Many English learners have difficulty deciding what kind of English accent they want to have. A US accent, perhaps modeled on the way a Hollywood star speaks? Or maybe you want to imitate the British accent of a BBC news reader? Young British people find the US accent attractive while young US people like a British accent. Especially when the person speaking is of the opposite sex ! Let's listen to what they have to say. Stephen Yang, 17, from London, UK A US accent is cute, especially when a girl speaks it. Whether it's Jessia Alba speaking or the girl- next-door, the way US girls speak has a sweet tingle that is really sassy . A girl from Texas recently moved into our neighborhood. _ . To me, accents reflect the attitudes, characteristics and lifestyles of the people. Jennifer Sun, 16, from New Jersey, US From watching English actors like Daniel Radcliffe, my friends and I have developed a soft spot for British men.Some are attracted to the qualities of English males, while others admire their sense of style. Everyone, however, agrees that the most appealing aspect of an English man is his accent. For example, many American girls watch Harry Potter movies over and over again just to listen to the actors speak. The English accent seems almost like art. In Stephen Yang's opinion, accents just show _ . A) the beauty of the language B) how the language is spoken C) the cultural differences of the speakers D) the meeting of the day
C
Our world is a noisy place, but quiet places remain. Eight years ago, audio engineer Gordon Hempton identified the quietest place in the continental United States. He calls the place "One Square Inch of Silence." He has used his symbolic spot in a northwestern rain forest to campaign against noise pollution. But the self-described "Sound Tracker" is now going deaf. For Gordon Hempton, it started with an experience known to many people. "I was lying in the bed in the springtime about a year ago. The sun was shining. The birds could be singing. They should be singing. But I was hearing none. I knew my life was going to be different." Hempton's eyes get watery as he describes his cruel situation. More than 20 years ago he trademarked his nickname as "The Sound Tracker." Sharp hearing defined his career as an Emmy award winning sound recordist. It also led to his activism against noise pollution. He has circled the globe three times in search of the perfect sounds of nature. Hempton says his hearing loss is quickly getting worse but he has to finish his project. "I am running a race to finish the Quiet Planet collection." That's the title of a planned 19-volume set of nature recordings. The sound tracks could be licensed for use in movies, video games, exhibits, plays and the like. Volunteer assistants now help Hempton review and edit sound files and identify imperfections. The exact cause of his hearing loss is not clear. Doctors say it may be the result of an infection, or a tumor or a combination of things. Hempton is self-employed. His health care plan does not pay for hearing loss treatment. So, for now, he's directing his attention to completing his "greatest hits" album. "After I get it finished, I have an economic cash flow to get my hearing back. That's the first thing on my to-do list." He's hopeful his hearing loss can be recovered. What may be the best title of the text? A) Searching for the sound of nature. B) Hoping to get the hearing back. C) Deaf fighter against noise pollution. D) Successful Sound-Tracker going deaf.
D
Q: When Sara and Nathan Jones were training to become foster parents , their son, Noah, learned a tough thing or two about foster care. For instance, nearly 600 local foster kids changed families every year, and they carried their belongings from one home to the next in black garbage bags. Noah, then ten, couldn't imagine squeezing his clothes, favorite toy, and soccer ball into a trash bag and dragging it to a new house in the middle of the night. "Packing kids' belongings into garbage bags is like telling them that their stuff has no more worth than trash," says Noah. So with help from his parents and younger sisters, Macy, then nine, and Molly, then seven, Noah began to collect suitcases and duffel bags from friends and extended family; he received more than 100 bags in less than two weeks. He then sent letters to churches and put ads in local newspapers and on radio stations asking for donations. Within a few months, the family was collecting about 500 bags a week, which they stored briefly in their spare bathroom and downstairs hallway before giving them to foster care caseworkers at the Department for Community Based Services. In addition to suitcases, Noah now provides foster kids with backpacks containing shampoo, soap, a journal, and a toy--all donated. "My hope is that by giving the children things that are just theirs, they will feel a little control in the midst of the chaos," says Noah. Noah's group, A Case for Dignity, collects and distributes hundreds of bags a year. He recently convinced foster care managers from 15 Kentucky counties to pledge to use his bags instead of trash bags. "I've been so inspired by him," says his mom. "If a ten-year-old can see a problem and create a solution, how much more can we do as adults?" Noah's solution to the problem resulted from _ . A) the suffering from foster parents B) the belongings he owns C) packing kids' belongings into garbage bags D) donating belongings to children
A: C
*Question*
A recent survey made by BUPA, an international healthcare provider, shows that 54 percent of Chinese people aged between 45 and 54 consider themselves old, while 28 percent say that the thought of getting old upsets them. 25 percent are afraid of getting old, and a third worry about life in old age. BUPA made the survey among 12,262 people from 12 countries over 2 months, starting in June 2010. The survey shows that 72 percent of international participants aged over 65 don't feel old and that 67 percent still feel healthy. On the other hand, 65 percent of Chinese feel old even before reaching 60. About one third of those surveyed in China said they have enough savings , and 46 percent are insured . Around 60 percent of the Chinese participants hope they will be taken care of by family members. According to the survey, the French hold the most positive attitude towards getting old, with 32 percent of them considering age 80 and up old. 17 percent of Brazilians look forward to old age, compared with 3 percent globally. Indians are not bothered by old age, as 70 percent said that they don't feel that they will be affected by old age and 71 percent say they have already made preparations for this stage of life. The illnesses that most people around the world are worried about are cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Who are the youngest at heart according to the survey? A) The Indians. B) The Brazilians C) The French D) The Chinese
**Answer**
C