In the year 480 BC the Greek allies (联军) faced invasion by the King of Persia, Xerxes, who commanded a huge army of about half a million men. When the Persian army marched into northern Greece, the Greek states, led by Athens and Sparta, were ill equipped to deal with the threat. The Persians were well supplied with food and weapons. Their army included infantry, cavalry, and a large navy. It seemed that they would easily defeat the Greeks.
The Greek allies decided to send 10,000 men northwards to slow down the Persians, while the rest prepared to defend their homelands. A group of 300 best Spartan soldiers were chosen to lead the force going north, with Leonidas in command. Leonidas realized that the only hope of slowing the Persians would be to block the narrow passage of land at Thermopylae. The Pass of
Thermopylae was the route between the mountains and the sea, and was so narrow that only a few men could get through at a time.
When the Persian army arrived at Thermopylae, they found Leonidas' tiny army opposing them. The Persians attacked, but could not get through. They attacked again and again, but each time they were driven back by the Greeks, led by the fearless Spartans. Leonidas' plan worked well until a Greek traitor called Ephialtes went m Xerxes. He told the Persian king about a goat's path in the mountains that would take the Persian army past Thermopylae. When Leonidas saw the enemy crossing the mountains, he realized that he could no longer hold Thermopylae. He sent all the Greek soldiers except the 300 Spartans back to their homelands.
The Spartans waited for the 500,000 Persians at the goat’s path. Although hopelessly outnumbered, the Spartans fought bravely. They all died, but the other Greeks were able to get home to strengthen the defenses.
61. Compared with the Persian army, the Greek allies were very________.
A. powerful B. wise C. weak D. foolish
62. The Pass of Thermopylae was very important for the Greeks because __
A. it was easy to hold but hard to attack
B. only very small boats could get through it
C, it was a secret pass unknown to the Persians
D. a huge number of soldiers could be stationed there
63. Why did Leonidas send most of his soldiers back to their homelands?
A. Because their homelands were under attack.
B. Because he found they were not brave enough.
C. Because the Persians gave up attacking Thermopylae.
D. Because he found it impossible to hold Thermopylae.
64. Which of the following is NOT ture according to the passage?
A. Leonidas was a great commander.
B. The Persians failed to pass Thermopylae.
C. Ephialtes betrayed his own country.
D. The 300 Spatans would be regarded as heroes by the Greeks.
65. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. The Greek Allies B. The Goat’s Path C. The King of Persia D. Xerxes and Ephialtes
From the health point of view we are living in an amazing age. We are free from many of the most dangerous diseases. A large number of once deadly illnesses can now be cured by modern medicine. It is almost certain that one day medicines will be found for the most stubborn remaining diseases. The expectation of life has increased greatly. But though the possibility of living a long and happy life is greater than ever before, every day we witness the unbelievable killing of men, women and children on the roads. Man VS the motor car! It is a never-ending battle which man is losing. Thousands of people the world over are killed or horribly killed each year and we are quietly sitting back and letting it happen.
It has been rightly said that when a man is sitting behind a steering wheel (方向盘), his car becomes the extension of his personality. There is no doubt that the motor-car often brings out a man’s very worst qualities. People who are normally quiet and pleasant may become unrecognizable when they are behind a steering-wheel. They say, they are ill-mannered and aggressive, willful as two-year-olds and completely selfish. All their hidden angers and disappointments seem to be brought to the surface by the act of driving.
The surprising thing is that society smiles so gently on the motorist and seems to forgive his behavior. Everything is done for his convenience. Cities are allowed to become almost uninhabitable because of heavy traffic; towns are made ugly by huge car parks; the countryside is ruined by road networks; and the deaths become nothing more than a number every year, to be easily forgotten.
It is high time a world rule was created to reduce this senseless waste of human life. With regard to driving, the laws of some countries are unbelievably lax (不严格) and even the strictest are not strict enough. A rule which was universally accepted could only have an obviously beneficial effect on the accident rate. Here are a few examples of some of the things that might be done. The driving test should be standardized and made far more difficult than it is; all the drivers should be made to take a test every three years or so; the age at which young people are allowed to drive any vehicle should be raised to at least 21; all vehicles should be put through strict tests for safety each year. Even the smallest amount of alcohol in the blood can damage a person’s driving ability. Present drinking and driving laws ( where they exist) should be made much stricter. Speed limits should be required on all roads. Governments should lay down safety specifications for car factories, as has been done in the USA. All advertising stressing power and performance should be banned. These measures may not sound good enough. But surely nothing should be considered as too severe if it results in reducing the number of deaths. After all, the world is for human beings, not motor-cars.What is the main idea of this passage?
| A．Traffic accidents are mainly caused by motorists. |
| B．Thousands of people the world over are killed each year. |
| C．The laws of some countries about driving are not lax. |
| D．Only stricter traffic laws can prevent accidents. |
What does the author think of society toward motorists?
