Cursive (手写体)is about to become extinct. Do we raise the red flag? To teach or not to teach cursive is the question that several state education departments are struggling with.
Before you read this write-up $ do a simple exercise. Pick a pen and paper and start writing in cursive. Yes，that fancy handwriting that you learned in grade school. You may not have forgotten the good times you had while writing loopy Ps and Gs as well as curly Ms and Ns. However，the chances are that you won't be able to write it as excellently as you used to. Some people are good at making the perfect loops and curls，while some are bad. I am still terrible at it.
Cursive is hardly used by kids anymore as even adults don 't write in this style，unless they are using it for their signature. Learning this handwriting was a usual practice in school for several dec­ades. However，in 2011, the Indiana Department of Education made it optional (可选择的)for schools to teach cursive writing to the students. In fact, there were 46 more states who have done the same. There are some who believe that it is high time for cursive to retire from school curriculum. After all，if we don ’ t leave the past behind，we cannot make way for new things. If you walk into any classroom，you would find children using keyboards to communicate in written form. On the other hand，fans of this cursive insist on its usefulness. They remind us that if we stop teaching and learn­ing cursive in schools，very soon most of our historical documents will become hard to us.
Where do we stand on this subject? Is it the right time to erase an almost forgotten handwriting and live in the keyboarding world? Or can we do both without compromising (妥协)on our school curriculum? Let me know your thoughts on this matter by leaving a comment in the section below.
【小题1】People use cursive when they

A．give their signature	B．are in Indiana
C．grow up as adults	D．are at school

【小题2】In Indiana school, children

A．must learn cursive

B．are interested in cursive

C．can choose to learn cursive

D．learn cursive everyday

【小题3】It can be inferred that the author

A．prefers to learn cursive

B．is a cursive teacher

C．welcomes people to show their opinions

D．is a very famous expert in education

【小题4】What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Is Cursive Writing Necessary?

B．Is Keyboarding World Good?

C．A Keyboarding World

D．Advantages of Cursive

In certain countries of the world，the king or queen is still the head country。The UK is one of these countries。So that does the British royal family(皇室) represent for the British people today? Well，a large number of things。The royal family are of course a part of British history and tradition。They still have an important and meaning for many people today。It just wouldn’t feel the same if there were no royal family。In addition to that，the queen has important formal duties：
●as head of the state，the Queen represents the UK on visits other would leaders to visit the UK.
●as head of the armed force，only the Queen can declare when the UK is at war or when the war is over。
●as head of the Church of England。
Not just the Queen，the royal family spend a great deal of their time traveling up and there should be royal family。Sometimes the press and media criticize（批评）the royal family as well。One criticism is that the British people should not have to pay for the royal through their taxes。Another is that the Buckingham Palace should be open to the public more often，in order to pay for the building repairs that are necessary。
【小题1】Today，the British royal still represents ____of the UK。

A．the honor and pride	B．history and tradition
C．function and law	D．politics and culture

【小题2】Which is one of the Queen’s formal duties？

A．Visiting foreign countries.

B．Fighting in wars.

C．Writing government documents.

D．Repairing the church.

【小题3】Why are royal family criticized by the press and media？

A．Because the royal don’t do anything for the country.

B．Because more people want to visit Buckingham Palace.

C．Because some people don’t want their taxes to be used for the royal family.

D．Because the Queen is too meet busy to meet with her people.

