Expectations surrounding education have spun out of control. On top of a seven-hour school day, our kids march through hours of nightly homework, daily sports practices and band rehearsals, and weekend-consuming assignments and tournaments. Each activity is seen as a step on the ladder to a top college, an enviable job and a successful life. Children living in poverty who aspire to college face the same daunting admissions arms race, as well as the burden of competing for scholarships, with less support than their privileged peers. Eve a those not bound for college are ground down by the constant measurement in schools under pressure to push through mountains of rote, impersonal material as early as preschool. Yet instead of empowering them to thrive, this drive for success is eroding children' s health and undermining their potential. Modern education is actually making them sick. Working together, parents, educators and students can make small but important changes.
Directions:Writeanessaybasedonthefollowingdiagram.Inyourwriting,youshould1)describethediagram,and2)giveyourcomments.Youshouldwriteabout150words.
Writeanessaybasedonthefollowingchart.Inyourwriting,youshould1)interpretthechartand2)giveyourcomments.Youshouldwriteatleast150words.WriteyouressayonANSWERSHEET2.(15points)
BPart B/B
Wild Bill Donovan would have loved the Internet. The American spymaster who built the Office of Strategic Services in World War II and later laid the roots for the CIA was fascinated (使着迷) with information. Donovan believed in using whatever tools came to hand in the " great game" of espionage—spying as a "profession". These days the Net, which has already re-made such everyday pastimes as buying books and sending mail, is reshaping Donovan's vocation as well. The latest revolution isn't simply a matter of gentlemen reading other gentlemen's e-mail. That kind of electronic spying has been going on for decades. In the past three or four years, the World Wide Web has given birth to a whole industry of point-and-click spying. The spooks(间谍) call it "open-source intelligence" , and as the Net grows, it is becoming increasingly influential. In 1995 the CIA held a contest to see who could compile the most data about Burundi. The winner, by a large margin, was a tiny Virginia company called Open Source Solutions, whose clear advantage was its mastery of the electronic world. Among the firms making the biggest splash in this new world is Straitford, Inc., a private intelligence-analysis firm based in Austin, Texas. Straitford makes money by selling the results of spying (covering nations from Chile to Russia) to corporations like energy-services firm McDermott International. Many of its predictions are available online at www.straitford.com. Straiford president George Friedman says he sees the online world as a kind of mutually reinforcing tool for both information collection and distribution, a spymaster's dream. Last week his firm was busy vacuuming up data bits from the far corners of the world and predicting a crisis in Ukraine. "As soon as that report runs, we'll suddenly get 500 new Internet sign-ups from Ukraine," says Friedman, a former political science professor. "And we'll hear back from some of them." Open-source spying does have its risks, of course, since it can be difficult to tell good information from bad. That's where Straitford earns its keep. Friedman relies on a lean staff of 20 in Austin. Several of his staff members have military -intelligence backgrounds. He sees the firm's outsider status as the key to its success. Straitford's briefs don't sound like the usual Washington back-and-forthing, whereby agencies avoid dramatic declarations on the chance they might be wrong. Straitford, says Friedman, takes pride in its independent voice.
Being plugged into an iPod is a feature of adolescence. A new study suggests that teens who spend too much time listening to music may be at higher risk of depression. The study found that teens who reported listening to music more often—【C1】______using other types of media like TV and books—were more likely to have major depressive disorder,【C2】______with teens who listened to music less frequently. With each level increase in music use, teens had an 80% higher risk of depression, the study found. The study didn't measure【C3】______listening times, but based on previous data, the study authors【C4】______that teens in the highest-use group were likely listening to music【C5】______at least four or five hours a day. At this【C6】______it is not clear whether depressed people begin to listen to more music to【C7】______or whether listening to large【C8】______of music can lead to depression, or both.【C9】______researchers found that reading books had the opposite【C10】______: with time spent in reading increasing, teens' risk of depression【C11】______50%. This is worth emphasizing because overall in the U.S., reading books is decreasing,【C12】______nearly all other forms of media use are increasing. For the study, the researchers【C13】______106 participants aged 7 to 17 for two months; 46 participants had been previously【C14】______with depression. Throughout the course of the study, researchers made【C15】______weekend phone calls to the teens in order to determine, in real time, what forms of media they were using,【C16】______television, music, video games, Internet, magazines and books. On average, teens were most likely to be watching a movie or TV when researchers called (26% of the time). Teens reported listening to music 9% of the time, followed by Internet use and video gaming (6% each) and,【C17】______, reading printed media (0.2%). Of all the media reported, only music showed【C18】______associations with increased depression risk,【C19】______researchers had control of【C20】______like age, sex and race.
