单选题13.
单选题. Questions 16 to 20 are based on the following talk.16.
单选题. Coventry has been named the UK's city of culture for 2021, a one-off opportunity to boost the economy, tourism, civic pride and access to the arts but also, its backers hope, a chance to be in the limelight and have some fun. It follows Derry and Hull as the third UK city of culture, a programme modelled on the European capital of culture concept, which had such a dramatic effect on the fortunes of Glasgow in 1990 and Liverpool in 2008. The winner was announced live on television by the arts minister John Glen at BBC's The One Show. Coventry beat Swansea, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland and the town of Paisley. David Burbidge, the chair of the bid team, said: "It's huge and just an incredible result. Most importantly, we are bringing this to the people of Coventry and they deserve this, so we are thrilled that we have been selected." He said one early survey showed 80% of Coventry residents supported the bid. About 150 businesses have also given the bid financial support, which may have set Coventry apart from other bidders. "Coventry has taken a lot of knocks over the years and this is the time for us to spring back and to show the world what we are made of. We have the advantage of being a very young city, seven years below the national average, which means more time to enjoy the success. We will make the most of this title and make everybody proud of Coventry," Burbidge said. Glen said the title was "an incredible opportunity for Coventry to boost investment in the local economy, grow tourism and put arts and culture centre stage". Each of the bidders had made spirited pitches reflecting on their cultural pasts and future ambitions. Coventry is the birthplace of the poet Philip Larkin, the thriller writer Lee Child, the singer Hazel O'Connor and the band The Specials, whose anthem to 1980s urban decay and rising unemployment, Ghost Town, was inspired by the city. The "Our Coy" promotional film reflected on the city's rebuilding and reinvention after the Blitz, the steeliness of its people and the boast "we shape, we make, we give more than we take". While Coventry celebrated, others reflected on what might have been. Paisley, with a population of 77,000, was easily the smallest bidder and had been one of the favourites. It was the first town to be shortlisted after the contest began in 2009. Its promotional film rifled on it being the birthplace of Paisley print, the musicians Kelly Marie, Gerry Rafferty and Paolo Nutini, the actors David Tennant and Gerard Butler, and Robertson's marmalade. The Scottish culture secretary, Fiona Hyslop, said Paisley's bid had been inspiring. "Despite just missing out they can all be immensely proud of their efforts, they have done Paisley and Scotland proud." Swansea, a city summed up by its most famous son, Dylan Thomas, as an "ugly, lovely town", was also shortlisted last time around. The winner gets ￡3m from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) but government money is also expected to be forthcoming. Hull was said to have received ￡15m in government funding as well as ￡3m from Arts Council England and ￡3m from the HLF. Importantly, the city of culture status gives leverage and access to other pots of money, public and private. It has been estimated that Hull has had ￡1bn of investment since it won four years ago, with an economic boost in 2017 alone of ￡60m. Hotel occupancy has been up 14% and train journeys up 17%. But more than bald economic figures, the status has given Hull a spiritual lift and changed perceptions of the city. The blizzard of cultural highlights over the year included a visit by the Royal Ballet, the first Prom outside London since the 1930s, the Turner prize, 3,000 residents getting naked and blue for a Spencer Tunick photograph, and the world premiere of a new Richard Bean play, The Hypocrite. The lure of the prize has intensified since the EU, post-Brexit, cancelled Britain's turn for a European city of culture award in 2023. That came after much time, effort and money had gone into formal bids from Dundee, Nottingham, Leeds, Milton Keynes and Belfast-Derry. The five competing UK cities of culture were visited by a panel of judges chaired by Phil Redmond, the creator of Brookside and Grange Hill, who headed Liverpool's European capital of culture year. He said: "The process has highlighted the depth and strength of culture across the UK. That made it difficult choosing a winner, but I would like to congratulate Coventry and I am sure they will build on the legacy of Derry-Londonderry and Hull and bring about a transformational change in 2021." The UK city of culture programme was introduced by the then Labour culture secretary, Andy Burnham, and has spawned a London version with the mayor, Sadiq Khan, launching a contest to choose a London borough of culture, the first in 2019.6. According to the passage, the UK city of culture programme ______.
