The Queen’s English is now sounding less upper-class, a scientific study of the Queen’s Christmas broadcasts has found. Researchers have studied each of her messages to the Commonwealth countries since 1952 to find out the change in her pronunciation from the noble Upper Received to the Standard Received.
Jonathan Harrington, a professor at Germany’s University of Munich, wanted to discover whether accent changes recorded over the past half century would take place within one person. “As far as I know, there just is nobody else for whom there is this sort of broadcast records,” he said.
He said the noble way of pronouncing vowels(元音) had gradually lost ground as the noble upper-class accent over the past years. “Her accent sounds slightly less noble than it did 50 years ago. But these are very, very small and slow changes that we don’t notice from year to year.”
“We may be able to relate it to changes in the social classes,” he told The Daily Telegraph, a British  newspaper. “In 1952 she would have been heard saying ‘thet men in the bleck het’. Now it would be ‘that man in the black hat’. Similarly, she would have spoken of ‘the citay’ and’dutay’, rather than ‘citee’ and ‘dutee’, and ‘hame’ rather than ‘home’. In the 1950s she would have been ‘lorst’, but by the 1970s ‘lost’.”
The Queen’s broadcast is a personal message to the Commonwealth countries. Each Christmas, the 10-minute broadcast is put on TV at 3 pm in Britain as many families are recovering from their traditional turkey lunch(傳統(tǒng)火雞午餐).
The results were published(發(fā)表) in the Journal of Phonetics.
【小題1】The Queen’s broadcasts were chosen for the study mainly because         .

The Queen’s English is now sounding less upper-class, a scientific study of the Queen’s Christmas broadcasts has found. Researchers have studied each of her messages to the Commonwealth countries since 1952 to find out the change in her pronunciation from the noble Upper Received to the Standard Received.
Jonathan Harrington, a professor at Germany’s University of Munich, wanted to discover whether accent changes recorded over the past half century would take place within one person. “As far as I know, there just is nobody else for whom there is this sort of broadcast records,” he said.
He said the noble way of pronouncing vowels(元音) had gradually lost ground as the noble upper-class accent over the past years. “Her accent sounds slightly less noble than it did 50 years ago. But these are very, very small and slow changes that we don’t notice from year to year.”
“We may be able to relate it to changes in the social classes,” he told The Daily Telegraph, a British  newspaper. “In 1952 she would have been heard saying ‘thet men in the bleck het’. Now it would be ‘that man in the black hat’. Similarly, she would have spoken of ‘the citay’ and’dutay’, rather than ‘citee’ and ‘dutee’, and ‘hame’ rather than ‘home’. In the 1950s she would have been ‘lorst’, but by the 1970s ‘lost’.”
The Queen’s broadcast is a personal message to the Commonwealth countries. Each Christmas, the 10-minute broadcast is put on TV at 3 pm in Britain as many families are recovering from their traditional turkey lunch(傳統(tǒng)火雞午餐).
The results were published(發(fā)表) in the Journal of Phonetics.
【小題1】The Queen’s broadcasts were chosen for the study mainly because         .

Online Degrees
Today, you can earn a degree from a major university without ever having sat in one of their classrooms. Many colleges and universities are offering online courses and degree programs now.
Online Learning Programs
With a computer and an Internet connection, you can earn a degree from home, work, or anywhere else for that matter. Online degree programs follow much the same routines as traditional learning, with a few twists. There are lectures, but they won't be in person. There are assignments (作業(yè)) , but you won't hand them to your instructor. In most situations, you are free to "go to class" when it fits your"schedule. If you get a phone call during class, you don't have to miss anything. If you get sick, you don't have to ask for someone's notes, and you just visit the lecture later.
You'll communicate with your instructor by e-mail, chat room and instant messaging. Your  classroom will live in a special software program. Contrary to popular belief, you will have close  contact with other students and the instructor.
Evaluating the Program
There are a lot of questions to ask before you make your selection, such as:
How do students interact with each other?
★Online programs can use chat rooms, instant messaging, teleconferencing, and video conferencing to communicate. The key is to find a program that has this interaction built into it and even requires it.
★What kind of reputation does the school have?
It may seem simple-a good school will have a good online program. This reputation,however, may not be as straightforward as you think. It's not uncommon for a great school to have a weak program or two. So you'd better look at the overall quality of the school and make a judgment.
The Employers' View
As more and more employees get online degrees and use them in the workforce(職場(chǎng)) ,  hiring managers will begin to feel more secure about the quality of education these people have.
【小題1】In which way is online education special?