BPart BDirections: Write an essay of 160-200 words based on the following information./B
Suppose Doctor Brown, who is well known to the world for his achievements in the field of medicine, comes to your university as a visiting scholar. Write a welcoming speech to 1) introduce him, and 2) welcome him. You should write about 100 words.
On September 28th Tim Cook, Apple's chief executive, published an open letter apologising to customers for the shortcomings of the company's maps. Mr. Cook even directed users to alternative map apps, writing that they could be downloaded from Apple's App Store and that Google's and Nokia's maps were available as web apps.
Apple's mobile maps used to be supplied by its friend-turned-archrival, Google. But this year Apple decided to put maps of its own into iOS 6, rather than
be beholden to its foe
. The new maps are built into the iPhone, which went on sale on September 21st. The Internet has been teeming with complaints about a lack of detail and a surfeit of errors. And unlike Google's maps, Apple's lack public-transport information.
Maps are becoming important strategic terrain. They are more than an aid to getting from A to B. Apps based on location—to summon a taxi, say—need maps inside them. Digital maps can include countless layers of information, plus advertisements from which money can be made. There are thousands of indoor maps, too, of airports, department stores and so forth. Smart phones also act as sensors, reporting their whereabouts, which can be used to improve maps. According to comScore, a data firm, in August 95% of American iPhone owners and 83% of owners of smart phones with Google's Android operating system used a mobile map.
Meanwhile, Apple seems to be relying on three things. The first is speedy improvement. (It is reportedly trying to hire ex-Googlers. ) The second is the embedding of useful content. Its new maps have spoken turn-by-turn driving directions, which Google's version for the iPhone did not, as well as reviews from Yelp, a local-listings company that offers pretty full coverage of eateries and bars in America but much less elsewhere. The third is the loyalty of Apple's fans. More than 5million iPhone 5s were sold in the first three days. Although some analysts had expected more, that still beat the previous version, the 4S, by 1 million.
Under the late Steve Jobs Apple paid fanatical attention to detail, so it is remarkable that its maps should have come up so short. But polishing its hardware was one thing; the struggle with maps "has been the first really obvious head-butting of the wall," says Carolina Milanesi of Gartner, another research firm. In a market in which brands can fall fast, that is a rare luxury.
[A] Physical changes [B] Low self-esteem[C] Emerging independence and search for identity [D] Emotional turbulence [E] Interest in the opposite sex [F] Peer pressure and conformity [G] Transition to adulthood The transition to adulthood is difficult. Rapid physical growth begins in early adolescence — typically between the ages of 9 and 13 — and thought processes start to take on adult characteristics. Many youngsters find these changes distressing because they do not fully understand what is happening to them. Fears and anxieties can be put to rest by simply keeping an open line of communication and preparing for change before it occurs. The main issues that arise during adolescence are: 【R1】______ A child's self-worth is particularly fragile during adolescence. Teenagers often struggle with an overwhelming sense that nobody likes them, that they're not as good as other people, that they are failures, losers, ugly or unintelligent. 【R2】______ Some form of bodily dissatisfaction is common among pre-teens. If dissatisfaction is great, it may cause them to become shy or very easily embarrassed. In other cases, teens may act the opposite — loud and angry — in an effort to compensate for feelings of self-consciousness and inferiority. As alarming as these bodily changes can be, adolescents may find it equally distressing to not experience the changes at the same time as their peers. Late maturation can cause feelings of inferiority and awkwardness. 