Richard Wagner was a German musician has been a very controversial(有争议的) person, but he has gained great fame by writing opera, a form of performance combining singing, music on instruments, and drama.
While he wrote excellent music, many people think his operas are too dark and serious, lacking the fun common in operas written before his time.
Wagner, on the other hand, thought the opera of his time was too simple．He wanted to make opera a serious form of art that combined drama and music to tell deep stories that would have a strong effect on the audience.
Some people thought Wagner’s new kind of music was too different from the operas they were used to hearing．Wagner agreed with them．In fact, he didn’t call his works “operas” at all, using instead a German word that means “Musical Festival” or “Musical play”.
While many people today still do not like Wagner’s operas, they cannot deny that Wagner has had a lot of influence on opera as a form of art．Wagner invented the tradition of turning off the lights before starting a play．He also was the first person to make the whole audience sit down for an entire play．Today, almost all operas are performed in this manner.
Wagner as a man was even more controversial than Wagner as a writer of music．He hated Jewish people, and made many people angry, which we would today think of as evil．Some would say he was a good musician, while others would say that he was a bad musician．But it would be difficult to say he was not an important person in music and in the world. Which of the following best expresses the main idea of the passage?
| A．Richard Wagner is not worth talking about |
| B．Richard Wagner has made many people angry |
| C．Richard Wagner has contributed much to opera. |
| D．Richard Wagner is a very controversial man. |
Why did Wagner write what is considered serious music?
| A．He wanted to influence people with deep stories. |
| B．He wanted to make his music simple to follow. |
| C．He wanted to make it suitable for his deep voice. |
| D．He was greatly influenced by previous musicians. |
Wagner’s works were different from normal opera of his time NOT because________.
| A．he called his works “Musical Festivals” |
| B．his drama, music and singing are combined |
| C．the lights are off before starting a play |
| D．the audience could sit down during his play |
Which of the following statements about Wagner’s works is TRUE?
| A．His works are seldom accepted |
| B．His works are known to be funny. |
| C．His works started a new tradition. |
| D．Most people are angry about his works. |
Bamboo（竹） is one of the nature’s most surprising plants. Many people call this plant a tree, but it is a kind of grass.
Like other kinds of grass, a bamboo plant may be cut very low to the ground, but it will grow back very quickly. A Japanese scientist recorded one bamboo plant that grew almost 1.5 meters in 24 hours! Bamboo grows almost everywhere in the world except Europe（欧洲）. There are more than 1,000 kinds of bamboo that grow around the world on both mountains and plains.
Not all bamboo looks the same. Some bamboo plants are very thin. They may only grow to be a few centimeters（厘米）wide while others may grow to more than 30 centimeters across. This plant also comes in different colors, from yellow to black to green.
Many Asian countries have been using bamboo for hundreds of years. They often use bamboo for building new buildings. As a matter of fact, the cables(绳索) hold up the hanging bridge across the Min River in Sichuan are made of bamboo. The bridge has been in use for more than 1,000 years, and is still holding strong.
In Africa, engineers are teaching poor farmers how to find water using bamboo. These African countries need cheap ways to find water because they have no money, and their fields often die from no rain and no water. It seems that bamboo is one of the best things they can use. Bamboo pipes and drills(钻) can help to make the poor thirsty fields be watered.How is bamboo like grass?
| A．It is thin and easy to cut. |
| B．It grows everywhere. |
| C．It grows quickly after it’s cut short. |
| D．It is short and green. |
The underlined sentence “while others may grow to more than 30 centimeters across.” means “Some other bamboo plants may grow to be very _______.”
| A．short | B．strong | C．thick | D．tall |
From the text we know ______.
| A．All people call bamboo plant trees |
| B．a bamboo plant may grow 4.5 meters in three days |
| C．the bamboo plant changes its colors when it grows |
| D．a bridge held by bamboo cable was built thousands of years ago |
Why did the engineers teach the poor farmers in Africa to make use of bamboo?