Today, there are many chances for those who wish to continue their education. However, nearly all require some break in one’s career in order to attend school full time.    　　
Part-time education, that is, attending school at night or for one weekend a month, tends to drag the process out over time and puts the completion of a degree program out of reach of many people. Additionally, such programs require a fixed time commitment which can also impact negatively on one’s career and family time. 
Of the many approaches to teaching and learning, however, perhaps the most flexible (靈活的) is that called distance learning. Distance learning is an educational method which allows the students the flexibility to study at his or her own pace to achieve the academic goals which are so necessary in today’s world. The time required to study may be set aside at the student’s convenience. Additionally, the student may enroll in distance learning courses from actually any place in the world, while continuing to pursue their chosen career. Individual assistance may be available via regular airmail, telephone, fax machine, teleconferencing and over the Internet.
Good distance learning programs are characterized by the inclusion of a subject evaluation tool with every subject, so a student doesn’t need to travel away from home to take a test. Another characteristic of a good distance learning program is the equivalence (等同) of the distance learning course with the same subject materials as those students taking the course on the home campus. The resultant diploma or degree should also be the same whether distance learning or on-campus study is employed. The individuality of the professor/student relationship is another characteristic of a good distance learning program. In the final analysis, a good distance learning program has a place not only for the individual student but also the company or business that wants to work in partnership with their employees for the educational benefit, professional development, and business growth of the organization. Supporting distance learning programs for their employees gives the business the advantage of retaining (留住) career-minded people while contributing to their personal and professional growth through education. 　　
【小題1】According to the passage, which of the following is NOT a disadvantage of part time education?

A new generation addiction is quickly spreading all over the world. Weboholism ,a twentieth century disease, affects people from different ages. They surf the net, use email and speak in chat rooms. They spend many hours on the computer, and it becomes a compulsive habit. They cannotstop, and it affects their lives.
Ten years ago, no one thought that using computers could become compulsive behavior that could affect the social and physical life of computer users. This obsessional behavior has affected teenagers and college students. They are likely to log on computers and spend long hours at different websites.
They become hooked on computers and gradually their social and school life is affected by this situation.They spend all free time surfing and don't concentrate on homework,so this addiction influences their grades and success at school. Because they can find everything on the websites, they hang out there. Moreover, this addiction to websites influences their social life. They spend more time in front of computers than with their friends.The relation with their friends changes.The virtual life becomes more important than their real life.They have a new language that they speak in the chat rooms and it causes cultural changes in society.
Because of the change in their behavior, they begin to isolate themselves from the society  and live with their virtual friends. They share their emotions and feelings with friends who they have never met in their life. Although they feel confident on the computer, they are not confident with real live friends they have known all their life. It is a problem for the future. This addictive behavior is beginning to affect all the world.
【小題1】The main idea of the passage is about ____________．

