When I was young, I had an old neighbor named Dr. Gibbs. He didn't look like any doctor I'd ever known. He never shouted at us for playing in his yard. I remembered him as a neighbor who was nicer than anyone else in the neighborhood. When Dr. Gibbs was happy, he was planting trees. And his life's goal was to make it a forest. Dr. Gibbs had some interesting theories about planting. He talked about trees that weren't watered would grow deep roots in search of water. So he never watered his trees. He planted anoak and, instead of watering it every morning, he beat it with the rolled-up newspaper. I asked him why he did that, and he said it was to get the tree's attention. Dr. Gibbs died a couple of years. Every now and again, I walk by his house and look at the trees that he planted twenty-five years ago. They're very strong now. I planted a couple of trees a few years later. I watered them regularly and took good care of them. Whenever a cold wind blows, they shake their leaves and branches. The funny thing about those trees of Dr. Gibbs was that difficulty seemed to help them in ways comfort and ease never could. What was Dr. Gibbs' life goal? A) To build a forest. B) To save more lives. C) To make a lot of money. D) To study plants.
A
Think of some of your favorite singers. When you listen, they can make you happy or sad, peaceful or angry. They can make you relax or want to get up and dance. Gifted singers have the power to affect us in many ways -- emotionally, physically and mentally. But becoming a great singer isn't as easy as listening to one. It takes practice, devotion and strong lungs! Just ask the well-known American opera star Carol Vaness. At the Metropolitan Opera in prefix = st1 /New York Citywhere she often sings, Carol's voice must be loud enough to be heard by four thousand people. It must reach every person in the theater, without a microphone, even when she's singing softly. The reason Carol can project her voice that far is the way she breathes. "When you breathe, it's like a swimmer taking a deep breath before going underwater," Carol explains. "You have to take a lot of air into your lungs." According to Carol, the main difference between pop singing and opera is "how you breathe, how much air you take in, and how you control it coming out. Regular singing is more like speaking, and it's a lot softer. When I sing for children, they're often surprised by how the vibrations strike their ears -- like waves on a beach, " Carol says. "In opera, the air doesn't just go out of your mouth -- it vibrates in your chest, the way a guitar vibrates when it's played. " Ever since she started piano lessons at the age of ten, Carol has loved music. As she got older, she decided to become a music teacher. When she went to college, she took singing lessons as part of her studies. Her voice teacher discovered that nineteen-year-old Carol had an exceptionally beautiful soprano voice - the highest singing voice for women. Carol decided to make opera her goal, not only because she loved to sing but also because she loved the drama. Opera is a play in which the characters sing the words instead of speaking them. The stories of opera can be tragic or comical. They can be personal stories about two people falling in love or grand stories... According to the passage, the Metropolitan Opera in New York City _ . A) is a five-story building B) can seat 4,000 people C) has no microphone in it D) can project the singer's voice
B
Q: Just three years since Lady Gaga had her first US number one single, the pop star has claimed the top spot in Forbes magazine's annual Celebrity 100 list. The popular star moved up four positions from last year and has knocked TV chat show host Oprah Winfrey of the top spot. But how has the singer become such a global phenomenon in such a short space of time ? Two experts in music, fashion and social networking give their opinions. George Ergatoudis ----Head of Music Radio1 " The key thing is Lady Gaga realized by using all the current social networking sites, and connecting that with her fashion, she has become an all-round star. Every time she goes out the door she looks different. She's getting photographed, she's aware of that and she's using it by updating her look literally on a daily basis. Another key thing wat that quite early on, her record label was showing how gifted she is as a musician. The music she makes, the songs she writes and the production she has are all brilliant contemporary pop music. She literally is turning into a global superstar." Calum Brannan ---Co-Founder of social Networking support company crowd Control HQ "Social media is a reflection of what we love, so people are becoming very good at sharing exactly what they love and the brands and musicians they love. The fact she has 10 million Twitter followers and 30million Facebook fans is a massive reflection on Lady Gaga and the influence she has. Once out there, Twitter and Facebook help keep that person's profile alive. Her fans are always talking about her and sharing everything she does even when she's not on stage or in concert. I think even if she wasn't on Facebook and Twitter, her fans and followers would put her there anyway. But the most important thing is,she is on there and she's using them." What can be inferred from the text? A) Lady Gaga has had only one US number one single. B) Lady Gaga keeps a close contact with her fans. C) Lady Gaga's influence is limited to America. D) Lady Gaga ranked 10th in last year's Forbes Celebrity 100 list.
A: B
Among the four skills in learning English ,which of these is the "Odd-Man-Out"?The answer is speaking. The other three you can do alone on your own. But you can't really speak alone! Speaking to yourself can be "dangerous" because men in white coats may come and take you away! Where can you find people to speak English? And how can you practise speaking when you are alone?At school if you pay to go to a language school ,you should use the chance to speak .If your teacher asks you to speak in pairs or groups with other students ,try to say as much as possible. Don't worry about your mistakes. Just speak! Conversation Clubs Many cities around the world have conversation clubs where people can exchange one language for another .Look in your local newspaper to find a conversation club near you .They are usually free although some may charge a small entrance fee. Shopping Even if you don't want to buy anything ,you can ask questions about products that interest you in a shop."How much does this cost?" "Can I pay by cheque?" Often you can start a real conversation--and it costs you nothing! Cafe and Bars There are often American, Britain, Irish and Australian bars in many large cities .If you can find one, you'll probably meet many people speaking English as a first or second language. Language is all around you Everywhere you go, you find language .Shop names, street names ,advertisements ,notices ,and car numbers....When you walk down the street ,practise reading the words and numbers that you see .Say them to yourself .It's not exactly a conversation ,but it will help you to "think" in English .But don't speak too loud! Songs and Video Repeat the words of an English-language song singing with the music until it becomes automatic. It's good practice for your memory and for the mouth muscles that you need for English. Above all ,speak as much as possible! Make as many mistakes as possible! When you know that you have made a mistake, you know that you have made progress! What might happen if you speak to yourself loudly in public? A) The police will take you away and punish you. B) The doctors will force you to stay in hospital. C) You will have to pay to escape being punished. D) You will be forbidden to be member of the club.
B