必修二Unit 5 Reading and Thinking
THE VIRTUAL CHOIR
Imagine having the opportunity to sing together with hundreds of other people while you are at home alone. You can do this in a virtual choir. Virtual choir members record themselves while they perform alone on video. These videos are uploaded onto the Internet, and then they are put together into one video that you can see online—a virtual choir. Anyone can take part in a virtual choir from anywhere—all you need is a video camera and an Internet connection. You do not even need a studio. A virtual choir helps connect ordinary people together. Many people do not have close friends or contacts who have the same interest in music. Many others do not have the chance to join a local choir. A virtual choir enables them to add their voices to those of other individuals and become part of the global community. It has proved to be a positive influence on the lives of many people. As one virtual choir member said, “Music helps me to ... forget my problems. With music, I become someone else.”
The virtual choir was the idea of award-winning composer and conductor Eric Whitacre. Born in the USA on 2 January 1970, Whitacre began studying music at the University of Nevada in 1988. He fell in love with Mozart's classical music when he sang for the university choir. Moved by this music, he said, “It was like seeing color for the first time.” He graduated from university in 1995, and then received a master's degree in musical composition from the Juilliard School in New York in 1997. Over the next 10 years, Whitacre's original compositions began to become quite popular among choirs and singers. This led to the creation of the virtual choir.
In 2009, Whitacre received a video of a girl who was singing one of his works. Inspired, he asked his fans to make videos, which he then joined together into one performance. His first virtual choir, “Lux Aurumque”, had 185 singers from 12 different countries. It has received millions of views on the Internet. Since then, the virtual choir has become a worldwide phenomenon. Whitacre's next effort was the Virtual Youth Choir for UNICEF, which was first seen on stage on 23 July 2014 in the UK. Altogether, 2,292 young people from 80 countries joined in to sing Whitacre's song “What If”.
The virtual choir is a wonderful way for people around the world to sing with one voice and thus make the world a better place.
选择性必修二Unit 1 Reading and Thinking
JOHN SNOW DEFEATS “KING CHOLERA”
Cholera used to be one of the most feared diseases in the world, until a British doctor, John Snow, showed how it could be overcome. This illness causes severe diarrhoea, dehydration, and even death. In the early 19th century, when an outbreak of cholera hit Europe, millions of people died from the disease. As a young doctor, John Snow became frustrated because no one knew how to prevent or treat cholera. In time, he rose to become a famous doctor, and even attended to Queen Victoria when she gave birth. However, he never lost his desire to destroy cholera once and for all.
In general, doctors in those days had two contradictory theories to explain how cholera spread. One theory was that bad air caused the disease. Another was that cholera was caused by an infection from germs in food or water. Snow subscribed to the second theory. It was correct, but he still needed proof. Consequently, when an outbreak of cholera hit London in 1854, Snow began to investigate. He discovered that in two particular streets the cholera outbreak was so severe that more than 500 people died in ten days. He was determined to find out why.
Snow began by marking on a map the exact place where all those who died had lived. There were multiple deaths near the water pump in Broad Street (especially house numbers 16, 37,38, and 40). However, some households (such as 20 and 21 Broad Street, and 8 and 9 Cambridge Street) had had no deaths. These people worked in the pub at 7 Cambridge Street. They had been given free beer, and so had not drunk the water from the pump. Snow suspected that the water pump was to blame. What is more, in another part of London, a woman and her daughter had died of cholera after moving away from Broad Street. It seemed that the woman liked the water from the pump so much that she had it delivered to her house every day. As a result of this evidence, John Snow was able to announce that the pump water carried cholera germs. Accordingly, he had the handle of the pump removed so that it could not be used. Through this intervention, the disease was stopped in its tracks.
The truth was that the water from the Broad Street pump had been infected by waste. Moreover, Snow was later able to show a link between other cases of cholera and the different water companies in London. Some companies sold water from the River Thames that was polluted by raw waste. The people who drank this water were much more likely to get cholera than those who drank pure or boiled water.
Through Snow's tireless efforts, water companies began to sell clean water, and the threat of cholera around the world saw a substantial decrease. However, cholera is stilla problem. Each year, millions of people around the world get cholera and many die from it. Fortunately, we now know how to prevent cholera, thanks to the work of John Snow. Moreover, in his use of maps and statistics, Snow transformed the way scientist study diseases. For this reason, Snow is considered the father of modern epidemiology.
