IT is safe to say that George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), the Irish-born writer, is more famous for being George Bernard Shaw than he is for his writings today. Few of Shaw’s more than 60 plays, novels and essays are performed or read anymore. And yet Shaw genuinely helped make our modern world. Although you’d be lucky to get a chance to see one of his dramas today, in his time he turned the theater into a vehicle for the discussion of social issues, not only in Britain but on the stage of the world. In a way Shaw was someone who created the modern culture of Britain.

Where the theater had been dominated by entertainment, Shaw used it to teach people the importance of paying attention to the issues of their day. The plight (苦難) of the poor and the working class, the situation of women and the institutions of society, such as the education system ---- Shaw was among the most well-known figures making these topics central to public debate. His first play, Widowers’ Houses (1892), deals with the question of slum (貧民窟) housing. His Mrs Warren’s Profession (1893) brought a controversial topic to the stage.

Shaw was an important mover and shaker in new political movements too. He was an early member of the Fabian Society, which argued for the socialist cause in the UK. Shaw was also the founder (in 1895) of one of the now most famous colleges in the world, the London School of Economics.

If few of his works have really stood the test of time, many of his quotations have become part of the furniture of the English language. “Youth is wasted on the young,” he wrote. He also knew how to sum up a political philosophy(哲學) in a few memorable words. For instance: “A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.”

1. Shaw’s influence on the modern world comes mainly from ______.

A. the changes he brought to the British culture

B. his philosophies on the role of government

C. his awareness of social problems of his day

D. the support for the London School of Economics

2. Widowers’ Houses is a play that mainly focuses on ______.

A. the failure of the UK education system

B. the housing problems of poor people

C. robbery incidents in slum areas

D. socialist movements in the UK

3. By describing Shaw’s quotations as “part of the furniture of the English language”, the author means that Shaw’s words ______.

A. have become the best part of English

B. have greatly developed the English language

C. have made the English language philosophical

D. have become an inseparable part of the English language

4. Which of the following about George Bernard Shaw’s works is TRUE?

A. They should be adapted for modern readers.

B. They are mostly about the lives of working class.

C. They deal with important social issues of their day.

D. Most of them are still performed on the stage of the world today.

BERLIN (Reuters)—Germany’s postal service has announced plans to explore improved service and help protect the environment by getting “fetch friends”—ordinary people traveling across cities—to deliver parcels on their way.

It is hoped that the move, which will be tested in the coming months, might lessen traffic in inner cities and reduce CO2 emissions(排放). This should help DHL, a division of the German postal service, reach its target of improving the company’s carbon efficiency by 30 percent before 2020.

“As the world’s biggest logistics(物流) provider, we recognize a special responsibility to reduce the impact on the environment as much as possible,” said Frank Appel, Chief Executive Officer of Deutsche Post DHL, in a statement referring to a variety of measures being considered.

The “fetch friends” find out online about parcels that need delivering to people who live or work along the way that they are planning to travel through the city. They then select the ones that they want to take.

Codes(編碼) sent to their mobile phones tell the volunteers where to pick the packages up. Parcels can be taken part of the way or passed on to another volunteer but all volunteers need to have the right code on their mobile phone so the track and trace system can be updated.

Logistics companies will be responsible for looking after the operation to make sure that the privacy of post is respected.

It’s hoped that this could be done using mobile phones but DHL says it recognizes that some security issues remain to be worked out.

1. According to the passage, the “fetch friend” program ________.

A. has been tested for months

B. aims to reduce the cost of the service

C. employs environmentalists to help with deliveries

D. encourages ordinary people to help cut the carbon footprint

2. Which of the following statements is TRUE of DHL?

A. It belongs to the Germany’s postal service.

B. It has the most up-to-date tracking system in Germany.

C. It has succeeded in improving its carbon efficiency by 30%.

D. It has designed many measures to improve its service speed.

3.What may be a problem with the new service according to the article?

A. Volunteers’ not allowing to select parcels.

B. The wrong codes in the mobile phones.

C. The possibility that parcels could be opened on the way.

D. Parcels’ being taken to the destination by a single volunteer.

4.What might be the best Title for the best passage?