Comfort is comforting, but it might narrow our experience at work — and beyond.
In our modern world, discomfort is considered a terrible thing. If not terrible, it’s at least a thing of the past. Dishwashers, washing machines, computers, remote controls—yes, they add convenience, but also a level of comfort our forefathers did not enjoy.
As pain of any kind discourages happiness, we tend to reason anything that prevents us to feel good must be bad. And that’s also particularly true for our careers. Success makes us feel great, not terrible. Such a view, however, is a matter of personal opinion. And it may blind us to hidden opportunities.
Artists throughout history have tried to experience suffering, instinctively(本能地) if not consciously(有意识地), to produce works that explore the darker hidden sides of the human condition. This was done, in part, because pain is a reality of life for everybody in some form at some time. Pain is something everybody can relate to. And pain makes a person very real. For such artists, to deny pain would be to block the creative thinking, which drives them to explore and express. In fact, Germans have a term(术语) for this, “Weltschmerz”, which means “suffering from the world.” Writers, from Lord Byron to Kurt Vonnegut, have used the term to describe the psychological pain along life’s roller-coaster journey. It was not to be avoided; it was to be understood and employed.
So I believe that discomfort is good for us. Or, put another way, it tells us that something needs to be attended to. It develops us by forcing us to view our circumstances(环境) through a wholly different view. Because we’re attracted by safety and security, we do our best to create pleasant comfort zones for ourselves and our loved ones through the cars we drive, the houses we live in, and the places we work. But by resisting discomfort, we deny ourselves an important opportunity: the chance to shake ourselves out of our predictable perspectives(视角) and allow ourselves to make knowledgeable observations that we could not possibly have made before. Discomfort gives us fresh eyes.
【小题1】Which of the following is NOT a reason why artists throughout history have been exploring sufferings?

A．Pain is a mirror that can reflect the life of everybody.

B．Pain is something that no one can escape from.

C．Pain can strengthen the feeling of existence of a person.

D．Pain can help them to avoid the creative thinking.

【小题2】The term “Weltschmerz” couldn’t be used to describe something like __________.

A．social inequality

B．great achievements

C．racial discrimination(歧视)

D．mass killings

【小题3】The author believes that by challenging discomfort, one may _________.

A．lose an important chance to make a big fortune

B．feel upset and fail to think calmly

C．control the situation properly when things go wrong

D．judge and think about the world in a new particular way

【小题4】By writing this passage, the author tries to __________.

A．explain why discomfort is good for us

B．criticize(批评) a world full of comfort

C．persuade people to lead a life full of discomfort

D．blame those who enjoy an easy life

   From the modern London Eye to the historic Tower of London, below are London's most visited tourist attractions. Many of London's top attractions are free, making them affordable places to learn about some culture. Whether you prefer history or modern art, you'll find it at one of these must-visit spots.
British Museum
The world-famous British Museum exhibits the works of man from prehistoric to modern times, from around the world. The most interesting and exciting parts include the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures (雕塑) and the mummies in the Ancient Egypt collection. Some exhibitions require tickets.
National Gallery
The greatest and most beautiful building of Trafalgar Square, London's National Gallery is a vast space filled with Western European paintings from the 13th to the 19th centuries. In this impressive art gallery you can find works by masters such as Van Gogh, da Vinci, Botticelli, Constable, Renoir, Titian and Stubbs. Some exhibitions require tickets.
Tate Modern
Sitting on the banks of the Thames is the Tate Modern, Britain's national museum of modern and contemporary (当代的) art. Its unique shape is due to it being a power station before. The gallery's restaurants offer wonderful views across the city. Some exhibitions require tickets.
Coca-Cola London Eye
The Coca-Cola London Eye is a major feature of London's skyline. It has some of London's best views from its 32 capsules, each weighing 10 tonnes and holding up to 25 people. Climb aboard for a breathtaking experience, with an unforgettable view of more than 55 of London's most famous landmarks — all in just 30 minutes!
Madame Tussauds
At Madame Tussauds, you'll come face-to-face with some of the world's most famous faces. From Shakespeare to Lady Gaga you'll meet influential figures from show business, sport, politics and even royalty. Strike a pose with Usain Bolt, get close to One Direction or receive a once-in-a-lifetime audience with Her Majesty the Queen.
【小题1】What do the British Museum and the National Gallery have in common?

A．Both have chargeable exhibitions.

B．Both are on the banks of the Thames.

C．Both have vast spaces and special shapes.

D．Both exhibit modern and contemporary art.

【小题2】If visitors want to get a better view of London's famous landmarks, they should visit _____.

A．the Tate Modern

B．the British Museum

C．the National Gallery

D．the Coca-Cola London Eye

【小题3】In Madame Tussauds, visitors can _____.

A．enjoy Shakespeare's works

B．talk to some famous people

C．watch Lady Gaga's performance

D．see figures of many influential people