【R3】______ Young people feel more strongly about everything during adolescence. Fears become more frightening, pleasures become more exciting, irritations become more distressing and frustrations become more intolerable. Every experience appears king-sized during adolescence. Youngsters having a difficult adolescence may become seriously depressed and/or engage in self-destructive behavior. Often, the first clue that a teenager needs professional help is a deep-rooted shift in attitude and behavior. Parents should be alert to the warning signs of personality change indicating that a teenager needs help. They include repeated school absences, slumping grades, use of alcohol or illegal substances, hostile or dangerous behavior and extreme withdrawal and reclusiveness. 【R4】______ There is tremendous pressure on adolescents to Conform to the standards of their peers. This pressure toward conformity can be dangerous in that it applies not only to clothing and hairstyles; it may lead them to do things that they know are wrong. 【R5】______ Adolescence marks a period of increasing independence that often leads to conflict between teenagers and parents. This tension is a normal part of growing up — and for parents, a normal part of the letting-go process. Another normal part of adolescence is confusion over values and beliefs. This time of questioning is important as young people examine the values they have been taught and begin to embrace their own beliefs. Though they may adopt the same beliefs as their parents, discovering them on their own enables the young person to develop a sense of integrity. Although adolescence will present challenges for young people and their parents, awareness and communication can help pave the way for a smooth transition into this exciting phase of life.
Suppose you wish to join the dance club of your university. Write a letter of application to the club to 1) tell it you like dancing and you are good at some kinds of dances, and 2) express your wish to join the club. You should write about 100 words. Do not use your own name. Use "Li Ming" instead. Do not write your address.
Readthefollowingtextandmatcheachofthenumbereditemsintheleftcolumntoitscorrespondinginformationintherightcolumn.Therearetwoextrachoicesintherightcolumn.MarkyouranswersontheANSWERSHEET.(10points)OnestereotypeofwisdomisawizenedZen-mastersmilingkindlyathispupils,whilereferringtothemaslittlegrasshoppersandsafeintheknowledgethatonedaythey,too,willhavebeensetonthepaththatleadstowizenedmasterhood.Butisittruethatagebringswisdom?AstudytwoyearsagoinNorthAmerica,byIgorGrossmannoftheUniversityofWaterloo,inCanada,suggestedthatitis.Dr.GrossmannfoundthatelderlyAmericanshadmoreofitthanyoungsters.Hehas,however,nowextendedhisinvestigationtoAsia—thelandofthewizenedZen-master—and,inparticular,toJapan.There,hefound,incontrasttotheWest,thatthegrasshoppersaretheirmasters'equalsalmostfromthebeginning.Dr.Grossmannrecruited186Japanesefromvariouswalksoflifeandcomparedthemwith225Americans.Participantswereaskedtoreadaseriesofpretendnewspaperarticles.Halfdescribedconflictbetweengroups,suchasadebatebetweenresidentsofanimpoverishedPacificislandoverwhethertoallowforeignoilcompaniestooperatetherefollowingthediscoveryofpetroleum.Theotherhalftooktheformofadvicecolumnsthatdealtwithconflictsbetweenindividuals:siblings,friendsandspouses.Afterreadingeacharticle,participantswereasked"Whatdoyouthinkwillhappenafterthat?"and"Whydoyouthinkitwillhappenthisway?"Theirresponseswererecordedandtranscribed.Dr.Grossmannandhiscolleaguesremovedage-relatedinformationfromthetranscripts,andalsoanycluestoparticipants'nationalities,andthenpassedtheeditedversionstoagroupofassessors.Theseassessorsweretrainedtoratetranscribedresponsesconsistently,andhadbeentestedtoshowthattheirratingswerestatisticallycomparablewithoneanother.Theassessorsscoredparticipants'responsesonascaleofonetothree.Thisattemptedtocapturethedegreetowhichtheydiscussedwhatpsychologistsconsiderfivecrucialaspectsofwisereasoning:willingnesstoseekopportunitiestoresolveconflict;willingnesstosearchforcompromise;recognitionofthelimitsofpersonalknowledge;awarenessthatmorethanoneperspectiveonaproblemcanexist;andappreciationofthefactthatthingsmaygetworsebeforetheygetbetter.Theupshotwasthat,asDr.Grossmannhadfoundbefore,Americansdogetwiserwithage.Theirintergroupwisdomscoreaveraged45attheageof25and55at75.Theirinterpersonalscoresimilarlyclimbedfrom46to50.Japanesescores,bycontrast,hardlyvariedwithage.Both25-year-oldsand75-year-oldshadanaverageintergroupwisdomof51.Forinterpersonalwisdom,itwas53and52.Takenatfacevalue,theseresultssuggestJapaneselearnwisdomfasterthanAmericans.Oneup,then,tothewizenedZen-masters.Buttheyalsosuggestaparadox.Generally,Americaisseenasanindividualisticsociety,whereasJapanisquitecollectivist.YetJapanesehavehigherscoresthanAmericansforthesortofinterpersonalwisdomyoumightthinkwouldbeusefulinanindividualisticsociety.Americans,bycontrast—atleastinthematurityofoldage—havemoreintergroupwisdomthanthepurportedlycollectivistJapanese.Perhaps,then,youneedindividualskillswhensocietyiscollective,andsocialoneswhenitisindividualistic.Allofwhichgoestoshowthattherealrootofwisdomisthis:donotassume,littlegrasshopper,thatyourprejudicesarecorrect.
Write a letter of about 100 words to the customer service center of an online store, complaining about the quality of the new ipad and demanding a prompt solution. You should include the details you think necessary. You should write neatly on the ANSWER SHEET. Do not use your own name. Use "Li Ming" instead. Do not write the address.(10 points)
Suppose your friend David just broke up with his girlfriend and was feeling sad. Write him an email to 1) comfort him, and 2) ask him not to lose confidence in himself. You should write about 100 words, Do not use your own name. Use "Li Ming" instead. Do not write your address.
In April, British researchers at University College London found that, rather than the recommended five, seven daily portions of fresh fruit and vegetables were the key to health. They【C1】______that seven daily portions of fresh fruit and vegetables or more could reduce the risk of cancer by 25 percent and of heart disease by 31 percent,【C2】______to people who consumed less than one portion a day. The study was【C3】______the eating habits of more than 65,000 people in England【C4】______2001 and 2008. But a new study into the field of【C5】______eating says the famous five-a-day recommendation made by the UN"s World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2003 should be fine. Researchers in China and the United States went through 16 published investigations into diet and health【C6】______more than 830,000 participants, who were【C7】______for periods ranging from four and a half years to 26 years. Every additional daily serving of fruit and vegetables reduced the【C8】______risk of premature death from all【C9】______by five percent, the scientists found.【C10】______the period of the studies, 56,000 of the participants died, researchers said. In the case of death from a heart attack or a stroke, each additional serving【C11】______risk by four percent. 【C12】______there was no evidence of an additional fall in risk beyond five portions, according to the【C13】______published online Tuesday by the British Medical Journal (BMJ). "We found a threshold of around five servings a day of fruit and vegetables, after which the risk of death did not reduce【C14】______," said the investigators, led by Frank Hu of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts. High consumption of fruit and vegetable did not translate into a【C15】______reduction in the risk of death from cancer, the study also found.【C16】______advising patients about the【C17】______of healthy eating, doctors should also push home the message about risks from obesity, inactivity, smoking and【C18】______drinking, said the paper. The London researchers【C19】______to being surprised by what they found and【C20】______the results may not be applicable to other countries.