A. New Challenges for the Postal Service

B. A Greener Way to Deliver Parcels

C. Solutions for Global Warming

D. Statements from DHL

Einstein's connection with the politics of the nuclear bomb is well known: He signed the letter to President Franklin Roosevelt that persuaded the United States to take the idea seriously, and he engaged in postwar efforts to prevent nuclear war. But these were not just the isolated actions of a scientist dragged into the world of politics. Einstein's life was, in fact, "divided between politics and equations(方程式)."

Sickened by what he saw as the waste of human lives during the First World War, he became involved in antiwar demonstrations. His support of civil disobedience did little to endear him to his colleagues. Then, following the war, he directed his efforts toward reconciliation(調(diào)停) and improving international relations. And soon his politics were making it difficult for him to visit the United States, even to give lectures.

Einstein's second great cause was Zionism(猶太復國主義). Although he was Jewish, Einstein rejected the idea of God. However, a growing awareness of anti-Semitism(反猶太主義), both before and during the War, led him gradually to identify with the Jewish community, and later to become an outspoken supporter of Zionism.

His theories came under attack. One man was accused of motivating others to murder Einstein and fined a mere six dollars. When a book was published entitled 100 Authors Against Einstein, he retorted, "If I were wrong, then one would have been enough!" When Hitler came to power, Einstein then in America declared he would not return to Germany. While Nazi attacked his house and confiscated his bank account, a Berlin newspaper displayed the headline "Good News from Einstein--He's Not Coming Back."

Fearing that German scientists would build a nuclear bomb, Einstein proposed that the United States should develop its own. But he was publicly warning of the dangers of nuclear war and proposing international control of nuclear weaponry. Throughout his life, Einstein's efforts toward peace probably achieved little and won him few friends. His support of the Zionist cause, however, was recognized in 1952, when he was offered the presidency of Israel. He declined, saying he was too naive in politics. But perhaps his real reason was different:" Equations are more important to me, because politics is for the present, but an equation is something for eternity."

1.The reason why Einstein was against the war was that __

A. he tried to get involved in politics B. the nuclear bomb could be built by German scientists

C. many people died during the war in vain D. President Franklin persuaded him to do so

2. We can learn from the passage that Einstein __

A. believed in God B. was proud of being Jewish

C. suggested that nuclear weaponry should be banned D. made great achievements in peace

3. The examples in paragraph 4 are used to prove __

A. many people in support of Zionism hated Einstein

B. the reason why Einstein would not return to Israel

C. Einstein was in danger of being killed

D. Einstein didn't enjoy his popularity in the field Of politics

4.What is the structure of the passage?

Most of the people who appear most often and most gloriously in the history books are great conquerors and generals and soldiers, whereas the people who really helped civilization forward are often never mentioned at all. We do not know who first set a broken leg, or launched a seaworthy boat, or calculated the length of the year, or manured(施肥)a field; but we know all about the killers and destroyers. People think a great deal of them, so much so that on all the highest pillars (紀念柱) in the great cities of the world you will find the figure of a conqueror or a general or a soldier. And I think most people believe that the greatest countries are those that have beaten in battle the greatest number of other countries and ruled over them as conquerors. It is just possible they are, but they are not the most civilized.

　　Animals fight; so do savages (野蠻人); hence to be good at fighting is to be good in the way in which an animal or a savage is good, but it is not to be civilized. Even being good at getting other people to fight for you and telling them how to do it most efficiently －this, after all, is what conquerors and generals have done －is not being civilized. People fight to settle quarrels. Fighting means killing, and civilized peoples ought to be able to find some way of settling their disputes other than by seeing which side can kill off the greater number of the other side, and then saying that that side which has killed most has won. And it not only has won, but, because it has won, has been in the right. For that is what going to war means; it means saying that might is right.

　　That is what the story of mankind has on the whole been like. Even our own age has fought the two greatest wars in history, in which millions of people were killed or disabled. And while today it is true that people do not fight and kill each other in the streets －while, that is to say, we have got to the stage of keeping the rules and behaving properly to each other in daily life － nations and countries have not learnt to do this yet, and still behave like savages.

1.In the opening sentence the author indicates that ________.

