篇一：跟人人背精美短文
1：A Rare Fossil Record
The preservation of embryos and juveniles is a rate occurrence in the fossil record. The tiny, delicateskeletons areusuallyscatteredbyscavengersordestroyedbyweatheringbeforethey canbe fossilized. Ichthyosaurs had a higher chanceof being preservedthandid terrestrial creatures because, as marine animals, they tended to live in environments less subject to erosion. Still,theirfossilizationrequiredasuiteoffactors: aslowrateofdecay ofsofttissues,little scavenging by other animals, a lack of swift currents and waves to jumble and carry away small bones,and fairly rapid burial. Given these factors, some areas have become a treasury of well-preservedichthyosaur fossils.
The deposits at Holzmaden, Germany, present an interesting case for analysis. The ichthyosaur remains are found in black, bituminous marine shales deposited about 190 million years ago. Over the years, thousands of specimens ofmarine reptiles, fish and invertebrates have been recovered from these rocks. The quality of preservation is outstanding, but what is even more impressiveis the numberofichthyosaur fossils containing preservedembryos.
Ichthyosaurs with embryos have been reported from 6 different levels of the shale in a small area aroundHolzmaden,suggestingthataspecificsitewasusedbylargenumbersofichthyosaurs repeatedlyovertime.Theembryosare quiteadvancedintheirphysicaldevelopment;their paddles, for example, are already well formed. One specimen is even preserved in the birth canal. In addition, the shale contains the remains of many newborns that are between 20 and 30 inches long.
Whyaretheresomanypregnantfemalesand youngatHolzmadenwhentheyaresorare elsewhere?Thequalityof preservationisalmostunmatchedandquarryoperationshavebeen carriedoutcarefullywithanawarenessofthe valueofthefossils.Butthesefactorsdonot account for the interesting question of how there came to be such a concentration of pregnant ichthyosaurs in a particular place very close to their time of giving birth.
中文翻译:
罕见的化石记录 胚胎与幼体被保存下来在化石记录中是少见的事情。微小纤细的骨骼 通常在石化前就被食腐肉的动物拆散了，或者被风化作用破坏掉了。
鱼龙比起陆地的动物 有更大的几率被保存下来，因为它们作为海洋动物常生活在腐蚀性较小的环境中。
但是它们的石化需要一系列因素：软组织的腐烂速度缓慢，很少被其他动物残食，缺少混杂、冲走小骨头的快速水流和波浪，以及相当快地被掩埋。
当这些因素存在时，某些地区就会变成一个充满保存完好的鱼龙化石的宝库。在德国获尔兹梅登，那儿的沉积物给人们提出了一个有趣的分析案例。
人们在黑色的、含沥青的海洋页岩中发现了约 19，000 年前沉积下来的鱼龙化石。
几年时间内，在这些岩石中取得了数以千计的海洋爬行动物、鱼类以及无脊椎动物的标本。
它们的保存质量非常的好，但更令人称奇的是保存下来的育有胚胎的鱼龙化石数目。
在获尔兹梅登附近一个小地区的六个不同的页岩层中分别发现了育有胚胎的鱼龙化石。
这表明大量的鱼龙经年累月重复使用一个特定的地点。
那些胚胎已经发育得相当完整了。
比如，它们的蹼桨已经完全形成了。
有一个标本甚至被保存在产道中。
而且，那块页岩包含着很多在20 到30 英寸之间的新生幼体的化石。为什么在其他地方那么稀少的怀孕雌兽和幼体在获尔兹梅登却那么多呢?
因为其保存质量几乎举世无双，采集工作的进行一直是一丝不苟的。
大家都认识到这些化石的价值极其珍贵，但这些因素并不能解释这个有趣的问题：
为什么在一个特定的地点会如此集中地出现即将临产的怀孕鱼龙群呢?
:2：American Black Bears
American black bears appear in a variety of colors despite their name. In the eastern part of their ran
ge, most of these bears have shiny black fur, but in the west they grow brown, red, or even yellow coats. To the north, theblack bear is actually gray or white in color. Even in thesame litter, both brown and black furred bears may be born.
