For hundreds of years, artists have used cartoons to criticize bad rulers or landowners. As early as the 19th century, people produced and read books of drawings. In many ways, they were similar to modern comics（漫画）. They contained stories of naughty children and playful animals. The owl and the elephant were usually wise animals, ready to give advice. The lion and tiger were brave. The fox and wolf were cunning, greedy and dangerous.
A century ago, an American newspaper published the first-color comic strip. It was so popular that sales of the newspaper, Morning Journal, increased quickly. Since then, newspapers throughout the world have included comic strips.
In modern time, comics are popular in China, Japan, the USA and almost everywhere. Not even video games or CD-ROMs have reduced their popularity. Names such as Snoopy, Woodstock and Garfield are well known in dozens of countries. The Peanuts comic strip appears in over 2,000 newspapers and in more than 25 languages.
Perhaps one day, you may like to create your own comic strip and become a millionaire. First, you must think of a good plot. It should be funny, exciting or interesting in some way. It should have plenty of action. Moreover, the language must be realistic and simple. The words should suit the characters in your story.
Furthermore, the characters in your story must be clear to readers. They should be obviously good or bad. In many comic strips—especially those showing crime of adventure—there should also be a hero or heroine. This will attract the reader to keep on reading the story.
1. Which of the following is NOT the name of a cartoon character?
A. Snoopy B. Garfield C. Peanuts D. Woodstock
2. We can know from the first paraphaph that rulers ________.
A. asked the artists to draw cartoons B. probably did not like cartoons about them.
C. often drew cartoons many years ago. D. used cartoons to give people advice.
3. According to the passage, what makes a popular and successful comic strip?
A. Good plot B. suitable language C. clear characters D. All of above
4. The underlined word “plot” is similar in meaning to ______.
A. places B. stories C. events D. characters
Top lists are lecturing people on everything from"100 books to read ".Aren't you just tired of being told what to do with your time?
Now you have a list to end all lists!
Take a look at the following two examples from the list of "101 things not to do":
Swim with Dolphins（海豚）?
Swimming with dolphins is one of the world’s most profitable tourist activities.However, every dolphin will welcome having their busy, tiring day interrupted by tourists screaming pushing around them in the water.Worse yet, when dolphins get too near to the boats loaded tourists, they could get caught up in ropes and killed by propellers(螺旋桨).
Here’s a little secret.Dolphins look like smiling at you, but actually they’re just opening mouths.
Go to See the Mona Lisa?
There must be something about the mysterious(神秘的) smile.The 6 million people who visit the lady in the Louvre every year can’t all be wrong after all.But they can be quite annoying standing in front of you, holding up their cameras to prevent you from seeing anything.In fact, it is hard for you to see the painting clearly because you have to stay away from it for security reasons.After queuing for hours, many tourists can remain in front of the painting only for 15 seconds most.
If the mysterious lady in the picture knew her fate, she wouldn’t just be smiling, she laughing.
So, still long to see the Mona Lisa? If you want to find out more about the list, read 101 Tings NOT to Do Before You Die.Visit www.not2dobeforeidie.co.uk and buy the book at a 20% discount.According to the passage, swimming with dolphins________.
| A．is the world’s most popular tourist activity |
| B．gives fun to both tourists and dolphins |
| C．will make tourists busy and tired |
| D．can cause danger to dolphins |
what does the author think about going to see the Mona Lisa?
| A．It is wrong to go and see the mysterious smile. |
| B．It is not as satisfying as expected. |
| C．Fifteen seconds in front of the painting is enough. |
| D．Queuing for hours is worthwhile. |
The list of “101 things not to do” is made most probably because its author_______.
| A．thinks it boring to do the things suggested by other lists |
| B．believes other lists are not humorous enough |
| C．intends to persuade people to read more lists |
| D．wants to provide a list different from other lists |
What is the main purpose of the passage?
| A．To advertise a book |
| B．To introduce a website |
| C．To comment on popular lists |
| D．To recommend tourist activities. |
Cold weather can be hard on pets, just like it can be hard on people.Sometimes owners forget that their cats are just as used to the warm shelter (住所) as they are.Some owners will leave their animals outside for a long period of time, thinking that all animals are used to living outdoors.This can put their pets in danger of serious illness.There are things you can do to keep your animal warm and safe.