　A. conquerors, generals and soldiers should not be mentioned in history books.

　B. history books focus more on those who helped civilization forward.

　C. those who truly helped civilization forward is rarely mentioned in history books.

　D. most history books were written by conquerors, generals and soldiers.

2.In the author’s opinion, the countries that ruled over a large number of other countries are

　A. certainly both the greatest and the most civilized

　B. neither the most influential nor the most civilized.

　C. possibly the most civilized but not the most powerful.

　D. likely the greatest in some sense but not the most civilized.

3. The meaning of “it means saying that might is right.”(The last sentence of Paragraph 2) is that ________.

　A. in a war only those who are powerful will win.

　B. those who are right should fight against those who are wrong.

　C. only those who are powerful have the right to go to war.

　D. those who fight believe that the winner is right and the loser wrong.

4. In the third paragraph, what the author wants to convey to us is that ________.

A. we have fought fewer wars but suffered heavier casualties.

B. modern time is not so civilized compared with the past.

C. our age is not much better than those of the past.

D. World War I and World War II are different from previous wars.

5. According to the passage, who helped civilization forward?

A. The pioneers in science and technology.

B. Conquerors and generals.

C. Those setting disputes by force.

The experts in military matters

6. This passage is most likely taken from an article entitled ________.

A. Who Should Be Remembered

　B. Civilization and History

　C. War and World Peace

D. Great conquerors in the world

Human civilization has truly come a long way．From using animals for transport to the super fast automobiles that we have today．From using flint to making fire to using one touch lighters．But there are some things that we will never let go of．Some ancient traditions that have been brought down through the ages are still followed today．

Groundhog Day(土拔鼠節(jié))，falls on the 2nd of February every year．It is observed in the United States and Canada．While this day may be a public holiday and a bank holiday，it is not a compulsory holiday declared by the government．But this is not so for all the states．State-wise holidays may vary．

Ever heard of Punxsutawney Phil? Groundhog Day is observed because of this groundhog．The day is indeed about a groundhog．Punxsutawney is the name of an apparently weather forecasting groundhog．He lives in his burrow(洞穴)on Gobler’s Knob，Punxsutawney in Pennsylvania，for a short period before the 2nd of February every year．On the 2nd of February，Phil comes out from his burrow and looks for his shadow．If he sees his shadow and goes back into the burrow，then America will have an extended winter of six weeks，But if he cannot see his shadow，and he remains outside．It means winter will soon end and spring will arrive very shortly .Phil has been‘predicting’the length of winter in this manner for almost a century and they have always been almost 100％ accurate．

Groundhog Day is celebrated in some parts of the USA and Canada．The largest celebration is held at Punxsutawney，Pennsylvania．People come in scores to visit Punxsutawney Phil．They wait eagerly, camping days in advance，to see the small groundhog appear from his burrow，check for his shadow and either go back in or stay out．People cheer when they hear it is time for winter to end and celebrate by eating sweets and singing and dancing．Today．the Groundhog Day is a widespread tradition and an exciting event．

1.People celebrate Groundhog Day because ______________.

A．some sweets are provided on Groundhog Day

B．more and more people love groundhogs

C．the groundhog predicts the beginning of spring

D．Punxsutawney Phil is worth respecting

2.What does the author intend to tell us in Paragraph 1？

A．Human civilization has a long history．

B．Some old traditions should be carried on．

C．Human civilization develops very fast．

D．Some old traditions have disappeared．

3. We learn from the passage that Punxsutawney Phil ____________．

A．forecasts the weather based on his shadow

B．witnesses the history of human development

C．organizes celebrations on Groundhog Day

D．gives performances on Groundhog Day

4.We may infer from the passage that ________________．

A．groundhogs will replace TV weathermen soon

B．groundhogs can forecast the weather accurately

C．Groundhog Day is becoming popular in the US and Canada

D．a(chǎn) longer shadow of a groundhog indicates a longer winter

5.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A. Winter will end if the groundhog goes back into the burrow.

B．Groundhog Day is a compulsory’holiday in the US and Canada．

C．A groundhog will remain outside if he sees his shadows on 2nd，F(xiàn)eb．

D．The celebration in Punxsutawney attracts large numbers of visitors．

As a leading Chinese language school and a cultural exchange institute in China， Global Exchange Education Center has been providing Mandarin (or Putonghua) language courses and cultural exchange programs for over a decade.

How to apply for our programs

■In order to apply for all of our programs, you must be

at least 18 years old.

in good health,

a senior high school graduate.

■Application Procedure for Chinese Language Programs

Step 1. Send us a completed application form by email or fax.