[1] More than 40 million Americans move each year, but not always by choice. Whether you relocate because of a new job or school for you or your spouse, for a lower cost of living, or for better opportunities, adjusting to life in a new place can be scary and difficult--especially when you’re not in love with your new city. Here are some tips on how to make the most of your relocation and find happiness in your new home.
[2] Treat it as an adventure
Living in a new place is a great opportunity to experience new things and to grow as a person. So stay positive, and get out there and explore! Sample the local cuisine. Visit landmarks and museums. Try local activities that weren’t available or popular in your former city, such as skiing if you came from a beach town or surfing if you lived in the mountains. You may discover a talent or interest you never knew you had.
[3] Get involved
Attend local events that interest you. Visit the weekly farmer’s market or the neighborhood yard sale. Volunteer. Take a class. Join a sports league. All of these things will help you meet people and feel connected to your new town.
[4] Locate the necessities
Driving, riding, or walking around your new neighborhood is the best way to learn where everything is. So head out and take note of the nearest supermarket, pharmacy, post office, library, etc.
[5] Keep pieces of your old home
To keep from getting too homesick, subscribe to your former city magazine or newspaper. Display photos of or souvenirs from your favorite places in your old town. Hang decorations from your former home. Just don’t go overboard—hanging on to too much from your past will keep you from moving forward and really enjoying your new home.
[6] _________
It takes time to get to know a new place, so don’t expect to feel comfortable right away. Give yourself time to adjust. To help the process and to meet new people, find a support group near you at Just Moved.org.
【小題1】What does the passage mainly talk about? (within 15 words.)
                                                                                  
【小題2】What does the underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refer to? (within 7 words)
                                                                                  
【小題3】According to the passage, what can you do to learn where everything is?( within 5 words)
                                                                                  
【小題4】Fill the blank with proper words. (within 5 words)
                                                                                  
【小題5】If you are a new comer, where to find a support group near you based on this passage? (within 3 words)
                                                                               

Brrriiinnng. The alarm clock announces the start of another busy weekday in the morning. You jump out of bed, rush into the shower, into your clothes and out the door with hardly a moment to think. A stressful journey to work gets your blood pressure climbing. Once at the office, you glance through the newspaper with depressing stories or reports of disasters. In that sort of mood, who can get down to work, particularly some creative, original problem-solving work?
The way most of us spend our mornings is exactly opposite to the conditions that promote flexible, open-minded thinking. Imaginative ideas are most likely to come to us when we’re unfocused. If you are one of those energetic morning people, your most inventive time comes in the early evening when you are relaxed. Sleepy people’s lack of focus leads to an increase in creative problem solving. By not giving yourself time to tune into your wandering mind, you’re missing out on the surprising solutions it may offer.
The trip you take to work doesn’t help, either. The stress slows down the speed with which signals travel between neurons (神經(jīng)細(xì)胞), making inspirations less likely to occur. And while we all should read a lot about what’s going on in the world, it would not make you feel good for sure, so put that news website or newspaper aside until after the day’s work is done.
So what would our mornings look like if we wanted to start them with a full capacity for creative problem solving? We’d set the alarm a few minutes early and lie awake in bed, following our thoughts where they lead. We’d stand a little longer under the warm water of the shower, stopping thinking about tasks in favor of a few more minutes of relaxation. We’d take some deep breaths on our way to work, instead of complaining about heavy traffic. And once in the office—after we get a cup of coffee—we’d click on links not to the news of the day but to the funniest videos the web has to offer. 
【小題1】According to the author, we are more creative when we are _______.

It should be very clear that we live in a most spectacular（壯觀的）time. It’s a time when information is of primary importance. It’s a time when new information technologies are fundamentally transforming the world in every aspect. Among the changes, which have come upon modern society, the ones in education are probably the most obvious and influential. New information technologies are accelerating changes in education, at the same time presenting revolutionary tools with the potential to make education more efficient and more effective than ever.
The application of new information technologies has remarkably promoted the process of education. Online learning is probably the best case in point. As is often the case with “technology”, online learning may appear to be horrible; it can sound like alphabet soup sometimes. Now let’s see whether you can understand all this. You can participate in CBT at a CLC via the convenience of IDL. What does it all mean? Let me translate: GBT—Computer-Based Training; CLC—Computer Learning Center; IDL—Interactive Distance Learning. Sound complicated? Not really. Online learning is much less complicated than it seems. Students can learn at any time, anywhere, at any speed. They can make their own learning schedules and follow their own paths to suit their lifestyles. In my university, every semester there’re several online courses available, which need no class meetings or paper materials. The only thing I have to do is just to get online regularly as I wish, and download necessary learning materials. Then everything I need to know about the course is only a click away.
But online learning is not perfect; it’s like the microwave oven: it does some things better, but it is not a complete replacement for the traditional model. The traditional classroom model for education and learning is hard to leave behind. Because humans are social creatures, there’re times when we need to see each other face-to-face for interactive learning. A social and personal connection often builds effective teams, solves problems, and inspires confidence. So one possible solution is to combine online learning with the old traditional classroom learning , which not only makes the learning process faster and cheaper, but also highlights the interactions between teachers and students.
The bottom line: the Internet is the most important educational tool in the information age and online learning will become a main part of every individual’s learning experience in the future. That’s exactly how we will move knowledge from the ones who have it to the ones who need it faster and cheaper, and that’s how we’re going to survive in the information age.
【小題1】The most suitable title for the passage should be “___________.”

