It is not often realized that women held a high place in southern European societies in the 10 th and 11 th centuries. As wife, the woman was protected by the setting up of a dowry (嫁妆) or decimum. Admittedly, the purpose of this was to protect her against the risk of desertion (遗弃)，but in reality its function in the social and family life of the time was much more important. The decimum was the wife’s right to receive a tenth of all her husband’s property. The wife had the right to withhold consent, in all transactions the husband would make, And more than just a right: the documents showed that she enjoyed a real power of decision, equal to that of her husband. In no case did the documents indicate any degree of difference in the legal status of husband and wife.
The wife shared in the management of her husband’s personal property, but the opposite was not always true. Women seemed perfectly prepared to defend their own inheritance(遗产，继承物)against husbands who tried to exceed their rights, and on occasion they showed a fine fighting spirit. A case in point is that of Maria, Vivas, a Catalan woman of Barcelona. Having agreed with her husband Miro to sell a field she had inherited, for the needs of the household, she insisted on compensation. None being offered, she succeeded in dragging her husband to the scribe to have a contract duly drawn up assigning her a piece of land from Miro’s personal inheritance. The unfortunate husband was obliged to agree, as the contract says, “for the sake of peace.” Either through the dowry or through being hot-tempered, the Catalan wife knew how to win herself, within the context of the family, a powerful economic position. A decimum was .
| A．the wife’s inheritance from her father |
| B．a gift of money to the new husband |
| C．a written contract |
| D．the wife’s right to receive one-tenth of her husband’s property |
In the society described in the passage, the legal standing of the wife in marriage was .
| A．higher than that of her husband | B．lower than that of her husband |
| C．the same as that of her husband | D．higher than that of a single woman |
What compensation did Maria Vivas get for the field?
| A．Some of the land Miro had inherited. | B．A tenth of Miro’s land. |
| C．Money for household expenses. | D．Money from Miro’s inheritance. |
Which of the following is Not mentioned as an effect of the dowry system?
| A．The husband had to share the power of decision in marriage. |
| B．The wife was protested from desertion. |
| C．The wife gained a powerful economic position. |
| D．The husband was given control over his wife’s property. |
The kings of ancient Egypt built strong tombs to keep their bodies safe after death and to hold their treasures. The Great Pyramid was built thousands of years ago for a king called Khufu. It is located on the west bank of Nile River not far from Cairo. In fact all the pyramids along the Nile are on its west bank. The ancient Egyptians compared the rising of the sun to the beginning of life and the setting of the sun to the end of life. This is why their dead bodies were buried on the west bank of the Nile. The people of Mexico also built pyramids. They did not build the pyramids for tombs. They used to build a pyramid and then a temple on top of it. The pyramids of Mexico are not as high as the pyramids of Egypt, but they are big. Each of the pyramids has a wide stairway that goes from the bottom to the top.
The biggest pyramid in Mexico is almost 2000 years old. Scientists think it took 10,000 men more than ten yeas to build it. On the top they build a temple of the sun. The temple is no longer there but people still called it the Pyramid of the Sun.Near it is another huge pyramid, the Pyramid
of the Moon.In ancient Egypt pyramids were built __________.
| A．for visitors to see | B．for kings to live in |
| C．for king Khufu | D．as the kings’ tombs |
All the pyramids along the Nile are on its west bank, because in ancient Egypt people thought __________.
| A．they died in the west |
| B．the sun sets in the west |
| C．the end of their lives was like the setting of the sun |
| D．they would go to the west after death |
The Pyramid of the Sun was built_________.
A. in 100 B. in the second century
C. 100 years B.C D. before the first centuryWhich of the following is wrong?
| A．The kings of ancient Egypt built strong tombs only to hold treasures. |
| B．The ancient Egyptians compared the rising of the sun to the beginning of life and the setting of the sun to the end of life. |
| C．The biggest pyramid in Mexico is nearly 2000 years old. |
| D．Near the Pyramid of the Sun, there is the Pyramid of the Moon. |
B
Good afternoon, and welcome to England. We hope that your visit here will be a pleasant one. Today, I would draw your attention to a few of our laws.
The first one is drinking. Now, you may not buy wine in this country if you are under 18 years of age, nor may your friends buy it for you.
Secondly, noise. Enjoy yourselves by all means, but please don’t make unnecessary noise, particularly at night. We ask you to respect other people who may wish to be quiet.
Thirdly, crossing the road. Be careful, the traffic moves on the left side of the road in this country. Use pedestrian crossing and don’t take any chance when crossing the road.
My next point is about rubbish. It isn’t lawful to drop rubbish in the street. When you have something to throw away, please put it in your pocket and take it home, or put it in a dustbin.
Finally, as regards smoking, it is against law to buy cigarettes or tobacco if you are under 16 years of age.
Ilike to finish by saying that if you require any sort of help or assistance, you should contact the police, who will be pleased to help you. You can call, write or directly go to ask any policeman.Who do you think is most likely to make the speech?
| A．A teacher | B．A person who makes the law |
| C．A guide | D．An English officer |
How many laws are there discussed in the speech?
| A．Three | B．Four | C．Five | D．Six |
The main purpose of this speech is to _________ .
| A．tell people those above 18 can smoke and drink there |
| B．give advice to travelers to the country |
| C．declare the different laws of England |
| D．warn people against going to the country |
From the speech we have learnt that _________.
| A．in the country, if you are 18 years of age, you may not buy wine, but your friends can buy it for you |
| B．you may not buy cigarettes or tobacco unless you are above 16 years of age |
| C．because the traffic moves on the left side of the road, you must use pedestrian when crossing the road |
| D．you can’t make a noise except at night |
Mary Allen was my best friend- like the sister I ever had. We did everything together : piano lessons, movies, swimming, and horseback riding.