Step 2. Send us $ 60 application fee after receiving our email confirmation.

Step 3. Arrange the payment transfer.

Step 4. Plan the trip to Beijing.

■Application Procedure for Chinese Business Internship (實習）Program

Step 1. Send us a completed application form with your CV and personal statement for the program by email or fax.

Step 2. Send us $ 310, including $60 application fee and $ 250 internship placement deposit, after receiving our letter of acceptance for the program.

Step 3. Arrange final payment transfer after receiving our second confirmation.

Step 4. Plan the trip to Beijing.

■Personal Statement for applicants for Chinese Business Internship Program

You should state why you want to take this program and what your expectations of the program are. How you will make use of this program in your future career.

■ APPLICATION DEADLINES

The applications for most programs are reviewed on a rolling basis. You are encouraged to submit your application ahead of the application deadlines.

■Confirmation

Having received your application, Global Exchange Education Center usually sends out an email confirmation for the booking within 2-5 working days.

1.The text is probably written for ______.

A. junior high graduatesB. international students C. job seekersD. language trainers

2.If you apply for both of the programs, the total application fees will be ______.

A. $310. B. $ 120. C. $250. D. $ 370.

3. If you want to apply for Chinese Business Internship program successfully, you'll ______.

A. send the application form by postB. send personal statement and CV only

C. have to get confirmed at least twice D. have to make a travel plan in Beijing

4.Which of the following is not necessarily included in applicants，personal statement?

A. Their purposes of taking the program. B. Their expectations of the program.

C. Their future practice of the program. D. Their feedbacks on the program.

The Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England, is the best place in Europe for discovering dinosaur bones. Dinosaur Farm Museum was established in 1993. Since then, the museum has introduced the study of old bones to many more people.

What we offer

Visitors can enjoy our displays, or watch us cleaning dinosaur bones and other fossils found on the island’s beaches.

The museum has a variety of different fossils, many of them never displayed to the public before. As more are discovered all the time, you can be sure of seeing something new each time you visit.

We have a free Fossil Identification Service, so you can bring in any fossils you have and find out what they are. In addition, we have a reasonably-priced Museum Shop, where you can buy a souvenir of your visit. You could also bring a picnic and relax in our special picnic area.

Activities

Fossil hunts are organized from the museum and run all year round. Groups of up to 25 are guided on a local beach where they can search for fossils. All these hunts are fully licensed and insured, and guides can help to identify any fossils found and point out things of interest.

Due to the popularity of these hunts, all trips must be booked by a personal visit to Dinosaur Farm Museum.

Did you know…?

The BBC programme “Live from Dinosaur Island” was filmed along the coast here, and Dinosaur Farm Museum was the base for the television crew.

Find out more

Check out our website at www.isleofwight/dinosaurfarm to learn in detail how we dig for dinosaurs. You can also read about the many different kinds of dinosaurs which lived in this area, which was connected to Europe 120 million years ago.

1. Why are there always new fossils to see at the museum?

A. New fossils are discovered constantly.

B. People keep donating fossils to the museum.

C. Only a few of the fossils are displayed each day.

D. The museum exchanges fossils with other museums.

2.Which of the following is free of charge at the museum?

A. Food for a picnic. B. Attending fossil hunts.

C. Having fossils identified. D. A souvenir of the museum.

3.One can book a fossil hunt _____.

A. through a BBC programme B. through the museum’s website

C. by making a call to the museum D. by visiting the museum personally

Google has kicked off Google Science Fair (GSF) 2014, its annual online competition for

bright, creative and ambitious teenagers who want to change the world with science. While the project is led by Google, it also has the backing of the Lego Group and world-famous publications National Geographic and Scientific American. The competition is open for students aged 13 to 18, who can sign-up now, form a team and begin working on a submission.

The winner will be rewarded with a ten-day exploration to the Galapagos Islands aboard the National Geographic Endeavor, as well as a VIP tour of ‘Spaceport America’ in New Mexico. Google is also throwing in a $50,000 scholarship and $10,000 for the winner’s school to purchase cutting-edge science lab equipment.

Google suggests that each project should be “an in-depth investigation of a science question or engineering problem” but otherwise, it’s up to students to pick and develop an idea that follows the competition rules.

Completed projects need to be submitted by May 12, 2014 at 11:59 PDT. Google will announce the regional competitors in June, ahead of global finalists in August and the competition winners in September.