Black bears are the smallest of all American bears, ranging in length from five to six feet,
weighing from three hundred to five hundred pounds. Their eyes and ears are small and their eyesight and hearing are not as good as their sense of mell.
Like all bears, the black bear is timid, clumsy, and rarely dangerous, but if attacked, most can climbtreesand covergroundatgreatspeeds.Whenangryorfrightened,itisaformidable enemy.
Black bears feed on leaves, herbs, roots, fruit, berries, insects, fish, and even larger animals. One of the most interesting characteristics of bears, including the black bear, is their winter sleep. Unlikesquirrels, woodchucks, and manyother woodland animals, bears do not actually hibernate. Although the bear does not eat during the winter months, sustaining itself from body fat, its temperature remains almost normal, and it breathes regularly four or five times per minute.
Mostblackbearslivealone,exceptduringmatingseason.Theyprefertoliveincaves, hollow logs, or dense thickets. A litter of one to four cubs is born in January or February after a gestation period ofsix to nine months, and they remainwith theirmotheruntil they arefully grown or about one and a half years old. Black bears can live as long as thirty years in the wild, and even longer in game preserves set aside for them.
美国黑熊
美国黑熊虽然被叫做黑熊但却有各种各样的颜色。
在它们生活区域的东部，大部分黑熊长有富有光泽的黑毛，但在西部，他们则长着棕色、红色甚至是黄色的毛。
在北部，黑熊其实长着灰色或白色的毛。
就是在一胎所生的小熊中，都可能混杂棕毛和黑毛。
黑熊是所有美洲熊中最小的，5～6 英尺长，300～500 磅重。
它们的眼睛和耳朵都很小，他们的视力和听觉不如嗅觉那样好。
像所有的熊一样，黑熊胆小，笨拙，很少具有危险性。
但如果受到攻击，大部分黑熊会以很快的速度爬上树和奔跑。
当发怒或受惊吓时，黑熊会成为可怕的对手。
黑熊以树叶、草、树根、水果、浆果、昆虫、鱼，甚至更大的动物为食。
熊类，包括黑熊的最有趣的一个特点是他们的冬眠。
与松鼠、旱獭和其它别的林地动物不同，熊并不真正地冬眠。
虽然熊在冬天的几个月中不吃东西，靠体内脂肪维持生命，但它们的体温保持正常，并有规律地一分钟呼吸 4 或 5 次。除交配季节外，大多数黑熊独自生活。
他们喜欢住在洞里、空心的大木头里或茂密的树丛里。
经过6 到9 个月的怀孕期后一胎 1～4个小熊在 1 月或2 月出生。
它们同母熊住在一起，直到它们完全长大，即 1 岁半左右。
黑熊在野外可以活到长达30 年，在专门的保护区中甚至能活得更长。
:3：The Historical Significance of American Revolution
The ways of history are so intricate and the motivations of human actions so complex that it is always hazardous to attempt to represent events covering a number of years, a multiplicity of persons, and distant localities as the expression of one intellectual or social movement; yet the historical process which culminated in the ascent of Thomas Jefferson to the presidency can be regarded as the outstanding example not only of the birth of a new way of life but of nationalism asanewwayoflife.TheAmericanRevolutionrepresentsthelinkbetweentheseventeenth century,inwhichmodernEnglandbecameconsciousofitself,andtheawakeningofmodern Europe at the end of the eighteenth century. It may seem strange that the march of history should have had to cross the Atlantic Oc
ean, but only in the North American colonies could a struggle for civic liberty lead also to the foundation of a new nation.
Here, in the popular rising against a "tyrannical" government, the fruits were more than the securing of a freer constitution. They included the growth of a nation born in liberty by the will of the people, not from the roots of common descent, a geographic entity, or the ambitions of king or dynasty. With the American nation, for the first time, a nation was born, not in the dim past of history but before the eyes of the whole world.