Keep your pets inside as much as you can when the weather is bad.If you have to take them out, stay outside with them.When you’re cold enough to go inside, they probably are too.If you must leave them outside for a long time, make sure they have a warm, solid shelter against the wind, thick bedding, and plenty of non-frozen water.
If left alone outside, dogs and cats can be very smart in their search for warm shelter.They can dig into snow banks or hide somewhere.Watch them closely when they are left outdoors, and provide them with shelter of good quality.Keep an eye on your pet’s water.Sometimes owners don’t realize that a water bowl has frozen and their pet can’t get anything to drink.Animals that don’t have clean and unfrozen water may drink dirty water outside, which may contain something unhealthy for them.What do we learn about pets from Paragraph 1?
| A．They are often forgotten by their owners. |
| B．They are used to living outdoors. |
| C．They build their own shelter. |
| D．They like to stay in warm places. |
Why are pet owners asked to stay with their pets when they are out in cold weather?
| A．To know when to bring them inside. |
| B．To keep them from eating bad food. |
| C．To help them find shelter. |
| D．To keep them company. |
If pets are left on their own outdoors in cold weather, they may ___.
| A．run short of clean water |
| B．dig deep holes for fun |
| C．dirty the snow nearby |
| D．get lost in the wild |
What is the purpose of this text?
| A．To solve a problem. |
| B．To give practical advice. |
| C．To tell an interesting story. |
| D．To present a research result. |
One of my wonderful memories is about a Christmas gift.Unlike other gifts, it came without wrap(包装).
On September11th.1958.Mum gave birth to Richard.After she brought him home from hospital, she put him in my lap, saying."I promised you a gift, and here it is." What an honor! I turned four a month earlier and none of my friends had such a baby doll of their own.I played with it day and night.I sang to it.I told it stories.1 told it over and over how much I loved it!
One morning, however, I found its bed empty.My doll was gone! I cried for it.Mum wept and told me that the poor little thing had been sent to a hospital.It had a fever.For several days, I heard Mum and Dad whispering such words as "hopeless", "pitiful", and "dying", which sounded ominous.
Christmas was coming."Don’t expect any presents this year." Dad said, pointing at the socks I hung in the living room."If your baby brother lives, that'll be Christmas enough." As he spoke, his eyes filled with tears.I'd never seen him cry before.
The phone rang early on Christmas morning.Dad jumped out of bed to answer it.From my bedroom I heard him say."What? He's all right?" He hung up and shouted upstairs."The hospital said we can bring Richard home!" "Thank God.'" I heard Mum cry.
From the upstairs window, I watched my parents rush out to the car.I had never seen them happy.And I was also full of joy.What a wonderful day! My baby doll would be home.I downstairs.My sacks still hung there flat.But I knew they were not empty; they were filled with love!what happened to the author on September 11 1958 ?
| A．He got a baby brother |
| B．He got a Christmas gift |
| C．He became four years old |
| D．He received a doll |
What does the underlined word “ominous” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?
| A．Impossible. | B．Boring |
| C．Difficult | D．Fearful |
Which word can best describe the feeling of the father when Christmas was coming?
| A．Excitement. | B．Happiness. |
| C．Sadness. | D．Disappointment. |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．A sad Christmas day |
| B．Life with a lovely baby |
| C．A special Christmas gift |
| D．Memories of a happy family |
Kids are cool to wear blue jeans and T-shirts today.It is fashionable like that.Fashion refers to the styles of dress that are currently popular.Fashion goes beyond just clothes, though.It’s important for some people to wear only the latest fashions and styles.For others, though, keeping up with trends isn’t that important.The one thing that stays the same with fashion is this: it always changes!
During the 1960s and 1970s, hippies made bell-bottomed blue jeans（喇叭裤）popular.Also, in the 1980s, Michael Jackson made parachute pants（降落伞裤）all the fashion.Now try to find these items in today’s clothing stores!