Interested? Here are the rules.

If you want to enter the competition as an individual (個人), you should register first. Complete requested information about yourself and your project in the registration section before creating your project. You may edit this later. Click the box stating that you have read, accept, and agree to be bound by these Official Rules and Terms.

Upon completion of registration you may begin working on your project. The project must follow the technical, creative, and legal entry requirements set out in these Official Rules and the Googlesciencefair.com Site. You will be required to complete all sections of the Project Site.

You may begin working on your project after completing the registration process, however, you may not submit it for judging until you have requested and received parental consent (允許). Once you have done this, your parent or guardian will receive an email from Google with instructions on how they can give their consent for you to participate. The project will not be judged unless this consent is received.

1.From the first paragraph, we can learn that ________.

GSF is a science competition

teenagers should form a team

every teenager can take part in it

GSF is organized by Google alone

2. What is mainly discussed in the last paragraph?

A. Parental consent.B. Submission time.

C. Registration process.D. Project requirements.

3.If you plan to enter GSF alone, you ________.

A. should create your project first

B. you needn’t follow the official rules

C. you should provide some personal information

D. your should start your project before registration

4. The main purpose of the passage is to ________.

A. offer tips on how to enter GSF

B. provide information about GSF

C. persuade teenagers to enter GSF

D. show teenagers the importance of GSF

Welcome to Gold Coast Wax Museum

HIGHLIGHTS

The Gold Wax(蠟像) Museum is one of the Cold Coast's longest running attractions. It's a collection of famous figures. It's Australia's largest museum of its kind, featuring more than 110 life-size wax figures copies of British and Australian History.

The Wax Museum is visited by many thousands of people each year who are shocked at the amazing realism of the life-size figures in authentic costumes. This is your invitation to wander through at your leisure and meet many important and famous people's figures on Queensland's Gold Coast.

Come face to face with such celebrities as Michael Jackson, President Obama, past President John F. Kennedy, King Hussein, members of the Royal Family, and many others whose lives have all left an indelible(擦不掉的) mark on our world. Information cards are located alongside each figure.

The Gold Coast Wax Museum contains figures which have been made by leading local and overseas sculptors to international standards, equal in quality to the world's best, as seen in Europe, the United Kingdom, and U. S. A. The detail in the figures is amazing -and includes hair applied one strand at a time, requiring many working hours for one hand, and the eyes are so real that they seem to follow the viewer around.

Price

Child (1-3yrs) free

Child (4-12yrs) $ 22. 00

Adult $ 29. 00

Family (2 Adults + I Child) $68.00

Opening hours

Open 7 days a week, 10a. m. to l0p. m.

Closed at Christmas Day (25 Dec. ) and Anzac Day (25 Apr. )

Location

Ferny Ave, Surfers Paradise ( Gold Coast ) QLD

How to get there

You can choose any of the Gold Coast airport transfers, car rentals, shuttles and private transfers to/from your hotel. Many coach operators also offer Gold Coast transfers to surrounding attractions, beaches, and the more distant destinations, throughout the day.

What to bring

Bring your sense of adventure and your camera and see something exciting and quite unique.

For further information, please click here to see more about the Gold Coast Wax Museum.

1. If you visit the Gold Coast Wax Museum, you can

A. see many members of the Royal Family in person in the Museum

B. enjoy some world-class vivid max-works in the Museum

C. meet many leading local and internatioanal sculptors in the Museum

D. e at any time of the year except at Christmas Day

2. If a couple and their l0-year-old son visit the Gold Coast Wax Museum, they may pay_____．

A. $87 B. $80 C. $68 D. $58

3. You will most probably find this passage ______.

A. in a guidebook B. in a magazine C. in a text book D. on a webpage

1.In the Lifestyle section, you may Not find ____________.

A. journals of adventure B. well-taken photographs

C. stories of Leonard Maltin D. opinions on restaurants

2.Which of the following is TRUE about Campus Link?

A. It offers readers its best-made bread and butter.

B. It welcomes research developments and breakthroughs.

C. It helps you to recognize your schoolmates and teachers.

D. It is a source of inspiration for the community.

3.The poster aims to __________.

A. made known the rights of Campus Link

B. introduce the way to send submissions

C. share views and articles among teachers

D. encourage contributions for the issue