美国革命的历史意义
历史的进程是如此错综复杂，人类行为的动机是如此令人费解，以至于想把那些时间跨度大，涉及人数多，空间范围广的事件描述成为一个智者或一场社会运动的表现的企图是危险的。
然而以托马斯 ·杰弗逊登上总统宝座为高潮的那一段历史过程可以被视为一个特殊的例子。
在这段历史时期里不仅诞生了新的生活方式，而且民族主义成为了一种新的生活方式。
美国独立战争成为联结 17 世纪现代英格兰的自我意识和 18 世纪末现代欧洲的觉醒的纽带。
历史的行程需要跨越大西洋，这看起来似乎有些奇怪，但却只有在北美殖民地为民权和自由的斗争才能导致新国家的建立。
这里，反对"暴政"的民众起义的成果不仅是获得一个包含更多自由的宪法，还包括了一个依照人民的意愿诞生在自由中的国家的成长。这个国家不是基于血缘、地理、君主或王朝的野心。
由于有了美国，第一次一个国家的诞生不是发生在历史模糊的过去，而是在全世界人们的眼前。
:4：Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie, known as the King of Steel, built the steel industry in the United States, and, in the process, became one of the wealthiest men in America. His success resulted in part from his ability to sell the product and in part from his policy of expanding during periods of economic decline, when most of his competitors were reducing their investments.
Carnegie believed that individuals should progress through hard work, but he also felt strongly that the wealthy should use their fortunes for the benefit of society. He opposed charity, preferring instead to provide educational opportunities that would allow others to help themselves. "He who dies rich, dies disgraced,” he often said.
Among his more noteworthy contributions to society are those that bear his name, includingthe Carnegie Institute of Pittsburgh, which has a library, a museum of fine arts, and a museum of national history.Healsofounded a school of technology that is now part ofCarnegie-Mellon University.Otherphilanthropic giftsarethe Carnegie EndowmentforInternationalPeaceto promoteunderstanding between nations, the Carnegie Institute of Washington tofund scientific research, and Carnegie Hall to provide a center for the arts.
Few Americans have been left untouched by Andrew Carnegie’s generosity. His contributions of more than five million dollars established 2,500 libraries in small communities throughout the country and formed the nucleus of the public library system that we all enjoy today.
安德鲁 ·卡内基 被称作钢铁大王的安德鲁 ·卡内基在美国建立了钢铁工业。
在这个过程中，他变成了美国最富有的人之一。
他的成功，部分来自于他销售产品的能力，部分来自于经济萧条时期的扩充策略。
在萧条时期，他的多数对手都在缩减投资。卡内基认为个人应该通过努力工作来获得进展，但他也强烈地感到有钱人应该运用他们的财富来为社会谋取福利。
他反对施舍救济，更愿意提供教育机会，使别人自立。
卡内基经常说："富有着死去的人死
得可耻。"他对社会的较重要的贡献都以他的名字命名。
这些贡献包括匹兹堡卡内基。
这个学校有一个图书馆，一个美术馆和一个国家历史博物馆；
他还创立了一所技术学校，这所学校现在是卡内基 梅隆大学的一部分；
其他的慈善捐赠有为促进国家间了解的"卡内基国际和平基金"，为科学研究提供经费的华盛顿卡内基学院以及给各种艺术活动提供活动中心的卡内基音乐厅。安德鲁 ·卡内基的慷慨大度几乎影响到每个美国人的生活。
由于他超过五百万美元的捐款，2500 个图书馆得以建立起来，遍布在美国各地的小村镇，形成了我们今天还在享用的公共图书馆系统的核心。
5：Animals’ Compasses
Researchers have found that migrating animals use a variety of inner compasses to help them navigate. Some steer by the position of the Sun. Others navigate by the stars. Some use the Sun as their guide during the day and then switch to star navigation by night. One study shows that the homing pigeon uses the Earth’s magnetic fields as a guide in finding its way home and there are indications that various other animals from insects to mollusks can also make use of magnetic compasses. It is of course very useful for amigrating bird to be able to switch to a magnetic compass when clouds cover the Sun; otherwise it would just have to land and wait for the Sun to come outagain.