| A．Because it is cheap. | B．Because it is colorful. |
| C．Because it drills fast. | D．Because it is used by Asians. |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．There are many different kinds of bamboo with different colors. |
| B．Cables made of bamboo can last for over a thousand years. |
| C．Bamboo can be used for buildings, bridges and watering projects(工程). |
| D．Bamboo plants are able to grow well in any part of the world. |
If you do not use your arm or your legs for some time, they become weak; when you start using them again, they slowly become strong again. Everybody knows that. Yet many people do not seem to know that memory works in the same way. When someone says that he has a good memory, he really means that he keeps his memory in practice by using it. When someone else says that his memory（记忆力） is poor, he really means that he does not give it enough chance to become strong. If a friend says that his arms and legs are weak, we know that it is his own fault(过错). But if he tells us that he has a poor memory, many of us think that his parents are to blame(受责备), and few of us know that it is just his own fault. Have you ever found that some people can’t read or write but usually they have better memories? This is because they cannot read or write and they have to remember things they cannot write down in a little notebook. They have to remember days, names, songs and stories; so their memory is the whole time being exercised. So if you want to have a good memory, learn from the people: Practice remembering.The main reason for one’s poor memory is that _______.
| A．his father or mother may have a poor memory |
| B．he does not use his arm or legs for some time |
| C．his memory is not often used |
| D．he can’t read or write |
If you do not use your arms or legs for some time _______.
| A．you can’t use them any more |
| B．they will become stronger |
| C．they become weak and won’t become strong until you use them again. |
| D．they will become neither stronger nor weaker |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Your memory works in the same way as your arms or legs. |
| B．Your memory, like your arms or legs, becomes weak if you don’t give it enough chance for practice. |
| C．Don’t learn how to read and write if you want to have a better memory. |
| D．A good memory comes from more practice. |
Some people can’t read or write, but they usually have better memories, because _______.
| A．they have save much trouble |
| B．they have saved much time to remember things |
| C．they have to use their memories all the time |
| D．they can’t write everything in a little notebook |
Which is the best title for this passage?
| A．Don’t Stop Using Your Arms or Legs | B．How to Have a Good Memory |
| C．Strong Arms and Good Memories | D．Learn From the People |
A new survey finds that more than eighty percent of Internet users in the United States search for health information online. The survey found that searching online is one of the leading ways that people look for a second opinion though doctors are still the main source of health information.
Forty-four percent of people are actually looking for doctors or other providers when they search for health information online. Another finding of the survey: Two-thirds of Internet users look online for information about a specific disease or medical condition.
The Internet has also become an important source of emotional support for people with health problems. Susannah Fox says one in five Internet users has gone online to find other people who have the same condition. It was more popular among people with more serious health issues—one in four people living with chronic diseases (慢性病). And it was basically off the charts with people living with rare disease. They are so eager to find other people online who share their health concerns.
A disease is considered rare if it affects fewer than two hundred thousand people worldwide. The rise of social networking has made it easier for people with rare diseases to connect with each other and feel less alone. Social networking is also changing the way some doctors and patients communicate with each other. Dr. Jeff Livingston operates a medical center for women in Irving, Texas. His office uses password-protected software to share information with patients.
“We provide the patient full access to their medical care. Anything I can see, the patient can see. All of their notes, all of their doctor visits are right there. All of their lab work is right there.” Dr. Livingston says the software has increased efficiency, reduced costs and improved relations with patients.From the first paragraph, we can know _________.
| A．most online health information is reliable |
| B．more people now turn to the Internet for medical advice |
| C．people shouldn’t rely on the Internet for medical advice |
| D．doctors are no longer the patients’ first choice |
The underlined words “off the charts” in Paragraph 3 mean _________.
| A．very popular | B．not accessible | C．far away from | D．not attractive |
By using social networking, patients with rare diseases can _________.
| A．find effective cures | B．get emotional comfort |
| C．ask for financial support | D．consult doctors anytime |
Which of the following is NOT true of Dr. Livingston’s software?
| A．It cuts down medical expenses. |
| B．It decreases the time spent on medical care. |
| C．It takes doctors closer to their patients. |
| D．It gives patients a medical test online. |
Imagine an eco-conscious city where rooftops have been transformed into fertile, green gardens. It's a place where every home is equipped with a system that recycles valuable water resources. In this town, protecting the planet is a way of life. That's how Abby Sharp, 14, Wyatt Peery, 13, and Tom Krajnak, 14, saw their city of tomorrow. The vision won the eighth-graders from Bexley, Ohio, first prize at the 2009 National Engineers Week Future City Competition.