The National Park Service in the United States will mark its one hundredth anniversary in 2016. As it nears its second century, the Park Service plans to increase its educational programs for students and teachers.
The plans include transportation support for one hundred thousand students each year to visit national parks to learn about nature and history. Yellowstone is believed to have been the world's first national park when it was established in 1872. Other students will get a chance to see parks in faraway places through Skype and other online programs.
The National Park Service also works with partners to provide education. One of its partners is a nonprofit organization called NatureBridge. NatureBridge is celebrating its fortieth anniversary and says one million young people have taken part in its programs. The organization works with students from kindergarten through twelfth grade and uses national parks as its classrooms. It provides field science programs at Yosemite National Park and four other locations in California and the northwestern state of Washington.
Now, NatureBridge is launching an East Coast center with a four-million-dollar grant from Google. The program will begin in April at the Prince William Forest Park in Virginia. Students stay for three to five days in NatureBridge programs. The activities are aimed at developing their science skills. For example, they learn about different soils and study water quality under a microscope.
Jason Morris is executive vice president of NatureBridge. He says when they are not sleeping, eating or in a laboratory, the students spend their time outdoors. Julia Washburn is associate director of education and interpretation for the National Park Service. She says in a time of budget cuts, the agency has to find ways to still meet its goals. Ms. Washburn says one of the most important services that the Park Service provides every day is nature interpretation. Park rangers (公園管理員) try to make visiting the outdoors more meaningful. Interpretation is a form of informal education. Essentially, it is a word that we use for the people in parks that explain the park or help orient(確定方向)you. So park rangers are interpreters. They orient you to the place you are in and help you make connections, emotional and intellectual connections, with the place.
【小題1】Which of the following descriptions about NatureBridge is NOT correct?

A．

B．

C．

D．

Why play games? Because they are fun, and a lot more besides. Following the rules…planning your next move...acting as a team member…these are all “game” ideas that you will come across throughout your life.
Think about some of the games you played as a young child, such as rope-jumping and hide-and-seek. Such games are entertaining and fun. But perhaps more importantly, they translate life into exciting dramas that teach children some of the basic rules they will be expected to follow the rest of their lives, such as taking turns and cooperating (合作) .
Many children’s games have a practical side. Children around the world play games that prepare them for work they will do as grown-ups. For instance, some Saudi Arabian children play a game called bones. Which sharpens the hand-eye coordination (協(xié)調(diào)) needed in hunting.
Many sports encourage national or local pride. The most famous games of all, the Olympic Games, bring athletes from around the world together to take part in friendly competition. People who watch the event wave flags, knowing that a gold medal is a win for an entire country, not just the athlete who earned it. For countries experiencing natural disasters or war, an Olympic win can mean so much.
Sports are also an event that unites people. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. People on all continents play it—some for fun and some for a living. Nicolette Iribarne, a Californian soccer player, has discovered a way to give people hope through soccer. He created a foundation (基金會(huì)) to provide poor children with not only soccer balls but also a promising future.
Next time you play your favorite game or sport, think about why you enjoy it, what skills are needed, and whether these skills will help you in other aspects of your life.
【小題1】The underlined part in Paragraph 2 most probably means that games can________.