Over time, the custom of kissing developed as a way for adults to express their love and affection for one another. The roots of this form of affection can be traced back to primitive times, when mothers fondled their children, much as mothers do today.
Much later, in the sixth century, society apparently accepted the custom of kissing between adults as an expression of their affection. Not surprisingly, France first accepted kissing in courtship (求爱). There, figure dancing was popular, and each dance was sealed with a kiss.
The custom of kissing swept from France through Europe to Russia, where Russian nobility loved to imitate the French. Eventually, the kiss was incorporated into marriage ceremonies, and today lip locks couples into sweet matrimony.
The custom of kissing today, as well as in ancient times, serves to pay homage to another. Early Romans kissed each other on the mouth or on the eyes to greet one another in a manner they thought to be dignified. One Roman emperor even ranked a person's importance by the body part he was allowed to kiss. He allowed important nobles to kiss his lips, less important ones to kiss his hands, and the least important ones to kiss his feet.
In Russia, the highest sign of recognition from the Crown meant a kiss from the Tsar himself. Today, natives of many African tribes pay homage to their Chief by kissing the ground over which he has walked.What’s mainly talked about in the passage?
| A．The way to express love and respect. | B．The expression of affection. |
| C．The custom of kissing. | D．The function of kissing. |
Which of the following can best explain the underlined word “homage” in the 4th paragraph？
| A．recognition | B．respect | C．importance | D．loyalty |
It can be learned from the passage that ___________.
| A．kissing is a widely accepted way to show love and affection |
| B．kissing used to be a proper way to show love on the wedding ceremony |
| C．kissing is a widely accepted way of greeting in the world |
| D．kissing from the Tsar is only sign of being accepted from the Crown |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．It was France that made the custom of kissing go to the whole world. |
| B．Early Africans kissed each other on the mouth or on the eyes to greet one another. |
| C．One Roman emperor allowed important nobles to kiss his nose. |
| D．Russian nobility followed the custom of kissing from the French. |
We can infer from the passage that __________.
| A．mothers created the custom of kissing |
| B．kissing means differently on different occasions |
| C．figure dancing was usually sealed with a kiss in Russia |
| D．society found it hard to accept kissing in public in the sixth century |
阅读下面文章，回答问题。
(A)
The Taj Mahal is considered to be one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and the finest example of the late style of Indian architecture (建筑). It is at Agra in northern India. It lies beside the River Jumna in the middle of gardens with quiet pools.
The Taj Mahal was built by the Mogul emperor (皇帝) Shah Jehan, who ruled India in the seventeenth century. It is in memory of his favorite wife, Arjumand Banu Bagam, known as Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631. The building, which was completed between 1632 and 1638, was designed by a local Muslim architect (建筑师), Ustad Ahmad Lahori. The whole building, with gardens and gateway structures, was completed in 1643. The Taj Mahal stands at one end of the garden tomb with marble (大理石) path. The room is softly lighted by the light that passes through double screens of carved marble set high in the walls. The building now is kept in good condition.
The Taj Mahal took 22 years to build. Shah Jehan planned a similar building, but in black instead of white, to lie on the other side of the river. But before it could be built, Shah Jehan was imprisoned (监禁) by his son and buried next to his wife in the Taj Mahal.
1. The Taj Mahal was built for____ .
A. Mumtaz B. Shah
C. Either Mumtaz or Shah D. Both Mumtaz and Shah
2. The passage mainly tells us____ .
A. why the Taj Mahal was built
B. the love story between Shah and Mumtaz
C. some information about the Taj Mahal
D. the Taj Mahal—the pride of Indians
3. Form the passage we can learn
that____ .
A. the Taj Maha
l looks more beautiful than before.
B. the Taj Mahal doesn't exist now.
C. the Taj Mahal has completely changed.
D. the Taj Mahal has become a place of interest.
(B)
Winter-swimming has become popular in Beijing. Three years ago
, few people would go swimming in the icy waters. But now there is a Winter-swimming Enthusiasts’ Club（冬泳爱好者协会）and it has more than 2 000 members. The oldest is 84 years old and the youngest is only 7. The members are from all walks of life. They may be workers, peasants, soldiers, teachers, students…
Though it is now the coldest part of the season and the water temperature in the city’s lakes is around 0℃, many winter-swimmers still swim in the icy waters, even when it is snowing. They enjoy themselves in the lake, while the people by the side of the lake are wearing heavy clothes.
Why are so many people interested in winter-swimming? Because winter-swimming can be good for one’s health.
Bei Sha is a good example. He is 69, and he once suffered from heart trouble for 26 years. After ten years of winter-swimming he is now in good health. Scientists are now studying the effects of winter-swimming on health.
