阅读理解 'THE SERVANT'(1963) is one of those films that it is impossible to forget. The servant exploits his master's weaknesses until he turns the tables: the story ends with the a cringing master ministering to a lordly servant. It is hard to watch it today without thinking of another awkward relationship—the one between business folk and their smartphones. Smart devices are sometimes empowering. They put a world of information at our fingertips. But for most people the servant has become the master. Not long ago only doctors were on call all the time. Now everybody is. Bosses think nothing of invading their employees' free time. Work invades the home far more than domestic chores invade the office. Hyper connectivity exaggerates the decline of certainty and the general cult of flexibility. Smartphones make it easier for managers to change their minds at the last moment. Employees find it ever harder to distinguish between 'on-time' and 'off-time'—and indeed between real work and make-work. None of this is good for business people's marriages or mental health. It may be bad for business, too. When bosses change their minds at the last minute, it is hard to plan for the future. How can we reap the benefits of connectivity without becoming its slaves? One solution is digital dieting. Banning browsing before breakfast can reintroduce a small amount of civilization. Banning texting at weekends or, say, on Thursdays, can really show the iPhone who is boss. The problem with this approach is that it works only if you live on a desert island or at the bottom of a lake. Leslie Perlow of Harvard Business School argues that for most people the only way to break the 24/7 habit is to act collectively rather than individually. One of the world's most hard-working organisations, the Boston Consulting Group, introduced rules about when people were expected to be offline, and encouraged them to work together to make this possible. Eventually it forced people to work more productively while reducing burnout. Ms Perlow's advice should be taken seriously. The problem of hyper connectivity will only get worse, as smartphones become smarter and young digital natives take over the workforce. But ultimately it is up to companies to outsmart the smartphones by insisting that everyone turn them off from time to time.

阅读理解Passage One As 170 people sat down to dinner, I breathed a sigh of relief: The conference was going well

阅读理解Questions 46-50 are based on the following passage: Australias foreign language skills are declining, voice of America has reported

阅读理解In education there should be no class distinction

阅读理解Passage 1 Unlike most of Western Europe, where paid vacations for regular workers are typical four to six weeks, the U

阅读理解Violin prodigies (神童) , I learned, have come in distinct waves from distinct regions. Most of the great performers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were born and brought up in Russia and Eastern Europe. I asked Isaac Stern, one of the world''s greatest violinists the reason for this phenomenon. "It is very clear," he told me. "They were all Jews (犹太人) and Jews at the time were severely oppressed and ill treated in that part of the world. They were not allowed into the professional fields, but they were allowed to achieve excellence on a concert stage." As a result, every Jewish parent''s dream was to have a child in the music school because it was a passport to the West. Another element in the emergence of prodigies, I found, is a society that values excellence in a certain field to nurture (培育) talent. Nowadays, the most nurturing societies seem to be in the Far East. "In Japan, a most competitive society, with stronger discipline than ours," says Isaac Stem, "children are ready to test their limits every day in many fields, including music. When Western music came to Japan after World War, that music not only became part of their daily lives, but it became a discipline as well. The Koreans and Chinese as we know, are just as highly motivated as the Japanese." That''s a good thing, because even prodigies must work hard. Next to hard work, biological inheritance plays an important role in the making of a prodigy. J. S. Bach, for example, was the top of several generations of musicians, and four of his sons had significant careers in music.

阅读理解Passage Two: Questions are based on the following passage

阅读理解Buford is the smallest town in the US

阅读理解 After the author made the phone call, __________.

阅读理解Text 4 Castles were brought to Britain by William the Conqueror, when he invaded England in 1066 from his homeland in France

阅读理解Directions: There are 4 passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions orunfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You shoulddeicide the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single linethrough the center.Passage ThreeNowadays if you ask most people what “rap” means, they’re likely to state that it’s the reciting of rhymes to the best of music. It’s a form of expression that has its roots deep, in ancient African culture and oral tradition. Throughout history here in America there has always been some form of verbal skills involving rhymes within the Afro-American community. School yard rhyme, prison “jail house’ rhymes and double Dutch jump rope’ rhymes are some of the names and ways that various forms of rap have manifested.Rap caught on because it offered young urban New Yorkers a chance to freely express themselves. This was basically the same reason why any of the verbal or rhyme games manifested themselves in the past. More importantly, it was an art form that anyone can use. One did not need a lot of money or expensive resources to rhyme. One didn’t have to invest in lessons, or anything like that. Rapping was a verbal skill that could be practiced and improve to perfection at almost anytime.Rap also became popular because it offered unlimited challenges. There were no real set rules, except to be original and to rhyme on time to the beat of music. Anything was possible. One cou1d make up a rap about the man in the moon or someone else. The final goal was to be regarded as being good by one’s peers. The praises and positive approval a rapper received put him or her on a par with any other urban hero (sports star, tough guy, comedian, etc.), which was another special attraction.Finally, rap, because of its inclusive aspects, allowed one to accurately and efficiently add their personality. If you were laid back, you could rap at a slow pace. If you were too much active, you could rap at a fast pace. No two people rapped the same, even when reciting the same rhyme. There were many people who would try and emulate someone’s style, but even that represented a particular personality.Rap continues to be popular among today’s urban youth for the same reasons it was a draw in the early days: it is still a form of self-expression capable of winning positive approval from one’s peers. Because rap has evolved to become such a big business, it has given many kids the false illusion that it is a quick escape from the harshness of inner city life. There are many kids out there under the belief that they need to do is write a few fresh rhymes arid they’re off to the good life.

