Few buildings on earth can compete with the legendary beauty of the Taj Mahal. Towering over the ancient Indian city of Agra, the Taj Mahal is the grandest monument (纪念碑) to love ever created.
The lovers in this story are the 17th century Indian emperor Shah Jehan and h
is wife Mumtaz Mahal. She took a leading role in advising him, which is something unusual for a woman to do for a husband who’s an emperor. Over the course of their nineteen-year marriage she gave birth to 14 children. But in 1631 while trying to deliver their fifteenth — she tragically died. He was heartbroken when she died. And after her death, he decided to build the world’s greatest monument ever built, for love.
He ordered the royal architects to design the most beautiful building the world had known and decided to name it after his beloved, Mumtaz Mahal. He called on twenty thousand workers and sent many more people to all corners of his country in search of valuable metals and jewels. And after seventeen years of hard work, Shah Jehan’s monument was completed a
nd his beloved empress was moved to her final resting place.
Everything had gone according to plan, but Shah Jehan’s luck was about to change ... In 1658, just four years after the completion of the Taj Mahal, he was thrown out of power. Unfortunately, his son, Aran Azibe imprisoned him, his own father. And he spent the last seven years of his life in prison. And he was allowed to look at the Taj Mahal through a window. His life was in ruins, but
when he died his last wish was promised. He was buried beside his beloved wife in the Taj Mahal.
6
8 . The Taj Mahal was built for ______.
A. Mumtaz B. Shah C. Mumtaz or Shah D. Mumtaz and Shah
69. The Taj Mahal was completed in ______.
A. 1658 B. 1662 C. 1654 D. 1665
70 . What was unusual for Mumtaz Mahal according to the passage?
A. She gave birth to 14 children for her husband.
B. She gave important advice to her husband.
C. She asked her son to imprison his father
D. She planned to build the world’s greatest monument.
71. Which of the following is TRUE about Shah Jehan?
A. He was killed by his own son.
B. He lost his power as a result of the Taj Mahal.
C. He put his own son into prison.
D. He hoped to be buried together with his wife.
You hear the comment all the time: the U.S. economy looks good by figures, but it doesn’t feel good. Why doesn’t ever-greater wealth promote ever-greater happiness? It is a question that dates at least to the appearance in 1958 of The Wealthy Society by John Kenneth Galbraith, who died recently at 97.
The Wealthy Society is a modern classic because it helped describe a new moment in the human condition. For most of history, “hunger, sickness, and cold” threatened nearly everyone, Galbraith wrote. “Poverty was found everywhere in that world. Obviously it is not of ours.” After World War II, the fear of another Great Depression gave way to an economic growth. By the 1930s unemployment had averaged 18.2 percent; in the 1950s it was 4.5 percent.
To Galbraith, materialism had gone mad and would cause discontent. Through advertising, companies conditioned consumers to buy things they didn’t really want or need. Because so much spending was artificial, it would be unsatisfying. Meanwhile, government spending that would make everyone better off was being cut down because people wrongly considered government only as “a necessary bad.”
It’s often said that only the rich are getting ahead; everyone else is standing still or falling behind. Well, there are many undeserving rich — overpaid chief managers, for instance. But over any meaningful period, most people’s incomes are increasing. From 1995 to 2004, people feel “squeezed” because their rising incomes often don’t satisfy their rising wants — for bigger homes, more health care, more education, and faster Internet connections.
The other great disappointment is that it has not got rid of insecurity. People regard job stability as part of their standard of living. As company unemployment increased, that part has gradually become weaker. More workers fear they’ve become “the disposable American,” as Louis Uchitelle puts it in his book by the same name.
Because so much previous suffering and social conflict resulted from poverty, the arrival of widespread wealth suggested utopian (乌托邦式的) possibilities. Up to a point, wealth succeeds. There is much less physical suffering than before. People are better off. Unfortunately, wealth also creates new complaints.