Do you know why fashions change? The answer is probably as simple as the fact that people change.Over time, the new replaces the old.People are influenced greatly by popular culture, including athletes, musicians, movies stars, as well as popular films, television shows, books and music.We are also influenced by the fashion industry’s advertising.
The stars of popular culture are always searching for a new angle to maintain（保持）their popularity.Often these new angles come in the form of new clothing or hairstyles.When people see these new styles, they often want to imitate their favorite stars.To do so, they seek out the latest fashions to make themselves look like the people they want to imitate.In this way, fashions evolve and change over time.
Clothes have been used to separate people into groups for many years.Even today, brand-name, clothing that is more expensive than other types of clothing can be used by some people to distinguish themselves from others.
Unfortunately, this can often have the effect of distancing certain groups from others.Don’t forget that it’s always OK to develop your own sense of style that is unique and separate from what the fashion world determines! Stay true to yourself and let your personality—not your clothes—speak for who you are！What does the example of bell-bottomed blue jeans and parachute pants in Paragraph 2 suggest?
| A．Michael Jackson is a good designer. |
| B．Stars are always influential. |
| C．People have different dressing styles. |
| D．Fashion always changes. |
What causes the changes of fashions?
| A．Advertisements change rapidly. |
| B．Movie stars are changing over time. |
| C．Popular culture influences people. |
| D．New films and shows replace the old. |
What does the author mainly want to stress in the last paragraph?
| A．The importance of having one’s own personality. |
| B．The bad effects of following fashion. |
| C．The good influences of popular styles. |
| D．The advantages of staying unique. |
We can learn from the text that_____________.
| A．fashion is all about clothes |
| B．clothes may separate and distance people |
| C．the author has gone out of fashion |
| D．people like imitating others’ dressing style |
The piano on which Mozart wrote all of his late works returned home to Vienna for the first time since his death in 1791.The piano will stand in his former Vienna home, now a museum, for two weeks, ending in a concert of the works by Mozart.
Mozart bought the instrument from Anton Walter, the most famous piano maker of his time, in 1782.He wrote more than 50 works for the piano on it, many of them in the apartment in Vienna.After Mozart’s death, Constanze, Mozart’s wife, gave the instrument to their elder surviving son, Carl Thomas, who donated it to the Mozarteum Salzburg on what would have been the composer’s 100th birthday.The piano is now part of the permanent exhibition in the Austrian city of Salzburg.
“ It was very hard to let it go,” said Matthias Schulz, director of the Mozarteum Salzburg.“ If we didn’ t know it was in the best hands, we wouldn’ t have done it.” The piano is much smaller and lighter than modern concert ones.Its sound is fresher and brighter than that of a modern piano, with lighter action and hammers (音锤).
Piano restorer Josef Meingast, who has looked after the Mozart piano since 1975, said it was superior to any of its surviving copies.Meingast said he had to fight to replace the existing strings (琴键), dating from a 1973 restoration, with softer ones that produce a rounder sound thought to be more similar to what Mozart would have produced.
Russian pianist Alexander Melnikov, who planned to give a concert of Mozart’ s music on the piano on November 7, said he was privileged to play such an instrument.It’s easily the biggest day of a musician’ s life.”According to the passage, the piano___________.
| A．is now being owned by the Mozart family |
| B．has been kept by Carl Thomas since Mozart died |
| C．is much bigger and heavier than modern ones |
| D．is part of the permanent exhibition in the city of Salzburg |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．The piano has never been repaired. |
| B．Anton Walter was also a very famous pianist. |
| C．Josef Meingast devoted himself to restoring the piano. |
| D．Matthias Schulz doubted if the piano would be well looked af. |
How will Alexander Melnikov feel when playing that piano?
| A．Upset | B．Honored | C．Frightened | D．Creative |
What is the main idea of this passage?
| A．Mozart’s piano returns home to Vinna. |
| B．Mozart’s piano connects too many artists. |
| C．Mozart’s piano reflects all his wonderful life. |
| D．Mozart’s piano is restored to its original form. |
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