Most people know that a wedding ring is symbolic of the bond(连结物) of love and commitment（承诺） between two people. But not everyone knows about the history behind this small yet powerful symbol. The history of the wedding ring goes back not just hundreds but thousands of years. No other currently practiced wedding tradition has been around as long.
The Egyptians were the first recorded civilization to use the wedding ring. In Egyptian hieroglyphics（象形文字） a circle represented eternity. Once a woman accepted the ring she became the “property” of the person who gave it to her and she was in a sense “his.” The first wedding ring could have been made of braided grass or hay （which would have been changed often）, ivory, bone, or leather. Eventually, metal was used, but the first wedding bands were crude（未加工的） and rough. However, the sentiment（情感） remained the same-eternal commitment and love.
The Egyptians wore the wedding ring on the left hand because it was believed that a vein（静脉） in the left hand went straight to the heart. This tradition is still commonly practiced today in most parts of the world largely for practical purposes （most people are right handed.）It is worn on the fourth finger of the left hand. But there are some countries and groups which do not follow this tradition. In the Jewish faith, the wedding ring is put on the index finger. Roman Catholics traditionally wore their wedding band on the right hand, and in many countries and regions in Europe some people still follow this tradition.
It is interesting to note that in the long history of the wedding ring that it is only in the last century that men have begun to wear them. However, now both men and women show their love and commitment by exchanging rings on their wedding day.
Once you begin shopping for rings you may be amazed by the choices that await you. There are several different types of metals: traditional gold, white gold, platinum, and titanium. You can have an inscription（刻字） put on the inside of the band（镶边） if you like. Some people are even choosing a tattoo（刺花） band. The styles vary from a simple, yet elegant（优雅的） band to an elaborate（精致的） ring covered with jewels. If you do not buy the wedding and engagement rings as a set you will want to be sure the styles are compatible（一致的）. Choose carefully because this choice will need to stand the test of eternity. What would be the best title for this passage?
| A．History of rings | B．Interesting facts about rings |
| C．Different beliefs about rings | D．The meaning of the rings. |
What may the word “eternity” in paragraph 2 probably mean?
| A．Elegance | B．Marriage | C．Wedding | D．Foreverness |
Which is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．The meaning of the rings remained unchanged. |
| B．One should be careful of choosing a ring in a shop from different kinds. |
| C．Jewish are so faithful to their beliefs to wear rings on the fourth finger. |
| D．Now most people in the world still follow Roman Catholics traditionally. |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Men were looked upon by women for thousands years. |
| B．Only women have the right to make themselves beautiful. |
| C．women wore rings thousands of years earlier than men. |
| D．You can have an inscription put on the inside the band. |
New York City schoolchildren can’t use cellphones at school because of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s ban on cellphones in schools. Many parents are opposed to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s ban on cellphones in schools by e-mail messages.
There was a 13-year-old student who was shot with a gun after school, unable to call his mother for help. There was a high school student robbed three times last year, twice in her school building. There was a girl who got a piece of glass placed in her eye during school and was saved from a possible cornea transplant (角膜移植) only because, having disobeyed the cellphone ban, she was able to call her mother and get an operation on time.
The ban has been on for years, but it set off a widespread parental outcry only in April, after some headmasters sent home letters reminding parents that cellphones are not allowed to be brought into school.
Mr Bloomberg has defended the ban, saying that cellphones are bad and often used to cheat or call in friends for fights. If something is important, he says, parents can call schools directly.
On the other hand, many of the e-mail messages from parents described the ban as “cruel and heartless”, “absurdly(荒谬地) wrong-headed”, “anti-parent”, “ridiculous”.
“We respect the fears that parents have,” David Cantor, a spokesman for Schools Minister Joel I. Klein said, “but after all the fact is that having phones in schools always leads to more problems.”A 13-year-old student was shot with a gun after school, unable to call his mother for help, because ____.
| A．his mother had no cellphone |
| B．his mother wasn’t at home |
| C．he didn’t take a cellphone with him |
| D．he was too frightened to call |
From the fifth paragraph we can see many parents _________ the ban.
| A．agreed to | B．thought highly of |
| C．supported | D．were opposed to |
According to what the spokesman said, the school might _______.
| A．call off the ban |
| B．continue the ban |
| C．thank the parents |
| D．allow some students to use cellphones at school |
Some of Man's closest relatives in the animal kingdom are under serious threat because of human activity, according to a recently published report.
