Just after putting away the dishes, ________.

A. the door bell was rung           B. Mother heard the doorbell ring

C. someone knocked at the door      D. the doorbell rang loud

阅读下面短文，根据其内容写一篇60词左右的内容概要。

    Australians eat whole world's food

    I can't decide what I want to eat for dinner tonight.

    Do I feel like Italian food or Thai food? Indian or Chinese? American or Turkish? I don't need to travel around the world; all these choices are available in a typical inner city in Australia.

    Australian food has many different cultural influences. Over the past century, people from many countries have come to Australia. These migrants (移民) have contributed to the melting pot that is Australian food.

    "Whether you're after modern, traditional or exotic flavors, Australia's various dining scene offers a wide range of the world's great cuisines (菜肴)," the Visit Victoria website noted.

    Some Australian families may limit their diet to the basic "meat and three veg." meal: one sort of meat(chicken, beef, lamb, and so on), along with three different types of vegetables (usually potatoes, peas and carrots).But most people enjoy the variety.

    If I were to pick four meals that every Australian eats, they would be Italian spaghetti bolognaise (意式肉酱面), Chinese fried rice, British fish and chips and Thai green chicken curry.

    Chinese students in Australia find it easy to get a Chinese meal. Cities like Sydney have large Chinatowns, but many towns in the country also have a Chinese takeaway restaurant.

    Popular Australian -- Chinese dishes may not always seem the same as the original – Honey Chicken, for example – but you can still find dumplings and noodles.

    Even so, Australia has its own, very Australian savory (可口的) dish: meat pie. It's a real classic! The dish is on the menu at every house party and sporting place, and is eaten every morning after a big night.

    And who could forget desserts? We Australians often fight with New Zealanders over who has the rightful claim to the Pavlova (奶油蛋白甜饼) and Lamington (巧克力椰丝方形蛋糕) desserts, both equally delicious and sweet.

Most of us spend our lives seeking the natural world. We go fishing, sit in the garden, have a picnic, live in the suburbs or go to the seaside. The most popular leisure activity in Britain is going for a walk. When joggers jog, they don’t run the streets. Every one of them tend to go to the park or the river.

But despite this, our children are growing up nature deprived（剥夺）. I spent my boyhood climbing trees. These days, children are robbed of these ancient freedoms, due to problems like crime, traffic, the loss of the open spaces and strange new ideas about what is best for children, that is to say, things that can be bought, rather than things that can be found.

The truth is to be found elsewhere. A study in the US: families had moved to better housing and the children were assessed for ADHD—attention deficit hyperactivity disorder（多动症）. Those whose accommodation had more natural views showed an improvement of 19%; those who had the same improvement in material surroundings but no nice view improved just 4%.

ADHD is one of the great problems of modern childhood. One study after another indicates that contact with nature gives huge benefits to ADHD children. However, we spend money on drugs rather than on green places.

The life of old people is measurably better when they have access to nature. The increasing concern for the growing population of old people is in quality rather than quantity of years. And study after study finds that a garden is the single most important thing in finding that quality. Even problems with crime and aggressive behavior are reduced when there is contact with the natural world.

We need the wild world. It is essential to our well-being, our health and our happiness.

60. According to the author, people enjoy __________ to seek nature.

A. sitting in the garden          B. jogging on the street 

C. shopping in the supermarket     D. running in the gym

61. From the second paragraph, we can see that __________.

A. children tend to be happier as a result of their material satisfaction

B. adults deprive the children of their rights to approach nature

C. climbing trees will certainly do good to the children

D. children probably spend less time in nature nowadays

62. In what way do people benefit from their contact with nature?

A. Children with ADHD can be cured.

B. Children’s performance at school is greatly improved.

C. A garden nearby improves the quality of old people’s life.

D. Problems with crime and violent behavior will easily be solved.

63. What is the main idea of this passage?

A. Access to nature improves our life.           B. Nature treats children with ADHD.

C. Getting close to nature reduces crime.  D. Man can’t live without natural areas.

   Going shopping seems easy, but actually it takes a lot of learning, especially in America. In fact, many Americans who are not so well-off often shop at “sales” or at special stores that sell things at low prices, which you may find interesting. In America, the important rule of dressing is that one should change his or her clothes every day. For example, in an American college, neither professors nor students are seen in the same clothes two days in a row. So you may find it necessary to buy more clothes than you have in China. While you are shopping in the States, you will discover that prices range considerably from time to time. The purchase of used, second-hand clothing, furniture, or other household articles may be an excellent way of saving money. Most second-hand clothes are of pretty good quality. If you are going to settle down in the States and want some furniture, you may go to a “loan closet”, where furniture rents at low cost, or you may also go to a “furniture exchange” place in the community.