Even with the Sun or stars to steer by, the problems of navigation are more complicated than they might seem atfirst. For example, a worker honeybee that has found a rich source of nectar and pollen flies rapidly home to the hive to report. A naturalist has discovered that the bee scout delivers her report through a complicated dance in the hive, in which she tells the other workers not only how far away the food is, but also what direction to fly in relation to the Sun. But the Sun doesnotstayinoneplaceallday.Astheworkersstartouttogatherthefood, theSunmay already have changed its position in the sky somewhat. In later trips during the day, the Sun will seem to move farther and farther toward the west. Yet the worker bees seem to have no trouble at all in finding the food source. Their inner clocks tell them just where the Sun will be and they change their course correspondingly.动物的罗盘
研究人员已经发现迁徙性动物可以借助各种各样的体内罗盘来校正方向。
有些动物借助太阳的位置辨别方向，有些则依靠星星。
还有的白天利用太阳，晚上利用星星。
有研究发现信鸽以地磁场为向导来找到回家的路。
还有迹象表明许许多多其它生物，从昆虫到软体动物，也能利用这种磁场罗盘。
具有这种磁场罗盘，对候鸟来说当然非常有用，因为如果乌云遮日，它可以以磁场为向导继续飞行，否则它就只好着陆，等待太阳重新出现。
即使是借助太阳或星星导航，其中的学问也比它表面看起来的要复杂得多。
例如，一只工蜂找到了花圃蜜园，急忙飞回蜂房报信。博物学家发现这只蜂探在蜂房里跳了一段极为复杂的舞，通过这段舞她不但告诉其它工蜂食物有多远，而且报告了以太阳为参照的飞行路线。但太阳不会呆在天上不动。
当蜂群出发采食时，太阳可能已经多少改变了它在天空中的位置。出发得越迟，太阳就越偏西，可这似乎没给寻找食物源的工蜂们带来任何不便。
它们体内的时钟告诉他们太阳应在的位置，据此它们相应地改变前进的方向。
6：Archaeology
Archaeology is a source of history, not just a humble auxiliary discipline. Archaeological data are historical documents in their own right, not mere illustrations to written texts. Just as much asanyotherhistorian,an archaeologiststudiesandtriestoreconstitutetheprocessthathas created the
human world in which we live -- and us ourselves in so far as we are each creatures ofourageandsocialenvironment.Archaeologicaldataareall changesinthematerialworld resulting from human action or, more succinctly, the fossilized results of human behavior. The sum total of these constitutes what may be called the archaeological record. This record exhibits certainpeculiarities anddeficiencies theconsequences of whichproducea rather superficial contrast between archaeological history and the more familiar kind based upon written records.
Not all human behavior fossilizes. The words I utter and you hear as vibrations in the air are certainly human changes in the material world and may be of great historical significance. Yet they leave no sort of trace in the archaeological records unless they are captured by a Dictaphone or written down by a clerk. The movement of troops on the battlefield may "change the course of history," but this is equally ephemeral from the archaeologist’s standpoint. What are perhaps worse, most organic materials are perishable. Everything made of wood, hide, wool, linen, grass, hair, and similar materials will decay and vanish in dust in a few years or centuries, save under veryexceptionalconditions.Inarelativelybriefperiodthearchaeologicalrecordisreducedto mere scraps of stone, bone, glass, metal, and earthenware. Still modern archaeology, by applying appropriatetechniquesand comparativemethods,aidedbyafewluckyfindsfrompeat-bogs, deserts, and frozen soils, is able to fill up a good deal of the gap.
考古学
考古学是历史学的一个来源，而不是地位卑微的辅助学科。
考古学资料本身也是一种历史文献，而不仅仅是文字资料的例证。
正像任何一位历史学家那样，考古学家研究调查并尽力去重构一个过程。
这个过程创造了我们生活的人类世界，也创造了我们自身，因为我们都是我们所处的时代和社会环境的产物。
考古学的资料就是人类行为所造成的物质变化。
更简洁地说，是石化了的人类行为。
这些变化的总和构成了我们所说的考古学记录。
这些记录自有其独特和不足之处，因而导致人们对考古历史和更熟悉的文字记载历史进行相当肤浅的对比。并不是所有的人类行为都留下化石。
我说的话，你通过空气振动听见，这当然是人类造成的物质变化，也可能有重大的历史意义，但这些话在考古学中未留下丝毫痕迹，除非有人用录音机录下来或文书把这些话写了下来。
战场上军队的行动可能"改变历史的进程"，但从考古学的观点来看，这同样是难以捕捉的；
可能更糟的是，多数有机物质会腐烂。
任何由木头、生皮、绒线、亚麻、草、毛发以及相似物质做成的东西除非在一些非常特殊的条件下，几年或几个世纪以后，会在尘土中腐烂并消失。
在短时期内，能留下考古记录的东西也都会退化为石头、骨头、玻璃、金属和陶器的碎片。
然而，现代考古学通过运用适当的技术和比较的方法，在从泥炭、沙漠和冻土中所获得的一些幸运发现的辅助下，能够填充这个空缺的很大部分。
7：Bacteria
Bacteriaareextremelysmalllivingthings.Whilewemeasureourownsizesininchesor centimeters, bacterial size is measured in microns. One micron is a thousandth of a millimeter: a pinhead is about a millimeter across. Rod-shaped bacteria are usually from two to four microns long, while rounded ones are generally one micron in diameter. Thus if you enlarged a rounded bacteriumathousandtimes,itwouldbejustaboutthesizeofapinhead. Anadulthuman magnified by the same amount would be over a mile (1.6 kilometers) tall.