Almost one in three of all apes and monkeys are now considered to be in danger of dying out and disappearing from our planet, if action is not taken soon.
The report, which was produced for the World Conservation Union (WCU), shows that 114 of the world's 394 kinds could be lost forever, and the main reason they are threatened is the continuing loss of forests where most of these animals live. In addition, illegal wildlife trade, climate change and commercial（商业的）hunting for meat are also endangering them.
What's more, the problem is getting worse. The number of species on the organization’s Red List has increased by 3 to 25 since 2005.
Russell Mittermeier, the main researcher of the WCU report, said, "You could fit(安置) all the surviving members of these 25 species in a single football stadium. So the problem is obviously urgent."
The scientists, who drew up the Red List, believe that the situation is now so bad that if action is not taken immediately, it will result in primate(灵长目动物) species dying out - something which has not happened in over a century.
The loss of habitat caused by the clearing of forests for wood, farmland and fuel continues to be the main reason for the decreasing number of primates, according to the report, and the problem was most severe in Asia.
The loss of forest trees is also responsible for 20 percent of all greenhouse gases - more than all the cars, trucks, trains and airplanes in the world combined.What is the main subject of the report discussed in the text?
| A．Climate change. | B．Loss of animal habitat. |
| C．Animal protection. | D．Endangered animals |
How many animals were on the Red List in 2005?
| A．22 | B．19 | C．25. | D．28. |
The spokesman refers to 'a football stadium' in paragraph 5 to stress that ______.
| A．the animals enjoy playing sports |
| B．these animals should be placed there for protection |
| C．there are not many of these animals left |
| D．the report was announced there |
What is the main cause of the greenhouse gas problem according to the text?
| A．Airplanes. | B．Loss of trees. |
| C．Factory pollution. | D．Road vehicles. |
That cold January night, I was growing sick of my life in San Francisco. There I was, walking home at one in the morning after a tiring practice at the theatre. With opening night only a week ago, I was still learning my lines. I was having trouble dealing with my part-time job at the bank and my acting at night at the same time. As I walked, I thought seriously about giving up both acting and San Francisco. City life had become too much for me.
As I walked down empty streets under tall buildings, I felt very small and cold. I began running, both to keep warm and to keep away from any possible robbers. Very few people were still out except a few sad-looking homeless people under blankets.
About a block from my apartment, I heard a sound behind me. I turned quickly, half expecting to see someone with a knife or a gun. The street was empty. All I saw was a shining streetlight. Still, the noise had made me nervous, so I started to run faster. Not until I reached my apartment building and unlocked the door did I realize what the noise had been. It had been my wallet falling to the sidewalk.
Suddenly I wasn’t cold or tired anymore. I ran out of the door and back to where I’d heard the noise. Although I searched the sidewalk anxiously for fifteen minutes, my wallet was nowhere to be found.
Just as I was about to give up the search, I heard the garbage truck (垃圾车) pull up to the sidewalk next to me. When a voice called from the inside, “Alisa Camacho?” I thought I was dreaming. How could this man know my name? The door opened, and out jumped a small red-haired man with an amused look in his eye. “Is this what you’re looking for?” he asked, holding up a small square shape.
It was nearly 3 A.M. by the time I got into bed. I wouldn’t get much sleep that night, but I had gotten my wallet back. I also had gotten back some enjoyment of city life. I realized that the city couldn’t be a bad place as long as people were willing to help each other.How did the writer feel when she was walking home after work?
| A．Cold and sick | B．Disappointed and helpless |
| C．Satisfied and cheerful | D．Fortunate and helpful |
On her way home the writer _______.
| A．was robbed of her wallet by an armed man |
| B．was stopped by a garbage truck driver |
| C．lost her wallet unknowingly |
| D．found some homeless people following her |
In the fifth paragraph, why did the writer say she was dreaming?
| A．Someone offered to take her back home. |
| B．A red-haired man came to see her. |
| C．Her wallet was found in a garbage truck. |
| D．She heard someone call her name. |
From the text, we can infer that the writer _________.
| A．would stay on in San Francisco |
| B．would stop working at night |
| C．would make friends with cleaners |
| D．would give up her job at the bank |
Snow falls in the Earth’s extreme North and South throughout the year. However， the heaviest snowfalls have been reported in the mountains of other areas during winter. Snow is even known to fall near the Equator (赤道)，but only on the highest mountains.
