What image does the word “Britain” conjure up（令人想到）in your mind? Big Ben，the frequently changing weather, fish and chips… But have you ever wondered what British people think means “Britain”?
English playwright William Shakespeare and pop group The Beatles are the icons which inspire a sense of national pride in British people, according to a recent survey.
More than 2,000 people were asked what aspect of Britain made them feel most proud. Shakespeare topped the list, followed by the National Trust, a charity which protects places of historical or environmental interest. These beat the British currency, the pound, and the BBC.
Surprisingly, the royal family only made it to seventh on the list. “The royal family, while popular, does not inspire widespread pride,” said a spokesman for Demos, the think tank(智囊團(tuán)) which carried out the research. “However, it is certainly the case that — through their unique capacity to hold and lead national events — the royal family has a central role to play in developing pride.”
Terence Blacker, a reporter for The Independent, believes the study shows the nature of new patriotism（愛國主義）． “It turns out that modern British patriotism is not really about nationhood at all,” he wrote.
According to the poll, the most impressive symbols of national pride concerned private conduct and character. Volunteering topped the list, followed by politeness and patience.
【小題1】 According to the passage, the following statements are British most outstanding symbols except   .

A．patriotism.

B．the Beatles.

C．politeness.

D．Shakespeare.

【小題2】Which of the following is close to the right order of the top symbols of Britain?

A．a(chǎn) ,b, c, d

B．a(chǎn), d, c, b

C．c, a, b, d

D．a(chǎn), c, b, d

【小題3】The royal family does not top the list because   .

A．the royal family has a central role to play in developing pride

B．the royal family owns a lot of wealth.

C．the royal family does not attract the public attention.

D．the royal family does not influence the public as much as it used to.

【小題4】It can be inferred that     can make Chinese feel most proud.

A．volunteering.

B．education.

C．Luxun.

D．Population.

Are you a media addict who would go mad after two hours without TV, friend requests, exciting online games and your mobile – or would you easily survive?
Recently, university students around the world were asked to volunteer in a global experiment called Unplugged. It was designed to see how young people would react if they were asked to observe a total media ban by unplugging all forms of media devices for 24 hours.
Unplugged is being run by Dr Roman Gerodimos, a lecturer in Communication and Journalism at Bournemouth University. The experiment is now over but he doesn’t yet know the full findings. However, during the experiment, Dr Gerodimos said there were already signs of how much the exercise affected volunteers. He said: “They’re reporting withdrawal symptoms(癥狀), overeating, feeling nervous, isolated and disconnected.” During their 24-hour painful experience, three of the experiment’s guinea pigs had to endure one intrusion(侵?jǐn)_) from the media: a BBC reporter plus cameraman who followed them around for the day. They were asked to write down 100 lines about their day offline, but of course, they all waited until the next day when they had access to their laptops. Elliot Day wrote: “Today, my whole morning routine was thrown up into the air. Despite being aware of the social importance of the media, I was surprised by how empty my life felt without the radio or newspapers.” From Caroline Scott, we read: “I didn’t expect it, but being prevented from the media for 24 hours resulted in my day-to-day activities becoming so much harder to carry out than usual… I didn’t break out in a cold sweat like our lecturer expected us all to, but it’s not something I would like to do again!” And Charlotte Gay wrote: “I have to say the most difficult item for me to be without has been my mobile; not only is it a social tool, it’s my main access point of communication.”
Earlier in the year, a UK government study found that in the UK we spend about half our waking hours using the media, often plugged into several things at once. And a recent study by Nielson found that on average, US teenagers send and receive over 3,000 texts per month ---that’s about six texts per waking hour. So, with technology continuing to develop at an alarming rate, how much time will you set aside for sleep in the future?
【小題1】What’s the purpose of the first paragraph?

A．To ask for information.	B．To entertain the readers.
C．To lead to the topic.	D．To present an idea.

【小題2】About Dr. Roman Gerodimos’ experiment, we know that ________.

A．volunteers felt uncomfortable in it.

B．volunteers didn’t want to eat anything.

C．the experiment was still going on.

D．volunteers were allowed to take their laptops.

【小題3】Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．Three pigs were included in the experiment.

B．A BBC reporter discussed the experiment.

C．During the 24 hours’ experiment the volunteers wrote out their experiences.

D．The lecturer had expected sweat would suddenly appear on the volunteers through fear.

【小題4】What does the sentence “…was thrown up into the air” most probably means?

A．went on normally.	B．was completely disturbed.
C．turned out perfect.	D．was badly designed.

【小題5】Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage?

A．Surviving without the Media.	B．Unplugging Your Life.
C．Valuing Social Communication.	D．Setting Aside Time for Sleep.