阅读理解 The mythology of a culture can provide some vital insights into the beliefs and values of that culture. By using fantastic and sometimes incredible stories to create an oral tradition by which to explain the wonders of the natural world and teach lessons to younger generations, a society exposes those ideas and concepts held most important. Just as important as the final lesson to be gathered from the stories, however, are the characters and the roles they play in conveying that message. Perhaps the epitome of mythology and its use as a tool to pass on cultural values can be found in Aesop's Fables, told and retold during the era of the Greek Empire. Aesop, a slave who won the favor of the court through his imaginative and descriptive tales, almost exclusively used animals to fill the roles in his short stories. Humans, when at all present, almost always played the part of bumbling fools struggling to learn the lesson being presented. This choice of characterization allows us to see that the Greeks placed wisdom on a level slightly beyond humans, implying that deep wisdom and understanding is a universal quality sought by, rather than stealing from, human beings. Aesop's fables illustrated the central themes of humility and self-reliance, reflecting the importance of those traits in early Greek society. The folly of humans was used to contrast against the ultimate goal of attaining a higher level of understanding and awareness of truths about nature and humanity. For example, one notable fable features a fox repeatedly trying to reach a bunch of grapes on a very high vine. After failing at several attempts, the fox gives up, making up its mind that the grapes were probably sour anyway. The fable's lesson, that we often play down that which we can't achieve so as to make ourselves feel better, teaches the reader or listener in an entertaining way about one of the weaknesses of the human psyche. The mythology of other cultures and societies reveal the underlying traits of their respective cultures just as Aesop's fables did. The stories of Roman gods, Aztec ghosts and European elves all served to train ancient generations those lessons considered most important to their community, and today they offer a powerful looking glass by which to evaluate and consider the contextual environment in which those culture existed.

阅读理解 People do not analyze every problem they meet. Sometimes they try to remember a solution from the last time they had a similar problem. They often accept the opinions or ideas of other people. Other times they begin to act without thinking; they try to find a solution by trial and error. However, when all these methods fail, the person with a problem has to start analyzing. There are six stages in analyzing a problem. First the person must recognize that there is a problem. For example, Sam' s bicycle is broken, and he cannot ride it to class as he usually does. Sam must see that there is a problem with his bicycle. Next the thinker must define tile problem. Before Sam can repair his bicycle, he must find the reason why it does not work. For instance, he must determine if the problem is with the gears, the brakes, or the frame. He must make his problem more specific. Now the person must look for information that will make the problem clearer and lead to possible solutions. For in stance, suppose Sam decided that his bike does not work because there is something wrong with the gear wheels. At this time, he can look in his bicycle repair book and read about gears. He can talk to his friends at the bike shop. He can look at his gears carefully. After studying the problem, the person should have several suggestions for a possible solution. Take Sam as an illustration. His suggestions might be: put oil on the gear wheels; buy new gear wheels and replace the old ones; tighten or loosen the gear wheels. Eventually one suggestion seems to be the solution to the problem. Sometimes the final idea comes very suddenly because the thinker suddenly sees something new or sees something in a new way. Sam, for example, suddenly sees that there is a piece of chewing gum between the gear wheels. He immediately realizes the solution to his problem: he must clean the gear wheels. Finally the solution is tested. Sam cleans the gear wheels and finds that afterwards his bicycle works perfectly. In short, he has solved the problem.

阅读理解Passage Five Mark Twain is one of Americas much-beloved authors, creating imaginative and humorous classics for children and adults alike, such as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Prince and The Pauper, and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

阅读理解Text A According to Andrew, it never would have happened if he had not had a flat tire on Highway 10 last night about7:30