Snow contains much less water than rain, but much of the water the world uses comes from snow. Melting snow provides water for rivers, electric power stations and agricultural crops. In the western United States, mountain snow provides up to seventy-five percent of all surface water supplies.
Snowfall helps to protect plants and some wild animals from winter weather. Fresh snow is made largely of air trapped among the snow crystals (晶体). Because the air has trouble moving, the movement of heat is limited. Snow also influences the movement of sound waves. The surface of the snow takes in, or absorbs, sound waves. As snow grows older or if there have been strong winds, it can become hard and flat. Then, the snow，s surface will help to send back sound waves.
Snow may be beautiful, but it can be deadly. It is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people. Many people die in traffic accidents on roads covered with snow and ice or from being seriously stuck in the winter storm. Others die from heart attacks caused by too much physical activity out in the cold.
People may not be able to avoid living in areas where it snows often. However, they can avoid becoming victims of snowstorms. People should stop driving and stay at home until the storm has passed. People living in these areas should carry emergency supplies in their vehicle. These include food，emergency medical supplies，and extra clothing to stay warm and dry.Mountain snowfall _____.
| A．is heavier than that in the South and the North Poles |
| B．has never occurred near the Equator of the earth |
| C．brings less of the water the world uses than rain does |
| D．provides up to seventy—five percent of water supplies worldwide |
Snow protects plants and wild animals from cold weather by _____.
| A．supplying much more air | B．limiting heat movement |
| C．absorbing strong winds | D．sending back sound waves |
Snow can be deadly mainly because it can _____.
| A．cause road accidents |
| B．make people stuck in winter storms |
| C．lead to heart attacks |
| D．make people victims of snowstorms |
What will the text probably tell us following the last paragraph? _.
| A．How to drive during snowstorms |
| B．Where we can get emergency supplies |
| C．How to prevent heart attacks out in cold |
| D．Why we should stay warm and dry in winter |
Children today would rather toy with new technologies. The role of children has changed as well as that of teens. The world has truly evolved (进化）throughout the years.
Today，a typical day in the life of a five year old is entirely different from what it once was. A few decades ago children used to work. They did the kind of work parents do today. Today there are shows on which children are putting pounds of makeup on and have flashing things all over their bodies. This makes a child want to paper over all of their imperfections. They think they have to look perfect all the time.
Teens have changed as well. My grandma got married when she was thirteen. Girls who had an arranged marriage had no time to play because they were expected to cook, clean，take care of the kids, and do housework every single day. Today，we go to school every morning, maybe participate in some after-school activities, and possibly go to work for extra cash. Then we go home and do homework, and eat. After all of this we have to find the time to socialize by texting, talking on the phone, or logging on to social networking sites. We enjoy ourselves a lot.
The generation before us complains about how they did not have the things we have now. They say we are not appreciative and do not value life or just do not care about our futures anymore. Let's make a change! The youth have the power to work on whatever they believe in and make a difference in the world. Take advantage of your resources. It is never too late to make a positive change in our world.The role of children and teens has changed mainly because _____.
| A．new technologies are developing and widely used |
| B．they don't have to work hard as their parents did |
| C．their world has truly evolved |
| D．they look perfect all the time |
The underlined phrase (in the 2nd Para. ) probably means to _____.
| A．put up with | B．make up for | C．put aside | D．cover up |
We can learn from the text that nowadays teenagers _____.
| A．do housework as their parents did |
| B．are having a social life in richer ways |
| C．are seldom satisfied with what they have |
| D．don't appreciate and value life |
The author's attitude towards changes of teen’s life is _____.
| A．critical | B．neutral | C．optimistic | D．complaining |
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