To us it seems so natural to put up an umbrella to keep the water off when it rains, but actually the umbrella was not invented as protection against the rain, Its first use was as a shade against the sun!
Nobody knows who first invented it, but the umbrella was used in very ancient times. Probably the first to use it were the Chinese in the 11th century BC.
We know that the umbrella was used in ancient Egypt and Babylon as a sunshade. And there was a strange thing connected with its use: it became a symbol of honor. In the Far East in ancient times, the umbrella was allowed to be used only by those in high office.
In Europe, the Greeks were the first to use the umbrella as a sunshade. And the umbrella was in commonly used in ancient Greece. But it is believed that the first persons in Europe to use the umbrella as protection against the rain were the ancient Romans.
During the Middle Ages, the use of the umbrella practically disappeared. Then it appeared again in Italy in the late sixteenth century. And again it was considered as a symbol of power. By 1680, the umbrella appeared in France and later in England.
By the eighteenth century, the umbrella was used against rain throughout most of Europe.
Umbrellas have not changed much in style during all this time, though they have become much lighter in weight. It wasn’t until the twentieth century that women’s umbrellas began to be made , in a whole variety of colors.According to this passage, the umbrella was probably first invented in ancient_______.
| A．China | B．Egypt | C．Greece | D．Rome |
Which of the following statements is not true about the umbrella?
| A．No one exactly knows who the inventor of the umbrella was |
| B．The umbrella was first invented to be used as protection against the sun. |
| C．The umbrella changed much in style in the eighteenth century |
| D．In Europe, the Greeks were the first to use the umbrella as a sunshade. |
A strange feature of the umbrella’s use is that it was used as__________.
| A．protection against rain | B．a symbol of honor and power |
| C．a shade against the sun | D．women’s decoration |
In Europe, the umbrella was first used against the rain_______________.
| A．during the Middle Ages | B．in Rome | C．by the 18th | D．in Greece |
This passage talks mainly about_______________.
| A．when and how the umbrella was invented |
| B．why the umbrella was so popular in Europe |
| C．the development of the umbrella |
| D．The history and use of the umbrella |
What’s in a name? Well, apparently, our general happiness. Psychologists say that what we are called has a direct connection with our well-being (幸福).
Those called Judy and Joshua are the happiest, while Lynn or Ben is likely to be the unhappiest, according to research. Psychologist Dr David Holmes found that this might due to the association(联想)that others made with the name. Hearing the name Judy may make them think of actress Judi Dench or TV presenter Judy Finnigan, people who are seen as good natured and happy. On the other hand, people think Paulines are unhappy because of the character Pauline Fowler from the TV programme East Enders. The research claims that this association influences the person with the name and so their personality becomes shaped to fit it. Dr David Holmes said, "This also has some relation with the original meaning of the name. For example, the original meaning of Judy is 'praised’."
Certain names also work well in certain aspects of life. In the workplace Richard and Judy are happiest, while those called Ruth and Carly are happiest in relationships. At the other end of the scale the unhappiest workers are Stuart and Liz, with the unhappiest in relationships being Frank and Harriet.
Dr Holmes said, "The relation we have with certain names, particularly important namesakes(同名者), also shapes how we see ourselves and so may have an effect on our confidence. Names are like product brands in having a powerful effect on attitudes and should therefore be chosen with care."
"Other names are connected with being brave, outgoing or serious. Therefore, many celebrities change their names to ones which reflect these characteristics. This, in turn, influences parents when they choose names for their babies," said Dr Holmes, "however, names connected with ordinary people are seldom chosen for their babies".
Which of the following is NOT a reason why Judy is a good name?
| A．The association people make with it. |
B．Its original meaning. |
C．The high number of famous people who are called Judy. |
D．The personalities of famous Judys. |
According to the passage, which of the following names are better?
| A．Ruth and Joshua. | B．Pauline and Frank. | C．Richard and Stuart. | D．Joshua and Ben. |
The reason why names should be chosen carefully is that___________.
| A．good names can make us succeed. |
B．names can affect how we see ourselves |
C．names can tell us what we should do |
D．good names can show others who we are |
The author may continue the passage with__________.
| A．names and product brands | B．famous people’s names |
C．parents ‘choices of baby names | D．names and personality |
What’s the main idea of this passage?
| A．How to choose a good name for babies. |
B．How to achieve success by changing a good name. |
C．The relation between names and success. |
D．The relation between names and happiness. |
As summer approaches, a lot of people will be in search of a great book to read while they are relaxing on the beach or by the pool. Here we have made a list of four e-books that we think are great summer reads.