   Sheets, blankets, and other bedclothes go on sale in most communities twice a year. Advertisements for “white sales” on bed linen, towels, etc., often appear in January, as well as in May, June or July. Once or twice every season, there will be “garage sales”, where you can get almost anything, from a yacht to a pair of shoes, at low prices. Prices at “discount stores” and “thrift shops” are also as low as you can imagine.

   When shopping for food, you should look for special prices for various items that are put on sale weekly. To economize, it would be a good idea for you to plan the weekly menu according to what is on sale, including in it the meats, vegetables, fruits, etc. that can be bought at special prices that week.

   Exchange and return policies vary from store to store. You should also keep in mind that exchange and return policies for sales items can be different from standard store policies, especially if the price of the items has been reduced. Ask the merchant about their exchange and return policies before making your purchase. Obtaining an exchange or a return without a store receipt is often difficult. So, to save yourself the headache, you’d better hold on to any paper or other proof of purchase.

66. People shopping in America will discover ________.

A. American goods are excellent       B. most clothes come from China

C. prices vary much sometimes        D. used clothes are of poor quality

67. A person who needs furniture can ________.

A. exchange their goods for furniture    B. settle in a place that has furniture

C. get some free of charge             D. rent some at low cost

68. At a “white sale”, one can buy ________.

A. almost anything        B. meats, vegetables, fruits

C. bed linen, towels       D. shoes at low prices

69. Garage sales are held ________.

A. once or twice every three months        B. once or twice every year

C. from time to time                    D. in January, May, June or July

70. What does “any paper or other proof” in the last paragraph refer to?

   A. The exchange and return policy.       B. A store receipt.

   C. A sales item.                      D. The standard store policy.

School Groups: $10.00 per person

One free teacher admission per 10 students.

Group rates apply to groups 15 or more.

Click HERE to make a reservation online today!

The Miami Planetarium(天文馆) opened its doors to the public on November 4, 1966 and has entertained and educated children of all ages about astronomy and the wonders of the night sky ever since. The planetarium houses a 65-foot diameter doomed projection screen with 231 seats.

At the heart of the Planetarium is a SPITZ “Space Transit Planetarium” star projector(放映机), which is capable of accurately reproducing the stars and planets as seen from anywhere on Earth at any time during the year. Shows daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Unlike any other in South Florida, the Planetarium is a unique setting for bringing the stars and planets indoors in animated live star shows and music filled laser light shows.

The Weintraub Observatory（天文台） houses two powerful telescopes. Observatory hours are from 8:00p.m. to 10:00p.m. Look through the telescope to view the planets, the four moons of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn and deep sky objects such as galaxies, nebulas and double stars.

         Deposit: A $ 75 deposit must be received 10 days ahead of the visit date to guarantee your visit.

         Cancellation Policy：The museum requires 48 hours advance notice prior to any cancellation or other changes to a reservation. Without prior notification the original total will be expected upon arrival.

         Payment Policy: The balance of the admission fee is due upon arrival at the museum on your visit day.

         Upon arrival: The leading teacher should check in at the box office with payment for the correct head count of students and teachers. Visitors should remain on the bus until a museum interpreter show you around the museum.

         Museum Etiquette: We ask that all groups remain together and orderly. Teachers are asked to help maintain order with their groups. We reserve the right to refuse service to any group or individual not obeying the museum policies.

         Bus procedures: The museum will provide parking for buses in our parking lot. Upon arrival, bus drivers will be directed by the museum staff to the appropriate places to park. It is recommended that buses remain on the spots throughout the group’s entire museum visit.

For more information & reservations call: (305)646-4222.

64. In the Miami Planetarium, group visitors can           .

A. enjoy the beauty of the night sky on December 25

B. watch animated live star shows most days in a year

C. walk around the museum alone rather than in a group

B. look through the telescope to view the Mars at 11 p.m  

65. If twenty students are to visit the Miami Planetarium together with five teachers, they will have to pay ________.

A. $230                   B. $250                 C. $150                        D. $200

66. To make sure that you can visit the Miami Planetarium on time, you must           .

A. pay the total admission fees in advance               

B. pay some of the admission fees in advance

C. rent the bus owned by the planetarium        

D. book the visit five days before the visit date

67. We can infer from the passage that           .

A. the Miami Planetarium has a history of over 60 years  

B. the Miami Planetarium is very popular among moviegoers

C. the Weintraub Observatory is located in South Miami

D. the Observatory is not open to visitors in the daytime

From 2008 to 2013, American households lost $l1 trillion in real estate, savings, and stocks. More than half of all U. S. workers either lost their jobs or were forced to take cuts in hours or pay during the recession. The worst may be behind them now, but the shocking losses of the past few years have reshaped nearly every facet of their lives—how they live, work, and spend—even the way they think about the future.