Advanced societies need economic growth to satisfy the multiplying wants of their citizens. But the search for growth cause new anxieties and economic conflicts that disturb the social order. Wealth sets free the individual, promising that everyone can choose a unique way to self-accomplishment. But the promise is so unreasonable that it leads to many disappointments and sometimes inspires choices that have anti-social consequences, including family breakdown. Figures indicate that happiness has not risen with incomes.
Should we be surprised? Not really. We’ve simply confirmed an old truth: the seeking of wealth does not always end with happiness.The Wealthy Society is a book ______.
| A．about previous suffering and social conflict in the past |
| B．written by Louis Uchitelle who died recently at 97 |
| C．indicating that people are becoming worse off |
| D．about why happiness does not rise with wealth |
Why do people feel“squeezed”when their average income rises considerably?
| A．They think there are too many overpaid rich. |
| B．There is more unemployment in modern society. |
| C．Their material demands go faster than their earnings. |
| D．Health care and educational cost have somehow gone out of control. |
What has wealth brought to American society?
| A．Stability and security. |
| B．Materialism and content. |
| C．A sense of self-accomplishment. |
| D．New anxiety, conflicts and complaints. |
The United Nations is warning that the world is not prepared to deal with the fast growth of cities. The World Economic and Social Survey 2013 calls for new ways to meet the needs of city populations. More than 6.5 billion people are expected to be living in cities by 2050.
Most new city dwellers will be in developing countries. The United Nations says the effect on limited resources in many countries will be huge. The World Economic and Social Survey points to the increasing demand for energy, water, sanitation, public services, education and health care.
The world population is expected to rise to more than nine billion by 2050, two-thirds of all people are expected to live in cities. The United Nations says about 80 percent of this growing urban population will be found in Africa and Asia.
The report says sustainable development of urban areas requires coordination and investments to deal with important issues, these include land-use, food security, job creation and transportation.
Willem Van Der Geest is with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, he says cities need to work closely with rural communities, so that food supplies can be secured, and the environment can be protected.
"We need enough integration(整合，融合) with cities... An integration between the rural and urban economies is absolutely vital for issues of nutrition, food security, and environmental sustainability."
The report says development in a sustainable（可持续发展）way is important to end poverty. The report also examines the problem of food insecurity, which affects hundreds of millions of people around the world. One in eight people still severely lack nutrition.
UN officials say some things are clear. The Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development, Shamshad Akhtar, says world food production will have to increase by 70%, that increase will be needed to feed the additional 2.3 billion people expected on the planet by the middle of the century. She says an important part of meeting that need is to waste less food. "There has to be efforts to reduce food wastage. ."
Food and nutrition security are core elements of the sustainable development agenda.The survey includes the following statements except that ______.
| A．varieties of demands are hard to meet because of the increasing population in Africa and Asia. |
| B．one way to put an end to poverty is to be able to develop for a long time. |
| C．transportation is an important issue to deal with when it comes to sustainable development of urban areas. |
| D．hundreds of millions of people around the world are affected by the problem of food insecurity. |
From the passage we can infer that ______.
| A．cities grow so fast that the world can’t find out new ways to deal with the growing population. |
| B．the growing city dwellers who mainly come from the developing countries greatly challenge limited resources in the world. |
| C．sustainable development of urban areas requires coordination and investments to deal with important issues |
| D．food wastage is an effective way to feed the additional 2.3 biilion people by the middle of the century. |
What is the best titile of the passage?
| A．The World Economic and Social Survey 2013. |
| B．City Population Will Increase to 9 Billion. |
| C．Cities Need to Cooperate with Rural Areas. |
| D．The World Is Not Prepared to Deal with the Fast Growth of Cities. |
The passage is chosen from ______.
| A．a textbook | B．a travel guide | C．a novel | D．a newspaper |
Poor Oral Health Leads to Social and Emotional Problems
A new report says nearly four-billion people have major tooth decay, or cavities. That number represents more than half of the world's population. Health officials are warning that failure to repair cavities can lead to social and emotional problems.
Wagner Marcenes is with the Institute of Dentistry at Queen Mary, University of London. He led a team of researchers as part of the Global Burden of Disease 2010 study. About 500 researchers attempt to collect and examine studies about all major diseases. They used the information to estimate rates of the infection.