Evenwith an ordinary microscope, you must look closely to see bacteria. Using a magnification of 100 times, one finds that bacteria are barely visible as tiny rods or dots. One cannot make out anything of their structure. Using special stains, one can see that some bacteria have attached to them wavy-looking "hairs" called flagella. Others have only one flagellum. The flagella rotate, pushing the bacteri
篇二：优美的英语短文
优美的英语短文
优美的英语短文
如何写出一篇优美的英语短文？ 必克英语给你推荐一篇关于描写风景优美的英语短文，文章里面有好多语句都是我们英语写作中可以借鉴引用的。
优美的英语短文（英文原版）
Autumn in the gloomy depression of the eyes is a symbol of autumn is in the eyes of the farmer's harvest, but in the eyes of love the autumn is a beautiful picture. - Title in mind
Spondee have the advent of several autumn, autumn's picture has been lightly started, the fall of the angels came gently, and she get rid of the hot summer, cool autumn wind brought about a refreshing, but also brought about by different colors The gift of new clothes to do all things.
Of view, the messenger of autumn came saw her simply pass play, the wind blowing through the breeze. Xiaocaohu were immediately put on new clothes golden, as if the carpet is a great shop to the distance. Welcomed the arrival of autumn messenger.
The messenger of autumn light footsteps strode to the field. Well, the corn is full Jingying his white teeth smile envoy welcomed the arrival of Autumn. Look, see the fall of the messenger of sorghum also sorry it! Face up to red. Look fast, look at the rice beautiful new clothes themselves laughed.
The messenger came to the orchard in autumn, the persimmon Ilex look put new clothes, red face . Like a red lantern. Look at the pear , like a doll in the tree, so cute.
The messenger came to the garden in autumn, finger, chrysanthemum are competing to open up new clothes to wear, colorful, red, yellow, pink, and how beautiful and go through the dance-hyun, the United States and the world dress up more.
Autumn, how beautiful the words. You, you find that it comes in around it?
优美的英语短文（中文版）
秋在悲观的人眼里是萧条的象征，秋在农夫的眼里是丰收，但在爱秋的人眼里却是一幅优美的画卷。——题记
纷纷扬扬几场秋雨的降临，秋的画卷也被轻轻展开，秋的使者也轻轻地来了，她赶走了炽热的夏日，唤来凉爽的秋风,带来了清爽，还带来各色的新衣给万物做礼物。
看，秋的使者跋山涉水走来，只见她挥一挥衣袖，微风拂过。小草们立刻换上了金黄的新衣，仿佛是一块巨大的地毯铺向远方。欢迎秋天使者的到来。
秋的使者迈着轻盈的步履来到田野。看，那晶莹饱满的玉米正露出洁白的牙齿微笑着欢迎秋之使者的到来。快看，高粱见到秋的使者还不好意思呢！把脸蛋涨得通红。快瞧，那黄灿灿的稻谷看者自己漂亮的新衣都笑弯了腰。
秋的使者来到果园，看那满树的柿子换上新衣，羞得脸蛋通红。像一个个红灯笼。看那黄澄澄的鸭梨，像一个娃娃在树上，那么可爱。
秋的使者来到庭院，弹弹手指，菊花们穿着新衣竞先开放，姹紫嫣红，红的、黄的、粉的，多么美丽，跳着炫舞，把世界打扮得更美。
秋，多么美丽的字眼。你，发现它降临在你身边了吗？
英语口语培训 /
篇三：英语提优练习150823
初一英语提优练习150823
一、单项选择
1. _______ you sit in front of the computer all day while working, you?d better take exercise for at least an hour every day.