For Cindy, the recession began when her husband was relocated to Rhinelander, Wisconsin, by his company, forcing the family to move in a hurry. The couple bought a new house but were unable to sell their two-bedroom home in Big Lake, Minnesota. With two mortgages(抵押借款) and two young children to care for,  Cindy couldn't imagine how to stretch her husband's paycheck to keep her family fed.

Then she stumbled upon an online community called Blotanical, a forum for gardeners, many with an interest in sustainability. “The more I read and discussed these practices, the more I realized this would help not only our budget but also our health,” she says.

Cindy admits that before the recession, she was a city girl with no interest in growing her own dinner. “I grew flowers mostly—I didn’t think about plants that weren’t visually interesting.” But to stretch her budget, she began putting in vegetables and fruit—everything from strawberry beds to apple trees—and as her first seedlings grew, her spirits lifted. She no longer thinks of gardening and making her own jams as just a money saver; they’re a genuine pleasure. “It’s brought us closer together as a family, too,” she says. Her kids voluntarily pitch in with(主动帮助) the garden work, and the family cooks together instead of eating out. The food tastes better —it's fresher and organic —and the garden handily fulfills its original purpose: cost cutting. Now she spends about $200 to $300 a month on groceries, less than half of the $650 a month that she used to lay out.

After discovering how resourceful she can be in tough times, Cindy is no longer easily discouraged. “It makes me feel proud to be able to say I made it myself,” she says. “I feel accomplished, and I'm more confident about attempting things I've never done before. Now she avoids convenience stores and has begun learning to knit, quilt, and make her own soap. “I don't think I would have ever begun this journey if it weren’t for the recession,” she says. “I have a feeling that from now on, it will affect my family’s health and happiness for the better.”

21. We learn from the first paragraph that the recession______.

A. had great impact on Americans’ work and life.

B. affected Americans in certain occupations.

 C. had only brought huge losses in savings and stocks.

D. is over with some of the losses recovered.

22. What made the family's financial situation even worse was that they_______.

A. moved to Rhinelander in a hurry.          B. had two children to raise.

C. didn't know anyone in Rhinelander.             D. couldn't sell their home in Big Lake.

23. In addition, Cindy views gardening as a genuine pleasure because gardening _______.

A. helped her cut living costs almost by half.

B. enabled her to make her own jams.

C. built up family ties and kids’ enthusiasm.

D. enabled her to know more about plants.

24. What does Cindy think of the difficult times she has gone through?

A. It gave the couple and their kids a tough lesson.

B. It gave her confidence and optimism.

C. It would come again and affect the family.

D. It left a lasting psychological impact on the family.

某英文报社正在举办 “An Unforgettable Experience” 征文比赛。假设你是李华，你班参加全校班歌比赛获得一等奖。请根据所给提示写一篇120词左右的英语短文，向报社投稿。

写作内容应包括：    1. 准备工作如: 选歌; 展现形式; 服装

                    2. 简述成功原因及个人感受

注意：  1.短文开头语已给出，不计入总词数。

        2.短文中不要出现你的真实信息。

An Unforgettable Experience

I will never forget the day when our class won the first prize in the Class Theme Song Competition. ___________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

       Tea house, a special place for the Chinese to have tea, is very popular in the Yangtze River area. It is mostly called tea house in provinces like Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan,   61   it is called tea pavilion in Beijing and Tianjin of North China. Although these names vary, the forms and contents are basically   62   same.

       To the Chinese people, tea house, similar to the cafes in western countries, are social places where various kinds of social information   63  (gather) and spread and where customers taste tea and talk about birds, news and   64  (day) things. In order to attract customers, stages   65  (be) built in some tea houses to play cross talk(相声), storytelling and Beijing opera, making these tea houses amusement places. The drama Tea House,   66  (write) by the famous Chinese writer Lao She, revealed   67  (vivid) the unstable society of the last phase of the Qing Dynasty through describing various kinds of people’s words and behaviors in a tea house.

