From classics to movies

He can recite Shakespeare’s Hamlet from memory. His favorite ancient myth is The Odyssey. Tom Hiddleston, 32, could have been a popular professor teaching English Literature at (21) __________ university, but the well-educated British man chose to do something that he loves even more: acting.

He’s well-known around the world as the villain Loki from the Hollywood films Thor (2011), The Avengers (2012) and now Thor: The Dark World, which will come out in China on Nov 8. Hiddleston’s role as Thor’s evil brother has led his fans — “Hiddlestoners” — (22) __________ (refer) to him as “the most charming villain” in cinema.

(23) __________ his charm, Hiddleston had a tough time (24) __________ (persuade) his scientist father that acting was a worthwhile job. As a student at Eton, a private school for upper-class kids in England, Hiddleston performed in a lot of school plays. At 18, he appeared on stage at the Edinburgh International Festival. “It was the first time that people I knew and loved and respected came up to me after the show and said: ‘You could really do this (25) __________ you wanted to’,” Hiddleston told the Daily Mail.

He said that as a teenager he didn’t have much self-esteem, but acting gave him confidence. “It was when they started saying I could do it (26) __________ I really committed to it as a possibility,” he continued. However, his father did not approve, believing his polite and bright son should be using his brains for (27) __________ else. “You’ve been educated, so why do you want to spend your life pretending to be someone else when you could be your own man?” the father told the son.

So, instead of going to drama school, Hiddleston went to Cambridge, (28) __________ he studied classics. There, he continued to appear in student plays and even landed some roles on TV and in local theaters. He managed to balance his acting and his studies so well that he (29) __________ (graduate) with a first-class degree.

But Hiddleston’s international breakthrough came when he auditioned for the 2011 film Thor. He was desperate to play the title superhero, but the director decided that he was (30) __________ (suitable) for the part of the villain, Loki.

In the end, his dark and powerful performance won over his father. It also earned him some important fans in the film industry: Steven Spielberg and Woody Allen. The two world-famous directors asked him to star in their award-winning films War Horse (2011) and Midnight in Paris (2011), respectively.

A. boast B. underrepresented C. shared D. participation E. pursuit F. launched

G. confirmed H. female I. barriers J. agreements K. advancing

Gender equality has powerful potential to improve the economy, security and the overall well-being of a population.

“If the world closed the gender gap in workforce 31 , global [Gross Domestic Product] would increase by 28 trillion dollars by 2025... That’s about a quarter of the world’s current GDP, and almost half of the world’s current debt,” said U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Catherine Russell in a recent speech. She also noted that “studies have found that countries with less gender inequality are more secure, and peace 32 last longer when women are at the negotiating table.”

Nonetheless, no country in the world can 33 that it has achieved full gender equality.

“Around the world, women are vastly 34 in politics and the workforce, particularly in leadership positions and other high-paying jobs,” said Ambassador Russell. At the same time, women make up the majority of the poor. “I’ve heard people say that poverty has a 35 face, and that makes sense when you consider that women control just one-fifth of global wealth,” said Ambassador Russell.

World leaders are beginning to recognize that everyone benefits from 36 gender equality, she said. This is why gender equality is part of U.S. foreign policy. A key part of U.S. efforts focus on educating and empowering girls. In the past 18 months, the United States 37 its global strategy to empower adolescent girls, as well as Let Girls Learn, which is a Presidential initiative that focuses on educating girls.

We are also working with numerous countries to remove 38 that keep women from inheriting or owning property, entering the formal job market or accessing banking services.

“Gender equality sometimes looks like an impossible task — a 39 without an end,” said Ambassador Russell. “But...we can make progress, and that progress is worth making. Little by little, discussion by discussion, step by step, we can improve the lives of women and girls, men and boys all around the world. And in doing so, we can reach our 40 goals of peace, prosperity, and security.”

5 Fictions about Premium Economy (豪华经济舱)

If the sight of your fellow passengers relaxing in premium economy has you filled with envy, you’re not alone. It seems like every airline is providing a few rows of seats that offer just that much more legroom and space. But is it worth the price? Here are five fictions about premium economy class.

1. Premium economy is pretty much the same on every airline.

“__________ (67)”, says Zach Honig, editor-in-chief of the The Points Guy. Benefits can include anywhere from 5 to 7 inches of extra legroom, a slightly wider seat and slightly more seat recline (向后倚靠). Other conveniences can include adjustable head rests, leg rests on some carriers, larger personal TV screens, power ports and a better level of food. But frankly, nothing is standardized.

2. You get a meal and free drinks with a premium economy seat.

Not on most domestic flights that offer a semblance (表象) of international service. __________(68). But when it comes to meals, you’ll get a few more bags of free peanuts than they offer in coach and the opportunity to purchase pre-packed in-flight meals before economy-class passengers do.

3. There are others benefits, like free Wi-Fi.

You might find furrier pillows and larger blankets, but add-ons like in-flight Wi-Fi usually come along with an additional charge. “__________ (69)”, says DiScala of Johnny Jet, who adds, “Some do, so always ask. I made the mistake of buying Wi-Fi on my SAS flight in June. I later learned that premium passengers get it for free.”

4. You get a lot more space.

A “lot more space” is very relative. Don’t expect a huge seat, just one that’s somewhat larger than those in economy on the same aircraft. Honig says that “You can expect to find roughly as much space as you’ll get in the domestic first-class cabin on a U.S. airline, or in JetBlue’s ‘Even More Space’ section. It’s definitely more than you’ll have in coach.”

5. __________ (70)

“Just as with business class, it’s worth checking the price of premium economy,” says Leff of ViewfromtheWing.com. “The addition may not be very high. Last weekend, I wrote about premium economy on Virgin Atlantic being cheaper than coach. But it may also be much more expensive. Airfares vary dramatically, and that’s as true for premium economy as it is for coach.”

A Father’s Influence Makes for Better Grades

Adolescents from low-income families in particular are more likely than their middle-class peers to underachieve and to drop out of school. Studies have shown that a positive attitude towards school work and the support and encouragement from their parents can help at-risk youngsters to overcome the economic barriers and lack of resources they face. Most of the evidence about the effects of parental involvement comes from research on mothers. Little is known, however, about how adolescents experience their fathers’ warmth and the beliefs and behaviors that are most affected by it.

This new study is part of a larger one focusing on low-income families conducted in four middle schools in the southwestern United States. Data were analyzed from questionnaires completed by 183 sixth-graders about how optimistic and motivated they were about their schoolwork, and how they experienced their fathers. The questionnaires were completed primarily by respondents of Mexican American, African American and European American descent. Their maths and language arts grades were also obtained.

Their findings show how fathers can support their teenagers in ways that result in greater optimism, self-efficacy, and, ultimately, higher achievement at school.

These positive effects extend to both sons and daughters, while in different ways. Experiencing their father’s warmth first influences daughters’ sense of optimism, and then spills over into their feeling more determined and certain about their academic abilities. This in turn leads to better math grades. There is a more direct link between their fathers’ involvement and teenage boys’ belief in their ability to succeed on the academic front. This heightened self-confidence increased their success in English language arts classes.

Suizzo suggests that counselors and educators should encourage fathers to communicate warmth and acceptance to their children, because of the positive influence these emotions have on their well-being.

71. 没什么比读这本历史小说更能吸引我的了。(appeal)

72. 真正荣获2016校园歌手大赛冠军的是一位男生。(It)

73. 他半年前转到一所寄宿制学校，但发现自己难以适应那里的新环境。(transfer)

74. 暑假期间，他参加了各种志愿者活动，为地震中的幸存者筹集善款，这使他受益匪浅。(which)