阅读理解

Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) is a peer-facilitated learning programme available to students enrolled in most core units of study in our business school.

PASS involves weekly sessions where you work in groups to tackle specially prepared problem sets based around a unit of study you're enrolled in.

PASS doesn't re-teach or deliver new content. It's an opportunity to deepen your understanding of the key points from lecture materials while you are applying your skills to solve problems.

You work interactively with your peers. As a peer group, you decide what is covered in each session. That way, PASS directly responds to your needs and feedback.

Registration in Term 2 will open at 9 am, 21 September 2022.

Waiting lists

If a session is full, you can register for the waiting list. We will email you if a place becomes available or if a new session is to be held.

When you are placed on a waiting list, we will email you a number which tells you where you are on the list. If you are close to the front of the list, you have a good chance of gaining a place in the programme in the near future.

Deregistering

If you miss two PASS sessions in a row, you will be deregistered and your place will be given to someone on the waiting list. Make sure you fill in the attendance sheet at each session to record your attendance.

You'll be informed by email if you are being deregistered as a result of missing sessions. If you believe you have received the email in error, email the PASS office at passoffice@umbs.edu.

1. （1） In PASS, students ____.

   A . attend new lectures B . prepare problem sets in groups C . decide their own schedules D . use their skills to solve problems
3. （2） What can students do if a session is full?

   A . Report their needs and feedback. B . Fill in the attendance sheet. C . Sign up for the waiting list. D . Email the office their numbers on the list.
5. （3） Students will be deregistered if ____.

   A . they fail to work interactively B . they send emails in error C . they give their places to others D . they miss two sessions in a row

阅读理解

Sitting in the garden for my friend's birthday. I felt a buzz in my pocket. My heart raced when I saw the email sender's name. The email started off: "Dear Mr Green, thank you for your interest" and "the review process took longer than expected." It ended with "We are sorry to inform you …" and my vision blurred. The position—measuring soil quality in the Sahara Desert as part of an undergraduate research programme—had felt like the answer I had spent years looking for.

I had put so much time and emotional energy into applying, and I thought the rejection meant the end of the road for my science career.

So I was shocked when, not long after the email, Professor Mary Devon, who was running the programme, invited me to observe the work being done in her lab. I jumped at the chance, and a few weeks later I was equally shocked—and overjoyed—when she invited me to talk with her about potential projects I could pursue in her lab. What she proposed didn't seem as exciting as the original project I had applied to, but I was going to give it my all.

I found myself working with a robotics professor on techniques for collecting data from the desert remotely. That project, which I could complete from my sofa instead of in the burning heat of the desert, not only survived the lockdown but worked where traditional methods didn't. In the end, I had a new scientific interest to pursue.

When I applied to graduate school, I found three programmes promising to allow me to follow my desired research direction. And I applied with the same anxious excitement as before. When I was rejected from one that had seemed like a perfect fit, it was undoubtedly difficult. But this time I had the perspective to keep it from sending me into panic. It helped that in the end I was accepted into one of the other programmes I was also excited about.

Rather than setting plans in stone, I've learned that sometimes I need to take the opportunities that are offered, even if they don't sound perfect at the time, and make the most of them.

1. （1） How did the author feel upon seeing the email sender's name?

   A . Anxious. B . Angry. C . Surprised. D . Settled.
3. （2） After talking with Professor Devon, the author decided to ____. 

   A . criticise the review process B . stay longer in the Sahara Desert C . apply to the original project again D . put his heart and soul into the lab work
5. （3） According to the author, the project with the robotics professor was ____.

   A . demanding B . inspiring C . misleading D . amusing
7. （4） What can we learn from this passage? 

   A . An invitation is a reputation. B . An innovation is a resolution. C . A rejection can be a redirection. D . A reflection can be a restriction.

阅读理解

Gone are the days when humans covered themselves with blankets to keep warm. It's now the time to put glaciers (冰川) under blankets to keep them cool because at the rate climate is changing, this seems like a good idea to keep them from melting (融化).

A ski resort (滑雪胜地) in the Swiss Alps, Switzerland uses blankets to protect the glacier from the warm climate. Gian Darms, who handles snow conditions at the ski resort told about this unique procedure and said, "We lay the fleece (羊毛) over the glacier like a natural protective shield." The blankets are being used to cover the top of the 10,623-foot Mount Titlis whose glacier has already melted in the last few decades and it is expected to disappear completely in the next 50 years due to global warming.

To diminish the effect of climate change, resort employees have taken it upon themselves to protect the glacier from the heat and for this process, they spend about five to six weeks every summer covering parts of the glacier with protective polyester fleece. This helps to reflect the sun's energy back into the atmosphere and prevent the glacier from melting, while also preserving the already fallen snow on the glacier in the previous winter season. After the season passes, the employees remove the coating and use the collected snow to fill in any gaps in the glacier's surface.