       The rise of tea house is closely related with Chinese tea culture. After several thousand   68  (year) of development, the tea house has become a part of life for the Chinese people. Now, people   69   come to Beijing will be attracted to those famous tea houses   70  (experience) Chinese tea culture.

Lighter and cheaper than high-quality video cameras, today’s best smartphones can shoot and edit high-definition (HD) videos. With lower-quality lenses(透镜) and image sensors, smartphones probably won’t replace professional video cameras anytime soon. Still, some creative filmmakers are extending the borders of smartphone moviemaking by shooting professional-quality films using only smartphones.

Soon after Apple’s iPhone 4 was released, two filmmakers decided to make a short film using only their iPhone 4s. Michael Koerbel and Anna Elizabeth James shot and edited the one-and-a-half-minute film Apple of My Eye in only 48 hours. Audiences were fascinated with the film, in which a man and his grandfather connect emotionally while admiring a model train set in a store window. The filmmakers followed up their success with Goldilocks, an extraordinary spy novel told over nine, three-minute films.

Many filmmakers are convinced that smartphone films are here to stay. One sign is their inclusion in major film festivals. In February 2012, organizers of the Berkshire International Film Festival staged the 10 X 10 On North Festival. Entries included Oliver by Hooman Khalili, an award-winning film about a girl whose special powers enable her to brighten the lives of three lonely people. Another entry was Yearlapse’11, a 365-second film by Zsolt Haraszti that describes an actual journey he made from New York to London.

During the festival, which ran from February 16 to 26, these and many other smartphone films were shown at the Beacon Cinema in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Similar festivals in Canada and South Korea have given smartphone filmmakers opportunities to show off their creative work.

56. What does the article imply about smartphone filmmakers?

   A. Their efforts have gotten little attention.     B. Their biggest challenge is finding actors.

   C. They’ve influenced famous movie studios   D. They must overcome equipment limitations.

57. What does the article point out about Haraszti’s film?

   A. It uses slow-motion effects.         B. It took just minutes to make.

   C. Its cast was quite large.             D. It’s based on true events.

58. Which film is about secret agents?

   A. Apple of My Eye.                 B. Goldilocks.

   C. Olive.                           D. Yearlapse ’11.

59. According to this article, what is true about the festivals in Canada and South Korea?

   A. They’re held at the same time of year.      B. They’re part of an emerging trend.

   C. They both receive government support.     D. They’re still in the planning stages.

 Was it on a lonely island ______ he was saved one month after the boat went down?

  A. where              B. that                      C. which                  D. what

Persuasion is the art of convincing someone to agree with you. According to the ancient Greeks, there are three basic tools of persuasion : ethos, pathos, and logos.

Ethos is a speaker’s way of convincing the audience that she is trustworthy, honest and reliable. One common way a speaker can develop ethos is by explaining how much experience or education she has in the field. After all, you’re more likely to listen to advise about how to take care of your teeth from a dentist than a fireman. A speaker can also create ethos by convincing the audience that she is a good person. If an audience cannot trust you, you will not be able to persuade them.

Pathos is a speaker’s way of connecting with an audience’s emotions. For example, a politician who is trying to convince an audience to vote for him might say that he alone can save the country from a terrible war. These words are intended to fill the audience with fear, thus making them support him. Similarly, an animal charity might show an audience pictures of injured dogs and cats, to make the viewers feel pity. If the audience feels bad for the animals, they will be more likely to donate money.

Logos is the use of facts, statistics, or other evidence to support your argument. An audience will be more likely to believe you if you have convincing data to back up your claims. Presenting this evidence is much more persuasive than simply saying “believe me”.

Although ethos, pathos, and logos all have their strengths, they are often most effective when used together. Indeed, most speakers use a combination of ethos, pathos, and logos to persuade their audiences. So, the next time you listen to a speech, watch a commercial, or listen to a friend try to convince you to lend him some money, be on the lookout for these ancient Greek tools of persuasion.

12. Why does the author say persuasion is an art?

A. They both entertain the audience.

B. They both require great skill to achieve.

C. They both demand full attention from the audience.

D. They were both common topics of ancient Greek writers.

13. How is a speaker able to show her ethos to the audience?

A. By expressing her sympathy with the audience.

B. By telling the audience about her personal preference.

C. By using beautiful language to make her statements attractive.

D. By showing her knowledge and experience relating to the topic.

14. What can we learn about the three aspects of persuasion?

A. Ethos is the most important aspect of persuasion.

B. Each aspect has a different effect on the audience.

C. Honesty is the key to making your arguments believable.

D. Political leaders mostly use pathos to persuade their audience.

15. An advertisement for washing powder which claims that M scientific tests show that our powder kills 95% of all bacteria” is mainly using _________.