| A．Society laughs at the motorists. |
| B．Huge car parks are built in the cities and towns. |
| C．Victims of accidents are nothing. |
| D．Society forgives their rude driving. |
What does the author mean by saying “ his car becomes the extension of his personality” in Paragraph 2?
| A．Driving can show his hidden qualities. |
| B．Driving can show the other part of his personality. |
| C．Driving can bring out his characters. |
| D．Driving can represent his manners. |
Which of the followings is NOT mentioned as a way against traffic accidents?
| A．Build more highways. |
| B．Stricter drivin tests. |
| C．Test drivers every three years. |
| D．Raise age limit and lay down safety specifications. |
It was shortly before midnight, and Dr Patricia was getting ready for bed. The phone rang on the end of the line was a woman about to break a promise.
The woman was her mother’s neighbour. Flora Harris had made the neighbour swear she wouldn’t tell her daughter she’d a heart attack and was in the hospital, for fear her daughter would worry. The neighbour wisely decided to disobey orders.
Harris desperately wanted to get to the hospital immediately, but she couldn’t. She lives in Washington, D.C, and her mother lives in California.
For the past year a half, Harris has gone to Los Angeles every other month to take care of her mother. Flora Harris takes care of her husband, James, who’s 91 and has Alzheimer’s disease. They live in their own home, and a caregiver comes to help them a few hours a day.
Harris is one of many Americans facing the heartache of how to take care of aging parents from afar. She’s often worried, not to mention extremely busy with a demanding job, two teenage daughters and the frequent trips to California.
In some ways, Harris is lucky. She has the resources to make the trips to Los Angeles. Plus, Harris is a doctor who treats the elderly.
“ But it’s still tough,” she said. “ I can foresee what the next few years are going to look like, and it’s not a pretty picture. My father’s going to need diapers (尿布). There will come a time when he won’ t recognize me and he’s easily excited. I worry he’s going to be violent and hurt my mother.”
So what do you do when you live a continent away for your aging, sick parents? There are no magic answers. You can hire someone to help, but you can’t outsource it completely.Why was the woman thought to have broken a promise?
| A．She failed to take care of Flora. |
| B．She was not supposed to call Harris at midnight. |
| C．She couldn’t go to hospital on time. |
| D．She told Harris about her mother’s illness. |
What can we learn about Patricia Harris from the passage?
| A．She thinks it harder to look after her parents the next few years. |
| B．He parents cannot take themselves at all. |
| C．She cannot do a demanding job. |
| D．She cannot afford to go to California often. |
What does the underlined word “ outsource” in the last paragraph mean?
| A．Arrange somebody outside to do a job. |
| B．Work something out by oneself. |
| C．Speak something out for help. |
| D．Understand something. |
What’s the main idea of this passage?
| A．Aging people in the USA are increasing. |
| B．The rate of heart disease is high in America. |
| C．It is difficult to tend aging parents from afar. |
| D．Harris advises on tending aging parents from afar. |
China’s Jade Rabbit moon rover (月球车）has “ woken up” since it entered the lunar night two weeks ago. The moon rover, known as Yutu in Mandarin Chinese, and the Chang’e-3 lander were restarted by the Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC), China’s Xinhua news agency said.
It had been set to sleep for two weeks to ride out extreme climatic conditions and will finally undertake its scientific mission. The Jade Rabbit was “ put to sleep” on 26 December at the onset of the first lunar night of the mission. One night on the moon lasts for around two weeks on Earth and during this time, temperatures fall to -180℃ ---conditions too cold for the equipment to function in. There is also no sunlight to power the Jade Rabbit’s solar panels.
Zhou Jianliang, chief engineer with the BACC, explained: “ During the lunar night, the lander and the rover were in a power-off condition and the communication with Earth was cut off.
“ When the night ends, they will be started up with the power provided by sunlight and resume operation and communication according to preset programmes. He added that the Jade Rabbit surviving the lunar night showed Chinese technology had proved successful.
The Jade Rabbit and the lander compose Chang’e-3 landed on the moon on 14 December. With the landing, China became one of only three nations to soft-land on the moon, and the first to do so in more than three decades.
Scientists said the mission was designed to test new technologies and build the country’s expertise of space exploration. The Jade Rabbit will gather scientific data and capture images from the Moon. China was planning further missions planned to collect lunar soil samples and it is thought officials are looking to conduct manned lunar landings if they prove successful.Jade Rabbit fell into sleep because ________.
| A．there was something wrong in the machine |
| B．the Chang’e-3 lander struck it by accident |
| C．it was designed to avoid the bad weather |
| D．it had completed the scientific mission |
According to Zhou Jianliang we can know that ________.
| A．on the moon the rover can’t communicate with the lander |
| B．sunlight is the necessary power for the rover and the lander |
| C．Chinese technology has been regarded the most successful |
| D．the lunar night can destroy the equipment on the moon |
It can inferred from the passage that ________.
| A．China had made great achievements in 10 years |
| B．no country can be equal to China in exploring space |
| C．scientists can get more proof to research the moon |
| D．the soil from the moon has been taken to China |
What does the author intend to tell in the passage?
| A．Jade Rabbit wakes up to begin moon mission. |
| B．Jade Rabbit was put to sleep on the moon. |
| C．Jade Rabbit lost contact with the earth. |
| D．Jade Rabbit is to undertake new mission. |
The summer holidays are upon us again. Here is our guide to summer holiday fun in Peterborough!