必修二Unit 3 Reading and Thinking
STRONGER TOGETHER:
HOW WE HAVE BEEN CHANGED
BY THE INTERNET
Much has been written about the wonders of the World Wide Web. There are countless articles telling us how the Internet has made our lives more convenient. We no longer have to wait in line or carry cash around when we go shopping. We can get the most updated information from large databases. We can download software, documents, and images whenever we need them. But the Internet has done much more for people than simply make life more convenient. People's lives have been changed by online communities and social networks.
Jan Tchamani, an English teacher in Birmingham, UK, suddenly developed a serious illness and had to quit her job. At age 50, she found herself out of work and stuck at home with only her computer to keep her company. After a while, she discovered that surfing the Internet could help her feel less lonely and bored. She could listen to music, watch films, play games, and explore the world. She also joined an online group where she could talk about her problems and get support and advice from others. She realised that one of the greatest benefits of the Internet was its ability to remove the distance that usually exists between people.
She was so inspired by the people she met online that she decided to start an IT club to teach older people how to use computers and the Internet. She and her friends now organise events and collect money to pay for private teachers. Many people have been helped by the club. A 59-year-old man learnt how to apply for work online and found a great job. Now that he works and can take care of himself, his daughter has time to study at university. A 61-year-old woman who was living alone has started a small online company together with two friends. She no longer feels lonely, and her company has become quite successful.
Jan has started taking online classes to learn more about how to use the Internet to make society better. She believes that it is highly important to bridge the digital divide and make sure that everyone has access to the Internet and knows how to use new technology. Her next goal is to start a charity website to raise money for children in poor countries. “When you go through tough times, you meet others who are facing similar challenges,” Jan says. “Thinking about other people's situations inspired me to offer help.”
必修三Unit 4 Reading and Thinking
Read the text. Several sentences have been removed from it. Choose the correct sentence (A-D) to fill each gap.
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A. Although scientists try to make sure nothing goes wrong, accidents can still happen. B. They also really wish to discover other planets that are suitable enough to support life. C. The future of space exploration remains bright. D. After many experiments, they succeeded in making rockets that could escape Earth's gravity. |
SPACE: THE FINAL FRONTIER
“Are we alone? What's out there?” Looking up at the stars, people have always wanted to learn more about space, and scientists work hard to find answers. They make vehicles to carry brave people into space to find out the secrets of the universe. ___________________________________________________________
Before the mid-20th century, most people felt travelling into space was an impossible dream. However, some scientists were determined to help humans realise their dream to explore space. ________________ On 4 October 1957, the Sputnik 1 satellite was launched by the USSR and successfully orbited around Earth. Afterwards, the USSR focused on sending people into space, and on 12 April 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first person in the world to go into space. Over eight years later, on 20 July 1969, American astronaut Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon, famously saying, “That's one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind.”Following this, many more goals were achieved. For example, America's NASA space agency launched Voyager 1 on 5 September 1977 to study deep space, and it still transmits data today.
____________________________ All the astronauts on the USSR's Soyuz 11 and America's Challenger died during their missions. These disasters made everyone sad and disappointed, but the desire to explore the universe never died. This is because people believe in the importance of carrying on space exploration despite the huge risks. An example of this on going work is the International Space Station. It orbits Earth and has astronauts from different countries on board providing a continuous human presence in space.
China's space programme started later than those of Russia and the US, but it has made great progress in a short time. China became the third country in the world to independently send humans into space in 2003, when Yang Liwei successfully orbited Earth in the Shenzhou 5 spacecraft. Then Shenzhou 6 and 7 completed a second manned orbit and the first Chinese spacewalk, followed by the vehicle Jade Rabbit being sent to the moon to study its surface. After that, China launched the Tiangong 2 space lab into space and Tianzhou 1 to dock with it. This signalled one step further in China's plan to establish a space station in the future. More recently, China has sent Chang'e 4 to explore the surface of the far side of the moon to make measurements and observations.
_____________________________________ Europe, the US, and China all have plans to further study and explore planets like Mars and Jupiter. Despite the difficulties, scientists hope future discoveries will not only enable us to understand how the universe began, but also help us survive well into the future.
必修二Unit 4 Reading and Thinking
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
The United Kingdom, Great Britain, Britain, England—many people are confused by what these different names mean. So what is the difference between them, if any? Getting to know a little bit about British history will help you solve this puzzle.
In the 16th century, the nearby country of Wales was joined to the Kingdom of England. Later, in the 18th century, the country Scotland was joined to create the Kingdom of Great Britain. In the 19th century, the Kingdom of Ireland was added to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Finally, in the 20th century, the southern part of Ireland broke away from the UK, which resulted in the full name we have today: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Most people just use the shortened name: “the United Kingdom” or “the UK”. People from the UK are called “British”, which means the UK is also often referred to as Britain or Great Britain.
