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Free Online Courses |
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Reading in the Digital Age This course is for people from all walks of life who enjoy reading and would like to know how literary scholars understand texts in the digital age. It introduces you to a variety of ways of understanding texts. Through the course, you will become familiar with professional reading practices as well as newer, computer-driven reading skills. Duration: 6 weeks 4 hours pw 2 August |
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Exploring English: Shakespeare This course is aimed at high school students and university students who wish to learn more about Shakespeare. The first week will look at Shakespeare's life and times. For the rest of the course, we will look closely at a different play each week. Shakespearean actors will help us explore the universal themes in Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, The Tempest and Macbeth. Our video tutor (辅导员) will guide you through the course and look at the words and phrases that Shakespeare introduced to the English language. Duration: 6 weeks 2 hours pw 16 July |
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The European Discovery of China This course is aimed at anyone with an interest in Chinese, European or world history. It focuses on when and how the West first approached China. We will look at China's place in the world and connections to the West via the Silk Road, the rise of Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire, and finally the Ming dynasty. We'll know this period of Chinese history through the eyes of Western travellers from the 13th to the 17th century. What these Western travellers saw, what they didn't see — that's the story that we will uncover in this course. Duration: 8 weeks 6 hours pw 6 July |
When you are sitting in class, have you ever drawn pictures in the margins (页边的空白处) of your notebooks? If so, you are doodling. Many people think of doodling as a distraction (分心) from more important things. But it might be just the opposite.
One study shows that doodling may help you remember things you hear 29% more. Besides, doodling can help you think creatively. Walking away from a problem to draw might actually help you solve it. When you come back, you'll have a fresh perspective and figure out an answer more quickly.
An author named Sunni Brown wrote a book on doodling. She argues that doodling is a tool that can help people think. In fact, she runs a business that helps companies improve organization and planning through doodling. Brown believes doodling is helpful because it includes many ways of learning. You learn in four ways: seeing, hearing, reading or writing, and through movement. The more ways you use, the better you learn. And when you doodle while listening to a lecture, you use all four.
You might think that being good at drawing is important for doodling. But if the point of doodling is to help you think, then it doesn't matter what the picture looks like. Even if you're not an artist, doodling can help you. So next time you need help focusing, pick up a pen and doodle away!
My summer hols wr CWOT. B4, WE USED 2go 2 NY 2C my bro, his GF & thr 3 :-@ KIDS FTF. ILNY, its gr8.
Can you understand this sentence? If you can't, don't feel too bad: neither could the middle school teacher in England who received this as homework. This is Netspeak: the language of computerized communication found on the Internet or cellphones. To newcomers, it can look like a completely foreign language.
School teachers and parents say this new form of writing is harming (破坏) the English language. Increasing spelling and grammatical mistakes can be seen in students' writing. They fear the language could become corrupted (面目全非的).
Everyone should just relax, say linguists (语言学家). They believe Netspeak is in fact more of a good thing. David Crystal, from the University of Wales, argues that Netspeak and Internet create a new language use and the almost lost art of diary writing has been picked up again. Geoffrey Nurnberg, from Stanford University, agrees. “People get better at writing by writing,” he says. “Kids who are now doing text messaging, e-mail, and instant messages will write at least as well as, and possibly better than, their parents.”
Linguist James Milroy says, for centuries, it is believed without exception that young people are harming the language. And when today's teenagers become tomorrow's parents, they too will think this way. Milroy argues that languages do not and cannot become “corrupted”; they simply change to meet the new needs.
However, Netspeakers do agree that it is important to teach young people how to speak and write Standard English. Cynthia McVey says, “I can understand Netspeak worries teachers and it's important that they tell their pupils that text messaging is for fun, but that learning to write proper English is a must for their future.”
We need to be responsible for our environment. Being a frugal consumer (节俭的消费者) is one way to help.
Use It Up.
You can use things up instead of wasting them. Squeeze (挤) that last bit of toothpaste out of the tube. Don't throw away any bits of the biscuit at the bottom of the box.