阅读理解 How did it come to this? Over the past two months some of the best-known UK charities, on the front line of environmental and social justice, have become connected to unethical fundraising practices. It's not surprising we're in a spin. How can we be sure charities we support behave ethically? The story broke after the death of an elderly charity giver. Before her death, Olive Cooke had revealed to local media that she had received 260 pieces of charity mail and would no longer answer her landline due to repeated requests for donations. Since Olive's death the near-daily bombardment and insufferable levels of 'asks' suffered by many elderly and vulnerable people from and on behalf of charities has been laid bare. Responses have varied, from Friends of the Earth immediately writing to supporters to try to gauge what they found appropriate (the irony being that this involves another mailshot) to Save the Children's promise to abandon cold calling and trading supporter data. But singling out good and bad charities is a red herring. According to the Information Commissioner's Office (the body that upholds our data privacy rights) the charity industry has collectively blurred the definition of activities like cold calling. Many charities now use third-party commercial fundraising organisations, including those that trade in our data. So it is the sector as a whole that must clean up. To that end the Fundraising Standards Board has produced eight recommendations, including limiting the number of times a charity can ask for money in one phone call, limiting the number of contacts each year with donors and doing more to ensure that fundraisers do not target elderly and vulnerable people. If you're feeling besieged by fundraising requests, you can download a firm but fair 'don't contact me' letter produced by The One Show, where I've reported on this story. It gives the charity 28 days to comply before a complaint will be lodged with the Information Commissioner's Office. In addition charities have committed to stopping their fundraisers from approaching properties displaying 'No cold calling' signs by September 1 st. We need to re-establish a proper relationship between givers and charities, and this is an opportunity to get everything in the open. Like the man said: 'Sunlight is the best of disinfectants, electric light the most efficient policeman.'

阅读理解Passage One: Questions are based on the following passage

阅读理解 Just how much does the Constitution protect your digital data? The Supreme Court will now consider whether police can search the contents of a mobile phone without a warrant if the phone is on or around a person during an arrest. California has asked the justices to refrain from a sweeping ruling, particularly one that upsets the old assumptions that authorities may search through the possessions of suspects at the time of their arrest. It is hard, the state argues, for judges to assess the implications of new and rapidly changing technologies. The court would be recklessly modest if it followed California's advice. Enough of the implications are discernable, even obvious, so that the justice can and should provide updated guidelines to police, lawyers and defendants. They should start by discarding California's lame argument that exploring the contents of a smart phone—a vast storehouse of digital information—is similar to, say, going through a suspect's purse. The court has ruled that police don't violate the Fourth Amendment when they go through the wallet or pocket book of an arrestee without a warrant. But exploring one's smartphone is more like entering his or her home. A smartphone may contain an arrestee's reading history, financial history, medical history and comprehensive records of recent correspondence. The development of 'cloud computing,' meanwhile, has made that exploration so much the easier. Americans should take steps to protect their digital privacy. But keeping sensitive information on these devices is increasingly a requirement of normal life. Citizens still have a right to expect private documents to remain private and protected by the Constitution's prohibition on unreasonable searches. As so often is the case, stating that principle doesn't ease the challenge of line-drawing. In many cases, it would not be overly onerous for authorities to obtain a warrant to search through phone contents. They could still trump Fourth Amendment protections when facing severe, exigent circumstances, such as the threat of immediate harm, and they could take reasonable measures to ensure that phone data are not erased or altered while a warrant is pending. The court, though, may want to allow room for police to cite situations where they are entitled to more leeway. But the justices should not swallow California's argument whole. New, disruptive technology sometimes demands novel applications of the Constitution's protections. Orin Kerr, a law professor, compares the explosion and accessibility of digital information in the 21st century with the establishment of automobile use as a virtual necessity of life in the 20th: The justices had to specify novel rules for the new personal domain of the passenger car then; they must sort out how the Fourth Amendment applies to digital information now.

阅读理解Like many of my generation, I have a weakness for hero worship. At some point, however, we all to question our heroes and our need for them. This leads us to ask: What is a hero? Despite immense differences in cultures, heroes around the world generally share a number of characteristics that instruct and inspire people. A hero does something worth talking about. A hero has a story of adventure to tell and community who will listen. But a few heroes beyond mere fame. Heroes serve powers or principles larger than themselves. Like high-voltage transformers, heroes take the energy of higher powers and step it down so that it can be used by ordinary people. The hero lives a life worthy of imitation. Those who imitate a genuine, hero experience life with new depth, enthusiasm, and meaning. A sure test for would-be heroes is what or whom do they serve? What are they willing to live and die for? If the answer or evidence suggests they serve only their own fame, they may be famous persons but not heroes. Madonna and Michael Jackson are famous, but who would claim that their fans find life more abundant? Heroes are catalysts (催化剂) for change. They have a vision from the mountaintop. They have the skill and the charm to move the masses. They create new possibilities. Without Gandhi, India might still be part of the British Empire. Without Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr., we might still have segregated (隔离的) buses, restaurants, and parks: It may be possible for large scale change to occur without leaders with magnetic personalities, but the pace of change would be slow, the vision uncertain, and the committee meetings endless.

阅读理解Passage H For office innovators, the unrealized dream of the paperless office is a classic example of high-tech hubris