The report says untreated tooth decay is the most common of all 291 major diseases and injuries. Professor Marcenes says cavities or holes in permanent teeth are also known as caries.
"Caries is a chronic disease that shares the same risk factors as cancer, cardiovascular disease. What we're having now is an increase in disease from highly developed countries happening in sub-Saharan Africa and probably it will be in other areas of Africa, too."
He says an increase in tooth decay in Africa could be a result of developing countries becoming more like Western nations.
"It is likely to be related to a change in diet. Our industrialized diet leads to chronic disease, which includes caries. And that may be the main explanation."
Western diets are rich in sugar, a leading cause of health problems in the mouth. Wagner Marcenes says oral health problems can have a major effect on a person's quality of life. First, cavities make eating difficult. Second, people may change what they eat. They may eat softer foods that are not hard to chew. However, softer foods are often fattier foods.
But professor Marcenes says the biggest issue in tooth decay is both social and mental. He says the researchers found strong evidence that the mouth has a big influence on socialization. He says many people want to hide bad teeth. They smile less and communicate less.
Wagner Marcenes is calling for an "urgent, organized, social response" to the widespread lack of oral health. He believes in a natural method to fight tooth decay by having a healthier diet. He is also calling for the development of new and less costly dental materials and treatments.From the passage, we know that Wagner Marcenes ______.
| A．works as the leader of the Institute of Dentistry at Queen Mary, University of London. |
| B．and his researchers accumulate some studies to find out some ways to cure all major disease. |
| C．is in charge of the activity to estimate the infection rate with the collected and examined studies about all major studies. |
| D．thinks that the most serious problem caused by tooth decay is cancer that will last for a long time. |
Caries is a disease that ______.
| A．is listed in the most common of all 291 major diseases and injuries which will last for a long time.. |
| B．is closely related to industrialized diet which calls for people to eat slowly. |
| C．increases in Africa now because developing countries are becoming developed countries. |
| D．will cause phychological disorder which will affect people’s communication. |
The writer wrote this passage in order to ______.
| A．arouse people’s concern about caries and take measures to deal with it. |
| B．tell the result of the Global Burden of Disease 2010 study. |
| C．warn people in Africa to adjust their diet to prevent caries. |
| D．tell doctors that caries affects a person’s quality of life. |
What is the writer’s attitude towards tooth decay?
| A．indifferent | B．concerned | C．angry | D．negative |
It had been a difficult move. I’d left my family and friends in Indiana, the beloved state where I’d lived most of my life. My new home in Florida was thousands of miles away from anything I knew. It was hot—all the time. Jobs were hard to come by, but I was up for almost any challenge.
At last, I taught in a special school where students have severe learning and behavioral difficulties.
Another teacher and I had spent weeks teaching the children appropriate behavior for public outings. Unexpectedly, only a few students, including Kyle, had not earned the privilege of going. He was determined to make his disappointment known.
In the corridor(走廊) between classrooms, he began screaming, cursing, spitting, and swinging at anything within striking distance. Once his outburst died down, he did what he’d done when he was angry at all his other schools, at home, even once at a juvenile detention(拘留)center. He ran.
People watched in disbelief as Kyle dashed straight into the heavy morning traffic in front of the school.
I heard someone shout, “Call the police!”
But I ran after him.
Kyle was at least a foot taller than me. And he was fast. His older brothers were track stars at the nearby high school. But I could run long distances without tiring. I would at least be able to keep him in my sight and know he was alive.
After several blocks of running directly into oncoming traffic, Kyle slowed his pace.
He took a sharp left. Standing next to a trash bin, Kyle bent over with his hands on his knees. I must have looked ridiculous. But his was not a look of fear. I saw his body relax. He did not attempt to run again. Kyle stood still and watched me approach. I had no idea what I was going to say or do, but I kept walking closer.
