run because fewer people will pay for an Internet service if they know they can get it for free. And finally, just imagine this: what if the person who is stealing your Internet connection is involved in an illegal activity? I think the police are totally right to arrest these criminals.

— by Sandra Wilkins

Basically, if the person who paid for the service still has everything they paid for, what’s the problem? It’s just like using the light from streetlamps to read your book, or watching someone else’s firework display. It’s not stealing.

Also, if you leave your wireless connection unsecured, then it is your own fault(过错) if someone else uses it. Just as you wouldn’t leave your front door unlocked, or your car door open, neither should you leave your wireless connection open. By leaving your wireless connection open, you are inviting people to use it. Securing your wireless connection is as easy as clicking a few settings on your router(路由器). And finally, haven’t the police got more important crimes to solve? They’re always saying how they haven’t got the manpower to solve real issues. But this is just ridiculous(荒谬的).

— by James Hoarley

1. Why was the man mentioned in the first paragraph arrested?

A．For stealing someone’s laptop.

B．For surfing the Net in the street.

C．For destroying others’ wireless connection.

D．For using an Internet service without permission.

2. What does Sandra Wilkins think of people using others’ Internet service?

A．He thinks it is unacceptable.

B．He thinks it is necessary sometimes.

C．He thinks it requires good computer skills.

D．He thinks it is good for Internet service providers.

3. In James Hoarley’s opinion, ______.

A．Internet service should be improved.

B．it is hard to secure one’s wireless connection.

C．using others’ Internet service is not stealing at all.

D．people should leave their wireless connection open.

4. What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Wireless connection                     B．Wireless worries

C．Internet service                        D．Internet users

 

Peter and his seven-year-old sister ,Kate , were at the same school. Not long after his tenth birthday Peter was entrusted to take her to school.

It was only two stops down the road , but the way his parents kept going on about it , you might have thought Peter was taking Kate to the North Pole . He was given instructions the night before. When he woke up , he had to listen to them over and over again. He was to keep hold of Kate’s hand at all times , sit close to the front nearest the window , and tell the bus driver the name of his stop.

Peter repeated all this back to his mother and set out for the bus stop with his sister. They held hands all the way. Actually he didn’t mind this but simply hoped that none of his friends would see him holding a girl’s hand. The bus came. They got on and sat close to the front. It was ridiculous sitting there holding hands and there were some boys from school there, so they let go of each other.

Peter was feeling proud of himself. He could take care of his sister anywhere. If they were alone tighter on a mountain pass and came face to face with a pack of hungry wolves, he could know exactly what to do. Taking care and not to make sudden movement, he would move away with Kate until they had their backs to a large rock. That way the wolves would not be able to surround them.

Then he takes from his pocket two important things—his hunting knife and a box of matches. He takes the knife from its sheath(鞘) and sets it down on the grass, ready in case the wolves attack. They’re coming close now. They’re so hungry and are watering and growling (咆哮). Kate is crying, but he cannot comfort her. He knows he has to concentrate on his plan. Right at their feet are some dry leaves and twigs. Quickly and skillfully, Peter gathers them into a small pile. The wolves are edging closer. He has to get this right. There’s only one match left in the box. He bends down, cups his hand and lights the match. There’s strong rush of wind. The flame flickers, but Peter holds it close to the pile and then first one leaf, then another, then the end of a twig catch fire, and soon the little pile is burning. He piles on more leaves and twigs and larger sticks. The wolves are backing off. Wild animals are terrified of fire. The flames are leaping higher and the wind is carrying the smoke right into their jaws. Now Peter takes holds of the hunting knife and …

Ridiculous! A daydream like this could make him miss his stop if he wasn’t careful. The bus had come to a halt. The kids from his school were already getting off. Peter leaped to his feet and just managed to jump to the pavement as the bus was starting off again. It was more than fifty yards down the road when he realized he had forgotten something. Was it his backpack ? No. It was his sister. He had saved her from the wolves and left her sitting there. For a moment, he couldn’t move. He stood watching the bus pull away up the road. “Come back,” he murmured, “Come back.”

1.Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．Kate didn’t know their destination at all.

B．Peter and Kate missed their stop in the end.

C．Peter is thought to take Kate to the North Pole.

D．Mother asked Peter to hold Kate’s hand all the way.

2.Before getting on the bus, ________.

A．Peter and Kate let go of each other

B．Peter was told instructions twice

C．Peter recited the instructions to his mother

D．Peter managed to avoid meeting his friends

3.Which of the following shows the right order of Peter fighting against the wolves?

a. gather dry leaves and twigs into a small pile

b. take out his hunting knife and matches

c. light the leaves and twigs

d. move carefully with back to a rock

e. attack wolves with knife

f. strike a match

g. pile more leaves and sticks

A．d-b-f-c-a-e-g       B．d-b-a-f-c-g-e       C．B-f-a-g-c-e-d       D．A-g-b-c-f-e-d

4.What can we infer from the passage?

A．Peter felt anxious and helpless when the bus left.

B．Peter succeeded in fighting against wolves.

C．Kate would be absent from school that day.

D．Peter brought hunting knife and matches with him.

 

 

One very cold day，a snowstorm blew into our area. Needing firewood，I quickly set out with my best friend，Bruce，to look for a tree to cut down. I was glad to have Bruce along with. Cutting down a tree in a snowstorm can be dangerous. So it was important to have a friend who could warn me of danger.

When I chose a big tree about 23 meters tall and prepared to cut it down，my best friend suddenly warned me，“Don’t cut down that tree！It’s too close to the power line！﹙电线﹚”I wasn’t sure about it. So I decided to disregard his warning. I wanted to finish the job quickly and go home. So I began cutting down the tree. When the tree fell，there was no longer any doubt that my friend was right.

The tree caught the power line，bringing it to the ground. I considered cutting the tree off the line. After all，electricity can’t travel through wood，so I could safely remove the tree. As I reached out my finger to touch the tree，pain ran up my arm and through my head. I was shocked!

After I returned home and told my mother what had happened，she quickly called the power company. The workers from the power company soon arrived on the scene. One of them asked if I had touched the tree，and when I told him I had，his face turned pale.

“You should have been killed，” he said.

So why am I still alive？It was my boots that saved my life.

Within two hours，the workers removed the tree. Soon the snowstorm calmed down—but not my mother.

Even though she was glad I wasn’t hurt，my mother was still serious. After all，I shouldn’t have brushed off my friend’s warning.

Through this experience，I learn it’s important to listen to people who offer a different perspective. Taking time to listen might actually save a lot of time and trouble. It certainly would have kept me from getting the “shock” of my life.

1.The underlined word “disregard” in the second paragraph means “________”．

A．pay no attention to             B．take notice of      C．consider              D．follow

2.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A．But for his boots，the author would have died.

B．The author regretted having brushed off his friend’s warning.

C．The author knew nothing about electricity.

D．When the tree was cut down，the author realized his friend was right.

3.The underlined part “the snowstorm calmed down—but not my mother” means “________”．

A．my mother was still angry with me for not listening to my friend’s warning

B．my mother was still in fear of the terrible accident

C．my mother was still comforting me

D．my mother was still worried about my safety

4.The author wrote the passage mainly to________.

A．give an account of one of his terrible experiences

B．make us know it’s important to listen to people who offer a different perspective through his experience

C．tell us not to cut trees down any more

D．remind us to be careful while we are working