Wear It Out.
You do not always need to have new things. Suppose your sneakers (运动鞋) have broken laces (鞋带) , but they still fit you. Repair them and wear them longer. You don't have to have the latest iPhone until the old one doesn't work any more. Then you can get a new one.
Make It Do.
When something you want is not on hand, look for something else that you already have to take its place. Suppose you are packing your lunch for tomorrow and want a butter sandwich. You are out of butter. Have a cheese sandwich instead so you can use all of the cheese. Learn to fix broken toys instead of just throwing them away.
Think about all those things that you would like to have. Do you really need them? How long will you really play with that new toy you saw on TV? Making the things that we want uses up our world's resources (资源). And, getting rid of the things we don't want any more takes up even more resources and space.
A. Do without it.
B. Throw it away.
C. What exactly does that mean?
D. Do you know what to consume?
E. Use the last little piece of soap.
F. With a little thought, you can make something do.
G. Think twice before replacing something that still works.
Several weeks ago, our headmaster, Mr. Gaudi, told us that our school had been chosen to compete on Smart Aleck—a game show which my best friend Carla and I both love. Carla has a good imagination, 1 I know a lot of history. So we thought we'd be good 2 for the team.
A few days later, Mr. Gaudi held a meeting with everyone interested in the 3 . He told us that Smart Aleck uses a five member team. He also said that three more people would be needed as backup (替补). 4, four times that many students were at the meeting. So Mr. Gaudi said we would have a 5 among all the students present and the top 6 scorers would become the team and the backup. Everybody agreed that this was a 7 way to decide.
Yesterday, all of the hopefuls went to the dining hall after school. We would have to 8 the starting line-up（阵容）. Mr. Gaudi acted as the 9. After a couple of hours, all the 10on the team were set except one. Carla and I 11 for that last position. We had to hold a one-on-one competition 12 the two of us. The winner would be on the team and the loser would be the 13.
Midway through our two-person competition, I was starting to pull ahead. 14 I saw the look on Carla's face. I waited for a second and knew what I had to do. As much as I wanted to be on Smart Aleck, Carla wanted 15 even more. So, starting with my next question, I held back and let Carla 16, just by a little bit. Her expression as she 17 she would be on the show made up for my not being on the team. And since I will go as backup, I'll still have the 18 of seeing the show up close.
Was I 19 by not trying as hard as I could? I don't think so. No one noticed, and Carla and I didn't 20 it. It won't hurt the team because Carla will be a very good competitor on the real show. I think that making my best friend happy was the right thing to do.
In the West, some people believe that personality can be predicted according to the blood type the person was born with. People with blood type A, for example, (consider) more likely to be serious, hard-working, and quiet, while people with blood type O are likely to be popular and outgoing, yet often unable (finish) what they start. Though this belief continues to be strong, some people question whether it is true.
The blood-type personality theory (start) in Japan in 1927 when Furukawa Takehi noticed personality similarities and (different) among his workers. This idea soon went out of fashion, it was brought back by a Japanese television host named Toshitaka Nomi in the 1970s. The belief is still strong in Japan and is increasingly popular in neighboring countries. Most Asians might believe the blood-type theory, but for many it seems (harm) and not something to be taken too seriously.
Is the belief true? The scientists in Asia largely dismiss (摒弃) the belief as a modern-day superstition (迷信). Most studies have failed to find any strong (connect) between blood and personality. (general), scientists warn against making predictions or important decisions based on this questionable theory.
Travel Plan
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Time |
Activities |
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Friday |
… visit the old royal houses in the Forbidden City |
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Saturday |
… see Chinese painting in the National Art Gallery |
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Sunday |
… drink Chinese tea in Laoshe Tea House |
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… |
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注意：1）开头语和结束语已经为你写好，不计入总词数；
2）可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3）文中不能出现考生真实个人信息；
4）词数100左右。
Dear Peter,
I'm happy to hear you're coming to Beijing.
Looking forward to meeting you soon!
Yours,
Li Hua