4. What does the underlined sentence “The members are from all walks of life” mean?
A. The members do different jobs at different places.
B. They come from all parts of Beijing.
C. They are persons of different ages.
D. They are men and women, old and young.
5. The winter-swimmers are able to swim in the icy waters, even on snowy days because .
A. they are not afraid of coldness
B. they often swim in the icy waters
C. they know that they can benefit（得益）from it
D. winter-swimming can make people healthy
6. Winter-swimming has become popular in Beijing because .
A. more and more people like to swim in Beijing
B. it is more interesting than swimming in summer
C. winter-swimmers are brave men
D. winter-swimming does a lot of good to one’s health
7. What’s the best title for this passage?
A. People in Beijing Like Swimming in Winter
B. Winter-swimming—A Craze（狂热）in Beijing
C. People Benefit from Winter-swimming
D. Winter-swimmers Are Brave Men
People unhappy with the rich: Poll
There is growing dissatisfaction toward rich people, according to a new online poll. The poll by the China Youth Daily in collaboration(与…合作) with Sina.com has highlighted the apparent discontent (不满)over the country’s widening income gap. Nearly 8,000 people filled in online questionnaires last week, and when asked to use three words to describe society’s rich, the top responses were "extravagant"(奢侈的), "greedy" and "corrupt".About 57 percent of those polled said that "extravagant" was the best word to describe the rich, followed closely by "greedy".Ironically, despite their dissatisfaction, 93 percent of those polled wished they could be rich too, and that richer people should be "socially responsible".Some 33 percent of respondents also praised rich people for being "smart".Nearly 90 percent of respondents agreed that most people in society, including themselves, were willing to speak up for the poor but were reluctant to take action and actually do something for them.The survey comes on the heels of a heated debate over comments made by renowned economist Mao Yushi, who said he was "speaking for the rich and working for the poor".A report released by the Asian Development Bank last Wednesday revealed that China’s Gini coefficient - an indicator of the wealth divide - rose from 0.407 in 1993 to 0.473 in 2004.
An earlier CASS report said that the richest 10 percent of Chinese families now own more than 40 percent of all private assets, while the poorest 10 percent share less than 2 percent of the total wealth.The country’s income disparity(悬殊) is close to that of Latin America, the report which came out in January, said.
| Theme |
People unhappy with the rich |
| The poll by China Daily |
Nearly 8,000 people filled in（36）_____ on the （37）_____last week. There is an（38） _____ dissatisfaction tendency toward rich people. Ironically, in （39）_____ of their dissatisfaction, 93 percent of the polled wished they could be rich too, and rich people should take “（40）______ responsibility”. （41）______ ,Mao Yushi, said he was “speaking for the rich and working for the poor.” |
| A report （42）______ by the Asian Development Bank |
The richest 10 percent of Chinese families now own more than 40 percent of all （43）_____ assets, while the poorest 10 percent （44）_____ for less than 2 percent of the total wealth. The country’s income disparity is close to that of Latin America, the report came out in （45）______. |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项。
A
Imagine landing in a foreign country where you cannot speak the language, understand the culture and don’t know anybody. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a friend who could help you out?
John Smith, an English explorer who landed in America in 1607, found the best friend ever. She was a Native American named Pocahontas (1595-1617). And she did more than teach Smith the language: she saved his life, twice.
Smith was captured by members of Pocahontas’s tribe (部落) and was going to be killed. But for some reason, the Chief’s daughter, Pocahontas, felt sorry for Smith (who was probably the first white man she had ever seen) and threw her body over his to protect him. Smith returned safely to the small village he was living in.
During the winter the English settlers did not know how to get food from nature. Pocahontas often brought food for Smith and his friends.
A year later Pocahontas’s father tried to kill Smith again because the Native Americans were very scared the English would try to take over their land. Pocahontas warned him and he was able to escape.
Later she became a Christian and eventually married an Englishman named John Rolfe.
She spent the last year of her life in London.
Pocahontas has become an American legend (传奇). Her life story has been re-created in many books and films, including Disney’s 1995 film, Pocahontas.
One of the reasons she is so popular is that many Europeans look at Pocahontas as an excellent example of how a minority can adjust into the majority. Pocahontas is also respected because of her selfless love. She proved that people can be kind and loving even to people of a different race or culture. John Smith was very different from Pocahontas but she could see he was a good man and that was all that mattered. No race or country owns goodness, love and loyalty.
1.What difficulties might early European settlers meet in America EXCEPT ______?
A. the fierce conflict with Native Americans
B. bad-tempered natives who enjoyed killing
C. unfamiliarity with a foreign land
D. lack of food in winter
2.Pocahontas saved John Smith twice because ______.