A. Even if B. Even though C. Now that D. As if
2. ---Is that the small town you often refer to?
---Right, just the one ______ you know I used to work for years.
A. which B. where C. that D. what
3. I was told that there were about 50 foreign students ________ Chinese in the school, most ________ were from Germany.
A. study; of whom B. study; of themC. studying; of them D. studying; of whom
4. According to the timetable, the train was to arrive at 3 p.m., yet it was nearly an hour late.
A. going B. ready C. meantD. supposed
5. In the supermarket foreign names of the products got _____, and I was confused about what to buy.
A. mixed up B. fixed upC. picked up D. showed up
6. If we don?t prevent some students from surfing the Internet late at night, they won?t do their homework on time, ________.
A. or rather B. or worseC. or so D. or more
7. I?m sure that if you make good use of your ___ time, your English will be improved in a short time.
A. extraB. spareC. common D. former
8. The ground is wet all over, so it must have rained last night, ________?
A. mustn?t itB. wasn?t it C. hasn?t it D. didn?t it
9. ---Did Tom come back a little earlier last night?
--- Yes, it was not yet twelve o?clock ________ he arrived home.
A. when B. thatC. why D. which
10. It?s up to the government to ________ measures to deal with the current economic crisis.
A. set upB. work out C. fill up D. begin with
11. He insisted that he ______ right, and so he insisted that his plan ______ carried out at once.
A. was; be B. be; would beC. was; was D. be; should be
12. She said she was going to stay there for a week, and she arrived back as early as ______.
A. expectingB. to be expectedC. was expected D. expected
13. The reason ________his being late for the meeting was ________his little son fell ill this morning.
A. for … that B. why … thatC. for … becauseD. why … because
14. Is it the years ____ you worked in Africa as a doctor ____ have a great effect on your literary works？
A. that; where B. that; that C. when; where D. when; that
15. Among all the presents __________ a very nice pen, which was given by my teacher, William.
A. is included B. is includingC. are including D. are included
二、完形填空
Some years ago, an American policeman found a woman lying near a lonely road. She did not appear to have （发抖）and clearly in a state of shock, so he rushed her to the in all respects（在各方面）. She had been along a country road she had been stopped by a flying saucer（．She had been forced the flying saucer by creatures which looked like human beings and which could easily make themselves . They could read her thoughts and she could read They tested her politely and allowed her to leave after a number of tests on her．As she otherwise seemed to the doctor decided that she was probably suffering from the side effects of some medicine．The woman insisted on being to go home, but when she gave her address, it was in a town over a thousand miles from the make inquiries(打听that there was already a going on for the woman, husband badly reported that she had car had been found the car, the surface of the road had been completely destroyed, not by an explosion or anything of that kind, but a large, round, white, hot object had burnt through it.
46．A．a rest B．an accidentC．a test D．an idea
47．A．most famous B．most expensive C．bestD．nearest
48．A．funnyB．sadC．moving D．astonishing
49．A．drivingB．walking C．running D．wandering
50．A．as B．sinceC．whenD．if
51．A．rising B．flying C．running D．landing
52．A．enter B．visitC．watch D．see
53．A．noticed B．seenC．understood D．heard
54．A．move B．think C．read D．speak
55．A．their B．theirs C．herD．hers
56．A．carrying out B．carrying on C．carrying about D．carrying off
57．A．happyB．thankful C．nervous D．normal
58．A．told B．allowedC．advised D．ordered
59．A．earth B．carC．road D．hospital
60．A．decided B．believed C．supposed D．discovered
61．A．discussion B．search C．movement D．meeting
62．A．whichB．when C．whoseD．where
63．A．disappearedB．fled C．returnedD．hanged
64．A．Behind B．In front of C．Below D．At the foot of
65．A．as B．ifC．as if D．only if
三、阅读理解
A
At Japan?s Studio Ghibli, which has produced extraordinary animated films(动画片）since 1985, the best-known figure has always been one of the company?s founders, Hayao Miyazaki.