When I was 13, my family moved away. Mary and I kept in touch through letters and we saw each other on special occasions- like my wedding and Mary’s. Soon we were busy with children and moving to new homes, and we wrote less often. One day a card that I sent came back stamped “Address Unknown”.
Over the years, I thought of Mary often. I wanted to share stories of my children and then grandchildren. And I needed to share my sorrow when my brother and then mother died. There was an empty place in my heart that only a friend like Mary could fill.
One day I was reading the newspaper when I noticed a photo of a young woman who looked a lot like Mary and whose last name was Wagman- Mary’s married name. “There must be thousands of Wagman. ”I thought, but I wrote to her anyway.
She called as soon as she got my letter. “Mrs Tobin!”she said excitedly. “Mary Allen Wagman ”is my mother. Minutes later I heard a voice that was recognized instantly, even after 40 years. We laughed and cried and caught up on each others lives.
Now the empty place in my heart is filled. And theres one thing that Mary and I know for sure: We don’t lose each other again.I want to find Mary ______________ .
| A．to share my stories |
| B．to share my sorrow |
| C．to fill the empty in my heart |
| D．all of the above |
The writers married name is __________ .
| A．Wagman | B．Allen |
| C．Tobin | D．we dont know |
Which of the following is TRUE?
| A．We never see each other again when I moved away when I was 13 |
| B．I find my friend in the newspaper |
| C．It is 40 years since we last saw each other |
| D．My friends husband is Mr. Tobin |
The best title of the passage is ________
| A．My Good Friend | B．Friend Again- Forever |
| C．An Important Friend | D．Friends Like the brother |
There are some strange and wonderful rules in law books around the world. When you are traveling, it’s always best to know before you go. Not only could this keep you out of trouble, but it can also help you get the most out of your holiday.
In Victoria, Australia, it’s illegal to change a light bulb unless you are a licensed electrician. People who disobey this law could receive a fine of up to AU$10 (￡5.50).
In Milan, Italy, citizens are required to smile at all times, except during funerals or hospital visits.
In England, it is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament. This was voted the most ludicrous law in the UK in 2007. A spokesman for the House of Commons said: “The people who know about these things here say there is no basis for such a law, not to say it does not exist somewhere in writing.”
In Canada, by law, one out of every five songs on the radio must be sung by a Canadian.
Flushing（冲洗）the toilet after 10pm is illegal in Switzerland. The Government consider it noise pollution.
Running out of petrol is illegal on Germany's autobahn, and so is walking along it. So those who do break down must pull over and use their horn to attract attention. The fine is €80 (£65) for endangering other drivers.
7. In Chicago, it is against the law to eat in a place that's on fire.
No matter how good the pizza tastes, if the restaurant sets on fire – you can't stick around!
According to the text, which of the following is legal?
| A．A doctor changing his bulb at his home in Victoria. |
| B．A driver blows his horn when his car breaks down on a Germany’s highway. |
| C．A spokesman dies in the House of Parliament in England. |
| D．A customer eats in a Chicago restaurant while it is on fire. |
If you see a citizen in Milan isn’t smiling, he is probably _______.
| A．visiting a friend in the hospital | B．under great pressure |
| C．having a quarrel with his boss | D．in a bad mood |
Where will you be fined if you break the laws mentioned in the text?
| A．Canada and Chicago. | B．England and Chicago. |
| C．Switzerland and Milan. | D．German and Victoria. |
What’s the purpose of banning flushing the toilet in Switzerland after 10 pm?
| A．To avoid overusing the toilet. |
| B．To avoid disturbing others with unpleasant sounds. |
| C．To save energy. |
| D．To cut the cost of water. |
Many people rely on a cup of coffee or two to wake them up in the morning or refresh them during the working day, but now a chemist has come up with a speedy alternative to drinking coffee.
U.S. biochemist Ben Yu has created ‘Sprayable Energy’, which claims to be the world's first caffeine - based topical energy spray.
He said tired workers can spray a 'shot' of caffeine onto their skin without experiencing a strong noise, taking in unnecessary calories or being stuck with a nasty aftertaste like they might get from drinking energy drinks or coffee.
The tasteless caffeine spray is absorbed through the skin and spread through the body over a number of hours to deliver a caffeine hit that lasts longer than drinking a cup of coffee. The only active ingredient in the spray is caffeine, which is very similar to nicotine in structure. Each spray ‘Sprayable Energy’ contains around a quarter of the amount of caffeine found in a cup of coffee, but apparently has the same effect as a full cup.
The website said: “The reason for this is our product isn't entirely metabolized(新陈代谢) by the liver before entering your system and becoming available to your body.” Sprayable Energy's website recommends that users apply the spray in places where they normally spritz perfume, such as wrists, the neck or behind the ears, but warns users not to exceed 20 times a day.
It claims that after spraying the product on the skin, users will feel awake and focus without being over-excited, which is common with coffee and energy drinks.Compared with an energy drink or a coffee, what is good about “Sprayable Energy”?
| A．It makes no noise. |
| B．It contains lower calories. |
| C．It has a good taste. |
| D．It contains many active ingredients. |
Which of the body may not be suitable to apply “Sprayable Energy”?
| A．The neck. | B．Behind the ears. | C．Wrists. | D．Mouth. |
What can we infer from the text?
| A．“Sprayable Energy” contains caffeine as well as nicotine. |
| B．The liver can metabolize in caffeine before it enters your system. |
| C．Whenever you feel tired, you can spray the product. |
| D．After spraying “Sprayable Energy”, you’ll get rid of tiredness. |
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