A. he was the first white man she had ever seen in her life
B. she wanted to become a Christian and marry an Englishman
C. she believed in general kindness even to people of a different race
D. she was on the settlers’ side and against her cruel father
3.Which is NOT an element to make Pocahontas a legend?
A. Her tribal background and her marriage to a white settler.
B. Her selfless help to people regarded as enemy of her tribe.
C. Her complicated life story different from common people’s.
D. The recreation of her life story in the 1995 Disney film.
4.According to the text, Europeans think Pocahontas _____.
A. was brave to break away from her own tribe
B. set a good example for other natives to accept the white settlers
C. was a selfless Christian who can love her enemy
D. was open to a more advanced culture
5.What can we infer from the passage?
A. The battles between early settlers and Native Americans resulted from their fighting for land.
B. The Europeans think the early settlers should have learned to adjust to the local cultures.
C. The creation of America is based on the settlers’ victory over the Native Americans.
D. People from different cultures can never really get along well with each other.
B
Chinese students aren’t the only ones who have a sleep loss problem. In Australia, teenagers are also missing out on, on average, one hour’s sleep every night during the school week.
Organized activities and homework push bedtimes later, the first large-scale Australian study of children’s sleeping habits has revealed (显示). Their sleep deprivation (剥夺) is enough to cause “serious drop-offs in school performance, attention and memory”, and governments should consider later or flexible school start times, said the study’s leader, Tim Olds.
His survey, of more than 4,000 children aged 9 to 18, found those who slept least did not watch more television but spent their time socializing (相处) with family or friends or listening to music.
“Almost all children get up at 7 or 7:15 — they have to get to school on time,” said Olds. He favors a later start over an earlier finish because he believes organized sports and activities would still consume the latter end of the day.
Olds’research also establishes lack of sleep as a cause of weight gain in children, and a possible source of future problems with depression, anxiety and increased susceptibility (易感性) to illness.
It was already known that overweight children sleep less, but Professor Olds found sleep duration (时长) was strongly linked to weight across the full range of body sizes. The thinnest children sleep 20 minutes more than the obese. This showed being overweight had no specific effect on sleep patterns, and it was more likely that shorter sleep times stimulate (刺激) appetite and make kids hungry.
The US National Sleep Foundation says teenagers aged 13 to 18 need eight to nine hours’ sleep a night. Younger school-aged kids need 9 to 11 hours.
On that basis, Professor Olds said, half of Australian children are under-sleeping on weekdays and a quarter on weekends.
6. The Australian students surveyed don’t sleep enough because they spend more time on the following EXCEPT _____.
A. organized activities and homework
B. communication with friends and family
C. watching television programs
D. enjoying music
7. What effects does lack of sleep directly have on the students according to the survey?
A. They become overweight but begin to eat less than before.
B. They feel more depressed and anxious about their school work.
C. They are more likely to be affected with illness in the future.
D. They pay less attention in class and their memory declines.
8. Which of the following suggestions did Mr. Olds raise?
A. The students should go to bed earlier to have longer sleeping time.
B. The students should participate less in organized activities.
C. The school should put off the start time in the morning.
D. The school should finish earlier in the afternoon.
9. What does "obese" in the sixth paragraph mean?
A. average B. fat C. sleepless D. overeating
10. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. Australian students usually take part in activities in the afternoon.
B. More students are short of sleep on weekends than on weekdays.
C. Being overweight has an effect on the length of the sleeping time.
D. The survey suggests that teenagers need 8-9 hours’ sleep a night.
C
By day he is just a normal cat but when the lights go out, he glows (发光) in the dark.
Scientists have genetically modified (更改) a cat as part of an experiment that could lead to treatments for diseases.
Named Mr. Green Genes, he looks like a six-month-old cat but, under ultraviolet (紫外线的) light, his eyes, gums (牙龈) and tongue glow green. That is the result of a genetic experiment at the Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species in New Orleans, US.
Mr. Green Genes is the first fluorescent (荧光的) cat in the US and probably the world, said Betsy Dresser, the center's director.
The researchers made him so they could learn whether a gene could be introduced harmlessly into a cat's genetic sequence (次序).
If so, it would be the first step in a process that could lead to the development of ways to treat diseases via gene therapy (治疗).
The gene, which was added to Mr. Green Genes' DNA, has no effect on his health, Ms Dresser said.
Cats are ideal for this project because their genetic makeup is similar to that of humans, said Dr Martha Gomez, a scientist at the center.
To show that the gene went where it was supposed to go, the researchers settled on one that would glow.
The gene "is just a marker"，said Leslie Lyons, an assistant professor at the University of California, Davis. Lyons is familiar with the center's work.
"The glowing part is the fun part," she said.
Glowing creatures made international news earlier this month when the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to three scientists who had discovered the gene through their work with jellyfish (水母).