But an equally key figure is co-founder Isao Takahata, who has recently made a new feature, The Tale of Princess Kagnya (《辉夜姬物语》). It is an unforgettable feature with an unusual hand-drawn aesthetic(美感).
The title character is a tiny baby girl who appears in a bamboo plant. She is found by a woodcutter, who takes her home and brings her up. He believes the little girl is a princess, and sets about preparing what he regards as a suitable world for her.
This original story is the oldest work of fiction in Japan; every child knows it in its simplified folk tale form. “It is a fascinating story with elements of wonder, humour, and sorrow,?? Takahata says, “but these three elements are scattered(分散）about.” The chief challenge for anyone trying to adapt it is that “we are completely unable to comprehend what was in the heart of Princess Kaguya. Because of this, despite its being well known, few people consider it interesting. There have been several attempts at making a film out of the story, but they ended up being abandoned.”
He was connected with one of these attempts, but no one paid any attention to his concept.
“Fifty-five years later, I thought my concept was still appealing, and used it as a basis for turning the story into a feature film.”
His concept involves the princess?s origins, her expectations and her access to “the full range of human emotions”.
To realize his vision, Takahata says, “I needed to take the extremely individualistic brushwork and key designs of Osamu Tanabe and Kazuo Oga, two brilliantly talented artists, and have them permeate(扩散）throughout the film. The two of them drew many pictures, but they weren?t nearly enough. The most challenging part was to have all the other animation staff copy their styles in a free and easy way.”
The Tale of Princess Kaguya has been released, and people are saying that the two founders, now in their seventies, have directed their final films. But is it as clear-cut as that? When I ask Takahata about a scene of escape and urgency with a particularly distinctive (独特的) visual style, he says he had intended to use “this type of rough-drawn, forceful animation, in a project before this film.
“That project hasn?t been realized yet, but if it comes to pass, this style is essential.”
A hint, perhaps, there's still more to come.
2. Why is it challenging to adapt the original story to a feature film according to the passage?
A. Because people are in the dark about the feelings of Princess Kaguya.
B. Because the story itself offers a combination of wonder, humour and sorrow.
C. Because the story is too old to appeal to the audience nowadays.
D. Because every Japanese has been familiar with the story ever since childhood.
3. From the Takahata version of The Tale of Princess Kaguya, we can expect the following except ________.
A. more details about the Princess?s origins and expectations
B. a forceful animation type featuring fine images and gentle brushwork
C. the distinctive (有特色的) brushwork and key designs from two gifted artists
D. a hand-drawn visual effect that brings out a unique sense of beauty
B
It seems that great artists and scientists often suffer from mental problems. Both Einstein and Dickens had mental illness. Now scientists have started to look at whether mental illness and genius are linked.
Dr Adele Juda studied 5,000 creative people in Germany. She found there were more people with mental illness in this group than in the general population. Poets had the highest rate (比例) of mental illness, followed by musicians, with lower numbers for painters and architects（建筑师）.
Other scientists did research which also showed a strong link between mental problems and creativity. But, it did nothing to explain it.
Dr Ruth Richards of Harvard University . Instead of studying creative people, she took a group of psychiatric (精神病的) patients and tested them for creativity. The patients got much higher scores than a normal group.
Also, the patients' close relatives were much more creative than the patients and a normal group. This suggests that the key to the link between creativity and mental illness is in our genes.
But this is a problem. According to Darwinism, harmful genes should be removed. Some scientists believe that evolution (进化) has created a balance, where the madness of a few people leads to the development of the whole human race.
Geniuses may be mad, bad or just difficult to understand, but their discoveries have improved the world we live in. It seems that a little creative madness is good for us all.