As Valentine"s Day approaches, many single people begin to feel a little sorry for themselves. On a day【C1】______by couples, this can lead to feelings of【C2】______and loneliness, say researchers.【C3】______, don"t worry—they say it could【C4】______be good for you. "On the【C5】______of everyday life, it is understandable how something as personally【C6】______as loneliness could be regarded as a plague on human existence," John Cacioppoat and his fellow researchers at the University of Chicago write in the journal Cognition & Emotion. "Research【C7】______the past decade suggests a very different view of loneliness than suggested by personal experience, one in which loneliness【C8】______a variety of adaptive functions in【C9】______habitats." "Although it may feel like loneliness has no redeeming【C10】______, it promotes behavior change to increase the likelihood of the survival of one"s genes. The pain of loneliness served to【C11】______us to renew the connections we needed to ensure survival and to promote social trust, co-hesiveness, and collective action." However, there was also bad news—researchers found the "lonely" are viewed more negatively in terms of their psychosocial functioning and attractiveness. "In a social environment non-lonely people form a negative impression【C12】______lonely people, which then affects their behavior and【C13】______the lonely individual"s perceived isolated existence," the researchers wrote. "【C14】______, individuals rated opposite-gender partners who they expected to be lonely as less sociable, and【C15】______towards them in a less sociable【C16】______than they did toward partners they expected not to be-lonely." The team even say loneliness could be behind many sports fans decision to【C17】______their team. "The emergence of a collective connectedness factor underlying loneliness, therefore, suggests that we may have evolved the capacity for and motivation to form relationships not only with other individuals but also with groups (e.g., a Chicago Cubs or Boston Red Sox fan), with the【C18】______being the promotion of co-operation in【C19】______conditions (e.g., competition, warfare). The identification with and investments in the group, in turn, may increase the likelihood of the continuity of the group, its members, and their individual genetic【C20】______."
BSection III Writing/B
Directions: Public figures such as actors, politicians, and athletes draw much attention from the public; their age, income, family, marital status etc. often appear on tabloid press. Entertainment reporters rack their brains to seek more private information about them. In this section, you are asked to write an essay on public figures and their own privacy. You can provide specific reasons and examples to support your idea. You should write at least 150 words.
The coast of the state of Maine is one of the most irregular in the world. A straight line running from the southernmost coastal city to the northernmost coastal city would measure about 225 miles. If you followed the coastline between these points, you would travel more than ten times as far. This irregularity is the result of what is called a drowned coastline. The term comes from the glacial activity of the ice age. At that time, the whole area that is now Maine was part of a mountain range that towered above the sea. As the glacier descended, however, it expended enormous force on those mountains, and they sank into the sea. As the mountains sank, ocean water charged over the lowest parts of the remaining land, forming a series of twisting inlets and lagoons of contorted grottos and nooks. The highest parts of the former mountain range, nearest the shore, remained as islands. Mt. Desert Island is one of the most famous of all the islands left behind by the glacier. Marine fossils found here were 225 feet above sea level, indicating the level of the shoreline prior to the glacier. The 2,500-mile-long rocky and jagged coastline of Maine keeps watch over nearly two thousand islands. Many of these islands are tiny and uninhabited, but many are home to thriving communities. Mt. Desert Island is one of the largest, most beautiful of the Maine coast islands. Measuring 16 miles by 12 miles, Mt. Desert was essentially formed as two distinct islands. It is split almost in half by Somes Sound, a deep and narrow stretch of water, seven miles long. For years, Mt. Desert Island, particularly its major settlement, Bar Harbor, afforded summer homes for the wealthy. Recendy though, Bar Harbor has become a burgeoning arts community as well. But, the best part of the island is the unspoiled forest land known as Acadia National Park. Because the island sits on the boundary line between the temperate and sub-Arctic zones, the island supports the flora and fauna of both zones as well as beach, inland, and alpine plants. It also lies in a major bird migration lane and is a resting spot for many birds. The establishment of Acadia National Park in 1916 means that this natural reserve will be perpetually available to all people, not just the wealthy. Visitors to Acadia may receive nature instruction from the park naturalists as well as enjoy camping, hiking, cycling , and boating. Or they may choose to spend time at the archeological museum, learning about the Stone Age inhabitants of the island. The best view on Mt. Desert Island is from the top of Cadillac Mountain. This mountain rises 1,532 feet, making it the highest mountain on the Adantic seaboard. From the summit, you can gaze back toward the mainland or out over the Atlantic Ocean and contemplate the beauty created by a retreating glacier.
Writeanessaybasedonthefollowingchart.Inyourwriting,youshould1)interpretthechart,and2)giveyourcomments.Youshouldwriteabout150wordsontheANSWERSHEET.(15points)