Peterborough Museum
The Age of the Dinosaurs’ is the museum’s main attraction this summer. Get up close to prehistoric creatures via some great hands---on exhibits! Watch out for monsters lurking (潜伏）around every ember! The museum is open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday to Saturday, and from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Sundays in August.
Call 01733 864663 for details.
Saxon Youth Club
School holiday fun: Young people aged 13-19 will be able to produce their own music, compete in spots activities, or try their hand at cooking at Saxon Youth Club, Saxon Community Center, Norman Road, Peterborough every Monday and Wednesday from 3:00 pm. PLUS an aero ball tournament will take place on Thursday, 12th August between 3:30 pm and 6:30 pm.
Houghton Mill
Alice through the Looking Class---a new production of the family favorite on Monday, 30th August. Bring rugs or chairs to sit on and a picnic if you wish to eat during the play. Gates open 5:30 performance 6:30 pm---8:30 pm. Tea room will be open until end of the interval. Adult £10. Child £ 7. Family £ 20.
Farmland Museum and Denny Abbey
Farmland Games: From Wellie Wanging to Pretend Ploughing matches, come and join the Farmland Team. Collect your sporting stickers and create a colorful rosette （玫瑰形饰物）that is fit for a winner! No need to book, just turn up between 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm on Thursday, 19th August. Suitbale for children aged four and above, each child should be accompanied by an adult and all activities are included in the normal admission price. Tickets Cost £ 7 per child.
For further information, call 01223 810080.
If you are interested in cooking, you can go to ________.
| A．Peterborough Museum | B．Houghton Mill |
| C．Saxon Youth Club | D．Farmland Museum |
You want to watch the new play with your parents, so it will cost you ________.
| A．£ 21. | B．£ 17. | C．£ 27. | D．£ 20. |
Which of the following activities needs parents’ company?
| A．Playing farmland games. |
| B．Watching a new play. |
| C．Competing in spots activities. |
| D．Visiting the dinosaur exhibition. |
Many of the world’s countries have reached or are approaching zero population growth (ZPG) ．Nearly all such lands are economically well developed．They include much of Europe(including Russia)，the United States，Canada，Japan．and Australia．As the rate of natural increase(RNI)declines，two things happen．First，the population begins to decline if the loss is not balanced by immigration．Second，a country’s population ages because there are fewer births．
Is achieving ZPG good or bad? What happens when a country’s population begins to drop? Many people，after all，believe that population decline is a good thing．But is it good for everyone? Does everyone agree?
An aging population can create many problems．Senior citizens require more health care and medical attention．Rather than paying into retirement programs，they begin to draw from their pensions．In the US，the Social Security program，according to many experts，will be used up by 2018．It will pay out more money than it takes in．Additionally, a great number of jobs go begging in search of people willing or entry。level positions that pay low wages．With an able to do them．Many of these jobs are aging population，who will fill them? At the other extreme，some positions require a large number of training and highly specialized skills．Who will fill these positions as retirees leave the workforce?
The answer to the problem of declining and aging population is simple：increased migration．Today many people，particularly those from less developed countries，are migrating in search of employment．Many are willing to take jobs that cannot(or will not) be filled by the domestic population．Others are well educated and highly skilled．Both groups contribute to a country’s economy progress in many ways．Further, they add to the richness of a country’s culture．Of greatest importance，perhaps，is the fact that they have become absolutely necessary to the economy of many lands．As you can see，for many countries and for most immigrants，migration is a win—win situation．In the writer’s view，which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Not everyone agrees that achieving ZPG is absolutely good． |
| B．Achieving ZPG is every country’s aim in spite of its side effects． |
| C．Achieving ZPG is bad for senior citizens． |
| D．Achieving ZPG is good for employment． |
According to the passage，the best way to solve the problem of declining and aging population is ．
| A．to improve the health care system | B．to increase RNI |
| C．to increase employment | D．to increase migration |
The underlined words “the domestic population’’ can be replaced by ．
| A．people within the country | B．people from developing countries |
| C．people without a college education | D．people living abroad |
The main idea of the last paragraph is
| A．the advantages of increased migration |
| B．the problem of declining and aging population |
| C．how to increase migration |
| D．some ways to enrich a country’s culture |
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