This practice has been going on for a while and the amount of the glaciers covered has increased to almost 100,000 square meters now. "We've been covering more and more glaciers in the last few years. Almost 30,000 square meters more this year alone. We will have to cover more glaciers in reaction to the climate change," said Darms.

The ski resort's actions show the intense effect of climate change on glaciers which have been melting at rapid rates in the past few years. Many different resorts have also started covering their glaciers because if there are no more glaciers, then there is no more business for these ski resorts.

1. （1） What does the Swiss ski resort use blankets for?

   A . Keeping the glacier from melting. B . Preventing workers from feeling cold. C . Protecting visitors from strong sunlight. D . Stopping visitors from destroying glaciers.
3. （2） What does the underlined word "diminish" in paragraph 3 probably mean?

   A . Measure. B . Reduce. C . Accept. D . Record.
5. （3） What do Gian Darms's words in paragraph 4 indicate?

   A . The amount of the glaciers drops rapidly. B . More ski resorts are gradually recovering. C . Climate change is becoming more serious. D . There is a better solution to global warming.
7. （4） From which is the text most probably taken? 

   A . A travel brochure. B . An advertisement. C . A news report. D . A geography textbook.

阅读理解

The scientists' job is to figure out how the world works, to "torture (拷问)" Nature to reveal her secrets, as the 17th century philosopher Francis Bacon described it. But who are these people in the lab coats (or sports jackets, or T-shirts and jeans) and how do they work? It turns out that there is a good deal of mystery surrounding the mystery-solvers.

"One of the greatest mysteries is the question of what it is about human beings—brains, education, culture etc.—that makes them capable of doing science at all," said Colin Allen, a cognitive scientist at Indiana University.

Two vital ingredients seem to be necessary to make a scientist: the curiosity to seek out mysteries and the creativity to solve them. "Scientists exhibit a heightened level of curiosity." reads a 2007 report on scientific creativity. "They go further and deeper into basic questions showing a passion for knowledge for its own sake. "Max Planck, one of the fathers of quantum physics, once said, the scientist "must have a vivid and intuitive imagination, for new ideas are not generated by deduction (推论), but by an artistically creative imagination."

But others disagree with this universal scientific mind. They believe that scientists have special abilities that set them apart. Discovering these abilities may be hard, Allen thinks, as many scientists will be reluctant to reveal them and would prefer to preserve the mystery of creativity, fearing that if it became an object of study it would lose its magic. 

But for Allen, this is all part of a bigger question of what lies behind anyone's behavior. "We are only just beginning to understand how the characteristics of organisms, including ourselves, aren't the fixed products of either genes or of environment/culture, but each of us is the product of a continual interactive process in which we help build the environments that in turn shape us," he said.

"As long as our best technology for seeing inside the brain requires subjects to lie nearly motionless while surrounded by a giant magnet, we're only going to make little progress on these questions," Allen said.

1. （1） Why does the author mention Max Planck in paragraph 3?

   A . To introduce a famous scientist. B . To stress the role of creativity in science. C . To compare different views on science. D . To illustrate what is curiosity in science.
3. （2） What do Allen's words in the last two paragraphs suggest?

   A . Human behavior is changeable and unpredictable. B . We are passively influenced by our genes and culture. C . Our interaction with the environment makes us who we are. D . Current technology has revealed a lot about human behavior.
5. （3） What is Allen's attitude to the current study on the human brain?

   A . Cautious. B . Indifferent. C . Approving. D . Pessimistic.
7. （4） What is a suitable title for the text? 

   A . Who Are The Mystery-solvers B . Scientists Are Not Born But Made C . Great Mystery: What Makes A Scientist D . Solving Mysteries: Inside A Scientist's Mind

阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

With gas prices rising and airport security lines snaking longer than ever, why not book your next domestic vacation on a train? Compared to other alternatives, it's comfortable and relaxing. Here is some advice on how to make a trip by rail as pleasant as possible. 

Plan ahead. Most long-distance trains, especially the sleeping car accommodations, sell out very quickly.  But no matter when you travel, it's a good idea to make your reservations at least 90 days in advance. 

Use a travel agent. Consider turning your travel plan over to a travel agent and letting him double-check all the details, make suggestions, and then handle the actual reservations. A good one can sometimes find you discounted tickets.   Then you won't have to walk through several cars on a moving train three times a day for your meals. 

Bring a blanket. When you're riding on trains, you won't be provided with a blanket for free, even if your trip is an overnight one.  In the summer in particular, the air conditioning can make them quite cold. 

Arrive early. Most trains operate just once a day and some run only three times a week, so missing yours can be a disaster.  Note: The times listed on the schedules are departure times, not arrival times. 

Have fun.  Train trips aren't for impatient types.  Read a book, knit, do a crossword puzzle, or simply watch the world unfold outside the window. To calculate your speed as you do, divide 3,600 (the number of seconds in an hour) by the number of seconds it takes you to travel one mile (the distance between two mileposts). If it takes the train 53 seconds to travel one mile, you're going 67.92 mph. 