Stark by Ben Elton--- If you have read a lot of books then you may know that Ben Elton is one of the funniest writers around the world. This book is one of his best pieces of work to date and it will certainly leave you in hysterics(狂笑). You may find yourself laughing out loud constantly when reading this book.
1984 by George Orwell---there is a big chance that some of you may have read this book ,but even if you have, it’s still well worth reading again. This is a great holiday book and it will shock you constantly due to the accuracy of the book. The book was actually written in 1948 and was written about what the author (George Orwell) fell the world would be like in 1984,and he was pretty spot-on .This book is thrilling and will probably leave you a little scared at the end of it.
The Road---This book is a fantastic read and will leave you hanging on edge all the way through it. This book is quite dark, however, and it certainly had some shocking moments throughout. The book is set in a post-apocalyptic(浩劫后的) world where modern life has been destroyed and in which there is no wildlife and a lot of humans have actually turned to cannibalism(同类相食).This book is fantastic if you enjoy a thrilling read that will leave you on the edge of your seat every few seconds. This certainly isn't a book for the faint of heart.
The Theory of Everything by Stephen Hawking---If you haven’t read this book yet then you really must .If you’re looking for a non-fiction and highly informative book for your summer then this is the book for you. This book was written by Professor Stephen Hawking and is extremely famous.What is the text mainly about?
| A．An introduction to four e-books that are great summer reads. |
| B．Advice on how to choose great e—books for summer reads. |
| C．The contents of four e-books that are famous around the world |
| D．People’s opinion on reading e-books on the beach. |
Which of the following is TRUE?
| A．Ben Elton is the funniest writer all over the world. |
| B．If you’ve read 1984, there’s no need to read it again. |
| C．The Road presents a world in which there are no humans. |
| D．The Theory of Everything is full of information that is helpful to readers. |
We can learn from the passage that____________
| A．George Orwell wrote what the world in 1948 was like in his book |
| B．Readers will surely be scared after reading 1984. |
| C．The Theory of Everything is a work of popular fiction. |
| D．Readers who are fond of comedies may like to read Stark |
If Mark likes reading thrilling and exciting stories, which of the following should he choose?
| A．Stark | B．1984 | C．The Road | D．The theory of Everything |
In which section of a magazine would you most probably read the text?
| A．Literature | B．Travel | C．Lifestyle | D．Nature. |
In 2003, Bethany Hamilton,13, lost her left arm to a shark attack while surfing off Kauai, Hawaii. A new film ,Soul Surfer, is based on the story of how she overcame that to achieve her dream of becoming a professional athlete.
Growing up on the “garden isle” of Kauai, Hamilton spent every minute she could riding the waves. She was on the verge of (即将) becoming a top competitor in professional surfing. But while she was practicing at an isolated cove (小湾)，a four-meter-long tiger shark ripped off her left arm. Though her life was saved, nobody could imagine she would ever get back on a surfboard again.
In a true test of her faith and by tremendous will power, Bethany did get back up on a surfboard only a month after the attack. Six months later, she was competing again. Bethany Hamilton won her first amateur surfing championship just two years after she lost her arm. She also established the “Friends of Bethany,” a non---profit foundation dedicated to supporting sharks attack victims.
It’s a story told in her autobiography, which is the basis for the film that stars teenager Anna Sophia Robb. “I knew Bethany’s story, of course, but I thought ‘What an incredible role’ ,”explains Robb. “I was so fascinated by all of the challenges. What would it be like to have your arm taken and what would go through your head and how would your faith be challenged?”
The filmmakers used special effects to digitally remove Robb’ s arm .However ,no tricks were necessary for the surfing scenes because Hamilton herself did the breathtaking wave riding.
Now 21, Hamilton says she hopes audiences find inspiration in the description of the sport she loves.