单选题. Modern-day business really does transcend national barriers. Thanks to sophisticated IT and communications systems, businesses can now market their products on a truly global scale. The world is indisputably becoming a smaller place, as service and manufacturing companies search the international marketplace for new suppliers and clients. Businesses must, however, be aware that once they expand the area in which they operate, they face increased competition. The standard and quality of their goods become increasingly important in keeping up with competitors. But most of all, it is the service element accompanying the goods which is crucial to a company's success in a particular market. This new philosophy has led to many companies, some of which have even offered products of a lesser quality, gaining success overseas. Although globalisation may, in some senses, have brought national economies closer together, societies around the world still have radically different expectations, processes and standards. These are not a function of economic change, but are more deeprooted and difficult to alter. They can be a major problem for businesses expanding abroad, which the greatest obstacle of all being the language barrier. If you have to deal with clients, suppliers and distributors in a range of countries, you will not only need the skills to communicate with them, you will also need to reconcile any national biases you have with the diverse ways of doing business that exist around the globe. The value of effective communication is not to be underestimated. New technology such as videoconferencing and email has played a part in making the communication process easier and it may also be possible that the introduction of language interpretation software will help with some global communications problems. But, of course, it is the human element of the communication process that is so vital in business, especially in negotiations, presentations and team-building. It is essential for managers to meet regularly with staff, customers and partners, so that issues can be discussed, messages communicated and feedback obtained. The value of well-organised language training is immense, and can bring benefits to all levels and departments within a multinational organisation. Unfortunately, however, many organisations have a very narrow view when it comes to training of any kind. Often, an urgent requirement has to be identified before training is authorised. Then, a training company is employed or a programme is developed in-house, the team is trained, and that is seen as the end of the matter. However, the fact remains that training programmes are effective only if they are relevant to a company's broader, long-term needs. They should be regarded as an investment rather than a cost. Changes in expectations and attitudes are certain to continue for companies that trade globally. Although such companies are not yet faced with their international partners and clients demanding that business be conducted in their mother tongue, they realise that overseas competition is increasing fast. If these companies want to continue to achieve success on the international trading circuit, they must be prepared to adapt to situations and speak the local language. If not, someone else will.21. According to the first paragraph, improved communications have enabled companies to ______.
单选题 When you set up your own business
单选题1.
单选题 Parents always want to understand why kids steal
单选题. Veterinarians from the University of Melbourne are investigating whether kangaroos that appear to be "drunken" and "staggering" in central Victoria have suffered neurological damage because of a common pasture crop. Wildlife rescuers have reported a spike in the number of eastern grey kangaroos that appear to have Phalaris "staggers", a condition commonly seen in ruminants such as sheep and cattle that have been grazing on the new shoots of Phalaris grasses, particularly Phalaris aquatica. "A kangaroo with full blown toxicity is just horrible," Manfred Zabinskas from Five Freedoms Animal Rescue told Guardian Australia. "Their head flies around like they have got a broken neck; they summersault: they crash into fences and trees.., they look like they are drunk." Phalaris, also known as canary grass, is a tall perennial grass with large seed heads that was introduced to southeastern Australia as a pasture crop and has historically been popular among farmers because it is drought tolerant, able to cope with salinity, and has an extensive root system that can be used to stabilise gullies and water courses. But some farmers have moved away from the species because it causes Phalaris toxicity, or staggers, a condition that can cause abrupt heart failure or a slower neurological decline in ruminants, particularly sheep. In domestic animals, the condition can be managed by introducing copper into their diet and moving them away from Phalaris on to a different food source. But in wild animals such as kangaroos, the condition is believed to be irreversible. "The kindest thing to do is to euthanise them," Zabinskas said. There is very little research into Phalaris toxicity in kangaroos. A study published in the Australian Veterinary Journal in 2014 examined the brain and spinal column of seven kangaroos that had died after showing symptoms of the condition and found evidence of a "greenish discolouration" of the grey matter, consistent with signs of Phalaris toxicity in ruminants. Zabinskas said there had been a marked increase in the number of kangaroos with apparent Phalaris toxicity this year, possibly because of a greater than usual abundance of the crop. Phalaris is found along roadways, in paddocks, in public reserves, and on the fringe of Melbourne around Craigieburn and Epping. "You see some areas that are hectare after hectare of 100% Phalaris growth," Zabinskas said. Karen Macartney, from the Wildlife Rescue and Information Network, said she was called to euthanise a kangaroo on Thursday, which had been attacked by a dog because it was unable to run away. "They get to the stage where they are just helpless and they are open to any dog or fox or carnivore that comes along and has a bite," she said. Wildlife carers are trying to raise the profile of the issue with the department of environment, land, water and planning in Victoria and have asked anyone who sees a kangaroo exhibiting signs of Phalaris toxicity to report it to the department first, before calling a volunteer wildlife agency.6. A kangaroo intoxicated by Phalaris may NOT ______.