A. ethos    B. pathos    C. logos    D. a combination of all three

    A good teacher is more than just someone who can pass on knowledge. As the Times Education Supplement has found, the qualities that make a great educator are being intelligent, concerned and maverick（标新立异的）.

    Earlier this year, the UK magazine did a survey of 1,200 educators across the globe to find education's favorite 50 fictional teachers. As it turned out, Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter series, finished at the top of the poll.

The secret to Dumbledore's greatness came from the fact that he "was never proud or vain(自负的); he could find something to value in anyone, however unimportant they seemed." Elphias Doge, a Ministry of Magic jurist in Harry Potter, said of the professor after his death. He added that there was "no doubt that he was the most inspiring and the best loved of all Hogwarts headmasters."

    Another beloved teacher who made the list is John Keating in the film Dead Poets Society, who inspired students through poetry. "Medicine, law, business, engineering, these are necessary to sustain life," he told students. "But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for." He also encouraged his students to look at things differently when they thought they knew something. "Even though it may seem silly, or wrong, you must try," he advised.

    As Mark Goldberg, the author of Keep Good Teachers, said, the key characteristics of these great fictional teachers are qualities of "willingness to put in the necessary time, a love for the age group they teach, and an in-depth wisdom."

28. Which of the following is TRUE about Dumbledore?

A. He was proud, vain and maverick.

B. He could inspire his students to go on.

C. He was unimportant and unique.

D. He only loved the intelligent ones.

29. What did John Keating try to teach his students?

    A. Think twice before doing something silly.

    B. Poetry is necessary to sustain life.

    C. They should find value in themselves.

    D. They should have something spiritual to go after.

30. What are the key characteristics of these great fictional teachers, according to Mark Goldberg?

    A. Devoted and wise.                   B. Loving and humorous.

    C. Determined and strict.              D. Trustworthy and caring.

31. Which is the main idea of the passage?

    A. The secrets to Dumbledore's greatness.

    B. John Keating makes a beloved teacher.

C. The qualities of a great teacher.

D. The author of Keep Good Teachers.

 Like other astronauts, Liu Yang succeeded _________ her courage, determination, and perseverance.

  A. in regard to        B. in response to    C. by way of         D. by virtue of

At the Magazine we welcome your contributions! We love to publicize and promote new writers, authors, bloggers and businesses. And there are several sports available for writers.

Author Spot

This is a regular page devoted to new and experienced authors. Click here to see the questions first and you simply reply as you wish. To appear on Author Spot, your book must be already published. Please enclose a color photo of yourself plus a color photo of your book cover.

Top Tips

Are you an expert in your field? We welcome “Top Tips” on any subjects such as working from home, building up a business, writing, -- please contact us if you have an idea - and look at the top tips posts on this site to see how to craft your own. 

Press Releases

Do you have some news about your business, company or charity? We are always on the look out for great press releases to publish on our site. Simply submit your press release here or email it to alison@featureworld.co.uk .

Opinion pieces and Reviews

Got a subject you feel strongly about? Or would you like to review a book for us? We are happy to look at all other opinion pieces or reviews as long as they fit with the general ethos (思想信仰)of the site.

General Submission Guidelines

Due to the number of submissions received we cannot guarantee that your submission will be published. There might be a wait of a few weeks before your submission goes live.

We reserve the right to edit submissions – although as they are personal to the writer, we endeavor not to do this.

Any questions? Contact us here.

29. Which is a necessary requirement to contribute a book?

A. One photo of you and your book.                B. A book never published.

C. Answering some questions.                  D. An expert in your field. 

30. What does the underlined part “we endeavor not to do this” in the last sentence mean?

A. We try not to be personal.   

B. We try not to change your writing.

C. We try not to reserve the right.  

D. We try not to delay the publication.

31. Where does the passage come from?

A. A magazine         B. A textbook  

C. A  website         D. A newspaper

Liu Xiang's Olympic dreams were shattered（破灭）for       second time when he unfortunately crashed at           first barrier in the ll0m hurdles heats in London．

    A． the; the                 B．a; a                         C． a; the               D． the; a

 Overseas Chinese are particularly sought after for positions ______ a high degree or leadership is required.

   A. where          B. which         C. when       D. what