He opened his mouth to speak when a police car pulled up, abruptly filling the space between Kyle and me. The school principal and an officer got out. They spoke calmly to Kyle, who willingly climbed into the back of the vehicle. I couldn’t hear what was said, but I didn’t take my eyes off Kyle’s face, even as they drove away.
I couldn’t help but feel that I had failed him, that I should have done or said more, that I should have fixed the situation.
I shared my feelings with a speech therapist who was familiar with Kyle’s history. “No one ever ran after him before, Rachel,” she said. “No one. They just let him go.”
Things changed the day he ran and I ran after him, even though I didn’t have the right words, even though I wasn’t able to save him from the mess he was in. It was the day I didn’t throw my hands in the air and decide he was too fast, a waste of time and effort , a lost cause. It was the day my mere presence was enough to make a profound difference.From the passage we know that _____.
| A．the author left her family to Florida because jobs were hard to come by in Indiana. |
| B．students were allowed to go out after they passed some specific tests. |
| C．the author worked in a school where students were excellent. |
| D．no teacher had ever run after Kyle before except the author . |
Which of the following description about Kyle is not true?
| A．He had some behavioral difficulties and once moved from one detention to another. |
| B．He used to run out to let out his anger when he was in school,home or juvenile detention. |
| C．Different from his brothers, he learned in a special school while not a normal high school. |
| D．He was moved by his teacher who treated him with more patience and understanding. |
Which is the correct order of the trace?
①He burst out when he knew he couldn’t go out. ②I decided to run after him.
③Kyle stoppped beside a trash bin. ④A police car came and Kyle left with it.
⑤He rushed into the heavy morning traffic. ⑥Kyle slowed his pace.
⑦I walked toward Kyle.
| A．①⑤②⑥③⑦④ | B．①⑤②④⑥⑦③ |
| C．⑤④②⑥③⑦① | D．①②⑥⑦③④⑤ |
What is the best title of the passage?
| A．Kyle, a Boy with Learning and Behavior Difficulties. |
| B．The Teacher Who Ran. |
| C．A School with Special Students. |
| D．A Terrible Conflict. |
Digital Trend: BOOKLESS LIBRARIES
What if you could fit all of a library’s collection in the palm of your hand? That’s part of the idea behind an upcoming bookless public library in San Antonio. Called Biblio Tech, the system will lend out e-readers loaded with 10,000 titles for two-to-three –week periods. But don't bother holding on to the device longer than that because it’s programmed to go dead.
Other libraries have tried similar programs: In 2002, the Santa Rosa Branch Library in Tucson, Arizona, launched a digital-only facility, and a bookless project was proposed last year in Newport Beach, California. Those digital-only projects folded—residents wanted their paperbacks—but Stanford University maintains a successful bookless engineering library with over 65,000 titles. Officials say digital libraries are a low-cost way to educate the masses and argue their rise is inevitable.
Still, some insist print isn’t doomed. A recent Wall Street Journal article notes that e-book purchases skew（倾斜）heavily toward the sort of “light entertainment” novels you can pick up at the grocery store. A survey from the Pew Research Center shows that about 90 percent of digital readers still crack open physical books.( After all, there are only four Twilight books. How hard is it to drag those around?)From the first paragraph, we can tell _____.
| A．you can always keep all of the books in your hands, |
| B．Biblio Tech will lend readers 10,000 books temporarily. |
| C．the books will not be stored in your device forever. |
| D．the bookless public library can be found in San Antonio now. |
The following statements are true except that _____.
| A．the Santa Rosa Branch Library lend out e-readers with 10,000 books. |
| B．the physical books are still popular despite those bookless projects. |
| C．Stanford University sets a successful example of bookless engineering. |
| D．some officials agree that digital libraries are educative and unavoidable. |
What is the meaning of the underlined word in paragraph 2?
| A．succeeded | B．opened | C．accepted | D．failed |
Some people insist that print will not disappear because _____.
| A．e-books are mainly sort of “light entertainment” novels. |
| B．most of the digital readers prefer books about physics. |
| C．a majority of e-reader users still choose to read paperbacks. |
| D．it is easy to take 4 Twilight books everywhere. |
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