What is red but green, open but closed and old but new?
The answer is: London’s new double-decker（雙層）buses.
Red double-deckers are a symbol of the city. Their status was sealed (確定) in 2008 when one bus made the longer-than-usual trip to Beijing to collect a special passenger: the Olympic Flame.
On November 11, a life-size model of the new bus was shown to the media. The Guardian reported that the new design shares some of the features of the much-missed double-decker Routemaster bus. The original Routemaster was introduced in 1956 but December 2005 saw the end of the old bus’s general service. It was because the bus was difficult for some passengers to use and not environmentally friendly. But it can still be seen on two heritage routes in the city.
Its replacements —boxy, modern double—deckers—have failed to win Londoners’ affection.
London mayor Boris Johnson told the BBC that the new buses were “a combination of nostalgia（懷舊）and the latest technology”. “Standing on the back platform of this bus brings a sense of nostalgia but also shows the best part of the latest technology and design, making this bus fit for the 21st Century,” he said.
The new bus also returns to the driver—and—conductor model—a key feature of the original version. It will be quieter than the old type and have a platform offering passengers the traditional hop—on hop—off service.
The first five new buses will be seen on the roads by early 2012.
【小題1】Which of the following shows that red double—deckers are a symbol of London?

A．They have a long history and are seen everywhere in London.

B．They have nothing in common with the traditional Routemaster bus.

C．One such bus went from London to Beijing to collect the Olympic Flame.

D．They carried British athletes from London to attend the Beijing Olympics.

【小題2】Which of the following is true of the original Routemaster?

A．The bus came into use in the 1960s.

B．The bus was banned because it was harmful to the environment.

C．Passengers didn’t like the bus because it was slow.

D．Visitors to London cannot see such buses on the roads any more.

【小題3】According to London mayor Boris Johnson, the new Routemaster          .

A．has not been as well received as was expected

B．will be widely used in London in 2012

C．is the most environmentally friendly bus in the UK

D．combines the latest technology with key traditional features

【小題4】What is the characteristic of the new red double – deckers?

A．The buses will make no noises.

B．The buses will have no conductors.

C．They will be equipped with air – conditioning.

D．The bus platform will offer passengers a traditional service.

This research has attracted wide _______ coverage and has featured on BBC television’s Tomorrow’s World.

A. message      B. information      C. media            D. data

 

Zhu Haoyu, 18, a history major, wears his iPod everywhere on campus. The freshman has it going out for a walk, visiting the library or lying in bed. However, he found that his habit is like displaying a big “Do not disturb ”sign for himself.
As time slips away, he has begun to regret not having conversed much with his peers around . “As I put the little buds (耳機(jī)) into my ears, I’m immersed in a universe of my own, forgetting all troubles in the real world,” said Li.
The MP3 player is one of a number of gadgets (小玩意)—starting with the Sony Walkman, which led to the iPod, iPhone and iPad —that give people the ability to shut themselves off from world around them.
Youngsters delight in handset (手持的) technology. In public, students chat on their cell phones, stopping only to talk briefly to friends. On buses or trains it’s common to see youngsters with PlayStations instead of playing poker or sharing jokes or games. And during airline flights, people watch episodes (連續(xù)劇) of US TV dramas on their iPads, rather than talking.
The BBC News magazine recently published an article saying that headphone wearing culture is making us anti-social. “Half of humankind is wired to a parallel universe that leaves them ignoring their surroundings and fellows,” wrote Tom de Castella.
Actually, it’s a decade since Apple unveiled the iPod, which promised “1,000 songs in your pocket”. In 2007 more than half of Western residents were using an iPod or MP3 player.
Entertainment is on offer in all surroundings, not just at home. But in the meantime, it has created barriers between us. Many people subscribe to the view that the headphone culture is creating a “spoilt, selfish generation that lacks civic（公民的）culture”.
However, many users of portable MP3 players argue that the device, as a mind drug, helps them relieve stress by escaping for a while. It is also said to be able to help some students concentrate on work or study. “If you want to get away from the hucksters (小販) on the way, just start listening to your player,” said Liu, a freshman. “They do not approach people with headphones on.” This might also mean he’s blocking those who want to ask him for the directions.
Experts, however, say that short contacts or mini conversations with strangers are helpful to our mind. Many experts warn that it is dangerous to lose touch with people in our lives.
【小題1】Zhu Haoyu found that his wearing the iPod        .

A．disturbed others

B．made it easy for him to keep in touch with others

C．made it easy for him to visit the library

D．made others unwilling to talk to him

【小題2】The underlined word “immersed” can be replaced by         .

A．lost

B．involved

C．engaged

D．interested

【小題3】What is the main idea of the fourth paragraph?

A．Students are always busy chatting on their cell phones in public.

B．Young people are fond of portable listening or visual devices.

C．Young people like to watch US TV dramas on their iPads.

D．People like to enjoy the networking.

【小題4】Which of the following is not true?

A．Headphone wearing culture makes people ignore their surroundings and fellows.

B．Apple released the iPod ten years ago.

C．There are still many people support the headphone culture.

D．It’s dangerous to have conversations with strangers.

【小題5】What is the writer’s attitude towards the headphone culture ?

A．Agreeable.

B．Critical.

C．Doubtful.

D．Neutral.