11.Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
A. A Glowing Cat B. Mr. Green Genes
C. One Cat’s Life D. An experiment on cats
12. What can we conclude from the passage?
A. Fortunately, scientists have found ways to treat diseases via gene therapy.
B. Scientists think cats’ genetic makeup is the same as that of human beings.
C. Three scientists who had discovered the gene were given Nobel Prize in Physics.
D. Scientists have managed to introduce a gene into a cat’s genetic sequence.
13. What does “settled on” most probably mean in Paragraph 9?
A. chose B. killed C. took D. raised
14. From the passage we can see that ____.
A. Mr. Green Genes was made by researchers to treat diseases
B. the cat named Mr. Green Genes can glow when it is dark
C. Mr. Green Genes is the first fluorescent cat in the world
D. Mr. Green Genes is a cat of seven months old up to now
15. Which of the following is WRONG according to the text?
A. The gene added to Mr. Green Genes’ DNA doesn’t affect its health at all.
B. The scientists came up with the idea of the glowing genes totally for fun.
C. Earlier this month glowing creatures became news all through the world.
D. Scientists had discovered the gene from the jellyfish they worked with.
It is sometimes reported that strange flying objects have been seen high up in the sky. People call these strange objects Unidentified(不明的)Flying Objects(UFOs). These UFOs caused a lot of interest. Some of the reports about them are difficult to believe.Some have been explained in scientific ways. Others have never been explained.
Here is an account of UFOs from a report.
Dennis Bardens,who wrote an article,tells us that he once saw a UFO himself.He was having dinner one night with a friend near Tripoli(的黎波里),Libya(利比亚),and after dinner the two men walked across a yard to his room to look at some papers.Bardens noticed that the moon looked strange that night.
“It wasn't the moon,”was the reply.
They watched the light and saw that it was moving.It seemed to be an object rather like a big plate.In some ways it looked like smoke with a light on it,but it wasn't smoke because it didn't change its shape.It was moving in a regular way.That is to say,it didn't go suddenly faster or more slowly,and it didn't go higher or lower.So the two men decided that there must be men in it.
When it came nearer to Libya,Bardens said that he felt eyes looking at him.He was being watched in the darkness.
When it was nearer,they noticed that the bottom parts were brighter than the top.The bottom was yellow and the top was red.Then the object suddenly turned away and left Libya,moving very fast.
On a later day Bardens talked to other people about it,and he found some who had seen it.They all described(描述)it in the same way.Could they all the mistaken?
60.The UFOs are______.
A.flying high up in the sky B.strange flying objects
C.difficult to believe D.very interested
61.A UFO was seen one night______.
A.when they were walking across a yard to Bardens' room
B.while they were looking at the light
C.when Bardens noticed the moon appearing strange
D.while they were having dinner
62.The UFO looked like______.
A.smoke B.light
C.a moving object D.a large plate
63.When the UFO came nearer to Libya,______.
A.it disappeared all at once
B.it suddenly turned away and left
C.it was watched in the darkness
D.Bardens was looking at it
Life is difficult.
It is a great truth because once we truly understand and accept it, then life is no longer difficult.
Most do not fully see this truth. Instead they complain about their problems and difficulties as if life should be easy. It seems to them that difficulties represent(代表) a special kind of suffering especially forced upon them or else upon their families, their class, or even their nation.
What makes life difficult is that the process of facing and solving problems is a painful one. Problems, depending on their nature, cause in us sadness or loneliness or regret or anger or fear. These are uncomfortable feelings, often as painful as any kind of physical pain. And since life causes an endless series of problems, life is always difficult and is full of pain as well as joy.
Yet, it is in this whole process of solving problems that life has its meaning.
Problems are the serious test that tells us success from failure. When we desire to encourage the growth of the human spirit, we encourage the human ability(能力) to solve problems, just as in school we set problems for our children to solve. It is through the pain of meeting and working out problems that we learn. As Benjamin Franklin said, “Those things that hurt, instruct.” It is for this reason that wise people learn not to fear but to welcome the pain of problems.
56. From the passage, it can be inferred that ______.
A. everybody has problems
B. we become stronger by facing and solving the problems of life
C. life is difficult because our problems bring us pain
D. people like to complain about their problems
57.The writer probably used just one short sentence in the first paragraph to ______.
A. save space B. persuade readers
C. make readers laugh D. get reader's attention
58. The main idea of paragraph 3 is that ______.
A. most people feel life is easy
B. the writer feels life is easy
C. the writer likes to complain about his problems
D. most people complain about how hard their lives are
59. According to the passage, we give school children difficult problems to solve in order to ______.
A. encourage them to learn
B. teach them to fear the pain of solving problems
C. help them learn to deal with pain
D. teach them how to respect for problems
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