“Not a lot of people know that much about surfing, so I hope they’re educated about it,” Hamilton says. “And most of all if people are going through a hard time, they could be encouraged and find inspiration to push through those hard times and see that, in my case ,so much good has come out of it.”According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?.
| A．Hamilton was severely injured when surfing. |
| B．Nobody thought Hamilton could overcome the troubles. |
| C．Rob did the breathtaking wave riding in the film Soul Surfer. |
| D．Hamilton established the “Friends of Bethany” to help shark attack victims. |
Which of the following can best take the place of the underlined word “tremendous” in the third paragraph?
| A．Free. | B．Easy | C．Smart. | D．Strong. |
What can we learn from Anna Sophia Robb’s words?
| A．She was absorbed in the story. |
| B．she wasn’t sure she could play the role well. |
| C．She wants to challenge her faith. |
| D．She doesn’t believe Bethany’s story. |
How does Hamilton hope people will be affected by her story?
| A．she hopes more people will take up surfing. |
| B．she hopes people will be inspired and encouraged |
| C．She hopes more people will keep off the sharks. |
| D．She hopes people will donate something to her charity. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．A lot of people are fond of surfing. |
| B．Good things will happen to the disabled in the end. |
| C．Faith and will power will help people go through hard times. |
| D．People can always overcome every difficulty in life. |
The Olympic Games
The ancient Olympic Games was in the year 776BC. They were held at Olympia in Greece every four years, for almost 12 centuries, until AD394.
The contemporary Olympics were first held in 1896, in Athens. It was a Frenchman, Pierre de Coubertin, who brought the Olympics back to life. He dreamt that the Olympics would make it possible for 56. 各国人民和平相处. Now people all over the world are helping to realize this dream. Among them are many well-known athletes.
57. 中国运动员为奥运会做出了重要贡献。At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, the People’s Republic of China returned to the Olympics after 32 years’ absence. I am sure the whole of China must have felt proud when Xu Haifeng won the first gold medal for his country. 58. Deng Yaping is perhaps the greatest female table tennis player in the world. At the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, Liu Xiang excited people all over Asia when he became the first Asian to win the gold medal in the men’s 110-metre hurdles.
59. The Chinese led the way at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, winning 51 gold medals. For the first time in history, the Chinese women’s gymnastics team won the gold medal.
These are some of the Olympic athletes who have brought joy to people across the world with their attempts to push the boundaries of human achievement. We are looking forward to seeing more of them in future Olympic Games. 60. Join us in wishing the Olympic Movement a successful future.
“If you talk to the plants, they will grow faster and the effect is even better if you’re a woman.” Researchers at Royal Horticultural Society carried out an experiment to find that the voice of a woman gardener makes plants grow faster.
The experiment lasted a month and by the end of the study scientists managed to discover that tomato plants grew up two inches taller when women gardeners talked to them instead of male.
Sarah Darwin was the one making the plants the best growth. Her voice was the most “inspiring” for plants than those of nine other gardeners when reading a passage from The Origin of Species. The great-great-granddaughter of the famous botanist （植物学家）Charles Darwin found that her plant grew about two inches taller than the plant of the best male gardener.
Colin Crosbie, Garden Superintendent at RHS, said that the finding cannot yet be explained.He says that women have a greater range of pitch and tone（音高和音色）which might have a certain effect on the sound waves that reach the plant. “Sound waves are an environmental effect just like rain or light ,”said Mr Grosbie.
The study began in April at RHS Garden Wisley in Survey. Scientists started with open auditions(听力) for the people who were asked to record passages from John Wyndham's The Day of the Triffids, Shakespeare’s A Midsummer's Night Dream and Darwin's The Origin of Species.
Afterwards researchers selected a number of different voices and played them to 10 tomato plants during a period of a month. Each plant had headphones connected to it. Through the headphones the sound waves could hit the plants. It was discovered that plants that “listened” to female voices grew taller by an inch in comparison to plants that heard male voices.What does the passage talk about?
| A．Plants enjoy men’s voices than women’s. |
| B．A science experiment in a museum. |
| C．Voice’s influence on plant growing. |
| D．Strange findings at Royal Horticultural Society. |
What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 4 mean?
| A．Plants need sound as well as rain and light. |
| B．Sound is basic for the plant to grow. |
| C．Sound has a good effect as rain or light does. |
| D．Plants can’t live without sound, rain or light. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．The experiment ended in May. |
| B．Scientist can explain the findings clearly. |
| C．Plants enjoy listening to the passages from famous works. |
| D．The findings are of great importance to human beings. |
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