4. According to Dr Adele Juda, which of the following has the lowest rate of mental illness?
A. Painters.B. Musicians.C. Poets. D. Bus drivers.
5. The underlined phrase "" in the 4th paragraph means "_____".
A. discover or find something new and important B. make a way through using force
C. (of the sun or moon ) appear from behind (clouds)
D. suddenly change (from a slower to a faster pace)
6. Based on the research of Dr Ruth Richards of Harvard University, we can conclude that _____.
A. great artists and scientists often suffer from mental problems
B. the patients' close relatives were much more creative than the patients and a normal group
C. psychiatric patients have more creativity than the average people
D. it is our genes that determine the link between creativity and mental illness
7. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. Among the 5,000 creative people in Germany, more people suffer from mental diseases than the general population.
B. There is a strong link between mental problems and creativity.
C. Psychiatric patients make greater contributions than common people.
D. The key to the link between creativity and mental illness is in our genes.
8. What is the writer's attitude toward madness?
A. Madness is harmful to the whole society. B. A little creative madness is good for us all.
C. All the talented people are mad. D. Only the people with mental illness have more creativity.
四、任务型阅读
“I invented a new word. How do I get it into the dictionary?”
This is, by far, the question lexicographers(词典编纂者）hear the most. People invent new words all the time, but which ones actually make it into the dictionary? When lexicographers decide what words to add to dictionaries, they try to imagine what words users actually want to look up. There are important factors to keep in mind here.
Is the word in widespread usage?
The usage question is an important one that gets at the heart of how dictionaries are written. When modem lexicographers try to add words to dictionaries, they tend to approach their work from the angle of descriptivism — that is, they observe how the language is being used, see if it?s a common phenomenon, and then write definitions based on their research.
Does the word have staying power?
Widespread usage does not, however, guarantee a word a shiny new definition in a dictionary. Is the word
going to stay around for a while, or is it just a passing fad? Is it likely to be in use in 5, 10, 20, or even 100 years? These are important questions to ask because there are far more updates and new words to be added to dictionaries than lexicographers have time to write.
Are you famous? Do you have influence?
If you?re famous, that could definitely up your chances of getting a word into a dictionary. Are you a writer? That could help. Take, for example, William Shakespeare, who invented (or at least popularized) hundreds of words and phrases commonly used today. Politicians also make their contributions. Abraham Lincoln invented the word neologize（采用新教义）, and Winston Churchill has the first citation(引语）in the OED for many words, including fluffily (毛绒绒的) and fly-in (露天剧场). So if you?re a person with influence and a following, the words you use can spread into common usage, which, as discussed above, is very important when it comes to gaining dictionary entry.
Does the word fill a gap in the language?
If you?re not famous, there are other ways. Maybe you?re a scientist introducing new concepts to the public. Take, for example, the Higgs Boson particle (希格斯玻粒子), named after physicist Peter W. Higgs. But you don?t have to be a scientist to get your word a dictionary entry. Just look at Dominique Ansel, the pastry chef (糕点师) who captured the stomachs of New Yorkers with his dessert, the cronat (可颂甜甜圈). His invention even inspired copycats in the form of doissants and daffins.
Apart from these, it does sometimes help if the word is fun to say. The term blog is relatively new, which arose in 1999 when Peter Merholz made a light-hearted comment on the sidebar of his “weblog” telling his readers “I?ve decided to pronounce the word ?weblog? as wee?-blog. Or ?blog? for short.” And there?s also Dr. Seuss, who invented the term nerd (笨人).
So, why do some words make it into dictionaries while others don?t? With the knowledge discussed above in
High school students in Victoria, Australia have been offered Education Department advice ahead of their w____1____ exams. The advice for the high school students has been d____2____ by the state Education Department together with a mental health organization. “Exams can be a stressful time and the government is ensuring that students have the support they need to get t____3____ the period,” Education Minister Martin Dixon said.
Students are advised to breathe d____4____ through their noses as a relaxation technique, to have a healthy diet, and to i____5____ their mood by exercising. The importance of sleep, staying c____6____ with family and friends, and planned study times are emphasized. Students will also learn “positive self-talk”. “The positive way that you talk to y____7____ can be used for greater confidence and r____8____ stress, and can be a very effective way to prepare yourself for a big test or exam,” students are told.
The t____9____ encourage young people to speak up if they are having difficulty, and remember that life will go on b____10____ exams. At the same time, students with serious problems are urged to seek professional help.
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