The annual design competition challenges middle school students to use engineering to deal with issues that affect the earth. This year the competition focused on water conservation. Participants had to come up with ways to improve water use in the home. Kids from 38 middle schools across the country competed in the finals. The event took place from February 17-18 in Washington, D.C. More than 30,000 students entered the competition.
Abby, Wyatt and Tom call their winning city Novo Mondum. The name means "new world" in Latin. Novo Mondum sits on the coast of Iceland. The group chose the spot for its wealth of clean energy resources, such as geothermal（地热的） energy and hydropower. Both sources use the power of nature to generate electricity. Geothermal energy draws heat from deep inside the Earth. Hydropower gets energy from flowing water. "Our city is very globally aware," Abby told TFK.
Students team up with a teacher and a volunteer engineer mentor（顾问）to develop their cities. Each group creates a fictional city on SimCity 4 Deluxe, a computer game that allows players to build virtual towns. Then they construct tabletop models of the cities and write essays describing their project. The models must be made using recycled materials and cost no more than $100 to build. What’s the main feature of the city designed by the three winners?
| A．Making full use of water resources. |
| B．Turning rooftops into green gardens. |
| C．Protecting our home — the earth. |
| D．Costing no money to build |
It can be inferred that water conversation is __________.
| A．one of the problems that influence the Earth. |
| B．the main theme of 2009 Future City Competition. |
| C．one of the issues for the participants to deal with abroad. |
| D．an easy topic for all the students to design. |
According to the passage, Abby, Wyatt and Tom are _____.
A. ninth-graders from Bexley, Ohio.
B. second prize winners at the 2009 Future City Competition.
C. lucky to get the first prize at the 2009 Future City Competition.
D. eighth-graders from Washington, D.C.The underlined word “hydropower” means ______________.
| A．electric power from burning oil. |
| B．electric power from burning coals. |
| C．electric power from deep inside the earth. |
| D．electric power from moving water. |
What’s the main idea of the last paragraph?
| A．The process of developing a Future City. |
| B．How teachers instruct the students in the competition. |
| C．The process of building virtual towns. |
| D．What materials should be used in the competition. |
In choosing a friend, one should be very careful. A good friend can help you study. You can have fun together and make each other happy. Sometimes you will meet fair-weather friends, who will be with you as long as you have money or luck, but when you are down, they will run away. How do I know when I have found a good friend? I look for certain qualities (品质) of character, especially understanding, honesty and reliability (可靠).
Above all else, I look for understanding in a friend. A good friend tries to understand how another person is feeling. He is not quick to judge. Instead, he tries to learn from others. He puts himself in the other person’s place, and he tries to think of ways to be helpful. He is also a good listener.
At the same time, however, a good friend is honest. He does not look for faults (过错) in others. He notices their good points. In short, a friend will try to understand me and accept me.
Another quality of a friend is reliability. I can always depend on a good friend. If he tells me he will meet me somewhere at a certain time, I can be sure that he will be there. If I need a favor, he will do his best to help me. If I am in trouble, he will not run away from me.
There is a fourth quality that makes a friend special. A special friend is someone with whom we can have fun. We should enjoy our lives, and we would enjoy our friendship. That is why I especially like friends who are fun to be with. A good friend likes the same things I like. We share experience (经验) and learn from each other. A good friend has a good sense of humor, too. He likes to laugh with me. That is how we share in the joy of being friends. And I know that he is looking for the same quality in me.
When I meet someone who is reliable, honest, and understanding, I know I’ve found a friend! If you have fair-weather friends, _____.
| A．they will give you all that they have when you need help |
| B．you will be refused when you get into trouble |
| C．you will become rich |
| D．you can be sure that you get real friends |
Good friends need to ______.
| A．always point out each other’s mistakes |
| B．be helped with money |
| C．understand each other’s feelings |
| D．have money or luck. |
This passage mainly discusses ________.
| A．the qualities of a friend |
| B．where to choose friends |
| C．how to get along with friends |
| D．the importance of having a friend |
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