A. Train trips aren't for impatient types. 

B. You'll have views from both sides of the train. 

C. The temperature on rail cars is often hard to control. 

D. That's particularly true during busy summer months. 

E. You might have to wait longer than 24 hours to catch the next one. 

F. Chances are the cost will be a lot less than the cost of one bedroom. 

G. He may also book you in a sleeping car that's right next to the diner. 

阅读下面短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

At Christmas time, I often reflect upon one particular evening in the early 1960s. Back then, we decided to go carolling (唱圣诞颂歌) to spread the Christmas spirit which might 1 someone else's life. So we quickly 2 members, for whom the only 3 requirement was warmth of spirit.

Soon we discovered that carolling brought various 4 . Sometimes we were greeted with open doors and open hearts, while other times, folks remained in the safety and coziness of their homes, watching 5  through their windows.

One stop on our journey particularly 6  our memory. That night, after a couple of songs, one door swung open. A gentleman, gray-haired, tenderly 7 we go upstairs to sing for his bedridden wife. He added 8 , "She loves music and used to be an opera singer."

We stepped briskly upward into the couple's 9 apartment. Books, records, and antique furniture whispered stories to us. I reminded myself not to stare 10 invading their privacy.

Sitting beside his wife, the gentleman gave us a 11 . Then our voices rose and lingered around their small home. Had our voices been given extra 12 and beauty for this occasion? Perhaps they had.

A smile flickered on the woman's 13 , yet beautiful face. She snuggled her head against her husband's shoulder and both of them heartily enjoyed our performance. Witnessing such a heartwarming scene, we felt it was a holy night, for we were in the 14 of love that was gentle and mild.

At that moment, we found, and maybe even 15 , the Christmas spirit.

阅读下面短文, 在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

During China's dynastic period, emperors planned the city of Beijing  arranged the residential areas according to social classes. The term "hutong", originally (original) meaning "water well" in Mongolian, appeared first during the Yuan Dynasty.

In the Ming Dynasty, the center was the Forbidden City, surrounded (surround) in concentric (同心的) circles by the Inner City and Outer City. Citizens of higher social classes were permitted (permit) to live closer to the center of the circles. The large siheyuan of these high-ranking officials and wealthy businessmen often   (feature) beautifully carved and painted roof beams and pillars (柱子). The hutongs they formed were orderly, lined by (space) homes and walled gardens. Farther from the center lived the commoners and laborers. Their siheyuan were far smaller in scale and  (simple) in design and decoration, and the hutongs were narrower.

Hutongs represent an important cultural element of the city of Beijing. Thanks to Beijing's long history  capital of China, almost every hutong has its stories, and some are even associated with historic  (event). In contrast to the court life and upper-class culture represented by the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, and the Temple of Heaven, the hutongs reflect  culture of grassroots Beijingers. 

第一节 应用文，为了了解学生周末用餐的情况，你的学校进行了一次相关的调查，下图是这次调查的结果。请你根据图表数据，以 "Convenience Food or Fresh Food on Weekends?" 为题写一篇投稿，内容包括：1. 学生周末用餐选择情况的描述；2. 简单的分析；3. 你的想法。

注意：1. 词数80左右；2. 短文题目已为你写好；3. 请在相应位置作答。

学生周末用餐调查结果

第二节 读后续写

阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Sam was a junior high school student. He lived in a community in Charlotte and usually had little exposure to country life. So much of what he knew about plants came from text-books. Sam was a kind-hearted person. He longed for a chance to explore nature and he wanted to do his part to beautify the world.

Finally, the opportunity came. On Arbor Day (植树节), his class organized a trip to a local village to plant trees. Sam was excited about it and couldn't wait to tell his mom the good news. So the next day, Sam and his mom went to buy some tools for planting trees, including a shovel (铲), a bucket, gloves and so on.

On the day of the event, Sam and his classmates arrived early at the starting point. It was a beautiful day and everyone looked particularly happy. With the tools in hand, Sam got into the bus with everyone else and headed off to their destination.

As soon as they reached the village, all the students were divided into three teams by their teacher. One team was responsible for planting the trees, one team for shoveling the soil and one team for watering the trees. At the teacher's command, everyone started to do their job.

However, it was the first time that many of the students had taken part in planting trees, so they had no idea about how to start. Of course, Sam was one of them. Fortunately, their teacher was a middle-aged man from the countryside who had some knowledge of planting trees. In order to set an example to the students, the teacher started to plant trees himself. After watching the teacher plant the trees, everyone also became busy. Before long, they planted hundreds of trees. Sam watched very carefully, not wanting to miss any of the details. Finally, Sam learned how to plant trees by himself and felt happy. 

注意：1. 续写词数应为 150 左右；2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

A few days later, a storm damaged some young trees in the community. 

Then neighbors praised Sam for what he had done.