单选题5.
问答题Directions: In this part of the test
问答题.Tax universities? The unthinkable is now a live possibility. Congressional plans to tax the endowments of wealthy private schools and the tuition benefits of graduate students have elicited outrage from universities. Missing in this outcry is a recognition of the long history of reciprocity between academia and government that has incalculably benefited society. The nation's founders nourished great aspirations for higher learning. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were so desperate to do this th
问答题1. Have you ever wondered what it would be like if machines could think? A few decades ago, such an idea may have belonged to the realms of science fiction, but nowadays it's not so far-fetched. As something of a tech junkie myself, I follow the latest advancements in artificial intelligence with great interest. AlphaGo is what is known as a "weak AI", operating within a predefined range with no self-awareness. Humans have yet to develop anything close to full artificial intelligence. Some scie
问答题.Directions: In this part of the test, you will hear 2 passages in English. You will hear the passages only once. After you have heard each passage, translate it into Chinese and write your version in the corresponding space on your Answer Sheet. You may take notes while you are listening.
问答题1. 尽管世界经济仍然面临风险和不确定性，但全球贸易和投资回暖，金融市场预期向好
问答题1. We travel more eagerly than ever, but fewer of us end up seeing things with our own eyes. Take yourself to any place of beauty, or any event that draws a crowd. Look around and you'll see a solemn-faced, dull eyed crowd with one arm collectively raised in religious devotion. Each hand clutches a phone and each phone functions as camera. People are focused intently upon their phone screens: even when only meters away, they fail to see with their own eyes. We do sometimes benefit from the film
问答题1. 在西方，家长告诉孩子“做事要用脑”、“别走神”；而中国人自古就“心之官则思”，到现在还说“心想事成”
问答题Directions: In this part of the test
问答题Directions: In this part of the test
问答题.A proactive and dynamic response to digital identity security is critical. Latest figures from fraud prevention organisation Cifas show there has been a sharp rise in identity fraudsters applying for loans, online retail, telecoms and insurance products. Simon Dukes, CEO of Cifas, says: "We have seen identity fraud attempts increase year-on-year, now reaching epidemic levels, with identities being stolen at a rate of almost 500 a day." Proving your identity has always been essential, but none m
问答题1. News report: China has made new advancements in autonomous cars and subway trains. Baidu obtained a license to test its autonomous cars on open roads in Beijing, and a new metro line with self-driving trains is expected to begin test runs at the end of March in Shanghai. Fully autonomous driving technologies might be unlikely to arrive in the near future, but partially self-driving capabilities are expected to be applied soon in sectors using commercial vehicles. A US management consulting firm anticipates a more aggressive realization of autonomous driving around the world in the coming decade, with about 12 million self-driving vehicles in use, mainly scattered across China, Europe and the US. Topic: Are We Ready for Self-driving Cars? Questions for references: 1. Do you think that autonomous vehicles or self-piloting cars are safe enough on public roads? Why or why not? 2. What is the significance of autonomous driving technologies? How do they contribute to the realization of the Chinese Dream? 3. It is noted that automated technologies will apply artificial intelligence to correct and rectify human errors. Can AI outperform human drivers in this respect?