The four countries that belong to the United Kingdom work together in some areas. They use the same flag, known as the Union Jack, as well as share the same currency and military defence. However, they also have some differences. For example, England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland all have different education systems and legal systems. They also have their own traditions, like their own national days and national dishes. And they even have their own football teams for competitions like the World Cup!
The United Kingdom has a long and interesting history to explore, which can help you understand much more about the country and its traditions. Almost everywhere you go in the UK, you will be surrounded by evidence of four different groups of people who took over at different times throughout history. The first group, the Romans, came in the first century. Some of their great achievements included building towns and roads. Next, the Anglo-Saxons arrived in the fifth century. They introduced the beginnings of the English language, and changed the way people built houses. The Vikings came in the eighth century, left behind lots of new vocabulary, and also the names of many locations across the UK. The last group were the Normans. They conquered England after the well-known Battle of Hastings in the 11th century. They had castles built all around England, and made changes to the legal system. The Normans were French, so many French words slowly entered into the English language.
There is so much more to learn about the interesting history and culture of the United Kingdom. Studying the history of the country will make your visit much more enjoyable. The capital city London is a great place to start, as it is an ancient port city that has a history dating all the way back to Roman times. There are countless historic sites to explore, and lots of museums with ancient relics from all over the UK. The UK is a fascinating mix of history and modern culture, with both new and old traditions. If you keep your eyes open, you will be surprised to find that you can see both its past and its present.
选择性必修三 Unit 4 Reading and Thinking
A SUCCESSFUL FAILURE
Perce Blackborow joined an expedition with Sir Ernest Shackleton to Antarctica on the ship Endurance in 1914. Shackleton was one of the most famous explorers of his day and it was considered a great honor to be part of his expeditions. Below are some of Blackborow's diary entries.
31 Oct,1914
... Well, it so happened that one morning I bought a newspaper and read the advertisement about the Antarctic expedition.
An expedition to the South Pole with the great Sir Ernest Shackleton—this is the adventure that I have been dreaming of. And I was ready for it. At the age of 19, I am fit and full of vigour. However, when I applied to join the expedition, Shackleton turned me down because he thought I was too young and wasn't qualified. But I was so enthusiastic about the idea of going along with them that I secretly went aboard his ship, the Endurance, and hid in a small cupboard. Unfortunately, three days after we set off I was discovered. Shackleton did not want to turn back so he offered me a job, but only after he promised me, “If anyone has to be eaten, then you will be the first!” He assigned me to be a steward, and I now serve meals for twenty-eight men, three times a day.
How everyone will envy me when I come back and tell them about the amazing places I have been to!
21 Nov, 1915
The journey has not been easy. Endurance became stuck in the ice as we approached Antarctica. The ice froze around us and we were well and truly stuck! We saw the ship get crushed by the ice. And when the ship sank, our hearts sank with it.
Before we abandoned the ship, Shackleton calmly called us together and told us to rescue our most essential supplies—the small boats, our food, the cook stove, candles, clothes, and blankets. This was no time to panic. We were not allowed to take most of our personal belongings, and Shackleton himself threw away all his gold. But to our surprise, he allowed Hussey to keep his banjo, Hussey often plays it to keep our spirits up.
We are now camped on the ice and we have been managing to survive, but spring is coming, and the ice will soon begin to melt.
20 May, 1916
We have been struggling for days, but things on Elephant Island are going from bad to worse. We are now crowded together under one of our boats on the rocky shore of this miserable place. Soon after we arrived, Shackleton left us to find help on South Georgia lsland, 1320 kilometres away—the voyage was too dangerous and difficult for all of us to make it in our small boats. If Shackleton fails, will we have any hope of rescue? No. No navy in the world ever stops at Elephant Island, and no one else knows that we are here.
I feel low. It's cold and windy. The island has no plants. Sometimes we are able to catch a seal or a penguin to eat. Otherwise, there is no food. I try to think of happier things: decent food, warm and dry clothes, a cosy bedroom, sunny days, and my mother's face ... However, these happy memories are soon interrupted by a sudden cold rush of air.
I shouted,“Shut the door!”
“Hold on now, Perce. Don't you go turning into another Tom,” came the reply. “We've caught another penguin, so it's penguin soup tonight!”
Bless Frank Wild, the kindest man there is after our leader, Ernest Shackleton. How could I become as selfish and bad-tempered as Thomas Orde-Lees!
Without Frank and Ernest, we'd all be dead by now. Their genuine concern for others, their perseverance, and their resolve fill me with hope.
Perhaps there is a chance we will return home, after all.